The Exchange Club of Kiawah-Seabrook Foundation honored Kelly Carroll of Wadmalaw Island with the Angel Oak Award for her outstanding contribution to the people and quality of life on Johns and Wadmalaw Islands at the Angel Oak Award banquet on May 22. Kelly received a $5,000 grant as recipient of the award from Jack Wilson of the Exchange Club of Kiawah-Seabrook Foundation, and Thad Peterson, Club president.
Phyllis Barber, the Exchange Club member who nominated Ms. Carroll said, “Kelly Carroll is the most unbelievable community volunteer I have ever known”, and Ms. Carroll’s activities in the community validate that comment.
Kelly was nominated for her involvement with The Point, which is a volunteer, non-profit organization of thirty-five women who support local Lowcountry groups focused on women in need. The women of The Point respond to the needs of individual women in crisis through local organizations in the Charleston County area. Kelly has been on the Board of The Point for several years and has held numerous roles there, including President, Fundraising Chair and Community Outreach Chair. She is currently Vice President. Here are just a few of the organizations supported by The Point:
• Breast health care screenings at BIFMC
• Meals on Wheels
• Wake up Carolina, providing support and counseling to females in active addiction and to mothers whose children are in addiction recovery
• I Am Voices, providing support for women victimized by trafficking
• Jeans Angels, providing warming shelters and other resources to homeless women.
Kelly is also heavily involved in numerous other charitable activities and her involvement with these groups includes support and fundraising, as well as recruiting and coordinating volunteers. These include:
• Teaming up with Ms. Bertha Middleton at the Wadmalaw Community Center to bring Blessing Box to her community.
• Working closely with Share Our Suzy Lowcountry (breast cancer patient support).
• Feeding of the Multitudes (Johns Island)
• And others: Because Logan Wood (Johns Island), RJs Mission (Veteran support), Islands Against Cancer (supporting local cancer patients while creating innovative patient care technology) and Abundantly More (foster and kinship care).
Charleston Women’s Magazine recognized her efforts when she was honored as their She Shines Shining Volunteer/Philanthropist 2024. Kelly and her husband Kevin have raised six daughters on Wadmalaw Island, and they now have eight grandchildren as well.
The Angel Oak Award was established by the Exchange Club of Kiawah-Seabrook in 2011 and first awarded in 2012. The purpose of this award is to recognize a volunteer who has made an outstanding contribution to the people and quality of life on Wadmalaw Island and Johns Island. Along with the award, the Exchange Club makes a $5,000 donation to a charitable local organization of the recipient’s choice. In addition, the recipient receives a remembrance, and his/her name is inscribed on the Angel Oak permanent trophy.
-Submitted by: Exchange Club of Kiawah-Seabrook
(Image credit: Exchange Club of Kiawah-Seabrook)