Cleve Dowell/Clarendon Citizen
Weekend events benefit area causes
Clarendon County residents looking for something to do this weekend did not have to look far and it was all for a good cause.
Friday night kicked off the fun with Clarendon Memorial Hospital’s Relay for Life team and “Clarendon’s Got Heart,” talent extravaganza.
Dancers from Carolina Dance Academy and vocal talents by the dozens entertained the audience while they munched on delicious heavy hors d’oeuvres and sipped on beverages, adult and otherwise.
However, no matter how outstanding the talent portion of the program was, nothing could top the “Womanless Beauty Pageant.”
Six of the organizations bravest (and most secure) male employees submitted themselves for full makeup, hair, hose and heels and competed against one another for the unique title od “Miss CMH.”
The contestants included: Wayne Ward, EMT from Cypress Transport; Jonathan Hayes, RN, from the medical/surgical floor; Jim Taylor, IT Tech; Travis Pruden, director of wellness; Matt Stuffelbean, from the business office; and Joel Chauvot, nurse anesthetist in the operating room.
Votes were garnered by the amount of money collected by each contestant.
Named as the winner was Jimmy Taylor, in the persona of “Jamie Elizabeth Taylor.” Taylor’s “talent” performance was a stirring rendition of Shania Twain’s, “I Feel like a Woman.”
A raffle of a Fender Stratocaster guitar, autographed by country music legend, Vince Gill, was won by hospital CEO Ed Frye.
According to team captain Johnnie Gilley, the event raised over $5,000 for the Relay for Life event coming up this Friday night.
“CMH is always a strong team at Relay,” Gilley said. “There is not one employee here who has not been touched by cancer in some way.”
The fun just kept on coming Saturday night, with a fundraiser at Weldon Auditorium, celebrating much of Manning’s nostalgia with a “Back to the Future” party held inside the currently empty auditorium.
“The seats are out being refurbished,” said Weldon Events Administrator Sandi Tucker. “This was probably our last opportunity to allow the public inside the auditorium until it is complete.”
The party featured food reminiscent of the Rebel and Pate’s restaurants, popular hangouts for youth of the 50s and 60s. There was also food in the style of Doc’s sandwich shop and pies galore celebrating that most famous food from the beloved Central Coffee Shop. Metropol family members Helen Katsos and her daughter Angela Kiehling were in attendance to visit with old friends as they enjoyed 18 different pies.
Tucker said she believed there were about 400 guests in attendance and they Get Weldon Going committee raised about $4,000.
Pat Goodwin of Turbeville and Bea Rivers of Summerton were crowed king and queen of Weldon. Mary Taylor was named “Almost Queen of Weldon.” They were all selected based on votes cast with dollar bills.
Bruce and Eleanor Bresky of Manning, won a raffle for a theater seat to be named in their honor.
“This effort would not have been possible without the army of volunteers who cooked, cleaned, baked pies and served at the various food stations,” Tucker said.
Weldon will have its first performance on Dec. 14 when the Columbia City Ballet Company will bring “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” for a matinee performance for school children and then will perform “The Nutcracker” later that same evening.
