Fear of the unknown can produce unhealthy stress and anxiety when dealing with situations like the string of shooting deaths in Cherokee County.

These factors led The P.A.C.E Center to present a free workshop July 9 at 2 p.m. on coping with the fears, stress and anxiety many county residents are experiencing. The workshop will be held in the conference room on Spartanburg Community College's Cherokee County branch campus. The event is sponsored by the P.A.C.E. Center, a nonprofit mental health agency based in Spartanburg.

Although her office is based in Spartanburg, P.A.C.E. Center executive director Beth Summer-Strait has personal ties to the Cherokee County community. Her husband, Robert, has worked for the Cherokee County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission for the past 13 years.

"We hope the information presented in this workshop will help Cherokee County residents deal with the stress and anxiety they may be experiencing from the current situation in a positive way," Summer- Strait said.

The presenter will be nationally recognized counselor Dr. Roger Rhoades. He has been featured on The View, Montell Williams Show, and The Oprah Winfrey show.

He is a frequent expert guest on Fox Carolina and WSPA TV's Your Carolina and Scene on Seven.

There will be a question and answer period following Dr. Rhoades session.

For more information on counseling, resource materials, or the July 9 workshop in Gaffney, call The P.A.C.E. Center at 583-5802 or visit the web site at www. mhapiedmont.org.