Staff Writer
Extensive damage to homes is being evaluated in Columbiana, Alabama, which Mayor David Mitchell said was among the hardest hit after a tornado tore through the area recently.
COLUMBIANA After a series of tornadoes tore through parts of Shelby County, Alabama on March 26, resident Gregg Sayers in Columbiana reached out through Facebook asking if local residents could help out neighbors. Nicole Ice, director on the Chamber of Commerce, took action and began organizing a way to give back.
“I saw it and said, I can do this, I can help you organize this and I immediately researched,” Ice said.
For 29 years, the Fort Morgan Fire Rescue Ladies Auxiliary has held a spaghetti dinner and bake sale fundraiser. The annual fundraiser raises funds for the Fireman’s Benevolence Fund and needed …
ERWIN - Barbara J. Peterson, age 86, of Erwin, passed away on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at Governorâs Bend Assisted Living, surrounded by her cherished, loving family, to join her family gone on before. Barbara was the loving, supportive wife of 65 years to Gordon L. Peterson.
Gone on before Barbara, were her parents, Tom and Hattie Metcalf, mother and father-in-law, Philmore and Elizabeth Peterson, grandson, Chris Bailey, brothers, Tommy, Bill and Robert Metcalf, sisters, Betty, Ernestine and Earline. Barbara had a cherished son, Greg Peterson of Knoxville, who passed just a few weeks back on January 21, 2021 at the age of 58 from a sudden heart attack.
Contributed
Four organizations each received checks for $736.25 as part of the Unionport Chapter No. 360 Order of the Eastern Star’s sponsorship of Wreaths Across America observances held in December at six cemeteries in Jefferson County that were first-time registrants in 2020. Those cemeteries were Pine Run, Unionport, Bloomingdale, Shaffer Cemetery in McIntyre and Mount Moriah Cemetery in Wayne Township and East Springfield Cemetery in Salem Township. Because the OES chapter was a sponsoring fundraising chapter, it received $5 back from each wreath sold with the funds to benefit another cause, according to LeAnn Gibbons, worthy matron of the Unionport Chapter. Gibbons presented a check to James Bruder, chairman of the board, Friends of the Pittsburgh Fisher House, a place for families with veterans in the hospital to stay, free of charge. Pictured is a check presentation for Shriners Hospital van upkeep that involved, from left, OES Chapter Secretary Audrey Rainsberger, Worth
Bloomingdale Mayor Dave Gaffney, right, was master of ceremonies at Bloomingdale Cemetery. Contributed
UNIONPORT While there were a number of area cemeteries among the locations for Wreaths Across America ceremonies, five cemeteries in Wayne Township and one in Salem Township were first-time participants on Dec. 19.
“Our communities had a beautiful day with a lot of volunteers,” commented Le’Ann Gibbons, worthy matron of Unionport Chapter No. 360 Order of the Eastern Star, who coordinated the effort to have several cemeteries registered as WAA locations and ceremonies conducted there.
“This year we were asked to become more involved in our communities,” Gibbons said of how the OES got involved in the effort that began earlier this year. “As incoming worthy matron, I asked the chapter if I could start my project early. I had picked Wreaths Across America and wanted to start with three wreaths in the cemetery at Unionport. That cemetery is where our lodge is located