1/4/07

Boys and Girls State delegates honored by Post #68

Submitted Photo		Submitted Photo
2006 Girls States delegates were honored at the “Report to the Post” dinner last fall. Pictured are (standing) Jessica Smith, Jennifer Hubbard, Tyra Pugh, Megan Corbett, Hulaine Windham, Rena Perry and (seated) Betty Smith.		2006 Boys State delegates shared their experience with Post members at the “Report to the Post” dinner. Pictured are (front) Ted Gardner. Jordan Marlow, Lewis McKenzie, John DuRant and Morris Holladay; (back) Judge James Dingle, Zeb Windham, Hunter Lee, David Lee, Marcus Lloyd and George Callaway.

Williams-Burgess Post #68 of the American Legion in Manning honored delegates to the 2006 Boys State and Girls State Conventions at their annual “Report to the Post” meeting. Guests included delegates from Clarendon School District 2’s Manning High School and Laurence Manning Academy as well as Carter-Sullivan Post #204’s Boys State delegates from Manning High with their advisor, Judge James Dingle, Post Finance Officer and Boy’s State Committee Chairman and Post #204 Commander Morris Holladay. The students had previously attended the prestigious weeklong governmental leadership seminars at the University of South Carolina (boys) or Columbia College (girls) during the summer.

George Barnett, Post #68 2nd Vice Commander, led in a brief period of recognition and remembrance for the POW/MIAs of all wars and conflicts with the traditional posting of the emblematic chair cover. He concluded with prayer and a vow that they will never be forgotten.

Betty Smith, of the American Legion Auxiliary, spoke about Constitution Day in the United States (Sept. 17) and called for the ringing of church bells throughout the city and county in unison with the nation’s honoring of the historic document that guarantees us the freedoms we enjoy.

At the conclusion of dinner, the students were introduced by Post #68 Boys State Committee Chairman George Callaway; American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Chairperson Betty Smith and Judge Dingle from Post #204. As the delegates related their experiences, Legionnaires, Auxiliary members and parents of the students listened with eager anticipation to the lively discussion of the activities of a busy week. The government of our free democracy had been emphasized and highlighted during the entire week by notable political and business speakers. The culmination of the week was the delegates campaigning for mock election to offices ranging from city councils to governor of the “Palmetto State” and conducting a mock session of the legislature at the State House complete with the enactment of several bills. Also featured during the week were visits to other Columbia-area historical landmarks including the Governor’s Mansion.

Each delegate had varied outlooks and memories of their impressionable experiences. All dinner attendees were further entertained by the Girls and Boys State delegates singing several of the popular melodies that they learned during the week.
Girls State Delegates were Megan Corbett, Tyra Pugh and Jessica Smith from Manning High and Jennifer Hubbard from LMA. Boys State Delegates were John DuRant, David Lee, Hunter Lee, and Zeb Windham from LMA and Jordan Marlowe and Lewis McKenzie from Manning High, sponsored by Williams-Burgess Post #68 and Marcus Lloyd from Manning High sponsored by Carter-Sullivan Post #204. Others participating in the evening’s program were Post #68 Commander Ted Gardner, Legion Auxiliary President Rena Perry, Post #204 Commander Morris Holliday, and Hulaine Windham, Auxiliary member.