Greenwood could join safety effort

Program would help slow down drivers

March 16, 2005

By TASHA STEIMER
Index-Journal staff writer

Greenwood could soon be joining more than 600 other communities in 46 states to implement a national traffic safety campaign.
Tom Everson, creator of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, spoke to neighborhood representatives and other community leaders Tuesday at the Greater Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce about how solving the problem begins with residents.
“The focal point is to create a greater sense of community in the community itself,” he said.
“It’s good to connect neighbors and local law enforcement to introduce the campaign.”
KKAD25 is a national traffic safety campaign to encourage drivers not to speed through residential neighborhoods where the posted speed limit is typically 25 mph. The Neighborhood Development Office through the Chamber invited Everson to speak.
Everson said many residents see speeding as a problem caused by local law enforcement, neighborhood teenagers or others just passing through the area.
“Police don’t tell you to speed,” he said. “As much as we’d like to blame it on someone else, we can’t. The police don’t cause the problem; we, people like you and me, cause the problem. We should look at it in terms of the entire community in how we address the issue.”
Everson said many neighborhoods have come up with their own ways to promote the campaign including receiving grant funding, putting up yard signs, recruiting local students and partnering with businesses.
“A great way to be educated is to get involved. You have to learn all kinds of things when you become involved in a campaign,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a city with a population of 400 or the city of Phoenix – everybody cares what happens on the road in front of their house.”
Everson explained the campaign began about six years ago when he and his wife were concerned about speeders on their “ski slope” street in Omaha, Neb.
“You don’t have to accelerate much to go fast,” he said. “It was one of those streets where you need to make a conscious effort to go the speed limit.”
Everson said he started by putting a sign in his yard and he noticed drivers would hit their brakes as they passed his home.
“I would say about 75 percent of cars braked,” he said.
The couple also went around to neighbors to ask for their feedback about the campaign, and one neighbor recognized Everson on the spot.
“Before I could say anything to him, he said, ‘I know who you are.’ He said that I was the guy with that sign in my yard and every time he drove by the sign he would hit his brakes.”
Signs, decals and other materials with slogans can be obtained through the Neighborhood Development Office at the Chamber or at www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org.

Survivor comes to Lander

Reality show winner tells crowd about ultimate character tool

March 16, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal staff writer

“Survivor: Africa” winner Ethan Zohn said selflessness, teaching others, leading by example and being a member of the community were the core values that helped him win one of the most popular reality television shows of all time.
On Tuesday night at Lander University’s Cultural Center Auditorium, Zohn encouraged and challenged more than 100 students and community members to use those same values to help others and make a difference in the world around them.
In his program, “Character: The Ultimate Survival Tool,” Zohn spoke about his experiences during Survivor and his time as a professional soccer player in Africa, and how those experiences helped him find his “true colors.”
“(During Survivor) I was faced with a situation where I was stuck in the middle of Africa with nothing – I was stripped down to nothing,” he said. “It wasn’t until I was without food and water that my true colors came into focus. I was left with my true character values.”
Since his days on “Survivor,” Zohn has been traveling around the country to speak with students and others on how they have the power to help others.
“I want to make it known to all kids that, even if they don’t realize it, they have these tools – character is what counts,” he said, adding that he has been using his “15 minutes of fame” to spread his message. “Bono (from U2) told me that this whole celebrity thing is a bit ridiculous, but it’s currency, and you have to use what you’ve got. You don’t have to have a million dollars to make a difference – everyone has the ability. Find something that makes your heart break, and join an organization to help fix it.”
After winning the $1 million “Survivor” prize, Zohn, drawing on the values he discovered during his stay in Africa, decided to use his new fame and fortune to help raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic in Africa and abroad.
In 2002, Zohn helped organize the Zimbabwe-based Grassroot Soccer organization. The nonprofit program aims to train professional soccer players about AIDS and HIV before sending them out into the classrooms to educate children about the diseases.
Zohn’s appearance was sponsored by the Lander Student Government Association, and SGA representative Hannah Nichols said the association felt Zohn’s message was appropriate for students.
“We thought his message was really encouraging. We do AIDS testing here at Lander in the spring, so we thought this would be fitting,” she said. “Character development is something every college student needs.”
Lander senior nursing student Ashleigh Wilson said she thought Zohn’s speech was entertaining and relevant to her academic area.
“It was very interesting to me as a nursing student. We see this in hospitals here, but I didn’t know it affected that many people,” she said.
Lander freshman Lauren Dollar said she was “inspired” after listening to Zohn’s message.
“It’s important for people to see a famous person try to get so involved, and it makes other people more apt to get involved. It really means a lot to get that much money and give it away,” she said. “He really inspired me – I want to go to the Web site to see if I can donate. It’s made me want to go out and do something.”
Judy Wicker, a Newberry resident and former EMT, was also moved by Zohn’s speech. She said that the AIDS epidemic isn’t just something that affects people in Africa or large cities – it also affects people in this region.
“It does affect the area, but it is kept quiet. People just don’t like to talk about it. I was an EMT (in Newberry) for 17 years, and we saw quite a bit of that,” she said. “I hope these young kids got a lot out of his speech, and they go out and do something. I really enjoyed it, and he told me that there are still things I can do even at 62.”

Opinion

Common sense, education? There’s something missing

March 16, 2005

It shouldn’t take a college education to know that you can make a better living if you have a college degree. In case there’s anyone in South Carolina who doesn’t get the big picture, though, Census figures show that college degrees make a big difference in what workers take home in their paychecks.
Common sense ought to tell us that, but “official” figures just might convince some who don’t take education very seriously that maybe they’re missing out ….. and need to get their acts together.
But, then, some may still be living in the past. At one time the same thing was said about a high school diploma. Getting a high school diploma is still important, naturally. But, consider the times.

IT’S TRUE. TIMES DO CHANGE, and anyone who stands still these days is really going backward.
Education is available to everyone. Those who fail to take advantage of the opportunity have no room to complain. That’s a slap in the face to hard-working taxpayers, of course, but it also is a classic case of people letting themselves down.
As they say, you can lead a horse to water, but ….. Come to think of it, you can do the same thing with some people and get the same result. That’s all too obvious. Spending, however, keeps going up. So, what’s missing?
For those who need an education, it appears that common sense isn’t as common as it used to be.

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

Obituaries

Billy Bagwell

WARE SHOALS — Billy Bagwell, 62, died Monday, March 14, 2005 at 17 N. Greenwood Avenue.
He was a son of the late Rev. Ralph L. and Ruby Lindley Bagwell.
Services will be announced by Parker-White Funeral Home.

Lorie Burton

RIDGE SPRING — Lorie Kenner Burton, 61, wife of Lugoff Burton, died Thursday, March 10, 2005.
Survivors include her husband; two daughters, Ethel Burton and Sherry Dorch; four sons, Lugoff Burton Jr., Charles Burton, Riley Burton and Craig Burton; a brother, Earl Kenner; 14 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren.
Services are at 3 today at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Ridge Spring.
Davis Funeral Home Inc., Ridge Spring, is in charge.

Frances Hicks

Frances Elizabeth Thomas Hicks, 90, of 105 Rock Creek Drive, widow of James Howard Hicks, died Monday, March 14, 2005 at her home.
Born in Coushatta, La., she was a daughter of the late John Frank and Dicie White Thomas. She was a homemaker and a member of Calvery Baptist Church in Shreveport, La., and has lived in Greenwood since 2001.
Survivors include three sons, Edwin “Ed” Hicks of the home, James Hicks of Shreveport, La., and Guy Hicks of Joaquin, Texas; a brother, John Thomas of DeRitter, La.; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are at 3:30 Thursday in Oakbrook Memorial Park, conducted by the Rev. Tom Cartledge.
Visitation is following the services.
The family is at the home of Ed and Patricia Hicks, 105 Rock Creek Drive.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, S.C., 29646.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
For additional information you may visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.

Eddie ‘BoShow’ Holloway

LILLINGTON, N.C. — Eddie Lee “BoShow” Holloway, 54, died Monday, March 14, 2005 at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Born in McCormick County, S.C., he was a son of the late Eddie Holloway Jr. and the late Annie Mae Heath Holloway Williams. He was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include two sons, Eddie Jessie Holloway and Eddie Lewis Holloway, both of Augusta, Ga.; a daughter, Angie Lee Holloway of Augusta, Ga.; two sisters, Mary Ann Holloway and Willie Louise H. Letman, both of McCormick, S.C.; and six grandchildren.
The family is at the home of a niece, Mrs. Bobby Joe (Isabelle) Barksdale, Highway 10-215, McCormick, S.C.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., Greenwood, S.C.

Montees Holloway

Montees Phillips Holloway, 72, of 115 Planters Court, died Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood County, she was a daughter of the late Willie Phillips and the late Carrie Duncan Robinson. She was the step-daughter of the late Willie Robinson. She was employed in machine inspection and was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, Sloan Holloway Jr. of Fort Worth, Texas; a daughter, Mrs. Steven (Patricia) Hicks of the home; two brothers, John Willie Phillips and Herman Phillips, both of Elyria, Ohio; and four grandchildren.
Services are at 1 Friday at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. H.T. Legons, assisted by the Rev. J.W. Price. Burial is in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 1.
Pallbearers are deacons and trustees of the church.
Flower bearers are Dorothy Wideman, Bessie McCleod, Helen Calhoun, Johnnie Forest, Ruth B. Forest, Mamie Nicholson and Mary E. Robinson.
Visitation is from 7-8 Thursday at Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.
The family is at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Joe Madden

WARE SHOALS — Joe Robert Madden, 78, of 82 Gettysburg Drive, husband of Joyce O’Dell Madden, died Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at Laurens County Hospital.
Born in Laurens County, he was a son of the late John Patrick and Elizabeth Cooley Madden and was retired from the engraving department of Riegel Textile Corporation. He served in the Army during World War II, and was a member of Poplar Springs Baptist Church and American Legion Post 100, Ware Shoals.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two sons, Bob Madden of the home, and Mike Madden of Simpsonville; a sister, Claudia Alewine of Tyler, Texas; and one grandchild.
Services are at 3 Thursday at Poplar Springs Baptist Church, conducted by the Revs. Bruce Ostrum and W. Horace Benjamin. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Hugh Madden, Johnny Powell, Melvin Elledge, Larry Madden, Otis Ross and Lamar Elledge.
Honorary escorts are Earl Madden, Joe Mahon, Bobby Poore and Men of Poplar Springs Baptist Church.
Visitation is from 2-3 Thursday at the church.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Poplar Springs Baptist Church, Box 124, Ware Shoals, S.C., 29692.
Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, is in charge.

Amelia Tucker

Amelia Sweatt Hughes Tucker, 63, of 1004 Highside St., died Monday, March 14, 2005 at her home.
Born in Greenville County, she was a daughter of the late Clyde and Josephine Chastine Sweatt. She was retired from Abney Mill, Grendel Plant and had been employed by the Greenwood County Courthouse. She was a member of Fraser Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Linda Grubbs of Woodruff; two sons, David Carl Hughes of Greenwood and Robert James Hughes of Rock Hill; three brothers, Otis Sweatt and Clayton Sweatt, both of Greenwood, and Larry Sweatt of Concord, N.C.; 18 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is at 11 Friday at Fraser Presbyterian Church, conducted by the Rev. Ron Taylor.
Visitation is from 7-9 Thursday at the home and from 9:10-10:30 at the church. The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Fraser Presbyterian Church, 400 Cross St., Greenwood, S.C., 29646.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com