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Columbia recognized for work with Allen Benedict Court residents

Local AARP Chapter President honored with state community service award.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Carolyn Thompson is the recent elected president of AARP chapter #753. 

Today she was honored with the Andrus Award for Community Service for her work she has done throughout the community. 

Most notable of her achievements is her work with Allen Benedict Court residents who were displaced from a carbon monoxide issue earlier this year. 

Thompson works with FoodShareSC- a local organization providing affordable fresh produce to people across the state- and was able to team up with them to provide food to those displaced by the issues in the Allen Benedict Court apartments. 

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"A lot of the people from Allen Benedict Court would come to FoodShare and because we knew a lot of those people, we were heart broken when they had to leave," Thompson says. "When you look around and see so many people in need and then you say to yourself if you don’t do it who else is going to do it?”

AARP State President Emma McGraw Myers was there to give the award to Thompson today, “Carolyn your record of achievement, your service and your commitment provides a wonderful example of how one individual can make a difference in a community." 

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Thompson was also able to give a $500 check to a n organization of her choice. She chose FoodShare. 

Thompson told us she was honored and blessed to receive this award from AARP. 

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