RFD
By Bonnie K. Taylor General Manager The True Citizen

I have another special graduation to attend this Friday in Greenville.

My niece, Erin Kelly, will graduate from Shannon Forest Christian School.

This has been a bittersweet year for her.

She has played soccer since she was a little tike. During her senior year in high school she was captain of the girl's soccer team.

Just into the season she was injured while playing. They taped her up good and she continued to play.

She would limp between games, use ice packs and elevate her leg until it was time for the

next game.

She was notified that she received a soccer scholarship to play at Anderson College when she graduated. She was ecstatic, but she had also applied to Clemson and wanted to keep her options open.

She was accepted at Clemson! On a high, she and her teammates were playing well. At one of the games she stopped quickly and pivoted to look back down field and her knee snapped.

She was diagnosed with a torn ACL and surgery was required. Since her surgery she has been on crutches with her knee completely straight.

It has been a major pain for her to get in and out of a vehicle and she makes a better passenger if she takes the whole back seat.

The last few weeks as a senior at school have been short days between being exhausted and therapy.

Thank goodness she was exempt for most of her finals!

She will receive her diploma hobbling across the stage and we will be there to see her mark another milestone in her life.

Congratulations, Erin!

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Hilliard and Lacy Baker will be hosts for a reception for the grand opening of Coradell's Wedding Chapel this Saturday from noon until 4 p.m.

Coradell's Wedding Chapel is located in the old Burke County Board of Education building on Academy Avenue.

The business is named after Lacy's late mother, Coradell. She wanted her new business to include her mom in some way, and what a special way.

Many of you may not know Lacy. She began Overeaters Anonymous at the Wimberly House and the group still meets on Saturday mornings.

Coradell's is available for weddings and receptions, bridal showers, class and family reunions and banquets. Full catering is available with tables, chairs, dishes and other amenities. There is a commercial kitchen on the premises.

Drop by for the open house and see for yourself.

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A great big "thank you" to William Mizell, owner of William Mizell Ford for sponsoring the season opener of Movies Under the Stars.

It was a big hit with all who attended.

The next movie will be Saturday, May 26 at the City Park. Samsons Manufacturing will be the sponsor and the movie title will be ... you'll have to come to see what it is!

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All are invited to the Botsford Baptist Church Vacation Bible School (VBS) June 10-15 from 6:30-9 p.m.

It is for ages 3-adult and a nursery will be provided for workers and attendees.

The theme for this year's VBS is "Game Day Central Where Heroes Are Made."

A kick-off rally will be Saturday, June 2 at 5 p.m. at Botsford. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be served.

Commencement will be held on Friday, June 15 at 7 p.m. with refreshments and fellowship following the service.

For more information or transportation, call Angela or Kevin Petrea at 706-554-4610.

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A great big thank you to Jone Wiggins for dropping off paint to me at my office when I could not get there before McKinney's Do-It-Best Center closed.

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I want to congratulate my brother, Sam Kelly, of Greenville, S.C. He placed 10th in the BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs last weekend. He played on the Fellowship of Christian Athletes team.

The three-day event raised $3.2 million for local charities.

BMW Charity Pro-Am is the only tournament on the Nationwide ® PGA Tour where amateurs and celebrities are grouped with Nationwide PGA Tour professionals in a three-day betterball competition. The tournament has one of the largest purses on the Nationwide Tour.

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I spoke with Sgt. Gary Roane with the Battery C 1/214th Field Artillery Georgia Army National Guard Monday morning about the rumor I heard over the weekend.

He confirmed all of the 171 men of the 1/214th are to report to the armory here on June 4. They are reporting without orders.

Their destination is Fort Bliss, Texas for two weeks for premobilization, 12-month tour of duty in Iraq and 2 weeks of demobilization following the Iraq duty.

The unusual amount of activity at the local armory is soldiers from the Mexican border patrol.

These soldiers have volunteered for Iraq and were shipped here to join the 1/214th for their deployment.

The 1/214th are all male, but there are three women here from border patrol.

I join others throughout our community to wish you godspeed and safety wherever your desitnation is.

I also want to thank you for helping to keep us safe from harm and for the freedom we cherish so much!