Lexington Life Magazine

www.lexingtonlifemagazine.com January 2013 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 1

2 | LEXINGTON LIFE | January 2013 www.lexingtonlifemagazine.com

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COVER STORY10 CrossoverAthletics: Fitness&Faith

FEATURES18 AFlushofSuccess22 TownofLexington’s SnowBallFestival26 BetterThanCakeDavid Clark

COLUMNS6 FinancialStrategies Stratos Wealth Partners

8 FaithMatters Pastor Ken Jumper15 SpeakingofHealth Jennifer Wilson

DEPARTMENTS4 FromthePublisher5 Events7 LexingtonLeadersMr. Charlie24 SpiceofLifeHealthy Recipes28 FaithinActionThe Harvest

Publisher & editor -in-Chief

Todd [email protected]

sales ManagerAnne Reynolds

[email protected]

aCCount exeCutiveAnnette Sudduth

[email protected]

editorAllison Caldwell

[email protected]

editorial assistantTiffanie Wise

graPhiC designJane Carter

Website designerPaul Tomlinson

Contributing WritersAllison Caldwell, David Clark,

Kevin Oliver, Jackie Perrone, Abbi Phillips, Todd Shevchik

Contributing PhotograPhers

Blink357 Photography, Michelle Brewer,Jennifer Dowden

CONTACT US: 225-B Columbia Avenue, Lexington, SC 29072 • 803.356.6500 • [email protected]

Recently I was attending aconference on municipal gov-ernmentsandtherewasaguestspeaker at our luncheon thatbrought up some thought pro-voking points that I’d like tosharewithyou.

HernamewasVallieCollins,andsheremindedmeofatypi-cal Lexington Mom with threechildren, except she was fromTennessee.ShewasapassengeronUSAirwaysFlight1549,theplane which Captain Chesley“Sully”Sullenbergerdeftlycrash-landedon theHudsonRiver inNewYorkseveralyearsago.

She vividly recounted thethree and a half minutes whenshe thought she was going todie, and explained what was

going through her head duringthat time frame. She explainedhowshewascalmandthoughtabout her three daughters andmissing their weddings. Shetexted her husband Steve, “Myplane iscrashing.” Jokingly, sheexplained that she had no ideawhy she would send that text,but she thought “it was prettydarnimportant.”

Vallie’s speech was humor-ous, serious, and her uncannywayofpresentationallowedyoutofeellikeyouweresittingnexttoherontheplaneasitwasgo-ingdown.

The CliffsNotes gist of herspeechwasthatmaterialthings,jobs,ormoneynevercrossedhermindinthose210seconds

beforeimpact.Whatsheactu-allythoughtaboutwerethethingsshewasgoingtomissinthefuture.Experiences,relationships, friendships, fam-ily, love, and life were somethingsshementioned.

With a new year alreadyuponus,maybewecanlearnalittlebitfromVallieCollins’har-rowing experience and reflec-tions.Wecanslowdownabit,leave the iPhone at home andenjoy lifemore.This year I amgoingtotrytodojustthat:slowdown, smell the roses, and en-joy thebeautyofeachdayand

the experiences thatitbringsforth.

HappyNewYear toyouandyours!

Learn more about Vallie Collins at VallieCollins.com.

Your Lexington Life Staff: Annette, Allison, Tiffanie and Anne

contents

On the Cover: Matt, Steve and Larry Baker of Baker Collision Express.

Learn more on page 16.


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JanuaryJanuary 10-20Restaurant Week ColumbiaHundreds of restaurants will participate in this 11-day cele-bration of cuisine in the Greater Columbia area. From fine to casual dining, enjoy special menu items, promotions and discounts. RestaurantWeekCo-lumbia.com. January 12Museum Road ShowSC State Museum, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Inspired by PBS’ Antiques Roadshow, the program will of-fer informal, verbal appraisals of a variety of objects. Museum curators and local experts will be on hand to discuss items and provide tips on caring for the

objects. Tickets start at $15 per person for members and $20 for non-members. SCMuseum.org or (803) 898-4952. January 21Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of ServiceThe MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President’s national call to ser-vice initiative. Start the year off right by making an impact in your community. MLKDay.gov. January 24-February 3Barefoot in the ParkVillage Square TheatreThis romantic comedy about newlyweds Paul and Corie Brat-ter was originally written by Neil Simon; Lexington’s version

will be directed by Brandi Ow-ensby. $17 adults, $15 seniors, $13 ages 12 and under. (803) 359-1436 or VillageSquareThe-atre.com. January 267th Annual Red Shoe RunColonial Life Arena, 7:30 a.m.Grab your snazziest, bright-est pair of red running shoes and support Ronald McDonald House Charities! The Palmetto Grand Prix 10K starts at 7:30 a.m., and the 5K will begin at 7:45 a.m. Register by January 5 for early bird rates: $20/25 for 5K run/walk or $30 on race day; $25/30 for 10K run or $35 on race day. Pre-register online at StrictlyRunning.com or visit RMHCofColumbia.org. January 28-31Lexington Co. Guardian ad Litem TrainingThe Lexington County Guard-ian ad Litem program will hold a free training course to teach community volunteers how to advocate for children taken from homes of abuse and ne-glect. The 30-hour training program focuses on the family court system, how to recognize abuse and neglect and how to communicate with children and others involved in the case. Men

in particular are encouraged to apply, but open to adults ages 21 and up. Lexington.SCGAL.org or 1-800-277-0113. February 9Finish It 4 Kennedy 5K Run/WalkLexington High SchoolThe LHS baseball team will host this fundraising event to sup-port Kennedy Branham, a Lex-ington middle-schooler under-going treatment for a malignant brain tumor. To learn more, contact Jennifer Parsons at [email protected] or (803) 465-1746. February 8-10Columbia Women’s Show: SHEColumbia Metropolitan Convention CenterThree days of fashion, beauty, cooking, entertain-ing, crafts, healthy living and shopping. $8 adults; $4 ages 6-12; $5 college and military; $12 two-day pass. SheCola.com.

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The Threat of a U.S. DowngradeThe2011downgradeoftheU.S.’screditratingbyStandard&

Poor’s following the debt ceiling debacle shook investors’ confi-denceandcontributedtoadouble-digitdeclineinthestockmarket.

Scarred by its slowness to react to the housing meltdown in2008, S&P was quick to use this opportunity to demonstrate amoreproactivestance.Butsincetwoofthethreeratingagencies,maintainedtheirratingsontheU.S.,theoverallratingremainsAAA.IfMoody’sorFitchdecidestodowngrade,weloseourAAAstatus.

Howlikelyisthisin2013?Moody’shasnotedthatadealinthelameducksessionisnotnecessary.Infact,itcouldbedetrimental:

“...$1.2 trillion in further deficit reduction has already been legis-lated through automatic spending caps if no agreement is reached, failure by the committee to reach agreement would not by itself lead to a rating change.”–Moody’s11/01/11

Thisimpliesthattherewillbemeaningfulspendingcutsacrosstheboardoverthenext10years,evenifCongresscan’tagreeonfine-tuningthemamongprograms.Itislikelyatleastsomecutsgetmodified,sothereisasignificantriskofadowngradebyMoody’sin2013.

Fitchhassetahigherhurdletoavoidadowngradeandstatedthatamulti-yeardeficitreductionplanwouldlikelyleadthemtore-affirmingourAAArating.Fitchalsoreiteratedanearlierstatement:

“Failure to reach agreement in 2013 on a credible deficit reduction plan and a worsening of the economic and fiscal outlook would likely result in a downgrade of the U.S. sovereign rating.”–Fitch11/28/11

Agrandcompromiseonlong-termdeficitreductionin2013isnecessarytoavoidlosingourAAArating.Fortunately,conditionsarefavorable:

1.Bushtaxcuts,payrolltaxcut,andtheacross-the-boardspend-ingcutstodiscretionaryprogramskickin.

2.ThetaxintheAffordableCareActtakeseffect.3.Thedebtceilinglimitwillbehitagain.4.ThePresidentandCongresshavethemostpowerinthefirst

yearoftheirtermstoforgechange.Intheeventofadowngradeduetoineffectualbudgetpolicyde-

cision-making,U.S.stocksmayreactnegatively.Stocks’lossescouldbebonds’gainsintheshorttermasinvestorsseeksafety.However,itislikelythattheexpulsionoftheUnitedStatesfromtheclubof15nationswiththehighestcreditqualitywouldeventuallypushyieldshigher,impactingthecostoftheU.S.debtloadandourabilitytogrowandcompeteglobally.

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No self-respecting editor could ig-nore such a nomination. We’redelighted to join the cheering

squadforCharliePappas,whoisaheronotjust because of his service in WWII. Thechildren of Hunters Ridge neighborhood,cheeredonbyLaurenSuthard,lookuptohimforguidance,mentoring,andfrequentsuppliesofchocolatetosweetentheday.

At 97 years old, this stalwart citizenturnsoutagourmetmeal,takesmeticulouscare of both house and yard, and followsthenewsdaily.Thatlastoneinvolvesaone-milewalk to thenearby service station topick up the newspaper. Have it deliveredathome?Whywouldhedothat,whenthewalkissuchagoodouting?

AvisitwithCharlieisatripbackintime.He was born in 1915 to Greek-immigrantparents,whoworkedinthetextilemillsofLowell,Massachusetts.In1928,thefamilymoved to Manhattan where the childrengrewup,andyoungCharlie tookonava-rietyofjobsthroughthelate20sand30s.Depression survivors will remember the

CCCcampssetuptoprovidejobswhileen-hancing America’s parks; Charlie’s assign-mentinthe1930swasatMountRainierinWashingtonstate.

WhentheapproachofWWIIinstigatedtheSelectiveServiceprogram,25-year-oldswitha1-Aclassificationwerethefirsttobecalled.CharliePappassignedonfortheU.S.ArmyArtilleryin1940,abuckprivatebeingpaidtheprincelysumof$30amonth.Hequickly advanced to the rankof Staff Ser-geant,andby1942graduatedfromOfficersCandidateSchoolasaSecondLieutenant.

His military service is studded withfabledinvasionsandbattles:Algeria,Tuni-sia,Naples,Cassina,Rome,Florence.Likemany of his contemporaries, he does notdwellonthosedarkdays;hewasjustdoinghisjob.HewasdischargedasaCaptainatwar’send.

BackinNewYork,hetookajobwhichwouldoccupyhimfordecades,inmanage-mentandsalesforanartsupplyhouse.Hefondlyrecallssomeoftheirartisticcreationscommissioned as part of the Bicentennial

celebrationsin1976.In 1993, Charlie and his wife Marie

moved to Lexington “for an easier life-style,”andbecausehisbrotherJameslivedinIrmo.Theiryearsherewereto includemajor health problems, as Marie devel-oped Alzheimer’s which eventually tookher life, and her husband was diagnosedwith terminal cancer. Thirteen years agohewasgivensixweekstolive,andtoldtoputhisaffairsinorder.Thosedoctorsdidnot reckonwithCharlie’swill to live.Ra-diationtreatmentstackledthecancer;hisdeterminationanddisciplinedidtherest.Heforcedhimselftokeepmovingandtoeatsensibly;today,heserenelygoesabouthis daily life with no restrictions, even“drivinghiscarbyhimself.”

Last month, just three years short ofhis100thbirthday,Charliefinallyagreedto sell the home he had cared for for solong and move to Southlake RetirementVillage.Leavingthechildrenofhisneigh-borhood was the biggest sacrifice. Hal-loween is just another day at the Pappashome; he welcomes children with treatsevenwhentheyaren’tdoingtricks.LaurenandhersisterEmilyare joinedbyall thechildrenintheneighborhood,celebratingtheirfriendshipwithMr.Charlie.n

Charlie Pappas

by Jackie Perrone

Mr. Charlie and Lauren Suthard.

Dear Editor: I would like to tell you about my neighbor, Mr. Charlie. He is very nice. He walks to the gas station every day. He gives chocolate bars to good children. He is 97 years old. He still drives a car by himself. I love Mr. Charlie, and you will, too. Respectfully, Lauren Suthard, age 7


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Wow,Isurelovetositquietlyandfeelthemorningsunshiningdownonmyface.That’swhatI’mdoingnowasIwritethesefewwordsforus.Nice!WhetherI’msecludedawayinthesmallcourtyardoffthesideofmyhouse,sittingonthebeachwatchingthewavesrepeatedly taptheshoreline,ormaybefindingmyselfonascenicmountainoverlook,thatsunnotonlywarmsmyfacebutalsomysoul.Ah,GodisGood!

Youknow,I’mjustthinking:onedaywewillallhavetheopportunityto“baskinthelightoftheSon”foralleternity.Yeah,Iunderstanditisadif-ferentplace,andadifferentSon,butjustasrealandevenmorerewarding.

Ihavemademyreservation,bytheway.Whataboutyou?Thewrit-ingsintheBibletellusthatJesuscame(wejustcelebratedChristmas,remember?),Helivedaholylife,diedonthecross,shedHisbloodfortheforgivenessofoursins,roseagain,andascendedintoheaven;and,He’smadeareservationforustojoinHimthere:“...thehopeofwhatGodhasreservedforyouinheaven”(Colossians1:5).

Here’showitworks.Jesushasbuiltsomemansionsandbookedyouaroomthere.Butyouhavetocallaheadandconfirmyourreservation.You call ahead by connecting with heaven’s prayer line and tell themyouwanttoconfirmyourfaithinwhatJesushasdone.Inotherwords,IBELIEVE!ThentheywillwriteyournameintheLamb’sBookofLife.Reservationmade!

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Fitnessisn’tsomethingthathappenssimply by setting and then breakingNewYear’sresolutionslikeweallseemto do in January; it’s a lifelong habitthat’s best started when we’re young.Therearemanyprogramsoutthereforchildren to get active, either throughschool sports or private gyms andsports leagues. One such league is theLexington-based Crossover Athletics, afaith-based sports and fitness organiza-tionforkidsandteenagers.Inaddition

toseasonalsportslikeflagfootballandbasketball, they sponsor Run Hard, anafterschool running program for boys.Founder Jesse Harmon is a Lexingtonnativenowraisinghisownfamilyhere,and acutely aware of how Crossover’sprogramscanaidintheoveralldevelop-mentofourarea’syoungpeople.

“Wehaveprogramsforkidsfromfirstgradeallthewaythroughhighschool,”hesays.“Rightnowwehaveaflagfoot-ball league, a basketball program, and

crossoverathletics

Combining Fitness and

Faith

by Kevin Oliver, Photos courtesy of Jesse Harmon


the Run Hard running teams.” It wasflagfootballthatstartedthewholething,Harmonsays.

“I was a youth pastor for a while atFirstBaptistofLexington,andwestart-edaflagfootballleaguethere,”hesays.“AfterthreeyearsIsawthepotentialforit togrowevenbiggerandexpandintotherestofthecommunity,soIresignedfrommypositionandstartedCrossoverAthleticsasanonprofitorganization.Wearesupportedfinanciallythroughsever-alareachurchesnow.”

The flag football program includesa spring and a fall league, with a faithcomponent that Harmon stresses asveryimportanttotheoverallexperience.

“Wewriteupacurriculumthat thecoaches use in small groups with thestudents,”hesays. “Wearevery inten-tional about implementing this char-acter-building curriculum in all of ourprograms.”

Both theflag footballandbasketballprogramsareco-ed.Localfootballteamscompeteagainsteachotheratacentrallocation,whilethebasketballteamstrav-eltovarioustournamentsintheschooloff-seasons.SamBrown,directorof theCrossover basketball program, is a BteamcoachatLexingtonHighandabe-lieverintheministrythatCrossoverhasbecometothecommunity.

“I startedwithCrossoverbecauseofthevaluesthatitheld,andtheabilityto

share those core values withyoung people in a sports

environment,” Brownsays. “One of the manysuccesses of Crossoverisseeingthekidscometogether as a team andstart to play with the

samegoalinmind.Thereisconstantencouragement

andawillingnesstobebetter.”“Wehave[basketball]playerswhoare

lookingtoimprovetheirgameintheoffseason,sothey’lldospecificskillstrain-ing with us,” Harmon says. “They willalsoplayonorganizedteamsthattraveltotournaments,wherethey’llplaythreeorfourgamesandthenpracticeforafewweeks.” The program includes teamsfrom third grade through high school.“It’sanopportunityto impacttheplay-ersandtheirfamilies,gettoknowthem,and pray with them before games andpractices,”Harmonsays.

ThelatestCrossoverprogramisRunHard, a running program with a char-acter-buildingcomponent that’sofferedthroughthelocalschools.Itstartedlastspring with two schools, expanded tonineschoolsinthefall,andissettoaddevenmoreschoolsforspring2013.

“RunHardisaneight-weekprogramforsecondthroughfifthgradeboysthatteaches them about a different charac-ter trait eachweek: teamwork,honesty,workethic,peerpressure,wisechoices,perseverance, leadership, and respect.

Theylearnwhathardworkmeans,whatcharacter means, and the importanceof teamwork,” Harmon says. “We alsoeducate them on the sport of running,whichendswitha5KroadracehereinLexington.OurNovemberrace last fallhad 200 student participants runningwith their sponsors.” In just the firstyear, Harmon says they’ve had a greatresponseandoutstandingresults.

“We’vefoundthatitbuildssomuchconfidence with the boys,” he says.“Finishing a 5K is a big deal for an el-ementarystudent.Theygetamedalforcrossingthefinishline.Eightweeksisalongtimeatthatage,buttherewardisgreat.Wewanttoteachyoungmenthatwhenthey’repersistentinworkinghardtowardsaspecificgoal,thentheyreallycanachievetheirpotential.”

ParentsandcoachesintheRunHardprogram agree. Amy Jo Jacobson hasbeenarunner for18years,andisnowpassingthatpassionalongtoherson,athirdgraderatRockyCreekElementary.Jacobsonalsoservesasacoach for theprogramatRockyCreek.

“They are taught to be team playerstoallfellowrunners,”saysJacobson.ShesaysRunHardhasmadehersonandhisteammatesbetterpeople,notjustbetterrunners.“Theboyshavebroughtmetotearsasthefastrunnerscheerononeoftheir teammates who finished last. Justthejoyofseeingthemencouragesome-one who might normally be bullied orridiculedbecausehe’s in lastplace isawonderfulthingtohavewitnessed.”Asaparentandacoach,thephysicalbenefitsoftheprogramarejustasimportant.

“The boys are increasing muscle, de-veloping healthy habits, and gainingspeed in their running. Teaching themtocontroltheirpacefor longerrunsde-velops discipline that will carry over tolifeskillsforschoolandsocialsituations,too,”shesays.

Jeannette Farr is an interventionistat Carolina Springs Elementary School

crossover


andavolunteerRunHardcoach,soherperspectiveincludesbothonandoffthetrackimpressions.

“Igettoseetheboysmorethanourtwodaysaweekofpractice.Igettoseethem be leaders at practice and in theclassroom, too,” Farr says. “My fifthgradeboysencouragetheyoungerrun-ners, and those first-time runners whocan’tmakeitaroundasinglelapthefirstfewpractices.Theboyswhofeltliketheyweren’t part of a team became leaders

and real teammateswitheachother.”

It is that type ofencouragementandimprovement thatsetsCrossoverAth-letics apart fromthe usual sportsand recreationleagues; they of-ferqualitysportsand fitness pro-grams,butwitha purpose. Ja-

mie Long is a Crossoverbasketballcoach,andhissonZachhasbeenparticipatingasateamplayer.

“Whatanamazingopportunityithasbeen for Zach to be part of a team ofcoaches and young men who are com-petingwith the topechelonof athletesin the area,” Long says. “Most impor-tantly, they do so with an even greaterpurpose: to better know and serve ourSavior, JesusChrist.”Thatsumsupthegoals of all of Crossover Athletics pro-grams,saysBrown.

“Crossover is about establishing corevaluesandbuildingrelationships.Seeing

youngpeopleandadultstaketheirnextsteps in faith is encouraging and uplift-ing,andithelpstoremindusthatwedohave a purpose as a ministry,” he says.“Toparentsoryoungpeople looking togetinvolved,Crossoverisaverypositiveenvironment that allows young athletestoreachtheirGodgiventalents.”n

Spring Season 2013

Flag FootballOnline Registration, February 1-22CrossoverAthletics.org

BasketballTeam Registration opens February 1.Contact Sam Brown, [email protected]

Run Hard Spring season begins in February, with a 5K on May 4. Learn more at RunHard.org.


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by Jennifer WilsonPublic Relations Manager, Lexington Medical Center

Go Red with LMCHeart disease is an epidemic in South Carolina: one out of

every three deaths in our state is related to cardiovascular dis-ease. In February, Lexington Medical Center will partner with the American Heart Association for a new heart disease preven-tion campaign, and we’re asking the Midlands’ business com-munity to join us. We want the Midlands to “Go Red” with information about heart disease, promoting heart health for every body.

Here’s how it works: Midlands-area businesses can visit LMCGoRed.com to sign up for a business a storefront kit includ-ing window decorations, items for employees, giveaways and educational information about heart disease. This kit will be delivered to your location, and there’s no cost to participate. Our goal is to have shops and stores from Main Street in Lex-ington to Main Street in Columbia, The Congaree Vista, Five Points, The Village at Sandhill, Columbiana Centre, and every-where in between decorated in red to show support for heart disease prevention.

We believe business leaders in our community can help bring greater public awareness to the high rate of heart disease and stroke in the Midlands, and subsequently help move our state away from its high rate of cardiovascular disease.

Heart disease takes a life every 39 seconds: mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses and friends. And it’s not just a man’s disease; more women than men die of heart disease each year. Risk fac-tors include excessive weight, high blood pressure and smoking. In partnership with our community’s business leaders, Lexington Medical Center hopes to move away from this dangerous course and steer Midlands residents toward a healthier future. Please consider joining with us this February, and thanks—from the heart.


In business, it’s rare anymore when the second generation takes over where the first left off, and rarer still when the third generation continues to build on the success of those who came before them. But that’s exactly the case at Baker Colli-sion Express. Siblings Matthew, Stephen and Abby Baker proudly follow in the footsteps of their father Larry, and their late grandfather, Mervin Baker, who first opened his collision repair business in 1953. Sixty years later, the Bakers have helped thousands of families get back on the road quickly after a vehicle collision.

Since 2004, Stephen and Larry have managed the original Irmo location, while Matthew and Abby help run the newest lo-cation in Lexington, which opened in June 2012. Matthew also serves as an ambas-sador for the Lexington Chamber of Com-merce. The Bakers have received countless accolades for their contributions to their customers and their community, includ-

ing five different superior customer service rankings among the top five percent of col-lision facilities nationwide. For years, they’ve also worked with the National Auto Body Council on the Recycled Rides Program to provide vehicles for strug-gling families, and have repaired and donated more vehicles than they can count. From the first time you meet a member of the Baker family, you can tell that they have a genuine concern for oth-ers—and that’s something that can be hard to find these days.

Stephen and Matthew have no plans to slow down anytime soon. They’re dreaming bigger dreams than their grandfather could have ever imagined, and look forward to great things in the future. Theirs is truly a family business, where cus-tomers come first. n

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Matt, abby, steve and larry baker now run the family business started in 1953 by larry’s late father, Mervin.

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Close to four decades later, the Tidy Bowl Man would be proud of the new Cayce Wastewater Treatment Plant. This state of the art facility be-gan construction in late 2009, and less than three years later is open and actively cleaning and filtering waste from all

over Lexington County. Ini-tially expected to cost close to $75 million dollars to com-plete, the project actually fin-ished under budget.

Flushing the toilet is some-thing most people take for granted. However, this privi-lege came precariously close

to being shut down to new growth during Lexington County’s population boom in the early and mid 2000s. The older treatment plant was quickly running out of space, known in wastewater circles as “capacity,” specifically threat-ening to squelch the dynamic growth forecast for Lexington.

There’s no easy way to ex-plain the ownership dynam-ic of the Cayce Wastewater Treatment Plant. It is located in Cayce and managed by the City of Cayce, who also owns the physical assets of the plant. Cayce also owns the rights to 32 percent of the

plant’s capacity. The Town of Lexington owns a shade un-der 50 percent, and the Joint Water and Sewer Commis-sion owns around 18 percent of the plant’s capacity. Each entity paid a portion of the $66 million dollar price tag in proportion to the capacity they would be able to use. The City of Cayce is paid a man-agement fee to run the facility, which currently employs 12 full time workers.

Cayce Mayor Elise Partin is extremely proud of the project and the important role the City of Cayce played in managing the construction of the facility.

A

remember the tidy bowl Man? He was the dapper captain who patrolled toilet bowls during a 1970s ad campaign

for Ty-D-bol Toilet Bowl Cleaner. The ads were quite comical and consisted of a miniature captain piloting his mini-speedboat to keep toilets fresh with his blue, chlorinated concoction of cleanliness.

by Todd Shevchik


“The Cayce Regional Waste-water Treatment Plant is truly about the future of Lexington County. With three times the capacity of our current plant, it was built to meet the wastewa-ter needs of our region for the next 30 years and beyond,” ex-plains Partin. “Cayce designed this facility not only to main-tain our area’s superb quality of life and prepare for residential growth, but also to provide an economic boost to the region. We are confident that this criti-cal piece of infrastructure will help drive economic develop-ment and job creation in Lex-ington County.”

Lexington Mayor Randy Hal-facre echoes Partin’s comments.

“Our Town’s partnership with the City of Cayce and the Joint Water and Sewer Com-mission will provide waste-water treatment for economic development opportunities in Lexington and Lexington

The Cayce WastewaterTreatment Plant

of SuCCeSS-


County for the next couple decades, leading to enhanced economic prosperity for our residents through job creation and growth. Secondly, the treatment of wastewater in this

state of the art plant will allow us to keep our environment much safer and our citizens healthier, not to mention the benefits associated with sus-tainability,” says Halfacre.

The advanced membrane digestion system located at the Cayce Wastewater facility is the largest of its kind in the world. Membrane digestion

represents an innovative and sustainable approach to solids handling by eliminating the use of polymers, lowering the amount of nutrients released into our waterways. The highly

automated system allows plant staff to focus their time and ef-forts on monitoring plant per-formance and ensuring regula-tory compliance.

Anytime three independent political bodies collaborate on a project, there are bound to be some natural conflicts that arise due to the different interests of the participating

parties. However, Steve Mann thinks that everyone kept their eyes on the main goal of mak-ing sure that Lexington County would be able to sustain its continued growth.

“The wastewater plant gives us the ability to keep growing,” said Mann, CEO of the Joint Municipal Water and Sewer Commission. “These coopera-tive efforts ensures growth po-tential for 30 years. This is the perfect example of what can be accomplished when entities work together.”

With over 600 miles of un-

derground pipes and million dollar pump stations to keep the flow moving underground, it’s an amazingly complex and comprehensive system that most people have no idea even exists. Through technology and science, the Cayce Waste-water Treatment Plant is able to recycle waste and reintroduce it to the environment.

“The water we are sending out is cleaner than what’s in the river,” says Gary Hubbard, fa-cility supervisor for the plant.

So the next time you pull the handle and flush away, know that a great deal of care and planning has been taken to ensure that it is removed and disposed of safely and cost ef-fectively. The Tidy Bowl man would be so proud. n

“This is the perfect example of what can be accomplished when entities

work together.”


Why Drive to Charlotte When you canFly with ease

Convenient travel. Close to home.


Town of lexington snowball festival

December 1-2, 2012

Photos courtesy of Jennifer Dowden


Winter Citrus and Pomegranate Salad1pomegranate2largenaveloranges2pinkgrapefruits

Place the pomegranate on a surface thatwon’tstain.Startingatthecrown,cutacrossintothefruitabouthalfwaydown.Putalargebowlinthesinkand,holdingthepomegran-atecrownsidedownover thebowl,break itapart into quarters. Squeeze each quarterfirmlyoverthebowltoreleasetheseedsandjuice,thenbendeachquarterbacktoreleasemoreseeds.(Don’tworryaboutgettingalltheseedsout.Whatyoureallywantisthejuice.)Pick out any bits of white membrane so allthatremainsinthebowlareseedsandjuice.

For thecitrus,cutasliceoff thetopandbottomofeachfruitsotheysitflatonacut-ting board. Using a sharp knife, work yourwayaroundthefruits toremoveall theskinandpith.Cuppingthefruitinonehandandworkingoverthebowl,carefullycuttheseg-

mentsoutfrombetweenthemembranes.(Besure to cut only until you reach the middleof the fruit!) Firmly squeeze the remainingmembranesoverthebowltoreleasealljuices.Coverandrefrigerateuntilreadytoserve.

Spicy Fish Taco Bowls1Tbsp.chilipowder1Tbsp.cumin½tsp.cayennepepper3-4tilapiafilets(orotherfishfiletofyour

choice)1-2clovesmincedgarlic1cupfreshsweetcornkernels1redonion,diced1redpepper,diced1canblackbeansCookedbrownrice(about2cups)Freshcilantro,avocado,shreddedcheese,sour

cream,orpicodegallofortopping

Mix the spices together in a small bowlandsprinkleevenlyoverbothsidesofthefishfilets;addsaltandpeppertotaste. Ina largenonstickskilletovermediumhighheat,heatadrizzleofoliveoil.Addthegarlicandsautefor 1-2 minutes. Add the fish filets and grilloneachsideforseveralminutes,checkingthemiddlefordoneness(fishshouldbecomplete-ly white and flake apart easily). Remove fishfiletsandsetaside.

Addcorn,redpeppers,andonionstothepanwithnoadditionaloil.Heatoverhighheatfor several minutes without stirring to get abrown/blackroastedlookontheoutside.Re-peat for severalminutes (stir,wait, stir,wait)untilthepeppersandonionsaretender-crisp.

Addtheblackbeansandheatthrough.Layerrice, corn/peppper mixture, and fish in abowl,ormixeverythingtogetherintheskillet.Spoonintoindividualservingsandaddyourtoppingsofchoice.

Veggie-Loaded Baked Potato Crockpot Soup5medium/standard-sizedrussetpotatoes,

roughlypeeledandchoppedinto1/2-inchcubes

1/2cupfinelydicedcelery(approx.3stalks)1onion,diced3cupsofvegetablebroth3clovesofgarlic,minced1/4cupbutter1/2cupparmesancheese,grated1/2cupsharpcheddar,gratedAfewcranksofgroundblackpepper1tsp.koshersalt1/4tsp.garlicpowder1/4tsp.redpepperflakes1/4tsp.drieddill(canaddupto1/2tsp.if

youlike)Toppings: plain greek yogurt or sour cream,gratedcheddarcheese,zestyredpepperflakes,choppedgreenonion

Toss chopped veggies the crockpot; thenadd broth, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper.Cook on high for four hours, or on low for8 hours. For a smoother soup, use a potatomasherorimmersionblendertomashpotatochunks. For a chunky soup, use a woodenspoontomashpartially.Mixincheese,spices,andaspoonfulortwoofgreenonions.Tasteandseasonasneeded,thenaddyourtoppingsofchoice.


David Clark is a nationally known writer, musician, carpenter and organic vegetable farmer in Cochran, GA. For permission to reuse, please contact the author at [email protected].

It would take a dump truck to cart off all the New Year’s resolutions that go bad by spring. That so many resolutions don’t work is a good indication of the difficulties we face inside ourselves. Improving one’s life is hard work. We are all human, after all.

Eating too much is a good example. I can hereby declare that I won’t eat as much this year, but what can I possibly do when Miss Ann at the diner brings out her homemade chocolate cake? I can hereby resolve forth-with as resolutely as I please, but I know exactly what will happen the next time Miss Ann brings out chocolate cake.

In the past year, I did a lot of difficult work on my own little corner of the world. I didn’t like a lot of it. But I was determined to be more at peace with me and my life. I was determined to be more joyful more often.

It was an odd paradox, because some-times one has to suffer to find joy. I learned that sometimes my perceived suffering is breaking the old habit of getting tangled up in games that weigh me down. Old habits are like chocolate cake.

Some people have not liked some of my changes. I was no longer

the person they thought I should be. With the help of sober counsel, I kept my peace—for the most part. It was difficult sometimes.

The sober counsel said people would be angry when I would no longer dance the twisted tango whose

steps were learned through years of

habit.I tried an exper-

iment at the sober

counsel’s encouragement: Don’t respond to accusations. Don’t answer unasked questions. Consider any question care-fully before responding, because the ques-tion may be nothing but bait. In almost all cases, there were no questions. There were only accusations.

Daddy said discretion is the better part of valor. Daddy said: “Sometimes that means keeping your mouth shut, son.” And sometimes, keeping my mouth shut is a mighty hard thing to do. But I’ve learned that Daddy and the sober counsel were correct. It took practice, but it wasn’t long before the accusations didn’t hurt anymore.

I accepted the truth of the old saying: Don’t try to teach a donkey to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the donkey. A couple of folks actually got around to asking some real non-bait questions, and I answered them. We have discovered a deeper friend-ship with more understanding than we once had. We’ve dropped the tango. Now, we waltz. The waltz contains steps of joy.

Joy is better than cake. I believe joy is ours to accept. Resolve hereby as you will to do what you will forthwith. But in be-tween the grand resolutions, tuck in some reminders for yourself to take the time to look for and hang onto joyful moments, to let go of drama whenever you can, and to learn that it’s okay to like who you are just like you are. n

Better than

Cake


A cancer diagnosis is not only scary, it’s something we all take personally. At Lexington

Oncology we understand the physical and emotional impacts of cancer and are pursuing better

ways to fight it — side-by-side with you. Our affiliation with Duke Medicine, our participation

in clinical research, and our experienced staff help us provide state-of-the-art treatments,

support and education here, close to home. It’s simply a better way to care.

Hope{ strong and confident expectation }

www.lexoncology.com

Whatmotivatesbusypeoplewithde-mandingschedulestofindtimetomeettheir community’s needs? It could be adesire tohelpLexington remainagreatplacetoraiseafamily.

“I initially moved to Lexington be-cause of a job change,” explains MindyWolfe, Daycare and Preschool DirectoratTheHarvestofLexington.“WhentheopportunitytomovebacktoFloridasur-faced, Ichosetostayherebecause it’sawonderfulplacetoraisemykids.”

Anotherreasonmaybethedesiretolive inabeautifulplace.Manyvolunteerto keep the town clean and litter free.Alongwiththesereasons,whatmotivatesmembersofTheHarvestislovefortheircommunity.

“Since The Harvest’s inception over23yearsago,it’salwaysbeenourdesiretorepresentHiminourcity,”saysPastorKen Jumper. “Webelieve that’swhy thechurchexists.Asapastor,IfeelthatGodhascalledmetomorethanachurch.Hehascalledmetoourcommunity,whichiswhywe’rehere.”

One of their priorities—taking greatcare of children—led The Harvest tohost Good News Clubs in 10 elemen-tary schools throughout the Midlands.Morethan400childrenheardBiblesto-ries, played games, sang songs, memo-

rized verses, enjoyed snacks, and re-ceivedprayerin2012.TheHarvestalso“adopts” these public schools, makingregular prayer and school-wide dona-tionspartoftheiroutreach.TovolunteerwithGoodNewsClubs,[email protected].

The Harvest also co-founded andpartners with a local outreach minis-try,Zarephath,tomeettheneedsofun-derprivileged families. The program’smotto describes why it exists: “We loveour city!” Zarephath provides hot din-ners, groceries, and household suppliestothoseinlow-incomeareas,alongwithentertaining events that include musicand speakers. The program also hostseducational classes and Vacation BibleSchools.Recently,membersspearheadeda construction project to paint and re-pair houses, and held a donation driveto collect turkeys and hams for familiesduringtheholidays.Ifyou’dliketohelpZarephathorneedassistance,callDr.Jo-sephGnanashekarat(803)400-3650.

The Harvest also offers unique op-portunitiestoconnectwithothersinthecommunity: Monday Night Fight Club,aweeklytimeformentocometogetherand talk about living a victorious life;MomLife,wherewomencanberejuvenat-ed through fun events and small groupsessions; Sanctuary Pastoral Care Cen-ter (356-4011), a confidential place forindividualsandgroupstotalkandshareaboutlife’sissues;andthePrayerCenter(808-6029), a way to receive prayer byphoneorinperson.

TheHarvestiscommittedtotheLex-ington community and desires to seeit thrive. “It’s always been my desire toreach people,” Pastor Ken said. “JesusfoundmeexactlyasIwas:nojudgment,but fullacceptance.Thechurchlovestoreachothers,andwedosobybeingwhoHewantsustobeinourcommunity.”n

The Harvest4865SunsetBoulevard,Lexington

www.The-Harvest.org(803)808-6373

Saturdays6p.m.

Sundays9a.m.,10:30a.m.,NoonWednesdays,7p.m.

by Abbi Phillips


Pastors Ken Jumper, Aaron Bell, and Ed Lugo at our

378 campus.


©20

13 M

cDon

ald’

s.

You don’t have to pay a lot to get a lot. Sink your teeth into the NEW Grilled Onion Cheddar burger from McDonald’s. Made with a slice of smooth White Cheddar Cheese and succulent grilled onions, it’s the newest value burger on the Extra Value Menu. Try one today for just $1.

new year. new burger.

CSW12-007671 January LexLife(8.375x10.875)(d).indd 1 12/11/12 1:30 PM

Hope{ strong and confident expectation }

www.lexmed.com

Lexington Life Magazine

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