NATCHEZ &8212; Dr. David Steckler helped create the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race and put tremendous effort into making it great.

Like Steckler, Ralph &8220;Trippey&8221; Shields III goes beyond what is asked of him in helping with the races.

Every year, a dedicated volunteer who reflects the extraordinary efforts of Dr. David Steckler is presented an award by the balloon race committee.

This year, Ralph &8220;Trippey&8221; Shields III won the honor.

&8220;The award goes to someone deserving as a volunteer but who least expects any recognition for it,&8221; Spirit of Steckler Award Chairwoman Candi Davis said.

Shields fits that category, Davis said. He was helping set up equipment when it was pouring rain Thursday morning, she said. At Friday night&8217;s balloon glow, they had to wait to present his award because he was working in Vidalia helping position balloons.

&8220;When the event is over and it&8217;s in the past in everybody&8217;s mind, Trippey will still be working to help clean up,&8221; Davis said.

He helps wherever he is needed, she said, beyond his official responsibility of coordinating the balloon glow and securing land owner agreements so balloons can land.

&8220;(Receiving the award) is very humbling to me,&8221; Shields said. &8220;I don&8217;t feel I&8217;ve deserved it. I haven&8217;t been here long enough.&8221;

An attorney in Vidalia, Shields joined the balloon race committee about 10 years ago, and he volunteered for years before that.

&8220;I saw that my cousin Ed Godfrey (who was involved in the race) could use a hand,&8221; Shields said. &8220;So, I started running errands. Eventually, I got on the committee and I really got involved.&8221;

Volunteering with the balloon race can be exhausting, Shields said.

&8220;Every now and then you can get worn out,&8221; he said. &8220;But all it takes is one person to say how much they&8217;re enjoying it, to say how beautiful it is, to start gushing, and the enthusiasm builds right back up.&8221;

The award&8217;s namesake, Dr. David Steckler, was one of the founders of the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race and an active volunteer, said Pat Cannon, balloon pilot and co-founder of the award.

&8220;He was always right there at the forefront,&8221; Cannon said.

&8220;He was influential in this community&8217;s ongoing conception of the race.&8221;

When Steckler died of cancer in 2000, Cannon and others requested the race committee create the award.

&8220;I knew Dave so well after many years of the race,&8221; he said.

&8220;I thought it would be great to create an award to provide extra recognition to a person in the community.&8221;

A plaque displaying past winners&8217; names and room for future winners hangs in the community center.

&8220;This award will continue as long as the race goes on,&8221; he said.

&8220;If I have to build another plaque for more names, I will.&8221;