Are you a Purple Heart recipient or have a friend or family member who is? – Sumter Item

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

The Purple Heart Chapter of Sumter is sponsoring a project to have all Purple Heart medal recipients inducted into the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor located in New York. An enrollment application must be completed by the medal recipient or next of kin if the veteran is deceased. Proof of the award of the medal is required and, if possible, a photograph of the recipient. Call Willie Washington at (720) 203-2112 for details.

The Rise and Shine Call Program, sponsored by LifeLine Senior Services Inc., is a free service that provides a daily "reassurance" call to older adults who live alone in the community. Call (803) 774-7414 for details or to sign up.

The Sumter James R. Clark Sickle Cell Memorial Foundation, 337 Manning Ave., offers free Sickle Cell Disease and Sickle Cell Trait screenings to the Sumter and Clarendon communities. For appointments, call (803) 774-6181.

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 http://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. Docents must be 18 years of age or older and willing to attend educational training prior to starting. This is a volunteer position and you will be asked to commit a few hours a week (Thursday or Friday afternoon or Saturday morning) for a minimum of three months. 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 temple@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 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday 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.

Connected Warriors Inc. offers evidenced based trauma-conscious therapeutic yoga to service members, veterans and their families at no cost to participants at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays on Shaw Air Force Base for those who have access to the base and at 5 p.m. on Fridays at Southern Bliss Yoga, 600 Bultman Drive, number 4. Call Melissa at (803) 468-1658, email southernblissyoga@yahoo.com or visit http://www.connectedwarriors.org for details.

The Single Parent Institute meets from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Birnie HOPE Center. Meetings are open to teenage single parents, custodial and non-custodial single parents. You are welcome to bring your children as the Single Parent Institute is for the entire family. Contact Dr. L. Quaneck Walkes at (803) 223-9408 or lqwalkes@sctechthisout.com.

Make-A-Wish South Carolina is seeking volunteers to help make wishes come true for children across the state. Bilingual volunteers are especially needed. Interest webinars are offered at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. Preregistration is required. Contact Brennan Brown at bbrown@sc.wish.org or (864) 250-0702 extension 112 to register for the webinar or begin the application process.

The Sumter Combat Veterans Group holds weekly peer to peer meetings at 11 a.m. every Tuesday at the South HOPE Center, 1125 S. Lafayette Drive. These meetings are designed for veterans to help other veterans with PTSD, coping skills, claims, benefits, therapeutic counseling sponsored by the Columbia VET Center at 11 a.m. each Tuesday, and one-on-one counseling 9 a.m.-3 p.m. every other Wednesday. Open to all area veterans. Call James Thomas at (803) 765-9944.

Having cancer is hard. Finding help shouldn't be. Free help for cancer patients from the American Cancer Society. Transportation to treatment, help for appearance related side effects of treatment, nutrition help, one-on-one breast cancer support, free housing away from home during treatment, help finding clinical trials, someone to talk to - all free. Call (800) 227-2345.

The Rembert Area Community Coalition (RACC) offers a senior citizens program 10 a.m.-noon each Monday and Wednesday at 6785 Bradley St. (behind community car wash), Rembert, SC 29128. Transportation is available. For details, call (803) 432-2001.

Ebenezer Community (C.O.P.S.) meetings are held every third Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Ebenezer Community Center, 4580 Queen Chapel Road, Dalzell.

Sumter Area Toastmasters meets at 7 p.m. each Tuesday at the Sumter Mall community room, 1057 Broad St. The group helps in developing speaking and leadership skills. Call Douglas Wilson at (803) 778-0197 or Rebecca Gonzalez at (803) 565-9271.

Hospice Care of Sumter LLC is in need of volunteers in Sumter and surrounding counties. Opportunities available for you to use your time and talents to be of assistance include reading, musical talents, companionship, light housekeeping, etc. Call (803) 883-5606 or hospicecareofsumter@yahoo.com.

Agape Hospice is in need of volunteers. Whether your passion is baking, knitting, reading, singing, etc., Agape Hospice can find a place for you. Contact Thandi Blanding at (803) 774-1075, (803) 260-3876 or tblanding@agapsenior.com.

Hospice Care of South Carolina is in need of volunteers in Sumter County. Do you have one extra hour a week? Opportunities are available for patient/family companionship, administrative support, meal preparation, light household projects, student education and various other tasks. Contact Whitney Rogers, regional volunteer coordinator, at (843) 409-7991 or whitney.rogers@hospicecare.net.

Amedisys Hospice is in need of volunteers. Volunteer opportunities include: 1) special projects of baking, sewing, knitting, crafts, carpentry and yard work; 2) administrative/office duties of copying, light filing and answering phones; and 3) patient companionship - develop one-on-one relationships with hospice patients (training provided free of charge). Contact Rhoda Keefe, volunteer coordinator, at (803) 469-3047 or rhonda.keefe@amedisys.com.

Hospice Care of Tri-County is in need of volunteers. Volunteers offer support, companionship and care to the caregiver by running errands, reading to patients, listening and just being there for patients who need companionship. All you need is a willing heart and some time to give to others. No medical background is required. Hospice Care of Tri-County will provide you with the tools you need to become a hospice volunteer. Call Carol Tindal at (803) 905-7720.

ROAD to RECOVERY is in need of volunteers in the Sumter area. The program provides cancer patients with transportation to and from treatments. Call the American Cancer Society at (803) 750-1693.

Sumter Newcomers Club welcomes new residents (and even some longtime residents) with coffees and luncheons each month. Call Anna Nunnery at (803) 469-0143 or Jeanne Bessel at (803) 469-0598.

OASIS Care provides free medical and dental care for qualifying persons living with HIV and AIDS. Call LaVonda Johnson at (803) 775-8523.

The Westside Neighborhood Association meets at 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the Birnie HOPE Center, 210 S. Purdy St.

The Christian Golfers' Association (CGA) meets at 8 a.m. each Tuesday for Bible study. The group meets at the CGA office in Dillon Park. Refreshments provided and golf after Bible study. Call (803) 773-2171.

The Ballard-Palmer-Bates American Legion Post 202 meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the Post, 310 Palmetto St. All veterans are welcome to attend. Call (803) 773-4811.

The National Kidney Foundation of South Carolina is in need of unwanted vehicles - even ones that don't run. The car will be towed at no charge to you and you will be provided with a possible tax deduction. The donated vehicle will be sold at auction or recycled for salvageable parts. Call (800) 488-2277.

The Muscular Dystrophy Family Foundation Inc. (MDFF), a non-profit organization, accepts vehicle contributions. To complete a vehicle donation, call 1-800-544-1213 or log onto the organization's web site at http://www.mdff.org and click on the automobile icon to complete an online vehicle donation application.

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Are you a Purple Heart recipient or have a friend or family member who is? - Sumter Item