Save The Date For The 2024 Chamber Fall Golf Classic
The Chamber’s Fall Golf Classic is set for Thursday, October 3 at Traces Golf Club. Lunch will begin at 11:00 AM followed by a shotgun start at Noon. More information to be released soon!
CARE House Of The Pee Dee Announces Party With A P(o)urpose
Join The CARE House for an evening that’s sure to be the toast of the town on Thursday, October 17th at the Florence Country Club!
This year, our favorite wine tasting event is expanding into the ultimate “Party with a P(o)urpose” – a spirited celebration featuring wine, beer, and a signature bourbon drink, along with thrilling live and silent auctions.
Raise a Glass and a Paddle to Make a Difference in the Lives of Child Abuse Victims!
As you sip, savor, and swirl, you’ll be supporting the CARE House of the Pee Dee, a local Children’s Advocacy Center dedicated to promoting help, hope, and healing for child abuse victims and their families. Every bid and every sip has an impact by supporting the quality investigative, therapeutic, and advocacy services these children and families need.
All guests must be 21 years of age to attend.
For more information, click here.
Sword of Truth To Hold Health Fair
The SOT is hosting a Health fair on Saturday, August 24th 9am-12pm.The Health Fair is open to the public, and will feature professionals from various backgrounds providing information, instruction and guidance on Men’s Health, literacy, skin care, hair care, financial health, fitness and doula services. The Health Fair will also have a blood drive, food, games and prizes. There will be nurse practitioners available and offering free health screenings, blood pressure checks, and sport physicals. This event is free. Invite your friends and family.
For more information or to register, call 843-758-3737.
To view the full flyer, click here.
Registration Still Open For BMW Supplier Diversity Xchange
Registration is still open for BMW’s 2024 nationally recognized Supplier Diversity event on Wednesday, August 28th in Greenville, SC. The event bridges the gap and driving innovation through educational seminars and intentional networking. There is no cost for this event, which includes lunch and a keynote speaker. MBE/WBE/Veteran owned businesses are highly encouraged to attend.
The Florence Chamber will have a bus going to the event, should you wish to secure your seat, click here.
For event registration information, click here.
City Of Florence Featured On ChamberLink Radio
Amanda Pope, Marketing/Communications and Municipal Services Director for the City of Florence and Maggie Reames with the City of Florence, were the Florence Chamber’s guests this past weekend on ChamberLink We encourage you to tune-in every Sunday from 12:00-12:30pm on LIVE 95.3FM in Florence, SC.
This program is brought to you by the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.
You can review past ChamberLink Radio Show interviews by clicking https://www.flochamber.com/events-programs/podcasts/
Great Southern Homes Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Jason Faulkner, Coastal Division President along with Mike Cassady, Division Construction Manager, Sonya Schaffer Coastal Sales Manager, Ram Venki, New Home Specialist, Christy Roth, New Home Specialist, Chris Close, Area Manager, Calli Benson, Marketing Coordinator, Chris Townsend, Project Manager along with Chamber Ambassadors cut the ribbon opening the latest Great Southern Homes Colony at Forest Lake.
Great Southern Homes (GSH), a subsidiary of United Homes Group (UHG), is a publicly traded residential builder headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina. Established in 2004, GSH has constructed more than 14,000 homes and counting. The company operates and builds new-home communities located across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. We believe in stylish, quality-built homes for today’s growing families at affordable prices. After all, it’s not only a new home, but also an important investment for you and your family. UHG has been recognized as the 2024 Builder of the Year by BUILDER Magazine.
To read the full story, click here.
Emerging Leaders Summer Institute Holds Final Session
The Chamber’s Emerging Leaders had their final session today, Government and Civic Engagement. The group was hosted by Florence County for breakfast.
The cohorts heard from the Mayor of Florence, Florence County Administrator, Florence Recreation Department and the City of Florence Deputy City Manager. The final stop for the class was Lighthouse Ministries for lunch courtesy of Arby’s and presentations from Man2Man Fatherhood Initiative and SC Legal Services.
To see more photos from the day, click here.
Downtown Florence Growing: New Businesses, Projects Coming
Businesses and projects coming to Florence’s downtown represent about $184 million in reinvestment over the next five years, according to Hannah Davis, development manager for the city. — Downtown Florence went from a 42% vacancy rate to a 4% vacancy rate in the historic district in the past 20 years, Davis said. Just in the last 10 years, $300 million has been put into reinvestment downtown, Davis said.
The downtown master plan calls Florence the civic and cultural hub of the region. Davis said the future of Florence is to continue to serve this role in the Pee Dee region.
“I think that Florence, 20 years from now, will be a competitive hub for commerce and for people to choose to live in the Pee Dee region,” Davis said. “And I think that will also help with growth in our tertiary markets, throughout the county and throughout other counties in the Pee Dee region. You know, rising tides absolutely lift all boats.”……..
To read the full story, click here.
Junior Leadership Florence County Holds Retreat In Cherry Grove
On August 1st and 2nd, the 2024-2025 Jr. Leadership Florence County Class attended their Opening Retreat at the SC FFA Camp in Cherry Grove. Students participated in team building and leadership development while form new bonds with fellow students. They learned more about each other while strengthening their development skills. This y ears class is genuinely another fantastic group of students for the tenth year of the program. The students will reconvene at the end of August for their first of 8 monthly sessions for Education Day. The JLFC 4-H Program is made possible through the partnership of Clemson University Cooperative Extension Florence County/4-H, Francis Marion University, and the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, as well as the involvement of the Florence County community. Thank you to the SC FFA Camp Staff for our stay and to Florence County School District Two for providing student transportation.
To see more photos from the retreat, click here.
Resources Available for Businesses Impacted by Tropical Storm Debby
Tropical Storm Debby has caused significant flood and other damage across the Palmetto State. If your business sustained any damage during the storm, you can report the damage by completing the South Carolina ESF-24 Emergency Response Survey. Emergency Support Function (ESF)-24 exists to support business and industry during natural disasters. The South Carolina Department of Commerce is the coordinating agency for ESF-24, which is made up of 13 agencies and organizations that integrate with the business community.
The SC Emergency Resources Dashboard is a one-stop-shop portal for the latest information during times of disaster including power outages, road and bridge closures, shelter locations, executive orders, and more.
The SC Business Reentry Program allows businesses into areas under curfew or evacuation order prior to the general public, helping businesses get back up and running prior to the community returning. This program is available to any business that is registered and found in good standing with the South Carolina Secretary of State’s Office. Registration is free and takes less than five minutes to complete. Once completed, you will receive a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) applicable for three years. Questions about the reentry program can be e-mailed to businessreentry@emd.sc.gov.
