Substitutes for Santa

This annual event is put together by gsSCENE and it was truly a great way to kick off the holiday season! At this group project, we had the opportunity to help 70 underprivileged kids from the Loris area have a real Christmas and it was so rewarding. The kid’s ages ranged from about 4-12 and were each paired up with a volunteer for the evening. 

We met at Ultimate California Pizza to start the night with pizza and fun in the game room. They were able to gather enough money in their own fundraising efforts to fund this entire portion of the night, what a big help! The kids had a blast playing games and everyone had their fill on pizza.

Next up, we loaded a bus and took the kids to Wal-Mart for their own personal shopping experience. Equipped with a $100 gift card and a wish list to help us, we spent the next hour with the kids picking out toys and games as well as essential items such as jackets and socks. Santa also made his appearance and there was a balloon artist on hand to keep everyone smiling. 

In the end, the kids were so grateful and we had a good time showing them the holiday spirit. Check out the pictures from the event to see the fun.

All of the gifts on the bus ready for the kids to take home 

Shiver for the Shelter Golf Tournament

LGSers gathered together at Farmstead Golf Links in Calabash, NC for another awesome group project volunteer opportunity. The annual Shiver for the Shelter golf tournament benefits the North Myrtle BeachHumane Society and is directed by Jeffrey Wisniewski, one of our own LGS Board of Regents members and his wife Patricia. In addition to the entry fee, players are also required to bring 100 lbs of dog/cat food or litter.

Our day involved setting up and checking in players while promoting additional mulligan sales and door prizes for the cause.  We also distributed goodie bags and had a few strong men load up the trailer with all of the food donated. In the afternoon, we fed players lunch and helped clean up the event.

132 players turned out for this great cause and we collected 7.5 tons of food and litter! The Humane Society was so grateful – they have a huge responsibility caring for these animals and not having to worry about the essentials is a big help. We had a great time helping a wonderful cause!

The volunteers with the animals we helped

Andrea and Jewell ready to begin check in!

Meredith, Candy and Sarah preparing lunch for the players

Announcements before the start

Class Day #3

December’s Class really stood out from the rest so far and was extremely educational as we focused on Horry County Government. We started off at the Horry County Council building in Conway and heard from the CountyAdministrator, Chris Eldridge. He oversees 30 separate departments, all needed for the county to run smoothly on a day-to-day basis. We also got an update about the many road projects currently happening, such as the Back Gate project, as well as future projects such as I-73. Lastly, we got a behind the scenes tour of the 911 operating center (amazing!) and had some time to speak with county police officers.

Next, we traveled to J. Reuben Long Detention Facility and heard from the County Sherriff, Phillip Thompson and his Chief Deputy, PaulButler. We got a complete overview of the jail operations and what it takes to keep the streets safe.  Most interesting, was the actual tour of the jail. We split into groups and were able to go inside the command center, into the pods, the maximum-security wing and visiting areas. Our safety was top priority at all times and the staff was all very knowledgeable and professional. To end the day, we sat and watched a few jail bond hearings.  It really is an incredible operation and we must give kudos to all who help run it successfully.

MB Color Run

Nearly 3,000 participants and over 200 volunteers gathered bright and early at Broadway at the Beach for the Happiest 5K on the Planet! And as all things LGS, the event was for a good cause; part of the proceeds went to SOS Autism Healthcare.

8 LGSers were on hand to assist with the fun. Our job for the day was working the color zones (individual color stations setup along the course), throwing colored powder at the runners as they came through. If we weren’t having fun, they wouldn’t have fun either and we definitely delivered on our commitment!

The majority of us were stationed at the yellow zone and it was such a blast to experience this out-of-the-box marathon style. We were covered head to toe in yellow as we threw endless amounts of color on not only the runners but on ourselves as well.  When all was said and done, each station was cleaned up as if nothing happened in under 20 minutes; considering the mess we made, the was a pretty amazing feat.

After the run, there was a huge after party in the parking lot with a live DJ pumping up the crowd and the audience throwing bags of colored powder in the air constantly. It was incredible to see 3,000 people so energetic and happy that early in the morning. This marathon truly is one of a kind and kudos must be given to their staff for producing such a well-oiled machine.

LGS 34 Making our Mark in the Yellow Zone!

Color in Action!

The Aftermath

Color Party!

Class Day #2

Another busy line up was planned for LGS 34’s second class.  We met at the Grand Strand Regional Medical Center in the morning and were introduced to Joan Carroza, Marketing Director who gave us a very informative presentation. She covered some impressive facts about their hospital system including these, to name a few:

• ·       Ranked #1 in SC for cardiac surgery from 2010-2013
• ·       Designated as a prestigious Level II Trauma Center in 2012
• ·       Employs over 270 physicians, 1200 staff member and 200+ volunteers
• ·       Makes an outstanding economic impact on the community of over $200 million annually 

Next, we met Dr. John Charles, Director for Medical Affairs who enlightened us on the incredible hospital operation for the medical side. He went into much detail about the advances being made in their procedures for Sepsis diagnostics, “door to balloon” initiative for heart attack patients, and their new technology of the daVinci robotic assisted surgery system. Our hospital system is extremely impressive and we are lucky to have this incredible resource as a part of our community.

Next, the class headed down to the south end of town and went on an eco tour of the Marshwalk in Murrells Inlet. We learned all about its history and area’s origins as a fishing town, earning its nickname as the “seafood capital of the south” from the very beginning. After our tour, the class settled in for lunch on the patio at CreekRatz while enjoying the beautiful view of the Inlet.

Finally, we headed down the street to enjoy the beauty that is Brookgreen Gardens. We started by boarding a pontoon boat to take a tour along the surrounding creeks. We had a very knowledge tour guide who told us all about the history of the rice plantations on the property, what everyday life was like for the local slaves, the many creatures that could be found in the area and how the land became what it is today. We also got to benefit from a guided tour through the amazing sculpture garden, learning all about the original property owners, the Huntington’s, and their love for sculptures and well manicured gardens.

After another wonderful day with LGS, some of us took a few hours to socialize after class back on the Marshwalk at Bubba’s Love Shack. In an attempt to prove that we can (and will!) be more fun than the infamous Class 31, we made plans to schedule more group socials for our remaining time together, starting next week. Another memorable day for the books indeed!

Exploring the Hospital 

Class 34 at the Marshwalk

I See You!

The Guys on the Boat Tour

After Class Fun at Bubba's