The small but mighty Spartanburg/Union Sector
Fun fact! The Spartanburg/Union sector, the smallest sector in the state, shares 146 years of firefighting experience between the five members.
Youth Deer Hunt at Niederhof
Niederhof Forestry Center hosted the Southern Sportsmans Alliance (SSA) Youth Deer Hunt Dec. 5-6 for 12 children from the Take One, Make One program, Outdoor Dream Foundation and the SC National Guard. The hunt was sponsored by the Southern Sportsman Alliance, the Forestry Commission, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Take One, Make One program and Bitter End Plantation.
During the cold, rainy hunt, two deer were harvested by the children, and 55 deer were seen on the property. Two does were harvested Friday by Sofia Gamrat and Vanna Malone, while 49 deer were seen. No one harvested any deer on Saturday morning, and only six were seen.
Vanna Malone of McClellanville harvested her first deer, an 85-pound doe, on the Friday afternoon hunt. She was “stoked” and was ready to harvest a buck. She was also very observant in the stand as she identified over 20 birds by sight or sound and made a list of them. She enjoyed her time in the outdoors!
Before the hunt, participants listened to an orientation with a hunting program and hunt guidelines during which the children learned good deer management and conservation. Then the children were paired with a mentor and sighted their guns on the range. The hunters drew for stands and received a safety briefing before the afternoon hunt began.
The SSA provided meals, mentors and some gifts for the hunters. The Take One Make One program provided guns and mentors. The Forestry Commission provided the instruction, location and transportation to and from the stands. Bitter End Plantation provided lodging for the children and their families.
Sen. Everett Stubbs, representing Chester and York counties, was a mentor for the hunt and gave the children challenge coins and HeyBo hats from the Chester company.
The 2026 Annual Appalachian Society of American Foresters (APSAF) Meeting brought together industry professionals in Greenville from Jan. 21-23.
The event started with a pre-conference Mass Timber Construction Tour of TimberLab, a company that aims to advance the mainstream adoption of mass timber by using advanced manufacturing and fabrication technologies.
The first day continued with an urban forestry walking tour and pre-conference workshop.
Day two included many presentations, including a Forestry Commission update by State Forester Scott Phillips.
Thank you to all who attended and represented the SCFC at the APSAF Annual Meeting!
Asst. Law Enforcement Chief and Law Enforcement Torch Run Director Jonathan Calore is getting ready to be “Freezin’ for a Reason,” and you’re invited to join in on the fun! The Langley Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge benefiting the Special Olympics of SC is happening Sunday, March 1.
113 Langley Dam Road, Warrenville
Registration begins at 3:00 p.m.
Costume contest and awards start at 4:00 p.m.
Polar plunge starts at 4:30 p.m
The Langley Polar Plunge is part of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Torch Run campaign and 100% of the funds raised directly benefit Special Olympics South Carolina programs.
By plunging, you’re creating more opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities to experience the life-changing benefits of participating in Special Olympics — all at no cost to themselves or their families.
For more information, contact Calore at jcalore@scfc.gov or (803) 667-1200
Spreading cheer
(Left) Chesterfield/Lancaster Sector Wildland Firefighter Bill Busse, Chesterfield/Lancaster Sector Fire Management Officer Molly Hopkins and Chesterfield/Darlington Project Forester Jon Alexander represented the SCFC at the Chesterfield Christmas Parade in early Dec.
(Right) In the Coastal Region, Beaufort/Jasper Sector Wildland Firefighter Daniel Lowther is pictured preparing to represent the SCFC at the Bluffton Christmas Parade.
Decking the halls at HQ
The HR team at Headquarters came up with the idea for the inaugural festive holiday door decorating contest during a staff meeting, and soon, individuals and teams around the building started bringing their visions to life. Doors had to be decorated by Dec. 10 so the judging panel, made up of the Regional Foresters, could review the designs from Dec. 11 to Dec. 15.
The winning door was announced at the annual holiday potluck luncheon on Dec. 18. Congratulations to the HR Team, which includes Jordan Hughes, Krista Emory, Brooke Jones, Chetna Patel and Erica Brazile, for winning the first holiday door decorating contest!
The HR team hopes others will take part in the fun at their offices around the state and get creative in 2026!
