Needless to say, last week’s news that SCE&G would not complete the two new nuclear reactors at VC Summer was shocking to everyone in our community. Now we need to do what Chapin does best – rally as a community of caring people who will do whatever we can to assist those individuals and families impacted by this unexpected turn of events. Fortunately we have many great partners that have stepped up to help us, and we continue to look for ways to assist others during this time of transition and uncertainty.
We have created a page on our website that can serve as a repository for resources and events to help the folks who have been impacted. This page includes information on upcoming job fairs (August 14 at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies and August 22 at Our Lady of the Lake) as well as healthcare, housing and financial resources. We are grateful to Governor Henry McMaster for his efforts to mobilize our state’s business community and public agency partners through Employ SC to help these displaced workers and their families. As we become aware of more events and resources, we will continue to add them.
I know Chapin We Care Center will be a vital partner as they provide not only food but also assistance with utility bills and other emergency needs. I encourage you to support We Care with donations of food, school supplies, cleaning products, hygiene products, paper goods and money to help them assist our neighbors in need. We Care also coordinates with Harvest Hope, SC Thrive, United Way and other vital agencies that can offer assistance to those looking for help right now and in the coming weeks ahead. We will be collecting food and school supplies in the lobby at Town Hall so please feel free to drop by your donations during regular business hours. I know several other local businesses will be collecting for them as well.
We also have concern for our Chapin businesses which will likely be impacted by the migration of people from our community. We are partnering with the Small Business Development Center to host a free Business Assessment and Planning workshop where SBDC consultants can review companies’ financial and operational well-being and provide strategies to minimize losses and meet the challenges that lie ahead. The workshop takes place on Thursday, August 24 from 8 -10 am in the community room at Town Hall. Then consultants will have appointment times to meet with business owners one-on-one for further assistance. Businesses can register online at https://sbdcvcsummer1.eventbrite.com. This will be a time of transition, and we want to help our small business owners as they navigate this next chapter.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Chapin Community Blood Drive on July 30 at Our Lady of the Lake. We learned that they collected 72 units of blood. They say each unit can save up to three lives so that’s 216 individuals who could be positively impacted by your blood donation. Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 24, from 9 am – 2 pm as the Red Cross will be back in Chapin at Our Lady of the Lake to help even more people.
I encourage you to reach out to your neighbors who have been affected by this layoff. Whether it’s to provide a willing ear to sharing contacts that may know of job opportunities, let us all commit ourselves to holding these people up, in our daily prayers and in raising their spirits as they seek to move forward. Let’s also support our Chapin area businesses to help them stay vibrant and strong. No one person or organization can do it alone. Our community's core values are based on God's principles, which is to help our fellow man. I'm asking each of you to be fervent in prayer for our community.
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share via Email
