Hilton Head Monthly September 2021 by Hilton Head Monthly

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

FALL BRIDAL

LOWCOUNTRY COMMUNITIES

HILTON HEAD 2021

City GUIDES

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MOnthLY

VOICE of the LOWCOUNTRY

843-842-6988 | hiltonheadmonthly.com MEDIA ENTREPRENEUR

Marc Frey marc@hiltonheadmonthly.com

PRESIDENT

Anuska Frey anuska@hiltonheadmonthly.com

C0-PUBLISHERS

Meredith DiMuzio meredith@hiltonheadmonthly.com Sasha Sweeney sasha@hiltonheadmonthly.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Anthony Garzilli anthony@hiltonheadmonthly.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rebecca Cashwell cashwell@hiltonheadmonthly.com

ART DIRECTOR

Madison Elrod madison@hiltonheadmonthly.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Allyson Venrick allyson@hiltonheadmonthly.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Majka Mochnac majka@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-290-9372 Mary Ann Kent maryann@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-384-9390 Markey McInerney markey@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-949-2591 Kevin Paige kevin@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-298-6168

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Heather Edge heather@yourlocalmarketingteam.com PHOTOGRAPHERS: Madison Elrod, Rob Kaufman, Amanda Olivia, Ruthe Ritterbeck, Lloyd Wainscott WRITERS: Amy Bartlett, Amy Coyne Bredeson, Becca Edwards, Barry Kaufman, Mark E. Lett, James Mallory, Vickie McIntyre, Edward Thomas, Tim Wood

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2 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

IISEPTEMBER ISSUEII

“must reads”

134 30 A Legacy Built

Tom Peeples retires after 43 years serving the Lowcountry.

36 Fun Attraction

Adventure Hilton Head grows into top destination getaway.

40 Property Management

A rental property manual that provides peace of mind.

54 City Guide

Learn more about the area’s municipalities with data and features.

4 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

130 110 Market ‘Cools’ Inventory gets scarce. 130 Light from Darkness

HHI parents raise childhood cancer awareness.

134 Natural Beauty

The vibrant colors of artist David Randall.

LOWCOUNTRY COMMUNITIES

BLUFFTON PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

2021

City GUIDES

FALL BRIDAL

PROPERTY MANA

HILTON HE AD GEMENT

FALL BRIDA

LOWCOUNTR

Y COMMUNITIE

City1 202

GUIDES

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // $ 4. 9 5

152 On the Pitch

Gaelic football surging in popularity.

166 Wine and Food Fun Learn about the weeklong festival.

SEPTEMB

ABOUT THE COVERS:

Hilton Head Island resident David Randall painted these scenes of Hilton Head Island’s beach and docks along Bluffton’s May River. Learn more about David Randall on page 134.

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IISEPTEMBER 2021II

contents

COMMUNITY

18 : Planned Projects Noteworthy initiatives in the Lowcountry.

CITY GUIDES: HILTON HEAD

57 : Data Driven A snapshot by the numbers. 58 : Q & A with the Mayor John McCann discusses the future. 60 : Meet the Town Manager Marc Orlando’s “homecoming.”

68 : Q & A with the Mayor Lisa Sulka talks about developments. 70 : Meet the Town Manager Stephen Steese’s Clemson devotion. 72 : Evolving History Bluffton’s steady growth. 74 : Landmarks The places to see.

DAUFUSKIE

76 : Timeless Attraction Discover the island’s rustic charm.

HARDEEVILLE

62 : History Lesson Remembering the island’s growth.

78 : Hardeeville Highlights City statistics, landmarks.

64 : Landmarks Top spots on the island.

80 : Q & A with the Mayor Harry Williams’ vision for the city.

BLUFFTON

81 : Meet the City Manager Michael Czymbor is a softball ace.

66 : A Numbers Game The town in statistics.

+ IN

EVERY ISSUE

8 : At The Helm 10 : Opinion 12 : Contributors 14 : News 16 : Pets to Adopt

6 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

26 : Social Spotlight 28 : Photos of the Month 32 : Community Connection 34 : On the Move

140 PARENTING

82 : Learn from the Library Online resources for student success.

HOME

100 : Technology Essentials What’s trending in home gadgets.

BRIDAL

140 : Bringing People Together Winter wedding surprises. 146 : Destination: Love Plan an unforgettable wedding. 150 : Picture Perfect What to look for in engagement photos.

WHERE TO WORSHIP

156 : Full of Fellowship Providence Presbyterian Church pivots during pandemic.

112 : Real Estate News 132 : Local Reads 158 : Calendar 168 : Dining Briefs 169 : Restaurant Listings 176 : Perspective

IIAT THE HELMII

dear reader... There is so much to love about the Lowcountry, and the secret is out: we are a great place to live, work and play. Each September we publish our annual City Guide. More than just the latest census data —which tells how our communities continue to grow —we speak to area mayors and town managers. Learn about the history of the area, and see what upcoming projects are planned. This is the issue that really highlights why we’ve decided to call this paradise our home. Our City Guide issue is our love letter to the Lowcountry. What’s not to love? Speaking of love, as the weather cools, the area’s bridal scene heats up. Get some winter bridal ideas from our featured real wedding, tips for shooting the perfect engagement photos, and see what goes into planning a destination wedding in our Fall Bridal stories. Vacation rental homes are a huge part of our local economy, and with more people discovering the Lowcountry, now is a great time to consider a second home that can provide you with great rental income. One thing that holds people back from owning rental homes is the management. Why not let the professionals do it? Take a look at our Property Management Guide, which can help you choose a local property management company that can make the whole process a breeze. The Lowcountry is home to some of the most beautiful planned communities in the Southeast, if not the country. Check out our Lowcountry Living section to see profiles of some of these local communities. They offer breath-taking scenery, outstanding amenities and quiet, private settings that truly make the Lowcountry a special place to live. We hope you enjoy reading about the Lowcountry every bit as much as we enjoyed putting this month’s magazine together. SASHA SWEENEY MEREDITH DIMUZIO Co-Publishers

CITY

Guides 2021 PAGE 54

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IIOPINIONII

“letter ” GRATEFUL FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT BY LAURIN RIVERS

Sunshine, salty air, crashing waves. The best part of living on or near an island is the beach, yet this natural wonder isn’t equally accessible for everyone and can be especially daunting for individuals with disabilities. These were the thoughts echoing in the head of then 16-yearold James Bartholomew, a local islander with a passion for surfing and a deep love for his older sister with special needs, Sally. James wanted Sally and her friends to have the same experience of the ocean he loved, so he rounded up some surfing buddies and invited her special needs class to the beach. It was a beautiful day, full of smiles, laughter and teenagers enjoying the beach alongside one another regardless of their ability. James’ efforts and passion from six years ago have morphed into an annual beach-front community event, “Fun in the Sun for Everyone,” hosted by Pockets Full of Sunshine, a non-profit organization providing vocational and social opportunities for adults with disabilities. We believe everyone benefits when we all come together —those with and without disabilities.

Laurin Rivers is co-founder of Pockets Full of Sunshine.

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Pockets Full of Sunshine has continued James’ legacy and provides an inclusive day at the beach for individuals with special needs, their families and friends. Over the last five years Fun in the Sun has taken place on the beach front of the Marriott Surfwatch Resort. It has grown to include surfing, paddle-boarding, beach games, face-painting, a DJ, a bevy of volunteers and more than 250 participants of all ages who come from Beaufort and Charleston to experience the day. The fun abounds, but the camaraderie and joy make the day truly magical. New friendships are made, fears are conquered as a timid swimmer wades into the ocean holding hands with a volunteer, and tears are shed as parents watch their children of all ages get to have fun just like everyone else. Pockets Full of Sunshine is grateful for the continued support of community sponsors, volunteers and participants who make events like this possible. PFS is ready for the Sept. 11 event and plans for Fun in the Sun to shine brighter than ever before. All are welcome. For more information, visit pocketsfullofsun.org.

IIBEHIND THE SCENESII

meet our featured writer

NICOLE SCHULTZ

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE USCB EARNS ATHLETIC ACCOLADES

“Writing for Monthly over the last decade has allowed me to connect on a deeper level with the community I love so much.” Nicole Schultz was raised on Hilton Head Island and earned her journalism degree from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia. Currently, Nicole works as a marketing specialist and freelance writer. She is also a business developer for Moonstar Ad. PR., a Bluffton-based public relations and advertising firm. Nicole has completed various writing assignments for this magazine during the last decade. She is a graduate of Hilton Head Preparatory School. When she’s not working, you can find her reading a new book or enjoying a beach picnic with her family. Nicole and her fiancé, Willie, live in Charleston with their daughter, 7-year-old Ava Kate, and their sweet white Labrador, Charlie. They travel back and forth between Charleston and Bluffton often to visit their families, who live in the area.

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The University of South Carolina Beaufort saw its student-athletes recognized this past season for their exploits. Men’s golfer Dawson Peters was selected to the first team of the College of Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American Men’s At-Large Team. The first team consisted of 10 at-large NAIA student-athletes. Peters, who just finished his second year at USCB, is a business administration major and has a 3.63 GPA. Peters and junior Jacob Thomas were named NAIA Men’s Golf All-Americans. Peters was named a First Team All-American, while Thomas earned second-team recognition. Thomas finished the season ranked 27th in the nation; Peters was 30th overall. Thomas finished inside the top 5 four times, including winning the dual match versus SCAD. Peters won three tournaments this year and has earned five trophies during his tenure at USCB. This year the senior won the DI Thomas Sharkey Individual Collegiate, the DI Oldfield Classic and most recently the Roadrunner Classic. The USCB baseball team earned an American Baseball Coaches Association Team Academic Excellence award. The ABCA recognized more than 580 member-college and high school programs from across the country. The award highlights programs coached by ABCA members who posted a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for the entire 2020-21 academic year. Of the teams, there were 200 high school and 380 collegiate programs. The USCB women’s golf team earned a top-5 finish in the Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-Scholar Team GPA Award. USCB placed fifth in the NAIA for team gradepoint averages from the most recent season. As a four-person team, the Sand Sharks boasted a 3.680 GPA — the highest from any Sun Conference school.

CHECK IT OUT @ HILTONHEADMONTHLY.COM

IILOCAL NEWSII

“in the know ” The CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry announced his upcoming retirement, Hilton Head is expanding a land ordinance to benefit Gullah Geechee neighborhoods, and two area youth teams reached the baseball World Series. Here’s what made news during the previous month:

ST.GREGORY THE GREAT

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY CEO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT Chris Protz, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry, plans to retire Dec. 10. Protz has worked with the Boys & Girls Clubs for 46 years, including the past nine years as CEO. “It has been a great privilege to work with some incredible, dedicated staff and board volunteers who are so committed to helping young people, particularly those who need our services the most,” Protz said. “Together we have made a huge difference for so many kids.” During his tenure the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry has grown from five Clubs to nine, extending services from 595 youth per day to over 1,000 per day, a news release said. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lowcountry board of directors has established a CEO Search Committee. The goal is to have a new CEO in place by November.

14 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

GOMEZ JR.

HILTON HEAD ADOPTS LAND USE RECOMMENDATIONS BENEFITTING GULLAH GEECHEE NEIGHBORHOODS Hilton Head Town Council voted to expand its Land Management Ordinance which will primarily benefit properties in the historic Gullah Geechee neighborhoods. The ordinance will define and include uses for family compounds and family subdivisions, a news release said. The family compound amendment allows multiple homes to be built on a single parcel of land with decreased setbacks, buffers, and access widths. The family subdivision amendment allows property to be subdivided without putting in the required infrastructure up front. This gives a family the option to build on the parcel or save it for future generations. The amendment has requirements for access easements and rights of way. The amendments are expected to help families better preserve land for future generations

FILING PERIOD SET FOR TOWN OF BLUFFTON ELECTIONS The Town of Bluffton Municipal General Election is set for Nov. 2. Two council seats are up for election: Mayor Pro Tempore/ Councilmember, held by Fred Hamilton, and the council seat held by Larry Toomer. The filing period for candidates began Aug. 3 and ends 12 p.m. Sept. 3. For more i n f o r m a t i o n , e m a i l kc h a p m a n @ townofbluffton.com or call 843-706-4505.

ST. GREGORY THE GREAT CATHOLIC CHURCH ANNEXED INTO TOWN OF BLUFFTON Bluffton Town Council unanimously approved a final reading to annex St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church and School into the town of Bluffton. Council approved a master plan for the property that includes potential expansions of the church and school and commercial and multi-family residential development.

USCB STUDENT LAUNCHES PROGRAM TO REDUCE WASTE ON THE BEACH

HILTON HEAD MAYOR DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY

University of South Carolina Beaufort senior Bethany McDonald launched Finnegan’s Sharing Shack July 31 at Driessen Beach Park. The initiative is designed to reduce waste and promote sustainability by recycling beach gear for free for visitors and locals, a Town of Hilton Head news release said. McDonald and Haven Banks, also a USCB student, encourage beachgoers to take what they need from an array of toys, tents, towels, chaise lounges and more. The inventory at Finnegan’s Sharing Shack is salvaged from the beach and collected from local resorts, sanitized and offered to new owners. Finnegan’s Sharing Shack is a collaboration between USCB and the Town of Hilton Head Island and is sponsored by the University’s Center for Event Management and Hospitality Training. It is at Driessen Beach Park Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the end of September. For more information, contact Bethany McDonald at blm8@email.uscb.edu or 304546-9246.

Hilton Head Island Mayor John McCann signed a local state of emergency in response to increasing COVID-19 cases and transmission. The emergency order went into effect Aug. 16. McCann encourages residents to wear masks in enclosed areas with other individuals; get an approved COVID-19 vaccine; practicing good hand hygiene; and practicing social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, a news release said. The emergency order gives Town Manager Marc Orlando the authority to implement administrative changes in how the organization functions during the emergency and allows for virtual public meetings. Orlando requires the public to wear face coverings inside of town buildings.

MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL EARNS CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM STATUS May River High School has been authorized to offer the Cambridge International Secondary Program for students ages 11 to 19. Cambridge International provides students with a world-class curriculum, high-quality support for teachers, and integrated assessment. May River High School will initially participate in the Cambridge Upper Secondary stage and transition to Cambridge Advanced.

PALMETTO DUNES TO HOST ELITE PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center will host the Association of Pickleball Professionals Hilton Head Open, scheduled for Oct. 13-17. The APP Hilton Head Open at Palmetto Dunes is a “golden ticket qualifier” for amateurs and professionals for Nationals held at Indian Wells in California this December.

BLUFFTON BASEBALL PLAYER SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS EVENT Bluffton resident Gustavo Gomez Jr., a 14-year-old at May River High School, competed recently at the Baseball Factory National World Series. The July event in Bradenton, Fla., featured top players from the country. He played second base, right field and first base. Gomez Jr. was also picked to compete next January at the Baseball Factory Pre-Season All American Rookie Tournament.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 15

IILOCAL NEWSII

“pet”

OF THE MONTH

BLUFFTON MINORS ALL-STARS

LOWCOUNTRY TEAMS REACH DIXIE YOUTH WORLD SERIES The 10-and-under all-stars from Bluffton and the 12-and-under squad from Hilton Head Island represented South Carolina in the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series played Aug. 7-12 in Laurel, Mississippi. The Bluffton Minors All-Stars finished their postseason campaign 12-3, including a South Carolina state title. The team went 2-2 at the Dixie World Series. The team opened with a 13-3 win over runner-up Georgia. The Hilton Head O-Zone All-Stars won a state crown before losing twice at the World Series. Hilton Head’s postseason run ended with an 8-3 record. The Dixie World Series includes the state champions from 11 states and a host team.

THE HERITAGE LIBRARY LAUNCHES VIDEO SERIES The Heritage Library launched a new video series, “Our Storied Island.” The series is a “true celebration of the history of our Island and the people behind it,” said Heritage Library Executive Director Barbara Catenaci. To view the series, visit heritagelib.org/video-stories.

HISTORIC LOWCOUNTRY THEATER MARKS 75TH ANNIVERSARY The Palmetto Theater, a landmark in the town of Hampton since 1946, has reopened after technological upgrades and repairs. The theater will show movies twice a month, a news release said. For more information, visit HamptonCountyArts.org or email PalmettoTheaterSC@gmail.com. 16 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

CHIP Age: 1 year old Gender: Male Weight: 17 pounds Breed: Miniature pincher mix Temperament: He’s a smart sweet boy with a lot of energy. Gets along with all.

Rogue Rescue & Sanctuary Located in Bluffton. By appointment only. Donations and foster families also needed. For more information:

843-816-0097 OR GO TO WWW.ROGUERESCUE.ORG

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 17

IILOCAL NEWSII

CATCHING UP ON INITIATIVES FOR HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON

plans for

PROJECTS PHOTOS SUPPLIED

The Lowcountry is thriving with ever-evolving projects. Here is a look at three initiatives that are underway: MID-ISLAND PARK

Take a ride to the intersection of William Hilton Parkway, Dillon Road and Union Cemetery Road, and what do you see? An abandoned golf course, a small parking lot and a lot of unused land. Hilton Head leaders, town staffers and diverse

18 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

interest groups see more than that. They visualize a tantalizing opportunity to create a first-class park to enhance the mid-island area and benefit a variety of community interests. They are fixed on transforming the 103-acre vacant tract owned by the town since 2013. Much of the property previously was operated as the Port

manager and interim community development director, said the land available for a mid-island park is incomparable in Hilton Head and increasingly rare in the Southeast. “It is going to be a really unique park,” she said, adding that consultants will seek additional input from the community and the town’s elected officials and staff. Currently, the land is open to the public and is a popular spot for dog walking and bird watching. Much of the land — including more than a halfdozen lagoons — reflects the shape and contours of a former golf course, but there also are pristine, undisturbed areas. The town has removed fallen trees to make the mid-island property safer and more attractive. In addition, contractors trimmed trees along cart paths, restored fencing and removed overgrown vegetation at ponds. At least 15 acres of the property have been untouched to preserve habitat for birds, wildlife and waterfront plant life. Orlando said assessing the land is a painstaking process that calls for an appreciation for its habitat. “You’ll see a stand of apparently dead trees and think they could be removed,” he explained.

DILLON ROAD

DR IV

GATEWA Y CIRCLE

Royal Planters Row Golf Course. Some two years of research and discussion are about to intensify as the town has added MKSK, a national consulting firm, to focus an emerging vision of what the park will feature. When completed, the area will be one of the largest parks on the island. There is no shortage of ideas. Suggestions for the park include walking paths, bird-watching, disc golf, multi-purpose athletic fields, ecological areas, gathering spaces and pavilions, playgrounds and historic designations. The “mid-island park” is a key piece of the town’s strategy for invigorating and strengthening the mid-island area. “It’s an amazing piece of property with remarkable natural landscape,” said Marc Orlando, Hilton Head’s town manager. “This is an incredible opportunity.” Establishing the park is expected to offset overuse concerns at other parks on the island, while serving as a catalyst to energize and add value to the mid-island area. Among the neighbors to the future park are the Port Royal Plantation, the Sea Turtle Marketplace, the Hampton Inn and Historic Grassland Gullah Cemetery. Jennifer Ray, the town’s capital program

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Town of Hilton Head Island Mid Island Tract 09-03-2020

TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND ONE TO WN CENTE R C OURT HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C . 299 28 PHONE (843) 341 - 460 0

Date Created: Thursday, September 3, 2020 Project - GIS Map.mxd

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accuracy or completeness of the data shown. The Town of Hilton Head Island assumes no liability for its accuracy or state of completion or for any losses arising from the use of the map.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 19

IILOCAL NEWSII

“Then you look closer, and find it is home to woodpeckers.” Carlos Chacon, manager of natural history for the Coastal Discovery Museum and a field trip coordinator for the Hilton Head chapter of the Audubon Society, said the mid-island tract offers a lush blend of maritime forest, grassy areas and fresh water ponds. Chacon said nearly 40 species of birds can be seen in the space, including the rare, red-headed woodpecker. The Audubon Field Guide says the bird was “once very common in eastern North America” but is now uncommon. “The mid-island park would be a major new destination for birdwatchers on Hilton Head,” said Chacon. “’There is nothing like it.” The lagoons, palms, Spanish moss and underbrush buffer road noise from Hilton Parkway (“It’s very peaceful,” said Ray). Lance Pyle, general manager of the neighboring Port Royal Plantation, said the park is an “exciting opportunity” for the island and for Port Royal’s 1,400 landowners. The key, he said, is to develop a plan that protects the property values and quality of life for Port Royal residents, while adding to the economic health and appeal of the mid-island area.

Overhead, traffic from the Hilton Head Airport generates fleeting noise. The airport is about a driver and three-wood away from the property. Ray said the timetable for development is taking shape, with a concept plan expected this fall and construction likely to begin in November 2022. —Mark E. Lett

NEW RIVERSIDE PARK

The Town of Bluffton is moving ahead with plans to create a large community gathering place in one of its fastest growing areas. Phase one of New Riverside Park, situated at Highway 46 and New Riverside Road (S.C. 170), is on track to start construction in 2022 and be completed later that year, according to Pat Rooney, manager of the town’s Capital Improvement Program. The first phase will have large open space, per imeter t rails, parking, rest rooms, and infrastructure to support the park, such as fencing and sewer, water and storm drainage. “The property is zoned as a passive park,” Rooney said. “The Town is restricted in terms of the usage of the park. It is never going to be a ball

VIEW TO EVENT LAWN/ PARK

PORCH

BBQ/ OYSTER ROAST/ OUTDOOR KITCHEN

EXISTING BARN 2,720 SF GARDEN

CATERING KITCHEN

SERVICE YARD

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STORAGE

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DELIVERY, TRASH, ETC

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 21

IILOCAL NEWSII

Existing Trail Connection

Proposed Trail Connection to Nearby Neighborhoods

Park Gate

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Renovated Barn

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-Outdoor gathering area on east facade storage added to south facade -Low impact service area for deliveries

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-Wetland-like experience -Potential for interpretation and

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experiential learning

Flexible Space -Potential event parking (+/-75 spaces)

-Land bank for possible future uses

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(+/- 0.5 miles)

Potential Overflow/Event Parking (+/- 40 spaces) Continuous Park Loop

Festival Lawn with Removable Event Pavilion

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Site Plan New Riverside Park, Bluffton SC October 28, 2020 © 2020 HART HOWERTON. The designs and concepts shown are the sole property of Hart Howerton. The drawings may not be used except with the expressed written consent of Hart Howerton.

field-type of park. It is 37 acres, which I think is a significant piece of land, and it is located in one of the fastest growing areas of town.” According to town data, there are development rights agreements for more than 6,000 residential properties in current and proposed communities near the park. There are also development rights for commercial properties. Bluffton wanted a park to serve that area, so it bought the 37-acre parcel from Palmetto Bluff developers in 2018, along with an adjacent seven acres. The 2,700-square-foot barn, visible from Highway 46, was included. The barn has character and the potential to host private and public events, Rooney said. Just a shell, the barn was built in the mid-2000s as a billboard for the New Riverside development, he said. It needs extensive renovations to make it functional for year-round use, but the hope is to keep the existing rural architectural character, he said. Along with trails wide enough for walkers and bikers, the park will eventually include a “significant nature-blending” playground. The town envisions the park as a place for large events, such as “evening under the stars,” car and craft shows.

22 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

Hilton Head’s Honey Horn Plantation, which hosts numerous events on its 68 acres, is an example of what Bluffton hopes New Riverside Park becomes in terms of a community gathering place, said Debbie Szpanka, town spokesperson. “Town Council has always emphasized parks and open space as an essential component to the community’s quality of life,” she said. Bluffton is using the hospitality tax, tax incremental fund and grants to finance the park. Phase one will cost about $1.38 million. The total project, which will have up to four phases based on the allocated budget, is estimated at $11.1 million. The town applied for a National Park Service grant through the Land and Water Resource Conservation Fund and is hoping to hear back by October whether it will get the $500,000 that will go toward the first phase. “The town is hoping to get the park accessible and open to the general public so people can use the initial site amenities, but I assume additional facilities will be implemented in the multiple phases and built out over a number of years,” Rooney said. — James A. Mallory

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 23

IILOCAL NEWSII

WILLIAM HILTON PARKWAY CORRIDOR PROJECT

The proposed U.S. 278 bridge project endured a strenuous vetting process this summer as Hilton Head Island officials and residents questioned the state transportation department’s preferred alternative. SCDOT recommends widening U.S. 278 between Moss Creek Drive on the mainland and Squire Pope Road on Hilton Head. A six-lane bridge would replace the existing four bridges. The plan, chosen from six proposed routes and three alternatives, would also eliminate left turns from the east-bound lanes onto Squire Pope and Spanish Wells Roads, and left turns from 278 west onto Spanish Wells. There would also be intersection changes on Jenkins Island and at Old Wild Horse on Hilton Head, and a traffic light added at the entrance of Windmill Harbor. The plan also includes enhancements that highlight the historic Stoney community at Hilton Head’s entrance and other Gullah neighborhoods. Hilton Head officials are not likely to formally respond to the SCDOT proposal until they have been able to review the public comments, said Shawn Colin, special advisor to the Town Manager. In August, the town held community open houses where it unveiled preliminary local concepts that include

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Shared Use Path Connection to Existing Sidewalk & Bike Lanes Proposed

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Cre ek Proposed Shared Use Path Continuation Under Bridge on Jenkins Island

Jenkins Isla

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key project “enhancements” that among other things would allow left turns at Squire Pope and Spanish Wells and leave Old Wild House as it is. Much of the community concern centers around the proposed changes at Squire Pope and Spanish Well Roads. The roads feed traff ic to nor th island communities. “Either way, it is going to add more traffic to those areas,” said town council member Alex Brown, whose ward includes the area impacted by the proposal. “Particularly where Wild House intersects into Gumtree. They have a stop sign, but it (the intersection) is not designed to handle a lot of traffic.” There is a need for a more critical look at alternatives, said Peter Kristian, general manager of Hilton Head Plantation and president of the board of the Jarvis Creek Club. Those alternatives might have included gradeseparated intersections and parallel secondary roads for more efficient turns off U.S. 278, he said. Also, there should have been other options besides a new traffic light for Windmill Harbor residents to safely access their community, he said. — James A. Mallory

provements Recommended Preferred Alternative July 2021

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IIIN THE SPOTLIGHTII

GET SOCIAL!

1. Students take a break as nearly 750 of them moved on to USCB’s Bluffton campus on Aug. 15 to start the school year. 2. Marc and Anuska Frey, Monthly’s CEO and President, took a moment to send us a greeting from Porto, Portugal. 3. The Michael family took Monthly along with them on their fly fishing trip to Montana.

TO SUBMIT A PHOTO OF YOUR EVENT, EMAI L EDITOR @ HILTONHEADMONTHLY.COM

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IILOCAL NEWSII

PHOTOS MONTH OF THE

1. Joe Newton captures a beautiful sunset taken from Skull Creek Boathouse. 2. Mary Lee Gannon captures the beauty of Port Royal Sound in Hilton Head Plantation. 3. A fantastic sunset at Palmetto Bay as photographed by Maureen Valiquette. 4. A monarch butterfly enjoys nectar from a milkweed plant at the Coastal Discovery Museum as photographed by Carol Clemens.

H AV E A N I N C R E D I B LE P H OTO TO S H A R E? W E’D LOV E TO S E E IT. SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS TO EDITOR @ HILTONHEADMONTHLY.COM

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IICOMMUNITYII

TOM PEEPLES RETIRES AFTER 43 YEARS SERVING THE LOWCOUNTRY

BUILDING A LEGACY

RY ANN PEEPLES ENJOY A BREAK IN AROLINA MOUNTAINS.

STORY BY AMY COYNE BREDESON | PHOTO SUPPLIED

After 43 years of building homes on Hilton Head Island, the town’s former longtime mayor, Tom Peeples, has retired. Born and raised in Ridgeland, Peeples spent a lot of time on Hilton Head as a young boy. His parents bought property on the island in the early 1950s, before there was a bridge to the mainland. “My dad had to have ferried over all the materials to build on Hilton Head,” Peeples said. “He was not a builder, but he was a do-it-yourselfer. … Every time we’d go over there, you know, the kids all wanted to have fun and go to the beach. Dad went straight to work.” Tom’s wife, Mary Ann, also grew up in Ridgeland, so the two had known each other their whole lives. When Tom was a sophomore at the University of South Carolina Beaufort, he and Mary Ann started dating, and after just 15 days together, he popped the question. Since Tom was only 20 and Mary Ann was 17, by law at that time, they had to get their parents to sign off on the marriage. They were married in June 1973 and moved to Hilton Head that same year.

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The following year, Tom was on a construction site on Hilton Head when he fell off a condo building and broke his second, third and fourth vertebrae. He had to wear a metal brace and was laid up for about seven months. At the time, Tom was working for a close family friend, his “unofficial godfather,” Paul Holmes. Holmes was also a volunteer with Hilton Head’s rescue squad, so he drove Tom to the hospital in the ambulance. Almost 50 years later, Tom still gets a little choked up talking about the incident. “I remember there was a guy who was a plumber,” Tom said. “He wouldn’t let anybody touch me. … I really think he kept me from getting even more hurt.” Thankfully, Tom made a full recovery and had no permanent damage. In 1978, he launched his business, Tom Peeples Builder. Over the years, he built about 500 homes. He was named home builder of the year by the Hilton Head Area Home Builders Association three times. Tom’s business was far from his only success. He was elected to Town Council in 1989 and was elected mayor in 1995. He is the only Hilton Head mayor to be re-elected, and he held that position for 15 years, making him the town’s longestserving mayor. He was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the State of South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. Tom said his greatest accomplishments as mayor were getting sewer access to unserved areas of the island and the Town’s purchase of about 1,100 acres of land. “It was very important — and it still is —for the Town to buy and own properties,” he said. “One of the things we did was really attack the oceanfront property so we could leave a place for locals to go, and I think that’s really important. For everybody to go, but mostly the locals.” Long before Tom took office, he and Mary Ann were active in the community. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island and a board member of the Home Builders Association. Mary Ann was named volunteer of the year by the Beaufort County School Board. When the Peeples’ son, Josh, transferred from public to private school, she led the booster club at Hilton Head Preparatory School. Mary Ann sat on the boards of Hargray Caring Coins Foundation and the Coastal Discovery Museum. The museum honored her by naming a pavilion at Honey Horn after her. Together, the Peepleses ran a youth football program and assisted with a youth baseball program on the island. They continued supporting the youth by helping build the football stadium at Hilton Head High School under the leadership of Sonny Graham and others. Tom and Mary Ann agreed to take a year off from volunteer work to do some of the things they haven’t had the freedom to do. They’re looking forward to traveling more, especially to visit Josh and their 11-yearold granddaughter, Eloise, in Napa County, Calif. They will also spend time at their home in the North Carolina mountains and on the small island they own in Jasper County. But rest assured – they will be back. “We love Hilton Head, and Hilton Head has been very good to us,” Mary Ann said. “We’ve enjoyed serving it.”

HE IS THE ONLY HILTON HEAD MAYOR TO BE RE-ELECTED, AND HE HELD THAT POSITION FOR 15 YEARS, MAKING HIM THE TOWN’S LONGEST-SERVING MAYOR. HE WAS AWARDED THE ORDER OF THE PALMETTO, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA’S HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR.

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IIIN THE SPOTLIGHTII

“community connection ”

DEEP WELL PROJECT

DEEP WELL PROJECT AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS Isabella Gonzalez, Zien Cordray, Renee Mitchell, Astrid Bautista and Daniella Azar were named Deep Well Project scholarship recipients. Each has earned help with tuition and books at the Technical College of the Lowcountry. Deep Well will also help with childcare, gas cards and laptops or printers if needed. For information about Deep Well’s scholarship program, visit deepwellproject.org or call 843785-2849. BERKELEY HALL CLUB GARNERS INDUSTRY HONOR Berkeley Hall Club has been recognized as one of “America’s Healthiest Clubs,” a prestigious distinction given to around 100 top-ranked private clubs across the nation. Berkeley Hall has also been named among the top 100 Platinum Clubs of America for 20202021, and as a Distinguished Club by Club Leaders Forum, prestigious honors attained by only the finest clubs in the world. COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOWCOUNTRY AWARDS NEARLY $770,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS Community Foundation of the Lowcountry awarded $769,765 to 151 students through 196 scholarship awards. The recipients will attend more than 71 different colleges and universities. Since 1994, Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has awarded more than $8.5 million in scholarships. TOWN OF BLUFFTON RECOGNIZED WITH MUNICIPAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD The Town of Bluffton received a Municipal Achievement Award for its Wright Family Park. The town won in the 10,001-20,000 population category, a news release said. The property, vacant since the 1990s, is located on the May River and features the Squire Pope Carriage House, a structure with more than 150 years of history. The Municipal Association of SC initiated the Achievement Awards in 1987 to recognize and encourage innovations and excellence in local government.

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TOWN OF BLUFFTON

FIRST TEE

FIRST TEE — THE LOWCOUNTRY RECEIVES $20K DONATION The Arthur M Blank Futures Foundation awarded First Tee — The Lowcountry a $20,000 donation. The check was presented by Bill Fuentes, board member at First Tee – The Lowcountry and general manager at PGA Tour SuperStore, during a Crescent Golf Club Par Class for kids. The donation will help grow the local chapter of The First Tee and is part of a broader initiative by the Blank Foundation to sponsor First Tee programs, a news release said. HILTON HEAD TO RECEIVE $10,000 GRANT FOR ARTS & CULTURE EVENTS The Town of Hilton Head Island has been awarded a $10,000 sponsorship from T-Mobile in support of the 2021 Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade and Crescendo Festival. The sponsorship will expand outreach efforts for free cultural opportunities in the community such as a Grandparents’ Day Free Lantern Making Workshop, school performances at local elementary schools by the jazz group The Little Big Band, and a free pops performance of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra at Lowcountry Celebration Park. This year’s Crescendo Celebration of Arts & Culture is set for Oct. 10-Nov. 13. The Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade will be on South Forest Beach on Nov. 13. SUN CITY HILTON HEAD COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION WINS PUBLISHING AWARDS The Sun City Hilton Head Community Association was recognized for its work in print and digital communication by two national publishing competitions. The Sun City Hurricane Preparedness Guide was honored with an Award of Excellence in the 33rd annual APEX Awards competition, a news release said. The Association also received four awards in the 2021 National Mature Media Awards program, which is organized by the Mature Market Resource Center. The SunFit video channel and the Video Library on www. SunCityHiltonHead.org produced in partnership

SIMS

with the Bluffton-based videography company Crescent Moon Pictures, each captured a gold Mature Media Award. The other Mature Media Awards included a gold award for the monthly City Life eNewsletter and a merit award for the June issue of SunSations. NEW INITIATIVE AIMS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN NURSES IN THE LOWCOUNTRY The South Carolina Nurse Retention Scholarship is designed to attract and retain nurses who continue to work in Beaufort County. A foundation has been established through the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry to provide funds to eligible candidates. The SCNRS aims to provide $6,000 per year direct payments to new BSN graduates who can demonstrate that they are providing direct patient care in Beaufort County. Nurses would receive a payment of $3,000 after each confirmed six-month period of local employment in an approved setting. For more information, visit scnurseretention.org FORMER PGA GOLFER WALKS 108 HOLES TO BENEFIT LOWCOUNTRY GOLF COURSE Former PGA Tour golfer Michael Sims enjoyed a 108-hole round recently that raised more than $7,000 to benefit Sergeant Jasper Golf Club in Jasper County. The Hundred Hole Hike was hosted by the North County Junior Golf Association at Goat Hill Park in Oceanside, Calif. The funds will allow the Congaree Foundation to nurse “The Sarge” back to life and offer local high school students the chance to establish a home course at no cost, a news release said. The course in Ridgeland has been active since the 1960s. BRIGHT IDEAS TEACHER GRANTS AVAILABLE Applications are available for Palmetto Electric Bright Ideas grants, which provides funds for innovative classroom-based projects. Deadline to apply is Sept. 10. Since Palmetto Electric launched the program in 2004, teachers in southern Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper counties have received over $603,000 in grants. For more information, email brightideas@palmetto.coop or call 843-681-0075.

IIBUSINESSII

“on the move ” 4. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ELECTS PRESIDENT

1. ROTARY CLUB OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND NAMES NEW PRESIDENT

Mary Briggs has assumed the role of President of the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island. She has been a member of the Club since 2001, an officer of the Board since 2018 and has chaired numerous committees. Briggs has served as a school principal and assistant superintendent of schools for the Beaufort Country School District and as the president and CEO of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra since she moved to the area in 1997. She currently serves as Vice President of the Lean Ensemble Theater Board of Directors.

2. WARD

5. GOV. MCMASTER MAKES APPOINTEE TO TCL AREA COMMISSION

2. COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOWCOUNTRY NAMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Dafina Ward and Doug Wetmore have joined the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s board of directors. Ward is an attorney who serves as the executive director of the Southern AIDS Coalition, based in Birmingham, Ala. She is an adjunct professor of nonprofit management and funding at USCB. Ward serves on the Community Foundation’s Grants Advisory/Community Investment Committee. Wetmore, prior to his retirement, served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Griffon Corporation, a multinational conglomerate based in New York City. Wetmore is a member of the Finance and Investment Committee of the Community Foundation.

7. LANE

Kathy Chittenden has been named general manager at Hilton Head National RV Resort. Chittenden brings more than 35 years of management experience in RV resort and hotel property operations. Recently she was general manager of the Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort.

7. CROSS SCHOOLS NAMES FOOTBALL COACH 10.BAKER

Cleophus Lane has been named football coach at Cross Schools in Bluffton. He is also a strength trainer and campus security manager. Lane will oversee the high school and middle school football programs. He served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, the school said. Lane has coached football for more than 20 years.

8. THE WESTIN HILTON HEAD ISLAND NAMES GENERAL MANAGER

11. BRIMACOMB

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Dr. Rick Toomey has been appointed to the Area Commission for the Technical College of the Lowcountry by S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster. He will represent Beaufort County. Toomey has more than 32 years of public health administration and executive management experience, most recently as director of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and as president and CEO of Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

6. HILTON HEAD NATIONAL NAMES GENERAL MANAGER FOR RV RESORT

3. WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF HILTON HEAD WELCOMES BOARD MEMBER

Peter Cooper, a longtime Hilton Head resident, was appointed to the World Affairs Council of Hilton Head Board of Directors. His focus will be the Community Global Forum, developing programs and events that are free and open to the public. Cooper earned his undergraduate degree in international politics from Princeton and a master’s degree in education from Harvard. Cooper was a teacher of history and English at several grade levels as well as a college counselor before becoming an overseas administrator for the last 20 years as headmaster in Bogota, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.

Hilton Head resident Nancy L. Williams has been named 2021-2023 president of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Williams has lived in South Carolina for more than 33 years and has been a member of the League since 1991. After her retirement in 2013 as executive director of Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry, she served as co-president of the League of Women Voters of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Area. The League of Women Voters has more than 1,100 members and 13 local Leagues

Mike Tighe has been appointed general manager of The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. Bringing more than 30 years of experience, Tighe oversees the day-to-day operations of the resort. Tighe has held operational positions at some of

the largest hotels in Marriott’s portfolio, including the New York Marriott Marquis, the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, and the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

9. ENCOMPASS HEALTH WELCOMES BLUFFTON CEO

Wayne Boutwell has been appointed as chief executive officer of Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Bluffton. He has served in healthcare for 24 years. Boutwell most recently served as the CEO of ContinueCARE Hospital in Columbia, S.C. Boutwell also was an associate administrator and later a chief operating officer at Atlanta Medical Center.

10. BJWSA PICKS NEW BOARD CHAIR

Jimmy Baker is new chairman at BeaufortJasper Water & Sewer Authority for the fiscal year 2022. Baker has been a board member since 2010, originally serving a term for the Town of Ridgeland. Baker is a former Palmetto Electric Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations. He is a recipient of the prestigious Sergeant Jasper Award presented by the Chamber of Commerce.

11. HARDEEVILLE-BASED CONSTRUCTION COMPANY HIRES ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

Zach Brimacomb has been hired as assistant superintendent for Savannah Hardscapes Construction at its headquarters in Hardeeville. He will manage numerous projects, order product for projects and secure an on-time delivery for the products.

12. NEW COOKING CLASSES CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS

The Mansion on Forsyth Park’s 700 Kitchen Cooking School in Savannah offers a range of new themed culinary classes throughout summer and fall. Led by master-inspired culinary artist Chef Jason Winn, the cooking classes invite guests to “travel the world” through inspired menus. Each class is limited to 16 guests. For more information, visit mansion.classesbykessler.com or call 912-721-5006.

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IIENTREPRENEURII

BY MARK E. LETT | PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

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ROGER FREEDMAN’S ADVENTURE HILTON HEAD IS AN ADRENALINE RUSH As an international businessman, Roger Freedman was a dealmaker with interests in skyscrapers, insurance, manufacturing, radio and TV stations, and more. Deals come and go. But one stuck in his head, his heart and his portfolio: Partnering with his younger brother more than a quarter century ago to buy Hilton Head’s Broad Creek marina. Freedman, a Connecticut native, was working up a cable TV deal in Poland when his brother called from Charleston and asked him to join in acquiring “a bankrupt marina.” “I said OK,” recalled Freedman. “And we did.” As simple as that. The purchase became a passion project for Freedman, who transformed the marina with a multi-million-dollar renovation. The marina offers 53 wet slips for boats up to 55 feet and two slips for vessels up to 100 feet. Dry storage can handle boats up to 35 feet in length. Over the years, Freedman added a restaurant and an outdoor recreation area that includes a zipline, a ropes course and a restaurant. His footprint tripled to some 15 acres from an initial purchase of about five acres. And now – after four years of planning and problem-solving – the waterfront fun spot plans to roll out Hilton Head’s first go-kart track. With the go-karts, Broad Creek this year also added a food truck and a new name. Called “ZipLine Hilton Head” when it opened in 2012, the spot has been renamed “Adventure Hilton Head.” “Rebranding emphasizes that we are allencompassing,” Freedman said.

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IIENTREPRENEURII

PHOTO SUPPLIED

THE BEST PART IS MAKING AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, AS WELL AS TOURISTS,” FREEDMAN SAID. “WE HAVE THE MOST UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS ON HILTON HEAD.

For Freedman, now 76, the development has been a labor of love, rewarded by growth and popularity. Broad Creek has come a long way since he bought the property — sight unseen — on his brother’s recommendation. “We had done other deals together and this turned out to be pretty good,” said Freedman. His brother has passed away, and Freedman has continued to own and enhance the Broad Creek property. “At some point, I knew I wouldn’t want to totally retire,” he said. Far from it. Adventure Hilton Head has become an evolving, must-see getaway for residents and visitors. The 1,250-foot go-kart course will include a fleet of 64 electric go-karts. The recreation hot spot already offers an array of activities for children, families, boaters, jocks, residents and vacationers. Among those: jet skiing, kayak tours, dolphin cruises, parasailing, charter boats. 38 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

The laid-back restaurant Up the Creek Pub & Grill sits at the water’s edge. And new this summer is the “Paddles!” food truck. In the early 2000s, Freedman flirted with bringing residential housing to the site. Those plans were scotched when the U.S. housing bubble burst in 2006-08. Instead, he turned his energy and creativity to making the area a fun-filled port of call. “The best part is making an impact on people who live here, as well as tourists,” Freedman said. “We have the most unique attractions on Hilton Head.” In 2012, he opened the ZipLine Hilton Head to provide an abovethe-trees adventure with seven ziplines, including a dual cable racing zip finale. Rising above the marina is the ZipLine’s 75-foot tower. The treetops experience was a fresh idea from a fellow who had never been on a zipline and confesses to a fear of heights. “I’m a pilot and downhill skier, but I developed a peculiar fear of heights in certain circumstances by riding up and down construction

elevators on the exteriors of buildings under construction,” says Freedman. Freedman said he was walking the Broad Creek property when a business acquaintance asked: “Do you know what a zipline is?” At that point, Freedman had not experienced one of the overhead thrill rides. True to his business discipline, he researched ziplines in Georgia and North Carolina, getting familiar with the ride’s breath-taking rush. Freedman followed the ziplines with Aerial Adventure, a collection of rope challenge courses and 50 fun obstacles. More than 100,000 guests have been served on the ZipLine and Aerial Adventure. Bringing go-karts to Broad Creek proved a bumpy journey for Freedman, whose plans collided with nearby residents concerned that noisy vehicles would disturb their relaxed lifestyle. A solution was found in electric go-karts – sort of first cousins to golf carts. “It’s not much different than what you hear at a shotgun start at your local golf course on a Saturday morning,” said Nate Jones, vicepresident and general manager of Adventure Hilton Head. Noise abatement was among a handful of obstacles to overcome to charge ahead with electric go-karts. Freedman and his team powered through a gauntlet of zoning and planning issues before securing government approval.

The Covid pandemic presented other challenges, including scarce construction labor and supply chain issues that disrupted go-kart manufacturing. Plans for a June opening have slipped into September. “There have been significant issues due to supply chain problems,” said Jones. “But it has given us a chance to refine the project and ensure that the guest experience will be of the highest quality.” The progress and activities at Adventure Hilton Head are under the guidance and watchful eye of Jones, a Hilton Head native with a degree in hospitality, tourism and business administration. Before answering a classified ad 12 years ago to work with Freedman, Jones worked at a Charleston marina and spent two years as captain of a privately owned boat in Tampa. His knowledge of tourism, boating and business proved a good fit for the father of two young children. “This is exciting and the response from the community has been great,” Jones said. “Mr. Freedman’s vision is for Adventure Hilton Head to serve the locals and visitors. It’s a great niche for young families looking for great outdoor activity. “We’ve expanded, expanded and expanded. What we’ve grown, I am very proud of.” Added Freedman: “My life has been blessed with many great experiences. Hilton Head Island, and its people, are a rich part of that.”

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IISPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONII

PROPERTY

MANAGEMENT

{

Guide Whether your rental property is a vacation villa by the ocean or a home for a family, professional management companies can provide peace of mind. Owning rental property in the Lowcountry is full of rewards. Chief among them is the opportunity to enjoy your own piece of paradise. Think about being able to rejuvenate. To reconnect with family friends. To be immersed in the relaxing comforts of our community. Property owners can see their place as one that creates everlasting memories. But there is also a financial reward. Income from rental activity can help offset taxes and insurance and maintenance expenses. Having an experienced property management company is crucial to making informed decisions. These companies can help ease the burden of property management and any fees are worth it for peace of mind and potential tax benefits. The Lowcountry has expert companies that know how to find the best information about rental candidates and scrutinize the findings. The best property management company can turn your perfect place into a savings haven. Peace of mind. Maximizing rental income. Financial accountability. Worryfree transaction. Marketing savvy. Hiring a property management company will help you continue to enjoy the Lowcountry lifestyle.

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I P R O P E RARE T Y M A THE N A G E MBEST! ENTII LET YOUR FAVORITE BUSINESSES KNOW YOU THINK ITHEY

2021

READERS’

CAWARDS HOIC E NOMINATE SEPT 15-30

VOTE OCT 1-15 *Vote from the top 12 nominees in each category

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IICITY GUIDEII

LOVING THE

Lowcountry ENJOY THE WONDER OF ALL THAT OUR AREA OFFERS The Lowcountry is teeming with natural beauty, adventures, history, shopping and fantastic weather. A relaxed pace offers peace of mind and a wonder of possibilities. Simply, it’s a great place to live. Hilton Head, Bluffton, fast-growing Hardeeville and Daufuskie Island represent thriving communities that offer award-winning beaches, dinning and accommodations. Why the Lowcountry? Why not? Our area offers almost everything and continues to treat us with new wonders.

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Our city guides offers a snapshot of all that the Lowcountry offers. Learn about the area’s population growth via the latest census numbers. The mayors provide insight on their municipalities and the managers offer perspective on developments and what the future holds. The guide also provides a refresher on the Lowcountry’s history. Looking for sites to visit? We provide a must-see map of some of the top landmarks. Whether you enjoy history, recreation or visiting top sites, the guide details a few of the Lowcountry’s hotspots. Delicious food. Perfect weather. Friendly people. Our area offers a chill vibe and a slow pace that make living here the envy of outsiders.

THE LOWCOUNTRY IS TRULY A MAGICAL PLACE TO LIVE.

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pinckney island

Hilton Head Plantation palmetto hall

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LOWCOUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK

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IICITY GUIDEII

by the numbers

THE TOWN THAT HAS IT ALL

POPULATION 37,661

SQUARE MILES 41.36

BUSINESSES 4,424 Hilton Head Island has everything: Beautiful beaches. World-class golf courses. Award-winning restaurants. Wonderful weather. But Hilton Head Island is more than just the scenery and tourist attractions. Hilton Head is also about the people, its history and its yearlong appeal. Locals embrace our waterways 12 months a year, including public marinas, fishing piers and boat launch sites. You are always within a short drive from a marsh, river or the Atlantic Ocean. If you don’t want to drive everywhere, that’s OK, because the island has more than 60 miles of biking trails. Of course, Hilton Head is a great place to unwind and relax. Hilton Head Island is also home to a close-knit community that is always willing to help its neighbors. Volunteering is a Hilton Head Island staple. History runs deep on the Island, with the Gullah-Geechee community at its center. A visit to the Gullah Museum and Mitchelville is a must. The spring brings the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, a PGA Tour event that is an annual highlight and one of the area’s most prestigious events. From the famed Harbour Town Golf Links to impeccably maintained courses designed by legendary architects (including Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones), the options are world-class. Hilton Head offers top-notch golf and tennis facilities and instructors. Tennis academies founded by world-renowned coaches Stan Smith and Dennis Van der Meer are another reason why Hilton Head is often considered the best in class. We are just scratching the surface. There’s the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’ Elegance, the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. There are summer nights filled with music and movies and winter evenings with holiday lights. Hilton Head has it all.

AGE Median Age: 58 Over 65: 37%

RACE White: 88.6% Black: 5.9% Hispanic: 11.8% Asian: 0.9%

INCOME Per Capita: $56,942 Median household: $84,575 Below poverty level: 9.7%

EDUCATION High school diploma: 94.3% College degree: 54.3%

HOUSING Median Rent: $1,271 Median Home Value: $483,600

NEW BUILDING PERMITS Residential (Jan. 1-June 30, 2021): 138 Residential (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2020): 214 Commercial (Jan. 1-June 30, 2021): 13 Commercial (Jan. 1-Dec. 31. 2020): 12 Sources: U.S. Census, town of Hilton Head, DataUSA (Median Age)

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HILTON HEAD’S

MAYOR A WORD WITH JOHN MCCANN PHOTO BY CHRISTINE CANNON

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IICITY GUIDEII

John McCann has been mayor of the Town of Hilton Head since 2018. He is past president of Port Royal Plantation and past chair of the Technical College of the Lowcountry Foundation. McCann answers questions from Monthly about the U.S. 278 Corridor Project and his favorite spot of relaxation on Hilton Head Island. The responses have been edited for length and clarity.

1. What is an upcoming development project on Hilton Head Island that you are most excited about and why?

One that truly is amazing to see happen is development of our mid-island tract. This is a beautiful 103-acre tract right at the center of our island. Our project calls for preparation of development plans for a best-in-class community park on the Town-owned portion of this tract, which was the former Planters Row Golf Course. (The project) is also about the community around the park and how the project will serve as a catalyst for redevelopment in the area. We have a well-respected team of consultants, led by MKSK, who will be helping us define our vision for this park, the surrounding neighborhoods and future economic development.

2. What aspects of the U.S 278 Corridor Project plan are most encouraging to you? What aspects do you think can be improved and why? The project will significantly impact traffic onto and off the island, the historic Stoney community and inevitably the entire community since everyone who comes to Hilton Head Island has to pass through Stoney. One of the most encouraging signs of progress is that we are at a stage where our consultant, MKSK, Beaufort County and the S.C. Department of Transportation are working together. We have heard and are addressing concerns about saving land that Gullah Geechee families have owned for generations, preserving communities, disrupting businesses as little as we possibly can, and creating a well-thought-out strategy. We have had a lot of public input, but as time moves on, we will need more. I don’t want people to get weary. I want to ask the public to stick with us on this project. Their input is so invaluable.

3. Are there parts of Hilton Head Island that visitors may not be aware that are worth exploring?

There are many exciting and diverse spots to visit on this island and our Town’s Office of Cultural Affairs is working with many of our local cultural organizations to make sure that we are also telling the stories behind these destinations. We have developed an interactive Cultural Trail map that lets visitors (and residents) explore our

public art and history sites and pairs them with our 66 miles of leisure pathway. This map will let you travel by bike, foot or car and guide you to these public cultural sites all across the island where we’ve incorporated digital experiences at many of these sites. You can scan a QR code at Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park and hear Executive Director Ahmad Ward tell you the story of the first freedman’s community in the United States. I scanned the digital experience at Zion Cemetery on 278 and learned it is the location of gravesites of four Revolutionary War patriots. Such fascinating things to see, do and learn on Hilton Head.

4. How do you envision Hilton Head’s growth in the next five years?

Hilton Head Island’s growth is not just limited to what’s happening on the island, but encompasses what’s happening in our neighboring communities of Bluffton and Hardeeville. Population wise, the island isn’t experiencing significant increases, so it’s important that we work on those facets of our community to attract families, workers and other visitors, such as workforce housing. We have people who live in Bluffton, Hardeeville and beyond, but work on the island. We would love for them to consider living on the island and become a part of the community that they contribute to. Last year, our Town Council adopted Our Plan, our 2020-2040 comprehensive plan. This plan is the foundation on which we are building our strategic plan goals and objectives, which are centered around the William Hilton Parkway Corridor Project, workforce housing, the mid-island tract, census redistricting, parks and recreation, parking, economic development and other issues. We want to make sure our residents come first.

5. Do you have a personal favorite place in Hilton Head to relax or enjoy activities? I enjoy walking on the beach. I live three blocks from the beach in Port Royal. I don’t get there as often as I would like to, but when time permits it’s the perfect place to go at sunrise or sunset for a relaxing stroll or personal meditation.

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IICITY GUIDEII

Q&A WITH HILTON HEAD’S TOWN MANAGER: MARC ORLANDO

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

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Marc Orlando has served as manager of the Town of Hilton Head since February. Orlando, who previously served as Bluffton’s town manager, oversees about 250 employees.

What’s it like transitioning from Town Manager of Bluffton to Town Manager of Hilton Head?

The job is exactly the same and completely different. I started here in 1997 as an intern, so for a few moments it felt very surreal. It was very much a homecoming for me.

What’s one issue you’re looking to tackle right away?

Creating an ordinance for short-term rentals. We’ve lost neighborhoods through short-term rentals. I have nothing against them, but we need to have some rules and regulations in place.

As a Canadian, how do you feel about Savannah getting an ECHL team?

I met with some folks recently who have some parts of the marketing and recruitment of that, so I’m very excited for that. I grew up playing hockey. I played goalie.

Did outgoing Town Manager Steve Riley give you much guidance when you were coming on board? My relationship with Steve has evolved over the years. When I was an intern, he was the boss. As planning director and then town manager in Bluffton, he became a mentor. He told me that this is a great staff, and I should trust them to do their job.

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IICITY GUIDEII

THROUGH THE

Years Signal Station, Hilton Head, South Carolina, 1863 Photographed by Henry P Moore. This station was established by Lieutenant E. J. Keenan on the roof of the mansion of a planter at the extreme northern point of Hilton Head Island, Port Royal Bay. Through this station were exchanged many messages between General W. T. Sherman and Admiral S. F. Dupont. Photo from wikicommons

BY EDWARD THOMAS

There’s no question there was significant human activity on Hilton Head Island during the pre-recorded history of North America 4,000 or more years ago. The mysterious shell rings from that era, preserved today in the Sea Pines Forest Preserve and Green Shell Park off Squire Pope Road, are testament to that fact. When Captain William Hilton arrived in 1663, this 12-mile-long coastal island was occupied by a native tribe called Escamacu. They were part of the Cusabo Confederacy of Tribes that inhabited land up and down the nearby coastline. Hilton was not the first European to arrive in local waters. Spanish and French explorers had already been seeking opportunities for settlement, but Hilton, an English

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sea captain, arrived from the island of Barbados where BY EDWARD THOMAS land was scarce. He was enticed by opportunities that had become available when British King Charles II granted an enormous swath of territory (stretching from Virginia to the Savannah River) to a group of eight loyal noblemen called the Lords Proprietors. They encouraged settlement by other Englishmen to secure the Land Grant.

THE ENGLISH PREVAIL

Over the next 150 years the English, using Charles Town (now Charleston) as their base of operations, and African slaves as their labor force, slowly assumed control of this rich coastal land for cultivation of high-incomeproducing crops like rice, cotton and indigo. Hilton Head

Island became known for its “Sea Island Cotton” which was first successfully raised by William Elliott on Myrtle Bank Plantation overlooking Port Royal Sound in 1790. The cotton gin was invented three years later, and by the start of the Civil War in 1861, the Lowcountry region was world famous for its cotton plantations. Because the production and exporting of cotton, rice and tobacco was essential to the economy of the Confederacy, the Union military moved quickly to invade and occupy Hilton Head Island at the onset of the Civil War and used it as their base of operations to blockade Port Royal Sound, Charleston and Savannah.

EMANCIPATION AND INTERVENING YEARS

Although President Abraham Lincoln had declared the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it was here on May 15, 1865 where the Commanding General of United States Department of the South, Quincy Adams Gilmore, declared “the people of the Black race are free citizens of the United States.” A town called Mitchelville was established for the former slaves who remained. But without a bridge to the mainland, Hilton Head Island soon became isolated. Cotton was victimized by disease. Mitchelville’s population of 1,500 dwindled to fewer than 500, scattering into tiny Charles Fraser neighborhoods and subsisting on their own crops, fishing and oystering. Large tracts of land were also purchased by wealthy absentee sportsmen and investors for use as hunting preserves and timber harvesting. But with the arrival of electricity in 1951 things began to change. A drawbridge from the mainland arrived in 1956, and the next year an enlightened young entrepreneur, Charles E. Fraser, set forth to develop 5,200 acres of his father’s timberland as a haven for retirees and vacationers and called it Sea Pines.

REAL ESTATE AND TOURISM

Using its broad Atlantic beachfront as its appeal, Sea Pines emerged as one of the first projects in America to combine golf and real estate development for a planned community. Its innovative, bold approach to establishing green space to remain undeveloped and thereby provide animal habitats plus amenities like walking and bike trails earned international recognition and became a template for modern recreational communities Fraser would often credit the discovery of air conditioning and mosquito control as key reasons for Sea Pines’ success, but savvy marketing and the exquisite HarbourTown Golf Links attracted the PGA Tour and global televised attention. In the 1970s, Hilton Head became one of the first tourist destinations in the U.S. to adopt “Timeshare Ownership” to extend its seasons and in 1983 citizens incorporated the Town of Hilton Head Island in part to control land-management standards across the island. Soon islanders John Curry, head of a newly re-organized Chamber of Commerce, and ad executive John David Rose originated the idea for a statewide accommodations tax (A-TAX) to boost both tourism and the arts, and with the help of Beaufort legislator Harriett Keyserling it became state law. A-TAX has since aided the launch such tourism attractions as the Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival, the Coastal Discovery Museum, and Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park as well as helped keep the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and Arts Center of Coastal Carolina afloat. In recent years Hilton Head Island has become one of the most celebrated vacation destinations in the United States. In November 2018, USCB opened its Hospitality Campus on the island.

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Hotspots & LANDMARKS

1. LOWCOUNTRY CELEBRATION PARK: An attraction for all ages, the park

includes walking trails, a boardwalk and The Sandbox Children’s Museum. A main attraction is the large, reimagined Adventure Playground Ship.

2. COLIGNY PLAZA: Check out the shops and events at Coligny Plaza. There is always something to enjoy, including live music, movies and delicious food and drinks. 3. SHELTER COVE TOWNE CENTRE:

Shop, dine and have fun enjoying concerts and movies. The center’s park is perfect for picnics and views of the water.

4. HISTORIC MITCHELVILLE FREEDOM PARK: Exhibits and self-guided

tours make a visit memorable. The parks tells the rich history of Mitchelville and its connection to the Gullah culture.

5. CHAPLIN COMMUNITY PARK:

Stay active at the park that is a prime spot for basketball and tennis and access to the beach. Let the dogs loose at the dog-friendly park.

6. FORT HOWELL: A history lesson is

steps away. A new walkway gives visitors better access to learn about the Civil War. The new paths lead halfway around the fort, giving visitors a view of the “approaching enemy.”

7. HARBOUR TOWN: Dining, golf,

shopping, watersports and boating — and the famous Harbour Town Lighthouse — all are offered here. 5

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Bluffton Historic District

Calhou n

Prit ch

St.

ard St.

the promenade

whar f St .

Heyw ard St.

May River Rd.

heyward house the Oyster Factory

church of the cross

public boat dock

pritchard pocket park

the may river

bluffton south carolina

Alljoy>

IICITY GUIDEII

SMALL TOWN BIG REPUTATION

by the numbers POPULATION 27,716

SQUARE MILES 54.65

BUSINESSES 3,325 Bluffton is booming. The town has grown from one square mile when it was first incorporated to 54 square miles today. The town’s development exploded, bringing business and families to the Lowcountry — and it gave Bluffton its own identity. The growth continues and makes Bluffton one of the prime destinations in the South. There are shopping centers along U.S. 278, schools and athletic fields along McCracken Circle and dining and entertainment keep Calhoun Street and the Promenade vibrant. The restaurants offer an eclectic mix of options, from fresh seafood to pub fare. The town serves some of the freshest dishes in the Lowcountry. Old Town is still the place to explore. A unique spot for a variety of experiences, Old Town features artisan shops, art galleries and fantastic eateries. Old Town also includes the pre-Civil War Church of the Cross and the antebellum Heyward House. Bluffton’s reputation is growing with its population. Consider some of its recent accolades: Safest city in South Carolina; Best city to raise a family in South Carolina; and ranked among the South’s best small towns. The town is known for its iconic Bluffton Oyster Company, one of the last operating oyster factories on the East Coast and Palmetto Bluff, a community that boasts five-star Montage Palmetto Bluff and protected wilderness overlooking the May River. Even though Bluffton is growing, it is still a small town, with a neighborly feel. You’ll know your neighbors. You’ll enjoy their company and enjoy peace of mind. Living in Bluffton means living in great weather, and there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy. Parks host festivals, events, and public gatherings in every season. During the summer, weekends are often spent at the May River sandbar, enjoying a picnic at Oyster Factory Park or kayaking. Bluffton has big shopping, dining and entertainment with a smalltown feel. The town has year-round adventures and award-winning accommodations. The Bluffton state of mind is real, and we love it.

AGE Median Age: 37.5 Over 65: 15.7%

RACE White: 81.5% Black: 7.4% Hispanic: 16.8% Asian: 2.1%

INCOME Per Capita: $38,778 Median household: $82,481 Below poverty level: 3.9%

EDUCATION High school diploma: 94.7% College degree: 45.8%

HOUSING Median Rent: $1,747 Median Home Value: $290,800

NEW BUILDING PERMITS Residential (Jan. 1-June 30 2021): 495 Residential (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2020): 749 Commercial (Jan. 1-June 30, 2021): 19 Commercial (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2020): 15 Sources: U.S. Census, town of Bluffton, DataUSA (Median Age)

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BLUFFTON’S

MAYOR A WORD WITH LISA SULKA PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

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IICITY GUIDEII

Lisa Sulka was elected mayor of the Town of Bluffton in 2008. She is on the Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton’s Advisory Board and is Honorary Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the Heritage Classic Foundation. Sulka answers questions from Monthly about upcoming projects in the town and her favorite spots in Bluffton to relax. The responses have been edited for length and clarity.

1. What is an upcoming development project in Bluffton that you are most excited about and why?

One of the most anticipated projects in the Town’s Capital Improvement Program is the New Riverside Park and Barn. This is the first town-park in the fastest growing area of Bluffton. The Town purchased the 37-arce parcel from Palmetto Bluff in December 2018, and it is zoned for a “passive park.” This will be a place for neighbors to gather and events to be hosted.

2. Do you have a personal favorite place in Bluffton to relax or enjoy activities?

My favorite places in Bluffton are inside my kayak in the tidal creek between Palmetto Bluff and the Calhoun Street Regional Dock or in my golf cart with my husband, John, and my dogs, Doc and Poo, watching the sunset at the Wright Family Park.

3. The Don Ryan Center for Innovation opened at Buckwalter Place in the past year. Why do you think the Don Ryan Center benefits Bluffton and the Lowcountry region?

The DRCI, equipped with the latest office technology, is available to regional innovators. Since 2012, it has been a leader in regional economic development and is an incubator of local innovators. The HEROES Program is the newest program within the Center. The program is designed to support businesses owned by first responders or former/active military personnel. The DRCI is still a resource hub for local companies which have been affected by the global pandemic. I invite any business owner to call the Center and inquire how its staff members can be of service.

4. Are there any aspects of Bluffton that visitors may not be aware that are worth exploring?

Bluffton is a treasure trove of personalities and places. The Garvin-Garvey House, located in Oyster Factory Park, is the house of a freedman and his family. This house represents the incredible story of Cyrus Garvin who reinvented himself after being formerly enslaved. The Town will soon begin rehabilitating the Squire Pope Carriage House, located at the Wright Family Park. The Sarah Riley Hooks Cottage is also on the Town’s radar as another rehabilitation project. If you want to meet a living legend of Bluffton, I recommend visiting “The Store” on Calhoun Street and chatting with its owner, Babbie Guscio. She is full of Bluffton ‘lore.

5. How do you envision Bluffton’s growth in the next five years? What are some of the town’s main goals?

Bluffton is poised to continue to grow in the next five years. Currently, the Town is about 76% built-out in residential communities and 38% built-out in business centers. Town Council has its eye on economic development, workforce housing, environmental protection, and public safety. Bluffton and our region can’t have economic prosperity without affordable housing for employees. Our residents and guests can’t enjoy water-based recreation and delicious seafood without environmental protections. Our historic preservation is what makes Bluffton unique; however, preservation is not always an easy process. Bluffton residents, leaders and staff members want to continue riding this wave of success and we need the community’s support in all the above issues and your awareness that issues work together like puzzle pieces.

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Q&A WITH BLUFFTON TOWN MANAGER: STEPHEN STEESE BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

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IICITY GUIDEII

Stephen Steese has served as manager of the Town of Bluffton since June. Steese, who previously served as Easley’s city manager, has more than 18 years of experience in local government.

1. What’s Easley like and how did it prepare you for Bluffton? It’s in the foothills between Greenville and

3. What are your favorite spots so far?

2. As a fellow Clemson die-hard, Mayor Sulka must have been very welcoming.

4. How do you take your oysters?

Clemson, so it’s still close to a high tourism area. On game days it gets pretty hectic. And similarly, we had a lot of growth, homes under construction and economic development.

It gave us something in common, definitely. That’s where my undergraduate and graduate degrees come from, and I grew up a fan, so it’s hard not to root for them. At least in football.

Wright Family Park right there. It’s a great place to watch the sunset. I haven’t been able to explore much outside of Bluffton. My family followed me down here three weeks ago so it’s been busy, but we’re looking forward to exploring the whole area.

I gotta have ‘em cooked. Steamed, fried… raw is a little too much for me. I don’t fault people for eating them raw, though. Everyone has their own way.

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IICITY GUIDEII

Beautiful HISTORIC BLUFFTON

The historic Church of the Cross was built in Bluffton in 1854.

BY EDWARD THOMAS

Bluffton is known as one of the fastest-growing municipalities in South Carolina — more than 146% growth in the past decade. But it wasn’t always this way. Here is a brief overview of its history to provide some perspective.

The Earliest Days

Two key individuals to be remembered when speaking of Bluffton’s beginnings are Sir John Colleton and James B. Kirk. Sir John left the British Isles for Barbados to seek his fortune, but in 1663 when King Charles II was restored to the throne, he and seven other pals of the king were granted a vast stretch of land in America called “Carolina.” It included all the territory between Virginia and the lands around the Savannah River (then under the control of Indian tribes and the Spanish). Colleton arrived by sailing ship to Charles Town (now Charleston). James B. Kirk showed up 120 years after Colleton, as the overseer of the cotton fields still owned by the Colleton family south of the Broad River which bisects Beaufort County. At age 27 he purchased the fields from Colleton’s great granddaughter — Louisa Caroline Graves. Then, with his new 14-year old wife, Mary Baldwin, built a large house overlooking the May River near today’s Calhoun Street where they reared 16 children. 72 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

Kirk also built a school in 1823 and hired tutors from England. He helped buy up a one square mile tract of land near his home which he platted and sub-divided into lots and streets. The original square-mile town was initially known as Kirk’s Bluff but was later changed to Bluffton.

Incorporated and Burned Down

The Town of Bluffton was officially incorporated in 1852 by the South Carolina General Assembly. Excessive Federal tariffs on cotton and other local cash crops intended for international trade negatively impacted plantation owners in southern Beaufort County who launched a protest called “The Bluffton Movement.” This uprising eventually led to South Carolina seceding from the United States, forming the Confederacy. When the Union Army invaded South Carolina, the town (with the exception of two churches and some residences) was burned to the ground on June 4, 1863. Progress stood at a standstill in Bluffton for more than 80 years as the town tried to economically re-establish itself. In the 1980s the original one-square-mile town with approximately 700 residents was quaint, but poor. The town was designated a National Register Historic District

in 1996, but most of its revenue was generated in traffic fines from drivers speeding from the Savannah Airport to Hilton Head Island.

Annexation Proves Dynamic

In 1998 Bluffton’s 80-year old mayor Theodore Washington was trying to meet expenses when a sudden solution came to mind called annexation, which is legal in South Carolina if a certain percentage of landowners in unincorporated land agree. There were 19,500 acres available from Union Camp Corporation. Things moved fast, with dozens of annexations including the Buckwalter Tract and several other tracts totaling 32,000 acres. Today, Bluffton is the state’s fifth-largest municipality with its population growing at a rate of 9.52% annually over the past decade from 12,350 in 2010 to 27,716 in 2021.

Present Day Progress

Oyster shuckers at Bluffton’s Varn & Platt Canning Co., photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine, February, 1913.

Current mayor Lisa Sulka has served Bluffton for 17 years, first as a town council member and then mayor since 2008. Major achievements over the past decade have included creation of the Don Ryan Center for Innovation in 2012; sanitary sewer for the Buck Island-Simmonsville community; plus several historic preservation projects and dramatically enhancing the Town’s footprint of public parks, open spaces and amenities. In five of the past eight years the Municipal Association of South Carolina has honored Bluffton with its “Achievement Award.”

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IICITY GUIDEII

Hotspots & LANDMARKS

1. WRIGHT FAMILY PARK It hasn’t taken long for this public park to become a town favorite. Features a large central lawn, walkways, landscaping and views of the May River.

2. VETERANS MEMORIAL Located within Buckwalter Place, it features walls displaying the emblems of the six military branches. It hosted its first Memorial Day ceremony this year. 2

3. HEYWARD HOUSE Built as a summer home for a local plantation owner in 1841, the Cole-Heyward House is one of only eight antebellum houses remaining in Bluffton.

4. MAY RIVER SANDBAR Often cited as the place to go to in Bluffton, the sandbar is a great spot to enjoy a picnic, swim or watch the boats and kayakers.

5. GARVIN-GARVEY HOUSE: The renovation of the Garvin-Garvey House was recognized with a statewide award. The building was constructed during the Reconstruction Era and is the last freedman’s cottage on the May River.

6. NEW RIVER LINEAR TRAIL The 5.1-mile rails-to-trails route offers great scenery and an opportunity to see forest birds, notably migrating warblers. 5

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IICITY GUIDEII

dau

fuskie island

A WORLD APART BY JUSTIN JARRETT PHOTO COURTESY OF HAIG POINT

Just a couple of miles across Calibogue Sound from Harbour Town lies Daufuskie Island, a small, largely undeveloped barrier island. A 45-minute ferry ride up the Intracoastal Waterway whisks visitors back in time when, depositing them on Daufuskie — accessible only by boat — and a world away from the trappings of modern-day life. Daufuskie, steeped in history and drenched in natural beauty, is divided into two distinct worlds — the private Haig Point community, where cars are prohibited and residents access top-notch amenities by golf cart or bicycle, and the rest of the island, virtually undisturbed for decades. Native American artifacts are frequently unearthed on the island’s beaches, including arrowheads and pieces of centuries-old pottery. Haig Point is mostly for members only, but the club does rent rooms in the historic Strachan Mansion and the Haig Point Lighthouse (rumored to be “eternally occupied” by Maggie, the former keeper’s daughter). A horseback ride via Daufuskie Island Trail Rides, one of the few places in the country where you can still ride horses on the beach, is always a unique experience. Living here also means a chance to play a round on the club’s renowned Rees Jones signature golf course. On weekends during the summer, Freeport is the place to be: It’s where visitors hop off the ferry and gather to eat and drink at the Old Daufuskie Crab Company, dance the day away to live music, play cornhole, and hit the public beach that looks across Calibogue Sound toward Hilton Head. The area near the marina is something of a town center, with a

general store, a few cottages for rent, and a handful of shops. The main mode of transportation is via a golf cart or bike — which are perfect to explore the island. And there’s plenty to explore along Daufuskie’s dirt roads. A number of unique galleries dot the island. Most notable among them is the Iron Fish Gallery, where Daufuskie Island resident Chase Allen — who has sold more than $1 million worth of art — produces metalworks in an open-air studio and accepts payments on the honor system when he isn’t present at the gallery. Daufuskie is a haven for art lovers, inlcluding Daufuskie Blues — located in the famed Mary Fields School, where author Pat Conroy taught in the 1960s — where organic indigo harvested on the island is used to create stunning and unique fashions. The school is also home to School Grounds Coffee, but if you are looking for something a little stronger the island will oblige. Silver Dew Winery is a great spot for a tasting. There’s the museum inside the old Bloody Point Lighthouse and Daufuskie Island Rum Company, where its locally distilled spirits have been served to visitors from every U.S. state and 64 countries. The distillery is located next to a quaint pond, where visitors sometimes enjoy a picnic lunch. If you’re not the do-it-yourself type, you can book one of a number of tours, including one led by Daufuskie native Sallie Ann Robinson, who was Conroy’s star pupil in “The Water Is Wide.” Life on Daufuskie isn’t for everyone, and its full-time residents have a saying: “We’re all here because we’re not all there.”

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IICITY GUIDEII

Fins Up! Fitness Center at Latitude Margaritaville

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har

deeville

CITY AMONG FASTEST GROWING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

by the numbers POPULATION 7,473

SQUARE MILES BY ANTHONY DAVID | PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

The City of Hardeeville, founded in 1911, is among the fastest-growing cities in the Lowcountry. Its population estimate grew 120 percent from 2010-2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The city’s population is expected to surpass 30,000 people in the next 10 years, officials say. It now encompasses 56 square miles and continues to grow. Hardeeville’s growth offers visitors an opportunity to experience a multitude of activities. The city features the Richard Gray Complex, which includes a football field, dog park, basketball courts and baseball and softball fields. A new 35,000-square-foot recreation facility opened in July. The city also opened new, covered basketball courts and the Ju Ju Hutson playground. An attraction is Argent train No. 7, which was donated to the city after the closing of Argent Lumber Company. The wood-burning steam locomotive was built around 1910. The Hardeeville area is also home to the Savannah Wildlife Refuge, which consists of 31,551 acres of freshwater marshes, tidal creeks and bottomland hardwoods. Sergeant Jasper Park offers 132 acres of trails, fishing lakes and is home to a disc golf course. I-95’s Exit 5 and Exit 8 also offer hotels, restaurants and businesses and are gateways to the Lowcountry region. Hardeeville, with its proximity to Savannah and Hilton Head, is attracting businesses and developers. The city is home to 55-and-older communities Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head, Sun City, and Riverton Pointe. City officials are forecasting several new jobs coming to the area associated with various industrial and commercial business opportunities in and around the city.

BUSINESSES 930

AGE Median Age: 57.1 Over 65: 35.6%

RACE White: 77.2% Black: 16.3% Hispanic: 11.8% Asian: 0.4%

INCOME Per capita: $41,535 Median household: $68,365 Below poverty level: 12.4%

EDUCATION High school diploma: 91.3% College degree: 38.4%

HOUSING Median Rent: $1,227 Median Home Value: $336,000

NEW BUILDING PERMITS Residential (Jan. 1-June 30, 2021): 571 Residential (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2020): 1,017 Commercial (Jan. 1-June 30, 2021): 30 Commercial (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2020): 103 Sources: U.S. Census, city of Hardeeville, DataUSA (Median Age)

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Harry Williams has been mayor of the City of Hardeeville since 2016. He is chairman of the Southern Low Country advisory board. He answers questions from Monthly about the new recreation center and Hardeeville’s future growth. The responses have been edited for length and clarity. 1. What is an upcoming development project in the city that you are most excited about and why?

The southern end of our city has begun a significant transformation with the construction of warehousing in the River Port district. This is the district that will be home to the new Exit 3 interchange off I-95. This is important because it brings new and higher wage jobs and new revenue streams for the schools, the county and the city.

2. The new recreation center debuted this summer. Why do you think the center will benefit the Lowcountry region?

The new Center opened on July 31 and 1,000 people visited. People from throughout the city and the region came together and this is one of the core objectives — to join our diverse community in good fellowship.

3. Are there any aspects of Hardeeville that visitors may not be aware of that are worth exploring?

Hardeeville is still a work in progress. Over the next few years, we will develop the 1,330 Conservation Easement in the East Argent district as a passive recreation destination center. Along with the Rec Center and nearby Jasper County’s Sergeant Jasper Park, Hardeeville will one day have a diverse tourism portfolio. Also, in December 2021 Hardeeville will be home to the National Half Marathon Championship and we hope that will become a yearly event.

4. How do you envision Hardeeville’s future growth in five years? What are some of the city’s main goals?

HARDEEVILLE’S

MAYOR A WORD WITH HARRY WILLIAMS PHOTO SUPPLIED

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Hardeeville will be a vastly different place in five years. Five million square feet of warehousing/light industry will be built and new commerce will dot the landscape. Our challenges will be to revitalize our main corridor known as Whyte Hardee Boulevard, plan this explosive growth responsibly, and protect our natural environment.

5. Do you have a personal favorite place in Hardeeville to relax or enjoy activities?

I live in Sun City, which is a great community to enjoy activities with people my age, including my mediocre golf game. But I enjoy the communal events with people of the South whose culture is different from my northern upbringing. I enjoy meeting our local business owners like the new Larry and Ella’s Kitchen and Rick Patel, one of our leading small business owners. It is a daily education of a different culture and I enjoy that most of all.

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Michael Czymbor has been manager of the City of Hardeeville since 2015. Czymbor has more than 30 years of experience in local government. 1. What are Hardeeville’s biggest issues?

Our biggest issue is growth and development. Over the last six to seven years, this has been one of the fastestgrowing cities in South Carolina. With 56 square miles and 15 different planned development district agreements, it’s a lot of activity.

2. What’s your favorite spot in Hardeeville to unwind?

Our new rec center is going to be, as I start getting back into a regular exercise regimen. It’s a $9.6 million, 40,000square-foot facility with an astronomical workout facility, walking track, meeting rooms, and a college-sized gym. That’s going to be my go-to for getting my body and mind well.

3. You’re the pitcher for the City of Hardeeville softball team. How’s your fastball?

Q&A WITH HARDEEVILLE CITY MANAGER: MICHAEL CZYMBOR

It’s all slow pitch. And it’s getting harder because they keep moving the mound back. It started at 45 feet, then 50, now 55 feet… it’s a challenge, but I love it.

4. What project do you see being your legacy project when your time is over here?

Exit 3 (off I-95). They city’s been working on it for 12 years. It’s an integral part of the River Port. There’s 6,000 acres of development and right in the middle is exit three. Our legacy is hopefully completing that project, which hopefully will be a $60-million project. On the list of other things, that would be something I’d be most proud of.

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

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LIBRARY

learning BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY OFFERS TOOLS FOR SUCCESS BY TRACI COX

The sun is setting on another beautiful summer, and the time has come for students to swap beach hats for thinking caps. With the new school year underway, students and parents may be looking for help to ensure good grades and a successful school year. Some may be surprised by what exists within the library’s online resources. From live, online tutoring seven days a week to eBooks that read aloud to your beginning reader, here are a few tools available at the Beaufort County Library. DISCUS DISCUS is a hub that includes dozens of resources such as Learning Express Library, Tutor.com, Ferguson’s Career

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Guidance Center, and Opposing Viewpoints. All DISCUS resources allow users to safely search for information without sifting through ads and non-educational results found in search engines. If you are prompted for a login, contact the library (beaufortcountylibrary.org/contact-us). Start your search at beaufortcountylibrary.org/discus. DISCUS is a service of the South Carolina State Library. LEARNING EXPRESS LIBRARY This resource is chock full of test-preparation tools and skill-building materials for elementary school students through adults. Users will find practice tests for the following exams: ACT, SAT, GED, GRE, LSAT, TOEFL iBT, Praxis, real estate,

civil service, law enforcement, cosmetology, CDL, and more. If you know someone who is gearing up to take a test in the future, consider sharing this information with them – they’ll thank you later. Visit beaufortcountylibrary.org/learningexpresslibrary TUTOR.COM This online resource connects students of all ages with expert tutors and career coaches in more than 80 subjects and test prep areas. Students work one-to-one with a tutor in an online classroom on a specific problem until it’s done. Everything happens online. Tutors are available between 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Log in with your Beaufort County Library card number. Get started at beaufortcountylibrary.org/tutor. FERGUSON’S CAREER GUIDANCE CENTER Parents of teens may especially appreciate this resource. Ferguson’s is a useful tool for those looking to explore careers and plan their education. If your teen is interested in becoming, for example, a Computer and Video Game Designer, this resource will provide information about this job’s annual median salary ($85,270), the minimum education required to obtain this position (Bachelor’s Degree), core duties (create stories, characters, dialogue, graphics, sound effects), in addition to information on common personality traits of those in the field, the work environment, and job outlook. This is located within the DISCUS suite of databases found on the library system’s website. HOOPLA READ-ALONGS, EBOOKS, AND AUDIOBOOKS If you have a youngster who is learning to read, Hoopla Digital offers thousands of “Read-Along” eBooks featuring their favorite characters (think Frozen, Pete the Cat, Black Panther, Star Wars and Spider-Man). While your reader follows along, a narrator reads aloud the words while they are simultaneously highlighted on each page. Check out the collection at hoopladigital.com. Hoopla also offers thousands of eBooks, comic books, graphic novels, and audiobooks for all ages. FLIPSTER DIGITAL MAGAZINES Kid-favorite magazines such as Highlights, National Geographic Kids, and Ranger Rick are available in an easy to read, digital format. To access, download the Flipster app and log in with your Beaufort County Library card number. All resources are free and accessible from the comfort of home. All that’s needed for access is a Beaufort County Library card. Cards are free to all Beaufort County residents ages 4 and older. To explore even more resources or apply for a library card, visit beaufortcountylibrary.org.

Traci Cox is Marketing and Communications Manager of the Beaufort County Library.

Stay connected in the Lowcountry wherever you go!

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LOWCOUNTRY

Living If you live in the Lowcountry year-round, chances are your friends who live elsewhere are jealous. This area’s beautiful beaches, world-class resorts and wide selection of restaurants, shopping and activities make the the Lowcountry a top vacation destination, and a great place to call home. Here are some of the premiere communities that make up the Lowcountry.

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BERKELEY HALL

ACCOLADES: Five Star Platinum Club Distinguished Club Designation America’s Healthiest Club Best Residential Courses North & South Course - Golfweek Top 100 Golf Communities Travel + Leisure Top 100 Premiere Properties Links Magazine

AMENITIES: Two Tom Fazio Signature Golf Courses Premier Golf Learning Center Men’s and Women’s Locker Rooms Jeffersonian-style Clubhouse Casual & Fine Dining Venues Day Spa & Fitness Center Indoor & Outdoor Pools Racquet Sports / Pickleball Courts Dog Park River Park Community Dock & Outdoor Pavilion Site of 2021 U.S. Women’s Mid Am Championship

Resting on the banks of the Okatie River, the private golf community of Berkeley Hall offers warm, relaxed Lowcountry living with the grandeur and amenities similar to a luxury resort. Not only is Berkeley Hall one of the premier South Carolina golf communities, it’s one of the only residential communities with two Tom Fazio-designed core golf courses, not to mention what might be the best golf learning center in the Southeast. Beyond the Fazio golf courses, the club experience includes a myriad of indoor and outdoor offerings designed for the entire family. And while the amenities are plentiful, Berkeley Hall remains the lowest density private club in the Southeast with an average of 5.3 homesites per hole. Berkeley Hall’s growing community offers the opportunity to discover the home ideally suited for your family and lifestyle. Inspired by distinct Lowcountry architecture and expertly crafted by custom builders, Berkeley Hall homes range from grand estates to intimate cottages and new custom homes, all designed to take in the beauty of its natural setting and open to golf course, parkland and waterfront views. With $5.5 million in new amenities underway, Berkeley Hall has embarked on Phase I of the private community’s master plan, featuring a reimagined Clubhouse, four-seasons veranda with expanded outdoor dining, dining venue renovation, and refinements that reflect a new casual, Lowcountry design. Members enjoy a casual lifestyle centered around a range of social events, culinary excellence, fitness center & day spa, racquet sports, greenway trails, and of course, world class golf. For many, it’s all the aspects of the outdoors, from kayaking to morning rounds of golf and evening sunsets. The beauty of Berkeley Hall’s riverside setting, as well as the ease to create new friendships, draws members from across the country to experience all the Club has to offer. You’re invited to visit Berkeley Hall and discover its gracious amenities and inviting lifestyle, where the dreams are exclusively yours.

BERKELEY HALL CLUB 366 Good Hope Road, Bluffton SC 29909 843.815.8423 // Golf 843.815.8444 // berkeleyhallclub.com

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LINKING DREAMS TO TECHNOLOGY ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN HOME-TECH TRENDS BY TIM WOOD If you can dream it, it can be built. It sounds like a marketing slogan. But when it comes to smart home technology, what once felt more like fictional thinking out of a movie is becoming both doable and affordable. “There really isn’t much we can’t do nowadays,” said Sean Stewart, sales marketing manager for Custom Audio Video. “When the concept of a smart home first hit the market, every part of the house was its own silo. Lighting, HVAC, shades, TVs, home audio, it was all controlled separately, but we are able to fully automate the smart home experience now with one touch of a button or a touch pad.” Stewart said automation and the increased need for top-level home networks have been the top trends his company has been focused on to start 2021.

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“So, you have more folks working from home, you have had kids doing school from home, now the major movies are being shown on streaming networks first. It’s more important than ever to have the proper network configuration,” Stewart said. He said that as much as we’d all like to blame the Internet providers, the real culprit for slow network speeds is most often the home network setup. “Whether it’s an inferior modem or a router not positioned centrally in bigger houses, that’s the real issue,” Stewart said. “Coverage is key. And the more electronics we can get plugged in with Ethernet and off the wireless network, the more bandwidth the devices that actually need it will have. A strong robust network with a combination of wired and wireless access points is the solution most every time.”

IF YOU DREAM IT, WE CAN BUILD IT.

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Automated shades are also in high demand around the Lowcountry. Kim Klejka, marketing coordinator for Budget Blinds of the Lowcountry, said the trend is being fueled by advancements in both motorization and in full-home automation tech, as well as by the affordability of the home upgrade. “It certainly was more of a luxury option in the past, but we have some high-end models at very affordable price points now,” Klejka said. “Folks are home more than ever over the last year, so the demand is driving both innovation and a mainstreaming of the products. We see more and more folks surprised at how much they can automate for their budget these days.” Budget Blinds’ Smart Home Collection is an exclusive collection. Klejka said one emerging product trend around the Lowcountry is motorized skylights. “The need for that crank to open and close those lights is a thing of the past,” she said. “It’s one of those, ‘I wish they had this’ concepts that we’ve worked on with our manufacturers to make it a reality.” The COVID pandemic has spurred on a rise in home health tech. Video doorbells like the Ettie Smart Video Doorbell also take the temperature of guests trying to enter your home. Touchless doorbells are also available that set off a noise when potential visitors step within view, minimizing the potential spread of germs and bacteria. Tony Serrato, owner of Lowcountry Electronics, has seen more and more residential customers looking for the tech to make managing the video doorbells all the more simple. “More home insurance companies are recommending the video cameras overlooking pools, due to many gated communities not allowing fences around pools,” he said. “We now have the automation ability so your TV automatically changes input to show the view of the camera or the video doorbell when it senses activity.” Serrato, a longtime resident and former Beaufort County deputy sheriff, has owned

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Xxxxxx

HOW CAN I HELP?

his own company with his wife, Ruth, for the past 13 years. He said that he’s never seen such a wave of innovation that gets all the simplest tasks at home done with one push of a button. “Technology like Z-Wave, it’s created the ability to link so many different concepts,” Serrato said. “We can set up scenes on an automation hub now, which will do a number of different tasks at once. For example, as you pull into your driveway, you use the hub app on your smartphone to turn on the lights, unlock the door, preheat the oven, turn on the pool pump, and set the proper room temperature instantly.” Serrato has been installing more and more systems where pushing a button or touching a screen isn’t even necessary. “There are proximity detectors that fit on your key ring that are linked to your Wi-Fi home network, so your network will detect the signal and start that scene automatically,” he said. “The possibilities are truly endless to create more and more simplicity with this technology. When you’ve had a long day

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MONITOR YOUR HOME FROM ANYWHERE

and your brain is tired, buying back those five minutes of remembering and doing all those tasks, it can mean everything in the moment.” Stewart and Serrato said they are getting more requests for frame TVs, flat screens made to look like framed art that actually display art when you’re not watching your shows. “That’s been picking up for sure, and so has wall TVs,” Serrato said. “I did a man cave recently where we mounted six different monitors together, so they could either display six different channels or link multiple screens together to show up to a 100-inch size picture.” Serrato said delivering on customers’ wildest tech wish lists is the coolest part of his work. “You link the dreams with the technology, and many times, these are homes I don’t want to leave,” he said. “The best part of it is the tech is becoming so affordable, these kinds of tech setups are more and more possible for any sized wallet. We’ve come so far in the last 10 years, it’s a fun time to be in our industry.

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MARKET ‘FRENZY’ COOLING SCARCE INVENTORY EXPECTED TO SHAPE FUTURE OF HOME SALES

BY MARK E. LETT

As a veteran real estate pro and farmer, James Wedgeworth knows this to be true: “You can’t sell from an empty wagon.” Which is his way of saying scarce inventory will shape the market for home sales — nationally and in Hilton Head — in the months ahead. “It’s about a lack of inventory,” said Wedgeworth, co-founder of Charter One Realty and Marketing, noting that the number of homes available for sale has declined monthly for most of this year. Real estate sales have been red-hot for a year as buyers and sellers nationwide got busy in the aftermath of the pandemic’s early days of lockdowns, stay-at-home orders and quarantines. The frenzy triggered higher prices as multiple buyers descended on a dwindling supply of homes

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for sale. With prices climbing at a fastest-ever rate, words like “crazy” and “insane” were commonly used to describe the superheated housing market. Now national market watchers and real estate experts say the wild ride is downshifting as families wind up summer vacations, kids prepare to return to school and more workers return to workplaces. Mortgage rates remain low, but concerns about prices, inflation and a Covid comeback are causing some potential buyers to pause. “Buyers are still interested and want to own a home, but record-high home prices are causing some to retreat,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. The past year has been “emotional” for buyers, sellers and real estate sales professionals, said Jean

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Beck, chief executive of the 1,500-member Hilton Head Area Realtors. Buying a house has been highly competitive. Some houses drew dozens of offers within a matter of days, with intense bidding often driving closing prices well above asking prices. Getting hopes up, then dashed, generated disappointment and shopping fatigue. “It’s emotional for everybody,” Beck said. Scant inventory was the story of the summer in Hilton Head. In June, for example, 150 detached homes were available for sale – 67 percent fewer than the 459 available in June 2020. In July, detached homes available for sale in Hilton Head declined 61 percent from the yearearlier month, 153 to 394. The condo and villa market was similarly tight, with 155 units available in June – a 54.8 percent decline from the 343 in the year-earlier month. Condos and villas available for sale in Hilton Head in July declined 49 percent from a year earlier, 160 to 315. Chip Collins, broker in charge and owner of Collins Group Realty, said he expects the Hilton Head market to remain active, even as home sales slow nationally. The “frenzy” is abating, Collins said, “not that the market has gone cold. It’s just cooling off from the insane boiling point.” “I’m seeing and sensing and hearing from friends and peers that the bidding-war mania is subsiding,” he said. At least four trends are enduring in the Hilton Head market, according to local real estate authorities: a preference to work from home; strong interest from buyers in Northeast states; the Lowcountry’s growing appeal to buyers from other parts of the country, and an increasing number of adult children hoping to live near parents retired in the Hilton Head-Bluffton-Beaufort market. “I see it every day,” said Wedgeworth, a real estate sales veteran of more than 39 years. “Some ask themselves whether they want to sit in an apartment in New York City or on the beach in Hilton Head. Others want to work from home in our kind of setting. “In addition, the kids are moving here to be with

parents who came here first.” Collins, an Ohio native who relocated to Hilton Head more than a quarter-century ago, said the area is drawing increased interest from around the nation. “We have represented buyers this year from 26 states,” he said, adding that his firm handled customers from 31 states in 2020. “The joke used to be that everybody came from Ohio,” he said.

JULY SALES TAKEAWAY

For the overall market – Hilton Head, Bluffton and much of the surrounding area – closed sales in July declined from the year-earlier month by 17.2 percent, 610 to 737. Compared with July 2020, July sales data reported by the Hilton Head Realtors Association showed: • The days on market fell 37.3 percent, to 89 days; • Median sales price increased to $447,983, compared with $360,0000; • The percent of list price received reached 99.7 percent, compared with 97.2 percent. • Inventory of homes for sales dipped 59.2 percent, to 704 from 1,726.

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CLARK

STANSFIELD

DICKSON

KELLY

LOCKETTE

SIMPSON

CASTRO

DRAKE

COLLINS GROUP REALTY WELCOMES LISTINGS COORDINATOR Cameron Clark has joined Collins Group Realty as listings coordinator. He will provide comprehensive support and assistance to CGR’s listings team in the processing and logistics of properties listed in the Lowcountry. Clark is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. He previously worked as House of Representatives page at the South Carolina Statehouse. CENTURY 21 DIAMOND REALTY ADDS AN AGENT Stephen Stansfield has joined Century 21 Diamond Realty as an agent. Stansfield has lived in the area since 2002. An accomplished musician, he has performed throughout the Lowcountry. He is the father of two school-aged children. WEICHERT REALTORS WELCOMES FOUR AGENTS Bob Dickson, Lou Ann Kelly, Natasha Simpson, and Christie Lockette have joined the team at Weichert Realtors. Dickson will work out of the Bluffton office. He was formerly a CFO and a CPA. Dickson also writes a weekly newsletter, “Real Estate SmartBrief,” to keep his contacts informed about happenings in the real estate markets, nationally and in the Beaufort County/Hilton Head and Bluffton areas. Kelly, who will work out of the Sun City/Okatie office, began her real estate career as an agent in New Jersey. She became a Circle of Excellence sales associate. Kelly and her husband also owned and operated a commercial photography studio in New Jersey.

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Simpson will work out of the Savannah office. She has been an active member of the Savannah community for more than two years. Lockette, who will work out of the Savannah office, bought her first home at age 22, and understands the advantages of leveraging real estate has identified her true purpose. MOUL, REALTORS WELCOMES TWO AGENTS Chris Castro and Makayla Drake have joined Moul, Realtors as agents. Castro has a work ethic that has been passed down from generations. He is fluent in Spanish. Drake is a second-generation real estate agent. KELLER WILLIAMS ADDS SEVEN AGENTS Calynn Altizer, Susan Sweet, Elizabeth Porter, Scott Croye, Kayce Brawner, Raleigh Mecklin and Makayla Boles have joined Keller Williams Realty Lowcountry at its Hilton Head office. BAY STREET REALTY GROUP ADDS ASSOCIATE BROKER Hays McDaniel has been hired as an associate broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group in their South Carolina offices. Hays recently graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is a Beaufort native. SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF CONSUMERS SAY IT’S A GOOD TIME TO SELL NATIONWIDE The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index decreased 3.9 points to 75.8 in July, as consumers

continue to report concerns related to high home prices and a lack of homes for sale, according to Fannie Mae housing survey. On the buy side, 66 percent of respondents said it’s a bad time to buy a home, up from 64 percent last month. On the sell side, 75 percent of respondents said it’s a good time to sell, down slightly from 77 percent last month, the report said. “Two of the segments perhaps best positioned to purchase — consumers aged 35-44 and those with middle-to-higher income levels — have indicated even more pessimism than other groups,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. HILTON HEAD ISLAND-BLUFFTON HAS 10TH LARGEST RENTER WAGE GAP A Smartest Dollar study that looks at the renter wage gap—or the gap between renters’ actual (estimated) wages and the wages they need to make in order to afford the median rent for a one-bedroom rental where they live—shows the hourly wage needed to afford a one-bedroom rental in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton area is $21.15, but the estimated hourly wage for renters in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton is $11.16. The study said, out of all small U.S. metros, the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton area has the 10th largest renter wage gap (-47.3%). The Smartest Dollar analyzed data from HUD, the BLS and the U.S. Census Bureau. Santa CruzWatsonville, California ranked at the top of the list.

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Richard MacDonald & Associates CHARTER ONE REALTY

Long time realtor Richard MacDonald and Joey Doyle have enjoyed another very successful year together. Richard’s wealth of knowledge and Joey’s natural people skills have helped create the perfect team. Richard is a dedicated professional with over 41 years of real estate experience here on Hilton Head Island and Bluffton. Richard and his wife Janet are true South Carolina Natives and raised all three sons here. Their family continues to grow with two grandchildren as well. Richard and Janet are members of the Hilton Head Presbyterian Church where Richard serves as an Elder and Janet serves on the Women’s Ministry team. Joey has just finished five full years in real estate with Charter One Realty and Richard MacDonald & Associates. Joey has proven that she is dedicated to serving clients with the utmost professionalism and personalized customer service and continues her success at Charter One Realty. Joey is originally from Oklahoma but has called the Lowcountry home for over 17 years. Joey and her husband Chad live in Bluffton, which is also where her husband works. Real estate is a family affair for the Doyle’s and her husband Chad has been a real estate agent for 20 years which has helped Joey continue to grow her business year after year. When not in the office you can find her chasing around two very busy kids, Reagan and Tucker and enjoying all things Lowcountry. If you have any interest in buying or selling, please don’t hesitate to give Richard or Joey a call.

“

I AM BLESSED TO HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL PROPERTY OWNERS AND PAST CLIENTS WHICH ENABLE ME TO BEGIN MY 41ST YEAR, LISTING AND SELLING PROPERTY HERE IN THE LOWCOUNTRY. – RICHARD MACDONALD

Richard MacDonald Richard@RMacDonald.com | 843.384.8797 • Joey Doyle JoeyDoyle@CharterOneRealty.com | 843.290.5055 www.RMacDonald.com

THE FALL ISSUE IS COMING SOON! Your free guide for the best VACATIONS & RESTAURANTS. Visit us at forkandfun.com.

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A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

HAILEY NICLAUS WAS JUST 3 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE SUCCUMBED TO CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA. HER STRENGTH STILL INSPIRES. BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTOS SUPPLIED

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There is little more terrible darkness than when a parent loses a child. Those who have children know the animal instinct with which we protect our young, and the extraordinary lengths we will go to keep them safe. When that protection simply isn’t enough, when a monstrous force like childhood leukemia proves insurmountable, it can be devastating. From that darkness, Hilton Head residents Eric and Kristen Niclaus are determined to shine their late daughter Hailey’s light, and in doing so guide others. “She was so full of life,” said Kristen. “So funny, strong, mischievous… just a happy girl. Even when she was sick, we nicknamed her Happy Hailey.” Hailey Niclaus had already conquered one battle before she was even born. An ultrasound technician by trade, Kristen was scanning herself during her pregnancy with Hailey when she caught what appeared to be a mass on her daughter’s lung. It would prove to be a congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM), which Hailey would survive following extensive surgery on her lungs. And then, one day as she was rousing her then-14-month-old daughter from a nap, Kristen felt something that would change everything. “I felt a hard lump on the back of her neck,” she said. “I went to her doctors, and they said it was nothing to worry about, but I just had this gut feeling something was going on.” That gut feeling proved tragically accurate, as an MRI later proved Hailey had Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). An insidious form of the disease, AML starts in the bone marrow before spreading aggressively through the blood where it begins deteriorating everything from the nervous system to the liver. “It was sheer panic and fear,” Kristen said of receiving the diagnosis. “But from the beginning, Hailey was just a fighter.”

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Kristen and Eric Niclaus created the Hailey Niclaus Fund to help raise awarenes for childhood cancer.

An initial treatment consisted of four month-long inpatient treatment stays, at the end of which Hailey appeared to have gone into remission. Six months later, the Niclaus family was pulled back into the fight. “Her eyes started crossing and she was sleeping a lot,” said Kristen. “That was our cue that something was going on. We found out the cancer had come back and this time it was in her head. It was still AML but had traveled to her optic nerves.” Hailey underwent a bone marrow transplant and extensive hospital stays, something that proved difficult for the family that now called itself “Team Niclaus.” Not only did it mean spending time in the hospital, it meant spending time apart from older sister Brooke. “Brooke would stay in the hospital overnight with

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us sometimes, but if Hailey’s counts were low, she’d have to go. We missed a lot of Brooke’s life while she was with her grandmas,” said Kristen. “She is the most resilient, strong, amazing girl.” Despite the best medicine and treatments, and despite beating the odds in finding a perfect match on the bone marrow registry, the challenge proved too great for young Hailey. On December 6, 2014, at just 3 years of age, Hailey passed away in her home surrounded by family. “She was a baby, but she took it on like no other human being I can even imagine,” said Kristen. “The strength she had; I just can’t put into words.” During her stay at the hospital, while she waited by her daughter’s side, Kristen wrote. Partially as a way to keep friends and family informed, partially as a form of therapy, Kristen wrote post after post on a

Caring Bridge website. Now her writing has been compiled into a book, titled, “Hailey: A Dream of Hope.” “Our goal is to help one person or one family or one child going through this, so they don’t feel so alone. It’s a very lonely existence when you’re going through all of that,” said Kristen. Proceeds from the book, and special events Kristen holds throughout the Lowcountry, go to The Hailey Niclaus Fund at Hope and Heroes. Less than 4% of the annual budget of the National Institutes of Health goes to childhood cancer research, according to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a national fundraiser for childhood cancer research. “Childhood cancer is way underfunded; there’s so little money that goes toward research,” said Kristen. “More research needs to be done to keep families from going through this.” To learn more about the initiative and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, visit tinyurl.com/HaileyFund.

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IILOCAL READSII

reads locaofl the lowcountry THERE’S COMFORT IN BEING ENGAGED IN A COMPELLING BOOK. HERE ARE TITLES THAT WILL GRAB YOUR ATTENTION.

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PERFECT, ALMOST, BY SANDY BERTHELSEN

Hilton Head author Sandy (Arch) Berthelsen pens a story about a woman who moves to a small coastal town, refurbishes a home, discovers a town’s mystery, and falls in love. Berthelsen, an active Lowcountry volunteer, writes about a woman who moves away after her husband’s death. She makes new friends, and her family is accepted into the community — except for a “secretive and spying neighbor.” The woman soon learns the new town, Thelma, has more than one hidden secret. Hidden journals are found that have the “power to change everyone’s future.” Berthelsen is a board member of the Hilton Head Children’s Center, the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina and the Wexford Foundation.

TWISTED SILVER SPOONS, BY KAREN WICKS This is the debut novel for Karen Wicks, the executive director of Royal Live Oaks Academy in Hardeeville. Wicks, who has led the charter school with her husband, Les, since 2012, tells a tale of an “obsessive need for power and control” of a global empire. George is an heir who struggles to reconcile the person he could become with the “ruthless leader he is expected to be.” On his journey there is “intrigue, betrayal, and mortal danger lurking.” Twisted Silver Spoons explores the struggle of its main character searching to find his own voice. Wicks holds a doctorate from New York University and has taught in middle and high school and in college.

THE TANNERY, BY MICHAEL ALMOND Michael Almond, a retired attorney, pens a captivating historical legal thriller. The novel centers around the trial of a poor, mixed-race teenage boy accused of murdering a prominent young Jewish woman at the beginning of the Jim Crow era in North Carolina. Attorney Ben Waterman, combating the Ku Klux Klan and a relentless, ambitious prosecutor, strives to prove the boy is not the person who stabbed the woman to death. The Tannery “transports readers to another time and place” and examines political and racial turmoil during the turnof-the-century South. There are “twists and turns” that lead to the outcome of an “astonishing trial.” Almond received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a Fulbright Scholar in political science at the University of Mannheim, Germany. S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 133

BEAUTY BY BECCA EDWARDS | PHOTOS BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

“Hanging out”

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MEET COVER ARTIST DAVID RANDALL. HIS WORK COMES ALIVE IN VIBRANT COLORS

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Simultaneously representational and impressionistic, David Randall’s artwork comes alive with swaths of vibrant colors that converge, merge and blend to form quintessential Lowcountry natural elements like Spanish moss-clad live oak trees. “Live oak trees are awesome,” Randall said. “As are other trees like palmetto trees and palm trees. People have responded to trees for centuries, maybe even a millennia.” 136 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

Randall says his work often depicts our island’s (and the surrounding area’s) natural beauty. “There is natural beauty everywhere, but I want to work with what I see here,” he said. “I can paint portraits and other subjects, but natural beauty is something I have always been interested in.” Just as his landscape paintings like “Southern Adirondacks” and “Low Tide” move you from one point to another, telling you a subtle story, the evolution

“Southern Adirondacks”

of Randall’s passion for art follows a compelling storyline. “I was born into a family of artists,” he said. “It was still a decision to become an artist, but basically I grew up surrounded by art and artists. Aunts and uncles, grandparents and parents, the whole nine yards, but it was still my personal decision to be a fine artist.” His decision to pursue art professionally came after enlisting in the army at age 19 during the Vietnam War.

“When I went into the Army, I got away from art completely and it was a shock. Ninety percent through flight school I decided that I didn’t want to be a gunship pilot. I felt I could do more for this world as an artist than a helicopter pilot,” he said. “It was an emotionally difficult war, and the army was not happy with me because the arts is an out-of-the-norm profession and hard for people to grasp,” said Randall, who upon meeting him exudes a sense of empathy and S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 137

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kindness. “But talking about the difficulty [of that time in his life] is the best way to cure it.” After completing his service as a mechanic in the Vietnam War, Randall focused his energy on art school. “You can absorb certain things from your family, but once you make a serious commitment to art, schooling is important,” Randall said. He went to the National Academy School of Fine Arts in New York and then the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpting. “Everyone is self-taught at a certain point, but you have to grow beyond yourself and your schooling,” Randall said. Randall said that part of the process of being an artist 138 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

is figuring out how to survive and even succeed, which is why he admittedly moved to Hilton Head. “I saw an advertisement in a trade magazine about FastFrame here and my wife’s son was at Fort Stewart. I came here and said to myself, ‘It’s a done deal.’” Randall said his style is “bright.” “I am not trying to replicate what I see like a photograph. Instead, I am trying to show my response to what I see amplified by my use of color and composition,” he said. “I have always been attracted to bright colors and the works of artists like van Gogh. Some artists advocate a limited palate, but I feel more comfortable with an extensive palate.” Pointing to a work in progress inside his FastFrame shop

“Discovery”

“Dunes”

(located at 95 Mathews Drive, #A5), “I am using at least 18 colors right now.” As Randall’s storyline continues, he says he hopes he will continue to evolve as an artist. “Thirty years ago I was emulating Matisse with flat colors, trying to figure out what he was doing, but now I’ve moved away from flat colors. Now some might say I’m more impressionistic,” he said. But more importantly to Randall, “I am always trying to grow and fight against my own inhibitions.” Another point of emphasis for Randall is longevity: “I want my work to last,” he said. Randall believes an artist’s story should never end. “Even when I am gone, I want my work to live on.” S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 139

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//WINTER WEDDING// Breaks tradition, full of surprises STORY BY VICKIE MCINTYRE | PHOTOS BY RUTHE RITTERBECK

What do football season and a winter wedding have in common? Just ask Hilton Head newlyweds, Camille and Charlie Schramm. Both are graduates of the University of South Carolina and avid football fans, which explains Charlie’s choice for proposing in September of 2018 at — what else? — a tailgate. “We’re obviously Gamecock invested,” he quips. Camille wasn’t sure Charlie would ever propose, so when he dropped to one knee, it took her breath away. Then he went mute. “You have to ask me … you can’t just sit there,” she cried, brushing away tears. By day’s end, they were strategizing about a wedding date like a pair of coaches. Summer was too hot and football season was too busy. Spring was already taken because Charlie’s sister was getting married. But February, when average temperatures hover around 70 degrees, seemed perfect.

But little about 2020 or their plans would be normal. For starters, the wedding had to occur on Feb. 21. “My birthday is July 21, Camille’s is May 21 and we met on December 21,” said Charlie. “The date was intentional – it just happened to fall on a Friday.” The wedding party would include 10 bridesmaids, some wearing fuchsia dresses and others, baby blue. The nine groomsmen would sport navy blue tuxes, while Charlie would add a pink vest and bow tie. Spurrier, the couple’s dog (named after the former USC football coach), would join the ceremony. “We needed an outdoor and dog-friendly venue,” says Camille. Honey Horn Plantation with its acreage, covered pavilion, and accessible parking fit their needs perfectly. The large fire pit would prove to be useful, too. Forgoing the usual abundance of flowers, Camille

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chose greenery for bouquets and decorations. “We wanted to keep it natural,” she said, “and we had driftwood as accessories.” The rehearsal dinner was casual. “It was at Carolina Coffee and Crumbs with tapas and grab-n-go items,” says Camille, so friends and family could meet each other. Camille, originally from Fort Mill, graduated from USC in 2010. An accountant for The Green Thumb, she has lived in the Lowcountry for 15 years. Charlie, who was born and raised on Hilton Head Island and is a salesman at Cintas, graduated in 2012. They met on Hilton Head over Christmas break in 2011 and for 10 years have enjoyed their shared love of football and the Gamecocks. Football served as the biggest break from tradition for the wedding which was secret until the night of the reception — an appearance by “Cocky,” the USC mascot. “Football is something that we love to do, and it brought us together, so we wanted to make it part of the wedding,” says Camille. When freeze warnings were predicted for the night of their wedding, panic set in. “I mean the dates are set; there’s no going back,” Charlie recalls, explaining how they scrambled to find heaters. The venue had a few, the rental company even less. Thankfully, Frosty Frog Café, where Charlie worked a second job, agreed to share theirs. “We ordered blankets for our guests, and started collecting heaters,” Charlie laughs. Camille bought scarves for her bridesmaids and

borrowed a white, furry shawl from her sister-in-law to wear over her strapless gown. The brisk wedding day began with pictures. First, at the hotel with the bridesmaids in matching pajamas and then at Honey Horn before the ceremony. Spurrier, escorted by the owner of Red Rover Playcare, joined the photo shoot as well, though he preferred chasing sticks to posing for pictures. At 4 p.m., just as the sun was fading, the ceremony began. Serenaded by guitar music, Camille walked down the grassy aisle and joined Charlie under a giant oak tree. As they exchanged vows, Spurrier cried and howled. “It was really funny and eased my nerves,” says Camille. Afterwards, everyone moved to the pavilion for the introduction of the wedding party, the first dance, and a buffet meal. Then the couple discreetly disappeared. When the DJ announced a special visitor was joining the celebration, Cocky strutted in, flanked by Charlie and Camille twirling small towels as “Sandstorm,” the unofficial football anthem, blasted from the speakers. The crowd went crazy. Some grabbed napkins and joined in the fanfare; others flooded the dance floor snapping pictures and gyrating with the mascot. “Cocky is obviously a showman,” Charlie said. “He became a highlight just because it was such a surprise. He even led a rendition of limbo under the stars.” But when Camille noticed everyone huddling around the heaters and fire pit, she pulled Charlie aside.

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IIBRIDALII “Look at all these people we’ve brought together,” she sighed. “They love us so much that they want to stand out here in the freezing cold.” Ending earlier than planned, the couple left through a tunnel of waving glow sticks and echoing cheers. A week later the entire country went into lockdown. “Twenty years from now, people will remember our wedding,” says Camille, ever aware that even the best of plans are full of surprises. VENDORS: CATERING AND BAR SERVICE: Roy’s Place RECEPTION MUSIC AND DJ: Turbo Music Services MUSIC AT WEDDING CEREMONY AND COCKTAIL HOUR: MATT ROBBINS OFFICIANT: Wedding By the Sea EQUIPMENT RENTALS: Amazing Event Rentals USC MASCOT: Cocky LIGHTING: JLK Events FLORIST: The Flower Shop Bluffton PHOTOGRAPHER: Ruthe Ritterbeck HEATER RENTALS: Frosty Frog Café REHEARSAL DINNER AND BREAKFAST DAY OF WEDDING: Carolina Coffee and Crumbs

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Plan an unforgettable //DESTINATION WEDDING// BY AMY BARTLETT

With post-pandemic trending terms like “minimony” and “sequel wedding,” it’s hard to know how to begin planning your destination wedding, but fortunately Lowcountry experts have offered their insightful expertise. “When you have a vendor who translates for a Lowcountry feel,” Beth Baldwin of Beth Baldwin Weddings said, “it ‘marries’ the elements of the evening in perfect harmony.” The top advice for maintaining harmony: Hire a wedding planner. “Particularly for a destination wedding,” Baldwin adds, “you need someone who knows the ins and outs of where you’ll be, down to traffic patterns and whether you can get guests from point A to B at a certain hour.” Owner Aimee Fennessey of Amanda Rose Weddings agrees. “You can tell an event has been planned professionally. They have a person in charge, and there’s clear direction, moving the day seamlessly from one part to another.”

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IIBRIDALII WHETHER LEAVING YOUR DAY TO THE PROS OR GOING IT ALONE, THESE ARE TOP “BEST BETS” THAT WILL SET YOU ON THE RIGHT FOOT: •

•

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Weather the Wedding Season: Your sweet spot is April through June, with bonuses in March, September, October and November. Avoid July and August for outdoors and measure the tides and times for waterfront views and photography. Leverage Local: “Mini-bottles or growlers from local distilleries or treats like chocolates and macaroons are always popular,” Fennessey said. “Add some sparkling waters and a What to Do on Hilton Head book and you have something guests love.” Vet your Vendors: “Be careful about your vendor selection,” says Baldwin. “I’m always surprised when I hear ‘I found them on Instagram’ because there’s a lot of misinformation on social media.” Working with a planner guarantees a network of world-class artists and “your vendor team sets you up for success.” Tackle the Ticky-Tacky: “Couples assume you can get [the license] whenever you want and right away,” but Fennessey cautions you need an appointment, spots are limited, and there’s a 24-hour waiting period after application. For outdoor events, add comfort items to gift bags like paper fans or travel bottles of bug spray as a small way to change an entire evening. Care for Covid: “You want to gauge if anyone is being very cautious but still wants to attend,” Fennessey said. “Most guests who RSVP ‘yes’ are comfortable in groups. Keep vendors in mind. If you want masks worn, communicate that. Communication is key. Speak to a local planner; they’ll know if there are restrictions with size, venue specific details, and what local wedding pros are doing regarding Covid concerns.”

When all is said and done, don’t forget why you’re there: Love one another. “Wedding day is busy,” Fennessey reminds, “everyone will tell you how quickly it goes by. It’s important to take moments throughout the day to look at each other and breathe.” Final Tip: Book now. Reservations for venues and planners are pushing out to 2022 and in some cases 2023. “Things are back, and with more momentum than I’ve ever seen,” Baldwin said. The advice here is lean in, plan ahead, hire a pro if you can, but most of all, set your sights on an unforgettable Lowcountry destination.

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SAYING ‘I DO’ TO ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS MEKINA SAYLOR AND NICK PENNETTI’S ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS WERE TAKEN ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND BY AMANDA OLIVIA.

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BY BECCA EDWARDS | PHOTOS BY AMANDA OLIVIA

Something just clicked when wedding photographers Amanda Olivia and Mekina Saylor met two years ago at a mastermind. “We are complete opposites,” began Mekina, “But we developed a friendship and we both like to give our clients the best possible experience.” That friendship has continued, and recently Amanda Olivia shot Mekina and her fiancé Nick Pennetti’s engagement photos on Hilton Head. “I call it an engagement experience because my sessions are an experience. I don’t want it to be 10 minutes and done,” said Amanda Olivia. “For each client I send them questionnaires asking them what they like to do and personality traits both individually and as a couple. I want my clients to be able to look back at their photos and it be meaningful and unique to the couple.” Amanda Olivia, a film photographer, and Mekina, a digital photographer, provided a checklist for anyone saying, “I DO” TO ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS. ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP When choosing an engagement photographer, think about establishing a professional but friendly relationship. Not only look at the photographer’s portfolio but interview the photographer. Is your photographer someone you would want to have coffee with and vibes with you and your partner? “You want to have a photographer you’re comfortable with because if not, it will show in your pictures,” said Amanda Olivia. “Also, you are going to spend time with your photographer and you should. You want your photographer not to be intrusive but to understand you as a couple and capture that,” said Mekina. Both also agreed it is best to use the same photographer for your engagement photos as your wedding photos. “It’s like test driving a car. During the engagement session, as a photographer, you get to see how the couple interacts. What they like and don’t like. So, on the wedding day [the photographer] knows what the couple prefers. You want familiarity on your wedding day to eliminate stress,” said Amanda Olivia. CONCEPTUALIZE Engagement photo trends aside, do some soul searching on what photos would best reflect you and your fiancé. Do you like to bike together? Do you like to cook together? Do you co-parent a pet? “Look at your engagement session as an event. Have a

vision board for the location or locations. Makeup, hair, outfits, movement, props — have it all picked out,” said Mekina, who added, “Weather is the only thing you cannot plan but go with the wind and know your hair is not going to cooperate.” MAKE IT A DATE “You don’t want your engagement experience to be rushed,” said Amanda Olivia, who encourages her clients to allocate an entire day to their session. “You want to be in the right head space and enjoy it much like a date.” “Plus, it enables you and your fiancé to really feel engaged,” said Mekina, who paired her engagement experience with a food tasting to select items to be served at her wedding. INTEGRATE Engagement photos can be integrated into the wedding in a myriad of ways. Ideas include a coffee table book, save-the-dates, decorations, welcome gifts and the wedding guest book. As Mekina panned the wall of engagement photos (taken by Amanda Olivia) behind her, Amanda Olivia pointed out, “Most engagements are a short experience and engagement photos help you live in the moment.”

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GET TO KNOW THE IRISH ATHLETIC OBSESSION CATCHING ON FAST IN THE LOWCOUNTRY BY TIM WOOD | PHOTOS BY MADISON ELROD

Niall Archbold lives for football. It’s just a variety of the game you’ve likely never heard of. The Dublin native and recent Bluffton transplant had a dream of introducing his lifelong passion, Gaelic football, to the local community. That dream was loaded with a couple of gigantic challenges. First, few people in the U.S., let alone the Lowcountry, know about the mashup of soccer, rugby and American football with a pinch of basketball. That’s no problem for the 54-year-old former semipro player and coach who loves talking up the game. His biggest obstacle proved to be his own expectations. “I don’t do things slow, I don’t have patience,” Archbold said. “My wife, Kristin, helped with the patience. We did a lot of research, got help from folks who had started a league in Savannah and we just started recruiting and talking up the game.” The couple started with a meet and greet at Bluffton Trading Post just before Memorial Day 2020. Archbold’s passion attracted many curious ex-athletes to the early practices. Just over a year later, the club had 18 players, elected a board of directors, and played their first-ever game against the Savannah crew. “The practices, I’ve never been so tired doing anything. The game was just as tiring, but it’s addicting,” said former pro rugby player and Bluffton Gaelic Club vice chairman Sean Ritter. “It works every muscle, scratches that athlete itch in ways many of us never experienced. Plus, it’s such a fun group of people.” Archbold was looking for “anyone with a pulse” to start his search. While he may be a bit more discerning a year later in finding talent, the club founder said there’s room for everyone as the squad begins fall practices.

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Photo Supplied

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THINK YOU WANT TO GIVE GAELIC FOOTBALL A TRY? HERE ARE THE BASICS OF WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO KNOW BEFORE HITTING THE PITCH. THE TEAM Traditional Gaelic football is played with 15 players, but the U.S. version is 13-a-side with positions and formations like soccer. “We have half forwards and half backs, that’s the additional spots. But there’s midfielders and goalies just like soccer,” Archbold said.

that has zero goals and 21 points (0-21) beats a team that scores four goals and eight points (4-8). Games are 60 minutes long with two 30-minute halves.

SCORING It’s complicated. Kick it or fist it over the crossbar, it’s one point. Want to score in the goal? You can kick it in, or you can fist punch right after receiving a pass or picking the ball up off the ground. “My Bluffton crew, they definitely got confused by all that,” Archbold said. “The final score is even trickier.”

FOULS AND TACKLING: Similar to soccer, a player can be cautioned or removed from the game. There are three types of fouls – technical fouls (rules violations), aggressive fouls (overly aggressive play or verbal abuse of opponent or referee) and dissent fouls (not complying with referee judgment or instructions). Tackling is allowed far less than rugby or American football. Shoulder-to-shoulder contact and slapping the ball out of an opponent’s hands are permitted, but just about any other contact will be called as fouls. There are no offsides and no corners kicks. Out-ofbounds balls are inbounded by a kick out of your hands. It’s a lot to figure out, but don’t worry. Archbold, Ritter and the team are all about teaching up the newbies. Most of them were noobs just a few months ago. Archbold hopes this introduction of the sport to the area is just the beginning. “I want to get this in all the high schools, have youth teams and adult teams in every town, a countywide league,” Archbold said. “One day, I’d love to win a U.S. title with this bunch.” But he’s ready to do the crawling before the full-out sprint. “We want to get regular games going, get this crew ready for a rematch with Savannah,” he said. “It’s moving along well. I’m just happy to see folks excited about giving it a try. Once I get you on the field, I got you hooked.”

SCORING AND GAME LENGTH Game score is kept by showing the goals first and then the points. For example, a team

For more information on the team, visit blufftongfc.com.

THE FIELD Traditional Gaelic fields are about 130 yards long, but most U.S. games are played on 100-yard football fields. Both ends have a goal and a crossbar above the goal. THE BALL A sphere that looks like a slightly large volleyball. ADVANCING THE BALL You can carry the ball, but can’t run with it more than four steps. At that point, you either bounce the ball, pass it, kick it or ‘solo’ it. “You drop the ball to your toe and kick it right back into your hands,” Archbold said. “It might look like Riverdance but the top players make it look like second nature.” PASSING Players either kick the ball to another teammate or strike the ball with the side of a closed fist, using the knuckle of the thumb.

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HOW TO PLAY GAELIC FOOTBALL Catch the ball in the air.

Scoop the ball off the ground with your toe. Run with the ball for three steps, but then do something with it. Kick the ball back into your hands if you want to keep running with it. Punch the ball to pass it or score over the crossbar.

Kick the ball to pass it or to score a goal or a point.

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IIWHERE TO WORSHIPII

flourishing

IN FELLOWSHIP PROVIDENCE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH EMERGES STRONGER DURING PANDEMIC BY AMY COYNE BREDESON | PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world anything, it is how to think outside of the box. Providence Presbyterian Church is one of many churches that have done that successfully. In March 2020, the Hilton Head Island church closed its sanctuary and began livestreaming its services. Three months later the church reopened its in-person service with a REV DR. WILLAM WARD maximum of 75 worshippers, continued to stream the service online and added an outdoor service in the church’s shaded fellowship park. Church members met on Zoom for Bible studies. “There are some good things that have come out of this pandemic,” the Rev. Dr. William Ward said. “I think we as a church have found ways to reach out in mission more and have found ways to connect with members of our congregation in ways that we probably wouldn’t have done before. It has made the church even stronger, which is great.” Over the past six months, Providence has gradually opened back up, but the staff is prepared to pivot again at any moment. Over the summer, Providence began hosting weekly cookouts. “We’re blessed to have a nice pavilion,” Ward said. “Folks really appreciated that. They were ready — we started this in the beginning of June — to be back together with people and socialize and be in fellowship and break bread together.” Instead of the traditional weeklong Vacation Bible School, the church hosted a weekly VBS on the same nights as their cookouts. The congregation would meet for dinner, then the children would attend a mini-VBS while the adults participated in a Bible study on the Gospel of Mark. 156 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

The church will resume its “Providence on Wednesday” program starting Sept 15. It was put on hold last year to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Ward is looking forward to getting the program going again. Children will gather for music, Bible study and fun, while the adults attend choir practice and/or a Bible study. The church will also offer English as a Second Language classes on Wednesday nights. Providence on Wednesday will conclude with dinner for everyone. Providence also wants to restart its small-group ministry in the fall, when the congregation will study the Lord’s Prayer. Of course, all the church’s plans will depend on what is happening with the pandemic. Ward is keeping a close eye on the local numbers and praying for the best. Thankfully, he feels the church is much more prepared for a pandemic now than they were last year. The church’s outdoor worship services started because of COVID-19 but have been so popular that they will likely remain for a long time to come. “I think it’s just been a good thing for our church,” he said. “We live on Hilton Head. We probably should’ve thought of that before the pandemic.” Providence Presbyterian Church is located at 171 Cordillo Parkway on Hilton Head Island. The church offers an outdoor worship service at 8:30 a.m. and a 10:30 a.m. service in the sanctuary. Both services are streamed live. Hand sanitizer and masks are available. For more information about the church, visit providencehhi.org or call 843-842-5673.

“where to worship” Lord of Life Lutheran Church

We at Lord of Life Lutheran Church seek to serve in the name of Christ.

Sunday Worship Service at 8:30am & 10:30am in the Sanctuary Virtual Worship on YouTube at 10am Lord Of Life Lutheran Church Virtual Worship on Facebook Lord of Life, Bluffton 351 BUCKWALTER PARKWAY BLUFFTON, SC 29910

LORDOFLIFE BLUFFTON.ORG 843 757 4774

Grace Coastal Church Come. Experience Grace.

Saturday Night “Come As You Are” Service Online at 7pm Sunday Morning Schedule Worship Services 9am and 11am 15 WILLIAMS DRIVE OKATIE SC 29909

843 379 5520 GCCOFFICE16 GMAIL.COM

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FUN EVENTS FOR

SEPT. 3-4 MAY RIVER MUSIC FESTIVAL

EVERYONE!

CALENDAR

SEPT. 1 BLOOD DRIVE: Donate blood inside the climate-controlled OneBlood truck. Donors will receive a 9/11 commemorative shirt and $20 eGift card, plus a wellness checkup including blood pressure, temperature, iron count, pulse and cholesterol screening. Paddles Up The Creek food truck will be on-site. Free. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-842-2787 or artshhi.org. SEPT. 2 FIRST THURSDAYS ART MARKET: Meet more than two dozen local artists as they present their work on the first Thursday of the month. Stroll the plaza, see the exhibits, talk with artists and enjoy live music, complimentary wine samples and more. Free entry. 4-7 p.m., The Shops at Sea Pines Center, 71 Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island. 843363-5699 or theshopsatseapinescenter.com.

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SEPT. 3-4 MAY RIVER MUSIC FESTIVAL: The second annual May River Music Festival is a weekend-long event dedicated to bringing singers and songwriters together along the banks of the Lowcountry’s May River. Featuring live music performances by Gin Blossoms, Mitchel Tenpenny, SUSTO and Lakeview. Cost is $200. Times vary. Montage Palmetto Bluff, 477 Mount Pelia Road, Bluffton. 855-264-8705 or montagehotels.com. THE JOHN BRACKETT QUARTET AT THE JAZZ CORNER: $10. 7:30-11 p.m., The Jazz Corner, 1000 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. 843-8428620 or thejazzcorner.com. SEPT. 3-5 BRUCE IN THE USA: This high-energy musical experience is a noteperfect and visually accurate recreation of a Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band show. Cost is $61. 7:30 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-8422787 or artshhi.org.

SEPT. 3-6 WATERSIDE SIDEWALK SALE: Enjoy great savings during this semiannual sidewalk sale. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Shelter Cove Towne Centre, Hilton Head Island. 843-686-3090 or sheltercovetownecentre.com. SEPT. 5 NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: Watch a performance of the critically acclaimed production, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.” Cost is $20. 2 p.m., USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret Street, Beaufort. 843-5214145 or uscbcenterforthearts.com. SEPT. 7 VIRTUALLY SPEAKING: “BUGS ‘N BOO HAGS”: Dr. Brian Canada will speak about the process of collaborating with students at USC Beaufort to create Bugs ’N Boo Hags, an interactive video game based on Beaufort County history and lore. Free. 5 p.m., Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, 10782 South Jacob Smart Boulevard, Ridgeland. 843-284-9227 or morrisheritagecenter.org.

SEPT. 8 ART CLASS: “WONDERFUL WATERCOLORS”: A workshop featuring some exciting new watercolor techniques. Experiment in watercolor, play with color, texture, layering, expressive mark-making, as well as splattering. Cost is $80 for nonmembers, $72 for members. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Art League Academy, 106 Cordillo Parkway, Hilton Head Island. 843-6815060 or artleaguehhi.org. SEPT. 10 OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE OPEN HOUSE: Come learn about OLLI at USCB, which is devoted to providing robust, not-for-credit, educational opportunities specifically developed for adults living the Lowcountry ages 50 and older. Free. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., USCB Hospitality Campus, 1 Sand Shark Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-208-8247 or uscb.edu. SEPT. 10-11 THE ROSSANO SPORTIELLO TRIO Featuring Nick Parrott and Eddie Metz, Jr. $10. 7:30-11 p.m., The Jazz Corner, 1000 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. 843-842-8620 or thejazzcorner.com.

SEPT. 11 10TH ANNUAL BOILED PEANUT FESTIVAL: Celebrate South Carolina’s delicious state snack, the boiled peanut. Enter the boiled peanut cook off or the peanut spitting contest. Cost is $15 for adults, free for children 10 and under. 12 p.m., Heyward House Museum, 70 Boundary Street, Bluffton. 912-4848510 or heritagepeanuts.com/festival. OLUKAI LOWCOUNTRY BOIL PADDLE BATTLE: A fun day on the water for everyone who loves to paddle, featuring different races to benefit The Outside Foundation and The David M. Carmines Foundation. Registration required. 7 a.m.-12 p.m., Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, 1 Hudson Road, Hilton Head Island. lowcountrypaddle.com. PICK UP AND JOG BEACH CLEAN UP: You don’t have to be a runner to participate. Participants will break into two groups: the first will start their run and end at the Pick Up location to start collecting trash. The second group will just focus on the trash pick up. Free. 7-9 a.m., Coligny Beach, 1 North Forest Beach, Hilton Head Island. 843-815-1718 or palmettorunningcompany.com.

SOUTH BEACH LOWCOUNTRY BOIL: The perfect autumn afternoon on the docks with tasty boil favorites and live music on the waterfront. Free entry. 4 p.m., The Salty Dog, 232 South Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-671-2233 or saltydog. com. VEME: MEET THE ARTISTS: In partnership with Palmetto Luna Arts, Morris Center presents four local Latinx artists. Learn about their background and how their cultural identify has shaped them into the creators they are today. Free. 5 p.m., Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, 10782 South Jacob Smart Boulevard, Ridgeland. 843-284-9227 or morrisheritagecenter.org. SEPT. 12 BLUFFTON ARTISAN MARKET: An open-air market, featuring local makers with live music and food trucks. Free entry. 12-4 p.m., Burnt Church Distillery, 120 Bluffton Road, Blu. lcmade.com. SEPT. 13 SWING FOR THE FUTURE GOLF EVENT: Tickets are now on sale for The Children’s Center’s one-of-a-kind golf event with proceeds benefiting

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the organization’s mission to provide high-quality early education to families in need. Cost is $250 per player, $1,000 per foursome. Includes golf, cart, a box lunch and after-golf cocktails. Noon, Long Cove Club, 399 Long Cove Drive, Hilton Head. 843-681-2739 or thechildrenscentersc.org. SEPT. 13-17 PALMETTO BLUFF ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: Quintin Middleton, artisan behind Middleton Made Knives, a line of bespoke tools crafted in Saint Stephen, South Carolina, is Palmetto Bluff’s artist in residence for September. Event details vary. 866-706-6565 or palmettobluff.com. SEPT. 14-18 HILTON HEAD WINE AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL: Presented by Publix. Experience six days of wine and culinary excellence, celebrating the world’s top wineries on Hilton Head Island. Ticket prices, event times and locations vary. 843-301-9256 or hiltonheadwineandfood.com.

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SEPT. 15 CHRISTIAN WOMEN’S CONNECTION: An elegant meal, pre-holiday shopping and introduction to Debby Morris, home decorator and author who demonstrates how to look at life in new and unexpected ways. Cost is $28. 10:30 a.m., Hampton Hall Clubhouse, 170 Hampton Hall Boulevard, Bluffton. 602-750-5465. SEPT. 16 LIVE AFTER FIVE: Every third Thursday of the month is Downtown Beaufort’s newest recurring monthly party with live music, local artists, late night shopping and drink and food specials. Free. 5-8 p.m., Downtown Beaufort, Beaufort. “Like” the event on Facebook. MARTINIS AT THE MANSION: The Mansion on Forsyth Park’s charity networking series will take place on the third Thursday of every month to benefit a different local nonprofit. Admission is a suggested $5 donation. 5:30-7 p.m., Mansion on Forsyth Park, 700 Drayton Street, Savannah. 912-2385158 or kesslercollection.com.

SEPT. 17 GLOBAL COMMUNITY FORUM: “Is the US prepared for a Cyberwar?”: Dr. Larry Valero, Department Head and Associate Professor of Intelligence and Security Studies at The Citadel, will speak about cyber warfare, its possibilities, and contingencies for how such conflicts may play out in the coming decades. Free. 10 a.m., First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. 843-384-6758 or wachh.org. SEPT. 18 AMERICAN LEGION ANNUAL FUNDRAISER: A golf-outing to raise funds for services supported by the American Legion Post 205. Includes a cookout after golf, swag bags, silent auction, raffle and door prizes. Cost is $90 per player, $80 for active duty and veterans, $70 for students. 8 a.m., Eagle’s Pointe Golf Club, 1 Eagle Pointe Drive, Bluffton. alpost205.org. HILTON HEAD CARS AND COFFEE: A meet-up for car enthusiasts to have fun one Saturday morning out of each month. Show off your vehicles, chat with other like-minded people, and see cars that you just don’t see every day. Free. 8-11 a.m., USCB, 1 University Boulevard, Bluffton. carsandcoffeehhi.com.

OLUKAI LOWCOUNTRY BOIL PADDLE BATTLE

CRAFT BEER AND BURGER: Enjoy crazy burger creations paired with craft beer, waterfront views and live music. Free entry. 4 p.m., The Salty Dog, 232 South Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-671-2233 or saltydog.com. FALL NATIVE PLANT SALE: Shop over 90 native plant species to cover diverse landscaping needs, from vines to blooming bushes and butterfly-friendly plants. Native plants have the advantage of being adapted to the local environment and therefore require little or no care at all. Free entry. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

SEPT. 23 WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND LUNCHEON: A member luncheon to learn about the over 40 different WAHHI Interest Groups, with keynote speaker Dr. Debi Lynes. Free for members. 10 a.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head. wahhi.org. SEPT. 24 COMMUNITY GLOBAL FORUM: “WHAT IS BITCOIN?” Blair Streitenberger, Attorney at Law, will briefly cover the history of attempts at digital currencies leading to the invention of bitcoin. Free. 10 a.m., First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. 843-3846758 or wachh.org.

MOVE YOUR MIND 5K/10K: A 5K and 10K race hosted by Memory Matters, a nonprofit organization that optimizes brain health while providing memory care. The race will start and finish at May River High School with the run happening on the scenic paths adjacent to New Riverside Drive. Cost is $30 for 5K run/walk; $40 for 10K run. 8-10 a.m., May River High School, 601 New Riverside Road, Bluffton. 843-815-1718 or palmettorunningcompany.com.

FOURTH FRIDAY ARTISTS MARKET: Coligny Plaza and Art League of Hilton Head have partnered to create a monthly outdoor showcase of Lowcountry art and artists. Items for sale include paintings and illustrations, mixed media art, sculptures and more. Free entry. 4-7 p.m., Coligny Plaza, 1 North Forest Beach Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-681-5060 or artleaguehhi.com.

SEPT. 18-26 ALL SHOOK UP!: A Beaufort Theatre Company Production inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley. Cost is $15-$30. Times vary. USCB Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret Street, Beaufort. 843-521-4145 or uscbcenterforthearts.com.

SEPT. 25 BLUFFTEMBERFEST: Featuring live music, a beer garden, a wine bar and food court. This event will benefit the Bluffton Paddle Club charity. Cost is $10-$45. 3-8 p.m., Oyster Factory Park, 63 Wharf Street, Bluffton. 843-757-8520 or bearfootsports.com.

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Thursdays 12-5pm

LOWCOUNTRY BOIL: A fun event featuring live music and all-you-can-eat Lowcountry boil, with proceeds benefiting the Lowcountry Legal Volunteers and its mission to provide sound counsel and create a pathway to fair representation for all. Cost is $50. 5-8 p.m., Port Royal Community Beer Garden, 1 Sands Beach Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-815-1570 or lclv.org. RELAY FOR LIFE: A grassroots, community-based team event featuring an opening ceremony, survivor/caregiver walk, a luminaria ceremony and closing ceremony. 5 p.m., Shelter Cove Community Park, 39 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. “Like” the event on Facebook. RISE AGAINST HUNGER: Four local Rotary Clubs have partnered together to host a meal packing event to reach their goal of packing 45,000 meals. Volunteers are asked to operate in shifts of two-and-a-half hours. Free. 9-11:30 a.m., 12-2:30 p.m., Rotary Community Center, 11 Recreation Court, Bluffton. 843-368-8800 or riseagainsthunger.org/Area4RotaryClubs.

Fun for the whole family! farm fresh local produce

flowers

•

meats

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honey • baked goods specialty foods

•

dairy •

•

seafood

pastas

•

sweets

prepared food to

enjoy at the market or take home PLUS Educational lectures,

community outreach, kids activities, yoga & more !

Live music & seating at the Heyward House! Old Town Bluffton 68 Boundary Street FarmersMarketBluffton.org • 843.415.2447

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SHRIMP FESTIVAL: Experience flavors from local Chefs, breweries and vendors at this familyfriendly event. Kids can enjoy a bounce house, face painting and arts and crafts. A portion of proceeds will benefit The South Carolina Seafood Alliance and The Boys and Girls Club of Hilton Head. Cost is $30-$50. 1-4 p.m., Harbour Town, 149 Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-785-3333 or seapines.com. VEME DAY AT THE MORRIS CENTER: Join the Morris Center for art, music and food as they celebrate the newest exhibition, “VEME.” Free. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, 10782 South Jacob Smart Boulevard, Ridgeland. 843-284-9227 or morrisheritagecenter.org. WING AND CHILI COOKOFF: The Salty Dog Chefs go head-to-head in a battle to claim the title of best wing and best chili in South Beach. Free entry. 4 p.m., The Salty Dog, 232 South Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-671-2233 or saltydog.com. SEPT. 29-OCT. 1 CUSTOM DESIGN EVENT AT FORSYTHE JEWELERS: Repurpose your beloved jewelry and create something new. Work directly with trusted professional jewelry designer Paula Dawkins to select a new setting or stones to reimagine a new custom designed piece. Free. Appointment required. Forsythe Jewelers, 71 Lighthouse Road, Suite 311, Hilton Head Island. 843-6717070 or forsythejewelers.biz. THROUGH SEPT. 30 SERVING IN SEPTEMBER FUNDRAISER: Serving in September Fundraiser: GFWC Woman’s League of the Lowcountry is hosting a fundraiser all month long. Host an activity of your choice at a place of your choice. Invite your friends to join and donate $20 per person. Proceeds will benefit the Doors to Freedom initiative. Email dimr80@yahoo.com or mstep1949@hotmail.com.

OCT. 30 PEP 25TH ANNIVERSARY GALA: This year’s Gala will celebrate 25 years, featuring dancing, dinner, and both silent and live auctions. Help support an organization that promotes “independence, social interaction, and employment opportunities for adults who live with intellectual disabilities.” Cost is $100 per ticket. 6-10:30 p.m., Sea Pines Country Club, 30 Governors Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-6818021 or pephhi.org.

MONDAYS INDIGO TIE DYE: Learn how indigo dye is made from a plant and use it to create a tie dye -shirt to take home. All supplies are provided. Cost is $12 for adults, $7 for children. 3-4 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767, ext. 223 or coastaldiscovery.org. MONDAYS VIRTUAL KID’S STORY TIME: Listen to Rebecca read family favorites about the Lowcountry’s natural and cultural history on the Coastal Discovery Museum’s Facebook page. 10:30 a.m. Watch on Facebook Live at @ coastaldiscoverymuseum. 843- 689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

SERVING IN SEPTEMBER FUUNDRAISER

Photo courtesy Sea Pines Resort

THROUGH OCT. 17 “OFF THE WALL” EXHIBIT: A three-dimensional artwork exhibit showcasing sculpture, pottery and functional forms. The exhibit is on display through Oct. 17. Free. 5-7 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

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THURSDAYS DUELING PIANOS SHOW: The only Dueling Pianos Show on Hilton Head Island takes place each Thursday night on the Rooftop Bar. 8-11 p.m., Rooftop Bar at Poseidon, 38 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-341-3838 or therooftophhi.com. THURSDAYS FARMERS MARKET OF BLUFFTON: New location! Meet local farmers, chefs and artisans every Thursday on Calhoun Street. Buy a fresh assortment of strawberries, produce, beets, potatoes and more. Also, hear local, live entertainment and educational lectures. Noon5 p.m., Martin Family Park, 71 Calhoun Street, Bluffton. 843-415-2447 or farmersmarketbluffton. org. THURSDAYS HISTORIC FORT MITCHEL TOURS: Immerse yourself in the fascinating Civil War history of Hilton Head Island with a visit to Fort Mitchel. Costumed characters and an expert tour guide will demonstrate the vital historic importance of this place and the role the fort and its namesake, General Mitchel, played in shaping Hilton Head history, including historic Mitchelville. Cost is $15 for adults, $10 for children. 10:30-11:30 a.m., Hilton Head Plantation, 65 Skull Creek Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-686-6560 or heritagelib.org.

NATIVE PLANT SALE MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, FRIDAYS

TUESDAYS

THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS

MEMORY MATTERS: “VIRTUAL COMPASS CLASSES”: An online program designed for adults experiencing mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Compass provides curriculum-based activities, physical exercise, relaxation techniques, life-long learning, small group discussions and socialization. Cost is $400 per month. 10 a.m., 1 p.m. 843-842-6688 or mymemorymatters.org.

PARTY IN THE PARK: Enjoy the beautiful new Lowcountry Celebration Park with a family happy hour, including live music, bounce houses and beverages. Free entry. 5:30-8 p.m., Lowcountry Celebration Park, Hilton Head Island. 843-681-7273 or islandreccenter.org.

SIT AND STITCH: Enjoy knitting, crochet, needlepoint, rug hook practice as Needlepoint Junction stays open late. All levels welcome. Outside food and drink permitted. Free. Virtual Thursdays 3 p.m.; In-person Fridays 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Needlepoint Junction, Suite J-7-E, Village at Wexford, Hilton Head Island. 843-8428488 or needlepointjunctionhhi.com.

TUESDAYS FARMERS & MAKERS MARKET: Now in its eighth year, the Market will present more fresh, local produce, seafood, breads and cheeses, crafts and artisans than ever before. Enjoy the colorful displays that grow and change each week throughout the season. Free entry. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., The Shops at Sea Pines Center, 71 Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island. TUESDAYS OPEN MIC NIGHT AT CORKS: Show up and show off your talent during this open mic night, every Tuesday night at Corks Bluffton. 7-10 p.m., Corks Wine Bar and Restaurant, 14 Promenade Street, Bluffton. 843-815-5168 or corkswinecobluffton.com.

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TUESDAYS ZION CEMETERY AND BAYNARD MAUSOLEUM COSTUMED CEMETERY TOUR: Visit the gravesites of four Revolutionary War heroes and learn about the blood skirmish fought just a few steps away. $15 Adult/$10 Child, 10:30 a.m., Corner of U.S. 278 & Matthews Dr, Hilton Head Island. Reservations required- 843-686-6560 or heritagelib.org.

SIT AND STITCH: Practice needlepoint every Friday during this casual sit and stitch event. All levels welcome. Free. 10 a.m., Needlepoint Junction, 1000 William Hilton Parkway, Suite 6134, Hilton Head Island. 843-8428488 or shopneedlepointjunction.com.

THURSDAYS

SATURDAYS

CIVIL WAR ERA: Hilton Head Island was home to thousands of Union soldiers during the Civil War. Join this presentation featuring maps and historic photos of this time on Hilton Head from 1861-1865. Reservations required. Cost is $12 for adults, $7 for children. 3 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767, ext. 223. or coastaldiscovery.org.

MARINA MORNINGS: OUTDOOR YOGA: Practice yoga on the pavilion at Shelter Cove, with draft kombucha to follow. All levels welcome. Cost is $20. 8 a.m., Pure Salt Studios, 1 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-707-7027 or puresaltstudios.com.

FRIDAYS

TIDE CHART PROVIDED BY

THE SALTY DOG CAFE 232 SOUTH SEA PINES DRIVE HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC 29928 843.671.2233 | saltydog.com Keep up with us on social media @saltydog and @thesaltydogcafe

ALLIGATOR AND WILDLIFE BOAT TOUR: Alligator & Wildlife Boat Tour with H2O Sports in the Sea Pines Forest Preserve. Get an up-close view of indigenous plant and animal life, including the American alligator, on a one-hour guided boat tour. Reservations are required, 843-6714386 or h2osports.com. CURBSIDE CRAFTS TO-GO: Children and adults can order a variety of craft activities pre-assembled and ready to enjoy at your home or villa. Book online. Cost is $12-$20. Sea Pines Resort Fitness and Recreation Department, 71 Lighthouse Road, Suite 122, Hilton Head Island. 843-842-1979 or seapines.com. TRAIL RIDES THROUGH THE SEA PINES FOREST PRESERVE WITH LAWTON STABLES: Trail Rides through the Sea Pines Forest Preserve with Lawton Stables. Meander through the preserve on horseback for the true feel of the untouched Lowcountry. Trail riders must be at least 8 years old. Reservations are required. 843-671-2586 lawtonstables.com. PICKLEBALL AT PALMETTO DUNES: Learn how to play Pickleball with daily clinics and round robins at the Palmetto Dunes Pickleball Center in Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. Courts and equipment are available to rent. Reservations recommended. palmettodunes.com THE HARBOUR TOWN LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM: Explore Hilton Head Island’s rich history and learn the story behind its famous lighthouse in a unique, museum-like setting. Admission is $4.25/person, complimentary for children ages 5 and younger. 149 Lighthouse Rd. 843-6712810 or harbourtownlighthouse.com.

TO FIND MORE VISIT US @ HILTONHEADMONTHLY.COM

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W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T

SEPTEMBER HIGH A.M. 4:26 5:19 6:12 7:03 7:50 8:34 9:16 10:00 10:45 11:34 ... 12:48 1:46 2:47 3:50 4:52 5:54 6:52 7:45 8:33 9:16 9:57 10:37 11:17 11:59 12:26 1:13 2:03 2:55 3:48

P.M. 4:51 5:45 6:36 7:25 8:10 8:53 9:35 10:18 11:03 11:53 12:29 1:28 2:31 3:34 4:38 5:41 6:40 7:34 8:21 9:04 9:45 10:24 11:03 11:43 ... 12:44 1:32 2:24 3:17 4:12

LOW A.M.

P.M.

10:24 11:20 12:07 12:56 1:42 2:27 3:10 3:53 4:36 5:20 6:06 6:56 7:52 8:55 10:04 11:10 12:01 12:55 1:45 2:31 3:14 3:53 4:31 5:07 5:42 6:19 7:00 7:47 8:42 9:43

11:15 ... 12:13 1:04 1:53 2:41 3:29 4:16 5:04 5:54 6:47 7:45 8:49 9:57 11:02 ... 12:12 1:08 2:00 2:48 3:33 4:15 4:54 5:32 6:11 6:51 7:37 8:30 9:31 10:32

TIDE PREDICTIONS FOR CALIBOGUE CAY, SC

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Festival wine & food

THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL IS SET FOR SEPT. 14-18.

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EN TW

TY TWENTY-ON

Like your favorite Auslese Riesling, the The best wines among the 400-plus Hilton Head Island Wine and Food Festival entries in this year’s International Judging continues to get better with age. Longtime Competition, fans of the event say that just as the best those deemed “double gold,” are on grapes mature, the festival’s biggest selling display at the Stay Gold event on Sept. 16. point is that it continues to evolve with the The sunset event features live music and the tastes of the times. Double Golds paired with food offerings by COVID concerns caused a shortened event Fresh on the Menu partners from the South in 2020 and a move from the traditional March Carolina Department of Agriculture. window to its Sept. 14-18 schedule this year. The Grand Tasting, the festival’s most By Tim Wood Festival executive director Jeff Gerber, now exclusive celebration, is Sept. 17 at the in his sixth year in charge and 18th overall Country Club of Hilton Head. That leads into working the week-long affair, said the time of year is not the the public tasting on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 12 p.m. to 3 only change for the 36th year of the event. p.m. at Lowcountry Celebration Park. “We’re excited to base the festival at the new Lowcountry This year features live music and more than 250 world-class Celebration Park on Pope Avenue,” Gerber said. “We enjoyed wines from across the globe and a new beer garden which will our six years in Sea Pines but the event has a history of feature samplings from five different local breweries (Hilton changing locations every 5-6 years. The town suggested the Head Brewing, River Dog, Lot 9, Southern Barrel and Lincoln park, and we’re thrilled to spotlight this beautiful new space. and South) and meads from Bee-Town Mead and Cider. We’re so close to the beach, it’s just the perfect setting to enjoy Chefs will compete in the Outdoor Gourmet Challenge and the best wine and food.” guests can bid on award-winning wines at the Silent Auction The festival kicks off with Uncorked on Thursday, Sept. 9 to benefit the John and Valerie Curry Scholarship Fund. A VIP atop the Marriott Courtyard Rooftop Bar. Guests are invited lounge at the park pavilion will feature the festival’s most to bring a bottle of wine and share it with old and new friends decorated wines and food from Fresh on the Menu partners. while enjoying a sampling of appetizers and hors d’ouevres. “It’s just a day where you can try a number of tastes, where “I love this in setting up the week. It’s like an epic dinner no matter what level of wine enthusiast you are, there is party. Open that bottle you’ve been wanting to uncork for something for you,” Gerber said. “No risk, try it, rinse your years, share stories and just enjoy the company, the food and glass and move on to the next one.” a gorgeous sunset view,” Gerber said of the 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Gerber is proud of the $85,000 raised over the past eight event. Tickets for Uncorked are $35 per person. years through the event that has helped deserving hotel Movie Night at Park Plaza Cinemas gets the official week and restaurant students at the Technical College of the underway Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. There will be Lowcountry, as well as helped build the school’s new culinary appetizers from Rockfish and an array of wines to taste before kitchen. heading in to watch “Bottle Shock,” the 2008 cult favorite “You have fun, enjoy some incredible wines and food about the early days of California wine making. pairings and you’re helping build the future behind our That’s followed by the Sip and Stroll on Sept. 15, a night of passions,” he said. wine tasting while scoring great discounts at the Shops at Sea For more information, visit them online at Pines Center. hiltonheadwineandfood.com.

NEW DATES, NEW SETTING FOR ANNUAL HILTON HEAD EVENT

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IIHAPPENINGSII

RESTAURANT

NEWS Poseidon

lot 9

BLUFFTON BREWERY WINS BEER-TASTING TITLE

Bluffton’s lot 9 brewing co., won Best of the Southeast for its “Mai Lord Mai Bock” beer in the United States Beer Tasting Championship. The brewery also received two honorable mentions for “Dana’s Big DIPA Imperial Hazy IPA,” as well as its “Lil’ Slice of Hefen Wheat Beer.” The competition analyzed 775 beers from 177 breweries across 18 different beer categories, a news release said.

POSEIDON NAMED AMONG TOP RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Hilton Head-based Poseidon was ranked among the country’s top restaurants in the Trip Advisor’s “Traveler’s Choice 2021 Best of Best” lists. Poseidon was 18th in the “Top Everyday Eats” category. Located at Shelter Cove Towne Centre, Poseidon offers coastal cuisine.

TOP DAWG TAVERN OPENS AT SHELTER COVE HARBOUR & MARINA

Top Dawg Tavern, a family-owned and operated casual dining restaurant, opened its fifth location. The latest spot is at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina on Hilton Head Island. Top Dawg Tavern serves lunch and dinner seven days a week and brunch on Sundays. Top Dawg Tavern’s first restaurant opened in 2013, just outside Athens, Ga. 168 // H I LT O N H E A D M O N T H LY. C O M

Top Dawg

FAT PATTIES IN BLUFFTON CLOSES

Fat Patties sold its building in Old Town Bluffton. Nectar Farm Kitchen will take its place and renovate the location. A Facebook post said it will continue to operate its Beaufort location. Fat Patties had been in Bluffton for six years. The opening date for the new Nectar Farm Kitchen spot is expected to be in early September. Nectar Farm Kitchen Bluffton will serve breakfast, lunch and supper, and will continue to source most of its meats and produce from 28 local South Carolina and Georgia farms, according to its Facebook page.

HILTON HEAD & BLUFFTON RECOGNIZED AS PLACES TO BE FOR FOOD AND DRINKS

Forbes recently named Hilton Head as one of South Carolina’s hottest spots for food and drinking. “The island’s coastal location has allowed it to excel at one particular type of cuisine—namely, seafood,” Forbes said, noting Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks and Nectar Farm Kitchen. Bluffton was also recognized by Forbes for its eating and drinking scene, with Forbes noting FARM and Burnt Church Distillery.

OUR FAVORITE

restaurants BROUGHT TO YOU BY MONTHLY, FORK & FUN AND VACATION GUIDE

HILTON HEAD // NORTH END:

Crazy Crab Jarvis Creek

Hwy. 278 | 843.681.5021 thecrazycrab.com A Hilton Head tradition for over 30 years, enjoy genuine service and fresh seafood. Menu feature crab clusters, local oysters, seafood “your way,” fresh local shrimp.

Healthy Habit

Il Carpaccio

33 Office Park Road 843.686.5600 healthyhabithhi.com A quick service restaurant with a focus on chopped salads and other plant based items utilizing the freshest ingredients possible with hand crafted dressings.

200A Museum St. 843.342.9949 ilcarpaccioofhiltonhead.com Authentic Italian cuisine, ranging from cuisine of Northern Italy to crispy, thin-crust, Italian-style pizza. A genuine brick pizza oven (imported from Italy).

Street Meet: The American Tavern

Port Royal Plaza | 843.842.2570 streetmeethhi.com Street Meet specializes in homemade versions of regional American bar food. Best Wings, Fish & Chips, Homemade Soups, Salads, Vegetarian Menu, Seafood.

HILTON HEAD // MID-ISLAND:

Alexander’s Restaurant & Wine Bar

Giuseppi's Pizza & Pasta

Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers & Pizza

Gruby's New York Deli

Fishcamp on Broad Creek

Island Bagel & Deli

76 Queens Folly Rd. 843.785.4999 alexandersrestaurant.com Menu uses seasonal ingredients with a strong emphasis on seafood while paying homage to Alexander’s original favorites. Dinner from 5–10pm daily.

7 Trent Jones Ln. | 855.878.1966 palmettodunes.com/big-jims Big Jim’s offers signature Southern dishes, gourmet burgers, pizzas, soups, salads, seafood, steaks and ribs. Open for breakfast, lunch & dinner.

11 Simmons Road 843.842.2267 fishcamphhi.com Fishcamp’s menu consists of seafood and American cuisine, including steak and lobster. They have an outdoor bar and open patio. Family friendly.

The French Bakery & Courtyard Café

28 Shelter Cove Ln. 843.342.5420 frenchbakeryhiltonhead.com Breakfast or lunch inside or out in this bakery/café. Enjoy crepes, breads, baguette & paninis, salads, soups, quiches & pastries. Traditional French recipes.

50 Shelter Cove Lane 843.785.4144 giuseppispizza.com Serving excellent, award-winning pizza (since 1984), plus a broad variety of well-prepared pastas, sandwiches, wings, garden fresh salads and more. 890 William Hilton Parkway 843.842.9111 grubysnydeli.com A New York-style deli offering classic sandwiches, soups & breakfast dishes in a casual setting offering breakfast and lunch. S. Island Square | 843.686.3353 The island's only New York style boiled bagels made daily. 16 flavors of bagels and 12 homemade cream cheeses. Specialty hoagies, sandwiches & salads.

Jane Bistro & Bar

28 Shelter Cove Lane 843.686.5696 | janehhi.com Bistro fare with Lowcountry influences. Enjoy jumbo lump crab cakes, pecan cranberry chicken salad, crispy flounder and petit filet mignon. Open daily.

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IIDINE OUTII

Old Oyster Factory

Big Bamboo

Santa Fe Cafe

British Open Pub

101 Marshland Rd. 843.681.6040 OldOysterFactory.com Panoramic marsh & water views. Fresh seafood and some of the best steaks on Hilton Head. Featured in The Wall Street Journal's “Off the Beaten Track.” 807 Wllm Hilton Pkwy 843.785.3838 santafecafeofhiltonhead.com Casually elegant dining that captures the spirit of New Mexico. Try their parmesan chipotle grouper, bone-in ribeye steak, fajitas, & Painted Desert soup.

Sea Grass Grille

807 William Hilton Pkwy 843.785.9990 seagrassgrille.com American, Lowcountry and Continental cuisine. Chef Chad brings 38 years of culinary expertise. Winner of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence.

Up the Creek Pub & Grill

18 Simmons Road 843-681-3625 upthecreekpubandgrill.com Casual waterfront dining. Menu offers shrimp appetizers, burgers, crab cake sandwiches, seafood baskets and homemade brownies.

HILTON HEAD //SOUTH END:

Amigos Cafe y Cantina

70 Pope Ave. | 843-785-8226 amigoscafehhi.com Quick, Casual, Healthy. Authentic Mexican Food. Food is prepared fresh daily using the finest ingredients possible and served by friendly, helpful people.

Aunt Chilada’s Easy Street Café

69 Pope Avenue 843.785.7700 auntchiladashhi.com Excellent Tex-Mex and American fare. Enjoy crab legs, sizzling fajitas, & margaritas. Reservations & large parties welcome.

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1 N. Forest Beach Dr. 843.686.3443 bigbamboocafe.com The South Pacific meets the Carolina Coast just steps from the beach. A casual hangout serving burgers, seafood and festive libations. Village at Wexford 843.686.6736 thebritishopenpub.com Family-friendly pub with authentic English food with American favorites. Try the signature fish & chips, shepherd’s pie and certified Angus beef.

Captain Woody's

6 Target Rd | 843.785.2400 captainwoodys.com Grab a seat at the outside deck, inside, or just belly up to the bar. Offering a full lunch and dinner menu, happy hour daily, live music seasonally, and Sunday brunch.

Carolina Crab Company

86 Helmsman Way 843.842.2016 carolinacrabco.com Enjoy water views and fresh seafood at an affordable price in a family-friendly atmosphere. Pet-friendly outside bar & patio.

Catch 22

37 New Orleans Rd. 843.785.6261 catch22hhi.com Locally owned. Dinner is served nightly from 5 p.m. Early Dining Menu. All beef is aged 28 days, U.S.D.A prime, hand selected and cut in house.

Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte

8 New Orleans Road 843.785.9277 charliesgreenstar.com Since 1982, Charlie’s writes its menu daily based on the freshest seafood available. Dinner offers 14 fresh fish, rack of lamb, filet mignon and more. An extensive wine list.

Chez Georges

ChowDaddy’s

37 New Orleans Rd 843-785-3200 chezgeorgeshhi.com Chez Georges serves traditional bistro staples such as steak frites and mussels mariniere, incorporating fresh, locally sourced ingredients. 14b Executive Park Rd. 843.757.CHOW chowdaddys.com Offering a wide variety of menu items focusing on buns, bowls, and tacos and great libations. Lunch & dinner daily.

Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse

1000 Wlm Hilton Pkwy 843.715.3565 cowboybraziliansteakhouse.com All-you-can eat “Churrascaria.” 30 item salad bar, 6 Brazilian hot dishes and a “parade” of 16 USDA Prime cuts of beef, lamb, chicken and pork carved tableside.

CQ’s Restaurant

140 Lighthouse Rd. | 843.671.2779 CQsRestaurant.com Fine dining, an intimate atmosphere and a bit of Hilton Head history. Signature dishes include fresh seafood, beef & game.“Bistro” menu offers smaller portions.

Crane’s Tavern Steakhouse & Seafood

26 New Orleans Rd. 843.341.2333 | cranestavern.com Perfect for steak and seafood lovers, serving cuts of only USDA Prime grade beef, their Famous Prime Rib. Excellent selection of fresh fish, seafood & pasta dishes.

Crazy Crab Harbour Town

Harbour Town 843.363.2722 thecrazycrab.com Genuine service and fresh seafood; a Hilton Head tradition for over 30 years! Menus feature crab clusters, local oysters, seafood “your way,” local shrimp and more.

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IIDINE OUTII

Delisheeyo

Healthy Habit

32 Palmetto Bay Road 843.785.3633 | delisheeeyo.com Vegetarian. Smoothies, Buddha Bowls and more. They provide meals that you can trust, that are real, and healthy. 33 Office Park Rd. 843-686-5600 healthyhabithhi.com Quick service restaurant serving chopped salads, superfood bowls, fresh bottled juices, smoothies, breakfast and organic coffee & teas and plant based items.

Hinchey’s Chicago Bar & Grill

70 Pope Avenue 843.686.5959 | hincheys.com A sports bar and a casual restaurant famous for their grouper sandwich. Stop by for lunch, or for drinks or dinner. Dine inside or out.

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Hinoki Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Michael Anthony’s

It’s Greek To Me

Nick’s Steak & Seafood

Kenny B’s Cajun/Creole Seafood

Nunzio Restaurant + Bar

37 New Orleans Rd. 843.785.9800 | hinokihhi.com Traditional Japanese dishes including grilled fish, chicken and steak, sukiyaki, noodle dishes, tempura, daily specials, sushi & sashimi. Reservations recommended.

11 Lagoon Rd. | 843.842.4033 | itsgreektomehhi.com Genuine Greek cuisine, from gyros to fried calamari to souvlaki to baklava for dessert. Authentic Greek recipes. The Isand's only gyro machines.

70-A Pope Ave. | 843.785.3315 eatatkennybs.com New Orleans fare including jambalaya, red beans & rice, and gumbos. The Island’s best po’ boys & fried seafood. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch.

37 New Orleans Rd. 843.785.6272 michael-anthonys.com Upscale classic Italian fine dining featuring innovative preparations and farm fresh ingredients. One of Open Table's Top 50 Italian Restaurants in the country. 9 Park Lane | 843.686.2920 | nickssteakandseafood.com Offering steaks, seafood, BBQ, sandwiches, salads, appetizers, soups, burgers, pasta and a kids’s menu. Reservations accepted. Large parties welcome. 18 New Orleans Road 843.715.2172 | nunziohhi.com Specializes in fresh seafood and homemade pasta. Beautiful 1,300-sq-ft restaurant with a large bar area and two outdoor seating areas.

Ombra Cucina Italiana

1000 William Hilton Pkwy 843.842.5505 | ombrahhi.com Chef Michael Cirafesi promotes the foods & wines of Italy. He prepares all pastas, homemade gnocchi, desserts and breads daily. A European-style bar & lounge with Italian cocktails.

Phillys Cafe & Deli

55 New Orleans Rd. 843.785.9966 | phillyscafe.com Phillys’ motto is “Best sandwiches on the island...Period!” Custom sandwiches with bread baked fresh daily. The pita wraps and salads are both imaginative and health-conscious.

One Hot Mama's

Red Fish

Palmetto Bay Sun Rise Café

Reilley’s Grill & Bar

Reilleys Plaza | 843.682.6262 onehotmamas.com Family-friendly. Meat & 3 combo platters, BBQ platters, hand-cut steaks, burgers, char-grilled chicken and “the world’s best” wings. Palmetto Bay Marina 843.686.3232 palmettobaysunrisecafe.com Breakfast starting from 6 a.m. Breakfast and lunch items are available continuously. Cafe offers to-go lunches for boats, beach or office. Open 7 days.

8 Archer Rd. | 843-686-3388 redfishofhiltonhead.com Red Fish specializes in beautifully prepared seafood and steaks. Choose from a 1,000-plus bottle selection of wines from around the world. Private dining available. 7D Greenwood Dr. 843.842.4414 reilleyshiltonhead.com Serving up steaks, seafood, pasta & sandwiches for more than 35 years. Lunch & dinner daily, & Sunday brunch. The bar is open late.

Rockfish Seafood & Steaks at Bomboras

5 Lagoon Road | 843.689.2662 rockfishhhi.com A family seafood restaurant & bar near the beach. Offering fresh and local lowcounty ingredients and craft beers and wines. Kids menu. Lunches to Go for the beach.

Salty Dog Cafe

Sea Shack

South Beach Marina Village 843.671.7327 | saltydog.com One of Hilton Head’s favorite outdoor cafes for more than 20 years. Fresh seafood. Both indoor and outdoor seating. Live music & children’s entertainment nightly seasonally. 6 Executive Park Rd. 843.785.2464 | seashackhhi.com One of the island’s most extensive menus of seafood & more. Voted one of "South Carolina’s best seafood spots" by Coastal Living and Southern Living.

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IIDINE OUTII

Slapfish

1024 William Hilton Pwy 843.521.5830 Slapfishrestaurant.com The nation’s fastest growing seafood restaurant is locally owned & operated by the Lomasney family. Serving honest flippin’ seafood infused with lots of flavor!

Stack’s Pancakes & More

Stellini

The Studio

TôRō

Truffles

BLUFFTON:

Amigos, Bluffton

133 Belfair Town Village 843.815.8226 amigosbelfair.com Authentic Mexican taqueria, serving delicious food “inspired by Mexican cuisine from Baja, Mexico, to Santa Barbara, California.” Home of their famous BBQ Chicken Salad.

2 Regency Pkwy. & Hwy. 278 843.341.3347 | stackshh.com Pancakes, waffles, house-made fruit sauces, crepes, crème brûlée French toast, shrimp & grits, crab benedict, shrimp omelet with lobster cream sauce. Gluten free avail.

British Open Pub

15 Executive Park Rd. 843.785.7006 | stellinihhi.com Family owned & operated since 1989! Italian appetizers & entrees from NY & Northern NJ. Delicious pasta, poultry, veal, seafood, beef & lamb expertly prepared.

Captain Woody's

20 Executive Park Road 843.785.6000 studiodining.com Dine while enjoying watching artists paint. The menu uses the finest regional, natural & organic ingredients. Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan menu avail. 2 N Forest Beach Drive, Unit 107 843.931.8676 | torohhi.com Latin and Asian inspired fare delivering a blend of culinary creativity and culture to a vibrant, yet casual and innovative atmosphere. Sea Pines Center 843.671.6136 | trufflescafe.com Local seafood, Black Angus steaks, baby back ribs, soups, sandwiches, and salads. Specialties include glazed grouper, mango salmon, crab cakes, meatloaf and fried shrimp.

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Sheridan Park | 843.815.6736 britishopenpub.net Family-friendly pub with authentic English food with American favorites. Try the signature fish & chips, shepherd’s pie and certified Angus beef. 17 State Of Mind St 843.757.6222 captainwoodys.com Grab a seat at the outside deck, inside, or just belly up to the bar. Offering a full lunch and dinner menu, happy hour daily, live music seasonally, and Sunday brunch.

ChowDaddy’s

15 Towne Dr. 843.757.CHOW(2469) chowdaddys.com Buns, bowls, and tacos and great libations. Enjoy salads, sliders, a house ground rib eye burger, or their famous smoked fried chicken. Serving lunch & dinner daily.

Cinco Mexican Grill

102 Buckwalter Pkwy 843.815.2233 | cincomexgrill.com Authentic cuisine made from scratch using traditional & modern recipes. Dishes include Cinco Bowl, Piña Fajitas, Carnitas, Enchiladas, Chimichangas, Flautas & flan.

Corner Perk Brunch Cafe & Coffee Roasters

1297 May River Road 843.816.5674 | cornerperk.com Locally-owned Brunch Cafe and coffeehouse with house-roasted coffee, homemade syrups, breakfast wraps, sandwiches, lunch wraps, and salads.

Giuseppi's Pizza & Pasta

25 Bluffton Rd | 843.815.9200 | giuseppispizza.com Serving excellent, award-winning pizza (since 1984), plus a variety of well-prepared pastas, sandwiches, wings, garden fresh salads and more.

Island Bagel & Deli

17 Sherington Dr. 843.815.5300 New York style boiled bagels made from scratch daily. 16 flavors of bagels and 12 homemade cream cheeses. Specialty hoagies, sandwiches & salads.

Olive & Fig

Truffles

1533 Fording Island Road 843.707.1934 | olivefig.net Authentic Mediterranean cuisine. The menu features Lebanese and Greek dishes alongside traditional Mediterranean fare, and gluten free and vegetarian options. Belfair Towne Village 843.815.5551 | trufflescafe.com Cafe featuring the “freshest and finest of everything!” Fresh local seafood, Black Angus steaks, baby back ribs, homemade soups and garden salads. Covered patio. Lunch, dinner daily. Full cocktail bar.

SAVANNAH:

The Mansion on Forsyth Park

700 Drayton Street | 912-238-5158 kesslercollection.com/mansion Featuring 700 Drayton, which offers world-class cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. Breakfast, brunch and dinner daily.

Plant Riverside District

400 West River Street | 912-373-9100 | plantriverside.com Offers food and drink with a variety of restaurants, bars and lounges. Features an all-day café, a high-end chophouse, a pizza restaurant, and a riverside bar. Two rooftop bars offer cocktails and live entertainment.

Learn more about specific restaurants by scanning the QR code next to their listing to visit that restaurant's website. Iphone users:

1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone 2. Point your iPhone at the QR code to scan it. 3. Tap the pop-up notification at the top of your screen to go to the website.

Android Users:

1. Press and hold the home button 2. Then tap Lens 3. Point your camera at the QR code 4. Tap the magnifying glass icon to scan the QR code 5. Tap the pop-up notification to go to the website

SCAN QR CODES TO VISIT RESTAURANT WEBSITES S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 // 175

IIMY PERSPECTIVEII

REFLECT UPON SEPT. 11 Sept. 11, 2001, will always be with me. The horrific images, the panicked phone calls, the uncertainty. The feeling of helplessness. Twenty years ago this month, terrorists attacked the United States. The attack at the World Trade Center led to the deaths of 2,606 people. Overall, 2,997 people died, including 125 at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and 40 who were on Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pa. I was living in New York in 2001, about 20 miles from the World Trade Center. The memories of that day remain indelible. Seeing video of the destruction of areas I’d visited was stunning. Hearing from friends about their dashes to safety was gut-wrenching. Waiting to hear from family who worked near the site was unnerving. After the chaos, what I remember most — and recall often — was the quiet. It was eerie in the days following the attack to not hear planes flying, to see empty skies. There were unspoken exchanges and understood somber glances among strangers. The usual obnoxious honking of cars was kept to a minimum. We were mostly in our houses, watching, mourning the loss of lives, hoping futilely for the rescue of survivors. We worried about what would come next. Those tense days of quiet are reflected at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Manhattan, where I visited a few years ago.

Years after moving out of New York I made it a point to return and visit the memorial that has been visited by thousands since it opened in 2011. Tourists and locals walked silently around the memorial’s plaza, which features two large pools with 30-foot waterfalls and 400 swamp white oak trees. Inscriptions on the pools are filled with thousands of names of those who died on Sept. 11 and during the 1993 terrorist attacks: mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, firefighters and cops. White roses representing the birthdays of those lost were placed along the memorial. The loudest sound came from the rush of the memorial’s water. We stood in silence remembering the pain of Sept. 11. It was a sobering experience. The recollections now, years later, remain somber, but there is comfort in knowing the lives lost were honored. Twenty years and our distance in the Lowcountry from New York City can make it easy to overlook this year’s anniversary. Don’t let it. Twenty years ago our country was attacked, lives were lost, and wars were fought. The day deserves a moment of reflection. There will be Sept. 11 anniversary ceremonies nationally and in the Lowcountry, but you don’t have to attend a ceremony to commemorate the event. Our experiences that day may be different, but we shared the shock and heartbreak. Twenty years later we can unite in remembering the tragic day and the lives lost.

OUR EXPERIENCES THAT DAY MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT WE SHARED THE SHOCK AND HEARTBREAK.

ANTHONY GARZILLI Editor anthony@hiltonheadmonthly.com

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Hilton Head Monthly September 2021

Articles inside

Dining Briefs

Perspective

Picture Perfect

Full of Fellowship

Destination: Love

Bringing People Together

Real Estate News

Q & A with the Mayor

Technology Essentials

Meet the City Manager

Timeless Attraction

Learn from the Library

Landmarks

Evolving History

Meet the Town Manager

History Lesson

Landmarks

Meet the Town Manager

Q & A with the Mayor

A Numbers Game

Q & A with the Mayor

News

Data Driven

Contributors

Opinion

At The Helm

Community Connection

Photos of the Month

Pets to Adopt