To the Class of 2021

by   June 5, 2021 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

To the Class of 2021

            My nephew graduated from high school in May. He will head off to Virginia Military Institute in the fall. He has a passion for the military and enjoys reading military history. I think he will do great things for our country. I am thankful for him and the many others who choose to serve our country.

            I feel bad for the class of 2021 because so many of the graduates who attend public schools have missed much of the fun stuff from their junior and senior year due to the COVID pandemic. I hope they understand this has been a world-wide event and they have not been singled out. Hopefully, things will improve going forward.

            The graduating seniors did miss out on some of the fun senior traditions. Many schools did not have their prom last year or this year. I did hear that some schools were able to have their prom this year. I also saw where some schools had their senior awards day. Maybe some things are beginning to return to normal.

            Many school systems are having or just had their final exams. Exams always signaled that the end was within reach. It was a busy time, but I always knew I was almost there. I have to admit that I do not miss the absolute exhaustion I always felt at the end of the year.

            I do think I miss…a little…going to the graduation ceremony. It’s not the ceremony itself that I miss, but saying good-bye to the graduating seniors. I liked walking through the crowd and seeing my students, shaking their hands, and wishing them good luck.

            I also miss the graduation speeches. While many of them had similar content, I always heard some unique thoughts that often inspired a new column. I have often wondered what I might say if I was given the chance to speak to a group of graduating seniors. I would have to keep my thoughts short.

            So here are my thoughts to the Class of 2021: Congratulations graduates! You have had a very unique journey to this day. None of us could have imagined what we have experienced over the last two years. The best thing to learn from the situation is that life can be very uncertain. No one knows what tomorrow holds, so live each day to its fullest.

            I encourage you to love the people in your life and let them know your love by your words and your actions. Love lasts forever and heals many wounds. People may not remember all that you accomplish, but if show them love, they will never forget you.

            Look for the good in life. Everyone has plenty of bad days, days you wish you had never gotten out of bed. Even on the bad days there is always something good in your life. Look for it, embrace it, and share it with others.

            Be thankful every day. Be thankful for your family, friends, job, place to live, and all the many possessions that you acquire in life. A thankful heart is joyful and contagious. A thankful heart builds within you an appreciation for all that is good in life.

            Always show appreciation to others. No one is successful on their own. It only takes a moment to thank someone. Honor people in your life who have helped you and encouraged you along the way. Don’t forget your teachers, parents, and pastors.

            Take good care of your physical body; it’s the only one you get. Life is full of ups and downs, so tend to your emotions. Give yourself the time, space, and permission to deal with them. Make it a priority in your life to grow spiritually. That includes praying and talking to your Heavenly Father. Reading books is great for the mind, but don’t neglect reading the Good Book. It is so important to stay connected with people, especially in spiritual matters. People can be there to lift you up on the bad days, challenge you to be the best you God made you to be, and encourage you when life is tough.

            I want to thank you for taking time to listen to my words. I want to encourage you to apply them to your life. You have learned so much in school, now comes the time to apply what you have learned so you can reach for the stars. God has made some great plans for your life, an exciting and wonderful adventure. Put your faith and trust in Him and see where the adventure takes you. Congratulations to the Class of 2021! We are proud of you.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

Having the Family Genes

by   June 1, 2021 with No Comments

By David Freeze

The first time I saw Frank Adams Jr. run, I thought immediately of his grandpa, long-time sportswriter and well-known runner Ed Dupree. Frank favors his grandpa in appearance and two other ways that I know of. His pace is steady, and he enjoys the experience immensely. Last Saturday, Frank ran his first 5K at the Ed Dupree 5K at East Rowan High School.

I asked Frank what he thought of stepping up to the longer distance after dominating many of the recent half-mile fun runs. Frank, 7, said, “Running a longer race than a fun run was a lot harder.” Frank does the Daily Mile at Shive Elementary where he usually runs between 2 and 2.5 miles, so this race was his longest distance yet.

Frank thinks he could run faster with some practice and more training. He said, “I like to run and win medals. I like to run in races because my papa Ed was a big runner and I do it to remember him. I have some of Papa Ed’s medals and a trophy in my room.”

I noticed right away that Frank is a smart runner too. It is very comical to watch kids, 12 and under, start the fun runs. They sprint as hard as they can and nearly all run out of gas within a couple hundred yards. Not Frank, who coolly lets them sprint ahead and sticks with his pace. Frank wants to continue fun runs this summer to see if he can improve his best 800 time and I hope he continues to display his megawatt smile afterwards.

Frank will also run cross country with Run Cabarrus AAU in the fall.  The 7-year-old age group runs 1.2 miles in competition and have five meets scheduled. Frank ran the Run Cabarrus Invitational last fall, his first attempt at 1.2 miles and handled it with ease.

Allison Adams, Ed’s daughter, and husband Frank are premier athletes themselves. They support Frank and his 6-year-old brother Drew by taking both boys to fun runs and mom runs with them. Allison said, “As parents, we try to support our boys in all sports they enjoy — golf, baseball, running, tennis, soccer and basketball. We want them to be well-rounded.”

Drew ran his best time of 3:40 in the fun run Saturday. He has run some fun runs with Frank but hasn’t been hit by the running bug yet. Allison thinks it’s coming soon because Drew is quick on his feet and will head to kindergarten in the fall at Shive with his brother.

She continued, “Frank is self-motivated and loves to run and be active. Other ways he favors his grandpa is a natural ability to pace himself. Through the Daily Mile at Shive, Frank developed a love for running and runs almost daily (with the exception of weekends). Frank knows about Ed’s streak of 24 years of running without missing a day, as well.”

I asked Allison how both boys remembered her dad. She said, “Drew was very young when Ed passed away, one month short of 2 years old. Frank was 3 1/2 years old. They remember my dad taking them to Dan Nicholas Park to play putt putt and to Granite Lake Park. They remember their Papa as a runner. My mom and dad kept Drew and Frank at their house in Faith a few days a week when I went back to school. They remember how much their Papa liked to eat, especially at Ichiban!”

Ed did not get to see Frank race. He was planning on coming to the Erwin 50th anniversary race in September 2017, but that was when he originally hurt his leg before he had to go to Baptist. Allison did show him pictures of Frank running the fun run while sitting with him at Novant the night he was admitted. Of course, Ed asked what Frank’s time was.

“My dad would truly enjoy watching Frank run. With all the time he spent training kids with the Faith Flyers, it would mean so much to him to be able to watch Frank race and enjoy himself. I only hope he can somehow see Frank and Drew when they run.”

Look for the upcoming Main Street Challenge in China Grove and other events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org .

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