By Eddie Madden Jr.
Columbus County Manager
On behalf of the Board of Commissioners and the employees of Columbus County, I wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
For some, Thanksgiving is a time to be with family, to enjoy a hearty Thanksgiving meal, to watch football, and to rest.
For others, it is a time of struggle to stay warm, find food and have shelter. Let us not forget one another over the holidays. Be generous. Give to others. Volunteer at a food bank or serve a hot meal to those in need. Check on your neighbor. Take care of one another each day, but especially during the holiday season.
And for some, the holidays are a time of sacrifice. There is no sacrifice greater than our brave men and women in the armed services, that are abroad or that will be away from their families this Thanksgiving. To those of you who are serving, and to the families of our military service men and women, we say thank you.
This Thanksgiving will be especially hard for the employees of International Paper, Patriot Ford, and National Spinning, who were notified recently of company layoffs. Our prayers go out to them. They have our commitment that we will assist them in every way we can to help them find re-employment. Our economic development office is working very hard on some exciting new projects that could help many find new employment. So, do not give up hope. Good things are yet to come.
We have many reasons to give thanks and to be encouraged for the years to come. Columbus County is on the verge of great opportunities, that will potentially reverse the trends of economic distress, population decline, and job loss. I am encouraged by the potential for growth, job creation, and economic development. I am also encouraged by the growth in our public schools and for the advancements that are taking place at Southeastern Community College. Working together with our partners, the county has laid the groundwork for future opportunities, and I hope every citizen of Columbus County will experience the benefits from it.
May God bless you and keep you. May his face shine upon you and give you peace during this Thanksgiving season.
Edwin H. Madden, Jr. Columbus County Manager
