Lake City Community Planner for Oct. 7

Lake City Concert Series

The Lake City Concert Series on Thursday will open its 2009-10 season with Dr. Benjamin Woods, professor emeritus of music at Francis Marion University, presenting a program of classical piano music.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Lake City Presbyterian Church, at 301 E. Main Street in Lake City.

Admission is by season ticket; tickets are also available at the door and will cost $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Children younger than 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

Lake City High reunion

The Lake City High School Class of 1989 reunion is scheduled for Saturday. Anyone who knows anyone from the school’s class of 1989 is asked to call Sharise Lloyd at (704) 890-0918 for more details. All members of the class of 1989 are asked to send their payments as soon as possible to Lloyd at 6012 Bayfield Parkway, No. 165, Concord, NC 28027.

Lake City parade

The Lake City Fire Department will have its annual Fire Prevention Parade in conjunction with the Lake City High School homecoming parade Thursday.

The parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the parade lineup beginning at 4 p.m. in front of the Lake City Shrimper, at 340 W. Main St., and ending at Main Street Elementary School.

Singletary said fire departments from across South Carolina are scheduled to participate in the parade as well as several local high school bands.
For more information, call Lake City Fire Department at (843) 394-2470.

Senior Health Fair

The Leatherman Senior Center/Senior Citizens Association in collaboration with McLeod Hospital will hold its second annual Senior Health Fair from 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday. The location will be at the senior center, 600 Senior Way, Florence. For information, call Nikki Rotan or Fannie Kennedy at (843) 669-6761.

Domestic violence awareness

The Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault will hold a lunch-and-learn event, “Domestic Violence and Your Family,” in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. From noon to 1:30 pm Oct. 14 in the Railway restaurant in Lake City , guest speaker Lake City Mayor Lovith Anderson Jr. will present a program about how domestic violence affects families in our community. The event is sponsored by the coalition and the Lake City Police Department. Preregistration is required as seating is limited.

McNair 5K Run/Walk

The Fifth Annual Dr. Ronald E. McNair 5K Run/Walk and Health Fair will take place Oct. 17 in Lake City.

The event will kick off at 8 a.m. at the Ronald E. McNair Memorial Park, on East Main Street next to the Lake City Public Library.

The event for all ages will include the 5K run and walk, a one-mile fun walk, a half-mile kids run, games, balloons, prizes and refreshments for all.

Health-care professionals also will provide free health screenings and health information in the Town Square.

Registration forms for the race events are available at the Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce, at 144 S. Acline St.; the National Bean Market Museum Gift Shop, at 127 E. Main St. in Lake City; and from members of the Ron McNair Committee.

Registration fees for the race are $15 for adults and $7 for students younger than 18. On-site registrations will require a $5 late fee.

Call (843) 389-3282 for more information.

National Guard reunion

The Lake City National Guard reunion will be at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Kingstree National Guard. For information, call (843) 687-7735.

Rotary fundraiser

The Lake City Rotary Club will hold a spaghetti dinner to raise money for Polio Plus, youth activities, scholarships and community projects.

The dinner will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Lake City United Methodist Church fellowship hall, at 229 W. Main St., across from the post office.

Plates cost $5 each and are available for eating in, carryout, drive-through or free delivery, with a 10-plate minimum.

Fall Festival

J.C. Lynch Elementary School will hold a Fall Festival from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 23 at the school, at 124 Hicks Road in Coward.

The event will feature games, prizes, balloons, face painting, a photo room, a cake walk and a fire truck. Food will include baked goods, hot dogs, chips, popcorn and drinks.

A raffle for a $250 gasoline card will be held at 8 p.m.

Wristbands for the event will be on sale for $2 at the door.

Track-or-Treat

Lake City Elementary School will sponsor its annual Track-or-Treat event from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the track between Lake City Elementary and Lake City High schools.

Track-or-Treat is an event where parents can bring their children to trick-or-treat instead of going door to door through neighborhoods.

Children from all over Florence School District 3 are invited to this event.

The school is asking for donations of candy and other items to be given to the children as they circle the track. Anyone interested in setting up a station should call Patrick Pinckney at Lake City Elementary at (843) 374-2353.

‘South Pacific’ auditions

The Lake City Community Theatre has announced the audition dates for “South Pacific,” which it will present in March.

Auditions are scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and 2 at the Blanding Street Auditorium, at 125 S. Blanding St. in Lake City.

The musical features parts for adults and teens as well as a part for a boy from the age of 6 to 8 and a girl between 9 and 11 years old.

“South Pacific” is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Tales of the South Pacific,” by James A. Michener.

The music is by Richard Rodgers, lyrics are by Oscar Hammerstein II, and book is by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan.

Car show

The Central Carolina Corvair Club will hold an Open Classic car show Oct. 17 at Auddie Brown Chevrolet in Darlington.

A total of 72 awards will be given in 23 classes at the show. In addition, dozens of door prizes will be given to entrants. Awards will be given to the first three cars in each class.

Auddie Brown Chevrolet is at the intersection of U.S. 52 and U.S. 52 Bypass between Florence and Darlington.

While the show will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvair, only four of the 23 classes will be for Corvairs. All years and makes of classic cars are invited to participate, although entries must have been built before 1985 to qualify as a classic car.

The show begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Spectators are welcome, and there is no admission fee.

Registration ends at noon, and judging begins at 12:30 p.m.

Basketball coaching clinic

The Francis Marion University women’s basketball program will offer a basketball coaching clinic from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 24 in FMU’s Smith University Center.

The clinic will feature Patriot head coach Heather Macy, Clemson University head coach Cristy McKinney, Elon University head coach Karen Barefoot and VMI head men’s coach Duggar Baucom.

The cost of the clinic is $20 for individuals and $40 for an entire staff if registration is completed by Oct. 16. Registration on the day of the clinic will be $25 for individuals.

Prior to the clinic, coaches are invited to attend an open practice by the Francis Marion 2009-10 women’s squad from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Both Macy’s and Baucom’s squads won national scoring titles last season.

For details or to get a registration form, contact the FMU women’s basketball office at (843) 661-1249 or hmacy@fmarion.edu.

Fall Frenzy

ScienceSouth will hold Fall Frenzy from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 24 at Lynches River County Park, at 1110 Ben Gause Rd, Coward.

Compassionate Friends

The Compassionate Friends of the Pee Dee Area will host Alan Pedersen, a bereaved dad and singer-songwriter, for the “Celebrate the Children” concert at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in the The Sullivan Family Center of St. Anthony Catholic Church, at 2536 Hoffmeyer Road, Florence.

Pedersen writes songs relevant to the challenges that family and friends encounter after suffering the death of a child. Alan is the father of two teenage boys. In August 2001 Alan’s 18-year-old and only daughter, Ashley, was killed in an automobile accident.

Alan will sing and tell his story and would like to hear others’ “stories” as well.

Pedersen is performing at no charge to The Compassionate Friends of the Pee Dee Area. On the evening of the event, the group will able to donate toward his travel expenses. Pedersen’s three CDs will be available for purchase that evening.

Narconon

No matter where you are or what day it is, if your loved one is addicted to drugs or alcohol, get them into an effective substance abuse treatment program as soon as possible. For information on the drug and alcohol rehabilitation program at Narconon Arrowhead, call (800) 468-6933 or visit www.stopaddiction.com. Narconon offers free counseling, assessments and referrals to more than 11,000 centers nationwide.

PalmettoPride grants

PalmettoPride has made available two new grants in their 2009-10-grant cycle: the Challenge for the Environment and the Keep South Carolina Beautiful (KSCB) grant.

The Challenge for the Environment Grant is designed to get elementary, middle and high school students involved in activities that will educate them and their communities about the importance of keeping their state clean and attractive, while promoting in the next generation a sense of pride in the community.

Any accredited school may apply for this grant.

The KSCB Grant is available for all Keep America Beautiful affiliates in South Carolina.

The grants became available Tuesday. The completed applications will be due on Oct. 26.

Applications are available for download at www.palmettopride.org.

For more information on the tree grant, please contact Sherryl Jenkins, grants coordinator for PalmettoPride, at (877) 725-7733 or sjenkins@palmettopride.org.

Free trees

Everyone from South Carolina who becomes a member of the Arbor Day Foundation in September will receive 10 free trees as part of the foundation’s Trees for America campaign.

The 10 trees are eastern redbud, white pine, sugar maple, white flowering dogwood, pin oak, red maple, river birch, silver maple, northern red oak and Colorado blue spruce.

The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting, between Oct. 15 and Dec. 10. The six-to12-inch trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced free of charge. Planting instructions are enclosed with each shipment of trees.

New members receive The Tree Book, which includes information about tree planting and care.

To receive the free trees, send a $10 membership contribution to Ten Trees, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410 by Sept. 30 or join online at www.arborday.org.

Women in the Outdoors Event

Women in the Outdoors will hold an event from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 7 at The Wild Turkey Center, headquarters of the National Wild Turkey Federation, in Edgefield.

The event will offer opportunities for women to gain hands-on experience from expert instructors in classes including archery, candle making, canoeing, outdoor survival, self-protection, shot gunning and Dutch-oven cooking.

Registration for this event includes lunch and costs $30 for federation members or $60 for nonmembers.

Call Teresa Carroll at (803) 637-7551 or visit www.womenintheoutdoors.org/wito for more information and to register.

Farmers market

The Lake City Farmers Market will hold the following scheduled activities:

• First Saturday of every month — yard sales
  
• Second and fourth Saturdays of every month — bake sales
  
• Third Saturday of every month — barter days

If you are a nonprofit organization or group and need to do a fundraiser, please contact the National Bean Market Museum office to participate in any of the above activities. If you participate in the yard sales for profit, a $5 fee is required for joining the yard sale group.

On barter days, there is no charge for the public to bring items to the market to trade with others who participate (the farmers market is not included in barter days).

For more information, call Sherri Moore at (843) 374-1500.

Kidney Cars

Donated cars help provide many life-saving programs for half a million people living with kidney disease throughout South Carolina.

A donated car provides:

1. Free health screenings for 20 people, giving them life-saving information
2. Emergency financial aid for four kidney patients in financial crisis
3. Transportation for two kidney patients to dialysis treatments for one month

These are a few of the many programs the National Kidney Foundation uses Kidney Cars to fund. One in eight South Carolinians has chronic kidney disease, and your old car can make a huge impact in their lives. Donated cars don’t even have to run.

The National Kidney Foundations is a 501(c) 3 charitable organization, and contributions are tax-deductible.

For information, call (800) 488-2277 or visit www.kidneysc.org.

Young Entrepreneurs

The South Carolina Council on Economic Education and Merrill Lynch are looking for five elementary, middle or high school students who have taken up the challenge of running their own businesses. These young people must understand the costs and benefits of working for themselves and be willing to share their experiences with their peers.

The five 2010 Merrill Lynch Young Entrepreneurs will be interviewed on the ETV Stock Market Program, which is broadcast to schools during the fall and spring semesters. In addition, the five entrepreneurs will receive a $200 cash prize.

If you know a student who fits the profile of a Young Entrepreneur, fill out the Merrill Lynch Young Entrepreneur Nomination Form at the SC Council on Economic Education’s Web site at www.sceconomics.org/entrepreneur_form.htm. Teachers, parents, community members or even young entrepreneurs themselves may complete the form.

Poetry fellowship

The South Carolina Academy of Authors recently announced The Carrie McCray Nickens Fellowship in Poetry, which will be awarded annually in April in the amount of $500.

Applicants must be South Carolina residents, and manuscripts must be typed and submitted on standard 8½-by-11-inch paper. There is no restriction to form or content.

The deadline for entries is Nov. 13. The winner of the fellowship will be notified by March 1, 2010.

To apply, applicants should send three copies of manuscript with a separate cover sheet. Each manuscript must consist of six to 10 pages of poems, with no more than one page per poem. The poet’s name must not appear on all manuscript pages.

Electronic submissions will not be accepted. Each manuscript cover sheet must contain poet’s name and contact information (U.S. Postal Service mailing address, e-mail address, phone number) and titles of poems.

Each submission must be accompanied by a $5 entry fee, payable to South Carolina Academy of Authors.

Applicants may submit manuscripts and application fee to Phebe Davidson, Fellowship Chair, SCAA, 911 Point Road, Westminster, SC 29693. The winner will be notified by e-mail or telephone.

South Carolina Academy of Authors board members cannot apply.

Tree seedlings for sale

The South Carolina Forestry Commission is again offering tree seedlings in preparation for the winter planting season.

The commission’s Taylor Nursery grows more than 35 varieties of trees for sale, including 10 selections of pine and 18 different hardwood species. Also available are bald cypress, red cedar, Atlantic white cedar, palmetto (the state tree) and several shrub and grass species.

For the timber grower, we have a number of selections of high-value loblolly pines. Disease resistance and fast growth make these seedlings suitable for woodlots and landscaped yards alike.

Despite the recent downturn in home construction, state and federal forestry experts say demand for South Carolina timber will remain strong in the long run. Also, in addition to traditional uses such as lumber, plywood and paper, wood can provide an energy source that will help South Carolinians become more energy independent in the years to come.

Orders are expected to be brisk, especially for longleaf pine seedlings, so put your order in early.

Orders may be scheduled for UPS shipping or for pick-up at the commission’s Taylor Nursery in Edgefield County beginning in December.

More information and our catalog are available at www.trees.sc.gov or by calling the nursery at (803) 275-3578.

The SC Forestry Commission’s mission is to protect and develop South Carolina’s forest resource. For every $1 invested by South Carolina in the commission, the industry produces about $1,000 of economic impact.

Harvesting guidelines

Landowners planning to cut timber can protect the environment by using water quality guidelines. Free services from the South Carolina Forestry Commission can help prevent erosion and protect streams during timber harvesting.

The guidelines, called best management practices (BMPs) for forestry, help logging operations avoid environmental impacts. On request, Forestry Commission specialists will provide on-site recommendations and assistance with a free courtesy exam, which almost always results in higher compliance with best management practices.

The Forestry Commission also monitors logging operations and cooperates with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to take action when failure to follow guidelines affects water quality. Experts say South Carolina loggers get high marks, with 98.6 percent overall best management practices compliance.

For a courtesy exam on your logging job, call Guy Sabin at (803) 896-8593.