Saturday, December 3, 2016
Graniteville • Vaucluse • Warrenville
by Anne Fulcher As I sit here writing this editorial, listening to the snores of two very spoiled dogs, I realize what a charmed life I live. I have a roof over my head, food always on the table, a good job, family and friends that love me…. I’m just so Blessed that I have all these gifts from the Christ Child who was born in a manger on a cold winter’s night. In this era of the me generation, it is so easy to lose sight of what we have instead of what we don’t have. Step back and look at the big picture of your life and look at what you DO have. So much has changed in my life over the past 12 months. I’ve been blessed with a healthy, beautiful granddaughter, graduated with my Master’s degree
and had God put me in a position to be responsible for some of the most amazing senior citizens I could ever image. What gifts I’ve been given all year! The Christmas season has been sensationalized by retail chains who urge us to “buy buy buy!” But, we all know it is not the material things that really matter now. I had a very dear friend lose his precious mother last weekend. He, as I, is an only child and this has torn my friend apart. It’s hard at this time of year to lose a loved one and makes the holiday season take on a sad, dismal feeling. Do you realize this time of year has an increased rate of depression for many reasons? I will never forget what it was like the first year I moved to Virginia. Having moved in August, I did not know many people by the time
Christmas rolled around. Mind you, I moved up there not knowing a soul, just me and Ace, my deaf Jack Russell. Every time I hear the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” it brings back emotions of 2008 when living hundreds of miles away from family and friends and how much I cried that first year. Do you know someone who needs the gift of friendship during the Holiday Season? Maybe a new neighbor, someone going through divorce or loss of loved one? Give them the gift of friendship. Offer to share with them the many events that go on in the area during this time of year. Have you run into a customer service representative who seems to be in a bad mood? Give them a gift of a kind word or a piece of candy. One of my residents carries peppermint
Vol. 2, No. 12
with him and he ALWAYS seems to know when I’ve had a bad day. It’s those little gifts that are given unexpectedly that makes it all worthwhile. Take this time of year and look at the Christmas lights and decorations as if you were a child again. Forget all the bad in the world and look at the good and the hope given to us through the birth of the Christ Child…. And end this year with a verse from Do You Hear What I Hear, “said the king to the people everywhere, listen to what I say. Pray for peace, people everywhere! Listen to what I say, The Child, the Child sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light, HE will bring us goodness and light….
Merry Christmas!
2 • Saturday, December 3, 2016
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
October Community Calendar Area Churches Together Serving (ACTS) Dec 5-16; 10am-5pm : “BLOW-OUT” Sale. Everything 50% off. 2ndACTS in Graniteville @ the Masonic Center, 50 Canal St., Suite #6. Come and do your last minute Christmas shopping! Dec 8; 6-8pm : “Night of 1,000 Lights” Sales Galore and light refreshments at ACTS Resale Store @ 401 Hayne Ave. in downtown Aiken. This big sale is in conjunction with Aiken’s “Night of 1,000 Lights” Dec 8; 6pm : Coffee with Jojo (Hope Center in Graniteville) There will be no meeting 12/22 in honor of Christmas. Meetings will resume Thurs, February 9; 6pm. Dec 17; 8am-9:30am : Senior Food distribution at ACTS in Aiken for registered ACTS clients. (340 Park Ave. SW) ACTS will be closed Dec 19 – Jan 1 for Christmas holidays and will reopen Jan 2. Jan 14; 8-10am : FATZ Breakfast (ACTS Fundraiser); Tickets $7.00 available at ACTS (340 Park Ave SW, Aiken) and 2ndACTS (50 Canal St; Graniteville) Jan 26 – Paladin Productions will present “The Book Club” – a fast-paced, modern comedy. (Contact event@ actsofaiken.org the first week in January for more details and tickets.) Jan 21; 8am-9:30am : Senior Food distribution at ACTS in Aiken for registered ACTS clients. (340 Park Ave. SW) ACTS 15th Holiday Heater and Utility Drive – Help keep someone warm! Donations are used to provide families with portable heaters ($40 each) and to assist with overdue utility payments to keep them from being disconnected. Donations may be made on ACTS website www/actsofaiken.org, on our Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/actsofaiken or by mail addressed to ACTS, 340 Park Ave. SW, Aiken, SC 29801.
Christ Central Graniteville (Hope Center) Call Hope Center 803.393.4575 to sign up for any of these classes. WorkKeys(R). Mondays and Wednesdays 9 - noon. FREE. GED Prep. Mondays and Wednesdays 9 - noon. FREE. Turning the Pages Ministry led by Rev. Gollie Walker. First and third Tuesdays at 7 pm. FREE Coffee with Jojo. Second and fourth Thursdays at 6 pm. Childcare provided with reservations by calling Jan at 803646-0451. Men’s Locker Room led by Roger Rollins. Second and fourth Thursdays at 6 pm. FREE Learning English for Living. Thursdays 7-9PM Fit and Ready for the Job Market. November 7-18; 9
am - 2 pm. FREE Special training in soft skills for a variety of jobs including janitorial skills, food industry, retail or lawn care. Course also covers life skills, money matters, job search, workplace etiquette, interview skills, resume writing, conflict resolution, and understanding attitudes. ServSafe(R) Food Manager Training. November 28, 8 am - 5 pm with Karen Tempel. Deadline to register is October 10. WorkKeys(R). Mondays and Wednesdays 9 - noon. FREE. GED Prep. Mondays and Wednesdays 9 - noon. FREE. Closed for Christmas Holidays December 19 - January 2. Open on Tuesday, January 3, 2017.
Gregg Park Civic Center www.greggparkonline.com
Santa Party Ho!Ho!Ho! Merry Christmas Santa is making a special stop at Gregg Park for all you Kiddies! Santa’s Party is for children Ages 8 & Under on Saturday, December 3rd, from 10-11:00 a.m. Come have your picture made with Santa while enjoying refreshments and a craft. For more info., call the park at 663-7552. LITE-SIDE A senior’s class for those who desire a vigorous and funfilled workout. Certified instructor Wendy Moore will demonstrate the latest techniques for health conscious adults. Classes are held Mondays and Wednesday from 9 to 10 a.m. For more information, call the park at 803-6637552. Free of charge. LINE DANCE Rock&Roll, Country & Beach Music Line dancing classes with instructor Cassie Barnhill are taught on Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. the cost is $5 per class. For more information, call the park at 803-663-7552. LUNCH BUNCH WALKERS Let Gregg Park help you with your exercise and fitness program. A healthier and well-conditioned you is just a few steps away. Sixteen walk times will earn you a free T-shirt and a healthier mind and body. Walking inside the gym or outside on our beautiful and serene ½ mile walking track. For more information, please call the park at 803-663-7552. KARATE Karate classes are taught by Brian Randall are are held on Tuesday nights from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Classes are for ages 5 and older with instruction in Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo. Cost is $15 per month. FREE BLOOD PRESSURE TESTING Blood Pressure Testing is offered at Gregg Park Civic Center. This service is free if charge, and is performed by certified nurse Jeanne Townes. This service is provided the first and third Wednesday of each month from 4 to 6 p.m. GYMNASTICS Gymnastic classes are now being held at Gregg Park Civic Center. Registration fee is $10 and cost of instruction is $30 per month. Instructor Rhonda Whitley will teachGymnastics for children ages 4 and older on Mondays
from 6 to 7 p.m. For more information, call the park at 663-7552 UNLIMITED Exercise Classes per Month $10/Month for Pass holders, $15/Month for Non-Pass holders • Cardio/Weight Class, Mondays and Wednesdays, 5 to 6 p.m. A 30/30 Cardio and Weight Class consisting of a cardio workout and followed by light weights for toning and
See Calendar, Page 12
For information on how you can sponsor the GVW Report, or to suggest story ideas, please contact the editor: Anne Fulcher at ernieace2@yahoo.com or call at 803-979-4476
GVW Report Editor Anne Fulcher
Layout/Design Lauren A. Haley
This Month’s Sponsors Aiken Regional Medical Center Aiken Technical College
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
Saturday, December 3, 2016 • 3
4 • Saturday, December 3, 2016
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
McGrath Thanks Its Volunteers The McGrath Computer Learning Center is an independent, non-profit , all volunteer organization; affiliated with the Office of External Programs and Continuing Education of USC Aiken. Our mission is to provide adults in Aiken and the surrounding community the opportunity to improve their skills and knowledge in using personal computers, tablets, and smartphones at a reasonable cost. It takes a village to make the McGrath Computer Learning Center run smoothly and be successful. We would like to thank our many volunteers for their loyal dedication and multiple, varied contributions. Quite a few of our volunteers have been with the Learning Center for many years. We recognize their invaluable contributions and understand that the McGrath Computer Learning Center would not exist without them. If you would like to learn more about the McGrath Computer Learning Center, go to our website: mcgrathclc.com. We are always looking for more enthusiastic volunteers.
Volunteers Wanted We are looking for enthusiastic, energetic volunteers who would like to use their skills to help the McGrath Computer Learning Center become Aiken’s premier instructor of personal technology and to help the McGrath business thrive. If you have any of the following skills, please contact us:
Teaching Coaching Computer Technology Management Finance Organization
Writing Marketing Administration Leadership Fundraising Creativity
Email: mcgrathclc@gmail.com Telephone: Amy Westra at (803) 641-3741 Our volunteers receive: Formal/informal training and a mentor Flexible work hours Ability to work from home Free class tuition (space available) McGrath Computer Learning Center is a non-profit, all volunteer organization.
Saturday, December 3, 2016 • 5
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
A Savior, Not A Religion BY Roger Rollins “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Bible “Good news from heaven the angels bring, glad tidings to the earth they sing: To us this day a child is given, to crown us with the joy of heaven,” – Martin Luthor “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.” These words were penned by Charles Dickens in his famous novel “A Tale of Two
Holiday Lights in Orangeburg, SC December 15 – Join us on a trip to Orangeburg, SC on Thursday, December 15! We will stop for a short dinner at Dukes BBQ, shopping at R & J Drugstore, and drive through the illuminated gardens at Edisto Memorial Gardens! $10/person…Laughs and Fun are free! Dinner will be Dutch. Spaces are limited. Please RSVP and pay by December 12. Bus will leave Aiken at 4:30 and Wagener at 5:15 pm. Aiken County PRT’s Main Office is located at 1930 University Parkway, Aiken, SC. For more information, please call Tandra Cooks at (803) 663-6142. The Courtney Center is located at 49 Roy Street (off of Hwy 39) in Wagener, SC. For more information, please call Carolyn Rushton at (803) 564-5211.
Cities.” Reminds me of today. We are still able to celebrate Christmas in this country, but the word “Christ” in Christmas seems to scare people. We want to be politically correct and tolerant of all religions and so in many peoples’ minds the “Christ” in Christmas is better seen as XXXXXmas. You fill in the X’s. We forget Christmas is not about a religion. It is to recognize and celebrate the birth of a person. In 1926 Dr. James Allan Francis published an essay which has been named “One Solitary Life” and been repeated many times since (sometimes with modifications.) Here is the original version. “A child is born in an obscure village. He is brought up in another obscure village. He works in a carpenter shop until he is thirty, and then for three brief years is an itinerant preacher, proclaiming a message and living a life. “He never writes a book. He never holds an office. He never raises an army. He never has a family of his own. He never owns a home. He never goes to college. He never travels two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He gathers a little group of friends about him and teaches them his way of life. “While still a young man, the tide of
popular feeling turns against him. One denies him; another betrays him. He is turned over to his enemies. He goes through the mockery of a trial; he is nailed to a cross between two thieves, and when dead is laid in a borrowed grave by the kindness of a friend. “Those are the facts of his human life. He rises from the dead. Today we look back across nineteen hundred years and ask, “What kind of trail has he left across the centuries?’ When we try to sum up his influence, all the armies that ever marched, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned are absolutely picayune in their influence on mankind compared with that of this one solitary life…” Jesus’ family life was remarkably similar to many families today. Most people thought that his birth was illegitimate. Joseph, Mary’s husband, “adopted” him after his birth. In addition, Joseph disappears from the scene early in Jesus’ teen years and he apparently was raised by his mother. During Jesus’ ministry on earth he didn’t propose a new religion; he presented a new lifestyle: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” He also told us what a family is to look like. “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to
the Lord….. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her…” Oswald Chambers, in his classic devotional book “My Utmost for His Highest”, shares the following insight with us: “The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other kind of so-called Christian experience is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration— no being born again into the kingdom in which Christ lives and reigns supreme. There is only the idea that He is our pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Savior long before He is the pattern. Today He is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion— a mere example. He is that, but He is infinitely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God!” This Christmas season and all year long may our gift to each other be a Christ-like life style, and not a religion.
Christmas Camp
Aiken County Recreation Center & Serenity Charity Club Host a Christmas Dance!
Aiken County Recreation Center Hosts Couponing Class!
2016!
Graniteville, SC- Looking for somewhere for the kiddos to go before Christmas?? Join us at the Aiken County Recreation Center for a 4-day adventure of games, arts and crafts, and much more! Very limited spaces. Please sign up ASAP! December 19-22 Monday – Thursday, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Ages 6 to 12, $55/4 days, $20/day Campers must bring their own lunch. We will provide breakfast and 2 snacks. Aiken County Recreation Center is located at 917 Jefferson Davis Hwy (Hwy 1) in Graniteville. For more information or to register, please call Tandra Cooks at (803) 663-6142.
Graniteville, SC - Aiken County Parks, Recreation and Tourism and Serenity Charity Club will host a Christmas Dance for Aiken County’s mature adults! Join us for food, fun, dancing and door prizes! December 3 from 5 to 7 pm. Free program! The Aiken County Recreation Center is located at 917 Jefferson Davis Highway (US 1) in Graniteville, SC. For more information, please call Tandra Cooks at (803) 663-6142.
The Family & Marriage Coalition of Aiken, Inc. (FAMCO) was created to provide resources for you to succeed in your marriage and families. Roger Rollins, Executive Director, FAMCO, 803-640-4689, rogerrollins@ aikenfamco.com, http://www.aikenfamco.com
Graniteville, SC Aiken County Parks, Recreation and Tourism will host The Diva Couponista Class taught by Aiesha Reynolds! This class offers a great interactive, learning session. Each participant will receive helpful tips, techniques and info. There will be a light snack, games and door prizes. $15/person. Participants must RSVP and pay with the Rec Center at 803-663-6142 or tcooks@aikencountysc. gov before class. December 17 at 11 am The Aiken County Recreation Center is located at 917 Jefferson Davis Highway (US 1) in Graniteville, SC. For more information, please call Tandra Cooks at (803) 663-6142
6 • Saturday, December 3, 2016
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
The Birth of Jesus
BY Dr. Lynn Kirkland
Impact Ministries International, Inc. A little something different this time. Please take the time to read: Matthew 1: 18-24
Christ Born of Mary From New King James Version Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” 24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. [d] And he called His name JESUS. 18
The Birth of Jesus From The Message The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. 20-23 While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spiritconceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his 18-19
people from their sins.” This would bring the prophet’s embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”). 24-25 Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus. Hebrews 2 New King James Version (NKJV)
Do Not Neglect Salvation Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? 2
The Son Made Lower than Angels For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor,[a] And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”[b] For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. 5
Bringing Many Sons to Glory For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bring10
ing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”[c] 13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.”[d] And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”[e] 14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Hebrews 2 The Message (MSG) It’s crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we’ve heard so that we don’t drift off. If the old message delivered by the angels was valid and nobody got away with anything, do you think we can risk neglecting this latest message, this magnificent salvation? First of all, it was delivered in person by the Master, then accurately passed on to us by those who heard it from him. All the while God was validating it with gifts through the Holy Spirit, all sorts of signs and miracles, as he saw fit. 2 1-4
The Salvation Pioneer God didn’t put angels in charge of this business of salvation that we’re dealing with here. It says in Scripture, What is man and woman that you bother with them; why take a second look their way? You made them not quite as high as angels, bright with Eden’s dawn light; Then you put them in charge 5-9
of your entire handcrafted world. When God put them in charge of everything, nothing was excluded. But we don’t see it yet, don’t see everything under human jurisdiction. What we do see is Jesus, made “not quite as high as angels,” and then, through the experience of death, crowned so much higher than any angel, with a glory “bright with Eden’s dawn light.” In that death, by God’s grace, he fully experienced death in every person’s place. 10-13 It makes good sense that the God who got everything started and keeps everything going now completes the work by making the Salvation Pioneer perfect through suffering as he leads all these people to glory. Since the One who saves and those who are saved have a common origin, Jesus doesn’t hesitate to treat them as family, saying, I’ll tell my good friends, my brothers and sisters, all I know about you; I’ll join them in worship and praise to you. Again, he puts himself in the same family circle when he says, Even I live by placing my trust in God. And yet again, I’m here with the children God gave me. 14-15 Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death. 16-18 It’s obvious, of course, that he didn’t go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham. That’s why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people’s sins, he would have already experienced it all himself—all the pain, all the testing—and would be able to help where help was needed. Merry Christmas from Pastor Lynn, Mrs. Ann and Cowboy Church Dr. Lynn Kirkland EVANGELIST / REVIVALVIST Impact Ministries International, Inc. 758 Silver Bluff Rd., #5431, Aiken, SC 29804 OFFICE PHONE: 803 400-3609 Sign up to receive our monthly “E~NEWS”: www.tinyurl.com/4enews
Saturday, December 3, 2016• 7
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
Your Child and the Flu Vaccine Aiken Regional Medical Center
Your Child and the Flu Vaccine
Flu season is upon us, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza is more dangerous than the common cold for children. Some of the statistics related to children and the flu can be alarming: • It is common for children to need medical care because of influenza, especially before they turn five years old. • Severe complications from the flu are most common in children younger than two years old. • Children with chronic health problems like asthma, diabetes and disorders of the brain or nervous system are at especially high risk of developing serious flu complications. • Each year an average of 20,000 children under the age of five are hospitalized because of influenza complications. • Flu seasons vary in severity, however some children die from flu each year.
Protecting your Child Getting your child vaccinated is the best way to protect them from getting the influenza virus. Each year, the seasonal flu vaccine is designed to prevent the flu viruses that are expected to be most common. Consult with your healthcare physician – he or she will know which vaccine is right for your child. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that everyone six months old and older get a seasonal flu vaccine. It’s a good practice for all family members older than six months to get vaccinated, since this can help to protect the young child from the virus. Vaccination is also especially important for people who are high risk or who are in close contact with high-risk persons. This includes children who are at high risk for developing complications from influenza illness, and adults who are close to those children.
Children Six Months to Eight Years Old In some cases, children six months through eight years of age require two doses of influenza vaccine. Children in this age group who are getting vaccinated for the first time, or who have previously gotten only one dose of the vaccine, should get two doses of the vaccine this season. For those children who previously got two doses of the vaccine at any time, they
only need to get one dose this season. The first dose of the vaccine should be given as soon as it’s available.
Annual Vaccines For the best protection against flu, children should be vaccinated every flu season. As noted above, for any child who will need two doses of flu vaccine, the first dose should be given as early in the season as possible. For other children, it’s good to get them vaccinated by the end of October if possible. It’s important to note that as long as flu viruses are circulat-
ing, getting a vaccine can still be protective. Some flu seasons can start as early as October, but typically cases of the flu peak between the months of December and March. After vaccination, it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop. Antibodies are what provide protection against an influenza virus infection. That’s why it’s best to get vaccinated early, before influenza begins spreading throughout the community. Palmetto Pediatric Center provides inpatient and outpatient care for infants, children and adolescents. For an appointment to get
your child vaccinated against the flu, or to learn more about Palmetto Pediatric Center, call 803-641-KIDS (5437). Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Physicians are on the medical staff of Aiken Regional Medical Centers, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Aiken Regional Medical Centers. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.
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8 • Saturday, December 3, 2016
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Center This is the first in a series of stories on the history of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Center and the work it does in the area. Due to the loss of the Sisters of Charity in mid2017, this series will look at how the Center continues to do the work of Monsenior George L. Smith. Nestled between the trees on highway 421 in Gloverville, SC is Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Center. Many who grew up in the area spent many wonderful summers at the Catholic Center when it had the pool which was a luxury for many of the Valley youth. I learned how to swim in that pool and spent many wonderful days enjoying something I would not have afforded if not for the Catholic Center. Known for the good it does in the community, many do not know the history of the facility and how it came to be. In late 1939 early 1940, the late Msgr. George L. Smith obtained ten acres of land between Gloverville and Langley fronting on what was the old U.S. Highway 1. On this property, the Horse Creek Valley Welfare Centre was constructed. During the Great Depression, the Valley was comprised of many small textile mill towns and was
considered to be the second largest pocket of poverty in the United States. Msgr. Smith was the, then, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aiken and got assistance from local wealthy residents to build the mission center in the Valley. The Welfare Center became known as the Our Lady of the
Valley Catholic Center and was staffed by the Sisters of Christian Doctrine who taught kindergarten and visited homes to care for the sick. The nuns formed groups to provide service and recreational programs for all ages in the Valley. Then, as now, the Catholic Center provided assistance for many of those in need in the Val-
ley area. What most people do not understand is that there is no connection between the nuns that run the Catholic Center and the Church on the property. The Church of Our Lady of the Valley was dedicated on Sunday, December 1946 and is in the guidance of the Roman Catholic Dioscese of Charleston.
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
Saturday, December 3, 2016 • 9
10 • Saturday, December 3, 2016
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
Each month a student/students from one of the schools in the GVW area will have their story published in the GVW Report. IFyou would like to sponsor the Student Page, please contact Anne Fulcher, 803-979-4476 I love Christmas. It is my favorite holiday. i love to spend time with my family. But most of all, we think about Jesus and God. Christmas means a lot to me. I also love making cookies and pouring milk for Santa. I love to decorate my tree and my house. I always help my dad put the lights up on the outside of my house. I make boxes with toys and useful tools too for the kids that don’t get Christmas. I’m so glad we have Christmas.
Christmas means to be with your family. This Christmas I am going to Virginia. I hope they didn’t put the decorations on the tree because I want to help them. I started making the presents in October. It is really special to me because we only get to see them on Christmas. I love celebrating Christmas with them. Alessandra Alvarado is the daughter of Manuel Alvarado and Ana Molina, and a 3rd Grader at Warrenville Elementary, taught by Mrs. Jasmin.
Jess Bishop is the son of Ashley and Jessie Bishop and a 3rd Grader at Warrenville Elementary, taught by Mrs. Jasmin. Six Aiken County Career & Technology Center Machine Tool students (juniors) participated in a signing day at MTU America in Graniteville this November. In addition to their course of study at the Career Center, the students will complete a Skilled Metal Worker Apprenticeship at MTU over the next two years. Their training will include one thousand hours of paid work at MTU and a certification exam administered by the German American Chamber of Commerce. Completion of the program and examination will result in a nationally recognized certification for participants. The students are: Zeth Siry, AJ Campbell, Chase Harper, Dawson Lee, Eric Bellinger & Anthony Lee Jr The Career Center is currently accepting applications for next year’s apprenticship class from current Aiken County High School Sophmores. For more information contact nfox@acpsd.net
Saturday, December 3, 2016 • 11
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
“Merry Christmas” From Minitor Market
We are celebrating our 3rd Christmas at Minitor Market. Christmas is the season of giving and time shared with family and friends. Too often we get caught up in the gift giving, the parties and forget the reason for the season. As Christians, we celebrate the Birth of Christ. At Minitor Market, we say: “Merry Christmas.” We encourage you to share with your family the Christmas Story. Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:1-12 As a child I always looked forward to Christmas dinner. Our grandparents, cousins and other friends would get
together and share dinner. Often our table would have a Christmas turkey and ham. I remember the hams coming from Posey’s Funeral Home. It was something they did for all the pastors in the area. We always enjoyed their hams and it was nice to see Mr. Posey stop in and visit with dad. My mother would make the mash potatoes, dressing and giblet gravy with some cranberry sauce. I always looked forward to her fruit salad. My grandmother made the best lemon meringue and pecan pies. And her fruitcakes were the best ever. She would make them weeks before Christmas and wrap them in cloth. She would open them from time to time and pour a few drops of wine to candy the fruit. I can remember those cakes like yesterday. Now I have fond memories of days past wishing I could have another slice. Minitor Market encourages you to share with your family and friends and remember the reason for the season. Join us in saying, “Merry Christmas.”
FOR THE TABLE
At Minitor Market, you will find a wide
variety of Fresh Frozen Vegetables in 2 lb. bags, priced to save you money. If you have not tried Don’s Seasoning Delight, I would recommend adding it to your vegetables for added flavor. Don’s is an Aiken based company and his ALL-PURPOSE SEASONING is for baking, grilling, injecting, basting, as a marinade, and a seasoning. It’s great for healthy cooking that limits the use of salt and other spices. Don’s seasoning contains No fat, No carbohydrates, No sugar, low sodium, and No MSG. It’s great for diabetics and South Beach dieters ... healthy cooking yet full of mouth-watering flavor! In the south we love our sweet potatoes. Wrap them each in tin foil and place them in the oven headed to 500 degrees. Cook for 30 minutes and roll them over and cook other side for 30 minutes. When done, slit the foil and potato. Take a fork and loosen the potato and make a opening. Sprinkle a little cinnamon powder for taste; add chipped pecans and them stuff with small marshmallows. Give them a couple minutes to melt and mix in with the potato. It does not get bet-
ter than that. Making dressing is so easy, just open a bag or box of stuffing. Add celery, onion and chicken broth. You will find cooking directions on bag. We have a variety of your favorite meats. Choose from a rib roast, turkey, ham portions, Daniel Boone Smoked Ham. steaks, ribs, chops or Gentry’s Chicken, we have something for everyone’s budget. We have a good variety of seasoning. Try Dirt Road Dust or Lee’s 421 Seasoning Rub. It is great for any kind of meat. From our employee’s, and our family, we wish you a Merry Christmas!! Minitor Market, We have the Meats You Love… At The Prices You Expect… From Faces You Know… YOU SAVE MONEY Check us out on FaceBook/MinitorMarket/ for Daily Specials!! Your Hometown Tradition 1161 Augusta Rd. Warrenville, SC www.MinitorMarket.com
GVW Report Resource Center Aiken Barnwell Mental Health Center 803-641-7700 1135 Gregg Hwy., Aiken, SC 29801 Aiken Regional Medical Center 803-641-5000 302 University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801 Aiken Senior Life Services (formerly the Aiken Area Council on Aging) 803.648.5447 159 Morgan St. Aiken, SC 29801 • Providing meals in a dining hall setting • Hot meal delivery to homebound seniors • Frozen meal replacement for non-delivery days or for those outside our coverage area • Non-perishable food items that require minimal cooking • Non-emergency medical transportation • Rural public transit services via the Pony Express • Transportation for shopping, social, employment, and medical services Midland Valley Public Library The Midland Valley Public Library hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 1 to 6 and Tuesday 2 to 6.
Mt. Salem Ministries; 803-646-3847 Outreach Mission Men’s Homeless Shelter Registration from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday 2121 Augusta Road, Gloverville, SC (Hwy 421) “His Table” Soup Kitchen, Monday through Friday “Free lunch” from noon to 2 p.m. 3850 Augusta Road, Bath, SC (Hwy 421) All are welcome!
Rural Health Services, Inc. 803-380-7000 With offices in Aiken, Clearwater and New Ellenton Seeing patients with and without insurance. Adult Medicine, Pediatric Medicine, Behavioral Health, Dentistry, OB/Gyn Medicine, Teen Clinic The Family and Marriage Coalition of Aiken, Inc. FAMCO is a local nonprofit corporation whose mission is to promote the acquisition of relationship skills necessary for successful families and marriages. Resources are provided for couples getting married and those who are married and would like to improve their marriages. Resources are also provided for churches, businesses and other organizations that would like to help their members with their relationship skills. Contact FAMCO at 803-640-4689
The Valley Alliance The Valley Alliance is a nonprofit organization of cooperative agencies, churches, institutions, ministries, and community servants working together within the Midland Valley area for the purpose of better serving our community and its needs by building networks of support and communication, and sharing resources and services that complement each other. The Valley Alliance meets the third Wednesday of every month, for lunch and to discuss our respective ministry activities and to share how we might best help each other with our goals and activities. If your organization would like to join us, just show up. If you have areas that are of interest to the betterment of the community we serve, please let a member of the Board know or you may email this address: rosegoes@aol.com. We would be glad to hear from you. If you have any suggestions for luncheon speakers, we would also like to hear about that. Women’s Breast Health & Imaging Center 803-641-5808 Aiken Regional Medical Center University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801
Do you or your organization offer services to those in need? Please send us your information so we can share your services to those who need them. This is a free service. For more information, contact Anne Fulcher at 803-979-4476 or ernieace2@yahoo.com.
12 • Saturday, December 3, 2016 Calendar, from Page 2 abdominal work. Instructor: Becky Geeting • Zumba, Tuesdays, 5 to 6 p.m. Come check out the Zumba Party on Wednesday afternoons with instructor Becky Geeting. This class is for any level of participation and provides a non-intimidating opportunity for new exercisers. Come join the fun and enjoy group fitness with less impact. • Resistance Band Training. Mondays and Wednesdays, 6 to 6:30 p.m It’s only 30 minutes. Short on the time but long on the results. Bring your mat, towel and water. We provide the bands. Instructor Joan Beam will demonstrate exercise with concentration on tightening and toning the core muscles.
GVW Christmas Parade
Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 3:00pm. Line up is at Leavelle McCampbell Middle School.
Midland Valley Area Chamber of Commerce
On behalf of the Midland Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, I would like to invite you to our Christmas luncheon on December 14th, noon to 1 PM. It will be held at the Harrison Caver Building located at 4181 Augusta Rd, Beech Island SC 29842. For more information call 803-645-9720
Midland Valley Public Library 9 Hillside Rd, Langley
Operating hours are as follows: Mondays 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays 1 to 6 p.m. Thursdays 1 to 6 p.m. Phone: 803-593-7379
Midland Valley Christmas Parade Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 3:00pm. Line up at L.B.C. Middle School begins at 1:30pm.
Megiddo Dream Station Megiddo Dream Station Work for Success Program. Call (803) 392-7044 or drop by 103 Canal Street to register.
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Center Benefit Bank of SC: Benefit Bank Counselor assist individuals and families in completing several different applications (SNAP/Food Stamps, TANF/FI Medicaid/ CHIP, FAFSA, Prescription Assistance/ Rx Assistance, Lifeline Services, Federal and State Taxes, and Voters Registration), for several different agencies all at one time and all during one interview. Appointments
available Monday & Friday 10 a.m. to noon. Call Jackie Cobbs for an appointment 803617-9532. GED classes: Tuesday and Thursday 5:30 to 8 p.m. Classes are free. AA Group: Monday, Wednesday and second Saturday. Basic Computer Class: Call Sr. Dorothy 803-507-7715 Volunteers are always needed. All we ask is that you consider donating an hour or two of your time a week, a month, any amount you can give to the following: Food Pantry: driver to pick up the food (once a month), a person to unload the food truck (once a month), help restock shelves.
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
Emergency Assistance and Food Pantry Christmas Closing Both Emergency Assistance and Food Pantry will be closed Monday, December 12, 2016 Emergency Assistance will reopen on Wednesday, January 4, 2016 Food Pantry will reopen Wednesday December 28, 2016 & Friday December 30, 2016 Closed Monday, January 2, 2016
Receptionist: Monday or Wednesday or Friday (or Monday, Wednesday and Friday), 10 a.m. to noon.
Our Lady of the Valley
Caseworker: Assessing the needs of the person seeking help.
Catholic Center
Tutor: Helping students with reading, math, English and social studies.
The Family and Marriage Coalition of Aiken Inc.
Gift Distribution 2016
1651 Banks Mill Road, Aiken, SC 29803, www.aikenfamco.com, 803-640-4689
Please bring a valid ID to pick up Gifts.
The Valley Alliance
Where:
October 19,2016, 11:30am. Valley Alliance luncheon, Cheryl Ruggles, Outreach Coordinator for Just Serve will be our guest speaker. Come find out what Just Serve is all about and how they can help your organization. The Valley Alliance meets at Langley Bible Church (formerly Langley Pentecostal Holiness Church). For more information, contact Rosealind Morse at rosegoes@aol.com.
Walgreens, Clearwater, SC Walgreens offers free blood pressure checks all day during pharmacy operating hours (9am - 9pm M-F, sa 9-6, and su 10-6). No appointment necessary. 1st Tuesday of every month is senior day which offers a 20% discount on regular priced merchandise. 2nd Wednesday of every month we offer free confidential HIV testing on site from 11am-2pm. To have your organizations events posted in the GVW Report Community Calendar, please email Anne Fulcher at ernieace2@ yahoo.com or call at 803-979-4476
Louise Building, 2243 Augusta Rd Gloverville, SC 29828
When:
Monday, December 19, 2016
Time:
Pre-Scheduled Pick up time
Saturday, December 3, 2016 • 13
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
United Way’s Project Vision Volunteers In Service In Our Neighborhoods
ByTammy S. Davis Director of Community Investment/Project VISION It’s that time of year again. People are in the merriest of moods and nearly everyone is possessed with the spirit of kindness and generosity. It can be observed as we enter and exit local stores where we drop extra change in a red kettle, or in our donations of toys and other gifts to local charities. Some even write sizeable checks in an effort to meet their end of year contributions. And though generosity is quite often observed in Aiken County, we shouldn’t forget about those who are at the receiving end of that generosity. There is an on-going epidemic in America where low-income senior citizens are facing tremendous challenges. Faced daily with the growing costs of health care, maintaining safe housing, transportation and food; seniors struggle to juggle it all. They simply cannot afford to maintain or improve their quality of life. In fact, the US Census Bureau reports that 9% of all seniors nationwide live well below the poverty line. That equates to one in seven seniors annually. In South Carolina, 11% of all seniors are living in poverty. Though this epidemic can be very discouraging, we are glad to report that here in Aiken County, the United Way of Aiken County is positively impacting the lives of its senior citizens by providing programs that help improve their quality of life. One of those programs, Project VISION, assists disabled, senior citizens with repairs and/ or handicap modifications for their homes. Project VISION (Volunteers In Service In Our Neighborhoods) was established in 1996 to assist local United Way organizations with ongoing maintenance and facilities upkeep. Savannah River Site employees would volunteer on designated Fridays to assist an organization with repairs. By 1999, the volunteers would begin assisting local homeowners in need of repairs. The success of this venture would lead to the development of a full-fledged, United Way funded, repairs program by 2008. The program’s eligibility requirements states that applicants must be a low-
income senior, age 62 years or older, own and occupy their home, and live in Aiken County. Seniors who meet those requirements are directed to complete a program application providing basic information on household size, income and expenses. Once the application is reviewed and approved, applicants’ homes are assessed for scope and then assisted with two repairs provided by passionate, skilled volunteers from the community. Volunteers are vital to the daily implementation of Project VISION services. This year alone, Project VISION volunteers and community partners have completed over 200 repairs and have volunteered over 9,600 hours of service in Aiken County. 2016 marked Project VISION’s 20th year of service to the community. With the contributions and support of the Aiken Community, the program will endeavor to celebrate 20 more years of restoring homes, rebuilding lives and sustaining the community. Are you in need of home repairs or want to know how you can become a volunteer? Call United Way at 803-648-8331 ext. 17 or email Tammy at tammy@uwaiken.org ,
14 • Saturday, December 3, 2016
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
FOTAS:
A South Carolina Angel charity devoted to saving homeless pets FOTAS is a volunteer-based, charitable organization dedicated to providing care for the thousands of unwanted County animals consigned each year to the Aiken County Animal Shelter. For 21 years, the South Carolina Secretary of State’s office has issued annual Scrooges and Angels lists. The organizations identified as Angels devote 80 percent or more of their expenses to program services. FOTAS is one of those Angel Charities and proud of it! Here are just some of the ways FOTAS donations have been put to good use: • Paid for Aiken Tech animal care/veterinary assistance courses for ACAS staff members, providing them more skills to better care for the animals at the Shelter • Supplemented County’s spay/neuter voucher program & County’s TNR (Trap Neuter Return) program for community cats • Paid for and organized needed transfer of shelter animals to out-of-state rescues • Purchased needed pet food storage building for Shelter. • Paid for construction of dog play yards & fenced-in exercise pens in the intake area of the Shelter • Provided provisions for the Shelter & our foster volunteers, such as food, medicines, supplementary vet care, needed supplies, etc.
FOTAS funding new medical isolation pod at County Shelter
Exciting plans are underway to build a needed isolation pod at the County Shelter for adoptable dogs and cats who have treatable conditions and need short term isolation during treatment. For example, dogs can get kennel cough which is very treatable but highly contagious. The pod will have 10 kennels for dogs in need and two cat rooms with stainless steel cage banks. FOTAS will continue to fund the medicines needed to treat many of these kinds of canine and feline illnesses, and some will still be handled at foster homes. But the new isolation pod will provide more space for incoming dogs and cats. FOTAS is hoping to break ground in early 2017 and donations to the organization will fund this project.
Building the isolation pod at the Shelter is part of the FOTAS Phase II Shelter Capital Project Campaign, which will also include HVAC and waste management systems, equipment, needed isolation kennels and cage banks to house adoptable cats and dogs with treatable conditions.
Three-legged dog and veteran find each other and beat the odds
Peggles, a beautiful two-year old Boxer mix was shot while lost and searching for food. The bullet shattered her right back leg, turning it to dust. To maintain the dog’s mobility, Aiken County Animal Shelter Veterinarian, Dr. Lisa Levy, had to amputate what was left of the limb. Although Peggles remained graceful on three legs and as loving and trusting as ever, she was passed over by prospective adopters for three straight weeks. But then Chenoa Shields and Jason Aumick, who have a history of opening their home to underdogs needing a little more time, learned of Peggles situation on Facebook and adopted her. Meanwhile, an online funding campaign resulted in raising $875 for Peggles medical treatment. In fact, people responded so strongly to Peggles’ plight, this total was raised in just 10 minutes! After adopting Peggles, Shields was made aware that veterans were seeking service dogs with Peggles characteristics – calm under
Gulf War Veteran Eddie Hill and his new service dog, Peggles.
Saturday, December 3, 2016 • 15
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville stress, personable, confident and smart. She thought Peggles might make a wonderful service dog and Jerry Lyda of K9 Solutions, Inc. agreed. Lyda accepted Peggles into his organization’s PTSD Service Dog Training program, and now she is the official service dog for Eddie Hill, a Gulf War veteran who suffers from PTSD. FOTAS had sponsored Eddie’s adoption of Jenelle, a young German Shepherd. However, Jenelle turned out to be a little too high-energy for Eddie’s apartment, so she was given to another veteran and Eddie and Peggles became an inseparable duo. “Peggles is lying by my side right now,” said Eddie over the phone. “She gets me up in the morning and tells me if someone’s at the door. She’s got a heart of gold and has my back – she’s definitely the right dog for me.
Networking and teamwork are essential to finding shelter animals homes
Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) works to find homes for every adoptable stray and surrendered dog and cat that comes through the County Shelter’s door. As soon as the dogs and cats make it to the adoption floor, FOTAS volunteers and shelter staff begin networking and promoting them to both the local community and their cherished rescue partners. They promote adoptable animals through many channels, including newspaper advertisements, emails, news releases, local TV News programs, the FOTAS website, and social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. “We need to reach the people who might be interested in these wonderful, homeless animals,” FOTAS Programs Coordinator Kathy Jacobs explained. “We might have just the dog or cat someone is looking for, but unless we get that information out there and
easily accessible to the person looking for a particular animal, they might never know about it and the opportunity for that animal to find a forever home could be missed.” Since it sometimes takes time to match homeless animals with adopters, foster volunteers help greatly by taking shelter animals home to socialize and nurture. The time with fosters also makes animals better prepared for their next journey and the short time at a loving home can quicken their healing, if they are suffering from any minor medical conditions. “FOTAS is always working to find new ways to place and save more shelter animals, and one of our greatest tools is social media and networking, explained Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director. “Posting photos and brief descriptions of animals on Facebook and Instagram is especially effective, as we can reach both local folks and the friends they share our posts with, some of whom might be based out of state.” Placing animals is often a numbers game but it is also about presentation. The more effective a photo is at capturing an animal’s personality and looks, the better his or her chance of getting adopted. The FOTAS volunteer team works hard to feature photos that capture the spirit of each shelter animal. “It is a challenge to quickly find loving homes for all these wonderful shelter animals,” FOTAS President Jennifer Miller said. “But we are always exploring new channels and creative approaches that will result in even more placements of homeless dogs and cats.” FOTAS’s objective is to find loving homes for shelter animals and save as many dogs and cats as possible. Here are some recent adoptions that were matches made in heaven.
16 • Saturday, December 3, 2016
Graniteville, Vaucluse, Warrenville
INTRODUCING THE NEWEST PHYSICIAN OF FAMILY MEDICINE joining the staff at Aiken Regional Sumita Jain, MD FAMILY MEDICINE Aiken Professional Association
Dr. Jain has special interests in women’s health and pediatrics. She completed her Family Medicine residency at Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe, in Grosse Pointe, MI. Dr. Jain earned her Doctor of Medicine from UMHS, St. Kitts, and her Bachelor of Science in Anatomy and Cell Biology from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. She is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. Now accepting new patients. For an appointment, call 803-392-3724.
Visit Dr. Jain in her new office located at: 1 Hickman Street Graniteville, SC 29829 Hours: Monday-Friday 9 am – 5 pm
Aiken Professional Association, LLC
Physicians are on the medical staff of Aiken Regional Medical Centers, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Aiken Regional Medical Centers. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.. 161253 11/16