WINNSBORO – Even though ‘Recovery Month’ has just begun this week for Fairfield County’s Behavioral Health Services, it’s already time to sign up for the month-end Drop-In to be held Friday, Sept. 28, from 12 – 1:30 p.m. at the agency’s new building, 178 Hwy 321 Bypass N. in Winnsboro.
“We hope everyone will participate in our several programs this month including the Church of the Year and My Recovery Story contests,” BHS Director Vernon Kennedy said.
To register, call 635-2335 or go to fairfieldbhs.org.
BLYTHEWOOD – The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) will be hiring ‘on the spot’ for 70 positions during a job fair it is sponsoring for Trane at Doko Manor, from 1 – 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept 12.
Wendy Hamilton, Midlands Business Consultant for SCDEW, said the hiring will be the first phase of 700 new hires over the next six months for Trane’s newly expanded plant in Blythewood.
“They will be hiring for multiple positions, primarily maintenance techs,” Hamilton said.
While Hamilton said she did not have the final range of pay for the positions, she said the jobs are all well-paying jobs.
“All of Trane’s corporate Human Resources Department staff will be on site to interview, make offers and hire right then and there,” Hamilton said. “It’s very important for applicants to bring an updated resume with them.”
The first phase of 70 hires will be followed by hiring the bulk of the 700 open positions. Then another 70 will be hired in the final phase. All three phases are expected to be completed within six months Hamilton said.
“The company recently completed a 1,000,000 square foot expansion, the largest expansion it has ever made,” Hamilton said. “It’s a great opportunity for both Fairfield and Blythewood.”
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood residents are invited to Talk Trash with Richland County Solid Waste & Recycling folks at Doko Manor on Monday, Sept. 10 from 6:30 – 8 p.m.
The meeting will provide residents with updates about trash pickup, recycling and bulk item collections. Those attending can receive input about services provided by the County.
Four other similar meetings are being held in other parts of the County.
For more information about Richland County Solid Waste & Recycling, contact the County at 929-6000.
Roy Hoshall, Bobbie Dove and Kerry England make their choices early during the 2016 silent auction.
BLYTHEWOOD – Four Lions Clubs will host their annual Night for Sight and Hearing on Sunday, Aug 19. at Doko Manor in Blythewood. The event includes an afternoon of Gospel music by three acts: God’s Tool Box, Free By Grace and Doug Hudson.
Clubs from Blythewood, Winnsboro, Columbia Northeast and Greater Irmo are hosting the event as their annual fundraiser for sight and hearing services in their respective communities. Tickets are $6 per person and can be purchased from club members or at the door during the event which starts at 4 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. There will be a silent auction as well as a snack kitchen with foods and desserts for purchase. For more information, call Barbara Pemberton at 803-315-9346.
BLYTHEWOOD – A free community training event for caregivers who provide care to family members or others with dementia or related dementia disorders will be conducted at Doko Manor on Tuesday, Aug. 7, from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The course has the support of the Town of Blythewood and Mayor J. Michael Ross.
The course, titled ‘Dementia Speaks,’ is based on the dementia training program offered by the University of South Carolina’s Office for the Study of Aging and will be conducted by USC gerontologist and licensed social worker, Dr. Macie Smith, who specializes in providing one-on-one family dementia training.
Smith’s specific focus is coordinating quality care within aging and underserved communities.
Attendees will receive free materials from the Office of Aging, The Alzheimer’s Association, Leeza’s Care Connection and others.
To register, contact Doris Kelly Coleman at 404-444-6960 or email MIDORA@bellsouth.net.
BLYTHEWOOD – “It was the best attended event we’ve ever had in the park,” Doko Manor and Event Director Steve Hasterok said of the crowd at the July 3 fireworks event at the Palmetto Citizens Amphitheater in Doko Park. “It was already a huge crowd, then about an hour before the fireworks began, about 1,000 more people converged on the park with lawn chairs, blankets and the kids,” Hasterok said.
Crowd estimates shortly before the fireworks began, according to Town Hall, were between 5,000 and 6,000 people.
The playground was overflowing and the lines at the food trucks were long and steady all night long. The variety of food offerings ranged from barbeque, pizza and homemade lemonade to snow cones, popcorn, donuts and desserts.
With three musical performances, 20 food trucks including Chick-fil-A, Papa John’s, Scotties and Doko Smoke, 20 minutes of fireworks and great weather, what was there not to like about the annual event?
Mike and Gina Tanner entertained with some of their Lunatrix wonders – face and tattoo painting and giant bubbles.
Blythewood Mayor J. Michael Ross summed it up – “This was the best yet! EboniRamm was a great addition to the performers with her poetry and music. Deluxe Blues gave us great blues music and DB Bryant topped it off. Then boom! boom! boom! and the sky lit up. Best yet!” Ross said.
The Pearl of Monticello will play host for this year’s farm-to-table dinner.
JENKINSVILLE – The third annual Fairfield County Ag + Art farm-to-table dinner will be held Thursday, June 14, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Pearl of Monticello, formerly known as the Robinson House, a majestic two-story, circa 1810 federal style home designed by Robert Mills and situated on a rise overlooking Lake Monticello.
A previous farm-to-table dinner table was set under the Town Clock, above.
It’s the kick-off event for the annual Ag + Art Farm Tour that will take place the following weekend, and promises to be memorable, not only for the glamorous setting but for the six-course meal served Tapas style (one plate per course – six plates!) on the lawn adjacent to the mansion. And every course will be homegrown or otherwise produced in Fairfield County.
Guests will arrive along a drive shaded by majestic live oak and pecan trees, to an evening of musical entertainment and a sumptuous meal of meats and fresh fruits and vegetables, all produced by local farmers and prepared by caterer Steelhorse Smokehouse. And the glorious sunset on the lake will not disappoint.
The menu includes: cobb salad, deviled eggs, pulled pork sliders, open face with coleslaw, smoked meatballs braised in sauce and served over yellow stone-ground grits, chicken and dumplings, ham and pineapple skewers and decadent desserts.
Entertainment will begin at 6 p.m. with 16-year-old Sofia Lynch, an accomplished singer/songwriter who plays guitar, piano, ukulele and bass guitar. She recently released her new single, ‘Curiosity.’
Special guest Luke Moore will be playing country music.
The Pearl of Monticello is located at 5264 State Highway 215 S, Jenkinsville, SC 29065. To order tickets go to www.eventbrite.com.
The Pearl at Monticello will also be one of the 8 farms and locations on the self-guided Ag + Art Farm Tour weekend in Fairfield County on Saturday, June 16 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. Each farm location will also feature local artisans and artists.
BLYTHEWOOD – Margaret Kelly, Blythewood Historical Society Administrative Manager and community quilt organizer, and Frankie McLean, who had a hand in creating the quilts, show a peek of the children’s quilt, one of two community quilts that will be unveiled on May 31.
Ernest Manning of Winnsboro is a regular at the Blythewood Farmers Market, selling his very nice, home grown lettuces, cabbages, onions and Gerber Daisies | Barbara Ball
BLYTHEWOOD – “It’s the melting pot of Blythewood,” proclaimed Blythewood Farmers Market Director Michaela Barno. “Our vendors are either local residents from Blythewood, Ridgeway or Winnsboro or they are connected in some way to Blythewood. Plus we have Jeff Dowdy, The Shrimp Guy, with fresh Carolina shrimp.”
Regular vendors include Murphy Farms of Ridgeway, Henry’s Kitchen, Off the Track Bakery, fresh eggs from REDs Farm in Ridgeway, grits from Ken DuBard’s Congaree Milling Co, Donna Bass’ This Butter Be Good skin care products, First Fruits produce stand, Ernest Manning’s fresh garden produce and flowers, fresh chicken from Cedar Knoll Farm, Grand’s Garden produce, fresh pork, lamb and poultry from Doko Farm and much more.
“We offer live music and garden fresh produce every market day and free wine tasting every third Wednesday,” Barno said.
“All of the vendors produce the products they sell and are DHEC certified,” Barno said. “Their farms are licensed through the Department of Agriculture.”
“I am so proud of the quality of our regular vendors,” Barno said, “as well as the frequent visiting vendors.”
Besides food products, artisan vendors are a regular feature of the market featuring colorful and unique handmade arts and crafts.
“Each Wednesday also brings a new food truck,” explained Barno. “Since opening May 2, we have already enjoyed barbeque, Belgian waffles, southern egg rolls and pizza, to name a few.
“And next week, May 23, we will feature Roadrunner Cafe out of Winnsboro serving dinner. Music will be provided by Jubilee Trio,” Barno said.
And remember to bring an empty cooler for carting produce home.
The market is open from 4 to 7 pm every Wednesday through October and is located in Doko Park at 171 Langford Road in Blythewood. Plenty of free parking available. For more information email blythewoodfarmersmarket@gmail.com.
Members of the Blackjack United Masonic Lodge 41 recently set up a lunch tent on South Congress Street to feed those in the Winnsboro community who are homeless. From left, Celess Banks, Sylvester Jackson, Worshipful Master Oren Gadson, Robert Hughes, Ray Gadson (who, with his wife, Elaine, prepared the food), Cornell Hopkins ,Patrick Armstrong and Willie Pinson (special deputy of District 6, not shown) are ready to serve. | Barbara Ball
WINNSBORO – Every year, the members of the Blackjack United Masons look for a way to give back to their community.
“In the Masons, that’s what we’re supposed to do, to feed the homeless and the hungry, as many as we can. This is one way we look forward to serving,” The Lodge’s Worshipful Master Oren Gadson, a Corporal with the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Department, said. Sometime every year during the spring or early summer, they feed about 100 people. And so they did again in early May.
This year, the lunch, prepared by Ray Gadson and his wife, Elaine, included baked chicken, yellow rice, green beans, rolls, lemon and chocolate cakes and ice tea.
The members meet at 7:30 p.m., the first and third Tuesday of every month at the Lodge, located at 1206 State Highway 213.
