GRANITEVILLE - Jan. 6, 2005, is a date that will remain infamous for the residents of Graniteville and its neighbors.
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On Sunday, a group of Graniteville-area churches united to acknowledge the train wreck and chlorine spill that killed nine people and hospitalized more than 20.
A variety of denominations came together at Leavelle McCampbell Middle School on Canal Street in what was dubbed "Responding to Tragedy: A Community Service of Healing and Thanksgiving."
Organizers said the goal of the united church service was to help the community find God in days of tragedy and heartache and to bring closure and a new beginning for the Graniteville community.
About 15 churches were represented.
At least 500 people of varying ages and races poured into the middle school's gymnasium and seemed to enjoy what developed into a praise-and-worship celebration of life.
The keynote speaker, the Rev. Ronald Coleman of Valley Fair Baptist Church, said the event "assured the community that God's presence is alive."
"We live in a faith-based community, and we've responded as a community to a tragedy that we have never seen before," he said.
He also told the loved ones of those who died and those who are ill to continue to grieve "because God specializes in rehealing."
Brigitte Smart, a Graniteville resident, was there with her husband, the Rev. Timothy E. Smart Sr., the pastor of Hillview Baptist Church on Aiken-Augusta Highway.
"It was a wonderful event of showing how the area churches can unite and come together," Mrs. Smart said.
Shawn Foshee and his wife, Jackie, sat in the bleachers and sang gospel hymns and prayed along with the others.
"We need more of this," said Mr. Foshee, a Clearwater resident. "This shows the community that we can support each other."
"And the churches need to reach out to the nonbelievers, too," Mrs. Foshee said.
Mildred Floyd, of Bethlehem Baptist Church, agreed.
"It's really sad that it took such a tragedy for us to come together," she said.
"We should do this more often."
Reach Timothy Cox at (706) 823-3217 or tim.cox@augustachronicle.com.
Special Section: Graniteville Train Wreck
On January 6, 2005, a Norfolk Southern Corp. freight train carrying chemicals hit a parked train near an Avondale Mills plant in Graniteville, South Carolina. The impact caused poisonous chlorine gas to leak from three of the moving train's cars. Nine people were killed and more than 5,000 people were evacuated from the site.
For complete coverage of the Graniteville train wreck, visit our special section.
