January 18, 2016

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Friends of Ridge Spring will meet this Thursday January 21^st at the Ridge Spring Library at 5:00 PM.  After the meeting several of us will go out to eat.  Come join us.

Past Chairmen and Chairwomen of the Ridge Spring Harvest Festival and supporters of the Festival are asked to attend a meeting about the Future of the Festival. It is once again time to think about the future of the Harvest Festival. As most of you realize the committee has been having difficulty getting Chairpersons over the past few years.  This year is no exception.  There seems to be no one willing to step forward this year. Because of your willingness in the past to take on this big event, we need your input as what to do now. We are proposing a meeting of all past chairpersons and interested committee members to come together on January 31 at 3:00 at the Ridge Spring Library to discuss the festival’s future. Mayor Pat Asbill will chair the meeting.  We are trying to make sure we have all the past chairs listed.  Help us get your name.

On Wednesday I read an article about winter salads and guess whose recipe was used plus an interview?  Brandon Velie... He and his wife Jeanne Velie own and run Juniper Restaurant in Ridge Spring (as we all know).  The emphasis on local produce was apparent and so good for all.  He used local baby kale, toasted Nut House pecans and Trail Ridge Farm Goat Cheese salad with Cranberry-Ginger Vinaigrette.  You can make the salad the main course by adding protein such as chicken, or South Carolina Shrimp.  The recipe for the vinaigrette is fabulous too. 

Joyce and Preston: Our daughter Roz's youth group won the Community Service Award and the $1000.They also won "Best Overall Performance" among more than 200 groups in Atlanta this weekend! Thank you so much for your vote and your prayers! 

A reminder of the story:Rozalynn Fulton is the daughter of Joyce Bell Winkler and Preston Winkler, and the first granddaughter of Mrs. Annie Mae Bell, and is the Education Director of an amazing youth theatre group in Greensboro, NC. Last October when Rozalynn mentioned to her youth group that she once lived in a section of Columbia that was flooded, they wanted to do something to help. They began organizing donations to send to the people in Columbia. When Rozalynn told her sister Jennifer McLeod-Gantt (who lives in Columbia about this, Jennifer began working with her team to put together a give-away initiative. Jennifer is a Social Worker and Manager at Palmetto Health and works with a program to assist families in need. On Nov. 11 with a large U-Haul from Greensboro filled with items, Rozalynn, along with her husband, children and 5 youth from the theatre, delivered the goods for the Midlands families at the give-away location. Because of their community outreach, Rozalynn's theatre group is being recognized as 1 of 5 youth theatre groups nationally (out of more than 200) for a community service award.

Ridge Spring United Methodist Church: The month of January the Big Red Box is hungry for non perishable food items suitable for a back pack. Yep, let’s try and make sure no young person and/or their family go without food over the weekend. RSUMC works with Bethal Baptist Church in their Back Pack Ministry. If you would like to help leave your donations on the FLC porch and a member will make sure they find their way into the BRB. Don’t forget RSUMC has a Face Book page. Please visit and like us.

Teaser Alert: RSUMC is working a project for Spring. Not going to give away too much information, BUT if you are cleaning out closets and plan to take shoes, any wearable shoes, to donate please save them. Services are every Sunday at 11 a.m. RSUMC also has service on Sunday with the months with 5 Sundays. Join us for fellowship and some of the most uplifting and thoughtful messages you’ll ever hear.

Ridge Spring Elementary School Rene Miller

New Reading Program: We are excited to announce that our school is implementing READ 180 Next Generation and System 44 Next Generation, innovative reading intervention programs by Scholastic. READ 180 and System 44 are research-based programs with proven results in raising student reading achievement. These programs use cutting-edge technology to deliver individualized reading instruction, provide valuable skills practice, and motivate students to become confident readers. In our READ 180 and System 44 classes, your child will see that he or she can attain reading success while being challenged to work hard.

First in Math: Our students are competing against themselves, students in our school, and all across the nation to boost their math skills. We will update biweekly in the school newsletter to let you know who is in the lead within our school. For the week ending January 8: Our school has completed 433,554 math problems. We have earned 144,518 stickers. The team of the week is Mrs. Wilson’s 5th grade class. The player of the week is Dustin Hutto. He earned 358 stickers. He is in Mrs. Wilson’s 5^th grade class.

The top team for each grade level is: Kindergarten: Mrs. Havird’s class; 1st Grade: Mrs. Kerby’s class; 2nd Grade: Ms. Martin’s class; 3rd Grade: Mrs. Dressel’s class; 4th Grade: Mrs. Byers’ class; and 5th Grade: Mrs. Wilson’s class.

Josie Rodgers:

Happy anniversary to my loving husband!  We've been married for 16 years on Jan. 15. 

Brenda Crute received a wonderful surprise this Christmas!  Her son, PFC Jared Crute, came home to visit her Dec. 20 for her birthday!  Mrs. Crute had no idea!  He headed back to Germany on Jan. 2.  Mrs. Crute is one proud mom!

Baseball and softball registration for these spring sports will take place at the Little Peach League Ballpark every Saturday in Jan from 9 am to 1 pm.  Parents must register their own children and pay the fees at registration—no exceptions.  Players must bring the child’s birth certificate for proof of age.  All parents must also work in the concession stand and provide team snacks at least once during the season.  For more information, contact Leslie Long @ 803/687-0857, Ashley Bradley @ 803/645-1433, or Deidra Gillian @ 803/640-3403.

RSM Mid/High: The RS-M Lady Trojan Basketball Team has done it again in 2015! Not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4-peat CHAMPIONS!  The Blackville-Hilda  Holiday Tournament has been controlled by the Lady Trojans for 4 consecutive years!  The RSM Lady Trojans have only been in the tournament 5 years!  Seniors Amber Merritt and Porsha Quattlebaum and Junior Mikayla Davis were named to the All- Tournament Team! Sophomore Crystal Preston has been named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament 3 consecutive years!  All of the Trojan Ladies played hard every game of the Tournament and earned their Fourth Consecutive Championship Title by beating Bamberg-Erhardt in the first round, Denmark-Olar in the second round, and Estill High School in the final game!  

Over the Christmas holidays, teacher Joey Middlebrooks took several CDOC students to the DMV to get their state-issued IDs!  Dianna Meade also received special recognition from the district’s SPED dept for her differentiated reading strategies in her Learning Strategies class.  Mid school SPED teacher Monica Johnson was also praised for sharing her wonderful teaching ideas at the SPED monthly meetings.  RSM is represented well!

The Art Association of Ridge Spring will be offering Beginner Drawing Classes!!
Marilyn Smith, former school art teacher, of Aiken will teach each Saturday morning starting January 16th-February 27th at 11 a.m. for $12.00 per hour. Supplies needed: 12"x 18" drawing pad.  Please note: You do not have to sign up for the classes all at one time; you can sign up for the class on any Saturday you choose to attend. If interested, please call Barbara Yon at 685-5386 or Joanne Crouch at 685-5577.

Reminders:

Ridge Spring Library hours: Mon/Tues 8:30 am - 12 pm; Wed., 12:30 – 4:30; Thurs 8:30 am - 12:00 pm; Fri 8:30 pm -4:30 pm

Ridge Spring Library Toddler Time Mondays at 10:30

3^rd Thursday:  FORS at Ridge Spring Library 5:00 pm

1^st Tuesday of the Month:  AARS meets at 6:30, 685-5783

 Wednesday:  AA meets at Recovery Works

 Monday & Friday:  Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings 7 pm at Recovery Works (enter on Ponderosa Drive; park in Visitor Parking Area)