NATCHEZ — Area residents are invited to gather Saturday at the Natchez Convention Center for a tribute to Bob Dearing honoring the Natchez native’s 32 years of service as a state senator.

Mike Gemmell, a member of the event’s planning committee, said the tribute started as a small cocktail party with Dearing’s close friends and supporters.

“One thing led to another, and it’s grown into a large event,” he said. “We’re expecting quite a number of people.”

The event will feature tributes from several of Dearing’s former colleagues, old friends and local officials, including former mayor Tony Byrne, Sens. Willie Simmons, Dean Kirby and Hob Bryan.

Dearing is a graduate of Natchez High School and Delta State University. He was elected to the Mississippi State Senate in 1980 and served as the chair of several committees throughout his career, including highways and transportation, environmental protection, forestry and others.

Gemmell said he believes it is important to honor Dearing to thank him for his “selfless service and dedication to the community.”

“He was a model of what all politicians should aspire to be,” he said. “He was honest and fair, and they don’t make them like that anymore.”

Dearing is a model for when civility and open discourse ruled the political system, Gemmell said.

“We don’t have that anymore,” he said. “We just want to say thank you, ‘Thank you, Mr. Dearing, for all your courage, all you have done and for always backing Adams County.’”

The event will be from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

The event was organized by volunteers, Gemmell said, and is being funded through contributions. He said none of the funding for the event is going toward any political effort.