As with any industry, the field of law is always changing, adapting, and evolving with the world around it. Naturally, the market for legal services changes with the industry, as does the way in which people approach the attorney selection process. When I first began practicing law, attorney advertising was non-existent—in fact, it was prohibited—and lawyers relied strictly on reputation and word-of-mouth to attract new business. However, the US Supreme Court lifted the advertising ban in its 1977 opinion Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, and the advent of legal marketing transformed law into a highly competitive business. Market share can now be bought where it once had to be earned, and since the Bates decision, legal advertising has grown to become a billion-dollar industry.

As many of you know, I have the honor of serving on the Richland County Airport Commission for the Jim Hamilton – L.B. Owens Airport in downtown Columbia. Being on the Commission has taught me a tremendous amount about Columbia’s community and economy, and at our most recent meeting, I received a lesson on the town’s history and unsung heroes when the 371st Infantry Regiment WWI Memorial Monument Association presented the Commission with a fundraiser proposal. While no plans have been finalized with regard to the Airport, I found the presentation so impressive that I’m eager to share the organization’s cause and its backstory in this week’s KellyGram.

The 371st Infantry Regiment WWI Memorial Monument Association is a nonprofit organization created for the purpose of funding and placing a monument in Columbia—ideally on the State House grounds—memorializing the service and sacrifice of the 371st Infantry Regiment during WWI. This Regiment, formed in August 1917, was made up of southern, African-American draftees who trained at Camp Jackson in Columbia, SC until April 1918, when they were sent to the Western Front. There, the 371st trained under French command, learning the ally army’s equipment and tactics, then joined French forces on the front line in June 1918. In September, after three months in the trenches, the 371st troops were pulled to fight in the final great offensive in Champagne. The Regiment was said to be at the forefront of this battle and suffered heavy casualties; however, the soldiers captured miles of German-held territory in a matter of days, seized considerable enemy munitions, and managed to bring down three German planes with only gunfire. As a driving force in the war’s final offensive, the entire 371st Infantry Regiment received the Croix de Guerre, a French military award honoring valor and extraordinary service.

Today I want to spotlight Trustus Theatre, which has long played an essential role not only in Columbia’s arts and culture scene, but also in the Kelly family. My son Patrick caught the theater bug when he was in middle school at Heathwood Hall, then went on to become a Trustus apprentice in high school. Being a single parent with a busy law practice and two teenage sons, I needed all the help I could get in raising my boys! There is a lot of truth to the adage “it takes a village,” and Trustus Theatre played a major role in Patrick’s upbringing—I have often told Jim and Kay Thigpen, Trustus’s co-founders, that they were like part-time parents to Patrick Michael Kelly! Today, Patrick and his wife, Martha Hearn Kelly, are Trustus staff members, and Trustus continues to excel through its unique brand and presentation of theatrical, musical, and comedy pieces to its patrons in the Midlands.

Next Monday, February 18, 2019, marks an ever-important, but often overlooked, federal holiday: Washington’s Birthday. Over two centuries ago, in 1800, we began recognizing Washington’s Birthday, albeit unofficially, as a day of remembrance, and it was declared an official federal holiday in 1879. Washington’s Birthday is synonymous with our country’s foundation, its beloved Constitution, and its fundamental values. Yet, Washington’s Birthday is rarely celebrated with the same fanfare as Independence Day, Labor Day, or Memorial Day.

In large part, I believe that its meaning is lost among confusion about the holiday itself; for example, you might be asking why I’m referring to “Washington’s Birthday” instead of “President’s Day.” The answer is “it’s complicated,” but here’s the short version: President’s Day is not a federally recognized holiday. On a national level the day is, and always has been, called Washington’s Birthday. However, after the official day of observance changed from George Washington’s actual birthday—February 22nd—to the third Monday of February, the holiday began to fall between Washington’s birthday and Lincoln’s birthday. Consequently, some states opted to observe President’s Day in honor of both men, and others honor all presidents on this day. In South Carolina, we celebrate “George Washington’s Birthday/ President’s Day.”

Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, and though many of people view it as no more than a “Hallmark” holiday, others use it as a time to acknowledge their love for those most important to them. But my thought on the subject is, why limit our expressions of love and gratitude to a single day? To summarize Corinthians, love is the greatest gift of all. We should take every opportunity to share that gift and make sure our loved ones know how much they’re appreciated.

Between marrying my sweetheart, Beverly, meeting my first grandchild, Helena, and adopting Millie, our rescue pup, the past year has brought an abundance of love and happiness into my life. I’ve also had more opportunities to spend time with my sons, who are my pride and joy. Just last week, we celebrated Mac’s 32nd birthday; for 32 years, I have been blessed with the gift of immense adoration and warmth that a father has for his youngest son. For all the love my family has instilled in me, I still cannot help but wonder–do I tell them enough just how important and loved they are?