|
TODAY'S
FOCUS
Dress
for Success benefit to outfit women for career goals
By SUSIE RIDDER
General manager, Vendue Inn
Special to CharlestonCurrents.com
JUNE
18, 2009 -- Today at 5:30 p.m. at The Rooftop at The Vendue Inn
we're holding a Little Black Dress Party to benefit Dress for Success
Charleston County.
Ridder |
We're
inviting women to join us attired in their "Little Black Dress"
(LBD) and to donate an article of clothing to Dress for Success,
which offers "Suits to Self-Sufficiency." Women who wear
their LBD will receive a complimentary martini. Local favorite band
Meeting Reid will be playing. All attendees who donate will be entered
to win a free dress from Utopia. We know people from Charleston
are very giving, so we have high hopes for a great success. We hope
this event is the beginning of an ongoing relationship with the
charity.
We're
holding this event because Dress for Success is an organization
that we feel gives a lot support to women who are trying to make
a place for themselves in the business world. I am hoping to have
a large turnout and that we can introduce others to Dress For Success.
Giving a little thing such as an outfit can help so many people.
According
to Margaret Johnson-Jefferson, director and founder of Dress for
Success, the mission of the organization is to "promote the
economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional
attire, a network of support and the career development tools to
help women thrive in work and in life. DFSCC works to empower disadvantaged
women in the Lowcountry to build their careers and change lives."
The Charleston County chapter is affiliated with the national DFS
organization.
According
to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Hotels and other lodging
places often provide first jobs to many new entrants to the labor
force. In 2006, about 17 percent of the workers were younger than
age 25, compared with about 14 percent across all industries."
More than 50 percent of the workers in the hospitality industry
are women, leading many other sectors in the source of employment
for women. (Click
here to learn more about women and employment.)
The
hospitality industry offers all types of employment to women, those
with college degrees, those with high school diplomas and those
who are bettering themselves while on the job. Being in the hospitality
business, I see so many young people just getting started in their
careers. Many of these individuals do not have foundations to build
upon. I feel that anything we can do to help them - and, of course,
other women who need things that so many of us take for granted
- is the least we can do.
I
have been very fortunate to have had just about everything I ever
needed or wanted. I realize that not everyone can say this. I have
lived a really good life. This makes me appreciate what Dress for
Success does for the community even more.
Hospitality
is about making people feel welcome as I do in my own home. This
is what we emphasize at The Vendue Inn and what we want to give
our community. I want my team to be part of that, and so helping
people who may be seeking jobs in our industry is really helping
ourselves.
Susie Ridder
is the general manager of the Vendue
Inn.
CURRENTS
New
group will promote businesses in Mt. Pleasant's Old Village
By
ANN THRASH, editor
JUNE
18, 2009 -- When Jan Clouse travels, she's like many of us: She
likes to experience her destination from a local point of view.
After all, it's the hometown folks who know a place from the inside
out. Where do the residents go to get great local food that's typical
of the area? Which local shop owners do they know, trust and patronize?
That's the kind of information Clouse hopes to share with people
from far and wide through a new alliance of businesses that are
promoting the Old Village area of Mount Pleasant.
Thrash |
Clouse,
president of Lowcountry Lanterns and the owner of Lowcountry Lighting
Center on Chuck Dawley Boulevard, is one of the organizers of the
Old Mount Pleasant Shopping District, a group of locally owned businesses
that are teaming up to encourage residents and visitors to shop
in the town's Old Village area - roughly, around Houston Northcutt
Boulevard, Coleman Boulevard and the nearby Pitt Street area, Ben
Sawyer Boulevard, Chuck Dawley and Bowman Road.
"
'Where the locals shop and eat' - that's kind of our tag line,"
Clouse says. She adds that along that loop of shops, there are local
businesses that meet just about every need - and it doesn't cost
a penny to park.
The
alliance is open to any business in those areas that is locally
owned and that has a Mount Pleasant business license, Clouse says.
Some of those that have already signed up, in addition to Clouse's
own company, are Atkinson Pools & Spas, Foxworth Decorative
Hardware, GDC Home, Lord & Evans Paints, Palmetto Carpet &
Flooring, and Royall Hardware.
For
a membership fee of $250 annually, business owners will get a presence
on a special map of the shopping district, a listing at the alliance's
soon-to-be-up-and-running Web
site and a link from that site to their own homepage. They'll
also get posters, door stickers and other materials that promote
that they're members of the Old Mount Pleasant Shopping District.
In
addition, the businesses will be able to be part of cooperative
advertising that promotes the whole district. At a time when money
is tight for many businesses, shopping district members will get
the benefit of more affordable advertising because all district
members will bear the cost together.
Clouse
tells us that some special promotional events are already in the
discussion stages, such as a no-tax shopping day, possibly in the
fall, and a guys' night out for shopping in the district during
the Christmas season.
If
you're interested in joining the Old Mount Pleasant Shopping District
or learning more, call Clouse at 881-4170 or e-mail her at carolinalantern@aol.com.
Ann
Thrash, editor of CharlestonCurrents.com, can be reached at: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
FEEDBACK
Vent:
Send us your thoughts on community issues
Our
policy:
We encourage readers to submit feedback or letters to the editor.
Send your thoughts to editor Ann
Thrash. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
One submission allowed per month.
Make sure to include your name and phone number. Submission of
a comment grants permission to us to reprint. Please keep your
comment to 200 words or less.
SPOTLIGHT
Joye
Law Firm
The
public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents
to you at no cost. In this issue, we highlight the Joye Law Firm.
Committed to fighting for the rights of the wrongly injured in South
Carolina for more than 40 years, the experienced, dedicated personal
injury lawyers of the Joye Law Firm want to help you get every dollar
you truly deserve for the injuries you've suffered. Whether you've
been injured in an auto accident, by a defective product, in a nursing
home, or on the job, we may be able to help you. For more information,
contact Joye Law Firm at 843.554.3100 or visit online at:
http://www.joyelawfirm.com.
- To learn
more about all of our underwriters and nonprofit partners, click
here.
GOOD
NEWS
Fort
Moultrie to mark Carolina Day with displays, musket fire
The
National Park Service will celebrate Carolina Day at Fort Moultrie
with several weekend events on June 27 and June 28. Carolina Day
marks the June 28, 1776 defeat of British land and naval forces
by patriots fighting for freedom.
It
was the first decisive victory by the American Colonies in their
fight for independence and prevented the British from gaining a
foothold in South Carolina for another four years.
To
commemorate the battle, artillery and musket firing demonstrations
will be performed on both days, with volunteers portraying the various
units that took part in the battle. There will also be a display
of 18th-century medical devices near the Fort Moultrie Visitor Center.
Following the last artillery demonstration on June 28, a short program
about the battle will take place.
Admission
to Fort Moultrie for the weekend event is free. For more information,
call the park at 883-3123.
Center for Photography
schedules teen photo camp
The
Charleston Center for Photography will offer a weeklong Teen Summer
Photo Camp next month for high school students of all photographic
skill levels. The camp will meet July 13 through July 17 from 9:30
a.m. until 5:30 p.m. each day at the center, 654 King St., Suite
D.
Campers
will learn to tackle individual and group photographic projects
designed to teach them the basics of photography, the digital darkroom
and more. Local photographer Alice Keeney will lead participants
in a variety of fun projects ranging from an image treasure hunt
to creating their own blog to document their photographic journey,
all with the goal of teaching a strong foundation in photography.
At the end of camp, each student will have his or her own featured
gallery on the Center for Photography Web site.
The
camp costs $600 and includes lunches. For details or to register,
call 720-3105 or go
here online.
Drayton Hall to give
'America's heroes' free admission
In
celebration of July Fourth and in honor of their service to country
and community, America's heroes - the military (active duty and
veterans), firefighters, police officers and EMS workers - will
be admitted free to Drayton Hall plantation from July 1 through
Sept. 15.
Admission
includes extensive access to the property, including a professionally
guided tour of the house, a 45-minute interactive program on African-American
life, self-guided marsh and river walks, the self-paced "Voices
of Drayton Hall" interactive landscape tour on DVD, entrance
to the African-American cemetery, and more.
"As
a Vietnam veteran of the First Infantry Division, I believe that
it is vital for all of us to recognize and to thank the men and
women who serve our country and our communities," said Drayton
Hall Executive Director Dr. George McDaniel. "By learning about
Drayton Hall, they'll have the opportunity to connect with the legacy
of the men and women who have contributed to this nation over the
years. Further, our military, firefighters, police officers, EMS
and their families put so much at risk, often without substantial
rewards, so this is a step forward by Drayton Hall to say: 'Thank
you. Job well done.' "
Participants
must show an official identification card at the front gate to receive
free admission for themselves and a guest. For more information,
call 769-2600 or visit
online.
Chamber's
annual meeting to offer networking, new format
A
new format, more networking and new features are on the agenda for
the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce's 236th annual meeting,
a black-tie event planned for 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. June 26 at the Charleston
Area Convention Center.
New
this year are silent and live auctions featuring artwork, golf packages,
sailing and dinner packages, architecture and IT consultation services,
culinary packages and other items. More than 600 chamber members
and guests are expected to attend the event, which will also include
the official passing of the gavel from the chamber's outgoing chairman
of the board, Robert O. Collins, to incoming chairman David Maybank
III of Maybank Properties. Awards to be presented include the 1773
Chamber Award of the Year, the Joseph P. Riley Leadership Award
and the Volunteer and Staff Person of the Year awards.
Dinner,
networking and the silent auction are planned for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.,
with the program and live auction from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The evening
will conclude with dessert and dancing from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The
cost is $150 per person. To register, visit
online here. For more information, e-mail Laura Kate Whitney
at lkwhitney@charlestonchamber.org.
REVIEW
Send
us your recommendations
HAVE
A REVIEW? If you have a review of a book, movie, restaurant
or local arts endeavor, please send no more than 150 words to
editor Ann Thrash.
Make sure to include your name and full contact information.
HISTORY
SPOTLIGHT
'Carolina,'
state song
South
Carolina's oldest official song is "Carolina," with words
by Henry Timrod (1828-1867) set to music by Anne (Annie) Custis
Burgess (1874-1910). The General Assembly adopted it as the official
state anthem on February 11, 1911.
Timrod |
Henry
Timrod was a Charlestonian who became one of South Carolina's most
beloved poets. "Carolina" was one of his most popular
patriotic Civil War poems, in which the poet called on the people
to rise up and defend their state against the Northern invaders
until "all thy fields and fens and meres / Shall bristle like
thy palm with spears."
Anne
Custis Burgess was born in Mayesville, Sumter County. She earned
a degree in music from Converse College and taught music in Summerton,
Williamston, and at Winthrop College. She also wrote and published
poetry. Her setting of Timrod's "Carolina" received its
first public performance in 1905 and was published the following
year.
In
1911 the South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution presented
a memorial to the General Assembly asking that "Carolina"
be adopted as the official state song and observing that Anne Burgess's
composition had been praised by noted American professors of music
and other leaders, including Charleston's respected former mayor
William Ashmead Courtenay. The opening lines of the song are "Call
on thy children of the hill, / Wake swamp and river, coast and rill,
/ Rouse all thy strength and all thy skill, / Carolina! Carolina!"
-- Excerpted
from the entry by David C.R. Heisser.
To read more about this or 2,000 other entries about South Carolina,
check out The
South Carolina Encyclopedia by USC Press. (Information used
by permission.)
SISTER
PUBLICATIONS
We
encourage you to check out our sister publications:
|
SC
Statehouse Report --
a weekly legislative forecast that keeps you a step ahead
of what happens at the Statehouse. It's free.
SC
Clips -- a
daily news compilation of South Carolina news from media sources
across the state. Delivered by email about the time you get
to work every business day. Saves you a lot of money and time.
Sign up for a free
trial subscription today.
|
Georgia
Clips offers a similar daily news compilation for
the scores of newspapers in Georgia's 159 counties.
GwinnettForum
-- an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic
and sensible social, political and economic approaches to
improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.
|
CREDITS
CharlestonCurrents.com
is provided to you twice a week by:
Address:
P.O. Box. 22261 | Charleston, SC 29413
©
2008-2009, Statehouse
Report LLC. All rights reserved. CharlestonCurrents.com is published
every Monday and Thursday by Statehouse Report LLC, PO Box 22261,
Charleston, SC 29413.
|
 THE
LIST
Five to bid
on
The Charleston
RiverDogs will host their 10th annual Kindness Beats Blindness RP
Silent and Live Auction beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday at Joseph P.
Riley Jr. Park. Proceeds go to MUSC's Storm Eye Institute and its
ongoing fight to prevent retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that causes
the loss of sight. Rebecca Veeck, daughter of RiverDogs President
Mike Veeck, is battling RP. Here are five of the many neat and distinctive
items up for bid at the auction, which runs through the sixth inning
of Saturday's 7:05 p.m. game with Savannah.
- Tickets
to a New York Yankees game at the new Yankee Stadium.
- Golf with
comedian Bill Murray, a co-owner of the RiverDogs.
- Baseballs
signed by John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Reggie Jackson, Goose Gossage
and more.
- A batting
glove signed by Jeff Francoeur.
- A pair of
shoes that Steve Smith wore in a game.
To learn more,
go
online here.
QUOTE
On
bad taste
Parker |
"A little
bad taste is like a nice dash of paprika."
-- American
humorist and author Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)
CALENDAR:
THIS WEEK
Dress
for Success Benefit: 5:30 p.m. June 18, Rooftop Bar at
the Vendue Inn. A "Little Black Dress Party" will be held
to benefit Dress for Success, a nonprofit that provides women with
the professional attire needed to thrive in the workplace. Women
who arrive wearing a black dress will receive a free martini, and
those who donate an item of clothing will be entered into a raffle
to win a new dress from Utopia, courtesy of The Rooftop Bar and
Vendue Inn. Live music by Meeting Reid. Full bar menu available.
All donations benefit Dress for Success.
Scouts
Day at Whirlin’ Waters: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 20,
Whirlin’ Waters Adventure Waterpark at Wannamaker County Park,
8888 University Blvd., North Charleston. Special admission of $12.99
for all Scouts (Girl, Boy, Cub and Brownie) and their family members. Take
part in the Playing It Safe program with the Leave No Trace Center
for Outdoor Ethics to learn the seven principles of the Leave No
Trace approach. Training begins at 11 a.m. and each paid participant
will be able to earn the Playing It Safe patch (patches are $2 each
and must be ordered in advance). Lunch on your own in the park,
or reserve a place by June 12 for a catered lunch ($6 for a hamburger
or hot dog, chips, brownie and lemonade). Registration for Scouts
Day must be made in advance by June 19. Go online
for more or call Beth Kempton at 762-8042.
CALENDAR:
ONGOING AND SOON
Managing
Health Care Costs: 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. June 24, Charleston
Metro Chamber of Commerce, 2750 Speissegger Drive, Suite 100, North
Charleston. Sponsored by the chamber's Charleston Area Business
Council, the workshop will show employers how to ensure that they
are not paying more than they need to in order to cover their employees.
Topics will cover what to do when you can't afford to provide health
care coverage and tips from small business on how to manage costs.
Cost: $15 chamber members, $30 nonmembers. Register
online.
Charleston
Harbor Fest: June 26-28, Maritime Center complex, downtown
Charleston. Free festival featuring tall ships open for touring,
maritime arts and crafts, an "Old Charlestowne" living
history camp, wooden boat displays, free sailing, air shows, live
music, food and, at Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant, a "Harborpalooza."
Schedules/more
info.
(NEW)
S.C.
History Talk: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 27, Avery Research
Center for African American History and Culture, 125 Bull St., Charleston.
Historians Jack Bass and W. Scott Poole will lead a free discussion
of their latest book, "The Palmetto State: The Making of Modern
South Carolina," which presents defining episodes in state
history and traces the importance of race relations, historical
memory and cultural life in the progress of the Palmetto State.
More info: 953-7627.
Farm
to Plate Picnic: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 28, Thackeray
Farms, 1364 Harts Bluff Road, Wadmalaw Island. Picnic is a fundraiser
for Slow Food Charleston's Organic Garden Project at Sanders-Clyde
Elementary School. Guests should bring their own picnic dinner,
beverages and a blanket. Slow Food will host an "American Pie
Auction" featuring homemade pies that will be sold to the highest
bidder. Farm tours, live bluegrass and a book signing by local author
Holly Herrick are also planned, with a portion of book sales benefitting
Slow Food Charleston. Tickets: $10 for Slow Food members, $20 for
nonmembers. More info: 225-4307 or by
email.
(NEW)
CSO
Benefit Concert: 5 p.m. June 28, City Gallery, Waterfront
Park, 34 Prioleau St., downtown. Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster
Yuriy Bekker, violinist, will perform in works by Cesar Franck and
Claude Debussy in a concert to benefit the CSO's upcoming season.
Pianist Ghadi Shayban will accompany Bekker. Tickets: $100 per person,
which includes a post-performance reception with the artists; to
reserve, call 723-7528, ext. 110.
(NEW)
Spiritual
Journey: 7 p.m. June 28, Circular Congregational Church,
150 Meeting St., downtown. The newly formed Charleston Symphony
Orchestra (CSO) Spiritual Ensemble will perform "A South Carolina
Spiritual Journey" to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the
state law making the spiritual the official music of South Carolina.
Tickets: $10 at the door. More
info.
Archaeology
of Charleston's Colonial Fortifications: 6:30 p.m. June 30,
Charleston County Main Library, 68 Calhoun St. Members of the Mayor's
Walled City Task Force will review the findings from the recent
dig on East Bay Street. See images and artifacts and hear about
the latest discoveries of Charleston's early waterfront fortifications.
More info: 805-6930.
Fourth
of July Blast: 4 p.m. to midnight July 4, Patriots Point
Naval & Maritime Museum. Hosted by Patriots Point and the Town
of Mount Pleasant, the 13th Annual Fourth of July Blast is a free
event with live music, a play area for kids, a 40-foot Ferris wheel,
food, drinks and more. Fireworks show over the harbor begins at
10:05 p.m. and will be set to patriotic music. Admission to the
Yorktown will be reduced to $5 after 5 p.m. Festival-goers are asked
to bring a canned food item to benefit local charities.
People
of the Land Exhibit: Through July 15, Charleston County
Main Library, 68 Calhoun St. The work of Lowcountry native and documentary
photographer Vennie Deas Moore will be featured. Moore has devoted
much of her career to exploring the vanishing traditions along the
S.C. coast, and her photographs show the connections between cultures,
the value of work and the symbiotic relationship between the black
and white communities. On June 28 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Moore
will discuss her photographs and her new book, "Home: Portraits
from the Carolina Coast." More info: 805-6930.
ON
THE BOOKSHELF
In this section,
we offer a list of good reads that you might want to consider reading:
- A
Short History of a Small Place, T.R. Pearson
- The
Book of Marie, Terry Kay
- Charleston
Jazz, Jack McCray
- I'll
Be Sober in the Morning: Great Comebacks, Putdowns, and Ripostes,
Chris Lamb (List)
- Plain
Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman, Merle Miller
- Suggest
a book to us
FOCUS
ARCHIVES
9/3:
Deaton:
Thrive Prize
8/31: Rawl:
Charting courses
8/27: Jurcova-Spencer:
Creatives
8/24: Brooks:
Rural Mission
8/20: Yarian:
New local music CD
8/17: Fisher:
Uses of social media
8/13: Hall:
Time for renovations
8/10: Morris:
Dog days at Drayton
8/6: Lindbergh:
Gifted school
8/3: Jackson:
Insurance tips
7/30: VanBogart:
Singles
7/27: Stewart:
Get it clean
7/23: Rosenberg:
Elect women
7/20: Nathan:
Turtle release
7/16: Johnson:
Online school
7/13: Thiers:
Protect skin
7/9: Lee:
Scoring supplies
7/2: Shockley:
Company wellness
THRASH
ARCHIVES
9/3:
Cold
comfort, more
8/27: Being
a fan
8/20: Good,
bad, spineless
8/13: Locals
on Runway
8/6: Cookie
contest
7/30: Vote
on car tags
7/23: True
confessions
7/16: New
way of tithing?
7/9: Lookout
for manatees
BRACK
ARCHIVES
8/31:
This
and that
8/24: SC's
treasures
8/17: RIP
to old clunker
8/10: Lots
to squeeze in
8/3: On
flying Delta
7/27: Conspiracy
theories
7/20: Protect
carriage animals
7/13: Economic
thaw here?
LIST
ARCHIVES
9/3:
Free
legal clinics
8/31: CofC
Class of 2013
8/27: Citadel
Class of 2013
8/24: 7
stores, 7 days
8/20: You
know you're from...
8/17: On
the school menu
8/13: Wines
for grilling
8/10: First
Day Fest facts
8/6: Sales
tax holiday
8/3: Twittering
tips
7/30: Fall
planting
7/27: 5
for teens
7/23: Consignments
7/20: Beach
reads
7/16: Save
the books
7/13: Hot
plants
7/9: Staying
cool
7/2: Old
Exchange 5
|
