Estate Planning Attorney inFingerville, SC

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A weather alert was issued by the NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC on Saturday at 3:19 p.m. for strong thunderstorms until 3:45 p.m. for Spartanburg County.

The storms are packing pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) and wind gusts of up to 40 mph.

"At 3:19 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm 10 miles northwest of Spartanburg, or near Boiling Springs SC, moving east at 30 mph," states the NWS. "Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor objects is possible."

Locations impacted by the alert include Boiling Springs SC, Cowpens, Inman, Mayo, Lake Bowen, Chesnee and Fingerville.

The NWS comments, "If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building."

This alert is in effect until 3:45 p.m.

Around 25 million lightning strikes occur in the United States every year, with most taking place during the summer months. The NWS reports that these strikes result in about 20 fatalities annually. The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above. As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.

Here are recommendations for maintaining safety during a thunderstorm:

If finding indoor shelter is not an option:

What is hydroplaning?

Hydroplaning is the term for when a vehicle begins sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.

This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way. The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control. The top three contributors to hydroplaning are:

In the event of your vehicle hydroplaning, here's what to know:

Source: The National Weather Service

Robert DeWitt Outdoors Writer

Almost 20 years after starting a summer camp for kids, Ralph Brendle is reaping some long-term benefits.

“We started it because it would not only give us income during the summer but it would give us potential customers down the road when these kids grow up," said Brendle, owner of River Bend Sportsman’s Resort.

“Some kids are actually in sales now and they’re bringing customers back for entertainment."

Throughout most of the year, River Bend is a swanky resort in Fingerville, S.C., for hunters and clay target shooters. Companies entertain their clients with guided quail, chukkar, pheasant and duck hunts or clay target shooting. But the bulk of their business is from October through March and Brendle was looking for something to generate income during the summer.

“We realized the camp was something we could do in the summer," Brendle said. “We’ve got this wonderful facility, food, entertainment, lodging, why not use it?"

That was back in 1987. Since then, it’s become an institution at the hunting lodge.

Down in Eufaula, the owners of Old Spring Hill Plantation came to the same conclusion. The operation’s bread and butter are guided quail and deer hunts. But operators needed something to do in the summer.

“We thought it would be a good way to get kids involved in the outdoors," said Old Spring Hill manager Phil Anderson. “We’ve done it for three years and we get the same bunch of kids. They love it. And the parents really enjoy it."

The camps at River Bend and Old Spring Hill have something in common that separate them from traditional summer camps.

“Everything we do is related to the outdoors," Anderson said. “It’s not your ordinary summer camp where you’re making baskets."

While camps may have archery or fishing components, that’s not usually the main focus. For the camps at River Bend and Old Spring Hill, hunting, shooting and fishing are their only focus. And kids who attend the camps leave with their hunter education certification in hand.

“The biggest thing is the emphasis on the training in proper safety in handling firearms," Brendle said. “These kids really spend most of their time on shotgun, rifle, pistol and archery."

River Bend doesn’t offer fishing but it has paintball, which Old Spring Hill doesn’t offer.

River Bend offers four weeklong camp sessions in June and July. Its Roadrunner (beginning) camp is for first-time kids who don’t have their hunter education certificate. Its advanced (Eagle) camp is for return kids. The advanced camp costs more because the advanced campers shoot up more ammunition, Brendle said.

Old Spring Hill has weeklong sessions, one in June and one in July. It doesn’t have different levels but Anderson said there is still plenty of return business.

Both lodges still have openings for the summer but don’t anticipate that will last long.

At River Bend, the same staff instructors that teach shooting to adults are instructors for the campers. Old Spring Hill brings in experts, like Daiwa pros and state hunter education instructors to lead their camp.

Both lodges take only a small number of campers per session, 10 at Old Spring Hill and 12 at River Bend. That allows the lodge to have a high ratio of instructors to campers and helps keep everybody safe.

“There is always an instructor right beside that kid so he can’t turn the gun and point it in the wrong direction," Brendle said. “The instructor has the shells in his pocket."

Another major difference between conventional summer camps and the outdoor camps are the accommodations. Campers stay in air-conditioned hunting lodges and are fed three meals a day prepared for them by the lodge chef.

Old Spring Hill introduces an element of competition into the camp. After a morning of learning to tie knots and learning about different lures, the kids have a fishing tournament at the lodge’s lake, Anderson said.

There are also shooting games and tournaments after firearms safety instruction. And the week ends with an archery tournament.

Brendle said the same activities seem to be the favorites with kids every year. Most say their favorite is shooting shotguns. That’s followed by shooting large-caliber pistols; kids get to shoot .45s, .357 magnums and 9mm handguns. After that, they like the paintball.

At Old Spring Hill, other activities include a field trip to The Mann’s Bait Co., Southern Plastics and Hummingbird manufacturing plants in Eufaula. Instructors teach skills like tracking by making a “blood trail" with florescent paint and teaching kids to follow it with a flashlight.

“They get a lot of hands-on experience," Anderson said.

What kids don’t do is spend a lot of time watching TV. They do get some free time but it’s mostly consumed by outdoor activities.

Campers at Old Spring Hill are also expected to shower morning and night, make up their beds, turn their towels into the laundry in the morning and pick them up in the evening.

“We expect them to say yes sir and no sir and yes ma’am and no ma’am," Anderson said. “We don’t allow hats inside."

Most of the campers at River Bend are truly being introduced to outdoor sports for the first time, Brendle said.

“The majority of kids, during the last few years, have never held a firearm," he said. “If dad doesn’t do it, the kids never get the chance to do it."

Brendle likes the idea that the camp introduces youngsters to hunting. But he said there are other advantages to helping novice kids.

“The more inexperienced they are the better it is for us," Brendle said. “We can teach them the right way from the beginning."

For instance, Brendle said some fathers teach their kids that it is all right to keep the gun’s muzzle pointed at the ground. River Bend’s rules require shooters to keep their guns pointed up.

“Kids who have no training don’t have bad habits," Brendle said.

Kids who enjoy the camp often get their parents involved, Brendle said.

“When a son or daughter comes to this camp, we give them a reduced price quail hunt in October," Brendle said. “They bring their mom or dad. That’s how we get the family involved. The whole family will come back and start taking lessons."

Reach Robert DeWitt at [email protected] or at 205-722-0203.