Fifty is usually a bittersweet age for people, but for organizations -- particularly all-volunteer organizations -- it's an occasion for unbridled celebration. Most organizations that run on the donated time and labor of ordinary folks don't make it to five years, let alone 50.

So it was with a sense of thankfulness that we took note of the 50th anniversary of Tooele County Search and Rescue, celebrated last week with a dinner attended by law enforcement, local dignitaries and Search and Rescue officers past and present.

Search and Rescue began in 1958 with 10 members who called themselves the "jeep patrol" because they all had four-wheel drive vehicles. Their core mission was basically to find people who were lost, trapped or stuck in the most remote reaches of the county -- and save them. The men and women who do the job today have essentially the same mission. It was, and still is, the work of heroes.

But Search and Rescue has also grown to become almost another arm of the sheriff's department. Officers now help out with everything from traffic and crowd control to security for events at Deseret Peak Complex. They still handle simple searches for missing children and the most complex of rescues involving specialized underwater, subterranean or technical climbing skills. And they volunteer countless hours in the community helping to man booths, set up for events or any other task asked of them.

Search and Rescue's growth over the years has been remarkable. Several of the volunteers that make up the present organization are the family members of previous generations of volunteer officers. That tradition of service has made the organization strong and given it elite status. Currently, there is a four-year waiting list for volunteers who want to join.

Organizations like Search and Rescue show our community at its best -- a community of people who care enough to volunteer and pass on that tradition of serving others through the generations.

Here's wishing Tooele County Search and Rescue another successful 50 years.