Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Did you see... Page5 Marketing planning manager Josh Hamilton, second from left, explains to Charles Fleming, left, Melanie Franklin and Johnny Jacks, right, what is happening throughout the retail industry as imported goods force thousands of textile employees to lose their jobs. The group is standing in front of scenery used in a series of retailer breakfast shows being held across the state to encourage merchants to carry at least 75 percent American-made clothing in their stores. Merchants Breakfast Program Tells Made In USA Story Joyce McWaters staying physically fit by jumping rope with young children in her neighborhood ... D. D. Ficklin serving on Clinton planning commission ... Harold and Darren Stroud talking about Tracy Ann tak ing honor at Miss Photogenic contest held at Laurens Junior High School... Brett Warren making plans to visit Europe with a group of students from Thornwell School ... Alexis Glenn being selected as a finalist in the 1985 Miss South Carolina National Pre- Teen Pageant... Geneva's Pat Williams telling how much he’d enjoyed being the World Champion Sculler before losing to Sam Grantham ... Stephanie Lind Sloan and Brett Warren’s parents congratulating the young students for being selected Furman scholars... Chris Cray and Alan Campbell being sponsored by Clinton Mills to attend Palmetto Boy’s State in Charleston... Pat Williams explaining the art of worm fiddling during Geneva’s River Festival... Joe Wilkie and Joe Nelson congratulating Sam Patterson for being named the South Carolina Textile Manufacturer’s Association Student of the Year ... Ray Shealy busy trying to get his garden planted before a late afternoon thunder shower came ... Mack Parsons counting the American-made items in Adair’s Mens Shop and Bargain Fair to certify them as Gold Seal Merchants ... Sonny King making way through the plants to determine if there were any unsafe conditions which might affect employees’ health and safety... Industrial Commission er Ginger Grocker taking a tour of the Bailey plant... Group of Clinton employees saying they wished every employee would write their Senators and Congressmen in an effort to gain additional support for the 1985 Tex tile and Apparel Trade Enforcement Act... Each departmental superintendent observ ing the work practices of their employees in order to correct any unsafe acts.that may exist... Doris Harvey wearing a 20-year Campfire volunteer award ... Mac Cunningham (re tired Plant No. 2 weaving) and wife celebrat ing their 50th wedding anniversary... Velma Burnett, Sue and Arnold Edmonds perform ing with the Piedmont Promenaders square dance group before large crowd at the Pride of the Piedmont Jubilee in Clinton ... Deryl Craven, M.S. Bailey scholar, achieving high academic honors and Dean's List recogni tion at Clemson University ... Interested employee looking at a power bill envelope from Duke Power containing Crafted With Pride logo ... Clinton post office official delivering replies to Mr. Vance from Clinton Mills' suppliers who had writ ten their legislators to support the Textile Trade Enforcement Act... Buddy Tapp re placing a fire extinguisher to a more conve nient and accessible position ... Denna Brannen receiving Geneva High School girls most valuable tennis player award ... Melody Dettmar admiring her cheerleader award ... Lt. Colonel Ken Jones performing duties as commander of several Alabama National Guard units ... Barry Hooks assuming treasurer's post in Alabama Textile Manufacturer's Association ... Mike Ezell receiving a $60.50 incentive award for calling attention to an overbilling of room rate on group insurance ... Deanna Booth competing in Miss Geneva Pageant... They came. They saw. They hope to help Clinton Mills and other textile companies conquer the flood of imports coming into the United States from low-wage foreign coun tries. That was the feeling among the Clinton and Laurens apparel retailers and their asso ciates as they participated in the South Carolina Textile Manufacturer's Associa tion’s Certified Gold Seal “Crafted With Pride in the USA” Merchant's Program April) 24 at Greenwood's American Legion Building. Retailers were entertained with a live breakfast show featuring professional per formers as the industry took this means to show “Buying American” is for real. The skit showed the necessity of working together to prevent the domino effect on the economy caused by lost jobs, especially in the manu facturing sector when imports grow at their present rates. Clinton Mills’ representatives, along with associates from Milliken, Riegel, Green wood, Arkwright, Inman, Monsanto and other textile companies accompanied parti cipating retailers and expressed their appre ciation for the large turnout and enthusiasm from the retail community towards the Made in the USA program. Jim Keesler of Arkwright Mills and chair man of the Crafted With Pride committee told merchants, “We must buy textile pro ducts made in the USA or the entire industry is in jeopardy of being shipped off-shore.” Mat Self, president and chief operating officer of Greenwood Mills, told the group of retailers present for the statewide Made in the USA kickoff that, “Support of this prog ram could sve all of our jobs.” The Certified Gold Seal “Crafted With Pride in the USA” Merchant Program is a special promotion to help customers find Made in the USA products in stores and give them a clear choice between American- made products and those imported. Mack Parsons of the Clinton industrial relations staff and other textile officials have been working on the program for the past nine months in order to assemble a massive cam paign to promote products made by Amer icans. According to Keesler, the industry is seek ing to gain voluntary participation of local merchants throughout the state. To become a Gold Seal Merchant, a retail er must have at least 75% Made in the USA labeled textile and apparel products as well as meeting other qualifications. Adair's Mens Shop, Bargain Fair and Gables have already been certified as Gold Seal Mer chants. They have been issued a gold “Crafted With Pride in USA” merchant's logo to be displayed in a front store window along with a host of promotional materials. Following the buffet breakfast, a six pro jector video presentation stressed to Laurens retailers as well as their associates from neighboring counties, that when fashion, fabric, quality and value are com pared, American consumers find products Made in the USA a better buy. Those attending the program learned that the textile industry employs over 170,000 and their jobs are dependent upon the sale of American-made products. These 170,000 people live in 41 of the 46 South Carolina counties and earn over $1.6 billion annually. The retailers could easily lose the major portion of this buying power if the threat of foreign imports continues. In addition to the retailers program, the industry leaders are asking President Reagan to limit the textile import growth rate to the growth rate of the domestic market. Also, the industry is planning a national advertising program to create greater con sumer awareness for American-made textile products. TV Awarded for Safety Prize Danny P. Phillips, Bailey Plant Weaving, center, was the winner of the first Zenith color television set which was presented for outstanding safety perform ance during the period of April 1 through May 12, 1985. Danny's name was drawn by a group of employees representing each department in the Lydia Plant. Additional television sets will be presented throughout the year in an effort to stimulate interest in our safety program. Danny’s Assistant Department Super intendent, David O’Shields, left, and Weaving Superintendent George Grant, right, expressed their appreciation to Phillips for helping improve the company's overall safety program.