January  2019

Ridge Spring News

Harriet Householder

From the Mayor's Desk: It may not be Spring yet, but we are already planning for the next few months. Ridge Spring received a CDBG grant for $500,000 to redo the parking area and add about 24 more parking spaces to the plaza (the old town square). Surveying and final planning are taking place this month.  Plans call for updating electrical and water for our festivals, adding sewage for the open air building that will be built in the second phase, adding pavers and resurfacing with asphalt. In addition, a crosswalk will be added. Because construction will be taking place during the summer, the Farmer's Market will be moved to the Civic Center. The Civic Center Committee has met with an architect to look at updating the building with a catering kitchen and handicapped bathrooms. We have updated the rental policy to include serving alcohol at events. Plans are underway for our annual Quilting on the Ridge event in March. If you are a quilter or know one, direct them our way. You know what we say in Ridge Spring-TAKE TIME. In this case Take Time to help us in planning for these activities. We need your help and input. Call Town Hall for information on what you can do.

In celebration of Martin Luther King's life and the contributions, Ridge Hill Baptist Church names two community members as recipients of the Martin Luther King Community Impact Award and Outstanding High School Contribution Award. The awards are chosen by a committee who yearly assess contributions made by community members who have gone beyond expectations to make a change in our community or our school. This year's recipients are : MLK Community Impact Award going to Ms. Effie Martin. Ms. Martin is a retired teacher and is active in Mt. Alpha Church, the Girls Scouts, FORS,  Aiken County Retired Teachers Association, and stays busy helping those in this community. The second award, the MLK Future Leader  Award was presented to Brendon Frazier. Brendon has a bright future and richly deserves the award.

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church is sponsoring a coat/clothing drive for Douglas Elementary School in Trenton through February 3. We recently learned the school staff was looking for coats for students and decided we could help. Some items have been purchased to help with immediate needs, but the school tries to help students throughout the year. If you would like to help, suggested items and sizes are listed below. Any donations will be much appreciated and can be dropped off at Mt. Calvary on Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 9 am - 2 pm. Suggested items - coats, pants, shirts, knit caps, socks, underwear for sizes 6, 8 and 10.

Security Federal Bank Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9-12  1-5, Wednesday 9-12.

From the Mayor's Desk: For those who did not know, town hall is now open on Saturday mornings from 8:30 until 12:30. Also  utility payments will not be taken after 4:30 daily. With all the leaves that have finally finished falling, we are asking that you not blow your leaves into the street or into the ditches. This is blocking water movement and causing flooding on several of our streets, in some cases causing accidents where drivers cannot distinguish the edge of the road.

Troop 555 and Pack 555 meets 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 7:00 pm at Ridge Spring Baptist Church. You may contact Melissa Stover  at mostover310@gmail.com. They are recruiting new members.

Little Peach League is getting ready for a new season of baseball and softball. Registration will be at the ballpark the next 2 Saturdays (Jan. 26, and Feb. 2) from 10 am until 2 pm. Programs are for kids ages 5-12 with a cost of $50 which must be paid at registration. Parent must be present to register the child. For more info, please contact Leslie Long.

RSM Elem (Tonya Rodgers): Congratulations to Jayke Carson who was the 3^rd place District Winner in the grades 3-5 MLK poster contest!

RSM High: Congratulations to senior Brendon Frazier for being awarded the MLK Future Leader Award by the Ridge Hill Baptist Association. Brendon is active in the Senior Beta Club, English Honor Society, Teacher Cadets, Odyssey yearbook staff, and other clubs, and he plays football, basketball, and baseball. He is the son of Quincy & Charmone Frazier of Ridge Spring. Brendon plans to attend college in the fall.

Congratulations to Trojan football players who earned accolades! Aiken Standard All-Area Football: 1st team- Reagan Cherry, Trey Dean, & Collier Sullivan; 2nd team- Hayden Cherry, Kelson Palmer, Jerry Tyler. The Augusta Chronicle CSRA All-Area football:1st team- Hayden Cherry, Reagan Cherry, & Collier Sullivan.

            Several members of the Beta Club and English Honor Society will head over to RSM Elem this Wed (early release day) for 4^th-5^th grade Club Day. Each mini club will work with a new set of students in several areas: sports, cheer, dance, games, chess, poetry, reading, and more! The younger students look forward to these mentors coming to share fun and model behavior with them.

I may have sent this in before but it is such a good reminder of life and the problems we face that it is worth repeating. Have a happy new year.

Joe Cal Watson, Wallace Steadman and Their Long Trip from Clemson College to Ridge Spring,

A Really, Really Long Trip Home

The time was 1943  All airports were Army Military Bases

True story by Joe Watson and written by Harriet Householder

Joe and Wallace were students at Clemson.  They had joined the Army Reserves so they could complete ROTC at Clemson.  While being in the reserves they were allowed to ride if space were available on military planes ( this is often referred to as space A). They also had been promised to be allowed to finish College.  By the way this did not happen, either.  After the war both men went back under the GI Bill and finished Clemson,

It was Christmas break, they were in uniform, and they were ready to get home.  In the past they hitch-hiked a ride to Greenville and caught a plane to Columbia where they hitch-hiked to Ridge spring which was home for both.  This time when they got to the Greenville airport they had to wait and wait and wait; between them they had less than $5.00.  Finally they took a flight heading to Atlanta.  They might be able to catch a plane to Columbia from Atlanta.  Once in Atlanta, they were given a place to sleep and breakfast.  The homefolks did not know where they were so they sent them a telegram, “In Atlanta headed to Richmond” for Wallace had an uncle in Richmond, Virginia. There were no flights going north so they decided to keep going south. 

They flew on a B17 and ended up in Brooksfield, Fla. It was 40 miles from Tampa where Joe’s Aunt Chloe Edwards and cousin lived. So they took a cab for ten cents to her house. Back then gas was being rationed, so military could ride for a dime but it was a complicated ride.  Once you got in the cab the driver may pick up and let out others along the way. He went where the riders wanted to go as long as it was a continuous route which meant you could ride all around Tampa until they got close to Aunt Cloe’s House.

That Sunday night the men went with their hosts to Sunday night service and heard a lade recite from memory “The fourth Wiseman.”

 They stayed in Tampa until Monday.  Joe and Wallace went to the army base to catch a ride back north. When they got to the gate they were told that they could only ride on a plane if they had their own parachute.  Neither had one so back to hitchhiking they went. They then spent money for a bus ride to get to the north side of Tampa to hitch a ride home. They did buy lunch in Tampa for $0.30 which was cheese and bread.  That left them $0.20 to get home on.

They were able to get a ride to the Florida Georgia border, but then they had to ride in the back for the company did not want the drivers picking up hitch-hikers.  Joe and Wallace didn’t mind for they ate tangerines.  They got to Savannah and spent $0.10 on two cups of coffee and went back to trying to get a ride home.  They caught a ride to Summerton and spent the rest of their money: $0.06 or a package of rolls and $0.04 on 4 cigarettes.  By now it was Tuesday.  From there they got a ride easily to home. 

They did not see Richmond but they did get home after having a meal of tangerines, rolls and finished off with two cigarettes each.

Harriet's Garden Tips:  Would you believe my tulips are coming up and we are expecting some really cold weather.  I wonder.  This is a pretty god time to begin planting trees.  Remember they may bloom in the spring but what about the foliage in the fall.  Dogwood, red oak, sugar maple and red maple are more red than yellow.  Tulip tree, ginko, birch, elm and poplar lean more to the yellows.  Enjoy all the seasons.

REMINDERS

Ridge Spring Library Hours: Mon. Tues. 9:00 - 12:00; Wed. Thurs. Closed;

            Fri. 10:00 - 4:00; Sat. 10:00 - 1:00.

Saluda Library Hours:  Mon/Wed 8:30 am-5 pm; Tues/Thurs 8:30 am – 6 pm; Fri 8:30    am – 5 pm; Sat closed

Ridge Spring Post Office hours:  Mon-Fri. 7:30 am – 11:30 am; Sat 9 – 10 am

Recycling Center Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 1-7; Sat 7-7; Sun 3-7; Tues/Thurs closed

Fridays & Saturdays:  AARS hours 10:00-2:00 or by appt, free admission

Every first Thursday of the Month:  AARS meets at 6:30, 685-5783

Third Thursday: FORS at Town Hall at 5:30 PM

Every 1^st Thursday:  Audibel Hearing Center in the back room of Bank

Security Bank Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 9-12  1-5,        Wednesday 9-12