Taniqua Martinez clapped her hands with excitement Tuesday as she watched a blue SUV drive slowly through a parking lot toward the entrance to Island Car Wash in Bluffton, where she stood.

"Come on!" she shouted, breaking into a grin as the vehicle swerved around a curve and pulled to a stop in front of her.

"It's our first customer," Meghan Fuge explained sheepishly, before stepping forward to talk to the driver.

Both Martinez and Fuge were participants in a day organized by TD Bank that was devoted to random acts of kindness to thank South Carolinians for their support since the bank opened its branches in the state last June.

The branches, four of which are in Beaufort County, were converted from Carolina First Bank locations after TD Bank acquired the now-defunct South Financial Group.

"This is our way to thank the community for their support during the transition and for welcoming us to the state," said TD Bank spokesman Eric Springer.

The bank with headquarters in both Portland, Maine, and Cherry Hill, N.J., also spearheaded volunteer efforts Tuesday at several locations in the Charleston area.

Martinez and Fuge were among 150 bank employees who did good deeds around the state. In addition to giving away car-wash discounts, employees volunteered at the Hilton Head Island Recreation Center and the Boys & Girls Club of the Lowcountry.

At The Children's Center in Old Town Bluffton, three volunteers painted the walls of a classroom after donating boxes of books, crayons, blankets and toys.

"With us being a nonprofit, this is most definitely appreciated," said children's center director Alisha Collins.

Bluffton resident Rondie Overton was also thankful after learning of her unexpected $5 discount on her car wash from Martinez and Fuge.

"I was torn on whether to splurge on a car wash in this economy," she said. "But this was a nice surprise, and it really made my day."

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