My father’s youngest sister, my aunt Fleetie Thomas, lived at 2110 Hoitt Avenue in Knoxville for many years. The two rooms at the very front of her house and the two directly behind them each had two doors, meaning that if all four doors were opened at the same time a little boy could run himself silly in a circle. This was a practically a once in a lifetime opportunity, as the front bedroom was closed off year-round.

In winter, the door that led from the bedroom directly behind the living room in which my aunt slept was closed most of the time to keep heat from the Warm Morning jacket stove in the main living area in the living room and that bedroom. This door led to the dining room, kitchen and bathroom. There was a full-length mirror on that door. Preacher Oliver Wolfenbarger once visited and was going to the bathroom in the back part of the house. When he saw his reflection approaching as he neared the mirror, he reached out to shake hands!

I once had a dream in which I met myself. The most interesting thing about that dream is that I did not like myself at all. Lately I have been having some trouble in coming up with ideas for this weekly article, and I thought about beginning to write my life’s story and sharing it weekly a piece at a time. Then I thought about former President of the United States Gerald R. Ford.

In 1974, Newsweek correspondent Thomas M. DeFrank was interviewing Gerald Ford when the Vice President blurted out something astonishingly indiscreet. He then extracted a promise not to publish it. “Write it when I’m dead,” Ford said – and thus began a thirty-two-year relationship.

Like President Ford, there are many things I would not want the general public to know about me during my lifetime. Don’t worry—I haven’t been an axe murderer or anything quite that bad! I just go back to my dream of meeting myself. How would you feel if you should meet yourself some dark, lonely night?

If you, Dear Reader, are like me, there are things in your past, and maybe in your present, that you do not wish to revisit or share with others. The Scriptures instruct, “Confess your faults [not everybody else’s] one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16 KJV) The wisdom here comes in confessing faults to another Christian who will pray for you and not share your faults with others who in turn will share them with others who in turn … I’m sure you get the point.

I have been privileged in my life to have three such confidants. Two were my dearly departed friends Barbara (Bobbie) Archer and Mark Martin. The other is my dear sister-in-law Easter Mincey. It is always a comfort to have dear friends and loved ones that do not desert or condemn based on indiscretions, even if unwittingly inflicted upon them.

That is the true test of friendship—a true friendship can endure anything and always keep coming back for more. That is why it is so difficult to find a true friend. I was once told, “If you have one true friend, you have more than your share.” I never knew if that was a compliment or an insult. Let’s be positive and accept it as a compliment. After all, I know I have had three who never forsook me in life!

Not only individuals, but localities, can have secrets. Union County has a few things that are not secret but that are not all that well known.

One is the existence of the Union County Lions Club. The Union County Lions Club is an affiliate of Lions Club International. The local club is comprised of a small group of members who work to raise funds to purchase eye examinations and eyeglasses for low-income individuals. Individuals who qualify for services based on the federal poverty income level receive eye care services at no expense to them.

Many are familiar with the pecans that are sold yearly at the Commercial and First Century Banks in Maynardville. Club members have also sold Italian ice at the Union County Heritage Festival, high school sporting events, Thunder in the Park and other local community events.

Most recently, the Lions Club has sold concessions at the Union County Opry. Be on the lookout for the next Primitive Quartet Concert, sponsored by the Union County Lions Club, coming on Saturday, March 12, at Union County High School at 6 p.m. Tickets will be on sale very soon. One hundred percent of the proceeds after expenses from these events are used to help needy individuals in Union County.

The Union County Lions Club also provides free eye examinations to preschool and kindergarten students in the Union County Public Schools. For more information about the Union County Lions Club, please contact me, Dr. Ronnie Mincey (865-278-6430 or minceyr@ucps.org). I will be happy to put you in contact with club president Pastor Kathy Chesney and other club members who can provide you with more information.

Another not-so-well-known entity is the Union County Community Foundation, an affiliate fund of the East Tennessee Foundation. Quoting straight from the organization’s leaflet:

With the goal of improving the quality of life of Union County residents, the Union County Community Foundation (UCCF) serves as Union County’s own community foundation. Financial resources are collected and distributed throughout Union County by UCCF. Monies raised in Union County STAY in Union County to benefit only Union County and its citizens.

Created by a group of dedicated Union County residents as a result of the Legacy Project of the Leadership Union County Class of 2010, UCCF gives donors a way to connect their giving with local nonprofits, public agencies and compelling charitable causes.
UCCF supports Union County programs and projects by awarding grants to various nonprofit organizations and public agencies within a variety of categories … education, economic development, environment, arts/culture, health/wellness, family programs, animal welfare, historic preservation, and youth/young adult programs.

You have an opportunity to make a difference in Union County with your tax-deductible donation. With your financial support, you will be helping to ensure that a permanent charitable resource remains in our area.

You can help support the Union County Community Foundation [through donations] in the following ways: cash, publicly traded securities, real estate, charitable bequests, privately held stock, charitable remainder trusts, publicly held stock, limited partnership interests, retirement assets, personal property, life insurance and other planned gifts. Setting up scholarships and funds for designated charitable organizations are also options for supporting Union County.

For more information about the Union County Community Foundation, you may contact Regional Advancement Officer Jill Murphy (877-524-1223 jmurphy@etf.org), Attorney K. David Myers (865-992-5939) or Dr. Ronnie Mincey (865-278-6430 minceyr@ucps.org).

Some secrets do not need to be closely kept. The Union County Lions Club and the Union County Community Foundation are two examples. I encourage you to go out into the community and see what other not-so-well-known things you can find in your community.

I leave you with a few cheerful thoughts from the world of my email:
I offered my opponents a deal: "If they stop telling lies about me, I will stop telling the truth about them". (Adlai Stevenson, campaign speech, 1952)

When someone asks what I did over the weekend, I squint and ask, "Why, what did you hear?”

Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our noses and ears never stop growing.

It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.