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Sustainable Midlands Hosts Tasty Tomato Festival
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Time for a tasty celebration! On Saturday, July 23, from 1 to 4 p.m., Sustainable Midlands—a champion of the region’s sustainable food efforts—will host its annual Palmetto Tasty Tomato Festival at a brand new location: the historic, community-driven neighborhood of Cottontown, in Columbia's North Main District. The festival is a family-friendly event that offers a variety of fun and exciting activities for all ages. Festivalgoers can cool off and enjoy tomato tasting and more inside of the NoMa Warehouse and Indah Coffee cafe while things heat up with live music and a variety of vendors featured on Sumter Street between Jefferson and Franklin streets.
Tickets are on sale now ($10 in advance and $15 day of). Admission is free for children ages 10 and under. To encourage biking as alternative transportation, the day-of admission amount will be discounted to $10 for cyclists. Firearms are not permitted inside the festival areas, and COVID-19 safety measures and protocols will be in effect. As a note, festival proceeds will go to support Sustainable Midlands’ local community programs and help to promote local businesses.
As a part of the festivities, Sustainable Midlands is hosting a Tasty Tomato kickoff party the night before on Friday, July 22, at Gardener's Outpost’s new location: 1211 Franklin Street, in Columbia. The pre-event celebration will include a preview of the festival's offerings, drinks, small bites, live music, and admission to Saturday’s festival—all for only $50.
For more information, visit TastyTomatoFestival.org or SustainableMidlands.org/events. See ad, page 5.
ICRC Hosts Sunset on the Shoals – Paddle and Wine Tasting
Are you ready for a great time on the water? On Friday, July 8, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission (ICRC) is hosting its Sunset on the Shoals event at Saluda Shoals Park. For adults ages 21 and up, participants will enjoy an interpretive paddle tour on the Saluda River while learning about the rich and unique history of the area. The paddle tour will be followed by a wine tasting. The trip is dependent on the weather and river levels. Boats and all necessary equipment will be provided.
Cost: $47 per person. Location: Saluda Shoals Park, 5605 Bush River Rd., Columbia. For more information, contact Lindsay Hudson at 803-213-2062 or LHudson@icrc.net. Also visit icrc.net.
How Ceiling Fans Keep Us Cooler and Help Save Money!
Ceiling fans can be ideal for helping to keep living spaces cooler and comfortable without running up the utility bill. With record temperatures soaring around the Midlands and summer starting to settle in, ceiling fans can make a significant difference. Here are some of the reasons and ways: Ceiling fans can actually make it feel at least four degrees cooler. In addition, the usage of ceiling fans costs about .003 cents per hour, whereas air conditioners can cost up to a dollar an hour. Many are unaware that by adequately setting a ceiling fan’s rotation direction in the summer, one can save as much as 30 percent on cooling costs. Ceiling fans primarily work through a wind chill effect, essentially moving air across the skin to help evaporate sweat instead of reducing the room temperature. If no one is in the room, the fan should be turned off. As an important note, ceiling fans should be set to spin counterclockwise, so that the blades push down cool air into the rest of the room.
For more information, call 803-545-2722.
Take Action SC Hosts Two Educator Workshops in July
Take Action SC is hosting two Environmental Educators Summer Workshops in July. On Tuesday, July 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Take Action SC is hosting an in-person workshop at the Joe Adair Outdoor Education Center, located at Scout Creek Road, in Laurens, S.C. Session topics include classroom lessons on composting and closing the recycling loop and understanding circular economies. Participants will also learn more about school grants from recycling to Champions of the Environment. In addition, a special Q&A session will take place at the conclusion. Lunch will be provided and tickets are nonrefundable.
On, Thursday, July 28, from 9 a.m. to noon, Take Action SC, in partnership with Green Steps Schools is hosting a virtual Take Action SC workshop and Green Steps awards presentation. Participants will take a closer look at more of the newly revised Take Action SC Environmental Education Curriculum with the new content aligned to the 2021 College- and Career-Ready Standards for Science. Guest speakers from the TASC Partnership, such as specialists from the S.C. Energy Office, will also present.
For more information, including cost, or to register, visit TakeActionSC.org or eeasc.org/ green-step-calendar.
ICRC Hosts Slip, Slide & Splash!
On Saturday, July 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission (ICRC) is hosting its Slip, Slide & Splash! event at Melvin Park, located at 370 Eptings Camp Road, in Chapin. The fun-filled activities will include nine inflatable water slides, access to the splash pad, and food trucks. Participants must be at least 3 years of age and must have an ICRC-issued wristband to attend.
Cost: $15 per person. For more information, call 803-345-6181 or visit icrc.net/event/slipslide-splash-0. See ad, page 9.
The Collective Conscience Receives Prepare/ Enrich Certification
Jacqueline Hanks, EdS, MFT, and Charlie Ebert, MCPC, owners and operators of The Collective Conscience LLC, have completed the Prepare/Enrich Certified Facilitator Training to help build strong marriages and healthy relationships.
As a part of the process, couples (premarital, cohabitating, married, married with children, or blended) meet with Hanks and Ebert after completing a customized online assessment. The Prepare/Enrich model encourages and facilitates the positive development and deepening of a relationship. The dynamics of a couple’s relationship are measured in four interconnected areas: assertiveness, self-confidence, avoidance and partner dominance.
During the six- to eight-week sessions, couples will become more comfortable with communication and conflict resolution, develop more closeness and flexibility, see and understand personality compatibilities, and learn to manage stress. More information on Prepare/Enrich can be found at Prepare-Enrich.com.
The mission of The Collective Conscience is to bring freedom, connectedness and joy to individuals, families and the greater community through therapy, coaching and relationship enhancement.
Location: The Collective Conscience, 1824 Bull St., Columbia. For more information, visit TheCollectiveConscience.biz. See ad, page 4.
St. Martin de Porres Catholic School is a private Christ-centered institution that emphasizes high academics and social standards in a caring environment. The school is grounded in the Catholic identity, which provides students of diverse faiths a rigorous curriculum, which allows for
academic success.
Now enrolling students from pre-K through fifth grade, the innovative school provides its students with an environment that focuses on quality academic challenges, which results in academic excellence. St. Martin de Porres Catholic School focuses on preparing future leaders with the tools to be successful as they venture forth in a very changing world and environment—offering small class sizes, individualized instruction, rigorous curriculum, standard-based instruction, scholarships and a faith-based environment. The school has been a fixture in the Waverly Community for 85 years—providing a quality education to young children. St. Martin de Porres Catholic School, “Where Every Child Is a Shining Star!”
Location: St. Martin de Porres Catholic School, 2225 Hampton St., Columbia. For more information, call 803-254-5477 or visit SaintMartinDePorres.org. See ad, page 27.
KMB Hosts Adopt-A-Highway Campaign
On Saturday, August 20, Keep the Midlands Beautiful (KMB) is hosting an Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) campaign in the Midlands area. Individuals, organizations and businesses are encouraged to participate. Additional details are forthcoming. The AAH program is sponsored by the S.C. Department of Transportation and coordinated by KMB for roads in Richland and Lexington counties. KMB also coordinates the Adopt-A-Street program for the city of Columbia.
Through these important sustainable partnering programs, caring citizens can take part in preserving and maintaining streets throughout the Midlands, which cultivates great benefits, such as tourism advancement, scenic beautification, improved quality of life, and raised educational and environmental awareness.
For more information and details about this Adopt-A-Highway campaign, including the location, call 803-733-1139 or visit KeepTheMidlandsBeautiful.org.
community news
PalmettoPride is offering grants to assist citizens across the Palmetto State to help beautify South Carolina. The grant types are:
Litter-prevention grant:
All litter-control organizations, government departments/organizations, nonprofit organizations in South Carolina are eligible to apply for these funds. Priority will be given to groups that have not received a grant within the last two fiscal years and those that partner with other volunteer organizations committed to litter reduction. The litter-prevention grant is a competitive grant that provides organizations up to $5,000 to develop successful anti-litter programs and activities at the local level.
Tree grant: This grant is a non-monetary award that donates trees to be used in beautification projects around the state. Recipients of this grant must plant the donated trees in public spaces that are accessible to all citizens. Litter-control organizations, beautification groups, government organizations, neighborhood associations, and nonprofit organizations in South Carolina are eligible to apply for these trees.
Litter-crew grant: This grant is open to town, city or county governments. Funds may be used to start up a local cleanup program or to supplement an existing program. Trash bags will be provided by PalmettoPride. Applicants must provide a litter pickup plan, including a full budget, and use PalmettoPride’s grant reporting website on Submittable. This grant, which is competitive in nature, provides funding of up to $25,000 to municipalities and counties.
Keep South Carolina Beautiful grant: The Keep South Carolina Beautiful affiliate grant provides funding to certified South Carolina Keep America Beautiful (KAB) affiliates for the purpose of creating and maintaining successful litter-reduction and beautification programs. This grant will only be awarded to groups that have successfully completed the new KAB affiliate certification process.
For more information, email SJenkins@PalmettoPride.org or visit PalmettoPride.org/grants.
ICRC Hosts Backyard Saturday – Lizard Day
On Saturday, July 2, from 10 a.m. to noon, the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission (ICRC) is hosting its Backyard Saturday – Lizard Day, at Saluda Shoals Park (Leo’s Landing Playground), located at 5605 Bush River Road, in Columbia. The fun-filled day will include engaging activities, crafts, stories, and cool biofacts about lizards native to the Palmetto State.
Cost: $5 (parking fee). Ages: Up to 7 years of age. For more information, call 803-7721228, email RKennerly@icrc.net or visit icrc. net/event/backyard-saturday-lizard-day.
Heat Mapping Volunteers Needed
The city of Columbia is looking for volunteers to help map the urban heat islands in Columbia and Richland County on Saturday, August 6 (rain date August 7). Volunteers will use specifically designed sensors mounted on their own cars to drive preplanned routes three times on the appointed day—morning, afternoon and evening. These sensors will record the temperature, humidity and precise geolocation second by second.
For more information, call 803-545-2722 or visit cpac.columbiasc.gov/urban-heat-island-mapping-initiative.
Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life. ~Omar Khayyam
S.C. Energy Office Now Accepting MiniGrant Submissions
The S.C. Energy Office will begin taking applications for mini-grants on Friday, July 1. The U.S. Department of Energy provides the Energy Office with funds to support high-impact competitive demonstration projects in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation. As a part of the mini-grant competitive application evaluation process, the Energy Office will utilize a list of grant criteria. Applicants are strongly encouraged to address the applicable criteria with regard to each project when describing/ defining it in the project overview section on the application.
The list of eligible applicants include state agencies, local governments, public colleges, universities, technical colleges, K-12 public schools, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The maximum grant award amount is $10,000. Please note that, due to limited funding, the grant review process is highly competitive. Only a small number of applications will be selected to receive a grant award. Applications are due by Monday, August 1 (close of business – 5 p.m. EDT). An application must be completed and submitted for consideration.
For more information or to apply, contact Rick Campana at 803-737-5229 or RCampana@ors.sc.gov. Also visit Energy.sc.gov/ incentives/grants.
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S2S Is Hosting Teacher Training Workshops in July
The From Seeds to Shoreline (S2S) program, coordinated by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium in partnership with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and Clemson University, is hosting two teacher training workshops in July. Both sessions will be held at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, in Charleston, and preregistration is required.
New Teacher Training: Taking place on Wednesday, July 27, this one-day training is a prerequisite for new teachers interested in participating in S2S for the upcoming school year. The training offers sessions on salt marsh ecology, restoration techniques, classroom applications, and more. There is no cost to participate.
Veteran Teacher Training:
Taking place on Thursday, July 28, this one-day training is optional for those S2S teachers that have been with the program for at least one year. It will be a fun-filled day of exploring the College of Charleston's Grice Marine Lab, learning about ongoing research from local scientists, updates to the program, new resources/giveaways, and fieldbased explorations. There is no cost to participate.
Location: S.C. Department of Natural Resources, 217 Fort Johnson Rd., Charleston. For more information or to register, contact Elizabeth Vernon, marine education specialist, at 843953-2085 or visit SCSeagrant.org/ from-seeds-to-shoreline.
