Ben and Tauna Donaldson, and Cathryn Donaldson with lifeguards Lauren Pfeiffer and Anton Loef. PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

Members of the John’s Island Community Service League know how to throw a great party, and this year’s On the Boardwalk-themed Gala at the John’s Island Beach Club was no exception.

While Mother Nature could have been a bit kinder, instead bringing rain that curtailed some of the planned outdoor activities, the highly creative committee, chaired by Lisa Logan, and the ever-competent JI staff, led by David Colclough, general manager, took it all in stride.

The festivities included considerably more than just peanuts and Cracker Jacks. Executive Chef Anthony Cole and his staff provided bountiful food and drink options at various stations throughout the club, including “Under the Boardwalk.” Guests also enjoyed bidding on a Leigh Jewelers raffle and Penny Arcade raffle, playing carnival games of chance and dancing to the Hit Factory Band.

The annual event is renowned for its entertaining aspects, but all who attend do so with the understanding that they are helping to improve the lives of others in the community. It is one of the major fundraisers for the JICSL, which this year increased contributions by 17 percent over last year’s already impressive numbers.

In its 2022-23 season, the JICSL awarded a total of $1,508,000, providing grants to 44 agencies and scholarships to John’s Island employees and their dependents. For the 2023-24 season, the numbers rose to a whopping $1,759,192 in grants and scholarships.

This is the sixth year that the JICSL has been able to award more than $1 million to support programs in the community focused on health, education and human service issues.

Sponsorships play a huge role in the amount of funding raised through the gala, starting with John’s Island Real Estate Company as the grand sponsor, along with a whole host of other corporate sponsors and nearly 200 contributions from individual donors.

For more information, visit JICSL.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis