Chicora Community Art Mural Unveiling Set for March 6

A public art piece one year in the making is set to be revealed to the public at an official unveiling ceremony and reception on Thursday, March 6, 2014, from 4:00-5:00pm at the Tri-County Family Life Center, located at 1914 Reynolds Avenue in North Charleston. The 8’ by 12’ mural by Jonell Logan and Rashawnna Hawkins, titled The Gift We Give Ourselves, is the result of a collaboration between the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, City of North Charleston Police Department, and Metanoia. The artists and collaborators invite members of the surrounding community and the general public to witness the unveiling and enjoy light refreshments at the reception.

This highly collaborative project combines art and community engagement to visually encourage and remind the area’s youth to aspire to reach their goals and also serves as a point of pride for Chicora neighborhood residents. “We were thrilled to partner with the North Charleston Police Department, the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, and Tri-County Family Ministries to make our first mural on Reynolds Avenue a reality,” says Rev. Bill Stanfield, Metanoia CEO. “The two artists who did the mural really took the feedback of neighborhood residents into account and the second of these two artists, Rashawnna Hawkins, is actually a resident of the neighborhood herself. We feel positive public art is a very important part of any health community and we look forward to trying to get more murals going in the months ahead in our neighborhood.”

WHAT: Chicora Community Art Mural Unveiling and Reception

WHO: City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, City of North Charleston Police Department, Metanoia, and Tri-County Family Ministries

WHEN: Thursday, March 6, 2014, 4:00-5:00pm

WHERE: Tri-County Family Life Center - 1914 Reynolds Avenue, North Charleston

ADMISSION: Free; all are welcome to attend

This project was funded in part by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs and the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department through their joint administration of the Lowcountry Quarterly Arts Grant Program and the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of SC.

Outdoor Fitness Center Fundraiser at Chicora Place Community Garden

Metanoia CDC’s Chicora Place Community Garden Pushes Forward to Get Fitness Center Added to Upcoming Playground with Community Support.

The Chicora Place Community Garden sits in a food desert plagued with food insecurity and chronic health issues. Thanks to Select Health of SC and AmeriHealth Caritas Partnership, the garden, will receive a fully funded youth playground in an ambitious one-day build on Friday, November 22.

Plans for the future playground also feature a teen and adult fitness area complete with eight pieces of equipment. The set includes a curved balance beam, a sit-up station, a joint use chin up station, a seated chest press, a rowing machine, a seated leg press, an elliptical trainer, and a double cardio walker and costs $17,000.

To date, no sponsor has stepped up to cover the cost of the outdoor gym. Germaine Jenkins, Metanoia’s Community Garden Coordinator, and her neighborhood garden team have planned a fundraiser that will sell meals and other goods to raise funds and awareness.

Outdoor Fitness Center Fundraiser

Saturday, August 31, 2013

3pm - 6pm

Chicora Place Community Garden

3107 North Carolina Avenue, North Charleston, 29405

The fundraiser is a group effort with local musician Chris Boone donating his time and talents to open the festivities, CharlestonGOOD.com assisting with the development and promotion of the event, and Metanoia CDC and the City of North Charleston donating ingredients and other materials that will be used to create dishes prepared by neighborhood residents. In addition, Crystal Simon, owner of the banana pudding business Bananapalooza, will donate dessert. The group is also creating a custom t-shirt that will be sold online with all proceeds benefiting the outdoor gym. 

Metanoia established the Chicora Place Community Garden in July of 2011. They gathered neighborhood feedback to create a social gathering space that features benches, barbeque grills, picnic tables and a gazebo. Since its creation, the garden has distributed over 600 pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs free of charge to those who live, work and play in North Charleston. Metanoia CDC is an asset based community development corporation that has worked to discover and grow youth, adult and community assets in southern North Charleston area for ten years.

For more information about this topic, please contact Mrs. Germaine Jenkins by calling 843-276-8552, or e-mailing Germaine at citychick@urbanveggucation.com

Bill Stanfield named North Charleston Citizen of the Year

After numerous nominations received, the North Charleston Citizen Advisory Council has selected Bill Stanfield as the 2011 North Charleston Citizen of the Year.  Each year, North Charleston residents are nominated to identify, honor, and reinforce the activities of exceptional citizens whose service or performance positively contributes to the quality of life in North Charleston.

It is necessary for Citizen of the Year recipients to possess and demonstrate a generous community spirit, prove their commitment, and display a consistent effort of positively impacting the community, thereby raising the standards of social responsibility.

Bill Stanfield resides in the Chicora-Cherokee community with his wife Evelyn and two sons.  He is an associate minister at St. Matthew Baptist Church and the cofounder of the Metanoia Community Development Corporation.

Mr. Stanfield’s work with Metanoia has been instrumental in implementing many programs leading to direct advancements of our communities, including student leadership programs, housing development for depressed neighborhoods, minority contractor training, and a production kitchen for culinary arts job training.  In addition, Metanoia is currently renovating two buildings on Reynolds Avenue in an effort to spark commercial revitalization.

North Charleston Mayor R. Keith Summey stated, “I met Bill years ago through his work in the community, where he remains a source of encouragement for the Chicora-Cherokee area.”  He continued, “It is wonderful to have leaders, like Bill, working in concert to improve the quality of life in the southern end of the City.  I cannot think of a more deserving individual to receive this honor.”