SC Department of Education Names Upstate Group “Volunteer of the Year”
The Reserve at Lake Keowee’s Community Foundation was recently named Volunteer Civic Organization of the Year by the South Carolina Department of Education. This statewide award recognizes outstanding volunteers in four categories – individual, business, civic organization, and school improvement council. Foundation Executive Director Kathryn Gravely accepted the award.
“This award demonstrates that volunteers in Pickens County make a difference in the lives of our children. We thank the residents at The Reserve at Lake Keowee for sharing their time, their energy, and their wisdom with our children at A.R. Lewis Elementary. They are a perfect example of what we can achieve when the community and the school district work together,” said Pickens County education chief Dr. Kelly Pew.
Dr. Tom Polidor, principal of A.R. Lewis Elementary School in Pickens County, nominated the foundation for the honor saying, “The mentors from The Reserve community have become an integral part of the daily life at A.R. Lewis Elementary. They have touched the lives of our students and their families through their generous donation of time and funding.”
The Foundation’s volunteers assist the elementary school by:
- Serving as mentors in the school’s Mentor Program
- Participating in the Backpack Program, which provides healthy snacks to low-income children each Friday
- Maintaining the school’s gardening and landscaping
- Contributing to both the Random Acts of Kindness fund, which provides a variety of services for families, and the Christmas Wishes program, where resident volunteers of The Reserve at Lake Keowee adopt a child to fulfill his or her Christmas wish.
According to foundation officials, one of the most important contributions they make is through the school’s Mentor Program that pairs resident volunteers with at-risk students to assist them in reaching academic and social goals. After one year, 82% of mentored students reached their reading or math goals. The Foundation logged more than 500 documented hours at A.R. Lewis Elementary this past year, making what Dr. Polidor calls a “priceless impact” on students’ lives. In keeping with its mission, the Foundation will continue to provide outreach activities at A.R. Lewis Elementary School.
State Representative Davey Hiott added, “The volunteers from The Reserve at Lake Keowee are to be congratulated and thanked for the outstanding effort they have given to the children at A.R. Lewis Elementary school. Many young people are looking for a role model in life, and I believe that these volunteers are true role models. Pickens County is blessed with many wonderful people and the volunteers from The Reserve at Lake Keowee are at the top.”
