FCCF Abbeville Promise Capital Campaign Kick-off Event

/in , , , , /by

Melissa Billey, Project Manager – melissa.a.billey@gmail.com

April 19, 2018

ABBEVILLE — The Freshwater Coast Community Foundation (FCCF) held a kick-off event for the Abbeville Promise Capital Campaign on April 19, 2018, at the Piedmont Technical College (PTC) Abbeville Campus, 143 SC-72, Abbeville, SC 29620.  A welcome was given by Brad Evans, Chairman of the FCCF.  The ceremony was opened in prayer by Rev. Josh Chiles.

The Abbeville Promise was introduced to the guests as a “promise.”  It is a promise for the future, a promise to give assistance to empower our youth to further their education, a promise to these children’s parents for their children’s future and their own future.  Jeff Wilson said it well when he said, “When we invest in programs and projects, we invest in not only our children but also ourselves.”  By investing in the Abbeville Promise, we are investing in ourselves, our children, and our future.  The Abbeville Promise is an “investment in the future of our community,” Jeff explained, it provides for “bright and prosperous futures for our children.”  Jeff Wilson is a Co-Chairman for the Abbeville Promise along with Andy Timmerman.  Stephen Taylor made a good point when he said, “The Abbeville Promise gives us a very important tool.”  Tools are used to do work; they are used to make our work easier; the Abbeville Promise will make the “work” of getting a higher education “easier” for the students of Abbeville County by making it more accessible.  The Abbeville Promise is a scholarship that will allow students in Abbeville County attending Piedmont Technical College the financial assistance to be able to earn a two-year degree without cost to them.  This opens so many doors for students who would not have been able to attend college due to financial constraints, but wanted to go to college.

Leomont Evans, an Abbeville native, who graduated Abbeville High School, was the keynote speaker.  Leomont went to Clemson University with a football scholarship and went on to play in the NFL for the Washington Redskins from 1996 until 1999.  He spoke about the importance of a higher education and doing great things.  Leomont said, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.”  This “promise” will allow these students to be whatever they want to be.

To date, the Abbeville Promise campaign has received $713,500 in pledges toward the goal of $1.2 million.  This is a great milestone toward the necessary campaign total needed to award the scholarships.

At the conclusion of the program, guests were given a tour of the new Mechatronics Lab at the Piedmont Technical College Abbeville Campus.  Refreshments were provided and served by the Piedmont Technical College Culinary Arts students.

FCCF Abbeville Promise Capital Campaign Kick-off, Piedmont Technical College Abbeville Campus, April 19, 2018.

United Abbeville Group Meeting

/in , , , /by

Melissa Billey, Project Manager – melissa.a.billey@gmail.com

March 19, 2018

ABBEVILLE — A meeting of the United Abbeville Group was held on March 13, 2018, at 6:00PM at The Renaissance Retirement Center, 5 Frank Pressly Drive, Due West, SC 29639.  Paul Bell, The Renaissance Retirement Center, opened the meeting with a warm welcome.  Dinner was provided by The Renaissance Retirement Center.

 Lee Logan began the meeting with updates on the Capital Projects Sales Tax.  The “Penny Tax” would be utilized to benefit Abbeville County in funding projects to improve the communities in this county.  “We are dedicated to fund projects to create jobs and opportunities,” Lee explained.  This is an, “all or nothing, pay as you go, no bond,” investment in Abbeville County.  Brad Evans, Freshwater Coast Community Foundation, gave an update on the Freshwater Coast Center for Rural Development (FCCRD) and its partners.  He spoke about the work on the Abbeville Promise that will be beneficial to the students of Abbeville County that are graduating high school.  The Abbeville Promise will allow these students to attend Piedmont Technical College (PTC) with no cost to them for tuition.  Brad Evans also spoke about the advances that FCCRD, along with its partners, has made in Abbeville County, McCormick County, and southern Anderson County.  Many opportunities have been created and many more are in the works for these counties.  A collaboration between FCCRD, SCBDC, local consultants, and Piedmont Technical College has opened the door for workshops that benefit small business owners.  These workshops offer professional development and business training in marketing, finance, start-up, human resources, bookkeeping, computer software, sales, investment, and social media.  More than 100 businesses have participated in these workshops with an estimated 500 attendees of business owners and employees.  There have also been many grants awarded to fund revitalization in the communities.  In education and entrepreneurship, a Youth Entrepreneurship Education Program was created through a Business Plan Competition held at the high schools.  There was also a Workforce Development Program created through the Abbeville County Education Week.  The next person to speak was Dr. Betty Jo Hall.  She gave a school update for Abbeville County.  The meeting was finished out with Stephen Taylor giving the Strategic Plan update and both, Stephen Taylor and David Garner updating everyone on the litter campaign.  The meeting was closed by Bryan McClain, Chairman.

Brad Evans, FCCF, speaking during the United Abbeville Group Meeting at The Renaissance Retirement Center on March 13, 2018.

McCormick County School District

/in , /by

Melissa Billey, Project Manager – melissa.a.billey@gmail.com

March 2, 2018

MCCORMICK — McCormick County School District Superintendent, Don D. Doggett, met with Renee Robinson, Regional Career Specialist-Western Piedmont Education Consortium; Matt Wiggins, Upper Savannah Regional Workforce Advisor-South Carolina Dept. of Commerce; and Wilder Ferreira, Clemson Extension, on February 27, 2018, at 1:30PM, to work on a plan to assist students in furthering their education in the Information Technology world. 

A plan was made for an Information Technology Leadership Academy to educate students on not only their technical skills in the Information Technology (IT) careers, but also assist them in their soft skills and communication skills.  This certificate program will allow students to join the IT workforce after high school, but more importantly it will open a door for these students to want to further their education after high school at a two-year or four-year institution. 

During the meeting, you could feel the excitement as talks progressed about what to include in the certificate program.  McCormick County School District has a desire to create programs to help make students more marketable, whether that student’s path is a career or college after high school.  To quote Mr. Doggett, “Whatever we need to do, I am all in.”  These individuals have a deep eagerness and enthusiasm for the students moving through high school.  They realize the strengths these students have, and what they can bring to the community after graduation with the right programs in place.  They want to help these students realize their potential and help them to attain these goals.

 

Don D. Doggett, McCormick County School District Superintendent; Renee Robinson, Regional Career Specialist- Western Piedmont Education Consortium; Matt Wiggins, Upper Savannah Regional Workforce Advisor-South Carolina Dept. of Commerce; and Wilder Ferreira, FCCF, discussing the plans for the Information Technology Leadership Academy.

 

McCormick: Mt. Carmel Small Group Committee Meeting

/in , , /by

Melissa Billey, Project Manager – melissa.a.billey@gmail.com

February 27, 2018

MCCORMICK — A meeting of the Mt. Carmel Small Group Committee was held on February 27, 2018, at 11:00AM at the McCormick County Chamber of Commerce, 100 South Main Street, McCormick, SC 29835.  Wilder Ferreira, FCCF; Matt Wiggins; Mark Davis, Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism; Scott Hyatt, US Army Corps of Engineers; Charlotte Tallent, McCormick County Chamber of Commerce; Mike and Geri Regan, McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More, were in attendance.  Wilder Ferreira led the meeting.

 The “Friends of the Mt. Carmel Campground” discussed the repurposing of the campground, and it’s potential.  This will be an incredible investment opportunity for outdoor professionals.  This investment will lead to many opportunities also for the surrounding area as the “new” Mt. Carmel Campground is utilized to attract hundreds of families to the Mt. Carmel area.  Mt. Carmel Campground was opened in 1967, but unfortunately closed in 2013. 

 The committee reviewed how Mt. Carmel Campground will be marketed with incentives to potential investors.  Each person there brought up many positive key points about the campground and the possibilities it has in the future.  Some preliminary plans were discussed to assist in the beautification of the area along with some community partnerships that could be utilized during this process of seeking an investor.

 An abundance of opportunities await an investor.  The next step of finding that investor is in the works.  The potential is there.  It can be seen.  It is just finding the right entity with the same vision and desire for Mt. Carmel Campground.

McCormick: Mt. Carmel Small Group Committee Meeting. Wilder Ferreira, FCCF; Matt Wiggins; Mark Davis, Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism; Scott Hyatt, US Army Corps of Engineers; Charlotte Tallent, McCormick County Chamber of Commerce; Mike and Geri Regan, McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More, discussing the Mt. Carmel Campground.

Entrepreneurship Academy

/in , /by

Lindsay Costner, Marketing Coordinator

June 2, 2016

MCCORMICK — On May 26, 2016, the Freshwater Coast Community Foundation (FCCF) partnered with McCormick County in hosting an Entrepreneurship Academy. This class was taught by professionals that were brought in to help provide information on starting a business and how to keep their business thriving.

Wilder Ferreira opened up the meeting with an introduction of the speakers, Matt Wiggins from the Greenwood Area Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and David Mueller from Community Works.  Charlotte Tallent, Executive Director for the McCormick County Chamber of Commerce, encouraged the participants to keep an open mind upon starting the class, and discussed how entrepreneurship projects will “bring opportunities to the community.”

Each participant discussed why they attended the course, and the common interest was overall the same. Participants were looking for more information and wanted to further the potential of the community.

Ferreira began the course by teaching leadership skills, problem-solving and the definition of an entrepreneur. A short lesson on accounting was also presented.

Wiggins informed the participants on the basics of starting their own business, and how to keep it going with publicity and marketing. To go along with Wiggins, Mueller taught how to finance your business, and discussed opportunities that Community Works offers for these new small businesses.

After the entrepreneurship academy, Sabrina Searles a local of McCormick County, says that she “got a lot of information on how to get things started.” This course helped her gather some new ideas for what she might want to do for her future business.  She is excited about starting her own business, and helping her hometown of McCormick plus the surrounding areas.

Multiple individuals said that they received helpful information that can apply to not only their new business/current business, but to other parts of their life.

Altogether, the entrepreneurship academy was a big success for the participants, and provided a networking opportunity. With the help of the Freshwater Coast Community Foundation, we hope to see many great businesses be started in our local areas and a community that can grow and thrive together.

Matt Wiggins informs the participants of the Entrepreneurship Academy on why you should start your own business and being fearless when it comes to the business you want to begin.

Matt Wiggins informs the participants of the Entrepreneurship Academy on why you should start your own business and being fearless when it comes to the business you want to begin.

FCCF Business Plan Competition

/in , , /by

Sally Caldwell, Communications Coordinator

April 20, 2016

DUE WEST — On May 9, 2016, Erskine College and the Freshwater Coast Community Foundation (FCCF) are proud to host their first ever Business Plan Competition at Erskine College.

During this competition, students from various high schools will present innovative entrepreneurial ideas in a PowerPoint presentation to a panel of judges. These judges will consist of successful local businessmen and women.

The competition will take place from 9:00am to 2:30pm. The Business Strategy class of Erskine’s business professor Tracy McCurry will assist in the planning and executing of the event. These Erskine students will carry out various tasks, such as timekeeping, greeting, monitoring rooms, and escorting, among others.

In order for high school students to compete in this event, they must first compete and win in their high school competitions. The students present their PowerPoint business proposals to their high school teachers and then the winners submit the PowerPoints to Erskine College. The Erskine business class students will then review the slides and notes and rank the competitors for the preliminary competition.

The preliminary competition will take place in Reid Hall on the Erskine Campus, and then the participants and their teachers will be escorted to Erskine’s Bowie Arts Center for the final competition. Following the final competition will be a guest business speaker from the FCCF, and then at 2:30pm the awards ceremony will take place.

Both Erskine College and the FCCF are excited to be a part of this competition. The community is welcome to come observe the competition and learn more about business ideas and how they become successful. The FCCF looks forward to the competition and to working with the business department of Erskine College.

The business students of Erskine College that will plan, host, and execute the upcoming Freshwater Coast Community Foundation Business Plan Competition on the campus of Erskine College.

The business students of Erskine College that will plan, host, and execute the upcoming Freshwater Coast Community Foundation Business Plan Competition on the campus of Erskine College.

Interns Making an Impact

/in , , /by

Sally Caldwell, Communications Coordinator

January 8, 2016

ABBEVILLE— The Freshwater Coast Community Foundation (FCCF) is proud to have funded the internships of multiple college students, from English majors to agriculture and business majors. The goal of the these internships is not only to further the work that the FCCF is accomplishing, but also to personally teach and lead by example the next generation of entrepreneurs, business men and women, and, ultimately, community.

Destin Nichols, a senior accounting major at Erskine College, worked closely with the FCCF throughout last fall in an internship specifically for accounting majors. Destin went to many business meetings and gained hands-on experience about how to approach the business world. Destin said, “When I applied for this internship, I had no idea it would teach me so much about business, communication, and how to make dreams a reality.”

Destin worked under Will Ferreira, the Community Coordinator for the FCCF, and positively impacted the program with his fresh accounting skills and mind for business. Each intern for the FCCF brought different skillsets that have furthered the FCCF’s cause of improving the communities that surround it.  Part of Destin’s work included designing a new Excel program for Wes McAllister, owner of McAllister’s Sons, that will simplify inventory control. Wes McAllister said, “[Destin] took a very objective point of view at helping deal with the beginning of business software for me and my businesses, and helped with developing some real-world information that I could gather about the furniture business.”

Not only has Destin designed this new Excel program, he has also provided internal financial management advice for Penny Richie, owner of Talk of the Town Catering and Eatery, as well as creating an online community survey for Heather McNally, director of the McCormick Arts Council at the Keturah (MACK). The survey provided the MACK with valuable information about how to improve the MACK and the community.

As Wes McAllister said, “[The FCCF] has benefitted the communities, the WcTel purpose areas, and it’s been great for those communities that are needing some advice and touching that will make their businesses and ideas fresh and objective.”

Destin will be able to take the knowledge he has learned and take it with him into his career and future. Concerning the internship, Destin said, “I learned more than I ever thought I would know about Excel; I learned how to conduct business meetings; I learned how to be a leader among peers by watching Will Ferreira; I learned how to initiate projects; I learned how to make things happen.” That is what the Freshwater Coast Community Foundation is about.

Destin Nichols teaching a business finance workshop at Piedmont Tech in Abbeville, South Carolina.

Destin Nichols teaching a business finance workshop at Piedmont Tech in Abbeville, South Carolina.

Farm Business Workshops in 2016

/in , , /by

Sally Caldwell, Communications Coordinator

December 8, 2015

ABBEVILLE — The Freshwater Community Coast Foundation (FCCF) is excited to teach a series of training workshops for farmers throughout the year 2016. These workshops will give farmers the opportunity to learn more about production systems, marketing strategies, record-keeping, organic production, and more.

Each class will teach a different subject, pinpointing certain relevant areas of agriculture. The classes are as follows:

 

  • Pasture Management – January 14th
  • Farm to School – January 21st
  • Soil Sciences – February 18th
  • Pest, Disease, & Weeds – March 17th
  • Farmers’ Market Strategies – April 14th
  • Backyard Poultry – May 12th
  • Sustainable Small Farming – August 18th
  • Drip Irrigation – September 15th
  • How to Grow Organic Crops – October 13th
  • Farm Financial Recordkeeping – November 10th
  • Farm Production Costs – December 8th

 

Each workshop will be taught by an expert on the given subject, ensuring the best possible advice and instruction. The goal of these workshops is to increase and improve agriculture in Abbeville and McCormick County and the Starr-Iva area of Anderson. The FCCF desires to strengthen farmers and their production knowledge, ensuring the continuation of the locally-grown and harvested products.

These workshops are just one aspect of all of the progress the FCCF is making in the surrounding areas for agriculture, entrepreneurship, and education. The FCCF understands the importance of locally-grown crops and the strong need for farmers, so the FCCF desires to help, inform, and promote agriculture as much as possible.