EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to the threat of COVID-19, some of the following events may be unexpectedly canceled or rescheduled.
Volunteer Tax Assistance (VITA) is looking for volunteers prepare free taxes for the public. Training materials and some courses will take place in January 2022. If you are interested, contact Jo-Ann at 803-446-6251.
The Paxville Community Development Corp. offers an after-school development program to young people for Kindergarten to Grade 8 students from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm until June 2, 2022. Programs operate according to the Clarendon School District 2 schedule. For more information call (803) 452-5124 or email paxvillecdc99@gmail.com.
The Institute for Single Parents meets 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Birnie HOPE Center. Meetings are open to adolescent single parents, single parents with or without custody. You can bring your children because the Single Parent Institute is for the whole family. Contact Dr. L. Quaneck Walkes at (803) 223-9408 or lqwalkes@sctechthisout.com.
Santee-Wateree Regional Transport Authority (SWRTA) offers free trips to COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites. Contact SWRTA 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday at (803) 934-0396.
The Sumter Newcomers’ Club is not just for new residents. Get to know your city while making new, lifelong friends. We run monthly cafes with guest speakers where you can get to know us. Play canasta, hand and foot, triple play, bunko, phase 10 and / or many other games. The club also has a book club that you might be interested in. Join us for lunch at a local restaurant once a month. For more information, call Shelly Brown at (803) 481-0110.
General George L. Mabry Jr. Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 817 meets at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Combat Veteran Building, 529 N. Wise Drive, Sumter, SC 29153. Meetings are held to foster an environment of goodwill and camaraderie among wounded veterans as well as to promote patriotism, help find information and resources, and provide services to all veterans and their families. For more information, visit purpleheart817sumtersc.com or call (803) 983-3770.
GOP “republican” meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Second Mill Restaurant (the Quality Inn Restaurant), 2390 Broad St., across from Golden Corral. Meetings are open to anyone aged 16 or over. For more information and questions, call (803) 972-4555.
Marine Corps League Detachment 1202 meets at 6 pm on the third Monday of each month at VFW, 1925 Gion St. All current and former Marines are welcome. Call (803) 972-4555.
American Legion Post 15 meets at 6:30 pm on the first Monday of each month (except September when they meet on the second Monday) at 34 S. Artillery Drive. All veterans, past and present, are welcome. Call (803) 968-5115.
Civil Air Patrol Sumter Composite Squadron meets from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Tuesday at 2945 Airport Road. There are cadet programs, aerospace education programs, and emergency services programs. Call Lieutenant-Colonel George Stanley at (803) 847-7640. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com for more information.
The auxiliary of the American Coast Guard, flotilla 12-1 meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the Summerton Fire Hall, North Cantey Street, Summerton. Membership is open to any U.S. citizen 17 years of age or older. Previous Coast Guard service is not required. The main objective of the auxiliary is to promote safe boating on Lakes Marion and Moultrie by offering safe boating courses, courtesy boat checks for required safety equipment and lake patrols offering help anyone in need. The auxiliary is also ready to assist the USCG in its mission as well as in search and rescue. We encourage anyone interested in participating in our mission to attend a meeting and learn more about the Auxiliary.
The Sinai Temple Jewish History Center is looking for docents. Docents must be 18 years of age or older and be willing to undergo teacher training before starting. This is a volunteer position and you will be required to commit a few hours per week (Thursday or Friday afternoon or Saturday morning) for a minimum of three months. The museum will work with students who wish to earn class credits through their college. The Center covers the Jewish history of South Carolina and Sumter, the Holocaust, and Sumter’s connection to the Holocaust. Docents should be friendly and comfortable with children and adults. Contact Diana Roof at (803) 468-8630 or temple@sumtercountymuseum.org or Annie Rivers at (803) 775-0908 or arivers@sumtercountymuseum.org.
VFW Marion Lake Extension 11078, Summerton, meets the third Tuesday of each month at 1 Duke Street, Summerton, behind First Citizens Bank. Dinner starts at 6.30 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7 p.m. All VFW members are encouraged to attend. Call Carl A. Farley at (803) 460-8910.
Bishopville / Manning / Shaw Air Force Base Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Inc. meets at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month at the South Sumter Combat Veterans Group Headquarters, 529 N. Wise Drive. Call James Munford at (803) 795-2903 or Kenneth Benjamin at (803) 773-8514.
Connected Warriors Inc. Delivers Evidence-Based, Trauma-Awareness Therapeutic Yoga for Service Members, Veterans and Their Families no charge for attendees at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Shaw Air Force Base for those with base access and 5 p.m. Friday at Southern Bliss Yoga, 600 Bultman Drive, Number 4. Call Melissa at (803) 468- 1658, email southblissyoga@yahoo.com or visit www.connectedwarriors.org for details.
Sumter’s Purple Heart Chapter Sponsors Project that all Purple Heart Medal recipients be inducted into the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New York. An application for registration must be completed by the medal recipient or next of kin if the veteran is deceased. Proof of medal award is required and, if possible, a photograph of the recipient. Call Willie Washington at (720) 203-2112 for more details and assistance.
Make-A-Wish South Carolina is looking for volunteers to help make the wishes of children across the state come true. Bilingual volunteers are particularly sought after. Interesting webinars are offered at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. Pre-registration is required. Contact Brennan Brown at bbrown@sc.wish.org or (864) 250-0702 ext 112 to register for the webinar or begin the application process.
The Sumter Combat Veterans Group hosts weekly peer-to-peer meetings at 11 a.m. every Tuesday at the South HOPE Center, 1125 S. Lafayette Drive. These meetings are designed for veterans to help other veterans with PTSD, coping skills, claims, benefits, therapy counseling sponsored by the Columbia VET Center at 11 a.m. every Tuesday, and counseling individual from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every other Wednesday. Open to all veterans in the region. Call James Thomas at (803) 765-9944.
Having cancer is difficult. Finding help shouldn’t be. Free Help for Cancer Patients from the American Cancer Society. Transportation to treatment, help with appearance-related treatment side effects, nutritional support, one-on-one breast cancer support, free accommodation away from home during treatment, help with clinical trial research, anyone one to talk to – it’s all free. Call (800) 227-2345.
