Longtime Batesville retail merchant and charter member of the Exchange Club Billy Downs was given a Lifetime Achievement award on Thursday, June 29, at Locke’s Fish and Steak in Sardis.

Joined by dozens of family and friends, along with current members of the Batesville Exchange Club, Downs accepted the award and entertained the room with stories from the club’s history.

Downs, who worked at Shackeroff’s Store for 22 years, and then owned Sim’s Clothing on the Square for decades, is the only surviving member of all those who were part of the charter, and has remained active in the organization since its 1976 inception.