VOL. 105 NO. 51
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28086
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TAL LIBRARY
SOUTH PIEDMONT AVE.
NTAIN NC
EY MEMOR
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307 10/21/94
KINGS MOU
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Yassah Degbeh, with her father, Yarseah, front row, and Doris
isegbeh, standing left, with stepdaughter Korpo, are louking forward
to Saturday, the girls’ first Christmas in the USA.
CHRISTMAS PEACE
Children move to KM from war-torn Liberia
Their first Christmas in the United States of America will be special for
Kings Mountain teenagers Yassah and Korpo Degbeh.
For two years now their father, Yarseah, and their stepmother, Doris,
have been trying to liberate the children from Civil War-torn Liberia. After
two trips back to Liberia and much government red tape, the family will
celebrate Christmas together on Saturday.
This week the Degbeh family is putting up a Christmas tree at their
home on Cleveland Avenue. The two girls wrote letters to Santa Claus.
Yassah, 14, a fifth grader at East School, is asking for a Walkman Nintendo
and a Hornet's basketball cap. Korpo 15, a eighth grade Middle School
student, is looking for a computer, jeans, and a small radio and camera in
her stocking on Christmas morning.
"We don't spoil the children, so they may not get every present they ask
for," said Mrs. Degbeh, formerly of Stanley and a postal clerk at the
Lincolnton Post Office, who married her husband nearly three years ago.
Yarseah, who came to the United States in 1979, studied at North
Hennipia College in Minnesota and came to the South to Charlotte in 1981
where he works with BFL. He moved to Kings Mountain in 1990. He
taught primary school three years after graduating from a teacher's college
in 1974.
"The outbreak of civil war is bad in Liberia," said Degbeh. On his last
visit in March he saw kids 8-12 years of age dressed out in fatigues in the
Rebel Army.
"War lords don't care," said Mrs. Degbeh.
"We had to get records as far back as five years to finally get all the pa-
per work completed to get these girls home," said Degbeh who said he was
assisted by Kings Mountain surgeon Dr. Staley Jackson in getting the ball
rolling with the American Embassy in Liberia. Jackson sent a letter seek-
ing visas for the girls.
Jackson treated Yassah when she first came to the United States March
17 with both legs crooked from a severe case of rickets. Yassah had both
legs in a cast for ten weeks her first summer in the United States and went
to school this fall in a wheelchair. She didn't miss a day of school and is
East School's top student in the accelerated reading program.
"Yassah could not read when she first came home," said Mrs. Degbeh.
"Now she reads everything she gets her hands on and we are thrilled."
Bethel Temple Elementary School was closed in Glugbor near
Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia, with the outbreak of war and the girls
missed years of schooling.
Although they have only been in Kings Mountain nine months, the girls
say they are catching up with their studies and making their parents proud.
Mrs. Degbeh works an early morning shift to pick up the girls at school.
"We made out first trip to Liberia for the girls in September 1992 after
an initial visit was canceled out due to the war in the country and were sup-
posed to go in January of 1993 to pick them up," said Degbeh. Civil War
broke out again and canceled the trip until March of this year.
How will they celebrate Christmas in America?
Yassah says they plan to play music, put up a tree and visit friends.
Korpo says they plan to attend church services at New Providence
Baptist Church in Mount Holly, stay up later since school is out for the hol-
idays, and wear new clothes.
Digbeh says prayer should be returned to the schools of America and
speaks out against what he calls a secular movement in society, not only
among the older population but among the young people.
See Peace, 8-A
Thursday, December 23, 1993
Some wonderful things happen
at Christmas.
Proof is the good news from his
family that Chip Cash, 21, may be
coming home for Christmas.
Jean McAbee, a family friend,
called Chip's room in the
Progressive Care Unit at Carolinas
Medical Center Tuesday and got a
surprise. She spoke with Chip, who
regained consciousness last Friday
after four weeks in the Trauma
Unit.
Doctors told Pattie and Randy
Cash in November that it would
take a miracle for their only child
to survive a 35 feet fall from a
deer stand. But early this week
Chip was moved from : the
Intensive Care Unit to Progressive
Care.
"Chip regained consciousness
Friday, the pneumonia has cleared
up, he's off the ventilator and
there's reason to celebrate," said
Chip's grandmother, Starr
Huffstetler.
Huffstetler said Chip, who un-
derwent five major operations, re-
quires much healing and months of
therapy. - But, Huffstetler said the
prayers of Kings Mountain people
have provided the miracle the doc-
fore needed with their expert health
CHRISTMAS HOPE
Burned-out family wishes for home
All Ronald and Darlene Heffner
want for {Christmas is a house for
but their Christmas presents when
fire swept through their rented
Long Branch Road mobile home
near Grover December 15.
Grandma Alma Black Heffner
opened her arms and lodging for
the family but her two-bedroom
mobile home is crowded. Alma
and one of the children share a
couch and the other children find
pallets on the floor. Alma also
shares her home with her 19-year-
old son, Danny, on Jim Patterson
With few exceptions, Kings
Mountain citizens were preparing
for Christmas this week.
Most industrial activity has been
suspended for Christmas week as
most plants started Christmas vaca-
tions in mid-week, and with pay.
In spite of a sluggish economy,
most plants were treating their em-
ployees to Christmas bonuses, hol-
iday pay and gifts.
Employees of Commercial
Intertech worked three days this
week and reopen at 10 p.m.
Sunday night. Holiday pay was
presented.
Combustion Engineering closes
Thursday and some employees will
be off all next week, returning to
work on January 4. Maintenance
and other workers will be on duty.
Vacation pay will be made.
Road in the Dixon Community.
"People have been so kind to
hing Flot thes for the family and
Cron Yor grotericaakt Didine,
1 oho said finding a house at
Christmas time would be difficult
without money for a deposit for
rent and utilities.
Darlene Heffner, 24, was home
with her children, Allen Michael,
1; Nicholas, 2; Jennifer, 3 and
Chris, 4 when fire broke out at 1
p.m. last Wednesday. Heffner, 23,
was at work at Roosevelt Tire in
Gastonia. :
"I had gone to the mailbox and
See Hope, 8-A
KM citizens ready to
Minette Mills and Cleveland
Products in Grover closes
Thursday and reopens January 3.
Anvil Knitwear employees work
through Thursday and return to
jobs on the third shift at 10 p.m.
January 2. Vacation pay will be
made to eligible employees based
on length of service. Turkeys were
also presented to employees.
Grover Industries is closed
Christmas week. Bonuses were
paid to employees based on length
of service.
Mauney Hosiery Mills closed
December 21 and reopens January
3 on third shift. W. Kemp Mauney
said that bonuses were distributed
to employees based on length of
service.
Spectrum will
See Pause, 2-B
close on
Kings Mountain, NC 28086 « 50¢
A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE
Chip Cash, critically injured in fall from deer stand, may be home for Christmas
"We are so appreciative of the
prayers and calls of concerns and
just want everyone to know that
we love and appreciate them," said
Huffstetler. .
Chip's mother was serving her
son his favorite food, French Fries
and catsup, on Tuesday afternoon
after doctors removed the feeding
tubes.
"Nurses had Chip up walking
around on Tuesday," said Mrs.
Cash, who has seen more and more
improvement in her son in the last
few days. /
"It's an answer to prayer," said
Mrs. Cash. "We won't ever have a
better Christmas present."
CHIP CASH
£4
Ronald and Darlene Heffner and their four children are praying for
a house from Santa. A trailer fire took all their material possessions,
but the young couple say they are blessed that the family is together
this Christmas. Nicholas, 2, and baby Alan Michael are held by their
father. Their mother holds Chris, 4, and Jennifer, 3.
pause for Christmas
Church services scheduled
At least six Christmas Eve ser-
vices are planned by Kings
Mountain churches, two of them at
11 p.m.
. Resurrection Lutheran Church in
Crescent Hill and St. Matthew's
Lutheran Church on Piedmont
Avenue plan special musical and
candlelight services in celebration
of Christmas.
The 11 p.m. candlelight commu-
nion service at Resurrection
Church will feature three anthems
by the choir, under the direction of
Donald Deal with Dina Jo Hannah
as visiting organist. Mrs. John
Futterer and Mrs. Donald Deal will
be soloists.
vice at 4 p.m. with carol singing
At 3 p.m: a special children's
service will be held with a brief
sermon by Rev. John Futterer and
Christmas hymn singing,
The church is decorated with
two ceiling high Chrismon trees,
red and white poinsettias and gar-
lands of greenery.
St. Matthew's Lutheran Church
has also planned a children's ser-
led by Priscilla Mauney, traditional
scripture readings and special mu-
sic by the children's choir. The 11
p.m. candlelight service will fea-
ture special music by the Adult
See Church, 2-B
Divisional leaders in the successful Kings Mountain United Fund campaign are pictured with their
plaques after a celebration luncheon Wednesday. Front row, from left, Kyle Smith, Tom Tate, Elaine
Grigg, Mikie Smith and Ronnie Wilson. Back row, from left, Ronnie Whetstine, Rev. John Futterer and
Huitt Reep.
United Fund
breaks record
Kings Mountain area citizens set
a record in giving to the Kings
Mountain United Fund for 1994
and also completed the campaign
in record time.
UF Chairman Jay Rhodes said
the goal of $121,500 was topped in
November. Since then, more dona-
tions have been reported which
brings the grand total of pledges
and cash to $130,952.93 for 16
charitable causes and agencies.
"Blue collar" workers contribut-
ed the bulk of the money, a
whopping $92,408. by industries.
Ken Howley of Commercial
Intertech was chairman for this
See Fund, 2-A
The Herald Office will be closed
Thursday and Friday ...