Bluffton Middle School receives donation for landscaping

Bluffton Middle School recently received a donation from a local orthodontic office to rejuvenate its landscaping.

Dr. Jim Maginnis, of Maginnis Orthodontics, donated $4,999 to the school and was presented a plaque at the Beaufort County school board's May 17 meeting for his contribution.

Maginnis said he has several patients who are students of Bluffton Middle School. He was contacted by the parent-teacher organization about the project and then presented a proposal. He reviewed it, checked out the school and met with the principal.

"I saw that it was a fantastic school - great architecture, beautiful campus, the teachers take pride in their classrooms, the kids are great - but the exterior of the campus was lacking," he said.

Maginnis said he saw plants comparable to Charlie Brown's Christmas tree.

"I looked at this as opportunity for us to help out with the school," Maginnis said.

Rose Dhu Nursery placed bushes and herb gardens, and filled all the planters around the school. Maginnis said the goal was to place low-maintenance, long-lasting plants that would improve the look of the campus.

"Everything was set up for success," Maginnis said.

Maginnis has also donated $2,000 to H.E. McCracken Middle School for a garden project, marketing director Stacy McClellan said. That work has not been completed, but it will be a "special project," McClellan said.

The project will be a focal, soothing area for studying on campus, Maginnis said.

"During that awkward time that is middle school, any little bit that can help make things easier, less stressful the better," he said. "Great landscaping can help the appearance of the school, make it more palatable and make the learning experience that much richer."

Maginnis, a Charleston native, has been practicing in the area since 2001. He opened an office on Hilton Head Island in 2002 and added a Bluffton location in 2006. He said he has been open to new sponsorships and ways to help the community.

"When you give back to the community, you are rewarded in many ways from impacting a couple people to an entire community," he said.

"Plus, you can get a little publicity, too, while you're at it. But the bigger thing is that your money you spend goes directly to supporting the project that you decide on. I'm not contributing money to an executive board. I know that my money is going directly to this (project)."