PTC nursing students senior project

Fair offers sweet advice

March 27, 2007

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

NINETY SIX — Cheryl Kolb had a startling bit of health news for Edgewood Middle School student Chris Prater on Monday: There are 19.4 teaspoons of sugar in just one 20-ounce bottle of Mountain Dew soda.
Prater appeared dumbfounded by the revelation.
She then showed him exactly how much sugar she was talking about, picking up a small plastic bag filled with the prescribed amount.
“This is how much sugar there is in just one of these,” Kolb said.
All Prater could do was stare.
He had no idea so much sugar was in one bottle of soda.
Of the drinks displayed at Kolb’s booth, which was dedicated to nutrition, Prater thought regular Coke would have offered the most in the way of sugar. Kolb then showed him and other students some healthy alternatives to sodas, such as flavored waters like Dasani Lemon (0 sugar) or Aquafina Alive (just over one teaspoon of sugar).
About 30 booths were set up for Monday’s “Youth Health Promotion in Motion” health fair at Edgewood, organized by senior nursing students at Greenwood’s Piedmont Technical College.
The health fair offered lots of helpful information and plenty of literature on a wide array of crucial topics — from depression to dental hygiene, and the hidden dangers of tobacco and alcohol to eating disorders and even domestic violence awareness.
It also featured several exhibits that caught the eyes of passing middle schoolers. One such exhibit was run by Allen Easler of the Cornerstone Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission for Greenwood, Edgefield, McCormick and Abbeville counties. Easler asked students to try on a pair of specially constructed goggles that gave them a dizzying view of the world through the eyes of a person who is intoxicated beyond the legal limit.
He then asked them to perform even the most simple of tasks — walking a straight line or attempting to pick up a plastic mug.
Students giggled and laughed as their classmates stumbled around the booth or failed to grasp the mug after several tries, but the point was well made — alcohol use can really cloud one’s judgment.
“It was real blurry,” Edgewood student Briston Morton said after it took him several tries to locate the mug during his turn.
Piedmont’s nursing students put together the entire event, having been tasked with starting up their own fledgling company, raising funds for the various exhibits and staffing the fair.
“This is a senior project the nursing students complete in their leadership and management class,” said Tara Harris, nursing instructor at Piedmont Technical College and the project’s adviser. “This is our fourth project and none are ever the same. They have to set a budget and raise the money themselves. They use the concepts from class and apply them to a realistic situation, and we focus a lot on the community.
“If we can help one person with high blood pressure or help one teen to not smoke, then we’ve accomplished something. This is the biggest task I’ve given a group yet, and these seniors have done an excellent job. We’re excited the schools have allowed us put this on for them.”
The health fair continues the remainder of this week, with two additional stops at Calhoun Falls Middle/High (Wednesday) and Ware Shoals Middle/High (Friday) from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. each day.

Green Hornets returning home

March 27, 2007

By JIM JOYCE
Special projects editor

WARE SHOALS — Ware Shoals High School’s athletic teams are back home after having to move elsewhere because of the filming of the movie “Leatherheads,” a romance-comedy centering around the early days of professional football.
The film stars George Clooney and Renee Zellweger.
The Hornets have been playing their home games in Due West, but will now be “back at home” for the remainder of the schedule.
The Universal Pictures film crew was on the Ware Shoals High football and baseball fields about five weeks, athletic director Vic Lollis said. Film personnel visited Ware Shoals last April to check out the facility, after which the recommendation was made to use Riegel Stadium for the movie.
“We were on the road off and on for about five weeks, but it’s good to get back home,” Lollis said. “We play Tamassee at 5 o’clock Friday.”
While film crews were at Riegel Stadium, the Hornets moved to Dixie High School to play the 2007 athletic schedule — but that was quite an ordeal, Lollis said.
“It was a lot of travel for the kids,” he said. “We’d get back to school some nights around 8:30 and it just made for a long day.
“The Dixie coaches were good to us and we appreciate that, but we’re glad to get back and ready to get started on our field. It takes its toll on you.”
The field, he said, “is not 100 percent, but it’s playable.”

Obituaries

Mary Emma Burton

Mary Emma Burton, 80, of 113 N. Bethune St., widow of Wallace Burton, died Friday, March 23, 2007, at the Hospice House of the Piedmont. Born in Greenwood County, she was the daughter of the late Johnny and Emma Thomas Ouzts. She was retired from Greenwood Mills. She was a member of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, where she was a former member of the Gospel Chorus and the Pastor’s Aide Society. She also gave her time as a foster parent.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary McCauley of the home and Peggy Moton of Greenwood; one sister, Carrie Lee Harrison of Greenwood; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, 2007, at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, conducted by Rev. Otis Cunningham. The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. Burial is in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of a granddaughter, Sandra Smith, 115 Kenilworth Drive (Canterbury Subdivision) this evening from 6-8. Online condolences may be sent to robson@nctv.com.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge of arrangements.

Richard Ewart

HODGES — Richard Howard Ewart, 53, of 120 Happy Tom Lane, husband of Anita Fisher Ewart, died Saturday, March 24, 2007, from injuries received in a motorcycle accident.
Born in Chicago, IL, he was a son of the late Minnie Ewart. He was a graduate of Hollywood High School, Hollywood, FL, and was employed by Snead Building Supply. He was a member of the Christian Motorcyclist Association - Kings Highway Riders Chapter and was of the Church of God faith.
Surviving are his wife of the home; daughters and sons-in-law, Amy and Kevin Clegg and Angela and Chris Crawford, all of Hodges; two sisters, Katie Carpenter of Virginia and Linda Ewart Fisher of Kansas; a brother, Daniel Ewart of Indiana; three grandchildren, Keira Crawford, J.D. Clegg and Ryan Clegg.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. James Allen and the Rev. Charles Caldwell officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Frank Blackstock, Bill Manley, Chris Crawford, Kevin Clegg, Jamie Ouzts and Evan Hoffman.
Honorary escort will be members of the CMA - Kings Highway Riders Chapter.
The body will be taken home on Tuesday, where the family receive friends on Tuesday night and then at the funeral home on Wednesday from 2 to 3 p.m.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Charlie Frankie Lee

SALUDA — Charlie Frankie Lee, 56, died Thursday, March 22, 2007, in Heartland Hospice House, Augusta, Ga. The family is at the home of a daughter, Shirley Lee, 102 Hedge Row. Butler & Sons Funeral Home is in charge.

Onie J. McMullen

Onie Jones McMullen, 92, of 302 Old Mt. Moriah Road, widow of Charles M. McMullen, died Monday, March 26, 2007 at her home.
Born in Anderson County, she was a daughter of the late David J. and Bessie Wright Jones. She was formerly employed by Abney Mills and retired as the owner of McMullen Grocery. She was a member of New Market Baptist Church, where she was a former Sunday School teacher, a member of the Helping Hands Sunday School Class, the WMU and helped with Bible school.
Surviving are two brothers, Jack H. Jones of Anderson and J.D. Jones of Townville.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Harley Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Stanley Sprouse officiating.
Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Ed Stratton, Clyde Bond, Gilbert McMullen, Perry Hasting, Dr. Glenn Stachurski, Max Ramage, Nevit Butler and Lewie King.
Honorary escort will be members of the Helping Hands Sunday School Class of New Market Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Sarah Wilson

EDGEFIELD — Sarah Helen Fletcher Wilson, 68, of Trinity Mission Health and Rehab, Edgefield, died March 17 at her home.
Born in Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late Louden, Sr. and Bernice Fletcher. She was preceded in death by one brother Smith Hayes Fletcher.
Surviving is a daughter, Gayle Helenia Wilson of Washington, DC; a brother, Louden (Brenda) Fletcher, Jr. of Greenwood; one aunt, Sarah Louden of Ninety Six; two grandsons, Larry Wilson of Ft. Polk, LA, and Audrey Wilson of Washington, DC; and a host of other relatives. Memorial services will be at a later time. Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is assisting the Fletcher family.

Opinion

If there’s a conspiracy, maybe blame is for all

March 27, 2007

Right-wing conspiracy? Senator Hillary Clinton and husband Bill are once again saying there is. Their implication, of course, is that Americans who are on the opposite end of the political spectrum from them have deep, dark plans to take over this country and that disturbing consequences await should they be successful.
That’s obviously a calculated distraction and detraction. It’s likely an attempt to curry favor with the voters in the South Carolina Democratic primary and in all the other states where primaries and conventions will be held leading up to the political conventions. Those states have a significant impact on what candidates will be chosen for president and vice president.
Conservatives, whether Republican or Democrat, are lumped together as “right-wing” zealots. They do, naturally, have their political agenda that embraces conservative principles covering a wide array of issues important to the American electorate.

FURTHERMORE, THEY DO make plans and court voters. If they don’t they are falling down on the job. But a conspiracy? Hardly!
If there is a right-wing conspiracy, Hillary and Bill’s agenda must also be considered a left-wing conspiracy. They are doing the same thing conservatives are doing. They just have different beliefs. The Clintons are liberals. They have the right to their way of thinking and doing what they legally can to win elections. So do conservatives.
There’s nothing contrary about politicking, whether on liberal or conservative platforms. If a “conspiracy” label were assigned to all of the different political groupings no one could or would feel free or comfortable planning moral, religious, election, or any other kind of agenda.
Fortunately, Americans are free to believe what they want. If that amounts to a conspiracy, we’re all in trouble.