The Charleston Beach Olympics returned for a third year to Sullivan's Island Saturday, June 24 in efforts to cover tuition costs for Pattison's Academy’s Therapeutic Summer Camp enrollees.
The Charleston Beach Olympics presented by Ethan Lane Mortgage Team successfully raised more than $10,000 — the equivalent of covering Pattison's Academy Therapeutic Summer Camp tuition for five disabled Lowcountry children.
Pattison’s Academy is an education and rehabilitation academy in Charleston providing comprehensive, year-round programs to support children to young adults with severe disabilities and their families. Pattison’s Academy Therapeutic Summer Camp is the ONLY therapeutic summer program in the Lowcountry for these individuals. However, it receives no program revenue, relying solely on the support of the community.
Tuition for summer camp enrollees weighs in at a hefty $2,000 per student. Pattison’s summer program provides essential interaction, education and therapeutic support (speech, OT, PT and more) to disabled children-young adults in Charleston. It also bridges a gap for families who often cannot afford to hire care or leave work during the summer months to look after their loved ones.
The Charleston Beach Olympics boasted a day full of friendly beach competition where 27 randomly drawn teams battled it out in the sand to take home the gold. The Charleston Beach Olympics was created by local Glenn Coltharp following COVID-19 as a way to gather people together in an active, outside way for a greater good.
“I originally started Charleston Beach Olympics, kind of on a whim. When I was a part of the college/20 something group at Seacoast church, we used to go out to the beach on Sundays after service and play beach games together. It was a great time and a great community. Having always been a type of includer following COVID, I found that what a lot of people were missing, including myself, was a sense of community and coming together outside,” states Coltharp.
This year the event grew exponentially raising 10 times the amount generated the year prior and selling out at 120 participants with over $7,000 in sponsorship revenue from amazing supporters, including: presenting sponsor Ethan Lane Mortgage Team, hosting sponsor Mainland Container Co. Kitchen & Bar, EGroup IT, Bohemian Bull, Charleston Outsiders, Live For Wellness Chiropractic Center, The Ink and I, Paul Smith Team, Iron Tribe Fitness, Charleston Glow Spray Tanning, Sunray Flooring, Millennium Wealth Management, The Thumbs Up Guys (Miller, Dawson, Sigal, & Ward LLC) and Daniel Island Detailing. The competition also received support from support from many local businesses for the raffle, winner’s prizes, merchandise and participant bags.
For more event information, updates on next year’s event, t-shirt purchases or to donate to the Charleston Beach Olympics efforts you can visit charlestonbeacholympics.com.
