SEC Member Newsletter
July 2016
Red Hill Hosts Citizenship Celebration
Na#vesofothercountriestaketheoathofci#zenshipatPatrickHenry’sRedHillinearlyMay.
Americawelcomed30newci#zensattheannualNaturaliza#onCeremony.
Editor’s note: Southside Electric Coopera2ve is a supporter and sponsor of many annual events at Patrick
Henry’sRedHill.TheCoopera2vehasabout3,700membersinCharloDeCounty,andwishestocongratulate
the30newAmericanci2zenswhowererecentlynaturalized.
Na#vesof18differentcountriesbecameci#zensoftheUnitedStatesinearlyMayatthelasthomeandburial
placeofanAmericanpatriotwhodeliveredfamouswordsaboutfreedom.
InaMay6Naturaliza#onCeremonyatPatrickHenry’sRedHillinCharloIeCounty,30individualsoriginally
fromothercountriestooktheiroathofci#zenship,pledgingto“supportanddefendtheCons#tu#onandlaws
oftheUnitedStatesofAmericaagainstallenemies,foreignanddomes#c.”
APeradministeringtheoathduringwhatwasanactualcourtproceeding,UnitedStatesDistrictJudgeNorman
K.Moonwelcomedthenewci#zens,tellingthem,“YouhavehonoredtheUnitedStatesbyselec#ngitasyour
new country.” The 30 new Americans were seated in front of him in the Patrick Henry Family Services
gymnasium.Theci#zenshipceremonywasmovedinsidebecauseofrainyweather.
“Weadmireandrespectthehardwork,sacrificeanddetermina#ontobecomeanAmericanci#zen.Thisisa
definingmomentinyourlife,andwearegratefultobeapartofit,”ScoIBrown,presidentandchiefexecu#ve
officerofthePatrickHenryMemorialFounda#on,saidinhisopeningremarks.
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SEC Member Newsletter
July 2016
PeopletheworldovercometotheUnitedStateswan#ngtobecomeAmericanci#zenstojoinfamily,havea
beIerqualityoflife,orescapepersecu#on.Theyarriveenthusias#caboutgainingthefreedomsthatAmerica
wasfoundedupon.PatrickHenry’simpassionedpleaof“Givemelibertyorgivemedeath!”hasenduredasa
cryforfreedomforthosecomingtoAmerica.Amongthemanyques#onsci#zenshipapplicantsmayactually
betestedoniswhouIeredthosefamouswords.
The new ci#zens at Red Hill were na#ves of Mexico, China, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Denmark,
Pakistan,Iran,Kenya,Morocco,Japan,Italy,Uruguay,Ethiopia,Nepal,Hai#,Romania,RussiaandIndia.
DishaAnkurBrahmbhaIcametotheUnitedStatesin2010fromIndia.SheandhusbandAnkur,whobecame
aci#zenin2012,areinthehotelbusinessinSouthBoston.
“It’sveryexci#ng,”BrahmbhaIsaidaboutbecomingaci#zen.Abigsmilespreadacrossherface.Askedwhat
shelikedbestaboutAmerica,shesaidfreedomandnorestric#onsonwhatshedoesandhowsheworships.
“Thisisthelandofopportunity,”herhusbandadded.“Whenyouworkhard,itpaysoff.”
Uruguayna#veSilvanaAndreaMillercametotheUnitedStatesin2003“forabeIerlife,”specificallymore
careeropportuni#es.SheteachesSpanishandEnglishasaSecondLanguageinareaschools.Shealsoownsa
languageschoolinDanville,teachingsixlanguagesandprovidingtransla#onservices,andhasplanstoopena
bakerythatoffersUruguayandesserts.
“Iwanttohavetheprivilegeofvo#ng.Iwanttobeapart
ofthena#on,”Millersaidaboutbecomingaci#zennow.
Grace Avance Plaster, a na#ve of the Philippines who
arrivedinAmericain2007,saidher8-year-olddaughter,
AngelFaith,urgedhertobecomeaci#zentomakesure
her mom would always be able to stay in the United
States.
“I’m so proud to be an American,” said Plaster, a
registerednurseinPatrickCounty.
AntonioOjodeagua,ana#veofMexico,becameaci#zen
atPoplarForestinBedfordCountyinAprilaPerbeingin
America 25 years. He said the process to ci#zenship
involved paperwork, interviews and first gaining
permanent residency. He hired an aIorney to help with
theprocess.
His wife, Ashley, said gegng through the process and
becoming a ci#zen takes away any worry that her
husband’s permanent residency card could be revoked
andthathewouldbesentbacktoMexico.
Del.T.ScoFGarreFurgesthenewci#zenstoget
involvedintheircommuni#es.
They were there with their two sons to see Antonio’s
brother,Jesus,becomeaci#zen.
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SEC Member Newsletter
July 2016
ThenewAmericans,whosaidThePledgeofAllegiance,sang“TheStar-SpangledBanner”andreceivedsmall
flags,alsoreceivedadviceonbecominggoodci#zens.
“Your new country needs your par#cipa#on, your energy, your labor, your intelligence, your wisdom, and,
aboveall,yourloveanddevo#on,”Moonsaid.
Del.T.ScoIGarreI,whose23rdDistrictincludespartsofAmherstandBedfordcoun#esandLynchburg,urged
the new ci#zens to be kind, generous and caring. He told them to be bold, reverent, have principles, get
involvedintheircommuni#esandexercisetheirrighttovote.
“Remember,yourpresentisnotyourfinaldes#ny.Thebestisyettocome,”GarreIadded.
Thiswasthe11thannualNaturaliza#onCeremonyhostedbyPatrickHenry’sRedHill.
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