Category: Volunteer

Adopt a Highway Volunteers To Meet Saturday, May 7th 8:30am

Adopt a Highway Volunteers To Meet Saturday, May 7th 8:30am
AdoptAHighway

Consider joining friends and neighbors in cleaning up Betsy Kerrison Parkway on May 7th from 9:00-11:30 AM. It’s a great opportunity to be a part of welcoming summer guests to our beautiful island. Volunteers meet at The Lake House at 8:30 for briefing, equipment pickup, and setting up carpools.

Contact Mary Torello at mary.torello@yahoo.com if you are interested in contributing your time to this noteworthy community project.

-Submitted by Mary Torello

Lake House Instructor Teaches Yoga for the Visually Impaired

Natasha Stevens YogaIt is fun to open the paper and read good things about one of our own. This week Natasha Stevens, a yoga instructor and personal trainer at the Lake House, was quoted and pictured in an article entitled “Building a Network for the Disabled” in the Charleston Post and Courier.

The Post and Courier article is about a nonprofit organization, Adaptive Expeditions, that helps people with physical and visual disabilities in the greater Charleston area enjoy activities such as, yoga, surfing, sailing, kayaking, cycling and swimming.

The article describes how Natasha is helping visually impaired people practice Yoga. Her involvement with Adaptive Expeditions is a new challenge for her. She says, “When the opportunity came up to teach the visually impaired group, I was interested to add another element to my teaching”. She taught the fall session and now is teaching the current session.

Natasha has taught yoga since 2011 at Seabrook. She conducts group classes of gentle and restorative yoga, flow yoga, semi-private classes of Yin yoga (a slow, floor-based, deep stretch yoga), and chair yoga for those with permanent or temporary physical limitations.

However, yoga was not her first love. Continue reading “Lake House Instructor Teaches Yoga for the Visually Impaired”

Seabrook Therapy Dogs Read with Children

Zoe and Griffin Smith Rzewnicki with Meg Davidson and furry friends Sammi and Lola
Zoe and Griffin Smith Rzewnicki with Meg Davidson and furry friends Sammi and Lola

On a sunny Wednesday morning, SI therapy dogs Sammi (who lives with Meg and Jonathan Davidson) and Lola (who lives with Debbie Robinson and Ed Houff) were working in a children’s reading program at the Johns Island Public Library. The children’s librarian at the branch enthusiastically incorporates therapy dogs from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, of which Sammi and Lola and their handlers are members, into many of the library’s special events.

Lola and Sammi had an extra treat in store for them on this particular Wednesday, however, when they got to meet Griffin (age 6) and Zoe (age 8) Smith Rzewnicki who also live on Seabrook! Griffin and Zoe are proficient readers who helped celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday at the library on March 2. If you have a friendly dog whom you think would enjoy working as part of a therapy dog team, contact the Alliance of Therapy Dogs or Southeastern Therapy Animal Resources (STAR).

—Submitted by Deborah Robinson

Learning Opportunity on Audubon Programs at Annual Meetings; Volunteers Sought

Audubon IntlThe mission of Audubon International is to “deliver high-quality environmental education and facilitate the sustainable management of land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources in all places people live, work and play.”  Throughout its history Audubon International has enrolled over 3,000 properties and communities in its rigorous certification programs.

In 1995 Seabrook Island’s two golf courses were the first in South Carolina to be certified in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf.  Additionally, in 2012, SIPOA was recognized as the first homeowner’s association in South Carolina to receive the Green Community Award by completing Stage 1 of the Sustainable Communities Program (SCP).  The SIPOA Planning Committee’s Sustainable Seabrook Subcommittee is now pursuing completion of Stage 2 of the SCP, creating a long-term vision and sustainability plan for Seabrook Island.

Learn more about these exciting programs by visiting the information booth that will be set up at the annual meetings for the Club and SIPOA on February 13th.  Carl Voelker and Penny Lee, members of the subcommittee, will be available to distribute information and answer your questions.  If you are interested in becoming involved with the Stage 2 initiative, sign-up sheets will be available.

—Submitted by Heather Paton, SIPOA

Heartfelt Thank You

‘Twas the most incredible season of giving…..and our cups runneth over with gratitude for all that our Seabrook Island friends gave to help make this a most special Christmas for 85 children from 34 families at Mt. Zion Elementary School.   We only wish we could have been there to see the smiles and hear the squeals of joy as each child opened gifts of clothing, books, and toys wrapped just for them.  We also know how very grateful they were for the food gift certificates that made it possible for their families to enjoy a special holiday meal. Words cannot convey just how much we truly appreciate your support, but perhaps these words from some of the children at Mt. Zion will help to carry that message:
“Thank you for donating to our school. It takes a lot of courage for someone to donate to someone in need.” 5th Grader
“Thank you for the gift that you gave us.”  4th Grader
“You went out of your way to help kids and I know Mt. Zion appreciates it. Thank you.” 5th Grader
“Thank you for donating to our school.  It means a lot that you did this.” 5th Grader

With sincerest thanks to each and every donor and to Nurse Abbi at Mt. Zion who helps make all of this possible,
The Mt. Zion Holiday Fund Committee,
Marilyn Armstrong
Paula Adamson
Anne Smith
Charlotte Moran
Pam Steele

Submitted by Pam Steele

Tree Ornament Sale to Benefit Backpack Buddies

IMG_0140Todd Gerhardt of the Ice Cream Boat at Bohicket Marina has come up with a creative way to engage school children in a way to help Backpack Buddies, which in turn helps them.  He brought 300 holiday tree bulb ornaments to Angel Oak, Frierson and Mt. Zion schools to have the children paint decorations on them.  Then the bulbs have been returned to Todd who is selling them for 3/$10 at the Ice Cream Boat.  All profits go to Backpack Buddies.  What a win/win project!

—Tidelines Staff

Holiday Greetings from Green Space

“It’s Not Easy Being Green”…or so said Kermit the Frog. That’s why the Seabrook Island Green Space Conservancy (SIGSC) is back with a gentle reminder of how vital it is that we, the owners of this beautiful island, help to keep it that way.
Bateau Trace MapYou may have read that we now have a downpayment on Lot 20, Block 4 on Bateau Trace, a lush wooded lot which backs up to Crooked Oaks golf course. This parcel of 0.77 acre will ensure a continuing wildlife corridor, especially as it is contiguous with a corner lot already owned by the Conservancy, creating 1.288 acres of forever green, undeveloped land.

Kermit may be a small frog, but he is very green. Your donations to SIGSC may be small, but will help keep our island very green. Please consider putting us on your holiday list this year!

—Submitted by Cathy Coleman

Adopt-A-Highway

unnamedMany thanks to the dedicated Seabrook team of Adopt­a­Highway, who offered their time and energy at the end­of­year clean­up along Betsy Kerrison Parkway this past Saturday. Our final count was 50 trash bags full of litter, including some very large pieces of a deteriorated full­sized cap from a pick­up truck!unnamed-24

How very generous of each of our Seabrookers who repeatedly devote time and energy to this necessary project of keeping our little slice of Paradise welcome to friends and family.

We welcome all part­time and full time Seabrookers to our group to join us in any or all of our four scheduled pick­ups. Next scheduled pickup is Feb. 13, 2016.

Adopt­a­Highway is overseen by the Environmental Committee of SIPOA. If you are interested, contact mary.torello@yahoo.com

-Submitted by Mary Torello

TIDECASTING: Backpack Buddies

Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island Fills a Serious Need

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Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island is an important effort to feed hungry kids on the weekend.   Joanne Threlfall, Elaine Davis and Derick Toth graciously agreed to come on our podcast to explain the project to Tidelines staff writer Sally Kibackpack2mball.

They describe how the program works, the people involved in making it work and the extensive fund-raising that goes on to support it.

Listen below:

Continue reading “TIDECASTING: Backpack Buddies”

Habitat for Humanity Women Build

 

Sea Island Habitat Logo

Looking to slim down your closet before the holidays?  We need your help stocking the pop up shop!  Donate your gently used scarves, gloves and purses to Sea Island Habitat’s Women Build Pop Up Shop.

Donations of items are being collected at the Lake House, the SIHH administrative office (2545 Bohicket Road) and the ReStore (3304 Maybank Highway). All proceeds will go towards the construction materials for the 2016 Women Build home.


Women Build brings together women from all walks of life to build a safe, decent and affordable home for a family in need of a hand up, not a hand out.


The Sea Island Habitat ReStore will be hosting the Women Build Pop Up Shop November 2 – 21, 2015. This exclusive boutique will feature a wide variety of purses, scarves and gloves.

Submitted by Julia Hammer
Development & Communications Coordinator
Sea Island Habitat for Humanity

The Fleming Successfully Raises Funds for Respite of Charleston

It is a tradition for the Fleming Tennis Tournament to raise funds for a local charity. This year Respite of Charleston was the designated recipient. Pat Tallman, who headed the fund-raising effort, explains how the funds were raised and thanks the doners for their generosity. She said that Respite of Charleston was thrilled with the gift.

If you want to see the video interview with Pat, go to the link below

http://youtu.be/1op7ok-bw0Q

Thank you to Mary Beth Joyce for the photography in this post.

Submitted by Tidelines Staff