YMCA, Lander to pool resources to help area youths stay cool

Broken pump puts city facility out of commission for summer

June 21, 2005

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

Standing in front of the empty pool at R.L. Stevens Recreation Center, from left, are: Jamar Ross, Jarvis Johnson and Shyheim Alston. The pool will not open this summer because of a malfunction, but the pools at the YMCA and Lander University will be temporarily open, free of charge, to children from the recreation center.

Much to the disappointment of countless boys and girls in the Greenwood area, the pool facility at R.L. Stevens Recreation Center will not open this summer.
Greenwood County Council members have arranged for the pools at Lander University and the Greenwood Family YMCA to open during select hours for children who visit the recreation center, but that alternative is a poor substitute, said some area children.
“It won’t be fun this summer if the pool here stays closed,” said Shyheim Alston, 10. Alston lives just down the street from the Recreation Center and said he visits the pool almost every day during the summer, as do 13-year-old Jarvis Johnson and 12-year-old Jamar Ross. The three boys were all at the Recreation Center Monday inquiring as to when and if the pool would open.
“I don’t know if I’ll go (to the YMCA and Lander pools) or not,” Johnson said. “If I don’t, I’m not sure what I’ll do this summer – probably just stay home, maybe play some basketball.”
Though transportation will be provided from the Recreation Center to the pools at Lander and the YMCA, Ross said it wouldn’t be the same.
“I like the pool better here (at the Recreation Center).” Ross said. “We get to swim longer and we can walk down the street and get something to eat. It just won’t be as much fun.”
The Recreation Center also has playground equipment on its grounds, so children can play in between pool hours. The YMCA pools will be open to the Recreational Center at select times for beginning Thursday.
The pool at the Recreation Center normally opens Memorial Day weekend. This year, however, the pool’s main pump stopped working as officials were getting the pool ready. It will have to be replaced before the pool can re-open.
“We took bids and found out that it’s going to take three weeks to get a new pump and another week to have it installed,” said Patricia Lawson, director of Parks and Recreation. “The pool closes in July, so that would have left very little time for the kids to use the pool this summer.”
Lawson said the Recreation Department contacted Greenwood County Council members to ask for help in finding other facilities in the community that could be used this summer. They were quick to start seeking out solutions, she said.
“We wanted to make sure these children had every opportunity to swim this summer,” said county council member Gonza L. Bryant.
Recreation Department staff members said they were happy another place had been found for children to go swimming, but would have preferred the Recreation Center’s facilities be re-opened this summer.
“I won’t say if this idea of transporting kids to other pools will work or if it won’t, but I think it just would have been better to open the pool here this summer,” said staff member Mary Terry. “We have hundreds of kids come to the pool here every summer, some of them every day. The pool is the number one source of entertainment here. Kids walk over here all the time. I think it’s a mistake to take that away, no matter what.”
While closed for the summer the Recreation Center pool will undergo an in-depth evaluation as to its structural and plumbing needs, said county council members.

Clotell Anderson

ABBEVILLE — Clotell Anderson, 59, of 200 Hampton Court, died Saturday, June 18, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Born in Atlanta, she was a daughter of the late James and Iva Lee Jackson Anderson. She was a homemaker and a member of Fairfield Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Jarvis Anderson of Abbeville and Cornelius Anderson of Spartanburg; three daughters, Teresa Anderson, Marcella Anderson and Audrey Leach, and a granddaughter reared in the home, Yolanda Anderson, all of Abbeville; a brother, Nathaniel Anderson of Greer; two sisters, Lillian Buth Sibert and Parnese Hill, both of Greenville; 21 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Fairfield Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Michael Peppers. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Viewing is 1-9 today at Abbeville & White Mortuary.
Abbeville & White Mortuary is in charge.

Pat Hamilton

Patricia DeLLooff Janke Hamilton, 77, of 201 Herndon Drive, Greenwood Shores, widow of Paul A. Hamilton, died Monday, June 20, 2005 at Lexington Medical Center.
Born in Lansing, Mich., she was a daughter of the late Casey and Ida Carnes DeLLooff. She retired from Purolator Courier and was a member of Temple Baptist Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. James C. (Evelyn) Robertson of Leesville and Kay Price of Greenwood; a son, Larry Seibold of South Vienna, Ohio; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Visitation is 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at her home in Greenwood Shores.
Memorials may be made to Palmetto Health Foundation, Attn: Camp Wonder Hands, 9 Richland Medical Park Drive, Suite 600, Columbia, SC 29203 or the American Heart Association, Memorials & Tributes Processing Center, PO Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058-5216.
Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Charles Walter Kinard

Mr. Charles Walter Kinard, 64, of 116 Old Sample Road died Friday, June 17, 2005, at his home. Born in Greenwood County, on May 3, 1941, he was engaged to be married to Melinda Williams of Greenwood.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Parks Funeral Home.
PAID OBITUARY

Rosa Bell Marshall

GREENVILLE — Rosa Bell Marshall, 76, died Monday, June 20, 2005 at Oakmont Nursing Home.
The family is at the home of a daughter, Susie Barton, 18 Gantt Drive, Greenville.
Services will be announced by Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.

Chief Lew Morgan

GREENWOOD – Chief Lewis “Lew” Memory Morgan, 54, resident of 403 Willowbrook Road, husband of Delores Hayes Morgan, died June 19, 2005 at his home.
Born in Ann Arbor, MI, August 21, 1950, he was a son of the late Lt. Gen. Thomas W. and Catherine Light Morgan. Mr. Morgan graduated from Satellite High School, Satellite Beach, FL and the University of Central Florida with a BA degree in Criminal Justice. Lew retired in 1998 as Chief of Public Safety at Lander University after 25 years of service.
During his career, he served as President of the S.C. Association of College and University Security Adminis-trators and was a former member of the S.C. Police Chiefs Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. During 1999-2000, he was appointed to the office of Municipal Court Judge on a part-time basis.
Surviving in addition to his wife of the home are a son, Lewis R. Morgan of Greenwood; two daughters, Mrs. Charles A. (Jen) Todd and Mrs. Ronald E. (Dawn) Gunter, both of Greenwood; three sisters, Mrs. Frank (Cate) Townsend of Greenwood, Jacqueline L. Morgan and Mrs. Steve (Sarah) Preteska, both of Jemez Springs, NM; three brothers, Wendell R. Morgan of Montgomery, AL, Dr. Ward Morgan of Washington, DC and Lt. Col. (Ret) James H. Morgan of Greenwood; seven grandchildren, Victoria Bateman , Ashley Bateman, Christopher Bateman, Andrew Bateman, Lewis Wilburn Todd, Delores Ann Morgan, and Lewis Thomas Morgan.
Funeral services will be conducted at 4PM Wednesday from the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Tom Cartledge and Rev. Nena Reynolds officiating.
Burial will be in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Pallbearers will be Charles A. Todd, Ronald E. Gunter, Steven Nicholson, Robert Dolin, James L. Ginn and James H. Morgan.
The family is at the home in The Willows and will receive friends at the funeral home from 7 to 9 Tuesday evening.
For additional information please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com
BLYTH FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE.
PAID OBITUARY

Charlie Nicholson Jr.

EDGEFIELD — Charlie Nicholson Jr., 78, of Pleasant Lane Road, husband of Anna Belle Griffis Nicholson, died Monday, June 13, 2005 at his home.
A native of Edgefield County, he was a retired tree farmer and antique dealer. He was a member of Berea Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two sons, Tom Nicholson of Lancaster, Calif., and Chuck Nicholson of Edgefield; a daughter, Jane N. Richardson of North Augusta; a brother, John B. Nicholson of Greenwood; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Berea Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation is 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Announcement courtesy of Blyth Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Alma Reynolds

NINETY SIX — Alma Lois Moore Reynolds, 81, of 1022 Lebanon Church Road, died Monday, June 20, 2005 at the Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Lincolnton, Ga., she was a daughter of the late James Ernest and Nellie Pearl Bodie Moore. She was retired from Nantex-Riveria and attended the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Lincolnton.
Survivors include a son, William Monroe Jones of Greenwood; two sisters, Lilian Bohler of Martinez, Ga., and Jessie Mae Anderson of Greenwood; three grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and a friend of the home, Walter Moon.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Overbrook Cemetery, McCormick, conducted by the Rev. Jerry Bohler.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Harley Funeral Home.
The family is at 681 Grier St., Greenwood.
Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Post 20 once again postponed by rain

June 21, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Greenwood American Legion Post 20’s Monday night game against Easley was postponed by a driving thunderstorm that left Legion Field looking more like smaller version of Lake Greenwood.
The game will be made up at 7:30 Wednesday night at Legion Field.
As late as 7:15 p.m., there was a slim ray of hope the game would go on as planned.
The teams were perched in their respective dugouts, looking skyward with their coaches, searching for a break in the clouds.
A small gathering of fans huddled under the overhang behind home plate, some listening to their radio headphones in hopes for the positive forecast that would not come.
Post 20 coach Billy Dean Minor ended any speculation as to whether the game would be played when he burst into the press box and declared that the game was called off at game time.
The postponement means that Post 20 is now slated to play four games on four consecutive days The team will play tonight at Belton, make up last night’s contest with Easley Wednesday, play host to Irmo Thursday and cap the week with a home contest with Greenville Friday.
Post 20 catcher Wade Scott was understandably unhappy that the team was unable to play its first home league game in nearly two weeks.
“I’m disappointed, of course,” Scott said. “Any dedicated player would be. We have four games to play this week, now they’re going to be in a row. I would hate for it to get too backed up.”
Scott, who is batting .333 with nine hits in 27 at bats for Post 20, stated that being a member of any baseball team means becoming accustomed to rainouts.
“We had a tournament game rained out this past Sunday,” Scott said. “That’s just part of it. You have to be ready to go the next time out.”
Scott said he has confidence in Post 20’s chances when it takes on Easley in Wednesday’s make-up.
“We will be playing with an expectation that we will win,” Scott said. “We’ve beaten Easley twice this year already. I’m sure that will be in their mind when we play Wednesday.”

Many will be stranded by loss of bus service

June 21, 2005

If Ralph Yingling of Greenwood is concerned about his future it’s understandable. The Greyhound Bus company has just wiped out his past.
Yingling has operated the Greyhound station as a private contractor for 43 years. As of June 21, though, there will be no more stops in Greenwood. Greyhound is pulling out for good. The company says it is doing it based on economic considerations.
Yingling is not the only person who will be negatively affected. Those who depend on Greyhound for transportation are left wondering how they’ll get around. Many, if not most of them, have no other way to get to Greenville, Augusta or any points beyond. Not only has bus travel been more in keeping with their ability to pay, it has been the only way they have.
Congress has long been concerned with keeping Amtrak trains running. It has provided the financial subsidies to make sure. Considering the cost, convenience and the need for bus transportation for so many people of limited means, you’d think Congress would recognize the need to keep buses rolling, especially to smaller cities and towns that have no train or air transportation.