Greenville

GREENVILLE, SC (WSPA) – Free food, a free bike, and freedom from boredom are what nonprofit bike shop, Village Wrench’s Director, Jessica Compton, said students in 8th through 11th grades get when joining one of two 6-Cycle programs.

“We are trying to develop relationships with students and walk with them through their adolescence. To become really confident workers post high school into college or whatever job they secure,” Compton explained.

The 6-Cycle, first and second gear, are bike repair and character development programs. She added that first gear is more towards character strength and skills for safe and confident bike riding. Where as, second gear is a build on first gear with a more in-depth look at bike repair, and readiness for students interested in working as an apprentice in the shop the following summer.

There are also mechanic mentors who facilitate bike repair and character development activities. They also offer everyday life advice, Wade Hampton High School 11th grader, Monty Roberson added.

“With the help of Jessica and other mentors I learned to like come out of my shell. I’ve learned to be more like trusting of like myself. More, more out there,” Roberson said.

Roberson is one of six Village Wrench Bike Repair Apprentices. While her true love is dance, Roberson’s passion for bicycles is deep, but still fairly new, though she’s been around bicycles for most of her life.

“I cut my toe in half when I was riding the bike. So, for a while I kind of like strayed away from bikes. I didn’t want to be on one,” Roberson said.

Nonetheless, she’s thrived at bike repair, Compton noted, and Roberson will easily be able to use her bike knowledge outside of of the shop. Roberson’s mother owns a bike shop. Her mother received business support, Village Launch, through Village Wrench Bike Shop’s founding organization, Mill Community Ministries.

Therefore, having Roberson join 6-Cycle was a no brainer, even if she initially wasn’t on board.

“I didn’t really want to go. But my mom wanted me to go. She was like ‘there’s free food there.’ So I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going'” Roberson smiled. “I was like ‘ugh this is going to be so awkward.’ But, my mentor at the time, Francis, helped me through a lot of it and I felt comfortable. I was like ‘I really like bikes!’ “

Since the inception of the programs, Compton counted 24 students have completed 6-Cycle. There have been at least four sets of six teens doing six weeks of work. She happily noted that they seem to come back and help out.

“Celly was one of our very first 6-cycle students and then he became an apprentice. This past year, he just finished his freshman year at North Greenville University. He served as a 6-Cycle mentor in the fall. So, he came back to Village Wrench on Monday nights and was working with students. Which is like just great, that’s what it’s all about is connecting this community, that comes full circle. Devon, [Celly’s] co-worker was an apprentice, is now in the National Guard and also is a really intense very strong cyclist,” Compton said. “We’ve got students that are starting to really thrive beyond our program. Seeing where they go after they graduate is really exciting.”

Roberson recently started her year long apprenticeship and has found a true calling as a bike mechanic. She plans to be the main mechanic for her mother’s bike company.

“Turning the spoke. turning the wheel. making sure that it’s aligned. That’s basically like my favorite part because you have to be so precise with it,” Roberson explained.

Compton added that 6-Cycle in addition to the Bike Apprenticeship truly grows the student.

“Through interacting with customers, they’re learning way more bicycle repair and becoming really competent mechanics, and without fail become more confident individuals as well,” Compton noted.

“I’m trying to get myself more out to people. Like, I’m more of a reserved person. I try to stay to myself. But, this job really requires me to go up to people and be like ‘Hey! Welcome to Village Wrench.’ I’m not used to that now. But, I am learning to get used to it and come out of my shell,” Roberson said.

The 6-Cycle program is actively looking for more students, as well as, mentors Compton said. They’re also looking for more bike part and financial donations, since it costs Village Wrench around $5,000 per student for the program. Compton said the aim is to continue to keep it free for students, wanting anyone to join.

“Setting students up with a one-on-one long term mentor for at least a year, it’s partnering with them, working in the bike shop and just like having a go-to-person that also is joining us for apprentice training. Kind of meeting students on like a personal life level as well.”

Do it! You only live once. It’s like a great way to learn about yourself,”Roberson added.

While Roberson dreams of becoming a professional dancer, she’s currently a member of Relentless Purpose, with plans of attending the Fine Arts Center for school. She added the relationships through these programs, will truly last a lifetime.

For more information on how to donate, volunteer, or join one of the programs for Village Wrench Bike Shop, click here.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - After a tumultuous school year and just weeks before the start of another year of learning during a pandemic, Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill Thursday he hopes will destigmatize mental health issues.

The Student Identification Card Suicide Prevention Act requires public high schools and all colleges to put the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number and another crisis resource on the back of student ID cards.

While the law doesn’t go into effect until July 2022, some schools are already starting to add those resources to their IDs, according to the SC Department of Mental Health.

“Underlying mental health conditions may have been exacerbated by the isolation of the past school year,” said Director of School Mental Dr. Margaret Meriwether.

High school students Taylor Piver and Laura Summerfield started the Greenville-based teen mental health advocacy group, Teens 4 Hope.

The two were vocal supporters of the bill and feel it can save lives.

“I can say a lot of people I know [who] have come to me about having thoughts about killing themselves... Most of the time they only do it because they don’t have anyone to talk to and they don’t have the resources. They don’t want to do it, but they feel like they have no other options,” Piver said.

She said for a lot of her peers there has been a build-up of feelings of anxiety and depression over the past year.

“Because of COVID we feel really alone and isolated...kids opted to stay home and go completely virtual and a lot of people can’t handle that much time alone without our peers, no one our age, no people to talk to,” Piver said

Summerfield could also think of people who would’ve been saved by the resources and lifelines highlighted in this law. She said a lot of times teenagers don’t see turning to their parents as an option and can end up feeling helpless.

“If a kid doesn’t feel comfortable going to your adult and saying, ‘I need help,’ They can look at their ID and say, ‘I have a phone. I don’t want to tell my parents.’ So, they have a way to ask for help without needing to have judgment from their parents. It’s just an easier way for them to use their resources,” Summerfield said.

She said in her experience, parents are often the last people to know their child is struggling.

“Parents don’t want to think their kids have mental illnesses,” she said. “They want to keep in their heads that their kids are perfect, their kids are ok, in reality, everyone is struggling at least dealing with something in their heads, having these numbers is so important to try and just help one life.”

Bill sponsor Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, said the struggles teenagers deal with were top of mind when she was working on this piece of legislation.

“If we can save just one life through this act then it would all be worth it,” Shealy said.

And Piver says the signing law of the law itself may help teenagers.

“It shows that the adults care and with COVID we felt alone and our voices are heard and we are not alone,” she said.

If you or someone you know is looking for help you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800)-273-Talk, can call a SC mobile crisis center at (833)-364-2274, or you can text the Crisis Text Line by texting HOPE4SC to 741-741.

Copyright 2021 WCSC. All rights reserved.

After a hiatus of more than a year, the 160-voice Greenville Chorale returns this fall to what it does best — championing the towering choral masterworks of the past.

The ensemble’s 60th anniversary season spotlights core works of the choral-and-orchestral repertoire, offering Brahms’ Requiem, Handel’s “Messiah” and Bach’s B-Minor Mass.

“These works are the backbone of what we’ve done over the past 60 years,” said Bingham Vick Jr., now in his 40th year as the Chorale’s conductor.

For the Chorale, it’s a greatest hits season, “a grand way to celebrate a milestone anniversary,” Vick said. The ensemble has performed the three major works multiple times over the past six decades, including six times for the Requiem, nine times for Handel’s “Messiah” and four times for Bach’s B-Minor Mass.

“Singers love to perform these works and audiences love to hear them,” Vick said.

A Requiem of consolation

Brahms’ Requiem, in fact, was the very first work the newly-formed Greenville Chorale (known then as the “Rotary Civic Chorale”) performed in 1961.

Vick will lead the Chorale and the Greenville Symphony Orchestra in the Requiem on Oct. 16 at the Peace Center. The performance of the Requiem, a work of consolation that begins with the words “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,” will be dedicated to everyone who has been impacted by the pandemic.

The Oct. 16 concert will also feature two shorter pieces by Dan Forrest, the Greenville-based composer whose works are performed worldwide. Both works — “St. Patrick’s Hymn” (2010) and “Gloria in excelsis” from “LUX” (2017) — were commission by the Greenville Chorale.

The Chorale’s Christmas concert features Part 1 and 2 of Handel’s popular oratorio “Messiah,” including the famous “Hallelujah” chorus, on Dec. 7 at Furman University’s McAlister Auditorium. The Chorale’s performance of “Messiah” almost invariably brings in a capacity audience.

‘A magnificent work’

The Chorale’s smaller Herring Chamber Ensemble will feature Bach’s B-Minor Mass, one of the most demanding works in the choral repertoire, on Feb. 20 at Westminster Presbyterian Church. It will showcase the ensemble’s 24 voices accompanied by a chamber orchestra under Vick’s direction.

“I consider the B-Minor Mass to be the greatest work ever written for a whole host of musical and theological reasons,” Vick said. “It’s a magnificent work.”

The Chorale’s spring concert, meanwhile, will spotlight shorter pieces by Randall Thompson, Leonard Bernstein and others, spanning sacred and secular works, spirituals and patriotic music. The Chorale will be joined in the May 1 concert (at First Baptist Church, Greenville) by the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir, directed by David Rasbach.

Concluding the season will be the Chorale’s 16th summer program with the Furman-Greenville Lakeside Band in a concert of patriotic music at Furman.

Anniversary moved forward

Plans call for all concerts to be mask-free with no physical distancing.

The Chorale was scheduled to celebrate its 60th season last year, but the pandemic forced a suspension of all rehearsals and performances beginning in March 2020. Rehearsals will recommence in August.

Vick has been a cornerstone of choral singing in the Upstate for four decades. In addition to his 40-year association with the Chorale, Vick conducted the Furman University Singers for 40 years and the Westminster Presbyterian Sanctuary Choir for 28 years.

“My life as a conductor has had the best of all musical worlds,” he said.

Paul Hyde, a longtime Upstate journalist, writes about the arts for the Greenville Journal. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter: @PaulHyde7.

If you go

What: Greenville Chorale’s 2021-2022 season

Tickets: 864-467-3000

Greenville filmmakers Chris and Emily Reach White have reached a digital deal with their film, “Electric Jesus.”

White wrote the first draft of the film in 2012, and the couple began filming it in 2019. The film follows a Christian hair metal band as they spend a summer performing in the name of Christ. “I wanted to make a rock band movie. And my favorites are always about rock bands who don’t make it, so that’s the kind of movie I started writing,” White said.

He added that he also never saw the world of evangelical christian youth groups portrayed realistically in film or on television. “Christian characters are almost always made to be sinister, stupid, or superheroes in media, but me and my friends from growing up weren’t any of that. We were wonky, weird, devoted teenagers. More ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ or ‘Lady Bird’ teenagers than anything faith-based or faith-cynical,” White explained

“Electric Jesus” features “The Office” actor Brian Baumgartner and “The Breakfast Club” actor Judd Nelson. White directed the film and he and Reach White produced it.

The couple declined offering specifics but Reach White said they’re glad the film has found a distribution channel.

“It was a really good deal,” she said. “We’re very happy with it and excited to be getting [the film] out into the world.” First reported by Deadline, 1091 Pictures bought the North American distribution and NFT (non-fungible token) rights from the Motion Picture Exchange on behalf of the filmmakers. The movie’s digital release is scheduled for Nov. 2. A non-fungible token is used to show that someone has ownership of online assets such as photos and videos.

White said it may be the first time NFTs have been in part of an independent film’s distribution plan. “Hats off to 1091 Pictures, because they really are the people with a vision for how a film like ‘Electric Jesus’ can exploit something like NFTs for the film,” said White.

What’s that? Non-fungible tokens are unique, identifiable digital assets whose exchange between the creator and the buyer, via the financial transaction of a cryptocurrency such as ethereum, is logged for anyone to view

White said the deal couldn’t have happened without Reach White’s work. “A lot of the cool stuff like the soundtrack product and distribution deal and NFTs — that’s on Emily saying we are artists, and we’re going to fight for the things that we think artists deserve.”

And they’re looking ahead.

“We’re prepping new work for 2022,” said White. “I have a new screenplay that we are producing and we’ve picked up another movie from another writer that we’re going to produce.”

After four years working at famed Napa Valley restaurant French Laundry, Executive Chef Drew Erickson returns to Greenville to head up Table 301’s new concept CAMP, located in Camperdown Plaza downtown.

“It’s a modern American dining experience with a ‘no rules’ menu,” says Erickson. “While it’s small plate driven, there’s enough to satisfy and options to explore different flavors.”

Like all of Table 301’s concepts, fresh, local available ingredients rule the plate.

“We’re fortunate to be in an area supported by a number of great growers and providers,” Erikson says. A few of his team’s favorites include family-owned Growing Green Family Farms, which supplies the restaurant with 12 different types of local seasonal vegetables, as well as Tyger River Smart Farm and Colonial Milling Co.

Sharable plates are divided into land, sea, and field options. Expect inventive bites like steam buns stuffed with flavorful Korean barbecue short ribs and topped with house-pickled veggies. There’s also a small selection of entrées with features like sea scallops with tomato and cucumber relish, and roasted lamb chop with a spicy muhammara sauce.

“We’ll always keep it interesting, so you’ll find a variety of textures and a mix of temps,” says Erickson.

Erickson’s “no rules” approach takes familiar fare to a crazy delicious new level. For example, a classic corn dog gets a culinary makeover with wagyu beef and truffle aioli. Executive Sous Chef Diego Campos add his signature to the menu as well as a few of his family recipes. Campos’ handcrafted tortillas lend another layer of flavor to delicious Yucatán-style pork tostadas served with pineapple and onion salsa, avocado, and cilantro.

Don’t miss one of Pastry Chef Lindsay Beck’s desserts. Beck incorporates the best of local seasonal fruit, like strawberries and peaches, for her shortcake semifreddo, with crème Fraiche Chantilly cream and a sprinkle of basil crumb.

During weekend brunch, indulge in popular Croque monsieur croquettes with a white truffle-Dijon fondue or decadent French toast with vanilla bean mascarpone, macerated strawberries, and a side of crispy smoked bacon.

Savor your culinary experience inside, where the vibe is lively and casual. A 12-seat Chef’s Counter is a perfect spot to watch the talented chefs in action. Two retractable windows open to the bar and provide additional outdoor seating on the plaza patio. Upstairs, there’s also an intimate rooftop bar with a separate small bite menu. For spirits, Table 301 beverage director Joe Crossan oversees the bar program, which includes a lineup of craft cocktails, a curated wine list, and a selection of regional beers.

“The inspiration for CAMP has to do more about the spirit of your experience,” says Carl Sobocinski, founder and president of Table 301 Restaurant Group. “And making lasting memories around great food and wine.”

CAMP is open every night and for brunch on the weekend.

For more information, visit www.campgvl.com.