The 2009 Blanche W. Grady Community Service Award was presented Monday evening to Rob and Caroline Russell, a local couple who have long filled their lives with service to others.

This was the 13th year that the special service award was presented in honor of "unsung heroes" in the community who have made volunteerism an integral part of their lives.

The event was hosted at the General Morgan Inn by the Laughlin Health Care Foundation. The theme for this year's dinner was "Volunteers Light the Way," and to honor that theme the banquet hall tables were decorated with a collection of lighthouses.

Those in attendance were welcomed by Dr. Jeffrey Clark, chairman of the Foundation's board of trustees.

Clark noted that the Grady Award was established in 1996 by Greeneville businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger and his family to honor Niswonger's mother, Sharon, and their "good and faithful friend, Blanche Grady."

Recipients of the annual service award come from a wide array of individuals from the community.

All, however, are persons from Greeneville and Greene County who have "shown leadership, courage, and service and have worked in ordinary ways to accomplish extraordinary good in the community," Clark said.

By honoring such individuals, the Niswonger family say they hope to inspire others in the community to also follow that example.

The Russells are the first husband and wife to receive the Grady Award.

They were selected from among 21 nominees submitted by 69 local agencies and individuals.

In presenting this year's award, Scott Niswonger said that "the Blanche W. Grady Community Service Award recognizes those who exemplify true human greatness through service to others."

The Russells are members of Asbury United Methodist Church, where they founded the Chili Peppers' Greene County Relay for Life Team, which has raised more than $30,000 in past two years alone in support of the American Cancer Society.

A breast cancer survivor, Caroline Russell is also a volunteer with the "Look Good, Feel Better" program, a free class that teaches beauty enhancement techniques to women who are in active cancer treatment.

In addition to promoting cancer awareness, the Russells have also been responsible for the establishment of the Ronnie Fox Memorial Fund that helps provide sporting equipment to youth in the Greeneville Youth Football League.

Among their many other volunteer projects, the couple are also long-time dedicated nursing-home volunteers, who can typically be found on Sunday mornings helping residents dress for church services.

Recipients of the annual Grady Service Award are given the opportunity to designate monies presented by the Niswonger family for a health-care related community project of their choice.

One of the premier annual benefits of the Grady Service Award is a free dental and vision clinic sponsored each year in the community.

At the past clinic held in February, more than 100 volunteers provided free care to more than 245 local individuals who had no other access to dental or vision care.

Several of the previous award winners were in attendance at this year's awards banquet.

Due to her fragile health, Grady, who will turn 93 on Dec. 13, was unable to attend the evening's festivities.

However, Clark said that she sends "a hearty greeting to guests here and special congratulations" to the recipients of this year's award.

Grady was a long-time local educator in both the Greeneville and Greene County school systems.

Following her retirement, she became a hospital volunteer at Laughlin Memorial Hospital, where she dedicated 15 years of service, logging almost 8,000 hours.

In acceptance of this year's award, Caroline Russell, who was also a local educator, said that Grady served as a mentor and inspiration to her.

She said that she was very surprised and humbled to have been presented the service award along with her husband.

At the conclusion of the evening's event, Scott Niswonger presented Betty Weemes, executive director of the Laughlin Health Care Foundation, a check for $15,000 to be used for future Grady Award projects.