Mobile Home Sales in Bishopville, SC

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — What a whirlwind March it has been! South Carolina has had warm temperatures one day then below freezing the next. “It is a delight to be travelling again since COVID,” said Catherine Harris, who enjoys organizing tours for local groups.

I was fortunate to be part of the trip to Kentucky’s The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum Answers in Genesis, organized by Harris, who is a retired Lee County probate judge.

Fellow traveler and Bishopville Pilot Club member Carolyn Cumalander said, “Burke Christian Tours is the best way to travel and have fun adventures with family and friends. We met our group in Camden on Wednesday, March, 15 and traveled to Charlotte to spend the night.”

The next morning we were on our way to new places and met a group of travelers from North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. We boarded our large motor coach (friends from Bishopville and Lugoff, as well as 25 new friends we met) and rode through the scenic haze of the Great Smoky Mountains into the Blue Ridge Mountains through the Cumberland Gap.

Our excellent tour guide, Althea Bartlett, played DVDs with the music of the legendary country singers of Tennessee and Kentucky and read inspiring devotions such as, “If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.” She also related many facts about the history and attractions of the area.

We stopped in Knoxville, TN to visit the Sunsphere, a tourist attraction built in 1982 for the World’s Fair. It cost more than two million dollars to renovate in 2018, and it reminded me of a disco ball, a Golden Globe in the sky. Sunsphere is 266 feet of steel with 75-feet tall, 24 karat gold-tinted glass windows.

When we reached the top, we could see 360 degrees of the city, viewing the Tennessee River, the University of Tennessee, and the Smoky Mountains.

We arrived at our hotel in Georgetown, KY, a beautiful city in the heart of Kentucky bluegrass, around 7 p.m.

Thursday morning, we celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day, wearing our green and visiting the Creation Museum in the town of Petersburg. It was ironic there was a cold rain. The Creation Museum reflected the history and the timeline of the Bible with exhibits, gardens, etc.

Built in 2007 for $27 million, we entered the Garden of Eden, viewed the Tree of Life, and found ourselves in the Dinosaur Den with the models of giant dinosaurs. The average dinosaur depicted was 11 feet tall and 30 feet long. There were holograms of the story of Adam and Eve, the Flood, how the earth was rearranged after the flood, the mountains formed, and the rivers retreated.

After lunch, we boarded the bus to visit The Ark Encounter. The ark was the most massive structure I have ever seen. According to facts from the museum, the Ark is the largest free-standing timber-frame structure in the world. The ark was constructed with 3.1 million board feet of lumber. It is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, almost the size of two football fields. Made of cedar wood by Amish builders, there are three decks to explore once you board the ark.

Outside of the ark was a restaurant called Emzara’s Kitchen, which is the Jewish name for Noah’s wife. We had a buffet dinner (supper) for less than $20.

Deborah Kennington Boan said, “My grandson Dalton and I had an awesome trip…To see the effort that God made to save Noah’s family from the flood and so much detail that went into the planning of the ship was amazing. The bus and professional driver, Ray Rutherford, may have been Dalton’s favorites. I highly advise this trip for everyone. Noah has always been one of my favorite characters of the Bible.”

The Ark, opened in 2016, has no steps to go from floor to floor but large ramps and elevators. There are sound effects of pounding rain, thunder, and the call of the animals. There are replicas of the living quarters of Noah and his family, along with an indoor garden, a kitchen, and his study/library.

Calla-Gray Brunson, a fifth grade student at Lee Academy said, “When I went to the Ark I had a great time, but that is another story. I rode a camel named Ramses. Its saddle was purple and pink. I told my dad (Curtis) that I wanted to ride that specific one, and when I saw I was next in line I saw that purple saddle. I was so excited and nervous! By the way, it was freezing cold (28 degrees) and windy. I said I wanted to ride a camel and so I did! I even petted a goat. I was excited, scared, happy, nervous, and cold!”

We returned to our hotel after a long day. Saturday morning, we packed and left at 8 a.m. to visit one of the famous national historic sites, Keeneland, a thoroughbred racehorse course and auction farm for horse sales. We learned that Keeneland hosts horse auctions and earns $280 billion a year in horse sales. As we rode through Lexington’s beautiful horse farms, we learned that wooden fences around trees in the middle of the fields were not unusual. They were constructed to protect the horses from rubbing up against the trees.

Hours later we said goodbye to our group and returned to our homes with our spirits and faith renewed. We were moved by the promise of the rainbow blessing.

BISHOPVILLE — There’s a new dentist in town, thanks to two local eye doctors!

Dr. Haneen Anbarserri, DMD, (and you can just call her “Dr. A”) is now seeing patients in her office, Bishopville Dental, located at 734 West Church Street. Last May, optometrists Dr. David Andrews and Dr. Jason Lee with Lee County Eye Associates purchased the old dentist’s office, formerly owned by Lynwood Bramlett, who operated there until 2011. The office had been closed since then.

Andrews said both he and Dr. Lee wanted to see a dentist who would serve adults come to Bishopville. The only other dental provider in town is a pediatric dentist affiliated with CareSouth.

“I love this little town and have been seeing eye patients here since 1987,” Andrews said. “Jason and I talked and decided buying the office and getting a dentist in there is something we both want to do because we both consider Bishopville a second home.”

They enlisted the help of Gracie Bertrand, a workforce coordinator with the South Carolina Office of Rural Health, to market the dental office and practice. The strategy paid off.

Anbarserri, who earned a degree in biological sciences from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in New Jersey, was working at a correctional facility in Rembert, providing general dental services to inmates, when, on a whim, she googled “Jobs near me.”

“Not many popped up but the one that did definitely caught my eye,” she says. “It was an ad for a start-up practice. I thought, well, that’s odd, the jobs advertised usually want an associate coming in to an already running facility.”

But she decided to check it out, getting in touch with Bertrand, who connected her with Dr. Andrews. “Bishopville wasn’t that far from the prison where I work—about a 30 minute drive so I decided to see what it was all about,” Anbarserri, who just turned 30 years old, said. “They said the practice had to be a start-up and that was fine by me.”

When she saw the office for the first time, it may have been close to love at first sight. “When I walked in, I thought, this is actually in pretty good shape,” Anbarserri recalls thinking. “I’ve always wanted to start my own dental practice but I didn’t know how because it’s very expensive, but this gives me the opportunity to do it at a much lower cost. It’s a great opportunity for a young dentist like me.”

Born and raised in Saudi Arabia, Anbarserri moved with her family to New Jersey when she was 17. An interesting side note: While at Wellesley, Anbarserri played collegiate golf. When she graduated, Anbarserri joined the Saudi National Golf Team and continues to play in tournaments around the world.

“After I graduated from Rutgers, I actually moved to South Carolina, to Myrtle Beach, for golf,” she said. She also got a job as an associate dentist in a corporate practice there, providing dental care to the local community as well as visitors to the Grand Strand.

An aesthetic and general dentist with three years of clinical experience, “Dr. A” said she is committed to providing individualized care to meet the needs and desires of her patients. “While my goal is to always strive for healthy smiles, my first objective when I meet a new patient is to find out what they want from dentistry,” she says. “By understanding what a patient desires, I’m able to build a unique approach and deliver individualized care. My philosophy of care stems from, one, a foundation of a life-time strategy for a healthy mouth, and, two, an aesthetic approach for a natural and healthy look.”

Anbarserri officially opened her office at the end of December and because she still works at the prison, sees patients in Bishopville on the weekend. “I can also see patients throughout the week in the evening by appointment,” she said. To make an appointment, you can call 803-484-7071 and leave a message. Someone will get back to you.

While she doesn’t take private insurance, Anbarserri does accept Medicaid. “My goal is to practice dentistry properly and make it as affordable as possible,” she said. “With insurance, they start to influence your decisions and patients’ decisions. The procedures we offer are very reasonably priced. For example, take teeth whitening. I know of no insurance that pays for it so I market that and offer a better price than any other dental practice. I offer it for $295 while at other dental practices, it’s $400, $500 or $600…We offer general and cosmetic dental services, including cleanings, extractions and implants.”

An active member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Anbarserri also has received advanced training in Botox.

On Saturday, April 22, representatives from the city and county held a ribbon cutting at the dental office and officially welcomed Anbarserri to town. Lee County Councilman Travis Windham said the community is fortunate to now have a dentist who will accept adult patients. “The other dental practice is for pediatrics only,” he said. “Also, Dr. Anbarserri offers the convenience of weekend appointments for folks who work. Those are two big pluses for our community. She’s already seeing people from Hartsville and Sumter, too, because she’s open on Saturdays; people will make the commute for that.”

Bishopville Mayor Grady Brown said he and members of city council are “glad she is here. I would say to all Lee Countians who have wanted a dentist locally, we now have one. As citizens of Bishopville and Lee County, let’s support her and help her build a business here in our community.”

Dr. Andrews said finding Anbarserri was a gift. “We were very, very fortunate to find her,” he said. “Many thanks to Grace (Bertrand) who told us, ‘Do you know how lucky you are to find her and get her to come to Bishopville? Corporations are looking for dentists and can’t find them, much less a small, rural community. You better grab her while you can.’ And that’s what we did and we’re delighted she’s here. So, not only did Gracie find us a dentist, she found us one with an amazing resume, one who could work anywhere in the country. Bishopville has been without a dentist who would see adults for 10 years and we are just delighted that Dr. Anbarserri chose to come here.”

Andrews said while Anbarserri is young, she has already gained a great deal of dental experience through her work at the minimum security prison. “I know what it’s like when you’re working with a population that has limited healthcare, dental care, eye care,” he said. “You see more in three years than you do in decades of private practice. Dr. Anbarserri’s work at the prison has given her much more exposure than a dentist in private practice.”

When the ribbon was cut, Anbarserri said she is “very excited to be serving the community of Bishopville and the surrounding areas. This is my new home!”

BISHOPVILLE — It’s been 35 years since the first sighting of the infamous Lizard Man near Scape Ore Swamp. As the story goes, the large, scaly creature attacked a teenager’s car as he was driving home from work on a lonely, dark country road one night way back in June of 1988. When a young Chris Davis told then Sheriff Liston Truesdale about what had happened to him, word quickly got out.

And thus, the Lizard Man legend was born. Lee County was descended upon by thousands of media and the curious, who wanted a chance to see the creature, described as having “burning red eyes, scales and three-clawed hands” firsthand.

Several other “sightings” occurred, along with damage to vehicles, that were attributed to the Lizard Man and Lee County enjoyed a boon to its economy that memorable summer, as media, tourists and thrill seekers poured in to hunt the phantom of the swamp.

On June 24 of this year, the Friends of the Lizard Man Committee will host the second annual Lizard Man Stomp in downtown Bishopville. Committee chairman George Roberts said the stomp is being held to preserve the legend of the Lizard Man, draw folks from out of town to Bishopville and promote what Lee County has to offer.

“And you’ll get a chance to see the creature from Scape Ore Swamp as he rides in the parade,” Roberts said. “Come one, come all, and enjoy the festivities on the anniversary of the Lizard Man’s 1988 appearance in Lee County.”

This year’s Stomp is shaping up to be bigger and better, he said. “We’re going to have a parade this year with the theme ‘Lizard Man Mania,’ ” Roberts said. The parade route will begin at Food Lion and come through downtown, ending at Cedar Lane. If you’d like to participate in the parade, applications can be picked up at State Farm, the Lee County Chamber of the Commerce, the S.C. Cotton Museum, and Stuckey and Alexander on Main Street. There is no entry fee and walking units are welcome.

Organizers are excited to announce that the Green Swamp Collective will play live throughout the day at the Stomp. According to the website, the Green Swamp Collective is “a group of musicians who write and record our music a stone’s throw from the Green Swamp in Sumter County, S.C. Our songs are inspired by life and all that comes with it. The band’s sound is a bit country with a folksy touch. Sometimes it might lean towards bluegrass, or it might even rock a little now then.”

Roberts said he and other committee members are excited to welcome the band to the Stomp. “We are already looking forward to having the Green Swamp Collective at the Lizard Man Stomp,” he said. “They are a wonderful, entertaining group and I’m sure everyone will enjoy having the chance to hear their music.”

Roberts said all of the festivities will be located on Main Street. “We’ll have food trucks, other vendors, children’s games, face painting and line dancing to the Lizard Man Stomp song,” he said. Children’s games will include a ring and corn toss, painting the Lizard Man, and more. “In addition, children under 12 eat free,” Roberts said. “We want to encourage families to come out and enjoy the day and celebration of the Lizard Man.”

There will also be an indoor arts and crafts show at 238 Market Place on Main Street and a viewing of a video about the legend of the Lizard Man. “There will be a car show that will include trucks, military units and antique farm tractors, as well,” Roberts said.

Margaret Copeland, a member of the Friends of the Lizard Man Committee, said last year’s inaugural festival was a success and she’s looking forward to this year’s June 24 event. “We started over 20 years ago, planning this, trying to get the Lizard Man back in front of the public eye,” she said. “Putting him back where he belongs--as Lee County’s legend.”

And the first Lizard Man Stomp did just that, with everything centered around the county’s most famous creature. “We had games for the children, face painting, all kinds of Lizard Man souvenirs, like t-shirts, coins and cups,” Copeland said. “Our idea was to create a family-friendly, community-oriented event and that’s what it turned out to be and it was awesome.”

Roy Atkinson performed the song he wrote in the 1990s about the Lizard Man called “The Lizard Man Stomp” and local dancers kept the pavement hot doing the “Stomp.”

Copeland said the city and county haven’t had an event to draw folks from out-of-town to Bishopville since the annual Lee County Cotton Festival stopped about six years ago. “We felt like this event was something that was needed for our community,” she said. “We were impressed with the number of people who came really from all over the place and we were so grateful for the local community support.”

She said the Lizard Man committee is hoping to see that same support this year.

“We need volunteers to help with setup and teardown for the Stomp,” Copeland said. If you would like to help, please call 803-229-2679 or email George Roberts at mwatkins1@sc.rr.com

“And please come out on June 24 and ‘stomp’ for the Lizard Man!” she said.

The food pantry is run by CareSouth Carolina, a federally qualified healthcare center in five counties throughout the state. It's open three days a week.

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — A food pantry has recently opened in Bishopville, which marks the second pantry in all of Lee County. It provides emergency food to people in need, who can stop by to get three days worth of food.

Christy Beasley the CareSouth Carolina community health educator helping to open the pantry.

"Not having something to eat the whole day just breaks my heart," Beasley told me. "I don't care their circumstances, I don't care who they are. Nobody. Nobody should have to go without eating and one day it could be me and I would want somebody to step up and help me."

RELATED: Fresh produce boxes now available to students, staff at four local colleges and universities

Lee County resident Tameeka Lesane once found herself needing that help. That feeling stuck with her, and it’s why she’s serving as a county community health worker.

"I was at a place one time where I needed assistance. And you know, I always told myself and I prayed and I say you know what? When the Lord blesses me to be able to bless somebody else, then I will," Lesane said. "I've been there so I understand what it's like, you know, the end of the month comes and you're waiting for your food stamps to come and you're running kinda low. Guess what? They can come here, get something to hold them over until their food stamps come."

Lee County residents can come to the pantry to get three days worth of emergency food. Lesane says they see about 15-20 families a day.

RELATED: New online tool locates food pantries for those in need in South Carolina

"It was just needed. It really was needed," Lesane told me.

"This is a high poverty area," Beasley added. "And it is a small community and it's a close community, but there's a lot of elderly without and we serve the elderly community a lot."

When they come to the pantry, they can also receive help with applying for food stamps and access to federally qualified healthcare through CareSouth Carolina, according to Chief of Community Health Joe Bittle.

"Being able to provide this service and collaborate with people in this community to do that is wonderful," Bittle explained. "That's what we do."

The food is donated to the pantry through community drives and through Harvest Hope Food Bank.

The pantry is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

After eight months of construction, Lee County Shared Hope, Inc. is officially ready to start serving the community through providing shelter and resources.

BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — Lee County’s first and only homeless shelter is now open. After more than eight months of renovations, Lee County Shared Hope, Inc. is ready to provide shelter and resources for those who need it.

"It’s a labor of love from people in this area who have done this," treasurer Sam Burchfield explains about the shelter – located on North Dennis Avenue near Main Street – that aims to serve the more than 80 people in the community experiencing homelessness.

"You drive by somebody sitting on the side of the road, you think, ‘That’s a bum.’ But that person’s homeless," Burchfield shares. "They’re hungry. They’re doing without. This is a place where they can come and move up and come out of that situation."

Burchfield and other volunteers are doing that by providing various resources for anyone who needs it. People can come into the shelter on days the temperature is above 85 degrees or below 30.

They can take a shower and change into scrubs while washing their clothes, receive free meals and get to-go necessity kits. They can also find a place to sleep and receive free counseling.

"We want to give them a hand up, not a hand out," Burchfield explains about wanting to provide life coaching, mental health counseling and educational opportunities.

"I think there are a lot of people who need help," Bishopville resident Lee Richardson says.

"We know they’re here because we see them," Burchfield agrees.

Richardson tells me seeing her community helping those struggling is "a great feeling."

"There are a lot of people in Lee County who regularly help others, so it makes it a much better community, a much nicer place to live," Richardson continues.

"I know what these people are going through," Burchfield shares, explaining he was once homeless.

Burchfield is using his past experience as a reason to give back.

"There’s a stigma that comes with it, and it’s hard to overcome. And then you have a lot of veterans who just…they have given up," Burchfield says. "You have a lot of homeless people in this area who don’t have any place to go. So I want to help those people. Our group wants to help those people. So we’ll give them all we can."

Since this is the first and only shelter in Lee County, Burchfield tells me volunteers will adapt as they learn how best to help.

"I hope the homeless shelter will really be a help to these people, but I think we just have to wait and see," Richardson says, citing lack of transportation and job opportunities as an obstacle those experiencing homelessness might still face.

"We’re learning as we go," Burchfield laughed. "We want to help the people who need us the most."

The shelter is waiting on some furniture, including beds and a freezer, which are expected to be delivered by the end of this week. Burchfield says the shelter is looking for volunteers, as well as donations. For more information on how you can help, you can email LeeCountySharedHopeInc@gmail.com.