Sumter Item's annual Fireside Fund launches, honors the Rev. William Randolph

As a kid in the 1980s, I have fond memories of the kerosene heater in our living room.

Our house was small and drafty. On extremely cold mornings, I can remember warming up in front of it, the orange glow reflecting off my face, that distinct odor in the air along with steam from a pot of water on top. It gives me a frame of reference with our clients, many of whom visit the Crisis Relief Ministry for kerosene in the fall and winter months.

We do our best to dissuade clients from using kerosene as their primary source of heat, mostly because of the expense. When I was sitting in front of a kerosene heater as a kid, kerosene was cheap and available. In fact, from 1985 until 2005, over those 20 years there was little fluctuation in price, according to market research. Since 2005, the price of kerosene has multiplied 3.5 times.

The other day, we interviewed someone who last interviewed for kerosene about seven years ago. Our records show that the price per gallon for kerosene on that day was $3.79 a gallon. Today, our vendor lists the price for kerosene at $7.79 a gallon. For the price of a fast-food dinner, you can burn a gallon of kerosene in just an hour on a cold night.

The cost of kerosene puts stress on Sumter United Ministries as we are trying to stretch our donated funds as far as possible to assist clients. It also stresses clients using the fuel for heat when their income has not multiplied at the same rate in order to afford it.

So we encourage using other more affordable forms of heat, but … I get it. It is a radiant heat that provides true warmth. For many of our clients living in homes that are in disrepair, homes that have malfunctioning HVAC systems, block homes with no heating source and other residences, it is a reliable heating source to stay warm. We have already had nearly 10 families come to us for kerosene in the last two weeks. There was an adult son on disability and his elderly mother, a disabled man living on less than $1,000 a month and a married couple with two modest working incomes… all of them feeling the pinch from runaway prices of the heating source upon which they depend.

My experience as a kid gives me compassion toward them, but any of us can feel moved to help when we simply realize that being unable to stay warm on a cold night is a miserable experience. The cries for help are loud and frequent. We must respond by letting the silent action of giving scream loudly with grace and compassion. When you give to the Fireside Fund, your donation goes to work to help those who need it most. Thank you!

Kevin Howell is the director of the Crisis Relief Ministry at Sumter United Ministries.

Annual fundraiser dedicated to local civil rights leader

The Sumter Item is starting its annual Fireside Fund this week for the winter season in a continued effort to help locals keep their houses heated when the weather dips.

Each year between November and Memorial Day, the newspaper asks readers to donate money in support of the campaign. Every penny is donated to Sumter United Ministries, which uses the money to help its clients with heating final notice bills, propane access, housing updates and other efforts to help provide safe, cost-effective home heating.

SUM is an emergency and life-rebuilding nonprofit based in faith. While they provide services such as clothing and food donations, educational outreach, a free medical clinic and other basic and quality-of-life necessities, access to heat during the winter months is a consistent and critical need.

Fireside Fund raised over $29,000 last year, and Item readers have graciously opened their wallets to the tune of $1.8 million since 1969.

Updates will be published weekly each Wednesday and will detail a different story of impact from a SUM staffer along with donations from Item readers. Donations can be made in memory or honor of specific people or groups or anonymously.

Each year, The Item's leadership team picks a person who has recently passed away to which the year's campaign will be dedicated. The person honored is someone who made a positive impact in the community. If you think about the impact the Rev. William Samuel Randolph imparted in terms of civic service, entrepreneurialism, faith leadership and human rights, he checked all the boxes.

The now-late uncle of current Sumter City Councilman James B. Blassingame moved to Sumter to attend Morris College. His legacy is as a pastor of First Baptist Missionary Church for 47 years, owner and operator Randolph General Construction Co. and city councilman from 1987 to 2008, including mayor pro tempore for 19 of those years. His civil rights legacy is the 1961 S.C. Supreme Court case that, while he was arrested 11 times in the fight for racial equality, was pivotal in charges being dropped for several civil rights activists.

Randolph died Sept. 17 at the age of 88.