![]() |
|
|
Issue
3.32 | Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011 | Great
news from Walmart today |
|
|
TODAY'S FOCUS :: "Liking" Charleston pays off big CURRENTS :: Oysters, chickens and pigs at table THE
LIST GOOD
NEWS HISTORY
BROADUS ALSO INSIDE ___::
CALENDAR: This week ... and next |
UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS ABOUT US CharlestonCurrents.com offers insightful community comment and good news on events twice each week. It cuts through the information clutter to offer insight and news on the best of what's happening locally. What readers say |
|
Part of Walmart's $2 billion commitment to help fight hunger through 2015, the campaign called on Facebook users to "like" one of the 100 hungriest communities in the United States as ranked by the Food Research and Action Center. More than 10 million votes were cast during the campaign, which ran from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31, 2010.
"It was really inspiring to see our community come together," Coombes said. The Food Bank has a little over 1,000 Facebook fans, but more than 167,000 "like" votes were cast on Facebook for Charleston. The news media got behind the campaign, and so did companies and individuals - sending the news out to their staffs and their online friends. "When you do that, your candle is lit," she said. Greg Ley of Summerville, the market manager for Walmart, said the Facebook campaign was a new endeavor for the company, and it was a good one to educate the public about "how many people in our community really are affected by food insecurities." "We're so proud of South Carolina, to have two cities" among the final six, Ley said. "Our base here, our community, they really do get involved."
"Oh my goodness, we could not be more excited," Coombes said Wednesday. To apply for the Walmart grant, agencies had to demonstrate how they would use the funds to expand their capacity and build their infrastructure, she explained. In the case of the Food Bank, the money will go to buy two new forklifts and to expand a food-packing area that is used to fight hunger among the area's younger and older citizens. The Food Bank serves 10 coastal counties, with its home base in Charleston, and branches in Myrtle Beach and Beaufort. More than 17 million pounds of food are distributed to the needy annually. Buying two new forklifts means the agency will be able to increase its distribution at any give time by 10 percent - more than one million pounds of food, Coombes said. The rest of the money will be used to renovate a temperature-controlled food packing room used by Backpack Buddies. Volunteers pack food items into backpacks that go out to hungry schoolchildren each week to help them get through the weekends without hunger. More than 90,000 backpacks go out per year. The room
also is used by supporters of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
About 2,000 boxes of food are packed and distributed monthly to elderly
adults in the region. "Based on statistics we know that the number one reason most applications are rejected" is because they aren't completed properly or a portion might be illegible. By using the computer software, a legible application is guaranteed. The SNAP Outreach program also gives United Way volunteers the opportunity to offer some tips on buying healthy foods and planning a food budget, which are skills people will retain beyond the time they need assistance, Lawrence said.
FEB. 24, 2011 - What more could a Lowcountry-ite ask for than to chow down on oysters or barbecue while doing some good for his fellow man? Springtime offers a zillion charitable events in Charleston, and most of them include something wonderful in return for their ticket price. Here are a few you should put on your calendar:
So, pick your cause, put your napkin in your shirt-collar and get down to munching, Charleston.
To Charleston Currents: Thank you for openly stating what appears to be the permanent mindset in S.C. This sadly prevents the state from being a significant player in the 21st century. Those populations most adversely affected have little or no voice in changing this mode du jour, while those that could are comfortable with looking backward. Always delightful to read your editorials.
More boots on the ground To Charleston Currents: As I understand it, millions of years ago homo sapiens stood erect and walked the earth. This did not happen overnight, but was a quantum leap forward in man's development. Fast forward to February 2011. The loud ripping noise you hear is the leather of your wallet splitting from high oil and gasoline prices. Yep, CNN and Libya ...what a combination to cause a panic in oil prices. In my almost 60 years I have seen quite a few changes in oil prices. We always want to go high-tech so we develop ethanol, nuclear power, electric/hybrid cars. When we have turmoil in countries in the Mid-east or Africa we start to panic and oil and gasoline prices shoot up. Our answer is to produce electric cars and hybrids. Have you checked the price tag on a Chevy Volt? The MSRP is $41,000. Hey, I'll take two. What a deal! I guess one of the best ways to reduce our dependence on oil is right there in front of our face ... or attached to our legs. They are called feet. I can see mine best when I am sitting down. We used to use them all the time. Unfortunately we still don't quite get the exercise thing. When we go to the store or the gym we always look for the closest parking space. Maybe we should park our car at the gym. Then we could walk to the gym and get our car. We wouldn't even need to go inside the gym. So my suggestion is simple ... more boots on the ground.
The public
spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring Charleston Currents
to you at no cost. In this issue, we turn the spotlight on West
Of newspaper, the West Ashley's community newspaper that highlights
community news, opinions, schools, dining, arts and more for the 62,000+
people who live west of Charleston's Ashley River. West Of also
publishes the James
Island Messenger for people who live on James Island. Visit
West Of online or
via Twitter.
FEB. 24, 2011 -- The Internet really is getting full. The series of assigned numbers - the unique number for every device, computer, modem, Playstation etc connected to the Internet - is about to run out. Back in the 1970s, Vincent Cerf, working at DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) decided that 4.3 billion addresses was sufficient. The last batch has just been handed out to the regional agencies assigning numbers. Fortunately, the conversion to a new standard that allows for an unlimited number of addresses has been in implementation for six years. See the full story in this New York Times article. Tax
changes for 2011: Click
this link to learn about new tax changes for this tax year. Bob Cringely -- replicating Silicon Valley: In this post, Charleston-based Cringley argues that the Silicon Valley innovation model isn't transferable. True risk capital is the key ingredient missing, as is a culture that supports starting young versus getting a traditional job first.
For the
27th year, Coastal Community Foundation announces the availability of
many scholarship opportunities and encourages eligible high school seniors
in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties to apply for these awards
by March 21. Runners are invited to sport real or imitation mullet hairstyles while taking part in the March 5 "Mullet Haul" trail run at Mullet Hall Equestrian Center on Johns Island. The Mullet Haul, sponsored by the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, will feature both a 5- and 10-mile run, with both races beginning at 10 a.m. Following the races, awards will be presented and participants may take part in a post-race party featuring live music and beverages. Online registration is open now through March 4. Late registration and packet pickup will be available on race day from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Fees to participate in the 5-mile run portion of the event are $35 or $28 for residents of Charleston County. Fees to run the 10-mile leg are $45 or $36 for residents of Charleston County. The Mullet Haul is for ages 10 and older, and participants ages 10-15 must be accompanied by an adult. To register, visit www.ccprc.com. Political columnist George Will to speak at Citadel graduation George
Will, a Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist and commentator, will
deliver the commencement address to the South Carolina Corps of Cadets
May 7.
Graduation is at a new time this year, 9 a.m. May 7 for the Corps of Cadets and at 5 p.m. the same day for The Citadel Graduate College. Previously, graduate students received their diplomas on the Sunday following the undergraduate cadet commencement. The cost-saving change consolidates Citadel graduations on a single day. A speaker has not yet been selected for the graduate college commencement ceremony. Will is
a twice-weekly, syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, writing
about foreign and domestic politics and policy. He serves as a contributing
analyst with ABC News and has been a regular member of ABC's "This
Week" on Sunday mornings since the show began in 1981. His books
include "Restoration: Congress, Term Limits and the Recovery of Deliberative
Democracy," "Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball," and "Statecraft
as Soulcraft." Will won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary
in 1977. South Carolina Aquarium
welcomes new fundraiser
Adrian
B. Cain has joined the South Carolina Aquarium as director of institutional
advancement. Cain, with nearly 10 years of experience and a proven track
record in development and solicitation strategies for major gifts, will
lead the Aquarium's development and fundraising efforts. He will work
closely with the Aquarium's board, donors, staff and volunteers on policies,
programs and operations that support the Aquarium's mission and goals.
Built in 1763, Pompion Hill Chapel is among the finest remaining examples of the Anglican parish churches of the Lowcountry. Situated near Huger, the chapel stands on a bluff along the eastern branch of the Cooper River. It was built to replace a decaying wooden building erected 60 years earlier as a place of worship for plantations in the surrounding area. The cost of the new chapel was estimated at 570 pounds sterling. The colonial government provided 200; the remaining funds came from private contributions. The chapel may have been designed by Zachariah Villepontoux, who supplied the bricks for its construction and marked his handiwork by carving his initials on the north and south doors. The chapel
is built on a rectangular plan and features Georgian styling. Its exterior
features include a steeply pitched, slate-covered jerkinhead (clipped
gable) roof; arched windows; and a projecting chancel with a Palladian
window. The interior is finished with white plaster walls, a cove ceiling,
and a floor of red brick laid in a herringbone pattern. The dais-style
pulpit, carved from native red cedar by the Charleston cabinetmaker William
Axson Jr., was modeled on the one at St. Michael's. The chancel is trimmed
with Doric pilasters supporting a full entablature and is enclosed by
a balustrade. The Palladian window is set in a recessed arch and trimmed
with Doric colonettes with a full entablature above.
SISTER PUBLICATIONS We encourage you to check out our sister publications:
CREDITS Charleston Currents is provided to you twice a week by:
Address: P.O. Box. 22261 | Charleston, SC 29413 UNSUBSCRIBE We hope you'll keep receiving the great news and information from CharlestonCurrents.com, but if you need to unsubscribe, click here. © 2008-2011, Statehouse Report LLC. All rights reserved. Charleston Currents is published every Monday and Thursday by Statehouse Report LLC, PO Box 22261, Charleston, SC 29413. |
Save Your Vision
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
"Books to the
ceiling,
(NEW) Friends of the Library Book Sale: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Feb. 25, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Feb. 26, at St. Andrews Branch, 1735 North Woodmere Drive, Charleston. The Charleston Friends of the Library, a non-profit volunteer organization, raises money through book sales to help fund Library services, equipment, training, materials and public programming. Books, DVDs, and CDs, will be available with prices starting at $1 for paperbacks and $3 for hardback books. Admission free.
Window Exhibit: Through Feb 28, 2011, The Meeting Place, 1077 East Montague Ave. North Charleston. In his exhibit, "Sea and Shore," local artist David Springer will present metal sculpture depictions of Lowcountry birds, plants, and wildlife. Window viewing, free parking. (NEW) Polaridad Complementaria: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tues.-Fri. and noon to 5 p.m. Sat.-Sun., through March 27. Polaridad Complementaria: Recent Works from Cuba, an exhibition that introduces North America to the new generation of influential artists from Cuba, is on view at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park. More than 40 works of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, video and installation art provide a sense of the serious aesthetic and conceptual concerns that characterizes Cuban art today. Admission free. CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON (NEW) Landscapes of the Lowcountry: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 1-31, Charleston Area Convention Center gallery viewing area, 5001 Coliseum Drive, North Charleston. Charleston Artist Guild member Barrie Hinson will exhibit plein air landscapes in oil in this exhibit of recent works titled "Landscapes of the Lowcountry." Admission free. College financial aid workshop: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 5, at Trident Technical College Main Campus (7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston) in the Complex for Economic Development (Bldg. 920, Room 791). Trident Technical College is a local site for College Goal South Carolina, part of a nationwide effort to help students and parents learn more about college financial aid. This workshop will help students and their families learn about available financial aid options and how to qualify and apply for college financial aid such as grants, loans, scholarships, work-study and other forms of assistance. For more information about the event, call Josephine Brown at 843-574-6777. For information about College Goal South Carolina or to pre-register for a chance to win an iPod Touch, visit this site. (NEW) Parks customer appreciation day: March 20. Come enjoy all the play with none of the pay during Customer Appreciation Day at Charleston County Parks. Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission offers free gate admission to Ravenel Caw Caw Interpretive Center, North Charleston Wannamaker, Mount Pleasant Palmetto Islands and James Island County Parks. Free parking offered at Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Folly Beach and Isle of Palms County Parks, as well as the Folly Beach Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier, where fishing is free for the day. Mount Pleasant Pier also will offer complimentary fishing, but parking fees still apply.
Cuban Exhibit: Through March 28, City Gallery at Waterfront Park. An opening reception for Polaridad Complementaria: Recent Works from Cuba, an exhibition that introduces North America to the new generation of influential artists from Cuba, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 4. The exhibit offers more than 40 works of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, video and installation art to provide a sense of the serious aesthetic and conceptual concerns that characterizes Cuban art today. The City Gallery, at 34 Prioleau St., is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
FOCUS ARCHIVES 4/21:
Gilbert:
Uganda trip DOUG BOSTIC: CIVIL WAR HISTORY 2/10: War prep offsets horseracingANDY BRACK 4/18:
Better
redistricting MARSHA GUERARD 2/24: Oysters, pigs, chickens2/17: Law student's brief 2/10: Simple act of beauty 1/3: Spoleto plans 12/27: Hunger, homeless 11/11: Veterans Day 10/21: Charleston: good performer 8/19: How many med schools for SC? PETER LUCASH: BUSINESS INDIGO 2/10:
Companies
at conferences GREG GARVAN: CHARLESTON GREEN 2/17:
Veggies
profitable ANN THRASH: FOOD & DRINK 2/7:
Frozen
Frogmore stew LIST ARCHIVES 4/21:
5
on SC Path |