The Good News for March 17
The cool temperatures are sticking around, but why not bundle up and head on out to Lake Waccamaw for some boating, fishing, or for Southern Farm Days. Be sure to log on every Saturday morning to www.columbuscountynews.com to check out the Good News and catch up on any of the news you've missed this week. No subscription is required, and we never charge to find out what's going on in your area.
• Southern Farm Days will be held through Sunday. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The event will take place at the Boys and Girls Home horse complex in Lake Waccamaw. Visit southernfarmdays.com for a complete list of vendors and entertainment.
• Abundant Life Assembly of God will have their food bank open on Saturday, March 18, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The church is located at 5384 James B. White Highway South in Whiteville.
• The Columbus Career and College Academy masonry department at Southeastern Community College will be having a brick fundraiser on Saturday morning (March 18). The kids will be selling brick flower planters, brick benches, and other masonry yard and home décor they have made by hand to raise money for the program.
• The Lake Waccamaw Anchorage Camp will be hosting a fundraiser barbecue family dinner on Tuesday. March 21, to raise funds to resurface the roller rink. The meal will feed up to a family of four, and the cost will be between $25-30 with the option to add extras for a few dollars more. The spread will include barbecue, coleslaw, and/or baked beans, and 12 rolls. Pick up will be from 5-7 p.m. at the snack shop of the Anchorage Camp on Tuesday evening. Payment by cash, check, or card is due at the time of pick up. The camp is located at 412 Lakeshore Drive at Lake Waccamaw. For more information, call 910.646.4111.
• Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest is now offering ranger-led classes every Saturday through the end of October. The classes offered will go towards a N.C. Environmental Education Certification. Classes will rotate through different themes monthly and will be held from 2-3 p.m. for one hour of credit. Check out Turnbull to Offer Environmental Classes for a full list of dates and courses.
• The Get Your Rear in Gear Rams Run 5K event, hosted by SCC and the CRHS, will be held on Saturday, March 25, at 9 a.m. The public is invited to come to the SCC campus, check out the vendors, have fun, and bring their family and friends. Participation for the 5K is free, but you must register online to do so. Runners may also order T-shits for the event. Both submissions must be made before Friday, March 10. CLICK HERE for full details.
• Shizzy's Wildlife Rescue has one more volunteer day set for this month. The nonprofit will need help installing wolf habitats and fencing Saturday, March 25, from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Anyone interested in volunteering can call Rhonda Billeaud at 910.840.1886. Volunteers must be 18 years old or older.
• On Sunday, March 26, at 3 p.m. at the Lake Waccamaw Depot Museum, Angela Tyler will discuss her role as a Guardian Ad Litem in Columbus County. The program is free, and the public is invited to attend. The depot is located at 201 Flemington Drive.
• Speaking of the Depot, the Lake Waccamaw Depot Museum is currently looking for prizes for their Bingo Blast on Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. Local crafters, bakers, and artisans are invited to make a contribution to a good cause. Call 910.646.1992 for more information.
• Nakina Middle School recently commemorated the 70th anniversary of the baseball program in the area. The first pitch was thrown in 1953 by Ray Canady at Nakina High School, and Canady had the honor of throwing the first ball to open the season this week.
• Tickets are now on sale for the Whiteville Juniorettes Club's annual Princess Day. The event will be held on Sunday afternoon, March 26, from 2-4 p.m. at the Spillway. Bring your little ones and join the Juniorettes for nail painting, coloring, face painting, a meet and greet with your favorite princesses, and much more. The cost is $15 per ticket, and you can get yours by visiting the Whiteville Juniorettes Club Facebook page or by contacting a member.
• A family took the time to thank two deputies in Brunswick County for their help this past week. A husband, wife, and a small child had a flat tire on Highway 17, and Deputy Young and Deputy Holden stopped to help them change it. The husband was recovering from surgery, so the grateful trio made sure to let the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office how appreciative they were for the service of the officers.
• As Easter approaches, the Columbus County Parks and Recreation Center is preparing to host community egg hunts at different locations all over the area. Boys and girls up to 12 years of age are invited to join in the fun at any of the free events on Saturday, April 1, at 10 a.m. Each hunt will be divided into 3 age divisions; 0-3 years old, 4-7 years old, and ages 8-12. Visit https://www.columbuscountynews.com/post/county-parks-and-rec-host-community-egg-hunts for a complete list of facilities and addresses.
• West Whiteville Baptist Church will partner with Crossroads Church to have a community Easter egg hunt on April 1 at 11 a.m. There will be prizes, food, and fun. The church is located at 906 Sunset Avenue in Whiteville.
• The Columbus County Literacy Council will be hosting a Bunny Brunch on Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Western Prong Baptist Church. Families and little ones can eat brunch, meet the Easter bunny, and do a bunny craft. The cost is $12 per person, and tickets can be purchased at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, the Columbus County Public Library, the Tabor City Visitor Center, or by calling the literacy office at 910.207.6082. Western Prong Baptist is located 167 Peacock Road in Whiteville.
• Whiteville Parks and Recreation is accepting applications for Dixie Boys Baseball through April 2. Players must turn 13 years old before May 1 to play, and boys whose fifteenth birthday falls on or after May 1 are eligible. Parents must bring a birth certificate with the player at the time of registration. Go to City of Whiteville Recreation Department - Parks & Rec to register online.
• The Veterans Memorial Park of America will be presenting 'The Easter Story' on Saturday, April 8, at the park. The free event will be from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., and the story will be told in the Never Forget Garden. There will be games and crafts for the kids, and food and drinks will be served. An Easter egg hunt will be held in partnership with the Columbus County Partnership for Children.
Onsite photography will also be available during the event, and there will be an appearance by the Easter bunny. The Star Farm ice cream truck will also be open.
The Veterans Memorial Park of America is located at 6354 James B. White Highway South in Whiteville.
• A grief support services group will meet on Thursday, April 13, from 7-9 p.m. at Abundant Life Assembly of God. The church is located at 5384 James B. White Highway in Whiteville. The session will be held every second Thursday of each month, and anyone 16 years old and older can attend. If you have any questions, or if you need more information about the grief support group, contact Chaplain Marcia DeRush at 910.317.0233 or the church at 910.642.5003.
• Friends of the Bladen County Public Library will be having a book sale on Friday and Saturday, April 14-15, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the main branch.
On that Friday, local author Lashanda Coleman will be holding a book signing for her book 'The Transformation Power of God: Reliance on God for Healing During the Midst of Grief.' On Saturday, first responders will have emergency vehicles set up in the parking lot for children to see and explore. The Bladen County Public Library is located at 111 North Cypress St., Elizabethtown.
• Living Hope Pregnancy Center will be hosting the Evening of Hope benefit on April 20, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Northwood Church in Whiteville. Sponsorships are available for the event from $300-$1,000. The monetary gifts are tax deductible, and these individuals and businesses will be recognized on banners and programs. Those who do not wish to host a table are also invited to attend.
The organization is also looking for volunteers to staff the benefit. Ushers, registrars, set up helpers, and cleanup crews are needed for the evening. To become a sponsor, attend the event, volunteer, or if you are an expectant mother or father interested in support services, contact the center at 910.642.2677. You can also send an email to info@livinghopepregnancyservices.com.
• The Waccamaw Siouan Powwow Committee will be hosting a Boston butt fundraiser and trail ride on Saturday, April 29, from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. at the tribal grounds. Boston butts are $30 each, or you can purchase a plate for $10 that includes BBQ, baked beans, yams, and a roll.
The six-mile guided trail ride is also $10 and a meal will be included. Gates open at 12 p.m. for the ride. Contact Reah Jacobs via Facebook for tickets. The Waccamaw Siouan tribal grounds are located at 7275 Old Lake Road in Buckhead.
• Shalonda Stanley of East Columbus High School, and Ryleigh Bunch and Kaylee Cartrette of South Columbus High School, were notified this week that they have been selected to attend the 2023 session of the N.C. Governor's School. The program is a four-week summer residential program for gifted and talented high school students, integrating academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses on each of two campuses.
Learning focuses on the exploration of the most recent ideas and concepts in each discipline, and it does not involve credit, tests, or grades. Students are selected to attend through a competitive process after being nominated by their public school unit or non-public school.