COLUMBIA — James A. Pfeiffer, FACHE, president and CEO of Self Regional Healthcare, has been elected chair of the boards of Palmetto Hospital Trust (PHT), PHT Services Ltd. (PHTS) and Palmetto Healthcare Liability Insurance Program (PHLIP) for 2016.

Pfeiffer holds an undergraduate degree in biology and an MBA in finance from Florida State University.

Other 2016 officers of the three boards are vice chair Jay Bikofsky, managing principal, J.E.B. Consulting, secretary Norman G. Rentz, president and CEO, Cannon Memorial Hospital, member-at-large Philip A. Clayton, president and CEO, Conway Medical Center and member-at-large John A. Miller Jr., FACHE, chief executive officer, AnMed Health.

During the meetings, the boards presented Bikofsky the Chair’s Award, recognizing him for eight years of dedicated service as board chair. Bruce Baldwin, president and CEO of Newberry County Memorial Hospital, was elected to a new three-year term on the boards of all three companies. A native of Illinois, Baldwin earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from Eastern Illinois University, and has extensive graduate education in healthcare management.

“We look forward to having Bruce join us as part of the governance team of PHT, PHTS and PHLIP,” PHTS president and CEO Brian J. Teusink said. “His experience will be an asset to our boards as we continue to develop new products and services for our clients.”

Re-elected to three-year terms on all three boards were Pfeiffer, Bikofsky, Rentz and D. Douglas Dorman, FACHE, SPHR, vice president of human resources at Greenville Health System.

Richard E. D’Alberto, FACHE, campus president at Greenville Health System – Laurens Memorial Hospital, was re-elected to three-year terms on the boards of PHT Services, Ltd. and Palmetto Hospital Trust.

• Classes offered at Hagood Center

New Fiber Room Center activities at the Hagood Center in Pickens have been scheduled for December, January and February.

There will be additional new activities scheduled throughout the next few months. Pre-registration and lists of the supplies are not available.

In January, the center will offer self-binding receiving blankets with Sara. Cost is a $5 donation for the center.

On Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 and 8, enjoy an introductory painting on silk three-day class with Cheryl. All supplies will be provided at the cost of a $10 donation to the center.

Below is a list of the center’s regular activities:

Monday: 10-11:30 a.m. — cathedral window quilts with Jacquie

Tuesday: 9-11:30 a.m. — doll clothes with Jacquie; 10-11:30 a.m. — yo-yos with Irene and prayer shawls and cancer caps with Sharon (in the library).

Wednesday: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. — weaving with Pat (in the heritage room); 10-11:30 a.m. — knitting with Tally.

Thursday: 10-11:30 a.m. quilting with Sara; 1:30-3:30 p.m. — rug hooking with Cheryl.

The holiday fiber room schedule from Dec. 23 – Jan. 3 includes tatting and crochet. Tatting activities do not occur each week, but do occur on different Thursdays. The first Thursday each month is tatting and crochet with Denise, and on the second and fourth Thursday each month is tatting, knitting and crochet with the Gonzalez family.

• Mission Fitness to host New Year bash

All are invited to come to Mission Fitness in Pickens on Jan. 4 at 6:30 p.m. for an epic bash to kick off the New Year with very special guests. The event is free to the public. Non-members are asked to get to the event a few minutes early to sign a waiver.

• Pickens Lions plan meetings each month

The Pickens Lions Club is in need of new members. The club meets the first and third Thursday of every month at Pizza Inn in Pickens.

Dinner begins at 6:40 p.m., and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to anyone interested in joining the club or simply finding out more about the club and how it serves Pickens.

• Legion Post 67 seeks members

American Legion Post 67 in Liberty is accepting applications for membership from all U.S. military wartime veterans. For more information, call (864) 787-2322.

• Sertoma Club invites locals to meet

The Clemson Sertoma Club invites all interested local residents to attend its meetings.

The club meets at noon the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Occasions at Wedgefield, located at 1551 Eighteen Mile Road in Central. New visitors are always welcome.

EASLEY — Five actors from Easley participated in the 2015 Fall American Talent Showcase/Model Jam America on Nov. 19-22 at[cointent_lockedcontent] the Embassy Suites in North Charleston.

Skyler Hilley and Jasper Justus are pictured with the many awards they received at the 2015 American Talent Showcase. Not pictured are Keely Austin, Stephanie Matlis-Lee and Clara Jane Crocker.

American Talent Showcase/Model Jam America is a combined talent conference for the entertainment industry. It gives new and seasoned talent an opportunity to grow and develop their potential as a model, actor and entertainer. Agencies, producers and casting directors from New York, Los Angeles and across the Southeast who are actively seeking new faces in the industry come to this event to evaluate and instruct the participants. Scoring, judging and evaluations are from industry professionals who work with top names in the film, television and modeling industries.

The American Talent Showcase/Model Jam America is produced and hosted by Z-1 Models and Talent of Chester and has been showcasing new talent for more than 17 years.

Skyler Hilley received gold medals in individual runway, commercial and monologue. She was also runner-up in commercial (8-12 year olds).

Jasper Justus also received gold medals in individual runway, commercial and monologue. He was the overall winner for monologues (8-12 year olds), and runner-up for photo competition (8-12 year olds).

Keely Austin received gold in individual runway, commercial and monologue. She got runner-up in dance (non-professionals, 8-12 year olds).

Stephanie Matlis-Lee received gold in individual runway, commercial and monologue and was the overall winner in commercial (13-16 year olds).

Clara Jane Crocker received gold medals in singing, monologue, commercial and runway.

Shelby Henderson, owner of Above the Line Talent in Greenville, teaches beginner and aspiring actors for film and television at the Fine Arts Center of Easley. Classes are held weekly for ages 8-14 years of age. Older teens and adults can also contact the Fine Arts Center of Easley at (864) 442-6027 if they are interested in film/TV acting classes. Fine Arts Center of Easley also offers private music lessons, art classes and stage acting classes for students of all ages.

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LIBERTY — Each year, Lions Clubs around the world sponsor the Lions International Peace Poster Contest in local schools and youth groups.

The art contest encourages young people worldwide to express their visions of peace. For more than 25 years, millions of children from nearly 100 countries have participated in the contest.[cointent_lockedcontent]

The theme of the 2015-16 Peace Poster Contest is “Share Peace.” Students ages 11-13 were eligible to participate, and 129 Liberty Middle School art students participated under the direction of art teacher Elaine Snell.

Liberty Middle School Peace Poster Contest winners, from left, are eighth-grader Justin Martin (second), sixth-grader Gracie Jackson (first) and eighth-grader Judith Martinez Lopez (third). Back row are Liberty principal Tim Mullis, art teacher Elaine Snell, Liberty Lions Club president Jean Thomas and chairman of the Peace Poster contest, Oscar Thorsland.

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• Mission Fitness to host New Year bash

All are invited to come to Mission Fitness in Pickens on Jan. 4 at 6:30 p.m. for an epic bash to kick off the New Year with very special guests. The event is free to the public. Non-members are asked to get to the event a few minutes early to sign a waiver.[cointent_lockedcontent]

• PPCCDC adds private 5K program

The Pickens Presbyterian Church Child Development Center has announced the addition of a private 5K program for the 2016-17 school year.

The program has been designed to meet and exceed all the state standards.

The program has also been developed to use an innovative hands-on learning approach that matches and enriches the learning styles and abilities of our individual students.

There will be a low student-to-teacher ratio, and the number of students will be limited to 10.

The teacher leading the program is highly qualified and has obtained a master’s degree in education. She graduated with honors and received an award of excellence on her state certification test.

The cost of the program will include before- and after-school care, daycare for school holidays/breaks and lunch, morning and afternoon snacks.

• Classes offered at Hagood Center

New Fiber Room Center activities at the Hagood Center in Pickens have been scheduled for December, January and February.

There will be additional new activities scheduled throughout the next few months. Pre-registration and lists of the supplies are not available.

In January, the center will offer self-binding receiving blankets with Sara. Cost is a $5 donation for the center.

On Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 and 8, enjoy an introductory painting on silk three-day class with Cheryl. All supplies will be provided at the cost of a $10 donation to the center.

Below is a list of the center’s regular activities:

Monday: 10-11:30 a.m. — cathedral window quilts with Jacquie

Tuesday: 9-11:30 a.m. — doll clothes with Jacquie; 10-11:30 a.m. — yo-yos with Irene and prayer shawls and cancer caps with Sharon (in the library).

Wednesday: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. — weaving with Pat (in the heritage room); 10-11:30 a.m. — knitting with Tally.

Thursday: 10-11:30 a.m. quilting with Sara; 1:30-3:30 p.m. — rug hooking with Cheryl.

The holiday fiber room schedule from Dec. 23 – Jan. 3 includes tatting and crochet. Tatting activities do not occur each week, but do occur on different Thursdays. The first Thursday each month is tatting and crochet with Denise, and on the second and fourth Thursday each month is tatting, knitting and crochet with the Gonzalez family.

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A group of retirees from Pickens County government offices recently held its final luncheon of 2015 on Dec. 1 at Pizza Inn in Pickens. The group, which started having monthly meetings 10 years ago, discussed current events in the county and enjoyed fellowship. Pictured, from left, back row are Ruby Hardy, Joan Bowen, Mildred Chastain, Marsha Reeves, Pattie Welborn and Joanne Roper. In the front row are Ruth Gilstrap, Doris Watson and Ann Day. Day retired from Pace Jewelers. Through the 10 years of the group’s existence, there have been as many as 21 members. The group never knows who will be in attendance.

PICKENS — Santa Claus is coming to town — and he’s bringing a little fun and music along with him.

The Hagood Mill will host its annual Ed Harrison Memorial Celtic Christmas show from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Dec. 19, featuring music, crafts, food and a visit from jolly old St. Nick himself. There is a $5 parking fee, but admission is free. All proceeds from parking will go to help the Hagood Mill. Music will start at noon.

Several years ago, Hagood Mill approached well-known local Uilleann pipe player Ed Harrison to host a Celtic Christmas show in December. Visitors loved it, and it has become an annual event and featured many fine regional musicians sharing songs of the season, mill officials said.

Harrison was a versatile musician with a passion for playing multiple styles of roots music on a wide variety of instruments. He was an accomplished dobro player and clawhammer banjo player, as well as playing cajun accordion and the Uilleann pipes. His warmth, good humor and ready laugh were a comfort to his family and many friends in the area. Sadly, after more than 20 years of battling cancer, Harrison passed away in 2012. The annual event has been named in his honor.

Along with the event’s co-hosts, Lucy Allen and Marshall Goers, this year’s event will feature local musical groups The Wolf Moon String Band and Lissakeole.

The Wolf Moon String Band is composed of a group of old friends who have played music together in various bands and settings going back 15 years. Allen and Goers have been regulars at the Celtic Christmas show since 2008. Allen and Goers are an acoustic duo whose passion for roots music combines elements of various musical genres. Returning this year is local Irish group Lissakeole, which plays and sings many popular Irish tunes and songs, but the members put their own stamp upon them.

Kids and adults alike are welcome to sit on Santa’s lap and share a Christmas wish. Bring a camera and St. Nick will pose for a picture with you from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

SUNSET — Everyone is invited to the annual gathering of angels, shepherds, wise men and the Holy Family, amid the Christmas lights at McKinney Chapel, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19, on Cleo Chapman Highway in Eastatoee Valley.

The program, held each Christmas season at the chapel for so long that grandchildren of the original players are now appearing in the splendid homemade pageant robes, welcomes all in search of the Christmas spirit. Though the little church is now surrounded by the Vineyards gated development, everyone coming to the program is admitted.

A reception and bonfire will follow at the picnic shelter. It’s all free, a gift of the historic community. Donated refreshments will be welcomed.

For more information, contact Georgia Chapman at (864) 868-2225.