Our leading lady today is a stranger to almost none. Between veteran affairs and programs, events in downtown Rockingham or with the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce, a multitude of community initiatives and projects, and leading operations at Hudson Brothers Deli, Robin Gainey Roberts is well-known by most.
Born in Richmond County, Roberts’ family moved to Marble Falls, Texas, in 1976, where she graduated from Marble Falls High School in 1987.
Since her return to Richmond County in 1989, Roberts has been a key player, and in many cases, a leader in numerous community initiatives, in addition to being the familiar face as the general manager and events coordinator of Hudson Brothers Deli.
However, her leadership and event planning is not confined to the longstanding downtown deli, as she has spearheaded numerous other community favorites, such as her signature annual events to commemorate Veterans day in November and in May for Memorial Day. With relatives who are either active or retired service members, Roberts is an avid advocate and supporter of veterans in the county. She refers to her brother, Ronnie Charles Gainey, as her hero and credits him for inspiring her to give back to those who gave so much.
As a longtime member and the president of VFW Post 4203 Auxiliary since 2016, she has organized multiple benefits, ceremonies, events, and projects, such as Rockin’ for Veterans, Flag Day celebrations with local daycares, Our Heroes’ Tree, Salute to the Veterans, membership drives, motorcycle rides, holiday celebrations, and many more. Despite some skepticism on being able to pull off such a large-scale event, the first Veterans Day parade in 2017 through downtown Rockingham was a tremendous success, thanks to her dedication, perseverance, and the support of the community. In this role, she has also partnered with the Richmond Senior High School JROTC program to include future service members in local events and projects.
Roberts and other members of the VFW Post 4203 Auxiliary have sent care packages, Christmas and thank you cards, and several other goods and messages to deployed service members in Afghanistan, Germany, Iraq, Japan and Korea, and in the United States to Fort Bragg, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Hawaii and Texas.
Roberts is currently the junior vice president of District 9 NCVFW Auxiliary and has previously served as the secretary in 2018 and senior vice president in 2019. She is currently on the Our Heroes Tree Committee, Salute the Veterans committee, and is the founder and committee chair of the VFW Post 4203 Parade/ Richmond County Veterans Day Parade. Additionally, she is a former Richmond County Chamber of Commerce board member, serving a three-year term from 2019-2021, committee member for Richmond County Aging Services (2019-2020), and Richmond County Hospice, Inc. Dancing With the Stars planning (2018-2020).
“Rocking Robin,” as she is affectionately referred to by her friends, danced in the 2018 Hospice Dancing with the Stars event and was a big winner of the 2019 and 2020 Richmond County Chamber of Commerce Rock Awards as a finalists both years in the following categories: Best Public Servant, Best Volunteer, and Best Server, and winning Best Public Servant, Best Volunteer, and Best Server in 2019, and Best Volunteer and Best Server in 2020.
Roberts’ community service efforts have been recognized by the City of Rockingham for her organization of the Veterans Day parade, retired Lt. Col. Jon Ring for her partnership with and support of the JROTC program at RSHS, and Gov. Roy Cooper with the prestigious N.C. Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service (2018).
Recently, Roberts was named president of the Rockingham Downtown Corporation, an organization of business managers and owners in the downtown area, of which she has been an active member of since 1990 and served as junior vice president since 2015.
Join us today in celebrating this leading lady for her tireless dedication to Richmond County veterans and to our community at large!
Meghann Lambeth is executive director of the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority. Republished from visitrichmondcounty.com. Throughout March, Visit Richmond County will feature a local leading lady in honor of Women’s History Month.
