Happy Thanksgiving from the staff at the Herald-Advocate.  This week's edition was printed Wednesday morning and is now being distributed.  Our office will be closed until Monday morning.

Sandra Taylor wanted to do something to give back to the county and felt helping to clean it would be one way.
“It is just a good deed,” she said. “It is the least I can do.”
Taylor and other members of Kingdom Life Church in Blenheim picked up trash and other debris during the county cleanup.
Taylor, who lives in Bennettsville, looked forward to it.
 “Our church decided to come together and do it,” she said. “There is a lot of debris in the county.”
Taylor and 261 people collected trash during the third annual Community Clean-up Day. It featured Marlboro County Government, the City of Bennettsville, other towns and organizations coming together to help clean up the county.
County officials estimated 1.8 tons of trash or 1,335 bags were picked up.

CLIO — A pandemic didn’t stop citizens of Clio from preparing and giving Thanksgiving meals to fellow residents.
Instead of the usual sit-down meal, the Town of Clio annual Thanksgiving Dinner was held Nov. 21 at the Clio Community Center with people driving up or coming inside to pick up to-go plates filled with turkey, ham, dressing, and other items.
Eva McRae, one of the organizers of the event, said it is held annually to give back to the community by having carry-out only.  
Volunteers from the community and churches prepared the turkey, dressing, ham, and other items. 
The goal was to give away 200 plates with sodas and desserts.
McRae wasn’t worried about giving the plates away.
 “I just hope we have enough,” she said.

As Harry Belafonte once sang, “Christmas is coming.” On Tuesday, Marlboro County workers Johnny Lewis and Robert Kollock put up Christmas lights on the grounds of the Marlboro County Courthouse
Photo by Jacqueline Hough

With COVID-19 taking a toll on many businesses, shopping local is more important than ever.
The Marlboro Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Bennettsville have partnered to help citizens to shop local and support the small business community.
On Small Business Saturday (Nov. 28), shoppers and diners are encouraged to register at the Marlboro Chamber, 122 S. Marlboro Street, beginning at 10 a.m. 
Shoppers will receive a “Small Business Saturday” tote bag filled with freebies and a rack card listing participating downtown businesses.
To win a prize, all customers who have shopped or dined on Small Business Saturday can bring their receipts to Chamber from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Shoppers receive one raffle entry for each purchase made with prizes from A+ Auto Spa, Breeden’s Quality Meats, Floyd’s Jewelers, Fowler Pharmacy, Gifts & More, Magnolia on Main, Reassigned Blessings, The Dairy Dream, The Humidor Cigar, Wine & Jazz Lounge, The Ivy Shop, and The Village Marketplace. 
At 4 p.m., all winners will be selected and notified. You do not have to be present to win.