Aloha, Seabrook!

On By SIPOAIn Activities, Lake House

Lei’d Back & Loving it: The 2026 Property Owners Luau

The Seabrook Island Property Owners Luau has blossomed into one of our community’s cherished traditions. What started as a welcoming gathering for new residents has grown into a beloved annual celebration open to all Property Owners 21 and older. Now part of SIPOA’s signature events alongside the Oyster Roast, July 4th festivities, and Tree Lighting, the Luau beautifully captures the spirit of aloha right here on our island, fostering friendships, creating memories, and reminding us why we love calling Seabrook Island home.

Last year’s expanded Luau on the Lake House Lawn set a joyful new standard, drawing over 600 attendees. This year’s event on Saturday, May 23, carried forward that magic and made it even more special. From 4:00-7:00pm, the lawn came alive with the irresistible aroma of slow-roasted pork, the upbeat sounds of Tommy Brown Jr. and the Chucktown Players, and the easy flow of complimentary beer and wine. Property Owners arrived in colorful Hawaiian-inspired apparel, many sporting leis, their faces lit with smiles as they reconnected with old friends and welcomed new neighbors.

The 2026 Luau felt especially warm and vibrant. Perfect evening weather and the natural beauty of the Lake House setting created an unforgettable backdrop for laughter, great conversations, and that wonderful sense of belonging. Many attendees shared how much they truly appreciated the thoughtful touches. It was more than just a party, it was a heartfelt reminder of the strong community bonds that make Seabrook Island so unique.

A big mahalo to Nic Porter, Lake House Director; Hannah Rice, Lake House Manager, the Amenities & Activities committee, Lake House and Maintenance staff for serving, and all the dedicated volunteers whose hard work behind the scenes brought this special evening to life. Events like the Property Owners Luau are the heart of our community, and we can’t wait to gather again next year.

Here’s to many more summers filled with music, good food, and the joy of being together!

A special thank you to Alan & Sharlee Fink, Jeff Davis and the Seabrook Island Photography Club for these incredible photos!

Submitted by Michelle Wiedemuth, Amenities & Activities Chair

Engineering Intern Program 2026

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, Intern ProgramLeave a comment

This summer, SIPOA has two interns participating in the Engineering Intern Program. Maria Miller is a Biosystems Engineering student from Clemson University. She is excited to be here and is looking forward to seeing how classroom calculations and design are translated into real world stormwater solutions. Alex Arquette is a Johns Island native and recent graduate in Geography and Economics from the University of South Carolina. He is looking forward to applying his GIS skills to stormwater resiliency applications on Seabrook Island.

Maria and Alex will be working on updating SIPOA’s stormwater outfall maintenance program among other projects this summer. If you see them out on the island or in the marsh surveying, please welcome them to Seabrook Island!

ARC is All About That Green

On By SIPOAIn ARC

Synthetic Turf Lawn for Raised Patios

Over the years, various Property Owners, contractors, and synthetic turf salesmen and manufactures have presented many requests and a plethora of information to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) in hopes of having synthetic turf approved for use within the Seabrook Island Development (SID). While the multiple ARC members have seen and understood the desire to use synthetic turf in the past, setting the requirements, restrictions, and conditions to use proved difficult.

The ARC Policies and Procedures sub-committee have been meeting for months to review and refine the Policies and Procedures. During that review, one topic was synthetic turf – Do we allow it? If so, where, how much, etc.? After much discussion, the following was presented to the ARC for review. On May 5, 2026, this was approved by the ARC to be submitted to the Board of Directors, and was approved by the Board on May 18, 2026.

While we continue the process of updating the Policies and Procedures, this language will be referred to as Appendix T, and it will be found in the back of the Policies and Procedures document, which is available on the SIPOA website. Once the Policies and Procedures revisions are complete, this language will be incorporated into the document and will no longer be an Appendix.

If you have questions about the usage of synthetic turf for a future project, please contact the Architectural Review office at (843) 203-6464 or arc@sipoa.org.

APPENDIX T: SYNTHETIC TURF LAWN FOR RAISED PATIOS

Synthetic Turf Lawn for Raised Patios: Synthetic turf lawns are permitted in limited circumstances.

  • Synthetic turf lawn areas are to be located at the rear of the property, may not extend beyond the sides of the house or into the setbacks at the sides or rear of the house, and are not visible from the street.
  • The synthetic turf lawn area is to be elevated to a minimum of 18” above the average surrounding grade of the turf area.
  • Synthetic turf lawn is to be no more than 1% of the highland area of the lot.
  • Synthetic turf lawn is to be bordered on all exposed sides with a continuous, solid, opaque wall constructed of approved materials consistent with the design of the house and capped with a complimentary coping.
  • The pile of the synthetic turf is to be a minimum of 1.75” high with a thatch base.
  • Plantings shall be required to soften the appearance of the walls of the raised area, help it blend with the surrounding yard, and reduce visibility from the neighboring properties.

Be Water Wise

On By SIPOAIn Activities, Community Events, Pools, Volunteer

Making a Splash in Water Safety for Johns Island Kids

For 16 years, the Be Water Wise swim program – run by Waterproof Inc., has been opening the world of water to children from Johns Island. Since 2010, this free program has provided essential swim lessons and water safety training to local first-graders who might otherwise never learn how to swim. This May, seventy enthusiastic first-graders from Angel Oak Elementary School joined the 2026 swim camp at the SIPOA outdoor pool, discovering the joy and life-saving skills of swimming.

Despite unseasonably cold weather that limited the program to five training days instead of nine, the children made remarkable progress. Each day began with water safety instruction, followed by one-on-one coaching from dedicated volunteers. Many kids arrived having never been in a pool before, some hesitant even to get their faces wet. Through patient encouragement, they learned skills like “wall walking” around the pool and exiting unassisted. The shallow ends of Seabrook’s pool proved perfect for teaching small groups safely, while the nearby playground offered a fun waiting area.

This year, twenty certified coaches and five deck staff (including two Spanish interpreters) brought warmth and expertise to the program. All volunteers complete rigorous training, including CPR/AED certification, age-specific swim instruction, and youth protection courses. Many return year after year, describing the experience as incredibly rewarding. While cold water presented a challenge, the program’s impact remains powerful: learning to swim dramatically reduces drowning risk, and several past participants have returned years later to thank their coaches.

The partnership with SIPOA provides unique advantages: a safe, accessible teaching environment and strong community support that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere. As Waterproof Inc. looks ahead, the goal remains simple: continue serving local children for as long as the need exists. With SIPOA’s willingness to extend pool access and potential new facilities on Johns Island on the horizon, the future of Be Water Wise shines bright.

A heartfelt thank you to all the Seabrook Island volunteers, SIPOA staff, and community members who make this life-saving program possible. Together, we’re not just teaching children how to swim, we’re building confidence, creating opportunities, and keeping our Lowcountry kids safer for years to come.

Thank you to Maureen Healy and the Seabrook Island Photography Club for photos.

4th of July Events – 2026

On By SIPOAIn Activities, Holiday Events, Lake House

DAY 1 | Friday, July 3

4th of July Run/Walk

  • Start/Finish at the Lake House
  • 8:00am | 3.4 mile course
  • Cost to run/walk is $30
  • Event shirts are limited
  • Packet pickup on Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2
Register Here | 5k Run/Walk

Fireworks

  • Dusk | Seabrook Island Club Driving Range
  • Rain Date | Sunday, July 5
  • Courtesy of the Town of Seabrook Island

DAY 2 | Saturday, July 4

4th of July Parade

  • Set up by 9:00am | Parade begins at 9:30am
  • Bicycle riders line up in FRONT of parade
  • All truck participants must stay INSIDE the bed of the truck at all times.
  • Any vehicle allowed on Seabrook Island roads and can maintain a speed of 10 mph can participate.
  • Do not throw candy/items from vehicles.
  • Two Sections:
    • Dry section will set up at Lake House front lawn
    • Wet section will set up in the Seabrook Island Village area
Register Here | Parade

After-Parade FUN!

  • 10:30am – 12:30pm | Lake House front lawn
  • Jump Castle
  • Waterslide
  • Giant bubbles
  • Face painting

SJFD CPR Certification Class – 7/22/26

On By SIPOAIn Lake House

The St. Johns Fire Department offers 4 CPR/AED classes for SIPOA annually. These classes occur quarterly on Wednesdays from 9:00am – 12:00pm at the Lake House, Osprey 1.

This class is for SIPOA, TOSI, SIC Employees, Officers, Board and Committee members, and other residents to receive CPR certification.

Each class has a maximum participation number of 20. 

NEXT CPR CLASS OFFERING:

When: Wednesday, July 22
Where: Lake House, Osprey 1
Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm

REGISTER HERE

Stretch, Strengthen & Socialize

On By SIPOAIn Fitness, Lake House, Wellness

Stay active, build strength, and enjoy time with others in this welcoming group exercise class designed especially for our senior residents.

This class focuses on gentle, low-impact movements that support everyday activities – like getting up from a chair, reaching, bending, and improving balance while walking.

Through simple, guided exercises, you’ll build strength, increase flexibility, and enhance stability to help you move more confidently in your daily life.

All movements can be done at your own pace, with chair support available for added comfort and safety.

Whether your goal is to feel stronger, move more easily, or simply stay active in a social setting, this class is a great fit!

  • Where: Lake House, Live Oak Hall
  • Date/Time: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 1:15pm
    • May 26th – June 25
  • Cost: $80 for the full series ($10/class)
    This program is offered as a complete series to help you build strength and consistency over time.

Space is limited and registration is required.

Email sstrappelli@sipoa.org to register.

All Semi-Private Offerings