Palmetto Perspective-January 2023

Palmetto PERSPECTIVE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jerry Durkin, CHAIR 570-460-9197 | jerrydurkin3@gmail.com

Becky Brumley, VICE CHAIR 615-417-7638 | becky81059@gmail.com

Dan DeMichele, SECRETARY 781-789-3404 | ddemichele@gmail.com

Sean Moore, TREASURER 732-312-8632 | seanpatrickmoore@gmail.com

Grover Cleaveland 843-341-6614 | cleavelandrh@aol.com

Kurt Faires 423-757-0226 | kfaires@chamblisslaw.com

Erin Gaian 781-405-3746 | erin@gaian.net

Bob Talbot 630-608-8278 | talbots83@gmail.com

Chad Terefenko 610-873-1195 | c.terefenko@comcast.net

Brandon Smith, GREENWOOD C&R 864-229-4063 | bsmith@basmithlaw.com

ON-SITE STAFF

Accounting Administrator, KRISTEN CAPOZZI 843-785-1109 | kcapozzi@pdpoa.org

Administrative Coordinator, WHITNEY CROUCH 843-785-1109 | wcrouch@pdpoa.org

ARB, MONICA STITES 843-785-1109 | mstites@pdpoa.org

ARB Coordinator, ALEXIA HANNON 843-785-1109 | ahannon@pdpoa.org

CEO, ANDREW P. SCHUMACHER 843-785-1109 | aschumacher@pdpoa.org

Communications, ELIZABETH SIMPSON 843-785-1109 | esimpson@pdpoa.org

Covenant Compliance, MATT COPPLE 843-785-1109 | mcopple@pdpoa.org

Facilities Maint./Lagoon & Lakes, SYDNEY WAN 843-321-3217 | swan@pdpoa.org

Finance, MATTHEW NEMES 843-785-1109 | mnemes@pdpoa.org

Human Resources, LORETTA HOOVER 843-785-1109 | lhoover@pdpoa.org

Project/Planning, JEFF STARR 843-785-1109 | jstarr@pdpoa.org

Security, JIM GRINER 843-785-1120 | jgriner@pdpoa.org

The Palmetto Perspective is published bimonthly by the Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association. ©2023 PALMETTO DUNES POA, INC.

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT

The residential annual assessment will be $1900 for 2023.

Management, the Finance Committee, and the Board of Directors have been diligent with keeping expenses in control while at the same time maintaining the appearance of the community and providing quality service.  The total residential assessment (operating and storm) has been $1,800 for the last four years.

The annual assessments will be available by the second week of January.  Every owner has an online portal where they can pay their assessment.  Within the next few weeks, owners with an active email address will receive a notification to login and pay their assessment online or mail a check.  If the Association does not have an email address on file, we will mail an invoice.

SEA LANE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT

The Sea Lane Bridge Replacement project is progressing on schedule. We are on target to complete the project by April 2023. As a reminder, the bridge will be closed to all traffic (vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and boats) during demolition and construction work.

Please use caution when driving, walking, and biking along the detoured routes, especially during the evening hours. Typical traffic patterns have been detoured due to construction, so you can expect higher-than-normal traffic volumes along these routes.

Thank you for your patience as we conduct this bridge replacement project. We will provide regular updates as the project progresses.

If you have any questions about this project, please contact our Director of Projects & Facilities, Jeff Starr, at jstarr@pdpoa.org.

UPDATED CONTACT INFORMATION

We’re asking that all property owners log in to their GateAccess accounts and verify the contact information on file. Please remember to update this information regularly. You can change your phone and email address, but if you need your vehicle information or mailing address updated, please call the Pass Office at 843.785.1125.

COMMUNITY REMINDERS

• Parking passes or decals MUST be displayed at all times

• Parking is only permitted in designated parking spots & driveways

• No dumping or blowing debris

UPCOMING LAGOON LOWERING

January 14 & February 11

Our lagoon system is periodically lowered to promote the health of the waterway. Please note that dates are always subject to change/cancelation.

Chairman's Report

When I was young someone once asked me whether I thought having a degree in the liberal arts qualified me to speak on any subject. I told him, “No, but it does qualify me to listen.”

And that is what my fellow Board members and I hope to do this year: Listen. Listen to each other and listen to you, our bosses.

Palmetto Dunes is not just a beautiful place—although nothing rivals driving home under the gorgeous tree canopy on Queens Folly Road. PD is just as impressive for the sheer number of its residents who are intelligent, focused and well-meaning owners who want what is best for our community.

Since joining the Board in 2021 I have been lucky enough to have a lot of amazing conversations with my colleagues on the Board and our neighbors here in Palmetto Dunes. Frequently I began those conversations opposed to what the other parties were espousing. But I always try to remember that listening respectfully is the very least that we owe each other. Not surprisingly, many times during that year I ended up changing my mind about an issue. Either way, listening is what helps us build community.

The past year has been a joy in so many ways, and I would love to share with

you four of the causes of that joy:

First, the individuals who serve with me as owner representatives to the Board are smart, level-headed people who just want what is best for all of us here. Jerry Bowling, Ric Gorman and Mark Carroll have just completed their Board service, and we are indebted to them for the personal time they gave up to serve our community and the ideas they sincerely offered to help achieve that goal.

Second, we have some incredible people serving us every day, both in the PD offices and out in the community. I have gotten to know a number of our hardworking Palmetto Dunes staff members. We are so lucky to have such dedicated people on our team, and I feel privileged to have gotten to work with them.

Third, the many committees that help the Board make its decisions all year are filled with owners who dedicate so much of their time and talents to PD. Becky Brumley has been leading an amazing Strategic Planning Committee, while Sean Moore has assembled a Finance Committee that continues to impress. The same goes for Erin Gaian’s Safety & Security Committee and Mark Carroll’s work with the ARB and Short-Term Rental Committees. Grover Cleaveland has gotten the process going with the Welcome Wagon efforts, and we hope to assemble several additional committees in 2023 to help us harness the amazing skills of so many of our neighbors.

Fourth—and just as important as any of the above—is the talent and community

spirit of so many of our neighbors. Throughout the past year I was lucky enough to have conversations with so many smart and impressive PD owners who wanted to share their thoughts about the issues we face here every day. There are simply too many of them to name here, but I hope they understand just how much the rest of us respect and admire their dedication to making Palmetto Dunes an even better place to live than it already is.

The Strategic Planning Committee is very close to finishing the great work it has been doing for months. Once it does, and once new Board members Kurt Faires, Bob Talbot and Chad Terefenko have had a chance to settle in on the Board, we will have some things to announce about what we hope to accomplish during 2023. One of those items will be the re-formation of the 7 Lee Shore Ad-hoc Committee to help us decide what direction (if any) our owners wish us to take with that property. That committee will seek to collect input from everyone in Palmetto Dunes—neighboring property owners, fulltimers, part-timers, investors, etc. Please watch for your chance to make your voice heard.

PDPOA begins our new year in sound financial shape. As always, our goal will be to manage your money carefully while continuing to upgrade our infrastructure and give our great management team the tools they need to keep PD beautiful and safe.

Thanks for the chance to serve Palmetto Dunes, and here’s hoping that you and your families have had a wonderful holiday season. Best wishes for a Happy New Year, and we’ll keep listening.

— Jerry Durkin, Board Chair

Owners Oyster Roast

Over 175 property owners attended the PDPOA Oyster Roast in November at Centre Court. Thank you to everyone who attended and enjoyed amazing oysters, a Lowcountry boil, bbq, live music, and visiting with neighbors!

Upcoming Community Events

New Years Social Happy Hour

Thursday, January 12, 4-6pm

The Other Sisters Wine Bar

Join fellow property owners to welcome in the New Year with appetizers and drinks at The Other Sisters Wine Bar in Shelter Cove! Appetizers will be provided, and drinks will be available for purchase. There is no cost to attend. RSVP is requested so we can plan accordingly. We hope to see you there!

PD Owners Yoga

Wednesday, January 18, 10-11am Senior Center, 70 Shelter Cove Ln. $5 registration fee

Join us for an all-levels beach yoga class. Find your bliss with an hour-long, feel-good sequence that will balance your mind, body and spirit. Beginners, seniors and injured bodies welcome! Bring a mat if you have one and a water. Limited to 25 participants.

Painting Pots and Plants

Wednesday, January 25, 3-5pm

Admin Office

$44 per person

All supplies & refreshments provided

Art League of Hilton Head guides you from start to finish to design and paint your own small terracotta pots. Upon completion and drying, you select your own plant (provided by the instructor) to plant in the new pot. You'll leave the class with a finished project perfect for gifting!

Art Center Backstage Tour and Reception

Wednesday, February 8, 3:30-5:30pm

Arts Center of Coastal Carolina $35 per person

Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Arts Center including the costume shop, production areas, rehearsal area, theater, and a stop by The Disney Studio. After the tour you'll head up to the Heritage Room for a wine and cheese reception. This is a walking tour, so mobility is important, but they do have elevators.

PD Owners Yoga

Wednesday, February 15, 10-11am Senior Center, 70 Shelter Cove Ln. $5 registration fee

Join us for an all-levels beach yoga class. Find your bliss with an hour-long, feel-good sequence that will balance your mind, body and spirit. Beginners, seniors and injured bodies welcome! Bring a mat if you have one and a water. Limited to 25 participants.

Painting on Glass with Kathy Oda

Tuesday, February 21, 3-5pm Admin Office $45 per person

All supplies & refreshments provided

From experienced painters to true beginners, Kathy from the Art League of Hilton Head will guide your painting and then take the pieces to her studio and fire them in her kiln, fusing pieces together to form one plate.

PDPOA MONTHLY EVENTS

WEDNESDAYS

Coffee with Andrew

8-9am. Join CEO Andrew Schumacher on Wednesday mornings at the General Store for coffee and to catch up on what's been happening in the community.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

First Friday Food Trucks

Earlier time! 3-5pm. Join your neighbors for a fun Friday night with food from local vendors.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Chat with the Chair

11am. This monthly event gives owners an opportunity to ask questions and discuss issues facing our community with Board Chair Jerry Durkin. Online registration: pdpoa. org/chat-with-the-chair.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Community Safety & Security Meeting

2pm. Chief Jim Griner holds the online meetings and registration is required at pdpoa.org/communitysecurity.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15

Board Meeting

5:30pm. Meetings are open to Palmetto Dunes property owners to attend in person or via Zoom. Register online at pdpoa.org.

You can register for all Community Events online at: pdpoa.org/community/events. If you need any assistance, please contact Whitney Crouch at 843-785-1109 or wcrouch@pdpoa.org

Treasurer's Report

On behalf of your Finance Committee, I would like to wish you all a safe, happy, healthy, and prosperous 2023. 2022 shaped up to be another strong financial year for our association and I wanted to share some of those highlights as well as provide you with a high-level overview of what your finance committee responsibilities are throughout the course of the calendar year.

First some highlights on our financial performance. As of this writing (financials through October), the Association exceeded our Revenue Budget by $259,229, or 3.3%. The favorable variance was primarily attributed to pass revenue and investment income. Operating expenses are also favorable vs budget through October by $54,297, or 1.1%.

In addition, our Community Enhancement Fund (CEF) revenue (not included in Revenue variance above) through October exceeded budget by $431,709, or 74%. As you may know the CEF is used to fund future Enhancements to our community and is funded by new home purchases in our community. The positive variance was driven mainly by strong market values of homes sold in our community despite the drop in number of sales.

Strong financial performance is driven by many factors, however having a strong Administration working together with our Finance committee, certainly

contributes to the results. The Finance Committee is governed by the Finance Committee Charter. The Committee has six members. Per the charter the Committee can have up to nine members. Members must be members of the Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association (PDPOA). Members can be both PDPOA Board members and nonBoard members. The PDPOA Treasurer serves as the Chairperson of the Finance Committee.

The Finance Committee generally meets monthly and performs many functions falling under two main categories. The first category is where the Finance Committee prepares recommendations to bring to the Board of Directors for approval. For these items the Finance Committee has detailed discussions at monthly meetings and typically goes through several revisions before presenting the final proposal to the Board for review. These include:

• Recommendations regarding the annual capital budget. The capital budget is the process where the association evaluates major projects for consideration (e.g., bridges, drainage projects)

• Recommendations regarding the annual operating budget

• Recommendations regarding any changes to employee compensation and benefit policies

• Recommendations regarding any changes to Strategic Asset Allocation parameters set forth in the Investment Policy Statement

• Recommendations regarding the annual audit report.

The second category of work is where the Finance Committee performs periodic reviews within the committee. These include:

• Periodic reviews of operating expenses and compare them to the operating budget

• Periodic reviews of the funding program for each of the various reserve funds

• Periodic regular tests of the accounting processes. These include random tests by Committee members of accounting controls as specified in the Financial Policies and Procedures Manual. These include review pass office transactions, disbursement process, ARB transactions, property owner assessment transactions, and payroll reviews.

• Meets with the Investment Consultant two times a year

• Periodic reviews of the investments and approve changes to the Tactical Asset Allocation Strategy that are recommended by the Investment Consultant

• Monthly review of the forecasted capital project-totals versus budget

• Annual review of the long-term capital spending projections presented under the long-term plan of management

• Act as the Audit Committee by selecting the auditor and reviewing the draft audit and IRS Form 990.

As you can see, the work of your Finance Committee is extensive and important to the financial viability of the association. We are extremely lucky to live in one of the most beautiful residential resorts in the country and one of the most financially stable ones! Wishing you all my best for a happy and healthy 2023!

— Sean Moore, Treasurer

7 Lee Shore AdHoc Committee

Given the fact that the Dunes House project will not be moving forward, the board would like to finalize a vision for the property at 7 Lee Shore.  At September’s board meeting, the board approved a motion to re-establish a 7 Lee Shore Ad-hoc Committee to revisit the work that was already completed by the previous committee in 2018 with the goal of presenting a direction for 7 Lee Shore.

The Association invited owners to apply for the 7 Lee Shore Ad-hoc Committee. We were pleased to have a large group of interested and qualified owners interested in joining. To ensure a full representation of the various demographics that reflect the composition of our diverse community as well as give an opportunity for those that haven't served, we could only select a limited number of applicants.

Owners were selected to represent all facets of the community, including full-time and part-time owners, owners who rent and do not rent, single-family property owners and villa owners, as well as new owners to the community and long-standing property owners. The team is chaired by Board members Chad Terefenko and Dan DeMichele and team members are Carrie Abfall, William Anderson, Kenneth Ball, Deanna Boselman, Marilyn Breitenstein, Tanya Crocker Nagle, Dale Huffman, Kathy Lane, Pamela Launhardt, Bruce Meglino, Irina Novikov, James Nugent, Griffith Roberts, Lutz Schremmer, Deborah Wenner-Waterman, Debbie Whitehurst, and Andrew Schumacher.

The committee will have its first meeting in January.

Forming the 2023 Nominating Committee

Every year, the Nominating Committee has the challenge of encouraging owners to consider their candidacy for the board, meet with candidates to discuss their experiences and perspectives, and to recommend one candidate for each available board seat.

As defined within our bylaws, our Nominating Committee is composed of five members—the Nominating Committee Chairman, one current director, and three owners who are not Board Directors. As we continue to advance our values of transparency, innovativeness, and accountability, we would like to invite interested owners to join the Nominating Committee. As a member of the Nominating Committee, you will have the opportunity to help recruit, meet with, and recommend candidates for our Board—considering skills, experiences, and vision.

Your efforts will help identify candidates that owners, who may not have time to conduct an in-depth candidate evaluation, can confidently select for our Board.

If you have considered joining a committee in the past, this might be the ideal opportunity for you. This is an important, hands-on role and will require multiple days of your time distributed over several months. All members of the Nominating Committee are required to:

• Be a current owner in good standing (no outstanding payments, fines or violations) with the POA

• Have an eye for talent

• Have a desire and willingness to help recruit and meet with Board candidates

• Not seek to join the 2023-2024 board yourself (via the nominating or petition process)

• Have a passion for Palmetto Dunes

If you would like to join the Nominating Committee, please send an email to ddemichele@gmail.com by February 1, 2023 indicating your interest. The goal is to select and announce three owners and to fully form the Nominating Committee no later than March 1, 2023. Then the work of recruiting and meeting with candidates begins allowing time to recommend candidates by July, 2023.

These nominated candidates will then appear on the 2023 ballot aside any others who may choose the petition route.

Being a member of the Nominating Committee provides the opportunity to contribute your time and expertise to our community—making Palmetto Dunes the best it can be.

— Dan DeMichele, 2023 Nominating Committee Chair

While it’s easy for anyone to make comments about the board and actions that need to happen, getting involved by taking an active role in the leadership direction of our community is the best way to improve Palmetto Dunes for all of our members.

ARB Update

Happy Holidays from the Palmetto Dunes Architectural Review Board! We continue to work hard each month to get new projects approved and completed projects closed out. This year has been a slower year than 2021 from a project perspective. 2021 was a record year for all types of projects. It looks like 2022 will end up on par with the 2017 through 2019 project counts.

Each time a project is closed out the owner is sent an exit survey so that we can ascertain our level of service to the homeowners. These are consistently returned with excellent marks. It is an opportunity for a dissatisfied owner to “vent” but that very rarely happens. The ARB staff, Monica and Alexia, are to be complimented for their quick responses and attention to detail.

The ARB staff has had some additions over the past few months. Alexia Hannon joined the team as ARB Administrator last June. Matt Copple joined in October as the Covenant Compliance Representative and will be very helpful to all owners in navigating compliance matters. Monica Stites’ title was changed to Community Standard Manager this past year as well. Congratulations to Monica for assuming additional responsibility in Palmetto Dunes!

When our new Design and Construction became effective on January 1, 2022, the ARB committed to a 9-month review. This review started in September 2022 and a few enhancements or updates have been suggested. Overall, this transition from our old Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines (PPGs) document to this new “DCG” document has been very smooth with very few issues. However, we are planning to update the new document in a few areas.

We will add language to bring fire pits into alignment with the Town of Hilton Head and the Fire Code. We will address driveway staining which was not addressed in the old PPG’s. We will request a colorized image of a new build or significant remodel so that the final product is very clear from the beginning of the approval process. Currently, it could be 6-8 months between approval of the design and the placement of the color board on property. Having a colorized image in the beginning will reduce confusion and ensure a quicker and more accurate color board approval.

If you have any ARB-related questions, please contact Community Standards Manager Monica Stites at mstites@pdpoa.org.

— Mark Carroll, ARB Chair

ARB SUBMISSION & MEETING SCHEDULE

January

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, January 9 ARB Meeting: Monday, January 16

February

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, February 6 ARB Meeting: Monday, February 13

March

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, March 6 ARB Meeting: Monday, March 13

April

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, April 10 ARB Meeting: Monday, April 17

May

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, May 8 ARB Meeting: Monday, May 15

June

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, June 5 ARB Meeting: Monday, June 12

July

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, July 10 ARB Meeting: Monday, July 17

August

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, August 7 ARB Meeting: Monday, August 14

September

Submissions Due by 3p: Tuesday, September 11 ARB Meeting: Monday, September 18

October

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, October 9 ARB Meeting: Monday, October 16

November

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, November 6 ARB Meeting: Monday, November 13

December

Submissions Due by 3p: Monday, December 11 ARB Meeting: Monday, December 18

Employee Spotlight

Job Title Maintenance Technician

What do you like most about your job?

Learning new things like electricity, carpentry. I like that I have the opportunity to continually learn new skills.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

In my job I don't find anything difficult, everything is very calm.

What three words best describe you? Responsible, organized, and calm.

What is your family like?

My family is funny, friendly, and respectful. I cannot live without their support.

What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?

I would probably be working as a painter.

What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

I like to go out to eat with my family.

What are some fun facts about you people may not know?

VICTOR DIAZ 5 YEARS AT PALMETTO DUNES!

Where are you from?

I am originally from Mexico but raised in Chicago.

I enjoy going fishing when I have some free time.

Security Department Appointments

The Security Department is pleased to announce the promotion of two of its staff members.

Rick Miller was appointed to the rank of Captain and serves as the Administrative Services Manager. In this position, he will be managing the pass office and gate operations. Captain Miller joined the Association in 2009. With Captain Miller's transition, Captain Darryl Johnson will now serve as the Enforcement Services Manager and oversee patrol and dispatch operations.

Chris Outlaw was appointed to the rank of Lieutenant and serves as the Duty Officer for the Brava and Delta shifts. Sgt. Outlaw joined the Association in 2016.

Both Captain Miller and Lieutenant Outlaw are well deserving of these positions and will serve the leadership team with honor. Please congratulate them on their accomplishment when you see them in the community.

Captain Rick Miller

Lieutenant Chris Outlaw

KRISTEN CAPOZZI

New Staff In Memoriam Sergeant Richard (Rick) Jennings

Kristen Capozzi has joined the association as a part-time Accounting Administrator. She’ll be working in the office three days a week.

Originally from Buffalo, NY, Kristen relocated to Bluffton with her husband last year. She has extensive accounting, bookkeeping and tax return preparation experience. Kristen has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is also a licensed esthetician.

MATT COPPLE

Matt Copple has joined the association as the new Covenant Compliance Representative.

Matt recently relocated to the area from Pennsylvania where he worked as a code enforcement officer for a municipality. He is a Philadelphia Eagles and Flyers fan and excited to be living and working at the beach.

JULIUS INGRAM

Julius Ingram has joined the association as Visitor Management Coordinator. This new position will be responsible for all tasks associated with short-term rentals, as well as the management of private citations and the administration of the monthly hearing board meetings.

Julius is a familiar face at Palmetto Dunes –he’s been working in the Pass Office since the summer. He’s a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has extensive experience in communications, technical support and media production industries.

This past November, PDPOA lost team member and friend Sergeant Richard (Rick) Jennings. when he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at his home in Ridgeland. Sergeant Jennings was 59 years old.

Sergeant Jennings was employed by Palmetto Dunes for approximately four years and loved working in the community. He loved assisting property owners, his team, and was often seen patrolling the lagoon on the boat.

He loved his family, especially his grandchildren. If he could help it, he never missed a school program or sporting event. He especially loved spoiling them rotten with over-the-top gifts, and outings to the beach or on the boat.

Prior to joining Palmetto Dunes, Sergeant Jennings served in the United States Navy. He was also previously employed as a police officer in Hardeeville, SC and a deputy sheriff in Jasper County, SC.

Kristen Capozzi

Matt Copple

Julius Ingram

As we begin 2023, Palmetto Dunes Cares wants to thank all our neighbors and friends for your support. What a wonderful year 2022 has been for Palmetto Dunes Cares! The summer Turtle Trots hosted 3097 participants and raised $27,390 and the PD Cares auction raised over $18,000. We greatly appreciate your generosity and participation!

Palmetto Dunes Cares is a charitable organization developed by Palmetto Dunes homeowners whose purpose is to provide support to local worthy causes and people in need through our grant program. Since its inception in 2018, PD Cares, has awarded $155,000 to local non-profits in the greater Hilton Head area; epitomizing our motto; giving back while building community.

This year, Chair Bill Caywood’s vision is to build on PD Cares’ great reputation and success by sharpening the mission of PD Cares to one that focuses on supporting our local youth and enhancing the natural environment in the greater Hilton Head Island area. Additionally, as Caywood states “we will also focus on increasing community engagement, broadening our fundraising and increasing our impact. The first step to meaningfully engaging our neighbors is to explain what we are doing. With our focus on Youth and the Environment, we have an easy-to-understand and compelling story to tell - and it resonates with people. So, we are reworking our communications processes and really focusing on telling the Palmetto Dunes Cares story through the channels that people like to use - publications, social media and other creative methods.”

Thus, PD Cares is deep in the throes of creating new initiatives and programs that focus on building an environmental

stewardship community within Palmetto Dunes that actively supports and engages our local youth & all who live, visit, and work in Palmetto Dunes.

“One big goal," affirmed Caywood, "is to make our grants and our programs more personal.” Thus, part of PD Cares’ initiatives includes the inauguration of an educational scholarship fund to support a local Hilton Head Island rising high school senior.

As Caywood continued, “Starting in 2023 we will help a young person from Hilton Head Island attend a South Carolina public university or technical school. We are accepting applications through the fall and winter, and we will meet the candidates and make a selection in the spring. It's exciting to know that our community will have that much of a direct impact on an individual's life! We are also working to increase our impact through our grantmaking. Organizations that work in our two core focus areas of youth and the environment can apply for grants from Palmetto Dunes Cares. Our Grants Committee reviews each request during the first quarter of the year.

To have the greatest impact, we generally do not make grants simply to sustain an organization's operations. Instead, we are seeking significant and innovative projects, including those with a multi-year focus, so that our grants fund the most meaningful work.”

Another component of PD Cares’ new initiatives is the extension of our EcoEducational and Eco-Activity offerings beyond the Turtle Talks and Turtle Trots. Our goal is that this work will build community and camaraderie among our full-time residents, investment property owners, visitors, and commercial businesses to

protect and preserve the island’s natural habitat. Watch for further announcements about these new offerings!

We at PD Cares understand the significance of the environment to our community, and the value of the youth in our community. As Caywood provides, “We believe that through our work, and through engaging the community and our visitors, we can have a significant, direct impact on the quality of our natural environment. I don't know anyone who lives, works, plays or invests in Palmetto Dunes that doesn't value the natural environment. Caywood goes on to assert that, “Communities thrive when young people have great opportunities. We believe that Palmetto Dunes Cares can make a meaningful impact in the lives of young people who live, work, and play here. Supporting youth in our community is a natural way to sustain and increase the quality of life that we all enjoy.

As Caywood concludes, “Palmetto Dunes Cares has differentiated itself by focusing on the environment and youth, and through that focus, we believe that Palmetto Dunes can lead by example across Hilton Head Island.”

The PD Cares Advisory Committee is proud of our community and the work we do. We welcome all ideas and volunteers. Thank you for your faith in our work and your continued generosity! For more information go to PalmettoDunesCares.org.

CONNECT WITH US!

PalmettoDunesCares

HOW DO I GIVE TO PD CARES?

Make a donation:

CHECK

All check donations must be addressed to the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Donations can be submitted two ways.

• Mailed to CFL,4 Northridge Dr, Suite A, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

• Dropped off at the PDPOA administration office: 16 Queens Folly Rd.

ONLINE

• Via the CFL website: cflowcountry.civicore.com/PalmettoDunesCares

Thanksgiving Turtle Trot 5k

The 2022 Thanksgiving Turtle Trot hosted a record-setting 1,000 runners to raise money for PD Cares. Thank you to all who started your day off with the run, and to all of our owners who came out to volunteer and make the race possible!

PD CARES ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Bill Caywood PD Cares Chairman

Claudia Gant PD Cares Vice-Chair Fund Raising Vice-Chair

Gayle Cleaveland Secretary

Franklin Thomas Treasurer

Teresa Carroll Communications & Marketing Chairman

Lauri Davis Grants, Scholarship

Robert Eberly Scholarship Chairman

Abbey Hightower Communications & Marketing

Sue Kerr Grants, Scholarship

Joe Maggi Scholarship

Lisa Mullins Grants Chairman

Nancy Novak Fundraising

Ann O'Neill Fund Raising Chairman

Andrew Schumacher PDPOA

Donna Vaughn Communications & Marketing

Resort Happenings

The Super Sunday Golf Tournament— Sunday, February 12th, 2023

At time of print, details were TBD. For more information and to sign up, please visit PalmettoDunes.com/SuperSunday. For questions, please contact Becky at (843) 686-9624 or via email at RDeRose@PalmettoDunes.com.

The Dunes House

For hours of operation and to view the current menu, please visit PalmettoDunes.com/duneshouse.

Palmetto Dunes Golf Academy

Attend the complimentary golf class & exhibition on Mondays at the Robert Trent Jones Course at 4 p.m. Call 843-785-1138 to make an appointment for a private lesson.

Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival – Saturday Main Event

The 16th Annual Seafood Festival main event will happen at Shelter Cove Harbour and Marina on Saturday, February 25, 2023. This will offer samplings from a variety of food and beverage vendors. There will be live entertainment from music to celebrity chef cooking demonstrations along with wine, beer and cocktail seminars. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit HiltonHeadSeafoodFestival.com.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID HILTON HEAD, SC PERMIT NO. 759