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<p><strong>Beaufort Garden Club holding birthday giveaway</strong></p>
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<p>Beaufort Garden Club is again celebrating its birthday by giving a present to Beaufort. On Saturday, Feb. 26, the club will be giving away 100 Redbud tree saplings at the Port Royal Farmers' Market.</p>
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<p>Come to the Gazebo at 9 a.m., but hurry. They will be gone fast.</p>
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<p>The Redbud tree is native to South Carolina and has lovely pink flowers in spring. It's a small tree, perfect for the homeowner.</p>
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<p>The Beaufort Garden Club will be 86 years old this year, and has graced Beaufort's streets, parks and open spaces with hundreds of trees, helping to make it Tree City, USA for decades.</p>
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<p><strong>Maison Beaufort back for 5th year</strong></p>
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<p>It’s that time of year again, time for Maison Beaufort.</p>
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<p>Maison Beaufort, held March 3 through 6, is a four-day event featuring a curated mix of exhibitors with a wonderful selection of antiques and art, vintage and one-of-a-kinds, lighting and furniture, linens, and garden accents. The event is held at Tabby Place in downtown Beaufort, South Carolina, 913 Port Republic Street.</p>
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<p>From 4:30 to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 3, there is a Preview Party that costs $30. The event includes wine and nosh and first chance to buy. Preview tickets must be purchased in advance</p>
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<p>The event begins in full swing March 4 through 6 for general admission. Tickets are $5 online and $10 at the door. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with Bloody Marys and Mimosas on Last Call Sunday.</p>
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<p>For tickets or more information, visit MaisonBeaufort.org.</p>
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<p><strong>City Council members make honor roll for completing coursework in governance</strong></p>
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<p>The City of Beaufort has been added to the 2022 South Carolina Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government’s Honor Roll. The Honor Roll recognizes annually those municipal councils in which all sitting members are graduates of the Institute.</p>
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<p>In the past year, City Council Members Neal Lipsitz and Mitch Mitchell, who took office in December of 2020, went through the coursework required by the Institute of Government. These included both online and in-person classes. The coursework is designed to give municipal elected officials the essential knowledge needed to establish good public policy, and included budgeting, municipal finance, and economic development.</p>
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<p>In previous years, Mayor Stephen Murray, Mayor Pro Tem Mike McFee, and City Council Member Phil Cromer completed the coursework required to graduate from the Institute.</p>
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<p>“I was extraordinarily proud of Team Beaufort that out of the 270-plus municipalities across South Carolina, only 11 of them are on the Honor Roll for having 100 percent of their council completing the Institute, and this council is one of the 11,” Mayor Stephen Murray said at the City Council meeting on Feb. 8.</p>
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<p><strong>United Way of Lowcountry’s Women United invites nominations for Woman of the Year</strong></p>
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<p>United Way of the Lowcountry’s Women United is seeking nominations for its 2022 Woman of the Year Award.</p>
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<p>This prestigious award recognizes a Lowcountry woman who, through a lifetime of service-work and volunteerism, has made a difference in our community. Nominations are being accepted until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8.</p>
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<p>The 2022 Woman of the Year nomination form can be found online at https://uwlowcountry.org/2022wuaward. Nominees need not be affiliated or associated with United Way of the Lowcountry to be eligible. Entries will be judged by a Women United committee.</p>
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<p>The Women United 2022 Woman of the Year Award will be presented during the 10th annual Power of the Purse Gala on Thursday, March 24 at Saltus River Grill in Beaufort.</p>
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<p>For more information contact Bethany Marcinkowski at 843-837-2000 or bethanym@uwlowcountry.org.</p>
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<p><strong>Vaccine nonprofit focuses on disability community</strong></p>
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<p>Able South Carolina (Able SC) – a nonprofit focused on empowering individuals with disabilities to live active, self-determined lives – has announced the creation of the S.C. Disability Vaccine Access Network, a group of disability-focused nonprofits and leaders in S.C. with a mission to act against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and address barriers to vaccine access that impact the disability community. The group provides reliable resources for people with disabilities about the COVID-19 vaccine and offers support to address disability related concerns, get answers, and make a plan to get vaccinated. Vaccine facts by and for the disability community can be found at SCDisabilityVaccine.org or by calling the SC Disability Vaccine Access Hotline at 1-800-787-6046.</p>
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