This Weekend in Blythewood February 26th-28th

The University of South Carolina equestrian will host SEC rival Auburn on Saturday at One Wood Farm (located at 1201 Syrup Mill Road). Saturday's meet begins at 10 a.m. and admission is free.

This Weekend in Blythewood February 26th, 27th & 28th   The news on the street this week was that our Blythewood Historian, Wade Dorsey, did an excellent job telling the facts/story of the "Burning of Columbia" and the march through Blythewood. The Historical Society had their largest crowd for the talk last Friday night. Mary Ellen T. and others served gumbo soup and cornbread to the guests who I'm sure will be back for more events! So hard to be in 2 places at one time!  "Celebrating Blythewood African Americans through Honor and the Arts". The play "Waves" was well received by a great crowd at Westwood High School last Friday night.  Congratulations to all the people who worked so hard to present this play for Black History Month. And a big thank you to the Westwood students and staff for the wonderful food and facility. Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m., the Blythewood  Black History Month Honoree Celebration at Doko Manor will recognize outstanding Blythewood  community members for their leadership and contributions to the community, country and various career fields. Ms. Teowonna Clifton, a past producer of the program On Point and featured columnist for "S.C. Black News"  will MC the event. Saturday, February 28 at 6 p.m., there will be a Blythewood Community Choir Concert and a special performance by the Bethel Baptist Church Praise and Worship Dance Team performing a Gospel Celebration at Doko Manor. All the events are free to the public. For more information contact Booth Chilcutt at chilcuttb@townofblythewoodsc.gov or Dr. Constella Hines Zimmerman at drscontella@gmail.com 2ND Annual Beginnings Fore Kids Golf Classic Cobblestone Park, Blythewood, Friday, March 20, 2015.  Grab your clubs and  your best golfing friends and come out  for a great day of golf for a good cause. The tournament starts at 10:30 with registration, practice on the driving range and putting greens and a box lunch.  An Awards Ceremony and a celebration meal will follow at the end of the day. All proceeds benefit programs supporting parents of deaf and hard of hearing children and their families.  For more information go to www.scbegin.org.. Registration ends March 16. Forms available at Town Hall in Blythewood or contact Cara Senterfeit at 803-463-8526 or email CSenterfeit@scbegin.org.  Don't forget about the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce Scholarships being offered to high school seniors who live or attend a high school in the 29016 zip code area or those whose parents are active members of the Chamber. Go to their website for details. blythewoodchamber.com/scholarships  Applications must be postmarked by April 14. Westwood High School is still in need of a few families to host the French exchange students and teachers April 6-16. The students will be in the homes for 7 days, but gone on the week-ends.  Call Dr. Cheryl Guy at 691-4049 ext. 36116 for more information.   Thanks to the local newspapers for doing such a great job in recognizing the students, teachers, adminstrators  and community members for their many accomplishments!  We really have so much to be greatful for in Blythewood due to the great work ethic, creativity and wonderful attitudes of the people in our community.  The University of South Carolina equestrian has two more home meets left in the 2014-15 season. The Gamecocks (7-3, 3-2 SEC) will host SEC rival Auburn on Saturday at One Wood Farm (located at 1201 Syrup Mill Road). Saturday's meet begins at 10 a.m. and admission is free. The Gamecocks have won seven of their last eight competitions and defeated Auburn in the fall. Carolina will be hosting its annual Equifest Kids Day on Saturday, an event that is free of charge. Activities include horseshoe decorating, feeding the horses, t-shirt giveaways, barn tours, and a coloring station. The Gamecocks will close out the regular season on Friday, March 6 when Carolina hosts No. 1 Baylor. The Blythewood High School Drama Students are performing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" on  February 27 and 28 at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium.  Tickets are $10 each and available in the main office or at the door the nights of the performances.  The funds raised will help pay for a trip for the drama students to represent South Carolina in the Regional Theatre Competition in Chattanooga, Tennessee in March.  For more information contact  the Booster Club president, Robyn Owens at robynyowens@hotmail.com  There are 2 free tickets at Town Hall for the Saturday night performance at 7 p.m.  for the first person to come and get it!   Fort Jackson Needs You!  Thursday, February 26, join a crowd of military supporters for a Save Our Fort Community Listening session at Shandon Baptist Church from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.   Ft. Jackson is a tremendous community partner and a $2.6 billion economic treasure. The U.S. Army Assessment Team will be in Columbia on February 26 to hear and see the support  as our "Most Military Friendly Community in America" stands behind Ft. Jackson.  Please go to SaveOurFort@columbiachamber.com  to sign the petition or for more information. Now you Know...The "Drummer Boy" who is buried in the Sandy Level Baptist Church Cemetry was William Woodward Macon, 1845- 1909.  He joined the Confederate Army in Alabama at age 16 and later married the pastor's daughter, Sarah Vann, from Sandy Level Church in Blythewood/Doko.  Pastor R.R. Vann's house was one of many burned by Sherman's Army, although Sandy Level Church was undamaged.  Sherman's Army left the Doko Community is shambles according to the Blythewood Scrapbook.It took many years to rebuild homes and stores, as well as to replace the many stolen or shot livestock taken by Sherman's Army.   The Hoffman House was another building ransacked by the soldiers.  As I sit here writing this (in the Hoffman House),  I can't imagine what that must have been  like  to the people in Doko.  Now zoom ahead to 1938-1939... The Blythe -Words Newsletter of 1938 reported that a large crowd  gathered in the school auditorium to watch a "moving picture".  It was a "thrilling, fast western movie", "Romance on the Range". (Did they have a rating for this movie?) The monies made helped send members of the senior class to Washington D.C.  Blythewood was hopping even in 1938! To read more go to the Historical Society's website, www.historyofblythewood.com and click on Historical Documents...School Papers...Blythe-Words...Class of 1938-1939. Thanks to the community members who have called about the park benches.  We would love one more playground park bench. The bench costs $600 and includes an engraved plaque. A few more benches for the walking path are also needed and cost $1000 each.  An engraved plaque could be placed on the bench " In memory of..." or " In Honor of..." . We had the wonderful McLees family donate to the cause and want to extend that invitation to the community.  Call 754-0501 for information or to request a bench.