Mobile Home Sales in Peedee, SC

Photo byFlorence Chapter of the Jack & Jill of America Foundation

The Florence Chapter of Jack & Jill of America Inc. cordially invites you to celebrate an elegant evening of love with us as we host a charity event supporting The Jack & Jill of America Foundation and the Lake City Boys & Girls Club & Youth Technology Center. Dinner, dancing, and cocktails featuring jazz saxophonist Dante Lewis from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at The Bean Market, 111 Henry St., Lake City.

Formal dress required. Tickets are $125 and are available on Eventbrite or by contacting flochapterfinancialsec@gmail.com.

ABOUT THE LAKE CITY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB & YOUTH TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Located at 131 Calhoun St., the Lake City Club offer hours from 2 to 6 p.m. on school days. Beyond the standard mentoring, tutoring, games, STEM activities, and homework help, the Club holds Mr. Stormy Day on Wednesdays and offers a lending closet of ties and formal shirts. The Club sponsored 76 children for Christmas with clothes and gifts and handed out 96 turkeys this past Thanksgiving. For information, call (843) 374-3749 or visit www.bgcpda.org.

ABOUT JACK & JILL

Founded in 1938, Jack and Jill of America, Inc. is a membership organization for African American mothers of children ages 2 to 19, dedicated to raising the next generation of African American leaders while enhancing the lives of all children. We have more than 11,500 active members in 252 chapters across the country. With programming for the entire family, we engage mothers, fathers and children who come from predominantly married (85%), college educated (99%) households with a majority of families having incomes above $100K. The majority of our members are aged 40 to 49 years old (55%).

NATIONAL STRATEGIC PROGRAM PRIORITIES

Chapter Programming is the “heart” of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. It is the way that we “create a medium of contact for children that stimulates growth and development.” Chapters across the country create youth programs centered on the National Program Priorities: EDUCATION, CULTURAL, CIVIC, SOCIAL/RECREATIONAL, and HEALTH.

VISION/MISSION

The vision of the Jack and Jill of America Foundation, Inc., is to transform African-American communities, one child at a time. Our mission is to address issues affecting African American children and families, by investing in programs and services that create a strong foundation for children to thrive long-term.

The Florence Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated sincerely thanks you for your time and consideration. We look forward to a POWERFUL and PRODUCTIVE partnership! For more information contact Foundation Chair Donya Wallace at flochapterfoundationchair@gmail.com or (803) 730-7705.

ABOUT THE BEAN MARKET

For information, call 843-374-1500 or visit thebeanmarket.com.

The last bank based in the Pee Dee hometown of South Carolina’s only Fortune 500 business is being sold, nearly 87 years after opening its doors during the Great Depression.

In an added twist, the Upstate-based buyer announced it was removing its thinly traded shares from the Nasdaq stock exchange.

The one-branch Mutual Savings Bank of Hartsville struck a deal a few weeks ago to be acquired by the parent of Oconee Federal Savings and Loan Association, which is headquartered in Seneca.

The all-stock deal is expected to close by early next year. It is subject to certain conditions, such as obtaining approvals from depositors at Mutual Savings and from banking regulators.

The fair value of the shares to be issued to fund the deal, estimated to be in the ballpark of around $3.5 million, will be determined by an independent appraisal.

“We are very familiar with Mutual, its conservative approach to banking and its deep roots in the communities it serves,” Oconee Federal CEO Curtis Evatt said in a written statement. “We are very excited about the future of our combined company.”

Thomas Goodson, chairman of Mutual Savings, said the deal represents “an excellent opportunity to enhance the services to and convenience for our customers and the communities we serve.

“Partnering with Oconee Federal will improve our ability to offer customers a suite of state-of-the-art financial products,” he said.

The deal reflects a steady thinning of the ranks of independent small-town banks that were started and based in South Carolina. Mergers, acquisitions and the occasional failure have whittled their numbers by 63 percent over the past 30 years, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Just 45 are still standing.

Some of the buyouts have been driven by the rising cost of doing business, such as complying with myriad government regulations and the need to invest in new technologies to keep pace with the competition. Other sellers are motivated by succession planning.

The most recent prior example in the Palmetto State played out in mid-2022, when Sandhills Bank of North Myrtle Beach became part of Olanta-based Citizens Bank.

Oconee Federal will gain its ninth retail location and its first foothold in the Pee Dee region through the Mutual Savings purchase. The nearest branches between the two franchises are about 200 miles apart.

The existing Mutual Saving branch, with its landmark old-fashioned town clock standing guard out front, will remain open. It will operate after the sale as Oconee Federal, which said its charitable foundation will provide grants within the local area with the help of a newly established advisory board.

Mutual Saving is the last among a handful of rural community banks that were organized and headquartered in Hartsville, the largest city in Darlington County and the longtime home of global packaging giant Sonoco Products.

The tiny lender got its start in 1936 as Mutual Savings & Loan after backers raised $50,000. As of March 31, it reported about $50 million in loans and other assets and a first-quarter loss of $101,000.

The proposed buyer has a few more years under its belt. Oconee Federal was started in 1924 as Seneca Building and Loan Association. It switched to a version of its current name in 1958, when it opened a branch in Walhalla. The holding company converted to a stock-ownership structure more than a decade ago, and a 2014 acquisition gave it locations in Georgia.

The Upstate bank’s shares had traded since around 2011 on the Nasdaq — until they were voluntarily delisted last week.

The stock, which has been beaten down by more than half from its 52-week high, made the move to OTC Markets Group’s less costly and less complex OTCQX Best Market starting Tuesday. The shares still trade under the “OFED” ticker symbol, but they’re no longer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“The decision ... was based on numerous factors, including the significant cost savings of no longer filing periodic reports with the SEC, as well as reductions in accounting fees, legal fees and other costs,” Oconee Federal said.

The bank added that it plans make its future financial reports publicly available.

Have you ever been puzzled when someone references a certain region of South Carolina and you’re unsure where they mean?

South Carolina, has the nickname “The Palmetto State,” but other parts of the state carry unique names too.

In fact, locations within South Carolina are frequently referenced after splitting the state into four different regions and by their own nicknames.

These regions encompass the state’s lower coastal area, mid-state, northeastern parts and the upper northwest.

The names they go by are the Lowcountry, the Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate.

Each regional area has unique historical importance and vast geographical differences that make each section stand out among, not just the other regions but also, the rest of the country.

The South Carolina Lowcountry extends beyond just Beaufort County.

The Palmetto State’s Lowcountry region refers to the southeasternmost area of the state and is comprised of 11 different counties, which include: Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton, Jasper, Allendale, Bamberg, Orangeburg, Calhoun and Berkeley counties, according to SC.gov.

Occasionally Barnwell County is also included.

The term Lowcountry was created to describe the area as a majority of the region is not only located in the lower portion of South Carolina, but the land is also closer to sea level and is sunk lower into the water. Hence why the land has an abundance of wetlands and salt marshes.

In addition, the Lowcountry region of South Carolina is rich with history and a heavy geographical difference to the rest of the state.

The area is heavily characterized by its unique salt marshes that create a winding entanglement of shallow waterways, white sand beaches, native live oak trees that may be older than the average person, an abundance of Spanish moss, and palmetto trees all set this specific region apart from the rest of the state.

Maintaining and conserving the area’s abundant natural beauty is a priority in the Lowcountry.

As for the primary culture surrounding the region, the Gullah-Geechee traditions are heavily present, reflected in the food and arts.

This influence can be seen in practices such as the creation of sweetgrass baskets and arts as well as cuisine containing a combination of rice and seafood.

The art of sweetgrass basket sewing has been passed down for generations and is becoming an increasingly dying art as it is specific to the region.

The Midlands region of South Carolina features the state’s capitol, rolling hills, historic sites and miles of riverbanks along the Saluda River.

The Midlands, called as such because it’s located right in the middle of the state, is home to Columbia, the state’s capital, as well as a plethora of forested areas.

SC.gov describes the region as including Aiken, Barnwell, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, Saluda, and York Counties.

Each county features its own unique activities such as the heavy equestrian influence in Aiken, historical sites in Columbia and kayaking in the 200 mile-long Saluda River.

Revolutionary War sites are also present in this region.

The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is found in the northeastern region of the state and includes recognizable cities such as the Myrtle Beach area and Florence.

“The cultural & political significance of the Pee Dee people to the area is why Europeans named the Pee Dee River & the Pee Dee region of South Carolina after the tribe,” reported peedeetribe.org.

The Pee Dee people are a small Native American tribe located along the Pee Dee River within northeastern South Carolina’s Pee Dee region.

Although today the tribe consists of less than 150 enrolled Pee Dee, the tribe was once a profound cultural and political power in the region.

The PeeDee region of the Palmetto State includes Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Sumter, and Williamsburg Counties, according to SC.gov.

Aside from vacation locales such as Myrtle Beach, the region is home to several wildlife refuges, historic sites, gardens, museums and more.

Upstate South Carolina can be found in the furthermost northwest part of the state.

The area is also sometimes referred to as Piedmont.

The Upstate region of the Palmetto State is said to include the counties of Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union, as reported by SC.gov.

This mountainous region is at the top of the state and features the Blue Ridge Mountains, which stretch outwardly toward Georgia and West Virginia.

In Upstate South Carolina, Greenville offers visitors an abundance of shopping and arts. Other popular areas in this region include Spartanburg, where the Denny’s headquarters can be found, and Clemson, home of Clemson University, which was founded in 1889.

This story was originally published March 14, 2023, 8:00 AM.

FLORENCE COUNTY – On a wooded bluff overlooking the Great Pee Dee River, a team of archaeologists digs into the Pee Dee region’s past.

Artifact by artifact, the team — assembled with the help of the Archaeological Institute of the Pee Dee — hopes it can reassemble the story of an area of South Carolina replete with history but largely neglected, they say.

“We’ve got an incredible human history in this part of the world, an incredible history of humans and their interaction with the natural environment. Ninety eight percent of that history can only be understood through archaeology,” said Ben Zeigler, Archaeological Institute of the Pee Dee chairman.

Zeigler contends local history has been overlooked due to a lack of resources and a lack of development in the region.

Since 2021, the institute has helped organize a number of digs and hosted lectures on area history. Now, it’s working on a comprehensive plan for archaeology in the Pee Dee, which will determine where the organization focuses its efforts.

In May, a team of archaeologists spent 10 days excavating a spot off of the Pee Dee River in Florence County that they believe hosted a Native American settlement. A shovelful at a time, they sifted through the dirt, searching for evidence that people had once lived on the bluff.

Previous surveys of the area uncovered evidence from the Mississippian period, which runs from about 1100 AD to contact with European settlers, said Chris Judge, secretary of the AIPD and an archaeologist at the University of South Carolina Lancaster.

“This is the zenith of Native American cultural complexity prior to Europeans arriving, right here in Florence County,” he said.

The Mississippians originated in what is now Oklahoma, slowly expanding and eventually displacing the woodland cultures that existed in South Carolina previously. However, Mississippian activity in the Pee Dee remains an enigma, according to Zeigler. Evidence of Mississippian settlement largely disappears beyond the east bank of the Pee Dee. Historians don’t know why.

Judge hopes that the team’s work can begin filling in the gaps in understanding of the Mississippian period in the Pee Dee, as well as what interaction Native Americans at the time had with Spanish settlers as they traveled inland.

Already, the archaeologists have uncovered a number of artifacts at the site in Florence County, most notably shards of pottery, some of which are stamped with a pattern unique to the period: the Mississippian Complicated Stamp, a winding crosshatch made with a wooden paddle. The pattern both distinguished the pots and made them easier to hold, according to Zeigler.

Once identified, the artifacts will be stored at the Florence County Museum, which acts as the regional hub for the AIPD.

Stephen Motte, curator of collections and interpretation at the museum, said historians know little about Native Americans in the Pee Dee. Few archaeologists have studied the area, and what is known is based on limited primary source material. The work done by the AIPD provides crucial clues as historians work to put the region’s history back together.

“Having the institute available to the museum, that gives us the ability to more tightly focus on the Pee Dee so that over time, as they continue to work and make discoveries, we can better tell the story of the people who lived here before us,” Motte said.

Many think Native American activity in the Pee Dee was limited to small, roving bands that lived in the woods. That’s a misconception, Motte said.

In fact, Motte and Zeigler said, societies in the region were large and complex. They had a complicated, hierarchical society. They frequently traded with each other. They grew corn and lived a sedentary life.

“People think that they don’t know much because there’s not much to know,” Motte said. “But that’s not true.”

The work of telling a more complete story is tricky, though. Much of it is speculation based on incomplete data. Archaeologists must use the artifacts they find and the data they collect to imagine their way into the past, Judge said.

DILLON, S.C. (WMBF) - Focusing on the athletes during a Friday night game isn’t just a task for fans, it’s a crucial task for athletic trainers who stand on the sidelines trying to keep their team players healthy and in the game.

Friday was the first day of practices for high school football teams across South Carolina and both athletes and athletic trainers were there to get ready for the season.

Emma Pound is the athletic trainer for Dillon High School and part of the staff that works for Mcleod Sports Medicine. She was there at 9 a.m. Thursday to make sure students were staying safe and healthy on the field.

“We aren’t always seen and that’s okay, we’re usually pretty okay with that because we’re here for a greater purpose,” said Pound “We don’t just serve football, we’re here for all the athletes for our schools and we do care. We care a lot about these kids like I love my kids, they are fabulous kids.”

Wildcats Head Coach Kelvin Roller said having Pound on the sidelines is crucial and they always listen to her.

“We just do what we’re told to do,” said Roller “We have a trainer and she’s the boss when it comes to practice.”

One of the most common injuries athletic trainers are always looking for is concussions.

Dr. Donovan Johnson, an orthopedic surgeon with Conway Medical Center said there are factors that make you more likely to get one on the field.

“One being having a previous concussion, that increases your chances for a subsequent concussion by 2 times to 8 times,” said Dr. Johnson “In addition to that, contact sports are known to be a known risk factor so sports like football, basketball, soccer, and wrestling are even high risk sports. Being under the age of 18 is also a risk factor for concussions, as well as being a female athlete.”

Pound and Dr. Johnson both said that if a student-athlete experiences any symptoms or pain that suggest a head injury, they should head to the sidelines immediately.

“If they experience any symptoms at all they need to find their athletic trainer and let them know and be honest,” said Pound “That’s the biggest part is being honest, we can’t read minds, we don’t know what your head feels like, we don’t know how it hurts, we don’t know what you’re feeling until you come over and tell us.”

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