My second youngest of 13 children just started at the Marine Boot Camp in Paris Island, S.C. The night before he left for boot camp, he came up late to our bedroom to go over final details prior to leaving. Jokingly, I told him he will have free housing, get paid and have physical trainers, but would not be able to sleep in.

I think he will do well physically as he worked for Alfa Tree Service, and will be entering his senior year at Newberry College with good grades, when returning early August.

The humbling and exciting moment that night for me, when he asked if I had one of the small NT (New Testament) Bibles. I first said, being a Gideon, I have a few new ones in my car, but I found an old one in my dresser and, I put it on top of the dresser. He picked it up and read inside the front cover and, we both realized, it had my name and 1968.

It was the one given to me by an elderly Gideon as I boarded a bus in Philadelphia, for the U.S. Navy Boot Camp 50 years ago.

I kept and read it many times in my four tours of Viet Nam 1968 to 1972. He looked at it like it was very special, tucked in his pocket and went downstairs. When we dropped him off at the recruiting station that next afternoon, he had it in his pocket.

Looking at some of the CORE VALUES of a Marine, of honor, courage, integrity, discipline, teamwork, he should do well as he has demonstrated these same values around us.

Just a reminder, June 12th is primary voting. Voting can start now at the election commission especially seniors, 65 and older. I find it disturbing only 15 percent to 25 percent of people in Newberry County votes. It is one RIGHT WE HAVE.

Till Next Time.

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Louis Neiger

Till Next Time

Louis W. Neiger, CLU, is retired from insurance and security planning, he lives in Newberry. He can be reached at lwneiger@juno.com.