Dear Editor:

I would like to say thank you to Bryan Whitfield for all you did to support the community and employees during the hurricane crisis.

I am an employee who witnessed each department and administrator work long hours to prepare for whatever happened.

I can say, “We were ready.”

I am very proud to be a part of this team.

Again, I say thank you.

You have touched my heart, because I saw that you cared.

“A Proud Employee”

Thanks for helping through Hurricane Ivan troubles

Dear Editor:

Sometimes the worst of times brings out the best in people. That was the case in Demopolis last Thursday in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.

It seemed that there were a lot of people waiting for the winds to subside so that they could get out and start helping our community. My family was ready to go. My son Cody, my son-in-law, Mark Riffe, and I headed for our facility on Fourth Avenue to get the chain saws and log loader.

We were late. Donnie Averette, on of our supervisors, was already helping clear the road at the corner of Arcola Road with the loader. There was a small crowd of men helping pick up limbs and we all worked hand-in-hand and shoulder-to-shoulder.

Some of us were white, some black, but at that point in time, we were just men, trying to be good neighbors and helping each other the way God intended.

We worked in each other’s neighborhood removing trees from houses and cars, helping those in need … and at the end of the day, we and dirty, we looked each other in theye, shook each other’s hands and said “thank you.” Each of us was proud of our day’s work. Proud we had helped.

I must also thank my daughter, Stacy Wallace, and Christy Eads for supporting us with drinks and smiling faces.

I again say “thank you” to each of these men: Frank James, Joe James, Steve James, Jerry Wheeler, Randy Duncan, Mark Riffe, Cody Wallace and Stephen Gutshall. It was a pleasure working along each side of you.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could keep that attitude during the best of times?

John Wallace

Demopolis