Donnie Smith’s time as the Chambers County 911 and Emergency Management Director will forever be immortalized as the department decided to name the communications building after him earlier this week.

Smith worked for the county for over three decades, 32 years to be exact, bringing grants to the Chambers County Commission and working with emergency management.

“I am probably as close to speechless as I have ever been,” he previously said about the honor.

A lot of times, longtime employees or unsung heroes of the community can be taken for granted or overlooked.

Chambers County’s decision to honor Smith the same year he retired should be applauded by the citizens in the area.

“I do not know of anybody else in the state that is more committed than Mr. Smith,” said Chambers County Commission Chairman David Eastridge, who’s worked with Smith since the 1970s. “I am very proud to be part of the commission to put your name on that wall.”

Smith’s honor shows the people of the county that years of dedication and hard work pays off.

The recognition can also pose a challenge to every resident: What is the legacy that you’re leaving in Chambers County?

There will be a day that’s the last day of work for everyone who’s currently working here. Sometimes those circumstances are out of those said employees’ hands, other last days might be planned.

The one thing that current employees can somewhat control, however, is the legacy that they’re building on a daily basis coming into work.

Each and every employee throughout the county controls the narrative that surrounds their work based off of career highs and lows.

When looking at Smith’s career, his highs outweighed the lows and his name is now indebted into Chambers County history forever.

Today, go out and be an individual who’s building a great legacy because that’s the only thing that you can leave behind.