Speaker tells Lander’s Class of 2006
to love what you do, who you do it with

May 7, 2006

By VIC MacDONALD
Index-Journal regional editor

THE CEREMONY: 11 a.m. Saturday at Finis Horne Arena. As a member of the Lander University Board of Trustees, former coach Finis Horne was on the stage for the ceremony.
NUMBER OF GRADUATES: more than 280
SPEAKER: Albert “Al” Walker, president of Al Walker and Associates Inc., a firm dedicated to helping businesses and individuals solve problems.
WHAT HE SAID: Set goals. Five years ago, Walker made a goal to lose weight primarily because of fear — fear of dying — “fear helped me set that goal.” Set your goals high — don’t be afraid to shoot too high and miss; most people shoot too low and hit. “Love what you do, and the people you do it with.” In addition to the five senses and the God-given sixth sense, or intuition, people have a “seventh sense, a sense of humor.”
“Everyone in the room has one,” Walker said. “Some people have not used theirs in a long, long time.”
WHAT GRADUATES ARE MOST LIKELY TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE SPEECH: Walker lost 204 pounds from a weight of 455 pounds. Five women, all Lander graduates, are important in his life, but there were other important “women” in his life — including Mrs. Fields, Sara Lee and Aunt Jemimah. He said a person told him about the garlic diet — you don’t lose weight but you look better at a distance.
SOUNDS OF THE DAY: Waves of laughter from the audience as Walker spoke. Recessional “Trio from March No. 4” that ended before the graduates had exited — “Don’t stop the music,” an audience member said as the graduates filed past, and some of the audience exited early.
OVERHEARD: “I feel like I’m back in high school,” graduate headed to photo session in PEES Gym. “I’m just following the guy in front of me,” graduate leaving the Horne Arena.
FASHION STATEMENT: Bejeweled mortarboards with spelled out “AKA.” Anthony Montgomery, from York, wearing yellow shoes, a yellow tie and a mortarboard with pictures of ducks. Brightly colored stoles with fraternities’ and sororities’ colors and letters adorning the cloth.
NOTABLE GRADUATES: Ivana Petrovic, Belgrade, Serbia, magna cum laude, political science, business administration; Anna Duernhofer, Nuernberg, Germany, and Felix Stark, Karlstadt, Germany, both environmental science.
LOUDEST APPLAUSE: Following the final degree awarding, the arena-capacity audience broke into loud, sustained applause for the 2006 graduating class. They applauded back, pointed into the crowd, shouted and held their diplomas in the air — just one cap when flying, landing on a chair, as the graduates were filing out.
WHAT THE FAMILIES WERE SAYING: “It was a real fun day,” said Janet Ferguson, of Abbeville, whose daughter Amanda graduated with an elementary education degree. She found graduate Drew Weir, Cave Springs, Arkansas, in the crowd afterward and got a picture of Drew and Amanda together. “They’ve become good friends. We’ve enjoyed feeding him once in a while.” Drew, a history/psychology major, said he was headed back to Arkansas to get a job. Amanda hopes to teach at Westwood Elementary.
“It’s a terrific day but a bittersweet day,” said the Rev. Scott Smith, collegiate minister, Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Lander, of presenting daughter and honor graduate Cherry Lynne Smith the final degree of the ceremony. It is Lander tradition that staff and faculty who have a son or daughter graduating present the diploma. Cherry is a visual arts graduate who next will seek an art design degree from Piedmont Tech. “I remember the day she was born,” said her proud dad, who’s been at Lander 22 years. “Suddenly, it hit me, as she was standing in line. It’s a sweet day.” The Smiths will get to do this again — their son is a rising junior at Lander.

Mary Jo Adair

Laurens — Mary Jo Bonds Adair, 62, of 205 Lake Street, wife of Philip S. Adair, died Friday, May 5, 2006.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late John Calvin and Mary Ellen Coleman Bonds of Ware Shoals, was Executive Secretary for Kendall Health Care in Greenwood, was a member and church pianist of Wayside Baptist Church, and had been a pianist for her churches since the age of fourteen.
Surviving in addition to her husband are one daughter, Donna Jo Smith of San Pedro, CA; one son, Chris Hughes of Laurens; one sister, Sally Bonds Wasson of Laurens; seven grandchildren, Benjamin, Caleb, Cole, Mason and Evan Smith of CA, Thomas and John Calvin Hughes of Laurens; three nephews, Donald White of Rock Hill, Michael White of Radford, VA and Hew Wasson of Charleston.
Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Monday, May 8, 2006 at Wayside Baptist Church conducted by Rev. Gerald Crawford with burial in Westview Memorial Park.
The family is at the residence and will receive friends at Kennedy Mortuary from 7:00 to 8:30 PM Sunday.
The Kennedy Mortuary, Laurens
PAID OBITUARY

Adell Arttaway

McCORMICK — Adell Arttaway, 78, widow of Elijah Arttaway, died Friday, May, 5, 2006 at McCormick Healthcare.
Born in Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late Ora Watson Nash. She was a member of Abyssinian Baptist Church, Philadelphia.
Survivors include a son, Royston Arttaway of Philadelphia; two sisters, Elsie Partlow and Dorothy Edwards of Hodges; four grandchildren.
The family is at the home of a sister, Elsie Partlow, 3605 Cokesbury Road, Hodges.
Services will be announced by Percival -Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net

Brenda “Jackie” Chappell

Brenda “Jackie” Wallace Chappell, 44, of 412 Siloam Road., wife of Robert Earl Chappell, died Friday, May 5, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Saluda County, she was a daughter of Zonnie and Dorothy Bates Wallace. She was employed by Self Regional Medical Center in the hostess department. A 1979 Saluda High School graduate, she was a member of Young Mount Zion Baptist Church, the Gospel Chorus, and was a church usher.
Survivors include her husband of the home; her parents of Chappells, a brother, Maurice Wallace of Philadelphia, a sister, Marilyn Wallace of Chappells, four half sisters, Twinetta Adams and Cassandra Jones, both of Greenwood, Valerie Carter of Mauldin, and Michelle Philippeaux of Norristown, Pa.; maternal grandmother, Edith Bridges of Philadelphia.
Services are 2 p.m. Tuesday at Young Mount Zion Baptist Church, Saluda, conducted by the Rev. Robert Livingston, assisted by the Rev. Anthony Robinson. Burial is in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 1.
Pallbearers and flower bearers are friends of the family.
Honorary escorts are employees of Self Regional Medical Center hostess department.
Viewing begins 1 p.m. Monday at Butler & Sons Funeral Home.
The family is at the home and the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Zonnie Wallace, 222 Branch Hill Road, Chappells.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home, Saluda, is in charge.

Ann M. Christie

EDGEFIELD — Mrs. Ann Martin Nixon Christie, 71, of Plum Branch Rd. died Friday, 5-5-2006 at Medical College of Georgia.
Funeral Services will be held Monday 5-8-2006 at 11 A.M. at Berea Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery.
Mrs. Christie was a native of Barnwell County and was a member of Berea Baptist Church. She was the owner and Administrator of Forrest View Manor Retirement Center.
Survivors include 3 daughters - Daran Ann (Danny) Felts, Pleasantview, Tenn., Vonne (Maxie) Bullock, McCormick, S.C., Kim (Walter) Sansbury, Greenwood, S.C., 1 Son — Mark (Connie) Nixon, Aiken, S.C. 3 Step-daughters — Wanda (Carroll) Wates, Debbie (Randy) Wates, both of Edgefield, Tracie (Robert) Godfrey, Hodges, S.C. 1 Step-son — Greg (Beth) Christie, Edgefield, 1 Sister — Daisy Jones, Elko, S.C., 3 Brothers — Laverne Martin, Blackville, D.H. Martin, Jr., Springfield, Jimmy Martin, Cordovia. 21 Grandchildren and 5 Great-Grandchildren.
The family is at the home and will receive friends from 3 to 6 P.M. Sunday at Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home.
PAID OBITUARY

James ‘Bobby’ Elledge

WARE SHOALS — James Robert “Bobby” Elledge, 76, of 55 E. Honea Path St., husband of Corrine Saxton Elledge, died Friday, May 5, 2006 at Wesley Commons.
Born in Greenwood County, he was a son of the late Joe Elledge Sr. and Queen Nubern Elledge. He retired from Erskine College maintenance department and was a member of Ware Shoals Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two sons, Charles W. Elledge of Ware Shoals and James Ray Elledge of Piedmont; three daughters, Judy Elaine Conyers of Greenwood, Joyce Ann Bowlin of Statesville, N.C., and Tammy Jean Morrison of Hickory, N.C.; a brother, Steve Elledge of Greenwood; two sisters, Ruthie Cooper and Virginia Turner, both of Waterloo; 10 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Monday at Ware Shoals Pentecostal Holiness Church, conducted by the Rev. Lawrence Johnson. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in Oakbrook Memorial Park. Pallbearers are Curtis Johnson, Tony Perry, Mark Conyers, Jackie Bowlin, Dallas Johnson and Roy Manley.
Visitation is 7-9 p.m. Sunday at Parker-White Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Parker-White Funeral Home is in charge.

Robley Lee “Bob” Moore

IVA — Robley Lee “Bob” Moore, 78, husband of the late Betty L .Moore, died Friday, May 5, 2006 at his residence. Mr. Moore was born in Forsyth County, NC to the late Robley T. and Iva Nixon Moore. He worked for the City of Abbeville at the Hydro Plant and had retired from Western Electric. Mr. Moore served in the United States Navy.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Earl Moore.
Mr. Moore is survived by his two sons, Robley T. Moore and Mack L. Moore and his wife Bonnie all of Antreville, a daughter, Joyce L. Ehlke and her husband Tom of Santa Rosa Beach, FL., two grandsons, Jason Svitenko and Mathew Svitenko and his wife Mandy, one great-grandson, Mason Svitenko, three step-grandchildren, Danae Tippett, Ronald S. Branyon, Jr., and Kenneth R. Branyon, three step-great-grandchildren, Zak Tippett, Kobly Tippett, and McKenzie Branyon, two brothers, Rufus A. Moore of Three Rivers, TX, and Phillip J. Moore of Hillsborough, VA.
The family will receive friends from 5:00PM to 7:00PM Monday, May 8, 2006 at Harris Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the National Rifle Association PO Box 420648 Palm Coast, FL.
Online condolences may be sent to the Moore family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME, of Abbeville is assisting the Moore family.
PAID OBITUARY

George R. Murphy

JAMES ISLAND — George R. Murphy, 40, died Saturday, April 29, 2006, in Las Vegas, of an unexpected natural cause.
Born in Hollywood, Fla., he was a son of Sally and Dr. Joseph A. Murphy. He was reared in South Carolina, attending Cambridge Academy and Greenwood High School in Greenwood and graduating from Thornwell High School, Clinton, in 1984. He attended Canterbury Prep School, Milford, Conn., attended the University of Iowa on a football scholarship and went to the Rose Bowl and three other Bowls. Graduating in 1989, he was a four-year letterman and received the Most Valuable Special Teams Player Award in his senior year. He was owner and manager of dance clubs in Hilton Head, Savannah, Ga., and Nashville, Tenn. His most recent business was in Charleston County.
Survivors include a daughter, Audrey Murphy; his daughter’s mother, Jennifer; his parents; a brother, Joseph A. Murphy III of Las Vegas; a sister, Nancy Murphy of James Island. A memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday at Rock Bridge Presbyterian Church, Highway 72, Clinton. Memorials may be made to the Audrey Murphy Scholarship Fund, Bank of America, c/o Elizabeth D. McKinney, 1063 Old Milton Road, Clinton, SC 29325.
Gray Funeral Home, Clinton, is in charge.

Anne P. Scott

RICHMOND, VA. — Anne P. Scott died peacefully on May 3, 2006. She is survived by her daughter, Constance A. Scott and son, T. Logan Scott and his wife, M. Katharine Donohoe. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence T. Scott.
Anne’s career began on Wall Street as an executive secretary for numerous firms and continued at the University of Richmond where she retired after 24 years of service. Anne was devoted to her family and was active as a leader in her church and community.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 13 at 3 p.m. at Westminster Canterbury. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Westminster Canterbury Fellowship Fund at 1600 Westbrook Ave., Richmond, Virginia, 23227.
Bennett Funeral Home.
PAID OBITUARY

Jackson, Smith win titles at S.C. track and field finals

May 7, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Athletes from seven Lakelands area high schools competed in the South Carolina track and field state championships Saturday at Spring Valley High School in Columbia.
The highlights of the day came from Emerald junior discus thrower Louis Jackson and Dixie triple jumper Jasmine Smith.
Jackson won the state title in Class AA in the discus with a throw of 149 feet, 6 inches, while Smith won the triple jump in Class A with a leap if 36 feet, 3/4 inches.
“I’m just shocked,” Jackson said. “I don’t know what to say. It’s an honor to be a state champion. I’ll always carry that with me. I really am in shock.”
Jackson stated before the contest that he wanted to throw the discus 160 feet.
He said he was surprised that his mark of 149-6 was good enough for the title. He edged Region III-AA rival Marcus Goode, of Mid-Carolina, by just over a foot.
“Me and (Goode) have been competing all year,” Jackson said. “He beat me at the region meet, thankfully I won it here.”
The Vikings boys team finished tied for sixth as a team in AA.
Smith was beaming after her A state title.
“I’m just giddy,” Smith said. “I was really nervous after looking at the seed sheet, because I wasn’t favored. I’m just ecstatic!”
The Lady Hornets were fourth as a team.
The day got off to a good start for the Greenwood boys. The Eagles 4x100 relay team, whose race began at 9 a.m., blazed around the Spring Valley track in 42.73 seconds, good for second place in AAAA division.
Greenwood sprinter Xavier Dye, who ran the second leg of the race for the Eagles, said the squad was pleased with the finish, particularly after last year’s eighth place performance.
“It feels really good to get second, honestly,” Dye said. “We almost had it, it was close. I was peeking around the corner to see if we had done it.”
The relay was just the first second place finish of the day for Greenwood. Eagles’ Jumper Chad Phillips won second place in the AAAA high jump. Phillips’ leap of 6 feet, 8 inches was a personal best, beating his old mark by four inches.
“I really didn’t expect a lot out of this event coming in,” said Phillips, who also placed second in the long jump Friday night. “Once I was out there, the adrenaline started flowing. Next year, I want the triple crown: the long jump, the triple jump and the high jump.”
Greenwood placed seventh among AAAA boys teams.
Dixie’s Smith, who competed in four events, got her afternoon off to a good start, placing second in A in the long jump. Smith posted a distance of 17-1.
The second place finish was Smith’s best in her three trips to State in the long jump.
“It can be a little tiring,” Smith said of competing in multiple events. “But when I was out there jumping, the adrenaline just kicked in. I’m really happy to be number two in the state.”
Smith wasn’t the only Lady Hornet to place in the top two as an individual during the field events.
Dixie senior Alex Kent’s throw of 99-5 in the discus was good for second in that event. Kent said the throw was he personal best, and said it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Saluda’s Markel Mobley, one of three Saluda athletes participating, along with William Culbreath in the boys shot put and Olivia Simmons in the girls pole vault, also recorded a personal best on Saturday.
The junior finished third in AA with a distance of 22-4.
“This is my first time ever being at state, and that was my best jump,” Mobley said. “We really worked a lot harder this year, and it paid off.”
Mobley later placed second in the 400. The Tigers finished ninth as a team in AA, impressive considering they had only Mobley and Culbreath competing.
One excellent benchmark of a Lakelands area squad fell Saturday. The Ninety Six boys 4x800 team, which came into the championship event with a record of 43-0 on the season, finally lost a race. The unit finished second in AA, falling in the 4x800 to Bishop England.
Ninety Six junior John Haley, who ran the anchor leg Saturday, was nonetheless pleased with what his team accomplished.
“What we did this year was a surprise,” Haley said. “They put us together to see what we’d do, and we had chemistry. We’ll take second in the state.”
For some, Saturday’s event was their first experience at the State Championship meet.
Saluda sophomore Olivia Simmons, who competed in track for the first time this year, became the first Saluda girls athlete to compete in the pole vault in the finals. She placed fifth with a height of 7-6.
“It was fun to see what the state met is all about,” Simmons said. “All the girls I competed against were so athletic. I’ll be back next year to keep putting pole vaulting on the map at Saluda.”
While Simmons seemed happy to be competing in her first finals, another Lakelands area girls runner sought to make a bigger splash her first time out.
Emerald High School’s Caroline Marcengill, an eighth grader, eclipsed a mark she had already set earlier in the season: the school record in the 1600. Marcengill finished fourth among AA girls with a time of 5:44.64. She later finished third in the 800.
“I was very, very nervous,” Marcengill said. “The other girls got out so fast. I just did what I was coached to do and ran my race. It does mean more to break the school record again at the state meet.”
The Lady Vikings notched a third place finish in AA.
Continuing the string of local athletes finishing second, Calhoun Falls’ Adrian Tatum smoked down the track in the 100 in a time of 11.1 seconds. The junior speedster came in just behind Ridge Spring-Monetta’s Robert Axen.
Tatum already had his eye on next year.
“All this did was make me want to get back and win it,” said Tatum of his second place finish. “I definitely think this will help me get better.”
Tatum said his best time of the season in the 100 was a 10.8. He attributed being a touch slower Saturday to the humidity and wind at the Spring Valley track.

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

Who will do the best job handling public business?

May 7, 2006

Some voters are sometimes heard to lament that it doesn’t do any good to vote, that their vote won’t count, anyway. That sentiment, of course, couldn’t be farther from the truth. Every vote counts.
But, it has more meaning if the voter is prepared and knows the candidates and, most of all, is aware of what they stand for.
Primary elections are coming up in South Carolina. Many offices will be contested. That means, to be sure, that voters have a choice. To take advantage of that right to vote, though, they have to be registered. Be sure of that first.
Then study the political landscape. From the governor’s chair and other statewide offices to seats in the Legislature, voters are asked to select the persons they believe will best represent their interests.

WHEN THE TIME COMES, though, don’t vote for incumbents because they are incumbents. Likewise, don’t vote for challengers because they are challengers. And by all means, don’t cast ballots based only on single issues, school ties, political party, race, gender, age or what’s come to be known as “good ol’ boy politics.”
Before any voters can make up their minds, though, they must know themselves, what they believe in, what kind of government they want for themselves and what kind of future they want for their children and grandchildren.
Choosing people to represent us should be one of the most important things we do. Look at candidates’ histories. Look at their “footprints” in time and evaluate every aspect of their status: personalities, education, reputation, etc. When satisfied, and only when satisfied with the choice you make, then vote.

IT WILL COUNT, BELIEVE it or not. Individual voters can make a difference in who will handle the public’s business. More important than that, though, individual voters can determine how the public’s business is handled, whether it’s in the open, honest, efficient and generally assures that it is indeed government of, by and for the people of South Carolina.
While voters are doing all of this, of course, they will be besieged with all kinds of “relevant” messages from all sorts of people from every direction. Consider them all ..... then decide.
Your vote counts ..... but it won’t mean much if you don’t know who or what you’re voting for.