Since 1995, a total of 55 Design Arts Partnership projects in 32 counties have had an impact on approximately 350,000 people. There is no need to raise the profile. Then Vic Bethea, an Extension agent in Dillon County, and I staked the trees to be cut for trails, and a city crew came right behind us clearing brush and cutting trees. By 4 p.m. most of the work was done, and the trail system was complete except for paving. A Methodist minister, Bill Williams, raised money to build wooden bridges and a campfire circle, and the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism donated funds to build the brick entryway.
Most projects take much longer.
So far, every town I've told about this partnership has wanted to be involved. We've had eight or nine projects in our cluster. The Extension offices in Sweeney's cluster are beginning to get calls for advice from other communities in the three counties. In Barnwell, the Barnwell County Economic Development Commission wanted recommendations for downtown revitalization. These included a landscaped area in front of the county courthouse, a new traffic flow, designs for converting a former car dealership into a cultural arts center, and landscaping recommendations for the Airport Industrial Park.