Editorial: Four Birdies for Inspiring Efforts

Two years ago, Gaddy and O’Connell were inspired by drives they saw happening and hosted a Her Drive for the nonprofit Friend to Friend.

Right now there are four boxes at various locations in Carthage, including Eliza Quinn Creates (14 Courthouse Square) and New Covenant Church (1305 Hulsey Road).

Items accepted include menstrual pads, tampons, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant, dental care, pregnancy tests, diapers, wipes, socks, multivitamins and more. Shoppers can also select items from the Amazon wishlist that will ship directly to Gaddy and O’Connell for donation.

“We’re just excited to be involved in something like this. It’s fun for us,” says Gaddy.

Donations are being accepted through March 31. For information or to host a drive, email MooreCountyHerDrive@gmail.com.

Birdie, by Sue Kolean, of Pinehurst, who is expected to run this Sunday in the Cowtown Half Marathon in Fort Worth, Texas, as part of the Wear Blue: Run to Remember effort. The 73-year-old will be joined by 11 other Gold Star families participating in the event. Kolean’s son, Chris Harris, was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2017.

Kolean used to run years ago. When she heard about the race in Texas, she decided to participate to bring her closer to the goal she’d promised her son: to run a marathon.

“I thought it would really motivate me,” Kolean says.

Race organizers have offered a trainer and will pay for her trip west. She’s also had the opportunity to connect with other Gold Star family members.

“We have gotten to know each other real well before we even get there. That is the purpose: It is to be a support group,” Kolean says.

And to honor those loved and lost.

Birdie, by the leaders of Drug Free Moore County and the Robbins Area Christian Ministry, for their partnership that led to the recent ribbon-cutting of a much-needed drug treatment and recovery center.

The Moore ReCreations community recovery center is now a short drive or within walking distance for those suffering with addiction in the northern end of the county. For those seeking recovery, help no longer entails a drive down into southern Moore County or outside the area.

“We’re not here to say we have some kind of magic wand or anything like that. We’re just here to say that we are willing to do whatever it takes to try and make the difference,” said Charay Dupree-Smith, executive director for Drug Free Moore County at the ribbon-cutting for the North Middleton Street site.

“The building was donated to us. The utilities are paid for us. We just had to come in and provide our services,” she said, “and that speaks a lot of the change that people want to see here in Robbins.”

Birdie, by the United Way of Moore County, for its recent effort to help local child care centers restock food resources wiped out by the December power outages.

The United Way, working with Lowes Foods and a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, was able to help a number of local child care centers buy more food.

“Our mission with this project was to help with food cost recovery for those centers who lost food due to the power outage that impacted a large segment of Moore County back in December,” United Way President Linda Pearson said.

The United Way demonstrated creativity, working with its partners, to provide help where none otherwise might exist.