The Good News for Oct. 28

Happening this weekend

As spooky season reaches its peak, many churches, businesses, and organizations are holding harvest celebrations and trunk or treats. Be sure to send your Halloween events to Columbus County News for publication. There is no charge for this service, and the news can be read absolutely free at www.columbuscountynews.com. The Trunk or Treat Guide 2022 is updated daily, and you can sign up for the CCN newsletter to get the latest news delivered to your inbox every morning.

• Maze Craze at Galloway Farms in Hallsboro only two weekends left of the event, so be sure to get your passes now. The farm will be open from Oct. 29-30 and from Nov. 4-6. This year the 13-acre Outer Banks themed maze will lead you on a treasure hunt as you search for OBX icons hidden along the paths.

Outside of the maze, enjoy games, tractor-pulled wagon rides, barrel train rides, live farm animals, concessions, and more. Food vendors are on site with good eats, and be sure to check out the farm’s Snack Shack to get your hot cocoa, hot apple cider, pumpkin spice, salted caramel, cinnamon sugar donuts, and more. A two-acre kid's fun maze contains the story trails. Walk along with your children and read the story of Spookley the Square Pumpkin, Jack and the Cornstalk, The Three Silly Goats and Their Stuff, and sing with Farmer Alma's Sing-Along Trail. Tickets start at $12. Visit www.gallowayfarm.yapsody.com/event/index/738159/2022-maze-craze-at-galloway-farm to purchase your tickets through Nov. 5.

• The Bolton Pine Tree Festival is Saturday, Oct. 29. The event is in celebration of the logging industry that has provided economic stability in the area and surrounding communities. The day will include food, live entertainment, a car show, games, and inflatables for the little ones. A parade will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Cedar Street behind the Methodist Church.

For more information about the event, call Bolton Town Hall at 910.655.8945.

• Galloway Farm will be presenting a night of music by local artists, Podiac Jack, on Saturday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. The band covers music from the 50s – 90s including genres like rock, rockabilly, and blues. They cover music by the Beatles, The Who, Johnny Cash, Green Day, and more. Local food vendors and fair favorites will be available for purchase at the event. Visit www.gallowayfarm.yapsody.com/event/index/746225 to purchase your tickets now.

In other news

• The Elizabethtown Fire Department is currently seeking a full-time firefighter. The application period is now open and will run until Oct. 31. All applicants must visit the town’s official website to complete the form. Visit https://elizabethtownnc.org/ for more information.

• The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office welcomed some new faces to the family this week. Mary Lee will be joining the team as a detention officer, while Donnie Williamson and Clay Carroll were sworn in as auxiliary deputies.

• Southeastern Community College and the H.E.A.R.T.S. Foundation will be partnering together to host a community trunk or treat on Monday, Oct. 31, from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the SCC campus. There will be live music, costume and trunk contests, food, games and more. Due to the positive feedback from the public, there are no vacancies left for vendors or trunks for the event. SCC is located at 4564 Chadbourn Highway in Whiteville.

• Whiteville is gearing up for the annual N.C. Pecan Festival on Saturday, Nov. 5. The event was delayed due to inclement weather last year, but things are on track for the 2022 celebration. The parade will kick off at 10 a.m., and throughout the day there will be live entertainment, a car show, kid’s block, a first responder’s corner, arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, and so much more.

• Bladen County Schools recently celebrated Red Ribbon Week. School resource officers with the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office joined in on the fun with the kids for Career Day. The children not only dressed up as lawyers, singers, chefs, teachers, and the like, but there were also quite a few future policemen and women in the crowd.

• It’s turkey shoot season once again, and as usual, Transformation Church are opening the season. Their first turkey shoot is Saturday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. The church is located one mile north of Williams Township School, at 9955 James B. White Highway South.

• Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department is well known for having one of the biggest turkey shoots in the county every year. The contests run Nov. 4 through 26. Start time is 7 p.m. The fire station is located at 10263 Old 74, Evergreen.

• Old Dock will host a turkey shoot starting Nov 4 and 5 and running throughout the month of November. Shooting time starts at 7 p.m.

• The Lake Waccamaw State Park Visitors Center got a new exhibit this week. Through a very generous donation by a private donor, a life-sized taxidermy black bear named Ben was installed in the lobby.

• The Columbus County Shriners will be holding their annual fish fry on Thursday, Nov. 10, in Riegelwood at the corner of Waccamaw and Old Stage Road and on Friday, Nov. 11, at the DB Cox Crop Insurance office in front of Tractor Supply in Whiteville. Plates are $10 each, and the organization will be serving up good eats from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. both days. Contact Daniel Hilburn or Matt Wilson via Facebook to purchase your tickets.

• Veterans will be honored in Columbus County on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m., with the inaugural Veterans Celebration Parade through downtown Whiteville. Area businesses are asked to decorate out front to show their patriotic pride. This is an inaugural event in Whiteville, and participation in the parade is limited to those who served in one of the seven branches of the military, supporting color guard, high school JROTC, and school band.

To find out more about this event, visit https://members.thecolumbuschamber.com/events/details/1st-annual-veterans-celebration-parade-6593.

• Southern Tire and Muffler had medical emergency Friday morning, and good Samaritans stepped in to help. A customer had a possible stroke, according to a Facebook post. Columbus County Sheriff's Deputy Brent Moore happened to be in the office, and he called rescue immediately. Whiteville Rescue arrived in record time.

• Chamber of Commerce and Tourism will be having their 2022 Shuck N’ Shag on Thursday, Nov. 17. Attendees can slurp oysters and dance the night away starting at 5 p.m. at Vineland Station.

Tickets are available at the Chamber office, and the price includes all you can eat oysters, chili, Brunswick stew, dancing, and fellowship. To reserve your seat, call 910.642.3171. Vineland Station is located at 701 South Madison Street.

• While the Thanksgiving turkey is still settling, get out and about with the Shop Our Stores Downtown Whiteville event. Shop locally for a chance to win money and prizes for the holiday season, and bring the little ones to meet Santa and Ms. Claus at the Chamber office from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Several other beloved Christmas characters will be at different locations throughout the day.

The Waccamaw Siouan Tribe and the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Whiteville will be celebrating Indian Heritage Month.

Shop that day, and hang around that evening for the tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. There will be music, food, hot cocoa, free horse carriage rides, and so much more. For a list of characters and all the events happening that day, visit the Shop Our Store Downtown Whiteville Facebook page.

• The 2022 Riegelwood Thanksgiving and Christmas parade and festival is currently seeking participants and food vendors for the event. The celebration will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19, and those interested are asked to message Kimberly Faircloth via Facebook.

Downtown Whiteville is going to be all about a Merry Christmas this year. The annual tree lighting ceremony is Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. There will be music, hot cocoa, free carriage rides, a visit from Santa, and much more. Be sure to mark your calendars for this event.

• Rocco the SCC Ram won the first annual Mascot Race at the Tabor City Yam Festival last weekend. One of his prizes was a big box of sweet potatoes.

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.