For Chuck and Margie Halsell, recipients of the seventh annual Community Peace Builder Award, service to their community is a way of life.

The Santa Maria couple was recognized for their work to serve seniors Monday at the opening ceremony for the 12th annual Peace Week, sponsored by The People for Nonviolence Committee of Marian Medical Center, at the Veterans' Memorial Community Center.

Congresswoman Lois Capps presented the award to them along with a congressional recognition.

Peace Week is a series of free events and activities intended to promote peace and unity.

Peace Week began 12 years ago under the direction of Sister Janet Corcoran, Marian Medical Center's vice president for mission services. She believed there was a need for leaders to develop a community-wide commitment to unity and peace.

Corcoran said the Halsell's “exemplary service” has made a positive influence in the community.

“They really seek to be ambassadors of peace,” Corcoran said.

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Chuck Halsell said that others do as much or more than he and his wife, and its an honor to be in a small category of “wonderful people” who have won the award.

“I'm not materialistic or big headed,” Chuck said. “I'm proud to be recognized but I'm also humbled. We don't look for that stuff.”

The couple met at Santa Maria High School and have been married 40 years. They have nine children, 26 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Chuck, a former -plant manager for Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, started a handyman business in 1991, and in 1999 entered the general contractor business of custom homes and re-building through Halsell Builders.

For the past four years, Halsell Builders has chosen a community project each year that would benefit from a donation of their time and resources.

The Pule family in Orcutt is the most recent. The Halsell's have helped Kevin and Maria Pule and their 10 children to expand their crowded home with donated construction work.

Despite resistance from neighbors and initially the county Board of Supervisors, the Halsells opened a 14-bed Alzheimer's care home in Orcutt last year.

“The grace of God gave us the will to do it,” Chuck said.

Margie said she believes the award is mostly based on the care home, which was “a response to a great need.”

“It's a different style of long-term care,” she said by phone. “We're making a real home for people to live in and thrive.”

Working with seniors is a rewarding learning experience - albeit one she never imagined.

“I never dreamed of working with seniors. I saw an ad for a seniors program and thought about working some hours. I kinda fell in love with it,” she said.

In the past, Margie worked for Marian Medical Center, where she was a committee member when Peace Week began, and the Area Agency on Aging.

She is a founder of Community Partners in Caring, a support service for independent seniors and disabled adults, and has worked as an organizer for Relay For Life, a cancer research and patient support fundraiser, and the Alzheimer's Memory Walk.

She said their Catholic faith is an instrumental part of their willingness to serve others.

Julian J. Ramos can be reached at 739-2219 or at jramos@santamariatimes.com.

October 14, 2008