Reaching ‘closer to God’

Main Street church opens outreach center

June 13, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal staff writer

After months of waiting and watching the construction of the Asbury Outreach Center unfold before their eyes, members of Main Street United Methodist Church celebrated the building’s completion Sunday with a special consecration service.
The Rev. Jim Dennis Jr., senior pastor at the Greenwood church, said construction began on the $3.6 million complex in June 2004.
During Sunday’s service, members were able to tour the two-story building, which includes educational and recreational classrooms as well as a gymnasium.
Dennis said the gymnasium will be used as an outreach facility, offering church members as well as others in the community a place for basketball, volleyball, roller-skating and other activities.
He added that new programs, including a “Mothers Morning Out” daycare program, music programs, exercise classes and a summer camp, are already being planned for the center.
“We decided to name this Asbury Outreach Center because we wanted this to truly be a community center. We intend to use this facility for activities that invite the community in – it’s not just a private center for the church,” Dennis said.
“We don’t want this to be an empty building. We want to have community events here,” he said. Dennis said that there are still finishing touches to be added, but church members are excited to finally have the building open for use.
“The fact that we are growing and changing means that this church is still alive,” Dennis said. “In order to meet the growing needs of the community and an expanding congregation, we felt that we needed to do this.”
Greenwood resident Dr. William Klauber, who has been a member at the church for more than 50 years, said he was looking forward to participating in the activities the center will provide.
“This center will give us access to family life, and it gives the church a greater influence on the lives of its members,” Klauber said. “We will be able to reach out to families and people that we otherwise would not be able to reach.”
Norma Hines, a 31-year member of the church, said the congregation was very “upbeat” about their latest addition.
“We are celebrating that we have finally reached this goal,” she said. “This will bring us closer to God – that is the end result.”

Triathlon fun in the rain

June 13, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

The scattered patches of rain and drizzle that fell at the Greenwood State Park Sunday morning proved to be a welcome sight.
The cool morning, a stark difference from last Sunday’s 90-degree temperatures, made for a good atmosphere for the 200-plus competitors in the 2005 Festival of Flowers Triathlon.
James Vavra, of Florence, and Juliet Lovett, of Tallahassee, Fla., were the overall male and female winners of the sixth annual event.
Lovett finished the 0.9-mile swim in Lake Greenwood, the 40K bike ride and 10K run in 2 hours, 13 minutes and 24 seconds, which was almost five minutes faster than Kristel Maes of Savannah. Maes, the second female finisher, came in at 2:18.
Not only was Lovett’s time her best finish at an Olympic distance, it was almost 10 minutes faster than last year’s female winner.
“I was actually thankful for the rain and the cool weather, because I tend to melt in the heat,” Lovett said. “I knew it would slow everybody down a little on the bike, but it would be nice on the run.
“That’s a major P.R. (personal record) for me. My coach and I were hoping by the end of the season that I’d be breaking 2:20. So, to do 2:15 is great.”
The rainy weather also didn’t seem to bother Vavra.
The 35-year-old completed the Olympic-distance triathlon in a time of 1:59:43, which was 4:47 faster than last year’s winner.
Vavra finished more than six minutes ahead of second-place finisher Gregg Cromer, of Summerville, who finished in 2:05:56.
“I felt strong throughout the whole race,” Vavra said. “The course was nice. I felt very comfortable the whole way. I didn’t have much pressure on me so I didn’t have to push myself. “It just felt good.”
Juan Adriatico was the top finisher from Greenwood. The former Lander University baseball player completed the three events in 2:23:54, taking third in his age group (20-24).
Greenwood’s Erin Howell came in not too long after Adriatico. Howell won her age group (25-29) with a time of 2:31:34.
Vavra grabbed the lead for good during the bike phase of the race. He cruised during the run, his specialty, until the final 100 meters, where the Florence native sprinted up the final hill to cross the finish line.
“I knew when I got to the second turnaround (on the bike), I had about a half-mile lead and then I kicked it back and saved my legs,” Vavra said. “More or less, I took it easy to save myself for the run.
“When I was coming in, someone said I was two-and-a half minutes under the two hour mark. Then I just paced myself. But when I saw the finish line, I just emptied the tank.”
Vavra, who started competing in triathlons in 1998, said it was his 43rd overall triathlon win in his seven years of participating in the sport.
But for Lovett, it was only her second win at this distance in only her first full year in the sport.
Lovett, who said her worst event was the swim, had some catching up to do. But with her strength — the bike — immediately following, she was able to grab the lead and continue through the run.
“I came out of the water in the middle of the pack, but I caught the leader midway through the bike,” Lovett said. “I just tried to hang on during the run.
“But I had a good run in my last race, and I thought if I could match that I’d be fine.”

Opinion

Numbers not surprising for black judges in state

June 13, 2005

Black candidates for judgeships in South Carolina are less like to be elected to the bench than white candidates. Also, more men are elected judges than women. Is anybody surprised? Why? You’d have to be deaf and blind not to know that without a study.
Nevertheless, it took a legislative study to find out what should be obvious, even at first glance. The study by the state Senate Judiciary Committee examined 728 judicial races since 1975. There had been 1,236 candidates involved when the study began.
There have been efforts to address the subject. And, there have been black candidates, to be sure. Still, the numbers have not significantly increased, no matter what efforts there have been.
It won’t matter how many efforts there have been or will be, the numbers aren’t likely to change appreciably unless the basic conditions are changed. To do that, of course, depends on voters.

THERE HAS BEEN GREAT progress made in getting more black South Carolinians elected to the Legislature. The members of the Legislature, of course, elect judges. More often than not they elect their own who are, certainly, in position to politick for the votes.
Black members, naturally, can politick, too, and some are elected to the bench by their peers. Still, the membership in both the House and Senate is predominantly white and male. It’s always been that way. That historically and realistically gives the advantage to white males.
They’re doing nothing wrong when they elect white males. It’s normal under those circumstances. More white males run for office and more are elected to the Legislature by the voters. Their districts are predominantly white. In predominantly black districts, voters elect black candidates to the House and Senate.

THAT’S NOT LIKELY TO change, either. Demographics dictate that. That pretty much makes it inevitable that white males will continue to hold most of the judgeships in the state ….. that is, unless the basics are changed. That isn’t likely to happen, either. So, white males will, naturally, fill more judgeships than blacks.
About the only thing that can change that, outside of redrawing political lines to create a majority of black voting districts, is a change of lawmaker attitudes, white and black. Forget color of skin or gender. Forget good ‘ol boy and racial politics. Elect the best person, based on ability and fairmindedness, not on social or other ties.
Politics and reality being what they are, though, that will be a hard sell. Still, it’s a worthy goal.

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

Obituaries

Mae P. Cook

LAURENS — Mae Palmer Cook, 94, of National Health Care, widow of Richard W. Cook, died Saturday, June 11, 2005 at Laurens County Hospital.
Born in Oxford, Ga., she was a daughter of the late Mark I. and Eliza Allison Palmer. She was retired from Clinton Mills and a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Survivors include a brother, Mark I. Palmer of Greenwood; and a sister, Lucie Hood of Richmond Hill, Ga.
Services are at 2 Monday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, conducted by the Rev. David Norell. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Visitation is after the service in the mausoleum chapel.
Memorials may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 235 Trinity Church Road, Laurens, S.C., 29360.
Kennedy Mortuary, Laurens, is in charge.

Pauline A. Jolly

Pauline Adams Jolly, 89, formerly of Cokesbury Garden Apartments in Greenwood, S.C., widow of John Raymond Jolly, died Friday, June 10, 2005 at Shelby Medical Center.
Born in Manning, she was a daughter of the late James P. and Carrie Smith Adams. She was retired from Parrish Pharmacy and was a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church.
Survivors include a son, John R. Jolly Jr. of Alabaster, Ala.
Graveside services are at 3 today at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, conducted by the Rev. Gayle Summey.
The body is at Harley Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to St. Mark United Methodist Church, 550 Bypass 72 NW, Greenwood, S.C., 29649.
Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood, S.C., is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Duong Van Quan

Duong Van Quan, 76, of 211 Alabama Ave., husband of Nu Lae Quan, died Sunday, June 12, 2005 at his home.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home.

Robert Thomson

HONEA PATH — Robert Guy Thomson, 54, of 110 Arkansas St., died Sunday, June 12, 2005 in Iva.
Born in Anderson County, he was a son of Frances Creswell Thomson and the late Joseph Guy Thomson. He was employed by Iva Rescue Squad for the past three years. He had served with the Honea Path Rescue Squad for 30 years and had received five awards during that time. He was a member of Chiquola Baptist Church where he has served as Coach of the Christian League softball and basketball teams. He was a 1969 graduate of BHP High School and had attended Clemson University.
Surviving are his mother of the home and a special friend, Sharon Ashley Brock of Honea Path.
Funeral services will be held at 2 P.M. Wednesday at Pruitt Funeral Home with Rev. Ty Childers and Rev. Charles Allen officiating. Burial will follow in Eastview Cemetery.
The body is at Pruitt Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 P.M.
Tuesday. The family is at the home. Memorials may be made to Chiquola Baptist Church Building Fund, 405 East Greer St. Honea Path, S.C. 29654 or to the Iva Rescue Squad, Box 612, Iva, S.C. 29655 or the Honea Path Rescue Squads, Box 523 Honea Path, S.C. 29654.
PAID OBITUARY

Tommie J. Willis

ABBEVILLE — Services for Tommie J. Willis of 118 Rock House Circle, are at 1 Tuesday at Long Cane AME Church, conducted by the Rev. Julius M. Johnson. Burial is in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at noon.
The family is at the home.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home, Abbeville, is in charge.

Dudley Wright

Benjamin Dudley Wright, 75, of 213 Virginia Ave., husband of Estelle Taylor Wright, died Sunday, June 12, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Visitation is from 7-9 tonight at Blyth Funeral Home.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home.