Spirit of the Island Award Recipient: Susan Hill Smith
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The Spirit of the Island Award is a prestigious award that recognizes an individual or an organization that has made significant contributions to the well-being of the Isle of Palms. The award honors an individual or organization’s remarkable single achievement or community service and volunteerism.
Susan Hill Smith, leader and co-founder of the Isle of Palms Cleanup Crew, was awarded the Spirit of the Island Award during a City Council meeting on October 24, 2023. She was recognized for her dedication to preserving the island's natural beauty through the efforts of the Cleanup Crew.
The Cleanup Crew, founded in 2018, uses volunteer power to keep the coast clean, protect natural ecosystems and public health, document litter data, and help solve the pollution crisis. The crew engages volunteers throughout Isle of Palms and the Lowcountry and holds more than 40 litter clean-ups each year.
During the meeting, Smith emphasized how instrumental her team and various partners have been in making clean-up efforts successful.