College students use spring break
to build home for local family

March 8, 2006

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

It’s spring break at Jonathan Welle’s college in Virginia and most of his friends are slathered in tanning oil and lying in the sun on sandy beaches this week.
Welle didn’t go with them this year. Instead he chose to spend his week helping others. He has plenty of sunshine overhead and there’s some sand, though it’s in patches in the midst of mud and dirt, but there’s no ocean and there’s definitely been no time for lounging.
Welle is one of about 50 students from two colleges who are spending this week in Greenwood, volunteering their time and sacrificing a week of leisure to work for Habitat for Humanity. They’re participating in the Greenwood Area Habitat for Humanity’s Collegiate Challenge 2006, an annual event in which college students on spring break travel to assist with homebuilding efforts in other states.
This year, Greenwood is host to students from Boston College of Massachusetts and the College of William & Mary of Virginia. Next week, those students will return home and a new group will head in from Westfield State University of Massachusetts.
Assisted by local Americorps staff and volunteers, and the Care-A-Vanners, a group of adults who travel the country to work with Habitat affiliates, the students worked at two Greenwood sites, Kirksey Forest and Wisewood Subdivision.
Though it’s not the typical college spring break experience, the students said they don’t feel like they’re missing out on anything this week. While the group is being worked hard, they said the work is gratifying and they are finding time to have fun. In addition to enjoying the company of new friends on their work sites, they’re participating in activities with their host church in Greenwood, North Side Baptist Church.
“I can go to Cancun any year, but I won’t always have the chance to be involved in something like this,” said Emily Fabiaschi of Boston College.
According to Welle, volunteering is just as much fun as a beach trip, but much less expensive. This is his second trip as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer, he said. He volunteered in Mississippi this past May with a small group of friends and was looking to recreate that experience this year he said.
“It just feels really good to create something tangible,” Welle said. “As students, we spend so much time in the classroom working, it’s nice to see something actually take shape because of our labors.”
From 8 a.m. until about 4 p.m., the students work on site, freshening up residences in Kirksey Forest and building a new house from the ground up at Wisewood. By Tuesday afternoon, they had the foundation and framework complete at Wisewood and were preparing to put the walls up. The roof is expected to be up by the time the second group is done, said volunteer coordinator Sandy Shelton.

Joe Prince Bryan

GREENWOOD — Joe Prince Bryan, 80, of 1110 Marshall Rd. Treehouse Apt. 4019, husband of Helen Gentry Bryan, died Sunday, March 5, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Bryan was born in Greenwood County to the late James E. and Ruby Logue Bryan, Sr. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Greenwood and a former member of Little Stevens Creek Baptist Church in Edgefield. Mr. Bryan retired from CSX Railroad after many years and served in WWII with the United States Marines.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Jo Marie Bryan, three brothers, Willie Bryan, George L. Bryan, and James E. Bryan, Jr., three sisters, Louise Bryan, Sue O’Dell, and Ruth Shaffer.
Surviving Mr. Bryan is his wife of 59 years of the home, three sisters-in-law, Mary Cheek of Greenwood, Edith Bell of Greenwood, and Adeline Bryan of Boiling Springs, SC, as well as many nieces and nephews and their spouses.
The family will receive friends 1:00PM to 2:30PM Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at Harris Funeral Home. Funeral services conducted by Dr. Tony Hopkins will follow at 3:00PM in the chapel. Burial will be at 5:00PM on Tuesday in Little Stevens Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Edgefield, SC.
Memorial contributions in memory of Mr. Bryan may be sent to the Jo Marie Bryan Scholarship Fund at Lander University, 320 Stanley Ave. Greenwood, SC 29649.
Online condolences may be sent to the Bryan family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME, of Abbeville is assisting the Bryan family.
PAID OBITUARY

Pat Joseph

GRAY COURT — Martha Raye “Pat” Leopard Joseph, 62, of 1050 Mileback Drive, died Monday, March 6, 2006, at her home.
Mrs. Joseph was born October 3, 1943 in Ninety Six to the late Thomas Pitt Leopard and Ruby Yeargin Leopard. She was a home maker.
Surviving are two sons, Danny Crawford and his wife Connie, and Joey Crawford; a daughter, Dolly Leopard; two brothers, Tommy Lee Leopard and Jack Leopard; two sisters, Darlene Roberts and Laverne Gable; and eight grandhildren.
The family will receive friends from 3-6 p.m. Tuesday at Fletcher Funeral Service in Fountain Inn.
The family will be at the home of Danny and Connie Crawford, 1050 Mileback Drive in Gray Court.
PAID OBITUARY

Rosa Lee Sullivan

ABBEVILLE — Rosa Lee Clinkscales Sullivan, 80, of 135 Adams Drive, widow of Claude Sullivan, died Saturday, March 4, 2006 at St. Joseph’s Health System in Atlanta.
Born in Anderson County, she was a daughter of the late James and Narcissus Adams Clinkscales. She was a member of Wilson Creek First Baptist Church and Little River Union Meeting, deaconess, Senior Choir leader, former Sunday school teacher and Missionary president.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Etta Sullivan Washington of Abbeville; two sons, Claude Sullivan of Greenville and Roger Sullivan of Easley; two sisters, Idella Wansley and Zadie Mae Lee, both of Anderson; two brothers, James Horace Clinkscales of Knoxville, Tenn., and Floyd Clinkscales of Iva; three grandchildren.
Services are noon Thursday at Wilson Creek First Baptist Church. Burial is in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 11 a.m.
Visitation is 7-7:30 tonight at Marcus D. Brown Funeral Home in Anderson.
The family is at the home.
Marcus D. Brown Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.marcusdbrownfuneralhome.com

Henry L. White

McCORMICK — Services for Henry L. White are 3 p.m. today at Liberty Spring Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Henry Merriweather, pastor. Burial is in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 2. Pallbearers are nephews.
Flower bearers are nieces.
The family is at the home, 29 White-Dansby Road.
Walker Funeral Home is in charge.

Flashes cross border again for head coach/A.D.

March 8, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

CALHOUN FALLS — Fans of the Calhoun Falls High School football team now know who will be roaming the sidelines as the new Blue Flashes football coach this fall.
Kenneth Sanders, 31, from Elberton, Ga., has been hired as head football coach and athletic director.
Sanders was officially hired at the Abbeville School District board meeting Feb. 28. Sanders met with returning Flashes football players for the first time Tuesday morning.
Sanders comes to Calhoun Falls from Appalachee High School in Winder, Ga., where he served as strength coordinator and linebackers coach.
Previous to his time at Appalachee, the Lander University graduate was an assistant coach at Elbert County High School, where he was on the coaching staff with departing Flashes coach Eddie Roberts, who is leaving to take the head coaching job at Elbert County.
“I’m extremely excited for this opportunity,” Sanders said. “I’m very anxious to see what we can do. Our offseason conditioning program will officially begin next Tuesday.”
Abbeville School District Superintendent Ivan Randolph said he was pleased with the hiring of Sanders.
“We are thrilled coach Sanders has chosen to come to Calhoun Falls,” Randolph said. “He’s energetic, and he will make a positive difference in the Calhoun Falls program.”
Sanders will be taking over a Flashes program that has enjoyed great success in recent years.
Calhoun Falls compiled an overall record of 52-12 from 2001-05, the first three seasons of which the team was coached by Jimmy Towe, the last two by Roberts.
Roberts led the team to the Region I-A title and the Class A state championship game in 2004.
“That’s one of the reasons I chose to apply,” Sanders said. “This program has been really strong, especially since about 1998 or so.
“And the town of Calhoun Falls is known for being absolutely football crazy. I look at it as a program that can have success, definitely.”
One task Sanders has in front of him is replacing a large chunk of the Flashes’ roster.
The 2005 team had 17 seniors on its 34-man varsity, including such major contributors as D.J. Roundtree, Monterrio Tatum and Theo Tillman.
Sanders said he is aware of what lies ahead in terms of roster turnover.
“Obviously when you lose 17 players at a Class A school, you’re going to have a young team the following year,” Sanders said.
“That being said, I’ve met with the team, and I believe we’ve got some guys coming back that are ready to step up and be counted on.”

Chris Trainor covers area sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ctrainor@indexjournal.com.

Maybe this time ethanol will be around for while

March 8, 2006

Many motorists in South Carolina will remember the ethanol excitement of many years ago. At the time, gasoline supplies were threatened by embargoes, and lines at gasoline stations were commonplace all across the country. The embargoes eventually ended, though, and interest in ethanol additives to gasoline lost favor ..... and, apparently, interest has not been a factor until nows.Anyway, back then the use of ethanol was questioned and that, too, hastened its departure.
Now, as oil prices squeeze everyone, at the gasoline pumps and elsewhere, a boost from President Bush for ethanol production has once again been highlighted.
In between, from then to now, a lot of valuable time was lost in research and development needed to make ethanol a genuine alternative to gasoline. Maybe this time the effort will be sustained.
Had we continued to develop alternatives years ago, imagine what the situation would be today.