February Team of the Month: Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry
By Administrator
By Elizabeth Minutello, Beyond Belief Network intern
Congratulations to Beyond Belief Network’s February Team of the Month: Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry! Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry (SHL) was chosen for this honor because of their strong service schedule in 2013, including Adopt-a-Highway litter clean-ups, volunteering at local organizations, hosting multiple fundraisers and a blood drive, and collecting donations for a featured charity in each quarter. We were most impressed by the multiple causes they’ve supported.
One of their ongoing initiatives is Charity of the Quarter. Four times a year, SHL chooses a local charity and collects donations on their behalf. During November and December 2013, SHL raised $655 for their most recent Charity of the Quarter, Charleston Animal Society.
In January, SHL volunteers donated their time and energy at the Lowcountry Food Bank, a clearinghouse for donated food items that serves ten counties in coastal South Carolina. Working mainly in the Food Bank’s warehouse, SHL unpacked seven pallets of mixed food donations. After inspecting the donations for expiration dates and damage, the food was sorted into new boxes by category, sealed, and loaded onto pallets.
Not even foul weather can stop SHL members from volunteering! As part of their Adopt-a-Highway litter pick-up, SHL cleaned two miles of Harborview Road on James Island. Despite mud and rain, their ten volunteers collected twelve bags of trash. With their multiple methods of volunteerism and dedication to their community, SHL is a strong example of what great works an organized Beyond Belief Network team can achieve.
Team of the Month recognition is a benefit provided by Foundation Beyond Belief to our Beyond Belief Network teams. In order to be considered, your group must be a Level One Beyond Belief Network team and you must submit at least one event report during the month. Team of the Month selection is based on the number, length, variety, and documentation (e.g., submitted pictures, blog posts, videos, etc.) of events.
Teams can only be Team of the Month once per calendar year. If your local group does great service work, but isn’t a member of BBN, you can join anytime! In addition to recognition, your team can qualify for free t-shirts and grants. If your local humanist group doesn’t volunteer, but you’d like to start, we’d love to help! For teams new to secular service, we offer tons of ideas, event guides, and advice.