Daily Archives: 11/02/2016
Hoops signups still open at Pickens Rec
PICKENS — Basketball registration has been extended through this Friday at the Pickens Recreation Center on Sangamo Road in Pickens.
The following age divisions are offered: 5-6 coed instructional, 11-12 girls.
Following registration, a skills/evaluation day will be held for each age division. The registration fee provides a jersey to be kept.
The fee is $45 for in-city residents and $55 for out-of-city residents. Birth certificates are required at registration. Birthdate cut-off is Sept. 1, 2016.
If you are interested in coaching or need additional information, call the Recreation Department at (864) 878-2296.
Pickens Middle School volleyball team posts third straight undefeated season
PICKENS — The Pickens Middle School volleyball team recently completed back-to-back-to-back undefeated seasons by winning the AOP Conference Division II Tournament title under the direction of head coach Mellie Crumpton.
The Sparks won the regular-season title with a perfect record of 12-0 and received a first-round bye in the conference tournament held Oct. 22 at Pickens High School. The Sparks opened the tournament with a 25-9, 25-9 win over Palmetto and then defeated Powdersville twice — 25-15, 25-18 in the semifinals and 25-21, 25-18 in the finals — to claim its third end-of-year tournament championship in a row.
“Our focus this season has been on playing as a team,” Crumpton said. “Saturday during the tournament they proved just how well they play together as a team.
“We had one of our starting setters go out of the tournament with an injury in the semi-finals match. That is just like losing one of your starting quarterbacks. The girls could have let that break them mentally, but instead they focused on playing together as a team. Every player stepped up and did their job.”
The Lady Sparks (15-0) were dominant the entire season and only dropped two sets all year. Over the last three years, the Sparks are 44-0 in matches and an incredible 129-3 in sets. Crumpton has guided the Sparks to four regular-season titles and four end-of-year tournament titles in her five years at Pickens, and she said that this team “had big shoes to fill.”
“When you are coming off of a two-year winning streak, you feel pressured to keep the streak alive. This year’s team was really young, consisting of 10 seventh-graders and only two eighth-graders,” Crumpton said. “I never wanted them to feel pressured, so we never focused on keeping the winning streak alive. Yes, we kept up with our wins this season and would celebrate, but we focused on one match at a time. I would say they exceeded everyone’s expectations of them this year. I am very proud of their hard work and dedication.”
Lady Flame advance to round 3 of the 4A Volleyball playoffs.
PICKENS — Round two of the 4A volleyball playoffs are the books and the Pickens Lady Blue Flame continues their march to another state championship. The Flame hosted North Augusta on Tuesday with a complete dismantling of the opponents. The Flame one is straight sets 25-15, 25-14 and 25-11. The victory pushes the Pickens into round three. Pickens will host the always tough South Aiken this Thursday. The contest will be a big match. South Aiken has lost only four matches this season. The Lady Flame are hope for a full house for the contest.
If Pickens can garner the win on South Aiken the tables are set for the Lady Flame to play the winner of the Aiken/Eastside contest in which both come in as number seeds for the Upperstate title.
Pickens started its 2016 playoff run on Oct. 27, defeating South Point in straight sets (25-11, 25-13, 25-0)
Paying a visit to the land of cotton
This past week took me back to Hoke County, N.C., to stay with Aunt Caroline and my cousin Bill. They are both recovering from a series of happenings that left them both less than ambulatory. Bill fell down stairs and broke his leg in two places and his shoulder blade, and Aunt Caroline had surgery on her leg. He has graduated to a cane, and Aunt Caroline is on a walker. Various family members have rotated in and out to help a little where and when we could.
Aunt Caroline is 95 now and a treasure. She plays bridge, attends church regularly and is blessed with a good disposition and a generous spirit.
They live on the old McNeil place. The house was built around 1830 and is little changed except for the addition of a bathroom and an updated kitchen. The kitchen originally was detached from the house, but one of the downstairs bedrooms was converted when the bathroom was added.
There is a vineyard and pecan orchard behind the house, and longleaf pines grow thick.
We would go to Raeford to buy shelled field peas and to Wagram to check the mail. We’d go to Laurinburg to buy groceries and gas, as it’s cheaper there.
One thing we did while I was there was to drive to Raeford, the Hoke County seat, to vote. Bill and Aunt Caroline were able to cast their ballots from the car, which was so convenient.
The whole area was affected by Hurricane Matthew, and even now there are areas without electricity. Some of the cotton crop was damaged by the heavy flooding, and the peanut harvest was another victim of flooding.
Hay is in short supply, and there will be a lot of challenges for farmers.
There were still fields with water standing.
I have never in my life seen such a horde of mosquitoes. It’s impossible to walk from the house to the car without being swarmed. They are thick in the grass and trees.
I went out to the vineyard to cut grape vine for wreaths, and every exposed section of skin is now covered with bites.
We stopped on the edge of one of the Cooleys’ fields of cotton, and I walked out and pulled up a number of stalks of cotton for wreath making.
The plan was to make three —two for our family cemetery plot at Centre Presbyterian Church near Maxton and one for Aunt Carolyn’s front porch.
After they were finished, I fastened a cluster of longleaf pinecones and bolls of cotton onto the bottom and stuck wild grain beneath the pinecones.
Then we drove down to Centre, and I walked out into the cemetery and placed one wreath on our grandparents’ headstone and one on Mama’s.
The cemetery is well kept and was established when the church was built in the 1760s.
Grandmama was the church organist, and Granddaddy was an elder there.
After Granddaddy died, we would often go down to the church with Grandmama and rake up fallen leaves from the plot, and gather up broken sticks and pinecones. It’s a peaceful place, and I’m awfully glad we were able to go and pay tribute to the people who came before us. Without them, we wouldn’t be here.
They lived useful, productive lives and taught us our obligations to the people in our own community and beyond. I hope they’d be pleased with what their grandchildren have done with their lives.
Letters to the Editor 11-2-16
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Excitement fills the air at SCASC District 5 Rally
EASLEY — From the moment attendees walked into the Easley High School auditorium on Friday, Oct. 28, they could feel the excitement of 800-900 student council leaders participating in the South Carolina Association of Student Councils District 5 Rally.
District 5 is the largest district in South Carolina and encompasses Pickens, Greenville, Oconee, Anderson and Abbeville counties. This year’s theme was “Just Go Lead.” The event brought together student council leaders from across South Carolina for planning, entertainment and leadership lessons.
Between 800-900 student council leaders participated in the South Carolina Association of Students Councils District 5 Rally.
Easley graduate Rep. Neal Collins and EHS principal Gary Culler opened the event.
Easley junior Brooklyn Kelley was elected District 5 chair last March, which enabled EHS to host the special event. Along with her team, Kelley has been planning the event for the past year.
“I am honored to be standing here today, along with my vice chair, Tristan Crowe (of Pickens High School),” Kelley said. “We have an amazing state, and being able to look at the big smiles in this group feels so undeserving.”
This year, Easley was honored to have Gary Hipps, father of Tucker Hipps and author of the Tucker Hipps Transparency Act, as the keynote speaker.
Gary Hipps, father of Tucker Hipps and author of the Tucker Hipps Transparency Act, was the keynote speaker at the SCASC District 5 Rally.
“Days like this remind me of how blessed I am,” Hipps told those in attendance.
While he shared many leadership lessons that he learned from his son, Tucker, he challenged the students to be unique and celebrate their youth.
Yyou’re not judged by how many people are behind you, but by your destination,” he said.
In addition, Ethan Talley from Sunrift Adventures, shared his story. Entertainment was provided by Riley Barnes, Riley Rutland and the Easley step team and dance team. This year’s student council was advised by Tracy Todd of Easley High School.
The activities of the day proved once again that our future leaders are inspiring, energized and want to make a difference in the great state of South Carolina.
Back to Work 50-Plus Workshop planned this week at Tri-County
UPSTATE — Tri-County Technical College’s Corporate and Community Education Division is teaming up with AARP to help older job seekers.
The Back to Work 50-plus workshop will be held at Tri-County’s Anderson Campus QuickJobs Center this Thursday, Nov. 3, at 10 a.m.
AARP started the Back to Work program across the country to help older job seekers land a job.
Courier Community Calendar 11-2-16
• ‘Mountain Nature’ to be presented
The South Carolina Native Plant Society invites the public to attend a free presentation on “Mountain Nature” and the Southern Appalachians’ vast biodiversity, presented by Dr. Jennifer Frick-Ruppert of Brevard College.
The presentation will be held Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m., in the dining commons at Founders Hall on Southern Wesleyan University’s campus in Central.
First United Methodist Bazaar set for Nov. 19
EASLEY — Attic treasures, frozen foods, artwork, handmade Christmas wreaths, ornaments and decorations, freshly baked breads, jams, jellies, homemade goodies and much, much more will line the tables at Easley’s First United Methodist Church Bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 19, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held in Wesley Hall, the church’s gymnasium.
The bazaar, held every other November, has garnered a reputation as one of the best of its kind in the area. This year’s bazaar will have plenty to offer everyone.
Hundreds of handmade items will be for sale in the creative crafts and Christmas crafts booth.
“Church members have been busy sewing, gluing, knitting, quilting and making arts and crafts of almost every kind,” said Mary Rose Gathman, co-chairman of the creative crafts booth. “Those who attend the bazaar will be amazed at what these talented individuals have contributed.”
The 2016 bazaar will also feature a white elephant sale, a silent auction, an accessories boutique, a country kitchen with baked goods, jams and preserves, attic treasure sale and lunch in The Bistro.
“We’re really excited to offer a number of antique items in the attic treasures booth,” said Judy Daughtridge, chairman of the booth. “We also have many treasures, including fine dishes, pictures, vases, linens and tables.”
Food will also be a highlight at the bazaar. Bazaar -oers will find jams, preserves, pickles, cakes, cookies, breads, dry mixes — soup, tea, hot chocolate, cookies-in-a-jar — and other fresh baked items in the country kitchen booth.
Lunch will be served in The Bistro from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Take-out will be available.
“It’s going to be our biggest and best bazaar ever,” event chair Sandra Bandy said. “This will be a perfect opportunity for buying Christmas presents or treating yourself to something special. We look forward to welcoming the community to our bazaar on
Nov. 19.”
Courier Obituaries 11-2-16
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