The story above is part of the South Carolina Picture Project, a section of SCIWAY that we hope to establish as an independent nonprofit. Its future is in danger due to a sudden loss of funding, and we have been working hard over the past three months to save it. Because so many of you have donated to the cause, we wanted to give an update on where we stand.

First things first, though – we are still looking for a sponsor! That's why we ask if anyone knows Darius Rucker or Stephen Colbert. Both of these men are from South Carolina, and we bet that they love the Palmetto State just much as we do. We'd be thrilled to talk to either of them – or anyone! – who wants to learn more about what we do. (LOL, and please note that "thrilled" is a strong word. "Terrified" may be more accurate, but "happy" and "excited" to be sure!)

That said, sponsors don't have to be famous. We'd be honored to meet with any college, government entity, or business that wants to help spread South Carolina's story. The article about Philadelphia Alley shows the kind of work we do, unraveling the riddles of our collective past and documenting this information in a living, growing, and freely accessible repository. Our Bygone Landmarks category alone reveals how important the South Carolina Picture Project has become. We believe in it deeply, and our needs are modest, but we do need help in order for it to grow.

Other recent accomplishments and endeavors include:

• Our crowdsourcing campaign has raised $24,137 so far – exceeding our goal by nearly $5,000! If you enjoy the articles – and photographs! – we share, please donate here.
  
  
• We have filed our South Carolina paperwork seeking nonprofit status. We are awaiting confirmation from the Secretary of State, and then we will tackle our federal paperwork.
  
  
• We've received the most extraordinary surprise! The law firm of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP has offered to help us file our paperwork and set up our new organization, free of charge! We are especially grateful to attorneys Neil Grayson and Ricky Davis in the Greenville office for their kindness in reaching out to us.
  
  
• We are in the process of printing, signing, and shipping close to 100 photos, generously given by many of our favorite photographers as rewards for our donors. This has been a big job and more time-consuming than we would ever have thought. The good news is that we are nearly done!
  
  
• And last but not least, we are looking for a director! We need someone who can guide our new organization towards a secure future so it can flourish. The person we are looking for will need to be unique because, basically, he or she must be both an introvert and an extravert. In other words, we not only need a serious scholar, but we also need a crackerjack salesperson!
  
  As a nonprofit, we will always be in need of funding, and our goal is to find someone who can do rock-solid historical research while also marketing the heck out of the SC Picture Project.
  
  This is a position that may take some time to fill, but we want to go ahead and start spreading the word. If you are interested in this job, please let us know.
  
  

Well, that's it for our updates today! Kerri, Brandon, and I want to say again how grateful we are to everyone who has offered support, financial or otherwise. Your belief in us matters more than you can know, and we owe every bit of the progress we've made to you. Most of all, your words of kindness and encouragement boost our spirits infinitely. Please keep spreading the message, and please keep the good ideas coming. We value your efforts immensely!

Warmest regards,

Robin Welch (James Island)

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