Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Wood flooring manufacturer Swiss Krono, located on the outskirts of the Town of Snelling, has donated thousands of dollars to various organizations in Barnwell County.
The donations were made to the Barnwell County Animal Shelter, Barnwell County Sheriff’s Department, the Barnwell County Community Engagement and Recreation Department and Golden Harvest Food Bank in a celebration on July 30. The funding for the donations were raised at a charity golf tournament Swiss Krono hosted June 8 at the Sweetwater Country Club, and were divided evenly among the recipients; $3,707.62 each.
“In our service area, which includes Barnwell, we're now seeing one in seven individuals that are facing food insecurity, an increase from one to nine previously,” said Nathan Folks of the Golden Harvest Food Bank, a non-profit that fights food insecurity throughout the Central Savannah River Area. “So, this is very timely. [We’re] trying to increase the amount of healthy fresh produce that we can get out of the community.”
The donation to the Barnwell County Animal Shelter will be used to help the county address the increasing numbers of stray animals in need, Marlene Ray, the shelter’s director.
“We are seeing an increase in wild animals that are coming in needing medical care,” said Ray. “This definitely will help in that area, there are animals coming in injured or shot or with all kinds of infections or skin diseases … and we have a small staff.”
For the Barnwell County Community Engagement and Recreation Department, the donation will be used in the department’s efforts to increase local recreation opportunities.
“As we know, Barnwell County has high health disparities,” said Hilary Hindman, the department’s director. Hindman said the donation will be used to further the department’s mission. “The goal of our department is to improve quality of life through recreation. We want to do that through unique recreation experiences.”
Elijah de Castro is a Report for America corps member who writes about rural communities like Allendale and Barnwell counties for The People-Sentinel. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep Elijah writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today.
