Newspaper Page Text
TheTrue Citizen, Wednesday, September 30, 2009 — Page 5
Dixie Divas
WE’RE JUST LIKE YOU
By Ronda Rich
It’s sometimes amazing the
coincidences that can bring a
person into
your life.
How they
can be
plopped
down into
your life,
just like
they’ve al
ways be
longed there.
Such was the case of South
ern writer and humorist Celia
Rivenbark and how she landed
in my life. Here’s how it hap
pened:
Several years ago, a friend
called to say that she had just
read an excerpt in Reader’s Di
gest by a Southern writer, Celia
Rivenbark. It was a passage
from her book. Bless Your
Heart, Tramp.
“Have you heard of her?” she
asked.
No, I hadn’t but as soon as I
hung up the phone, I did an
Internet search and found
Celia’s latest newspaper column
on line. Lo and behold, that
week’s column was about me
and my first book. It was an in
credible coincidence.
“I fell to my knees and wept
with admiration,” Celia had
written. Since it’s usually a no-
brainer to like those who like us
first, she became my new best
friend. I sent an email of appre
ciation and a new friendship
was begun. In another peculiar
twist of fate, we now share the
same fabulous New York liter
ary agent.
Over the years, Celia and I
have stayed in sporadic rather
than constant contact but one
thing is always consistent: We
understand and admire each
other. So, when I heard that
Miss Celia’s latest book tour for
Belle Weather was bringing her
to near-by Atlanta, I sent one of
those sporadic emails.
“Let’s go into the studio and
record a Cover to Cover inter
view for Public Radio,” I sug
gested.
She agreed enthusiastically.
“Then we’ll have dinner and
charge it to your publisher,” I
continued.
She agreed with greater en
thusiasm.
Interview finished, we left the
studio and headed out for din
ner at a quaint restaurant owned
by one of the Indigo Girls (“My
husband will be so jealous,” she
reported. “He loves the Indigo
girls.”) then we sat down to do
what Southern women do best
- dish about commonalities and
the hilarious side of life’s tra
vails.
“Are you always funny?” I
asked.
She frowned and shook her
head. “No. There are some
mornings when nothing’s funny
so I have to read something that
puts me in the mood.”
Understood.
But one thing that’s always
consistent about Celia is her
funny bone delicious titles. A
couple of years ago, she wrote
a book called We’re Just Like
You, Only Prettier.
“That title could get you in
trouble,” I warned. After all,
I’ve been whacked enough to be
an authority on such. Some
people don’t have a funny bone
or even a funny pinky nail.
Turns out that the title got us
in trouble.
A newspaper guy up in Mem
phis wrote an entire Sunday fea
ture on Southern women writ
ers and railed against Rebecca
Wells (Ya-Ya Sisterhood), Jill
Connor Browne (Sweet Potato
Queens), Celia and me.
“Shut up!” he screamed
through the pages. “We’re tired
of hearing it.” One by one, he
tore us apart but reserved his
most venomous comments for
the title of Celia’s book. He
posed a question. Instead of
writing a book called “We're
Just Like You, Only Prettier”,
why don’t one of you write a
book called “We’re Just Like
You, Only Smarter?”
“Because you can’t!” he
snorted.
Well, we’re sisterhood - these
Southern girlfriends and me. So,
I stepped up and stood up for
my sisters. I wrote him a thank
you note. The publicity had
been grand, I noted. Then, one
by one, I listed our accomplish
ments.
“So, you see, writing about
Southern womanhood has been
rewarding for us. We make a
nice living by just being our
selves. Unlike you, we answer
to no boss. We’re independent.”
I concluded, "So, I guess we
could write the book you sug
gested because we are just like
you. Only smarter. Apparently,
much smarter.”
Celia and I still laugh about
that.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling
author of What Southern Women
Know About Faith. Visit
www.rondarich.com to sign up
for her newsletter.
Burke Happenings
Attention parents
Parents of Burke County
High School Work-Based
Learning students are asked to
attend a meeting in the BCHS
Media Center on 7 p.m., Thurs
day, Oct. 8.
Retired Educators
The Burke County Retired
Educators Association will
meet, 3 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1,
at the Burke County Senior Citi
zens Center. All members are
urged to attend.
Group to address crime
The Jefferson County SCLC
is launching a new chapter in
Burke County to address crime
and violence in the community.
New officers James Ivery, presi
dent, Bobby Adams, vice presi
dent, and Cynthia Cuyler, ex
ecutive secretary, were sworn in
last week and are planning the
first public meeting at Wimberly
House Ministries, 6:30 p.m.,
Saturday, Oct. 24. The group
will discuss concerns including
violent crimes, homelessness
and drug abuse. Interested per
sons are encouraged to attend
and to sign up for a free group
membership by emailing
JeffCoGaSCLC@hotmail.com
or calling 706-394-1868.
Environmental impact
The Family and Environmen
tal Health Citizens’ will host a
meeting to discuss the proposed
coal plant near Sandersville and
its effect on the Washington
County and outlying areas in
cluding Burke County.
The hearing is scheduled 6-
7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 6, at
The Boathouse, 103 Riverfront
Drive, Augusta.
The meeting is free and open
to the public. For more informa
tion contact Tonya Bonitatibus,
Savannah Riverkeeper,
tbonitat@ savannahriverkeeper.org
EBA Class of 1979
Edmund Burke Academy’s
class of 1979 will have its 30th
class reunion weekend Oct. 23-
24.
Dinner at Camino Real Mexi
can Restaurant in Waynesboro
will be 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct.
23 with a social to follow at a
local graduate’s home.
Saturday, Oct. 24, there will
be a low country boil at the
Waynesboro Country Club at
7:30.
If you are a 1979 graduate and
have not been notified or need
more information, contact
Carlton Lewis (864) 232-7499
(CarltonLewis@pickens.kl2.sc.us)
or Susan Jenkins Reynolds
(srreynol@burke.kl2.ga.us) for
more details.
Spirit of Burke County
The Burke County High
School cheerleaders and FFA
are hosting a Miss Spirit of
Burke County pageant, for ages
2-23, Saturday, Oct. 3.
Applications and information
sheets can be picked up from
BCHS front office or down
loaded at www.burke.kl2.ga.us/
bchs.
Contact Malayna Wethering-
ton or Catrina Kennedy at 706-
554-6691 with questions.
Clark family reunion
More than 100 descendents of
Charles Clark III will gather 10
a.m., Sunday, Oct. 18, at Clark’s
Chapel.
The church was built and
dedicated by Charles Clark III
as a place for his family to wor
ship near their home.
Music will be provided by the
Home Grown Band.
Rummage sale
Friends of the Wimberly
House Ministries will sponsor a
White Elephant Sale Saturday,
Oct. 3, beginning at 8 a.m. be
hind the center on Shadrack
Street.
Items for sale will include fur
niture, antiques, children’s
clothes, coats, household items,
toys and much more.
All of the proceeds will be
used to support Wimberly
House Ministries.
SGA Class of 1980
SGA Class of 1980 is making
preparation for its 30 th class re
union.
Contact any class members.
Letters to the Editor
Praises BMC
Editor:
A recent illness drove me to
the care of Dr. Johnny Christian
and all the other dedicated
workers of Burke Medical Cen
ter. This hospitalization resulted
in the most excellent and com
passionate care that I have ever
experienced in a medical facil
ity.
I entered the hospital a very
sick woman and was welcomed
into a lovely room that over
looked a courtyard. During my
stay I was treated by the staff
with dignity and care that was
beyond the call of duty. Each
and every person that entered
my room to care for me
in various ways was efficient,
pleasant and totally focused on
my needs.
Dr. Christian (who happens to
be the nicest doctor around)
promptly diagnosed my illness
and assured me that he would
do all he could to make me well.
Through his regular visits to my
Real Estate News
Burke County property tax
transfers for June 11-22, 2009.
The date indicates when the
transfer was recorded in the
Burke County Clerk’s office.
Floyd R. Raley Jr. to Andrew
R Westerman, June 11, 641
Cherokee Drive, Waynesboro,
60-62 GMD, $140
John J. Harley to Charles D.
Tomlinson, June 1, lots 7,8 and
11, map and parcel # 106A117,
106A118, 106A121, 106A122,
$28
Donald Overton to John J.
Medeiros Sr., June 11, 1207
Farmers Bridge Rd., $14
Jack H. Minor to Donald G.
Laidig, June 11, 235 Rivers
Run, lot 12, $99
Donald J. Laidig to Jack H.
Minor, June 11,129 Rivers Run,
lot 3, $300
Carey Bryan to Eddie J. Tay
lor, June 12, 1155 Quaker Rd.,
62 nd GM district, $25
Randall K. Sasser, et al to
Amy M. Llamas, June 12, .38
acre, 405 4 th St. Ext.,
Waynesboro, $92
Ruby Lee Carter to Shamika
Roberts, June 12, map and par
cel 129A-062, 68 th GM district,
$9.50
Dusenbury Realty, Inc. to
Kathy G. Gill, June 12, map and
parcel 72-C:12, $10.10
Ralph Lynn Jr. to Zulma
Assael Nunez, June 12, 1.5
acres, 69 th GM district, map and
parcel 031-039, $11.10
Anabaptist Foundation, Inc.
to Jimmy D. Franks, June 15,
105.29 acres in 74 th GM district,
map and parcel 049-004,
$110.00
Nelson L. Kurtz to Jimmy D.
Franks, June 15, 105.29 acres,
74 th GM district, map and par
cel, 049-004, $220.00
Shelton Brigham to Robert
Wesley King III, June 16, 4.74
acres, 63 rd GM district, map and
parcel, 110-003, $25.00
Robert B. Lamar to Don R
Davis, June 17, 1 acre, 67 th GM
district, map and parcel 063-
006A, $12.00
John J. Harley to Robert Earl
Nelson, June 17, 66 th GM dis
trict, map and parcel 106A111,
$6.50
Greentree Land Co. to Ear
nest Lee Groover, June 18, 1
acre, 204 Springfield Lane,
$15.00
Brannen & Son, Inc. to
Donny Cooper, June 19, 7.55
acres, 73 rd GM district,
Midville, $25.00
Richard Irby Cochran to
Abayl Enterprised, LLC, June
19, 17.08 acres in 60 th GM dis
trict, map and parcel 058-01 IB,
$102.50
Jonathan Douglas
Hollingsworth to Marie C.
Westerman, June 22, 211 Pine
Cone Rd., Waynesboro,
$149.90
Richard Byne to Stephen
Rhode, June 22, parcels A, B
and C, map and parcel 49-18,
74 th GM district, $104.80
room, he kept me informed of
my progress and his plans for
my treatment.
I could relate several in
stances that occurred that
proved the outstanding care I
was given from the nurses and
every assistant. But there’s one
incident I will never forget. My
grandchildren and two of my
great-grandchildren were plan
ning to visit me while I was in
the hospital. I wanted to look
my best for them. I put on a
pretty robe, a little makeup, but
my hair definitely needed help.
Dr. Christian had already spo
ken with me and was writing his
reports. A lady came in to take
my blood pressure and saw that
I was distressed by my appear
ance. When she was through
taking my blood pressure, she
said, “Do you want me to help
me with your hair?” I said, “Oh,
PLEASE!” She got my curling
iron and worked on my hair for
a matter of minutes. When she
was through and I looked in the
mirror, I could not believe my
eyes!! I looked as if I had been
to the beauty shop. I was so
grateful. Now I could feel good
when my family arrived.
It was not only the kind ges
ture of my new hair stylist, it
was just that her simple act of
Need Signs
or Banners?
Address
Signs?
Magnetic
Signs?
Printing?
Promotional
Products for
your business?
Call Bonnie,
706-554-2111.
helping me was just exactly
what I have been trying to ex
plain. The people at this hospi
tal actually care! The whole at
mosphere of the staff of Burke
Medical Center is one of skill,
consideration, caring and qual
ity performance, and I feel
blessed for having had such a
rich experience while feeling so
scared and ill.
Too many times we read
about what went wrong. This
facility needs to know that their
efforts are working!
Janice Lancaster
North Augusta, S.C.
(formerly of Waynesboro)
Rosemont ladies say
‘thanks’
Editor:
The Ladies Ministry team of
Rosemont Heights Baptist
Church wishes to thank the
community for the outstanding
support and attendance of our
Front Porch Faith program. We
have heard many positive com
ments about the music, testimo
nies and speaker, Ronda Rich.
The delicious homemade des
sert fellowship gave the ladies
time to visit with friends they
had not seen in a long time.
God’s presence was felt, hearts
were touched and our faith in
God was renewed and revital
ized. Thank you again to the la
dies of the Waynesboro commu
nity who supported our Front
Porch Faith event.
Tracy Ide
Hephzibah
(Rosemont member)
OPEN
Alcoholics
Anonymous
Meetings
Sardis Baptist
Church
Sardis, GA
Thursday:
B PM
Saturday:
B AM
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Oct. 31 - HAPPY HALLOWEEN
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