Greenwood resident sees orange in Ukraine

Woman attends inauguration of president amid ‘revolution’

January 31, 2005

By TASHA STEIMER
Index-Journal staff writer

Orange everywhere.
That’s what Margie Culbertson, of Greenwood, thought when she walked into Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, on Jan. 19 – three days before the presidential inauguration of Viktor Yushchenko.
“There were orange banners hanging up around the square, and everyone was wearing orange shirts and hats with ‘Tak!’ and other phrases on them,” she said. “‘Tak’ means ‘yes,’ and someone told me (a shirt) said ‘Orange Revolution.’
“It’s a very poor country, but they are so excited about having a new president – knowing things are going to get better. To stand in the middle of it and realize what this means to the people in that country is awesome.”
Culbertson, a professional clown, was on a mission trip to the former Soviet republic Jan. 17-24, and she was invited by the family she was staying with into the square before the inauguration.
“In Kiev, they put up this wooden fence around tents that people from different regions had set up,” she said. “Irina invited us into the square and into a tent with people from Zhitomir.”
Irina, a children’s minister, is the daughter of Nikolai and Nina Dayneka – the couple she stayed with while she was in the country. Culbertson said the people were cooking on a pot-belly stove in the tent, but they invited their guests to have tea.
“They’re hoping he will improve relations with other countries so the economy will get better. They’re looking forward to having more freedoms than they’ve had before.”
Culbertson said many people are excited about it and were sporting orange – Yushchenko’s campaign color – in support of the new administration.
“That’s what made this trip so different from the others – you’re watching history ” she said. “We as Americans know freedom comes at a cost, but we’ve never had people come on our own soil who used, abused or killed us.
“These stories are not handed down through generations; they happened in their lifetimes,” she said. “And even though it’s in the past, you can still see that history on the faces of people now because it’s still effects them.”
Culbertson said her earlier trips through Master’s Mission – a Ware Shoals ministry – involved performing at hospitals and orphanages, but the focus changed to teach their skills to Ukrainians so they could perform for themselves.
“We started training clowns over there,” she said. “We graduated 11 new clowns this year from our school.”
Not only does Culbertson and several other clowns, Theresa Garrett of Waterloo and two women from Tennessee, teach Ukrainians to be clowns, they provide everything their students will need to perform.
“We go over and support the clowns there,” she said. “We take them makeup, balloons, everything because you can’t get those things there. Even if you could, they couldn’t afford it.”
Culbertson said she likes the fact that the mission returns every year to the country.
“Most missions go somewhere for a few days or weeks, and then never go back,” she said. “Missions like Master’s Mission and Rice Memorial Baptist Church (which also goes to Ukraine) make a difference because they keep coming back to bring material help. You can’t tell a mother God is loving if her child is cold and starving. I’m glad we go back every year to make sure things are getting better.
“It’s amazing how things have changed since my first trip in 1996. They have such a rough life and have not enjoyed freedom like we have. You can feel the hardship in the country on the faces of the people. That’s why it was so important that Yushchenko became president. After he was poisoned, it was amazing how they stood up and said, ‘No, we won’t put up with that.’”
During her visit with the people in tent city, Culbertson met one man who wanted to talk politics – specifically about President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq.
“He wanted to know what I thought of it,” she said. “I told him Bush was just a man, but he was a Godly man, and I believed he was doing the best that he could. The man said he thought war should have been a last resort, and I told him that I believed it was. I was very honored to defend Bush.”
While in Ukraine, Culbertson also visited Papenya and Zhitomir and passed out jewelry boxes and shoes to some of the children.
“The conditions are so bad that the children had on clothes you wouldn’t want to drop off at the Salvation Army,” she said. “Irina, who is a children’s minister, told me she can’t sleep at night because she thinks of all of those children who are suffering,” she said.
“She does what she can, but there are so many needs and there is only so much you can do.”
Culbertson said she and husband George have tried to expose both of their sons – 21-year-old Garrett and 15-year-old Griffin – to the hardships other people face every day.
“By exposing them to those things, I want them to know how lucky and fortunate they are to be Americans,” she said. “And if God calls them to do foreign missionary, they can look at me and what I’ve done to see that it’s possible.”

Ware Shoals’ Mickey Boland adjusting to job as police chief

January 31, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

WARE SHOALS — No matter where he goes, people know him by name. “Hey, Mickey,” they shout or “Hi, Chief,” they yell. It’s been about a month since Mickey Boland officially became the town’s new police chief.
Boland, a Ware Shoals native, took over as chief after former chief A.J. Welch retired following a 22-year law enforcement career.
Boland began with the department in 1994 as a patrolman and soon moved to detective. He later worked as head of the narcotics department and was assistant chief for seven years.
“I’ve kind of dipped into everything,” he said.
As a detective, Boland was the first to have that position. Before he accepted the role there was never a detective in the department.
He also worked with the department’s K-9 unit.
Boland said he has a few departmental goals with drugs being the focus of his priorities.
“We’re going to send the message out that they’re not going to sell drugs in Ware Shoals,” the chief said.
Boland said law enforcement needs to make drug dealers think twice before they sell. And he said he looks forward to working with Sheriffs Dan Wideman, of Greenwood, Charles Goodwin, of Abbeville, and Ricky Chastain, of Laurens.
He also hopes to start a community watch program where people will keep an eye out in various areas of the town.
An officer would be assigned to help that particular community area offering advice and services.
“It empowers them to help fight crime,” he said.
A form of community policing that Boland instituted three years ago was visiting with the elderly and talking with them about concerns such as not being victims of fraud.
“The two previous chiefs have laid the groundwork for a good department,” he said. “The foundation has been laid there.”
Boland said he wants to keep using the department’s strengths and focus on any weaknesses.
Boland said Welch and Bay Robinson, who worked as an officer, were two influential people whom he looked up to. It was his dealings with Robinson and Welch that helped him come to the conclusion that he wanted to be in law enforcement.
His wife Jill, who works at the high school, is also a Ware Shoals native.
The couple has two children, an 8-year-old son, Jackson, and 3-year-old daughter, Meredith.
Boland said he hopes that people think of him as a man with strong family values.
Family is the most important thing to Boland and he said he considers everyone in the town as family.
Shavonne Potts covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3306, or: spotts@indexjournal.com.

Greenwood, Lakelands, state recovering from ice storm

January 31, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

Rowena Lambour spent Sunday morning walking at the Greenwood Mall with her husband — their first outing after snow and ice blanketed Greenwood and the Lakelands the day before.
Above freezing temperatures Sunday helped most of South Carolina thaw out after the season’s first ice storm caused thousands of power outages and hundreds of car accidents.
As the ice melted around the Greenwood and Lakelands area Sunday, some residents chose to venture out for the first time this weekend.
As an Ohio native, the ice and snow was something Lambour, who has lived in Greenwood for about 23 years now, is used to seeing.
“We were surprised that a lot of things were closed. We’re used to the ice and snow, it doesn’t bother us,” she said.
Since many businesses closed or closed early Saturday, the couple decided to stay home and to watch television and read.
Lambour said Saturday was no different from what she’d normally do on that day.
Nell and Clifton Shealy of Greenwood also chose to get out of their house with a walk around the mall.
For the Shealys, the weather was a “big deal.”
The two decided to spend the time that they would be in church to walk at the mall. Their church services were canceled.
When others rushed out to quickly grab milk, bread and water “just in case”, the Shealys said they didn’t have to make a dash to the store for those necessities.
“We already had those things on hand,” Nell said.
“We are glad to see it thawing,” Clifton said.
National Weather Service meteorologist Wayne Jones said the weather is expected to be a little warmer today with temperatures close to 50.
Residents will see patchy dense fog this morning and it will be partly cloudy.
“The melting ice will eventually fall and all of that will freeze Sunday night,” he said.
The fog may also freeze on bridges and roads, Jones said.
He advises residents to be careful since the roads will be “slick”, he said.
Lance Cpl. Steve Sluder said 377 collisions were reported in the Upstate over the weekend.
Steve Reeves, general manager of the Commissioners of Public Works said the weather affected about 1,000 customers in the Greenwood area.
“We had one line that went our as a result of ice on the trees,” he said.
Those customers were affected for about 30 minutes until their power was restored.
“We had a few isolated areas when the ice melted off the trees,” he said.
Work crews were working to restore power to those customers.
About 2,500 Duke Power customers were without power in the Greenwood County area.
About 8 p.m. Saturday there were about 800 Greenwood County customers without power.
“At our peak, there were 10,000 customers system-wide without power,” said Duke Power community affairs manager Lee Lewis Jr.
As of 6 a.m. Sunday, 10,000 powerless customers were reduced to about 9,000, he said.
Greenwood County was the company’s hardest hit area, Lewis said.
The second hardest hit areas were Cabarrus and Alamance counties in North Carolina.
Duke Power’s estimated time of restoration was midnight Sunday for Greenwood.
Lewis said Duke Power had allocated additional crews to help restore power.
“We were hardest hit in the Eddie Road area near Ninety Six. Additional regional crews were sent in early this morning to assist in the restoration efforts,” Lewis said.
A nearly 50-person work crew from Hendersonville and Spindale, N.C. were waiting in the Greenwood Mall parking lot to be dispatched to restore power throughout Greenwood.
“They are here to help get power back on in Greenwood and Ninety Six,” said Jim Lancaster, a Spartanburg regional manager with Duke Power.
Lancaster said the crew is working in addition to the Greenwood staff.
The Greenwood City Fire Department reported no fires as a result of snow or ice.
There were fire alarms reported, he said. When there are power outages it makes some alarms activate.
There were two house fires in which no one was injured said Battalion Chief Chuck Bailey.
There was a fire on Oak Street where a kerosene heater was the cause.
“There was major fire damage and the interior was gutted,” he said.
Another house on Merriman Street caught fire when a child was playing with a candle.
“There was moderate fire damage to the house and it was mostly confined to one room,” Bailey said.
Greenwood Police officer Capt. Jimmy Powers said there was nothing significant to report.

Shavonne Potts covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3306, or: spotts@indexjournal.com.

Being a very young team

Lander softball team will look to build off the youth in ’05

January 31, 2005

By BRIAN HOWARD
Assistant sports editor

The Lander University softball team will be a very young squad this season.
The Lady Bearcats open the 2005 season with six sophomores and five freshmen on their 16-player roster. The team only has two seniors and three juniors.
“We were pretty young last year,” Spears said. “We’ve got two seniors and got word that Jodi Dominick would not be able to play. Her arm has not heeled properly. So we only have one active senior, our pitcher Sheena Mason.
“We’ve got three juniors and we are very young. We are so young that we have three red-shirts.”
The pitching staff this spring is potentially deep, headed by Mason.
Mason had the worst year of her Lander career as a junior, going 5-10 with a 5.09 ERA. Spears said he expects her to bounce back this season.
“She had a tremendous year as a sophomore and last season she didn’t pitch too well,” Lander coach Doug Spears, who enters his 27th season, said. “We are expecting big things from her this season.
The Lady Bearcats open their season Feb. 6 at Anderson College. Their first home appearance is Feb. 12 when they play host to the Lander Tournament.
The Lady Bearcats finished tied for last in the PBC last year at 3-17 and were 30-31 overall.
The losing season was the first under Spears in his 23 years at Lander.
The Lady Bearcats were picked to finish last in the Peach Belt Conference, but don’t be surprised if Lander pulls off a few upsets.
During the ’04 season, Lander beat Kennesaw State, which at the time was No. 1 in Division II.
“Personally I like where we finished last season,” Spears said. “We got some new coaches in the Peach Belt and we were kind of a jekyll-and-hyde team last year. One week, we could beat Kennesaw State. We did beat six teams that went to regionals last year.
“We proved we could play, but we also showed the youth last year by playing up and down. This is a very young team and I think we will surprise some folks.”
A member of the 700-win club, Spears has an overall record of 771-440-1.
The Lady Bearcats lost several players off last year’s team.
The biggest losses are ace pitcher Sarah Permenter (19-12, 1.73 ERA), outfielder and leadoff hitter Summer Kimmel (team-highs with .390 average, 38 runs and 71 hits), and outfielder Alcira Adriatico (.361, 39 RBI, team-high nine homers).
Also gone are Sydney Sneed (.255, four homers, 25 RBI), catcher Jennifer Dickert (.277), Jenny Jennings, Laura Topps and Beth Bradley. “This particular team, even though we are young on paper, they are expected to make an immediate impact. They come from good programs,” Spears said. “Four of those five freshmen were (South Carolina high school) All-Stars. We recruited them specifically to make an impact.
“All sixteen of our players we consider starters. They should be able to go right in at any time. They are enthusiastic, they want to win, and they come from winning (high school and amateur) programs.”
Sophomore Ashlea Burdette will likely step into a larger pitching role this year after going 4-8 last season with a 4.23 ERA. Rounding out the rest of the pitching staff are sophomore Kari Tuten (0-1, 3.13 ERA, nine appearances), and freshmen Jenna Kellett and Austin Murray.
Burdette and Murray will also be heavily counted on to play offense.
Sophomore Melissa Ryals (.308, 22 RBI, 10 doubles) will start at catcher. The backup is freshman Lib Harris of Calhoun Falls, who played at Class AA state runner-up Abbeville High School.
Joining Harris on the Lady Bearcats squad is former teammate Lindsey Sammons.
“She has done an excellent job defensively at shortstop,” Spears said. “She is really impressive at short. Her offense is going to come around after she sees some live college-level pitching.”
One of Lander’s top hitters last year, Colleen Leggieri, will move from shortstop to first base. The junior from Greenwood hit .315 last spring, seven homers, and had a team-high 42 RBIs. Sophomores Corrie Bessinger and Heather Bishop are competing for the second base job.
Sammons is the leading candidate to play shortstop, having made an early impression with her glove. Sophomore Tracy Cumalander is also in contention at short.
“Tracy has really stepped her game up a bit from last year at shortstop,” Spears said. ‘She hadn’t played short the previous couple of years and now she went back there and that is a good position for her. We expect those two to anchor the left side for us.”
Burdette moves from first base across the diamond to third because of her “quickness and ability to cover the hole between third and short,” Spears said of the former Crescent High star, hitting .365 last year with two homers and 21 RBIs last year. “We feel like we can take away some base hits in the hole.”
Cumalander is expected to play third base when Burdette pitches.
Kimmel’s replacement at the top of the lineup and in center field will be freshman Amber Yarborough.
The right fielder will be junior Keri Davis, hitting .284 with five homers and 18 RBIs last year.
Junior Kariana Smith of McCormick could get the nod there at left. Kellett, like Yarborough a club softball player, could also see playing time in the outfield.
Kennesaw State won the PBC championship last year, dominating the field with a 64-6 record. Other top teams in the league in 2004 included Armstrong Atlantic, North Florida, Georgia College and State University, and Francis Marion.

Opinion

Voters should be trusted on school board choices

January 31, 2005

There’s a fairly concentrated effort to get more people involved in South Carolina’s schools. So, then, you’d think that when someone suggested that all school board members in the state be elected the same way it would not create much of a stir. Wrong!
When Rep. Bob Walker, R-Spartanburg, sponsored legislation to require all school boards to be chosen in nonpartisan elections, there was opposition. It seems that in several counties school board members are appointed in one way or another. Some of the powers that be in some of those counties don’t want to change anything. They take the old approach that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
That may be well and good, of course. Why, though, would anyone object to letting the voters in the state decide who will represent them in political office, no matter what office that might be?
When it gets to the point where voters can’t be trusted with making their own choices, maybe it’s time to look at Walker’s (and others’) legislation seriously.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

James Desmond

James Edward Desmond, 80, of 504 Willowbrook Road, widower of Berniece Eaton Desmond, died Sunday, Jan. 30, 2005 at Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Astoria, N.Y., he was a son of the late James A. and Sarah O’Hare Desmond. He was an Army veteran of WWII and was retired from Neptune Measurement Company, now known as Actaris Metering Systems. He as of the Episcopalian faith and a member of the American Legion Post No. 20.
Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Larry (Diane) Dixon of Greenwood and Beverly Brown of Gilbert; a brother, Robert Desmond of Riverhead, N.Y.; two sisters, Florence Tinervin of Riverhead, N.Y. and Jane Schrettner of Toms River, N.J.; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Tuesday at Blyth Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Dr. Robert Miller.
Entombment is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Blyth Funeral Home.
The family is at the home in the Willows.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Corey L. Fuller Sr.

Services for Corey L. Fuller Sr. are 2 p.m. today at Friendship Baptist Church, Ninety Six, conducted by Pastor Anthony Sims. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in The Evening Star Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are James Reeder, Calvin Reeder, Maurice Wilson, Aaron Brooks, Roy Lee Baylor and George Freeman.
Flower bearers are Gladys Moss, Kisha Morgan, Valerie Lukie, April Lukie, April Childs, Detris Childs, Louise Parks, Tequila Fuller, Ruby Jefferson, Miranda Fuller and Sharon Jefferson.
The family is at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Helen Kingsmore

GREENWOOD — Helen J. Kingsmore, 72, of 424 Morgan Avenue, widow of Bobby L. Kingsmore, died Saturday, January 29, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Buffalo, SC, she was a daughter of the late Ernell and Connie Lawson Johnson. She was retired from Greenwood Mills, Durst Plant and the Piedmont Agency on Aging. She was a member of East Side Baptist Church.
Surviving is her daughter, Gylinda K. Bryant; son and daughter-in-law, Rodney and Priscilla Kingsmore and a grandson, Travis Kingsmore, all of Greenwood; a great grandson, Gregory Kingsmore and great granddaughter, Zoe Kingsmore of Abbeville; loving son-in-law, George M. Bryant; three sisters, Joyce Hall, Avonell Zimmerman and Betty Jo Simmons, all of Buffalo, SC and two brothers, Doug Johnson and Jimmy Johnson of Buffalo, SC.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. E. A. Cooper and the Rev. Johnny Burgess officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Mark Johnson, Mack Johnson, Ernell Johnson, Ken Ward, Michael Kingsmore, Larry Kingsmore, Glen Kingsmore and Charles Kingsmore.
Honorary escort will be Bobby Reynolds, Bo Wilson, Dr. Jeffrey Lanford and Dr. Todd Gallman.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 2 to 3 p.m.
The family is at the home of her daughter, Gylinda Bryant, 123 Clifton Street.
Memorials may be made to Piedmont Agency on Aging Meals on Wheels, PO Box 997, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Robert Massey, Sr

SALUDA, SC — Robert Lee Massey, Sr., 63, of 107 Zoar Rd., died Saturday, January 29, 2005, at his residence.
A native of Saluda County, and the son of Helen Hipp Massey and the late Benjamin Robert Matthews, he was the husband of Martha Anne Long Massey. Mr. Massey was formerly employed with Monsanto and was co-owner of Long and Massey Farm. He was a Mason and a member of the Travis Lodge #241. He was a member of the Saluda County Coon Hunters Association and was a member of Zoar United Methodist Church.
Surviving is his wife, Martha Anne Long Massey, two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert Lee Massey, Jr. and Stephanie Allen Massey of Greenwood and Benjamin Roy Massey of the home; a daughter, Elizabeth Anne Massey of the home, his mother, Helen Hipp Massey of Saluda, a brother, Thomas Glenn Massey of Saluda and a grandson, Robert Lee Massey III.
Funeral services will be 3:00 PM Tuesday, February 1, 2005 at Zoar United Methodist Church with Rev. Michael Hood officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 7 until 9 PM Monday evening at Ramey Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Zoar United Methodist Church, c/o Nell Gardner, 152 Shiloh Rd., Saluda, SC 29138 or to the charity of one’s choice.
PAID OBITUARY

Janie Richey

HONEA PATH — Janie Lou Lollis Richey of 125 Russell Drive, widow of R.B. (Gus) Richey, died Saturday, January 29, 2005 at Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Anderson county, October 6, 1922 she was a daughter of the late Paul Sullivan Lollis and Addie Davis Lollis. She was retired from Honea Path Shirt Plant and attended Southside Baptist Church.
Surviving are four sons; Calvin Richey and his wife Mildred of Davidson, N.C., Roger Richey and his wife Carla of Honea Path, Doug Richey and his wife Gail of Ware Shoals, Jacky Richey and his wife Amanda of Donalds, two daughters; Patricia Richey Lee and her husband Sidney of Waterloo and Cathy Richey Rowland and her husband Kenny of Honea Path, two brothers; Paul Lollis and Leon Lollis both of Donalds, one sister; Sybil Phillips of Honea Path, 12 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by brother; Horace Lollis and sisters; Doris Allen, Margaret Manley and Polly Patterson.
Funeral services will be held 3 P.M. Monday at Southside Baptist Church with Rev. Kile Antone and Rev. Charles Caldwell officiating.
Burial will follow in Eastview Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 1:30-3:00 P.M. Monday at Southside Baptist Church. Memorials may be made to Southside Baptist Church, 1800 Highway 178N, Honea Path, SC 29654. The family is at the home of a daughter, Cathy Rowland, 145 Russell Drive, Honea Path.
Pruitt Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
PAID OBITUARY

James ‘Joe Joe’ Waters

LOWNDESVILLE, SC — James Lester ‘Joe Joe’ Waters, Jr., 62, resident of 114 Horseshoe Rd., Lowndesville, SC died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005 at the South Carolina Medical University in Charleston, SC.
Born in Lowndesville, SC he was a son of the late James Lester, Sr. and Macie Parnell Waters.
He was a United States Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He was employed with Rocky River Mills, Mohawk Industries in the Maintenance Dept. He was an active member of Lowndesville Baptist Church where he was chairman of the board of deacons and was also the choir director.
Survivors are 1 daughter, Wendi Waters, Lowndesville, SC; 2 sons, Richard Waters and his wife, Tonya, Lowndesville, SC and Rodney Dunn, Elberton, Ga.; 3 brothers, Larry D. Waters, Abbeville, SC, George ‘Buck’ Waters, Iva, SC and Rufus Waters, Lowndesville, SC; 11 grandchildren, Haley, Jesse, Brent, Jacob, Paige, Steve Ray, Danielle, Katlynn, Dalton, Stanley and Breanna.
Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday Feb. 1, 2005 at 2:00 PM from Lowndesville Baptist Church with the Rev.’s Fred Griggs and Jimmy Tucker officiating. The burial will follow in Ridge Methodist Church Cemetery.
The body is at the Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 PM Monday evening. The family will be at the home of his brother Mr. Rufus Waters, 210 Depot St., Lowndesville, SC.
Memorials may be made to Lowndesville Baptist Church, 464 Main St., SC 29659 or to the Lowndesville Fire Dept.
The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
PAID OBITUARY