Be A Part of the Change!

Join our family and the foundation in striving to make every day count by reducing our daily inward focus on our own problems, worries, and insecurities, and instead to broaden our vision and focus. By deepening our awareness of others we can lift up, share light, love, and impact lives within our community. We hope to disrupt an ever-growing divisive and isolated culture in our community and instead offer opportunities for human connection, kindness, safety and care. We believe that we all have more in common than we do in differences!

Our Projects:

Graduation Gift Bags

Each year the graduates of Wando High School will receive the following inspiration on how to make every day count by how they lift up others, love fresh each day, and live their lives as a balcony person rather than a basement person. They read how to not just achieve but to begin their lasting legacy in life.

Message to Wando Graduates:

Happy Graduation! This bracelet, sticker and graduation message of EVERY DAY COUNTS LIFT ‘EM UP are gifts to you from the Brody Reynolds Balcony Foundation. As you move forward from Wando High School and branch out on your own path in life, it is essential to have consistent reminders nearby that help you remain on the path you choose and live an intentional life of your choosing. of what you- because life has many ways of disrupting things and confusing us all along the way.

These bracelets and stickers were inspired by the life and daily ways of Brody Reynolds, a member of the 2024 Wando graduating class who tragically lost his life in a car accident just months before graduation. Brody, and one of his best friends, both wore a bracelet like this every day and it has sparked a mission to share this motto with others because we all struggle and need more people to reach out, connect, help, listen, and make sure others do not feel alone.

As you step forward, it is very easy and normal to place your sights on acquiring money, titles, recognition, and status - but these things are not capable of creating a lasting impact from your time in this world. The EVERY DAY COUNTS- LIFT ‘EM UP message is here as a daily reminder for you to keep your focus on what does make a lasting impact from your life- which is how you choose to treat / carry yourself AND how you love, connect with, and show up for those around you.

Money is what you can gain, status is what you can have- but how you carry yourself and others, that will speak for who you are and impact how you will be remembered.

Brody’s family found his bracelet to be so ironic for someone who lost their life so young, but Brody truly did live his life by this motto. It was not just in his fun, you only live once sort of way of always being down for packing the most fun into each day with school, work, fishing, surfing, lacrosse, parties, rope swings, basketball, and trips to Cookout, Cane’s, and Comeback Shack. It was much more. Brody truly excelled at making every day count by how he treated people.

Brody was instantly remembered by how he loved, his light that shined on others, how he took joy in making people smile, passing out hugs, telling them he loved them, making others feel welcome and that they mattered, and helping folks out whenever needed. He made every day count by how he took joy in simple things like a great wave, playing or cuddling with his dog, the perfect smashburger, hyping up someone else’s accomplishment, a beautiful summer day for fun, someone being really nice to him, or being there to help anyone. He listened, he spoke truth even if it wasn’t what someone wanted to hear, he believed in others, treated everyone as equals as much as possible, and truly cared about others being ok in this world.

Brody also instinctively sought out those who were alone, outcast, shy, and unsure. However, he wouldn’t just ask them to sit or come along- he made them feel that they belonged right there by the simplest acts of kindness.

**** There are 2 things Brody’s family and the foundation would like for you to take away from this message in addition to the bracelet and sticker:

When Brody was 5 years old and he was crying, his mother told him that he was her hero in how he came in to this world just so happy to be here but really by how he LOVED FRESH each day. Despite what happened the day before, he woke up with so much love and really worked out grudges so that the day could be happy.

*Each morning, try to wake up and LOVE FRESH- it is hard but it can change your whole day and someone else’s day!

Brody’s mother also told him (and his siblings) to remember that there are two types of people in this world – BALCONY PEOPLE and BASEMENT PEOPLE. She said, “Brody, always be a balcony person and spend your life lifting others up – never, ever become a basement person who spends their lives pulling others down to as low as they feel. Also, make sure to keep yourself in that balcony by surrounding yourself with other balcony people who will lift you up.

*Strive to be a balcony person and always extend a smile, a hand, an ear, invitation- whatever is needed to lift up others.

EVERY DAY COUNTS by how you LIFT ‘EM UP as a BALCONY PERSON in this world!

Bear Drive

The day Brody passed, his mother called the principal of Wando High School and asked for his help. She told him how someone brought a stuffed bear and it was ironic because that is what she always called Brody, she called him "Bear" "Bear bear" or "Brody Bear" and she realized that Brody would not want everyone at school to remember him by being sad but to instead remember him by spreading love and hugs as he would in those halls. She asked if they could do a bear drive to give bears to local children's charities and spread hugs to children in the region who are very much in need of a good bear hug. He kindly said yes and before it was even announced publicly the next morning social media posts were already popping up asking for Brody Bears. By the time it was all said and done, thousands of bears were collected not just by Wando High School but also from Lucy Beckham High School, Philip Simmons High School, Bishop England High School, Charleston Southern University, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Lowcountry Yoga, Mt Pleasant Fit Body Boot Camp, Ole Miss along with hundreds of people from other states who knew Brody and wither sent bears to Charleston or collected bears and delivered them to children's charities in their own towns.

Organizational Recipients
of Brody Bears

PATH FINDERS TEAM SERVICES

LOWCOUNTRY ORPHAN RELIEF

THE NAVIGATION CENTER

SC DSS ADOPTION

HOOPS CHILDRENS HOSPITAL

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

LANDMARKS FOR FAMILIES

MUSC CHILDRENS

N. CHAS. POLICE

KEEPERS OF THE WILD

CHILDREN'S OF MISSISSIPPI

BRACELETS & STICKERS

WEAR & SHARE - remind yourself and others to make Every Day Count by how you impact the world being a balcony person and Lifting Up others! Surround yourself with folks that remind you how much you matter and go out with awareness to see, hear, and connect with those around you!

Current locations of bins with
Brody Reynolds Balcony Foundation stickers, bracelets, and cards:

(This list may need updated for the complete listing of locations.)

Community Table

148 Civitas St., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Fitbody Boot Camp

1113 Market Center Blvd b, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Parrot Surf & Skate

811 Coleman Blvd, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Burton Grill & Bar

1875 N Hwy 17, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

P.F. Changs

1885 N Hwy 17, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

SeeWee Restaurant

4808 N Hwy 17, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Tractor Supply

4765 N Hwy 17, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29429

The Archive Bookstore

700 S Shelmore Blvd Unit 103

Roots Hair Salon

700 S Shelmore Blvd Unit 100

Tres Palmas

700 S Shelmore Blvd Unite 102

Flying Biscuit

794 Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Beacon Bank

1210 Ben Sawyer Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Sweetgrass Hardware

3008 N Hwy 17, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466

Heather Bosse State Farm

2917 N Hwy 17, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466

Wholi Moli

920 Lauren Christian Dr., Barboursville, WV 25504

If you would like your business added to the list please contact us at 843-806-6432.

The Brody Reynolds Balcony Foundation.png

Scholarship

Please click on the SCHOLARSHIP icon on the Menu Bar for complete information and nomination links.

Be A Friend Like Bro Challenge

In the month of September challenge yourself to connect more with others.

Please consider honoring Bro by doing something kind toward someone - and if you really want a challenge make it a focus for yourself each day for 30 straight days! ❤️

**Make others smile or laugh really hard, lighten someone’s burdens with your light and love, share your time, and leave an impact that others feel included, important, seen, heard, that they matter, and it is safe for them to be themselves around you❤️ Serve others with your joy like Brody would have!

Brody Bears for Animal Rescue

Brody Reynolds Balcony Foundation has partnered with the animal rescue organization, Keepers of the Wild, to carry out our mission of making our days count by lifting up others - even when "others" means little animal lives.

Once we were made aware of the developmental and life-saving benefits of providing teddy bears for rescued and/or injured animals, we knew that this was a mission that would make Brody proud!

** Email us if you would like to donate used teddy bears to lift up these little lives!

How teddy bears help rescue animals

Provide comfort and security: Orphaned and traumatized animals often need a source of security, and a stuffed animal can fill the role of a surrogate mother, helping them feel safe and less alone.
Help with emotional recovery: The emotional comfort from a teddy bear is just as crucial as physical care, providing a sense of warmth and stability during a stressful time.
Aid in physical development: For some animals, like the orphaned kangaroo joey Doodlebug, the teddy bear became a constant companion as he grew stronger and explored his environment.
Are used across many species: This reliance on stuffed animals is not limited to one type of animal. Rescued animals from various species, including kangaroos, kittens, lambs, and wallabies, have shown a strong attachment to their plush toys.