continued from previous page
Soucy Rand and her husband, Mark, always so busy behind the scenes and tirelessly holding this space for art and authenticity. I didn’t want to scare assistant city attorney Lester Johnson, so I let him off with a firm handshake. But Tammy Kenckel, a service coordinator for Williams Court Apartments, and her husband, Tom, who’s on the board of community radio station Savannah Soundings (see story on page 14), weren’t so lucky. hippopotamus in the last stages of emphyBy the time punk rock goddess Angel sema, I glimpsed a Who’s Who of some Bond and Mike English (the bluesiest bank of Savannah’s biggest champions of social president that ever lived) began to croon and change: strum Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Standing at the stoop of the concrete Come,” I was a bit punch-drunk on the love, staircase was Molly Lieberman, who in a totally non-Beyoncé kind of way. spends her days funneling love and art into For this was the kind of event for which the children and grown-ups at the West Broad Y. Standing next to her was Clinton The (Civil) Society Column was conceived: Edminster, the ever-smiling, octopus-armed A gathering of some of Savannah’s most courageous souls, people unafraid to be booster behind ArtRise Savannah. And then came kisses from my favorite preschool helpful and hopeful, ready to act but not willing to move ahead until everyone else teacher in the world, Ms. Maggie Smith, has caught up. who has preserved playful childhoods for Martin Luther King, Jr. called it the over 30 years at Maggie’s Morning School. Beloved Community. I’ve come to think of it Within minutes, my drooping spirits were as a far better safeguard for our survival than bolstered from their friendly squeezes. spiky stegosaurus skin. A lot cozier, too. I traveled down this gauntlet of love “What we believe has so much to do with into the arms of Barbara Daughtry, who I shared some laughs with at the annual Citi- what happens in the world,” counseled Tom from the podium, reminding how powerful zens Advocacy potluck last May. She may only be barely four feet tall, but Barbara has we are when we are brave enough to be vulan embrace that can knock even the heaviest nerable to each other. He enjoined us to share what lessons we chip off one’s shoulder. I got a hug out of former Citizens Advo- learned from Waddie Welcome’s story on big posters in the Muse lobby. cacy chairman Robert Cohen, but only I thought a minute, then wrote, “The antiafter he gave me the hard sell for his book dote for despair is service.” of poetry, Joys Fears and Tears, a lovely read After many warm good-byes and “see y’all based on his experiences living in a wheelchair and getting his degree from Savannah soon”s, I went home to repair my armadillo fleece for another day. Amid snuggles from State. and gratitude for my beautiful family, I I collected more handclasps and hugs thought of something else: from fellow writers Amy Paige Condon That hugs are the best kind of medicine, and Kris Monroe, and pressed cheeks with author and SCAD professor Susan Falls. I especially when given with arms wearing flung some good vibrations at Muse’s JinHi hearts all over their sleeves. cs
$
retro boutique at gwinnett & whitaker
349
The Future is NOW! new • used • vintage • retro
500
RIDERS
10
MILES
1
BEAUTIFUL CITY
SAVANNAH’S FAVORITE FAMILY-FRIENDLY BICYCLING EVENT IS MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION AND DATE FOR 2014
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 | ELLIS SQUARE | 7 P.M. FOLLOWED BY THE GOOD & EVIL PARTY IN THE SQUARE, FEATURING ANCIENT CITIES REGISTER AT MIDNIGHTGARDENRIDE.COM
SOMETHING OLD... SOMETHING NEW! Blues Junior Red Nova
$
’65 Twin Reissue
1449
529
$
’58 Vintage Reissue Telecaster
1999
$
Champion 100
$
299
Custom ’68 Deluxe Reverb
$
CHECK OUT ALL THE NEW GEAR! 7650 ABERCORN ST SAVANNAH
OCT 8-14, 2014
The (Civil) Society Column |
www.portmansmusic.com
11
(912) 354-1500