BY JACKIE R. BROACH
COASTAL OBSERVER

Georgetown County officials say they may start negotiating deals to buy up properties for recreational projects on Waccamaw Neck this month.

The county needs to purchase an estimated 103 acres on Waccamaw Neck before it can move forward with plans for a list of new facilities called for in the county’s capital improvement plan, including a $5 million recreation center, an outdoor swimming pool, skate parks, basketball and tennis courts and baseball fields.

County staff has spent several months looking at available properties and now are hoping to move on to the next step.

“We’ve narrowed things down some and we’ve got some [properties] we’re really interested in,” said Beth Goodale, the county’s director of Recreation and Leisure Services. “I think we’re getting closer to being able to do some contracts and make some offers.”

Before that can happen, approval must be given by County Council. A list of recommendations may be presented to council at its next regular meeting, Oct. 14, Goodale said.

The county’s plan for recreation earmarks $23.8 million for projects on Waccamaw Neck by 2017. That includes $8.2 million to purchase property.

Over the full course of the plan, which runs through 2025, Waccamaw Neck will get $32.6 million for recreation.

When council members approved the county’s plan for recreation at the end of April, they and county staff worried about limited space and the high price of land on the Neck. A soft real estate market worked in the county’s favor, however.

When word spread that the county was looking for land, real estate agents started calling Goodale.

In August, she said she received calls almost daily. This week, she said she’s still receiving calls.

With less competition for property, the county has a much wider selection than it would have normally.

Goodale isn’t sure yet if the soft market will allow the county to purchase land under value, but said she hopes that will be the case.

“Right now with market value, who knows what that is,” she said. “That seems to be the $64,000 question.”

The county is trying to determine the worth of various pieces of property through appraisals, she said.

If the county is able to purchase land on Waccamaw Neck at a discount, Goodale said she doubts it will lead to a surplus of funds.

“If you look at what the consultant said we’d get land on the Neck for, there’s just no way.” Even accounting for market slump, it was undervalued, she said.

The consultant also took “a very broad approach” when estimating how much land would be needed on Waccamaw Neck.

To account for wetlands areas that can’t be developed, the consulting firm called for the county to purchase 1.3 acres for every usable acre, Goodale said.

When looking for land for recreation in Andrews, the county ended up needing to purchase less land than the plan called for and still met acreage needs, because some properties had less wetlands areas than projected.

“A piece we have a contract on in Andrews is a perfect rectangle with no wetlands,” Goodale said. “It allows for a configuration with no waste and no excess land.”

She expects a similar situation on the Waccamaw Neck, she said.

One thing the plan didn’t overestimate was the intense need for new recreational facilities on Waccamaw Neck, according to Goodale.

The recreation department has started its fall programs, and the numbers show more kids using facilities on Waccamaw Neck.

About 1,400 children signed up for fall sports this year, and 480 of them live on Waccamaw Neck.

In addition to the recreation projects listed in the capital improvement plan, Goodale said the county is working on several projects that affect the Waccamaw Neck, including installation of signs at all 74 county beach access ways; design of a handicap-accessible beach access at North Litchfield; development of two soccer fields at Wachesaw Park; installation of a picnic shelter and tables at Parkersville Park; and seeking grant funding for more projects.

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BY JACKIE R. BROACH
COASTAL OBSERVER

Living on a fixed income, Mark Brady said making ends meet is always tough. But with prices on the rise for almost everything, including food, lately it’s been even harder.

That’s why Brady, a Pawleys Island area resident, ventured to Georgetown Pentecostal Holiness Church on Saturday morning to do some of his grocery shopping. He left with enough food to feed a family of four for a week. It cost him $30.

The box included top sirloin strip steaks, boneless skinless chicken breasts, breaded chicken chunks, boneless pork filets, frozen pizza, ground turkey, stir fry vegetables, milk, eggs and a number of other items.

“Oh, gosh, it looks awesome,” Brady said as he headed for the checkout desk, carrying a large box nearly overflowing with bags and cartons.

“I like to cook, too. I can’t wait to try some of this out,” he added.

At retail value, the food Brady took home would have cost about $60, but the church is able to offer it at a discount through Angel Food Ministries. It’s a nonprofit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing “grocery relief” to communities throughout the U.S.

Brady, who attends Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Church, said he’s hoping Angel Food will help him be more self sufficient.

With the money he saves on food every month, he hopes he’ll be able to get by without asking his congregation for help paying his monthly bills, he said.

Food is distributed at the church the fourth Saturday of every month.

“We usually have something like 200 people that come in for food,” said the Rev. Clide Glover, pastor at Georgetown Pentecostal Holiness Church. “One month, we had 220 something. We’re aiming to get higher than that.”

Glover’s congregation teamed up with Angel Food about six months ago and the program has seen steady growth since, with families from throughout the county coming to take advantage of the deals it offers. The program is open to anyone of any age or income bracket. There are no special requirements, Glover said.

“You just sign up and then come and pick up your food on distribution day,” he said. “It is a ministry to people also, so they come in and we are able to share some good quality conversation with them and give them a time of, I think, very good fellowship. It’s just a good program.”

It usually takes only a few minutes for people to get in, pick up their orders and be on their way again.

Volunteer Trish Wilson of Georgetown said the ministry aspect of the program is very subtle. The program is about helping people and ministering to them is often part of that.

“If there’s a need and we see it, we’ll help in whatever way we can,” Wilson said. “Sometimes we see somebody’s having a tough time and just be praying for them.”

Volunteers start showing up at the church around 9 a.m. on distribution Saturdays to get the space ready and unload the truck when it brings the food in on its way to the next stop.

Male volunteers climb into the back of the refrigerated tractor-trailer. They pass the food needed to fill orders to volunteers waiting on the ground with hand trucks to take the boxes into the church.

Female volunteers count all the packages to make sure the quantities match up with the order forms and then organize the food on long tables for pick up.

In all, it takes about an hour to get everything ready for people to start picking up their food.

It means an early morning for the volunteers, but they said it’s worth it, because they believe the program is a valuable resource for the community.

“I think it’s a great program,” said Ashley Griffith of Hagley, a regular volunteer with the program. “There are a lot of people that can’t afford groceries every week. We provide enough to last [a week] at a good price. It feeds our family and there are four of us.”

People start arriving to pick up food just before 11 a.m. and keep coming until around 1 p.m. They bring reusable bags, boxes and laundry baskets to carry their purchases home in.

Orders are placed and paid for in advance, so they just have to sign in before volunteers gather up their items and tote them out to the parking lot.

The cars that get loaded up range from older models with rust showing through the paint to shiny, new high-end vehicles, demonstrating the range of folks who take advantage of the program.

“It helps so many people. Everybody likes a bargain,” Wilson said.

Faye Gilmer of Georgetown said she certainly does. She was among the first to arrive when doors opened last weekend and said the program has been a blessing to her family.

Her daughter is going through a divorce and recently moved in with Gilmer, bringing her two children.

“Groceries have gone up as much as anything, and when you go from feeding two people to feeding five, you really see the difference,” Gilmer said. “This is a wonderful ministry.”

September was the second month Gilmer ordered through Angel Food and she was “shocked” by the amount of food she got and the quality.

In addition to the regular box for $30, the program offers a number of “specials,” which Gilmer said she takes advantage of.

Specials for October will include a $21 grill box that includes top sirloin strips, baby back ribs, hamburger patties and pork chops; a T-bone box that contains five 12-ounce steaks, and a fresh fruit and vegetable box. A 10-pound chicken tenders box is $18.

“I got the vegetable box last month and I was afraid they wouldn’t really be fresh, but it looked like every one of them had been hand-picked to be put in there,” Gilmer said.

The program also offers a senior box for $28 that contains 10 seasoned, nutritionally balanced, pre-cooked meals developed with dietary needs of senior citizens in mind.

“They just put it in the microwave and they have a good, well-rounded meal,” Glover said.

The next distribution date at Georgetown Pentecostal Holiness Church is Oct. 25.

Orders will be accepted at the church on Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Payment must be made when orders are placed and only cash in exact amounts or EBT cards are accepted.

Orders can also be placed online at www.angelfoodministries.com with a credit or debit card.

The church is on North Frasier Street in Georgetown. For information, call 546-8642.

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BY JACKIE R. BROACH
COASTAL OBSERVER

Election officials in Georgetown County are working to ensure things go smoothly on Election Day, but some voters will likely still face a long wait at the polls.

“We’re doing everything we can, but basically we’re just having to let the public know there will be long lines and ask them to be patient,” said Donna Mahn, the county’s director of voters registration and elections.

Mahn is expecting a voter turnout of more than 75 percent on Nov. 4. That amounts to about 34,500 of the 46,000 voters currently registered in the county.

And voters are still registering, she added. The last day to register to vote in time for Election Day is Saturday.

“We’re doing poll worker training right now and one of the things we’re expressing is, ‘hey, this is going to be one of the biggest elections you’ve ever seen,’ ” Mahn said.

Georgetown County had a big turnout for the last presidential election in 2004, but it was only about 72 percent, she said.

Mahn is working with poll workers on how to keep the lines under control and she has extra personnel to man every precinct on Election Day.

Beyond that, she said, all she can do is urge voters to be prepared for a wait and take steps, such as having their ID ready when they come through the door, to speed the process along.

If voters familiarize themselves ahead of time with the candidates and amendment questions on the ballot, that will also help things move more quickly.

Heading to the polls during “off hours,” when traffic is traditionally slower is also a good idea for those in a hurry, she said. Those hours are from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and from 2 to 5 p.m.

“There’s not much else to do about it,” Mahn said. “There’s just no real good answer, because it’s just going to be huge.”

Additional voting machines won’t be brought into the precincts, Mahn said, because the county doesn’t have enough for that.

“I asked in my budget a couple of years back for new machines and the county just didn’t have the money,” Mahn said. “We need some more, but we just kind of have to work with what we have.”

They hold a few machines back as spares in case of malfunctions, but Mahn said every machine she has available will be in use Nov. 4.

“If something happens, we’ve got the emergency ballots, too,” Mahn said. “I hope it wouldn’t have to go to that, but even if we have a bunch of machines go down, we’ll be fine.”

For senior citizens who may have trouble standing for long periods, Mahn said they may want to consider voting absentee. Those 65 and older are eligible for absentee ballots.

“If that’s something you want to do, you should call now to request your ballot and start that process,” Mahn said.

So far, Mahn said, everything is on track at her office. She has plenty of volunteers signed on to man the polls and the machines are supposed to be loaded with the ballots and ready to go by Monday.

Poll worker training is still under way and there are a few other details to be addressed, such as investigating the possibility of putting up tents outside some precincts in case of rain. But the biggest thing keeping the voters registration and elections staff busy right now is new registrations and making changes to voters information for those who are already registered.

Those who have recently moved or married and need to change their address or name should do so as quickly as possible.

“Now’s the time,” Mahn said. “Lets get it straight before they print the books, so we can get them a new card and to the right polling location.”

Forms to change registration information or to register to vote can be downloaded online at www.scvotes.org, by visiting the Office of Voters Registration and Elections at 303 Hazard Street, Georgetown, or calling 545-3339. That’s also the number to call to request an absentee ballot.

Information about local races, amendment questions that will appear on the ballot, poll locations and what will be needed to vote are available on the county’s Web site at www.georgetowncountysc.org/voterreg. [E-Mail Article To a Friend]

BY SARAH L. SMITH
COASTAL OBSERVER

The future of Waccamaw Middle’s single-gender classes is unknown.

And, the school’s principal, William Dwyer, doesn’t expect any final word until after the Georgetown County School Board meeting on Tuesday.

Since Sept. 24, when Dwyer sent a letter home to parents announcing that single-gender would disband, he’s received a lot of parental feedback. So much so, he sent another letter home to parents on Friday. “In recognition of this input,” Dwyer said, “Dr. Dozier, the superintendant, is trying to make an informed decision before any schedule changes take place.”

This time, the survey asked parents what they wanted for their students: math and English single-gender classes or coeducation.

Dwyer hopes the surveys will indicate whether there is enough interest in single-gender so the district and middle school can decide if the program can continue this year.

The middle school is collecting responses until Friday. After reviewing the surveys, Dwyer will present the school’s findings at the Oct. 7 school board meeting.

Dwyer said he hopes the board will make a decision that night. Whatever decision is made, said Dwyer, he hopes it is in the best interest of his students.

“We could dissolve certain classes right now,” he said. “We could do certain blocks [of single-gender], a co-ed option, or we’d have to see what other options the district could make available to us in regards to resources.”

It was funding that spurred Dwyer’s initial decision to end the program.

Without enough money, the district could not hire enough teachers. And, without more teachers, the single-gender classes that began Aug. 21 could not continue.

Dwyer referred to No Child Left Behind, which requires the school to provide a coeducational option for students who wish to opt out of single-gender classes in math and English.

But with four teachers in each single-gender department, students’ only option was to ride a bus to Georgetown Middle School for co-ed classes.

Dwyer said the extra coeducational teachers were in the initial single-gender plan. But, since 12 teachers left the middle school to teach next door at Waccamaw Intermediate this year, the middle school’s teacher count fell from 33 to 21.

Though he would like to have at least one extra teacher for each core academic subject, Dwyer said he knows the district can’t afford to hire anyone at this point.

Within the school, teachers would like to see single-gender continue as long as it is helping their students.

Judith Buzzell, an algebra teacher, said teaching to the boys’ and girls’ different learning styles has made a difference. She said her girls have developed a camaraderie they did not have before.

Gina Gordon, an eighth-grade English teacher, said her girls are no longer scared to answer questions on the chance they will get teased for saying the wrong or even right answer. They also don’t get mad at boys’ fidgeting and tapping because the boys aren’t in the room.

“I’ve seen growth on both sides,” Gordon said.

Though these two teachers noticed a difference in students, the students themselves said they haven’t noticed their grades change, and the girls seemed to like English without boys.

Eighth-graders Katie Mueller, Lauren Cribb and Savannah Verville said they would prefer to keep English with girls, but they said having an all-girl class didn’t change how well they learned in math.

Boys said single-gender didn’t make a difference at all. But they did indicate that their all-guy classes were louder.

Seventh-grader Brian Van Der Riet even said his single-gender classes are so noisy that it has been hard for him to learn.

Students who are having difficulty learning in single-gender situations, said Gordon, are proof that a coeducational option is needed, but she hopes the administration and district can find a way to keep single-gender classes.

“If we can’t offer [single-gender] as an option, it’s definitely a disadvantage for those who benefit from them,” she said.

Gordon would even be willing to teach a larger class of girls who want single-gender English than have smaller coeducational classes if some students are learning better in a single-gender atmosphere.

Dwyer said teachers will need more training if single-gender teaching continues.

Aware of the need, Gordon said the English department has regular study groups where they create single-gender lesson plans and share them with each other. If single-gender classes continue, the English department will be ready, she said.

Dwyer will present the latest news about the middle school’s single-gender program at the school board meeting at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 at Waccamaw Intermediate School, following the school’s dedication ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

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