New Military Memorial Wall honors armed forces members

To honor its fallen soldiers, Columbia County has completed construction of a new Military Memorial Wall behind Columbia County Library in Evans.

The dedication ceremony for the wall has not yet been scheduled, says John Paul Stout, the county Facility Services special projects manager, but it will be held on a date that has military significance.

The wall will include three plaques to honor those who have served in the armed forces. Two of the plaques will list conflicts dating back to the Civil War, and the names of the Columbia County residents who died in action will be listed under each war. The names will include any fallen soldiers who, according to Department of Defense records, listed Columbia County as their home of residence at the start of their service 

“People will be surprised at the staggering number of Columbia County residents that gave their lives in the Civil War,” Stout says. “The vast majority of fallen soldiers from Columbia County served in the Civil War. 

Local historian David Butler was the primary researcher for the project, and sources included the National Archives and the Georgia Historical Society. The county provided assistance as well 

“We took the task of researching the names and getting the information correct very seriously,” says Stout. “We’re happy to give our service members the respect they deserve.”

The third plaque will have space for people to purchase an individual placard to honor anyone, living or deceased, who has served in the military. “We’re still working on the procedure and verification process for that policy,” Stout says. “We’re also looking at doing something to honor Fort Gordon, but the manner in which we will execute that has yet to be determined.”

In addition to the curved brick wall, the memoriam will include a fountain and seven flagpoles to fly an American flag, a flag representing each of the five branches of the military and a POW-MIA flag. The flags will be raised at the dedication ceremony.

“It will be a site for reflection to remember the people who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” says Stout. “We’re proud of our service history in Columbia County and our link to the armed forces.”

The cost of the project, which was funded by Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax monies, totaled about $170,000.

Charities spar to deliver a knockout blow to hunger in the area

It may not be a food fight of Animal House proportions, but Columbia County Cares and the Salvation Army once again will engage in a little friendly competition in the annual Food 2 Fight Hunger Drive. The community food drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 25 in Columbia County at the Evans Kroger on Washington Road and in Richmond County at the National Hills Kroger on Washington Road.

“This year we are focusing on the Backpack for Kids program to make sure no child goes hungry during the school year,” says Susanne Beeland, the Columbia County food pantry representative. This program sends bags of food home with children during the school year to ensure they will not go hungry on weekends.

In past years, Richmond and Columbia counties also competed to see how tall they could build a food tower. This year, however, they are switching it up with a weight contest. Scales will be on hand at both locations to weigh the food and determine the winner.

The drive will accept any kind of food from any donor – whether purchased at Kroger or brought from home – and cash donations. Local businesses, civic organizations and churches also can collect contributions for the event at their own drives. Both sides will create designs out of the donated canned goods, and the Augusta GreenJackets will be at the Columbia County location. Bring the kids to meet Augie and to support your county in the contest.

– Caitlin Conger

GRU maintenance supervisor Tim Dobbs checks on the observation beehive he built and installed on the Summerville campus in collaboration with biology professor Donna Wear.

New beehive on the GRU Summerville campus highlights the vital role of honeybees

It’s always good to “bee” aware of the world around you, but sometimes the absence of something is just as important as its presence. The United States’ honeybee population has been in steep decline over the last decade or more, but a special addition to Georgia Regents University is teaching students to be part of solution.

An observation beehive in the Shetfall-Cleckley Greenhouse at GRU’s Summerville Campus was installed in April in hopes that students learn and see firsthand how integral the honeybee is to the earth’s ecological system. GRU Facilities Management Maintenance Supervisor Tim Dobbs, an amateur bee enthusiast, built and installed the hive.

Professor Donna Wear’s Evolutionary Biology class was the first group to visit the observation hive this spring.

“Honeybees are fascinating social organisms from both an ecological and evolutionary perspective. Pollinators are crucial to our global production of food. In fact, about one-third of the human diet comes from insect-pollinated plants, and the honeybee is responsible for 80 percent of that pollination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture,” Wear says.

The insect’s vital role in food production is why their disappearance is so concerning. Scientists have yet to isolate a single cause of the honeybees’ demise, called colony collapse disorder, but a certain type of pesticide introduced in the 1990s has been known to interfere with a bee’s homing ability.

“The observation hive provides a wonderful teaching and learning opportunity for students of all ages, who need to be reminded of the ecological processes that feed us,” Wear says

Pollinator Friendly Practices

The declining population of honeybees, one of the world’s leading pollinators, is a cause for concern because of the insect’s vital role in food production. However, there are ways that you can help revive the populations of honeybees and other pollinators.

• Use native plants that are adapted to the local climate and soils.
• Plant a variety of flowers to bloom continually from early spring to early fall.
• Provide bare ground or a shallow birdbath filled with soil, sprinkled with sea salt and kept moist to create a source of water and minerals for pollinators.
• Include plants for caterpillars, which require particular host plants. Caterpillars eat the foliage of their host plants, but the average gardener won’t notice the damage until at least 10 percent of the leaves are affected.
• Help pollinators find the plants they need by planting them in clumps rather than singly. Clustering plants also shortens the distance that pollinators need to travel.
• Provide a variety of flower shapes and colors since different pollinators are attracted to different types of flowers.
• Build a bee condo or leave dead trees or limbs to create nesting habitat for bees
• Avoid using pesticides if at all possible. If you want butterflies, then you need caterpillars – and the nibbled leaves that go with them!
• Avoid modern hybrids, especially those with “doubled” flowers, since pollen, nectar and scent can be lost in the cultivation process.

Source: Garden Media Group 2014 Garden Trend Report

The Savannah River Sail and Power Squadron is conducting free vessel safety checks to verify that boats have the required safety equipment and documentation.

A trained specialist that is a member of the U.S. Power Squadrons or the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will examine recreational vessels including yachts, cruisers, pontoons, canoes, kayaks and jet skis.

The inspectors check to make sure vessels are equipped with safety measures such as lifejackets, fire extinguishers, visual distress signals, sound-making devices, navigation lights and regulatory requirements such as registration numbers.

“Lifejackets are extremely important, and they must be in good condition,” says Butch Rachal, past commander of the Savannah River Sail and Power Squadron.

The examiners also make safety recommendations and discuss issues that will improve boating safety for vessel owners. No citations are given as a result of the inspection. However, Rachal says, “If you fail, we’ll tell you why you failed.”

Inspections are good for a year, and watercraft that pass inspection will receive the nationally recognized Vessel Safety Check decal.

The free safety inspections, which take about 20 minutes, are conducted upon request, and examiners will come to the watercraft owners. To schedule an inspection, contact Rachal at (803) 443-1983 or Paulette Harris-Holmes, commander, at (706) 737-8113.

Safe boating classes also are available. Anyone who is interested in taking a class can contact Bernie Pohlman at (706) 294-9929.

Visit usps.org/localusps/savannahriver/vsc for more information.

“Hey, Hey Baby” — beach music fans don’t have to ask, “What Kind of Fool Do Think I Am?” to “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy.” They just need to be at Evans Towne Center Park for Summer Beach Blast on Friday, June 12.

That’s when three classic beach bands — The Tams, the Swingin’ Medallions and Hack Bartley and Shuffle — take the stage at the Lady Antebellum Pavilion.

Adult tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate, and children 12 and under are free. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the concert begins at 6 p.m. No coolers are allowed, but food and beverage vendors will be on hand. Bring chairs or blankets, and, of course, your fancy footwork.

 If You Go:

 What: Summer Beach Blast

 When: Friday, June 12

 Where: Evans Towne Center Park

 How Much: $10 and $15

 More Info: evanstownecenterpark.com

Get ready to dance the night away again at the second annual Martinez-Evans Teen Town Community Reunion, set for Saturday, June 20, at the Elks Lodge off Furys Ferry Road.

“This reunion is a chance for those who grew up in Martinez and Evans in the ’50s,’60s and ’70s to get together and have fun,” says reunion committee member Susan Agner. “Back in the ’60s, we were a small community and everyone was like family. It’s fun to reconnect with people you haven’t seen in years.”

And you don’t even need to be a Teen Town alum to attend. “If you lived here then,” says Agner, “you’ll see a whole lot of people you know.”

“Last year we had about 125 people,” she says. “We expect there will be even more this year. Word really spread after last year, and we’ve already gotten checks from people in other states like California, Arizona, Florida and North Carolina.”

The reunion will feature music from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s by a DJ, dancing, hors d’oeuvres, contests (how are your hula hoop skills?) and a cash bar. But it’s the memories that truly matter.

“It’s really about seeing friends and recalling old times,” Agner says. “That’s what’s really important.” All proceeds will benefit the Augusta Warrior Project.

If You Go:

What: Martinez-Evans Teen Town Community Reunion

When: 7 p.m. – midnight Saturday, June 20

Where: Elks Lodge, 205 Elkdom Court, Augusta

How Much: $20

More Info: Call (706) 833-6752 or visit the Martinez Evans Teentown Reunion page on Facebook