News Archive 2008

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.

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

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

FAM Tour Visits Laurens County Representatives from each of South Carolina's nine Welcome Centers visited Laurens County as part of a familiarization tour the staff takes approximately every two years to the five counties that make up the Old 96 Tourism District. The tours allow the staff to learn more about the sites they help promote to tourist at the major entry points to the state. During their February 19 visit, the staff toured Musgrove Mill State Historic Site in Clinton and The Artist's Coop in Laurens. The group also did a driving tour of the Culbertson Backcountry Settlement in Gray Court and West Main, Irby and South Harper Streets in Laurens. The group was treated to lunch at The Vance House Restaurant in Owings by the Gray Court-Owings Historical Society. Pictured above with the group are Dianne Culbertson and Sarah Jane Armstrong, far left, of the historical society, and Randall Frye, far right, of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce.

Back to Their Roots Members of the Laurens County Master Gardeners Association met by the fireplace of the historic log cabin at the Joe Adair Outdoor Education Center in Laurens on a recent cold Thursday morning. The group enjoyed apple cider warmed in the fireplace as they planned decorations for the Spotlight on Agriculture banquet scheduled for March 13. The group is comprised of graduates of the Master Gardener program of the Clemson Extension Service.

Six in a Row The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors honored the Bell Street Middle School Science Olympiad program by declaring February 25 as "Bell Street Science Olympiad Day" in celebration of the team's sixth consecutive state championship. The team captured the state title on February 9 competing against teams from across South Carolina in the areas of biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, problems solving, and technology. The team took first place in 14 of the 20 events at the competition. They were also recognized with the George Renwick Sportsmanship award. The team now advances to the national competition in May at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Pictured above, from the left, are Chamber president and CEO Rob Clapper, Chamber board chairman Jim Firmin, and Terry O'Shields and Kathy Davis representing Bell Street Middle School.

Chamber Ambassadors Honored Rhonda Cruickshanks, far right, a member of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and co-chairperson of the Chamber Development Committee, congratulates Zeke Benjamin and Deb Conrad who were recently honored for their volunteer service to the Chamber. Benjamin, a salesman at Firmin Ford in Laurens, was named Ambassador of the Third Quarter. Conrad, who was honored in the Second Quarter of the year, was named Ambassador of the Fourth Quarter. She is employed at BB&T CIC in Laurens.

Thornwell Receives $1 Million Foundation Gift Thornwell Home for Children President Robert W. Stansell, Jr. announced that the Cassels Family Foundation of Columbia has given a gift of $1 million to fund an endowment for Christian nurture. The Cassels’s gift will help to underwrite a comprehensive program of Christian nurture at Thornwell supporting worship, bible study, mission outreach, liturgical music and the arts, and summer Christian camps and conferences. Read More Here

LCDC Names New Executive Director The Laurens County Development Corporation (LCDC) has hired Marvin Moss as their new Executive Director. After discussing the personnel matter while in Executive Session, the motion was made to offer Marvin Moss the Executive Director position for the LCDC. Moss has been working as Senior Project Manager for LCDC and acting as Interim Executive Director since the inception of the organization. Read More Here

Non-Profit Event Proves Collaboration Works An overflow crowd for the first ever Laurens County non-profit board training proved the benefit of two leading county organizations filling a much needed niche. The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce and the Laurens County United Way worked together to organize the January 11 event at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Clinton. Board members from non-profits from as far away as Greenwood participated in the training facilitated by The Weathers Group of Columbia. More
Small Business Honors Martin Brothers Construction Company in Gray Court has been honored as the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Quarter for the Fourth Quarter of 2007. Started by James and Horace Martin, the company recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with the opening of their new headquarters on Interstate 385. The company is now eligible for the Robert M. Vance Small Business of the Year award which will be presented at the Chamber’s 30th anniversary membership dinner January 31 at Presbyterian College. Pictured above, from the left, are Rob Clapper, president and CEO of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce, Phillip Martin and Jimmy Martin of Martin Brothers.

Small Business Award The Farmhouse at Bush River, an Irish Bed and Breakfast in Clinton, was recently honored as the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Quarter for the third quarter of 2007. Located on a working alpaca farm, the bed and breakfast offers beautiful rooms, gourmet meals, lovely gardens and scenic pastures for their many guests. The inn has been a supporting member of the Chamber since opening five years ago. They are listed as one of the best bed and breakfasts in the United States by USA Top 100. Pictured above are from the left, Chamber president and CEO Rob Clapper, Greg and Janet Henley, innkeepers, and Jay Peay, chairman-elect of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. As a quarterly winner, The Farmhouse is now a nominee for the Robert M. Vance Small Business of the Year award to be presented at the Chamber’s 30th anniversary membership dinner on January 31 at Presbyterian College.

Paying it Forward The Hospice of Laurens County Thrift Stores want to thank the community for their tremendous support. We are paying it forward in a "small" way by donating 2 baby baskets, one for a baby boy and one for a baby girl, to the Laurens County Healthcare System Maternity Department. The baskets are filled with blankets, onesies, bibs, stuffed animals, booties and all the other adorable necessities for newborns. The Obstetrics Staff will decide which new parents will benefit the most from this gift and deliver them to the patients’ rooms. Laurens County Thrift Store volunteers Audrey Abel and Carol Trammell were happy to hand these beautifully designed baskets to Jamie Adair, Marketing and Public Relations Director at LCHCS. If you would like to become a Hospice of Laurens County volunteer, please contact Maurice Wilkinson, Volunteer Coordinator, 864-833-6287.

Laurens County Literacy Recycling Program Here's How the Recycling Project Works: Save your empty inkjet and toner cartridges. The Literacy Council can earn as much as $6 per cartridge depending upon its size and popularity. (Smaller sizes earn more) Call the Literacy Council at 984-0466 when you have 5 or more cartridges to arrange pick-up or delivery. This is an ongoing project. Your participation will be greatly appreciated.

Laurens County Community Foundation Annual Meeting Thursday, January 24 at 5:30 PM, Higher Education Center (behind the hospital on Medical Ridge Road) Come to network with members of the community and learn about the funds that the Foundation has under its umbrella, and what the Foundation might do for you. Come, see displays provided by the various organizations and mingle with your friends and neighbors of Laurens County. Refreshments, including wine, will be provided by the Vance House Restaurant of Owings, accompanied by the Giocoso String Quartette of Laurens District 55 High School. For further information call Chairman, George Love at 984-2698.

Award Winners The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Staff recognize the following businesses for outstanding business service and faithful commitment to the Chamber mission. Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Quarter:

The Farmhouse at Bush River Bed and Breakfast; Third Quarter 2007

Martin Brothers Construction Company; Fourth Quarter 2007

Laurens County Non-Profit Board Member Training, Friday, January 11, 2008, 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon, Hampton Inn & Suites, Clinton, South Carolina Facilitated by The Weathers Group of Columbia, this free training session is open to all board members of non-profit organizations in Laurens County. Learn the role of board members in supporting their respective organizations including carrying out mission statements and fundraising. For more information, call the Chamber at 864-833-2716.

Be Well Welcomes New Massage Therapist Elisabeth Ledford has joined Ann Blair and Brandy on the staff of Be Well in Laurens. Elisabeth will be seeing clients Monday-Friday and some Saturdays. Call her at 864-984-1018 or 200-9275 for an appointment. Visit Be Well on the web at www.Bewell.us.

Chamber of Commerce's Randall Frye Receives Recognition for Tourism Support The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce recently had one of its own named a Five Star Award Winner from the Old 96 Tourism Commission. Randall Frye, Vice President for Membership Services, has been named as one of the 2007-2008 Five Star Award Winners from the Tourism Commission whose mission is to support the counties of Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, and McCormick. More

Chamber President Graduates from Diversity Leaders Academy Rob Clapper, the President & CEO of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce recently was one of fifty members of the class of 2007 to graduate from The Diversity Leadership Academy. The Academy was launched in Greenville in 2003 and is housed in the Richard E. Riley Institute at Furman University, the academy equips leaders with the tools and skills to manage in an ever more diverse environment. More

Chamber Board Endorses South Carolina Chamber's 2008 Agenda The final meeting of the 2007 Chamber Board of Directors became another historic event when the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Board passed a Resolution supporting the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce's 2008 Legislative Agenda. Workforce Development, Tax Reform, Economic Development, Immigration Reform, Affordable Health Care, and Tourism Investment are among some of the key issues in which the Chamber seeks to address in 2008. More