As we begin the second half of 2024, I wanted to share the efforts and progress being made by the Haig Point Foundation. Our mission is to engage Daufuskie Island residents in supporting community enhancements, provide emergency funds for hurricanes and other natural disasters, and award scholarships for college & continued education. In fulfilling this mission, so far this year we have contributed $40,000 towards Daufuskie Island projects and its people.
$10,000 to the Daufuskie Island Community Foundation for custom Cast Iron signs for 5 Gullah cemeteries on the Island
$5,000 to the Daufuskie Island Fire Department for new specialty device to quickly roll up fire hoses
$5,000 to the Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation to help finish the restoration of the HP Wick and Oil house
$4,300 to the First UAB Church for the Good Neighbor Fund
$750 to the DI Conservancy for the Daufuskie Island Shoreline Project
$14,500 in Scholarships to worthy Daufuskie Island residents and employees to pursue advanced education goals.
We also have completed the Beach Mile Marker sign project in conjunction with Brunning Construction. Daufuskie Island was the last remaining South Carolina coastal area that did not have beach markers. Each sign is tied to a GPS location that is cataloged with the county 911 service, allowing for quick location tracking by emergency personnel. This project was funded with a county grant, and highly appreciated by the DI Fire Department.
To fund these initiatives, in April, we held our 6th annual Pro-Am Golf Tournament fundraiser, netting nearly $50,000. Through the generous support of our donors, we had 105 golfers, 36 sponsors, and 148 attendees at the highly successful after-party on the Haig Point Beach Club Deck. Thank you all for helping make that a wonderful day to remember.
Looking forward, we are currently accepting grant applications for review at our September board meeting. Grant application forms are located on our website (www.haigpointfoundation.org). Additionally, as we approach hurricane season, our hurricane reserve fund is fully funded with $50k and we will be ready to respond quickly in the event of major storm damage to the island.
And a final note regarding the administration of our Foundation, I am proud to say that we have been granted the Platinum Seal of Transparency by CANDID.ORG. This is the highest level issued and reflects our organization's financial and administrative practices and openness as a non-profit. We have also hired an external firm to perform a yearly audit of financials, and for two years in a row have had an explementary report.
Once again, we thank you for your support of the Haig Point Foundation and look forward to continuing to make Daufuskie Island a great place.
Rick Klemm
Chairman - Haig Point Foundation