January 27, 2020

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

Ridge Spring Town Square now has an old fashion water tower.  To my cousins, it is covered and has no water.  I have heard tales of my older cousins taking a dip in the real water tower back in the late 40s and early 50s.  Ridge Spring was originally located about three miles from its present location.  When the railroad came to the area,  the residents decided to move the town to its present location for a source of water, to build a tower and for the railroad.  I remember hearing also that my Uncle Joe and others in Ridge Spring during the early 20s selling stuff to the passengers on the train to make a little extra money.  They even shot down mistletoe to sell during the Christmas season.  I did get sidetracked with memories.  The new water tower is perfect for the new town square.  Thank you to the planning committee, town council and Mayor Pat Asbill.

Join  23 Mercantile and Ridge Antique and Dry Goods for two Customer Appreciation Days and Valentine Celebration.  The dates are Saturday, February 1st and Saturday, February 8th.  Our hours are 10:00 to 5:00 both days.

Both Saturdays, 23 Mercantile purchasers may enter a drawing to be held at 5:00 on February 8th.  The first name drawn will win a $50.00 gift certificate to our local restaurant, Juniper.  Great gift for Valentine’s.  The second name drawn will win a $50.00 gift certificate for shopping at 23 Mercantile.  Winners will be notified by phone and or email or text.  Winners should be able to pick up the certificate from each shop during regular business hours.  Ridge Antiques and Dry Goods will also have giveaways.  

ART ASSOCIATION OF RIDGE SPRING & GALLERY

Have you driven through Ridge Spring and seen our new signs? We love people to visit us and wanted everyone to know exactly where we are! If you haven’t been to our Art Center or haven’t been there in a while come on by and bring a friend! We are there Friday and Saturday 10am to 2pm. You can also check out what’s new on Facebook or our website at http://ridgespringlovesart.weebly.com.

Exercise Class

Our exercise classes are making a difference! “Low impact but feels great” said one client. These sessions are presented by Marlene Sides, RN, CES. Marlene is a NASM certified personal fitness trainer and Registered Nurse. Sessions will be offered every Tuesday and Thursday. Each session will last one hour and be customized to the health and fitness needs of each participant. Equipment for strengthening exercises provided. Drop-ins welcome to come see what it’s all about.

Place: Art Center Ridge Spring 108 Maintenance Building Circle on January 28 and 30: Session One: 4 pm- 5 pm and Session Two: 6 pm - 7 pm 

We now have more classes added! Starting Feb 11^th every Tuesday and Thursday there will be a 4pm, 5pm and 6pm class. Come join in! Fee: $5 per session. Please email {Marlene_Sides@yahoo.com } or Call: 706-829-4929 to book your session and directions.

Bowl Turning Class: Saturday, February 22, 202 1:00 PM – 3 PM

Instructor: Nick Watson ... Cost: $80 Includes all supplies. Session will be held in front of the Art Center of Ridge Spring in Nick’s travel workshop. To sign up: Message Joanne Crouch at (803) 480-0576 or by email joanne.crouch26@gmail.com or stop by the Art Center.

Josie Rodgers

I am in a brand new classroom for the first time in my entire teaching career! I have taught at Whitmire High, Great Falls High, BL High, Aiken High, and RSM High, and this is the most amazing classroom I’ve ever had! My room is beautiful with so much storage and huge windows that overlook the pasture of Yon cows and let so much sunshine pour in. The students’ desks are trapezoid-shaped with moveable, comfortable chairs. Aiden and I went to the school last Saturday to unpack the tons of boxes that were delivered to my room from my old room that morning. By the end of this week, I hope to have everything in its proper place and to decorate so that my students feel welcome and relaxed in an inviting classroom!

The Town of Ridge Spring and Spring4Life will hold the next Cat Clinic on Mon., Feb. 3. They are offering those services at $19 for Town of Ridge Spring residents and $39 for all other Saluda County residents. There is a small up-charge if your cat is a house pet.

Aiken County Schools will hold an Educator Recruitment Event on Sat., Feb. 8, from 8 am to noon. This is the largest recruitment event of the year. Visit acpsd.net and click on “Register Today” to schedule an on-site interview.

RSM Elem: On Sat., Mar. 28, the PTO will sponsor a Spring Craft Fair and Yard Sale from 9 am to 2 pm. Spaces are $15. If you would like to register for a space or find out more, contact Kristine Sasser at ksasser@acpsd.net or 803/479-0883.

RSM High: The Trojans are finally in their new home! It is AMAZING! Our rooms and technology are state-of-the-art, and everything is top notch! Most teachers and staff worked at the school over the weekend to prepare for students to enter their new home Tues. Beta Club students were also on hand to assist teaches with unpacking and moving and delivering water! This is such an exciting time for us! We are so happy to be in the new building and can’t wait until we can invite our very supportive communities to visit!

The Senior Beta Club and National English Honor Society will hold an induction ceremony on Tues., Feb. 18, at 6 pm in the new media center. These two honors organizations provide service to our school and community with individual and group projects. Members must maintain high grades and show good moral character. By induction, the both clubs will have members in grades 9-12. Sponsors are Josie Rodgers and Kelly Bedenbaugh.

Many thanks to the towns of Ridge Spring and Monetta who joined together to provide the 2019 RSM Trojans Upper-State Football Champions with a delicious meal last Thursday. The coaches, players, cheerleaders, and football staff enjoyed the meal and the fellowship with the people who represented the communities. Thank you!

Prom date has been set! The prom will be held Sat., April 25. The theme this year is A Red Carpet Affair. More info to come!

Review from David Marshall James:  "Twisted Twenty-Six" by Janet Evanovich

The Plum family continues to reside in the Chambersburg neighborhood of Trenton, New Jersey.  Mr. P is still carving the roast beef at the head of the dining-room table on Friday nights, while the Missus is still ironing for therapy and soothing her taut nerves with "iced tea," courtesy of her friends Mr. Beam and Mr. Williams of Kentucky.

   Meanwhile, Grandma Mazur is still opening and closing caskets during viewings at Stiva's funeral home in "The Burg," evening visitations being "must see and be seen's."

   A short distance away, the Plums' younger daughter, Stephanie, is still cohabitating with a hamster named Rex when she's not picking up FTA's (Failure to Appear's) for her Cousin Vinny's bail bonds office.  Stephanie has been torn between two loves (more, should you count pineapple upside-down cake) for years:  Ranger, who has built up his security business into a veritable empire; and Joe Morelli, still a police detective.

   Although La Plum has committed herself romantically to Morelli, neither is bringing up the "M" word (marriage, not manicotti).  Stephanie's done that, and Morelli's already occupied with a most-needy dependent, Bob the Dog.

   As predictable as it sometimes seems, life in The Burg can still go what-the-hey in a hurry, as it has in this novel, owing to Grandma's surprising marriage to mostly-retired mobster Jimmy Rosolli, quickly followed by an even-more-surprising widowhood.

   Did Jimmy leave Grandma a fortune?  She has high hopes of a trip to Antarctica, the Galapagos, or perhaps Gatlinburg.  She also plans on spreading the wealth among her family.  She tells her daughter, "You'll need a new liver, and those cost."

   However, there's a nightmare looming over these dreams of adventure.  Jimmy's fellow semi-retired thugs, who hold court from La-Z-Boy recliners at the Mole Hole strip club, want the keys that Jimmy held for the group, and they're convinced Grandma has them.

   What are those keys, exactly?  And why do the "La-Z-Boy's" want them so badly?

   The P-U queue after Grandma includes Jimmy's three sisters, who make the Gorgons look like Patty, Maxene, and Laverne Andrews, along with an ex-wife who believes she was short-changed in her divorce from Jimmy.

   Author Janet Evanovich stirs up the action and fun from the get-go to The End in one of her best novels.  She seems to be relishing her success, planning on playing elements of this story forward.  Will Grandma ever make it to Gatlinburg?  Considering its proximity to Lynchburg, Mrs. P just may give her a lift.

An all-new Gravatt Adventure: Are you a long-time camper, looking for a new adventure with Gravatt friends? Or maybe you're totally new to Gravatt, but love thrill-seeking in the outdoors. Whatever the reason, Gravatt Explorers is the perfect opportunity to experience the loving, supportive community of Gravatt with an entirely new element: trip and travel. This program has it all for your fearless teen: canoeing down the Congaree, hiking through Pisgah National Forrest, camping outside, eating over a fire, all designed to accommodate beginners and seasoned outdoor professionals. All skill levels welcome!  (As a teenager I attended Camp Gravatt and have always had a special fondness for the adventure and the Camp.)

With the staff you know and love to help and guide them, your 10th grade-college Freshman teens will have the time of their lives during this 11-day outdoor escapade. Come with friends or come alone to meet new ones. This is a program opportunity unlike anything Gravatt folks have ever seen, and it's for outdoor lovers of all skill levels! You can find a more detailed description of the program along with packing lists and other resources by clicking the button below! Grab your child's spot before it fills up!

Harriet's Garden Tips: This is a good time to begin composting, too.  Those leaves that need raking would be a great beginning for a compost pile.   Organic trimmings from your garden , such as my broccoli plants, as well as kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels and trimmings, crushed eggshells, tea bags, coffee grounds and filters can also be composted.  Organic materials that should not be added to your compost pile include meat, bones, pet litter, and fatty foods (such as cheese, salad dressing and leftover cooking oil).  Prune ornamental grasses to within 6 inches from the ground.  Liriope is an ornamental we all seem to have.