Helping Out highlights some of the many charitable events and activities going on in the Charleston area. Submissions should be sent to dailyjournal@scbiznews.com.
The S.C. Aquarium on July 13 will host Brew with a View: A Sustainable Seafood Delight, offering an evening filled with sustainable seafood, drinks and a view of the Charleston Harbor.
The 7 to 9 p.m. event, on the aquarium’s Riverside Terrace, will benefit the S.C. Aquarium’s conservation and education programs.
Guests can sample sustainable seafood dishes prepared by chefs from a variety of Charleston restaurants, including Fleet Landing, Pearlz, Slightly North of Broad, the Restaurant at Middleton Place and the Boathouse. Beer samplings will be available from Highland Brewing Company, Brooklyn Brewery and Full Sail Brewing Company.
Tickets are $25 for Aquarium members and $35 for non-members. All guests must be 21 years or older. Advance reservations and payment are required. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (843) 577-3474.
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The S.C. Aquarium will host a special evening on July 17 to benefit wildlife and conservation efforts locally and on the Gulf coast.
The 7 to 11 p.m. event, called S.O.S: Save Our Seas, will feature live music, food, celebrities and personal accounts from select Aquarium staff members of recent trips to the Gulf, where they helped with sea turtles rescues and dolphin surveying.
Red Top Ramblers and Henry’s Attic will perform live. Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish and Doug Jones and Gary Greene from Cravin' Melon will make special appearances. Krewe of Charleston will provide Cajun food, and beer and non-alcoholic beverages will be served.
Proceeds from the event will support the S.C. Aquarium’s wildlife care, conservation and rescue programs, and will allow the Aquarium to lend world-class care and expertise to the Gulf. A percentage of the proceeds will be sent directly to the Gulf in support of sea turtle recovery efforts at the Audubon Nature Institute.
Tickets are $30. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 843-577-3474. Additional donations will be accepted at the door.
The event is held in partnership with Awendaw Green, Sewee Outpost, Krewe of Charleston and Palmetto Brewery.
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Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Services Inc. has received a $12,000 one-time grant from The Rite Aid Foundation that will support its Wellness Center’s dental services and prenatal and women’s health services during 2010 and 2011.
During the past year, the Wellness Center provided 2,574 free dental patient visits and 1,260 free prenatal and women’s health patient visits. Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Services operates the center in cooperation with the Medical University of South Carolina and Roper St. Francis Healthcare.
Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Services Inc. was founded in 1989 by the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy. The organization, known locally as the Outreach, provides emergency assistance, education and wellness services to residents of James Island, Johns Island and Wadmalaw Island. The organization also operates the Neighborhood House in downtown Charleston.
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Go Interactive Wellness Solutions, a Charleston company that helps individuals sustain a healthy lifestyle by combining exercise, eating right and positive thinking, is challenging Charleston-area residents to race from Park Circle in North Charleston to New Orleans to benefit Wings for Kids.
In the virtual race, participants must complete an average 10,000 steps a day. Over the course of the July 12 – Aug. 15 race, those steps will add up to the equivalent of a walk to New Orleans. The race is tracked through the company’s Go Challenge online program, which tracks exercise, diet, hydration and weight.
Participants sign up for the race in teams, and each team member must meet the average 10,000-steps-a-day challenge. Any physical activity can add to participants’ steps, including activities like walking the dog, gardening, hiking and bicycling.
Throughout the challenge, particpants will be eligible for prizes. At the end of the race, everyone will join together for an after-party in North Charleston’s Park Circle neighborhood.
The entry fee for each team is $16.75, with a portion of the proceeds going to Wings for Kids, a charity for healthy after-school programs. For more information or to make a reservation, go to http://gointeractivewellness.com/go-challenges.
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East Shore Athletic Club is offering a group workout at 5:30 p.m. July 14, open to members and non-members, to benefit the American Lung Association.
The “Fight for Air Climb” includes a warm up before climbing the 1,056 steps of the North Charleston Coliseum, followed by a six-pack attack and stretch. The workout lasts about an hour.
The cost is a $1 donation. Participants can park in lot B or C at the coliseum and enter by the south disabled entrance.
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Medicaid plan Select Health of South Carolina last month announced a new outreach partnership with the national Text4baby program, a mobile phone information service designed to promote the health of pregnant women and their babies.
Pregnant women who sign up for the Text4baby service receive free text messages with tailored health information according to the due date of their baby. Text4baby continues through a baby’s first year with text messages also being sent to new mothers who are enrolled in the program.
The Text4baby messages focus on a variety of health issues critical to maternal and child health including birth defects, prevention, immunization, nutrition, seasonal flu, oral health and safe sleep. During pregnancy, moms receive messages about what to expect at different stages of the pregnancy as well as tips emphasizing the importance of prenatal care.
Text4baby messages also help connect women to prenatal and infant care services and resources in underserved areas, Select Health officials said.
Select Health serves nearly 200,000 members in South Carolina and is the only Medicaid health plan in the state to participate in the Text4baby program as an outreach partner. More than 575 women in South Carolina have signed up to receive Text4baby messages since the program began in February 2010.
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Moncks Corner Medical Center is encouraging women participate in its Mammogram Mondays events during the summer months. Digital mammogram screenings, door prizes and refreshments will be provided at each event every from noon to 5 p.m. on Mondays during July and August.
Registration is not required. For more information about Mammogram Mondays, breast cancer, support groups, wellness programs and access to cancer-specific updates and information, visit www.TridentHealthSystem.com or contact Consult-A-Nurse at 843-797-3463.
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Pet Helpers is partnering with the Tractor Supply Co. in Ravenel for a low-cost vaccine clinic and pet microchipping session.
The event is scheduled for July 10 at 4405 Savannah Highway. Feline and canine rabies and distemper shots cost $10, while internal ID chips will sell for $15.
The chips could prove useful in tracing pets back to owners during disasters or emergencies, according to event officials.
Pet Helpers veterinary staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions.
For more information visit www.pethelpers.org or call 795-1110.



