Planting the message

Wesley Commons groundskeeper’s green thumb helps his ministry

June 26, 2006

By JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writer

Though it was completely out of character for the soft-spoken groundskeeper at Wesley Commons, one hot, sunny day, Chuck Keller was not in a particularly good mood.
But that didn’t last long.
The chaplain at the continuing care retirement center came to Keller and told him about the discussion in the chapel regarding the necessity to be like Jesus. When the residents were asked who they thought was the most Christ-like, they all agreed it was Keller.
“That just humbled me,” said Keller, who has worked at Wesley Commons since 1993. “I almost wanted to cry because I had been in such a bad mood and had been so un-Christ-like. The only thing special about me is my Lord.”
But the residents at Wesley Commons were not the only one to recognize Keller’s constant desire to serve God.
About a year ago, the Bold Spring Baptist Church deacon of 21 years was sitting in the Bible study room while he waited for his wife, Roxie, to finish choir practice. It was there he received a calling to go into the ministry.
Though church members had always told Keller he should be a minister, he said he never had a desire to be one, and that there wasn’t a need in his church for an interim-pastor.
But as Keller would discover, his pastor was feeling led to go to another church. The master groundskeeper became interim pastor in September 2005.
“I thought maybe the Lord just wants me to do this as interim, but it became obvious to me that this wasn’t going to be temporary, this was the calling for my life,” said Keller, who was ordained in April.
Facility Services Director Barry Putnam said you could always tell Keller was a Godly man and a Christian just by his actions and the way he handles the little things.
“If we have bad weather, he will come out here and stay all night long checking for slick spots and putting out de-icer at least on an hourly basis,” Putnam said. “It’s not required, but he does it because he cares ... his love for the Lord carries over into his work here and how he cares about the people.”
Activities Manager Christina Bonnett said many of the residents who used to enjoy gardening really like the potted gardening session Keller does on the porch every year. Bonnett said Keller even planted a tomato plant outside the porch at the special request of residents.
“They see him as the one person who keeps everything pretty and they really appreciate that,” Bonnett said.
Dorothy Archie, a Wesley Commons resident of 12 years, said she appreciates the patience Keller extends to residents.
She described a time he helped her pot a plant and held it so she could reach over and cover it with dirt.
“That was something he didn’t have to do, that was an extra treat,” she said. “Just something he did special as a personal touch. As a caretaker and a minister, he will add to this home.”
Keller, who was able to share a service with the residents when the chaplain was out of town, said he enjoys occasionally praying with the residents and providing a ministry through beautifying their landscape within a Christian environment.
“If I can be an example to anybody, it would be that God can use anybody if they’ll be available to him,” Keller said. “I don’t think there’s anything special about me. It overwhelms me to be used by Him, but it seems like it was always common, plain people that the Lord would use and that’s what I consider myself.”
But Archie said Keller is anything but plain.
“When he approaches you, you know you are getting ready to meet a friend,” she said.

Golfing at the Festival of Flowers

Martin sets tournament record

June 26, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The Festival of Flowers men’s golf tournament has a new record holder.
Greenwood’s Ben Martin fired a two-day score of 132 to win the Festival tournament Sunday at Greenwood Country Club. The score was two strokes better than Brent Delahoussaye’s 134 in 2001.
“It feel’s good to win this tournament,” said Martin, a golfer at Clemson University. “This is my hometown and my home course, so it is special.”
Martin’s victory marked the third consecutive year a player from Greenwood won the event.
Vince Hatfield, also a Clemson golfer, won it last year, while Chip Whitt was victorious in 2004.
Whitt was in the thick of things again this year, finishing third with a score of 135. He and Martin, along with second place finisher Dustin Barr, of Charleston, were grouped together on Sunday.
“We all fed off each other,” Martin said of he and his playing partners. “I’ve played with Chip before and he’s a great guy. And Dustin struck the ball well. It was a good group.”
Whitt, who is the golf coach at Greenwood High School, said it was interesting being in the same tournament as some of his players, such as Marcus Ling and Matt Martin.
“That was different,” Whitt said. “Hopefully now they see I practice what I preach. But we’ve got good guys and it was neat to be in the same tournament with them.”
Ben Martin nearly got himself in trouble on the 18th and final hole of the day.
His tee shot had good distance, but came to rest just inches from a cedar tree which was positioned between the ball and the fairway.
He tried to balst out of the thicket, but the ball clipped the limb of another tree and fell down just ten yards ahead, behind another set of trees.
Faced with laying up and looking at a possible bogey and a tie with Barr or going for the green with a risky shot, Martin let it rip.
His shot skimmed past the trees and flew to the green, landing just feet from the hole. Martin putted out for par.
“That was a dicey moment,” Martin said. “I thought it was best to go for the green. It worked out for me.”
It was the first festival win for Martin.
Last year’s champion, Hatfield, finished 11th.

Opinion

Better graduation rates must be priority in S. C.

June 26, 2006

By now there’s no secret that South Carolina has the lowest graduation rate for public high school students in the nation. That’s been a disappointing fact for some time. Now a study of the 2002-2003 rates by “Education Week” reaffirms our standing. However, there have been several studies conducted in the last few years and there are differing figures. Still, the overall picture shows we need to improve, no matter who is doing the studies.
That doesn’t mean we’re not striving hard to improve. That’s an ongoing effort for just about everyone in education, from the State Department of Education to every high school in the Palmetto State.

THERE ARE A VARIETY OF factors that influence the “big picture,” and they are worthy of note. The Education Department says, “Although all test scores in South Carolina have increased dramatically in recent years, there has not been a corresponding improvement in the state’s four-year high school graduation rate (the percentage of ninth-graders who graduate on time with their classmates in the standard four years). And because a high school diploma has become a minimum level of competency in today’s world, that makes improving South Carolina’s graduation rate a priority.”
That’s true. But, then, it should always be a priority.

“IN SOUTH CAROLINA,” THE Department said, “this is an especially difficult challenge because we have set requirements for high school graduation that are tougher than other states. Education Week, in the section of its report titled ‘A Road Map to State Graduation Policies,’ notes that South Carolina is one of only 23 states that requires students to pass a high school exit exam and one of only four states that requires students to earn 24 academic credits for a diploma. We are one of only three states that requires both 24 credits

Obituaries

Jimmy Davis

James Ronald “Jimmy” Davis, 58, of 127 Hulsey Drive, husband of Terri Christiansen Davis, died Sunday, June 25, 2006 at his home.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge.

Mary Calhoun Wideman

ABBEVILLE — Mary Calhoun Wideman, 82, widow of Arthur Wideman, died Saturday, June 24, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center, Greenwood.
The family is at the home of a daughter, Minnie Quarles, 115 Dutchman Road.
Services will be announced by Abbeville & White Mortuary Inc.

Ken Wright

Kenneth Eugene Wright, 64, of 138 Shearbrook Drive, husband of Robin Bowie Wright, died Sunday, June 25, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
The family is at the home of his son Andy Wright, 410 Sanders Drive.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.