Speaker urges owners of small businesses to have passion for job

Greenwood Chamber kicks off celebration

May 3, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal staff writer

The Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce on Monday kicked off its celebration of National Small Business Week with an annual small business luncheon at the Gatewood Club.
Dozens of area small business owners, employees and others gathered for the event, which featured guest speaker Bob Taylor, owner and operator of Taylor Galleries and Grace Place Bed and Breakfast.
As a veteran of the small business industry, Taylor spoke to attendees about the importance of rekindling the passion for their businesses.
Taylor said stresses of owning and operating a small business can over time erode an owner’s initial enthusiasm for the job and customers. When that happens, he said, the business can lose the “hometown” feel that makes it stand apart from some larger businesses.
“When that passion disappears, so does some of that (customer) zeal,” he told the crowd.
“It’s important to know your customers – that’s what passion is in small businesses in Greenwood. What you’ve got to sell is Greenwood. You have to remember why you got into the business. You’ve got to dig a little deeper and find that passion.”
The luncheon, organized by the Chamber’s Small Business Task Force, was the first of several small business events scheduled for this week, said Kelly Kirkpatrick, Chamber director of membership development and public relations.
Other events during the week include a breakfast seminar today at the Chamber offices, as well as a Small Business Appreciation Happy Hour starting at 4 p.m. Friday at the Chamber offices. “We like to recognize small businesses, and thank them for their support,” Kirkpatrick said, adding that small businesses make up a large majority of the Chamber’s membership. “We couldn’t have the Chamber without their support.”
Kirkpatrick said small businesses have a strong presence in the Greenwood area, with more than 50 percent of the area population finding employment in the small business sector.
Annalisa Sherrill, branch manager with a CapitalBank on Bypass 72, attended the luncheon with fellow branch employees. She said even though it is part of a larger company, her branch, with less than 10 employees, operates much like a small business.
“Small business is very important to Greenwood,” she said. “It helps keep that small town feel in the community, and there are so many extra items and services that you can get from a small business.”
For information about events for Small Business Week, contact the Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce at 223-8431.

Abbeville ready to welcome home soldiers from Iraq

May 3, 2005

By TASHA STEIMER
Index-Journal staff writer

ABBEVILLE – After a year deployed, soldiers from companies A and D of the 111th Signal Battalion are returning home today to a celebration.
More than 85 troops will be greeted by family, friends and community members at Abbeville High School’s Hite Stadium when their buses arrive from Fort Benning, Ga. about 2 p.m., according to retired Sgt. 1st Class Dan Grubbs, family services coordinator.
Grubbs said the arrival time could change, but it will depend on when the soldiers are released from Fort Benning where they have been since April 26 after returning from Iraq.
Grubbs said the community has shown a great deal of support for the unit by displaying yellow ribbons, flags and banners throughout town as well as assisting soldiers’ families.
“We have so many yellow ribbons and flags,” he said. “We also have lots of banners that the children made in school. The schools really wanted to be involved in the homecoming.”
The City of Abbeville hung ribbons around its square Monday and hung a banner in front of the Opera House. Other businesses and schools put greeting on their marquees.
Grubbs said the plan is to have soldiers in formation for the celebration and then release them to their families afterward.
First Lt. Hampton McNeil is set to emcee the program, and Lt. Col. Frank Rice, battalion commander, is scheduled to speak.
The high school band will perform some patriotic selections, and one student will sing the National Anthem.

Tasha Steimer covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3305, or: tsteimer@indexjournal.com

Samuel P. Bishop

LAURENS — Samuel P. Bishop, 80, husband of Beulah Lawson Bishop, of 707 Rocky Springs Church Road, died Sunday, May 1, 2005 at his home.
Born in Laurens, he was a son of the late Benjamin T. Bishop Sr. and Mamie Ell Taylor Bishop. He was a World War II Army veteran and a member of Rocky Springs Presbyterian Church and the VFW. A retired employee of Laurens County Sheriff’s Department with 12 years of service, he received the Henry Laurens Award for bravery in action with the department. He was also a Mason, a Shriner and a member of Rossie Walker Lodge No. 354.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Robert Samuel Bishop of Hodges and Brad Bishop of Laurens; a brother, Ben T. Bishop Jr. of Mauldin; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Forest Lawn East Cemetery, conducted by the Revs. Grahame Burrows and J.B. Abercrombie. Visitation is 7-8:30 tonight at Kennedy Mortuary.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Rocky Springs Presbyterian Church, 1063 Rocky Springs Church Road, Laurens, SC 29360 or Hospice of Laurens County, P.O. Box 178, Clinton, SC 29325.
Kennedy Mortuary is in charge.

Marie Brooks

WATERLOO — Willie Marie Riddle Brooks, 79, of 284 Smith Bridge Road, widow of Willie H. Brooks, died Monday, May, 2, 2005 at her home.
Born in Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late Elze Pope and Annie Mae Worthington Riddle. She was a homemaker and a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Judy B. Belue of the home; a son, Ben D. Brooks of Greenwood; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Olive Baptist Church Cemetery, conducted by the Revs. Bobby Davis and Dan Compton.
Visitation is graveside after the services.
The families are at their respective homes.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646 or Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 658, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Valerie Burnett

NINETY SIX, SC – Valerie Kathleen Simpson Burnett, 41, of 2406 Highway 702, died Sunday, May 1, 2005 at her home.
Born in Washington, DC; she was a daughter of Robert Clyde Simpson and Patsy Braswell Simpson. She was a 1983 graduate of Greenwood High School and was the receptionist with Greenwood State Park. She attended Siloam Baptist Church.
Surviving is her father of Germany; her mother of Clinton; a daughter, Ravon Burnett of Greenwood; two sons, Derek Burnett and Alex Burnett, both of Greenwood; a brother, Robert Jeffrey Simpson of Honea Path and her caregiver, Karen Phillips.
Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Siloam Baptist Church with the Rev. Steve Crittendon officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 1 to 2 p.m. at Siloam Baptist Church.
Memorials may be made to the family in care of Siloam Baptist Church, P.O. Box 373, Ninety Six, SC, 29666.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com PAID OBITUARY

Marian Inman Cameron

ROCK HILL — Marian Inman Cameron, 44, of 244 Dewars Drive, died Monday, May 2, 2005 at Piedmont Medical Center.
A native of Hickory, N.C., she was a daughter of Nancy Boyd and the late William Inman. She was operations manager for White Office Supply of Rock Hill and a member of St. John’s United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her mother of North Myrtle Beach; her husband, William ‘Bill’ Cameron of the home; two sons, William Hunter Cameron and William Christopher Frenceschini, both of Rock Hill; two brothers, John Everett Inman and Robert Wayne Inman, both of Hickory; and a sister, Gail Inman McComb of Hickory.
Memorial services are 1 p.m. Wednesday at St. John’s United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Tim McClendon. Burial is private.
Visitation is after the services at the church.
Memorials may be made to St. John’s United Methodist Church, Building Fund, 321 S. Oakland Ave., Rock Hill, SC 29730.
Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel is in charge.

Mack Crocker

WARE SHOALS – Mack Wesley Crocker, 92, formerly of Ware Shoals, husband of Agnes Jordan Crocker died Monday, May 02, 2005 at Providence Hospital in Columbia.
Born in Lowndesville, S.C., he was a son of the late Daniel and Synthia Ramsey Crocker. Mr. Crocker was a member of Ware Shoals First Baptist Church, the Barracca Sunday School Class and the Ware Shoals Quarter Century Club and was retired from Riegel Textile Corporation.
Surviving are his wife of 71 years, one daughter; Mildred Bagnal and husband Jim of Cayce, SC, sister; Belle Crocker Taylor of Greenville, SC, two grandchildren; Mrs. John (Jonolyn) Ferreri of Beaufort, SC and Mrs. Tim (Cindy) Eskew of Dacula, Ga., three great-grandchildren; Jack and Jamie Ferreri of Beaufort and Erin Eskew of Dacula, Georgia. He was predeceased by brothers; Blake, Hamp and Cleo Crocker and sisters; Louvinia Crocker Pilgrim and Fannie Crocker Higginbotham.
Funeral services will be 2 PM Wednesday at Ware Shoals First Baptist Church with Rev. Leon Jones and Rev. Dan Compton officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM Tuesday at Parker-White Funeral Home. The body will be placed in the church at 1 P.M. Wednesday. Memorials may be made to Ware Shoals First Baptist Church, PO Box 449, Ware Shoals, SC 29692.
PAID OBITUARY

Flora Lee Hill

SALUDA – Flora Lee Blocker Hill, 85, formerly of 137 Perry Road, widow of Willie Hill, died Sunday, May 1, 2005 at Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Saluda County, she was a daughter of the late John and Inez Stevens Blocker. She was a member of New Salem CME Church and was a domestic worker.
Survivors include two sons, Jessie Hill and A.C. Hill, both of Saluda; five daughters, Edna Baker and Rosetta Hall, both of Johnston, Velma J. Barnes, Lois H. Cannon and Willie Mae Hill, all of Saluda; 23 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services are 3 p.m. Thursday at New Salem CME Church, conducted by the Rev. Wendy Price, assisted by Minister Annette Mathis. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are grandsons.
Flower bearers are granddaughters.
The family is at the home.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home is in charge.

Mary Blanton Stearns

GREENVILLE — Mary Blanton Stearns, 74, of 2010 Brushy Creek Road, formerly of East North Street, widow of Bobby “Bob” Gene Stearns, died Sunday, May 1, 2005.
Born in Enoree, she was a daughter of the late Leander and Sarah Waddle Blanton. She was a graduate of Winthrop College and taught elementary school for many years in Greenwood and Greenville school districts. A member of East North Street Baptist Church, she was a former Sunday School teacher and was active with the Senior Adult Ministries. She was also a volunteer with Eastside Crisis Center for many years.
Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Mark (Barbara S.) Ridenour of Dayton, Md.; two brothers, James Blanton of Cross Anchor and Rodney Blanton of Greenwood; and two grandsons.
Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at East North Street Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Cletus Lynch. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Visitation is 6-8 Wednesday at Mackey Mortuary.
Memorials may be made to Eastside Crisis Center, c/o East Park Baptist Church, 12 Ebaugh Ave., Greenville, SC 29607.
The Mackey Mortuary is in charge.

James ‘Bo’ Williams

James Boyce “Bo” Williams, 61, of 725 Highway 221 S., husband of Teresa Colvin Williams, died Saturday, April 30, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Abbeville, he was a son of the late Boston Williams and Marian Brewer Hunnicutt. He was an employee of Greenwood Mills.
Survivors include his wife of Ware Shoals and a brother, George Thomas Williams of Greenwood. A memorial service is 3 p.m. today at the home, 725 Highway 221 S., conducted by the Rev. Wanda White.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Moore pitches gem for Vikes

Junior shuts out Chesnee in opener

May 3, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

With the way he was working on the mound, all Blake Moore needed was one run.
And the Emerald High School junior pitcher got that precious score when senior clean-up hitter Justin Lovvorn doubled home Brandon Miller in the fifth.
Moore took care of the rest, going the distance for a complete-game shutout — the first of his high school career — to lead the Vikings to a 1-0 win over Chesnee Monday in the opening round of the Class AA Upper State baseball tournament.
“We didn’t swing the bats as well as we’re capable of doing, but I had faith that we would get the job done,” Moore said. “I kept saying ‘the only thing I need is one run,’ and that’s what I got. Lovvorn stepped up and got a big base hit.
“We’ve never made it this far and it’s great. I’m doing it for the whole team, but mainly for the seniors. We want to put them out on a winning note.”
The Vikings (22-5) advance to the winner’s bracket and will play 7 tonight at Liberty, which defeated Broome Friday.
“It’s huge,” Emerald coach Chad Evans said of his team’s victory. “This is as far as we’ve ever been anyway, but to pick up a win 1-0 is exciting. It’s big for us.”
It was a classic pitching matchup between the 5-foot-6 finesse-pitching Moore and the Eagles’ hard-throwing Travis Botts.
But Moore earned his sixth win of the season by striking out 10 Chesnee batters through seven innings while allowing only four hits — all singles — walking one and hitting one.
“He (Moore) pitched his guts out today,” Evans said.
“He’s given us quality starts over the last two years. If you hold somebody to one run it’s fabulous, but he shut them out.”
“He wasn’t overpowering anybody. He was just hitting his spots, and doing exactly what a good pitcher supposed to do.
“This is as good a performance as he’s ever done.”
Botts surrendered eight hits and walked three Emerald batters, but he left nine of those Vikings stranded on base.
Sophomore Brandon Miller proved to be the one Emerald base-runner to make the 360-foot jaunt around the basepaths.
Miller, who was 2-for-2 with a walk, smacked a one-out single into right in the fifth. After senior Wade Scott flew out deep to center, Lovvorn took his wide stance in the batter’s box.
With a 1-1 count, Evans signaled for a hit-and-run. Miller took off for second on Botts’ windup and Lovvorn crushed the fastball into left-center, scoring Miller from first.
The run came at a critical time for Moore and his defense. From the third through the sixth innings, the Emerald junior retired eight consecutive batters, six by strikeouts, including fanning the side in the fifth.
“Everything was working for me today, all three of my pitches, and that’s what it takes,” Moore said.
Chesnee’s Drew Gregg ended Moore’s run with a single to center in the sixth. However, Gregg, who had three of his team’s four hits, went no further, as Moore got Kevin Cash to pop out to Miller in foul ground, and then struck out Derek Horne to end the inning.
Moore did face his share of trouble. He hit Matthew Painter with a pitch to load the bases with two outs in the second, but he worked out of it by fanning Kyle Blanton.
The Vikings also had the bags full in the bottom half of the inning when Botts walked Moore to load the bases. But Botts ended the inning by getting Milton Brown to fly out to Horne at first.

Ron Cox covers prep sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ronc@indexjournal.com

Cameron’s offense sparks Lady ’Cats

May 3, 2005

By BRIAN HOWARD
Assistant sports editor

NINETY SIX — Kristi Cameron scored three goals and added two assists to lift the Ninety Six High School girls soccer team to a 7-0 victory over Chapman at Wilson-Campbell Stadium Monday in the opening round of the Class AA/A playoffs.
The Lady Wildcats (9-4) advanced to Wednesday’s second round at Woodruff.
“I know they (Woodruff) have two or three up front that are pretty good,” Ninety Six coach Brian Neal said. “We’ve got to try to slow their offense down a bit and see if we can get something generated on the other side.”
Ninety Six wasted little time getting its first goal, scoring in the third minute.
Cameron received a give-and-go pass from Kaitlin Rexrode about 25 yards out shot past Chapman keeper Jessica Harris and into the right top corner for the 1-0 lead.
“We practice that a lot, taking those outside shots,” Cameron said. “You never come out expecting to score that many goals.”
Eleven minutes later, Cameron assisted on the Lady Wildcats’ second goal, playing a ball into the middle of the penalty area, as Rexrode tapped in for a 2-0 advantage.
Ashley Williams gave the Lady Wildcats a 3-0 lead with two minutes remaining in the first half, scoring off a turnover.
“We got a little flustered (in the first half) with some calls and with the physical play, and we just needed to get back to doing what we do,” Neal said.
Cameron got her second goal in the 55th minute, from a cross by Williams, giving Ninety Six a 4-0 lead. Rexrode had the Lady Wildcats’ fifth goal from an assist by Cameron in the 65th minute, and two minutes later Nicole Moon gave Ninety Six a 6-0 lead, scoring on a penalty kick.
Cameron got her third goal in the 75th minute on a corner kick that went past Harris.
Harris finished with seven saves for the Lady Panthers (5-6), while Samantha Stewart had one for Ninety Six.

Wilkins could help nation and state in his new post

May 3, 2005

Rumors have turned into reality for Rep. David Wilkins, Speaker of the S. C. House of Representatives, He has been named U. S. ambassador to Canada by President George Bush.
Being Speaker of the House has been a high calling in the Palmetto State. It carries prestige and power. It takes a lot to leave that post. Being ambassador to the nation’s biggest trading partner, however, is something anyone would find difficult to turn down.
Wilkins has been a good Speaker, and it will take a little time for his replacement to be elected by the members of the House and a little more time for the new Speaker to get accustomed to the routine ….. not to mention, of course, that prestige and power.

ONE CANDIDATE IS GREENWOOD native, Rep. Jim Harrison, who represents Richland County in the Legislature. Harrison has a good shot at the post, too, having distinguished himself through ability, knowledge of government and service as chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee. One other thing speaks for Harrison. He has “likeability,” always a plus. He would be yet another in a long line of respected and effective Speakers.
S. C. Senator Lindsey Graham praised the appointment of Wilkins. He said, “Canada’s gain is our state’s loss. David Wilkins will be remembered as one of the greatest Speakers of the House in South Carolina history.
“President Bush could not have chosen a more effective and talented ambassador to represent the United States’ interests than David Wilkins.

“HIS ASSIGNMENT TO CANADA, one of our most important diplomatic posts, demonstrates the faith President Bush has in his abilities. It also reflects well on our state that he was chosen for this tremendous opportunity.”
Wilkins will represent well the interests of this nation and its people. In recent times there have been occasions when some Canadians have been critical of the U. S., even downright antagonistic. Wilkins has the temperament to handle awkward situations with calm and reason. If fact, if he can be effective in the S. C. House, he can be effective anywhere. He will indeed be an effective diplomat when diplomacy is needed most.
It just happens, of course, that Canadian Days along South Carolina’s Grand Strand is one of the most important tourism events in the state. Having a South Carolinians as ambassador to Canada can’t hurt in that respect, either.