The SouthernCarolina Alliance, lead organization of the new South Carolina Promise Zone, held three town hall meetings in recent days to listen and learn to what residents dream for to make real and lasting change in the region. The Alliance will hold three more meetings in coming days. The Center for a Better South is a supporting organization of the Promise Zone. Learn more.
Copyrighted photo by Andy Brack taken July 9, 2015, in Barnwell, S.C. All rights reserved.
JUNE 24, 2015 — The Center for a Better South will coordinate and conduct a series of six town hall meetings in July in the recently-announced Promise Zone that encompasses six challenged counties at the southern tip of South Carolina.
“This is a phenomenal chance to interact with neighbors and leaders throughout Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties to share with them about the huge opportunities that the Promise Zone designation provides to grow jobs, improve education and reduce crime,” said Andy Brack, president and chairman of the Center. “These town hall sessions throughout July also will give people a chance to have their say about the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities as the region pushes forward to embrace new ways to tap into federal money to vastly improve people’s lives.”
On April 28, the Obama Administration announced the six counties in the Southern Carolina region won the nation’s second rural Promise Zone designation. Only 20 of the special designations are to be awarded across the nation. The innovative program allows Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties to access into federal money and other opportunities in new ways to grow jobs, improve education and reduce crime. The Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance is coordinating the effort with the six county governments and an array of public, private and nonprofit partners.
The Alliance has contracted with the Center to conduct the town hall meetings, a key step in developing a long-term strategic plan to coordinate the myriad opportunities provided by the designation, Brack said. The Center will work with The Weathers Group, based in Columbia, S.C., to facilitate the town hall meetings.
“We’d like to encourage as many people in the counties to attend these town hall meetings so that we get as diverse and broad of community input as we can,” Brack added. “It’s open to students, neighborhood leaders, elected officials, business executives, nonprofit leaders and more.”
Here is the schedule of meetings in July:
Allendale County Town Hall meeting
WHEN: 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., July 8, 2015 (doors open at 4 p.m.)
WHERE: Science Administration Building, 465 James Brandt Blvd., USC-Salkehatchie, Allendale
PARKING: Large parking lot outside of the building
Bamberg County Town Hall meeting
WHEN: 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., July 8, 2015 (doors open at 7:30 a.m.)
Although never incorporated, Salters, S.C., has a town hall,” writes Kingstree, S.C., photographer Linda W. Brown. “Built around 1900 as a project of The Salters Social Club, it hosted community and club meetings and was a venue for school commencements, community plays, dances and suppers.
The social club members bought stock at $10 a share to raise money for its construction. The stock purchases raised $1,000 to build the structure in Williamsburg County, she said.
Copyrighted photo taken by Linda W. Brown. All rights reserved.