What began with a drone flying over Paxville and a group of former neighbors reminiscing about home has grown into a community celebration focused on fellowship, family and giving back.
“Just a Kid from Paxville Day” will return Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Paxville Community Development Center, 501 Main St. A wellness event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by the main celebration from 1 to 8 p.m.
Organizer Sheldon Riley said the event traces its beginnings to 2018, when a cousin shared drone footage of Paxville on social media. The images sparked conversations among people who grew up in the community about reconnecting and doing something together.
“Everybody was like, ‘Well, we need to get together, and we need to do something,’” Riley said. “Come back together and have an event or do something.”
The first gathering was held at the Paxville Community Development Center with food, music and activities, particularly for children. Riley said participation has grown, but so has the purpose behind the event.
Organizers now hope to recognize older residents as well as people with Paxville roots who have gone on to careers in business, education, science and the arts. The group is also working toward raising enough money to provide scholarships, school supplies and other assistance to young people in the community.
“We’re in the grassroots stages of that,” Riley said, adding that organizers believe the important thing is to start somewhere. Donations collected through the effort will go back into activities and toward future scholarship opportunities.
Health and wellness will also have a larger role this year. Clarendon Behavioral Health Services is expected to bring its mobile unit during the morning wellness event, providing information about services including substance misuse prevention, drug awareness and overdose prevention.
Riley said organizers wanted to connect residents with resources they may not realize are available locally.
Once the afternoon celebration begins, the focus will shift to food, music and family activities. Face painting and other activities for children are planned, along with a DJ. Riley said attendees can also expect plenty of Southern home cooking, including several varieties of perlo and other dishes prepared by members of the community.
The food and event are free, though donations will be accepted to help support the celebration and organizers’ future community efforts.
While the celebration centers on Paxville, Riley said the invitation extends beyond the small Clarendon County community.
He described Paxville as the kind of place where neighbors traditionally looked after one another and said organizers want visitors to experience that same sense of community.
For younger residents in particular, Riley hopes the day serves as a reminder that inspiration does not always have to come from somewhere far away.
“You can get inspiration from anywhere, and a lot of times you don’t have to look far to get it,” he said. “You can look within your own household or your own community.”
“Aspiring to inspire” is one of the messages organizers hope to pass along, Riley said.
“Just being a kid from Paxville, the possibility is limitless,” he said.
Attendees are encouraged to treat the afternoon much like a tailgate and bring lawn chairs, pop-up tents or tables if they have them. An indoor facility is available, though Riley said it may not accommodate the entire crowd in the event of bad weather.
Event T-shirts will also be available.
Above all, Riley said organizers want the day to remain what it was intended to be from the beginning — an opportunity for people to reconnect.
“Come prepared to have fun, come prepared to fellowship and have a good time,” he said.
Those looking for additional information can request to join the “Paxville Strong, Born and Bread” Facebook group.
