Ben and Hannah Felhofer

Making a Positive and Lasting Impact

story by MICAH PEPPERS          photos by TANYA LESHE’ PHOTOGRAPHY

The laid back ambiance of Beaufort offers its residents beauty, local shops, history, and charm, but there is one addition to the Lowcountry that the locals have come to know and love, and that’s the sound of freedom. More than 17,000 active duty military members and their families live in Beaufort. Many of them come and go, but one Marine Corps family has already positively impacted local students’ lives that will leave a lasting impression.
Captain Benjamin Felhofer, a United States Marine Corps fighter pilot, and his wife, Hannah, are not natives to Beaufort. They both grew up in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, meeting in middle school as they watched their older brothers play soccer together. Once Ben and Hannah reached high school, they officially became a couple.

In Ben’s freshmen year of high school, his friend’s older brother attended the United States Naval Academy, and Ben had the opportunity to tag along on a family visit. It was a unique experience and completely different than what he had imagined. “I had an idea of what the normal college experience was all about. I wanted something different.”

Upon graduation, Hannah attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she would pursue becoming a Physician Assistant. A year younger, Ben followed her once he graduated from high school; however, a piece of Ben still felt he wanted to go a different route.

During his freshman year of college, he was introduced to aviation. A family friend took both Ben and Hannah up in her Cessna plane, which gave Ben his first taste of flying. His aunt had begun taking private flying lessons and gave Ben books to look through. It captured his attention, and he received his private pilot’s license a few months later. After spending a year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ben applied and was accepted to the Naval Academy.

The Naval Academy gave Ben the unique college experience he was after. He was able to attend tuition-free with a minimum return of five years of service to his country. While being held to the high standards the Naval Academy expects, he also continued to pursue his love of aviation. Halfway through his schooling, he learned more about the Marine Corps and its purpose. Ben felt it was the right fit for him and continued in that direction.
As with many military couples, they maintained their long-distance relationship. Ben would graduate from the Naval Academy in 2017 and receive his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Hannah received her bachelor’s degree in 2015 and went on to Arcadia University to complete her master’s. Once she received her degree in 2018, the two were married in their home state of Wisconsin.

The couple moved to Pensacola, where Ben could begin flight school. He decided to pursue fighter jets, which then led them to Kingsville, Texas. Once Ben earned his aviation wings, he received orders to Beaufort in August 2020. “My job now is to learn how to be the best fighter pilot I can and effectively support the Marines on the ground.”

Ben and Hannah’s family were all located in different states, so with the exception of a few military friends, they didn’t know anyone in their new city. Not ones to just sit around, they immediately got involved within the community. In September 2020, they found their church home at Cross Community Church, currently meeting for worship at the YMCA in Port Royal. With Hannah’s medical background, she joined the church’s medical team each Sunday morning. “We have our medical bags, and we are there to tend to anyone attending the service that has any kind of medical issue that might arise.”

Being involved at Cross Community Church opened another volunteering door for Hannah. A member of the church introduced her to the Young

Lives team. Young Lives is a part of Young Life Ministries, a Christian organization that reaches out to middle school, high school, and college students to introduce them to Jesus and help them grow in faith. Young Lives specifically ministers to teen moms up to age 20 and their babies. She loved the concept and decided to join. Hannah explains, “Each teen girl has a mentor who focuses on building a relationship with her, sharing their faith, and pointing her toward Jesus. Being a teen mom is a unique challenge, and we strive to show them they are worthy and capable, just like anyone else. We connect them to local resources that are for girls in their specific situations. We had difficulty reaching and meeting new teen moms due to COVID, but now we can meet as often as we want. We have monthly hangouts, where we get together to play games, decorate cupcakes, make crafts, and more. We also have monthly Bible studies as a group. We also meet with our specific mentee throughout the month.”

But Hannah isn’t the only one to work with students. Even while serving in the Marine Corps, Ben found time to work with the kids’ ministry at the church, working specifically with K-3rd grade and helping with childcare.
In addition, Ben also volunteers with Young Life Ministries. “I got involved in Young Life and specifically volunteered with the high school kids. They have “club nights,” where high school students from all over Beaufort get together to play games, sing songs, create skits, and more. The gospel is then shared toward the end of the evening. We also have the opportunity to have Bible studies with the students on our own time and build those relationships as well.”

However, volunteering doesn’t stop with just Lowcountry students. Hannah makes sure to find the time to give back at the local food bank as well. “There is a food bank at St. Helena Elementary that is organized and funded by Cross Community Church. I volunteer there during the week to help keep it stocked. Anyone that attends the school, as well as their entire family, can utilize it.” Hannah explains. “Quarterly, the Lowcountry food bank brings their truck back to St. Helena Elementary for a large community distribution, which has served up to 300 families.”

Getting involved and meeting new people made Beaufort begin to feel like home. Hannah states, “We love to be outside. We go boating when we can or visit Hunting Island. We take walks with our golden retriever, Otto, and love exploring the Spanish Moss Trail. There are some great restaurants to dine in, and, of course, we love the downtown festivals.”

But for most military families, homes are temporary, and the Felhofers are no exception. The family, along with their six-month-old baby, Micah, will be off to Japan, where Captain Benjamin Felhofer will continue to serve with the Marine Corps. The couple is looking forward to this adventure. Hannah smiles, “I’m excited to see the other side of the world. I have already started my bucket list.”

Although the couple will only be in Beaufort for a short time, they made sure to be involved and make a difference. From volunteering at food banks to being mentors to children, the Felhofers have brought a positive and lasting impact to many locals in the Lowcountry.