Cheeze and Cracker Box Needs Your Help

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Writer

With only four weeks left before their annual Christmas Food Program distribution on December 21 Enid Bishop, Director of the Cheeze and Cracker Box is asking the community for help.

“It takes a lot of money, so I need some money for that program, If people only gave me a little bit. I’m asking people to please help me out, just for the Christmas Food Program not the regular program.”

Bishop, who has been the director of the Cheeze and Cracker Box for 25 years said that last year she spent $5,000 on the Christmas Food Program and this year she has already spent $4,000 and still doesn’t have all the items she needs. “I will need $6,000 this year and I don’t want to cut back.”

Bishop said that the Christmas Food Program “looks out for the needy elderly people” that don’t get any food stamps to talk of and they “have such a hard time.” The agency now located at 4547 Bell Street in Bamberg delivers approximately 300 bags of groceries at Christmas time. Each bag contains 14 or 15 items including fresh fruit. The items are delivered by teenage volunteers starting in the low income areas of town. Of the volunteers Bishops said “They’re wonderful people.”

The regular Cheeze and Cracker Box program give out food and clothing on Monday and Tuesday from 12:30 – 4:00 p.m. Clients are usually referred by the Department of Social Services (DSS) or local churches. Each client receives a week of food at a time from item the agency receives from the Golden Harvest Food Bank in Aiken once a month.

“We try to help the people,” Bishop said. Anyone wanting to make a tax deductible donation to the Cheeze and Cracker Box Christmas Food Program or to the Cheeze and Cracker Box may contact Enid Bishop at 245-2545.

Wild Game Supper November 24

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Writer

For the 20th year the Bamberg County Wild Game Supper will be held at the Edisto Electric Co-op in Bamberg and will be on Tuesday, November 24. The annual event started out in observance of Farm City Week, but has evolved into “a good time for everybody at no cost thanks to the generosity of our sponsors,” event Coordinator Gilbert Miller said.

The cost to put on the banquet has steadily increased each year and now cost between $4,000 and $5,000 per year, so donations are “eagerly accepted,” added Miller.

A nice Quantum Char-Broil Gas Grill, valued at $500, will be raffled off the day of the banquet with the proceeds to benefit the Wild Game Supper. The cost per raffle ticket is $2.00 each and is now on sale and will be available the day of the Supper.

County Honors Veterans

Jerry E. Halmon, Staff Writer

“We’re at war, and we’ve been at war for over 30 years,” retired Colonel William “Butch” Jacobs U.S. Army told a captive audience gathered in the Bamberg Civic Center Wednesday, November 11 in commemoration of the Bamberg County’s Veterans Day Celebration.

The Colonel, who recently retired from the military said that we are “making progress in the war in Iraq. He noted that when he first went to Iraq, along with Bamberg native “Doc” Davis, the two of them were constantly under attack by the enemy, and when he returned in 2006 and 2007 they were not under attack. “Now I don’t know how politicians measure progress, but I measure progress by when I go to a place the first time and I’m attacked and the next time I return I’m not under attack, to me that’s progress.”

Jacobs closed with the words of Abraham Lincoln; “that this nation under God will have a new birth of freedom.”

Ehrhardt Council Meeting

Pansy Clayton, Ehrhardt Correspondent

Mayor Stanley, at the October council meeting, said the Highway Department was notified of a pot hole near the Ehrhardt Baptist Church and asked that council follow-up with Councilman Edinger saying that he would do that. Discussion as to whether to keep the name the same as the old town hall for the new town hall was being considered. The old town hall was called the Henry Walker Town Hall for many years in honor of Mr. Henry Walker who was as citizens pointed out, a very well thought of man who did much for the town of Ehrhardt and was above all honest and just a good person. Walker was Millie Walker Fox’s father and worked at the Herndon’s Stock Yards for many years as a trusted employee and later was Mayor for town of Ehrhardt. There is a framed picture of Henry Walker that was in the old town hall and it needs to be brought up and hung at the new building, Councilmen stated. Councilman Edinger asked that they table the discussion until they have time to talk to some of the others and bring it up at next meeting. Mayor Stanley stated that the deed for the new town hall had been signed and the town has a grant in the works to help them hire a policeman for three years.

Historical Marker

Joyce M. Searson, Publisher

Salem United Methodist Church in Govan was filled with generations of families on Sunday, November 8, for the dedication of the State Historical Marker, which was recently awarded to the church.

“We are very proud of all the families here today and especially thankful to Betty Everette for her work and leading the effort in obtaining the marker. This is an occasion we've looked forward to and a historical moment for Salem Church and the community," said church lay leader and member John C. Ganus, mayor of Govan.

Local historian Betty Jane Miller and Nancy Foster, president of the Bamberg County Historical Society, as well as the Hartzog Foundation were also instrumental in getting the state historical marker placed at the site of the church and its cemetery in Govan.

Don Still, a member of the Hartzog Foundation, which provided the funds for the state marker, said, "I wonder how many people from Bamberg and Barnwell Counties that attended Vanderbilt University knew that the church, which was built in 1818, was the boyhood church of Holland Nimmons McTyeire and his family. McTyeire grew up to become bishop of the Methodist Church and went off to Nashville and founded Vanderbilt University in 1873. We want to preserve some of this history.”