This Is Carolina: Grand Strand service organization gifts inspirational message to youth

LITTLE RIVER, SC (WMBF) - You matter. Two small words that pack a powerful punch.

“I just thought what a perfect message for these kids to see that because I’m guessing all too often they don’t see that in their lives,” said Peggy Foutz, membership chair for the Kiwanis Club of Little River-North Myrtle Beach.

Foutz volunteers for the Kiwanis Club, a global organization that’s dedicated to helping children in their community. Their chapter serves a monthly dinner at Sea Haven for Youth, a nonprofit that provides a temporary safe place for those in a crisis. It also is a provider of the Safe Place program, where if children see a yellow diamond sign on a building, they know they can get help immediately.

“When we saw the mission of what they were doing for these kids, our hearts were touched,” she said.

But, Foutz said her chapter wanted to do even more for Sea Haven for Youth.

“One of the things that I enjoy most about life is making connections,” said Foutz.

She decided to connect with her friend, Heather Suerdieck, who owns Inside/Out Coaching LLC near Dayton, Ohio. She is a life and leadership coach who helps people grow personally and professionally. Suerdieck also promotes the You Matter Movement, a project that gives the youth bracelets and a card that’s linked to an inspirational video.

“That just coincides so perfectly with what we’re doing with the youth here, too,” said Kate Tierney, volunteer coordinator at Sea Haven for Youth. “We are trying to build up their self-confidence and let them know they are worthy of dignity and respect. That people do care, and they are worthy of that care.”

Tierney said she loved the idea and happily accepted a big box of bracelets during a Kiwanis Club meeting.

“We’ll never know what they’ll take from us, but we do know they take a lot, and that will come back and support them later,” said Tierney.

Tierney said they’re even incorporating the inspirational video into their daily routine and will pass out the special gift when it’s time for the children to leave.

“It’s just amazing what people want to do to help once they know what our mission is and how easy it is to help,” she said.

Foutz hopes the bracelets will serve as a positive reminder for those who are struggling or are in tough situations.

“There are people that care about you. People that you never know that you may never meet, but there are people that care about you in life,” she said. “They just need to know that Kiwanis cares for them.”

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