COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Friends and co-workers say the grand marshal of White County’s upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade exemplifies one of the precepts of the late civil rights leader — that communication is essential for love and understanding.

As the greeter for Cookeville’s Goodwill store, Steve Prime speaks to everyone who comes through the door. Having worked there for 16 years, he has cultivated an amazing number of friendships with people from all walks of life. Most began in similar fashion.

“I usually just smile and say hello as a start,” he explains. “I can almost always get people to talk, and people need that. You never know what kind of mood they are in. If you can get them to talk, it brightens their day. ”

On Saturday, Jan. 16, Prime will be honored for his role in making the community a better place to live. He will lead the third annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade in nearby Sparta, the town where he resides.

Parade organizer Herman Hill said the honor is well-deserved. Prime frequently helps Hill and the White County Committee with photography, distributing fliers and completing tasks for other community events, such as the Christmas and Veterans Day parades.

“Everybody knows Steve. He’s at every community program we have. He’s just a really good person who is always helping out around town,” Hill said.

The Cookeville Goodwill store’s assistant manager, Tommie Murphy, has worked with Prime for 15 years. She says there’s nothing gimmicky in his approach — he’s just a genuinely nice guy.

“Everybody loves Steve,” she said. “Customers come in and sit and talk to him. He makes them feel right at home. When he’s not here, everybody wants to know why.”

Even if local residents don’t know Prime’s name, they often recognize his smiling face. In 2013, he was featured on a Goodwill billboard in Cookeville. Many also recognize his specially equipped, silver 2010 Chrysler Town & Country van. The van is a lifeline for the 59-year-old Prime, who was stricken with polio as a small boy and has spent most of his life in a wheelchair.

He will drive the van at the head of Saturday’s parade. Prime said he will make his final payment on his van this month. It is just one of the blessings made possible by his job at Goodwill.

For many years, Prime worked from the home he shares with his sister in Sparta. He repaired electronics or did odd jobs. He rarely tried to find other work, and he often felt isolated. He was quiet and shy.

Then, a shopping trip to the Cookeville Goodwill store changed his life.

Prime struck up a conversation with a cashier and asked her if she liked her job. She said yes, and asked if he’d be interested in working at the store. By the time he got home, a phone message inviting him for an interview was waiting.

For his first 13 years on the job, he worked a donations processor. He had the opportunity to regularly interact with a lot of co-workers and customers, even before he became a greeter.

“Goodwill made me feel like a productive part of society,” he said. “It made a big difference in my life.”

Murphy said what’s most striking about Prime is his sunny disposition.

“He’s always on the happy side,” she said. “You never find him in a bad mood, although he’s had to overcome a lot in his lifetime.”

Just last year year Prime was treated for cancer. Even while undergoing chemotherapy, he retained his smile and positive outlook, she said.

“He’s very self-sufficient and never asks you to do anything for him. He’s always thinking about other people,” Murphy said. “Like one time I was putting furniture out by myself, and he offered to help me by pushing things out with his wheelchair.”

That focus on others may explain why Prime was surprised to have been named grand marshal.

“I wasn’t really prepared for that phone call,” he said. “It’s a big honor.”

Read the Winter 2015 edition of The Ambassador – Goodwill’s quarterly magazine which provides readers with stories of events, activities and the inspiring changes Goodwill is making in the lives of others.

About Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc.

For more than 55 years Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee has provided job training and job placement free of charge to people with disabilities or other barriers to employment through the sale of donated items. In 2014, Goodwill served 28,159 people in Middle and West Tennessee and placed 9,558 people in jobs. More information about Goodwill’s Career Solutions, retail stores and donation centers can be obtained online at  www.giveit2goodwill.org or by calling 1-800-545-9231