Open house to help kick off Day of Prayer, HOPE Program

FLORENCE — The Florence Parks & Leisure Services Department will hold an open house at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Barnes Street Activity Center in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer and the start of the Florence H.O.P.E. (Helping Our People Get Employed) Program.

Special guests for the event will be Darian Durant of Wilson High School, University of Noth Carolina Tar Heels football and the Canadian Footbaall League Saskatchewan Roughriders, Justin Durant of Wilson High School, Hampton University and the National Football League Jacksonville Jaguars and Kyle Nunn of Sumter High School, the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Rev. Clyde Odom and Florence School District 1 Superintendent Larry Jackson. They will address the need for education, making good decisions and growing up in today’s society, and information about teen programs available in the community.

The players and guests will be available for autographs after the program.

The center is located at 513 Barnes St. For more information, call David Caldwell at (843) 665-3253.

H.O.P.E. and the Florence Family YMCA, meanwhile, are sponsoring workshops at these sites where unemployed workers can learn job skills:

• Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation Library, 509 S. Dargan St., Florence, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through June 5, weekdays. Services to be provided are GED preparation services, Internet PCs, typing tutorial/practice software, registration for free computer classes, resume and interview skills software, ASVAB test preparation, career tests and Basic Skills Practice (math/reading comprehension). Call Aubrey B. Carroll, (843) 413-7074.

• Timmonsville Educational Center, 304 Kemper St., Timmonsville, from 9 a.m. to noon May 12, 19 and 26, noon to 4 p.m. May 14, 21 and 28, 9 a.m. to noon June 2 and noon to 4 p.m. June 4. Services to be provided are Internet training, resume writing, health insurance, Lighthouse Ministry, Harvest Hope Food Bank, spiritual and mental health counselors, and Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority. Call Dr. Bertha McCants or Gloria Bracey, (843) 346-5391

• S.C. Employment Security Commission, 1558 W. Evans St., Florence, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays (closed Monday and May 25 for state holidays). Services to be provided are computers with Internet access to a variety of job listings/job banks, resume posting, labor market information, resume and cover letter preparation software, typing and keyboarding tutorial software, GED preparation software and WorkKeys testing. A National Guard representative is on-site from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. A Vocational Rehabilitation representative is on-site from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays. Workshops available are Financial Management, from 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday; Resume Preparation, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. May 20; and GED Fast Track Assessment & Workshop (three parts) from 9 to 10:30 a.m. May 27 and from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 1 and 2. Pre-registration is required for these workshops by calling (843) 669-4271, ext. 129. Call Janet Daniel, Corinne O’Steen or Connie Ford at (843) 669-4271.

• Poynor Adult/Community Education Center, 301 S. Dargan St., Florence. Step 1 is registration from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday in Room 306. Step 2 is TABE assessment (reading), scheduled at registration. Step 3 is to attend class. Services to be provided are WorkKeys preparation, resume writing and Kuder assessment from 12:30 to 6 p.m. today, Tuesday, May 14, 19 and 21 and 9 a.m. to noon May 26 and 28 and June 2 and 4 in Rooms 213 and 217. WorkKeys Assessments (three parts) will be give one time free for students who attend at least 12 hours. Call Susan Sheely, (843) 664-8152, ext. 21.

• The Byrnes Schools, 1201 E. Ashby Road, Florence, from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Monday, Wednesday, May 15, 18, 20, 27, 29, June 1, 3 and 5. Services to be provided are resume writing and computer instruction. Call John Colby, (843) 662-0131.

• Resident Opportunity Center, 1117 B June Lane, Florence, from 9 to 11 a.m. May 21, 28 and June 4. Service to be provided is resume writing. Call Sandra Draper, (843) 495-6937. Professional counselors will be available for those in the community who are experiencing personal and/or family struggles because of being laid off or unemployed. This service will be provided by appointment on a first-come, first-served basis. Call Pattie Watford at Grace Baptist Church, (843) 662-5122, to schedule an appointment. Location will be determined by the professional counselor. There is also a professional counselor available at Poynor Adult/Community Education Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call Melinda Fuller at (843) 664-8152 to schedule an appointment. Those who request prayer and/or spiritual guidance can contact the Rev. Clyde Odom. pastor of King of Kings Church of God, (843) 206-6738; the Rev. John Collins, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, (843) 662-5122; the Rev. Jim Crooks, pastor of Southside Baptist Church, (843) 669-7288; or the Rev. Lonnie Curl, pastor of Lamb’s Chapel Christian Center, (843) 667-4823.

• Boys and Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee Area, 310 W. Roughfork St., Florence, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through June 4, weekdays. Services to be provided are WorkKeys, career launch and personal counseling. Call Latoria Lewis, (843) 662-1471.

• S.C. Legal Services, 320 S. Coit St., Florence, at dates and times to be determined. Client must financially qualify prior to speaking with an attorney. Services to be provided are eviction and collection defense, Social Security disability cessation and overpayment cases, food stamp, Medicaid/Medicare and unemployment compensation benefit denials, and assistance in obtaining birth certificate to obtain employment or public benefits. Informational brochures are available on various issues including Social Security benefit denials, overpayments and cessation cases, food stamps, unemployment, SSI, evictions, payday lending and various other topics. Call (843) 413-9500 or (877) 238-3418 toll-free.

• Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority, 313 Stadium Drive, Florence. Refer to the Florence Transit System schedule at www.pdrta.org online or call (843) 665-2227. There will be seven locations along fixed routes that can be accessed for employment information: Route 1, Employment Security Commission; Route 2, Irby and Roughfork streets, Sumter and Chase streets; Route 3: Mt. Zion, Pine and Jeffords streets; Route 4, Department of Social Services, Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation Library. For Florence: $1.50 fare, $.50 transfer, $.75 half fare. Senior Citizens, age 65+, those with disabilities, and Medicare cardholders ride for half price. Call Don Strickland, (843) 664-5719 or visit www.pdrta.org.

• Northwest Park Community Center, 801 Plymouth St., Florence, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday though June 4, weekdays. Services to be provided are counselor referrals. Call Rocky Rietkovich at (843) 665-2353 or (843) 665-3226 (for directions).

• Levy Park Community Center, 356 S. Jefford St., Florence, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday though June 4, weekdays. Services to be provided are counselor referrals. Call Rocky Rietkovich at (843) 665-2353 or (843) 665-3226 (for directions).