Hilton Head Heros

Posted by Dot Jeger

Hilton Head Heroes is a local charity that works with children with life-threatening illnesses, to give the children and their families a week in "paradise" on Hilton Head Island. Having a week free of worry - just time spent together as a family - can be a tremendous boost to a family struggling with a very ill child. Started as a brain child of Gregg Russell 9 year ago, the charity has grown from serving 12 children and their families the first year, to over 1,000 children helped today.

Dayle Thomas, Admissions Director and Elenor Lightsey-O'Key, Board Member, spoke to The Bluffton Rotary Club on Wednesday, March 12 about this worthwhile charity that allows families "time to make memories together". Hilton Head Heroes operates on donations, driven through two fund-raisers: 1) a silent auction held at Tide Pointe and 2) Birdies for Charity that is associated with the number of birdies shot during the Heritage Gold Tournament. Rotary members were given the opportunity to be part of the PGA Heritage of Golf's annual Birdies for Charity program by donating small sums of money for each birdie scored during the tournament. Donations help fund the Hero House, located on Hilton Head Island, and allows the charity to tailor their vacations to the individual needs of the arriving HERO children. Hilton Head Heroes is very proud to say that 92.4% of all donations go directly to the families.