Southland also won

first place for in the Radio category when 101.5

Kicks radio DJ Moby interviewed Ms. Nettie Knight

on her 103rd birthday earlier this year.

"I really

appreciate all the support and involvement from

our community," said Southland administrator

Gary Massengale. "We are very fortunate to

have such a wonderful volunteer program and great

family support."

McNamee began

volunteering at Southland when she admitted her

mother in 1989. Since then she has become

"so much more than a volunteer,"

according to activity director Angie Brown.

"Helen is part of our family and we are also

her family."

McNamee keeps up

with residents' birthdays, works in the beauty

shop twice a week, copies newsletters for the 155

residents and their families along with 100 for

the staff each month, and purchases "in

memory of" plaques which are posted in the

front lobby in remembrance of past residents.

She decorates

bulletin boards, recruits other volunteers, makes

flower arrangements for the dining area and helps

purchase supplies when needed. She baked 22 cakes

for the home's annual bake sale in November.

Malone began

volunteering at Southland at the age of 13. She

started offering to do manicures on a daily basis

during the summer of 1999 and, per Brown,

"the residents and staff began to love

her."

Malone volunteered

to do the manicures for the Southland Beauty

Pageant in March and continues to volunteer her

time when she is out of school and on holidays.

"We are grateful to have such a nice

teenager to volunteer and be a part of our

nursing home," said Brown.

While the main

awards will be given out at a statewide banquet

in October, Southland awarded certificates and

appreciation baskets of goodies at its third

annual 4th of July parade.

More than 100

residents chose to participate in the parade.

They decorated their wheelchairs, dressed

patriotically and either walked or rode in

wheelchairs down cart paths near the home. They

enjoyed the festivities so much that many chose

to wind around the parade path twice.

After the parade

volunteers, staff and family members treated the

residents to a good old-fashioned cookout.

Southland is

located in Peachtree City on Wisdom Road. For

more information on the nursing home, call Gary

Massengale or Angie Brown at 770-631-9000.