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Article published Jul 4, 2003
Thurmond missed at annual Lexington County Peach
Festival
By JENNIFER HOLLAND
Associated Press
Writer
Beauty queens, grandparents and politicians briefly escaped
the Fourth of July heat in the air conditioned lunch room at Gilbert Primary
School on Friday, but one familiar face was missing at the 45th annual Lexington
County Peach Festival ceremony.
"You could always figure you'd see
Strom," Rep. Larry Koon, R-Lexington said as he welcomed the crowd.
Paper
fans stopped waiving and heads bowed as the crowd paused for a moment of silence
to remember former U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, who died last week at age
100.
"He isn't with us except in spirit," said Raymond Boozer, master of
ceremony and chairman of the festival.
Thurmond loved festivals of all
types and only missed the last two peach celebrations in Gilbert, said U.S. Rep.
Joe Wilson, R-S.C.
Wilson said one of his favorite memories was Thurmond
and former Gov. Carroll Campbell riding on horses at the front of the
parade.
"He really had a deep affection to come to the festival to be
with the people," Wilson said.
Thurmond, who retired in January after
serving 48 years in the Senate, holds the record as the nation's oldest and
longest-serving senator.
When critics said Thurmond was too old and frail
for the U.S. Senate, Thurmond appeared at South Carolina's parades, festivals
and celebrations to campaign in person. At 93, he remembered their names, shook
their hands and signed autographs without the help of aides.
"He just
appeared just as wet with perspiration as everybody else," recalled Betty Buff,
who helped coordinate this year's Peachy Contest of top recipes.
Archie
Harman, 57, of Lexington, who has attended the festival every year, said the
politicking at the festival has faded.
"People aren't as interested in
political speaking," Harman said. "It doesn't seem the same without
him."
But the theme of patriotism and community support from new faces at
the festival continued to stir emotions.
Mark Sanford cooled off with a
dish of peach ice cream at his first Lexington County Peach Festival as
governor.
He watched while local agriculture officials were introduced,
those with award-winning recipes picked up their plaques and visiting teens with
tiaras stepped on stage to wave.
"Y'all have something very, very special
here ... with a real sense of community," Sanford said as his wife, Jenny, and
four sons looked on. "What we're really celebrating is a way of
life."
Gilbert Mayor Phil Price said the festival puts people at ease
despite the fact that U.S. troops still are fighting in Iraq and there are
threats of lurking terrorists.
"It helps people forget about things that
we really don't have any control over," he said.
While fresh peaches were
gobbled up, "America the Beautiful" played on a keyboard and chatter of
fellowship among friends echoed, many still thought of days past and South
Carolina's former senator.
"He just felt like this was home," Price said.
"We miss him."