February 24, 2014

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

. 

Market on the Ridge

Antiques, Artisans

March 22 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Mark your calendars

http://www.friendsofridgespring.com/Market-On-The-Ridge.html

American Red Cross Fund raiser: A Silent/Live Auction to benefit the American Red Cross of Central SC in Saluda County will be held on Friday. March 7, 2014, 7 to 9 pm at Juniper in Ridge Spring.  Tickets can be purchased from committee members for $35.00 each or two for $60.00.  This includes heavy hors d'oeuvres, wine and beer.  Contact Monnie Romines, Jerrold Watson, Phillips Boatwright or Judy Adamick for tickets.

Effie Martin: Scouting for Food: Pack 300 and Boy Scout 300 scouted for food on February1, and February 8. They collected over 300 items. Some of the items were given to Helpful Hand Community Mission in Ridge Spring and some to Johnston Food Bank. They thank everyone that participated in this community project. 

OLDE TREASURES:  We have a good display of Danny O’Driscoll’s artwork on a wall at the shop.  It is a variety of the work he does and we believe there is something here for everyone.  We also have the artwork of other local artists, Judy Adamick, Mary Chandler and Anne Rauton Smith.  Come by the shop for treasures of all kinds.  One booth has a 40% off sale and other booth have sales and new arrivals.  We look forward to seeing you this week at Olde Treasures where we have new arrivals every week and great prices every day.

CARLENE'S:  Stop by the shop to see the old clocks that we now have; two steeple clocks, one has an alarm, an anniversary clock and an old Telechron electric clock.  All work. Check out our windows.  You will enjoy seeing the old cabinet style Philco radio on display.  Inside you will find a splash of color in some old pieces that have new facelifts; products of our recent chalk painting class.  Come by to see what’s new and exciting.  See you this week.

On April 13^th a Talent Show sponsored by Helpful Hands Community Mission will be held at Saluda Theater at 4:00 PM Sunday.  Special performances by local artists and grand prize are $100.00. A $2.00 donation may be given at the door and children 16 and under are free.  For additional information contact George W. Key (803) 480.3963 or go to fullgospelpraise.com

JOHN KNEECE (Mission to Cuba – Part 4) After work one afternoon during our stay at John Wesley Methodist Church, we went to downtown Santiago de Cuba.  We walked around the town square looking at the historic buildings and watched the ever-present domino games (we saw them in just about every public park during our trip through the country).  When we returned to our bus (parked about a block off the square) our driver told us that he had arranged a visit to St. Johns Methodist Church about one half block from the bus.  We were met at the gate by the pastor and he led us through the gate/door that opened directly into the sanctuary….a very large structure (think Ridge Spring Baptist) that did not have a permanent roof (the roof being destroyed by storms in the last year or so).  There was a temporary tin roof that almost sheltered about half of the sanctuary.  We have set our sights on this church as a mission opportunity. 

            On the morning of our fifth day in Santiago de Cuba, we said tearful goodbyes to our fellow Christians and workers and began our cross-country bus trip back to Havana.  Once again, we spent an evening at Camp Canaan.  This time, we had enough time to walk from the camp into the town of Miller adjacent to the camp.  The people were friendly and the yard dogs protected their yards just like they do in small towns everywhere. We did surprise a small pig lying in a ditch at an intersection…other than that, just a nice tour.  The next morning, we climbed into the bus again and set out for Havana.  On this leg, we changed our route a little to be able to stop in the seacoast town and resort, Vara Dera, for lunch and a short walk on the beach.  The location is absolutely stunning with palm trees, blue water and white sand.  There are several large resorts in this town.  We had lunch in a beachside café with a thatched roof and the ocean about 60 yards across the beach from where we sat.  Most of us had swimwear in our bags, but no one even mentioned a swim…however, one group of three took a town tour in a classic Chevy while the rest of us checked out the “markets” for souvenirs.

            Back in Havana, we checked back into our lodging at the National Headquarters of the Methodist Church in Cuba.  That evening, we worshipped in Martin Perez Methodist Church in a less prosperous section of Havana.  The neighborhood looked pretty rough, but the inside of the church was beautifully tiled and our worship there fit the mold of enthusiasm, community, and welcome that typified our contacts with fellow Christians throughout Cuba.  I got to preach again (different interpreter…but worked out wonderfully).  We discovered that several of our teammates had worked at this church on a previous mission trip.  They were welcomed like family by the pastor’s family and congregation.  

            After a day recuperating in Havana and some sight-seeing, we boarded an airplane and flew back to Miami.  We were happy to get back to the USA…our first meal on the drive to South Carolina was cheeseburger and fries.  Doug and Della Copper and I got amazing monetary and prayer support from our local churches (Leesville UMC, Ridge Spring UMC, and Spann UMC).  Our team of eleven people was simply inspiring to work with.  I would go again…maybe next time I can help put a roof on St. Johns Church in downtown Santiago de Cuba.

From Harriet Householder at Harriet’s Garden:  Have you seen the tulip bulbs peeking out in threw surprise pots we did last spring?  Another interesting point too: Just wanted to let those of my generation know that I had to call my 8 year old grandson, Carter, and ask him how to work a movie on my kindle.  Of course he knew the answer.  Life is fun all the way around.

Reminders:

American Legion Raffle: The tickets are $5.00 each, and can be purchased at The Nut House, Harriet’s Garden, or from any Legion member. The drawing for the six winners will be held at the Legion Meeting on Tuesday, March 4^th at 7:00 PM. You do not have to be present to be a winner. Help support this local organization’s fund raiser, and win a prize for your donation

Ridge Spring Library hours: Mon/Tues 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.; Thurs 8:30 am - 12:30 pm; Fri 12:30 pm -4:30 pm; Sat 9 am -12:00 noon.

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4

Every 2^nd & 4^th Monday:  Kids' Corner Story Time 10:30-11:30 a.m., at the Ridge Spring Library. 

Every first Tuesday of the Month:  AARS meets 685-5783

Every Wednesday:  AA meets at Recovery Works

Every Monday & Friday:  Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings 7:00 pm at The Ridge Spring Library

February 17, 2014

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

. 

Market on the Ridge

Antiques, Artisans

March 22 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Mark your calendars

http://www.friendsofridgespring.com/Market-On-The-Ridge.html

Friends of Ridge Spring will meet at the Library on Thursday, February 20^th at 5:00 PM

This is how I started last week’s column. “Please remember that I send in my column on Mondays and the papers are not published until the middle of the week.  I wonder what the weather will be like this week. I hope all is well with us and for us.” I am amazed at the fact so many stayed home like it was so strongly recommended.  I am thrilled I only lost power for a couple of hours.  I know many were without longer.  It makes you appreciate the simple things that you can do with electricity.  As a friend stated, “I think the most important invention was and is electricity.”

Snow, ice, freezing rain AND THEN we had an earthquake!!!!  This week it is to be in the 60s.    Welcome to almost spring. WE all have so many to thank for their diligent work to help us all.  The linemen, the utility workers, the scrapers, the sanders, the ones who went out to checked on and helped their neighbors, the highway department, the police, the highway patrol and many more.  THANK YOU!!!!

The Ridge Spring Monetta High School Reunion Committee met last Saturday at Juniper.  19 attended and we are so ready to get the word out.  If you attended RSM from the years 56-58 please contact me at 685.7970.  The reunion will be May 24^th at the Civic Center.  You must get tickets before that night for no money will be collected at the door. 

If you visit facebook, check out Juniper Restaurant in Ridge Spring.  They have a link to a TV show that Brandon was on. He cooked or should I say prepared a wonderful meal for all to see.  I learned a different way to fix kale that I have growing at the shop. He was great and the TV host got Ridge Spring right, not Ridge Springs.  Good Job, Brandon at Juniper Restaurant in Ridge Spring, SC!!!

Yon Family Farm had their Bull Auction Saturday.  Despite the bad weather at the beginning of the week, it was a success.  It warmed up enough to make the roads passable for all.  Congratulations to all.  Follow them on facebook and their web site, too.

AMERICAN LEGION

The Ridge Spring American Legion Post 133 is selling raffle tickets to help pay for building improvements and maintain its support of sending local students to Boy’s State each year. There will be six winners: 1^st  $200 gift certificate to Academy Sports, 2^nd  Bear folding Knife & Case ( collector’s edition, Wild Turkey series, value $250), 3^rd Butterball Turkey Fryer, 4^th $50 credit at Cone’s Meats, 5^th $50 BP Gas card, 6^th $25 Pizza Hut gift card. The tickets are $5.00 each, and can be purchased at The Nut House, Harriet’s Garden, or from any Legion member. The drawing for the six winners will be held at the Legion Meeting on Tuesday, March 4^th at 7:00 PM. You do not have to be present to be a winner. Help support this local organization’s fund raiser, and win a prize for your donation

Cumbee Place

Where Dreams Come Alive

Cumbee Place will be a place where people can come to discover the possibilities for their future. I understand that this is a broad statement but the more I talk with people the more I research, and as this project unfolds, I am discovering the impact it is capable of.  Cumbee Place can be the beginning of a unified effort to bring stability to this region of South Carolina.  This development Center will be a place of learning and discovery for people of all ages.  It will be a place where small businesses can work together to achieve their individual goals.  By creating this unified effort we will be able to strengthen our communities and put programs together that will build and encourage people to invest their time and effort in our area therefore creating a self sustaining environment for everyone to come and enjoy.  Our idea for this area is to develop a destination region for people to come and relax and enjoy a life style that can only be found in rural towns.  Cumbee Place will be a stepping stone toward achieving this goal.

By putting a development Center in a rural area we achieve several things:

• It encourages people to come and open a business.
• It opens the doors for people in the community to open businesses
• It creates a new type of learning environment for the youth.
• It creates an environment for progression and growth which will encourage people to come, and settle down here.
• It brings people together to create a unified effort for growth

 These things could not be created by a development center located somewhere else these things can only be created by a development center in the area it wishes to change and grow.  Visit at facebook: Cumbee Place Ridge Spring.

February 23rd, 11:00 a.m. - the congregations of the Ridge Spring Charge (Spann UMC and Ridge Spring UMC) will join the congregation of Mt Calvary Lutheran Church in worship and a spaghetti lunch at Mt Calvary Lutheran Church, 11:00 a.m. The congregations are celebrating their collaboration to help with Mt. Calvary's Kangaroo Kids Backpack Meal Program. There will NOT BE morning worship services at Spann UMC or Ridge Spring UMC on this date. 

Reminders:

Ridge Spring Library hours: Mon/Tues 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.; Thurs 8:30 am - 12:30 pm; Fri 12:30 pm -4:30 pm; Sat 9 am -12:00 noon.

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4

Every 2^nd & 4^th Monday:  Kids' Corner Story Time 10:30-11:30 a.m., at the Ridge Spring Library. 

Every first Tuesday of the Month:  AARS meets 685-5783

Every Wednesday:  AA meets at Recovery Works

Every Monday & Friday:  Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings 7:00 pm at The Ridge Spring Library

February 10, 2014

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Please remember that I send in my column on Mondays and the papers are not published until the middle of the week.  I wonder what the weather will be like this week. I hope all is well with us and for us. 

Valentine’s Day is Friday and Harriet’s Garden has plenty of roses.  Hope you get pecans from the Nut House, Flowers from Harriet’s Garden, that steak from Cones or dinner at Juniper or High Cotton and that special treat from one of our unique shops in Ridge Spring such as Pat’s Corner, Ridge Antiques and Dry Goods, Olde Treasures, Carlene’s, Primitives at the Ridge and/or Stuff & Things.

Market on the Ridge

Antiques, Artisans

March 22 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Mark your calendars

http://www.friendsofridgespring.com/Market-On-The-Ridge.html

Friends of Ridge Spring will meet at the Library on Thursday, February 20^th at 5:00 PM.

February 23rd, 11:00 a.m. - the congregations of the Ridge Spring Charge (Spann UMC and Ridge Spring UMC) will join the congregation of Mt Calvary Lutheran Church in worship and a spaghetti lunch at Mt Calvary Lutheran Church, 11:00 a.m. The congregations are celebrating their collaboration to help with Mt. Calvary's Kangaroo Kids Backpack Meal Program. There will NOT BE morning worship services at Spann UMC or Ridge Spring UMC on this date.  February 16th, Reverend Steven King will bring the message and share Holy Communion with the congregations at Spann UMC (9:45 a.m.) and Ridge Spring UMC (11:00 a.m.). God's table is open to all believers; please join us in this celebration.

Save the date May 17^th for the 4^th Annual Magnolia Ridge Art and Antique Gathering!

If you would like the same location as last year, or would like to request another space, please feel free to email us at magridge12@gmail.com If you would like to fill out your vendor form online please go to wwwridgespringsc.com annual events.

We look forward to seeing you all again this year!

OLDE TREASURES and CARLENE’S:  Who loves Valentine’s?  We do!  Our people have brought in some really neat items for gifts and décor.  Come by and check it out.  Thanks to all of our customers who constantly love to come in  and see what we have new and what they may find here before heading to the BIG RETAILERS in other towns.  We appreciate you so much.  Saturday we had quite a few NEWcustomers who say they will come back and when they do, they will be considered regular customers too. We had a really great first week in February and for that we say thank you to all of you.

I love getting to know new people and we had quite a few Saturday.  One gentleman came in with our ad from THE STATE paper which he had cut out and had in his hand.   He was checking off the shops as he went into them.  He said he had been looking at that ad for several weeks and he told his wife, “You love antiques; get in the car.  We’re going to Ridge Spring today.”  What a delightful couple they are and they plan to come back and bring friends.  Yeah for our hospitality and our small town. 

We are brimming over with excitement in our two shops!  We are adding another artist to our list.  Danny O’Driscoll is joining us this week and will be displaying some his renown artwork on a wall in Olde Treasures.  Be sure to come by and check it out.  Some of his work might just fit the bill for that special Valentine in your life. 

Carlene’s is hosting a Chalk Painting Class on Monday, February 17th from 1 until 3 pm.  We have room for four more people if anyone is interested.  The cost is $40 and all you need to bring is a small piece of furniture, a frame, foot stool, or any other small wooden item you would like to paint.  You will need a 2” paint brush (Wooster brand has been recommended-Lowes or Home Depot), and an old white sock.  Everything else will be provided.  If you don’t have something small to paint; you can pick up something at the shop before the class.   You will learn how to make chalk paint and how to paint with it and finish your piece.  You need to let me know a.s.a.p. and drop a $20 deposit by to secure your place.  Refreshments will be served.  You can come early to shop, and eat at Juniper’s if you like.  We’ll be here by 12:00 if you want to come then.  Come for a time of learning, creating, eating, shopping and fun!

Also, just a reminder that we still need vendors for the Market on the Ridge.  Noel Steele, Harriet Householder, and I can help you with information concerning this.  The cost is $45 per booth.  The date is March 22nd from 9 am until 5 pm.

AMERICAN LEGION

The Ridge Spring American Legion Post 133 is selling raffle tickets to help pay for building improvements and maintain its support of sending local students to Boy’s State each year. There will be six winners: 1^st  $200 gift certificate to Academy Sports, 2^nd  Bear folding Knife & Case ( collector’s edition, Wild Turkey series, value $250), 3^rd Butterball Turkey Fryer, 4^th $50 credit at Cone’s Meats, 5^th $50 BP Gas card, 6^th $25 Pizza Hut gift card. The tickets are $5.00 each, and can be purchased at The Nut House, Harriet’s Garden , or from any Legion member. The drawing for the six winners will be held at the Legion Meeting on Tuesday, March 4^th at 7:00 PM. You do not have to be present to be a winner. Help support this local organization’s fund raiser, and win a prize for your donation.

JOHN KNEECE  (Mission to Cuba – Part 3 – Work on pouring the roof for the fourth floor of John Wesley Methodist Church in Santiago de Cuba) After lugging materials to the fourth floor our first two days on site, the concrete pour on day three was almost anti-climactic.  We started work early in the morning.  Again, we were joined by a team from the church congregation approximately equal in size to our team.  This gave us some “spares” so we were able to spell one another and keep the pour continuous.  Two people shoveled sand into buckets and passed it to the two person mixer team.  Another two people shoveled aggregate into buckets and passed it to the mixer team.  Still another person broke bags of cement and put cement into buckets to pass to the mixer team.  Sand plus aggregate plus cement all went into the mixer with the “mixmaster” governing the amount of water added.  After about 5 minutes, the mix was ready and was turned out onto the concrete floor.  Then, two people shoveled the mix into buckets and two other people passed the buckets overhead to two people on a ladder.  The folks on the ladder passed the buckets to the two men who did the actual pouring.  Someone from our team took part in each step of the process except for the actual pouring into the form.  Oh, did I mention? All the shoveling and mixing was done beside the scaffolding that held up the form for the slab…so as the pour progressed, fresh concrete would drip down on us below.  We worked straight through lunch and completed the pour in the early afternoon.  We clapped one another on the back and shook hands and cheered as the last buckets went up the ladder.  After lunch, we spent an hour or so cleaning up the job site and washing tools, buckets, mixer, etc. as the team on top “finished” the concrete with trowels and floats. 

            That evening, our team, the church members who worked on the project plus the pastor and his family, and their worship team (praise band) all gathered after supper and celebrated our successful effort with cookies and sodas and praise choruses (yes, in Spanish).  Our team leader (through the interpreter) spoke to everyone from the church about how excited we were that we could help them get the roof on the church.  The pastor (through the interpreter) thanked our team and then led us all in prayer, thanking God for guiding our work and for keeping us safe.  (Next week, I will try to wrap up this story as we visit several  other churches and travel back to Havana.)

Josie Rodgers

Happy birthday to my fabulous mother, Rosalyn Pressley, and my amazing daughter, Annalee Rodgers:  Annalee is officially a teenager today! Round 2 for me!  Amber will turn 25 this May. Also, my precious niece Savannah turned 14 Feb. 11.

Thank you for all the prayers during the past couple of weeks as Leagrace was hospitalized for sickness and then had surgery to install a port.  She came through her surgery beautifully!  That little girl is a testament to God’s work in this world!  She is a miracle each and every day.  And such a tough little cookie!  She goes through so much and still smiles and laughs more than any child I have ever known!  Baby brother River is due to arrive around the middle of March.

Aiken County will have the snow make-up day on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17. 

Little Peach League Baseball sign-ups will be held Feb. 15 from 10-1 at the ball field complex in Monetta. For questions, call 480-2290.

Aiken County Public School District would like to invite parents and members of the community to take part in a Stakeholder Input Meeting for the development of the District’s Five-Year Strategic Plan. This plan includes goals and activities for improving student achievement, teacher/leadership quality, and school climate. A meeting will be held on March 6 at RS-M Elem/Med Media Center from 6 pm until 7:30 pm to obtain your input and feedback. Your attendance will be greatly appreciated.

Right Choices--Right Track---Bright Futures Rally will be held Sat., Mar. 15, from 9:30-12:45 at Schofield Middle School for grades 5-8. This is a free, informative rally that will

feature guest speakers, exhibition booths of Aiken County middle schools and outside agencies, and breakout sessions on topics including: All You Need to Know About IEPs, Promoting Positive Behaviors, Internet Safety, Preparing for Your Future Now, etc. Food, and door prizes will be given away.

Rene Miller, RSM Elementary/Middle School

Right Choices--Right Track---Bright Futures Rally will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2014 from 9:30 to12:45 at Schofield Middle School and includes Grades 5-8.  This is a free, informative rally that will have guest speakers, exhibition booths of Aiken County middle schools and outside agencies, and breakout sessions on topics including: All You Need to Know About IEPs, Promoting Positive Behaviors, Internet Safety, Preparing for Your Future Now, etc. Food, and door prizes will be given away.

As part of the South Carolina Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, our school will be participating in a drawing contest. Students in 3rd-5th grades will be participating at our school. Time will be allowed during art class with Mr. Fulmer. However, students are also allowed to work on their entry at home. The deadline to submit artwork to Amy Cooper is March 5. The school will select three winners to submit to the state department of education.

• The physical size of submitted artwork must be 8 ½ inches by 11 inches.

• Image layout must be horizontal/landscape.

• Image must portray a fruit and/or vegetable theme.

• Entries should not be matted.

• There should be no border around the image.

• Entries must be multi-colored and can be drawn with ink, paint, pastel, crayons, or pencil.

• Design entries must by the contestant’s original, handillustrated creation, and may not be traced or copied from published photographs or other artists’ works.

Please include the student’s name and grade on the back

of the artwork.

If you have any questions about the drawing contest,

please contact Ramey Fulmer (art teacher) or

Amy Cooper (assistant principal).

Reminders:

Ridge Spring Library hours: Mon/Tues 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.; Thurs 8:30 am - 12:30 pm; Fri 12:30 pm -4:30 pm; Sat 9 am -12:00 noon.

Every Friday & Saturday:  AARS hours 10 – 4

Every 2^nd & 4^th Monday:  Kids' Corner Story Time 10:30-11:30 a.m., at the Ridge Spring Library. 

Every first Tuesday of the Month:  AARS meets 685-5783

Every Wednesday:  AA meets at Recovery Works

Every Monday & Friday:  Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings 7:00 pm at The Ridge Spring Library

February 3, 2014

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

The snow was beautiful and made everything so clean. I enjoyed it for a couple of hours and was thankful.  I am trying to include two pictures in my column this week. 

One by Danny O’Driscoll and the gazebo by Joanne Crouch

The Friends of Ridge Spring are sponsoring an evetn at the Civic Center in Ridge Spring.Check it out.

Market on the Ridge

Antiques, Artisans

March 22 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Mark your calendars

http://www.friendsofridgespring.com/Market-On-The-Ridge.html

Valentines is next week.  Juniper has a wonderful evening meal for one to make reservations for.  Check them out on facebook.  Beautiful flowers from Harriet’s Garden can be ordered now or that day.  There are lovely gifts to be purchased at our many shops and Art Gallery.  So check out Ridge Spring and visit the facebook page “Visit Ridge Spring”.

Ridge Spring United Methodist Church:  On Feb. 2^nd, during Worship service, the wheel chair ramp located at the Joe and Betty Watson Family Life Center was dedicated. Tom Quattlebaum stated: he would like to dedicate the ramp in honor and memory of the parents and teachers of the Ridge Spring Monetta High School Class of 1969. Mr. Quattelbaum’s family donated all the materials and labor to have the ramp built. After the Service, 30+ attendees enjoyed a Souper (super) lunch of soups, desserts, drinks and other tasty treats. The members of RSUMC thank and appreciate the effort made by the Quattlebaum family. The Big Red Box is empty and ready for non perishable food items for the Johnston Food Bank. Leave your donations on the porch of the Church or Family Life Center or with Jim Campbell.  Communion will be held on Feb. 16^th during the morning worship service. This is an open communion, all are welcome to attend and participate.

Little Peach League Baseball sign-ups will be held Feb. 8 and Feb. 15 from 10-1 at the ball field complex in Monetta. For questions, call 480-2290.

Josie Rodgers:

I believe most of us enjoyed the beautiful snowfall last week!  The ice and hazards we could do without, but oh, what a glorious morning to wake up and see a sparkling wonderland of white all around!  My children were so excited to see the first flakes fall the night before!  The kids and dads enjoyed playing in the snow and riding the sled behind the 4-wheeler.  I loved taking pictures of them and the diamond-studded landscape and then retreating to my warm home and toasty fireplace to watch from our picture window!  I also enjoyed seeing everyone’s pictures on Facebook, too!  Now the public schools have to make up the snow day(s).  Aiken County will have the make-up day on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17. 

RSM High News:  A message from principal Warren Wintrode: As we head into February, we have been visited by one last cold snap, postponing school for several days and providing an opportunity to disrupt the educational process.  Fortunately, our students, faculty and staff rose to the challenge, arriving at school ready to carry on, despite frost, snow and a disrupted schedule.  I was pleased, but not surprised.  In my experience, this school, and this community, always rises to a challenge.

 Next week, the last vestiges of winter will disappear and we will begin our journey into spring.  This coming month, we will celebrate Black History month.  Spring sports, Prom, Spring Break and exams are ahead of us.  Seniors are finalizing their plans for next year, be it college, trade school, military or the work force.  The construction of the new middle school wing remains on schedule.  This will be a 6th - 12th grade school campus during the next school year.  In the midst of all this activity, I encourage everyone to stay focused on education.  This is what we're here for.  As always, stop by and see what's going on up on the Ridge.  You're always welcome.

RSM High welcomes new science teacher Mr. Earhart, a retired Marine and first-year teacher.  Mr. Earhart graduated from USC Aiken with a degree in chemistry and is currently teaching biology (Cristal Gonzalez).  

“January is School Board Recognition Month. Every year, each school board member is presented with artwork created by select students from around our district. This year the theme is  School Boards: Locally Owned and Operated Since Forever. This year, Josefina Lopez’s

artwork, entitled Zentangle of the District Office, was chosen to be presented to a lucky school board member! (Quameshia Gantt and Cristal Gonzalez)

Quameshia Gantt reports that the Prom Club is getting ready for the annual event which will take place April 19 from 8 pm until midnight at the Aiken Electric Cooperative Community Room in Aiken.  This year’s theme is a masquerade titled “Unmask the Night.”  Tickets are $20 each until Feb. 28.  In March, tickets will be $30 each.

            Sasah Alekhin reports that Quameshia Gantt competed in the 2^nd round of Poetry Out Loud in Blythewood on Jan. 25.  Participants came from around the Midlands to recite 2 poems from memory.  Even though she didn’t place, Quameshia represented RSM High very well.  She said, “Being there was amazing. Watching others perform and seeing the dynamics with their tone and change in facial expression really was a learning experience. Everyone was friendly, and it was great seeing other’s personal connection with poetry. If I had a chance to go back, I most definitely would!”  We look forward to more students competing at the school level next year!

Aiken County Public School District would like to invite parents and members of the community to take part in a Stakeholder Input Meeting for the development of the District’s Five-Year Strategic Plan. This plan includes goals and activities for improving student achievement, teacher/leadership quality, and school climate. A meeting will be held on March 6 at RS-M Elem/Med Media Center from 6 pm until 7:30 pm to obtain your input and feedback. Your attendance will be greatly appreciated.

RSM Elem/Mid News (Rene Miller): Congratulations to all our students who were able to participate in our school-wide "Trojan Pride Celebration.”  Any student without suspensions in the 2nd quarter qualified. We are starting fresh with the next 9 weeks. Student who follow school rules and have no discipline issues will be able to celebrate Trojan Pride Day in 9 more weeks! We had 4 hulahoop contests throughout the day and our winners were Kearie Burton,  5K; Abi Moss, 3^rd; Allie Hodson, 4^th; and Lacy Pou, 6th. These students won some terrific prizes - way to go! 

John Kneece : Mission to Cuba, part 2: Upon our arrival at John Wesley Church in Santiago de Cuba on day three in Cuba, we discovered that our team’s construction effort would be to prepare for, mix, and pour a portion of the roof on the fourth floor of the building.  We had come anticipating doing finish work (tile and woodwork) in a church, with no clue we would be pouring a reinforced concrete slab on what will eventually become the fifth floor of the building. 

            That evening before dark and again the next morning, we surveyed the site and materials….there appeared to be about four yards of aggregate (crushed stone) already on the fourth floor and about 4 yards or so of sand piled on the sidewalk in front of the building.  The forms for the new section were already constructed and the rebar was tied in ready for concrete.  There was a standard electrical power cement mixer and a cistern full of water also in place for the work.  As we toured the work site, I kept looking for an elevator or pulley system that would be used to get the materials from the ground up to the work site on the fourth floor.  Finally, I asked, “how do we get the rest of the materials up here?”  The team leader replied, “We will carry it up the stairwell.”  “Oh, my!” I thought.  Before we began to move sand, about 8 team members worked in shifts to shovel the four yards or so of crushed stone to a different location on the fourth floor to clear a place for the sand.  Then, with three people bagging sand in bags that weighed 8-10 pounds apiece, we formed a human chain from the sidewalk in front of the church into the stairwell and up the more than 55 steps to the fourth floor.  This would have been extremely difficult if our team of eleven had to go it alone, but like magic, men and women who were members of the congregation of John Wesley Church showed up until our chain reached from the ground floor to the fourth floor with people standing side-by-side.  Even then, just moving the gravel over to the right place and then moving the sand by hand used up most of the first day (just one yard of sand is a lot and we moved by my estimate about four yards of stone and four yards of sand!). 

            That evening, we attended a worship service in the sanctuary (first two floors of the building).  I was struck by the singular beauty of the tilework and the lighting in the sanctuary along with the enthusiasm and attentiveness of the congregation.  The music was loud, lively, and plentiful (as you know, that suited me just fine even though I did not understand the words).  I had been named by the team leader as the person to preach that evening and had incorporated some baseball examples into my sermon for the evening since baseball is the national sport of Cuba.  As the interpreter translated the words, it was a real relief to see people were nodding their heads in understanding and agreement.  It probably helped that the translator was a young woman who was a member of the congregation.  With God’s help, I survived the evening and seemed to successfully share my message.

            Near the end of the first day, a truck delivered two pallets of bricks to be used for finish work on the fourth floor.  You guessed it; our project for the next morning was to form the human chain again and move the bricks to the work site on the fourth floor. These bricks were about 5”X8”X2” and just one was a handful.  About lunch time, a large, stake-bed truck pulled up in front of the church and a team of about six robust men unloaded a large stack of cement in bags that weighed about 110 pounds each.  I had visions of trying to “chain” those bags up the stairwell.  I told the team leader, “I will have to lay out of carrying those bags up the stairs; sorry.”  He said something to the effect that we might have to break them into smaller bags.  Then the pastor came out and told us to take a break because “help is on the way.”  As we finished lunch, the younger men from our work on the first day along with just about every able bodied man in the neighborhood  showed up and shouldered a bag of concrete and lugged it up the stairs to the top.  There were enough of them that each one only had to make a couple trips and they were through!  What a blessing and an answer to prayer!

           

From David Marshall James:  Last night, Turner Classic Movies aired the ten Best Picture nominees from 1939, including “The Wizard of Oz” and “Gone With the Wind” (which won the Oscar).  Both films were directed by Victor Fleming; indeed, he left “Oz” in February 1939 to direct “GWTW,” for which he, too, won an Oscar.   Before that, director George Cukor had worked on both films!  Although he spent only about a week on “Oz,” it was a critical time, at which MGM was about to abandon the expensive project.

He took Judy Garland out of an overwrought costume and a blond wig (in the “Oz” books, Dorothy is a blond) and gave her a tutorial about acting the part.  Forever appreciative, Garland chose Cukor to direct her in “A Star Is Born” (1954 version, for which both were nominated for Oscars).  Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland (still living, incidentally) were incensed when Cukor was replaced by Fleming on “GWTW”; however, Fleming was good friends with Clark Gable, and the busy director steered both incredibly difficult productions to phenomenal success.Cukor went on to direct Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, and an incredible cast in another classic, “The Women,” which opened in September 1939.  “Oz” opened in August; “GWTW” would open in December—at the Loew’s Grand Theatre, Atlanta.  Cukor finally won his Oscar, 25 years after “Oz” and “GWTW,” for directing “My Fair Lady.” You can read more about “Oz” and “GWTW” in two new books:  “ ‘The Wizard of Oz’:  The Official 75^th Anniversary Companion” (by Jay Scarfone and William Stillman) and “Vivien Leigh:  An Intimate Portrait” (by Kendra Bean).  Leigh would have been 100 this past October.  Olivia de Havilland turns 98 this July.  Among the delights of the “Oz” volume:  A photo of the Palmetto Theatre on Main Street, Columbia, all decked out for its showing of “Oz” in September 1939.

20^th Year Anniversary Smorgasbord – “A Taste of Edgefield County”

It’s time for “The Taste of Edgefield County” sponsored by the Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce; Thursday, February 6^th, 2014 at the American Legion Hut, Edisto Street, Johnston, SC.  6:00 to 6:30 is social time; 6:45 until – is food, presentations and entertainment. There is no cost to members or guests of the Chamber and dress is casual. Come find out want the Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce is all about!! Please RSVP 803-275-0010, Monday thru Friday, 8:30 Am to 12:30 PM or email: info@edgefieldcountychamber.org.