Miss Nicie — 100 Years and Counting
Miss Nicie Lambeth is shown here being greeted by one of many who turned out at Bethlehem AME Zion Church to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Celebration
Miss Nicie Lambeth is 100 years old — and her friends won’t let her forget it! Eager to show their love and appreciation, they gave her a grand Celebration/Roast this past Sunday, February 22, at Bethlehem AME Zion Church in Lewisville.
The church was filled with friends, church members, former church members and pastors who came to pay tribute to “Miss Nicie,” as they affectionately call her. They expressed their love in song, poem, recollections, Scripture and prayer. They praised her, thanked her, and laughed with her at some of their fondest memories of her.
Following the Celebration/Roast, Miss Nicie was treated to a warm reception in the Fellowship Hall.
Proclamation
Earlier, on February 12, the Town of Lewisville proclaimed the “Miss Nicie Ophelia Lambeth Day” and presented Miss Nicie with a plaque describing the proclamation:
Whereas: The Town of Lewisville wishes to recognize its senior citizens and the important role they serve in our society; and
Whereas: Miss Lambeth was born on February 18, 1909 in Pfafftown and has been a lifelong resident of the area; and
Whereas: Longevity of life is a blessing for an individual and for a community which benefits from the knowledge, creativity, and experiences this individual brings to all; and
Whereas: During a long, productive lifetime, Miss Lambeth has demonstrated her dedication to the welfare of others in countless ways and has earned the respect and affection of people from all walks of life and all ages; and
Whereas: Miss Lambeth has lived during the most eventful century of this world’s history;
NOW THEREFORE, I, Dan R. Pugh, Mayor of the Town of Lewisville, North Carolina, do hereby proclaim February 18, 2009, as Miss Nicie Ophelia Lambeth Day in the Town of Lewisville to recognize and acknowledge the one hundredth birthday of Miss Nicie O. Lambeth on the day of this occasion.
Miss Nicie, we wish you many more years, as fruitful as your first 100!
More Photos
To see more photos of Miss Nicie’s Celebration/Roast and Reception, please visit the Nicie Lambeth Celebration photo gallery.
NOTE: The 2/19/09 edition of the Winston-Salem Journal featured an article, titled 100th Birthday, by Lisa O’Donnell, describing various stages of Miss Nicie’s rich life. Be sure to check out that article, as well as an accompanying audio recording in which you can hear Miss Nicie recite from memory a portion of Longfellow’s A Psalm of Life.
UPDATE ON 11/4/09: Miss Nicie Lambeth passed away on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Loved ones spoke highly of her kind heart and her love for the Lord. The Winston-Salem Journal published a 10/29/09 article on Miss Nicie’s passing titled Vienna loses beloved historian.
Old Photo — New Perspective
Although this photo was not taken in Lewisville, North Carolina — a rare exception I’m making for today — at least I can say that the subject, my mother, was made in Lewisville! (Please forgive the pun, Mom!)
Years Ago
I took this photo of my mother at a family reunion years ago. I was very much a photo enthusiast even then.
When I snapped the picture, I had no idea how important it would become to me years later. Nor did I realize at the time what it was that I was capturing about my mother in that moment.
A Lovely Heart
Looking at the photo now, it’s clearly her lovely heart that I see. For many years, though, I did not see that portion of my mother’s heart. Instead, I misinterpreted many of her expectations and requests, and I sometimes took advantage of her giving spirit.
Yet, as is often true of mothers, Mom has always looked beyond the foibles of her children and has seen the hearts of her little girl and her little boys, perhaps better than we have seen ourselves. And I can’t help but think that maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that her parents named her Grace.
Today, our mother turns 76 years old. Happy Birthday, Mom! We love you.
A Soldier’s Story
In recognition of Veterans Day, Rick McVicker, an Iraq War veteran, was the special guest speaker at the annual meeting of the Friends of the Lewisville Library on Wednesday evening, November 12.
Soldiering in Iraq
Rick left his teaching position at West Forsyth to serve in Iraq from June 2006 till May 2007. He shared about his daily routines, his living quarters, the food and his mission as a soldier serving in Iraq.
Regularly, Rick suited up with over 60 pounds of gear for each combat mission, which involved patrolling areas of Iraq in a Humvee. On top of the rigors of combat, heat was a persistent challenge, with temperatures at times reaching as high as 130 degrees. In his eleven and a half months in Iraq, Rick engaged in over 800 combat missions, completing his service with the rank of Sergeant First Class.
Rick also made a point to share how much the troops appreciate care packages, particularly those containing non-perishable food. (One of his favorites was Pop Tarts.) The packages are such morale boosters, he said. “So keep them coming — the troops love them!”
Cards for the Troops
Nancy Bauman, President of the Friends of the Lewisville Library, presented Rick with over 250 holiday and thank-you cards which were created earlier this week by children and adults in the community. Rick will ensure the cards are received by troops serving away from home over the holidays.
Hope for the Iraqi People
As someone who has seen firsthand the conditions in Iraq, Rick shared his optimism for the future of the Iraqi people. He reminded the audience that the Iraqi people have never before experienced the opportunity to self-govern. That means they’re learning how democracy works — and that’s not always a pretty process, and certainly not one that is easily or quickly achieved.
Rick has fond memories of his encounters with the Iraqi people, and he has great hope that they will work through the challenges of establishing a democratic government. His overarching thought about his experience in Iraq: “I will always believe that it was time well spent.”
Back Home
Once more Rick is back at West Forsyth, where he teaches civics, world geography and international relations. I have no doubt that he teaches with the same honor and conviction that guided him as a soldier.
To see a few photos of the evening, please visit the Rick McVicker photo gallery.
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Day’s End
I’m learning that sometimes, when I think I’ve taken the last good shot of the day, an unanticipated encounter or moment may yet present itself — if I keep looking. On this recent evening, that proved to be true.
I’d been driving around the township checking out various spots that I’ve had my eye on for evening shots. I ended up at Shallowford Square just as the sun was beginning to bestow a golden glow on the town. That’s where I captured this dynamic photo of a thoughtful young girl named Kennedy.
Kennedy lives near the Square, and she’d come up to enjoy swinging on the swings before the day ended. I asked if I could photograph her while she was swinging, and she said yes.
While photographing Kennedy, I asked her a few questions. I learned that Kennedy is a seventh grader at Meadowlark Middle School. Her favorite subject is writing, and she also enjoys reading.
Kennedy’s favorite book at the moment is How to Be Popular (by Meg Cabot). When I asked why she likes the book, Kennedy explained its story line to me. I admit that the title, at first, made me think the book might be a bit shallow. Instead, it appears the book could actually be instructive and encouraging to teenage girls.
Here’s what one Amazon.com reviewer wrote about How to Be Popular:
For every girl who has gone from being nobody, to somebody, to nobody again, this is an uplifting story that I rate highly up there with Jerry Spinelli’s wonderful Star Girl books. Meg Cabot always knows how to touch readers of any age with situations all of us who weren’t so popular can relate to from any era, and combine them with contemporary humor that will only be slightly dated years from now. For every girl at any age, this is a great story about finding out who you are and what you’re made of in both the nastiest and most hilarious storms of your life.
Thank you, Kennedy, for allowing me to photograph you and to learn a little about you. You made my day!
