WESTMINSTER, SC - Last week I started my information about typing the names of those at The WHS Gathering by saying I did not see everybody there and I was just going down the list in the sign-in book as it appeared…well someone wrote Ray Suttles in the book but failed to tell me he was not there but was in fact in the ICU unit of a Macon Georgia hospital. After she saw his name in the paper, Betty Morrow called me to say she had written his name in it…I am so sorry to report that Ray passed away since that date. Really I guess it was God’s will for me to put it for I know he was at The Gathering with us in spirit because Betty told me it was the first Apple Festival he had missed since it was begun 46 years ago. I know myself that he had been to 4 of the 6 Gatherings –he missed the first one because it was held in October not during the festival. To Ray Suttles’ wife Juanita and his family we send out love and prayers. We will all miss Ray. He was always so proud to say he grew up in Westminster! He remembered his hometown with pride and love. God Bless you. 

I was so happy to read Dr. Leap’s words of wisdom about the situation of Miss Teen S. C. in a recent pageant. He said “one incident should not form an opinion of one’s life” and I agree. She is a lovely young lady who I believe honestly misinterpreted the question. How easily it could have happened to any one on stage or in the world. I am emotionally touched at the overreactions of so many in the media who have made jokes from this young women’s faltering moment on air!
Happy Birthday wishes go to Stephen Bowen who is in Iraq, Harold DeFoor, Mickey Morton, Treva Lee, and Patsy L. Evatt.

Get-well prayers are sent to Mickey Wood, Joanna Morris, and Mickey Williams.
Sincere sympathy is sent to the family of soldier, Daniel, who was killed in Iraq. His parents are Scott and Diane Wagoner from Pelzer. God bless you.

Tom and Betty Abbott were in Atlanta Georgia recently where she and Carolyn Kilpatrick played in a bridge tournament. The Abbotts had dinner with their daughter Elizabeth and her family one night while there. Later in that week the Abbotts, their son Zettner joined their daughter’s family in a bicycle ride on the Silver Comet Trail to celebrate Elizabeth’s son, Alexander's 11th birthday. 
 Larry O’Kelly shared that his granddaughter is in her 3rd year at CLEMSON University and doing really well there. Congrats!

Julia Ballenger and her sister-in-law Elinor Brown have returned from an extended visit in Tampa Florida.

Harold and Brenda DeFoor spent several days recently in Ohio Their plans included a visit to the Amish country and to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. 
Joye Strickland is now a resident in Country Christian Care at Fair Play. Our best wishes are sent to her. 

Carol Strickland shared, “ Kent Miller had enough tables and chairs in Lucky Strike to reach from the end of the middle partition to the other end.  But there were several tables filled with people who were at the Gathering.  Not everyone at the tables was from class of 1960, but a good many were.    Doug and Faye Capps, Charles and Gayle Cobb, Edith Jackson Webb, Cynthia Long Moreno, Carol Strickland, Guynelle Cobb Campbell, Betty Sudduth Sowell, Clyde and Betty Deaton, Frank Barnett, Raymond Singleton, George and Zenobia Moore, Pete Sheriff, Doug’s sister Louise Morton, Ruth Osborne, and some others, but I can't remember all names.  Then there were at least two tables with Singletons and Sheriffs.”  Carol continued, “Cynthia Long Moreno and I (both class of 1960) went to Red Lobster for supper.  It gave us a chance to catch up on the past year. 

Wanda Cain Meyers from Summerville e-mailed, “The WHS Gathering was great and I am glad so many came. I have several pictures I took and will get them emailed to you as soon as I get unpacked. Only three of us from class of ‘72 were there. ..Cathy McQueen Sorrels, Becky Music Childs and myself. Was good seeing Tim Music and his wife..didn't get to speak to them as I knew Becky and Mary wanted to be with him. THANKS for organizing the event .I took a application for the historical society membership..just have to find it now to send in!”
In an e-mail from Wayne Morton he said, “Good Morning from Louisville, KY, Rolann! I wish to apologize for missing The Gathering last Saturday - I did the live remote for WGOG from 10-12 noon and our daughter and son-in-law surprised us from Augusta to announce they are expecting a child (their first)...and we had a large family "gathering" to celebrate almost immediately! I am sure it went well...please let me know. I’ll be back on the air Friday after a Thursday return. Would you please call me next Tuesday between 9 and 9:30 am and let's chat on the air about the Gathering. Tom Rusk, my Sunday morning co-host, and I are here with a busload of folks from our area for the 50th anniversary of the National Quartet Convention – you will be hearing more on the air as I gather interviews with the artists. Blessings! Wayne (WHS Class President 1967)”
Becky Musick Childs wrote, “Hi Rolann, We had such a good time at the reunion.  I look forward to it each year. Tim's email is:  tmusick@sc.rr.com He would like to be put on your list for your Newsy Notes.” 

Jack Hunt e-mailed, “Rolann: We had fun at the gathering this year as usual.  The Masonic Lodge was good place for the event. Attendance at the old WHS building was less this year than before.  Perhaps many had seen it before, but perhaps 30 or more came by.  I was happy to have it open for any who are wanting to see inside the building again. It is interesting to hear the comments from old students who have so many memories of the old buildings.   All seemed to have fun, and any who care to visit are welcomed. If you, by chance have the mailing address of Timmy Musick and Brenda (Burley) Musick, would you please email it to me.  I was happy to see them there.  Bill Burley and Dickie were great friends of mine.   I especially had a close relationship with Bill, Brenda's dad. Thanks for the fun and good times at the "gatherings".... everyone seemed so happy. Regards, Jack L. Hunt”

Mary Cole Ashby sent a letter today saying, “We had 19 class members of 1960 at the Gathering and most of them went to eat at Lucky Strike.” 

This very interesting e-mail came to me very recently, “Dear Mrs. Lee, To clear up the controversy of when the 12th grade was added to high school, I have some information in which you may be interested .The 12th grade was added at the beginning of the 1947-48 school year.
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Ables had ten children. All ten children attended Oakway School, nine of which went through eleven grades in order to graduate. My mother, Glenna Ables Nichols, who is the youngest of those ten children, graduated from Oakway in 1947 from the eleventh grade and then went back the next year.  There was no graduating Class of 1948 from Oakway, but Mom received a diploma after completing the 12th grade that year. She is the only person in the history of Oakway School to receive two diplomas. If you would like to see Mom's diplomas and/or interview her, email me or call me at 882-3749 and I will make arrangements for you to do so. Maybe this information will be helpful. Lynn Nichols Henderson” I do so appreciate this information and would really like to talk with Mrs. Nichols.

Here is an e-mail from Celeste Felder Wallace, “Hello Rolann Thanks for sending the photos...I did get them.... I never know for sure if things like that are going through for me or not!!!!Thanks for your hard work every year for The Gathering.... it is really nice to be able to visit with people that we would never see otherwise. 

Question:  There was a photo on an easel at the rear portion of the main table.  I took a picture of it with my camera but failed to note what year it was taken.  Sarah Johns, Bob Gettys, James Brown, Tom Mabry, etc with the teachers...I can identify about a third of them.  Do you have a list of the names?

Also, there were some cards with old/new school near the microphone.  I picked up several but gave them away...to Jack Hunt, Janet Danforth, Jeffrey.... are there more somewhere?  I would like to have several if there are but I have no idea who to ask.

Thanks again for your faithfulness and hard work.  It was good to see you! love ya, Celeste” I answered Celeste’s questions and we did so appreciate the cards of the schools and as I said before Melinda Holcombe Rohletter had given them to me to share.  All were taken with pride!
Peggy Turpin Simpson e-mailed in response to my congratulations, “Thank you.  This was my first time to enter a baking contest.  My entry in The Apple Festival Bake Off was a Swedish Apple Pie.  I was really surprised when I won even tho Calvin and Harold Kelly had told me they thought I should enter it.  I was even more surprised when I won $50.00, I did not know there was any prize other than the honor of winning.  Now I have to come up with something to enter next year.”
Jennifer Freeman Capps from Seneca e-mailed, “I wanted to comment about how much I enjoy the sports section of The Westminster News.  There's no question who they want to win, and I think it's great.  I went to T.J.'s (Lee who is her nephew) game last Thursday.  He plays for the C-team for West-Oak and I was so impressed with everything.  The Middle School band was playing so well, and the cheerleaders were so good, it was like being at a regular high school game.  There were a lot of people there, too.  Go Warriors! (when they're not playing Seneca)     Jennifer “
 “Hello Mrs. Lee, this is Jesse Pierce, Betty Chen’s son. To answer your question, Because of my score on the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, I have been selected as one of about 16,000 high school seniors who will compete for scholarships. About half of the semi-finalists will receive some form of scholarship.” I understand from other sources that Jesse scored very high on the test and is to be congratulated for his wonderful record at Seneca High School. We are pulling for you Jesse!

Recipe: Mandarin Cake
Mix together with a SPOON-I package yellow, orange or pineapple cake mix, ½ cup oil. ½ cup water or orange juice, 1 (11-oa) can Mandarin oranges undrained, 1 egg. Pour into ungreased 9X13 pan and bake at 350degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Cool. Frosting: mix 1 large can (20ozs.) undrained crushed pineapple and I small box of instant vanilla pudding-chill 20 minutes-then fold in 1 8-oz. Cool whip. Frost cake and refrigerate. Marilyn Korb from Central Square, New York told me it is so good and for us to enjoy! Wow, it sounds so good and will be such a good fall dessert!
 
Carol Meyers Maybach e-mailed, “Hello Rolann, Just wanted you to know how much I enjoy reading all the old familiar names in the "Newsy Notes" and keeping up with the old hometown.     I have my final chemo treatment on 9/28 and my Oncologist tells me I'm doing great.    Bill and I are leaving for his high school reunion in Antioch, California on 10/11.   After reunion we're going to enjoy a vacation and celebrate the completion of my chemo treatments.  Looking forward to once again seeing San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Napa Valley and other spots of beauty in Northern California.” 

Nick Gambrell said, “Don’t’ forget that our 3rd Annual Harvest Moon Gala is coming up on September 28th   at the OHM in Walhalla. For ticket information, call (864) 638-2224.”
I know a friend who would like to have some people join in games of Canasta. If you play and would like to be in a group, let me know at 647-2824 and I will give you the name.
I am so excited to have the new roof on our United Methodist Church on Main Street. I think every building in our city should look the very best possible. We have a wonderful city and every bit of sprucing up helps. 

I can’t wait until Saturday to spend the day in INGLES on our Main Street. WELCOME to all who will work there and THANK YOU to the management of INGLES who have invested in our fine city-WESTINSTER! Thank God for all blessings!

I appreciate those who have filed to run for a city office. It is an awesome responsibility, as any one who has ever served will tell you.

Your wonderful responses keep coming. Thank you so much. I am so happy I shared those 40 tips. So many of you have said they have helped you. That is wonderful. I had so much more for  Newsy Notes this week, but I just HAD to stop. They don’t want me write the whole paper I am sure!“NOTE” to Remember: “One tree can start a forest, one smile can start a friendship. One touch can show you care, one friend can make life worth living.”