How I Go Columbia: Colonial Life’s Jessica Smoake
As a member of the community relations team at Colonial Life, Jessica Smoake spends her days working with community organizations to improve lives across the Midlands.
Smoake connects Colonial Life’s 1,200 home-office employees with volunteer opportunities at Harvest Hope Food Bank, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands and other nonprofits focused on education and health. She manages the company’s employee-matching gifts program and coordinates Colonial Life’s annual United Way campaign. A lifelong South Carolina resident, she lives in Northeast Richland with her fiancé Clint Riley and their “fur child,” Maggie.
EAT
Il Giorgione on Devine Street is a great place for Italian eats that are made fresh daily, and the staff always provides advice for wine pairings. For a sweet treat in the morning or evening or anytime really, I love stopping by Silver Spoon Bake Shop. My favorite sweet treat is the salted caramel brownie, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
DRINK
I love meeting friends at Lula Drake Wine Parlour after work. The atmosphere and old bones of the building are amazing, and the staff is really knowledgeable regarding the wine selection. On the weekends, you can usually find me playing a game of cornhole with friends and enjoying great craft beer at River Rat Brewery.
SEE
I’m a huge fan of University of South Carolina sports, so during any season, my favorite sights can be found at Williams-Brice Stadium, Founders Park or Colonial Life Arena. I also really enjoy attending Columbia Fireflies games at Spirit Communications Park and am excited about the revitalization of the Bull Street area.
LISTEN
Columbia has a great live music scene, especially in the spring and summer with events like Five Points after Five and Vista After 5. Both events allow you to listen to new and different music while exploring the best restaurants and retail establishments within walking distance.
PLAY
I enjoy taking my nephew to Riverbanks Zoo because there are so many things to see and discover, including the sea lion exhibit and feeding the giraffes. I’m a dog lover and have a terrier named Maggie who is full of energy, so on the weekends we often go exploring at Soda City market and Riverfront Park.