Laid back charity offers good time for good cause

Few things are finer than a summer evening spent on an island with a view of scenic coastal marshes. The fourth annual Flip Flop Ball, however, offers just that with an open buffet, open bar and live music to boot.

The real icing on the cake, or fixings on the pig in this case, is that all proceeds will benefit local nonprofit after school program for underprivileged children WINGS for Kids.

With a pig pickin' catered by Charleston Bay Gourmet and music by local band Two 3 Ways, which covers famous music from Jack Johnson to Marvin Gaye, the weather will be the only variable in the excitement equation — an issue which should be negated by the indoor/outdoor facilities at Goldbug Island.

"Goldbug Island is such a great spot in the summer," said Liz Mester, a management fellow at WINGS for Kids since 2007. "It's one of those places that you just can't believe you live here."

WINGS for Kids, founded by Ginny Deerin in 1996, has served over 1,300 children at Memminger and Chicora Elementary Schools and prides itself on giving those it serves a positive set of life skills.

"We're the only after school program in the whole U.S. that's focused solely on social and emotional learning," Mester said.

By having children who are growing up in poverty attend the program, which is run by highly trained staff members, five days a week for about 3 hours a day, WINGS helps kids learn how to behave well, make good decisions, and build healthy relationships. Though academics is only one of three parts of the daily program, the children show measurable success and improvement in their classes: 100 percent of Wings kids passed core subjects; 95 percent got C or higher in reading; 91 percent got C or higher in math.

The accomplishment of the program, which has received "best practice" recognition from The Academy for Educational Development, Washington, D.C., has actually lead to its expansion and a comprehensive 5-year Flight Plan. Some of the proceeds from the Flip Flop Ball will help the organization open up a new site at North Charleston Elementary School in 2010.

"Especially during hard economic times, when most nonprofits are closing down or letting people go, it's remarkable that we're going to move forward and get bigger," Mester said.

The programming is completely free for all of the children who attend, who are selected based on greatest need. Individuals donate the largest percentage of funds WINGS for Kids runs on, at 48 percent in 2008. In past years the Flip Flop Ball has neared, but never reached, its 400-person capacity. The event is for ages 21 and up, and tickets can be purchased in advance for $35 at www.wingsforkids.org or Poe's on Sullivan's Island, or for $40 at the door.

"It's anything and everything," George Hill, the event's coordinator, said of the attire. "That's one of the reasons we gave it its name. It's very casual and you can wear anything: sundresses, shorts, flip-flops."