Around gilbert & summit

Anew elementary school will be built in 2019 in Gilbert on U.S. 1. The land that was purchased in September 2017 is now being cleared for the new school.

Recently, the Lexington County School District One Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 0.84 acres adjacent to the 20 acres where the new elementary school will be built. The purchase of this property gives additional frontage and will improve sight lanes for parents dropping off and picking up their children at the school. We do not know what the name of the new school will be.

Prior to the Christmas vacation, Gilbert High School Future Farmers of America students hosted lunch for GHS faculty and staff. The luncheon highlighted South Carolina farming facts. The students decorated tables with poinsettias that were grown in their greenhouse. FFA students also had cards on the tables with facts about farming in South Carolina. For instance, did you know that SC is home to the only tea farm in North America? For dessert they had a very large cake decorated with Christmas lights and a big “Thank you Faculty and Staff.

We hope you were able to see the beautiful Christmas lights in our Gilbert Community Park during the holidays. Shelba Howard, Lexington County Peach Festival Coordinator, tells us there were 70 people who helped place the lights in the park. The 70 adults and students were composed of Gilbert Community Club Board members, GCC club members, Pack 60 Scouts, and the GHS Basketball teams. After installing the lights, everyone enjoyed pizza and soft drinks. Shelba Howard and GSS secretary Lisa Smith coordinated the event with the assistance of GHS Head JVB Basketball Coach Janai Pickney, Varsity Head Coach Alvin Wright, and Varsity Assistant coaches Tinara Exume and Lisa Keisler.

The Gilbert Middle School Book Swap Committee, comprised of Cassidy Craps, Caedyn Hooker and Ella Gunter, helped collect over 400 books recently. The book swap is said to be a huge success. Books collected were traded among GMS students.

Congratulations to Pack 60 Scout Wilson Oxyner, who recently earned his Reading Merit Badge. Oxyner had to devote four hours of service to the GMS Library doing various tasks to earn his badge.

Birthday wishes this week go to Dondi Best, John Price, Gayle Terrell, John Leighty, Billy Joe Oswald, Kathryn Powers, James Kelly, Jr. Candace Thibeault, Delories Rains, Jimmy Gantt, John Schofield, Sandy Hutto, Cynthia Makuta, Pat Waters, Matthew Dawson, Joe Workman, Blythe Susan Price, Thomas O’Lain, Linda Price, Coleman Hernandez, Rose Nix and Susan Wright.

We want to wish everyone one in our community a very happy and prosperous 2019 New Year.