Wagener Monthly

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agenermont ycovering wagener and eastern aiken countyAiken StandardWednesday, August 29, 2012

War Eagle football starts on high note | pgs. 14-15

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Wagener-Salley High commemorates 9/11 | pg. 16

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Welcome Back Columnist Johnny West page 14

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

omans Club of Wagener Honors Maradelle Rayy Lemyr a Young; photos by Bill Taylor

Womans Club o Wagener recently hosted a celebration honoring MaradelleRay or her lielong devotion and commitment o service to the people oagener and the surrounding communities. District 86 House o

Representative Bill aylor presented Mrs. Ray with a letter rom Governorikki R. Haley commending her or her work and serv ice in making Wagener

and the surrounding communities a better place to live, work, and learn andor her level o achievement and leadership in the own o Wagener.

Representative aylor also presented a Certiicate o Appreciation romGovernor Nikki Haley in recognition and appreciation or Mrs. Rays serviceo the State o S outh Carolina.

Mrs. Ray also received a letter o commendation rom Senator NikkiSetzler and a Certi icate o Appreciation rom South Carolina Senate. he

elebration was attended by amily, riends, and many others, including:istrict 86 House o Representatives Bill aylor, Aiken County District One

Council Kathy Rawls, Aiken County RMC Judith Warner, Wagener ownCouncilman Joey Black, and President o Western District o GeneralFederation o Womens Clubs o South Carolina Ann Fornwald.

Second-half defense carries War Eagles to opening winAGENER-SALLEY 33, LATTA 28

by Eric RussellFor a majority o the night, when

atta needed a big play on oense, iturned to senior running back RJ

cClam. It was no dierent on theiggest play o the game.

With 4:06 remaining in the ourthquarter and the Vikings acing aourth-and-8 in War Eagles territory,

cClam had the ball in his hands again.Only this time he was throwing it.

He had a receiver open, but the passame up short. Tat was the last real

hreat Wagener-Salley aced in the 33-28ictory over Latta in the season opener.

It was a tale o two halves or the Waragles deense. McClam set the tone

or the rst hal when he took the ball5 yards or a touchdown on Lattas rstlay rom scrimmage. He went on to

score two more times in the rst hal,nce on a rush and on a 74-yard kickoeturn as well.

Tey did a good job blocking orim in the rst hal, (Donell) Stanley

opened some lanes up or him and hegot loose. We were planning or that thisweek; we knew he could run, WagenerSalley head coach Ken ucker said afer

the game At halfime, I told the guys we

needed some more eort out there andto get aggressive.

Te War Eagles deense responded.Afer giving up 143 yards on the ground

to McClam in the rst hal, they held

him to 59 in the second hal.We werent able to get the lanes we

got in the rst hal, Latta head coachKelly Williamson said. Hopeully wecan learn rom this and improve onsome things going into the next game.Latta struggled all night with thepassing game. Quarterback KelWilliamson connected on 2 o 8passes on the night or 14 yards. Hiscounterpart Malcolm Stromancompleted ve o 12 passes on the nightor 170 yards. Nijae Jerry completed histwo passes or 64 yards as well.

Wagener-Salley also turned up itsrun game in the second hal o thegame. Eric Corley broke loose or twobig runs in the hal, including a 27-yardtouchdown to pull the team within threepoints.

On the next oensive possession,Wagener-Salley took the lead or goodwhen Nijae Jerry connected withMalcolm Stroman on a screen passthat Stroman took in or a 40 yardtouchdown.

Staf Photo By Eric Russell Wagener-Salley running back Eric Corley rushes the ballduring the teams 33-28 victory over Latta.

Please see football,Page 19


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Wagener Monthly 3Wednesday, August 28, 2013

by: Brian Watts

June 19, 2008My lie o paranoia caused by drugs is

starting to ade away

Te good Lord is getting rid o more o iteach and every day

As my brain starts to unction properly, Ieel like Im coming out o a shell

Kind o like a prisoner being released aer twenty years in a cell

My mind is starting to eel better as God releases memories o painIts rereshing, like looking up on a hot day and getting hit in the ace with cold rain

I still struggle every day with my lietime addiction o drinkingBut with the help o prayers and God, It has changed my way o thinking

Tere are also struggles with my past and a lie with all those drugsBut now I think about today and try to give more hugs

I thank God every day or the change and that he has allowed me to liveIm replacing all the sadness Ive given to my parents, Happiness to them I now give

I hope these words will help someone, God will be your crutchI you pray to him, ask or His help, Hell change your lie so much

I write these words to show other addicts that God is the waySo i you want to quit your addictions, Pray to him today

My sobriety would never last without Gods help, Tats or surePrayers rom riends and God Himsel, Hes my Counselor and my cure!

July 31, 2013

I'll say it again-Ain't our God a wonderul God!! As many o ya'll here in Wagenernow know, my name is Brian Watts and I am a retired alcoholic and was a prisoner

o Satan's dope. God knew what He was doing when He showed me the way to thissmall town where my parents have lived or over twenty years. Trough the powero prayers and support, I have remained sober. I'm 5 years and 41 weeks sober, and Igive all o the glory to God.

Tis country living and the people that live here have been rereshing or my soul.I again want to thank the people in the town o Wagener that I have met and get towalk with. I especially want to thank the Wagener Monthly and everyone or their

hard work and letting me get my words that God gives me to write out. People tellme that I am helping people that I don't even know about. Tat's why I think thatour good Lord has me here on this earth. Ever since my overdose on October 31,2007, I have tried to live right and think o others rst.

In 2008, God started giving me words to write about lie's struggles andaddictions. With the help o the Wagener Monthly and the Internet, my words areacross the country. Very overwhelming or an old country boy who is retired romthe drinking, drugs, and ast lie. Now more than ever I understand saying-"Everything happens or a reason". I also realize that everything is not always as itappears. Behind every beautiul lie there has been some kind o pain.

You all, you rise, you also make many mistakes. You live and you learn. You arehuman and by ar not perect. You've been hurt many diferent ways, but you arealive. Tink o what a precious privilege it is just to be alive, to breathe, to think, toenjoy lie and to chase and hopeully nd the things you love.

Sometimes there is much sadness in our journey, but also there is lots o beauty.We must keep our heads up, and keep putting one oot in ront o the other evenwhen the road seems so very long. 'Cause i not, we would never know what is wait-ing around the next bend. We never know what road someone else has been down,

so we must not judge on color, race, or appearance.Smile at people who look like they are having a bad day. Be kind to them-kindness is cheapand a great investment that never ails and wherever there is ahuman being there's an opportunity or kindness. So take a minute and think beoreyou look down on someone else.

Tese thoughts and words come rom a retired alcoholic and prisoner o Satan'sdope, who has long hair, earrings, and is covered in tattoos, and has been judged allhis lie.

I give all the glory to God and am one hundred percent accountable to him 365days a year. So love your lie, live your lie. Tank God or what you have. God ismy counselor and cure.

God bless.

My Counselor


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Wagener MonthlyWednesday, August 28, 20134

Why are you glad to be back at school?Wagener Monthlygets the scoop on what makes local students glad to be back at school.

My favorite part about

being back in school

is so I can get another

year over with. Im not a

school fanatic.Tabbitha Stichert,Wagener-Salley HighSchool,ninth grade

I get to see all my friends

and I can play sports

football, baseball and

track.

Henry Patterson,Wagener-Salley HighSchool,ninth grade


being back is that I can

get a good education.

Napoleon Posey,Wagener-Salley HighSchool,ninth grade


being back in school is

getting closer to college.

Preston Rodgers,Wagener-Salley HighSchool,ninth grade


being back in school is

getting good grades

and math.

Justin Hooker,Busbee ElementarySchool,fourth grade

My favorite part about beingback in school is I can meetnew friends ... and I can go on

the playground.Madison Glaffis,Busbee Elementary School,5K

My favorite part about beingback in school is getting goodgrades, being good, and

staying out of trouble.Gaige Starnes,A.L. Corbett Middle School,sixth grade


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Wagener Monthly 5Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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S. CarolinaLegislative

Updateby SC Rep. Bill Taylor, R-District 86Dear Friends:

I hope you and your family haveenjoyed summer. It's amazing howfast time passes; kids are back inschool and it won't be long before the

leaves begin to fall. As we get older,most of usbetter understand that every momentis precious. Sometimes we put offthings that bring us joy because we'retoo busy. Americans cram so muchinto their lives, we tend to overlookthe important things.

Honoring Maradelle RayFortunately, the many friends of

Wagener's Maradelle Ray took timethis month to honor her lifetime ofcommunity service and leadership toher hometown. The Wagener Wom-en's Club hosted t he celebration. Mrs.Ray has given of herself tirelessly tobenefit her community in every way

imaginable. I was pleased to presenther the Governor's Certificate ofAppreciation on behalf of Gov. NikkiHaley. After the ceremony, Mrs. Raywhispered to me t his self-description,"I'm the pusher to get things done."Congratulations Mrs. Ray, Americaneeds more 'get-er-done' people whowork hard to make their communitiesa better place for everyone.

Keeping Us Safe

I recently met another person whohas true passion. He's Arizona SheriffPaul Babeau. Like me, he believes theprimary role of government, whethercity, county, state or federal, is safe-

guarding Americans. We both agreethe federal government is failingmiserably.

Sheriff Babeu spent a couple ofdays in the Augusta-Aiken area. TheSheriff and his 700 deputies in PinalCounty (AZ) serve on the deadlybattlefield of the invasion of illegalaliens intoAmerica. Theirs is the number onepass-through county in all America;half of the illegals entering Americacome through Pinal County.

The invasion brings human anddrug smuggling promoted by nearly100 drug cartel cells. Billions of dol-lars of drugs have been confiscated,but otherbillions of dollars in drugs make

their way through our InterstateHighway System, and yes, to and

through South Carolina via I-20 andI-95. Make no mistake -- Arizona'sdeadly border war is our homegrownAmerican war -- and we're losing thebattle.

Sheriff Babeu was America's 2011'Sheriff of the Year' as selected byhis colleagues and has emerged as anational leader on border security.He says there is only one practical fix-- secure our border and enforce our

laws. He asks, "How does Americajust ify securing the Korean borderwith 28,000 U.S. troops, but refusesto put the needed 6,000 soldiers onour own southern border?" Excellentquestion!

I interviewed Sheriff Babeu andasked him how he views t he politicalsolutions being pushed by the so-

called 'Gang of 8' in the U S Senate

What he says is important to you,your safety, and the security of Amer-ica. Here are the words of Sheriff PaulBabeu...

"It should be a clue that PresidentObama hails the immigration planbeing put forth by the Senate's'Gang of 8' saying it has all thecharacteristics of what he wants inan immigration reform bill.Republicans' should run in theother direction when they hearthat."

"The Gang of 8's plan calls forHomeland S ecretary JanetNapolitano to take six months todevelop a plan to secure theborder. My question is to Sen.Graham, Sen. McCain, Sen. Rubioand the rest, is -- what has beenher job the last four years? Shehas been in charge of bordersecurity and she already says the

problem is solved, so clearly she'snot going to address the realconcerns of border security.""Problem resolved? In Arizonaduring 2012 alone, 123,000 illegalswere apprehended just in theTucson sector. Tens of thousandsmore got away. We had the largestdrug busts in the history of my state-- $3 billion, 76 members of theMexican Cartel were apprehended

and we confiscated 108 semi-automatic rifles. This is evidencethat the border in not more securethan ever as the Obamaadministration claims."

"We have to secure the borderfirst. I say no to the 'Gang of 8'. Isay yes to the proposals by SCCongressman Trey Gowdy. We haveto stand up for America and put

our interests first and we will not

be shouted down by this Presidentor his Czar's telling us that we areun-American for wanting to enforceour laws and secure our borders."

Sheriff Paul Babeu understandsAmerican's compassion to helppeople. He's not opposed to work visaprograms or aiding the children ofillegals born here. But, he declares,the first order of business is to secureour border and curtail the crime waverolling into our country.

We need more like Sheriff Babeuwho have the courage to not onlyspeak up, but to take action. SheriffBabeu's challenge: for each of us toget involved, for this is NOT just aPinal County or Arizona issue, it's an

issue of national security.

Too Many Government Regs

Most American's grumble aboutover-regulation by government. Thecomplaints are justified; laws andregulations have multipliedexponentially in recent years. Thegood news is - South Carolina is try-ing to reverse that trend.

Governor Haley's RegulatoryReview Task Force came to Aikenrecently to hear issues, complaintsand recommendations from citizens.I testified on behalf of constituentswho had written me. I s aid, "We can-not be apathetic about governmentregulations, We are well over-regulat-ed, so this is a wonderful process thatthe governor has initiated to try to

identify the useless regulations."You still have your opportunity tospeak up. The Task Force continuesto solicit input on burdensome stateregulations. Send your observationsand recommendations to:[email protected]

The General Assembly is out ofsession until January 2014. Since I'mnot at the State House every week,you'll see me more often around the

community. Let me know if you wantme to speak to your group or organi-zation. Thank you for the privilege ofserving you inColumbia. If I can be of assistance toyou, please don't hesitate to contactme.


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Wagener Monthly 11Wdday, Auu 28, 2013


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g y

Wagener gets $495,000grant for water lines

Te own o Wagener recentlyreceived a grant that will help it makesome improvements to its watersystem.

Wagener was one o 24communities to receive a chunk o $9.9million in Community DevelopmentBlock Grants distributed by the S.C.Department o Commerce,according to a press release. Te townwas awarded $495,000.

Wagener Director o Public Works

Daryl Cooper said the town will usethe grant to replace some old lines onthe northwestern portion o the town.Tey will also upgrade some o thesmaller water lines to increase waterow.

As the community grows, there'smore demand or water, Cooper said.Cooper said that work on the watersystem improvement project willtentatively begin at the end o this yearor early 2014.

Tese grants und communitydevelopment projects andinrastructure improvements toensure healthy and sae neighborhoods,according to the release.

Local government o thecommunities that receive these grantsare required to provide at least 10percent in matching unds.

Tose applying or the loan mustmeet at least one o the three criterion.Te applicant's project must beneftlow and moderate income persons,aid in the preventions o slums andblighting conditions or meet otherurgent community development needs.

Te Community Development

Block Grant program consistently hasa positive impact on South Carolina'scommunities, stated CommerceSecretary Bobby Hitt in a press release.Te program provides unding orcommunity development, strongerinrastructure and improvements tostate residents' quality o lie. Tis helpsall aspects o South Carolina's success,including businessrecruitment and jobs. Amy Banton is the County reporter forthe Aiken Standard and has been with the

publication since May 2010. She is originallyfrom Rustburg, Va. and is a graduate ofRandolph Macon Woman's College.

Mr. and Mrs. James H. Klann o NorthOlmsted, Ohio announce the engagement o

their daughter, Melissa L. Klann o Aiken, SC, to

Tomas N. Butler Jr. o Aiken, SC, a son o Mr.

and Mrs. Tomas N. Butler Sr. o Wagener, SC.

Te wedding is planned or September 28, 2013

at Enterprise Mill in Augusta, Ga.

Te bride-elect is a maternal granddaughter

o the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Villella and apaternal granddaughter o Mrs. Ann Klann o

Rocky River, Ohio, and the late Mr. Herb Klann.

She is a 2004 graduate o North Olmsted High

School. She is a graduate o Ohio StateUniversity with a degree in sociology and a

graduate o Augusta State University with a

Master o Arts in teaching.

Te bridegroom-elect is a maternal grandson

o Mr. and Mrs. David M. Isiminger Sr. o Aiken,

SC, and a paternal grandson o Mrs. Jean Butlero Aiken, SC, and the late Mr. Ernes Butler Jr. He

is a 2005 graduate o South Aiken High School.

He is a graduate o Clemson University with a

degree in business management. He is employed

by Shaw Project Services

engAgements


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Fifty-Plus Days And Waiting .....by Johnnie Allen West

When Forrest Gump's mama said thatlie was like a box o chocolates and that we

never know what we are going to get, shesure was telling the truth!

I had no idea when I woke up on themorning o December 3rd, 2012, thatbeore that Monday was over, my lie wasgoing to change dramatically.

Most o you already know that Jimspent about ve o the past nine monthsat the Medical College o Georgia and at

Select Specialty Hospital, both in Augusta,Georgia.

Tanks to all the prayers lied up on ourbehal, and all the visits and phone callsrom people all over the country, our amilyhas survived a very dicult time.

I even received a call rom one o Jim'shigh school classmates, who nows lives in

suburban Atlanta. He had been working inhis ront yard when someone strolled byhis house, walking a dog. For some reasonthey struck up a conversation, and it turnedout that the lady walking her dog was romPelion, S. C. When she ound out he wasrom Wagener, she mentioned that JimWest had been in the hospital or severalmonths. He immediately called to checkon us!

I have told my good riend who worksat the Aiken Standard, Dee aylor, manytimes over the past ew months, that whenthe time was right, I would write about myy-plus days in the surgical ICU waitingroom. First and oremost, I had to get myown head clear, beore I could begin towrite my story.

As I began to think about writing mystory, I realized that is was not so much theexperiences themselves that wereimportant, but the things I learned romhaving those experiences.

I arrived in the ICU waiting room on thenight o December 6th, about 11:00 P.M. Ihad been in another waiting room or aboutnine hours, as several teams o doctors triedto repair Jim's hernia. Aer what wasdeemed a successul surgery, I was escorted

to ICU along with Jim, to begin what wouldbe a long wait. When I looked around me, Isaw a big room lled with rows o straightchairs. Tere were three small soas that

could be used as beds, and one"comortable" chair in a corner o the room.Tere was a telephone on one wall, and thelights were as bright as those in a big boxstore - and I do mean BRIGH. Tere werea number o people scattered in dierentareas o the room, and one lady walked overto us, introduced hersel, and told us shehad been staying there or several weekswith her mother. She told me where wecould get some blankets and pillows, where

the restroom was, and where the drink andsnack machines were located. I didn'trealize at the time, but this room was tobecome my home or the next y or sodays.

I discovered while there that it is reallypossible to sleep sitting in one straightchair(and I do mean straight) with your eetup in another one. It is also possible to doze

o with at least twenty bright lights glaringin your ace, i you are tired enough. Youcan also return to some kind o slumberwhen you are alone in a big, dark room, attwo o'clock in the morning and a securityguard wakes you up to make sure youhave proper ID, and that you are not a

vagrant, trying to sleep in the hospitalwaiting room. I'm sure I didn't look verygood during my months there, but Ireally don't think I would have passed or

a vagrant! Since I was alone in the waitingroom that night, I had dimmed the lights,which we regulars always did, hoping to allasleep. o add insult to injury, he insisted onturning on all the big box lights in the room- or security reasons. Believe it or not, aerall that I did actually all asleep again!

It didn't take me long to learn that theearly part o the week in the the ICUwaiting room is airly quiet, but as theweekend draws near, the place picks upspeed. By Friday night around midnight,and usually through Sunday evening, theplace takes on the atmosphere o a wildcarnival. I came to realize that there wouldbe very little rest there anytime, and almostnone on the weekends.

I met people o all types, several o whombecame pillars o support or me during my

stay. Tese were olks who, like me, werethere or the long haul. Many o us didn'teven know this, but as time moved on, webegan to realize that none o us would be

going anywhere any time soon. At leastwe had each other or moral support.

I quickly learned that in anenvironment like ICU all dierences withregard to economic, social, religious andethnic background disappear. I can tellyou that when you are rightened, worried,and lonely, you don't give much thoughtto these things. You are too thankul thatsomeone cares enough about you to sit

down and put their arms around you, andtry to oer a ew comorting words.

I have thought many times about how welet petty dierences cause us to be at oddswith one another, when most o the timethose dierences amount to very little.

I became acquainted with all manner opeople during my stay. I met people who

had served time in prison, and straightenedthemselves out; I met a man who hadserved in law enorcement, and had lost hiscurrent job because he was at the hospitaltending to his son, who was in a coma. Imet an elderly couple who spent a greatpart o every single day at the hospital

visiting their son, who had been in ICUor nine weeks when we arrived there, andwas still there when we le. I became goodriends with a lady whose husband had

been severely injured in a car wreck, asthey were returning home rom aChristmas party. She and I shared a cornero the waiting room or many weeks.

I met many others who were touchedby tragedies that orever changed theirlives, and was unortunate to be the onlyother person in the waiting room early oneweekday morning when one lady's husbandpassed away. I am glad I was there, as therewas no one else to oer her any words ocomort until some amily membersarrived.

I would be remiss not to mention themany wonderul people who worked inboth hospitals - people who went wellbeyond the call o duty just to be kind to myamily. I won't orget the wonderulgentleman who helped Jim with his bath

and other things when we rst arrived atMCG. We were onlyon his foor or severalday beore Jim's surgery but he came toICU many times, oen on his day o, to

check on Jim's progress.

I remember the male nurse in ICU whoactually moved his desk right outside oJim's area, so he could be close to Jim. Jimwas having a bout with ICU psychosis,which is common in olks who spend anextended time in the unit. rust me whenI tell you this is a terrible experience! Tisnurse assured us that as Jim healed, thingswould get better, and he was right. Without

his help and assurance, I would have beenvery ghtened.

Ten there was the wonderul nurse Jimhad when we moved to a foor. Onemorning she walked into our room, andtold me to come with her. We walked ashort distance, she unlocked a door, and weentered a cozy little library, complete withshelves o beautiul books, computers and a

big screen television. She told me to staythere and rest or a while, and she wouldbe back to get me later. She knew I neededa break rom everything, beore my nervesbroke!

All these experiences taught me howimportant it is to be kind and helpul toother people, whenever the opportunitypresents itsel, and I have discovered thatthe opportunity presents itsel requently,

but I am oen guilty o ignoring it.

Te moral o my story today is that lie ispretty much what we make o it. I hope myexperiences will orever remind me to makehelping others in need a priority in my ownlie. Above all else, I hope I will rememberto be tolerant o others, whether or not Ialways agree with everything they do.

I have discovered that most people havea whole lot o good qualities to share withme, i only I give them a chance - and Ihope you'll do the same!


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