Editorials, Columns
& Opinions
Carol’s Corner
Family Reunions-A Great Connection!
Family reunions, in my opinion, are a great connection to the future and also the past. We have probably heard many people say, in similar words: in order to know where you are going in the future, you should know your past.
How many of us know our past? We thought we knew it, from my mother’s side
however, I learned a lot more by attending a Family Reunion in Augusta, Ga. this
weekend. The motto was: “We have come this far by faith.” It was a reunion of
the family and friends of Mr. Milton and John Strother, Mr. Will and Mrs. Nora
Bell McDaniel as well as The Barnes, Bigbys, Busseys, DeVores, Farrows, Gandys,
Hamptons, Kemps, McDaniels, Pixleys, Strothers, Taylors and Friends
My great, great grandfather on my mother’s side of the family, Mr. Milton
Strother had two wives. His first wife was Mrs. Martha Pixley Strother. They had
eleven (11) children-Alberta, Frank, Bertha, Mary Emma (my grandmother), Edwin,
Eugene, Julian, John, Alphonso, Fred and Sarah-Gavazzi Quattlebaum. My great,
grandfather’s second wife was Mrs. Mary Eva McDaniel Strother. Together, they
had four (4) children-Viola, Serena, Benjamin and William.
The Family Reunion began on Friday, August 10 with Hospitality and the McDaniel’s Quilt Code Presentation. The hotel was the Marriott and Marriott Suites in Augusta. The facility was outstanding.
On Saturday, August 11, 2007, there were some activities with the Canal boat ride and the visit to the African American museum. Each family member was given a souvenir bag from the city of Augusta with brochures and a key chain. At 6 p.m. sharp, the banquet began with a delicious meal, which was well seasoned. The menu includes baked chicken, baked pork chop, collard greens, mashed potatos, rolls, butter, iced tea, lemonade and strawberry shortcake; it was followed by the Memorial Remembrance of those who fell asleep in death from 2006 to 2007. Then there was a Talent show with the children; my three grandchildren, little Miss Halle Williams, Master Jordan Myricks and Master Antoine Myricks modelled. They each received a prize and were delighted. Then the family and friends were taken on an Underground Railroad experience through a slide presentation and narration by Mr. Howard and Mrs. Serena Wilson. Afterwards, Mrs. Carol Gertjegerdes (myself), co-publisher, The Columbus Times Newspaper and a descendant of Mrs. Mary Emma Strother DeVore (through my mother-Dr. Ophelia DeVore Mitchell), spoke about the Black press. I also told my relatives that when slaves wanted to read, their desire was to learn how to read the Holy Bible. I added that many of us today should take advantage of reading the Bible; those persons who read and apply what the Bible says are better individuals.
When the banquet ended, we all had an opportunity to greet, hug and exchange names and addresses. Family Reunions are truly fun times and it’s amazing to see the resemblance among different ones. I am grateful to have attended the Family Reunion this year and look forward to such future events. I want to personally thank my husband of 44 years, Mr. Helmut Gertjegerdes, for making it possible for us to attend, with three of my grandchildren. The last family reunion I attended, my late father, Mr. Harold Emerson Carter, was alive. He really enjoyed the tap dance that my daughter, Petra and I did. My father was really impressed with our professionalism.
Hats Off to Manna-A Taste of Heaven! This is a catering company that provides specialty cakes and candies. We have had some delicious samples.
So Hats Off to Manna-A Taste of Heaven. The foods are delicious and they have
been a part of our Summerfest Cultural Festival and Health Fair this year. You
can call them at (678) 602-2962.
Say no to illegal drugs, avoid the use of tobacco products and use alcoholic
beverages in moderation!
Remember, we welcome all remarks, comments and suggestions. You can call us at (706) 324-2404; fax us at (706) 596-0657; email us at: columbustimes@knology.net: visit us at The Columbus Times Newspaper office, 2230 Buena Vista Road, Columbus, Ga. 31906 or write to us at the above address.
Condolences to my dear friend, Mrs. Charlene Odom over the loss of her husband, Mr. James Monroe Odom, III. Remember, our Creator, Jehovah God is a God of love as written in 1 John 4:16 in the Holy Bible. I first remember seeing Charlene at a Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce fun lunch and we have been good friends every since. Her warm smile and friendly personality are outstanding.
Share a smile and if we are in a solemn mood, think of something comical such as the day when one of my toddler grandson’s pants fell down in a department store.
Thirty Something...And Keepin It Real
By Petra Gertjegerdes
It’s Just Too Hot, Hot, Hot!
Hello and welcome to my world, a very, HOT, HOT, HOT one at that. As we all can
feel, the heat is at an extreme high. The heat index has risen into the 100s and
whenever you talk to anyone, they are always mentioning how hot they are and
they can’t wait for it to cool down.
Every summer there are a few days when it gets too hot, but this year, I feel as
if “nature” has gone completely out of control! It seems like the earth is
starting to give up. Mankind has abused our God-given resources and now we are
reaping the effects.
For one thing, I’ve met so many people this year that have gotten spider bites, which can turn into Staph infection if not treated correctly. In fact, all the bugs around are trying to find refuge from the heat by coming inside as well as looking for water. That brings me to my next statement, we can’t use water like we want to because it’s not raining like it should and when it does rain, the weather is so hot, that water is zapped away in moments.
Children are going straight crazy with the way they are acting and dressing. It’s as if the heat is wiping away all the memories of the “whopings” they got in the past.
I’ve noticed people getting more reckless on the road. One day, my friend Dominique and I were driving around town, and almost got hit at least ten times, by people who were trying to pass us, or switch lanes or running red lights. I read one news report that someone stole someone’s air conditioner from their home, but that’s not the craziest. The one that takes the cake is a report that someone stole a family’s swimming pool, water and all. And it’s a mystery on how it happened, because there was no trace of water left where the swimming pool was standing.
What do we do when it's too hot to walk on the pavement? What happens when you can hardly breath because of the humidity? How does it make you feel when you break into a sweat just walking from your car to the front door? The truth is that warm weather makes people irritable, violent and depressed.
In summer, of course, there are naturally more people out on the street and in turn more alcohol is consumed; most of us know that when drinking is mixed with extreme heat it can make for a time bomb. When there are opportunities for disagreements to occur, they become amplified. But there is something more. Dr. Lance Workman, a psychologist at the University of Glamorgan, has made a link between hot weather and the levels of serotonin released in the brain, a side-effect of which can heighten aggression. "Violent crime and riots increase as temperatures rise,” he has said. "The majority of riots in the USA occur when the temperature increases to between 27C and 32C. When the temperature goes over 32C, however, riots level off and begin to fall because people become so hot they can't be bothered."
Dr. Richard Michael, an American psychiatrist, has spent years studying the effect temperature has on the crime statistics. In the 1980s, he analyzed 27,000 instances of women being abused by their live-in male partners, in accounts provided by refuge organizations. His findings were startling. “The frequency of abuse is closely related to annual changes in ambient temperature,” he concluded in his 1986 paper, An Annual Rhythm in Battering of Women. “Violence by men towards women increases in summer independently of any major seasonal changes in the opportunity for contact between perpetrator and victim.” In a 1983 study, the US National Institute of Mental Health analyzed 50,000 rapes in 16 locations. July and August were the peak months in all cases.
And we don’t have to look far away at all, because homicides are happening right in our back yard. Look at the teens that are going around shooting people to death or burning them in cars. Drug dealers are turning bad and people are being executed. There are people getting into arguments and shooting or stabbing people to death in restaurant parking lots. There are also teens going around raping old people. It’s been reported that murder is on a rise, and the heat I believe has made it worse. My advice is to stay away from large crowds of people until the heat dies down.
Here are some of Petra’s Tips For the Crazy Heat Relief:
• Stay home or at work, with air conditioning going full speed.
• Go to an indoor activity.
• Pick one that has covered parking.
• Go to a museum, the planetarium, the theater or the mall. Extra cool spots.
• Find an indoor swimming pool.
• Go to a library and find books on a new topic that interests you.
• Drink lots of water so that wherever you are, you don't become dehydrated
• Have your air conditioning system at home and in the car checked if they are
not cooling
• And pray for an end to the heat wave!
Well, that’s all for now, you know me, I’m keeping it real, luv Petra. Email me
with your comments at petra@columbustimes.com