MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. — This month's Neighborhood Hero has a servant's heart and a special place in her heart for the elderly community. It's part of her job but also her passion to help bring peace and quality of life to the seniors she serves. Sharon Buck works as the Senior RX Coordinator with the Marshall County Council on Aging and she's this month's Neighborhood Hero.
Just past Lake Guntersville lives and works Sharon Buck. She goes out of her way to love on and serve the senior community in Marshall County and says she just loves them. Buck has worked with the Marshall County Council on Aging for over three years now. Tammy McElroy is director of the nonprofit and says, "Sharon's concern and care for the seniors, she was just automatically where she needed to be. So she moved into our ex-coordinator's position and does a phenomenal job. She's making phone calls, she's tracking the drugs. Sharon goes above and beyond."
Buck says of her seniors, "They've worked hard all their life, so I'm here to help them. You know they deserve to live out the rest of their life in comfort and peace. You know, I've had them come in and say, 'I've guess I've got to decide between eating or paying my rent or taking my medicine,' and I said, not while I'm on board. You're going to get your medicine."
Local resident Joan Marsh is grateful. "It's very important when you're 89 years old, every dime you can save is that much more you can put on something to eat."
I met up with Joan and several other local seniors at a wellness picnic and got a glimpse into their lives.
Joan Marsh said, "It is wonderful. All these elderly ladies, we don't call ourselves old. We're elderly ladies and we're having a good time, and Cameron and Shirley and Rosie and all, and Marshall Medical Centers, we're just having a ball over here."
Joe Hamm was enjoying himself, too. "It's just like a family reunion, one with old friends that. It's been a long time since I've seen them."
And Aaron Maze is about to celebrate the big "9-0". "When you got the big 9-0 coming out in front of you is important to go anywhere."
Sharon Buck's job goes beyond all of the work she does with prescription medication. She, alongside the folks with the Council on Aging, provide a quality of life for these seniors. "They become like family. You know, we are like a family. You know, they call to check on me to see how I am. Yhey could care less about the medicine sometimes. The first thing they do is call and ask me how I'm doing."
And McElroy has nothing but praise for Buck. "She is a coworker that anyone would want to work with. She does her job. She does it diligently. She is so involved not only with her own family, but her family throughout the RX program."
And that's why she is this month's Neighborhood Hero.