“Oh, I remember my father having raised chickens, hogs and cows. To us we were very blessed. It wasn't like these days where you had a fast food restaurant cooking for you. If you didn't do your job, you did not eat.” — Salona Mae Hambright Local resident Salona Mae Hambright is satisfied with life and what the journey throws at her.

For the oldest living graduate of Granard High School, every day for the local woman is considered a blessing in which she has a new opportunity to inspire others, if not learn from them.

“I’m so blessed that the Lord decided to spare me,” she said. “I’m the only one in my family to live this long. Most passed at an early age. I can only think of one word — thankful.”

Hambright turns 100 Monday, adding another landmark to a life already laden with milestones.

Born in Gaffney on July 19, 1910, to Alexander and Rosa Lee Hambright, she was quickly taught to love the Lord and have a good work ethic, her family adopting the old-fashioned method of raising and growing their own food.

“Oh, I remember my father having raised chickens, hogs and cows. To us we were very blessed,” Hambright said. “It wasn’t like these days where you had a fast food restaurant cooking for you. If you didn’t do your job, you did not eat.”

At the age of 12, the local woman remembers making her first visit to Limestone Missionary Baptist Church, her place of worship ever since. Especially intriguing to her was the church’s pastor, Rev. A.A. Sims, of whom she felt every message preached was directed at her.

“I always enjoyed him because he always preached to the young and old,” Hambright said. “His sermons really stuck to you and made you think a lot about it.”

Rev. Sims would baptize her years later. Sunday School was also a very important part of church in which Hambright and her siblings had no choice regarding attendance.

“All of us went. There was no ifs, ands or buts,” Hambright said. “Nowadays, some don’t even go to Sunday School, much less church. It’s something that would not have been tolerated when I was a child.”

Another trait drilled into the Gaffney woman’s head by her parents was the importance of an education.

“We were told that if we were going to do anything, we were going to stay in school, which I did,” Hambright said. “Because of that, I wanted to get as much of an education as I could.”

She graduated from Granard High in 1930 under the watch of principal James Gaffney. Among the life lessons learned at the school was one not found in a book.

“Principal Gaffney always used to say he didn’t just want to do just anything in life,” she said. “I want to do something that would help others. After all, that is what it is all about.”

After graduating, Hambright would spend a number of years working at Limestone College, where she would continue her learning experience, though not having the funds to attend classes.

“At the time I didn’t make enough to get into college, but the faculty did what they could to help me,” Hambright said. “I enjoyed all the time and conversations they had with me, but I yearned for the day I would be able to go to college.”

No matter the education, old-fashioned values ruled the day for Hambright, particularly regarding one of people minding their own business.

“It seems we spend a lot of time minding other people’s business instead of keeping to ourselves,” Hambright said. “Instead of meddling in other people’s business it will help keep a lot of the junk out of our lives. It will help us focus on improving ourselves.”

The Gaffney woman does not know what to expect for her birthday, but it doesn’t make it any less special.

“Someone may come by, I don’t know,” Hambright said. “But this is definitely special. I’m definitely going to enjoy this.”