News Release

Town of Hilton Head Island Logo

Local Citizens Receive Honored Islander Awards in Recognition of Their Community Service

September 21, 2022

Congratulations to Steve Alfred, Mark O’Neil, Garrett Simons, and Bruce Siebold on receiving the Hilton Head Island Mayor’s Honored Islander Award for their volunteerism.

"When considering what makes our wonderful Island so great, the first thing that comes to mind is our people. This is because it takes a lot of dedication to step up and volunteer your time" said Mayor John McCann. "The Town would like thank each of these honorees for their dedication and devotion to our Island, and for going above and beyond to make our community better for everyone who calls Hilton Head Island home."

Steve Alfred
On Hilton Head Island, Sea Pines is a beautiful place to visit, spend time with family, and admire the local wildlife. This area is important to our Island, and it takes passionate individuals like Steve Alfred to help it thrive. Steve has lived on the Island for over 19 years and dedicates his free time to help the community by participating in different volunteer opportunities. To make a difference, he served as a chair of the task force for the CSA Sea Pines Committee on Safety & Maintenance. During his time on the CSA committee, he initiated numerous positive projects such as leisure trail safety. He served as a member of several Town committees and was active with the Kickin' Asphalt Bicycle Club, for which he voluntarily served as president from 2015 to 2019. Steve advocated for and continues to promote bike safety through his Involvement with the Hilton Head Island Bicycle Advisory Committee.

Mark O’Neil
When it comes to bringing state-of-the-art medical care to our Island, Mark O’Neil's efforts stand out. As a local hospital CEO, he brought top-of-the-line equipment and highly trained surgeons for orthopedic and back operations to Hilton Head Hospital. During the COVID-19 outbreak, he helped form an alliance between the Town, Hilton Head Hospital, and Volunteers in Medicine to coordinate activities related to the pandemic. His dedication to improving the Island's medical care will continue to make a difference for our local communities. Mark's involvement doesn't just revolve around healthcare. As a community leader and resident, he has stepped up to serve on numerous committees and boards including the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Board, the United Way of the Lowcountry Board, the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island Board, the Palmetto Dunes COA Board, the Town’s Planning Commission, and the Greater Island Council.

Garrett Simons
You're never too young to make a difference. Sixteen-year-old Garrett Simons is certainly proof of this. Despite the demands of his high school workload and a part-time job, Garrett still finds time to give back. He has spent much of his spare time volunteering with Pockets Full of Sunshine and at Bayshore, where he helps elderly residents better adapt to and use technology. Simon's good deeds have had lasting positive impacts on those he has helped.

Bruce Siebold
This Island thrives because of dedicated individuals that want to see change. Bruce Siebold is one of these individuals. He accomplished many years of service with the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island. During his term as President, he led the club into fiscal responsibility with an abundance of visionary service activities. He served 11 years as a member of the council at St. Andrew By-the-Sea United Methodist Church and holds a long history of service with the Town’s Planning Commission. Bruce values local events and provides support to the RBC Heritage Golf Tournament, where he has helped with ticket sales and other duties.

About the Mayor's Honored Islander Award Program
The Mayor's Honored Islander Award Program publicly recognizes Hilton Head Island residents who make a significant sacrifice of their time, talents and/or resources, to better the community without compensation or significant public or media attention. A committee of individuals appointed by the mayor reviews nominations and selects individuals to receive the award. Anyone or any organization may nominate individuals for the award. For more information or for a nomination form, visit https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/mayor/honoredislander.cfm.


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Contact
Carolyn Grant, Communications Director
843-341-4618
CarolynG@hiltonheadislandsc.gov