Lyddie Hansen

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Beyond the Barricade | SRS ties that shaped our community

When you ask Barbara Morgan, former South Carolina 2nd Circuit Solicitor, about her father, she smiles and says, “He was the ‘real deal’ — a soldier, a public servant, a man committed to family, country, and community.” Robert L. “Bob” Morgan grew up in northern California and received an appointment to West Point. After his graduation from the USMA he served in the Korean conflict and was then stationed in Japan, assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers to help rebuild that country’s infrastructure. Later, with his wife and 3 young children in tow, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received advanced civil and nuclear engineering degrees.

Lessie Price | Beyond the Barricade | SRS Ties That Shaped Our Community

It takes remarkable achievement to have a prominent building named after you. Lessie B. Price credits her success to a philosophy she learned from her father. According to Lessie, her father would often say, “Whatever job you have, do it well and do it with swiftness.” It was this same philosophy that propelled Lessie’s career at the Savannah River Site (SRS). It has also helped form this political pioneer into one of the most respected women in South Carolina. Lessie was born in Barnwell County. As a preschooler, this sharecropper’s daughter learned to count and make change at the farmer’s market by handling her father’s produce sales. By the time

Celebrating 70 years | Beyond the Barricade | SRS Ties That Shaped Our Community

How do you get from Algona, Iowa to Aiken, South Carolina? If you are John Oakland, you travel via Nigeria, Abu Dhabi, England, and several other stops along the way. After graduating from Iowa State University in 1963, John set out to see the world. He joined the Peace Corps and was assigned to teach chemistry, physics, and math at a Nigerian Boarding School. Oakland said, “Nigerian families saved money to send their brightest son to school.” According to Oakland, the academic standards were high, and he taught calculus to high school students. He further explained, “Once a young man completed his education, it is expected that he would find

The Gift of Love | A Community Love Story

This is a love story. It is a story of a group of people who love Aiken and the people who call Aiken home. It is about friends who were frustrated when they saw too many local needs not being met. It is a story of individuals who decided it was time to do something about it. The inspiration for the Gifting Tree Foundation was found in several heartfelt conversations. Most of the people in this conversation first met while serving together on a nonprofit board in Aiken. Professionally they are quite different – small business owners, retirees, professionals – but in their hearts they all hold the belief that

Celebrating 70 Years | Beyond the Barricade

SRS ties that shaped our community Walt Joseph boarded a shuttle bus from his hotel for his first visit to the Savannah River Site in 1954. On that day his young wife, Paula Nissley Joseph, took the family car to downtown Aiken. The gas explosion on Laurens Street had happened the year before and the rubble was still evident. The Chamber of Commerce was in a log cabin and much of the surrounding area was farmland. Sixty-five years later, the Josephs still laugh as they recall the early days of building a life together in Aiken. They originally met on a blind date in 1951 when Walt was working on

A Story of Community | My Aiken Christmas

I LOVE Christmas in Aiken! This may seem a little strange as I have rarely spent Christmas Day here. During a typical year, my husband and I travel to several states to celebrate Christmas with our adult children and their families. Nonetheless, our holiday spirit starts by enjoying the best of Aiken during the days and nights leading up to the big day. When I see our hardworking city workers putting up the seasonal decorations, I get excited. Walking on Laurens Street and through the Alley during the holiday season makes me feel like I am on the set of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Our town is truly beautiful. As