Gift-hunters make last-minute dash

December 25, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

Tammy Kerhoulas was playing “Beat the Clock” with Christmas this year.
She hadn’t been able to buy gifts for her family before Christmas Eve because everyone has been laid up with a virus for more than a week.
Recently recovered, Kerhoulas, originally from Abbeville but now living in Orlando, Fla., spent Christmas Eve trying to find gifts for her four children, including twin toddlers Khari and K’Hari, her husband George and 10 more of her family members before stores closed in a matter of hours.
“It’s stressful,” she said while shopping in Greenwood Mall Sunday.
Many other last-minute shoppers were feeling the deadline loom large over them Christmas Eve, as traffic along S.C. 72 near the mall and Wal-Mart was hectic around 3 p.m. Sunday.
Christmas shopping problems might have been made more difficult by “blue laws,” which required many retail stores to stay closed until around 1:30 p.m. on Sundays, despite it being Christmas Eve.
Steve Brogan, of Greenwood, said the blue law should be repealed.
He stopped at the Greenwood Mall Sunday to buy some stocking-stuffer gifts at Waldenbooks for his two teenagers.
Brogan already had the rest of the Christmas presents under the tree, so he and his wife shopped casually around the mall.
Normally, he’d be just as frantic as many of the shoppers in the mall on Christmas Eve, but this year he had everything together a week early.
“Every other year, that was the case,” Brogan said, referring to the last-minute rush. “This year, I’m lucky.”
He said he got ahead of his Christmas shopping by buying gifts over the Internet, a technique that can save procrastinators from the hassle of mall crowds.
Catrina Shuler, of Abbeville, didn’t choose to go shopping on Christmas Eve — it was the only time she had to do it.
Shuler helps baby-sit around 15 children with her grandmother Joanne Shuler. Buying a gift is only possible once the children are out from underfoot and with their families for Christmas. By then, “It’s a lot easier for us to get it,” Shuler said.
Mary Campbell, of Gray Court, spent part of Sunday afternoon looking in the women’s apparel section at Kmart — not for herself, but for her son Robbie’s girlfriend.
Robbie, 16, forgot to get his girlfriend a Christmas gift, so Campbell and Robbie’s father stopped in Greenwood to buy something for her while traveling to see family in Abbeville.
Campbell said she suggested jewelry to Robbie, but he said his girlfriend doesn’t wear any.
Taking jewelry off the table only left one option.
“Well, the next best thing is clothes,” she said, adding that she was thinking a blouse would be a good gift.
She said her family chose going to Kmart over Wal-Mart to avoid traffic jams, although it was getting crowded around Kmart as the day progressed.

Returns, gift cards will boost business

December 25, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

After spending Christmas day receiving, giving and ripping open gifts, there is only one logical thing to do the next day: Go shopping.
The day after Christmas has become one of the biggest shopping days annually over the last several years. According to a recent study by the Direct Marketing Association, the day after Christmas is second only to the day after Thanksgiving in terms of sales and traffic in the nation’s shopping centers.
It’s a fact that should be no different here in the Lakelands area, where people will hit shops on Tuesday to take advantage of sales, use their newly received gift cards and, in very common fashion, return gifts they received the day before.
Lowe’s manager John Sands said he expects the home improvement warehouse on the Highway 72 Bypass to be buzzing on Tuesday.
“We will be open for our normal hours,” Sands said. “But yes, we should be busy. I’m sure we will have a number of returns.”
However, Sands said the proliferation of gift cards as Christmas presents has actually cut down on day-after-Christmas returns in recent years. He said people get the cards and can choose what they want, rather than having to exchange a present they don’t want or need.
Tim Riley, manager of Sears in the Greenwood Mall, said he also expects many people to arrive with gifts to return Tuesday. However, he said it will be important for customers to be prepared.
“More and more it is important for people to have a receipt with them,” Riley said. “Also, if the product has been used or something to that effect, there may be a re-stocking fee.”
Contrary to what Sands found to be true at Lowe’s, Riley says gift cards have not cut down on returns and exchanges at Sears. He said he expects the number of returns at his store to be similar to last year.
There can be many different reasons people return gifts on the day after Christmas, many times depending on what type of product is being taken back.
Jennie Jennings, manager at Goody’s in the Westwood Plaza, said there is one particularly prolific excuse customers have when returning gifts on Dec. 26.
“Most of the time, it’s how the garment fits,” Jennings said. “They want to get a different size or maybe exchange for a gift card. But we also have people who will simply tell us they don’t like the style of a gift.”
Jennings confirmed that the day after Christmas is indeed one of the busiest days of the year at the popular clothing retailer.
Some shoppers will simply return a gift because they have no use for it. WaldenBooks representative Mary Wieders said she often sees that at the Greenwood Mall book store.
“People will come in with a book and just tell us that they don’t read,” Wieders said, laughing. “But gift cards have cut down on our returns. And we had our best year yet with those.”

Reaching the goal: 2,000 boxes of food

December 25, 2006

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

Jeremy Fuller can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Fuller, store manager of the Food Lion store on Edgefield Street, wanted to make sure he did his part in helping Greenwood area stores reach their goal of selling 2,000 discounted food boxes for the annual Second Harvest Food Drive, benefiting the local Greenwood County Food Bank and The Salvation Army.
He did that and a bit more, hitting the town on foot and recruiting Greenwood businesses along the way.
His effort was not wasted, as Greenwood-area Food Lion stores — along with numerous local businesses — have reached their goal of contributing 2,000 boxes to the annual food drive.
Fuller said the 2,000th box was sold on Wednesday.
“I’m simply amazed at the contributions that our local businesses made in this effort,” Fuller said. “If it were not for the help of the businesses here in Greenwood, this would not have been possible.”
Fuller visited — by his estimation — “somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 businesses” in the effort to help ensure that local families in need did not go without a Christmas Day meal.
Those businesses responded in a big way.
Kevin and Rebecca Byington, owners of Sweet Pea’s Family Restaurant, bought more than 100 boxes for the cause.
“(Fuller) just walked in the door one day and I thought it was an excellent idea,” Kevin Byington said.
“That has always been at the heart of our business, giving something back,” Rebecca Byington said. “This is a great way to give back to the community.”
Fuller’s excitement for the project and dedication to reaching the 2,000-box goal (double what the program was able to donate just a year ago) was enough for Lankford Agency Inc. (an Allstate Insurance Co.) owner Steve Lankford to know that he wanted in.
“Jeremy’s passion and enthusiasm for reaching this goal was just too good to resist,” Lankford said. “I challenge any local business or government agency in the city to hear (Fuller) out.”
The effort became a friendly competition for Countybank employees, who purchased more than 200 boxes.
“We kept issuing challenges from branch to branch and it got to be a little bit of a competition,” Countybank employee Robin Wright said.
“All of our different teams all competed and came together to help this great cause,” said Wright’s co-worker Candice Laswell.
“We set out with a challenge of selling 2,000 boxes, which would be double what we did last year, and we’ve been able to do just that,” Fuller said. “(A lot of people) said it couldn’t be done, but my associates said it could be done. It took a lot of off-days and going from business to business. There are far too many of the businesses to name, but they know who they are. It just shows how Greenwood has come together for the food banks in this time of need.”
The support of Angela Christopher, owner of Anytime Fitness, early on in the effort also proved invaluable in getting the cause off the ground.
Christopher purchased more than 100 food boxes.
A pair of Fuller’s Food Lion employees, Kristy Stewart and Michael Dalton, have been recognized for their individual front-line efforts as the store’s top box sellers.
“They were the top two associates,” Fuller said. “I’m very proud of my associates and how we have pulled together as a team. I’m very proud of them.”
The store had a drawing on Wednesday from the names of customers who had purchased boxes.
Lankford, one of Fuller’s biggest supporters, was the grand prize winner of a TV/DVD combo. He donated the prize to the local Food Lion’s adopted “family,” an area family that is in need during the holidays.
Other winners were Jean Martin (an outdoor fireplace), Karen Roller (an outdoor smoker) and Brandie Larson (a remote-controlled Hummer toy).
One thing Fuller wants to remain very clear, however, is that the effort — while having reached its goal — is still ongoing. Food boxes remain available for purchase at all area Food Lion stores through Dec. 30.
“We reached our goal, but it’s not over, and there are still boxes out there needing to be purchased,” Fuller said. “We would like to donate many more boxes than just the 2,000 (plus) that we’ve already sold so far.”
Next year, the sky is the limit.
Fuller says the goal will increase as more and more area businesses come aboard to help the cause.
“With us getting a late start and still being able to reach our goal of selling 2,000 boxes, we’ll get a head start next year,” he said. “Next year the goal will be more like 4,000 or 5,000 boxes. We know that it can be done.”

Opinion

Respecting others secures freedoms all of us share

December 25, 2006

All of a sudden, it seems, there are too many of us who are changing our attitudes about the freedom of other Americans to observe our faiths - or not - in their own ways. What this means and why it’s happening are debatable, of course. Nevertheless it says something about the direction of this nation that is troubling.
It’s more obvious at this time of year as Christians celebrate the birth of Christ. Christianity, it appears, is under attack. Lawsuits, for one thing, tell that tale. The fundamental worry, though, is that if we seek to limit the worship of others we’ll only succeed in limiting our own freedom to express the faith that guides our lives.

THAT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING, to be sure. There’s much more to lose if we continue on such a slippery slope.
First it’s religion, then, before we know it, slowly but surely it escalates to include the exclusion of all the differences that make us uniquely American ..... historic customs, for example.
Why not exercise the freedoms we all share ..... or should share. Why not vow to accept others as they are, and that includes religion, race, ethnicity and everything else about us.
Rejoice with South Carolina’s Jews as they observe the days of Hanukkah. Congratulate black South Carolinians that celebrate their African-American festival of Kwanzaa. Respect the faith and the customs of Muslims, Hindus and all the great religions of the world.

REACH OUT TO OTHERS, SOUTH Carolinians all, who must live, work, worship and play together in a world increasingly descending into the kind of intolerance that has been a plague on humanity since the beginning.
We often hear the phrase “Only in America,” meaning, usually, that good things happen here that often cannot happen to other people in any other corner of the world. Why is that? Could it be because that we, as Americans, have always been tolerant of the differences that give us identity, complete with the respect they deserve?
Look around. If we’re not careful we will destroy ourselves from within. We won’t need Iran, Iraq or any others to administer the coup de grace. Americans are different. It’s what we are.

Obituaries

William Beshers

William “Willie” Beshers Jr., 84, of 201 Overland Drive, died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, at Hospice House.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home & Crematory.

Anthony L. Coley

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Anthony L. Coley, 78, of Augusta, Georgia, died Thursday, Dec. 21, 2006 at University Hospital in Augusta. Survivors include a sister, Armetta Williams of Greenwood. Services are 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2006 at Macedonia Baptist Church in Augusta. Williams Funeral Home is in charge. Courtesy of Robinson & Son Mortuary, Inc.

L.J. Jennings

McCORMICK — L.J. Jennings died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, at Savannah Heights Living Center, McCormick.
The family is at the home of a sister Ammie Williams, Highway 378 East.
Services will be announced by Walker Funeral Home.

Jerry ‘Jubilee’ Miller Sr.

CLINTON — Deacon Jerry “Jubilee” Miller, Sr., 72, of 806 E. Florida Street, former native of Hodges, S.C., went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, Dec. 21 at National Health Care of Clinton.
Born in Greenville Co., S.C., July 4, 1934, he was the son of Ms. Emma Wilbert of Newark, N.J. and the late Hazie Miller.
At an early age he joined Rose of Sharon Holiness Church, Hodges, where he served as a deacon and attended Zion Hill Progressive Holiness Church, Clinton, S.C.
He leaves to cherish his fond memories his wife, Dorothy Carter Miller of the home; two sons, Victor (Marian) Miller of Simpsonville, S.C., and Jerry Miller, Jr. of Greenville, S.C.; two stepsons, David (Daffney) Booker of Anderson, S.C., and Rodney (Bridget) Booker of Simpsonville; four daughters, Lucille Agnew of Greenwood, S.C., Lorrain (Bennie) Burts of Greenville, Sandra Martin, Lisa (Kelvin) Minyard, both of Greenville; three stepdaughters, Dr. Linda Cohen and Rosa Booker, both of Clinton, S.C., and Teresa Booker of Greenwood; 5 brothers; 6 sisters; 8 grandchildren; 11 step-grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; 5 step-great-grandchildren; three brothers-in-law; 6 sisters-in-law, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Homegoing service for Deacon Jerry “Jubilee” Miller will be held on Wed., Dec. 27 at 2 p.m., Zion Hill Progressive Holiness Church, Clinton, with burial at Orchard Park Memorial Gardens, Bishop J.B. Wilson officiating. The remains will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. to wait the hour of service. The family is at the home of his stepdaughter Rosa Booker, 114 N. Owens St., Clinton. Online condolences may be sent to the family at sandersthompsonfuneralservice.com
Sanders-Thompson is caring for the family.

Bill Payton

NINETY SIX — William Andrew “Bill” Payton, 71, of 222 Park St., husband of Ernestine “Tina” Ellison Payton, died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, at Hospice House.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home & Crematory.

Sally Winkfield

Sally Winkfield, 73, of 500-C Cokesbury Road, died Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, at Self Regional Medical Center.
The family is at the home.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.