Your charity is needed. The more
COVID-19 disrupts our lives, the more
people and agencies in our community
are going to depend on the generosity
of residents. So I begin today's
update with a simple question: Have
you supported a charity today? Please
consider doing that. There are a
number of charities in our community
that are helping people who are
struggling from loss of work and
wages. And as charities assist those
individuals, they will need their
resources replenished. Additionally
there are organizations that provide a
wide range of services for residents
such as healthcare, mental health,
recreation, counseling and youth
programs. Many are closed now, but
will need support when they re-open.
So I encourage you to consider
supporting a charity today!
Update on Coronavirus Cases
130 positive cases of the coronavirus
have been reported for Beaufort County,
according the latest data from the S.C.
Department of Health and Environmental
Control. With the rising number of cases
in Beaufort County, I ask that you
continue to be cautious and heed DHEC
guidelines on protecting yourself. The
more we do now to stop spreading the
virus, the sooner we can return to our
normal lives.
Here are the latest updates on
COVID-19 response in our community:
Request to Rental Agencies
Our Town Council passed a resolution
early this week asking rental
companies to cease taking reservations
through the end of April and not
advertise for tourists to come to
Hilton Head Island at this time. At
least a dozen rental companies had
already taken a similar step. We
appreciate their concern and
compassion for our community during
this time. We hope others will follow.
Non-Essential Businesses
On Tuesday, South Carolina Governor
Henry McMaster issued Executive Order
2020-17, requiring specific
businesses, venues, facilities,
services, and activities to close
effective April 1. We have posted this
information to our website and will
update it as we receive additional
information from the Governor's
Office. Businesses and residents with
questions on what constitutes a
non-essential business should contact
the South Carolina Department of
Commerce at covi...@sccommerce.com
or 803-734-2873.
SC LLR Extends Renewal
Deadlines During Health Emergency
Effective immediately, the South
Carolina Department of Labor,
Licensing and Regulation (LLR)
is extending the license renewal
deadline for licenses, registrations,
and permits scheduled to renew during
the months of April, May, June, July,
and August. The new renewal deadline
is extended to September 30, 2020.
Continuing education requirements may
be obtained throughout the entirety of
this extended renewal period. Business
owners should visit LLR to
see if they are affected.
Help4Hope Initiative Launched
The Watterson Family Foundation and
the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
Chamber of Commerce have partnered
with a team of local leaders to launch
Help4Hope to support our community's
families and food-service businesses
during the COVID-19 crisis. This
initiative will help feed families
affected by this crisis, support local
restaurants by generating new business
and save jobs in the food-service
industry. Donors fund community
investment cards that trusted
community partners (Bluffton Self
Help, The Deep Well Project, Campbell
Chapel AME Church among others) will
begin distributing on April 6 to those
affected by this crisis. Receivers can
redeem them at participating
restaurants of their choice for a
family meal for four. Restaurants
benefit too by redeeming the cards at
the Community Foundation of the
Lowcountry for reimbursement. Visit https://www.help4hopenow.org
for more information.
Town Projects Still Underway
While the COVID-19 pandemic has
changed how we operate, Town staff is
still working. Many Town Hall
employees are working from home,
completing projects and responding to
your calls and emails. Other employees
are fulfilling responsibilities from
their Town Hall offices, while using
social distancing protocols. Town Hall
is closed to the public, but the staff
and Town Council are using virtual
meeting platforms to connect with each
other and work on projects. With fewer
vehicles on the road, contractors are
taking advantage of this time to
complete road work projects in the
Shelter Cove Area, South Forest Beach
Drive and Main St. These workers have
little interaction with the public and
are practicing social distancing at
the worksite.
Ways You Can Help During this
Crisis
- Act as though everyone has the
virus; stay home as much as can.
Find ways to exercise around your
home or in your neighborhood,
keeping in mind that even then you
have to practice social distancing.
- Donate to your favorite charity.
- Participate in the Hilton Head
Island-Bluffton Take Out
Blitz.
- Show compassion. Call a friend,
neighbor or family member to check
on them, especially elderly persons
who may not have family close by.
Stay in touch!
- Pray for those families and
individuals in our community that
have been directly affected by this
virus.
- Share good news.
- Thank a first responder, medical
workers, workers in the grocery
stores and others in the community
who remain on the frontlines to help
people during this time.
Visit
culturehhi.org
or follow culturehhi on Facebook for the
latest updates on virtual concerts and
other cool and fun activities you can
view or do from the comfort of your own
home.
