This has been an incredible week here in my hometown of Columbia, SC as well as other areas of our state. As everyone knows, we had enormous devastation, loss of life, and horrendous damage to property. I am heartbroken for my neighbors to the east of my residence who have suffered the most in the Gills Creek Watershed area. I happen to serve on the Board of the Gills Creek Watershed Association and maybe out of this tragedy our voices will be heard that we must develop commercially and residentially in an environmentally responsible manner around Gills Creek. We also need governmental and private focus on reviving one of the most impaired waterway systems in the United States!

 

I have been most impressed by the coordinated efforts of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD), the local law enforcement agencies, the firemen, the EMS workers, the National Guard, etcetera, etcetera.

 

The volunteer spirit of my fellow citizens has been perhaps the most incredible! My son Mac deviated from his normal exercise bike route yesterday and went through the vicinity of Lake Katherine and the Kilbourne Road area and saw literally hundreds of volunteers out on the street assisting those who have lost everything.

The spirit of Columbia is alive and well.
COLUMBI –YEAH!