<em>Photo above: The American Association of University Women-Beaufort Branch elected new board members. Seated left to right: Dr. Diana Steele (Immediate Past President/Public Policy/Bylaws Chair), Celeste Nalwasky (Vice President/Program Chair), Lynn Lantz (Communication Coordinator), Diane Goodrich (Membership VP). Standing left to right: Peggy Fryer (Inspirational Leader), Laura Burcin (Education Foundation Coordinator), Dr. Rebecca Cooper (President), Barbara Mattingly (Treasurer), Veronica Miller (Publicity Chair).</em>
<h2><b>BMH Foundation welcomes new officers, board members</b></h2>
[caption id="attachment_26327" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/WHOS-NEWS-BMH-Sarah-Dyson-e1447939341887.jpg"><img class="wp-image-26327 size-thumbnail" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/WHOS-NEWS-BMH-Sarah-Dyson-e1447939341887-150x150.jpg" alt="WHOS NEWS BMH Sarah Dyson" width="150" height="150" /></a> Sarah Dyson[/caption]

At its annual meeting, held November 17, the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation installed a new slate of officers comprised of Hugh Gouldthorpe as chairman, Paul Mannheim as vice chairman, Ty Reichel as treasurer and Arthur Levin as secretary. In addition, three new members, Sarah Dyson, Marjorie Gray and Mac Sanders, were named to the board.

Sarah Dyson is returning to the BMH Foundation Board, having served previously from 2002-2011. A graduate of Converse College, she worked for the Historic Charleston Foundation before traveling widely with her husband Greg during his stint in the Army. The couple retired to Beaufort in 1990, and have been actively involved in serving our community ever since.

[caption id="attachment_26326" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/WHOS-NEWS-BMH-Marjorie-Gray-e1447939393601.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-26326" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/WHOS-NEWS-BMH-Marjorie-Gray-e1447939393601-150x150.jpg" alt="Marjorie Gray" width="150" height="150" /></a> Marjorie Gray[/caption]

Marjorie Gray, a lifelong Beaufortonian, is a graduate of both the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina. She practiced as a dentist before starting and heading up the Home Décor Department at Grayco Hardware and Home, and is also actively involved in several other local family businesses including Yoyos and her new River Happy clothing line.

Mac Sanders is a Beaufort native and life-long farmer who graduated from Clemson University and currently serves on the State Agricultural Commission and Farm Bureau. He is President and part-owner of the iconic Seaside Farms, and appreciates the value of having our hospital close at hand for both his family and employees.

[caption id="attachment_26325" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/WHOS-NEWS-BMH-Mac-Sanders-e1447939435582.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-26325" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/WHOS-NEWS-BMH-Mac-Sanders-e1447939435582-150x150.jpg" alt="Mac Sanders" width="150" height="150" /></a> Mac Sanders[/caption]

Rotating off the Foundation Board at the annual meeting, having each served three full terms, were Foundation Chair Bill Harvey, Marilyn Harcharik, Dr. Brad Collins and Allan Winneker.

The BMH Foundation was chartered in 1984 to develop and manage charitable support for our not-for-profit community hospital. It is led by a board of highly regarded members of the community, along with a professional staff who are diligent in seeing that every donated dollar is invested and used wisely.
<h2><b>Bridges Preparatory School...</b></h2>
<h3><strong>...adds two to Board of Directors, Corbin and Feuerbacher</strong></h3>
Newly elected James Corbin and Peggy Feuerbacher join Dee Matthews, Chris Protz, Calvin White, Caroline Lovell and Marty Miley on the Bridges Preparatory School Board of Directors.

“We are thrilled at the number of families who participated in the balloting and we had an excellent slate of candidates,” Bridges Prep Board Chair Dee Matthews said. “Now it’s time for this new board to roll up its sleeves for some hard work, including getting our new campus construction ready to start.”

Bridges Prep received an almost $10 million loan this fall from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development team. The money will pay for renovations and expansions to the school’s main campus on Boundary Street in downtown Beaufort.

Bridges Preparatory School was chartered by South Carolina in mid-2012 and opened at near capacity in August 2013. Since then, enrollment has grown by 42 percent. For the 2016-2017 school year, Bridges Prep will expand to ninth grade.

Corbin works with the information technology department at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. He lives on Lady’s Island, is married and has three children at Bridges Prep. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Indiana University and an Associate’s degree in industrial technology from the Technical College of the Lowcountry. Mr. Corbin chaired the Bridges Prep Technology Committee in spring 2015.

Feuerbacher is a retired teacher with a Master’s degree in education and is National Board Certified, who now sells real estate. Her daughter-in-law is a teacher at Bridges and she has a grandson who attends the school. She spent 19 years as a classroom teacher and was named Teacher of the Year at Norfolk Preparatory High School in Norfolk, VA. She also was the first National Board Certified teacher in Hampton, VA.
<h3><strong>...extends term of Interim Head, announces Asst. Head of School</strong></h3>
Interim Head of School Dr. Robert Bohnstengel will continue through the school year after the Board extended his contract to June 30, 2016. Bohnstengel, a charter school veteran, previously had been under contract only through December.

The Board and Bohnstengel announced that Kate Olin is the school’s new Business Development Director and Assistant Head of School. Olin’s duties include fundraising; grant writing; and supporting the school’s communications, strategic planning, resource development and instructional services support including compliance with the charter and South Carolina state educational standards.

Further, she will work closely with staff and students especially in the areas of budgeting, developing external financial support, and assisting with disciplinary procedures, Matthews said.

“We are a growing school with a lot going on, and we need people with excellent efficacy and experience to help guide us,” she said. Along with Bridges Prep’s planned growth into the high school grades starting in fall 2016, the school also is creating a new campus plan expected to be under construction in 2016.

“We are all about the children of Bridges Prep, and every day the staff and the Board look at what we’re doing to improve the education we provide here. We are excited at what the future holds, and we are excited at the Board of Directors and administrative team that will work with our teachers, our staff, our families and our community to achieve that future,” Matthews said.