Ripped naturally From left, Ashley Harden; Jaquelynn Madsen, from Sumter; Kyrie Quarrella, from Sumter; and Bethannie Irvin, also from Sumter, compete in the Bikini Novice division of the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation’s South Carolina Bodybuilding Championships on Saturday at Sumter Opera House.
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5 SECTIONS, 38 PAGES | VOL. 121, NO. 165
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BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com For the second year, Sumter Opera House was packed Saturday with bodybuilders for the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation Amateur South Carolina Bodybuilding Championship, an event organized by Sumter Family YMCA. Missy Corrigan, executive of community health at the local Y, said Saturday’s event was a natural competition, so each competi-
tor had to pass a polygraph test to make sure they did not take any banned substances to prepare. This competition showcases that people can achieve physical fitness in a healthy and natural way, she said. That way everyone competes on a level playing field, she said. Corrigan said 55 athletes from South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia competed on Saturday. About half of Saturday’s competitors were from the Sumter
area, and there were several returning competitors from last year, she said. The athletes competed in five categories — Men’s Bodybuilding, Men’s Physique, Ms. Fit Body, Women’s Bikini and Women’s Figure — for a chance to be the overall winner of their group to receive a pro card. Once an athlete receives a pro card, they are able to compete for cash prizes in professional competitions, Corrigan said.
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Bella Land, 12, drops shoes for donation into a bucket after members of six local churches marched from Swan Lake to United Ministries carrying new and slightly used shoes to give to the charity on Saturday morning.
All day Saturday, many of Sumter’s volunteers donated clothes, food, money and time to help out their neighbors and strangers during Operation InasMuch. Dozens of volunteers participated in the Walk for Soles event, created by Wilson Hall senior Stewart Holler, to donate shoes to Lemira Elementary School and the Crisis Closet. Holler, also a member of First Presbyterian Church, said she came up with the idea for the walk a few years ago but did not know how to make it happen until she met Travis Kinley, coordinator for Inasmuch United Sumter. Holler said she was nervous before the walk started because she did
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not know how many people would show up, but she was ultimately delighted to see how many people participated. She said she put fliers
in various business across Sumter to get more people in the community and not just church members involved.
Farmers enjoy favorable spring weather BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com A stretch of good weather in April has allowed farmers to get a good start to the year, according to Clemson Extension Associate Extension Agent David DeWitt. “People are planting wide open,” he said. The limited amount of wheat that was planted is doing well, he said. “We didn’t get much wheat planted with how wet is was, but what
SEE BODYBUILDING, PAGE A9
Operation InasMuch brings different faiths to same cause BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com
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55 compete at Opera House in 2nd bodybuilding event
we did get planted looks good,” he said. DeWitt said many farmers started planting corn in early March, and planting has continued since. Pinewood farmer Joey Smoak said he was unable to plant any wheat and has been planting corn. “We just finished planting corn, and we are putting nitrogen down and spraying for weeds,” he said. Smoak said he has finished cleaning up from the flood, but it has set him a few weeks behind schedule.
DeWitt said he thinks the corn acreage will be up this year. “We have a lot of corn planted,” he said. “It’s off to a good start with some good warm days and adequate rainfall during April. It seems to be fine right now.” Cotton and peanut planting is just getting underway, he said. “Cotton may be down a little bit, but I think peanuts are going to be stable,” he said.
SEE SPRING, PAGE A9
Holler wanted to let the people in the community know they do not have to be a Christian to help out
SEE INASMUCH, PAGE A9
Shepherd Rowell, 18 months, gathers strawberries at Willard Farms in Gable on Friday. PHOTO PROVIDED