The name of Curtis Posey was entered into the BrookhavenExchange Club’s book of Golden Deeds at its annual Golden Deedsbanquet Friday night.

The award, started in 1952, is given to a person who alwayspractices the Golden Rule, and by virtue of that practice performsGolden Deeds. The recipient of the award is someone who is activein his or her community, dedicated to volunteer work and “putsassisting others ahead of themselves,” said club president BobMorris.

“They engage in a whole sundry of activities that help theirfellow men,” Morris said.

Posey’s sundry of volunteer activities began in 1981 when he wasintroduced to mission work through Macedonia Baptist Church, whichsent a group of its men to Ohio to build a new church. Since then,Posey has been entrenched in volunteer work. He has laboredselflessly on the Mississippi coast after Hurricane Katrina, aroundLincoln County and surrounding areas after house fires andtornadoes and has been active in providing for his community’s sickand elderly.

Most of Posey’s current volunteer efforts come from a group hecalls the “men of Lincoln County,” which consists primarily of theLincoln County Baptist Association, of which he is thesecretary/treasurer, joined by other volunteers from around thecounty.

Even after all of his efforts, Posey was caught off guard by theaward. As the almost 100 people in the Thames Center atCopiah-Lincoln Community College stood and applauded him, Poseyremained in his seat, looking left and right as though expecting asecond Curtis Posey to ascend the stage and take the Golden Deedsplaque. When he finally arrived at the podium, he was solemn.

“I look to the people who aren’t in this room tonight; they haveimpressed me,” Posey said through a thick throat. “All the GoldenDeeds winners who have come before me have set the example forme.”

Posey shared his recognition with others, unnamed, who volunteeras he does.

“What has impressed me is that throughout the churches in ourstate, there are men who are willing to stand up,” he said. “TheExchange Club does a lot for people – don’t ever quit doing it. Andwhatever you do, put God first.”

Posey remained humbled by the experience later on, after thebanquet was adjourned and many had left.

“I was surprised,” he said. “When they called me up here, I wasexpecting to introduce someone else that would win. I kind of gotturned around I guess.”

Posey explained that the Golden Deeds award was the second awardhe had received in a year’s time. The first was even morehumbling.

“In 2007, my house burned to the ground,” he said. “And the menfrom Lincoln County came together and helped me put my house backup. I’m only living in a house today because of them. What I’mtrying to explain is, when you volunteer and help someone else, itcomes back to you.”

Posey paid much credit to his wife, Mary Posey, a 37-yearveteran educator at Loyd Star Attendance Center, for supporting himover the years during his volunteering efforts.

“It helps to have a good wife to put up with you,” hechuckled.

Other honors and awards were given at the Golden Deeds banquetas well. The John L. Leary award, voted on by the Exchange Club andpresented to a member that goes “beyond the call of duty to servethe club,” was presented to Greg Hoff.

Hoff, like Posey, was not expecting to be honored. He had spentmost of the night running from point to point, making sure thebanquet was organized and proceeding as planned.

“It’s very surprising,” Hoff said of the award. “I don’t know ifit’s deserving or not, but it’s very humbling.”

Hoff explained the deeds that won him the award as follows:

“I feed ’em every Thursday when the club meets,” he said with agrin. “That’s how you win ’em.”