Officers

MG (Ret) Don Tyre
President
COL Lisa Craig
Vice President
LTC Betsy Evans
Treasurer
SFC Susan Bush
Secretary
MAJ (Ret) Debra A. Cox
Executive Director


          Tax Identification Number

                      59-2314251



      Website

www.floridanationalguardfoundation.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Cayce, South Carolina - The disaster relief organization, “Rocking 4 Relief” will hold a benefit concert to raise funds to assist those in the Midlands area that recently suffered losses in the “Thousand Year Flood,” that occurred last month, including the Lower Richland Area.

The November 15th event that will also honor the victims of the June shooting at “Mother Emmanuel AME Church,” in Charleston, will be held at well known historic “Columbia Speedway.” in Cayce, South Carolina.

Among the various artists that have agreed to perform at the “Rocking 4 Relief” benefit concert, are R&B recording artist Lyfe Jennings, "America's Got Talent,” and South Carolina natives Candace Glover, the 2013 winner of the “American Idol” television show, and Benton Blount. Also performing at the event will be Kimberly Nichole of "The Voice," rock and roll guitarist Malina Moye and various legendary Hall of Fame artists.

Tickets will be on sale to the public as of Wednesday November 4,2015 Those wishing to purchase tickets, or more information on the November 15th Benefit Concert, may visit www.rocking4relief.com

Midlands Transit Riders to hold press conference April 8, 2015

Midlands Transit Riders Association

P. O. Box 263, Columbia, SC 29202

MidlandsTransit@gmail.com

April 1, 2015

For Immediate Release

Dear (insert name):

The Midlands Transit Riders Association is proud to announce that it is celebrating its Second Anniversary as a non-profit organization operating working with the Comet Transit Service, area municipalities and businesses as advocates  for transit riders.  We will do this  at a press conference that will be held at the Transit Center parking lot on Laurel Street. The Press conference will be held  on Wednesday April 8, 2015, at 2:00 p.m.

The founding of our organization on April 3, 2013 was and continues to be a catalyst for positive social and economic change within the Columbia-Midlands Area. While working with the Comet Transit Service, area municipalities and businesses over the past year, we have accomplished several goals, including some which we had not foreseen as achieving within a time period that they were achieved. The board of the Midlands Transit  Riders Association would like to share these accomplishments with the  press and public, as well as various plans and goals to improve on these improvements, and more effectively the public transit system an important part of economic development in the Midlands area.

The Midlands Transit Center continues to make it our mission. To make sure  that all citizens in the Columbia-Midlands Area to see the transit system as a tool for economic development that helps to decrease unemployment and homelessness, so that prospective businesses and residents will want to become part of, and add to the growth of the Metropolitan Columbia Area.

Officials from the Comet and area municipalities have been invited to this event, including those who we hope to acknowledge for their efforts in advancing the transit system, over the past year.

If you have any questions, or need any more information, please feel free to contact me at 803-960-8785. or via e-mail at keithhseymour@bellsouth.net.

Respectfully Yours,

Keith H. Seymour

Midlands Transit Riders Association

Vice President and Communications Chairperson

Ray Rice Domestic Abuse is everyone's concern

I was at mentor group social about a week ago, and over the past week or so, I have had and heard the discussions on ray rice, and other sports figures. sooner or later, i end up hearing words such as" it is no one's business. it is there private life.!!" this bothers me. why? well let me tell you. we see a stranger on the news who is "accused" of spousal abuse, or child abuse, and everyone is ready to say lock him or her up, and throw away the key!" understandably yet, if people see a favorite sports figure (t, ray rice, mike tyson beating actress wife robin givens), etc) and suddenly people are more understanding, and take the" it is is no one's business, it is their private business.PEOPLE THESE ARE PUBLIC FIGURES!!!! ANOTHER REASON I HAVE A A PROBLEM WITH THIS LINE OF THINKING ON SPORTS FIGURES accused of domestic abuseis this!!!. domestic abuse is nothing less than an epidmic in this country. A country that preaches to other countries about how they treat women as far in regards to religous and political equality has a battered women in this country every 14 seconds. That is right according to the /center for Abuse, a woman is battered every 15 seconds in this country. south carolina ranks number one in both domestic violence, and deaths by domestic violence. I imagine that a lot of this is happening because our sports idols and celebrities get away with it, so why shouldn't the average guy/gal. right "WRONG!!" children who are witnesses of domestic abuse either become abused or abusers themselves. This was proven in the 1980s, and has been proven over and over again!!!/ so people who feel ray rice was treated harshly because he lost his job, need to consider, no one would feel sorr forthe if they lsot theri job because of such a job. Also, the majorityof us do not have millions of dollar in savings and investments, due to mulit-million dollar contracts with our companies. it is is our business when these sports stars do this sort of thing, because our young kids look to these people as role models. now i have heard that because these sports stars did not publicly agree to be a role model, they are not role models. when you get in the public eye, and your intent ti to make sure that you profit off the fact you have a talent that people admire you for, especially youth, you are a role model. i am not a big sports fan, but when i was growing up, Billy jean king was a tennis role model, then it was revealed that she lived an amoral life that i disagreed with. I still admire her as historical figure with a sports talent, but morally, she is not someone i would want my nephews and nieces to look up to. when i was teenager, i though john mcenroe wa sos cool a tennis player,nit because he was good at hissport, but because he got away with throwing tantrums and using fowl language at almost everyone of his tennis matches. my mother pointed out how disappointed that she had found out i would look up to someone for acting so disgracefully. that was about 30 years ago now young people have the internet, you tube, 24/7 news casts.However, a sports star caught on a hotel elevator camera beating his wife, is far worse than a tennis star coming out of the closet about her sexual orientation, or a tennis star throwing a temper tantrum. so yes, any football team that would keep this any man that beat his wife should be boycotted. furthermore, i belief the NFL should be investigated for any cover up, and if it is found they knew all along this was going on, i would encourage any decent attorney out there to bring charges gainst the NFl

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Public Transit Important to Economic Development of Local community

Political, Community Leaders Need to Realize Benefits of Encouraging Better Transit System in

Lowering Unemployment, Creating Jobs

By: Keith H. Seymour

Recently, I attended a Columbia City Council Meeting, where the theme of this meeting, and all of the presentations, had to deal with “Columbia's Economic Development.” As I sat there in that meeting for over four hours I heard the City of Columbia praising and encouraging every civic and business leader in the room in the area of bringing various groups to the table to discuss the “Economic Development of this City. Upon being given my chance to speak, I stated my total disgust with City Council for not considering those involved with public transit in Columbia, important enough to be include in any of these discussions. Now, I realize that someone reading this might wonder what having a a viable bus system has to do with the positive development of Columbia's economic development. So, I am going to put it in perspective by pointing out a few facts and some common sense conclusions.

At the this very same meeting, when addressing the economic importance of mentor programs such

as “My Brother's Keeper,” existing in the Columbia Ar Ea, Councilwoman Devine pointed out that

African-American males in Columbia have more than a 20% unemployment rate, which is”higher than the state average of 17%. In addition to this, shortly before Councilwoman Devine made this statement, Councilmen Runyon and Boudouragh, and City Manager Wilson were discussing the possibility of keeping the emergency homeless shelter open for an “additional' forty five days. Several minutes was spent on the increasing homeless problem in our area.

It does not take a genius to figure out that if a better transit existed, therefore allowing more people to be employed, and others to have access to better jobs, in addition to more discretionary income being spent on restaurants and entertainment venue, more people would be employed. Lower unemployment has the potential to lower homelessness in this town. This would make the city more attractive to businesses, tourists, and new residents that the city is trying to bring to this city in the name of economic development. The fact is that when Sunday and later evening routes were cut between 2008and 2009, people began loosing their jobs, while others were turned down for jobs because they could not work on a Sunday, or past 7:30 p.m. The city has even lost prospective businesses and many of its citizens have left Columbia for places such as Charleston, Greenville, Atlanta, and Charlotte, and other communities, whose economic development has coincided with the increase in their transit system. These other transit systems have succeeded and continue to succeed because their communities view the public transit system as “tool of economic development,” rather than a “system to transport the poor and minorities It would there behoove the political and business leaders in this town to change their attitude, and become more “active” in working with those working to enhance and increase our local transit system.

The late Ike McCleese, former president of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, and an avid proponent often pointed this very fact out to several of our political and business leaders. Until this attitude changes,and more people tell our political and business leaders to think more like the late Mr. McCleese, Columbia will be stuck with an inefficient transit system that helps to perpetuate unemployment, homelessness., and tax paying citizens making an exodus from this city, causing a greater economic burden on those who remain. This will remain true regardless of how many new stadiums are built, minor league teams created, how many additions are made to museums, or how much money the city spends on improving storefronts.

Keith H. Seymour is the First Vice President and Communications Chairperson of the Midlands Transit Riders Association, a non-profit organization that advocate for a more efficient Transit system in the Columbia-Midlands Area. He may be reached t keithhseymour@bellsouth.net or at 80-960-8785.

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WWII widow and Amputee has renovated house dedicated

Patriot Connections LLC

Kathy Dent, Owner

(803) 960-2501

DEDICATION FOR RENOVATED MARY DAVIS HOUSE SCHEDULED COMMUNITY WELCOME

April 1, 2013 Contact: Keith Seymour

(803)-960-8785

On Wednesday April 3, 2013, at 1:00 p.m., a press conference and house dedication will be held at the renovated home of Mrs. Mary Davis of 1314 Woodrow Street in Columbia, SC. Mrs. Davis, a recent amputee, is the widow of World War II Veteran PRC Solomon Davis.

Mrs. Davis, confined to a wheelchair and how as a result of being denied her husband’s military benefits earlier this year, was living in substandard conditions that jeopardized her health, and kept her confined to her more than 100 year old house.

However, with the help of various community organizations and individuals, including the United States Marines, renovations began on our Mrs. Davis' house on February 28th, 2013.

Due to the age of the house, our team of volunteers and workers basically did a total makeover the entire house including but not limited to electricity, insulation, plumbing, masonry, and landscaping. Among the many features that will be unveiled at the renovated Davis home are American Disability Act (ADA) accessible features.

During the course of the month long renovations, several businesses, individuals, and organizations have been quite generous with their donations of materials, appliances, funding, Lodging for the family and workers, and food for the volunteers. It is our intent to recognize these people at the home dedication and on our Facebook Page

Additionally, we would like to thank the media f and community at large for their contributions in furthering this important community project.

For more information on this event, interested parties may donations, volunteering contact Kathy Dent ((803)960-2501, patriotconnectionsllc@gmail.com), Gabriella Carrafiello ((914)906-1454, gabriellacarrafiello@gmail.com), or Keith Seymour ((803)-960-8785, keithhseymour@bellsouth.net).

organization helps neglected elderly widow of war veteran

Patriot Connections LLC

Kathy Dent, Executive Director

(803) 960-2501

PTSD Victim Reaches out to Disabled WW2 Veteran’s Widow for Home Rebuild Service Project

February 19, 2013 Contact: Keith Seymour

(803)-960-8785

On February 20, 2013, at 10:30AM, a press conference will be held at the home of Mrs. Mary Davis of 1314 Woodrow Street in Columbia, SC. Mrs. Davis, a recent amputee, is the widow of World War II Veteran PRC Solomon Davis.

Mrs. Davis, confined to a wheelchair and recently denied her husband’s military benefits, is living in substandard and beyond poverty conditions that have jeopardized her health. The condition of her substandard housing conditions includes lacks of an accessible bathroom, stable flooring, and other necessities. Additionally, the absence of a wheelchair ramp has made Mrs. Davis a virtual prisoner of her own home.

The combined assistance of various community organizations and individuals have made it possible to begin renovations on Mrs. Davis’ house as of February 28th, 2013.

Those involved would like to reach out to the media and community at large to be involved in helping an elderly woman who has made the sacrifice to have her husband defend and protect our country. It is our hope that the community will volunteer their time and any monetary and in-kind donations that they can spare.

It is the purpose of those organizations and individuals involved to bring awareness to the community of these veterans and their families that have been overlooked and are failing to receive proper medical attention and financial benefits.

For donations, volunteering efforts, and further information on Mrs. Davis’s housing project, please contact Kathy Dent ((803)960-2501, patriotconnectionsllc@gmail.com), Gabriella Carrafiello ((914)906-1454, gabriellacarrafiello@gmail.com), or Keith Seymour ((803)-960-8785, keithhseymour@bellsouth.net).

prayer of St Francis of Assisi

I felt this prayer may help us with the healing process concerning the tragedy at sandy hook elementary school

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

• 5 years ago