Community joins in to help Guy family
Friends and volunteers of a Martinez neighborhood association lent a helping hand Saturday at the Glennwood subdivision recreation clubhouse to raise money for a family in need.
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A Guy family portrait sits on a table next to family pictures, a donation box and a memory book at the Glennwood recreation clubhouse during a fund-raiser for the William Guy Family Trust Fund.
Photo by Quandra Collins
The fund raiser, which took place at Glennwood's swimming pool on Carol Court, was for the William Guy Children's Trust Fund. It included a silent auction, food, and free swimming and was designed to help the Guy family, following the loss of William B. Guy Jr., 33, who died July 28, one day after he was pulled from the neighborhood swimming pool.
"It was my idea, but the association put it together," said Glenn Palmer, a Grovetown resident and past president of Glennwood Association, Inc. He said the event, which took two weeks to plan, was a great way to raise money for the family.
Guy was an employee of Columbia County's Waste Water department.
Police said Guy was playing with his son in the neighborhood swimming pool July 27 when lifeguard Ashley Wilmer, 17, noticed he had not returned to the water's surface. Once he was pulled from the water, Wilmer performed CPR on Guy until emergency officials arrived and rushed him to the hospital.
Friends said they felt the need to help the family because Guy was a good man who always helped others.
"He was just a wonderful family man and then this accident happened," said Susan Doty, the pool manager and a volunteer for Glennwood Association, Inc. "We wanted to do this for Mr. Guy and his family. He helped with the swim team. He just jumped right in and helped. He was always helping with things to do at the pool."
Matt Cullen, vice president of Glennwood Association Inc., said he's been proud to see the cooperation of volunteers.
"It's a huge amount of time volunteers have put into this," he said. "It's a close-knit group of people trying to help one of their own.
As visitors made money pledges in a silent auction inside the clubhouse, a small wooden donation box lay on a table next to several pictures of the Guy family, including some showing them swimming in the Glennwood pool and playing in the snow. A family portrait reminded those present why they were there. A memory book also was available.
"The (association) is a big family," said Richard Richards, of Martinez, who was a friend of Guy's. "This is what families do for one another."
Debbie Guy said the event has brought everyone closer together, and that's something, she said, she'll never forget.
Debbie Guy (left) holds her son Will while she talks to Vilma Colon-Oliver at the Glennwood clubhouse Saturday. The Glennwood Association Inc. held a fund-raiser for the Guy Family Children's Trust Fund.
Photo by Quandra Collins
"It's a very special event,"said the mother of three. "I appreciate all that they've done."
In addition to the fund raiser, the association is selling raffle tickets for a one-week stay at a five-bedroom, five bath home in Garden City, S.C. Tickets are $5 per ticket or $25 for six tickets. The drawing will be held Sept. 28. The public also can make donations to the William Guy Children's Trust Fund at First National Bank of Trust on Columbia Road.