Beaufort, SC (November 8, 2017) --- Dataw Island salutes veterans each year with a full arsenal of events honoring their service, and this year’s events promise to continue in the tradition of inspiration – through fundraising and an outpouring of support.
The week-long Veterans Celebration kicks off this Saturday night with guest bartenders at Sweetgrass, followed on Sunday with the “Flag Brigade,” for which a group of Dataw Island volunteers painstakingly place 3,500 flags along 2.5 miles of roadways on the island to usher in our honored guests.
Monday of “Veterans Week” features a golf marathon, in which Assistant Golf Professional Chris Fearn will attempt to play an astounding 200 holes of golf in one day, with each hole (and birdie, eagle) earning money for veterans’ foundations, through pledges being made by residents of Dataw and the community at large.
We will also usher in many of our special honorees on Monday, who will arrive early to support Fearn and get in a few practice swings of their own. Guests include two honorees, Ret. Air Force Staff Sergeant Dan Acosta and ICO Retired Major Jeffrey Houston who served as a Marine Officer.
On Tuesday, a full day of veterans appreciation begins early with the traditional Annual March and Rally. The Beaufort High School JROTC Color Guard will lead a battalion of more than 100 veterans in a march and raising of the colors, and the Dataw singing group, the Harbormasters, led by Tim McGrath, will treat the crowd with majestic renditions of patriotic songs, including each of the armed service songs from each military branch: “Anchors Aweigh” for the U.S. Navy, “The Caissons Go Rolling Along” for the U.S. Army, “The Wild Blue Yonder” for the U.S. Air Force, “The Marines’ Hymn” for the U.S. Marine Corps and “Semper Paratus” for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Following the March and Rally, a golf tournament for veterans of all ages and their supporters will be played on both of the Dataw Island Golf Courses. The Veterans Golf Classic supports Tee it Up for the Troops, which has beneficiaries such as the Fischer House which builds comfort homes in V.A. and medical centers enabling family members to be close to their injured sons and daughters, which saves them thousands of dollars a month in lodging, travel and food costs. They also support the Gary Sinise Foundation, the On Course Foundation, the Simpson Cup, and the Warrior Canine Connection, to name just a few.
After a fun round of golf, bagpipers will usher attendees into a luncheon in the Carolina Room to celebrate the service and sacrifice of many men and women, to feature testimonies provided by wounded veterans.
Last but certainly not least, the Dataw Island Veteran of the Year will be named at a special breakfast on Thursday morning. Guests will also hear from guest speaker Wells Morrison, Dataw Island’s outgoing Director of Security who was the Field Supervisor in charge of the 9/11 investigation in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
The full amount of donations raised by Dataw Island throughout the many events of the week will be announced at the breakfast.
To get involved, please contact the Golf Shop to pledge your support or to sign up for an event: (843) 838-8250.
Dataw Island is a gated golf, tennis and boating lifestyle community located fifteen minutes outside of historic downtown Beaufort. The island features two recently-renovated golf courses by designers Tom Fazio and Arthur Hills, a tennis center, a community center with workout and massage facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, three restaurants and impeccably-maintained croquet lawns. The community has also been ranked the number one best retirement destination in South Carolina by Best Retirement Destinations and is the recipient of the 2017 Bliss Award for “Happiest South Carolina Community” and a 2017 Recipient of the USTA Award for Top Tennis Facilities.
