We left Crossnore School and Children's home mid-afternoon Monday and made our way toward South Carolina. We were scheduled to spend two nights at the Clemson University Madren Center, a lovely conference center on the Clemson Campus. After checking in and an informal dinner, no pins and sashes required, we were able to retire to our hotel rooms, which were decorated to make me feel right at home with Orange "C" pillows.
Tuesday morning, we loaded back up and made our way to Tamassee DAR School located in Tamassee, South Carolina. Established in 1919 by the South Carolina DAR with 23 girls, the school is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year. The school began to accept boys in 1932, and since then has evolved as needs have changed not only for the students but for the community as well. Currently Tamassee has a 6-8th grade school on campus with a residential program for children that can be placed either privately or by the South Carolina Department of Children Services.
During our welcome program the Interim CEO Jon Holland announced plans to expand the campus school to provide a new training program that will allow students to complete class work toward a high school diploma and industrial certificates through a new partnership with Tri County Technical College. This program designed for at risk youth will also help train a much needed workforce for the region.
After the welcome program, and lunch tour participants were able to participate in campus tours or shopping at the thrift store, while state regents with building obligations attended the Regent's Council meetings and Advisory Council meetings. Tennessee has one building on campus that we help sponsor financially, the Smith Mettetal Building. This building is named in part after the last TSDAR State Regent from Northeast Tennessee, Mattie Mettetal (1971-1974), from Johnson City.
After catching up with several Tennessee daughters in attendance, Charlotte Reynolds and I were also able to find our STAR on the donor wall in the cafeteria. Participants were then bused back to the Madren Center for a banquet featuring a family that adopted one of the children from the school.
Wednesday morning we packed our bags and loaded up in a downpour, but as we approached the school the weather cleared giving us a lovely final day for the Founder's Day Program. What an honor it was to dedicate our gifts from the Tennessee daughters and the TSDAR at this event. Again our time at the Place in the Sunlight of God was short lived as we were scheduled to be at Berry for tours and dinner later that evening, and our buses provided not just transport but our lunch spot as well.
Next up – Berry College.
In Service,
Cecile
