'This is a fantastic day'

Greenwood church celebrates completion of new wing

March 6, 2006

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

“The building is over, but the purpose for the building is just beginning,” the Rev. David Little told a congregation Sunday at South Main Street Baptist Church.
Little, director of missions for the Lakelands Baptist Association, was one of several speakers and more than 700 people who attended a special service at the church in celebration of a new wing, which was just completed. The three-story, 30,000-square-foot structure will house a multi-purpose room, classrooms and a floor dedicated entirely to children’s programs.
After two years of planning, ground was broken on the facility in October 2003 and, after extensive excavations, construction started in February 2004. Sunday’s celebration was the first time members of the congregation were allowed into the new wing and members of the congregation chattered excitedly as they filed in for their first look. Though the entire building was open for tours, a reception was set up in the multipurpose room, called “The Connecting Place,” which will be used for contemporary worship services, receptions and banquets, among other things. “It’s almost like a conference center,” said Tom Jordan, chairman of the design and construction committee. “There’s nothing else like it in Greenwood.”
Jordan said the The Connecting Place can be divided into three rooms, and it connects to the gymnasium for a large seating capacity.
The entire wing was constructed to meet the desires of the congregation and emphasis was placed on providing space for children’s programs, including preschool classes and Sunday school, all of which are housed on the first floor. “This is a fantastic day in the life of this church,” Jordan said.
Church Administrator David Corbitt said the children’s floor was something congregation members listed as very important on their list of priorities for the new wing.
He said he hopes that emphasis will help the church to put more focus on its children’s ministry and reach out to more members of the community who have preschool-age children and want them to learn in a Christian environment.
“We’re very excited about the possibilities,” Corbitt said.
For information about the preschool program and services at South Main Street Baptist Church, call 223-4377.

Greenwood’s Ples Holmes among those
to be honored at new Air Force Memorial

March 6, 2006

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

Having served nearly 29 years in the Air Force, Ples Holmes, of Greenwood, says he’s thrilled to see a national Air Force Memorial finally going up in Washington and is honored to have his name associated with it.
As a Charter Sponsor of the Air Force Memorial, Holmes is one of a number of people who served or are serving in the Air Force who will have his name displayed permanently at the monument. The display will be digital, similar to displays at the World War II Memorial, Andrea Rodway, of the Air Force Memorial Foundation, said.
Holmes said he can’t talk much about his time in the Air Force, as much of his work was classified, but he say he is proud of his service to his country and is glad to see a memorial going up in honor of Americans, such as himself, who have given so much to their country.
The memorial is being created in honor of the past, present and future members of the Air Force and in commemoration of their service to the nation.
It will be unveiled this October, with a dedication ceremony taking place Oct. 14 and 15. Holmes said he plans to be in attendance for the event, along with family and friends. Holmes is a father of three and a grandfather. Oldest son Serge followed in Holmes’ footsteps and served in the Air Force, Holmes said. He was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base and now resides in Sumter. Holmes’ youngest son Patrick played professional basketball in Europe and resides in Switzerland, and Holmes’ daughter Marguerite resides in Massachusetts with her mother, whom Holmes met while stationed in France.
The Air Force memorial is to be located at a promontory point of land known as the Naval Annex. The site overlooks the Pentagon from the southwest. The design of the memorial is to be bold and graceful, a representation of the Air Force and all it is, said Rodway.
Central to the design are three stainless steel spires which soar skyward. Other key elements of the Memorial include a bronze Honor Guard and an open glass Chamber of Contemplation, all landscaped to create a memorial park and parade ground overlooking the nation’s capital. No names will be etched into the memorial because of cost, Rodway said.
For information about the Air Force Memorial or to make a contribution to the project, visit the Foundation online at www.airforcememorial.org. The registry of Charter Sponsors is permanently listed on that site, also.

Flipsters ready to host state meet

March 6, 2006

By JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writer

Though there will be plenty of team spirit displayed on the outside of the 300 duffle bags slung over the shoulders of gymnasts from all across South Carolina, at least one of those bags that will rest in the corners of the Greenwood Family YMCA this weekend will have a little bit of spirit on the inside.
Eleven-year-old Abby Lay said she carries her angel bear with her to all her gymnastic meets for good luck when she competes with the Greenwood Flipsters.
She said her bear, along with a lucky “gymnast” charm bracelet that grows after each meet, will definitely be present when Greenwood hosts to the annual state gymnastics meet for the first time this weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday, 31 gymnastic teams will come to the Greenwood YMCA to compete in levels six through 10 for a chance to advance to regionals and compete with gymnasts from eight surrounding states.
Flipsters coach Jodi Davis said the top 300 gymnasts from the state will be competing in the basketball gym that will be filled with floor mats, uneven bars, beams and vaults.
She said of the 18 girls competing with Greenwood Flipsters, three have a good chance at going to regionals.
“We try not to put any added pressure on them because they already know it’s a one shot deal,” Davis said.
“For them, it will be great to shine and let their hard work show. They all work so hard.”
The girls, ranging in age from 10 to 18, practice about 18 hours a week, and Davis said almost all of them are A-or B-average students who have worked hard and progressed in the last few weeks.
Though the girls will not have a home-gym advantage because equipment is being brought into the larger facility to accommodate the masses, many of the girls said it will alleviate some of their nervousness that builds in hotels while traveling.
“It makes me feel more calm because I can just think of it as a practice and it makes me less nervous,” said 12-year-old Mabrey Smith, a Level 8 Flipster. “I’ll still be a little bit nervous, but I’ll be confident because I’ve been doing really well this season.”
Lay, who will compete at Level 6, said she usually gets nervous driving to meets, but won’t have time to since the gym is close.
For 18-year-old Laurel Smoak, the upcoming meet brings a different case of nerves. After 10 years of competing and having tumbled in gymnastics class since she was a toddler, the Level 9 gymnast is also worried about making it to regionals before she graduates and attends Winthrop University.
Though she said she would like to coach while attending school, if she does not qualify for regionals, it could be the last time Smoak competes on the gym floor.
“It’s my last meet, so I want to do good in it,” Smoak said. “I’d like to hit all my routines, stick them. It’s a good feeling because you know you worked hard for it.”
Fourteen-year-old Becca Sampson, who started taking gymnastics after seeing the Olympics as a first-grader, said she’s not nervous about the meet, but looks forward to showing the community how good the team is as she will compete among other Level 7 gymnasts.
“I go in and take a deep breath and say, ‘I can do good,’” said Sampson, who hopes to improve her consistency on the bars to match her already powerful tumbling. “If I believe I can do good, it’s a better chance I can do good.” Sampson said the sisterhood on the team will be noticeable to outsiders.
Often spending as much time with each other in the gym as they do with their families at home, Sampson said the girls fight like sisters but support each other like family.
“We come in and talk about life and when we leave, we give each other hugs,” she said. “It makes me want to do as good as them. It gives me the perspective to try to achieve as much as they have and work harder.”
Gymnastics director Janada Jay said seeing the kids tumble and flip on a four-inch beam and swing from bars 15 feet off the ground is something that she hopes will draw in the community to support the girls in the peak of their season.
“These are children,” Jay said. “This is not something you see every day.”

Opinion

Pitiful graduation rate costs everyone in S.C.

March 6, 2006

School dropouts and pitiful graduation rates obviously don’t mean much to some of us. That costs everyone ... big! More than 31,000 students did not graduate from the state’s high schools in 2004. That, says the Alliance for Excellent Education, cost the state more than $8 billion over their lifetimes. That comes in lost wages, taxes and productivity.
That, however, may just be the top of the heap. Alliance president and former governor of West Virginia Bob Wise, says that’s a conservative estimate. “There’s so much more that it doesn’t include -- like the much higher earnings that would be realized if some of the kids not only got their high school diploma but also went on to college. Nor does it take into account the losses related to dropouts from previous or future years.”

(THE ALLIANCE FOR EXCELLENT Education is “a Washington-based policy, research, and advocacy organization that works to make every child a graduate, prepared for postsecondary education, and success in life. It is funded by the Leeds Family, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Daniels Fund, as well as by other concerned foundations and individuals.”).
It goes without saying, to be sure, that those who don’t graduate already have two strikes against them. This is nothing new, of course. Still, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to get across to some students - and parents - that there is no substitute for education. When so many people spend so much time, energy and money making education available, no one has yet found a way to keep kids in school until they get a diploma.

SOME JUST DON’T WANT TO go to school ..... for a variety of reasons. They manage not to finish ..... for a variety of reasons. Some simply disrupt.
There are other problems, too. That’s obvious. To improve matters, every possibility should be explored, whether it’s new kinds of schools, government mandates or some other idea. It’s obvious something’s needed. Simple economics demands it. We cannot afford to reject any idea, proposal or plan without weighing the pros and cons. To let anything overrule that would be foolish.
No matter how we feel about the issues, we know we haven’t found the answers in the present system so it would be smart to rule nothing out. There must be a way to graduate more than half of our students. So, if business as usual isn’t getting it done, look for a different and better way.

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

Obituaries

Joe Prince Bryan

Joe Prince Bryan, 80, of 1110 Marshall Road, Apt. 4019 Treehouse, husband of Helen Gentry Bryan, died Sunday, March 5, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services are 3 p.m. Tuesday at Harris Funeral Home. Burial is at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Little Stevenson Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Edgefield.
Visitation is 1-2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Harris Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Harris Funeral Home, Abbeville, is in charge.

Jim Buchanan

NINETY SIX — James Rally “Jim” Buchanan, 60, of 108 Cape Charles Court, Harbor Heights, Ninety Six, husband of Betty Anne Richbourg Buchanan, died Saturday, March 04, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Charleston, he was a son of the late Rally F. and Bernice Calhoun Buchanan. He retired from the SC Employment Security Commission after 32 years of service. He was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church.
Surviving is his wife of the home; two daughters, Marcella H. Pate of Ninety Six and Michelle H. Brown of Dallas, TX; six grandchildren, Jeffrey Trent Jones and James Brett Jones, both of Ninety Six, Brittany Anne Barker of Greenwood, Weston T. Brown, Alexandria Brown and Harrison Brown, all of Dallas, TX; and three great grandchildren.
Graveside services will be 11:00 am Tuesday at Bethlehem Cemetery with the Rev. Sherrill Green and the Rev. Stephen Todd officiating.
Pallbearers will be Sammy Drake, Bob Calhoun, Tommy Calhoun, Bill Calhoun, Mike Calhoun, Tommy Fulmer, Phillip Calhoun and Paul Walker.
Honorary escort will be Chip Galphin, Byron Collier, Larry Rogers, Bruce Culbertson, Palmer Ray, Jim Calhoun, Donnie Calhoun, Tom Anderson, Jeff Jones and Gerald Boyd.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice House, HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to the Faith Home, PO Box 39, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Patsy Harper Everett

GREENVILLE — Patsy Earline Harper Everett, 64, of 7 Garren Drive, died on Saturday, March 4, 2006.
Services will be announced by Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Northwest.

Ray Golden

DONALDS — James Ray Golden, 67, of 274 Johnny Martin Road, husband of Joy Seawright Golden, died Saturday, March 4, 2006 at his home.
Born in Ware Shoals, he was a son of the late William Wayman Golden and Lottie Mahaffey Golden. He was a member of Greenville Presbyterian Church and was retired with a total of 27 years service as Band Director with Ninety Six Schools, Greenwood District 52 and Belton-Honea Path Schools, Anderson District 2. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
He is survived by his wife of the home, two daughters; Dawn Yeargin and husband Don of Donalds and Tonya Smith of Honea Path, one brother; Lyman Golden of Ware Shoals, two sisters; Becky McAbee of Ware Shoals and Terri Russell of Greer, three grandchildren; Dawn Marie Yeargin of Anderson, Amber Rae Yeargin and Katie Joy Wertz both of Donalds.
Funeral services will be 4 P.M. Tuesday at Greenville Presbyterian Church with Rev. Jonathan Bowling, Dr. George Wilson, and Donald Yeargin officiating. Burial will follow in the Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 P.M. Monday at Pruitt Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Ray Golden Band Account, Box 127 , Donalds, SC 29638. The family is at the home of Mrs. Don (Dawn) Yeargin, 272 Johnny Martin Road.
PAID OBITUARY

Linda L. Gunnells

ANDERSON — Linda Loftis Gunnells, 64, of 813 S. McDuffie St., widow of Donald Edward “Tim” Gunnells, died Sunday, March 5, ,2006 at Anderson Area Medical Center.
Born in Anderson County, she was a daughter of the late James Ray and Sadie Davis Loftis. She had been employed by Riegel Textile Corp. and was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, Edward Gunnells, Donalds; a daughter, Annette Gunnells Alewine, Donalds; two sisters, Annie L. Hafner, Liberty and Maureen L. Whitt, Anderson; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services are 3 p.m. Tuesday at Parker-White Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Floyd Stansell. Burial is in Ware Shoals Cemetery.
Pallbearers are James Hafner, Mike Davis, Gary Gunnells, Bryan Rhodes, James Allen, Bruce Alewine and Dennis McCullough.
Visitation is 2-3 Tuesday at Parker-White Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of Jenny Alewine, 459 Turkey Creek Drive, Ware Shoals.
Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, is in charge.

Audrey Hodges

Audrey Sprouse Hodges, 85, of 402 Willowbrook Road, widower of Richard R. Hodges died Sunday, March 05, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Abbeville County, she was the daughter of the late Carl Samuel and Roxie Presher Sprouse. She was formerly employed by Lullaby Nursery and retired from the canteen of Dixie Monsanto Plant. Mrs. Hodges was a member of Laurel Baptist Church where she was a part of Leary Sunday School Class.
She was predeceased by a son, Richard Daniel Hodges.
Survivors include a son, Calvin B. Hodges of Hodges; five daughters, Billie Rae Hodges of the home, Sara Ann H. Hollingsworth of Greenville, Glenda H. Elgin of Jacksonville, Fl, Sandra H. Jones and Gail H. McCall of Abbeville; six grandchildren, Carol Hollingsworth McManus, Cynthia Hope Jones, Eric Fred Hollingsworth, John Richard McCall, Nicole H. Murray and Karla Elgin; three God grandchildren, Josh Strange, Adam Strange and Townsend Strange; and three great grandchildren, Chaz McManus, Ricky Jones and Amber Williams.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Cone and Dr. Robirds for all their care.
Services will be 4:00 pm Tuesday at Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Todd Johnson, Rev. Darrell Rooks and Rev. Benny Riddlehoover officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be John McCall, Eric Hollingsworth, Jimmy Sprouse, John Sprouse, Josh Strange, Adam Strange, Douglas Bolt and Paul Jones.
Honorary escort will be the members of the Leary Sunday School Class, Dena Mobley, Blanch and Shorty Adams, Mary Staples, Louise Roton, Jack and Brenda Latham, June Funderburk, Terry, Betty and Townsend Strange, Sybil Strickland, Greg Murray, Emmitt Smith, Adam Jones, Grant Jones, Thomas Harrison, Fred Sprouse, Richard Sprouse and the Rev. Stanley Sprouse.
The body is at the Harley Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 7:00pm to 9:00pm on Monday. The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Laurel Baptist Church, 330 Sample Road Greenwood, SC 29649.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.
PAID OBITUARY

Infant Joe Prince

ABBEVILLE — Joe Prince, infant son of Richard Lee and Jennifer Kelley Prince, died Sunday, March 5, 2006 at Abbeville County Memorial Hospital.
Services will be announced by The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home.

Elizabeth J. Watts

WATERLOO — Elizabeth J. Watts, 73, of Riverfork Road, wife of Otis “Shine” Watts, died Sunday, March 5, 2006 at St. Francis Hospital in Greenville.
Born in Oconee County, she was a daughter of the late Floyd and Emily Crumpton Jones. She was a homemaker and a member of Bethlehem Union Church.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a brother, Jimmy Jones, Lake Greenwood.
Graveside services are 5 p.m. Tuesday at Sacred Acres Cemetery, conducted by the Rev. Tommy Wooten. The body will be placed at the cemetery at 4 p.m.
Pallbearers are Jimmy Madden, Jerry Watts, Rick Taylor and Randy Jones.
Visitation is at the home of Perry Watts, following the service.
The family is at the home of Perry Watts, 39 Expo Trail, Waterloo.
Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, is in charge.

Sally Butler Wilkinson

PATTERSON, N.J. — Sally Butler Wilkinson, 66, died Friday, March 3, 2006 at St. Joseph Regional Hospital.
Services will be announced by Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.