South Carolina DU chapter honors Marine veterans
Each year in South Carolina, Ducks Unlimited's Beaufort Area chapter and local landowners host servicemen and women from the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort for a weekend hunt and dinner. The idea behind the event, which took place most recently in November 2015, is to connect the Lowcountry's waterfowling heritage, community, and military members.
South Carolina's Lowcountry is the birthplace of DU's conservation easement program. In the same spirit that dedicated private landowners came together to preserve the area's wildlife habitats, they now open their hearts and homes to local Marines and their families.
"This is one of the most amazing events we put on because of the numerous people who give of their time and energy to make it spectacular. We're all proud to be a part of sharing the incredible beauty of the Lowcountry and honoring our military members," said Brian Harrelson, who chaired the 2015 event along with Lorin Siegel.
The weekend festivities began with a Friday night dinner hosted by Bill and Linda Demmer at White House Plantation. The next morning the Marines were treated to an amazing Lowcountry waterfowl hunt on several historic plantations in the ACE Basin. Local taxidermist Jimmy Hortman generously donated his services for the hunters, many of whom killed their first duck. Later that evening the Beaufort Area DU chapter honored these local heroes and their families at its annual banquet.
If you would like to host a hunter or volunteer for this event, please contact DU eastern South Carolina Regional Director James Meadows at 843-870-0635 or via email at jmeadows@ducks.org.
Gold Sponsors
Palmetto State Armory
Lather Construction
Vaden of Beaufort
Mike Freeman and Family
Silver Sponsors
Sea Island Ophthalmology
RE/MAX, Chris Skrip
J.H. Hiers Construction
Huddle House
Jason Dangerfield
First Citizens Bank
Collins Pest Control
Twenge + Twombley
Scott Rhodes
Easy Rentals, Chris Jennings
Farm Bureau Insurance
TD Commercial Builders
Bronze Sponsors
Mary and Jon Lohr
Rhett Gallery
Sea Island Appraisal Company
Butler Marine
Allstate, Rob Wynne
O'Quinn Marine Construction
It's Retail Therapy
Modern Jewelers
Lime Lite Salon
Grayco Hardware Home
Cher and Ash Milner IV
Port Royal Gun Pawn
PickleJuice
Southern Tree Services
BB Construction
Trask Lynn, CPA
Event Chairs
Brian Harrelson
Lorin Siegel
Committee Members
Rob Wells
Tommy Collins
Jay Lovell
Katherine Harrelson
Aimee Parry
McNeal Finley
Major Sergeant Steve J. Parry
Gunnery Sergeant Robert Farmer
Staff Sergeant Brian Howell
2015 Plantations
White House Plantation
Bonnie Hall Plantation
Ashepoo Plantation
Brewton Plantation
Nemours Plantation
Poco Sabo Plantation