State park makes plans for primitive camping

June 11, 2005

By VIC MacDONALD
Index-Journal regional editor

Shane Hart can barely contain his excitement.
The Den Leader of Pack 96 in Ninety Six, Hart got word this week that Lake Greenwood State Recreation Area will go ahead with work that will turn an unused lakeside area into a primitive campgrounds.
Now, Hart said, Greenwood area Scouts won’t have to travel out of the area to experience camping in its closest-to-nature form. It’s a project Hart has envisioned and worked with park officials on making a reality for about four months.
“The area is too perfect not to camp there,” Hart said of Area 4 at the state park. “It’s away from the campers and the RVs.”
Hart said that arrangement works for Scouts and possibly church groups who may camp there because other campers might not want to hear the noises from rambunctious youngsters.
And, in what Hart thinks is a “win-win situation,” the state park can get revenue that now is leaving the area when Scouts go off on their camping trips. Scouts get an area best suited for the kind of camping that teaches boys and girls “living off the land” skills and could allow for a Scouting summer day camp.
David Drake, park manager, said work to develop the primitive campground could begin as soon as July 15 – after the state park’s July 1-4 crunch.
“The July 1st week is one of our busiest weeks,” Drake said.
About $1,800 has been appropriated for the work that will include building eight individual camping sites and four group camping sites, each an area of about 50-by-50 feet.
At the individual camping sites, timbers will be used to mark areas of about 4-by-4 feet, and eight campfire rings will be placed near each of these sites with a site post.
A trail leading toward the lake from a parking area already in place will be built. The trail will “T” to separate the two areas by a distance of about 200 yards.
At the group camping sites there will be room for 10 tents with a fire ring in the middle.
Work to be done will include clearing the area, installing the timbers and fire rings, and building the trail, which will be marked with a sign indicating “foot traffic only beyond here.”
Then, the state park’s task will be to get the word out that the primitive camping area is available, Drake said.
He said the Columbia headquarters of the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism approved the project.
“Any and all volunteers are welcome” to assist with the labor, Drake said. “We would love that.”
Hart said he would be at a meeting today in which a general notice would go out to all Scouting troops in the Blue Ridge area about the Lake Greenwood project.
“The parents of these scouts have equipment and they can donate time,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
There will be a fee charged for the use of the primitive campgrounds, to be located in an area of the state park off Lee Chappels Road. Reservations will be available for the camping sites.
Having a camping area available within the state park, beside the shores of Lake Greenwood, strikes a chord with both men.
“I was a Scout growing up,” Drake said, “and I loved those overnight (camping) trips.”
“It’s something good for everyone,” Hart said, “and I’ll be able to tell my kids I was part of it. It’s all about the kids.”

Post 20 stays perfect

Legion team scores 14 runs on just six hits to beat Walhalla

June 11, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

The Greenwood American Legion Post 20 baseball team proved that you don’t necessarily need to hit the ball to win games.
Post 20 managed six base hits from six different players to earn a 14-7 victory over Walhalla Friday night at Legion Field and remain undefeated on the young season.
While not getting many runners aboard by way of hits, Post 20 did get plenty of help from Walhalla. Greenwood benefited from 15 walks from five different Walhalla pitchers and five errors from its fielders.
Post 20 was able to hit against Walhalla starter Zack Blazer, collecting four hits in fewer than two full innings of work, but reliever David Harrison gave the Greenwood batters troubles, allowing only one hit through 4 1/3 innings.
But Greenwood found other ways to score. With the score tied at 5, Post 20 used a couple of Walhalla miscues and a bunch of free passes to reclaim the lead for good.
In the fifth inning, Harrison walked four batters, with two scoring, and his defense committed two errors — which allowed one more — to give Greenwood an 8-5 advantage.
In the sixth, Post 20 scored three more runs three different ways, with none coming by way of a hit. Doug New walked and scored on a bases-loaded walk. Wade Scott walked and scored on a balk from reliever Nolan Kolb. Clint Burden also walked and came home on a ground out to make it 11-6.
The hitless trend ended in the seventh when New slapped a single off reliever Nick Chambers to bring in Will Gary. It was Post 20’s first base hit since Lamar Dukes’ RBI-single in the second.
But the Walhalla woes continued even on that play, as a fielding error allowed Justin Jenkins to score. After two more walks, New found his way home on a sacrifice fly from Clint Richey to make it 14-6.
In those three innings, Greenwood scored nine runs with only one hit, 12 walks and two errors.
Walhalla scratched one run out in the ninth off reliever Will Gary to end the game at 14-7.
Post 20 is off until Monday when the team travels to Greenville for the first three road games. The team returns home next Friday for the start of the Greenwood Lander Tournament.

Opinion

Dean is shooting himself and his party in the foot

June 11, 2005

Call it whatever you want, but Republicans have managed to take control of government in Columbia and Washington. In other words, they’re on a roll.
In Columbia, they hold the majority in both houses in the State Legislature and occupy the governor’s office. In Washington, they hold power in the U. S. Senate and House of Representatives, and a Republican sits in the White House.
Under the circumstances, then, you’d think Democrats would not do anything to alienate voters. Not so. They put defeated presidential candidate Howard Dean in as head of the Democratic National Committee, and the way it looks, the rest is history.
Dean, remember, was the guy who was making a good showing until his ranting and raving on the campaign trail killed his momentum and chances.

NOW, WHILE HE’S SUPPOSED to be working to rebuild the party’s prestige and finances, he’s again shooting himself and the party in the political foot.
When he said, sarcastically and derogatorily things like the Republican Party is “pretty much a white, Christian party,” with many (in it) “who never made an honest living,” the backlash was almost instantaneous, and that was from Democrats. It didn’t take Republicans long, either, to jump in.
Defenders pooh-poohed it as simply Howard Dean being Howard Dean. It was that, certainly, but it was the kind of mean-spirited rhetoric that voters of all stripes have come to reject.
One thing is likely to earn Dean a quick exit from the DNC chair. That’s a poor showing in raising funds for the Democratic Party and its efforts to get back some of the influence it has lost in past elections. His bad-tempered style has not been conducive to the task, though.

DEMOCRATS NEED THE MONEY and they need to win elections to enable them to keep Republicans from getting too uppity. Dean is taking them in the opposite direction.
Strange behavior by Dean during the last Democratic presidential primary brought a hurried and unexpected (by him) end to his candidacy. It led directly to John Kerry getting the nomination. Democrats don’t need more strange behavior at this stage. They need a leader who shows maturity, one who doesn’t shoot from the lip before thinking.
Dean hasn’t shown any signs of being that leader. That’s obvious.
When even members of his own party are being alienated, it’s time for a change. Democrats need a winner to lead, not a loser.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
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Obituaries

Robert Mosley

Services for Robert Mosley, of 113 Carver St., are 1 p.m. Sunday at Flint Hill Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. John Brightharp. The body will be placed in the church at 12:30. Burial is in The Evening Star cemetery.
Pallbearers are members of Masonic Lodge No. 419.
Flower bearers are church ushers.
The family is at the home.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.

William ‘Bo’ Noble

FOREST HEIGHTS, Md. — William “Bo” Noble, 86, husband of Janie Noble, died Friday, May 13, 2005 at Washington Hospital Center.
Born in Clito, Ga., he was a son of the late Edna Devore and Theodore Gaskin. He was reared in the home of the late Lizzie and Solomon Noble. Serving in the Army during World War II, he retired from the National Institute of Health.
Survivors include his wife; four daughters, Paula Noble, Barbara Ann Wright, Constance Lucas and Rose Daniel; an adopted daughter, Carol Marbury; 13 grandchildren, one reared in the home, Anthony Noble; 27 great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.
Services were May 20 at Oxon Hill United Methodist Church, Oxon Hill, Md.
Announcement courtesy of Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood, S.C.

Tommie J. Willis

ABBEVILLE — Tommie J. Willis, 65, of 118 Rock House Circle, husband of Catherine Lee Willis, died Thursday, June 9, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of the late Tommie Willis and Alma Sanders Willis McDuffie. He was a retired employee of Monsanto Plant and a member of Long Cane A.M.E. Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two daughters, Hattie M. Martin and Thomasina Wright, both of Abbeville; a sister, Lois Willis of Abbeville; three brothers, James Willis of Calhoun Falls, Sylvester Willis and Archie McDuffie, both of Abbeville; two stepsisters, Gertrude Wright and Polly Brown, both of Abbeville; a grandson reared in the home, Nakeo Willis of Midlothian, Va.; four other grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Brown and Walker Funeral Home.