HONEA PATH — Honea Path is a wonderful place to live.

Everyone is friendly, caring and willing to work together to make our community even better. Many exciting things are happening in this small town.

Woodmen of America has donated $500 worth of shrubs to the Dogwood Garden Club to be planted in Dogwood Park. The beautiful azaleas that were planted when the park was established in the early 1960s have died, and it is now time to re-establish that beauty.

In addition, the BP Corp. has donated $500 to aid in the development of a girls’ softball field to be located behind Watkins Community Center and Dogwood Park. With this new sports field, five teams of girls will have the opportunity to increase their physical activity, develop their character and be eligible for scholarship opportunities in the future.

The town of Honea Path is fortunate to have the Free Clinic, which has faithfully served the medical needs of so many residents for the past four years. Many individuals have worked diligently to provide health care for those who so desperately need it.

The most exciting thing taking place in Honea Path is the renovation of Watkins Elementary School into Watkins Community Center and Honea Path Town Hall.

Anderson School District 2 deeded this building to the town in 2002 when Watkins and Gantt schools merged into Honea Path Elementary. Since that time, there has been a collaborative effort to make this project become a reality.

The Town of Honea Path and the Watkins Community Center Board have worked hand in hand to use this space for the betterment of all individuals in the local community. It is exciting to see the Town Hall portion of the building completed and town business running smoothly in its new location.

Renovations to the Community Center have moved at a slower pace, but just like the tortoise in the children’s story, “The Tortoise and the Hare,” they are getting there!

Restoration to the 1940s-style decor is taking place with the bead board walls and hardwood floors being refinished to their original state. The Watkins facility will include a small meeting room available to local groups and organizations.

A large reception hall to be used for weddings, concerts, reunions and conferences is also included in the master plan. A museum portion, consisting of three rooms to house historical artifacts, textile memorabilia and educational materials relating to Honea Path, is also part of the planned renovations.

The purpose of the Watkins Community Center is to provide a variety of services to enhance the quality of life in the Honea Path community. These services include educational support services, recreational activities, vocational and job training, career counseling, family support, health services and cultural activities.

The Watkins Community Center is offering educational support services to single parents or families at 6 p.m. each Monday.

The Art Gallery provides adult art and craft lessons and a children’s art camp takes place each summer. Arrangements are being made with the local Career and Technology Center to offer adult education classes as well as literacy classes. Individuals will be able to take advantage of various educational opportunities available through Tri-County Technical College’s Honea Path satellite program in an educational facility wing.

The Town of Honea Path is forever indebted to the many individuals, agencies, companies and organizations that have been instrumental in improving these facets of our community and helping to make a dream become a reality. The $215,000 grant form the Timken Corp., a generous donation from Tom and Kathryn Williams Ervin, Partners for a Healthier Honea Path and APAC have helped to defray expenses for the Watkins Community Center.

The Dogwood Garden Club has scheduled a communitywide auction at

7 p.m. March 25 in the new Town Council chambers to raise funds for the community meeting room. The funds raised during this auction will be matched by Woodmen of America.

Any interested citizens are invited to join Partners for a Healthier Honea Path and to catch the enthusiasm for making Honea Path a better place to live.

Shelby D. Kay is a Honea Path resident.