Graduates’ journey ends in success

August 11, 2006

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

Moments before the hundreds of graduate candidates marched into the Greenwood Civic Center on Thursday, one Piedmont Tech student sat patiently among the sea of empty chairs, waiting quietly for her fellow classmates to join her for the big moment.
And that student, human services major Michelle Motes, a Belton-Honea Path resident, probably came farther than most of her other classmates to participate in Piedmont Tech’s 2006 summer commencement exercises, traveling eight hours from Jacksonville, Fla., to receive her associate degree.
Because of complications from cystic fibrosis, Motes has been waiting at a treatment center in Florida to receive a double lung transplant. Though the trip was tiring, she said it was important to make the journey back to South Carolina for the ceremony.
“I’ve waited a long time for this, and I’m doing what I’m doing because God has called me into this field,” she said, adding that she felt compelled to study psychiatric counseling even as she battled an illness.
Piedmont Tech President Lex Walters said that type of dedication to their education is what made all of the students a success, adding that he was proud of the achievements of the more than 240 students who graduated.
“The motto of Piedmont Technical College ... is Latin for ‘Doorway to Success,’” he told the audience. “Certainly, the measure of success of (Piedmont Tech) is the success of the students it serves. Today, you are a success.”Commencement speaker Belle Wheelan, president of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, told the students a few of the lessons she’s learned in her lengthy career in the education field.
“You must keep dreaming. When you stop dreaming, you die,” Wheelan said, adding that the graduates need to continue to laugh, give back to the community, have respect for others and ask questions. “Learning is a lifelong phenomenon, so don’t think that you know it all because you have a degree tonight.”
But she also cautioned that, though they are adults, the graduates need to keep a light heart.
“Keep playing. We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing,” Wheelan said.
Graduate Aisha Shonya Harrison, an office systems technology major with a medical elective, said the day was full of excitement.
“Today has been a long journey, and I pray it is a successful journey,” Harrison, a Greenwood resident, said. “I believe this is what will make it a better journey.”
Sherry Jones, who received an associate degree in arts, said her diploma was another step in her future of teaching special education in Saluda County.
“I wanted to better myself for my children and my husband,” she said. “My husband has been the major backbone in getting my degree.”
Greenwood resident Eric Nguyen said his respiratory care degree was his second from Piedmont Tech. His first was in industrial electronics.
“They (the staff at Piedmont Tech) are really dedicated in helping you achieve what you set out to achieve,” he said. “The program was difficult, and you have to struggle and work and study, but now I feel like I can really accomplish things that I set my mind to.”
And though Motes didn’t get to march in with her classmates, she did rise from her wheelchair to walk across the stage to receive her diploma.
“It was awesome,” Motes said of the experience. “It was everything I had hoped and dreamed it would be.”

Going one-on-one with a congressman

Gresham Barrett meets public, discusses oil and United Nations

August 11, 2006

By LESLIE DRAFFIN
Index-Journal intern

U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett was in Greenwood on Thursday for a legislative breakfast with the Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce and Partnership Alliance and one-on-one constituent meetings at his local office.
During the breakfast, Barrett covered some of the major topics being discussed in political arenas and answered questions from members in attendance.
“I come from a place where, if you give a man your word, you stand by it,” Barrett, R-S.C., told the crowd. “I’m about duty, honor and country. I believe it and I try to live it every day.”
Barrett focused on America’s dependency on foreign oil.
“I’m for anything that would make us more self-sufficient,” he said. “Canada is our number one oil importer and, right now, they are working with technology to retrieve oil from oil sands, which could be the largest deposit of oil in the world. I’d much rather import oil from Canada than the Middle East.”
On the social level, Barrett addressed marriage, stem cell research and using “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance by saying, “This country is different because of who we are, what we are and where we come from. We are based on Christian principles, and I’m afraid of where we’ll be if we get away from that.”
Barrett said he supports Israel’s right to defend itself, especially since Hezbollah leaders are either members of governments in surrounding countries or have strong ties to Middle East governments.
“We’re safer today than we were yesterday and we’ll be safer tomorrow than we are today, but we’re still not as safe as we need to be,” Barrett said.
Barrett answered several questions from the audience but spent the most time on America’s involvement with the United Nations.
“The U.N. does some wonderful things, and, with the correct leadership and guidance, it could be good. But the U.N. is corrupt as the day is long, and we’re footing the bill. If we are going to fund it, we should be able to control the purse strings.”
Barrett also had one-on-one meetings with his constituents at his Greenwood office later in the day.
“Its all about accessibility,” Barrett said. “This is the second time we’ve done the one-on-one constituent meetings, just to try a different approach, and this is probably the most effective method. It’s been very well received.”
Carroll Bryant, of Ninety Six, was one of the first residents to speak with Barrett on Thursday morning.
“I’m basically asking him about a private matter and about Social Security disability benefits,” Bryant said. “I’m just so impressed with how nice and helpful everyone is here.”
Pam Fagan, of Greenwood, liked that she could speak with Barrett one-on-one and thought her visit went well.
“I feel more open about talking about what’s on my mind and I can get more information,” she said. “I’m not a political person. I couldn’t go to a political meeting and know what people were talking about.”
Farley Norton, a Greenwood resident, said he thinks the format is better than town hall-style meetings. “More time is spent on back-and-forth communication,” Norton said. “It seemed like to me there is no national plan to address the energy problems of the country, and we need to move toward renewal energy instead of fossil fuels. I spoke with him (Barrett) about how Congress should take a leading role.”
McCormick County Councilman Charles Jennings talked with Barrett about issues concerning his county.
“I wanted to talk about some issues and about getting federal funds for a sewer line to run through town,” he said. “I really like one-on-one meetings because everyone will be heard and, with the schedule and appointment time, you can prepare yourself beforehand.”
Kim Pepitone, of Waterloo, said she spoke with Barrett about several issues, including the war on terror, immigration and Israel.
“I’m all for people coming to my country. They’re welcome because its the melting pot. But, if you are going to come here, you have to melt in and not live in separate communities,” she said. Pepitone said she liked meeting with Barrett one-on-one because “you can say this is my problem and this is what your constituent feels. I just felt like he was really listening and paying attention.”
Barrett said he will meet with more than 150 people from the Greenwood area during five days of scheduled meetings and two days of overflow.
“No one will be turned away,” he said.

Benjamin Isiah Davis

Services for Benjamin Isiah Davis, of 108 Addison Ave., are 1 p.m. Saturday at Restoration Worship Center, conducted by Elder Carter T. Peak, assisted by the Revs. Joe Warren and Heyward Black. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Burial is in The Evening Star cemetery.
Pallbearers are Douglas Hill, Marion Nicholson, Jimmy Watts, Robert Morgan, Garnell Morgan, Robert Booker and Michael Speech.
Flower bearers are Elizabeth Fletcher, Barbara Cloud, Jackie Cooper, Lillie “Bit” Gilbert, Dianne Coleman, Loretta Williams and Emma Tolbert.
The family is at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com.

Junior Grubbs

WATERLOO — Wilkins Junior Grubbs, 75, of 14999 Highway 221, husband of Nannie Reeder Grubbs, died Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006 at Hospice House of Greenwood.
Formerly of Woodruff and a native of Spartanburg County, he was a son of the late Henry Homer and Lila Nelson Grubbs. He was a retired machinist with Crescent, a member of Crestview Baptist Church and an Army veteran of the Korean conflict.
Survivors include two daughters, Margie Harlan, of Gray Court, and Annita O’Shaugnessy, of Houston, Texas; four grandchildren; a stepson, Danny Schubert, of Cross Hill; a stepdaughter, Donna Morris, of Waterloo; nine step-grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at Forest Hills Funeral Home, conducted by the Revs. Keith Barnes and Tommy Cartledge. Burial is in Walnut Grove Methodist Church Cemetery with full military honors.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home and at the home of a daughter, 674 Little Randa Road, Gray Court.
Memorials may be made to Hospice House of Greenwood, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Forest Hills Funeral Home, Woodruff, is in charge.

Queen Esther Lomax

ABBEVILLE — Services for Queen Esther Guillebeaux Lomax, of 1758 Highway 28 S., are 2 p.m. Saturday at Bethlehem Church of God Holiness, McCormick, conducted by Bishop J.C. Taylor and Elder Willie Morton. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in Little Mill Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family is at the home.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home is in charge.

James ‘Jim’ McCalla

LOWNDESVILLE, SC —James “Jim” R. McCalla, 85, of 257 Main St. Lowndesville, died Wednesday, August 9, 2006 at Self Regional HealthCare. He was born in Abbeville County to the late Mattox P. and Ella Nickels McCalla, Sr.
Mr. McCalla was a member of Smyrna Methodist Church and served in the United States Army in WWII.
Surviving Mr. McCalla are his two sisters, Ann M. Anderson of Indianapolis, IN., and Elvira M. Powers of Savannah, GA, two brothers, Mac P. McCalla, Jr., and John McCalla both of Iva, also many nieces and nephews.
Graveside services will be 6:00PM Saturday, August 12, 2006, in Edgewood Cemetery in Greenwood, SC.
Memorial contributions in memory of Mr. McCalla may be sent to the Smyrna Methodist Church 439 Main St. Lowndesville, SC 29659.
Online condolences may be sent to the McCalla family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME, of Abbeville is assisting the McCalla family.
PAID OBITUARY

Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Mundy

ABBEVILLE — Elizabeth “Libby” Womack Mundy, 59, of 116 McGowan Ave., wife of Len Mundy, died Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center, Greenwood.
Services will be announced by The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home.

Bob Ridge

WARE SHOALS, SC — Robert H. “Bob” Ridge, 81, of 11 Ponderosa Dr. died August 10, 2006 at Self Memorial Hospital. He was born in Honea Path, SC, a son of the late Henry Lewis and Ida Mae Gambrell Ridge. He was retired from Smith and Waters, Mt. Vernon Mills and was a member of Ware Shoals First Baptist Church. Mr. Ridge served in the European Theatre during WWII.
He was twice married, first to the former Anne Ridgeway and to Edith Skinner Ridge of the home. He is also survived by three sons, Robert Keith Ridge, Ware Shoals, Carey Lewis Ridge, Rock Hill, Henry Bruce Ridge, Greenwood; one daughter, Gloria Ridge Sewell, Kissimmee, Fl.; two brothers, John Ridge and Grover Ridge both of Honea Path, S.C., two sisters, Frances Wolf, Greenwood, Ruby Young, Arden, NC, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was pre-deceased by two brothers, Joe and Roy Ridge and three sisters, Gladys Black, Ruth Campbell, and Carrie Finley.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, 3 PM at Ware Shoals First Baptist Church with Rev. Leon Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Garden of Memories, Honea Path, SC.
Nephews will serve as pallbearers.
Employees of Smith and Waters Mt. Vernon Mills will serve as honorary escorts.
The family will be at the home and will receive friends at The First Baptist Church, Saturday 2-3PM. Memorials may be made to The First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 449, Ware Shoals, SC.
Parker-White Funeral Home
PAID OBITUARY

New faces abound for CFHS

August 11, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The opening days of football practice can be an overwhelming tome for players and coaches alike. This situation is exacerbated when a team is comprised of mostly new players with a new coach who is leading a program for the first time.
This is the situation in Calhoun Falls, where first year coach Kenneth Sanders, who is heading up a team for the first time after stints as an assistant coach at high schools in Georgia. Sanders has taken over a Blue Flashes squad that lost 17 seniors from a year ago and will be suiting up just 25 players on Friday nights this fall.
That hasn’t fazed the 31-year old coach as he has been working diligently to get his team ready for their Aug. 18 opener.
“Practice has gone really good so far,” Sanders said. “I was interested to see how the guys would respond, and they really have responded well to what we’ve asked them to do.”
Sanders said the Flashes early game — their Aug. 18 home opener against Columbia comes a week before most teams in the state start the regular season— comes purely out of scheduling necessity. Calhoun Falls plays in the five-team Region I-A and, as such, has to schedule a sixth non-region game to fill out a ten game regular season slate.
“We needed to go ahead and get it in,” Sanders said of the game against Columbia. “It worked out for Columbia to come over here.
“It does put us in a crunch in terms of making sure we get everything put in for the offense and defense.”
Calhoun Falls should have its hands full with Columbia, as the Capitals are perennially among the more athletic teams in Class AA.
Current USC running back Mike Davis is one of a number of Columbia High athletes that have moved on to play at collegiate level.
Though the Blue Flashes lost numerous players from a year ago, including Lakelands standouts such as D.J. Roundtree, Theo Tillman, Monterrio Tatum and Jamal Wideman, they have several players back who look to make a name for themselves.
Adrian Tatum will likely be a go-to runner out of the offensive backfield, while Ricky Holland and Justin Belcher are battling for the starting quarterback slot. Jeffrey Ford could be a standout on defense from an outside linebacker position.
“Our guys will be ready and in shape,” Sanders said.
“Because of our numbers, guys have been multitasking at practice.
“Our guys will have to be prepared when the first game comes, because things move a whole lot faster in the games than they do out at practice.”

Jamboree schedule kicks off tonight

August 11, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal Sports Writer

As anyone who follows sports in Greenwood and the Lakelands area surely knows by now, the high school football regular season is right around the corner.
With that comes the annual tradition of preseason jamborees, which feature abbreviated scrimmages between area teams. The scrimmages give fans a taste of what their favorite team will be like this season, while also giving coaches and players a chance to become familiar with each other under game conditions.
There will be a trio of jamborees involving area teams this weekend.
At 7 p.m. tonight, the Abbeville jamboree will kick off. Ware Shoals will take on Crescent in the first contest, Ninety Six meets Strom Thurmond in the second scrimmage and Greenwood and Abbeville will do battle in the nightcap.
At 7 p.m. Saturday, the Region I-A jamboree will get under way in Ware Shoals. Calhoun Falls and McCormick play the first game, with Dixie and Thornwell going at it in the second. Ware Shoals closes the night by scrimmaging a non-region foe in Southside High.
Also at 7 p.m. Saturday, the Region III-AA jamboree will take place at Newberry High. Emerald and Ninety Six will play the first game Saluda meets Batesburg-Leesville in the second contest. The Region III-AA jamboree will come to a close with Mid-Carolina taking on Newberry.
Ware Shoals coach Jeff Murdock said he likes the idea of the jamborees.
“Oh yeah, the guys are anxious to hit the field,” Murdock said. “What we want to do in a jamboree is hit and hustle. You don’t do prep for the opponent in a jamboree, you want to see if you can hit and hustle. If guys can’t do that, then there’s no need getting into everything else, because they won’t be able to play.”
Murdock said jamborees are especially pleasing to fans.
“Fans love to get out to the early jamborees and see what their favorite team’s got,” Murdock said. “It’s good for some of our younger players, too, because they aren’t used to playing in front of the big crowds. Jamborees are a win-win for everybody.”

Efforts to police the ‘net helping to protect children

August 11, 2006

The Internet can be a positive force. At the same time, though, it can be a source of danger, especially to young people. It happens every day in South Carolina. Young girls and boys fall victim to sexual predators. Fortunately, something is being done to track down, arrest and prosecute slimy characters who use the Internet to prey on the unsuspecting.
In recent months, state Attorney General Henry McMaster’s Internet Crime Against Children Task Force has actively worked to bring predators to justice. Although McMaster cautions that all are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, the effort itself is sure to be a deterrent to Internet solicitors of sex who are threats to adults, of course, but also particularly a menace to youngsters.

IN RECENT MONTHS, COUNTY sheriffs and local police departments, the FBI, members of the U. S. Secret Service, State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) officers and others have worked through the task force to help stop criminal solicitation of minors and to protect would-be victims. We’re seeing more offenses, but, fortunately, we’re seeing more enforcement, too.
It is a felony offense and a conviction is punishable up to 10 years in prison. Officers have caught and charged a number of people in the Palmetto State by pretending to be easy “marks” for sexual predators who use the Internet.
Despite success and good intentions, more than likely there will always be such criminal activity. Criminal minds are always busy trying to figure out ways to get around the law. It would be wise for parents with children who have access to computers and the Internet, as well as others, to pay attention to what’s going on.

IF THEY DON’T KNOW, THEY should make it a point to find out.
There will be, no doubt, some who’ll argue that such checking by parents violates the privacy of children. That’s ridiculous. If it’s in the home, parents should be in control. Privacy should not even be a consideration anytime children can be and are vulnerable to underhanded people who have no qualms about assaulting and/or killing them, be it via the Internet or any other means.
McMaster and all who work with him in this important pursuit deserve our thanks and help any of us can give. So far, a number of suspects have been charged, thanks to the task force. However, there surely are others. Keep the heat on.