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Volume 21 • Issue 4
FREE
July 25, 2025
First Responders on Seabrook Island recognized for saving a life By Theresa Stratford The mayor of Seabrook Island and Town Council members always knew they had great emergency services with the St. Johns Fire District and the island’s highly responsive beach patrol team with Barrier Island Ocean Rescue. Still, sometimes a serious incident occurs that gives everyone that much-needed reminder of just how fortunate the island is to have these professionals. They got that reminder when members of the fire district and beach patrol responded to an incident on June 11. What started as a normal day turned traumatic when a call for chest pain came in. Dispatched to the scene were members of the St. Johns Fire District and the Barrier Island Ocean Rescue team. The first responders found the victim’s wife performing CPR. (Continued on page 2)
Photo Courtesy of Seabrook Island. Left to right: Engineer Baxley Crosby, Firefighter Tim Holt, Firefighter Nick Olson, Mayor Kleinman, Dwight Philips and family, Beach Patrol Charles Cheves, Paramedic Specialist Brittany Umphress, and Captain Chris Mitchell.
Photo by Gina Sanders. Courtesy of SIPC.
Local Officials support Seabrook Island Photography Club By Theresa Stratford Capturing the beauty of Seabrook Island through photography is a worthwhile hobby and pastime for many residents. It isn’t hard to find a photographic view or a picturesque scene. From nature to wildlife, there is an award-winning photograph waiting to happen every day. Luckily, Seabrook Island Town Council appreciates the beauty of where they live and helps to preserve it through photographs. That’s why when the Seabrook Island Photography Club applied for a $1,200 grant, it was unanimously approved. Bill Breunsbach, treasurer for the club, presented at the meeting. He said that they are a group of 60 photographers who do monthly presentations and other educational events. They are the photographers for island-wide events like July 4th celebrations, local races, and the Memorial Day event, among others. (Continued on page 6)
Remembering Lucky Dog Publishing graphic designer Swan Richards
Left to right: Lynn Pierotti; Brooklyn; Swan Richards; and Ellie Gray Smith, James Island Charter High School News Editor. 2011.
By Lynn Pierotti Swan Richards, longtime graphic designer at Lucky Dog Publishing, died Tuesday night, July 15, after a short battle with cancer. Richards joined The Island Eye News 17 years ago as the company’s first intern from Trident Technical College after deciding to change careers later in life — and she never left. She became the company’s longest-tenured employee and loved the work we did. Richards moved to Costa Rica, and later to Panama a few years ago, to pursue her dream of starting a dog sanctuary and providing spaying and neutering services for the street dogs she encountered. She continued to design The Island Eye News and The Island Connection remotely, often dashing from her home to coffee shops and internet cafés to stay connected. She regularly donated her services to causes she believed in. She never charged charities, churches, environmental groups or animal advocates for building ads or designing logos. She (Continued on page 6)