PROSPERITY — Mid-Carolina High School will host an event for Chicago Cubs pitcher CJ Edwards on Nov. 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the school’s gym in celebration of the World Series champion.

“We wanted to do something for him, obviously a former Mid-Carolina High School graduate,” Ray Cooper, principal of Mid-Carolina High School, said of the 2011 MCHS grad. “We are extremely proud of CJ and all of his accomplishments and we really wanted to also, on a school level, make sure we did something to recognize and honor him.”

Details of the event have not been finalized but Cooper said it will a drop-in type event. Edwards, a Prosperity native, is expected to say a few words.

Sherry Bedenbaugh, who works at Prosperity-Rikard Elementary, is helping with the event.

“The program is to have speakers come in, people that have helped him along the way, and they will speak about him,” she said. “CJ will speak at the end, and we talked about doing a little Q&A session with him.”

Edwards was named to the Mid-Carolina Hall of Fame this year and Cooper said they will certainly bring him by the wall to let him see his photo.

But he stressed that the celebration is about Edwards, not Mid-Carolina High School.

“Its about CJ and his accomplishments. Everything we do will focus on him. It will be centered around what he wants,” Cooper said.

Stokes-Trainor, a sponsor for the event, will hand out autographed photos of Edwards to the first 500 people through the doors.

Cooper said they have been getting the word out via social networking and the school’s website.

“We are getting the word out through a grassroots type movement. Hopefully, the word will get spread in a small community like this,” he said. “Right now we have created a flyer, put it out there on our school website and social networking. CJ and his contacts are getting the word out as well.”

Cooper added he has no doubt people will show up for the celebration.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. Parking will be in the event parking lot, which is the parking lot MCHS uses for basketball games and graduations. Cooper said visitors can follow the school signs.

“CJ is such a good person, and has a good family. He is a good role model for our kids,” Cooper said. “Anytime we have one of our own do something on this scale, it’s not only a big deal for Mid-Carolina High School, it is a big deal for our community.”

Edwards
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_605218-1.jpgEdwards

Mid-Carolina High School will host a celebration of World Series champion and Chicago Cubs pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 29.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_AP_16308179195526-1.jpgMid-Carolina High School will host a celebration of World Series champion and Chicago Cubs pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 29. Photo courtesy of The Associated Press
Mid-Carolina to honor CJ Edwards on Tuesday

By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.