Tom Goforth likes to classify himself as an Indian.
"Somebody has to be chief, but I like to be part of the larger group," he said.
But Goforth has been a silent chief in the community since 1967.
He was stationed at Fort Gordon in Augusta after returning from Vietnam and settled in North Augusta with his wife Mary Lynn. The city reminded him of his small-town childhood in the hills of Kentucky, he said.
Goforth's contributions vary from being an educator and school board member to a college mentor.
He's not one to toot his horn about his accomplishments though. Instead, his wife decorated his den walls with the accolades others have bestowed on him, which include framed sketches of his schools and plaques from his time in the service.
"I like people to have ownership of anything I was associated with," he said. "'Because I said so,' is not a good example of leadership and I like for others to be recognized."
After officially leaving the University of South Carolina Aiken's student mentor program this year, Goforth's set his sights on being an Indian for the American Legion's Post 71 fund-raising efforts to construct a new building.
Some of his best friends in the Legion are from a previous generation. He's still amazed they are the ones history books tout as the greatest generation. He hopes to honor that by getting a new building constructed in their lifetime.
"A lot of members in that post will work much harder than I work, but I hope with a major thrust we can get that accomplished. Some of these men have spent 50 years or more being an integral part (of the Legion) and they need to be recognized," he said.
Aside from his dedication to the Legion, Goforth's first priority is his family.
With four children and 11 grandchildren, Goforth enjoys that retirement has afforded the opportunity to pick up and leave to be with his family at any time.
He enjoys fishing with his son and target practice as well. "When I was nine or 10 I could go to the wall and get any shotgun, but we learned about safety," he said. "We knew what those weapons could do and we also knew what our parents could do."
"I couldn't dream this big growing up," he said about the life he has now.
Reach Julia Sellers at julia.sellers@northaugustatoday.com
