Abbeville men on a mission

Two Lakelands residents to travel to Honduras with medical missions

January 2, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

It is often noteworthy when someone spreads hope and lends a helping hand to their fellow man. Two Lakelands-area residents will soon be traveling to great lengths to do just that.
Abbeville’s Hal Freese and Patrick Shugrue will be traveling Jan. 18 for a week-long trip to Olanchito, Honduras. The trip will be taken in conjunction with Volunteers in Medical Missions, an organization that operates out of Seneca.
The purpose of the trip will be to complete construction on a 2,600-square-foot mission house in Olanchito. The facility would be used to house missionaries who travel to the area throughout the year. Freese and Shugrue will be traveling with six people from Missouri and three from Atlanta.
Freese said the house, once completed, will go a long way towards cutting costs of sending missionaries to the area.
“We’ve been sending teams down there for several years,” Freese said. “It can cost $4-5,000 for everybody to stay in a hotel for a week. Having an inhabitable home there will help put money back into the missions.”
Freese has been working with VIMM for nine years. As an organization, VIMM has been in operation for 20 years. It sends medical mission teams to destinations all over the globe, from Honduras to Vietnam to Haiti and beyond.
Freese detailed some of the work he has done in past years in Honduras.
“We normally set up health clinics in mountain villages that last for five days,” Freese said. “We usually see anywhere from 1,500-2,000 patients each time. People come from villages in and around Olanchito. We provide them with primary medical care.”
Freese said the VIMM teams give each patient vitamins and worm medicine. A large amount of people who come to the clinics also receive pain medicine and anti-biotics.
Team physicians also treat patients who require minor surgery, IV fluids or treatment for severe infection. Individuals with life threatening ailments are also a large priority.
“For many of these people, this is the only medical treatment they may see,” Freese said.
Freese said there is much to be done to complete the mission house. He said that he and Shugrue would be working on plumbing, wiring and other electrical jobs. He also said there are areas of the home that need work to the ceiling and walls.
“My idea would be that Patrick would focus on helping us with the electrical wiring,” Freese said. “But we’ll do whatever they need us to down there. We can handle anything they throw at us.”
Freese said the mission home also will be available to other missionary groups outside the VIMM organization.
Freese said he thinks the work VIMM does in Honduras sends a positive message to the people there.
“By us being there, we let them know God loves them,” Freese said. “The medical mission work is appreciated, but it is also important for them to know how much God loves the people there in Olanchito.”

Lander returns to action

January 2, 2007

By By JIM JOYCE
Special projects editor

Lander University and Francis Marion University basketball teams resume action tonight and have at least one thing in common — they lost their last game before the holiday break.
Lander’s men are 5-5 and are the only area college team holding an even or winning record, as they prepare to meet the Patriots in Florence. The women’s game starts at 5:30 p.m. and the men’s game follows.
Both men’s teams have two common foes, Lander losing to Erskine and defeating Newberry, while FMU lost to both in its 3-6 record.
On the women’s side, FMU (3-7) and Lander (4-5) got wins over Erskine and Presbyterian College.
Lander men’s coach Bruce Evans said he isn’t sure of his starters since guard Jason Davis has been hampered with a broken thumb.
“I’m not sure who will step into that slot,” Evans said. “The potential candidates (for Davis’ spot) are (freshman Dane) Sparrow, (freshman Darius) Johnson or (junior Zach) Evans.”
Regardless of the lineup, Bruce Evans said, “Any time you have the opportunity to play at home, it is an advantage for any team. Hopefully, we will be ready to play despite the long layoff.
“When you’re on the road, you want to keep the game close, because blowouts rarely happen in a conference game and it gives your team a chance to win.”
Francis Marion, in spite of its 3-6 record, is a dangerous team, Evans added.
“They have three guys averaging in double figures in (6-foot-6 senior Raymond) Dorsey, (6-4 junior Rodrick) Burton and (6-0 senior Dominic) Bishop, and several guys capable of putting up big numbers. We can’t concentrate on one particular player, but we can focus on playing team defense and slowing them down offensively.”
To be successful on the road, Evans said, “We need to focus on the things we can control. We hope our non-conference schedule has prepared us, especially the freshmen, so they know what to expect out of conference play.”
Patriots men’s coach Gary Edwards said his starters will include two seniors, two juniors and a freshman against a team he has seen once this year.
“They’ve got some good players,” he said of the Bearcats. “They are much improved over last year and appears to be pretty solid. It will be a tough game for us.”
A new coach at FMU, Edwards added, “We are more concerned about what we’re doing. We’ve played fairly well at home this year, and I hope this will give us an advantage.”
The Patriots featured a balanced scoring attack, with Dorsey and Burton averaging 12 a game and Dominic Bishop about 11.
FMU’s women, record-wise, are not what they have been in past years, but coach Valecia Tedder said, “We have not found our rhythm yet, and have been playing tense.”
Tedder said she doesn’t know who the starters will be, and neither do the players.
“I know Coach (Kevin) Pederson will bring a very aggressive team that will look to press full court and put a lot of pressure on our perimeter game,” Tedder said. “We need to get back to what we know are our strengths and focus on those. Lander is always a hard-fought game, and I look forward to pitting our size against Lander’s speed and aggressiveness.”
Still without starting guard LaShonda Chiles, Pederson said he’ll start senior Bryony Crouch and junior Tiara Good at guards, freshmen April McClendon and Tierra Kirkland at forwards and junior Stephanie Ponds at center.
“Francis Marion has two great post players and are very tall,” Pederson said. “They want to play half-court and make you shoot from the outside. They’ll try to slow it down.”
The two teams have always played close games and Pederson is expecting nothing different this time.
“It’s tough to go down there and win a game,” he said. “I think we’ve got a team that’s starting to come around and we won’t be shell-shocked on the road. I hope, with the road games we’ve had, that we will be prepared for whatever we see.”
Lander returns home Saturday to take on Georgia College, the women’s game at 2 p.m. followed by the men’s game.

Melvin Crouch

Melvin George Crouch, 88, of 222 Georgia Ave., husband of Frances Rebecca Wilson Crouch died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006 at Hospice House.
Born in Greenwood County, he was a son of the late Tob and Mary Maude Heyman Crouch. Mr. Crouch retired from Greenwood Mills and was a member of Cambridge United Methodist Church.
Surviving is his wife of the home; William Wilson of the home; three daughters, Melba Crouch Kubat of Southfield, Mich., Sandra Sorensen of Carmel, Calif., and Tobie Praus of Laughlin, Nev.; a sister Annie Werts of Silverstreet; three grandchildren, Christopher Kubat of Weslyn, Mich., Audra Kubat of Detroit and Michael Praus of Las Vegas; and a great-grandson, Chason Horwitz of Las Vegas.
Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Harley Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Sherrill Green officiating. Entombment will be private.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home before the service on Wednesday from 10 until 11 a.m.
The family has requested that flowers be omitted and memorials be made to Hospice House, 408 West Alexander Ave.
Greenwood, S.C. 29646 or to Meals on Wheels, PO Box 997, Greenwood S.C. 29648.
The family is at the home.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Jasper Davis

ABBEVILLE — Jasper Brown Davis, 85, of Abbeville, husband of Katie Bowie Davis, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2007 at Abbeville Nursing Home.
Born in Abbeville, he was the son of the late William McKnight Davis and Jettie Ashley Davis. He owned and operated the Kum-Bak restaurant from 1945 until 1968. Jasper was the Abbeville County Auditor for 28 Years.
He served in the U.S. Army and was a WWII veteran. Mr. Davis worked with the Abbeville Volunteer Fire Department for 23 years, was a member of the Main Street United Methodist Church, a former member of the Men’s Sunday School Class, and a Mason member of the Clinton Lodge No. 3.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by three brothers, William Lee Davis, Carl H. Davis, and Andrew Davis, a sister, Mary Pelfrey and a brother-in-law, James Milligan.
Surviving Mr. Davis is his wife of 60 years, a brother, Paul Davis and his wife Janice of Abbeville, two sisters, Margaret Maddox of Greenwood and Janice Bouknight and her husband Robert of Tifton, Ga., two sister-in-laws, Grace Davis of Abbeville, and Doris Milligan of Laurinburg, N.C., and many nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007 at Harris Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 3 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home chapel conducted by the Rev. Randy Taylor. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens.
Memorial contributions in memory of Mr. Davis may be sent to Hospice of South Carolina, 231 Hampton St. Greenwood, S.C. 29646 or to a charity of ones choice.
The families are at the home of Mrs. Grace Davis, 1307 N. Main St., Abbeville.
Online condolences may be sent to the Davis family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
Harris Funeral Home of Abbeville is assisting the Davis family.

Patrick Donnelly

Patrick Joseph Donnelly, 53, of 107 Pin Oak Drive, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Wichita, Kan., he was the son of Dolores Hartman Donnelly and the late George Donnelly. Mr. Donnelly was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
Surviving is his mother of the home; a sister, Mrs. “Mark” Betsy Garber of Greenwood; and a nephew, Jacob Garber of Greenwood.
Mass of a Christian burial will be held 11 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with the Father Timothy Tebalt officiating. Burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery in Wichita, Kan., at a later date.
A rosary will be held at Harley Funeral Home, 7 p.m. Thursday visitation will follow until 9 p.m.
The family is at the home.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory are in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.

Otis Henry

Otis Henry, 54, of 308 Possom Hollow Drive, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, at his home. The family is at the home.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.

Willie Humphrey

Willie James Humphrey, 83, of 103 Quincy St., Magnolia Place, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, at his home.
The family is at 125 Auld Road, Coronaca.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.

Mildred Ridge

ANDERSON — Mildred Jeanette Ridgeway Ridge, of 117 Deep Water Point, wife of Buddy Ray Ridge, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2007 at her home.
Born in Abbeville County, she was a daughter of Sadie Lindley Ridgeway and the late George Furman Ridgeway. She worked as an Oncology Nurse on Five Center at Anderson Area Medical Center. She was a member of the Ware Shoals First Baptist Church.
Surviving are her husband of the home, her mother of Greenwood, two daughters, Angela Ridge O’Dell of Greenwood and Beth Ridge Richey of Fayetteville, Ga., one brother Bobby Ray Ridgeway of Donalds, and sister Celia Hubbard of Anderson, and two grandchildren, Will and Lara O’Dell.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Ware Shoals First Baptist Church with the Rev. Leon Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the church prior to the service. The family is at the home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rodgers Road, Anderson, S.C. 29621. Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, in charge of arrangements.

Bertha Riley

HODGES — Bertha Cooper Riley, 97, widow of Samuel Capers Riley, formerly of 1113 Riley Road, left her earthly home and went to her heavenly home Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006 at National Health Care in Clinton.
Born in Laurens County she was a daughter of the late John Wister and Alice Lollis Cooper. She was a homemaker and a member of Walnut Grove Baptist Church. She was a member of the M.E. Riley Sunday School Class.
Surviving are one daughter, Janet Riley McKee and husband Harvey of Hodges, two sisters, Marie Arnold of Ware Shoals and Ruby Manley of North Augusta, two grandsons, Timothy Riley McKee and wife Doris of Rock Hill and Mark Harvey McKee and wife Sherry of Hodges, and 10 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Walnut Grove Baptist Church with the Rev. Jim H. Warren officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday at the church prior to the service. The family is at the home of her daughter, 1119 Riley Road, Hodges.
Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, in charge of arrangements.

Sallie Strong

Sallie Bell Alexander Strong, 88, wife of the late Jesse Strong, formerly of 120 Burbank Drive NW, Atlanta, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, at the Hospice House in Greenwood.
The family is at the home of her cousin, 212 Little Mountain Road, Ninety Six.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary, Inc.

Mark ‘Rick’ Watson

WARE SHOALS — Mark “Rick” Watson, 61, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 at Self Regional Healthcare in Greenwood.
He was born in Cleveland and was the son of the late J.T. Watson.
He is survived by his mother, Virginia Lewis and son, Neal Watson, both of Gary, Ind., a devoted aunt, Thomasine Evans of Ware Shoals, three brothers, eight sisters and six grandchildren.
Funeral services are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Little River Baptist Church by the Rev. Sylvester Jackson; burial in the Dunn Creek Baptist Church cemetery. The body is at Robinson-Walker Funeral Service and will be on view today beginning at 12 noon and will be placed in the church Wednesday at 1 p.m.
The family is at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Williams, 93 W. Main St. Ext., Ware Shoals.
Robinson Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals, is in charge of the arrangements.

Opinion

One thing about America: We always change, adapt

January 2, 2007

Research and development (R & D) is a phrase heard often these days, and rightly so. It’s what we as a people are all about.
It should be emphasized over and over because those two things, along with marketing, are basic American strengths that have made this nation the super power and defender of freedom it is.
We see those things at work every day in just about every community in South Carolina as the wheels of industry roll on down the road to progress. There’s no better way to consider the positive effects of the results than through the eyes of military veterans. Look at the equipment and clothing they’ve had through the years and then consider the new and improved.

START WITH WORLD WAR I. The troops, for example, wore cloth leggings. By the time World War II began some still wore them. It didn’t take long, though, for better footwear to be developed that offered far greater protection from the elements.
There have been many protective and innovative items developed in clothing, weapons and other gear that have been progressively better than what was in use. Nothing says that better than the lighter weight and much warmer outerwear that is more functional and much superior to the old woolen overcoats that weighed a ton, and there’s no comparison to old headgear and most everything else issued to the military these days.

ALL OF THIS CONTINUOUS military R & D, of course, benefits the American people. That is particularly relevant in military clothing that is adapted for the civilian market. Vehicles, communications equipment and other electronic inventions also eventually help not only Americans, but many others around the world. Too bad some of it falls into the hands of people who are not necessarily friends of the U. S., but that’s the nature of things as supporters become opponents and vice versa.
Don’t overlook the untold contributions of the space program that have added to our lives. The miniaturization of a number of things - and other R & D - that has helped propel us into space has enhanced our lives in a multitude of ways.
Once again, the ingenuity and industriousness of America in general lead the world ..... in one way or another. As long as we keep the faith, that won’t change.