* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:01]
          CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BUFORT COUNTY. 
          IT'S NINE O'CLOCK. 
          I'M GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. 
          UM, THE FIRST, UH, ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE, UH, ADOPTIN OF THE AGENDA. 
          BEFORE WE DO THAT, CAN I JUST, UH, MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA, AGENDA AND SEE IF WE CAN MOVE PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE FRONT TODAY, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING PEOPLE WAIT SIX HOURS. 
          WE CAN ALSO CHECK AT THE END, BUT IF ANY, IF ANYBODY HAS PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE FRONT TO ALLOW 'EM TO DO IT NOW, MAKE A MOTION. 
          MAKE A MOTION TO SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IS THERE ANY, UH, ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? DID ALL IN FAVOR? OH, ALL IN FAVOR? A, UM, IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE THAT WANTS TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY, WELL, NEW BUSINESS THEN. 
          UH, SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM THE APPLICANTS FOR, UH, GRANTS. 
          AND, UM, IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT DAY BECAUSE WE GET TO HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY'S DOING AND WHAT ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING TO, UH, HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND TO, UH, RAISE TAX REVENUE TO HELP OUR TOWN GOVERNMENT AND HELP, UH, A LOT OF THESE NONPROFITS. 
          SO, UM, THAT BEING SAID, I SEE THAT THE FIRST, UH, PRESENTER IS HERE ALREADY, SO MAYBE WE CAN JUST START AND THAT WOULD BE LOW COUNTRY GULLAH. 
          WE'LL GET THIS OUTTA THE WAY. 
          UH, THERE WE GO. 
          GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE. 
          GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU LOW COUNTRY GULLAH. 
          UM, I'M REALLY, UM, HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU NOT ONLY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, BUT, UM, MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE. 
          SO THIS IS ONE OF THE POSTS THAT IS CIRCULATING AROUND, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA RIGHT NOW. 
          AND I WANTED TO START WITH THIS BECAUSE THE GULLAH CULTURE IS SOMETHING THAT IN WHAT I CALL THE ANCESTRY.COM WORLD THAT WE'RE IN, WHERE EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FOR AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE AND, AND WHERE THEY COME FROM, UM, THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND. 
          AND HILTON HEAD IS VERY SPECIAL IN THE FACT THAT, UM, ANMA IS IN THE ROOM, UM, REPRESENTING MITCHELLVILLE AND, UH, THE GULLAH MUSEUM AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ASSETS THAT ARE ON THE ISLAND. 
          AND SO WHEN LOW COUNTRY GULLAH SPEAKS, IT IS SPEAKING TO ALL OF THOSE THINGS. 
          IT IS SPEAKING TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT A, UM, ASSETS THAT ARE OUT THERE. 
          BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S TALKING ABOUT WHERE THE GULLAH CULTURE BEGAN AND HOW PEOPLE CAN CONNECT TO IT AND LEARN ABOUT IT. 
          AND SO, WHY SHOULD WE HIGHLIGHT GULLAH CULTURE? LIKE I JUST MENTIONED, WE ARE IN A A ANCESTRY.COM WORLD. 
          EVERYBODY IS LOOKING FOR THEIR CONNECTION TO WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY CAME FROM, WHAT THEIR DNA IS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE US WHO WE ARE. 
          AND SO PEOPLE ARE STARVING FOR THAT KIND OF INFORMATION. 
          AND ESPECIALLY IN THE BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A TANGIBLE CONNECTION TO THE CULTURE. 
          AND THE BEAUTY OF IT IS, IS THAT HILTON HEAD IS ONE OF THOSE CONNECTIONS. 
          SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT INFORMATION ABOUT A VERY SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING PORTION OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, WHICH IS CALLED HERITAGE TOURISM. 
          SO WHAT IS THAT? IT'S BASICALLY THREE DIFFERENT TOURISM CATEGORIES, UM, BUT IT IS THE FASTEST GROWING TRAVEL MARKET IN THE COUNTRY. 
          AND SO THERE ARE THREE, UM, IT'S PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING TO EXPERIENCE THE PLACES, THE ARTIFACTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT AUTH AUTHENTICALLY REPRESENT THEIR STORIES AND THEIR PEOPLE FROM THE PAST AND THE PRESENT, OR ITS CULTURAL TOURISM, UM, WHICH IS A MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE TO CULTURAL, UH, ATTRACTIONS WITH INTENTIONS OF GATHERING NEW INFORMATION, EXPERIENCES TO SATISFY THEIR CULTURAL NEEDS. 
          OR IT'S GENEALOGY TOURISM, WHICH IS HERITAGE TOUR CALLED HERITAGE TOURISM OR ROOTS TOURISM. 
          BUT IT'S PEOPLE TRAVELING TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT WHO THEY ARE TO DISCOVER THEIR ROOTEDNESS IN A PLACE OR TO SEARCH FOR AN AUTHENTIC SELF-IDENTIFICATION OR EXPERIENCE. 
          SO WHY IS IT ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING AREAS? UM, IT'S 1.70, $171 BILLION IN ANNUAL SPENDING. 
          [00:05:01]
81% OF US TOURISTS CONSIDER THEMSELVES A CULTURAL TOURIST. 
          CULTURAL TOURIST TRAVEL MORE. 
          THEY SPEND MORE AND THEY STAY MORE THAN ONE NIGHT. 
          UM, 73% OF MILLENNIALS WANT MORE ENGAGING IN AN AUTHENTIC TRAVEL OF DESTINATIONS. 
          56% OF THE TRAVELING POPULATION IS LOOKING FOR CULTURAL ARTS, HISTORIC HERITAGE ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS DURING EACH VACATION. 
          AND THEY ARE AFFLUENT AND WELL-EDUCATED BABY BOOMERS. 
          AND SO THE BLACK SPENDING DOLLARS THAT IS PART OF THAT IS REALLY CRITICAL TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY. 
          42 MILLION OR 14% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION IS PART OF THAT FAST GROWING TRAVEL INDUSTRY. 
          17% OF BLACK AMERICANS ARE TAKING INTERNATIONAL TRIPS, OR THEY'RE TRAVELING LOCALLY MORE THAN SIX TIMES A YEAR. 
          THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE, THOSE TRAVELERS GREW BY 51% IN 19, UH, 2019 COMPARED TO OTHER YEARS, 42% OF BLACK AMERICANS SAY THAT THEY WOULD SPEND MORE, UM, IN 2020 THAN 2019 AFTER COVID. 
          AND 50% OF BLACK AMERICANS, UM, 16% MORE THAN THE GENERAL POPULATIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO TRAVEL TO LOCATIONS AS SO ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR ETHNIC OR CULTURAL HERITAGE. 
          AND SO WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE HILTON HEAD IS SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR, WHICH SPANS FROM NORTH CAROLINA AND WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. 
          AND SO THE POTENTIAL FOR THAT, THAT CULTURAL LEISURE SPEND IS $34 BILLION. 
          AND BASED ON 30 MILLION OF US TRAVELERS, THEY'VE INDICATED THAT GULLAH GEECHEE SITES ARE HIGH ON THEIR INTEREST LEVEL OF WHERE THEY WANNA GO IN THE SOUTH. 
          AND SO 36% OF ALL TRAVELERS SAY THAT CULTURAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE SITES ARE THEIR CHOICE DESTINATION. 
          AND 28% OF MILLENNIALS ARE SAYING THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT COMPARED TO OTHER TRAVELERS. 
          IT'S 19%. 
          AND SO NEARLY ONE IN FOUR TRAVELERS ARE AWARE AND CURIOUS ABOUT THE GULLAH GEECHEE TERM, UM, AND HAVE PO POS POSITIVE PERCEPTIONS OF IT. 
          AND HIGHER LEVELS OF AWARENESS, LIKE THE WORDS GULLAH GEECHEE CORRELATE WITH THAT INCREASED INTENT TO VISIT AND EXPERIENCE THE CULTURE THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR. 
          SO WHAT DOES THAT PERSON LOOK LIKE? THEIR ENTHUSIASTS, THEIR, UM, LOOKING FOR THE AVAILABILITY OF CULTURAL, HISTORIC SITES AND TRACTIONS, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. 
          THEIR INCOME IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND PLUS OR UNDER A HUNDRED THOUSAND. 
          THE, IT'S A DRIVE MARKET. 
          THEY'RE LIVING IN STATES LIKE FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, OF COURSE, HERE IN OUR STATE, VIRGINIA, TENNESSEE, AND ALABAMA. 
          AND THEY'RE TAKING AT LEAST THREE TRIPS A YEAR AND HAVE GONE SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE LAST 18 MONTHS. 
          AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRAVEL DISTANCE, YOU CAN SEE THAT FROM A THOUSAND MILES MORE OR EVEN A HUNDRED MILES AWAY, WE ARE STILL IN THE, THE RIGHT TYPE OF DRIVE MARKET THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THESE, UM, INDIVIDUALS. 
          AND SO OUR HISTORY AND CULTURE IS A MOTIVATOR FOR PEOPLE TO NOT ONLY TRAVEL, BUT TO WANT TO EXPLORE OFF OF THE BEATEN PATH. 
          AND 23% OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UM, TRAVELERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, ARE WILLING TO TAKE THAT TRIP. 
          AND 24% ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING OFF THE BEATEN PATH. 
          AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE IMPORTANCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE, 30 PER 36% SAY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT OR SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT. 
          AND, UM, OF AFRICAN AMERICANS, 39% SAY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. 
          AND OF MILLENNIALS, IT'S 28% AND NEARLY ONE HALF, 46% OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE STAYING THREE TO FIVE NIGHTS WITH THEIR LAST LEISURE TRIP BEING, UM, AT LEAST $400 A NIGHT FOR LODGING. 
          AND SO WHAT DOES ALL OF THAT MEAN TO HILTON HEAD? IT MEANS THAT TAKE VILLE, 38% OF THEM WANNA VISIT HISTORIC SITE. 
          19% OF THEM WANNA RESEARCH SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN, UM, LEARN MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES. 
          SO THAT'S THE HERITAGE LIBRARY. 
          19% OF THEM ARE GOING TO THE MUSEUM. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO THE GULLAH MUSEUM, 17% SAYING THAT THEY'VE ATTENDED AN EVENT. 
          WE HAVE THE GULLAH CELEBRATION, WE HAVE FISH AND GRITS, WE HAVE THE GULLAH MUSEUMS, UM, DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT THEY DO. 
          AND 17% ARE SAYING THAT THEY VISITED A PLANTATION AND NOT A LOT OF US KNOW, BUT 
          [00:10:01]
THERE'S ONE IN, UM, SEA PINES FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO. 
          SO NOW YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE KIND OF PERSON THAT LOW COUNTRY GULLAH DELIVERS. 
          AND SO WHAT IS LOW COUNTRY GULLAH? WE'RE A CULTURAL INFLUENCER. 
          WE HAVE A WEBSITE. 
          WE HAVE A PODCAST. 
          WE'RE HEAVY ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          WE, UH, PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL EVENTS, AND WE ALSO DO SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES. 
          WE'RE A PROMOTER OF CULTURAL TOURISM THROUGH THE WEBSITE. 
          WE ALSO HAVE A TOUR THIS YEAR, WHICH I'M GONNA GET INTO IN A LITTLE BIT. 
          UM, THE PODCAST, THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVENTS. 
          WE'RE A STORYTELLER. 
          WE'RE AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE THROUGH THE WEBSITE, THROUGH DOCUMENTARIES AND SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          AND WE'RE AN ANCESTRAL CUL CULTURAL CONNECTOR THROUGH THE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          AND THE LAST ONE IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO CONNECT TO THEIR ANCESTRAL BACKGROUND ARE COMING TO US FIRST. 
          AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ACTUALLY HAVE STATE PAGES. 
          THERE'S A SPECIFIC SOUTH CAROLINA GROUP WHERE PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING FOR THEIR ANCESTORS AND TRYING TO CONNECT WITH SURNAMES AND INFORMATION SUCH AS THAT. 
          SO WE'RE VERY NON-TRADITIONAL AS HOW IN HOW WE PROMOTE AND MARKET HILTON HEAD. 
          BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS CONNECTING WITH TOURISTS AND POTENTIAL VISITORS BY TELLING THE HILTON HEAD STORY IN A UNIQUE WAY. 
          WE'RE DOING IT THROUGH THE WEBSITE, WE'RE DOING IT THROUGH DOCUMENTARIES. 
          WE'RE DOING IT THROUGH THE PODCAST, THROUGH THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, A NEWSLETTER AND CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURS. 
          SO HOW ARE WE REACHING THEM? WE'RE ENGAGING THEM. 
          WE'RE STARTING CONVERSATIONS. 
          WE'RE, UM, BRINGING APART, UM, IMPORTANT TOPICAL RELEVANT INFORMATION. 
          WE'RE ENTERTAINING THEM AND WE'RE EDUCATING THEM. 
          AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THE ADS THAT IS RUNNING, UM, IN, IN DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS JUST TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT NOT ONLY CAN THEY IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN GULLAH CULTURE, BUT THAT THERE IS A WEBSITE AND A PODCAST THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO CONNECT TO THE TRADITIONS, THE HISTORY, AND THE STORIES OF THE GULLAH GEECHEE. 
          AND SO I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THIS YEAR, UH, IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT LOW COUNTRY GULLAH IS OFFERING A GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURAL HERITAGE TOUR. 
          IT'S AN EIGHT DAY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO FLORIDA, AND WE'RE CALLING IT A JOURNEY THROUGH MEMORY, LAND AND LIBERATION. 
          AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT STARTS IN NORTH CAROLINA AND, UM, WITH STOPS ALONG THE WAY, UM, SEVERAL DAYS IN HILTON HEAD, JACKSONVILLE AND ST. 
          AUGUSTINE. 
          AND SO THE BEAUTY OF LOW COUNTRY GULLAH IS WE MAY NOT HAVE A BRICK AND MORTAR, BUT WE ARE REACHING PEOPLE EX DIRECTLY WHERE THEY ARE. 
          WE'RE REACHING THEM THROUGH DOCUMENTARIES. 
          THE HARRIET TUBMAN ONE TELLS THE TIME THAT MAR THAT HARRIET TUBMAN WAS HERE ON HILTON HEAD. 
          SHE LIVED HERE FOR EIGHT MONTHS. 
          UM, SEEKING IS A DOCUMENTARY THAT TELLS THE RELIGIOUS STORY OF, UM, GULLAH SEEKING, AND THAT INCLUDES THE STORY OF, OF MOTHER RIVERS, WHO IS ONE OF OUR OLDEST, UM, GULLAH REV, UM, UH, GULLAH MATRIARCHS ON THE ISLAND FOR, UH, SEVERAL YEARS. 
          SHE PASSED AWAY RECENTLY, BUT IT'S STILL TELLING THAT STORY. 
          WE HAVE THE PODCAST, WE HAVE THE WEBSITE, AND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE, UM, DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN REACH US. 
          AND SO OUR SITE HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT GROWTH. 
          UM, WE ARE REACHING OVER 89,000 SITE VIEWS, UH, 69,000, UH, 63,000 VISITORS. 
          27,000 OF THOSE VISITORS ARE COMING THROUGH FACEBOOK, AND THEN 27,000 ARE COMING JUST THROUGH SEARCH ENGINE REFERRALS. 
          AND SO THE TOURIST THAT WE ARE REACHING IS EXACTLY WHO THE ISLAND IS LOOKING FOR. 
          THE ISLAND IS FULL OF RESTAURANTS. 
          WE'RE REACHING FOOD ENTHUSIASTS OR FOODIES. 
          UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE PET LOVERS, FAMILY FOCUSED WITH LIFESTYLE AND HOBBY INFORMATION SHOPPERS, UM, MEDIA, UM, HOME AND GARDEN. 
          UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE VERY HIGH ON THE LIST FOR US AS FAR AS WHO WE ARE ABLE TO DELIVER. 
          AND SO THE BEAUTY OF LOW COUNTRY GALA IS YES, WE DO HAVE A DOMESTIC AUDIENCE, UM, NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CAROLINA BEING OUR PRIMARY, UM, LOCATIONS. 
          BUT LOOK AT THE MAP. 
          CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, UM, NORTH NEW YORK, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON AND PENNSYLVANIA, AS WELL AS AROUND THE WORLD. 
          WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AUDIENCE IN, UM, CANADA, IN, UH, THE UK, IRELAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, SWEDEN, INDIA, UH, THE PHILIPPINES AND INDONESIA. 
          SO CITY-WISE, ATLANTA IS 
          [00:15:01]
ONE OF OUR, UM, TOP MARKETS, UH, WHICH OF COURSE IS DRIVABLE. 
          IT'S ONLY ABOUT FIVE HOURS AWAY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AUDIENCE ON HILTON HEAD IN NEW YORK CITY, IN CHARLOTTE, IN JACKSONVILLE, UM, AND SO ON. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE, THOSE COUNTRIES, UM, THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER HERE, THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS. 
          AND, UM, REGIONALLY, SOUTH CAROLINA IS THE, THE PRIMARY REGION THAT WE COVER. 
          UM, FOLLOWED BY GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, FLORIDA, AND AGAIN, CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK. 
          AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT, THESE ARE HEAT MAPS OF WHERE THOSE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM. 
          SO OUT OF NORTH CAROLINA, WE PRETTY MUCH COVER THE STATE. 
          IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH COVERING THE STATE AS WELL. 
          UM, SAME THING IN GEORGIA THAT A, THAT ATLANTA, UM, UM, CATCH IS, IS DEFINITELY, UM, PROMINENT IN THIS MAP AND THEN AGAIN IN FLORIDA. 
          AND SO ON THE WEBSITE, WE ARE VERY HILTON HEAD SPECIFIC. 
          UM, THE EXPERIENCE, GULLAH, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, IS THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD'S NEW, UM, APP AND WEBSITE THAT IS ON THE WEBSITE BECAUSE WE ARE AN UMBRELLA. 
          UM, WE ARE AN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION THAT IS PROMOTING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT GULLAH ASSETS THAT ARE THERE. 
          SO ON THE WEBSITE, YOU CAN GET, UM, INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET HERE ON THE ISLAND. 
          UM, WE HAVE DEDICATED TOWN BASED WEBPAGES. 
          UM, MITCHELLVILLE IS ON THERE. 
          THE GULLAH MUSEUM IS ON THERE. 
          THE HERITAGE TOURS IS ON THERE. 
          CULTURE, HHI IS ON THERE. 
          THE COASTAL MUSEUM IS ALSO ON THERE. 
          AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE DIFFERENT ARTICLES AND INFORMATION THAT, THAT ARE ON THE WEBSITE THAT ARE DRIVING PEOPLE TO THE DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE ON THE ISLAND. 
          AND SO THIS IS A SCREENSHOT OF THE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN GET SPECIFIC INFORMATION. 
          SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY, HERE'S A LINK TO HELP YOU. 
          UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE GULLEY HERITAGE TOUR OR MITCHELLVILLE, THE GULLAH MUSEUM, COASTAL DISCOVERY, HERITAGE LIBRARY, ALL OF THOSE ARE LINKS DIRECTLY TO THE ASSETS THAT THAT WE CONNECT TO. 
          AND SO OF OUR, UM, HILTON HEAD FOCUS PAGES, YOU CAN SEE THAT 39,000 OR ROUGHLY 40,000, UM, PAGE VIEWS HAVE BEEN, UM, SOUGHT OUT BY EACH OF THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, ASSETS THAT WE ARE PROMOTING. 
          AND SO ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ARE DOING EXTRAORDINARILY WELL. 
          THE WEBSITE GETS MORE THAN 10,000, UM, PAGE VISITORS A MONTH. 
          UM, SOCIAL MEDIA IS GROWING LEAP AND BOUND. 
          UM, ACTUALLY INSTAGRAM, THE NUMBERS HAVE CHANGED. 
          I'M ALMOST CLOSER TO 10,000 THAN 8,000 SINCE I DID THIS. 
          UM, BUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA, WE HAVE, UM, CLOSE TO 55,000 AND GROWING, UM, PEOPLE. 
          OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, WHICH HAS A LOT OF VIDEOS AND INFORMATION ON THERE, 1700, UH, WE HAVE A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER THAT PUTS OUT INFORMATION OF 6,300 SUBSCRIBERS TO THAT. 
          AND OUR PODCAST GETS, UM, AN AVERAGE MONTHLY DOWNLOAD OF 8,000 OR MORE. 
          AND SO IF I BREAK DOWN THE SOCIAL MEDIA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 4 MILLION PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING REACHED WITH, UM, ALMOST 8 MILLION IMPRESSIONS, UM, 300,000 POST ENGAGEMENTS. 
          THERE WAS ONE VIDEO THAT I PUT OUT THIS YEAR THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. 
          THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, IT HAD ALMOST 700,000 VIEWS ON IT ALONE. 
          UM, A HUNDRED THOUSAND CLICKTHROUGHS. 
          UM, THE FACEBOOK TO WEBSITE LANDING PAGE VIEWS IS AT 73,000 PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING AND ENGAGING IN THIS CONTENT, AND THEY'RE FASCINATED AND THEIR INTEREST, AND THEY'RE SEEKING US OUT. 
          UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, 6,300 SUBSCRIBERS, WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OPEN RATE OF OUR NEWSLETTER OF 33%, AND AN AVERAGE CLICK RATE OF 30%, AND AN ONLY A 2% UNSUBSCRIBE RATE COMPARED TO A 21% OF AN AVERAGE OPEN RATE NATIONALLY AND 10% OF AN AVERAGE CLICK RATE. 
          SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT, UM, MORE SPECIFICS, UH, THIS IS FACEBOOK BY THE NUMBERS. 
          UM, IN THE LAST 28 DAYS, FACEBOOK HAD 441,000 VIEWS. 
          UM, THE, UM, UH, OTHER, UH, PAGES WITH VIDEOS HAD 1.1 MILLION VIEWS, AND THAT'S WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS. 
          AND AGAIN, WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS, 76,000 PEOPLE WERE ENGAGED. 
          AND THIS IS INSTAGRAM BY THE NUMBERS. 
          UM, LIKE I SAID, THIS, THIS IS A FEW DAYS OLD. 
          IT WAS 8,000, UM, ON INSTAGRAM. 
          UM, 
          [00:20:01]
YOU CAN SEE THAT A LOT OF THE FOLLOWERS THAT ARE FOLLOWING US ARE ACTUALLY NON FOLLOWERS COMPARED TO THE FOLLOWERS. 
          IT'S 70% DOWN THERE ON THE BOTTOM, UM, WITH OVER 220,000 VIEWS, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, FROM, FROM THE DIFFERENT ADS THAT ARE BEING PUT OUT THERE AND THE REACH OF 67,000, UM, OVER THE LAST 90 DAYS. 
          SO I MENTIONED THAT WE ARE TELLING THE STORY IN A UNIQUE WAY. 
          UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE DOCUMENTARIES THAT IS OUT THERE, UM, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY DON'T KNOW THAT HILTON HEAD IS THE PLACE WHERE THE UNION ARMY WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE SOUTH, AND THAT A LOT OF THE COLORED TROOPS WERE FORMED HERE. 
          THAT'S WHAT THIS STORY TELLS. 
          IT ALSO TELLS A STORY OF MY ANCESTOR, WHO WAS ONE OF THOSE US COLORED TROOPS SOLDIERS WHO WAS HERE ON THE ISLAND. 
          SO IT TAKES THE BROADER STORY INTO A PERSONAL STORY. 
          AND, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S BEEN DOING VERY WELL, UM, ON THE FILM, FILM FESTIVAL CIRCUIT. 
          AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UH, LITTLE LARGER VIEW OF SOME OF THE AWARDS THAT, THAT THE FILM HAS GOTTEN. 
          UM, IT WAS JUST SHOWN AT THE, UM, INTERNATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN CHARLESTON SCREENED, UM, TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO. 
          BUT, UM, INTERNATIONALLY THIS DOCUMENTARY HAS GONE TO TORONTO, ONTARIO, TO HAMILTON, CANADA, HALIFAX, ENGLAND, ROME, MUNICH, UM, BERLIN, AND LONDON, AS WELL AS DOMESTICALLY IN CHARLESTON, CHARLOTTE, UM, CHICAGO, LA, SAN DIEGO, ROXBURY, AND SACRAMENTO. 
          SO WE'RE TAKING THE STORY TO AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, AND THIS IS THE SCREENSHOT OF IT BEING, UM, AT THE, UH, MUSEUM IN CHARLESTON. 
          THE OTHER DOCUMENTARY THAT IS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW IS THE HARRIET TUBMAN. 
          AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS ALSO DONE VERY WELL WITH THE, UM, FILM FESTIVAL CIRCUIT. 
          AND AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE AWARDS, UH, THAT IT HAS RECEIVED. 
          AND SO THE BEAUTY OF, UM, HARRIET TUBMAN IS NOT ONLY IS IT IN THE FILM FESTIVAL CIRCUIT, BUT IT'S ALSO NATIONALLY AIRING ON PBS. 
          SO AS OF SEPTEMBER 28TH, THE DARK BLUE IS ALL OF THE STATIONS NATIONWIDE THAT ARE SHOWING THE HARRIET TUBMAN STORY. 
          AND, UM, WITH A POTENTIAL AUDIENCE OF OVER, UM, 42 MILLION PEOPLE THAT ARE SEEING OUR STORY AND OUR MESSAGE. 
          AND, UM, A HUNDREDS AS OF THE END OF SEPTEMBER, UM, 176 TELECASTS IN 51 MARKETS ON 99 CHANNELS IN 18 STATES. 
          AND, UM, THIS IS JUST A REPEAT OF WHAT I JUST SAID, SORRY, . 
          UM, AND BUT THE BEAUTY OF THE HARRIET TUBMAN ON PBS IS THAT IT'S ALSO STREAMING. 
          SO IF SOMEONE GOOGLES HARRIET TUBMAN, THIS IS WHAT'LL COME UP, AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN STREAM THE DOCUMENTARY FROM THERE AS WELL. 
          AND SINCE MARCH, IT'S HAD OVER 70,000, UM, STREAMING DOWNLOADS. 
          WE ALSO HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL, UM, IN THE LAST YEAR, 134,000 VIEWS ON THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL. 
          AND THINGS LIKE THE SEEKING DOCUMENTARY, THE MITCHELLVILLE DOCUMENTARY, ALL OF THOSE ARE ON THE, THE WEBSITE AS WELL AS, UM, VIDEO SHORTS AND, UM, PODCAST SHORTS. 
          AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR, LET'S SEE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I POINT OUT FOR EVERYONE WHO VISITS, I ALWAYS AM SURE TO POINT OUT AMY MILLER PLACE, WHICH IS, UM, A, A STREET, A REAL PLACE. 
          UM, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, UH, CAESAR JONES WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR WAS MAKING SURE THAT HIS CHILDREN WERE PROVIDED FOR, UM, WITH LAND. 
          UH, AND, AND, AND THERE'S A COMMEMORATION OF, OF THIS BABY WHO WOULD'VE OTHERWISE BEEN OVERBOARD, UH, WITH A STREET THAT, UH, YOU CAN DRIVE PAST. 
          SO I ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO POINT OUT TO VISITORS THAT AMY MILLER, AMY JONES, MILLER WAY, THIS WAS THE BABY THAT WOULD'VE BEEN  AT THE, THE BOTTOM OF THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY, BUT THE, UH, TO JUST TO AGAIN, TO, TO, TO PROVIDE, UM, UH, THIS IS REAL. 
          THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE'S LIVES. 
          THESE THINGS HAPPENED, AND THEY LIVE ON, UH, MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE RIOTING UP AND DOWN 2 78 OR THE OTHER STREETS HERE ON THAT ISLAND HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY SEE THESE NAMED STREETS THAT ARE NAMED AFTER THE, THE, THE ANCESTORS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          AND SO BEING ABLE TO POINT THAT OUT IS, IS 
          [00:25:01]
ALWAYS, UH, UH, AN INTERESTING STORY TO, TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE. 
          SO THAT'S ONE OF THE, UM, PODCASTS THAT, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE PODCASTS THAT, THAT, UM, AND SEA ISLAND COTTON WAS SERVICING A DIFFERENT MARKET, SORRY, UM, THAN THERE'S ANOTHER PODCAST, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT, WHAT I WANNA SHOW YOU. 
          UM, SORRY, A GUESS I, UM, BUT, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAM, AN EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE PODCAST, UM, THAT IS DOCTOR, UM, UH, JOE WRIGHT, WHO IS A HILTON HEAD RESIDENT AND TELLING ABOUT HIS STORY, UM, WHICH IS ALSO DR. 
          LOUISE COHEN'S STORY ABOUT COMING ACROSS THE WATER AND GIVING PEOPLE THAT KIND OF CONNECTION TO THE ISLAND, AND SO THAT THEY HAVE THAT KIND OF INTEREST. 
          THE PODCAST IS RANKED AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 PODCASTS IN THE UNITED STATES BASED ON ITS NUMBERS. 
          AND WE'VE HAD OVER 96,000 DO DOWNLOADS THIS YEAR, AND, UM, SIX, ALMOST 7,000, UM, IMPRESSIONS. 
          AND SO THE PODCAST AUDIENCE IS ALSO AROUND THE WORLD. 
          IT'S IN EVERY STATE, UM, BUT IT'S ALSO REACHING A LOT OF COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD TELLING THE STORY. 
          AND THESE ARE THE SPECIFIC STATES, UM, IN ORDER THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE TARGETING. 
          AND AGAIN, AS YOU CAN SEE, SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, UM, CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK AND FLORIDA ARE THE TOP ONES, WHICH ARE ALSO DRIVABLE. 
          THE PODCAST IS AVAILABLE ON ANY PLATFORM THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN OR THROUGH THE WEBSITE, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, GO DIRECTLY TO THAT. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID THIS YEAR, UM, IS, IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, IS IN ADDITION TO THE BOOTHS AND THE FESTIVALS THAT WE USUALLY DO, WE DID SOME EVENT SPONSORSHIPS, WHICH FURTHERED OUR ADVERTISING MESSAGE. 
          SO WE SPONSORED, UM, THE FISH AND GRITS MUSIC FESTIVAL THAT WAS JUST HERE. 
          UM, WE ALSO JUST SPONSORED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND GENEALOGY SOCIETY CONFERENCE IN CHARLESTON. 
          UM, AND WE ARE A SPONSOR OF THE HILTON HEADS, UM, SYMPHONIES, GAH, YOU GAH ME SERIES, AND ALSO HERITAGE DAYS IN ST. 
          HELENA. 
          UM, THE, IN, THE, THE THING ABOUT THE SPONSORSHIPS IS WE ARE NOT ONLY SPREADING OUR MESSAGE OF THE, THE HILTON HEAD MESSAGE, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPRESSING AN INTEREST IN THE CULTURE WHERE THEY ARE. 
          AND SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE, UM, SOME OF THOSE SPONSORSHIPS. 
          UM, AND THIS IS THE SPONSORSHIP LIST FROM THE, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY. 
          UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE IN A GREAT ROOM WITH ANCESTRY.COM, A MILLION NAMES, FAMILY SEARCH CENTER FOR HEIRS PROPERTY, NATIONAL GENEALOGY SOCIETY. 
          THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, ARE THE TOP IN SEARCHING FOR YOUR GENEALOGY. 
          AND HAVING LOW COUNTRY GULLAH BEING CONNECTED TO THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          AND THIS IS THE BOOTH THAT WE HAD LAST WEEKEND THIS YEAR. 
          WE ALSO DID SEVERAL FESTIVALS. 
          WE JUST DID, UM, CRE CRESCENDO THIS WEEK, BUT NORTH CAROLINA, THE RICE FESTIVAL, HILTON HEADS, GULLAH CELEBRATION, THE FESTIVAL IN BEAUFORT, THE NORTH CAROLINA, UH, RICE BOROUGH, UM, FESTIVAL AS WELL. 
          AND SO LOCALLY, WE REACHED, UM, THROUGH OUR BOOTH, 4,400 PEOPLE. 
          UM, AND, AND PEOPLE COME OUT BECAUSE IF YOU NOTICE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, PICTURES WILL SHOW THESE PULL UP POSTERS THAT ARE TELLING THE GULLAH STORY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO TELLING HILTON HEAD STORY. 
          UM, THE REGIONAL EVENTS WE, UH, WENT TO, UH, HAD 25,000 IN, IN, UM, ATTENDANCE OVERALL. 
          AND AGAIN, THESE ARE, THIS IS A BETTER, UM, EXAMPLE OF THE PULL UP POSTERS HERE, UH, SHOWING THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THIS GULLAH STORY. 
          SO WHEN WE GO OUT, OF COURSE WE'RE CAPTURING ZIP CODES, AND SO THIS YEAR WE CAPTURED OVER 7,200 ZIP CODES, AND THIS IS A HEAT MAP OF WHERE ALL OF THOSE, UH, ZIP CODES WERE CAPTURED. 
          OF COURSE, SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE EAST COAST IS, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, RICH IN, IN NUMBERS, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE, INCLUDING MEXICO. 
          AND THIS IS A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SOUTHEAST NUMBERS, THE NORTHEAST NUMBERS, THE MIDWEST, THE NORTHWEST, AND THE MIDWEST. 
          AND SO THIS YEAR WE DID A SURVEY, UM, WE HAD 183 RESPONSES TO THE SURVEY OF THEM, 42 WERE 
          [00:30:01]
RESIDENTS. 
          UM, BUT WE ALSO REACHED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TOURISTS. 
          UM, AVERAGE GROUP SIZE WAS OVER FOUR, OR IT WAS FOUR. 
          UM, THEY WERE STAYING SEVEN TO SEVEN DAYS, OR THREE TO FOUR DAYS. 
          93% OF THE RESPONDENTS LOOK, WERE LOOKING FOR ART, HISTORY AND CULTURE WHEN THEY PLANNED THEIR TRAVEL. 
          AND MOST OF THEM PLAN TO RETURN TO THE ISLAND. 
          WHEN WE DO OUR WORK, WE ARE HERE TO PARTNER. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE ARE, WE'RE AN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION. 
          SO WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING AND, UM, EXPANDING THE REACH OF ALL OF OUR GULLAH ASSETS. 
          UM, THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND LAND TRUST, YOU MIGHT LOOK AT THAT AND WONDER HOW THAT IS ON THERE IN THE, UM, UNION COLOR TROOP SOLDIER DOCUMENTARY. 
          THERE'S A VIDEO ON FORT HOWELL IN THERE, UM, TELLING THE FORT HOWELL STORY. 
          SO IT'S, WE ARE, WE ARE CREATIVE, WE'RE UNIQUE IN HOW WE'RE DOING, UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN REACH PEOPLE. 
          UM, UPCOMING COLLABORATIONS. 
          UM, MITCHELLVILLE IS GETTING READY TO DO THEIR HOLIDAY LIGHT CELEBRATION, WHICH WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT BEING A PART OF THAT. 
          I MENTIONED EARLIER THE GAH YU GULLAH ME, UH, THE HERITAGE LIBRARY, UH, PART OF THE SPEAKER SERIES, UM, HISTORIC HOLIDAYS AND THE AUTHOR SERIES OF EVENTS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN DONE. 
          UM, SO WHAT IS LOW COUNTRY GULLAH? IT'S AN ENHANCER THAT HIGHLIGHTS GU GULLAH, UM, HILTON HEAD CULTURAL ASSETS. 
          WE'RE A DRIVER THAT OFFERS DESTINATION MARKETING. 
          WE'RE A CULTURAL TOURISM ADVISOR. 
          UM, THROUGH THE CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURS, WE GET FAMILY REUNION GROUPS THAT ARE ASKING US, WHERE CAN WE GO? WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW CAN YOU HELP US TO SCHEDULE, UM, OUR EVENT AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS? AND SO, AS I STARTED, I MENTIONED THAT HER HERITAGE TOUR IS A VALUABLE CATEGORY THAT'S LOOKING FOR HILTON HEAD'S, CULTURAL ASSETS, AND LOW COUNTRY GULLAH IS DELIVERING THEM. 
          AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT I GET THAT, UM, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR. 
          UM, WE'RE PLANNING A TRIP TO HILTON HEAD, WOULD LOVE TO VISIT THE AREA THERE, SAW A DOCUMENTARY WE'RE COMING NEXT MONTH, LET'S GO. 
          UM, ALL OF THESE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPRESSING THEIR INTEREST AND THEIR DESIRE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING. 
          AND SO LOW COUNTRY GULLAH, AND IT'S, AND, AND IT'S IRONIC, I ACTUALLY, AS I WAS, UM, SAVING THIS PRESENTATION TO BRING TO YOU, I REALIZED THAT LOWCOUNTRY HAS GROWN INTO THE LARGEST CULTURAL RESOURCE FOR GULLAH GEECHEE STORIES, HISTORY AND TRADITIONS ANYWHERE, UM, INCLUDING THE GULLAH GEECHEE CORRIDOR. 
          UM, AND IT IS ALSO AN ARCHIVE FOR INFORMATION WHERE PEOPLE CAN NOT ONLY FIND INFORMATION, LET'S, LET'S USE THE, THE MOTHER RIVER SEEKING STORY. 
          UM, SHE'S NO LONGER HERE, BUT HER STORY WILL LIVE ON FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND, AND TO ENJOY. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANA. 
          ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? GOOD MORNING. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          UH, IN YOUR APPLICATION, YOU MENTIONED, UH, ATTRACTING 58,000 TOURISTS. 
          UH, AND I'M NOT CLEAR IF THAT'S FOR THE ENTIRE QUARTER BECAUSE YOU COVERED THAT WHOLE AREA, OR SPECIFICALLY JUST HILTON NET IS THE ENTIRE AREA. 
          UM, WE USUALLY TAKE OUR, OUR, UM, SHOW ON THE ROAD, SO TO SPEAK. 
          UM, SO FROM NORTH CAROLINA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FLORIDA, GEORGIA, UM, THROUGHOUT SOUTH CAROLINA, WE ARE GOING WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE CULTURE ARE, WE'RE SPEAKING TO THEM AND WE ARE SHARING THE, THE HILTON HEAD STORY WITH THEM, UM, FROM THERE AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO TAKE THE TRIP AND, AND COME SEE FOR THEMSELVES, UM, THE GULLAH STORY. 
          HOW DO YOU, HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO MEASURE THAT BASED ON THE, THE, UM, TURNOUT FROM EACH EVENT THAT, UM, THAT IS, IS, UM, UH, PRESENTED, HOWEVER THEY'RE CALCULATING THEIR, THEIR EVENT. 
          UM, THAT IS HOW WE ARE TOTALLING IT UP. 
          IF YOU HAD TO CARVE OUT HILTON HEAD SPECIFICALLY, DO YOU, CAN YOU, DO YOU HAVE AN EDUCATED GUESS AS TO HOW MANY TOURISTS WOULD, WOULD SPECIFICALLY, UH, BE INTERESTED IN HILTON HEAD OR COME TO HILTON HEAD THAT, THAT ARE COMING TO OUR EVENTS? UM, OR, OR THE HILTON HEAD EVENTS IN, IN GENERAL? CORRECT. 
          UM, IN GENERAL, THE, THE EVENTS ON HILTON HEAD TEND TO BE SMALLER, UM, IN THEIR DRAW THAN SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, AREAS, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON WHY I'VE TAKEN THE SHOW ON THE ROAD. 
          UM, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF PEOPLE ARE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND, UM, 
          [00:35:01]
SAY 10,000 PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THAT EVENT, THEY'RE COMING BECAUSE IT'S GULLAH. 
          BUT I'M ALSO ENCOURAGING THEM TO COME TO HILTON HEAD, UM, THROUGH THE INFORMATION AND THE STORIES THAT WE HAVE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT VEHICLES THAT, THAT ARE OUT THERE. 
          SO GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENTIRE QUARTER, DO YOU GET FUNDING FROM THE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED? NO. 
          CHARLESTON, SAVANNAH? NO. 
          HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU TRIED, HAVE YOU ASKED FOR MONEY? NO. 
          SHOULD YOU? I COULD. 
          I COULD. 
          IT'S, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I HAVE GONE AFTER. 
          UM, HILTON HEAD IS MY HOME. 
          HILTON HEAD IS MY FOCUS, AND HILTON HEAD IS WHERE, UM, I ALWAYS SAY TO PEOPLE, IT'S THE HEARTBEAT OF THE CENTER OF THE CORRIDOR. 
          AND BECAUSE WE HAVE MITCHELLVILLE, NO ONE ELSE HAS MITCHELLVILLE. 
          IT IS THE GEM OF THE CORRIDOR. 
          AND SO THIS IS MY FOCUS. 
          I MEAN, I COULD VERY EASILY PROMOTE NORTH CAROLINA, YOU KNOW, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, WHEREVER, BUT I BELIEVE IN THE HILTON HEAD STORY BECAUSE OF THE RICHNESS OF OUR HISTORY AND THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE HERE. 
          AND SO THIS IS WHAT I'VE CHOSEN TO FOCUS ON. 
          YOUR, YOUR HERITAGE STORE THOUGH COVERS, UH, MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, RIGHT? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IN YOUR APPLICATION, YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE LIKE THREE DAYS IN HILTON HEAD. 
          YES. 
          I WENT ON YOUR WEBSITE, AND THE ITINERARY ONLY SHOWS LIKE A HALF A DAY OR A FULL DAY ALONG WITH BEAUFORT AND, UH, ST. 
          HELENA ISLAND. 
          SO DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE ONLY HERE FOR ONE NIGHT? NO, THE HEADS IN BEDS IS THREE NIGHTS FROM HERE. 
          WE'RE GOING TO ST. 
          HELENA, WE'RE GOING TO TO BEAUFORT, BUT THE HEADS IN BEDS ARE HERE. 
          ALL OF THE OTHER NIGHTS ON THE TOUR ARE ONE NIGHTS. 
          HILTON HEAD IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS THREE NIGHTS. 
          AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING, UM, BEAUFORT, HILTON, HEAD AND SAVANNAH FROM HERE. 
          AND THEN FROM HERE WE'RE MOVING FURTHER SOUTH. 
          BUT WHO, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU ANTICIPATE? I, I ANTICIPATE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE BUS RESERVED, WHICH IS JUST ABOUT HALF FULL. 
          I ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL PROBABLY NEED ANOTHER BUS BASED ON THE INTEREST LEVEL. 
          UM, I LOOKED AT OUR INSTAGRAM POST, UM, THAT IS ADVERTISING THE, THE TOUR THE OTHER DAY, AND IT'S HAD OVER 63,000 VIEWS JUST ON THE, THE SCREENSHOT OF THE TOUR INFORMATION FOR MORE INFORMATION. 
          UM, SO I, I THINK THAT THE, THE GROWTH OF IT, UM, AND, AND THE CAPABILITY, CAPABILITY OF IT IS, IS GOING TO BE HUGE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. 
          ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COMMENT, UM, WHOEVER DOES YOUR WEBSITE DOES A VERY BEAUTIFUL JOB. 
          I DO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IT'S, IT'S HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE AND INFORMATIVE. 
          I WAS ON THERE LAST WEEK FOR A LITTLE WHILE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, AND THE ARTWORK IS PHENOMENAL. 
          IS THERE ANY, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMPETITION ON THE BOARD OR TOUR? NO. 
          GOOD. 
          THERE IS NO TOUR. 
          THERE IS NO OTHER TOUR. 
          OF COURSE, YOU COULD COME TO HILTON HEAD AND DO THE GULLAH TOUR, YOU KNOW, BUT WHEN WE COME TO HI HINTON HILTON HEAD, WE ARE GOING TO BE ON THE HERITAGE TOUR BUS. 
          YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA STEP ON ANYBODY'S TOES AND TRY TO RECREATE THE WHEEL BECAUSE IT ALREADY EXISTS. 
          SO THINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT, NO. 
          UM, THERE, THERE IS NOBODY ELSE OUT THERE DOING IT. 
          UM, AND AT LEAST WITH THIS TOUR, UM, I WILL ACTUALLY BE ON THE BUS, WHICH IS PART OF THE DRAW, BECAUSE I DO HAVE A FOLLOWING. 
          AND SO THAT IS PART OF THE INTEREST THAT PEOPLE HAVE, THAT IT WILL BE A DEEP, UM, UM, UH, IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE WHERE, WHERE YOU WON'T GET ANYTHING LIKE THIS ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          UM, SO NO, NO ONE ELSE IS, IS DOING ANYTHING ON THIS MAGNITUDE. 
          OH, IT'S GOOD. 
          THE CENTER OF THE MAKES SENSE. 
          AND YOU'RE THE FIRST OF THE WATER BEFORE. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, I HAVE A, I GUESS A COMMENT MORE THAN THAT QUESTION. 
          AND FIRST OF ALL, WOW. 
          ALMOST IS MY COMMENT BECAUSE THAT WAS SO WONDERFUL AND I, I APPLAUD YOU AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON ALL THE SUCCESSES, BUT FOR US TO HELP YOU CAN HELP US HELP YOU MM-HMM . 
          BY SPENDING A LITTLE BIT OF THE TIME ON, WE'RE CHARGED WITH, UM, OUR, ONE OF OUR PRIMARY METRICS IS HEADS IN BEDS. 
          SO ANY KIND OF DATA THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US, THAT, THAT HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT IMPACTS THE, THE AVAILABLE MONIES WE HAVE FOR, FOR VERY WORTHY CAUSES LIKE YOURS. 
          UM, SO ANY, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO WITH THAT GOING FORWARD HELPS US 
          [00:40:01]
BECAUSE WE'RE, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC CHARGE. 
          WE NEED TO GET HEADS IN BEDS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          AND THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO DO A TOUR IN FEBRUARY AND A TOUR IN OCTOBER. 
          OKAY. 
          TWICE A YEAR. 
          UM, BUT AGAIN, I HAVE PUT TOGETHER FAMILY REUNION TRIPS FOR PEOPLE WHO FILLED UP THE, UM, HOME TWO DOWN THE STREET, UM, AND WE'RE HERE FOR A WEEKEND. 
          UM, GOT THE GULLAH HERITAGE BUS TO BE THERE, TRANSPORTATION AROUND THE ISLAND A DAY AT THE GULLAH MUSEUM. 
          I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR AND THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER. 
          AND SO, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE KIND OF NEEDS, AND OF COURSE THAT'S HEADS IN BEDS, THAT, THAT ARE SPECIFIC, UM, THE TOUR IS GOING TO BE A, ANOTHER, UM, UH, DEMONSTRATIVE WAY THAT YOU CAN SEE SPECIFICALLY THE, THE, UM, THE REACTION AND OUTCOMES, UM, THROUGH THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          A SUMMARIZATION OF SOME OF THAT DATA WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US. 
          'CAUSE I FIND YOUR STORY VERY COMPELLING AND I, I WANNA TAKE THE TOUR  AND I THINK WE ALL WOULD. 
          BUT, UH, IT DOES HELP US WHEN YOU GET A, PROVIDE US WITH AS MUCH DATA AS YOU CAN ABOUT WHEN YOU FILL A HOTEL LIKE THAT, A SUMMARIZATION OF THAT IS QUITE HELPFUL FOR US. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          AND, AND MOVING FORWARD, THAT IS PART OF THE, I MEAN, WELL, LET ME PUT IT TO YOU THIS WAY. 
          WHEN I FIRST STARTED LOW COUNTRY GULLAH BACK IN 2019, THE PLAN WAS TO DO A TOUR. 
          SO THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BACKBURNERED FOR A LONG TIME. 
          UM, I PARTNERED WITH, UM, SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN DOING TOURS, UM, NOT OF THIS MAGNITUDE, UM, MORE GOING BACK TO AFRICA TOURS, BUT NOT ANYTHING LOCALLY. 
          SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE BECAUSE YES, YOU COULD, UM, LET'S SAY GO HERE, TAKE THE BUS, AND SO ON. 
          BUT WE ARE OFFERING UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE LIKE EVENING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT DID YOU SEE TODAY? WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE? YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO THAT IS PART OF THE DRAW BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS. 
          THEY WANNA KNOW, THEY WANNA BE ABLE TO, TO LEARN AND EXPERIENCE AND, AND GROW AS, AS A PERSON PERSONALLY. 
          AND SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THE TOUR IS, IS HAS THE INTEREST THAT IT IS GETTING AND WILL DO AS WELL AS IT AS IT WILL ANYTHING ELSE. 
          I JUST WANNA SAY YOU, WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS UNIQUE AND IT IN THIS, UM, IT'S GROWING. 
          I'VE, I'VE WATCHED IT GROW THROUGH THE YEARS AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THING. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME. 
          OKAY. 
          MOVING RIGHT ALONG. 
          NEXT WE HAVE HILTON HEAD WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL. 
          IT'S THE OTHER ONE, RIGHT? YEAH. 
          . 
          IT'S THE JOYS OF TECHNOLOGY. 
          WELL, OUR CHICKEN DINNER. 
          THANK YOU, CINDY. 
          HOW DO I MAXIMIZE THAT? IT DOESN'T MATTER. 
          OKAY. 
          ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. 
          MY NAME'S JEFF GERBER. 
          I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE HILTON HEAD WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL. 
          UM, THIS YEAR WE JUST GOT TO CELEBRATE OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY. 
          SO A COOL LITTLE EVENT THAT STARTED IN A PARKING LOT ON THE SOUTH END OF THE ISLAND FOUR DECADES AGO, LITERALLY NOW HAS GROWN INTO A WEEK LONG OR A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN A WEEK EVENT. 
          UM, SO KINDA LOOKING BACK AT THAT, I CAN REMEMBER, I HAVEN'T OBVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED THE ENTIRE 40 YEARS, UM, BUT I CAN REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS A ONE DAY EVENT. 
          SO IT'S BEEN FUN TO, TO WATCH THAT GROW. 
          'CAUSE I STARTED OUT AS VOLUNTEER YEARS AND YEARS AGO AND THEY NEVER LET GO OF ME AND , I KIND OF, UM, PROGRESSED INTO THAT. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, AT TAX IS ALL ABOUT DRIVING TOURISM AND THERE ARE DRIVERS FOR AT TAX DOLLARS AND THEIR ENHANCERS. 
          BOTH OF THEM ARE IMPORTANT. 
          I FEEL THIS EVENT IS A DRIVER. 
          UM, WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER AND OUR PARTNERS, IT'S ESTIMATED WE PROBABLY BRING ABOUT $4 MILLION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. 
          OUR AVERAGE STAYS, YOU CAN SEE THERE, WE'VE GOT OVER 20 PEOPLE, 
          [00:45:01]
OVER 20% OF THE PEOPLE STAYING OVER NINE DAYS. 
          IT'S ALMOST 30% STAY SEVEN DAYS OR MORE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SPENDING 300 BUCKS A NIGHT. 
          THE AVERAGE STAY IS FOUR NIGHTS FROM EVERYBODY. 
          SO JUST THE HOTEL AND THE ROOM NIGHTS ALONE, IT, IT'S GENERATING A LOT OF MONEY. 
          THERE'S USUALLY ABOUT 16 WINE DINNERS THAT OCCUR ACROSS THE WEEK AT DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS. 
          THOSE THINGS RANGE FROM $75 A PERSON THAT I'VE SEEN OVER $200 A PERSON. 
          AND THEN ALL THESE PEOPLE IN, IN ADDITION TO COMING TO OUR EVENTS, THEY'RE GOING AND GOLFING. 
          THEY'RE GOING ON DOLPHIN TOURS AND ET CETERA, AND ET CETERA, ET CETERA. 
          SO THEY DROP A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY. 
          UM, THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS THAT IS NOT UNIQUE, JUST US, BUT A COUPLE OF THE EVENTS IS A LOT OF OUR HOTEL PARTNERS USE OUR EVENT TO FEATURE THEIR PROPERTIES. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE THE ESTA BRING IN FAM OH, FAMILIARIZATION EVENTS. 
          SO THEY'LL INVITE PEOPLE, OR YOU'LL SEE THE WESTERN BRING IN POTENTIAL LARGE BOOKINGS. 
          SO THEY'LL SAY, HEY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CONSIDERING HOSTING AN EVENT HERE, YOU KNOW, COME ON DOWN TO HILTON HEAD, THEY'LL BRING 'EM HERE AND THEY WILL WINE 'EM, DINE 'EM AND SAY, HEY, ISN'T HILTON HEAD A GREAT PLACE? DON'T YOU NEED TO BRING YOUR COMPANY, YOUR BUSINESS WHEN YOU DO YOUR RETREAT TO HILTON HEAD? AND THOSE PEOPLE COME BACK AND SPEND MONEY ON OUR ISLAND AS WELL. 
          NONE OF THAT'S OBVIOUSLY FIGURED INTO THIS NUMBER. 
          'CAUSE I HAVE NO WAY TO TRACK THAT. 
          I MEAN, OTHER THAN TALKING TO PEOPLE LIKE WAYNE AND NETTE AND MATT AND THEY'RE ALL LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE THERE. 
          AND THEY BEING PRUDENT BUSINESS PEOPLE, IF IT DIDN'T WORK FOR THEM, THEY'D QUIT COMING 'CAUSE IT COST 'EM MONEY TO ATTEND OUR EVENT BECAUSE THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR STAFF THERE, THEY'RE FEEDING THESE PEOPLE, THEY'RE HOSTING THESE PEOPLE. 
          UM, SO THAT'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO. 
          AS FAR AS THE HEADS AND BEDS, UM, WAYNE, IF YOU GUYS KNOW WAYNE, HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING OVER AT THE ESTA HIS FIRST YEAR HERE. 
          AND HE GOT HERE TO THE ISLAND LESS THAN 60 DAYS BEFORE THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL. 
          AND I DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE COMING THAT YEAR BECAUSE CHRIS HAD LEFT AND THERE WAS NO BETTER PERSON. 
          I GET THIS WILD PHONE CALL, HE'S LIKE, HEY, MY NAME'S WAYNE. 
          I UNDERSTAND WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR. 
          WE'RE IN. 
          I'M LIKE, OKAY, LET ME FIND SOME PENS, . 
          AND HE CAME AND THEN I OBVIOUSLY TALKED TO HIM AFTER IT AND I GO, HOW'D IT GO WAYNE? HE GOES, THIS WAS AMAZING. 
          I'M LIKE, WELL, I'M GREAT. 
          GREAT, YOU KNOW, DID YOU GUYS BENEFIT FROM IT? HE GOES, YEAH, WE BOOKED 1100 ROOM NIGHTS FROM THE PEOPLE WE HOSTED TONIGHT. 
          SO THOSE WERE ALL PEOPLE THAT WERE GONNA EVENTUALLY COME BACK TO THE ISLAND FOR. 
          AND I THINK IT WAS THREE EVENTS. 
          UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER 'CAUSE IT WAS, I THINK IT WAS 21 WAS WAYNE'S FIRST YEAR HERE. 
          BUT ONCE AGAIN, JUST EMPHASIZING THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY DOES THE EVENT PUT HEADS IN BEDS, BUT OTHER PARTNERS USE IT TO PUT ADDITIONAL HEADS IN BEDS FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD. 
          UM, THE OTHER THING WE DO, AND WE PROBABLY DON'T DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB ADVERTISING IT, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE NONPROFIT IS TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS. 
          AND WE DO THAT TO USCB AND TCL. 
          WE SUPPORT THE HOTEL RESTAURANT TRAINING, MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM. 
          WE SUPPORT THE CULINARY PROGRAMS. UM, THE LAST 10 YEARS WE'VE GIVEN ABOUT $150,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS. 
          WE GAVE $25,000 TO TCO WHEN THEY WERE ORIGINALLY BUILDING THEIR CULINARY SCHOOL TO HELP THEM BUILD THAT. 
          UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA GIVE $25,000. 
          ACTUALLY, WE'RE GONNA GIVE $27,000. 
          'CAUSE I FOUND OUT THIS YEAR THAT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION WILL THROW AN EXTRA $2,000 IN ON OUR DONATION TO USCB. 
          AND THEN WE BUDGETED ALREADY ANOTHER $25,000. 
          WHEN I STARTED 10 YEARS AGO, IT WAS 10,000 A YEAR. 
          SO AS THIS FESTIVAL'S CONTINUED TO GROW, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE MORE AND MORE MONEY. 
          AND I THINK EVERYBODY WHO'S RUNNING IN A BUSINESS ON THIS ISLAND THINKS THAT WE NEED MORE QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HIREABLE INTO THE HOTELS AND THE RESTAURANTS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. 
          SO WE'RE HAPPY AND EXCITED TO SUPPORT THAT AND IT KIND OF GIVES US, UM, A GOOD CAUSE. 
          AND WE ALSO WORK WITH SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS LIKE UC, ACE, THEY'LL COME AND SOME OTHER STUDENTS WILL GET SOME PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 
          AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE DO TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IS WE GIVE A LOT OF TICKETS AWAY. 
          UM, LIKE VIMS IN MY INBOX AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, I GOT AN AT TAX PRESENTATION TOMORROW. 
          CALL ME NEXT WEEK. 
          BUT WE'LL GIVE TICKETS FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE GON, THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, WE'RE DOING A FUNDRAISER. 
          CAN YOU THROW IN SOME TICKETS? AND WE WILL GIVE TICKETS TO TCL. 
          THEY GOT THEIR GREAT CHEFS CHEFS TABLE EVENT COMING UP. 
          SO NOT ONLY DO THAT, WE, WE CAN ALSO SUPPORT A LOT OF OTHER, UM, REALLY QUALITY ORGANIZATIONS ON THE ISLAND. 
          SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DO ALL OF THAT. 
          UM, LET'S SEE HERE. 
          CAN I DO THAT? HEY, IT WORKED. 
          UM, I ALREADY KIND OF TALKED ABOUT LOCAL PARTNERS AND, AND HOW WE HELP THOSE PEOPLE, BUT STEVE USED TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING FOR THE WEST END. 
          AND THEN HE JUST GOT PROMOTED. 
          I THINK HE'S GOT LIKE FROM ALABAMA TO DC NOW AND 32 HOTELS. 
          BUT YOU CAN SEE HIS, HIS COME OUT UP THERE IS OVER THE FOUR YEARS HE WAS THE DSM, YOU KNOW, THEY BROUGHT A MILLION DOLLARS OF BUSINESS ALMOST TO THE WESTIN FROM HOSTING PEOPLE 
          [00:50:01]
AT OUR EVENT. 
          UM, I MENTIONED WAYNE, THAT WAS A COMMENT FROM WAYNE. 
          I RAN INTO HIM. 
          HE GOES, HEY, WE HOSTED THIS GROUP A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND NOW THEY JUST BOOKED 300 ROOMS EVEN THOUGH IT'S TWO YEARS LATER, TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER. 
          SO IT'S A GIFT THAT CAN ALSO KEEP GIVING. 
          UM, AND THEN ANDREA, WHO OWNS FORSYTH JEWELERS, YOU KNOW, SHE TALKS ABOUT HOW THERE'S PEOPLE WHO COME EVERY YEAR TO THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL TO BUY JEWELRY, BUT THAT'S ALSO A SIGN OF THE QUALITY OF CLIENTELE OR GUESTS THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE ISLAND BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE THAT NOT ONLY TRAVEL TO THE ISLAND, BUT THEY HAVE THE DISPOSABLE INCOME THAT WHEN THEY'RE HERE VISITING US, THAT THEY CAN GO INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND SUPPORT ALL OF OUR SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES. 
          UM, THE OTHER THING WE DO IS WE KINDA SHOWCASE THE ISLAND BECAUSE IT'S A WEEK LONG EVENT. 
          IT'S NOT THE SAME PLACE EVERY DAY. 
          SO WE START OUT AT THE WEST AND WE DO CRAFT BEERS ON THE BEACH. 
          SO WE HIGHLIGHT THAT PROPERTY AND PEOPLE CAN, CAN SEE WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE THAT IS WHEN THE WEATHER ALLOWS. 
          WE'RE OUT THERE ON THAT GREAT DECK, LOOKING OUT OVER THE OCEAN. 
          SOMETIMES THE WEATHER DOESN'T ALLOW. 
          WE, WE ROLL INTO THAT. 
          UM, THEY CALL IT THE ATLANTIC ROOM, I THINK. 
          AND THAT'S ALSO AMAZING 'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT THESE LIKE 12 FOOT WINDOWS LOOKING OUT OVER THE ATLANTIC. 
          SO, SO WE FEATURE THAT PROPERTY AND WE TAKE A COUPLE DAYS OFF BECAUSE THEN THE FOUR DAY PUSH COMES, UH, WE GO INTO SEA PINES, IT SHOPS AT SEA PINE CENTER. 
          WE GO DOWN THERE, PUT FOUR OR 500 PEOPLE IN THERE. 
          UM, ONE YEAR IT RAINED LIKE THE DICKENS AND WE HAD SOLD 300 TICKETS AND 272 PEOPLE STILL CAME THROUGH. 
          AND IT WAS AMAZING 'CAUSE WE HAD PICTURES AND LITERALLY THREE MINUTES AFTER WE CLOSED IT THING, YOU COULD HAVE SHOT A CANNON THROUGH THERE. 
          BUT WE'D BROUGHT ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN TO SUPPORT THOSE LOCAL BUSINESSES. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, AND SEA PINES IS ICONIC. 
          YOU KNOW, SEA PINES PUT HILTON HEAD ON THE MAP ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. 
          UH, OUR STAY GOLD EVENT HAS A TENDENCY TO BOUNCE FROM PLACE TO PLACE. 
          LAST YEAR WE WERE AT ROLLERS, I THINK THAT WAS REALLY WELL RECEIVED. 
          HOPEFULLY THEY'LL COME, COME BACK. 
          BUT THE REASON IT'S BOUNCED IS WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH ALL THESE PROPERTIES, SOMETIMES THEY'RE LIKE, HEY JEFF, WE HAD A GREAT TIME HOSTING YOUR EVENT, BUT THIS YEAR I GOT THIS GROUP THAT WANTS TO COME IN AND DROP A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, OKAY. 
          I WOULDN'T HOST MY EVENT EITHER. 
          I'M NOT GONNA SPEND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          SO THAT'S WHY THAT ONE'S KIND OF BOUNCED AROUND. 
          UM, FRIDAY NIGHT WE PARTNER WITH THE COUNTRY CLUB OF HILTON HEAD. 
          WE DO OUR GRAND TASTING EVENT, WHICH IS KIND OF OUR MOST FORMAL EVENT. 
          THEY'VE BEEN A REALLY GOOD PARTNER FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW. 
          BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE SHOWING ANOTHER PART OF THE ISLAND. 
          AND THEN SATURDAY IS OUR PUBLIC TASTING, WHICH IS OUR LARGE EVENT. 
          UH, A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE THERE. 
          AND THAT IS AT THE, UM, LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK, WHICH THE TOWN DID AN AMAZING JOB BUILDING THAT PARK AS A LOGISTICS GUY, THE ABILITY TO ROLL IN THERE, SET EVERYTHING UP EFFICIENTLY. 
          UM, AND IT'S REALLY GREAT FOR THE GUESTS AND THE TOURISTS THAT ARE VISITING. 
          UM, AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THAT, UM, ATTRACTING QUALITY OF VISITOR BECAUSE THAT'S, ONCE AGAIN AT TAX HEADS AND BEDS. 
          ARE THESE PEOPLE GONNA SPEND MONEY WHEN THEY'RE HERE? UM, YOU CAN SEE OUR DEMOGRAPHICS OVER THREE QUARTERS OF 'EM ARE 40 YEARS OR OLDER. 
          THAT'S NOT RIGHT. 
          UH, 70% ARE MARRIED. 
          MOST IMPORTANTLY, ONLY 18% OF THEM HAVE CHILDREN LIVING AT HOME. 
          SO IF YOUR KIDS ARE IN COLLEGE, YOU MAY STILL BE SPENDING MONEY ON YOUR KIDS, BUT YOU'RE NOT DOING IT ON A DAILY BASIS WHEN THEY'RE SMALLER, UM, 70% OF 'EM HAVE A FOUR YEAR DEGREE OR HIGHER. 
          YOU, YOU KNOW, 25% OF 'EM ARE 200 CARE HIGHER AND LIKE 65%, 75% OR A HUNDRED CARE HIGHER WHEN YOU THROW THAT 200 K IN. 
          SO THEY'RE WELL EDUCATED. 
          I DON'T HAVE KIDS LIVING AT HOME AND THEY'RE MAKING A GOOD INCOME. 
          SO THEY'RE, WE'RE BRINGING DISPOSABLE INCOME PEOPLE TO THE, TO THE MARKET IS TOURISTS. 
          UM, OUR TARGETING, OUR TARGETING IS PROBABLY LIKE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. 
          WE TEND TO BELIEVE THAT WOMEN ARE THE DECISION MAKERS IN MOST HOUSEHOLDS. 
          SO WE, WE PRIMARILY TARGET WOMEN AND INTEREST IN TRAVEL, WINE, DINNER AND COOKING, ARTS AND CULTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN. 
          AND THAT'S WORKED REALLY WELL FOR US. 
          UM, OUR OPEN RATE ON OUR EMAIL MARKETING IS REALLY, IT BOUNCES BETWEEN LIKE 19 AND 21%. 
          SO FOR, UM, JUST EMAILING THE WORLD, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY PRETTY HIGH ABOVE, UM, INDUSTRY STANDARDS. 
          UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THOUGH THAT WE'RE KIND OF KNOWN FOR IS WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO INNOVATE. 
          UM, WE STARTED A COUPLE NEW FOR US STRATEGIES. 
          I DIDN'T KNOW THAT JUST LIKE YOU CAN BUY NAMES FOR AN EMAIL LISTING, YOU CAN TARGET IT TOWARDS THAT WOMAN WHO'S IN A HOUSEHOLD OF $350,000 HOUSE AND AT LEAST A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INCOME. 
          YOU CAN NOW BUY TV ADS LIKE THAT. 
          SO WE WERE BUYING TV ADS AND IT WAS TARGETING, SO IF YOU'RE STREAMING ON HULU AND THEY GO TO LIKE, HEY, YOU'VE GOTTA WATCH THIS COMMERCIAL DURING OUR TIME OF YEAR, YOU MIGHT SEE COME TO HILTON HEAD WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL. 
          AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE, UM, DIFFERENT, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT CHANNELS. 
          BUT I MEAN IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ON THE FEED NETWORK AND THE HOME SHOPPING, NOT THE HOME SHOP, UH, THE HOME DESIGNS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. 
          SO THAT WAS REALLY WELL AND WE GOT REALLY POSITIVE RESULTS. 
          WE JUST USED, WE USED ABOUT FIVE OR $6,000 TO TEST IT. 
          AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY EXPAND 
          [00:55:01]
THAT BECAUSE THE ABILITY TO JUST ZERO IN ON SPECIFIC AREAS AND, AND, AND DEMOGRAPHICS SO THAT YOU'RE NOT ONLY PRESENTING IT, BUT YOU'RE PRESENTING IT TO PEOPLE THAT ARE QUALIFIED. 
          UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING WE DID, AND WE KIND OF PLAYED WITH IT LAST YEAR IS WE GOT INTO SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS. 
          UM, BECAUSE EVERYONE LIKES TO HEAR A STORY AND THAT'S THEIR JOB IS TO TELL STORIES. 
          UM, WE TRIED, UM, ABOUT FIVE OF 'EM. 
          A COUPLE OF 'EM WERE LIKE, EH, TWO OF 'EM WERE REALLY SOLID AND ONE OF 'EM DID, UH, ONE OF 'EM DID A REALLY, REALLY GREAT JOB. 
          UM, AND THE LAST ONE THAT DID A REALLY GREAT JOB, HER NAME'S KAYLEE ROSE, UM, SHE WAS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS. 
          WE WERE AT EASY COMPANY, WHICH IS A THC DRINK. 
          AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WE'VE GOT THIS BRAND AMBASSADOR. 
          DO YOU MIND IF WE BRING HER TO THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL? I'M LIKE, YEAH, SURE. 
          SO KAYLEE WENT DOWN ON THE BEACH AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHO KAYLEE ROSE WAS 'CAUSE SHE'S LIKE 30 ISH AND I'M ALMOST 60 . 
          UM, DID SOME VIDEOS AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE HITS ON THOSE VIDEOS WERE AMAZING. 
          LIKE ONE OF 'EM HAD ALMOST 400,000 VIEWS. 
          ONE HAD 1.2 MILLION VIEWS. 
          ONE HAD, YOU KNOW, 900,000 VIEWS. 
          UM, ONE OF THOSE HAD 65,000 LIKES AND OVER 5,000 COMMENTS. 
          SO WE'RE KIND OF A FAN. 
          AND YOU KNOW, SHE'S LIKE, HERE I AM, I'M ON HILTON HEAD, YOU KNOW, I'M DOING THIS. 
          AND SO, UM, THE OTHER INTERESTING THING ABOUT KAYLEE IS HER COUSIN RUNS ALL MY SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          I'M LIKE, HEY, I'VE GOT THIS KAYLEE ROSE, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU LOOK INTO HER? ONE OF MY PARTNERS WANTS TO USE HER. 
          SHE'S LIKE, OH, THAT'S MY COUSIN. 
          I'M LIKE, WELL, TALK TO YOUR COUSIN . 
          LET'S BRING HER DOWN HERE. 
          AND SO THAT WAS REALLY NICE BECAUSE THAT'S ON TOP OF ALL THE OTHER STUFF WE NORMALLY DO WITH OUR, OUR TRADITIONAL MARKETING. 
          AND I THINK I SENT THE ENTIRE RECAP. 
          IF I DIDN'T, I CAN SEND IT. 
          BUT I MEAN, WE ALWAYS RUN A FLIGHT CAMP, A A FLY MARKET CAMPAIGN WITH THE CHAMBER WHERE WE DO LIKE NASHVILLE AND DC AND CHICAGO AND NEW YORK AND BOSTON. 
          UM, WE ADVERTISE IN SOUTHERN LIVING BECAUSE WE DO THE MID-ATLANTIC DOWN AND IT'S SOUTHERN LIVING AND IT'S ICONIC. 
          AND WE DO, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF EMAILS. 
          'CAUSE ONCE AGAIN, EMAILS WORK THE BEST FOR US. 
          SO, UM, AND THAT'S KIND OF KIND OF MY STORY. 
          SO I TRY TO BE, UH, SUCCINCT AND TO THE POINT. 
          BUT I'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          THE COMMITTEE HAS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. 
          I THINK THAT, I THINK A LOT OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS EVENT. 
          SO , 40 YEARS ITS ADVANTAGE. 
          . 
          I THANK YOU JEFF. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. 
          OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE MY FRIEND AMAD FROM THE MITCHELLVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          GLAD TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE COOL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN MITCHELLVILLE, BUT IF YOU WILL ALLOW ME, UH, I AS A FORMER CURATOR AND YOUR SIGN IS ABOVE . 
          I'M SORRY, I'M THAT GUY GOING OTHER PEOPLE'S PLACES AND STRAIGHTEN THEIR PICTURES. 
          . 
          NOW YOU, NOW YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          OKAY, GOOD. 
          ALRIGHT, I GOT YOU. 
          WE GOT YOU COVERED. 
          NOW, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, AGREEING TO HEAR OUR PRESENTATION ABOUT ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN MITCHELLVILLE. 
          AGAIN, MY NAME IS AMMA WARD. 
          I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE ORGANIZATION. 
          AND LET'S SEE, HERE WE GO. 
          UH, JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. 
          UH, WE CONTINUE TO GROW IN NEW ADDITIONS TO THE PARK AND INCREASE VISITATIONS FOR PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND TOURS OF THE PROPERTY. 
          UH, WE WERE REALLY PROUD OF THAT ARTICLE UP THERE FROM THE WASHINGTON POST, UH, FOR OUR JUNE TEAM SLEEPOVER. 
          THAT'S HAPPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR. 
          UH, SO WE GOT A LOT OF BUZZ ACROSS THE NATION FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING, HEY, WE SAW YOUR BIG HEAD IN THE WASHINGTON POST TOMORROW, AND IT IS PROMINENT. 
          UH, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO THAT THIS GRANT COVERS. 
          UH, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, LAST DECEMBER, WE WELCOMED 3000 PEOPLE TO THE PARK FOR THE HOLIDAY NIGHTS AND LIGHTS PROGRAM, WHICH LUA ALREADY MENTIONED. 
          UH, THIS WAS A, UM, AN ACCIDENTAL SMASH. 
          UH, SOME OF YOU KNOW THAT WE STARTED DOING THIS DURING COVID JUST BECAUSE NOBODY WAS DOING ANYTHING. 
          AND WE HAD A COUPLE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S RARE FOR NONPROFITS. 
          WE HAD SOME MONEY LEFT OVER, UH, FROM GRANT. 
          WE WANT TO JUST LIGHT THE PARK AND INVITE PEOPLE TO COME IN BECAUSE WE COULDN'T BE AROUND EACH OTHER. 
          AND THAT FIRST YEAR WE HAD ALMOST 2,500 PEOPLE AND THEY KEPT TELLING US TO DO IT AGAIN. 
          SO LAST YEAR WAS THE FIFTH YEAR AND WE TOUCHED 3000 FOLKS. 
          ABOUT 1,690 OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE TOURISTS, WHICH WAS AMAZING AGAIN, UH, FOR US. 
          AND YOU SEE WHERE THEY CAME FROM. 
          FLORIDA, GEORGIA, LOUISIANA, 
          [01:00:01]
KENTUCKY, MISSISSIPPI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NORTH CAROLINA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, TENNESSEE. 
          WE KNOW SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WERE HERE FOR OTHER REASONS, BUT THEY HEARD ABOUT US AND DECIDED TO COME OVER. 
          UM, SUNDAY NIGHT WE HAD 395 CARS COMING THROUGH THAT PARK, WHICH IS, UH, IF YOU'VE SEEN THE LOOP IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. 
          . 
          UH, ONE OF OUR BIGGER EVENTS OF THE COURSE, OUR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION, WE HAD OUR 11TH ANNUAL THIS PAST YEAR. 
          WE WELCOMED 1,660 PEOPLE TO THE PARK. 
          THIS IS A EIGHT AND HALF PERCENT INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WHICH WAS AN 8.5% INCREASE FROM THAT PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          UH, SO WE HAD ALL THROUGH THE COURSE OF THOSE WEEKEND EVENTS, ABOUT OVER 2000 PEOPLE. 
          UH, WERE IN THE PARK FOR VARIOUS THINGS. 
          AND THEN FOR THE, THIS WILL BE, THIS WAS THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, WE DID A 5K ON THE ACTUAL HOLIDAY. 
          AND SO THE FIRST YEAR WE DID IT, WE HAD ABOUT, ABOUT 70 RUNNERS. 
          THIS YEAR WE HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED RUNNERS. 
          AND UH, THIS HAS BECOME A THING. 
          SO THEY ACTUALLY RUN THE BEACH, THEY LEAVE OUR PARK, GO UP TO BARKER, UH, AND RUN THE BEACH, COME BACK INTO THE PARK. 
          AND SO, UH, WE WORK WITH PO RUNNING COMPANY TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT IS NOT MY MINISTRY. 
          I DO NOT RUN UNLESS AIN'T BEING CHASED. 
          SO, UH, , UH, WE HAD PEOPLE THAT CAME IN AND DID THAT, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE CROWD HERE AND I SAW SOME OF Y'ALL THERE. 
          THIS IS, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE KEY EVENTS. 
          WE HAVE A GROUP OF WOMEN WHO FOR FOUR YEARS STRAIGHT HAVE COME DOWN FROM WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA JUST TO DO THIS EVENT. 
          AND THEY SAY, WE'LL GO SEE YOU NEXT YEAR. 
          THERE'S ABOUT, THERE'RE ABOUT FIVE DEEP, UH, WE GOT A MAN FROM, UH, DETROIT, MICHIGAN SAYS HE PLANNED HIS VISITATION TO THIS AREA AROUND JUNETEENTH. 
          SO THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF I KNOW YOU LIKE TO HEAR. 
          IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD TOO, THAT PEOPLE SEE THE VALUE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THEY WANT TO COME AND CHECK IT OUT. 
          SO WE'LL BE DOING THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR. 
          OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, THE, THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS. 
          I SEE NATALIE IN THE ROOM. 
          UH, WE'VE HAD THESE QR CODE STATIONS IN THE PARK, AND WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT DOING THIS AND SAID, OKAY, I'M SURE PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT IT EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T. 
          GOOD IDEA, BUT I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THE REACH. 
          BUT AS YOU CAN TELL, UH, SINCE WE'VE DONE THIS, WE'VE GOT 12,000 SCANS OF THIS. 
          AND, UH, THESE THREE STATIONS, THIS PAST YEAR, WE YIELDED 28 97. 
          UM, THE COOL THING IS WE GOT TOURIST REGIONS FROM 29 STATES IN EIGHT DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT SHOW UP, UH, ON OUR, ON OUR, UM, METRICS. 
          AND, UH, THE POETRY TRAIL, WHICH IS NEW THING FOR US NEAR THE 20. 
          MORRISON BENCH WAS SCANNED 745 TIMES THIS PAST YEAR. 
          SO PEOPLE ARE SEEING EVERY ASPECT OF THE PARK. 
          THIS HAS BEEN OUR BIG THING FOR THIS YEAR. 
          UH, HARRIET TUBMAN DRAINED TO FREEDOM, HAS BEEN ON DISPLAY IN THE PARK SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR. 
          UH, THE SCULPTOR, WESLEY WOFFORD, UH, WORKS SOMETHING OUT WITH US. 
          WE WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THE YEAR. 
          AND, UM, THEN THROUGH VARIOUS HAPPENINGS, UH, SAY, HEY, WE WE NEED IT BACK, BUT NOT RIGHT NOW. 
          DO YOU WANT TO HOLD ONTO IT? AND OF COURSE, WE WERE LIKE, ABSOLUTELY . 
          IF YOU HAD NEVER, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, IS IN A VERY IMPRESSIVE STATUE. 
          SHE LOOKS REAL GOOD IN THE PARK RIGHT THERE. 
          I WISH I COULD KEEP HER, BUT WE GOTTA GIVE HER BACK. 
          UH, BUT DURING THE SPECIALIZED RUN, THE FIRST RUN, WE DID SPECIALIZED TOURS DURING THAT SCHEDULED RUN. 
          THOSE TOURS REACHED 900 PEOPLE DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. 
          UH, WE'VE SEEN A 10% INCREASE IN OVERALL VISITATIONS TO THE STATUE HAS BEEN THERE FROM LAST YEAR. 
          UM, IT IS SO FITTING THAT IT'S THERE AND WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT I, WHEN I GO INTO THE PARK, I SEE PEOPLE JUST STARING AT HER. 
          UM, SO THERE IS A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY, NOT FOR HER, BUT ANOTHER STATUE THAT HE HAS CREATED OF HER. 
          AND SO WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS POTENTIALLY. 
          IT IS INTERESTING WHEN WE SAID, HEY, WE MIGHT BE INTERESTED THAT THE PRICE JUMPED UP ABOUT $80,000. 
          UH, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. 
          SO MAYBE WE'LL GET SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING IN THAT SAME SPACE. 
          UH, BUT IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT, IT IS UP UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          SO DEFINITELY GO CHECK IT OUT. 
          UH, IT IS, UH, A REALLY COOL ADDITION TO THE PARK. 
          SPEAKING OF VISITATION, PEOPLE COMING TO SEE THINGS. 
          UH, WE'VE INVESTED IN PLACE THROUGH AI TECHNOLOGY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND THIS PROGRAM HELPS US TO TRACK PEOPLE COMING TO THE PARK. 
          WE GET ALL KIND OF GOOD THINGS OUT OF IT. 
          UM, FOR NOW WE CAN SEE HOW, WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN ON DAILY VISITS. 
          WE SEE VISIT TRENDS FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. 
          UH, YOU CAN SEE HERE WHAT'S LOOKING LIKE IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, PEOPLE ACTUALLY BEING IN THE PARK. 
          THIS PAN, THEY TAKE PANELS OF CELL PHONES, SO AS IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE ON YOU, UM, THOSE PANELS COVER MAYBE LIKE 3 MILLION PEOPLE. 
          IT IS A LITTLE SCARY WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO PULL UP TOGETHER FOR YOU. 
          SO I KNOW THAT THE AVERAGE VISITOR MAKES $81,000 A YEAR. 
          I KNOW THE KIND OF THINGS THAT THEY LIKE TO DO. 
          I KNOW THE PLACES THEY LIKE TO GO. 
          I ALSO KNOW 
          [01:05:01]
WHEN THEY LEAVE OR COME TO US, THEY'RE COMING FROM THE WEST, THE ESTA, UM, HAMPTON INN. 
          THEY MAY LEAVE US AND GO EITHER BACK TO THE HOTEL OR GO TO SKULL CREEK OR TO HUDSON'S OR TO TANGER. 
          A LOT OF PEOPLE GO INTO TANGER  AFTER THEY LEAVE US. 
          SO IT'S HELPING US TO TRACK THE NUMBERS. 
          DEMOGRAPHICS, I GET A LIST OF ZIP CODES. 
          PEOPLE ARE BEING IN THE PARK. 
          IT BACKS UP OUR THING. 
          WE HAD PEOPLE IN THE PARK COUNTING PEOPLE. 
          THEN I GO HERE AND DOUBLE CHECK IT SO I KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          UH, AND THIS SOFTWARE ACTUALLY SHOWED US THE MOST APPROPRIATE SPACE ON 95 TO PUT OUR BILLBOARDS FOR JUNETEENTH THIS YEAR. 
          AND I THINK IT WORKED OUT FOR US FOR INCREASED VEGETATION. 
          SO THEY, THEY SHOW YOU THE ROUTES THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING IN, AND THAT'S HOW WE PLACE THOSE BILLBOARDS. 
          AND SO WE'LL COURT, WE'LL, EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY. 
          I LOOK AT THE ROI AND I SHUT UP. 
          SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO USE THIS STUFF, THIS SOFTWARE, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE HERE. 
          AND WAN ALWAYS MENTION THE, THE VERY VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE HAVE WORKING WITH LOW COUNTRY GULLAH, OF COURSE, UH, NCA AND COAST DISCOVERY MUSEUM, GULLAH MUSEUM, OUR LOCAL FOLKS, BUT ALSO HERITAGE LIBRARY, BUT ALSO THE ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUMS, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, UH, THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE. 
          WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, DONE PROGRAMS TOGETHER, AND THERE ARE MORE THINGS TO COME. 
          UM, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY IS DOING AN EXHIBITION ON GULLAH CULTURE THAT SHOULD OPEN NEXT YEAR. 
          AND WE WERE THE, UH, FIRST FOCUS GROUP THAT THEY HAD TO COME DOWN HERE AND TALK ABOUT. 
          SO PEOPLE CAME TO HILTON HEAD THAT WE HELPED TO SPONSOR A COUPLE YEARS AGO. 
          AND SO HOPEFULLY BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PUSH IT BACK, HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR WE WILL OPEN IN WASHINGTON, DC WE'LL MAKE SURE WE LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THAT'S HAPPENING. 
          ADDITIONAL RESULTS WE DO, UH, DON OF FREEDOM DOSING TOURS TWO DAYS A WEEK. 
          UH, ACTUALLY WE WERE ABLE TO EXPAND IT. 
          IT USED TO BE TUESDAYS AT 10. 
          NOW BECAUSE OF THE, THE VOLUME WE GO TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AT 10:00 AM 1900 PEOPLE VISITED. 
          TOURISM INCREASED 75% FROM LAST YEAR, WHICH IS NUTS. 
          UM, PARTIALLY BECAUSE WE OPENED THAT NEXT DAY UP FROM ALL OVER THE NATION. 
          UH, OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS REACHED 2100 PEOPLE IN THE PARK, 10% INCREASE FOR LAST YEAR SPECIAL BIKE TOURS. 
          THIS PEDAL FOR KIDS REACHED 450 PARTICIPANTS. 
          AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, WE HAVE A BIG EXHIBITION AT THE WESTIN FINDING FREEDOMS HOME. 
          UH, SENT AUGUST 30TH, UP UNTIL AUGUST CIRCUITS, WE HAD REACHED 26,000 PEOPLE IN THERE. 
          IT'S ON THE SECOND FLOOR. 
          IT IS SET UP VERY NICELY. 
          SO IF YOU GO INTO YOUR ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR, YOU GOTTA WALK PAST OUR EXHIBITION. 
          AND SO OF COURSE, PEOPLE STOP AND LOOK AND THIS, AND WE GET THOSE FIGURES FROM THE WESTERN. 
          WE GOT A EVENT COMING UP NEXT WEEK THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR TICKETS FOR. 
          UH, THIS IS OUR THIRD ANNUAL FILM SERIES. 
          WE ALWAYS DO THIS ANNUAL, UH, ANNIVERSARY FORUM OR FILM SERIES, THE LATE OCTOBER TIMEFRAME IN EARLY NOVEMBER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE KNOW THAT MITCHELLVILLE WAS FORMED. 
          WE DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE, BUT SOMETIME IN THAT SPACE. 
          AND SO THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR. 
          THIS TWO DAY EVENT WILL BE HOSTED AT USCB CAMPUS. 
          UH, THE, THE FILMS ARE ALL ON A MARDI GRAS DAY. 
          BIG CHIEF DAMMAN MEISON TOOK ME A WHILE TO GET THAT NAME RIGHT. 
          MEISON WILL BE HERE TALKING ABOUT THE YOUNG SEMINOLE HUNTERS. 
          IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MARDI GRAS, YOU KNOW ABOUT THE MARDI GRAS INDIANS WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT PROCESS FOR A WHILE. 
          THE WHOLE IDEA OF LABOR, OF CULTURE KEEPING IS HOW PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN TUNE WITH CULTURE. 
          TALKS ABOUT HIS STORY THE NEXT DAY WHEN RIGHTEOUS KING TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RICE TO THIS AREA, AND ALSO FOOD AS CULTURE KEEPING. 
          SO WE HAVE, UH, MARIAN ROLAND CHAMBERS WILL BE HERE, CHEF BJ DENNIS, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW. 
          AND ED AND RYAN MITCHELL, WHO ARE PIT BARBECUE MASTERS FROM NORTH CAROLINA, WHICH IS OF COURSE THE ONLY PLACE YOU SHOULD EAT BARBECUE. 
          , I MIGHT BE BIASED, IS NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA. 
          AND SPEAKING OF SOCIAL MEDIA, I GUESS EVERYBODY ELSE LIKES PIT BARBECUE. 
          'CAUSE SOME REASON THE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ABOUT THE MITCHELLS HAS ALMOST 2000 REACTIONS AND 190 SHARES. 
          SO, HEY, WHO DOESN'T LOVE BARBECUE? SO AGAIN, THIS YEAR THE HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING WILL RETURN TO THE PARK. 
          WE GOTTA DO IT. 
          UH, THAT IS SNOW. 
          YES, THAT IS SNOW THAT YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE. 
          UH, WE'LL BE THERE FROM SIX TO EIGHT, UH, SOME SORT OF SIX THROUGH TO EIGHT AND SIX TO EIGHT, UH, TWO HOURS. 
          SO MAKE SURE YOU GET IN LINE EARLY OR COME AFTER SEVEN 30 SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE ALL THE THINGS. 
          UH, WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE MINI UNVEILING THAT I DON'T HAVE IN THIS PRESENTATION ON THE DAY BEFORE, BECAUSE THE HMFP GARDEN IS ABOUT TO OPEN. 
          YOU HAD BEEN TO THE PARK RECENTLY. 
          WE ARE FINALIZING OUR GARDEN, WHICH WILL SHOW THE THINGS THEY WERE GROWING DURING THE TIMEFRAME. 
          AND SO WE'RE PUTTING THE FENCES UP RIGHT NOW. 
          UH, CHARITY COLEMAN, A YOUNG LADY FROM BEAUFORT, IS HELPING TO PULL THIS TOGETHER. 
          WE ALREADY GOT SPROUTS COMING OUTTA THE GROUND, SO IF YOU'RE IN THE AREA AROUND 3:00 PM ON 
          [01:10:01]
THE FIFTH, YOU'LL SEE SOME STUFF ABOUT IT. 
          COME AND CHECK THE GARDEN OUT. 
          IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT IT'S GONNA LOOK AMAZING. 
          AND IT'S AN INTERPRETIVE GARDEN. 
          EVERYTHING WE GROW WILL BE DONATED TO DEEP WELL OR SECOND HELPERS. 
          I MENTIONED FINDING FREEDOM'S HOME. 
          UH, THAT SHOW IS THERE, IS THERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR. 
          MAKE SURE YOU COME AND SEE THAT THE AVERAGE BIT YEARLY VISITATION HAS INCREASED ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE. 
          UH, OF COURSE, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH YOUR STUFF, WITH YOUR FUNDING HERE AND YOUR SUPPORT? UH, STRATEGIC MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES WITHIN OUR BRANDING EFFORTS, I SUPPORT A PLACE TO AI SOFTWARE, UH, PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS AND BRANDING. 
          THERE'S KEY TOURISM EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING, PART MAINTENANCE SITE PREPARATION, LIABILITY EVENT INSURANCE, ALL THOSE THINGS THERE FOR A TOTAL OF $205,000 INVESTMENT INTO MAKING SURE PEOPLE CAN HAVE A GOOD TIME WHEN THEY COME TO HILTON END AND LEARN, BECAUSE WE DO EDUTAINMENT EVENTS, WE WANT YOU TO HAVE FUN, BUT WE WANT YOU TO LEAVE WITH SOME INFORMATION. 
          UH, YOU SEE WHERE WE'RE DOING OUR MEDIA BUYS IN THE, IN THE VARIOUS MARKETS HERE. 
          SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA, FLORIDA. 
          BUT WE'VE GONE PAST THAT AND WE, WE ABSOLUTE ABLE TO MEASURE THIS IMPACT THROUGH ELECTRONIC SURVEYS, TICKET SALES, ONLINE ANALYTIC ANALYTICS, WEBSITES, SOCIAL MEDIA, OF COURSE, PLACE THE HI, WHAT I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT A LITTLE EARLIER. 
          UM, BEFORE I OPENED THE DOOR FOR QUESTIONS, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED VERY RECENTLY. 
          WE HAD A GROUNDBREAKING ON AUGUST 27TH FOR OUR UPCOMING ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH FACILITY AND AUDITORIUM. 
          SEE, KNOW THE BEAUTIFUL SHOVELS THAT WE HAVE THERE THAT WE HOPE TO USE MANY MORE TIMES IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 
          THIS BUILDING, WHICH WOULD BE OUR FIRST BUILDING ON THE SITE, WILL ALLOW US TO PROCESS OBJECTS ON SITE THAT WE EXCAVATE OUT OF THE GROUND RIGHT NOW. 
          WE HAVE TO SEND THOSE THINGS OUT TO BE PROCESSED. 
          WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THAT STUFF IN OUR OWN PROCESSING LAB. 
          AND THEN IT'LL HAVE A MULTIPURPOSE SPACE THAT'LL SEAT ABOUT 84 PEOPLE, UH, THAT YOU SEE IN HERE. 
          AND THAT ALLOW US TO DO PROGRAMS ON SITE. 
          AND I LOVE WORKING WITH USCB, BUT NEXT YEAR I WANNA DO THE FILM SERIES IN OUR OWN BUILDING. 
          UH, AND ALSO WE HAVE AN OFFICE SUITE. 
          SOME OF OUR TEAM WILL BE MOVING OUT THERE SO WE CAN ENGAGE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE PARK ALL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME. 
          SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. 
          WE GOT A DPR PERMIT TWO DAYS AGO, SO SITE CLEARING WILL START ON OCTOBER 27TH. 
          SO TREES AND DIRT WILL START MOVING. 
          WE LOOK AT THIS TO BE A 10 MONTH PROCESS OR SO. 
          SO HOPEFULLY NEXT SUMMER WE GOT A BRAND NEW BUILDING THEY'RE GONNA INVITE YOU TO COME TO FOR RIBBON CUTTING. 
          AND WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. 
          REMEMBER LAST YEAR THE TECHNOLOGY YOU USE? I THINK THAT'S GREAT. 
          JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, HOW MUCH IS THE PLACER SOFTWARE PUT TOGETHER? UH, . 
          IT'S PROBABLY RUNNING US, UH, ABOUT $19,000. 
          YEAH. 
          BUT AGAIN, WHEN I LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT I'M ABLE TO PULL FROM IT, IT, IT DOES KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR ITSELF EVEN THOUGH, EVEN THOUGH I WINCED WHEN I HIT THE BUTTON. 
          YEAH. 
          YOU KNOW, SEND ON THAT, BUT THERE'S A RETURN. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          GOOD. 
          THANKS. 
          GOOD JOB. 
          WHAT ELSE? I, I'LL WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE, SORRY, GO AHEAD. 
          WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE ON THE 84 SEATS BASED ON THE ATTENDANCE YOU'VE HAD AT OTHER, UH, EVENTS? DO YOU THINK YOU'LL HAVE TO EXPAND THAT IN SHORT ORDER? WELL, UM, WE SCALED THIS DOWN BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE LAST BUILDING. 
          YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, WE, WE KEPT IT THAT SIZE FOR A REASON 'CAUSE OF, OF THE RESEARCH FACILITY. 
          AND WE DO THE INTERPRETER CENTER, WHICH IS WHAT I NEED TO RAISE MONEY FOR RIGHT NOW. 
          THAT EVENT SPACE WILL SEE ROUGHLY 250 TO 300 PEOPLE. 
          RIGHT? AND SO THIS IS REALLY MORE FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          SMALLER EVENTS. 
          BUT WE GET THIS LAST $12 MILLION. 
          IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY LET ME KNOW. 
          UH, WE ARE GONNA HAVE, UH, THE EVENT SPACE ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THAT BUILDING THAT'LL HAVE US TO DO MUCH LARGER THINGS. 
          YEAH. 
          AHAD, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. 
          SO UNFORTUNATELY, UH, CURRENTLY WE LOOK AT A $326,000 SHORTFALL AS FAR AS A REQUEST FOR, UH, ATEX AND WHAT WE CAN DISTRIBUTE. 
          SO, SO I'M SCRUTINIZING EVERYTHING THAT HAS, UH, INCREASED OVER LAST YEAR. 
          SO YOUR MARKETING EXPENSES ARE UP $15,000. 
          CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR ME? UH, WELL, SOME OF THAT IS PLACER AND SOME OF THAT IS WE ARE TRYING TO GET OUT FURTHER WITH JUNETEENTH FIFTH. 
          SO, SO THE PROMOTIONS FOR JUNETEENTH CONTINUE TO SPREAD OUT 'CAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE SEE COMING IN. 
          SO WE'RE GOING INTO SOME MARKETS THAT WE HAVEN'T NORMALLY GONE INTO THIS PAST YEAR. 
          WE DID SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE AND WE PROMOTED ON SPOTIFY, WHICH YIELDED SOME RESULTS FOR US. 
          AND OF COURSE, YOU DO STUFF LIKE THAT, IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY. 
          UH, OUR GOAL IS TO MANAGE THE GROWTH IN A, IN A VERY, UM, TACTFUL AND PRACTICAL WAY. 
          BUT WE ARE GETTING REAL CLOSE TO 2000. 
          I WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN HIT THAT MARK. 
          UH, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO GET PEOPLE TO COME IN. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE THE INCREASE COMES FROM. 
          IF HAD TO DO WITH THE SAME AMOUNT YOU HAD THIS FOR THIS YEAR, 
          [01:15:01]
WOULD YOU STILL BE ABLE TO OPERATE? WE'D BE ABLE TO OPERATE. 
          WE, OF COURSE WOULD CHANGE. 
          WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, OBVIOUSLY. 
          I MEAN, IF, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AT THIS NONPROFIT THING A LONG TIME. 
          YOU, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE THINGS OUT AND THAT MEANS EITHER YOU SCALE BACK ON SOMETHING ELSE. 
          IF YOU WANNA KEEP THAT REACH, THAT REACH GOING, THEN SOMETHING ELSE MAY THE FALL BACK. 
          SO, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO, YOU KNOW. 
          YEAH, SURE. 
          UH, JUST BE, I I DON'T, UM, OUR CHAIR ISN'T HERE TODAY, BUT HE HAS SOME QUESTIONS. 
          SURE. 
          BUT I THINK YOU KIND OF ANSWERED IT. 
          IT MOSTLY HAD TO DO WITH YOU GUYS ARE, ARE, UH, YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE IS INCLUDE, INCLUDES A LOT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE, YOU'RE RAISING ALL THESE FUNDS AND YOU NEED TO RAISE A LOT MORE, OF COURSE. 
          BUT CAN YOU JUST EXPOUND A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR VISION OF MITCHELLVILLE IN FIVE YEARS OR 10 YEARS? SURE, SURE, NO PROBLEM. 
          UM, SO I DID MENTION THE INTERPRETIVE CENTER. 
          UH, WE HAVE ROUGHLY 36 ACRES OF PROPERTY AND WE DON'T INTEND IN INTERPRETING THE ENTIRE ACREAGE, BUT WE WANNA GET ENOUGH OF IT. 
          SO PEOPLE HAVE A REALLY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY COME HERE. 
          UM, THE NEXT BIG THING, OF COURSE, IS THE INTERPRETER CENTER. 
          THAT'S PROBABLY A 12 TO $14 MILLION PROJECT. 
          UM, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO, UH, HAVE RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE STATE TO HELP US DO ARCHEOLOGY IN THAT AREA, WHICH IS GONNA COST ALMOST THAT WHOLE AMOUNT. 
          'CAUSE OF THE, THE, THE BUILDING WOULD BE 18,000 SQUARE FEET, EVEN THOUGH IT'S TWO STORY. 
          BUT IT ALSO HAS A EVENT LAWN ON THE BACK OF IT THAT WILL ILLUSTRATE THE, THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT THE FAMILIES HAD WHEN THEY WERE GIVEN QUARTER ACRES. 
          SO IT'S, IT'LL BE THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE AND IT'D BE CARVED, WELL DELINEATED. 
          SO IT'LL BE FLAT IN THIRDS. 
          SO WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT, THEY CAN SEE HOW MUCH PROPERTY THE FAMILY ACTUALLY GOT. 
          BUT THAT'LL BE A SPACE WHERE WE CAN DO, UM, RECEPTIONS, EVENTS, WEDDINGS, ALL KIND OF STUFF. 
          BUT WE DO HAVE TO EXCAVATE IT. 
          'CAUSE WE KNOW IN THAT SPACE THERE IS A 4,000 YEAR OLD INDIGENOUS IMPRINT RIGHT AT THE BACK OF THAT BUILDING. 
          UM, SO WE LIKE TO DO THAT ON THE FRONT END. 
          AND THEN, UH, A SURPRISE FOR US, WE, UH, SEND OUR FIRST FEDERAL GRANT TO THE INSTITUTE, MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES LAST NOVEMBER TO DO AN EXHIBITION PLAN FOR THAT, UH, SAME BUILDING. 
          SO IT WOULD HELP US TO BRING IN SCHOLARS CONTENT, UM, UH, PEOPLE, HISTORIANS, OUR, UM, ARCHEOLOGISTS TO HELP US TO DEVELOP THE INTERNAL PLAN FOR IT WHENEVER WE GET THE FUNDING. 
          BUT THEN WE WERE INFORMED EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO READ IT BECAUSE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A, A HALT PLACE ON FUNDS THAT COME OUTTA IMLS. 
          SO ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, I PULL INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND GET A CALL FROM THE PROJECT DIRECTOR ON THAT AND SAYS, HEY, DID YOU GET SOMETHING FROM IMLS? AND I, IT COULDN'T BE 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T READ IT. 
          AND HE TOLD ME, CHECK YOUR EMAIL. 
          SO I GO TO THE EMAIL AND WE ACTUALLY GOT THE MONEY. 
          I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE READING IT. 
          THEY DIDN'T TELL US. 
          AND SO WE HAVE, UH, WE GOT $116,000 GRANT, UH, FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR MUSEUM OF LIBRARY SERVICES. 
          UH, THE, OUR CAR SHARE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT. 
          SO THE FULL TOTAL, UM, THING WILL BE ABOUT $240,000. 
          BUT THAT WILL HELP US TO DEVELOP THE EXHIBITION PLAN FOR THAT SITE. 
          SO WHILE WE'RE TRYING TO RAISE THE MONEY, WE'RE DOING THE PERIPHERAL STUFF THAT WE CAN ON THE FRONT END TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT COMES IN, WE'RE READY TO GO. 
          UM, THERE IS A GENERAL STORE THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE THAT'S PROBABLY A $750,000 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT. 
          UH, WE GOING TO RECREATE THE GENERAL STORE AS THEY WOULD'VE LOOKED DURING THE TIMEFRAMES SO PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND SEE DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT TIMEFRAMES OF E OF STUFF IN THERE. 
          AND WE HAD INVENTORY FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, SO WE KNOW WHAT WAS IN THOSE GENERAL STORES. 
          UM, THERE'S A PATHWAY THAT'S BEING WORKED ON RIGHT NOW, INTERPRETER TRAIL. 
          WE DID A PRESENTATION, UM, TO THE STATE TO GET MONEY FOR THAT. 
          AND WE HAD A COMPETITION, UH, FOR ART PIECES TO BE SPREAD OUT ACROSS THAT TRAIL. 
          SO WE HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WHERE THESE ART INSTALLATIONS WILL GO. 
          UM, AND THOSE WILL START PRETTY SOON. 
          SO WE WE'RE LOOKING AT A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING HERE. 
          IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE PARK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CHURCH LIKE THE FRONTAGE OF A CHURCH THERE THAT WILL BE FINISHED NEXT BY NEXT SPRING, HOPEFULLY. 
          WE HAVE BENCHES THAT ARE IN, UM, ATHENS, GEORGIA THAT ARE BEING INSCRIBED WITH HYMNS AND TOPS OF THOSE. 
          THERE IS A CORE SAMPLE ABOUT THIS BIG ROUND THAT HAS ARTIFACTS AROUND IT. 
          SO LET YOU PULL THE GROUND UP TO LOOK AT IT. 
          MITCHELLVILLE EVENTS OR, OR ARTIFACTS AND THINGS. 
          AND THEN THAT SAME INDIGENOUS IMPRINT THAT I TALKED ABOUT THAT IS SITTING IN A WAREHOUSE IN MASSACHUSETTS WAITING FOR THESE LAST PERMITS. 
          AND THEN WE'LL INSTALL THE REST OF THAT. 
          SO WE'RE COVERING A LOT OF BASES. 
          AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, FOR THE 
          [01:20:01]
INTERNAL LOOP, WHICH WOULD BE OUR FREEDOM PLAZA, WE ARE TRYING TO SECURE A BOULDER FROM SIERRA LEONE. 
          WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A FEW YEARS. 
          UM, BUT WE, LAST WEEK I ACTUALLY GOT AN INROAD TO SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THE AMBASSADOR. 
          SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO SECURE THIS THING. 
          WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT'S FIVE BY FIVE, BY FIVE BIG, BIG ROCK, UH, TO BRING HERE. 
          SO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT EVER MAKE IT TO THE CONTINENT CAN TOUCH A PIECE OF IT, ESPECIALLY THE DESCENDANTS WHO ARE 6, 7, 8 GENERATION WHO, YOU KNOW, ANCESTORS CAME FROM SIERRA LEONE. 
          THEY MAY NOT EVER GET THERE, BUT THEY CAN TOUCH PEACE OF IT WHEN THEY COME TO THE PARK. 
          SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL YIELD FRUIT FOR US. 
          SO I KNOW THAT'S A LOT HAPPENING AT ONCE. 
          WE GOT ABOUT THREE CAPITAL PROJECTS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME. 
          THAT WAS NOT MY PLAN , IT JUST WORKED OUT THAT WAY. 
          BUT IT'S ALL MOVING IN, IN A, UH, POSITIVE FASHION. 
          UH, SLOW MOTION IS BETTER THAN NO MOTION. 
          EXCELLENT. 
          DO, DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU RUN INTO ANY ISSUES WHERE YOU HAVE A GRANT ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT IS APPROVED AND THEN IT, THE MONEY IS, IS NOT DELIVERED? UH, WELL THIS, THAT WAS OUR FIRST FEDERAL GRANT, THIS THING, THE IMS. OKAY. 
          AND WE KNEW IN NOVEMBER WE THOUGHT I HAD A GOOD SHOT OF GETTING IT, BUT THEN THEY WERE TOLD THEY WEREN'T READING ANY GRANTS OUT OF THAT, OUT OF THAT, UH, COMPANY. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. 
          I'M NOT GONNA QUESTION IT. 
          THEY READ IT AND WE GOT THE MONEY. 
          SO THAT'S GOOD. 
          UH, THERE'D BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO DO FEDERAL FUNDING LIKE THAT. 
          UM, TO THIS POINT IT'S BEEN MOSTLY, UM, FOUNDATION SUPPORT, STATE SUPPORT. 
          WE'VE PROBABLY RECEIVED ABOUT 5.3 MILLION FROM THE STATE. 
          THE BUILDING THAT'S I SHOWED YOU A MINUTE AGO WAS FUNDED BY THE MELLON FOUNDATION. 
          WE GOT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN THE MELLON FOUNDATION TO DO THAT. 
          AND SO WE'RE LOOKING IN VARIOUS FORMATS AND AREAS TO TRY TO GET WHAT WE NEED TO GET, UM, NATIONALLY AS WELL. 
          UH, WE NEED A FEW ANGEL DONORS TO GET OVER THE HUMP, BUT WE'RE ALMOST TO THE HALFWAY POINT OF OUR FUNDING. 
          UH, WE, THE WHOLE THING IS ABOUT $22.8 MILLION. 
          WE ARE CURRENTLY RIGHT UNDER 10 MILLION WITH A QUIET FACE CAMPAIGN THAT'S BEEN AROUND LIKE THREE YEARS. 
          SO IT'S MOVING. 
          IF I GET ANOTHER FIVE TO SIX, WE'LL GO LIVE WITH THE CAMPAIGN. 
          EXCELLENT. 
          IT, IT JUST, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS, THIS DREAM'S FINALLY COMING. 
          YEAH. 
          GOING TO BE A REALITY. 
          AND IT, YEAH, WE GOT A MOTION. 
          WE CAN, WE'LL EVENTUALLY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST HISTORIC SITES, IMPORTANT HISTORIC SITES IN THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT HERE ON HILTON HEADSTONE. 
          I THINK SO. 
          AND I, I GOTTA GIVE UH, LAWANNA SOME MONEY AFTER I LEAVE HERE BECAUSE SHE SHOWED ME MITCHELLVILLE IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE THERE, YOU KNOW, . 
          SO I, I I GOT YOU . 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? SURE. 
          QUESTION. 
          UM, JUST GIVEN YOUR DEVELOPMENT PLANS AND, AND WHAT YOU ENVISION FOR THAT AREA, DO YOU EVER HAVE A PLAN TO HAVE A MUSEUM THERE? OH, THE INTERPRETER CENTER IS THE MUSEUM IS THE MUSEUM. 
          SO THE BIG BILL WE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST FLOOR WILL BE THE ACTUAL MUSEUM SPACE. 
          AND THEN THE SECOND FLOOR IS THE EVENT SPACE. 
          SO WHEN PEOPLE COME, THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THE BATTLE PORT WHERE WE STARTED EVERYTHING AND TAKE YOU ALL THROUGH THE CHRONOLOGY OF MITCHELLVILLE, THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS CONNECTION TO GULLAH GEECHEE CULTURE. 
          AND THEN THE LAST THING YOU SEE BEFORE YOU LEAVE THAT BUILDING WOULD BE A SECTION THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN? AND SO WE WANT, BECAUSE CITIZENSHIP IS A KEY TENANT TO MITCHELL'S HISTORY, WE WANT YOU TO GO IN THAT SPACE AND TO, TO SEE HOW, OR AT LEAST LEAVE THINKING HOW CAN I BE A BETTER CITIZEN GLOBALLY, NOT JUST LOCALLY BECAUSE, UH, CITIZENSHIP FOR US IS A BIG DEAL. 
          WE THINK THESE PEOPLE WERE CITIZENS OF A COMMUNITY THAT THEY HELPED TO FOSTER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LIKE EXISTENCE HERE. 
          IT'S WHY OUR TAGLINE IS WHERE FREEDOM BEGAN BECAUSE THESE FOLKS WENT FROM BEING PROPERTY TO OWNING PROPERTY AND THEN THEY HAD A MUNICIPALITY BASICALLY HERE THAT WASN'T SEEN ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          AND SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH THIS AND THEN ASK THE QUESTIONS OF THEMSELVES, HOW CAN I BE A BETTER CITIZEN, UH, IN EVERYTHING THAT I DO? AND SO THAT'LL BE LIKE WHAT THE KEY COMPONENTS ARE ON THAT FIRST FLOOR. 
          AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE PARTIES ON THE SECOND FLOOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU MAN. 
          APPRECIATE Y'ALL. 
          NEXT UP WE HAVE ELTON HEAD . 
          THERE WE GO. 
          THIS BUTTON HERE WE MAKE IT. 
          WHICH ONE? I SHOULD MAKE IT. 
          YEAH. 
          YOU SURE? YEAH, LET'S JUST ROLL WITH IT. 
          THEY GOT A BIG SCREEN BEHIND ME. 
          . 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          I'M STILL JEFF GERBER. 
          UM, WE STARTED A SECOND EVENT CALLED HILTON HEAD RHYTHM AND BREWS THREE YEARS AGO NOW. 
          UM, KIND OF THE WAY THIS CAME TO BE WAS THE CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY WAS GROWING BY LEAPS AND BROWNS. 
          YOU KIND OF SEE THAT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY WITH ALL THE LOCAL BREWERIES WITH THE WINE AND FOOD 
          [01:25:01]
FESTIVAL, WE ADDED A CRAFT BEER GARDEN IN 2021 AND IT WAS REALLY, REALLY POPULAR. 
          SO WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, THAT WORKED WELL, LET'S, LET'S DO IT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER AND BETTER. 
          THE NEXT YEAR WE DID A CRAFT BEERS ON THE BEACH AT THE WESTIN AND WE DIDN'T GET THAT IDEA IN OUR HEAD. 
          WE ACTUALLY GOT THAT IDEA IN OUR HEAD AT CONCOURSE HANGING OUT WITH SOME PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO? AND SO 60 DAYS LATER WE HAD THIS EVENT AND WE SOLD ALL 300 TICKETS. 
          WE HAD, WE HAD ABOUT 150 PEOPLE ON A WAIT LIST. 
          AND WE WERE LIKE, WOW, THAT WAS REALLY GOOD TOO. 
          AND WE HAD BEEN TALKING AS THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL FOR YEARS, LIKE, HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR NAME OUT THERE? BECAUSE WHEN YOU SHOW UP ONCE A YEAR, PEOPLE STILL KIND REMEMBER YOU AND WHEN YOU COME BACK OUT. 
          OR WE HAD ALWAYS BEEN LOOKING FOR, IS THERE A WAY TO KEEP OUR NAME MORE RELEVANT YEAR ROUND AND ALSO CAN WE CONTINUE TO GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY? AND SO THEN WE CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA LIKE, HEY, LET'S DO THIS CRAFT BEER EVENT BECAUSE IT'S GOING SO WELL. 
          WE'RE GOOD AT DOING EVENTS. 
          WE'VE BEEN DOING THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL AT THAT TIME HAD BEEN 37 YEARS. 
          AND SO WE DEFENDED THIS IDEA LIKE WE'RE GONNA CALL IT RHYTHM AND BREW AND BE FOCUSED ON MUSIC AND CRAFT BEER. 
          'CAUSE IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA FOR A FALL FESTIVAL, KIND OF FIT, FIT THE, UM, THE SEASON. 
          AND SO WE CAME TO THE AT TAX COMMITTEE AND SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, CAN WE GET SOME SEED MONEY? WE THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. 
          THIS IS WHY WE THINK IT'S GOOD. 
          THEY TALKED ABOUT IT AND THEY GIVE US SOME MONEY. 
          UM, THE FUNNY THING WAS THE SECOND YEAR WHEN I CAME BACK TO ATAC ASKING FOR MO MONEY, WE ACTUALLY STILL HADN'T HAD THE FIRST EVENT. 
          SO I'M LIKE, HEY, I WANT MONEY FOR YEAR TWO, YEAR ONE'S, 30 DAYS FROM NOW. 
          UM, AND AND THEY DID. 
          AND THEN WE CAME BACK AND TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING LAST YEAR. 
          WE JUST HAD OUR THIRD EVENT 19 DAYS AGO. 
          UM, AND THAT WENT REALLY WELL. 
          AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT GOING. 
          UM, SO I'VE GOT THE DEMOGRAPHICS UP THERE. 
          I I DID ALL THREE YEARS BECAUSE IT'S ONLY A THREE YEAR EVENT. 
          YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. 
          UM, JUST LIKE THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, WE DIDN'T TRY AND REINVENT OUR MARKETING. 
          ALL THE MARKETING HAD BEEN REALLY, REALLY WELL FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, ATTRACTING GOOD QUALITY TOURISTS. 
          SO WE'RE JUST LIKE, WE'RE JUST GONNA DO THIS. 
          BUT MORE FOCUSED ON MUSIC AND BEER AS OPPOSED TO, TO WINE AND FOOD. 
          UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE, WE PULL 80% OF PEOPLE OR 45 OR OLDER. 
          80, OVER 80% ARE MARRIED. 
          ONCE AGAIN, ONLY LIKE 15% HAVE KIDS LIVING AT HOME. 
          SO 85% DON'T HAVE KIDS LIVING AT HOME. 
          INCOMES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PULLING A THIRD OF 'EM OR 200 CARE OR HIGHER. 
          78% ARE A HUNDRED CARE OR HIGHER. 
          SO ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE ATTRACTING THAT, UM, THAT ATTENDEE AND TOURIST THAT'S GOT A GOOD INCOME. 
          THEY'RE NOT SPENDING IT ON THEIR, THEIR KIDS ON A DAILY BASIS. 
          AND THEY'VE GOT THAT DISPOSABLE INCOME SO THAT WHEN THEY COME THEY CAN PUT HEADS IN BEDS AND THEY CAN ALSO SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY. 
          UM, AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF SHOWING WHAT'S HAPPENED FROM YEAR TO YEAR, HOW WE'RE GROWING. 
          UM, AND, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN MY LAST PRESENTATION. 
          YOU KNOW, ARE YOU A DRIVER OR ARE YOU AN ENHANCER? AND TO BE HONEST, I WOULD SAY AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, THIS IS MORE AN ENHANCING EVENT THAN A DRIVING EVENT BECAUSE ABOUT 38% OF OUR ATTENDEES ARE, ARE TOURISTS NOW VERSUS FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL IT'S ABOUT 68%. 
          SO JUST BEING HONEST, UH, ABOUT THAT. 
          BUT IT, IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER. 
          AND THE OTHER THING WE'VE HAD THE LAST TWO YEARS IS WE'VE HAD WEATHER CHALLENGES. 
          TWO YEARS AGO WE WERE SETTING UP TENTS DURING THE WHIMS OF HELENE AS IT BLEW BY ON ITS WAY TO NORTH CAROLINA. 
          AND THEN THIS YEAR PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WELL WHEN WHEN DID YOU OPEN TODAY? AND I'M LIKE, LITERALLY THE SECOND IT STARTED, WE OPENED THE GATES, IT STARTED RAINING AND THE WHOLE WEEK, THE WHOLE WEATHER CHANNEL'S LIKE, HEY, IT'S GONNA RAIN ALL WEEK AND BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. 
          AND UM, BUT THE AMAZING PART WAS EVERY, WE STILL HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COME AND THEY STILL HAD AN AMAZING TIME. 
          LIKE ALL THESE PEOPLE CAME HERE AND I'VE GOT A VIDEO, BUT IT'S NOT ONCE AGAIN, 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD SO LITTLE TIME, IT'S NOT FINISHED YET, BUT YOU'VE GOT THIS PICTURE OF PEOPLE JUST RUNNING AROUND HAVING A GREAT TIME. 
          AND IT, AND THERE WERE TIMES IT WAS RAINING, BUT WE ALSO HAD BOUGHT A BUNCH OF PONCHOS. 
          SO AS PEOPLE WERE COMING THROUGH THE GATES WE'RE LIKE, HEY, HAVE A GOOD TIME. 
          HERE'S YOUR GLASS. 
          GO TASTE SOME BEER THROUGH THE PONCHO. 
          UM, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AND, AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA HELP US. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE FROM YEAR ONE TO YEAR TWO TO YEAR THREE, WE'VE GOT PRETTY DECENT GROWTH. 
          I MEAN, 19 20% I'D KIND OF HOPE THAT IT WOULD GROW FASTER, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU PLAY THE HAND, YOU'RE DEALT AND THE WEATHER'S BEEN CHALLENGING. 
          BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST KINDA LOOK AT THAT AS MONEY IN THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT WE'RE DUE FOR SOME GOOD YEARS COMING UP. 
          UM, AND THE OTHER THING WE'VE BEEN GOOD AT IS, UM, THE SURVEYS WHERE WE'RE GETTING ABOUT 20% OF OUR ATTENDEES TO FILL OUT THE SURVEYS. 
          'CAUSE WE DO SURVEYS WITH FROM WITH USCB IN, IN TANDEM, JUST LIKE WE DO FOR THE WINE AND FEW FESTIVAL. 
          'CAUSE THAT GIVES US A LOT OF INFORMATION AND THAT HELPS US BE FLEXIBLE SO THAT WE CAN LISTEN TO PEOPLE SEE WHAT THEY LIKE, WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE, HOW WE CAN BE BETTER 
          [01:30:01]
AND, AND GET EVEN BETTER. 
          AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE POSITIVE THINGS WE'RE DOING WITH THIS EVENT. 
          IT SAYS GIVE 'EM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT. 
          WE DID A TON OF MARKETING WITH THIS. 
          UM, YOU GUYS GAVE US $30,000. 
          I SPENT LIKE 39,000 AND SOMETHING DOLLARS ON MARKETING. 
          SO WE SPENT MORE THAN THE COMMITTEE GAVE US. 
          BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT AS, AS WE'RE GROWING AN EVENT AND LUCKILY WE HAVE THE MONEY FROM THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL TO KIND OF ALLOW US THAT, THAT NICETY. 
          UM, WE HAD A VERY ACTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM THROUGH A, THROUGH A VARIETY OF AREAS. 
          AND WE'LL, WE'LL SPEND MORE TIME ON THAT. 
          BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS REACH OUT TO ALL THESE BREWERY PARTNERS. 
          I THINK OUR FARTHEST BREWERY CAME FROM CONNECTICUT. 
          AND, AND WE PUT A WHOLE PACKAGE TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, JUST PUT THIS OUT THERE. 
          'CAUSE ALL THESE BREWERIES HAVE LITTLE NICHE FOLLOWINGS AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA BE ON HILTON HEAD. 
          COME SEE US. 
          WE'RE POURING AT HILTON HEAD. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT THAT, THAT THING IS. 
          AND THEY PUT THAT OUT AND WE COULD TRACK TICKET SALES BACK TO SOME OF THESE BREWERIES POSTING WHETHER THEY WERE FROM NORTH CAROLINA. 
          AND SOME OF 'EM OBVIOUSLY ARE LOCAL. 
          THE CONNECTICUT GUY. 
          HE WAS LIKE, THIS IS AMAZING. 
          THE WEATHER WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT GREAT AND YOU GUYS HAD ALL THESE PEOPLE SHOW OUT AND THEY WERE ALL, HE'S LIKE, I'M BACK NEXT YEAR. 
          HE'S LIKE, I'M COMING BACK. 
          I'M LIKE, OKAY. 
          UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WHERE WE, WE GOT, 'CAUSE IT SAYS OVER 2.1 MILLION IMPRESSIONS, WHICH ISN'T BAD FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE SPENT. 
          UM, SO JUST BEING THAT CREATIVE AND BEING A GOOD PARTNER WITH THEM. 
          'CAUSE WE'RE PROMOTING THEM, THEY'RE PROMOTING US. 
          UM, WE DID A LOT OF PRINT DIGITAL PLACEMENTS IN THE ISLAND PACKET. 
          OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOTTA DO THE LOCALS, BUT WE DID THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER AND THE STATE BECAUSE WE FOCUSED ON A DRIVE MARKET BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW EVENT. 
          WE DON'T HAVE EVENTS ALL WEEK LIKE WE DO THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL. 
          IT'S STILL ONE DAY EVENT. 
          WE'RE HOPING TO GROW THAT INTO ANOTHER DAY, MAYBE NEXT YEAR IF THINGS WORK OUT RIGHT. 
          UM, DID A LOT OF RADIO ADS. 
          UM, WE'VE GOT A REALLY STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH LOW COUNTRY, UM, MEDIA SOLUTIONS AND THEY HELPED US RUN RADIO ADS FROM SAVANNAH UP TO CHARLESTON. 
          THERE WERE LIKE, OH, THE HARD PART IS, IT'S LIKE ALL MY REPORTS LITERALLY HAVE BEEN COMING IN THIS WEEK 'CAUSE IT WAS 19 DAYS AGO, BUT, BUT UM, WE HAD, IT WAS LIKE ALMOST 400 IMPRESSIONS ON THE RADIOS AND ABOUT I THINK SHE SAID 49,000 WERE UNIQUE. 
          'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S THE RADIO AND YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE SAME STATION, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IT. 
          IF YOU LISTEN TO A BC STATION, YOU'LL HEAR, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE HEARING CONCOURSE ADS ON THE RADIO SO THE SAME PERSON CAN HEAR THE AD. 
          SO WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT UNIQUE REACH. 
          UM, SO THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. 
          WE DID A LOT OF PROGRAMMATIC DISPLAYS BECAUSE THAT WORKS WELL FOR US. 
          AND IT ALSO IS KIND OF OUR FEEDER INTO OUR EMAIL PROGRAMS. UM, ONE OF OUR EMAILS THAT WE DID WITH WTOC, WHAT WE DID IS, IS WE RAN OUR FIRST EMAIL CAMPAIGN WITH THEM. 
          AND THEN WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE COULD TRACK PEOPLE THAT HAD SEEN SOME OF OUR PROGRAMMATIC DISPLAYS ON THE INTERNET OR HAD OPENED OUR EMAILS AND THEN WE DID A SECOND ROUND TARGETING PEOPLE THAT HAD INTERACTED WITH THOSE OR THE WEBSITE. 
          AND SO THEY'D ALREADY SHOWN INTEREST. 
          UM, YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT BEFORE HOW BIG A FAN I AM ABOUT EMAILS AND IT'S BECAUSE WE DO WINE AND FOOD OR WE DO CRAFT BEER AND MUSIC AND THOSE THINGS ARE, ARE PROBABLY MORE LIKELY TO GET PEOPLE TO OPEN AN UNSOLICITED EMAIL VERSUS LIKE, HEY, I'M THE HVAC GUY. 
          UM, DID A LOT OF GOOGLE ADS AND FACEBOOK ADS BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYS WELL TO WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE MUSIC SHOWS WELL ON THAT. 
          AND SAME THING WITH, WITH ALL OUR BREWERY FRIENDS. 
          UM, AND THEN WE DID SOME INFLUENCER PROMOTIONS. 
          'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE TRIED AT THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL. 
          UM, WE ONLY DID TWO AT THE, AT THIS EVENT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE NEAR THE BUDGET. 
          AND WE'D ALSO NARROWED IT DOWN TO WHO HAD WORKED WELL WITH US IN THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL AND TAKEN THAT INFORMATION AND, AND DECIDED ON WHO WE WERE GONNA DO. 
          UM, HILTON HAD LIVING WAS ONE OF 'EM. 
          SHE GOT 140 OR 154 INTERACTIONS ON, ON ALL HER WEBSITES. 
          THEY'VE GOT A PODCAST, THEY GOT A YOUTUBE CHANNEL. 
          UM, THEY DID TONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS. 
          AND THEN THE LAST THING IT SAYS 570,000 EMAILS WERE SENT. 
          WE DID NOT HAVE AN OPEN RATE OF 56.9%. 
          WE HAD AN OPEN RATE ABOUT 19.1% ON 420,000 OF THOSE EMAILS. 
          AND THEN THE OTHER 77,000 EMAILS, WE DO HAVE A 56% OPEN RATE. 
          BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S OUR PRIVATE LIST THAT WE'VE BEEN COLLECTING EMAILS SINCE 20 15, 20 16. 
          SO WE, THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP AND KNOW US. 
          SO, SO WE DO HAVE THAT KIND OF OPEN RATE FOR THAT. 
          BUT FOR THE UNSOLICITED EMAILS, IT'S LIKE 19 ONE. 
          SO I WANNA BE HONEST, HONEST ABOUT THAT. 
          THAT WAS A TYPO AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. 
          BUT WE'VE BEEN RUSHING TO GET THIS OUT. 
          UM, HOW DO WE, HOW DO YOU EVOLVE? AND I WOULD HONESTLY SAY LOOKING BACK THE FIRST YEAR WE PROBABLY TRIED TO DO TOO MUCH THE FIRST YEAR. 
          WE'RE A LITTLE BIT TOO GRANDIOSE MAYBE. 
          AND, AND REALLY THE WAY YOU BUILD ANY BUSINESS, WHETHER IT'S A FESTIVAL, A HOTEL OR A RESTAURANT, AS YOU CRAWL, THEN YOU WALK, THEN YOU RUN. 
          [01:35:01]
UM, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED THE FIRST YEAR WE DID IT IN OCTOBER, IF YOU START TALKING TO ALL THE, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE'RE LIKE, HEY, LET'S DO A BEER EVENT IN OCTOBER, IT'S OCTOBERFEST SEASON. 
          THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, RIGHT? AND IT SOUNDS GOOD. 
          AND THEN YOU START TALKING TO ALL THESE BREWERIES AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH DUDE, I GOT 27 DIFFERENT OCTOBER FESTS ASKING ME TO COME. 
          SO WE SHIFTED INTO, INTO LATE SEPTEMBER, WHICH IF YOU WANT TO BE TECHNICAL BY THE GERMAN BEER LAWS, OCTOBER FEST STARTS THE LAST WEEK IN SEPTEMBER. 
          BUT WE ADJUSTED THAT WAY THE FIRST YEAR WE DID ALMONDS ONLY CRAFT BEER. 
          WE HAD 40 CRAFT BEER TENTS. 
          AND PEOPLE WERE LIKE, WELL THAT WAS KIND OF COOL, BUT, AND SO THE NEXT YEAR WE ADDED WINE AND SPIRITS AND THEN THIS YEAR WE ADDED EVEN SOME THC AND WE HAD SOME LOCAL FOOD VENDORS AND WE'VE SOLD A LOT MORE TICKETS AND WE ALSO SAW THINGS. 
          AND THIS YEAR WE EVEN DID WITH, WITH KAYLEE, WHO I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE. 
          WE HAD LIKE MUSIC ONLY TICKETS, LIKE CONCERT ONLY TICKETS. 
          AND WE SAW PEOPLE GOING, HEY, I'M GONNA BUY ONE GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET FOR THE TASTING AND I'M GONNA JUST BUY A MUSIC TICKET. 
          BECAUSE ONE OF THE PARTNERS WAS INTERESTED IN CRAFT BEER AND DRINKING ONE WASN'T. 
          UM, PART OF WHAT WE LEARNED THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD THIS REALLY COOL BAND FROM CHICAGO THAT JOHN FROM LINCOLN AND SOUTH KNEW, AND THEY CAME DOWN HERE AND THEIR MUSIC WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. 
          UM, BUT THEY WEREN'T GOOD AT HELPING PROMOTE THE EVENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR ANYTHING. 
          SO WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, THAT, YOU KNOW, LEARNED FROM THAT. 
          SO YEAR TWO WE WENT TO JUST ALL LOCAL TALENT. 
          IT WAS REALLY WORKED OUT REALLY WELL. 
          AND THEN IN 2025, AS I MENTIONED IN THE WINE OF FOOD FESTIVAL PR PRESENTATION, WE MET KAYLEE. 
          AND KAYLEE HAS GOT AN AMAZING SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING. 
          I'VE GOT THE NUMBERS ON THE NEXT SLIDE THAT COMES UP. 
          BUT SHE'S ALSO VERY ACTIVE, SHE'S GOOD AT PROMOTING. 
          UM, AND PEOPLE INTERACT WITH HER. 
          YOU'LL SEE ALL THESE LIKES, YOU'LL SEE ALL THESE COMMENTS. 
          SO IT'S JUST NOT LIKE, HEY, I GOT 10,000 VIEWS BUT YOU GOT THREE LIKES. 
          UM, SO WE KIND OF TOOK A A FLYER ON HER AND SAID, YEAH, LET'S BRING HER BACK. 
          I THINK SHE CAN HELP HER HELP US WITH THIS. 
          AND THE OTHER THING IS IS I THINK A STEP LIKE THIS IS WHAT CAN HELP TAKE THIS EVENT FROM BEING MORE AN ENHANCER TO A DRIVER WHERE WE CAN TAKE SOMEBODY. 
          'CAUSE SHE GREW UP IN THE JACKSONVILLE AREA. 
          SHE'S LIVED IN NASHVILLE FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, SO SHE'S IN THAT DRIVE MARKET. 
          SHE'S ALSO IN, IN A YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC. 
          SHE'S 30 ISH PLUS OR MINUS A COUPLE YEARS AND NEVER ASK A LADY OR ACTUAL AGE. 
          UM, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT AGE BRACKETS TO COME TO OUR EVENTS. 
          UM, AND SO I THINK BY THAT ADJUSTMENT WE'RE, WE'RE SETTING OURSELF UP AND OH, I JUST LOST MY WHOLE TRAIN OF THOUGHT. 
          THE OTHER THING WE ARE WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR HOTEL PARTNERS TO KIND OF CO-PROMOTE THIS. 
          SO THEY, THAT GIVES THEM A REASON TO GO, HEY, HERE'S THIS NASHVILLE STAR, SHE'S GONNA COME SING. 
          THIS IS A GREAT WEEKEND FOR YOU TO COME STAY AT THE WESTIN THIS ESTA INSIDE SEA PINES. 
          COME TO THE BEACH HOUSE. 
          UM, AND THEY DID A LITTLE BIT OF THIS THIS YEAR, BUT NOT AS MUCH 'CAUSE WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T, WEREN'T ABLE TO CONFIRM HER UNTIL ABOUT 75 DAYS OUT. 
          SO THAT KIND OF PUT EVERYBODY ON A RUSH. 
          UM, BUT, BUT WE WERE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE EVERYBODY LOOK BETTER AND BRING PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND. 
          AND SO I'M SURE ADRIAN'S ABOUT TO ASK ME, YOU KNOW, JEFF, WHY ARE YOU ASKING FOR $10,000 MORE THIS YEAR THAN YOU DID LAST YEAR? I CAN GO HOME . 
          WELL NO, AND AND IT'S A FAIR QUESTION BECAUSE I'M LIKE, THEY'RE GONNA ASK ME. 
          I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU SHOULD. 
          AND AND PART OF THIS IS CAPTURING AN OPPORTUNITY AND I THINK KAYLEE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GROW BECAUSE OF THE MUSIC. 
          BUT AS YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THAT ARE UP THERE, YOU KNOW, SHE'S NOT A BAND WITH 20,000 PEOPLE ON A FACEBOOK PAGE. 
          SHE'S GOT 1.3 MILLION FOLLOWERS, SHE'S GOT A MILLION TIKTOK FOLLOWERS, SHE'S GOT 109,000 PEOPLE ON HER EMAIL LIST. 
          SHE'S GOT HALF A MILLION INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS, SHE'S GOT HALF A MILLION PLAYS ON SPOTIFY, 40 MILLION PLAYS ON YOUTUBE. 
          AND ONCE AGAIN, SHE IS GOOD AT INTERACTING AND HER TEAM IS GOOD AT INTERACTING. 
          SO I THINK THAT, SO THIS IS, 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW, 'CAUSE I DIDN'T MAKE MONEY AGAIN THIS YEAR, BUT, BUT IT WAS, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY AND ARE YOU GONNA TAKE IT AND, AND MAKE AN ASSESSMENT ON IT AND SEE, 'CAUSE OUR WHOLE THOUGHT WAS WELL WE'LL TRY IT AND THEN IF IT MAKES SENSE THEN WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR MORE MONEY. 
          BUT I HAD TO TURN IN MY APPLICATION BY LIKE SEPTEMBER 3RD, SO I'M GONNA ASK FOR THE MONEY FIRST AND THEN IF IT HADN'T WORKED OUT, I WOULD'VE JUST COME IN AND SAID, YEAH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. 
          I ONLY NEED $30,000. 
          BUT I THINK THAT SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO HELP NOT ONLY GROW THE EVENT, BUT PROMOTE THE ISLAND. 
          UM, FACEBOOK PAID HER A BUNCH OF MONEY TO GO TO STAGECOACH, WHICH IS A MUSIC FESTIVAL IN APRIL I THINK. 
          AND THEY PAID HER A LOT MORE. 
          I GET THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY DISCOUNT. 
          UM, JUST, I THINK I MENTIONED IN MY FIRST ONE, HER COUSIN DOES OUR 
          [01:40:01]
SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING. 
          SO, AND SHE LIKES, SHE FOUND OUT SHE LIKES HILTON HEAD. 
          UM, SO THAT'S WHERE THAT EXTRA $10,000 IS BECAUSE TO BRING A BAND FROM NASHVILLE COST ME ABOUT 6,000 BUCKS. 
          AND THEN WE PAID HER ANOTHER $2,500 FOR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT. 
          'CAUSE SHE PROMOTED, SHE PRODUCED A BUNCH OF STUFF AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA KIND OF END WITH BECAUSE WHEN WE BROUGHT HER HERE, UM, WE SAID, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO JUST PROMOTE THE FESTIVAL. 
          WE WANT YOU TO PROMOTE THE ISLAND. 
          AND SO THIS IS PROBABLY ABOUT A MINUTE LONG, BUT THIS WAS KAYLEE WHEN SHE WAS ON THE ISLAND, COME WITH ME TO HEADLINE THE RHYTHM AND BRUISE FESTIVAL ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND SNEAK IN A VACATION WITH MY BAND. 
          WE CHECKED INTO THE ESA RESORT RIGHT ON THE BEACH. 
          WE WERE SPOILED AND ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF THIS VIBE. 
          THE STAFF WAS SO FRIENDLY, THE ROOMS WERE BEAUTIFUL AND THE BAND AND I DEFINITELY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE COFFEE SHOP DOWNSTAIRS. 
          THEN WE HEADED TO THE AMPHITHEATER FOR THE SHOW. 
          MY BAND KILLED IT. 
          THE CROWD WAS AWESOME AND IT WAS SUCH A FUN SET AND I ALWAYS ENJOYED GETTING TO MEET SOME OF THE FANS AFTER THE SHOW. 
          IT'S HONESTLY MY FAVORITE PART. 
          AFTER THE SHOW, WE HAD TO STOP BY THE FAMOUS TIKI HUT. 
          Y'ALL, I'M GETTING USED TO THIS ISLAND LIFE AND I THINK MY BAND IS TOO . 
          I CANNOT BELIEVE I HADN'T BEEN TO HILTON HEAD UNTIL JUST THIS YEAR GUYS. 
          I REALLY CAN'T RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH THANKS TO RHYTHM AND BRUCE FOR LETTING US CLOSE OUT AN AWESOME FESTIVAL. 
          SO SEE YOU HERE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND SHE PUT THAT UP, I THINK OCTOBER 6TH AFTER THE RHYTHM AND BREWS EVENT THAT HAD 141,000 VIEWS. 
          SHE JUST PUT ANOTHER ONE UP A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND IT HAD 46,000 VIEWS. 
          UM, BUT SHE'S NOT LIKE, IF I WAS AN INFLUENCER, THEY'D BE LIKE, YEAH, OKAY, WHATEVER. 
          I MEAN SHE'S ACTUALLY A PROFESSIONAL INFLUENCER AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR THE EXTRA MONEY IS BECAUSE I ALSO THINK THAT IF IF WE'VE GOT A YEAR TO WORK WITH HER INSTEAD OF 75 DAYS, WE CAN DO EVEN BETTER. 
          MAYBE I CAN PULL THE CHAMBER IN FOR THEIR EXPERTISE HELP. 
          UM, AND THAT'S WHY. 
          AND, AND IF NOT, 'CAUSE YOUR OTHER QUESTION'S GONNA BE LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO IF YOU DON'T GET THE $10,000? THEN WE'RE JUST GONNA, I MEAN, PROBABLY NOT DO THAT AGAIN BECAUSE IT, IT'S ALL JUST A BUDGET. 
          YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIKE, YOU GOT MONEY FOR THIS LINE ITEM STUFF OR DON'T YOU. 
          SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          I WOULD, I'M SURE THERE'S GOTTA BE QUESTIONS 'CAUSE IT'S A NEW EVENT AS OPPOSED TO A 40-YEAR-OLD EVENT. 
          WHAT, CAN I ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I, I HAVE JUST ONE. 
          WHAT'S OUR, SO WHAT'S YOUR TOTAL OF MARKETING INVESTMENT IN HER? SO IT COST ME $6,000 FOR HER AND HER BAND TO COME. 
          PLUS I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR THEM TO DRIVE BACK AND FORTH TO THE AIRPORT. 
          SO THAT WAS LIKE ANOTHER 300 BUCKS AND THEN IT WAS $2,500 PLUS DINNER AND THEN I HAD TO RENT A BACK LINE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T THROW DRUMS AND EVERYTHING ON A PLANE. 
          SO IT PROBABLY COST ME 10, EIGHT TOTAL ALL IN. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          QUESTION, UM, YES MA'AM. 
          YOU SAID IN YOUR, UH, APPLICATION THAT YOU WERE GONNA PROVIDE SOME DETAILS ON THE EVENT BECAUSE IT WAS HAPPENING AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. 
          CAN YOU TELL US HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAD? I KNOW YOU STILL HAD WEATHER CONCERNS. 
          YES. 
          IT WAS 980 I THINK. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          OH NINE. 
          OH, SORRY. 
          OKAY. 
          IT WAS, SORRY, NINE 30. 
          SO WE HAD SIX 50 THE FIRST YEAR, SEVEN 80 THE SECOND YEAR AND NINE 30 THE THIRD YEAR FOR ATTENDEES TOTAL THE RISK OF BEING PREDICTABLE. 
          SO WE'LL SAY CONSISTENT INSTEAD OF PREDICTABLE. 
          OH, THANK YOU JEFF. 
          UM, SO YOU WERE ABLE TO FIND SOME MONEY FROM FOOD AND WINE IN ORDER TO, TO, UH, GAP THE, UH, OR BRIDGE THE GAP I GUESS FOR, FOR RIM AND BREWS THIS YEAR, RIGHT? IS WHAT I UNDERSTOOD. 
          9,000. 
          WELL, WE'VE GOT MONEY IN THE BANK, SO IF IF WE'VE, WE'VE GOT SAVINGS IN THE BANK FOR OKAY. 
          BUT YEAH, SO FOOD AND WINE HAS REALLY STABILIZED. 
          IT'S BEEN THERE FOR AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. 
          YOU, THE, THE FUNDING HAS BEEN STABLE FOR AT LEAST THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I THINK THINK IT'S, YEAH, BEEN ABOUT EIGHT YEARS TO INVEST FOR THE SAME AMOUNT. 
          SO IS THERE A WAY TO, TO CARVE SOME MONEY FROM FOOD AND WINE AND PUT IT IN A VITAMIN AND BREW TO GET TO A TOTAL OF YEAH. 
          HUNDRED 60, I GUESS? NO, THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION. 
          I THINK I DON'T, I DON'T NO, NO, I DON'T REQUIRE AN ANSWER TODAY. 
          YEAH, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A THOUGHT PROCESS. 
          YEAH. 
          THE THING IS IS EVERY YEAR I'M TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING WITH IN ESSENCE LESS MONEY FOR, FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL SINCE WE ASKED FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AND I SPENT MONEY, IF YOU LOOK AT MY, WHAT I SPENT ON ADVERTISING FOR THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, I SPENT MORE THAN THE 130 THAT WE WERE AWARDED. 
          SO, UM, 
          [01:45:02]
AND I JUST HIRED SOMEBODY. 
          SO NOW IT'S AN ARMY OF TWO INSTEAD OF AN ARMY OF ONE. 
          SO I'VE GOT A LINE ITEM THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. 
          SO I MEAN, IF YOU TELL ME THAT THEN I'M LIKE ANY OTHER SMALL BUSINESS PERSON, I'M GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT. 
          I GUESS MAYBE, BUT I WANT TO LIKE RAISE MY HAND, LIKE PICK ME. 
          I'M NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING, I'M JUST ASKING A QUESTION. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, IT WOULD BE HARD. 
          OKAY. 
          MAYBE POSSIBLE. 
          I DON'T KNOW. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          IT'S A FAIR QUESTION. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? ANY MORE QUESTIONS? UM, I WROTE IN MY NOTES THAT IT LOOKED TO ME LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE ATTENDEES THAT WERE, THAT WERE AT YOUR RHYTHM AND BLUES WERE LOCAL. 
          UM, YEAH, IT'S ABOUT 68% LOCAL AND ABOUT 38% TOURISTS. 
          OKAY. 
          DO YOU HAVE FURTHER STRATEGY TO TRY TO CHANGE THOSE DEMOGRAPHICS? WELL, THAT'S ONE OF THEM I THINK BECAUSE, UM, AND YOU THINK SHE'S CAPABLE OF DOING THAT? I THINK SO BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, SHE'S FROM, UM, NASHVILLE NOW, BUT NORTH FLORIDA. 
          AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, IT'S JUST A NEW EVENT. 
          I THINK IT'S HARD WITH ANY NEW EVENT TO, TO GET TO. 
          UM, EVEN 11 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED AT THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL, I DON'T THINK IT WAS 68% OF VISITORS LIKE IT IS NOW. 
          IT WAS A, A VERY INTENTIONAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND OVER TIME WE SAW THOSE NUMBERS CLIMB. 
          AND THEN EVEN LAST YEAR IT'D BEEN ABOUT 66% THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AND THIS YEAR IT WAS 68%. 
          SO I THINK IT TAKES TIME AND PERSISTENCE AND CONSISTENCY TO GET THERE. 
          UM, SO I, I DO THINK IT WILL GET THERE. 
          AND THEN ONCE AGAIN WITH SOMEBODY LIKE THAT, BRINGING HER IN AT THE LAST MINUTE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO TALK TO YOUR HOTEL PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, THAT MEANS I'M TALKING TO 'EM IN JULY AND AUGUST AND THEY'RE ALL RUNNING AROUND WITH THEIR HAIR ON FIRE. 
          I THINK WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND MORE PLANNING, WE COULD BE LIKE, PUT THOSE CAMPAIGNS TOGETHER WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE ALSO HELPING US LIKE, HEY, HERE'S A GREAT EVENT. 
          COME FROM ATLANTA TO HILTON HEAD, COME FROM COLUMBIA, COME FROM CHARLOTTE, THIS WILL BE A GREAT WEEKEND AND HELP DRIVE THOSE HEADS IN BEDS. 
          SO I THINK SO, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY PLAUSIBLE. 
          I, AND I ALSO THINK THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS IT DIDN'T HELP TOURISM WHEN TWO YEARS AGO THE WEATHER CHANNEL'S, LIKE, HERE COMES HELENE, HERE'S THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND THEY'RE LIKE, I'M NOT DRIVING DOWN TO HILTON HEAD THIS WEEKEND. 
          AND THE SAME THING. 
          YOU HAVE WEATHER THIS YEAR TOO. 
          YES MA'AM. 
          IT, IT RAIN. 
          IT DIDN'T RAIN ON US LAST YEAR, BUT IT WAS THE WHOLE THREAT. 
          AND THEN THIS YEAR IT, IT MORE SPRINKLED . 
          I SAW Y'ALL SETTING UP. 
          I I FELT BAD FOR YOU PEOPLE . 
          WE HAD A GOOD TIME THOUGH. 
          AND, AND EVERYBODY HAD A GOOD TIME WHO WAS THERE. 
          SO THAT WAS, UH, A REALLY A STRONG STATEMENT FOR THE TEAM AND, AND ALL THE VENDORS THAT COME AND SUPPORT US AND, AND EVERYONE TURNED IT IN TO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN I HONEST TO GOT, I DIDN'T GET ONE BAD EMAIL. 
          I DIDN'T GET ONE BAD PHONE CALL. 
          NOBODY TALKED TO ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AT THE ADMISSION ON THE WAY OUT. 
          AND I'M LIKE, UM, 'CAUSE WHEN IT'S SUNNY AND BEAUTIFUL, I GET LIKE HALF A DOZEN OR A DOZEN COMPLAINTS. 
          . 
          WELL IT LOOKS LIKE A GREAT EVENT. 
          I MEAN, YOUR WEBSITE'S GOOD AND IT DOES LOOK LIKE A LOT OF FUN. 
          I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE. 
          SURE. 
          YES MA'AM. 
          IT'S AT TAX MONEY. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          YES. 
          THAT IT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION. 
          YOU STOLE MY THUNDER. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU JEFF. 
          NO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME EVERYBODY. 
          UM, BEFORE WE TAKE A A QUICK BREAK, UM, UH, MS. WRATH ASKED IF SHE COULD, UH, ADDRESS US FOR A MOMENT. 
          THANK YOU MARTIN. 
          UH, CHAIRMAN, UM, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. 
          I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING AND I'M NOT REPRESENTING ANY ORGANIZATION WITH MY COMMENTS, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM IS AT A LEVEL SET. 
          I HAD, UH, MY NAME IS HEATHER WRATH AND I'M PROUD TO BE A 20 PLUS YEAR RESIDENT OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND. 
          UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE. 
          I THINK I WAS TRYING TO DO THE MATH I THINK IN 2003. 
          I CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER. 
          AND I WAS PROUD TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE WITH JOHN CURRY. 
          AND FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL THAT DIDN'T KNOW MR. CURRY, HE ACTUALLY WROTE THE AT TAX LAW. 
          SO I HAD A LOT OF MENTORSHIP UNDER HIM AND JOHN DIAMOND, UM, ON THIS LAW. 
          IN ADDITION, I WAS ABLE TO COME BACK AND SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE IN 2008 AND OH NINE DURING THE DOWNTURN OF THE ECONOMY. 
          I SERVED ON IT FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE I LEFT AND, UM, WENT TO CHAIR PARKS AND REC. 
          I SAY THAT JUST BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL DOING A LEVEL SET ON THESE FUNDS WHERE THESE FUNDS COME FROM AND WHAT THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE USED FOR. 
          SO WE LOOK AT THIS FROM THE STATE LEVEL. 
          THERE'S A STATE 2% THAT GETS RETURNED BACK TO US, THAT'S CAPTURED AT THE STATE LEVEL. 
          IN ADDITION HERE LOCALLY, WE HAVE 3%, 1% OF THAT GOES BACK TO US, 2% GOES DIRECTLY TO BEACH TREE NOURISHMENT. 
          SO THAT'S A TOTAL OF 5% FROM OUR HEADS AND BEDS. 
          AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDS ARE GENERATED. 
          BUT WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT AS THE BODY OF YOU ALL DO YOUR WORK IS HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE USED BECAUSE THOSE FUNDS ARE NOT NECESSARILY USED TO GO BACK 
          [01:50:01]
DIRECTLY INTO HEADS AND BEDS. 
          AND I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR BECAUSE THERE ARE NINE POINTS IN THE AT TAX LAW WHERE THESE FUNDS CAN BE APPLIED TO ONE OF THEM. 
          OF COURSE, THE FIRST ONE IS MORE TOURISM AND HEADS AND BEDS. 
          THE SECOND ONE IS, AND I PULLED IT UP 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA MISS ANYTHING, BUT THE SECOND ONE IS PROMOTION OF ARTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES. 
          SORRY, HOLD ON THE FIRST ONE AGAIN. 
          INCREASED TOURISM, INCREASED ATTENDANCE AND GENERAL PUBLICITY. 
          THE SECOND ONE IS PROMOTION OF ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS. 
          THE THIRD ONE IS CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF FACILITIES. 
          THE FOURTH ONE IS LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
          THE FIFTH ONE IS PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS RESTROOMS, DRESSING ROOMS, PARKS, PARKING LOTS. 
          THE NEXT ONE IS TOURISM, SHUTTLE TRANSPORTATION. 
          THE SEVENTH ONE IS CONTROL AND REPAIR OF WATERFRONT EROSION, INCLUDING BEACH REN NOURISHMENT OR PERHAPS, UM, BAGGING SHELLS, OYSTER SHELLS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING OUR SHORELINE. 
          UH, THE EIGHTH ONE IS OPERATION OF VISITOR CENTERS AND IT DOES NOT REQUIRE IT TO BE BRICK AND MORTAR IN THE LAW. 
          AND THEN THE LAST ONE, OF COURSE, AS Y'ALL KNOW, IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE HOUSING. 
          AND I WAS PROUD TO WORK ON THAT ONE. 
          SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE AS THE COMMITTEE DOES ITS BODY OF WORK, IT UNDERSTANDS THE NINE CATEGORIES AND, UM, APPLIES THOSE EQUALLY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU MS. WRATH. 
          WE'RE GONNA NOW TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK. 
          WE'LL BE BACK AT FIVE MINUTES AFTER 11 AND, UH, START HEARING THE NEXT, UH, PRESENTERS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE'RE GOING TO, UH, GET BACK INTO THE PRESENTATIONS. 
          THE NEXT UP IS, UH, HILTON HEAD CONCOURSE. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. 
          UM, I'M SURE BOB AND MARY WILL BE ON THEIR WAY THERE. 
          WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING READY FOR THE EVENT, SO EVERYONE IS A LITTLE BUSY RIGHT NOW. 
          SO, UM, AND I APOLOGIZE, YOU'LL SEE ME A FEW TIMES TODAY, SO I'M VERY SORRY. 
          MY NAME IS KELLY SMITH. 
          UM, I HAVE A LOCAL MARKETING AND ADVERTISING AND EVENT AGENCY HERE ON THE ISLAND AND IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO WORK WITH A LOT OF NONPROFITS. 
          UM, THREE OF WHICH PUT ON THE THREE LARGEST EVENTS HERE ON HILTON HEAD. 
          SO AS SOMEBODY THAT WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING TO BE PART OF THESE, WATCH THEM GROW AND BE ABLE TO TELL THEIR STORY. 
          SO, UM, I KNOW YOU WERE GIVEN A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, IN THE APPLICATION, SO I'LL TRY TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAYBE DIDN'T KNOW. 
          UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF THIS VIDEO THAT I WANTED YOU TO SEE ON THE NEW WEBSITE AS WELL. 
          THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT YOU'VE HELPED SUPPORT WITH THE LAST, UM, FEW YEARS OF FUNDING. 
          SO WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. 
          UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, UH, THE EVENT IS A LOT MORE THAN CARS. 
          UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT BRINGS US A LEVEL UP FROM AMELIA AND PEBBLE BEACH. 
          UH, WE FEATURE BOATS AS WELL AS PLANES, MOTORCYCLES, AND A LOT OF YOUTH PROGRAMMING. 
          SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS. 
          SLOWLY AFTER THEY LEFT HONEY HORN, UM, AFTER LEAVING THAT AREA, WE WERE GIVEN MUCH MORE SPACE AT THE PORT ROYAL GOLF CLUB TO SORT OF EXPAND. 
          UM, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BACK IN THOSE YEARS, UH, AT COASTAL DISCOVERY, WE HAD A LOT OF DRIVERS THAT DIDN'T WANNA DRIVE ON A PEBBLE OYSTER ROAD. 
          AND JUST DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT WE NOW, UM, CAN REALLY BRAG ABOUT. 
          AS AN EVENT, WE HAVE, UH, 21,000 PLUS GUESTS. 
          LAST YEAR WAS OUR HIGHEST YEAR EVER OF ATTENDEES. 
          THERE'S OVER 500 VEHICLES ON DISPLAY. 
          UM, EACH OF THOSE VEHICLES ON DISPLAY, MAJORITY OF THEM ARE SHIPPED AND DRIVEN IN FROM OUT OF TOWN. 
          SO, UH, WE SELL OUT THE WESTIN EVERY YEAR WITH BASICALLY EXHIBITORS ALONE, AND THEN THE OVERFLOW EXTENDS FROM THERE. 
          UH, WE DO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD BASE FOR OUR EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS. 
          UH, WE'VE BEEN DEVIATING A LITTLE BIT FROM THAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND ADDING IN, UH, TEXT MESSAGING, WHICH WAS ONE THING THIS ORGANIZATION WASN'T SO SURE ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE, UM, THE AGE GAP AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING TURNS OUT, UH, MYSELF JUST AS MUCH AS MY MOM. 
          UM, AND OTHERS LOVE GETTING TEXT MESSAGES TOO. 
          SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT EVOLUTION FOR THEM. 
          THEY HAVE A GREAT AND VERY ACTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA FOOTPRINT. 
          I DO HAVE TO SAY THERE'S ABOUT 5% THAT ARE LOCAL THAT FOLLOW THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          SO WE WANNA KEEP THAT NUMBER AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. 
          UM, THAT'S TAKEN SOME EDUCATION FROM THE BOARD BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S A HUGE PART OF WHAT YOU ALL WORK WITH US WITH. 
          BUT ANOTHER PART THAT THEY DIVED INTO IN THE LAST YEAR WAS REALLY, UH, PROMOTING THEMSELVES WITHIN SPECIFIC GROUPS ON FACEBOOK. 
          UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS HUGE FOR THE CAR WORLD. 
          UM, 
          [01:55:01]
ANYONE THAT COLLECTS OR IS PART OF A SPECIFIC BRAND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE THOUSANDS WITHIN, EVEN IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT CAR COLLECTORS. 
          SO A LOT OF WHAT THEY DO ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS ALSO UNSEEN FROM THEIR PAGE. 
          'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS GOING ON WITHIN THE COLLECTOR'S PAGES AS WELL. 
          WE HAVE A GREAT HOUSEHOLD INCOME. 
          UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD THE LAST THREE YEARS. 
          IF, UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN PART OF SOME OF THE DATA WE'VE SHARED, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO LOWER THE AGE OF OUR ATTENDEES. 
          UM, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN 50 AND UP FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND NOW WE ARE GETTING A LOT CLOSER TO THE 30, 35 RANGE AND BRINGING IN MORE FAMILIES. 
          SO THAT ESPECIALLY IS A GREAT, UM, TESTAMENT TO A LOT OF THE MARKETING AS WELL. 
          70% OWN FOUR OR MORE VEHICLES AND 50% OF THEM TRAVEL TO HILTON HEAD AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR. 
          YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THIS. 
          WE TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT HOW WE COLLECT OUR DATA. 
          I'M SURE IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WE CAN ABSOLUTELY, UM, GO INTO THAT. 
          I ECHO THE AI, UH, THINGS BEHIND ME AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S INVOLVED IN IT IS SCARY, BUT IT IS WONDERFUL. 
          UM, THAT ALSO HELPS ALSO. 
          A LOT OF OUR MEDIA PARTNERS USE A LOT OF AI NOW. 
          SO, UM, WHEN WE NEGOTIATE OUR BUYS, WE'RE ACTUALLY TAPPING INTO WHAT THEY'RE BUYING AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MUCH BIGGER, UM, ABILITIES THAN WE DO. 
          A LOT OF THE DISPLAYS WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT. 
          SOME OF THEM ARE ALSO RETAIL, UM, ARTISTS, PEOPLE THAT COME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN AS WELL TO SELL THEIR GOODS. 
          AND, UM, THAT'S A VERY BIG, UH, FOLLOWING AND A VERY BIG MARKET FOR A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE. 
          WHEN BRICKS AND MORTARS YOU'VE SEEN MORE AND MORE ARE GOING AWAY, A LOT OF BRANDS, UH, JEWELRY MAKERS TO, UH, AUTO COLLECTOR MEMORABILIA, THEY ALL HAVE KIND OF SKIPPED AWAY FROM, UH, BRICKS AND MORTAR, AND THEY'RE NOW TRAVELING TO EVENTS, LIKE I SAID, MORE THAN 550 VEHICLES WILL FOR THIS YEAR. 
          UM, THEY COME FROM 21 DIFFERENT STATES, AND WE REALLY DO PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE FACT THAT OUR EXHIBITORS ARE 70% FROM OUT OF TOWN. 
          IT'S A BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. 
          UM, WE TRY VERY, VERY HARD EVERY YEAR TO GROW THIS NUMBER. 
          OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A SMALL PEAK WHEN IT COMES TO ROOMING. 
          UM, THE HOTELS, ESPECIALLY LAST YEAR, THE OMNI WAS STILL UNDERGOING A BIT OF A RENOVATION. 
          UM, THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON IN GROUPS. 
          SO A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND INTO THIS YEAR IS ALSO PROMOTING THE HOME RENTALS, THE VILLAS, THE HOUSES. 
          UM, WHEN WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF RENTAL COMPANIES, THEY'VE LEARNED THAT IF THEY HAVE HOUSES WITH GARAGES, , THEY CAN, UM, CAPITALIZE A LOT ON WHO OUR EXHIBITORS ARE. 
          AND THEY LIKE TO GET TOGETHER RENT HOMES TOGETHER, AND THEY LOVE THE FACT THAT THEY CAN PUT THEIR CAR AWAY. 
          SO THAT'S EVEN BETTER. 
          THESE ARE A LOT OF THE NEW PHOTOGRAPHY THAT YOU ALL SUPPORTED OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS. 
          UH, WORKED REALLY HARD ON A LOT OF THE AESTHETICS. 
          THAT GOES BACK TO ATTRACTING THE YOUNGER AUDIENCE, UM, HELPING THEM REALIZE HOW MUCH THERE IS TO OFFER DURING THE WEEK, AND ALSO ALLOW A LOT OF THE NEWER AUDIENCES TO US TO REALIZE IT'S A LIFESTYLE EVENT AND THAT CHILDREN ARE EXTREMELY WELCOME AND A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO. 
          IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD TIME, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO SEE OUR NEW WEBSITE. 
          UM, WE NEEDED TO BE MUCH MORE MOBILE RESPONSIVE. 
          WE NEEDED TO BE MUCH MORE AGILE. 
          UM, WE ALSO WORKED ON THE BACKEND WITH A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIMENTAL, UH, CODING, WHICH HELPS WITH DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. 
          SO IF THEY HAVE THEIR PHONE ON A CERTAIN TYPE OF SETTING FOR THEIR TEXT, OUR WEBSITE WILL HELP GET FAMILIAR WITH THAT SETTING AND ALSO CHANGE HOW IT REVEALS ITSELF. 
          SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL TOO WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT AGES. 
          UM, WE RANGE FROM NOW YOUNGER TO MUCH, MUCH OLDER, AND WE REALIZED THAT A LOT OF, UM, OUR EXHIBITORS TOO WERE USING IPADS. 
          SO WE WANTED TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY DO WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO ONLINE NEW THIS YEAR. 
          I HOPE YOU ARE ALL THERE. 
          UM, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ALSO DON'T REALIZE THAT THE SHOW FIELD SWITCHES FROM SATURDAY TO SUNDAY. 
          UM, IT'S TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT SATURDAY IS OUR CAR CLUB SHOWCASE. 
          SO THOSE ARE CAR CLUBS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT COME. 
          THEY BRING THEIR OWN MEMBERS TO THEIR CAR CLUB. 
          THEY'RE OUT ON SATURDAY IS A BIG SHOW OF SUPPORT. 
          AND THEN SUNDAY IS YOUR CONCORD LAGON DAY. 
          THOSE ARE YOUR BIG AWARDS, ORIGINAL PARTS, UM, REALLY INCR INCREDIBLE CARS. 
          THESE OTHER EXPANDING EXHIBITS ARE PART OF SATURDAY FOR EX EX EXAMPLE IS THE ARROW EXPO. 
          THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE OVER THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AIRPORT. 
          AND WE HAVE AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. 
          WE'RE SO THRILLED WITH ALL THE NEW THINGS THAT ARE COMING THEIR WAY. 
          UM, AND WE'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO SHOW OFF 
          [02:00:01]
THE PLANES, THE CARS, UM, ADDITIONAL ACTIVATIONS THAT YOU, YOU JUST DON'T SEE THESE ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          UM, WE ALSO HAVE OUR LIFE ON THE WATER EXHIBIT, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT. 
          WE GET A LOT OF INTEREST WITH THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE CONSIDERING MOVING HERE, UM, AND OR ARE UNDER CONTRACT. 
          UH, THAT'S A, A BUSY TALKING POINT IN THAT AREA. 
          WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED TO THE WOMEN OWNED AND WOMEN BUILT VEHICLES, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN A BIG UNDERTAKING, BUT ALSO VERY EXCITING. 
          RAD WOOD, WHICH IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, THOSE ARE YOUR EIGHTIES BABIES, YOUR EIGHTIES AND NINETIES CARS. 
          UM, A LITTLE LESS ANTIQUE AND MORE RETRO, BUT AGAIN, BRINGS IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SET OF COLLECTORS AND TOTALLY DIFFERENT SET, UM, OF VIEWERS FOR THAT. 
          THE YOUTH YOUTH PROGRAMS, WHICH IS WHAT OUR 5 0 1 C3 SUPPORTS, WE BRING IN THE YOUTH JUDGING PROGRAM, UM, AS WELL AS A LOT OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THERE. 
          AND OF COURSE, EV AND ALL THE SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION AS WELL, NEW THIS YEAR. 
          UH, WE DID HEAR A LOT, UH, FROM MANY SOURCES THAT PEOPLE FELT LIKE NO ONE ON HILTON HAD KNEW OUR EVENT WAS HAPPENING, WHICH I UNDERSTAND. 
          UH, THE NEXT FOLLOWING WEEK AT THE GROCERY STORE, SOMEONE WOULD SAY, OH, THAT'S WHY I SAW THOSE COOL CARS DRIVING DOWN 2 78. 
          I GET IT, THEY'RE HIDDEN. 
          UM, IT'S A LITTLE PUSHED BACK. 
          SO, UH, WE DECIDED OUTSIDE OF OBVIOUSLY OUR ATEX DOLLARS, THIS WAS SOMETHING WE TOOK ON OURSELVES. 
          UM, WE TOOK IT ON WITH PARTNERING WITH LOCAL LIFE. 
          WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOCAL, WE HAVE A LOCALS ONLY PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY SIGNING UP TO GET SPECIFIC PERKS TO ATTEND OUR EVENT NOW, UM, WHICH KIND OF TURNS INTO TWO BUCKETS. 
          THEY'RE VERY LOYAL, UH, SHOPPERS OF OUR EVENT, AND THEY'RE ALSO A GREAT RESOURCE FOR VOLUNTEERS. 
          AND ALL THE OTHER YEAR ROUND PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, WE ALSO ARE DOING OUR REVVED UP REAL CHALLENGE WITH CHILDREN. 
          SO THEY'RE COMING ON THE SHOW FIELD THIS YEAR AND CREATING THEIR OWN REELS OF OUR EVENT, HOWEVER THEY SEE IT HOWEVER THEY WANT IT TO LOOK. 
          AND THEN THEY'RE UPLOADING THOSE TO BE VOTED ON AFTER OUR EVENT. 
          UM, ALL THE PARTICIPATING KIDS GET TICKETS TO THE FOLLOWING YEARS CONCOR ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILY FOR EVEN JUST SUBMITTING THEIR REEL. 
          LIKE I SAID, UM, HUGE PORTION OF THE CHARITABLE FUND IS PUSHING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, INNOVATION. 
          UH, THERE'S A LOT NOWADAYS WITH THE CONVERSATION AROUND UBERS AND LYFTS. 
          UM, A LOT OF KIDS DON'T HAVE THAT SAME FEELING I DID ABOUT GOING TO THE DMV AND GETTING A DRIVER'S LICENSE. 
          SO OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY, UH, RECIPROCATE WITH A LOT OF THE DESIGNERS AND AUTOMOTIVE COMPANIES TO KEEP THEM INTERESTED TO FILL THE GAP. 
          UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO WORK ON CARS, UM, IN THE FUTURE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE COMPUTER BASED. 
          UM, THERE IS A LOT MORE THAT COULD BE DONE TO BRING IN PEOPLE TO THAT INDUSTRY. 
          SO THAT'S OUR, OUR BIGGEST PUSH TO DATE, AS WELL AS AMAZING 450, UM, VOLUNTEERS OR MORE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS SO FAR. 
          AND I WILL LEAVE IT TO YOU GUYS FOR QUESTIONS. 
          ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO. 
          NO. 
          CECILE, UM, KELLY, I WOULD JUST, UH, MY NOTES, I JUST WROTE A COUPLE OF NOTES. 
          UH, 21,000 VI VISITORS LAST YEAR. 
          AMAZING. 
          UM, I LOVE THAT YOU ARE EXPANDING TO INCLUDE MORE LOCAL PEOPLE. 
          LOVE THAT. 
          UM, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON TWO DECADES. 
          OH, THANK YOU. 
          YEAH, THANK YOU. 
          THEY DO GOOD. 
          AND I BROUGHT YOU SOME THINGS TO LOOK AT FROM LAST YEAR, THIS YEAR'S ADVERTISING, SO YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A LOOK. 
          IT'S JUST KIND OF NICE TO SEE IT IN PERSON. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          DO YOU WANT, DO YOU WANNA STAY THERE? OH, . 
          SORRY, I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. 
          NEXT UP IS NCA. 
          GIMME A SECOND GUYS. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I'M SO PROUD OF THIS ORGANIZATION. 
          I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR JUST A FEW YEARS NOW. 
          UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING EXTREMELY DILIGENTLY ON A LOT OF WHAT THEY DO. 
          UM, ERIC AND LAA ARE HERE TODAY. 
          UM, LAA IS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR TEAM, UM, JUST LIKE ME. 
          SHE GREW UP HERE, SO WE KNOW A LOT OF THE SAME, UH, CRAZY PEOPLE, UH, WHICH IS FUN. 
          BUT, UH, I AM REALLY, REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW YOU GUYS WHAT'S IN STORE THIS YEAR FOR THE GULLAH CELEBRATION. 
          THEY ARE TURNING 30. 
          SO, UH, WE REALLY HAVE DONE A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE IN OUR PLANNING AND OUR INTENTIONS BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS OF FOCUSING ON NOT ONLY RAISING THE ATTENDANCE NUMBERS, BUT RAISING THE EXPECTATIONS AND THE EXPERIENCE OVERALL FOR OUR EVENT. 
          UH, IT'S AN ENTIRE 
          [02:05:01]
MONTH, SO A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS HAS SORT OF BEEN BUILDING SLOWLY AND STEADILY. 
          UH, WE WANNA KEEP THE EVENTS THAT ARE WORKING AND WORKING HARD FOR US. 
          WE KIND OF HAVE FLOATED IN AND OUT OF THE OTHER EVENTS THAT MIGHT BE PRIMARILY WEREN'T WORKING AS HARD WHEN IT COMES TO THE VISITOR. 
          THAT BEING SAID, UM, I'M REALLY PROUD OF LAST YEAR'S ATTENDEES BEING 72% WERE FIRST TIME ATTENDEES ON OUR LARGEST DAY. 
          UH, THAT'S A GREAT SIGN. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVEN'T SEEN IN FIVE YEARS WITH SEAFOOD FESTIVALS. 
          SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT NOD TO THE REACH THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT AUDIENCE THAN WE EVER HAVE BEFORE. 
          UM, OUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME TWO YEARS AGO WAS RIGHT AROUND 80,000 A YEAR. 
          WE'RE NOW WELL OVER A HUNDRED, WHICH I THINK IS GOOD FOR THAT 40% MARK. 
          WE ALSO LOVE THE FACT THAT OUR AUDIENCE FOR THIS SPECIFIC EVENT, THEY ARE PLANNERS. 
          UH, THEY BOOK A LOT IN ADVANCE AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY, UM, BOOKING AS FAMILIES AND LARGE GROUPS. 
          SO THAT MAKES OUR NEW HOTEL PARTNERS VERY HAPPY. 
          UM, THE BEACH HOUSE AND HAMPTON INN AND SOME OF THE OTHER ONES ARE VERY HAPPY WITH THOSE BOOKINGS COMING IN WELL IN ADVANCE OF WHAT THEY USED TO. 
          FOR EVENTS. 
          WE DO A LOT OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA AS WELL AS ALL THE DIGITAL MEDIA WITH THIS EVENT. 
          AND THAT KIND OF ENSURES REACHING EVERY SINGLE GENERATION, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES. 
          WE'VE BRANCHED INTO A LOT OF, UM, MARKETING THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF WHAT DOES CHANGE ON THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE. 
          UH, A LOT OF TIMES NOW YOU'LL SEE EVEN ON YOUR PHONE, YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO OPT OUT OF A LOT OF THINGS. 
          HENCE, THERE ARE GREAT THINGS FOR AI, BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO REALLY FOCUS ON SOME OF THE DIGITAL THAT CAPTURED PEOPLE THAT MAYBE WERE USING A LOT MORE PRIVACY SETTINGS OR WERE, UM, HIDING OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE INTERNET. 
          BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE TEND TO BE VERY PRIVATE, VERY AFFLUENT, AND THEY TRAVEL A LOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THEIR INFORMATION OUT THERE. 
          SO A LOT OF OUR TACTICS DIGITALLY ARE KIND OF HALF AND HALF, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REACH EVERYONE. 
          UH, FOR EXAMPLE, TOWN AND COUNTRY, THEY MIGHT OFFER A PRINT AD FOR US, BUT WHEN WE DO OUR DIGITAL CAMPAIGN, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY POSTING FOR US FORWARD FACING ON ALL THEIR CHANNELS, BUT THEY'RE USING THEIR AUDIENCE FOR US TO ADVERTISE TO ON THE BACKSIDE OF THAT. 
          SO WE'RE ABLE TO ADVERTISE TO THEM SEPARATELY AND THEN TRACK THEM FROM THERE. 
          OBVIOUSLY VIDEO IS REALLY BIG. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON THIS YEAR. 
          LAST YEAR WAS PHOTOGRAPHY. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THIS IN THE PRESENTATION. 
          OUR 2026 TALENT LINEUP IS INCREDIBLE. 
          UM, CARDIA BROWN WILL BE HEADLINING ONE OF THE BIGGER DAYS AND EVENTS THAT THEY HAVE. 
          UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED HER ON TV, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. 
          SHE IS FANTASTIC AND ALSO VERY PERSONABLE. 
          UM, AND JUST REALLY GREAT FOR OUR STATE IN GENERAL. 
          SHE'S BASED OUT OF CHARLESTON. 
          WE ALSO OF COURSE HAVE CHEF BJ BROWN, BJ DENNIS, UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO BRINGING OUR, A YOUTUBE FRIEND OF OURS SLASH INFLUENCER BECAUSE VIDEO IS SO POPULAR RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, WE WANNA HAVE HIM JOIN US AND BE PART OF SHARING TO HIS MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS, UH, WHAT HE'S DOING WHILE HE'S HERE. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THERE MONTH INCLUDES IS NOT JUST FOOD AND ART, BUT ALSO A GOSPEL SERIES WHERE YOU ENTER IN THE CHURCHES AT NIGHT, YOU GET TO HEAR A LOT OF PERFORMANCE AND HISTORY. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HE WILL CAPTURE VERY, VERY WELL FOR US, UM, IN A GREAT WAY FOR THEM MOVING FORWARD. 
          WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ENGAGED AUDIENCE, ABOUT 12,000 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, BUT A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON IS THE RESEARCH OF WHEN THEY'RE PURCHASING AND HOW, AND FROM WHERE, KNOWING THAT 80% OF THEM ARE ADVANCED TICKET BUYERS, THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THE MARKET AND THEY PLAN SO MUCH AHEAD. 
          THAT KIND OF CHANGED HOW WE WERE STARTING TO ADVERTISE A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH LONG LEAD PUBLICATIONS, UM, PUBLICATIONS THAT FOCUS ON CULTURE AND HISTORY. 
          UH, THAT'S MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THEIR AUDIENCE PERFECTLY ALIGNS WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING. 
          I ALSO THINK IT'S BEEN NICE TO SEE THEM BRANCH OUT WITH A LOT OF THEIR EXHIBITORS. 
          YOU DON'T JUST HAVE THE TYPICAL, UM, SHOWCASE OF GOODS TO BUY, BUT YOU HAVE THE NEWEST ONES AS WELL FROM FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES HERE THAT GREW UP HERE WITH US AND ARE NOW CREATING BRANDS THAT ARE GOING NATIONWIDE AND ON, ON TREND, UM, FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES. 
          I THINK THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. 
          AND IT'S ALSO A HUGE DRAW FOR THE HOTELS. 
          UM, THEY LIKE BEING ABLE TO SHARE THAT IT'S NOT THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD. 
          UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE INTENTIONALLY AND WE CONTINUE TO GROW IS OUR PARTNERSHIP 
          [02:10:01]
WITH THE BEACH HOUSE RESORT. 
          UH, THEY WERE HOME TO ONE OF OUR BRUNCHES LAST YEAR WITH SALLY AND ROBINSON. 
          UM, IT WAS A BIT A LEAP OF FAITH FOR THEM, BUT THEY SAW A HUGE UPTICK. 
          THEY WERE SO GENEROUS TO GIVE US THE SPACE AND THE AREA TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS BRUNCH OUT ON THE BEACH. 
          UM, IT WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL WITH THE SINGERS AND, UM, SALLY AND THERE SIGNING HER BOOKS AND, AND SENDING OUT BRUNCH TO EVERYONE. 
          IT JUST FELT VERY INCREDIBLE. 
          SO THIS YEAR THEY'VE INVITED US BACK, UM, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT RELATIONSHIP GROW AND GROW FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH. 
          UM, THEIR INTEREST NOW AND WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED IS BEING ABLE TO PROMOTE FOUR DIFFERENT WEEKENDS IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, DEPENDING ON WHERE VALENTINE'S DAY LANDS. 
          SO THIS YEAR MOST HOTELS AREN'T INTERESTED IN PROMOTING VALENTINE'S DAY AS MUCH. 
          SO THERE'LL BE THREE HEAVY WEEKENDS THAT THEY'LL BE WORKING TO PROMOTE THE EVENT WITH US. 
          WE TRACK A LOT OF THE LODGING THROUGH THEM AS WELL AS THEIR HABITS. 
          UM, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO. 
          BUT FOR THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE RELOCATING OUR ART SHOWCASE, WHICH USED TO BE INSIDE THE ART LEAGUE, AT THE ART CENTER TO TWO DIFFERENT PLACES. 
          ESSENTIALLY, WE WILL BE AT THE JAY COSTELLO GALLERY, WHICH IS INSIDE REDFISH, IF YOU'VE EVER EATEN THERE. 
          UM, WE WILL HAVE OUR FEATURED ART ARTIST FOR THIS YEAR. 
          AMIR FERRIS, UM, WILL BE TAKING OVER THE ENTIRE GALLERY THERE WITH HER, UM, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER ARTISTS COMING OUT OF NEW YORK AND FLORIDA AND GEORGIA THAT SHE WORKS WITH THAT ALSO HAVE, UH, GULET TIES. 
          BUT WE WILL ALSO BE FEATURING OUR ARTWORK AS WELL AT THE COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM. 
          SO THEY'RE ALLOWING US TO SHOWCASE 30 OF OUR FAVORITE POSTERS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. 
          THOSE ARE VERY, UH, VERY SOMETHING PEOPLE LOVE TO GET AND BUY AND LOVE TO KEEP. 
          UM, SO WE'LL BE FEATURING THOSE AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL ARTWORK FROM OUR ARTISTS THAT PARTICIPATE WITH US. 
          WE FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN SOMEWHERE YOU CAN GO IN THE DAYTIME AND BRINGS IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT AUDIENCE, AND THEN SOMEWHERE YOU CAN GO AT NIGHT WHERE PEOPLE WOULD NOT EXPECT TO SEE THIS TYPE OF ARTWORK OR MEET THESE TYPE OF ARTISTS. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE THIS YEAR. 
          AS I MENTIONED, AMIR FERRIS IS OUR FEATURED ARTIST. 
          UM, HE'S CREATING A PIECE OF ARTWORK THAT I THINK THE TOWN WILL LOVE. 
          UM, WE'RE WORKING TO CREATE, CREATE A MAP OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND WITH ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS REPRESENTED ON THIS PIECE OF ARTWORK. 
          I THINK IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WE SEE ON MURALS SOMEDAY, OR SIGNAGE AROUND HERE. 
          UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO SHOW THAT TO YOU WHEN IT'S DONE. 
          UM, BUT IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT I THINK ALL OF US WILL REALLY LEVITATE TOWARDS AND, AND USE THE BIGGEST THING. 
          AND, UH, THIS WAS A BIG PART OF OUR ASK THIS YEAR, IS OUR NEW PARTNERSHIP. 
          UM, THE GULLAH CELEBRATION IN NCA HAD MEETINGS AND LONG CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CARMINES FOUNDATION. 
          UH, WE ESSENTIALLY LEARNED THROUGH ALL THE USCB SURVEYS THAT WE HAD TWO WEEKENDS BACK TO BACK FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE BIG, UH, BIG SATURDAY EVENTS. 
          BUT WE WERE ALL INVITING THE SAME VENDORS USING ALMOST THE SAME TENTING, UM, COLLABORATING ON ALL OF THE SAME THINGS VIRTUALLY FOR BOTH OF THOSE EVENTS. 
          SO WHEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS GOT TOGETHER, THERE WAS A REALLY HEARTFELT AND WONDERFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW MUCH WE DO HAVE IN COMMON, UM, HOW MUCH OUR AUDIENCES MAYBE DON'T, BUT HOW WE SHOULD BLEND THEM TOGETHER. 
          SO THIS YEAR WE ARE BUILDING A GULLAH VILLAGE INSIDE THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL EVENT ON FEBRUARY 28TH, SO THAT THEIR AUDIENCE CAN NOW COME TO THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL AND BE ENHANCED BY WHAT THE GULLAH CELEBRATION IS GONNA BE DOING. 
          WE'VE TAKEN, UH, REPLICAS OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENT LANDMARKS, A HOME, A SHRIMP BOAT, A CHURCH, AS WELL AS A SCHOOLHOUSE. 
          AND WE WILL ACTUALLY BE BUILDING THOSE FACADES. 
          SO IF ANYONE IS FAMILIAR OR LOVES THEM, LIKE MY KIDS DO, ALLAH WILLIAMSBURG, UM, WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF GREAT INTERACTION THERE WITH OUR ARTIST AND EXHIBITORS THAT WILL BE FEATURED IN THAT AREA. 
          SO, SIMILAR TO WHEN, AND IF YOU'VE EVER COME TO THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL BEFORE, WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT ACTIVATIONS. 
          YOU HAVE A CHEF DEMONSTRATION STAGE, A TASTING TENT, UH, A KIDS' AREA. 
          THIS IN ITSELF WILL BE A MASSIVE ENHANCEMENT, I THINK, TO THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL, AND WE'LL ACTUALLY BRING IT ALL FULL CIRCLE. 
          SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN COME TOGETHER BEFORE. 
          BUT I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF BOTH ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE THEY'VE LITERALLY DECIDED FOR THE GREATER GOOD TO PUT SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL TO TOGETHER FOR HILTON HEAD. 
          SO I'M EXCITED FOR THIS TO COME TO LIFE AND, UM, I, I APPLAUD BOTH ERIC AND LAA AND THEIR BOARD, UH, FOR BEING SO INCREDIBLY CREATIVE, UM, AND EXCITED TO TO WORK WITH A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION TO DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. 
          [02:15:02]
WE WILL OBVIOUSLY BE KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THE THINGS WE'RE DOING NOW, AND WE'RE KIND OF IN THAT WEIRD SPOT ALONG WITH CONCORD, WHERE THE MARKETING IS IS ALREADY CHURNING AND GOING, UM, SINCE IT'S COMING UP IN FEBRUARY, IT FEELS LIKE TOMORROW. 
          BUT EVERYTHING IS, IS GOING GOOD AND WE'VE MADE A GREAT EFFORT WITH USCB TO NOT ONLY INCORPORATE INTO THE SURVEY FOR THAT SATURDAY, UM, WHAT COMES ABOUT WITH THE VILLAGE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO USE OUR EFFORTS SINCE WE'LL HAVE ONE SURVEY THERE TO DO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LOOK OF A SURVEY THROUGHOUT OUR OTHER EVENTS FOR THE MONTH. 
          UM, I'VE CHALLENGED THEM TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE SURVEYS TAKEN AT ALL THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH BEYOND JUST THE ONE DAY. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA WORK ON QR CODES AT EACH OF THE EVENTS, UH, TEXT MESSAGING TO ATTENDEES AND TICKET HOLDERS THAT ARE COMING TO THINGS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MONTH TO REALLY HOPEFULLY GIVE YOU A MUCH BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT THEY'RE ANALYZING EACH YEAR. 
          LET'S SEE. 
          I JUST, ONE LAST TIME, I KNOW YOU GUYS PROBABLY HAVE A MILLION QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANNA GIVE, UM, THEM CREDIT BECAUSE THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A FEW YEARS OF A LOT OF PLANNING, A LOT OF ME BEING ANNOYING, I'M SURE, AND, UM, AND UNDERGOING A LOT OF CHANGE. 
          UH, BUT THEY'VE BEEN SO INCREDIBLY RESPONSIBLE AND THOUGHTFUL, AND I JUST THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S BEEN 30 YEARS, BUT NOT EVERY YEAR IN DOING AN EVENT IS EASY. 
          UM, OR IS IT FRUITFUL? SO I THINK THIS IS GREAT THAT THEY'RE EMBARKING ON THE NEXT 30 YEARS IN A, IN A REALLY GOOD DIRECTION. 
          QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? ANYTHING? UM, GREAT JOB. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THIS COLLABORATION, UM, AMAZING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR ON THE WEBSITE. 
          JUST LOOKS GREAT. 
          UM, I THINK THIS LITTLE VILLAGE IS GONNA BE REMARKABLE. 
          I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE Y'ALL ADD SOME EVENTS. 
          UM MM-HMM . 
          I WAS TELLING ERIC EARLIER THE, THE BOAT EVENT THAT WAS DONE A FEW YEARS AGO MM-HMM. 
          WAS REALLY VERY SPECIAL. 
          YEP. 
          I KNOW THAT'S OFF THE TABLE FOR NOW, BUT ADD A FEW THINGS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT. 
          JUST ADD A FEW EVENTS. 
          YEP. 
          AND I THINK, UM, THEY'VE ADDED A FEW SPE SPEAKER SERIES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, UM, WHICH THEY'LL DO AT COASTAL DISCOVERY AS WELL. 
          UM, I THINK THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY KIND OF GIVES US THAT ABILITY TO REALLY TRY OUT SOME NEW THINGS, MOVE THINGS AROUND, AND WE SORT OF HAVE THE, UM, EXCUSE TO DO SO 'CAUSE WE'RE CELEBRATING SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL. 
          AND I THINK THE, THE MOVE OF THE ART, UH, TO A DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AS WELL AS ADDING EVENTS AROUND THAT. 
          SO WE'LL HAVE TWO TOTALLY SEPARATE OPENINGS, YOU KNOW, TWO TOTAL DIFFERENT RECEPTIONS. 
          UM, I THINK THAT JUST GIVES MORE MOMENTUM TO THEM TRYING AND EXPERIMENTING NEW EVENTS. 
          YEAH. 
          ELSE, YES. 
          YOU MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT PERSON TO ASK THIS QUESTION TOO, BUT THAT'S OKAY. 
          I WAS, I WAS TRYING TO RECONCILE THE FINANCIALS AND I WAS HAVING SOME CHALLENGES. 
          SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE REQUEST YEAR OVER YEAR HAS INCREASED BY $95,000. 
          I'M SURE A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THIS PARTICULAR EVENT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          BUT IT, UH, UH, THE PAPERWORK SHOWS THAT IT HAS A $200,000 PROFIT, WHICH DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. 
          SO I, I DON'T KNOW. 
          IT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE SENSE TO ME. 
          WELL, AND THEY ALSO SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIPS AS WELL. 
          THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP TOO, IS, YOU KNOW, EVEN FOR THE CARMINES FOUNDATION AND OTHERS, EVERYTHING THEY MAKE ESSENTIALLY GETS GIVEN AWAY AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, TO THE NONPROFITS AND CHARITIES. 
          THAT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER HEARTSTRINGS ON THIS PARTNERSHIP IS THEY WERE BOTH ORGANIZATIONS WERE GIVING TO ALMOST THE SAME EXACT NONPROFITS AT THE END OF THE DAY. 
          UM, THE LARGER ASK, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS YEAR, WAS BECAUSE WE WANTED THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS ONE TIME BUILD OUT OF THE VILLAGE ITSELF, WHICH WAS PART OF THE BIGGER ASK SO THAT THE CARMINES FOUNDATION WOULD DO THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, WHICH IS THE SPECIFIC MARKETING FOR IT BEING THERE AT SEAFOOD FESTIVAL. 
          SO THEY ESSENTIALLY WENT 50 50 IN ON IT. 
          SO ONE ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO DO THE BUILD OUT OF WHICH HOPEFULLY YOU ALL WILL SUPPORT WHILE THE OTHER ONE FOCUSES ON THE MARKETING AND ADVERTISING SO THAT EVERYBODY ESSENTIALLY WILL WIN. 
          UH, SO I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE UP THIS YEAR AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THE BUILD OUT IS A ONE, ONE TIME DEAL? YES. 
          UM, IT'S ACTUALLY BEING MADE, UM, LOCALLY, BUT IT'S THE, THE COMPANY ACTUALLY MAKES LIKE, SET DESIGNS AND DOES ALL KINDS OF THINGS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY. 
          SO THESE, THESE ACTUAL BUILDINGS, IF YOU OR FACADES WILL BE AROUND FOREVER, UM, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THEM YEAR OVER YEAR. 
          THIS IS JUST A ONE-TIME SPEND. 
          AND IS, IS IT, IS IT THE, 
          [02:20:01]
THE INTENTION TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATION GOING FORWARD? OR IS THIS JUST THIS YEAR, THIS COMING YEAR? I THINK IF THE COLLABORATION WORKS, AND I THINK IF IT GOES REALLY WELL, UM, THAT CONVERSATION IS A NO BRAINER. 
          GOTTA HAVE IT AGAIN. 
          UH, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THERE'S A BIT OF, UM, INSURANCE THERE. 
          SO HAVING THESE FACADES HAVING, UM, A BLUEPRINT FOR WHAT DOES WORK OR WHAT DOES NOT WORK ALLOWS THEM TO GO FORWARD THE FOLLOWING YEAR, MAKING A BETTER DECISION. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE UP TO THEIR BOARD. 
          UH, THERE MIGHT BE A SITUATION WHERE IT'S A SMALLER INTEGRATION OR A BIGGER ONE. 
          UH, WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE'VE TRIED THIS AND, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS, BUT THEY WILL HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOREVER, WHEREVER THEY WANNA USE IT. 
          UM, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WANNA TAKE IT DOWN AND ENHANCE AN EVENT AT MITCHELLVILLE, OR THEY WANNA TAKE IT AND, AND MOVE IT TO SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE ISLAND FOR SOMETHING ELSE SPECIFIC, UH, DIFFERENT EVENTS. 
          UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BRILLIANT FOR THEM TO DO THAT. 
          THANK YOU, KELLY. 
          YEAH. 
          WHAT ELSE? YEAH, WE, WE, UM, JUST FROM A HISTORICAL STANDPOINT, YEARS AGO, THIS COMMITTEE ASKED ALL THE, UM, UM, APPLICANTS TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATIONS SO THAT THE MONIES WERE SPENT MORE EFFICIENTLY AND ABSOLUTELY, THEY ALMOST HAD A GREATER REACH. 
          SO WE APPLAUD YOU FOR, FOR MAKING THAT ATTEMPT. 
          AND I THINK, UH, UM, IT'S, IT WASN'T BY CHANCE. 
          I THINK WE'VE, WE ALMOST, WE DIDN'T INSIST UPON IT, BUT IT WAS CLOSE. 
          WE ASKED RIGHT, EVERYBODY TO LOOK AND SEEK OUT OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT THOSE MONIES HAD A, HAD A BROADER AND GREATER REACH IN THEIR, AND IT DOES START SMALL. 
          I MEAN, AS YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, UM, THE CONVERSATION AROUND BILLBOARDS, RIGHT? UM, EVENTS DON'T NEED A 12 YEAR CONTRACT OR 12 MONTH CONTRACT. 
          SO AGAIN, I APPLAUD THE GULLAH CELEBRATION, THE CONCOR AND THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL BECAUSE ALL THREE ORGANIZATIONS ARE SHARING IN A 12 MONTH CONTRACT FOR BILLBOARDS. 
          AND I THINK THINGS LIKE THAT START THE NEXT LEVEL OF A CONVERSATION. 
          UM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE REALLY, WE'VE REALLY LEARNED THAT THERE IS A POWER IN THE BUY, BUT IT'S, IT'S POWER IN NUMBERS. 
          AND I THINK KNOWING THAT ALL THREE PRIDE ASIDE HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AUDIENCES MAKES IT EVEN EASIER. 
          UH, WE JUST HAVE ALL THE SAME GOAL, AND THAT'S JUST TO GET PEOPLE HERE FROM OUT OF TOWN. 
          SO IT REALLY WORKS WELL. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I THINK THAT THE CELEBRATION VILLAGE IS A GREAT IDEA AND I, I I THANK YOU. 
          I REALLY HOPE IT, UH, CAN HAPPEN. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT STOP IS THE CAT SAILORS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND  WILL RECUSE HERSELF FOR THIS. 
          HELLO, HOW YOU DOING? MY NAME IS JOSEPH TOBIN. 
          I'M AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON HERE IN HILTON HEAD, AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 27 YEARS AND I RAISED MY FAMILY HERE. 
          UH, I AM A BEACH CAT SAILOR, AND SO THAT MEANS THAT I SAIL A CATAMARAN, UH, OFF THE BEACH. 
          AND SO I, UH, FORMED THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE CALLED THE BEACH CAT SAILS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND A YEAR OR SO AGO, UM, IN AN EFFORT TO TRY AND REHABILITATE OUR, OUR BEACH SAILING ON HILTON HEAD. 
          YEARS AND YEARS AGO, WE HAD HUNDREDS OF BOATS ON THE BEACH AND THEY'VE DIMINISHED OVER TIME, AND IT GOT DOWN TO AROUND HURRICANE MATTHEW, WHERE WE HAD NO BEACH CATS ON THE BEACH AT THAT TIME. 
          SO WE'VE, WE'VE BUILT IT BACK UP NOW. 
          WE PROBABLY HAVE 15 OR MORE BOATS ON THE BEACH NOW ON THE ISLAND. 
          SO THE GOALS OF THE BEACH CAT SAIL OF HILTON HEAD IS TO REESTABLISH HILTON HEAD ON THE WORLD STAGE AS A PREMIER SAILING DESTINATION. 
          WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE THAT IS EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SAIL THEIR BOAT OFF THE BEACH. 
          WE HAVE WIND, WATER, BEAUTIFUL TEMPERATURES, AND WE HAVE A MARVELOUS, MARVELOUS COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE SHOULD WANT TO COME AND ENJOY. 
          AND OUR OTHER GOAL IS TO ATTRACT OLYMPIC LEVEL SAILING COMPETITION. 
          SO WE WANT TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO ELEVATE THE LEVEL OF SAILING. 
          AND SO HOBIE ALTER WAS A SURFER IN CALIFORNIA, AND IN 1967, HE DESIGNED THE HOBIE CAT, AND THIS BECAME THE MOST POPULAR CATAMARAN IN THE WORLD. 
          THERE'S PROBABLY 160,000 CATAMARANS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT, AND THIS IS THE LARGEST SINGLE DESIGN SAILING VESSEL IN THE WORLD. 
          SO I WAS FOOLING AROUND THE INTERNET ONE DAY, AND I LOOKED, AND I SAW THAT IN 1975, HILTON HEAD HAD THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR HOBE 16, AND WE HAD 133 BOATS HERE IN FRONT OF THE ADVENTURE 
          [02:25:01]
INN, AND HOBE ALTER WAS HERE. 
          SO I THOUGHT, HMM, THAT WAS A BIG DEAL. 
          AND THERE WERE PUBLICATIONS THAT WERE, UH, WRITTEN ABOUT THIS EVENT, AND THIS WAS COVERED, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY IN MAGAZINES. 
          SO I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, UH, 2025 IS GONNA BE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS EVENT, AND I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A REGATTA AND HILTON HEAD. 
          AND SO AS BEST I COULD TELL, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF MORE SMALLER EVENTS, BUT REALLY 1975 WAS THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD A REGATTA. 
          AND SO I STARTED LOOKING INTO THIS AND I TALKED TO MY DAUGHTER, AND MY DAUGHTER WAS THE CAPTAIN OF HER SAILING TEAM UP AT FORDHAM AFTER GROWING UP HERE SAILING. 
          AND SHE SAID, DAD, YOU HAVE NOTHING, NO KNOWLEDGE, NO ABILITY TO MAKE A REGATTA. 
          AND I SAID, THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT I DO KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE. 
          SO I STARTED WORKING ON THIS IDEA, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHO THOSE PEOPLE WERE, BUT THEY SAID, WELL, WE SHOULD HAVE A PRACTICE RUN. 
          SO IN 2024 IN OCTOBER, I SAID, LET'S HAVE A TEST AND TUNE REGATTA AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. 
          AND SO I TALKED TO LEE LUCIER, WHO'S THE CEO OF THE RICHARDSON GROUP, AND HE SAID, WELL, IF YOU GET FIVE BOAT HERE, THAT'LL BE SUCCESS. 
          AND THEN MARK NEWMAN IS THE DIRECTOR OF SAILING AT THE YACHT CLUB. 
          SO WHEN YOU COME OVER THE BRIDGE EVERY DAY, YOU SEE BOATS SAILING OFF FROM THE YACHT CLUB, AND MARK NEWMAN IS RUNNING SIX HIGH SCHOOL SAILING PROGRAMS OVER THERE. 
          AND HE SAID, WELL, IF YOU GET 10 BOATS, THAT'LL BE SUCCESSFUL. 
          BUT I DID GET THEIR BACKING AND THEY SAID, THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. 
          WE WANT TO DO THIS. 
          THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED WAS EVERYONE I TALKED TO ABOUT THIS IDEA, THEY SAID, HMM, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. 
          THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. 
          WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? AND SO THE BEACH HOUSE IN TIKI HUT, AT THAT TIME, JAY WENDELL WAS EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF IT. 
          AND SO LAST YEAR WE HAD 27 BOATS. 
          WE HAD SAILORS FROM UTAH, ALABAMA, NORTH CAROLINA, ATLANTA, FLORIDA, AND MANY OF THEM SAID THIS WAS THE BEST REGATTA THEY'D EVER BEEN TO. 
          SO IN 2024, WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT. 
          UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT HELPED US. 
          THE SOUTH CAROLINA YACHT CLUB WAS EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF RUNNING THIS AND MAKING IT HAPPEN. 
          THE ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION BECAME INVOLVED. 
          AND SO THIS YEAR, UH, OUR EVENT THAT WE'RE PLANNING THIS YEAR, SATURDAY NIGHT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FUNDRAISER AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A SILENT AUCTION AND A DINNER DANCE AND A DISCO DANCE. 
          AND 80% OF THAT, THOSE FUNDS RAISED, ARE GONNA GO TO THE ISLAND REC. 
          THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD OBVIOUSLY HAD TO SAY OKAY TO THIS, UM, BILL HERB KERMAN WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS RECREATION AND TOURISM HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE. 
          AND WE GOT A GRANT FROM THEM, THE BEACH HOUSE, THE TIKI HUT, UH, BEAUFORT WATER SEARCH AND RESCUE, THE BOY SCOUTS, UH, THE MARINES HAVE AN OUTREACH PROGRAM WHERE THEY COME AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY EVENTS. 
          SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE MARINES HERE. 
          UH, SHORE BEACH SERVICES SUPPORT US. 
          FIRE RESCUE SHERIFF, DNR, AND THE GENERAL, UH, KIG BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS EVENT. 
          SO THIS YEAR, ABOUT 10 DAYS FROM NOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE 70 BOATS ON THE BEACH IN FRONT OF, UH, THE TIKI HUT. 
          AND I'D LOVE FOR AS MANY PEOPLE ON THE ISLANDS AND KNOW ABOUT IT AND COME, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OVER 30 HOBIE SIXTEENS. 
          UM, THERE'S A YOUTUBE INFLUENCER NAMED JOE BENNETT, AND HE HAS 40,000 FOLLOWERS ON YOUTUBE, AND HE IS THE MOST WIDELY RECOGNIZED CATAMARAN SAILOR ON THE INTERNET. 
          AND LAST YEAR I SENT HIM AN EMAIL AND I ASKED HIM TO COME AND HE SAID, IF YOU PAY MY EXPENSES, I'LL COME. 
          SO JOE BENNETT IS COMING, UH, RED GEAR RACING IS AN OLYMPIC LEVEL COACHING ORGANIZATION OUT OF FLORIDA, AND THEY'RE BRINGING SOME OF THEIR YOUNG SAILORS AND THEY'RE COMING. 
          AND SO ANOTHER THING THAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE TRIED TO DEVELOP A FLEET OF MY OWN, MUCH TO MY WIFE'S CHAGRIN. 
          AND SO I HAVE PURCHASED 17 BOATS. 
          AND SO THE FIRST PERSON THAT AGREED TO COME FROM FAR AWAY WAS IN UTAH. 
          AND SO ZACH SILVER SAID, IF YOU HAVE A BOAT FOR ME, I'LL COME. 
          AND I SAID, IF YOU COME, I'LL HAVE A BOAT FOR YOU. 
          AND SO WE'VE GOT PEOPLE COMING FROM OREGON, ARIZONA, UTAH, AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER PLACES WHERE WE WILL HAVE BOATS FOR THEM WHEN THEY GET HERE. 
          AND THAT'S A LOT OF WORK. 
          SO I'VE REHABBED, BOUGHT, MAINTAINED, AND, AND DEVELOPED A FLEET OF 17 VOTES FOR PEOPLE. 
          UM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS EVENT FOR THIS YEAR. 
          AND I'VE HAD, UH, GREAT SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY. 
          WE WANTED TO BE A LOW COUNTRY, UH, WANTED TO BE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WHICH FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD TO PRESENT TO THIS COMMITTEE AND ASKED THIS COMMITTEE FOR MONEY, YOU HAD TO BE A NONPROFIT. 
          AND SO WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY, AND THEN OUR PARTNERS ON THAT SIDE OF THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF IT, AND ALL THOSE OTHER FOLKS UP THERE HAVE HELPED US. 
          UM, WE HAVE, UH, UM, RIGHT NOW ALMOST 400 MEMBERS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, AND THAT'S FREE. 
          AND I'VE DEVELOPED THAT AND, UH, IT'S WORKED OUT VERY WELL. 
          I, IT, IT'S HOW 
          [02:30:01]
I'VE MET SO MANY PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE SAID, I WANNA COME TO HILTON HEAD. 
          AND WE'VE DISPERSED THAT MESSAGE. 
          UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE HAD OVER 3000, ALMOST 4,000 VIEWS, AND THAT'S UP 40%. 
          IF YOU LOOK AT COMMENTS, OUR COMMENTS FROM MONTH TO MONTH ARE UP 700%. 
          SO THE, AND THESE ARE THE COUNTRIES THAT WE'VE REACHED ON FACEBOOK AND THE TOWNS. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW WHY SOMEONE IN CAMEROON IS INTERESTED IN HILTON HEAD, BUT THOSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THERE. 
          AND THEN THOSE ARE ALL THE OTHER LOCAL ISLANDS. 
          UM, SO IN 2026, WELL, 2025, WE'RE DOING OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY REGATTA WITH 70 BOATS. 
          RIGHT NOW, IN 2026, I'M PLANNING ON DOING THREE EVENTS. 
          UM, I HOLD THE WORLD'S RECORD FOR CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE ISLAND SOLO ON A BEACH CAT. 
          ANYONE WANTS TO CHALLENGE ME ON THAT? I'M OPEN. 
          UM, THE, UH, THE LEVEL RIGHT BELOW OLYMPIC SAILING IS CALLED AN F 18. 
          AND SO THE, THE NATIONAL GROUP OF F 18 SAW OUR EVENT IN 2024. 
          THEY HAD A MEETING, THEY HAVE A NATIONAL RACE, AND THEY VOTED THIS YEAR AND SAID, WHERE DO WE WANT TO HAVE THE F 18 NATIONALS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? AND THE NUMBER ONE LEADING VOTE WAS HILTON HEAD. 
          SO THE F 18 NATIONALS WERE VERY CLOSE TO COMING TO FINALIZING, HAVING A NATIONAL, JUST BELOW OLYMPIC LEVEL RACING IN HILTON HEAD. 
          AND SO IF ONE OF THOSE KIDS, UM, WE HAVE A KID HERE NAMED MATTHEW MON WHO CAME IN SECOND IN THAT RACE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. 
          AND IF ONE OF THOSE KIDS GOES TO THE OLYMPICS AND GOES TO LOS ANGELES IN 2028 AND AND ESTABLISH HIMSELF IN THE F 18 NATIONALS HERE IN HILTON HEAD, I THINK THAT'D BE AN AWFULLY GOOD THING FOR US. 
          UM, THEN WE'RE GONNA, UH, PLAN ANOTHER EVENT, UH, NEXT YEAR. 
          SO WE'RE HOPING FOR THREE EVENTS NEXT YEAR. 
          UM, OBVIOUSLY A TAX FUNDING HELPS US PROMOTE THESE EVENTS. 
          AND SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO WITH THE MONEY? AND SO I BROUGHT SOME STUFF TO SHOW YOU AND I LIKE SHOW AND TELL. 
          SO I WENT TO A, UH, A REGATTA IN FLORIDA AND I GOT SECOND PLACE AND I GOT A YETI CUP. 
          I WAS LIKE, NAH, THAT'S OKAY. 
          SO I SAID, WHEN PEOPLE COME TO OUR EVENT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE 140, 150 SAILORS HERE IN TWO WEEKS, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT FLEETS. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE 70 BOATS, YOU WANT TO HAVE A MIATA RACING, A MIATA, AND A CORVETTE RACING A CORVETTE. 
          SO THE BOATS GO INTO FLEETS, AND THIS IS THE FIRST PLACE PRIZE. 
          SO YOU'RE GONNA GO HOME WITH YOUR TROPHY, YOU'RE GONNA PUT IT ON YOUR WALL, AND YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT HILTON HEAD. 
          AND THIS THING COST 130 BUCKS, BUT I THINK THIS IS A LOT BETTER FOR HILTON HEAD AND A NICER TROPHY THAN GETTING A YETI CUP. 
          SO THAT'S SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE SPENT THE MONEY ON. 
          WE'VE DONE ALL SORTS OF MARKETING THINGS WITH, UH, WITH BAGS. 
          SO THEY GET A SALE BAG WHEN THEY COME, THEY GET A HAT, THEY GOT A T-SHIRT AND ALL SORTS OF PROMOTION THAT WE'VE DONE TO PROMOTE THE EVENT AND HOPEFULLY PROMOTE HILTON HEAD ISLAND. 
          UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU A VIDEO AND I'M GONNA TRY MY BEST TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT. 
          . 
          OKAY, GOTCHA. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I DROVE EIGHT HOURS TO COME TO THIS COOL EVENT BECAUSE I'M PRETTY STOKED ABOUT THE LOCATION. 
          THE ORGANIZERS PUT ON A PRETTY COOL TWO DAY DISTANCE COMBINATION BUOY RACE HERE. 
          AND, UH, I'LL ADMIT I'M REALLY, REALLY STOKED ABOUT THIS EVENT NEXT YEAR, YEAR. 
          SO I WANTED TO FEEL THE ENTHUSIASM AHEAD OF TIME. 
          TODAY IS GONNA BE A GREAT DAY. 
          I THINK THE CONDITIONS ARE GONNA BE A LITTLE LIGHT. 
          WE HAVE LIGHT WIND OUT OF THE EAST SOUTHEAST RIGHT NOW, SUPPOSED TO SWITCH TO THE SOUTHEAST. 
          UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. 
          IT'S GONNA BE A FUN LITTLE SALE. 
          HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UH, WE CAN GET UP FRONT. 
          MY NAME'S ALAN PERRY. 
          I'M THE MAYOR OF BUILT AND HEAD, AND I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE GROWN UP ON THESE BEACHES RIGHT HERE. 
          AND, AND I'M OUT HERE TO SUPPORT THE REGATA, YOU KNOW, THESE FOLKS THAT HAVE COME INTO TOWN FROM AS FAR AS WAYS, UTAH, TO SEE THE BEAUTY ON THE BEACH, HAVING THIS ON HILL HEAD NOW AFTER 49 YEARS OF IT NOT BEING HERE, IT BRINGS BACK SOME OLD MEMORIES AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE BEACH UTILIZED AND IT KIND OF A DIFFERENT WAY. 
          WELL, THE CONDITIONS TODAY ARE, THEY'RE REALLY STARTING TO PICK UP RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME 
          [02:35:01]
GOOD RACING WIN TODAY WAS PRETTY GOOD. 
          I MEAN, THE WIND WAS ON THE LIGHTER SIDE, BUT FOR A SINGLE HANDER, IT WAS, IT WAS PERFECT FOR ME. 
          I WAS FLYING A HALL EVERY NOW AND THEN, PICKED THE WRONG SIDE, GOING UPWIND ON THE FIRST UPWIND LEG, BUT MADE IT ALL BACK IN SOME MORE DOWNWIND. 
          SO, UM, YEAH, PRETTY, PRETTY, PRETTY AWESOME OVERALL. 
          TODAY WAS A GREAT DAY. 
          WE HAD LIGHT WINDS, BUT IT WAS SUPER FUN. 
          UH, WE HAD AT LEAST IT WAS STEADY, UH, ENDED UP, UH, DOING A GREAT UPWIND UP TO THE MARK. 
          CAME AROUND TO MARK SECOND, UH, DID A GREAT DOWNWIND. 
          WE HAD A, WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A SPINNAKER, HAD A FUN DAY, UH, MADE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE, UH, LUD MARK. 
          UH, I THINK WE WERE THIRD CROSSING LUD. 
          MARK GOT PASSED BY THE F 18, BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL DAY. 
          LISTEN, TEAM HOBY HIGH LIFE CAME WITH BIG, BIG CLAIMS, BIG DREAMS, BIG ASPIRATIONS. 
          MY BOY, UH, CODY OVER HERE DELIVERED. 
          WELCOME BACK TO DAY TWO. 
          I'D DEFINITELY BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING SOME, THANKFUL FOR ALL THE ORGANIZERS AND FITNESS THIS TOGETHER. 
          AND, UH, IT BLOWS MY MIND THAT THE, THE LOW COUNTRY DOESN'T HAVE MORE OF THIS GOING ON BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE PERFECT VENUE FOR IT. 
          SO I, I'D DEFINITELY BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING SOME MORE OF THIS GOING ON. 
           JOB, EVERYBODY. 
          AND 1, 2, 3. 
          WOO. 
          WELCOME BACK TO DAY TWO OF THE MULTI HOLE TEST AND TUNE HILTON HEAD ISLAND REGATTA. 
          COMING BACK FROM DAY TWO, THIS IS GONNA BE MORE OF A TECHNICAL RACE WITH MARKERS AND BUOYS SET UP. 
          CLOSE COURSE. 
          HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A BREEZE, STARTING TO BUILD UP, A LITTLE BIT OF FLUFFING COMING IN. 
          NICE CALM SEAS OUT RIGHT NOW. 
          LOOKING FORWARD TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY. 
          STAY WITH US EVERY YEAR. 
          SO I FIGURED I'D COME OVER HERE THIS YEAR AND I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO SIGN UP WHEN HE CALLED ME. 
          SO I'M IN. 
          AND SO GLAD TO BE HERE AT THIS BEACH TO ME IS FANTASTIC. 
          I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS KINDA SAILING EVER. 
          YESTERDAY WAS BEAUTIFUL. 
          TODAY'S BEAUTIFUL AND I CAN'T, THIS LOCATION IS FANTASTIC. 
          WE HAD LIKE AND MEDIUM AIR YESTERDAY. 
          UH, GOOD BREEZE, GOOD BEAT DOWN THE, THE BEACH ABOUT FOUR MILES VINEGAR RUN BACK DOWN NORTH, UH, ABOUT A LITTLE OVER EIGHT MILES AND THEN A FOUR MILE RUN BACK TO THE FINISH. 
          TOOK US ABOUT THREE HOURS, HAD A GREAT TIME. 
          WE'RE NOT ONLY INTERESTED IN COMING BACK NEXT YEAR FOR THIS REGATTA. 
          UH, WE'RE TALKING TO JOE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING OTHER REGATTAS HERE. 
          I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE, UH, OTHER EVENTS HERE. 
          MY NAME IS JOE TOBIN. 
          I LIVE HERE IN HILTON HEAD FOR 27 YEARS AND I LOVE HILTON HEAD AND I LOVE CATAMARAN SAILING. 
          AND WE'RE JUST THRILLED THAT WE'VE GOTTEN SO MUCH SUPPORT FOR THIS REGATTA. 
          WE'RE TRYING TO CELEBR CHINA, UH, ONE OF THE BEST SAILING VENUES I'VE BEEN TO IN A LONG TIME. 
          MY NAME IS WOLFGANG CORN BLE. 
          I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF THESE EVENTS, NATIONAL EVENTS AND INTERNATIONAL EVENTS AS WELL. 
          I DO A LOT OF TRAVELING FOR IT. 
          AND I GOTTA SAY, THIS VENUE IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND IS WORTHY OF EVERYBODY COMING DOWN HERE TO CHECK THIS OUT. 
          YESTERDAY WE DID A VERY NICE, EASY, GENTLE BREEZE. 
          WE DID A DISTANCE RACE, UH, DOWN TO SEA FINES, UP TO WESTIN AND BACK. 
          IT WAS ABOUT 15 MILES. 
          NICE EASY CONDITIONS. 
          WE HAD 27 BOATS. 
          AND THEN TODAY YOU CAN SEE THERE'S KIND OF A STORM ROLLING IN. 
          AND SO AS THE DAY WENT ON, THE WIND JUST STARTED BUILDING AND BUILDING AND BUILDING AND NOW WE'RE ABOUT THAT THIRD RACE IS INCREDIBLE. 
          SO THE THIRD RACE WE ARE DOING 15, 20 KNOTS. 
          PROBABLY A WIN. 
          YOU DON'T GET THOSE KIND OF CONDITIONS IN THE OCEAN. 
          SO THIS HAS BEEN AMAZING. 
          ONE OF THE BEST SALES EVER, GUYS. 
          50TH ANNIVERSARY COMING UP. 
          PLEASE LOOK FORWARD, CHECK IT OUT. 
          GOT SOME GREAT FOOTAGE THIS WEEKEND. 
          UM, WE ALL BEEN REALLY STILL LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. 
          AND THE MORE THE MERRIER, I APOLOGIZE, I HAD AN EDITED VERSION OF THAT AND I HAD TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT I COULDN'T OVERCOME, BUT YOU GOT THE BASIC IDEA. 
          SO I, WE WERE ASKING, UH, I GUESS, UM, WE 
          [02:40:01]
WERE INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA YACHT CLUB, UM, IN DESIGNING AND BUILDING THIS WHOLE THING. 
          AND THEY HAD A FUND CALLED THE PAUL MILLER FUND. 
          SO WHEN THEY ASKED ME IF, IF THE BEACH CAT SAILORS HAD GOTTEN ANY AT TAX FUNDING IN THE PAST, I SAID NO, BECAUSE WE HADN'T. 
          BUT THE PAUL MILLER FUND SUPPORTED US IN 2024. 
          SO THE ANSWER WAS SORT OF, BUT WE HAVE GOTTEN AT TAX FUNDING FROM THE PAUL MILLER FUND THAT HELPED US WITH THIS LAST YEAR. 
          AND SO THE AT TAX FUNDING HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO GETTING US OUT OF THE RED. 
          AND UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UM, STAY IN THE GREEN. 
          UH, WE DID GET THE MONEY FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PARKS RECREATION AND TOURISM, WHICH WAS ENORMOUSLY HELPFUL. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, THE ISLAND WRECK, NA UH, NATE SEGGER AND SAID, WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO FOR 10 YEARS. 
          SO I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT A 10 YEAR PLAN OF, OF BRINGING CATA SAIL BACK TO HILTON HEAD. 
          QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? LET ME ASK YOU THIS, HOW DID YOU FINANCE THE 17, UH, BOATS YOU BOUGHT? LARGELY MY OWN MONEY. 
          SO THERE'S A LOT OF SELF INVESTMENT IN THIS ACLS . 
          UM, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE, THE MONEY FROM THE STATE IS MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE THAN THE AAX MONEY. 
          AND SO I WAS ABLE TO USE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO GET ME BACK OUT OF THE RED. 
          BUT ON THE FRONT END IT WAS ALL, ALL MY MONEY AND NOT, WELL IT'S CERTAINLY A INTERESTING NEW EVENT TO BRING TO HILTON HEADS. 
          SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. 
          NEXT UP IS THE REC CENTER. 
          HELLO? WE'RE GOOD. 
          I HAVE ACCESS. 
          OKAY, . 
          HELLO EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS LEAH ARNOLD. 
          I AM WITH THE I HILTON HEAD ISLAND RECREATION ASSOCIATION. 
          UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING ON THIS COMMITTEE AND LISTENING TO US TODAY. 
          AND I HAVE A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GET LUNCH RIGHT AFTER THIS, SO I'M SURE YOU WERE HUNGRY. 
           WOO . 
          SO WHAT ARE WE PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY IS FOR OUR UPCOMING 2026 EVENTS THAT WE ALWAYS APPLY FOR, FOR OUR ACCOMMODATIONS TAX. 
          UM, IT'S OUR JEEP PILOT EVENT, UM, OUR OYSTER FESTIVAL AND WING FEST. 
          UM, AND I GUESS MAYBE WE ARE ONE OF A FEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT ASKING FOR AN INCREASE THIS YEAR. 
          AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB MAXIMIZING OUR ACCOMMODATIONS TAX FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH OUR MARKETING DIRECTOR, UM, COLLECTING INFORMATION TO US, THEN SECURE OUR OWN BIDS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE RETURNING TO OUR EVENTS FROM OUT OF TOWN AREA. 
          SO WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THOSE FUNDS, UM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE ALL OF THOSE FUNDS, UM, DOING THAT. 
          SO, UM, THROUGH COLLECTING OF ALL THOSE EMAIL ADDRESSES WE'RE ASKED OF COLLECTING ALL OF THEIR ZIP CODES, UM, TO BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU, NOT NECESSARILY JUST AT THE ENTRANCES, BUT PRESALE TICKETS AND THE SURVEYING THAT WE DO AT ALL OF THE EVENTS. 
          SO, UM, WITH THOSE FUNDS, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO BRING IN ALMOST 12,000 ATTENDEES AT ALL THREE OF THESE EVENTS. 
          UM, IN THAT WE HAVE ALMOST 4,000 THAT ARE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE 50 MILE RADIUS, UM, THROUGH DOING OUR SURVEYING AND ZIP CODE COLLECTIONS. 
          UM, THIS PAST WEEKEND IF YOU WERE DOWN AT CELEBRATION PARK, UM, WITH THE RAIN , UM, WE HAVE PARTNERED UP WITH THE CHILI COOKOFF AND JEEP ISLAND. 
          I BELIEVE THIS IS OUR FOURTH YEAR THAT WE'VE DONE THIS. 
          AND IT WAS ACTUALLY THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHILI COOKOFF. 
          SO, UM, SINCE COMBINING THOSE TWO EVENTS, WE HAVE SEEN GREAT SUCCESS. 
          UM, AND IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP AS WE COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER, UM, BRINGING IN PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT AREAS, DIFFERENT SEGMENTS, DIFFERENT MARKETS, UM, AND IT HAS BEEN A GREAT BENEFIT TO THAT. 
          UM, WE ALSO LIKE TO SAY WORKING WITH THE CHILI COOKOFF AND THE KIWANIS CLUB, UM, THEY NOT ONLY GIVE BACK TO THE ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION, BUT THEY'RE ALSO GIVING BACK TO A LOT OF OTHER CHILDREN'S CHARITIES IN THE AREA. 
          UM, BECAUSE THE WINNING PEOPLE FROM THE RESTAURANT CHAIRS OR THE AMATEURS, UM, THEY GET TO SELECT A CHILDREN'S CHARITY THAT'S AWARDED MONEY, UM, FROM THE EVENT. 
          SO, UM, THIS PAST WEEKEND, I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET YET BECAUSE I COULD NOT PULL IT TOGETHER WITHIN FIVE DAYS, FOUR DAYS, . 
          UM, BUT WE WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          BUT YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS FROM LAST YEAR WITH JEEP ISLAND AND CHILI COOKOFF. 
          UM, THIS YEAR WE MADE IT INTO A WHOLE WEEKEND. 
          BASICALLY WE HAD A PRE-PARTY ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT LINCOLN AND SOUTH. 
          UM, IT KICKED OFF THEN WITH CHILI COOKOFF AND JEEP ISLAND THAT IT WAS A LITTLE DAMP. 
          UM, WE HAD 110 JEEPS REGISTERED TO COME OUT AND WE HAD ABOUT 75 SHOW UP THROUGHOUT THE DAY, BUT THAT WAS STILL A GREAT SUCCESS. 
          UM, WE KNOW WE HAD ABOUT 
          [02:45:01]
1500 PEOPLE IN THROUGH THE GATE WITH OUR ADMISSIONS AND TICKETING PLATFORM. 
          UM, SO IT WAS STILL A GOOD DAY EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A LITTLE RAINY AND A LOT OF WINDY. 
          UM, BUT WE HAD GREAT SUCCESS DOWN AT LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK. 
          I WILL HIGHLIGHT LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN GREAT FOR US. 
          I THINK JEFF GERBER TOUCHED ON IT EARLIER, THE TALENT BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING ASSET TO ANY COMMUNITY EVENT ON THE ISLAND. 
          UM, THE HEADS AND BEDS THAT ARE AROUND THAT PARK. 
          UM, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL OF THE HOTELS FOR ALL OF OUR EVENTS THAT ARE HELD DOWN THERE, NOT JUST FOR OUR EVENTS, UM, BUT WE WORK TO HELP MARKET, UM, OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE HELD, HELD DOWN THERE AS WELL. 
          UM, WITH THE MARRIOTT BEACH HOUSE, HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS, THEY ARE ALL MORE THAN WELCOME TO MARKET EVENTS. 
          UM, THEY'RE HEAD DOWN HELD DOWN THERE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE STAYING HERE, WHETHER IT WAS DRIVEN THEM TO THE ISLAND FOR THOSE EVENTS, BUT THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO. 
          SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT. 
          UM, YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR SURVEY RESULTS, UM, THE RESPONSES THAT IT'S, WE ARE TRYING TO GET HEADS IN BEDS, UM, AND OVER 50% OF THE PEOPLE, UM, DO NOT LIVE IN THE AREA FOR JEEP ISLAND AND CHILI COOK OFFS. 
          WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT, UM, THAT OUR ACCOMMODATION TAX MONEY IS WORKING. 
          UM, THREE YEARS AGO WE DECIDED TO BRING THE SURVEYING IN-HOUSE FOR ALL OF OUR EVENTS. 
          UM, INSTEAD OF WORKING WITH USCB BECAUSE WE NEEDED THAT PERSONAL TOUCH FOR OUR SURVEYS AND OUR ATTENDEES. 
          UM, IT'S OUR STAFF THAT ARE DOING IT. 
          SO WHEN WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO TAKE THE SURVEYS, WE CAN ALSO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE EVENT, TALK TO THEM ABOUT HILTON HEAD, UM, WHY THEY CAME DOWN HERE AND SUGGEST DIFFERENT THINGS TO DO ON THE ISLAND WHILE THEY'RE STAYING HERE. 
          SO IT GIVES THAT LITTLE BIT MORE PERSONAL TOUCH, UM, FOR THE SURVEYORS. 
          UM, AND THEN THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO COME BACK AND TAKE IT. 
          UM, WE'VE ALSO SEEN AN UPTICK IN THE PRIZES WE GIVE AWAY FOR SURVEYORS. 
          THIS PAST WEEKEND WE HAD SOME NICE CUTTING BOARDS, UM, THAT WERE ENGRAVED WITH THE CHILI COOKOFF AND JEEP ISLAND LOGO. 
          SO IT WAS NICE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT AWAY TO THEM, UM, FROM THOSE ATTENDEES. 
          IT'S VERY INFLUENTIAL, OBVIOUSLY WHEN PLANNING THEIR WEEKENDS DOWN HERE. 
          WE KNOW THAT WE HOST OUR THREE, UM, LARGER EVENTS DURING THE OFF SEASON, UM, TO PULL PEOPLE IN AND THEY STILL CAME EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND ON HILTON HEAD AS WE LIKE TO HAVE OUR EVENTS. 
          UM, PEOPLE STILL CAME. 
          UM, WE SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE DRIVING IN AND YOU'LL SEE THAT ON OUR MATS COMING UP. 
          UM, OUR SOUTHEAST REGIONAL MARKETING IS WHERE WE DEFINITELY FOCUS OUR ACCOMMODATIONS. 
          TAX MARKETING DOLLARS ON UM, IS DRIVABLE DISTANCE. 
          WE'VE DONE A LOT OF SURVEYING IN THE PAST AND WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER AND WE KNOW A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING IN FROM THE SOUTHEAST AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE PLANNING THEIR WEEKEND TRIPS THREE MONTHS IN ADVANCE. 
          THEY COULD BE PLANNING 'EM THREE WEEK, THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE AND LOOKING FOR STUFF TO DO IN HILTON HEAD TO BE ABLE TO COME DOWN AND AND ENJOY IT. 
          SO THAT IS OUR BIG PUSH IS THE JACKSONVILLE, ATLANTA, CHARLOTTE, RALEIGH GREENVILLE AREA IS TO GET PEOPLE HERE. 
          OBVIOUSLY WHEN THEY'RE BRINGING IN JEEPS TOO. 
          UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT HAVE JEEPS THAT THEY CAN BORROW. 
          THEY HAVE TO BRING THEIR OWN , SO IT NEEDS TO BE IN A DRIVABLE DISTANCE, UM, FOR THEM TO GET THEIR JEEPS HERE. 
          BUT WE DID HAVE SOMEBODY THIS PAST WEEKEND THAT DROVE DOWN FROM OHIO, UM, AND THEY HAD AN AMAZING TIME AND SHE SAID THEY WILL BE LOOKING FOR NEXT WEEKEND STATES ALREADY FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE HERE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSER MAP, OBVIOUSLY WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM. 
          WE DO WORK CLOSELY, EVEN THOUGH SAVANNAH IS NOT OUTSIDE OF OUR 50 MILE RADIUS WITH A JEEP CLUB OUT OF SAVANNAH, AND THEY BRING ABOUT 15 JEEPS OVER AND JUST HELP PROMOTE IT ALL THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST BECAUSE THEY TRAVEL AROUND TO MANY JEEP EVENTS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST. 
          UM, AND YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE IS WHAT WE REALLY LOOK AT. 
          IT WAS WHEN WE ARE TAKING THE SURVEYS, WE ASKED THIS QUESTION IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR EVENTS, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IT OR RETURN TO JEEP ISLAND? WE KNOW THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR BEST SUCCESSES FROM OUR RETURNEES AND PEOPLE THAT ARE PROMOTING IT TO NOT ONLY THEMSELVES, BUT TO THEIR FRIENDS OR SOMEBODY THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW AND SAY, WE HAD THE BEST TIME, WE'RE GOING BACK NEXT YEAR, PLAN FOR IT. 
          SO, UM, WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR THAT AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. 
          UM, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH WTOC, UM, FOR A LOT OF OUR ACCOMMODATIONS. 
          TAX MARKETING, AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S A VERY GOOD OPEN RATE WHEN IT COMES TO EMAILS AND CLICKS THROUGHS. 
          UM, THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE CLICKING THROUGH AND BUYING, BUT THEY AT LEAST KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE CONTINUE OUR APPROACH WITH WTOC. 
          THESE ARE JUST A FEW PI PICTURES FROM A VERY SUNNY JEEP ISLAND IN CHILI COOKOFF LAST YEAR. 
          UM, SO WE HAD A GREAT DAY THAT DAY. 
          UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THIS YEAR WAS STILL A GREAT WINNER. 
          UM, I'LL TOUCH ON HERE. 
          YOU CAN SEE THE WINNER OF THE JEEP FROM LAST YEAR. 
          HE WAS THE CHEF AT GIUSEPPE'S PIZZA. 
          SO HE WON LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR WE ACTUALLY HAD SOMEBODY WIN THE JEEP THAT WAS FROM PENNSYLVANIA. 
          THEY CAME DOWN TO PLAY PICKLEBALL AT OUR FACILITY. 
          SAW THE JEEP IN THE FRONT PARKING LOT, BOUGHT TWO TICKETS AND NOW THAT JEEP IS ON THE ROAD. 
          WELL, IT SHOULD BE BACK HOPEFULLY IN PENNSYLVANIA. 
          THEY DROVE DOWN FROM PENNSYLVANIA ON MONDAY NIGHT AND THAT IS GOING TO BE THE JEEP OF A 16-YEAR-OLD, HIS FIRST VEHICLE. 
          SO IT WAS A GREAT LITTLE STORY THERE. 
          SO THEY'RE DRIVING BACK TO PENNSYLVANIA AND IT WAS JUST A TOURIST THAT 
          [02:50:01]
CAME DOWN TO PLAY PICKLEBALL. 
          SO WE'RE HAPPY THAT SOMEBODY WON THAT JEEP. 
          SWITCHING OVER TO OUR OYSTER FESTIVAL, THIS IS ANOTHER QUESTION WE ASK AT EVERY EVENT. 
          UM, DO YOU LIVE IN HILTON HEAD AREA IN BLUFFTON? AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT OVER 50% OF THE ATTENDEES DO NOT LIVE HERE. 
          UM, BUT WE LIKE THAT WE HAVE A GREAT MIX OF ATTENDEES AND LOCALS, UM, BECAUSE WE THINK THE LOCALS IS PART OF OUR ASSET. 
          THEY TALK ABOUT HILTON HEAD, THEY LOVE THE AREA. 
          THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE PROMOTING OUR AREA TO THESE TOURS THAT ARE COMING DOWN AND ENJOYING IT. 
          SO, UM, AT OYSTER FESTIVAL WE NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHT LOW COUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK, WE ALSO HIGHLIGHT SHELTER COVE COMMUNITY PARK, WHERE WE HOST OUR FRIDAY NIGHT ALL YOU CAN EAT EVENT. 
          UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH ROY'S PLACE FOR THE PAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS TO PROVIDE AN ALL YOU CAN EAT OYSTERS, LOW COUNTRY BOIL, SHRIMP FILL, AND ALL THE LOW COUNTRY GOODS FAIR. 
          UM, AND THAT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EVENT. 
          UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE PROMOTING SOMETHING NEW AND DOING VIP TABLES 'CAUSE THAT WAS ASKED FOR BY OUR ATTENDEES LAST YEAR. 
          SO WE'LL HAVE SOME VIP TABLES OUT THERE. 
          UM, BUT WORKING WITH ALL THE RESTAURANTS IN THAT AREA AND MARKETING TO SHELTER CO TOWN CENTER FOLKS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. 
          SO IT'S BEEN GREAT. 
          UM, ALSO SOMETHING WITH OYSTER FESTIVAL, WE WORK WITH A LOT OF OTHER LOCAL RESTAURANTS BECAUSE WE KNOW NOVEMBER IS SOMETIMES SLOW FOR A LOT OF OUR RESTAURANTS AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE AND THEY COME OUT AND THEY SELL THEIR GOODS, UM, AT OYSTER FESTIVALS. 
          SO THEY'LL COME OUT AND COOK AND A LOT OF THE PROCEEDS THEN GO BACK TO THE RESTAURANT, BUT THEY ALSO MAKE A DONATION BACK TO THE ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION. 
          SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP OUT THE RESTAURANTS AS WELL AS THE ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION. 
          UM, WE HAVE ALSO IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS UPPED OUR LOW COUNTRY POPUP SHOP. 
          I THINK KELLY TOUCHED ON IT AS FAR AS ARTISANS BEING OUT THERE AND SELLING THEIR GOODS. 
          UM, WE HAVE SOLD OUT EVERY YEAR FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS AND HAVE A WAIT LIST OF ABOUT FIVE VENDORS. 
          WE MAX OUT JUST THE PARK SIZE AT CELEBRATION PARK AT ABOUT 25. 
          AND A LOT OF THEM ARE ALL LOCAL VENDORS THAT ARE COMING AND SELLING THEIR HANDMADE GOODS AND WHERE. 
          SO WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP PROMOTE THAT THOSE GROUPS, UM, TO OTHER PEOPLE AND NOT ONLY IF THEY'RE SHOPPING THAT DAY, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING BACK AND SHOPPING ON THEIR WEBSITE AS THEY DON'T HAVE A BRICKS AND MORTAR STORE AS WELL. 
          UM, AND HOW INFLUENTIAL, WHEN WAS IT WHEN PLANNING OYSTER FESTIVAL, AS I'VE SAID, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF OUR EVENTS INTO WHOLE WEEKEND'S EVENTS. 
          SO NOT ONLY WE HAVING A PRE-PARTY ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT SHELTER COVE, WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERED UP WITH THE BANK, UM, TO PROVIDE AN AFTER PARTY. 
          UM, SO RIGHT AS SOON AS THE EVENT IS DONE, PEOPLE ARE GOING OVER TO THE BANK TO ENJOY THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AND GIVING BACK TO THE BANK AND UH, OR LOCAL RESTAURANTS DOWN IN THAT AREA. 
          YOU CAN SEE HERE OYSTER FESTIVAL IS AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT. 
          UM, WE DO FEATURE ALL LOCAL AND LOCAL SHRIMP AND LOCAL OYSTERS, UM, THAT WE SERVE AT THE EVENT. 
          UM, THE SHRIMPER WE ACTUALLY GET FROM HUDSON'S RESTAURANT AND THEN THE LOCAL OYSTERS COME OUT OF THE MAY RIVER THE DAY OF THE DAY BEFORE AND WE'VE BEEN LUCKY THAT WE'VE NEVER RUN OUT OF OYSTERS BECAUSE THEY GO OUT THE MORNING OF OYSTER FESTIVAL AND UM, HARVEST THOSE OYSTERS FOR US. 
          SO ROY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THAT AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER LOW COUNTRY FEATURE. 
          WE DO SOMETIME GET THE BACKLASH IF YOU'VE NEVER EATEN A LOW COUNTRY OYSTER. 
          UM, BUT THEY'RE CLUSTERS. 
          EVERYBODY SEES THE NICE OYSTERS IN THE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE THE INDIVIDUALS SINGLE OYSTERS. 
          SO WE TRY TO IN INTRODUCE THEM TO THE CLUSTER OYSTERS IN THE LOW COUNTRY, UM, AND HOW IT'S DIFFERENT BUT EVERYBODY USUALLY LOVES THEM AND JUST NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO SHUCK THEM PROPERLY WITHOUT HURTING THEIR FINGERS . 
          SO WE LIKE TO TEACH THEM THAT AS WELL. 
          UM, AND YOU'LL SEE DEFINITELY OUR MARKETING HAS PAID OFF FOR OYSTER FESTIVAL IN THE BIG AREAS THAT WE DO PUT OUR ACCOMMODATIONS. 
          TAX MARKETING, UM, CHARLOTTE GREENVILLE, ATLANTA, PEOPLE ARE DRIVING IN FOR THE WEEKEND AND STAYING FOR THE LONG WEEKEND, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT COMING IN FOR OYSTER FESTIVAL. 
          IT'S AN ATTRACTION IN NOVEMBER THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE COME OUT TOO AND YOU'LL SEE THAT NUMBER IS VERY HIGH AGAIN. 
          WOULD YOU RETURN, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND WE LOVE THOSE NUMBERS 'CAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT AND PEOPLE ENJOY THE EVENTS AND ARE COMING BACK. 
          THIS IS SOME OF OUR WTOC MARKETING AS WELL AND IT JUST SHOWS THE AREAS THAT I DID HIGHLIGHT, UM, AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING AND HOW MANY EMAILS ARE GOING OUT TO THEM. 
          SO WE BELIEVE WORKING WITH WTOC, LIKE I SAID, GIVES US A GREAT BANG FOR OUR BUCK. 
          'CAUSE WE DO PUT ALL THREE EVENTS INTO IT AND THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH US FOR THAT. 
          ALSO, ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE IS WITH THE OUTSIDE FOUNDATION AND YOU CAN SEE JUST IN THE PAST YEARS, UM, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT AS FAR AS THE OYSTER SHELLS. 
          JEAN AND HER GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS DOES AN AMAZING JOB OUT THERE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE NUMBERS LAST YEAR THEY DO AMAZING. 
          WE ALSO HAVE OUR TRASH AND RECYCLING GUY, STEVE HART, THAT SHE ADORES AND LOVES BECAUSE HE IS ON IT AS WELL. 
          WE FILL UP THAT DUMPSTER TRUCK AND MORE. 
          UM, AND LAST YEAR WAS ALMOST TWICE OF WHAT WE DID THE YEAR BEFORE. 
          SO IT'S AMAZING THAT ALL OF THOSE OYSTERS THAT WE ARE BRINGING OUT OF THE MAY RIVER ARE THEN GOING BACK INTO THE MAY RIVER WITH THE OYSTER CELL RECYCLING PROGRAM WITH OUTSIDE FOUNDATION. 
          THESE ARE JUST SOME PICTURES OF THE OYSTER AND SHRIMP AREA AND THE DIFFERENT VIEWS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE. 
          SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT. 
          UM, WING FEST. 
          WING FEST IS IN THE 28TH ANNUAL YEAR COMING UP. 
          UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER YEAR. 
          UM, AND YOU CAN SEE 
          [02:55:01]
HOW DID YOU LIVE IN THE HILTON HEAD AREA? AND IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE THAT OVER OVER 60% OF THE ATTENDEES WERE AT FROM OUTSIDE OF THE AREA. 
          I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THEM. 
          WE ACTUALLY HAD THE FIRST FEMALE WINNER OF OUR WING EATING COMPETITION AND SHE CAME DOWN SPECIFICALLY FROM WING FEST AND SHE WAS FROM WEST VIRGINIA AND SHE WAS SO HAPPY AND IT, SHE SAID IT WAS THE BEST EVENT SHE'S EVER BEEN TO. 
          AND I SAID, WELL, IF YOU'RE WINNING OUR WING EATING BELT, YOU JUST HAVE TO GUARANTEE THAT YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND DEFEND YOUR TITLE. 
          AND SHE SAID, I'LL BE THERE. 
          SO WE'RE HOPING SHE COMES BACK THIS YEAR, UM, AND CAN WIN THAT TITLE AGAIN. 
          UM, FOR ALL OF THAT. 
          UM, WE ARE BLESSED IN THAT. 
          WING FEST IS A FULL FUNDRAISER FOR US. 
          THESE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE COMING OUT ARE COOKING OUR CHICKEN WINGS. 
          THEY'RE GIVING BACK TO THE ISLAND REC ASSOCIATION, UM, AND PROMOTING OUR EVENT. 
          BUT IF YOU GO OUT TO ONE HOT MAMA'S SMOKEHOUSE STREET MEAT, THEY'RE PROMOTING MY CHICKEN WING IS THE WING FEST WINNING WING. 
          SO LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR CARRIE HAD BEEN OUT FROM STREET MEAT IN 10 YEARS AFTER HIS GIRLS HAVE GRADUATED AND HE SAID, I'M NOT MISSING ANOTHER ONE BECAUSE HE CAME BACK AFTER 11 YEARS AND WON WING FEST. 
          SO, UM, IT WAS GREAT PROMOTION FOR HIM AND HE'S PROMOTING THAT CHICKEN WING THAT HE WON WING FEST AS WELL. 
          LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY, UM, WITH ALL THE HOTELS THAT ARE IN WALKING DISTANCE, UM, AND ALL THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT ARE DOWN THERE BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S A VERY INFLUENTIAL WEEKEND WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING THEIR TRIPS. 
          SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GET THE BEST RATES AND WE PROMOTE DIFFERENT MARKETING RATES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT FOR THE HOTELS IN THE AREA BECAUSE IT IS THE OFF SEASON. 
          UM, AND WE TALK ABOUT IT. 
          BUT HERE'S ONE OF THE THINGS FUN WITH WING FEST. 
          WE'VE USED A LOT OF OUR ACCOMMODATIONS TAX MONEY TO BRING OUR ENTERTAINMENT. 
          I KNOW JEFF GERBER TOUCHED ON THAT TOO. 
          UM, ONE OF OUR BANDS, WEIRDEST NAME EVER IS THE NAKED KARATE GIRLS. 
          UM, THEY'RE FROM OHIO. 
          YEAH, . 
          THEY'RE FROM OHIO AND THEY BRING A CROWD. 
          YOU CAN SEE THE OHIO PEOPLE HAVE COME DOWN HERE. 
          LAST YEAR THERE WAS MANY FAMILIES OUT IN THE CROWD WITH THE NAKED KARATE GIRLS SHIRTS ON. 
          UM, AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE IT. 
          UM, THEY PUT ON A SHOW, UM, AND THEY ARE A GOOD TIME. 
          SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE OHIO PEOPLE ARE STILL FOLLOWING. 
          YOU CAN SEE HERE WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM, UM, FROM WING FEST ALL OVER THE PLACE. 
          UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT OUR ACCOMMODATIONS TAX IS WORKING THERE AS WELL. 
          UM, AND WOULD YOU RECOMMEND WING FEST? UM, PEOPLE ARE COMING BACK. 
          IT'S A 93%, ALMOST 94% RATE OF THOSE SURVEYS IF PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE COMING BACK AND THEY'RE GONNA RECOMMEND IT TO EVEN MORE PEOPLE. 
          SO WE APPRECIATE SEEING THAT. 
          OUR WTOC EMAILS, THAT'S AN EVEN HIGHER NUMBER THAN OYSTER FESTIVAL. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE WITH THE OPEN RATE AND THE CLICKTHROUGHS. 
          UM, SO OUR MARKETING DIRECTOR HAVE TO GIVE HER FULL CREDIT. 
          SHE WORKS WITH WTOC TO PROMOTE THAT AND WORK WITH THEM TO FIGURE OUT THE AREAS AND THE EMAILS. 
          AND I CANNOT GIVE HER ENOUGH CREDIT FOR DOING ALL OF THIS. 
          AND WING FEST YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NAKED KARATE GIRL AT THE BOTTOM SCREEN. 
          LAST YEAR WE DID THE FIRST TIME WHERE WE INVITED, UM, FOR OUR PROFESSIONAL JUDGING COMPETITION. 
          WE INVITED THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND WE HAD, UH, MR. PECK COME IN AND HE WAS THE WINNER OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST, UM, TO BE A WING FEST JUDGE. 
          AND HE HAD THE BEST TIME AND HE WANTS TO COME BACK THIS YEAR. 
          AND I SAID, WELL, YOU GOTTA WIN IT AGAIN. 
          SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC WITH A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, UM, TO COME IN AND BE A JUDGE AT WING FEST. 
          UM, IT'S NOT THE EASIEST JOB BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE TO TASTE OVER 20 WINGS, SO A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY FULL BY THE TIME THEY'RE DONE. 
          UM, BUT IT'S A GREAT PROMOTION FOR EVERYBODY. 
          SO I'LL OPEN IT UP. 
          THERE ARE VIDEOS THAT ARE NOT WORKING, BUT I'VE TAKEN UP MY TIME AND YOU GUYS HAVE LUNCH, SO I'LL JUST SHOW YOU ONE LAST PICTURE. 
          THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR DRONE FOOTAGE, UM, PICTURE FROM CELEBRATION PARK LAST YEAR AND WING FEST. 
          AND YOU CAN SEE WE'VE SORT OF MAXIMIZED THE PARK AND HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF SETTING IT UP AND SPREADING PEOPLE OUT AND HAVING FUN. 
          SO I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          . 
          NO, I I DO HAVE, UM, MR. SIEGEL, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE AND COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY DID HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          AND IT, IT BASICALLY PERTAINED TO, YOU GUYS HAVE GREAT COST PER PER TOURIST AND VISITOR. 
          IT'S, IT'S, UH, REALLY IMPRESSIVE AND YOU, YOU GUYS DO GREAT WITH GATHERING DATA, BUT HE SAID, HOW IMPORTANT ARE AT TAX DOLLARS TOWARDS YOUR EVENTS? SO I'LL TOUCH ON THAT. 
          SO ALL OF OUR EVENTS THAT WE DO GOES BACK INTO OUR CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THAT'S TO ENSURE THAT NO CHILD IS EVER TURNED AWAY FROM A PROGRAM AT THE ISLAND REC CENTER. 
          SO IT MIGHT BE OUR CHALLENGE CAMP OR SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAM, OUR SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL, PRESCHOOL, YOUTH SOCCER, YOUTH BASKETBALL. 
          WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT NO CHILD, NO MATTER WHAT THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE FAMILY ARE EVER TURNED AWAY, IF THEY CAN'T PAY FOR THAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE CHILDREN CAN STILL PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAM. 
          SO WITH THE FUNDS THAT WE RAISE FROM OUR EVENTS, WE GIVE AWAY OVER $260,000 IN CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIPS THAT GO STRAIGHT BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THOSE KIDS ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. 
          YES. 
          SO PROFITS ARE GOING BACK TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT'S A GREAT ANSWER. 
          YES. 
          ANYBODY, ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK. 
          THANK YOU LEAH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ENJOY YOUR LUNCH . 
          WE'RE FIVE MINUTES BEHIND. 
          CAN EVERYBODY BE BACK HERE 
          [03:00:01]
ON TIME AT ONE 10? YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          WE'RE BACK FROM LUNCH. 
          WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE PRESENTATIONS. 
          HI REBECCA. 
          OH, WE AT SEAFOOD FESTIVAL NEXT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HI, HOW'S EVERYBODY? GOOD. 
          GOOD. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY. 
          UM, I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE SORT OF NEW THIS YEAR SINCE YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF THE INFORMATION ALREADY. 
          UM, WE HAVE AN EXCI HAD, WE WERE APPROACHED WITH AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH NCA, UH, WHO PUTS ON THE GULLAH HERITAGE FESTIVAL THE WHOLE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. 
          UH, THEIR ATTENDANCE FOR THEIR SATURDAY EVENT WAS SOMEHOW CONCERNING TO THEM, UM, BEING THE WEEK IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING OUR EVENT EVERY YEAR. 
          UM, THEY FELT THAT THEY WEREN'T GETTING THE KIND OF ATTENDANCE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE AND THEY APPROACHED US AND ASKED US IF WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN BEING SORT OF A, A PARTNER WITH THEM AND LET, AND PUTTING A, A SORT OF GULLAH VILLAGE, IF YOU WILL. 
          UM, IF YOU CAN SEE THE SCREEN, IT WOULD BE SORT OF WHERE THE GUY THERE IS THROWING THE CAST NET OR ON THE OTHER SIDE. 
          UM, AND, UM, WE, WE'VE KIND OF COME TO TERMS WITH THAT AND IT'S, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY EXCITING ADDITION TO THE EVENT, UM, GOING AND KIND OF LOCKSTEP WITH THAT. 
          WE HAVE, UH, MARCUS SAMUELSON COMMITTED TO COME AND I, I DUNNO IF ANY OF YOU WATCH THE FOOD NETWORK, BUT HE'S THE GUY PICTURED ON THE BOARD THERE. 
          PRETTY FAMOUS FOOD PERSONALITY, HAS A RESTAURANT CALLED RED ROOSTER IN HARLEM. 
          HE'S, UH, VERY ACTIVE IN SORT OF PROMOTING THE CAREERS OF UP AND COMING CHEFS OF COLOR. 
          UM, VERY INTERESTED IN, UM, SORT OF SOUTHERN FOOD WAYS. 
          UH, SO IT'S A REALLY NICE BLEND, UM, OF SORT OF WHAT WE'RE, KIND OF THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING THIS YEAR. 
          WE ALSO HAVE BARTON SEAVER COMING BACK. 
          UM, BARTON WAS A, AN ATTENDEE OR A, EXCUSE ME, A PRESENTER AT THE EVENT MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO. 
          UM, HE'S WRITTEN SEVERAL BOOKS. 
          UH, HE'S A VERY BIG DRAW AND, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE HIM BACK THIS YEAR. 
          YOU WANNA DO THESE NEW EDITIONS? OH YES. 
          UM, WELL WE ALSO HAVE, UM, SORT OF, KIND OF TRYING TO MAKE THE, SO WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING WHEN WE DO THESE EVENTS IS SOME OF 'EM ARE SMALL AND SOME OF 'EM ARE LARGE. 
          SO THE EVENTS DURING THE WEEK TEND TO SELL OUT RATHER QUICKLY AND PEOPLE THAT ARE PLANNING TO COME MIGHT SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO DURING THE DAY IF WE'VE GOT THIS EVENT AT NIGHT? SO WE TRIED TO SORT OF BOLSTER, UH, THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES. 
          SO WE'VE PARTNERED WITH OUTDOOR REC WITH THE ISLAND RECREATION CENTER. 
          THEY'RE GONNA DO A FAMILY FISHING NIGHT. 
          THEY'RE GONNA DO KAYAK TRIPS FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO ATTEND. 
          UH, THAT'S CALLED LAUNCH AND LUNCH. 
          SO THEY'LL GO OUTTA THE SAILING AND ROWING CENTER, UH, GROUPS OF ABOUT 12 TO 16 PEOPLE AND THEN THEY'LL COME BACK TO THE ROWING CENTER AND HAVE A LUNCH CATERED BY HUDSON'S. 
          UH, WE'RE DOING A, A CAR MINES FAMILY CLIMB AT THE REC CENTER, SO THAT'LL BE SORT OF A FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT. 
          UH, WE ALSO ARE DOING, UH, AN ARCHERY EVENT DURING THE DAY AND THEN WE ALWAYS HAVE HAD THE LOW COUNTRY EXPERIENCES ON THE WATER, WHICH IS DONE BY MAY RIVER EXCURSIONS. 
          THEY PICK FOLKS UP AT THE RESTAURANT, THAT'S MY COUSIN CHRISTOPHER, THROWING THE CAST NET THERE IN THE PICTURE. 
          UM, HE TAKES 'EM OUT HIMSELF AND THEN BRINGS THEM BACK TO THE RESTAURANT SO THAT THEY CAN ENJOY THEIR CATCH. 
          AND THEN, UM, ADDITIONALLY MIKE OVERTON WITH OUTSIDE HILTON HEAD IS DOING SOME REALLY COMPREHENSIVE DUSKY ISLAND TOURS DURING THE WEEK AS WELL. 
          SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IRONS IN THE FIRE AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE NORMAL EVENTS THAT WE DO, WHICH ARE, WE HAVE A WEDNESDAY NIGHT, UM, EVENT CALLED ASADO BY THE SEA AT THE BEACH HOUSE HOTEL. 
          WE'RE GONNA DO A THURSDAY NIGHT DINNER, UH, LOCATION, TBD. 
          WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE COMMITTED TO DONATING THEIR SPACE, BUT WE HAVEN'T DECIDED WHAT THE BEST FIT FOR US IS. 
          THURSDAY NIGHT AS WELL. 
          WE HAVE, UH, ZERO FORKS GIVEN, WHICH IS AN EVENT FOR ABOUT 175 PEOPLE AT THE OMNI FRIDAY NIGHT. 
          WE HAVE THE, UH, PIG PICKING AN OYSTER ROAST AT HONEY HORN, WHICH WILL BE ABOUT SEVEN TO 800 PEOPLE. 
          THAT'S 
          [03:05:01]
MY PERSONAL FAVORITE. 
          IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT YOUR TICKET YET, YOU SHOULD GET THEM. 
          IT'S A LOT OF FUN. 
          AND THEN SATURDAY WE HAVE OUR BIG SHOW, UM, AT HONEY HORN. 
          LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 6,000 IN ATTENDANCE. 
          WE EXPECT PROBABLY CLOSER TO 8,000 THIS YEAR FOR THAT DAY. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL NOTICE TOO IN THE USCB SURVEY, WE DID HAVE A SLIGHT DROP IN OUR DAY TRIPPERS FOR SATURDAY. 
          SO IN YEARS PAST WE'VE HAD SOMEWHERE AROUND 8,000, UM, THIS YEAR THAT ALTHOUGH THAT NUMBER WENT DOWN, OUR ROOM NIGHTS WENT UP SIGNIFICANTLY. 
          SO THAT WAS A BIG PLUS FOR US. 
          WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LOT MORE ROOM NIGHTS AND WENT FROM THE TWO AND THREE DAY TO THE FOUR AND FIVE FINALLY, WHICH WAS KIND OF OUR GOAL ALL ALONG OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, IS TO GET THEM TO NOT JUST COME IN FEBRUARY BUT STAY LONGER IN FEBRUARY AS WELL. 
          I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS VIDEO YET. 
          IT'S REALLY GOOD. 
          , YOU CAN HAVE MY COPY. 
          THANKS. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANDREW? JUST CURIOUS, WITH THE, UH, NATIVE ISLAND BEING PART OF THIS EVENT, THIS COMING FEBRUARY, HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH LIKE DIVIDING THE, THE GATE, I MEAN EVENTUALLY, HOW DOES THAT WORK? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. 
          THE QUESTION WAS IF ANYBODY DIDN'T HEAR, HOW DOES THAT WORK WITH DIVIDING THE GATE? AND UM, I THINK WHAT, WHAT MY THOUGHT IS ON THAT IS WE TEND TO RAISE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK OF EVENTS. 
          AND UM, I THINK WHAT WE'RE MOST LIKELY GOING TO END UP DOING IS MAKING A CONSIDERABLE DONATION AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVENT TO THEIR CHARITY RATHER THAN TRYING TO DIVVY UP WHO'S COMING FOR WHAT. 
          WE WANT IT TO BE VERY INCLUSIVE. 
          UM, WE WON'T REALLY HAVE ANY WAY OF COUNTING HOW MANY PEOPLE GO INTO THE GULLAH VILLAGE, IF YOU WILL. 
          AND THE SETUP FOR THE VILLAGE IS GONNA BE REALLY COOL. 
          THEY'VE GOT, UM, BILL WINANS FROM MEETING DYNAMICS IS BUILDING AN ACTUAL, UM, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A TOWN WITH STOREFRONTS AND UH, MADE OUT OF PALLETS, OLD PALLETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO IT'S GONNA HAVE ITS OWN IDENTITY WITHIN THE FESTIVAL, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO CHARGE PEOPLE TWICE. 
          WE WANT TO CHARGE 'EM ONE TIME TO COME IN AND THEY CAN ENJOY EVERYTHING THAT THE FESTIVAL HAS TO OFFER. 
          THEY WILL HAVE THEIR OWN STAGE WHERE LOUISE COHEN WILL DO HER STORYTELLING AND I'M SURE OTHER PEOPLE WILL DO COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS THAT ARE VERY, UH, NATIVE ISLAND CENTRIC. 
          UM, AND UM, YEAH, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE PLAN RIGHT NOW. 
          IT'S AS OF NOW, IT'S A A ONE TIME THING. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE ALL SORT OF HOPING THAT IT GOES WELL AND THAT WE CAN CONTINUE IT, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE JUST MADE THE COMMITMENT FOR THIS YEAR. 
          THAT'S FAIR. 
          OKAY. 
          MAKES SENSE. 
          THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS FOR KELLY. 
          YES SIR. 
          WITH REGARDS TO THAT DONATION IS THAT ACCOUNT IS FOR IN THE BUDGET FOR NATIVE VIOLENCE BECAUSE THEY'RE ASKING FOR $95,000. 
          THEY, THAT HAS NOT, THAT WAS NOT PUT IN AT THE TIME THAT WE SUBMITTED EVERYTHING. 
          UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAME TO AN AGREEMENT TO JUST RECENTLY. 
          UM, AND AGAIN, I ECHO THAT BECAUSE THEIR EVENT IS AN ENTIRE MONTH. 
          OURS IS AN ENTIRE WEEK, BUT SATURDAY IS NOT WHERE WE POTENTIALLY MAKE ALL OF OUR MONEY. 
          YOU NEVER KNOW IT COULD RAIN, KNOCK ON WOOD. 
          RIGHT, RIGHT. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WILL ALLOCATE AND THAT THOSE DOLLARS THOUGH STILL GET DONATED TO THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE MUSEUM AND ALL THE OTHER NONPROFITS THAT THEY DONATE TO. 
          'CAUSE THEY'RE RAISING THE FUNDS SIMILAR TO CARMINE'S FOUNDATION TO DISTRIBUTE THEM TO THEIR INITIATIVES. 
          SO IT WILL GO TOWARDS THEIRS. 
          YES. 
          ACCOUNT IS GONNA BE A LITTLE TRICKY, I THINK. 
          WELL, THEY'LL RECEIVE THE ONE TIME DONATION FROM THE CARMINES FOUNDATION AND THEN IF THEY HAVE ALL THE EXHIBITORS THAT ARE EXHIBITING IN THEIR AREA, THEY WILL KEEP THE REVENUE FROM THAT, WHICH I THINK WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL. 
          AND THEN THAT WAY THEY CAN MEASURE, YOU KNOW, THE PRICING AND HOW SUCCESSFUL AND HOW MANY PEOPLE COME IN SO THAT THE FOLLOWING YEAR EVERYBODY CAN REGROUP AND FIGURE OUT WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO FROM THERE. 
          WELL I THINK, I THINK THE, THE RATIONALE BEHIND, UH, THE TWO KIND OF BLENDING IS THAT WE, KELLY, I SHOULDN'T SAY WE, KELLY DOES A GREAT JOB OF, UH, DRAWING A CROWD AND GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO ATTEND OUR EVENT. 
          IF WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH NCA AND THEIR EVENT WHERE THEY, I THINK THEY DREW 550 TO 600 PEOPLE AT THEIR EVENT ON SATURDAY, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE AN EVENT LIKE THAT GO. 
          I MEAN THE TENTING ALONE COSTS MORE THAN THAT. 
          SO IF WE CAN SOMEHOW HELP THEM GROW THEIR EVENT, EVEN IF IT'S JUST DOING THIS THE ONE YEAR AND 
          [03:10:01]
SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD OR WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. 
          BUT, UM, GIVEN THAT IT'S UM, AS OF NOW ONE YEAR AGREEMENT, WE DON'T WANNA MUDDY THE WATER WITH TRYING TO SAY, WELL ARE YOU HERE FOR THIS OR ARE YOU HERE FOR THAT? SO I COULDN'T THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. 
          YEAH. 
          AND I APPLAUD THE INITIATIVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WHAT ELSE? IT'S NOT, THE INTENT IS NOT TO HAVE IT BE A ONE YEAR THING 'CAUSE OF THE, THE CAPITAL SPEND ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THIS SMALL TOWN VILLAGE. 
          WELL, I THINK THEY CAN, THEY CAN USE THE VILLAGE FOREVER FOR, FOR AS LONG AS THEY WOULD LIKE MM-HMM . 
          BUT WHETHER THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF OUR EVENT OR NOT IS SORT OF UP TO THEM. 
          MM-HMM . 
          BUT THAT DOES HAVE A LONGER, THAT THE ANTICIPATED USE OF THAT BUILD OUT IS INDEFINITELY, ISN'T IT? OH YEAH. 
          RIGHT. 
          THEY GET TO KEEP IT. 
          I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF THE PART OF HOW DO YOU DO THE 50 50, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR. 
          AND I THINK OUR, UM, OUR BENEFIT IS THAT WE BRING A LOT MORE MARKETING IN A DIFFERENT WAY TO THEIR AUDIENCE AND VICE VERSA. 
          I THINK THEY'LL STILL HAVE THE FIVE, 600 PEOPLE COME, THEY'RE GONNA COME TO OUR EVENT AND THAT'S A BENEFIT. 
          UM, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND BECAUSE OUR WEEK IS SUCH A DIFFERENT KIND OF REACH, I THINK WE'LL BENEFIT FROM THAT LONG-TERM JUST AS MUCH AS THEY'LL BENEFIT AS HAVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WHATEVER THEY WANNA USE IT FOR. 
          WHETHER IT'S ON A SMALLER SCALE MOVING FORWARD OR NOT. 
          BECAUSE AS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, A LOT OF THEIR EXHIBITORS ARE STILL A PART OF OUR EVENT REGARDLESS AND HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS. 
          AND, AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE WOULDN'T DO THIS EVERY YEAR. 
          I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE GOING FORWARD BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE PROOF OF CONCEPT. 
          RIGHT. 
          I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHETHER IT'S A, A GOOD PARTNERSHIP OR WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE. 
          SO I I HOPE IT IS, IT'S A SMART BUSINESS DECISION TO HAVE A HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT THE FIRST YEAR. 
          LET'S, THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE. 
          RIGHT, RIGHT. 
          THEY HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS OF GETTING A DONATION 'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE END RESULT'S GONNA BE. 
          SO I THINK THE FIRST YEAR IT'S A GREAT WAY TO DO IT. 
          YEAH. 
          AND HOPEFULLY IT WORKS AND YOU CAN BUILD FROM IT. 
          I GUESS PROBABLY THE QUESTION WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY'VE ASKED FOR THE KIND OF THE ONE TIME CORRECT. 
          INCREASE. 
          CORRECT. 
          AND I THINK THEIR INTENT WITH THAT IS TO, WHETHER IT STAYS IN THIS SETTING OR YEAR ROUND, THEY'RE ABLE TO ADD ONTO THE EVENT SCHEDULE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. 
          LIKE WE NEED TO, THEY NEED TO DO MORE. 
          I THINK THOSE INFRASTRUCTURES WILL REALLY HELP THEM IN THE SAME WAY THAT THOSE SETTINGS HAVE HELPED MITCHELLVILLE, YOU KNOW, REALLY PUT BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND LET PEOPLE FEEL IT AND TOUCH IT. 
          'CAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT ALL OF THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE, SO IT WAS REALLY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO, AND IT'S, IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THEIR ORGANIZATION. 
          IT'S GOOD CROSS MARKETING. 
          MM-HMM . 
          PRETTY GOOD FEELING ABOUT YOUR INTUITION SAY THIS? OH, IT'LL ENHANCE OUR EVENT FOR SURE. 
          YES. 
          WELL, I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. 
          I MEAN, UM, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, UH, COVERAGE PRESS COVERAGE IS ONE. 
          I MEAN THERE'S JUST A LOT OF EYEBALLS IN THAT SORT OF SPACE RIGHT NOW AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WRITING ABOUT SORT OF, UM, GALA AND NATIVE ISLAND HERITAGE AND MITCHELLVILLE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S A A COULD BE VERY POSITIVE FOR BOTH GROUPS. 
          UM, AT FACE VALUE. 
          THIS IS A TREMENDOUS IDEA THAT, AND ALSO COMING FROM ARTS AND CULTURAL WORLD, WE USE THESE COLLABORATIONS ALL THE TIME TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT AND TO AND BEYOND THAT. 
          IT'S NOT EVEN JUST ABOUT IMPROVING THEIR EVENT. 
          HAVING THAT SOMETHING IS THAT CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AT YOUR EVENT IS IN WITH SO MANY TOURIST DIE ON IT IS JUST A REALLY GOOD THING FOR HILTON HEADS. 
          SO YEAH, ALL IN ALL, IT JUST SOUNDS, I REALLY HOPE IT CAN WORK OUT. 
          YEP. 
          THE HOTELS ARE HAPPY TO ANYBODY ELSE? I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. 
          SO YOU'RE US UTILIZING SPACE FOR THAT COMPOUND, ARE YOU TAKING IT VENDORS AWAY THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY HAVE? NO. 
          SO YOU HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF VENDORS? NO, EVERYTHING'S THE SAME BECAUSE WE CAN EXPAND OUR FOOTPRINT AT COASTAL DISCOVERY BIGGER THAN WE DID LAST YEAR. 
          IT TAKES A LOT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND WHERE THINGS ARE GONNA GO, BUT THAT WILL BE A DEDICATED SPACE FOR THEM. 
          WHEREAS WE'VE HAD DEDICATED SPACES IN THE PAST FOR OUR CELEBRITY CHEF STAGE AND OUR TASTING TENT AND OUR KIDS' AREA. 
          SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY ANOTHER ACTIVATION WITHIN INSIDE OF OURS. 
          BUT THE PLANNING AND THE EXPANDING ON THAT AREA IS SOMETHING WE WORK WITH REX ON AND HE'S VERY ACCOMMODATING. 
          YEAH. 
          THERE'S, THEY'VE, THEY'VE, THEY'VE MADE A LOT OF THE AREAS THAT WERE, AT ONE TIME THE TOWN OF HILTON HAD INVESTED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO MAKE A LOT OF THE AREAS THAT WERE INACCESSIBLE AT ONE TIME MORE ACCESSIBLE. 
          SO THERE WAS A LOT MORE SPACE THERE TO, TO PUT ACTIVATIONS AND OTHER THINGS. 
          ALRIGHT, SOUNDS GREAT. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? 
          [03:15:01]
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP WE HAVE THE SANDBOX. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          FIRST OFF, I WANNA START BY SAYING THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF THE SANDBOX FOR SO MANY YEARS AND WE ARE GROWING. 
          IT'S SHOWING THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          WE HAVE GROWN OUR VISITOR COUNT OVER SAME TIME PERIOD OVER LAST YEAR FROM JANUARY TO AUGUST OVER LAST YEAR. 
          AND THIS YEAR IS ALREADY UP TO OVER 10,000 MORE OVER LAST YEAR. 
          AND WE'RE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN VISITORS, UM, THE TOURISTS COME INTO THE ISLAND. 
          ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS THAT WE HAVE SUMMER CAMP AND WE CHANGED THE CURRICULUM ST SUMMER CAMP AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE FAMILIES THAT ARE ALREADY REGISTERED FOR THE 2026 SUMMER CAMP THAT ARE FROM OHIO AND MICHIGAN AND MAINE. 
          AND THEY'VE SCHEDULED THEIR VACATIONS AROUND OUR SUMMER CAMP. 
          SO THEY'VE HAD A GREAT TIME. 
          IT'S REALLY STEM RELATED. 
          THEY'RE LEARNING THAT THEY'RE HAVING A BLAST AT THE SAME TIME. 
          WE HAVE ALL OF OUR EVENTS THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          THE SPOOK, WHICH IS COMING UP VERY SOON, WILL BE A REALLY COOL DAY FOR ALL OF THE GUESTS ON THE ISLAND. 
          UM, LAST WEEK WE WERE NOT EXPECTING TO BE REAL BUSY AND WE WERE BUSY. 
          SANDBOX WAS FULL EVERY SINGLE DAY, UM, BOOKED OUT FOR DAYS IN ADVANCE. 
          SO, AND I HAVE TO SAY, WE HAVE THE MOST INCREDIBLE TEAM WORKING AT THE SANDBOX AND THEY MAKE EVERY SINGLE PERSON FEEL WELCOME AND EVERY CHILD FEEL SPECIAL. 
          SO I THINK THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AND WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, HILTON HEAD PREP HAS BECOME VERY ACTIVE WITH US. 
          UM, THE CHILDREN'S CENTER, WE STARTED ANOTHER PROGRAM OVER THERE FOR THEIR KIDS THIS YEAR. 
          IT'S NOT FUNDED BY ATEX DOLLARS, BUT I DO WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE WERE ALL ABOUT SERVING UNDERSERVED CHILDREN AND THOSE KIDS ARE THERE. 
          UM, WE HAVE A THREE TO 4-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM THAT WE DO AT THE SANDBOX EVERY TUESDAY FOR AN HOUR. 
          AND WE'VE TAKEN IT OVER TO THE SAN TO THE CHILDREN'S CENTER NOW AND DOING THE SAME THING USING THE, UM, SOUTH CAROLINA EARLY CHILDHOOD STANDARDS. 
          WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THE CHILDREN'S CENTER PREPARE THOSE KIDS FOR KINDERGARTEN. 
          AND WE HAD 10 KIDS IN THAT PROGRAM AT THE SANDBOX LAST YEAR, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM GRADUATED AND STARTED KINDERGARTEN. 
          SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT. 
          WE HAVE NEW EXHIBITS AND I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE, UM, I THINK THIS IS WHY WE'RE SEEING SUCH AN UPTICK IN TRAFFIC. 
          UM, THE AEROSPACE, WE HAVE A FIVE FOOT ASTRONAUT HANGING FROM THE MIDDLE OF A SPACE BANNER IN THE MUSEUM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING. 
          UM, WE HAVE OUR STEM LAB, WHICH IS ALLOWING US TO BE ABLE TO GROW WITH THE KIDS INSTEAD OF SERVING KIDS THAT WERE, UM, ONE TO EIGHT YEARS OLD OR NINE YEARS OLD. 
          NOW WE ARE SERVING KIDS THAT ARE UP TO 12, 13 AND EVEN 14 YEARS OF AGE. 
          AND THEY'RE COMING IN WITH SIBLINGS AND THAT ARE MUCH YOUNGER THAN THEM A LOT OF TIMES. 
          AND SO THEY COULD, THE OLDER KIDS CAN GO INTO THE STEM LAB AND REALLY SPEND, THEY COULD SPEND UP TO THREE HOURS IN THE STEM LAB AND THAT'S THAT THEY HAVE SO MUCH FUN. 
          WE HAVE 3D PRINTERS, WE HAVE MICROSCOPES, WE HAVE INTERACTIVE, UM, EDUCATIONAL GAMES AS YOU SEE THERE. 
          UM, WE HAVE CIRCUIT BOARDS, WE HAVE SOME REALLY COOL ROBOTICS. 
          UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S GROWING AND WE'RE GROWING WITH THE KIDS, THE KIDS THAT ARE COMING TO VISIT US AND THERE ARE A LOT OF LITTLE KIDS. 
          UM, DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE REACHED, UM, NEARLY 60,000 PEOPLE THROUGH, UM, THROUGH BOOST AND DIFFERENT SOURCES. 
          UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT COME TO SEE US FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. 
          UM, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT I PULLED OUT THAT CAME LAST YEAR. 
          AND THEN OUR FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS CONTINUES TO GROW. 
          UM, I THINK IT'S GROWN EXPONENTIALLY SINCE 21 AND REALLY SINCE 22. 
          SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 
          WE'RE NOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          WE'RE ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TIKTOK, AND WE'RE ALSO ON LINKEDIN NOW. 
          AND I HIRED A DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PROBABLY RELATIONS. 
          AND SO SHE'S DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH, WITH THAT ADVERTISING. 
          AND I'LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT IN JUST A SECOND. 
          UM, OUR NEWSLETTERS GO OUT EVERY MONTH, SOMETIMES TWICE A MONTH. 
          AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY GETTING NEW SUBSCRIBERS TO THAT. 
          UH, FOLKS WHEN THEY SIGN UP FOR RE 
          [03:20:01]
MAKE RESERVATIONS ONLINE, THEY PUT IN THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS OR WHEN THEY COME INTO THE MUSEUM, WE GET THEIR NAME, UM, ZIP CODE AND EMAIL ADDRESSES AND THEY COME IN THERE AND IF THEY DON'T WANT TO SUPPLY IT, WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT, BUT THEY ALWAYS WANT TO GIVE IT TO US AND THEY KEEP UP WITH US THROUGH THAT. 
          THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM FOLKS FROM ALL OVER. 
          UM, IT HELPS US. 
          WE HAVE A GUEST BOOK WHEN THEY'RE SIGNING OUT. 
          UM, WE HAVE A NEW SYSTEM GOING IN THAT I HAD HOPED TO DO THIS YEAR, DID NOT GET TO DO THAT, BUT WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO SEND THEM AN EMAIL, WHICH IS ALREADY ALMOST IN PLACE, UM, WELCOMING THEM TO THE MUSEUM AND TO THE ISLAND, BUT THEN ALSO A FOLLOW-UP EMAIL GIVING A SURVEY. 
          AND SO WE'LL HAVE THAT FOR YOU NEXT TIME. 
          UM, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY MY ASK HAS GONE UP THIS TIME IS BECAUSE WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL WITH PROGRAMS AND THE EXHIBITS AND IT TAKES A LOT. 
          KIDS ARE TOUGH ON TOYS, , UM, THEY'RE TOUGH ON EVERYTHING. 
          UM, SO, BUT THE ADVERTISING, WE ARE DOING REALLY WELL. 
          WE ADVERTISE LOCALLY, UM, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO ADVERTISE IN THE SOUTH GEORGIA AREA AND WE WANT TO, UM, ADVERTISE WITH WTOC TO REACH MORE OF THOSE FOLKS FROM THERE. 
          UM, JUST TELLING YOU THAT THIS PAST SUMMER WE HAD A GROUP OF 95 KIDS THAT WERE WITH THE CYBER, UM, UH, HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM TO COME TO THE MUSEUM THAT WAS 95 KIDS AND ABOUT 40 ADULTS THAT CAME TO THE ISLAND. 
          AND THEY WERE ALL FROM ALL OVER, UH, GEORGIA, MAINLY FROM ATLANTA, GEORGIA. 
          SO THEY CAME TO OUR MUSEUM FOR ONE DAY, BUT THEY WERE HERE FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND. 
          AND WE'RE DOING MORE AND MORE MARKETING TOWARD THOSE KINDS OF PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST. 
          SO IF WE CAN ADVERTISE MORE ON WTOC, I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO SURPASS THOSE NUMBERS. 
          WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER MUSEUM ONE DAY SOON. 
          SO , UM, IT'S A GREAT PLACE. 
          UM, WE DO MAKE SURE THAT WE STEWARD YOUR DOLLARS WELL. 
          UM, OUR PROGRAMS HAVE INCREASED. 
          WE HAVE A VENTRILOQUIST THAT COMES IN AND DOES INCREDIBLE PROGRAMS, BUT HE DOES SUCH FUNNY THINGS THAT THE KIDS AND THE ADULTS LAUGH, YOU KNOW, AND HE, HE DOES IT FOR AN HOUR AND HE HAS ALL KINDS OF CHARACTERS, SO IT'S JUST WORTH EVERY BIT OF THAT. 
          LEGO BUILDS ARE A PART OF STEM AND SO WE'VE REALLY CHALLENGED CHRIS TO START DOING MORE OF THE LEGO BUILDS THAT ARE MORE, UM, UM, METICULOUS, MORE ENTERTAINING FOR THE OLDER KIDS. 
          AND MAYBE IT WOULD BE A WORKSHOP FOR TO COME SEVERAL TIMES WE WILL BE HAVING STEM WORKSHOPS AND WE HAVE ROBOTICS TO TEACH CODING TO CHILDREN BECAUSE THAT IS ONE THING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED AS THEY GROW OLDER. 
          AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT. 
          UM, IT, IT IS JUST AMAZING. 
          AND LIKE I SAID, THE EXHIBITS, THEY'RE, IT'S A CONSTANT, IT'S CONSTANT. 
          BABY DOLLS ARE ALWAYS LEFT WITHOUT ANY CLOTHES ON AND UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOODLES ARE OFF THE HANGING OFF THE NOODLE FOR US, BUT IT'S JUST, UM, IT'S A GREAT PLACE. 
          THEY'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME AND THAT'S REALLY IT. 
          IT'S A FUN PLACE. 
          QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? GOOD HOUSEKEEPING. 
          NOTE TO STAFF. 
          UH, THE APPLICATION REFLECTS 82 2 AND THE PRESENTATION IS 87, 2 OH $5,000 DISCREPANCY. 
          I GUESS THAT WAS MY ERROR OR THEIRS. 
          I MEAN, I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. 
          SO THE INCREASE IS ABOUT $18,000 MM-HMM . 
          AND YOU GAVE US THREE BUCKETS. 
          THE ADVERTISING, UH, PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS. 
          WHERE IS THE INCREASE TAKING PLACE IN THE ADVERTISING? ADVERTISING? OKAY. 
          YES SIR. 
          GOOD, THANK YOU. 
          AND THE ADVERTISING, WE THINK WE ARE, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GROWN UP ENOUGH NOW THEN, AND THE MUSEUM IS AT A 100%, UM, READINESS TO BE SHOWN ON TV AND TO BE ABLE TO BE MARKETED REALLY WELL. 
          SO WE WANNA INCREASE THOSE TOURISM DOLLARS. 
          SO THE 18% INCREASE IS ADVERTISING. 
          YES, SIR. 
          'CAUSE THAT, UM, AGREEMENT WITH WTSC, WE'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. 
          YEAH. 
          NOW THE SUMMER CAMPS, YOU MENTIONED THOSE. 
          THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. 
          YES. 
          IT'S, IT'S KIND OF NEAT THAT SOMEBODY, THE FAMILY CAN COME HERE ON VACATION AND KIDS CAN SPEND A COUPLE DAYS IN SUMMER CAMP WHILE THEY'RE DOING THEIR YES. 
          IS THAT, UM, OPEN TO LOCALS AS WELL? IT IS OPEN, BUT ABOUT 55% 
          [03:25:01]
OF OUR SUMMER CAMPERS ARE TOURISTS. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          YEAH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THEY SURE ARE. 
          AND THOSE, LIKE I SAID, I ALREADY HAVE KIDS REGISTERED FOR NEXT SUMMER FOR CAMP. 
          IT IS, IT REALLY IS. 
          I CREDIT MY STAFF FOR THAT. 
          THEY'RE AMAZING. 
          SO QUESTION ABOUT, UM, MEMBERSHIP. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, YOU HAVE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AS WELL? YES MA'AM. 
          AND WE HAVE THEM ALSO FOR FAMILIES THAT COME DOWN AND SPEND. 
          ANYBODY CAN BUY A MEMBERSHIP AND IF THEY'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS OR THEY'RE COMING SEVERAL TIMES, THEY OFTEN DO BUY MEMBERSHIPS BECAUSE IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE TO DO THAT THAN PAYING EVERY TIME THEY COME IN THE DOOR. 
          AND WE WILL HAVE AN INCREASE IN THE TICKET SALES AND THE MEMBERSHIPS COME JANUARY BECAUSE WE'VE ADDED SO MUCH VALUE TO THEIR VISIT. 
          WE DON'T CHARGE EXTRA FOR THE PROGRAMS, WE DON'T CHARGE EXTRA FOR SUPPLIES. 
          THEY TAKE HOME THINGS FROM THE 3D PRINTERS AND WE'VE ADDED SO MUCH VALUE TO THEIR EXPERIENCE THAT IT WARRANTS AN INCREASE. 
          AND WE HAVEN'T CHANGED THE PRICE INCREASE ON TICKET SALES IN FIVE YEARS. 
          DO YOU OFTEN RUN AT CAPACITY WITH YOUR PROGRAMS? YES SIR. 
          YES MA'AM. 
           ALL THE TIME. 
          AND WE, OUR CAPACITY FOR OUR BUILDING IS 85 OCCUPANTS. 
          THAT'S CHILDREN AND ADULTS. 
          AND WE OFTEN, WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE, WE CAN LET OTHERS IN AND WE WILL SEE 150 PEOPLE COME IN IN THAT THREE HOUR WINDOW. 
          SO AS PEOPLE ARE LEAVING, THERE'S PEOPLE OUT ON THE PORCH WAITING TO COME IN. 
          AND SO WE'RE, WE HAVE, WE MANAGE IT. 
          UM, IT'S, IT TAKES EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US ON TO MANAGE THAT, BUT WE DO. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE MARKETING. 
          THE, THE 18,000 IS TO GO TO SOUTH SOUTH GEORGIA, WTOC, BUT, AND THE BALANCE OF IT IS ALL LOCAL MARKETING? YES. 
          SO IT'S ONCE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY HERE. 
          YES SIR. 
          YES SIR. 
          AND THEN WHAT METHODS AND WHAT CHANNELS DO YOU USE? WE DO PINK MAGAZINE, BLUFF AND SUN, HILTON, HEAD, SUN, UH, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 
          UM, OH MY GOSH. 
          YEAH. 
          BUT IT'S ALL OF THE MARKETS. 
          LOCAL LIFE, CB TWO, CH TWO, ALL OF THE MAGAZINES THAT TOURISTS CAN PICK UP IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS AROUND TOWN. 
          IT'S PRINT, PREDOMINANTLY PRINT AND ONLINE. 
          YES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          I THANK YOU AND I DO LOVE THE SANDBOX, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          ALL RIGHT, UP NEXT WE HAVE THE HERITAGE LIBRARY FOUNDATION. 
          THREE MINUTES AHEAD, FINALLY. 
          HI, HOW ARE YOU? YES, I'M BARBARA KANEY AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT HERITAGE LIBRARY. 
          UM, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING US YOUR TIME AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO SO THAT WE CAN DO WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO. 
          UM, SOME OF YOU I HAVE OBVIOUSLY PRESENTED, UM, I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE SO I'VE PRESENTED TO A LOT OF YOU AHEAD OF TIME. 
          UM, BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I HAVE BEEN IN THE LOW COUNTRY NOW FOR 40 YEARS, SO I OBVIOUSLY LIKE IT. 
          HERITAGE LIBRARY. 
          WE ARE HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S HISTORY KEEPERS. 
          WE ARE A PREMIER ANCESTRY AND HISTORY RESEARCH CENTER. 
          WE'RE A LITTLE BUILDING OFF OF NEW ORLEANS ROAD AND BASICALLY WHAT WE DO IS WE HOLD ON TO HILTON HEAD'S HISTORY, SO ALL KINDS OF THINGS FROM LOCAL AUTHORS TO ARTIFACTS TO VERTICAL FILES, YOU NAME IT, WE'VE GOT IT, HISTORIC MAPS, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO WE ARE THAT KEEPER OF HILTON HEAD HISTORY AND THAT IS ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL THE OTHER HISTORICAL GROUPS. 
          SO FORT HOWELL, HILTON HEAD LAND TRUST, MITCHELLVILLE GULLAH MUSEUM. 
          THEY ARE PARTNERS IN WHAT WE DO. 
          WE ALSO HAVE AN ANCESTRY RESEARCH CENTER AND WE WERE NAMED BY USA TODAY AS ONE OF THE TOP PLACES IN THE WORLD TO DO YOUR ANCESTRY RESEARCH. 
          AND YES, FOLKS ACTUALLY COME HERE AND VISITORS COME HERE AND THEY DO ANCESTRY RESEARCH FOR WITH US. 
          UM, WINTER BIG TIME. 
          OKAY, BIG TIME FOR US BECAUSE THE CANADIANS COME HERE AND WE HAVE A REGULAR GROUP THAT COME IN REGULARLY. 
          THEY'RE HERE FOR ONE MONTH OR TWO MONTHS AND THEY COME IN AND THEY DO THEIR ANCESTRY RESEARCH WITH US. 
          WE ALSO OWN TWO HISTORIC SITES, ZION CHAPEL OF EAST CEMETERY, THAT IS A COLONIAL ANTEBELLUM CEMETERY ON THE CORNER OF MATTHEWS DRIVE, FOLLY FIELD ROAD IN 2 78. 
          UM, OF SIGNIFICANCE IS THE BAYNARD MAUSOLEUM, WHICH USED TO BE THE OLDEST STANDING BUILDING ON THE ISLAND. 
          THE BARNWELL TABBY HAS TAKEN THAT, UH, THAT TITLE FROM US, BUT THAT'S OKAY. 
          WE'LL GIVE THAT GLADLY. 
          AND WE ALSO HAVE THE GRAVE MARKINGS 
          [03:30:01]
FOR FOUR REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOTS THERE. 
          WE ALSO OWN FORT MITCHELL, WHICH IS A CIVIL WAR ERA FOR BUILT TO PROTECT THE ISLANDS BANKS ALONG THE SKULL CREEK BY THE NUMBERS. 
          REAL QUICKLY, WE HAVE, WHEN I CAME IN SEVEN YEARS AGO, OUR GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SAW FIVE TO 6% GROWTH IN VISITOR NUMBERS. 
          AS WE MOVED THROUGH REDESIGNING PROGRAMS AND DOING THAT KIND OF STUFF. 
          WE HAVE BASICALLY HIT 7.5 TO 8% YEAR OVER YEAR FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. 
          SO WE ARE SEEING THAT GROWTH IN VISITOR NUMBERS. 
          OUR PRINT MARKETING REACHES ABOUT 68, 680,000. 
          UM, AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THIS, OUR EMAIL GROWTH, WE GROW UP AND UP EACH YEAR. 
          SO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THOSE DOLLARS THAT YOU INVEST WITH US IS PUSHING THAT MARKET THAT WE REACH OUT. 
          IT'S NOT AS, IT'S SO WHEN FOR A WHILE THERE WE WERE VERY MUCH LOW COUNTRY ORIENTED. 
          NOW WE REACH INTO ATLANTA, WE REACH INTO CHARLOTTE, WE REACH INTO COLUMBIA, WE REACH DOWN TO, AS FAR AS ST. 
          AUGUSTINE, BECAUSE WE'VE DONE SOME, WE'VE DONE SOME LIBRARY PRO PROGRAMS WITH THEM THAT FAR SOUTH. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE CAN REACH EVEN FURTHER. 
          THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE ADDED IS A LOT MORE SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING THIS YEAR, WHICH, UM, WHICH SEEMS TO BE WORKING, WHICH I'M NOT THE EXPERT IN SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT IT'S WORKING SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP THAT UP. 
          WE CONTINUE TO USE, UTILIZE TICKETING SERVICES THAT PROVIDE A NATIONAL AUDIENCE FOR PROGRAMS AND EVENTS. 
          AND THAT IS ALSO WHERE WE GET OUR DATA. 
          OKAY, SO EVENTBRITE, AS MUCH AS I HATE TO PAY PROGRAM FEES, WE HAVE TO, BUT EVENTBRITE GIVES US A NATIONAL AUDIENCE. 
          SO IF I'M IN MINNESOTA AND I'M COMING TO HILTON HEAD AND I'M INTERESTED IN HISTORY, I CAN GO TO EVENTBRITE AND I'M GONNA SEE ALL THE EVENTS THAT ARE LISTED WITH EVENTBRITE COME UP AND WE WILL SEE THOSE ADVANCED TICKETS COME IN. 
          AND OF COURSE, THE OTHER THING THAT EVENTBRITE AND THAT REGISTERING AND THAT TICKETING SERVICE GIVES US IS THE DATA THAT WE USE. 
          SO LOCATION, EMAIL ADDRESSES, ALL THAT STUFF. 
          THE OTHER THING THAT WE USE TO GIVE YOU, GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS THAT WE PROVIDE ARE QR CODES, SIGNAGE OUT AT OUR TWO SITES IN OUR ADVERTISING ALL CARRY QR CODES SO WE CAN SEE WHERE VISITORS ARE COMING FROM. 
          OKAY. 
          AND WHAT ARE THEY INTERESTED IN? THE INTERESTING THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST YEAR IS, SO THERE'S TWO QR CODES OUT AT ZION CEMETERY. 
          ONE TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CEMETERY. 
          WE HAD AN, WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH FOLKS TRYING TO CLEAN THE GRAVESTONES AND SCRAPING THEM UP. 
          NOT A GOOD THING TO DO, JUST FOR THE RECORD. 
          SO WHAT WE DID IS WE CREATED A MAP SO YOU CAN LITERALLY HIT THE QR CODE AND WALK AROUND. 
          AND SO IF YOU CAN'T READ THE STONE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY OLD, WE'RE TELLING YOU WHAT'S ON THAT STONE. 
          THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE DID THAT, IT WAS, IT WAS KIND OF HIT OR MISS THAT SOMEONE WOULD HIT ONE QR CODE BUT NOT THE OTHER. 
          'CAUSE YOU CAN LITERALLY LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, TIME-WISE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE LAST YEAR. 
          THEY'RE HITTING BOTH, WHICH IS REALLY KIND OF FUN. 
          SO WE'RE BUILDING INTEREST IN THAT SITE. 
          UH, THE OTHER THING THAT WE SPENT SOME MONEY ON THIS YEAR IS WE HAD SOME EROSION ISSUES AT BOTH SITES. 
          SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SITE DOLLARS THAT WE ASKED FOR, SO WE LOOK FOR DOLLARS BOTH FOR MARKETING AND THE SITE PRESERVATION. 
          WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH EROSION ISSUES, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE BEST ADDRESS THAT. 
          THE OTHER THING THAT WE SEE WITH THE SITES IS STORM AND VANDALISM. 
          I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE WANNA DRINK AND LEAVE EMPTY BEER CANS, UM, IN THE CEMETERY OR IN THE FORT, BUT THEY DO OKAY. 
          AND SOMETIMES THEY ALSO VANDALIZE THOSE, THOSE SITES. 
          AND SO WE HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY CLEAN UP THAT MESS. 
          HOLIDAY DECORATIONS, OKAY? THEY DRAW FOLKS TO THE SITES. 
          THEY'RE NOT ELABORATE. 
          WE'RE NOT LIGHTING UP THE SITES BECAUSE ESPECIALLY FORT MITCHELL IS INSIDE HILTON HEAD PLANTATION AND WE DON'T WANT A BUNCH OF LIGHTS IN THE CORNER OF 2 78. 
          BUT WE DO DECORATE FOR THE SITES AND WE DO OFFER HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING AT THEM. 
          AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE SITES PLANNED FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER THIS YEAR WE DID, UM, WE MOVED THE FLAG POLE, WE DID A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND NOW WE NEED TO LANDSCAPE AROUND IT TO MAKE IT, TO MAKE THE SITES APPEALING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS COMING UP. 
          HOW DID WE GET TO WHERE WE DID? WELL, PRINT, TV, WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, VIDEO EVENTS, CLASSES, TOURS, PARTNERS, AND YOU, OKAY? YOU BASICALLY GIVE US THE FUNDS THAT GET, ALLOW US TO REACH OUT AND DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO. 
          LITTLE TINY NONPROFITS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO RAISE THE DOLLARS THAT WE NEED 
          [03:35:01]
DOING, UM, DOING A TOUR AT ZION CEMETERY, BUT WITH YOU, BECAUSE MARKETING COSTS ARE EXPENSIVE. 
          THE TOUR DOESN'T COST US MUCH, BUT THE MARKETING COSTS DO. 
          AND YOU ALLOW US TO DO THAT. 
          AND YOU ALSO ALLOW US TO ATTEND EVENTS AND CONFERENCES AND REALLY PROMOTE WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO. 
          WHY FUND US? WE ARE PART OF A GROWING TREND, AND THAT IS CULTURAL TOURISM. 
          THE CULTURAL TOURISM GENERATES ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR BOTH LOCAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH JOB CREATION AND INCREASED SPENDING. 
          IT PRESERVES AND CELEBRATES LOCAL HERITAGE. 
          AND WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE LOCAL HERITAGE HERE ON HILTON HEAD TO CELEBRATE. 
          AND IT FOSTERS GREAT GREATER CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING. 
          AND WE SEE THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. 
          MORE AND MORE FOLKS ARE COMING IN BECAUSE THEY ARE INTERESTED IN HISTORY. 
          IT'S ABOUT THE VISITORS WE ATTRACT. 
          LAST YEAR WE DID A PIECE ON A COUPLE OF OUR VISITORS. 
          THESE ARE THE GREENS, THE GRAYS, AND THE CHRISTIANS. 
          OKAY? THEY CAME IN LAST YEAR IN 2024, THEY SPENT TWO NIGHTS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND SPENT A DAY AT HERITAGE LIBRARY. 
          THEY CAME IN BECAUSE MR. GREEN IS A MEMBER, LIVES IN SAVANNAH COMES IN REGULARLY. 
          AND ONE OF HIS BEST FRIENDS WAS CELEBRATING HIS 60TH BIRTHDAY. 
          AND HIS BIRTHDAY GIFT TO HIS FRIEND WAS COME TO HILTON HEAD AND WE'RE GONNA DO YOUR FAMILY HISTORY WITH THE HERITAGE LIBRARY. 
          WHEN THEIR OTHER FRIENDS HEARD ABOUT THAT FROM VIRGINIA AND INDIANA, THEY ALL MET AT HERITAGE LIBRARY. 
          AND WE HAD A GREAT DAY WITH THEM. 
          WE HAD, AND WE HAD CAKE. 
          OKAY, JUST FOR THE RECORD THIS YEAR, THEY RETURNED, THEY SPENT FIVE NIGHTS VERSUS TWO NIGHTS. 
          THEY SPENT TWO DAYS AT THE HERITAGE LIBRARY. 
          ALL THEIR MEALS WERE HAD OUT. 
          THEY ENJOYED SOME NIGHTLIFE, THEY TOURED HISTORIC SITES. 
          THE GUYS WENT AND PLAYED SOME GOLF. 
          AND THE LADIES SHOCKED FROM OUR SURVEY. 
          WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE SENT OUT SOME POST, POST-EVENT, POST TOUR, POST CLASS, ALL THAT FUN STUFF. 
          SURVEYS, OKAY? AVERAGE GROUP SIZE OF VISITORS WAS, WAS FOUR. 
          SO, AND IT COULD BE TWO COUPLES OR A FAMILY OF FOUR. 
          AVERAGE STAY WAS SEVEN DAYS. 
          95% OF THE RESPONDENTS PAID FOR ACCOMMODATIONS. 
          WE SEE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO THEIR GRANDPARENTS MIGHT BE BRINGING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN. 
          OKAY? SO THE QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, WERE ARE YOU STAYING ON, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU STAYING ON HILTON HEAD AND WHERE ARE, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS? ARE YOU STAYING WITH A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND? ARE YOU STAYING IN A VILLA? 95% OF THOSE RESPONDENTS SAID THEY, THEY WERE PA THEY WERE STAYING IN PAID ACCOMMODATIONS. 
          AVERAGE TIMES THAT THEY VISITED HILTON HEAD ISLAND WAS FIVE TIMES. 
          WE LOVE RETURN VISITORS PLAN TO RETURN. 
          AGAIN, 99%. 
          THE ONE PERSON WHO DID NOT AN WHO SENT A LOVELY LITTLE NOTE ALONG WITH YOU, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'D LIKE TO RETURN, BUT WE'RE FROM POLAND AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK HERE AGAIN. 
          SO I CAN'T REALLY, YEAH, I'LL ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME BACK. 
          HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT US? BECAUSE THAT AGAIN COMES TO HOW THE FOLKS THAT WERE, THAT ARE HERE AND DOING WHAT WE DO WITH US, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU ALL COME IN AND HOW WE SPEND THAT. 
          SO THEY ARE BASICALLY LOOKING AT OUR WEBSITE BECAUSE AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE BUYING TICKETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THROUGH EVENTBRITE, THAT KIND OF THING, IT DRIVE EVERYTHING DRIVES YOU TO OUR WEBSITE, OUR RACK CARDS DRIVE YOU TO OUR WEBSITE, BROCHURES, PRINT MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WORD OF MOUTH. 
          WHERE ARE WE GOING? FIRST THING WE WANNA DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DON'T DO IS CHANGE WHAT'S WORKING. 
          SO YES, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO TOURS AT OUR SITES AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE POPULAR, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT AND ALWAYS GROWING THAT AUDIENCE AND GROWING THAT AUDIENCE ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          OKAY, SO WHO'S OUR CURRENT AUDIENCE? WE'RE WORKING ON DEFINING THAT. 
          WHAT RESONATES WITH THEM THEN WHO ARE WE MISSING? AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH WHHI, W-J-C-L-W-T-O-C, WHEN WE DO TELEVISION ADVERTISING, THEY KIND OF GET THAT TO US BECAUSE IF THEY'RE PUSHING THINGS, MESSAGES OUT AND DOING THAT KIND OF THING, THEY'RE GETTING THAT RESPONSE TOO. 
          SO THEY ARE TELLING US WHAT IS RESONATING WITH THOSE FOLKS THAT THEY'RE REACHING. 
          AND OF COURSE WE HAVE TO TELL THEM THEM WHY HERITAGE LIBRARY AND WHY HILTON HEAD VACATION WITH PURPOSE. 
          AND AGAIN, THAT GOES TO THAT CULTURAL TOURISM PIECE. 
          OKAY? SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING THAT WE ARE, THAT WE USE AS IT'S ALMOST SOFT MARKETING. 
          SO WE HAVE A NEW, I WAS HOPING THAT WE'D HAVE THE, THE BARNWELL TAVI VIDEO. 
          WE DID A VIDEO WITH, UM, WITH MR. BARNWELL AND THE TAVI AND WITH DR. 
          KAVANAUGH, UM, AND IT IS IN EDITING. 
          AND 
          [03:40:01]
THEY CAME BACK. 
          MR. BARNWELL CAME BACK WITH A COUPLE OF MORE EDITS THE OTHER DAY. 
          SO I DO NOT HAVE THAT VIDEO YET. 
          WE ARE WORKING ON SOME ORAL HISTORIES. 
          A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, BACK IN THE EIGHTIES, LATE EIGHTIES, EARLY NINETIES, HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL DID A PROJECT WITH WHAT WAS THEN THE HILTON HEAD HISTORICAL SIDE SOCIETY, WHICH IS NOW THE HERITAGE LIBRARY. 
          AND WITH THE MUSEUM OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND, WHICH IS NOW COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM. 
          AND THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INTERVIEWED A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY LEADERS ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          SO FROM CHARLOTTE HEINRICH, THE BARNWELLS, PERRY WHITE, UM, I'M GONNA LOSE TRACK OF, OF WHO. 
          THERE'S 67 INTERVIEWS, THEY'RE ALL ON CASSETTE TAPES. 
          OKAY, SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH THOSE? SO WHAT WE DID IS WE PARTNERED WITH A GROUP CALLED AMERICAN ANCESTORS AND THE 10 MILLION NAMES PROJECT. 
          AND WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT THROUGH THE CENTER FOR, UM, LIBRARY AND INFORMATION RESOURCES UNDER THEIR, UM, ENDANGERED, UH, RECORDINGS PROGRAM. 
          AND SO WE RECEIVED $38,000 THIS YEAR TO DIGITIZE THOSE ORAL HISTORIES. 
          WHAT'S INTERESTING WITH THAT IS THE PLATFORMS THAT WE CAN THEN TAKE THOSE ORAL HISTORIES ACROSS SO THAT FOLKS CAN HEAR ABOUT HILTON HEADS PAST IN THE WORDS OF THE, IN THE VOICES, IN THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IT. 
          SO YOU WILL SEE THOSE ORAL HISTORIES ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          WE'RE WORKING WITH THOMAS BOXLEY AND EXPERIENCE GULLAH TO PUT SOME OF THOSE, THOSE INTERVIEWS ON THAT WEBSITE. 
          THEY WILL BE ON AMERICAN ANCESTORS WEBSITE AND 10 MILLION NAMES WEBSITE AS WELL. 
          WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF LIBRARIES TO PUSH THOSE OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE THERE IS AN INTEREST IN THAT GULLAH HISTORY. 
          WE'RE REVISING THIS HISTORIC SITES BROCHURE. 
          IT'S GONNA GO FROM, AND I'M GONNA, IT'S GOING TO GO FROM THIS TO 26 PAGES. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA TELL FOLKS MORE ABOUT THE HISTORIC SITES, HOW TO FIND THEM, EXACTLY WHAT ARE THOSE ADDRESSES. 
          THERE'LL BE SOME QR CODES. 
          SO IN THE AREA ON HISTORIC GULLAH NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO CLICK ON TO HIT THAT QR CODE AND GET THAT APP FROM EXPERIENCE GULLAH, RIGHT FROM THAT BROCHURE. 
          HISTORY SCAVENGER HUNTS, THIS CAME UP, UH, WE DID THIS A CO WITH A FEW TIMES WITH, UM, SOME FAMILY REUNIONS AND SOME CORPORATE GROUPS THAT COME IN AND BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, TEAM BUILDING FUN THINGS TO DO. 
          SO THIS YEAR WHAT WE'RE, THIS COMING YEAR, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS ACTUALLY PUBLISH AND SELL THOSE HISTORY SCAVENGER HUNTS. 
          SO YOU CAN LITERALLY TAKE THAT PACKET AND YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE IT VERY EASILY AND YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, OR YOU AND YOUR CORPORATE GROUP OR ANYBODY ELSE CAN GO TOURING ALL OVER. 
          AND YOU CAN MAKE IT FUN AND PROVIDE YOUR OWN PRIZES. 
          THERE'LL BE LOTS OF INSTRUCTIONS, LOTS OF WAYS TO, TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT IT IS THAT IS HERE. 
          AND THEN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS SOME SIGHT AND SEASON SPECIFIC CONTENT GENERATED THROUGH AI FOR QR CODES. 
          SO YOU CAN GO, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR IF WE'RE FUNDED, GO TO FORT MITCHELL AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME AND HAVE CLARA BARTON TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT THE SOLDIERS DID DURING CHRISTMAS TIME AT FORT MITCHELL. 
          YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO IN THE SUMMER AND HEAR FROM THE SOLDIERS. 
          AND WE HAVE LETTERS THAT WERE WRITTEN BY SOLDIERS THAT SERVED AT FORT MITCHELL. 
          WE GOT THOSE FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY THROUGH AI GENERATED, HEAR THOSE REALLY EASY QUICK VIDEOS TO, TO CREATE AND TO POST. 
          BUT THEN WE GATHER THAT DATA, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 
          THAT GIVES US VERY MUCH AN EXPANDED REACH. 
          THIS IS A NATIONAL CELEBRATION. 
          IT KICKS OFF BIG TIME JULY 4TH NEXT YEAR. 
          AND YOU WILL SEE NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS. 
          ONE OF THE REASONS THAT OUR REQUEST IS LESS THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR, AND I HOPE I CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT AGAIN NEXT YEAR, IS THAT SOUTH CAROLINA TWO 50 IS OFFERING A NUMBER OF GRANTS. 
          A LOT OF WHAT WE'LL BE APPLYING FOR WON'T BE TILL 2027 ACTUALLY, SO IT'S NOT REFLECTED IN THIS YEAR'S APPLICATION. 
          BUT THOSE DOLLARS WILL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO SOME PROJECTS RIGHT HERE ON HILTON HEAD WITH THOSE DOLLARS. 
          I BROUGHT THE QUILT WITH ME. 
          OKAY, THIS IS CALLED THE STITCH IN TIME. 
          AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE DID CELEBRATE THAT WE STARTED WITH THE CELEBRATION OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THEN 250 YEARS OF HILTON HEAD HISTORY AS WELL. 
          WE'RE RAFFLING THAT QUILT OFF. 
          IT HAS TRAVELED SO 
          [03:45:01]
FAR, 1500 MILES WITH ME. 
          WE HAVE BEEN IN THE SPARTANBURG WELCOME CENTER, THE SANTI WELCOME CENTER. 
          WE HAVE BEEN OUT AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARTISAN CENTER. 
          WE HAVE BEEN AT THE LOW COUNTRY VISITOR CENTER IN YEE. 
          WE WILL BE OUT AT HAYWARD HOUSE IN BLUFFTON. 
          WE HAVE MET WITH COLTON COUNTY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE MET WITH JASPER COUNTY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. 
          THIS IS BASICALLY MY LITTLE HISTORY AMBASSADOR AS WE GO AROUND AND WE TALK ABOUT HILTON HAD HISTORY AND OUR LOCAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 
          IT IS, UH, THE LAST DAY TO BUY RAFFLE TICKETS. 
          THIS YEAR IS THE LAST DAY IN NOVEMBER. 
          IT'LL BE RAFFLED OFF THE FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER. 
          AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AGAIN THROUGH THE NEXT FEW YEARS BECAUSE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT AMERICAN REVOLUTION CELEBRATION IS EIGHT YEARS. 
          AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO USE LOCAL ARTISTS TO TELL OUR LOCAL STORY AS IT RELATES TO THIS PERIOD OF TIME AND THE HISTORY IN AMERICA USING DIFFERENT MEDIUMS THAT WERE RELEVANT AT THE TIME. 
          QUILTING OBVIOUSLY FITS THAT MUCH MORE UTILITARIAN. 
          AS WE LOOKED AT THIS. 
          WE'RE TAKING ART THAT WAS ACTUALLY UTILITARIAN AT THE TIME, BUT BRINGING THAT BACK, QUILTING, SWEETGRASS BASKETS, IRON, WORKING POTTERY, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPEN AND REALLY FOCUSING IN AND BEING ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT LOCAL ARTISTS AND OUR HISTORY FOR SIX MONTHS OUT OF EACH YEAR. 
          ANYTHING ELSE? QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANYONE? WHEN IS THE RAFFLE ON THE QUILT? THE LAST DAY TO BUY RAFFLE TICKETS IS THE LAST DAY IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN THE QUILT WILL BE RAFFLED OFF, UH, THE FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER. 
          I HAVE TO MAKE SURE. 
          SO WE'VE GOT A LITTLE PIECE OF FREE SOFTWARE, YOU ENTER ALL THE NUMBERS IN. 
          IT WILL GENERATE A RANDOM WINNER. 
          I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE NUMBERS ARE IN AND INCORRECTLY BEFORE WE RUN THAT. 
          SO IT'S GONNA TAKE ME A COUPLE OF DAYS. 
          WE'VE SOLVED, UM, LITTLE OVER 500 TICKETS SO FAR. 
          HOW MUCH PER TICKET? $10 EACH. 
          THREE FOR 25. 
          BARBARA, I HAVE ONE QUESTION. 
          HOW MUCH OF YOUR, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR DATA IS THROUGH EVENTBRITE? UH, LOTS OF, SO QR CODES ARE A HUGE DATA SOURCE FOR US. 
          EVENTBRITE IS, OUR WEBSITE IS, SO WE USE, YOU CAN SIGN UP DIRECTLY FROM OUR WEBSITE. 
          YOU CAN SIGN UP DIRECTLY THROUGH EVENTBRITE. 
          UM, THE QR CODE DATA, OBVIOUSLY ALSO WHEN WE DO EVENTS, WHEN WE DO LIVE PARTICIPATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          AND AGAIN, AND WE PARTICIPATE AND A LOT OF IT IS JUST SURVEY AND ZIP CODE. 
          WHEN WE'RE OUT AT JUNETEENTH. 
          YEAH, WE'RE OUT AT FISH AND GRITS, ALL THAT FUN STUFF. 
          SO THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE DO THAT. 
          SO YOU, YOU'RE USING EVENT BYTE, QR CODES AND VISITOR SERVICE. 
          ANYTHING, ANY, ANY WAY THAT WE CAN CAPTURE THE DATA WITHOUT UH, YES. 
          WOULD I LOVE TO HAVE WHAT AHMAD'S USING? YES, I WOULD . 
          UM, IT IS NOT IN MY BUDGET. 
          BUT THE OTHER PIECE TOO, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE PARTNER, WE PARTNER IN ALL THESE EVENTS. 
          WE INVITE FOLKS IN AHAD, LUANA, UH, LOUISE, A NUMBER OF FOLKS TEACH OUR CLASSES. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THEY ARE A PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING ON A REGULAR BASIS. 
          WHEN SOMEONE COMES INTO THE LIBRARY AND GOES, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO ON HILTON HEAD, THAT HAS TO DO WITH HISTORY AND CULTURE. 
          THIS IS WHAT THEY WALK AWAY WITH. 
          AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE EVERYBODY'S BACK PARTS, PAMPHLETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO WE SHARE THAT WITH EVERYBODY WHO COMES IN. 
          IT IS NOT JUST OUR INFORMATION THAT WE GIVE OUT. 
          YOU WILL NOT SEE THE, UH, MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK RACK CARD BECAUSE, UM, I RAN OUT ON FRIDAY AND I HAVEN'T REACHED AMAD TO SAY, HEY, I NEED MORE RACK CARDS. 
          BUT THEY ARE, YEAH, THEY ARE REGULARLY INCLUDED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY ANYTHING ELSE? I APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU GUYS HAVE, HAVE IMPROVED YOUR DATA COLLECTION. 
          YOU GUYS HAVE REACHED OUT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. 
          OH NO. 
          WE HAVE, WE HAVE TRIED EVERY WHICH WAY THAT WE CAN TO COLLECT NUMBERS WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT INVESTING. 
          YEAH, WITHOUT INVESTING MONEY. 
          THAT I DON'T REALLY HAVE IN, UH,  IN, BUT LIKE I SAID, YEAH, I'D LOVE TO. 
          I'D LOVE TO GET THAT DATA. 
          ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT, UP NEXT WE HAVE THE HILTON HEAD, AUDUBON SOCIETY. 
          HELLO. 
          HI, I AM SIERRA GUSTAFSON. 
          I'M ON THE BOARD OF HILTON HEAD AUDUBON, ONE OF THE SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS. 
          I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD SINCE 2022. 
          SHORTLY AFTER I MOVED TO THE ISLAND. 
          I HAVE A FINANCIAL BACKGROUND. 
          I WAS, UM, IN PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS FOCUSING ON FINANCIAL SERVICES. 
          UH, STARTED WITH PRICEWATERHOUSE. 
          SO I BRING A VERY, UH, FINANCIAL FOCUS, UM, TO THE BOARD. 
          [03:50:01]
AH, THAT IS WHO I AM. 
          THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE. 
          UM, I GUESS I'M THE ONE DOING THIS. 
          SO WHO ARE WE, UM, AT HILTON HEAD AUDUBON, WE LIKE TO SAY WE SPEAK FOR THE BURS. 
          OUR MISSION IS TO ENSURE OUR ISLAND REMAINS A SAFE, THRIVING HABITAT FOR THEM. 
          THANKS TO CHARLES FRAZIER'S ORIGINAL VISION AND THE TOWN'S CONTINUED STEWARDSHIP. 
          HILTON HEAD IS A RARE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE AND NATURE TRULY DO CO-EXIST. 
          UM, FOR US, PROTECTING THE BIRDS BEGINS WITH INSPIRING PEOPLE TO CARE. 
          WE DO THAT THROUGH FIELD TRIPS, GUIDED WALKS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. AND WE'RE ALSO, UM, VERY FORTUNATE TO BE THE STEWARDS OF A AUDUBON NEW HALL PRESERVE, UH, ONE OF THE ISLANDS, UH, NATURAL TREASURES. 
          AND NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR VOLUNTEERS AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO CONTRIBUTE WITH HANDS-ON WORK AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE. 
          WE DON'T HAVE PAID STAFF. 
          SO I'M THE ACCOUNTANT, I'M THE BOOKKEEPER. 
          I FEEL DO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, I DO THE TAX RETURNS. 
          OH, WE HAVE A WOMAN WHO'S OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AND SHE ACTUALLY RUNS HER OWN COMMUN COMMUNICATIONS FIRM AND SHE HANDLES OUR MEDIA OUTREACH AND SO ON AND SO ON. 
          OUR PRESIDENT WORKED FOR DELOITTE CONSULTING. 
          UM, SO SHE'S GREAT AT MANAGING STRATEGY AND RELATIONSHIPS. 
          SO WE ARE A VERY, VERY WORKING BOARD, AND IT'S THROUGH OUR PROFESSIONALISM AND OUR PASSION THAT HILTON HEAD AUDUBON IS WHAT IT IS TODAY. 
          SO, WANT TO START WITH AUDUBON NEW HALL PRESERVE IS, THAT IS OUR BIGGEST ASSET. 
          UM, THE STORY OF HOW AUDUBON OR HILTON HAD AUDUBON PRESERVE GOT TO BE THERE IS, IS ACTUALLY, UM, INSPIRING AND FASCINATING. 
          UM, IT STARTS WITH CAROLINE BEANIE NEWHALL. 
          SHE WAS ONE OF THE ISLAND'S FIRST NEWCOMERS, AND SHE WAS A PASSIONATE ENVIRONMENTALIST. 
          SHE FOUNDED OUR LOCAL AUDUBON CHAPTER IN 1960 AND ORGANIZED THEIR FIRST CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN, UM, AROUND THAT SAME TIME. 
          IT'S A CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON 101 YEARS. 
          AND IT'S NICE THAT, UH, HILTON HAD PARTICIPATE, HAS PARTICIPATED IN THAT FOR, OH, 65 YEARS NOW. 
          THERE WAS A INTERESTING QUOTE I FOUND IN THE ISLAND PACKET ABOUT BEANIE AND THE PRESERVE. 
          UM, AND IT SAYS, BEANIE WAS SUCH A PERSISTENT ADVOCATE THAT 1965 CHARLES FRAZIER SUCCUMBEDED TO HER YAPPING AND DONATED A 50 ACRE PIECE OF LAND TO HER AND HER HUSBAND FOR CONSERVATION IN 1974. 
          BEANIE THEN GIFTED THAT TO HILTON HEAD AUDUBON, AND WE'VE BEEN THE CARETAKERS EVER SINCE. 
          SO IT'S THANKS TO HER VISION THAT THE LAND IS PERMANENTLY PROTECTED AND A SANCTUARY FOR WILDLIFE AND VISITORS ALIKE. 
          UM, WE WELCOME 2000 VISITORS ANNUALLY TO THE PRESERVE. 
          UM, AND THEN THROUGH A TEAM OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, THEY MAINTAIN THE TRAILS, THE GARDENS, THE POLLINATOR GARDENS, LEAD BIRD WALKS, AND DO WHATEVER PHYSICAL UPKEEP IS NECESSARY. 
          AND WE'RE ALSO VERY THANKFUL TO THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX COMMITTEE WHO'S FUNDING THE LAST FEW ATEX YEARS HAS, UH, ALLOWED US TO PUT UP NEW AND IMPROVED SIGNAGE, PUT UP A KIOSK, AND IT, THE PRESERVES BECOME A MUCH MORE WELCOMING AND EDUCATIONAL PLACE. 
          THESE ARE JUST SOME COMMENTS I THREW OUT THERE TO GIVE YOU AN, A FEELING OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING BACK FROM OUR VISITORS. 
          UH, THIS YEAR. 
          UM, WE GOT ABOUT 200 COMMENTS IN OUR VISITOR LOG. 
          UH, KIND OF THE THEMES ARE PEACE, BEAUTY, AND REPEAT VISITS. 
          UM, MANY VISITORS MENTIONED THEY RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR. 
          UM, WE'VE DESCRIBED AS A HIDDEN GEM AND A FAVORITE QUIET ESCAPE. 
          SO IT'S VERY HEARTWARMING TO SEE HOW STRONGLY PEOPLE CONNECT WITH THE PLACE AND PROOF THAT THE RESERVE ENRICHES NOT JUST WILDLIFE, BUT PEOPLE'S LIVES TOO. 
          UM, SO THIS GETS INTO THE VISITOR NUMBERS. 
          THIS TOUCHES MY HEART AS AN ACCOUNTANT. 
          UM, SO WE ESTIMATED WE HAD 20,350 TOURISTS, UM, DURING THE PERIOD OF ANALYSIS. 
          SO IT'S OPEN 24 HOURS OR 365 DAYS A YEAR, SUNRISE 
          [03:55:01]
TO SUNSET. 
          UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE A A AN OFFICIAL WAY OF COUNTING OTHER THAN OUR PE OUR LOG BOOK. 
          AND WE HAVE A PEOPLE COUNTER SINCE, UH, JUNE, 2023. 
          SO WE KNOW WE COUNT THE PEOPLE COMING IN, WE FIGURE OUT WHETHER THEY'RE A TOURIST, UH, OR, UM, A LOCAL. 
          AND THAT'S HOW WE, WE GET OUR NUMBERS MAKING, DOING THAT EASIER. 
          UH, WE DO DO A LOT OF COLLABORATION. 
          UM, WE REALIZE THAT CONSERVATION SUCCEEDS WHEN ORGANIZATIONS WORK TOGETHER. 
          UM, YOU HAVE AN ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH HISTORIC MITCHELLVILLE FREEDOM PARK AND, UM, OUTSIDE FOUNDATION AND SEA HURDLE PATROL. 
          WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS. 
          AND THIS YEAR WE'VE ADDED TURTLE TRACTORS FOCUSING ON SHOREBIRD PROTECTION AND THE MASTER GARDENERS OF THE LOW COUNTRY SUPPORTING OUR BIRD FRIENDLY HABITAT INITIATIVE. 
          UH, MORE NUMBERS. 
          SO WE HAVE GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. 
          UM, AND SINCE 2021, OUR REVENUE HAS TRIPLED. 
          UM, WE'VE GROWN OUR MEMBERSHIP BASE, OUR VOLUNTEER BASE, AND OUR PROGRAMS. WE'VE REALLY TRANSFORMED INTO A MORE VIBRANT COMMUNITY CENTERED ORGANIZATION. 
          AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE MANAGED OUR FINANCIALS, FINANCES RESPONSIBLY. 
          WE'VE BUILT STRONG RESERVES WITH A CLEAR STRATEGIC PURPOSE. 
          THIS YEAR WE USED THAT FINANCIAL STRENGTH TO HIRE A CONSERVATION CONSULTANT. 
          UM, AND THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY A $10,000 GRANT FROM COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOW COUNTRY TO QUALIFY FOR THE GRANT. 
          WE HAD TO SHOW NOT ONLY STRONG FINANCIAL HEALTH, BUT THE ABILITY TO SUSTAIN THE LONG-TERM, THE, TO SUSTAIN THAT AS A LONG-TERM POSITION TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT IN THE YEARS TO COME. 
          UM, AND YOU'LL NOTICE OUR PROJECT NET INCOME NEXT YEAR IN OUR BUDGET, WE'RE GOING FROM 16 TO 16,000 TO 8,000. 
          AND THAT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING THE MONEY ON THE CONSERVATION CONSULTANT. 
          SO, IN CLOSING, THIS IS A SUMMARY OF OUR REQUEST. 
          THEY'RE NEW INITIATIVES. 
          THEY'RE THINGS, UM, THAT ARE GONNA, HE HELP US EXTEND OUR REACH AND DEEPEN OUR IMPACT. 
          UM, WE ARE FINANCIALLY STRONG AND WE'RE SIMPLY SEEKING SUPPORT TO EXPAND OUR WORK TO DO MORE FOR VISITORS, RESIDENTS, AND FOR THE ISLAND'S NATURAL HERITAGE. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR LISTEN TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THAT PRESENTATION. 
          I DO HAVE A QUESTION. 
          I'M REALLY SURPRISED THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT WITH PARK PLACE CINEMA. 
          I, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE DONE COMPLIMENTARY. 
          IT IS NOT. 
          THEY CHARGE OTHER PEOPLE FOR, THEY DON'T DO ANY CORPORATE ONES ANYMORE. 
          THEY USED TO DO CORPORATE ONES AND THEY, THEY STOPPED DOING THOSE AND THEY'LL DO PSAS AND ADVERTISE THEMSELVES AS WELL. 
          SO IS THAT WORTH THE $7,800 YOU THINK? UM, I WAS IN THE THEATER, UH, ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND LISTENING TO PEOPLE CHATTER DURING THE THINGS AND I HEARD A WOMAN SAY, OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WHEN IT CAME TO, WE CAN'T BE CHASING THE SHOREBIRDS AND THAT SORT OF STUFF. 
          SO, UM, WE'LL, WE, WE THINK IT'S, UM, USEFUL. 
          WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES. 
          WE JUST STARTED IT IN, UM, IN JULY, SO. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYONE ELSE? I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          IS THERE, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU GENERATE MOST OF YOUR REVENUE? UM, IT'S PRETTY MUCH 25% MEMBERSHIP, UM, DONATIONS, GRANTS, EITHER YOU, WE'VE GOTTEN GRANTS FROM AUDUBON AND THEN WE CHARGE FOR OUR FIELD TRIPS AND WE HAVE CERTAIN PROGRAMS WE CHARGE FOR. 
          SO IT'S FAIRLY BALANCED. 
          OKAY. 
          YEAH, I MEAN, I I I FIND THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WHEN I FIRST STARTED ON ATAC THAT I WAS JUST FASCINATED BY AND JUST SAID, WOW, THIS IS SUCH A GREAT ASSET ON THE ISLAND. 
          SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO YOU WANNA DO MORE ? THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT UP WE HAVE LEAN ENSEMBLE. 
          [04:00:02]
DO I HIT THE BIG BUTTON BUTTON IN THE MIDDLE? YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          UH, MY NAME IS BLAKE WHITE. 
          I'M THE FOUNDING, ARTISTIC AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER. 
          THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION FOR OUR ANNUAL ACCOMMODATIONS TAX APPLICATION, AS WELL AS FOR THE EFFORTS THAT YOU ALL DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO GET US TO THIS POINT. 
          LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER IS COMING OFF ITS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF FISCAL GROWTH AND WE ARE REPORTING AN 11% SURPLUS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 25, WHILE OUR TICKET SALES WERE INDEED FLAT LAST SEASON. 
          THANKS. 
          IN NO SMALL PART TO THE STORM BACK IN JANUARY, WHICH CAUSED US TO CANCEL A COUPLE OF PERFORMANCES. 
          OUR NUMBERS CONTINUE TO WORK DUE TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR INDIVIDUAL DONORS AND GRANTORS, COUPLED WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE ONGOING PLAN OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. 
          LAST YEAR INCLUDED MANY MOMENTS TO CELEBRATE, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH WAS THE HOSPITALITY NIGHT FOR OUR PRODUCTION OF SKELETON CREW, WHERE WE TRANSFORMED THE LOBBY OF THE MAIN STREET THEATER INTO A STREET FAIR, FAIR FOR LOCAL BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES. 
          THIS PARTNERSHIP IN COORDINATION WITH THE LOCAL UH, ORGANIZATION, BLACKWOOD CREATED A CROSS PROMOTION OF OUR PRODUCTION AND THEIR BUSINESSES, WHICH HOPEFULLY IS STILL FEELING BENEFITS TODAY. 
          OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SAW CONSIDERABLE GROWTH LAST YEAR, THANKS TO OUR FOCUS ON THE CONTINUING EVOLUTION OF MARKETING AS WELL AS AS ITS DIGITAL IMPRINT. 
          SPEAKING OF MARKETING, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OTHER LOCAL, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA, HILTON HEAD, SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, THE CHORAL SOCIETY, THE ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND ON AND ON AND ON. 
          AND WHEN I SAY WORK WITH, I MEAN THAT IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY. 
          WE DO E-BLAST TRADES, WE DO PRINT AD TRADES, WE DO SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, AND I ALSO MEAN WORK ON ACTUAL PROJECTS. 
          JUST ME ALONE. 
          I CURRENTLY SIT ON THE BOARD OF THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. 
          I'M DIRECTING A CONCERT FOR THEM IN FEBRUARY. 
          AND I'M ALSO LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET TO BE DIRECTING A PRODUCTION AT THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA IN JANUARY. 
          THIS COMING SEASON, LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER WILL HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE LOW COUNTRY CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS, THE ISLAND WRITERS NETWORK AND SPIRIT OF SEBASTIAN. 
          THIS COMING SPRING, OUR PRODUCTION OF THE REGIONAL PREMIER OF SEAN DANIELS, THE WHITE CHIP WILL BE A CO-PRODUCTION WITH SAVANNAH REPERTORY THEATER. 
          WE'RE GONNA START PERFORMANCES HERE ON HILTON HEAD IN MARCH, AND THEN WE WILL MOVE IT OVER RIGHT AFTER EASTER TO SAVANNAH. 
          AND WE ARE CONVINCED THAT ONCE SAVANNAH AUDIENCES SEE OUR WORK, THEY WILL START COMING OVER TO THE ISLAND WITH GREATER FREQUENCY TO KEEP SEEING IT. 
          LAST YEAR, WE GO, WE COMPLETED WORK ON OUR NEWEST THREE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WHICH IS ALREADY UNDERWAY, ASSURING THE HEALTHY CONTINUATION OF LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER FAR INTO THE FUTURE. 
          ONE OF THE MANY BYPRODUCTS OF THIS STRATEGIC PLAN IS A NEW PROGRAM GEARED TOWARDS CREATING A SPACE FOR EVERYONE IN THE THEATER. 
          AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CALLING THE BRIDGE SERIES, WHICH ARE GONNA BE A SERIES OF FREE ONE NIGHT ONLY STAGED READINGS THAT BRING OUR COMMUNITY INTO THE ROOM WHERE THEATER BEGINS WITH SCRIPTS IN HAND AND MINIMAL STAGING ACTORS. 
          AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO FOCUS HEAVILY ON LOCAL ACTORS FOR THESE EVENTS. 
          HIGHLIGHT STORY PERFORMANCE CONVERSATION IN THEIR PUREST FORMS. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ARE OFF TO A GOOD START FOR SALES WITH SEASON PACKAGES, CURRENTLY RUNNING ABOUT 8% AHEAD OF THIS TIME LAST YEAR. 
          AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL TICKETS FOR OUR SEASON OPENER, WHICH IS A COMEDY CALLED THE ROOMMATE BY JEN SILVERMAN. 
          THAT OPENS OCTOBER 31ST AND THOSE TICKETS ARE ABOUT 5% AHEAD OF ONE YEAR AGO. 
          AND FOR SOME REASON, THIS IS HOW AI GENERATES TWO GRAPHS TO SHOW A DIFFERENCE OF 5% . 
          THE COMING YEAR IS NOT GOING TO BE WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES. 
          FINDING THE APPROPRIATE PERFORMANCE SPACE CONTINUES TO BE A STRUGGLE. 
          DESPITE THE WELL-INTENTIONED EFFORTS OF HILTON HEAD PREPARATORY SCHOOL, WHICH ARE THE OWNERS OF OUR PRIMARY PERFORMANCE VENUE, THE MAIN STREET THEATER, THE CALENDAR CONTINUES TO SHIFT AWAY FROM OUR FAVOR AND WE EVOLVE AS BEST WE CAN, UTILIZING OTHER SPACES, INCLUDING SOUND WAVES OVER AT THE ORCHESTRA. 
          AND AS IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH, OUR REHEARSAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE AT 32 OFFICE PARK ROAD IS NOW THREATENED DUE TO TERMITE AND MOISTURE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. 
          THE FIRST TWO FLOORS OF THAT BUILDING WERE EVACUATED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. 
          FORTUNATELY, OUR SPACE IS ON THE GROUND FLOOR, SO AS LONG AS THE BUILDING DOES NOT COLLAPSE ON TOP OF US, WE WILL BE OKAY. 
          LEAN ENSEMBLE THEATER IS CELEBRATING OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY, SEASON FIVE PRODUCTIONS, FOUR HILTON HEAD ISLAND PREMIERES AND OUR FIRST EVER REVIVAL. 
          [04:05:01]
I STARTED THIS ORGANIZATION TO TELL STORIES THAT AUDIENCES DID NOT KNOW THAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR. 
          IT CONTINUES TO GROW BEYOND WHAT I COULD HAVE IMAGINED, DESPITE A PANDEMIC POLITICAL AND ARTISTIC WHIPLASH, A LOCAL POPULATION OVERHAUL, AND NOW MOISTURE AND TERMITES. 
          I THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING US GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND I ALSO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GET TO WHERE WE WILL BE GOING IN THE FUTURE. 
          AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. 
          ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, BLAKE, THAT I NOTICED THAT YOU GUYS ALWAYS UTILIZE YOUR FULL GRANT AND, UM, IN ABOUT FIVE MONTHS, THAT, THAT MAKES, THAT MAKES THINGS EASIER FOR US, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE CUTS TO KNOW WHAT SOMEBODY'S ACTUALLY SPENDING OUT OF THEIR GRANT. 
          GREAT. 
          AND, UM, SO, UM, IT JUST SHOWS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY USING THAT MONEY TO TRY AND PROMOTE YOURSELVES AND PROMOTE THE ISLAND. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          ANYONE ELSE? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT OF YOUR DAY. 
          OH, IT'S BREAK TIME. 
          TAKE 10. 
          AND WITH THAT IT'S UH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 20 MINUTE BREAK AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK THE PARADE HERE A LITTLE BIT EARLY. 
          ARE YOU GUYS PREPARED TO PRESENT A LITTLE EARLY? WE'RE READY. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, LET'S, UH, HAVE HILTON HEAD ST. 
          PATRICK'S DAY PARADE. 
          YES. 
          JUST WANNA COME UP. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          I AM KIM CAPIN. 
          JIM FERRIER, GABRIELLE MUTING, BE ANN CAROL OVER HERE. 
          UH, WE REPRESENT THE HILTON AND ISLAND ST. 
          PATRICK'S DAY PARADE. 
          UM, THIS WAS A TOUGH YEAR FOR US. 
          WE GOT RAIN. 
          NOW. 
          THAT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THIS EVENT THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE OF WEATHER. 
          UM, WE DID HAVE TWO YEARS. 
          WE COULDN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE OF COVID. 
          UM, BUT THIS WAS FIRST FOR US. 
          AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WERE READY TO GO, WE'RE READY TO GO. 
          THAT MORNING WE SAT TALKING WITH TOWN OFFICIALS AND BEAVER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION TO CANCEL. 
          UM, THAT MORNING WE HAD VOLUNTEERS ON SITE. 
          WE HAD BANDS AND PARTICIPANTS ON ROUTE. 
          WE HAD PORTALS IN PLACE, EVERYTHING WAS READY TO GO. 
          SO IT'S KIND OF A HEARTBREAKING DAY. 
          BUT, UM, IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WE, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A CHOICE. 
          UM, SO THAT WAS UNFORTUNATE. 
          UM, BUT WE'RE READY. 
          SO THAT GIVES US REALLY A SECOND CHANCE TO HOLD OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR. 
          THIS PARADE WAS STARTED BACK IN 1983. 
          PRAYED FOUNDER TOM RILEY, UM, WHO ALSO, UNFORTUNATELY WE LOST THIS YEAR. 
          UM, SO IT'S A BIG YEAR COMING UP. 
          YOU KNOW, A LOT FOR US, A LOT FOR US TO CELEBRATE AND TO REMEMBER. 
          UM, WE HAVE, IT'S ALSO, THIS IS, THIS WILL BE MY 40TH YEAR AS A VOLUNTEER FOR THE PARADE AS I STARTED WHEN I WAS 12. 
          UM, NOT REALLY. 
          SO THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE DAY IS, EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAD TO CANCEL THE EVENT, THERE'S A LOT THAT WENT ON IN TOWN. 
          THERE WERE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT WERE STILL VERY BUSY THAT DAY BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE READY, READY TO ENJOY THE EVENT AND COME OUT AND, UH, CELEBRATE ST. 
          PATRICK'S DAY. 
          SO WE KNOW MANY OF THE LOCAL BUSINESSES CAPITALIZED ON THE CROWDS AND HAD SUCCESSFUL DAYS. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, FOR US IT, YOU KNOW, IT MEANT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. 
          A LOT OF THINGS WE HAD TO CANCEL. 
          UM, A LOT OF THINGS WE COULDN'T DO. 
          ONE BEING OUR PARADE SURVEY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PARADE. 
          SO WE DON'T HAVE AN UPDATED SURVEY FOR YOU. 
          WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH, UM, USCB TO DO CONDUCT A SURVEY FOR US IN 2026. 
          UH, SO WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD VARIOUS SUCCESS WITH THAT OVER THE YEARS JUST BECAUSE IT USUALLY FALLS AT THE SAME TIME AS SPRING BREAK FOR THE COLLEGE. 
          AND SO THEY DON'T NECESSARILY GET THE SAME NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS. 
          BUT WE'RE HOPING, WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'S GONNA WORK WELL THIS YEAR. 
          'CAUSE WE'VE TRIED MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. 
          AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US FOR THE SURVEY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF OUR EVENT, WE CAN'T FENCE IT OFF. 
          WE CAN'T COLLECT, YOU KNOW, ZIP CODES AS PEOPLE ARRIVE. 
          'CAUSE THEY COME IN FROM EVERYWHERE. 
          UM, SO WE'VE TRIED MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL ONE WITH USCB THIS COMING YEAR. 
          UM, THE OTHER THINGS WE'RE FOCUSING ON, WE ADDED, UH, SOME BARRIERS LAST YEAR WORKING WITH THE TOWN AND WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO ADD SOME WATER BARRIERS ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE IN AREAS THAT THEY FELT MIGHT BE, UM, AT RISK. 
          AND, UM, WE ARE INCREASING THAT THIS COMING YEAR. 
          WE WANT TO HAVE MORE OF THAT IN ANY AREA THAT WE FEEL IT'S 
          [04:10:01]
NEEDED. 
          AND, UH, INCREASED FENCING ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE. 
          AS ALWAYS, SAFETY FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATORS IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. 
          UM, NUMBER TWO IS A FAMILY FRIENDLY, FUN EVENT THAT PROMOTES LOCAL BUSINESSES, UM, AND GIVES EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THOSE LOCAL BUSINESSES. 
          AND A LOT OF EXPOSURE FOR THEM WHO ARE IN THE PARADE. 
          NONPROFITS, UM, WE BRING IN A LOT OF BANDS FROM OTHER PLACES. 
          WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT. 
          JIM, YOU WANNA TELL US WHO'S COMING THIS YEAR SO FAR? ME? YEAH. 
          , JIM'S OUR BAND. 
          WHAT DO WE CALL YOU? WE HAVE, I DON'T KNOW, CALL, UM, THIS YEAR IT'S KIND OF TOUGH BECAUSE WE HAVE THE, UH, 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
          SO LIKE, UM, F-D-N-Y-N-Y-P-D, BOSTON POLICE, THEY'RE STUCK UP THERE WITH CELEBRATIONS. 
          SO WE HAD TO REACHING OUT AND WE'VE GOT, UH, BORDER PATROL COMING PIPE AND DRUM BAND FROM TEXAS. 
          UM, GOT A HIGH SCHOOL BAND. 
          IT'S PROBABLY IN THE TOP FIVE IN THE COUNTRY. 
          THERE'S 130 OF THEM COMING FROM ORLANDO. 
          UM, WE'VE GOT THE CHARLESTON POLICE, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY PIPE BAND, UM, ATLANTA, SAVANNAH, UM, AND ALSO, UM, DISTRICT, COLUMBIAN DISTRICT OUT OF, UH, I THINK THEY'RE RIGHT UP NORTH OF MANHATTAN. 
          POLICE PIPING DRUM. 
          THEY'RE COMING. 
          SO EXPECT US TO BE EVEN BIGGER NEXT YEAR IF WE CAN GET THERE. 
          SO THAT'S, I MEAN, REALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO, YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANNA MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE PUBLIC EVERY YEAR. 
          BETTER FOR THE PARTICIPANTS AND, UM, SUCCESSFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO WE ARE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL DO. 
          ONE MORE THING FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          SORRY, ONE MORE THING. 
          ONE MORE THING. 
          UM, BESIDES THE BANDS, UH, WE HAVE OTHER ENTERTAINMENT. 
          THE CLYDESDALES FROM BUDWEISER HAVE BEEN INVITED. 
          UH, THE OFFICIAL, UH, IDAHO POTATO, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S SEEN THAT, THAT'S BEEN HERE THREE TIMES. 
          IT'S VERY LARGE, RIGHT? ? NO, IT'S UH, IT'S PENCILED US IN ON THEIR SCHEDULE. 
          THE WIER MOBILE HAS BEEN, UH, REQUESTED IN MR. PEANUT AND THE PEANUT MO AND THERE'S A POSSIBILITY WE MIGHT GET SOME DISNEY CHARACTERS. 
          NO. 
          SAVANNAH BANANAS, THOUGH. 
          THERE ARE, NOW THAT THEY'VE ANNOUNCED THEIR SCHEDULE, ALL SIX TEAMS ARE OUT OF, OUT OF TOWN. 
          SO, SO WHAT QUESTIONS CAN WE ANSWER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HOW MANY EXHIBITORS DO YOU HAVE OR PARTICIPANTS DO YOU HAVE ANNUALLY? BALLPARK. 
          GABRIELLE WHAT ABOUT 120? YEAH. 
          120. 
          120. 
          AND FOR 2025 THEY WERE ALL IN HOUSE. 
          THEY WERE ALL HERE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          YEAH. 
          SO THEY TRAVELED HERE AND STAYED IN OUR HOTELS AND THE HOMES AND VILLAGE. 
          OH YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT. 
          THE RECORD. 
          AS DO ALL THE BANDS. 
          THEY WERE STILL HERE. 
          THEY WERE ALL HERE. 
          SOME OF THE BANDS PARTICIPATED. 
          I WE HAD A COUPLE OF THE BANDS PLAY IN LOCAL BUSINESSES. 
          RIGHT. 
          THEY WENT AROUND 'CAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY HERE. 
          SO THERE WAS A SPINOFF TO BUSINESSES THAT STILL ENJOYED GREAT SUCCESSES BECAUSE OF THE YEAH. 
          IT WAS STILL A SUCCESSFUL DAY, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN COLIGNY. 
          'CAUSE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING CLEARS OUT DURING THE PARADE. 
          TWO HOURS OF THE PARADE, THEN THEY GO BACK. 
          WELL, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT. 
          AND AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, THE LOCALS DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE WEATHERMAN. 
          SO MY OTHER CO COMMENT QUESTION IS, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 40 YEARS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I KNOW. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IT'S ESPECIALLY TOUGH WITH TOM'S, UM, LEAVING AT THIS COMMUNITY. 
          THE ICONIC TOM. 
          IT WAS DIANE. 
          THE, THE, UH, SHE'S THE GRAND MARSHALL. 
          DIANE WAS OUR GRAND MARSHAL. 
          AND SO WE, SHE WILL REMAIN OUR GRAND MARSHAL SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PARADE. 
          SHE'LL BE OUR GRAND MARSHAL FOR 2020 SIX'S. 
          GREAT. 
          ALSO, WE WERE VOTED, UM OH, THAT'S RIGHT. 
          THE NUMBER ONE FESTIVAL IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA OVER YOU. 
          WERE THE BEST OF SOUTH CAROLINA WINNER IN THE FESTIVALS CATEGORY. 
          WELL, CONGRATS. 
          I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURPRISED. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYONE ELSE? I, UM, IT'S FAR, I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR YOU TO TRACK VISITORS TO IT, BUT I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT. 
          GO TO THE EVENTS THAT THERE ARE, DO YOU HAVE ANY BALLPARK NUMBERS OF WHAT IT ATTRACTS IN 24? I THINK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ESTIMATED SOMEWHERE AROUND A LITTLE OVER 40,000 ON POPE AVENUE. 
          I THINK THEY MAY HAVE ESTIMATED A LITTLE HIGH, BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY WE HAD AT LEAST YEAH, THAT WAS PACKED. 
          YEAH. 
          I, I THINK THAT LEND ITSELF TO HAVING THE CLY SKILLS. 
          YEAH. 
          I I THOUGHT LAST YEAR WAS REALLY BUSY. 
          YEAH. 
          I QUICK QUESTION THE INCREASE OF $20,000 YEAR OVER YEAR, UH, WHAT CAN THAT BE ATTRIBUTED TO? 
          [04:15:01]
UH, THE INCREASE OF WHAT I REQUEST IS YES MA'AM. 
          THIS YEAR IT'S FOUR BARRIERS WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE TOWN TO, TO GET THE FENCING AND THE BARRIERS AND THEY DON'T HAVE 'EM. 
          I MEAN, THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE 'EM. 
          IT'S GOTTA BE RENTED. 
          UM, IN ORDER TO INCREASE ANY OF THAT, THE ONLY WAY, UNLESS THE, THE TOWN PURCHASES OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PURCHASES IT, THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO GET IT IS TO RENT IT. 
          IT'S NOT STUFF WE CAN BUY. 
          UM, AND THAT'S A BIG, UM, IT'S A BIG EXPENSE TO HAVE IT BROUGHT IN. 
          THERE WERE WATER BARRIERS AND THEN THEY'VE GOT TO BE DRUG OUT AND, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS THEY ENCLOS TRAFFIC AND FILLED WITH WATER, IT'S, UM, QUITE A BIG EXPENSE. 
          THAT OTHER PART OF THAT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE MARKETING. 
          UH, WE HAVE USED, UM, SUCCESSFULLY THE PAST COUPLE YEARS. 
          SOME GEOTARGETING, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TRIAD DESIGN GROUP AND THEY, UM, HAVE DONE GEOTARGETING FOR DIFFERENT IRISH FESTIVALS. 
          UM, AND WE WANT 'EM TO GO A LITTLE BIT MORE OUTSIDE, A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE MARKETS THAT ARE DRIVABLE DISTANCES, YOU KNOW, NORTH CHARLESTON, COLUMBIA, DIFFERENT AREAS THAT HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD OF US AND GO TO FOR OTHER FESTIVALS, FOR OTHER EVENTS THAT, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE THAT GO TO FESTIVALS LIKE TO GO TO THINGS. 
          YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE TO GO TO ALL KINDS. 
          I DON'T JUST LIMIT TO ONE, YOU KNOW, ONE TYPE. 
          I'LL GO TO CINCO DE MAYO, I'LL GO TO ST. 
          PATRICKS DAY, I'LL GO ANYWHERE. 
          SO I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL, WE WANNA GET A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPOSURE IN THAT REGARD. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND CAN I JUST, UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE ALL KNOW THE VALUE AND THE RETURN ON THE, ON THE PARADE. 
          SO IT'S A, IT'S A GIVEN, BUT, UM, YOU MIGHT NEED TO RECONCILE SOME OF THE, UH, CATEGORY TWO AND CATEGORY FOUR EXPENSES. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, WITH THE TOWN STAFF, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FULL AMOUNT. 
          YOU'RE ASKING FOR. 
          UM, SO JUST, UM, YOU, YOU, YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO GET WITH, UM, MICHELLE OR, OR SOMEBODY OVER THERE AND JUST RECONCILE WHAT, UM, THE DISCREPANCY IS OF 'CAUSE TURK IS, 'CAUSE THE, THE MAX OUT AMOUNT WE'RE SEEING ALLOWED REIMBURSABLE ON THE $40,000 A CATEGORY TWO IS 27,365 AND, AND ON 30,000 IS 22,000. 
          I'M SURE IT'S JUST A CLERICAL THING, BUT, UM, IF YOU GET WITH THEM OKAY. 
          YOU CAN RECONCILE THAT SO THAT WE CAN, WE'RE AT LEAST ALLOWED TO GIVE A FULL AMOUNT. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, JUST, JUST GIVING YOU A HEADS UP ABOUT IT. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, ANY, ANYBODY ELSE? THAT'S IT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANKS FOR ALL YOU GUYS. 
          WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          AND WE HOPE YOU'LL ALL COME OUT NEXT YEAR. 
          WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN ON OUR REVIEWING STAND IF YOU WOULD LIKE, COME OUT AND DO THE PARADE SO YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          NEXT UP WE HAVE FIRST T OF THE LOW COUNTRY. 
          THEY'RE NOT HERE YET. 
          OKAY. 
          EXCUSE MYSELF. 
          DON NEEDS TO RECUSE FROM THIS AND HE ALSO HAS A, AN IMPORTANT MEETING THAT HE HAS TO GET AT. 
          SO THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT HERE, BUT ARTLEY IS. 
          UM, YEAH. 
          WOULD ARTLEY LIKE TO PRESENT RIGHT NOW? SURE. 
          OKAY. 
          SHE, YES. 
          I SEE YOU NEXT WEEK. 
          OKAY. 
          PERFECT. 
          YEP. 
          GOOD. 
          OKAY. 
          READY? YES. 
          UM, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          MY NAME IS KRISTEN MCINTOSH. 
          I'M WITH ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD. 
          UM, FIRST OFF, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON. 
          UM, FOR OVER 50 YEARS, ART LEAGUE OF HILTON HEAD HAS BEEN THE CREATIVE CORE OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND. 
          WE HAVE, WE'RE THE ONLY NON-PROFIT WITH A GALLERY AND A TEACHING ACADEMY. 
          WE'RE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          AND BOTH PLACES ARE A PLACE TO CONNECT, LEARN, AND BE INSPIRED. 
          OUR MISSION IS INSPIRING THE VISUAL ARTS THROUGH FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS VISITORS. 
          THROUGH EXHIBITIONS, EDUCATION AND PARTNERSHIPS, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO FLOWS THROUGH THAT MISSION. 
          WE CONNECT TRAVELERS TO LOCAL CULTURE, GIVE ARTISTS A PLACE TO THRIVE AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT HILTON HEAD IS AS RICH IN CREATIVITY AS IT IS IN NATURAL BEAUTY. 
          OUR GALLERY WE RENT FROM THE ART CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA FEATURES, FEATURES OVER 250 LOCAL ARTISTS. 
          UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE OPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY AND WE CHANGE OUR EXHIBIT EVERY MONTH. 
          SO WHETHER YOU COME IN JANUARY OR JULY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENT EXHIBIT. 
          WE'RE PROUD THAT 58% 
          [04:20:01]
OF OUR 2024 ATTENDEES WERE, UM, TOURISTS. 
          AND THAT'S UP 2% YEAR OVER YEAR. 
          AND PEOPLE REALLY DO TRAVEL TO THE LOW COUNTRY AND WANT TO EXPERIENCE LOCAL ART. 
          WANT TO, HERE ARE THE POST, OH, THIS DIDN'T WORK RIGHT. 
          UM, THE, HERE ARE ALL THE POSTCARDS FROM OUR 2024 EXHIBITS USING AT TAX MARKETING FUNDS. 
          THIS IS THE FIRST TIER OF OUR ADVERTISEMENTS. 
          AND FROM HERE WE ADVERTISE, UM, LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY. 
          AND WE HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 12 TO 14 EXHIBITS ANNUALLY JUST IN OUR GALLERY. 
          AND THEN SPECIAL EVENTS AT OUR ACADEMY. 
          AND THOSE ARE USUALLY MORE PARTNER FOCUSED, LIKE OUR EVENT WITH SEA TURTLE PATROL LAST YEAR AND WE DID A SHOW WITH CLEMSON EXTENSION. 
          UM, ONCE EVERY OTHER YEAR WE HAVE OUR VIENNA NATIONAL JURIED SHOW. 
          SO THIS IS A HIGHLIGHT FOR US. 
          THIS PAST ONE, THIS PAST MAY WAS OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL YET WE ATTRACTED OVER A THOUSAND ENTRIES FROM 41 STATES, WHICH IS UP 60% OVER OUR 23 VIENNA. 
          AND HERE IS A PICTURE OF, UM, OUR WINNER SHAKING OUR JUDGE'S HAND, TONY ARMANDA FROM CHICAGO. 
          THE SECOND TIER OF OUR MISSION IS, UM, OUR ACADEMY IS EDUCATION. 
          WE WELCOME STUDENTS FROM ALL SKILL LEVELS AND WE OFFER ALMOST EVERY MEDIA FROM JEWELRY MAKING TO PHOTOGRAPHY AND SCULPTURE AND PAINTING. 
          IN 2024, WE HAD 1200 STUDENTS AND 28% OF THOSE WERE TOURISTS. 
          WE OFFER WEEKLY CLASSES, AND THESE ARE KIND OF THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR ACADEMY. 
          UH, MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE VISITORS AND THEY EXTEND THEIR TRIPS OR ENHANCE THEM BY TAKING CLASSES AND SOME RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR TO TAKE A CLASS FROM THEIR FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR. 
          WE ALSO BRING IN GUEST WORKSHOPS, UM, GUEST INSTRUCTORS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 
          THEY'RE ALL NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND THESE CALIBER OF INSTRUCTORS BRING IN THEIR OWN FOLLOWINGS. 
          SO YOU'RE GETTING STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. 
          AND THIS IS TRULY ONE OF THE CLEAREST EXAMPLES OF AT TAX DOLLARS GENERATING TRUE CULTURAL TOURISM. 
          AND PART OF THAT EDUCATION TIER OF OUR MISSION IS WE DO HAVE AN ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP. 
          THIS YEAR WE AWARDED $3,000 TO KAY TALI. 
          SHE'S OUR SECOND AWARD WINNER IN A ROW THAT IS ATTENDING SCAD. 
          SO WE LIKE TO, UM, SUPPORT THE NEXT GENERATION OF ARTISTS AND CULTURAL LEADERS. 
          THE THIRD TIER OF OUR MISSION IS PARTNERSHIPS. 
          AND WE DO PARTNER A LOT, A LOT OF THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS DO. 
          SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE MORE RECENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'VE PARTNERED WITH AND IT JUST KIND OF HELPS EXPAND, UM, FUNDRAISING FOR THOSE NONPROFITS THROUGH ART OR MAKING SURE THAT ART IS ACCESSIBLE ACROSS THE ISLAND. 
          HERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF HOW OUR 24 A TAX GRANT. 
          THE 75,000 WE WERE AWARDED WAS SPENT, UM, THROUGH PRINT ADVERTISING. 
          A LOT OF ONLINE MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          OUR GOOGLE ANALYTICS SHOW A STEADY GROWTH ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          IN 2024, WE HAD 48,000 UNIQUE USERS. 
          THAT'S A 7% INCREASE FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. 
          AND THESE AREN'T JUST CLICKS, THEY'RE TRAVELERS THAT ARE RESEARCHING CLASSES, EVENTS AND PLANNING THEIR VISITS. 
          OUR SOCIAL MEDIA EXPLODED LAST YEAR. 
          UM, IN 2024 WE REACHED 1.78 MILLION IMPRESSIONS. 
          AND THAT'S MORE THAN DOUBLE FROM 2023. 
          UM, THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CHAMBER, HILTON HEAD, HILTON HEAD ISLAND.COM AND PLANAR MAGAZINE WERE MARKETING HILTON HEAD AS A CULTURAL ASSET NATIONWIDE. 
          AND THEN CUMULATIVELY OUR CAMPAIGNS GENERATED OVER 3 MILLION DIGITAL IMPRESSIONS LAST YEAR. 
          THIS JUST ENSURES THAT HILTON HEAD IS TOP OF MIND FOR TRAVELERS SEEKING AN AUTHENTIC, ENRICHING VACATION EXPERIENCE. 
          AND WITH SOMETHING HAPPENING EVERY DAY, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW FOR THEM TO COME AND ENJOY. 
          THIS IS PATRON BY TYPE IS ONE OF OUR CLEAR INDICATORS OF SUCCESS. 
          UM, JUST TRACKING SINCE 2019. 
          YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PATRONS. 
          WE DIPPED AGAIN, OF COURSE DURING COVID, BUT WE'RE SLOWLY GAINING MOMENTUM. 
          BUT 58% OF OUR GALLERY PATRONS WERE TOURISTS AND 14% WERE VISITORS IN 28% WERE LOCALS. 
          THEY CAME FROM 29 
          [04:25:01]
STATES PLUS SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES. 
          I ALWAYS MONITOR OUR COST PER TOURISTS. 
          WE, UM, WE'RE UNDER $5 AND THEN COVID HAPPENED. 
          WE REMAINED THE SAME THIS YEAR, WHICH, UM, IS KIND OF A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ATTENDANCE AND TOURISM WAS DOWN AND WE WERE ABLE TO AT LEAST MAINTAIN. 
          BUT WE ARE ADDING ADDITIONAL EVENTS WITH OUR STUDIO TOUR AND OUR PLAIN AIR PAINT OUT COMING UP THAT WE HOPE WILL HELP GET BACK DOWN TO THAT UNDER $5 GOAL. 
          OUR TUITION IS RIGHT ON TREND AND GROWING WITH THE NUMBER OF VISITORS. 
          UM, AND THAT'S ALSO ART SALES. 
          SO THAT DEMAND IS STILL GROWING STEADILY. 
          AND YOU CAN SEE JUST FROM THIS CHART WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE FROM. 
          WE EXTEND REACH FAR BEYOND SOUTH CAROLINA. 
          IN 2024. 
          STUDENTS CAME FROM 33 STATES PLUS CANADA. 
          THEY TRAVEL HERE FOR MULTI-DAY WORKSHOPS AND EACH CLASS SUPPORTS LODGING, DINING, AND RETAIL. 
          'CAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS HOURS. 
          UM, AND THIS IS OUR ACADEMY TRULY IS A TOURISM GENERATOR AND IT CAN GROW EVEN MORE WITH SUPPORT FROM ATEX. 
          HERE'S SOME DATA JUST FROM A HANDFUL OF OUR WORKSHOPS. 
          SO THE FIGURES REPRESENT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THAT CLASS, AND THE RED FIGURE IS A TOURIST. 
          UM, BEHIND THESE YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED HILTON HEAD, IF NOT FOR THESE ART CLASSES, BUT THEY COME FOR ART AND LEAVE WITH MEMORIES AND RETURN AND WANT TO RETURN. 
          SHE CAN JUST SEE SOME OF THEM ARE VERY POPULAR AND AS I SAID, THEY DO BRING IN A HUGE FOLLOWING. 
          UM, WE'RE DEEPLY PROUD OF THESE RESULTS. 
          THEY PROVE THAT A TAX FUNDING WORKS AND THAT YOUR INVESTMENT BRINGS PEOPLE HERE. 
          IT SUPPORTS OUR ARTISTS AND STRENGTHENS OUR IDENTITY. 
          BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE PROGRAMS THEMSELVES ARE THE FACILITIES THAT THEY HAPPEN IN. 
          AND OUR ACADEMY IS MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING. 
          IT'S A COMMUNITY HUB, A GATHERING PLACE, AND OFTEN THE VERY FIRST CONNECTION THAT VISITORS HAVE WITH HILTON HEADS ART SCENE. 
          THAT IS WHY THE ADDITIONAL 20,000 THAT WE REQUESTED THIS YEAR MEANS SO MUCH. 
          IT WOULD ALLOW US TO REVAMP THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING AND REBUILD OUR BACK DECK AND ADD A FULLY A DA ACCESSIBLE RAMP THAT WOULD CREATE A SAFER, MORE BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENT AND MAKE IT MORE INCLUSIVE FOR EVERYONE. 
          UM, THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL HELP US WELCOME MORE VISITORS, HOST LARGER WORKSHOPS, AND ATTRACT TOP TIER INSTRUCTORS. 
          THEY ALSO GIVE OUR BUILDING THE SAME ONE THAT OPENED IN 1980 AS THE ISLAND'S FIRST REC CENTER. 
          A MUCH NEEDED FACELIFT THAT IS WORTHY OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK HAPPENING INSIDE. 
          AND THIS IS THE KIND OF INVESTMENT THAT DOESN'T JUST IMPROVE APPEARANCES. 
          IT WOULD HELP US ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH TO TRULY SHOW WHAT THE ACADEMY MEANS TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR INSTRUCTORS, AND OUR VISITORS. 
          I'D LIKE TO SHOW JUST A SHORT VIDEO OF WHAT THE ACADEMY MEANS TO THEM. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          HOPE IT'S NOT TOO LOUD. 
          YOU KNOW, WHERE WE HAVE A COMMUNITY HERE IN HILTON HEAD ART LEAGUE ACADEMY, THE ACADEMY IS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, WHETHER THEY'RE TRAINED, THEY'RE NOT TRAINED, THEY'RE JUST STARTING OUT. 
          PEOPLE HAVE A HIDDEN DESIRE TO DO SOME ARTWORK. 
          IT'S SOMETIME IN THEIR LIFE MOVING HERE, RETIRING NEEDED TO PICK UP A LITTLE HOBBY. 
          THIS HAS FILLED MY NICHE. 
          I STARTED AT THE ART LEAGUE, UH, JUST BEFORE MY 30TH BIRTHDAY. 
          I WANTED TO DO A SHOW. 
          THIS IS WHERE WE GET TO CREATE AND EXPRESS OUR MUSES IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          IT'S KIND OF THE CENTER OF THE ART UNIVERSE HERE ON THE ISLAND. 
          I THINK IT'S SUCH A GREAT LOCATION. 
          IT'S A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE BEACH AT CORD AND DION. 
          IT WAS THE ISLAND'S FIRST REC CENTER BACK THEN IT WAS CREATION STATION. 
          HAVE A PLACE FOR EVERYBODY TO COME TOGETHER AND LEARN AND SELL. 
          YOUR ARTWORK IS SO IMPORTANT. 
          AS AN ART EDUCATOR NOW FOR 35 YEARS, MY GOAL IS TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD HOW IMPORTANT OUR MARKS ARE. 
          OUR ART IS WHAT DOCUMENTS THE WORLD, AND I'M PROUD TO BE A LITTLE PART OF THAT. 
          I LIKE MY STUDENTS TO RELAX AND HAVE FUN. 
          MY FAVORITE LINE IS THE MUSEUM'S NOT COMING TODAY. 
          I LOVE TO SEE THEM HAPPY AND GAIN NEW FRIENDS SINCE THEY DO IN CLASS. 
          WHAT I LOVE TO TEACH MY STUDENTS IS A PLAN. 
          I GAVE THEM A LITTLE 
          [04:30:01]
PLAN. 
          YOU TAKE AS MANY DRAWING CLASSES AS YOU CAN AND TAKE ALL THE OTHER CLASSES UNTIL YOU FIND THE ONE YOU LOVE. 
          WE GOT HERE IN THE MORNING. 
          CHRIS HAD EVERYTHING SET UP FOR US. 
          WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BRING ANY SUPPLIES, WHICH WAS GREAT. 
          AND BEST OF ALL, THEY GAVE US DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO WHAT WE WOULD WANNA PAINT. 
          WE ARE PAINTING WATERCOLOR LANDSCAPES. 
          THIS IS THE FINAL PRODUCT. 
          AND NO ARTISTIC ABILITY AND NO ARTISTIC BACKDROP. 
          LIKE, NO, THEY LOOK THE COURSE. 
          MANY OF MY STUDENTS WOULD SAY I'M NOT CREATIVE OR I I'M NOT VERY GOOD. 
          AND I THINK CREATIVITY IS LIKE ANYTHING THAT WE DO. 
          IT'S SOMETHING THAT JUST HAS TO BE PRACTICED AND WORKED ON. 
          PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. 
          IT JUST GIVES, MAKES YOU MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE MEDIUM. 
          I JUST TRY TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE CONTROL OF THEIR OWN LITTLE WORLD AND THEY CAN HAVE THAT FREEDOM TO MAKE WHAT THEY WANT IN A SAFE SETTING. 
          WE LOVE THE ACADEMY, BUT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED IN ORDER TO BE THAT PREMIER ARTS DESTINATION THAT WE'RE STRIVING SO HARD FOR. 
          THE LAND THAT HOLDS THE AGAINST THE BUILDING IS ALL FALLEN AWAY DUE TO SO MANY STORMS. AND ESPECIALLY EVEN SINCE HURRICANE MATTHEW, THERE WERE NO FIRES DONE. 
          THE DECK NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY TORN DOWN AND REBUILT. 
          AND WE DON'T HAVE A A DA ACCESSIBLE EMERGENCY EXIT AS IT STANDS. 
          WE'RE LOOKING TO REBUILD IT, MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE, MAKE IT A DA COMPLIANT, AND BRING AROUND THE ENTRANCE TO THE FRONT. 
          WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT WILL ALMOST MAKE LIKE A THIRD STUDIO SPACE. 
          IT IMPROVE THE ACADEMY. 
          WE CAN OFFER MORE CLASSES, MORE INSTRUCTORS AND MORE STUDENTS WILL BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN OUR ORGANIZATION. 
          NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE HERE WHO LIVE HERE, BUT THE VISITORS, A NUMBER OF VISITORS, A HUNDRED THOUSAND SOMETIMES IN THE SUMMER A WEEK. 
          WE NEED A PLACE THAT WE CAN KEEP TEACHING AND SHOWING OUR WORK. 
          WE NEED ANGEL DONORS TO HELP KEEP IT GOING. 
          IT'S A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY ON THIS ISLAND IS REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          UH OH. 
          DID I JUST LOSE IT? . 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, THERE WE GO. 
          PERFECT. 
          ALRIGHT, SO, UM, LOOKING AHEAD, WE'RE THRILLED TO KEEP GROWING THE FALL. 
          THIS FALL ON NOVEMBER 8TH, WE'RE GOING TO RELAUNCH OUR STUDIO TOUR. 
          IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DID THE FIRST DECADE OF OUR EXISTENCE AND WE STOPPED IN 1986, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BRING THAT BACK. 
          IT'S GONNA FEATURE NINE STUDIOS, FIVE IN PRIVATE HOMES, TWO IN COMMERCIAL GALLERY SPACES, AND TWO AT OUR OWN LOCATIONS. 
          AND IT WILL FEATURE 21 ARTISTS AND IT GIVES YOU AN INTIMATE BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK OF WHERE THEY CREATE THEIR ARTWORK. 
          AND IN APRIL, 2026, WE'RE GOING TO DEBUT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND PLAIN AIR PAINT OUT. 
          AND THIS WILL BE A SIGNATURE EVENT THAT WILL BRING MORE ARTISTS AND MORE PEOPLE INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO GET TO SEE HOW PAINTERS CAPTURE OUR ISLAND'S. 
          BEAUTY. 
          IN CLOSING AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. 
          NOT JUST FOR YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT, BUT FOR BELIEVING IN THE POWER OF THE ARTS AND HOW VITAL IT IS TO HILTON HEAD'S IDENTITY. 
          YOUR PARTNERSHIP THROUGH ATEX HAS HELPED US GROW FROM A LOCAL GALLERY TO A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT DRAWS VISITORS FROM ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY. 
          AND WITH MY APPLICATION, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN 2026 AT TAX FUNDING TO CONTINUE MARKETING. 
          HILTON HAD AS A PREMIER CULTURAL DESTINATION TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR EXHIBITS, CLASSES, AND SCHOLARSHIPS AND TO HELP COMPLETE THE EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS AND A DA IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT EVERY VISITOR FEELS WELCOME. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN THE POWER OF ART AND FOR THE ARTISTS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE. 
          ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? QUESTION. 
          HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THE OTHER FACILITY? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU HAD A, A GAL. 
          ANOTHER SPOT. 
          SO WE'VE BEEN THERE. 
          THAT WAS THE, LIKE I SAID, THE ISLAND'S FIRST REC CENTER. 
          IT OPENED IN 1980 AND THEN IT RAN THAT AND THEN IT WAS A FEW OTHER RANDOM THINGS AND THEN IT BECAME CREATION STATION AND WE TOOK OVER IN 2003. 
          SO, UM, IT'S BEEN OUR FULL-TIME FACILITY, BUT IT'S NEVER BEEN UPDATED SINCE 1980. 
          HAVE YOU PLANNED TO MOVE SOME OF YOUR EXHIBITS OVER THERE OR? WE DO NOT. 
          THAT IS JUST GOING TO BE FOR OUR CLASSES. 
          UM, WE DO OCCASIONALLY HAVE SPECIAL EXHIBITS FOR OUR PARTNERS. 
          LIKE WE DO THE SEA TURTLE PATROL FUNDRAISER EVERY JULY OVER THERE. 
          UM, IT GIVES 
          [04:35:01]
US EXTRA ROOM TO DO ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING, UM, BUT WE REALLY WANNA EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF CLASSES, GET MORE PEOPLE IN. 
          UM, PEOPLE WALK BY THERE ALL THE TIME. 
          IT'S RIGHT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT BY THE BEACH AND THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT IS THIS BUILDING? IF WE JUST MADE IT LOOK A LITTLE BETTER ON THE OUTSIDE, IT MIGHT ATTRACT MORE STUDENTS AND IT REALLY JUST MEANS A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE. 
          I, I DID NOT KNOW YOU WERE DOWN THERE. 
          YEAH, I DID NOT KNOW THAT. 
          UM, I JUST HAVE ONE SUGGESTION. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, YOU KNOW, FEBRUARY HERE IS FULL OF SNOWBIRDS AND THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO. 
          YEAH. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL OFFER ANY SPECIAL PROGRAMS DURING FEBRUARY, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST YEAH. 
          LOOK AT IT. 
          SO, UM, JANUARY THROUGH MARCH WE HAVE MORE TUITION INCOME THAN THE REST OF THE YEAR COMBINED. 
          IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR MOST POPULAR TIME. 
          UM, BUT WE WANNA MAKE IT EVEN BUSIER. 
          YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE CAN HAVE TWO CLASSES GOING AT A TIME, UP TO FOUR CLASSES A DAY. 
          UM, WE JUST NEED TO PROMOTE IT MORE AND, AND IT CAN GROW. 
          IT REALLY CAN. 
          THERE IS A DEMAND. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          IF YOU DIDN'T GET THE EXTRA MONEY, THEN WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DO THE IMPROVEMENTS OR NO. 
          IF WITH THE EXTRA MONEY, THE EXTRA 20,000 YOU'RE REQUESTING? YES, SO THAT WE ALREADY HAVE BIDS. 
          I'VE GOTTEN BIDS, UM, AT LEAST THREE FROM, FOR MY BOARD FOR EVERY PROJECT WE WANNA DO. 
          AND THEN THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING ARE FOR THOSE TWO SPECIFIC PROJECTS MAKING THE EXTERIOR SAFER AND MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR THE PUBLIC. 
          ESPECIALLY SINCE, UM, IT'S SUCH A VISUAL PROPERTY TOO. 
          BUT, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY IN TOTAL TRYING TO FUNDRAISE 250,000 TO DO INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. 
          UM, WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED SOME WITH SOME FOUNDATIONAL REPAIRS AND SECURE THE, THE FACILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS WORTH INVESTING IN. 
          AND IT IS. 
          BUT UM, THIS WOULD JUST BE ANOTHER HUGE STEP THAT COULD HELP US IMMENSELY WITH THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. 
          BUT WOULD YOU STILL BE ABLE TO DO IT IF YOU COULDN'T GET THE OFFICIAL MONEY OR WE JUST, IT JUST MEANS THAT WE'D HAVE TO KEEP FUNDRAISING LONGER, YOU KNOW, BUT I MEAN, WE, WE ARE DOING IT LITTLE BY LITTLE. 
          WE'VE RAISED 50,000 IN OUR FIRST YEAR, UM, BUT 250,000 IS A LONG WAY TO GO. 
          SO LET ME ASK YOU, IN, IN YEARS PAST YOU GUYS HAVE, UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THE ART LEAGUE HAS PROPER FUNDING FOR WHAT IT, FOR WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO. 
          AND I, AND I BELIEVE THE UPGRADES ON THE EXTERIOR IMPERATIVE MM-HMM . 
          BUT IN YEARS PAST, YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN GRANTED A, A $75,000 GRANT AND ONLY SPEND $50,000 OF IT, OR $45,000 OF IT BEING THAT THIS YEAR WE HAVE TO MAKE CUTS. 
          WOULD YOU REALISTICALLY SPEND THAT WHOLE $80,000 ON YES. 
          UM, I, I THINK THIS IS MY FIFTH YEAR PRESENTING, BUT IT'S MY 10TH YEAR WITH THE ORGANIZATION AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE'VE ALWAYS SPENT THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE'VE BEEN AWARDED. 
          UM, WE WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM USING THAT EXTRA MONEY TOWARDS ESPECIALLY THIS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE A ONE TIME ASK OF COURSE. 
          IF, IF THE, IF THE, IF THE, I'M JUST ASKING JUST AS A, AS A, I MEAN, I WANT OUR, I WANT YOU GUYS TO HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED, BUT IF IT WAS, SAY YOU WERE FUNDED $70,000, SAY YOU WERE FUNDED $90,000, WOULD YOU STILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT? WOULD THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT STILL BE THAT PRIORITY? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          DEFINITELY. 
          YEAH. 
          I THINK WE, ESPECIALLY IN THE APPLICATION, WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUSTAIN OURSELVES AND EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN NEED LESS FUNDING. 
          THE ACADEMY IS WHERE WE CAN GROW AND, AND GET TO THAT SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 
          YEAH. 
          I I, I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE TO THE ACADEMY AND THEY LOVE IT. 
          YEAH. 
          IT'S AMAZING. 
          THEY COME HOME WITH OUR ARTWORK AND EVERYTHING. 
          THEY LOVE IT. 
          YEAH. 
          , UH, YEAH, JUST, I JUST, I I IT WASN'T JUST FOR YOU, I WAS JUST WONDERING RIGHT. 
          FOR ANYBODY THAT'S CONSIDERING YOUR CAPITAL UPGRADE, WHETHER THEY YEAH. 
          WOULD, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER ASKED FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT EITHER. 
          SO I WELL, IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUS. 
          IT'S, IT'S NEEDED. 
          SO YEAH. 
          . 
          ANYBODY ELSE? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ARE ANY OTHER PRESENTERS HERE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRESENT NOW? YES, I'M READY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          YOU, YOU FIRST T RIGHT? I AM, YES. 
          WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEAH. 
          BETTER GET MY, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, MY NAME IS PAT ZUCK. 
          I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FIRST TEE, THE LOW COUNTRY. 
          AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME IN TODAY AND TALK ABOUT FIRST TEE, THE LOW COUNTRY TO YOU. 
          UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS VERY LARGE ENDEAVOR. 
          AND I HOPE YOU REALIZE THE TREMENDOUS SERVICE YOU'RE PERFORMING FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. 
          UH, THOSE OF YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN PREVIOUS YEARS KNOW THAT FIRST HE CONSIDERS THIS A PARTNERSHIP. 
          AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER. 
          AM I JUST HITTING ENTER, UM, THE LEFT OR RIGHT, WHICHEVER 
          [04:40:02]
ON THE KEYBOARD. 
          OH, YEP. 
          OH, THERE WE GO. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A TERRIFIC FACILITY AS DESCRIBED ON THIS SLIDE, WE'VE GARNERED THE REPUTATION FOR BEING THE BEST CONDITIONED PUBLIC PRACTICE FACILITY IN THE AREA. 
          UH, HOWEVER, WE'RE NOT STANDING STILL. 
          OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE UPGRADED THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND RENOVATED THE BUNKERS TO IMPROVE THE FACILITY EVEN FURTHER. 
          UH, SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR, UH, HALF OF OUR PARTICIPANTS DON'T PAY ANYTHING, UH, PROOF OF THE PARTNERSHIP. 
          I MENTIONED EARLIER SOME BIG MILESTONES. 
          THIS YEAR WE AWARDED TWO MORE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS. 
          WE BEGAN DEVELOPING SPONSORS FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION, CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEPS POCKETS FULL OF SUNSHINE AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS. 
          OUR FIRST GROUP OF SCHOLARSHIP, UH, RECIPIENTS ARE EXCELLING AT THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY, PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE AND GEORGIA TECH. 
          UH, WE NOW HAVE FOUR ALUMNI PLAYING COLLEGE GOLF, THREE AT D ONE AND ONE AT D TWO. 
          BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT IN THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD, ATAC COMMISSION, THESE THINGS HAVE ALL COME TRUE. 
          YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR MARKETING EFFORTS HAS BEEN A HUGE PART OF OUR SUCCESS. 
          SO, QUITE FRANKLY, OUR SUCCESS IS YOUR SUCCESS. 
          UH, I HAVE TO, UH,  THIS NEXT SLIDE. 
          I'LL, I'LL APOLOGIZE. 
          I THOUGHT I WAS A, UH, POWERPOINT A GENIUS AND I APPARENTLY AM NOT. 
          UH, SO THE NUMBERS FOR 24 20 24 ARE ALL WRONG. 
          . 
          UH, THE RESIDENT PERCENTAGE IS ACTUALLY 46, THE VISITORS IS 15, AND THE TOURIST RATE LAST YEAR WAS 39. 
          UM, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD IS PAYING OFF AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR. 
          WE'VE ALREADY HAD SEVENTY FIVE, SEVENTY FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY PATRONS LAST YEAR. 
          THE ENTIRE YEAR WE HAD 7,334. 
          MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR TOURIST PERCENTAGE IS UP 6% FROM 2024. 
          UH, OUR PARTICIPANT PROGRAMS AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS REMAIN STRONG AND ARE INCREASING. 
          AND ABOUT 90% OF OUR TOURIST, UH, PATRONS ARE FROM EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 
          SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM. 
          SO OUR ASK THIS YEAR, ONCE AGAIN, IS FOR $50,000 FOR MARKETING. 
          HOWEVER, UH, I AM INCREASING OUR ASK BY 13,593, AND THAT IS FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITY. 
          NOW, ONCE AGAIN, WITH THE IDEA OF PARTNERSHIP IN MIND, UM, THE, THE 29 29 550 IS NOT ALL OF THE COST TO MAINTAIN THAT FACILITY. 
          IT'S THE SAND, THE SAW, THE SEED, THE CHEMICALS, THE FERTILIZER, UH, MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS LIKE FLAG STICKS AND, AND FLAGS FOR THE FLAGSTICK. 
          UM, WE DIDN'T, UH, I'M NOT INCLUDING THE, THE PAYMENT TO OUR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR THAT MAINTAINS THE FACILITY FOR US NOR ANY EQUIPMENT REPAIRS. 
          UH, SO THE TOTAL ASK IS 63 5 9 3. 
          THAT'S THE 13 5 9 3 IS BASED ON OUR 25, UH, TOUS PERCENTAGE OF 46% OF THAT 29 5 5. 
          OH. 
          UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. 
          ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, I JUST WANTED TO, TO, UH, MAKE YOU AWARE THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO RECONCILE, UM, THE EXTRA 13,000 WITH TOWN STAFF SURE. 
          TO MAKE SURE THAT IT APPLIES FOR, UH, BECAUSE ON OUR NOTES IT SAYS IT'S THE WAY, AT LEAST THE WAY IT WAS FILED, IT'S NOT APPLICABLE TO, TO, UH, AT TAX I'M SURE IT IS, IS PROBABLY JUST A CLERICAL THING. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          SO JUST MAKE SURE YOU GET WITH THEM AND, AND, UH, STRAIGHTEN IT OUT SO WE, SO WE CAN GET, WE CAN PUT THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          AWESOME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. 
          NEXT PERSON. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          BEING IS THAT, UM, THE BRIDGE ASSOCIATION ISN'T SCHEDULED TILL THREE 50. 
          UH, LET'S TAKE A 20 MINUTE BREAK. 
          OKAY. 
          RECONVENE AND SEE IF THEY'RE HERE. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          PERFECT. 
          EVERYBODY GOOD? OKAY. 
          WE'RE GONNA COME BACK INTO SESSION SINCE, UM, THE QUILT GUILD IS HERE. 
          SO, UM, READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          OKAY. 
          [04:45:01]
WELL I THOUGHT I WAS ALMOST GONNA BE THE LAST ONE BETWEEN YOU AND DINNER, BUT I GUESS THERE'S SOMEBODY AFTER ME. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. 
          MY NAME IS DONNA FRANKOWSKI AND I AM REPRESENTING THE PALMETTO QUILT GUILD. 
          AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE GRANT. 
          SHOULD WE RECEIVE IT. 
          YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN ALL OF OUR FINANCIALS AND THAT OTHER INFORMATION. 
          SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US. 
          WE BEGAN IN 1991 WITH 50 WOMEN DUES. 
          AT THE TIME WERE $10. 
          MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED FOR OUR GUILD PRIVILEGES AND THAT INCLUDES OUR GUEST SPEAKERS WHO ARE NATIONALLY RENOWNED SPEAKERS AND TEACHERS. 
          OUR CURRENT DUES ARE $45 A YEAR. 
          WE DO OPERATE AS A 5 0 1 C3. 
          WE FUNCTION UNDER A BOARD. 
          WE HAVE SIX ELECTED OFFICERS AND NINE APPOINTED OFFICERS. 
          10 MEETINGS A YEAR. 
          WE DON'T MEET IN AUGUST OR DECEMBER. 
          AND WE HAVE SPECIAL COMMITTEES OR INTEREST GROUPS THAT WE CALL BEES. 
          WE ARE A MEMBER OF A QS, AMERICAN QUILTERS SOCIETY THAT IS AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN ORGANIZATION AND WE HOLD OUR QUILT FESTIVAL EVERY TWO YEARS. 
          THAT IS THE MONEY THAT WE ARE REQUESTING FOR ADVERTISING FOR THAT FESTIVAL. 
          OUR PURPOSE, WE HAVE A DUAL PURPOSE. 
          ONE IS TO OUR MEMBERS. 
          WE SHARE, EDUCATE, LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AND WE DO HAVE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPEAKERS AND TEACHERS. 
          THOSE ARE BENEFITS OF BEING, BEING A MEMBER OF THE GUILD FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. 
          WE DO HAVE A GROUP THAT REACHES OUT CALLED OUTREACH AND WE EDUCATE PEOPLE ON THE ART CRAFT HISTORY, LEGACY OF QUILTING, AND WE SHARE OUR PASSION WITH OUR COMMUNITY. 
          SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUP. 
          THIS GROUP PROVIDES QUILTS FOR NUMEROUS CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          1998 IS WHEN WE STARTED WITH 70 QUILTS. 
          THIS YEAR WE ARE GONNA HAVE MORE THAN 170 QUILTS. 
          AND DURING COVID, THIS GROUP MADE OVER 4,000 MASKS WHEN WE WERE ALLOWED TO DO THE HOMEMADE MASKS. 
          AND OUR PRIMARY TARGET FOR THOSE WERE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, MEDICAL FACILITIES, GROCERY STORES. 
          AND THEN WE WENT INTO EVERYBODY ELSE, LANDSCAPERS, CLEANING PEOPLE, WHATEVER. 
          I AM THE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE OUTREACH GROUP. 
          AND WHAT WE DO IS WE PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICE SERVICES TO SCHOOLS, LOT OF SENIOR FACILITIES AND REALLY ACTIVE IN SUPPORTING OUR MILITARY. 
          THIS YEAR WE MADE OVER 300 STOCKINGS THAT HAVE BEEN FILLED AND WILL BE SHIPPED TO OUR ACTIVE MILITARY OVERSEAS, NINE DIFFERENT BASES. 
          AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE A SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE THAT AWARDS $3,000 EVERY YEAR TO A SENIOR WHO IS GOING INTO VISUAL ARTS. 
          WHAT DO WE LOOK LIKE? WE HAVE CURRENTLY 108 MEMBERS. 
          THAT NUMBER INCREASES IN FESTIVAL YEARS BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE GUILD IN ORDER TO SHOW A QUILT. 
          IN OUR FESTIVAL, AVERAGE AGE IS 65 TO 75. 
          AND IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT SPEND MONEY LOCALLY AND THEY OWN LOTS OF CONDOS. 
          SO THEY HAVE FAMILY FRIENDS AND THEY RENT THEM OUT. 
          SO YOU HAVE HEADS IN BEDS AND MORE MONEY SPENT LOCALLY. 
          MEMBERSHIP FEES DON'T COVER OUR EXPENSES. 
          WE ARE CURRENTLY AT $45 A YEAR. 
          THE DUES IN A FESTIVAL YEAR COVER ABOUT 8% OF OUR INCOME, BUT IN NON FESTIVAL YEARS IT'S 40%. 
          SO THE MONEY THAT WE MAKE FROM OUR FESTIVALS SUSTAINS US IN NON FESTIVAL YEARS. 
          AND AS YOU CAN SEE, 20 22, 20 24 WERE FESTIVAL YEARS. 
          BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR NET GAIN OFF YEARS. 
          WE NEED THE MONEY. 
          COUPLE OF FUN FACTS ABOUT US. 
          OUR FIRST FESTIVAL WAS IN 1992. 
          WE HAD OVER 400 PEOPLE. 
          TWO YEARS LATER HAD 86 QUILTS EXHIBITED AND WE HAD THREE VENDORS. 
          FAST FORWARD TO 2004, THE QUILTED GOLF CART WAS BORN. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN IT, BUT IT IS REALLY CUTE. 
          IT HAS BEEN AT EVERY FESTIVAL SINCE 2004. 
          IT WAS IN THE ISLANDS ST. 
          PATRICK'S DAY PARADE IN ITS INAUGURAL YEAR. 
          AND IT WAS ACTUALLY FEATURED IN A NATIONAL QUILT MAGAZINE. 
          LAST FESTIVAL WE HAD 979 PEOPLE FROM 32 STATES AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES ATTEND OUR FESTIVAL. 
          WE HAD OVER 150 QUILTS DISPLAYED. 
          WE HAD 15 VENDORS. 
          SO WE'VE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THEN. 
          THAT'S A LOT OF TOURIST MONEY. 
          PEOPLE THAT ATTEND OUR FESTIVAL, ACCORDING TO A STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN 2022 
          [04:50:01]
BY A COMPANY CALLED HANDY QUILTER, AND THE STUDY WAS ACTUALLY PUBLISHED IN 2024. 
          THERE ARE NINE TO 11 MILLION QUILTERS IN NORTH AMERICA, MOSTLY IN THE UNITED STATES. 
          98% ARE FEMALE, 65% ARE RETIRED, AND THE MAJORITY OF QUILTERS ARE IN THEIR SIXTIES WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF AT LEAST 70,000. 
          MANY OF OUR ATTENDEES FIT THAT DESCRIPTION, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHERS THAT DO NOT. 
          AND THEY SPEND MONEY . 
          SO WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? WE HAD 36% FROM 31 STATES IN FOUR COUNTRIES, 38% FROM PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF 50 MILES. 
          AND THEN PHYSICAL RESIDENTS, 26% OF THOSE NUMBERS OF GUESTS, 74% WERE NOT FROM THE ISLAND, SO THEY AT LEAST HAD A MEAL AND PROBABLY DID SOME SHOPPING. 
          WE LOOKED AT A COMPARISON BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024. 
          WE ACTUALLY DO A COMPARISON EVERY YEAR. 
          WE'VE GONE BACK TO 2016 IN OUR COMPARISONS, AND WE WERE A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT WE HAD 135 FEWER ATTENDEES IN 2024, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY SPENT A LOT MORE MONEY. 
          SO WHAT DO WE KNOW FROM THIS? WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN OUR ADVERTISING EFFORTS. 
          TO THAT POINT, WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE. 
          WE'RE IDENTIFYING THE LEAST PRODUCTIVE AND THE MOST PRODUCTIVE METHODS OF ADVERTISING. 
          AND WE'RE LOOKING AT FREE OUTLETS, LOOKING AT DOING MORE INTERVIEWS FOR TV SPOTS, RADIO SPOTS, LOCAL PUBLICATIONS. 
          IN FACT, AT OUR GUILD MEETING TODAY, WE HAD SOMEONE FROM LOCAL LIFE COME AND DO A STORY ON US. 
          SO THAT'S STEP ONE. 
          WE'RE GETTING THERE. 
          WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TARGETING OUR NON-RESIDENTS. 
          SO WE'RE GATHERING INFORMATION FROM THE LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT, TOURISM, LOCAL HOTELS AND BUSINESSES TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR US IN SPENDING THAT MONEY. 
          SO HOW DO PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT US? WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, POSTCARDS, POSTERS, DECALS, LOCAL ADS DROVE THE MAJORITY OF OUR ATTENDANCE. 
          WE ALSO HAVE A WEBSITE, WE HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE, AND WE KNOW THAT WE TOOK A LOT OF HITS ON GOOGLE SEARCHES, SO THAT'S A BIG DEAL. 
          WORD OF MOUTH ALWAYS WORKS WELL. 
          13 RETURN ATTENDEES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          SO WE KNOW THEY COME BACK SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR FESTIVAL. 
          AND WE DID HAVE ONE INTERVIEW, UM, ON A LOCAL TV STATION. 
          SO WE KNOW THAT THE BIGGIES, THE POSTCARDS, POSTERS, DECALS, ADS IN LOCAL, UM, PUBLICATIONS ARE SUCCESSFUL. 
          WE LEARNED A COUPLE OF VERY IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM 2022. 
          WE KNEW, UH, THAT WE WANTED TO DO SOME ONLINE ADVERTISING, SO WE SPENT SOME MONEY ON THAT AND WE HAD NOTHING IN RETURN FOR IT. 
          SO FOR LAST FESTIVAL AND THIS FESTIVAL, WE ARE NOT GONNA DO MORE ONLINE ADVERTISING. 
          WE NOTICED THE NUMBER OF HITS THAT WE GOT TO OUR WEBSITE, AND IF YOU GOOGLE QUILT SHOWS ANYWHERE OURS COMES UP. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA RELY ON. 
          AND WE ALSO, IN 2022, ADVERTISED AT THE DAYTONA QUILT SHOW, WHICH IS A VERY LARGE SHOW, AND IT'S NOT THAT FAR AWAY FROM US. 
          WE GOT NOTHING IN RETURN, SO WE ARE NOT DOING THAT AGAIN. 
          WE'RE GONNA SPEND OUR MONEY IN OTHER WAYS. 
          WE WERE ABLE TO SURVEY ABOUT 78%. 
          THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER. 
          WE DID HAVE 13 PEOPLE RETURN, AND AS I SAID, WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE FREE OUTLETS LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, OUR EXPENSES CONTINUE TO RISE. 
          AND I'M GONNA POINT OUT THE POLLS AND DRAPES. 
          IN 2022, WE HAD TO RENT THEM. 
          WE'VE RENTED THEM EVERY YEAR EXCEPT FOR THE LAST FESTIVAL. 
          SO IN 2022, WE RENTED AT $4,200. 
          IN 2024, THE ESTIMATE TO RENT THEM WAS 13,000, AND THAT WAS THE CHEAPEST WE COULD FIND. 
          SO WE DECIDED WE'RE GONNA PURCHASE THEM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE SOME USED EQUIPMENT FOR $9,200, AND NOW WE ONLY PAY FOR MOVING THEM TO AND FROM THE VENUE AND SETTING THEM UP. 
          SO OVER TWO TO THREE FESTIVALS, WE WILL RECOUP THAT MONEY. 
          ADVERTISING CONTINUES TO GO UP. 
          WE KNOW IT'S GOING UP 10%. 
          THAT'S THE 6,000 FIGURE PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO RISE. 
          WE ARE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE PRINTING FOR NEXT FESTIVAL. 
          WE JUST HAVE TOO MANY LEFTOVER. 
          WE KNOW THAT OUR NUMBERS, UH, FOR ATTENDEES HAVE GONE DOWN, SO WE ARE REDUCING THAT NUMBERS, UM, BY I THINK 10%. 
          THE VENUE IS OUR SECOND BIGGEST EXPENSE, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, OVER THE LAST THREE OR TWO YEARS AND EXPECTED FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          IT HAS GONE UP A LOT. 
          AND THE ONLY FACILITY THAT'S BIG ENOUGH FOR US ON THE ISLAND IS HILTON, HEAD, BEACH AND TENNIS. 
          [04:55:01]
AND SO IT IS WHAT IT IS. 
          UM, JUDGING EXPENSES THAT CH UH, CHANGES BY YEAR DEPENDS ON WHAT JUDGE WE CAN GET AND WHERE ARE THEY ARE PHYSICALLY LOCATED. 
          SO THAT WILL AFFECT OUR TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR THEM. 
          ADVERTISING IS THE SECOND HIGHEST ADVERTISING PROGRAM AND POSTAGE HAVE INCREASED ANOTHER 10%. 
          WHILE PROGRAMS DON'T DRIVE ATTENDANCE, THEY DO CONTAIN A LOT OF LOCAL ADVERTISING, AND THAT'S GREAT INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING OUR FESTIVAL. 
          AND THE FACT THAT WE GET CERTIFIED NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED JUDGES FOR QUILTERS, THAT IS A VERY BIG DEAL THAT ELEVATES THE CALIBER OF THE FESTIVAL THAT WE HAVE. 
          WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. 
          WE REDUCED OUR MEMBERSHIP DUES BY $10 LAST YEAR. 
          AGAIN, THE PURCHASE OF THE POLLS AND DRAPES. 
          WE ARE LOOKING AT MORE REGIONAL SPEAKERS TO RE UH, REDUCE OUR COSTS FOR THEIR GETTING TO. 
          AND FROM OUR MEETINGS, WE'VE MOVED OUR MONTHLY MEETING TO A PLACE THAT CHARGES A LOT LESS. 
          SO WE'RE SAVING MONEY THERE AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PARTNER WITH OTHER GROUPS ON THE ISLAND, SUCH AS THE ART LEAGUE. 
          UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM TO GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE TO EXTEND OUR REACH FARTHER THAN JUST WITHIN 50 MILES. 
          SO WHAT VALUE DO WE GIVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO SEE US? FIRST OF ALL, WE EDUCATE THEM ON A VARIETY OF THINGS. 
          ALL QUILTING, CRAFT, ART, CREATIVITY, HISTORY. 
          AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO TRY THEIR HAND BY HAVING LITTLE DEMO STATIONS. 
          THEY LIKE IT. 
          THEY BUY STUFF. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF VENDORS THAT DO DEMOS. 
          PEOPLE LIKE IT. 
          THEY BUY STUFF. 
          WE GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO WIN PRIZES THROUGH OUR SILENT AUCTION AND OUR RAFFLE ITEMS. AND IT IS NOT JUST RELATED TO QUILTING OR SEWING. 
          WE HAVE GOLF PACKAGES, WE HAVE WINE PACKAGES, WE HAVE PET PACKAGES, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN BID ON. 
          WE LIKE TO THINK THAT WE ENHANCE THEIR EXPERIENCE HERE ON THE ISLAND. 
          A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL ASK US FOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESTAURANTS OR PLACES TO SHOP. 
          SO WE DO CERTAINLY PROMOTE LOCAL ACTIVITIES. 
          THE, UH, ART CENTER, COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM, NATURE CENTERS AND SO ON, THEY SPEND MORE MONEY. 
          AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO QUANTIFY THIS LAST ONE, BUT WE REALLY TRY TO PROVIDE AN EXPERIENCE THAT THEY DON'T EXPECT ON THE ISLAND. 
          WE ARE THE ONLY EVENT OF ITS KIND HERE. 
          THIS ONE IS HARD TO QUANTIFY, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT QUILTERS LOVE TO SHOP. 
          THEY SPEND MONEY. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF QUILTS THAT COME TO OUR FESTIVAL. 
          THEY LIKE TO SHOP LOCAL SHOPS AND SEE WHAT'S DIFFERENT HERE VERSUS WHAT THEY HAVE AT HOME. 
          THEY ENJOY SHOPPING AT OUR LOCAL SHOPPING AREAS, AND THEY SPEND MONEY. 
          74% OF OUR ATTENDEES ARE FROM OUT OF THE AREA. 
          MINIMALLY, THEY'RE GONNA BUY A MEAL AND HOPEFULLY DO SOME SHOPPING. 
          AND 348 PEOPLE WERE HEADS IN BEDS. 
          SO AT A MINIMUM, THEY'RE BUYING GROCERIES, EATING OUT, LOOKING FOR LOCAL ACTIVITIES AND SO ON. 
          WHAT WOULD THE GRANT DO FOR US? IT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO REACH THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE HILTON HEAD AREA THROUGH THE POSTCARDS, POSTERS, AND SO ON. 
          IT'LL HELP COVER THE 10% INCREASE THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE. 
          IT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE LOCAL PUBLICATIONS BY MAKING, UH, BY TAKING OUT ADS, AND WE DO SUPPORT LOCAL FESTIVALS. 
          IN FACT, THIS WEEKEND WE'RE GONNA BE AT THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL, BUT WE ALSO DO THE HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR AND SEVERAL OTHERS. 
          WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T GET THE GRANT? FIRST OF ALL, I'LL CRY. 
          THEN WE WILL HAVE TO CUT ADVERTISING, WHICH STARTS THE DOMINOES TO FALL. 
          LOWER ATTENDANCE MEANS LOWER REVENUE IMPACTS THE GUILD'S BUDGET, WHICH MEANS WE CAN'T SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY LIKE WE CURRENTLY DO. 
          WE HAVE FEWER TALENTED GUEST SPEAKERS. 
          WE CAN'T COVER OUR GENERAL OPERATING COSTS. 
          OUR QUILT FESTIVAL WILL SUFFER. 
          SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS ADVERTISING FOR THE QUILT FESTIVAL DRIVES OUR SUCCESS. 
          AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO ONE OF OUR FESTIVALS, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. 
          YOU WANT TWO, MAYBE THREE. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          THESE ARE ALL MADE BY OUR MEMBERS. 
          IT'S NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S QUILT ANYMORE. 
          [05:00:01]
YOU KIDDING? REALLY AMAZING. 
          OH MY GOODNESS. 
          WOW. 
          WHAT QUESTIONS CAN I ANSWER? BEAUTIFUL. 
          I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          WHEN IS YOUR EVENT? IT'S THE GOOD QUESTION. 
          OKAY. 
           20TH THROUGH THE 22ND OF MARCH. 
          OF MARCH, OKAY. 
          OF MARCH. 
          UM, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE TALKING IN HERE ABOUT ADVERTISING DOLLARS AND HOW TO GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY AND HOW TO FIND SOME FREE ADVERTISING. 
          I WOULD RECOMMEND AND JUST REMIND YOU THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF RENTAL COMPANIES AND A LOT OF CONCIERGES HERE WHO ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO PROMOTE THINGS. 
          SO PLEASE USE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE HERE. 
          WE JUST GOT A PUBLICITIES PERSON THAT WOULD BE GREAT INFORMATION FOR WELL, I MEAN, I, IN MY, I HAVE A RENTAL COMPANY AND I WOULD DEFINITELY PUT THESE IN MY UNITS, SO ABSOLUTELY. 
          YEAH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THOSE ARE GONNA BE PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITORS HERE, SO THEY WILL TURN UP IN YOUR STATS AS VISITORS AS WELL. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          I'LL LET HER KNOW. 
          ANYONE ELSE? WHAT, WHY DO YOU BELIEVE YOU HAD A REDUCTION IN VISITORS FOR THE LAST, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY. 
          UM, WE HAD MORE PEOPLE FROM WITHIN 50 MILES THAN WE TYPICALLY HAVE. 
          WE HAD FEWER AREA RESIDENTS THAN WE TYPICALLY HAVE. 
          SO WE THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND, AND WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY. 
          HAS IT, HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN EVERY OTHER YEAR OR HAS IT BEEN EVER BEEN AN ANNUAL EVENT? IT IS. 
          NO, WE DO IT EVERY OTHER YEAR. 
          IT'S JUST WAY TOO MUCH FOR THIS GROUP TO TAKE ON EVERY YEAR. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          DOES HILTON HAVE BEACH TENNIS PROMOTE THIS FOR YOU? YES. 
          , YES. 
          UM, WE HAVE ADVERTISING WITH THEM. 
          WE HAVE THESE POSTCARDS EVERYWHERE. 
          WE HAVE POSTERS UP. 
          OKAY. 
          SO YES, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE EVENTS THAT WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE AT TAX COMMITTEE, I LEARNED ABOUT. 
          AND I, IT'S, IT'S AN AMAZING EVENT THAT THE ARTISTIC VALUE OF IT IS REALLY INCREDIBLE. 
          SO THEY'RE WAY BEYOND MY SKILL LEVEL. 
          UM, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING. 
          ONE OF MY FRIENDS IS A QUILTER AND SHE, SHE'S, UM, ON TIKTOK. 
          AND IT'S WEIRD BECAUSE ONCE I GOT INTO HER ALGORITHM, I STARTED SEEING ALL THIS QUILTING STUFF BY YOUNG PEOPLE TOO, AND I WAS LIKE, OH, WOW, THIS THING'S GOING ON. 
          BUT ANYWAYS, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT THING AND UH, IT'S A UNIQUE THING FOR THE ISLAND. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THEY SAY THERE ARE MORE QUILTERS NOW UNDER THE AGE OF 30 THAN THERE HAS BEEN EVER. 
          I DO WANNA SHOW YOU, THIS IS THE RAFFLE QUILT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR. 
          IT'S CALLED WELCOME TO PARADISE. 
          AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I HAVE TICKETS IF YOU WANNA BUY ANY . 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYONE ELSE? THERE'S TURTLES. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          HILTON HEAD BRIDGE CLUB. 
          WELCOME. 
          I'VE NEVER DONE ONE OF THOSE POWERPOINTS. 
          I FIGURED YOU CAN EITHER READ IT OR I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, BUT WHY DO BOTH ANYWAY. 
          UM, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          IT'S ME AGAIN. 
          FOURTH TIME, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE I LAST SAW YOU, EXCEPT FOR THE SUCCESS WE'VE BEEN HAVING, UH, OF MORE BRINGING IN MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO THE ISLAND DURING THE SLOWEST TIME OF THE YEAR FOR OUR SEVEN DAY LONG REGIONAL BRIDGE TOURNAMENT. 
          FORGIVE ME IF I'M BEING REPETITIVE. 
          FROM PREVIOUS YEARS TO REVIEW, COMPETITIVE BRIDGE TOURNAMENTS ARE, UM, VERY SIMILAR IN STRATIFICATION TO PROFESSIONAL TENNIS TOURNAMENTS, EXCEPT WE WILL NEVER BE ON ESPN. 
          AND UNLIKE TENNIS, ANYONE CAN PARTICIPATE BECAUSE THE ONLY PRIZES AWARDED ARE CALLED MASTER POINTS, NEVER MONEY AFTER THE INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL TOURNAMENTS. 
          NEXT IN LINE IN PRESTIGE ARE THESE REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS, WHICH LAST FOR SEVEN DAYS OF NONSTOP BRIDGE, 10 HOURS A DAY. 
          THERE'S A MORNING SESSION, AFTERNOON SESSION, AND EVENING SESSION. 
          EACH ONE LASTS ABOUT THREE AND A QUARTER OF HOURS. 
          UM, AHA. 
          EXCUSE ME. 
          IT'S TIME TO PASS THIS OUT. 
          I GUESS I COULD, 
          [05:05:10]
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ENCLOSED MAPS OF OUR PARTICIPANTS THIS PAST YEAR, PLAYERS COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ALWAYS A FEW FROM ABROAD. 
          WHY DO THEY COME? WELL, PRO PLAYERS COME BECAUSE PROS BECOME PROS BY AMASSING THOUSANDS OF MASTER POINTS AND THEY CAN MAKE UP TO FIVE GRAND A DAY PLUS EXPENSES. 
          HARD TO BELIEVE, EH, THE REST OF US ATTEND THESE TOURNAMENTS FOR THE LOVE OF THE SPORT AND BEING ABLE TO PLAY UP TO THREE TIMES A DAY, SEVEN STRAIGHT DAYS DURING THAT WEEK. 
          IT'S EXHAUSTING, BUT IT'S VERY STIMULATING. 
          SO THE MAP HERE IS, IT IS THE BEST I COULD DO. 
          UM, IT'S MORE IMPRESSIVE WHEN YOU GO TO THE LINK ONLINE, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA OF WHERE THEY COME FROM. 
          NOW OUR ANNUAL ORIGINAL TOURNAMENT IS THE EVENT AROUND WHICH OUR GRANT REQUEST CENTERS. 
          THE TOURNAMENT IS HELD AT THE HILTON CONVENTION CENTER, AND THIS YEAR HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY, WHEREAS IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY. 
          WE HAVE NO CONTROL ABOUT WHEN IT IS OUT OF TOWN. 
          PLAYERS TYPICALLY STAY A MINIMUM OF FOUR DAYS AND WILL COMPETE FOR AT LEAST THREE OF THOSE DAYS. 
          MORE TYPICAL IS THE PLAYER, THE OUT OF TOWN PLAYER WHO COMES FOR FIVE OR MORE DAYS AND STAYS, UH, UH, STAYS, I'M SORRY, WILL COMPETE FOR FIVE OR MORE DAYS AND STAY AT LEAST SIX. 
          FOR MANY OF THE OUT OF TOWNERS, THE HILTON HEAD REGIONAL IS THE ONLY TOURNAMENT THEY TRAVEL TO THE ENTIRE YEAR. 
          I MAY GET A POINT, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR ACTUALLY FIVE YEARS AND, UM, I, I JUST ASK EVERYBODY WHEN I GO TO A TABLE, IF THEY'RE FROM OUT OF TOWN, UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHY DO YOU COME HERE? DO YOU GO TO OTHER TOURNAMENTS, ET CETERA. 
          SO IT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY, IT'S HEARSAY DATA, BUT IT'S PRETTY RELIABLE. 
          OUR ATTENDANCE HAS GROWN IMPRESSIVELY SINCE COVID. 
          INDEED, OUR REGIONALS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST ATTENDED REGIONALS IN THE COUNTRY. 
          SO THE SECOND PAGE HERE JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA. 
          I PUT THIS IN THE GRANT, BUT, UM, REPEATS IT AGAIN, JUST THE HOTEL ROOM INCOME. 
          YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT'S GROWN IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING, THAT, HOW THAT'S GROWN, THE NUMBER OF ZIP CODES, , I DIDN'T, THERE'S 14 PAGES OF ZIP CODES. 
          SO, AND THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE WORLD'S MOST INTERESTING STUFF, SO I JUST THOUGHT I, YOU KNOW, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE IT, I'M HAPPY TO PASS IT AROUND, BUT I DID NOT, UH, MAKE A COPY. 
          UM, THESE ARE PRETTY IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS, I THINK. 
          UM, AS A MATTER OF FACT, RIGHT BEFORE COVID, WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE A REGIONAL EVERY OTHER YEAR BY THE PARENT ORGANIZATION. 
          UM, AND THEN THE YEAR RIGHT OF COVID IS THE FIRST YEAR THEY HAD SAID, OKAY, YOU CAN, YOU'RE DOING SO WELL, YOU CAN DO IT EVERY YEAR. 
          AND THEN THE NUMBERS AS YOU, YOU CAN SEE THEM. 
          EXCUSE ME JUST A SECOND. 
          A SMALLER PORTION OF OUR ADVERTISING TARGETING HAS RECENTLY GONE TOWARDS INCREASING OUR DAILY ATTENDANCE, UH, AT COMPETITIVE GAMES, TRYING TO LURE THE OUT OF TOWNERS WHO VACATION AND HILTON HEAD, BECAUSE OF OUR CLUB CLUB, WE ARE THE LARGEST CLUB IN SOUTH CAROLINA IN TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP AND THE NUMBER OF GAMES WE OFFER GROWTH IN THIS AREA COMPARED TO THAT OTHER REGIONAL IS GLACIAL, BUT IT IS HAPPENING THOUGH. 
          WE HAVE LOST QUITE A FEW PEOPLE FROM CANADA RECENTLY FOR POLITICAL REASONS. 
          UM, BRINGS ME TO THE THIRD PAGE HERE. 
          THIS IS, UM, DETAIL OF THE EXACT NUMBER OF TABLES THAT WE SELL, UH, EVERY DAY. 
          UM, AND YOU CAN JUST SEE THAT, UH, JANUARY USED TO BE OUR BIGGEST CANADIAN MONTH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHY WE HAD SUCH A BIG DROP. 
          ALL I KNOW IS THAT TALKING TO SOME OF THEM, UM, THOSE FEW THAT CAME THIS YEAR SAID THIS WAS THE LAST YEAR THEY WERE EVER GONNA COME. 
          SO ANYWAY, UH, AND THEN ALL THE OTHER MONTHS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF APRIL, HAVE BEEN, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED, BUT STILL COMPARED TO THE, UH, TO THE REGIONAL NUMBERS, UM, THEY WILL JUST NEVER BE AS IMPRESSIVE. 
          BUT WE'RE WORKING HARD. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK OVERTIME, TRYING TO ATTRACT MORE PLAYERS. 
          WE HAVE GREAT TEACHING EVENTS ALL YEAR LONG, NUMEROUS SPECIAL TOURNAMENTS AND AN ARRAY OF SOCIAL EVENTS ALL TARGETED AT BRINGING IN MORE PEOPLE AS IN THE PAST. 
          WE'LL USE WHATEVER MONIES ARE GRANTED TO DO MAJOR ADVERTISING THROUGH E-BLASTS, NEWSPAPER ADS, AND IN PARTICULAR 
          [05:10:01]
ADS IN THE BRIDGE BULLETIN, WHICH I JUST BROUGHT, UH, THE MOST RECENT WITCH, UH, OF WHICH, BUT, UH, I HADN'T READ IT YET, BUT THERE'S THE FULL PAGE AD, UM, OF OUR TOURNAMENT THAT'S COMING UP AND YOU MAY WANNA SEE IT. 
          OKAY, . 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO, IN SUMMARY, AS I'VE ENDED IN THE PAST, WE'RE NOT A FLASHY ORGANIZATION. 
          WE AREN'T SAVING THE WORLD OR WE'RE NOT FEEDING THE HUNGRY, BUT OUR EVENTS AND EFFORTS DO BRING IN A LOT OF TOURISTS TO OUR BEAUTIFUL ISLAND. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, MA'AM. 
          UM, I, FOR ONE WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT YOU MOVED IT TO JANUARY. 
          REALLY? UH, YEAH, ACTUALLY I WAS, UM, FEBRUARY IS TYPICALLY FULL OF SNOWBIRDS, I'M SORRY, FULL UP SNOWBIRDS. 
          OH. 
          WHICH ARE THE WINTER. 
          OH, I SEE. 
          NOT NECESSARILY CANADIAN FOLKS, BUT JUST FOLKS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WINTER. 
          AND SO 99% OF MY PROPERTIES WOULD BE BOOKED FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. 
          SO WHEN YOU'VE HAD IT IN FEBRUARY, NONE OF MY, I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO LOOK AT PARTICIPATING IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 
          WOW, I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT. 
          BUT FROM, YOU KNOW, YOUR, WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS YOU'VE MOVED IT INTO A MONTH. 
          JANUARY IS TYPICALLY NOT AS BUSY, AND SO SOME OF THESE FOLKS MAY BE ENTICED TO STAY ELSEWHERE. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, SO I WAS KIND OF LOOKING AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. 
          SO MY, MY SUGGESTION TO YOU IS THE SAME AS TO THE QUILTER LADY. 
          CONTACT THE RENTAL COMPANIES, CONTACT THE CONCIERGE. 
          I MEAN, YOU ARE ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH THE HOTELS, BUT THESE FOLKS MAY WANNA STAY IN A VILLA AS OPPOSED TO A HOTEL ROOM. 
          AND WE HAVE AVAILABILITY IN JANUARY. 
          SOUNDS GREAT. 
          I HAD, I DIDN'T PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER IN THAT POINT. 
          NO, I DID RIGHT OFF THE BAT. 
          , YEAH, I PURPOSELY KEPT IT A LITTLE SHORTER THIS YEAR. 
          I LIKE SAY THE SAME THING EVERY YEAR AS ANYONE ELSE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          OKAY, LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          DO WE HAVE ANYBODY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT. 
          UM, SO ANYBODY MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? SO MOVE. 
          I SECOND. 
          ALL IN FAVOR. 
          A MEETING, ADJOURN. 
          GOT EXTRA COOKIES. 
          COCKTAIL HOUR. 
           YOU ARE WATCHING BC TV LIVE, WORK, PLAY. 
           I REMEMBER CAMPBELL, AND THIS IS BEAUFORD COUNTY MOMENTS. 
          WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FOOD TODAY? THE FOOD HAS BEEN A GREAT PART OF OUR LIFE IN TERMS OF GATHERING FOOD AND PREPARING THEM. 
          OUR FOOD IS BASED ON THE LAND AND THE SEA. 
          THE LAND FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN RICE. 
          WE DON'T FEEL WE HAVE EATEN DINNER UNLESS WE'VE HAD RICE. 
          RICE WAS MIXED WITH VARIOUS ITEMS FROM THE SEA, LIKE OYSTERS OR SHRIMP. 
          AND WHEN THEY COOKED WITH RICE IN ONE POT, WE CALL IT A RICE OR SHRIMP OR AN OYSTER PERLOW. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE THE WATERMELONS AND THE SWEET POTATOES. 
          SWEET POTATOES WAS ALWAYS EATEN WITH FISH AND FRESH FISH WITH GRAVY AND A SWEET POTATO. 
          THERE IS NOTHING BETTER. 
          OKRA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FOOD WAYS. 
          WE, WE, WE RAISED THEM AS WELL AS WE PREPARE THEM WITH SHRIMP AND TOMATOES. 
          AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL THAT A GUMBO. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. 
          OKRA, GUMBO. 
          AND SO ENJOY THE FOOD OF THE LOW COUNTRY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR HISTORY. 
          THIS IS EMERY CAMPBELL. 
          THIS HAS BEEN YO BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENT. 
          TO SEE MORE BEAUFORT COUNTY MOMENTS GO TO THE 
          [05:15:01]
BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON THE LOCAL HISTORY TAB.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.