Elegant Island Living February 2017 by Elegant Island Living Media Group

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

No Really, You Shouldn’t Have!

ell, Christmas has come and gone once again, and most of us are enjoying the latest electronic gadget, exercise equipment, gardening tool, cooking utensil or whatever gift that Santa left under the tree. Santa brought me a yoga mat this year so I can do the downward dog at home and not embarrass myself in front of a roomful of hot-looking young women. Each year we all get gifts from friends and loved ones. And each year we always seem to get that ONE gift that makes us scratch our head. What were they thinking when they picked this “gift” out, bought it, went home and wrapped it, then put our name on the tag? Do they not know us? Or worse, do they just not like us? It dawned on me this year that maybe this ONE gift I received that was in question may have been … dun dun dun … REGIFTED! Regifting. It’s the act of receiving a gift, and then, after an appropriate period of time, wrapping it up and giving it to someone else. Have you ever received a gift that you suspect has been regifted? It happens every year. We smile, show how grateful we are, and, above all else, keep our real feelings to ourselves when given a Christmas gift we simply can’t stand. We know someone has gone out of their way to get us a gift. From awful smelling perfume (remember Charlie or High Karate) to books on personal growth (How to Start a Magazine and Publish it Profitably) or the ugliest article of clothing ever created (the adult Shark pajama onesie with the shark feet). Sometimes we just get a Christmas gift that leaves us wondering “What did I ever do to this person?” Some of the more popular regift items are: Candles: Not everyone loves a scented candle that smells like burnt cinnamon. 8

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Picture Frames: With all of the social media out there nowadays who prints out photos and buys frames? Fruitcake: It’s the all-time ultimate classic regift item! Company Swag: I’ve got 1,000 blue EIL Frisbees left over from a cancelled event sitting in my garage. Wine: That nice $5 bottle of Riesling will be brought to the next dinner party you attend. Books: Vegan Cooking for Middle Aged Bachelors. Is there really a market for that?! Bath Soaps: They’re the perfect “I don’t know what to get” gift. Pajamas: It’s often the go-to last minute gift idea.

But be careful when choosing the recipient when you regift. Nothing’s worse than wrapping up a gift for Aunt Suzy only later to have someone point out that the present you regifted to Aunt Suzy is exactly what she gave YOU last year! Next Christmas I’m playing it safe; everyone is going to get an EIL Frisbee!

PUBLISHER

David Butler

ART DIRECTOR

Beth Rowen

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Patty Deveau Susan Durkes Tom Purdy Mason Stewart CONTRIBUTING P H OTO G R A P H E R S :

E D I T O R I A L A N D S O C I A L MEDIA DIRECTOR

Kathi Williams 912.399.8797

Lindy T. Cofer, Golden Isles Photography Ben Galland, h2o creative group Paul Meacham @CoastalGATravel

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Terry McCarthy 912.399.3699

ADVERTISING SALES

Yolanda O’Hern Senior Account Manager 912.634.3856 (p) / 770.490.3348 (m)

Molly Duckworth Regional Media Sales 912.506.1115

Julie Andrew Marketing Consultant 912.269.0476

Todd Baker Real Estate Manager 912.506.3625

Theresa Rowan, The Darkroom Photography Nick Toth, The Darkroom Photography Elegant Island Living is published monthy. Reproduction of any photographs, artwork, or copy prepared by Elegant Island Living is strictly prohibited without prior written permission of the publisher. All advertised properties are subject to prior sale or withdrawal without notice. Elegant Island Living is not a registered real estate broker, and this magazine is not an effort to assist in the buying or selling of real estate. The advertisers and publisher are not responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, or typographical errors. Real estate advertised in this magazine is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 and its amendments. All electronic files submitted to Elegant Island Living become property of the magazine. ©2017 Elegant Island Living. P.O. Box 21763 St. Simons Island, GA 31522. All Rights Reserved. FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION: 912.399.3699 or 912.399.9969 FOR SOCIAL SCENE PHOTOS: If you would like ElL to cover your NFP or community event for Social Scene, please contact Terry McCarthy at least 2 weeks prior to the event at 912.399.3699 or terryinssi@comcast.net.

On the Cover: Educator Nicole Mahony dons vividly colored traditional Geechee inspired apparel crafted by Becky Nelson and earrings and bracelet provided by Go Fish on this month’s cover to illustrate our “Rich in Heritage” feature. Makeup by Beth Kicklighter Hall of Elizabeth Lee Makeup. Cover photo by Nick Toth and Theresa Rowan, The Darkroom Photography. 12

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FOR WEBSITE CALENDAR & SOCIAL MEDIA NOTIFICATIONS: To request that your special event be placed on the EIL website calendar and shared through our social media network, please email your request to Kathi Williams at kathissi@elegantislandliving.net. FOR DISTRIBUTION:

912.506.3625 www.elegantislandliving.net

PAUL MEACHAM @ COASTALGATRAVEL

18 52

contents

48 F E AT U R E

I S L A N D

18 Rich in Heritage

56 Check Your Elevation

BU SI N ESS

58 Business Buzz

P R O F I L E

48 Ten Years of Tempting Tastebuds

I M P R ESS I O N S

60 What’s Happening 68 Social Scene

H E A LT H

W EL LN ESS

52 Stay Healthy This Year

80 Real Estate 114 SSI Archives

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2016 McIntosh County Shouters, Photo by Dan Sheehy, Smithsonian Institution

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ebruary is recognized nationally as Black History Month. Here on the Georgia coast, this history is rich and varied. It encompasses traditions that can be traced back to West Africa, days of slavery in the plantation era, the unique culture developed here as part of the

Gullah/Geechee Corridor, and growth beyond the segregation that prevailed in the South. It spans generations, incorporates tales of both triumph and tragedy, and there are endless stories that can be told. Visitors have come from far and wide to document the people, their practices, and the places that (continues)

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make up this region. And this environment has also given birth to historians, storytellers, and fierce protectors and promoters of this very important cultural heritage. We’ve seen the voice of a people brought to life and carried through the years and across the miles from its roots in faraway lands. Initially, slavery was prohibited in the colony of Georgia; however, that prohibition was lifted in 1750. Plantation owners sought out slaves from the coast of West Africa where rice, cotton, and indigo were native crops. Over the centuries that followed, the relative isolation of the African population brought here allowed them to recreate their native cultures and traditions on the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas, leading to the formation of

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an identity we now recognize as Gullah/ Geechee. In 2006, Congress designated the coastal region from Wilmington, North Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida as the Gullah/ Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, saying “it is home to one of America’s most unique cultures, a tradition first shaped by captive Africans brought to the southern United States from West Africa and continued in later generations by their descendants.” This culture encompasses language and oral history, music and dance, spirituality, food, and distinctive arts and crafts like sweetgrass basket weaving. The art of sweetgrass basket weaving is practiced in the Gullah/Geechee Culture Heritage Corridor that spans from the coastal and barrier island communities from North Carolina to Florida. You can find basket weavers here on St. Simons Island, on Sapelo Island and in McIntosh County. The beautiful baskets are each created with a knot to start and then grasses are repeatedly coiled and wrapped with strips of palm frond stems. Many have ornate designs,

some have handles and/or lids. They were traditionally used for storing food, fanning rice and bringing crops in from the fields, among other practical purposes, but now are considered by many to be collectible works of art. It was in attempting to capture and catalog this unique heritage that stories were discovered. Lorenzo Dow Turner, the Chair of African Studies at Roosevelt University and a leading English scholar, was one of the first to investigate and record the Gullah language, a true African American Creole dialect. Turner interviewed Harrington resident Belle Murray as part of his research for Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect. He also recorded several songs for Lydia Parrish, wife of artist Maxfield Parrish, and a part-time resident of St. Simons Island who began a collection of slave and folk songs after hearing her housekeeper, Julia Armstrong, sing. Parrish visited former plantations asking someone at each one to sing the “old songs.” In the 1920s, she organized the Spiritual Singers Society of Coastal Georgia primarily to perform at The Cloister at Sea Island. She later wrote the book, Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands, which remains a definitive work on the subject. The Spiritual Singers Society of Coastal Georgia would later evolve into the Sea Island Singers and catch the attention of folklorist, musicologist, and field collector of folk music Alan Lomax while he was visiting St. Simons Island in 1935. And it is in the music and dance, that we find more stories to be told.

Ring Shouters on St. Simons Island, 1930s.

by Mason Stewart

In the beginning, there is the beat.

distinctive clapping of the hands and tapping of the feet. As a broom stick joins in and pounds out the rhythm on the hardwood floor, the dancers begin to move. They move to the beat in a slow counterclockwise manner; shuffling along, their feet never leaving the floor, heels keeping time with bent legs always moving forward, never crossing, circling slowly to the beat. Then a voice is heard. A voice that, although carrying a tune, is

not really singing and not really talking either, but speaking to the beat: Oh Eve – where is Ad-u-m? Oh Eve – Adam in the garden. A chorus answers: Pinnin’ Leaves. Pinnin’ Leaves. Adam in the garden. Pinnin’ Leaves. Pinnin’ Leaves.

Thus, begins the ring shout, a unique demonstration of both performance art and living history. Performance art because it is a carefully choregraphed cultural dance performance of the highest caliber. Living history because it is the oldest surviving African American performance tradition in North America. The Gullah Geechee language featured in the songs grew out of the isolation of (continues)

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JASON THRASHER, THRASHER PHOTOGRAPHY

the enslaved Africans who toiled in fields on the plantations scattered amongst the lowlands and barrier islands of the coastal South. However, many of the rhythms and dance steps performed trace their origins even further back into the now long-forgotten past before the middle passage, to the imagined halcyon days of freedom in West Africa. Due to its own unique nature and isolation, this performance art and living history was almost lost forever. Fortunately, thanks to the tireless efforts of a few who grasped its cultural significance and took the time to preserve its history, the authentic performance continues. The tempo of the beat increases. As the dancers move, shuffle, and sway to the beat, they fill their aprons with imaginary leaves and the songster sings out: Lord called Adam. Pinnin’ Leaves. Pinnin’ Leaves. Adam wouldn’ answer. Pinnin’ Leaves. Pinnin’ Leaves. Adam Shame’ Though some of the highly-stylized movements may owe their true origins to older Muslim or African tribal ceremonial traditions, historians assert that the ring shout itself is a completely original African American art form. It is a unique cultural expression that grew out of an enslaved people’s exposure to the teachings of colonial Christianity. Not the redemptive Christianity that was practiced by their 22

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masters, but a Christianity viewed through the eyes of those who – robbed of everything else – yearned for the promised freedom of a joyous hereafter. So, as the performance continues, each ring shout tells its own unique story, ever expanding on those early traditions. Now the Shouters sing out: Come t’ tell you ‘bout Jubile A-a-ah my Lord! My Mother done gone to Jubilee My soul rock on Jubilee! I got a right in Jubilee I got a right in Jubilee

This time, they are not just performing a quaint traditional slave song of the Georgia Sea Islands, but are also, on a much deeper level, sharing the soul of an enslaved people. And though the infectious joy of the double-time beat captures the moment and invades the feet, for those who truly listen, the words carry a solemn melancholy plea that also tugs long and hard at the heart. According to historians, the beginnings of the ring shout as we know it today, probably began as two separate art forms: the shout and ring play. The shout was a purely religious “call and response” technique adopted by (continues)

FEBRUARY 20 17

PAUL MEACHAM @ COASTALGATRAVEL

African American preachers to teach and spread the new religion. Being predominantly Protestant, the new religion of the enslaved Africans did not include the sin of dancing, which was officially discouraged. However, secular ring play, which involved both singing and dancing, was also popular at the time and had very strong cultural roots. The rhythmic patterns of ring play fit naturally into the equally rhythmic religious call and response tropes of the day. As long as the content was religious in nature, and the moves did not involve sinful dance steps like toe tapping, crossing of the legs, or fiddle playing, the merging of the two art forms began to arise as an acceptable form of religious expression. And that is likely how the ring shout was born. One historian noted that, “During slavery, the ring shout was practiced more during the holidays between Christmas and Watch Night [New Year’s Eve]. It was during this week when they had more time to be with family.” It was a celebration of watching the old year leave and the new one arrive. It was a time filled with thoughts of hope and enlightenment. People would go from house to house and shout. “Sometimes when the shouting got really excit-

ed, the floors would fall apart from the beating of the stick and the men would end up repairing them the next day.” Though performance variations of the ring shout existed among the many isolated plantations throughout the Southeast, the basic elements of the shout were the same. According to Venus McIver of the McIntosh County Shouters, “The shout we were taught as children was very specific. Our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents were very particular. If you didn’t shout correctly, you couldn’t shout with the ‘old folk’ yet. But you could shout with the other children until you got it right.” As such, the ring shout spread as an integral part of the religious and cultural life of the enslaved African Americans of the coastal South. And many sang a variation of: Want t’ go t’ Heaven got t’ plumb de line. You got t’ Shout right. Plumb de line You got t’ Shout right Plumb de line Want t’ go t’ Heaven got t’ plumb de line. Although fiddle playing and secular dancing were officially discouraged and technically

ABOVE LEFT: Georgia Sea Island Singers perform at the

Reflecting Pool, Washington D.C. during the Poor People Campaign May, 1968. RIGHT: McIntosh County Shouters performing at the Freedom for Sounds festival celebrating the grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., 2016, Jason Thrasher, Thrasher Photography.

not part of the pure ring shout tradition, their impact on African American plantation life was nevertheless significant and lasting. You can see how they ultimately made their way into the performance art seen today in secular songs like: Once I went out huntin I heard de possum sneeze I holler back to Susan Put on de pot o’ peas The obviously non-religious dance step, known as “The Buzzard Lope” is now a popular part of the performance tradition and is often demonstrated by Frankie Quimby of the Georgia Sea Island Singers and Griffin Lotson of the Geechee Gullah Shouters. Along with secular dancing, some African drum routines, once strictly forbidden, have also reappeared in modern performances. African drums were outlawed on most (continues)

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plantations because the slave owners believed they could be used as secret communication devices by their slaves to plan escape, or even worse, insurrection. In response to the ban, the enslaved African Americans invented an entirely new rhythm technique called “hamboning” or “Juba Dance,” using foot stomping and hand slapping of the chest, legs, hands, cheeks, etc. to keep time and replicate their earlier forbidden drum rhythms. Hambone, Hambone Where you been? ’Round the corner And back agin’ Hambone Hambone Where’s your wife? In the kitchen cookin’ rice National recognition of groups that performed slave spirituals, work songs, and ring shouts began after Bessie Jones caught the attention of Smithsonian Institution folklorist Alan Lomax, who had originally seen the Sea Island Singers in 1935 when he was visiting St. Simons Island. In 1959, he returned to the area and was impressed by Bessie Jones’ contribution to the group with her strong vocals. He made field recordings of the Georgia Sea Island Singers in 1959-60. These recordings are now part of the Library of Congress. He also recorded Bessie while working on her biography in New York in 1961. Since that time, the Sea Island Singers with longtime member Frankie Quimby have performed for three presidents, at two Olympic Games, and various other events and festivals throughout the years. In 1990, they received the Governor’s Award in the Humanities. The Georgia Sea Island Singers were one of the most popular groups on the folk circuit in the 1960s and 70s.

Geechee Gullah Shouters. Photo by Paul Meacham @ CoastalGATravel

Then, as pervasive as this African American tradition was, it began to slowly disappear. According to ring shout practitioner and historian, Griffin Lotson of the Geechee Gullah Shouters, a major reason was that after the Civil War, the formally isolated African Americans of the rural South began to interact with the more urban and “sophisticated” communities of the North and began to abandon their traditional Gullah Geechee heritage. The old ways were viewed by many as too provincial or countrified, so the unique traditions and practices that once defined a people fell into disuse and, except for a few isolated areas like around the Sea Islands of the Georgia coast, began to disappear. May be the las’ time we shout together May be the las’ time I don’t know May be the las’ time we shout together May be the las’ time I don’t know I don’t know, I don’t know, may be the las’ time, I don’t know Just how close did this fundamental African American art form come to disappearing completely from history? In 1983, Doug and Frankie Quimby, prominent and renowned members of the Georgia Sea Island Singers asked writer, artist, and photographer Fred C.

Fussell and Southern Music Scholar, George Mitchell, to help locate new participants for the Georgia Sea Island Festival. According to Mr. Fussell, the only surviving ring shout group they found, “not just on the Georgia/South Carolina coast, but anywhere in the country” was at the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in the small community of Bolden, near Darien, Georgia. This group, known now as the McIntosh County Shouters, somehow managed to resist the cultural eraser that freedom and modernity often brought to so many other formerly enslaved communities. Perhaps it was due to their relative isolation from the assimilation pressures of big cities, or maybe it was also due to the extraordinarily close knit family bonds of the community itself. This may have started with their ancestors, Amie and London Jenkins, who were split up during the Civil War and sent to different plantations. However, once they were told they were free, they set out on foot to reunite with one another. Since then, the family has grown and remained very close; passing down from generation to generation a proud heritage based on a strong tradition of family, faith, and community. For whatever the reason, standing at the center of that special heritage is the ring shout and (continues)

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- IN TRIBUTE -

n December 10, 2016, Christopher Daunté Walcott, one of the younger members of the McIntosh County Shouters’ family, passed away from heart failure. Vanessa Carter, the group’s narrator, was Christopher’s mother. His aunt, Carla Jordan, and grandmother, Carletha Sullivan, are Shouters. Christopher was related to everyone in the group in one way or another as this group is all family. As the son of career Army parents, he lived in various places around the world: Hinesville, GA; Vicenza, Italy; Tacoma, WA; Atlanta,

the traditions carried on for generations by the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church and the McIntosh County Shouters. Today, thanks to a renewed interest in preserving, protecting, and promoting our vanishing cultural history, Southeast Georgia ring shout groups – far from vanishing – have not only survived, but gained national fame and international recognition. The McIntosh County Shouters were the recipients of a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1993 and received a Governor’s Award in the Humanities in 2010. Last September, they were given the high honor of being invited by the Smithsonian Institution to

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GA. He was active in Boy Scouts and played basketball, football, and soccer. He also participated in and won many dance competitions. While living at Ft. Lewis in Washington State, he performed in several musicals in local theatres in Tacoma and Seattle. In 1994, he was appointed Conflict Manager of the Tacoma Public School System. The following year, Chris began pursuing a career in acting and auditioned for, and was cast in the Broadway musical Showboat at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. In 2003, he campaigned for and was elected President of the 11th District Young People Department General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc. as a member of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. He graduated from Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Georgia in 2005, and attended college at Ogeechee Tech in Statesboro, Georgia. His life was short on this plane but his memory will never be forgotten in this family.

perform in celebration of the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. They have also participated in shows at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Library of Congress, and at countless festivals and events throughout the United States. They have been featured in a Georgia Public Television documentary and on a Folkways LP. The “newest” of these groups, the Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters, was formed in 1992 with the overall goal of preserving and protecting the unique and precious Gullah Geechee heritage. The reverential and spiritual nature of the shout earned the Geechee Gullah Ring Shouters an invitation to perform at the pre-papal

Mass during Pope Francis’ 2015 visit to Philadelphia. So, the next time you hear the clapping of the hands and the tapping of the feet, or the sound of a broom handle pounding out the beat, pause, listen, and then join in with: My soul rock on Jubilee! O-o-oh my Lord! That Jub!, That Jub! That Jubilee! My soul rock on Jubilee! And become part of a living history that persevered to provide the cultural foundation for so much of what we call American music today.

istorian and Executive Director of the St. Simons African American Coalition Amy Lotson Roberts remembers those days when Alan Lomax came and interviewed Bessie Jones over at the church over on George Lot-

son Ave and Jordan Ave. She recalls him taking the Georgia Sea Island Singers to Virginia to perform. They were sharing “the old ways. Always the old ways,” she says. Amy too shares the old ways, by telling her stories and educating people about the African American culture on the island. She was instrumental as a direc-

tor of the Georgia Sea Islands Festival, which began in 1978 and will return again to Gascoigne Park again this June. And while she understands the cultural significance of the shout in coastal Georgia musical heritage, it certainly wasn’t the only music that was happening here when she grew up. Far from it! (continues)

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Those were the days of the juke joints. Not night clubs or dance clubs, she clarifies, but “juke joints.” Some were also eateries, but others were solely for drinking and dancing. There was the Atlantic Inn on Demere that was owned by Earl Hall. There was the Melody Lounge, also on Demere. Then down off Arnold, there was The Savoy, The Pig, which also had a restaurant, and The Shoe Shop. Hazel opened her café down there about the same time. She had worked for the shipyard and when they shut down, she and her siblings opened the restaurant to feed the folks who stayed in the rooming houses on the south end. The Blue Inn and The Tropadero were juke joints further up the

island. While Amy claims to be too young to have frequented these drinking and dancing establishments, she remembers Chick Morrison bringing musicians down to play, and

how they’d stay at his mother’s yellow cottage because there were no hotels or motels open to blacks. She recalls B.B. King being a visitor, as well as others. There were also little washboard bands that used to play out at Sea Island a lot. “There was something going on every weekend,” she shares. Over on the mainland, black entertainers on the “Chitlin Circuit” would perform at the multi-purpose building/gymnasium at Selden Park. The Selden Normal and Industrial Institute opened in Brunswick in 1903 and was considered one of the finest black educational facilities of its time. Known for its pioneering attempts in intermediate education of the black community in Coastal Georgia, it closed in 1933, and later became a public park. Around 1950, the park became a recreational area for blacks due to their lack of access to

other parks and beaches because of segregation. It was a perfect stop for black performers on the “Chitlin Circuit.” Shows that took place at Selden included Otis Redding, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Junior Walker, Al Green, Sam Cooke, Moms Mabley, Shirley Caeser and others. From blues to gospel to Golden Gloves boxing events, Selden was a central hub of entertainment in the black community. Another school near and dear to Amy’s heart and the focus of her recent preservation efforts is the Harrington School on St. Simons Island. It was the site of many of the historic moments and meetings referenced previously and represented freedom to a Gullah Geechee community. (continues) TOP: Douglas Quimby and Bessie Jones participate in a Folk Artist in Residence program at California State University, Fresno, in 1977. Photo courtesy Evo Bluestein. LEFT: Amy Roberts, Executive Director of St. Simons African American Heritage Coalition. Paul Meacham @ CoastalGATravel

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“Three things struck me in quick succession when I was boosted up and through the stairless back door of the old schoolhouse on South Harrington Road,” recalled Patty Deveau, president of the Friends of Harrington School. “First, this looked like a Rosenwald school. Second, it was still standing because education meant freedom in a Gullah Geechee community. And third, I did not fall through the floor.”

he last was most important to Deveau because if the floor was this solid, it could mean that the schoolhouse was not “beyond repair” as generally assumed and the St. Simons Land Trust (SSLT) and Glynn County might allow the St. Simons African American Heritage Coalition (SSAAHC) to get a second opinion so that the last African American schoolhouse on St. Simons Island could be saved and restored. Fortunately, that permission was granted and the SSLT and the County, who jointly owned the schoolhouse, agreed to put the demolition permit on hold. The Historic Preservation Task Force of the Coastal Regional Commission reported that although there was termite and storm damage to the building, the foundation beams were solid and the schoolhouse had been so well built that “it could float.” The SSAAHC received a 99-year lease from the SSLT to restore, maintain and operate the historic schoolhouse. The Friends of (continues) 32

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Harrington, Inc. was formed to assist the SSAAHC with restoring the historic Harrington school. It turns out that an historic structure restoration isn’t done in a day. Or even a year or two. But it does happen with excellent professional advice, mostly good weather, generous donors, and a persistent band of optimist volunteers. Those folks will be celebrated at the annual Friends of Harrington lunch meeting on Saturday, February 4 at 11:00 a.m. at Bennie’s Red Barn. (The public is invited. For more details and to R.S.V.P, visit ssiheritagecoalition.org.) Between 1917 and 1932 over 5,000 schools were built for African American children across the South through a collaboration between Sears CEO Julius Rosenwald in Chicago and Tuskegee University President Booker T. Washington. “The Rosenwald Fund drew up the school plans and offered grants to local communities to build a school if the local African American community and the local public officials would raise about two-thirds of the necessary funds, and provide the local materials and skilled labor to build the school. Deveau recognized the schoolhouse design immediately because as a coastal historian and historic preservationist she was aware that both the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office had initiatives to locate and document these schools. “While no record had been found that Harrington was funded by the Rosenwald Fund,” Deveau pointed out, “the school dimensions right down to the measurements for the blackboards for younger children and older students mirror the exact specifications for the Rosenwald Community School Plan A.” Shortly after taking that first step inside the old school-

house, Deveau went to the special collections section at the Brunswick library and found a 1920 U.S. Bureau of Education Report on Glynn County schools that made a reference to the need for two Rosenwald schools on St. Simons Island, or, the report read, “if you cannot build a Rosenwald, build a similar plan.” That school, she is convinced, is Harrington. The Harrington Graded School was built in the 1920s by African American tradesmen for the education of their children and grandchildren. Each nail in this simple one room structure held the future for those descended from slaves who worked the island’s cotton and rice plantations. “Education meant freedom in our community,” said Emory Rooks, SSAAHC treasurer, former Harrington student and descendant of the Cannon Point slave/driver Salih Bilali. Rooks reminded the volunteers that anything they needed to do to this historic structure had to honor that legacy and be good for another 99 years or so. The Friends of Harrington and SSAAHC pulled together a statewide Historic Preservation Technical Advisory Committee to review and approve each step and a local board of former students, historians, and community elders to follow the work. The SSAAHC selected Hansen Architects and Tidewater Preservation, both firms with excellent experience and a vast amount of patience. Work progressed only as funds were raised. The details of the restoration: the plans, progress, historical programs, and fundraising events, can be found on the coalition’s website. “We wanted to keep our members and the public informed throughout the restoration,” stated Natalie Moore, SSAAHC president. Their first event, “Architectural Archeology Day,” provided an inside look at the schoolhouse and helped supporters see for themselves what work needed to be done. Best of all, Deveau remembers all the former students who came to the schoolhouse to tell the contractors and guests what details they remembered about the school building. “We have a video of Mrs. Isadora Hunter who attended the school in 1928

giving preservation contractor Greg Jacobs a tour of her schoolhouse. It was a cold rainy day but Mrs. Hunter, age 90, came out in her hat, gloves, matching purse and perfectly tailored wool skirt,” Deveau reminisced. In 2004, Mrs. Hunter donated her portion of her inherited

property so that the schoolhouse along with surrounding 12 acres could be preserved. The Harrington Community Park with trails and ponds opened in December 2016. Nearly $300,000 was raised over seven years to restore the schoolhouse. Initial grassroots support stabilized the structure and put on a new roof. Larger donations boosted the smaller grassroots gifts to replace the asbestos siding, repair walls and foundations, repair windows and doors, and paint the exterior. The recent challenge grant from the Watson Brown Foundation encouraged donors to double their gift impact before the end of 2016. Currently the final interior tasks are being completed and supporters anticipate the schoolhouse to open within the month. Many donors made gifts in honor of persons who taught them the most. A young woman from Cajun Louisiana recognized “Miss Rose” who gave her encouragement to become a teacher at a time and place when girls were supposed to quit school, marry young, and (continues)

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have lots of babies. One man honored Charlie Hunter and Tom Ramsey who always took him and his brothers coon hunting and digging for oysters. One son honored his parents who were teachers at South End School. Another student thanked her Harrington teachers Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Another former Harrington student, now a retired colonel, remembered his grandfather a local pastor. A lady who chose St. Simons Island as her second home was honored after her death by her friends and colleagues who recalled the consortium she founded for over 100 storeowners across the nation devoted to children. All donors are listed on the Honor Roll and their Tributes to Teachers can be found on the coalition’s website. While restoring the historic structure the SSAAHC and Friends of Harrington held events that also fulfilled the SSAAHC mission “to educate, preserve and revitalize African American heritage.” Eight former students told an audience at Coastal Georgia Historical Society about the lessons they were taught and lessons they learned in their one room segregated schoolhouse and in the boarding schools they attended after Glynn County consolidated public schools and closed Harrington. An audience of “snowbirds” at Jekyll Island Museum eagerly asked questions about what it was like to live during segregation. Service Learning students at the College of Coastal

Georgia prepared biographies of the persons whose names appear on the street signs in the island’s African American neighborhoods. For three years Mercer University students created video essays from oral histories they held with community elders. SSAAHC Executive Director Amy Lotson Roberts has been collecting photos and funeral programs from community families as well as conducting tours of the island’s African American historic sites. “Most coastal historical sites focus on slavery. We want to complete the history of our area by filling in the 150 years from emancipation through the civil rights era,” summarized Roberts who received the 2012 Georgia Governor’s Award in the Humanities for her work saving and sharing local African American history. When opened The Historic Harrington School Cultural Center will once more be a place for education and community gatherings. The building will be used for educational interpretation about the site and its Gullah Geechee history. The building will be “divided” into two sections. One section will have a gift shop with items for sale, a display of various artifacts, and bookshelves filled with a library of local history resources. The second section will be a classroom for classes about history, traditional cooking, quilting, weaving, and various musical instruments. Also, the school will be used for meetings, to host gatherings, reunions and community events. Guidelines will be developed for its use and will be available from SSAAHC on their

website: ssiheritagecoalition.org. The schoolhouse will once again be providing lessons to a whole new generation. The SSAAHC is seeking sponsors, partners and volunteers to assist them in 2017. Volunteers can help save and share local African American history in many ways: tours, special programs, collecting and organizing archival material and oral histories, and expanding membership. There will be sign-up sheets and more details at the February 4 meeting and on the website. SSAAHC president Moore said that “If you like music and enjoyed last February’s tribute to Bessie Jones, Frankie Quimby and the Georgia Sea Island Singers, help us plan three upcoming events: Motown Revue in April; a Musical Extravaganza in early June that will recall the big bands and headliner performers who visited local juke joints traveling between gigs in NYC and Miami, or attend the June 3 Georgia Sea Island Festival which has been highlighting traditional music, crafts and food for more than 30 years.” For more info, call 912.634.0330 or email friends@ssiheritagecoalition.org. Through the St. Simons Island African American Heritage Coalition, Amy Roberts conducts tours on St. Simons Island of secular and non-secular sites significant in African American heritage on the island. The old cemeteries and memorial statues are among some of her stops. A guided tour of the island with her vast knowledge is highly educational. A few significant memorial sites in the Golden Isles are worth noting (continues)

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here, but for a comprehensive view of African American life on the island, take the tour. At Fort Frederica, there is the Abbott Memorial that was erected by Robert Sengstacke Abbott. Born in 1868 on St. Simons Island to former slave parents, Abbott studied printing at Hampton Institute in Virginia and in 1898, received his law degree from Kent College of Law in Chicago. Because of racial prejudice, he found himself unable to practice despite attempts to establish law offices in Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. In 1905, with an initial investment of Robert Abbott only 25 cents, he founded the Chicago Defender. The publication was at one time heralded as “The World’s Greatest Weekly” and was one of the most widely circulated black newspapers in the country. Abbott established himself as one of the first self-made millionaires of African American heritage. He returned to St. Simons Island in the 1930s and erected a memorial statue honoring his father Thomas Abbott and his aunts Celia Abbott and Mary Abbott Finnick on the grounds of Fort Frederica. Robert

Abbott died in 1940. The Robert S. Abbott Award was established in memory of the late founder of the Chicago Defender and was given to “the person or organization which in the preceding year has done most to advance the cause of American democracy.” Recipients have included President Harry S. Truman, President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Thurgood Marshall. In the Village on St. Simons Island, you’ll find Neptune Park and a memorial plaque by the flagpole near the entrance to the pier discussing the life of Neptune (given the last name Small because he was a diminutive man) and his service to the King family of Retreat Plantation. He is best known for his loyalty to his masters, as he brought the body of Henry Lord Page King back to Savannah from Virginia when he was fatally wounded in the Civil War. He then returned to serve another King son in the war, and was freed and given a tract of land by the King Family. He died in 1907 and was buried in the Old Retreat Burying Ground. Neptune Park in the Village on St. Simons Island is named in his honor. In the St. Andrews Picnic Area on the south end of Jekyll Island, there is a memorial that commemorates an audacious act that was intended to spark a civil war: the arrival of The Wanderer. Owned by Charleston resident William Corrie, The Wanderer was a racing

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schooner that he had equipped as a slave ship to transport approximately 400 slaves illegally imported from the west coast of Africa to Jekyll Island. This shipment of human cargo is one of the last known groups of enslaved Africans sold into slavery in the United States. The ship was later seized by the Union Army and used for supply and dispatch. After the war, she was used in the West Indian fruit trade until she sank in Cuba in 1871. The memorial was erected on Jekyll Island in dedication to the slaves carried aboard that ship. Although no historical marker exists to denote Ebo (or Igbo) Landing, it is no less significant in terms of black history and an identity that shaped the culture of the people here. This location on St. Simons Island at Dunbar Creek was the site of a rebellion and mass suicide of Igbo tribesmen in 1803. About 75 Igbo tribe members, who were taken from what is now known as Nigeria, were transported to Savannah, where they had been sold into slavery to John Couper and Thomas Spalding. The chained slaves were then loaded on board a smaller vessel to travel to St. Simons Island. During the course of the journey, they rebelled against the white agents, taking control of the ship and drowning their captors. The boat was grounded in Dunbar Creek, where the slaves then marched into the water after their chief, preferring death to slavery. At least 13 bodies of drowned slaves were recovered. The number of deaths was uncertain. It has been reported that survivors were taken to Cannon’s Point and to Sapelo Island. (continues)

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“Chocolate Plantation, on the north end of Sapelo, is quite a compound, once representing a population of approximately 100 people from 18 households. Only the barn remains standing today. I knew that a photo from ground-level wouldn’t capture the magnitude of the layout, so equipped with my drone, I set out to capture one of the only published aerial photographs of Chocolate Plantation.” – Benjamin Galland 40

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any here can trace ancestry back to Bilali, a slave and overseer for Thomas Spalding on Sapelo Island from the Sierra Leone area who was highly valued as a master cultivator of rice. According to scholars who interviewed Bilali, he was born around 1770 to a well-educated African Muslim family, enslaved as a teen and taken to the Caribbean. There, he was purchased by a Dr. Bell, and worked as a slave at his plantation for 10 years, before he was sold to a trader in 1802 and transported to Georgia. In Georgia, he was purchased by Thomas Spalding of Sapelo Island. Bilali spoke Arabic and knew the Qur’an. An Arabic manuscript Bilali had written was discovered upon his death in 1857 and is held at the University of Georgia in the Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Cornelia Bailey is a descendant and discusses Bilali in her well-known 2000 book, God, Dr. Buzzard and The Bolito Man. A member of the last generation of African Americans born and educated on Sapelo Island and a self-proclaimed “Saltwater Geechee,” Cornelia Bailey has Cornelia been hailed as one Bailey of the most vocal defenders and of her barrier island homeland and its cultural heritage. She was born on Sapelo in 1945 and her published memoirs, God, Dr. Buzzard, and the Bolito Man, has been relied upon heavily for its accounts of history and Geechee (continues)

FEBRUARY 20 17

“The island is a pristine example of a maritime forest habitat. Infrared Film photography has always been a passion of mine and I’ve incorporated several shots from this medium in the book. I feel the contrast it creates adds to the final mood of a photograph.”

“One of the oldest remaining buildings in Sapelo Island’s Hog Hammock community, the Farmers’ Alliance Hall was built in 1929 with salvaged wood from an old oyster factory. For me, framing the shot with the towering ancient oak in the foreground was instrumental in enhancing the depiction of the heritage and historical value here.”

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heritage and culture on Sapelo Island. In the book, she talks about growing up on Salepo Island in the 1940s-50s, shares childhood stories and family legends passed down through generations, and creates a vivid picture of the African American culture that emerged on the island more than 200 years before. She is considered the “griot,” or tribal historian for the Geechee culture on Sapelo. Living in the Hog Hammock area of the island, Bailey has spent years as a tour guide, public speaker, educator, and writer helping to raise awareness about the threat of industrial development to the community’s cultural heritage and rich history. She received a Governor’s Award in the Humanities for her work in May 2014. On these pages, photographer Ben Galland shared with us a “behind-the-scenes” look at the magical world of Sapelo. If you’d like to learn more about Sapelo Island and the Geechee culture, this spring is the perfect time. Because of the success of their inaugural series last year, the Coastal Georgia Historical Society is presenting a second annual Journeys program which will again combine an educational program with an expert-led field trip. This year, they plan to launch an exploration of Georgia’s barrier islands and the first stop is Sapelo Island. On Thursday, March 23, Coastal Georgia historian Buddy Sullivan will unveil his (continues)

“Slightly off the beaten path is the First African Baptist Church at Raccoon Bluff. Built in 1900, the church has been ‘saved’ on numerous occasions throughout the years, according to several stories I heard while on Sapelo – from a tornado skipping right over it, yet leaving it unscathed, to the timely arrival of lumber washing ashore miraculously, just as renovations were desperately needed. It’s a place that exudes a spiritual peace and celebrates a well-deserved seat on the National Register of Historic Places.”

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“I left my wife and kids asleep in Hog Hammock and ventured out well past midnight in a beat-up Ford pickup, flashlight duct-taped to the hood because, of course, the headlights didn’t work. It was midFebruary and freezing, but clear. I spent an hour or so shooting here working on this image. The Sapelo lighthouse, built in 1820, is the nation’s second oldest brick lighthouse.”

new book Sapelo: People and Place on a Georgia Sea Island, scheduled for release from the University of Georgia Press early in March. His lecture will offer fresh insights into the diverse history of Sapelo, particularly regarding the island’s unique African American Geechee culture and legacy. His lecture will include rarely seen historical photographs. Having served as manager of the Sapelo Island Reserve for over 20 years, Buddy’s knowledge of the island is unparalleled. Photographer Ben Galland, whose color images illustrate the book, will also be present and will take part in the book signing that will follow the lecture. The lecture takes place at the A.W. Jones Heritage Center at 6:00 p.m.

tive isolation and relative inaccessibility. The level of cultural preservation is extraordinary.” In learning the history and speaking to people like Cornelia Bailey, looking at the census data, and the agricultural information, Buddy discovered there was no definitive book tying it all together. That became his project for the next three years. He brought his own unique perspective as manager for Sapelo Island Reserve for over 20 years to the task, took advantage of the opportunity to learn new things, and enjoyed it all immensely. “It was something in there that just had to get out,” he quips.

When asked about the new Sapelo book, Buddy shares that it’s been by far his most enjoyable project and that it was an incredible learning experience for him. That’s surprising to hear from someone who spent decades working on Sapelo. Sullivan explained, “Sapelo is in my blood, and when I retired after 25 years, I was looking for a research project. This was approaching Sapelo from a different perspective. It is such a unique place because of its rela-

Buddy will serve as the Historical Society’s expert guide on a field trip to Sapelo Island. Due to the limitation requirements of 34 people per tour, two tour dates are available: April 11 and April 18. The tours will explore Long Tabby and the Thomas Spalding sugar mill, Hog Hammock community, the UGA Marine Institute, the 1820 lighthouse, Nannygoat

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Beach, and the Howard Coffin/R.J. Reynolds, Jr., Mansion. Lunch will be provided at the beach pavilion on April 11. On April 18, lunch will be provided at the Coffin/Reynolds Mansion. The cost is $75 per person, including round trip motor coach transportation from the A.W. Jones Heritage Center, Sapelo ferry ticket, island bus tour, and lunch. Departure time is 7:00 a.m. and return is at 4:00 p.m. Call 912.634.7090 to register.

In addition to Buddy and Ben’s upcoming book on Sapelo, we also highly recommend Buddy’s previous works, including Early Days on the Georgia Tidewater: A New Revised Edition. In addition, the collaborations between Ben Galland and Jingle Davis, Island Time: An Illustrated History of St. Simons Island, Georgia, and Island Passages: An Illustrated History of Jekyll Island, Georgia are excellent and visually gripping accounts of St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island. For personal narratives from individuals who have lived on St. Simons Island, in Brunswick, and on Sapelo, Steven Doster’s book Voices from St. Simons: Personal Narratives of an Island’s Past, is invaluable. Doster has masterfully captured stories from local residents that bring to life the fluid history of the area, the family connections, the preservation of a special heritage, and the awareness of the changing times. It’s easy to imagine yourself on a front porch with a tall glass of sweet tea listening to the tales of these days gone by. To preserve this rare and precious voice within our community we need to find more of these stories and drink them in. Take the tours. Visit with historians, scholars, musicians, teachers, neighbors. Listen to what they share. Write it down. Share it.

Georgia Power-Full Pair

e took time to visit with Shirley Douglass recently, who shared a story of her own. Shirley and her husband, Judge Orion Douglass are wellknown for their volunteerism and work in the Golden Isles community. Judge Douglass was a founder of The Fourteen Black Men of Glynn whose mission was to mentor young African American boys and help more to graduate from high school each year. He continued working toward this purpose as an organizing chair of Communities in Schools and a co-chair of the

United Way’s Graduation Blueprint Committee. He’s also been active with the Boy Scouts of America, College of Coastal Georgia Foundation, and other organizations. Shirley is equally active, the former Georgia Power employee has been a leader in the March of Dimes, the YWCA/YMCA, American Cancer Society, and The Links. The couple is also passionate about the arts and preservation of history. In fact, one of the things Judge Douglass would love to see is the recognition of the historical significance and important community role of Selden Park – a spot he regularly visited through his youth

and adulthood. When recounting the musical performers that visited Selden Park in the days of the “Chitlin Circuit,” Amy Roberts said with a chuckle: “Ask Orion. He’d know that better than I would probably.” Judge Douglass’ groundbreaking role as the first African American jurist in Brunswick who held his seat without challenge from 1992 until his retirement from the bench in 2012 isn’t a new story. The Douglass’ involvement as volunteers and leaders in the African American community and beyond is welldocumented. We wanted to hear a different story. We looked instead at the longlasting, loving marriage of these two active people who are passionate about their community and their family, and asked Shirley to tell us their love story. They met in Waycross not long after Shirley had started at Georgia Power. Orion had moved from Atlanta to St. Simons Island and was working in Waycross on a case that required community involvement. She recalls that they were there at a meeting at the church about that project when he handed her his business card and said, “Call me.” She said she thought nothing of it, that he was suggesting if she needed his help with legal matters she (continues)

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should get in touch. Since she didn’t, she didn’t call.

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“Now,” she says with a dazzling smile, “HIS story is that he came in to Georgia Power because his power was cut off. I don’t know about that. And I told him that I didn’t have his power cut off. But he said ‘You didn’t call me.’ And I said no, that I hadn’t, because I hadn’t needed to. Then he asked if he could take me to dinner. I said yes, and I can tell you that his power hasn’t been off since!” Shirley says they dated for about six months and then she moved to St. Simons Island and they were married about six months later. Nothing fancy. They now have three adult children, Odet, Omar, and Orion Jr. (affectionately known as Punkin). They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in October of last year. What’s the secret to being married that long? Shirley just laughs. She says, “I really don’t know, but I can tell you the advice that I give newly married couples. Don’t start anything that you don’t want to keep up.” She thinks it’s important that neither partner be able to look back and say, “But you let me do this before, so why does it bother you now?” Consistent behavior that allows for growth makes for a healthy marriage. But how about romance? When asked if they celebrate Valentine’s Day, Shirley responds, “Well,

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sure. We keep it simple. I usually get him a card and some flowers. He doesn’t bother with that. He’ll ask if I want to go out for dinner and will make reservations someplace nice. That’s our Valentine’s Day.” One thing that Shirley has learned in her forty years of marriage is that her husband loves to entertain at home. More so than she does, so a night out for dinner is definitely alright with her. If staying in for a quiet night with the family, however, she might pull out an old family favorite recipe, like this bread pudding her grandmother Maggie Jane Wells Hill used to make. She says, “It’s more like a custard, than the bread pudding you’re used to.” Grandma’s Bread Pudding 6 to 8 slices of bread (light/white bread) 1 stick of butter (softened) 6 eggs ¾ cup of sugar 1 1/3 cup of milk 1 tsp. vanilla ½ tsp. cinnamon Layer bread in bottom of a 13x9 pan. Beat eggs, sugar, and milk together. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Spread butter on top of bread and pour mix over buttered bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set.

A simple, delicious recipe passed down in the family and now shared with us along with a simple story of love, family, and community. Proof that sometimes the simplest things really are the best. We encourage you to get out and explore the islands this month and learn about the rich heritage

of the African American people of the coast. Visit Sapelo. Tour the cemeteries. Listen to the recordings of the singers and the shouters. Read some of these wonderful stories and spread your knowledge like wildfire to help keep it alive. It is this rich heritage that makes this special community what it is today.

The staff at Elegant Island Living would like to thank everyone who contributed to this month’s feature. Our gorgeous cover model Nicole Mahony, an 8th grade physical science teacher at Jane Macon Middle School, graciously posed for hours after the final bell one afternoon. Becky Nelson was the seamstress extrordinaire who made the dress Nicole wore and the backdrop behind her. It’s always a pleasure working with Beth Hall from Elizabeth Lee Makeup for a flawless face. Nick Toth and Theresa Rowan from The Darkroom Photography are responsible for beautifully capturing the vibrant image. Julie Andrew was there to do whatever was needed from choosing fabric to snapping shots on a very chilly day on Jekyll Island. Mason Stewart and Patty Deveau lent their voices with interesting stories about Shouters and the Harrington School. Amy Roberts, Susan Durkes, and Buddy Sullivan also added a wealth of information. Ben Galland’s photos of the Harrington School and Sapelo Island are inspiring, and Paul Meacham can shoot for us anytime! Shirley Douglass is the perfect companion for a chat over coffee. We’re happy that you’re all part of our “village.”

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10 Years -ofTempting Tastebuds

ard to believe that it’s been ten years since Brian and Laura Justice began their catering endeavor Tasteful Temptations. Since that time, their staff has grown, they are also owners and operators of the Zeppelin Café at the Brunswick Golden-Isles Airport, and they’ve started a family as well. Spreading themselves too thin? Hardly! They have an excellent reputation for private chef services as well as catering at weddings, corporate functions, large fundraisers, and community events. They have won numerous awards over the years at A Taste of Glynn, the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival, and were named Best Caterer by Elegant Island Living readers in 2015. In 2017, not only do Brian and Laura mark ten years of business with Tasteful Temptations, but they will also be celebrating ten years

THIS PAGE: Event Coordinator Veronica Howard welcomes you in the first step to experience a stress-free catering experience. OPPOSITE PAGE: Owner/Chef Brian Justice with the desserts he prepared especially for EIL. 48

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of marriage. And to add to these momentous occasions in their lives and careers, they’re looking forward to the opening of their new building at 2019 Demere Road. In addition to a huge kitchen that is a caterer’s dream, the new facility has a front lobby open to the public, so prospective clients can drop by and inquire in person. Additionally, there is a conference room that seats 8-10 people which is available for event coordination, planning, tastings, and even small conferences. The front lobby and conference room have a warm coastal feel and will make guests feel right at home here in the Golden Isles. Catering clients will also be able to pick up their orders at the new building to forgo delivery fees, if desired. Brian says, “We are really looking forward to what this new chapter of Tasteful Temptations will bring.” Choosing Tasteful Temptations for your party will delight your guests’ palette or as employee Shelly Morgan says a client once told her that they’re “the foodie’s caterer.” If you’re looking for excellent food to highlight the event, they’re masters of the menu! You need only take a look at the menus on their website to see some of the mouthwatering selections and appreciate the level of cuisine they offer. Brian is a Georgia local with 20 years of culinary experience who was accepted into the Culinary Apprentice program at The Cloister on Sea Island in 1992. In his seven years there, he helped open Ocean Forest and the remodeled Beach Club. He left for a position at The Breakers in Palm Beach, where he and Laura met and fell in love. He moved back to St. Simons Island around 2003 to work at The Lodge. Laura is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University. After her time at The Breakers, where she served as part of the Chef Bri-

gade, she moved to St. Simons Island to work as a Chef de Parti at The Lodge with Brian. They were married in 2007. Speaking of weddings, with Valentine’s Day happening this month, of course everyone’s thoughts turn to the busy engagement season and upcoming nuptials and the accompanying parties and receptions. Tasteful Temptations can handle wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, showers, bridal luncheons and breakfasts, and any other gathering in preparation for or celebration of the big day, whether formal or casual, large party or small. They will work with you to provide a unique menu that suits both your tastes and your budget, and will provide their undivided attention no matter the size of the party. Due to their years of experience here, they can also assist you with site selection throughout the Golden Isles, equipment and tent rental, layout and décor, lighting and sound (including DJs and bands), and limousine service. There is nothing they enjoy more than working with couples and their families to make the wedding experience a magical one.

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But don’t just think of Tasteful Temptations as a wedding or event caterer, they can make your Valentine’s Day special too. They can prepare a special romantic dinner at home for two, make a picnic basket of gourmet delights for you to take to the beach, or even set you up with a variety of fruit and morning nibbles for an intimate breakfast. And if you DO pop the question on Valentine’s Day, remember them for all the celebrations that follow. For those who are tackling Valentine’s Day on their own, Brian offers up a “do-it-yourself ” recipe for a classic favorite dessert. (continues)

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1/3 cup granulated white sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a saucepan, over medium-high heat, dissolve sugar in cream, and add split vanilla bean. Warm cream to scalding and then set pan aside to cool slightly. Whisk egg yolks briefly in heatproof bowl. Gradually pour (temper) scalding cream into egg yolk mixture, making sure you keep whisking constantly so eggs don’t curdle. Strain into a large measuring cup or pitcher and then evenly pour custard into 4 ramekins. Place ramekins in a larger baking dish, and prepare water bath by carefully pouring enough hot or boiling water so that the water comes halfway up the sides of ramekins. Bake for about 3040 minutes (Baking time can vary depending on size of ramekins and temperature of water.) or just until custards are set (a slight wobble is okay). Immediately remove custards from water

bath and cool to room temperature, refrigerate uncovered until cold and firm. To serve, remove custards from refrigerator. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of superfine sugar over top of custards. Using a handheld kitchen torch, caramelize sugar until it is golden brown and bubbly. (Pro tip: if you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can broil custards to caramelize the sugar, but make sure the ramekins and custard are very cold and leave the door of the oven open. Watch very carefully and do not leave unattended, as the caramelization will happen very quickly.) Garnish with fresh berries and enjoy! Visit the Tasteful Temptations website at tasteful-temptations.com or call them at 912.638.3640. And when the new place on Demere is open, EIL will be the first to let you know!

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STAY HEALTHY THIS YEAR

hile we’re already well into the New Year and resolutions to stay healthy, most people tend to bypass preventive exams and screenings that would keep them stronger longer. Just as infants and children need to follow an immunization timetable, adults should also regularly schedule certain medical tests. Even though this new year has already begun, it’s not too late to start. “Now is a great time to set healthy goals for yourself,” says Eric C. Segerberg, M.D.,

board-certified general surgeon, Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Glynn General & Vascular Surgery, and medical director of the Southeast Georgia Health System Wound Care Center. The Health System operates the Wound Care Center in conjunction with Healogics, the nation’s largest hospital based wound care provider. Segerberg adds, “It’s important for people to take an active role in their health and work with their health care providers to stay healthy, especially if they live with a (continues)

FEBRUARY 20 17

chronic condition such as diabetes or obesity or circulatory problems. Our Wound Care Center team frequently sees patients who have had their lifestyle altered by chronic wounds, which are often the result of underlying medical conditions, and which could possibly be avoided with routine screenings and regular physician visits.”

history of heart disease should especially check their cholesterol on a regular basis.

Eric C. Segerberg, M.D., board-certified general surgeon, Southeast Georgia Physician AssociatesGlynn General & Vascular Surgery, and medical director of the Southeast Georgia Health System Wound Care Center.

Health System experts suggest adding the following screenings, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other health organizations, to your 2017 calendar:

Diabetes tests should be taken if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, as well as every three years after age 45. A panel created by the American Diabetes Association recommends that every diabetic over age 50 be tested for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) which narrows leg arteries and reduces blood flow. People with diabetes should have their feet examined during regular doctor visits four times a year. Cholesterol checks should be taken every five years beginning at 20 years of age. Smokers, people with diabetes and those with a family

Schedule a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine every 10 years, a flu-vaccine every season beginning at six months of age, and a pneumonia vaccine at age 65 (or possibly younger if you have a suppressed immune system or certain long-term health issues).

As a general recommendation, women should begin annual mammogram screenings at the age of 40. Ask your health care provider if you should adjust this schedule based on age, family history, overall health, and personal concerns. Women age 21-65 years should have a Pap test every three years if they are sexually active. Women should have a bone density test for osteoporosis at age 65 with follow-up as recommended. Men should discuss having a prostate test and exam with their doctors by age 50 and by age 45 for those at high risk for prostate cancer such as African Americans and those with a family history. Colorectal cancer screenings should begin at age 50. Men and women should have their physician check for skin abnormalities when already receiving a physical examination.

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If you wear glasses, have a family history of vision problems, or have a disease that puts you at risk for eye disease, such as diabetes, have your eyes checked frequently. A healthy adult with no vision problem should have an eye exam every five to 10 years between 20 and 30 years of age, and every two to four years between 40 and 65 years of age. To find a health care provider to help you stay healthy in 2017, call 1.855.ASK.SGHS (1.855.275.7447). For more information about chronic wounds and if you might be at risk, contact the Wound Care Center at 912.466.5350. Southeast Georgia Health System is a notfor-profit health system comprised of two acute care hospitals, two long term care facilities, three immediate care centers, five family medicine centers and numerous employed physician practices. The Health System has multiple outpatient specialty care centers, including the only CyberKnife® Program in the region and one of only four in Georgia, and a Cancer Care Center accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. The Health System is part of Coastal Community Health, a regional affiliation between Baptist Health, Flagler Hospital and Southeast Georgia Health System forming a highly-integrated hospital network focused on significant initiatives designed to enhance the quality and value of care provided to our contiguous communities. For more information, visit sghs.org.

FEBRUARY 20 17

ISLAND IMPRESSIONS BY FR. TOM PURDY, RECTOR OF CHRIST CHURCH

Check Your Elevation 56

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nce again thousands of people will storm the Sydney Lanier Bridge this month for the Southeast Georgia Health System 2017 Bridge Run. It’s a great event, speaking as one with experience with both running and walking the bridge during this event in recent years. I can’t make up my mind if it’s easier or harder than a typical race. It’s got a long uphill, yet it feels like the downhill is about as long too (must be my imagination though). Few will keep up a “regular” pace; we’re either running faster or slower than what we do locally where a few feet of rise is enough to wind us.

The only way for locals to train for the Bridge Run is to run or walk on the bridge. We can’t really practice hills anywhere else. The only problem with that plan is the cars whizzing by at sixty m.p.h. I trained on the bridge for my first Bridge Run and quickly determined I don’t have the fortitude to trust my fellow

It’s about respecting one another and seeking shared understanding. It involves listening to one another, and not labeling one another. humans who may or may not be updating their Facebook statuses while driving just feet away from me. So I stay at sea level now for the most part, and I don’t worry about training on the bridge. I hope that race day will take care of itself. If I crawl up one side, I can always sprint down the other, right? This is just one of the challenges of living at sea level. And don’t get me wrong, I like living at sea level. But high ground comes in handy when training for a race … and for escaping floods too. We were reminded of this last fall when most of us evacuated ahead of Hurricane Matthew, heading inland and uphill to safety. Fortunately, we were spared the worst in these parts, but the challenges of life at sea level became readily apparent. We’d all prefer to be looking down, not up, at a crashing wave. Those of us who don’t physically live at higher elevations get to choose higher ground in other parts of our life, regardless. This world has all kinds of challenges that come at us in waves, and we do better when we can stay above those waves too. The problem is that it is too easy to gradually slide down hill without realizing how far we’ve fallen. If we let things slip gradually over time, it can catch up with us when we find ourselves looking up an inescapable wave like the ones in disaster films. Let me share an

example: civil discourse. Whether we are talking about a Facebook group, a homeowners association, a local community, a state, or our nation, civil discourse is what allows us to work together and move forward. When we don’t treat each other civilly, we can’t accomplish much at all.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Sometimes we shorthand civility to mean being polite, but it’s about more than that. It’s about respecting one another and seeking shared understanding. It involves listening to one another, and not labeling one another. Civility is hard work, but it’s how we manage to work together instead of devolving into name-calling and infighting. As challenges come our way, threatening to crash over us like waves, civility is the high ground that lets us ride them out together, and not drown alone. If we lose it altogether, we might not weather the storms that will undoubtedly come our way. There are many places in our lives where we might want to evaluate our own elevation in comparison to the high ground. How high is the ground we stand on when it comes to loving our neighbors? How high is the ground we stand on in terms of engagement in our communities? What is our relative elevation in the area of gossip? We might ask how often we are tearing others down instead of building them up? We can’t always train for the big things in life; some things are only experienced once. If we’re going to excel when the big things come along we need to have practiced on the small things. Can’t run the bridge? Run a flight of stairs. Can’t solve world hunger? Feed someone in your community. Can’t solve political problems? Don’t demonize everyone with whom you disagree. Worried that civility is dead? Rethink that negative Facebook comment you’re about to post. Living at low elevations is great for some things (the beach!), and challenging for others (hills – boo!). For those of us who live where elevation is measured in double digits or less, we might want to take the opportunity to go higher now and then.

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BUSINESS BUZZ

HARRISON DESIGN TURNS 25 Harrison Design is an internationally acclaimed architecture firm known for its comprehensive architectural design services, close-knit office culture and a tradition of mentorship and service. Founded in Atlanta by William H. Harrison in 1991, the firm has thriving offices in Los Angeles, New York, Santa Barbara, and Washington D.C., as well as here on St. Simons Island, and deep Southern roots that reach national and an increasing international clientele. Harrison Design 25 celebrates the firm’s

HGI DEDICATES BEREAVEMENT CENTER Hospice of the Golden Isles held a ribbon cutting and dedication for their new chapel and William P. & Erma K. Portman Bereavement Center. The Portmans were present for the

Karen Brubaker, Erma and William Portman, Rev. Marcia Cochran

blessing and dedication in their honor and were thanked for their generous donation for the Bereavement Center. The chapel was made possible by several anonymous donors. HGI CEO, Karen Brubaker said, “We are truly grateful to

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25th anniversary with a retrospective portfolio that tells the story of the firm’s development, range, and consideration for the future along with personal histories of those in leadership today. Illustrated with over 400 color photographs, this beautiful volume showcases Harrison Design’s finest work, built in a remarkably versatile repertoire of styles, and honors the personality and vision of founder William H. Harrison. It is intimate and a source of inspiration for enthusiasts of timeless design. harrisondesign.com

Bill and Erma Portman for their generous gift that made this project a reality and are delighted to name this facility in their honor. We are also most appreciative of a generous gift from a group of anonymous donors who helped hospice achieve their fundraising goal.” Hospice of the Golden Isles is a 501(c)3 community-based, non-profit organization serving patients in Glynn, Camden, McIntosh, Brantley and Charlton counties. For more information, call 912.265.4735 or 866.275.6801, or visit their website at Hospice.me. SEA ISLAND PROPERTIES WELCOMES CODY Deborah Cody has joined Sea Island Properties as administrative assistant for the sales team of The Cloister Ocean Residences, one of Sea Island’s premier oceanfront communities. Deb brings 20+ years of experience in office administration, property management, and residential real estate sales.

Most recently, she taught high school in Stafford County, Virginia. Previously she worked as a real estate sales agent in Northern Virginia, held various insurance and property management administrative positions, and served as a procurement technician for the Department of Defense in Germany and Washington, D.C. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Deb and her husband Bill relocated to St. Simons Island from Northern Virginia and purchased a home in Sea Palms. She has a passion for family, traveling and reading. Deb can be reached at deborahcody@seaisland.com or 912.634.3902.

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DANCE CLASSICS AT THE RITZ Broadway plays and movie classics will provide the inspiration for Merrily We Dance, a variety show by Christina’s Dance World coming to The Ritz Theatre. Trained cast members accompanied by novice well-known local dancers are creating a high energy experience that is sure to leave you ready to tie on your dance shoes for the next great show! Christina’s Dance World is a welcoming dance studio that puts heart and soul into every performance opportunity for local talent and guest dancers. The sky is the limit for new and experienced dancers of all ages. Merrily We Dance will take place February 12th with shows at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $8/students,

$10/adults and children under 3 are admitted free. Purchase at the door, Christina’s Dance World, 2601 Demere Rd., 912.399.1417, or online at christinasdanceworld.com.

WELCOME WIZARDS The Big Read community-wide reading initiative presented by Golden Isles Arts and Humanities will return in 2017 with Ursula K. LeGuin’s beloved classic novel, The Wizard of Earthsea. This 1968 novel is arguably the most widely admired American fantasy novel of the past fifty years. Community events will explore the book’s geographical sweep, epic gran-

deur, a mythic resonance that we associate with romance and fairy tale. Earthsea – composed of an archipelago of many islands – is a land of the imagination, power and, of course, dragons! Explore the beginning of the young-adult fantasy genre that is so widely popular today. A Parade of Dragons and Other Fantastical Creatures and a Marketplace of Fantasy Artists and Vendors in Historical Downtown Brunswick on February 3 will kick off the initiative and hopefully spark your imagination! For a complete list of The Big Read events, including films, art exhibits, book discussions, and more, visit goldenislesarts.org.

THE ART OF FOOD It’s not too late! Glynn Visual Arts’ special fundraising event The Art of Food was rescheduled due to Hurricane Matthew so if you didn’t sign up before, you might be in luck. This unique event starts at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 19. Cocktails, appetizers and a Blue Sky Raffle will begin the evening at the Glynn Visual Arts Center at 106 Island Drive on St. Simons Island. Guests will also learn tips from a local mixologist on preparing the perfect

cocktail. Then everyone will climb aboard the trolley for a ride to Georgia Sea Grill where Executive Chef Tim will prepare and discuss a carefully planned custom menu of tastefully and artfully presented courses paired with complementary wines. Seating is limited. Tickets are $150 per person, $250 per couple, or $700 for a table of six, and can be purchased online at glynnvisualarts.org or by calling GVA at 912.638.8770.

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FEBRUARY 20 17

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BRAVING THE BRIDGE More than 2500 participants registered for last year’s Southeast Georgia Health System Bridge Run and raised $57,000 for cancer care programs at the Health System. Certified by the USTA as “the toughest 5K in Georgia” the Bridge Run attracts top athletes from throughout the Southeast, but that shouldn’t scare you away. Many others, including families and seniors, also register to walk the course each year and have a great time at the festival that follows with vendors,

HELLO DOLLY! Dolly the Dolphin will be in attendance for the 39th Super Dolphin Day on Saturday, February 25. Will you? First, the fun begins with the Pasta Party and Silent Auction at St. Simons Elementary School,

food and drink, entertainment, and children’s activities. So, come one and come all to the Sidney Lanier Bridge on Saturday, February 18. Runners start at 9:00 a.m. and walkers start at 10:00 a.m. The Fire Fighters Challenge begins at 8:00 a.m. and there’s no entry fee for Fire Fighter teams. Pick up race packets at the PreRun Pasta Party and Runner’s Expo Friday, February 17 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. For more information, visit the-bridge-run.org.

Friday, February 24 at 5:00-8:00 p.m. Sponsored by Del Sur Artisan Eats, the pasta dinner can be enjoyed in the cafeteria or get some to carry out. Registration and race packet pick-up take place in the gym, where you can also bid on the fantastic silent auction items donated by local businesses. Saturday is Race Day! The 10K starts at 7:00 a.m., the 5K at 8:30 a.m. and the 1 Mile Fun Run at 9:30 a.m. Registration and race start for all races is at the Visitors Center at Neptune Park. After the race, there are free refreshments, music, bounce house, and the awards presentation. All proceeds benefit St. Simons Island elementary schools. Register now at superdolphinday.com.

PRIMP YOUR POOCHES It’s time to let the dogs out for the 3rd Annual Pup Crawl in Pier Village on St. Simons Island. This 2017 Bark for Life Kickoff event that benefits the American Cancer Society will take place February 25 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pier Village merchants will offer special tastings, treats, and discounts for pups and their handlers. The fun begins at Island Dog, 410 Mallery Street, with registration from 10:15-11:30 a.m. and things will wrap up with

a 2:00 p.m. Closing Ceremony at Mellow Mushroom SSI that will include prizes from local vendors. Tickets are $20 in advance and can be purchased at Island Dog, Troy University, and Rich Products. They are $25 at Island Dog on the day of the event. For any additional information, call 912.634.3080. And remember to also save the date for Glynn County Bark for Life on Saturday, March 25, at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick. For more info, visit relayforlife.org/barkglynncountyga.

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DANCE FOR A CURE Calling all dads or father figures or eligible escorts. It’s time to polish up your dancing shoes and order a pretty corsage for your best little girl. The American Cancer Society Victory Board is hosting a Daddy Daughter Dance from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on February 12 at Ziggy’s on St. Simons Island. Need a new party dress to make the occasion extra special? Bailey Boys will donate 10% of dress sales to ACS. Tickets to the dance are $10 per person and include refreshments and music. They can be purchased at Jill Stanford Dance Studio, Bailey Boys, Cutie Patooties, and Whippersnappers or online at acsvictoryboard.org. Let’s put those little feet and big feet in step together for a cure. JOIN THE JUBILEE Get ready for a night of groovy music, good food, and fun for all ages at the Community Jubilee benefiting Keep Golden Isles Beautiful. Come out to the Tree Bar at Bennie’s Red Barn on February 12, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. and enjoy all-you-can-eat Southern BBQ with all the fixings, great live music by Backbeat Boulevard, an exciting upcycled art silent auction and big ticket live auction, a 50/50 raffle and a cash bar. TELL ME A STORY Come out to hear some tall and maybe not-so-tall tales from four nationally renowned professional storytellers in a beautiful setting overlooking the water, underneath Spanish moss draped oaks. The “Dean of Storytelling” Donald Davis, Bill Lepp, the “Champion Liar of Tall Tales & Witty Stories” and Andy Offutt Irwin, that guy whose “inner kid” is really an “outer kid,” make a return visit to Epworth By the Sea’s annual Saint Simons Island Storytelling Festival. They will be joined this year by Lyn Ford, a fourth-generation, nationally recognized Affrilachian storyteller of

Tickets are $20 at the door. “As a small non-profit, funds raised by this event will greatly boost our litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, community greening, water resource awareness and educational efforts in the Golden Isles,” said board chairman Creg Miller. “We invite folks of all ages to come have fun at the Jubilee and make a big difference in our own backyard at the same time.” For more information, call 912.279.1490 or email info.kbgib@gmail.com.

“home-fried tales.” The festival takes place Saturday, February 18 through Monday, February 20 for a holiday weekend filled with laughter, legend, and lore shared by experts in the craft. Call today to reserve your seat in the audience. Registration rate for commuters is $100 per person and includes Sunday lunch and supper and entrance to all events. For more information, visit epworthbythesea.org or call 912.638.8688.

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GLYNN COUNTY, THE ST. SIMONS LAND TRUST AND SUPPORTERS OF THE PARK AT HARRINGTON RECENTLY CELEBRATED THE OPENING OF HARRINGTON COMMUNITY PARK. The mid-island park is on 11 acres of land at 325 South Harrington Road surrounding the Harrington School, the former one-room schoolhouse where African American children were educated from 1920 to the mid-1950s. The property contains ecologically sensitive wetlands, as well as two ponds that provide habitat for federally endangered wood storks and other native wildlife. Improvements include walking trails, benches, and viewing platforms. Dale Provenzano, Ben Slade, and the DeLong-Sweet Family Foundation were recognized specially for the roles they each played in making the park a reality. 68

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PRIOR TO THE 10TH ANNUAL LIGHTS OF LOVE HOSTED BY HOSPICE OF THE GOLDEN ISLES (HGI), THE HGI BOARD OF DIRECTORS HELD A RECEPTION FOR THE DOVE SOCIETY (donors who contributed $1,000 or more to HGI in 2016). Freddie Palmer of the McIntosh County Shouters serenaded the group with carols and was accompanied on piano by Diane Brown. The Lights of Love program followed with readings, special holiday music and the beautiful lighting of the campus followed by refreshments. 1. Karen Brubaker, Susan Goodhue, Patty Crosby. 2. Ashley Hudson, Donald and Gussie Gammon, Susan Goodhue, Bob Brearley (back). 3. Jill and Chuck Brown, Janice Beauchamp. 4. Catina Tindall, Amy Broderick. 5. Ashley Hudson, Patty Crosby. 6. Bev Bilderback, Helen Billings, Ann Granger, Donna Boatright, Judy Burch. 7. Fred Williford, Lois Vogelmann. 8. Susan Conway, Margie Dorsey. 9. Helen Billings, Dr. John Shaner. 10. Diane Brown, Donna Boatright, Freddie Palmer. 11. Tarsia Palmer and Miss Peyton. 12. Kandyss Cordle, Dr. Mike Cordle, Julie Martin, Debbie and Conn Holland. 70

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Don’t Get Caught Believing The Lie! When she says, “You don’t need to get me anything for Valentines Day,” surprise her with one or more of these stackable band rings.

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THE 2016 FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES GOLF CLASSIC was recently held at the Brunswick Country Club. It was a lovely day on the greens for a great cause. (Photos by Lindy T. Cofer, Golden Isles Photography). 1. Varsity Supply Team: Mark Bruce, Dale McNabb, Bert Davitte, Tom Smith. 2. Patrick Parker, Alfred Sams, Jay Cason. 3. Glynn Academy Golf Team: Davis Reyna, Caleb Weese, Tripp Wickard, Pope Arline. 4. Steve Holt, J. R. Wright. 5. Rich Products Team: Craig Entwistle, Banks Entwistle, Steven Thompson, Reid Zeh. 6. Southeast Georgia Health System Team: Paul Trumbull, Brian Forrest, Alex Campbell, Shawn Crosby. 7. Fleet Risk Management Team: Logan Poillucci, Ted Spradley, Ben Kitchen, Buck Fuller. 8. Tim Hall, Kyle Allen, Mike Zito, Allen Dryer. 9. Frederica Academy Team: Joe Levitan, Thomas Hogan, Ryan McHugh, Jack O’Hara. 10. Steven Thompson, Tim Harden. 11. Gordon Strother, Kevin Runner, Steve Holt, Ben Lee. 12. Tim Hall, Tim Harden, Mike Zito. 13. Gene Chow, Matt Frazier, Mark Landon, Steve Roberts. 14. Ed Davis, J.R. Wright, Tim Harden, Taylor Adams, Donnie Revels. 72

ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING

Anderson Fine Art Gallery St. Simons Island, Georgia

JORGE AND EFRAIN INVITE YOU TO CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY With Authentic Mexican Food that will Get You in the Mood for

Love

O R I G I N A L PA I N T I N G S L A N D S C A P E ~ S T I L L L I F E ~ F I G U R AT I V E

3309 Frederica Road 912.634.8414 ~ Hours: Tuesday ~ Saturday 10-4 www.AndersonFineArtGallery.com

Family Restaurant Sunday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Friday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. – Close 4441 Altama Avenue, Brunswick / 912.275.7754

FEBRUARY 20 17

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GOLDEN ISLES LIVE! RECENTLY PRESENTED THE VOCAL TALENTS OF TENORE AT THE CLOISTER ON SEA ISLAND. Tenore performed selections from their debut album Tenore as well as selections from Christmas With You. This was the third of five concerts that will be presented by Golden Isles Live! this season. The remaining concerts are worldwide Irish group Cherish the Ladies on February 4, and The Diamonds on May 5th. More information can be found at goldenisleslive.org. 1. Jim Lowery, Susan Johson. 2. Roselle Johnson. 3. Pat and Marylou Moore. 4. Miranda Collins, Michael Manning. 5. Mick and Jamie Cumbie. 6. Sheila and Patrick Ebri. 7. Mark David Williams, Lorene Reid, David Wise, Carlos Santiago-Munoz, Hans Nelson. 8. Scott and Tracy Cumings. 9. Sharon Bolin, Elizabeth Sundstrom. 10. Joyce Ledingham, Lorene Reid, Al Ledingham. 74

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In-Home Services Available to Help You Put it all Together

312 Mallery Street • St. Simons Island • In the Village • 912.634.2764

FEBRUARY 20 17

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THE ST. SIMONS FOOD AND SPIRITS FESTIVAL AFTERMATTH PARTY AT GASCOIGNE BLUFF was a splendid afternoon of culinary delights. Attendees enjoyed tasty bites from local restaurants and sipped creative cocktail offerings. They also shucked oysters and shopped regional vendors of artisan products while listening to some fantastic live music from Twin Reverb and Kick the Robot. Chef Bethany Fahey of The Westin Jekyll Island won the Chef Showdown on the huge monster kitchen truck stage. This al fresco event that rolled the Festival’s highlights into one day was necessitated by Hurricane Matthew. All proceeds from the Festival’s ticket sales benefit Hospice of the Golden Isles. 76

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HA R D TO F I N D, IMPOSSIBLE TO FORGET! ENGLISH MAHOGANY & COUNTRY FRENCH FURNITURE • DIRECT IMPORTERS • ACCESSORIES • GIFTS

One of a Kind “Treasures.” Located Between Redfern Village and St. Simons Drugs.

(912) 638-1216

LOCAL, PERSONAL, QUALITY, CUSTOM WORK WHERE FRAMING IS AN ART

HUGE SELECTION OF IN-STOCK MOLDING TO CHOOSE FROM! NO WAITING, NO HASSLE.

Main Street Frame Shop Beautiful, Quality Custom Framing Done Right! 1403 Newcastle Street • Downtown • 262-0050

FEBRUARY 20 17

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THE BRUNSWICK-GOLDEN ISLES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS TOOK PLACE AT MELLOW MUSHROOM, with h2o creative group, Certified Burgers & Beverage, Golden Isles Ballet Company, ESPN Coastal Georgia, and Sea Island Properties co-hosting the event. Jamie Renee & The Walkers provided the music outside on the deck as Blanche held court on a beautiful evening. 1. Bob and Dawn Schlich. 2. Don and Marjorie Varnadoe. 3. Mel Meyer, Wayne Sutton. 4. Audrey Gibbons (center) with members of the Pirates of the Spanish Main. 5. Dennis Mehegan, Chris Yates. 6. Woody Woodside, Bess Chambliss, Mark Bodner. 7. Patti Rogers, Gena Churchwell, Sharon McClellan. 8. Jeff and Lynn Martin. 9. Robyn and Mark McManus. 10. Tony Kegel, Stan Greene, Gene Walker, Aaron Brown. 11. Duke Royer and Bruno, Vick Tollison, Chris Allen. 12. Amanda Maxwell, Maris Fulton, Russell Jacobs. 13. Ashley, William and Emory Kilgore, Anna Martin, Jennifer Lewis, Tay Conaver, Lance Sabbe. 14. Caroline Moore, Jessica Culp, Chris Culp. 78

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LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE VALENTINE! 100 Sylvan Drive Suite 150 St. Simons Island

(912) 638-8344 Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Home Accessories and Lamp Repair

lampandshadecollection.com

200 Hyde Park Commons Winn Dixie shopping center, exit 29 / Brunswick,GA 31523

912-275-7174

satillafamilydentistry.com

Unique H O M E

F U R N I S H I N G S

ONE OF KIND CUSTOM PIECES & INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICES

LF Cook Interiors, LLC 100 Redfern Village St. Simons Island 912.638.6100

FEBRUARY 20 17

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

SSI ARCHIVES

Tiger Flowers: From Brunswick to Boxing’s Best

n February 26, 1926, a former resident of Brunswick became the first African American to win the world middleweight boxing championship.

sion. Admired for his speed and ferocity inside the ring, the lefthander became known as the “Georgia Deacon” for his religious devotion outside the ring.

Theodore “Tiger” Flowers was born in Camilla, Georgia, in the mid-1890s, but moved to Brunswick as an infant. He attended Risley School and had a number of jobs, including dockworker, before pursuing professional boxing. After working with a local boxing promoter, Flowers attracted the attention of Atlanta manager Walk Miller. Miller is thought to have arranged Flowers’ first official fight, which he won in Brunswick in 1918.

The February 1926 championship fight against Harry Greb, another boxing legend, took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, with Flowers winning on points after the 15-round limit. In August he successfully defended his title, then, in December, lost to Mickey Walker in Chicago on a judges’ decision that was widely condemned by both the fans and the press, amid rumors of a fix by local mobsters.

By 1920, Flowers had moved to Atlanta for serious training under Miller. Over the next six years, he crisscrossed the United States as he ascended to the top ranks of his profes-

Flowers died less than a year later in New York City after undergoing surgery to remove scar tissue around his eye. It was reported that approximately 75,000 mourners

filed past his coffin in Atlanta. His obituary was featured on the front page of the November 18, 1927, issue of the Brunswick Pilot newspaper. The article noted that his father, Aaron, still resided in Brunswick and that Flowers’ loss of the title was “one of the outstanding scandals of the prize ring.” Flowers was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1976 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993. This month’s image from the Coastal Georgia Historical Society archives shows the Brunswick dock laden with naval stores. Records associated with the photograph indicate that Tiger Flowers is among the workmen on the dock. The Brunswick Pilot issue mentioned above is also in the archives.

Our monthly images on this page are from the vast archives of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society. The Society’s mission includes the “administration, restoration and maintenance of historic facilities and resources … preserved as a living part of the historical and cultural foundations of our coastal community.” Society facilities include the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum, the A.W. Jones Heritage Center, and the Maritime Center (formerly the U.S. Coast Guard Station). To learn more about the Society, its diverse programs, and the benefits of Society membership, please call 912.638.4666, or visit saintsimonslighthouse.org. 114 E L E G A N T I S L A N D L I V I N G

Elegant Island Living February 2017

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SSI Archives

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Rich in Heritage

Check Your Elevation

Ten Years of Tempting Tastebuds

Stay Healthy This Year