Columbia, March 22, 2019 — The S.C. Natural Resources Board, the policy-making body of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), met Friday, March 22rd, 2019 in Columbia. During the meeting, the Hampton Wildlife Fund presented the agency with a check for $150,000 to be used for state-wide projects during 2019. The total donated to SCDNR by the Hampton Wildlife Fund over the years now stands at $3,802,605.

The Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund, Inc. (Hampton Wildlife Fund, HWF) is a private, non-profit corporation which partners with SCDNR for the promotion of natural resources and natural resource education, which benefits the conservation of wildlife, marine and other resources in South Carolina. Funds are obtained solely through private donations and special promotional projects and fundraising events. Although some of the funds raised are donated to special projects run by  SCDNR, they are not used to replace any of the department’s programs already supported by state appropriated money.

“Our primary mission is to raise private funds to support SCDNR in their role as stewards of South Carolina’s vast and precious natural resources and to be a partner in the agency’s educational efforts,” said HWF board chair Deidre Menefee of Wadmalaw Island. “Palmetto State citizens have been very generous in helping us fund SCDNR’s great work here,” said HWF executive director Jim Goller of Beaufort and an SCDNR retiree.”

Public education of wildlife and marine resources management and conservation is a major thrust of the fund’s purpose. Scholarships are annually awarded to South Carolina resident students who attend in-state institutions of higher learning to major in wildlife, fisheries, forestry, biology, zoology, marine science, environmental science or related fields, with one awarded annually in the field of law enforcement/criminal justice and one in the field of journalism. Since 1995, The Hampton Wildlife Fund has awarded $509,800 in scholarships to S.C. students.

Other projects supported and funded by the Hampton Wildlife Fund include:

* Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic
* Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower Project
* Jocassee Gorges Visitors Center Educational Displays
* SCDNR Shotgun and Archery Shooting Sports in Schools Programs
* Operation Game Thief
* Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs Youth Fishing Rodeos
* Take One Make One Youth Mentoring Program
* Aquatic Education Program
* Marine Education Program *Educational Vessel Discovery
* Tiger Shark Research and Tagging in Port Royal and St. Helena Sounds
* DNR Land, Water and Conservation Envirothon
* Camp Wildwood
* Bruce Rush Artificial Reef
* S.C. Memorial Deepwater Reef Project
* Bruce Rush Pavilion and Youth Archery Range, Anne Close Springs Greenway

Find out more about the Hampton Wildlife Fund by visiting hamptonwildlifefund.org or  on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/harryhamptonfund/.