Tag: Community

South Carolina lieutenant governor visits Summerville YMCA

By Anna Harris, originally published by WCSC Live 5 News on April 24, 2025

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) – South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette says the YMCA has played a crucial role in her work and personal life, which led her to take a trip to Summerville’s YMCA on Thursday.

She says the YMCA is a huge help to young people looking to get a job, especially those in high school, and helps make community connections stronger, like at The Ponds in Summerville.

Evette visited one of the three YMCA locations in Summerville to learn more about their programs. In the past, she says she’s visited a location in Florence, Myrtle Beach and even the national organization in Washington, D.C.

In the Lowcountry, Evette has worked with the Y to bring a portable pool to communities like Walterboro and St. George over the past few years. And she says the programs the Y offers are important to the youth as they allow them to learn soft skills.

“School is going to be coming to an end, and parents need to know what they can do with their children during the day,” Evette said. “A safe place, a learning place, a place their kids will have fun and want to come every day. And the Y fills that gap also.”

Plus, she says the Y benefits seniors as they’re able to find new friends and keep up with their social life.

And at The Ponds’ YMCA, a new “Y on the Fly” bus is taking those kinds of programs and bringing them on the go. This new addition came from a $50,000 donation from Boeing.

Evette says anyone with this access is able to succeed.

“Ronald Reagan had his first job as a lifeguard here with the Y,” Evette said. “Walt Disney lived at the Y while he was designing and creating some of his most iconic characters. And so, the Y has a long-standing reputation of being a staple in every community. And so, it’s important to let people know the resources they have right here under this roof.”

Evette says youth and government are headed by the Y. So, it’s important for the younger generation to get involved in government and learn how to vote.

And although she has not officially filed, Evette did mention she is still strongly considering running for governor.

Click here to learn more about the YMCA at The Ponds and to get involved with their programs.

Lt. Gov. Evette, Vision to Learn celebrate program’s impact on students’ vision care

By Brandon Roberts; Originally posted in the Summerville Journal Scene,

Event at Fort Dorchester Elementary highlights efforts in South Carolina

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Vision to Learn President Ann Hollister attended a special event Friday, March 14, at Fort Dorchester Elementary School, celebrating the nonprofit’s success in providing vision care to children across South Carolina.

During the event, Evette and Hollister helped 20 students at the school try on their new glasses for the first time. This moment marked a milestone for Vision to Learn’s South Carolina program, which has provided more than 30,000 vision screenings, 12,000 eye exams and 10,000 pairs of glasses to students in need, all at no cost to the child or their family.

“Education is the gateway to success, and for students with vision issues, glasses are the gateway to learning,” Evette said. “I’m proud to partner with Vision to Learn to help ensure our children have access to the eye care they need to reach their full potential.”

Since its launch in 2021, Vision to Learn has expanded its reach in South Carolina, assisting students in Charleston and Dorchester counties. The program serves as one of the state’s most comprehensive school-based initiatives for children’s eye care.

“Vision to Learn has been a game changer for students in Dorchester County,” said Dorchester School District Two Interim Superintendent Chad Dougherty. “By providing eye exams and glasses to students where they are every day – at their neighborhood school – this effort has delivered access to care that was sorely lacking for many of our students.”

Vision to Learn, a national nonprofit founded in 2012, seeks to address the disparity in access to eye care, especially in low-income communities. According to the organization, about 1-in-4 children need glasses, but many go without the proper care. In South Carolina alone, an estimated 100,000 students lack the necessary glasses.

“More than 3 million children across the country go to school every day without the glasses they need,” said Vision To Learn Founder Austin Beutner. “Every child in every school, everywhere in the country, should have the glasses they need to succeed in school and in life.”

For more information on Vision to Learn and its programs, visit www.visiontolearn.org

Charleston celebrates Chanukah in the Square with special visits from state representatives

by Emma Charles, originally posted Dec 30, 2024 by WCBD News 2

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — Monday night, the Lowcountry celebrated Charleston’s 17th annual Chanukah in the Square.

“Chanukah is one of those holidays that brings out the light and we’re lucky to do that every year,” said Rabbi Yossi Refson.

The Center for Jewish life puts on Chanukah in the Square every year to celebrate the Jewish Holiday. Charleston has a history of religious tolerance which is one of the reasons the event takes place in Marion Square in the heart of the city.

“Charleston has a wonderful history of religious tolerance and Chanukah is the holiday where we celebrate our religious freedom and we celebrate it publicly we can celebrate our traditions here in Marion square the most public place in Charleston,” said Refson.

There is traditional food, live music and decorations as the low country celebrates Chanukah. South Carolina leaders spoke at the event including representative Nancy Mace, State Attorney General Alan Wilson, and Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette

“It’s great we can all celebrate together. Everybody of all faiths coming together and standing in solidarity to make sure we can worship freely: that’s what this country is based on. That’s why my grandparents came here, they said this is the best place in the world. You can worship any way you want; you can be anything you want here in the United States and that’s what this shows. Here in South Carolina, we’re special, we don’t let hatred, and we don’t let racism cast a dark shadow over our state,” said Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette.

State Attorney General Alan Wilson said this event is an opportunity to show support for the Jewish community in South Carolina.

“This Jewish community is one of the oldest Jewish communities in the United States of America and we come from different faiths and different traditions, but we have a shared history we have a shared value system and being down here to support this community and rededicate ourselves as we go into 2025 is a real special thing for me,” said Wilson.

Recycling just got easier in South Carolina with a ‘powerful’ new app

by Zach Rainey, originally posted by WYFF 4 on November 15, 2024

Recycling just got easier in South Carolina with the launch of a new mobile app.

The app was developed through a partnership between the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, Palmetto Pride and the South Carolina Beverage Association.

The app will be called Recycle Here SC and it will help consolidate information for residents on what, where, and how to recycle different items at different locations across the state.

“While our web-based tool that provides recycling information has been extremely successful, this new app – which is one of the first of its kind nationwide – will make access to recycling information more convenient, reduce confusion, and lessen contamination of recyclable materials,” said Myra Reece, SCDES Interim Director. “This app will also support South Carolina’s efforts to achieve a goal of recycling 50% of the state’s municipal solid waste by 2030.”

Officials said the biggest challenge faced by recycling programs is contamination, which is placing items that can’t be recycled into a recycling bin.

“With the launch of the Recycle Here SC app, we’re equipping South Carolinians with a powerful tool to make recycling more accessible and efficient,” said Lt. Governor Pamela Evette. “Since much of the litter in our communities consists of items that could have been recycled, this initiative will also play a key role in reducing litter across our state.”

The Recycle Here SC app lists all the recycling programs in the state and allows residents to:

  • Search for recycling locations and programs within their counties;
  • Filter locations based on items needing to be recycled;
  • Search and sign up for notifications about special collection events (such as household hazardous waste take-back days, paper shredding days, and electronic collection events);
  • Learn about recycling, composting, litter prevention, and waste reduction programs led by SCDES and Palmetto Pride; and
  • Find out how to properly dispose of other material.

The application is meant to complement pre-existing mobile apps that some counties already have, as it focuses on information for the state instead of the county level.

For residents without the ability to use a mobile app, they can continue to use SCDES Where to recycle webpage at des.sc.gov/recycleheresc.

Officials said funding for the app was provided through the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Recycle Here SC’s launch coincides with America Recycles Day on Nov. 15 and is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Recovery Centers of America launches outpatient treatment programs

Originally posted in the Greenville Journal on June 20, 2024 by Megan Fitzgerald

Recovery Centers of America now offers outpatient services out of its newly expanded treatment facility in Greenville. 

A ribbon cutting for the new 6,100-square-foot outpatient facility was held June 19. The facility is located at 47 Fisherman Lane.

“RCA plays a crucial role in healing those affected by substance use disorder in our community by providing essential support on their path to recovery,” said Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette during the ribbon cutting.

RCA at Greenville provides comprehensive addiction treatment services. Its new outpatient treatment services include two program options: 

  1. Partial hospitalization program – A program for people struggling with addiction but do not require hospitalization or inpatient treatment.
  2. Intensive outpatient program – A program for people wanting to work on recovery while maintaining a job, family and other commitments 

Through the partial hospitalization program, patients meet at the Greenville treatment facility five days a week for 6.5 hours each day. They receive group therapy, individual sessions, family therapy and medical interventions. 

The intensive outpatient program has the same structured routine as the other outpatient program but doesn’t require attendance in a full-day program. Patients meet three times a week, morning or evening, for three hours each day.

“Our dedicated team of talented medical professionals is committed to delivering personalized treatment and support to every individual we serve,” said Lisa Goodnough, CEO of RCA at Greenville. “Together, we are making a profound difference in the lives of those seeking recovery and healing.”

RCA opened its Greenville center in September 2023 to help patients recover from addiction. The facility’s second tower recently opened in April, adding 28 additional inpatient beds. 

For more information on RCA, visit recoverycentersofamerica.com/locations/greenville. 

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