Photo above: Anne Pollitzer, formerly of the Eleanor Christensen Montessori School and daughter of Eleanor Christensen, recently presented the BlackButterFly foundation with a check that represented the remaining funds in the account of the now closed E.C. Montessori program. Photo provided.
The BlackButterFly Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, recently held an event called “It’s a Family Affair” at Penn Center.
The event, in honor of Father’s Day, was open to the public at no charge.
The “Little ButterFlys” showed off their dance skills and modeled two changes of clothes for the audience.
The preteen and teen ButterFlys presented their vocal and instrumental skills as well as their oral presentation on Rachel Crane Mather, founder of the Industrial School in 1867. She was commissioned by the American Mission Society to establish a school for black students near Beaufort.
The teens gave the same speech at the Technical College of the Lowcountry dedication of the Rachel Crane Mather Museum.
Among those in attendance at the ButterFly event was Anne Pollitzer, formerly of the Eleanor Christensen Montessori School and daughter of Eleanor Christensen, who recently presented the foundation with a check that represented the remaining funds in the account of the now closed E.C. Montessori program.
According to Angel Ryan, BBF CEO and founder, the first recital and fashion show was a success.
“The kids were happy and the families were happy. My daughter would be proud.”
Her daughter, Christina Ryan Henegar, 24, died as a result of injuries received in an apartment fire in November 2014.
The BlackButterFly – The Christina Ryan Henegar Foundation, was created in her memory and provides classes and training in arts-related fields as well as teaches the participants life skills.
“Christina was a world travel and a classically trained dancer that received a B.A. at age 20 from the University of Surrey in the UK. She wanted the kids in Beaufort to have the opportunity to experience life and the world similar to the way she had” said Ryan. “That’s what we hope to achieve for the young ones: opportunity and experience.”
Visit www.blackbutterfly90.org.
