Wedding & Event Venue Near Camden, SC.

At least 28 South Carolina pastors, church workers and volunteers associated with Southern Baptist churches are accused of sexual abuse, according to a once-secret list released by the national Southern Baptist Convention Thursday night.

The alleged South Carolina abusers, some of whom have been convicted of sex crimes, are among more than 600 people accused nationally on the list. The convention released the database after a sweeping investigation published this month showed top organizational officials kept the catalog of abusive ministers while denigrating abuse survivors over decades.

At least one of the people tied to South Carolina had served at multiple churches across the state despite sex abuse convictions years prior.

More than 600 entries on the national list detail reports of sexual abuse based largely on news articles compiled from 2007 through 2022. At least 28 entries stem from South Carolina, including several names that have been redacted in the published list. They include:

The database contains a disclaimer that the list is “incomplete,” “has not been proofed” and “has not been adequately researched.” The majority of the information is pulled from published news reports from across the country. The majority of the abuse cases and accused abusers have been reported on by this newspaper and other South Carolina media over the years.

The Southern Baptist Convention executive committee hired a third-party investigator to conduct the sexual abuse inquiry after others in the organization urged leaders to do so.

“Our investigation revealed that, for many years, a few senior (executive committee) leaders, along with outside counsel, largely controlled the (executive committee’s) response to these reports of abuse ... and were singularly focused on avoiding liability for the (Southern Baptist Convention),” the investigation report said.

After that report was published, the organization promised it would release the database of names.

South Carolina’s Southern Baptist Convention has promised action through a newly formed sex abuse task force.

“We are grieved by the results of the Southern Baptist Convention Sexual Abuse Task Force report. Foremost, we are grieved for the survivors that have been overlooked, unheard, or dismissed. We lament the actions and abuses that have brought us to this point,” executive director of the South Carolina convention Gary Hollingsworth said in a recorded statement May 23.

The local task force is responsible for taking the results of the national investigation and applying them to the South Carolina Convention’s “internal processes,” according to the statement. Those wishing to contact the task force with questions, comments or information can email taskforce@scbaptist.org.

The Southern Baptist church is the largest protestant denomination in the United States. The church is dominant throughout South Carolina as well, with some 2,000 churches and more than half a million members statewide, according to convention documents.

This story was originally published May 27, 2022 10:48 AM.

The Fork Union Military Academy Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce the four honorees in the Class of 2022 to be celebrated June 3-4 during this year's Sports Hall of Fame Weekend in Zions Crossroads, Virginia. This year's class includes 1991 graduate Braxton Davenport, 1990 graduate Tyronne Drakeford, 1967 graduate Micky Sullivan and 1982 graduate Mike Young.

FORK UNION, Va., May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Fork Union Military Academy Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce the four honorees in the Class of 2022 to be celebrated June 3-4 during this year's Sports Hall of Fame Weekend in Zions Crossroads, Virginia.

The Fork Union Sports Hall of Fame Weekend will begin with a golf tournament on Friday, June 3 at the Spring Creek Golf Club. Tee times begin at 1 p.m. The Sports Hall of Fame Brunch kicks off the Saturday, June 4 festivities at 10:30 a.m. in the Estes Dining Hall, followed by the Sports Hall of Fame Banquet at the Tavern on the Green at the Spring Creek Golf Club. A cocktail hour begins at 5 p.m., followed by the banquet dinner at 6:30 p.m.

This year's class includes 1991 graduate Braxton Davenport, 1990 graduate Tyronne Drakeford, 1967 graduate Micky Sullivan and 1982 graduate Mike Young.

Braxton Davenport | Class of 1991

Braxton Davenport came to Fork Union Military Academy from Charles Town, West Virginia as a seventh grader in 1986. By the time he graduated in 1991, Davenport had won numerous championships across Virginia and the United States, set dozens of individual meet and facility records in the pole vault, and as a leader paced FUMA to numerous team championships.

In the Eastman Kodak Invitational (Johnson City TN), Davenport became Virginia's first schoolboy to vault 16-feet, a height he later cleared or bettered a dozen times while at FUMA. His clearance 16' 1/2" at the Penn Relays set a record that lasted sixteen years. Winning the Golden South, he set a FUMA school record with a height of 16' 9 1/2", a record that stands to this day.

Other significant wins include the National Scholastic Indoor Championship (Syracuse), East Coast Invitational (Richmond), Volunteer Track Classic (Knoxville), Sunkist Invitational (Los Angeles), TC Williams Invitational (Alexandria), and the VISAA State Championship four times. As a senior, Davenport was Virginia's selection to the Gatorade Circle of Champions.

Davenport was the recipient of FUMA's Randle Award as the most outstanding undergraduate athlete, and the Captain's Medal as the team captain with the highest academic average.

After graduating from FUMA, Davenport took his talents to George Mason University, where he was twice Colonial Athletic Association Champion in the pole vault.

Tyronne Drakeford | Class of 1990

Tyronne Drakeford, Class of 1990, was a standout defensive back for coach John Shuman on the postgraduate football team.

After graduating from FUMA in 1990, Drakeford signed with the Virginia Tech Hokies and was a three-time All-BIG EAST selection, including twice being named to the first team in 1992 and 1993.

To this day, he ranks second at Tech in career interceptions with 16. Drakeford led the Hokies in interceptions for three consecutive seasons (1990-92).

As a junior in 1992, Drakeford had seven interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown. Those seven interceptions are tied for third on Tech's single-season list.

Drakeford was drafted in the second round (64th overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He played cornerback for the 49ers from 1994-97 and won Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. Drakeford had stops at New Orleans (1998-99) and Washington (2000) before returning to San Francisco to conclude his professional career in 2001.

From 2006-17, Drakeford was the Regional Athletic Director for the Greater Washington Boys and Girls Club. Upon completing his master's degree in athletic administration from Ohio University in 2019, he was named the athletics director and head football coach at his alma mater – North Central High School in Kershaw, South Carolina.

Drakeford earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Virginia Tech in 2005. He resides in Camden, S.C., with his wife, Cindi. The couple has three children: Julian, Justus and Jaycee.

Micky Sullivan came to Fork Union Military Academy as a cadet, graduating in 1967. After his postgraduate year with the Blue Devils, Sullivan received a scholarship from East Tennessee State University and played all four years for head coach John Robert Bell. The Huntington, W.Va., native graduated in 1971, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in History.

During his junior year, Sullivan helped his squad to one of the most historic seasons at ETSU. The Buccaneers posted an undefeated 10-0-1 record and earned a berth to the 1969 Grantland Rice Bowl where they defeated Louisiana Tech, 34-14.

In 1975, Sullivan returned to Fork Union Military Academy as a teacher and coach. Between 1975 and 1980, he served as an assistant postgraduate football coach, assistant prep basketball coach, assistant prep baseball coach, head prep wrestling coach and head junior prep basketball coach.

After a brief three-year stint in Huntington, W.Va., working at the Sullivan Distributing Company, Sullivan returned to Fork Union in 1983 as the head prep football coach doing what he loved every day. Nine times Sullivan was named the VISFA Coach of the Year and eight times his team won the VISAA State Championship. On the football field, he amassed a career record of 200-118-3, prior to stepping down as head football coach at the end of the 2012 season.

As Fork Union's Director of Athletics, a position he held since 1995, Sullivan helped grow an undergraduate program into a strong set of interscholastic teams. The Blue Devils produced state championships in track and field and swimming and diving, along with individual champions in wrestling and state playoff participation by both the basketball and baseball teams.

In addition to his accomplishments at Fork Union Military Academy, Sullivan helped found the Virginia Independent School Football Association, which has become part of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association.

In 2017, Sullivan was inducted into the inaugural class of the Virginia High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Coach Sullivan's accomplishments have been many, but when asked what he is most proud of, he said, "The most important thing that I did was - with the help of my wonderful wife Kathy - raise a great family of daughters who have turned out to be great women, wives, and mothers."

Sullivan married the former Katherine Neely in 1971. The couple has three daughters, Kate Melton, Emily Morris and Laura Owens, and have six grandchildren, Addison, Drew, Neely, Kellen, Brody and Hayes.

Mike Young is a 1982 graduate of Fork Union Military Academy and has established himself as one of the top men's basketball coaches at the collegiate level. Young arrived in Fork Union in 1981 to play for the legendary coach Fletcher Arritt, who is one of Young's mentors to this day.

After graduating from FUMA, Young went to play for coach Bob Johnson at Emory & Henry College. He was a four-year letterman and team captain his junior and senior seasons. He credits Johnson for having a major influence on his playing and coaching career. He graduated from Emory & Henry in 1986.

After short stints as an assistant coach at Emory & Henry, Radford University and Wofford University, Young was named head coach of the Terriers in 2002 where he catapulted his coaching career. In 17 seasons, Young compiled an overall record of 299-244 (.551) and earned Southern Conference Coach of the Year honors four times (2010, 2014, 2015 and 2019).

Under his guidance, the Terriers registered an impressive list of nonconference wins, including ones over the likes of Auburn, Cincinnati, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, NC State, Purdue, Seton Hall, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Xavier and Wake Forest. Arguably the most compelling nonconference victory of his tenure at Wofford came on Dec. 20, 2017, when the Terriers faced then-No. 5 North Carolina at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and registered a 79-75 victory over head coach Roy Williams and the Tar Heels.

The 2019 Sporting News Coach of the Year, Young built the Terriers into one of the Southern Conference's preeminent programs and a perennial NCAA Tournament participant. He guided Wofford to five NCAA Tournament berths over 10 seasons and five Southern Conference championships. In addition to the on-court success of his teams, 100 percent of Young's student-athletes at Wofford who completed their eligibility graduated.

In Young's final season at Wofford, the Terriers posted a 30-5 overall record in 2018-19, including a perfect 18-0 mark in Southern Conference play, and registered a convincing 84-68 win over Seton Hall in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

Following his outstanding Wofford career, Young was called home to the Roanoke Valley when he was named head coach at Virginia Tech in 2019. The Radford, Virginia native has made the NCAA Tournament in seven of the last 12 seasons, including being the fastest Virginia Tech coach to make The Dance. In his second season with the Hokies, Young led Tech to a 15-7 record, including 9-4 in the ACC to finish third overall and to be named ACC Coach of the Year. A year later, Young led the Hokies to their first-ever ACC Tournament Championship, as a No. 7 seed, beating top-seeded Duke, 82-67, in his third season in 2022.

In the summer of 2015, Young was inducted into the Emory & Henry College Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the Radford High School Hall of Fame.

Young and his wife, Margaret, were married on Aug. 13, 1994, and the couple has a daughter, Cooper, and a son, Davis.

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The visiting Bluffton Sardines outswam Ada-Lost Creek Gators in West Ohio Aquatic League dual meet action Thursday night, June 9.

The Sardines won the combined boys-girls team event with scores of 465-274 over the Gators. The Sardine boys won 235-153, while the Sardine girls won 230-121.

Bluffton's Kari Diller won five races in the 11-12 age bracket to lead the girls..

Bluffton's Camden Verb won four individual races in the 11-12 age bracket to pace the boys.

NOTE: SC indicates "short course" pool length.

Bluffton first-place finishers:

Girls 8 & Under 100 SC Meter Medley Relay Team Relay Seed Time Finals Time Points

1) Gwin, Grace A 8 2) Geiser, Kenlee G 8 3) Agner, Madelyn P 8 4) Kauffman, Evelyn R 8

Girls 9-10 200 SC Meter Medley Relay Team Relay Seed Time Finals Time Points

1) Wischmeyer, Autumn E 9 2) Ward, Naiyana R 10 3) Cocherham, Alysia D 10 4) Ulrey, Arden C 9

Boys 11-12 200 SC Meter Medley Relay Team Relay Seed Time Finals Time Points

1) Armstrong, Owen L 12 2) Essinger, Levin D 11 3) Verb, Camden R 11 4) Cockerham, Caleb G 12

Girls 13-14 200 SC Meter Medley Relay Team Relay Seed Time Finals Time Points

1) Downey, Jenna M 14 2) Schneck, Lyla A 13 3) Mohr, Makenna P 14 4) Geiser, Karden F 13

Girls 6 & Under 25 SC Meter Freestyle Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Girls 7-8 25 SC Meter Freestyle Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Boys 7-8 25 SC Meter Freestyle

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Boys 9-10 50 SC Meter Freestyle

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Girls 11-12 50 SC Meter Freestyle

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Boys 11-12 50 SC Meter Freestyle

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Girls 13-14 50 SC Meter Freestyle

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Boys 13-14 50 SC Meter Freestyle

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Boys 9-10 100 SC Meter IM

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Girls 11-12 100 SC Meter IM

Boys 11-12 100 SC Meter IM

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Girls 13-14 100 SC Meter IM

Boys 13-14 100 SC Meter IM

Girls 8 & Under 25 SC Meter Butterfly

Boys 8 & Under 25 SC Meter Butterfly

Name Age Team Seed Time Finals Time Points

Boys 9-10 50 SC Meter Butterfly

Boys 11-12 50 SC Meter Butterfly

Boys 13-14 50 SC Meter Butterfly

Boys 7-8 25 SC Meter Backstroke

Girls 11-12 50 SC Meter Backstroke

Boys 11-12 50 SC Meter Backstroke

Girls 13-14 50 SC Meter Backstroke

Boys 15-18 50 SC Meter Backstroke

Girls 8 & Under 50 SC Meter Freestyle

Boys 8 & Under 50 SC Meter Freestyle

Girls 9-10 100 SC Meter Freestyle

Girls 11-12 100 SC Meter Freestyle

Boys 11-12 100 SC Meter Freestyle

Girls 13-14 100 SC Meter Freestyle

Boys 13-14 100 SC Meter Freestyle

Boys 15-18 100 SC Meter Freestyle

Girls 9-10 50 SC Meter Breaststroke

Girls 11-12 50 SC Meter Breaststroke

Boys 11-12 50 SC Meter Breaststroke

Girls 13-14 50 SC Meter Breaststroke

Boys 13-14 50 SC Meter Breaststroke

Girls 15-18 50 SC Meter Breaststroke

Girls 8 & Under 100 SC Meter Freestyle Relay

Boys 8 & Under 100 SC Meter Freestyle Relay

Boys 9-10 200 SC Meter Freestyle Relay

Boys 11-12 200 SC Meter Freestyle Relay

Girls 13-14 200 SC Meter Freestyle Relay

Boys 15-18 200 SC Meter Freestyle Relay

Team Relay Seed Time Finals Time Points

Camden Tennis Center is in preparation mode as the event kicks off Thursday

CAMDEN, S.C. — Camden is getting ready to welcome hundreds visitors and it's first pickleball tournament this week.

What is pickleball, you ask? It's a paddleball sport that combines elements of badminton, table tennis, and tennis.

The Tennis Center of Camden will host the 2022 South Carolina Cup, a pickleball tournament sanctioned by the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP), which selected Camden as the host city.

Hundreds of fans are expected to be in attendance at the APP South Carolina Open Pickleball Tournament Thursday, April 14 - Sunday, April 17 in Camden.

Rick Martin, Director of Tennis and Pickleball at the Tennis Center of Camden, says they have been preparing for the tournament for quite some time.

"We've been working for weeks now, you know, just beautifying the facility, getting the facility ready we've painted courts," Martin said.

There will be seventeen pickleball courts ready for play.

"We're gonna be lining courts, taping things off, we have portable nets coming in," Martin said.

His crews are also making sure the parking lot will be prepared for the abundance of people coming to the event.

"The parking lot is going to be very very full this weekend," Martin said. "We're also going to be using the Camden High School parking, as well. We have 415 players playing this weekend, and we're expecting 400-500 people daily."

Martin says they are expecting the number of volunteers to grow over the coming days, but they still need assistance.

"We really need to have 150 volunteers, and presently we have about 100, maybe just a little over a hundred, so we're really looking for some volunteers this weekend," Martin said. Volunteers will be doing anything from court monitoring to just helping people find their way around the facility.

Play starts Thursday at 8 a.m. and will run until 5 p.m. daily, ending on Sunday.

To volunteer or get more information, contact the Tennis Center of Camden at (803) 432-0252 or tennispickleball@camdensc.org.

You’ve already heard the news. Our SNJ Trainer won Best World War II Trainer at the Sun N Fun Fly-In.

My friend Brad Gibbs and I met in college over 50 years ago. We became fast friends because of our love of aviation. Back in 1988 we bought an airplane project. We got a North American SNJ trainer. Then we spent the next 22 years trying to get it flying.

A project that takes 22 years has lots of starts and stops. One of our first set backs was hurricane Hugo in 1989. I had the wings at my house. The storm flew the wings over to my brother’s house and wrapped them around a tree. Those wings spent three years in the sheet metal shop being rebuilt. A year later we drove a truck to Maryland to get a new center section for the plane. The new center section only took a year of rebuilding.

During this time we got new welding done on the steel fuselage. It wasn’t long before we were buying a brand new engine. During this time the plane was displayed at a museum. Volunteers did work on the plane. Sometime in the early 2000s we went down to Florida and got a new propeller.

Finally, in 2007 we had just about all the parts collected and we were ready for the final assembly on the plane. We got together with John Koenig and Frank Schumpert at the Camden airport and arranged for the plane to be delivered to Camden.

Well, what we thought would take a year of work ended up taking three more years. We overhauled a carburetor, did some work on the propeller, painted the entire plane and finally the actual assembly was completed.

Now was the time for the all important test flight. We picked the end of December of 2010. We both climbed in the plane and launched off on our flight of fantasy that had 22 years to come to fruition. For the airplane it had been 53 years since it had last flown.

We had originally planned to take the airplane to some fly-ins and maybe win a prize for our restoration work.

Twelve years flew by before we could get the plane to a big fly-in. Brad took the plane to the Sun N Fun Fly-in in Lakeland Florida. The plane was judged Best World War II Trainer.

Winning a national award is quite an accomplishment. We are so excited that we plan to take the plane to Oshkosh Fly-in and see if we can get two awards in a row.

After 34 year of ownership it is a nice feeling to have won an award for all this hard work and expense. The best part of this adventure has been our long friendship and being able to fly the iconic trainer of World War II.

This project continues to create fun and excitement. It is always fun to fly and enjoy trips through clouds and meet with like-minded aficionados and meet new friends and pass along the love of aviation.