Columbus County was a whirlwind of events last week, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon in the coming months. Future events are planned for the entire summer, and we have tons more Good News coming your way. Be sure to visit our Church News tab to find out about all the vacation Bible school programs going on far and wide in our area. If you would like yours added to list, shoot us an email and we will be happy to get it out there for you. 
Graduation times and dates have been set for local high schools in Columbus County. Columbus Career and College Academy will have commencement on May 22 at 10 a.m., East Columbus seniors will walk on June 7 at 3 p.m., South Columbus will hand out diplomas on June 7 at 10 a.m., and West Columbus will announce their class of 2025 on June 6 at 6 p.m. For those unable to attend their senior’s graduation ceremony, you can watch the livestream on the Columbus County Schools Facebook page.
Brown Street Station in Chadbourn will be having a Reba tribute show on May 23 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25, and you can purchase yours by visiting www.brownstreetstation.com. Call 910.477.8080 for more information.
The Veterans Memorial Park of America will be hosting their annual veterans luncheon on May 23 at 11 a.m. at the park. The meal is free to vets, and those interested are asked to pre-register by calling 910.840.5207 or 910.8403848. The park can be found at 6354 James B. White Highway South in Whiteville.
Williamsons Crossroads Baptist Church and Lower Cape Fear Life Care are collecting donation items for the Angel House Hospice Care Center’s Family Kitchen in Whiteville. Items needed include bottled water, canned sodas, individual bags of chips, Little Debbie cakes, individually wrapped cookies, granola and cereal bars, Lance crackers, K-cups for Keurig coffeemaker, coffee creamer, foam plates, paper towels, napkins, Solo cups, and plastic utensils. Donations need to be dropped off at the church by May 25, at the center anytime, or you can contact Karen Fowler at 910.840.1258 if you would like to donate meals to the families. Williamsons CBC is located at 4286 Princess Ann Road in Chadbourn. The center’s address is 206 Warrior Trail in Whiteville.
Congratulations are in order for Ella Jones and Luke Pait. Jones is one of the Columbus County recipients of the Trooper Kevin Conner Young Entrepreneur scholarship, and Pait is the Trooper Kevin Conner Spirit of Community and Leadership scholarship for Bladen County.
The community of Lake Waccamaw will have Fit Fest on Saturday, May 24, starting at 7:30 a.m. at the State Park. You can ruck, run, or walk around the Lake. Saturday afternoon classes will be going on through most of the day at CrossFit. At 10 a.m. the Fitness for the Aging Adult will begin, followed by CrossFit for Beginners at 12 p.m., and CrossFit for Kids at 2 p.m. Saturday evening from 5-9 p.m., the event will move to Elizabeth Brinkley Park. There will be music, food, games, vendors and fellowship, and the Glow Run 5k or 1 Mile will start at 8 p.m. If you are interested in participating, you can register at www.crossfitlkw.org.
A fundraiser to support St. Jude’s will also take place on May 24 from 12:30-4:30. The princesses of Southern Carolina will be selling lemonade to raise money for the children’s hospital. Glasses are $2 each, and all the proceeds will go to St. Jude’s. The ladies will be set up at Pierce and Company located at 4229 Sam Potts Highway in Hallsboro.
The fourth annual Monarch Meet-Up will be on Saturday, May 24, from 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Penn’s Grill in Whiteville. The celebration of the mighty Monarch butterfly will include fun activities, hands-on crafts, and a flutter of community spirit. Native plant seeds will be available while supplies last.
The Columbus Baptist Association’s Nicaragua Mission Team will be collecting clothing to carry to the children during their annual mission trip. Nicaragua is a tropical environment, so summer clothing is preferred. All infant and toddler sizes for boys and girls are needed, along with boys’ clothing for 5 and up. Please make sure the items are summer clothing in good condition, and free from rips, tears, stains etc. Donations can be dropped off at the CBA anytime Monday-Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or if you have a large amount, a pickup can be arranged by calling 910.642.2155. The address for the CBA office is 208 South Thompson Street in Whiteville.
The town of Chadbourn will be opening two parks in the area on May 27. Ceremonies will begin at 689 South Wilkes Street at 5:15 p.m. with a ribbon cutting at Wilkes Street Park, and then the town will travel over to 214 East 1st Avenue for a second cutting at Our Park.
Area high schools are singing poetic praises to their laureate winners. A ceremony installing the young poets will take place on May 30 at 6 p.m. at the Columbus County Arts Council. Anthony McGhee of CCCA, Mckenna Ware-Rudnik of ECJSHS, Landyn Norris of SCHS, and Cynthia Ward of WCHS will be honored at the event.
It’s not too late to purchase tickets for the Kaleidoscope of Hope Soiree to benefit Carolyn’s Kaleidoscope Child Advocacy Center. The cost is $75 per person, $100 for two tickets, or $500 for a table of eight. Silent auction sponsorships are also available. The gala will be held on May 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Vineland Station Depot in Whiteville. For more information about the event or how to purchase tickets, call 910.646.3083 or email johnna.harrelson@bghnc.org.
Tabor City Police Department has a new face in town. Officer Breanna Haire was sworn in last week as the newest team member. Haire is from Bladenboro and graduated from BLET this month. She’s a small business owner and mother to one son.
The Whiteville Garden Club and the Columbus County Government will be holding the Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker and Memorial Park dedication ceremony on May 30 at 10 a.m. at the Courthouse Square in Whiteville. The Blue Star Memorials are a tribute to the members of the Armed Forces who have defend the United States of America.
The NCMNS-Whiteville will also be hosting Movies on Madison again this summer. On May 30, children and their families are invited to bring a chair or blanket and sprawl out on the facility’s lawn to watch Disney’s live action version of “The Little Mermaid.” Come out to set up your seat and learn about underwater creatures before the movie begins. “The Little Mermaid” is rated PG and runs 135 minutes. This is a family-friendly event, so no pets, no coolers, and no alcohol or smoking permitted. Refreshments will be available for purchase. This event is made possible by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville and the Columbus County Arts Council. It is sponsored by the International Paper Foundation. The museum’s address is 415 South Madison Street. 
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Animal Protective Services will be having a free rabies clinic for pets on Saturday, May 31, from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. at 819 Farmers Union Road. The clinic is completely free and open to the public. Dogs and cats are welcome to come and get their one-year rabies shot.
Remember to check out our Good News tab throughout the week. We love to hear about all the great things happening around you. If your church would like their VBS dates and times published in our Church News, send your submissions our way. We will get it out there for you, and the best part is, it’s free.
Email thegoodnews@columbuscountynews.com or crystalfaircloth@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.
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