He ‘Means’ a lot to veterans

Joe M. Sparks, chairman of the Cherokee County Veterans Council (left) and Sammy Willard, the county’s Veterans Affairs Officer (right) present an appreciation plaque to Rev. Fleming Means on Tuesday afternoon, recognizing Means for more than 50 years of service to the county’s veterans. Rev. Fleming Means has been working with the Veterans of Foreign Wars since the 1950s. On Tuesday afternoon the VFW posts in Cherokee County paused for a special meeting to recognize him for his decades of service and commitment.

“We wanted to award Rev. Means with this plaque of appreciation for all he has done over the years,” said Sammy Willard, the county’s Veterans Affairs Officer. “Getting together to honor him is the whole reason we met here this afternoon.”

Means’ experience as a pastor and a veteran were instrumental in his achieving those many years of service, but several in attendance remembered him as something else a teacher.

“Rev. Means is one of the finest veterans in the county,” said Gaffney City Councilman and commander of American Legion post 201 Tom Reid. “But he was also a great teacher. He used to teach me civics at Granard High School and he

was a Scout leader for me in

Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. He taught us to be good citizens and helped us, in so many ways, to become men.”

“He taught us to respect people,” added Joe Watkins, commander of VFW Post 10431. “He made sure we behaved at school and made sure we learned not only to respect our elders, but really all people.”

The extent of Means’ contributions to the community were well demonstrated by the cross section of city leaders in attendance. In addition to Reid, many other commanders of VFW posts and American Legion representatives were on hand to show their admiration.

“He has been a real mentor,” Reid continued. “Rev. Means still helps us today with his wisdom a resource that we greatly appreciate. He was one of the charter members of the American Legion post on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

“He has been very instrumental in my life with any of the little achievements I have made. He also taught me about Christ and what it means to be a Christian and how you’ll show some of that in your life if you truly live it.”