Lily Pad #31: June 2025

Horry County DSS Office

Horry County, SC

Horry County is in the PeeDee Region of South Carolina. It is the easternmost county in South Carolina and home to the well known city of Myrtle Beach. It is also the fourth most populous county in the state with approximately 160 kids experiencing foster care.
When we held the virtual site visit at the end of 2024, the office contact presented two rooms that neighbor each other. Due to the higher number of kids in care in Horry County, we moved forward with plans to create a Lily Pad in each room, either of which can also serve as a visitation room.
The office requested non-fabric, wipeable furniture so we sourced faux leather options and landed on two recliners in one room and a sofa that reclines in the other. We used indoor/outdoor machine washable rugs and then, as always, all of the standard Lily Pad items: books, sensory toys, weighted blankets, TVs with a Nintendo Switch and DVD player, coloring supplies, roll-away beds and a calm, beautiful environment.
Inspiration was drawn from the beauty of the county’s beaches and outdoors, with a beautiful mural showcased in one of the rooms that adds a bold playful quality to the room. Each room also has a special activity area: one an activity wall with a chalkboard and magnet board and the other with a play kitchen with all of the accessories for lots of pretend play. We were able to created a working space in the hallway outside of the rooms for DSS staff as well as a desk for the kids to use to eat, color or do homework.
We are so grateful to The Lovely Law Firm as some of their staff members volunteered over the weekend to help with the installation by painting, assembling furniture and organizing items for the Lily Pad rooms. Miss Morgan Elvis, a local personality and former Miss Myrtle Beach and Guardian ad Litem, also joined in the volunteer efforts, lending her experience and hands to the cause.
Tony Catone, newly appointed State Director of South Carolina DSS, attended the ribbon cutting event on Monday to see the space and visit with the staff in Horry County. We are grateful for his support of our work at Lily Pad and look forward to continue growing a working relationship with him.