GWC’s first quarterly meeting, “Partnerships Helping Students Succeed” featuring Greenwood Promise, was appropriately held at Emerald High School. Cady Nell Keener, Cindy Leary, Erica Ferry, Mary Woodiwiss, and Lisa Wyn of the Membership Committee warmly greeted members and guests. Approximately 15 guests were in attendance, and a total of around 60 women are now better informed about the great work Greenwood Promise facilitates at both Piedmont Technical College and Lander University for our local students.

Everyone enjoyed a delicious buffet of pasta salad, stuffed croissants with pimiento cheese and chicken salad, fresh fruit, brownies, and fruit punch elegantly served by Karen Smith, Bobbie Fulton, and Kelli Eberhardt of the Social Committee. Kelly Buckshorn of the Communications Committee circled through the group snapping photos to memorialize another of our gatherings. After a fun 45-minute social in the sunshine-filled lobby of the gymnasium, all proceeded to a comfortable classroom and settled in for an engaging program.

GWC Chair Rachel Strayer delivered opening remarks welcoming members and guests and thanking Emerald High School for hosting us and the Programs & Education Committee for coordinating the evening. She invited everyone to reflect on their own experiences along their educational journeys. Rachel noted that while each path may have looked different, they likely led to the same realization that strengthening opportunities for student success is something every community should support.

Membership Committee Co-Chairs Cady Nell Keener and Cindy Leary followed by sharing a brilliant new initiative of their committee: a mentorship program pairing new members with GWC veterans. This mentor/mentee connection is designed to provide a smooth way for new members to ask questions and feel comfortable as they become more acquainted with GWC and the many ways to get involved.

The evening’s program was introduced by Programs & Education Committee member Mamie Nicholson, who welcomed Carrie Hofmann, President and CEO of Greenwood Promise. Mamie highlighted Carrie’s extensive background working in television newsrooms around the country prior to joining Greenwood Promise, noting she has won numerous awards recognizing her ethics, expertise, and service.

The Greenwood Promise supports Greenwood County high school graduates to pursue post-secondary education without financial burden. Carrie opened by sharing a graph comparing college success rates in Greenwood County with those of neighboring counties, clearly showing the growing impact of the Promise initiative. She also presented a brief video highlighting the program’s mission and its efforts to expand educational and career pathways for local students.

She shared that Greenwood Promise aims to build a highly skilled workforce, improve quality of life, and strengthen the local economy by fostering community engagement in education. Carrie noted that 75% of Greenwood Promise graduates stay in Greenwood. The program’s vision centers on supporting students from Kindergarten to Career throughout their academic journey. Administered through Greenwood County School District, the initiative is part of a broader effort to make higher education more accessible and debt-free for local students.

Following this overview, attendees heard from Trae Cary, Career Coordinator for Greenwood Promise at Piedmont Technical College. Trae noted that many Promise students are first-generation college students who may need additional guidance. High school students have typically relied on their school’s front desk for support and assistance. Since higher education doesn’t offer that same structure, his role is to provide a virtual “front desk” for Greenwood Promise students while he connects them to internships, apprenticeships, and local employment to help bridge the gap between education and career placement.

Presenting next was Casey Cline, Director of Workforce & Career Development at Lander University. Casey spoke about the many ways her department supports students including offering mock interviews, career fairs, the Professional Clothes Closet, and career coaches who assist with resumes, cover letters, internships, mentorships, headshots, and job searches.

Carrie wrapped up by sharing additional statistics showing that Greenwood Promise is not only supporting student success but also helping strengthen our community by building a skilled workforce. She then answered questions from attendees.

Charissa Gibson of the Programs & Education Committee presented Carrie, Trae, and Casey with All The Books by Haley Rocco, a hardcover book which will be donated to the children’s collection of the Greenwood County Library in their honor.

GWC Vice Chair Peggy Dewane-Pope closed the evening by highlighting one of GWC’s “superpowers”: the ability to gather as acquaintances and leave as friends. She went on to note how lovely it is to realize that we have far more in common than we sometimes recognize, as evidenced by the evening’s shared commitment to supporting education for local students. Peggy then thanked our speakers, Emerald High School, and GWC’s Social and Membership Committees.

This year’s Winter Social, “An Evergreen Evening: Growing together to keep our community strong all year long”,  took place on Tuesday, January 27th, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at Grange Hall.

The evening began with Karen Smith and Bobbie Fulton, Co-Chairs of the Social Committee, welcoming almost 40 members and guests. They thanked fellow Social Committee members for their help organizing the event, including coordinating the delicious food, wine, and punch that everyone enjoyed. They also encouraged anyone interested in getting involved with the Social Committee to ask questions and learn more, sharing that new committee members are always welcome.

The setting at Grange Hall added to the relaxed and inviting atmosphere of the night. While simple in nature, the space was cozy, warm, and an ideal venue for gathering, conversation, and connection. For many in attendance, it was their first opportunity to experience this lesser-known piece of Greenwood history.

After socializing with old and new friends and enjoying refreshments, attendees participated in a fun “Winter Favorites” game. Several small groups answered questions about 1) favorite winter comfort foods, 2) a favorite recent book, TV show, or movie, 3) something they were glad they said yes to recently, and 4) something they are looking forward to in 2026. Answers were then shared with the full group. It was fun to hear so many different ideas, plans, goals, and hopes for the new year!

It was also enjoyable to see many attendees embrace the Evergreen Evening theme by incorporating shades of green into their wardrobe choices. From subtle touches to bolder accents, the theme added a playful and festive element to the evening.

Chair of the GWC Advisory Board, Rachel Strayer, wound down the evening by thanking everyone who ventured out on a cold night to spend time together. She shared that many great programs are planned for the year ahead, with the next gathering scheduled for February 17th at Emerald High School titled “Partnerships Helping Students Succeed.”

As always, it was such a good evening to be inspired to continue the dedicated work of GWC so that we can all make a difference in so many lives in our community.

Greenwood Women Care is pleased to announce our 2025 GWC Grant Awards! Our collective funds received through annual membership and other designated contributions enabled GWC to disburse $79,825 in total in grant funding for eleven nonprofits serving residents of Greenwood County. In our seven years of offering GWC Grants, we have made 73 grants totaling  $483,799!

GWC 2025 Grants were awarded to:

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lakelands   $10,000
Rising STARZ program for at-risk middle school students

Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries   $8,000
Advanced trauma therapy for children and families

Greenwood Community Theatre   $10,000
The Penguin Project musical performance opportunity for children and youth with disabilities

Girls on the Run – Upstate SC   $10,000
Program integrating running with life skills for underserved girls ages 6-14

Lions Vision Services   $7,500
Eye health services for uninsured or under-insured Greenwood residents

Community Initiatives   $7,500
La Clinica Gratis maternal-health program

Blue Ridge Council – Scouting America   $7,500
After-school program/day camp for at-risk youth to participate in Scouts

HUB Transition Centers   $7,500
Transitional housing for recovery from addiction and homelessness

New Morning   $2,750
Counseling and access to contraceptive methods for low-income & uninsured women

Lakelands Region Y   $5,275
Restoration of outdoor camp facility damaged by Hurricane Helene

Greenwood Performing Arts   $3,800
Structured music & art activities for seniors with cognitive impairments

Please see the article about our grant awards featured in the Index Journal here.

Grant recipients were determined by ranked voting by our Members from October 20-22. Our Grants Review & Awards Committee gathered information obtained from the platform used for our online ballots. Using raw scores, weighted averages, and percentile rankings based on the total amount available to grant, the Committee evaluated the data and determined the number of projects to be funded and the amount of each grant.

Special thanks to the Grants Review & Awards Committee for all your efforts to: create a grant writing workshop, publicize this granting opportunity to local nonprofits, process applications, present information on grant requests to Members to help us make informed voting decisions, explain our voting process, determine awards based on our votes, deliver our 2025 GWC Grants checks to the recipients, and manage all the other aspects of this core activity of GWC!

Congratulations to our 2025 GWC Grant recipients! We are grateful for all your excellent efforts to improve the quality of our shared life in Greenwood County!