<b>Republican Women's Club elects board officers</b>

[caption id="attachment_34398" align="aligncenter" width="489"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/brwc.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-34398"><img class="size-full wp-image-34398" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/brwc.jpg" alt="The Beaufort Republican Women's Club recently installed officers for 2018-2020. From left are Marie Colucci, treasurer; Kim Handy, vice president; Laura Fanelli, president; and Helene Williams, recording secretary. The BRWC is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Visit www.beaufortrepublicanwomensc.com." width="489" height="367"></a> The Beaufort Republican Women's Club recently installed officers for 2018-2020. From left are Marie Colucci, treasurer; Kim Handy, vice president; Laura Fanelli, president; and Helene Williams, recording secretary. The BRWC is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Visit www.beaufortrepublicanwomensc.com.[/caption]

<b>Toys for Tots needs&nbsp;</b><b>community’s help</b>

United Way of the Lowcountry is partnering with Toys for Tots, The Salvation Army, Love House Ministries, Bluffton Self Help and the Deep Well Project this year to provide Christmas assistance to those in need through Operation Holiday Heroes.&nbsp;

Operation Holiday Heroes is a countywide collaboration to ensure that every child and family in need throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties has toys and food for Christmas.

Last year, Operation Holiday Heroes provided Christmas gifts and meals to 1,816 families throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties, including 3,936 children. &nbsp;

Donate toys by dropping them off at any of the United Way of the Lowcountry offices (Beaufort, Bluffton, Ridgeland) or at one of the many Toys for Tots boxes throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties.&nbsp;

For a full list of toy donation drop-off locations, visit www.toysfortots.org.

To make a monetary donation to Operation Holiday Heroes, visit www.uwlowcountry.org&nbsp; or send a check payable to “Operation Holiday Heroes” to United Way of the Lowcountry, P.O. Box 202, Beaufort, SC 29901; or drop off at United Way of the Lowcountry (Beaufort office), located at 1277 Ribaut Road.&nbsp;

Other ways to help include hosting a holiday or dinner party and collecting gifts for Operation Holiday Heroes; making a donation in memory of a loved one or in honor of them; or for businesses to become a Toys for Tots drop-off location by requesting a box on the Toys for Tots website at www.toysfortots.org.

Those needing Christmas assistance this holiday season should register by calling the Salvation Army at 843-524-3727; or calling or visiting Love House Ministries at 843-525-1043, 423C Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Love House Ministries will be conducting their registration process from 12:30-5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday through Dec. 22. Children are not allowed at sign-up or toy distribution.

<b>Community foundation&nbsp;</b><b>adds board members</b>

Yvonne Curl and Sheila Mahony were recently elected to the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry board of directors.

Curl formerly served as vice president and chief marketing officer for Avaya Inc. Prior to joining Avaya, Curl was employed by Xerox for 24 years.

Curl has extensive board experience. She has served on the board of directors for Nationwide since 1998. She also currently serves on the boards of HealthSouth Corp. and previously served on the boards of Welch Allyn Inc., Charming Shoppes Inc. and the Boys Choir of Harlem.&nbsp;

Mahony, an attorney, worked as a consultant for Cablevision Systems Corp. (now Altice) of Bethpage, N.Y. Prior to that she was executive vice president of government, media and community relations for the company for 27 years.&nbsp;

Mahony’s past board experience includes Cablevision Systems Corporation, C-Span, Cable Television and Telecommunications Association of New York, Legal Aid Society of New York, Deep Well Project and Memory Matters.&nbsp;

Visit www.cf-lowcountry.org.

<b>County owed $2.1M&nbsp;</b><b>is delinquent taxes</b>

The Beaufort County Treasurer’s Office is using a third-party collection agency, American Financial Credit Services (AFCS), to assist in the collection of delinquent business personal property taxes.

It will be mailing 1,388 notification letters in order to pursue $2,145,629 in delinquent taxes.&nbsp;

If you believe any business or personal property debt to be in error or if your business has been permanently closed, contact the South Carolina Department of Revenue at bpproperty@dor.sc.gov or 803-898-5222, Option 2, to resolve the account.&nbsp;

In addition to pursuing the taxes owed, AFCS’s collection services will assist delinquent taxpayers who are found to have been taxed incorrectly by educating them on the proper documentation to file so the tax does not continue to be assessed each year.

Additional information about delinquent property tax collection and the Treasurer’s Office can be found at www.BeaufortCountyTreasurer.com.

<b>Sanford staff to hold&nbsp;</b><b>satellite office hours&nbsp;</b>

The district staff of U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, R-SC, will be conducting July satellite office hours starting at noon Thursday, Dec. 14, at the St. Helena Branch Library at 6355 Jonathan Francis Sr. Road.

Satellite office hours are conducted around the district by the representative’s staff in order to be as accessible as possible to constituents who require assistance with federal agencies, including Medicare, Veterans Affairs, Social Security, the Internal Revenue Service, or even help processing a passport.&nbsp;

Additionally, anyone wishing to express an opinion or ask a question is welcome to stop by.

<b>Free parking offered&nbsp;</b><b>at downtown marina</b>

The Beaufort City Council has approved the Parking Advisory Committee’s recommendation that there be free parking in downtown Beaufort this holiday season.&nbsp;

However, it will be offered in a different way than it has been in years past to allow shoppers more time to explore what the merchants have to offer as well as to provide time to enjoy lunch or dinner without having to worry about a parking time limit.

Free parking will be offered now through New Year’s Day at the Downtown Marina parking lot on the waterfront and accessed from Bay Street at the intersection of Charles or Newcastle streets

There are 167 parking spaces available and there will be no time limit on parking.

All other metered parking spaces/areas in the downtown will be paid parking including Bay Street, and their respective time limits will be enforced. Paid parking is enforced from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

<b>Audubon bird count&nbsp;</b><b>coming to Fripp Island</b>

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count began over a century ago and its success is the result of the commitment of volunteers.&nbsp;

This year tens of thousands of volunteers across America will take part in the 2017 count. Data collected in this long-running wildlife census is used to assess the health of bird populations, and to help guide conservation action.&nbsp;

To participate (no experience necessary) Fripp Island Audubon volunteers will meet at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Community Center.

“We will divide into groups and count birds,” a press release states. “It’s pretty much as simple as that. Guides will be on hand to help everyone get started. In appreciation of your efforts, Fripp Audubon will be offering food and drink at the Community Center following completion of the count."

Volunteers are also needed to count birds from home on backyard feeders.

To sign up, contact Sally Jessee at skjessee365@gmail.com or call 843-838-3655; or Sandra Rice at sandra.rice@me.com or call 864-979-4531.