Senior Citizens, Inc. (SCI), a local non-profit dedicated to helping people age successfully, is pleased to announce the 2019 recipients of the “Legends, Leaders, and Life Well Lived Award.”

Nominated by the public for the inspirational way in which they have impacted their community and the way they exemplified a “life well lived,” the Awardees will be honored at the Legends, Leaders, and Life Well Lived Award Luncheon on Thursday, May 9, 2019, at the Plantation Club at The Landings. Georgia Power is the presenting sponsor of the event. Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit the programs and services of Senior Citizens, Inc.

The 2019 honorees are:

Linnie Darden, Jr.
An Army veteran, a retired educator and administrator, Darden has worked with at-risk youth and families since 1975. Affectionately known as Papa Darden, he taught deaf children in Ethiopia for two years. In 1997, he founded Save Our Children, which teaches life skills and drug education to 13- to 18-year-olds. At 80, he earned his Ph.D. in Religious Counseling with his thesis on at-risk youth.

Richard D. Eckburg
A Korean War Army veteran, Eckburg rose through the ranks at UPS to become Vice President of Public Affairs. He retired after 32 years of service. Mr. Eckburg also served with distinction on the executive committee of the American Trucking Association. Since his retirement, he has engaged in a wide variety of charitable and philanthropic endeavors and many organizations in our community have benefited from his leadership and generosities including: The Telfair Museum of Art, Savannah Tech, Bethesda Academy, Lucas Theater, Savannah Christian Prep, 200 Club, Tunnel To Tower event, and Savannah College of Art and Design.

Les Wilkes, M.D.

After serving our country as a Naval orthopedic surgeon, Wilkes practiced in Savannah for over 40 years becoming a well-respected orthopedic surgeon. Along the way, his passion for taking photos never waned. After retiring from medicine, he focused on creating images that elicit an emotional response. He has donated his time, love, and gift of photography to Hospice Savannah, where he photographs clients of the organization. Additionally, he has volunteered on multiple Honor Flights, escorting WWII veterans to the memorial in Washington DC.

According to Patti Lyons, President of SCI, “Having a life well lived is our organization’s vision. It’s why we work each day to provide and link people to the services and resources they need to age successfully. The people we are celebrating at the luncheon are role models who exemplify a life well lived and serve as examples to us all. We invite the public to join us in honoring these three outstanding individuals for the contributions they have made to improve the lives of others”.