A Special Christmas Gift from a Special Person

by Paula Gail Benson

D. Reece Williams, III

I met Reece Williams when I had the privilege of working with him on a federal court of appeals case. He immediately impressed me as being the quintessential lawyer and Southern gentleman. As we sat waiting for the judges to enter the courtroom and the arguments to begin, I noticed him reading a small book. It was a collection of Shakespeare’s sonnets.

Reece, who traces his family to Lancaster, South Carolina, in territory where Andrew Jackson was born and spent his early life, has always been a supporter of arts and community organizations. I’ll never forget him coming to a program I presented with friends at the Museum of the Waxhaws and Andrew Jackson Memorial as well as a play I wrote and directed for my church. He has served as a member of the S.C. Philharmonic board and asked me to join him as a guest on the front row for a performance. After being able to see the pianist and orchestra up close, I told him, he’d spoiled me forever for seats further back.

He adores his wife, children, and grandchildren, and has told me he would be content for all of them to live under the same roof with him. Also, he is an avid traveler and food connoisseur. Before I take a trip, I try to consult Reece, who always graciously tells me about the places he has found most interesting to dine in and see. I’ve never been disappointed in his recommendations.

This past week, Reece was in the news. When those of us who know him heard the story, we weren’t surprised.

After law school, Reece purchased a $250 Rolex watch, which he used in his adventures with flying and sailing. The Rolex required a periodic $200 maintenance, so when he later found a less expensive watch that provided all the extra time keeping functions he needed, he put aside his Rolex.

Recently, he came across the watch and took it to a jeweler to be serviced. Amazingly, he learned he had a collectible. The appraised value was almost $40,000.

For many years, Reece had worked with the local Salvation Army and served on its board. I’ve heard him say that he has seen people he has known in other walks of life become dependent upon the Salvation Army’s services.

Reece asked the jeweler to find a buyer for his watch. When that was done, he gave the watch to the Salvation Army.

To Reece, the gift just made sense. To his friends and colleagues, it was simply quintessential Reece. Here's an article with more information about his donation:

https://callisontighe.com/2018/12/reece-williams-watch-donation/

Merry Christmas, Reece, and happy holidays! Thank you for the many gifts you’ve given us.

A Holiday Rant

From Bethany Maines


The Christmas Season is upon us.  The cards are filling up the mantle.  The lights are hung.  I’m dreaming of Christmas cookies, but haven’t actually found the time to make them.  The tree is decked and if I have to go to the mall again, someone else is getting decked as well. And I know who it would be – the Salvation Army bell ringers.  I know that sounds mean, and the truth is that I appreciate the Salvation Army.  I donate to the Salvation Army.  I even sing along during Guys and Dolls (sit down your rocking the boat!). The Salvation Army is a good and useful organization… that needs a bell-ectomy.

Those bells are not nice bells. They’re tinny and rung with a sort of bored, off-rhythm malevolence that creates an aural graffiti for shoppers. I’m convinced that it is this kind of repetitive, grating torture that leads to Shopper Rage incidents. A little too many people in your personal space. One too many automated dancing Santa’s. One more hideous, modern and sugary rendition of a Christmas classic piped in on the overhead sound system. One more bell ringer… And snap! The bags and fists are flying.  Yup, that Grandma just took down the teenager with the emo hair and one too many pieces of face jewelry. It’s sad, but it could be prevented, my friends.

And what about the shop employees? What have they done to deserve having their day punctuated with non-stop clanging and noise? These are the ones who help us find the right size, where they’ve hidden the figs, or where the last one was buried in the back room.  Don’t we owe it to them to protect them from the bells? (Aw, God, the bells! The bells!)

I think it’s time the Salvation Army came up with a new donation scheme. How about for every dollar donated the bell ringer will give one minute of silence? Some might call it blackmail, but I prefer to call it “creative finance.” Also, how about investing in higher quality bells? Possibly if the bells had an actual musical tone they might not be such a blight on the sound landscape. And of course, it might help if some of the bell ringers had some musical talent, but possibly that’s just asking too much.  For now, I’d just settle for one simple Christmas wish – stop ringing the bell.