Category: Business

story by Jordan Pupa

    It is true that little minds have big ideas and entrepreneurship can start early on. For second grader Halle Belle McCutchen, it all started with a love for jewelry and beading, an activity she could partake in after school and on weekends. In August of 2018, Halle Belle started “Belles Beads” where she specializes in the design and creation of fashionable bracelets and necklaces, including custom pieces, that she can share with ladies and children. 

    Halle Belle’s specialty is creating bracelets that can be worn as a single or that can be stacked. Her newest collection, “Like Mama,” consists of custom-made bracelets for mothers and daughters, because what little one doesn’t want to be just “Like Mama?” Of course, Belles Beads wouldn’t be possible without supervision from Mom. Joanie McCutchen shares, “Halle Belle has always been crafty and has to keep her hands busy. Her love for beading and creating her own style of jewelry doesn’t come as a surprise, as she has always loved jewelry and marched to the beat of her own drum.”

    The sky is the limit for Belles Beads, as she is just getting started. Halle Belle’s wheels are forever turning. “She is always eager to get home from school to see what new supplies the mail man has brought so she can create something new, but of course after homework and studies,” shares Joanie. “At the pace Halle Belle is going right now I don’t see her slowing down. Belles Beads has been a wonderful outlet for Halle Belle and she plans to continue as long as her little heart desires.”

 To check out what Belles Beads has to offer or to make a purchase, visit @belles_beads on Facebook and Instagram. Belles Beads can also be purchased at Turner & Scoot, a women’s clothing boutique located at 208 N. Main Street in Bishopville.

Florence County First Steps

    Florence County First Steps (FCFS) held its annual FY18 meeting at the Florence County Library on December 11, 2018. FCFS is a non-profit that offers assistance to low-income families and helps provide financial assistance to send children to experienced day cares. FCFS’s vision is that every child in Florence County will be prepared for success in school. Executive Director Spencer R. Scott started off the meeting with an overview of last year’s accomplishments.

    Last year, FCFS provided 42 children with scholarship assistance so their parents could work or attend school with the Child Care Scholarship Program. The Child Care Training Program provided 27 early childhood staff with high quality training, and 366 children across 17 programs had access to teachers that were trained through FCFS. The Quality Enhancement program provided $5,967 in materials grants to participating childcare providers. Finally, the Parenting Program served 45 children and 45 families. 1,450 hours were spent in homes with families.

    Scott then awarded a certificate to Katie Godwin, whose daughter, Officer Farrah Turner, was fatally wounded in the October 3rd ambush. The certificate stated that First Steps has created The Farrah Turner Scholarship Award, which will be given to a child from birth-to-three years of age who meets the First Steps requirements. The scholarship is valued at approximately $5,200 per child.

    First Steps also revealed their winners for the Terrific Toddlers Baby Contest. The King was Mr. Mark Keeson McClain, Jr., son of Keyha Johnson and Mark E. McClain. The Queen was Miss Karleigh N. Ray, daughter of Jasmine Scott and Karl Ray. The King and Queen were both given a crown and will be on future promotional material for First Steps.

    Musical performances were given by Precious One Learning Center and Live Love Grow Learning Center. The meeting concluded with the Florence County Children’s Library reading several books to the children, including Pete the Cat Saves Christmas. The meeting concluded with a special guest, Mickey Mouse, for the children.

For information related to Florence County First Steps, contact Spencer R. Scott at 843-629-0202.

story by Margie Whitehall

    Instead of eating fast food and commercially prepared foods, we can instead eat freshly prepared ones that contain wholesome ingredients similar to those our great-grandparents would have eaten. Lucky for us, SC Real Foods in Florence can keep us thinking and feeling healthy, as they are committed to offering the very best in their bakery and market. SC Real Foods carries ready-to-eat meal prep dishes sold a la carte, by the pound, as well as specialty bakery goods – made from scratch with wholesome real food ingredients. They also carry organic groceries, as well as local eggs, meat, dairy, and produce.

    Previous owners of Pee Dee Christian Book & Supply, Andrew & Valerie Criswell, own and operate SC Real Foods and LIGHT Farms, which is a completely organic operation where the animals are all pasture raised and free range, and never fed artificial hormones or antibiotics. Val was diagnosed with hypothyroid disease in 2009. She inquired of the Lord, who told her that her healing was through obedience of the types of food she was eating. She bought a grain mill and began preparing all of the family’s baked goods from fresh-ground flour. She immediately began to feel better and over the course of the next year, she slowly began replacing more and more of the processed foods in her diet with real food. Within a year, she was completely healed and was able to come off of the thyroid medication. After selling bulk purchases of real food products through Pee Dee Christian Book & Supply, SC Real Foods was born in 2011.

    SC Real Foods showcases their menu online, including specific dietary details. Different meals accommodate dietary demands, including meals that may be dairy free, gluten free, and grain free. Some are also low carb, keto and diabetic-friendly, as well as vegan and vegetarian. All of their bakery and market items are made from scratch in their on-site kitchen by professionally trained chefs, full-time bakers, and kitchen staff who share one thing in common- they all love food and enjoy preparing it for others! Real & Ready Meal Prep foods are conveniently sold by the pound in individual-serve microwavable containers, making it easier to maintain a certain diet while living a busy lifestyle. In fact, they have logged 260 different menu items, between the bakery and ready-made foods, in which they constantly rotate. The SC Real Foods’ kitchen staff puts out new menu items daily, so be sure to check their website to see what’s available. You won’t want to miss out on their Butternut Squash & Apple Soup, Spaghetti Squash Lasagna, Shredded Beef Barbacoa, Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, and other tasty crowd favorites!

    Don’t be frustrated if you don’t know how to cook a certain way or know where to find certain ingredients. SC Real Foods serves regular people that just want to eat better and gives them access to a wide variety of better tasting products. They are a place that the community can walk into and purchase homemade wholesome food that their family will love. Their friendly, knowledgeable staff is dedicated to providing value for their customers. So, what are you waiting for? Visit SC Real Foods today for homemade, high-quality, fresh and delicious meals

   LIGHT Farms in Lamar is all about growing healthy real food that honors God by honoring his creation through the use of organic self-sustaining methods. Andrew and Valerie Criswell own and operate LIGHT Farms, which works side by side with their retail store, SC Real Foods, to deliver TRUE “Farm to Table” food that not only tastes great, but is healthy too!

    Neither Andrew nor Valerie has a background or education in agriculture, but they built a premiere farm that focuses on sustainability practices, preservation of heritage breed animals, and exercising dominion over the land for God’s purposes. At LIGHT Farms, they grow organically. They do not use any pesticides or herbicides. They farm pork, beef and eggs. All of LIGHT Farms’ animals are Heritage Breeds which are on the conservation list. This not only helps preserve these breeds, but creates more flavorful and nutritious products than their traditionally farmed counterparts. LIGHT Farms ensures their locally grown and locally prepared food  is available for its immediate community. The way their food is grown and prepared makes all the difference.

Citizens Bancshares Corporation Completes Merger with Regional Bankshares, Inc.

    Citizens Bancshares Corporation announced that the merger of Regional Bankshares, Inc. into Citizens Bancshares Corporation and the merger of Regional’s subsidiary, Heritage Community Bank, into Citizens’ subsidiary, The Citizens Bank, was effective Friday, November 30, 2018.

    “The Citizens Bank and Heritage Community Bank are an excellent fit for each other and will be even better together as we strengthen our presence in eastern South Carolina,” said H. Blake Gibbons, Jr., President of Citizens Bancshares Corporation. “We look forward to serving Heritage Community Bank customers and leveraging our stability and product base so that, together, we can build on an already solid foundation.” 

    On November 5, 2018, the shareholders of Hartsville, S.C.-based Regional Bankshares, Inc., voted to approve the merger agreement with Olanta, S.C.-headquartered Citizens Bancshares Corporation. The merger was previously approved by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions.

    The three Heritage Community Bank locations in Hartsville, Camden and McBee, will operate as offices of The Citizens Bank. In addition to the former Heritage Community Bank locations, Citizens operates 16 branches in Florence, Georgetown, Clarendon, Lee, Sumter, Dorchester and Williamsburg counties in South Carolina.

    Founded in 1943, The Citizens Bank is a subsidiary of Citizens Bancshares Corporation.  With completion of the merger, Citizens Bancshares Corporation has total assets of approximately $540 million.

Honda of South Carolina Expands Facility

    Honda of South Carolina has worked diligently to expand their facility and the reason why is finally here – production of the All-New Talon 1000X and Talon 1000R. The two models are the best-built, best-engineered vehicles in their class, taking rider comfort, balanced performance, and build quality to the next level. Both the Talon 1000X and the Talon 1000R share the same powerful, high-output engine, Automatic DCT Transmission, and I-4WD technology package. 

    While they are similar, they do take different approaches to hardcore off-roading.

    The Talon 1000R has a longer wheelbase, a wider vehicle track, and more suspension travel. It’s a perfect match for riders who tackle rugged, high-speed terrain. The Talon 1000X is 64 inches wide and has an 87.6-inch wheelbase. It also uses a three-link rear suspension, which makes it a natural for owners who prioritize maneuverability and quick handling. Either way, you really can’t go wrong when you choose a Honda Talon!