Luther King, Jr., parade. While the
Community Men in Action put
it on each year, they look to the
Community Women Taking Action
to help support and organize the
parade. I have attended the parade
for the last two years and had a blast
taking my children. Where often in
the news we see violence and strife
in race relations, this parade is a
peaceful demonstration of seeking to
bridge some gaps in social injustice, to
bring light to a significant minister in
America’s history and to celebrate his
impact. The parade has grown every
year. This past year there were over
100 entries. The parade ends with a
picnic at the Flossy Hayes Park.
Celester’s talents do not stop there.
In fact, many people in Vidalia know
Celester not as Qumi or Celester
but as “Nurse Bacon.” As an LPN
school nurse, she mends all the
bumps and bruises and monkey bar
injuries sustained at Sally D. Meadows
112 Toombs County Magazine
Elementary School. To say her station
is hopping is an understatement.
With an enrollment of close to 800,
she stays on the move with diabetic
students she treats on a daily basis
to the infamous: “Do you have a
band-aid?” and even to the “I got a
mosquito bite last week, and it still
itches.”
While most would be completely
ruffled by the continual traffic, I have
watched Celester use her job as an
opportunity to cheer up children and
speak life to them. Students leave the
nurse’s station “better” than when
they arrived, both physically and
emotionally. Even staff come by to get
some of Nurse Bacon’s “magic water”
which cures all kinds of ailments.
Celester has worked as a nurse for the
Vidalia City school system for fourteen
years.
One of Celester’s favorite past
times is braiding hair. From the age
of seven, Celester began braiding
her sister’s and friends’ hair. Many
people have said that her hands are
“anointed.” At the age of thirteen,
Celester got her first job braiding hair
at a local hair salon on the weekends.
She continues to use her skills in
this area as a licensed cosmetologist.
Having a heart for the students, you
will often see Celester fixing braids
along with boo-boos.
The imprint of her mother’s life is
indelibly on my friend Celester. She
knows that even through the various
hardships she has experienced in
life, she has also been given much.
In turn, she is determined to give
back. From loving on her children
and grandchildren to ministering to
her community, she looks forward
to that day by God’s grace when He
says, “Well done my good and faithful
servant.” Let It Be Real. I for one
cannot wait to see what she does next!
TCM
Sean Sasser, a friend of the ministry,
sang again at this year’s production.