Sumter provides city tour for Third Army Soldiers, families Published Aug. 12, 2010 By Sgt. Beth Lake Third Army Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, SC -- From plantation-era homes to multiple sports complexes to children's theater productions and music on the square, Sumter, S.C. offers a multitude of opportunities that make it a great place to live and work. Incoming Soldiers from Third Army/U.S. Army Central saw this first-hand as they participated in Sumter's city tour, Aug. 11. The first portion of the tour brought 15 Soldiers to the historic Sumter Opera House where they were shown an informational video on the city and its many amenities. Sumter's theater was built in 1872 and has served in a variety of roles over the years but now holds administrative offices as well as some city government offices. It is also staying true to its roots as a venue for the arts by showing children's and classic movies, as well as hosting the Columbia City Ballet, the Columbia Children's theater and a variety of comedians and musicians. Following the briefings at the opera house, representatives from a local health care facility, public school, and the Sumter Board of Realtors were available for a question and answer portion to ensure Third Army Soldiers received the most up-to-date and accurate information on the local community. "This orientation and tour is important for Third Army Soldiers and families because it gives them an opportunity not only to see the community and what it has to offer, but also an opportunity to interact with city and county staff members ," said Susan Wild, communications, tourism and recreations director for Sumter. "This gives them one-on-one interaction and provides them with resources so when they are on their own, they feel comfortable enough to pick up the phone and call someone with questions." Following the visit to the opera house, Soldiers took a bus tour which took them through the main business districts, past schools, sports facilities and parks, giving families an idea of what is available to them. Kyler Briggins went on the tour with his mom, Sgt. Veronica Briggins, who came to Sumter with Third Army's advanced party. His favorite part of the tour was seeing Swan Lake Iris Gardens. Swan Lake Iris Gardens began in 1927 as a fishing retreat and is now the only public park in the U.S. to have all eight swan species. Visitors can walk through a boardwalk exploring the cypress swamp and open-air gardens as well as enjoy picnic shelters and a playground. Kyler and his brother live in Sumter and will be attending local schools. He hopes to come back to the gardens with his mom and do more exploring. He is also looking forward to learning how to ride a skate board at a local skateboarding park. In addition to the skate park, the city tour also highlighted an aquatics center that hosts swim meets and has a city swim team as well as a tennis center with 24 courts that is free for the public to play on. There are also two baseball complexes as well as Patriot Park that has T-ball, baseball, soccer and softball teams. At the end of the tour, participants were shown the local culture of the downtown community. Each Thursday night, Sumter holds an event with live bands and entertainment called Sumter @ Six. The city also hosts many festivals throughout the year from a military appreciation festival called the Sumter-Shaw Street Fest, to a micro brew festival, to the state's largest free Christmas lights display called Fantasy of Lights which is located at Swan Lake Iris Gardens. Families can even dress their kids and their dogs up for Halloween on Main in October. Soldiers and their families can find more information on local events in the Sumter community by visiting www.sumtersc.gov or by viewing a yearly calendar of events at http://www.sumter-sc.com/Toolbars/Calendar.aspx "Sumter is excited to welcome you all to our community," Ms. Wild said. "We have a lot to offer here and we want to make sure by providing this tour and orientation that we are directing Soldiers to the individuals in the community who can provide answers to their questions. This will make sure they get the full story of our community."