News & Events

Presbyterian College Celebrates 125th Commencement Exercises A beautiful spring day filled with equal parts pomp, humor, gratitude, hope, and remembrance marked Presbyterian College’s 125th commencement ceremonies May 10 on the West Plaza. Approximately 260 members of the Class of 2008 received the last words of wisdom they would hear as college students, including advice from a peer gathered by Outstanding Senior Cody Mitchell, a newly-commissioned second lieutenant from Bethune, S.C. Read More Here

Harris Springs Preserve Receives National Spotlight The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce was excited to learn this week that one of its members has been recognized for a prestigious national honor. Orvis, a pioneer in the mail order business in the United States, has named Harris Springs Sportsman’s Preserve in Waterloo as its Wingshooting Lodge of the Year. Read More Here

The LDHS Bands will give their Spring Performances on Tuesday, May 20th at 7:00 p.m. in the Lecture Theatre. The evening will feature music prepared by the three ability-based ensembles. The highlights of each performance include work from the Concert Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. All members of the community are invited. The cost will be $3 at the door of the LDHS Lecture Theater.

Celebrating a New LocationThe Laurens County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of the new location of Our Little Shop at 211 Fleming Street in Laurens on May 9. The thrift store helps raise funds for the Laurens County Safe Home, a non-profit organization that provides shelter and other services to victims of domestic abuse and their families. Founded as an outreach of the First United Methodist Church of Laurens nearly twenty years ago, the shop's new location offers expanded sales space. Staffed mainly by volunteers, the store offers clothing at reduced prices as well as children's items and small appliances. All funds raised through the thrift shop and donations from the community go to assist the Safe Home clients and their families. The shop also assists clients with getting back on their feet after escaping abusive relationships. The shop gladly accepts donations from the community to support their mission.

Chamber Celebrates 30th Anniversary in Style The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 30th anniversary on April 24 with a picnic and concert on the West Plaza of Presbyterian College campus in Clinton. The event drew more than 350 Chamber members for an evening of good food, fellowship, music and dancing. Emily Bailey, Augusta Dixon, John Faris and Virginia Vance were the honorary hosts for the celebration. Event sponsors were Carolina First Bank, Cooper Motor Company, Laurens County Health Care System, #1 Sign Designs, Presbyterian College, Printers Associates, and Sodexho Campus Services. Budweiser of Spartanburg and Spartanburg Coca Cola Bottling Company were the beverage sponsors. Chamber members enjoyed a traditional picnic menu of fried chicken and all the trimmings. An ice cream buffet was a big hit of the evening. The Laurens and Clinton Chambers of Commerce joined together in 1978 to form the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce.

Wake Hopes S.C. Town Can Teach How to Keep Teachers by Erin Coleman for WRAL.com; a story that places a positive light on Clinton and South Carolina. Our educators continue to work hard to make programs more and more successful in our Districts and they are obviously getting attention from their efforts.

The Hollywood Treatment The parking lot of Ryan's Steakhouse in Simpsonville resembled Oscar Night in Hollywood as more than 200 Laurens County students arrived April 23 for the Limos for Learning literacy celebration. Founded in Laurens four years ago as a non-profit organization by local entrepreneur Betsy Ross, the organization has grown tremendously from its beginnings with just 12 students and now reaches across the entire state. The program encourages lifelong reading as a part of a successful career path. The annual celebration rewards students who have met their reading goals during the school year.

Chamber Welcomes New Member The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce welcomed its newest member April 26 with a ribbon cutting and grand opening at Uptown Fitness Club in Laurens. Located at 243 Hillcrest Drive in the Food Lion Shopping Center, the club offers the latest in fitness equipment as well as personal training for members. Chamber president and CEO Rob Clapper and Laurens Mayor Sharon Brownlee were on hand to congratulate owner Bob Marchman.

Top 10 Small Towns in the South that Deserve a Second Look Laurens, SC is listed at the top in a recent issue of Southern Business and Development magazine. "As the midpoint between the upstate business center of Greenville and the state capital Columbia, Laurens SC is perfectly positioned to provide access to everything the state has to offer."

Laurens County Featured in National Magazine By: Amanda L. Capps Randall Frye, membership director for the Chamber of Commerce, is getting more telephone calls these days from people who want to know what it’s like to live in Laurens County. The added interest this month can be attributed to a feature story in a national magazine called "Where to Retire." Read the Article Here at GoLaurens.com.
Laurens County Leaders Say Cooperation is the Key By: Amanda L. Capps More than 150 of Laurens County’s business leaders and public officials gathered Friday to discuss the state of Laurens County. Read the Article Here at GoLaurens.com.
Homegrown Hero King Dixon, right, was recognized during the March meeting of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce. A long time member of the board, Dixon was recently honored as the Homegrown Hero for Laurens County during the recent South Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Summit in Clemson. The Homegrown Hero award is designed to acknowledge and applaud those individuals who have moved back to their hometown and have made an impact in the community after successful careers elsewhere. Pictured with Dixon is John Baggett of the Department of Commerce.

Congressional Visit U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett hosted a breakfast for constituents on March 17 at the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce. The congressman frequently hosts meetings with small groups across South Carolina’s Third Congressional District that gives residents a chance to meet face to face with their voice in Washington. The Laurens County group expressed their concerns on a number of issues including the war in Iraq, rising gas prices, and healthcare costs. Pictured above with Congressman Barrett, center, are Bill Baldwin of Laurens, left, and Chamber of Commerce board of directors chairman Jim Firmin.

Firmin Ford Receives Company's Highest Honor Firmin Ford of Laurens got some great news in March as they received recognition as a winner of the coveted 2007 President’s Award. Read More Here

PC Trustees Vote to Start New Pharmacy School in S.C. Presbyterian College's board of trustees approved a proposal today to create a new pharmacy school in Upstate South Carolina. The pharmacy program will serve a total of 300 students and, pending accreditation, is expected to open in the fall of 2010. Read More Here

The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Staff and Members Congratulate Angela Marlett Insurance Agency on your 10th Anniversary!