94-year-old Hattiesburg woman continues to volunteer 31 years later

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - This week's Kindness in Action recipient highlights a 94-year-old woman who puts the needs of others ahead of herself.

Betty Curry of Hattiesburg started volunteering July 31, 1986 with Forrest General Hospital (FGH). She will continue to volunteer until she physically cannot according to Betty.

“I go down there Wednesday morning at Forrest General to volunteer to serve the lunches, you know they feed hungry people" said Curry.

She added,"Forrest General what they do down there, it’s an awesome thing they do, people who are hungry come through and eat.”

Before volunteering Betty was a bed side Registered Nurse from 1960 to 1980 at FGH. She said, “I had a whole life between 23 and 94.” After her retirement of 6 years she did not like sitting at home.

“Some people have callings in life, mine was to do something for somebody else, and it still is" said Betty.

She continued, "When you’re a nurse you work with other people, and that’s what I started, at the end of the day, I needed something to do in 1980 when I had retired.”

Betty said age is just a number, at 94-years-old she lives by herself and continues to walk every day even with a recent knee injury. “I can still get around which means that God has something for me to do" she said.

When FGH and FOX 23 tallied up her volunteer service, totaling 10,000 hours, she did not realize she has given that much of her time to other people, it is simply just a way of life for her according to Betty.

She added, “10 thousand hours, I am shocked, no I did not know that!" No matter the day or time, Betty said she will be there with a helping hand.

“Absolutely for as long as I physically can, I want to be part of helping somebody else, that’s just my calling in life" Betty added.

Betty also volunteers with Christian Services once a week.