Examining the morality of charity

Once a child accidentally swallowed a dime.  The mother was so frantic she called out to Grandma to contact the Rescue Squad, 911, anybody.  Grandma said, “I’ll call the preacher, he can get money out of anybody!”  In times of need, I have been called on to help raise funds for worthy causes.

Take precautions to avoid stroke

Each year, about 735,000 people in the United States have strokes. Of these incidents, 137,000 of those people die, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in America. People of all ages and backgrounds can have a stroke.

Taming the mighty Burgen Creek Falls

“Me and Hoot want to invite you on a hike.” “Sure! Let’s go when I get back from the beach.” Thus went the conversation that led to my first foray to Burgen Creek Falls, which is roughly 1 1/4 miles off Atoah Road.

Macksim’s turtle farm

When Macksim Brown was nine, he became interested in box turtles – called terrapins by locals, but pronounced more like “tarpin”.  The Cherokee word for the box turtle – which is from the genus of Terrapene – is said to be “Daksi”.  Now at age 10, Macksim has ten box turtles, all named.

An act of kindness goes a long way

Tragedies bring out the best and the worst in us.  Two weeks ago, this column was about the tragedy in Surfside, Fla. Nearly 150 people died in a building collapse that did not need to happen.The recovery stage of this tragedy is nearly over, allowing the investigation phase to move into high gear.

Teach kids a healthier lifestyle

Obesity has been a longstanding issue in America that puts children and adolescents at risk for poor health. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention said obesity prevalence among children and adolescents is still too high.

What constitutes an American

In a recent speech from Joe Biden – on the weekend of Independence Day – he defied anyone to tell him what constitutes an American.  I like a challenge, so let’s analyze his statement a bit.   “I’ve often said that America is the only nation in the world founded on an idea,” Biden said.

Raffle for a cause

I had the great honor of drawing the ticket of the winner of the Historical Society’s raffle at the Heritage Festival.  The raffle was for a new vacuum cleaner and Shop-Vac. I believe this is the perfect “His and Her” gift.

Everybody has a price

Buckle in. This is going to be a bumpy ride. The funk still clings to my clothes. No amount of showers, deodorant or hand sanitizer will ever fully rid the scent of disgust I cannot escape.

MyKala and her goat farm

When MyKala McGuire, age 12, asked her parents Josh and Angela McGuire for an animal, it wasn’t for what you would expect a young girl to ask for. She wanted a goat.