Time to hit the gym

January 1, 2007

By ERIN LONG
Index-Journal staff writer

Every January, fitness centers see a dramatic increase in enrollment as New Year’s resolutions force determined dieters off the couch and into the gym.
After a few weeks or months of diligence, however, many exercisers lose their momentum.
Tren Humphreys, of Greenwood Athletic Club, says the majority of people are looking for a “quick fix.” Humphreys believes that once people understand how much fitness can affect their lives, helping them to feel better and look better, they’ll be more inclined to keep that New Year’s resolution.
“Once people understand that it’s fun,” he says, “then it’s a part of who they are.”
Humphreys says the Greenwood Athletic Club tries to give its members realistic expectations. He says staffers try to educate exercisers about the big picture, rather than focusing on immediate, and often unrealistic, fitness goals.
A new gym in Greenwood will offer around-the-clock workouts, beginning in mid-January. The Anytime Fitness gym, part of a national chain of fitness centers, has 24-hour access, but that’s just the first of many innovative features it plans to offer members.
Angela Christopher, co-owner of the gym, says she and partner Thelma Griffin are in talks with local restaurants to provide healthy meals at the gym. They also will have a smoothie bar and various nutritional supplements in the cafe, along with a bank of computers where members can check their e-mail.
Christopher says she and Griffin have received a lot of positive responses, “especially from people who work swing shifts.”
The gym features the standard array of circuit training equipment, elliptical runners, and treadmills, but with the added bonus of banks of televisions along the walls and even on the treadmills themselves. Christopher plans to show movies on the large projector screen to help exercisers stay a little longer on the machines.
Both nutritionists and personal trainers will be available.
“Regular exercise plus healthy eating equals results,” Christopher says.
With that in mind, the gym will offer healthy cooking classes in its large classroom kitchen.
After a workout or a game on the tennis or basketball courts, gym members can get a tan in one of the tanning beds, get a massage or relax in the infrared sauna. The gym also has a daycare room, so little ones can play while members exercise.
One issue Christopher was keen to address was the question of safety. The gym will be open 24 hours a day, but staff will only be on-hand until 10 p.m. on weekdays. To keep members safe, security cameras have been placed around the building, and each member will be able to enter by scanning a keychain-like security card.
Late-night exercisers can pick up a personal panic button, worn around the neck, and even take it with them if they feel unsafe in the darkened parking lot as they leave.
Those members who have already signed up for membership at the gym can begin working out by the middle of this month. Christopher and Griffin plan to have a grand opening by the end of the month.

Want to be rich in ’07? Chew on this

Eating black-eyed peas just one of many New Year traditions

January 1, 2007

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

Some people might watch the ball drop in New York City and some people might throw a party, but on the day after New Year’s Eve, many people in the Greenwood area do at least one thing: eat black-eyed peas and collard greens.
Most aren’t just eating them for the fun of it, but to ensure good fortune will follow them throughout the year — or so goes the New Year’s tradition.
Allison Daniel’s family has cooked black-eyed peas and collard greens for a few years now. She said the practice of eating the dish has become a family tradition for financial reasons.
“I think it means you’ll have a lot of money,” Daniel said.
Black-eyed peas are often served across South Carolina in Hoppin’ John — a dish including bacon, ham, onions, celery, rice and spices such as garlic, paprika, basil and thyme, according to 123newyear.com.
The uniquely named pea is supposed to give someone good luck if eaten New Year’s Day.
Some say eating black-eyed peas for luck dates back to the time of the pharaohs, while others say the tradition started during the Civil War during a food shortage, according to 123newyear.com
Other traditions include First Footing, where the first person to walk across the threshold of a person’s home is said to have the power to influence the upcoming year.
For example, if a dark-haired, tall, handsome person comes into the home with gifts such as a lump of coal, a silver coin, a sprig of evergreen and some salt, good luck happens for the family, according to 123newyear.com.
Each state has its own New Year’s traditions, like New Jersey, where coins are baked into cakes.
Whoever gets the slice of cake with the coin is said to have good luck throughout the year, according to 123newyear.com.
Different nations also have different New Year’s customs for bringing good luck, such as Norway’s rice pudding or lead pouring in Slovakia, where lead is melted and the shape it takes is interpreted as a sign of the upcoming year.
Debbie Robinson, of Hodges, usually makes black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year’s Day for good fortune.
“It hasn’t worked really well,” she said. “We try to eat a lot of it.”
Her family also has a New Year’s Eve tradition of shooting off fireworks.
Austin Slack, Robinson’s grandson, said family members must fire at least 100 fireworks, such as bottle rockets shot through the Robinson’s pond.
Austin said they pull off the majority of the fuse, light the bottle rocket and throw it into the pond, where the explosion launches the rocket underwater like a submarine.
Brenda Clinkscales, of Greenwood, had three words for her plans on New Year’s Day: church, church and church.
She’s going to attend the New Year’s Day service at United House of Prayer as a way of ensuring the year will go better.
“If you start the year off right, you end it right,” Clinkscales said.
Besides going to church, she also is going to cook and eat collard greens and black-eyed peas to get more money in the new year.
Joe and Ellyn Bewes, in town from Florida to visit family, aren’t doing anything special for New Year’s. They won’t eat any special foods, but instead will have dinner New Year’s Eve and stay up to watch the ball drop — if they can.
When the Bewes were younger, they would go to parties and celebrate, but now they’d much rather stay at home.

Elizabeth Hughes Allison

ABBEVILLE — Elizabeth Hughes Allison, 78, of Abbeville, wife of the late Clarence F. Allison, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006, at the Abbeville Area Medical Center.
She was born in Newport, Tenn. to the late Charles and Hattie Hatley Hughes.
Mrs. Allison retired from the Fovil Manufacturing plant after many years.
In addition to her parents and her husband she was preceded in death by a daughter, Shirley Bedenbaugh.
Surviving Mrs. Allison are five sons, Richard Allison, Jimmy Allison, Clarence J. Allison, all of Abbeville, Franklin Allison of Hickory, N.C., and Charles Gann of Clinton; four daughters, Mary McCurry of Calhoun Falls, Sandra Allison and Rose Marie Allison, both of Abbeville, and Nancy Allison of Belton; one brother, Frank Hughes of Sweet Briar, Tenn.; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007, in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, conducted by the Rev. Willie McCurry.
The family will receive friends following the graveside.
All family members are at their respective homes.
Online condolences may be sent to the Allison family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
Harris Funeral Home of Abbeville is assisting the Allison family.

Carolyn Bell

NINETY SIX — Carolyn Cannon Bell, 77, resident of 108 Saluda St., widow of George M. “Bill” Bell, died Dec. 30, 2006, at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born June 23, 1929 in Spartanburg County, she was a daughter of the late Albert E. and Lois Hopper Cannon. A graduate of Ninety Six High School and Winthrop College, she was a loyal and dedicated member of St. Paul United Methodist Church, where she served faithfully in many leadership roles.
Ms. Bell was invaluable to the town of Ninety Six where she served as a council member from 1978-1983 and was mayor from 1986-1991. She gave of her untiring efforts and extreme integrity during these years. Because her insight was so intense, she decided to run for town council once again and was elected to serve from 1998-2005. She will long be remembered for her ability to turn an adversity or discord into something very fruitful. Ms. Bell was highly respected for her loyalty to her constituents and possessed unparalleled leadership abilities. Serving as a member of the Ninety Six Chamber of Commerce for many years, Ms. Bell wanted to be a part of anything that would enhance the town that she loved and served so graciously and efficiently. She was greatly admired for the many roles that she played in life and will truly be missed by all of those who loved and respected her.
Survivors include her daughter, Alice B. Hendrick of North Myrtle Beach; son, William C. “Bill” Bell and wife, Donna of Ninety Six; one grandson, Chris Hendrick and wife, Lisa of New Hampshire; two great-grandsons, Danny and Will Hendrick, also of New Hampshire.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church with Dr. Steven Todd and Reverend Gayle Summey officiating.
Private entombment services will be conducted Tuesday at North Myrtle Beach Memorial Gardens.
The body is at Blyth Funeral Home and will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. Monday.
The family is at the home on Saluda St. where they will receive friends following the service.
Those desiring may make memorials to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646.
For additional information and online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Bell family.

R.E. Cothran

WARE SHOALS — R.E. Cothran, 82, husband of Catherine Turner, of 8057 Ekom Beach Road, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006, at his home.
Born in Greenville County, he was a son of the late Roland Enos and Essie Turner Cothran. He retired form General Electric and was a member of Harmony United Methodist Church.
Surviving are his wife of the home; a son, James C. Cothran of Elberton Ga.; two daughters, Janice C. Holtzclaw of Ware Shoals and Susan C. Evans of Joanna; two brothers, Leonard Cothran of Ware Shoals and Donnie Cothran of Bridgeport Conn.; a sister, Dorris Brownlee of Laurens; eight grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Harmony United Methodist Church with Rev. Fred Treaster and Rev. Michael Bingham officiating. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. Monday at Parker-White Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Piedmont 408 W. Alexander Ave. Greenwood SC 29646.

Fred Marler

Fred Michael Marler, 60, of 108 Haltiwanger Road, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006, at his home.
Born in Greenwood, he was the son of the late Niron Edwin and Dorothy Sexton Marler. Mr. Marler was a US Navy veteran of the Cuban Missile Crisis and a retired Millwright. He was a member of the Moose Club and a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
Surviving is a special friend, Betty White of the home; two sons, Chris Marler of Ninety Six and Derrick Davenport of Miami Beach, Fla.; a sister, Connie Gilchrist of Greenwood; a grandson, Christian Marler.
Services will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday at Harley Funeral Home chapel. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Pat Moore, James Gilchrist, Marion Gilchrist, Jimmy Sexton, Ray Stewart and Marc Master.
The family will receive friends on Monday at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m.
The family is at the home of his son, Chris Marler, 320 Cambridge North, Ninety Six.
Memorials may be made to V.F.W. c/o American Legion Post 20, 806 Calhoun Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Melenee Gaye McKinney

ANDERSON — Melenee Gaye McKinney, age 51, expired Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006, at the Hospice House.
Preceded by death were her parents, Calvin and Evelyn Luker McKinney. She is survived by primary caregivers, SC & Wanda Wingate and Lorena Agnew, cousins, along with nine other cousins.
Loving everyone she met, Gaye leaves many fond memories and will be greatly missed by her family, extended family and host of friends, including her church family of the West Anderson Church of God where she attended.
The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m Monday, Jan. 1, 2007 at The McDougald Funeral Home, Anderson, followed by the funeral at 2:15 p.m. in The McDougald Funeral Home chapel by Pastors Mark and John Daniel. Burial will be at the Walnut Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Hodges.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Upstate, Anderson, SC.
Special thanks to the doctors, staff and caregivers of the Residential Homes and Hospice of the Upstate for their special care to Gaye and her family.
A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.mcdougaldfuneralhome.com
The McDougald Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Back to business

Lander basketball teams return to the hardwood following break

January 1, 2007

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports editor

Bruce Evans looked out across the court Thursday night and was happy to see a dozen or so eager faces again.
It was the first time the Lander University men’s basketball coach had seen his team together in more than 10 days, not since their last game Dec. 17 at Catabwa when he bid them farewell for the Christmas holiday.
That happiness soured slightly, as he somewhat expected, not long after the Bearcats got back to work after almost two weeks off.
“The very first day you could kind of see that they were excited to be back,” Evans said. “The one thing that did show was that we were out of shape. We’ve tried to remedy that over the first couple of practices.”
Like Evans’ crew, the Lander women’s team and both squads from Erskine returned to work late last week.
And also like Evans, the Lander women’s coach had some regrouping to do.
“Our first practice was rough, but it was good to get back in the swing of things,” Lady Bearcats coach Kevin Pederson said. “The first day back is always the toughest, but it’s exciting to be back.
“After just three days off, you start to lose your conditioning. There’s no way that they (the players) are going to condition the way you want them to during the time off. You might gain a pound or two, but the biggest loss is conditioning.”
The healing process for the two Lander teams began almost as soon as they walked through the door, all in an effort to get at or near the same place — physically and mentally — they were before they left.
“The negative side from a basketball side of things is those guys are getting out of sync, getting out of shape, losing some of their timing,” Evans said. “It’s hard to say exactly how long it takes to get back or put a date on it. So, what we’re doing at practice is a lot of scrimmaging to make it feel game-oriented.”
Neither coach had much time to get their squads ready for live action. And to add to the challenge, both teams’ first game back is a Peach Belt Conference matchup on the road against Francis Marion.
Despite the drawbacks, both Lander coaches see a positive side from the time off.
“I think it’s good for them to be at home then, especially during that break because there’s no classes and no games,” Evans said. “It’s the holiday season and I think it’s good for them to get away with their families.”
While the coaches hope the time off will rejuvenate their student-athletes, they don’t get that opportunity to recharge their systems.
They’ve got much needed work to do.
Outside of a handful of days — Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and an extra day here or there — to spend with family, college coaches spend that time on the road, watching — what else — basketball.
“I enjoy it for two reasons: One, it gives me some time with my family; and two, for recruiting,” Pederson said.
“Between my assistant coach and myself, we did a lot of recruiting during that break. We went to Myrtle Beach, Savannah, Madison, Ga. It’s a good time for us to get out.
“But I did take some time to be with my family. It’s nice to spend Christmas at home. It’s something I try to do every year.”
Evans said he saw as many as 20 games, visiting Christmas tournaments all over the state of South Carolina.
“It’s work for us,” Evans said. “That’s the time where we can get out and watch some kids play. Coach (Steve) Roberts and I were both out watching games. In fact, we were out until the guys came back on the 28th (Thursday).”

Ron Cox is the sports editor for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: rcox@indexjournal.com

Each of us could learn from GHS coach, team

December 31, 2006

Maybe our elected officials in South Carolina and Washington should take a few pointers from Greenwood High School football coach Shell Dula and his 2006 team. They just might learn a valuable lesson that could mean a lot to taxpayers, the state and the nation in general.
The Greenwood High Eagles, of course, won the state championship in their division. That’s as much as any team can do. Without a doubt, the operational word there is “team.”
That means the “team” won the championship, not individuals. Teamwork, to be sure, is what Dula teaches. It obviously pays dividends. He has proved it many times, and that success over the years is a lasting testament to that philosophy. It is one that has meaning - or should have - for all of life.

AS THE SAYING GOES, THE proof is in the pudding. There are times when the proof is overwhelming, too. This year’s High School All-State Football Team - offensive and defensive - had no one from the Eagles on the first team. No stars, it seems, at least according to those who selected the all-stars.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that some of the Greenwood High players were not of “star” quality. There were. They simply worked together toward a common goal and they obviously subjugated their “star” abilities to the team and became champions.
That is indeed a lesson for us all. Imagine how much could be accomplished if everyone took that approach to the problems that often plague communities ..... and far beyond.

IMAGINE HOW MUCH COULD be done if Democrats and Republicans worked together for the good of all.
Imagine, in fact, what Republicans could do if they stopped their internal (or is that infernal?) bickering and approached their problems as a team. The same can apply to Democrats, too ..... and any groups that have mountains to climb or foes to conquer.
Maybe when Dula “retires” he could begin a new career as a motivational speak. Former Saluda High School coach Mooney Player did it and had great success. Those two, in fact, have much in common. They preach the gospel of teamwork. And lo and behold, people listen.