MaRCH
fa Sh
Io n
fo
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ST
2011
kIckIn’ asPHalt welcoMe to our BIcYcle frIenDlY coMMunItY!
fe mm
ef aT al
e
a DIG In tHe DIrt c2’s Pool & GarDen sectIon
altruIstIc IslanDers settInG a GooD eXaMPle
FeatureS
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KiCKin’ aSpHaLT biCyCLE CLub cycling around the Lowcountry
P42 HiLTon HEaD iSLanD woRKS TowaRD RECogniTion aS a biCyCLE FRiEnDLy CoMMuniTy a great place to visit and a fantastic place to ride a bicycle--117 miles of public and private shared-use pathways connect to virtually anywhere on this beautiful island.
P46 pEDaL powER When it comes to biking needs, you don’t have to go far.
P48 iT’S a Map! For bikers
contentS
March 2011
P49 THE RuLES oF THE RoaD ...or should we say bike path?
P60 FEMME FaTaLE c2’s Spring Fashion forecast
P70 pRopER LanDSCaping inCREaSES HoME VaLuES a recent landscaping study examined the effect of three components of a landscape design on the perceived value of a home.
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aSK a pooL SpECiaLiST you’ve made the decision to build a pool. your back yard is no longer going to be a desolate piece of your property seldom visited.
60 P92 aLTRuiSTiC iSLanDERS People who are selfless give up their own interests for the greater good. they often think of others, before themselves. they act willingly and generously. they give of their time, their talent, and their treasure. a lot of these people are your neighbors, but you might never know it.
>>> on ouR CoVER
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PhotograPher: KrISZtIan LonyaI haIr anD MaKeuP: robert MoKoS MoDeLS: yana guSeVa anD auStIn troy PhILLIPS (rISe MoDeLS) DreSS by PetIt PoIS FroM the bacK Door
eVerythIng eLSe
cONTENTS
March 2011
82 P32
>> buSIneSS ProFILeS
>> eVerythIng eLSe
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nHC: THiS is youR gRanDFaTHER’S HEaLTH CaRE growing old is not for wussies.
EDiToR’S noTE Look before you leap
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CELEbRaTE MaRCH a few items you might want to put on your calendar this month.
THE goLF CLub aT inDigo Run hilton head Island’s best kept secret
LETTERS To THE EDiToR Dental disappointment and scenes from hospice & hearts
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THE nEw ‘FaCE’ oF KiTCHEn REMoDELing american Wood reface brings dream kitchens to life
a SERiES oF FoRTunaTE EVEnTS your 15 minutes of fame.
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CHaRiTy CoRnER 2011 WingFest
aMERiCan paVing DESign “I’m tim neimiec, and I’m your paver guy.”
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P78 bRuno LanDSCapE anD nuRSERy a little dirt under the fingernails and loving it
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C2 aFTER DaRK Who’s playing where and when, along with trivia nights, and other reasons to stay up past 10 p.m.!
P99 wHaT you nEED To Know abouT equity Index annuities
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ouR Town hilton head Wine and Food Festival
a woRD FRoM THE MayoRS Drew Laughlin and Lisa Sulka update you on town happenings on hilton head Island and in bluffton.
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HE SayS, SHE SayS this month’s topic: academy award Predictions
THE boaRDRooM If brothers—and co-owners—brendan and thomas reilley have anything to do with it, when islanders and visitors say “Meet me at the boardroom,” they’ll be talking about one of the area’s newest watering holes to open in the south-island’s popular “barmuda triangle.”
DiSCounTS! Why in the world would you not show your CH2 card to get these fabulous discounts?
>>> on ouR CoVER
P88 DR. TiMoTHy gRoSS’S DEnTaL ExCELLEnCE a passion for pearly whites.
goLF 101 the art of Scoring Part 2: Pitching
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PhotograPher: KrISZtIan LonyaI haIr anD MaKeuP: robert MoKoS MoDeLS: yana guSeVa anD auStIn troy PhILLIPS (rISe MoDeLS) DreSS by PetIt PoIS FroM the bacK Door
03.2011
FRoM THE EDiToR
2 PhotograPhy by anne
publisher / Editor-in-Chief: MaggIe WaSho art Director: KeLLy StrouD art & production catherIne DaVIeS advertising Sales: aShton KeLLey Stan WaDe chucK bouFForD Contributing writers: FranK babeL FranK Dunne Jr. DaVID gIgnILLIat courtney haMPSon KeIth KeLSon MarK KreuZWIeSer DreW LaughLIn Pete PoPoVIch LISa SuLKa DaVID tobIaS LInDa WarnocK LeW WeSSeL Jean Wharton Peter ZInK Contributing photographers / artist: PhotograPhy by anne John bracKett PhotograPhy KrISZtIan LonyaI ILLuStratIonS by Matt anDerSon art Direction: toM StaebLer
P.O.Box 22949 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925 843.689.2658 m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com
LooK beFore you LeaP M a y b e i t ’s t h e s p r i n g weather (and long cold winter) making everyone itchy for change, but for some reason it seems that a lot of my friends are contemplating big moves in their lives right now: a new career, a new state, a new relationship, a new beginning. It has me thinking about humans and their continual quest for “something new.” boredom seeps into what seems like a humdrum life, and we feel the need to shake things up. Do we like to stir up trouble so we aren’t bored? Perhaps. If our minds aren’t c o n t i n u a l l y s t i m u l a t e d by new thoughts, ideas and challenges, we get stagnant.
but what’s interesting to me is the difference in the things we choose to change as opposed to the things we could change. Perhaps our attitude is the thing that should change: If only we could shift our own personal paradigm and see our lives in a completely different light. the glass is half full vs. half empty. I had a friend who needed to get away from hilton head because he began to hate it here. I remember thinking that he could travel halfway around the world and still be stuck with what he was most unhappy with—himself. the scenery changes, but if you can’t change what’s inside your head, you’ll still feel the same.
We should all take a lesson from the people (altruistic Islanders) featured on page 92 of this issue—start thinking less about our own problems and situations and help those who have it much, much worse. a little perspective goes along way. but if you still feel the need to shake things up this spring, look before you leap. the grass may be greener, but it’s because there’s a lot of manure hiding in it.
M. Washo Publisher/ editor-in-chief
C2
Letters
To the Editor...
C2
Dear Editor:
DentAl DePArtment
February is known as National Dental Health Month for Children & Pets, but we think it’s pretty important for adults too. Read on for articles by and profiles featuring local dental professionals.
A tooth fell out, And left A spAce so big my tongue could touch my fAce. And every time i smile, i show A spAce where something used to grow. i miss my tooth As you cAn guess but then, i hAve to brush one less!
I was disappointed that none of your featured articles in “C2 Dental Department” made an attempt to highlight the valuable roles that registered dental hygienists and certified dental assistants play in enabling these dentists to offer quality services to clients. While one article mentioned the word “staff” and another the word “team” only one used the vernacular word “hygienist”, but not the professional title of dental hygienist, and that article used the words “lovely … wife” preceding hygienist to refer to a dentist’s spouse. Your readers may have been better served with an explanation of the educational and credentialing rigors dental hygienists and dental assistants must go through to obtain licensure to practice. I would have thought that at least one of these dentists would have wanted the public to know that he or she only employs licensed and credentialed oral healthcare professionals and that these individuals could have been named in the articles as prominently. In thIs seCtIon
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Q & A About DentAl ImPlAnts Dr. Brian Low answers frequently asked questions about the newest advances in tooth replacement.
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lIfe-ChAngIng DentIstry All-on-4 technique offers pure freedom from dentures.
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beAufort fAmIly DentIstry Dr. Porcelli has built a team which has created an environment that works from all angles—for hygienists, dentists and patients; for moms and dads and kids; for those who are just in for a cleaning and those here for something a whole lot more serious and perhaps even complicated.
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herItAge AnImAl hosPItAl Observations from the Woof of an Animal’s Mouth
Evelyn Thomson, RDH, MS
Dear Maggie, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the coverage of Hospice & Hearts: A Red Carpet Affair. The event sold out and was a great success! As you can see from the attached photos the ladies looked fabulous and had a wonderful time. In attendance were some of the Real Housewives of Hilton Head, Mary Poppins, Bjork, Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day and quite a few Runaway Brides. We also appreciate your assistance in securing some of the CH2 Bachelors for the silent auction. They, along with a few other local gentlemen will be “dates” to our Hospice Care of the Lowcountry Yacht Hop on May 1, 2011. Again, thank you for your support! Kind regards, Darlene Schuetz Hospice Care of the Lowcountry
C2
SERIES OF FORTUNATE EVENTS
Hospice Care of the Lowcountry
Paw-Metto Pooches Joe Skager joins the staff of Paw-metto Pooches Pet Salon as a pet stylist.
welcomes Kendell Brinkmann as Clinical Director. Kendell will be responsible for all aspects of patient services and the overseeing of the clinical staff.
St. Francis Thrift Shop Christine Hadersbeck has been installed as the new General Manager of St. Francis Thrift Shop on Hilton Head Island.
Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry (LVL) is presenting a series of “Learn to Earn” workshops aimed at improving work and life skills at its Bluffton Learning Center; call 815-6616 for information.
Kevin Eichner
Christine Smith
sculptor/custom metals, at Artizen Alley, Shrimp Lane, HHI and the Hilton Head Art League: present “From the Fire” an exhibition of recent work at the Greer Gallery, Coastal Carolina Arts Center during the month of March.
Tidbits
Christine Smith, hair stylist/ make-up artist, is a recent addition to the award winning Salon 5200. 843-681-5200 christinesmithstyle. com
Bob Raehn
of Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort recently hired Ken Kolbe as consultant in marketing and sales, assisting in sales and establishing client relations in Hilton Head and the great Bluffton area.
Local Agent, Bob Raehn (ran), outlines solutions for homeowners seeking to avoid foreclosure. To learn more, visit www.HiltonHeadIslandShortSales.com
Knights of Columbus Thomas D. Reilley Sr. Council 10668’s Grand Knight John Scanlan continues the Knight’s long term relationship of some 20 years, he recently presented a check for $1,500 to the Special Olympics’s Co-Director. Kathleen Cramer
Jennifer Amann Congratulations to Jennifer Amann, Recently Promoted to Corporate ControllerCapstone Financial Group, Inc
To be included in our next Series of Fortunate Events, please email Ashton Kelley a PHOTO and A SENTENCE (not a paragraph) at a.kelley@celebratehiltonhead.com. Photos will not be accepted without a sentence. Sentences will not be accepted without a photo. Paragraphs will be edited down to one sentence. Get it? Got it! Good.
CHaRiTy CoRnER
WiNGFest
16th annual festival signals beginning of spring Mark Kreuzwieser
reMy’S tent WIth theIr WIngS anD WorKerS!
a VIeW oF the croWD FroM the Stage.
get your napkins—heck, forget napkins—your paper towels, industrialstrength wipettes and full-frontal bibs handy for the 16th hargray WingFest on March 19, arguably hilton head Island’s largest annual oneday festival. the mega event from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Shelter cove community Park will again feature restaurants’ and organizations’ best attempts to garner the top awards for
the finest wings and sauces along with live music, games and activities for the kids and a big-screen tV for March Madness basketball addicts. “It’s a huge, allday event, just nonstop and full throttle,” said Joe cain, the Island rec center’s hard-working and dedicated special events coordinator and director of hargray WingFest 16. “I fully expect 5,000 people to attend at some point during the seven hours.”
Music is always a big part of Wing Fest, and returning bands include locals Deaz guys and atlanta’s the good People. Professional judging of the best wings and sauce starts at 1:30 p.m., and regular folks are encouraged to vote for their favorites before 4 p.m. cain doesn’t participate for political reasons. “I don’t want to be accused of prejudging in the contest, so I’m just a runner [of the votes],” he joked. as always, look for a mind-blowing variety of wings and sauces, from super hot to fancyschmancy fit for a French restaurant. cain forecasts some crazy recipes, but as usual, he advises contestants to keep the sauce fairly cool lest they incinerate their chances with sensitive judges. expected back from last year’s participating
restaurants and bars are Wild Wing café, remy’s bar and grill, Street Meet, Smoke house, Kenny b’s, Pizza hut, L’ Wood’s Local Pub and eatery, one hot Mamas, hilton head Diner, Murphy’s Irish Pub, gW’s, aunt chilada’s, reilley’s, and the hilton head brewing co. there will also be plenty of suds to cool off burning palates. WingFest is one of hilton head’s biggest parties, and the community always kicks in to help. More than 75 volunteers will assist in the festival. “WingFest has become the traditional kick-off to hilton head’s spring, and everyone lends a hand,” cain said. admission is $5; children 12 and under are admitted free. Food sold separately. all proceeds benefit the Island recreation association’s children’s Scholarship Fund.
toM PeePLeS & SteVe rILey SPortIng theIr “get your PLaID on!” buttonS SuPPortIng the herItage.
FoR MoRE inFoRMaTion, visit islandreccenter.org, call (843) 681-7273 or e-mail info@islandreccenter.org.
THe enTerTAinmenT chrIS & chrIStIan anD the MarShaL DILLIon banD WILL PLay FroM 11 aM – 12:30 aM. DeaS guyZ FroM 1 – 3 PM anD the gooD PeoPLe FroM 3:30 to cLoSe. PIctureD IS DeaS guyZ on Stage at WIngFeSt 2010.
ouR Town
hilton head Wine and Food Festival one of the Southeast’s Most notable Wine affairs F r a n k D u n n e , J r. rob Kaufman
Since we have no Major League baseball team and no opening Day to mark spring’s arrival, let’s have a glass of wine instead. “Winefest is kind of like our opening Day,” said Julie Musselman, the woman in charge of planning the hilton head Island Wine &
Food Festival for the hilton head hospitality association. to be correct, what locals know as Winefest is just one of five events constituting the festival, which is now one of the most notable wine affairs in the Southeast. “It was originally
designed as an opportunity for people to learn about and taste all different kinds of wine,” Musselman said. “In the ’80s when it started, I don’t think wine was seen as a very approachable subject. What Winefest has done over the years is make wine a little
more approachable.” While wine consumption grew in popularity over the past couple of decades, Winefest coincidentally grew in scope to become a very successful destination culinary event. although considered a rite of spring in these parts, the festival actually began last January with the International Wine Judging and competition, the first of three wine tasting events. according to Musselman, there were 650 wines from all over the world competing for medals at this year’s competition. “the three kind of work together,” said Musselman of the Judging, the grand Wine tasting and auction, and the Public tasting and auction (Winefest). “at the grand tasting you will taste premium wines of $50 or more per bottle. this event is enjoyed by people
To bE CoRRECT, What LocaLS KnoW aS WIneFeSt IS JuSt one oF FIVe eVentS conStItutIng the FeStIVaL, WhIch IS noW one oF the MoSt notabLe WIne aFFaIrS In the SoutheaSt.
who are seriously pursuing a wine education or are already serious about their wine. “the Public tasting is for all levels of wine knowledge.
It’s an opportunity to learn, experience new wines, and have fun tasting wine and food samplings from local chefs. one thing that’s new at the Public tasting is that
Our town
attendees will have the opportunity to purchase their favorite wines tasted right on site.” No glass of wine is complete, though, unless it’s paired with the right food. The Wine & Food Festival covers that base with Great Chefs of the South, a weeklong opportunity to have dinner at some of Hilton Head Island’s finest dining establishments with the perfect wine for each course, and the vintner right there to
tell you all about it. “Kind of the icing on the whole Festival is Great Chefs of the South—the wine dinners. That’s something that people can participate in and learn more at a personal level,” Musselman said. “We’ve got a beautiful menu paired with a particular winery, and that winery is here answering questions and going through some of the details of how that wine came to be, how it works with the menu.”
Some of this year’s pairings: Antonio’s and Executive Chef Yuri Gow will host Pellegrini Vineyards; Old Fort Pub and Executive Chef Keith Josefiak will host Artisan Vineyards; and CQ’s and Executive Chef Eric Sayers will host King Estate Winery. For all the details and a schedule of events, visit HiltonHeadIslandWineAndFood.com or call (800) 424-3387.
2
He Says, She Says
The Academy Awards
>>> ONE SUBJECT Two Opinions
Article by Keith Kelson
one man’s point of view
Photography BY ANNE
I
have an Oscar lying around here somewhere. You know, the golden statue that Hollywood hands out to the best of the best in the movie business. Hey, I worked security and it pays to be helpful, friendly and discreet. I’ve helped my fair share of Hollywood’s movers and shakers avoid many embarrassing situations in my day. One grateful actor just happened to have an extra Oscar lying on the backseat of his Porsche, and when I refused to take money for helping him, he handed me the Oscar. While I am more than grateful, my benefactor drove off during my acceptance speech. Like a large number of viewers, I usually watch the Academy Awards just to see the looks on the faces of the people who didn’t win. I also watch to see if the host is as good as Billy Crystal or Johnny Carson. Last year, the producers of the show actually considered letting Sacha Baron Cohen, the man behind the masterful cinema classics Borat and Bruno appear on live network television as the host of the Academy Awards. I would’ve sold my house to see that broadcast, but the board of governors had to be party poopers, insisting on another host. My personal favorites this year for best picture are Toy Story 3, True Grit, Winter’s Bone or The King’s Speech. The four pictures I just listed are more than worthy of being named best film of the year. I used to watch reruns of The Big Valley on late night television as a kid when I should have been in bed—so I have a soft spot for westerns. I’m really pulling for True Grit to win. I’m also a big fan of the Toy Story franchise, and with
this third and final installment, it would be a fitting tribute if it were named best picture. Winter’s Bone and The King’s Speech are also very good films which I will add to my personal movie collection. Here are the films that I’m not picking to win and the very valid reasons why: Inception is a film involving dreams and corporate espionage. This movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a guy who’s inserted into the dreams of his targets so he can gain their trust and “extract” vital info and any deep, dark secret they might be hiding. Corporate espionage via dream extraction? Yeah, that sounds like a viable way to obtain information. Most people went to see this flick because of DiCaprio and the wonky visual effects. Best visual effects is the only category for which Inception should be considered. The Social Network is a film about the popular social networking site Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg. Let’s ignore the fact that Zuckerberg is notorious for lacking social skills in the real world, but a movie about Facebook? Take Mafia Wars, Bejeweled Blitz, Farmville and the other popular games away from Facebook, and what do you have? Another Internet fad that will run its course and be replaced by another Internet fad. You just know that somewhere there’s a Twitter movie in the works, but I’m still waiting on the MySpace movie. The Kids Are All Right is another one of those movies focusing on the alternative lifestyle crowd and how they cope with the challenges of raising teenagers. Really? I mean, couldn’t they have made Police Acad-
emy 54: The Search for Kojak or something? Why isn’t this a very special episode of Seventh Heaven instead? It’s not the only feature film nominated for an Academy Award that should be a made-for-television movie. The Black Swan is a film about a ballerina and her fragile mental state during a production of Swan Lake. Question: Is the main character being portrayed by Scarlett Johansson? No? How about the rival dancer? No? Next. I like to watch the occasional ballet performance, but a film about a deranged ballet dancer is not my idea of a major motion picture—a movie of the week on Lifetime Television maybe, but not worthy of an Academy Award. Kudos to the producers for the ballerina fight scene between Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, is a film based on the real life of boxer “Irish” Mickey Ward. I saw those fights that Ward had with the late Arturo Gatti, and those were some of the greatest boxing matches I have ever seen. Anyone who was ever involved with a hybrid R&B rap group like Wahlberg was in the ’90s just can’t be taken seriously. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch? To quote the hip, young trendy kids: Epic fail. Cast Bale as the lead, Hugh Jackman in the supporting role, let Wahlberg do his producer thing and The Fighter would have easily been one of my favorites for best picture. I have to remember to buy some extra popcorn and Milk Duds for this year’s show. Anne Hathaway and James Franco are the hosts and should do well, but I’ve got my fingers crossed that Sacha Baron Cohen shows up instead.
Article by Jean Wharton
The Academy Awards
one woman’s point of view
T
here was a time when my wildest fantasies played out in the bathroom mirror while holding a youth soccer trophy and practicing my Academy Award acceptance speech. Teary eyed, I’d thank the people I’d abandoned along my heroically trotted path to superstardom. I may have applied some of my mother’s lipstick and perhaps borrowed a prom dress from my sister’s closet for the occasion. If you have even the slightest smile on your face reading this right now, it’s because you know you are guilty of the same. In my youth, I was certain that a life of fame and fortune awaited me, and each year, watching Academy Awards, my delusion was reignited. I emulated what I assumed fame and fortune would be, fancy clothes, beautiful hair and makeup, slick escort and flashing cameras. Years later, I see that fame is really simply one’s reputation and fortune is simply having the financial means to say yes rather than no. Nonetheless, Hollywood didn’t get the memo that I wasn’t coming, and judging by the 2011 nominations, my absence certainly has not rocked the film industry off its charted trajectory. I won’t be on stage on Oscar night, but that doesn’t mean I am sans-audience: I have you! By the time this is published, the 83rd Academy Awards will have come to a close. Here are my predictions: Best Actor in a Leading Role Hands down, Colin Firth for “The King’s Speech.” His performance as the stammering King George was perfect from start to finish. Firth’s malleable and expressive face subtly tells part of the story while his spot-on articulation (or lack thereof) allows an amazing historical figure to become a relatable character. He will win; there is no question. Best Supporting Actor Christian Bale in The Fighter. If you
Photography BY ANNE
have not seen this inspiring true story biopic, be sure to do so regardless of who gets the golden statue. Bale completely transformed into Dick Eklund, a drug addict and former champion boxer from Lowell, Massachusetts who trains his younger half brother through tumultuous family tribulations. All traces of Bale’s previous roles, including as Bruce Wayne in Batman fall by the wayside in this convincing performance. If this is your first film experience with this talented British actor, be sure to check out some of his other work including, The Prestige, 3:10 to Yuma, and Empire of the Sun. I will be shocked if Bale doesn’t walk away with the golden guy. Best Actress in a Leading Role I don’t like it, not one bit, but the truth is that Natalie Portman will win the Academy Award. If you were able to stomach the bizarre, psychologically wrenching cinematic trip that was Black Swan, you certainly must have been taken by Portman’s performance as a ballerina with shaky confidence and an even shakier grasp on reality. Personally, I was so confused and disturbed by the film that I was distracted by both my discomfort as an audience member and my inner monolog that was asking me over and over during scene after scene, “Did that just happened?” The answer was yes, but I had to rely on others to remind me that Portman delivered an amazing performance. Best Actress in a Supporting Role If I were to bet with my head, I’d say that Melissa Leo will win for her role as the overbearing, boxing manager mother in The Fighter. Leo convincingly plays the captivating leader to a gaggle of gals, her misfit daughters and the manager to her two welterweight boxing sons. Betting with my heart, I’d say Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit. For a movie overpopulated with caricatures of the American Western, Steinfeld delivered an honest and
stripped down Mattie Ross as daughter seeking vengeance for the murder of her father. With any luck, Steinfeld is at the beginning of a long career, hopefully devoid of Lohan pitfalls and full of other Oscar nods. Best Director In years past, I’ve followed the protocol that the Best Director win should go to the Best Picture winner. But since the director of the movie I’m voting for in the Best Picture category wasn’t nominated, my strategy is blown to hell. One would assume that the movie that is the best would have to stem from the best direction, right? Safe bet is Tom Hooper for The King’s Speech. The film has a little bit of everything for the audience: some laughs with tears, some history with creative licensing. Hooper must have had special insight into not only the British royal family, but Colin Firth as well, since his directing allowed Firth to shine even when the historical figure he was portraying actually did not. Best Picture I think that a movie deemed the best must have an epic quality to it—see Gladiator, Schlindler’s List, Gandhi, The Godfather, Lawrence of Arabia, or The Bridge on the River Kwai. I don’t believe that small, quiet pictures encompass enough range to be considered the best of the year. Again, betting with my head, I think Black Swan will win, much to my dismay. But betting with my heart, I’d pick Inception. The movie was daringly unique, visually dynamic and richly portrayed, not to mention completely original. Rarely does a film bridge cutting-edge science fiction with emotional drama. A Best Picture requires a second or third viewing to understand the full nature of the film. Inception is one of those movies. I loved it from beginning to end. I was lucky to see it on IMAX…ahhh, the four-story tall Leonardo DiCaprio did not disappoint.
Golf Tips From a Pro
Pete Popovich, Golf Performance Academy
The Art of P a r t II Scoring Pitching
10:30
9:00
7:30
• The set up position
O
• 7:30 swing posi-
ver the past three months, we have discussed the short game in detail. This month, the theme continues as we discuss pitching and distance control. Pitch shots can be defined as shots that carry a greater distance with a higher trajectory than a chip shot. Pitch shots range in distance from 10-15 yards off the green up to 100-120 yards depending upon the golfer. The most important factor in pitching is controlling your distance. Like any other stroke, we begin with fundamentals. Narrow your stance by bringing your feet closer together. The outsides of your feet should be no wider than the outside of your shoulders. This reduces your lateral movement in the swing, allowing you to be more accurate. Grip, posture and alignment remain the same as for the full swing. Ball position will vary slightly, depending on the desired shot trajectory,
• 9:00 swing position
• 10:30 swing position
but is much like that of a chip shot (see the February issue of CH2 & CB2). Swing length will determine distance. When learning to control your wedge distance, one of the most effective ways is the clock method, whereby you vary the distance the ball travels by the amount of backswing taken. For starters, visualize a large clock around you with your body at the clock’s center. Your lead arm (left arm for right handers) will be the large hand of the clock. As you make your swing, the left arm moves to various “times” on the clock, each of which will give you a certain distance. To make the most of your practice time, I recommend using three times: 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30. Each of these swings will give you approximately a 70 percent reduction in distance from the other. For example, your 10:30 swing distance will be approximately 70 percent the distance of your full swing distance with the same club. Your 9:00 distance will be approxi-
• Finish position
mately 70 percent of your 10:30 distance, and so on. Get a grip To add even more to your distance control, alter your grip position: • Grip position one: Grip the club close to the butt end. • Grip position two: Grip the club halfway down the grip, shortening the length of the club approximately twothree inches. • Grip position three: Grip the club at the bottom of the grip, close to the shaft, shortening the club another twothree inches. Each time you shorten the club by gripping further down the shaft, you shorten the distance the ball travels by approximately three yards with the same swing. More advanced golfers can shave approximately three more yards off their
By adding three different swing lengths and three different grip positions you have just turned each of your wedges into six different clubs, each with its own distance, without being in violation of the 14 club rule.
distance by taking the hands to the 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30 clock positions. This will leave your lead arm just short of each of these times shortening the distance the ball travels slightly. This might sound like splitting hairs, but in today’s game when pins are tucked a mere three to five yards beyond the lip of a bunker, it pays to be able to control your distance by this small amount. Turn a few clubs to many By adding three different swing lengths and three different grip positions you have just turned each of your wedges into six different clubs, each with its own distance, without being in violation of the 14-club rule. If you carry three wedges, that is 18 distances or 18 clubs you just added. The more you practice dialing in your distance for each swing length and
grip position, the closer you will hit the ball to the hole. As you hit the ball closer to the hole, you will start turning three shots (a pitch and two putts) into two (a pitch and one putt). As this happens, your scores will drop. To learn more about pitching and controlling distance with your wedges, contact the Golf Performance Academy at (843) 3386737; on the web at golfacademyhiltonhead. com; or on Facebook at Golf Performance Academy-Hilton Head.
*New Video Link Pete Popovich answers your questions about golf E-mail questions to pete@golfacademyhiltonhead.com. Access the video link at celebratehiltonhead.com.
March
2011 Sunday
Monday
TueSday
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Friday
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Low Country Heart Walk Team Captain Kick-Off Luncheons
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8:00 -9:00 a.m. Harry & David, Tanger Outlet Center 2 Stop in for a cup of coffee and learn more about what’s happening at the new Tanger Outlet Center. For details go to ww.hiltonheadchamber.org or call (843) 785-3673.
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28th Annual Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 13, 3pm Pope Avenue For information call 843.384.4035
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Noon – 4:00 pm Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn www. hiltonheadwineandfood. com.
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Wine Auction Gala 2011 Arts Center of Coastal Carolina Join us for Hilton Head Island’s premiere gala fundraiser, benefiting the Arts Center’s education and outreach program
28 Preservation Hall Jazz Band March 28 Arts Center of Coastal Carolina Tickets: www. artshhi.com 843-842-ARTS.
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30-31
Youth ArtsFest Arts Center of Coastal Carolina Celebrate National Youth Arts Month as we turn over the stage to local young singers, dancers, actors and musicians.
19 WingFest 11:00am-6:00pm Shelter Cove Park $5 Admission 12 & Under Free
RSVP: 843-6863945 ext. 303. ams.
Build a Box: Screech Owl Nesting Box Workshop Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn Plantation March 26, 10-11:30am Please call 843-6896767 ext 223 to make your reservation. Cost is $ 25.00 per child.
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Bluffton Farmer’s Market Opening Day! Thursday March 17, 2-7PM Calhoun Street, Bluffton
8pm To benefit Hilton Head Heroes 37 New Orleans Rd.
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Hilton Head Island Kennel Club’s AKCSanctioned All-Breed Dog Show Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM www.hhikennelclub. org
26th Annual Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival
Gregg Russell Karaoke Night at Casey’s
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Connecting Business in Bluffton
The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa. Please RSVP by January 26th to: 843-853-1597 or kate.mcclain@heart. org.
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Coffee Talk:
5-6
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Bluffton Farmer’s Market Last day of Winter Farmer’s Market of Bluffton; 12-4pm OWeN KIM B O BY PHOT
SaTurday
World’s Largest Yard Sale March 26, 2011, 9 a.m. 70 Wilborn Road (Hilton Head High School’s parking lot) The event is free and open to the public to attend. Booth space is available for $55. For more information, call Beth Patton at The Island Packet, (843) 706-8180.
Coppelia March 25 & 26, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. Visual Performing Arts Center at Hilton Head High School Admission is $35 for adults and $25 for Students 18 and under.
Tickets must be purchased in advance through the Dance Theatre’s website at www.hhdt.org
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3.2011
AFTER DARK
!
DRINK SPECIALS LADIES NIGHT LIVE MUSIC GAME NIGHT FOOD SPECIALS
MONDAYS
TUESDAYS
Black Marlin Hurricane Bar - Happy Hour (10PM - 2AM) CQs - 1/2 Off House Beverages and Bistro Bar Menu Frankie Bones - $10 Off Any Bottle Of Wine (9PM) Old Fort Pub - Happy Hour (5-7PM) / Date Night Reilley’s - Lobster Night $12.95 / Happy Hour 4-7PM The Salty Dog Café - LIVE MUSIC (6 - 10PM) Tiki Hut - Chris Jones (1 - 5PM)
Antonio’s - 1/2 Off Drinks & Food (5 - 7PM) Black Marlin Hurricane Bar - Happy Hour (10PM - 2AM) CQs - 20% Off Any Bottle of Wine with Entrée Frankie Bones - Ladies Night Kingfisher - Joseph the Magician ! Old Fort Pub - Happy Hour (5-7PM) / Date Night Reilley’s - Kids Eat FREE Night / Happy Hour 4-7PM Remy’s - Jalapeno Brothers The Lodge - Pinch The Pint Night The Salty Dog Café - LIVE MUSIC Tiki Hut - Reid Richmond (1 - 5PM) ! Wild Wing Café - 2 Fer Tuesday / Team Trivia Wise Guys: Everything Is “Miami Nights” Themed !
WEDNESDAYS
THURSDAYS
Antonio’s - Specially Priced Martinis (5PM - 7PM) Black Marlin Hurricane Bar - Happy Hour (10PM - 2AM) Cheap Seats - Golf League at Port Royal (2:30PM) ! CQs - 20% Off Any Bottle of Wine with Entrée Frankie Bones - $10 Off Any Bottle of Wine Kingfisher - Target The Band ! The Lodge - Kick The Keg Night Mellow Mushroom - Trivia Night ! Old Fort Pub - Happy Hour (5-7PM) / Date Night Reilley’s - Happy Hour 4-7PM Remy’s - Treble Jay San Miguels - Margarita Night! The Salty Dog Café - Live Music (6 - 10PM) Wild Wing Café - Rock Idol Karaoke Competition ! Wise Guys - Ladies Night
Antonio’s - 1/2 Off Drinks & Food (5 - 7PM) CQs - 20% Off Any Bottle of Wine with Entrée Frankie Bones - Flip Night ! Kingfisher - David Wingo The Lodge - Burgers & Beer Night (ONLY $5) Old Fort Pub - Happy Hour (5-7PM) / Date Night Reilley’s - Happy Hour 4-7PM Remy’s - The Trio The Salty Dog Café - Live Music (6 - 10PM) Skull Creek Boathouse - Reggae Party (6 - 9PM) Wild Wing Café - Live Music / Drink Specials Wise Guys - Food & Bev. Happy Hour (10:30PM)
FRIDAYS
SATURDAYS
Cheap Seats - Ping Pong Club (8PM) ! CQs - 20% Off Any Bottle of Wine with Entrée Frankie Bones - 1/2 Off Flatbread Pizzas (9 - 11PM) Kingfisher - Earl Williams Band Old Fort Pub - Happy Hour (5-7PM) / Date Night One Hot Mama’s - DJ and Dancing Reilley’s - Happy Hour 4-7PM Remy’s - Spare Parts The Salty Dog Café - Live Music (6 - 10PM) Tiki Hut - Gary Pratt (1 - 5PM) Wild Wing Café - All Double Drinks Only $1 More Wise Guys - Food & Bev. Happy Hour (10:30PM)
Cheap Seats - Name That Tune / Bloody Mary Night CQs - 20% Off Any Bottle of Wine with Entrée Frankie Bones - Flip Night ! Giuseppi’s Bluffton - Earl Williams LIVE Mellow Mushroom - Karaoke Night (10PM) ! Old Fort Pub - Happy Hour (5-7PM) / Date Night One Hot Mama’s - DJ and Dancing Reilley’s - Happy Hour 4-7PM The Salty Dog Café - Live Music (6 - 10PM) Tiki Hut - Mike Kavanaugh (1 - 5PM) Wise Guys - Food & Bev. Happy Hour (10:30PM)
SUNDAYS Black Marlin Hurricane Bar - Happy Hour (10PM - 2AM) ! Cheap Seats - NFL Playoff Games - $2 Domestics CQs - 20% Off Any Bottle of Wine with Entrée Frankie Bones - All Night Happy Hour Kingfisher - Joseph the Magician ! Old Fort Pub - Brunch: Buy 1 Get 1 Half Off / Date Night: 3 Courses for $33 / Happy Hour (5 - 7PM) / Wine Crush: 50% Off Bottles Under $75 Reilley’s - Happy Hour 4-7PM The Salty Dog Café - Live Music (6 - 10PM) Tiki Hut - Mike Kavanaugh (1 - 5PM) Wise Guys - Food & Bev. Happy Hour (10:30PM)
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HILTON HEAD ISLAND
Food & Wine Festival GREAT CHEFS OF THE SOUTH March 3 - 13, 2011 Locations on Hilton Head Island
Grand Wine tasting & auction Friday, March 11, 2011 5:30 - 7:30PM The Sea Pines Resort Harbour Town Conference Center
PUBLIC TASTING & AUCTION (Winefest) Saturday, March 12, 2011 12 noon - 4PM Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn Hiltonheadislandwineandfood.com
Bicycling Cycling Around the Lowcountry
Kickin’ Asphalt Bicycle Club Article by Linda Warnock
Larry Meyers, Founder Ron Knight, Frank Babel
I Courtesy of Arno Dimmling
St. Simon’s to Jekyll Island
KABC Volunteers at Pedal 4 kids
t’s Saturday morning. Coffee’s brewing and the cobwebs are clearing. Skip the honey-do list. It’ll be there when you return. Instead, grab your bike and let Kickin’ Asphalt Bicycle Club take you for a ride. The fresh air will do you good. From its start in 2006, Kickin’ Asphalt grew from a few friends and casual acquaintances to 128 cyclists today. Ride frequency increased from twice a month to twice each week. Members came from the Lowcountry and beyond, including Wisconsin, Iowa, and Canada. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, bike tires start rolling somewhere in the Lowcountry. Volunteer ride leaders organize the Saturday rides. They plan the route, register cyclists, deliver a safety talk and account for everyone at the end. Rides range from 20 to 40 miles, with two distance options provided. Speeds vary from 13 to18 miles per hour. Sunday rides follow a “show-n-go” format, without a formal ride leader, and the pace starts at the high end of the range. Hilton Head rides take advantage of the island’s extensive multiuse pathway system. These rides provide a great introduction to the club for potential new members and area visitors, revealing views you can’t see from a car. Twice per year, members rest their road bikes and hit the beach for a “fat tire” ride on hard-packed sand. Beyond the island, routes tour Bluffton, Hardeeville, Beaufort and Ridgeland. The “Piggly Wiggly to Palmetto Bluff” route, the “Pink Pig”
ride along shaded country roads and the “Parris Island” ride on the grounds of the Marine Corps Training Depot are favorites. If asked why they ride, most members respond with expected answers: for fitness, socialization and fun. “I ride ’cause I love to eat,” shouts an anonymous member. Many helmeted heads nod in agreement. Kickin’ Asphalt member Larry Meyers said, “It’s Newlyweds Janeth & Sandy primarily a way to spend time with the love of my life, involved in an activity we both enjoy.” He noted that the club’s rides provide a way for friends to spend a morning cycling together, each at their own pace. Speaking of love, smiling Sandy Turnbull noticed a happy lady on club rides in the spring of 2007. Turnbull rides strong and fast, but he held back one special morning to talk with Janeth Haslem. “The first time we talked was his birthday in 2007,” Haslem said, “and then he took off for Massachusetts for the summer.” She left soon after for her summer job in Maine. Three weeks later they spoke by phone. The following week Turnbull “stopped by” the coast of Maine on his sailboat. Two years later, they bicycled as husband and wife on their honeymoon. In 2008, the League of American Bicyclists named Kickin’ Asphalt Southeast Bicycle Club of the Year, based on growth of membership and programs, contribution to community and improved conditions for bicyclists. In 2010, Kickin’ Asphalt formalized its support of the Pedal 4 Kids bicycle ride for the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island. Kickin’ Asphalt is now a named sponsor, providing volunteers with specialized cycling knowledge. Additional outreach activities include the Ride of Silence, Bike to Work Day, bicycle rodeos and Hilton Head Island’s Bicycle Friendly Community initiative. Kickin’ Asphalt embraces its “Safety First” motto. All cyclists must wear a helmet and carry water. Bright clothing is encouraged to enhance visibility. Voice commands and hand signals announcing turns, stops and potential hazards are expected. Join Kickin’ Asphalt for a test ride. Helmets are required, but spandex is not. The ride calendar, including start location, distance and difficulty, is available online at kickinasphalt.info. Annual membership is $20 for individuals and $25 for families. The fresh air and scenery are free.
Bicycling
Article by Frank Babel and David Zunker // Illustration by Matt Anderson
Hilton Head Island Wo r ks T owar d Recognition a s a
bicycle friendly community
H
ilton Head Island is a terrific place to visit and a fantastic place to ride a bicycle. One hundredseventeen miles of public and private shared-use pathways connect to virtually anywhere on this beautiful island. And don’t forget the 12 miles of bike-able hard packed beaches. If you need a rental bike, no problem; choose from the nearly 20,000 bikes available from one of two dozen commercial firms and it will be delivered directly to your door. During the height of our tourist season, all these bikes are rented and join the thousands conveyed onto the island and those ridden by residents and local service workers. Locals ask, “How have we suddenly been discovered as a great place for recreational and practical bicycling and how will this impact our island?” Well, actually it hasn’t been so sudden. Since the 1980s, the Town of Hilton Head Island has been committed to building and maintaining new pathways, in part, to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to motor vehicles. As this infrastructure grew, new challenges arose. We discovered that pathway maintenance in our island environment wasn’t easy; and providing maps and addressing safety issues for our guests was a daunting task especially for inexperienced or careless riders. So, a cycling advocacy group named Squeaky Wheels came into being and began to work with the Town to address those issues. With record-high gas prices, a slumping economy and key new pathways built, cycling gained popularity. Visitors
realized that once they parked their cars, they could take a complete vacation on bike or foot. The challenge then became how to handle this crush of walkers and mostly recreational cyclists of all ages and abilities and do this safely while providing a great experience for all those who visit and live here. Fortunately, other resources were available to help. The Palmetto Cycling Coalition, a statewide advocacy group, helped steer Squeaky Wheels to the League of American Bicyclists, which has a Bicycle Friendly Community certification program to recognize municipalities that actively support and encourage safe cycling. Eventually, with sponsorship from the Town, the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Island Council, these organizations facilitated a self-assessment workshop in October 2010. Attendees voted unanimously to pursue the designation. Since then, the Bicycle Friendly Communication application process has been a true community effort. It has brought together bicycling advocates, bike shop owners, bike rental companies, the business community, a wide range of volunteers and the Chamber of Commerce to work together and collaborate with Town staff. The rigorous self-assessment application asks, “Why, is your community applying for the Bicycle Friendly Community designation status?” Our answer: First, it is a tangible way to recognize the decades-long investments and efforts of those who had the vision to plan, build and maintain a world-class, shared-use
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Bicycling
pathways system, unique to the East Coast. Second, it will help the Chamber attract more visitors to the island and enhance their experience while they’re here. It also is consistent with proven “quality of life” reasons why people want to retire here. And, just as important, it has enabled us to assess the safety of our multi-use pathway system and determine ways it can be made safer. Finally, it has given us a proven framework to address other cycling-related challenges going forward, consistent with the Town’s future direction. If successful (and the Town will have the answer this spring), Hilton Head Island will join only 130 other municipalities around the country who have been so recognized. At the end of the day, it is useful to think about Charles Fraser’s vision for this island. Charles developed Sea Pines 40-plus years ago, but had an influence far beyond Hilton Head Island. Many of his philosophies, including respect for nature, resonate today and are reflected in bicycle pathways that meander through beautiful canopies of tall pines and live oaks. It’s his legacy and a piece of our heritage. We look forward to working together to help enable that vision.
February 2011
Since the 1980s, the Town of Hilton Head Island has been committed to building and maintaining new pathways, in part, to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to motor vehicles.
Frank Babel is a Sea Pines resident, founder and president of Squeaky Wheels and a member of the board of directors for the Palmetto Cycling Coalition. David Zunker is associate director of sales and marketing for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.
www.celebratehiltonhead.com 45
Bicycling Bike Stores
Photography By Anne
Pedal Power When it comes to biking needs, you don’t have to go far Article by Peter Zink
Palmetto dunes outfitters Photography By John Brackett
I
n the last five years, biking has blossomed on Hilton Head Island. From tree-lined leisure paths to handy bike kiosks, it’s never been easier to get involved. Thanks to people like Frank Babel and the Squeaky Wheels and a city listening to bikers’ concerns, Hilton Head is pedaling ever faster towards “Bicycle Friendly Community” status. Whether you want to jump in or stay involved, these bike stores can meet your needs: Palmetto Dunes Outfitters Tucked off William Hilton Parkway near a quiet lagoon in Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, it’s hard to miss the psychedelic kayaks and fire engine red bicycles lined up outside. As the island’s largest bike retailer, the store boasts over 3,000 bikes available for rent and sale. “The Beach Bomber, though, is our signature bike,” said owner Frank Gaston. It’s not hard to see why. The “Beach Bomber” is a custom bike designed for maximum enjoyment on the island’s white sand beaches. Painted in the store’s signature red, the Beach Bomber boasts wider tires, comfortable seating and a rugged weather-resistant aluminum frame, perfect for an easy sunrise ride on the beach. “We are so fortunate to have great beach riding here, said manager Alan Dew. “When the tides recede, you’re left with a hard sand surface to ride on that feels similar to asphalt.” And don’t think your family or a partner can’t get involved as well. Palmetto Dunes features a wide variety of customizable options. From Kiddie Karts that tow children as you ride to tandem bikes for couples, the options are truly limitless. For more information, call (843) 745-2449 or visit their location at 80 Queens Folly Road. Website: palmettodunes.com/hilton-headbike-rentals.php.
The bike doctor
Go tri Sports
The Bike Doctor True to its name, the Bike Doctor started in a van that resembled an ambulance. “We’d go everywhere people needed bikes serviced,” said owner James Bradford. “It worked great until the summer; then things got pretty toasty. Needless to say, we put air conditioning in our stores.” The Bike Doctor still offers free complimentary bike pick up throughout the island for servicing in their store, but they’ve greatly expanded since their roadside emergency days. As the only store on Hilton Head that stocks Specialized brand bicycles, The Bike Doctor offers sales and rentals that cater to the racer and casual biker alike. Starting March 15, they offer free group rides every Tuesday and Thursday from their New Orleans Road location. The rides are designed for multiple ability groups and offer a great opportunity to check out the Hilton Head biking scene. “The leisure paths in this town are some of the best I’ve ever seen,” Bradford said. “You can go 5-20 miles easy and never see the same scenery twice.” For more information, call (843) 681-7532 or visit their locations at 31 New Orleans Rd. Suite B or 55 Matthews Drive, Suite 160. Website: bikedoctorhhi.com. Go Tri Sports Scanning the ceiling of this triathlon-themed bike shop, a discerning eye can’t help noting the fine Cervelo racing bikes suspended in the air. “They’re definitely a brand that people consider the Lamborghini of performance bicycles,” manager and technician Philip Balvocius said. Under the new ownership of avid triathlete and biker John Dogger, Go Tri Sports caters to anyone looking to get every ounce of performance from a bike—whether a serious triathlete or casual island cruiser. “We have racers who travel from as far as Florida and Columbia, South Carolina to get their bikes serviced or fitted here,” Dogger said. “Philip does an incredible job, and we definitely have a reputation in the biking community.” Whether you’re an experienced cyclist or just getting started, anyone can benefit from the bike fitting services. “We hook the bike up to a video feed machine that gives feedback as the rider pedals. It’s a great way to analyze your style, and learn if you have a good fit or not,” Dogger explained. When they finish selecting all your bike gear, don’t be afraid to grab a pair of running shoes or a wetsuit as well. For more information, call (843) 842-4786 or visit their new location at 24A Palmetto Bay Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC. Website: gotrisports.com. February 2011
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Bicycling Map
Safety tips
Rules for the Road •
Please obey all traffic signals and pathway markings. Stop signs must be obeyed for safety. Bicycles are vehicles and must obey SC traffic laws.
• Travel the pathways at speeds that allow for the safety of pedestrians and other users. • Never ride within the roadway against traffic. State law requires bicycles to drive like all other vehicles. • For your own safety, please consider riding bicycles on a pathway instead of the roadway when one is available. • Please ride single file and keep a safe distance from other bicyclists. •
•
Watch out for motorists! In South Carolina, motorists must yield to pedestrians and bicyclists within marked crossings, but they may not see you. Please yield to pedestrians. When resting or stopped, please move off the pathway.
•
Most sections of the pathways are not illuminated. If you must bike at night, please wear light colored clothing or carry a flashlight. Bicycles must have a red rear reflector and a headlight when biking at night.
•
When approaching slower pathway users from behind, please sound your warning device, or call out “Passing on your left.” Always pass on the left.
• Bicyclists should always wear a helmet, especially children 12 and under. • Make eye contact and use hand signals. Assume other bicyclists and motorists don’t see you. Hand signals tell motorists and other path users what you intend to do and will ensure everyone’s safe enjoyment of the pathways. An audible signal such as a bell or voice commands like “Passing on Left” are useful to let other pathway users know of your approach and/or intentions. • Be courteous, alert, and predictable. • Please lock your bicycle when not in use! Bicycle thefts are preventable. February 2011
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A r t i c l e b y D av i d t o b i a s
//
P h o t o g r a p h y b y J o h n Br a ckett
NHC T h i s i s Yo u r Gran dfather ’ s He alth Ca re G r owi n g old is n ot fo r wu ssi es . Fo r t h os e of yo u i n yo u r 2 0s o r 3 0s, t his is a r ef r a i n yo u ’v e p r o b a bly h e a r d f r om M om a n d Dad o r fr o m c r a nky old g r umpste r s lik e Gr a mmy o r Gr a mps, a n d yo u t hi n k i t has n ot hi n g w h ats o ev e r to do wit h yo u.
A
hhh, but it does, because this getting old thing is a one-way street, and we’re all heading down it. Whether you feel all light, airy and bulletproof, or whether you just got that slight crick in your neck and wonder, hmmm, is this what old feels like, it’s all, unfortunately, just a matter of time. For those already there, or dealing with friends and family who are knocking on the door, it’s nice to know there are resources to provide quality care and guide you through the maze of weirdness when a decline in health must be acknowledged. One of those resources is National Health Care of Bluffton. National Health Care (NHC) is a company providing rehabilitation services, both in-patient and out-patient, with skilled nursing care around the clock. It is not related to national health reform—although it may be affected by it. It is by no means a socialized medicine think tank, and it’s not to be confused with its neighbor, Care Core, located just around the corner on Bluffton Parkway. NHC is a publicly traded, long-term health care company (with short-term care capabilities), which has been operating in South Carolina since the early ’70s, with 13 facilities in the state and more than 75 across the country, mostly in the Southeast.
The Bluffton facility just opened last January, with 80 beds and zero patients. It now serves 78 patients and opened a brand new 40-bed wing on February 2. Even the devil-may-care youth of America can read that trend line: It’s dramatic and up. It reflects a regional demographic. The existence of large concentrations of retirees in the Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort County and Savannah area was definitely a factor in the decision to open the facility here, and it’s the reason there’s room for growth, including perhaps a fourth wing of 40 more beds and possibly an assisted care facility on the 20-acre campus. Wade Taylor seems young to be the administrator of this 120bed, brand-spanking new long-term health care facility with 130 employees, but at 35 he says he’s about average. He is a licensed nursing home administrator and holds a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He speaks in a thoughtful, measured way, weighing his words, seeming to consider the gravity of each, in describing how longterm care differs from assisted living or independent living. “We have nurses and certified nursing assistants; we help patients with whatever care needs they have on a daily basis,” Taylor said. “Some say we need to attend to them as patients and some say they’re residents because we want this to be a home-like
Left to right Front Row: Linda Malear, Brooke Smith, Michelle Kampf, Carol Burke, Lenny Guardino, Abby Maiorano, Layla Baker Back Row: Kristen McCaw, James Meadows, Patti Leard, Heather McDougall, Jennifer Parton, Kathy Ballowe
Nhc
setting. We’ve said we’re going to do both. What differentiates us is that we’re making sure they’re getting good quality health care instead of just making sure they feel at home.” That’s an important distinction because it helps define the kinds of patients NHC serves. Assisted living, according to Taylor, is when you’re still well enough to do most things by yourself. In the NHC setting, most patients need more health care or assistance than assisted living can provide. That would include activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, grooming and mobility. NHC is set up to help with all of those, and nurses at NHC can manage medications and in some instances even feed the patients. NHC is also in the middle between assisted living and hospital care, owing mostly to the increased complexity of outpatient care that has occurred in the last 10-15 years. Costs have become complex too. According to Taylor, 10 years ago, if you were over 65, you had Medicare Part A and that was pretty easy to understand. But nuances, along with changes in coverage, have made his job as administrator akin to that of a translator in the diplomatic foreign service. “It’s a touchy subject, because family members are under a lot of stress,” Taylor said. “You might hear somebody tell you that your loved one may qualify for 100 days of Medicare coverage. What sticks in your head is 100 days, but it’s more complex than that. It’s our obligation to explain that Medicare has guidelines and goals, and while there may be Medicare with an insurance supplement, continued coverage is governed by the patient’s ability to meet those goals and progress with their therapy. That’s sometimes where things get sticky. “The best tool that’s out there is to look at options for long-term insurance and that’s also a difficult discussion,” he said. One of the more unique specialties at NHC is a “memory unit”—the only unit of its type in this part of the state. While some assisted living facilities may have a memory component, this unit comes with skilled nursing care and involves a balance of routine and flexibility. The emphasis is on providing a familiar environment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, but enough flexibility to allow for a home-like approach. Memory care coordinator Stacy Floyd says that depending on a patient’s interests, this might mean offering activities focused on multi-sensory stimulation, including music therapy, pet therapy, visits to the facility’s courtyard on a nice day, reminiscing, baking, nail care and hand massage, brain games, exercise and more. Or giving someone who was a homemaker and seeks comfort in repetitive motions an activity like folding and sorting clothing, which resembles activities they may have enjoyed doing at home. NHC works with doctors in Beaufort County and Savannah to provide rehab services for patients who need short-term help in negotiating what Taylor calls a health care “U-turn” on that one-way street—recovering from various kinds of surgeries and getting back to life in the community. “All in all, it’s uplifting to see lives that people have lived and listen to what they have to say,” Taylor said. “I think about my marriage and my family and how I’m living and try to take in some of that wisdom in planning what I do over the next couple of decades. Sometimes those little nuggets just make you smile” For more information on NHC in Bluffton, visit www. nhcbluffton.com or call 843.705.8220
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B e s t
Kept Secret
Article by David Tobias // Photography by John Brackett
T h e
G o l f
C l u b
a t I n d ig o R u n
H
ow much fun is a well-kept secret anyway? The plain truth is, usually not much. So let’s blast this one out there and do the big reveal. The Golf Club at Indigo Run, tucked back about two miles off Highway 278, at the far end of a peacefully flowing, serpentine drive, framed by lovely live oaks and picturesque pines, has been kept quiet too long. It’s time to tell all—that this is not only the site of one of the finest golf courses on Hilton Head Island, designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son Jack Nicklaus II (it was the first signature course built by Nicklaus and his son and the last course built on the island), it’s also a close-knit club of about 275 self-proclaimed best friends. Any conversation about Indigo Run starts with poetic descriptions of the setting, and almost every pastoral adjective applies: bucolic, idyllic, green. Even if members don’t consider themselves particularly poetic, they can’t help it. Marianne Kinsey, Board of Governors Chairman, and an Indigo Run resident since 1995, simply calls it “homey.” And who’s ever called a country club
homey? But it’s not quite a country club—it’s a golf club—and it’s definitely not a country club setting in the traditional sense, with a cottage at its core instead of a larger, more imposing central structure like most country clubs. That’s because the club was sort of built in stages, starting in 1995 when the golf clubhouse was the only structure and the golf course was being built around it. That almost rustic structure, with its exposed beams, two-sided fireplace and the inviting smell of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies (which is now a tradition) is still the pre-eminent gathering place for golf club members and their guests. This is where, at a designated time every morning, the “welcome group” or “open group” gathers to throw a couple bucks in a bucket, toss golf balls out on the lawn to choose sides and form foursomes of folks that sometimes don’t even know each other. Does that sound like a club? Well, not in the traditional sense, but it sure is a great way to meet new people, develop new friendships and solidify existing neighborly bonds. Several years ago, one of those new to the group was
February 2011
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Vincent DiCanio, who, at the time, was a recent transplant from Stoneybrook, New York. He chose Indigo Run in 2006 and moved there in 2008 for the lifestyle, a certain third garage stall (more about that later) and for the golf. As an avid golfer, he was looking forward to year-round golf but was a little nervous about the social aspects, having been advised by his New York pals that he’d likely never meet another friend. “They told me I was too old for that,” said DiCanio, who is now the club’s Membership Committee Chairman. “I must have met 100 guys in the first couple weeks; I now have more friends here than I ever had up north, and they’re all open and welcoming. Those morning golf rounds opened doors to a golf and social lifestyle that I couldn’t possibly have envisioned or experienced otherwise.”
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B e s t
Kept Secret
DiCanio and Kinsey are two of about 60 members who actively serve on various steering committees that advise on matters of membership, rules and regulations, golf greens and social golf. They advise, because ultimately policy for the club is set by ClubCorp, which operates Indigo Run as well as two other golf courses on the island: the Country Club of Hilton Head and Golden Bear at Indigo Run. Indigo Run Golf Club members also have playing privileges on those courses. According to Lorri Hunter, Membership Director, perhaps one of the greatest benefits of being owned by KSL Resorts and operated by Club Corp is that, unlike an equity club, the Golf Club at Indigo Run is private, without assessments and monthly minimums. “Belonging to a private club without the assessments is a dream come true,” Hunter said. “The parent company takes care of everything—members just pay their dues.” Being corporately owned also opens the door to the club hosting private events from the public, such as weddings, showers, reunions and graduation parties. MacKenzie Raehm, Private Events Director , says her operation has access to the 100-person capacity Fairway Grill; the Main Dining Room for luncheons of up to 45; and a Board Room capable of hosting between 12 and 14. Next door is Indigo Hall, a banquet facility, also available to the club for events, built by the Community Owners Association but shared, and the indoor pavilion and outdoor space, which can accommodate larger functions for up to 350.
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B e s t
Kept Secret
Another slight break from traditional membership is that members—social or golf—need not be homeowners in Indigo Run. Most members are residents, however, and Kinsey says that they not only socialize and play golf together, they also sometimes travel to play golf or for dining, thanks to another Club Corp perk called Signature Gold, which provides access to more than 140 private clubs around the world and benefits as varied as complimentary Sunday gospel brunches at House of Blues locations and loaner clubs for golf. And oh, about that third garage… It was the extra garage, dedicated to a golf cart, that really pushed DiCanio’s house buying decision in Indigo Run. He says he always wanted to retire on a golf course. “When I came down here and saw a third garage, I didn’t know what it was for—well, I kind of knew—but when I saw that third garage, I didn’t even have to go in the house,” DiCanio said. “That was it. To be able to drive my own golf cart to the golf course…? I bought the house. The Golf Club at Indigo Run? Best decision I ever made.” Call Lorri Hunter, membership director for more information about The Golf Club at Indigo Run. 843.342.2988
February 2011
www.celebratehiltonhead.com 59
FEMME
HAIR AND MAKE-UP: ROBERT MOKOS MODEL: YANA GUSEVA (RISE MODELS)
C SPRING FASHION FORECAST
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISZTIAN LONYAI
FATALE
DRESS BY NICOLE MILLER FROM THE PORCUPINE JEWELRY FROM PATRICIA'S
DRESS BY DILEMMA FROM PATRICIA'S JEWELRY FROM PATRICIA'S
DRESS BY SUZI CHIN FROM THE BACK DOOR JEWELRY BY THE BACK DOOR
DRESS BY BRITT RYAN FROM PALMETTOES EARRINGS BY PALMETTOES
T H e N e w ‘ FAC e ’ O F K i T C H e N R e m O d e l i N g
A
A M E R I C A N WO O D R E FAC E
BRINGS DREAM KITCHENS TO LIFE
A
merican Wood reface owner bruce Zaidman might have done his best sales work on his newest employee, designer Shari Severson— and she didn’t even buy anything from him. Severson knows a thing or two about kitchens. after over 30 years designing high-end custom kitchens for clients in chicago’s posh north Shore, she knows good work when she sees it. bad work too. given her background, a local interior design colleague suggested she sit in with an older client who was considering kitchen work and had invited american Wood reface to her home. Severson agreed to help. She’d be a fly on the wall, observe and report, maybe ask a few questions. as a favor to a fellow professional, she’d make sure her friend’s client was being treated fairly. For all the cabinet rep knew, she was just an interested friend, neighbor or relative. “So I’m sitting there, watching and listening. and I’m thinking to myself, ‘hmm, they’re really on to something
a R T i C L E
b y
D a V i D
g i g n i L L i a T
here.’ this was not typical of work I’ve seen,” Severson said. “and so I started asking a couple of questions. right off the bat, he [Zaidman] realized I wasn’t just a regular consumer.” the chat quickly turned to business and their shared passion for remodeling kitchens. Zaidman needed someone to help him in the hilton head/bluffton area. (the fourhour gap between his home office in charlotte and the hilton head area was beginning to take its toll.) Severson, originally from Wisconsin, was intrigued by the opportunity. “So we get to talking, and he says he needs someone in the area to rep for him,” said Severson, an accredited Professional Kitchen and bath Planner (PKbP). “So, I said, ‘Well, I’d want to see your work first before I even consider it.” Severson followed bruce’s crew for three days, watching his team of master craftsmen and carpenters complete a large kitchen project in colleton river Plantation. by the time the installers had finished, Zaidman had found himself a new wood refacing convert and his newest employee.
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p H o T o g R a p H y
b y
a n n E
Joe ANd PeGGy PANTANo’s kITcheN, remodeLed By AmerIcAN wood refAce
A “I just couldn’t believe how it turned out. It looked like those people had spent about $70,000 on that kitchen,” said Severson, who agreed to take the job. The decision has worked out well for everyone, including the company’s growing list of clients. American Wood Reface has quickly established itself as one of the Lowcountry’s sought-after remodelers since completing its first local kitchen in December 2009. The company installs new, handcrafted hardwood cabinet door and drawer fronts, hinges and hardware. Existing cabinets are custom wrapped with quarter-inch-thick wood on cabinet faces, not a laminate or a thin veneer. With over 400 combinations of styles, woods and finishes, color and style can be customized to fit nearly any kitchen. And unlike companies that replace entire cabinets, a customer’s “dream” kitchen can be delivered in a matter of days, not weeks. “These days, it’s not too hard to spend a ton of money and get a nice product. But it’s hard to give people true value today, and that’s what we do,” said Zaidman, who also helps clients with countertops and other kitchen upgrades. “We give clients a great product, with great workmanship and at a very fair price. With refacing, you can spend $10,000 or $15,000 and it looks like you spent $30,000 to $40,000, so your return on investment is much higher.”
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A MER I C A N
Wood
reface
“I was absolutely flabbergasted. Everything was spic and span. No sawdust—nothing,” said Joe. “After they were gone, you never really knew they were here, and everybody loved the changes. It’s made a complete difference in the look of the home.”
Joe and Peggy Pantano bought a timeshare on Hilton Head in the early 1990s, drawn to the area’s friendly climate and the turnkey family vacation. Like many visitors, after a while, a one- or two-week visit wasn’t enough. When Joe’s company offered him an early retirement package, he took it as a sign and accepted the offer. The Patanos sold their home in Ohio, and moved to Eagle’s Point in Bluffton nearly nine years ago. The property had previously been used as a model home and an office for Centex, the community’s homebuilder, and was showing some signs of wear and tear. The Pantanos have steadily upgraded the inside of the home over the last several years. Last year, Zaidman and his team at American Wood
February 2011
Reface changed the cabinets from a light maple to a darker pine and helped redo countertops. “I was absolutely flabbergasted. Everything was spic and span. No sawdust—nothing,” said Joe. “After they were gone, you never really knew they were here, and everybody loved the changes. It’s made a complete difference in the look of the home.” After living in Palmetto Hall for many years, Paul Schrader thought it was time for a smaller place. He and his wife sold their home and moved to a property in Indigo Run. The existing kitchen cabinets were dark and were starting to show age. Hoping to brighten the room, Schrader hired American Wood Reface. “The kitchen went from looking like it was built back in 1985 to looking like a very modern kitchen,” said Schrader, who works for RE/MAX Island Realty. “You look at my cabinets, and you’d never know they weren’t just put in brand new.” The American Wood Reface showroom is located at 40 Pennington Drive, Suite C, off of Highway 278 in Bluffton. The company has an A+ rating with both the Better Business Bureau and Angie’s List (a website that aggregates consumer reviews of service companies), and is fully licensed, bonded and insured. For more information, call (843) 815-6700 or visit woodreface.com.
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Gorgeous gardens and pristine pools Landscaping
Proper Landscaping Increases Home Values Article courtesy of Carolyn’s Landscaping & Nursery
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recent landscaping study examined the effect of three components of a landscape design on the perceived value of a home. Over 1,300 volunteers participated in seven states by viewing 16 photographs of landscapes using various levels of three attributes: plant material type, design sophistication, and plant size. Across all seven markets, study participants perceived that home values increased significantly for homes with a good quality landscape. Participants in the study valued landscape sophistication most. Island beds and curved bed lines add to the perceived value of a home. Plant material was least important, followed by plant size. All states in the survey, including South Carolina, shared the same most preferred landscape: a sophisticated design incorporating large deciduous, evergreen, and annual color plants and colored landscape.
The sophisticated planting category consisted of a foundation planting with adjoining beds and two or three large island plantings, all incorporating curved bed lines. Results from this study show that a landscape can add 5-11 percent to the base value of the home. The resulting increase in “curb appeal� of the property may also help differentiate a home in a subdivision where house styles are similar and thereby attract potential buyers into a home. This advantage is especially important in a competitive housing market. Investing in the services of a landscape design professional will optimize the value of your home. A quality landscape not only adds to the value of a home, but is a home improvement project that will appreciate over time while the growth and maturity of trees and shrubs enhance aesthetic appeal.
The Upkeep The value received by homeowners who contract for professional weekly landscape maintenance is well worth the cost. Benefits compound over time from proper pruning, fertilizing, watering and pest and disease amelioration. Lower cost for service is usually not best unless property owners are prepared to assume risk. A $3,000 turf repair is a heavy penalty to pay because an untrained yard professional failed to recognize a Chinch bug infestation. Infestations are a natural part of nature and can occur in any yard, but hiring a trained horticulturist can much reduce homeowner disappointments. So, when assessing bids, it’s best to question the low bidders if you care about your property. Homeowners don’t need to be Master Gardeners to ask a few basic questions. Here are a few to start with: • Are crews knowledgeable about basic pruning principles? •
•
•
Do crews understand seasonal plant bloom times? Flowering on old growth or new? Do the company personnel understand insect/ fungus infestations and treatments? Does the company perform regular yard inspections by management?
• Are top quality chemical products used? • Is the company properly insured and licensed? • Did the bidder ask about any children or pets in the family? It may pay dividends to pay the extra 10-20 percent to a professional company.
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Gorgeous gardens and pristine pools Article by Kevin M. Camp of Aqua Blue Pools
Ask a Pool Specialist
Y
ou’ve made the decision to build a pool. Your back yard is no longer going to be a desolate piece of your property seldom visited. You’re going to create an oasis that will draw you outdoors into the sunshine time and time again. For years to come, you will cherish the fond memories that owning a swimming pool will provide for you, your family, and friends. Before the memories can begin, your project should be carefully considered. After all, you want to do this right the first time around. What size pool, shape, and features do you need? Is function most important, aesthetics, or both? Is exercise important, and do you see yourself executing a flip turn while swimming laps? Are water features something you dream of, and do you hear your family laughing over the faint sound of moving water? Have you ever considered adding fire features to the design aesthetics? Make sure you communicate how your pool will primarily be used.
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What type of pool have you considered? Do you want a Shot-Crete, fiberglass, or vinyl pool? Answering this question depends on the budget amount and completion timeframe you have assigned to your project. Shot-Crete (Concrete) pools are custom designed and provide a multitude of options when it comes to shape, size, interior finishes and other material and design choices that are available to personalize your pool. For these reasons, concrete pools typically take longer to complete than other types of pools. Fiberglass and vinyl-lined pools come in pre-determined shapes and sizes and have a less expensive initial investment. Their long-term cost to own and maintain is typically below that of Shot-Crete pools. Also, they can
February 2011
be installed in half the time as Shot-Crete and can be semi-customized with the surrounding deck, coping, and tile to complement your home and landscape. Who should you interview to build your pool? It’s up to you to determine which pool contractor connects with you the most, and one that listens intently and understands what you want. Perhaps it will help you to talk with someone who builds each type of pool. It can be difficult to weed through the different opinions you will hear from each contractor, so to protect yourself from the biased opinions, do your research. Some folks find it helpful to talk with people they know that have owned each type of pool. Another good tip is meeting with a company that specializes and has experience in building the different types of pools. They will be more likely to assist you in determining which pool type is most appropriate for what you want and need. Who should you hire to build your pool? Most people prefer to work with a contractor that is knowledgeable and experienced. It’s equally important that you like and trust who you will be working with. As with any construction project, you will be spending a lot of time together. Make sure the same person who helped you realize your vision will be working alongside you, managing your project until the end, not just passing you off to some stranger as soon as the contract is signed. Now that you have carefully considered the questions above you can feel confident moving forward with your pool project. Soon you will be floating in your pool with a glass of lemonade, marveling at your latest creation.
February 2011
Kevin M. Camp
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“I ’ m T i m Nei miec , an d I’ m your paver guy.”
A m e r i c a n Pav i n g D e s i g n After a long day at work or play, when you head home to unwind, settle down with a cool drink and put your head back to think about the day and what tomorrow will bring, is that breeze you feel coming from a ceiling fan or rustling through the trees? Do you hear the television, or waves lapping at the shore? When you open your eyes, do you stare at the ceiling, or gaze at the stars? How about a big old South Carolina moon rising over the treetops?
Article By Frank Dunne, Jr.
Photography By John Brackett
A m e r i c a n Pav i n g D e s i g n
Let it sink in. Remember when you used to have to travel to live this way for a week or two? Now you don’t have to leave. Now it’s your own house. Your home. At least it can be. You live in the Lowcountry where we can hang out outdoors for most of the year, and where—recently more than ever—the outdoor environment is as critical to a home’s design as the roof and foundation. “Everybody wants to be outside,” said Tim Niemiec, who should know because his company, American Paving Design, creates a lot of the outdoor environments that are popping up on home sites all over Beaufort County and throughout South Carolina. He’s not talking about the backyard barbecues that you may remember, though, with a few lawn chairs, maybe a picnic table and a Weber grill… Remember the screen door slamming over and over during that endless parade between the kitchen and the patio? American Paving Design’s business is building outdoor environments that are, in essence, seamless extensions of a home’s interior living space, a permanent “mini-resort” if you will, for which no travel is required. And the business thrives, partly due to economic factors and partly due to greater awareness of what can be done with creative landscaping and hardscapes. “We used to do mostly commercial projects,” Niemiec said, but when the economy went soft a few years ago, commercial building projects went soft with it. There was a bright side, though. “As the economy got worse, there’s been a shift to (outdoor) lifestyle. People want to spend more time at their house. The second, third, fourth home, we’re finding, is non-
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existent. We find more people remodeling and creating outdoor spaces that they can enjoy.” For his part, Niemiec is happy with the shift to more residential projects for American Paving Design. The commercial work is admittedly more profitable, but he finds rewards in the personal, emotional connection between contractor and client in residential work. It’s more of a people business. That means you don’t have to know paver shapes, colors, and patterns when you show up. Who knows anything about that stuff anyway? Just have an idea. Have a vision of how your home should appear from the curb, or an image of friends and family gathered ’round the fire pit on a cool fall evening. “It can be a driveway, front entrance, patio, pool deck, seating area…whatever,” Niemiec said. “Outdoor kitchens are very popular.” (No more of that screen door slamming.) “People are coming to us asking for lifestyle concepts, something they’ve seen somewhere else and they want it at their own homes. We bring your hardscape ideas to life.” Bringing those ideas to life isn’t simply installing pavers, though. “We do a lot more designing now. We do 3-D imaging so clients can see what they’re going to get,” Niemiec said. These projects have a significant impact on a home’s property value, so getting it right is critical. To make sure it gets done
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right, American Paving Design stays involved beginning-toend, from design consultation to material selection to skilled installation and complete follow-up. Niemiec started his first landscape and paver business just out of college in Ann Arbor, Michigan, then headed south in search of new markets and greener pastures when business conditions there turned less favorable. “I really liked Charlotte,” he said, “and I was seriously considering starting up there.” But some people familiar with one of the Southeast’s most prominent paving stone manufacturers, Hardeeville’s Lowcountry Paver (LCP), suggested that he take a ride down to South Carolina to meet LCP’s president, Tom Curry, who was seeking to expand his company’s marketing channels and installer base. On a cold January day in 2001, Niemiec drove to Hilton Head, but was unimpressed not having experienced the island’s true charm. “I told Tom, I can’t live here! He said, ‘Give me one year.’ The rest is history.” Part of that history is that American Paving Design is now one of the top Lowcountry Paver Certified Installers (LCPI). That means accountability for quality and service and continuing education requirements for the installer and a five-year warranty on workmanship for the client. Basically, in addition to the
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service you get from American Paving Design, the manufacturer has your back as well. American Paving Design has a perfect LCPI score for five years running. Elizabeth Scott and Lois Prybis both see the results on their back patios in Indigo Run. “Tim was very hands-on and very responsive to all of my questions and concerns. It was like a partnership,” said Prybis, speaking of her patio extension project. Prybis’s patio overlooks the Golden Bear golf course, affording her a view of more than just golfers. “I love to watch the eagle’s nest that we are so fortunate to have in view, and I can’t wait to have my morning coffee out here in my rocking chair. The patio really brings the outdoors into my home.” An interior designer, Scott brought some solid conceptual ideas to the table. “Tim’s input was very much in line with my design expectations. We created a much warmer, more welcoming environment. It really finishes the home,” she said. “He is very professional and well-priced. I would highly recommend him to my own clients.” Apparently, the neighbors would agree. Both Scott and Prybis said that when their new patios were completed, neighbor after neighbor stopped by to find out who did the work. At least three of them ended up contracting projects with American Paving Design. So what are you waiting for? The weather’s getting warmer, and the outdoors beckons. You’ve probably seen it at some of your neighbors’ homes; now it’s your turn to create your own personal slice of the Lowcountry Lifestyle. It’s why you live here, isn’t it? For more information, visit online at AmericanPavingDesign. com, or call (843) 706-PAVE (7283). Ask for Tim—“Your Paver Guy.”
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Bruno Landscape and Nursery
A little dirt
under the
fingernails and loving it
W
hat better place to be in the business of landscaping than Hilton Head Island, a place that puts a premium on the design, creation and maintenance of all things natural and green? That’s not to say that creating or maintaining a landscaping company on Hilton Head Island is easy, but Gary and Mary Ann Bruno have been in business as Bruno’s Landscaping since 1989; both agree that there’s no place they’d rather be. We had an opportunity to speak with Mary Ann Bruno and managed to discover a few insights into the business—and the business of building a business. It seems the work is hard and long, but the rewards are considerable. CH2: How did you get into the business and how long have you been in it? Mary Ann Bruno: Gary and I grew up together. Throughout high school and college, Gary worked for a large landscape company in Connecticut. After college, he worked in New York City for a year. He hated the commute, but most of all he hated being inside. He and I came to visit his parents on Hilton Head
A rt ic le
by
d a vid
to b i as
Island and decided this was where we wanted to live. We moved here in 1988. Gary worked for another landscape company for a year before opening his own company. With his business management degree, his love of landscaping and, of course, his partner (me) he believed he could do great things. CH2: What do you like best about the landscaping business? MAB: Gary and I both love the fact that we are in charge of our own destiny. Both of our fathers were corporate and traveled a lot; that was something neither of us wanted to do. The most rewarding part of our business comes when we drive around the island and see all the work we have done. There are roads in Hilton Head where we have landscaped every house and common area. To see your work become literally part of the permanent “landscape” and know that you helped beautify and shape the island is amazing. CH2: What’s the busiest time of year? MAB: Spring and fall are the busiest, but we’re very fortunate to have work year round. After this cold winter, we will be very busy and we can’t wait!
//
P h oto g r ap h y
by
A n n e
under the
fingernails
“ Our business is a success because everyone who works here takes pride in their work. We love what we do, and we know what we are good at. We never wanted to be the biggest, only the best.”
CH2: How many people work with or for Bruno and what is the range of services? MAB: We have 35 employees, and we’ll be adding a few more in the spring. Our maintenance division handles more than 400 properties, and our landscape construction division does everything from installing sod, plants, and trees to paver walkways, patios and driveways. The nursery opened in 2001. CH2: Has the business of landscaping become more technical? MAB: Like anything, you have to stay up with trends, conditions and, yes, technology. Although Gary has tried some CAD programs, he prefers to draw his own plans. He says if it works, why change it, and I guess that’s good because he hasn’t traded me in yet. We have incorporated more technology in the office. (This might be a good time to apologize to my maintenance customers for the multiple e-bills they received when I was learning how to save on postage and e-mail statements). CH2: What does Bruno’s do best? MAB: Gary prides himself on his drainage knowledge and how he is able to solve water issues. Most of our construction crews have been with Gary for 10 years plus. They are like a machine. Every job offers a different challenge and reward,
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Mark Nizolek, Mary Ann and Gary Bruno.
which is another great thing about our business: It’s the same, but different every day. Mark Nizolek, my brother-in-law, runs our maintenance department. We are predominately a residential maintenance company. Mark’s yard is beautiful, and he has trained his crews to maintain the yards we take care of like his own. Maintenance is a process, and there are ways to do things and times to do them. Mark’s strength is training our guys to know how and when.
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CH2: As owners of the company, how does your job and Gary’s job differ? MAB: Gary is the business on the outside and I run the inside. Everyone jokes when they see me in the nursery that I’m allowed to load cars but not give advice. Gary is the visionary, and I am the strategist. That’s what makes us a good team. We know each other’s strengths, and we have complete faith in one another. Gary will say he’s boss (and I let him think so). I guess it works. We will have been married 25 years this summer—together over 30. CH2: How do people find out about your landscaping services? MAB: Word of mouth mostly. We have the best customers any business could ask for. Not only have we received letters and calls thanking us for a great job, but they tell their friends. CH2: If you have three pieces of advice for someone who wanted a landscaping job done, what would they be? MAB: We start by asking questions: First, “Do you spend a lot of time outside?” Second, “Do you plan on maintaining your home yourself?” Third, “How much time do you want to put into it each week?” Gary always asks questions about lifestyle and if they have children. That sometimes indicates the time they’ll have to spend on their landscaping. We live in a beautiful part of the country, but what works up north does not work down here. I cannot tell you how many times customers have asked Mark why is it so hard to grow and maintain grass down here. Living on Hilton Head and the surrounding areas is a lifestyle, and your landscaping reflects it. CH2: How do you measure the success of your business? MAB: Our business is a success because everyone who works here takes pride in their work. We love what we do, and we know what we are good at. We never wanted to be the biggest, only the best. Over the years we’ve been nominated for and earned various awards, but nothing compares to customers saying they love what we’ve done or how happy they are with the maintenance of their home. The relationships we have because of this business are amazing. We have a business that has stood the test of time, and along the way we have made lifelong friends.
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Meet Me in
The
Boardroom
A r t i c l e
b y
D a vid
Gi g n illi a t
//
P h o t o g r a p h y
B y
A n n e
M
ention “The Boardroom” and images of sterile, skyscraping conference rooms, hostile takeovers and Donald Trump’s gravity-defying mane may come to mind. Maybe in New York or Chicago, but not on Hilton Head Island. If brothers—and co-owners—Brendan and Thomas Reilley have anything to do with it, when islanders and visitors say “Meet me at The Boardroom,” they’ll be talking about one of the area’s newest watering holes to open in the south-island’s popular “Bar-muda Triangle.” “We wanted to make [The Boardroom] as relaxing as possible,” said Brendan, who celebrated the bar’s grand opening February 5. “We’re more of a low-key place. You can come in here and have a conversation or bring a date.” For many years, the space was used as a private club (also called “The Boardroom”) for a group of golfers—a haven for its members to play cards, enjoy a few cocktails and swap stories about sublime double-breaking eagle putts. Eventually, that group dissolved and the space became available for a
The
Boardroom new tenant. The Reilley family, who owns the plaza and also leases retail space to the adjoining restaurants and bars, had a few options in mind for the vacancy. “In the initial conversations, we were talking about making it another private club,” said Thomas, a recent Boston College graduate with a degree in finance. “Eventually, that [concept] evolved and we decided that we could still go upscale and give it that private or sophisticated feel.” The completed bar oozes polish, yet still leaves room for whimsy and mischief. The decor is refined and, at the same time, comfortable. Zebra-print chairs and oversized leather couches and ottomans invite patrons to sit down, stay awhile and enjoy a drink as a group. Pop art originals (think Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe, and abstract New York cityscapes) adorn the wall, while dark wood accents merge with soft lighting to give The Boardroom a cozy, intimate feel. In the warmer months, a new outdoor bar and freshly landscaped side entrance will offer additional seating for those looking to enjoy the warm weather or to people-watch. (On Tuesday, March 8, The Boardroom will sponsor a Mardi Gras event in conjunction with the Hilton Head Brewing Company, its closest neighbor in the sprawling outdoor-friendly plaza.) Thomas spent some of his college years traveling in Argentina and Brazil and brought back some regional favorites. Most notable is the Brazilian caipirinha, a refreshing mixture of muddled lime wedges and refined sugar with cachaça, the distilled rum-like byproduct of fermented sugar cane juice, served over ice. The Boardroom offers two versions of the original caipirinha,
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one with a Pitu cachaça and another with Leblon cachaça, an award-winning premium artisanal brand. The Boardroom then mimics the original with playful takes in its “cocarinha” (Captain Morgan, Parrot Bay Rum and fine sugar), the “camparinha” (with Campari) and endless versions of the “caiproska” (with flavored vodkas replacing the cachaça). One of the popular quaffs so far has been “The Sexy Intern,” a blend of Caravella Limoncello, vanilla-flavored vodka and pomegranate juice, shaken and served in a sugar-rimmed martini glass. Also intriguing is “The Office Hottie,” a mix of Hornitos Plata (a 100-percent blue agave tequila), pineapple juice and agave nectar with dashes of lime and orange juices. The beer list features the usual suspects as well as a few surprises—Sol (bottled in Monterrey, Mexico) and craft beers (including a few from Southern Star Brewing Company in Conroe, Texas). A diverse wine selection (with offerings by the glass from Europe, Australia and South America) rounds out The Boardroom’s indulgent drink menu. Both Brendan and Thomas grew up in the family business (which includes Reilley’s, The Crazy Crab and Aunt Chilada’s), with Brendan eventually earning a degree from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York before running a fine-dining restaurant in Hawaii. Marriage, four children and a desire to return to Hilton Head brought him back into the local ownership fold, and he’s been managing partner at Aunt Chilada’s for the last several years. After graduating from BC, the younger Thomas began the traditional job search, hoping to land a gig with a big bank on Wall Street or at one of the Chicago exchanges. Although he
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has not given up on that goal, he has kept up with old college friends and has gotten the sense that “they all seemed miserable.” Faced with an early-life career decision, one could say he traded in one boardroom for another. “I enjoy having my days to myself. I go to the beach every day. I like to play golf, so I don’t mind working at night,” Thomas said. “[Some of my college friends] are stuck in the office from 7 in the morning until 7 at night. That’s not really my philosophy on life. I like to work to live, not live to work.” The classic bartender duties—efficient drink-making, witty banter, aim-to-please mindset—seem to suit Thomas well. “You meet new people every time you work [behind the bar],” he said. “I prefer it that way. I enjoy talking to people—you know, shaking hands, kissing babies,” he joked. On a typical night, you might find Thomas working the bar with Brendan’s wife Jill, while Brendan trades his daytime bookkeeping duties at The Boardroom for evenings managing Aunt Chilada’s. At about 10 p.m., while Thomas’ evening is just heating up, it’s time for Brendan to go home, tuck the kids in and go to bed. “Our house, generally, is pretty wild,” Brendan said. “[Jill and I] get up early in the morning, get the kids to the bus stop, and then our day starts. Seven days a week. And that’s not a complaint. “I grew up in it. I’m used to it,” Brendan said. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” The Boardroom is located at 7B-4 Greenwood Drive in the Reilley’s Plaza. The venue is open seven days a week, starting at 4 p.m. and closing at 2 a.m. Sunday-Thursday and Saturday, and 3 a.m. on Friday. For more information, call (843)290-7890.
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Article By Mark Kreuzwieser // Photography by anne
Dr. Timothy Gross’ Dental Excellence
A passion for pearly whites
A room full of smiles from left to right: Marie Gaymon, bobbie Apple, Dr. Gross and Melissa Gross.
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ove and humor are as abundant as smiling pearly whites in the dentist’s office of Dr. Timothy Gross’ Dental Excellence at 15 Bow Circle on Hilton Head Island. If Gross doesn’t have his patients cracking up with his wit and jokes, he has them enthralled with his focused passion for healthy teeth and interest in their well-being. “We want our patients to come in and feel like family,” said Gross, a Sewickley, Pa., native and graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and the university’s School of Dental Medicine. “We treat people the way Melissa and I and our children want to be treated.” The laid-back, familial vibes hit you when you first walk in: Gross’ wife Melissa, is likely to greet you, and staff members Bobbie Apple and Marie Gaymon will engage you with their unique personalities and professional manners.
“I am always so very impressed by their level of professionalism and patient care,” Melissa said of Apple, treatment coordinator and Gaymon, dental hygienist. “Both are exceptional.” And, there’s little time to sit in the comfy, den-like waiting room worrying. “There’s no TV in the waiting room,” Gross said. “We don’t keep people waiting. I want people to come in and know that they are special, that they are our guests. We want to become their friends. “That’s something I’ve always worked toward, to be like family, to get to know patients’ children, to treat their children, and then their children’s children,” he continued. You see, Gross has no plans to ever retire. “I’ll always be a dentist, even when I’m old, it’ll be at least a hobby. I come from another practice that had four generations of patients. I think that’s important,” he said.
Comprehensive services include: General and comprehensive dentistry for children and adults and seniors • Cleanings and exams • Cosmetic dentistry, whitening, natural-colored fillings and veneers • Mercury-free fillings and mercury removal from existing fillings • Crowns and bridges • Dental implants • Root canal therapy •Extractions •Orthodontics, Invisalign ™, conventional and clear braces, 6 Month Smiles • Dentures and partials • TMJ and headache therapy • Performance-enhancing athletic mouthguards
“We are a family practice. That’s our style, it’s all about relationships. I don’t run from treatment room to treatment room. I give all my attention to one patient at a time.” That’s about three or four patients in the morning, and another three or four in the afternoon. After practicing in Pittsburgh for nearly 17 years, Gross decided to make Hilton Head, the family’s favorite vacation spot, their permanent home. “One day, we just looked at each other, said our kids are still young, and we threw caution to the wind and sold the practice, the house and started from scratch,” he said. “I was renting a space, and still commuting a bit back up to Pittsburgh, and Dr. (Kenneth) Gudz said he was selling his office. We closed the deal January 31. It’s a wonderful office, very comfortable and relaxed, with state-of-the-art technology.” As further proof that Hilton Head is the center of the universe, Gross’ very first patient here was down vacationing from... Pittsburgh. “We got to talking, and I thought, ‘what a coincidence,’” Gross said. Love at first ‘bite’? Gross and Melissa met when she was a head-turner in second grade, and he was a man of the world in fourth grade at the same school. Though they continued to attend the same schools through high school, Melissa said, “We were just friends, growing up knowing each other, but we weren’t high school sweethearts. I’ve known Tim for a long time,” she added with a wink, “when he had hair.”
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After high school, the two went their separate ways, but as fate would have it, they met again when she was 27 and he 29. “I was working a second job as a waitress at a popular restaurant and he came in for dinner,” Melissa said. “It was as simple as ‘Hey, Tim,’ and here we are 15 years and two kids later.” (The couple has a daughter, 10, and a son, 9.) We’re not saying that you should expect Robin Williams to work on your teeth, but Gross has the touch of the funny, kindly and caring next-door neighbor who looks after your property or your pet when you leave town for a trip. He has that special touch that makes people feel at ease. “Tim has always had a wonderful sense of humor which he uses every day to make his patients feel at ease,” Melissa said. Probably the biggest gift the dentist has going for him is his passion, not only for people but also for his profession. He holds a fellowship at the Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry after years of classroom and hands-on training in cosmetic reconstructive dentistry followed by a grueling exam process. He is one of less than one percent of all dentists to achieve the fellowship. When he travels to Las Vegas Institute, or anywhere his hundreds of hours of continuing education take him every year, it’s all business. It may sound corny, but it’s obvious in every part of his character that dentistry is something he was born to do. For more information, contact Dr. Timothy Gross’ Dental Excellence at (843) 342-7700 or visit drtimgross.com
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al truis tiC * islanders
settinG a Good eXample
ARTICLE BY Courtney hampson // PHOTOGRAPHY BY John BraCKett
If cleanliness is next to godliness, what is selflessness? People who are selfless give up their own interests for the greater good. they often think of others, before themselves. they act willingly and generously. they give of their time, their talent, and their treasure. they are not boastful. they seek no attention in return. In South carolina alone, the collective efforts of volunteers were valued at more than $2.5 billion, according to VolunteeringInamerica. gov, which works in partnership with the u.S. census bureau and the bureau of Labor Statistics to compile the most comprehensive collection of data on volunteering and civic engagement ever assembled. Interestingly, their research shows that, despite all the additional stresses of a difficult economy, volunteer service remains strong. In data collected over the last four years, VolunteeringInamerica.gov reports that South carolina boasts 923,000 volunteers, that is 26.8 percent of our state’s residents. together, they clock more than 118.5 million hours of service per year. Locally, there are dozens upon dozens of deserving organizations. collectively, hundreds of selfless individuals work each day to make our community a better place—a scratch behind the ear for a dog looking for her forever home, a comforting hand to hold, a connection with an otherwise lost teenager, a meal for someone who didn’t know if they would eat tonight, a call for help answered. Five individuals in bluffton and hilton head—true altruists—are making an impact right here in our backyard. they stand out among the crowd. and deserve our gratitude.
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Hilton Head Humane Association
John
WallAnd
Raymond
Holmes Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry After vacationing on Hilton Head Island for 22 years, Raymond Holmes and his wife finally made the permanent move in 2008, lured by one of those iconic 72-degree December days. The Washington, D.C. area that he had called home couldn’t compete with those numbers. Holmes’ long career in electrical engineering and computer technology for the Federal Reserve had kept him busy. Now, he was ready to give back. Having spent some time volunteering for DC Central Kitchen (an organization that served 4,000 meals a week), Holmes knew that food service and culinary arts was an area in www.bgclowcountry.org
which he wanted to contribute. The Boys & Girls Club of the Lowcountry offered just the opportunity, and Holmes volunteers in their “canteen” as a part of the after-school program. While the literal definition of canteen is “snack bar” so much more happens in that space, according to Holmes. “Food is important, but this is where we really get to know the kids and understand their behavior, their quirks, their personalities, and where we can help. The food is the key to opening that door,” he said. Even though it is not just about the food, Holmes ensures that the food service standards are
beyond par, going so far as to get ServSafe certified through Technical College of the Lowcountry. In fact, he continues to take online classes and, in turn, trains the Boys & Girls Club staff in nutrition, sanitation, food handling, and more. “I don’t know what we’d do without him,” Bluffton Club Unit Director, Molly Smith said. After momentarily searching for the right words, Smith continued by firing off, in quick succession, a multitude of reasons Holmes is indispensible. “He is a great mentor. He shares his wisdom. He helps mold and shape the children, especially the young men. He
bridges a 60-year age gap and bonds and connects effortlessly. He also gains much respect.” Holmes is enjoying every minute of it. “The kitchen is the most important room in the house. It is where the magic happens,” he said with a smile, recalling his younger years, waking up and smelling the breakfast that “Momma” was cooking. Conversation and connection happen in the kitchen. At the Boys & Girls Club, Holmes is making their kitchen a home. The Boys & Girls Club Bluffton Unit was established in 1998 to provide a safe and stimulating environment for Bluffton’s children during their afterschool hours and summer.
Now this is a man, anyone would be happy to walk with. However, the majority of John Walland’s walks are with his canine comrades. And he loves every minute of it. When Walland retired from his career in the steel industry 11 years ago and moved from Cleveland to Hilton Head, he didn’t know what to expect. He arrived, sight unseen, having never been to the island. His wife, Dr. Debra Walland, talked him into the move as she had her eyes on starting a practice in the Lowcountry with a former medical school classmate. He obliged. As luck would have it, once Walland was settled, he learned that two of his new neighbors were board members for the Hilton Head Humane Association. They got to talking. And then they got to asking— asking John if he would be interested in volunteering. Before he knew it, Walland was on the road to Columbia to pick-up cat and dog food donations. That was 11 years and 60,000 miles ago. Since then, Walland and his wife have added five rescue dogs to the family and John’s involvement in the organization has continued to grow, much like his pack at home. Executive Director Franny Gerthoffer had a hard time putting into words how she feels
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about John. “The best word in the dictionary doesn’t even begin to describe this man,” she said. “Every event, John is there. Every fundraiser, his is the first money in the pot. He doesn’t know how to say ‘no.’ He truly loves the animals. He wants to save them all.” And he tries to do just that. Earlier this year, on his way back from having outpatient surgery in Savannah, arm in a sling, feeling less than 100 percent, he saw a little dog on the side of the road. He urged his wife to pull over. As they got out of the car, Walland noticed a second dog. Surprisingly, both dogs sat there, side-byside, wagging their tails, skinny as rails—as if waiting for this angel to rescue them. As you might expect, Walland loaded them into the car and took them home. So much for the rest that the doctor ordered! He called Gerthoffer that night to let her know she’d have two new friends dropping by in the morning. Gerthoffer’s appreciation for Walland runs deep. “He makes our job so easy,” she said. But, why does he do it? With a warm, humbled voice he said, “It makes me feel good. Everyone needs that in their life.” Hilton Head Humane Association works to improve the lives of homeless dogs and cats while also working to substantially lower the number of animals reproduced or relinquished. www. hhhumane.org
Al truis tic Islanders
Les
Wilner Second Helpings When Les Wilner moved here from Queens, New York, 14 years ago he was shocked by the need in our community, unable to believe how many people were seeking assistance. Retired from the wholesale food business and looking for something to do besides golf, Second Helpings immediately caught Wilner’s attention. Believing that, “this is his time to give back,” Wilner does just that by coordinating all of the organization’s Bluffton volunteers (a position he has held for more than 10 years). That means, scheduling 48 people, and two delivery routes a day, six days a week. He’s basically running a small company on his own time. Second Helpings Executive Director, Peggy Warnke, conservatively estimates that Wilner has volunteered more than 8,000 hours in his tenure and touts his strong relationship with the food donors and his passion for the agencies to which he delivers. (The Second Helpings network extends beyond 65 partner agencies.) For Wilner, the thank you means more than anything. “Every time we pull up in a truck to deliver food, the recipients are
gracious and grateful. Sometimes we pull up to 20 or 30 people just waiting. It was a shock to me that for some folks, cake is a luxury item,” he said. Even more shocking to Wilner—who is admittedly, “not the most emotional and affectionate person”— is the fact that a perfect stranger would give him a hug, so appreciative of his effort. It overwhelms Wilner that he receives a thank you, when in his mind there are many others who deserve the gratitude. He told the story of a woman who is a hero in her own right—a member of a church of only 15 families that delivers 3,000 pounds of food a week. “She’s who we should be thanking,” he said. I suspect that the 4,000
people Second Helpings feeds each day, would want to extend their thanks to Wilner. But he takes it all with a grain of salt. “Charity comes back. If a little old, obese man in his midseventies can do it, anyone can,” he said. Second Helpings’ mission is to collect and thereby rescue nutritious surplus foods that would otherwise have been wasted from restaurants, resorts, caterers and supermarkets. Volunteers deliver this food in a safe and healthful manner to agencies serving the disadvantaged in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The organization neither solicits nor accepts payment for this mission. www. secondhelpingshhi.org
Nancy
Meyer Bluffton Self Help Bluffton has always been a “second home” for Nancy Meyer, who has been vacationing here for 30 years. After she made Bluffton her permanent home a couple years ago, she quickly entrenched herself in the local community. At an event benefiting Bluffton Self Help, Meyer noticed the “ladies in red aprons” (the signature attire for Self Help volunteers), started chatting with them, and said, “I think I’d like to join you.” Recognizing a good thing when they saw it, the ladies immediately put Meyer in touch with the executive director, who wisely put her to work. After some time in the volunteer role, Board President Peter Bromley
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pulled Meyer aside and asked her if she thought the organization needed a volunteer coordinator. She quickly replied, “Yes,” not knowing that Bromley’s next question would be, “Would you like to be that volunteer coordinator?” “I saw how she connected with people. She takes initiative. She has strong planning and organizational skills. With 60 volunteers on the roster, we need someone to take the lead. It never hurts to ask,” Bromley said. Good thing he did, ask … Meyer accepted the challenge and dedicates time to Self Help, five days a week, making sure that every volunteer’s needs are being met. “Every volunteer has their own reason for being there, and I want to make sure we are doing right by them,” she said.
Being on site, and seeing how the organization works is particularly rewarding. “It’s a pleasure to watch an SUV drive up, two guys hop out, and say, ‘Hi, we read in the paper that you need food. We have a truck full of food,’” Meyer said. Even more rewarding, she said, is watching a volunteer greet the donors, help them unload, then realize the importance of their donation. “Everyone gets something out of it …” At Bluffton Self Help, the purpose and mission is to help those in the greater Bluffton area who are in critical need of short-term, documented financial assistance, and to also provide them with the most fundamental needs—such as food and clothing— while urging them to become more self-reliant. www. blufftonselfhelp.org
February 2011
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Al truis tic Islanders
* Jack
Toady
Hospice Care of the Lowcountry With a warm voice and an affectionate laugh, Jack Toady immediately puts one at ease—a trademark quality, for a man who volunteers his time beside those who are watching their own time slip away. You might expect a Northeast native who spent his career as a special agent in the criminal investigation unit of the Treasury Department to be a tough guy. In fact, Toady is the exact opposite. He and his wife moved to Hilton Head 14 years ago, also lured by warm temperatures and the perk of yearround golf. While the laidback lifestyle was
one Toady welcomed, he also felt the need to give back. Having seen hospice in action for a close friend, he knew that Hospice Care could be the perfect fit for him. Toady spent his first year volunteering in the office and managing the tedious bereavement followup process that is required for each case. In 2007, following some intense training, he moved into the caregiver role. As a family/patient volunteer, Toady’s role is to provide company and conversation, to run errands and complete odd jobs, to give the primary caregiver time to his or herself, and in some cases, he just sits in silence, a comforting
presence for those in the twilight hours of their life. Not an easy task—making an emotional connection with someone whom you know you will have to eventually bid farewell. Toady has had patients for as short as one week and some that have stretched beyond a year. Each case is different. “It is very difficult, but when you start talking to people, you realize the interesting lives that people lead. More importantly, it is amazing the talent pool of people who have lived right here, our neighbors,” he said. “Jack is a super star. He never says no. He is compassionate and caring, dedicated to the hospice movement, flexible and always ready to respond and go when needed,” said Renee Woodruff, director of volunteers. Toady says, his role is a necessary one, and the reward outweighs the emotional toll. At Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, the philosophy of care is as much about living well as it is about dying well. The mission is to help patients and their families find the fullness and joy they deserve, even as they face the anxieties of the end of life. www. hospicecarelc.org
One would be hard pressed to place a value on the selfless acts of this quintet. Their priceless contributions—large and small—resound loudly within our community. How ironic that they toiled long and hard to enjoy a fruitful retirement, yet in retirement, they’ve found true fulfillment through their selfless contributions. February 2011
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What you need to
know
about March 2011
Equity Index Annuities
Article by Lew Wessel
//
Photography by Anne
S
nooze alert! Okay. I know this isn’t the most exciting subject, but you should know about this investment, because sooner or later, some financial person is going to pitch an Equity Index Annuity (EIA) to you and it’s going to sound really, really compelling—not Nigerian millions compelling, but pretty darn sweet. Here’s what you need to know about them:
Overview In an earlier article, I covered annuities and neglected to include equity index annuities. My bad, if only because they do represent about 13 percent of total annuity sales in the United States per AnnuitySpec.com’s Indexed Sales & Market Report (2009). In that earlier article, I explained that annuities come in two basic forms: immediate and deferred (when they distribute monies) and deferred annuities are further divided into fixed and variable (how and where your investment is invested). An EIA is regulated and behaves most like a deferred fixed income annuity,
but it offers the seductive promise of the possibility of marketrelated gains with a guarantee of minimal or no losses. Who wouldn’t want that? But remember what you learned in kindergarten: “If it sounds too good to be true…”
It’s complicated “Complicated” is the word you’ll find most often when you research EIA’s. FINRA, the financial industry’s main independent regulatory authority, headlines its section on EIA’s with “EquityIndexed Annuities—A Complex Choice” and goes on to say that investors will find it very difficult to compare and evaluate one with another. I’ll do my best here to explain the parameters, but, if you are going to invest in one, be prepared to do a lot of research.
The inside scoop The basic EIA promise is to provide the investor with a taxdeferred investment with a no-loss guarantee—a minimum return of zero—coupled with the possibility of earning a higher rate of
What you need to
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return based on the movement of some equity-related index. Your EIA is not actually invested in stocks, but rather is “linked” to the movement of an equity-related index. Your account is then credited with a portion (see below) of the upward movement of that index. If the index goes down, your account stays level—the “no-loss” guarantee. The most common index used is the S&P 500, but almost any index can be found as an option in EIA contracts, including the Hang Seng Index, EUROSTOXX, Russell 2000, etc. So does that mean that if the S&P 500 increases 15 percent in one year, your contract value will also increase 15 percent? The answer is an emphatic “NO”. And here’s why: In every EIA contract, the upside
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potential of your equity-linked return can be limited by a hodge-podge of factors. These include one or more of the following, alone or in combination: • Participation rate. This is the percentage of the index gain that will actually be credited to your account. If the participation rate is 80 percent and the S&P 500 index goes up 10 percent, your increase would be limited to eight percent. • Spread or margin rate: This is the amount that will be subtracted from the index before calculating the actual credit to your account. If the “spread” is three points and the index goes up 10 percent, your account will only be credited with seven percent. • Cap rate: This is the maximum rate your account will be credited no
matter how high the index goes. In other words, if the cap rate is, say, eight percent and the market duplicates a year like 2009 where the S&P 500 index increased 24 percent, your account will only be credited with an eight percent increase. Sound complicated? We’re just getting started! Another factor in the EIA contract is exactly how the movement in the linked equity index is measured in order to determine the gain that will be credited to your account. Some of the many crediting methods offered are: • Annual point-to-point: The gain measured is the change in the index from the beginning to the end of the contract year. This gain is then subjected to the caps, spreads, etc. above and the account
February 2011
The key with EIAs, as with any financial product or investment, is to understand what they are and what they can do for your is then credited. If there is a loss, the “gain” is zero percent. In most cases, the index is reset at the end of every year, so the account has a good chance to make a gain after a down year. • Monthly point-to-point: The gain measured is the monthly point-topoint changes. The ups and downs of each 12 months will be added together to determine the net upward movement at the end of the year. The catch here is that often the monthly upward movements are capped at say 2-4 percent while the monthly downward movements are not capped. Thus, one or two bad months in an otherwise stellar year can wipe out all gains. • Monthly and daily averages: Here, the crediting method involves averaging monthly and daily numbers and then
February 2011
overall portfolio. EIAs are considered “fixed annuities” by regulators and I think that is a fair categorization.
subjecting the calculation to a predetermined cap, spread and/or participation rate. Each of these crediting methods may be optimal, depending, unfortunately, on 100 percent hindsight into the behavior of the underlying index. Suffice it to say, FINRA is indeed correct in warning that determining whether one EIA contract is better than another is extremely difficult if not impossible.
Surrender Charges An EIA is, at its core, an insurance contract, and, therefore comes with a “surrender period.” This is the amount of time you have to keep your money in the contract before you can start taking it out without penalty. I’ve seen as long as 14 years on an EIA contract. Suffice it to say, this should only be considered as a longterm investment.
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What you need to
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Bottom line The key with EIAs, as with any financial product or investment, is to understand what they are and what they can do for your overall portfolio. EIAs are considered “fixed annuities” by regulators and I think that is a fair categorization. They certainly fluctuate considerably less than a true variable annuity. EIAs generally offer a no-loss guarantee, or at least a base return of principal guarantee that’s close to it—the “standard nonforfeiture value.” That’s a terrific thing when the market is in free-fall (In case you have forgotten, the S&P 500 fell 38 percent in 2008). On the flip side, as shown above, the upside of an EIA is usually severely limited and would be a very poor choice in an extended bull stock market. Thus, for the conservative investor or for the conservative portion of a person’s portfolio, EIAs may have a place. It should also be mentioned, as with all deferred annuities, that there is no tax on the earnings of an EIA until funds are withdrawn, and EIAs can be “exchanged” tax-free at a later date for an immediate annuity to generate a lifetime income stream.
Guaranteed (GMWB)
Minimum
Withdrawal
Benefit
As discussed in my previous article on annuities, GMWB are “riders” or add-ons to annuities, including EIAs. This rider offers,
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for an extra fee, an additional value in the EIA that has a guaranteed growth rate and a future guaranteed lifetime pay-out once the contract holder begins to take distributions. For the investor looking to establish a “personal pension,” the GMWB rider can be a terrific choice.
Fees As with any investment or insurance contract offering guarantees, fees are involved. In the case of the EIA, these “fees” are primarily in the form of the caps, spreads and participation rates described above and in lengthy surrender periods. These “fees” allow the insurance companies to offer no-loss guarantees and some upside equity-related returns by investing upfront in longterm bonds and equity-linked options.
Consult your financial advisor Every financial article has to end with “consult your advisor”, but if, after reading this article, you didn’t realize the importance of sound, professional advice when contemplating the purchase of an EIA, then shame on you and me! To comment or for more information, e-mail lewwessel@hargray.com.
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M AY o r
Drew Laughlin Hilton Head Is lan d Photography By Anne
Have I Got a Deal for You Here’s an offer you can’t refuse: Hard work, no pay. Okay. Maybe you can refuse the offer, but let me explain why you shouldn’t. Your Town government cannot operate, on many levels, without you. One of the most critical functions we perform is the operation of our volunteer-based committee system. We have seven standing committees that are composed of citizen volunteers. We have several vacancies coming up due to expiring terms. Here’s how the process works: Residents fill out a “talent bank” application. Applications are available online at hiltonheadislandsc. gov; at Town Hall between the hours of 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; or by fax through the town clerk—call 3414604. The Town Council Personnel Committee, composed of three members of council, reviews the applications and then interviews selected candidates. Recommendations are then made to the full council for appointment. Committee terms are for three years. Here is a brief description of what role each committee serves: 1. Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee. Reviews applications and makes recommendations to Town Council about disbursement of accommodations tax funds. 2. Board of Zoning Appeals. Hears and reviews Land Management Ordinance (LMO)-related appeals, variances, and specialexception use applications. 3. Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals. Considers variances from standard building code and hears appeals from the building official. 4. Design Review Board. Considers aesthetics and design applications along designated corridors. 5. Parks and Recreation Commission. Makes recommendations to Town Council for the establishment of an effective parks & recreational system for the Town. 6. Planning Commission. Prepares and updates comprehensive plan; reviews all proposed zoning changes, public projects, and traffic impact applications. 7. Disaster Recovery Commission. Makes recommendations to Town Council for improvements to the disaster recovery plan and disaster public education and readiness. Ward Kirby, chairman of the Disaster Recovery Committee, shares his experience: “It’s a privilege to be on the Town’s Disaster Recovery Commission. I felt I had the necessary skills to serve when I read about the creation of the commission and applied. Along with giving back to the Town, I’ve worked with a group of dedicated citizens who serve with me and a knowledgeable and skilled Town staff who assist in our deliberations and recommendations.” So, why should you join us? You care about Hilton Head Island, and you want to weigh in on issues like the airport, redevelopment, design standards and our parks and recreation system. Who better to help us enhance our quality of life than our residents? So fill out an application and let us hear from you. 104
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M AY o r
Lisa Sulka Blu ff to n Photography By Anne
Lucky to Live in Bluffton I always tell new residents how lucky they are to live in such a beautiful place as Bluffton, SC, as I cannot imagine any other town as nice as ours. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful amenities around us, starting with the May River. But we are also close to so many other necessities—20 minutes from the beaches of Hilton Head Island, the Savannah/ Hilton Head International Airport, Beaufort and Savannah Ga., to name just a few. Over the past couple of months, we have also seen an uptick in the economy: Building permits have increased, residential re-sales are on the rise, and new business opportunities are knocking on our doors.
At a recent town council meeting, the announcement came that a new family entertainment center will be constructed at Buckwalter Place—a $7 million project. The main feature will be a state-ofthe-art bowling center with the latest digital technology available.
At a recent town council meeting, the announcement came that a new family entertainment center will be constructed at Buckwalter Place—a $7 million project. The main feature will be a state-of- the-art bowling center with the latest digital technology available. The company’s goal is to establish their corporate headquarters in Bluffton and to continue to develop the software. On the heels of this announcement comes news that several medical ventures are also coming into town. A brief presentation was made at last month’s council meeting. Headed up by Brian Cain and Elizabeth Lamkin, Pace Healthcare will be a comprehensive post-acute care facility. This business will bring hundreds of jobs to our area, and will be a great partner in the type of industry that Bluffton is looking for. This is a great month in Bluffton, beginning with the reopening of our farmers market. Located on Calhoun Street, you will once again be able to pick up local produce and other items every Thursday. This is an event you will not want to miss, so come early and stay late. More information can be found online at farmersmarketbluffton.com. This is a very informative website, including information on the types of produce you can find in this part of the country as well as a calendar of events. Have a great spring and come and see why Bluffton is so special to so many people. February 2011
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THE LOCALS INDEX YOUR TOOL FOR FINDING THE BEST DISCOUNTS IN TOWN
EATS SWEETS & SPIRITS Antonio’s, p. 97 Village At Wexford, 842-5505 See Ad For Details Aunt Chilada’s Easy Street Cafe, p. 108 (Back Cover) 69 Pope Avenue, 785-7700 See Ad For Details
CQ’s Restaurant, p. 34 Harbour Town, 671-2779 See Ad For Details The Electric Piano, p. 39 Park Plaza, 785-5397 10% Off With CH2 Card Jump & Phil’s Bar and Grill, p. 58 Hilton Head Plaza, 785-9070 10% Off Food Kingfisher, p. 52 Shelter Cove Marina, 785-4442 10% Off Food
Asian Bistro, p. 29 New Orleans Rd., 843-686-9888 20% Off Sushi
Market Street Café, p. 96 Coligny Plaza, 686-4976 10% Off Entire Check
Atlanta Bread Co., p. 58 45 Pembroke Drive, 843-342-2253 See Ad For Details
Mellow Mushroom Pizza, p. 23 Park Plaza, 686-2474 10% Off
Captain Woody’s, p. 58 Palmetto Bay Marina, 785-2400, 10% Off Food
Old Fort Pub, p. 73 Hilton Head Plantation, 681-2386 See Ad For Details
Cheap Seats, p. 33 55 Matthews Drive, 843-689-2002 See Ad For Details
Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe, p. 23 Palmetto Bay Marina, 686-3232 10% Off Monday-Friday
Chin Dynasty, p. 33 108 Buckwalter Parkway, 843-757-7998 See Ad For Details
Reilley’s Grill & Bar, p. 108 (Back Cover) Hilton Head Plaza, 842-4414, Port Royal Plaza, 681-4153 See Ad For Details
Chocolate Canopy, Ltd., p. 58 Palmetto Bay Rd, 842-4567 10% Off Non-Sale Items (with minimum purchase)
San Miguels, p. 90 Shelter Cove Marina. 842-4555 Margarita Wednesdays!
Cookies By Design, p. 37 Sea Turtle Cinemas, 706-9505 15% Off Any Purchase with CH2 Card
Skillets Café, p. 85 Coligny Plaza, 785-3131 10% Off any $6.95 (or more) purchase
Corks, p. 26 HHI - Southend Publix Shopping Center Bluffton - Calhoun Street Promenade See Ad For Details
Wild Wing Cafe, p. 5 Hilton Head - 843-785-9464 or Bluffton - 837-9453 See Ad For Details
HEALTH FITNESS & BEAUTY Center, The, pg. 86 843-842-3359 FREE 10 Day Trial Coolidge Plastic Surgery, p. 31 208-2808 See Ad For Details Core Pilates, p. 25 32 Office Park Road, Suite 306, 681-4267 10% Off With CH2 Card Dermatology of the Lowcountry, p. 56 689-5259, Offices on Hilton Head, Bluffton/Okatie/Beaufort See Ad For Details Faces Day Spa, p. 29 The Village at Wexford, 785-3075 See Ad For Details Heavenly Spa by Westin, p. 102 2 Grasslawn Ave., Port Royal Plantation 681-1019 See Ad For Details Hilton Head Dental, p. 80 400 Merchant Street, 681-6200 16 Wm. Pope Drive, 705-7675 See Ad For Details Hilton Head Regional Hospital, p. 9 877-582-2737 Call and Receive a Free Physican Directory NHC Healthcare., p. 53 3039 Okatie Highway, Bluffton, 843-705-8220 See Ad For Details Sanctuary, The - A European Day Spa, p. 37 Park Plaza, 843.842.5999 We've Gone GREEN! See Ad For Details Stephens Pharmacy, p. 84 2 Marshland Rd. in the HH Health & Wellness Building, 686-3735 See Ad For Details Tracee Spencer, p. 59 843-368-1247 spencert1@hotmail.com Complimentary Gloss Treatment
SHOPS BOUTIQUES & MORE Doncaster / Tanner Outlet, p. 25 Pineland Station- 689.6494 25% Off Any Single Item Great Frame Up, p. 37 Belfair Towne Village, 815-4661 See Ad For Details Gem & Jewelry Services, p. 37 Port Royal Plaza, 843-342-3663 See Ad For Details Lowcountry Saddlery, p. 58 1541 Fording Island Road, Suite 3, Moss Creek Village, 843-837-8700 10% Off Entire Purchasae
Luciana, p. 65 37 New Orleans Rd., Suite C 686-5620 10% Off Nash Gallery, p. 59 13 Harbourside Lane, 2H 843-785-6424 Free Gift! See Ad For Details Palmettoes, p. 56 71 Lighthouse Road, Ste., 414, 363-6800 See Ad For Details
Tail-Waggers, p. 77 Coligny Plaza, 686-3707 10% Off Purchase, Excluding Pet Food Tanger Outlets, p. 11 FREE Summer Savings Shopping Card (Must Show Ad)
bE a SupERSTaR aT baTTER'S box
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SERViCES american paving Designs, p. 72 843-706-PaVe (7283) See ad For Details american wood Reface, p. 68 40 Pennington Drive, Suite c, Sherridan Park 843-815-6700, Free Installation See ad For Details brooke’s bed & biscuit, p. 31 25 buck Island road, 757-PetS (7387) receive a Free toenail clipping bruno Landscaping, p. 76 109 Dilon road, 681-7022 or 682-2624 20% off Celebration Events Catering, p. 35, 90, & 96 689-7526, call For Details Covert aire, p. 4 706-5090, See ad for Details E.a.C., p. 57 681-3999, See ad For Details Energyone, p. 76 815-9931, www.energyfoam.com See ad For Details Epperson Heating & air, p. 21 843-681-9297 See ad For Details Fastteks, p. 58 682-4744, www.fastteks.com 10% off Foundation Reality, p. 103 www.hiltonheadrealestates.com, 686-4002 See ad For Details Foskey Heating & air, p. 103 1 Promenade Street, Suite 102 681-heat (4328), See ad For Details Hilton Head Exterminators, p. 18 hilton head - 843-681-2590 bluffton - 843-706-9933 See ad For Details island Car wash, p. 49 hwy. 278, 785-9274, Kitties crossings, 815-4666 - $5 off gold Wash isle of paws, p. 77 341 - DogS (3647), www.isleofpaws.com See ad For Details Mattress Firm, p. 13 1172 Fording Island road 837-FIrM (3476), See ad For Details Village park Homes, p. 15 Lawton Station (hwy. 170), 706-9550 new homes From 190's - 300's
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SaVE on LoCaL DEaLS!
aCTiViTiES batters box Hilton Head, p. 33 2 Southwood Park Dr., Suite b 843-715-2737 See ad For Details The golf Club at indigo Run, p. 57 Indigo run Plantation, 342-2988 complimentary 30 Day Preview Membership, See ad For Details Lowcountry golf Cars, p. 35 649 n. okatie highway, 987-8272 See ad For Details
Mulligans, p. 33 102 buckwalter Parkway #3M 815-2621 20% off everything in the store north Ridge Cinema, p. 58 342-3800 See ad For Details Quality golf Cars, p. 33 212 okatie Village Drive, bluffton, 705-6655 huge battery Sale! See ad For Details
ExTREMELy iMpoRTanT DiSCLaiMER! becauSe there IS no accountIng For huMan error...aDVertISerS anD c2 are not heLD reSPonSIbLe For the DIScountS anD InForMatIon LISteD on thIS Page.
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