Duke Energy To Have A Storm Ready EXPO May 10

Be sure to put the Duke Energy Storm EXPO on your calendar to attend on May 10th form 10:00am – 2:00pm at Florence Center. Plenty of vendors on hand for you to discuss best practices for storm preparations and even activities for the Kids. No excuse for not stopping by to visit.

For more information, click here.

Sesame Street Live! Coming To Florence Center

Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and their friends from Sesame Street are coming to your neighborhood on May 3 to say hello! At Sesame Street Live! Say Hello, sing, dance, and play alongside your favorite furry friends, all while you follow Elmo’s puppy, Tango, in a fun game of hide & seek. So put on your dancing shoes and make your way to where the air is sweet for this all-new celebration on Sesame Street!

For more information, click here.

Junior Leadership Florence County – Application Deadline Is Wednesday

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025-2026 Junior Leadership Florence County 4-H Program! Current public, private and homeschooled students who live in and/or attend school in Florence County and who will be classified as a high school sophomore or junior next school year are eligible to apply. The deadline is April 30th. Please share! Our applications are fully ONLINE!

Residents of Coward, Florence, Johnsonville, Lake City, Olanta, Pamplico, Quinby, Scranton, and Timmonsville.

Students who attend school in any of the public, private, or homeschools in Florence County, but are not residents of Florence County are eligible to apply.

Small Business Week Training Classes

Entrepreneurs and small business owners are invited to several free workshops being offered during the 2025 National Small Business Week. Look for in-person and virtual business classes on Google My Business, Googles AI tools and basics of starting a small business. See link here for registration.

Membership Directory Member Information

The Florence Chamber is in the process of gathering all of the most up-to-date membership information to include in the 2025 – 2026 Chamber Membership Directory. We want to make sure all of what is on file is correct. In that effort, on April 11th the Chamber sent an email to all main contacts at each member company asking for verification of important information that is included in the annual membership directory. If you do not recall seeing the verification email, or would just like to make sure what is on file is correct, please email mhowle@flochamber.com or call her directly at (843) 519-0940.

The Pee Dee’s Growing Hospitality Industry And Food Scene

Last week WBTW did a feature about the Pee Dee region becoming quite the food destination, with new developments growing the hospitality industry and recent events gaining national exposure in both Florence and Darlington.

So, what’s feeding the industry? Click the here to find out more.

Pee Dee Land Trust Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Pee Dee Land Trust is celebrating our 25th anniversary, and we couldn’t have done it without you! To celebrate and show our gratitude, we’re inviting you to join us Saturday, May 10th at Riverbend on the Lynches River in Johnsonville.

We will have a fun filled day starting with a paddle on the beautiful Lynches Rivers. River Rats Outfitters will pick up paddlers at 10:00am at Riverbend and transport them to put in up river. The majority of the 1.5 mile paddle will take you by the picturesque Riverbend Property, permanently protected by Austin Gilbert in partnership with PDLT.

We plan to have activities for all ages from 11:00am until 2:00pm with an old-fashioned Pig Pickin’ starting at noon.

For more information, click here.

Duke Energy Foundation Support Building Bridges Diversity And Leadership Programs

Mindy Taylor, Director Government & Community Relations at Duke Energy, presented a check from the Duke Energy Foundation to support Building Bridges Diversity and Leadership programs. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Duke Energy for their continued support of inclusive businesses and communities.

FSO Rocks is Back – May 22

FSO Rocks is back, bringing high-energy classic rock to the stage! This electrifying concert stars Joel Hoekstra, renowned guitarist for Cher, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Whitesnake. Joining him are powerhouse vocalists Fran Coleman, Elena Flores, Cole Davis, and Eric Thompson. Expect songs from Steely Dan, Spencer Davis Group, The Who, Moody Blues, The Eagles, ELO, Toto and many more.

Want the ultimate rockstar experience? VIP tickets include an exclusive pre-concert party at the Waters Building, 135 S. Dargan St., includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks provided by Victors. The FSO Rocks Concert is presented by McLeod Health with support from Synergi Partners. Pepsi of Florence, Ensemble Wealth Planning & Carolina Bank.

For more information, click here.

HopeHealth Introduces New Board Members

The HopeHealth Board of Directors announced the appointment of new officers and four new members for 2025-2026. Joining the board are Theresa Davis, Teresa Anderson, Elaine Morehead, and Janice Still.

Board members are selected for their expertise in community affairs, local government, business development, social work, and other philanthropic interests. Additionally, in keeping with the Federally Qualified Health Center requirement, a majority of directors utilize HopeHealth for their health care needs.

To read the full press release, click here.