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First row, ªl-r): Representatives Jenny Horne, Rita Allison, Deborah Long, Joan Brady, Laurie Funderburk, Chandra Dillard; Belinda Copeland, chair, South Carolina Joint Girl Scout Legislative Committee; Representatives Patsy Knight and Elizabeth Munnerlyn. Second row, l-r): Mary Winter Teaster, board chair, Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands; Loretta Graham, CEO, Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina; Kim Hutzell, president & CEO, Girl Scouts of South Carolina —Mountains to Midlands.At a breakfast meeting at the Blatt Building on Wednesday, May 23, 2012, the South Carolina General Assembly Women’s Caucus presented a resolution to all Girl Scouts of South Carolina on behalf of the entire South Carolina General Assembly.
As read by Representative
Laurie Funderburk, chair, SC General Assembly Women’s Caucus, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives recognized and congratulated the Girl Scouts on their 100th anniversary and designated the year 2012 as the Year of the Girl in South Carolina.
Stated Kim Hutzell, president & CEO, Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands, “It is with deep appreciation that we accept this resolution from our elected state officials on behalf of all girls in South Carolina. It is especially meaningful to have it read and presented by the Women’s Caucus because just one year ago its members came together to form the first-ever South Carolina Honorary Girl Scout Troop.” Given the troop number 1912 in recognition of the year Girl Scouts was founded, the membership is composed of all women in the House of Representatives.
Continues Hutzell, “For the 31,000 girl and adult members of Girl Scouts in the state of South Carolina, the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting gives us a unique platform from which to talk about one of the most pressing issues currently facing girls today – the fact that millions of our daughters, sisters, nieces, and students are not reaching their full potential as leaders in society and not becoming the leaders we need, and we know they can be, in business, government, not-for-profits, and in their own communities.”
For 100 years, Girl Scouting has helped girls develop positive values and become active, responsible leaders in their communities. With emphasis on personal growth and leadership development through service to others, Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of South Carolina- Mountains to Midlands serves approximately 12,600 girls, grades K5-12, and 5,000 adults in 22 counties of central and western South Carolina, including Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, and Union.
Candidates make their pitch at Fluor Field
8:57 PM, Apr. 27, 2012
By Ron Barnett | STAFF WRITER
Nineteen candidates for local, state and federal offices made their pitches to voters Friday at Fluor Field in a forum that was part tent revival, part carnival and all South Carolina political stump rally.
A crowd, most of them black voters, braved intermittent rain to hear from candidates in the June 12 primaries for County Council, state House and Senate, and Congress.
The event, sponsored by Cox Media Group and promoted by its local radio stations, Hot 98.1, Chuck 97.7, and 107.3 JAMZ, offered people a chance not only to hear from the candidates but also to register to vote and try out electronic voting machines, manned by the staff of the Greenville County Elections Commission.
The League of Women Voters and several other nonpartisan groups had booths set up to promote voter education.
“So often, they vote on the person they know, that they’re most familiar with, that they’re most comfortable with,” the Rev. James Nesbitt, chairman of Pastors United for Action, one of the organizers of the event, told GreenvilleOnline.com.
“But we feel it’s imperative that you really know what they’re about, and are they going to work for you.”
Incumbent House District 23 Rep. Chandra Dillard got the crowd fired up when she hopped up on the roof of the dugout along the third base line.
“You know in 2008 when I was elected to the state House it was the year of hope and change,” she said. “We have moved forward with hope and change.”
She cited her work in improving affordable housing opportunities and drew a round of applause when she talked about her plan to create a credit union for low-income people.
D.C. Swinton, challenging Dillard for that seat, correctly predicted that the rain would start while he was speaking.
He moved into the stands and under an umbrella to continue talking about his education reform plans, which include reducing the number of school districts to save money that he said could be better used for other educational purposes.
He also outlined his plan to start a statewide recycling program that he said would create “tens of thousands” of jobs while saving resources.
In the House District 25 race, Tony Boyce focused on reviving education, which he said “is not dead. It’s just on life support.”
Selden Peden, also contending in that race, spoke of tax incentives to attract businesses to the low-income district as well as improving education and health insurance.
Leola Robinson-Simpson, a four-term Greenville County School Board member who opted to run for the House 25 seat rather than seek re-election, said she’s the one among the group who best knows about education.
“Most of you know me, you grew up with me,” she said. “And you know I’m a fighter.”
Karl Allen, the incumbent in the Houser 25 seat who is seeking to move up to the Senate in District 7, had numerous supporters wearing campaign T-shirts and holding up signs as he spoke.
He pointed to the endorsement by the incumbent senator, Ralph Anderson, and said he would continue economic development and working to help the poor.
The Rev. Ennis Fant, a former House member, pledged to reduce unemployment among blacks by 50 percent during his first term and said he would prefile legislation that would require the state to fund Medicaid at federally mandated levels.
Greenville City Councilwoman Lillian Brock Flemming touted her role in the city’s progress in the West End in recent years, including the bringing in the baseball stadium where the event was held, and said she would work to improve education.
Two Democrats running for Congress in the 4th Congressional District spent most of their time taking aim at the Republican incumbent, Trey Gowdy.
“I’m just a regular down-to-earth person trying to be a public servant,” Deb Morrow said.
Jimmy Tobias, who urged people to go to his campaign website to read his Pawn Shop Preacher Blog, said he wants to legalize marijuana and use the tax money it would raise to save Social Security.
- AP State – Wire – SC – Wire – State & Regional – WireWednesday, Mar. 14, 2012
- Women Who Lead, Greenville Magazine, March 2012
- Greenville Magazine, “Grading Greenville,” September 2007
Greenville Magazine, "Young Gifted & Black," June 2005
