Bicentennial
response has
been poor

There’s an old saying that you can’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been.

Columbus County’s bicentennial is in 2008, but efforts to celebrate the county’s founding are faltering due to low attendance and enthusiasm of the committee appointed by county commissioners.

At this point, it’s unlikely that the “celebration” will amount to little more than a folk band and a speech or two.

One aspect of the celebration that seems to be sorely lacking is a historical and education component. Columbus County has a very rich history – its American Indian tribes, early trade and settlement along the Cape Fear River, tobacco farming and forestry, great fields of strawberries, vineyards to grow grapes for wine, Lake Waccamaw, railroads, banking and business, country stores and churches, and individuals who went on to regional or national prominence, just to name a few.

There are handful of active and enthusiastic committee members who want to see the celebration be all it can be. These people should be given the authority to add volunteers as they see fit.

The committee should consider having a number of smaller events and educational experiences throughout the year in addition to one large event that culminates in something that leaves a lasting impression about this important moment in time.