Sugar Daddy, the band that entertained at MIRCI’S 25th Annual Low Country Shrimp Boil, includes Bobby Bluffington from Pawley Island on banjo, Rep. James Smith on bass, John Emerson on vocals, and Robert Key on guitar. MIRCI, the Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc., is a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide community based services to individuals recovering from mental illness or emotional disorders in the Midlands through counseling, housing and financial management services.

Some of MIRCI’s programs include the Homeless Recovery Center, a drop–in center in downtown Columbia for homeless individuals with mental illness and substance abuse issues; Home- Base, a housing program for homeless individuals and families who need intensive services; and the Friendship Center, a counseling and peer support program that focuses on developing skills to help individuals cope with and recover from their illnesses.

Dianne Miller and Dr. Dee Taylor This past Thursday night, MIRCI staff, board members, clients, and community volunteers joined efforts to host the 25th Annual Low Country Shrimp Boil to raise funds for MIRCI’s housing and homeless programs.

Kemper Wilson, of Columbia, has cooked his own low country shrimp boil for this event for the last 20 years. The meal is a tasty combination of shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, potatoes and onions with spicy shrimp seasoning. This year they prepared 291 meals and served 200 people through the drive through and on the grounds of their facility on Rosewood Drive.

Musical entertainment was added to the evening by Sugar Daddy, a band that has played numerous times for this event. Bobby Buffington from Pawley’s Island, John Emerson from Charleston, Robert Key of Columbia, and Rep. James Smith are local professionals who play music together as a hobby.

The event was sponsored by Long’s Drugs of SC.

For more information about MIRCI, call 786-1844 or visit their website at www.mirci.org.