To some, community service is a one-time volunteer effort. To others, community service is a full-time job.

Although there are many dedicated people who make community service a lifelong effort, Leadership Tri-State picked one couple to honor at this year’s community service awards lunch.

The organization recognized Bob and Billie Smith for their continuing efforts to make the Tri-State a better place to work and live.

Many people may know Bob from his tenure as a Channel 13 news reporter and later an anchor for WSAZ. One of his first stories was covering the Marshall University plane plan crash in 1970.

Besides bringing the news into Tri-State homes, Bob worked in a variety of capacities after retiring as a journalist, including teaching at Ohio University Southern, raising millions of dollars for the school’s bicentennial campaign and working as director of the Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce, re-establishing their fourth Friday luncheons.

Billie has been an avid supporter of ridding Lawrence County of litter. She started Operation Tidy-Up Lawrence County in 2005 and it has been going strong ever since.

People, like the Smiths, who give of their free time, or even retirement years, to try to make the community a better place are truly a gift.

Lawrence County and the Tri-State are better because of those people. We encourage everyone to take up a cause to make even one small thing just a little bit better.