Getting serious with God

Local residents gather for National Day of Prayer

May 6, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

Just as people gathered nationwide, many came together in Greenwood during their lunch break to sing, worship and pray Thursday during the 54th Annual National Day of Prayer.
People came to the steps of the county courthouse to observe the day in prayer for the nation, its leaders, the community and families, the youth, those imprisoned and persecuted as well as the mass media, culture and social services.
Many also prayed for the military troops, local churches and pastors.
“I think our nation needs a lot of prayers and we need to pray for our leaders,” said Greenwood resident Wynetta Reed.
Reed said she was attending the service to join in prayer with others to support the leaders of the country as well as pray for the troops “serving in foreign lands.”
This year’s theme was “God Shed His Grace on Thee.”
The Rev. Richard Saxon said he thought it was very important to have a National Day of Prayer.
“It’s a recognition that we are still a Christian nation, we are still seeking God and his direction,” he said. “It’s important that we express ourselves in America and take the opportunity to pray.”
Saxon said attending the prayer service is also a way to see the people who represent different walks of life.
“It’s very important that we agree to do it and that we be able to do it publicly,” he said.
Various ministers from churches led the prayers while others in attendance prayed along with them.
“They are people who are of like mind and are concerned with the way this country is headed,” Bonnie Grancelli, of Greenwood, said about why she and others attend.
Grancelli said people really need to get serious with God and know that He’s in control of everything.
“We have to let Him be in control,” she said.
The Greenwood Family YMCA also participated in the National Day of Prayer with many of its members and staff gathering for prayer at its facility.

Piedmont Tech grads urged to build dreams

Speaker uses movies to impart words of wisdom

May 6, 2005

By TASHA STEIMER
Index-Journal staff writer

Piedmont Tech graduates got all kinds of advice during their commencement exercise Thursday at the Greenwood Civic Center.
Speaker Jane Jenkins Herlong shared her three favorite quotes from films.
Just like Kevin Costner’s character in “Field of Dreams,” Herlong said if graduates build their dreams, success will come.
“‘If you build it, they will come.’ I see you building your careers, building your families and building your respect,” she said. “I challenge you to also build with enthusiasm.”
Herlong quoted a character from “Fried Green Tomatoes” who said, ‘A lady always knows when to leave.’
“Well, so does a gentleman,” Herlong said.
Herlong, a certified professional speaker, author and singer, also quoted Morgan Freeman’s character in “Bruce Almighty”: “‘Sometimes God uses dark colors to paint beautiful pictures.’”
Herlong asked graduates, “How many people said you couldn’t do this? I hope you sent them an invitation tonight. Don’t let anyone tell you ‘You can’t.’”
Herlong said people told her all her life she couldn’t do anything, but she never gave up and accomplished more than anyone ever thought.
Graduate Cyrus Holloway, of Hodges, said he wasn’t even planning on walking in the ceremony until the day arrived.
“You don’t get excited until you put on this (gown), the hat and the tassel, and then it hits you in the face and you realize it’s really happening,” he said.
Holloway, who earned a degree with a major in general technology and electives in commercial art, said many of his family members came to the ceremony to help him commemorate a memorable experience.
“I’m not one for sentiment until it got close,” he said. “Commercial art is a great program, and Lance Anderson is a great teacher. I wish I had another two years to take it all over again.”
Marshay Whimbush, of Abbeville, said she was glad to be graduating with an associate’s degree in nursing.
“I’m glad this day is here, “ she said. “I was just ready for this day to come.”
Classmate Shaunta Moon, of Saluda, said she was also glad to be finished.
Brittin Friar, who graduated with an associate’s degree in public service, with a major in early childhood education, said she took her time completing the two-year program.
“It took me five years to get this degree. I worked full time and went to school part time,” she said. “It was really nice to finish, and I really enjoyed the experience.”
Friar, of Prosperity, said her degree is already working for her – she has a job at Newberry Elementary School.
“It was hard but it worked out. I’m excited to be graduating and ready for it all to be over,” she said.

Vikes start title defense with shutout

May 6, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

The Emerald High School boys soccer team’s first-ever title defense game proved to be a challenging one.
The defending Class AA state champion Vikings went nearly 72 minutes between their first and second goals in a 2-0 win over Broome Thursday night in the second round of the playoffs.
Emerald advances to Saturday’s Upper State semifinal against Batesburg-Leesville.
The Panthers defeated Saluda, 3-2, Thursday.
“We know the target is huge for us now, and we have to come out and play our ‘A’ game the whole time,” said Brian Amey. “Some people might want to take games like these for granted, but we’re the standard now that we won the championship.
“It is a relief that we won, but I don’t think we played to our standard today.”
Amey, the Vikings’ center-midfielder, set up both of Emerald’s goals.
The Erskine College signee fed junior forward Jim Welborn for a 10-yard strike past Broome keeper Damon Goins to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead just six minutes into the contest.
Then, with three minutes remaining, Amey slipped a long pass to fellow-senior Cory Cox, who got past Broome’s offsides trap and slipped a short shot in for the final goal.
“We’ll take a 2-0 win all of the time because we’re solid in the back, but I told them it was not good enough and that we have a lot to work on before Saturday, whoever we play,” Emerald coach Brad Nickles said.
“We know we’re going to get everybody’s best shot, as defending champs and the only thing we’re concerned with now is getting results.”
The Vikings advance to the Upper State semifinals where they will play host to the Batesburg-Leesville/Saluda winner Saturday at Vikings Stadium.
Emerald’s seasoned defensive three of Christopher Tommie, Andrew Pillman and Jeremy Welch, all seniors, made it an easy transition for fellow-senior and all-state goalkeeper C.K. Kirkland in his first full game back from injury.
Pillman spent much of the night playing the shadow of Broome’s leading scorer Joaquin Cristales, who managed only two shots, neither of which proved to be much trouble for Kirkland.
“I guarantee he (Cristales) hasn’t seen anything like Pillman on him all year,” Nickles said.
“Our back three are the reason we’ve done well this season. If we’re going to win it, it’s going to be up to them to get us there.
“We’re going to win games 1-0 and 2-0.”
Kirkland finished with five saves on the night. The senior’s biggest test came late in the second half with the Vikings’ possessing a tenuous one-goal lead.
The Centurions earned their first corner kick of the game with less than 16 minutes remaining. But each of Broome’s Devin Berry’s first three kicks were either punched out by Kirkland or kicked out by an Emerald defender.
Kirkland corralled Berry’s fourth corner on the ground after the ball bounced out of a scrum of players.

Penalty kicks push N. Augusta by GHS

May 6, 2005

By BRIAN HOWARD
Assistant sports editor

Arty Winkler scored three times, including a pair of penalty kicks, as the North Augusta High School boys soccer team knocked off Greenwood, 4-3, Thursday night in the second round of the Class AAAA playoffs.
The Yellow Jackets (13-5-1) advance to Saturday’s Upper State semifinal against the winner of the Mauldin/Northwestern game.
North Augusta’s victory snapped Greenwood’s 18-game winning streak.
“The reason why we won 18 in a row is because of the players and the support we have around this program,” Greenwood coach Jamie McClendon said. “It’s hard to go out in the second round, but at the same time, a second-round game in AAAA is not a second-round game in any other classification.
“Every second-round game is a battle. It was a battle tonight and the ball didn’t roll our way.”
The game featured 37 fouls and five yellow cards, three for Greenwood.
The Eagles (18-2) took advantage of a hard tackle in the penalty area by Yellow Jackets defender Brett Rice with 27 minutes, 43 seconds remaining in the first half. Tyler Davis’ shot on the penalty kick beat North Augusta goalkeeper Chris Haggard to the right corner for a 1-0 lead.
But less than a minute later, the Yellow Jackets knotted the score at 1 on a penalty kick by Winkler.
North Augusta took a 2-1 lead with 22:38 left in the first half as Seth Addison received the ball from a throw-in and his shot was deflected to Winkler, who was able to get the ball past Greenwood keeper Ben Shirley on the far left post.
Greenwood tied the game in the 41st minute as Davis found a streaking Adam Standley down the right sideline. Standley’s shot to the far post found Davis, who deflected it just enough to bounce off a North Augusta defender and into the back of the net for an own goal.
Addison gave the Yellow Jackets a 3-2 lead just 1:28 into the second half as he beat three Greenwood defenders down the left side and slid the ball past Shirley for the score.
The Eagles tied the game at 3, with 23:27 remaining as Alex Bollingher was fouled inside the penalty area. Davis’ penalty kick to the left corner beat Haggard.
But less than two minutes later, Addison was taken down in the penalty area, setting up the winning score on Winkler’s penalty kick.
Haggard finished with three saves, while Shirley had seven. North Augusta outshot Greenwood, 11-6.

Opinion

Speeding presents danger in local residential areas

May 6, 2005

Gentlemen, start your engines! That’s a phrase you hear at Darlington, Daytona and Talladega, of course. You don’t associate it with the streets of Greater Greenwood ….. but sometimes maybe you should.
Go to the next page –Insights & Outlooks – and read the article by W. F. McLaughlin. Then read it again. He eloquently describes a serious problem around Greenwood ….. city and county. It’s speeding in residential neighborhoods.
McLaughlin exaggerates nothing. There is danger on our streets. To borrow a phrase from that great philosopher Pogo, of comic strip fame, we have faced the enemy and it is us.

SURE, DRIVERS GOING through neighborhoods all over Greenwood are only passing through, such as a detour now in effect in the Chinquapin neighborhood. The posted speed limit is 25, but it’s obvious some drivers are going twice that, or even faster. Some of them are only passing through. Still, they should be aware of and obey the speed limit. After all, they are visitors who should make a good impression. Some do, certainly, but it appears that many of them think they are competing in a NASCAR race somewhere.
It’s bad enough that these drivers put children, pets and even older people who walk for exercise in danger of being run over and maimed or killed. However, the violators are not all visitors. Many of them live in the neighborhood and indeed on the streets where they apparently have little concern for anybody or anything that might be on those streets.

IT’S OBVIOUS FROM what McLaughlin writes that other neighborhoods are seeing the same kind of speeding drivers that present a danger to all.
County and city law enforcement officers do some patrolling to show a presence. While this may have a positive effect to a point, it’s obvious that the patrols are too few and far between to have any real effect on neighborhood speeding.
There are other crimes to be solved and crime-prevention efforts that might naturally take priority. If neighborhood speeding is as prevalent as it seems, though, and as McLaughlin describes it, doesn’t, or shouldn’t, that give neighborhood speeding some kind of priority? Well, maybe not, of course ….. until a child is killed.

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

Obituaries

Richard E. ‘Dick’ Brown

ABBEVILLE – Richard E. “Dick” Brown, 74, of 1350 Klugh Rd., Abbeville, husband of the late Wilma B. Brown, died Tuesday, May 3, 2005 at his residence. He was born in Abbeville County to the late Jesse E. and Alma McIlwain Brown. Mr. Brown was a member of the Full Gospel Foundation Church of Greenwood; he was employed with the Abbeville County Landfill, and a volunteer with the HospiceCare of the Piedmont.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Harold M. Brown, and a nephew, David Haddon.
Mr. Brown is survived by a step-daughter, Carolyn Bannister, MD of Stone Mountain, GA, a sister, Florence B. Haddon of Abbeville, two nieces, Kathy Ann Rampsberger and Mary Bolen, two nephews, Edwin Haddon and Stephen Brown, and one step-grandson, Lee Bannister.
The family will receive friends from 2:30PM to 3:00PM (Today) Friday, May 6, 2005 at Harris Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held in the funeral home chapel at 3:00PM. Burial will follow in Hodges Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be sent in memory of Mr. Brown to the HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646. The family is at the home of Mrs. Florence Haddon, 1363 Klugh Rd., Abbeville.
Online condolences may be sent to the Brown family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME of Abbeville is assisting the Brown family. PAID OBITUARY

James Boatwright

James Gary Boatwright, 37, of 215 Pitts Circle, husband of Tina Goldman Boatwright, died Thursday, May 5, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Augusta, Ga., he was a son of Gary Boatwright and Georgia Scarborough Chrisco. He was a graduate of Strom Thurmond High School and attended Piedmont Technical College. He was a sales associate with Quarles Supply in Greenwood and attended Harris Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; a son, Caleb Boatwright of the home; mother and stepfather, Hugh E. Chrisco, of Edgefield; father and stepmother, Priscilla Boatwright, of Wagner; maternal grandmother, Audrey Moore of Edgefield; paternal grandfather, James Boatwright of Trenton; three brothers, Everette Chrisco of Trenton, Dennis Boatwright and Scott Boatwright, both of Wagner.
Services are 3 p.m. Saturday at Blyth Funeral Home, conducted by the Revs. Steve Chrisco and Frank Thomas. Burial is in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Edgefield.
Pallbearers are Everette Chrisco, Henry Chrisco, David Mims, Buck Brown, Richie Boatwright and Freddie Boatwright.
Honorary escorts are Quarles Supply employees.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of Barbara Goldman, 211 Pitts Circle, Greenwood and the home of his mother and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Chrisco, 107 Rabbit Trail, Edgefield.
Memorials may be made to Edgefield Church of God, c/o Rev. Steve Chrisco, 99 Rabbit Trail, Edgefield, SC 29824 or Harris Baptist Church, 300 Center St., Greenwood, SC 29649.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Ruth Sisson

Ruth Brunner Sisson, 78, of 109 Valley Road, wife of Max E. Sisson, died Wednesday, May 4, 2005 at her home.
Born in Cincinnati, she was a daughter of the late William F. and Helen Cook Brunner. Formerly of Cleveland, Ohio, she had lived Greenwood since 1976.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a daughter, Sharon M. Weatherford of Greenwood; two sons, James Michael Sisson of Mesquite, Texas and Daniel E. Sisson of Tollesboro, Ky.; two brothers, Lawrence “Larry” Brunner of Denver, Colo., and Jerald Brunner of Cincinnati; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and four step-great-grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at Blyth Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Jim Johnston.
Entombment is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.
Pallbearers are Ferrell Weatherford, Shane Weatherford, Mike Sisson, Daniel Sisson, Marion Gilchrist.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home in Spring Valley.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com