Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means it's time to start thinking about what to cook. My mom cooks the turkey in my family, and the rest of us all chip in with different sides and desserts. This year, I asked around the credit union for new recipes to try out. If you're like me, you're probably looking for something that is budget-friendly, easy to cook, and contains minimal ingredients, or at least uses ingredients that you already have. 

In honor of Veterans Day on November 11th, Carolina Trust is celebrating our veteran employees and Board volunteers all month long with Living Local Carolina Segments and billboard campaigns. If you're looking for ways to show appreciation to veterans in your life this Veterans Day, check out the list below.

Carolina Trust is raising awareness for important causes throughout the month of October. One cause that is important to us, is Down Syndrome Awareness. Employees have worn blue and yellow ribbons all week long to raise awareness for Down Syndrome and start the conversation about down syndrome with the people we come in contact with.

We are so fortunate to have a friendship with Lacey Thompson, whose two-year-old son Luke has down syndrome. Recently on a segment of Living Local Carolina, Lacey shared her story with Show Host/Producer Rainee Romero and I .

You can check out the segment below to learn about how Lacey and her husband found out that their son Luke would be born with down syndrome and how it has changed their lives. Lacey also gives some excellent advice on ways to raise awareness for down syndrome and promote inclusivity.

With close proximity to the beach, beautiful weather year-round, and friendly people, the Grand Strand area is an ideal place for many northerners looking to relocate.

On a recent segment of Living Local Carolina, we sat down with Carolina Trust member, Phil Adikes, who recently relocated from New York and built his dream home with the help of the Carolina Trust Mortgage department.

Phil and his wife were initially referred to a lender who offered them a rate much higher than what they were expecting. After doing some research online, Phil realized that Carolina Trust was advertising a rate much lower than the lender he had initially been referred to. With just a few weeks until their closing date, the Adikes were skeptical of restarting the lending process.

However, our mortgage team was able to get the Adikes approved in less than 48 hours at a lower rate. After doing the math, they were able to save approximately $80,000 over the life of their mortgage by using Carolina Trust as their lender.

Check out the Adikes' Living Local Carolina segment below:

Have you grabbed your copy of the October Grand Strand Magazine? You'll definitely want to grab one and check out the Women in Business Edition, featuring profiles of some of our area's most prominent businesswomen.

Can you believe it is already fall? It seems like summer just flew by. As much as I love summer, I am ready for cooler weather and fun fall festivities. Growing up in the mountains in Virginia, I always loved watching the leaves change colors each fall. Although the scenery doesn't change as drastically here in South Carolina, there are still lots of other ways to get into the fall spirit.

As the community credit union, Carolina Trust prides itself on living out the credit union philosophy, "people helping people." From the way we do business to our community involvement, we show our care for the community. We look for these same core values in the organizations we work with, which is why it is such an honor to work with The Ricky Sapp Foundation.

The Ricky Sapp Foundation was formed by NFL Veteran Linebacker Ricky Sapp to help kids become their very best and educate adults that their actions matter. Ricky saw the opportunity to take his platform and encourage youth to make positive changes within themselves, their schools, and communities. With his foundation, he's had the chance to speak to kids at school pep rallies, team sporting events, banquets, pre-games, college classes, etc. This past year, Ricky paired up with Carolina Trust for the I'm a Buddy Not a Bully project, where he attended school visits and spoke to kids about bullying and how it affected his life.

Along with motivational speaking, Ricky holds several events throughout the year with his foundation.

Since the NFL, Ricky has been very active in the football community. The Ricky Sapp Youth Football Camp is held in Bamberg, SC, annually. NFL pros, friends, and family assist Ricky with the camp.

The Ricky Sapp Foundation also holds an annual Back-to-School Drive, where they've provided hundreds of kids with support such as backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, new shoes, and more. Carolina Trust had the opportunity to help The Ricky Sapp Foundation with its Back-To-School Drive this year. It was heartwarming to see each child's excitement as they got to select a backpack full of supplies.

Click here for more information about The Ricky Sapp Foundation and how they're helping our community. Also, check out the Living Local Carolina Segment below, where show host Rainee Romero sits down with Ricky Sapp for an inside exclusive about his foundation.

For the second year in a row, Carolina Trust was named WMBF News' Best in Banking in their Best of the Grand Strand Contest. It is such an honor to be voted as "Best Bank" by members of the Grand Strand Community.

On August 26th, we celebrated National Dog Day; A day dedicated to appreciating man's best friend and the joys that they bring to our lives. If you are considering making the addition of a furry friend to your family, I encourage you to check out your local animal shelter. There are many shelters in our local community with wonderful animals looking for their forever home.

Like most things in 2020, the start of a new school year looks a little different this year for the students at Coastal Carolina University. Unlike previous years, the freshmen class will move onto campus without an official orientation, which showcases many of the school's significant highlights. As a Coastal alumnus, I've put together a list of my favorite spots to check out around campus. Click here for a map of the campus to guide you around to each of my favorite spots.