Crowns of Corona
June 2020 Issue
By Rinsha Ballani
Over the past two months, our world has shifted; we are adapting to a new way of life,
which can be difficult for many. During this pandemic, however, there are numerous women
in this bold, beautiful community of ours who have stepped forward to selflessly and
creatively serve others. They are women who give with their whole hearts,
expecting nothing in return, and are among the many who have
made the difference we all need right now.
Here’s to everyone out there who has helped in their own way.
Here are just a few of the many, many women who have been Lowcountry Crowns of Corona:
Karen Jensen Filik
Bluffton, SC
Karen has been creating beautiful little offerings out of oyster shells, leaving them around her community of Moss Creek for others to find. She has created several hundred of them over the course of the last two months, and even made oyster shells for Easter! Neighbors have been walking and biking, eagerly looking to find a treasure to keep!
Donne Paine
Hilton Head Island, SC
Donne is a travel medicine nurse who lost her job due to the pandemic. Learning about how masks can prevent the spread of the virus, she immediately got to work to make masks by hand and distribute them for free to anyone she came across who wasn’t wearing a mask, with a note of how to contact her if they wanted more. Since the pandemic started, Donne has made more than 500 masks in total.
Leah Fotia McCarthy
Bluffton, SC
Leah is the creator of the Hungry Heart Campaign—a worker relief fund built to serve hospitality workers, who have lost work throughout Bluffton, Beaufort, and Hilton Head Island free lunches and dinners. Over 18,000 meals have been provided and more than $130,000 has been spent at local restaurants over the past two months!
Catherine Keith Donaldson
Bluffton, SC
Catherine began a GoFundMe due to her passion to support the youngest students in Beaufort County. Knowing children in Pre-K through 1st grade were sent home without technological devices to connect to their teachers and classes, she began raising money to provide them with these tools. Over $28,000 has been raised to provide several hundred kindles to schools across Beaufort County.
Heather Price
Bluffton, SC
Heather began the “Bluffton/Hilton Head Ask and Answer” Facebook page several years ago, and it has always served as one of the biggest resources to connect the community during hardships. Without compensation, she works hand-in-hand with local law enforcement agencies and town officials to provide accurate and timely information to the community, especially during this uncertain time.
Stephanie Oliveira Nazzaro
Bluffton, SC
Stephanie is the Assistant Director at The Cypress. While her duty is to be the supervisor of those who provide direct service to the residents, she works tirelessly to care for them. She personally manages their appointments, does grocery shopping, provides hands-on direct care for them and their pets, and goes above and beyond to do anything it takes to take care of them, right beside her employees.