The weather this week is going to be perfect for celebrating spring, and events are busting out like flowers in our area. Get outside and have some fun, enjoy some good food, and maybe even help a good cause this week.
- Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the 15th annual Southern Farm Days at the Lake Waccamaw Boys and Girls Home farm. The event is bigger and better than ever this year, with tractors and equipment, the Parade of Power every day, antique and food vendors, arts and crafts, animals, entertainment, a tractor pull and so much more. The Cape Fear Farm Heritage Association will be operating its 100-plus year old sawmill. You can even learn about mule-drawn plows and enjoy a cowboy action show. We will be providing live coverage via Columbus County TV throughout the event.
- Saturday is going to be a big day at the Columbus County Community Farmers Market. In addition to plants and produce, it’s time for poultry. Fresh eggs will be available as always, but there will also be chicks, ducklings, and goslings for sale. Plus there will be free cotton candy for the kids. The farmers market is located on Government Complex Drive in North Whiteville. It’s open from 8 until 1 every Saturday. April 5 will be the big spring sale, with a food truck rodeo, blacksmith, pony rides, tack swap and sale, and more.
This Week’s Heroes and Good Samaritans
- Three Columbus County deputies were recognized recently for saving the lives of children. Sgt. Caleb Fonvielle, Cpl. Chris Cotton, and School Resource Deputy R.J. Fowler were honored at the annual department meeting. Cotton performed CPR on an infant at a Clarendon home last year. Fonvielle recently extracted a toddler from a heating vent at a Georgia Pacific Road home. Fowler was on duty at Whiteville High School when he provided emergency first aid to a student who was choking.
- We have mentioned Nancy Etheridge Varney before on the Good News. From being one of the first on deck helping save historic records at our office during Hurricane Idalea, to rescuing a kitten in the middle of the road during a rainstorm, our friend Nancy is no stranger to most in Columbus County. The Crusoe native works tirelessly to preserve the history of our county, especially that of her beloved Crusoe Island.
Miss Nancy and her nephew’s wife, Nicci Gore, were headed home the other day when they saw something moving in a roadside ditch. Thinking it was a hurt animal, they pulled over to help. It turned out it was an elderly gentleman who had fallen while checking the mail. Nancy said the ditch was rather deep, and the movement she saw was the man desperately waving his cane. There’s no telling how long he might have laid there stuck in the mud had the ladies not come along when they did.
Thankfully he was unhurt. They helped him out of the ditch, and made sure he was okay. While he was wet and cold, he was able to go on about his day thanks to this week’s bonus Good Samaritans, Nancy Etheridge Varney and Nicci Gore.More Fun for the Family
- The fifth annual Yacunne Fish Camp is April 11-12 in Bolton, and the Waccamaw Siouan STEM Studio needs your help. Volunteers are needed for registration, rod rigging, and food service. The event open to everyone. Contact the STEM Studio via Facebook or the Waccamaw Siouan Tribal center for more.
- The Anchorage at Lake Waccamaw will hold church skate night April 18 from 5:30-9:30. Cost is $15 per person, with kids five and under free. The evening includes dinner, skating, axe throwing a climbing wall, batting cage, Gator Golf and more. Call910.646.4111 for more.
Several area churches will hold revival services next week.
- Chadbourn Church of God will host revival services March 17-20. Worship starts at 7 p.m. nightly. Guest speakers include Heath Conner, Buddy Seay. Mike Jacobs and Joshua Simmons. The church is located at 185 Old Hwy. 74, Chadbourn. Check out or church listings and special worship opportunities tab at columbuscountynews.com.
- Lake Waccamaw Methodist Church will have revival services March 16-19. Rev. Andy Lambert will be guest speaker March 16-17, with special music by the Wilmington Celebration Choir and Willing Heart. Rev. Tim Reaves will lead services March 18-19, with Willing Heart and Sherry Melvin providing special music. Nursery will be available every night. Wednesday is a special service focused on healing. Dinner is served at 5:15 p.m., with worship at 6:30 p.m. LWMC is located at 506 Lakeshore Drive. Everyone is welcome.
- Iron Hill Baptist Church will host revival services March 16-19. Speakers will be Jordan McPherson, Mark Player, Jonathan Buffkin and Brian Locklear. Iron Hill is located at 22247 Peacock Rd., Tabor City. Keith Plott will bring special music to the Sunday morning worship at 11 a.m. Sunday night worship is at 6 p.m., and weeknights at 7 p.m.
- The Columbus Baptist Association Spring Revival is set for March 10-13 at Hallsboro Baptist Church, 551 Hallsboro Rd. South. Guest speakers will be Rev. Joshua Connor of Pleasant Plains Baptist; Rev. Phil Addison of Bolton Baptist; Rev. Ryan Edwards of Clarendon Baptist, and Dr. George Strickland of Cerro Gordo Baptist. There will be special music each night.
- Peace Fellowship Church will hold a Blessing of the Animals service March 29 from 10-11:30 a.m. The church is located at 5847 Red Hill Rd., Whiteville. All animals are welcome. Please have them on a leash or in a carrier. Contact Pastor Jerry Dalton at 843.283.7298 for more information.
- The Columbus Baptist Association mission team is gathering donations for the next Nicaragua mission trip. Hard candy, coloring books, child-safe scissors, jump ropes, kitchen utensils, beachballs and other items are needed. Call 910.642.2155 for more information. The deadline is June 10.
- Our friends with the Southeastern Swamp Stewards will host a program on red wolves Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Museum of Science in Whiteville. Local artist Bess Hinson has provided artwork for the program. For more about the Swamp Stewards, find them on Facebook.
- Tickets are on sale for the Adrianna Collins cancer fundraiser. Adrianna, 19, is the daughter of Jeremy and Amanda Collins. Plates will include barbecue, cole slaw, beans, rolls and dessert, and can be picked up at Whiteville Missionary Alliance Church March 21. Cost is $12. Call 910.234.6073 for more information.
- The Wall That Heals needs volunteers during its visit to the Veterans Memorial Park in April. Angela Norris of the park said 200 volunteers are needed to serve four-hour shifts around the clock, as well as helping set up and tear down the display. Hundreds of veteran motorcycle club members will escort the wall through Whiteville on April 23. The wall is a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. See this story on our website for more information.
Remember to check back with the Good News throughout the week for updates on additional events. We never charge for your church announcements, civic club news, birthdays and anniversaries, Good Samaritan and hero stories, little kids with big fish, or happy news of any kind.
Email thegoodnews@columbuscountynews.com ; call us at 910.914.6056, or just drop by our office at 1015 South Madison St., Whiteville. We love visitors. If the blinds are open, we’re open for business.
