On Aug. 24, Main Street South Carolina awarded Chapman’s Mayor’s Youth Council the Excellence on Main Street Award.
Chapman’s Mayor’s Youth Council is the first to receive this award.
The Excellence on Main Street Award recognizes small communities and their historical benefits.
Chapman’s Mayor’s Youth Council has dedicated numerous community service hours towards researching and benefiting Inman.
“(The organization) helped facilitate the 5K on Harvest Day, Boo on Mill, organized the kids for the costume contest, prepared for Light up Inman and the toy drive for that, cards for the nursing homes on Valentine’s Day and a sock drive for the homeless project,” Mayor’s Youth Council Adviser Catherine Gramling said.
These activities that Chapman’s Mayor’s Youth Council volunteers for greatly contributed to them receiving the Excellence on Main Street Award.
Another significant factor in gaining this prestigious award was their involvement in researching the history of buildings in downtown Inman.
Last year these students went to the South Carolina Archives in Columbia.
“We got the chance to delve into the different buildings and what they originally were and how they’ve progressed over the years,” Gramling said.
Mayor’s Youth Council member senior Ella Hollis participated in the research project last year.
“Each person had a building, and we had to get deeds to the place and know who the recent owners were,” Hollis said. “We ended up dating it back to what the building used to be when it was first built. Lastly, we had to document all the information we gathered for the city to receive. I researched the building Jack and Co’s is in. It was a furniture store originally.”
Not only does the award represent the research this council has done for Inman, but it also represents the hard work of Chapman’s Mayor’s Youth Council.
“It validates the hard work that they put in and the service they do that gives back to the community. They dedicate a lot of Saturdays and a lot of weekends. It’s saying, ‘We appreciate you and establishes validity in what they’re doing’,” Gramling said.
Her words align with the feelings of Mayor’s Youth Council members Hollis and senior Elizabeth Lawson.
“It’s an honor because a lot of people don’t know about Inman, and it’s a smaller town, so it’s cool to think that I was able to contribute to this award,” Lawson said.
“It spreads awareness about how Inman is growing, the entrepreneurship, and everything that is going on in Inman now with the different stores,” Hollis said. “It is a growing town, and I think this award will draw attention to the city and get more people to come here.”
The Excellence on Main Street award pushes Chapman’s Mayor’s Youth Council to achieve more in Inman.
“I know we will continue the building project,” Hollis said. This year we’re going to the state house in Columbia to do more research and learn about the state. We will continue helping the mayor with whatever he needs and volunteering at community events.”
“Every year we get a whole group of new people, and I’m excited to see where that goes,” Lawson said.
