Get jazzy and volunteer at Jazz Fest. | Photo by City of Greenville
This week is National Volunteer Week, and we’re in the giving-back spirit. Whether you’re an animal lover, an artsy type, a natural mentor, or a healthcare enthusiast — there’s a nearby volunteer opportunity for you. Here are 30+ ways to get involved in the Upstate.
If you’re interested in healthcare
National Multiple Sclerosis Society | Become a leader or activist in the MS movement by assisting with advocacy, special events, and office support.
Girl Up GVL has the scoop on how to make a difference. | Photo by Girl Up GVL
Natural-born teachers + mentors
Girl Up GVL | Mentor middle + high school girls by providing meals, transport, or tutoring services.
If you want to be there for abuse victims
The Julie Valentine Center | From advocating for victims to helping with simple service projects, there are plenty of ways to give back.
Strut your mutts for a cause. | Photo by Greenville Humane Society
If you’re an animal lover
Greenville Humane Society | Become a foster cat or dog parent or help out at the adoption center and medical center.
Monday Night Yoga | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Camperdown Plaza | Free | Unwind and recharge under the open sky with yoga led by Zen Rabbit Yoga.
Dancing with the Dragon Lady | 7-9 p.m. | Hotel Hartness | $25 | Hear from aviation legend, Col. “Duke” Woodhull, who flew U-2 spy planes over Vietnam.
Tuesday, April 22
Sierra Nevada Tap Takeover | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | The Community Tap | Free entry | Enjoy a night of fun featuring old favorites, rare brews, and giveaways.
Writeshare Poetry Writing Series | 6-8 p.m. | M. Judson Booksellers | $40 | Discover the tools writers and poets use to “cast a spell"—through reading, discussing published poems, and writing your own pieces to create vivid imagery.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” | Tuesday, April 22-Sunday, April 27 | Times vary | Peace Center| $55+ | Baz Luhrmann’s film comes to life onstage, remixed as a musical mash-up.
Wednesday, April 23
Community Day | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Flywheel Coworking Greenville | Free | Take a tour, grab coffee, snack on a light lunch, and work from Flywheel for the rest of the day.
Friday, May 2
Conestee Nature Preserve’s Great Blue Gathering and Silent Auction | 6-8:30 p.m. | The Annex at Judson Mill | $100 | Enjoy an inspiring evening of Conestee’s resilience with a poetry reading, live music, and a silent auction featuring original art, local experiences, and dream getaways from Charleston to Costa Rica.*
The Design Review Board met late last week and approved the site plan for the West End Apartment complex, design plans for townhomes along Oscar + Meadow Streets, and exterior renovations to two commercial spaces in the Village of West Greenville. Take a peek at what else they discussed. (Upstate Business Journal)
Ranked
No. 9. That’s the spot Falls Park snagged on USA TODAY’s 10Best list of “Best City Parks in the Nation.” This is the fifth straight year our beloved park has made the list, and USA TODAY says “mayors from all over the country visit to study the redeveloped waterfront.” (Greenville News)
Picture this: You walk into your new home at 604 N. Main St., park your car in the 3.5-car garage, turn on your gas log fireplace, cook a meal in your gourmet kitchen, take a bath in your center garden tub, and end the day on your rooftop deck.
Seasonal
School’s (almost) out for summer. Greenville News put together a list of the last school days for counties across the Upstate. Greenville County’s is Thursday, May 22.
Number
Several Upstate finalists were selected for the South Carolina Film Commission’s 2025 Young Filmmakers Project. Students had to film + submit a two-minute short film using a flashlight as a prop. The films will be shown this Saturday, April 26, at 3 p.m. at Spotlight Cinemas Capital 8 in Columbia. (Greenville Journal)
The proposed budget “addresses increased student growth, special needs education, mental health services, and teacher recruitment and retention.” | Image from @gcschools
Greenville County Schools proposed a budget of ~$1 billion for the 2025-2026 school year, $25 million more than the 2024-2025 school year. Let’s break down where that extra $25 million could go:
$8.1 million for new mental health counselors + state-mandated teacher raises
$6 million for raises for non-teacher staff
$11.1 million for a boost in teacher pay
Greenville’s school district is the largest in the state, with 80,000 students + 11,000 teachers and staff.
What does this mean for me?
The increase could lead to a fund deficit of $11.7 million to $16.5 million, meaning the district might have to ask Greenville County voters for a tax increase next year.
The first reading of the budget goes before the school board on May 5.
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In case you missed it, we’re asking you where you get a sweet spring treat. Do you love the sorbetto from Carmella’s? The Caddy Classic from Vintage Coffee Cafe? The flower cupcakes from Strossner’s? Let us know.
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