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COLUMBUS—On Thursday, November 21, the Foothills Chamber of Commerce held its monthly Business After Hours networking event in Thermal Belt Outreach’s conference room. The event brought together local businesses for networking, food, and camaraderie. Love 2 Fly—Drone Works co-hosted the event, which took place in Columbus.

Margot Carter, Executive Director of Thermal Belt Outreach, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership.

“It has been wonderful to partner with Love 2 Fly for this event,” she said. “It’s always great to meet new businesses in the community. Gwen came to meet us about co-hosting the event and immediately became a regular volunteer.” 

Outreach has been a pillar of support in the community since 1991, addressing the needs of individuals facing both short-term crises, such as the inability to pay electric bills or put food on the table, and those living in persistent poverty. One of its current initiatives, the Christmas Gift Program, provides gifts, toys, and gift cards to Polk County children aged 0-18 and over a hundred senior citizens.

Carter praised the Foothills Chamber of Commerce for bolstering the local economy. 

“I love the Chamber. They are working really hard to promote local businesses and bring local businesses together to help the community,” said Carter.

Love 2 Fly – Drone Works, operated by Tim and Gwen Ryan, offers photography and videography services and search and rescue operations, primarily for lost pets. Whether enhancing a real estate listing or aiding in disaster response, their drone technology efficiently captures compelling visuals and critical data.

Gwen Ryan remarked on the collaboration with Outreach, saying, “Outreach is fabulous, all the good work they do for the community. We’re proud to partner with Margot, and after meeting the wonderful people here, I also became a volunteer.”

Tim Ryan elaborated on their recent engagements. 

“We offer various services, including video and photography, but after Helene, we found ourselves helping in other ways,” he said. “We went out one day to check on a pair of houses to see if they were still there. We also participated in searches for lost pets and, more recently, were called out to assist in locating a missing horse.”

For more information about Thermal Belt Outreach, visit thoutreach.org, and for details on Love 2 Fly – Drone Works, check out love2fly.us. To learn more about the Foothills Chamber of Commerce, visit carolinafoothillschamber.com.