Impressions by David Maxwell

Thank you to the people who are working to save lives and keep our community safe during this pandemic. As our community, our country and our world continue to confront an unprecedented crisis, one inspiring trend is emerging — people everywhere want to help. In fact, right now, searches for ‘how to help’ healthcare workers,…

The mass inoculation of millions of American children against Polio in 1955, like the vaccinations of millions of American adults against COVID-19 in 2021, was a triumph of science. But the Polio vaccine had overwhelming public acceptance, while stubborn pockets of vaccine hesitancy persist across the U.S. for the COVID-19 vaccine. Why the difference? One…

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has hit our state and our communities hard. As your local newspaper, we are working to provide coverage of this pandemic along with the rest of our local news gathering. But like many businesses big and small in Seminole County, the Donalsonville News is not immune to the…

After seeing multiple mixed-emotion Facebook posts from parents moving their children to college, and going through the process of leaving them behind, I remembered the following words I penned a few years back when I was going through that emotional moment. They helped me then, and for those of you in need, I hope they…

One day I am going to write a book about life and its journeys, and based on the smiles and the tears personally beamed and shed regarding where I have been, where I am and where I have intentions of going, the title of my book will be Crying to Smile. The last word in…

As soon as this issue hits the newsstands, I am keeping a family tradition alive and heading to one of my favorite destinations on this planet – the historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel for the 2021 Georgia Press Association Convention. For so many reasons Jekyll is most assuredly my favorite special place. And it is…

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass,  it’s about learning to dance in the rain.   -Vivian Greene In my life I have dealt with personal hardships of varying degrees, as I am sure, after living through the COVID-19 pandemic and surviving Hurricane Michael’s wrath, all of us now have. Those experiences were…

I love everything about rocks and have been collecting and studying them for almost my entire life. Ever since I was a little boy I’ve been fascinated with anything to do with a rock, and I think I started collecting them even before I knew I was collecting them. When I was seven years old…

The COVID-19 battle isn’t won anywhere until it’s won everywhere. We can hasten the conclusion of the battle against this virus with one simple move – make an appointment to get vaccinated, and follow through on that appointment (and the next appointment, when and where that’s needed). Maybe you’ve been waiting to let others at…

Although the Fourth of July now seems more of a party than a memorial, it has great significance to many Americans. And if you call yourself an American, the reasons for the celebration in the first place MUST be remembered and understood by ALL of us. The Fourth of July is a chance to reflect…