Foreign exchange students
get a taste of Greenwood

December 30, 2005

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

From models of the new patient rooms that will be coming to Self Regional Medical Center to the making of film at the Fuji plant, 11 foreign exchange students got to see much of what Greenwood has to offer this week.
Hailing from Japan, China and Taiwan, the students were in town as part of Christmas International, a program started by the Presbyterian church to entertain international students during the holiday season when they can’t remain in the dormitories at school and can’t return home.
Students are allowed to select a region of the country they want to visit and are housed with host families in those communities.
The group visiting the Lakelands area spent two weeks in South Carolina, four days of which were spent touring Greenwood. The visit was sponsored by Westminster and the First Presbyterian churches of Greenwood and Clinton.
Coming from colleges in states as far away as California and as near as Georgia, students said they were impressed with what they saw in Greenwood.
On Wednesday, the students toured the Greenwood Genetics Center, went to the Greenwood Family YMCA for free activities, ate dinner at a local Japanese restaurant and saw “King Kong” at the mall’s Crosscreek Triple.
On Thursday morning, they were guests of the city, touring the mayor’s office, the courthouse and law enforcement offices. A local judge met with them to offer information about the criminal justice system in preparation for a trial they would watch.
The students met with police officers and were introduced to the canine members of the sheriff’s office. Student David Zhu, who attends school in Atlanta, said he particularly enjoyed watching the trial and meeting the dogs, but also was impressed with what he saw at Self Regional Medical Center.
At the hospital, the students saw a prototype of the new patient rooms, which will be completed soon, got a glimpse inside one of the operating rooms and learned about the jobs of some of the hospital’s employees.
The last stop on the Greenwood tour was the Fuji plant, after which the students were treated to a spaghetti dinner with their host families.
Though it wasn’t necessarily on the agenda, the landscape was the most impressive part of the tour for some students, many coming from large cities.
“I saw flowers,” a Japanese student, Maki Kashiwaya, said with excitement. She attends school in Kansas and said nothing is in bloom there right now, so flowers were a special treat.

Reaching goal just in time

Ex-GHS grad’s 1st bowl appearance comes in final college game

December 30, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

South Carolina senior and GHS graduate Ricardo Hurley, center, is looking forward to playing in his first bowl game when the Gamecocks take on Missouri today in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.

Most people have probably heard the saying, “it’s better late than never.”
It’s a saying University of South Carolina senior linebacker and Greenwood High School graduate Ricardo Hurley finds particularly poignant these days.
Hurley’s last game as a Gamecock will be his first bowl game, as South Carolina takes on Missouri today in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.
South Carolina went 5-7 in Hurley’s first two seasons, before qualifying for the postseason at 6-5 in 2004.
However, the Gamecocks did not participate in a bowl last year because of a self-imposed bowl ban following the brawl with Clemson.
According to Hurley, going 7-4 this season and earning a berth in a bowl game means even more to him and his teammates after the 2004 season-ending debacle.
“It feels so good to me right now,” Hurley said. “We were upset because of what happened last year. But it’s been so much more positive this season.
“We had a slow start, but then we came on. For us to be able to go out there for the Independence, that’s an honor to me.”
The slow start Hurley referred to was the Gamecocks’ 2-3 record after the first five games this season.
However, the team recovered, winning five of its last six games, including wins over Florida and Tennessee.
The win over the Volunteers Oct. 29 in Knoxville was particularly sweet for Hurley.
“To me, that’s the biggest win since I’ve been here,” he said.
“We wanted that one. No doubt that’s the most exciting win, because we’ve been so close to beating them for a few years now.”
Hurley said he is looking forward to the trip to Shreveport, which is in a part of the country he has never visited.
Besides practice and preparation at Independence Stadium, the team participated in pre-bowl events such as dinners, a pep rally and a parade this week, leading up to the game.
South Carolina will face a tough task in slowing down Big 12 opponent Missouri and its stellar quarterback Brad Smith. Smith is an explosive dual-threat talent. He passed for 2,022 yards and rushed for 1,306 this season. It was the second time Smith, a senior, has passed for 2,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 in the same season.
“They like to spread it out and let Smith run and scramble,” Hurley said. “We’ve been watching a lot of film on them and trying to focus in on Smith.”
Hurley said he gets excited about playing teams with a marquee player like Smith. As a middle linebacker, it’s his responsibility to read his keys and take the lead in shutting down the running game.
This season has been Hurley’s best in the Garnet and Black. He has tallied 53 tackles, including a team-high 7.5 tackles for losses. At the same time, there has been adversity for the player who came in to South Carolina as a first team Parade Magazine All-American.
Hurley was benched at midseason in favor of backup Dustin Lindsey. Even though he was back in the starting lineup two games later, the benching remains a mystery to Hurley.
“I still don’t understand why that happened,” Hurley said. “At the time, I was second on the team in tackles and first in tackles for loss. It’s in the past now. I’m looking forward to starting in the Independence Bowl.”
With his college career coming to an end today, Hurley has set his sights on another goal: the National Football League.
The linebacker said he believes he has what it takes to make a NFL roster.
“Oh yeah, that’s my main focus,” the criminal justice major said. “My whole life I’ve been focused on getting to the NFL. After the bowl, I’ll be full steam ahead and focused on that.” According to Hurley, a postseason win over Missouri would be a nice end to a solid career in Columbia.
“That’s the way I’d love to end it here,” Hurley said. “It’s been a long road, but I’ll miss it. The thing I’ll miss the most is being with my friends on this team. I’ve made some friends for life here at Carolina.”

Chris Trainor covers area sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ctrainor@indexjournal.com

Opinion

It’s time to get serious
about Grace Street park

December 30, 2005

There’s no better time than the beginning of a new year to breathe new life into old projects. Take, for example, the property at the corner of Grace Street and the 72 Bypass where the old CPW water treatment plant stands.
There has been considerable talk from time to time about turning that piece of land into a public park. It’s time to revive the talk and get serious about making the park idea a reality.
Greenwood has the East Cambridge Street Park, of course, and it has been a great source of joy for many people since it opened. It has provided a beautiful outdoor setting for recreation, picnics and just plain relaxing. It is one of the best of its kind in South Carolina for children’s play and adult socializing ….. and maybe a little unwinding from the rigors of the day.

IN A WORD, THE PRESENT park is great. There’s only one drawback. It’s not very convenient for all the people who live some distance away, especially those in the northern and northeastern parts of the community. A new park on the water plant site would mean much to them, not to mention many others in all parts of the area.
One added plus for the site is the old plant itself. Just imagine the historic and educational value if it could be fixed up and preserved as a visible part of the way we were. Too many parts of our past are lost when we neglect to save them. The old plant might even be exploited as an adjunct museum to display other pictures of what Greenwood was in the midst of what it now is.
It doesn’t matter what government entity owns the site and plant. It’s all owned by the public. What better way to use publicly owned land than for the benefit of the public ….. all the public. Geographically, it couldn’t be better situated. It almost cries out for a park. We should listen.

Obituaries

Walter Andrews

NEW YORK CITY — Walter Andrews, 75, of 104 Baycourt, widower of Betty Long Andrews, died Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2005 at Cabrini Hospital in New York.
Born in Greenwood County, S.C., he was a son of the late Walter and Sophia Jones Andrews and a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda Kayruth of Atlanta; two sisters, Annie B. Andrews and Gertrude Hulse of New York; and a grandchild.
Services will be announced by Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Perry Dickenson

GREENWOOD, SC — Perry Alexander Dickenson, 60, of 1405 Woodlawn Road, hus-band of Gwen Rapoza Dickenson, died Wednesday, December 28, 2005 at his home.
Born in Peepeekeo, Hawaii, he was a son of Perry A. Dickenson, Sr. and the late Mary Balberde Dickenson. He was a 1964 graduate of Hilo High School and formerly served as police officer with the City of Greenwood. He was a US Navy veteran of the Vietnam Conflict and was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
Surviving is his wife of the home; his father of Hodges; two daughters, Wanda Dodgen and her husband, Shane, of Hodges and Kimberly Crawford of Abbeville; a son, Neal Dickenson and his wife, Brook, of Hodges; a sister, Mary Elrod of Hodges; a brother, Henry Neal Dickenson of San Jose, CA and eight grandchildren.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with Father Richard Harris officiating. Burial, with military honors, will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be David Price, Mike Butler, Jim Coursey, Lee Miller, Urban Mitchell, Gerald Partridge and Alvin Johnson.
Honorary escorts will be all active and retired police officers of the City of Greenwood. The family will receive friends at Harley Funeral Home on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. The family is at the home.
Flowers will be accepted and memorials may be made to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Parrish Life Center, 915 Mathis Road, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Ronnie Dobbs

GREENVILLE — Ronnie Dobbs, 39, died Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005 at Greenville Memorial Hospital.
Born in Florida, he was a son of Charles and Ruby Williams Dobbs. He was a member of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship.
Survivors include his mother of Columbia; his father; a brother, Larry William of Greenwood; and two sisters, Betty Lindsey of Columbia and Debra Mason of Lexington.
Services are 11 a.m. today at Bible Way Holiness Church, Saluda, conducted by the Minister Jesse Williams and the Rev. Theodore Collins. The body will be placed in the church at 9:30. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home, Saluda, is in charge.

Evelyn D. Eidson

COLUMBIA — Funeral service for Evelyn D. Eidson, 70, will be held Friday at 1:00 p.m. at Bayview Baptist Church with burial to follow in Crescent Hill Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Thursday 6-8 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. Memorials may be made to Bayview Baptist Church or the American Lung Association.
Mrs. Eidson died Tuesday, December 27, 2005. Born in Due West, S.C., she was the daughter of E.V. Strawhorn and the late Margie Parker Straw-horn. She attended Erskine College and graduated from Columbia College. She retired from the Department of Mental Health after 28 years of service and was a member of Bayview Baptist Church.
Surviving are her father of Due West; daughters, Peggy Love of Columbia and Patricia Corder of Columbia; brother, Edward Strawhorn of Green-wood; grandson, Lewis Corder of Wisconsin; granddaughters, Leslie Love and Jamie Rogers, both of Columbia; great-grand-children, Matthew Corder and Cadence Beckman, both of Columbia. Mrs. Eidson was predeceased by her sister Betty Winn.
PAID OBITUARY

James C. Shaver Sr.

WARE SHOALS — James C. “Dink” Shaver Sr., 80, of 26 Saluda Ave., husband of Margaret Smith Shaver, died December 29 at the Hospice House in Greenwood. He was born in Anderson Co. a son of the late Charles W. and Corrie M. Tinsley Shaver. He retired from Greenwood Mills, but worked for Riegel Textile Corp. for 42 years. He was a WWII Veteran of the U.S. Navy, served 22 years in the SC National Guard, was a member of the Riegel Quarter Century Club, and a Life Member of Ware Shoals Masonic Lodge #306. He was also a Member of the Ware Shoals First Baptist Church where he had served as Deacon.
Surviving besides his wife of the home is a son James Calvin Shaver Jr. and wife Dianne of Winterville, GA. Two sisters Mary Shaver of Greenwood and Corrie Mae Tucker of NC. 5 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
Funeral services 2pm Saturday at the Ware Shoals First Baptist Church with the Rev. Glenn Mosteller and the Rev. Leon Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens with Masonic rites. Pallbearers are Pete McGrew, Lamar Cain, Grady “Pee Wee” Strickland, Joe Skinner, Wayne Smith, Buddy Cobb, Tommy Davis, and John “Pee Wee” Simpson. Masons will serve as Honorary Pallbearers.
The Family is at the Home and will receive friends at Parker-White Funeral Home from 6 to 8 pm Friday. The body will be placed in the Church at 1pm Saturday.
PAID OBITUARY