Getting served with top awards

Some South Mississippi seniors have resolved not to live out their days beyond purpose and today their efforts and service were recognized at an annual awards event at the Harrison County Jail.

Some seniors were served Tuesday at the Harrison County Jail, not with warrants, but awards and certificates of appreciation, all a reflection of the endless efforts to improve the community they live in. Lt. Robert Lincoln with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department said, “TRIAD is recognizing these people, but they are volunteers from all over South Mississippi. It’s not just a TRIAD thing, it’s not just a senior thing. We want to recognize anyone who has the same servants’ hearts that the TRIAD members have.”

Patricia Caranna was the reluctant, but appreciative recipient of the John Caranna Award, an award in her late husband’s name sake given to those who work tirelessly to help local seniors. “I can’t help but be proud to be added to this group. John and I did so much together. I felt like whenever he passed on, I felt like I still had all of my work to do plus the work he had left to do.”

Another humble recipient was Talmadge Culwell who was chosen for the Mary Buchannan Award for Community Service. “My purpose is to serve. I can’t sing. I can’t preach. I’m not a builder, but I can do things by providing a service to someone.”

The awards ceremony is held once a year by TRIAD, a group that works to enhance emergency services for our local seniors. “TRIAD is a group whose sole purpose is to better the lives of the seniors of Harrison County to help our first responders get to them as quickly as possible,” said Lt. Lincoln.

Certificates were also given to several other volunteers age 50 and over, giving new meaning to one’s golden years, living proof their work is far from over. “I’ll be 70 in July and I’ll serving until the day I die,” said Culwell.