Escapism: The Ultimate in Social Distancing – Our Trip to Pilot Mountain State Park

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By Mark A. Leon

A Personal Escape

It was a view from the top of the world. High atop the mountains of Western Carolina, we could see the greenest of trees, the bluest of mountains, and the most beautiful flowers. It was pure bliss.

Pilot Mountain State Park is located 11 miles outside of Mount Airy, North Carolina, the birthplace of famed actor Andy Griffith. We want to share a photographic journey of our day of escapism and discovery.

Why Hike to the Peaks of the Sky?

For so many of us, we have begun to feel trapped, isolated and in some cases depressed, but with the right precautions and a little careful planning, there is a world waiting for us filled with fresh air, natural beauty, exercise, and a sense of recharging.

This was our day to recharge, find balance once again, and remind ourselves of the beauty all around.

We hope after you see these images, you are inspired to grab someone you love, the family of yourself and discover a new place of wonder and allow yourself to find inner and outer happiness and balance.

GALLERY

Andy Griffith Childhood Home

It’s time to hit the road

Letter to Staff: Sudden Passing of Bill Hall, Founder, Hall Management Group

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Dear Team,

It is with great sadness that I need to inform you of the passing of our founder, leader, encourager, and friend, Mr. Bill Hall.  Mr. Hall died unexpectedly this morning.  His family, friends, colleagues, and I are devastated.  

Mr. Hall leaves a legacy that is hard to capture in this brief message.  From the west coast of the United States to the east coast here in Charleston, Mr. Hall built opportunity for people, families, and communities.  His vision for the future always stretched us and made us better. 

Thankfully, Mr. Hall always planned ahead and he has grown a great team at Hall Management Group and each of our 8 venues.  Together, we will continue to operate in his honor and serve our customers with the kind of generosity and excellence he demonstrated throughout the course of his life.

Please pray for comfort for the Hall family.  This loss is such a shock.  He was the cornerstone of his family.  A husband, father, grandfather.  To us, Mr. Hall was so much more than just a boss.  Many of us loved him in a way that is hard to describe.  

Please press on today in his honor.  We will provide you with more information once it is available. 

Jim Wahlstrom

Director of Human Resources and Operations

Hall Management Group

Charleston, SC Based Efferent Labs and Gore Announce Development Collaboration

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CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Efferent Labs and W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) today announced a collaboration to explore implantable biosensing for long-term chronic disease management. In part, Gore will incorporate its advanced materials into Efferent’s Cytocomm implantable biosensor to explore the ability to enrich the cellular environment, and ultimately, increase the useful life of implanted cells in Efferent’s biosensor platform.

“We are very excited to join forces with a material sciences company like Gore, with their history of developing cutting edge materials for the life science industry,” said Bill Rader, CEO at Efferent. “We feel that they have the proper resources to help us continuously evolve the cellular environment in our implantable biosensor technology for use in both animal research and our future applications in human therapeutics.” “This collaborative effort is an inspiring opportunity to contribute Gore’s advanced material and biointerface capabilities to support

Efferent Labs’ mission to offer in vivo real-time monitoring for patients in need,” said Justin Skaife, Ph.D., Exploratory Research Leader at Gore. Efferent Labs, based in Charleston, S.C., with operations in Buffalo, N.Y., is engaged in the development and commercialization of their Cytocomm implantable biosensor for use in pre-clinical animal research.

Their technology will lower costs associated with animal research by >20% and provide researchers with real-time data at the cellular level. The company is currently on track to commercialize their first biosensor platform, Cytocomm, in mid-2021. Media Contact:

Matthew E. Colpoys, Jr.
President & COO, Efferent
mcolpoys@efferentlabs.com 
716-536-2971

Charleston, SC Based Blackbaud Appoints Michael Boulware Moore as First Diversity and Inclusion Executive

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CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good, today announces Michael Boulware Moore as the global cloud software company’s first Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

Moore joined Blackbaud in early 2020 following his tenure as the founding president and CEO of the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC, which is located on the former Gadsden’s Wharf – where almost half of all enslaved Africans took their first steps in America. For the museum, Moore led the $125 million capital fundraising effort, hired a world-class staff, and was responsible for managing the curation of the museum experience. Before serving as CEO of the International African American Museum, Moore spent over two decades as an accomplished marketing and advertising executive working with global brands, including Coca-Cola, Glory Foods, and Kraft as well as several successful entrepreneurial ventures. Moore is also an accomplished author and keynote speaker as well as a thought leader on a number of subjects including social justice and African American history.  

“Our vision at Blackbaud is to power an Ecosystem of Good® that builds a better world – a world that is inclusive and accepting of all,” said Maggie Driscoll, Chief People Officer, Blackbaud. “Like so many companies, we are continually evaluating our progress toward fulfilling that vision and evolving our approach to ensure we’re creating a culture consistent with who we are as an employer, technology leader, and community steward. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome Michael as our first leader completely dedicated to diversity and inclusion. He is a proven leader and advocates for social justice, who will take diversity and inclusion at Blackbaud to the next level.”

Blackbaud’s commitment to diversity is focused and continually expanding effort spanning education, awareness, recruitment, empowerment, community involvement, and financial support. Blackbaud has employee-led affinity groups that serve to empower and develop personal and professional growth in all employees. Blackbaud’s culture has received national recognition, including Forbes 2020 and 2018 Best Employers for Women, Forbes’ 2019 and 2018 America’s Best Employers for Diversity list, Forbes’ Best Midsize Employers list for four years and AnitaB.org’s list of Top Companies for Women Technologists for the past two years.

“I have dedicated much of my life to social justice and telling the untold stories of our history and how it’s shaping our present,” said Moore. “I believe in Blackbaud’s mission of empowering and connecting people through technology to drive impact for social good and am inspired by the culture we have built. The power of diversity and inclusion and the impact it can have on the culture, values, and growth of our business is exciting. I look forward to taking all that is already in place and evolving it as we continue to look deeply as a society and company at what a truly inclusive culture looks like.”  

Moore earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Syracuse University and holds his MBA from Duke University. He currently serves on the boards of St. Mark’s School in Southborough, MA, Nation United Foundation, Reconstruction Beaufort, and Penn Center, the first school for African Americans in the Confederate south. Moore lives with his family in a suburb of Charleston, SC.

About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good. Serving the entire social good community—nonprofits, higher education institutions, K–12 schools, healthcare organizations, faith communities, arts and cultural organizations, foundations, companies, and individual change agents—Blackbaud connects and empowers organizations to increase their impact through cloud software, services, expertise, and data intelligence. The Blackbaud portfolio is tailored to the unique needs of vertical markets, with solutions for fundraising and CRM, marketing, advocacy, peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate social responsibility, school management, ticketing, grantmaking, financial management, payment processing, and analytics. Serving the industry for more than three decades, Blackbaud is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, and has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit  www.blackbaud.com, or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Media Inquiries
media@blackbaud.com 

Charleston, South Carolina updating city plan, seeks input

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Charleston is asking for input on the city’s comprehensive plan to help guide decisions on such issues as development, housing, transportation and land use, the city said in a news release.

The planning process occurs every 10 years in each municipality in South Carolina, and it includes public input. The city is starting the process on Thursday with a Housing Lab, which will be the first of several public meetings.

“Our goal with the city plan is to weave together recommendations from a whole host of recent plans and studies with the expertise of our community and rigorous research and analysis to create one unified vision for the future of Charleston,” Charleston planning director Jacob Lindsey said in a news release.

The city will make recommendations from the planning process after collecting information from the community and using data and decisions by the city’s staff centered on 10 issues: population, economic development, natural resources, cultural resources, community facilities, housing, land use, transportation, priority investment and resilience.

“Public participation is needed to ensure the plan reflects citizens’ vision for Charleston’s future, including ways to strengthen residential neighborhoods, improve transportation, increase affordable housing, address drainage and flooding, preserve the city’s diverse cultural fabric and improve quality of life for everyone,” the city said in a news release.

Source Link

Charleston, SC Based Joíí Barley Water Announces Launch (Plant-Based Hydration)

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CHARLESTON, S.C.– Joíí Barley Water, a new line of functional waters powered by the ancient superfood barley grain, offers a new, refreshing beverage that satisfies cravings for plant-based hydration while quenching thirst and nourishing the body.  Joíí Barley Water beverages are made with organic, non-GMO barley grains and flavored with fresh juices, botanicals, and adaptogens for an extra wellness punch.

Rooted in Ayurvedic medicine, barley water has traditionally been consumed around the world for its various health benefits and natural healing powers.  Barley water is packed with essential vitamins and nutrients and is touted to promote digestion, preserve skin elasticity, boost the immune system, and support heart & kidney health.  Choosing a beneficial beverage is easy with Joíí’s three delicious flavors, named after their enhanced functionality: DIGESTION (Orange with Ginger, Turmeric, & Rose), ZEN (Lemon with Ginger & Orange Blossom), and DETOX (Lime with Matcha & Liquid Chlorophyll).

“Think of a Sports drink meets Tea, except everything is NATURAL. None of these weird “natural flavors” or any gross preservatives.  Our beverages are made with all-natural ingredients, providing all-natural benefits…oh, and it tastes DELICIOUS, too!”, explains founder, Lauren Kennedy.

Within each 12 ounce bottle, you’ll receive 2 g Fiber + 2 g Protein. And, get this, all with ONLY 7 g Sugar & 60 Calories!

Joíí fills a great need in today’s market for a healthy, non-carbonated, plant-based beverage.  It is the only one of its kind in the U.S. and provides health-conscious consumers an alternative to tea, ACV, and kombucha.

In addition to providing functional health benefits, Joíí aims to spread joy to others and raise awareness for mental health issues by donating a portion of their profits to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.

For More Information:
https://joiibarleywater.com

Announcement of Army Veteran Tyler Moyer’s Joining Charleston, SC Based ExtraHourz’s Executive Team

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CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ExtraHourz (the “Company”) is proud to announce that Tyler Moyer joined the Company’s executive team as Vice President of Sales and Business Development.  Tyler is a highly experienced, successful, and well-regarded tech entrepreneur in Austin, Texas.  Tyler is an Army veteran having served 12 years in the US Army with two combat deployments and has earned the Bronze Star Medal. 

He transitioned from the Army in 2015 and founded two tech startup companies in Austin, Texas.  Tyler has dedicated the past 5 years working and expanding the Austin startup ecosystem through veteran, socially impacted, and minority organizations.  He strives to lower the barrier of entry for those whose dream is to create their own business to better the community and improve the lives of others. As the Vice President in Sales and Business Development,

Tyler’s responsibilities include the development and execution of the Company’s national sales and new market expansion programs.

Kaylynn Kim, CEO, and Founder of ExtraHourz, said: “We are pleased with Tyler’s decision to join our Company as Vice President of Sales and Business Development.  He has significant business experience and expertise in technology startups with an emphasis on partnering and customer relationships.  He is a goal-oriented individual with a proven track record of creating highly engaged teams in the socially responsible best practices, which ideally suits Tyler to the Company’s strong culture. I look forward to working with him and the Executive Team to take ExtraHourz to the next level of growth and development.”

Tyler said, “I couldn’t be more excited about joining the ExtraHourz team, to be able to contribute to shaping the future of people and culture at a company that is clearly poised for huge success. I’m looking forward to all that’s to come and to working with each one of you.”

About ExtraHourz

ExtraHourz is a Charleston-based, women-owned tech company founded by Kaylynn Kim, a former Los Angeles based corporate lawyer and entrepreneur. The company is dedicated to creating a breakthrough in the digital staffing solutions to help businesses adapt to today’s workplace which rapidly evolving with gig-minded, new generation workers.  For more information visit www.ExtraHourz.com

Media Contact: 
Constance Kolakowski
Info@extrahourz.com

Charleston Spotlight: The Beautiful Photographic Imagery of Alexandra Rostad (Little Runaway Photography)

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We look for the beauty of Charleston and those that capture the essence of imagination, creativity, heart, and true soul of the Lowcountry and the people that bring it to life.

Alexandra embodies that generous soul with an eye for capturing and sharing the true wonder of the goodness of life fulfilled in her imagery. Let us learn a little bit more about Alexandra and absorb a sample of her works

About Alexandra Rostad – Little Runaway Photography

My name is Alexandra. I love traveling, reading, kickboxing, taking photos, and hanging out with my dogs. I’m creative, honest, hard-working, and a little too sarcastic. I currently am residing in South Carolina. but I’m a wanderer so I can never stay in one place too long.

My two dogs, Grey and Clementine, are often forced to be my models when we are out exploring new areas of South Carolina together.

I am originally from a small town in Minnesota but over the years have lived in several states. My siblings and I are actually spread out across the country. I’m a huge movie nerd, and like most people nowadays, I love Netflix.  I’m a lot older than I look.  I love camping and outdoor adventures. 

I love ALL creatures from spiders to elephants. I’ve actually held a tarantula!

A long time dream of mine had been to travel to Ireland, I was finally able to cross that off my bucket list last May!

I’ve been taking photos since I was able to hold a camera. 

I love getting people excited and happy to have their photo or their pet’s photo taken.  

I love meeting amazing couples/families and taking photos that they will be holding onto for the rest of their lives. If only for a day, become part of their family.​

My credo: CREATE. EXPLORE. INSPIRE

Northwoods Mall Cinema in North Charleston has re-opened

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As of August 14, 2020, the Northwoods Mall has re-opened its doors to patrons.

Those long awaiting the return of the full cinema experience in the Lowcountry, the wait is over

Current Movies and Showtimes

Location: 2181 Northwoods Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29406

Note: The last showtime is 7:30 everyday

Prices

  • Matinees All Seats Between 12:01 PM – 5:00 PM – $8.00
  • Evenings Adults $11.00
  • Children $8.00
  • Seniors & Military $9.00
  • 3D Features – An additional $2.00
  • Early Bird Specials Saturday and Sunday shows starting before noon $6.00

Embrace Free Will and Change: Shape the Legacy You Will Become – Commentary

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By Mark A. Leon

  • Girls become women; women become wives; wives become mothers
  • Boys become men; men become husbands; husbands become fathers 

In a perfect world, that would be a life fulfilled

Unfortunately, the world isn’t perfect. It has jaded edges that cut and bleed.  There is cancer, accidents, hatred, terror, harm, and fear.  They can all bring us down in an instant.  An instant when a world is shattered and shortened

How many times have we uttered the phrase, “Life is short” insert the rest?  More importantly, how often do we heed the call and seek to will our lives in the right direction?

When we get one day or one hundred years, we are left with a legacy.  It is a birthright that is carried on by the living.  There is a responsibility as real and unique as a fingerprint that is branded on each living being.

Change

There is an uncontrollable cycle of evolution and change.  Some are prepared, mature, and wise to surroundings and understanding while others are forced into an environment filled with the unknown mass of grey.

Through the storms and the sunshine and everything in between, we learn and then impart that wisdom, converting our mistakes into a new generation of successes.

The greatest error in judgment we can make is to believe we cannot change.  Everyone can and must.  Evolution has given us a shitty plot, “survival of the fittest”.  Why not survival of the human, the just, the fair, and the heartfelt?  Isn’t that the core of goodness and love?  Now is the time to stand up and let your voice and actions be heard.  Change the cycle and let humanity dictate the new life for generations to come.

Measuring Life Value

So often we are measured by success and failure; right and left; rich and poor; free spirit and conservative; smart and dumb; careful and careless.  What a narrow perspective and one tainted with flaws.  That carries through to all of life

  • War vs. peace
  • Democracy vs socialism
  • Individualism vs collective
  • Gay or straight
  • Artist vs. suit
  • Young vs. old

And the list goes on…..

The cycle is not ordained in the stars, but a collective manifestation of free will.

Shape the Legacy You Will Become

Throw out the personality assessments and the cosmic attributes of behavior.  We aren’t guided by a packaged set of rules.  Yes, we are a result of our surroundings and upbringing taught to think a certain way.  We also live.  We live through the absorption of all things.  

Stop living in a restrictive capacity.  The world in all its rich cultures, ideals, and moments of celebration.  Explore and rejoice in other ways of thinking and let yourself shape and mold the legacy you will become.

Whether you are a mother, father, grandparent, child, influencer, singer, writer, poet, dreamer, or leader, let today be the first day toward shaping a new tomorrow

#TomorrowisaProductoftheDecisionsToday