FMU Pee Dee Fiction and Poetry Festival

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Join Francis Marion University as they host the Sixteenth Pee Dee Fiction and Poetry Festival on Thursday, November 9th & Friday, November 10th.  Free and open to the public, the Pee Dee Fiction and Poetry Festival celebrates and promotes literature and reading. During the day, renowned authors discuss their work in various panel discussions. Each evening, two writers read from their work. All readings are followed by a book signing as well as a reception at The Cottage. Books will be on sale at the event.  Auditoriums and The Cottage are wheelchair accessible.

For more information, click here.

L & L Exquisite Wellness Spa Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Latoya Jackson and Lashanda Boone Ferguson owners of L & L Exquisite Wellness Spa along with family, friends and Chamber Ambassadors cut their ribbon to become a member of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

At L & L Exquisite Wellness Spa, their mission is to provide their clients with the highest quality spa and beauty services in a warm and welcoming environment. They believe that self-care is an essential part of overall wellness, and they strive to create a space where their clients can relax, recharge, and rejuvenate.

To read the full story, click here.

Chamber Holds Community Healthcare Breakfast

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The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce hosted a Community Healthcare Update Breakfast on Friday, November 3rd with 225 business and healthcare leaders in attendance.

The event held at the Florence Center highlighted the Pee Dee’s medical service providers dedicated efforts in meeting the rapidly evolving needs of medical advancements for economic growth and the superb healthcare for those living and working in the region.

The program included presentation by Carl Humphries, CEO of HopeHealth; Jay Hinesley, CEO Florence Division of MUSC Medical Center and Will McLeod, CEO & Senior Vice President of McLeod Regional Medical Center.

A special thanks to Signature Wealth Strategies & First Reliance Bank for sponsoring the event. And, thank you to Florence Center for the great breakfast and venue.

To see photos from the event, click here.

Delta Building System Holds Ribbon Cutting

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Delta Building System owners Hunter Long, Jody Kelly, Keith Hill along with their wives, staff, friends, and Chamber Ambassadors attend ribbon cutting for the opening of their new facility at 3116 N Sally Hill Rd, Timmonsville, SC 29161.

Delta Building Systems has built its reputation by providing quality workmanship and competitive pricing to new construction ventures. Their project abilities run the gamut. They range from industrial to retail and from office buildings to factories – both large and small, simple, and complex. They have an unlimited license as general contractors. This means they can serve in multiple capacities to fulfill your new construction projects from design to final construction.

To read the full story, click here.

The Florence 1 Schools Job Fair – Drop In

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Drop in on Tuesday, November 7th from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. for the Florence 1 Schools Fall Job Fair event. It will be held at the McClenaghan Building, 500 South Dargan Street.

Custodians, Maintenance Workers, Classroom Assistants, Transportation, and others are the positions for which Florence 1 Schools is hiring.

Tax Foundation Releases 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index

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Last week, the Tax Foundation published its annual State Business Tax Climate Index, which compares states on several key tax metrics including corporate taxes, individual income taxes, sales and excise taxes, property and wealth taxes, and unemployment insurance taxes. The Index is relied upon by policymakers and advocates to understand how their state’s tax code stacks up relative to peer states and identify areas for improvement.

South Carolina saw modest improvement in its overall tax climate ranking in this year’s version of the Index, going from 31st to 29th. This marks the first time that the Palmetto State’s ranking has dipped into the twenties since 2014.

Looking across the Southeast, South Carolina’s overall tax climate ranking rests squarely in the middle of neighboring states with Florida and North Carolina both inside the top ten at 4th and 9th respectively, Tennessee at 15th, Georgia at 32nd and Alabama at 39th.

To read the full story, click here.

Chamber Participates In Alfred Rush Academy Presentation

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The Greater Florence Chamber joined SC Works on October 11th and 16th to present to over 60 students at Alfred E Rush Academy. The presentations provided positive motivation for Rush Academy students to learn about career skills, opportunities and professionalism from local leaders, professionals and educators.

AI Workshop Series

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Join the FMU Kelley Center for Economic Development for their upcoming workshop series: AI for Small Business. The first two sessions will be held virtually on the first two Tuesdays in November and the final session will be a hands-on workshop on the last Tuesday of November. The fee to register is $35 per session and all registered attendees will receive a recording of the session and any presentation materials.

Artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbots like ChatGPT have taken the world by storm. With over 100 million users in less than two months, it is the fastest-growing computer application to hit the world, EVER! It continues to grow exponentially not only in the number of users but in its power and flexibility. In these sessions, we will share with you some background information to understand this amazing tool while also sharing insights about applying its power directly in your small business. We will discover the opportunities and limitations of this life-changing resource as we “go live” in asking questions (prompting) and getting answers that could help us all be better at what we do. Join us to discover what ChatGPT can do for you, your organizations, and the customers you serve.

For more information, click here.

HopeHealth Earns Gold Status For Advocacy Efforts

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HopeHealth has been named a Gold Level Advocacy Center of Excellence by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), one of only two Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) in South Carolina to earn this status.

The Advocacy Center of Excellence (ACE) program recognizes and rewards Community Health Centers that demonstrate excellence in formalizing their advocacy program to make it an integral, institutional part of their health center operations. These Community Health Centers create a culture of advocacy to ensure policymakers at all levels of government commit to investing in the affordable, equitable, and innovative care they provide.

As a Gold ACE, HopeHealth serves as an example to other organizations striving to achieve advocacy excellence. Ken Burgess, chief operating officer, shared, “I’m proud of our organization for achieving Gold level ACE status. We work every day to live out our mission statement, committing to excellence through service that exemplifies love for people and passion for their well-being.”

To read the full story, click here.

St. Anthony Catholic School Unveils New Prayer Garden

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This fall, St. Anthony Catholic School’s prayer garden was renewed with blooming flowers, a fountain, saint statues, and a pathway with benches for all to use for prayer and to enjoy God’s creation. As a part of the St. Anthony School Advisory Catholic Identity Committee, the garden was conceptualized to give the ability to reveal Christ to students, teachers, parishioners, and parents making sure our Catholic traditions are visible outside of our school campus.

“This garden is a visual that represents an extension of our school’s pillars: faith, family, knowledge, and service. We wanted these core values that are present inside of our buildings to reflect outside of our building in a space that celebrates beauty and creation,” shared Principal Kristine Galemmo.

To read the full story, click here.