Despite daylight saving time, cold snaps still put Sumter residents in need

Our clock has sprung forward, but the weather screams at times to remind us that winter is not over yet.

Sumter United Ministries works to provide heating assistance to our neighbors in need. We never know what the weather is going to be like from week to week, and sometimes day to day, here in Sumter. With the cost of heating often out of reach for some residents, organizations like ours, which rely heavily on the support of the community, can be a vital lifeline for those who need it most.

As temperatures unexpectedly dropped again in Sumter last week, we interviewed a few clients who needed assistance with heating their homes. One of the clients was a sweet elderly lady - we'll call her Ms. V. She was having difficulty affording the kerosene necessary to heat her home due to a very high electric bill and the very low fixed Social Security she receives. Fortunately, because of the generous donations to The Item's Fireside Fund, we were able to provide the assistance Ms. V needed, helping her to stay safe and comfortable.

Donations from Sumter residents through The Item's Fireside Fund make a huge impact each winter. Through the Fireside Fund, Sumter residents generously contribute funds to help those struggling to keep warm. The donations begin coming in in the fall and continue throughout the winter months. They are distributed regularly to SUM to support the individuals and families needing help paying their propane or natural gas bills or purchasing kerosene or space heaters. This partnership allows Sumter United Ministries to directly impact lives in a meaningful, tangible way.

The work we do here at SUM highlights not only the power of community giving, but also the ongoing need for support from you, our Sumter community. Every donation, no matter the size, can make a world of difference! We are so grateful for the generosity of those who make programs like the Fireside Fund possible. Together, we can assist in maintaining basic comforts and safety for all of our Sumter neighbors and truly make a difference in their lives.

Diane Garrick, Crisis Relief assistant director, Sumter United Ministries.

ABOUT THE FIRESIDE FUND

Each winter since 1969, The Sumter Item has run a fundraiser to collect money from its readers to be donated entirely to Sumter United Ministries.

The faith-based nonprofit provides emergency and life-rebuilding services ranging from food, shelter and clothing to final-notice bill pay, access to educational opportunities and a medical clinic.

The Sumter Item recognizes and appreciates every ministry their staff and volunteers run, but the Fireside Fund was created to focus on one area that becomes critical for the next few months: heat.

Every penny donated will directly help people who live in Sumter by preventing heating services from being turned off, allowing access to propane or other heating sources and, when enough funding is available and the need is there, funding long-term housing fixes to make homes more efficient.

IN HONOR OF

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, whether through service or philanthropy or business leadership.

This year, Sumter lost two stalwarts in local business and community support on the same day, Billy McLeod of Piggly Wiggly and Carl Simpson III of Simpson Hardware Co.

McLeod was 93 when he died April 4. His father, Gilbert McLeod, founded Mac's Supermarkets, which changed into Piggly Wiggly in the mid-1950s, and McLeod worked in the stores for 70 years, dating to 1954.

Mac's Supermarkets started with two small stores in Sumter.

The McLeod family currently owns three Piggly Wigglys in Sumter and eight total. At one time, the family had 16 stores.

Simpson was 82 and died suddenly. Simpson's father, Carl Simpson Jr., founded Simpson Hardware Co. in 1951 with the purchase of stores in Camden, Hartsville and later Sumter. Simpson opened a second location at Palmetto Plaza in Sumter in 1963. Currently, Simpson Hardware has five locations: three in Sumter, one in Manning and one in Lake City.

New donations as of March 10: Roger I. Williams, $200.