WESSON – Clarice Allred smiled throughtears as she and her husband Larry accepted the Brookhaven ExchangeClub’s Book of Golden Deeds Award Friday night during the club’sannual banquet at the Thames Center on the Co-Lin campus.

    “What we do is what the Lord tells us to do,” Larry Allred said ashe held the plaque that is given to recipients after the annualsecret is revealed during the banquet. “We want to help out howeverwe can.”

    During her brief time at the podium, Mrs. Allred said she and herhusband were humbled to be recognized with the award.

    “There are others more deserving than we are,” she said.

    The award’s recipient is determined by the club based onnominations from the community. In building up to the awardpresentation, club member Harold Gary used the words kindness,great, caring, faithfulness and service to describe thewinners.

    “They are always ready to help people in need,” Gary said.

    Gary relayed a story of a husband who had lost his wife to cancerand help that the Allreds were always willing to give. For threeyears until the woman’s death, the Allreds carried her to Jacksonfor doctor’s appointments and answered other calls for assistanceboth day and night.

    “That’s just the type of people they are,” said Gary, quoting fromthe letter.

    Other highlighted golden deeds performed by the Allreds included asoup ministry at Adams United Methodist Church in the Auburncommunity, a phone call ministry to check on the elderly andshut-ins, regular nursing home visits, providing prayer meetingrefreshments, helping others regardless of cost and sacrificingthrough good works and common sense.

    “They are the inspiration for a better way of life,” Gary said inquoting a letter from the Allreds’ pastor.

    Presentation of the award capped off the Exchange Club’s 65thannual banquet. Club members were honored for their years ofservice and Vice President Stan Long was given the John L. LearyAward, which is given each year to a club member for outstandingservice to the organization.

    Following the banquet, club members, friends and family gatheredaround the honored couple to congratulate them.

    Larry Allred credited his wife for her desire to help others.

    “She’s the force behind all of this,” he said.

    Clarice Allred said she was speechless over being recognized withthe Golden Deeds Award.

    “It’s such an honor,” she said.