Organizations | Allendale Enterprise

Thoroughbred Country

Thoroughbred Country, consisting of Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg and Barnwell Counties, is one of eleven state appointed tourism regions in South Carolina. The program, sponsored by the Lower Savannah Council of Governments, began in 1980 to help attract visitors to this area of the state. The program is funded by the State of South Carolina through the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

"Our mission is to collectively market the four county region of Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg and Barnwell Counties as a tourism destination and to support and encourage the development of local tourism attractions, services and programs, thereby providing economic benefits to the area."

Thoroughbred Country produces a Visitors Guide which contains information on points of interest, lodging, restaurants, shopping, golf, hunting, fishing, parks and more for fulfillment of inquiries. This guide is stocked at all South Carolina Welcome Centers as well as local and regional visitors centers.

http://www.tbredcountry.org

Salkehatchie Arts Center

The Salkehatchie Arts Center is part of a five-county initiative to promote the arts for economic development.

Shown above, many but not all of the members of council following an Arts Council meeting in April of 2015.

Mission
"The Allendale County Arts Council exists to stimulate, promote, and develop interest in the arts, to provide opportunities and facilities for Allendale County residents to experience and participate in the arts, including theatre, music, visual arts, handicrafts, dance, literature, and other artistic, educational, and cultural endeavors."

The Allendale County Arts Council is headquartered in Arts Center near the USC Salkehatchie campus that has been beautifully converted for use as the Center's offices, meeting room, and gift shop.

Tour busses are welcome any time by appointment. Graphic arts and crafts shows are held year-round. Performing art shows held quarterly include music, dance, drama, and story telling. Special guests appear throughout the year to give presentations. A Christmas program is held at the gallery during the yuletide season, and the rooms are decorated for the season by local crafters, artists, and florists.

A is for Allendale
A community-wide campaign to promote alphabet awareness in young children is being sponsored by the Arts Council. The concept is to employ the power of public art in the form of banners 30" wide by 72" high to be suspended on lamp posts along the Allendale Fairfax Highway. Each banner will feature one letter sponsored by a local business or concerned citizen at a cost of $200 each. Each banner will also feature the artwork of an Allendale child. The Council hopes to stir up enthusiasm for learning letters and to encourage parents and guardians to talk about the alphabet with the young children in their charge. Then, when the children start school, they will be ready to learn more and appreciate the power of words.

The Arts Center is sponsored by Salkehatchie Arts, a non-profit arts, economic, and community development organization founded in 2006 serving the Salkahatchie Region consisting of the South Carolina counties of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton. For more information visit
http://www.salkarts.com. Also: http://www.gosalk.com

Lower Savannah River Alliance

An important resource and nature preserve for neighboring counties in Georgia and South Carolina, the Savannah River provides a beautiful setting for nature-based tourism. The Lower Savannah River Alliance, with members from three counties in Georgia and four Counties in South Carolina was established to develop and manage the area as a nature preserve. The organization oversees the river and walking trails leading to and along the banks of the river.

The Lower Savannah River Alliance is headquartered in the former South Carolina Visitor Center on Route 301 (above) about three miles north of the river, which is also the border with Georgia. A lovely picnic area (left) is on the grounds of the center.

Projects sponsored by the LSRA include the LSRA Educational Greenway located on the old 301 roadbed, and educational greenway along the old 301 roadbed that cuts through beautiful swampy areas and out over the river, a fit trail located at the Nature Education Center, a birding festival, and a paddling event.

For more information, contact George Knight, Chairman by email: gknight@islc.net.