JULY 2020
STAYING SAFE TOGETHER
FAMILIES AND FACES OF SMALL BUSINESS
GOOGLE YOUR BUSINESS WORKSHOP
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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Faces & Families of Lowcountry Small Businesses
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Hilton Head Island Update
13 Staying Safe Together
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CHAMBER BUSINESS MONTHLY
Bluffton Update
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Who’s Who and Who’s Where
19 Members Making News
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Scene & Be Seen
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Help4Hope Wrap-Up
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HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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FEATURED FEATURED: Protect & Respect
S TAYI N G S A FE
Together
The Path Forward Enters New Phase
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CHAMBER BUSINESS MONTHLY
Businesses have taken the Pledge to keep residents, guests, and workers safe. Now, we’re asking visitors to make the Promise to respect our Lowcountry values and environment, and visit safely. We want visitors to appreciate the natural beauty of the area, and protect and respect it. And we’re asking you to show your Pride in the community, and to welcome our visitors who share a love for the destination. Visitors are integral to our quality of life, low tax rates, higher property values and brand reputation as America’s Favorite Island ™. The Staying Safe Together campaign - the next phase of the Path Forward plan reminds residents and visitors to respect our Lowcountry values and environment, and encourages safety and southern hospitality. We’re asking visitors to leave nothing but their footprints, and be mindful of our sensitive coastal environment and wildlife when they visit our beaches. We’re also asking them to take measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19 as outlined in our Path Forward plan. Information is being distributed upon check-in at hotels, homes and villas. Many of us were visitors once, and now have chosen to call the Lowcountry home. Visitors and residents have coexisted on the island for decades, and we can continue to do so in a post-quarantine world. For more information, visit ThePathForward.org.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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Your Chamber Participates in GrowSC Your chamber of commerce was proud to collaborate with 13 other chambers to produce the GrowSC agenda as the state reopens its economy. There are six priorities we focused on, as well as opportunities for growth:
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Small Business Funding:
Setting aside $100 million of the CARES Act funding the state received to help fund small businesses, as well as businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans.
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Liability Protections for Business
Protect small businesses who act in good faith and follow safety guidelines from being held liable if a customer contracts COVID-19.
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Unemployment Insurance Hold Harmless: If a business laid off its workforce due to COVID-19, it should not affect its experience rating for unemployment insurance.
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CHAMBER BUSINESS MONTHLY
Prioritizing School Reopening
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Focus on reopening schools safely so parents can get back to work.
Prioritizing Schoolto Reopening Increase Access Childcare04
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Encourage the Department of Social Services to expand availability of daycare so parents can get back to work.
Prioritizingour School Reopening Protecting workforce and students 04
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Secure funding for COVID-19 testing and PPE for healthcare workers, educators, and private-sector workers.
Provide For Future Growth Through: New economic development initiatives to attract American companies to bring manufacturing jobs back to the state. Expand broadband access so rural areas can connect, which will benefit healthcare, education, and supporting a remote workforce. Invest in aggressive tourism promotion. You can read the full agenda by clicking here
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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INFORMATION DEPOT: YOUR CHAMBER’S WEBSITE
Congrats
TO REP. JOE CUNNINGHAM
From mid-March through June, your chamber hosted information depots that were a resource for businesses, residents, and visitors for COVID-19 and reopening. All information can now be found at the hub, www.thepathforward.org.
TAKEOUT BLITZ
30,440 page views
www.takeoutblitz.org
COVID-19 RESOURCE PAGE
Our S.C. Rep. Joe Cunningham was awarded the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship, which recognizes members of Congress who have demonstrated a willingness to work across the aisle in support of common objectives.
147,094 page views
www.hiltonheadblufftonchamber.org/covid-19
PATH FORWARD
14,491
page views
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CHAMBER BUSINESS MONTHLY
www.thepathforward.org
Reach Customers Online With Google A Virtual “Grow With Google” Workshop 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 14 Virtual Workshop - Click here to register
Join us and SCORE to learn about how you can reach customers online. Google trainer Demming Bass will also review how to market online during the COVID-19 crisis.
PATH FORWARD FEATURED ON NATIONAL NEWS
Hilton Head Island was featured in Redbook’s “Here’s How Resorts & Destinations Plan to Reopen Post COVID-19.” The article touts: “Known as ‘America’s Favorite IslandTM,’ this strategy shows how much heart is in this tourist destination, where it’s not always about the tourists but also about the residents who call it home.”
The story was shared on Redbook’s Facebook page (1.19 million followers) and on its Twitter page (74,400 followers). Its website has 495,166 unique visitors per month. HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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FACES & FAMILIES OF LOWCOUNTRY SMALL BUSINESSES
Faces & Families Behind Local Small Business
Your chamber will be featuring the stories behind some of the small businesses on Hilton Head Island and Bluffton. Follow along and watch the videos on Facebook or Instagram at @hhibchamber.
May River Excursions
Chris Schoemaker, Owner www.MayRiverExcursions.com How and when did your business start? It started in 2010 with one boat, and now - 10 years later - I have seven boats. I saw boats coming up and down the river where I live and decided that it was something I could do, so I just dove right into it. With the one boat I did maybe 100 trips, and now I can do thousands. What’s your favorite part about having a small business in Bluffton? The business community. Everybody knows everybody. Everybody is looking out for one another, and refers to one another. Everybody is awesome. What do you want people to know about owning a small business? It’s 24/7 work, 365 days a year. But it’s rewarding. I encourage anybody to start or own their own business. Will you dish the best fishing spot on the 10 CHAMBER BUSINESS MONTHLY May River? Oh no.
“Everybody is looking out for one another, and refers to one another. Everybody is awesome. ”
“The friendly faces we see, it’s almost like we’re family. ” How and when did your business start? Like many things, it started as a solution to a problem. My dad had been in the restaurant business in the corporate and hotel side for years. He’d traveled all over the country and came back home in the early 1980s to manage the Hilton Head Inn. He had worked 14 weekends straight, had one Sunday off and was called in. He said: “I’ve had it. I can’t do it anymore.” And a little restaurant … one of the only ones open year-round on Hilton Head … was up for sale. And he said, “this is my opportunity.” What do you look forward to each day? It’s really the inventive and creative side of restaurant life. Coming in, and seeing what we have on hand, and seeing what we can do with that first to make the most of it. You just have to be inventive every day, and I think that’s the best part about this business.
Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte
Margaret Pearman, Owner www.charliesgreenstar.com
What do you want people to know about owning a small business? It’s a lot of hard work. There’s no being off the hook in the restaurant industry. What would Margaret drink on a hot summer day? Gin and tonics! I just find them so refreshing and light. But I also love a vino verde rose right now. HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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Island Time Dru Brown, Managing Partner www.IslandTimehhi.com
“I love to be able to
drive to work and see beautiful things and be able to interact with our community everyday. ”
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What do you look forward to each day? The staff. That’s what makes it so fun for us is being able to have people who really love our vision and want to work to make it successful every day. What’s your favorite part about doing business on Hilton Head Island? Both the local community and the environment. I love to be able to drive to work and see beautiful things and be able to interact with our community everyday. Where or how do you see your business growing in the future? The vacation rental market is taking off along with the real estate market, so I think we are going to see a lot of growth in the next couple of years, especially as the island continues to be a very prominent destination. What do you want people to know about owning a small business? Owning a small business is very rewarding and a lot of work, but it’s just such a unique experience and I’m so glad that we did it.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND UPDATE
Pedestrian-Friendly Crosswalk Installed
Steve Riley at the Lowcountry Celebration Park ground breaking ceremony last year.
Steve Riley Announces Retirement After nearly 30 years of service, Hilton Head Island Town Manager Steve Riley announced that he will retire from his position by the end of this year. He joined the town as the community development director, and has been the town manager for the last 26 years.
The Town of Hilton Head Island has installed its first pedestrian “high intensity activated crosswalk” at the crosswalk by the Coligny Beach parking lot on South Forest Beach Drive. As part of the improvements in the Coligny area, the signal is designed with pedestrian safety in mind. The signal operates when pedestrians push a button and receive a walking symbol, triggering a traffic light that warns cars of pedestrians.
“My 29 years of service to the Town have provided me great personal and professional satisfaction, but the time has come to move to a different stage in my life,” Riley said. “I have enjoyed working with the various mayors and members of Town Council over the years and to have been a part of so many initiatives that have enriched the lives of our citizens and guests.” Over his nearly three decades at the Town of Hilton Head Island, Riley has overseen the revitalization of Hilton Head Island. Some projects include Coligny Beach Park - which has been lauded nationally - and Shelter Cove Towne Centre. “Steve has done an outstanding job guiding our town staff and our community through many initiatives and through many situations over the years,” said Mayor John McCann. “His dedication to our town has made Hilton Head Island a world-class community.”
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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top beaches
Travel + Leisure named Coligny Beach Park among one of the 25 Best Beaches in the U.S. What they said: “To top it off, dolphin sightings are common and the sunrises are incredible.”
CBS Travel Expert Peter Greenberg mentions Hilton Head Health in a roundup of virtual vacation experiences.
Hilton Head Island is named among The Most Beautiful Beaches in the United States in Woman’s Day magazine. What they said: “It’s home to the Coastal Discovery Museum and has a variety of things to do from exploring the buildings in town to taking in the wildlife and lounging on the beach.”
The “Goddess” burger from CharBar and the “Baby Back” burger from One Hot Mama’s were profiled in Islands Magazine list of Best Burgers. What they said: “If you’re the type of burger-loving traveler who has a tough time making decisions, Charbar Co. in Hilton Head Island might make things harder.” And “A meal like the Baby Back Burger at One Hot Mama’s in Hilton Head Island is the epitome of a let loose, undo your belt buckle vacation meal.”
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Airbnb’s CEO notes on Good Morning America that the travel trends the platform has seen recently, including interest in homestays and destinations close to home. The piece notes that Hilton Head Island is currently one of “the most soughtafter Airbnb destinations.”
IN THE NEWS
Hudson’s Seafood on the Docks hushpuppies are featured in Country Living’s Comfort Food to Make at Home. What they said: “Usually served as a side dish with seafood, they’ll immediately take you back to a breezy summer night in Hilton Head, sitting on the dock for dinner and drinks.”
The Coastal Discovery Museum and Harbour Town Lighthouse are featured in What to do in South Carolina in Afar Magazine. What they said: “For the many who visit Hilton Head year after year, spotting the Harbour Town Lighthouse means vacation has officially started.”
Daufuskie Island is named in the Forbes article Where to Vacation Safely Once Travel Restrictions are Lifted. What they said: “Though the island is quiet, visitors do have the chance to engage in some uniquely Daufuskie experiences, from waterfront horseback riding to golfing. Even at the local art gallery, art is sold on an honor system; if you like a piece, take it and leave your money in the mailbox slot. No human interaction necessary.”
How to Make the Shrimp and Grits from Haig Point on Daufuskie Island is featured on Islands.com. What they said: “People come from all over just to enjoy the happy hour parties at the Calibogue Club at Haig Point. Hopefully they stay for dinner, because when chef Taylor Griffin passed along his recipe for shrimp and grits, we couldn’t imagine eating anything else.”
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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BLUFFTON UPDATE
Town of Bluffton Unveils Redesigned Website
BLUFFTON IN THE NEWS
www.townofbluffton.sc.gov Montage Palmetto Bluff is highlighted as a mustvisit destination for future travel and as a spot in Best Weekend Road Trips in Travel + Leisure. What they said: “On the banks of the May River, you’ll find antebellum homes, historic towns, and lots to do. Stay at the Montage Palmetto Bluff where you can choose from fishing, boating, golf, hiking, bicycling, stand up paddling, summer concerts, equestrian, or racquet sports. Enjoy the foods and beverages of the area, and revitalize in the spa and fitness facilities.”
The Town of Bluffton has unveiled a redesigned website, designed to streamline navigation and deliver a more customized experience. The new features include: Subscriptions: Sign up for updates to the town calendar, agendas and media releases. Agenda Center: A centralized location for all public meeting agendas.
Want to know how to make Montage Palmetto Bluff’s signature Peaches & Bourbon? It was featured in Islands.com. What they said: “Set right in the heart of Bluffton, Montage Palmetto Bluff offers guests world-class accommodations with vintage Southern charm ... we asked the resort’s bar staff to name a cocktail that pairs well with putting your feet up and/or sitting next to a fire pit in the backyard as the sun bids farewell. Undoubtedly, they said, it is the River House Lounge’s Peaches and Bourbon.”
Calendar: View and submit the town community calendar such as festivals, community events and non-profit meetings. News Flash: View or sign up for media releases, town announcements and news updates. Notify Me: Sign up for alerts and customize their experience.
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Montage Palmetto Bluff is featured in Conde Nast Traveler’s “11 Spa Weekend Get-Aways You Need in 2020.” What they said: “This resort on 100 acres of waterfront wildlife sanctuary practically drips with Southern charm. … Really pamper yourself at the 13,000-square-foot spa.”
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
MEMBERS MAKING NEWS The Santa Elena Foundation will join forces with the Coastal Discovery Museum, the only Smithsonian affiliate organization in Beaufort County. A 1,000 sq. ft. traveling exhibition on Santa Elena will debut in October 2020.
For the fourth consecutive year, Hilton Head Public Service District was honored with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Facility Excellence Award for its Recycled Water Plant on Oak Park Drive. The award recognizes the plant for environmental protection and regulatory compliance, for annually recycling about 1 billion gallons of treated wastewater, producing beneficial recycled water that is then used for golf course irrigation and wetlands nourishment, with zero discharge to area waterways.
Second Helpings has debuted a redesigned website at www.secondhelpingslc.org, thanks to a grant from the Long Cove Fund.
High Tide Rooftop Bar has opened up atop of the new Courtyard by Marriott Hilton Head Island. The 10,000-square-foot open space was designed by J. Banks Design.
BEFORE
AFTER
In the Leamington neighborhood in Palmetto Dunes, the Hilton Head Rear Range Lighthouse has undergone a significant renovation. Activated on August 1, 1881, the lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and part of the Inventory of Historic Light Stations. Renovations include the addition of a new cedar shingle roof, replacement of 360-degree observation deck boards and structural wood areas, cleaning and treating of the interior and exterior.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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MEMBERS MAKING NEWS
The Art League of Hilton Head has awarded its annual Art League Scholarship to Jacquelyn Roberts and its Barbara Kittinger Scholarship to Olivia Waters. Both incoming college freshmen will study art.
A team of fourth-graders from Hilton Head Island School for Creative Arts were regional winners of a seven-state problem-solving competition that tested students’ mathematics skills, reading comprehension and analytical reasoning, beating out 27 other teams. A team from Red Cedar Elementary School won the fifth-grade regional competition.
“By the River,” a University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) and South Carolina ETV (SCETV) collaboration, has been honored with a bronze Telly Award. This season features interviews with Southern authors as well as local Lowcountry poets.
Girl Scout Troop 4008 donated $16,000 to Hospice Care of the Lowcountry. The money was raised through Girl Scout cookie sales.
The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has awarded more than $414,500 to 29 organizations addressing COVID-19 needs in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties.
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Glass WRX SC, a producer of recycled glass products and advanced materials, will invest $10 million in a manufacturing facility in Beaufort County, creating more than 50 jobs over the next five years.
WHO’S WHO & WHO’S WHERE Natalie Diroma with Weichert, Realtors® Coastal Properties has earned the Pricing Strategy Advisor Certification and the NAR’s e-PRO Certification.
Duke Bradley was named the deputy superintendent/chief of schools for the Beaufort County School District. He was previously a senior executive with 3DE Schools by Junior Achievement.
Candace Bruder-Brasseur is the new director of communications at the Beaufort County School District. She was previously the senior director of communication for the University of South Carolina Beaufort.
Donald “Scott” Chandler was named the interim police chief at the Bluffton Police Department. He’s been with the department for 14 years, serving as a patrol sergeant, traffic unit sergeant, neighborhood services unit sergeant, investigations lieutenant and captain of the support division.
Jennifer Hamblin was named the director of budget and procurement at the Beaufort County School District. She is a veteran financial administrator with extensive experience in education.
Nancy Sulek has joined the Programs for Exceptional People as the senior director of development. She previously served as development officer at Volunteers in Medicine HHI.
Tammy Moody has joined Charter One Realty as a real estate agent. She has over 18 years of experience in sales, marketing, and real estate.
Weichert, Realtors® – Coastal Properties welcomed the following realtors to its team: Thespina Bernard Chavon Brown
Benton Denmark Michael Mancuso
Scott Moffatt, Hilton Head Public Service District water quality supervisor, has been named the “Lab Analyst of the Year” by the 19 HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org JULY 2020 of Water Environment| Association South Carolina
Welcome MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
NEW MEMBERS
Providence Presbyterian Church Island Bagel Company Coastal Countertops and Tile Hilton Head Physical Therapy
ANNIVERSARIES
4-9 YEARS
30+ YEARS
Carolina Contractors, Inc. Forsythe Jewelers Hilton Head Island Recreation Association Hilton Head Regional Healthcare - Hilton Head Hospital J. Banks Design Group, Inc. McNair Building Construction, Inc. Optical Solutions, Inc. Tom Peeples Builder, Inc. Truffles Market & Cafe
20-29 YEARS
Beach Properties of Hilton Head, Inc. Bill’s Liquors & Fine Wines Distinctive Granite & Marble Dolphin & Nature Cruise Express Restaurant Delivery Fraser Construction Company, LLC Gray’s Heating, Air Conditioning & Appliance Hilton Head Moving & Storage K. Hovnanian Homes of SC & GA, Inc. Kenneth Kowalyk, D.M.D. Moss Creek Owners Association Native Island Business & Community Affairs Association South State Bank Southern Wine & Spirits The Children’s Center, Inc.
10-19 YEARS
High Tide Rooftop Bar at Courtyard by Marriott Hilton Head Island Essential Disinfection Services Blue Laguna Grill Dog People
Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Medical Services Budget Blinds of the Lowcountry Children’s Relief Fund CPC Yellow Pages Farmers Market of Bluffton Hilton Head Island Community Church Signature Flight Support Hilton Head Island Social Scene Entertainment Tucker MarCom Up the Creek Pub & Grill Coastal States Bank First Citizens Bank (Bluffton) Honorable Weddings IL Carpaccio Johnson & Davis, PA Montage Palmetto Bluff Omega Graphics & Print Programs for Exceptional People (PEP) Progressive Technology Inc CHAMBER BUSINESS MONTHLY 20 of Zonta Club Hilton Head Island
3M Coastal Applied Systems Aspirian Executive Coaching BFG Communications Bluffton Police Department Brighton Builders, LLC Buckwalter Dental Care Carolina Crab Company Charbar Co. Charles Sampson Charter One Realty Chartwells@USCB Coastal Home Indoor & Outdoor Furnishings Collins Pest Control Comedy Magic Cabaret Correll Insurance CycleBar Daufuskie Rental Group Equitable Property & Account Management Farmer’s Air Gigi’s Boutique GW Services, Inc. Harbor Cove Memory Care Hilton Head Baseball Association Hilton Head BMW Hilton Head Insurance & Brokerage Hilton Head Lexus Hilton Head St. Patrick’s Day Parade Holy Tequila Horizon Home Inspectors JCB Roofing John Vann Jolley Law Group, LLC Jones Brothers Tree Surgeons Kelly Caron Designs, ASID Kilwins at Shelter Cove Towne Centre Kinghorn Insurance Agency, LLC Lavon Stevens Legendary Golf Local Pie Low Tide Plumbing May River Excursions Mia’s Harbour Gifts & Boutique Mikkelson Law Firm Newton Window Cleaning Nick’s Steak & Seafood Noble Jones Tours Nourish Palmetto Breeze Palmetto Heating & Air of the Lowcountry Inc. Pink Magazine/Spa Guide of the Lowcountry Pirates HHI
I 2 Recycle Hilton Head Physical Therapy Lot 9 Brewing Co.
4-9 YEARS (CONTINUED)
Poseidon Promozation, LLC Red Piano Art Gallery Rowe Spine & Pain Care Scientific Turf, Inc. Sea Monkeys Watersports Shell Ring Oyster Company Shelter Cove Company South Carolina Youth Leadership Conference South East Coastal Underwriters St. Joseph’s/Candler Immediate CareBluffton Superior Heating & Air Sure Network Solutions Terry Lee Contracting TLT Insurance Tom Upshaw Ultimate Floor Care Service Whole Foods Market WTOC 11-TV - Bluffton
1-3 YEARS
Atomic VR Arcade Branches Cottage Insights Daufuskie Island Trail Rides Dream Boutique FAR-CMR Holdings LLC Hampton Hall Club Hilton Head Area Council of Estate & Financial Advisors Infiniti of Hilton Head Island Car Wash - Bluffton Island Car Wash - Hilton Head Maid For You Motiva Marketing Old Town Bluffton Inn Orangetheory Fitness Hilton Head Palmetto Cabinet Studio Premier Properties by Haig Point Principal Financial Group Ray E. Warco RobMark Web.Advertising.PR Rose Hearing Group, LLC DBA Rose Hearing Healthcare Centers Santa Elena History Center Savannah Magazine/Southern Coastal Weddings Summit Landscape Group Vaden Nissan of Hilton Head
Thank you
SCENE AND BE SEEN
Business Golf
CLASSIC June 22, 2020
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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SCENE & BE SEEN
Thank you to our sponsors and 120+ players who came out for the (socially distanced) Business Golf Classic. Congratulations to the winning teams: MORNING SESSION
AFTERNOON SESSION
1st Place: Dick Broadcasting Group Aaron Wilborn Michael Williams Monty Jett Matt Spath
1st Place: Palmetto Bluff David O'Donoghue Jeff Quinn Casey Lavin Martin Roache
2nd Place: Hilton Head Regional Healthcare Larry Sanders Obie Bacon David Burke Tim Burke
2nd Place: Navion Senior Solutions Stephen Evans Kaylynn Evans Dr. Tom Lenns David Tracy
3rd Place: Palmetto Electric Lewie Davis Corey Tuten Mike Tuten JD Tuten
3rd Place: DX Print & Mail
Closest to the Pin: David Sigg 22 CHAMBER BUSINESS MONTHLY
Reid Perry Tom Apsey Justin Lewis Steve Owens
Longest Drive: Martin Roache
Presenting Sponsor
HOLE-IN-ONE: Hilton Head BMW
Lunch Provider: Chicken Salad Chick
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
CLOSEST TO THE PIN: Signarama
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Longest Drive: Stretchzone
SCENE & BE SEEN
Thank you to all of our sponsors - including our title sponsor Hargrayrestaurants, supporters and investors who helped make the Help4Hope Program a success. Together, Over 19,700 meals were provided to those in need, and over $250,000 was invested in restaurants when they needed it most. Donations were collected from over 30 states for this chamber/ Watterson Family Foundation initiative. The program wrapped up June 30.
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SCENE & BE SEEN
Avery and Finlay Watterson were featured on NBC Nightly News - Kids Edition for their work raising funds for Kids4Hope. Watch the broadcast here.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | JULY 2020
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@HHIBCHAMBER HILTONHEADBLUFFTONCHAMBER.ORG 1 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DRIVE | HILTON HEAD ISLAND | 843.785.3673 216 BLUFFTON ROAD | BLUFFTON | 843.757.3673
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