This weekend may be a cold one, but there are plenty of events to keep you warm, toasty, and on the move in Columbus County. You can shop, roller skate, join in on MLK Day activities, or volunteer your time for a worthy cause. We have it all and more in this week’s edition of The Good News.
Don’t see your organization’s event listed? Let us know if your church, civic group, or association has markets, plays, gatherings, or fundraisers that you want published in The Good News. Would you like your church’s weekly services to be added to our Community Church Listings? Send all your submissions to crystalfaircloth@columbuscountynews.com or ccn.cfaircloth@gmail.com. We will get them out there for absolutely free.
Columbus County News has an exciting announcement. In case you missed it, we have changed owners and locations. Managing Editor Jefferson Weaver is now the official owner of CCN, and we are at our new office located at 125 Suite A, East Main Street in Whiteville. Be sure to drop by and say hello.
We will be reintroducing all of our readers to the team throughout the month of January on the Columbus County News Facebook page.
The Chicken Bog Youth Fundraiser Supper will be this evening at 6:30 p.m. at Cedar Grove Baptist Church. The plates will include chicken bog, slaw, and rolls. See the church’s Facebook page for more details.
CGBC can be found at 2372 Cedar Grove Church Road in Cerro Gordo.
Columbus County Emergency Services is offering a lithium-ion battery fire training class for first responders on Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. The batteries are found in everyday objects, and more emergencies are occurring when they are not disposed of properly.
Those interested in attending the seminar can visit the Columbus County Emergency Services Facebook to find out how to sign up.
You can put on your roller skates every weekend for the Anchorage Camp’s Skate Nights every Saturday evening beginning Jan. 17. Doors open from 7-9:30 p.m., and admission is $12 per person. Children 3 and under get in free, and there is no admission fee for adults with one paying child.
For more information, call 910.646.4111. The camp can be found at 412 Lake Shore Drive in Lake Waccamaw.
The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Walk will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17, beginning at 10 a.m. The starting point will be Vineland Station and will end at the Columbus County Historic Courthouse.
Southeastern Community College will also have a film viewing event for MLK Day on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the SCC Auditorium. The evening will include ‘Sometimes I Feel Like I’m Almost Home,’ a film screening and community symposium, and a story work activity led by acclaimed author and sociologist Dr. Bertice Berry. A reception will follow.
SCC is located at 4564 Chadbourn Highway in Whiteville.
The ‘Endeavors of the Heart’ food and vendor fair will be this weekend, Jan. 17 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the W.L. Dorsey Family Tree House Event Center. Come out and enjoy a day of shopping, delicious food, and fellowship with the community center’s ribbon cutting at noon.
Food trucks and vendors are encouraged to showcase their business at the event. You can sign up by call 910.445.0157. The center is located at 114 Marvins Drive in Chadbourn.
Things can be a little rough after the holidays, but the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina has you covered. The organization will have a pop-up market on Jan. 17 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Jerusalem Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in Chadbourn.
There are no income, residency, or ID requirements to receive assistance, and everyone is welcome. The church’s address is 6224 Chadbourn Highway
If you miss the pop-up market, St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church in the Freeman Community will have their food bank open every Thursday beginning at 11 a.m. The church is located at 507 Moneyhole Road in Bolton.
The Southeastern North Carolina Genealogical Society with have their first meeting on the year on Jan. 17 from 2-3 p.m. at the Columbus County Courthouse. Clerk of Court Jess Hill will be the speaker. The courthouse’s address is 115 Courthouse Square in Whiteville.
The next Backpack Buddy packing party will be on Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Columbus Baptist Association office. The purpose of the ministry is to provide food for children over the weekend who may not otherwise have another meal until returning to school on Monday.
Volunteers are encouraged to come out and spend some time in a nice warm place packing bags to send kids home with on Fridays. The CBA office can be found at 208 South Thompson Street in Whiteville.
The next meeting of the East Columbus Education Foundation’s Swamp Keepers will be on Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. in the East Columbus Media Center. Come learn about what’s happening, share ideas, and get involved in supporting the school community.
ECJSHS can be found at 32 Gator Lane in Lake Waccamaw.
Southeastern Community College Athletics will have their First Pitch Dinner on Jan. 22 from 6-8 p.m. at Vineland Station in Whiteville. This special evening brings together the community, SCC baseball team, and new athletic staff as they kick off the spring season. Guest will enjoy dinner catered by Joe’s BBQ and hear from guest speaker Steve Mintz.
Tickets are available now and all proceeds will directly support SCC Athletics and student athletes. Reserve your seat at https://bit/ly/4rThTBN.
The Sheepdog Foundation is now enrolling youth 8-12 years old in the Troop Hard Charger Program. Not only is it accessible, local, and affordable, but it’s also veteran lead with military style standards. The kids will learn athletics, survival, martial arts, trades, and more.
The group will meet three times a week and on select weekends. Uniforms and gear will be issued, and meals will be provided at each session. Parents interested in signing up their child can email info@sheepdoggdn.com . A program overview is available at www.sheepdogfdn.com/program-overview.
The Columbus County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism will be having their 2026 Annual Meeting and Mingle on Jan 29 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 for members and $50 for non-members, and the event will be held at the Vineland Station Depot.
You can register and pay online at www.thecolumbuschamber.com or call 910.642.3171. Vineland is located at 701 South Madison Street in Whiteville.
The sixteenth annual Southern Farm Days will be back March 20-22 at the Boys and Girls Home of NC Horse Complex. Columbus County News will be live during the event, and we would love to spotlight your small business.
If you are interested in sponsoring a live stream or would like to be featured as a vendor during Farm Days, message us via the CCN Facebook page. We can’t wait to hear from you.
Mariah McDonald and her family have added two blessing boxes in the Riegelwood community, but they don’t want their charity to end there. For Valentine’s Day, they have decided to donate some much-needed care packages to local nursing homes and memory care facilities.
They are currently taking donations of adult pajama sets sizes XS-XL, crossword and puzzle books, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, denture care products, deodorant, shaving essentials, and sweet treats. Those interested in helping out can message Mariah McDonald via Facebook.
If you’re considering enrolling your little one in a Pre-K program, now is the time to get those applications in for Columbus County Schools and Whiteville City Schools. Children must be four years old by Aug. 31 to be eligible to attend.
The program prioritizes children from families that meet certain income requirements, children with disabilities, or those who are English language learners. Other specific criteria and application procedures may vary by county, but the overall goal is to ensure that children who are most at risk for academic challenges have the resources and support they need to thrive.
Approval letters will begin being mailed by March 1. To find out more, visit https://www.columbus.k12.nc.us/page/pre-k-info.
The Columbus County Disaster Coalition has a new board with familiar faces in the community. The new president is Curtis Hill and the Vice Chair now belongs to Vickie Sasser. The secretary is Audrey Hart and the treasurer is Tommy Taylor. Board members include Chaplain Marcia DeRush, Ashlei McFadden, Ann Huffman, Jackie Williams, Yvonne Norris, and Shaq Davis.
Remember to check out our Good News tab throughout the week. We love to hear about all the great things happening around you. Email your submissions to ccn.cfaircloth@gmail.com or visit us at our new location at 125 Suite A, East Main Street in Whiteville. We love visitors. If the door is unlocked, we are open for business.
