“ALL ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS” myflorencetoday.com • 843-667-9656
INSIDE
Speaker on a mission to bring awareness to plight of homeless children, families . . . . . . . . . . 1B Monster Jam trucks to rev up engines at Florence Center . . 4B Deaths ...............................page 2A Opinion.............................page 4A Good Life...........................page 1B Classifieds .........................page 5A
NEIGHBORS
NAME: Garry Cato FAMILY: Wife, Patricia. HOMETOWN: Florence OCCUPATION: Service writer at Florence Toyota. HOBBIES OR SPECIAL INTERESTS: Woodworking. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT FLORENCE: The small town feel and my family. WHO OR WHAT HAS MOST INFLUENCED YOU? My mother,Vivian Cato.
JANUARY 29, 2020
VOL. 38, NO. 19
Owens honored as McLeod’s top volunteer McLeod Regional Medical Center named Beverly Owens as the Volunteer of the Year for 2019 during the medical center’s annual volunteer recognition luncheon Jan. 23. The event was held at the Hellenic Center. A resident of Marion, Owens is the 32nd recipient of the McLeod Volunteer of the Year Award. She has volunteered for nearly four years, serving in a number of areas including the McLeod Health Foundation, McLeod Chronic Care Management, McLeod Home Health, McLeod Public Information Office, McLeod Health & Fitness Center and McLeod Sports Medicine. She was nominated by the McLeod Foundation. In presenting the award to Owens, Linda Boone, Director of Volunteer Services for McLeod, shared the comments she received from the McLeod Foundation. “During the past year, Beverly has been a great asset to the McLeod Foundation. She is very reliable and comes every Monday to help with new employee orientation. Over the past year, with Beverly’s support we had more than 900 new employees sign up to donate to the Foundation, which is vital in our efforts to raise funds for patient services in the McLeod Cancer Center, McLeod Hospice, McLeod Children’s Hospital as well as many other programs that benefit the patients we serve in our 18county region.” Boone added, “Beverly is will-
Beverly Owens, center, the 2019 McLeod Regional Medical Center Volunteer of the Year, shares a moment with Linda Boone, left, and Teresa Timmons from McLeod Volunteer Services following the hospital’s annual volunteer recognition luncheon on Jan. 23. ing to complete any task that is asked of her with a joyful attitude. You could not ask for a more dedicated volunteer.” In addition to the volunteer of the year announcement, Bettina Buie was recognized with the High Hour Honor for volunteering 1,969 hours in 2019. More than 200 volunteers who
contribute outstanding service to McLeod Regional Medical Center were honored during the luncheon. All total these volunteers and the hospital’s 94 summer junior volunteers contributed more than 34,500 hours to the medical center in 2019. During the luncheon, certificates and pins were presented to
the volunteers in attendance with more than 300 hours of service. The program also recognized all those with more than 50 hours of service. McLeod Regional Medical Center honors its volunteers annually by presenting service awards to recognize their special efforts and outstanding contributions.
Free tax return assistance available at FMU Free Tax Service Accounting students Francis Marion University are once again offering free tax return preparation through the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Each Wednesday night, beginning Wednesday and continuing through April 15, tax preparation assistance will be offered in room 259C in Founders Hall on the FMU
TURNING 50: FMU’S impact on City of Florence is immeasurable. See 4A. campus from 5 to 9 p.m. Taxes are due on April 15. Taxpayers seeking help should bring a picture ID, a social security card (or Military I.D. bearing the social security number) for the taxpayer, his/her spouse and all
dependents listed on the tax return. Taxpayers should also bring their W-2s and 1099 forms. The program is open to all residents of the United States. There are no income requirements for the service and the group can pre-
pare both state and federal taxes. The student tax preparers are seniors who are in or have passed the Accounting 428 Federal Tax II course and who have received special certification through the VITA program. This is the 16th year FMU has served as a VITA location. For more information about the service, contact the FMU School of Business at (843) 661-1427.
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