Mark your calendars!

StoryfestSC 2013
The South Carolina State Library is proud to announce that award winning authors Peter Brown and Will Hillenbrand will be featured at StoryfestSC 2013, the state’s summer reading program kick-off event. Families from across the state will be able to celebrate the 2013 collaborative summer library theme “Dig into Reading” at a free event for families held at the State Museum in Columbia on June 1, 2013. StoryfestSC exposes families to children’s authors and the art of story. It also fosters an excitement for reading, especially throughout the summer. All of South Carolina’s public libraries participate in the State Library coordinated summer reading program. Events will be held on Saturday, June 1st at the South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street from 9a.m. to 4p.m. and will be free to the public. Events include presentations by each author, storytelling sessions with local storytellers and featured storyteller Tim Sonefelt. There will also be a craft area with face painting, visits from popular characters, and a Readers Theater presentation. This year’s event will include a session for teens featuring the Teen Media SC program highlighting the short films submitted to the State Library’s video contest. The day’s events will bring families from across the state to participate in fun and learning activities in a safe, family friendly setting. For more information, visit, http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/storyfestsc-2013.

The UniverSoul Circus comes to Columbia
The UniverSoul Circus is returning to Columbia June 5, – June 9, and this Saturday May 25, we will be selling discounted tickets for $16 for the opening night show at 7:30p.m. Wednesday June 5. The cash only ticket sale will be from 10a.m. - 2p.m. at the Benedict College Football Stadium Box Office. Please tell family, friends and co-workers so they can also take advantage of this awesome promotion. A $1 box office facility fee per ticket will apply.

City of Columbia to Host Kids Day 
City of Columbia Parks and Recreation and First Choice by Select Health of South Carolina are encouraging families to get out and get moving during the annual Let’s Move-Kids Day Columbia event taking place Saturday, May 25, from 10a.m. to 4p.m. at Finlay Park. This day of fun and wellness will include an interactive family fun zone and interactive inflatable’s. Parents and children can participate in a family fun run as well as compete in a family fitness challenge. There will also be a petting zoo, pony rides, live stage entertainment, vendors and more. Let’s Move-Kids Day Columbia is a part of City of Columbia’s Let’s Move initiative focused on empowering children and parents to pursue healthy lifestyles through physical activity and quality nutrition. The event is free and is open to the public. For more information call Parks and Recreation at, (803)545-3100.

Eau Claire Fest rescheduled
Eau Claire Fest, the annual celebration of arts and community, sponsored by the Eau Claire Community Council and the City of Columbia, has been rescheduled for Saturday, June 1, 2013. A springtime tradition since 2008, Eau Claire Fest, formerly Ribs & Renaissance was canceled on May 11, due to consistent predictions of unstable weather conditions and thunderstorms in the Midlands. The event will open with the Fonky Fest Rain or Shine Parade at 11a.m. and will feature performing artists on the Eau Claire Fest Stage throughout the day. Modifications to the original lineup will be announced as details are available. Other activities will include arts & crafts vendors, historic interpreters and dance performances as well as interactive arts projects. The Main Street Marketplace will feature a variety of food and retail vendors, nonprofit exhibits, a classic car show and activities for children in the KidZone. Among the special events at Eau Claire Fest will be Healthy Lifestyles programs and health screenings sponsored by Healthy Columbia. Activities will include Zumba, line dancing, senior bingo and Double Dutch demonstrations. Follow the updates for Eau Claire Fest on Facebook at, facebook.com/eauclairefest, and on our web site at, www.eauclairefest.com. For general inquiries, please call, (803)454-0088. For parade information phone, (803)513-3357 and volunteers may phone, (803)466-5731.

City of Columbia Salutes Small Businesses
Small Business Week is May 20-26, 2013 and the Office of Business Opportunities is hosting a Small Business Week Conference in support of the city’s local small businesses. Keynote Speaker for the event will be Mayor Steve Benjamin. Additional speakers include; city staff members and local small business leaders. The conference will take place at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln Street on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 from 9a.m. - 4p.m. Topics for conference include: local entrepreneur success stories, small business lending, social enterprise businesses making a profit and local procurement opportunities. Registration is $25 and closes on Friday, May 17. To register, visit, http://cocsmallbusinessconference.eventbrite.com. For more information, contact Shonda Bradley at, (803)545-0170 or visit, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Men’s Health Free Breakfast
Join Palmetto Health Saturday, June 8, 2013 for a free breakfast and a discussion of men's health issues. Screenings will also be available for prostate cancer, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI and body fat. Pre-registration is required. Registration and breakfast takes place at 9a.m. Free screenings are available on June 5 and 6 from 7-10:15a.m. at Palmetto Health Baptist Auditorium, 1501 Sumter Street, ground level classrooms D and E to those who qualify. Please phone, (803)296-CARE (2273) to pre-register.

Science and Mathematics Governor's School hosting iTEAMS Camps
The Governor's School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) is accepting applications for iTEAMS summer camps for rising 7th and 8th graders in Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Dorchester, Greenwood, Greenville, Lexington and York Counties. Online applications are available at, www.scgssm.org/iteams. The student application will be accepted on a rolling basis until the camps are filled, so apply today! iTEAMS, or "Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship Among Middle Schoolers,” is a day camp held in districts across the state at no cost. iTEAMS aims to inspire students to pursue careers in the fields of entrepreneurship, computer science and technology through hands-on, team-based projects. Working cooperatively and using technology to solve problems, students explore tech startups, mobile app development and cyber security. Each camp will serve at least 100 rising 7th and 8th grade students in each of the districts offered. For questions, contact Brigitte Barnett, iTEAMS Camp Coordinator/Director of Recruitment, GSSM at, (803)201-9168 or, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . You may also contact Sonja Taylor, iTEAMS Camp Coordinator/Diversity Recruitment Manager, GSSM at, (803)252-9152 or, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

City Announces Grand Reopening of Maxcy Gregg Pool
City of Columbia Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce the grand reopening of Maxcy Gregg Pool on Saturday, May 25, at 10 a.m. The department will celebrate the grand reopening with a special dedication ceremony and reception on Friday, May 24 at 2 p.m. The community is invited to tour the new facility during this time.  Then, from 8 to 10 p.m. that evening, Parks and Recreation will host a special “Dive-In Theatre”.  Doors will open at 7 p.m.  This family friendly event will feature the movie Shark Tales. The cost is $2 for ages 12 and under, $3 for ages 13 and older.  Concessions will be available.

The grand reopening comes after the completion of a year-long project to replace the old pool with a new 25 yards by 50 meters, competition size pool and the remodeling of the bathhouse, which includes new showers, bathrooms and office space.  In addition, a new pump house was constructed to accommodate a state-of-the-art filtration system that will help to lower maintenance costs and a new portable ADA hydraulic lift for swimmers with physical challenges is now available.

The pool will maintain its existing fee structure for recreational swim, offer seasonal passes and special group swim passes as well as morning and evening swim lessons and swim team opportunities.

Recreation swim hours

Monday – Friday, 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
(803) 733-8447

Daily Admission fees
12 and under, $2.00 per visit
13 and over,   $3.00 per visit

Seasonal Pass
12 and under   $80.00
13 and over   $120.00

Special group passes
Churches, Camps and Schools
12 and under, 50 punch pass $50.00
13 and over, 50 punch pass $75.00

Youth swim team is $20.00 per person
“Ages 6-17”

For more information, call Parks and Recreation at (803) 545-3100.

Run for our Troops
Registration for South Carolina's preeminent 5K event honoring America's veterans is now open. The CWC Jaycees' Run for Our Troops returns for its 2nd year as the only race in the USA that is run on 9/11. Please plan to join us at West Columbia's Riverwalk this September for a great cause.

Southeast Sectional Youth Convention
The members of The National Association of University Women (NAUW) are women who seek to address educational issues, advance the status of women’s issues, and partner with allied organizations to support youth. Our programs include; Education, Fellowships, Literacy and National/International Affairs. Our theme is, “Women Serving with Purpose and Pride.”
The Columbia branch of NAUW is excited to host youth from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida on June 21-22, 2013 at the Embassy Suites in Columbia for our annual Youth Conference.  Age appropriate workshops and activities are planned for all youth ages eight -18.  Topics will include; Stop! It’s the Police, Let’s Move, and Video Gaming.
Registration is $30 and is due on or before March 15, 2013.  Included with registration is a Buffet Lunch to be served on Saturday. All youth are invited to participate. Please contact Ms. Constance P. Glenn at, (803)206-6627, or Mrs. Jackie Nelson at, (803)786-6895.

Sisterhood Holland Bulb Sale 
The 60th annual Tree of Life Congregation Sisterhood Holland Bulb Sale is underway with top quality # 1 selected bulbs that are guaranteed to bloom. The Tree of Life Sisterhood has been selling Holland bulbs since 1954. Blooms from the Sisterhood grace many personal gardens, patios, and various businesses across the Midlands and beyond since mail order is available. Many different varieties are available and prices vary.  Even if you live in an apartment, bulbs grow beautifully in containers. They also make lovely gifts that last for a long time. Orders should be placed by June 15, 2013 to ensure delivery by mid-October. Anyone ordering more than 30 by May 15 will receive 8 Puschkinia Libanotica as a free gift. Proceeds help support the Sisterhood’s many community efforts such as Sistercare, Cooperative Ministries, and Harvest Hope Food Bank.  For information, or an order form call Cheri Alexander at, (803)530-4307 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The order form as well as photos of the flowers can be found at, http://www.tolsc.org.

Progressive Movie Night: ” The Dream is Now” 
May 28, 6pm: Progressive Movie Night: ” The Dream is Now,” at Conundrum Music Hall, 626 Meeting St., West Columbia (just up the hill from the Gervais St. bridge). As Sen. Lindsey Graham leads Congress in the debate over immigration reform, this timely film and discussion considers the people most affected. The Dream is Now is a new 30-minute documentary by Academy Award-winning director, Davis Guggenheim (Waiting for ‘Superman’, An Inconvenient Truth). The Dream is Now gives voice to and puts a human face on the undocumented children of immigrants who are desperate to earn their citizenship and give back to the only country they’ve ever called “home.” The film also goes beyond the personal. It places these stories in a larger context and explores the consequences of continuing our current policies and maintaining the status quo – consequences not just for these young people today, but for our country’s future. Both moving and thought-provoking, The Dream is Now brings this pressing issue to America’s attention, where we can all debate, discuss, and decide for ourselves what is right, what is fair, and what is best for our nation. See the movie trailer here. Free and open to the public. Snacks and beverages available for purchase.

Join Congaree National Park Rangers for special Programs
The public is invited to join park rangers and volunteers for programs at Congaree National Park in April and May. All programs are free. Additionally, Congaree, along with the nation’s 400 other national park units, will celebrate National Park Week April 20-28. This year’s theme is “Did You Know”.  Stop by the “Did You Know” display in the Harry Hampton Visitor Center to share fun facts about national parks and join rangers for programs.  Through a partnership with Fulmer Middle School art teacher Melanie Ward, student art representing national parks around the country will be on display in the Harry Hampton Visitor Center through May as well. For more information about National Park Week events around the country visit, www.nationalparkweek.org.

City of Columbia New Shop Site
The City of Columbia Office of Business Opportunities launched a new website called Shop Columbia to promote local business to its citizens in conjunction with the Shop Local campaign. The service provides all local businesses with a link on the City’s website that directs citizens to new webpages designed and updated by each local business. With Shop Columbia, citizens go to one central location on the city website to search for local businesses.  Citizens have the ability to print out coupons, see menus, ask questions, determine store hours and find the business location among a host of other capabilities.  Businesses and residents can visit http://mygovhelp.info/shopcolumbiasc or, www.columbiasc.net to begin their business profiles, set up personalized alerts and shop locally.

Friday Night Dances
The Capital Senior Center Friday Night Dances at Maxcy Gregg Park are held throughout the year on the second and fourth Fridays from 7:30 to 10:30p.m. Live music is provided by the Dancetimers, unless noted otherwise. Cost is $5 per person. Dances are open to the public for adults 21 and older. Participants may bring their own beverages and snacks. Sodas and coffee are provided.
The Capital Senior Center’s Friday Night Dances are a beloved Columbia institution. At 7:30p.m. the house band begins playing old favorites and new tunes, from Glen Miller to beach music. You’ll see multiple generations out on the dance floor doing just about every kind of dance, Shag, the Waltz, Shag, Cha Cha, Fox Trot, and even a line dance or two. Bring your friends and experience a fun and affordable night out. Please phone (803)779-1971 x 12 for additional information.

RAIDS Program
Columbia Police Department unveiled a new technology called ‘RAIDS On-Line’. ‘RAIDS’ is a crime mapping program that will serve as an additional tool for citizens to stay informed about recent crime activity in their communities. The program compiles data and other crime information from CPD and makes it accessible to the public. For additional information please phone, (803)545-4251.