St. Martin’s proudly announces Mrs. Lynn Coatney as the recipient of the 2011 Dorothy Porter Service Award, which was presented at the school’s annual Spirits Party on Saturday, May 7 at 7 p.m. on the Van Slate House lawn.

The Dorothy Porter Service Award was established in honor of our beloved long-time teacher, who was a part of St. Martin’s from its beginnings. Even after her retirement in 1983, Mrs. Porter was actively involved in the school. She exemplified grace, commitment, historical love for the school and an enduring spirit that is sought by everyone who is a part of St. Martin’s. With the Dorothy Porter Service Award, we honor Mrs. Porter and her commitment to St. Martin’s. The award’s recipient must be an exemplary St. Martin’s citizen who has consistently served the school with time, talent and treasures and who represents the motto, philosophy and mission of St. Martin’s—Faith, Scholarship, Service.

Mrs. Coatney has been an integral member of the St. Martin’s Episcopal School community since 1994. She and her husband Mike are the proud parents of three St. Martin’s alumni: Erin ’02, Tyler ’05 and Laura ’10. Lynn has served the school as a Co-founder and President of the Spiritual Life Organization (now known as Saints in Service) from 2000 until 2009. Spiritual Life/Saints in Service has served extensively in Greater New Orleans both by providing meals and services to St. Martin’s families in times of challenge and by providing community service in projects including Habitat for Humanity, Angel’s Place, Dragon Café, New Orleans Mission Soup Kitchen, Katrina relief, United Churches of Algiers Food Bank, Community for Christian Concern, Good Shepherd School and All Souls Episcopal Church. Lynn also served as a member and committee chairperson for the Christian Life Committee, as a member of the Board of Trustees, the Guild of Fine Arts and was a Cross Country Team Parent. Currently, she and Mike are the chairs of this year’s Annual Giving Campaign.

Mr. and Mrs. Coatney established the Mike and Lynn Coatney Family Foundation in 2009, which has made grants to organizations including St. Martin’s Episcopal School, Luke’s House, Ozanam Inn, T.E.N. Charities, Worldwide Fistula Fund, Crimestoppers, community food banks, and the Central Asia Institute.

States The Rev. Debbie Scalia, Lower School Head, who will be presenting the Dorothy Porter Service Award to Mrs. Coatney on May 7, “Lynn Coatney exemplifies about grace personified in our motto of faith, scholarship, and service. She has always been ready to serve us and others. Her commitment to St. Martin’s has been seen continually over the past decade in numerous projects, of which many she had an integral part in helping to get started, like our stepping stone project, our Angels’ Place Picnic, serving at soup kitchens, and creating gardens at our Habitat Houses, to name just a few.  As an advocate for the importance for service learning she is the epitome of a servant leader. She inspires so many to become more involved and make a difference not only here at St. Martin’s but also in our greater community.  I can’t imagine a more deserving recipient of the Dorothy Porter Service Award this year than Lynn Coatney.”

Mrs. Coatney holds a B.S. and M.S. in Education from the University of Texas at Austin, and is state certified in Texas and Louisiana for blind and/or partially sighted education. She has served as a teacher and resource teacher for blind and visually handicapped students in St. Charles Parish and Austin, as well as a consultant in St. Bernard Public Schools. In addition to the extensive volunteer work on behalf of St. Martin’s, Mrs. Coatney has been active at Aurora United Methodist Church, serving as President of the Day School Committee, Chair of the Staff Parish Committee, Program Coordinator for Preschool Sunday School and a teacher for Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She and her family have also been very generous supporters of the Louisiana S.P.C.A., having provided foster services for over forty puppies and kittens to date.