These acres hold a heroic secret. They have the Lowcountry’s standard strokes of beauty—sprawling greens, outdoor activity, and the live oaks behind their legacy namesake. But under the shade of centuries old, moss-covered trees, there’s a heartachingly beautiful thing happening among veterans, survivors, first responders, and the people who love them, and this open-air miracle is why the whole preserve was created: to leave a legacy unlike any other.
A legacy of hope
In 2020, the country was in a mental health crisis, and none so much as our nation’s veterans. That’s when JR Brown and Ben Kennedy bought the farm—hundreds of acres for the purpose of “building a legacy of hope for combat veterans, first responders, and their families.”
“I want Legacy Oaks Preserve Sporting Club to be known as a top-class sporting environment for outdoorsmen/women or those who would like to become one, where they can enjoy a range of recreational activities,” Kennedy said. This includes a five-stand sporting clays and 10-station sporting clays course, 500-yard rifle state certified outdoor pistol range, archery range, four fishing ponds, a high-fenced and irrigated dove field, quail woods for quail hunting, wild boar hog and deer hunting, and ATV adventure trails.
Members can partake in guided hunts and fishing trips along with training from some of the most experienced and elite instructors around the country, offering extensive instruction covering concealed weapons, kids gun safety, tactical shooting, skeet shooting, weapons safety and handling, archery, and much more. Amidst the activity, in the words of its members, “Legacy Oaks is about taking care of the people you served with.”
Beautifully bespoke
While the headlines here might be “sporting club,” and “outdoors,” and “veteran,” there is an intricate and elegant event venue embroidered deep into the personality of this pristine property and its amenities.
Activities aside, we arrive at a list of attributes that make Legacy Oaks Preserve an increasingly popular wedding and destination venue: Rustic and refined, the awe of the colossal Great Barn is built on 5000 square feet of elegance, coronated with flagstone and hanging vines, surrounded by walking paths, winding waterways, private facilities for wedding parties, quaint cottages, expansive quail woods, the bucolic Avenue of the Oaks, and highly Instagrammable scenic settings.
Your party package is fully customizable with picturesque locations like Legacy Oak and Freedom Lawn to stage your ceremony as well as your choice of cocktail hour on Liberty Plaza, around the fire, or on the covered porch, bookending add-ons like an oyster roast rehearsal dinner or Sunday morning farewell brunch for your start-to-finish concierge experience.
Legacy … Preserved
Legacy Oaks Preserve was originally created to help promote Operation Patriots FOB and give them a place to call home, according to Kennedy. Profits benefit OPFOB and the veterans they serve. In the words of one veteran, it’s doing just that as a unique place where you can “come together, hunt, fish, shoot, sit by a fire, camp out, or just be around those who understand—most importantly, a place to relax and have an ear to listen … re-established to your ‘why’ in life.”
OPFOB is a 100 percent volunteer organization and a 501(c)(3) charity that provides support for veterans, first responders and law enforcement from all services and all times. It is their hope that this legacy will continue to support those who serve our country for generations to come. Funds raised from rentals and services at Legacy Oaks Preserve support the needs and activities of OPFOB.
Kennedy captures the spirit saying, “Legacy Oaks Preserve provides a place to settle the mind and soul while enjoying what nature has to offer. Coming through the gates feels like you are escaping from the busyness of the world and allows people to engage in the natural elements of life while being around other outdoor enthusiasts.”
Around every regal bend runs restorative views and some of the finest facilities available for membership in the Lowcountry, just a short distance from Beaufort, Bluffton, and Hilton Head Island. Write your story—from recovery to celebration—in a place that was built on legacy, and now, where legacy is born.
For more information, visit legacyoakspreserve.com.
