WINNSBORO – By popular audience demand, the Pine Tree Playhouse will present an encore performance of ‘Noises Off’ on Saturday, May 4 at 8 p.m. The performance is one night only.
‘Noises Off’ is a play within a play about an ambitious director and his troupe of mediocre actors. The silly, sexy comedy is a single-set farce in which lovers frolic, doors slam, clothes are tossed away and embarrassing hi-jinks ensue.
The play is a slightly bawdy British farce which may not be suitable for children under 13.
The cast includes Matthew Swanson, Fran Jolly Shepard, K.E. Carter, Sydney Fowler, Shane Moody, Lisa Cathcart, Nancy Jolly Smith, Brian Garner and Maddie Garner from Winnsboro, Great Falls, Blythewood, Chester, Columbia and Aiken. The set was designed and built by Frank McKinney, Bill Wedding, Matthew Swanson and Gary Baker. The set crew includes McKinney, Wedding, and Baker.
During the play’s two 10-minute intermissions guests will be offered (for a small donation) refreshments of wine, water and snacks in the lobby.
‘NOISES OFF’ was written by Michael Frayn and is produced with the exclusive permission of Samuel French www.samuelfrench.com. It is directed by Shane Moody and Becky Koeller.
To reserve seats, call (803) 635-6847 or email pinetreeplayhouse@gmail.com.
Breelyn Seeger cuddles with her mom, Mandy Seeger, during the Family Fun Day fundraiser at Doko Park on Sunday. | Photos: Barbara Ball
BLYTHEWOOD – Last week, Mandy Seeger received the best news she’s had in a long time. Doctors at Duke University Hospital notified her family that a donor has been found and approved whose bone marrow is a match for her daughter, Brelynn.
Brelynn, 5, has suffered from a debilitating immune deficiency called Combined Variable Immune Deficiency (IKAROS) for most of her life.
She and her family – mom, Mandy; dad, Scotty and her brother Bryson, 16 – left Wednesday for Durham, N.C. where they will remain for up to a year as Brelynn undergoes treatment that, hopefully, will cure her illness.
But the road to wellness will be long and difficult for the five-year-old and her family.
“For the first week or so, she’ll have several doctor visits. Then on April 29 she will be admitted to Duke, where a tube will be inserted into her arm and through the main artery in her heart where it will remain for six months. Three lines will run off that tube for pain medication, nutrition and blood sampling.”
And that’s just the beginning.
“To prepare her for the bone marrow transplant, she will undergo chemotherapy for 8 – 11 days,” Seeger said, “and will remain in the hospital for up to 45 days.” Then the family will have to remain in the Durham area near the hospital for up to a year.
“We will all stay at the Ronald McDonald House for the first two months, then we hope we will be able to move into a small apartment near the hospital for the remainder of our stay,” Seeger said. “But it’s first come, first served, so we hope one will be available when the time comes.”
During that time Brelynn will continue to remain isolated until her immune system becomes strong enough to ward off germs that, in the past, could have proven fatal.
Both Mandy and Scotty are taking year-long, unpaid leaves from their jobs – she works from home for Amazon and he is a business technician for Spectrum.
“My grandmother will also be going with us to help look after Brelynn. While she’s in the hospital, at least one of us is required to stay with her every moment. We’ll be responsible for much of her daily care – mouth washes four times a day, taking her on short walks every day, even when she doesn’t feel like it, bathing her and other things,” Seeger said. “We’ll take shifts in her hospital room around the clock.”
Bryson will also move with the family and attend school online.
“He didn’t want us to go off and leave him here,” Seeger said. “We’ll all be together through this.”
Seeger said there are many risks for her daughter during and after the transplant.
“But it’s our best hope for her to have a normal life,” Seeger said. “It will be very difficult and sometimes scary for her. We are trying to prepare her as best we can. The doctors have told us to tell her what will be happening, to explain everything before it happens.”
Because of Brelynn’s susceptibility to infections, she has had serious bouts with pneumonia, flu and other illnesses since birth. For that reason, she has spent her young life in near isolation – from friends, from playing with other children, from going shopping and eating out with her family.
The trials have been many for the family during Brelynn’s illness, Seeger said. Two years ago, Brelynn was hospitalized with pneumonia. She was so ill that she was on life support for a while, her mother said.
“After that,” Seeger said, “the doctors suggested we take Bryson out of school for a year and a half. The germs he brought home from school were too dangerous for Brelynn.”
During a benefit in Doko Park last weekend, the family’s church, Pineview Baptist, organized a family festival to raise funds for the myriad of expenses the Seegers will have during the next year.
It was a rare outing for Brelynn.
“She just loved it and had so much fun. She ran and played with the other kids from church, ate hot dogs and just had a good time,” Seeger said.
The event raised about $10,000, something Seeger said her family greatly appreciates.
“I can’t say how much we appreciate our church members who put this together and worked so hard on it,” Seeger said. “And we are thankful for everyone who came out to wish us well and donate their time, money and effort for us. It meant so much.”
“After we got home, I asked Brelynn what she enjoyed the most about the park and she said, “’Playing with Amy [the church pastor’s daughter].’ It’s such a little thing that most kids take for granted, but it’s something she almost never gets to do. Hopefully, after this year, she’ll be able to play with other children and do other things that children her age enjoy,” Seeger said.
The church’s fundraising efforts are continuing with the hope of raising at least $20,000 more. To donate, contact Carla Hawkes at 843-408-3944 or the church’s pastor D. T. Kirkland at 803-381-3898.
Well-wishers joined the Seeger family on Saturday for a Family Fun Day fundraiser organized by Pineview Baptist Church.
BLYTHEWOOD – “The films that will be screened are now decided, so we know what the audience will be viewing, they are all very good – sad, serious, funny and some very good stories, all short and easy to watch. Adults and students will find enjoyment in them,” Ray Smith, organizer of the Doko Film Fest, said of the event set for April 26 – 27.
The event, featuring the work of student film makers, is expected to be high-end entertainment for both adults and students, with films submitted from across the state of South Carolina, Texas, California and Canada. Film categories include animation, music, comedy, short stories and doc mentaries.
Of the entries, Smith said 13 films were selected.
A special reception will be held at the Doko Manor on April 26 for Blythewood’s own Academy Award winner, Michelle Eisenreich who, with her production team, has won two Oscars for special effects. Eisenreich also served as a judge of the entries and will make a presentation on screening day, April 27 at Westwood High School.
Also, during the screenings, four masterclasses will be offered that anyone can attend: making films with a smart phone, good camera and lighting techniques, directing actors and what makes a winning film.
The actor who plays Michael Myers in the movie Halloween also served as a judge for the entries.
Tickets to the event are $5 for adults and free for students.
For more information about Doko Film Fest, go to dokofilmfest.com.
Hayes, back center, joined Fairfield Animal Shelter volunteers Sam Yaghi, Dawn Branham and Sonja Murphy and their rescues; Taproom owner Larry ‘Trippy’ Phillips and Tumbleweed with 97.5 WCOS.
BLYTHEWOOD – It was a full house Friday night at McNulty’s Taproom when country music singer Wade Hayes took the stage in the main dining room. The evening kicked off with Hayes visiting with fans out front under the WCOS tent during a fundraiser for the Fairfield Animal Shelter from 6 – 8. At 9 p.m., the restaurant’s chef and his band, the Yarborough Brothers, opened the big show and Hayes followed.
Family members of Jenni Sharpe: Shannon Caldwell (kneeling) with son Tripp, Heath Caldwell, standing left, Johnny Caldwell, Cheryl Caldwell, holding Molly Claire Caldwell, and Ryan Sharpe with son John Ryan. | Photos: Martha Ladd
WINNSBORO – Community members from all over Fairfield County turned out to support the third annual Jenni Sharpe Memorial 5K on March 23.
Zy’hon Young, Geiger student
The event, which funds scholarships for Fairfield County seniors, was initiated after Winnsboro native Jenni Caldwell Sharpe passed away from cancer in 2016.
Jenni, a graduate of Richard Winn Academy, and her husband Ryan Sharpe, an alumnus of Fairfield Central and current teacher and coach, looked for opportunities to give back to the community that supported them during Jenni’s diagnosis and treatment.
Ryan saw the memorial as a means to meet that goal in two ways: the event would bring community members together and give back by supporting local students.
In its first two years, the fundraiser provided $12,000 of scholarships to graduating seniors at Fairfield Central and Richard Winn. Donations are still accepted. To give online, visit PayPal.me/JSharpe5K.
BLYTHEWOOD – When American country music artist Wade Hayes comes to McNulty’s Taproom in Blythewood Friday night, he’ll be making two appearances. One, his big show, will open at 10 p.m. inside the restaurant. The other will be from 7 – 8 p.m. out front in the WCOS tent, where Hayes will be partnering with the Fairfield County Animal Shelter to bring awareness to the needs of shelter animals and visiting with his animal-loving fans.
“Wade’s newest release, ‘Who Saved Who?’ is about his own rescued dog,” McNulty’s Taproom owner Larry ‘Trippy’ Phillips explained. “He wants fans to bring donations of dog food, dog treats, dog toys, leashes/ collars, blankets, dog beds etc. to help with the needs of the Fairfield County Animal Shelter, and they will receive a free autograph and photo of Wade. They can even have a photo taken with him,” Phillips said. “And there will be puppies and other pets on site for adoption,” Phillips said. “It’s going to be lots of fun.”
To hear Hayes perform his new release as well as his hits from the 90’s, purchase a ticket for $35, reserve a table (hightops, $50 and lowtops, $100) and stay for the 10 p.m. performance, where he will be singing fan favorites such as On A Good Night, Old Enough to Know Better, What I meant to Say and I’m Still Dancing with You.
The WCOS tent will be out front from 6 – 8 p.m. Hayes will join WCOS from 7 – 8 p.m. The Yarborough Brothers will open the evenings’ entertainment at 9 p.m.
“It’s filling up fast,” Phillips said. “It’s going to be a big night here in Blythewood – great music and great food. It’s a show you don’t want to miss.”
For information or to purchase tickets, call 803-834-4037. McNulty’s Taproom is located at 420 McNulty St., in Blythewood.
BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood Garden Club will feature well-known garden designer, horticulturist and author Jenks Farmer at its 12th Annual Community Gardening Event on March 21, at 7 p.m. in the Blythewood High School media center.
Farmer was the developer and former director of Riverbanks Botanical Garden and the founding horticulturist of the Darla Moore Farms Garden in Lake City. He designs gardens and landscapes throughout the Southeast in public and private spaces.
Farmer writes for a number of periodicals and is the author of two books: “Deep Rooted Wisdom: Stories and Lessons from Generations of Gardeners” and the soon to be released, “Funky Little Flower Farm.” He has a deep interest in collecting and growing Crinum Lilies, and his lily farm will be featured in an upcoming “Garden and Gun” magazine. He will offer some of his collection of bulbs for sale at the meeting.
The Blythewood Garden Club has offered the Blythewood community a variety of gardening and environmental programs over the last twelve years, featuring such gardening experts as Austin Jenkins who developed the Master Naturalist Program, naturalist Rudy Manke and ETV’s Amanda McNulty of ‘ETV’s “Making It Grow.”
St. John’s Episcopal Church is located at 301 W. Liberty St. in Winnsboro. | Martha Ladd
WINNSBORO – If you want to know who your neighbor is, you might want visit St. John’s Episcopal Church for a four-part Lenten Series beginning Sunday, Mar. 10 at 4 p.m. The church has invited speakers from the Episcopal, Jewish, Muslim and Greek Orthodox faiths to offer insights and observations about their faith and how love is the starting point for interfaith dialogue.
“With love as the common thread to each of these faiths,” a church flyer states, “Rev. Canon Alan Bentrup from the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina will open the series at the March 10 Sunday service.”
Other presentations are scheduled for March 17 (Rabbi Eric Mollo), March 24 (Imam Omar Shaheed, Masjid As-Salaam) and March 31 (Rev. Fr. Michael Plantis). A reception will follow each presentation.
At the same location for the past 130 years, this series is one of the ways St. John’s continues to serve its congregation and the town of Winnsboro.
Twelve years after the Episcopal Church was founded in Fairfield in 1827, the first church building was constructed in 1839, at Garden and Fairfield Streets. Burned to the ground first by Union soldiers in Feb. 1865 and again in 1869 by a fire started in a nearby stable, the building was rebuilt twice in two locations in Winnsboro.
Today the picturesque red brick church stands at 301 W. Liberty Street, on a treed lot with decades old shrubs that flower prolifically in the spring and summer.
“Temples made with hands could be destroyed…but the Church is eternal in the hearts of men,” Bishop Howe said at the laying of the current church’s cornerstone in Nov. 1888.
For information about the church or the Lenten series, call 803-815-1499 or 405-777-8440.
Sheriff’s Deputies and teams take the plunge in Lake Wateree for charity. | Melissa Cooper
LAKE WATEREE – About 65 people took the chilly plunge on Saturday at Lake Wateree during the Fairfield County Sheriff Department’s fifth annual Polar Plunge, organizer Bill Dove, an investigator with the department said.
Sheriff Will Montgomery
“We raised over $10,000 this year,” Dove said, “which is the largest amount we’ve raised since we’ve been sponsoring the plunge. We had teams from not only Fairfield County, but Lugoff, Camden and Lake Wateree.”
Those donations go toward the support of the Sheriff’s charity, the Special Olympics of South Carolina.
Following the plunge everyone was invited to a lakeside lunch.
The Sheriff’s Office will host several events over the next several months to celebrate the South Carolina Special Olympics and raise money to fund Special Olympics events for these athletes. On May 3, the Sheriff’s Office will participate in the ‘County Line to County Line’ torch run through Congress Street, and they will host Tip-A-Cop at a local restaurant later in the year.
A shadow of Ayden peaks playfully from behind his mom, sisters and grandmother, Bobbi Jackson Qualls of Ridgeway.
RIDGEWAY – In 2011, toddler Ayden Ferby was the youngest fatality on SC roadways. His death was the tragic result of not being properly restrained in his car seat.
Although Ayden’s life was short lived, his grandmother, Bobbi Jackson Qualls, now says there have been many lessons learned. To that end, her never-ending love – her family’s love – for Ayden has brought much good for other children since his death.
“As a result of us dealing with the grief and guilt of Ayden’s death, Ayden’s Turn was birthed,” Qualls said. “It was a way to do something for him, for his memory and for other children. We organized our first blood drive and car seat clinic in 2012 to bring awareness to the importance of proper installation and use of car seats. The goal was to educate the public on proper installation and best practices to use, to help reduce vehicular injuries and deaths of infants and children, in memory of Ayden,” Qualls said.
On Saturday, Qualls’ family has organized another blood drive, this time at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Ridgeway.
Ayden’s family and friends rally together through various campaigns year round – blood drives, car seat clinics, pamper parties, partnering with local law enforcement to educate the public on safety requirements while traveling and serving on the Buckle Buddies Coalition to advocate for changes in our state laws.
Ayden’s Turn has donated countless coats and shoes to children in Head Start programs and celebrate kid’s day events in the local schools and communities.
“We partner with other organizations like churches and civic groups to carry out our mission. To celebrate Ayden’s memory, we intentionally make child safety our first priority,” Qualls said. “As a result of Ayden’s tragic death and our broken hearts, we have made a difference in the lives of many, many other children.”
The next Ayden’s Turn blood drive will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 330 W. Third St. in Ridgeway. To sign up, visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: Bethlehem. For more information, call Bobbi Jackson Qualls at 803-633-5033.
