Home

Date:  Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Location:  Pine Lakes Country Club

Program:  

John Bradley will discuss recent and upcoming chapter activities. These include the new fund-raising on-line raffle and plans to use those funds to support Veterans' Outreach activities this upcoming year. Among those activities are the Waccamaw Tribal Pau Wau at their tribal grounds in Aynor early in November and the Vet Center Expo in Market Common later in November.

In keeping with that theme, we will have a special guest speaker at this dinner meeting, Susan Hayes-Hatcher, Chief of the Tribal Council of the Waccamaw Indian tribe. She will discuss some of the tribal history and the upcoming Pau Wau, as well as the support that the Grand Strand MOAA Chapter has provided to veterans in need at past Pau Wau's.

Susan is an Army "brat" and a 20-year Air Force veteran. Susan's bio is provided below.

To register for the dinner, click on the link below: 

Register for the GS MOAA Dinner October 13, 2026

Cost: $30 per person

Color Guard Duties:   St. James High School Army JROTC

Guest Speaker Biography

Susan Hayes-Hatcher

Susan Hayes-Hatcher was born March 16, 1959 to Fairley and Jean H. Hayes, in Landstuhl, Germany, the eldest of two children. Her father was career Army and although she wanted to follow in his footsteps, her father steered her towards the US Air Force; so in 1978, she enlisted. Some of the places she was stationed were Ft. George G. Meade, Maryland; Shaw AFB, Sumter, SC; Ramstein AB, Germany, then back to Shaw AFB. She is a much decorated service member having been recognized for her abilities more than six times during her career. She also spent some time in Southwest Asia. She was also in the first Gulf War, but due to a broken arm, was sent back stateside. In 1998, after serving her 20 years, she retired from Shaw AFB at the rank of Staff Sergeant. She traveled around Europe while an Army dependant and then while active duty for the Air Force.

A Waccamaw tribal member since 2001, she was the editor of the Waccamaw Village the tribe’s newsletter; served on tribal council in 2006 until her appointment to 2nd Chief External, by then Chief Jim Webb, in 2007. She is currently seated on tribal council as the Chief of Tribal Council. She also manages the tribes annual school days program that is two days preceding the Pauwau in November; bringing in over 1200 students to give them a firsthand look as to how the Native Americans lived, hunted and cooked, just to name a few. She is also one of the tribes genealogists.

Prior to her current position, with the tribe, she was the General Manager of Upstate Motor Company, Gaffney, South Carolina, where she managed the multi faceted operation of sales and personal management.

Raised primarily in Dillon, South Carolina, Susan now resides in Conway, South Carolina with her husband of 16 years; Harold “Buster” Hatcher, Chief of the Waccamaw. She has attended multi-cultural events at Coastal Carolina University, gave presentations to various Horry County schools, and was on River Talk and Carolina Live talking about her tribes Pauwau.

Susan is much sought to provide presentations to local schools and libraries because of her in-depth knowledge of Eastern Woodland (Waccamaw) Artifacts and her ability to describe them in an entertaining manner.

Susan has been recognized by the Waccamaw Indian People for her contribution to the Tribe in its endeavors and received the coveted “Feather of Merit” from the Waccamaw Tribal Council in 2003 and from the Chief in 2006.

She currently teaches Native American Choker Classes, Herbs and Plants Used by Indigenous People for Medicinal Purposes, and Who are the Waccamaw Indian People.