Isn't this time of year exciting with its new growth and endless possibilities! The Grand Strand's endless possibilities are waiting for YOU! Not only does the warmer weather encourage colorful blooms, tender green leaves, and new generations of birds, rabbits, and other wildlife around the region, most importantly for us humans, we can now wander comfortably around and along the beach.

One of the treats that greeted them here was Prince Resort's Easter festivities including an elaborate brunch, colorful Easter baskets, an in-room Easter-egg hunt, plus a coloring contest for the children. Participants and spectators alike enjoyed the entirely sunny Easter day with its gentle warms and promises of great things to come.

Of course, for those guests who encounter the occasional passing shower, we assure them that the condition is temporary. Showers, a vital part of spring, help promote the vibrant growth that we appreciate so much. Here along the beautiful Grand Strand coastline, the sun peeks through passing canopies of clouds, and in no time at all adventurous beachcombers of all ages are out in the sunshine.

If you are pondering a beach vacation this year, Prince Resort can help. Our staff can point out the latest discounts, the fun at The Cherry Grove Pier, tee times at area golf courses, reservations at our own 3500 Ocean Grill and other fine restaurants, diverse shopping options, visits to wilderness parks, and, of course, the beach. Need to stay connected to your work place? Hey, we've got free wireless access. Bring your cell phone and laptop to connect to your office from the comfort of your beach chair.

Your friends at Prince Resort!

Easter at Prince Resort

April 12th, Easter Day, at Prince Resort dawned with sunshine glistening off the ocean. Chef Richard MacGregor at 3500 Ocean Grill had organized his staff weeks before, so by this point the only remaining steps were cooking and presentation for a fabulous Easter brunch, served oceanfront.

Large platters of delicious food, fresh flowers, and creative displays all provided that extra special ambiance of spring and renewal. Prince's cheerful brunch menu included biscuits and sausage gravy, shrimp quiche, pecan pancakes, plus an array of succulent meats such as baked ham, tender lamb, and juicy salmon, all complemented with side dishes of vegetable, potatoes, and topped off with a delicious array of desserts. One of the more unique features at the restaurant's appearance was the colorful spice and herb platter displayed at the counter: large mounds of dill, rosemary, garlic cloves, paprika, and other examples of natural flavor enhancers. All in all, the Easter brunch was a satisfying tribute to a special day.

The creative staff at Prince decorated the main lobby with Easter color. Guests checking in with children were offered pages for children to color, and as the finished pages came back to the Front Desk, staff displayed them on the wall behind the desk.

Additionally, there were vibrant Easter baskets filled with candy, Easter toys, and other treats that were part of the Relay for Life donations on behalf of the American Cancer Society.

Prince staff enjoyed hearing from guests during Easter weekend as they discovered the hidden Easter eggs in the condo units. Some of the eggs held prizes, and others held candy with only the Easter Bunny knowing for sure which was which.

We hope that you had a chance to spend Easter with us this year. If not, stop in over the summer and fall this year because something fun is going on all the time.

Prince's Relay for Life

In on-going efforts to raise money for cancer awareness through the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life program, the volunteer team at Prince Resort, held a wide variety of events to build funds. To date, Prince and the team have raised a combined amount of nearly $700 since the beginning of the year, nearly half of its goal.

Over the winter and spring, Prince's Relay team members have held various sales and promotions such as managers' lunch sales and "dress down" Fridays for employees in which a monetary donation to Relay for Life entitled an employee to wear jeans to the job for that day.

Most recently, Prince's Relay team participated in Easter fundraising activities with the coloring contest, Easter eggs, or other related activities that included the option to contribute to Relay.

On April 24th The Ripken Experience, a ball park and training site, was the site of Relay for Life teams all across the Grand Strand. Prince's Relay team of volunteers gathered at the park track area to walk for this "Life" cause during 24 uninterrupted hours. Teams of people from Prince camped out here and took turns walking or running around a track as sponsors for particular contributions to Relay.

Other Relay efforts include a golf tournament later this year. On Saturday, August 1st Myrtle Beach area businesses will host the 1st Annual Swinging Fore The Cure Golf Tournament at the Arnold Palmer-designed course at Kings North. During this golf event, funds for Relay for Life will be raised through donated items for the tournament auction and sponsored holes to showcase area businesses, as well as tournament entry fees. For more information about this exciting golf tournament, contact tournament organizers Brenna Gahagen (843.251.3519) or Jenna Hillman (843.655.1409).

Mayfest in North Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach unofficially launches summer on May 9th when the annual event called Mayfest takes place from 10 am to 6 pm at the center stage at Main Street called simply the "horseshoe." This annual family event draws a crowd, so the best plan of action is to come early, bring a beach chair for the concert that begins at 12:30, set up your "space," and then have fun combing the area where over 100 craft and food vendors, a children's area, and many other activities begin at 10:30.

The City of North Myrtle Beach and the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce to present Mayfest. As in past years, this free family-focused event features an incredible list of musical talent:

• Al Jardine, original founding member of The Beach Boys
• David Marks, original member of The Beach Boys
• Dean Torrence, original member of Jan and Dean
• The Surf City Allstars
• Mother's Finest and The Chairmen of the Board
• Coco Loco Party Band

All ages are invited to join in the fun and festivities of Mayfest on May 9th where legendary song-masters of great surf music keep things rolling all afternoon. For more information, see www.nmb.us or call 843.280.5570.

Featured Employee - Hector Diaz, II

This month the employee in the spotlight is Hector Luis Diaz, II, Front Desk Agent at Prince Resort. Not a newcomer to Prince or the company, Hector has been with Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts since 2006 in various roles, working at each with distinction and his usual style of ease and assurance. In his new job, he greets guests, handles checking in and out, offers reservation information, provides information about the area as requested, and on cloudy days provides guests with the assurance that sunshine is just around the corner.

When not fielding questions at the front desk or working on office matters behind the scenes, he spends his down time watching his favorite team during football season, the New York Giants. A Philadelphia native, he also enjoys participating in a pool league, a hobby that began as an eight-year old in Pennsylvania.

Hector delights in coming to work at oceanfront each day, greeting people, and hearing about their amazing activities as part of their vacations. He said that the guests' comments range from exclamations of the fabulous views from the rooms to the heated pools to the "awesome" oceanfront breakfast at 3500 Ocean Grill.

Always a friendly face of customer service, Hector invites guests to stop in and see him at Prince's Front Desk. He also wants to remind future guests to explore The Cherry Grove Pier and its tackle shop where they can get up-to-the-minute information on which fish are biting out on the pier.

Featured Recipe - Lime Fruit-Salad

What an exciting way to begin summer! Serve this sparkling lime gelatin salad embedded with luscious bits of pineapple, cherries, grapes, and pears, sure to win rave reviews at your dining table. Use a 1-quart mold and at turn-out, garnish with colorful accents of red cherries or other bright fruits.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (3 ounce) package lime-flavored gelatin mix
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold water
• 4 pineapple rings
• 1/2 cup pitted dark sweet cherries, drained
• 1/4 cup halved seedless red grapes
• 4 pears - peeled, cored and chopped

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water.
• Whisk in the cold water and set aside to cool slightly.
• Rinse a 1 quart mold in cold water.
• Stir the pineapple, cherries, grapes and pears into the gelatin and pour into prepared mold.
• Refrigerate until set (about an hour).
• Garnish with fresh mint leaves or cherries.

Local Events Calendar

How convenient it is to know that we have so many things to do in our area! To be even more convenient, here is a link so that you can check availability.

5/1. 4th Annual Makai Luau at Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park. Hosted by the Surfrider Foundation of the Grand Strand, this event begins at 4:30 pm. Price includes all food, beverages, and entertainment (Hawaiian music, hula dancing, fire show, silent auction). Held rain or shine, and tickets are limited. For more information contact 843.357.2007 or www.surfridergrandstrand.org.

5/1. Pelicans versus Salem Avalanche. 7 pm. Free kid stuff and a great day at the ball park. BB&T Coastal Field (1251 21st Avenue North, Myrtle Beach). Call 877.918.8500 or go online www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

5/1. Voices of Broadway-The Greatest Ensemble Music from throughout the History of Broadway. Held at the Myrtle Beach Train Station, this event features the Carolina Master Chorale. For more information call 843.444.5774 or online at www.CarolinaMasterChorale.org.

5/2. 13th Annual Blessing of the Inlet at Belin Methodist Church, from 2 pm to 4 pm. A favorite day for all Inlet locals and returning visitors, this special event includes great food from local restaurants, baked goods from the church ladies, entertainment all day long, games for the children and arts and crafts treasures for sale. This is an opportunity to bow our heads in prayer to give thanks for our beautiful marsh. For more information, call 843.651.5099.

5/2. The Oak Ridge Boys at the Alabama Theatre in North Myrtle Beach. Make a date to see this live performance, starting at 7 pm. Call 800.342.2262 or see www.alabama-theatre.com for more information.

5/2. 23rd Music and Arts Festival on Mainstreet in "Rivertown" Conway, SC. From 10 am to 10 pm. This free all day event includes live music, art show and galleries, vendors, food, family fun. Bring a chair (no coolers or pets please) and enjoy. For more information, 843.248.6260 or www.conwaymainstreet.com.

5/2 to 8/31. The Summer Arts Project at The Market Common begins and runs through the end of August. 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. The Market Common is excited to host artists creating original works of art on Adirondack chairs. They will be displayed throughout The Market Common and auctioned off at the end of the summer! Location is 4017 Deville Street. For more information, call 843.839.3500 or go online at www.marketcommonevents.com.

5/3. "Get Your Zing On" Fashion Show at the Zonta Club of Myrtle Beach. From 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Fund-raiser for local CASA includes fashion show by Isabella's and special entertainment. Held at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Myrtle Beach. For information, call 843.357.3752.

5/8-17. Myrtle Beach Bike Week. For more information see www.myrtlebeachbikeweek.com. [Note: according to the news, the May 15-16 Carolina Harley-Davidson Dealers Association May Rally is being moved from Myrtle Beach to New Bern, NC. The larger rally called "Cruising the Coast-Spring Bike Week" is not being moved, per the Festival Promotions head and the head of MB Harley-Davidson. The "Bike Fest" held in Atlantic Beach at the end of May is still on, but the town is apparently opposed to it.]

5/9. Mayfest on Main Street in North Myrtle Beach. Main Street is the site and sounds of legendary musicians Dean Torrence, Al Jardine, and David Marks, plus numerous other beach bands. Whether you want to stroll on over to "music central," the horseshoe at the beach end of Main Street, or check out the craft show or watch the kids play in the children's area, you will enjoy this music and this entire day. Sponsored by the North Myrtle Beach Chamber and Avista Resort, plus a number of the area's businesses, loads of fun for the entire family. This free concert starts at 1 pm. The festivities begin at 10.

5/9. 2009 Pawleys Pavilion Reunion from 6:30 pm to midnight. The 12th Annual Pawleys Pavilion Reunion is a cultural outdoor dancing celebration featuring some of America's greatest beach bands and music. Come relive the memories and make new ones at the Pawleys Pavilion Reunion. Pawleys Park on Pawleys Island. For more information, call 877.577.2357.

5/23. A Crabby Experience at Myrtle Beach State Park from 10 am to 11:30 am. Test your luck from the pier as you try to catch a variety of crabs and fish. Limited traps available for a $3 rental fee. Bring your own raw chicken for bait or buy bait from the pier. Catch and release. Meet at the fishing pier at 4401 South Kings Hwy in Myrtle Beach. For more information, call 843.238.0874 or go online to www.myrtlebeachsp.com. [This event reoccurs next on 5/30.]*

5/23-25. Red, White and Blue at Brookgreen Gardens, a Tribute to Our Veterans. Flags honor the war memorial and graves of veterans buried on the grounds. Call 843.235.6000 for more information.

5/28-30. Myrtle Beach Military Appreciation Days. Military installations in SC, NC, and GA are invited to attend with their families. Competitive sporting events for active-duty military include a golf tournament at Whispering Pines, baseball tournaments, a marksmanship tournament, a 5K run/walk, and a combat cuisine cook-off. Veterans and civilians are invited to compete in the 5K run/walk. Military and their families enjoy the event with picnics, model airplane and boat demonstrations, concert, awards ceremony, and much more. Check accommodations specials with our reservation agents through our web site or phone numbers. More information about the event itself through 843.918.1012 or email to dmckenzie@cityofmyrtlebeach.com.

Here are some of the recent guest comments:

Really enjoy the newsletter. I stayed at The Prince Resort - November 7-9, 2008-oceanfront rooms. My first visit there. Took a group of 18 seniors and others. We had 5 rooms, and they were all first class. Everyone was so nice. Nothing but compliments from everyone [who] went. The resort was clean and neat and loved the colors. Would recommend it to anyone.

Email to Prince Resort web site online response, S Mercer, in the Rocky Mount area of NC, 03.24.09

We really enjoyed our recent stay at your resort. The price of our room was a great deal, and the accommodations were fantastic. Our kids loved having their own room and TV, and we enjoyed having a TV of our own in our room...it sure beats having to watch kids' shows with them! On rainy nights, we cooked supper in the room and curled up in front of the family room TV to enjoy some family movies. (The kitchen was supplied with all the necessities for preparing a meal. What a great idea!) We loved being able to watch the waves come in on the beach from our bedroom and family room windows. The weather was too cold to enjoy the pools, but we'll try them out on our next visit. And there will be a next one because we truly enjoyed our stay with you.

Email to newsletter from Tatum Family, 03.30.2009.

YOUR STAFF WERE SO, NICE, [from the] FRONT DESK TO THE COOK. CLAYTON THE CHEF MADE US FEEL HE WAS THERE JUST FOR US. WE FELT WE WERE WITH FAMILY. THANK U SO MUCH.

Email to Prince Resort web site online response, Henderson Family, March 31, 2009.

This is our third year at the Prince Resort. We enjoy staying in Cherry Grove and have never gone to any of the other hotels because we are pleased with your hotel. Please keep up the great work that you do.

Email to Prince Resort web site online response from the Pope Family, Pinebluff, NC, 03.31.09.

I can't think of a thing [to make the stay better]. Everything was perfect! This was the first time we were at Myrtle Beach attending our son's beach wedding. We couldn't have asked for a nicer place to stay! The room was a pleasant surprise! Thank you!

Email to Prince Resort web site online response from the Sharpe Family, 03.23.09.

Groups

Holding a group meeting, family reunion, or wedding event is easy here at Prince Resort because of our many amenities, our banquet facilities and restaurant, plus having the pier right in front of us. Our oceanfront condos provide members of your group with many choices for things to do and places to gather.

Here are the groups here at Prince most recently:

• Century 21 The Beach Company - Inlet Point Villas HOA
• Darnell~Harding Wedding
• American Home Patient
• Simon Temple AME Zion Church
• Taylor Family Reunion
• Brown ~ Honeycutt Wedding
• Carolina's Rehabilitation - Cycle To The Sea
• Graham ~ Martin Wedding

The next time your group is on the move and looking for accommodations, If you are thinking of a family reunion, business seminar, or wedding, keep Prince Resort in mind when you reserve the accommodations and banquet room.

Fun Facts

At any one time, there are 100 million phone conversations going on in the United States alone. Think world-wide, and the mind boggles.

The next time you have a difficult problem to solve, consider the advice of simple solutions. Take the beverage 7-Up, for example. Created in 1929, this product was named with the number "7" because the original containers were 7 ounces and "UP" because of the direction that bubbles move.

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Military Appreciation Days

With a golf tournament and many other sporting events as part of the Myrtle Beach Military Appreciation Days, Prince Resort welcomes service families during the month of May.

Actually, Prince features a year-round military discount with all military personnel able to enjoy our resort and all of its amenities for a 20% savings off published rates. This special event, to be held May 28-30, 2009, should be especially enjoyable for families to get together and also for the community to show its gratitude. The event is sponsored in part by the City of Myrtle Beach, and further information is available through the City's main office or www.militaryappreciationdays.com/welcome.html..

Military Appreciation Days is a three-day event to be held at sites around the Grand Strand, celebrating all active and retired military from all branches of the service. With sporting competitions in golf, marksmanship, and other activities, even a cook-off, the competition should draw plenty of spectators.

If you would like more information about Prince Resort's military discount, call 866-503-9518.