CAMDEN, S.C. — Imagine downtown Camden on a warm evening. Families stroll down Broad Street after dinner. Children laugh at community events their parents once attended. Traditions are passed down. Memories are made. And the next generation chooses to call Camden home.
That kind of community takes intention.
The City of Camden will receive a rebate through its participation in the nonprofit CarolinaBUY, a cooperative purchasing program that allows public agencies to save time and money while remaining compliant with state purchasing requirements.
City Manager Matt DeWitt enrolled Camden in the program to strengthen operational efficiency while creating opportunities for reinvestment. As the City advances necessary infrastructure projects, including the AMI initiative, participation in the nonprofit CarolinaBUY allows a portion of those expenses to return to the community.
The City will direct these funds into local events and shared experiences that build civic pride and strengthen community culture.
“Our participation in the CarolinaBUY program allows everyday purchases to create meaningful reinvestment right here at home,” DeWitt said. “These shared traditions matter. They help ensure the next generation not only values where they came from but chooses to come home and build their future right here.”
CarolinaBUY serves as the dedicated lead agency of AEPA, the Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies, in North and South Carolina. Through nationally solicited contracts, the program provides competitive pricing, compliance, and access to a broad range of vetted vendors.
Kat Spadacenta, Community Development Coordinator for the City, said the reinvestment strengthens efforts to build lasting traditions.
“The City has made investments in recent years to enhance the holiday season in Camden, earning a reputation as one of the best places to celebrate Christmas,” Spadacenta said. “We hope residents and visitors alike will create special memories here during the holidays. We are working to restore some of that nostalgia from years ago, from additional lighting in our downtown commercial district to snowy evenings at the tree, inviting families to celebrate being together in a unique and meaningful way.”
Those efforts also play a key role in shaping how Camden is experienced year-round by residents and visitors alike.
“Events and traditions are more than celebrations. They are powerful drivers of community identity and economic impact,” said Jenny Parrish, Director of Tourism. “When we invest in experiences that bring people together, we create reasons for visitors to return and for residents to stay engaged. Cooperative purchasing allows us to be good stewards of public dollars while enhancing the very things that make Camden special.”
By leveraging cooperative purchasing, Camden is strengthening fiscal responsibility while investing in the experiences that define community life.
Pictured from left to right: Assistant City Manager Caitlin Young; City Manager Matt DeWitt; Outreach Ambassador for CarolinaBUY Ann-Marie Schell; Director of Tourism Jenny Parrish; and Community Development Coordinator Kat Spadacenta.