People & Events

Gospel singing to benefit
man in need of transplant
A gospel singing featuring the Lumber River Quartet to benefit Eric Faile of Hartsville will be held at Kelleytown Baptist Church on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 6 p.m.
Admission is free, but a love offering will be taken for Faile, who is awaiting a liver transplant.
For more information, call Rabbit Faile at 332-4076 or 332-0613.

Agricultural society
meeting Oct. 23
The Darlington County Agricultural Society’s Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Mineral Spring, Mineral Springs Road (off U.S. 52 North), Darlington.
The program will begin at 10 a.m., followed by lunch around noon. Speakers include John Long (East Coast Ethanol), discussing a new ethanol plant in Chester County; Dr. Jay Chapin (extension peanut and small grain specialist with Edisto Research & Education Center) discussing “Peanuts – A Money Maker for S.C.” and Julian Cochran (Green Energy Solutions). 
In case of heavy rain, the meeting will be moved indoors to Trinity United Methodist Church, 126 Pearl St., (SC 34/SC 151, one block west of Public Square) Darlington.  The meeting is open to all farmers and agribusiness professionals in Darlington County.

Thomas Hart Academy to host 11th Annual Halloween Carnival
Thomas Hart Academy will host its 11th annual Halloween Carnival on Friday, Oct. 24. The event will begin at 6 p.m. and run through 9 p.m. and will be held at the academy, 852 Flinns Road, Hartsville.
Boo Bog (chicken bog) tickets are available at $7. Dinner will also be available at the carnival for eat-in or take-out as well. There will be lots of fun and games, a cake walk, various booths, prizes, and a hay ride for families to enjoy.
For more information about the carnival or to purchase chicken bog tickets in advance, please contact the school at 332-4991.

Students to pledge
against gun violence
On Wednesday, members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and their law enforcement partners will meet with students across South Carolina as part of a national campaign to educate students about gun violence.
Participating schools in the Pee Dee are Bennettsville Middle, Bishopville Primary, Briggs Elementary in Florence, Britton’s Neck Elementary in Gresham, Carver Elementary in Florence, Cheraw Primary, Darlington High, Dewey L. Carter Elementary in Effingham, East Elementary in Dillon, Greeleyville Elementary , Hartsville High, J.C. Lynch Elementary in Coward, J. Paul Truluck Middle in Lake City, Johnakin Middle School in Marion, Johnson Middle School in Timmonsville, Theodore Lester Elementary in Florence, Lower Lee Elementary in Mayesville, Marlboro County High in BennettsvilleMcCormick Elementary in Mullins, McLaurin Elementary in Florence, Moore Intermediate in Florence, Olanta Elementary, Scranton Elementary, Sneed Middle, Florence in South Florence High, Southside Middle in Florence, St. John’s Elementary in Darlington, St. Mark Elementary in Kingstree, W.M. Anderson Primary in Kingstree and Williams Middle in Florence.
Participating law enforcement agencies in the Pee Dee are the Bennettsville, Coward, Darlington, Florence, Hartsville, Lake City, Marion, Olanta, Scranton, police departments and the Chesterfield County, Florence County and Lee County sheriff’s offices.
For more information about the pledge, visit the national Student Pledge Web site at www.pledge.org.

Conference to focus on youth

The Rev. Reginald J. McLeod Sr., pastor of Kay Branch Missionary Baptist Church, will be a featured speaker and moderator for the upcoming youth conference, “Gold Nuggets... Life Enrichment Series” on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 10 a.m., at Lakeview Baptist Church Family Life Center.
Other speakers include Larry Bryant, national field organizer for the Campaign to End Aids of Washington, D.C.; Lance Brooks, motivational speaker of Atlanta, Ga.; and Lonoia Murphy Halyard, president of Herman Martin Jr. Foundation (HMJF).
The conference, a joint venture by HMJF and Kay Branch Missionary Baptist Church, comprises discussions about self-esteem and peer pressures, goal-setting and accomplishments, mentorship, and expectant results of sexual misbehavior.
Registration is $10 and includes luncheon and printed materials. All area youth and youth leaders are encouraged to attend.
For more information contact Minister Dowdy at 917-4850 or visit www.hmjfoundation.org. 

PEOPLE IN UNIFORM

Army Reserve Pvt. Michele D. McFarland has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.
McFarland is the daughter of Inez McFarland of Darlington and sister of Lizzie McFarland of Bronx, N.Y.
In 2005, the private graduated from Evander Childs High School, Bronx.

Army Reserve Pfc. Dominique C. Rivers has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.
Rivers is the daughter of Lisa Rivers of Bishopville and granddaughter of Marlene Rivers of Camden.
In 2004, the private graduated from Camden High School.