24th annual Candler Clays benefitting Advancements in Cancer Care to be held February 20-21, 2026

Presented by JE Dunn Construction, Candler Clays is an annual two-day event combining a charity live auction and reception on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 at The Palmetto Club and a charity clay shooting competition followed by a Lowcountry Boil at the Forest City Gun Club on Saturday, Feb. 21.

The 2025 Candler Clays Charity Shoot and Auction raised a record-breaking $307,220. Since inception, this event has raised more than $2.7 million to support Advancements in Cancer Care at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion. 

If you have any questions or would like to be involved in this year’s Candler Clays please contact the Foundations office at 912-819-8683 or use the link below to register a team, purchase raffle tickets or make a Fund-A-Need donation. 

Sign up now or make a donation today

Purchase your Golden Tickets here

This year's Candler Clays Honoree, DeDe Cargill

DeDe was born and raised in Charlotte, NC, and earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of South Carolina. There, she met and married Savannah native, Sam Cargill. In 2026, they will celebrate 55 years together.

DeDe spent much of her career as a small-business lender, managing loan portfolios for economic development organizations in South Carolina. In 2000, she joined a bank in Hilton Head, financing growing companies in need of real estate, equipment and working capital.

In August 2004, DeDe faced a life-changing diagnosis of advanced colon cancer requiring immediate surgery. After several weeks in the PCU, she returned home and began a clinical trial for a new chemotherapy regimen. During her 12 rounds of chemotherapy, DeDe read about St. Joseph’s/Candler distributing pedometers to employees to encourage exercise. Determined to fight back against treatment side effects, she began walking daily—eventually reaching 10,000 steps a day and even walking to her chemo appointments. Inspired, she celebrated her one-year survivorship by donating 100 pedometers to fellow patients. Due to strong patient response, she donated hundreds more and, in 2006, founded Every Step Counts, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) funded initially by her and Sam. Over its 13 years, the organization distributed thousands of pedometers across Savannah’s oncology practices and hosted monthly survivor walks.

Active in the survivor community, DeDe volunteered weekly in the chemo room, helped establish the Cancer Transitions survivorship program at LCRP, and in 2008 was appointed to the SJ/C Institutional Review Board to offer a crucial patient perspective. She also proposed a 5K to promote colon cancer screening, leading to Savannah’s first Get Your Rear in Gear race in 2012, which nearly 1,000 people attended. After a brief pause during COVID, the 2025 event marked the 10th race. All funds raised support colon cancer screenings for uninsured and underinsured community members — every dollar raised locally stays local.

Today, DeDe enjoys photography and sporting clays. A longtime member of the Lowcountry Annie Oakleys, she frequently donates her photography to nonprofit events. In 2022, she won the Women’s High Overall award and photographed the shooting teams.

Above all, DeDe cherishes time with Sam and their family. Their daughter Kathleen lives in Savannah with her husband, Wells Anderson, and their son, Sam. Their son Paul lives in Charleston with his wife, Amanda, and their children, Katie and Thompson.

 

Our Sponsors

Contact Us for More Information

For more information about giving opportunities for the St. Joseph’s/Candler Foundations, please call 912-819-8683. We look forward to talking with you. Thank you for your interest in supporting us so that we can ensure that our community continues to have access to the very best healthcare services, technology and programs available.

If you’d simply like our mailing address, please send any written communications or designated contributions to:

St. Joseph's/Candler Foundations
Heart & Lung Building
5356 Reynolds Street, Suite 400
Savannah, GA 31405