31.12.15

Clemson Tigers Beat Oklahoma, Head to the National Championship Game

All of South Carolina rejoiced as the Clemson Tigers defeated Oklahoma (37-17) to advance to the National College Football Championship. Fireworks erupted, people ran out of their houses to dance in the streets, everyone was cheering, crying tears of joy, singing hymns, embracing strangers, visions of sugar plums ...  Or maybe that was all in my head. Nevertheless, the Clemson Tigers are off to the National Championship game next in Arizona. I know everyone in South Carolina will be watching the game, pulling for our home team. Go Tigers!  


Remember, the 'Big Game' between Clemson and Alabama is on Monday, January 11, 2016 at 8:30 p.m. (ET) at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. 

15.12.15

North Shore Cup - Annual Canoe and Kayak Races

You definitely don't want to miss the annual North Shore Cup Canoe and Kayaking Races held every year at the North Shore Villas by beautiful Lake Marion in Summerton, S.C. 

The recent 5th Annual North Shore Cup turned out to be another huge success. Forty-eight participants from 10 different states paddled across the starting line of this year's race. Weather conditions were perfect as usual, with just enough enough wind to make the 6 and 12 mile courses quite challenging for all of the athletes. 

The festivities began Friday afternoon with kayak demos and a paddle stroke clinic offered by Jesse Lishchuk of Elite Ocean Sports. The Friday evening social, also hosted by Elite Ocean Sports, was a blast. On Saturday morning, racers enjoyed the relaxed pre-race atmosphere at the North Shore complex. Paddlers and race enthusiasts began to gather on the protected inlet and private beaches just in front of the North Shore Villas, right next to Polly's Marina & Landing. The races began around 11 am.

The North Shore Cup race course takes paddlers along the shoreline of Lake Marion, while spectators watch the race from the grassy lawns and beaches in front of the North Shore luxury condos. There was a 12 mile race for the competitive paddlers and a 6 mile paddle for the less experienced paddling enthusiasts.

The post-race meal and awards ceremony took place poolside at the clubhouse of the North Shore Villas, where exhausted paddlers enjoyed lunch hosted by Lone Star BBQ. Stellar Kayaks awarded $300 to the first paddler to reach the 3 mile marker. Other award categories included:

  • HPK - High Performance Kayaks; FSK - Fast Sea Kayak; SUP - Stand Up Paddleboard; and OC1 - Outrigger Canoe

This year the Santee Surf-N-Turf Triathlon race director, Jefferson Nicholson, decided to combine their event with the North Shore Cup Races in hopes of creating an entire weekend of racing. This annual race is typically held at the Santee State Park. However, the Park had to close due to heavy rainfall. With permission from the management and residents of of the North Shore Condo complex, the triathlon was held at North Shore as well. They quickly laid out a course on the grounds consisting of a 3 mile run, 3 mile paddle, and 8 mile bike course. It worked out perfectly!


Elite Ocean Sports business partners, Mark McKenzie and Mark Smith, expressed their thanks to all of the residents for at North Shore Villas for allowing them to host their annual race on the property. Smith, a condo owner at North Shore, is proud of the complex, the residents, and the management team that make this such a special venue each year. All of the participants enthusiastically claim that North Shore is a favorite in the year's racing series. Don't miss the races next year! For more details about this annual event, go to http://www.northshorepaddlerace.com





Readers might want to check out the Summerton SC: Nature and Outdoor Recreation web site. Also, read about the Next Generation 'Smart' Technology Kayaks.

Free eBook Released - Summerton SC: Past, Present & Future

View or download your free copy of the eBook "Summerton SC: Past, Present & Future", written by Peter Groen. The 1st Edition of this eBook was released in 2016.

In addition to being the founder and editor of the Summerton Weekly News, the author is a retired government executive, former professor, and local Summerton resident, Peter Groen is also a co-author of three textbooks on health information technology. He is also a contributing author of several other textbooks on health informatics.

Peter Groen has also written over 100 articles in the past decade on health informatics and 'open' health information solutions that have been published in a wide range of academic journals and various trade magazines. His focus is usually on emerging technologies and the future of information technologies (IT) and healthcare.


Check out the links to some of his most recent articles posted on the Collaboration, Open Solutions & Innovation (COSI) in Healthcare web site. For more specifics, go to COSITech.Net - Articles

Peter keeps a low profile now that he is semi-retired and living just outside the town of Summerton next to the shores of beautiful Lake Marion in South Carolina. When not on his boat, he still operates a small non-profit organization called COSITech.Net, edits and publishes the Summerton Weekly News, and helps develop videos, social media, and web sites for local organizations in the area. Some of these include:


Peter is a Clemson University graduate who married a local Sumter girl 43 years ago. Unfortunately, his wife Kathy attended the University of South Carolina. Their oldest daughter also graduated from Carolina. This makes for an interesting inter-family rivalry every year in November when the 'big' game comes around.


Please take the time to visit the free, online Summerton Weekly News site and share the link with others in the area that you think might be interested in it.

5.12.15

Looking for a Job near Summerton, SC - Winter 2015/2016

Winter 2015/2016: Summerton is a small town in rural South Carolina that has become known as a wonderful place to vacation, raise a family, run a business - or retire to, when all is said and done. The deep spiritual commitment and sound family values of its people are reflected in the many churches and close-knit residential communities in Summerton and the surrounding area on the shores of beautiful Lake Marion.

Are you looking for a job in Summerton, S.C., or the surrounding area? There are currently quite a few jobs available nearby in Manning, Santee, Sumter, Orangeburg, etc. Check out the following links:

Summerton and Lake Marion are well known across the South for offering a wide range of outdoor recreational activities like camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, kayaking, boating, and golfing to its many visitors. Make sure you visit the Summerton SC: Nature & Outdoor Recreation web site.