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Thumbs up!

Two men who risked their lives to clear roadway in the midst of a storm in Lee County this week are being called both heroes and angels.

Peggy Nielson of Albany was traveling on Philema Road and approaching Highway 32 about 6 p.m. Tuesday when a severe storm of wind, blinding rain, lightning and hail developed.

Trees were bending in half, she said, and the sky became completely black. After turning right on Highway 32, traveling only 20 miles an hour, vehicles were brought to a halt when a tree hit by lightning fell across the road, blocking their passage.

A blue van that scarcely missed being struck as the tree fell behind it backed up and turned around. With the storm swirling, two African American men jumped out of the van and cleared half the roadway so traffic blocked behind them could pass through.

These men were heroes, Mrs. Nielson said, and they put themselves at risk to benefit strangers. She said it occurred to her that is what it's like when angels appear — they are willing to take a risk in order to bring comfort to others.

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Health care in Southwest Georgia is rising in the diagnostics area with Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital's installation of a new $2.2 million magnetic resonance imaging machine. Radiologists are excited about the new MRI because its capability of detecting disease is so much more than the machine Phoebe has used for more than a decade.

Success in treating serious illnesses is often linked to early detection, which this MRI unit will allow more often. When physicians search for the cause of a patient's symptoms, they should more easily identify the root problem when using this MRI.

As the hospital looks toward celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2011, other improvements will be made over the next four years, and patients will be the beneficiaries.

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Two sports events are scheduled in Albany in October. Mark Oct. 6-8 on calendars in order to help or watch more than 1,200 athletes compete in the state Special Olympics Fall Games, which were held here last year. People can be involved by donating money ($50,000 is needed) or volunteering to work at the event. A total of 2,000 volunteers helped make the games a success last year. Information can be found at www.specialolympicsga.org.

The 3rd annual Riverfront Run, sponsored by the Southwest Georgia Cancer Coalition, is set for Oct. 21 at Riverfront Park. Participants can go online at www.riverfrontrun.com to sign up for the 5 kilometer run or the one-mile walk. Proceeds benefit cancer patients in the region.

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