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Coach Earl Seeley Begins 10th Season at WSHS

Photo: Coach Seeley with his fellow teammates at Springfield College.

Written By Valerie Sliker, courtesy Wagener Monthly

Wagener Salley High School (WSHS) basketball coach, Earl Seeley begins coaching his tenth season with the War Eagles on the first week of November or as soon as his players are freed up from the football season.  If the football team goes to the playoffs, their schedule will overlap with the basketball season.

Coach Seeley will run try-outs for three days, then make his team.  He usually carries 12 – 15 players.  If some guys are good enough to play, Seeley will stretch the team to 15. 

I caught up with Coach Seeley in his office on a hot school day in between his Physical Education classes.  We sat in his office, sandwiched between trophies and photos of former teams and players making spectacular plays, forever preserved on Seeley’s wall of fame.

First, I asked him if, after 35 years in the business, he is thinking about retirement.  Not a bit.  “As long as I have my health,” he said, “I can keep going.  I love coaching.  I love seeing the development of players.  I really love seeing guys after they graduate, and how after I’ve had them for four years, they come back and tell me stories, things I’ve forgotten already.  These guys remember everything.  You think these guys are not listening to you when you are preaching to them, but they’re listening, they hear.”

Guy Penrod in Concert in Wagener

Guy Penrod is bringing his Christmas Concert to First Baptist Church Wagener on Monday, December 5, 2016.  Due to limited seating, be sure to purchase your ticket in advance at GuyPenrod.com.  

Dec. 5, 2016, 7 pm
Limited Seating
Purchase tickets at GuyPenrod.com or by phone 800.965.9324.

VIP $29.50
Gen'l Admission $24.50

Grammy and GMA Award-winning recording artist Guy Penrod is bringing his Christmas concert to FBC Wagener on December 5, 2016.  You may be familiar with his work with the Gaither Quartet and the Gaither Homecoming Video Series.  Purchase your tickets online as soon as possible before they sell out.  VIP includes seating nearest the altar.  Doors open at 6 pm, concert begins at 7.

Community Thanksgiving Dinner

CTFK's annual Harvest Table will be held November 24, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm.  This is a free complete Thanksgiving dinner for anyone, no qualifications or advance tickets are necessary.  The dinner is served take-out or eat-in.  This is a great opportunity to eat your Thanksgiving dinner with other friends and families if you do not have your own family dinner scheduled.  CTFK seeks volunteers to provide the food, the preparations, the serving and the clean-up.  Contact Cindy Blizzard or anyone at the CTFK offices for more information or to volunteer.  [email protected]

Wagener's Jimmy Wilson Competes at FLW Norris Lake

By Valerie Sliker

Wagener resident and businessman Retired Master Sergeant Jimmy Wilson, USAF, has gone to Clinton, TN to spend the week fishing with the pros.  Not a bad gig, right?  

“I’ll probably put 40 hours on my boat just this week, that’s more than most people do in a year.” Wilson told me in an interview last week.  “I’m actually pretty pumped about it,” he added.  That has to be the best 40-hour work week I’ve ever heard of.  And?  I think he’s edging for a new boat.

The FLW (Fishing League Worldwide) Norris Lake Invitational is a 3-day tournament October 20 – 22, 2016, one of seven regular season events in the FLW Tour.  The FLW Tour consists of pro-anglers and co-anglers, the best of which will proceed to the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup to be held on Lake Murray late Summer, 2017.  During the competition, the anglers will accumulate weight of the fish caught each day and the top ten on Saturday night will advance to Sunday.  The winner of that will go to the Forrest Cup.

Jimmy and Susan Wilson are spending the week on Norris Lake as he uses three days for practice, followed by the tournament.  Along with Susan, there should be around 300 – 500 spectators, many of which are looking for a photo-op or autograph with the pro-angler of their choice.  The event will present fishing seminars and vendors, very similar to a NASCAR event.

Wagener Supports Special Olympics & How You Can, Too

Photo: WSHS Special Ed student Anslee Fraser with GA supportive racers Rondeau and Teague

By Valerie Sliker, courtesy Wagener Monthly

Former WSHS Special Education teacher Valerie Steen, now teaching at White Knoll, returned to Wagener to support her beloved Making Others Believe (MOB) Club as they provided a rest stop for the 31st Annual Aiken to Ride Fundraiser for the Special Olympics that was held on September 11, 2016.

Steen remains actively involved with the South Carolina Special Olympics Area 15 which covers Aiken, Edgefield and Saluda counties and was excited to be back with the MOB crew to distribute snacks and drinks for the 200 bicycle riders who come from all over the United States to ride through beautiful Aiken County in support of the Special Olympics held at Midland Valley High School each spring.

Aiken to Ride offers four different routes, all of which begin and end at Odell Weeks Recreational Center, and is a qualifying event for other races.  The Century route is 102 miles with a 1625’ climb.  The Metric route is 67.5 miles with a 1967’ climb.  The 37-mile loop has only a 686’ climb and the 27-mile route consists of a 460’ climb.  One rider was surprised to find himself at the Wagener stop.  He had missed the turn-off for the 37-mile loop and was now doing the 67-mile route.  The routes weave among horse farms and rural communities including New Holland, Wagener, Williston and Windsor.

Anslee Fraser, a special education student at WSHS, joins the MOB club at the Wagener stop each year to cheer on the riders.  She was excited this year to see one of last year’s riders, Stace Rondeau recognize her as he coasted in and gave her a big hug.

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