From The Blog

Kiawah/Seabrook Exchange Club Serves Community

Since 1982, the Kiawah/Seabrook Exchange Club has given almost $1.4 million to various deserving organizations in the immediate area. Th e main source of these funds comes from the ads sold in the annual Kiawah/Seabrook Telephone Directory. Th is publication is distributed free each summer to the owners of built properties on both islands.

Major recipients of the club’s donations include:
• Th e Exchange Club Parent/Child Resource Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse.

• Sea Island Habitat for Humanity (house sponsorships).

• Our Lady of Mercy Outreach Dental and Health Programs.

• Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic.• Youth of the Month and Year scholarships for St. John’s Island school students.

• Other such worthy educational, youth development, health and welfare organizations

The Kiawah-Seabrook chapter is the second largest of 22 Exchange Clubs in South Carolina and currently has 100 members. Th e National Exchange organization bills itself as “America’s service club”, consisting of “men and women working together to make our communities better places to live through programs of service in Americanism, community, youth activities and its national project, the prevention of child abuse.” Island volunteers are the heart of the chapter, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this spring. Commitment is so strong that a number of volunteers were recognized for 10, 20 and continuous 25-year service (recent service award winners are pictured to the left). Club membership is open to any person, in good standing in the community, who lives and/or works on Kiawah, Seabrook or St. John’s islands and shares the goals of the National Exchange Club. Dinner meetings with speakers are held twice a month, on the first and third Wednesdays, alternating between Kiawah and Seabrook. Anyone interested in learning more about the club, and possibly becoming a member, may contact Herk Sims, membership chair, at 843-768-4039 or by e-mail at [email protected]. For more general information on the club, please visit them on the Web at http://www.scexchangeclubs.com.