A rose to our volunteer firefighters, whose service is often under-appreciated. All of our public servants are worthy of our appreciation, but we take special notice of those who perform this vital service without compensation. As was the case with the Friday morning fire on North Ridge Road, these community members often leave their daily routine on a moment’s notice to answer to these kinds of emergencies. Their unselfish service can often mean the difference between life and death.
A rose to all those who worked to organize and present the various Martin Luther King Jr. events held throughout the weekend and on Monday, the official holiday. Each year, we pause at this time to honor King’s work and remember his vision, a vision we all can share and work to achieve. The various events throughout the Golden Triangle help inspire us and keep the dream alive, each in our own way.
A rose of remembrance to Jean Williams, who died Sunday at the age of 88 in Starkville. Although she is remembered for many reasons, she was best known for her long service as an usher at Mississippi State basketball games. Williams was a great basketball fan. What made her unique in so many respects is that she always seemed to be more a “giver” than a “getter.” Even when pursuing her favorite hobby of basketball, she found a way to serve as she did it. Those kinds of people are greatly missed when they leave us.
A rose to the Columbus-based 14th Flying Training Wing, which will resurrect an old unit under new circumstances next month. The 81st Fighter Squadron will be reactivated to train 30 Afghan pilots and 90 support personnel. The squadron was deactivated in June 2013. The new twist is the 14th Flying Training Wing will be conducting the training at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Georgia. The Fighting Squadron’s link to Columbus goes back to World War II. The 14th Flying Training Wing’s mission of training Afghan pilots serves only to emphasize the global impact of our fine instructors here in Columbus.
A rose to downtown Columbus. This week, producers from PBS visited our area to put together a segment for its Main Street series. While much of the focus of the segment will be directed toward our booming industry, film crews spent a lot of time downtown. That serves to remind of the importance of our downtown. In many ways, it is our identity and often our showpiece. The blend of grand old homes and buildings and new public places such as the river front area, the new soccer complex and the renovated Trotter Center are wonderful assets for our community.
Send your suggestions for Roses and thorns to Slim Smith at [email protected].
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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