Business

Chamber announces award nominees
The Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce’s community award nominations were announced at the chamber’s annual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 19. Nominees are as follows:
Employee of the Year
Carrie Gilliam, medical receptionist with Varnam Family Wellness Center; Mark Koval, resource development director with Communities in Schools; Gary Staley with First Federal Bank; and Gatha McKeithan, distribution system crew leader with the town of Ocean Isle Beach.

Home Going Gardens Inc. (HGG) was recently awarded its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation from the Internal Revenue Service. This designation was a dream come true for its founder, Anitra Cobb.
Because of its exempt status, HGG can qualify for various grants and gifts given by government, corporate, foundation and private sources. Monetary gifts and non-financial resources will help HGG carry out its mission by helping individuals written off by society because of a felony record. All contributions made to HGG are tax-deductible to the benefactor.

Shop and support charity
It’s that time of year again, when hundreds of nonprofit organizations race to participate in the semi-annual Belk Charity Sale from 6-10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. The four-hour shopping sale directly benefits nonprofit charities and schools, which sell tickets to the event and keep 100 percent of each $5 ticket sold. And shoppers have an opportunity to save 20-70 percent off purchases that day on seldom-discounted merchandise.

A new 14,000-square-foot warehouse at the headquarters of Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) will now use solar power for about half of its electric needs, with the help from a grant from the USDA Rural Development program.