Author: vipmag

Trent Hill Center: Leaving a Legacy to Remember

By: Ashley Elvington

Many of us grow up idolizing athletes and celebrities, dreaming of a life full of fame and fortune. As we grow older, however, we realize that the true inspirations in life are the people we come in contact with every day. For Scottie Hill, her inspiration is none other than her late father, Trent Hill Jr.

Trent was well known in his community, a local celebrity in his own special way, as a highly respected businessman in the financial world due to his outstanding career as Vice President of Finance and CFO of Sonoco Products Company. He was also a devoted church member and trustee who spent what free time he did have working hard in his community while raising a family. Perhaps one of the most memorable aspects of Trent’s life, however, is his love for children. According to his daughter Scottie, Trent often opened his own doors to many local children – whether their needs were financial, lack of encouragement or guidance, etc. Scottie shares, “Growing up, my parents welcomed a rather eclectic and sometime eccentric group of kids into our home over the years. Kids that were struggling with isolation, anxiety, drug use, divorce, poverty, and racism were welcome in our home. My dad was one of the most powerful execs at Sonoco, but he lived his life with humility and acceptance. He was kind, compassionate, loving, tolerant, and revered a certain respect and admiration that I rarely see in people.” Trent’s wife, Anna, adds, “Two words I often hear to describe Trent are integrity and compassion. Throughout all his life, he faced each challenge with both.” Although Trent passed away four and half years ago, his legacy continues to this day. Scottie admits, “Still, people stop me in stores, restaurants, and on the street to tell me how much they respected and admired him. His life and his values are worth remembering.”

With the lifelong dream of starting a nonprofit organization, Scottie entered the social work program at Coker College once she moved back home to Hartsville. After conducting some research, she was heartbroken to learn of the high statistics of neglected and abused children in Darlington County and the Pee Dee Region. Many children, due to a shortage of foster homes in the area, are placed as far away as Greenville, Myrtle Beach, and Sumter. “They are not only separated from their homes, but also from their schools, churches, communities, towns—any person and any place familiar to them. How can we expect any child who endures these various instances and levels of trauma and separation to excel and succeed? Our children deserve to be close to home, and they deserve to be given the resources to succeed.” With her father’s compassion flowing through her veins, Scottie decided to open a children’s home. It didn’t take long for word to spread, and she was soon contacted by House of Hope in Florence, who had recently received a house in Hartsville by William Bell’s family. This dream was meant to come true…solidified even further after the children’s home was 501(c)3 approved during its first application submission.

Once the doors of the Trent Hill Center are officially open this fall, they will provide housing to Darlington County children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment. This may call for emergency placement or temporary foster care, however, Scottie and her team are well prepared with loving hearts and open arms. The location is beautiful, as the brick ranch-style home sits upon two acres of land with an ample backyard for children – including a covered walkway and picnic area – and their families to spend time together. There is also a 2,000 square-foot building in the back for administration, counseling offices, a visitation center, and indoor play area if sufficient funds are received.

Their current mission statement reads as follows: “To provide trauma-informed care to our community’s most vulnerable children in a setting that fosters physical and emotional safety; intellectual and spiritual well-being; curiosity, creativity, and exploration. We provide services in partnership with individuals, families, and organizations within our local community.” For Scottie and her team, it is of extreme importance to keep kids local and keep siblings together. “[We want to] help families STAY families. Sometimes that might mean providing residential care for children while their families are recovering/healing/working; other times, it might mean providing preventive services to families, counseling services to families, advocacy services to families, or moving into recruiting and training foster care families.” Currently, they can house up to nine children at one time and are accepting males and females, and seeking licensure to provide care to those ages 0-21 years. Most referrals come from DSS and if enough funds are raised, they would be open to accepting private placements and housing homeless youth from other organizations in the area.

Ultimately, the Trent Hill Center for Children and Families is a celebration of Trent and the inspiration he has left on his family and community. “He enveloped my mother, siblings, and me with love—the type of love that we, as a family, cannot contain, but must share with others. I think he would be incredibly proud of the Center. He believed that every child should have equal opportunity to be loved, to thrive, and to succeed. I think he would be especially proud that we have used business savvy and sense to build an organization based on what he valued most—family.”

Speaking of family, Scottie isn’t the only member of the Hill family involved in this special project. While she is the Founder and President, there are several others who are playing a crucial role in the Center’s success: Becky (Scottie’s sister) is the Executive Director; Bo (Scottie’s brother) is a donor and takes on projects as needed; Anna (Scottie’s mother) is a major donor and helps with furniture, decorating, cleaning and sorting donations; Alex Brito (Scottie’s husband) assists Scottie and family with everything from lawn maintenance to donations and volunteers; Isaac Brito (Scottie’s stepson) who spends his visits from Miami volunteering and helping with various tasks; and last but not least, Anna Bec Hill-Brito (Scottie’s five year old daughter) and Trent Hill-Brito (Scottie’s four year old son), who donate their own toys, clothes, and books to the Center. Each member plays a special part in this family affair, all seeking inspiration from the incomparable Trent Hill. Bo shares, “Dad’s children meant so much to him, I really can’t think of a better way to carry on his legacy in our family and in this community than by providing a space like the Trent Hill Center.” Anna adds, “It is my hope that the Trent Hill Center will offer a sanctuary to children who are experiencing difficulty in their lives. The Center will offer them a place of hope, peace, and joy. I am humbled that my children have chosen to honor their father in such a meaningful way.” For Becky, it’s rather difficult choosing the words that accurately describe what the Center means to her. But it all goes back to family. “I see it as a way to give back to a community that took very good care of us while our father was sick for many years… It was a rough road. In addition, I can think of no better legacy for my precious dad. In his house, everyone was loved, cared for, and welcomed. This is the kind of space we aim to provide for these children.” Alex shares, “No child should be left behind in their time of need. Children should have a safe place where their needs can be met. I am proud of my wife and her family for providing this safe placed where children can be placed until they are reunited with family. I know Mr. Trent Hill would be proud of his daughters’ accomplishment.”

The family is forever grateful to live in such a loving, helpful community. From a successful “Music and Merriment” fundraising event in December 2016 to every newspaper story and TV coverage spot, each has helped get the word out about this wonderful organization. It didn’t take long for Scottie to receive requests about public speaking, which opened the proverbial flood gates for donation calls to come into the Center. She and Becky are still active in speaking and are grateful for every opportunity to share this passion project with their beloved community. “The response has been absolutely, positively wonderful, overwhelming, and humbling. The community has really rallied around us, and I would not have gotten as far as I have without their support.” So many have lent a helping hand to the cause, including: children in the community who collected donations rather than gifts at their birthday parties, church groups/congregations and Vacation Bible School groups, local foundations, the Hartsville Women’s League, The Mantissa, De Baz, civic groups and corporations, F3 Hartsville, Coker College students, mission camps and youth groups, locals, Lowe’s, the Hartsville Chamber of Commerce, House of Hope, and nonprofit professionals. Of course, this is just a few who have contributed since the Center’s establishment. Herb Nicholson, of F3 Hartsville, shares his reasons for helping the family, “I’ve known Scottie for 20+ years and am glad to help her. In our F3 group, part of our mission is to give back to the community. The combination of knowing Scottie and looking for an opportunity to give back made the Center a perfect project to get involved with. What she’s doing with the Center is a worthwhile cause and a real need in our community.”

The Trent Hill Center will have a Grand Opening event on August 26^th with food, drinks, live music, and activities for kids and families. There will also be a tour of the Center for all to view and enjoy. In the meantime, they are graciously appreciating any and all monetary donations made to the Center. There are no worries as to achieving this goal, as has the spirit of quite the influential man as its foundation. “In our family, we know love… We know compassion. We know family and how vital it is to the well-being of each and every child. Through this organization, we can share that and try to make some small difference in the lives of local children and families.”

Their mission statement: “To provide trauma-informed care to our community’s most vulnerable children in a setting that fosters physical and emotional safety; intellectual and spiritual well-being; curiosity, creativity, and exploration. We provide services in partnership with individuals, families, and organizations within our local community.”

Moore Farms Botanical Garden

By Heather Page

Moore Farms Botanical Garden offers 65 acres of beautiful horticultural displays that serve for education, research and conservation, and community outreach. The Garden was founded in 2002 by South Carolina native Darla Moore as she began transforming her family’s croplands into a place of beauty. She quickly saw her gardens potential of being more than a personal place of refuge, but one she could share with visitors to enjoy and learn about horticulture. Ms. Moore was determined the garden “would become a gift to the ages – an enrichment to the lives of others.”

Fifteen years later, Moore Farms Botanical Garden (MFBG) has grown beyond expectation. Once carpeted with row crops, the garden is now flourishing with beautiful specialty gardens and blooming ornamental plants. Over the years, the living museum has been home to more than 6,000 unique plant taxonomy. These days the Garden’s collection consists mostly of plants that perform well in the southeast, specifically those that thrive in eastern South Carolina.

Aside from maintaining the entire 600 acre farm land, Moore Farms has a “fantastic partnership with both the City of Lake City and the Lake City Community Development Office to create landscapes downtown that both inspire and excite our residents,” says Rebecca Turk, Education and Events Manager of MFBG. “Being able to support our community by beautifying these public spaces is not only rewarding, but a large part of our mission.” Katie Dickson, Supervisor of Custodians for the downtown landscapes brags on her team, “Our staff works hard to create miniature Moore Farms throughout Lake City.”

The MFBG property has multiple events scheduled throughout the year for visitors to enjoy, as well as, adult and youth classes for those eager to learn. The Fire Tower Center located on site is available for rent to businesses, civic groups, garden clubs, or photography sessions. The “green” building offers modern architecture with a traditional Southern feel that makes it the perfect venue for professional events. With so much to offer in such unique atmosphere, it’s time to “Plan Your Visit!”

Green Practices & Land Management

For years the MFBG team has maintained a green roof garden on the maintenance facility building where they investigated which species performed well under South Carolina weather conditions. However, this roof doesn’t share the guidelines as typical green roofs across and outside of the country – it’s heavily maintained with annual plants, it’s irrigated as desired with recycled water, and the roof slope and depth are far greater than common green roofs. In March of 2015, the MFBG team broke ground on a green roof trial garden. Twelve structures measuring 10’ x 15’ were constructed to mimic the majority of green roofs commonly found in the industry. Their goal is to produce a proven plant list that can be recommended, with confidence, to the green roof industry and interested professionals for use on green roofs in Southeastern climates. The research gathered will help MFBG be the first institution that promotes good plant selection through green roof trials. To learn more on this topic, visit www.moorefarmsbg.org/green-roof-trial-garden/.

Water recycling is the most practical way for MFBG to properly hydrate plants. Since well and city water contain chemicals and minerals that could damage plants, cisterns sit throughout the property collecting clean rain water for plant irrigation. The entire MFBG property has slowly evolved into a ‘green’ space. The maintenance facility, built in 2011, is oriented to maximize the seasonal heating and cooling effects of the sun, and the Fire Tower Center operates on a geothermal system for its heating and cooling needs.

Forest and habitat restoration or farmland cover the 535 acres that surround the 65 acres of cultivated garden space. A recent habitat improvement program has restored this land back to a more natural and diverse state. Loblolly pines and other weedy species were replaced with thousands of long leaf pines, allowing native grasses and perennials to be reintroduced to the area that was once chocked with lespedeza and privet. “It’s an essential part of our mission to make sure this land is restored back to a more natural and diverse state,” says Turk.

Staff

The extensive property along with its outside services is maintained by a small staff with a tremendous work ethic. Administration, horticulturist, growers, and the maintenance crew work diligently on designing and creating spaces for visitors to marvel. “I love helping working on the Moore Farms property,” says Brendan Huggins, Horticulture Supervisor. “Compared to other gardens I’ve serviced, we are able to create new landscape designs opposed to only maintaining existing plants.”

Education

Grow to appreciate the natural world through Moore Farm Botanical Garden’s many educational classes and workshops. Their professional staff, first rate facilities, and beautiful setting offer the perfect learning environment for all ages.

Adult Classes:

June 3 – The Art and Science of Plant and Garden Photography

June 10 – Propagation 101

July 8 – Let’s Make Herbal Oils and Vinegars

July 20 – A Walk in the Tropics

July 29 – Gardening in the South

 

Family Programs:

July 17 – Spring Series: Gone Fishing

July 22 – Summer Series: Super Tasters

 

Youth Camps:

June 12-16 – Garden Explorers Camp

June 19-23 – Garden Detectives Camp

June 26-30 – Culinary Camp

Every Tuesday & Thursday, July 11-August 10 – Dig It! Garden Apprenticeship

 

Field Trips:

Schools are welcomed to bring students to experience a hands-on learning approach of the natural world at MFBG. School programs are led by a professional staff and cover a range of subjects that correlate with South Carolina Academic Standards. For more information, contact Kelli Meeker at kmeeker@moorefarmsbg.org.

Events

September 9 – MFBG 4th Annual Beer Fest from noon to 5:00 pm

Enjoy beers from over 35 local and regional craft brewers while listening to live music by the Jebb Mac Band. All ticket proceeds will be donated to the Florence County Disabilities Association. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at moorefarmsbg.org.

In recent years, the concerns about the health and vitality of Downtown Florence has shifted drastically. No longer is there a concern, but passion to continue seeing the growth and camaraderie from locals and business owners. Since 2011, 22 downtown properties have been transformed as a result of facade programs and maintenance and appearance codes, $960,000 in facade and redevelopment grant funding has been awarded to downtown business owners, and over $6 million has been awarded in incentives to major projects. Downtown Florence has seen over $130 million in public and private investments. In 2017 alone, $84 million will be invested in downtown expansions.

Groups of committed individuals have worked together to define a vision for downtown and with that comes a complete rebranding strategy. In April, city officials and Florence Downtown Development Corporation (FDDC) Board of Directors agreed upon a new city logo, as well as branding vision and mission statements with focuses on growth and prosperity. The tagline “FULL LIFE. FULL FORWARD.” sets the tone for what lies ahead for the City of Florence. With key objectives identified, the need to place an assertive and strong emphasis on the revitalization and redevelopment of downtown has been implemented into the success of Florence’s community.

Mission:

We are a beacon of progress. Our economy and social diversity offer boundless opportunities and enormous assets.

Vision:

To be a model community for the growth and prosperity of the State of South Carolina and the Southeast.

Values:

Progress. We take pride in our accomplishments, and we are dedicated to the future progress of our community.

Investment. Our community investment is about people. We believe in providing exceptional educational opportunities, superior healthcare services, and a culture and environment that promote a quality of life for everyone.

Community. We are a true community. A place where friendship and a genuine welcoming attitude create an enjoyable social environment and define our fullness of life.

Brand Position:

A beacon of progress, Florence is one of South Carolina’s most future-oriented communities. We are focused on being a model for growth and prosperity while ensuring a quality of life that is supported by exceptional education opportunities, superior healthcare services, ,and an enjoyable social environment. Progress, investment, and a strong sense of community define Florence – a place full of life.