March for healing Families of Charleston shooting victims lead Days of Grace rally BY MEG KINNARD The Associated Press
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CHARLESTON (AP) — The pastor of a Charleston church where nine African-American worshippers were shot to death earlier this year led a march Saturday of good will, remembrance and hopes for the triumph of
good over evil. Flanked by relatives of the slain parishioners, as well as the father of a black man killed by a white law officer, the Rev. Norvel Goff of Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church led hundreds through the streets of the city.
Standing in front of the church known as Mother Emanuel, Goff sought to convey the message that good will was developing from the darkest of situations. He stopped the marchers at his church, leading the crowd of several hundred in singing “We Shall Overcome,” as many par-
ticipants — black and white — lifted their hands in a show of unity. “We’re going to pray that God shows his favor on our efforts here today,” Goff said. “We are going to triumph over evil.” During the march,
SEE MARCH, PAGE A9
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Make-A-Wish, Sumter stores make day special for 4-year-old boy BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com
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Connie Ford
Ty’Gee kisses his mother Stacey after their Walmart shopping spree, which the Make a Wish foundation sponsored on Friday.
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It was a special day for 4-year-old Ty’Gee. Not only did he get his wish granted from Make-A-Wish— a shopping spree — it was also his mother Stacey’s birthday. After a day of shopping at the Sumter Mall, GameStop, the Children’s Place, Kid’s Footlocker and other locations around the Game-
cock City, all of the commotion was coming to an end at Walmart about 3 p.m., Friday. “It was awesome,” Stacey said. “It is a blessing, and I really thank everyone.” Young Ty’Gee, sitting in his two carts full of goodies in a check-out lane, seemed as though he had had enough excitement for one day and didn’t have much to say. Make-A-Wish South Carolina volunteer Gary Linn said he was
really proud of the way Sumter stepped up to make Ty’Gee’s day special. “Some of the stores made really nice signs to greet him,” Linn said. “I haven’t seen signs like this in the 20 years I have been a Make-AWish volunteer. At GameStop, the Sony Rep gave him a PlayStation, that’s in addition to his Make-AWish gifts.”
SEE SHOPPING, PAGE A9
YouthBuild helps make community garden a reality BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Several local young adults spent the majority of their Friday morning grooming the community garden at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church as part of their community service with Sumter County YouthBuild program. The local branch of the national nonprofit organization, present in 46 states, helps students study for a GED diploma or certificate as well as provides counseling and
skills training to young adults. Sumter City Councilman Calvin Hastie, a member of New Bethel, said the church has been working with the youth support program for five years. He said the partnership between the church and the program started as a way to get the students to learn a strong work ethic, responsibility and teamwork. It is interesting to see which of the students will
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Daiquan Anthony rakes dead grass out of the soil in New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church’s community vegetable garden on Friday as part of his communiSEE GARDEN, PAGE A9 ty service project with Sumter County YouthBuild.
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