Fundraiser benefits local Physically Handicapped chapter
Buddy Brown served up plates of chicken bog to raise money for repairs to the Croxton Building.
Photos by Samantha Lyles
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
A chicken bog fundraiser was held Friday, January 27 to help renovate the Croxton Building, a longtime meeting site for members of the Darlington County chapter of the S.C. Physically Handicapped.
Originally an offshoot of the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), S.C. Physically Handicapped was founded around 1960 after members visited the Alabama Wheelchair Society and were inspired to form an outreach organization for those with physical challenges. In 1962, a Darlington man – Rev. Paul Croxton, then a radio dispatcher with the Darlington Police Department – was crowned “King” at that year’s Alabama Wheelchair Society gala.
Mary S. Barrow
Croxton was born with numerous physical problems and did not walk until he was five years old. Later, he had multiple operations on both feet, resulting in amputations and requiring prosthetics. Croxton had one finger grafted onto his elbow length left arm, and had the use of three fingers on his right arm, yet the late Darlington Police Chief J. Peele Privette described him as a “splendid operator” with a sunny disposition and a knack for diverting unruly youth away from police and court intervention.
When the VFW began looking for a spot to build a meeting hall for the Darlington County Physically Handicapped chapter, the Ramsey family donated land on Peach Street, and the
finished building – a white cinder block meeting hall – was dedicated to Rev.
Paul Croxton.
In the intervening years, membership has waned as many original participants passed away, and the Croxton Building itself has seen better days. Buddy Brown, who has volunteered as a handyman and grass cutter since the 1970s, took it upon himself to organize and prepare a chicken bog lunch fundraiser to finance necessary repairs, such as outfitting restrooms to better accommodate wheelchairs, replacing rotten facing boards, and painting the weathered exterior.
Mary S. Barrow, member of the VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary and Matron Advisor for Darlington Chapter 3609 of S.C. Physically Handicapped, says she was heartened by the strong community response to the chicken bog fundraiser and hopes this bodes well for the survival and growth of this local organization.
Barrow says that her group would welcome any physically handicapped persons to visit a meeting and consider joining.
Darlington County Chapter 3609 of S.C. Physically Handicapped meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month, though that time may soon change to 6 p.m. Dinner is served, often provided by a local church or service club, and membership is free. For more information, contact Mary Barrow at (843) 601-7844.
An account for charitable contributions has been set up at Dixie’s Federal Credit Union. All donations to this account will go toward building materials for the Croxton Building.
