Garrett Simons of Hilton Head Island is the recipient of the 2023 R.D. Bennett Community Service Scholarship presented by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, the trade association for South Carolina’s independent, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. The $5,000 college scholarship is presented to a high school student who completes a community service project that best exemplifies the cooperative principle of “concern for community.”
Simons, 17, was among a group of high school students from across the state who completed projects this summer. A panel of judges selected his project, “Making Birthdays Bright,” as the winner in the competition. Simons donated more than 180 birthday boxes to 11 local food banks. The boxes contain everything needed for a recipient to bake and decorate a cake, and they’re given out to recipients who are having a birthday within their family. Simons also worked with Pockets Full of Sunshine—a nonprofit organization that helps adults with special needs—to assemble the birthday boxes.
The Charitable Organizations that received the Birthday Boxes: Bluffton Self Help; Children's Center; Church of the Cross Food Pantry;, Creative Church; Deep Well Project; First Estill Baptist Church; First Presbyterian Church; Hopewell CME Church; Margaret Curtis Food Pantry; St. Stephens Church; Sandalwood Food Pantry. 200 boxes have been delivered so far, with plans to reach 300 by the end of the year. The boxes cost about $10 to put together, however Garrett takes advantage of sales and donations. What's in a Birthday Box? Aluminum pan & lid, cake mix, frosting, sprinkles, Sprite (to replace eggs, oil and water), birthday candles, Happy Birthday banner, birthday card. VLR was happy to donate some of these ingredients at the meeting!