Does it matter?  Lucas is the Executive Producer of Red Tails, a major 20^th Century Fox film that has grossed more than $40 million dollars since its release a few weeks ago.  Starring Terrance Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Bryan Cranston, the film is based on the original Tuskegee Airmen, the black flying aces of World War II.  One of the Airmen went on to become the first African-American four-star general in the U.S. Air Force—General Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr.  With a 40-year career that spanned three wars, he was a recognized civil rights leader.  Several others became men of noted accomplishment.

Still haven’t twigged on to the Sumter connection?  Here it is: three of those famed pilots whose exploits are dramatized in this film called Sumter, South Carolina “home.”  Philip Rembert, Willie Ashley and Leroy Bowman were among the daredevil pioneers who served as the first black fighter pilots in American history.  According to the official website of the United States Army, “the Airmen, quite literally, smashed through an aerial glass-ceiling and in heroic fashion, displayed the skills and courage of African-Americans.”

Lt. Willie Ashley, Jr. was a member of the 99^th Fighter Squadron, America’s first black fighter unit, and flew the unit’s first mission of the war.  He died in 1984 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.  J. Philip Rembert was Sumter County’s first black Councilman, elected at-large in 1974 before the introduction of the single-member district voting system, and held the seat until his death in 1987.  Dr. Leroy Bowman, Sumter’s only surviving Tuskegee Airman, received the Congressional Gold Medal from then-President George W. Bush in 2007.  He was also honored at a Veteran’s Day ceremony held at the Sumter County Courthouse in November 2011.

Of course, the Veteran’s Day ceremony was moving and meaningful for all the surviving veterans and the friends and family members present.  But don’t feel badly if you missed it.  Commemorating the accomplishments of not only the Tuskegee Airmen, but all of the Sumter area’s men and women in uniform, local historian Sammy Way curates the Sumter County Military Display at the James E. Clyburn Intermodal Transportation Center, 129 South Harvin Street.  This display, comprising more than 3,000 items of memorabilia, covers the era from World War I to the present Afghanistan conflict.  It is open on Sundays, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., and Coach Way is often on hand to answer questions or discuss historical matters.  It’s quite an experience to see the faces on the walls, the actual uniforms of those who served, and to remember.

And the movie?  It’s still playing at the Beacon 12 on Broad Street (Wesmark Plaza).  Check it out soon—I know I intend to!

Hungry ibis gather at the base of a cypress tree. Photo: Ruth Ann Bigger

It’s been pretty dreary today, and there haven’t been a lot of reasons to look out the windows here at the Swan Lake Visitors Center.  However, I have decided that I’d best make it more of a habit, because in our wonderful natural habitat, there’s no telling what I could miss!

Although Swan Lake is home to a wide variety of migrant species—both airborne and water fowl—we had some very special visitors last week.  If you were here last Thursday afternoon, you might have been lucky enough to spot a flock of white ibis.  I got an excited call from my supervisor, who had gotten a call from a member of the Friends of Swan Lake, and so I was fortunate to see a sight that I am assured is a rarity at the gardens.  In fact, in the nine years that the Visitors Center has been in operation, I’ve never seen or even heard of these birds being here.

Australian black swans approach, apparently wondering what's going on! Photo: Ruth Ann Bigger

White ibis are not normally seen in this part of the state—in fact, there is only a 2-10% chance of seeing them this far inland.  Although we are in their migratory path, they usually don’t stop.  Imagine our surprise when they decided to come and hang out for a good part of the afternoon!  It was a beautiful day (and the fishing was probably excellent), so why not?

It all goes to show that nature is never wholly predictable.  If you’ve been to Swan Lake Iris Gardens and think you’ve seen it all, there might be a surprise in store for you!

Everyone must have enjoyed lunch, and now it's time to chill in the cypress trees for a while.

Many thanks to Ms. Ruth Ann Bigger for being in the right place at the right time!

Living in Sumter, it’s easy to look right past the many historical markers that dot the landscape throughout the city and county.  After all, it’s our job to know why they are there.  But for visitors, these markers can be an unexpected source of Sumter’s fascinating history. 

I was once out photographing churches with a friend, and we came to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church near Pinewood.  He wasn’t from here, and had married a girl descended from two of Sumter’s oldest families.  Now, we Southerners have a reputation for loving tea and genealogy, but it was a great moment to see him reach out and touch the historical marker in front of that beautiful old church.  “Six Governors of South Carolina?”  He looked at me and said, “And my sons are their descendants.  Wow.”  Suddenly, those family stories were real.

That was the nature of the question fielded by one of my co-workers.  The writer was descended from the Gayle family (founders of the City of Sumter), and had a question regarding whether or not a certain property was donated by her family or that of General Thomas Sumter.  It’s one of the things that make Sumter truly remarkable—these old names are not inert print in the history books; they are families who live among us and take a lot of pride in the accomplishments of their forebears.  It’s living history.

According to the state’s official tourism site at  www.discoversouthcarolina.com, “There are hundreds of roadside historical markers in South Carolina that provide interesting and important information about places, people and events in our state.”  Among Sumter County’s site markers, some are particularly noteworthy.  These include:

• Early Charleston Road (SC 261, which joined Camden to Charleston and played a crucial role in the development of our state)
• Colonel David DuBose Gaillard (Engineer of the Panama Canal)
• LeNoir Store (A general store founded in 1808 near the town of Horatio, where to this day you can enjoy penny candy, a soda and learn some local history from members of the LeNoir family)
• Potter’s Raid (The campsite of General Edward E. Potter, whose mission was to destroy Sumter County’s railroads in the last days of the Civil War)

There are many others, each one presenting a unique slice of local history.  For more information, please visit the SC Department of Archives and History.  Or, give us a call at the Swan Lake Visitor’s Center (436-2640 or toll-free at 800-688-4748).  If we’ve got the answers, we’ll give them to you.  If we don’t, we’ll be glad to help you find them…after all, it helps us, too!

Photo:  David Taylor.  From www.waymarking.com.

Honestly, some days I think anything will give me an ear worm.  Does anyone else remember the old “Zoom!” television series and that Australian round they used to sing?  This time, though, at least it makes some sort of sense.  Temperature-wise, this has been the warmest winter I can remember, and in looking at our events calendar, I thought, “How perfect for the Kookaburra Tournament!”

Hosted by the Sumter Soccer Club and sponsored by Outback Steakhouse, Sumter’s first major soccer tournament of 2012 will be held February 18 and 19, 2012.  The 3^rd Annual Kookaburra Challenge Cup will host boys and girls ages 9-14 at the Patriot Park Sportsplex.  With six fields, mature Bermuda grass, covered spectator areas and a new canteen, if you’ve never been to Sumter County’s latest state-of-the-art sporting facility, this would be an excellent time to come and watch the sports action.

The 2011 tournament attracted more than 60 teams from the Carolinas and Georgia for a weekend of intense field action—up from 35 in 2010—and this year’s tournament should be even bigger.  Play begins both mornings at 8:30, with the final winners being declared on Sunday afternoon.

Long the most popular sport in Europe and South America, “Association Football” keeps getting bigger in the US.  Forget the “soccer mom” jokes; this is serious stuff, and makes a serious impact on our local tourism economy.  It’s also a whole lot of fun to watch—during soccer season at my school, anyone who was looking knew where to find me, and I’m really not even a sports fan.  (Of course, the fact that one of my best friends was a champion player, and that soccer was a major social event in the absence of a football team didn’t hurt, either.) 

Patriot Park Sportsplex, located off Patriot Parkway near the intersection of Loring Mill Road, can be mapped at 3365 Patriot Parkway, Sumter, SC 29154 (GPS coordinates:  33.937129,-80.426402).  For more information, please contact the Sumter Soccer Club at http://www.kookaburracup.com/contact.asp and follow the links.  And then get out and root for the boys and girls, and find out why in the rest of the world, soccer is all the rage!

Hats.

Tell me—does anyone really recall anything about the last Presidential inauguration other than Aretha Franklin’s hat?!  As I remember, there was even an article in the paper about women who had been into downtown businesses to inquire about purchasing reproductions of that show-stopping millinery.  Although I won’t name names, there are local women of my acquaintance whom I’ve seen sporting headwear for which the word “hat” seems wholly insufficient—I’ve even attended a wedding in which the mother of the groom wore a hat that was so big, so sparkly and so colorful that she risked upstaging the bride!  And she wore it like…a crown. 

The days when a lady did not appear in the street without a suitable head covering are long gone, and hats make increasingly rare appearances even on formal occasions.  However, there is one place where they are welcomed, expected, and some women even try to outdo one another in their extravagance—the traditionally African-American church.  That is the subject of Crowns, an award-winning play by actress and playwright Regina Taylor, adapted from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry.  Coming to the Sumter Little Theatre next week, this story of life, love, loss and faith is recommended for all audiences. 

As described in the Sumter Little Theatre’s press release, “Yolanda loses her brother to street violence in Brooklyn, NY.  She is devastated…(and) moves to Darlington, SC to live with her grandmother, and gradually she comes to terms with her grief and loss,” as well as her own identity.  Through a series of scenes in this one-act play, the church ladies who speak “the language of the hat” (including words like “hattitude,” along with rap numbers and much teasing) inspire and uplift Yolanda in this acclaimed musical.

Whether or not you Celebrate the Hat (and to see what I’m talking about, check out photographer Cunningham’s website here), this slice of cultural history will teach, preach and entertain.  Directed by Eric Bultman, the play opens on Thursday, February 9, with performances running through February 12 and again from February 16-19, 2012.  The show begins at 8 p.m., except for the Sunday matinees that start at 3 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, students and military.  The Sumter Little Theatre is located at 14 Mood Avenue.  For more information, please call (803) 775-2150. 

(Images taken from various websites.  No copyright infringement intended.)

Well, this month may have vanished unaccountably quickly (for me, anyway), but it’s certainly going out BIG!  The Sumter Enduro Motorcycle Riders Association (SERMA) is pleased to host the 43^rd Annual Sumter Enduro, January 29, 2012 at Manchester State Forest in Wedgefield.  With 600 riders registered, this 75-mile Class AA off-road bike race will probably stand your hair on end—and that’s just if you’re watching!  Participating riders come from 35 states and Canada, making this the largest event of its type in North America.

What, exactly, is Enduro?  According to Wikipedia, it’s a form of off-road motorcycle race.  It’s not so much racing other competitors as racing the clock; riders are required to check in at certain points at particular times, with penalties for early or late arrival.  However, it’s not a casual ride in the park, either, as various obstacles and challenges are set up along the route.  Known throughout the world, Enduro has enjoyed international popularity since the first major event was held in England in 1913 (hmm…do I see a centennial coming up?).  With the varied terrain at Manchester, and the ever-present possibility of large quantities of mud, just about anything can happen!

This excerpt from a 2010 article gives an intriguing glimpse into the sport:
“Motocross people are scared of Enduro racing and possibly off-road racing in general. Maybe it’s the name: Enduro! It sounds sort of scary, I guess. It surely sounds difficult. If it weren’t tough, I guess it’d be called an Easy. But the name’s no reason to be frightened, moto guys and gals. Now, more than ever, the National Enduro scene is rider-and bike-friendly.”  (Source:  http://www.dirtrider.com)

Before the Enduro race on Sunday, a fun preliminary event, the 7^th Annual Sumter Pit Bike Classic, will be held at Manchester to kick off the festivities.  Join the group on Saturday, January 28 at 7 p.m. for fun and laid-back entertainment.

Admission for spectators is FREE, and the main Enduro event on Sunday, January 29 begins at 9 a.m.  From SC 261, just follow the green arrows.  Come join these super-skilled riders as they test their endurance against the wilds of Sumter County, South Carolina!

SERMA is part of the American Motorcyclists Association.  More questions?  Check out the event flyer (PDF) here.

If you’re new to Enduro, the following links may also be helpful:
http://sermaclub.com
http://www.nationalenduro.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enduro

Manchester State Forest is located at 6740 Headquarters Road in Wedgefield, off SC Highway 261.  For more information, please contact e-mail them at  johnny_mccoy@hotmail.com or sermaclubprez@yahoo.com.

Image from www.nationalenduro.com

Open year-round, the Swan Lake Visitors Center is pleased to be able to offer a variety of merchandise that brings a reminder of Sumter’s glorious springs and lazy summers.  Ranging in price from fifty-cent postcards on up, we have something to lift anyone’s spirits! 

The Visitor’s Center is proud to be an outlet for merchandise from sculptor Grainger McKoy’s recent show at the prestigious High Museum of Art in Atlanta.  From September 2011 until earlier this month, more than 600,000 visitors viewed the critically acclaimed exhibit.  If you were unable to make the trip, you can still pick up a bit of the exhibit right here at home, starting at very reasonable prices.  At $20, the 2012 Grainger McKoy Calendar is a bargain, featuring sixteen high-resolution images of McKoy’s work to take you through the months of the coming year.  We also have 100% silk neckties and scarves in stock, featuring the feather motif made famous by the artist’s jewelry collection (also available locally at Galloway & Moseley on Bultman Drive). 

Most of all, we are delighted to offer for sale a version of the renowned Recovery sculpture for your very own.  The Recovery Study is almost eight inches tall, crafted in bronze, with each piece signed and numbered by the artist.  It reproduces in faithful detail every feather shaft of the fourteen-foot masterpiece that was installed in 2010 at Swan Lake Iris Gardens.  Available by special order only, the study sells for $880.00—a fabulous deal when compared to the price of McKoy’s commissioned works!  As an additional bonus, members of the Friends of Swan Lake who purchase the item here are entitled to a 10% discount!  If you aren’t a member of the Friends, this would be a great time to check into this organization, which has done a great deal for the park over the last few years and was instrumental in bringing the McKoy sculpture here.

If you have not seen the Recovery sculpture in its full glory, why not plan a trip to Swan Lake Iris Gardens this spring?  The towering wing, surrounded by black water, cypress trees and (in late May) blooming Japanese irises, is a scene of breathtaking beauty that’s well worth the trip (and of course, admission is free!).

For a look at the variety of gifts and souvenirs available at the Swan Lake Visitors Center, located at 822 West Liberty Street in Sumter, please check us out online here.   Our hours are M-F, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We look forward to welcoming spring 2012…and you!

The Guide is also linked to the Shaw Guide Online, a valuable resource for our military members as they familiarize themselves with their new home.  It’s just another way that Sumter reaches out with a virtual handshake to welcome the newest citizens of our community!

Another thing that differs from the print version is the addition of twelve of our most popular brochures.  Downloadable and printable, these publications include information on Swan Lake Iris Gardens, sports, meetings, reunions and more!  Check it out the online Sumter Community Guide today at www.sumtercommunity.com.

For more information on print and online materials available through the Swan Lake Visitors Center, please give us a call at (803) 436-2640, toll-free at 1-800-688-4748 or visit online at www.sumtertourism.com.

It’s the closest we can come to offering a guided tour by long distance…and if you’re in town to visit or consider a prospective move, we can provide individualized tours, too—live and in person.  Expand your knowledge of the Sumter community, and if you haven’t been here yet, you’re bound to find something that makes you want to come by and say hello!

Although Sumter is known for its temperate climate, this isn’t exactly the sort of weather that drives most people to seek outdoor activities.  That’s why it’s a good thing that we have plenty to do indoors, as well.  One of those things is a new installment in the “Let’s Talk about It” series, “Whodunnit? A Series of Stimulating Mysteries!” at the Sumter County Library.  Is there anyone who doesn’t love a good whodunnit?  From Sherlock Holmes, to television’s ”Castle,” to the board game “Clue,” a compelling mystery is always a fascinating way to while away the time.

There are many who believe that people don’t read anymore, and that is probably the sad truth in our increasingly busy society.  But there was a time, not so very long ago, when book clubs were common, with many communities supporting more than one.  All that is required is a book, along with the time and willingness to discuss it with other fans (or foes—it’s always a lively discussion when someone who hated it chimes in).  Now, with the increasing popularity of Kindles, Nooks, iPads and other machines that make it possible to read just about anywhere, reading is making a comeback.  So don’t put away the e-reader that you got for Christmas—give it a whirl!

The Sumter County Library, located at 111 North Harvin Street, is hosting this series  of monthly book discussions described as “a free and open opportunity for adults…to discuss five pre-selected mystery novels.”  Beginning on January 10, each evening will begin with a presentation by a noted scholar, with discussion following.  Space is limited, so register now by calling (803) 773-7273.  For more information, visit the site link here.  The series is sponsored by the Library and the SC Humanities Council.

As an avid reader (when I can find the time), I love A. Conan Doyle, Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta series, Hitchcock anthologies—but I’ll be sticking to my hard copies for now; there’s something about the feel and smell of a new book that just can’t be duplicated.  But who knows…maybe someone will be inspired to create a new character that will bring fame to a budding Sumter author!

But December 18 did not mark the end of all holiday celebrations.  Yesterday, December 20, was the first night of Hannukah, the eight-day Festival of Lights.  This reminds me of an extremely important slice of Sumter history—the contribution of Sumter’s Jewish community to our growth and development through the centuries.  A substantial Sephardic population began arriving here circa 1815-20, and their influence is still felt very strongly today.  Names such as Moses, Harby, Moise, Levi and others appear today as street names, buildings and businesses, reflecting the accomplishments of these families.  These include the Sumter County Museum, built by the Moses and Phelps families, and the Sumter County Courthouse, which was built in 1907 on property formerly belonging to prosperous merchant A.A. Solomons.    

Temple Sinai, located at Church and Hampton Streets, was completed over the years from 1910 to 1917.  Built in the Moorish Revival style with beautiful stained-glass windows, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.  With a declining membership, the congregation has begun to contemplate possible closure in the near future, and has donated its extensive collection to the College of Charleston Jewish Heritage Collection to ensure its preservation.  A historical marker was added in 2009. 

As family and friends of all faiths gather to celebrate the season, we at the Swan Lake Visitors Center would like to take this opportunity to wish you a wonderful holiday season.  We will be closed from December 23-26, and will re-open on December 27, 2011.  In the meantime, the Fantasy of Lights at Swan Lake will continue nightly through December 31. 

Merry Christmas from the Sumter tourism staff, and best wishes for a bright new year!