Representatives of the National Weather Service last week presented Kosciusko weather watcher Jim Dendy with the John Campanius Holm Award, an honor provided to only 12 of the nation’s 8,000 weather watchers each year. Each has served for at least 20 years.
It is an honor Jim Dendy said is equally deserved by his wife, Miriam, who does the “computer work,” like sending information into the Jackson office of the service, and to The Star-Herald 
each week for publication. If readers have noticed his reports missing from the newspaper these last few weeks, that is due to a lightning strike on the monitoring equipment located behind the Dendy’s East Jefferson Street home. It is expected to be repaired later this week.
“You don’t know how you help us meet the mission to save people’s lives and property,” Bill Parker, meteorologist in charge at the Jackson office, told the Dendys. “You have given us your time and your energy. You are helping more citizens than you can imagine by helping us issue advisories and warnings.”
Miriam Dendy said dedication to the National Weather Service is a way for the couple to serve.
“It’s just blessed because it is an opportunity to serve our country,” she said with Jim agreeing.
“When I was young, I served in the guard and even though I’m older, I can still help folks,” said Jim Dendy. “And it is an honor to do it.”
The Dendy’s grandson, Kent Smith, 13, is also very interested in weather and he and his grandparents were invited to tour the National Weather Service Jackson unit.
Pictured, Bill Parker, left, National Weather Service-Jackson meteorologist in charge, and Latrice Maxie, right, who oversees area weather watchers for the service, present Jim and Miriam Dendy with the John Campanius Holm Award, which is received by only 12 of the nation’s 8,000 National Weather Service weather watchers each year.
Embedded photo is Jim Dendy examining his rain guage.
