Locals to meet at and learn of Aiken home's history during tea

A house becomes a home when the memories flow freely and capture the heart.

One Aiken home, located on Brandy Road, has become much more than a home for generations of owners, and the memories are being shared with the community.

On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the Aiken Women's Heart Board will host its annual tea at the home of Jack and Janet Reed; during the tea, tickets to the 2010 "Aiken's Most Excellent Adventure" will be on sale and available for pickup.

In the early 1950s, the home had a clear view across Whiskey Road to the third fairway of the Palmetto Golf Club. At the time the home was owned by Mamie and Arthur Foreman Sr. and Louise Cassels and family from 1952 until 2001.

"After the 'Perry Como Show,' Grandmother and I would sit in huge rockers on the upstairs balcony porch, sing 'Catch a Falling Star' and spot white golf balls in the dark grass below. In the morning, we knew just where to find the white 'nuggets' and would gather them up for my Uncle Fielding," said Margaret Foreman, granddaughter of Mamie and Arthur. "They (Mamie and Louise) made life look so simple - the blue-and-white kitchen with the original bottles of Coca-Cola in the refrigerator, the drawer with a dent from opening the Cokes on the handle, the German chocolate cake, the flour bin, the huge pantry, tea cakes, ham biscuits and sweet tea on the counter. All visitors to this home were greeted like movie stars and treated like royalty."

The Foremans and Louise Cassels moved to the Aiken home in 1952 after being forced to leave Ellenton to make way for the Savannah River Plant. Louise was well known for her novel "The Unexpected Exodus," about the collective memory of life in Ellenton. Many more memories will be shared at the tea.

In March, Heart Board will hold its 41st annual heart benefit musical production, an original play written and directed by Jim Moore.

In 2009, $80,500 was donated to the American Heart Association as a result of the musical benefit.

All of the proceeds raised from the performance will benefit the American Heart Association for heart research, community awareness and training.

Proceeds support the South Carolina Chapter of the American Heart Association.

Tickets are $25 for evening performances and $20 for matinee performances.

Shows will be held daily from March 4-7. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m. with matinees on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

To reserve tickets, call Eleanor Bookstaver at 649-2668 for Thursday tickets, Judy Keaton at 649-5506 for Friday tickets, Keenan Kizer at 502-0482 for Saturday matinee tickets, Peg Robinson at 649-1956 for Saturday evening tickets and Shirley Shaw at 648-0033 for Sunday tickets.

Contact Rachel Johnson at rjohnson@aikenstandard.com.