Newspaper Page Text
U "**U''d| R
■H
Mp
iWH ■ )» WW
JI Brw W*ww www • ■ ■ uj “ i ■ )uwiu "- 1 ■
PISANS V*‘ il -f - 11
■HBffHyKMHRW*' -■■ •' : - I 'w*w
&&&£&'&■ *a>«?»*y jirwySiff*
ir **M'' * £R!
w ,w feW*a>
j • ■■.. m. - *!sisjj t 4 jmfSJIHb SSkk--''""
1 Ug a V'l
> ’S' * * lH
a — J K; fC ■■■ir
»'I
M tfefeh"
'., vfi
w V
BJ
™«iMB
.Jmkl
jm
i Je
’ ' i 1 Mr
»■
B
’■ i . i
9
9
■
. I ... |
.' ?'•! ift ’ 1 - „ ■
- W * f-UH>V I
i
’ oGntf ■ H^xjt sSTp^fc£fe ’■ r ■te- ; 1
ww »gygZ «1 ■
BLAUS'* '
My face peers out, smiling, from my
driver’s license. It’s not the best picture,
but that’s OK. Though it’s an integral
part of my life, that card is tucked away
and not thought about much.
Same is true, frankly, with the other
face on it. Though I’m the only one who
can see it, my license also bears the
much prettier smile of my former sister
in-law, Penny. When I say, yes, I’ll be
an organ donor, it is in tribute to her.
Seems kidney failure has nearly
always been a part of her life, but, other
than the occasional visits to see her in
the hospital, my sister-in-law’s failing
health never impacted me much.
To be honest, I just missed the viva
cious girl that I remembered before dis
ease began to chew at Penny’s insides.
Ever bubbling with a sunny smile
and laughter, she was Jefferson High
School’s energetic drum majorette and I
Forsyth Life
Forsyth County News - Sunday, August 19,2001
Every four years, more than 30,000 Scouts get an eye-opening experience at the National Jamboree
Global gathering unites Scouts
Kindness of friends opens bright future
can easily recall the pride that I felt
when she became my big brother’s
sweetheart.
Being part of her world meant I was
special and I puffed up with delight
each time Penny led the riotous band
across the football field during half-time
and stirred the masses with her raised
baton.
College breezed past and, still, I
secretly admired her popularity with the
many girls who flocked around her at
Brenau University in Gainesville. The
boys would have been knocking down
her door, too, but my brother had a firm
lock on her heart.
When they married, I knew some
thing very special had just happened to
our family.
And then the terrible news arrived.
Penny had a rare blood disorder and it
would attack the kidneys of my broth
t
The Jamboree had two arena shows
featuring military bands, big-name
acts and fireworks. More than 60,000
attended. Rappelling, left, was one of
the many activities available to the
participants. Below, Troop 1525 was
one of three special Jamboree Troops
sent by the Northeast Georgia
Council to the Jamboree. Eleven boys
from Forsyth County attended, includ
ing Eagle Scout and Senior Patrol
Leader Michael Martin, right, who
took time out for a game of baseball.
'
Cheryl
Rhodes L 1
er’s wife until they were completely
destroyed.
Slowly, it changed everything for
them. Gone was the promising teaching
career for which she had schooled.
Gone was her spirited and energetic
health. Gone was their ability to casual
ly travel as she began to schedule each
day around the demands of dialysis.
Gone was their ability to bear children.
Gone were oh so many hopes and
dreams.
Photos/Submitted
By Mary Pitman
Lifestyles Editor
Boys from the Northeast
Georgia Boy Scout Council,
including many from Forsyth and
Dawson Counties, met Scouts from
all over the world at the recent
2001 National Scout Jamboree at
Ft. A.P. Hill, Virginia.
Held every four years, the
Jamboree draws more than 40,000
Scouts from across the United
_
*'■* J ■
x MX " f aEB
I. p
.«, * 4 OM
X \ \ 'j vl
''' ■■' ...M JfdS&SzV
.ItoO
’ I
. F \* * ■ I
i® t
w xjLsJ
-'• /•• V;.s -■: |
*. Va
• ■ - ? >'
k ‘■ v I .
States and from countries around
the globe.
Scouts from Forsyth County
included Jason Chambers, Victor
Fisher, Ben Johnson, Michael
Martin, Adam Moore, Michael
Moore, Michael Papesh, R.J.
Rumsey, Scott Schneider, Jim
Statham and Michael Tucker as
There were a few hospital visits
where I privately believed we were say
ing goodbye to her. The medication
bloated her body nearly beyond recog
nition and it was just barely our Penny
feebly smiling out.
And then came the transplant that
would save the day.
Or so we desperately prayed.
At first, it seemed a miracle had,
indeed, found its worthy mark and
Penny’s health was restored. But, tragi
cally, the healthy kidney coaxed her dis
ease out of remission and, again, the
debilitating decay began.
My life has gone on in the years that
have passed and Penny’s troubles have
been but a shadow on the periphery of
my own life lessons. I've watched as
she again began to deal with a tedious,
limiting life of dialysis and cheered as
they specially equipped a van for travel
9 4B Celebrated
occasions: weddings,
engagements, births
well as Scoutmaster Ross Statham.
“Boys who have never been to a
Jamboree are amazed when they
get there,” said Scoutmaster Ross
Statham. “Scuba diving, rappelling,
hiking, meeting other guys from all
over the world and sleeping out
under the stars are only a part of it.
The boys get to meet people and do
things they’ve only read about
before. They can climb into an F
-16 flight simulator one minute,
then an hour later they’re zooming
down a 200-foot zip line at a confi
dence course. Jamborees really
open up their eyes as to what
Scouting is really all about, and
our Scouts from Forsyth County
were right in the middle of things.
“Scouting is about more than
just camping,” Statham assured.
“It’s very much about teaching
character, participatory citizenship,
physical fitness and leadership.
We’re very big on making sure we
do all four of those. The arena
show we went to was four miles
away. We walked it both ways.”
Contrary to popular belief,
Scoutmasters don’t run Scout
troops at the Jamboree the
youth leaders do. Michael Martin,
an Eagle Scout from Troop 62 in
Cumming, was selected as a Senior
Patrol Leader for one of the
Jamboree Troops. He was selected
because of what he’s already
accomplished in Scouting. Martin
is an Eagle Scout and very active
in Scouting’s national honor socie
ty, “The Order of the Arrow.”
Life Scouts Jason Chambers
and Adam Moore from Troop 39
were also selected as Patrol
Leaders, each responsible for a
Patrol of eight Scouts from across
Northeast Georgia.
See JAMBOREE, Page 2B
and adopted a beautiful baby girl. But,
still, her health worsened, even as her
marriage to my brother ended.
This year, a prayer group formed to
seek divine help with Penny’s need for
another transplant to save her life.
Her very own prayer partner heard
God’s answer. Looking not just into her
heart but behind her rib cage, as well,
Janet Story discovered her own kidney
was an ideal match for the woman
whose hand she had gripped in prayer.
In May, surgeons in Augusta lifted a
healthy kidney from Janet’s sleeping
form and tucked it tenderly into Penny’s
newly bright future.
These days, thanks to plenty of
amazing and generous individuals, her
smile extends far beyond the signature
in my wallet.
Cheryl Rhodes’ column is published
every Thursday and Sunday.
□