Not Just a Job — a Purpose Remember the Victims 2,500 at Service for Charleston 9 by BRUCE SMITH the Associated Press
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IN SPORTS: Singles semis, doubles final set for today at Palmetto Pro Open B1 INSIDE Middle school girls get into tech with STEM camp A2 SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2016 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents Mourners Not just a job — a purpose remember the victims 2,500 at service for Charleston 9 BY BRUCE SMITH The Associated Press CHARLESTON — South Carolina’s governor somberly held up programs from the fu- nerals of the victims of the Charleston church shootings, saying Friday during a memo- rial service that the faith of those victims showed how to heal in the aftermath of still another mass shooting. “As for me, I will forever know that there are angels on Earth,” said Gov. Nikki Haley during a three-hour service that was alternately somber and then punctu- ated by joyous singing. Friday was the anniversary of the shooting deaths of nine black parishio- HALEY ners during a Bible study at Emanuel AME Church. A white man, Dylann Roof, faces charges in both state and fed- eral courts and prosecutors in each are seeking the death penalty. Haley, who attended the fu- nerals of all the victims, said she got to know the families of both those who were killed and the three survivors in the days and weeks after the shootings. “There hasn’t been a day since June 17, 2015 that I haven’t thought about the 12,” RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM she said. Shirley Baker, left, who retired from the Sumter Senior Center after 40 years, reacts emotionally to the discovery that the building she has She recalled each victim, worked in has been renamed after her. Baker’s daughter, local attorney Sharon Baker Clark, assists her Friday during the ceremony. sometimes with gentle humor, as she showed the funeral pro- grams she says she keeps as Senior services building named after retiring director reminders. The Rev. DePayne Middle- BY ADRIENNE SARVIS ways remember Baker’s Greater Sumter Chamber of may think of seniors as old ton-Doctor “had the voice of [email protected] hard work when they visit Commerce is now situated. and slow, but they are viva- an angel,” she said. or drive by, said the Rev. After starting work, Baker cious and outgoing. It’s inter- Haley recalled state Sen. Sumter Senior Services James Blassingame. quickly fell in love with the esting to see what life as a se- Clementa Pinckney, the Eman- Executive Director Shirley He said the board unani- job and the seniors. nior could be like, she said. uel pastor who was slain as “a G. Baker was surprised Fri- mously decided that Baker Some people have jobs “I always tell the seniors gentle giant” and a man “who day when the agency’s board was the person most deserv- that are just jobs, but you that I’m blessed, not just be- never talked about what he revealed that the South ing to rename the building wake up excited for this job cause I have a job but be- was against. He always spoke Sumter Street building was after. She worked for the and know you’re going to cause I have a purpose,” about what he was for.” renamed after her in recog- original agency and was so have a good day, she said. Baker said. Haley said that in the wake nition of her 40 dedicated instrumental in bringing the Seniors services has She said working at the of the shootings — after which years of service. agency to its current loca- since relocated and expand- agency is a family job be- many family members of the Baker received many gifts tion, he said. ed to include many services cause her husband, daugh- victims said they forgave Roof, during her retirement cele- Baker started her career for more than 1,000 seniors ter and son helped provide the suspect charged in the bration, but the first to bring with senior services as a annually, according to services to seniors through- deaths — the people of South her to tears was the new part-time secretary for the Baker. out the years. Carolina “didn’t have protests; building sign. agency in 1968 when it was “It’s been a joy,” she said. they had vigils. They didn’t The community will al- located in the area where Baker said most people SEE BAKER, PAGE A7 have riots; they had hugs.” College of Charleston’s TD Arena, where the service was held, sits about 5,000 people and was about half full. The Lee County DSS part of technology pilot program stage was lined with the pic- tures of the nine people killed. Above each were the BY KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY complete history on a family remotely. words “Still Speaking from [email protected] “As a result, it is estimated that case- Eternity.” workers spend more than 50 percent of It’s the same venue where Lee County Department of Social their working hours on administrative President Obama gave a rous- Services is one of 13 DSS offices across tasks,” she said. “The pilot program ing eulogy during the funeral the state that will benefit from a $4.8 access the department’s network sys- will result in a faster, more efficient for Pinckney that included a million grant used for a pilot program tem remotely in the field, said Karen documentation and quicker access to rendition of the hymn “Amaz- to provide caseworkers with technolo- Luchka Wingo, the state’s DSS director health care data and other information ing Grace” for the packed au- gy tools that can reduce time-consum- of communications and legislative af- about families.” dience at the TD Arena. The ing tasks associated with manual fairs. Caseworkers will be able to input Obamas were accompanied by methods of data collection and man- DSS in Lee County along with Green- and retrieve data. This could include Vice President Joe Biden and agement. ville and York counties, will be part of inputting reports and notes they his wife, Jill; nearly 6,000 peo- The technology grant, funded by the pilot program funded by the grant. taken in the field. They will also be ple attended the funeral. BlueCross BlueShield of South Caroli- Wingo said caseworkers often have to able to take photos with their phone na Foundation, will be used for a mo- return to their offices to document vis- SEE SHOOTING, PAGE A7 bile app that will enable caseworkers to its with families and cannot access the SEE DSS, PAGE A7 VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, A7 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Margaret Furbee BREAK FROM THE HEAT 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Arthur Dubose Windy today and mostly VOL. 121, NO. 205 Classifieds: 774-1234 Mable S. Richardson sunny, not so hot; tonight Classifieds B7 Delivery: 774-1258 Donald O’Conner McCray clear and cool. Comics B6 News and Sports: 774-1226 Jim Butler HIGH 85, LOW 63 Television A4-A5 A2 | SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2016 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] LOCAL BRIEFS FROM STAFF REPORTS Middle school girls take closer Shaw 441 Gate will temporarily close The S.C. 441 Gate at Shaw Air Force Base is scheduled look at possible STEM careers for construction beginning June 27 with an anticipated BY KONSTANTIN completion in September. VENGEROWSKY A temporary closure of the [email protected] gate is tentatively scheduled for June 27 to Aug. 11. From building LEGO ro- The modifications will route bots to testing electrical cur- all parent and school bus traf- rents, 10 middle-school girls fic directly to the schools, participated in a week-long while strengthening safety for camp focused on learning bicycle, pedestrian and road- about science, technology, way traffic. engineering and math. For additional questions, STEM Camp for Girls in- email the 20th Fighter Wing cluded exercises that incor- Public Affairs office at 20fw- porated technology and [email protected]. team building at the Sumter Career and Technology Cen- Baker, Bullock still set ter. for runoff after recount “The goal is to inspire young ladies to pursue Sumter County Coroner STEM careers, a field which hopeful Robbie Baker will con- women traditionally did not tinue on to the runoff vote on pursue in the past,” said June 28 with incumbent coro- Wendy Jacobs, camp leader ner Harvin Bullock after a and mechatronics instructor mandatory recount on Thurs- at the center. “The other day showed he received the goal is to teach them how to second most votes out of three solve problems by trial and candidates. error.” Sumter County Voter Regis- The other major compo- tration Director Patricia Jef- nent of the camp is to build ferson said Isaac Johnson, the self-marketing skills, Jacobs third individual campaigning said. PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM for the coroner position, re- On Friday, members from Kimberly Deas, who will be going into the seventh-grade at Hillcrest Middle School, re-attaches a quested a recount. Jefferson the Honda of South Carolina satellite dish to a rover build during the STEM class for girls. said the recount would have plant in Timmonsville came happened anyway because a to assist the girls with the Honda of South Carolina recount is required by law if operations of the LEGO ro- representative Shawn the total votes separating can- bots and speak with them Thompson, left, reacts to a didates falls within a 1 percent about various career fields. robotic controlled rover that margin. Honda representatives also didn’t quite move into the She said the only change be- conducted mock job inter- position.