We’re celebrating our 2nd anniversary
From the Director’s Corner
Palmetto Literacy Council is celebrating its two-year anniversary. How exciting! We could not have sustained our organization and growth without our FABULOUS volunteers.
Quick History
The idea of Palmetto Literacy Council was prompted by funding agencies in our area. The Chapin Foundation has really stayed true to their word to help us. They gave us our first grant to help seed the growth of Palmetto Literacy Council. We have also been fortunate to receive private donations and donations from businesses and other organizations.
We opened our doors on August 1, 2019. By January 1, 2020, we had 10 students being tutored regularly. By March 17, 2020, we had 22 students being tutored. We currently have 25 being tutored, with 10 new adult students who will start in mid-August and 10 students waiting for tutors. When the school year starts on August 17, we will have 35+ students being tutored. Who knew?
Covid took its toll on us and we had to let go of our part-time Administrative Assistant Jeanne Bogart due to lack of funding in September of 2020. Fortunately, we have had many people who have volunteered to help us out in the office.
The Dream
The story goes that the first three years of any business are the hardest. We’re two thirds through that! We are optimistic and know that many of our students have grown and learned. We have four students who were being pulled out of their classes for reading interventions and are now going back to the regular classroom for reading. One little girl, qualified for special educa- tion in reading, but demonstrated so much improvement in the past few months while being tutored, she no longer qualifies. We have parents reporting their children for the first time are read- ing for enjoyment.
These are the kind of stories we hear and it is why we exist. It warms my heart and keeps me going and my gratitude for all of our hard-working tutors is incredible. My dream was to have good people volunteer their time, donate, and work together as a team to make this dream come true. Let’s shoot for 100 students being tutored in Horry County together!
Dodi Hodges Executive Director
Dodi Hodges, Ph.D.
Executive Director
How You Can Support PLC
Individual membership: $25/year (Pays for materials for one student)
Business membership: $50/year (Pays for materials for two students)
Your business card will be featured in the newsletter and on our website Donate through palmettoliteracycouncil.org
What’s in the news?
Volunteers Liasons
Polly Putorti is our Conway area liaison and Linda Murphy is our Socastee area liaison.
Smile.Amazon.com
At the end of every quarter, plus 3 weeks, we get a small percentage of purchases made through smile.amazon.com. We want to also thank those of you who have designated us as your charity of choice on Amazon. Once you have designated your charity of choice, Palmetto Literacy Council, then you make any purchases you would normally make on Amazon, through the smile.amazon.com website. Amazon does not charge you extra and sends us a percentage of their profit on the items to us. Please sign up and make your Amazon purchases through smile.amazon.com to help us help our community.
PLC Book Lovers Book Club
Do you enjoy reading and discussing books with other bibliophiles? Then you might like to join the PLC Book Lovers Book Club. Patricia D’Ascoli will be organizing this monthly book club and would love to hear from those who are interest- ed. Proposed format: Each month the group will meet in one of the member’s homes. The mem- ber who is hosting that month will choose the book to read. Book clubs are a fun way to share your reading experiences with others! Tentative start date September.
Contact Patricia [email protected]
The Logophile – Preston McKeever-Floyd
Dog Days of Summer
Southern summers provide us with many and varied skyscapes and light shows; not the least of which are rainstorms and/or thunderstorms. There many who are fearful, while many are aficionados of both, and there is accompanying vocabulary. Those
I grew up hearing this term in the middle of summer, and in my youthful reasoning, noticed that the family pooch seemed to pant harder and seek more shade, so I concluded that it was referring to the heat being unbearable, even for a dog. While it is a reference to the hottest days of summer, July to August 11th, it has nothing to do with our favorite pet.
The dog in this phrase is the Dog Star, Sirius, a part of the constellation Canis Major, The Greater Dog. During this period in the summer, the sun and Sirius share the same heavenly zone, rising and setting simultaneously.
Sirius is the most luminous star and can be viewed globally. Because of its entanglement with the sun, particularly, on July 23rd, and its luminosity, the ancient Romans thought it emitted heat and added to the Sun’s heat, producing this extended period of oppressive heat, dubbing this period dies caniculares, “dog days.” (Farmers’ Almanac).
Featured Business Member of the Month
Inlet Queens
Inlet Queens is not your average consignment shop. In fact, it isn’t really a consignment shop at all, even though it has received several awards for “Consignment Shop of the Year.” So what exactly is Inlet Queens? According to its owner Mike Kelley, Inlet Queens is more like a coop, where the store’s vendors have a stake in the success of the business as well as a shared responsibility for running the store.
For many years Mike, who is a retired South Carolina Highway Patrol colonel, has had his own booth at Inlet Queens where he sells furniture he has restored. He decided to purchase Inlet Queens in 2018 with an eye toward improving the quality of merchandise being sold by vendors. He became more selective in those he rented booths to, seeking out vendors who sold unique items. Mike has been especially interested in having artists who sell original, handmade items.
“We now have higher-end merchandise than we did previously,” said Mike who lives in Murrells Inlet with his wife Bonnie.
The Inlet Queens motto is: “Be as unique as you can be.” In this spirit, Mike makes sure that vendors are mindful of others’ merchandise and try not to sell the same products, thereby reducing competition between vendors.
One glance at the Inlet Queens’ Facebook page confirms just how unique the store’s offerings are. In order to promote the merchandise in an equitable way, every Wednesday one item from each vendor is posted. A sampling includes furniture, hand-carved wooden décor, “beachy” décor, framed artwork, ceramics, antiques and vintage, signs, and jewelry. Literally something for everyone!
There is a sign at the register that reads: “Don’t have buyer’s remorse. What’s here today will be gone tomorrow.” Every day there is new inventory and turnaround is quick. Inlet Queens has many regular customers who visit the store weekly, all looking for that perfect item.
According to Bonnie, owning Inlet Queens has been the perfect retirement venture for Mike. Because the store runs like a coop and all the vendors take turns at the cash register, Mike’s role is to generally oversee the store operations, making sure everything runs smoothly. Bonnie, who tutors two students for Palmetto Literacy Council, manages the financial aspects of the store.
Mike says that many vendors have applied to rent booths at Inlet Queens. He would especially like to rent space to local artists and those who sell merchandise that is not manufactured, in keeping with the store’s mission to feature truly unique items.
In September, the store will be celebrating its ten-year anniversary and there are special events and promotions planned for each day during the week of September 12 through 18. These include an outdoor market, days with special food and drinks, and on Friday and Saturday, the store will provide wine and cheese to customers. Vendors will donate $10 gift cards and the store will award $50 gift cards to two lucky winners.
Inlet Queens is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 to 5:30 and Sunday from noon to 4:00. The store is located at 4905 U.S. 17 #5073 in Murrells Inlet. For more information, Mike can be reached at 843-299-1806.
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MISSION STATEMENT
To improve the literacy of youth and adults in our community by teaching/tutoring basic literacy skills for those who struggle with reading, writing and/or math.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIR: Dodi Hodges: [email protected]
VICE CHAIR: Shawna Roessler [email protected]
TREASURER: Maria Denney [email protected]
SECRETARY: Preston McKever-Floyd [email protected]
MEMBERS AT LARGE:
FUNDRAISING CO-CHAIRS: Patricia D’Ascoli [email protected], Stephanie Southworth [email protected]
TRAINING COORDINATOR: Carla Taylor [email protected]
MAILING ADDRESS: 1229 38TH Avenue North, #130 Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 1010 5th Avenue North Ext., Suite 101I Surfside Beach, SC 29575
FOR INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS:
OFFICE PHONE: 843-945-9278
OFFICE EMAIL: [email protected]
WEBSITE: www.palmettoliteracy.org
