Moore-Pastides at USC Salkehatchie nutrition event

ALLENDALE, S.C. (AP) — The wife of University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides (Pas-TEE-Dees) and USC’s mascot Cocky are leading an event on nutrition and reading for 300 families in Hampton and Allendale counties.

Patricia Moore-Pastides is a cookbook author and nutrition specialist and is doing a cooking demonstration Thursday evening at the University of South Carolina’s Salkehatchie campus in Allendale for parents.

USC students are assisting Cocky, who doesn’t speak, in reading books to the children about healthy eating habits.

USC spokeswoman Peggy Binette says the event is the last in a yearlong literacy project paid for by the Barbara Bush Family Literacy Foundation. More than 700 children and their families have taken part in events and about 5,000 books have been given to children through the program.