Columbia Opportunity Resource

Volunteer: Camp Cole
2025-05-17 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Camp Cole, 1571 Crossing Creek Road, Eastover, SC, United States
Looking for a meaningful way to make a difference? Join us for a volunteer opportunity at Camp Cole! As we gear up to welcome campers beginning June 1st, we could use extra hands to help prep Dean’s Barn and the new Southeastern Freight Lines Activities Center. Volunteer tasks include cleaning out animal stalls, power washing, painting structures in the goat area and chicken coops, working in the garden beds, and helping to identify and hang signage. In the Activities Center, we’ll be setting up rooms, moving furniture, stocking shelves, and organizing. It’s a great way to give back and help create a welcoming, fun atmosphere for campers. Sign up HERE.

Vounteer: Upper Deck Golf
2025-05-09 06:30 - 2025-05-11 22:30 | Williams-Brice Stadium, 1125 George Rogers Blvd, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
Join us for an exciting volunteer opportunity at Williams-Brice Stadium! Volunteers will assist with player check-in, ticket scanning, and challenge stations, ensuring a smooth and fun experience for all participants. As a thank-you, volunteers receive a free round of golf, a volunteer shirt, a food voucher, and free parking—plus, flexible shift options. Be sure to mention COR in the ‘How did you hear about this’ field. Choose your shift HERE.

Activate: Midlands Gives Celebration
2025-05-06 17:00 - 19:00 | Steel Hands Brewing, 2350 Foreman Street, Cayce, SC, 29033, United States
Meet us on the patio at Steel Hands Brewing in Cayce for an evening of giving as we celebrate another year of “connecting Columbia”! Feel free to bring a friend to meet fellow members for networking, refreshments and an opportunity to take a complimentary professional headshot. Let’s work together to reach our donation goal during this Midlands Gives giving challenge! Let us know you’re coming below.
Can’t make our event? Consider giving now or during the Aflac Power Hour from 6:00-6:59 PM to help us win a $2,000 prize bonus.
Event sponsored by Nucor Building Systems.
Fill out my LGL Form!

Interest Group Meetup: Lit-erary Club
2025-05-04 14:00 - 16:00 | All Good Books, 734 Harden St, Columbia, SC, 29205, United States
May Book Madness
Join the Lit-erary Club at All Good Books for a cozy “sip and read” afternoon. Bring your current read or pick up something new in-store. When you RSVP, you’ll be asked to submit a book recommendation—we’ll vote on one to read together and discuss at our next meetup.
Stick around and enter our RAFFLE for a chance to win a prize!
Participation is FREE for active COR members and $15 for non-members. Sign up below. Ready to become a member? Join here.
Fill out my LGL Form!

Interest Group Meetup: Health & Wellness Club
2025-05-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Chosen Uno Training, 2627 Millwood Ave Suite A2, Columbia, SC, 29205, United States
May Wellness: Spring Forward to a Healthier You
Join us at Chosen Uno Training to get moving, feel energized, and take a step toward your healthiest self this spring!
Stick around after class as we head to get smoothies from Tasty As Fit at 11 AM and enter our RAFFLE for a chance to win a fun wellness prize!
Participation is FREE for active COR members and $15 for non-members. Sign up below. Ready to become a member? Join here.
Fill out my LGL Form!

Volunteer: Columbia Food + Wine Festival
2025-04-27 09:00 - 16:00 | SC
Looking for a way to experience the Columbia Food and Wine Festival? Volunteer to help make the festival a success, and in exchange, you’ll get free entry to the event. Volunteers get to enjoy all the delicious food and drinks (minus the alcohol) while helping out. There are limited spots available so join a shift HERE.

Table for Six: Midlands Media Personalities
2025-04-17 17:30 - 20:30 | Girl Scouts of South Carolina, 1107 Williams St,, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
Join us for the upcoming Table for Six dinner, spotlighting the most influential voices from across the Midlands. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with key figures shaping the local media landscape and engage in meaningful conversations. This event will sell out!

BUY TICKETS

Table Hosts:
Ashley Jones – Reporter/Anchor, WIS
Brian McConchie – Anchor/Managing Editor, WACH FOX
Bryn Eddy – Editor, Lexington County Chronicle
Curtis Wilson – Anchor, ABC Columbia; Host, On Patrol: Live; Radio DJ, The Big DM
David Stringer – City Editor, COLAtoday
Dawndy Mercer Plank – Former Anchor, WIS
Hannah Wade – Reporter, The State
Julia Westerman – Sports Anchor/Reporter, WIS
Zoe Nicholson – Senior Features Editor, The Post and Courier and Free Times

Interested in sponsoring Table for Six? We still have exciting sponsorship opportunities available! Click here to view our sponsorship opportunities and reach out to us at info@ourcor.org for more details.

Volunteer: Vista Alley Golf Fundraiser
2025-04-12 12:00 - 18:00 | Vista Alley, 711-819 Gervais St, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
The Vista Neighborhood Association (VNA) and the Vista Guild (VG) are hosting the 3rd Annual Alley Golf Tournament in the Vista on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 12pm to 6pm. As a volunteer, guide participants at mini-golf holes, explain rules, and track player’s scores. Volunteers are allowed to order food and beverage during your shift. You can even participate in the event after your shift is completed. All proceeds go towards VNA Beautification Committee to help fund arts projects in the Vista. Sign up HERE.

COR Connections @ Hazelwood Brewing
2025-04-01 18:00 - 20:00 | Hazelwood Brewing Company, 711 E Main St, Lexington, SC, 29072, United States
Meet us at Hazelwood Brewing Company in Lexington for an evening of networking, refreshments and an opportunity to connect with Jack Stuart, Economic Developer with the Town of Lexington. This event is free for active COR members OR $15 at the door. Members register below.
About Jack:
Jack Stuart is passionate about building a stronger, more vibrant Lexington, SC by attracting great businesses and improving quality of life. Focused on business recruitment, community development, and strategic growth, Jack works to fill market gaps, support small businesses, and make it easier for companies to thrive in the Town.
Beyond business attraction, Jack is committed to placemaking—creating spaces and opportunities that make Lexington not only a great place to live, but to work, shop, eat, and visit. Whether it’s refining policies, strengthening Main Street, or leading initiatives like ShopLexSC and DineLexSC, Jack is dedicated to shaping a Town where businesses succeed, and people want to raise a family.

Fill out my LGL Form!

Volunteer: Capture Columbia
2025-03-26 17:00 - 2025-04-23 20:00 | SC
Looking to make a difference and connect with Columbia’s future leaders? COR is looking for volunteers for the Capture Columbia program! Help with set-up and clean-up, assist students during events, and create lasting connections while making a positive impact. This is a great opportunity to support local students, recent graduates, and summer associates while they explore the Columbia community and build relationships that can shape their future careers. Sign up HERE.

Volunteer: St. Pat's in Five Points
2025-03-12 06:00 - 2025-03-16 19:00 | Harden St
It’s a lucky day to volunteer at St. Pat’s in Five Points! Volunteers will receive complimentary admission to the festival and a festival t-shirt. Don’t forget to add Columbia Opportunity Resource in the “Group or Organization Name” field. Sign up HERE.

Volunteer: Mardi Gras
2025-03-01 10:00 - 18:00 | City Roots, 1005 Airport Blvd, Columbia, SC, 29205, United States
Each year the Benevolent Krewe de Columbia-Ya-Yas throw a Mardi Gras Festival at City Roots Farm in Columbia, SC. COR receives $1 for every beer purchase, so stop by and show your support. Each volunteer will get free admission to the festival and 2 beer tokens. We encourage you to come to the festival before your shift or stay after! Help COR fill the most volunteer spots, HERE.

Activate @ Steel Hands Distilling - Vista
2025-02-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Steel Hands Vista Distilling and Brewing, 705 Gervais St, Ste A, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
Join us for an after work happy hour at Steel Hands Distilling on Gervais St. Get connected with COR as we kick off the new year with our first Activate! Activate is an open opportunity for networking across the Columbia region for all ages and professions. Register below. Event sponsored by Nucor Building Systems.
Fill out my LGL Form!

COR Connections: Grinch & Gift Wrapping Party
2024-12-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Piecewise Coffee Co., 2001 State St, Cayce, 29033, United States
Join us for our annual gift wrapping party at Piecewise in Cayce in partnership with Richland County Economic Development. We’ll be filled with holiday cheer as we wrap gifts for our two adopted families through Families Helping Families with special guest, the Grinch! This is a members-only event.

Purchase gifts for our families at their dedicated Amazon registries:

Family 501

Family 986

Fill out my LGL Form!

Volunteer: AbleSC Fundable Gala
2024-11-15 17:45 - 21:30 | Central Energy, 2030 Gregg Street, Columbia, SC, United States
Join us on Friday, November 15th, for the AbleSC Fundable Gala, and help make it a night to remember! We’re looking for COR volunteers to assist with key roles such as door greeting, registration, working at the photo booth, wine wall, and selling raffle tickets. Shifts will run from 5:45 PM to 9:30 PM and can be divided into shifts depending on availability. Choose your shift HERE.

Table for Six: Leaders in Sports & Recreation
2024-11-07 17:30 - 20:30 | 701 Whaley, 701 Whaley Street, Columbia, SC, United States
Join us in the Olympia Room at 701 Whaley for the upcoming Table for Six dinner, featuring influential leaders in Sports and Recreation from across the Midlands. This is your chance to connect with key figures in the industry and engage in meaningful conversations. This event will sell out!
Tickets are on sale now for an evening of conversation with the women and men in recreation from across the Columbia region over dinner and drinks. Happy hour will begin at 5:30pm, with dinner beginning at 6:30pm. Tickets include dinner + two drinks.

GET TICKETS & SECURE YOUR SEAT

Interested in sponsoring Table for Six? We still have exciting sponsorship opportunities available! Click here to view our sponsorship opportunities and reach out to us at info@ourcor.org for more details.

Volunteer: SC Pride
2024-10-18 08:00 - 2024-10-19 23:00 | SC
Join us for SC Pride volunteering on October 18-19 in downtown Columbia. Shifts are available Friday and Saturday morning, afternoon, evening, and late night. Help out with roles like parade assistance, stage attendant, beverage tent, vendor assistance, VIP attendant, event set up, and clean up. Volunteers get a festival t-shirt, access to a break room with water and snacks, and the chance to make a real impact.

When signing up, be sure to note Columbia Opportunity Resource (COR) as your group organization! Pick a shift HERE.

COR Connections: Hop into Preservation @ the Hangar
2024-10-16 17:30 - 19:30 | Hunter Gatherer at the Hangar, 1402 Jim Hamilton Blvd, Columbia, SC, 29205, United States
Join us at Hunter-Gatherer Brewery at the Hangar as we Hop into Preservation, an evening of networking, local hops, and history. Connect with John Sherrer, Director of Preservation at Historic Columbia, as he shares insights into the importance of preservation in our community and Columbia’s unique heritage. This members-only event is a perfect blend of hometown brews and meaningful conversations about our city’s past and future.
COR members can register using the form below.

About John:
A Columbia native, author, and historian, John Sherrer has worked at Historic Columbia since 1996. As Director of Preservation, John heads the organization’s historic preservation advocacy efforts involving research and programming, management of a 15-property easement portfolio, and historic tax credit fee-for-service projects. John holds degrees from Clemson (BA, MA: English) and the University of South Carolina (MA: Public History) and management certificates from McKissick Museum and the Southeastern Museum Conference’s Jekyll Island Management Institute. John has served on the boards of the Columbia Development Corporation, the Columbia Design League, and the South Carolina Federation of Museums. A Leadership Columbia Class of 2014 alumna, John was a 2023 Ambassador for ExperienceColumbiaSC.

Fill out my LGL Form!

Activate at Steel Hands
2024-09-17 17:30 - 19:30 | Steel Hands Brewing, 2350 Foreman Street, Cayce, SC, 29033, United States
Join us for an after work happy hour at Steel Hands Brewing. Activate is an open opportunity for networking across the Columbia region for all ages and professions. Attendance is FREE and open to the public! Register below.

Fill out my LGL Form!

COR Connections: Midlands Gives Celebration
2024-05-07 17:00 - 19:00 | Backstreets Grill, 2400 Devine St, Columbia, SC, 29205, United States
Meet us on the patio at Backstreets Grill for an evening of giving as we celebrate another year of “connecting Columbia”! Feel free to bring a friend to meet fellow members for an evening of networking, refreshments and an opportunity to take a complimentary professional headshot. Let’s work together to reach our donation goal during this 18-hour Midlands Gives giving challenge!

Volunteer: YESCarolina State Business Plan Competition
2024-04-25 14:00 - 2024-04-26 15:00 | Wade Martin Building, 316 S Beltline Blvd, Columbia, SC, 29205, United States
Every year YEScarolina hosts a State Business Plan Competition, which is an exciting Shark Tank style event that features SC’s top entrepreneurship students! This year’s competition is being held on Apr. 26 at the Midlands Tech Beltline Campus. Volunteers are needed to assist in setting up each of the presentation rooms, setting up judging tables and materials, posting signage around the building, helping to test/troubleshoot technology, and various other duties. Volunteer HERE.

COR Connections: Iron Hill Percent Night
2024-04-03 18:30 - 20:30 | Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, 945 Sabal St, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
Hang out with COR at Iron Hill Brewery where 20% of all food & non-alcoholic drink sales will be donated to our nonprofit! All you have to do is mention the digital flyer below to your server or bartender, and COR will receive a portion. Our board will have some tables reserved so come and join us!

COR Connections: Elevate Midlands
2024-03-18 08:00 - 09:30 | Pastides Alumni Center, 900 Senate Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
Join the COR board of directors, COR members and some of the Columbia region’s biggest movers and shakers as the Competitiveness Council unveils the new Elevate Midlands report. This annual report serves as a roadmap for next steps to improve talent retention, promote entrepreneurship, enhance economic development, and provide access to our region’s greatest assets. It will provide an update on ongoing initiatives and introduce new ones that are just getting started. Register HERE.

Activate at Bierkeller
2024-03-12 17:30 - 19:30 | Bierkeller Brewing Company, 600 Canalside St Suite 1009, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
Join us for an after work happy hour at Bierkeller Brewing Company. Get connected with COR as we kick off the new year with our first Activate! Activate is an open opportunity for networking across the Columbia region for all ages and professions. REGISTER HERE.

Volunteer: The Oyster Roast
2024-03-02 15:00 - 20:30 | Grovewood Plantation, 1992 Congaree Rd, Eastover, SC, 29044, United States
Join COR in volunteering to assist with various tasks during The Oyster Roast, hosted by The Atrium and The Cavalry Societies of Prisma Health Midlands Foundation. This Oyster Roast is an opportunity to enjoy good food, music and friends – all for a great cause! Choose a time slot to volunteer HERE.

Volunteer: Contemporaries Ball
2024-03-02 10:00 - 16:00 | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
Step into a vibrant world where artistic expression collides at “Neon Dreams: A Pop Art Affair,” where the brilliance of iconic artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and the spirit of Robert Indiana illuminate the night. So, slip into your most vibrant attire, let the neon lights guide you, and join us for a night where reality and art collide in a neon-infused dream.
Volunteers are asked to work a two-hour shift and in return will have a free ticket to the event. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time to help with setup/breakdown and hear a short explanation of the event, and expectations. Sign up HERE.

Table for Six: Young Executives
2024-02-29 18:00 - 21:00 | 701 Whaley, 701 Whaley Street, Columbia, SC, United States
The next Table for Six dinner will feature emerging business leaders from around the Midlands. This event will sell out!
Get Tickets
Interested in supporting Table for Six or COR in general through sponsorship? Please contact julia@ourcor.org

Time to Give: Speakeasy Soirée
2024-01-11 19:00 - 23:00 | 701 Whaley, 701 Whaley Street, Columbia, SC, United States
Join us for COR’s inaugural Time to Give event at 701 Whaley on January 11th. Enjoy a night of vintage glamour, secret Prohibition-era drinks, and interactive fun, all within an exclusive, password-protected speakeasy soirée!
BUY TICKETS

Families Helping Families Gift Wrapping Party
2023-12-06 18:30 - 20:00 | Piecewise Coffee Co., 2001 State St, Cayce, 29033, United States
Join us for our annual gift wrapping party at Piecewise in Cayce. We’ll be filled with holiday cheer as we wrap gifts for our two adopted families through Families Helping Families. Click HERE to join us.

Table for Six: Women in Leadership
2023-10-26 18:00 - 20:30 | Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
