2008 Sparkleberry Country Fair Scholarship Recipients

March 15, 2008

RIDGE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL Alyssa L. Richardson Doreen Nguyen (First Citizens Bank) Stanley B, Marshall Sarah E. Barcus Abigial M. Bauchat (USMC) Ira A. Davis Jessica J. Godwin Brennen C. Jenkins Jonathan T. Perry BLYTHEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL Andy Moore Mary M. McLeod Megan Rudnik Kristina Dukes Lacey Paschal Tracy Cobb (USMC) Kevin Correll Keith (Kiwanis) RICHLAND NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL Christen Rebekah Scott SPRING VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL Meredith Gill Brittany Hall Sean Hastings Dominique Jordan ALTERNATES: Douglas Bass (Blythewood HS) Catherine McKenna Brandonn (RNE) Shemia M. Hunter (RVHS) Maxine Coleman (SVHS)

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13TH ANNUAL FAIR IN PLANNING STAGES

December 15, 2007

An enthusiastic team of volunteers met last Monday night to discuss plans for the 13th annual Sparkleberry Country Fair. A date of Saturday, April 26th has been set for the upcoming festival and although it may seem to be a long way off, the seasoned group has already started the necessary organizational work. Today's Sparkleberry Country Fair grew out of the former Scrub Oak Festival of the early '80s. As chairman John Monroe said, "There was a time when everyone knew each other in the Northeast." The Scrub Oak Festival ended in 1986 due to the fact that it didn't have a permanent site. In the early '90s an agreement for a fair site was reached with the Clemson Sandhill Research and Development Center and the Sparkleberry Country Fair was born. Since its inception, the mission of the fair has been twofold: to showcase and foster a sense of community in the growing Northeast area and to raise money to help area students in the form of scholarships and grants. This years fair promises to be a very special one with the exciting addition of an expansive antique tractor and engine show featuring over 100 machines. Throughout the day, fairgoers will be treated to old-timey delights such as hay rides, plowing demonstrations and other touches of yesteryear. Circle the date of April 26th on your calendar because the 13th annual Sparkleberry Country Fair will offer more family entertainment than ever before.

12TH ANNUAL FAIR A HUGE SUCCESS

May 2, 2007

The 12th annual Sparkleberry Fair was a huge success with an estimated 25,000 people in attendance, an increase of several thousand over previous years record-breaking numbers. Officers of Richland County Sheriff's Department were on hand to direct traffic and did their best to handle the congestion, which streamed into the fairgrounds along adjacent roadways throughout the day. The blue skies and pleasant temperatures presented an idyllic setting for the fair. "It just couldn't get much better," said Sparkleberry Fair committee chairman John Monroe. "The people were walking around smiling and happy." The 20 member all volunteer committee worked hard for months to put on the fair. Each person had his specific area of expertise, and when joined together as a whole, a successful fair is born. Diana Arvay is a go-getter in charge of fundraising, Jean Beily is the public relations coordinator, David Borden handles finances, Sharon Buddin works with children's games and parking. Kathy Chappell organizes volunteers from Richland District 2. The faithful minutes-taker at every meeting is Sheila Clark, while John Hopkins arranges the military exhibit and parachuters, and Ike Eisenhower keeps the group smiling. Beverly Kirkland and Deborah Koon are on the parking team as well as other details. Jay Martin and Bill McCracken arrange the tastiest food vendors in the area and set up the fairgrounds. Don Miller and Bob Tunell work hard to round up sponsors and other fundraising for the fair, while Bill Oden from the SC Guard keeps the military operations on track. L.W. Smith arranges for the rides, and takes on the monumental tasks of mapping out the fairgrounds and working out the traffic flow. Fran Smith artfully organizes the crafts vendors while at the same time, Gwen Smyth coordinates all three entertainment stages and makes sure everything is flowing smoothly on the day of the fair. Howard VanDijk rounds up the animals for the petting zoo and corrals the horses of the civil war re-enactors. Yvette Wider is always on the look-out for more community volunteers and chairman John Monroe keeps the ball rolling with his innovative country-style ideas for next years fair, which has already been set for April 26, 2008!

PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR 12TH ANNUAL FAIR

March 19, 2007

The meeting was called to order by chairman John Monroe with 12 volunteers and 2 guests in attendance this evening. After exchanging a few good natured laughs the group got down to the serious business of planning the fast approaching 12th annual fair. First to take the floor was David Borden who confirmed that he has sent the group's business license application to the county. Preparations are well underway. It was reported that at the present time, there are 16 confirmed food booths signed up for the fair and a total of 4 "maybes". The new Arts and Crafts chairperson Fran Smith reported 20 confirmed displays in her area and 2 additional which are committed yet unpaid. Bob Tunell has been working diligently on drumming up sponsors for the fair and has a good number of solid commitments and is actively seeking more. There will be 11 major sponsor tents this year. Tunell and Monroe met with WIS-TV and have been negotiating with them regarding the prices of ad spots to publicize the fair. A motion was made and the committee agreed to accept the lowest figure. It is a top priority of the members to spend their funds wisely in order to generate the most funds for scholarships. Betsy Breckenridge has offered to do the voice-overs for the spots free of charge. John Hopkins introduced guest Donna Doyle of the Celebrate Freedom Foundation to the other members. She has been instrumental in getting a Cobra helicopter committed to appear at this year's fair if the transportation issues are worked out. There is a concern about getting the helicopter safely hauled across the railroad tracks. The Cobra will be a learning experience in which fair-goers will be able to sit. It is hoped that Claude Lott who was the actual pilot of this particular Cobra in Viet Nam will be able to attend the fair. Hopkins also reported that the FAA had given approval for the Green Beret jump which was great news, given the popularity of this event. A motion was made and approved to rent the rock climbing wall again at a cost of $795. Volunteers are being sought to help with harnessing participants while the rock is operating. Petty Officer Garcia announced that his district will operate a football toss and a Plinko toss. Public relations volunteer Jean Beily reported that an article on the fair will be in the April issue of Reach Out Columbia. In addition, radio station KOOL 102.7 will give spots on the air and on their bulletin board. Entertainment chairman Gwen Smythe handed out a preliminary schedule of the 35 entertainment groups she has arranged to perform at this year's 3 stages. As part of the "Get to Know You Neighbors" theme, many community leaders will be recognized and introduced this year on stage at the noon ceremony. The group will meet every week from now until the fair on Saturday, April 28th.

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE UPDATE

March 10, 2007

There were 15 volunteers present at the March 5th organizational meeting for the upcoming 12th Sparkleberry Country Fair. The meeting was called to order by chairman John Monroe and the minutes were approved as written. Preparations are well under way and members of the committee reported on their progress since the last gathering which was held 2 weeks prior. John Monroe reported that be and Bob Tunell had met with representatives of TV channel WIS and a format for television spots to promote the fair are being prepared. Howard VanDijk said that the 4-H horses are committed and all other projects under his supervision are proceeding as planned. Volunteer L.W. Smith has been in touch with a local Boy Scout troop and has received commitments from 2 of the 4 ROTC units to help out on the day of the fair. The applications for food vendors are being accepted and coordinated by Bill McCracken who has 11 spots confirmed and 6 additional expressing interest in selling at the fair. The popular Moon Walk jumping tent is tentatively scheduled to be available in the children's area. Major John Hopkins is completing plans for the paratrooper jumpers, who will again perform after the noon time ceremony. Last year, the spectacular jump with a giant American flag was seen for miles around the fairgrounds. The Holiday Inn has donated one free room to accommodate part of the jump team according to committee member Diana Arvay. She has also made arrangements with Wild Wings Cafe to contribute a portion of their sales during a special event held on April 11th. The restaurant will donate 15% of their sales during that evening from 4-9pm. Jean Beily is working hard to get the word out to publicize the upcoming festivities and inform the community of the various possibilities to become involved with this worthy cause. There has been an article in a recent issue of The State's Neighbors section and another will run in the April issue of Reach Out Columbia. In an effort to continually improve the fair, Yvette Wider has devised a vendor questionnaire to receive input from this year's participants. Jay Martin is hoping to receive many applications from area churches and civic groups who decide to take advantage of a free spot offered by this year's Get to Know Your Neighbor campaign. He continues to contact local businesses and individuals for possible donations towards the scholarship patrons program. Deborah Koon has been informed that Clemson will put up new gates which will aid and improve upon last year's traffic flow issues. Other old-time country events and exhibits are still being sought from the community. Fran Smith has 14 confirmed arts and crafts booths already signed up and Gwen Smythe is busy working with 26 groups to provide a wide variety of entertainment on this year's 3 stages. Volunteers and donations from the community towards this worthwhile cause are still needed and are sincerely appreciated by the students of Richland District 2 schools.

OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED

March 1, 2007

The Sparkleberry Country Fair will be here before long and there are still many great opportunities to become involved in this worthwhile and exciting event. The fair will be held on Saturday, April 28th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the spacious grounds of the Clemson Research Center off Clemson Road in NE Columbia. THERE ARE MANY WAYS YOU CAN BE INVOLVED: 1-Introduce your organization! In conjunction with this year's theme of "Get to know your neighbors", the fair is taking applications for free exhibit spaces by community service clubs, churches, home owners associations and other non-profit groups. These spaces are limited and on a first-come, first served basis. To find out the eligibility details and take advantage of this great one-time offer, contact Jay Martin at 788-7475. 2-Become a Fair Sponsor! Individuals or businesses who would like to help make the fair possible can become sponsors. Please contact Bob Tunell at 788-7940 for more information on fair sponsorship benefits and registration. 3-Become a Scholarship Patron! This year there are 2 levels of sponsorships available to allow a wider range of residents to participate in supporting our local children. Contributions of $250 or more toward student scholarships will be recognized in our fair programs and other media. If you would like to donate towards a students future please call Jay Martin at 788-7475. 4-Sell your crafts! What a great opportunity to show off your creative talents and make some spending money at the same time. Exhibit spaces are available on a limited basis for local artists and crafters who make and sell their own home-made wares. Meet your neighbors and have a great time at the fair!The price for a 10'x10' space that will be exposed to over 15,000 people is only $40. Bring your own canopy and display. Please contact Fran Smith at 699-7316 for more information. 5-Sing and dance! Can you wow the crowds with your voice or pick a mean banjo? Get yourself or your talented mom, goat, cow, great-uncle, mom, grandmother or group out in the public eye to perform their stuff on one of our two entertainment stages. Dance studios, choirs, bands, performing arts groups, solo musicians, etc. are all welcome. Please call Gwen Smythe for an application at 788-8010. 6-Volunteer! We always need volunteers. There is so much to do and so little time! If you have a spare hand to lend to a worthy cause please don't hesitate to call chairman John Monroe at 788-2010. You'll be glad you did and our community and our kids will thank you.

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE HARD AT WORK

February 28, 2007

As they have for the past 11 years, the folks on the Sparkleberry Country Fair team are already hard at work, organizing another fantastic family event for this spring. The 12th annual Sparkleberry Country Fair will be held on the grounds of Clemson Research and Development Center on Saturday, April 28th from 9am to 5pm. This year's theme will be "Get to Know Your Neighbor" and for the first time, non-profit organizations such as churches and civic groups are eligible for a free spot at the fair. The fair is just around the corner and applications are being accepted for crafts, exhibitors, vendors and talent. In addition, the committee is pleased to announce that a total of twenty $1000 college scholarships will be awarded to selected Richland School District Two high school seniors this year. Applications can already be picked up at guidance offices throughout the district. Please be aware that the deadline for application is Monday, March 19, 2007. Eligible high school students must be planning to attend a South Carolina college or university this year. Each of the four district high schools will be guaranteed three scholarships for a total of twelve awards. The other eight will be designated as "at large" awards for students from any of the high schools. Four of these "at large" scholarships will be awarded by the fair committee. In addition, the Marine Corps Coordinating Council of South Carolina in partnership with the fair will award two scholarships. These scholarships are designated for one student planning to attend Clemson University and the other for a student planning to attend the University of South Carolina. The Kiwanis Club Northeast will sponsor one scholarship and an additional scholarship will be sponsored by First Citizens Bank. The winners of these scholarships will be selected by members of the Sparkleberry Country Fair Committee based on information supplied by each students application. Funds for these scholarships has been raised through the Sparkleberry Country Fair, donations from the Marine Corps, the Northeast Kiwanis Club and First Citizens Bank. The all-volunteer fair committee is meeting on a bi-monthly schedule to prepare for the upcoming fair. Seventeen members were present at the last meeting, with John Monroe presiding as chairman. Honored at the meeting was Janice Love, who has recently resigned as head of the Arts and Crafts Committee after 11 years of service. Chairman Monroe presented Ms. Love with a plaque in appreciation. "Thank you for all your help. It's the least we could do after all those years of dedication," said John. Apparently her retirement was short-lived, as a chorus of committee members said in unison, "We'll see you at the fair!"

FAIR PLANS IN FULL SWING

February 7, 2007

The last meeting of the Sparkleberry Country Fair Committee was held on the chilly evening of Monday, February 5th. A total of 17 members were present and ready to report on the fruits of their labors to an always congenial chairman, John Monroe. As Monroe called the meeting to order, he was happy to announce that Don Purcell had recently joined the group. As the first order of business, chairman Monroe recognized Janice Love for her 11 years of outstanding volunteer service to the Sparkleberry Country Fair. Ms. Love received a plaque and the admiration of her peers. She has stepped down from her long-time position as Art and Crafts director and another volunteer, Fran Smith, has taken over her duties. Ms. Love has been with the fair since its inception and her work has been greatly appreciated by her fellow committee members and the NE community. Monroe went on to report that an informative letter has gone out to all the high school guidance counselors on January 26th, spelling out the details of this year's fair scholarship program. As of the present time, a total of 20 individual college scholarships in the amount of $1000 each will be awarded by the Sparkleberry Country Fair committee. Applications are available at high school guidance counselor's offices in Richland District 2 and the deadline for submission by interested high school senior students is Monday, March 19th, 2007. Howard VanDyke, otherwise known as "The Animal Man" from Clemson Research and Development Center, reported that the organization that graciously offered the free pony rides at past fairs, is no longer available this year. It was reported that last year, the ponies had become exhausted by frequent riders and that the free rides had placed an extraordinary burden on the animals. VanDyke has researched all other local possibilities to obtain ponies in an effort to continue this popular tradition at the most reasonable price available. The committee discussed suggested alternatives and voted to take advantage of another pony concession that will be able to offer the rides at the low cost of $2 a child. New this year is the addition of Patron Scholarship Program, which offers both business owners and individuals to make tax deductible donations toward student scholarships. Donors will receive recognition by having their names displayed on fair programs and other fair advertising. The Sparkleberry Country Fair committee is asking for community support in order to help reach its goals of helping our students and bringing a sense of togetherness to the fast growing NE area. Come out to the fair on April 28th and meet your neighbors!

SPARKLEBERRY FAIR IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THESE VOLUNTEERS

April 25, 2006

According to Sparkleberry Country Fair Board Chairman John Monroe, the fair was created with two goals-to foster a sense of community in the northeast and to help the students in Richland School District 2. Over its eleven years of existence, the fair will have taken in over $250,000 for this worthy cause. Net proceeds from the fair are always returned to the schools and students in the form of scholarships and grants. A hard working team of 20 volunteers from the community have been meeting and planning for months in preparation for this year's festivities. Volunteer Jean Beily is a retired school teacher. She began her educational career teaching English and Science in the Pennsylvania school system and later decided to specialize in remedial education. Jean became involved in the Sparkleberry Fair after being asked by her neighbor, Bill McCracken. "Bill asked if I would consider doing publicity for the fair," said Jean. After attending her first meeting 3 years ago, Jean found that the volunteers were so friendly that it drew her in. Jean and her husband Joe have lived in Columbia since their retirement. "We decided to retire south," she said. "I had a wonderful career lasting 35 years and I love to give back and to be involved," said Jean. Like many of the volunteers, recording secretary Sheila Clark joined the committee about 5 years ago at the urging of her friend, Janice Love, who was already involved. Sheila and Janice had worked together at Spring Valley High School 20 years ago and have remained friends over the years. In addition to her secretarial work during committee meetings, Sheila will arrive early on the morning of the fair to assist in the arts and crafts area. "We make sure that all the crafters find their spots and that they are happy with them," she said. Later in the day, Sheila will be at the microphone on stage announcing some of the entertainment acts. The scholarship committee was one of the group's most important responsibilities. The five member team included Sheila Clark, Dr. Mac Horton, Kathy Chappell, John Hopkins and Gwen Smythe who carefully reviewed the student's applications and read all of the scholarship essays. It was the groups responsibility to make the decisions as to which students would receive the college scholarships. A total of 13 awards will be given out: ten-$1000 scholarships from the Sparkleberry Fair fund, two-$1000 scholarships from the Marine's and one-$1000 scholarship from the Kiwanis Club. "As each member read the applications, the results were very consistent among us as to who should be the recipients of the scholarships," said Sheila. "Working with the Sparkleberry Fair makes me feel closer to our community," she said.