OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1
Access to Healthcare:
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for PAGEthe uninsured, the insured for the uninsured, the insured and and those caught in between ACCESS to HEALTH CARE those caught in between CATALYST Carolina Autism transforms the lives of those living with autism in the Lowcountry
GOODWILL Roper St. Francis Healthcare brings compassion, faith and excellence together to create a network of healing
PAY IT FORWARD Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic fills a void in our community
GROUNDWORK Lowcountry nonprofits make great strides to reduce South Carolina's large number of uninsured
Thankyou TO ALL THE SPONSORS OF THE 35TH ANNUAL WHALE OF A SALE Whale of a Sale proceeds fund the Junior League of Charleston, Inc.’s collaborative programs with community agencies focused on hunger and homelessness. Our current community projects are: Lowcountry Food Bank, Back Pack Buddies, Gibbes Museum of Art Community Days, Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Trident Area, Kids in the Kitchen and Louie’s Kids.
PREMIER PARTNERS The Market at Oakland • UNITS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS Adams Outdoor Advertising • Smith Dray Line
PATRONS A Perfect Event Catering • Carolina One Real Estate & Mortgage Dixon Hughes • Uricchio, Howe, Krell, Jacobson, Toporek, Theos & Keith, P.A.
FRIENDS OF THE WHALE All Occasions • Show Offs • Dillards • Pro Legal • TA Warren, General Contractor • USA MiniWaste • El Informador Newspaper Anonymous • Lee Batten • Jennifer Black • Elizabeth Burwell • Calhoun Woodworks, Inc • Carolina First Bank Carpenters Antiques & Restoration • Chick-Fil-A • Dede & B.V., Carolina One Real Estate Donna Cox • Clementina Edwards Courtenay & Baron Fain • Charlotte Gillespie • Terry Haas • Harbor Specialties • Catherine Nixon Heibel Katrina & Clay Hughes Megan & Charlie Inglefield • Susie Johnson Johnston Signs • Bryan & Shelley Julian • Shelley & Greg Keith Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Kennemur, Jr • Liane Kerr • Carol & Billy Killough Joanna King • Trisha & Russ Kometer Kristy M. Lewis, CPA, LLC • Bonnie & Anthony McAlister • Kate McClain • Stephanie McDonald • Beth Meredith • Katherine Miller Anna O’Quinn • Susan Parsell • Pope Zeigler, LLC • Amanda Pottorf • Lucy & Norris Preyer • Lisa & Joe Rainero • Rising High Jennifer Ross • Dr. Judith Skoner • Alicia M. Smith • Tanya Staubes • Dorothy & Mikel Thaxton Thomas Advertising & Marketing Consultants • Suzy Torres, Harbor City Real Estate • Total Estate Sales • Virginia Wannamaker Holland & Rhys Williams • Sallie & Drew York
{A FUTURE NO DOORFRAME CAN MEASURE.} With ever-expanding community projects, 60 clubs to join and daily classroom discussions, your child is sure to grow. And with $1,398,136 in financial aid, we can help you make it a reality. Apply today. INVEST IN THEIR LIFETIME.
843.402.4775 PORTERGAUD.edu
CAUSE FROM THE PRESIDENT
VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1
Dear Friends,
Letters to the president about this issue of CAUSE are both accepted and encouraged. If you would like to write the president about this publication or its contents, feel free to submit letters, Attn: CAUSE Letter to the President, by email to causeeditor@jlcharleston.org or by mail to 51 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29407.
With the short days and unpredictable weather of a Charleston winter winding down, I find myself a little under the weather, in need of medical care and prescriptions. Having not slept well the past few nights due to a bad cough, I wonder how many of us have ever truly lost a night’s sleep for fear we could not access quality health resources and professionals. Can we understand the sleepless nights of anxious parents concerned not only about the health of their children but also for themselves? There are so many areas of need for healthcare. Thanks to the many agencies, organizations, groups and individuals in our area, many needs are being recognized and receiving long-due attention. We are surrounded by hospitals and medical schools such as Roper St. Francis Hospital who collaborate with other charitable organizations in the Lowcountry. We have annual events in our area that support health and healthcare through participation and the funds they raise. We also have individuals in our neighborhoods, schools and workplace inspiring us with their involvement, whether it is through a few hours of service or annual financial contributions. We applaud those in our area like Dr. Fitts and the Tri-County Project Care (see page 16) directly reaching more than 3000 individuals, as well as the Palmetto Project (see page 24) working as a catalyst to create the opportunities to reach those individuals. Each one of us can make a difference whether it’s one dollar, one hour or one letter. Each step taken and action performed moves us forward towards helping every person gain access to healthcare and services. We don’t all have to create organizations to make an impact – there is so much we can do as a part of one. There are nearly 900 women in the Charleston Area who are members of The Junior League of Charleston, Inc. Each one of us looks forward to working with you in 2010 as we take our steps towards making an impact and working together to build a better community.
Junior League of Charleston, Inc. 51 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29407 Shelley Grant Julian, JLC President Stephanie McDonald, JLC President Elect
CAUSE EDITORS: Mary C. Mitchell, Editor Selena Kaufman, Editor Elizabeth Kelly Worrell, Assistant Editor
CAUSE COMMITTEE: Clay Gilbert, Kelly Nix, Lisa Marie Womble Rehm, Christy Reid, Katye Rhett, Pendleton Shiflett, Meredith Siemens, Ashley Simons, Catherine Williams
CAUSE EDITORIAL BOARD: Emily Abedon, Charleston Magazine, Contributor Hannah Gillard, JLC Community Project Development Richard Hendry, Coastal Community Foundation,
Vice President of Programs Liane Kerr, JLC Director of Marketing Chris Kerrigan, Trident United Way, President Allison Leggett, JLC Former President Kitty Robinson, JLC Former President and
Historic Charleston Foundation, Executive Director Colleen Troy, Touchpoint Communications Holland Williams, JLC Former President
A very special thanks to Jennifer Rader
P U B L I S H I N G & D E S I G N B Y:
Shelley Grant Julian President Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
Parkshore Centre 1 Poston Road, Suite 190 Charleston, SC 29407 843-747-0025 Richard Barry, President Sis Reda, Director of Marketing & Business Development Bob Durand, Senior Art Director Ali Lorenzana, Editorial Services Maggie Barry, Financial Services Director
Editorial Mission: In carrying out its mission to promote voluntarism and to serve as a catalyst for positive change, the Junior League of Charleston, Inc., is pleased to offer this comprehensive view of our community’s needs, organizations working to meet those needs, businesses and individuals supporting charitable endeavors and opportunities for area residents to get involved and to maximize their volunteer experience.
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For information on advertising opportunities please call Richard Barry at 843-746-2246
Copyright 2009 by the Junior League of Charleston, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of the Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
35TH ANNUAL WHALE OF A SALE SPONSOR
MORE RESTAURANTS MORE SHOPS MORE CHOICES A Unique Shopping Experince in Mount Pleasant Sprint Phone Smart Wachovia Carolina Fitness An Initial Impression VIP Tailors & Cleaners Market Spirits ABC Travel Leaders The Joint Chiropractic
Longpoint Rd.
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f Rd
Wild Wing Cafe Neil Jordan Steak and Seafood East Bay Deli Gringo's Fresh Southwest Jersey Mike's Subs Chick-fil-A McDonald's
Bluf
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t Rd. arke nd M Oakla
Shops
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The Market at Oakland
Located at Hwy. 17 and Porchers Bluff, just north of Hwy. 41 © APG
"With Charleston Receipts...I've turned out comfort dishes that have never failed."
A must for every kitchen When you purchase cookbooks from the Junior League of Charleston, Inc., you not only receive award-winning tried and true recipes, but you support your community.
- Michelle Green, Food & Wine magazine
$19.95
Proceeds from the sale directly benefit the following Junior League of Charleston community service programs: Lowcountry Food Bank • Back Pack Buddies Gibbes Museum of Art Community Days Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry Boys and Girls Clubs of the Trident Area Kids in the Kitchen • Louie’s Kids.
$19.95
$19.95
To order, call or click today! 843-763-5284 or www.jlcharleston.org. Also available in various retail locations throughout the area.
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
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VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1
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Access to Healthcare
A Full Plate of Volunteering
BY CHRISTY DOBSON REID
BY MEREDITH H. SIEMENS
Local nonprofits are working hard to insure that everyone in the greater Charleston area has access to healthcare. While their efforts are great and thousands of uninsured or underinsured people have received healthcare for free or minimal costs, there are holes in the system. As legislators debate the topic in Washington, there are immediate needs here on the home front, ways to help and ways to obtain assistance thanks to local organizations and helping hands.
Meet Lee Batten: Lowcountry resident, volunteer extraordinaire and common-day saint! Living the maxim, “to whom much is given, much is expected,” Batten explains why the Tuesday Night Parents’ Supper at MUSC Children’s Hospital is her most rewarding philanthropic endeavor.
DEPARTMENTS
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Letter from the Junior League President
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Motivated - Tri-County Project Care is on a mission to create a healthy, productive workforce
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CAUSE for Celebration
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Pay It Forward - Taking care of the uninsured,
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Catalyst - Carolina Autism is transforming the lives of those living with autism in the Lowcountry
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Groundwork - Lowcountry nonprofits are making great strides in reducing the large percentage of uninsured in South Carolina
Goodwill - Roper St. Francis Healthcare brings compassion, faith and excellence together to create a network of healing
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Engage - Calendar of Events
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Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic fills a void in our community
Southeastern Facial Plastic / Cosmetic Surger y Center, P.A.
S Louis E. Costa, II D.M.D., M.D.
Director, Board Certified
outheastern Facial Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery Center, P.A. is dedicated to the belief that doctors do best what they do most. We are committed to the pursuit of excellence through anatomic specialization. Dr. Louis Costa specializes in facial plastic and cosmetic surgery, while Dr. Dana Heikes specializes in body contouring. Together, they bring to their patients more than fifty years of experience in the art of cosmetic surgery. They have helped thousands of patients enhance their lives by achieving their aesthetic goals. Our experienced staff, combined with our Joint Commission certified surgical suites, allows Southeastern Facial Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery Center, P.A. to offer you a complete range of cosmetic services. From advanced skin care programs to the latest surgical techniques, we offer a luxurious state-of-the-art facility where attention to detail is assured. We hope you will choose Southeastern Facial Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery Center, P.A. when you decide to pursue cosmetic surgery. For a personal consultation, or to learn about our current skincare and dermal filler specials, please call today!
247 Calhoun Street, Charleston, South Carolina
Your Premier Center for Excellence in Plastic Surgery
843.722.5904 www.facesbycosta.com www.bodiesbyheikes.com
Dana L. Heikes M.D., F.A.C.S.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION
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1. Amanda Holloway (left) and Kira Chucta at the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center (DNLCC) Fall Oyster Roast, held in October of 2009. Over 250 people enjoyed oysters, cold beverages and live music at the event’s largest turnout to date. 2. A group of attendees at the DNLCC’s Oyster Roast held in the Charleston Visitor’s Center Bus Shed in October 2009. Pictured left to right: Lucas Drake, Angela Drake, Jimmy Hagood, Anne Marie Hagood and Jim Kuyk. 3. Aw shucks! A group gets busy shucking oysters at the oyster roast event benefiting the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center.
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4. Jeff and Tara Spicer pause for a pose at The Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center’s (DNLCC) 6th annual Gathering of the Elves event held in December of 2009. The event was first founded by Jeff Spicer 5 years ago as a way to give back to the community by “gathering” toys and gifts for children in need. 5. Marc Chardon, Blackbaud CEO, revealed the total number of toys donated by Blackbaud employees to the U.S. marine Corp’s Toys for Tots Campaign Live on News 2 with Rob Fowler in December of 2009. Chardon announced an impressive 6,318 toys were collected; boosting the company’s total toys donated to well over 32,000 in the many years it has participated in the campaign.
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6. The band, Fowl Play, takes a break from entertaining the crowd at the “Drinks for Diapers” event benefiting the Florence Crittenton’s Family Development Program. Held at Mad River Bar and Grill in November of 2009, the event helped to provide diapers for babies of low-income young mothers in the Florence Crittenton’s Family Development Program. 7. Lori McCall (left), Maureen Porter, PhD, Director of the Florence Crittenton’s Family Development Program and Mike McCall pause for a photo opp during the “Drinks for Diapers” event, where donations, raffle ticket sales and a percentage of Mad River Bar and Grill’s tips went to the Florence Crittenton’s Family Development program in the form of diapers.
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8.Chefs from across the Lowcountry donated their time and talents at the 8th Annual Signature Chefs Auction to help raise awareness and donations for the March of Dimes. Pictured left to right: Dr. Charles Rittenberg, Dr. Tameeka Law, Dr. John Rushing, Dr. Roger Newman, Dr. Ashlyn Savage, Dr. Margaret Villers, Dr. Angela Dempsey, Dr. Hema Doshi, Dr. Jennifer Loehle, and Elizabeth Gagliardi.
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9. Celebrating the tremendous success of Hamlin Helping Hand’s 3rd annual “Regift Event” where nearly $3,400 in cash donations was raised, with 80 percent going to the Lowcountry Orphan Relief and 20 percent to the Hamlin Helping Hand’s Adopt-a-Family.
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10. Volunteers with Hamlin Helping Hands during the 3rd annual “Regift Event”, held every January with the purpose of donating all those unwanted gifts received during the holidays to a good cause. 11. Riders get ready to start their engines at the first annual “Undy 500” benefiting Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina. Held in October of 2009, the event raised awareness and funds for programs and events to support local homeless veterans.
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12. J. Palmer Gaillard and Shelley Grant Julian, President of the Junior League of Charleston, at the Philanthropy Week in the Lowcountry Reception hosted by the Junior League of Charleston (JLC). 13. Lee Batten and Louis Yuhasz, founder of Louie’s Kids, at the Philanthropy Week Reception held at the Gibbes Museum of Art. 14. Stephanie McDonald (left) with Chris and Tanya Staubes at the Philanthropy Week in the Lowcountry Reception.
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15. Dressed to the nines at the 8th Annual March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction: (left to right) Andrew Nissen, Allison Nissen, Dr. Toya Pound, Dr. Margaret Villers, Dr. Jennifer Young, Dr. Angela Dempsey and Ben Fanning. 16. Ollie and Elizabeth Burwell at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction. 17. Julian Smith and Renee Merriam at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction. 18. Anna Wilson (left) and Shannon Calcutt were among the many guests who contributed to the more than 300 toys and $1,300 collected at the DNLCC’s 6th annual Gathering of the Elves event. The event’s donations were used to help ensure over 205 children, served by DNLCC, received gifts for the 2009 holiday season.
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17 If you would like to submit a photograph to CAUSE, please email your high-resolution image with caption to causeeditor@jlcharleston.org with the subject “PHOTO.”
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CATALYST
A Champion for Autism in the Lowcountry B Y K AT Y E R H E T T
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RIGHT: Phil Blevins with Braeden Reed, a Carolina Autism client and one of the Dear John stars, on the set of Dear John. BELOW: One of the young men Carolina Autism serves. FACING PAGE: Just one of Carolina Autism's group homes.
he prevalence of autism among children is largely known. But what happens when these children grow up? What about adults with autism? What happens when families of autistic children and adults can no longer care for their loved ones? Many Lowcountry adults and teens living with autism have suffered as a result of family abuse, neglect and financial restraint. Until 2002, placement in state institutions was the only solution. However, that solution consisted of merely three homes in the Charleston area because the South Carolina Department of Disabilities was unable to expand its services, leaving many left with no treatment and no options. In August of 2000, three determined individuals left the Department of Disabilities to form Carolina Autism, a nonprofit organization providing supported living and applied behavioral therapy services to individuals
Through consistent support and therapy, those diagnosed with autism could learn the skills necessary to get a job, go to school and live independently.
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and families affected by autism. By January of 2002, Phil Blevins, Alan Rose and Kendra Chaplin had opened their first group home for four clients. Today they serve 24 clients in six group homes in West Ashley, in addition to over 70 clients participating in physical and behavioral therapy services in Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Columbia and Orangeburg.
case; in fact, no two cases of autism are exactly alike. Other symptoms include delayed or difficulty with play and leisure activities, inflexibility to changes in routine, repetitive body movements, unusual attachment and/or fixation to objects, unusual responses to people and, occasionally, aggressive behavior. The wideranging nature of the disorder makes accurate diagnosis difficult. Ideally, a child should be diagnosed by eighteen months. Therapy could
UNDERSTANDING THE DISEASE Autism is a general term used to describe a group of developmental disabilities resulting from neurological disorders known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). Most commonly, autism affects brain function in the areas of social interaction and communication. As a spectrum disorder, the symptoms of autism can appear in a wide variety of combinations, materializing from severely disabled to seemingly eccentric or therefore be sought before the odd. As a result, there is no “typical” disorder had any major impact on early development. However, there are no diagnostic tests available; all diagnoses are based on observation. For this reason, most cases aren’t diagnosed until at least two to three years of age as this is when most children are first exposed to social settings without the constant presence of a parent or guardian. In less severe cases, including those diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, diagnosis can take even longer. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), autism is three to four times more likely to occur in males than females. As many
homes are under constant supervision, six staff members are on duty each day. Beyond supervising group homes, CASLS staff also provides physical and behavioral therapy, or Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). ABA is currently the best known treatment for autism. Due to the nature of the disorder, which, again, can include social anxiety and resistance to change, most therapy sessions are performed at clients’ homes. There, both children and adults are taught A LOWCOUNTRY SOLUTION: to adapt to real world situations CAROLINA AUTISM Initially, the Carolina Autism using coping skills allowing them Supported Living Services (CASLS) to better connect with parents, sought to provide an alternative to teachers and other children. Clients lifelong placement in state institu- with access to proper therapy, such tions by way of supervised living in as the intensive early intervention community group homes. Through provided through ABA, dramatically consistent support and therapy, those increase their chances of leading diagnosed with autism could learn non-disabled lives as adults. For this the skills necessary to get a job, go to reason, CASLS has placed emphasis school and live independently. Phil on training service providers with no Blevins, co-founder and executive previous autism care-taking skills. director of CASLS, said that as soon CASLS has trained teachers in as the first group home was opened in Berkeley, Dorchester, Lexington, 2002 the demand for more services Georgetown, Allendale and Charleston was overwhelming. Expansion due to counties; serve as consultants in high demand and positive feedback multiple school districts; and hold led to the establishment of six two-week training sessions open to group homes serving 24 people with the public. Clients without access to services like those provided by a significant waiting list. Group home residents average Carolina Autism have other options nineteen years of age, though CASLS as well. Online discussion groups has housed a child as young as six, provide an alternative for group who, like many, was abused and therapy though restricted interest abandoned by his caretaker. Its most patterns displayed in most autistic senior resident, a 54-year-old man, people can make support groups lived in a state-supported psychiatric somewhat futile. Social ineptness hospital since the age of five. His can lead to untactful interactions family made great efforts to ensure making for difficult and potentially placement in the community group ineffective therapy sessions. home. The everyday operations of the group homes require a considerable AUTISM ON THE SCENE? Autism seems a buzz word in some amount of manpower and resources. Two CASLS personnel are on duty circles. Whether or not the disorder is assuming eight-hour shifts. As the truly on the rise or the diagnosis is as one in 150 can be diagnosed as autistic, making it one of the most common developmental disorders with over half a million cases in the United States. Still, despite its relative commonality and the considerable amount of research performed, there is no known cause and no real cure for the disorder. Behavioral therapy is the best known treatment and it is one of the two critical services offered by Carolina Autism.
being handed out more freely is highly debatable. What is not debatable is that early detection improves the lives of those diagnosed as autistic, and autism awareness has risen for good reason. The number of people who know someone with autism or a similar PDD is higher than most realize. Media and Hollywood exposure will hopefully have a positive effect on related research and treatment. While Rain Man first introduced autism to the masses, Dear John, the recent film adaptation from the novel by Nicholas Sparks, highlights Asperger syndrome specifically. This higher-functioning form of the disorder is often undiagnosed until later in life, well into one’s twenties or thirties, as it fails to reveal as a developmental disorder at an early age. Though many with Asperger syndrome have been able to go to school, perform well and hold down a job, social relationships are often very difficult to form if ever at all. Dear John, starring Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried and Richard Jenkins, depicts the effects of Asperger syndrome through a father-son relationship. The film is significant to the autism community as it reveals a side of the disorder with which most of the public is unfamiliar and does so in a very real and relatable manner. Dear John is especially important to Carolina Autism, as it was filmed in Charleston and stars one of its clients, Braeden Reed. For this reason, Charleston hosted a starstudded premiere of the movie in January at the Terrace Hippodrome with a reception following at the South Carolina Aquarium. The Lowcountry is fortunate to have people like Phil Blevins, Alan Rose, Kendra Chaplin and the CASLS team. Their efforts have transformed the lives of individuals and families living with autism, giving hope to many who were previously unable to receive treatment and making great strides in serving the adult community suffering from autism spectrum disorders.
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Local and National Autism Resources: Carolina Autism www.carolinaautism.org Carolina Autism has approximately $2M in overhead a year. While the state supports most of its efforts, they still need the support of its community. To see what you can do and how you can give to Carolina Autism, please visit their website. Carolina Autism depends on your contributions to best serve their clients! National Association of Residential Providers for Adults with Autism www.NARPAA.org NARPAA’s mission is to assure the availability of residential services and other resources for adults with autism throughout their lives. Autism Speaks www.autismspeaks.org The nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, Autism Speaks is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
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Compassion in Action B Y K E L LY N I X
O Healing is more than placing a bandage on a wound. Healing is a process, a process of restoring health and repairing what has been damaged. It’s an emotional, physical and long-term process of providing care.
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ne person can make a difference. People working together can turn the desire to make a difference into a community in action. Roper St. Francis Healthcare (RSFH) brings the compassion, faith and excellence of its employees and volunteers together with other charitable organizations to create a network of healing. As the area’s only private not-forprofit healthcare provider, RSFH relies on the experience and resources collected over its 150 years of experience in order to best address the healthcare needs facing our community and abroad. This experience includes longstanding partnerships with other organizations. “Collaboration is really needed when finding ways to help meet the needs of our community,” said Rev. Dr. Terry Flemming, Vice President of Mission. “It is not necessary to reinvent the wheel.” RSFH partners with numerous local charities to provide professional services and to facilitate funding. This past year alone, RSFH’s generosity allowed Crisis Ministries to help 424 homeless persons in the Charleston area become self-sufficient. Over $300,000 is donated annually for testing services at local clinics such as the Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic and the Wellness House on Johns Island. In 2007, RSFH’s Mission Department established the Medicaid Navigator Program to help qualified residents in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties navigate through
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
the complex system and successfully enroll in South Carolina’s Medicaid Program. Led by Kathryn Harrison, the Medicaid Navigator Program ensures that those who qualify for Medicaid are given the tools needed to apply for and participate in the governmentsponsored program. The program staff, referred to as Medicaid Navigators, work onsite with community organizations—such as Crisis Ministries, Catholic Charities of North Charleston and the Wellness House—providing one-on-one assistance and advocacy to the homeless, migrant and poor. The Medicaid enrollment program enables participants to receive more consistent healthcare resulting in early diagnosis of diseases, better treatment and fewer emergency visits. The Medicaid Navigator program has helped over 1,000 people to date. In addition to providing local support, RSFH recently launched its first global service project, Mission H2O: Maji for Kenya. Employees, physicians and volunteers raised more than $33,000 to bring clean, safe water, or “maji safi” as it’s called in the native African language, to the Plateau Mission Hospital and its surrounding community. This money has allowed RSFH to fund a Living Water™ Treatment System and surface pump for a community of 6,000, including an 89-bed hospital and a primary school that serves 600 children. In early May 2009, RSFH employees Scott Broome, Caroline Pate and Joan Perry traveled to Kenya to take part in a special commissioning
ceremony for the water treatment system purchased using programraised funds. As a result of this initiative, RSFH has forged bonds with the hospital’s patients and employees, generating several new outreach efforts. RSFH donated various medical devices and supplies to Plateau Mission Hospital, for instance, and continues to explore ways to help align the hospital with a sustainable source of resources in the future. Individual departments at RSFH have also stepped forward to make a contribution. RSFH’s Women’s, Infants’ and Children’s Center is reaching out to its counterparts and raising money for a renovation of the Maternity Ward at Plateau Mission Hospital. The RSFH volunteer department gathered boxes of used books and equipment for the Plateau Girl’s School. RSFH’s Access Department collected more than 1,600 pairs of shoes for Plateau residents. Healing is more than placing a bandage on a wound. Healing is a process, a process of restoring health and repairing what has been damaged. It’s an emotional, physical and long-term process of providing care. Thankfully, RSFH continues to do its part to make this process a community concern, collaborating with caregivers across the Lowcountry and around the world to serve the healthcare needs of many.
A CARING CULTURE: POWER IN NUMBERS OF CARING PEOPLE Trident United Way: RSFH employees raised an amazing total of $469,000, shattering previous community records. No previous employee campaign had raised more than $400,000 and turned out so many leadership givers. 178 employees pledged $1,000 or more, and 62 percent of employees participated.
Heart Walk: Roper St. Francis Healthcare raised more than $69,000, nearly double its $35,000 goal and $10,000 more than last year, for the 2009 American Heart Association’s Start! Lowcountry Heart Walk in September, with 56 team leaders and 757 participants.
Light the Night Walk: RSFH’s Light the Night walk team raised more than $13,500, surpassing its $10,000 goal, for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The team won the top corporate fundraiser in the state and was handed the inaugural Port City Cup, a traveling trophy the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society awards to the top fundraising hospital each year.
Komen Race for the Cure: Teams from Roper St. Francis (RSF) Cancer Center and Physician Partners joined more than 8,000 people in the October fundraiser to fight breast cancer. RSF Cancer Center won first place for team participation with 176 walkers and placed sixth in overall money raised, bringing $5,610 to the cause.
Backpack Buddies: The Backpack Buddies program is a way to send food home with school children who do not have anything to eat over the weekend. Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital committed to delivering 50 bags of food each month to Hursey Elementary School in North Charleston, where 98 percent of students are at or below the poverty rate. Roper St. Francis Imaging Services also committed to donate 50 backpacks of food to Stall High School.
AIDS Walk: The Roper St. Francis Healthcare Ryan White Program hosted its inaugural AIDS Walk in November of 2009 at Hampton Park in downtown Charleston. The Ryan White Program focuses on delivering HIV/AIDS care and services to people living with HIV or who are at risk of infection in underserved or rural communities. In January 2008, the Medication Endowment Fund was established as a reserve for emergency medications and medical care services for our enrolled patients. All money raised during the AIDS Walk was contributed to this fund.
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to
HEALTH CARE for the uninsured, the insured and those caught in between BY CHRISTY DOBSON REID
In the midst of healthcare turmoil and information overload in our country, Charleston area citizens are needing help and hope for the future of healthcare. The growing need for access to healthcare is hitting home, and there are many nonprofit organizations working to help those in need. Today, healthcare options include nonprofit care for those who qualify; private insurance for those who have access and can afford it; and government aid. The future of healthcare is uncertain, but there are ways to help and ways to obtain assistance, and people in our community are working toward better care.
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“The goal is to provide patientcentered medical homes that offer preventative care.” In between the insured who are covered by their providers and the uninsured who can seek nonprofit help, there is a big gap. What about the people who have insurance but find that it’s not enough? Because they have the insurance, they are over-qualified at most nonprofit resources. And if they are really sick, they need treatment beyond what most clinics and centers can offer. Annette Nielsen falls into such a gap. She has private insurance, her only option since she is unable to work full-time and is single. Nielsen suffers from transverse myelitis, a neurological disorder resulting from inflammation of the spinal cord. As the disease has While clinics and progressed, she has lost function in her legs and one arm and is now in a wheel centers are beneficial chair. Before her diagnosis, she was a full-time employee with insurance; she for those who have is now on full-time disability. Nielsen qualified for disability in no other means of 2008 but is currently in a two-year waiting period before she is eligible healthcare, they do for Medicare. “Why?” she asked. “If you’re disabled, it is vital to have not provide an affordable access to healthcare.” For Nielsen, it’s been a full-time job all-encompassing dealing with her insurance company to get coverage. “I have had to spend healthcare system. hours on the phone with insurers, getting documents, fighting for coverage that's under my plan, “Many uninsured people typically but having to prove that it's medically go to the emergency room,” said Anne necessary,” she said. At one point, she Bergin, director of health at Trident was discharged from the hospital United Way. In both clinics and prematurely because her insurance emergency rooms, the patients are treated, but not by someone who knows their history and will follow up at later visits. They are not always referred to specialty care that may be necessary. But help is on the way. “Trident United Way is convening members of the medical community to create a coordinated system of care for low-income uninsured people in the tri-county region,” said Bergin. hether or not you find yourself insured, you or someone you know is likely struggling with healthcare coverage. If you have a full-time job with benefits that include healthcare or if you have the resources to pay for a private insurance policy, you may still have out-of-pocket expenses on top of the cost of insurance. Healthcare is still costing you something, an amount that might not be known until it's on a bill. While clinics and centers are beneficial for those who have no other means of healthcare, they do not provide an all-encompassing healthcare system.
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benefits ran out and she could not afford to pay. She also went through red tape for four months before she was able to receive physical therapy. Nielsen has insurance, but because of her health condition, the cost of private insurance and insurance not covering her costs in-full, she’s left in an unfortunate financial situation. And because she has private insurance, disability and Medicare qualifications, she does not qualify for the healthcare offered for free or minimal charge by nonprofits. She also needs more extensive treatment than most nonprofits can offer for free or little cost. Nielsen lives a simple life, but her disability still leaves her with thousands in out-of-pocket expenses. “I can not allow myself to be uninsured because of the medical care I require,” she said. “I don’t dare not have the insurance.” Nielsen is now able to work parttime, but due to the recession, it has been difficult for her to find work. She feels fortunate to have had savings on which to fall back, but those funds are being quickly depleted because of the high cost of insurance and medical care, with disability not meeting ends. “I still feel lucky and blessed to have had something to fall back on,” she said. “Many people like me, don’t.” Aside from the hardship on her, Nielsen explained that there is a much bigger problem. She said, “I’m just being moved up to the future ranks of the impoverished elderly and will become a larger burden to society.”
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MOTIVATED
Wellness for the Working Uninsured Tri-County Project Care’s Grassroots Effort Provides Access to Affordable Health Care B Y C AT H E R I N E W I L L I A M S
W
ithout Tri-County Project Care (TCPC), Susan Morris’ children would be without their mother. “Five years ago, I was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive Stage IV breast cancer,” Morris explains. “I had no health insurance, because my job didn’t offer it, and it was financially impossible for me to insure myself. Tri-County Project Care began coverage immediately despite my pre-existing condition and treated me like a family member.” Morris’ story stands as testament to the eight-year endeavor of local general surgeon Dr. Robert “Casey” Fitts and his ever-growing network of primary and specialty care physicians. Founded in January 2002, TCPC provides access to health care for the working low-income (those at or below 200% poverty level) and provides a means for the uninsured to
The Healthcare providers pictured represent the larger community provider network for Tri-County Project Care
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OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
find community or government programs that provide coverage, even if they are ineligible to be covered under TCPC. Theirs is a grassroots effort, one of a community of programs offered throughout the state. “Our goal is to offer a different health care delivery system for the uninsured group that’s often overlooked—the low-income working sector that’s ineligible for federal and state health care assistance such as Medicare and Medicaid. While they can afford some healthcare expenditures, they can’t afford to pay entirely for most medical procedures out-ofpocket and are financially unable to afford their own health insurance,” Fitts explains. TCPC is not an insurance company nor is it a free medical clinic; it is a health care delivery system that relies on an existing network of primary and specialty providers that have agreed
to provide services to this uninsured population at a significantly discounted rate. Prior to establishing TCPC, Fitts became increasingly frustrated with the standard health care insurance system. Specifically, he could not provide care to those with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid yet too low to afford private health insurance. Approximately 35,000 people within Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties fall within this subset. Because this growing uninsured sector looks to emergency rooms for point-of-care service for most non-emergency cases, health care costs have continued to rise for both hospitals and the taxpayer community. “Clearly the current system is inefficient and broken,” Fitts argues. “It is much more cost effective in the long run to provide preventative care than to treat an illness or disability in its final stages. Our program provides patients with a ‘medical
home’ where they can receive standard preventative care. The data shows that approximately 17% of uninsured patients treated in a medical home were able to buy insurance within a year.” Fitts continues, “This is a method of alleviating some of the burdens of the taxpayers by keeping this group healthy in the long run. Financially and morally, it is just the right thing to do.” In 2001, Fitts took a year of leave from his bustling practice to found TCPC. With nearly $10 million in funding secured and a network of the area’s four hospital systems and nearly 1,600 physicians in development, Fitts and his team launched Stage 1 of the pilot program. Stage 2, which began in 2006, consisted of using the network of physicians and systems of care to offer a product to small businesses, wherein the employer and employee shared the cost of the nominal prepayment fee. With Stage 2 successfully implemented, TCPC is now focused on Stage 3. Fitts is hopeful that passage of the seven-cent cigarette tax may lead to state funding of TCPC and other like projects. This would establish TCPC as a premium assistance program to be utilized statewide, establishing a stable financial plan for the organization. Until that happens, TCPC continues to work with the health care sector of the Duke Endowment, AccessHealth South Carolina. Together with Trident United Way, AccessHealth is bringing together a multitude of community programs like TCPC to attend to the uninsured. “Even if Project Care isn’t a fit for someone, we still want to link those people with whatever resources are out there,” Fitts explains. “AccessHealth and Trident United Way are doing that and have been instrumental in this effort. Only through a healthy workforce can our state become more economically competitive. It just makes sense.”
CALL TO ACTION! For more information on Tri-County Project Care, please visit www.tricountyprojectcare.org or call (843) 388-9719.
757 A Long Point Rd. Mt. Pleasant, SC 843-971-6221 www.smilesbydrrandy.com
Dr. Randy and his daughter, Callie
PAY IT FORWARD
Volunteers Make Healthcare Possible for the Uninsured BY EUGENIA K. BEACH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BARRIER ISLANDS FREE MEDICAL CLINIC
K
BETWEEN APRIL 11, 2008 AND DECEMBER 31, 2009: Patient Visits:
4,277 Actual Patients:
1,315
RIGHT: Dr. Shannon Kennedy, Mr. Keith Bishop and Nurse Manager Donna Killip at our 3,000th patient visit FACING PAGE: Volunteers manage the front desk
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eith Bishop has a lot to be thankful for these days, most importantly, his life. And it is all thanks to the Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic (BIFMC). After losing his business, his property and everything he owned, Keith Bishop had fallen on hard times. When he began experiencing sharp chest pains, he was scared the next thing he would lose would be his life. Without health insurance, he tried to ignore the pains, but with a family history of coronary heart disease he had no choice but to give in to his son’s pleads to go to BIFMC. There, one of the many volunteers who treat patients without insurance told him he was in immediate danger of having a heart attack. The clinic performed a heart catheterization where his coronary artery was opened and two stents were placed in the artery to keep it open. Luckily, Bishop avoided a heart attack. Along with this life-saving procedure, BIFMC’s medical volunteers and hospital partnerships provided Bishop with continuing care, encouragement and medications – all at no charge. Not only was Bishop able to regain control of his health and his future, he gained the assurance that he could work again and the dignity that came from being able to manage his own health. Stories with happy endings similar to that of Keith Bishop’s are written everyday because of BIFMC. Gaining affordable access to health care is an almost impossible task for the large percentage of the surround-
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
ing community who is either ineligible for or unable to afford health insurance. A nonprofit organization funded entirely by private donations and grants and doctors giving their services for free, BIFMC provides free medical care to those uninsured, lower-income adults who live or work
on Johns, Wadmalaw or James Islands. 20 volunteer physicians, 19 nurses and more than 40 office staff run the clinic, ensuring quality medical care at no charge to patients. Since its opening in April of 2008, BIFMC has served 1,315 patients during 4,277 visits to the Clinic.
The Cost of ER Unfunded Primary Care in 2008 MUSC $2,700,000 Roper Saint Francis Healthcare $6,200,000
Call to schedule a tour –
Hello?
971.5961 or request one using our website www.danielislandacademy.com click on Information and Tours Now Accepting Open Enrollment for the 2010-11 School Year!
BIFMC acts as a primary physician would. When prescriptions are needed they are often provided by Welvista, a non-governmental healthcare intervention that provides access to prescription medicine and pediatric dental services. Welvista partners with pharmaceutical companies to receive donated drugs. Prior to BIFMC’s opening, the emergency room (ER) was the only place an uninsured person could access healthcare. Unfortunately, a single primary care visit to the ER costs an average of $1,650 and does not include the cost for continual or follow-up care. Without continuing care, the patient often cycles back into the ER in worse condition and typically requires inpatient care at an even greater cost. Unfunded care routinely costs hospitals millions of dollars which subsequently are passed on in higher insurance premiums for the insured and higher taxes for everyone. Not only is it a vicious cycle for our healthcare system, it can become a life and death issue for the uninsured patient. The free clinic model of creating access to healthcare is a very simple solution to a complicated problem.
Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic Needs: • Volunteer Physicians • Volunteer Nurses • Volunteer Interpreters • Volunteer Office Staff • Database Experts • Contributions
CALL TO ACTION! To learn more about volunteer opportunities or to make a contribution, please call the Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic at (843) 266-9800 or visit www.bifmc.org.
• NAEYC-Accreditation means the highest standards in education, health and safety • Creative Curriculum® taught in all classrooms • Early Literacy, Foreign Language and Music programs • Low Child-to-Teacher Ratios • Wholesome menus and organic milk served • Allergy-Safe Facility
Your child can’t call us. She’s relying on you! Call us to learn about one of the region’s leading preschools and kindergarten programs – Daniel Island Academy!
®
Educating Children Ages 1 year through Kindergarten
BY MEREDITH H. SIEMENS
There are leisure travelers and world explorers; armchair athletes and Olympians. There are seasonal volunteers and then there’s Lee Batten. Splitting her time between more than seven local and national organizations—the MUSC Children’s Hospital Volunteer Advisory Committee, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure ®, Darkness to Light, the Women’s Council of the Carolina Art Association, the American Heart Association, the Charleston Horticultural Society, the Junior League of Charleston—it’s a wonder she has time to be still, much less work towards a degree in Computer Information Systems.
photo illustration by Bob Durand Jr.
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To become involved with MUSC Tuesday Night Parents’ Supper programs contact: Bethany Moore Children's Hospital Volunteer Services 165 Ashley Avenue, PO Box 250332 Charleston, SC 29425 Phone: 843-792-8190 Fax: 843-792-8860 E-mail: moobe@musc.edu
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atten lives the maxim, “to whom much is given, much is expected.” It is difficult to get Batten to talk about her own achievements, involvement or the awards she’s received. She may, however, convince you to attend a volunteer meeting. Batten herself went from a few days’ commitment stuffing packets to the Packet-Stuffing /Registration Chair for the 2008 and 2009 Race for the Cure®. The majority of her volunteer work has followed a similar path, beginning as provisional opportunities and placements pursued through the Junior League. This chance to try on different projects is an experience that she finds brings people back, seeking out larger roles. Such was the case with one of Batten’s most rewarding and involved philanthropic endeavors, the Tuesday Night Parents’ Supper at MUSC Children’s Hospital. The Tuesday Night Parents’ Supper is a program that serves breakfast to families staying at MUSC with their children and to local families commuting for daily visits. For Batten, this seems a predestined fit.
With a family background in medicine, her grandfather stressed a bedside manner emphasizing patient respect and dignity. Batten herself was ingrained with the care and grace of a true southern hostess having grown up in the town of Estill, South Carolina. The Tuesday Night Parents’ Supper program began three years ago and was designed to minimize the financial impact of hospitalization while offering community members a chance to become involved without attending a four-to five-week formal volunteer training course. A volunteer since the fall of 2007, Batten extols, “no matter what kind of day you are having, you can’t leave MUSC without seeing the effect you have made on these families.” The program has grown from one group serving Saturday breakfast to over 20 groups serving meals three days a week. Batten heads the Tuesday night meals program, featuring a range of community groups including Atlantic Bank & Trust, Jim ‘N Nick’s Barbeque, the Junior League of Charleston and the MUSC Children’s Hospital Volunteer Advisory Committee. Christine Messick, Director of Volunteer Services at the MUSC Children’s Hospital, has developed the volunteer services program from one to 16 programs, increasing the number of volunteers from 51 in 2002 to over 320 in 2009. In her 14 years of experience in nonprofit management, Messick has seen the gamut of volunteers and praises Batten’s energy, personable nature and dependability for giving the program much of its current strength. “Our patient families go through a lot of heartache while their children are here,” Messick explains. “Some families come to eat and find a volunteer willing to listen to them. Others may quickly stop to grab a bite to eat
Please recycle this publication
without pausing to talk. Others refuse to leave their child's side so volunteers may deliver a plate to the room. In every instance, Lee's warm spirit and smile are a comfort!” As both Messick and Batten are quick to point out, the MUSC Tuesday Night Parents’ Supper program is always looking to expand. They began serving Sunday brunch in January and plan to add another weeknight meal. The need is always there. “I’ll see some families for a few weeks,” Batten explains, “or some families every week for nearly a year.” For individuals looking to become involved with the MUSC Tuesday Night Supper program or other weekly meals, there are multiple options. Volunteers can prepare or purchase food or paper products to drop off at the hospital; they can help serve food from 6pm to 8pm; or they can provide and serve during the meals. Each supper serves around 60 individuals. Six volunteers assist with setup, service and clean-up. Regardless of what role the volunteers choose to assume, the overall experience seems to be a universally positive one. Participants express feeling truly gratified seeing the families and helping in some small way to lessen their financial and emotional struggle. Some families quickly scoot away while others choose to stay, sit and be distracted for just a bit enjoying theme dinners, homemade casseroles, packaged candy bags, or simply conversation. On days when spending two hours away from one’s desk or home seems impossible, there is something very humbling about visiting families unable to spend two hours away from the hospital. A sense of duty may bring volunteers to serve that first meal, but a spirit of joy often brings them back. As Batten says, “you just can’t help but feel good.”
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GROUNDWORK
Access to Healthcare: Places to Get and Give Help BY ELIZABETH WORRELL
W
e are all familiar with the alarmingly high number of uninsured Americans, which now stands as the primary healthcare issue facing our nation. The large percentage of Americans living without health insurance not only affects national productivity, but also the health of our society, our healthcare infrastructure and the cost of healthcare for everyone. Not having access to benefits and medical help may not be a subject that many can speak knowledgeably about – especially for those who have always been insured. But if it were to affect you or someone you know – would you know who to turn to or where to seek help? We researched some of the organizations in the Lowcountry that have been established to assist South Carolinians who do not have access to adequate healthcare. If an organization pulls at your heart strings and you would like to help, visit its website or give the organization a call. If you or someone you know is in need, check with the organization about its qualifications and hours of service.
AREA-WIDE The Palmetto Project – an organization committed to providing healthcare to low income, ethnic and cultural groups who can not afford or do not have access to healthcare. Visit www.palmettoproject.org or call 843-577-4122. The Palmetto Project includes the following initiatives: • South Carolina Information and Referral Network – provides assistance to South Carolinians without private health insurance. Visit www.schealthcare.org or call 1-888-998-4646 (toll-free). • Heart & Soul – provides education and information especially on cardiovascular disease, as well as other health topics, to African-Americans. • AccessNet – provides assistance and direction to healthcare of uninsured and underinsured in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. • The South Carolina Immunization Project – works to raise immunization rates in South Carolina. • Carolina Hearing Aid Bank – provides free or affordable hearing aids to those in need.
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Tri-County Project Care – a nonprofit organization providing affordable healthcare to uninsured working adults. Small business owners or employees may also be eligible for assistance. Visit www.tricountyprojectcare.org or call 843-388-9719.
Franklin C. Fetter Family Health Center – a federally-funded health center where patients are charged based on their income. 51 Nassau St., Charleston, SC 29403. Call 843-722-4112. MOUNT PLEASANT
Welvista – provides free prescriptions for those who are uninsured, qualify and pay a $20 application fee. Visit www.welvista.org or call 1-800-763-0059. DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON Church of the Holy Communion – offers a clinic that helps provide prescriptions at minimal cost or for free to patients who are unable to afford medication. 218 Ashley Ave., Charleston, SC 29403. Call 843-722-2024. Crisis Ministries’ Homeless Health Clinic – a primary healthcare clinic for current and former residents of Crisis Ministries’ shelters. 573 Meeting St., Charleston, SC 29413. Visit www.charlestonhomeless.org or call 843-723-9477.
St. Andrew’s Church – offers a free healthcare clinic on Tuesdays. 440 Whilden St., Mt Pleasant, SC 29464. Call 843-284-4310. East Cooper Community Outreach – includes programs that help provide healthcare, dental care, prescription assistance and counseling to uninsured residents and, in some cases, non-residents. 1145 Six Mile Rd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466. Visit www.eccocharleston.org or call 843-849-9220.
NORTH CHARLESTON Dream Center Clinic – a faith-based clinic that provides free primary care, routine dental services and counseling for residents of North Charleston and Hanahan who have no health insurance and have a household income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. 5505 N. Rhett Ave., North Charleston, SC 29406. Visit www.dreamcenterclinic.org or call 843-225-1115. Enterprise Health Center – a federally-funded health center where patients are charged based on their income. 2047 Comstock Ave., North Charleston, SC 29405. Call 843-722-4112. Harvest Free Medical Clinic – a faith-based clinic that provides basic healthcare for those unable to afford healthcare. 1670 Drydock Ave., Bldg. 10B, North Charleston, SC 29405. Visit www.hfmc.org or call 843-747-3526. Lowcountry Pediatrics & Adults – a federally-funded health center where patients are charged based on their income. 3973 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29405. Call 843-747-8893.
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Joan H. Hazelton BUYER AGENT AND HISTORIC PROPERTY SPECIALIST
MUSC Children’s Care – provides medical homes to children who are uninsured and qualify for Medicaid. 2070 Northbrook Blvd., Suite A-16, North Charleston, SC 29406. Call 843-818-6102. Tricounty Family Ministries – a faith-based organization focused on healthcare, prescription assistance, healthcare referrals and health education for those with little or no access to healthcare. 3349 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29405. Visit www.tricountyfamilyministries.org or call 843-747-1788. JOHNS ISLAND
JHazelton@HistoricCharlestonProperties.com www.CharlestonPropertyFinder.com Historic Charleston Properties, LLC 843.754.8102
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Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic – provides primary healthcare for free to residents of Johns and Wadmalaw Islands who do not have insurance and cannot afford healthcare due to low income. 3226 Maybank Hwy., Suite A, Johns Island, SC 29455. Visit www.bifmc.org or call 843-266-9800. Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Wellness House – a place specializing in women’s health, dental health and health education for residents of James Island, Johns Island, Wadmalaw Island and The Neighborhood House of Charleston. 1684 Brownswood Rd., Johns Island, SC 29455. Visit www.olmoutreach.org or call 843-559-4493. Johns Island Health Center – a federally-funded health center where patients are charged based on their income. 3627 Maybank Hwy., Johns Island, SC 29455. Call 843-722-4112.
www.smithdray.com
Calendar of Events ENGAGE
APRIL 2010 APRIL 13
APRIL 22
Wine on the Water 7-9 p.m.
iFive:K Run/Walk/Shuffle 6:30 p.m.
Join the South Carolina Aquarium for a special evening featuring sustainable seafood, wine and waterfront views of the Charleston Harbor. Sample sustainable seafood dishes prepared by Charleston’s finest chefs, enjoy live entertainment and more.
The Charleston Digital Corridor iFive:K starts and finishes at the Charleston Maritime Center on the Charleston Harbor. The peninsula’s only evening race winds through historic downtown Charleston and finishes with a post-race celebration at the Charleston Maritime Center.
BENEFITS: SC Aquarium’s conservation and education programs LOCATION: SC Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, downtown Charleston
BENEFITS: Burke High School Scholarship Fund
COST: $25 per Aquarium member, $30 per non-member,
LOCATION: Charleston Maritime Center, 10 Wharfside St., downtown Charleston
advance reservations and payment required
COST: $30 after April 2; $25 through April 1
CONTACT: (843) 577-FISH (3474) or visit www.scaquarium.org
CONTACT: (843) 579-7659 or visit www.ifivek.com
APRIL 17
APRIL 22
Habitat for HumaniTEA Fundraiser 2:30-4:30 p.m.
EYEland Soiree 6-9 p.m.
Wear your best hat for an afternoon of sweet tea, lemonade and tea foods sponsored by the Hat Divas. Win fabulous door prizes and bid on luxurious auction items, with all proceeds helping to fund the 2010 Women Build home.
The second annual EYEland Soirée benefits the Association for the Blind. Enjoy dancing to a steel drum band, delicious island food, and tropical drinks. Also available for the night is an open bar, so come out and dance the night away for this great cause.
BENEFITS: Sea Island Habitat for Humanity's 2010 Women Build home
BENEFITS: Association for the Blind
LOCATION: Charleston Tea Plantation, Wadmalaw Island
LOCATION: The Creek Club on I’on, 44 Saturday Road, Mt. Pleasant
COST: $30 per ticket
COST: $60 at the door
CONTACT: (843) 768-0998 or visit www.seaislandhabitat.org
CONTACT: (843) 723-6915 or visit www.associationfortheblind.org
APRIL 17
APRIL 25
“Are You Ready to Rally?” Road Rally and Silent Auction 4-9 p.m.
Creative Spark’s Amazing Race 3-6 p.m.
Follow clues to Road Rally stops in a driving adventure through greater Charleston. Drivers and non-drivers alike attend the after-party with music, dancing, great food and drinks, and a silent auction in a fun and casual atmosphere.
LOCATION: Citadel Holliday Alumni Center, 69 Hagood Ave.
On this bike-riding treasure hunt, quick thinking beats quick riding! Ride the bike trails of Daniel Island, solving cryptic clues and completing crazy tasks to win the Amazing Race. Teams of four cyclists can consist of either four adults or at least one adult and children compete. The race requires more ingenuity than athleticism and more brains than brawn. Two teams win grand prize ribbons and awards from the sponsors including bicycle merchandise and catered parties.
COST: $75
BENEFITS: Creative Spark Center for the Arts
CONTACT: (843) 852-5705 or visit www.lifemanagement.org
LOCATION: Daniel Island
BENEFITS: LifeManagement Center
APRIL 18 The Old Village Home, Garden & Art Tour 1 - 5 p.m. This self-guided tour offers visitors the opportunity to see some of the homes and gardens of the Old Village in Mt. Pleasant. Music and refreshments are part of the art show, which will feature works for sale by local artists.
APRIL 30 – MAY 2 Gourmet & Grapes
BENEFITS: The services and programs of American Red Cross, Carolina Lowcountry Chapter LOCATION: Old Village in Mt. Pleasant
BENEFITS: Hollings Cancer Center at MUSC
COST: Tickets are $45 for individual or $35 for groups of 10 or more. Tickets can
LOCATION: Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
CONTACT: (843) 764-2323, ext. 386
CAUSE
CONTACT: (843) 881-3780 or visit www.creativespark.org
Weekend events begin on Friday evening with an exclusive black-tie dinner prepared by a celebrity chef. During the day on Saturday, guests are treated to various wine seminars and tastings. The evening features a fundraising gala with dishes prepared by Charleston’s Top Chefs.
be purchased at www.lowcountryredcross.org (click on MyCommunityTickets) or purchase at any of the following area locations – Abide-A-While Garden Center, GDC, Scratch Pad (Mt. Pleasant); Morton James (West Ashley); or Edward Dare Gallery (downtown Charleston).
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COST: $90 for team of 4
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COST: Prices vary CONTACT: (843) 792-7994 or visit www.gourmetandgrapes.com
MAY 2010 MAY 1 Charleston Dog Show 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. The 7th annual Charleston Dog Show is a wonderful family event for Lowcountry dogs and their families. In addition to friendly canine competition, there will be a dog vendor village, silent auction, pet portrait artists' corner, microchipping clinic, educational exhibits, Canine Good Citizen (CGC) testing, obedience demonstrations and much more!
BENEFITS: Lowcountry Golden Retriever Rescue Resource, Greyhound Pets of America-Charleston, Middleton Place Hounds and Lowcountry Lab Rescue
WHERE is
MYAD
CONTACT: (843) 412-8198 or visit www.charlestondogshow.com
To make sure you are not left out of the next issue of CAUSE magazine, contact
MAY 1
Richard Barry at
Make-A-Wish Foundation Wine Festival 6-9 p.m.
746-2246
LOCATION: Marion Square, downtown Charleston COST: Free
This 4th annual wine festival provides opportunities to sample over 85 select wines from around the world, taste authentic Charleston cuisine and enjoy live music.
BENEFITS: SC Make-A-Wish Foundation LOCATION: Freshfields Village on the Village Green COST: $35 in advance; $45 at the door CONTACT: (843) 853-7880 or visit www.sc.wish.org
MAY 1
to get more information on how you can take advantage of advertising in the Junior League of Charleston’s own publication.
Dining with Friends Times vary Supporters host parties in their homes, churches, or workplaces in a massive fundraising effort. The type of party and the menu is up to the hosts.
BENEFITS: Lowcountry Aids Services LOCATION: Various locations COST: Donation determined by guests CONTACT: (843) 747-2273 or visit www.aids-services.com
MAY 8 Charleston Dragon Boat Festival 1 p.m. The 3rd annual festival is a fun day for corporate and community teams to picnic and paddle together on the Ashley River in 41-foot dragon boats.
BENEFITS: Roper Saint Francis Cancer Center LOCATION: Brittlebank Park, 180 Lockwood Blvd, downtown Charleston COST: Call for more information CONTACT: (843) 442-6167 or visit www.dragonboatcharleston.org
MAY 12 An Elegant Evening...A Meal to Remember 6 p.m. East Cooper Meals on Wheels celebrates twenty-five years of serving the homebound with a lively evening featuring fine cuisine, dancing and live and silent auctions.
From Garden Festivals to Galas – Where will CAUSE find YOU?
LOOK WHO’S CELEBRATING
BENEFITS: East Cooper Meals on Wheels LOCATION: Omar Shrine Convention Center, 176 Patriots Point Rd, Mt. Pleasant COST: $100, tickets on sale April 5 CONTACT: (843) 881-9350 or visit www.ecmow.org
To see more images of the Lowcountry community celebrating a cause, check out the CAUSE for Celebration section on pages 6-7. If you would like to submit a photograph to CAUSE, please e-mail your high-resolution image with caption to causeeditor@jlcharleston.org with the subject “PHOTO.” To find out about upcoming local fundraisers and events with a cause, check out the Engage section on pages 26-29. If you would like to submit a calendar entry to CAUSE, please e-mail your information to causeeditor@jlcharleston.org with the subject “EVENT.”
ENGAGE
Calendar of Events (continued)
MAY 21
JUNE 25
Forget-Me-Not Ball 7 p.m.
Abby’s Friends Charity Golf Classic & Evening Gala 1 p.m. Golf Shotgun, 7 p.m. Gala
This 5th annual gala features a cocktail reception, silent and live auctions, dinner and a program.
This day of golf at one of the nation’s top-rated golf courses, will be followed by an elegant evening Gala featuring food, beverage and entertainment, including live music by Plane Jane.
BENEFITS: SC Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association LOCATION: Francis Marion Hotel, downtown Charleston COST: $100 a ticket; sponsorship levels also available CONTACT: (800) 860-1444 or visit www.fmnball.org
BENEFITS: MUSC Children’s Hospital Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Camp Adam Fisher, a camp for diabetic children LOCATION: Beresford Creek Course and the Daniel Island Club COST: Call for golf sponsorship prices, gala is $150 per ticket CONTACT: (843) 364-6731 or visit www.abbysfriends.org
JUNE 2010 JUNE 5 Lowcountry Splash Open Water Swim 7:30 a.m. Quickly becoming South Carolina's premier open water swim, the 9th Annual Lowcountry Splash is a 2.4 Mile Open water swim along the Mount Pleasant shoreline, swimming under the Cooper River Bridge and finishing at the Charleston Harbor Marina and Resorts in front of the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point. This event continues to grow in popularity attracting swimmers from 13 states and 2 countries.
BENEFITS: The Logan Rutledge Children's Foundation, a local not for profit
JULY 2010 JULY 13 Brew with a View 7–9 p.m. This special evening will feature sustainable seafood prepared by five of Charleston’s finest chefs, beer, live entertainment and an amazing view of the Charleston Harbor.
BENEFITS: The SC Aquarium’s conservation and education programs LOCATION: SC Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, downtown Charleston
organization promoting the health and welfare of children in the Lowcountry
COST: $25 per Aquarium member, $30 per non-member
LOCATION: Hobcaw Yacht Club to Charleston Harbor Marina, Mt. Pleasant
CONTACT: (843) 577-FISH (3474) or visit www.scaquarium.org
COST: Early registration is $50; Late registration (after June 2nd) is $60 CONTACT: Call (843) 884-7880, gbanks@rcctherapy.com
If you would like to submit a calendar entry to CAUSE, please e-mail your information to causeeditor@ jlcharleston.org with the subject “EVENT.”
Palette and Palate Stroll 5:30–7:30 p.m.
JUNE 5
For the 5th year, the Charleston Fine Arts Dealers’ Association’s (CFADA) will host an evening dedicated to fine art, cuisine and wine throughout the historic streets of downtown Charleston. The event will feature sample tastings from 12 of the finest local restaurants in 12 of the most prestigious art galleries.
Annual Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival 10 a.m.– 8 p.m. This daylong festival celebrates the rich Gullah Geechee cultural heritage, and provides the most extensive showcase of sweetgrass baskets in the Lowcountry. Along with live entertainment, visitors will be treated to a variety of authentic Gullah cuisine. There will also be family-friendly activities including a waterslide.
BENEFITS: CFADA’s visual scholarship fund
BENEFITS: Sweetgrass Basket Makers Society
CONTACT: (843) 819-8006 or visit www.cfada.com
COST: $45 per ticket (tickets are limited)
COST: Free admission
JULY 31
CONTACT: (843) 856-9732 or visit www.sweetgrassfestival.org
Fight for Air Climb Charleston 8 a.m.
JUNE 12
Are YOU up for the Challenge? It’s more than a walk, it’s more than a run... climb for a unique challenge! Join the hundreds of people climbing their way up and down 1,056 stairs in the North Charleston Coliseum to help benefit lung cancer research, asthma education and air quality improvement.
Come run, walk or stroll the beach during this 5K Run/Walk organized by the MUSC Physical Therapy Class of 2011. All proceeds benefit the research and support of patients diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
BENEFITS: American Lung Association in the Fight for Air
BENEFITS: SC chapter of the ALS Association, supporting patients diagnosed
CONTACT: (843) 556-8451 or visit www.lungsc.org
with ALS and ALS research
LOCATION: IOP Beach, race start line at Seaside Inn, 1004 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms
COST: $22 until May 22nd, $25 after CONTACT: (423) 967-5270 or visit www.alshoperace.com
CAUSE
LOCATION: Locations vary, downtown Charleston
LOCATION: Waterfront Memorial Park, Mt. Pleasant
10th Annual ALS H.O.P.E. Race 6 p.m. Race Start
28
JULY 16
or visit www.lowcountrysplash.com
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE OF CHARLESTON, INC.
LOCATION: North Charleston Coliseum, 5001 Coliseum Dr, N. Charleston COST: $25 per person registration, $100 per person fundraising requirement
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