Lowcountry Forever: Magnolia Plantation & Charleston County Public Library – June 29, 2025

SEGMENT #1: Magnolia Plantation
GUEST: Neves Richards, Director of Volunteer Engagement
ISSUE: Historic Preservation
Established in the late 17th century, Magnolia Plantations has been open to the public since 1871. The historic grounds are open year-round, offering visitors a glimpse into it’s rich and evolving history. This summer, the Plantation is offering a new program, Nature Pop, bringing more than 40 Lego statues to the grounds for visitors to enjoy. Neves Richards, the Plantation Director of Volunteer Engagement shared the idea behind bringing Nature Pop to the Lowcountry, what statues the more than 800,000 Legos have been made into, and where visitors can find them. As the Director of Volunteer Engagement, she also provided information on how individuals can volunteer and become a part of the plantation. Richards also discussed the plantations offerings, besides this summer’s “Nature Pop” and how the venue impacts the Lowcountry economically.

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SEGMENT #2: Charleston County Public Library
GUEST: Kathleen Montgomery, Associate Director of Community Engagement
ISSUE: Community Assistance
The public library is for much more than reading magazines and checking out books. This summer, the Charleston County Public Library is expanding programs to be outreach within the community. Kathleen Montgomery, Associate Director of Community Engagement with the Charleston County Library introduced their Summer Feeding Program, a joint venture with Charleston County School District and the Lowcountry Food Bank to provide lunch for 5 through 18 years old. The program will run through August 10th at the various library branches. Montgomery also provided information on their Summer Reading Program, available to both students and adults. Plus, she laid out the many reasons why libraries are still important and relevant here in the 21st century.

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