Downtown Coming Alive!

I don’t know if everyone drives through downtown Anderson as much as I do but I seem to find a way to go through downtown almost every time I leave the house. The reason behind this is the fact that I love my hometown of Anderson and I love the progress and revitalization projects that are going on in the downtown area. Downtown Anderson is becoming a more and more beautiful place every day. My wife and I talked about what downtown Anderson could become years ago when we first got together and many of our thoughts and ideas have come to pass. I hope that not only will the improvements continue but I hope we will begin to see even more diversity in the downtown area. We could add a one or two screen movie theater or a big name sit-down restaurant. We can even throw in a Subway (restaurant). I am excited to see what is next on the horizon and I am excited for Anderson in general. I see the Downtown Project being a perfect compliment of public and private working together for the common good and towards a common goal that will be a great investment in the future of our fine town.
I know it seems like if you drive down any Interstate long enough you see billboard after billboard boasting a historic downtown. I know that a lot of people don’t think our downtown or any traditional downtown is worth saving. However, I think differently. Anderson’s historic downtown is worth saving and if done right it will be something that generations to come will be thankful for.
If you haven’t seen it yet, then go see it. If you don’t like it, give it a chance to grow on you! Either way, I believe it will be a benefit to us all in some way.

Matthew Hilley

Spreading the Warmth of Jesus

My Youth Group has come up with two different projects they intend to tackle over the next few months. First, they are committed to collecting $3000 to have a deep water well dug in Africa to provide clean disease free water to 750 people for the rest of their lives. You can go here to this website and click on Projects to read more about it.

Secondly, we will be collecting old and unwanted coats and blankets along with new packs of socks over the next couple of months. Once it begins to get cold weather we will be hitting the streets as a group and handing these out to the less fortunate people in the upstate area. The homeless will be our primary target but after we feel we have covered those in most need we will move on to those with homes but that are still in need of help.

These ideas were sparked in the minds of young people after being inspired by the motivational preaching and teaching they received at North American Youth Congress this past week in Charlotte NC. They have decided to be contributors to their communities and bring about positive change instead of calmly standing by and doing nothing.

I hope that each of you reading this will look into your closets and get out those coats and blankets that you never use and bring then in. Also, if you are feeling really generous you can buy a pack of thick socks from Wal-Mart for around $5. If you are interested in contributing to the Well fund you can make the check out to Living Water and write Well Fund in the memo section. You can call me at 864-617-5039 and I will come and pick up these items or you can mail them or drop them off at Living Water, 148 Carson Road, Seneca SC, 29678. I thank you for your time and please give what you can to help others!

Matthew Hilley

Funeral of Lance Cpl. James R. Davenport - An American Hero

On Friday December 8th 2006 I saw an awesome display of American pride, patriotism and love. I saw this awesome display in my own home town at the funeral of a fallen Marine. Normally I would not have attended a funeral of someone I did not know personally. However, the evening before the funeral I had received a tip that the radical mean-spirited hate group from Waterboro Baptist Church out of Topeka Kansas was planning to protest this Marine’s funeral. For those of you that don’t know about this group I will spare you the temper rising details and just give you the PG version of who they are. They are the nuts that travel around the United States protesting at the funerals of our fighting men and women calling them names and saying that God hates them. When I learned that these radicals may be on our door steps disrupting a hero’s funeral and bothering a mourning family I could not sit by and do nothing. I immediately went to my office and got on the phone and the internet. I verified that this information was true and then I started calling friends, family, preachers and the news media. I was asking for prayer, support and bodies to show up at the funeral the next day. Some of the media already knew about some did not. Most of the people I called had no idea and were totally shocked by the information I was giving them. During my calling and research I found a group that follows these nuts around the country for the sake of protecting the families. The group of motorcyclist called The Patriot Guard Riders is an awesome asset and wonderful ally to have in this type of situation.
The day of the funeral I arrived at Dunkin Donuts shortly after noon and met with the Patriot Guard and others prior to the funeral. During the family’s private time at the funeral home well over a hundred people stood guard outside on the side walk to form a human shield of protection around this family and this fallen American Hero. This community came together for a brief moment and a noble cause. The various types of people you saw on Main St. that day should have made everyone proud. Flags were flying, people were crying and men and women stood guard for a cause they believed in. The radical hate group did not show up as planned.
I was honored to be able to ride along in the funeral procession and see the enormous outpouring of love and patriotism displayed by the citizens of the city of Anderson. Firemen and police officers stood at attention as we passed by. Men and women and children held their hands over their hearts. For a few brief minutes which must have seemed like an eternity to the family our town stood still in honor of a hero. I would like to thank each and every person that took part in honoring this Marine. I would like to say how proud I am of my home town. I would like to thank the Davenport family for their sacrifice. May God Bless the Davenports and may God continue to watch over all our men and women in uniform!

Matthew Hilley

Veterans Day Parade in Anderson, SC

I would like to thank all the people in Anderson that played a part in putting together the Veterans Day Parade and the brief ceremony that followed. I was very impressed with the effort that was put into this event. As a veteran myself, it was an awesome opportunity for me to thank those men that fought for me and my family many years before I was born. I myself come from a long line of men that have served this country. My father served in the Gulf War and Vietnam. I had a grandfather and an uncle in WWII and I also had two direct descendants (grandfathers) that served in the Civil War and the Revolutionary War. This rich family history of men that have served this country along with a deep rooted sense of patriotism was the reason I myself decided to serve.
I am so thankful for all the men who have been willing to risk everything for freedom and ask very little in return. I hope that Anderson will continue to honor those men that have served by continuing to hold events like this in the future.

Matthew T. Hilley