Meet the ‘good faith’ immigrant neighbors of Beaufort County

Regarding the letter quoting Teddy Roosevelt on the “immigrant who comes here in good faith”:

Many of the “good faith” immigrants in Beaufort County can be found at The Literacy Center. Annually, about 500 adults come to TLC learning to read, write, speak English, obtain a GED, attend workforce preparedness classes and become U.S. citizens. They are just like you and me – they want to be successful with their family, at their job and as members of our community. They’re likely not who you think they are.

This past year, students came from 29 different countries, with 60 percent working one or more jobs. Sixteen percent have advanced or professional degrees from a University including engineers, CPA’s, physicians, IT professionals and corporate executives. Most are washing dishes, cleaning hotel rooms and mowing lawns as they learn the language and culture of the America at TLC.

Parents and their children attend our Family Literacy classes, learning to read together in English.

Students come seeking U.S. citizenship help, with four new citizens and four more taking the exam this fall. Dedicated, compassionate volunteer tutors helped make this a reality, donating about 9,000 classroom hours to students completing about 26,400 hours.

Most students are at or below the poverty level and report being responsible for about 1,125 minor children or aging adults.

There is a significant increase in Venezuelan and Puerto Ricans fleeing horrific, life-threatening situations. One group of these students performs the national anthem at local events.

TLC is proud to help these “good faith” immigrants achieve the American dream.

When suddenly I am old ...

This is in response to Gracie Bonds Staples’ upbeat article printed in the Aug. 3 paper titled “Getting older and loving it.” Many readers may be familiar with the following poem by Jenny Joseph, which I found among my Mom’s papers:

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple,

With a hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me,

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain and pick the flowers

In other people’s gardens and learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausage at a go or

Only bread and a pickle for a week and

Hoard pens and pencils and beer mats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry and pay our rent

And not swear in the street and set a good example for the children.

We will have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now.

So people who know me are not too shocked

And surprised when suddenly I am old and

Start to wear purple.

Beaufort County Council must do better

The situation we’re currently facing with our Beaufort County administrator vacancy is unfortunate, and wholly self-inflicted.

I would urge all residents of Beaufort County to watch the replay of the County Council meeting from July 23 to understand the predicament. It can be viewed on the county website (bcgov.net) by clicking on “The County Channel.”

I firmly believe, from an employee’s perspective, the hiring process is indicative of what the work experience would be like. The search has turned into a debacle, and we need to hope for two things: 1) the current situation will not impact the county’s ability to attract and retain talented people in the future, and 2) the current council will delay the hiring process until we get the new council in place in January.

Beaufort County Council needs to do better. The residents of Beaufort County deserve better.