The Good News for April 9-15

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The Easter bunny is making his way into town starting this afternoon. Youngsters will have plenty of opportunities to hunt for eggs, play games, and enjoy pizza, snacks, and hotdogs from now until Resurrection Day. Be sure to check out the full list of events at z2j.c7e.myftpupload.com.

The Lake Waccamaw United Methodist Church will kick off the Easter festivities Friday, April 8, at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served and Mr. Bunny himself will make an appearance. Each child will need to bring 12 eggs. LWUMC is located at 506 Lake Shore Drive in Lake Waccamaw.  

Columbus County Parks and Recreation will host egg hunts all over the county this weekend. Be sure to check the times at your favorite local venues. Participation is for boys and girls ages 0-12 years old. There will be three age divisions for the hunts to be grouped 0-3 years old, 4-7 years old, and 8-12 years of age.The fun begins on Saturday, April 9 at 10 a.m. at the following locations: 

Whiteville Parks and Recreation Center 

Evergreen Elementary School 

Riegelwood Community Park 

Tabor City Recreation Complex 

Farmer’s Union- Elra and Gertrude Spaulding Park 

If you can’t make it to the 10 a.m. events, don’t worry because more are planned at 11 a.m. in other areas. Locations include: 

Chadbourn Depot 

Old Dock Community Park 

Hallsboro-Bogue Community Park 

Bolton Community Park 

St. James Community Park 

Elizabeth Brinkley Park in Lake Waccamaw 

There will be a community Easter egg hunt at Edgewood Park on Saturday, April 9 from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. A hotdog and chip lunch will be served, and there will be games for little ones to play. The park is located at 305 E. Calhoun St., Whiteville. 

The new vending machine at Tabor City Elementary features food for the mind, not junk food for the body.

This past week students in the Pre-K at Tabor City Elementary School unveiled their new vending machine. Usually, folks associate these contraptions with snacks or sodas, but this one is filled with books for youngsters to purchase.  

 Shizzy’s Wildcat Rescue, a non-profit animal rescue organization, is building a 56-acre big cat sanctuary located in Fair Bluff. They are in need of volunteers to help with the construction of den boxes and installation of perimeter fencing  on several big cat and wolf habitats on Saturday, April 9 from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

All interested volunteers must be at least 18 years old, be able to lift a minimum of 20 pounds, and be comfortable working in various weather conditions. No experience is necessary. Groups are welcome. To sign up, contact Rhonda Billeaud at [email protected] or call 910.840.1886. 

Mission Serve and their 150 teenagers are returning to Columbus County again this summer. They will be housed at the Boys and Girls Home at Lake Waccamaw for the week. 

Rev. Dave Heller of the Columbus Baptist Association is in need of nurses, EMTs, and paramedics to volunteer as First Aid coordinators from June 25-July 2. Two coordinators and a few others will be needed to roam around from site to site as needed. 

If you would be willing to volunteer to help out even for a small portion of the week, please contact the CBA office at 910.642.2155. You must be an RN, certified EMT, or paramedic to fill the position. 

Whiteville firefighters delivered a trailer of relief supplies to personnel on the front lines of the Pigeon Forge wildfire Thursday. (Submitted)

Whiteville city firefighters collected supplies for the first responders fighting the fire in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Lieutenants Donnie Coleman and Marquise Blanks delivered a trailer load of items that included water, Gatorade, personal hygiene products, food, snacks, and pillows on Thursday.  

Mt. Sinai Holiness Church will be having a Pedal with the Pastor event on Sunday, April 10 at 5 p.m. in memory of Melrose Cullom. You can walk, roll, run or pedal your bike. Come out and enjoy some fun, food and fellowship. The church is located at 6690 Old Lake Road in the Buckhead community. Everyone is welcome.  

New Life Community Church will present the Easter play “Betrayed. Denied. Crucified” on Sunday evening, April 10, at 6 p.m. All are welcomed to attend. The church is located at 107 South Maultsby Street in Whiteville.  

The Columbus Baptist Association will be sponsoring their next Backpack Buddy packing party on Tuesday, April 12 at 7 p.m. at the CBA office in Whiteville. The organization provides food through the weekend for children in need. Those who would like to volunteer can contact the CBA office at 910.642.2155. 

The town of Chadbourn will be having a community blood drive on Tuesday, April 12 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Blood Connection bus will be at the Chadbourn Police Department located at 602 North Brown Street. All donors will receive a $20 eGift card, and the goal is 18 donations.   

Those interested are asked to register for an appointment online at www.donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedule/drive_schedule/188647 

Renovations are continuing at Columbus Animal Protective Services.

The Columbus County Animal Protective Services is still currently closed due to building updates, but the flooring is coming in nicely. New kennels will be installed on raised surfaces to allow for proper water flow and sanitation.

 You can find out more in the story on shelter improvements here at z2j.c7e.myftpupload.com.

Engage Life Church has moved locations, and to celebrate their new facility and the Resurrection, they will be having a crucifixion re-enactment titled “Engage the Cross.” The service is set to take place on Friday, April 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The church is now located at 386 Thompson Town Road in Whiteville.

The traditional Lake Waccamaw Easter Sunrise Service will be from 6:20 a.m.-6:50 a.m. at the sailing club on Easter Sunday. Immediately following the service, breakfast will be served at the Lake Waccamaw United Methodist Church. Invitations to attend are extended to all local churches and community members.  

The GOOD NEWS is featured every Saturday morning on WTXY, and throughout the week under the GOOD NEWS tab at z2j.c7e.myftpupload.com. Email [email protected]with your church announcements, fundraisers, yard sales, club news, community celebrations, or just plain happy stories. There is no charge for publicizing your events.