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<p>Croquet players from across the Lowcountry will converge at Brays Island on May 4 to help AMIkids Beaufort raise money to support its residential education and treatment program for boys who made bad choices.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>AMIkids Beaufort is a residential facility in Dale that provides education and numerous hands-on educational opportunities, treatment and behavior modification for troubled boys. Though a part of a national organization, AMIkids Beaufort is locally governed.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>For 27 years, the Croquet Picnic has been the primary means of raising local money to help the program succeed.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>That success pays off: Young men who complete AMIkids typically don’t run afoul of the law, and many leave the program with job training such as nationally-recognized certificates in welding and food service.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>“These young men are with AMIkids because they want a second chance at life,” AMIkids Beaufort chairman John Harris said in a release. “Our croquet picnic at Brays Island is our main way to provide what’s needed for our local program. The people are very generous to help us, and Brays Island has been such a gracious host to share their property with us year after year.”&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Every year, Brays Island and its owners donate the golf course practice range tee in which eight 30-by-40-foot croquet courts are groomed to the finest playing conditions for the event, Harris said.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>“We really consider Brays Island and its residents to be our partners. We couldn’t do this without them, and it’s such a spectacular setting for croquet,” Harris said.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The Croquet Picnic will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brays Island off U.S. Highway 17 in Sheldon. A Captain’s Party for all participants will be held the evening of May 3 at a waterfront home in Beaufort’s Spanish Point.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Teams of four to eight people compete in the friendly croquet tournament. While some experienced teams participate, most teams are there just for fun.</p>
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<p>For more information or to sign up a croquet team, call Dr. Mike Harris at 843-524-3770 or Mike Ingram at 843-846-3149. To learn more about AMIkids Beaufort, visit www.amikidsbeaufort.org.&nbsp;<br></p>
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