Hilton Head Volunteer Appreciation Event Honors Those Who Make Our Mission Possible

On Monday, May 2, more than 60 people gathered in Hilton Head’s Jarvis Creek Park to celebrate the first of three Volunteer Appreciation Events. Second Helpings board members were on hand to serve food (catered by Bullies BBQ) and drink to thank Hilton Head-based volunteers for their service to the organization. The Jazz Biscuits Band was also on hand, playing a two-hour set for the attendees.

Dave Eppinger, the Monday Day Captain, was honored as the Hilton Head Volunteer of the Year. He was nominated by multiple team members, who referenced his dedication, kindness, organization and preparedness.

Nancy Calhoun-Sullivan was named the Non-Truck Volunteer of the Year for her faithful work with the Fill the Need Program, a partnership between Second Helpings and Palmetto Breeze Transit that helps those who commute long distances to work on Hilton Head and in Bluffton.

A special award, Food Rescue Hero of the Year, was presented to Bob Zucker. Bob has logged 434 trips to date, rescuing and delivering food to our agency partners. Bob has also been a great ambassador for Second Helpings who has recruited many great long-term volunteers.

Also recognized at the event were the following Hilton Head volunteers:

Bob Cosgrove – Gold Fork (more than 200 trips)

Bob Huisman and Ron Orlosky – Silver Fork (between 150 and 200 trips)

Dennis Kinney, Dan Kirchberg and Chuck Stundzia – Gold Spoon (between 100 and 150 trips)

Mark Balinski, Dave Eppinger, Alan George, Gerald Coghlan, Gary Hrivnak, Craig Loomis, Jim Mahoney, Jim Risko and Matt Thomas – Silver Spoon (between 50 and 100 trips)

Local Volunteer Appreciation Events will be held in Beaufort and in Bluffton later in May.

This year marks Second Helpings’ 30^th anniversary. We have gone from 14 volunteers in 1992 to more than 325 today, and have surpassed 40 million pounds of food delivered to agencies to feed the hungry in Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties.

Congratulations to the honorees – and a huge thank you to all the volunteers who enable Second Helpings to assist the less fortunate in the South Carolina Lowcountry.