Fear, stress, anxiety. Who will I socialize with? What will I do for fun?
These are all thoughts and feelings that are associated with moving to a new town. Hartsville Young Professionals aims to eliminate those thoughts and feelings. We have a motto, “Let’s do something together”. HYP wants to make young professional life in a small town a great experience. When I joined HYP I remember having my reservations, but figured it would be a nice way to meet other young professionals in the area. After getting more involved and meeting people I had never met in a town I thought I knew everyone in, it was eye opening. Fast forward a few years and I’m now in my sixth month as president of HYP. I am supported by a great board made up of motivated and talented professionals who work hard to make HYP a success.
During this past year we have been looking back at the leadership that created HYP. They knew how important forming relationships would be to young professionals moving to Hartsville, as well as natives that want to call Hartsville home. Growth of the city is dependent on a great community welcoming young professionals deciding to plant roots and raise families. The low cost of living, high quality of life, and excellent employment opportunities make Hartsville the perfect place for someone who wants to become involved in a strong community. Our town is full of opportunities to get involved and lead that might not be available to a young professional in a larger city.
HYP is proud to be a division of the Hartsville Chamber of Commerce. We have a strong audience of supporters in our community. Sonoco has sponsored us since the beginning and recognizes our value and role in the community. Other businesses like McGee Financial and Project EXcape, provided fun, interactive opportunities for us to network and get connected. The true purpose of HYP is to create friendships and ease what may have otherwise been a stressful adventure. We have some great events coming up. We will be hosting a cookout at the Hartsville Country Club sponsored by SPC Credit Union on July 13th from 6 to 9 p.m. If you’d like to give HYP a try, we’d love for you to join us.
Hartsville is a great community that is caring and inclusive. There are wonderful opportunities to get involved in our growing town. It is a place where you come thinking it’s temporary, but then you find yourself planting roots and finding a home. The friends I’ve made through HYP are some of the closest I have. We welcome anyone who would like to get involved.