Social club adds meaning to their meetings with donations

By Katherine Mace CONTRIBUTOR

“We are all children of service. Our community has a core value of service, and everyone can feel a sense of joy when they give.” This is how Debi Boccanfuso, president of one of Sun City’s oldest clubs, Town Square Upbeats, explains why people are so enthusiastic about this club.

The Upbeats have a continuous service project to collect money on behalf of Toys for Tots, a U.S. Marine Corps program whose mission is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas.

Toys for Tots began in 1947 when a Marine’s wife asked him to donate her handmade dolls to an organization that supported children in need. He couldn’t find this type of organization, so he started one, and the Marine Corps’ icon- ic Toys for Tots was born.

Ed Martin, a long-time member and unofficial club historian, moved to Sun City with his wife in 2000. “Sun City opened officially in 1995,” he said. “There was nothing much around.”

Martin described what it looked like in the area surrounding the Sun City community. There was a two-lane road to Hilton Head Island, there were no shops or restaurants inside or outside the gates.

“People would bring food and something to drink and come (to Upbeats) to socialize,” Martin said.

Charlie and Mary Keller, Boccanfuso’s parents, and 14-year Sun City residents, have been Upbeats for 10 years.

“Many people like this (club) because we gather early enough that you can go out later and still eat the Early Bird special,” Mary said. “We have two daughters who live here. The first time Debi came