Birthday wishes are sent to to Cassidy Osborne, April 25, Saxe; James Friend, April 26, Charlotte Court House; Lisa Walton, April 27, South Boston; Elaine Walton, April 27, Charlotte Court House; Mariene Davis, April 27, Teaneck New Jersey; Rosalee Skipper, April 28, Red Oak; Janiyah Friend, April 28, Keysville; Cindy Inge Atkinson, April 29, Saxe; Virginia M. Freeman, April 29, Saxe; John L. Austin, April 29, Keysville; Virginia Gregory, April 29, Drakes Branch; Mary Nicholas, April 30, Keysville; Nancy Carwile, April 30, Madisonville; Calvin Stovall, May 1, Drakes Branch; and Whitney Friend, May 2, Drakes Branch. A birthday is the most special day in ones life. Enjoy yours and I will enjoy mine to it fullest. Happy birthday!

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

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

Thought for the week: Never take someone for granted. Hold every person close to your heart, because you might wake up one day and realize that you’ve lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones.

STRENGTH

Keep your head up. God gives his hardest battles to his strongest solders. A smile can hide so many feelings — fear, sadness and heartbreak. It also shows one other thing, strength. You’ve got to stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be. Cowards never start weak and never finish. Winners never quit. Perhaps strength doesn’t reside in what never has been broken, but in the courage to grow strong in the broken places.

News is due by 9 p.m. Friday. Any news received after this time will not be included in this column. 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.