Habitat for Humanity gets help
from those who braved the rain

June 27, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

Trey Cundiff, of Liberty, Ky., had been trimming the edge of a Habitat for Humanity house with a weed eater Monday when the sky opened up and buckets of water began to fall.
But a little rain didn’t stop him or any of about 40 other volunteers from building houses as part of their annual mission trip.
Members of three churches from Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Illinois traveled to Greenwood to work until Friday painting, trimming, cleaning, repairing and building Habitat homes in the area, said Sandy Shelton, Americorps Volunteer Coordinator at the Greenwood Area Habitat for Humanity.
Cundiff’s first mission trip to Greenwood was 10 years ago. He’s not the only mission trip veteran. All three churches have sent mission trips to Greenwood before, the earliest being five years ago.
Grace Community Christian Church of Aurora, Ill., members traveled the farthest to come to Greenwood. They drove for two days, first stopping in Liberty, Ky., to travel to South Carolina with First Christian Church.
Each church affords the trip through donations, Shelton said.
Church volunteers are sleeping at Westminster Presbyterian Church, with food being provided by local restaurants.
The church groups were working on houses in Kirksey Forest and Wisewood, along with building a wheelchair ramp at the Habitat office, she said.
John Vozel, of Perryopolis, Pa., created a stone wall around the front door of the Habitat for Humanity house in Kirksey Forest with the help of John Morgan, also from Perryopolis.
Vozel has been on mission trips to Virginia, Ohio and Wisconsin in the past. His church, Perryopolis First Christian Church, brought 30 people for the trip.
Vozel said his only concern is that the church finds mission trips where everyone can contribute.
Morgan said he was just glad to have something fun to do during the summer. “I can’t stay at home,” he said. “I hate watching TV.”
The volunteers also painted inside the house and used rakes to pull dirt clods out of the Habitat for Humanity house side yard, said Barry Ohler of Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Down the road from the under-construction Habitat house are several other completed Habitat houses, Ohler said. “We’ve had a really good crop of homeowners,” he said.
An emergency room nurse with a special needs child lives in one of the houses, Ohler said.
Cundiff wants to continue working on Habitat for Humanity houses after leaving Greenwood.
“It’s getting to be a habit,” he said.

Area Class A teams release football schedules

June 27, 2006

By JIM JOYCE
Special projects editor

High school football schedules for 2006 are finalized and four of the five football schools in Region I of Class A are in the Lakelands area.
Region I has seven schools, but two (Gov. School of Arts and Tamassee-Salem) do not have football as part of their program. The others are Calhoun Falls, Dixie, McCormick, Thornwell and Ware Shoals. Only Thornwell is outside the Lakelands, and it’s close (Clinton).
Coach Jeff Murdock, of Ware Shoals, which is inside Greenwood County, has seen changes to their overall schedule, which include replacing one area school with two others.
Dropped from the schedule were Christ Church, Crescent, Dixie and Blacksburg while Seneca, Palmetto, Saluda and Emerald were added.
“I think it’s beneficial to play bigger schools,” Murdock said. “We think we’ve got a good chance, but we’ve got to develop linemen. We’ve got a good group, and we believe we’ve got a good shot at it.”The Hornets are in the same region as the past few years, and Murdock sees it becoming stronger.
“Dixie turned the corner last year, Calhoun Falls always has good athletes, and Thornwell beat us last year and they are improved,” he said.
“By being in the same region, the majority of the surprise is gone. I feel pretty good about it.”
Dixie coach Steve Dunlap said it doesn’t surprise him that they are in the same region.
“They try to do it to get schools in the same area to help travel,” he said. “For the most part, they do a pretty good job. That’s the whole picture — try to group schools of the same size and close together.”
Dixie’s schedule has changed, with the addition of Southside Christian, Christ Church and Walhalla and the removal of Liberty and West Oak.
“We tried to come up with a schedule that we can be more competitive,” Dunlap said. “We swapped some AAs for an A school, so hopefully that will help out some.”
Overall, he said, “It’s tough to say how the region will be.
“Calhoun Falls has been strong for many years, but they lost a coach and quite a few athletes. Thornwell lost some good athletes, and we also lost some good ones. It really depends on how it goes early.”
Coach Art Mann at McCormick said being in the same region doesn’t make any difference because the Chiefs have been in a period or rebuilding.
“It’s going to be just as strong,” he said. “Ware Shoals is a top notch team and nothing will change at Calhoun Falls. They are the top two teams in the area and that makes the region stronger.”
Of McCormick, Mann said, “We hope we have a chance. We’ve got some goals, but we’re primarily made up of juniors and sophomores, and we know it’s going to be tough. We’ve got some top teams in our region.”
The Chiefs picked up games with Great Falls, Christ Church and Lincoln County, Ga. while dropping West Oak, Pendleton and one game with Calhoun Falls (they had played twice).
Calhoun Falls has a new coach in Kenneth Sanders, but attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
Area team schedules follow:

CALHOUN FALLS
Aug. 18 — Columbia
Aug. 25 — Crescent.
Sept. 1 — Ninety Six
Sept. 8 — Open
Sept. 15 — Great Falls
Sept. 22 — at Emerald
Sept. 29 — at Thornwell
Oct. 6 — Christ Church
Oct. 13 — at Ware Shoals
Oct. 20 — Dixie
Oct. 27 — at McCormick

DIXIE
Aug. 17 — Southside Christian
Aug. 25 — at Christ Church
Sept. 1 — at Walhalla
Sept. 7 — Crescent
Sept. 21 — Whitmire
Sept. 29 — at Jonesville
Oct. 6 — at McCormick
Oct. 13 — 13 Thornwell
Oct. 20 — at Calhoun Falls
Oct. 26 — Ware Shoals

McCORMICK
Aug. 25 at Great Falls
Sept. 1 — Lincoln County
Sept. 8 — at Ridge Springs-Monetta
Sept. 15 — Christ Church
Sept. 22 — at Saluda
Sept. 29 — Ware Shoals
Oct. 6 — Dixie
Oct.13 — at Whitmire
Oct. 20 — at Thornwell
Oct. 27 — Calhoun Falls

WARE SHOALS
Aug. 25 — Seneca
Sept. 1 — Palmetto
Sept. 8 — at Saluda
Sept.15 — Emerald
Sept. 22 — at Ninety Six
Sept. 29 — at McCormick
Oct. 6 — Thornwell
Oct. 13 — Calhoun Falls
Oct. 20 — Landrum
Oct. 26 — at Dixie

Opinion

Today’s runoff elections are more than they seem

June 27, 2006

Considering the meager turnout of voters for the South Carolina primary elections a couple of weeks ago, it’s likely today’s runoff elections will see even fewer numbers. That’s a shame, too.
No, not because of the importance of the races or who might represent the people of the Palmetto State the best, although that’s certainly significant enough. Voting today is far more important than either of those.
What’s at stake is the entire foundation of our system of government. Does that sound too alarmist or overly excessive? Maybe. Still, the freedom to vote is a solid and necessary plank in the foundation of everything we hold dear in this nation of freedoms.
The right to elect whom we please is tantamount to protecting all the freedoms we are privileged to enjoy. And it is indeed a privilege.

IT’S MORE, TOO. IT’S THE responsibility of every registered voter to participate in the process and to make sure elective government survives for our children and their children.
Sure, we are not forced to vote. That’s part of what it’s all about. Nevertheless, when we fail to vote, time after time, it tends to foster a general malady that could eventually be fatal to democracy, whether intentional or not. The more we don’t use the vote, the more likely we are to lose it.
Considering that so many of us just don’t seem to care enough to vote, it’s a threat to the ties that bind us together, even though we have different views and beliefs ..... and sometimes appear to be at total odds. It’s those differences that make us what we are and what we will remain: one people. The vote assures us of that.
So vote today. It means more than some might think.

Obituaries

Mozelle Brewer

Mozelle Syrkett Brewer, of 404 Magnolia Drive, widow of Willie Simon Brewer Jr., died Monday, June 26, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Parks Funeral Home.

Alice Callison

Alice Mobley Callison, 87, of 106 Northwoods Road, widow of George Preston Callison Sr., died Monday, June 26, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home.

Jimmy Davis

James Ronald “Jimmy” Davis, 58, of 127 Hulsey Drive, husband of Terri Christiansen Davis, died Sunday, June 25, 2006 at his home.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of J.R. and Irene Johnson Davis. He was a graduate of Greenwood High School and a Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam conflict. His awards included the Purple Heart, Vietnam Service Ribbon and Combat Action Ribbon. He received a bachelor of science degree in psychology and sociology from Lander College in 1974 and a master of arts degree from Virginia Technical University. Retiring as a counselor from the South Carolina Commission of the Blind, he was a former member of Greenwood Bass Masters, a member of Disabled American Veterans and Quarter Master for Lakelands Marine Corps League.
Survivors include his wife of the home; his parents of Greenwood; two daughters, Mrs. Wayne (Kim D.) Ayer of Fort Valley, Ga., and Mrs. Jason (Jami D.) Lee of the home; two granddaughters, Kaitlyn and Jessica Ayer; a brother, Larry Davis of Greenwood; two sisters, Mrs. James (Sandra) Bryant of Ninety Six and Mrs. Wayne (Janice) Davenport of Greenwood.
Graveside services with military honors are 11 a.m. Wednesday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, officiated by the Revs. Eldredge Kelley and Alvin Hodges.
Honorary escorts are members of Lakelands Marine Corps League.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at Blyth Funeral Home.
The family is at the home and at the home of his parents, 417 Morgan Ave.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 10794, Greenville, SC 29603, or Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, PO Box 1947, Quantico, VA 22134.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Margaret W. Meise

MOUNTPLEASANT, SC — Margaret Theresa Wurthmann Meise, 79, of Mount Pleasant, SC, wife of the late George R. Meise, entered into eternal rest Monday, June 26, 2006. The friends and relatives of Margaret Meise are invited to attend her Mass of Christian Burial at Christ Our King Catholic Church on Thursday, June 29, 2006 at 11:00 o’clock. Prayers of Final Commendation and Farewell will be at Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens.
Friends may call at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL Wednesday evening, June 28, 2006 from 6:00 until 8:00 o’clock. The Rosary will be held at 7:00 o’clock.
Mrs. Meise was born May 1, 1927 in New York City, New York, daughter of the late Henry C. Wurthmann, Sr. and Mae Collins Wurthmann. She was a retired Administrative Assistant with the Citadel Alumni Office for 10 years, former 6th grade teacher at Stella Maris Catholic School, Former President of the Deanery of the Charleston Diocese, former President of Christ Our King Parish Council, member of the Supper Club for 35 years, very active in charity work, member of the Ladies Card Club for 45 years, and a member of the Knights of Columbus Ladies Bowling League.
She is survived by her sons, Robert A. Meise and his wife, Sally, of McCormick, SC, Henry E. Meise, Sr. and George J. Meise of Mt. Pleasant, SC, a daughter, Patricia Meise Blitch and her husband, John Kundrat, of Greenwood, SC, four grandchildren, Elizabeth Meise and Michael Meise of Kansas City, MO, Edward Meise and Mary Alice Meise of Johns Island, SC, one great grandchild, Justin Gibson of Kansas City, MO, one brother, Henry C. Wurthmann, Jr. and his wife, Helen of St. Louis, MO and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to Christ our King Catholic Church, 1122 Russell Drive, Mt. Pleasant 29464, SC, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 888 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403, The Association of the Miraculous Medal, 1811 West Saint Joseph Street, Pennysville, MO 63775 or Fransican Mission Associates Friars Order of St. Francis, P.O. Box 598, Mt. Vernon, NY 10881-0598.
A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.
PAID OBITUARY

Mary Calhoun Wideman

ABBEVILLE — Mary Calhoun Wideman, 82, of 115 Dutchman Road, widow of Arthur Wideman, died Saturday, June 24, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Born in Abbeville, she was a daughter of the late Andrew and Anna Calhoun. She was a member of Rock Buffalo Baptist Church.
Survivors include five sons, Arthur, Willie and Johnny Wideman of Abbeville, Squire and David Wideman of Calhoun Falls; two daughters, Mary Wideman and Mrs. Anthony (Minnie) Quarles of Abbeville; a brother, Squire Calhoun and a sister, Essie Bell of Greenville; 30 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Rock Buffalo Baptist Church, Highway 28 South, conducted by the Rev. Frank Williams. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Viewing is 1-8 p.m. today at Abbeville & White Mortuary.
The family is at the home of a daughter Minnie Quarles, 115 Dutchman Road.
Abbeville & White Mortuary Inc. is in charge.

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.
Born in Harriman, Tenn., he was a son of the late Kenneth Harlan and Louise Giles Wright. He was a graduate of Carson Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn., and received a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Clemson University. He taught in Rockwood, Tenn., for nine years; at Emerald High School for 28 years, where he was a football coach and the first high school golf team coach; taught physical education at Northside Middle School for two years; and retired in 2002, serving in the Greenwood County School System for more than 31 years. Ranking in the top 25 basketball officials in South Carolina, he officiated high school basketball for 15 years and Greenwood County Parks and Recreation softball for many years. He also officiated collegiate softball at Lander University and baseball at Erskine College. He was a member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church and The Fort in Ninety Six.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two sons, Beau Wright of Crossville, Tenn., and Andy Wright of Greenwood; two grandchildren; a brother, Billy Charles Wright of Harriman.
Services are 11 a.m. Wednesday at Blyth Funeral Home, officiated by the Rev. Mitchell Wray.
Honorary escorts are J.B. Callaham, Tommy Calliham, Don Livingston, Troy Wilson, Jamie Evans, Bruce Cook and Nolan McCutcheon.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of son Andy Wright, 412 Sanders Drive.
Memorials may be made to Greenwood Humane Society, PO Box 242 Greenwood, SC 29648.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com