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A medal for honor
Service marks Confederate Memorial Day
Thad Beckum presents a Confederate sword to Marise Wilkins and Norma Jean Morgan for the United Daughters of the Confederacy to give to a museum in Charleston, S.C.
- photo by Pat Donahue
Patrick Donahue
Effingham Herald
Updated: May 26, 2007, 9:03 AM
Published: Apr 30, 2007, 10:15 PM
Confed Memorial Day
The Sons of Confederate Veterans, Camp Davis, and the Ebenezer Rifles troop the colors.
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Richard Alton Saxon, by his own admission, doesn’t like to blow his own horn.
Sunday, he became the latest recipient of the Cross of Military Service from the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Effingham County Hussars. Saxon served two tours as a Navy chief petty officer in Vietnam.
“It means a great deal to me today,” he said, “that they would pick someone like me to bestow this award upon.”
His great-great-grandfather, William Lee, served as a private in Georgia’s Company I of the 54th Regiment in the Civil War, which the Daughters of Confederacy noted in honoring Saxon during their Confederate Memorial Day service at Veterans Park.
“As one who had ancestors who fought in the War Against Northern Aggression and to be proud from Effingham County, it’s a great honor,” he said.
It’s been 32 years since the Vietnam War ended and Saxon and his fellow Vietnam vets are seeing their service appreciated.
“I think the real Americans, we were never let down by those folks,” he said. “They knew we were called upon by the nation and the president to do what our forefathers did.”
The Daughters of the Confederacy also honored the late Earline Pearson Regan, whose father Lawrence Benton Pearson served in the Confederate Army, tending to the livestock of the cavalry. Regan passed away last Nov. 2 and is buried in the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Clyo.
Volunteers hold 'Demo Party' to help Rincon Woman Rebuild Storm-Damaged Home
Matt Evans, owner of Centaur Home Renovations, consults with volunteer Janel Kearney while directing the demolition process. (Mya Taylor / Effingham Herald)
Mya Taylor
Updated: Aug 28, 2025, 3:11 PM
Published: Aug 28, 2025, 2:43 PM
RINCON, Ga. — Volunteers attended a “demo party” over the weekend to help demolish the interior of 82-year-old Miss Peggy’s home, which was left severely damaged by a storm years ago.
A gloomy forecast and threat of rain did not deter the group from working. When the seven volunteers arrived, they were greeted by Centaur Home Renovations owner Matt Evans, who is leading the renovations. Masks, trash bags and tools were handed out as music played from a large speaker and fans helped keep volunteers cool in the summer heat. Orange arrows painted on the walls directed workers to the areas slated for demolition.
Leigh Carter strips wallpaper as part of the interior demolition of Miss Peggy’s home during a community ‘demo party’ in Rincon. (Mya Taylor / Effingham Herald)
Leigh Carter, the first to arrive, was one of several who stripped walls and tore out drywall. Carter’s efforts go beyond renovations — she has also driven Miss Peggy to doctor’s appointments and helped her get rehoused last week at Family Promise of Effingham after a brief displacement.
“We want to get Miss Peggy back home in a safe place to live,” Carter said.
Volunteers spread out through the home, removing damaged drywall and hauling debris to a dumpster in the driveway.
“I decided to join because I thought helping somebody would be a good thing to do,” volunteer Sydney Kearney said. “I just thought it would be nice to volunteer.”
Grayson Heaton uses a crowbar to help remove damaged walls during the volunteer demolition day. (Mya Taylor / Effingham Herald)
Repairs underway
Michael’s Roofing of Meldrim completed the first major repair by rebuilding and installing a new roof. The previous roof had been damaged by a fallen tree, which led to water leaks, mildew and mold spreading through the home.
Now Evans and Centaur Home Renovations are leading the next phase of work. Evans joined volunteers in the demolition and said community support has been growing since news of Miss Peggy’s situation was first reported in the Effingham Herald.
“Since the article was first published, we’ve gotten quite a few reach-outs from people willing to donate their time,” Evans said. “We’ve also had four different dumpster companies donate dumpsters for the cause as well.”
Community organizations are also pitching in. Family Promise and the Manna House Food Pantry and Thrift Store have pledged to provide furniture and other materials once renovations are complete.
The most recent setback came when the septic tank lids collapsed, causing the system to stop working. Evans said crews are now cleaning the tank and clearing the lines.
Benny Carter tosses an old mattress into a dumpster as part of cleanup efforts at Miss Peggy’s storm-damaged home. (Mya Taylor / Effingham Herald)
What’s still needed
“After the demo is completed, we can start looking for more materials we’ll need like lumber, drywall, paint, flooring and more to get the house back together,” Evans said.
Additional materials still needed include:
25 2x4x8 studs
Four sheets of OSB sheathing
Twenty 12-foot deck boards (5/4)
Twelve 12-foot sheets of sheetrock
36-inch vanity
Two toilets
Four ceiling fans
Two bathroom fans
60-inch vanity
60-inch fiberglass tub and surround
60-inch fiberglass shower and surround
1,600 square feet of LVP flooring
36-inch exterior door
Rolls of drywall tape
Buckets of drywall mud
Bags of 20-minute drywall joint compound
100 linear feet of baseboard and quarter round
10 gallons of Kilz or Cover Stain
10–12 gallons of white paint
There is no estimated timeline for completion, as more funds and supplies are needed. The GoFundMe campaign for Miss Peggy’s home renovations has raised more than $1,400.
