Events

OPFOB is a local, veteran-run nonprofit dedicated at preventing veterans and first responders suicide through outdoor recreation and peer engagement.  Located here in the lowcountry, OPFOB's 268-acre property provides mulitiple outdoor rereation activities and programs for its members at no cost to them. 

We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming Mix, Mingle & Membership event—a relaxed, fun-filled evening designed to bring our Rotary community together and welcome new faces into the fold!

This is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with fellow members, share what Rotary is all about, and most importantly—invite a friend or two who might be interested in joining our club. The more, the merrier! Whether they're curious about service, looking for connection, or just enjoy a good time with good people, this event is for them.

Help us grow our Rotary family by spreading the word and bringing someone new. We promise great conversations, lots of laughs, and the warm Bluffton Rotary spirit we all love.

Register Today!  Bring a Friend to Mix, Mingle, & Membership! | Rotary Club of Bluffton

David Nelems is an entrepreneurial leader, Airline Transport Pilot, and serial entrepreneur who serves as the Director of Special Projects at the Don Ryan Center for Innovation (DRCI) in Blu ton, South Carolina. Formerly the Center’s CEO for nine years, David has guided DRCI’s mission to help early-stage and existing businesses grow and thrive throughout the Lowcountry and beyond. Under his leadership, DRCI programs have supported the launch and growth of more than 92 companies, with advisory impact on over 300 businesses in the last decade. An experienced founder and operator, David launched a pioneering business-to-business video streaming company in 1998, scaling it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise ultimately acquired in 2007 — well ahead of the mainstream video revolution.

Chrystie Turner, Executive Director - ALICE and Community Impact

Angela Boswell, Community Impact Manager -  Poverty Simulation

Elizabeth Palmer, Showers of Dignity Coordinator-Speak about Showers of Dignity and Backpacks

Sherry Halphen, Volunteer/VITA Program Coordinator-Rotary Readers, VITA, Women United, Corporate and Community Champions

ALICE stands for Asset limited, Income Constrained, Employed. They make up the growing number of individuals and families struggling to make ends meet in the Lowcountry. They are your childcare worker, the cashier, your waitress, home health aide or even police officer. Interested in experiencing the challenges our ALICE neighbors face firsthand? You can join one of our free poverty simulations. The simulation is a powerful eye-opening journey that puts you in the shoes of someone struggling to make ends meet. Once you participate in one you can then volunteer to help at another simulation.

The Showers of Dignity is a vital resource that uplifts individuals experiencing homelessness or recovering from a disaster by providing essential hygiene services and connecting them to resources for rebuilding their lives. It’s small act with a big impact. For people experiencing homelessness we also provide seasonal backpacks.

Volunteers make up a huge part of our success. Whether you become a Rotary Reader volunteer, VITA volunteer, Corporate or Community Champion there is always a way to get involved and help empower individuals and families to reach their full potential. Together, we can create a Lowcountry where everyone thrives.

You can help!
Immediate Needs – Wish List for August 20th
 

• NEW Men’s Underwear (all sizes, any brand)

• NEW Men’s Sports Shorts with drawstrings (all sizes)

• NEW Women’s Sports Bras (sizes M, L, XL, XXL)

• Bug Spray (full-size can or spray bottle)

The presentation outlined RI’s Lifetime Charitable GIFT Annuity which creates a Legacy for the donor along with beneficial income opportunities for the donor.

Hilton Head Island and Bluffton history spans thousands of years from Native Americans leaving their footprints in our sand, to European settlers making fortunes in agriculture, weathering the fight for independence and civil war, establishing the first village of freed slaves, the growth of the Gullah Culture, and more that eventually led up to modern development. The Lowcountry has a multitude of stories to tell and it is the mission of The Heritage Library to help preserve much of that history. The Library also works with all those folks who have caught the genealogy bug and want to learn more about the history of their own families. The country is beginning a national celebration of the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution and The Heritage Library will be focused on sharing that part of history as we celebrate this important milestone in South Carolina and the Lowcountry. This morning we take a look at how the Library collects essential bits and pieces of our local history and works to ensure that future generations will be able to learn about our past.

Barry E. Lefkowitz
Senior Partner
MGR2, LLC

Mr. Lefkowitz has an illustrious background with nearly five decades of government, regulatory, economic development, media, and educational experience at the federal, state, local and international levels.  He is responsible for the passage of over 400 bills signed into law in 14 states, Congress, and 5 International countries including Agency Shop (AAUP), the “Real Interstate Driver’s Equity Act”, and “Trademark Counterfeiting Act.” He was one of the lead lobbyists on State legislation and Regulations to create and expand Medical Cannabis Dispensaries and Adult Use Cannabis in NJ. He served as the Economic Development Consultant for the City of Vineland and other New Jersey Communities. Additionally, because of his role as Chairman of the Board for the Friends of the Guard and Reserves and Vice-Chairman of the Eagle Foundation for the US Airforce Expeditionary Center located at the Joint Military Base located in Burlington County, he carries a rank of Colonel and was trained by the Department of Defense to protect returning Vets, who have been deployed, job rights.

As a Rotarian, Mr. Lefkowitz, Is a Paul Harris Fellow. However, he is most proud of the fact that he was one of the lead lobbyists responsible for Rotary International allowing woman to become Rotarians as of 1989. He is a member of the Bluffton, SC Rotary.

Mr. Lefkowitz helped create and fund the Workforce Development Program at Rowan College at Burlington County in conjunction with the NJ Technology and Manufacturing Association. Further, he had worked with the State Legislature and Congress on legislation referred to as the Volunteers in Medicine to provide tax credits for retired professionals in the various fields of health and counseling to volunteer time for communities in need and wrap-around services for Veteran’s housing projects.

Mr. Lefkowitz was the Host and Executive Producer of New Perspectives on RVN Television as well as Chairman of the Board for the studio for eight (8) years. He was nominated for the “Telly Award,” for his series on “Human Trafficking.” In the late 60s and 70’s he was a part-time Newscaster and Hosted a Show called Impact on WKBS TV Ch 48 Philadelphia. After 34 years of service as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees, he now serves as Trustee Emeritus of the Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) Foundation Board. He is Former Senior Adjunct Professor of Political Science (RCBC) and Rutgers University, Chairman of the Board of two non-profit. He was selected by NJ Biz Magazine as the 2019 “Icon of the Year.” In 2013, he was recognized by the NAACP for their Annual Community Service Award. He was named Man of the Year in 2011 by Burlington County Times Newspaper.

His undergraduate degree is from Trenton State College in Education and his Masters and Doctorial work is from Rutgers University is in Sociology and Administration.

He is the author of 10 books in Education, Lobbying and Government.

He is the proud husband of Fran, father of Tova and Chava and PopPop to his two granddaughters Molly and Lily.

Mr. Lefkowitz is available to speak on numerous Topics ranging from Government, Politics, Woman in Politics, The Impact of Social Media on People’s Perceptions, The Impact of the Media on People’s views, The State of Healthcare, The Impact of Covid on Society Today, Human Trafficking 

Al will be speaking on how we were able to get the DNR Heritage Preserve.  He will touch on a little history and how it was saved from becoming an Industrial Chemical Plant and the environmental impacts it would have created.  Essentially we would not be here.

Al Stokes is the retired manager of the SCDNR’s Waddell Mariculture R&D Center, resident of Victoria Bluff for 45 years, member of the Open Land Trust Board and the Town of Bluffton Stormwater Advisory Committee, and world renown shrimp mariculture consultant.