2023

  • Supported EBSP Loggerhead Sea Turtle project which this year saw 304 nests laid.
  • Increased FRESPACE membership to 339 This is the largest membership in the history of FRESPACE, and our renewal rate continues to be strong.
  • Have an all-time high of 27 Corporate Sponsors.
  • Provided volunteer support for the Turtle Fest held in conjunction with EBSP staff to entertain and educate about sea turtles.
  • Through our group dubbed the Blowhards, regularly cleared debris from and blew off the Park trails.
  • FRESPACE donated a total of $13,487.84 to the Edisto Beach State Park in 2023.
  • Through those sales and membership contributions, funded the following projects:
    • Funded bird seed for the ELC bird sanctuary.
    • Renewed membership for FRESPACE/EBSP in the Edisto Chamber of Commerce.
    • Purchased “I Survived” night walk T-shirts to sell to benefit turtle project.
    • Funded the purchase of T-shirts for the ELC’s tie-dyed programs.
    • Purchased a beach wheelchair.
    • Funded the blue mats to protect our beach from erosion.
    • Purchased materials for sand fencing.
    • Funded popcorn for the Movie Nights at Bay Creek.
  • Continued to develop our communication to our membership and those planning to visit the Edisto Beach State Park though our semi-annual newsletter, our website at www.frespace.org, and our Facebook account. We currently have 7,000 followers on Facebook.
  • Participated in ACE Basin Day and Turtle Fest.
  • Placed rack cards at local businesses.
  • Distributed FRESPACE decals to new members and at local events to increase awareness.
  • Continued working with the Chamber to increase our local visibility through the Chamber’s Edisto Island Guide, which is published each spring.
  • Helped install and then remove fencing to protect shorebirds during the nesting season.
  • Assisted with landscaping at ELC.

2022

  • Supported the EBSP loggerhead sea turtle project. Last summer there were 351 nests with 27,600 hatchlings emerging.
  • FRESPACE membership remains steady at 336 family memberships and 25 corporate sponsors:
    • Edisto Saltwater Tours, Mueller Electric, Positive Zenergy Massage, All Clear Systems, Swann Associates, Cope Concrete, LLC., Charleston Fossil Adventures, Green Boat Discount Liquors, Higgins Adjusting, Peaceful And Productive, Kennerty Surveying, Home Advantage Realty, Joggle Factory, McConkey’s, Edisto Bike and Golf Cart Rentals, Edisto Sea Spirits, Walterboro Ford, Wills Agency, Edisto Kennels, Edisto Watersports & Tackle, SloBoat Construction, Carolina One, G & P Constructors, Ecological Associates, Inc. and Hollace Savage.
  • Sponsored a business after hours with Plot Twist charters and Whaley’s
  • The Blowhard Team continues to clear the trails at the state park with a new golf cart that was purchased by FRESPACE and the EBSP. A new team member has been added to the team – FRESPACE board member Dan Harrell.
  • Volunteer opportunities under the direction of volunteer coordinator Ron Steele and the state park personnel were offered in clearing the trails, cleaning and polishing the woodwork at the ELC, and installing sand fencing for the dunes and the shorebirds.
  • Provided t-shirts for the Turtle Nightwalks that were sold at the EBSP exchange gift shop.
  • The audiovisual project in the ELC was completed this year.
  • FRESPACE contributed funds for:
    • Bird seed for the ELC bird sanctuary
    • T-shirts for the tie-dye program at the ELC
    • The turtle fest and the Beach/river Sweep
    • The sand fencing project to protect the dunes and the shorebirds
    • The Blowhard golf cart
    • The newsletter that is published twice a year
    • Jar openers with the FRESPACE logo
  • Maintained our communication to our membership and those planning to visit the Edisto Beach State Park through our newsletters, our website, and our Facebook account.
  • Distributed rack cards to 46 businesses around Edisto Beach.
  • Maintained membership with the Edisto Chamber of Commerce.
  • Displayed a corporate recognition board in the ELC to recognize all our corporate sponsors. A certificate of appreciation was sent to each sponsor.

2020

  • Supported the EBSP Loggerhead Sea Turtle project. This year there were 181 nests laid, the 3rd highest in the last 11 years. The nests yielded 11,940 hatchlings.
  • FRESPACE membership level is at 375 families and 16 corporate sponsors (All Clear System, Carolina One – Seal Island Realty, Charleston Fossil Adventures, Edisto Bike Rentals, Edisto Kennels, Edisto Saltwater Tours, Edisto Watersports & Tackle, The Edistonian Gift Shop & Gallery, Green Boat Discount Liquors, Home Advantage Realty, The Joggle Factory, Kennerty Surveying, McConkey’s Jungle Shack, Russ Hewitt State Farm Insurance, Slo Boat Construction, and Tyler A. Smyth Architects).
  • Through our group dubbed the Blowhards, cleared debris from and blew off the Park trails bi-weekly.
  • Through the EBSP Exchange Gift Shop, generated approximately $2,000 in donations and revenue from the sale of Turtle Nightwalk T-shirts to fund turtle-related projects. We expect to again provide T-shirts for sale in The Exchange this coming season.
  • FRESPACE contributed over $16,000 to 15 projects including the following:
    • Purchased turtle safety signs for EBSP beach accesses
    • Purchased materials for rope and fencing to protect dunes
    • Funded bird seed for the ELC bird sanctuary
    • Purchased materials for fencing around the Bache Monument
    • Provided new audio/visual/equipment for the ELC conference room
    • Funded ELC display improvements including pelt boxes, alligator exhibit foliage, and an interactive touchscreen
    • Funded repairs to Blowhards’ cart
    • Produced semi-annual newsletters and mailed to the full membership
    • Provided materials for the new terrapin exhibit in the ELC
    • Provided a removable screen to protect the animals in the ELC touch tank
  • Maintained our communication to our membership and those planning to visit the Edisto Beach State Park though our newsletter, our website, and our Facebook account. We currently have 5,280 followers on Facebook.
  • Updated our rack cards and distributed them to 44 businesses around Edisto Beach.
  • Maintained Chamber membership and contributed articles to the Edisto News to provide local visibility and promote Park programs and activities.

2019

  • Supported the EBSP Loggerhead Sea Turtle project which this year saw 351 nests laid, shattering the previous record of 240 and tripling last year’s activity. Most nests had hatched prior to Hurricane Dorian yielding 26,040 hatchlings compared to 8,709 last year.
  • Increased FRESPACE membership to a record 484 families and 14 corporate sponsors (Charleston Fossil Adventures, Edisto Bike Rentals, Edisto Kennels, Edisto Saltwater Tours, Edisto Watersports & Tackle, The Edistonian Gift Shop & Gallery, Green Boat Discount Liquors, Home Advantage Realty, The Joggle Factory, Kennerty Surveying, Lowcountry River Rats, McConkey’s Jungle Shack, Mueller Electric, and Russ Hewitt State Farm Insurance). Many thanks to the ELC staff for their diligence in promoting FRESPACE to ELC visitors.
  • Provided volunteer support for the Turtle Fest held in conjunction with EBSP staff to entertain and educate about sea turtle (and other turtle) biology.
  • Through our group dubbed the Blowhards, regularly cleared debris from and blew off the Park trails.
  • Generated $1,765 in revenue through the sale of Turtle Nightwalk T-shirts to help fund turtle-related projects. The nightwalks were held three nights per week June through July.
  • Through those sales and membership contributions, contributed over $16,000 to 19 projects including the following:
    • Purchased supplies for protection of turtle nests
    • Purchased materials for fencing to protect dunes
    • Funded bird seed for the ELC bird sanctuary
    • Purchased materials for fencing around the Bache Monument
    • Provided new audio/visual/equipment for the ELC conference room
    • Funded ELC display improvements including pelt boxes, alligator exhibit foliage, touchscreen
    • Renewed membership for FRESPACE/EBSP in the Edisto Chamber of Commerce
    • Funded new and improved “you are here” signs for the Parks’ trails
    • Purchased T-shirts for sale at the Nightwalks and for the ELC’s tie-dye programs
    • Provided a removable screen to protect the animals in the ELC touch tank
  • Continued to develop our communication to our membership and those planning to visit the Edisto Beach State Park though our semi-annual newsletter, our website at www.frespace.org, and our Facebook account. We currently have 4,352 followers on Facebook.
  • Maintained the placement of rack cards at local businesses.
  • Continued working with the Chamber and the Edisto News to increase our local visibility and promote Park programs and activities. With the Chamber and McConkey’s, sponsored a Business After Hours at the Park’s Environmental Learning Center.
  • Helped install and then remove fencing to protect dunes and shorebirds during the nesting season.
  • Assisted in the planting of sea oats and bitter panicum plants to protect our dunes from erosion.
  • Help plant vegetation for Monarch butterfly garden.

2018

  • Supported the EBSP Loggerhead Sea Turtle project which this year saw 109 nests laid, which was lower than the previous 3 strong years. The cyclical nature of sea turtle nesting may have accounted for much of this decline. On that basis, we’re anticipating a productive turtle season this summer.
  • Increased FRESPACE membership to 390 through a strong emphasis on local recruitment and solicitation of corporate sponsors (Charleston Fossil Adventures, Edisto Kennels, Edisto Saltwater Tours, Edisto Watersports & Tackle, The Edistonian Gift Shop & Gallery, Lowcountry River Rats, McConkey’s Jungle Shack, Kennerty Surveying, and Mueller Electric). This is the largest membership in the history of FRESPACE, and our renewal rate continues to be strong. (Kudos to the ELC staff for their significant help in promoting FRESPACE to ELC visitors.)
  • Provided volunteer support for the Turtle Fest held in conjunction with EBSP staff to entertain and educate about sea turtle (and other turtle) biology.
  • Through our group dubbed the Blowhards, regularly cleared debris from and blew off the Park trails.
  • Generated $773 in revenue through the sale of Turtle Nightwalk T-shirts to help fund turtle-related projects. The nightwalks were held three nights per week June through July.
  • Through those sales and membership contributions, funded the following projects:
    • Replaced the blower on the Blowhards’ cart
    • With the State Park, shared the costs of replacing the Turtle Cart
    • Purchased turtle-friendly red filter flashlights for turtle nightwalks
    • Funded bird seed for the ELC bird sanctuary
    • Renewed membership for FRESPACE/EBSP in the Edisto Chamber of Commerce
    • Purchased “I Survived” T-shirts for sale at the Nightwalks
    • Purchased FRESPACE logoed decals for the “Skip the Straw” program
    • Funded the purchase of T-shirts for the ELC’s tie-dyed programs
  • Continued to develop our communication to our membership and those planning to visit the Edisto Beach State Park though our semi-annual newsletter, our website at www.frespace.org, and our Facebook account. We currently have 3,769 followers on Facebook.
  • Implemented a means of voting by email to increase voter participation and help assure quorum.
  • Expanded the placement of rack cards at local businesses.
  • Distributed FRESPACE decals to new members and at local events to increase awareness.
  • Continued working with the Chamber to increase our local visibility through the Chamber’s Edisto Island Guide, which is published each spring.
  • Collaborated with the Chamber, McConkey’s, and the Park to hold a Business After Hours to increase local awareness of FRESPACE and all the Park has to offer.
  • Helped install and then remove fencing to protect shorebirds during the nesting season.
  • Assisted in the planting of sea oats and bitter panicum plants to protect our dunes from erosion.

2017-2012