Azalea Magazine Spring 2012

INTO THE WILD: WITH JIMMY AND BETH HUGGINS OF S.E.W.E.

Also Featuring: LOCAL BOOK OVERVIEW / PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR: TIM OWENS JASON KNIGHT: MASTER BLADESMITH / STONE GROUND GRITS

AZALEA WOOD&WATER

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Mode r n Living in the Old South ~ Summe r ville’s Magazine

AMIDST THE EBB AND FLOW OF JOHN MARTIN’S LIFE, BOAT BUILDING ALWAYS CALMED THE WATERS

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FEATURES SPRING 2012

58 A Tale Of Wood & Water

Amidst the ebb and flow of John Martin’s life boat building always calmed the waters. by Katie DePoppe

66 The Search For Tim Owens

If you don’t get lost, there’s a chance you may never be found. by Katie DePoppe

70 Into The Wild

The Huggins, the couple behind S.E.W.E., welcome us into their historic home with a “wild” sense of style.

by Will Rizzo ON THE COVER: John Martin’s Wooden Flats Boat / Photograph by Stewart Young

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

/ CONTENTS

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07 Editor’s Letter 10 Contributors 12 Letters

15 SOUTHERN LIFE 15 Southern Spotlight - Craftsman 19 Southern Spotlight - Food 19 Southern Spotlight - Road Trip 24 Southern Spotlight - Entrepreneur 27 Patchwork Of The South

by Michelle Lewis 30 The Literary Note Local Book Overview

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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34 TASTE

Spring Mixer Three truly Southern recipes that will make your hands greasy and your belly happy

44 FAITH

St. Patrick: More Than Luck

by Will Browning

51 SOUTHERN STYLE

Spring Essentials From jewelry to corn hole, we found a little something for everyone

51 82 Seasonal Calendar 86-87 For the Cause

- SPCA Downs Byrd Oyster Roast - Annual Chamber Gala

88 Last Call

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- Ed Benzenberg

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/ EDITOR’S LETTER

Move Something

The front room of our house should have been my favorite. It had hundreds of books, most of our antique furniture, a desk form the 1930’s, a vintage upright piano, and a ton of knick-knacks we had collected over the years.

There was only one problem - we never used it. My daughter made note of this as she sat on the couch a few weeks back, and remarked on how she had never seen the house from that particular vantage point. It was a room wasted, serving no other purpose than to collect all of the things we enjoy collecting. I’m not even sure how I would have classified this room.

It was part office, part living room, I guess. It was the kind of room my grandmother used to use for courting. And since teenagers haven’t courted since the early 1960’s, our room was suffering from an identity crisis, and needed a makeover.

We came up with a solution.

Our kids tend to hibernate in their rooms, watching movies and playing video games, not interested in watching the news with mom and dad not that I’d let them watch the news these days anyway. So we moved some things around. We got rid of the desk, moved a T.V. in, and brought the video games downstairs. Although the television didn’t exactly fit the decor, we started to use the room. We watched movies together, played games, even dusted off the piano. Our room with no real purpose had become a family room.

It’s pretty amazing how a few small modifications can bring about such a big change. Think about what you would like to see changed and go move some things around.

Will Rizzo Editor-In-Chief

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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Will Rizzo Publisher and Editor-in-Chief will@azaleamag.com Dottie Langley Rizzo Co-Publisher and Managing Editor dottie@azaleamag.com Advertising Jenefer Hinson jenefer@azaleamag.com 843.729.9669

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Jana Riley jana@azaleamag.com 843.860.6049

ISSUES

THE QUILT MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN Of GOOD AND EVIL

WINTER Dec.-Feb. SPRING March-May SUMMER June-Aug. FALL Sept.-Nov.

Azalea Magazine 114B E. Richardson Avenue Summerville, SC 29483 info@azaleamag.com www.azaleamag.com

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/ CONTRIBUTORS

STEWART YOUNG / Photographer

DOTTIE RIZZO / Photographer Dottie Langley Rizzo, a lifelong Summervillian and Greenwave alum, lives with her husband Will and her children Paris and Davison. dottie@azaleamag.com

Originally from London, Stewart Young has been described as a super-charged perpetual motion machine. Whether working on assignment, taking fine art photographs from his bike or working with the next top model in his Asheville, North Carolina studio, Young’s keen eye is evident. You can see his fine art work at stewartyoung.com and his commercial work at stewartyoungphoto.com

JANA RILEY / Writer and Copy Editor Jana Riley is a writer and editor living in Summerville with her new husband, Dan. When she’s not scouring flea markets and thrift stores for vintage finds, Jana enjoys adventures with her two favorite kids, Noah and Jude, and their dog, Alfie. jana@azaleamag.com

MICHELLE LEWIS / Writer Michelle is a mother of two. Currently pursuing a career in children’s literature, she has learned that being called childish may not be such a bad thing after all.

KATIE DEPOPPE / Writer Katie DePoppe is an award-winning freelance writer.

She lives in historic Summerville with her husband Ryan, their son Maxwell, and their three dogs--Oliver, Atticus, and Poe. katie.depoppe@gmail.com

WILL BROWNING / Writer and Pastor Will is the Teaching Pastor at a new modern church in Summerville, The Journey Church. He is the father of three kids and is married to his college sweetheart, Tarah.

Will is an avid sports fan, a voracious reader, and a coach for young leaders. willsjourney@gmail.com

In Memory Of

Michael Wentzell 1950-2012

A true master of his craft, luthier Michael Wentzell lost his battle with cancer January 30, 2012. Wentzell has left a legacy of music, craftsmanship, and friendship.

He will be greatly missed.

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AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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/ LETTERS SOUTHERN ARTS ISSUE

Including: WORLD CLASS BIRD SCULPTOR VAN MARSHALL HAND MADE / ART OF THE APPETIZER / KEN BURGER’S “WINTERTIME IN S’VILLE” THE ALL NEW PREP / CHARACTER ANIMATION / PERFECTLY FRANK’S (TOP DOG )

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Mode r n Living in the Old South ~ Summe r ville’s Magazine

BEST ONE YET This edition is the best one yet! Y’all keep topping yourselves - thank you for the great work you do!

-Madelyn H. Robinson Summerville MOVED OUT I am planning on getting a subscription. I moved out of my hometown of the “Ville” and LOVE Azalea magazine!

CAR OR CAR PARTS From the first issue I’ve been hooked on Azalea Magazine and I never miss an issue. Suprisingly neither does MY HUSBAND! Azalea is the only magazine I’ve ever seen him read that didn’t have a car or car parts on the cover. We love what you do and how you do it. Keep it up Azalea, and we’ll keep reading.

-Jess Garner

-Leah Odom Summerville

MORE LOVE My wife Kandy really loves your magazine, and we both feel the editorials and photography are great.

CLASSY AND UNIQUE Great magazine, not only a good read but also a good centerpiece for the table, classy and unique!

-Palm Tree I.T. Summerville LOVE THEM Great issue! Loved the article on NeedToBreathe - love them! Keep up the awesome job!

-Sheri Mizell Summerville

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AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

LOVE Love this issue! Lots of talented people in the Summerville area!

-Robin Metts Dodge Summerville

-Clark Ferguson Summerville FIRST QUALITY We were introduced to your magazine by our next-door neighbor... your magazine is first-quality and I look forward to every issue.

-Bobby McGee Summerville

/ LETTERS BEST AROUND Azalea is the best magazine around!

Love it!

-Sharon Beavers Summerville TERRIFIC My family loves the new Winter Azalea magazine!!! Terrific job!!!

-Deirdre Bowers Troxel Summerville HEART AND SOUL I wanted to tell you how much I LOVE Azalea Magazine. It is a wonderfully designed, top-rate production with stories that represent the heart and soul of Summerville.

So many of your articles are moving and inspirational. I’m always thrilled to see the latest issue up for grabs at the YMCA. Thank you for making available free copies-I hope that will never stop! Your magazine makes our community stronger, and after reading it, I’m always that much more proud to be a Summervillian.

-Sara Bunton Powell Summerville

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: We welcome your letters and comments. Email letters to info@azaleamag.com. Emails should include full contact info.

We reserve the right to edit letters for legibility and length.

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“Between Two Worlds” Alan H. Hamwi

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ngs we love to enjoy at a Southern pace

Making The Cut Photo by Jim Cooper

Jason Knight, South Carolina’s only master bladesmith, has forged a reputation on form and function By Koryn Yarosz

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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Photo by Jim Cooper

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Spotlight

From Left: Knight outside of his shop, a custom Knight knife

Jason Knight is the type of person whose energy and enthusiasm affects everyone he meets, leaving a trail of people inspired and excited about their personal projects and lives. An artist living with his wife and two children in the Four Hole Swamp area, Knight’s path has been directed by deep love, true faith, and a passion for bladesmithing.

He then launched into a story about a time when he was joking around with friends. They were having a difficult time opening a bag of chips, so Jason helpfully pulled out his knife. One of them remarked on how barbaric Jason was for attempting to use a knife, before ripping the bag open with his teeth.

As I pulled up to Knight’s country home, I watched his daughter and son, Tigerlily and Tristen, pretending to sword fight with each other, seeming more experienced with the game than most kids. His three rescue dogs earnestly rushed up to my car door, while goats peeked over the chicken wire inquisitively. I found Knight in his shop adjacent to his family home, expertly sanding down Damascus steel blades that he had forged himself. I watched as he looked around his work space for a magnet to hold the strong, steel blade up to the sanding belt. After a moment, he gave up and bravely used his fingers instead. He smiled and told me that the blades were destined for utility knives he was creating for Grady Irvin’s clothing store on King Street.

Jason laughed as he said, “You just used your teeth, which are impossible to replace and incredibly expensive to repair, and I just used a tool. It seems I am civilized and you are the barbarian.”

While I observed his process, Knight shared his history.

“I didn’t start doing this so I would get paid. I started because I like making knives,” he stated simply.

I asked him what initially drew his interest to knives.

“I like knives because they are simple, necessary tools,” he replied.

“God didn’t give me fangs and claws.”

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AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

Jason’s interest in knives spans decades, though early forays into the craft were a bit more crude and attempted rather than skilled and perfected.

As a child, Jason would cut sections out of a long metal ladder that belonged to his grandmother. He tried to forge these rungs into blades with a concrete block and a claw hammer. As you might expect, it did not turn out too well.

“I always desired to make knives, but there were blockages in my way.

There were walls. I had a picture in my mind about how it should look, but I couldn’t make it look that way when I was a kid.”

Knight continued designing blades on paper and wood but did not begin forging professionally until 2001.

At 27 years of age, Knight decided to pursue his childhood dreams with the support of his wife, Shelly. He attended the American Bladesmith Society’s Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing in Arkansas. He is now one of 115 American Master Bladesmiths and the only one located in South Carolina. He spent six years as a blacksmith at Middleton Planta-

tion and now works in a shop on his own property. He averages about 70 hours a week, with Sundays off for rest.

Jason Knight has won countless prestigious awards, but don’t expect to hear about them from the recipient, who is ever the humble artist. In his first year of bladesmithing, he won the “Best New Maker” award at Blade Show West in Irvine, California. In 2002, he became the first recipient of the South Carolina Association of Knifemakers “Knife of the Year” award.

He continues to win awards internationally and here in the states. Knight’s wide success is often attributed to his incredible craftsmanship and attention to detail; he designs and forges every part of his knives. The outcome is a useful blade with unique lines and a beautiful handle, both an essential tool and an incredible art piece.

“Many knifemakers today purchase blades and then put handles onto them,” he tells me. “I design each knife individually, based on its purpose, and then make every aspect of the knife myself.”

What I noticed about Jason during my time in his shop is that he creates a culture of thoughtfulness. He muses about God and the world as he adeptly tempers a Damascus blade, made of hundreds of layers, in a three thousand degree fire. He exudes the sort of personality that is oft-associated with creative genius; harried but focused, absent-minded but deliberate, aware but immersed. It is a delight to behold.

“Gold, silver - they’re worthless,” he explains.

“Time – you can’t put a price on it.”

Jason is careful to use his time doing what he loves and choosing commitments that he believes will make a difference. As a teacher of his craft, he wants to equip others with the knowledge and tools to pursue the art form he is passionate about. He recently journeyed to Nicaragua with the intent of sharing his knowledge of blacksmithing with the locals. When he arrived, he found that a missionary in the community, Mike Dibert, had been praying for someone to come and share a craft with the natives. After a warm welcome by all, Knight taught the basics of design and forgery for ten days. Since that visit, the group is selling knives to the Christian Motorcyclist Association and others have followed in Jason’s footsteps by furthering the spread of knowledge and sharing the skills of bladesmithing.

For now, Knight is focused on apprenticing his son Tristen. The family is looking to the future and waiting for God’s leading as they continue on their journey.

“This is what I like to do,” says Knight, grinning.

To view more of Jason Knight’s knives and learn about upcoming events, visit jasonknightknives.com, or call him directly at (843) 452-1163 or (843) 462-7217.

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/ SOUTHERN LIFE Spotlight

Clockwise From Left: Butch Chastain, cranking up the engine, a classic International Harvester Chastain rebuilt and refurbished, fresh ground grits

SOUTHERNSPOTLIGHT Butch Chastain (Food)

Flying Farmer

By Koryn Yarosz

I met Butch Chastain, the “Flying Farmer,” on a blue sky January morning. As I walked into his airplane hanger, my jaw dropped. The space was studded with old-school, refurbished red tractors from the fifties and 26 belt engines - all varying in size and color. My jaw dropped even further when I found out that Chastain refurbished all of the equipment himself and grinds his own grits without the full use of his right arm.

According to Chastain’s wife, Susanne, this former “pilot-turned-Grits Man” has always been mechanical.

“Before he was flying planes, he was fixing them,” Susanne mused.

As a young man, Chastain attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautic University for Aviation Maintenance Management in Florida. He joined the Air Force during the sixties, and worked as a flying crew chief, traveling in the planes and repairing them as needed. At the end of the Vietnam war, America needed pilots, and Chastain wanted to fly - so he signed up for pilot training classes and began flying cargo planes. It was during his time as a pilot out of the Charleston Air Force Base that he met his Susanne, who later became his wife and the mother of his daughter. Later, he retired from the Air Force, leaving behind a legacy of skilled piloting and aviation maintenance.

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AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

After his retirement, Chastain continued flying planes for seventeen years until his stroke in early 2004. The stroke took away most of the movement in his right hand, but this did not stop him from diving into refurbishing belt engines and mills - a skill he had picked up during his retirement. Belt engines, a pre-factory staple for every farmer, were previously used to pump water, grind corn, separate milk, and perform countless other tasks. Chastain refurbished all of his 26 vintage engines on his own, including his oldest, which dates back to 1917. His passion for these mechanical monstrosities led him to build his cherished Flying Farmer Grits Setup, a grits-producing machine that consists of a belt engine and a mill fixed on top of a trailer bed.

I watched Chastain, clad in overalls and flannel, effortlessly line the grits trailer up with the hitch of his truck, attach it, and steadily steer the setup out of the hanger. He then turned a number of cranks to make sure the trailer had enough support and was properly leveled. As he coaxed the engine into firing up, I could hear the pounding sound reverberating deeply off the back wall of the hanger—a testimony to Butch Chastain’s strength and ingenuity.

His grits are simple - ground corn, no preservatives. They are so fresh, they have to be kept in the refrigerator. He sells each 1-pound bag of 100% stone ground grits for $2.00 at the Summerville Farmer’s Market.

He tells me he keeps the price low because he “just wants break even.”

For Chastain, refurbishing the vintage equipment and grinding grits is all about community. He enjoys sharing his stories with his customers and prides himself on providing them with a unique experience.

If you are interested in buying grits from Butch Chastain, “The Flying Farmer,” you can call 843.871.5796 or go visit him at the Summerville Farmer’s Market during the first weekend in April. Be sure to check out his famous scrapbook and grab a simple grits recipe from Susanne.

/ ON THE ROAD AGAIN

by Jana Riley

From Left: The Button King, Pearl Fryar’s Topiary Garden

Destination Bishopville

My new husband, Dan, and I like to think of ourselves as adventurous. Our “bucket lists” encompass the globe, and we share the desire to experience every culture on this multi-faceted planet. A vintage pull-down educational world map hangs teasingly in our bedroom, next to the stockpile of National Geographic Magazines, road maps, and travel guides - tangible testimonies to our dreams. As it goes, however, the budget constraints of being newly married often leave truly adventurous activities like paddling down the Nile toward unmapped cliff diving locations to our more financially settled friends, while we search for exciting experiences closer to home.

As newlyweds in the state of South Carolina with an intense desire to explore, we often take to the back roads, seeking out the extraordinary and the

uncharted. These occasional voyages have allowed us the privilege of being reminded that there is a vast land beyond our doorstep in Summerville; miles of untraveled roads teeming with people, places, and stories just waiting to be discovered. I hope that this recurring Azalea Magazine column inspires other locals to take a journey or two of their own - trust me, you’ll never come back exactly the same way as you left.

On a brisk and bright Sunday morning in January, my husband, his two kids, and my parents loaded up the pickup and began a languid drive through the viridian fields and winding back roads toward Bishopville - about a 2-hour drive from Summerville. The sun whispered along the backs of dusky barns, plantation gates, and sleeping dogs, while our passengers kept a keen eye out for a suitable lunch stop. As our truck motored through Summerton, we spotted a 50’s-style restaurant, “The Summerton Diner,” and quickly turned off into the small parking lot. After a brief detour to a nearby ATM (no debit or credit cards accepted), we AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

19

settled in and each ordered variations of “The Sunday Special,” a meat-and-three dish plus banana pudding, all for under $8.00 a person.

A glance at the menu revealed standard diner fare, while a metal sign reading “What happens in Mayberry...STAYS in Mayberry” creaked lightly from its perch on a mounted deer’s antlers. After filling up on a hearty meal of fried chicken, various casseroles, lima beans, and macaroni and cheese, we rolled ourselves out and back into our vehicle, and kept on truckin’ down highway 15 toward Bishopville.

Bishopville is a quiet southern town; one part derelict, one part genteel, with topiary sculptures lining the drive in (more on that later), people waving to each other in the streets, and a row of quaint downtown businesses that seem immune to the widespread effects of the recent economy. With fewer than 4,000 residents, Bishopville manages to stay true to its small town persona while offering a small wealth of interesting sights for out-of-towners. Within its 2.4 square miles, the town boasts The South Carolina Cotton Museum, Lee State Park, an alleged swamp monster called the “Lizard Man,” and two of the most passionate, creative people I’ve had the privilege to meet; Mr. Dalton Stevens, “The Button King,” and Mr. Pearl Fryar, a self-taught topiary genius.

Dalton Stevens lives at 55 Joe Dority Road in Bishopville, and his museum is right next door.

It’s a short drive from downtown Bishopville - just follow the weathered signs past speckled fields of cotton and billowing collards, and you’ll end up at Mr. Steven’s little piece of paradise; his world-famous button collection, housed in the first of a pair of curved metal buildings. 82 years old this April, Mr. Stevens is somewhat of a legend for collecting and affixing buttons to the most peculiar of items; counted among his fastener-studded trophies on display are a hearse, a toilet, two coffins, and various items of clothing.

While the covered cars and the sewed-up suits are intriguing, it is Mr. Stevens who steals the show. Steady and focused, Dalton is a man of many stories, having traveled the world with his button brigade for decades. He’s rubbed elbows with Johnny Carson, Bill Cosby, Regis and Kathy Lee - and been featured on all of their shows. He recently taped a commercial for a Finnish phone company, and turned down an offer to fly to Germany and cover a new BMW in buttons. These days, he is busy welcoming visitors to his museum, hosting barn-style jams every Friday night at 7pm (every third Friday

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by Jana Riley Left: Dalton Steven’s button-covered hearse, Right: Pearl Fryar

is Gospel night), and keeping his wife’s memory alive - she passed away four years ago.

“Ruby was my best friend for 55 years,” Dalton shared with me. A warmth came over him as he remembered his love. “I began sewing buttons onto things while dealing with insomnia - I didn’t want to wake up my Ruby getting in and out of bed constantly, so I turned to buttons.”

Looking around his museum, Mr. Steven’s past and present love for his wife is apparent. While some may see a bizarre display of curious craftsmanship, I see an ode to a partner, a love; a testament to the thoughtfulness that Dalton shared with his wife. As I hugged him goodbye and took one last look at his collection, it seemed that the crimson-colored buttons stood shining among the rest. Like Ruby, the State of South Carolina is fortunate to have such a passionate man among our citizens, and Mr. Steven’s museum is surely worth the drive.

As we headed back toward downtown Bishopville and I-20, we passed an ornate sign pointing to “The Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden,” and followed its direction. Modest, brick ranch homes dotted the landscape as the kids noticed an almost imperceptible change in the scenery; the closer we got to Mr. Fryar’s garden, the more sculptural the bushes and branches of nearby lawns became. Finally, we came to a parcel of land, empty save for the wind-swept sign labeled “Parking” staked in the dirt. We obliged, and walked across the street to Mr. Fryar’s house, a brilliant spectacle of curves and angles within a horticultural medium; trees, flowers, shrubs, and more. Peppered among his magnificent monstrosities, we found junkyard art: fountains, sculptures, and windchimes, all made of metal, castoff materials, many bearing the words “Love” and “Peace.” As we walked the grounds of Mr. Fryar’s homestead, we gasped at the workmanship, attention to detail, and true individuality his creations embodied. After a time, the artist himself came outside to speak to us, lumbering over with a purposeful and bright gait. His strong, weathered grip showed the signs of a lifetime of hard work, and his faint blue eyes shared a peaceful yet resolved gaze, with a glint of joy lingering among his thoughts. “This is my monster,” he laughed, and we all laughed with him.

That’s the thing about Mr. Fryar; his emotions are contagious. He began his leafy escapades in the early 1980’s, with the goal of staking the highly sought-after “Garden of the Month” sign into his home turf: the local garden club had yet to award a black resident the title, and Pearl was de22

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

termined to break the trend. He received the award in record time, using cast-offs from the local nursery to begin his garden, and his indomitable spirit caused his growing collection to skyrocket from there. Along his journey, he has inspired countless others to set and reach their own goals, and set off a chain reaction of success and achievement that would not have begun without Mr. Fryar’s influence.

“What made me successful is that I knew absolutely nothing about horticulture,” Pearl grinned. “I taught myself, and I learned that as long as you work from the book, you’re never going to get credit for it. You have to write your own book, and you must begin with work and passion.”

Pearl’s story inspired a critically-acclaimed documentary titled, “A Man Named Pearl,” and he now spends his time maintaining his garden, greeting visitors, and attending speaking engagements. The Garden Conservancy has adopted The Pearl Fryar Topiary Gardens as a preservation project, the only one in South Carolina, with the goal of protecting the gardens for years to come.

The sun began to set as we drove out of Bishopville, and as I reflected on the day, I had a feeling of great fortune wash over me. In my mind’s eye, I saw Mr. Fryar, crouching down next to me, pointing out unique facts of his living sculptures, while I caught my parents in a gentle embrace among the topiaries. I saw the smiles on the kid’s faces as they ran through the sun-drenched fields of the town, innocent and free. I felt my husband’s warmth and passion for me as he grasped my hand while Mr. Stevens spoke of his own love, honest and true.

Indeed, it is a rare day that one has the opportunity to gain wisdom and influence from such insightful men, and the town of Bishopville seems to share its treasures gracefully.

An adventure, indeed. A

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Spotlight

She changes into muckcovered boots and well-worn jeans, ready to start picking cotton and cleaning out chicken houses

Cindy grew up the youngest of four girls on a hog farm in Reevesville, SC, but her rank in the age lineup didn’t deter her father from putting her to work when she was able. Much of her childhood was spent driving tractors, hunting down sow “beds” as they prepared for their little piglets and pulling weeds from crops that were taller than her. Cindy’s father instilled an impeccable work ethic in the girls, and her mother ensured that the family attended church every Sunday, exposing them to the Christian values she still holds to this day. As she grew up, she took an interest in the medical side of hog farming, and soon became known as the “animal vaccinator,” taking charge of all the shots and procedures that were required to render the pigs marketable. Her work on that hog farm blossomed into the lifestyle she leads today - one part farm girl, one part medical practitioner.

Cindy McClure with an eight-week-old chicken

SOUTHERNSPOTLIGHT Cindy McClure (Entrepreneur)

Town & Country

Cindy McClure has proven it’s possible to be a Southern Lady and A Country Girl Upon first meeting Cindy McClure, one would never be able to guess what she does in her spare time. Clad head-to-toe in classy, boutique clothing, Ms. McClure directs the medical staff at her Southern Cosmetic Laser offices with poise and impeccable diction, the epitome of a genuine Southern lady. In the evenings, however, upon returning to her home in Reevesville, she changes into muck-covered boots and well-worn jeans, ready to start picking cotton and cleaning out chicken houses. It’s this contrast that makes her so intriguing.

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As a young woman, Cindy left the family farm and headed to the “big city” of Charleston with even bigger dreams. After studying Nursing at MUSC, she transitioned seamlessly to USC, where she completed a post-masters degree to become a Nurse Practitioner.

She surprised even herself when she returned to her rural hometown after her schooling, married her long-term boyfriend, Ronnie, had a baby, and began to settle down. Shortly thereafter, Ronnie decided to begin farming full-time, bringing Cindy’s farm history full-circle, and negating the mantra she had stood by for years - that she’d never marry a farmer! Between the family and the farm, along with the rural medical practice, Cindy’s free time was limited, and most often spent helping in the fields and chicken houses.

After barely surviving a near-death obstetric complication with her third (and last) child, Cindy was driven into menopause at only thirty-one years old. In addition to a whole host of new bodily changes to grow accustomed to, Cindy also adopted a sudden interest in medical aesthetics. She started researching lasers, and eventually, Southern Cosmetic Laser was born.

Now, thirteen years later, Cindy juggles her unconventional life quite well. In addition to her farm chores, she is also the Nursing Director at USC Salkahatchie, still sees medical patients twice a month in St. George, and is the owner of Southern Cosmetic Laser, which has locations in St. George and Summerville. Knee-deep in mud or medical journals, she maintains integrity, success, support, and a sense of calm wherever she goes. Her country girl roots run as deep as her passion for her patients, and though a peculiar juxtaposition, Cindy pulls off farmer-chic effortlessly.

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ANTIQUES of SUMMERVILLE

The Squirrel’s Nest 110 W. 9th N. St.

(Near Presbyterian Home)

(843) 637-7776 squirrelsnestsummerville.com HOURS Tue., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 10am - 5pm

TEA FARM COTTAGE 808 N. Cedar Street (843) 832-6597 Mon - Fri 10:00am - 5:30pm Sat 9:00am - 5:30pm Sun 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Main Street Antiques 200-A North Main St. (843) 879-9529 Mon - Fri 10:30am - 5:00pm Sat 12:00am - 4:00pm

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/ PATCHWORK OF THE SOUTH by Michelle Lewis

The Treasure Of Those Overlooked

She’s gasping for breath the first time I meet her. Sweat has gathered beneath her arms and the front of her shirt is damp. She struggles on the bicycle as the long skirt clings tenaciously to her legs. The sweltering heat is enough to make even the strongest Georgian wilt.

“Hey,” I shout from the window, “get in this truck!”

I scramble from the Ford and help her toss the bike in the back.

After adjusting the air conditioner to hurricane strength, I size her up from the corner of my eye. Mousy brown hair reaching past a plump waist, shapeless old t-shirt, battered tennis shoes and the aroma of mothballs mingled with body odor. Her teeth have seen better days.

Unkempt, yet her skin is remarkably clear and unlined.

I try not to breathe the same air she expels as I don’t know what sort of sickness she may be carrying. I drive her to her destination. A drug store. I learn that she is on at least nine different medications. The number varies from time to time and occasionally, she takes as many as twelve. I later find out that she has nurses visit once a week to help her with domestic duties, make sure she eats, and to confirm that she is taking her pills. Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a vague mental disorder plague her life, but are the least of her problems. It is the fear that handicaps her more than anything. And nerve pills do little to alleviate it.

Our first meeting is rather quiet. I see that she is timid. I converse with her as much as I can. I try to put her at ease. I laugh and joke around, attempting to communicate to her that she is safe. I ask who she lives with and she informs me that it’s just her and Jesus.

She is in good company, I think to myself.

When I drop her off at her house, she thrusts a small phone book at me. Jabbing a finger at a page, she tells me, “Put your number here.”

...the aroma of mothballs mingled with body odor...

I oblige.

She thanks me profusely, tells me she is honored, and lavishes me with compliments. We hug and I promptly leave.

A large span of time will pass before I speak with her again. During that time I will think of her often. I will scan the back roads each time I drive through town. I will tell myself I should check on her.

But I procrastinate.

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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/ PATCHWORK OF THE SOUTH by Michelle Lewis Days swell into weeks and the weeks transform imperceptibly into months. Summer humidity releases its grip and gives way to a halcyon Autumn. Winter follows closely behind.

This humble woman has been one of the greatest teachers I have ever had the privilege of knowing. She has taught me what it is to honor a friendship. She has shown me how to make time for others. She has compelled me to slow down and rejoice in the people God puts in our path. And I have never before met such a combination of innocence and strength. She has given me a standard of integrity that I will be striving to reach for the rest of my life.

Suddenly, she is in my path again. I watch her from the warmth of my truck as she crosses in front of me on the bicycle. The weather is horrible this morning. The sun hasn’t yet made an appearance. Skies are dreary and the sleet chills everything it touches. A perfect day for huddling beneath a quilt. But there is Ms. Marie pedaling her heart out. Probably wearing the same skirt I saw her in the last time.

I think back to a particular day a few years ago when she called my house. I was in a rush that afternoon. Burdened by the thought of my many errands, I was frazzled and short tempered with the children. When I saw that it was her on the phone, I wanted to let it ring. I told myself that I would simply return the call in the evening. However, my conscience wouldn’t let me do it. I picked up the phone, harried and impatient, even taking care that my voice conveyed my ‘busyness’. I hoped that it would be a short conversation. And it was short. Very short. Ms. Marie was only calling to say that she had a gift for me.

Scooping her up, I drive her to the grocery store and to the few other places she needs to visit. Perhaps it was a doctor’s appointment, or maybe a trip to the drug store. I don’t remember anymore. But on this day, our friendship truly begins to flourish. As we connect more intimately, I learn that a severe trauma has led to her fear. This fear is so extreme that it manifests in even the most neutral of settings. She often breaks out in hives when dealing with cashiers. Sales transactions frighten her and she finds herself overwhelmed at checkout counters.

But even though her fear has her tightly bound, this woman is the epitome of boldness. She teaches me this when I learn the way she stands before her church and sings.

An attitude adjustment followed that conversation. I was contrite and ashamed of myself, yet I was also chuckling at the way my eyes were being opened. God uses the ‘foolish’ to shame the ‘wise’.

You see, I used to think that it was her who was mentally handicapped. But I think that perhaps all along, it was me. A

“Ms. Michelle,” she tells me, “my palms were sweating but I wasn’t gonna let the devil win.”

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DAVIS & LANGLEY H A N D TA I L O R E D B O W T I E S

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FLOWER THE TOWN DONATE TO DREAM’S FLOWER BASKET CAMPAIGN

If you, your business or community group would like to demonstrate your commitment to the beautification of our downtown please get in touch with Summerville DREAM at info@summervilledream.org or (843) 821-7260. Donations of all sizes are needed to fund the continuous plantings for the hanging baskets as well as initial purchase of the hardware.

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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LITERARY NOTE

A stillness, strange divine, ineffable, Broods round and o’er them in the wind’s surcease, And on each tinted copse and shimmering dell Rests the mute rapture of deep hearted peace.

-From “Aspects of the Pines” by Paul Hamilton Hayne (1838-1886)

While Paul Hamilton Hayne, lesser known poet, lifetime friend of Henry Timrod and fellow Charlestonian most likely penned the poem “Aspects of the Pines” while living in Georgia after the Civil War, it is no surprise he stumbled upon a place in the South that inspired him to write about the beauty and sacredness of the pine. We certainly understand.

Considering Timrod’s ties to Summerville, it is safe to say Hayne probably had ties to the little pineland village that once was our town—a testament to the beginnings of Summerville’s literary history.

From history to literature to popular fiction, here’s a list of books with a prominent “Summerville” connection.

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LITERATURE

POPULAR FICTION

All Works by Henry Timrod

Mr. and Miss Anonymous

The Search Committee

Henry Timrod, poet laureate of the Confederacy, wrote numerous poems published before and following his untimely death in 1867. The poems “Ode: Sung on the Occasion of Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead at Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC, 1867” and “The Cotton Boll” are must-reads.

The latest book from New York Times bestselling author and Summerville resident Fern Michaels follows the meeting and unlikely reunion of Sam and Lily, two promising college students and fertility clinic donors, who discover the best way to let go of their secrets from the past is to build a future.

The first novel by Summerville resident and winner of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel award, Tim Owens, writes about a mismatched team of seven church members in search of a new pastor who, in the end, find more than they bargained for.

By Fern Michaels Kensington Publishing Corp., ©2012

By Tim Owens Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,©2012

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/ LITERARY NOTE Literary Summerville HISTORY

A Sketch of the Town of Summerville, SC

Porch Rocker

Beth’s Pineland Village

Published in 1910, Legare Walker writes that he wishes for this history to serve as an “aid [for] some future chronicler in the preparation of a more pretentious History” of the Town of Summerville. A great place to start reading. By Legare Walker 1910

A well-organized history with photos, logical chapters and interviews of townsfolk, this book is helpful to anyone wanting to scratch the proverbial surface of Summerville’s history.

A testament to the lifelong work of reporter Beth McIntosh, this compilation of articles originally published in The Summerville Scene, contains first-hand knowledge and interviews with owners of many of Summerville’s historic homes and buildings.

Recollections of Summerville, SC

Text by Margaret Scott Kwist Photography by Eleanor Brownlee Randall Research by Virginia Cuthbert Wilder Linwood Press, Inc., ©1980

To the residents of Summerville: Spring in Summerville is something special!

With Mother Nature’s handiwork and assistance from local gardeners and horticulturists, Summerville has become truly “The Flower Town in the Pines.”

Visitors have flocked here for decades to see the azaleas, dogwoods and wisteria displays that can take your breath away as you walk or drive among towering pines and moss-laden live oaks.

But don’t just take my word for it. Enjoy Summerville in Spring!

Events during the Spring of 2012: Annual Flowertown Festival – March 30 through April 1, 2012 Farmer’s Market – Saturdays, April 7 through November 17, 2012 Sculpture in the South – May 19 & 20, 2012 Bill Collins Mayor, Town of Summerville

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Edited by Clarice and Lang Foster The Summerville Preservation Society, ©1988

/ LITERARY NOTE Literary Summerville JUST FOR FUN

Summerville, South Carolina: 1847-1997, Our History:

Summerville (Images of America)

A more in-depth look at Summerville’s history by former town historian Barbara Lynch Hill, this book includes photos from town archives and personal collections.

Organized as a pictorial timeline, each historical photo donated by residents and historical entities of the town, is accompanied by a written description that leads the reader on a chronological tour through Summerville’s history.

Sesquicentennial Edition

By Barbara Lynch Hill The Town of Summerville, ©1998

By Jerry Crotty and Margaret Ann Michels, Arcadia, Publishing, ©2011

Haunted Summerville You’ll never look at historic Summerville the same way again. A collection of the unusual, unexplained and supernatural, author Bruce Orr pulls his collection of Summerville ghost stories directly from the residents of Summerville.

By Bruce Orr Haunted America, History Press ©2011

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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SPRING MIXER

With “Southern Spring” as his muse, local mixologist PETER NICKLE has the recipe for some perfect porch sippin’ Photos By Dottie Langley Rizzo

Bottoms Up The Firefly Julep

/ SOUTHERN LIFE Taste

Pink Basil Lemonade ¾ oz Ketel One Vodka ¾ oz Kinky Liquor 3-5 Basil Leaves ¼ oz Simple Syrup Juice from ½ Lemon Soda Water Add basil and lemon juice to mixing tin. Muddle. Add ice, vodka, syrup and Kinky Liquor. Shake and pour into glass while adding soda water. Garnish with lemon twist and basil leaves.

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AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

THE BIGGEST LITTLE GUN SHOP IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

Railroad Root Beer Float 2 oz Smirnoff Root Beer Vodka 1/3 oz Simple Syrup Soda Water Cola Vanilla Ice Cream Add Vodka, simple syrup, soda water and cola to mixing tin with ice. Shake and pour into mug. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

1725 N. Main St. Summerville, SC 843.832.2453 eastcoastgunshop.com

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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Whipped Meringue 1 ½ oz Pinnacle Whipped Cream Vodka Sour Mix Lemon Lime Soda Whipped Cream Add all ingredients to mixing tin. Shake and strain into glass with ice. Top with whipped cream.

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/ SOUTHERN LIFE Taste

Summer Villa 1 oz Stoli Raspberry Vodka 他 oz Peach Schnapps Sour Mix Lemon Lime Soda Fresh Raspberries Mint Build in glass. Add ice, vodka, peach schnapps, sour mix, and lemon lime soda to glass. Stir. Add a few raspberries and a mint sprig to garnish.

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Spicy Passoa Âź oz Pepper Infused Vodka 1 oz Passoa Liquor Equal parts of Mango Nectar and Orange Juice

Add all ingredients to mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into glass with ice. Garnish with mango and jalapeno.

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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A MILLION REASONS TO DRINK OUR COFFEE

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AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

Peter Nickle MIXOLOGIST

BAR: Upstairs At The Icehouse

After a decade of shaking and stirring, Peter Nickle can mix up a mean cocktail.

Nickle has been backing the same bar since he got started (Upstairs At The Icehouse) and he frequently competes in regional bartending competitions. Peter is also the owner of Charleston Flair Bartenders. charlestonflairbartenders.com

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1 ½ oz Firefly Sweet Tea Bourbon Simply Apple Juice 4-6 Mint Leaves Add mint and bourbon to rocks glass. Muddle mint. Add ice and apple juice. Shake in cocktail shaker. Pour into glass and garnish with mint.

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/ SOUTHERN LIFE Faith

St. Patrick

More Than Luck

by Will Browning

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SAINT PATRICK’S DAY

is the one annual holiday that I always seem to forget. For thirtyfour years, I have been told that on the seventeenth day of March, I am supposed to celebrate a saint named Patrick by wearing green and giving pinching permissions to any and all strangers, should I neglect to do so.

Some Americans will take the festivities even further than the traditional green accessorizing. Cities will dye fountains, towns will have parades, men will drink green ale, and schools will serve green food; all to celebrate some Irish dude.

Does this really constitute a holiday in our minds?

After doing a little investigating, I found that the man behind St. Patty’s Day is certainly worth celebrating, but not for reasons one might imagine.

Interestingly, Patrick was not Irish by birth. He was from Britain and his initial contact with the Irish came at the hands of Celtic pirates from Ireland who stripped a teenage Patrick from his home and forced him into slavery. His next several years were marked by isolation, leaving him only to his thoughts and prayers. He was able to escape from his slave-master and made a 200-mile journey by foot

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/ SOUTHERN LIFE Faith

to board a ship taking him back to his homeland. While he escaped his Celtic masters, he could not escape his heavenly master’s call on his life.

Some years following his return back to Britain, God spoke to Patrick, telling him that he must return to the country of his Druid captors, not to seek revenge, but to seek reconciliation and to spread the good news about Jesus. The 5th century Irish were as tough as legend tells, but Patrick was unwavering and convinced his superiors to allow him to return to Ireland in the year 432.

REDEFINING THE SOUTHERN DINING EXPERIENCE Bring The Family And See What Can Be Done With Flatbread

He is accredited with starting as many as 700 churches along the countryside.

For the next thirty years of Patrick’s life, he dedicated himself to the people of Ireland. He sold his family inheritance and invested his resources into the people who once enslaved him.

He died at age 77, leaving a Christian

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/ SOUTHERN LIFE Faith

legacy behind. Tens of thousands of Irishmen dedicated their lives to Jesus because of Patrick. He is accredited with starting as many as 700 churches along the countryside of his beloved Ireland. Patrick himself trained 1000 pastors to take on the ministry he had begun to ensure that his legacy would continue past his death.

In 2007, a handful of families, including mine, moved to the Lowcountry with the same spirit that Patrick held for the people of Ireland. With faith and determination on our side, we started a new church in Summerville – the Journey Church. While we will never face the strife that Patrick did, I just hope that our love for the people of Charleston will endure like that of Patrick for his beloved Irish. Now, I don’t just celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I find myself wanting my life to have meaning like his. St. Patrick’s life was one of new beginnings, forgetting what lay behind and striving for the good that was ahead. I believe St. Patrick’s Day can be a day where our enemies can become our brothers (1 John 3:16-18). A Resources Used for this Article * How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cayhill. * “Happy Greats Missionary Whoever Lived Day” (article) by Mark Driscoll. * Christianity through the Centuries by Earle E. Cairns. * Common Prayer-A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Claiborne, Wilson-Hartgrove, & Okoro.

AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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Summerville Art Walk Third Thursdays March-Oct. 5pm - 8pm LOCAL ARTISTS & FINE CRAFTS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT MERCHANTS OPEN LATE

130 Central Ave. 843.871.0297 www.artcgalleryltd.com HOURS Mon. - Sat. 10am - 5pm Open until 8pm on Third Thursdays A gallery of fine art and crafts all made by local artists. Located in Historic Downtown Summerville.

125 Central Ave. 843.821.7733 www.eclecticchef.net

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129 Short Central Ave. 843.832.7222 HOURS Mon-Sat: 10am - 5pm (Open until 8pm on Third Thursdays) thepinkpoppyboutique.com

117-A Central Avenue 843.261.7680 fourgreenfieldsgallery.com Mon - Sat 10am - 5pm

MODERN AMERICAN CUISINE t THE ICEHOUSE RESTAURANT t MODERN AMERICAN CUISINE t THE ICEHOUSE RESTAURANT t MODERN AMERICAN CUISINE

Nestled in the heart of Historic Downtown Summerville, The Icehouse Restaurant resides in the location of Summerville’s original icehouse, built in 1904. Come and experience the fusion of taste and presentation, or just stop in for a drink and sample our five craft beers on tap.

Open for lunch and dinner, Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. 104 E Doty Ave., / Summerville / (843) 261-0360 / theicehouse@knology.net

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Let Your Light Shine

With bubbled glass and rustic wire, this candle holder lets off a unique glow.

Simple To Sublime $20

High and Low

This tide clock is an easy and stylish way to keep track of the water level Charleston Angler $65

Clockwise: Show some local-love with this handmade tote Downtown Crossing $25, Hand tailored in the Lowcountry, Davis & Langley Bowties (featured, The Greenwve) are perfect for any occation davisandlangley.com $58, This shell necklace screams Spring. Piazza $67.95, This handsome pen is made from deer antler Mike’s Woodcrafts $30 (843.834.0398)

THE SHOPS AT LITTLE MAIN

140 South Main Street 843-873-2531 www.guerinspharmacy.com HOURS Mon - Fri 9am - 6pm Sat 9am - 5pm

130 South Main Street (843) 871-6745 www.maggieroseinc.com Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm Sat 10am - 5pm

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AZALEAMAG.COM From dining and shopping guides to feature stories and an events calendar, azaleamag.com is much more than a beautiful counterpart to Azalea Magazine, it is the axis for anything and everything Summerville. Be sure to bookmark us.

With these porcelain bird shakers, there’s no reason to put the salt and pepper back in the cabinet Simple To Sublime $20, Add some color to your life with this handmade potting table The Squirrel’s Nest $125

A TALE of WOOD and WATER

By Katie DePoppe

Photography by

STEWART YOUNG and DOTTIE LANGLEY RIZZO

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AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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I

n the age of Nicholas Sparks, when one hears the words “romance,” names like Noah Calhoun and Allie Hamilton come to mind. But I have come to realize there are different kinds of romance in life and there are different kinds of love. And those other kinds of love sustain us when people let us down or move from one life to another. And that is what this story is about.

“You must know, I am blessed to have such a rich life,” says John Martin as he begins to tell me about his childhood spent on South Main Street. His father, who earned his master’s degree in forestry from Duke University, and his mother, a homemaker and, later, owner of the Town Fair Antique Shop on East Richardson, made a profound impression on him early in life. “There was great wisdom on things of man and things of nature,” he says.

“There were two constants,” says Martin, “wood and water.” The father of five sons, Martin’s father Jim built Martin Lumber Manufacturing in the late 1960s, and after gaining notoriety for breaking the embargo of the longshoreman’s strike of the time, saw his life’s work burn to the ground three short years after its opening.

Martin recounts, “I was at a birthday party at Bonneau Beach that day. Moncks Corner is south of Bonneau across Lake Moultrie, so I watched as the entire tree line was engulfed in flames.” His father lost everything, including his entire stock of milled, stacked and dry kilned Brazilian mahogany set for shipment to Europe—wood that, because of the strike, had been painstakingly brought past the port to Bushy Park, lowered into the Cooper River, floated to the edge in

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rafts, pulled one by one from the rafts by an on-shore crane, and loaded two at a time on log trucks for transportation to the mill.

A welcome escape from tragedy, Martin’s father found solace in building boats. The first was a Sparkman & Stephens Blue Jay sail boat built with the help of a friend. Many other boats followed.

“The ‘Brothers Five’ was a special one,” says Martin, “but it was destroyed in Hurricane Hugo. It was one of Dad’s big wood-working projects that became our main boat for weekend adventures.”

Over the years, the boys grew used to building boats, and testing them on the water became a means of camaraderie between them and their father.

Shortly after the mill burned, and increasingly aware of Martin’s woodworking talents, his mother Sue opened the antique store.

He worked summers in her shop fashioning drawers for worn out dressers, repairing antiques, and building replacement chairs for incomplete dining sets. “It was a boom to my income as a young man,” he says. It was then he discovered he was blessed with an artist’s eye and a craftsman’s hands.

After graduating from high school, Martin enrolled at the Baptist College at Charleston, where he met his wife Betsy. They were married in 1974, and when Betsy graduated, the couple moved to

North Carolina to be near her ailing mother. While there, Martin worked for an antique reproduction plant that paid for his enrollment in classes for furniture manufacturing and design. “Our dream was to find 30 or 40 acres and to live on the land,” he says, “She was a school teacher, and I was going to make furniture from home. We lived in the middle of a national forest at the time.”

But within that first year of marriage, Betsy was tragically killed in a car accident. Alone in the mountains of North Carolina, Martin says there was “no purpose in being there any longer,” so he bought a cottage on Sullivan’s Island and came back to South Carolina in 1977.

In 1979, Martin married again and within short order, had a baby boy. “We raised him on the island,” he said. The love of water was instilled early on. Martin’s only son eventually became a nationally ranked swimmer and a top five finisher in the U.S. Open while in high school.

The cost of raising his son on the island was not easy. His wife was in school, and it was all they could do to take care of their child and keep up with the expenses. When his son was still young, Martin took a job installing elevators on the sides of smokestacks—a gig

that paid per floor and paid well. “I was only going to do that job until I saved enough to get back to the water,” he says.

A few years later, when Martin saved enough money to pay his debts, he quit, walked to Darby Marine on Shem Creek and was immediately hired to rebuild minesweepers for the Navy. “I had no real credentials for building boats,” he says, “but I went to the library and got books by the masters.” Every night after work, Martin reviewed what he had done the previous day and studied what renowned boat builders had to say about his next day’s assignment.

Then he compared his notes with the naval manual to reinforce the hands-on learning process.

“You must understand,” he says, “The Navy has a manual that goes with every ship, every boat and every design that tells the exact specifications for every procedure in building or rebuilding one of their boats. Every screw and grain of wood is checked by naval supervisors.” The minesweepers were designed and built between 1907 and 1919, had been in at least one war and in utter dereliction.

Most required 85% to 90% rebuild.

The attention to detail that Martin maintained served as his “Wooden Boat 101” education. During his time at Darby Marine,

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he had the privilege to rebuild a Simmons Sea Skiff that had fallen into disrepair following its retirement as a rescue boat on the Isle of Palms. Someone from the island suggested it be used as a planter, but a real estate agent bought it for $100 instead. “That agent screamed bloody murder as the boat’s repair got more expensive,” laughs Martin. “But all was well when he was awarded first in show at the Georgetown Wooden Boat Show that year.”

Rebuilding the Simmons Skiff brought Martin a celebrated reputation for craftsmanship. Over the years, 20 Simmons Sea Skiffs have come across his hands for renovation. With each rebuild, he learns more about the famous design.* In 1985, Martin founded Martin Boats. Since that time he has made or repaired over 200 wooden boats, several of which were featured in the television miniseries Scarlett, the movie The Tempest and print catalogs for Outer Banks Outfitters, Eddie Bauer, Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle.

Even with the attention he gained, Martin’s crown and glory remains his one-of-a-kind flats boat named “Paramour.” Completed in 1997 while in the midst of a divorce, Martin found himself once again healed by his love for wood and water. The 21’ by 18’ boat floats in 5 ½ inches of water with up to three passengers and can reach 50 miles per hour in 150 feet. Designed to take off in 20 inches of water, it weighs only 850 pounds and is fashioned together 64

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with only epoxy—no screws, nails or rivets. “The evolution to no fasteners makes for a clean-looking, long-wearing boat that lasts,” says Martin. “It’s an heirloom made entirely of mahogany plywood—expensive materials that keep getting more expensive.”

The boat naturally attracts attention. “Once, a man placed his blank checkbook on the front of the boat,” says Martin laughing. “I’m not interested in selling it. I could build another like it, and it would be much easier to build a second with the original on hand.”

These days, Martin has found love again—on two levels. He is happily married to his wife, Katherine, and the two spend most of their down time with “Penelope,” a Whitehall row boat—one of the most complicated boats he has ever built. “She’s a real sweetheart, though” he says with a smile.

“I’ve given up on the idea of being a real wealthy man, and I’m not a scholar. But I can make my mark,” says Martin. “I’ll pass on what I can from what I’ve learned in my life to my grandson. But in the meantime, I’m gonna build boats.”

For more information on John Martin and his projects visit www.johnmartinboats.com. * Named for Wilmington, North Carolina, native T.N. Simmons, the famous craftsman who built over 1,000 skiffs one at a time over the course of his career. About 20 feet in length, the skiffs are often used by offshore fishermen.

The Big Day Owens receiving his award

Up-and-coming novelist Tim Owens has found himself, and in the most unlikely place. For years, the once-rebellious teen turned established engineer, husband and dad of four mulled over the idea of writing a novel–a creative project out of his comfort zone.

Owens’ father was a Southern Baptist minister and English teacher, so the art of creative writing was not new to him. In fact, it was a welcome change to the mentality his job as an engineer and inventor required, albeit a trade off. With the words of his Grandma Duncan’s family crest, “learn to suffer,” running through his mind, Owens tried his hand at the craft.

“Some years ago, I was a member of a pastoral search committee for a year. The experience was very unusual and I thought someone should write about this,” says Owens. In 2003 his ideas began to come together. With four small children at the time, he worked on the novel late at night, after his work and family obligations were 68

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through for the day. A year later, the novel was complete and within weeks, Owens’ mailbox was full of rejection letters. Thirty-nine, to be exact.

Motivated by four looming college tuitions in close succession and the belief that “somebody, somewhere” would like his book, Owens pulled the project from the dusty recesses of his desk in summer 2009. He added chapters, changed ideas and rewrote several characters. “I sent the reworked version to five agents,” he says.

New York agent, Ethan Ellenberg, liked the synopsis, and within two weeks, offered Owens a contract. After pitching the book

to Tyndale House Publishers, Ellenburg and senior acquisitions editor, Karen Watkins, convinced Owens to enter the novel in the Christian Writers’ Guild annual first novel contest instead.

As the weeks passed, Owens went back to work at his engineering firm and continued to monitor the website. He was stunned to discover he made the semi-finals, and several weeks later, the finals.

In February 2011, the first novel award winner was to be announced at the Guild conference. Owens was encouraged to attend and made the journey to Denver, Colorado alone. “I didn’t know anyone,” he says.

“As the names were called, I remember thinking they forgot about me, oh well.” he says, until his name was called last, and he was presented a check and a contract from Tyndale to publish the book. That night, Owens went to dinner with his new editor and publicist who informed him of the whirlwind preparations that were ahead: three months for edits followed by five months of prerelease marketing and a release date of January 2012 for his novel entitled, The Search Committee.

“I didn’t really know how to take it all,” he says, “It was a very different experience.”

A Summerville resident since 1999 and member of Summerville Presbyterian Church, Owens drew some content from his experiences and relationships within his church. A telling fact, considering his interesting repertoire of career opportunities and experiences his wife calls “Indiana Jones stuff.”

A native of eastern North Carolina, Owens grew up on the beach.

“I had some behavior issues,” he says, “I actually failed Citizenship in the ninth grade.” With encouragement from his father, he applied to Wake Forest and the Citadel. “And do you know why I decided on the Citadel?” he asks, laughing. “Because at the time their handbook had a surfboard and girl in a bikini on one page.”

Nevertheless, it was a good decision.

After graduating with a degree in biology, Owens worked in the nuclear and power plant industries, eventually returning to school to pursue a Master’s in engineering. After starting his own firm in the Charlotte area in the late 1990s, he ventured back to school; this time to the University of Cincinnati to pursue his Ph.D. “I thought I was going to be a professor,” he says, “but I realized I didn’t like it at all.”

In 1999, Owens moved to Charleston for a job with General Engineering, a position that led him to Honduras where he installed the first prototype of the water treatment unit, designed to fit on the back of a pick-up truck, now used by Water Missions International. The design worked so well that it developed into a sideline project.

Over the next year and a half, Owens’ work with Water Missions took him back to Honduras many times and to Mozambique following the floods in that country in 2000. There, he suffered a poisonous spider bite. “That was when I and my wife, Ruth, decided the ‘Indiana Jones’ stuff was over,” he says.

Now, with the release of his first novel, Owens has found his calling—again. He is still an engineer by day, but spends his evenings working on his second novel—an anomaly of sorts as the two “arts” are so different.

Tim Owens is the 2010 winner of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild “First Novel” award. His first novel, The Search Committee, is available wherever fine books are sold.

Tim Owens would like to invite all writers seeking encouragement attend the Summerville Word Weavers writing group. Word Weavers is a subsidiary of the Christian Writers Guild and meets the first Monday of every month at 8:00 pm at Summerville Presbyterian Church.

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INTO THE WILD

JIMMY AND BETH HUGGINS, THE COUPLE BEHIND THE SOUTHEASTERN WILDLIFE EXPOSITION, WELCOME US INTO THEIR HISTORIC HOME WITH A “WILD” SENSE OF STYLE ***

by Will Rizzo

photos by Dottie Langley Rizzo

O

n the last unpaved road in Summerville, you will find a refuge of historic influence and old Southern ease. If not for the occasional SUV or imported sedan, the moss draped oaks and unmanicured landscape just might make you a believer in time travel. It is no wonder that Jimmy and Beth Huggins, the couple behind Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, call this place home.

Over a decade ago, this area was part of Summerville’s Golden Age of Inns, where The Postern Inn stood beneath the wooded canopy. The Huggins home was once the Annex (circa 1870) of the inn, housing the overflow of guests.

The Postern was originally owned by the Walker Family.

Their daughter Carrie was a painter who married into the Gibbs family, for whom the acclaimed Charleston art museum is named for. When the Old Postern Inn was dismantled, some of the salvageable architectural elements, like doors and flooring, were added to the house.

Today, the Huggins home is a virtual album of their sporting lifestyle. They have amassed an inspiring collection of wildlife art, antique furniture, skin rugs from a zebra conservancy, and taxidermy. The home is grand yet cozy, historic yet fresh, wild yet welcoming. It is exactly the kind of place the couple behind S.E.W.E. should call home.

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Above: In the Spring, the Huggins’ yard has a majestic quality.

A mixture of ferns, varieties of azaleas, and wisteria engulf the property.

Opposite: The Huggins love to entertain friends and family. This tremendous circular dining table, in the center of a warm and spacious room, is the perfect environment for hosting a loquacious dinner party.

Left to Right: An assortment of hats are stored by the front door.

Not only is this convenient, but the cowboy hats also add to the rich decor.

Jimmy and Beth Huggins work diligently year-round to produce the wildly popular S.E.W.E. event.

“It’s such a soothing sound to hear the dirt under my tires. I know I’m home,” Beth says.

Opposite: This vine-covered arbor makes for quite an entrance for neighborhood friends. The path leads from the road to the house and looks as if it was formed over years of visits.

Double Duty This classic front porch is perfect for an after work cocktail or a Sunday afternoon nap

Researchers have identified 19 different types of smiles.

We think they missed one...

Summerville/Knightsville 953 Orangeburg Rd, Suite A Goose Creek/North Charleston 124 S. Goose Creek Blvd, Suite D

w w w. a c u i t y o r t h o . c o m

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843-261-2001

comprehensive list of what’s happening EVENTS CALENDAR Your around town

MONTHLY EVENTS

GUIDED WALKING TOURS OF HISTORIC SUMMERVILLE The Summerville Dorchester Museum offers two guided walking tours of historic Summerville; one of old planter Summerville and one of the West End with its railroad history. Stroll past gracious old homes of the Antebellum and Victorian eras. Hear stories of the people who once lived in them and of the town’s Civil War and railroad experiences.

Walks cover a little over a mile, take about an hour and are daily, by appointment only.

For information, call 875-9666 or see www.summervilledorchestermuseum.org SUMMERVILLE FARMER’S MARKET Saturday Mornings, 8am-1pm You will find the freshest local produce, baked goods, jellies and jams, crafts and more.

The market is located at First Citizens Bank (Next to Town Hall).

WINE STROLLS AT MIDDLETON PLACE Wednesdays, March 7 - November 14, 5:307:30pm Cost: $15 per person Enjoy wine tastings in the Gardens every Wednesday! Sip and stroll in a different garden location each week while sampling old and new world wine vintages. Extend the evening with dinner at the Middleton Place Restaurant.

For reservations, call 843-266-7477 THIRD THURSDAY Thursday March 15, April 19, May 17, 5:00-8:00pm Every Third Thursday of each month, the historic downtown Summerville district throws itself a party. Hutchinson Square becomes an entertainment venue, and Short Central becomes a street fair. Art Central Gallery sponsors Art Walk with booths of artists and artisans selling their crafts and artwork. Musical entertainment is featured at several locations throughout the downtown area. Restaurants cater to shoppers and evening strollers with special offers and outdoor seating options

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that allow their customers to enjoy the weather as well as the outdoor entertainment. Summerville D.R.E.A.M. (Downtown Restoration, Enhancement and Management) sponsors the monthly celebration to create a lively community atmosphere and promote local businesses.

Come join us every Third Thursday of the month in center of downtown Summerville, 5:00- 8:00pm. For more information, contact Summerville D.R.E.A.M. (843) 821-7260 or info@summervilledream.org

MARCH

“WAIT UNTIL DARK” PRESENTED BY THE FLOWERTOWN PLAYERS March 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 & 17 at 8:00pm & March 4, 11 & 18 at 2:00pm Ticket Prices: $20 for adults, $17 for seniors / military, $15 for students Independent and resourceful, Susy Hendrix is learning to cope with her blindness, which resulted from a recent accident. Her life is changed as she is terrorized by a group of criminals who believe she has hidden a baby doll used by them to smuggle heroin into the country. Alone in her apartment and cut off from the outside world, Susy must fight for her life against a gang of ruthless criminals, led by the violent, psychotic Roat. The tension builds as Roat, aided by his gang, impersonates police officers and friends of her husband in order to win Susy’s confidence, gaining access to her apartment to look for the doll. www.flowertownplayers.org for more info A CELEBRATION OF QUILTS 2012: “SOUTHERN COMFORTS” March 2-3, 10:00am-6:00pm Admission: $7 daily or $10 for both days.

The Cobblestone Quilters Guild will present their bi-annual quilt show on March 2-3 at the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium. More than 200 quilts and quilted items will be on display from local and regional artists with $2000 in prizes being awarded. The exhibit will include antique quilts, bed-size quilts, wall quilts, and wearable art. There will also be an appraiser, a boutique, door prizes, and demonstrations. A silent auction of quilts and quilt-related items will be held to benefit The Dee Nortion Lowcountry Children’s Center. charlestonquiltguild.com

NIGHT WALK at AUDUBON CENTER AT FRANCIS BEIDLER FOREST Saturday March 3, 7:30pm Join an Audubon Society Naturalist on an evening tour along the boardwalk through the old growth Francis Beidler Forest. Night walkers will stroll past huge moonlightsilhouetted Bald Cypress trunks (some over 1000 years old!), while listening to the same hoots, squeaks, buzzes, trills, snorts, plops, splashes and splishes that have echoed through the swamp for centuries. Star and moonlight will guide the way out to Goodson Lake, where the guide will shine for gator and spider eyes, listen for bats and try talking to Barred Owls. For more information, call 843-462-2150 MASTERWORKS SERIES -“SCHUMANN, DVOŘÁK, & TCHAIKOVSKY WITH JOSHUA ROMAN.” CHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Saturday March 3, 7:30pm $20 and up, $10 for students.

Guest Artist Joshua Roman was but 22 when he joined the Seattle Symphony Orchestra as their Principal Cellist. He’ll be the featured soloist for Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme and Dvořák’s lyrical Silent Woods.

Also on the bill is Smetana’s The Moldau, and Schumann’s last Symphony, called the “Rhenish.” Christopher Wilkins conducts. A free “Know the Score” pre-concert talk will be held on the Gaillard stage from 6:30-7:00pm. www.charlestonsymphony.org “FAME” March 8, 9, 10 at 7:00pm and March 11 at 3:00pm A musical starring a select group of students at The Performing Arts High School in NYC and their struggle to achieve FAME! Performance at the Summerville High School Auditorium.

Visit theatreatshs.com for more information.

2012 DANCING WITH THE ARK’S STARS Saturday March 10, 7:00 -11:00pm General admission: $50, Votes for your favorite dancers: $10 each.

The Second Annual Dancing With The ARK’s Stars promises to be a night of elegant entertainment! Our hosts Brad and Jennifer Moranz

(Charleston Christmas Special) will delight as our local celebrities compete to win the Mirror Ball Trophy, and raise money for The ARK, Alzheimer’s Family Support Services. This year’s dancers are: Elizabeth Murray Hight, Beth Messervy, Aisha Tyler, Ralph Phillips, Joe Pye and Dr. Bob Randall. Carolina Dancesport Studio is providing its talented professionals to partner with our celebrities. To be held at the Eidson Gym at Pinewood Prep.

With heavy hors d’oeuvres, open bar, and silent auction, not to mention some great dancing. Visit www.DancingWithTheArkStars.org for details or to register and vote.

FLOWERTOWN RUN/WALK Saturday March 10 The Flowertown Run has grown tremendously and has become a signature event for the Summerville Family YMCA. Over 1,000 runners and walkers participated in the 2011 10K, 5K and one mile races. The race route takes participants through downtown Summerville, past historic homes and beautiful gardens.

For fees and registration information, visit www. summervilleymca.org CAMELLIA WALKS Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays through March 24th Special guided tours focus on camellias throughout the original gardens as well as the “new” camellia garden of the 1950s. Admire hundreds of varieties, including the 1786 Reine des Fleurs, one of the first camellias planted in America. Tours begin at the Garden Market & Nursery and last approximately an hour and a half. Ticket includes general admission to Middleton Place.

843-556-6020 or www.middletonplace.org “AMERICAN STRING QUARTETCHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Sunday March 25, 4:00pm $15 per person, $5 for students.

Favorites for string quartet, including Dvorak’s “American” Quartet plus selections by Cole Porter and George Gershwin. St. John the Beloved Catholic Church, 28 Sumter Ave., Summerville. Post-concert reception provided

by St. John the Beloved congregation. For more information, www.charlestonsymphony.org

40TH ANNUAL FLOWERTOWN FESTIVAL Friday & Saturday March 30 & 31, 9:00am-5:00pm Every spring, the Town of Summerville is awash in color - from the hot pink azaleas and the purple wisteria to the delicate white dogwood. On one 3-day weekend during this season, thousands of festival-goers transcend this gracious Southern town to take in the flowers and hospitality and attend one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast: The YMCA Flowertown Festival. www.flowertownfestival.org

APRIL

40TH ANNUAL FLOWERTOWN FESTIVAL Sunday April 1, 9:00am-4:00pm Every spring, the Town of Summerville is awash in color - from the hot pink azaleas and the purple wisteria to the delicate white dogwood. On one 3-day weekend during this season, thousands of festival-goers transcend this gracious Southern town to take in the flowers and hospitality and attend one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast: The YMCA Flowertown Festival. www.flowertownfestival.org EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA AT MIDDLETON PLACE Saturday, April 7, 10:30 a.m.

The Easter Bunny will lead hunts for hard boiled eggs and special prize eggs. Natural egg dyeing, eco-friendly activities and period games take place in the Stableyards. Lunch buffet available from 11:00 am-2:00 pm.

For reservations, call 843-266-7477 NIGHT WALK AT THE AUDUBON CENTER AT FRANCIS BEIDLER FOREST Saturday April 7, 8:00pm $10 per person, reservations are required.

Join an Audubon Society Naturalist on an evening tour along the boardwalk through the old growth Francis Beidler Forest. Night walkers will stroll past huge moonlightsilhouetted Bald Cypress trunks (some over 1000 years

old!), while listening to the same hoots, squeaks, buzzes, trills, snorts, plops, splashes and splishes that have echoed through the swamp for centuries. Star and moonlight will guide the way out to Goodson Lake, where the guide will shine for gator and spider eyes, listen for bats and try talking to Barred Owls.

For more information, call 843-462-2150.

WINE AND WARBLERS Saturday April 14, 5:00pm $40.00 per person. Reservations are required.

Join an expert bird guide for an evening stroll along the boardwalk to explore the wide variety of birds who call the swamp home at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest. Wine and hors d’oeuvres along the walk will accompany the bird watching. Walks begin at 5:00 PM and leave every 20 minutes. For more information, please call (843) 462-2150, or email bthomas@ audubon.org THIRD ANNUAL CAMP HAPPY DAYS: CHARLESTON BED RACE Sunday April 15, 1:00pm You won’t want to miss the fun, as the five man bed teams, two at a time, race decorated beds down the course in heats until we hand off the first place trophy to a new Bed Race Champion Team, who will reign throughout the city for an entire year. Taco Boy, Fiery Ron’s Hometeam BBQ and Jack’s Cosmic Dogs will be serving up lunch and beverages in the Beer Garden.

For more infor, go to www.charlestonbedrace.com or call 843-571-4336.

SOUTHERN FLAME FOOD AND MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE PONDS Saturday April 21, 11:00am-8:00pm $10 per car parking fee.

Eddie Bush and The Mayhem will headline this all-day festival at The Ponds in Summerville!

An official BBQ Competition and a People’s Choice Southern Foods Competition will offer up delicious Southern delectables while Bluegrass favorites Common Ground, DD Cumbee and Homegrown will entertain the crowd during the day. Family friendly setting under the oaks at The Ponds – bring your lawn chairs!

Food and beverage available for purchase. All Proceeds benefit the Summerville Miracle League. www.southernflamefestival.org

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EVENTS CALENDAR THE SUMMERVILLE EVENING ROTARY CLUB PRESENTS: ROCKIN’ THE ‘VILLE Saturday April 21, 7:00pm Tickets: $50 each/$90 per couple in advance, $60 each/$100 per couple at the door. Let’s go to the Hop at Country Club of Summerville/Miler with dancing, live bands, food and drinks. Call 843.830.9096 for tickets.

CALLING CUSTOMERS BY NAME SINCE 1905.

With over 100 years of service to the community, First National Bank of South Carolina has always been committed to excellence in banking, and fostering genuine relationships with our customers. Our doors are always open, so stop by and experience the difference of banking with a neighbor.

Summerville 843-873-3310

Sangaree 843-875-2584

Ridgeville 843-871-9553

Goose Creek 843-553-0344

Boonehill 843-875-2100

Harleyville 843-462-7661

Holly Hill 803-496-5011

Eutawville 803-492-7726 www.fnbsc.com

SUMMERVILLE CARES DAY OF SERVICE Saturday April 21 Help improve our community. Interfaith groups, community organizations, civic leaders and the Mayor’s office join hands with hundreds of volunteers in Greater Summerville. Be part of this unique opportunity by volunteering individually or as groups for participation in an array of service projects to improve our community and lift spirits. Visit www.scdayofservice.org to volunteer.

TRIDENT LITERACY ASSOCIATION BREAKFAST AND GARDEN TOUR Saturday April 21, 7:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Tickets are $10 and are available at Linwood and online at www.tridentlit.org. Come enjoy breakfast at the Linwood Bed & Breakfast and tour 3 nearby private gardens at this fundraiser to support Trident Literacy Association’s new service center in Summerville at 907-2 Miles Jamison Rd. OLD VILLAGE HOME, GARDEN & ART TOUR Sunday April 22, 1:00pm-5:00pm $45 tickets, or $30 each for groups of 10 or more Enjoy a rare opportunity to explore ten picturesque homes and gardens in the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant. Food tastings prepared by local chefs will be offered in tour kitchens and on outside patios. Artists will showcase their works for sale under tents in Edwards Park. Proceeds from ticket sales and a portion of art sold will benefit the Red Cross. For more information, visit www.

LowcountryRedCross.org or Abide-A-While Garden Center in Mt. Pleasant.

DORCHESTER COUNTY COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS SECOND ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT (CAPTAIN’S CHOICE) Friday, April 27 Registration: 12:00pm, Tee Off: 1:00pm, Legend Oaks Golf Club Cost: $75 per player; $300 per team, which includes 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, refreshments, and awards presentation immediately following dinner. Come out and support

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programs for the students of Dorchester County! To help plan properly for this event, please pre-register at William.jones@hcahealthcare.com

MAY

NIGHT WALK AT THE AUDUBON CENTER AT FRANCIS BEIDLER FOREST Saturday May 5, 8:00pm $10 per person, reservations are required.

Join an Audubon Society Naturalist on an evening tour along the boardwalk through the old growth Francis Beidler Forest. Night walkers will stroll past huge moonlightsilhouetted Bald Cypress trunks (some over 1000 years old!), while listening to the same hoots, squeaks, buzzes, trills, snorts, plops, splashes and splishes that have echoed through the swamp for centuries. Star and moonlight will guide the way out to Goodson Lake, where the guide will shine for gator and spider eyes, listen for bats and try talking to Barred Owls. For more information, call 843-462-2150.

“CHARLEY’S AUNT” PRESENTED BY THE FLOWERTOWN PLAYERS May 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19 at 8:00pm & May 6, 13 & 20 at 2:00pm Ticket Prices: $20 for adults, $17 for seniors / military, $15 for students Charley and Jack love Amy and Kitty. Amy is about to go away, and Charley thinks he may miss his opportunity to ask for her hand. He discovers that his aunt, a Brazilian woman he hardly knows, is coming for lunch. Now the aunt can chaperone while the boys ask the girls to marry them. Naturally, things don’t go as planned. When the aunt is late, they enlist the help of their friend, Lord Fancourt “Babs” Babberley to dress up and pose as Charley’s aunt, and a hilarious afternoon of mistaken identity ensues.

SCULPTURE IN THE SOUTH SHOW AND SALE May 19-20 Gate Admission: $5.00 One of South Carolina’s premier outdoor arts events showcases a variety of sculptors from around the country. Join us at beautiful Azalea Park to view a wide variety of sculpture and visit with sculptors as they demonstrate and discuss their art form. You will have the opportunity to purchase sculpture, enjoy the musical performances, and partake of our Southern barbecue.

For more information, call 843-851-7800 or email sculptureinthesouth@gmail.com

A N Y E V E N T, E L E G A N T TO E N G A G I N G , B L A C K T I E TO B L U E J E A N S

C A N D L E L I T E PAV I L I O N

Premier Event Venue at Historic Summerville Country Club

843-873-2210 x222 / www.summervillecountryclub.com AZALEAMAG.COM / SPRING 2012

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For the Cause

SPCA Downs Byrd Memorial Oyster Roast February 4, 2012

The Oyster Roast and Silent Auction is named in memory of former SPCA President and Board Member Downs Byrd who gave tireless hours of effort and compassion to the homeless, abused and neglected animals of Dorchester County.

For information, visit www.summervillespca.com

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For the Cause

O’LACY’S PUB

SPRING EVENTS 843.832.2999

Annual Chamber Gala February 11, 2012

The Summerville Chamber works to promote local business members, address their issues & concerns and help them grow. The Chamber strongly supports the educational community, enhances tourism and maintains a working relationship with governmental officials. We welcome you to join the Chamber and become part of our family.

For information, visit www.greatersummerville.org

MARCH 17 St. Patty’s Day Street Party

Live Music All Day Diesel Brothers at 6pm

MARCH 31 Post-Festival Street Party 6pm-until w/ Not So Serious

EVERY FRI. Live Music

EVERY SAT. Karaoke 9:30-until

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Last Call

Oh, The Places We Roam: An abandoned cotton gin now serves as a unique place for worship.

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LET OUR SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIANS GET YOU BACK IN THE GAME James McCoy, Jr., MD / James Spearman, MD / David Jaskwhich, MD Xray, Physical Therapy, MRI, and Outpatient Surgery Center By offering the newest techniques and most advanced technology, we have the knowledge to offer our patients an accurate diagnosis for the best possible treatment.

North Charleston 2880 Tricom St. 843-797-5050

Downtown Summerville 130 E. Third North St. 843-879-9699

Summerville / Oakbrook 93B Springview Ln. 843-285-6060

L owcountry Orthopaedics Sports Medicine