Wedding & Event Venue Near Bishopville, SC.

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — What a whirlwind March it has been! South Carolina has had warm temperatures one day then below freezing the next. “It is a delight to be travelling again since COVID,” said Catherine Harris, who enjoys organizing tours for local groups.

I was fortunate to be part of the trip to Kentucky’s The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum Answers in Genesis, organized by Harris, who is a retired Lee County probate judge.

Fellow traveler and Bishopville Pilot Club member Carolyn Cumalander said, “Burke Christian Tours is the best way to travel and have fun adventures with family and friends. We met our group in Camden on Wednesday, March, 15 and traveled to Charlotte to spend the night.”

The next morning we were on our way to new places and met a group of travelers from North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. We boarded our large motor coach (friends from Bishopville and Lugoff, as well as 25 new friends we met) and rode through the scenic haze of the Great Smoky Mountains into the Blue Ridge Mountains through the Cumberland Gap.

Our excellent tour guide, Althea Bartlett, played DVDs with the music of the legendary country singers of Tennessee and Kentucky and read inspiring devotions such as, “If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.” She also related many facts about the history and attractions of the area.

We stopped in Knoxville, TN to visit the Sunsphere, a tourist attraction built in 1982 for the World’s Fair. It cost more than two million dollars to renovate in 2018, and it reminded me of a disco ball, a Golden Globe in the sky. Sunsphere is 266 feet of steel with 75-feet tall, 24 karat gold-tinted glass windows.

When we reached the top, we could see 360 degrees of the city, viewing the Tennessee River, the University of Tennessee, and the Smoky Mountains.

We arrived at our hotel in Georgetown, KY, a beautiful city in the heart of Kentucky bluegrass, around 7 p.m.

Thursday morning, we celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day, wearing our green and visiting the Creation Museum in the town of Petersburg. It was ironic there was a cold rain. The Creation Museum reflected the history and the timeline of the Bible with exhibits, gardens, etc.

Built in 2007 for $27 million, we entered the Garden of Eden, viewed the Tree of Life, and found ourselves in the Dinosaur Den with the models of giant dinosaurs. The average dinosaur depicted was 11 feet tall and 30 feet long. There were holograms of the story of Adam and Eve, the Flood, how the earth was rearranged after the flood, the mountains formed, and the rivers retreated.

After lunch, we boarded the bus to visit The Ark Encounter. The ark was the most massive structure I have ever seen. According to facts from the museum, the Ark is the largest free-standing timber-frame structure in the world. The ark was constructed with 3.1 million board feet of lumber. It is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, almost the size of two football fields. Made of cedar wood by Amish builders, there are three decks to explore once you board the ark.

Outside of the ark was a restaurant called Emzara’s Kitchen, which is the Jewish name for Noah’s wife. We had a buffet dinner (supper) for less than $20.

Deborah Kennington Boan said, “My grandson Dalton and I had an awesome trip…To see the effort that God made to save Noah’s family from the flood and so much detail that went into the planning of the ship was amazing. The bus and professional driver, Ray Rutherford, may have been Dalton’s favorites. I highly advise this trip for everyone. Noah has always been one of my favorite characters of the Bible.”

The Ark, opened in 2016, has no steps to go from floor to floor but large ramps and elevators. There are sound effects of pounding rain, thunder, and the call of the animals. There are replicas of the living quarters of Noah and his family, along with an indoor garden, a kitchen, and his study/library.

Calla-Gray Brunson, a fifth grade student at Lee Academy said, “When I went to the Ark I had a great time, but that is another story. I rode a camel named Ramses. Its saddle was purple and pink. I told my dad (Curtis) that I wanted to ride that specific one, and when I saw I was next in line I saw that purple saddle. I was so excited and nervous! By the way, it was freezing cold (28 degrees) and windy. I said I wanted to ride a camel and so I did! I even petted a goat. I was excited, scared, happy, nervous, and cold!”

We returned to our hotel after a long day. Saturday morning, we packed and left at 8 a.m. to visit one of the famous national historic sites, Keeneland, a thoroughbred racehorse course and auction farm for horse sales. We learned that Keeneland hosts horse auctions and earns $280 billion a year in horse sales. As we rode through Lexington’s beautiful horse farms, we learned that wooden fences around trees in the middle of the fields were not unusual. They were constructed to protect the horses from rubbing up against the trees.

Hours later we said goodbye to our group and returned to our homes with our spirits and faith renewed. We were moved by the promise of the rainbow blessing.

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — Downtown Bishopville is one step closer to getting a much-anticipated upgrade to the old railroad depot. Last year, it was announced that Bishopville City Council, Lee County Council, The LINK and the county’s legislative delegation secured $900,000 to revitalize downtown Bishopville’s old railroad depot and rail line property.

On March 23, around half a dozen construction firms’ representatives attended a pre-bid meeting and tour of the depot where their questions were answered by a representative with The Boudreaux Group, the architect firm the city chose for the project.

Mayor Grady Brown, city council members and city administrator Gregg McCutchen were also on hand for the meeting.

McCutchen said bids on the construction project are due by April 6. “Construction should begin around mid-May and be complete by mid-November,” he said.

The historic brick depot, which predates the founding of Lee County in 1902, will be remodeled with a new metal roof and new canopies added along the side over the door openings, making the depot more useable as a venue space for the city.

McCutchen said plans are to turn the railroad area into a recreational space for outdoor activities, private event venues, concerts or festival sites. He said they are working with an architect to keep as much of the depot’s original brick structure intact as possible. “There are some original elements inside we want you them to salvage if possible,” he said. “We’d like to reuse some of those pieces.”

McCutchen said the city is “very happy and excited to see this happening and can’t wait to be able to use it. It will definitely be a nice focal point for residents and visitors to Bishopville. And it will allow people to host events downtown without requiring the city to shut downtown Main Street.”

The old depot had not been in use for more than 40 years and was in poor condition before the city was able to obtain a longterm lease with the railroad, finally securing the property after years of unsuccessful attempts.

Mayor Brown said small towns are the “heartbeat of America, and we believe this project is essential for Bishopville because it will spark growth and encourage more use in the area. I am happy to be a part of the ongoing process to grow Bishopville and Lee County.”

A Lee County food pantry with only a few workers is in dire need of volunteers and is reaching out to the community for help.

CareSouth Carolina is hoping to reach individuals who are willing to make a difference by addressing food insecurity in the Lee County area, according to a news release. The CSC Resource Center and Food Pantry needs volunteers to help with different tasks including bagging food, sorting donations, loading food for clients and assisting with client intakes.

"Whether you can spare half a day, an entire day or commit to volunteering daily, your contribution will play a vital role in supporting our community," the news release stated.

CareSouth Carolina is a private, nonprofit community health center delivering health and life services in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. CareSouth Carolina operates centers in Bennettsville, Bishopville, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Dillon, Hartsville, Lake View, Latta, McColl and Society Hill, according to the release. It also provides family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, women's services, OB/GYN, HIV/AIDS primary care, dental, chiropractic services, pharmacy, geriatrics, social services, clinical counseling, laboratory, 4D ultrasound, X-ray, migrant services and veterans choice providers.

The pantry is operating with only three employees, two of which are available on a single designated day. The overwhelming volume of clients that the pantry has served has made it increasingly challenging for the small team to keep up with demand. By people offering their time and effort, they can directly affect the lives of those facing food insecurity in the community.

"Not having something to eat the whole day just breaks my heart," said CareSouth Carolina Community Health Educator Christy Beasley. "Nobody. Nobody should have to go without eating."

According to the news release, the CSC Resource Center and Food Pantry has become highly successful and now receives USDA foods. This partnership allows the pantry to make a bigger difference in the lives of people throughout the community.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Tameeka Lesane at (803) 229-5843 to receive an application form.

The pantry operates from Tuesday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m. Volunteers are also welcome to come on Mondays for prepping activities such as sorting foods and bagging items. The pantry is at 106 Hospital Square in Bishopville, formerly known as Dr. Leon E. Hunt's medical office.

"We invite you to become the helping hand that our community needs," Beasley said.

BISHOPVILLE — With a big smile on his face and joy in his heart, the legendary Drink Small entertained--with song and stories--a full house at Bishopville City Council’s Oct. 3 meeting. It was a heck of a rollicking start for the council’s normally staid meetings and a welcome one as the city presented Small, who is from Bishopville, with a resolution and proclamation recognizing his talent and lifetime achievements.

“We’re excited, no, we’re more than excited, we’re honored, to have you in our presence,” Mayor Luke Giddings told Small. “Thank you for the impact you have made, not just on our community, but really worldwide.”

Small, a living legend in blues music, was born in 1933 in Bishopville into a family of sharecroppers and musicians. When he was 8 years old, Drink was thrown from a mule-drawn wagon, falling under the moving wheels and suffering a severe back injury, which ended his days of picking cotton but allowed him to turn towards a musical path by listening to the radio and learning to play the guitar as he recuperated.

Councilwoman Gloria Lewis said the council’s Commercial Affairs Committee wanted to recognize and honor Small since he is a native of Bishopville. Council also declared Oct. 3, 2023 as “Drink Small Day” in the city of Bishopville. “The city of Bishopville thanks you for your talent and for adding to the rich tapestry of our musical and cultural history as an American artist,” Lewis said in reading a plaque presented to Small. “We recognize and appreciate your contributions to our community.”

Small was considered one of the best guitarists in gospel music in the 1950s before he turned to secular music in the latter part of that decade. According to Wikipedia, “With a mastery of multiple styles of music, a basso profundo blues voice and a charismatic stage presence that includes telling bawdy stories and jokes onstage, in the 1960s he began to gain a following with college students in the Carolinas. He performed his blues at almost every institution of higher learning in South Carolina, along with frequent appearances at nightclubs, roadhouses, and blues clubs throughout the state.”

Over the course of his long career, Small, 90, has written hundreds of songs and even started his own record label, Bishopville Records, in the 1970s. He has toured nationally and internationally. Known as the Blue’s Doctor, his playing over the years has earned him a W.C. Handy Award nomination, the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award, which represents South Carolina’s highest honor for lifetime achievement in the traditional arts, induction into the South Carolina Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame, and ultimately a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

“They call me the Blues Doctor ‘cause I can play all the music styles,” Small has said. “I can tear them up. I am the Blues Doctor.”

Small is also famous for his pithy sayings, called “Drinkisms,” which he explains are the way he sees things.

One of those “Drinkisms” is this: “Rich people got the blues because they’re trying to keep their money. Poor people got the blues because they’re trying to get money. I got the blues because I ain’t got no money!”

Small thanked council for the recognition and even played a song he wrote in honor of the place that produced him, “Bishopville is my hometown.”

In other business, council:

• heard from Cleyardis McDonald-Amaker with the YWCA of the Upper Lowlands, who addressed council about Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is October. A candlelight vigil for victims of domestic violence will be held Oct. 19 in front of the Lee County Courthouse, beginning at 5 p.m. Community resources will also be available at that time, she added. She also asked council to issue a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month “so that men, women and children know that domestic violence is not tolerated in this great city, nor is it tolerated in South Carolina;”

• approved two street closures—one on Oct. 28 for a “Moondawg festival,” and one for Oct. 9 for the Lee County Chamber of Commerce’s Lighted Christmas parade;

• entered into executive session to discuss several matters. Upon returning into open session, council approved a motion for a new website for the city after comparing quotes and also approved a Memorandum of Understanding for a much-anticipated Wellness Center in the city limits.

Bishopville City Council meets the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the Colclough Building, 109 E. Council St. Meetings are open to the public.

The new facility will be located on North Main Street, as Lee County and the City of Bishopville partner up to make a healthier community.

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — Excitement is buzzing through Bishopville as plans for a new fitness and wellness center take shape, promising to breathe fresh vitality into the community.

In a joint effort between the city of Bishopville and Lee County officials, are partnering to transform the vacant 238 North Main building, into a YMCA.

“Yes, we’re gonna have it on Main Street, and yes we’re making a statement we’re moving forward,” says Gregg McCutchen, Bishopville City Administrator.

Alan Watkins, Lee County Administrator adds, "From a wellness standpoint when you look at Lee County statistics and a lot of health categories, we typically have a lot of need of improvement,".

According to DHEC data, Lee County was in 2019 ranked 46th out of 46 counties in South Carolina for health outcomes measuring length and quality of life, one of the leading causes of death from heart disease.

The new center aims to address this need while also revitalizing the downtown area by filling vacant storefronts.

"It's just an ideal location for them it's right here on Main Street, and as you can see we have a lot of traffic coming through and I it makes a tremendous statement," McCutchen adds.

The YMCA's reputable name has led to City, County, and State leaders backing the project.

"We were able to obtain appropriations total in the state budget, for a total of 1.25 million dollars," says Rep. Will Wheeler (D-Lee).

"I think it will be good, I think a lot of people will join right now you have to go out of town, so it will be nice to have something here in town," says resident Lanette Hayes.

Addressing concerns about parking, an old fabric shop behind the building has been torn down for a parking lot, ensuring convenient access for visitors.

When you look at our downtown it's important, we continue to redevelop it and bring life," adds Watkins.

An official opening date is yet to be announced.