Duke Energy’s Wings and Chili Team Helps Pee Dee Land Trust

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by Matthew Christian

One team’s victories in the annual Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Kickin’ Chicken wing and chili contest are paying off for the Pee Dee Land Trust.

A team from Duke Energy Progress is donating its winnings to the land trust. Team members are Cordy Williamson, Andrew Baylor, Jay Bishop and Kayla Holland-Woods.

They have entered both contests for three years.

“We entered the year that they started the chili/wing cook-off, and we’ve placed somewhere every year,” Williamson said.

The team won first place for its wings in 2019, first place for its chili in 2017 and second place for its chili in 2018.

Both contests are broken into two parts: a winner selected by judges and a winner selected by fan vote.

The judges for 2019 were Adam Crosson of REMAX Professionals, Commander Anson Shells of the Florence Police Department, Aaron Robinson of Honda, Jennifer Robinson of Empowered to Heal, Greg Padilla of Pepsi, Kevin Goodwin of Woodforest Bank, Eric Robinson of Vocational Rehabilitation, Diana Murphy of Diversity Works Magazine, Nicole Echols of Harvest Hope Food Bank, Wayne Mulling of Community Broadcasters and Chief Allen Heidler of the Florence Police Department.

The Duke team won judges’ awards.

The team is reluctant to reveal its wing and chili secrets.

Bishop said Williamson has a secret wing seasoning that he will not reveal even to his teammates.

“Even we don’t know,” Bishop said.

Bishop and his father are responsible for the chili recipe. However, he said, they have modified the recipe to account for the tastes of the Pee Dee region.

He added that the recipe is a Georgia recipe and is milder in taste, but the modified version adds more unspecified spices.

“We put our heart and soul in whatever we do,” Williamson said.

Each prize won carries a monetary prize, which the team then donates to Pee Dee Land Trust.

Lyles Cooper Lyles, executive director of the land trust, said the donation was a general donation and would be used to support the operations of the organization.

She said the donation was special, because it represented both corporate donation in the connection with Duke and a personal donation in the sense that the team chose to donate to the land trust.

Bishop said the Pee Dee Land Trust is a natural fit for the the team.

To read the full article of SC Now, click here.

Kickin’ Chicken Peoples Choice Winners Receive Plaques

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by Matthew Christian

The winners of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce’s annual “Kickin’ Chicken” Wing & Chili festival were honored Wednesday afternoon at the chamber offices.

Chamber staff members presented plaques to winners David Gowdy of Vivid Network Solutions and Jay Phillips of Clayton Homes.

Vivid Network Solutions won the award for best chili. Clayton Homes won the award for best wings.

The festival was held on Oct. 18 in the 100 block of South Dargan Street in downtown Florence.

2019 was the sixth year that the Florence chamber has held the cook-off festival, which has doubled in attendance over the years to nearly 3,000 people enjoying the local cooking, favorite beverages and music on the streets of downtown Florence.

Everyone attending had the opportunity to be a judge by voting online for the People’s Choice award sponsored by SCNow.com.

This year’s event was made possible by Raines Hospitality and Carolina Bank, along with support from Willcox, Buyck & Williams, Victors Restaurant and South Carolina Federal Credit Union.

To read the full article on SC Now, click here.

The King’s Academy Hosts Business Over Breakfast

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The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce held a Business Over Breakfast networking event at The King’s Academy Tuesday, November 19.

We were joined by nearly 40 community leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs. A big thank you goes to TKA for hosting and all who attended.

Looking to Advertise Through the Chamber?

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Option One – “Say it Here”

If your business has something to share with the world about a proud moment or a new product or program, you might consider sharing it with the Chamber to be included in our weekly business updates or monthly newsletter. This type of business information sharing will reach more than 1,700 chamber members and member associates throughout the region. To do that please provide a paragraph, Web-link and photo/artwork to any of chamber staff.

 

Option Two – “Be Seen Digitally”

The Chamber has an awesome Website and allows for advertising space to area businesses. The site allows you to reach thousands of individuals each month that are looking to relocate to the Greater Florence area, exploring business connections or researching goods and service providers. Rates are very reasonable and effective.

 

Option Three – “Promote”

You might be interested in being in our Newcomer’s Guide and Membership Directory. These products are the most sought-after publications in the Pee Dee Region. Each year more than 8,000 issues are requested and distributed around the Greater Florence area. Thousands more are requested and used by our many industry and manufacture businesses in their recruitment and relocation efforts. These products also offer digital content and advertising reach directly linked to the Chambers Website in an electronic version that allows viewers to click on your ad which will carry them to your businesses Website.

 

Option Four – “Scream It”

Did you know you can promote your goods and services in a full-page ad in the Monthly ChamberLink Newsletter? The rates are very affordable and allow you to reach more than 1,700 chamber members and member associates throughout the region each month. Ads are available for under $100 and are very popular for promoting golf events, festivals and business products and services.

 

If you have questions about what type of news is available to appear free, please contact Kristin Nesmith at the Chamber by calling (843) 519-0933 or by emailing knesmith@flochamber.com.

Leadership Florence Class of 2020 Held Health Issues Day

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On Tuesday, November 12, we had Health Issues Day for the Leadership Florence class of 2020. The day was filled with scenarios, information and tours of some of our local healthcare facilities.

The class visited and learned about McLeod Health, Florence Family YMCA, HopeHealth, MUSC Health – Florence Medical Center, Senior Citizens Association in Florence County, and The Manor.

Junior Leadership Held Business & Industry Day

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The Junior Leadership Class had Business and Industry Day on Friday, November 12. We visited GE Healthcare, Honda of SC, Mfg., and McCall Farms. We are so thankful for the great hospitality that these businesses showed us today. Florence is full of some great businesses and we are so grateful that we were able to view some of them today.

Thank you to the great hosts for taking time out of their day to teach the students about their businesses and all that they offer to the community.

Without the partnerships from the community, we would not have such a successful program!

Pee Dee Healthy Start Joins the Florence Chamber

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by Ardie Arvidson

Pee Dee Healthy Start Inc. held a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce signifying its new membership in the chamber. Chamber ambassadors joined Pee Dee Healthy Start Inc, staff and guests for the occasion.

When it began in 1991, the focus of Pee Dee Healthy Start was helping reduce the infant mortality rate and other negative birth outcomes for women and children in the Pee Dee.

Pee Dee Healthy Start was one of 15 federally funded demonstration sites created in 1991. It was administered through the United Way of South Carolina. At that time, the organization served six counties in the Pee Dee, which did not include Florence.

In 1997, Healthy Start transitioned from the United Way to Pee Dee Healthy Start Inc. and was granted 501-C3 status.

Pee Dee Healthy Start now serves seven counties — Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg — and provides assistance in several areas to help strengthen families.

It provides health education, fatherhood involvement, mentoring and support, child development counseling and other services.

Madie Robinson, executive director and chief executive, said one of the primary goals is to strengthen the African-American family unit by improving the effectiveness of adult relationships through its Relationship and Education Program.

The Dannon Project offers opportunities for individuals who have been in conflict with the law to transform their lives, she said. It provides training, job development skills, GED preparation and certifications for certain jobs. This program is geared toward adults between the ages of 18-24. Its purpose is to help educate, train and reintroduce them to the workforce.

The re-entry program helps people become whole, Robinson said. It helps them get a job, she said. She said these are people who need a “help up, not a handout.”

“That is where I see our relationship with the chamber,” Robinson said.

Robinson said that when the organization started it established a relationship with the businesses in the area.

“We had an economic development specialist,” she said.

She said women’s issues were discussed with businesses, especially those relating to pregnancy.

Decreasing the incidence of infant mortality is still one of the main purposes of Pee Dee Healthy Start Inc. Through health education, the organization hopes to increase the knowledge and awareness related to infant mortality and poor birth outcomes, Robinson said.

Chairman of the board Billy Williams said the people that Pee Dee Healthy Start Inc. helps need a lot of help.

Williams said space is an issue at the Pine Street location. He said his dream is to find more space within the next five years to operate.

Robinson said they are always looking for non-federal donations.

Pee Dee Healthy Start Inc. is at 314 W. Pine St. in Florence.

To read the full article on SC Now, click here.

Burris and Pressley Opens Office in Florence

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by Ardie Arvidson

Burris and Pressley Realty celebrated the opening of its Florence office at 155 N. Dargan St. and its membership in the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon-cutting Thursday. Chamber ambassadors joined in the celebration.

Damian Burris and Cody Pressley are owners of the brokerage company. The two joined forces in February in Columbia. The Florence office opened Nov. 1. Burris is broker in charge.

Burris and Pressley specializes in residential and commercial real estate and serves South Carolina in new home sales, resales and construction, property investments and property management.

“We are glad to be a part of a vibrant downtown,” Pressley said.

“Florence is growing,” Burris said. “I love what downtown is doing. We wanted to drop our roots here.”

There will be four agents at the Florence office. Burris said he will be in Florence every Wednesday and Thursday.

He said they have been working with clients in the Florence area for a while and saw a need to offer “elite service” in the area.

“We are unconventional with tradition,” Burris said.

He said they try to appeal to the millennials who are now purchasing homes.

“We cater to the customer,” he said. “We care about how our customers approach homebuying.”

Both men are from the Pee Dee. Burris is originally from Marlboro County, and Pressley is from Mullins.

Burris is a retired police officer, who worked in homicide and narcotics for 12 years. He retired from the Camden Police Department in 2016. He is married to Valerie Moore Burris and lives in Kershaw County.

Burris said they founded the company on their faith.

“We attribute our success to God,” he said.

Pressley is married to Avarie Pressley and has four children. He is retired military, having served eight years in the Army. He is a member of the Richland County Zoning Board in Columbia.

“We are one of the largest independent minority real estate companies in the state of South Carolina,” Burris said.

“We look forward to serving the community and want to educate students about literacy, real estate and being business owners,” Pressley said.

They both travel the country speaking on national platforms.

Burris said they are looking forward to becoming more involved in the community and with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

“We want to help build the city of Florence, not just houses,” he said.

They both agreed it was important to them to locate their business in the thriving downtown.

To read the full article on SC Now, click here.

McLeod Occupational Health Hosts Open House

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by Ardie Arvidson

McLeod Occupational Health celebrated the opening of its new location in McLeod Medical Park East on Thursday, November 7 with an open house and ribbon-cutting. The ribbon-cutting was part of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours with Chamber ambassadors taking part.

The new location of McLeod Occupational Health is 101 S. William H. Johnson St., Suite 150.

Dr. Stuart Sandler, Medical Director of McLeod Health Occupational Health Services, greeted guests to the Business After Hours event. He said McLeod Occupational Health provides “treatment, services and health care to area businesses and industries at several locations throughout the 18 counties McLeod Health serves.”

“The locations include McLeod Occupational Health Cheraw, McLeod Occupational Health Sumter, McLeod Occupational Health Commerce Park located off I-95 and this new location at McLeod Regional Medical Center.”

Sandler said the new location allows them to offer a full range of occupational medicine services. They include DOT-certified exams, physicals, primary care services, treatment for work-related injury and illnesses, on-site X-ray and EKG services, labs, firefighter physicals, and employee health services for McLeod Health staff.

Occupational Health moved from across the McLeod campus where it had been for nearly 30 years. Occupational Health kept outgrowing its space.

Oct. 14 was the first day at the new location.

Nurse Kim McCracken, business relations manager, said occupational health is all about medical health for people who work. It is on-the-job health care and covers things like immunizations, she said.

There are two full-time physicians, Sandler and Dr. Valarian Bruce. Dr. Peter Hyman is associate vice president. Shelly Morris is the director of occupational employee health.

Sandler said he has been with McLeod Health Occupational Health for about two years but has worked in the field for 25 years.

“We take care of the working family,” he said. “Anything that happens at work.”

He said a lot of times people who come to them don’t have a primary doctor.

“This is really a step up for us,” Sandler said.

Hyman said the new site has allowed them to expand their services.

“We are very happy to have this new location,” he said.

Sandler said they have 26 employees in the new building and about 55-60 overall, and 15 on-site locations in industries throughout the McLeod coverage area.

To read the full article on SC Now, click here.

New Chamber Member, Comfort Inn & Suites, Celebrates Open House with Ribbon Cutting

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by Ardie Arvidson

New Chamber member, Comfort Inn & Suites of Florence, at 527 Woody Jones Boulevard in Florence, held its grand opening Wednesday, November 6. There were tours, food, entertainment and ribbon cutting.

The new Choice Hotels Comfort Inn and Suites is managed by Raines Hospitality, Inc.

Grey Raines, president of Raines Hospitality Inc., welcomed guests to the event.

“We are really excited to bring Comfort Inn & Suites here,” he said.

Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer for Choice Hotels, said he is excited for the Florence Comfort Inn to join its 2,100 other Comfort Inns. He said they have 250 new hotels under construction and will be opening 60 hotels, one a week to the end of 2020.

Raines said this Comfort Inn is Raines Hospitality’s 17th hotel.

“It is our first Comfort Inn,” he said.

Raines said they started in the business with upscale hotels before getting into the upper midscale segment of the hotel market.

The Comfort Inn, near the Florence Center, opened at the end of June.

“It has been very good for us,” Raines said. “The Florence market continues to be a good hotel market.”

He said the company is already working on more hotels but isn’t ready to talk about them yet.

Pacious said Choice Hotels represents 12 brands. He said they have 7,000 hotels overall with 6,000 of them in the United States, mostly in the Southeast. He said they have five in the Florence market with two of those Comfort Inn hotels.

He said they started in Florence five years ago with Hotel Florence in its Boutique Collection in partnership with Raines Hospitality. They have a Cambria Hotel in Mount Pleasant with Raines and two more Cambria’s in the works, he said.

Pacious said Comfort Inn & Suites has been around since the 1980s, but the hotels recently have undergone a complete renovation, which represents a $2½ billion investment. He said the hotel has been rebranded.

The Florence hotel was one of the first in the rebranding with open and elegant lobbies, spacious breakfast areas and larger rooms with warm tones and soothing textures, local artwork and inviting designs.

“We are mostly known for three things,” Pacious said. “That is free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking.”

The hotel in Florence has 89 rooms and suites.

Comfort Inn & Suites is a family-oriented hotel.

Investors and staff of Raines properties were on hand for the celebration, which included a ribbon cutting with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and its ambassadors.

Sparkle Cotton is the general manager of the Florence hotel. Taylor Gray is sales manager.

Prettier Than Matt duo entertained.