Thank You from the Red Cross

Dear Editor,

What an outpouring of love and caring! The blood drive at Trinity UMC in honor of Katelyn Hoffman on January 13 was an overwhelming success and broke all records for previous blood drives. Forty-five units were collected, but over 60 people came to donate! Thank you! South Carolina is not self-sufficient and depends on other regions to help boost our blood supply, so the need is great.

Katelyn is such a special little girl and, thankfully, doing well. Another six-year-old, Bayler Teal from Bishopville, is currently battling neuroblastoma and received a unit of blood on Thursday, January 15. He is facing surgery (possibly Monday, January 19) to remove his tumor and after recuperation from that, stem cell/bone marrow surgery.

I would like to thank everyone who helped—the telephone committee, Joyce Searson and the Advertiser- Herald, Minnie Miller and The Times & Democrat, WIS-TV, those who supplied delicious homemade cakes and cookies, the “greeters” who helped during the drive, Becky Rawson of the American Red Cross and her crew, and the following who donated door prizes: House of Pizza, Dukes Bar-B-Que, Floyd and Dot’s Restaurant, Frye’s Restaurant, Brabham Oil Company, Paw Paw Country Club, and Wal-Mart. It was truly a joint effort for a very worthy cause!

Harriet Coker, Bamberg, SC

There are still caring people out there

Dear Editor,

On Tuesday, 1/13/09 I had to carry some paperwork by The Bamberg DMV. I had been sick all morning as I went into the D.M.V. office. I knew something was bad wrong. One of the D.M.V. ladies, her name is Brenda, asked me what was wrong, I knew my blood sugar had taken a drop, I told Brenda I was very sick. I went back to my car after the paperwork was done. Too sick to leave, Brenda came and knocked on my car window after a few seconds, Brenda went back into the office and brought me some juice. After a few minutes I felt well enough to leave. There are still some caring people, one of these special people works at the Bamberg D.M.V. Thanks Brenda.

Eddie H. Stacey, Pelion, SC

Uncle Buddy

Dear Editor,

There's so many wonderful people that have influenced my life and I feel this is a good time to tell.

I've been blessed with a wonderful family and this person is in my family. The Sandifer's are a pretty big family that show lots of love and devotion to each other and others. I feel that it was instilled in them as children from there parents. So today I write of one that stands out in my life, he's been such an inspiration to many. He's served this town in so many ways. He's been a fire fighter for years and years and also a city councilman for years and years. He's been an electrician for as long as I can remember. He's been a very devoted worker in his church. Also a super wonderful father and grandfather. He's got more cousins than we can even count.

But most of all he's got more love and devotion to his family and friends than you could ever imagine. This wonderful person is my "Uncle Buddy."

Buddy Sandifer has helped in so many ways in our little town of Bamberg. If I started to name all those things he's done this article would not get completed.

So I want to say Uncle Buddy you are loved very much and we are so blessed to have such a person as you in this small town.

I want to also thank you for your devotion as a member of Bamberg Fire Department. Not everyone knows that the fire alarms ring at the most inopportune times, like when you're asleep or enjoying a good ballgame or even in the middle of church when you're trying to worship. But when duty calls to help someone in need you and many others have always done just that.

Julie S. Priester, Bamberg, SC