The Good News for March 3
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, so shouldn't you know what's going on in yours? Start your day by logging onto www.columbuscountynews.com to 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.
What's going on in Columbus
• The Whiteville Junior Woman's Club will host their third annual Artic Alligator Plunge this weekend. Come out and cheer on all the contestants at the Lake Waccamaw State Park on Saturday at 9 a.m. The event will also be broadcast live on the Whiteville Junior Woman’s Club Facebook page on the day of the Artic Alligator Plunge. Visit Arctic Alligator Plunge to vote, donate, and found out more.
• The town of Fair Bluff will celebrate their 150th birthday on Saturday. From 2-4 p.m., refreshments and entertainment will be at the Fair Bluff Depot Museum. To learn more, visit www.fairbluff.com.
• The Clarkton Dixie Youth baseball program will be holding a BBQ chicken fundraiser plate sale on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. Plates are $10 each and will include chicken, two sides, and a dessert. Pick up will be at the Clarkton Dixie Youth Ball Complex located at 395 Perimeter Road.
• The Columbus Baptist Association will host the Missions Fair today, March 4, from 10 a.m. until noon at Trinity Baptist Church. This is an opportunity for children and families to find out about all the resources offered by the CBA. The ladies' ministry will be providing homemade snacks.
• Speaking of the CBA, a missions conference will be held March 6-9 at 7 p.m. each night at Trinity. Messages will be brought by Richard Brunson, N.C. Baptist Mission Executive Director, Dave Heller, CBA Association Mission Strategist, Matthew Ward, Every Nation Education Executive Director, and Michael C. Cloer, Cape Fear Network of Baptist Churches AMS. Nursery services will also be provided each evening. Trinity Baptist Church is located at 201 South Thompson Street 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.
• Four Southeastern Community College nursing students made history Wednesday. Karizma Washington, Terrell Cokley, and Kisa McDuffie officially became apprentices through a new cooperative program between SCC and Columbus Regional Healthcare. Students, faculty, and supporters turned out for the first "Signing Day". College President Chris English called it a "day to remember." College and hospital leaders said the students are part of the first federally recognized apprenticeship program in Columbus County.
• Parents and stakeholders can find out more about Columbus County Schools in a town hall on March 7 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be open for in-person attendance and can also be viewed on the CCS Website, the CCS Facebook page, the CCS YouTube channel, and the CCS mobile app.
The forum will allow the public to direct questions to Superintendent Deanne Meadows and the leadership team for the school system. Questions can be submitted in advance on the school system’s website and via Facebook during the meeting. The school board offices are located at 2586 James B. White Highway North in Whiteville.
• The Lake Waccamaw Anchorage Camp will be hosting a fundraiser barbecue family dinner on March 7 and 21 this month to raise funds to spruce up the roller rink. The meals 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 each evening of the event. Payment by cash, check, or card is due at the time of pickup. The camp is located at 412 Lakeshore Drive at Lake Waccamaw. For more information about either of the events, call 910.646.4111.
• Parade entries for the 2023 Yam Festival are now being accepted. Forms can be located at http://ncyamfestival.com/forms/. Applications with the appropriate fees need to be mailed to P.O. Box 725, Tabor City, N.C. 28463, or they can be emailed to ncyamfest@gmail.com.
• Shizzy's Wildlife Rescue has two volunteer days set for this month. The nonprofit will need help installing wolf habitats and fencing Saturday, March 11 and 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.
• 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.
In other news
• Applications for the Kevin Conner Blue Line Legacy Scholarship and the Kevin Conner Memorial Scholarship are now being accepted through March 31.
Any students interested in applying for either of the scholarships can do so at https://kevinconnermemorial.org/scholarship/. Other requirements and submissions for the grants can also be found on the website.
The Trooper Kevin Conner Memorial Foundation was established in 2019 in efforts to give back and serve the communities that Conner loved and served.
• Southeastern Community College partner with Columbus Regional Healthcare System to host the Healthcare and Public Safety Symposium. The 2023 symposium is an all-day event that will feature multiple breakout sessions.
Topics will include Start Triage, Mass Casualty, Hazmat, and other relevant educational offerings on current trends for treatment and management of patient care in the EMS, fire, and nursing professions.
The day will provide training hour credits. The event will be held on Saturday, March 11, from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Lunch will be included. Those on the EMS track can register at bit.ly/2023SYMPOSIUMEMSTRACK. Fire practitioners can visit bit.ly/2023SYMPOSIUMFIRETRACK to sign up.
• Whiteville Parks and Recreation will be teaming up with Back 2 Blacktop to host Fundamentals 101. The basketball camp will run from March 11 – April 29 every Saturday morning. Children ages 6-11 years old will attend from 9-11:30 a.m., and kids 12-17 years old will hold class from 11:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. The cost is $15 per child, and a free T-shirt will be provided to all participants. The program will take place at 155 Rec Center Drive in Whiteville. Visit https://parksrec.egov.basgov.com/whiteville to register or call 910.642.9052 for more information.
• The Smyrna Baptist Church Young Women's Association will be holding their annual collard sale on Friday, March 17, starting at 12:30 p.m. The ladies will have collard wraps for $3 and collard sandwiches for $6. Wraps and sandwiches come with fatback, pepper jelly, or chow-chow. Delivery is available for orders of 10 plates or more.
Pre-orders must be placed by March 13, and no call-ins will be accepted the day of the event. The church is located at 8003 Highway 211 East in Lumberton. Call 910.536.2012 for more information.
• Southern Farm Days will be held this month from March 17-19. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and 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 www.southernfarmdays.com for a complete list of vendors and entertainment.
• The Get Your Rear in Gear Rams Run 5K event, also 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.
• 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.
• The Bladen County Veterans and Community Stand Down will be held on Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Elizabethtown Baptist Church. Information on assistance support services will be available to veterans and their families. For more information, contact Leon Grimes at 919.621.8053. The church is located at 1800 West Broad Street. • The Greater Tabor City Chamber of Commerce Spring Has Sprung Festival is April 22. The chamber is looking for vendors and parade participants for the event. Find out more in this story at www.columbuscountynews.com.
• Special Friends Day is April 28 at East Columbus. Karli Godwin is a senior at East Columbus Junior Senior High School, and a star of the Lady Gators softball team. From 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Godwin is hosting a 'Special Friends Field Day' at the ECJHS football field for autistic and differently abled children. There will be snacks, games, music, and other activities for all those in attendance.
Every student in Columbus and Whiteville City School systems is welcome. All proceeds and donations are going towards building a sensory playground designed to accommodate special needs individuals. To volunteer for the field day or become a sponsor, call Allison Edwards at 910.625.8639. Find out more about this story at https://www.columbuscountynews.com/post/echs-senior-organizing-special-friends-field-day.
The GOOD NEWS is featured every Saturday morning on WTXY, and throughout the week under the GOOD NEWS tab at columbuscountynews.com. Email crystalfaircloth@columbuscounty.news with your church announcements, fundraisers, yard sales, club news, community celebrations, or just plain happy stories. There is no charge for publicizing your events.