Happy belated birthday wishes to William Hall, June 27, Saxe.

Birthday wishes to Malissa Davis, June 29, Hampton; Vincent Davis, June 30, Hampton; Woody Toombs, June 30, Saxe; Perry Wells Jr., June 30, North Carolina; Samuel Green, June 30, Richmond; Nathan Faulkner, July 1, Baltimore; Dean Duffy, July 1, Drakes Branch; Alex Hartley, July 1; Ralph Foster Jr., July 1, Clover; Joanne Wilborn, July 2, Saxe; Lenwood Vaughters, July 2, New Jersey; Dillion Foster, July 2, Pamplin; Kitara Skeete, July 3, Fredericksburg; Daquan Pugh, July 4, Charlotte Court House; Bobby Napier, July 4, Drakes Branch; George Staten, July 4, Richmond. I wish each of you many more happy birthdays!

Happy retirement to Thelma Jones, June 29, Drakes Branch.

Anniversary wishes to Thelma and James Jones, July 2, 39 years, Drakes Branch; Douglas and Fay Wilmouth, July 2, Charlotte Court House, 20 years; Devlin and Dominique Foster, July 4, 7 years, Pamplin. They have a son and daughter.

When you make a sacrifice in marriage, you are sacrificing not to each other, but to unity in a relationship. Happy anniversary!

Get well wishes to all of the sick and shut-in. I hope you are up and well soon. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Sympathy to all of the families who have lost a loved one recently. Good wishes go out to you in your time of need. You have our deepest sympathy.

Thought of the Week: When someone loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable.

Fourth of July

He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from opposition, for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach himself. This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.

Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have. Then join hands, brave Americans all! By uniting, we stand. By dividing, we fall. I believe in America because we have great dreams, and because we have the opportunity to make those dreams come true.

Happy Fourth of July!

News is due by 1 p.m. on Saturday. News can be submitted by calling Virginia Freeman at (434) 568-0596.

Virginia Freeman is a community columnist for The Charlotte Gazette. She can be reached at vstars@pure.net.