2000 strong for Google Fiber in Greenville! Our party of three was in the little ‘g’.
(c) Mike Bergen
Bleeding Orange
posted December 8 by Chris Manley
tags: Community, Greenville
Yesterday I took a big leap of faith. The last time I took this leap, I passed out. Not a great experience. On to the story – I was at my church dropping something off on Monday afternoon. A fellow member stopped me in the hallway and asked me if I was there for the blood drive. I told him no, but said “if you have an opening, I can try.”
This was one of those times where I didn’t think about the words I was saying until they were said. The last time I tried to give blood, I passed out. It wasn’t pleasant. My blood pressure was too low. But the man seemed like he needed some people. So I followed him to the other building and said I would give it a shot.
Back in the “interview room”, they took my blood pressure. It was normal! Then came the next step: the finger prick. Now this brought back some memories… when I was five, they pricked my finger in the doctor’s office. I screamed at the top of my lungs. Shots? I’m fine with. Sight of blood? Sure. Finger pricks? Heck no. That one moment in my earlier years scarred me for life. But I looked away and told the nurse not to give me any warning, just to do it. She did. I lived.
I passed the initial test. Now, could I actually go through the whole thing without passing out? Long story short – one Sprite, an ice pack, and a reclining chair later, I gave one unit of blood. Woohoo!
I tell you this story not to prove I can overcome my fears, but because of the things I overheard while I kept squeezing my fist alternated with opening it wide. Our church used to get quite a few donors when we have the blood drive. They now get a dozen. Manufacturing facilities used to open their doors to the Blood-Mobile and allow employees time off to give blood. Of those that still have their doors open, many are phasing this out.
Just in the area stretching from Clemson to Spartanburg, 300 units of blood are needed every day to fill the need our own neighbors have in their darkest hours. While I enjoyed some orange juice and home made cookies afterward, the gentleman who invited me to come give sat down next to me. We brainstormed for a while how to get more people from our church to overcome their fears and give. This very wise man reminded me – “it only takes one.”
On the way out, they presented me with my very own Clemson orange t-shirt that proclaims, “My Blood Runs Orange!” It really is a beautiful sight to behold. But no matter what color your blood may run, I encourage you to overcome any fears you have and give blood. It’s the easiest and quickest way I can think of to save a life.
And hey, if you hurry, they might even give you your very own orange t-shirt too!
The Big Leagues
posted September 22 by Chase Finch
tags: Business, Greenville
I grew up in Mauldin, SC, close enough to the Greenville Braves stadium to see their 4th of July fireworks from my front porch. I lived in the same house until I left for Clemson a week before my eighteenth birthday.
Greenville is my home.
Every time I made the 45 minute drive back to town, Greenville changed a little bit — new buildings, new events, and new energy. By the time I left college, it was a different city. The people were the same, but their personality became tangible, reflected in the comfort of the downtown area, the generosity of the volunteers, and the welcoming nature of the business community.
Meanwhile, Engenius was born. Chris and I began from a desire to help companies and organizations understand how powerful of a tool the Internet can be. As we approach our second anniversary in business, we are reminded of how much we’ve grown. Our designs have improved to a high standard in creative and professional quality. Our approach to a project has naturally switched focus to the client’s individuality and purpose. We even speak differently than before, with a confidence in our services that only comes with experience and tested results.
Two years ago, we knew this day was coming. We knew that we would soon be able to point proudly to our portfolio, speak from experience, and provide true value to companies in the big leagues (that is, smart businesses run by smart people.)
What surprised us, however, was the personal nature of this particular community. Business relationships in Greenville are based on trust. When we reflect on the turning points of Engenius, the polishing of our product doesn’t seem quite as important as the steps we’ve taken to earn the trust of our clients or the relationships we’ve formed through common interest.
We’re proud to offer excellent services. They have been refined by experience and a whole lot of advice and research. We are especially proud to offer them in Greenville, because to us, that means contributing to the community that defines our hometown.
