Edisto Lions Club Expands BINGO in July 2017

Mayor Jane Darby calling BINGO on June 15

History in the making!

If you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to Edisto Island Lions Club summer Bingo games… Guess Again! Their twice-a-week summer Bingo games have been continuous since 1956 when the Lions Club building was constructed. This same building was damaged by Hurricane Matthew, and required extensive renovations. For the first time ever, due to high demand from summer vacationers, the Bingo games will be expanded during the first two weeks of July 2017. So for a limited time, get ready to play Bingo on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.

Lions Clubs support vision programs

When I attended the June 15 Bingo games at Edisto I saw first hand how marvelous the building repairs turned out after Matthew left their facility swamped. The cinder block walls remained the same but the interior walls and ceiling were so degraded that major repairs were in order. Edisto Island Lions Club members solicited the building materials from community business leaders, and they did most of the repair work themselves. The inside of their building looks great with new carpet, fresh paint, and the air conditioning system keeps the Bingo playing conditions comfortable.

             Each Bingo session is an opportunity for a Lions Club volunteer to perform the duties of calling out the randomly drawn numbers that players use on their Bingo cards. On June 15 Edisto Beach Mayor Jane Darby, wife of Lions Club member Larry Darby, was handing those duties. “Each night we play 15 games of Bingo, with the first 9 games awarding prizes like a beach chair or game, while the last 6 games award cash prizes,” said Darby. “The Lions Club Bingo operates under the guidelines on the S.C. Department of Revenue, and by law we give back 50-percent of Bingo proceeds to the players.” 

To view the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries from 2017 at Edisto click on Business of the Year - I Love Edisto Auction - Tomato Open - Jim Bost Tourney - Summer Activities

To view past blog entries from 2016 at Edisto click on Jim Bost Memorial - Dolphin Slam - Cobia Tourney - Spring Shorebird Synergy - Bovine Bones on Beach - Edisto River book - 2016 Edisto Billfish Tourney

Another capacity crowd at Bingo on June 15

2017 Tomato Open - Edisto Island Open Land Turst

Glad to get outdoors in support of EIOLT

Measuring for closest to the pin competition

The annual golf outing at the Plantation Course known as the Tomato Open allows the outreach efforts of the Edisto Island Open Land Trust to interact with members and donors. Not everyone appreciates conservation as much as they do a chance to unwind and play a round of golf in a beautiful Lowcountry setting, so EIOLT executive director John Girault makes it a point to embrace those folks. The golf tournament follows the 'I Love Edisto' fundraiser the night before, and is a proven and ambitious two-fer of fundraising.

Thanks to Bobo Lee for preparing the breakfast and lunch for the players. The awards luncheon and raffle in the cool of the clubhouse were a big hit since it was so hot out on the course. Can't wait to tee it up again at the 2018 Tomato Open!

To view a past blog entries about EIOLT click 2016 Oyster Roast - 2014 Oyster Roast - 2014 Spring Birding - 2013 Oyster Roast - 2012 ACE Basin Mtg. - 2009 Spring Birding 

To view past blog entries from 2016 at Edisto click on Jim Bost Memorial - Dolphin Slam - Cobia Tourney - Spring Shorebird Synergy - Bovine Bones on Beach - Edisto River book - 2016 Edisto Billfish Tourney 

Team Presley's At The Marina 

The Leland Vaughn Putting Contest 

2017 I Love Edisto Auction - Edisto Island Open Land Trust

Volunteers are a big part of the I Love Edisto event!

Local flowers and shrimp!!

The 'I Love Edisto' cocktail party and auction is the annual fundraiser for the Edisto Island Open Land Trust. Held at the Edisto Civic Center on Friday June 16, conservationists came together to support the mission of EIOLT - to preserve and protect lands, scenic vistas, heritage and conservation resources of Edisto Island for future generations. In fact, EIOLT has been instrumental in protecting 50-percent of Edisto Island, which means there is still lots of work to do.

Executive Director John Girault and office administrator Melinda Hester assemble a team of volunteers and true believers to generate the kind of evening that VIP's want to attend. A catered meal and full bar greet patrons, with a large silent auction to peruse and bid on. Celebrity auctioneer Tom Crawford comes from Charleston to enliven the debate when it comes to purchasing exotic trips or local treasures on the live auction. And the proceedings pause for a minute while a simple show of hands is asked for and answered to support the EIOLT young naturalist program.

For those that want to support EIOLT in the future put down November 5 on your calendar for the annual oyster roast at Sand Creek Farm, a protected property on Edisto Island.

To view a past blog entries about EIOLT click 2018 Coastal Geology Lecture - 2017 Oyster Roast - 2017 Lowcountry Landscape Lecture with Richard Porcher - 2017 Tomato Open - 2016 Oyster Roast - 2014 Oyster Roast - 2014 Spring Birding - 2013 Oyster Roast - 2012 ACE Basin Mtg. - 2009 Spring Birding with Patrick McMillan

The Edisto Lions Club is in the house!!

To view a past blog on conservation click on 25th Anniversary of the ACE Basin.

To view past blog entries from 2016 at Edisto click on Jim Bost Memorial - Dolphin Slam - Cobia Tourney - Spring Shorebird Synergy - Bovine Bones on Beach - Edisto River book - 2016 Edisto Billfish Tourney

Auctioneer Tom Crawford amid the craze over turkey feathers!

2017 Jim Bost Memorial Won by Big Sky

Cayson Warner and his winning mahi,
with Warner family in background

The lure of the deep blue sea fueled the second annual Jim Bost Memorial tournament out of the Marina at Edisto Beach on June 17, where 10-percent of the proceeds go to the Harry Hampton Fund. The event that celebrates one of Edisto’s fishing families was actually won by another fishing family, when Big Sky brought back a 25.1-pound dolphin to win the heaviest fish competition. The crew of the Big Sky consisted of four members of the Randolph family from Charlotte, North Carolina. Joel, Chuck, Austin and Jeff Randolph fished out of a center console boat and were the first team to arrive at the weigh-in that ran from 5 until 6:30. Team Randolph received a $480 payday for the first place prize.

Team Randolph with First Place Dolphin:
Joel, Chuck, Austin and Jeff

Finishing in second place is Team Double Shot of Edisto Beach. Captain Charles Yeomans and Bob McConnell teamed up to fish together and son Mitchell McConnell reeled in the 16.2-pound blackfin tuna that brought them $160 in cash. “We had a late morning bite and caught the tuna on a dink bait way back behind the boat,” said McConnell. “We had roly poly sea conditions all day and lost a decent wahoo on the boat, which was close enough for us to get on video.”

            

Dealer’s Choice out of Walterboro won third place in the tournament and 10-year old Cayson Warner won the youth angler honors too. Captain Jimbo Warner said that they caught the 16.2-pound dolphin at 2 p.m. and that the bite was slow all day. “We also saw three billfish today, one white marlin and two sailfish, but we couldn’t get hooked up,” said Warner. The third place prize is $80 and the youth angler trappings included a Penn Battle rod and reel combo and a hat and t-shirt from the Marina at Edisto Beach.

Team Single Shot weighed the only tuna:
Angler Mitchel McConnell and Alex Michaeli

To view the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries from 2016 at Edisto click on Jim Bost Memorial - Dolphin Slam - Cobia Tourney - Spring Shorebird Synergy - Bovine Bones on Beach - Edisto River book - Business of the Year

Team Fortunate Son with their 11.7-pound mahi mahi