Carolina Backcountry Christmas to be held Saturday

Posted

The Sumter Police Department's Cram-A-Cruiser Toy Drive will accept donations of new, unwrapped toys from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Walmart, 1283 Broad St., on the following Saturdays: Dec. 8 and Dec. 15. Call (803) 436-2700 for more information.

Clarendon School District One will conduct free vision, hearing, speech and developmental screenings as part of a child find effort to identify students ages 3-5, who may need special education services and are not enrolled in a public school. Screenings will be conducted from 9 a.m. to noon at the Summerton Early Childhood Center, 8 South St., Summerton, on the following Tuesdays: Dec. 11; Jan. 8, 2019; Feb. 12, 2019; March 12, 2019; April 9, 2019; and May 14, 2019. Call Robert Collar at (803) 574-2117.

The Town of Mayesville will hold its annual Christmas parade on Saturday, Dec. 8. Line-up will begin at 10 a.m. with the parade beginning at 11 a.m. Call Nancy Williams at (803) 453-5037 or Jeanie Jefferson at (803) 495-8181 for information.

Christmas at Patriot Hall, featuring shopping, music, food, fun and pictures with Santa, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, 135 Haynsworth St.

Connect: Special Needs Support Group will offer Christmas pictures with Santa and Christmas cookie decorating 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, at Bible Fellowship Church, 227 Broad St. If visiting Santa is difficult for your special needs family, this is the perfect opportunity because our Santa is a special needs professional who will be patient and loving with your little one. Pictures are complimentary. Leave your email address or Facebook information and you will receive a free digital copy of your photo. Stick around after the photos and decorate a cookie to take home. If you would like to donate sugar cookies or cookie decorating materials, contact Autumn Parnell at (803) 316-4627 or adparnell@yahoo.com.

The Sumter County Museum's annual Carolina Backcountry Christmas will be held 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 122 N. Washington St. Experience Christmas in the year 1800 as costumed interpreters demonstrate blacksmithing, spinning and weaving, and other traditional skills of the early 19th century. This free event will feature chestnuts roasting over an open fire and cider and cookies in the log cabin.

Sumter Civic Chorale's Fireside Christmas concert will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. Cookies and cider will be served after the concert.

The Lee County Branch of the NAACP will meet at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, at the Dennis Community Center, 410 W. Cedar Lane, Bishopville. Lee County Council Chairman R. Travis Windham will speak. The public is encouraged to come out and learn from our councilman about the changes, progress and programs in the making for our community.

Jingle with the Arts, presented by Sumter Civic Dance Company and the Sumter High School Show Choir, will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14, and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. Tickets available at the Patriot Hall box office or online at www.freedschool.com.

The Evening Optimist Club will host Breakfast with Santa from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Sonic Drive-In, 2022 McCrays Mill Road. Regular breakfast items will be available for purchase with a special pancake breakfast also available. Be sure to bring your camera. Pictures with Santa are free, but donations to the Optimist International Foundation are welcomed.

The Voorhees College Alumni Chapter (Sumter) will meet at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Sumter County Library. Contact Joan Coaxum at jcoaxum@hotmail.com with any questions.

The South Carolina Education Association (Sumter) will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 19, at Willie Sue's. Call Brenda at (803) 469-6588 for information.