Commentary By Mack McConnell

The North Jefferson News



I hope everyone has had a good Independence Day celebration. At the center, we started off on July 3 with decorated cake and ice cream which followed Craford Rooks and his group performing for us. The center is closed down from Wednesday to the end of the week. When working, we used to look forward to these extra days so we could make a nice trip somewhere.

The senior prom was a success. Before this, when you missed it in high school, you had missed it for the rest of your life. Not so with the seniors in the Gardendale area. Old memories came back to life.

Be her on July 11 for the mini seminar, “planning ahead” starting at 9 a.m. We will have donuts and coffee and a guest soloist from Ridout’s. This should be an exciting Wednesday morning and hope many will turn out for it.

Then on the following Wednesday, July 18 we will have a hearing and vision screening at the center.

Your ulcers are not due to what you are eating, but to what’s eating you.

The next big candlelight supper will be held at 5 p.m. on July 17. This time the chef will be cooking up a batch of wieners and bratwurst. The meat and drinks will be furnished by the center; we ask that you bring potato salad, baked beans or slaw. Please sign the list in the center to ensure that we have a good variety of side dishes and so that Peggy and Bud will know how many to prepare for. We need a big turnout like we had before.

Peggy is still looking for arts and crafts vendors and businesses with products geared towards the senior citizens for the health fair which will be held on Aug. 24. It may seem like a long ways off, but it will creep up on us soon. To get your booth, which is free, call Peggy at 631-7240. Last year’s fair was a big success and we are looking for an even better one this August.

Like traveling to exciting places? There is just such a trip planned for October. They will be going to Savannah, Ga.; Jekyll Island and Charleston, S.C. The group will leave Gardendale at 8 a.m. on Oct. 15 and will return on Oct. 19. The cost is $389 for double occupancy. Peggy will need a $75 deposit by July 30 with the balance due on Aug. 23. There will have to be at least 30 people sign up to go. Anyone who is aged 55 or older is welcome to make this trip. There have been many novels written about these old southern towns that have lots of history that many of us have never even heard or may have forgotten. It should be an interesting trip so call Peggy as soon as possible to reserve your place.

I understand that Carol Hood is recovering nicely after her last surgery. We are grateful to the good Lord that Carol and Peggy Clendening and some of the others who were having problems are doing better.

Did you know that a wonder drug is one that make you wonder if you can afford it?

Our featured senior this week is Doris V. Tate. Born in Alemint, Doris lived in Sumiton, Jasper and Oklahoma before moving to her current home on Tate Mill Road in Dora.

Doris went to school at Owens School in Sumiton and also at Pocola-Bagley in Jasper. She was employed in a small grocery store in the town of Jasper before going to work at Warrior Surgical Supply. She was employed by Jefferson County driving a school bus for 25 years.

Arnold E. Tate was her loving husband for 55 years before his passing on to the Lord. She and Arnold had two children, Virginia Tate Bonham, who has given her two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and Eddy C. Tate who has given her two granddaughters and two great-grandsons.

Doris says she has always liked to travel and has been all over this country, Canada and Mexico.

She loves the center because it is a place to meet old friends an make new ones. She says the entertainment is great and she enjoys the wonderful fellowship.

She loves the Lord and her church activities. She loves it when all of her family gets together. God be with you, Doris, is the days ahead.

Life is not the wick or the candle, it is the burning.

Until next week, God bless.