Members of the Friends of the Old Westview Cemetery recently made their annual visit to the cemetery in Wadesboro. From left, Diana Carlton, Cary Rodgers, Rose Sturdivant Young and Gustine Rogers.

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On May 30, Rose Sturdivant Young, president and founder of Friends of Old Westview Cemetery, Inc. (FOWC), headquartered in Washington, D.C., Gustine Rogers, secretary of the board of directors in Washington, D.C., and Diana Carlton, board of directors member out of Charlotte, made their annual visit to Old Westview Cemetery located in Wadesboro.

Cemetery clean-up and maintenance is one of our priorities. From June through September 2012, the corporation hired Nolan Scarbrough of ASG Landscaping Service to clean the cemetery and they did a wonderful job. This spring FOWC hired Cary Rodgers, Empowered Task Force Lawn Service, an Industry of Pathway to Peace Ministries, to clean and maintain the cemetery through the Fall of 2013.

Upon our arrival in Wadesboro on May 30, we went directly to the Old Westview Cemetery. When we arrived at the cemetery, Mr. Rodgers and his crew were working in the cemetery. His crew was doing an admirable job. As we walked through the cemetery, we were delighted to see that some family members with loved ones buried in OWC had placed flowers and American flags throughout the cemetery.

The corporation is pleased that the community is now aware that this once abandoned cemetery is now being restored and maintained.

It has been 12 years since the corporation has begun the restoration of Old Westview, and within the last few years of maintenance, the cemetery no longer appears abandoned and forgotten. And, that the community respects the people buried in this historical landmark and will continue to assist the corporation in keeping the cemetery sacred and free of debris.

During the corporation’s visit to Wadesboro, we arranged meetings with several businesses and provided them with the corporation’s official documents and details of its achievements and goals. We also requested their assistance toward our long term goals.

Present at the meeting were: Phyllis Dawkins — certified financial center leader, BB&T Bank; Ryan Hargett — branch manager, PNC Bank; Kim Faulker — director of Human Resources, Pee Dee Electric; Neil Jones — retired county commissioner and attorney; Harvey Leavitt — Leavitt Funeral Home; Dock Donahue — Wadesboro Lumber & Barns; John Green — Anson Sign Company; SFC Ryan Burris — North Carolina Army National Guard-Co C; and attorney George C. Bower — Poisson, Poisson, Bower. The corporation was referred to Attorney George Bower to represent the corporation since the death of Attorney Robert E. Little III.

We are pleased to announce that Cary Rodgers and Courtney McCall Sikes have agreed to work with the corporation. If anyone has not submitted their loved one’s name to be entered in the Old Westview Database, please do so immediately, at email: Oldwestview10@hotmail.com or call 202-832-2483.

Mark Dec. 7, 2013 for FOWC’s Annual Holiday Gala at the Washington Navy Yard, in Washington, D.C.

Fifth grade student Logan Goodwin has continued the tradition of donating stuffed animals to the Anson County Sheriff's Office for seven years now. Front row, from left, Jaliyah Wall, Hannah Goodson, Garet Smothers, Logan Goodwin, Caitlyn Arant, Christopher Hamilton, Trinity Reeves, Austin Langley. Second row, Shanda Shaw (teacher), Eboney Stewart, Latara Rushing, Sheriff Allen, Cameron Sellers, Rickasia Liles, and Willie Owens, Wadesboro Elementary principal.

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For the past six years, Logan Goodwin and his grandmother, Diane Goodwin, have given the Anson County Sheriff’s Office a new supply of stuffed animal and figures, to be given out to other children in crisis situation. This year Logan had his fifth grade class at Wadesboro Elementary School help and it became a class project that resulted in dozens of new stuffed animals and figures collected. They were given to the Sheriff’s Office on June 5.

The Sheriff’s Office uses them and distributes them to other law enforcement agencies, DSS and the Domestic Violence Coalition. These agencies, along with the Sheriff’s Office, give the toys out to children at accident scenes, police calls, domestic violence or any situation where small children are frightened and need something to “hug” or hold on to.

Anson County Sheriff Tommy Allen said, “Sometimes children are in the middle of very harsh situations. Life’s not always fair and little children seem to be where it’s the most unfair. I’ve seen these stuffed animals dry up tears and give a trembling child something secure to hold on to. I want to thank Logan, his grandmother Diane and the classmates from Logan’s fifth grade class for continuing this project for the seventh year in a row.”

Since this project began seven years ago by Logan, churches, civic organizations and many individuals now help keep a good supply on hand at the Sheriff’s Office.

Logan is the son of Bruce and Kitt Goodwin and the grandson of Diane and Billy Goodwin of Wadesboro.