Giving Back to the Daniel Island Community

December 17, 2019 by riverteam

Excerpt from the Daniel Island News article originally posted here.

Once again, individuals, organizations, and businesses are coming together throughout the Daniel Island community to help brighten the holiday season for others.

Even the smallest gesture can make a huge difference in a person’s life, especially during the holidays. Brittany Gooding has been requesting Christmas cards for her 91-year-old grandfather for the past five years after his wife passed away.

“Granddaddy and Nanny got married on Christmas Day in 1949. I thought Christmas cards might cheer him up. He now keeps the cards in boxes on his table to read through every day. It is the highlight of his day during this season,” said Gooding. To send a card, email Gooding at brittisgood@gmail.com.

Daniel Island’s Ralston Grove Book Club sent more than 300 cards to sailors deployed this holiday aboard the SS Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Island resident Michele Duffy was thankful for the opportunity to show her appreciation for their service. “These cards are very important to show our support for what they are doing, especially at this time of year. It only takes one card to make a difference for a service member,” said Duffy.

Neil Lucado, owner of Monograms Daniel Island, teamed up with the Junior League of Charleston to co-host a diaper drive. During the holidays, residents can help by donating disposable diapers, wipes, and diaper cream to the “diaper bank” located in front of Monograms.

Junior League member Sarah Whiston stressed the importance of the drive. “Imagine not being able to go to work or school because you don’t have diapers to send with your child to daycare or an early education program. Every package makes a difference,” Whiston said.

At River Landing Dentistry, Dr. Rebeca Zechmann and the staff do a variety of charitable projects throughout the year. For the holidays, the office has cards created by a local photographer with scenes of Christmas on Daniel Island and community members are welcome to come in and fill out cards for the troops. Another program sponsored by River Landing Dentistry was started by three of Zechmann’s college classmates to raise funds for soldier suicide prevention. The office sells artwork from local artist Bryan Benson, and a percentage of each sale goes directly to the nonprofit organization Stop Solider Suicide. “It’s good to give back year-round, but especially over the holidays. For service members, this time of year is hard for anyone to be away from their families, or, if home, to be coping with physical, mental or emotional wounds of service,” said Zechmann.

The holidays can be difficult for many community members, especially those grieving the loss of a loved one. To help cope, Summit Place of Daniel Island will host a free “Grief at the Holidays Workshop” on Thursday, Dec. 12, starting at 6 p.m. “

The purpose of our event is to educate our residents, families, and neighbors about the impact of grief, especially as we celebrate the holiday season … Our workshop will help to identify ways to cope with and manage grief, regardless of the stage of grief,” explained Amy Kovach, Lifestyle 360 Director at Summit Place.