By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

By Carson Lambert

clambert@civitasmedia.com

Jayroe
Jayroe

Rowe
Rowe

McClurkin
McClurkin

Cain
Cain

McLeod
McLeod

Underwood
Underwood

Gallman
Gallman

NEWBERRY COUNTY — The summer season not only brings along warmer temperatures and days off from school, but also tradition and found memories.

During this time of year many residents will take them time to go on vacation, and relive memories from when they were younger.

Danielle Rowe, district coordinator for Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District, said her favorite thing to do in the summer is to go to Myrtle Beach and hang out with her friends. She said it always felt like home to her, even before she moved there.

“Ever since I moved to Newberry County in 2010 I make a point to go back and visit at least once a summer,” she said.

Her favorite memory is going to Ocean Annie’s with her friends. She said they had live music, a lazy river, a tiki hut and they were right next to the ocean, so she was able to go to the beach whenever she wanted during her visit.

“I would go there just about every weekend during the summer and it would always be a big group of us, about 15 or 20. We would just have a fun summer time,” Rowe said.

Jana Jayroe, mayor of Little Mountain, said she enjoys being outside more during the summer, and she says she enjoys the evenings even more during this time of year. She also likes to go to the lake and see the sun set.

“Every Fourth of July my family likes to get together and smoke some type of meal, usually ribs. We try and get together and ride on the boat and see the fireworks,” Jayroe said.

Her favorite summer memory is catching fireflies outside during her childhood.

Roy McClurkin, chief of police for the City of Newberry, said one place he likes this time of year is Charleston. He says that while it is a little hot, he likes to walk on the Battery and just relax.

“During the summer time when I was a kid, I played a lot of sports, baseball and softball, just community. Hanging out with friends and having fun, that is why I liked it. You have been in school all year, then summer came along and you could take a break from school, hang out with friends and play sports,” McClurkin said.

Scott Cain, a member of Newberry County Council, said when he was growing up, it was his parents’ tradition to rent a house on the beach. His family, three brothers and a sister and their families have a Cain Beach Week where the whole family goes down.

“We have a whole week at the beach where everyone gets together,” he said. “We do the typical beach stuff during the day, but at night, every family unit is responsible for the meal. After, everyone sits around and talks about everything going on, typically ends up with what has been going on this year. The family units start talking about their stories during the year. It’s entertaining and memorable.”

Cain said they also have the Cain Family Reunion that includes the extended family of 50 to 60 people. However, the most memorable time is the Cain Beach Week.

Rep. Walt McLeod grew up near the coast and some of his best memories are from there.

“I grew up in Walterboro and Edisto Beach, my family had a cottage there, we get together on Labor Day on Edisto Beach, and I usually come back to be in the Chapin Labor Day Parade. Also have Little Mountain Reunion, I have participated since 1976,” McLeod said.

McLeod was in the Navy Reserves and for the summer he usually went to Navy Institutions, and would participate in what the National Guard call summer camps.

However, his fondest memory is Edisto Beach.

“I grew up with three brothers and we had a wonderful time together at the beach. We did a lot of things where we enjoyed water skiing, crabbing and fishing. We had a little red Jeep and it was legal to drive it on the beach in those days,” he said. “We had a wonderful time driving red Jeep with no top. Very meaningful time in my life, growing up with three brothers was a great time, fond memories.”

Derek Underwood, mayor of Prosperity, said some of his favorite memories are from spending time at a lake house owned by his grandparents.

“My grandparents had a lake place that they purchased in 1958 and I just remember going there on the weekends during the summer and skiing and boat riding and fishing and doing all the cool stuff kids do,” Underwood said.

He also recalls watching a television with satellite ears on top.

“I had to turn it up really loud because the window air-conditioning unit was so loud it drowned out everything,” he said.

Allen Gallman, a member of Prosperity Town Council, said much of his summers were spent doing farm work, as his father was a sharecropper, but he and his friends still found time for fun.

“We did play football and baseball out in the field,” said Gallman, who recalled being the only African American in the group. “We played like we were brothers.”