ST. MATTHEWS -- The Calhoun County Museum and Cultural Center kicked off the county's Centennial Celebration with its Special Tribute Gala Sunday evening, drawing a large crowd of long-time residents as well as newcomers to the area.

Calhoun County will mark its 100th birthday in 2008, and the museum will be one of the centerpieces of the year-long observance.

"We have so much to be proud of in our county," Museum Director Debbie Roland said as she opened the festivities by welcoming everyone to the Gala. She said event was not about the museum but "this is about y'all."

Roland directed everyone's attention to a table in the main room of the museum that was hand-painted with scenes as a project of Calhoun County High School art students.

The museum director noted that the Gala was just the beginning of the Centennial events that will fill 2008.

"Things will be going on over the next 12 to 14 months," Roland said.

Calhoun County Council Chairman David Summers said, "We have come along in Calhoun County." He spoke of the relationship of the county with the industries that have chosen locate in the county, citing Carolina Eastman as one of those industries.

"I want everybody to have a great year," Summers said.

Other officials attending the Gala included South Carolina Sen. John Land and Rep. Harry Ott.

"This is a wonderful occasion and a great thing that the museum is doing," Ott said.

While enjoying the Gala, those attending had an opportunity to take a look at the museum's informative displays about Calhoun County's history and its people.

Jack Brantley's Aberdeen Catery of Camden catered the event, and music for dancing was performed by the band, "Reflections."

The Gala was sponsored in part by: Calhoun County Council, the S.C. Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, Friends of the Calhoun County Museum, the Darrell Cooper Memorial Fund and the Bette Jane Fairey Memorial Fund. Additional sponsors were: the C. Fredrick Ulmer Memorial Fund, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Orangeburg Coca-Cola Bottling Co., the Eastman Foundation, S.C. Federal Credit Union, Mr. And Mrs. John G. Felder Sr., Windstream and Hay Hill Services Inc./Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gantt Jr.

T&D Correspondent Larry P. Jordan can be reached by phone at 803-874-3276. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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