Lakeside September-October 2022

McLeod Primary Care Clarendon is pleased to welcome Dr. Laine Way to our practice. Dr. Way joins Dr. Lisa Heichberger and Family Nurse Practitioners Susan Caulkins and Susanne Johnson in providing patients with extraordinary and compassionate care for every stage of life. A native of Manning, Dr. Way is excited to return home to provide the full spectrum of primary care to families, friends, and neighbors of all ages.

PUBLISHER

Vince Johnson EDITOR Kayla Green

COPY EDITORS

Rhonda Barrick

Shelbie

MelanieGouldingSmith

WRITERS

Shelbie

Many people have come to correlate fall with spooky decorations and pumpkinflavored everything. I have a feeling if you’re reading this magazine, you have some different seasonal associations.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll order the occasional pumpkin spiced latte, though I really prefer an Oktoberfest or pumpkin ale. But what I really love about the fall is the bountiful opportunities to get outside without immediately melting. And if you want some reminders or new ideas on what to do around the area this fall, you’ve come to the right place.

business in the state.

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Karen

We’ve got previews of several things to do, including Duckfest in Summerton, the county fair in Sumter and even a new off-season dirt bike racing series. Fall farm days are on the schedule, where family farms have themed days for kids and adults alike. We also always love telling stories of interesting people doing interesting things around the lake and our region. While he may not be in the region anymore, Sumter native Brandon Kinder has followed an exponential path up in starting his sanitation and disinfecting business. The Greenville resident now has the fastest-growing

aboutus from the lake on coverthe

After that read, make sure you check out our feature on Richard Brunson. It’s really the perfect story for a magazine like Lakeside. The Vietnam veteran suffered injuries from Agent Orange, but he has found a hobby to keep his mind, spirit and body busy. Through woodworking, he has created pieces that are beautiful and meaningful.Whatbetter time to grill dinner than in the fall? Carnivore Butcher & Bottle has everything you need for a perfect football Saturday, from the meat to the sides to the rubs. We learned the story behind Sumter’s only free-standing, full-service butcher shop, and it made usSo,hungry.grabwhatever drink or snack you’ve been looking forward to this fall and sit down with this magazine. Thank you for reading.

KAYLA GREEN

EDITOR OF LAKESIDE

Dean Bjorken stands outside Carnivore Butcher & Bottle. Bjorken is the head butcher at Sumter's only free-standing, full-service butcher shop.

Photo by Micah Green

&What to Wheredo to go

BERKELEY • CLARENDON KERSHAW • FLORENCE • RICHLAND ORANGEBURG • SUMTER

KERSHAW COUNTY

CATT Lake Wateree Opens Tournament

The event schedule out of Clearwater Cove Marina includes the following: Saturday, Sept. 10, qualifier 13; Saturday, Sept. 17, qualifier 14; Saturday, Oct. 1, qualifier 15; Saturday, Oct. 15, qualifier 16; Saturday, Oct. 29, qualifier 17; Saturday, Nov. 12, qualifier 18; and Saturday, Nov. 19, final. Contact Division Director Brett Collins at (803) 413-7521 or email catttrail1@ gmail.com. Visit https://bit.ly/3Rnwume.

CATT Lake Wateree 2022 Fall Tournament

The event schedule is as follows: Saturday, Sept. 17, Molly Creek, qualifier 1; Saturday, Oct. 1, Clearwater Cove Marina, qualifier 2; Saturday, Oct. 15, Clearwater Cove, qualifier 3; Saturday, Oct. 29, Clearwater Cove, qualifier 4; and Saturday, Nov. 12, Clearwater Cove, final. Contact Division Director Brett Collins at (803) 413-7521 or email catttrail1@gmail.com. lake-wateree/.https://www.cattteamtrail.com/divisions/catt-Visit

9/11 Walk of Remembrance

The event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10. This annual walk honors the fallen first responders of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The walk will begin at 9 a.m. at the Lugoff Fire Station, 892 U.S. 1 South, and continue for approximately five miles along U.S. 1 into downtown Camden, ending at Camden Fire Station 1 at City Hall, 1000 Lyttleton St. There will be two shuttles available at 8 and 8:30 a.m. for walkers who park at Camden Fire Station 1 to the start of the walk at Lugoff Fire Station. An additional shuttle will be available to take walkers who park at Lugoff Fire Station back after completing the walk. Contact DeJuan Warren at (803) 420-7711 or dlathan9@ gmail.com. The public is asked to register in advance at bit.ly/911walk.

Fire Fest

The 26th-Annual Fire Fest is on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Camden City Arena, 420 Broad St. This fun, family oriented event is held to promote fire prevention and fire safety practices in a fun

setting. The parade downtown will begin at 9 a.m. and end at the arena. Fire Fest is honored to host the Tunnel to Towers 9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit this year. Free and open to the public, the event will feature antique fire trucks, games for kids, demonstrations, firefighter competitions and local entertainment. Call Johnny Mullis at (803) 425-6040, email jmullis@ camdensc.org or visit www.cityofcamden.org/ firefest.

2022 Palmetto Cup / FITASC — Sporting Clays Tournament

The event will be held Friday-Sunday, Oct. 7-9, at Hermitage Farm Shooting Sports, 2362 Tickle Hill Road, Camden. For information, contact Joe Cantey at (803) 432-0210 or email hfss@bellsouth.net. To register, visit https:// scorechaser.com.

Art Crawl

Sponsored by Artists’ Attic and The Edge of Broad, featuring local artists selling original art and fine crafts from Broad Street to Lyttleton Street. Held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8. For information, call (803) 401-6466, email forrest.fortier@gmail.com or visit artistatticgallery.com/services/events/.www.

Trick or Treat Trail

Get in your favorite costume and visit Trick or Treat Trail at the Nature as Teacher Preserve for Education from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at 247 Chestnut Ferry Road, Camden. Child and family friendly, the free event will feature trick-or-treat stations along the trail highlighting “spooky” animals. As the children show off their costumes and get lots of treats, they will hear all about the native creepy crawlies and nocturnal woodland dwellers. Contact Leoncia Chanelle Cruz at (610) 715-2788 or leoncic@clemson.edu. Visit er/programs/summer2022.html.www.clemson.edu/cafls/nature-as-teach

SUMTER COUNTY

Blue Dogs

Combining bluegrass and country-rock music

with feel-good and upbeat original songs and shows, the Blue Dogs will perform at the Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St., at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. For tickets, https://www.sumteroperahouse.com/bluedogs.visit

eSTEAM Festival

Celebrating and bringing together enthusiasts in science, technology, engineering, arts and math, Sumter’s eSTEAM Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 133 S. Main St. The purpose of this family festival is to expose participants to advances and opportu nities in these areas through interactive exhibits, fun-filled displays and hands-on activities. For information, visit https://esteamsumter.com/.

Oktoberfest

The event will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. on Satur day, Oct. 1. The Mountain Top Polka Band will be the German band playing on Main Street until 9 p.m., and then DJ Howie D’s Entertainment DJs will continue the party in La Piazza. Visit https:// sumteroktoberfest.com/.

Gina Chavez

Activist, philanthropist and award-winning in dependent musician Gina Chavez will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at the Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St. Visit https://www.gin achavez.com/ to learn more about Chavez. For tickets, visit com/ginachavez.https://www.sumteroperahouse.

Sumter County Museum’s Backcountry Harvest

See how South Carolinians lived, worked and played in the early 1800’s backcountry from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 122 N. Washington St. Costumed volunteers will demonstrate hearth cooking, textile production, blacksmithing and more. Call (803) 775-0908.

Second-Annual ShagFest

Organized by the Sumter County Cultural Com mission, held at the Museum from 7 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14, at the Sumter County Mu seum, 122 N. Washington St. Cost is $15 at the gate. Visit https://bit.ly/3KXcjt1 for tickets and

more details.

Untapped Food Truck and Beer

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Veterans Park, 3875 Broad St. From Asian and Cuban to Hispanic, barbecue and down-home Southern cooking, attendees will enjoy some of the best meals on wheels available. With proceeds supporting Sumter Green, admission cost is $5. Visit www.sumter green.org.

Lightwire Theatre brings “The Adventures of Tortoise & Hare: The Next Generation”

The event will be held at the Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St., at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14. The production takes place 10 years after the original story with the Tortoise and the Hare now dealing with children of their own and modern-day distractions. Visit https://www. lightwiretheater.com/ for more information and-harehttps://www.sumteroperahouse.com/tortoise-orfortickets.

Warehouse Theatre presents the Shakespearian tragedy “Romeo & Juliet”

The event will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, at the Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St. For tickets, visit com/romeo-juliet.https://www.sumteroperahouse.

Sumter American Legion Fair

The event will be held Tuesday-Sunday, Oct. 1823, at the Sumter fairgrounds, corner of Liberty Street and Artillery Drive. Take the family out to enjoy the food, entertainment, exciting amuse ment park rides, animals and more. Visit www. sumterfair.com.

Trick or treat in the backcountry

The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sat urday, Oct. 29, at the Sumter County Museum, 122 N. Washington St. Visit www.sumtercounty museum.org.

COUNTYCLARENDON

A Second Chance Animal Shelter's 15thAnnual Charity Golf Outing

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Players Course in Manning. Shotgun start. Continental breakfast, on-course beverages, lunch and cart included. Door prizes, awards and more. Call (803) 4737075 for more information. Hole sponsorships available.

Third-Annual Clarendon Cup Jr. Chamber Golf tournament

The event will be held on Saturday, Oct 15, at Shannon Greens Golf Club, 1435 Davenport Drive, Manning. This three-man captain’s choice

tournament will have a shotgun start of 11 a.m. Cost is $75 per player, $225 per team. Entry fee includes golf, tee gift, food and beverages. Visit the Facebook page at https://bit.ly/3qewcSR.

The 20th Francis Marion / Swamp Fox Symposium

The event will be held Friday-Saturday, Oct. 2122, at the FE DuBose Campus, Central Carolina Technical College, I-95, Exit 122, Manning. This event about the Southern Campaign of the Rev olutionary War includes lectures, reception, dis cussions, displays and more. Register early. http://www.francismarionsymposium.com/.Visit

COUNTYFLORENCE

Downtown Oktoberfest

The annual Downtown Oktoberfest will take place Saturday, Oct. 8, in the 100 block of South Dargan Street. From 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., attend ees will enjoy German-style foods, cold German and Oktoberfest-style beer and live entertain ment. Activities will include the Weenie and Almost a Weenie Dog Races, beer stein and keg rolling races and more. Beer and food tickets can be purchased at the ticket booth.

Eastern Carolina Agricultural Fair

The Eastern Carolina Agricultural Fair will be held from Oct. 27 to Nov. 5 at 5226 E. Palmetto St., Florence. For advance ticket purchases, general information, event schedule and more, visit https://www.ecafair.com/eca/index.asp.

BOOtanical Garden

Get the family all dressed up in costumes and go to Moore Farms Botanical Garden, 100 New Zion Road, Lake City, from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29. Event will feature trickor-treating through the garden, fall-themed games, crafts and carnivorous plants. To purchase tickets, visit information.farmsbg.org/events/bootanical/com/e/252225161247.https://www.eventbrite.Visithttps://mooreformore

18th-annual S.C. Pecan Music and Food Festival

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, in Downtown Florence. The area’s largest event, the festival draws more than 50,000 attendees each year. There will be attractions for the kids, a classic car show, pecan pub experience and more. Visit https:// www.scpecanfestival.com/ for details.

Greek Festival

One of the area’s favorite annual events, Co lumbia’s Greek Festival, hosted by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Columbia, 1931 Sumter St., is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 15-18. Enjoy Greek food and drink, dance and music. Visit http://columbiasgreekfestival. com/.

2022 Fall Arts & Crafts Market Extravaganza

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sun day, Sept. 18, at the South Carolina State Farm ers Market, 3483 Charleston Highway.

Jubilee: Festival of Black History & Culture

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, on the grounds of Mann-Si mons site, 1403 Richland St., Columbia. This free cultural festival will feature live music and entertainment, artist demonstrations and marketplace vendors selling a variety of items. There will also be food and beverage vendors. Visit val-black-history-and-culture.org/events/2022/2022-09/jubilee-festihttps://www.historiccolumbia.

48th Okra Strut

The event featuring family fun, live music, amusement rides, food and drinks, will be held Friday-Saturday, Sept. 23-24, at the Irmo Com munity Park, 7507 Eastview Drive, Irmo. Visit https://okrastrut.com/.

JerryFest

The Five Points Association and Loose Lucy’s present JerryFest from 2 to 10 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2, at the Harden Street Parking Lot. This family-friendly and pet-friendly event will fea ture multiple bands performing Jerry Garcia and Grateful Dead music as well as artisan crafts, food, beverage and merchandise ven dors. Visit https://fivepointscolumbia.com/ jerryfest/.

The Palmetto Peanut Boil

The event offers live music, food, children’s en tertainment and more. This year’s festival will be held from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, on the 2900 block of Devine Street, Columbia. Ad mission is free. Proceeds from the sale of food and beverages benefit the Animal Mission. php.https://animalmission.org/palmettopeanutboil.Visit

The South Carolina State Fair

The fair will be held Oct. 12-23, featuring exhib its, competitions, food, rides, entertainment and more. For complete information about admis sion, scheduled performers/entertainment and more, visit https://www.scstatefair.org/.

Fall farm days coming to Sumter County

Pumpkin patches, tractor rides, corn mazes, apple cider and animals galore. The fall season is the best time to experience life on the farm, and two Sumter County families will be opening their homes for annual festivities for which South Carolina residents travel far and wide.

Words by Shelbie Goulding

Experience a day in the life at Old McCaskill’s for its annual Fall Family Farm Day in Rembert on Saturday, Oct. 1.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the farm will host live music, autumnthemed activities, farm fresh concessions and more.

“What we’re trying to do is recreate a day in the life,” said Kathy McCaskill, owner of the Rembert farm. “My husband will have a sawmill going; the blacksmith will be there, and he has a forge; there’s a woodworker that uses all the hand tools; and there’s colonial cooking.”

On top of a day in the life experience, visitors can start the fall season off right with a pumpkin patch, fall games, a hayride, farm animals and more. Horseback rides and live bluegrass music will also take place from noon to 3 p.m., McCaskill said.

“We do the Fall Farm Day once a year,” she said. “Last year, it was over 4,000 people who passed through the farm that day. It gets bigger every year and definitely more interesting every year. It’s just a good family feel-good day. There’s just something about a farm in the fall with a hayride, pumpkin patch and bluegrass music.”

All are welcome to come out and visit the 12-acre farm at 377 Cantey Lane in Rembert on Oct. 1. Admission is $5 per person; children 2 and under are free.

Old McCaskill Farm will host two additional events this fall and winter.McCaskill said they will host Touch A Tractor on Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to showcase tractor exhibits, antique farm equipment and more. The farm will also host its annual Country Christmas Shopping Trunk Show Dec. 3.

For more information, visit www.oldmccaskillfarm.com or call (803) 432-9537.

Return to the Gable family farm for weekend fun with Dorr Farms’ Fall Farm Days throughout the month of October.

Starting Oct. 1, the family farm at 5225 Dorr Acres Road will be open daily with vendors every Saturday.

“We’re open to the public the whole time, but Saturday is our most busy day,” said Marie Dorr, owner of the farm. “That’s when everything is rolling. During the week, we do field trips.”

Families can come visit the farm Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and take part in the you-pick pumpkin patch, photo-ops, farm animals, fall games, hay-less hayrides, a corn maze and education sessions about life on the farm. The farm store will also be open with fresh fixings and homemade ciders.

Saturdays are the busiest, most popular days with vendors joining the festivities. Dorr said face painting will take place every Saturday along with many more vendors, as scheduled:

- Oct. 1: Carolina Creek, Metro Street Grille and Aunt B’s Kettle Corn-Oct.

8: Aunt B’s Kettle Corn and Rodney’s Smokemaster BBQ

- Oct. 15: Aunt B’s Kettle Corn and River the llama with Llamas on the Go

- Oct. 22: American Proud BBQ, Aunt B’s Kettle Corn and Brasington Equine Services Pony Rides

- Oct. 29: Aunt B’s Kettle Corn, Lobster Dogs, Pourly Grounded, Sassy Soap by Amanda and Wildfire Farm Pony Rides

The last Saturday, Oct. 29, will also feature the farm’s annual trick-or-treat event.

“They’re getting out of the house, and it’s something to do as a family,” Dorr said about coming out to the Gable farm. “There’s something for everybody to do.”

Admission costs $7 per person and includes all activities; children 2 and under are free. Admission for the you-pick pumpkin patch is $5. Pumpkins at the farm store range from $1 to $20.

For more information or to reserve a field trip day, call (803) 4952639 or email dorrfarms@ftc-i.net.

Sumter Item file photos

Celebrating DUCKFEST

Summerton is the home of Sparkleberry Swamp, Goat Island, Rimini, Brewington and other private ponds that call to duck hunters from across South Carolina.Everyyear, duck callers come from across ponds and lakes and marshes and swamps for the biggest event in Summerton. Duckfest holds many events from the end of September to early October and will celebrate its seventh year culminating Oct. 8 at Lake Marion.

Duckfest has something for everyone of all ages to keep families and friends busy.

“We strive to do something different every year,” said the Duckfest committee chair, Ed Paul.

The big event is in downtown Summerton as people gather around for the duck calling contest.

“The winner of this contest can go on to compete in

Words by Ashley Miller

ScheduleDuckfestSummerton2022

Inaugural Duckfest Golf Tournament Saturday, Sept. 24

Captains choice, 8:30 a.m. $5,000 guaranteed first place

Duck Calling Contest

Oct. Downtown8 Summerton

Winner will go on to compete in the World Duck Calling Championship in Arkansas to win up to $1,000.

Miss Duckfest Pageant Sept. 24

2 Summertonp.m. Cultural Arts Center

Fall Open Team Bass Tournament Oct. John1C. Land Landing

Duckfest, Oct. 8 Ultimate Air Dogs Cornhole tournament Dog retrieving demonstration Duckfest parade Duckfest cook-off Color run Live Firefightermusic challenge ShoppingVendors and more

the world championship in Arkansas and possibly win up to $1,000,” Paul said.

The week starts off Sept. 24 bright and early with the inaugural Summerton Duckfest Golf Tournament at 8:30 a.m. The tournament will be held at The Player’s Course at Wyboo, 1560 Players Course Drive.

There will be prizes for first-, second- and third-place winners along with the person with the longest drive, best women’s team and more. Registration of $300 must be paid by Sept. 3.

After a long day of golf, head over to the Miss Duckfest Pageant at the Summerton Cultural Arts Center at 2 p.m. Parents can bring their boys and girls to get a spot in the competition. There are two age groups for boys, Wee Master for age 0 to 23 months, and Master for age 2 to 4 years old. Girls can compete

from 0 to over 20 years old.

There will be four categories: beauty, color photogenic, black and white photogenic and best smile, eyes, dress and hair.

After the first day, go and relax because the week is just getting started.

“We are a family friendly event, and we want to highlight the wonderful wildlife that Summerton has to offer,” said Christina Darby, Duckfest committee viceTheychair.showcase

local wildlife with different events, including the bass tournament.

Oct. 1 will be the Fall Open Team Bass Tournament at John C. Land Landing. First-place winners are guaranteed $5,000.

Oct. 8 is where walking shoes come into play with six

different events being held that day.

Start the day off at 7 a.m. to get messy with a color run in downtown Summerton. After, enjoy the parade downtown at 10 a.m., and make sure to head to the cornhole tournament throughout the day.“We

have so many things at this event, we just want to showcase Summerton and why people should relocate here,” Paul said.

Do you have a dog who enjoys jumping into water or off docks? Enter them in the Ultimate Air Dog competition to win prizes.

End the week with a free cook-off tournament at 5:30 p.m. Winners can vie for two awards, the people’s choice award and a judges award.

Spots are still open for each of these events and for sponsorship levels and vendors. Registration forms are available at duckfestfun.com along with more information about each of the events.

T-shirts are also on sale at Summerton Drugs at 115 Main St. Short sleeves are $20, and long sleeves are $25.

“We would like to see Duckfest turn into a full weekend event in the near future,” Paul said, “and bring in more businesses and people in to participate.”

Photos provided by Duckfest

WORDS BY SHELBIE GOULDING | PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN

Fall nights are paired at a fair with juicy turkey legs, a Ferris wheel and games where winning comes with a giant teddy bear, and Sumter is bringing all of that with its annual fair in October.TheSumter

American Legion Fair turns 106 years old this year but will celebrate the 105thannual fair because COVID-19 canceled the event in 2020.

The fair will be located at 30 S. Artillery Drive at the Sumter County Fairgrounds and will open the gates Oct. 18-23.

According to fair manager Peter St. Onge, they will be working with the fair ride company, Amusements of America, again after taking a break from their relationship60-yearfor

a few years due to scheduling issues.

A lot goes into putting a fair together. St. Onge said it takes two or three trucks to carry different parts of one ride, “and if one of those trucks breaks down, you are out of a ride.” Which is why they plan the next fair during the current fair to make sure people have their favorite merry-go-round or Ferris wheel at the nextSt.one.Onge describes the Sumter American Legion Fair as an agricultural fair with prize cows and the biggest pumpkin contests in addition to the traditional rides and food and games of a county fair. But in the past few years, families

have been decreasing so the participation level of farms in “all affairs have dropped across the nation.”Buthave no fear. He confirmed people can still submit their prize watermelons, tomatoes or anything they are proud of because the fair still has those categories. But St. Onge does not know how much longer they will have these events at fairs in the future.

Since COVID-19 shut the event down in 2020 and the virus is still around in 2022, St. Onge said the fair will follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols. He said they will recommend mask wearing, but it is not a requirement. “People are pretty used to protocols. You still see people stand 6 feet apart in stores with no markers now,” but he still wants to be safe and said the fair is lucky because it is an outdoorUnlikeevent.theSouth Carolina State Fair that is also held in October, St. Onge stands by being proud of being a county fair manager because it is more a family event.

“We are similar to the state fair with ride quality, but where the state fair has 50 rides that are mainly duplicates, we have 30 plus rides, but they are all different,” he said.

People won’t have to spend their time picking and choosing which is the best Ferris wheel to get on. Instead, they have more time to ride all rides and enjoy their giant turkey legs.

“We have the same experiences that you would see at a larger fair but with more of a hometown atmosphere,” St. Onge said.

The six-day event will keep people coming back with different features and things to do at the fairgrounds.Takekids to a magical world with a magic show from Lance Gifford and Company.

Pirates will also be coming to town to take fairgoers back in time with the Pirates of the Colombian Caribbean with “show stopping tricks up,” their sleeves, according to their website.

Families can enjoy feeding goats and seeing farm animals with the All-American Petting Zoo and might even get a kiss from some friendly

animals.Everwondered about glass making and glassblowing? Mobile Glass Studio will hold a demonstration on the art of glass work for each day of the Accordingevent.totheir website, “from glassblowing demonstrations to hands-on workshops, spectators will gain a vast knowledge of the process of manipulating hot glass into various shapes and forms.”

St. Onge hopes to reach people in all three counties of Lee, Clarendon and Sumter to bring in more fairgoers to experience the hometown atmosphere of the event.

While this year’s fair is planned, St. Onge said “as the fair ends in October, we are setting everything up and looking forward to the next year, but this year will go out with a bang.”

ADRENALINE

Sumter native and pro dirt bike racer Zack Hayes starting winter series in South Carolina.

Words by Bruce Mills

RUSH

Ifsomeone in the region has an interest in racing dirt bikes, then Sumter-native Zack Hayes is likely a household name.

Hayes is one of about 50 professional off-road dirt bike racers on the main national series called Grand National Cross Country and is the owner of a winter-racing series in South Carolina that is about to start up to help attract enthusiasts to the sport. Dirt bike racing goes back about a century but remains a niche sport. Hayes was

attracted to it by his father, who was a local amateur racer in the 1990s.

Hayes, 28, grew up in Sumter and got hooked on the sport when he started at age 12. He has competed at the highest level on the Grand National series for several years now.His wife, Caitlan, is his biggest supporter and travels with him on weekends to pro series races all up and down the East Coast and as far west as Indiana.

About 2,000 racers will compete at one event, which is divided into pro and amateur races and may have 10,000 or more spectators, Hayes said. Speeds can reach up to 80 miles per hour on competitive dirt bikes, and races are three hours long doing laps on a 10-plus mile trail in the woods.

Pro racers, like Hayes, do conditioning and training, maintain a diet and promote sponsors on their helmets, gear and dirt bikes, drawing similarities to the most popular of racing

“Essentially,sports. the GNCCs are kind of like the NASCAR of dirt bikes,” Caitlan Hayes said. “They go for three hours straight, and they do have a pit row for the pros. That is where he will stop in for his 10 seconds, grab his gas, grab some bottles of fluid to drink real quickly, and then he takes right back off and goes.”

The national series is divided into classes. Hayes now competes in the 125-motor class. In 2020, he won the class national championship.

BRINGING THE COMPETITION CLOSER TO HOME

In November 2020, the Hayes couple started a winter-sport series in the state and named it the Carolina XC series. It is a three-month series (November to January) in the off-season for professional riders, which allows pros to get in practice and riding time. It also is a good fit for amateurs who pursue dirt bikes as a hobby and for the adrenaline rush, Hayes

“Nobodysaid.

officially races in the wintertime,” Zack Hayes said, “and South Carolina is perfect in the wintertime because it doesn’t get as cold. We also have a sandy-based soil, so it doesn’t get that muddy, and that combination allows you to race all winter

long.”The couple administers all the winter races with Hayes getting specialty permits for the land and preparing all the race fields before competitions.Theseriesraces are smaller than the Grand National. About 200 to 300 racers generally compete in a race on the winter series with about half of them northerners coming down to enjoy the mild conditions. The trails are also only five to six miles, and the races last about an hour as opposed to three hours.

The winter series begins Saturday, Nov. 19, in Wedgefield in Sumter County Camp Burnt Gin’s dirt bike trail with two-week intervals between races. Other races this season will be in Saluda, Aiken and Chesterfield counties.

All levels of dirt bike racing also have a youth division, which is also popular.

If kids or adults are interested in dirt bikes as a hobby, the Carolina XC series is a great opportunity to give the sport a try, Hayes said.

“This is a golden opportunity to try something new if someone enjoys dirt bikes in their backyard,” he said, “and it is close by, which does not happen very often.”

Photos provided by Zack Hayes

Go All In:

All or nothing. It’s more of a lifestyle than a saying.

When striving for greatness, you have to give it all you've got or don’t even try. This could seem extreme; to fully devote yourself to a dream, not knowing where it could lead.

For bioPURE CEO Brandon Kinder, that’s the beauty of such lifestyle.

JUST A SMALLTOWN BOY

Kinder is fond of his humble beginnings.Bornand raised in Sumter, he said the relatively small town was small enough to provide a “hometown feel” where everyone looked out for, took care of and helped one another in their time of need; yet, it was still big enough to give ample opportunity to experience and explore multiple industries, personalities and cultures.“Iknow some folks talk about not enjoying a small town, but I think smalltown America, specifically smalltown like we have in Sumter, is the best place to grow up,” he said.

The 2002 Wilson Hall graduate and 2006 Citadel Military College graduate said he traveled back and forth from college to home for a while before making the move to Greenville the summer of 2006. Right out of college, he did business-to-business sales and shortly after translated that experience into doing medical and dental sales for 3M, an American corporation operating in the fields of industry, worker safety, U.S. health care and consumer goods.

Kinder worked for 3M for a while. Fast forward to one day in 2013 when he got the idea for his own business after hearing a statement that “technology was going to change infection control.” The statement sealed itself to his heart and spirit, Kinder said. He couldn’t seem to shake the thought.

THE BEGINNING OF BIOPURE

After the birth of their second of four children with his wife, Danielle, Kinder began his research, searching the internet and networking with others in the infection control industry to

bioPURE CEO Brandon Kinder

shares journey to fastest-growing company in South Carolina

Words by Alaysha Maple

figure out how technology can change it. After meeting with someone looking to break into the same industry, he launched bioPURE in 2016.

In the beginning, he continued to work at 3M during the weekdays and at night and on the weekends would do mold remediation for a few businesses with the help of volunteer firefighters and off-duty EMS workers.

The first bioPURE location opened in Greenville in 2016, and the second opened in Sumter in 2017. Kinder considers the Sumter location as one of originals that helped paved the way for the business.

“I may be in Greenville, but Sumter is still home to me,” he said fondly. “It’s where all my memories are, it’s where we grew up, and it’s where the people that are closest to me still live.”Kinder and his crew stayed consistent and eventually built up the bioPURE name and clientele.

Then, he made the big decision to go all or nothing.

MAKING THE LEAP

In 2018, Kinder left his job with 3M to pursue bioPURE full-time. In 2019, he knew it had the potential to not only make a difference in the industry of infection control but in the lives of entrepreneurs, families and cities around the world.

The early stages of services they tackled were mainly mold remediation, but they’ve since expanded. Kinder said once they realized they could kill fungus, he was certain they could kill bacteria from the flu, a stomach bug or any other virus.

He invested his passion into mentoring other entrepreneurs and began franchising the company that same year. But it was no easy feat.

“I tell people I was kind of like Noah building the ark because I started running around the upstate saying, ‘You may be a clean person, you may be healthy, but you’ve never killed any germs in your home or in your business,’” he said. “It’s because we’ve been tricked by the big chemical companies to think that I can just squirt some Lysol up in the air and actually kill the stomach bug from one my little boys throwing up, and that’s not true.”

When franchising or marketing bioPURE, Kinder prompts people to read the cans or bottle of the disinfectants produced by big chemical companies. He explained the directions will say in order for the product to kill bacteria, the disinfectant must be applied and remain on the surface, visibly wet, for minutes at a time.

Kinder said there is a difference between cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting and sterilizing. To clean means removing material that makes a surface dirty while sterilizing means killing all pathogens.“Iknewwe had a better way to sanitize and disinfect,” he said.

THE BIOPURE WAY

Along with its mold remediation services, the company offers disinfecting and sanitizing services for both commercial and residential properties.

“Imay be in Greenville, but Sumter is still home to me.”

— Brandon Kinder

The bioPURE Complete service for both properties applies bioPURE Clean, made of an active component of chlorine dioxide, and bioPURE SHIELD solutions using advanced application technology of electrostatic spraying to disinfect and create an invisible barrier meant to create a healthier environment.

Businesses can also become bioPURE Certified through a program that provides a visible promise of cleanliness and communicates that companies are taking necessary steps to protect customers and employees from harmful germs.Thefirst franchise was sold in 2019, the second in 2020. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, business skyrocketed, and 52 locations opened in 17 states across America.

“When opening up a franchise, we tell people they get to go into business for themselves but not by themselves,” he said. “They get the intellectual property, trademarks materials, knowledge of the back-end systems, pricing; they get everything. We teach trade and train them on how to do what bioPURE does.”

bioPURE’s mission statement is that “bioPURE exists to provide innovative solutions for healthier environments where you live, where you work and where you play,” and Kinder said the company does its best to live up to the statement. In 2021, 115 million square feet

of property were treated by bioPURE; from restaurants and banks to government buildings andTheprisons.same

year, bioPURE was recognized as the fastest-growing company in South Carolina.

GO ALL IN

When asked where he sees bioPURE in the next five years, Kinder’s response was filled with hopeful uncertainty.

“I don’t want to say we don’t know where we’re going to be, but if I would have tried to predict the growth from 2016 until now, I would have vastly underestimated what we can do,” he said. “I think lots of entrepreneurs significantly overestimate what they do in the next six months but significantly underestimate what they can do in the next six years.”

He said if the company keeps its core values, continues to hire great people, develops and maintains great partners and does the right thing with honesty and integrity, bioPURE’s future has no limits. His main goal, however, is to make a difference in how people consider infection control, no matter how long it takes.

“I would like to change the standard by which people think about germs, sanitization and disinfection. Take pest control for example, just like people proactively treat their businesses and homes, the same should be done with infection

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control,” Kinder said.

He hopes for more young entrepreneurs to have faith in their business and offered his own realization to go all in as advice.

“I think so many times we give ourselves an out. It’s not going to be easy. You got to go in knowing there’s going to be setbacks. There’s going to be lost accounts. There's going to be days when there may not be enough money coming in that’s going out. There's going to be every opportunity for you to quit and give up,” he said. “But, if you truly believe in your bones and in your heart that what you’re doing is the right thing to do and you have the ability to help and impact people for the better, then go all in sooner.”

For more information go www.biopureservice.comto

Ideally located on the North Shore of Lake Marion, with easy access to I-95 and I-26!

Developed by: Bennett Hofford

Designed by : Allison Ramsey Architects Marketed by: Premier Properties of the Carolinas (888)

Prime familiarcuts,faces

Words by Kayla Green Photos by Micah Green

Carnivore Butcher & Bottle is the only free-standing, full-service butcher shop in Sumter County. We went behind the scenes to learn their story.

Their day starts at 8 a.m. Before the first customer walks in the door on North Guignard Drive, dinner lists or browsing minds at the ready, there is work to be done. Chopping, slicing, mixing. Wrapping, labeling, arranging. General tidying up. They take the time to enjoy each other’s company, many since May 2018 when the neon open sign glowed for the first time in the shape of a pig.

Carnivore Bottle and Butcher is the only freestanding, full-service butcher shop in Sumter. It has withstood a pandemic and found its niche, bringing in local regulars and an ever-evolving base of transient military residents.

Owner Lynn Kennedy and Sandi Jones, her partner in the research and organization of the business who also works behind the checkout counter afternoons and Saturdays, decided to open a butcher shop because they saw a hole that needed filling. There was nothing like it. They were traveling out of town to buy specialty, high-quality meat and knew others

were, too. They’d rather stay in town and spen d money locally, so they made it happen.

Quality of and where and how inventory is sourced is a cornerstone to any specialty store. That’s clear at Carnivore. The meat is all organic.“Noadditives, no nothing,” as Jones puts it. “Just good meat. We’re very proud of that. People come solely for that reason. They want to eat healthy, and if you get it from us, you’re definitely eating healthier.”

THE RIGHT CUT

Jones said they didn’t have much trouble getting meat during the pandemic or in the commodity and labor shortages of its aftermath. While grocery stores bore empty shelves behind notes limiting chicken and beef to two packages per family, the butcher shop had access to deliveries because they sourced high-quality meat from suppliers that were able to maintain “Sometimesstock.we can’t get lamb or pork belly,

but then when a holiday rolls around it seems to come through,” she said.

A CONFIRMATION DURING COVID-19

They had to close for two weeks at the beginning, but the state health department let them reopen after deeming them a necessary service to the community.

Jones said customers showed amazing support during 2020 and 2021, a show that remains today but without forcing them to wait outside. One in, one out. Three allowed in the store at a time. They came. They waited.

GETTING THE WORD OUT

Much of Carnivore’s popularity has been by word of mouth, but not all.

“Our customer service, we get so many compliments. That is our No. 1 priority,” Jones said.Jones runs the store’s social media pages and posts a video every Saturday morning

Dean Bjorken, right, head butcher at Carnivore Butcher & Bottle, stands behind the counter with co-workers Christel Brannon and Ray and Larry Leidy.

MEET THE BUTCHER

NAME: Dean Bjorken

TITLE: Head butcher

HIS FAVORITE PART OF THE DAY: “I love getting to see and help our loyal customers.”

HIS FAVORITE CUTS: Filet and ribeye

A LONGTIME LOCAL: He moved to Sumter from Atlanta 12 years ago and loves the pace of the big-enough, small-enough Southern town

WHAT LED HIM TO CARNIVORE: He has always worked in restaurants, including a seven- to eight-year stint at the former Sunset Country Club, which is now Quixote. He has been at Carnivore three years this November.

BUTCHER BJORKEN’S FAVORITE WAY TO COOK A CARNIVORE STEAK

Mouth watering and in need of an easy dinner? Head to Carnivore and pick up a New York strip steak and make Bjorken’s favorite steak.

Season with just a few pinches of salt and pepper , or to your liking.

“It’s so flavorful already, just add a little bit of olive oil and grill it outside ,” he said. “ Sear the filets outside and finish them in the oven , and you’re ready to go.”

He cooks his NY strips to medium

— Sandi Jones “

scanning the small boutique to show what’s available. People come running.Alotof people come just for certain items, so when they know it’s there, they’re there.

“We make our own pimento cheese, and our chicken salad, we make it four times a week. Every other day, and a lot of it,” Jones said. “A lot of people come in just for that. They walk straight to the fridge and straight to the check-out counter.”

LET’S TAKE A TOUR

Whether you know what you’re coming for or are ready to make your dinner plan upon arrival, you’re not likely to leave empty handed.

The back of the store is the traditional butchery and open-tothe-audience kitchen. Beef, pork and chicken are packaged and cut here. They sell sausages, patties, steaks, you name it. Hand-cut with recommendations or advice if requested.Alsofrom behind the counter comes seafood. Jones loves their salmon. They also sell shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, fish and “topnotch”

Walkingtuna.around the store, you’ll find a little of everything, from frozen, ready-to-bake homemade items to cooking accessories. Traditional chicken salad, chicken salad with pecans, pimento cheese, jalapeño pimento cheese, cowboy caviar, spinach dip, pasta salad, cheese, kickin’ collards, cinnamon rolls, sourdough bread, quiches, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, pork lumpia, chicken tetrazzini, enchiladas, skillet lasagna, bacon-wrapped okra, jalapeño poppers, sauces and rubs, grilling supplies and even all-natural “peopletested” doggie treats.

Jones or anyone on staff will recommend meat and wine pairings from their bottle wall.

No additives, no nothing. Just meat. We're very proud of that.

WHY NO CLEAVER KNIFE?

You may notice Bjorken did not pose on the cover of this magazine with a massive square cleaver stereotypically associated with butchers. How does he get his work done? “We have a big machine that will slice anything you need.”

LOCAL SUPPORTING LOCAL

What’s not made in house, they try to sell from local, small businesses.

Sumter Fire Department Chief Karl Ford’s coleslaw sits in a corner rack. Ms. B’s mac and cheese keeps cool in the freezer. Not far from that, Sweet Kaki’s apple pie. Another shelf entices with a selection of infused and traditional olive oil from Lorine Olive Oil and varieties of rice and grits mixtures from Savor the Flavor.

As Jones puts it, “it’s wall to wall.”

FOUR YEARS IN

As much has changed as it hasn’t since Kennedy and her team opened.

Six employees have been there since day one. They’re up to 14 total, including Kennedy. When we visited, the morning staff was Ray and Larry Leidy, Christel Brannon and head butcher Dean Bjorken, who came on board a year after they opened.

What’s in the freezers fluctuates. Boutique items evolve, some items added, others taken out of rotation. The handground, hand-formed burgers one day may have cheddar and cheddar and jalapeños while the next features bacon poblano.

But the foundation remains. It’s all fresh with good ingredients. The beef is grassfed up to 700 pounds before grain. Frozen, ready-to-bake and grab-and-go refrigerated

items are handmade in house and restocked daily.That commitment to high-quality and consciously sourced meat, offering local and regional non-meat food products and accessories and, above all to Jones and Bjorken, top-of-the-line customer service, makes for a changing of the tides in “little ol’ Sumter,” Jones describes.

Rather than leaving Sumter to find the items Carnivore offers, people now visiting from out of town come to the store and leave with goody bags and treats as souvenirs and gifts of local items. Or just a really good dinner.

At 75, Richard Brunson has every reason to start slowing down. And that's exactly why he isn't.

Words and photos by Cal Cary

Their peculiar dark faces sank into wooden cladding behind them. Their rough patterns made out to be eyebrows, beards, cheeks and glowing white eyes camouflaged into the surrounding environment. Richard Brunson calls them “wood spirits.”

The 75-year-old has spent the last two years as a hobbyist woodworker. Only recently he delved into the profession in curiosity of what it had to offer in his everyday life. What Brunson produces from a slab or stick of lumber is what separates him from most woodworkers. The idiosyncrasies of the figures require a second look and a closer inspection. And whether Brunson’s past has influence on what he creates or it’s just pure skill, his dedication to the craft is not to be overlooked.Brunsonis a Vietnam veteran and joined the war in March 1969. His squad was a group of combat engineers that took on the nickname “rat patrol.” The patrol was tasked with sneaking around the woods, blowing up ordnances and scouting locations of interest. Much of their time was spent in the area known as the Iron Triangle, a network of tunnels created by the Viet Cong to connect several bases from the Cambodian border and Ho-Chi-Minh Trail to Saigon.

It was in Vietnam where Brunson was affected by a poisonous chemical that hinders his health today known as Agent Orange, a mix of herbicides and defoliants used to kill plants. Soldiers contracted life-altering diseases after being exposed to Agent Orange when the United States military used it to bomb the Ho-Chi-Minh Trail and Iron Triangle to clear foliage to gain better access and views of its treacherous routes during warfare.

Brunson spent 11 months in Vietnam. He tries not to think about it too much. But what he does clearly remember is an unwelcome homecoming to the U.S. When Brunson and soldiers landed in Oakland, California, antiwar protests were taking place around them. It upset him, especially given the mindset everyone was in after returning home from war.Agent Orange and the war have given Brunson PTSD, poor hearing, trouble breathing, nerve damage and nightmares that wake him up in sweats. He lost his best friend from high school in battle and came home to a country that disapproved of the whole war in the first place. He filed for disability

benefits with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs roughly 20 years ago. And still it took about eight years for Brunson to get any sort of treatment. Today, Brunson has trouble walking, takes pain medicine, uses a nebulizer to help him breathe during the day and uses a CPAP machine at night.

“I don’t let it hold me back,” Brunson said. “If there’s something I want to do, you may have to pick me up off the ground or the floor, but I’m going to do it.”

HIS JOURNEY BEGINS

He wants to learn and try new things every day.Brunson was speaking with his doctor in January 2020 when the practitioner brought up the question of what Brunson could do in his free time. Brunson thought about it and replied that he enjoyed learning and watching movies and YouTube videos but needed a

“There is no such thing as ugly wood.” Richard Brunson

hobby to stay busy. After seeing videos of a content creator he regularly watched make sculptures out of wood, he believed he could do the same.

And so, Brunson began his journey to becoming a woodworker.

He bought a rotary tool, some pieces of wood and got to work. At first, he failed but quickly learned the intricacies of carving. Walking sticks were the beginning of his newly discovered hobby. And at his home, Brunson built a shed with every tool and accessory needed for the job. As time went on, scraps of wood started piling up in the canopy to the front door of his shop. Soon every inch was covered in a thin layer of sawdust.Nowas a routine, Brunson’s companion, a dog named Buddy, comes out of the house each morning and evening when Brunson goes to work. Buddy patiently lies at his owner’s feet and religiously follows him around to make sure nothing goes wrong. Brunson suffers from neuropathy in his lower body and hands. He cannot stand for long periods and can get off balance after prolonged sitting. Brunson has come to terms with the reality of having pain every day, but it has never stopped him from doing what he loves.

“Some people say, ‘Well I’m disabled. I can’t do nothing.’ That’s bull crap. It might hurt. I hurt all the time. If I ever get up one morning and I am not hurting, I’m dead.”

There is not a piece of furniture in his living room that hasn’t in some way been on a workbench. He has carved and created hundreds of walking sticks, wood spirits, mountain men, serving boards, clocks, tables, owls, eagles, bowls, wall hangers and charcuterie boards. And he continues to expand his capabilities for every new project. Once a week, Brunson picks up a chunk of wood, clamps it in his vice and begins drawing with a piece of chalk.

NO END IN SIGHT

“There is no such thing as ugly wood.” Brunson said.

He has experience working with red oak, white oak, cedar, pine, cypress, chestnut, walnut, birch and crape myrtle. Before embarking on his next cut of wood, Brunson takes off the outer layer of bark, exposing its patterns. It is at this stage he decides what he wants to forge.

In this case, he chooses a wood spirit. He then uses chalk to draw out the desired shape using the wood's grain as a template. After putting on his mask to keep debris out of his lungs, Brunson uses his rotary tool with a burr to roughly sculpt the cheeks, eyes, eyebrows, nose and beard. He increases the depth of his cuts as he

Some people say, ‘Well I’m disabled. I can’t do nothing.’ That’s bull crap. It might hurt. I hurt all the time. If I ever get up one morning and I am not hurting, I’m dead.”

— Richard Brunson

makes his way around the bust. He continues to sand and smooth out areas until he is satisfied with the look. To finish, he paints the eyes and applies several coatings of lacquer and wood stain to protect it. A wood spirit the size of a log, depending on its details, can take up to a week to complete.

“I got addicted to it; I saw it as a challenge,” Brunson said.

And he plans to keep woodworking until his body doesn’t let him. He has sold and given away his projects throughout the years, but has walking sticks, eagles, clocks, tables and more for sale at the Sumter Trophy Shop. And in the future, he wants to set up pop-up tents at Sumter County fairs and markets. There is no end in sight for Brunson and his adventure. His creative mind and persevering body are an example for all to follow. As long as trees keep falling, the hazy, sawdust-covered shop will persist.