Dear Hearts and Gentle People

With hot summer days come lazy afternoons inside cool movie theaters eating popcorn and drinking coke. Even with the advent of DVDs and Pay-Per-View there's just nothing like the feel and smell of a movie theater with its huge screen and comfy chairs to really feel a part of the movie itself.

After all these years I can still remember movies that I saw on the big screen when I was just a child. I remember who took me to them, what I ate, and even the feelings I had then about the film.

Still today I love movies. Dramas, comedies, classics, musicals, suspense, I love them all. I especially like "chick" movies, the ones that make me cry and make my hubby groan, shake his head, and slither down in his seat.

My son, several years ago, began his quest of seeing the American Film Institute's top 100 movies of all time. He's crossed off about half of them and I have no doubt he'll see them all before too long.

Both my sons are movie freaks and have committed to memory most of the dialogue in every picture they've ever seen. Get the two of them together and it's like a mini Cannes Film Festival.

They converse back and forth with movie lines and add the actor's moves as well. Pretty impressive on the one hand. Pretty depressing on the other, when we think of all the time they spent in movie theaters when they could have been studying.

Donations needed

The Lincoln County High School Debate Booster Club is accepting donations to help offset the expense of the students traveling to the national tournaments this summer.

Your contribution will have a lasting impact on the lives of these students. Not only will you be helping to pay for them to compete, you will also be helping to provide experiences that will last a lifetime. Please call Stephanie Carani at 706-825-5628 with any questions.

Gold Rush pageant

John de la Howe School will host the Miss Gold Rush Pageant Fri., June 29 at 6:30 p.m.

Categories are available for ages 3 - 21. Entry fee is $30 per contestant, $50 for two in same family. Applications are available at the McCormick County Chamber of Commerce or you may email jonesbc@wctel.net to obtain a copy. Deadline is June 22 at 5 p.m. Please contact Betty Carol Jones at 864-443-5481 with any questions.