Girls Gone Folly and The Drop In team up to support local nonprofit Waves 4 Women
by Lorne Chambers | Editor
A local clothing brand, a longtime Folly Beach watering hole, and a nonprofit born in the waves off the island are joining forces next month for a party with a purpose.
Girls Gone Folly and The Drop In Deli & Bar will host a special fundraising event Friday, Sept. 18, celebrating the release of a limited-edition collaboration T-shirt benefiting Waves 4 Women.
The partnership began after Girls Gone Folly co-founders Katie Kuhn and Savanna Williams connected with The Drop In co-owner Kristina Ogden.
“Being Folly enthusiasts, we were lucky enough to cross paths with Kristina of The Drop In,” Williams said. “She approached us with the idea of doing a collaboration to support a local nonprofit, and we immediately jumped at the idea.”
“I’ve been seeing Girls Gone Folly merch around, and Savanna and Katie have always been so supportive of The Drop In, so I reached out about teaming up,” Ogden said. “Since they create such fun gear centered around this community, it felt right to make it meaningful — raising money for Waves 4 Women, which supports local women through surf therapy and connection. Folly wouldn’t be what it is without this community, and this is our way of giving back.”
The evening will include the debut of the new Girls Gone Folly x The Drop In shirt, a 50/50 raffle, and a specialty Tito’s-sponsored cocktail. One hundred percent of net profits from shirt sales will go to Waves 4 Women, with proceeds from the specialty drink also benefiting the Folly Beach-based nonprofit.
Girls Gone Folly began as a passion project for Kuhn and Williams, two self-described “beach-loving gals” drawn to Folly’s eclectic personality and laid-back lifestyle. What started as a collection of playful trucker hats has since expanded into what the founders call “Folly-wear,” a beach-inspired clothing and lifestyle brand centered around the island and its community.
Giving back is part of the brand’s mission, with Kuhn and Williams looking for opportunities to support the organizations and events that give Folly its distinctive character. For this collaboration, Waves 4 Women seemed like a natural fit.
“Waves 4 Women was the perfect match,” Kuhn said. “We could all use surf therapy in our life. There are so many components to their work, and we encourage you to attend their sessions and find out more. We are excited to bring the community together, have some fun, and support a good cause!”
Waves 4 Women traces its beginnings to a simple observation in the water off Folly Beach. Its founders spotted another female surfer confidently navigating the waves and began thinking about the challenges women can face entering a sport traditionally dominated by men.
From that idea grew a nonprofit that uses surfing to help women and girls build confidence, connections, and a sense of belonging.
Waves 4 Women describes its approach as “surf therapy,” combining professional surf instruction with wellness education and mindfulness. Rather than simply teaching participants how to catch a wave, the program uses the ocean as a classroom where participants can discover their strengths while being supported by a community of other women.
The Sept. 18 event brings those different pieces of Folly together under one roof, pairing the island’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit with its connection to the ocean and a little Friday-night fun.
