Landlovers Foundation, Inc. Named 2023 Volunteer Group of the Year

If you’ve ever asked about volunteering in The Landings, you no doubt have heard about Landlovers Foundation, Inc., which is part of Landings Landlovers. Philanthropy is the cornerstone of this organization that recently was named 2023 Volunteer Group of the Year.

The group is open to all Skidaway Island residents. Since its inception in 1974, the Landlovers Foundation has distributed more than $1.8 million to the community through grants to a wide variety of non-profit and service organizations, academic scholarships to  The Landings Association  (TLA) and  The Landings Company (TLCo) employees and their immediate families, and Community Service Merit Awards to high school seniors.

President of Landlovers, Tim Forbes, said he and his team are humbled to receive such a designation as 2023 Volunteer Group of the Year.

“It is such an incredible honor for The Landings Association to recognize the accomplishments of Landlovers’ several hundred volunteers,” Forbes said. “They support our mission of promoting fellowship through social and cultural activities and providing philanthropic support improving community life in The Landings and the greater Savannah community.”

Landlovers was started 50 years ago as a small group of ladies meeting for lunch. Since that time, it has developed into a dynamic organization with more than 800 volunteers, providing their skills and talents to support the group’s mission.

“This group is awesome, to say the least,” Forbes said. “Landlovers has two areas, the social and fundraising side, which is Landlovers Inc. and the philanthropic side which is Landlovers Foundation. The Landlovers Inc. side is where we offer activities, social events, and fundraising activities. Our major fundraisers are the Flea Market, AuctionMania, Games Day, the Tour of Homes, and various raffles. Accumulated gains are then transferred to the Foundation. The philanthropic foundation side uses those funds along with donations from our generous sponsors and donors to improve community life at the Landings and in the Savannah community.”

In 2023, Landlovers Foundation gave more than $134,000, the most in its history, in awards and scholarships. The group distributed these awards through five scholarships to deserving TLA and TLCo employees and/or their dependents and a Community Service Merit award to an outstanding high school senior living in The Landings. They also worked with 14 local community organizations to provide project or program-based grants for benefit of the items outlined below.

• Providing benches and swings to TLA for placement throughout The Landings.
• A grant to Safe Shelter to renovate their children’s playroom.
• Funds to The Village Library for the purchase of children’s books.
• A grant to Pinpoint Museum for heritage signage.
• Funds to the Boy Scouts for outdoor equipment storage.
• A grant to the Savannah Book Festival to supply guest authors’ books to schools.
• Funds to the Nurse Navigator Program of St. Joseph/Candler for those undergoing cancer treatments.
• Funds to Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Skidaway Chapter for restocking fish in Landings’ lagoons and supporting the Kids’ Fishing Derby.,
• Funds to The Landings Garden Club for signs.
• A grant to Skidaway Audubon to build the first tower for migrating Swifts and to erect a trailside kiosk.
• Funds to the Marines Toys for Tots campaign by sponsoring the Golf Cart Parade.
• A grant to the volunteer firemen at Skidaway Division of Chatham Fire for rescue equipment.
• Funds to Bethesda Academy to build an outdoor class/event pavilion. 
• Funds to Wilderness Southeast to purchase six kayaks for safety and marsh ecology programs and the Fish Gotta Swim environmental education program for students.

“We also have groups that provide community service by volunteering to do such things as making casseroles for Safe Shelter, packing food for Second Harvest, and organizing the Causeway Cleanup group who you see picking up trash on the roadside to keep our community clean,” Forbes said. “None of this would be possible without our dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to make our community better, not only here on the island, but in the larger Savannah community, as well.” 

Forbes said The Landings is such a wonderful and unique place to live because there are so many generous people who volunteer their time and energy to provide financial support for the community and beyond.

“Volunteerism is infectious,” Forbes said. “We often get people to join because they see the fun that their friends are having working the Flea Market, doling out hot chocolate at the tiki bar after the Golf Cart Parade, or ringing the bell during the Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive. We also volunteer to participate in events like Games Day, when we gather our friends for a day of game playing or touring the fabulous homes on our biennial Tour of Homes. There’s something for everyone and that inspires people to volunteer.”

Landings Resident Maryce Cunningham agrees that volunteering with Landlovers is a wonderful experience and one she highly recommends to others.

“I was introduced to The Landings Landlovers at a new resident reception shortly after moving to The Landings in 2012,” she said. “It sounded like an interesting and exciting organization that would help me learn about the community, contribute to the area, and meet new people. Through Landlovers, I was able to become involved immediately and find a place in my forever home. Over the years, I have had the honor of serving as Secretary of the Board, chairing the Flea Market for two years, and being a member and Chair of the Landlovers Community Service Merit Award and Scholarship Committee. In those years, Landlovers has grown a huge membership, added a myriad of new activities, raised an incredible amount of money for charities serving the area, and given participants an opportunity to learn, serve, and have fun. Landlovers is truly an organization with a heart of gold and a finger on the pulse of our community, offering something for everyone. I congratulate the Landlovers Foundation for being recognized as The Landings Association’s Volunteer Organization of the Year! God bless you all and keep up the good work!”

Landings Association General Manager/COO Karl Stephens said The Landings is fortunate to have such dedicated and giving volunteers like Landlovers Foundation, Inc.

“The community today is what it is because of its long history of volunteerism, Stephens said. “Today’s volunteers not only are important to what is going on right now in our community, but they are expressing commitment to the future of the community as well. The positive work they do will be here for future Landings generations to benefit from down the road.”

Landings President Bill Bina shares Stephens’ sentiments and agrees that Landlovers Foundation, Inc. is most deserving of the Volunteer Group of the Year designation.

“There are so many people who do so much on this island,” Bina said. “Our community is extremely fortunate to have such generous, caring people who not only are concerned about the well-being of our community today but its future well-being. Landlovers Foundation, Inc. is a fine example of the giving spirit of The Landings, and I congratulate them on receiving this honor.”

For more information about Landlovers Foundation, Inc., or to learn how you can become a member of Landings Landlovers and join the fun, email Laurie Redmond (Landloversmembershipdirector@gmail.com) or visit landingslandlovers.com.