Helping Out for Jan. 12, 2011

Helping Out highlights some of the many charitable events and activities going on in the Charleston area. Submissions should be sent to dailyjournal@scbiznews.com.

Several fundraisers are being held this month to benefit a family that was displaced in a Dec. 30 house fire. Jeremy Schultz, a sports camera operator who has worked for networks such as CBS Sports and ESPN, was badly burned in the fire, which also destroyed most of the family’s belongings. Schultz is currently being treated at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta.

The following events have been scheduled:

Friday from noon to 6 p.m., the North Charleston Recreation Department and ESPN radio will hold a Lunch at the Park & Silent Auction at the Felix C. Davis Community Center in North Charleston. Bobby Hartin’s Fan Talk sports radio show will broadcast from the event from 3 to 6 p.m. Hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue sandwiches and grilled chicken sandwiches will be available for a $5 donation. Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Jeremy Shultz Care Fund. On Jan. 22, a softball tournament is being held at the Hanahan Recreation Department fields to raise money for the fund. Entry fee is $150 per team; registration deadline is Saturday. E-mail Rhonda Shiner for more information.

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  S.C. Federal Credit Union presented the Teachers’ Supply Closet with school supplies collected during its annual holiday project. Donations from members, employees and the community resulted in thousands of pencils, pens, crayons, notebooks, folders and paper for students to use in 2011.

The school supply drive ran from Nov. 1 through Dec. 17. S.C. Federal branches served as collection sites for school supplies. The drive supported the Teachers’ Supply Closet in Charleston; S.C. Education Association in Columbia; Plantersville Elementary School in Georgetown; and Orangeburg Wilkinson High School in Orangeburg.

At left: Deborah Halon (left) of Teachers’ Supply Closet and Thetyka Husser from S.C. Federal Credit Union

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Tickets are still available for the Zonta Club of Charleston’s inaugural Breaking the Silence gala, to honor individuals and organizations that are making a difference for domestic violence victims.

The gala will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Harbour Club in downtown Charleston. Tickets are $75 per person.

Keynote speaker at the event will be 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson. The following people will be honored:

Best Business: Verizon Wireless Best Professional: Scott Beard, Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence, Solicitor’s Office Best in Media: Kristen Hankla, Post and Courier Best Volunteer: Dr. Jennifer Pullano, volunteer with My Sister’s House “Liza’s Lifeline Person of the Year,” Mayor Keith Summey

The event is a benefit for Liza’s Lifeline of South Carolina, which raises funds to assist domestic violence victims, and Zonta’s service projects. In addition, Verizon Wireless will collect used cell phones and accessories at the event for its Hopeline project; the phones will be refurbished and donated to victims of domestic violence.

Register online for the gala or mail a check to Zonta Club of Charleston, P.O. Box 40548, Charleston, SC 29423. Call 843-345-3275 or send an e-mail for more information.

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Hawkes Learning Systems, a Charleston-based educational software and textbook publisher, donated algebra textbooks to several area high schools, including West Ashley and Lincoln high schools, Septima Clark Academy and Charleston Charter School for Math and Science. The donation will provide instruction for hundreds of local teenagers.

Hawkes Learning Systems specializes in mathematics software and textbooks, with more than 30 years of experience. Hawkes created a courseware product that combines a high level of artificial intelligence with a mastery-based pedagogical approach.

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Trident Health System the Bronze Medal of Honor for organ donation. The award is for Trident’s accomplishments in improving organ transplantation. In the past two years, Trident had 12 potential donors and 11 consents to donation, for a conversion rate of 92%. From that group, more than 20 recipients received organs. Trident Health System works with LifePoint, a nonprofit agency that coordinates organ and tissue donations for most S.C. hospitals and works with donor families throughout the process. To receive the Bronze Medal of Honor, a hospital must sustain a donation rate of 75% or more of eligible donations.

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BP employees Robin Lee and Dan Hunt are recognized for BP’s contribution of $64,000 to the Berkeley County School District by Chairman Kathy Schwalbe and Superintendent Anthony Parker.  BP’s contributions will support instruction in the areas of alternative energy, energy conservation and technology.

The BP Cooper River Plant has given nine Berkeley County schools $64,000 to boost student achievement. The donations were made possible through BP Cooper River Plant’s Government and Public Affairs funds. The grants support instructional programs in alternative energy, energy conservation and technology in the schools.

This year, BP stretched beyond its planned contribution to provide additional assistance in light of the district’s funding crisis.

Funding is being provided for the following:

A book for every student at Cainhoy Elementary Field trips for Cainhoy Elementary students who achieved excellent state standardized test scores Support for the engineering programs at Hanahan and Timberland high schools Books and computers for the Macedonia Middle library Support for the student technology association at Macedonia Middle Science lab supplies at H.E. Bonner Elementary Books and robotics at St. Stephen Middle CD players and media at St. Stephen Elementary Industrial technology at Berkeley Middle A bike safety program at Westview Primary

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The third annual Total Health Fair health and wellness expo will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Omar Shrine Convention Center in Mount Pleasant.

The free community event is meant to increase awareness of all forms of health care and healthy living opportunities that are available to all residents of the Lowcountry. 

More than 80 healthy living businesses and several area nonprofit organizations will be represented at the event. Exhibitors include organic food companies, massage therapists, organic salons, chiropractors, gyms, doctors and more. Educational lectures, demonstrations, and activities for all ages will be ongoing throughout the weekend.

Proceeds from the health fair will benefit the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital. The first 250 attendees will receive goodie bags at the door.

In conjunction with the fair, a blood drive with the American Red Cross will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Those who donate blood will be entered into a raffle.

Contact Dr. Stephanie Latter at 843-402-0310 for more information.

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