Newspaper Page Text
TheTrue Citizen, Wednesday, October 5, 2011 — Page 5
Dixie Divas
Real Estate Transactions
By Ronda Rich
One morning, I received an
email from a reader who began
by ex
plaining
that her
eighty-
o n e -
year-old
mother
was a de-
voted
reader of
this col
umn and my books.
Her mother, she explained,
felt obligated to follow all my
advice. "She has been burdened
with the obligation to wear
matching underwear as you in
dicated that all women should,”
her daughter explained. “This
week she bought two three-pair
packs of Vanity Fair underwear.
When she got home, she said
they slipped an aqua in that she
didn’t notice. She was very per
turbed because she’s not sure
how she going to find an aqua
colored bra, especially since she
prefers Playtex 18-hour bras.”
When I read that email, I
threw my hands into the air and
cheered. God bless every
YOUNG AT HEART,
woman who refuses to give up
her femininity to that sneaky
thieve of age. These women are
my heroes. They’re whom I in
spire to grow to be.
Mama was like that, too,
searching high and low when
she was 80 years old to find a
red nightgown.
“Why do you need a red
gown?” I asked as I trailed be
hind her through the lingerie
section of a department store.
“You’re a widow.”
She stopped suddenly, turned
around on me and pointed that
renowned little crooked forefin
ger of hers. "Little girl, I’ll tell
you one thing right now. I take
pride in how I look and you
should be proud to have a mama
like that. I’m not lettin’ myself
go to pot, even if your daddy is
dead. Having a red night gown
will make me feel good about
myself and I want one.” Until
the day she died, Mama wore
pretty, lace-trimmed gowns ev
ery night. When I made a
memory box of some of her
personal effects that reminded
me most powerfully of her, I
chose a mint green prissy night
gown to include.
Jim Shumard
YOUNG IN LOOKS
As a side note, do you have
any idea how hard it is to find a
red nightgown that is appropri
ate for an 80-year-old woman?
One night when I was in St.
Simons, I joined Ann and Roy
Hodnett for dinner. Miss Ann,
at 85, looks like she’s 60 and
acts like she’s 40. Both Miss Ann
and Pop are delights to my heart,
so kind, young and spirited are
they. Pop, 90, drives a sleek,
sexy sports car and junes (an
old-fashioned word from the
rural South) around with agil
ity and sprightliness.
This particular night we dined
together. Miss Ann was dressed
young, in an appropriate way.
She had on jeans, a nice tee
shirt, a sleeveless red vest and a
red newsboy cap perched jaun
tily on her head. Delicate, girly
earrings dangled from her ears.
Boy, was she pretty. And inspir
ing. That’s how I want to look
if the good Lord leaves me here
until I’m 85.
One Sunday morning, I went
to pick Mama up for church.
She was standing in front of her
dresser with the enormous mir
ror, trying on earrings. Finally,
she settled on a pair.
A SLIPPERY SLOPE
My daddy, a West Point
graduate, raised me on the val
ues of duty, honor and country
and emphasized the values and
symbols
of the
American
Revolu
tion.
When I
think of
those val
ues, I
think of
iieedom.. .of
speech, of the right to bear arms,
of religion, from the govern
ment being able to house troops
at my house and freedom from
arbitrary arrest. Dad taught me
to treat my American Citizen
ship as a special and sacred gift.
Freedom from government con
trol was so drilled into me that
at age 18,1 found it difficult to
actually believe that the govern
ment could really draft me with
out my approval. I grew up
amazingly naive and ignorant of
so much that was going around
me.
I am older now and no longer
ignorant and I am disturbed by
what I heard about an infringe
ment into our rights as Ameri
can Citizens. I heard of a law
passed in the state of Alabama.
This law, from what I heard on
television, which may or may
not be a reliable source, autho
rizes police to stop and interro
gate anyone that they personally
believe might be an illegal alien.
It would follow then that if I
began wearing a Canadian Flag
T shirt and start using the word,
“eh” a lot, that a policeman at
his own discretion could choose
to stop me on the street and re
quire me to show proof of citi
zenship. This is not too far
fetched for there are a number
of Church of Canada and
Church of England priests serv
ing in The Episcopal Church in
Savannah and around the coun
try. So I very easily could ap
pear to be Canadian and a po
liceman could accost me and ask
me for my papers. I do not
carry proof of citizenship when
I am walking down a street nor
did I ever dream I would have
to.
Of course we know this will
probably not happen because I
do not fit a racial profile of the
illegal immigrants that these
laws were intended to apply to.
However, there are many Ameri
can Citizens who do look like
the racial profile and this means
they may be stopped at will.
Most of us remember or know
that German police in the 1930’s
and 1940’s, rounded up groups
of German citizens they had tar
geted and sent them to concen
tration camps. Many of us
might not know or remember
that a large group of American
citizens were rounded up in the
United States by our own gov
ernment in the 1940’s and sent
off to concentration camps be
cause of our racial fears. I be
lieve that the violation of one
American Citizen’s rights is the
violation of all American Citi
zens’ rights.
Letters to Editor
“Mama, will you come on?”
I asked impatiently. "We’re go
ing to be late.”
She ignored me. A common
occurrence in our lives. “How
do these ear bobs look?” She
stopped in the middle of the liv
ing room floor. Without look
ing, I knew she was turning her
head from side-to-side and tilt
ing her head coquettishly.
“They look fine. Now,
c’mon.”
“Ronda Rich, I oughta pinch
your head off,” she groused.
“You didn’t even turn around
and look at me.” That began yet
another lecture on how I should
be proud that I had mama who
had enough pride to care how
she looked. Especially at 83
years old.
And you know what? She was
right. So, here’s to my eighties.
May I wear ear bobs that dangle,
underwear that matches, red
nightgowns and a jaunty red
newsboy cap.
Ronda Rich is the best-sell
ing author of What Southern
Women Know (That Every
Woman Should). Visit
www.rondarich.com to sign up
for her weekly newsletter.
I remember riding the Ger
man trains in the 1970’s and
when a German conductor ap
proached with his military look
ing hat and asked for my pa
pers, I felt immediate fear for
the memories of The Great Es
cape came flooding into my
mind. I do not want to ever feel
that fear in the United States of
America nor do I want any
American Citizen to experience
that fear.
My ancestors fought in the
American Revolutionary War
and spilled our blood to gain the
freedoms that American Citizen
ship stands for. Democrats, In
dependents and Republicans
should be united on not allow
ing the violation of our freedom
because we once again live in
anxious and fearful times. FDR
said we have nothing to fear but
fear itself and I believe it is fear
itself that is driving this wagon
and wagging this dog.
You may contact Rev.
Shumard at jshumie@aol.com
or at stmichaelswaynesboro.org
Your help needed
Editor:
An obituary of an Old Fella:
When he first arrived in the
community he was shy, bone
thin, very frail and needed lots
of medical attention. After his
healing he began to look for
ways to serve his community.
For the rest of his life he gave
far more than he ever received.
He inspired the first licensed
animal rescue in Burke County.
His workers were on call 24/7
bringing awareness to a nation
the plight of unwanted animals
in Burke County Georgia. He
spearheaded the movement for
spay/neuter and was responsible
for bringing to justice those who
abused and mistreated the ones
too weak to fight for themselves.
His death was from neglect from
those who could have saved
him. For those who fought so
valiantly to keep him alive, they
are to be commended for their
tremendous and tireless efforts.
The loss to the community is
immeasurable. Just think of the
2,000 animals that were saved
and the others that were spayed
or neutered. To say the least
there would be an extra 4,000
animals roaming the streets and
by ways of Burke County.
There would be 2,000 less
people whose lives were bright
ened by the addition of these
loving companion animals that
were placed in new homes.
People across these United States
would have never heard of
Waynesboro, Georgia. Nor
would there be a memorial
statue in the city park in memory
of a very Old Stray that has
caught the attention of a nation
that has visited 818,065 times
the RV.net forum just to read
his story.
It is a shame to have lost such
an opportunity to become a
county to be recognized for its
compassion and great humani
tarian work. I am sure some of
you were outraged at the small
dog pictured in The True Citi
zen the week of September 21.
That picture is burned into my
memory forever. Can you imag
ine the suffering and pain he
endured from the sores cover
ing his body, being literally
eaten alive by ants while
chained to a tree in a back
yard? Yet he complained not. I
am sure he wagged his tail with
what joy he could muster at any
attention he got. We call that
unconditional love. You see God
created a creature so full of love
that no matter how much pain,
no matter how much neglect
they endure, they still find the
capacity to love their tormen
tors. How can a people neglect
so great a love?
Now here is the hope that
comes in this message. It’s not
too late to save the Old Fella
Burke County Animal Rescue.
Rally around this group of
people who so desperately need
help and support from the com
munity they are trying to serve.
Raise your voices to the county
commissioners until you are
heard and something is done to
help the companion animals of
Burke County. Help breath new
life into an organization that is
in need of your help.
Richard Daniels
Piedmont, S.C.
[Editor’s note: Mr. Daniels
was the founder and first presi
dent of the Old Fella group. The
non-profit organization was
named in honor of his rescued
and adopted stray which spurred
its creation.]
‘No’ to zoning
Editor:
Citizens and Property owners
of Burke County, take a moment
and try to think of one benefit
that you will derive from the
push by the county commission
to pass a zoning law.
We citizens of Burke County
need to wake up and stop them.
Burke county is a large agricul
ture based county where the
property owners are still free to
manage and use their property
as they see fit. Zoning restricts
that right.
The only people that benefit
from zoning law are the politi
cians and the bureaucrats that fill
the positions required to man
age your property and make
decisions on how you can use
your property. You pay the
taxes, the upkeep and mortgage,
they don’t, so why do you want
them to be paid with your tax
dollars to decide how you can
use your property.
To see how adverse zoning
can be just look at Richmond
county, along Peach Orchard
Rd., where houses are vacant
and in disrepair because they
have been zoned to commercial
use and can not be occupied as
homes and are not suited for
business.
The commissioners and their
bureaucratic inspectors are not
paying the taxes or making up
the lost rental income for the
owners on these properties. No
sir, but they are keeping the
owners from using their choice
on how to use their property.
This is where zoning laws lead
to when we allow them to be
enacted.
Our elected officials even
spend our tax dollars to have a
study conducted by some out of
town (or state) firm to recom
mend how to zone OUR Prop
erty. Please tell your commis
sioner that you don’t want zon
ing.
We, as free citizens, need to
limit and or reduce the size and
power on government not add
to their power. Too many poli
ticians and bureaucrats have for
gotten that they are public ser
vants and are there to serve the
people. Today most are totally
self serving and only interested
in filling their own pockets.
Ralph Lynn
Waynesboro
The following are Burke County property transfers. The date
indicates when the transaction was recorded in the Burke County
Clerk’s office.
• Michael J. Scheetz to David J. Gardner, July 13, 4.62 acres,
map and parcel # 114-045, $22,000
• Sixth Street Realty LLC to Rowell Electric Company, Aug.
19, .69 and .40 acre, map and parcel # W07-035.036, $192,000
• Sandra Faye Spencer to James R. Sanders, July 5,11.14 acres,
map and parcel number 064-018 (MH), $25,000
• Annie Miller Spratlin et al to James L. and Joel P. Coble, July
19, 370.53 and 148.50 acres, map and parcel number 020-006,
033, $1,038,054
• Starland Acres LLC to Eldon J. and Eppie Sue Eberly, Aug.
5, 377.18 and 115.31, map and parcel number, $740,305
• Hugh Sullivan to James and Bobbie Rivers,July 14,5.6 acres,
map and parcel number 100A-021, $18,500
• Darlene Williams to Lamar R. Boyd, Aug. 19, 3 acres, map
and parcel number, 090-028A, $3,000
We welcome your letters
Letters to the editor of The True Citizen are welcomed and
encouraged. These are pages of opinion, yours and ours.
Letters to the editor voice the opinions of the newspaper’s
readers. The True Citizen reserves the right to edit any and all
portions of a letter.
Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters must include
the signature, address and phone number of the writer to allow
our staff to authenticate its origin. Letters should be limited to
400 words and should be typewritten and double-spaced or neatly
printed by hand. Deadline for letters to the editor is Tuesday at 9
a.m.
Email Letters to the Editor to: lisaj@thetruecitizen.com.
Notice to the Public
A petition for a Conditional Use has been filed with the City of Waynesboro
requesting to use the property located 202 & 206 E 7th Street (W06-179A
& 16-179) for a church.
• A public hearing will be held at the City of Waynesboro, 628 Myrick
Street, on October 20, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. with the Planning
Commission.
• A hearing will be held at the City of Waynesboro, 628 Myrick Street, on
October 20,2011 at 6:00 p.m. with the Board of Appeals/Adjustment.
All those in favor or obfecting to this petition should be present to voice
their support or objections at the public hearing. If you have any ques
tions, please contact the City Community Development Director, Trinetta
Skinner at (706) 554-4168. Persons with special needs relating to disabil
ity access may use the Georgia Relay Service for the hearing impaired at
1-800-255-0056 or contact the City Administrator, Jerry Coalson at (706)
554-8000 prior to June 2,2011.
Pet Parade
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Parents: Timm) 1 and Tammy Jennings
SUBMIT YOUR PET’S PHOTO
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Bonnie Tidwell, Jamie Ziltfouer,
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Wed. 9- Noon
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