Monthly Archives: July 2016
Former mayor: Slow, steady growth best for Liberty
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
LIBERTY — Slow, cautious and calculated growth is best for the city of Liberty, former Liberty mayor Michael Sheriff believes.
“We don’t want to explode and grow like the larger cities near us,” he said. “I think one of the assets of Liberty is its small-town charm. That should be Liberty’s legacy.”
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Sheriff spoke recently as part of the State of Liberty event, sponsored by the new Liberty Area Chamber of Commerce.
Sheriff said effective partnerships are a “key ingredient” in the success of any community, especially communities with limited resources.
“You’ve probably heard the expression, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’” Sheriff said. “Well, the same applies to a community. It takes a partnership to develop a community.
“Citizens need to rally around and support the city and it’d be amazing what we could accomplish,” he continued.
He said much progress has been made in recent years.
“I’ve often had a lot of people tell me that Liberty’s not growing, Liberty’s not doing anything, Liberty’s not moving forward,” Sheriff said. “I would like to tell those people that we need to stop using Clemson and Easley as a yardstick for the success of Liberty. We are different. We have different circumstances, different issues, different problems and different demographics. But we also have different opportunities. We’ve got a unique opportunity to grow slowly and calculatedly.”
Protecting the city’s small-town feel should be at the forefront of everything city leaders do, he believes.
Successes in Liberty over the last decade include the development of a medical center and the Pickens County Commerce Park, which he said “is a great asset to Liberty.”
When the commerce park first began, news media would refer to it as “near Easley” obscuring the fact that the park is located in Liberty, Sheriff recalled.
“They’d always say ‘near Easley’,” he said. “I finally got them to say Liberty. Now most of the time when a new industry is introduced in the commerce park, they say Liberty.”
“We need to take advantage of that commerce park and partner with them,” Sheriff said. “Corporate partners love to participate in city events – they just need to be asked. Corporate partners are very community-minded and welcome the opportunity to participate.”
He said Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant made a “major investment in Liberty” at Highway 178 and Front Street.
“I don’t think (Pancho’s owners) would mind if I told you they had three-quarters of a million dollars invested in the city of Liberty before they served the first taco,” Sheriff said. “That is a tremendous belief in Liberty.”
In 2003, a plan was presented to city council for the development of Freedom Park.
“Freedom Park was dedicated two years later,” Sheriff said. “This was a very successful project and one of the greatest examples of a partnership between the city of Liberty, the Chamber of Commerce at the time, Parks, Recreation and Tourism” and generous donations from private industry and residents alike.
Improving citizens’ quality of life is essential, Sheriff said.
“One of the main things the mayor and city council needs to ask when they have a new project they’re considering, or a new ordinance, they need to ask, ‘How is this going to improve the quality (of life) of the citizens of Liberty?’” he said.
Another advantage Liberty has? The transformation of the former middle school site into a government complex.
“Great asset for the city of Liberty,” Sheriff said. The renovation also includes “a very nice facility for our senior citizens,” he said.
“There’s been incredible growth in the city of Liberty,” Sheriff said. “We’re growing slow and calculated. Quick growth brings on a lot of problems, a lot of issues that a small town like Liberty, with the charm we have, doesn’t need.”
Not too long ago, the city didn’t have a Fred’s, a Family Dollar or a Dollar General.
“Liberty’s not stagnant, as some people believe,” Sheriff said. “It’s moving forward and moving forward at a great pace for Liberty.”
The city’s recreation program has grown tremendously under great leadership. It has experienced tremendous facility growth as well, including a new concession building and press box, Sheriff said.
“But most of all, Liberty has acquired a new football stadium, running track and we have additional basketball facilities,” Sheriff said. “These projects would not be possible without partnerships.”
Projects that need to be addressed in the future include additional development at Freedom Park, such as a Senior Citizen Life Trail, which would provide additional exercise opportunities aside from the walking trail, he said.
“A lot of potential still exists in Freedom Park,” Sheriff said. “The city needs to seek funds for that project. It’s a very doable project.”
Plans for an outdoor learning lab and amphitheater exist, he said.
The work going at Highway 178 and Highway 93 will benefit the city, Sheriff said.
“We’ve got some growing pains,” Sheriff said. “It’s going to get worse before it gets better. I think everybody realizes that. In the end, it’s going to be a great asset for the city of Liberty.”
That project is an example of a fruitful partnership between the city and the Department of Transportation, he said. The project took more than a decade to come together.
“Be persistent,” Sheriff said. “If you want a project you have to work on it.”
The next stage of the Commerce Street project is “probably the most difficult one to achieve,” Sheriff said. Strong partnerships between the city, property owners and business owners are needed to make sure that area continues to develop.
He said the city has taken “a great step in the right direction” in providing facade grants.
Adhering to developmental standards is essential to ensure “a common theme of bringing old charm and architectural character back to Liberty,” Sheriff said.
“We have such a wonderful opportunity,” Sheriff said. “It would be a travesty not to see it through.”
“The old chamber of commerce was very successful in the success of the projects I’ve mentioned,” Sheriff said. “This is so counterproductive in so many ways.
He thanked those involved in bringing a chamber of commerce back to Liberty.
“I’m so excited about the opportunity to be a part of it,” he said. “I applaud everyone for taking on this challenge. To me, it demonstrates their love and passion for Liberty. I share that love and passion and look forward to a successful chamber.”
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Police ask for public’s help in fireworks theft
EASLEY — A man is being sought by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the theft of fireworks at a convenience store last week, and officials hope the public can provide assistance in locating him.
Chief deputy Creed Hashe said the theft occurred July 3 at the Hot Spot on Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley. Hashe said a store surveillance system captured an unknown man as he left the location without paying for approximately $400 in fireworks removed from a display inside the business.
The suspect has been described as a black male, approximately 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing 175 pounds and wearing a white T-shirt, blue jean shorts and a red hat at the time of the theft.
Hashe said the sheriff’s office released surveillance photos to local media and asks anyone with information regarding the identity of the man to contact the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office at (864) 898-5500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC.
Superhero at the drive-thru
Humanity is divided into two basic groups. There are those who are willing to run over you in the parking lot when you fall down, and there are those in the parking lot who run to help you up.
Maybe that is a somewhat primitive test, but it is an accurate one.
Now the story I’m about to tell did not happen to me, but to a dear friend. And it happened just a few days ago in Pickens.
My friend Dot was in the drive-thru at Arby’s. She had already been to the bank and the produce stand and had picked up chicken at KFC. The person manning the drive-thru was young, short and female. Dot’s car cut off in the midst of her transaction, and she couldn’t get it cranked. It was brutally hot — close to 100 degrees — and there was a line was forming behind her.
The little girl working the drive-thru left the window and rushed out into the heat and told Dot she was going to push the car into a parking space.
Dot protested, telling her she couldn’t allow her to do that.
The little girl responded, “Well, who else you got?” Of course there was no answer to that, for there was no one else.
The young lady stepped back into the store and drafted a customer who was willing and able to help, and together they pushed the car on through while Dot steered. And then, Dot discovered her cellphone was dead, and this young lady helped her get into the store.
The customer took her to his table to join his wife, who offered the loan of her cellphone so Dot could call someone to come and get her. AAA was also called to come and get the car.
This couple waited with Dot until Carla, another friend, arrived to take Dot home. They transferred the produce and chicken into Carla’s car, and only then did they leave.
After Carla got Dot home, they discovered that AAA wouldn’t pick up the car unless the owner was there. So they drove back down the mountain to Arby’s and waited. Time passed. And passed.
Finally, they went inside in the cool and ate supper. AAA had apparently had many calls for help and didn’t arrive until after 7 p.m. After the car was hauled away, Carla and Dot went back up the mountain. It had been an ordeal of no small order, but was finally at an end.
If not for the kind hearts and generous spirits of the young woman in the drive-thru and the customers in the store, Dot believes she would have succumbed to heat stroke, plus the fried chicken would have been ruined. As it was, these kind people, who were much more useful than a superhero would have been, showed up when needed and saved the day.
Thank you to all the kind people who are all around us but who remain in the background until a crisis arises, when they come to the rescue.
Courier Letters to the Editor 7-13-16
Financial conscience
Dear Editor,
I read the news story on the Pickens County 2016-17 school budget. It was very informative and comprehensive. I can’t help but think our elected leaders always put their best foot forward to the public. For instance, they told us all the things they were buying with our tax dollars, but seemed to leave out a few important details when it came to how they were paying for it all.
Then school board member Alex Saitta told the rest of the story, that school district savings are being wiped out and the district has eliminated 65 teaching positions. I know all these other things they are buying are helpful, but what is most important when it comes to education is teachers teaching students. Larger class sizes are harmful to students, and they would have never told us that.
Mr. Saitta has proven to be the financial conscience of the school board and the town crier for our county when it comes to the school board. Without him, God only knows what they’d be doing, and we’d never know about it.
Barry Myers
Pickens
Courier Obituaries 7-13-16
Dee Carl LaFoy
Pickens — Dee C. LaFoy Jr. 70, of Pickens, went to be with his heavenly Father on June 29, 2016.
Born in Easley to the late Dee C. and Melonee LaFoy, Dee worked at the Daniel Building for 13 years as the chief of maintenance. He was a member of Lakeview Baptist Church and the Senior Saints Sunday School Class in Pickens. He loved racing, NASCAR and fishing.
Surviving are his sons, Cameron LaFoy (Kate) of Atlanta and Richard LaFoy (Teresa) of Easley; his daughter, Tina LaFoy of Pickens; his girlfriend, Barbara Turner of Liberty; three grandchildren, Emily LaFoy, Kaylynn LaFoy and Aaron LaFoy; sisters Emogene Daniels of Greenville and Maxine Wood (Roger) of Mooresville, N.C.; sister-in-law Marie LaFoy of Greenville; and former wife and friend Drema LaFoy. He also had many nieces and nephews all over the U.S.
He was preceded in death by both of his parents, a brother, Charles LaFoy, and his best friend in life, Richard Daniels.
Services were held July 2 in All Saints Hall at Pickens Presbyterian Church.
Wanda Lee Edens
Easley — Mrs. Wanda Lee Edens, 78, of 806 Brushy Creek Road, Easley, loving wife of the late James William Edens, passed away Wednesday, July 6, 2016, at the McCall Hospice House in Simpsonville.
Mrs. Edens was born in Pickens County on December 12, 1937, to the late Ernest and Alma Suddeth Stokes. She spent her life as a homemaker, taking care of her family and she was of the Baptist Faith.
Mrs. Edens is survived by two daughters, Cindy Hood (Steve) and Wanda Patterson, both of Easley; three brothers, Deryl Stokes, Joe Stokes and Ricky Stokes, all of Easley; and two sisters, Betty O’Shields of Liberty and Jean Taylor of Easley. She is also survived by six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Karen Lowe; a brother, John “Buck” Stokes; and a sister, Pearl Nalley.
Graveside funeral Services were held July 9 at Robinson Memorial Gardens in Easley.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home – Powdersville Road, which is assisting the family.
Raymond C. Lockaby
Easley — Raymond Carl Lockaby, 87, of Brushy Creek Road, husband of Selena Brown Lockaby, passed away Saturday, July 2, 2016, at his home.
Born in Anderson County, he was the son of the late Carl and Kate Black Lockaby.
Mr. Lockaby was retired from Swirl Inc. in Easley and was a member of Corinth Baptist Church, where he was a member of the Friendly Neighbors group. His love of the outdoors included hunting, fishing, gardening and especially growing daylillies.
In addition to his wife of 67 years, he is survived by his daughters, Vicki Smith (Tommy) of Easley and Phylis Harville (Kevin) of Martinez, Ga.; grandchildren, Jill Smith of Easley and Gage Smith (Marti) of Durham, N.C.; sisters, Linda Casey and Helen Hamlin (Milton); and brothers, Bill Lockaby (Lorene) and Jack Lockaby (Katie).
Funeral services were held July 5 in the chapel of Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown with burial following in Greenlawn Memorial Park.
Flowers are accepted, or memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 508 Hampton St., Suite 200, Columbia, SC 29201.
Condolences may be expressed online by visiting www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home-Downtown, which is assisting the family.
Jimmy “Jim Bob” Whitaker
Liberty — Jimmy Ray “Jim Bob” Whitaker, 43, of 304 Spring Valley Road, died Monday, July 4, 2016, at St. Francis Hospital in Greenville.
Born in Seneca, he was a son of Billy Wayne and Linda Finley Whitaker of the home. Jimmy was loved by everyone who met him, and he enjoyed working with Better Skills. He was a longtime member of Winding Creek Baptist Church and an avid Clemson fan.
Surviving in addition to his parents are a sister, Sheryl Shepard (David) of Liberty; a brother, John Wayne Whitaker (B.C.); several beloved nieces and nephews, Kendra, Hope, Brandon, Danielle, Haylee and Mya; and a very special aunt, Margaret “Girlou” Whitaker.
He was predeceased by a nephew, Malachi Wayne Whitaker.
Funeral services to honor Jimmy’s life were held July 8 in the Liberty Mortuary Chapel, with burial following at Liberty Memorial Gardens.
Liberty Mortuary is handling arrangements. www.libertymortuary.com
Ouida M. Blackburn
Central — Ouida Maw Blackburn of Central, widow of Enoch C. Blackburn, died Tuesday, July 5, 2016, at her home.
Born in Young Harris, Ga., she was the daughter of the late Richard and Mary Elizabeth Swanson Maw. Ouida was a graduate of Central High School and a retired employee with Gerrish Milliken in Pendleton. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Central and the Gleeners Sunday School Class.
Surviving are daughter Carol Sipes of Central; sisters, Betty Jones of Greenville and Wilma Brown of Six Mile; grandsons, Maxie Sipes of Pelzer, Richie Sipes of Central; Jason Blackburn of Clinton, and Zack Blackburn of Clemson; great-grandchildren, Corey Sipes, Gabriel and Gabrielle Sipes; and a special friend, Roy Merck of Liberty.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her son, Harry Blackburn; brother, Earl Maw Sr.; sister, Edith Brooks; and a great-granddaughter, Taylor Sipes.
Funeral services were held July 8 in the chapel of Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, with burial following in Mt. Zion Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Whitten Center Parents Club 28373 Highway 76 E Clinton, SC 29325.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at the funeral home in Central.
John Willis Kennelly Jr
Clemson — John Willis Kenelly Jr., 80, of Clemson and widower of Charmaine Voss Kenelly, died Sunday, July 3, 2016, at his home in Clemson Downs.
Born in Bogalusa, La., he was a son of the late John Willis and Erma Whittom Kenelly.
He was a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University (1957), earned his master’s from University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and his Ph.D. from University of Florida (Gainesville). He was a retired professor emeritus of the math department at Clemson University. He had a very long and distinguished career in the mathematics and science field having been the chief reader for Educational Testing Services, a past treasurer of the Mathematics Association of America and past president of International Math Olympiad. In addition to working with organizations that dealt with the SAT and ACT, he worked also in the Advanced Placement program. He also authored and co-authored a number of textbooks in the math and science field. John was a devoted fan and supporter of the Southeastern Alumni Association.
John was a member of the Clemson Rotary Club, where he was active in the Paul Harris Fellow program. He also served on the board of Hospice of the Foothills and was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson.
Mr. Kenelly is survived by a daughter, Deidre Kenelly of Travelers Rest; son, John Trent (Lynn Sparks) Kenelly of Anderson; sisters, Nell K. Ovre of Vacaville, Calif., and Mary K Ward of Spartanburg; grandchildren PFC Morgan Kenelly of New London, Conn., and Gabrielle Kenelly and John Aidan Kenelly of Anderson. He is also survived by his companion, Patricia F. Vernon of Denham Springs, La.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by brothers, Patrick and Orville Kenelly.
Memorial services were held July 9 at the Clemson Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Private interment was held at the Woodland Cemetery on the Clemson University campus.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to GHS Hospice of the Foothills, 298 Memorial Drive, Seneca, SC 29676 or to the Kenelly Voss Endowment or to Kenelly Endowment, P.O. Box 1889, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29633 or Southeastern Louisiana University Foundation, SLU 10293 Hammond, LA 70402. A list of his various accomplishments and awards may be found at http://www.clemson.edu/science/departments/mathematical-sciences/about/history/kenelly.html.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central.
Sydney Charles Simmons
Pickens — Sydney Charles Simmons, 55, a lifelong resident of Pickens, passed away on June 30, 2016, at Hilton Head Hospital in Hilton Head.
Sydney was born on Feb. 3, 1961, in Easley to Emma Jean Gilstrap Simmons Beard and the late Charles Edward Simmons.
Sydney was a graduate of Pickens High School in 1979 and Clemson University in 1983, where he was a member of the Marching Tiger Band. He passed the certified public accountant exam in one sitting and rose to senior manager at KPMG in Greenville until he medically retired. Sydney defied the odds living 25 years after brain cancer. He bravely and optimistically moved forward, marrying Cathlin and together raising two children who were the light of his life. Again four years ago, Sydney with a competitive spirit overcame a pulmonary embolism which caused cardiac arrest. His path was tougher, but he worked hard to recover; he and his family cherished the extra time they had together traveling, and watching and attending sports events.
Sydney is survived by his son, Charles Edward Simmons of Pickens; daughter, Jennifer Anne Simmons of Piedmont; brother, Samuel Simmons (Kristi) of Pickens; and sister, Susan Simmons (Russell Chambers) of Chapin and Hilton Head. He is also survived by his mother, Jean Beard, and stepfather, Rev. Arnold M. Beard, and the Beard siblings: Rena (Phil) Quist, Brian (Laura) Beard and Jena (Richard) Edwards, all of Pickens County.
Services were held in the sanctuary of Pickens View Wesleyan Church July 10, with burial following at Hillcrest Memorial Park.
Pickens High School Class of 1979 graduates and the Men of Flame, along with accounting professionals who worked with Sydney or his sister, Susan, were honorary pall bearers.
The family suggests for those who desire memorials in lieu of flowers to the Sydney C. Simmons Scholarship Fund for a deserving Clemson University Marching Band student. Sydney regretted that due to financial needs, he was only able to participate in the band one year and hopes this scholarship will allow others to enjoy the Tiger Band experience. Tax-deductible contributions can be mailed to Sun Trust Bank, 210 W. Cedar Rock St., Pickens, SC 29671 or deposited in person at any SunTrust branch.
Sauls Funeral Home of Bluffton and Dillard Memorial Funeral Home are assisting the family.
Rosalie B. Gillespie
Pickens — Rosalie Bolding Gillespie, 94, widow of James Paul Gillespie, passed from this life on Saturday, July 9, 2016, at Majesty Health and Rehab in Easley.
Mrs. Gillespie was born in Pickens County, a daughter of the late Perry Clyde and Hattie Myrlee Rogers Bolding. She was retired from Sangamo Electric and she was a member of Prater’s Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Nancy Brown (Carroll) of Birmingham, Ala., three grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, a sister, Nell B. Hayes (Rudy) of Pickens and close friend and caregiver, Melanie Bentley of Pickens.
In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Gillespie was predeceased by her sons, William Fred Gillespie and Morris C. Gillespie and sister, Lucille B. Martin.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, July 13, at Dillard Funeral Home from 2:30-3:30 p.m., with funeral services following at 3:30 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Gardens. Family members are at their respective homes.
Memorial may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society or to Praters Creek Baptist Church. A message of condolence may be expressed to the family by visiting www.DillardFunerals.com. Dillard Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Norma Jenkins Austin
Easley — Norma Jenkins Austin, 78, of Easley, wife of the late William C. Austin, passed peacefully Sunday, July 10, 2016, at Capstone Health and Rehab in Easley.
Born in Atlanta, Ga., to the late John Thomas Jenkins and Elsie Lillian Giles Jenkins, Norma was of the Baptist faith.
In addition to her parents and loving husband of 57 years, Norma was preceded in death by her brother, Norman Jenkins, and sisters, Barbara Keith and Johnny Mae Davis.
Left to cherish her memory are her son, James Austin of Lyman; daughters, Susan Bradley of Easley, Ashley Austin of Douglasville, Ga., Jennifer Austin, and Sherry Gwinn both of Lyman; brother, Joe Jenkins of Trenton, N.C.; sisters, Melba Willis of Newell, Ala., Sybil Camp of Dallas, Ga., and Beverly Page of Stark, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday, July 15, at noon at Robinson Funeral Home – Powdersville Road, 1425 Powdersville Road, Easley, led by chaplain Jim Frost. Burial will follow in Robinson Memorial Gardens.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or in person at Robinson Funeral Home – Powdersville Road, which is assisting the family.
Brittany Nicole Norris
LIBERTY — Brittany Nicole Norris, 25, of Liberty, passed away July 2, 2016.
She was born Feb. 26, 1991, the daughter of James Norris and Michelle Gregory and sister of Jessica Norris and Jacob Gregory. She leaves behind her daughter, Trinity Major, and son, Zymeir Major.
She was predeceased by her grandfather, Mack Gregory, grandmother, Pauline Norris, uncle, Steven Norris, and great-grandmother, Virginia Childers.
Services will be held at Bethel Church of God, 420 Old Brickyard Road in Pelzer, at noon July 16, followed by a dinner. Please bring a dish if you can.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to James Norris or Michelle Gregory.
Leeann B. Rutz
Easley — LeeAnn B. Rutz, 55, born April 7, 1961, passed away Friday, June 17, 2016, at Baptist Easley.
Mrs Rutz is survived by her husband, Rickie W. Rutz Sr. of the home.
Born in Orlando, Fla., she was the daughter of the late P. P. Carl “Buck” and Jeanette Carey Burkhalter.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Rutz is survived by four children, Jennifer J. Gregg of Easley, J. Jacob Nabors of Liberty, Rickie W. Rutz Jr. of Central and Brandie R. Rutz of Easley; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters, Donna Ross of Six Mile and Sylvia “Poochie” Fuller of Easley; and a brother, Michael C. Burkhalter of Easley.
She was also predeceased by a brother, Ronald Burkhalter.
Mrs. Rutz was a member of Smith Grove Baptist Church. She will be missed and was loved by many.
Duke Energy grant to help Meals on Wheels
LIBERTY — Pickens County Meals on Wheels (PCMOW) will provide 2,000 emergency/holiday meals to 200 homebound seniors in Pickens County thanks to a grant from Duke Energy.
The meals will be used to supplement the traditional home-delivered meal service which consists of a hot nutritious meal, a friendly visit and a safety check each week day. The $9,920 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation will help PCMOW provide eight holiday meals and two shelf-stable emergency meals each to the 200 clientsbetween Sept. 1 and Feb. 28. Holiday meals will be delivered the last business day prior to the holiday, and emergency meals will be delivered in January and February in anticipation of inclement weather.
“Our weekday deliveries provide the much needed piece of mind that allows the most vulnerable seniors to remain safely in their own home and live with the dignity, respect and independence they deserve,” said Meta Bowers, executive director of Pickens County Meals on Wheels. “This grant will enhanceexisting services by providing our clients with an added sense of comfort because they will know they will have a nutritious meal during scheduled holiday closures as well as during unscheduled inclement weather closures.”
In a typical year, emergency/holiday meals are only delivered as funding permits, Bowers said.
“Caring for our senior neighbors is a community effort,” said Emily DeRoberts, government and community relations manager for Duke Energy. “Day in and day out,Meals on Wheels is there for the seniors who need them.Duke Energy is proud to do its part to help to ensure the generation that took care of us are not forgotten, hungry or alone.”
PCMOW is one of 5,000 programs throughout the United States dedicated to making sure no senior is ever left isolated or hungry. By 2050, the number of seniors in the country will more than double. Already, the most vulnerable group of seniors — those over age 85 — are the fastest-growing segment of the entire U.S. population. The need for Meals on Wheels services is growing at an unprecedented rate. No one plans to need the services offered by PCMOW, but the effects of aging, illness, isolation and diminishing resources do not discriminate.
Volunteers, donors and corporate partners, like Duke Energy, are vital to the Meals on Wheels program. Their contributions of time, talent and treasure are the perfect example of how each of us can do our own small part, so together, we can deliver.
Services offered by Pickens County Meals on Wheels are crucial to helping seniors cope with the three biggest threats of aging: hunger, isolation and loss of independence. The frequent deliveries provide the much needed peace of mind that allows the frailest and most vulnerable seniors to remain safely in their own homes and live with the dignity, respect and independence they deserve. To find out more about how you can get involved, visit www.pcmow.org, or call Marsha Robertson at (864) 712-0289 or (864) 855-3770.
Cherokee Foothills Organic Farmers Market celebrates local
Photos by Jason Evans/Courier
Cherokee Foothills Organic Farmers Market founder Wendy Owens poses by the market’s sign. The sign incorporates Cherokee imagery, including the turtle, an animal important to the Cherokee people. “It tells the story of the world,” she said.
By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com
PICKENS — Driving along Scenic S.C. Highway 11, with Table Rock towering above you, it’s easy to feel connected to the land.
That feeling continues at a new venture that connects area farmers with consumers.
The Pumpkintown Mountain Opry is hosting the Cherokee Foothills Organic Farmers Market. Each Saturday, vendors set up their wares on the opry’s front porch.
On Saturday, shoppers had their pick of grass-fed beef, just-picked
produce, fresh-cut herbs and flowers, handmade bread and local honey and homemade pimento cheese to slather on it.
On a recent Saturday, market shoppers had a chance to stock up on local produce, such as these peppers from Cleveland’s Bare Bottom Farms, and speak with the farmers themselves.
“We’re putting a huge call out for organic farmers and handmade, homemade grassroots crafts,” Cherokee Foothills Organic Farmers Market founder Wendy Owens said. “We want people to really feel like they’re a part of this.”
The market kicked off on June 4 and will run every Saturday until mid-September. Market hours are 1-7 p.m., rain or shine.
“We do a later market to honor the fact that other people do farmers markets early on in the mornings,” Owens said.
Highway 11 landmark The Pumpkintown Mountain Opry is hosting the market.
The market’s afternoon hours allow farmers and vendors to take part in other farmers markets in the area, then come set up for the CFOFM in the afternoon.
“We don’t have a vision for competition,” Owens said. “We have a vision for community and co-creation.”
While the market’s peak time begins around 3 p.m., Owens said people are encouraged to come “whenever they want.”
Market participants include the Clemson Area Food Exchange, the Student Organic Farms, Satterfield Grass-fed Beef, Wild Earth Gardens, Humble Roots Pimento Cheese, Vdovichenko Bee Farm and Bare Bottom Farms.
Kimberly Kelly, a former co-host of WSPA’s “Your Carolina,” is one of the market’s fans as well, Owens said.
“She’s a local celebrity who left the major networks so she could have a simplistic, organic farm and garden,” she said. “She usually brings thing here and is a big supporter.”
The pimento cheese made by the folks at Humble Roots is developing quite a following in the Upstate and beyond.
The market’s name is in honor of the area’s Cherokee history, she said. One of the market’s aims is to bring Cherokee permaculture, including seed-saving, back to the Upstate.
Originally from the Upstate, Owens is splitting her time between Asheville, N.C., and Pumpkintown these days, which allows for “cross-pollination,” she said.
“It’s great to have that cross-pollination between communities,” Owens said. “It makes me realize this this is very doable. It’s an amazing area, having neighbors like Tradd Cotter from Mushroom Mountain. The key person in mycelium in the world lives right down the road from us.”
She says there is a lot of interest in the area regarding sustainability, something Asheville has become known for. That area offers a support system for local farmers, Owens said.
“I’ve heard for years that people in the Upstate want more of that support, supporting local, supporting organics, grassroots, sustainability,” she said.
Owens approached the owners of the Pumpkintown Mountain Opry in April with her idea for the market.
“I’m very thankful for these people for giving me the opportunity,” she said.
The bounty available at the market emphasizes freshness. Owens said everything at the market on Saturday came from within 50 miles of the opry. Supporting local farmers is key.
What makes fresh produce shine even brighter on the plate? Fresh herbs!
“We’re losing our heirlooms here,” she said. “We’re losing a lot of our original seeds. I want to see our agriculture brought back, the way our grandparents grew things.”
The market also seeks to support young farmers as well.
“If we don’t learn to pass on the seed to the next generation, we’re not going to have fresh food, we’re not going to have the agricultural infrastructure that this area’s been known for,” Owens said. “We have a nine-month growing season here.”
Items offered at the market don’t have to be certified organic.
“It has to be integrally organically grown,” Owens said. “We’re trying to get farmers in here, whether they have the money to pay a vending fee or not.”
The table fee at the market is $9, she said. But other forms of payment are welcome.
“We’re offering them bartering so they don’t even have to pay a weekly 
rate or anything like that,” Owens said. “Sometimes we’ll just do trade. It’s amazing when I have food in my refrigerator grown with love by local people who I know and I’m supporting. It gives them an opportunity to come out here and do what they do. I thought that was important, because I understand being a farmer now is difficult, being an independent farmer is difficult. We are really looking for farmers who want to integrally grow with us.”
Satterfield Farms’ products are being served at the Pumpkintown Mountain Opry Cafe and are for sale at the weekly market on its porch. The farm is located in Taylors.
Too hungry to wait until you get back home to eat your purchases? The cafe at the Pumpkintown Mountain Opry is there for you.
“The Pumpkintown Mountain Cafe is doing grass-fed beef, which is from Mr. Satterfield, and local, organic produce,” Owens said. “The actual cafe is starting to offer a lot of organics as well.”
As it grows, Owens hopes the market allows farmers from Upstate South Carolina, Western North Carolina and North Georgia a place to sell their wares.
It’s all about celebrating homegrown or, as Owens calls it, “om grown.”
“We want our farmers to have a Zen experience,” she said. “We really want them — and the community — to feel like this is a place where they can go and make friends, have community conversations and do other things.”
She said she would love to see other projects grow out of the market, such as a community garden, permaculture and barn-building.
“I see so much potential,” Owens said.
A community garden would help combat poverty in the area, Owens hopes.
“Nobody should be in a place where they can’t afford to take care of their basic needs and eat good food,” she said.
Handmade items are also offered at the market, such as these soaps and other products from Pickens’ Wild Earth Gardens and Medicial Herbals.
She would also like the market to celebrate the area’s art, including crafts, and music as well. Musicians are welcome to play during market hours.
“This is our first step,” Owens said. “That’s why we’re planting seeds. If you plant seeds, then you’ll have a harvest. This is about cultivating a sense of community.”
The Pumpkintown Mountain Opry is located at 3414 Highway 11 in Pickens. For more information about the market, visit omgrownus.wix.com.
Banjo Extravaganza set for Saturday at the Hagood Mill
PICKENS — Appalachian music lovers are invited to gather at Hagood Mill this Saturday for a “Banjo Extravaganza” featuring Nitrograss with Charles Wood.
The sonically unique Asheville-based band creates a carefree and exciting atmosphere of pure acoustic pleasure. The percussion rhythms of Wood, a two-time national banjo champion, lay the foundation for the band’s unique style. Wood is a veteran showman who has made appearances on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and “A Prairie Home Companion” with Garrison Keillor. Wood has toured in Austria and Germany with The Lonesome Road Band and taught at the esteemed Munich, Germany, Banjo Camp in 2009. Wood has also starred at many regional and national bluegrass festivals. Other members of Nitrograss include Caleb Hanks on mandolin, Micah Hanks on guitar and Dakota “Smokey” Waddell on the stand-up base. This promises to be a very entertaining show highlighted by this unique and energetic band.
CHARLES WOOD
Wood and Nitrograss will be performing from 1-3 p.m., so don’t miss out on an opportunity to witness one of the nation’s best banjo players in action.
The Blue Ridge Rounders (Bob and Amy Buckingham) will open the day, playing traditional, country roots music and Appalachian dance tunes. It is old-time music made for now. It is the sound of the banjo and fiddle intertwined with the singing of old ballads and peppered with other instruments such as guitar and stand-up bass. They have just recorded their second CD, “Chickens in Paradise.” The live music will begin around 11:30 a,m.
As a special treat for musicians, Hagood Mill will be offering variety of old-time instrument workshops during the evnet as well.
Bob Buckingham of the Blue Ridge Rounders will be hosting a morning workshop from 10:30-11:30 a.m. emphasizing the intricate and melodic “claw hammer” style of strumming most often associated with the old-time banjo. This workshop will be free of charge.
In addition, the time is rapidly approaching for the South Carolina Old Time Fiddling Championship at Hagood Mill on Sept. 17. The mill has arranged for a two-hour workshop Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon to sharpen skills in Appalachian old-time fiddling, which is the featured fiddle style of the competition. The workshop will be taught by Marion “Weasel” Boatwright of Brevard, N.C. He will showcase bowing style, competition song selection, and how to create dynamism in your performance. If you are a bluegrass fiddler and want to expand your skills or an old-time style fiddler and want to ramp up your performance, this class is for you. It will also help new fiddlers put their skills on the right path. The cost for the class is $5, to be paid 15 minutes before class starts.
The gristmill and other demonstrations will be running from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
As always, visitors are encouraged to bring their favorite old-time instruments and join in on the “open jam” which takes place throughout the day under the ancient cedar beside the site’s beloved 1791 log cabin.
Admission is free to both the Hagood Mill Site and the Hagood Creek Petroglyph Site, although there is a $5 parking fee which is used to help Hagood Mill.
Visitors are also reminded not to forget to bring a lawn chair or blanket.
There will be lots of other things to see on Saturday as Hagood Mill hosts a variety of folk life and traditional arts demonstrations. There will be blacksmithing, bowl-digging, flint knapping, chair-caning, moonshining, broom-making, basket-making, pottery, quilting, spinning, knitting, weaving, woodcarving, metal-smithing, leather working, bee keeping and more. You can ask questions of the artists and make a purchase of their traditional arts to take home.
The centerpiece of the Hagood Mill historic site is the water-powered 1845 gristmill. It is one of the finest examples of 19th century technology in the Upcountry and operates just as it has for the last century and a half. The mill will be running throughout the day. In the old mill, fresh stone-ground corn meal, grits, and wheatflour will be available. In addition rye flour, Basmati rice flour, oat flour, oatmeal, popping corn meal, and grits, organic yellow corn meal and grits, and buckwheat flour are produced and may be available. Hagood Mill cookbooks and a variety of other mill related items are also available.
Food will be available on site from the Gatehouse Restaurant.
The Hagood Mill historic site is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. all year long. The mill operates, rain or shine, for a special festival the third Saturday of every month.
The Hagood Mill is located three miles north of Pickens off U.S. Highway 178 or 5.5 miles south of Cherokee Foothills Scenic S.C. Highway 11 just off U.S. 178 at 138 Hagood Mill Road.
For more information, contact the Hagood Mill at (864) 898-2936 or visit visitpickenscounty.com/calendar.
Soapstone set to host fundraiser
PICKENS — Soapstone Church invites everyone to a special fundraiser at the church, located at 296 Liberia Road in Pickens, this Saturday, July 16.
The event will feature fine cooking and will be held from noon-8 p.m.
Visitors will enjoy true Southern cooking, including a fish fry, barbecue and fried chicken with all the fixings right from Mrs. Mabel’s kitchen.
For more information, call (864) 414-8470.
Courier Community Calendar 7-13-16
• Pickens Lions plan meetings each month
The Pickens Lions Club is in need of new members. The club meets the first and third Thursday of every month at Pizza Inn in Pickens. Dinner begins at 6:40 p.m., and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to anyone interested in joining the club or simply finding out more about the club and how it serves Pickens.
• Glenwood Baptist Church to host VBS
Glenwood Baptist Church is set to host its annual vacation Bible school from July 17 until July 21. VBS will last each day from 6-8:30 p.m. Glenwood Baptist Church is located at 325 Saco Lowell Road in Easley. For more information, call (864) 859-2264.
• ‘Venture Outdoors’ set for Pickens Aug. 27
The city of Pickens will host an outdoor event — Venture Outdoors — on Aug. 27. This is an all-day event which will highlight the many outdoor activities the area has to offer.
Venture Outdoors will feature workshops on fly-fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, bee keeping and kayaking at different locations around town (itinerary in the works).
With the help of Upstate SORBA, the city will host an all-day mountain biking event at Town Creek Bike Park. It will also host a 4×4 Off-Road Cruise-In that will begin with the road closing at 5:30 p.m. on Main Street. Visitors can stop by the Pickens Farmers Market on Court Street that day from 4-7 p.m. Ray’s Mobile Foods and Meat’n in the Middle food truck will begin serving dinner on Main Street at 6 p.m. Awards for the mountain bike races and cruise-in participants will be announced at 6:30 p.m., followed by the musical stylings of The Hired Help live on the amphitheater stage. For more information and to register for workshops, the cruise-in and the mountain bike event, visit cityofpickens.com/outdoors.
• Hagood Mauldin House open for tours
The Pickens County Historical Society extends an invitation to visit the Hagood-Mauldin House. This historic home was built in the 1850s in the old town of Pickens Court House on the west bank of the Keowee River. The home was disassembled and moved to its present site at 104 N. Lewis St. in Pickens in 1868, when Pickens District was divided into Pickens and Oconee counties. The house is furnished with period antiques. The Hagood-Mauldin House is open the third Saturday of each month, April through October 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fees are $5 for adults and $1 for children and students (18 and under). Private tours may be arranged during the week by calling (864) 421-4771. Parking is available at Legacy Square, next to McDonald’s.
