The Sandhills chapter of SCORE has announced the summer 2011 edition of its popular program of free seminars for small businesses.

This seminar series, to be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on six consecutive Tuesdays (with the exception of June 14) begins May 17 and runs through June 28. It is jointly sponsored by SCORE and the Small Business Center at Sandhills Community College. Classes will be held at SCC.

Each seminar in the series, called "Business Basics," will be conducted by an experienced business person selected by SCORE, a volunteer service organization providing no-cost management assistance to small businesses.

The schedule and topics for the six seminars are:

n May 17 -The Right Stuff

n May 24 - Great beginnings

n May 31 - Your business plan

n June 7 - Accounting

n June 21 - How to get a business loan

n June 28 - Marketing

As part of the seminar series, SCORE will award $75 cash as an advertising stipend to every business owner who attends the six consecutive seminars. Details on this cash award are available on the Sandhills SCORE website: www.sandhillsscore.org/seminars.

Register for the seminars by calling the Small Business Center at Sandhills Community College at (910) 695-3938. Complete information on each of the seminars, as well as other services available at no cost from SCORE, can also be obtained by going to the SCORE website.

SCORE is a nationwide nonprofit association of experienced business professionals who provide free, confidential counseling to small business owners.

The Sandhills Chapter is active in counseling, mentoring and presenting free business seminars.

Anyone who would like to speak to a SCORE counselor must first register at www.edmisscore.org/0364

In addition to counseling by appointment, the Sandhills chapter of SCORE has drop-in service, for those who have registered, from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Fridays at the Moore County Chamber of Commerce building on U.S. 15-501 in Southern Pines. The phone number is (910) 692-3926.