The Alabama Pharmacy Association has selected David Stephen Darby as the recipient of the 2011 Bowl of Hygeia Award for outstanding community service. Darby was presented the award at the association’s annual convention Gulf Breeze Bash in June. The award is sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association Foundation and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations.

Darby has served on the Lurleen B. Wallace Community College Foundation board of directors, served as the Covington County Auburn Club president and the Covington County Democratic Party board of directors.

He has served as the Andalusia Rotary Club president, secretary, board of directors and the Andalusia Rotary Club Foundation president.

He has been the Andalusia High School Booster Club president, active with the Andalusia Chamber of Commerce board of directors and active with the Andalusia Downtown Redevelopment Committee.

This recipient has been East Three Notch School PTO president, youth coach of the Andalusia Recreation Department 1996 – 2008 and the Andalusia Country Club president.

Established in 1958, the Bowl of Hygeia Award recognizes pharmacists who possess outstanding records of civic leadership in their communities and encourages pharmacists to take active roles in the affairs of their respective communities. The award is presented annually by participating state pharmacist associations, including those in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In addition to service through their local, state and national pharmacy associations, award recipients have devoted their time, talent and resources to a wide variety of causes and community service.

The Bowl of Hygeia is the most widely recognized international symbol for the pharmacy profession and is considered one of the profession’s most prestigious awards. The Bowl of Hygeia has been associated with the pharmacy profession since as early as 1796 when the symbol was used on a coin minted for the Parisian Society of Pharmacy. The bowl represents a medicinal potion and the snake represents healing. Healing through medicine is precisely why the pharmacy profession has adopted the Bowl of Hygeia symbol.