A 19-year-old Marine from Chesapeake, who was killed on Aug. 20 by enemy gunfire in Afghanistan, left behind friends in Franklin who want to honor his wishes.

According to family friend Diane Casto of Carrsville, Cody Childers asked in his will that people send fellow soldiers socks, powdered juice mixes and fans. For the children there, Childers wants coloring books, crayons and candy sent.

A part-time waitress at Fred’s restaurant in Franklin, Diane is heading up a drive for items from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at Fred’s.

“I knew Cody since he was a little boy. I felt like a mother who lost her son,” she said about Cody’s death. “He always wanted to be a Marine.”

Cody was a member of Meherrin Hunt Club in Brunswick County, where Diane is also a member.

A 2009 graduate of Grassfields High School in Chesapeake, Cody reported for training last August and deployed a little more than two months ago from Camp Lejeune. He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division in the II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Choir to perform at fundraiser

The Virginia 75th District Choir will perform at a Sept. 18 fundraising banquet for Delegate Roslyn Tyler, D-Jarratt, at Golden Leaf Commons in Emporia.

The choir will have at least two rehearsals prior to the black-tie event.

Several 75th District clergymen will be honored at the 5 p.m. dinner. The $50 tickets will cover the cost of the meal with a small amount going to help fund Tyler’s campaign and The Delegate Roslyn Tyler Scholarship Fund.

To purchase tickets, contact Tyler’s office at 434-336-1710 or Mary Pearson at 434-598-4808.

Tiny Tots

Proud grandmother Jean Cannon wrote The Tidewater News when she didn’t see her foster granddaughter, Daniella Davidson, in an Aug. 21 article about the 2010 Tiny Tots Contest at the Franklin-Southampton County Fair. Jean has good reason to write; seven of the nine contestants appeared in photos.

So, in hopes of righting a wrong, The Tidewater News ran a photo in the Wednesday, Aug. 25, issue. One problem. The little girl was not Daniella. She was 13-month-old Madelyn Elliott, who I thought was Daniella.

Today, we are including Daniella’s photo and Madelyn’s photo in an effort to correct our mistake.

You have to admit, the toddlers look a lot alike.