CarolinaPower’s Annual Company Picnic is a Family Affair
Genuine respect for employees and their well-being is one of the reasons employee-owned CarolinaPower has consistently earned a spot on the prestigious list of South Carolina’s Best Places to Work. Each spring, people from across the company come together in a central location for the Annual Employee Awards and Appreciation dinner. Six months later CarolinaPower hosts the Annual Company Picnic – an all-day event for the entire family to enjoy.
The 2019 CarolinaPower Company Picnic was held on the first Saturday in October at Denver Downs Farm, a South Carolina Century Farm owned and operated by the Garrison family of Anderson County since 1869. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the location was established as a cotton farm, transitioned to a dairy farm, and today is still a working farm devoted to agri-tourism and entertainment.
This year’s venue was ideal for a fall family outing with its giant corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin patches and more. More than 200 people attended, including children of all ages. All offices were represented – Charleston, North Augusta, Columbia and Greenville.
“A good time was had by all,” said Shelby Knostman, who organized the day’s activities in partnership with Crystal Burnett. “Our group took over the entire farm, although the location was open to the public that day. We gave out Carolina Power-branded, Behavior-Based Safety-themed t-shirts to all of our guests, so it was easy to spot colleagues and their kids.”
“Home base” for the CarolinaPower crowd was an open barn with plenty of room for camaraderie, fun and food. In addition to the CarolinaPower t-shirt, each attendee was given kettle corn and a souvenir cup.
Picnic festivities included a number of games with prizes, including human dodge ball, corn hole, obstacle course and zip line. In addition to the corn maze and hayrides, families enjoyed visiting the petting zoo. Youth (ages 5-13) had the opportunity to participate in a safety-themed coloring contest. A raffle drawing featured exciting giveaways such as air hammocks, corn hole boards, and Home Depot and Visa gift cards.
“This year’s picnic was another resounding success. Any time our people have the chance to gather in one place, it helps reinforce the one-company mindset,” said Chris Moore, President of CarolinaPower. “Families are at the heart of why we as a company believe so strongly in the brother’s keeper philosophy. Spending time with each other’s families reminds us that we as individuals must do everything in our power to send people home safely at the end of each day.”