FYI: Join in for Double Dutch Fun Day Thursdays for adults at Sumter's South HOPE Center

EDITOR'S NOTE: Please note that due to the threat of COVID-19, some of the following events may be cancelled or rescheduled unexpectedly.

Join in for Double Dutch Fun Day Thursdays for adults at the South HOPE Center, 1125 S. Lafayette Drive, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday. Adults age 30 and up are invited to come out and play games, hula hoop, double Dutch, hopscotch, dance and more.

The Sumter Ballroom Dance Club meets from 7 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday at the Sumter County Recreation and Parks Department, 155 Haynsworth St. Beginners are welcome. Classes are $10 per lesson and are held in the Carolina Room. Registration is not necessary. Call (803) 968-4760.

Sumter Senior Services and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Sumter are seeking volunteers to support the missions of nonprofit organizations in Sumter County. The RSVP matches the talents and skills of people 55 and older with community nonprofits, organizations and agencies seeking volunteers. RSVP of Sumter has ongoing partnerships and available volunteer opportunities with Christian Charities of Sumter, Community Juvenile Arbitration, National Federation of the Blind: Sumter Chapter, Sumter Senior Services (Meals on Wheels), Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital and Hospice, United Ministries of Sumter and the Veterans Administration Community Based Outpatient Clinic. Volunteer opportunities include delivering meals, sorting nonperishable food donations, mentoring the youth, administrative duties and much more. RSVP volunteers can make a difference by investing a few hours per week. If you are 55 years or older, a Sumter County resident and would like more information, contact Rebecca Sears at (803) 773-5508 or rsears@sumterseniorservices.org.

The Sumter Coin Club meets from 7 to 8 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at Patriot Park Pavilion. All ages are welcome. Join us to learn more about coins and currency. Each meeting will feature a door prize, raffle and auction.

Seniors on the Move Program, offered by Paxville Community Development Corp., is held from 9 a.m. to noon Monday-Wednesday. The program offers a variety of self skill sets including technology skills, elder life skills development, Bingo and other games, health and wellness workshop and Bible study. Programs operate on Clarendon School District 2 schedule. For information, call (803) 452-5124 or email paxvillecdc99@gmail.com.

Santee-Wateree Regional Transportation Authority (SWRTA) is offering free rides to COVID-19 vaccinations and COVID-19 testing sites. Contact SWRTA from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday at (803) 934-0396.

Sumter Newcomers' Club welcomes residents to our coffees with guest speakers on the second Friday of each month and to our lunches on the fourth Friday of each month at a local restaurant. The club also has various card and other games and a book club. If you are looking for friends or just something to do, come check out the Sumter Newcomers' Club. Call Shelly at (803) 968-0024 for more information.

The General George L. Mabry Jr. Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 817 meets at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Combat Veteran Building, 529 N. Wise Drive, Sumter, SC 29153. The meetings are held to foster an environment of goodwill and camaraderie among combat wounded veterans as well as promote patriotism, assist with finding information and resources, and provide service to all veterans and their families. For more information, visit purpleheart817sumtersc.com or call (803) 983-3770.

The GOP "Republican" meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at The Restaurant at Second Mill (the Quality Inn restaurant), 2390 Broad St., across from Golden Corral. Meetings are open to anyone age 16 years or older. For more information and questions, call (803) 972-4555.

Marine Corps League Detachment 1202 meets at 6 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the VFW, 1925 Gion St. All present and former Marines are welcome. Call (803) 972-4555.

American Legion Post 15 meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at 34 S. Artillery Drive. All veterans, past and present, are welcome. Call (803) 968-5115.

The Sumter County Recreation Department offers after school programs from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. for $5 per week per participant at the following location: Catchall-Shaw Community Center, Cherryvale Community Center, DeLaine Community Center, Eastern Community Center, Ebenezer Community Center, Rembert/Rafting Creek Community Center, Salterstown Community Center and Shiloh Community Center. Call (803) 436-2248 for information.

The Civil Air Patrol Sumter Composite Squadron meets from 6:30 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday at 2945 Airport Road. There are cadet programs, aerospace education programs and emergency services programs. Call Lt. Col. George Stanley at (803) 847-7640. Visit www.gocivilairpatrol.com for information.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 12-1 meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the Summerton Fire Station, North Cantey Street, Summerton. Membership is open to any U.S. citizen age 17 or older. Previous service in the Coast Guard is not required. The auxiliary's main objective is to promote safe recreational boating on Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie by offering safe boating classes, courtesy vessel checks for required safety equipment and patrolling the lakes offering assistance to anyone in need. The auxiliary also stands ready to assist the USCG with their mission along with search and rescue. We encourage anyone interested in participating in our mission to attend a meeting and learn more about the auxiliary.

Temple Sinai Jewish History Center is seeking docents (tour guides). Docents must be 18 years of age or older and willing to attend training prior to starting. This is a volunteer position and you will be asked to commit at least a few hours a month (Thursday or Friday afternoon or Saturday morning). The museum will work with students who want to arrange class credit through their college. The Center covers South Carolina and Sumter Jewish history, the Holocaust and Sumter's ties to the Holocaust. Docents must be friendly and comfortable engaging with both children and adults. Contact Diana Roof at (803) 468-8630 or at droof@sumtercountymuseum.org or Annie Rivers at (803) 775-0908 or at arivers@sumtercountymuseum.org.

Lake Marion VFW Post 11078, Summerton, meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 1 Duke St., Summerton, behind First Citizens Bank. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting beginning at 7 p.m. All VFW members are encouraged to attend. Call Carl A. Farley at (803) 460-8910.

The Bishopville / Manning / Shaw Air Force Base Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. meets at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month at the South Sumter Combat Veterans Group headquarters building, 529 N. Wise Drive. Call James Munford at (803) 795-2903 or Kenneth Benjamin at (803) 773-8514.