Vineyards

The Vineyards CRO (Cliffs Residents Outreach) focus is literacy, health, wellness and education for the children of Pickens County and nearby communities. We aim to remove barriers so every child has an opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Removing barriers so every child has an opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Brunch tickets go on sale early July 2026. Sign up early, space is limited.

Thank you to all who attended our Annual Vineyards CRO Auction

NEW YORK, NEW YORK!

The Vineyards Clubhouse June 9, 2025

Together with our Corporate Partners we raised a whopping $247,000!

Thank you for your continued support.

Your Vineyards CRO Advisory Council

We are excited to present a short video about the Young Appalachian Musicians program. This is just one of the many ways your CRO makes meaningful differences in our community and in the lives of those who share with us. Your participation makes this possible.
Thank you!

What's New!

The Mobile Learning Lab, under the leadership of Pickens County School District’s Katie Britton, has brought hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) experiences to students across the entire district, directly reaching 5,700 students across 14 schools. These immersive experiences helped to ignite curiosity, foster collaboration, and introduce students to real-world challenges in engaging, meaningful ways. Scroll down to see this year’s impressive impact report!

For more info on the STEM Lab click here!

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Mobile Learning Lab

The “Driving Innovation” Initiative Supported By Vineyards And Springs CRO Has Achieved Huge Success During the 2024–25 School Year!

Cliffs Residents Outreach Is Making Dolly Parton’s Dream Of Inspiring Children’s Reading A Reality In Pickens County

Targeted for early-age children, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is now available for our area children. Dolly knew her dreams would come true, and the Imagination Library works to plant seeds to help our kids. The CRO is proud to partner with Pickens County Schools in rolling out this very special program!

Cliffs Residents Outreach Vineyards Making Prisms Virtual Reality Learning A Reality In Pickens County Schools

The contributions and membership of the Vineyards CRO is making Vritual Reality Learning a reality in Pickens County. Continuing the CRO’s focus on helping students in the areas of math and science, new learning platforms are being integrated into otherwise flat funding models.

Utilizing Prisms VR learning platform Pickens County students are learning through first-hand experience leveraging VR headsets and software technology that enables new concepts, symbol notation and much more. The Prisms VR experience is truly transformational and enables students to learn in a complex 3D world. To date this initiative has reached over 1,800 elementary students and we are excited to say some of the High School biology classes started utilizing them in October.

Our plans continue with many exciting initiatives like Prisms VR under development. Look for more news and a continuation of funded programs in the very near future.

For more information on Prisms VR please see www.prismsvr.com

Our Programs

Student and Family Emergency Assistance

Our Council believes it is vital to financially assist the families in our schools facing immediate crisis. If not for these funds (currently allocated to Pickens Elementary School, Hagood Elementary School, Pickens Middle School and Pickens High School), students may literally be without a home, medical treatment, food, clothing or other basic needs. School leadership is given a documentation process to allocate emergency funds to students or their families with immediate need.

Public School Support

The Keowee Vineyards CRO supports the four primary schools in the city of Pickens. Each school is assigned a Vineyards CRO volunteer liaison working as a representative between the Keowee Vineyards CRO Council chairperson and the school’s leadership. This direct communication keeps us keenly aware of what is happening as each school creates a new partnership we value and will continue to nurture.

School Liaisons (standing) Ken Michaels, Rebecca McNichols, Char Burgner, (sitting) Abby and Dave Posner. Sandi McPhetridge,

HAGOOD ELEMENTARY

CRO Vineyards Volunteers read Dr. Seuss books in each of the twenty-seven classrooms to students at Hagood Elementary School in Pickens. This event celebrates Read Across America Week and the birthday of the spectacular children’s author, Dr. Seuss, on Friday, March 8th. Books were provided by the school. Present were: Natalie Godown-Cook, Louis Brand, Deb DeSalle, Ken Michaels, Dave Harker, Paula Nesbitt, Chris Wilde, Lori Primasing.

PICKENS ELEMENTARY

Ten CRO Vineyards volunteers delivered gift-wrapped books to students in twenty-three classrooms at Pickens Elementary School. We read the book “Finding Gobi” to the students. CRO Vineyards provides funding and volunteers for this program (books, art & writing contests, author visits, fun run, etc.) through our “One School-One Book” program.

The Level of books given are in relation to the child’s age/grade.

Pickens Elementary Schools New Climbing Wall has arrived!

CRO Vineyards is happy to have sponsored this wall for growing young elementary children in Physical Education class.

Pickens Middle School

Pickens Middle School was awarded grant funding to support the students and teacher’s needs in the Robotics Club, Video Editing Club, Drone Club, Graphic Design Club and Home Economics Club.

Paula Nesbitt (center) delivers check to Pickens Middle School Principal James King shown with middle school students.

Pickens High School (PHS)

The Keowee Vineyards CRO was a platinum sponsor for the Pickens High School Marching Band program and supported them during the competition season. Among many awards received, the PHS Band placed First and were Grand Champions at the Chesnee Eagle Classic; they swept all awards at this event. In the 3A Upperstate Championship they placed second with the highest Pickens Marching Band score on record. At season end, they placed 4th in 3A for the State of South Carolina with a superior rating. A truly successful season and we have been proud to support their music and diligent hard work.

Doug Moore, PHS Band Booster President (L) and PHS Band Director David Richards (R) with Rebecca Craig McNichols.

Holly Springs Preschool

Holly Springs Preschool is a privately-operated school open for 2k, 3k and 4k children in Pickens, Oconee and Greenville Counties. This was a Pickens County public school and the first school to be supported by the KV CRO. The school is no longer funded by the SDPC, and they have financial need for operating structures and grounds. We have recently funded a basic playground piece of equipment.

(L to R) Julie Fayssoux Director of First Baptist Day School, Jen McKittrick, Co-Director of Holly Springs Day School, Traci Boyles Executive Director of Early Childhood Education SDPC, Laurelle Williams KV CRO Advisory Council Member.

Pickens Career and Tech Center (PCTC)

Thanks to your donations, PCTC has a new brake/lathe system and a transport trailer. The brake/lathe systems will be used in their mechanics and automotive training classes. The transport trailer will enable them to begin to take their programs down to the middle school level! We are amazed at the great work they are doing with their 1,700 high school students from across Pickens County.

Early Childhood Literacy Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Now Available in Pickens County!

KV CRO Advisory Council member Rob Ackley (3rd from left) working hard to provide access to DPIL.

Vineyards CRO started with a 40 child pilot program at the Holly Springs preschool 18 months ago, and now ALL of Pickens County is sponsored (6,300 children under 5 years of age). Over 3,000 children are registered and receive books monthly to their homes.

Young Appalachian Musicians (YAMS) Instrumental

(Available at Pickens Elementary and Hagood Elementary Schools)
While the Pickens County School District does not offer a full instrumental music program at the elementary level, the schools make their facilities available to Young Appalachian Musicians. We financially support this musical and educational program to introduce children to the music of the local heritage in Upstate South Carolina through small group instruction with instruments including fiddles/violins, guitars, banjos and mandolins. Research shows that instrumental music training “fires up” the brain circuitry that is also used in languages and math. The YAMS students performed at our June 2023 fundraiser with beautiful music and young talent.

Introducing children to the music of the local heritage in Upstate South Carolina.

Pickens Middle & High School Robotics Club

Building on the success of last year’s 7th grade team that qualified for the World Competition, CRO asked the Robotics Club teacher what she needed to expand and grow participation. She provided us with a list of technology items from robotics kits to GPS technology that would enable participants to develop higher level programming skills and allow more students to join. CRO provided funds to purchase the new technology. The Robotics Club teacher has used the older technology to expand robotics learning to 6th graders.

Camp I-Rock

This is the Keowee Vineyards CRO’s fourth year supporting a special, local initiative to help struggling elementary aged students in Pickens County learn to read. Our support has helped 1,374 students by providing a free summer remedial reading instruction and camp experience. In the summer of 2024, our donation will help 520 students improve their reading skills

Camp I-Rock – Oh, the places they will go!

Tamassee Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) School

The After School and Summer Program at Tamassee DAR serves elementary and middle-school students from the surrounding community and from the Starlight Program housed on their campus. This program offers a safe, healing, loving and learning environment for mothers to bond with their children and begin their recovery journey from addictions and/or volatile environments. Classes in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) classroom are small and achieve individualized instruction. The goal is for them to have their own robotics team to compete in South Carolina and beyond. This classroom is being named in honor of the Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards CRO in 2023-24.

Stephanie Cookson (R) KV CRO Advisory Council Member hand delivers a check to Jon Holland CEO of Tamassee DAR School.

Jack Lewis Watershed Scholarships

Jack Lewis was a beloved member of the Vineyards community and a twenty year volunteer with Friends of Lake Keowee Society, a 501(C)3 dedicated to preservation and conservation of our beautiful Lake Keowee and watershed. Jack was a past President of FOLKS and recently they named a scholarship in his honor. The Jack Lewis Watershed Stewardship Scholarship is awarded to high school students who show a strong interest in natural resource conservation and the environment.)

Grant Application Guidelines & Grant Request Form

Recent Annual Reports

Presenting Corporate Partner

CRO is grateful for the ongoing generous support of our Corporate Partners which plays an important part in reaching our goals. Please support them if you are in need of their goods or services, and join us in thanking them for their commitment to our mission!

Our Corporate Partners Make a Difference.

DIAMOND LEVEL

TITANIUM LEVEL

PLATINUM LEVEL

GOLD LEVEL

SILVER LEVEL

BRONZE LEVEL

For information about becoming a Corporate Partner, please contact Scott Wallace

Advisory Council

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