By FULLER ROYAL

More than 200 Democrats from across Columbus County attended a Tuesday luncheon in honor of North Carolina Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue.

Perdue was the keynote speaker during the $50-a-plate luncheon held at the Vineland Station depot and hosted by Sen. R.C. Soles Jr.

Perdue, who is planning a run for governor in 2008, arrived after a one-hour stopover at Southeastern Community College.

She complimented Soles and Rep. Dewey Hill, citing their hard work and efforts in the General Assembly on behalf of their districts.

Perdue outlined the major difficulties facing Southeastern North Carolina as well as the eastern part of the state.

“My boys are grown and they didn’t come back to Eastern North Carolina,” she said. She said there were few opportunities and few jobs in her hometown of New Bern, adding that Columbus County shares similar circumstances.

She said that small towns are wonderful because the children feel safe and you see folks you know when you go shopping. She said she chose New Bern because caring residents would call her if her children ever got out of line.

“My heart is troubled to say that my kids didn’t have the opportunity to stay there,” she said. She thanked the guests for giving her two terms in Raleigh.

“Columbus County supported me and you believed in what a woman could do,” she said. “I am proud of where we are. North Carolina is the state most picked to start a business in and our kids in schools are doing better than kids across the country.”

Perdue lauded SCC and the county for its support of the college.

Perdue then talked about the areas of Southeastern North Carolina that are in danger of being left behind and what can be done to reverse the situation.

“Columbus County is on the right track,” she said, referring to the new early college high school being put into place this year at SCC.

She said that with four out of 10 students dropping out of high school “I don’t believe any of us believe that we can afford to lose one kid.”

She said that it’s imperative that the North Carolina workforce be the best trained in the world.

Perdue said she is planning to push the General Assembly to include the Internet in its definition of infrastructure along with water and electricity.

She said she believes that all homes and businesses need to be hooked up to high speed Internet.

Perdue said that in the fall, the state would launch its first-ever virtual high school.

“There will no longer be any excuse why children can’t take the most sophisticated math, English and history courses, no matter where you live – Raleigh or Whiteville.”

Perdue said that the new prison would be a boost for the county, adding that everybody wants a prison now.

“You’ve got tremendous people here in this community,” she said. “The best resource in North Carolina is our people, purely and simply, wherever you go. North Carolinians are special. We care about each other. All we want is a little bit of help when things get tough. We want to make a living and have schools that work for our kids. In North Carolina, I believe everybody has a chance to be somebody.”

Others on the dais included Sheriff Chris Batten, Mitchel Tyler, Jeff Etheridge Jr., Sen. Julia Boseman, the Rev. David Flowers, Dr. John Webster and Sherry Dew Prince.

The event raised $30,000.