Letters to the editor: Say thanks to Clover athletic director; support Sen. Peeler

Say thanks to Carroll Hester

As our school year comes to an end we in the Clover Community will see our AD Carroll Hester step away from his position. He leaves behind a legacy that is impressive in its accomplishments as an AD but even more so in the type of man and influence he has been on all of the students who had the honor to interact with him.

We are fortunate enough to call Carroll our friend and had 2 sons who matriculated through Clover and played Varsity sports as well. Coach Hester was always a positive role model for them and their teammates. He always had a kind word,a smile, a pat on the back or a word of encouragement. His positive influence was not limited to just the athletes. He was supportive of each and every student whether they were the star player on a team, the lead in the Choraliers, a member of a club or just a student intent on getting through school and going to College or getting a job.Coach Hester also was very active in the FCA program at Clover and as such certainly led by example as a God fearing man who placed others above himself.

So as the school year ends and as Coach Hester begins the next chapter of his life, please take a moment to thank him if you see him. He is a modest man but he deserves to be recognized for all he accomplished personally and professionally. Please offer your thanks to his amazing wife Nancy and their family as they have shared Coach with us over the years.. On a personal note,we say thank you Coach and we hope our sons grow up to have a heart as full of compassion as you have shown towards them.

Support Sen. Peeler

I have known Sen. Harvey Peeler for 25 years. During my tenure at Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce, he has been a mentor, adviser, supporter and friend.

My first year at the chamber, he brought a water system law preventing modern updates in Lake Wylie to senate committee the same week I contacted him, and the law changed to allow for progress statewide.

In the 1990s when S.C. 49, a two-lane road, was widened, the chamber began work to widen Buster Boyd Bridge. Again, Peeler mentored and guided me. Within a few days, U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond took the bridge request to committee and had federal funding appropriated, while Peeler secured funding from South Carolina for its portion.

When the interbasin water transfer threatened the water supply of Lake Wylie and the Catawba River, he called a meeting with state leaders and the attorney general with the Riverkeeper testifying. He made the motion that began the action taken by Attorney Gen. Henry McMaster that took the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court with success.

When the chamber saw a spike in visitors at its tiny rented office, I asked Peeler if a grant was available to help purchase our current location. He worked to get funding to launch Lake Wylie Visitor Center and Small Business Center.

There are occasions when local constituents call needing help beyond the scope of what the chamber could do, and I have called Peeler, for example when a local family was adopting a baby and waiting in Florida more than a week. They asked if we could could help speed up the process. Within the day, Peeler’s staff had the needed South Carolina paperwork expedited so the family could return to Lake Wylie a day or two later with a new baby.

Sen. Peeler has served his district and our area well for more than three decades. I support Sen. Peeler’s re-election.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor: Say thanks to Clover athletic director; support Sen. Peeler."