Annual Banquet a Big Success for Local Community Foundation

Murrells Inlet, SC, (September 21, 2009) —More than one hundred and fifty people attended Waccamaw Community Foundation’s Annual Awards and Appreciation Banquet on September 9 at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club.  Sponsored by Smith, Sapp, Bookhout, Crumpler & Calliham, along with Elliott Davis, LLC and Scott & Stringfellow, the event included award presentations and the recognition of numerous grant recipients and Foundation volunteers. Perhaps most memorable, every guest received a gold mesh pouch filled with ten $1 gold coins.  Jonathan P. Kresken, WCF President, challenged everyone to match that money and donate it to a non-profit listed on the Waccamaw Community Foundation’s “Community Wish List.”  The Community Wish List allows local non-profits to post their unfunded needs on the WCF website for the community’s review when making charitable donation decisions.

“It was our hope that the “bag of gold” idea would convey the deeper significance of philanthropy,” said Kresken. “And we think it worked. We’ve received a great deal of feedback about how different attendees matched and – in many cases – exceeded their goal. More than a dozen nonprofits have received unexpected gifts as a result.”

• The second annual Clyde W. Port Catalyst Award – a $1,000 annual grant – was awarded to The Children’s Recovery Center.
• Home Alliance, Inc., and Horry County Schools were recognized as 2009 grant recipients of the Waccamaw Community Trust.  The WCT grants were matched by the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation.
• In recognition of their philanthropic and civic-minded endeavors, Maria Strickland from North Myrtle Beach, Blakely Jenkins from Myrtle Beach, Blake Lanford from Conway and Nikki Ewing from Georgetown were awarded the Smith, Sapp, Bookhout, Crumpler & Calliham Young Professionals Award.

The Waccamaw Community Foundation is a public charity that was founded in 1999 and currently manages $15-plus million in charitable assets. The organization's mission is to rally philanthropic resources for the purpose of building a stronger community and a better quality of life for the people of the Waccamaw Region.