Hello Everyone, Gottrocks brought in the birthdays as well as the cooler weather. We are loving this. Birthdays first then onto local news and events.

Happy Birthday Wishes to Dianne King, Lee Bradley, Amelia Shields, Isabella “Izzie” Gilliam, Ida Grace Shields, Kinsley Marie Hood, Beverly Senn, Katie Moss, and Phillip Wicker.

Anniversary Celebrated

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Sinclair Jr. The couple, Lynn and Melvin, both former Whitmire residents, recently celebrated 42 years of marriage. Melvin posted on Facebook beautiful photos with family members from their 1970 wedding, held at First Baptist Church in Whitmire.

Upcoming News Events

The Whitmire Jaycees will host their fundraiser golf tournament, “The 1st Annual Golf In The Pines Tournament,” July 28 at 9 a.m. tee time. Sponsorships are still available, donations are always welcome. The entry fee is $30. The fee covers the green fees and t-shirts. The Whitmire Golf Association is co-hosting the tournament. Concessions will be hosted by the Jaycees.

Individuals, and businesses contact the Whitmire Jaycees on their Facebook page, call Christianna Gilliam at 803-694-9251, E-mail for info: whitmirejaycees@yahoo.com or Cassie J. Fowler at 803-694-2292. The tourney also has a Facebook page, leave comment or questions there. The proceeds will benefit local community activities is and Camp Hope.

Laurens Idol

Has anyone heard anything else about Laurens Idol? I saw a Whitmire resident — Derrick English was participating. The page web address is: www.golaurens.com I checked this site, but didn’t find any further information. It’s a very informative site, and with a variety of information. Saw a lot of Whitmire folks on the Like Our Page section.

Whitmire Public Swimming Pool

Had to digress here for a moment. Lets go back to the Whitmire Public Swimming Pool.

Those of us over 50 remember this slice of local summer paradise. It was across from the Whitmire Golf Course and Wolverine Stadium. The address is now “Golf Alley.” The pool concessions and bathhouse building sat up on the hill, now known as the American Legion Hut. The canteen, or bathhouse, was also referred to as the Jaycee Hut. Back then the Sixties and Seventies chapters of the Whitmire Jaycees managed the concessions, and memberships to the pool. From the Hut to the gated pool area was a downhill cement walkway with steps. I had an ice cold Sprite in a waxed “Co-Cola” cup and a bag of plain Fritos in my hands. A 12-ounce real glass green bottle Sprite to my cup, by I believe it was Mr. Jack McCarley. Occasionally an older adult filled in for a Jaycee in the concessions.

The walk to the pool was a act of balance, with snacks in both hands, towels over my shoulder, then we all had to step into the feet wash before entering the gate. Two pools, the adult and teen pool, the shallow pool or The “Baby Pool” as it was called, was next to the dance pad, which was in the upper corner of the fenced area. The mini-jukebox and mounted speaker blasted all the Top Forty radio hits from WORD-AM in Spartanburg when the jukebox wasn’t jumping. If you didn’t want to dance, spread your towel and Coppertone lotion on the cement and sunbathe.

This is where Jaycees, golfcarts, and concessions all come into play for my memory. Our Dad was generous to allow us to drive his three wheeled golf cart to the pool. He probably thought he was saving on gas in the real car. Back then, around 1969-70, I remember gas being 22-28 cents per gallon. Gas Wars, anyone remember? Another Digression.

Okay, back to safe life in a small town. Mom drove the cart pretty fast down the Union Street sidewalk, a sharp turn left onto Golf Alley. As soon as the turn was made, we saw the water splash of some kid who cannonballed off on the high diving board, a teenaged life guard, usually a Jaycee, junior or senior from WHS. The sight of muscle cars parked along the grass next to the pool. The smell of chlorine, the music, anything from Tyrone Davis to Tommy James and The Shondells, blasted from the horn speaker mounted in the corner at the dance pad. This memory was part of the memories shared at a recent Whitmire Jaycees’ meeting in refernce to where the parking area for golf course is located. Of course, the younger members would have to see the old black and white photographs of the pool area to have an idea of the location. The Hut is still there, used by The American Legion. The pool area is now part of the parking lots for golfers.

“Okay, enough travel down memory lane!” said Garabund The Deadline Fairy. In closing, I remind you , we depend on you for news! Send your news bits, photos, civic and church group activities to : news2cassie@yahoo.com