Wait... is Christmas almost here?

As you may or may not have noticed, I’ve been away for the past few days. So let’s catch up…

Saturday night I went up to Orangeburg for the Rickenbacker Gala. What is the Rickenbacker Gala you ask? Let me tell you. Many years ago (not 100% sure how many) Mr. and Mrs. Rickenbacker died after years of suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. Their children decided they would honor their parents by raising money for Alzheimer’s research. As far as I know, they had never been to my office. The children looked us up (or heard about us somewhere) and decided we would be the group they would support. They decided they would throw a gala every year to raise the money that they would then donate to us. This past Saturday was the 13th Rickenbacker Gala (and the 3rd one that I’ve attended). It is held on the 3rd Saturday in December each year. The family begins planning it in January each year. This is not some small gathering. It’s held in an old theatre in the Orangeburg Mall and while I don’t know how many people were there, I can tell you it was packed. A few years ago, The Wife and I went to it. That night there was a freezing rain… and the place was packed. It would seem this thing is a big deal in Orangeburg. They have a band (not sure if it’s been the same band all 13 years, but it has been the same band since I’ve been going). They are out of Augusta, Georgia. I think their name is Perfect Picture. They sing all kinds of songs. I really enjoyed them. I loved their saxophone player. Not so much for his playing (though that was good) but just for how he was up there. This dude was one cool cat from back in the day. Words can’t really do it justice. You’ll have to ask me about him the next time you see me. Anyway, the Rickenbacker’s typically raise anywhere from $4,000 - $6,000 each year with this gala. It is a great way to not only raise money, but also to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s in the Orangeburg community. Over 5 million people have been diagnosed with this disease and over 80,000 of those people live in South Carolina. The Rickenbacker children (along with a man who I believe is their cousin) organize and run the event while their children (who are around my age) fill in as support staff. I hope that the 3rd generation of this wonderful family will step-up and continue this great event when their time comes.

So that was my Saturday. On Sunday I drove Jeremy up to Rock Hill for a Winthrop basketball game. Of course, I wanted to go to Ashley Ridge Church to hear my dear friend Jenn preach… but it was my turn to drive and I couldn’t let Jeremy down. Winthrop gave a great effort against the Charlotte 49ers, but it was not enough. Here’s a little useless fact for you: This past Sunday, the 49ers played the Eagles in the NFL and in College Basketball.



I know that some of you are not able to view the videos I post on here, so I’ll type what was in that video. It had a letter to the editor of the New York Sun from a little 8 year old girl named Virginia that was written in the late 1890s. One of the paper’s editors, Francis P. Church, answered with what would become one of (if not THE) most famous editorials. Honestly, the response was so great that I can only assume that Mr. Church was either from the South or was at least a Southerner at heart. First, here is the letter to the editor:

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET

Here’s the response from Mr. Church:

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Chase Towne update: (from his father) Clinic was short and sweet, like we like it. Chase's counts were really high so they told us we could stop his ANC shot at home. This means his counts will probably be at a low on Christmas day. Sounds like a good reason to stay home and enjoy the day. Chase is still on schedule to start his scans next week. Today marks 8 months in Chase's journey. It has been a long and bumpy road. We are thankful for Chase's progress. We are also humbled and grateful for all of your support and prayers. Each of you has made our journey a little smoother. Thank you! Please pray for Chase's body to be ready to fight the germs on its own. Thank You!

Cleveland Cavs update: The Cavs are 21-8. They play at Sacramento tonight.

Winthrop Eagles update: The Eagles fell to 5-6 on the season with a loss last night at Cincinnati. The next game for the Eagles is Tuesday night (December 29) when they travel to Raleigh, North Carolina to take on the NC State Wolfpack.