Holiday Gifts Contribute to Bluffton Community

One of the town’s accomplishments this year is partnering with the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry (CFL) to formalize avenues for residents to contribute to community projects. CFL, a 501(c )3 non-profit, offers a platform for residents to contribute tax-deductible gifts to town projects that are not traditionally funded by tax dollars. These charitable funds also allow town leaders, staff, and police officers to better serve the community through additional projects. The three charitable funds are the Bluffton Police Department Benevolence Fund, the Bluffton Lutzie 43 Scholarship Fund, and the Town of Bluffton Parks & Public Art Fund.

The immediate need is to raise funds for the town’s annual Bluffton Lutzie 43 Scholarship Fund. The Town awards four $1,000 scholarships to local students who are safe driving ambassadors and who, through their actions, words, and volunteer work, encourage their peers to be safe drivers.

The town partners with The Lutzie Foundation for this campaign. This foundation was founded by Mike Lutzenkirchen, the father of Philip Lutzenkirchen, an Auburn football player who was killed in a distracted driving incident. It is the mission of Lutzenkirchen and his foundation to save the lives of young people through safe driving education.

Join the town for its annual Lutzie 43 5K race at Oyster Factory Park Saturday, February 4, 2023, and/or donate to the fund via cflowcountry.civicore.com/BlufftonLutzie43.

The Bluffton Police Department, teaming up with Bluffton Self Help, also distributes holiday toys to children in our community whose families may be experiencing financial challenges. They will collect toys until Friday, December 9. Please drop off toys in the lobby of the Bluffton Police Department (101 Progressive Street in Buckwalter Place) or Town Hall (20 Bridge Street in the Historic District). The toys will be delivered to local families through Bluffton Self Help the following Monday.

The second holiday BPD event is “Shop with Cop.” The brainchild of a Bluffton police officer, this event began in 2018. Each Bluffton school resource officer selects two children from a financially challenged family. There are six schools in Bluffton. Those 12 children receive a $100 gift card and with a Bluffton police officer, go to Wal-Mart and Shop with a Cop. The students use the gift cards to purchase holiday gifts for their families or themselves. Shop with a Cop will be held Saturday, December 10, starting at 9 a.m.

To support Shop with a Cop, please send donations to the Bluffton Police Department Benevolence Fund via cflowcountry.civicore.com/BPDBenevolenceFund or mail a check c/o The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, P.O. Box 23019, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 29925. Please write Shop with A Cop in the memo section.