Daily Archives: 03/13/2013
Surprise speaker honors Gettys at retirement dinner
EASLEY — Quint Studer, founder of StuderGroup and preeminent national healthcare consultant of the decade, honored Baptist Easley CEO Roddey E. Gettys, III, at his retirement dinner Friday at the Madren Center in Clemson.
Studer completed a line-up of personalities well-known to Gettys and in healthcare statewide.
Studer reminisced about Gettys being inducted into the Healthcare Hall of Fame and the many awards Baptist Easley Hospital won under Gettys’ leadership, including being the only three-time winner of the Firestarter of the Month award.
Liberty officials sworn in
The city of Liberty held a swearing-in ceremony as part of its council meeting Monday night. shown here, Mayor Michael Sheriff, center, delivers the oath of office to new Liberty fire chief Chris Rowland, left, as his wife Sherri holds the Bible. Below, Sheriff poses with new Liberty police chief Adam Gilstrap, and his father Larry Gilstrap, and Sheriff poses with recently elected city councilman Charles Powell and his wife Kathy.
YMCA ends relationship with Easley
By Ben Robinson
For The Courier
EASLEY — Sid Collins, executive director of the Pickens County YMCA, showed up at Monday’s Easley city council meeting to end the relationship between the city of Easley and the YMCA’s summer youth camps, but left the option open for future cooperation between the two entities.
For the past six years, the YMCA has held its summer camps at the city’s J.B. Owens Recreation Complex, but Collins said that would no longer be necessary due to improvements to the YMCA’s facility on Burns Road in Easley.
Annual UCM food drive under way
By Nicole Daughhetee
Courier Staff
COUNTY — Cornerstone National Bank Easley branch manager Suzanne Burns is on her annual mission to fight hunger in Pickens County.
Last year the network of banks that competed with one another to secure the greatest amount of food donations finished the challenge with 728 food items and $167 that went to United Christian Ministries.
“This year we want to beat that total,” said Burns. “First Citizens Bank in Powdersville won last year, so the people in our bank have stepped up the competition this year. We’ve even decorated our collection boxes.”
Six Mile plans to honor Medal of Honor winners
SIX MILE — The Town of Six Mile is planning a Memorial Day Celebration at the Six Mile Town Hall on Monday, May 27, beginning at 10 a.m. to honor the four Medal of Honor Recipients from Pickens County.
During the ceremony, relatives of the recipients — Charles Barker, William McWhorter, Furman Smith and Donnie Howe — will be recognized, and a wreath in remembrance will be placed at the memorial marker at Town Hall.
All four recipients were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. The medal is the highest military award in the United States. Pickens County has more Medal of Honor recipients per capita than any other county in the nation.
County sets date to elect new VA officer
COUNTY — The Pickens County Registration and Elections Commission has scheduled an advisory election for May 11 to pick a new county veteran’s affairs officer.
Those interested in filing for the election — who must be veterans honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces — may file with the commission at its office inside the Pickens County Administration Facility, located at 222 McDaniel Avenue in Pickens, during normal working hours Monday through Friday from March 25-April 5.
Fourth annual Wings and Wheels for Meals planned
LIBERTY — Pickens County Meals on Wheels has scheduled its fourth annual Wings and Wheels for Meals.
The event will be held Saturday, April 6, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Pickens County Airport in Liberty. The event is a proven community favorite, and this year promises to be another day of fun for the entire family.
Attractions will include:
Airplane and Helicopter Rides — Fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter will be on hand to offer event-goers a bird’s eye view of Pickens County. In addition, an open cockpit, bi-wing Steerman will be available for those seeking an aviation experience akin to early years of aviation.
DAR honors Whitehurst
Mari R. Noorai, left, Regent of the Andrew Pickens Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), presented a special certificate to Marion A. Whitehurst, left, of Central at the February meeting held at Clemson Downs. Marion Whitehurst is the mother of Pickens County Councilman, Trey Whitehurst. Whitehurst gave an educational and captivating program, entitled “Abraham Lincoln’s Other Mother.” The program helped chapter members to celebrate Presidents’ Day, remembering what our past leaders of our country have done to make America great.
Baptist Easley’s Angela Reid speaks to DAR about risks of heart disease
EASLEY — What is the number one killer of women in South Carolina? Angela Reid, RN, asked the members of the Fort Prince George Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) that question.
“If you think it’s breast cancer, you’re wrong,” she said. Reid, a nurse for more than 30 years, now manages the Abundant Living and Community Services Program for Baptist Easley Hospital.
Career Center firefighting program receives $7,500 grant from SCSFA
COUNTY — The South Carolina State Firefighters Association donated $7,500 to the firefighting program at the Pickens County Career and Technology Center last week.
The funds come from a federal grant called SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response)from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
According to FEMA, the grant “was created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase the number of trained ‘front-line’ firefighters available in their communities.”
