By Rick Abercrombie
On September 26, the Optimist Club of St. Andrews held its annual Day of Giving at the Seven Oaks Park meeting facility. Club President Gary Boyd emceed the event.
Through its two annual fundraisers, St. Andrews Optimists earn funds that are donated back to entities that directly or indirectly benefit the youth of the community. The fiscal Optimist Year is from October 1 through the end of the following September, so the Day of Giving is traditionally the last Friday of September. The fundraisers are the Optimist Golf Tournament, held in the late spring/early summer, and the Optimist Christmas Tree Lot located at McGregor Presbyterian Church.
Since its founding more than 50 years ago, St. Andrews Optimists have donated more than a half million dollars to these and/or similar causes:
Harbison Elementary DARE
Harbison West Summer Reading
H.E. Corley Elementary DARE
Irmo Elementary Summer Reading
Katrina’s Kids
Homeworks of America
Families Helping Families
District 5 Ready by Five
Palmetto Place
Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission
Irmo Police Community Foundation
Universal Leadership STEAM Academy
McGregor Presbyterian Youth
ICRC Children’s Theater
Sharing God’s Love
Optimist International Foundation
S.C. Career Kids
Nancy K. Perry
Game Changers
Irmo Fire Department
Palmetto Project First Books
Irmo Fire Department Community Fund
