MULLINS -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was guest speaker at the Marion County NAACP Branch's Annual Freedom Fund Banquet and Woman of the Year Program on Saturday.

About 500 organization advocates, including many state and local legislative delegates, attended the event held inside the Mullins High School Gymnasium.

Sen. Lindsey Graham also made an unscheduled appearance to deliver an opening prayer for the ceremony.

Sanford said the central theme of his speech to the civil rights organization was about freedom.

Sanford said freedom is not free and we should honor and remember America's troops fighting in the war with Iraq.

"The central concept is about freedom," the governor said. "So the question we all have to answer is how do we advance freedom? Not only at an international level where we have all of those who are paying the extreme sacrifice but, we have to answer how we can achieve freedom on a local level. And, freedom basically means economic opportunity for everyone."

The governor emphasized that continuously upgrading the regions' public school systems is vital towards economic freedom.

"The wheel of freedom has many spokes and economic opportunity brings people freedom," Sanford said. "And, education will ultimately bring economic opportunity."

Graham was in the Pee Dee discussing the North Eastern Strategic Alliance regional economic plan with the organization's board members.

The senator said construction of the future U.S. Interstate 73 corridor which will direct much traffic and commerce throughout Marion County and other Pee Dee counties is a vital priority.

"I wanted to be here for Mark tonight. I'm a big fan of our new governor, we served in congress together. I was here today and I met with NESA members and a lot of other local county and city leaders," Graham said. "We believe NESA will not just allow economic opportunity for a lot of people. I-73 is very important, it will not just bring economic opportunity, it will change the entire culture of this whole region."

Also in attendance were State Sen. Maggie Glover and Dr. Daniel W. Blue Jr., president of the Marion County NAACP chapter, who presented the NAACP Branch Award to Mollie Bethea Floyd.

Blue also gave the Distinguished Service Award to the governor.

State Rep. Jim Battle presented several community service awards. Kimberly Gill, anchor of WBTW News13, served as mistress of ceremonies.

This was Sanford's first public appearance since he returned from two weeks of training in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.