Hello everyone, Merry Christmas to you. Local news on the way after Gottrocks delivers our birthday wishes. Happy birthday to Lindda Jennings, Gerald Moss, Christie G. Swain, William “Lefty” Johnson, Jackie K. Brown, Darlene Burgess, Blane Garmon, Jason “Jay” Mack, and new Town of Whitmire council member Clay Bodie. We send our Happy anniversary wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Gilliam Jr. Alice and Bennie are celebrating their 38 years of marriage on Christmas Eve.

On a sad note, we send our sympathy and best wishes to the families of Mrs. Helen Dallas.

In local news and events

Christmas Communion will be Monday, Christmas Eve at 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Everyone is welcome to attend. Fourteen members of the church’s missions team traveled to Costa Rica last week, along with members gathering goods for Christmas packages for military and inmates.

Be sure to check Wendy Cranford’s “Wendy’s Wonders” group page on Facebook. Special gifts are available and Wendy and her family members make time to send packages for military men and women.

The Whitmire Jaycees and CWilbanks Photography say thank you to individuals and business who adopted a family for the Christmas Cheer fund. Over 26 families were adopted.

The Oath of Office/Swear In Ceremony for Whitmire Town Council and Mayor-elect will be Jan. 3 at 4:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

People in the News

WCS students and athletes were recognized by the Newberry County Touchdown Club for All County Team and for academics: Jared Wicker, Rhondera Lindler, Talon Trotter, Malik Whitener, Alex Ellison, and Sam Miller.

Friday, Dec. 14 was a night for legends at the WCS gymnasium . Three Whitmire High School former teachers, coaches and administrators were honored during the halftime of the varsity girls basketball game. The namesake and dedication of “Legends” for The Wolverine Stadium.

Three men include: Kenneth L. Coleman, William “Lefty” Johnson, and the late Irby Lee Raines Jr. All three men were known and loved in the community as well as their daily presence in Whitmire High School since the late fifties and early sixties. The three men coached and taught many students who went on to emulate their Whitmire role model. One such student of many is Stan Elrod. A four sport letterman and student of WHS, Stan Elrod was a basketball standout at WHS. He played for Newberry College, and now after retiring from coaching and public school administration, several months, ago Stan has accepted the Athletic Directors position in Winston-Salem/Forsythe County schools in North Carolina. We send our Congratulations to the big three of Whitmire and to Stan Elrod.

‘Tis the season, in closing, yes, I have enjoyed the lights here in town, especially the retro Christmas lights. The fairly new solar lights are on rise too, not just in price, but more and more consumers are using them to save on that January light bill. The two holiday fairies: Gottrocks and Garabund and St. Nick have jumped on the band wagon and have solar lights draped on wings, hats and sleighs. I saw them when they circled over town last week. I digress, anyway happy holidays and send your new bits, photos, events to : news2cassie@yahoo.com