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Story of Patsy Cline comes to Sumter Opera House C6
Are Chamber dues about to change? Chair-elect proposes tiered system BY RICK CARPENTER rick@theitem.com HILTON HEAD — When Jeanie Crotts takes the reins as chairwoman of Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce in April, she wants to provide a tier structure to membership dues that can ensure a board seat for those
making high payments while offering a more affordable rate to small business start ups. “The more you pay, the more services you will have,” she said. At the same time she wants to provide more services to those small businesses to help them grow and become successful.
The move will likely require bylaw changes, she said. Crotts said the Chamber has leaned heavily on event sponsors to fund the organization and that using models of CROTTS other chambers with tiered dues structures could make the Chamber more affordable to all businesses. At the same time, she said the board
will look at the programs it offers to determine what’s working and what’s not. She also said she wants to empower young professionals by recruiting and engaging them Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce names military citizens of the year Page A2
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‘If you keep doing the same thing ... you’re done’ Speaker encourages innovation with ‘APP’ approach BY RICK CARPENTER rick@theitem.com HILTON HEAD — To illustrate the difficulty in making major changes, Chakisse Newton asked members of the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce to turn to the person next to them, look at each other and then turn their backs. Then she asked them to change 12 things about their appearance. After hearing multiple groans, she conceded and said to change two things. The 175 people attending the Chamber’s annual retreat complied. Even though many didn’t immediately recognize the changes their partners made, they agreed that making two changes was more palatable than a dozen. Newton, president of Cardinal Consulting in Columbia, used the exercise to show that making changes one step at a time kept both parties focused and engaged. During the first of two sessions with Chamber members Saturday morning, she emphasized that no longer does the old adage apply that “if you keep doing the same things the same way, you’ll get the same results.” She said a more apt version says “if you keep doing the same thing the same way, you’re done.” To encourage change, Newton said she had an APP — Attitude, Process, Plan — for that. Making changes with the right attitude, taking small steps with a long-term plan helps take the fear out of
PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM
Bob Smith, left center, and Shayla and Andre Campbell, right center, get a chuckle out of Chakisse Newton’s presentation at the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce retreat at the Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head Island. Sharry Williams looks over at Kristofer Padilla as they are asked to switch their dominant positions while crossing arms as part of a demonstration of how difficult change can be, but after a few times, it became easier.
making changes within organizations, she said. Earlier in the presentation,
she had the audience stand up and cross their arms. Then she asked participants
to cross their arms in an opposite way with the other hand on top to illustrate the discomfort of change. After telling everyone to go back to their normal way of crossing arms, she asked them to again cross their arms in the unnatural position. Then she asked if it was easier the second time. Most agreed. Newton, whom Toastmasters International has twice named one of the top 10
speakers in the world, may have been setting up the audience for the second half of her presentation that focused on getting more young professionals involved with the Chamber. By getting representatives from each age generation to stand, she illustrated that only two retreat participants were in the millennial generation at a time when the age group, born from the early 1980s to early 2000s, comprises 35 percent of the workforce and will increase to 50 percent by 2020. Newton said millennials want a higher quality of life than their parents and, more importantly, want to know
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Sumter comedian Shuler King to film performance Feb. 20 BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Originally from the planet Krypton, Shuler King’s real parents dropped him off at Williams Funeral Home on North Main Street in 1984. The Williams family eventually welcomed King into their home and changed his name to Frank Williams III. At least that was King’s description of the beginning of his life. Really, he was born in Sumter on Dec. 10, 1984, and is a 2003 graduate of Sumter PHOTO PROVIDED High School. Shuler King, right, Sumter comeKing got his comedic start 12 years ago dian, stands with civil rights acwhen he did his first stand-up comedy tivist and fellow comedian Dick performance, a three minute set, at Shaw Gregory. Air Force Base.
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After that first performance, King decided he wanted to do stand-up forever. Since then, Williams has performed at Comedy House in Columbia; Broadway Comedy Club in New York City, New York; Laugh Unlimited in Sacramento, California; and with other comedians Michael Colyar, J. Anthony Brown, Pierre Edwards and Rodney Perry. King credits his stage presence to his mother, who he said made him give Easter speeches in church when he was younger. He said he disliked giving the speeches back then but now has an appreciation for the experience. As for the origins of his stage name, King grew up on Shuler Drive and was later called Shuler by his college friends. He later added “King” so that he could
DEATHS, A8 and A9 Shawn A. Arrants Joseph C. Lane Catherine L. Harrison James M. Nance Doris J. Sansbury
Wilhelmena Reese Theordore Diggs Cammie J. Davis Sherilyn G. Joseph James J. Prince
define himself and stand out. King will come back to Sumter in February to film his next stand-up show. “Do I look like I care about your feelings?” will start at 9 p.m. Feb. 20 at Sumter Opera House. Tickets for the show are $25 and can be purchased at www.sumtersc.gov/sumter-opera-house.aspx . King said his upcoming performance will not be the first to be filmed, but it will be the first time his stand-up has been filmed for television. He said Sumter Opera House was the right venue for the show because it is in his hometown and has the right look and acoustics for what he envisioned. He also wanted to bring some positive
SEE COMEDIAN, PAGE A8
WEATHER, A12
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WARMER AND SUNSHINE
5 SECTIONS, 38 PAGES VOL. 121, NO. 91
Sun mixing with clouds today and partly cloudy tonight. HIGH 70, LOW 47
Classifieds D4 Club digest C3 Comics E1 Education C2 Lotteries A12
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