Samaritan’s Purse is celebrating the collection of more than 12.2 million Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts worldwide in 2025. The milestone reflects the generosity of millions of volunteers who packed shoeboxes with toys, school supplies and personal care items. In the United States, 10.9 million shoebox gifts were collected thisContinue Reading
Members of the St. Andrews Woman’s Club recently volunteered at Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services (PAALS) as part of a statewide Day of Service. Volunteers spent the morning cleaning the facility and organizing materials and equipment used in the training of service dogs. The group also toured the facility andContinue Reading
By Rick Abercrombie The January 16 speakers at the St. Andrews Optimists’ breakfast meeting were two representatives of South Carolina Youth Advocacy Program (SCYAP). The speakers were Shayla Howell and Majd Abdallah. Both bear the title of Regional Recruiter/Family Recruiter. The job of the recruiters is both simple and complexContinue Reading
Nursery Road Elementary-Arts Magnet fifth grader Lillie Marigny is named the Lake Murray-Irmo Rotary Student of the Month for January. Principal Karey Fisher and fifth-grade teacher Abigail Bumgardner highlight Marigny’s outstanding character and contributions. Fisher says, “Lillie is a quiet student who always tries to do the right thing. HerContinue Reading
IRMO — Community members and advocates gathered Thursday, January 29, at the intersection of Lake Murray Boulevard and St. Andrews Road for a peaceful protest opposing the actions and policies of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Organizers said the Irmo protest was part of a broader national response toContinue Reading
By Rick Abercrombie Tim Behling, CEO and Founder of Successteam Leadership Academy, spoke recently to the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo. Behling’s presentation familiarized Optimists with the organization’s role for 10 years in Aiken and served to announce plans to establish a location in Columbia. The Aiken academy meets atContinue Reading
“You never know the impact your actions will have on someone’s future.” Few stories illustrate that truth better than a three-decade partnership between South Carolina’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and the Rotary Club of Lake Murray–Irmo. The collaboration began in 1993 with the creation of a motivational public speakingContinue Reading
By Rick Abercrombie In a recent appearance at the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo, Retired Army First Sergeant Alvin King described the work and mission of the Range Fore Hope Foundation (RFHF). In King’s words, RFHF is “Community driven, veteran focused.” King, founded RFHF in 2018. RFHF uses all aspectsContinue Reading
IRMO — The Town of Irmo has announced the promotion of Danielle McNaughton to Director of Communications and Special Events. A resident of Irmo for more than 20 years, McNaughton brings both a strong personal connection to the community and extensive professional experience to her new leadership role. In herContinue Reading
The Irmo Police Department Community Foundation distributed 313 turkeys donated by Walmart to individuals and families in need throughout the community during the Thanksgiving holiday. Several organizations, churches, and community partners helped identify families in need, including: Irmo Village Low-Income Housing; Presbyterian Church; Young’s Chapel AME Church; Macedonia Baptist Church;Continue Reading
By Rick Abercrombie On November 14, a pair of leaders from the Irmo-Chapin Recreation Commission Childrens’ Theatre spoke to the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo. The presenters were Jenea Gardner and Tyler Bennett. Gardner is the Co-Producer for the Theatre at Crooked Creed Park, and Bennett has the same responsibilitiesContinue Reading