The manager of a Palnackie care home retired recently.
Emmelence Higgins has been in charge of Barlochan House for the past 15 years.
Before that she spent more than 14 years at Munches Park in Dalbeattie, first as a carer and then as assistant manager and manager.
Emmelence, who was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2008, is originally from Burundi but moved to Scotland in 1987 with husband Paddy.
The couple initially lived in Fairlie in Ayrshire before moving to the Stewartry when Paddy got a job with Scottish Woodlands.
Residents and staff presented her with messages of thanks, including a poem written by John Chapman.
