In the Media

We’re grateful to our local media outlets for helping to tell our Club members’ stories. 

For media inquiries please contact Molly Hornbeak at 843.757.2843 or molly.hornbeak@bgclowcountry.org.

WJCL-22 | September 8, 2020

Bluffton Boys and Girls Club reopens following COVID-19 scare

Bluffton, SC (WJCL) —

A month ago, the Boys and Girls Club of Bluffton was forced to close following an issue with COVID-19.

Now over a month later, the club has reopened, and students are using the facility as a safe place for learning.

Thanks to the support from the community, the club was able to….

Bluffton Today | June 19, 2020

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton reopens with summer camp

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton said it reopened for its summer camp Monday after being closed for almost three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a regular year, the camp hosts more than 400 children. The club said in a news release it has limited the number of attendees this summer….

Hilton Head Monthly | June 2, 2020

Polite Named S.C. Youth of the Year

Amonnie Polite has been awarded the 2020 South Carolina Youth of the Year title by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The honor came with $2,500 scholarship. Polite is a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton.

The Youth of the Year title is an honor bestowed upon an exemplary young person in recognition of leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to live a healthy lifestyle. The Youth of the Year program….

Bluffton Today | April 23, 2020

May River’s Polite wins Boys & Girls Club SC Youth of the Year

May River High School junior Amonnie Polite of the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton won the 2020 South Carolina Youth of the Year title by Boys & Girls Club of America. Polite beat out three other candidates from across the state to receive the honor as well as a $2,500 scholarship on April 17.

Polite previously won the Bluffton award at the club level then the Lowcountry accolade at the organizational level before reaching state. This comes one year after Polite advanced to the state level but did not win as a sophomore.

Usually an in-person event where candidates read three-minute speeches and answer 12 minutes worth of questions from a panel of judges, the….

Bluffton Today | April 6, 2020

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton doing best to stay connected

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton set up a “drive-thru pep rally) for members and their families Friday. The Club is currently closed to members in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Staff members stood the outside of the building Friday and held signs of encouragement while parents drove by in their cars.

”In my nearly 22 years with the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton, we’ve never gone this long without seeing our members,” director Molly Hornbeak said. “We want to make sure our Club families feel supported and know how much we….

WSAV | April 3, 2020

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton encourages students with drive-thru pep rally 

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WSAV) – It seems like everyone could use a little bit of support amid the coronavirus outbreak, and some children in Bluffton got it in spades, thanks to the Boys & Girls Club.

The staff at the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton held a drive-thru pep rally for all of their children on Friday. Parents drove kids through to the sound of cheers from everyone involved with the club.

The staff says they miss their kids even more than the children might miss being at the Club….

WTOC 11 | April 3, 2020

Drive-through pep-rally: Boys and Girls Club of Bluffton tries to uplift members during closure

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) - For two hours Friday afternoon, the staff of the Boys and Girls Club of Bluffton waited outside with their signs as parents drove their kids through the parking lot. It a drive-through pep-rally for the kids.

There were smiles, cheering, waving and encouragement.

The Boys and Girls Club has been closed nearly a month. It’s the longest they’ve ever been closed in their 22 years….

WJCL-22 | September 17, 2019

Support the Boys & Girls Club by entering a chance to win a new car, winner announced Friday

BLUFFTON, S.C. — (WJCL) - The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton works to serve hundreds of children and teens in the Lowcountry, and this week, it’s asking for your support.

The club is hosting a raffle, giving you the chance to win a 2018 Ford Transit Connect Van with less than 4,000 miles.

That van was donated by Presto Services.

Raffle tickets cost $100 and can be purchased online or at the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton Monday through Friday between….

Fox 28 | September 12, 2019

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton raffling off van to raise funds for renovation

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTGS) — The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton is selling raffle tickets for the chance to win a 2018 Ford Transit Connect van.

The vehicle was donated by Presto Services and is lightly used with less than 4,000 miles. The winner of the raffle will be announced Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton’s annual Day for Kids event. The winning ticket holder does not need to be present to win.

The funds raised by the ticket sales will go toward renovating the interior of the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton that has seen little renovation since….

The Bluffton Sun | August 1, 2019

Boys & Girls Club to host 15th annual golf outing Sept. 9

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton will host its 15th annual Par Fore Kids Bluffton Golf Classic Sept. 9 at the May River Course at Palmetto Bluff. The tournament, one of the Club’s largest fundraising events, will begin at noon with a shamble format.

Each year, the tournament draws 144 golfers that, in addition to a day of play, receive lunch, dinner and a goody bag. The top three winning teams will also receive prizes.

Molly Hornbeak, director of the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton, said she expects the tournament will raise about $65,000 through registration fees….

The Bluffton Sun | July 16, 2019

Club members graduate from Bluffton Explorers life program

June 28 was a special day for a group of local young people who graduated from the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton Explorers Learning for Life Program.

The 21 cadets marched in the ceremony at the Bluffton Police Department as their parents and families watched.

This program was not easy to complete.

For two weeks, the students, ages 12 to 18, took part in a strict and regimented boot camp from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. The boot camp included….

Fox 28 | July 10, 2019

Bluffton barber offers free cuts to kids in need through the
Boys & Girls Club

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTGS) — A new barbershop coming to Bluffton is giving back to the community.

Joe’s Classic Cuts has been making trips to the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton to give the kids free haircuts.

Owner Joe Gancio is happy to help these kids in need of a fresh cut. His career in barbering all started because of his own need for a….

Bluffton Today | July 3, 2019

Students complete Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton’s Explorer boot camp

June 28 was a special day for a group of local kids who graduated from the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton’s Explorers: Learning for Life Program.

Twenty-one cadets marched in the ceremony at the Bluffton Police Department as their parents and families proudly watched.

This program was not easy to complete. For the previous two weeks the kids, ages 12-18, took part in a strict and regimented boot camp from….

Hilton Head Monthly | July 2019

Community Connection

WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY AWARDS GRANTS
Women in Philanthropy recently awarded: $76,200 in grants to local nonprofits whose work fit the theme “Preserving Our Lowcountry Heritage and History.” Recipients included: ABLE Foundation, Coastal Discovery Museum, Foundation for Educational Excellence, Boys & Girls Clubs….

Bluffton Today | June 5, 2019

100+ Sun City Women Who Care donates to Boys & Girls Club

The 100+ Sun City Women Who care group recently presented a $5,200 donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton.

Group members who attended the check presentation included Bev Witzel, Freddi Hoffman, Andy Hoerner, Vicki Mack, Ruth Kimball….

CH2/CB2 Magazine | June 2019

This & That

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton is excited to announce the opening of its new Literacy Center of Excellence, a 2,700 square foot expansion of its building ans new site of the club’s reading intervention….

Hilton Head Monthly | June 2019

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton expands

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton opened its new Literacy Center of Excellence, a 2,700-square-foot expansion made possible with a $75,000 grant from Community Foundation of….

Fox 28 | May 13, 2019

Boys & Girls Club hold 3rd annual job fair in Bluffton

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTGS) — The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton is holding their third annual job fair Thursday.

From 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. high school and college-aged….

WTOC 11 | May 9, 2019

Boys and Girls Club Literacy Center opening in Bluffton

It’s been years in the making but finally the newly expanded Literacy Center of Excellence in Bluffton is open. There was a special ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new center. The Boys…

The Bluffton Sun | May 14, 2019

Boys & Girls Club cuts ribbon, opens new Literacy Center

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton celebrated the opening of its new Literacy Center of Excellence, a 2.700-square-foot expansion of its building, with a ribbon cutting May 9.

The facility is the new site of the Club’s comprehensive reading intervention program….

The Island Packet | May 9, 2019

Bluffton’s Boys and Girls Club is getting bigger. Here’s what’s new

The Boys and Girls Club of Bluffton is getting bigger with an expansion of its building that will help aid literacy. The club opened its new Literacy Center of Excellence Thursday, according to a news release. The….

Bluffton Today | May 9, 2019

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton opens new literacy center

About three years of planning and more than $650,000 in fundraising came to fruition Thursday as the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton celebrated the opening of its new literacy center…

The Bluffton Sun | May 1, 2019

Tee Up for Charity

Carol Grish, left, vice chairman and Patrick McNamara, chairman of the Moss Creek Charitable Fund, present a $12,000 donation check to Molly Hornbeak, director of the Bluffton Boys & Girls Club. The donation is a result of a charity golf tournament held March 30 at Moss Creek. In addition to the check , winners…

CH2/CB2 Magazine | May 2019

5 Drinks with: Molly O. Hornbeak, Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Bluffton

For 20 years, “Miss Molly” has been a fearless force for change in Bluffton. Through her constant effort and boundless enthusiasm, she has forged a path for the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton that has…

savannahnow.com | March 16, 2019

Bluffton Eagle Scout Candidates Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Local Eagle Scouts, Matthew and Andrew Sherburne, designed and constructed a potting shed as well as a new arbor for the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton’s Garden Club program as their Service Project, to demonstrate leadership of others while performing a project for the benefit of the community.

WJCL-22 | September 27, 2018

500 Bluffton kids are waiting to go here. $650k in improvements will help clear the way

Bluffton, SC (WJCL) - It’s no secret he Town of Bluffton is on the grow. And the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton is keeping up with that rapid growth.The club is expanding its…

SunSations | September 2018

Shaping the Future: Sun City Volunteers and the Boys & Girls Club

Sun City Volunteers are making a difference in the lives of Bluffton Youth through their support of the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton…

WJCL-22 | July 3, 2018

24 kids graduate from the Bluffton Explorers Learning for Life Program

Bluffton, SC (WJCL) - It was a time for celebration in the Lowcountry Friday as several kids graduated from the Bluffton Explorers Learning for Life Program…

WTOC | June 20, 2018

Good News: Boys and Girls Club Boot Camp

BLUFFTON, SC (WTOC) - Some youngsters in the Lowcountry are working this summer - and working out - not as punishment, but as preparation...

Fox 28 | May 23, 2018

Bluffton Boys and Girls Club wants to hire your teenagers

Bluffton, S.C. (WTGS) — The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton is hoping Lowcountry teenagers have opportunities...

The Bluffton Sun | May 1, 2018

Quilt for a Cause

Molly Smith, left, director of the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton, and Liz Penke, a member of the Maye River Quilters Guild, hold up...

Hilton Head Monthly | March 2018

Exploring the Possibilities: Bluffton Teens and Kids get a Boost From Berkeley Hall

"Willie, get a head count," officer Oscar Frazier Jr. ordered as he buckled his seatbelt in the van idling at the entrance of the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton... 

Montage Magazine | February 27, 2018

Helping Hands: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry

For more than a decade, Hearts of Montage has given resort staff the chance to make a difference and empower those in the local community, aiding...

The Bluffton Sun | February 23, 2018

Capital Campaign Seeks Funds For Expanded Literacy Center

A few years ago, Jack Zahn hated reading. But thanks to a literacy intervention program at the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton--and a lot of perseverance on his... 

The Bluffton Sun | February 6, 2018

Million Dollar Milestone

Making a difference locally has been the driving mission of the...

WHHITV - Bluffton News | January 22, 2018

Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation Awards Grant to Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton Explorer Program

Bluffton Today | January 13, 2018

Boys & Girls Club Receives Donation for Literacy Center

First Citizens Foundation has awarded $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton to help fund the construction of a Literacy Center of Excellence.

The new building will allow the club to expand its reading program and serve….

Bluffton Today | November 3, 2017

Berkeley Hall foundation funds Boys & Girls Club program

The Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton.

The donation will support Explorers: Learning for Life....

Bluffton Today | November 2, 2017

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton receives grant

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton has received a $10,000 grant from the Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation, the organization said Wednesday.

The grant will support the Bluffton Club’s Explorers: Learning for Life program, an education and career development program designed to enhance the lives of teens ages 12-17 by exposing them to careers in law enforcement, character building volunteer work, and discipline through routine physical training.

The Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation has been instrumental in….

The Hall Magazine | August 1, 2017

Gardening at the Boys & Girls Club of Blufffton

When we think about kids today, the idea of spending time outdoors often seems a thing of the past. Glued to iPhones, video games and social media, children are spending less and less time outside. In fact, studies show....

Bluffton Today | July 17, 2017

Bluffton Boys & Girls Club treated to day on the water

A “flotilla” of four boats took off Friday morning from Skull Creek Marina with special crews on board for a day full of fun and learning.

Graduates of the Bluffton Boys & Girls Club Explorers program boot camp were treated to the day on Beaufort County waterways by the Hilton Head Sail and Power Squadron.

The Hilton Head Sail and Power Squadron is a nonprofit whose emphasis is boating safety, education and enjoyment of local waterways. It offers classes and seminars on safe boating and leads cruises throughout….

The Island Packet | April 14, 2017

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton to host annual spring gala

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton will host its annual spring gala, “An Enchanting Evening of Dreams and Bright Futures,” at 6 p.m. May 12 at Montage Palmetto Bluff, according to a news release.

This black-tie optional affair includes a cocktail party, silent and live auction, fine dining and….

The Island Packet | March 10, 2017

Bluffton teen named Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry

Bluffton High School junior Keiona Marshall has been named Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry.

The title is awarded to “an exemplary young person in recognition....

Bluffton Today | February 15, 2017

Boys & Girls Clubs honor supporters

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bluffton and Hilton Head Island recently hosted the Hope & Opportunity luncheon at the Country Club of Hilton Head Island. This year’s event honored long-time....

The Island Packet | May 29, 2015

Gadson named 2015 SC Youth of the Year

Ebony Gadson of Bluffton, who earlier this year was named Youth of the Year for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry, was selected for the 2015 South Carolina Youth of the Year award.

She received a $5,000 scholarship for the….

The Island Packet | May 26, 2015

Guscio: Boys & Girls Club gala 'reaches for the stars'

When planning a very fun Bluffton soiree, who is the first person you think of to call for help?

Geist Ussery, bon vivant and party planner, is first on many lists and was who Nancy Vineburgh turned to…..

Bluffton Today | May 6, 2015

Bluffton teen wins S.C. Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry’s Youth of the Year candidate was recently named the 2015 South Carolina Youth of ….

The Island Packet | March 1, 2015

Ebony Gadson picked for Youth of Year by Bluffton Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton selected Ebony Gadson as the 2015 Youth of the Year.

Ebony, 16, is a junior at Bluffton High School and is the daughter….

Bluffton Today | February 25, 2015

Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton announces Youth of the Year

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton recently selected Ebony Gadson as its 2015 Youth of the Year.

Gadson will compete against teens from Hilton Head Island and Jasper County for….

The Island Packet | February 5, 2015

Bluffton Boys & Girls Club reopens revamped fitness room

The Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton has reopened its Club Fit fitness room, which includes new equipment, inspirational photos, mirrors, music and a flat-screen TV.

Belfair donated the equipment, which also includes several weight-lifting and….

The Bluffton Packet | March 12, 2014

SMART girls learn how to make healthy relationship decisions

Tween and teen girls at the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton recently learned how to recognize harmful sexual behavior.

As part of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton brought in speakers from Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse and Hope Haven to talk to the SMART Girls Club. On Feb. 20, Mary Beth Cannady from CODA spoke to the girls, ages 11 to 17, about….

The Island Packet | July 15, 2012

Bluffton Boys & Girls Club to host teen activities each Friday

Bluffton teens now have a new way to spend Friday nights.

The Bluffton Boys & Girls Club is hosting weekly teen nights, featuring basketball tournaments, music programs and more, each Friday until December….

Bluffton Today | June 28, 2012

SPOTTED� and VIDEO: Boys and Girls Club summer camp in full swing

From a visit to the chamber of commerce to ballroom dancing, to steel drum lessons, the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton gave summer campers the opportunity to try a variety of activities last week….

The Island Packet | March 12, 2012

Thanks ... to Bluffton Boys & Girls Club "orchestra"

At the Boys & Girls Club in Bluffton we have been assembling our orchestra. We would like to thank Chef Richard Canestrari, Ally Rogers and the wonderful staff at Pour Richards for their generosity by providing another great dining experience. And we would like to…

The Island Packet | August 15, 2011

Bluffton Boys & Girls Club members enjoy new reading room

There's nothing like curling up with a good book on a comfortable couch, a cushy chair or giant floor pillows. Members of Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton know this now, thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation.

The money is being used for the Bright….

Bluffton Today | March 25, 2011

Boys & Girls Clubs attempt world record

Nearly 20,000 members, parents, staff and volunteers from 1,000 clubs aim at record for National Boys & Girls Club Week.

The parking lot around the Bluffton Boys & Girls Club was blocked off with ropes of colorful flags. The buzz from….

Bluffton Today | March 7, 2011

Gala raises record amount for Boys & Girls Club

The Bluffton Boys & Girls Club has a fairy godmother. It’s really more like 16.

A group of 16 women from Colleton River Plantation have worked for six months to raise awareness and support for the club, with their final efforts coming….