SEVEN SEALS AWARD

A special ceremony was held last month honoring two local Catholics for their dedication and support of the nation’s military.

Jim and Kathy Morrell, parishioners at Our Lady of Assumption in Latham, were honored with a “Seven Seals Award” from the Department of Defense. The award commemorates the couple’s years of support for both active-duty military members and veterans. The ceremony was held Nov. 17 at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Latham and attended by close friends, family and military personnel.

“It’s great to recognize where we came from and why we have the freedoms that we have,” Jim Morrell said. “We often take so many things for granted. There were a lot of people that died so that we were able to have that freedom today.”

Jim Morrell is the current chairman of Pamal Broadcasting, which operates nearly two dozen radio stations in New York and Vermont, and a 1966 graduate of Siena College. Last year, he was named the 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year by Siena College.

“We thank (veterans) for their service and their commitment,” Jim Morrell added. “We pray for those people that are living with disabilities because of their service, and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”