Dominion Energy SC Donation Will Help Build a Home for the Calhoun Falls Farmers’ Market

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Will Ferreira – wferrei@clemson.edu

Melissa Billey – melissa.a.billey@gmail.com

January 15, 2020

 

CALHOUN FALLS — December 17, 2019, was a wonderful day for Calhoun Falls. The Calhoun Falls Farmers’ Market will soon have a permanent home after a major contribution from the Dominion Energy South Carolina.

Dominion Energy SC officials presented a $25,000 check to Calhoun Falls Mayor Chris Cowan in a ceremony last month. The donation will help the town reach its $75,000 goal for a new pavilion that will permanently house the market. The market currently resides on Cox Avenue in the town’s downtown.

“Thank you, this is very much appreciated,” Mayor Chris Cowan told the check’s presenter Scott Neely, Dominion Energy SC Manager, Economic Development & Local Government

The Freshwater Coast Center for Rural Development (FCCRD) partners with towns in the region to start local farmers’ markets. Calhoun Falls residents, who do not currently have a local grocery store, can buy fresh produce at the market during summer months.

“This is a huge benefit for the Calhoun Falls residents and the local farmers,” FCCRD Director Wilder Ferreira said. “A permanent structure is necessary for providing a shelter to the local farmers while selling their produce and giving better accommodation to patrons as they purchase locally-grown food.”

Ferreira is counting on donations to give the homeless farmers’ market a permanent residence. Dominion Energy’s donation will help this dream become a reality.

Freshwater Coast Community Foundation Chairman Brad Evans said, “this fits into the foundation with community development and economic development, and we appreciate everything Dominion Energy SC is doing.”

Dominion Energy merged with SCANA Corporation in January 2019. Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed nearly $48 million in 2019 to community causes throughout its footprint and beyond.

Please, contact Dominion Energy for any related inquiry at matthew.long@dominionenergy.com. For more information about the Calhoun Falls Farmers’ Market and the great foods that they are growing, please visit their Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/CFfarmermarket/.

CUTLINE:  Scott Neely, Economic Development and Local Government Manager for Dominion Energy, presented a check to Stephen Pettigrew in the amount of $25,000 for the Calhoun Falls Farmers’ Market. Pictured left to right:  Faye Crocker, CEO HopeSouth Credit Union; Robert Hester, WCTEL Board Member; Stephen Pettigrew, Pettigrew Hardware & Supply; Scott Neely, Economic Development and Local Government Manager, Dominion Energy; Chris Cowan, Town of Calhoun Falls Mayor. December 17, 2019.

 

Mt. Carmel: Mt. Carmel Campground Visitation for Business

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

November 5, 2018

MT. CARMEL — The Mt. Carmel Campground Visit was held on Wednesday, October 10, 2018, from 4:00PM-6:00PM. The event began at McAllister’s Home Furnishings and More, and then traveled to the Mt. Carmel Campground. The event was led by Wilder Ferreira, Freshwater Coast Center for Rural Development.  Wes McAllister, McAllister’s Home Furnishings and More, and Scott Hyatt, US Army Corps of Engineers, also spoke during the event.

Mt. Carmel Campground is an awesome opportunity.  It sits on the J. Strom Thurmond Lake; and at 175 acres of land, this area is just waiting to have new life revitalized into it.  Mt. Carmel Campground was closed in 2013.  The Freshwater Coast Community Foundation (FCCF) and the US Army Corps of Engineers are looking for an entity to redevelop this area as a new Family Outdoor Center, an outdoor recreation area, or a resort style recreation area, but it must be relative to water-based recreation. The US Army Corps of Engineers will review proposals for the lease to see that they follow the master plan of outdoor recreation.  The Mt. Carmel Campground just needs a new vision, which could be yours, to get use.

I toured the Mt. Carmel Campground during the visit and let me just say as an outdoors person and photographer, it is beautiful.  I could have spent hours there just photographing the landscape and enjoying nature.  I could easily picture family reunion picnics, weddings, fishing with the kids, or just sitting out under the stars relaxing in the evening at the Mt. Carmel Campground.  It is truly a remarkable area with a gorgeous lake.  Walking the property was even more relaxing.  This is an awesome opportunity that could become a wonderful endeavor for the right person or people.

You can contact the US Army Corps of Engineers for more information about this opportunity.  The contact information is, Scott Hyatt, Operations Project Manager, (864)333-1100, or you can email him at Scott.M.Hyatt2@usace.army.mil.  You can also visit the US Army Corps of Engineers on the web at www.corpslakes.us/Thurmond.

Mt. Carmel Campground, picnic area overlooking J. Strom Thurmond Lake, October 10, 2018.

ABBEVILLE: Abbeville County Industry Education Week

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

September 18, 2018

ABBEVILLE — A meeting was held at the WCTEL Corporate Office on Tuesday, September 4, 2018, to discuss the Abbeville County Industry Education Week. Wilder Ferreira, FCCF, led the meeting to gather information and set up the activities for this year’s event. Those in attendance were:  Melissa Billey, Dr. Charles Costner, Dr. Betty Jo Hall, Lori Lindler, Lee Logan, Renee Robinson, Jean Smith, Virginia Smith, Stephen Taylor, Jeff Wilson, and Wilder Ferreira.

Looking back at last year’s Industry Education Week, a discussion was held of what worked well and what could be improved upon.  Lori Lindler, Calhoun Falls Charter School, Vice Principal, commented that after they arrived back at their school last year, the ninth-grade students were so engaged that a conversation continued with questions and answers from what they had seen that day.  This shows that these students were not only interested in what they had seen, but it also captivated them enough that they wanted to continue the conversation. This is very positive for Abbeville County and these students.  They are not only able to see what careers are available here in Abbeville County, but also learn what it will take to make that transition from high school to the professional workforce here in their home area.  With the investment in their education by local businesses through scholarships and grants such as the Abbeville Promise, these students will have a significant advantage in this area for upcoming jobs.  These students, by receiving a tour of local businesses, get to see what products are made, what jobs are necessary at the businesses to make these finished products, and what they need to do as far as education to pursue these jobs.

The Abbeville County Industry Education Week will be held October 1-4, 2018. These students will tour WCTEL, Prysmian, SAGE, Flexible Technologies, and Stoll Industries.

 

Abbeville County Industry Education Week planning meeting held September 4, 2018.

Abbeville: Adam Gore, Ag/Horticulture Extension Agent

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

September 12, 2018

ABBEVILLE — Let me introduce Adam Gore, Agriculture/Horticulture Extension Agent for Abbeville County Cooperative Extension Office.  Adam comes to us from Loris, South Carolina.  He is a Clemson Graduate with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Education (Clemson University, 2013) and a M.S. in Plant and Environmental Sciences (Clemson University, 2016).

Adam has a vast amount of knowledge when it comes to horticulture.  If you have questions about issues with plants such as discolored plants, dying plants, the “why, if, how to” about plants; he is here to help.  I guess you could say he is a plant doctor, and he is literally in Abbeville County’s backyard.

During my conversation with Adam about his new position at the Abbeville County Cooperative Extension Office, I learned something new just in general conversation about blackberries.  He said a recent question was brought to him in regard to blackberries.  The individual who contacted him had stated that the blackberries were plump, large and juicy, yet they were not sweet.  He explained to me that while the blackberries had the rain they needed during the growth time in order for them to be large and juicy; they did not have enough sun to produce the sugar in the fruit for them to be sweet.  Due to the lack of sun, the sweet flavor ended up being watered down.  To think, I gained that knowledge in a small conversation with Adam; imagine what he can do with the questions you have about your plants.

You can meet Adam and introduce yourself during the Touch a Tractor Event at the Abbeville County Agriculture Building on Saturday, September 22, 2018, from 10:00AM until 2:00PM.  He is available Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 5:00PM at the Abbeville County Agriculture Building.  You can also reach him by phone at (864)446-2276 or email at awgore@clemson.edu.  Adam has also started a Facebook page to post information.  You can view the Abbeville Horticulture: Clemson Extension Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/abbevillehort/.

Adam Gore, Ag/Horticulture Extension Agent for Abbeville County Cooperative Extension Office, September 10, 2018.

 

Mt. Carmel: McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More

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

August 15, 2018

MT. CARMEL — Where can you go to find beautiful furniture and home furnishings?  McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More in Mt. Carmel, South Carolina.  Where can you go to learn about the history of the Mt. Carmel area?  McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More in Mt. Carmel, South Carolina.  Whether you are looking for a new living room suit, a new dining room table, or some decorations to finish off a room; McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More has it.

Recently, I was lucky enough to get the chance to sit down with Wes McAllister and speak to him about his family’s business and the area that they call home.  Amazingly, McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More has been passed down through four generation of the McAllister Family.  That is a huge accomplishment for a business to be around 130 years.  That is a good indicator that what they are doing at their business is working.

The buildings on the property site have a wonderful history in themselves.  The main building for McAllister’s Furnishings & More was originally the Pharmacy in Mt. Carmel.  Right next to the Pharmacy was the building where you could rent mules; this became the livery stables at a later date.  Located across the street is the building that housed the bank for the town.  At the rear of the property is where the railroad brought in the goods by train to the town.  Amazing piece of history for this town.  The buildings still have their charm; and as you walk through them shopping and admiring the furniture, you can envision the history inside each building.

McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More is open Monday through Friday, 10:00AM-5:00PM, closed Wednesdays and Sundays, and open Saturday from 10:00AM-1:00PM.  You may contact McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More to set up an appointment that would be more convenient for you by calling or emailing.  Please visit their website at www.mcallistershomefurnishings.com for more information.

Wes McAllister and Lucky at McAllister’s Home Furnishings & More, July 30, 2018.

Calhoun Falls: Our Children, Our Future

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

July 16, 2018

CALHOUN FALLS — A meeting was held today, July 12, 2018, by Wilder Ferreira in Calhoun Falls to brainstorm with residents regarding the youth of Calhoun Falls. The question on the table, “What is the most important item that we can help these children with?” Officer Kesler responded first with education. Physical activity and healthy snacks were another response that was received from the Calhoun Falls residents. Afterschool activities such as homework tutoring, Beta Clubs, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) organizations, youth sports, healthy snacks; these all became the topics of the discussion.

These children need a good education in order to further their future to have good jobs, receive trade skills training, go on to higher education, and be able to give back to their community. Education is so important for each and every student. Another item that was discussed was healthy lifestyles. By becoming active in sports in afterschool programs, it gives these children a chance to utilize the energy that has been stored up all day during school. They then have a place to further personal fitness and lifetime fitness, something that everyone can benefit from now and in the future. These physical activities not only benefit these students during their adolescent years but benefit them into adulthood because they have started a healthy habit that they will continue. As the discussion continued, healthy snacks during the afterschool programs was brought up. Again, this is something that will not only benefit these children now, but it teaches them what they should eat to help their bodies be healthy.

It was evident during the meeting about how much these residents care and want to give these children, their children and grandchildren, a good educational and healthy start in life. They realize the importance of helping the children in Calhoun Falls in attaining a good education and healthy lifestyle.

Meeting in Calhoun Falls on July 12, 2018 regarding opportunities for youth in the Calhoun Falls area.

McCormick County Senior Center and McCormick Area Transit

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

May 15, 2018

MCCORMICK — McCormick County Senior Center is very busy agency made up of the McCormick County Senior Center, the McCormick Area Transit (MAT), and the Talmadge Fitness and Wellness Complex. 

McCormick County Senior Center is a private non-profit agency that began by providing care to the McCormick County seniors.  The agency receives contributions and donations, as well as grants, contracts, and local support from McCormick County government and the Town of McCormick.  The McCormick County Senior Center decided they needed a sustainable plan for income to help with all of the programs and projects that they provide to the McCormick County seniors.  The decision was made to convert the Talmadge Sewing Plant into the Talmadge Fitness and Wellness Complex.  This has not only opened doors for the McCormick County Senior Center to have a sustainable avenue of funding; it has opened doors to broaden their mission to encompass all of the McCormick County residents. 

Each branch that makes up the McCormick County Senior Center is providing each individual in McCormick County accessibility to benefits and options that they may not have had without it.  The Talmadge Fitness and Wellness Complex is able to provide routes for a healthier community.  Through the McCormick County Senior Center, the seniors in McCormick County along with McCormick County residents, have the availability to:  utilize transportation through the MAT service which includes public transportation, Medicaid transportation, and senior transportation; retired volunteer program; Meals on Wheels; Congregate Meals; Frozen Meals on Wheels for those who live in the more rural areas of McCormick County; bridge/activity room; bingo/craft room; pinochle/reading area; 24 hour access to the physical fitness exercise room; ½ mile outdoors walking track; I Care Counseling; and building and room rentals.  Upon DHEC approval, a brand new indoor heated saltwater therapy pool and a whirlpool will become available to the members of the Talmadge Fitness and Wellness Complex.  All of these programs and services combined are helping to make McCormick County healthier.  A new addition also housed in the Talmadge Fitness and Wellness Complex is the TFC Café.  It has an extensive menu to which items are being added weekly.  I got to sample the chocolate ice cream which is awesome; it reminded me of the fudgsicles I used to get as a kid.  Inside of the Talmadge Fitness and Wellness Complex is a full service physician’s office also.  Although it is independently run by Carolina Health Centers, Inc., aka McCormick Family Practice, it definitely adds to the Talmadge Fitness and Wellness Complex.  McCormick Family Practice provides low cost or no cost health care to the general public of all ages.

There are a lot of benefits coming from these facilities for McCormick County; benefits for not only the seniors in McCormick County but for the residents also.  For information about the McCormick County Senior Center, the McCormick Area Transit, the Talmadge Fitness and Wellness Complex, or the TFC Café, please visit their Facebook page at:  https://www.facebook.com/mccormickcountyseniorcenter/

McCormick County Senior Center, April 24, 2018.

Diamond Hill Aquaponics Project

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

May 9, 2018

ABBEVILLE — Mrs. Busby’s class at Diamond Hill Elementary School is getting a hands-on experience with an aquaponics project.  The aquaponics equipment was delivered to Mrs. Busby’s class in February 2018.  The lesson, grow plants in water, with nutrients coming from the fish living in the water, from which clean water is returned to the fish because the plants filtered it.  Sound like a cycle, well it is.  A wonderful cycle that these children are very excited about. 

On April 23 2018, as Jenny Mountford, Abbeville County 4-H Agent, and myself entered Mrs. Busby’s class, the first thing I noticed was the teaching style Mrs. Busby has…traditional and hands-on.  In the back corner of the room, sits the aquaponics unit, a system that is doing so much more than just sustaining fish and growing lettuce.  This aquaponics system is teaching these children about plant and animal life, life cycles, sustainability, environmental changes affecting plants and animals, biology, and so much more.  As I listened in during her lesson, I was amazed at the amount of information these students have not only learned, but retained.  They answered every question that Mrs. Busby and Jenny Mountford asked.  They talked about xylem, transpiration, carnivorous plants, evaporation, nitrogen levels; and the conversation continued about how the fish were helping the plants, and the plants were helping the fish.  Did you know fish can drown?  Mrs. Busby’s class does.  They even know how to keep it from happening by making sure there is enough oxygen in the water and how to provide it.  Currently, the class is growing lettuce; however, they are not limited to this plant only.  The class is getting ready to change out the lettuce to a different plant.  In an aquaponics farm, you get to harvest both the plants and the fish for consumption.  These children may or may not realize it right now, but they are not only learning science, they are learning agriculture also.  The students were able to taste the “fruits of their labor” or should I say vegetables.  They said the lettuce tasted good.  One student comically piped up that he prefers ranch on his lettuce; I believe I would tend to agree with that student.  However, in all seriousness, an entire salad could be grown from aquaponics and the fish harvested for the main course.

A joint effort between Clemson University, Freshwater Coast Community Foundation, and the Abbeville County 4-H has brought this opportunity to Mrs. Busby’s class.  The aquaponics equipment was provided by the Freshwater Coast Community Foundation.  Clemson University has provided the support for the project.  The Abbeville County 4-H program reached out to Diamond Hill Elementary to connect with Emily Busby as a teacher.  This partnership has allowed for the traditional classroom education to meet with the 4-H hands-on education to give new opportunities to our Abbeville County youth.  Dr. Lance Beecher, Aquaponics, Aquaculture and Fisheries Specialist, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service, has been instrumental in helping to get the unit set up and providing help as needed for Mrs. Busby’s class.  While there are many high schools around the state that have aquaponics systems, very few middle schools or elementary schools, if any, have that system.  This is a very unique opportunity for this 6th grade class.  Dr. Beecher is more than happy to assist any school out there to get a program together and offer advice on system design.  Another aquaponics unit is being utilized by an organization in Abbeville County, the Due West Robotics First Lego League Team, Narwhal of Ideas.  This unit is housed at Erskine College and is maintained by the robotics team.  The team is still excited over the lettuce they grew.  These are projects that Mrs. Busby’s class and the Narwhal of Ideas robotics team will never forget.  These hands-on learning experiences are totally educational, totally interesting, and totally fun; and that is what makes for a great education and learning experience.

 

Mrs. Busby’s 6th grade class adding plants to the aquaponics system, May 4, 2018.

Due West: The Produce Patch

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

April 17, 2018

DUE WEST — A charming produce market and store is nestled inside of Due West, SC.  The Produce Patch, 203 N. Main Street, Due West, SC, 29639, holds some of the most delicious, local produce found in the area.  The Produce Patch is owned by Cindy Adams.  Visiting the store is like visiting old friends.  Larry Posey, Store Manager, is there to greet you when you arrive.  The store is open daily, Monday through Friday from 9:00AM until 6:00PM, Saturday from 9:00AM until 2:00PM, and closed on Sundays.

This wonderful store is home to South Carolina grown produce along with specialty items from the Amish Country.  Cindy Adams travels South Carolina to find new items to be carried in her store.  The vast variety of items is amazing, along with the flavor and taste of these items.  And yes, I did sample a few items as “research,” and they were incredible.  You can find everything from fresh produce, to flavorful granola, tasty fruit juices, and so much more. 

The store began when Cindy realized that the area did not have a “local” grocery store, and she wanted to fill that gap.  The Produce Patch has grown into so much more though.  Instead of just being a store, she is carrying specialty items such as Certified SC Grown items, organic items, and teas that are grown right here in beautiful South Carolina.

 

The Produce Patch with its many varieties of items, April 17, 2018.

FCCF Abbeville Promise Capital Campaign Kick-off Event

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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.