IslandVibesIOP.com 10 COMMUNITY By the time the sun slipped behind the marsh on Dec. 2, Ted and Anne Kinghorn’s Isle of Palms home had transformed into something between a holiday movie set and a cheerful fire code violation. Stacks of board games – Life, Sorry, Monopoly, Clue, Jumanji and more – rose like festive skyscrapers along the walls. Rolls of wrapping paper unfurled across tables and chairs. Dozens of neighbors filtered in, armed with scissors, tape and the kind of seasonal spirit that can make even the most complicated gift-wrapping job feel like a communal triumph. The mission? To wrap more than a hundred board games for the Wrapped with Gratitude How one house turned into Santa’s workshop By Laura Strecker, The LENS Foundation LENS Foundation director Ted Kinghorn and holiday crusaders John "Yanni" Bohren and Lexi Kinsaul families of Isle of Palms first responders, a project led by LENS Foundation board representative and holiday crusader, Lexi Kinsaul. “These gifts are a small token of our gratitude for their dedication all year long,” Kinsaul said. But thanks to a stunning act of generosity from Yanni Law Firm and John “Yanni” Bohren – a donation of 140 brandnew board games – the LENS team found themselves delightfully ahead of schedule and heartwarmingly overwhelmed. The gifts were delivered during a special luncheon on Dec. 17 at the Isle of Palms Public Safety Building, where LENS volunteers once again came together – this time with sandwiches instead of scissors – to celebrate the families who protect the island with courage and compassion. But if the board games and wrapping paper are the most visible symbols of the season, they represent only a fraction of what the LENS Foundation quietly accomplishes year-round. It’s easy to spot the popsicle deliveries on Labor Day weekend, the back-to-school gift cards slipped discreetly to public safety families, the Thanksgiving loaves of bread from The Blue Root or the December board game blitz. What you don’t see are the hardship awards that help with emergency medical bills. The educational scholarships, like the recent $4,000 award to a firefighter’s daughter beginning her academic journey. The equipment and training needs are funded quietly and quickly when departments come up short. “There’s a lot happening behind the scenes at all times,” said Kinghorn, who has turned generosity into a well-honed art form. “While this is a season people are more cognizant of giving, we try to adopt this spirit year-round. Our police officers and firefighters need our support all year. Donations help us say yes when an officer asks for help with their child’s tuition or a chief is short on funds for equipment or vital training programs.” And so, under the glow of string lights and the rustle of holiday wrap, Isle of Palms once again reminded itself of what community looks like: neighbors helping neighbors, gratitude made tangible and joy wrapped with care. To learn more, visit lensiop.org. Bringing a Taste of New Orleans to Mount Pleasant & Park Circle lolaparkcircle.com • 843-990-9416 Enjoy Crawfish, New Orleans BBQ Shrimp, LoLa's Mac N’ Cheese and more! 1036 Chuck Dawley Blvd. Mt. Pleasant & 4830 O’Hear Ave. N. Charleston (Parck Circle) A Culinary Tour of Isle of Palms IOPeateries.com For marketing in Island Vibes or online email Publisher@IslandVibesIOP.com. If you own an Isle of Palms food and beverage establishment and would like to be listed in this directory, please email Editor@IslandVibesIOP.com. ACCESS ISLAND RECIPES AND INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL CHEFSAND BARTENDERS.
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