THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 6, 1994 TAG: 9411040247
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Faces and Places
SOURCE: Susie Stoughton
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Surely there must be an easier way, I told my cohort in life's adventures, which recently included hacking away at the English ivy in the border next to our driveway.
The ivy had to go. It had already overrun the liriope and periwinkle and was threatening to swallow up our house. Tenacious, green tendrils were licking at our gutters, despite numerous attempts to pull the vines off the brick walls.
It's an ongoing struggle, I told Jack, my partner who somehow makes back-breaking yard work seem fun as we work alongside one another.
You can't give up or the vines will take over, I groaned, tugging on a seemingly endless root. Pulling up ivy is not something you can do just once. You have to keep at it, with vigor, over and over again.
That's just the way some folks tackle life.
They approach each day with a positive attitude and a dedication to the values they hold dear. They're loyal to friends, family and the faith that motivates them.
People like that I call ``every-day heroes.''
Take Jim Trayer, for instance.
Trayer, a retired life insurance salesman, spotted us as we drove into the parking lot of the church where he's clerk of the session, the governing body. Realizing we were newcomers, he turned around and walked over toward our car, extending his hand to welcome us.
``Come on in, we're glad to see you,'' said Trayer, guiding us inside and introducing us to his wife, Evelyn, and other members of the congregation.
Others might have assumed someone else would do the job. Not Trayer. Instead, he made sure we felt welcome that day and each Sunday since then.
One of my longtime favorite heroes is Vivian Christie, well-known in Franklin Little Theater circles for her acting abilities.
But Christie's everyday performances are awe-inspiring as well. She's one of those you can always count on, always there when you need her.
Last summer, Christie, who works at Union Camp Corp., bailed me out of a crisis of sorts. Just before my daughter's wedding, we realized the cloths draping the pulpit and lectern were the wrong color. They had not been changed from green, appropriate for the season, to white, for a wedding.
The minister, new to the church, was on vacation, and a previous minister was officiating. Since I had moved and was no longer a member there, I didn't know who might have a key to unlock the room where the cloths were kept.
Frantically, I called Christie from my home in Suffolk and explained the dilemma, knowing she would know the person to call.
``No problem,'' she said. ``I'll take care of it.''
Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the church and a note on the door said everything had been done, including turning on the air conditioning to fight the August heat.
Rex Bailor of Suffolk is another hero of mine. Bailor, who operates a window cleaning and janitorial service, always makes a point of giving a pint of blood every time the bloodmobile comes to town.
He's working on gallon number 12 now.
``I don't always have money to give,'' he said, sporting a blood donor sticker on his shirt after a recent blood drive. ``But I can donate blood.''
Then there's Bill Scott, retired accountant for Franklin Equipment Co. Despite multiple health problems, Scott keeps plugging away, recruiting new members for the Franklin/Southampton Area Chamber of Commerce.
He's a hard-working volunteer with a undefeatable attitude, a good man you can't keep down.
These are but some of the heroes on a very long list. They're a few of the folks who inspire me to try a little harder, to put forth my best effort, to smile even when I don't necessarily feel like it.
I'm sure you encounter heroes every day. If you let me know who they are, I'll try to include them in future columns. But don't fail to tell them yourselves how much you appreciate the examples they set. Every day. That's what's important.
In the meantime, we'll keep whacking away at those vines. And there would be compensation for my sore muscles - a special back rub, said my husband, who heads my hero list. by CNB