Salkehatchie alum promoted to Rear Admiral of USPHSCC

Photo: The Culps—the Rev. John Culp and his wife, Peggy—join Rear Admiral Elizabeth Helm for her pinning ceremony in the Capitol.

By the Rev. John Culp

Salkehatchie Summer Service has touched thousands of young people’s lives since 1978. There are many stories of these youth who are now in responsible, productive careers.

Beth Lindsey Helm was a youth at Salem United Methodist Church, Greenville, in the 1980s. For seven summers, she attended Salkehatchie Summer Service at Penn Center, St. Helena Island and the Pee Dee camp in Marlboro County. She worked on homes repairing roofs, rotten floors, plumbing and siding in 90-degree temperature. You have to see it, smell it, taste it and feel it to know poverty conditions. She worked on the homes of the destitute and had compassion for these people.

As with many youth, Salkehatchie was a life changing experience for her. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” Mother Teresa said, “We can do no great things, only small things with great love. Love until it hurts.”

Helm earned her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Wofford College in Spartanburg and her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She wanted to help others and her country, so she joined the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, which works on the front lines of public health. Physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians and other professionals fighting diseases conduct research and care for patients in underserved communities across the nation and throughout the world. The head of USPHS is the surgeon general.

Helm served all over the United States from Alaska to Cherokee, North Carolina, to Andrews Federal Prison to Phoenix to Washington, D.C.

And now this Salkehatchie worker was just promoted to Rear Admiral Elizabeth Helm of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Only 1 percent of the total force of 6,000 in USPHS achieve this honor.

As minister of Jesus Christ and the mentor of many youth we are thankful for this achievement for her. Loving people is a blessing, and she found her calling.