NEWS

Saturday, May 12th was an incredible day for Covenant Way Retirement Center. Two of our most beloved residents celebrated milestone events. Winnie Morris Phillips received an Honorary Doctorate at the commencement exercises of Erskine College and Margaret Lander Scheibler celebrated her 100th birthday.

Winnie Phillips, a 1941 graduate of Erskine College, who served for 16 years as alumni director for her alma mater, received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. During her tenure, Erskine’s “Living Endowment” annual giving program earned eight national awards. She also worked as a fund-raising consultant with Ward, Dresham and Reinhardt in Ohio and most importantly to us; she helped to establish the Due West Retirement Center, now called Covenant Way. Winnie is still often consulted on behalf of Erskine College and Covenant Way.

Margaret Lander Scheibler was born May 14th, 1912 in Calhoun Falls, South Carolina. She graduated from Calhoun Falls High School in 1929 and left for Lander College named for her grandfather, Samuel Lander. She spent a great deal of her adult life in Atlanta Georgia, working for Westinghouse and Emory University. She married JW. Scheibler in 1979 and they were married 20 years until his death. In April 2000, we were so very fortunate that Margaret decided to move to Due West and call Covenant Way home. She still drives and has the mind and sense of humor of someone half her age. Needless to say she keeps us all in stitches!

Congratulations to Winnie and Margaret on your remarkable achievements! We are so blessed to have you both at Covenant Way!!

As residents and guests entered the Nelle Kennedy Moore Dining Room on Friday, April 20th, they were not so certain they were still in Due West. Their eyes were met by elegant flowers, jaunty berets and of course the Eiffel Tower. It was an Evening in Paris, Due West style. The dining room was packed to capacity and the mood was most jovial.


The Erskine College Music Department provided instrumental as well as vocal selections to the delight of the crowd. Selections included George Bizet’s Petite Suite En Trio with Claire Penning on flute, Jessie Gaughan on clarinet and Jonathon Jacobs on piano. Erskine Senior, Amiee Dumouchel displayed her amazing voice with another Bizet piece, Habanera from CARMEN.

The residents and guest were treated to Chicken Cordon Bleue and flan by Covenant Way’s own spectacular dietary staff. April in Paris proved to be another special evening with many lasting memories of fabulous friends, superb food and delightful entertainment.

More than 30 Erskine College Students volunteered their Valentine’s evening to help spread the love at Covenant Way Retirement Community. The evening started with a special concert by several musical groups from the college. The Fleetones, an all-male acapella group as well as many of the members from the cast of “All That Jazz” combined forces to provide entertainment that pleased all in attendance. Selections performed included, “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Kiss the Girl,” Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

Once again, Covenant Way residents were delighted to be greeted and served by a large number of girls representing the Athenian Literary Society. They did an excellent job of assisting the Dietary Staff in presenting the homemade lasagna and chocolate cheese cake. By so unselfishly sharing their time and talents these students proved they know the true meaning of love!

One of the newest residents to Covenant Way Retirement Center in Due West, is Dr. Russ Benton. Dr. Benton is an Erskine College graduate and retired history professor who has the distinction of being his alma mater's most traveled alumnus. According to his records he has visited some 190 foreign destinations on all seven continents since graduating from Erskine in 1961. This includes countries from Albania to Zimbabwe and many in between. The list also includes islands, territories and other non-sovereign areas of the world. Dr. Benton developed his interest in world travel after taking an Erskine alumni trip with then director of alumni affairs at the college, Mrs. Winnie Phillips to Scotland and Scandinavia in 1964. After graduating from Erskine, he went on to acquire a master's degree in history from Stetson University in Florida and his Ph.D. in modern European history from Louisiana State University. He spent 45 years teaching history classes at the University of South Carolina, Gardner-Webb College, and for 41 of those years at Lenior-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C. He spent much of his time traveling as well when vacation time permitted. In addition to teaching and traveling, he has also published two books. The first was his doctoral dissertation, THE DOWNFALL OF A KING, an account of the 1910 Portuguese revolution that overthrew the monarchy and led to the establishment of a republic. It was published by University Press of America in 1977. His second book was on the British influences in the Hawaiian Islands in the 19th century, which appeared in 1988. Dr. Benton will join the Erskine College faculty this spring when he returns to the classroom for the first time since his retirement from Lenior-Rhyne in 2007 to teach a course in Russian history, one of his areas of specialization.

Covenant Way and the town of Due West are also enjoying the travels of Dr. Benton. The second Tuesday of each month Dr. Benton does a travelogue presentation at 7:00 pm in Horton Lounge of Covenant Way. If you are interested in attending one of Dr. Benton's presentations please call Kim Ferguson at 864-379-2570.

You wouldn’t expect to see anything about Due West or Erskine College or Covenant Way Retirement Community in the monthly news publication of Tennessee-based corporation Dollar General.

Nevertheless, in a photo on page 7 of the January 2012 issue of “DG Story” is the smiling face of Covenant Way resident Winnie Phillips, a member of Erskine’s Class of 1941 who served as Erskine’s first alumni director. The accompanying article begins by describing Due West as “a tranquil town just 12 miles north of Abbeville” and “the home of Erskine College, which was founded in 1839.”

Matthew Diggs, who wrote the story, notes in its first paragraph: “The college features many historic buildings including the Philomathean Literary Society Hall, which was built in Georgian Revival style in 1860 and contains a ceiling mural painted by Italian artists in 1912.”

In addition to spotlighting Erskine’s historic campus, the story, titled “Retirees Count on DG,” stresses the significance of Dollar General for retirement center residents, who invited Dollar General employees to Covenant Way. Residents decorated the center for the occasion in “DG colors” and with collages from photos they had taken while shopping at the Due West store.

John West, regional director for Dollar General’s Region 83, noted that Covenant Way residents “really do call us their ‘mall’” and Tiffany Demint, store manager, said that both college students and local retirees bring in a lot of business.

Kim Ferguson, wife of Erskine Alumni Director Buddy Ferguson, serves as director of guest services at Covenant Way. She took photos of residents with Dollar General officials and was quoted in the story.

“Life is much better for the people in our retirement community because Dollar General is so friendly, convenient and well-stocked,” she said. “We are forever grateful and truly blessed to have your presence in the village of Due West.”

Friday, October 7th was a spectacular night for the Covenant Way Retirement Center in Due West. Residents and guests were transported to New York City for a night of dinner and dancing. The Black and White Affair included a glimpse of the New York skyline as well as the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Dr. and Mrs. Bright Lowry delighted everyone with a ballroom dance demonstration that displayed their talents from the waltz to the cha cha. Miss Laurel Barron, an Erskine College graduate and Director of Christian Education at Greenwood ARP Church so graciously provided dinner music with her harp. Many current Erskine College students pitched in to make the night a success. Hannah Collins sang a selection of Broadway Tunes to the appreciative crowd and the Athenian Literary Society did a wonderful job serving the Prime Rib and New York Style Cannoli. All agreed that the evening was perfect from start to finish.

The Board of Directors of Covenant Way has elected Russell M. Harris as the organization’s new Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer effective May 31.
Harris brings an extensive portfolio of healthcare-related experience to his new role, having served as Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer of the Highlands – Cashier Hospital Foundation in North Carolina; as President of Partners for a Healthy Community for ten years in Anderson, South Carolina, and as an executive at Anderson Area Medical Center. Prior to his entering the healthcare arena, Harris was an executive at banks in Alabama and South Carolina.

Harris, who is well-known in South Carolina philanthropic and healthcare circles, is a 1967 graduate of Erskine College. He has served on Erskine’s Board of Trustees and as president of the Alumni Association. He led the South Carolina Association of Non-Profit Organizations as its board chairman and served on the Board of Trustees of Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina.
“I am excited to announce Russell Harris’ appointment to lead Covenant Way,” said Paul H. Grier, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “He comes to us with a strong business background and a deep familiarity of the Erskine community and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He will be a faithful steward of this ministry.”

“It is wonderful to be asked to return to work in a community where you have so many fond memories and associations”, said Harris. I am honored to be able to work at Covenant Way and with so many consummate professionals who provide such an outstanding level of continuing care.”

Harris is married to the former Joellen Cotton, Ed.D (Erskine College Class of 1966), who has served as a professor and administrator of several colleges and universities in South Carolina. The Harrises have three grown children and eight grandchildren and make their home in Greenville. They are active members at John Knox Presbyterian Church.

Covenant Way, which until 2008 was known as Due West Retirement Center, was founded to establish, maintain, and operate – on a non-profit basis – a Christian retirement community, with housing and related services to meet residents’ needs, and to contribute to their health, security, happiness, and usefulness in life. The organization has an historic and continuing relationship with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, and is a part of Second Presbytery's ministry to older adults.

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