The Town of Yemassee is gearing up for a big fundraiser this weekend supporting an effort to spruce up the town, and give tourists more reason to stick around when they're passing through.
The old but still functioning train depot in Yemassee may seem like just an eyesore to passersby, but the Yemassee Revitalization Corporation looks at it as a ticket toward possibility and even prosperity. For the past two years of the Corporation's existence, sprucing up the train depot has been mission number one-and now that renovation plans are on the table, their dreams are getting closer to reality.
"I mean, as it is, when people do take the Amtrak train, they don't want to stay there,” Executive Director of YRC Emily Ratliff said. “They want to get on the train and that's all they want to do when they get there. Hopefully with the depot, people will begin to explore the Yemassee area a little bit more,” she said.
Board member Melvin Lane grew up in Yemassee and longs for the way it used to be.
"The whole down town used to be thriving,” Lane said.
And he believes giving the place a facelift could ultimately make Yemassee somewhere to stop.
"It just doesn't look appealing at all and Yemasee's better than that,” Melvin said. “We want to fix that up and get some of these people off the interstate to come in and see how our little town is,” he said.
The fundraiser this weekend to support the corporation's goal is a cook-off of all your favorite dishes from ribs to Boston butts to chicken bog. The event takes place Saturday from 1-4pm at the old ball field on Highway 68 by the Dollar General. Tickets are $12.
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