<strong>Downtown Beaufort Merchants Association extends holiday shopping hours</strong>

More than 30 participating members of the Downtown Beaufort Merchants Association will extend their business hours until 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through New Year’s Eve.

Throughout the holiday shopping season, participating Merchant member shops, galleries, restaurants, and specialty stores will offer unique holiday gifts, décor, and specialty items. Many of the businesses will also offer early shopping on Black Friday, as well as other extra shopping opportunities on Sundays.

On Nov. 29, the Merchants Association will celebrate Shop Small Saturday, a day that highlights the character and contributions that small local businesses bring to communities. Shoppers can get a jump start on shopping as some shops will open early.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>

For more information, visit. <a href="http://www.downtownbeaufortsc.org/holidayhours">www.downtownbeaufortsc.org/holidayhours</a>.

<strong>Senator Davis to speak at Bluffton Republican meeting</strong>

State Senator Tom Davis will be the guest speaker when the Greater Bluffton Republican Club holds its next meeting Wednesday, Dec. 4 at <a href="https://eepurl.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0f22c0a044d8f951a90f198ed&amp;id=8b3144e5dc&amp;e=eed8bfc51e">Local Pie Bluffton</a> at 15 State of Mind St.

The social hour begins at 5 p.m., and the meeting starts promptly at 5:45 p.m. in The Upstairs Room. The meeting is open to the public.

<strong>Northern Beaufort County Regional Plan Implementation Committee meeting</strong>

The Northern Beaufort County Regional Plan Implementation Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22, in the Executive Conference Room of the Beaufort County Administration Building at 100 Ribaut Road.

Among items on the meeting agenda are review and approval of the 2020 meeting schedule, an update on the implementation of the Lady’s Island Plan and a strategic planning session for 2020 projects.

<strong>Riverview Baptist collecting gifts for Samaritan’s Pur</strong>se

Riverview Baptist Church at 2209 Boundary Street in Beaufort is a drop-off location collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child's National Collection Week.

Beaufort families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into fun gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items. The Samaritan's Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God's love to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.

This year, Beaufort-area residents hope to collect more than 18,275 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

Gifts can be dropped off from, 3-6 p.m. Thu, Nov. 21; 3-6 p.m. Fri, Nov. 22; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat, Nov. 23; 1:30-4 p.m. Sun, Nov. 24; and 10 a.m. to noon Mon, Nov. 25.