On February 25, 2012 at 6:00 P.M., family and friends met at The Malsgate Restaurant, Wadesboro, NC to celebrate the retirement of William M. Porter (yours truly) from The North Carolina Department of Correction with 33 years of service as of January 16, 2012.  There were 26 that attended the retirement party with staff from The Brown Creek Correctional Institution's Administrative, Operations, Programs, Maintenance and Custody 1A Shift Rotation and Southern Correctional Institution's Training Coordinator Mr. Rodney Moore along with his lovely bride.

While waiting for our meal to be served,  Ms. Linda Murray who coordinated the party passed out an array of gifts from a Victoria's  Secret  bag (lost some man points on that one) appropriate for a person heading into retirement.  Joye Waddell presented me with a large bottle of wine with an interesting label and did a great job of Roasting yours truly and hope she doesn't ever have to get on a witness stand in court because she is like an unplugged refrigerator, "she can't keep anything"....and her memory appears not to be failing in the least bit either....grin if you must!

Mr. Rodney Moore offered prayer for our meal and we enjoyed our meal and the Fellowship was fantastic. The meal was outstanding, however each one of us failed to order any type of bread or roll with the meal and assumed it came with the meal and by the time we figured out there was a problem, it was then too late to order bread!  Grin again if you must!

My sister Susan Pettigrew from Reidsville, NC made a couple video clips of the gifts being passed out and captured some of the Roasting to myself along with reading a short story titled, "State Government Employee" which brought out a few good laughs and grins.  I apologize in advance if anyone present resembled the analogy.  Simon, "Put that pen back up"; I know you are still grinning.

It is too early to realize that I am really going to be officially retired on March 1, 2012 with the balance of this month's work days taken as vacation to burn up the days earned so far this year. 

I will definitely miss my Correctional employee friends and I do plan to keep in contact via email and personal contact.  As I have said many, many times in the past and have posted on this website as well, "Two of the Greatest Ships That  Ever Sailed, Friendship and Fellowship" and this is what makes life so enjoyable and worthwhile. 

A special Thank You to each of you that attended and may God richly bless each and everyone of you and your retirement will come much sooner than you think.  Several called and emailed that they could not attend due to sickness and hope they get well soon.  To have worked with you and known you over the years within the work place and away from our job environment has been my pleasure and look forward to the next phase of what Life has to offer and hope that each of us keep our faith and trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Below are pixs taken.  Click on the thumbnails pixs below for a larger view:

VIDEO CLIP 1  File size 11.3 Meg.   Right click on Video Clip and Save Target As, download to your pc to prevent buffering.

PS:  The BCCI Management Administrative Staff section treated me to a meal at The Pier Restaurant in Marshville, NC on 02-23-12,  my last working day and received several gifts.   We had a great time and I didn't take any pixs due to being "brain dead"; forgot the little digital camera.  I will certainly miss those fine folks!

Also, on 02-23-12 at the 7:00 AM Operation's Line-Up, Captain Diggs presented a Distinguished Service Award to myself with one of my favorite action plan quotes to get something resolved:  "Build-Em Up, Lower the Boom, Exit Gracefully".  Pix below:

Update:  I received a Certificate of Retirement signed by Governor Bev Perdue and Agency Head Reuben Young on April 5, 2012 and added it too my "attaboy" wall also.   Some of my cynical buddies commented, "You can't buy a cup of coffee with that Certificate" and that is true however, the gesture of appreciation does mean something to me.

My "attaboy" wall in the basement is about maxed out at this time and had to squeeze this one in....grin if you must!

I have Salutation To The Dawn posted on my Short Stories Home Page and will post it here again which to me means, "Live today the best that you can."

SALUTATION TO THE DAWN

Look to this day!

For it is life, the very life of life.

In its brief course

Lie all the verities and realities of your existence:

    The bliss of growth

        The glory of action

            The splendor of beauty,

For yesterday is but a dream

And tomorrow is only a vision,

But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness

And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day!

Such is the salutation to the dawn.

                            by Kalidasa 1280 AD

Web posted by Bill aka Mickey Porter 02-26-12 and updated on 10-18-18.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE