Some days ago while dropping in on Frontlines Global Missions, I saw a familiar face. It was Delmer Shults, whom I got to know from his years working as an emergency medical technician (EMT) for the county. About three years ago he retired from the day-job world and deserves it at age 71. With him at the mission storehouse was his wife, Hilda. Both are volunteers. She was the former Hilda Hall, and said to me, when Delmer and I were recounting some of those years, "He gave the best part of his health to the county." Delmer admitted that being an EMT was both difficult physically and mentally. Toe Poe was director then. Other employees from the 1970s were Benny Smith, Paul Kelly, Lloyd Watts later to be joined by Woody Allen. They were all great guys and helpful to the Plain Talk, which reported on ambulance calls both to homes and businesses. Today, because of privacy laws it is not possible to list those transported or hospitalized.

The son of Arnie Shults and wife, Connie Webb Shults, he is from Cosby but grew up in Newport since 1945. As a young man he worked in Cleveland but returned home. Probe Wood was at the Stokely can shop and hired Delmer. Later, Delmer trained and worked as a welder in the nylon maintenance dept. at Enka from the mid 1960s. He was always involved in the Newport Rescue Squad, where he became an EMT, and so joined the new county ambulance service in 1973. At his home off Fairfax Rd. on Thursday, he showed me a ledger listing every person transported from June 4, 1973 until Mar. 1975. There were 2,754 trips made. Delmer made the very first run to pickup Clyde Laymon and charged $15. Most charges were about $10. One of the funniest things that happened concerned a man who had too much to drink and called for an ambulance. Delmer arrived at the Cosby tavern and the man walked out and asked for a ride to a tavern in Newport. This upset Delmer because the guy was abusing the service. So Delmer loaded him up and took him to the sheriff's office. He made the intoxicated rider pay $20 or go to jail.

I got a chance to know more about Hilda and loved the photo she showed me of her Dad, Hiter Hall, playing guitar with Lester Flatt and two other musicians in the 1930s. Hiter married Viola Caughron. Hilda has three brothers you might know. Odie Hall is always seen ringing the Christmas bell for Salvation Army at Wal-Mart. He and brother, Hiter, work together in Gatlinburg area. David Clayton Hall is a custodian at the high school. For a time the family lived in Detroit but returned home.

For the past 20 years. Delmer and Hilda have lived off Fairfax Road, not far from Mannings Chapel Church. With them is a small white dog named Sugar. Some of their good neighbors include Jr. and Betty Gorrell, Wade and Missy Burgin, Larry and Shirley Messer. Together they have six children because both were previously married. His children are Vickie Gail Seaton, of Sevierville; Vivian Dale Shults, of New Jersey; and Charles Lee Shults, of Newport. Hilda's children are Dwayne Stokely, of Dallas, Texas; Angie Angelo, of Newport; and Tim Stokely, of Parrottsville.

We talked a little more about his EMT days and some interesting things that happened. One of the strangest involved a man who had been shot. Law officers at the scene thought the victim was dead because the bullet struck him in the eye exposing some of his brain. The sheriff immediately declared it a crime scene and told everyone including Delmer not to move anything. But Delmer observed the victim was still breathing. Delmer informed the sheriff that it was now his (Delmer's) obligation to provide medical care. Most of those around said the man would die so there was no need to hurry to the hospital. Delmer said the man was still alive when taken to the county hospital so Delmer then took the shooting victim to Knoxville. There also the medical personnel did not think the man was going to survive and did not make any great effort in his care, said Delmer. To everyone's surprise the man stayed alive and is doing well today despite some paralysis and loss of sight in one eye.

They are proud of the work David Wood does as director of Frontline missions and recounted some events in Haiti recently that made me glad to be an American. Delmer and Hilda attend the Victory church that is off Hwy. 25-E where you turn onto Baneberry Road. Behind that is the Lowes' cabinet shop that I plan to visit. After leaving the Shults home, I drove around Fairfax to the river overlook and got a splendid view and also took photos of the new bridge being built. Perhaps I'll drive back one day and see who else lives along this road.

About a week ago, I bumped into Scott Gorrell-I believe it was at the Farmers Co-op when we were dreaming about all those plants we could grow. This was before the frost and ice cold on Wednesday, April 16. Scott, who is pastor of Providence Baptist Church, said the church is already expanding. It sits in a wooded area not 100 yards south of Lane's Market off Cosby Highway. The church is adding a fellowship hall and Sunday school rooms in a two-story addition that can be seen from the highway. Another thing I'm checking into is the well-deserved retirement of June Finchum from National Bank of Tenn where she worked for almost half a century.

In plain talk, it's probably a fortunate thing that Delmer joined the new ambulance service because he was able to prevent a lot of suffering and kept a few folks alive, I'm sure. He's led a life and job well done.