Newspaper Page Text
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SUNDAY,
FEBRUARY 24, 2005
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Ronda Rich
Columnist
Hemline
power
The other day I went to a
fabric store. I use that term
loosely since the store con
sisted of a few bolts of fabric
scattered among a vast
inventory of lamps, pillows,
furniture and pocket books.
I like purses just as much
as any southern woman but
I prefer to buy them at the
purse store not at the fabric
store. I like to buy fabric at
the fabric store.
“Are you getting out of
the cloth business?” I asked
the clerk.
She looked stunned by the
silliness of the question.
“No,” she replied firmly.
“Not at all.”
It certainly had fooled me.
I have been sewing since I
was six when I designed a
green silk tunic for my
Barbie. It was crudely made
but the beginning of some
thing wonderful - the power
of controlling my wardrobe
and not depending strictly
on stores for style, color and
size. When Mama sewed, I
would stand behind her in
the chair and watch careful
ly. I became a 4-H sewing
champ but then, after years
of home-made clothes, I
moved on to the world of
outrageous prices and cer
tain alterations. I like to
stay in practice, though, so I
sew something new each
season.
Sewing was once an art
taught to Southern women,
but it is now unraveling
from the fabric of our exis
tence. I have tried to keep
the faith. I even demon
strated my optimism for
women who would continue
to sew by investing in the
Singer Sewing Machine
Company a few years ago.
My first tiny sewing
machine was a Singer as
was my first adult one. It
was a sentimental buy, I
agree. After the company
went bankrupt and I lost
the full investment, I
learned to keep sentiment
out of investments.
But who on earth would
have ever thought that the
Singer Sewing Machine
Company would come apart
at the seams? Not any rural
southern woman, I can tell
you that for sure.
Those who sew have gone
the way of shade tree
mechanics. Women have
quit sewing and men have
quit working on their own
cars. That is the only logical
explanation for why a fabric
store would carry a majority
of items other than cloth
and notions.
Excuse me a minute while
I kick off my high heels and
climb up on my soapbox.
This is dangerous. As a
country, we have to stop the
constant practice of depend
ing on others to do every
thing for us from changing
light bulbs to changing dia
pers to changing the oil in
the car to changing the air
conditioner filter.
It’s changing us from
independent to completely
dependent. That’s not good.
It’s okay if you hire some
one to do something for you
as long as you don’t use it as
an excuse not to learn how
to do it yourself. Otherwise,
you increase your vulnera
bility in life.
See RICH, page 7A
Mid-county group planning local Relay for Life
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
HHJ Lifestyle Editor
A team of volunteers from
the mid-county area are
planning their own
Bonaire-Kathleen Relay for
Life on April 30 at the
Bonaire Middle School.
The survivor walk will
begin at 10 a.m. with the
relay activities continuing
it won't be the
same without Sue
BY CHARLOTTE PERKINS
HHJ Lifestyle Editor
If the lady in the picture
looks familiar, maybe
you’ve seen her at the Bank
of Perry, or at one of the last
ten Relays for Life, or at
Rehoboth Baptist Church
or raising money for the
March of Dimes.
Sue Fleming is a quiet,
dedicated worker, the kind
of employee who stays on
the job for years, the kind of
community volunteer who
puts in countless hours in
the background.
Writing a note to her
recently on her retirement
after 38 years, former Bank
of Perry President Lewis
Meeks said, “You have a
rare talent for knowing how
to make a difference and in
your long walk through the
years, you have reminded
us time and time again by
example of your compas
sion, understanding, for
giveness, humbleness and
love of your fellow man.”
Fleming, a native of
Dooly County, first went to
work as a teller at the Bank
of Perry when it located in
the building on Carroll
Street used now as a Perry
United Methodist Church
office building. In those
days it was called Perry
Loan and Savings Bank.
She stayed with the bank
for almost four decades, ris
ing to the position of assis
tant vice president.
And along with her job
and her family responsibili
ties, she worked as a volun
teer for the March of
Dimes, the American Heart
PEOPLE
. . •- •’ •
Caribbean Cruisers
Twenty-six Perryans enjoyed five
nights aboard the Carnival Cruise
Ship “Inspiration,” with ports of
all at Grand Cayman Island and
Cozumel Island, Mexico.
Sponsored by Perry First Baptist
Church XYZ for seniors, the group
included church members and
friends.
Joan Dorsett reports that
everyone enjoyed fine dining, shore
excursions, shopping afternoon
tea, sunning and teriffic shows.
Doug and Nancy Brown and
Connette and Joe Gayle even
took part on stage more than once
to the delight of the Perry group.
Dogwood Festival
Tammy Wolfe, events and
fundraising coordinator for the
Periy Area Chamber of Commerce
tells us that this year’s Perry
Dogwood Festival will have a new
feature - a dinner dance on Friday
night, April 9. Plans are still being
made firm. The traditional road
race, sponsored by the Perry
Hospital will be held on the morn
Lifestyle
until 4 p.m.
Judy Coleman, chairper
son, said that the Bonaire
community has had its own
relay in years past, and that
many senior citizens have
said they would find it easi
er to participate in a local
event because of difficulties
getting to the united county
Relay held at the Georgia
Asssociation, United Way
and the American Cancer
Society Relay for Life.
She and her husband
Eddie, who have two sons,
Kent and Keith are now
planning a move to
Columbus to be close to
their grandchildren, but
before then, they’ll be tak
ing an Alaskan cruise,
which was a gift from the
Bank.
When Fleming was hon
ored at a reception at the
bank, she was also present
ed with a scrapbook includ
ing warm and loving letters
from those who have
worked with her.
“In all my years,”
President Kelly Hillis
wrote, “I don’t recall a per
son like Sue. She’s here
before anyone else, and
here when most of us are
gone. She has compassion
for her coworkers and cus
tomers that sets an example
for all of us. Whatever she
does, she gives 100 percent
to it.”
Gloria Sikes, who has
worked with Fleming
through the years, and
helped train her when she
first came to the bank,
wrote, “I love her like a
siser and respect her as a
co-worker and will miss her
a lot. I’ve never known any
one as dedicated to the
Relay for Life as Sue, and
who knows how many lives
have been touched by her
hard work in this area.’
And, on a light note about
the efforts the bank’s relay
team has gone to under
Fleming’s leadership, Sikes
ing on Saturday, April 10, and
there will be a downtown celebra
tion with arts and crafts, and
more. They’re already taking
orders for the specially designed
Dogwood Festival t-shirts. (See
photo) Stay tuned. This is going to
be the Dogwood Festival in several
years.
Sogadera meets
The Perry Sogadera Club met on
Feb. 10 at the home of Dianne Ayer
in Fort Valley. Dianne and
Debbie Pearson were co-host
esses. The group has plans under
way for another cake and pie sale
at the Mossy Creek Festival in
April.
Go, Diane!
Diane Gross, a former very
popular columnist for the HHJ,
once wrote a list of things she
wanted to do before she died, and
she’s checking another off her list.
She’s learning to play golf. Diane
writes that she shot a 57 on nine
holes her first time out, but she’s
still determined!
And speaking of golf..
An 18-hole scramble at the Perry
Country Club on March 14 will
benefit the Gene T. Bowman
Scholarship Fund at Truett-
McConnel College. The Rev.
Bowman who is well known in his
area, having served as minister of
First Baptist of Perry and First
Baptist of Centerville, is currently
National Fairgrounds and
Agricenter.
Coleman said that the
local relay will have enter
tainment for children, pony
rides, an auction, a cake
walk, and a quilt raffle.
They have already begun
their fund-raising for can
cer research with two bake
sales, and are planning a
* HHJ/ Charlotte Perkins
Sue Fleming receives a plaque in honor of her service to her community from Perry
Mayor James Worrall.
added, “Sue is probably the wear a bunny costume and
only person in the Bank run around the drive-thru
who could convince me to in 80 degree weather. The
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Enjoying a recent Caribbean cruise were, from left, two by two, are
First Baptist Minister of Education Dave Corson, with wife Sherry;
Betty Parkinson and Barbara Clark, Red and Betty Adams, Joyce
Carlton and Nannie Laura Fudge; Marge Daniel and Pansy Gordon,
Jeanne McDonald and Joan Dorsett, Tricia and Charles Parker, Agnes
and T.F. Hardy, Carol Swords and Annie Andel, Doris and Bill Thames,
Joanne and Frank Hill, Nancy and Doug Brown, Connette and Joe
Gayle.
interim pastor at Unity Baptist in
Bonaire. The scholarship fund
helps young men seeking to enter
the ministry.
Primetime (un
The Perry United Methodist
Church monthly Prime Time
luncheon will be held on Thursday
with an Easter theme. The pro
gram will be provided by Westfield
High School’s musical and literary
team directed by Deborah
Walker and Donna Hooper. The
cost is $5 for the luncheon.
Reservations must be made by
Tuesday. Call the church office at
yard sale also.
The Relay for Life is an
annual fundraiser for the
American Cancer Society.
The events have been going
on nationwide for over 20
years, and give all commu
nities an opportunity to
have fun together while
raising funds for cancer
research.
Leading the effort in
Bonaire and Kathleen with
Coleman are Evelyn
Grizzle, co-chair; Faye
Allen, secretary; Earline
Cole, publicity chair,Tracy
Palmer, Peggy Kukla, Helen
McDaniel, Anissa Williams
and Frances Faust.
To pitch in and help, call
(478) 923-2141.
Bank of Pery will not be the
same without Ms. Sue.”
And neither will Perry!
987-1852.
Sympathy extended
Joan Dorsett let us know that
Lee and Jenny Ledger of Perry
have had a loss. Funeral services
for Lee’s father, Jesse George
Ledger, 80, of Sumter County
were held in Americus on Feb. 19.
Send us news!
To get your social, club or neigh
borhood news in “Real People,”
contact Charlotte Perkins at (478)
987-1823 or cperkins@evansnews
papers.com.
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