Hilton Head Monthly January 2015

hilton head C O N N E C T I N G

T H E

L O W C O U N T R Y

19 INTRIGUING

PEOPLE OF THE LOWCOUNTRY

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

WITH NEW MAYOR DAVID BENNETT

NEW YEAR NEW YOU

MANAGE YOUR HEALTH & MONEY IN 2015 JANUARY 2015

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20 Features

Departments

20 n Who is David Bennett?

14 n At the Helm

Meet the little known new mayor, a man who wants a plan for our island

28 n hurt into hope Lowcountry couple helps to improve the lives of Russian orphans

32 n Financial checklist

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JAN. contents

The new year gives you an opportunity to create a financial roadmap for 2015

46 n Selecting schools Give your child an education advantage by finding the right school

82 n New Year, New You We can’t go back and relive 2014, but we have blank pages to write in 2015

93 n Old is new Shopping secondhand stores requires some foraging skills but it’s worth it

98 n Name our dame Select a name for our new fashion mannequin and earn a prize

100 n Engaged! Now what?

It’s proper etiquette to call the bride’s parents first, then the groom’s

102 n A step back in time

16 n News 20 n VIBE 26 n Where in the World?

32 n Business 42 n On the move 46 n Education 82 n Health 93 n Shopping 98 n Fashion 100 n Bridal 102 n Home 110 n Real Estate 128 n Calendar 143 n social spotlight 148 n Dining 160 n Last Call

Home located inside Wexford Plantation is special in many ways

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110 n Buy now January is the ideal time to purchase a home in the Lowcountry

128 n ’Anything goes’ More than 100 local artists will showcase their best work

140 n Making a bang The CRF Sporting Clays Shoot returns to Forest City Gun Club

140

Intriguing People of the Lowcountry

55

151 n Restaurant week More than 50 local restaurants offer fixed-price, multi-course menus

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AT THE HELM

PHOTO BY CHARLES GRACE

Time flies when you’re having fun

LORI GOODRIDGE-CRIBB lori@hiltonheadmonthly.com

J

ust when I finally got used to writing 2014, the year went and changed on me. Seriously, what happened to those past 12 months? When I was younger, it all seemed so different.

I thought it was the craziest, most obvious thing for my relatives to point out how much I’d grown since they last saw me. I finally understand what they mean now that the months and years fly by. How can it be almost 13 years since Charles Fraser passed and 28 years since Walmart came to town?

I remember both of those events like they happened yesterday.

If time truly does fly when you’re having fun, 2014 was an absolute blast.

Now we’re in 2015, faced with the challenge of improving on a banner year we had here at Monthly. One of the ways we will expand is by adding a new fashion page. To do that, we purchased the life-sized mannequin you see pictured with me above. Now we just need to figure out what to call her.

If you attended our Readers’ Choice party last month at the Sonesta, you probably noticed her greeting you at the door. We

asked party attendees to help “Name our Dame” and got some pretty good suggestions, including Hilda Head, Madam Monthly and Manny Quin. What do you think we should call her? Email your suggestions to lori@hiltonheadmonthly.com. The person that comes up with the best name gets a $100 gift certificate to Aerial Adventure Hilton Head.

The new year also means we’ve come up with our annual list of “Intriguing People of the Lowcountry.” As you may know, it’s not a collection of the wealthiest people, the most beautiful people or the most important people. It’s a combination of everything that makes a person intriguing. We started the tradition 18 years ago to spice up a slow month for both us and the Lowcountry.

In a small community, you think we would be running low on people to highlight.

The exact opposite is true. All year long we stumble across interesting people and add them to the list. A gentlemen I once met at the grocery store is a perfect example. After striking up a conversation with him, I learned he was once the CEO of Rolex. People like that are all around us and we take great pride in sharing those type of stories.

Some magazines attempt to be young and hip. Others only cater to a certain demographic. We feel Monthly stands out by showcasing all members of our community — all ages, races, religions and nationalities. We all play a part in making this such a vibrant and positive place to live.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and enjoy this issue, our first of 2015.

We are looking forward to another fantastic year! Don’t forget to mark your calendar for our next big event — the 2015 Hilton Head Bridal Show on Feb. 8 at The Westin. M

address PO Box 5926, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938 offices 843-842-6988 fax 843-842-5743 email editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com web hiltonheadmonthly.com /hiltonheadmonthly @HHMonthly

SUBSCRIPTIONS

One-year (12-issue) subscriptions are $12.

For mailing inquiries or to make address changes to your existing subscription, call 843-785-1889 or email subscriptions@hiltonheadmonthly.com CEO

Marc Frey marc@hiltonheadmonthly.com PUBLISHER Lori Goodridge-Cribb lori@hiltonheadmonthly.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lance Hanlin lance@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-842-6988, ext. 230 ART DIRECTOR Jeremy Swartz jeremy@hiltonheadmonthly.com DESIGN Charles Grace charles@hiltonheadmonthly.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Arno Dimmling, Josh Gibson, Charles Grace, Christopher Herron, Rob Kaufman, Thomas Love, Keith Vander Schaaf, Valerie Stryker, W Photography, Lloyd Wainscott, Photos by Ruthe CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ginger Allen, Lisa J. Allen, Jean Beck, Sherry Conohan, Cristeen Dennis, Ellis Harman, Courtney Hills, John Hudzinski, Kim Kachmann-Geltz, Barry Kaufman, Megan Mattingly-Arthur, Glen McCaskey, James McMahon, Leslie Moses, Libby O’Regan, Robyn Passante, Dean Rowland, Elihu Spencer, Blanche Sullivan, Tim Wood ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Rebecca V. Kerns rebecca@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-842-6988, ext. 239 Cathy Flory cathy@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-842-6988, ext. 228 Majka Yarbrough majka@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-842-6988, ext. 231 Gordon Deal gordon@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-301-1132

ABOUT THE COVER: The Hilton Head Island cover features talented artist Amiri Farris, one of the 19 people featured in our “Intriguing People of the Lowcountry” issue. The image was captured by Lloyd Wainscott. The Bluffton cover is Susan Ketchum and her 1959 Chevrolet Apache pickup truck. The photo was taken by Arno Dimmling.

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NEWS

EN VOGUE SINGER FILMS PARTS OF DOCU-SERIES IN BLUFFTON Maxine Jones, one of the original members of the popular female R&B group En Vogue, is filming a large part of a docuseries about her returning to the spotlight in Bluffton. Jones rose to fame with the singing group in the 1990s, becoming one of

the most popular and successful female groups of all time, but left the group in 2011. She is trying to return to the spotlight as a solo artist and the docu-series is following her progress. She made several appearances during filming, including attending the

Bluffton Christmas Parade, a town council meeting and a special performance at Encore Lounge. An undisclosed network has picked up the series, which is set to air this summer. Jones grew up in Camden and has family members living in Bluffton.

DETAILED Plan for USCB Campus Revealed

HHI NAMED A FAVORITE STOP FOR SINGLE TOUR PROS The RBC Heritage, Hilton Head Island’s PGA Tour golf tournament, was recently highlighted twice as being a favorite stop on the tour. In the latest issue of Golf Digest, an undercover golf pro said their are four tournaments single players mark on their calendars — Dallas, Phoenix, Charlotte and Hilton Head. “If you’re looking for trouble, you

can find it anywhere, but those four cities tend to generate the most stories. Even if you’re out in jeans and a T-shirt, the women ask pretty quickly whether you’re a pro golfer.”

In other Heritage news, PGA.com senior interactive producer T.J. Auclair recently named the Heritage as one of his top five tournaments of 2014. Admitting that his list is

HHI, BLUFFTON ON COVER OF US AIRWAYS MAGAZINE US Airways magazine featured a 54-page spread of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton in the December issue of its in-flight publication. The cover of the magazine featured the familiar image of the lighthouse at Harbor Town, the 18th fairway of Harbor Town Golf Links and Calibogue Sound. The magazine featured all aspects of life in the Lowcountry, including restaurants, resorts, golf courses and places to explore. A total of 35 local organizations were mentioned in the spread.

subjective, the ranked tournaments earned merits based on criteria that included “tournaments that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, whether it was a train wreck avoided, a dramatic final shot or an insane leaderboard.”

The RBC Heritage made the cut for Matt Kuchar’s final shot, which won the 2014 RBC Heritage.

The Town of Hilton Head Island recently unveiled conceptual plans for a 6-acre, $33.5-million dollar University of South Carolina Beaufort campus located on Office Park Road.

Drawings released showed a pond and a small cafe surrounding the 38,000-square-foot main building that will house USCB’s hospitality management program. A 6,000-square-foot building will house the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and will offer continuing-education classes. Close to 400 students are expected to use the campus when it opens in 2018. The town purchased the four buildings on Office Park Road last year for $4 million and will tear them down to make way for the new campus.

More timeshares coming The former Adventure Inn on Hilton Head Island will be the site for new beachfront timeshares on South Forest Beach.

The Island Packet reported that plans submitted to the town call for a “signature destination resort” on land once occupied

by the inn across from Lemoyne Avenue. The complex will hold two six-story residential buildings, two pools, an outdoor bar and boardwalks that lead to the beach. Adventure Inn, the last of Hilton Head’s three original hotels, was demolished in 2008.

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NOC OPENS NEW PROGRAM CENTER ON CORDILLO PARKWAY Neighborhood Outreach Connection and members of the communities of Cordillo Courts, The Hedges and Woodhaven Apartments recently celebrated the grand opening of the fourth and newest Neighborhood Outreach Connection Program Center, located at 104 Cordillo Parkway on Hilton Head Island.

NOC, a nonprofit organization, provides after-school and preschool learning programs for underserved children. With a grant of $90,000 from the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, NOC now has two Cordillo Courts apartments, which have been converted into classrooms for underserved children to attend.

INN AT HARBOUR TOWN HONORED

BY CONDE NAST TRAVELER

SEA PINES PRO NAMED Top Instructor Tim Cooke, director of golf instruction at Sea Pines Resort, has been named Teacher of the Year by the Carolinas PGA Section.

The Carolinas Section is the largest of the PGA’s 41 sections with more than 2,000 professional members. Its geographic territory embraces North and South Carolina as well as a small portion of southern Virginia. PGA members are employed at more than 725 golf facilities in the Carolinas. In 2009, Cooke was awarded “Master Professional in Instruction” status by the PGA of America. Due to his work

with junior golfers, he was recognized as a “U.S. Kids Top 50 Instructor” (2009). Cooke has been named to Golf Digest’s “Best Young Teachers” (2010-2013). Golf Digest also recognized him as one of the top teachers in South Carolina for 2013/2014.

Cooke’s instructional articles have been featured in Golf Illustrated and Golf Digest. He has additionally made several guest appearances on Golf Channel’s “The Turn” as well as an instructional segment which ran in 2014 on Golf Channel.com’s “Weekly Fix.”

The Inn at Harbour Town, a 60-room boutique hotel at Sea Pines Resort, is ranked No. 6 in Conde Nast Traveler’s prestigious 2014 “Top 20 Resorts in the South.” The survey is the magazine’s 18th annual “Readers’ Choice Awards” with more than 1 million votes cast worldwide for hospitality excellence.

“Conde Nast Traveler’s

‘Readers’ Choice Awards’ are the gold standard of the hospitality industry as it’s determined by actual travelers,” said John Munro, vice president of hospitality, sales and marketing. “We never tire in our quest for excellence as we know our guests expect the best when making the decision on where to spend their vacation dollars.”

BROWN GOLF Management TAKES OVER ROSE HILL COURSE Brown Golf Management acquired its fifth Bluffton golf course recently, adding Rose Hill Golf Club to its portfolio.

The management firm signed a five-year lease to operate the course but the Rose

Hill Plantation Property Owners Association will still own it. Brown Golf Management owns Island West, Pinecrest, Eagle’s Pointe and Crescent Pointe golf clubs in Bluffton and 22 other courses in six states.

SITE PUTS DAUFUSKIE ON ‘MOST STRESSED’ LIST

The Monthly Joke

Many people that visit picturesque Daufuskie Island do so to get away from the stress of daily life.

That’s why many island residents were surprised to see their island with no bridge listed among the nation’s “most stressed out” ZIP

Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.

codes. The list was compiled by the real estate travel site Movoto using census data for more than 28,300 zip codes across the country, tracking high unemployment, long work hours, commute times and low pay at work.

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WHO IS

DAVID BENNETT? MEET THE LITTLE KNOWN NEW MAYOR, A MAN THAT HOPES TO HELP RETURN OUR ISLAND TO GREATNESS

BY LANCE HANLIN | PHOTOS BY ARNO DIMMLING

Four words: We can do better. A virtually unknown real estate developer used those four words to connect with 5,839 voters on Nov. 18, becoming the ninth mayor in the town of Hilton Head’s 31-year history.

H

is message was simple: “The time has come to take steps to put Hilton Head Island back on the path that originally made it such an exceptional new community,” David Bennett said.

So who is David Bennett?

Why is he here? What is his story? What motivated him to

run for mayor and how was he able to win over the island?

We set out the answer those questions and many more during a lengthy interview at his Shelter Cove office overlooking Broad Creek.

MIDWESTERN ROOTS Bennett was raised on the east

side of Indianapolis in a neighborhood he describes as lower middle class. He was 6 months old when his grandmother died and his parents divorced. His mother and he moved into his grandfather’s house and stayed there for many years before his mother remarried and the family moved to Westfield, a suburb

north of Indianapolis. Later, the family moved a few miles south to Carmel, where Bennett graduated from Carmel High School, one of the most respected schools in Indiana, known for its exceptional academic and athletic programs.

Bennett participated in swimming and golf and described himself as a good student.

At Indiana University in Bloomington, Bennett obtained a bachelor of science degree in finance and real estate. After graduation in 1988, he accepted a sales job, pushing product to supermarkets for General Mills.

“I saw it as a sales training ground more than anything,” Bennett said. “Frankly, there were only two things I ever considered doing. One was (being) a doctor, the other was real estate development.

“Going straight from college into real estate development is a nearly impossible task. Every firm wants some kind of training base.

General Mills had an excellent training program so I elected to go that route and then work my way into real estate development.”

DEVELOPING CARMEL Bennett left General Mills in 1992 to work for a developer that owned several small to midsized retail shopping centers back in Indianapolis. In 1994, he joined the Village Community Development Corporation and the Fidelity Federal Capital Corporation, which are workforce housing and real estate investment banking affiliates of Pedcor Investments, Inc. Within five years, he was promoted to vice president.

BRANCHING OUT While at Pedcor, Bennett met his wife, Terri, and Duane Reindl, his future business partner.

“When I was there, (Pedcor) was mostly developing affordable housing,” Bennett said. “I wanted

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the VIBE to develop other types of real estate as well. Those two objectives didn’t match up with one another so I branched out in 2000 on my own. Terri was home taking care of our two daughters at the time while also overseeing a number of our business activities. We started a consulting business principally based on structuring debt and equity for other developers around the country. We used profits from that to begin developing and investing for our own account.

We developed a couple of projects in San Diego and hit that market right on the upswing. We bought at the bottom, renovated and sold near the top.”

Reindl left his post at Pedcor to join Bennett’s growing business, forming Bennett & Reindl, LLC. “Duane is a good balance to me,” Bennett said. “I’m more of a 10,000-foot guy. I’m more focused on vision and structuring developments. He’s willing to get in the nitty-gritty. He’s operational. We work really well with one another and I appreciate him.”

HELLO, HILTON HEAD Bennett first experienced Hilton Head Island in 1993. The parents of a good friend, Dr. Stephen Luther, owned a condominium in Sea Pines. Bennett was among a pack of buddies Luther invited for a golf vacation.

“We played 36 holes of golf every day and went out to dinner every night. It was just a great experience,” Bennett said.

“I don’t think I had visited a place where the beauty struck me the way Hilton Head did and still does.”

In 1996, Bennett promised his sister they were going to vacation together. He rented a condo in Palmetto Dunes for two families. The group had such a positive experience that they

decided to do it again the next year … then the next year … and then the year after that.

The Bennett family purchased their Palmetto Dunes property in 2003 and began spending entire summers and many holidays here.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING In 2007, Bennett was fortunate to avoid certain financial ruin by sensing the oncoming recession. The critical moment was a conversation he had with a friend in the steam room of Five Seasons Sports Club in Indianapolis. The friend told Bennett about people he knew that were earning seven-figure incomes by doing nothing more than obtaining contracts to buy speculative condominium units in Florida and flipping those contracts to other speculative investors. The conversation hit Bennett like a ton of bricks.

“I thought, ‘My gosh,’” Bennett said. “You want to talk about irrational exuberance?

People in the investment business were experiencing irrational exuberance. It was one of those things that just hits you.

‘This is not right.’ I went home that day and told my wife about my conversation and discussed selling many of our properties, including land development.

We sold many of them in 2007 going into 2008. In hindsight, it was the right move.”

RELOCATING TO PARADISE After selling the majority of their property, Bennett and Reindl’s plan was to redeploy their funds into other investments, but then the economy fell off a cliff.

“What are we going to do?” he asked himself. “We didn’t have to go to work immediately.

My wife and I had been thinking that we might want to retire on Hilton Head, not that I ever

see myself fully retiring. We came to the conclusion, ‘Why not just go now?’ One thing I had learned in the summers we were spending here is that there is an affordable housing crisis in southern Beaufort County. In my opinion, if we work as a community as hard as we can, it will still be hard for us to satisfy that demand. I thought to myself, ‘Maybe we have a good opportunity to go down to Hilton Head, develop some quality affordable housing and thereby meet some need in the community.’”

Bennett moved his family here full time in 2009.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE Bennett quickly realized that outside of the gated communities, Hilton Head was not the same paradise he remembered 16 years earlier.

“Honestly, I don’t mean this in a detrimental way, but to me, everything just looked kind of tired,” Bennett said. “I’m sure the economy had something to do with it. I think housing values here declined more than they had in Indiana. Our aging commercial real estate stock was an affront, which I believe was working against the interests of our community. The mall was dying, Pineland Station and Northridge were pretty much in the condition they are today.

Those properties appeared to need some help.”

AN INVITATION TO HELP Shortly after arriving, Town Council member Kim Likins ran into the Bennetts at a community function. She informed them the town’s Personnel Committee was looking for new members for the Planning Commission and ask if Bennett would consider serving.

“Frankly, I considered it my civic duty,” Bennett said. “I took

it as a real opportunity to participate in our community.”

After joining the commission, he was surprised by Hilton Head’s lack of actual planning.

“Many things I’ve talk about during my campaign were based on those initial experiences,” Bennett said. “Perhaps because of my experience in Carmel, I assumed we were operating in accordance with a plan. As applications for various projects were coming to us, I began looking around for the plan to determine if these projects fit in, and if they do, where.

I was surprised to learn that we didn’t have a comprehensive master plan for the areas of our community outside of our gated plantations. Actually, I was astounded by that.”

THE NEXT STEP In 1983, Hilton Head was incorporated as a municipality to ensure local decisions would be made by islanders instead of non-islanders from Beaufort County.

Island residents knew they were generating most of the dollars for the county but it was apparent most of the money was not staying on the island.

The construction of high-rise apartments and condominiums, locally referred to as “stack-ashacks,” crystallized the negative feelings toward Hilton Head’s developmental control.

“That was a key step, but where is the next significant step? So far, I don’t think that it exists,” Bennett said.

Many hope Bennett is the right leader to help make that next step.

“The first mayor, Ben Racusin, was terrific,” said longtime islander Tom Gardo, a political consultant that worked with the Bennett campaign. “He was a real leader. Then we had Martha Baumberger, who was a strong January 2015 21

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the VIBE leader, too. After that we sort of got into that old feeling of, ‘Leave us alone. We don’t want more development.’ The bridge burners took over. There was a little pushback and that’s when (Tom) Peeples came in.”

Peeples proved to be a mayor that got things done but some locals felt he lacked vision.

His heir apparent was Drew Laughlin, an intelligent and intellectual attorney who focused on streamlining the town’s review process. Some residents felt the Laughlin regime went too far, allowing developers to deviate from Charles Fraser’s vision of eco-friendly development. The new 87,588-square-foot Kroger located at the Shelter Cove Towne Centre is used as an example.

A LEADER IS RECOGNIZED Shortly after joining the Planning Commission, Bennett’s peers took notice of his experience and vision for the island’s future. He was named chairman of the Planning Commission on July 1, 2014.

“I try to utilize my real estate background to try to make good decisions,” Bennett said. “I ask questions and I expect answers.

On many occasions, I didn’t like the answers I was getting.

Again, I was searching for this framework that I believed would allow us to make the best decisions and it didn’t exist. I was consistently feeling like we were in a reactionary mode, and that just grates on my nerves. There is not a lot that upsets me, but being put in a position where I have to be reactionary definitely makes the list. We were consistently in that zone. Without some of these items — the vision and the master plan that I’m describing — it’s almost impossible to operate in a proactive manner. I spoke my mind, and I guess that was reflected in my peers voting

me as chairman. Perhaps, they thought I was more right than wrong.”

Gardo was quick to point out the Planning Commission here is not given the same authority it is given in many communities in South Carolina.

“They were being asked to recommend decisions but they had little authority,” Gardo said.

‘THIS IS NOT OPERATING RIGHT’ Before entering the election, Bennett came to the realization that Hilton Head Island had serious problems and no comprehensive plan in place to deal with those problems. The powers that be had relegated the Planning Commission to be a reactive body.

“At times, it was almost like a rubber stamp process,” Bennett said. “I remember on several occasions telling several of my fellow commissioners that I’ve got plenty of things to do in life. Rubber stamping is not on the list. I’m either going to step down or I’m going to put myself in a position to do something about it.”

DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT In the summer of 2014, island leaders began approaching Bennett about running for mayor. Gail Quick was the first. Bennett initially decided against it.

“I’m not a political person,” Bennett said. “I tune into presidential debates and some of the bigger issues. That’s about the extent of my interaction with the political realm, up until this summer.”

Bennett didn’t make the decision to run for mayor until Labor Day, just three months before the election.

LOW EXPECTATIONS Signing up so late in the game, many islanders didn’t ini-

tially consider Bennett a serious candidate. Bennett didn’t take himself too seriously, either.

“I never really paid a lot of attention to political matters,” Bennett said. “I certainly had never asked or wondered how a campaign works and what it takes to win an election. I didn’t think I had a chance to win.

My hope was that, at a minimum, I would get a chance to talk about some matters that I deemed important to our community. I hoped that (in running for mayor), something would be done about these issues.”

‘SOME THINGS ARE JUST WRONG’ For Bennett, the weight of running for mayor was overshadowed by the chance to make a difference.

“I do see great opportunities in our community,” Bennett said.

“Coupled with that, I saw a lot of things that I just thought were wrong. The Singleton Beach area — the problem that those homeowners had in terms of getting straightforward answers to what were simple questions.

I didn’t like that. I thought it was ridiculous. As well, the lack of vision and a guide of our community was apparent.

“In this day and age and in this community, there shouldn’t be anyone that doesn’t have access to sanitary sewer. In addition, there are a number of unpaved roads on our north end. People talk about how a rising tide raising all boats, but it hasn’t. The fact that there are people that don’t have access to sanitary sewer and paved roads on the north end is wrong and, I believe, a stain on our community. I just couldn’t look away from that. I didn’t believe that looking away and deciding not to run was the right thing to do. I thought it was either selfish or cowardly, or both.”

GETTING HIS NAME OUT THERE When Bennett finally decided to make a real effort to win, he was faced with several obstacles. The biggest problems were his lack of name recognition and the fact it was just seven weeks before the Nov. 4 election. He hired well-known and well-respected political consultant Tom Gardo of the Denarius Group to get him elected.

“Name recognition was the biggest issue we had,” Gardo said. “Nobody knew who David was. In our community, the voters are people who generally read The Island Packet. How do you get a name recognized? You have to do it with big and bold ads, so that’s what we did. At the same time, we had to go out and find coalitions of people who are also potential voters.

We reached out to a number of people from different neighborhoods and organizations who we knew were influential. We knew if we could get (Bennett) in front of them, and they could be positive about him, word would spread. There were a combination of things going on.”

Bennett received endorsements from many respected islanders, including David Ames, Gail Quick, Stu Rodman, Alex Brown, Jim Collett, Marty Gleason, Jack Alderman and John Joseph.

“Their visible support gave David credibility,” Gardo said.

“That was clearly a statement that we had to make. ‘Why are they supporting this guy I’ve never heard of? Who is this guy? I need to know more about him.’”

Ames orchestrated the campaign steering committee.

“He did a great job of keeping the campaign team focused,” Gardo said.

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the VIBE

David Bennett received endorsements from many respected islanders, including David Ames, Gail Quick, Stu Rodman, Alex Brown, Jim Collett, Marty Gleason, Jack Alderman and John Joseph. In the runoff, he received 5,839 votes compared to incumbent Drew Laughlin’s 3,114.

HOPING FOR A RUNOFF The Bennett camp knew there was a slim chance of winning the general election outright. The goal was to force a runoff, with incumbent Drew Laughlin receiving less than 50 percent of votes cast.

“Our goal at that point in time was that we could get at least 35 percent, and the other three candidates (Joe DuBois, Rochelle Williams and Cork James) could get at least 15 percent,” Gardo said.

Bennett did better than expected.

About 36 percent of the town’s registered voters cast ballots on Nov. 4. Laughlin collected 4,522 votes, but Bennett surprisingly gathered 4,391, forcing a Nov. 18 runoff.

The near-tie results surprised many people in the community, including Bennett.

“I was shocked by the whole thing,” Bennett said. “I liked Joe (DuBois). I thought he made some excellent points during the campaign. I found him to be a very bright guy, and well organized in collecting his thoughts and speaking.”

Following the election, DuBois threw his support toward Bennett. Williams supported Bennett as well. Corky never gave an endorsement.

THINGS GET NEGATIVE At the 11th hour, the mayoral race took a negative turn. Just days before the runoff, many island residents received postcards promoting Laughlin and discounting Bennett. Laughlin’s photo had a heavenly blue background while Bennett’s photo was surrounded by a hellish red background.

“My wife was really upset by that,” Bennett said. “If it hadn’t been for that, I would have let that negativity roll right off my back, but if you get my wife upset, you and I are going to have some problems.

That really only made me dig in harder.”

Gardo wanted to go on the offensive but Bennett overruled and pulled him back.

“At the end of the day for me, win or

lose, I want to be able to go home and look my wife in the eye and have her be able to respect me and be proud that I did my very best,” Bennett said. “For me, integrity is tantamount.”

THE CANDIDATE OF CHANGE The negative ads seemed to have a positive impact on Bennett’s campaign. On Nov. 18, he scored a stunning upset, defeating Laughlin by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, collecting 65 percent of the vote to become Hilton Head’s ninth mayor. He received 5,839 votes compared to Laughlin’s 3,114.

“I honestly didn’t know how that was going to turn out,” Bennett said. “I could have just as easily seen myself losing that day. I was shocked that I won. At the same time, I was excited. I’d been talking for three months, which is not my modus operandi, about things that were important to me.

All of a sudden, I now have a chance to do something about those issues. The opportunity is right in front of me.” M

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Send us your photos

the VIBE

Submit photos from your trip by e-mailing editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com

Where in the world is Monthly? u Jay Mullinax took Monthly to the Windward side of Oahu, Hawaii, with two approaching hurricanes on the horizon.  John Hart and his two sons, Benjamin and Matthew, took Monthly to northern Ontario for their annual flyfishing trip.

p Bill and Joy Sions took Monthly on an Oceania cruise to visit nine Baltic Sea ports from Stockholm, Sweden, to Amsterdam, Holland. Here they are shown at a café in Porvoo, the second-oldest town in Finland.

p Tom Whelan is shown with Monthly in the city of Riga, Latvia. He was on a cruise that took him to the Scandinavian countries and Russia.

p Jeff and Kay Weaver, Cliff and Jan White, Chris and John Flanagan, Ed and Anne Trout and Sue Aymond and Sandy Jackson hold Monthly in front of a pub in Ireland. The group of Hilton Head Plantation residents took a cruise around the British Isles.  Pat and John Bares at the TerraCotta Warriors exhibit in Xi-an, China.

 Sea Pines Resort resident Bruce Tamargo took Monthly with him to Perthshire, Scotland, for the 2014 Ryder Cup. Europe won the 2014 competition to retain the Ryder Cup, defeating the USA by 16½ points to 11½.

p Cooper, Kelly and “Brock” Brock in Hoedspruit, South Africa. t Jon and Nancy Dinkel took Hilton Head Monthly on a tour of Scotland, England and Wales and stopped in Jedburgh, Scotland to see the abbey founded p Diane Bass and Ed Dishart took Monthly to the top in 1138 by King of the bell tower of Duomo Cathedral in Florence, David I. Italy.

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LOWCOUNTRY COUPLE TURNS

HURT INTO HOPE

Pictured from left are Abegail, Jeff, Joye, Matt and Andrew Ballard. The family is holding cards from kids that are in one of their three “Hope for Life” homes.

Bluffton contractor Jeff Ballard and his wife, Joye, are passionate about bringing hope to the lives of young children in need.

BY MEGAN MATTINGLY-ARTHUR | PHOTO BY THOMAS LOVE

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he Ballards have spent the past 10 years working to improve the lives of orphans in Russia’s Far East region, where government orphanages have a reputation for being stark and joyless.

Mission work — and particularly bringing comfort to those who are hurting — has long been a priority for the couple. The dedication is borne out of personal tragedy; Jeff lost his first wife to cancer shortly after they married and Joye lost her first husband in a plane accident not long after they married.

Experiencing the devastating loss of loved ones inspired the Ballards to dedicate their time, energy and resources to helping children who have lost everything.

“We experienced hurt at a young age and, after we got married to each other, we decided that we wanted to do something

to make a difference in the lives of children who were hurting,” Jeff Ballard said.

To say that the Ballards have made a difference is quite the understatement. Jeff is the director of the Hope of Life Homes program for the Hilton Head Island-based nonprofit Harvesters International Ministries, and he and Joye have built and overseen the operation of two homes that house approximately 30 orphans in Eastern Russia.

The organization employs three full-time house parents to give the children the kind of individualized support and attention they’d most likely not receive in a government institution. Harvesters International Ministries also works closely with Christian couples in Russia to help guide them through the Russian foster care system.

“We have a team of nationals in Russia

that we help to equip,” Jeff said. “We give them the tools to get the job done – financial support, encouragement, prayer support, working with the kids and house parents – and we have two primary focuses: to equip Christian parents in Russia to care for abandoned children and to help orphans in their time of need with an emphasis on building long-term relationships. It’s very fulfilling to see the changes that we’ve made and the differences that have been made in the lives of the children.”

The organization’s generosity isn’t limited to the orphans it has helped to take out of the system. Harvesters International Ministries also strives to build and maintain positive relationships with children in government orphanages. Each year, the organization sends as many children as it can to

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the VIBE a 10-day Christian summer camp, which is a thrill for all and a once-in-a-lifetime chance for many. To date, Harvesters International Ministries has helped hundreds of children experience the joy of summer camp.

“Once we take the children out of the state-run orphanages, within about three weeks to three months, we see them get healthy, and they’re happy and smiling,” Joye Ballard said. “That’s my favorite thing about the work we do with Harvesters International Ministries.”

All the work that the Ballards and Harvesters International Ministries does to form long-lasting bonds with orphaned and abandoned children is particularly important in Russia, where the majority of orphans lack the life skills necessary to live as functional adults when they leave the orphanage.

“Statistics say that 90 percent of children living in a government orphanage will never become a functional member of society,” Jeff said. “We think that the work we’re doing there could make a small change, hopefully. The orphans that we’re helping, we’re trying to build long-term relationships with them so that when they come out of the orphanages, they’ll have someone there in their life that can support them, encourage them and lead them on the right path.”

Harvesters International Ministries’ operating costs are covered by a dedicated group of individuals and churches, allowing the organization to send 100 percent of the donations it receives to the mission field.

The organization is happy to accept donations for its Hope for Life Homes and summer camp programs.

“One of the big ways that people can help Harvesters International Ministries is to give financially so that we can help our house parents,” Jeff said. “We’re always trying to save money for summer camps; it costs about $300 to send a child to a 10-day summer camp, but that’s a life-changing experience for them.” M To learn more about Jeff and Joye Ballard, or their work with Harvesters International Ministries, call 843-3689580, email jeff@harvesters.net or visit harvesters.net/partners/hflr.

For more information on Harvesters International Ministries, call 843-6896213 or visit www.harvesters.net.

January 2015 29

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Now that January has arrived, many of us are learning to use the new technologies that may have been gifts of the season. The cell phones, tablets, e-readers, laptops and flat screen TVs (I guess ALL TVs are flat screened these days, except for the one in my own living room) have been unwrapped, squealed over, and taken to new levels of usefulness. Is it a tool or a toy? Either way, for many of us, they have taken over our lives.

There’s an APP for that...

I love the new technologies as much as the next person. I upgraded my smart phone recently, and believe it or not, it not only saves me time, but money as well. And because of my amazing MacBook Air, I was able to work from NYC when I visited my daughter and son-inlaw for three weeks on the occasion of my granddaughter’s birth. I downloaded some new apps while I was there as well; there is even one for tracking the baby’s milk consumption and frequency of diaper changes. Who knew?

I am concerned when the apparatus becomes an appendage, and it interferes with actual conversation, communication, and relationship-building.

I confess to also feeling some sadness over the technologies. I wish I would have counted how many times in the past few months I saw people sitting across from each other in a restaurant, having their meal and reading or texting on their smart phone, rather than carrying on a conversation. Really? And the strange sounds that come from suit jackets and purses during concerts, sermons and business meetings have become almost the rule rather than the exception.

The more often I hear people say, “There’s an app for that,” the more I think perhaps there are other “apps” we should consider.

P A R T N E R

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For example, I am appalled when I consider the widening technology gap that exists between those in poverty and others, and how this creates a widening education and employment gap. Contributing to causes that assist young people and unemployed people to have access to–and learn to use–these technologies can help.

I am concerned when the apparatus becomes an appendage, and it interferes with actual conversation, communication, and relationshipbuilding. This hurts families, friendships, and support systems. It interferes with getting to know our neighbors and understanding the value of the diversity of our community. And this, of course, interferes with community-building—something of great importance to us at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.

I am saddened by the appetites unsatisfied, the frayed and thinning apparel, and the out-of-commission appliances in the lives of those in poverty, while the lines outside of the Apple Stores get longer and longer. One of my resolutions for the New Year is that I will give to a charitable cause at least the same amount I invest in new technologies—on top of my normal charitable budget. (If I do purchase a flat screened TV, I’d better plan to double the cost.) And each time I consider downloading a new app, I must reflect on the time spent using it, and whether that time might be better spent volunteering. I would encourage you to look at Lowcountry Volunteer Connections on our Website, and find some important volunteer work to do as well.

It is apparent that too many cannot afford an appointment with a physician, dentist, or optometrist, though they may be badly needed.

I applaud all who contribute to causes that can help in these areas for those in poverty, such as the Johnson Medical Assistance Fund, or the Volunteers in Medicine Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, and to the various other local organizations that serve this population.

As I appraise the needs of so many of our Lowcountry communities, I offer an appeal to all who read this: Resolve, in the year ahead, to remember those less fortunate each time you approach one of the amazing technological devices in your home or office. And in remembering, appreciate not only what you have, but also the many who have so much less. Live generously. Choose a cause; write a check; make a gift of stock; use your charge card. It’s as easy as apple pie!

Denise K. Spencer President and CEO Community Foundation of the Lowcountry

P R O M O T I O N

Denise K. Spencer President and CEO

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M BUSINESS

Create a financial roadmap for 2015 The holidays are over, 2014 is in our life’s memory bank, our eyes are open wide to the opportunities that lay ahead this year, and we can sleep easily at night knowing that all is good. By Dean Rowland

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ight? Probably, maybe, not sure?

Sure, you have your New Year’s resolutions firmly in place and are on your way to achieving those lofty goals this month and next. But did you meet or surpass your financial goals last year, if you had any at all? Did you have a financial roadmap or action plan last year to make sure you achieved more financial security, stability and growth than you did the year before?

“Any checklist needs to start with someone’s financial goals,” said John Gugle, a certified financial planner and registered financial advisor and principal at Alpha Financial Advisors in Charlotte, N.C. “What are you trying to achieve with your money?

If your goal is to increase financial security, you can do that through larger emergency savings and protecting against risk (i.e.

insurance). If your goal is to afford a large purchase, you can do that by prioritizing your spending and saving up for that large purchase.”

If you haven’t done so yet, now is the time to sit down and review your financial status in all areas, including insurance, credit, spending habits, educational funding, emergency funding, estate planning, asset allocation, debt reduction, retirement planning and just about everything that will ensure you know exactly where you stand financially.

“Keeping a budget is paramount to achieving your goals,” said Gugle, who has been a member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors since 2006 and has served on its South Regional Board for several years and as its president. He also owns a home on Hilton Head Island.

“It is the only way you can stay on track.

The annual checklist starts with goals, prioritizes what is important, moves to the budget, addresses the means by which you will effect change and lays out the critical path dependencies that must happen to realize success. ... The annual checklist is also a valuable document to look at when life throws you a curveball. You might find clarity in your checklist if life serves you lemons instead of lemonade.”

Here’s a financial checklist that might serve as a reminder of what you need to do or serve to awaken you to what you need to do for the first time.

Life changes: Did any changes take place last year that altered your life’s personal and financial landscape? Job change, divorce, more grandkids, health issues or big purchases? Maybe you need to

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M BUSINESS adapt your budget, financial priorities and investment portfolio.

Financial goals: Be honest and assess how you did last year and make the necessary adjustments that reflect income, spending, unexpected contingencies, the ages of you and your family, mid- and long-term commitments… and stick to it.

What’s your net worth? Subtract your liabilities from your assets, and that could be your roadmap for a few years and how you should spend your money. Better yet, want to know what your net worth should be at any age, given common benchmarks? Multiply your age and gross income. The higher the number, the better off you are.

Even if your assets aren’t growing, paying down your debts will help your overall finances. Living within your means is critical. Basic rule of thumb for young people is to allocate no more than 30 percent of gross income to pay for all debt (mortgage, car payments, etc.) Also, for savings, set aside 15 percent of salary early on and then at least 20 percent as you head toward retirement. Make sure you have at least at least three to six months of emergency funding. Bottom line: Make sure your financial portfolio can support your lifestyle for 20 or more years after retirement.

Asset allocation: Evaluate every investment (stocks, bonds and cash).

Strategize to balance risk versus reward by adjusting the percentage of each asset in your investment portfolio based on risk tolerance, goals and window of time.

Investments: Review your return on stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. in relation to overall market performances and your expectations. Buy, sell or sit on the bench.

Debt: Make sure you evaluate your debt-to-income ratio. Did you pay down on your credit card debt because you don’t want to keep making interest payments on those purchase advances? If not, do so. Pay the debt off monthly. Just have a handle on what you spend on loan interests to banks, mortgage companies and other lenders: the mortgage, the car payment, the kitchen renovation, the college loans, etc.

Taxes: Maximize the deductibles to minimize the federal and state payments. Take advantage of every deductible for which you’re eligible. Bunch or

accelerate deductibles by paying early to reach your deductible threshold.

For instance, if you need medical or dental surgery that can put you over the top this year of the 7.5 percent allowable medical expense exceeding your income, do it. That overage is tax deductible. Make sure your withholding and estimated tax payments are in balance.

Can you defer income this year to next or accelerate deductions this year to delay paying taxes until next year?

Are you eligible for the Alternative Minimum Tax? Large deductions, exercising stock options or a phasing out of personal exemptions at high-income levels?

Can you contribute more to taxadvantaged vehicles, such as a deferred annuity or 401k, or by investing in taxexempt bonds or mutual funds?

Just a heads-up. Even though the filing deadline this year is still April 15, no refunds will be issued by the IRS until Oct. 15. A check for the average tax refund of $2,800 per filer will not be in your mailbox or direct deposit account until after that date, regardless if you e-file. This new directive will save the federal government billions of dollars.

Keep all records for documentation.

Retirement planning: For longterm tax-deferred benefits, make sure you max out the allowable contribution at work in your 401(k). If you want to invest more than that for retirement, set up an IRA. Watch that nest egg grow over the years, thanks to compounding.

You pay taxes when you withdraw the money years later.

When you do retire, make sure you withdraw money from your taxable accounts first because long-term capital gains are taxed at substantially lower rates than what you pay on withdrawals from tax-deferred retirement accounts.

The majority of us do not calculate what we need to live on once we retire.

Big mistake. A simple equation is to put down on paper what annual income you want to live on in retirement, subtract projected Social Security and pension benefits and the future value of current savings. Whatever that gap is in between your wants and future haves is what you’ll need to live a comfortable life in retirement. Basically, you want to establish a guaranteed lifetime income that will complement your lifestyle goals and expectations. Check out www. asec.com.

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Life insurance: Higher deductibles provide lower premiums, depending on your risk tolerance. Term life insurance is the cheapest and least volatile of all life insurances. Consider a life insurance trust that keeps proceeds from being taxed as part of your estate. Consider an umbrella policy, especially if you have teenagers, because it provides additional liability coverage. Make sure you insure seven to 10 times of salary for life insurance to guard against all future contingencies when spouses are working. Near retirement, lower the coverage and the premium.

Mortgage: Interest rate too high although it’s still at historic low levels?

Consider refinancing and how long you plan on living where you are. If it makes sense financially and with fees attached to the new paperwork, adjust the financing terms for an ARM, 15-year or 30-year fixed rate.

Household spending: This is the easiest and hardest to adjust. What do you earn and what you spend and how might that change this year? Obviously, the basic tenet is to not spend more than you earn.

College funding: The sooner you start saving and investing in an investment option of your choice for your children’s higher education, the less you have to worry 15 or five years from now.

Consider qualified tuition (section 529), Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (education IRAs) and private loans

through federal banks. Scholarships, grants and special incentives need to thoroughly explored.

Estate planning: Of course you have an executor assigned to your estate, but have you named guardians for your children in the worst-case scenario? Is the plan reflective of any changes in the estate tax law? Make sure your wills and trusts are updated and reflect current status conditions.

Also look into establishing an irrevocable trust that removes assets from your taxable estate.

Credit cards: All three of the major credit bureaus allow one free report per year. For thorough analysis of your credit status for the entire year, make sure you go online at www.annualcreditreport.com once every four months with Experian, TransUnion and Equifax to look for errors and evidence of identity theft and obtain your credit score. Also ask your card issuer to lower your interest rate and determine if you need all the credit cards you have without having it hurt your credit score if you decide to cancel one or two of them.

Consider a zero-percent balance transfer from one card to a new one, but only if you can pay off the new balance before the promotion ends.

OK, ready? Get to work on that financial checklist!. M

Personal Finance by the Numbers

56% of U.S. adults lack a budget 40% of U.S. adults are saving less than in 2011 39% of U.S. adults have zero non-retirement savings 39% of U.S. adults carry credit card debt from month to month 31% of all mortgage borrowers are under water 41% of Baby Boomers do not have a will 50% of Americans with children do not have a will 25 million Americans are underinsured 16% of Americans are very confident that their investments will increase in value

23% of Americans are not at all confident in having a comfortable retirement In 1991 11% of workers expected to retire after age 65 In 2012 37% of workers expected to retire after age 65 Source: National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (most recent statistics available) January 2015 35

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M BUSINESS

Navigate life’s changes with a We make financial adjustments in our life all the time, at all ages. And it’s a good thing we do because we have many years of practice ahead of us to make decisions, big and small, now that Americans are living longer than ever: 76.2 years for males and 81 years for females. By Dean Rowland

T

he younger we are, the more likely and frequently our needs and wants will change, and so too our financial goals. Marriage, parenthood, buying a home, saving for the future, aging parents, loss of a job or a stalled career can dramatically alter our financial well-being and path to a prosperous future. A financial plan is critical in helping to navigate life’s changes.

“The common theme at all ages is having a good, solid and consistent savings rate,” said Scott Leonard, author, certified financial planner and founding partner of Navigoe in Redondo Beach, Calif. “Save 10 to 15 percent of gross income every year, not just for retirement.”

It’s easy to get caught up in the present, losing sight on how our bad decisions when we’re young can impact our lives later on: debt, bad credit scores, putting off retirement planning, not saving enough and bad spending habits.

With this in mind, here are three key financial moves you should consider making in your 30s, 40s, 50s and in retirement to live comfortably through each decade.

In Your 30s You made it through the roarin’ 20s a little wiser and are getting some traction with that college degree and maturing skill set in the workplace. You are confident and full of dreams … and probably

a little naïve about personal finance.

Maybe you’re now married, have a child and are still paying off student loans. Now it’s time to get serious about getting your financial house in order.

“Flexibility is so critical,” said Leonard, a former national board member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors organization and former president of the Los Angeles chapter of the Financial Planning Association.

“It’s not buying a house. The key is getting into the habit of saving and building a good solid savings foundation.”  Establish an emergency savings fund.

This decade is full of surprises, some not so good, and can wreak havoc on your financial goals. Make sure you stash away three to six months of living expenses to harbor unforeseen circumstances. As your income and expenses grow, so should this fund. It also guards against going into debt in the worst-case scenario.  Sign up for insurance. Renter’s insurance, disability insurance and life insurance are must-have policies in your 30s to protect against calamities, especially if you are married or married with children. It’s a no-brainer to protect your possessions cheaply if you live in a rental property. If you are out of work for an extended period, disability coverage will help cover your expenses after your workman’s compensation expires. Most companies provide only 60 percent of coverage. Life insurance can spare your spouse and children financial ruin if your income suddenly evaporates. Price-shop for rate comparisons. As your assets accrue, make sure to adjust insurance coverage accordingly.

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M BUSINESS  Save for retirement. Even though most financial experts advise saving 15 percent of your gross income toward retirement, it may not be as daunting as that sounds. For starters, you have to take full advantage of your employer’s 401k options.

Companies match an average of 4.1 percent of a participants pay, which attracts 87 percent of eligible employees. Profit sharing can average 8.5 percent of pay. After maxing out what your company offers, with or without matching money, open a traditional IRA account and dump pay raises, bonuses and other cash gifts into that account to make up the difference for tax-deferred compounding growth of principal.  Also on the radar. Improve your credit rating and FICO score to at least 720; advance your career; evaluate your budget; plan your estate; establish financial goals; meet with a financial adviser; save for a home; and pay cash.

In Your 40s Now that you’re paycheck is growing as a Generation X, you’re smack in the crossfire of having to save for your children’s education, your own retirement, caring for elderly parents, maybe buying a bigger house, reducing the lifestyle frills you used to enjoy and not giving in to the temptation of debt baggage. It’s empowering to have the earning power now, but it puts you on a tightrope of a financial plan high

wire balancing act. Priorities, smarts and discipline have to kick into high gear.  Eliminate debt. Of course you have a mortgage but make sure the interest rate is rock bottom of the shortest duration. If you’re paying 15 percent or more on credit card interest and have a $10,000 tab or more, pay it off month by month until it’s zero and defer savings plans in the meanwhile for you and your children. The interest payments are stocking your banks’ coffers, not yours. If you can’t pay for something with cash, don’t charge it; you can’t afford it. Break the bad habit of buying now and paying later; if you keep this up, there will be no later date to pay it off. Also focus on your outstanding college loans as part of your overall debt reduction strategy.  Save for yourself first, not your kids. You’ll be in big trouble if you devote all your extra money to your kids’ 529 plan and not to yourself for retirement. They will have scholarships, loans and grants for their education, if the worst happens, but you won’t have that luxury. Whatever your retirement nest egg will be in 25 years is it; you want your savings to work for you from now until then with compounding.  Update your estate planning. Keep in mind that 57 percent of adults in the country don’t have a will. Your assets are growing, you want to protect them and you certainly don’t want the estate in probate to decide who gets what. Make sure you update

your beneficiaries about every asset account you hold and its current contents, statements, online passwords, how money and possessions will be distributed, etc. Most lawyers charge less than $1,000 for drafting a will, a power of attorney and a living will, or you can do it yourself online for a few hundred dollars with a company like legalzoom.com.  Also on the radar. Settle into your career; continue saving for retirement; evaluate your financial plan; reduce debt; invest wisely; meet again with your financial adviser; update your insurance; track your net worth; and pay cash.

In Your 50s You’re firmly entrenched in your career, your kids are on their own or in college, and the mortgage is close to being paid off. This is the decade to focus on you and your retirement because time is still on your side and you can play catch-up with your retirement savings, thanks to the federal government.

“Stop chasing your career dream,” advises Leonard, who has family living on Hilton Head Island. “And maximize your 401k.”  Catching up with savings. Now that you’re in your 50s, you can save more tax-deferred or tax-free 401k, IRA, Roth IRA and, at 55, in your health savings (on health expenses with pre-tax monies) accounts.

American Family Financial Statistics Average American family savings account balance, $3,800 Percent of working Americans who are not saving for retirement, 40% Percent of American families who have no savings at all, 25% Average amount saved for retirement, $35,000 Average American household debt, $117,951 Average American family home value, $160,000 Average amount owed on home mortgage, $95,000 Average American household annual income, $43,000 Average credit card debt, $2,200 Percent of American workers who postponed their retirement age this year, 24% Source: Federal Reserve, US Census Bureau, Internal Revenue Service 38 hiltonheadmonthly.com

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BUSINESS M This year, you can contribute up to $24,000 in your 401k, which includes a $6,000 catch-up cap. The ceiling in IRAs and Roth IRAs this year is $6,500, including a catch-up of $1,000.  Long-term healthcare insurance. You probably have targeted a retirement age by now, which is within your control. Good physical health 10 or 15 years from now isn’t, and it’s one of the greatest uncertainties of retirement living. If you wait another decade to consider long-term health insurance, you may not be eligible or it may be cost prohibitive.

Consider hedging against the unknown of a serious illness, nursing home care that isn’t covered by Medicare, and the money it would sap from your nest egg. Look for an inflation rider in your policy so coverage would stay aligned with rising medical costs.  Guard your investments. You likely have stocks, bonds, short-term cash investments and subcategories like company stock in your retirement account. Generally, the closer you get to 65, the more conservative the allocations are. Growth takes a backseat to protecting your assets, and you should review category performance and the allocation breakdown annually. Make sure you have target-date mutual funds in your retirement account that automatically rebalances allocation to provide a financial safety-net the closer you get to retirement. Also be sure to examine your risk tolerance versus potential reward in all your investments.

 Also on the radar. Avoid debt; assess your parents’ situation; evaluate your financial goals; think about long-term tax liabilities; and target retirement age.

In Your 60s / retirement Your working life is winding down or maybe you’re already retired. Now’s the time to start taking it easy while letting your assets do the heavy lifting.

“This is a key decade,” Leonard said.

“It’s all about tax planning.”  Rethink everything: Be real and be honest with yourself. Think about downsizing and moving to an area with lower real estate taxes, utilities and cost of living. Figure out your real spending habits and whether or not you have at least seven times your salary in retirement savings. Don’t use a Ouija board to figure out what you really spend … take five years of bank statements and figure out your spending habits, deduct any big ticket expenses like the mortgage or car payments, and then average it out the total over five years. Now add up your total income (salary, assets, dividends, etc.) and likely tax implications. Do you still need life insurance to protect your family or are you holding onto it to leave something to your heirs? With your financial planner, don’t forget to review your plans

for turning your assets into steady income as tax efficiently as possible. Don’t forget to factor in inflation with your real numbers. Now ask: Can I really retire at 66 as I had hoped?  Applying for Social Security. Planning on filing at 62 because you need the monthly income just to get along in life? Can you wait financially until you’re 70 to capitalize on the maximum allowable payout? Be mindful that if your start receiving your benefits early, they are reduced a fraction of a percent monthly before your full retirement age. If you can wait it out financially and expect to live a long life, then wait it out. Keep in mind that most people underestimate how long they’re going to live.  Watch the spending. Most people overspend during their first four years of retirement and then settle into their planned budget. Travel, dining, gifting to children, expensive hobbies are common mistakes. Financial and workplace freedom can be liberating and a trigger for overindulging. Beware: Spending too much too soon drains your money pool and strips the earning power that money could have given you over the next decade or more.  Also on the radar. Sit down with a financial adviser to discuss tax implications withdrawal strategy; think long term; evaluate insurance needs; get a part-time job; sign up for Medicare; and volunteer. M

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BUSINESS

Something to Consider While Planning for

2015

By Elihu Spencer

January is a perfect time to reflect on the past year and use that knowledge to plan for the coming year.

W

hat a year 2014 was. Interest rates remained at historic lows, equity markets continue their march upward, inflation is non-existent and consumers have returned to their traditional role in economic activity.

This is all good, so why can’t our national and local housing market get out of second gear?

Some well-known economists believe that if we could only get a housing recovery going we could add 2 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

A 4.5 percent to 5 percent GDP would signal to the world that the U.S. economy is back; the workforce participation rate would rise, unemployment would continue to fall and the Federal Reserve could return

to a more “normal” interest rate policy.

Let’s examine what might be going on.

The first place to look is to our next generation of homebuyers, the Millennial Generation.

Millennials were born between 1980 and 2000 and followed those Generation X’ers who were affectionately referred to as “Generation me.” As of 2012, there were over 80 million millennials milling about the United States, so needless to say they are having an impact.

Millennials are the most diverse population group in the history of our nation, which, by itself would suggest that they might behave differently than prior generations.

This diversity, combined with the fact that most of them

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business

came of age during the Great Recession, which started in late 2007, has produced a much different mindset for this generation.

Think about some of the life lessons they learned: 1. Don’t trust banks; 2. You can do all the “right” things and lose your job and your home; 3. College may be more a ticket to debt than a job.

Consider now that this population group makes up 30 percent of our total population and is the economic engine driving housing markets today.

Notwithstanding historically low mortgage interest rates and one of the most affordable residential homeownership markets since the records have been kept, millennials are choosing renting over owning.

Economists are calling this “new urbanism” because young Americans are moving from the suburbs to our cities and delaying all the trigger events that lead to the first-time home purchase. They are single, focused on their careers, avoid debt and want the freedom to move from city to city and job to job.

So as we plan for the year ahead in Hilton Head Island, hy should we care?

We are a community that tends to be older than the nation as a whole and relies on second homes and retirement living as the source of real estate sales.

But Hilton Head also relies on “feeder” markets, mostly in the Northeast and Midwest, to provide a continuous source of new local homebuyers.

Here’s the rub: As folks in our feeder markets consider retirement, they need to feel confident that they can sell their home at a price that will enable them to live comfortably on Hilton Head Island.

First-time homebuyers, who normally make up 42 percent of home purchase transactions, today only account for 26 percent of those sales.

According to a Fannie Mae survey of potential homebuyers, millennials still aspire to become homebuyers at the traditional rate of 85 percent, but they intend to make that purchase in their early 30s instead of mid 20s as has been traditional. This suggests that we may well continue in this “housing funk” for the foreseeable future.

So as we plan for 2015 and beyond we might consider staying in our current homes and taking care of some deferred maintenance.

With low interest rates now is the perfect time to tap the home equity piggy bank and make those needed improvements to make it through to our next housing boom, which now looks like it may be a ways off. M Elihu Spencer is a local amateur economist with a long business history in global finance. His life work has been centered on understanding credit cycles and their impact on local economies.

The information contained in this article has been obtained from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

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BUSINESS

On the Move New Hires/Promotions

McNeely

Butts

Pannazzo

Burgess

Shawn McNeely joined the Covert Aire team in December as vice president of sales and business development. McNeely will be responsible for promoting the company’s brand in the community. He will also oversee communication with clients and potential clients through recruiting, retaining and training a professional sales organization for Covert Aire. Allen Butts was recently promoted to vice president of operations for Covert Aire. He will run the day-to-day operations of the company including estimating and bidding on certain jobs and managing the technicians, installers and managers.

Katrina Pannazzo has joined the sales team at Weichert Realtors Coastal Properties. Pannazzo was raised in Northern Virginia outside of Washington D.C., and attended Coastal Carolina University in Conway.

She has lived in the Bluffton/Hilton Head Island area for more than 15 years. She works at the Rose Hill office at 2 Rose Hill Way. The Sun City Hilton Head Community Association has announced the promotion of Kim Burgess to director of finance. She previously served as the community’s controller for more than a decade.

Burgess achieved her professional community association manager, the highest community association designation, from the Community Association Institute in late 2014. In

ATTORNEYS FORM KENNEDY & BLACKSHIRE LAW FIRM Attorneys Bree R. Kennedy and Pamela W. Blackshire have formed the law firm, Kennedy & Blackshire LLC, located at 70 Arrow Road, Building 6, on Hilton Head Island. The practice is concentrated primarily on family law, including divorce, child custody, visitation, alimony, child support, adoption and related legal matters. With more than three decades of combined legal experience, Kennedy and Blackshire are dedicated to providing skilled representation in family law matters. Along with their team of compassionate and competent staff, the firm provides support and guidance through the transitional period of divorce, separation and other life changes. For more information, call 843-341-5555.

addition, she has been a certified public accountant for 27 years, is a chartered global management accountant and holds a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina in accountancy.

The Town of Bluffton has promoted George Owens to chief building official for the town. Owens has worked for the town for 6 1/2 years as a commercial, residential and fire safety plan examiner. The Town of Bluffton has also promoted Kendra Lelie to planning and community development manager. Formerly the town’s principal planner, Lelie is now in charge of oversight of the town’s Comprehensive Plan implementation, the administration of land planning, zoning, development review, historic preservation review, affordable housing initiatives and special projects which include park design, landscape architecture and specific capital improvement

COMMUNITY Foundation Awards GRANTS to Nonprofits Owens

Lelie

The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s board of trustees recently awarded $236,772 in grants to six area nonprofit organizations: Bluffton Self Help, Bluffton-Jasper Volunteers in Medicine, Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse, the Hilton Head Island Recreation Association, Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity and PASOS. These grants were awarded through the Community Foundation’s competitive grant application process, which occurs three times a year. Since 1994, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $54 million in grants and scholarships. For more information, contact the foundation at 843-681-9100 or visit www.cf-lowcountry.org.

projects.

Realtor Stacy Benedik has joined Foundation Realty. Benedik has been a Hilton Head Island resident since 1999. He is a U.S. Army Veteran and a graduate of Kansas State University.

He has owned and operated his own business, Island Pet Nanny, since 2004. He is very involved in the community with the Boys & Girls Club, the Humane Society and currently is the head varsity basketball coach for John Paul II in Ridgeland.

Neodria Brown, an assistant principal at Hilton Head Island High School, will be principal of Hilton Head Island Middle School. Chad Cox, currently an assistant principal at Robert Smalls International Academy, will be principal of Whale Branch Middle School.

Both appointments become effective on Jan. 5. Reginald Deas, assistant principal at Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts, has been named as the district’s personnel director.

In his new role, the veteran educator will supervise day-to-day personnel operations.

Paulette Gosden is now a broker/ Realtor with Gateway Realty. Gosden graduated from St. Louis University and received two master’s certificates as well as continued post graduate studies at the Naval War College. She was previously a senior chief engineer for the National Geospatial and Intelligence Agency. Most recently, she spent eight years as a real estate broker with Prudential Properties.

Steven Stempel has been hired as a Realtor with Gateway Realty.

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Martino

Ricciardi

D’Ambola

Brickhouse

Creamer

Stempel is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and previously owned and operated several successful restaurants in Florida, winning awards for Best New Restaurant and Best Burger. He and his wife, Rebecca, are new to the Lowcountry and are expecting their first child early this year.

Village Features, a company specializing in architectural visualization, contextual 3D virtual tours and interactive 3D floor plans, has announced that Lara Martino has joined the firm as client relations manager. Martino, who lives in Savannah, will oversee day-to-day project management and work directly with the firm’s growing client base. She will be working out of the company’s Bluffton office, which is one of the innovators at the Don Ryan Center for Innovation.

BB&T-Carswell Insurance Services has named Marc Ricciardi to its sales staff as a personal lines family risk manager. Ricciardi is based at 1 Park Lane at Central Park on Hilton Head Island.

Ricciardi brings more than eight years of experience as a business professional in the insurance industry to his new position. He resides in Bluffton with his wife, Sara, and their daughter. He earned his bachelor’s degree in science, health services administration from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Donna D’Ambola has joined Charter One Realty and the Nancy Marshall Real Estate Group as a Realtor in the Bluffton and Hilton Head markets. A New Jersey native, D’Ambola has called Bluffton her home for 14 years. Her real estate career began nine years ago in general real estate sales. She has worked with two of America’s Top National Home Builders for the past eight years.

Boys, Arnold & Company, a 37-year-old private wealth management firm with offices at 4 Dunmore Court on Hilton Head Island, announced that Dudley B. Brickhouse has joined the company as an investment counselor.

Brickhouse’s extensive experience has involved work with both individual and institutional investors, plus executive management responsibilities for stock mutual funds at two prominent national organizations. Originally from North Carolina, he holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from

PURE BARRE NOW OPEN AT TOWNE CENTRE Pure Barre is now open in Shelter Cove Towne Centre. Pure Barre is a fast, effective and safe way to change your body. In just 55 minutes, you will achieve a full-body workout concentrating on the areas women struggle with the most: hips, thighs, seat, abdominals and arms. The technique is low-impact, protecting your joints by avoiding any bouncing or jumping. Team members are Danielle Dunn, Sami Cooper, Kara Letien, Stephanie Lee and Bee Jean. Find more information online at purebarre.com or by calling 803-468-3950.

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BUSINESS North Carolina State University and the professional designation of Chartered Financial Analyst.

Mike Haddick has joined Golf Etc. He has been a PGA professional since 2010 and has recently worked as general manager for Summer Grove Golf Club in Newnan, Ga. Haddick also spent time at Seven Springs Resort, Pleasant Valley Country Club and Port Royal Golf Club. He lives in Bluffton with his wife, Kristen, and their daughter, Skylar.

THREE SISTERS RESALE & MORE NOW OPEN Three Sisters Resale & More is now open at The Village Exchange.

The shop features repurposed, reclaimed, upcycled and vintage items. It also features a gallery upstairs to host local, national and international artists, artisans and authors. The store is owned and operated by three sisters: Kathie Tofaute, Carol Monahan and Janet Adams. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. The store is at 32 Palmetto Bay Road, Suite 10A, on Hilton Head Island. For more information, call 843-341-3455, email mail@threesistersresaleandmore.com or go online to www.threesistersresaleandmore.com.

AWARDS/CERTIFICATES A former Beaufort County Board of Education member’s legacy lives on as annual grant in his name enhances educational opportunities for students. This year’s recipient of the Wayne Carbiener Above and Beyond Grant from the Foundation for Educational Excellence is Amy Simmons, Beaufort County School District’s Teacher of the Year. The $1,000 grant will be used

by Simmons to prepare instruments for the school’s traveling steel drum band and to give fifth-grade students the opportunity to write and produce their own play.

Colleton River Golf Academy’s director of instruction, David La Pour, was recently recognized as a TrackMan Master Operator.

Used by more than 150 tour players, 68 universities, and 40 different countries in the world, TrackMan is the premier launch monitoring device in the game of golf. Currently there are only 50 worldwide Masters and nine PGA members with Master status in the United States. TrackMan A/S is a Danish technology company that develops, manufactures and sells 3D ball flight measurement equipment used in different sports.

Cindy Creamer with Lighthouse Realty has been installed as the 2015 president of the Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors.

Weichert Realtors Coastal Properties was awarded the President’s Cup at the annual awards luncheon. The President’s Cup recognizes one company that has actively shown a commitment to the association. Weichert Realtors Coastal Properties participate on committees, take leadership positions including the board of directors, and are dedicated to the betterment of the industry.

Randy Fix, 2014 president of the Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors, was awarded the President’s Service Award to the Joint Venture Task Force of the Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors and the Multiple Listing Service of Hilton Head at the annual awards luncheon. The President’s Service Award is presented to the Realtors who most significantly assisted the president throughout the year. The Joint Venture Task Force was made up of 10 members including Cindy Creamer, Michael Gonzalez, Sara Takacs, Linda Frank, Rod Engard, Julie Toon Timms, Randy Smith, Matt Rowe, Dick Patrick and Randy Fix. Foundation Realty team member Carl Schroeder was named the 2014 Hilton Head Area Association’s Realtor of the Year. Each year the Realtors Association chooses one among them as their Realtor of the Year.

Schroeder has been a member of the association since 1977 and served as board president in 1983.

Bill E. Kennedy, certified golf course superintendent and director of maintenance at Chechessee Creek Club in Okatie, has completed the renewal process for maintaining his elite status with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

Kennedy has been at Chechessee Creek Club since 1999. A 20-year GCSAA member, he initially achieved his certification in 2005.

Only about 1,500 golf course superintendents worldwide currently hold top-level status as a certified golf course superintendent.

Timothy M. Wogan, a Bluffton attorney, has been accepted into the eightmonth graduate certificate program for Healthcare Corporate Compliance at

LOCAL ARTIST EARNS FLAME KEEPERS AWARD Artist Sonja Griffin Evans and the Gumbo Gallery of Pensacola were recognized with the Flame Keepers Award for Art Galleries at the African Diaspora World Tourism Awards in Atlanta. The award is presented to art galleries that have exemplary paintings, sculptures and art displays depicting black culture, heritage and lifestyles that have generated traffic in their galleries and thereby contributing to tourism.

George Washington University. Drawing from George Washington University’s Department of Health Policy in the School of Public Health and Health Services, Wogan will undergo specialized training and education in federal health care regulations applicable to hospitals and health care organizations.

Coastal Carolina Hospital has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care. Coastal Carolina Hospital underwent a rigorous, unannounced on-site survey in July. During the review, a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with hospital standards related to several areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.

The National Association of Hispanic Publications has honored La Isla Magazine again this year with multiple José Martí awards. This is the sixth year in a row that La Isla Magazine, a bilingual magazine serving the Hispanic community of the Lowcountry and Coastal Empire, has received the prestigious awards. The NAHP’s José Martí awards are one of the oldest and the largest Hispanic media awards within the USA, and for the calendar year 2013 La Isla Magazine took home nine of them.

Colleton River Club was recently honored with two prestigious awards. The club received its fourth consecutive Platinum Club of America designation in September and is ranked among the Top 4 percent of private clubs in the country by Club Leaders Forum. Colleton was also designated a Distinguished Emerald Club of the World

by Boardroom Magazine, and is now one of only three clubs in South Carolina with this distinction.

Robert Minnicks of Hilton Head BMW

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has been recognized for the 2013 BMW, N.A. Victory Lap, Profiles in Achievement Award, with a Mediterranean Cruise aboard The Regent Voyager. He was named one of 27 BMW, Platinum Level 1, Master Technicians in the United States. The award is earned through customer service feedback surveys, on-line testing and participation in viewing updated repair bulletins.

Business News Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island announced it has been accepted as a Gold Level GreenLeader into the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders program, which helps travelers around the world plan greener trips by highlighting hotels, and bed and breakfasts engaging in environmentally friendly practices. TripAdvisor GreenLeaders properties have met a set of environmental standards developed for TripAdvisor by a leading environmental consulting firm, with input from expert partners. The more green practices a hotel has in place, the higher its GreenLeader level, which is shown on the property’s listing on the TripAdvisor site.

Hilton Head-based adventure company, Outside Hilton Head, recently launched a re-designed website for the leisure recreation division of the company at www.outsidehiltonhead.com. The new site offers users an interactive, engaging and informative experience, while streamlining customers’ online booking experience. Donna Thomas of Icon Media and Chris Rosenberry of Fifthstory Interactive designed and built the new outsidehiltonhead.com. The site’s visual aspects echo those of Outside Hilton Head’s printed collateral, which mimics a scrapbook.

As local marketing professional, Jared Jester’s company continues to boom with national recognition in the world of mobile applications. His former website development company, Urnge, has partnered with group46 Marketing Agency to take over website design, management and marketing in order for Jester to maintain focus on the mobile app niche. group46’s in-house team can handle all aspects of digital marketing and advertising needs including development, design, security, maintenance and search engine marketing. group46 is a team of professional brand navigators. The company focuses on branding, advertising, digital services and consulting.

The Outside Foundation announced that it has been granted 501(c) nonprofit status. The foundation’s mission is to get kids outside and preserve and protect the local environment. The board of the foundation includes Ernst Bruderer, chairman; Dr. Jean Fruh, executive director; John Batson; Daniel Thomas; Mike Overton; Peter Cram and Mark Messier.

The Heritage Golf Collection on Hilton Head Island hosted a charity golf tournament Nov. 7 at Palmetto Hall Plantation Club to raise more than $20,000 for PGA Tour Charities Inc.’s Birdies for the Brave, a national military outreach initiative dedicated to raising funds and awareness for military homefront groups that provide critical services to meet the specialized needs of military members, wounded veterans and their families.

Monthly seeking Winter interns Interested in gaining experience with a first-rate lifestyle magazine? If so, Monthly wants to hear from you! We are currently seeking interns for all departments (editorial, photography, marketing, sales, administration). These unpaid internships are the perfect place to get your foot in the door of the industry and make contacts throughout the community. Come be a part of the Monthly team! To apply, email a cover letter and resume to lance@hiltonheadmonthly.com. All ages and backgrounds will be considered!

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

EDUCATION

FINDING THE RIGHT EDUCATION FOR YOUR CHILD All parents want what is best for their children, including what they think will be the best possible education for them. Whether parents choose to home school their children, send them to public school, or send them to one of the various forms of private school that exists in the Lowcountry, the reasons behind these decisions often vary from parent to parent.

T

here are, however, a number of commonalities parents cite for sending their children to private school, whether it is Catholic school, a Montessori school or another private school.

One of the accepted benefits is that they provide exceptional and challenging educational experiences through extracurricular activities, Advanced Placement courses, and the International Baccalaureate programme, just to name a few. The IB programme focuses on school work and on developing the student as a whole person. Private school students constantly score top marks on standardized tests and college entrance exams, and many schools have a 100 percent rate of students attending their university of choice.

Smaller class sizes in another major factor. A comprehensive

study on class size made by educational researchers in 2012 showed that the smaller the class size, the better the average student performs on academic achievement tests. Private schools vary greatly in size, but depending on their teaching style, almost all focus on the importance of small class sizes to individually help students’ weak areas and advance their strengths. School quality, location, cost, and demographics are among additional factors parents consider when choosing a school.

Any school can dazzle you with a sales brochure. It’s standard practice to show you the well-manicured grounds of some hallowed school, across which walk the attractive smiling students on their way to become more well-rounded people.

But when it comes right down to it, you want to see what this school can do for your child.

You want proof that by sending your young learner to this or that institution, they are going to come out the other end a better, well-educated person.

So we asked some of the area’s private schools to skip the brochure and show us the results: Students who had graduated and gone on to greater things or outstanding teachers at the school. On the following pages you’ll see firsthand the power of education through the true stories of students who turned their education here into success out there in “the real world.”

ST. FRANCIS CATHOLIC SCHOOL About the school: Since opening its doors in 1996, St.

Francis Catholic School has experienced phenomenal growth. The SACS accredited school now serves nearly 200 students in pre-K through eighth grade, from the greater Hilton Head-Bluffton area. The school encompasses three academic buildings, including a large library and updated science and computer labs, as well as a Fine Arts Center and a 15,000-square-foot gymnasium. Each middle school student is issued an iPad, and all classrooms are equipped with Promethean Boards and Apple TV. SFCS provides a faith-based education, focusing on the development of the whole child, and an exceptional academic program. In addition, the school offers a comprehensive fine arts program and competitive athletic programs and teams for students in grades 3-8.

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EDUCATION

Featured alumni: Alex Borelli, now a junior at Hilton Head Island High School At SFCS: Alex attended SFCS from pre-K to eighth grade.

Throughout these years he was an honors student; in school musicals and choir; participated in school service projects, science

fairs, and other academic competitions; and played middle school basketball. Alex is the third of four Borelli siblings to graduate from SFCS. After SFCS: Alex is currently ranked third in his class of 323 juniors at Hilton Head High School, where he takes honors and Advanced Placement courses. He has been inducted into the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. He is also a member of the school’s chapter of the National BETA Club. As for the future, Alex is thinking of following in the footsteps of his parents, both of whom are medical doctors.

strives to create a well-rounded environment which meets the needs of all students. SGGCS motto of “Where Faith and the Sciences Excel” is enhanced with premiere science and technology labs with all students exploring their faith and the sciences.

ST. GREGORY THE GREAT CATHOLIC SCHOOL About the school: SGGCS opened in 2006 and serves students in pre-K through sixth grade with an enrollment of just over 200 students. SGGCS

Featured teachers: Beth Kelly and Angela Wyman

About the teachers: Beth Kelley is the founding pre-kindergarten teacher for SGGCS and Angela Wyman serves as classroom assistant. Kelley provides a balance between student-directed and teacherdirected learning experiences through organized and freeexploration. Wyman supports this design, encouraging children to interact, explore and relate to their environment. The pre-kindergarten program is to support parents in their role as first educators.

Outside of the Classroom: Once Wyman finishes out her day as classroom assistant, she becomes the director of the school’s Extended Day Care program that runs until 6 p.m. daily. Kelley is the vice principal and sits on the Finance Council and School Advisory Board, while also mentoring new teachers and implementing

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EDUCATION maintaining a 3.93 GPA. While swimming for the UCLA Bruins, a team known for its high-caliber swimmers, she has gained selfconfidence. Emily has continued to hone her time management, organizational and reading comprehension skills acquired at Heritage Academy. Coming into UCLA with knowledge of how to study efficiently was a huge plus. Emily’s future plans include earning her MBA and possibly a law degree.

new programs. Both are active in the church and many church ministries.

HERITAGE ACADEMY About the school: Heritage Academy believes a small caring community of diverse, trained professionals working with students seeking to develop a passion in life creates the ideal learning environment.

Students choose Heritage Academy for its supportive resources, relationships with teachers and opportunities resulting from personalized attention to their goals. The student/teacher ratio appeals to parents who desire foremost that their child be successful in school. The school was recently ranked No. 12 in the state ranking of private schools.

Featured alumni: Emily Hammond, now a sophomore at UCLA

At school: While attending Heritage Academy, Emily swam at a national level and competed academically. She was the 2013 valedictorian and was selected as the Rotary Student of the Year for Heritage Academy. She was a member of the National Honor Society and earned the USA Swimming Scholastic AllAmerican Triple Achiever award.

After school: Emily has continued excellence in academics,

around the country.

Featured alumni: Margaret Yarbrough Hancock ’98, owner of Margaret Hancock Studio At Hilton Head Prep: Like all upper school students at Hilton Head Prep, Margaret was required to take an art class as a graduation requirement.

She feared that without any hands-on experience or training from her previous school, art was outside of her element

HILTON HEAD PREP About the school: Approaching its 50th anniversary, Hilton Head Preparatory School was established as the preeminent private school on Hilton Head Island in 1965. With an annual enrollment of over 400 students in grades JK through 12, 100 percent of Hilton Head Prep’s graduates are accepted into many of the top colleges and universities

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EDUCATION and, at 16, she had missed her window. She tried to talk her way out of it. She even asked if she could substitute another English course instead of art. Her request was quickly denied and so she entered into the art studio that first day of school, changing her academic (and life) trajectory forever. She still remembers her first assignment: a pointillism work. Art teacher, Kathryn Ramseur-Riley charged the class with choosing an image as their inspiration, drawing it and then adding color through tiny dots of application. She poured over the dog-eared books and old Art News magazines that were kept in neat piles throughout the studio, searching for just the right work to recreate. Her classmates quickly found their inspirations, selected their works and began drawing. Days passed and her search continued. It wasn’t that the imagery

didn’t inspire her; it was that it all inspired her. She adored the colors of Henri Matisse, the compositions of Andrew Wyeth, and the decisions of the contemporary artists. She finally chose a painting, ending on Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Her pointillism left much to be desired, but she was hooked. By the end of her junior year, she had successfully completed Starry Night and a few other projects, and had also completed the graduation requirement. She wasn’t finished learning about art, though, so she rearranged her class schedule to accommodate a second class her senior year. Things had certainly changed as she went from trying to get out of one to making sure she got another.

She also took AP European history during her senior year. This class surprisingly underscored her newfound interest in art.

The curriculum and the text they

used for the class included art history and once again, she was hooked. Her teacher encouraged this interest and her final term paper explored the ways European masters captured the postwar era on canvas. Four years after that term paper, she graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history.

After Hilton Head Prep: Margaret Hancock holds her master’s from the University of Virginia and her Bachelor’s in Art History from Duke University.

She owns and operates Margaret Hancock Studio, curating art exhibitions and educational programming for a variety of institutions. Margaret is the former director of programs and curator for the Virginia Center for Architecture. Her resume also includes the Savannah College of Art and Design, the National Trust for Historic

Preservation and an internship with the National Gallery of Art.

CROSS SCHOOLS About the school: Cross Schools was established in 1998 to meet the needs of a group of parents seeking to provide their children with an elementary and middle school education that was founded on Christian principles, provided a

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EDUCATION rigorous academic curriculum and was infused with a spirit of community. They offer kindergarten through eighth-grade cross country, basketball, golf and soccer. In the eighth-grade year, students are eligible to take three core high school classes.

Featured alumni: Tori Lusik attended Cross Schools from 2002-2010.

At school: While at Cross, Tori developed her artistic talent under the tutelage of Pam Donahue. Her participation in the elite group of Art Smart students at the school led her to submit artwork for recognition by the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA). She also received a Junior Merit Scholar recognition for her PSAT scores, the SCISA George Grice Eighth Grade Scholar Award and the Headmaster’s Award,

which is given to that student who has earned the highest academic average during the course of his or her eighthgrade year.

After school: After attending Cross, Tori spent two years at Bluffton High School. She was then accepted to the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, where she was inducted into the National Honors Society and was president of the Foreign Film Club. Upon graduating from the Governor’s School, Tori was accepted, with a four-year Provost Scholarship, into the Honors College at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. She is majoring in cinema and minoring in creative writing and history.

SEA PINES MONTESSORI About the school: Sea Pines

Montessori Academy is a private, nonprofit school serving families from Hilton Head Island and Bluffton since 1968. The school offers pre-primary, primary, elementary and middle school programs spanning education for children from 15 months to eighth grade.

Programs are structured to create thoughtful, independent and confident learners who have respect for the world around them.

Featured alumni: Phillip Evans, HHHIS sophomore At school: Phillip attended SPMA from age 18 months to eighth grade. At SPMA, he excelled academically in all subject areas, was a Duke TIP Scholar Medal Winner, won the Model United Nations Speech Award in New York City and ran cross country/track where he competed and won at the local and state level. He was also

accepted into Andover, but chose Hilton Head Island High School.

After school: Phillip continues to excel academically at the top of his class at the high school.

There, he not only participates in community and service organizations, but continues to run varsity cross country and track.

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EDUCATION

AN EXCEPTIONAL UNIVERSITY, RIGHT HERE AT HOME Following high school, students can continue their education without leaving Beaufort County.

The University of South Carolina Beaufort opened its Hilton Head Gateway campus in 2004, offering on-campus student apartments and a brand-new campus center with dining, recreation and fitness facilities. Here is a look at the university and three of its key educators.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA BEAUFORT About the university: Guided by its mission of teaching, research and service, USCB has tailored many of its academic programs to meet the needs of the region, such as baccalaureate degree programs in Hospitality Management and Biology that contribute to substantive research on the economic impact of environmental and historic tourism initiatives in Beaufort County. To learn more about USCB, visit www.uscb.edu.

Stephen A. Borgianini, Ph.D. Associate professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Borgianini guides a research team of biology majors who have chosen a concentration in Coastal Ecology and Conservation.

They’re studying the movement of microscopic organisms called plankton in the Calibogue Sound estuary in order to establish an ecological baseline for use in future studies of marine populations. The estuary is an important nursery area for shrimp, crabs and species of commercial fish that are vital to the Lowcountry economy.

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EDUCATION

J. Brent Morris, Ph.D. Assistant professor of History Morris teaches, writes and lectures on slavery and anti-slavery in America. His latest book, “Oberlin, Hotbed of Abolitionism: College, Community, and the Fight for Freedom and Equality in Antebellum America,” has been nominated for the Gettysburg College/Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize for 2015, a highly prestigious award with a $50,000 prize. He’s also providing guidance to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on a future exhibit.

John Salazar, Ph.D. Professor in the Department of Hospitality Management In addition to his teaching position, Salazar also serves as director of the Lowcountry and Resort Islands Research Institute. He’s playing a leading role in the Together for Beaufort County Initiative, which is working to define current levels of educational, social, economic, environmental and health activity in the county in order to determine where improvements can be made.

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Intriguing

19 INTRIGUING PEOPLE OF THE

LOWCOUNTRY What makes a person intriguing?

Every day we come across people that fascinate us.

They arouse our curiosity. We hear about them and want to know more. What they have done or said stimulates conversations. At times, there is even a mystery about them. What they have done may be unique, heroic, honorable or maybe even comical, but they capture our imaginations. We want to know what makes them tick, why they believe what they do, and why they did what they did. Here are the stories of 19 intruiguing people living among us.

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INTRIGUING

KEEPING THE GULLAH CULTURE ALIVE THROUGH ART

BY TIM WOOD | PHOTOS BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

A

miri Farris has always had a special connection with the Gullah Geechee culture. The West Palm Beach native would listen to his grandmother’s and uncle’s stories of growing up Gullah.

But it wasn’t until he himself migrated to the Lowcountry 15 years ago after attending the Savannah College of Art and Design that Farris truly understood how important it was to keep the culture alive.

One of his first paintings, of his grandmother, was featured at the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, where he first won emerging artist and later Artist of the Year honors.

Farris said that while he never set out to be a Gullah storyteller, he sees how important it is to keep the culture alive.

“There’s not a lot of younger people telling the story and not a lot of younger folks listening,” he said. “I see land being sold off to developers and I’m trying to protect the land. Folks hear about how to make a sweetgrass basket, hear about the canning, they see how important the culture was and is to our heritage.”

Farris’ work is also greatly inspired by music. His portraits of jazz musicians —inspired by artists ranging from Renaissance master Romare Barden to ‘80s pop art legend Keith Haring — have been featured in festivals and galleries across the country, including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. “I’ve always listened to jazz, it was just like breathing to me growing up. There’s such a beauty that comes from the music, it just feels natural to paint what I hear and how music comes at you,” Farris said.

The 38-year-old professor at Savannah State, SCAD and the University of South Carolina Beaufort has set up his studio (at the historic Fripp-Lowden House) and home in Old Town Bluffton, an area he and his dog Horsa quickly fell in love with as a backdrop for his work.

“To live on Wharf Street, to have a house in an area that’s been reborn from blight, it’s an honor and an inspiration,” he said. “To walk across the street to the Oyster Factory and look out over the May River, it’s a Zen moment. It helps me gather my thoughts and refocus.

To have this beauty and then go two streets over and be in a sea of people, to have this as my home, it’s amazing.”

Bluffton has helped him refocus on his work and his passion after the sudden passing of his mother, Julie, two years ago.

“She was so full of life, so healthy before the cancer came and in two months, she was gone,” said Farris, who is working on a show to honor his mother in the future. “It was such pain, but being here and being able to paint, it’s helped me get through the pain.”

Farris is a founding board member of Celebrate Bluffton, a group focused on celebrating historic buildings in town and refurbishing and preserving historic homes.

“We’re working on an app that celebrates the endless history of the town and we’re working with SCAD and the town to refurbish the Garvin House near the Oyster Factory,” Farris said.

The artist is equal parts musician, his style a mashup of techno, hip hop and funk he once described as “Lady Gaga hanging out with Michael Jackson on Cybertron.”

He’s putting the finishing touches on his latest CD, titled A.R.T. January 2015 57

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Intriguing

A retirement that never took The only chair Blaine Lotz sits in comes with a gavel

By Lisa J. Allen photo by rob kaufman

A

26-year career as an Air Force officer was only a good start for Sea Pines resident Blaine Lotz.

Lotz, 71, followed it up with 13 years of working for the Department of Defense as a civilian. In each tenure, he was awarded a bevy of medals, from the Bronze Star and Legion of Merit to the Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service.

He “retired” to Hilton Head in 2005, but not really.

He’s president of the Hilton Head World Affairs Council, vice chair of the Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity board, chairman of the Beaufort County Democrat Party, and a volunteer with about a dozen groups, agencies and church committees.

“I limit myself to things that I have a passion for,” said Lotz.

He has a lot of passion.

When asked what his hobbies are, he could come up only with walking his dogs on the beach and reading.

Instead, he talks about the 16 Habitat houses being built on Hilton Head Island or the nearly thousand members of the World Affairs Council. Or about the book drive through his church, First Presbyterian, that keeps a steady flow of books in the hands of Ridgeland students.

And not one to tell others to do something he wouldn’t, he ran in the Democrat primary in 2008 for the Second District of the U.S. Congress, but lost.

“One of the things that has kept me plugging along is you have to have a two-party system, especially in the South,” he said.

“We’ve made a lot of progress. We have 500 volunteers in the county. One of my jobs is keeping up the enthusiasm.

“When my wife Lynne and I moved here in 2005, the joke was you could put all of the Democrats in Beaufort County in a phone booth. We haven’t won elections, but we’re growing. I’m a ‘glass half full’ kind of guy.”

After traveling the world, the Lotzes chose Hilton Head because of its vibrant community and the many opportunities to get involved, usually at the top.

“I try to have a collegial style of leadership,” he said. “You listen to what everyone has to say. It’s amazing what you can learn

when you listen. I think people who have come here are trying to fit in. You have to adapt to the community you moved to.

“I’ve never lived anywhere where there is so much involvement as here. ... The challenge is to maintain that. The World Affairs Council is to give people an opportunity to continue to grow. People want more than to just play golf. Frankly, that’s why we came here. There are always things to do.”

Especially for a man who simply doesn’t know the meaning of “retire.”

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Intriguing

Beyond Sight Bill Dengler was born blind, but one should never confuse sight with vision.

By Barry Kaufman | photo by W Photography

“Blijfldjpfoijowonln,” issues forth the chirpy electronic tone from Bill Dengler’s laptop, a MacBook he’s rigged to boot both Windows and Mac. The laptop is hooked up to an inhome network he designed and implemented by himself. The network also controls all of the home phones. It resides in a server closet he built in an upstairs study. Typical 15-year-old stuff.

Dengler clicks the mouse.

“REljwlknfaiopjoa,” the laptop responds.

“That’s normal. Can you understand that?” he asks me.

I cannot.

“I’ll slow it down.”

With a few button presses, the voice slowly crystalizes into a crisp British-accented

robotic voice outlining notes from Dengler’s history class. Even slowed down, I just barely catch the phrases “John Locke” and “political thought” bubbling up in the torrent of digital audio.

“Is this a better rate for you?” he asks.

It’s slow enough to illustrate that while Dengler clearly has better ears than most, the real powerhouse is the gray matter working between them. That he could comprehend, to say nothing of hear, this clipped electronic maelstrom of information, shows that this 15-year-old mastermind lives in a very different world from the rest of us.

Diagnosed with Norrie Disease shortly after birth, Dengler was born without sight.

And while he may not have sight, there’s no

shortage of vision.

With the voice now at full speed, Dengler shows how he uses these vocal cues to navigate his laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard, windows appearing and disappearing at a strobe light rate across the screen, the rapid electronic babble squawking and stuttering to keep up. It’s the electronic world he partially lives in, and it’s a world that Dengler is hoping to master as he makes the highly visual digital realm more accessible for the blind.

“I’m hoping to put some Swift Apps up on the store; I do have the necessary approvals to do that and I have been accepted into the Apple developer program and the Android developer program,” he said.

With a few more CS classes he’s planning on taking, Dengler is hoping to bring his considerable knowledge to bear on apps to allow the blind to use computers the way he does: more efficiently than the rest of us. Google has already solicited his help in testing out accessibility for its Google Glass.

This despite the fact that he pointed out a pretty major design flaw in the Google Chromebook at a developer’s convention in Orlando.

“One of the first things I do when I get a device like that is crank the speech rate up,” he said. “I got it to go up to about 45-50 percent. You continued to crank the rate up, and it would say, ‘Rate 55 percent.’ But 55 would be slower than 50. So rate 100 percent was actually painfully slow.”

“He’s surrounded by all these Google techs and he’s telling them, ‘I found a glitch in your system’ and they said ‘No, it doesn’t do that,’” added his mother, Terri. “All the sudden they’re around us taking his picture, because he really did find a glitch.”

Despite the egg on their face, Google offered Dengler a place in its legendary internship program.

They had to rescind the offer when they found out he was only 15, but it goes to show. With his remarkable mind, relentless drive and passion for making the world a more accessible place, the only thing keeping this young man from changing the world is time.

And when that time comes, look out world.

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An Iron Will Sculptor Chase Allen discovers Daufuskie Island is a do-it-yourself school of life

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Intriguing

By Lisa J. Allen | photos by rob kaufman

E

ven at a young age, Chase Allen knew better than to plunk himself on Daufuskie Island and do whatever he wanted.

He was working at his first job out of college for a now-defunct Daufuskie Island resort.

“I didn’t like the job,” Allen said. “When you go to a job every day and you’re not following who you are, it’s a painful thing. I was following a path without much thought.”

Then, a couple of his friends died far too early, his mom fell ill and 9-11 happened.

“It was a slap in the face,” he said. “... Life is too short and I really took it to heart at age 24.”

He couldn’t stop thinking about a pottery class he took his senior year of college. He wanted to create things for a living, ideally on Daufuskie Island.

“I rented a cottage right across the street from a couple who had a pottery studio. They just opened it up. I thought it would be kind of rude to move here and do the same thing, so on vacation in Asheville I saw a bunch of sculptures made out of scrap metal. I watched

(an artist), and I thought, ‘I could do that.’

“I was still doing real estate, so I asked a mechanic on the island to teach me how to weld. I snuck out on lunch hours and practiced welding.”

He made a garden pig and donated it to a school benefit auction where it fetched $50. “I thought that was pretty good,” he said.

Realizing he might be able to earn a living, Allen spent more and more time on his art.

“I kept a couple of jobs for year and half.

As soon as I put that sign in the yard, I started making more money from the art than I could have ever imagined.”

Once his studio, The Iron Fish, began appearing on the tourism maps, he earned a steady flow of customers, primarily tourists from the resort.

Luckily, he had just launched his website in 2006 before the resort closed. The timing was great because articles about him and his art in regional magazines drove people to the site.

Demand rose again this fall when Allen, 38, won the 2014 Audience Choice for Martha

Stewart’s American Made craftsmen awards.

“A customer emailed me to ask if he could nominate me. I don’t even know them. We were already busy, now we’re just busier,” said Allen, who now has a full-time apprentice.

“I call myself a craftsman. It’s not just painting. It’s production art.”

It’s that problem solving that has helped him become an integral part of Daufuskie Island.

“I’ve been accepted on Daufuskie. You have to have the patience of a glacier. You’re not going to come out here and make a splash. You have to be community-minded.

You take care of your neighbors.

“When I moved here, I didn’t know anything about anything. I didn’t know anything about carpentry or mechanics. You don’t have a mechanic you can go to. Now I know about boats and owning a home. Sometimes, there isn’t someone to help you. You have to learn how to be independent. You have to do it yourself.

“It’s a school of life.”

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Intriguing

Living life to its fullest

By SHERRY CONOHAN photo by Rob Kaufman

P

eggy Parker has lived a life of passion – several passions, really. From teaching teachers to becoming a drummer in jazz bands to politics to helping disadvantaged girls, she has embraced each endeavor along life’s path.

As the principal of an early childhood development primary school, she worked to help her teachers to do a better job. “That’s what I like to study – the art and science of teaching,” Parker said.

Later in her education career, she had the opportunity to supervise student teachers at the University of South Carolina and grade them on their performance. “I taught them effective teaching skills,” she explained.

Through two decades in the world of education, it was Parker’s passion to try to make sure her teachers and students were successful.

It was no different when she became a jazz musician, playing drums and often sitting in with drummers decades younger than her.

Parker said she was inspired to take up the drums by two brothers-in-law who played.

She enthusiastically sought out musicians who could help her learn and went to the University of Louisville, which she said has a well known jazz camp, for several summers to improve her skill.

“Jazz has a feel. It’s magical,” she said of her passion for music.

Today, she plays in the May River Trio, doing gigs at charity events. Sharing the stage with her are Lea Smith on keyboard and Pete Sensivicki on bass. She said Smith has performed in New York, most recently at the Waldorf-Astoria, while Sensivicki is known for starting the free last Sunday of the month of Dixieland jazz concerts at The Jazz Corrner on Hilton Head Island.

Parker recently sat in for one number at The Jazz Corner during a charity function and was thrilled by the experience.

“They asked me what I wanted to play and I said ‘Satin Doll,’ ” she said.

“I really wanted to do well. I was concentrating while I was playing, but when I stood up at the end, I was shaking.”

Now a resident of Bluffton – she has a

home on Myrtle Island – Parker lived in Hampton during her education days and became involved in several charities and civic activities there, including an anti-litter campaign aimed at cleaning up the roads and a community health drive.

Feeling she could do more, she ran for a seat on the Hampton County Council and won, going on to serve four terms for a total of 16 years. Her council activity included work in race relations for which she received training at the Penn Center.

One Hampton County program that Parker is still active in and is extraordinarily passionate about is PEARLS Girls. The program falls under the purview of PEARLS (Philanthropic Empowerment Among Rural Lowcountry Sisters) which is funded by a

commitment by its women members to put up $100 a year toward an endowment that pays for grants distributed to nonprofit organizations in the county. The PEARLS Girls program encourages girls to be successful community-minded individuals.

Parker said the girls must maintain good grades and not be a disciplinary problem in order to be in the program and get reinforcement and whatever academic help they need, along with training in social skills throughout their school life. She said there are now 21 girls in the fifth grade who began participating in the first grade.

Parker travels back to Hampton every month for the group’s board meetings.

“That’s my life now,” she said. “We help them to graduate and dream.”

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Intriguing

Disney’s magic man Mick Ayres brings tall tales to life with a little sleight of hand

By Ellis Harman | photo by Valerie Stryker

M

ost guests at Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort don’t know Mick Ayres by his real name. To them, he’ll always be B’Lou Crabbe, a loveable, banjo-playing, tall tale-telling entertainer and magician who has been welcoming resort guests with a smile and a story for more than 15 years.

“It’s not often you can say ‘I invented a

Disney character,’ ” Ayres said. “But it’s given me a chance to create a show that’s a real family thing, and it’s made me one of the busiest entertainers in the Southeast U.S. I do about 1,000 shows a year.”

Ayres’ performances as B’Lou — short for Bartholomew Louis — all include the music, magic and storytelling he’s been perfecting for years.

“I started as a magician,” Ayres said. “I would also tell stories and play instruments to enhance my show. I’ve been doing magic since I was 8 years old, and I did my first paid show when I was 13.”

While Ayres said he has always loved conjuring tricks and storytelling, he hasn’t always made it his career. He spent several years working at an advertising agency in Miami, and said he hated it.

“I was miserable,” he said. “So I’d go out on weekends to the pier in Miami, set out my fiddle case and do magic and play music. …

Eventually, it came down to ‘What if?’ I started thinking, ‘What if I gave it a real shot?’ ” So he did, auditioning for Disney with a humorous magic routine that incorporated his banjo.

“Luckily, they laughed at all the right places,” he said of his audition.

He perfected his act at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando.

Then Disney brought him to Hilton Head, giving him the chance to develop the B’Lou Crabbe character and a variety of tricks and tales.

His work with Disney also gave him the chance to entertain area children. Every year, Ayres dons a Santa suit that is “the real deal” and visits children at Boys & Girls Clubs around the Lowcountry, all coordinated by Disney officials.

“It was really an eye opener,” Ayres said of his first visits to some of the clubs. “The Boys & Girls Club on Hilton Head is like a country club. But then you go out the club in Allendale, and it’s a double-wide trailer with no electricity and I’m sitting on a box. And some of these kids can break your heart.”

Even though there’s some magic Santa — and Ayres — just can’t work, Ayres said he’s grateful for the chance to entertain the Boys & Girls Club children and show them a few tricks. And it’s an opportunity he knows he only receives because of his work with Disney.

“I tell people jokingly that if Disney ever lets me go, I have no idea what I’ll do with myself,” Ayres said.

To hear a few of Mick Ayres’ stories set to music, go to www.reverbnation.com/ mickayres January 2015 63

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NEWSMAN ADJUSTS TO LIFE OFF DEADLINE

INTRIGUING

BY ROBYN PASSANTE | PHOTO BY W PHOTOGRAPHY

F

itz McAden is spending his retirement building things. He started with an elaborate armadillo fence. (Critter Management: Take note.) Then he moved on to Bahama shutters. Now he’s tackling picture frames.

“I like to build things,” says the 65-year-old with the self-satisfied smile of a man who just bought himself a miter saw.

All this building seems like a departure from his 42-year career in newspapers, until you start thinking about his 42-year career in newspapers.

For all of his working years, in particular the last 19 as executive editor of The Island Packet (and, since 2008, The Beaufort Gazette), McAden built things. He assembled carefully uncovered facts into articles that impacted lives. He helped to build the small daily into an award-winning paper that in 2004 was named one of “10 Newspapers That Do It Right,” by Editor & Publisher magazine. And he shaped accomplished journalists out of fresh-faced college graduates, more than he can count, using constructive criti-

cism, occasional humor and a no-nonsense demeanor.

Those projects, he says at the close of a long career, were some of his favorites.

“I loved it when they went on to do bigger and better, I really did,” McAden says of the young journalists he mentored who “graduated” to large media outlets like the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and Bloomberg.

McAden’s own career started in the city and moved toward more rural environs. He began as a reporter and then an editor at The Miami Herald before moving to The State in Columbia as news editor. He landed in the Lowcountry in 1995, where small-town news took hold of his heart.

“When I first came down here, I thought there wouldn’t be much to write about,” he says. “It turns out there was lots of hard-edged news. And it also surprised me that you could get just as interested in hard news that bubbled up in a small place as hard news that bubbled up in a large place like Miami.”

Many of those stories stick with him to this

day, among them the investigative work his staff did on a public utility that was charging poor residents unfair fees, and a local physician’s misconduct on the job. He says he misses having, and digging for, the inside scoop before it is broadcast to the world.

“I miss the flow of information, what’s going on and the backstory,” he says. “You hear about a lot of interesting things that for various reasons don’t make it into print or get posted online.”

But he doesn’t miss the long hours away from home and family. His two sons are grown and out of the house, but he wakes early enough these days to make breakfast for his wife, Jill, who is principal of Hilton Head Island IB Elementary School.

Though he spends a good bit of his time now on those building projects, McAden says in years past he has indulged another love of his — flying. The retired editor is actually a pilot who has been trained in aerobatics, having mastered midair rolls, spins and loops.

“I’ve been fascinated with aviation since childhood.”

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Intriguing

Performer, producer & preservationist Music maven Terry Herron directs his passion and talents toward preserving the Gullah culture.

The Herron household may have lacked material wealth, but it was rich with entertainment and, by the age of 12, Herron was hooked on swing, jazz and big band music.

More than a musician, Herron earned his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Michigan State University and his MBA from Central Michigan University.

A successful marketing career and impressive entrepreneurial endeavors followed, including his prominent importing business that brought him to Ridgeland. He fell in love with the area, particularly with the Gullah culture, and decided to stay.

More recently, Herron was instrumental in coordinating a special visit that brought Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, to the Lowcountry to learn about African-American life in the region.

Said Herron, “I think that our Gullah culture is one of the Lowcountry’s most unique and valuable treasures, and that we need to do all we can to help preserve and educate others about it. Hosting Mr. Bunch, a well-respected expert and true celebrity, was an honor and a thrill and we are so fortunate to have his support.”

Herron is also deeply involved

Christopher Herron

T

erry Herron is recognized by many as an accomplished Hilton Head jazz singer, but he was a successful entertainer in Atlanta for 30 years, prior to moving to Hilton Head in 2004, and is also revered for his prowess in producing world-class theme shows in the style of Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond and others.

In October 2014, one of Herron’s musical acts paid tribute to “The Life and Music of Johnny Mercer,” which garnered rave reviews. Until recently, Herron served as a board member and concert coordinator for the Coastal Jazz Association, producers of the Savannah Jazz Festival.

Those most familiar with him also know that his passion and exceptional talents extend well beyond the microphone, as well as the island.

Herron grew up in the small town of Muskegon, Mich., as one of 12 children and the son of parents who owned a grocery store. In spite of having so many mouths to feed, Herron said that his mother always put a portion of their modest budget aside for artistic pursuits.

“We lived in a rundown house in an old neighborhood,” said Herron. “We had no money, but had two grand pianos and Mom always made sure we had tap shoes and lessons.”

arno dimmling

By Blanche T. Sullivan

with the Santa Elena Foundation (santa-elena.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding the story of European colonization of North America and promoting Santa Elena, founded in 1566 on Parris Island, as the first European colonial capital.

When Herron isn’t wowing audiences with his performances

and pursuing preservation, he enjoys spending time with his Kickin’ Asphalt Bicycle Club (kickinasphalt.info) cohorts – participating in major bike rides and serving as a ride tour guide/ planner.

Married to Mary Jo, his high school sweetheart, Herron is truly a musical maven with a mission — on stage and off.

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Intriguing

A gift for turning frowns upside down

By Tim Wood | photo by arno dimmling

F

or 17 years, he’s been the smiling face at the Main Street Harris Teeter that makes lasting impressions on shoppers and turns strangers into instant friends.

For bagger Ogunsheye “Sheye” Rohlsen, it is a gift to be a happy memory during what many see as a dreaded chore.

“I have always been a people person.

I’m unique in my own special way and I try to share my optimism and happiness with people,” he said. “I have been in many places, so I wake up every day feeling so blessed to be here on the island in such a special environment.”

Rohlsen came to Hilton Head Island

after 20 years of moving between his native St. Croix and New York City.

“I lived in the Bronx, Queens and Manhattan and it was amazing. The lights, the people, the energy, I definitely fed off of it, but I am a warmer island guy,” he said of ultimately deciding to migrate south.

After graduating from Job Corps in Kentucky in the late ‘90s, Rohlsen moved in with his father and stepmother in Hampton, S.C. That’s when his stepmom found him the job with Harris Teeter.

“It was just such a good fit. I love being around people, working an honest day and being in customer service,” he said.

He would often commute to the island

with his father, Ariel, a customer service legend in his own right who worked banquets at the Holiday Inn. “I definitely got the outgoing personality from him,” Rohlsen said of his father, a former backup singer for the ‘60s and ‘70s supergroup Melvin and the Blue Notes who passed away a few years back.

Sheye moved to the island 11 years ago, at first living with a friend before getting his own North End apartment.

For nearly two decades, he has been a consistent force for good in an everchanging cast of visitors, residents and store employees. He’s seen babies grow into teenagers and work alongside him and he’s seen more than his fair share of grumpy people.

“It’s a challenge, but I love turning the frown upside down. There’s plenty of mean people on this island, but I don’t let them get to me,” he said. “I have off days, but I never let folks see that.”

He is a man of faith with morals, but doesn’t try to preach. Nor does he try to be a comedian. He just tries to pay it forward with niceness.

“Sure, there’s selfish rich folks. I wish they’d share some of that with a homeless person, but overall, I’m just as nice to the mean folks and I’ve won a lot of folks over,” he said. “It’s a challenge and I know I need to be a leader. And when you’re good to people, good things happen to you. I’ve seen that firsthand.”

When not at the store, Rohlsen can be seen riding his bike, often with loud outfits and his favorite Afro wig. He’s the proud father to two birds — a cockatiel named General and a parakeet, Crystal — and two beta fish. When he’s not on his bike or at the beach, the self-described gadget geek is on his laptop or tablet.

The 40-year-old said his life is full of acquaintances and happiness.

“It’s hard to make real good friends, so if you have one, hold on to them,” he said.

He’s never shied away from the camera and has done modeling work on the island. He’s an avid handyman and has had opportunities to apply that trade.

But he values his place at Harris Teeter.

“Job security is a blessing in this day and age,” he said. “They’re good to me and I try to pass that along to everyone I come across every day.”

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Balancing sports with philanthropies

By SHERRY CONOHAN Photo by arno dimmling

S

he drives an ancient pickup truck named Lola that she bought from Robert Redford, she shoots clays with the Annie Oakleys at a Savannah gun club, and she celebrated her 60th birthday by climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The diminutive and soft-spoken Susan Ketchum — she’s a slight 5-feet, 2-inches tall — deftly balances her sports and beloved philanthropies in her private life with her job as a top financial advisor at Merrill Lynch, where she has spent her entire 42-year career.

She joined Merrill Lynch in her hometown of Pittsburgh.

“I was very young. I had just turned 18 and I lost my mother six months before,” she said. “I was part of a large Catholic family.

I had five siblings and I was the oldest, so I needed to stay close to home to help take care of my siblings. I got a job as a clerk-typist. Then I proceeded for the next 42 years to climb up the ladder.”

Ketchum was moved first to Boston, then went on to New York, attending night school classes along the way. Over time, she went to Harvard, the Wharton School and the University of California-Berkeley for continuing education classes for executives.

Thirty years ago she was transferred to Merrill Lynch’s Hilton Head location. Sitting in her comfortable corner office with its lovely view of the trees outside, she talked enthusiastically about some of the charities she supports. One that she is particularly proud of is Women in Philanthropy, a women’s “giving circle,” which she helped found.

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Intriguing tence for 12 years and began with 100 women who committed to giving $1,000 a year in each of the next three years.

They raised $300,000, which was put into an endowment. The endowment has grown with continuing contributions to over $1 million today and has awarded $156,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizations — selected by the women — since 2006.

Ketchum cited as an example of a recipient, Hope Haven, which helps women and children who are victims of abuse by providing shelter and counseling.

“It’s really a wonderful group of women who want to make a difference,” she said. “And we feel we have.”

Ketchum also is involved with building an orphanage in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in Africa. She said she was brought into the Valentine Project through two

friends from St. Luke’s Church.

She went with them to Tanzania four years ago on a mission trip.

“The (Anglican) archbishop of Tanzania, who was hosting our trip, asked the three of us if we would help him realize a vision and a dream he had, which was to build a center for orphans on property he had in the diocese,” said Ketchum.

The three accepted the challenge and have raised money, formed a board, hired an executive director who’s on the ground there and are now building the structures to house the orphans.

“We broke ground in July and will be able to move the first children in in the first quarter of 2015. That will be 20 children,” Ketchum said. “Another group will move in later in the summer. That’s another 20 children.

Eventually we want to have 100 children.”

Her visits to Tanzania led to her climb of Mount Kilimanjaro.

“I was seeing this mountain every time I went to Africa and I said someday I’m going to climb it,” she said. “And I did. I summited it successfully in February (2014).”

Ketchum was accompanied on her adventure by her boyfriend, Tom Philbrick, a physician and chief of staff at St. Joseph’s/ Candler Hospital in Savannah, who also is a marathon runner.

“It was the hardest thing I have ever done – the most challenging physically I have ever done, and mentally,” Ketchum said. “But how rewarding. It was amazing.

“We climbed up to 19,358 feet. I did get to the top at sunrise. We left at midnight. It was a treacherous climb in the dark, and we arrived at 7:30 in the morning, seven and a half hours later, through freezing rain and

60 mile per hour winds, and walked along the crater. The sun was coming up and you only stay up there for 10 minutes because you can’t breathe, then they get you down.

“While I was there I took the opportunity — I had some of my dad’s ashes — and I spread them over the roof of Africa because he was so interested in what I was doing over there, but didn’t live long enough to know the first children were going in.”

It was Valentine’s Day and her 60th birthday.

“Ten years ago, when I turned 50, I set out and bicycled in Vietnam because I love cycling,” she said. “I went from Hanoi to the Mekong Delta, including the mountains of Da Lat in between.

That was a phenomenal trip and I thought, OK, what do I do when I’m 60?

“So now I’m looking ahead — what’s next?”

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Father, husband finds passion following tragic loss

By Tim Wood photo by rob kaufman

D

r. Anthony Mattis has been seeking knowledge his entire life. When he lost the love of his life in 2011, that thirst only became more intense and more personal.

“Jessica battled bipolar disorder for so long and we had a wonderful stretch where she was winning and she gave me three amazing children, but when she lost that battle, it just made me fight harder,” Mattis said.

Mattis met the Hilton Head High graduate shortly after moving to the Lowcountry 15 years ago and fell in love. Together, they built his chiropractic practice in Bluffton and shared a passion for holistic wellness. Now, as he raises his three kids as a single father, he is trying to honor her fight and her spirit.

“It was difficult to get back into daily life, but I know it’s what I need to do for me and for my kids,” Mattis said. “And now, I have found a passion that I believe can help people live to the fullest, to break down the energies that bring us down.”

Mattis has become an active practitioner of Access Consciousness, a healing and empowerment program built around the concept of running Access Bars.

“There are 32 points on the head that carry all the electromagnetic beliefs, our thoughts on money, sadness, joy, creativity.

By lightly contacting these points, we can dissolve preconceived fears and thoughts holding us back,” he said.

While he sees connections between his chiropractor work and Access Consciousness, Mattis makes sure to not push his beliefs too hard.

“I have always been a different kind of chiropractor, but I keep these two worlds separate until someone is curious and asks,” he said. “We do workshops and run the access bars here, but I know some folks think this is just too wacky. Those who know me know I have been seeking forever, I’ve tried the weirdest, wackiest stuff in that quest. I truly believe I have found the path I’ve been searching for.”

Mattis also works as a life coach using the Passion Test approach to coaching, but he is becoming a driving force behind Access, a program founded in 1990 by Gary Douglas that is now practiced in 131 countries.

“I was introduced to Gary and his partner, Dr. Dain Heer, and he was impressed with me. I ran bars on Gary and the two of them told me they wanted to be a bigger part of the program,” he said.

Mattis will be traveling to San Diego, Dublin, Ireland and Vancouver in the first quarter of 2015, teaching Access and running private sessions as part of the seminars Douglas and Heer run.

“It’s worked for me. Five months after Jessica died, I did the bars sessions, and

after the fifth session, I felt such joy and hope for the first time in so long,” he said.

“I’ve seen it work with my kids, I’ve seen it transform my oldest son from super hyper to calm. Now I want to share this with as many folks as possible.”

Mattis, a self-described “purple cow” in his field, wants to show people there is more than the standard medical model.

“You have choices, I’m trying to create different possibilities for people,” he said. “This gets to those places beyond what even your mind can get to. So many pains are buried deep down into the unconscious, the unfulfilled dreams, the anger, the resentment.

This really works to help let that negative energy go.”

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Growing up on stage

By Robyn Passante | photo by rob kaufman

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alented teenagers are often a driven, dreamy sort, with big ideas of the future fueled by early success and encouragement. It’s not that 17-yearold Whitaker Gannon doesn’t have those. It’s just that she’s a bit more of a realist.

“Although it would be nice to devote your life to one thing, it’s a lifestyle choice that sometimes can be a little more difficult,” said the accomplished actress and Hilton Head

Preparatory School senior. “So there are easier ways that I can explore the arts and have it be a part of my life without necessarily putting all my eggs in one basket.”

Lucky for Gannon, she has a lot of eggs.

Besides acting, singing and dancing in such productions as “South Pacific” and “Annie” with local theater troupes, the young star is an accomplished photographer, dabbles in journalism, plays the piano, guitar and

ukulele – all self-taught – and knows enough sign language to “sing” silently to some of her favorite pop tunes. She also holds down a part-time job at Lawton Stables and is a “mostly A’s” student with her sights set on college.

“I want a liberal arts college that has arts opportunities for whatever I want to end up pursuing,” she said with practicality.

Hers is a perspective born from the grace that comes with not always getting what you think you want, but ending up with what you really need. Gannon’s start with acting began as a fifth-grader, when she auditioned for the role of the white rabbit in her school’s musical rendition of “Alice in Wonderland” – and was given the part of a flower.

“I think I was a little too confident,” she said. “But everything happens for a reason.”

What happened next was that her mother, Andrea Gannon, who also does some acting, encouraged her daughter to audition for a role in the Main Street Youth Theatre’s upcoming production of “Annie.” Whitaker Gannon landed a spot in the cast as one of the orphans, and her talent and passion bloomed onstage.

“That really opened up my love for theater,” she said.

A steady stream of roles followed that debut, including two movie roles recently produced in the Lowcountry. Filming wrapped late last year on an independent horror film, “The Hollow Oak,” in which she plays a major character.

“There were some scenes where I’m haunting others, so I would have to go through the two-hour process of putting on prosthetic makeup,” she said.

While she appreciates having been given the opportunity to try movie-making, Gannon prefers live theater.

“It’s kind of my first love,” she said. “You start with the beginning and go through the end and it’s a process. There’s something really rewarding about having an audience right there, and you feed off of that energy.

You don’t get that with filming.”

Gannon said support from her family – which includes her father, Chris, and older brother, Blake – has given her the wings to fly in many different directions.

“I’ve really grown to like being busy,” she said. “It’s rewarding to be a part of all these different experiences.”

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Accomplished Bluffton DREAMer has West Point aspirations

By Megan Mattingly-Arthur Photos by lloyd wainscott

L

uis Estrada is an extraordinary young man whose dedication to excellence is refreshing.

While many people his age spend their weekends watching TV and playing video games, this Bluffton High School junior is out completing community service projects with his JROTC unit and participating in extreme sport race challenges with his JROTC Raiders team — and loving every minute of it.

“The Raider team is a team of absolutely extraordinary cadets who push themselves every day to work out and do their best,” Estrada said. “We do community service every weekend. I just love the program; I love being part of the Raider team.”

Estrada has numerous accolades to show for his efforts, including a leadership role in the Bluffton High School JROTC program. His Raider team is state champion and he was ranked the top overall male Raider in South Carolina at a recent competition.

Academic excellence is also important to Estrada, who credits a high GPA and his involvement in the JROTC program with helping him get into the National Honor Society, where he is currently ranked 62 out of the 419 students in his class.

“I currently have a 4.5 GPA on the South Carolina scale and that’s what got the National Honor Society interested in me,” Estrada said. “The National Honor Society requires you to complete 25 hours of community service by the end of the year, and I was able to complete that in a onemonth period because of all the

community service projects we do in JROTC and Raiders.”

Out of all the community service projects he’s done, Estrada said he most enjoys helping and handing out water at the annual Hilton Head Island Bridge Run. “I love helping at this run because you see a wide range of people who want to better themselves, who want to compete, who like to do 5Ks and 10Ks,” he said. “It was a great time.”

Estrada, who came to the United States from Mexico when he was 3, is accomplishing these great things thanks, in part, to the DREAM Act, which grants conditional permanent residency to select immigrants of good moral character who arrived in the country as minors, graduate from U.S. high schools and have lived in the country for five continuous years.

“One thing that really drives me is that I’m not from the United States, so there are a lot of opportunities that I wouldn’t get back in Mexico,” Estrada said. “I like to excel in academics because I feel like, if I really push myself, I’ll be wanted at a college. There are a lot of people who just came here looking for more opportunities and, if you push yourself, you’re going to do very well for this country; they’re going to want to keep you here.

It’s about bettering the United States and bettering yourself.”

Estrada hopes to one day attend The Citadel or the United States Military Academy at West Point.

For more information on the JROTC program at Bluffton High School, visit www.blufftonjrotc. com.

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The [REDACTED] Life of Dan Fuller From the jungles of Vietnam to the backwoods of the Lowcountry, Dan Fuller has seen it all and then some.

By Barry Kaufman | photo by ROB KAUFMAN

D

an Fuller died once.

As in heart stopped, no breathing, no pulse, bright white light dead.

And here’s the interesting thing about Dan Fuller: The fact that he died once is not even in the top five most interesting things about him. Although it certainly left a lasting impression.

As a special forces-qualified medic, he’d been working for Hilton Head Hospital in the days when the fledgling hospital would still have to send certain patients down to St. Joseph’s in Savannah because they lacked the facilities to properly treat them. It was while driving one such patient that Dan Fuller died.

“I died at the BP station in Levy; that’s where they pulled over and did CPR on me,” he said in unnervingly casual tone.

Fuller had suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage, bleeding in the area between the brain and the soft tissue that surround it. (“I thought I’d been shot in the head,” he said.) A quick-thinking nurse was able to grab the wheel and pull the vehicle over before the situation went from bad to worse. Meanwhile, Fuller was piercing the veil between this world and the next.

“I saw heaven,” he said. “There was this brilliant white light, but not so brilliant you couldn’t see, y’know, where you have to squint your eyes?”

“I was spoken to, but not like someone talking. They told me it wasn’t my time yet. They told me I still had work to do. But what pissed me off was they didn’t tell me what it was. I had to find out for myself.”

Fuller eventually found it in his work with dogs, training searchand-rescue animals as the founder of Urban Search and Rescue K-9. With a crew of volunteers and highly-trained search dogs, Fuller has helped countless families obtain either the rewarded hope of finding a lost loved one or the bitter relief that comes with finding remains.

“The sad thing is, in order for us to go out and do what we do, someone needs to be in harm’s way,” he said. “The whole thing is you want to save a life. If you can’t, at least you can give the family some closure.”

Fuller’s passion in his second try at life is pretty far off from his first life, a career spent in the United States Marine Corps serving in the Vietnam War and later in more clandestine outfits carrying out missions that to this day he’s not at liberty to discuss.

The stories he is at liberty to discuss paint a wild picture of a career that’s largely a state secret, and make us wonder about the stories he’s not able to tell.

There’s the story from the tail end of the Vietnam War when he and a group of Marines decided to celebrate the end of the conflict with what he casually refers to as “a light show.”

“We’re sitting on top of this mountain, silly and giggling and we decided we wanted a light show. We get on the radio and start playing these tapes so there’s noise in the background like we’re in contact,” he said with a sly grin. “First we called for artillery. Then we wanted more so we called for Spectre gunships.

Those things, man, it was like a

red magic marker in the sky at night. Then we got some B-52s … and they’re dropping napalm; they’re dropping arclights; this three-ship formation dropping 157-pound bombs. We’re up there going nuts. We spent millions just for a light show.”

You can get uptight all you want about taxpayer dollars or you can accept the fact that a group of Marines who had just made it through the hell of Vietnam probably deserved a show.

After getting out of the Corps, Fuller went into what he calls “the obvious government agencies you go to after Marine Corps and special forces,” where the declassified stories continue, such as the time his mission was to act as cover for agents surveilling the Mediterranean.

“We sat in 140-foot yacht, off the coast of Gibraltar… our job was, we were portraying ourselves as spoiled rich American kids. Long hair, all this stuff,” said Fuller. “Down below were all

these techies. They never got to come up on deck and we’d change them out once a week at night. Built into the side of the ship were these antennas you couldn’t really tell were antennas.

“The point was, sitting there we could see everything going in and out of the Med. I don’t know how they could do it, but they could tell what was in these ships. So that was our job, to sit up there and party while the techies down below monitored everything that came in and out of the Med. What a great gig. I had this great tan, and all I could do was say, ‘The things I do for my country.’”

The stories only grow in intrigue from there, at least the ones he can talk about, and they reveal by omission a fascinating life, and a new one that started when the old one quite literally ended.

“I’ve had a very interesting life.

That dying and coming back, it made me realize you have to live each day like it’s your last. I do.”

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The power of peace Jan Rose Kasmir proves a picture is worth 1,000 words

By Ellis Harman | photo by W Photography

At

17, Jan Rose Kasmir was like most teenagers coming of age in the 1960s: She was unhappy with the United States’ role in the war in Vietnam, and looking for a way to make a difference.

On Oct. 21, 1967, she joined thousands of anti-war protesters in a march on the Pentagon. Though she wouldn’t know it for

decades, a single photo of her taken during that protest would have an impact on peace activists around the world.

“It was a completely innocent moment,” Kasmir said. “It was pure. It wasn’t a photo opp. It was just a really sincere desire on my part to make a difference.”

The now famous photo was taken by French photographer Marc Riboud and

shows Kasmir clutching a single chrysanthemum as she faces a line of young National Guard troops holding bayonets.

“If you look at the picture, I’m extremely sad,” Kasmir said. “I was trying to talk to the soldiers and get them to join the protesters, and then I had an epiphany. All the rhetoric melted. They stopped being the ‘war machine.’ They were just young men. They were victims, too.”

Kasmir wasn’t aware of the photo for years — her father discovered it in a photography magazine while traveling abroad — and she wasn’t aware that it had had such an impact on peace activists around the world. To her, that day had been just like any other.

“It wasn’t until recently that I realized that I really could have gotten hurt or been killed,” she said, reflecting on her memories of that day. “But around the world, especially in countries like Spain that have faced oppression, it became known as the David and Goliath photo. I was the girl with the flowers up against the soldiers.”

Now, nearly 50 years later, Kasmir is working to keep the messages of hope and strength captured in that photo alive. She has dedicated her life to helping the community. She worked with inmates in women’s prisons for 10 years, spent years volunteering with the Red Cross and currently is a medically trained massage therapist on Hilton Head Island.

“My whole life has been about making a difference,” she said. “My peace work now has translated into making a profound difference in people’s health. Through massage, I can help prevent unnecessary surgery and help with chronic pain.”

She’s also using her massage work to help those in need. She performs massages for athletes in wheelchair tennis tournaments held on Hilton Head, and she’s participated in “massage for peace” outreach programs, even traveling to Washington D.C. to greet protesters walking across the country in support in peace and to offer them massages.

“My goal is to help people realize their power in the community,” she said. “It really takes a village. I want to support people who invest in the community. … My hope is to take the strength of that picture and put it into the social work I plan to do when I retire.”

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Intriguing

Lithuanian not taking American life for granted

By Robyn Passante photos by lloyd wainscott

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arolina Kazluaskaite’s parents won a Green Card lottery to leave their native Lithuania when she was 3 years old. It took two years and endless paperwork, but the family made the long trek to America when Karolina was 5.

They didn’t have jobs or family waiting for them, and they didn’t know the language. But they had hope, and that crosses all language and cultural barriers.

“We were looking for the best future for our kids,” said Virginia Kazluaskaite, mother to Karolina, 17, and her sister Sandra, 25.

Today Karolina speaks three languages, is an honors student at Hilton Head Island High School, is active in community service groups and has a deep appreciation for the sacrifices her parents made. But she said it took awhile for that perspective to shine through.

“I was extremely upset about it when we first moved. I would always ask, ‘When are we going to move back to Lithuania?’ Now that I’m older I realize I’m really grateful I had the opportunity to live here,” she said.

Karolina said the family settled on Hilton Head Island because her mother had a childhood friend who lived here. “There’s a tiny little community of Lithuanians here,” she said, and that tight-knit group helps one another keep their native traditions alive. They make flower crowns to celebrate Jonines in the summer, and on Christmas Eve they gather for Kucios, a traditional Christmas Eve dinner that starts late at night.

“It’s nice to have family traditions you can share with other Lithuanians,” Karolina said. “I know when I have children I’m going to want to practice these traditions.”

The Kazluaskaites return to Lithuania for a month or more every other summer, where Karolina said she gets to see her faraway family and soak up the warmth and beauty of her native country.

“It’s kind of like my happy place, my escape from reality,” said the high school senior. “When I write poetry, I like to write about my experiences in Lithuania, the landscape and the nature.”

But she is happy here in South Carolina, acting in her school’s theater productions and dreaming of starting school at the College of Charleston in the fall.

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The guy from Deas Guyz He’s Not Just a Wedding Singer

By John Hudzinski photo by Rob Kaufman

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ntertainer Reggie Deas admits he has never played an instrument or learned a lick about reading or writing music.

Yet the singer and leader of the popular Hilton Head band Deas Guyz charms many islanders and surrounding Lowcountry fans on a weekly basis. Its dance and toe-tapping tunes feature songs from classics such as Motown, rhythm and blues and reggae.

Music isn’t the only hat Deas wears.

While an entertainer by night, by day he’s an assistant principal at the Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts.

“I have the best of both worlds,” said Deas, who has been an educator for the past 24 years. “I like performing for the public and I love working with the kids.”

Both careers keep the self-described workaholic constantly on the go.

“I have to get by with very little sleep,” he said. “I have very little down time.”

Deas has few hobbies and doesn’t stray far from his life’s passion. “I like to listen to music and sing when I’m not working,” he said. “I also try and spend as much time at sports and other activities with my two sons.”

Deas, who was born and raised in Newberry, came from a musical background.

His father was a singer and percussionist.

However, he didn’t start singing until he was a student at Newberry College, which he attended on a football scholarship.

“I’m glad to be off the field,” said the former linebacker and defensive end. “It takes a toll on your body.”

Upon graduation he moved to Savannah and began singing at private functions while he started a career in teaching. He eventually linked up with several Savannah area music groups.

In 1999 he moved to Hilton Head and in 2000 formed a group called Nu World Beat.

That group became Deas Guyz in 2001.

One night in a club a customer was asked

by another customer what band was playing, and he said, “These guys.”

“We took off from my name and decided to change the band’s title to Deas Guyz,” said Deas.

Deas Guyz features six longtime, experienced musicians who play guitar, piano saxophone and drums. “We share a great relationship and a great love for our music,” he said.

These days Deas Guyz are nearly a regular Sunday night feature at the Jazz Corner and also play some Fridays at Ruby Lee’s, both located on Hilton Head.

On Saturdays, the band usually plays at

weddings or corporate outings, mostly in the Lowcountry.

“We enjoy playing the weddings and being a part of many folks’ special day,” he said.

The band’s popularity with locals and visitors has also helped it broaden its reach.

“We’ve played as far away as Tennessee and Kentucky,” he said. “Someone may have seen us perform locally, and recommended us to a relative who is planning a wedding.”

Deas said the group expects very little change in their schedule in 2015, which will include at least two Luther Vandross tribute shows.

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Intriguing

Love for the underdogs

By LESLIE MOSES | photoS by W Photography

As

petite Lara Love, 47, strolls Folly Field Beach, joggers turn their heads, walkers slow their pace and children stare. Some people stop altogether.

“What a good attention grabber!” said Silvia Roca, visiting from Tennessee. “Can I take your picture?”

Love holds the leashes of her attentiongrabbing stars, three “wheelchair dogs,” and knows the drill. She instead offers to swap her leashes for Roca’s phone, and the tourist stands in the ocean, smiling with Mr. Simeon,

Winnie and Miss Mercy. Love snaps their photo.

“I am an evangelist called to preach the gospel and teach God’s word,” Love said.

But it’s her delivery that often starts the conversation.

A train ran over Winnie, and vehicles struck Mercy and Simeon, crippling their back legs. Love adopted them and 12 other old or impaired dogs while living off a $9,000 annual income.

At Love’s home outside of Bluffton, Mercy pulls herself along with her front legs, while

Simeon lies around helplessly. But when Love secures Simeon’s limp, back paws with blue bandannas to a thick set of wheels, he’s free. Love drops his leash, and the hound dog tears across the Hilton Head sand independently. “The beach for him is his freedom,” Love said.

And when onlookers approach, Love then tells them about her own liberty.

Love runs Walk by Faith Ministry. She saves dogs as part of her work, and no, she wasn’t an animal lover growing up. She said she “didn’t really like dogs.”

But Love sensed God prompting her to save a mangy German shepard suffering from pneumonia and heartworms in a South Carolina shelter. Workers planned to euthanize him.

The dog dramatically recovered in her care, and Love continued welcoming pets down on their luck. In conversation with strangers, the parallel becomes clear: Love was once in bad shape, too.

She talks candidly about being sexually assaulted as a girl, and later struggling with an eating disorder, alcoholism, two unwanted divorces and addiction.

“It seems to draw people in,” she said.

Then Love offers the hope she’s gained: In her 20s, the Jewish woman cried to Jesus from her aimless, suicide-seeking life, and God transformed it, she said.

Life stayed difficult, but Love said she now has freedom. She clarifies that freedom let’s her love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable and help the people who hurt her the most.

Wearing an “I Follow Jesus” T-shirt, Love speaks about God whenever she can. Locals see her, leashes in hand, on Folly Field Beach. Or she’ll talk to the homeless, or strangers in Walmart, and write blogs, books and devotionals on God. Standing with Roca, Love motions toward the ocean: “Who but God can create something like that?” she asks.

Roca opens up about the death of one friend and illness of another. “I’ll pray,” Love tells her, and invites Roca to call her if she needs a friend during vacation.

“I have a heart for the dogs and the people that the world would give up on,” Love said.

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INTRIGUING

THE QUEEN OF COLIGNY

BY SHERRY CONOHAN | PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

W

hen Lois and Norris Richardson came to Hilton Head in 1955, there was no bridge from the mainland, no paved roads except the one that would later become U.S. 278, and, according to their son, J.R., there were just a couple of hundred people living on the island.

The materials to build their house and business had to be barged in by ferry.

Undaunted, the couple proceeded to build their house on Bayberry Lane, hard by the water, which they painted flamingo pink, a color that was all the rage for houses in Florida at the time. They moved into it in 1956.

Lois, now 95, said their move-in coincided with the opening of the bridge to the mainland.

“We didn’t even put a heating system in the house because we thought when you lived near the beach you didn’t need one,” she said.

Their business, the Forest Beach Market, a grocery store which would be the anchor of what became Coligny Plaza, opened on June 15, 1956, in a 3,000-square-foot building.

It was built on the site where the Piggly Wiggly grocery store stands today in Coligny.

“We would make $3 to $7 a day,” Lois recalled of their start in business. “Sometimes we made nothing.”

An early and very good customer was Charles Fraser, who had just gotten out of law school and would go on to develop Sea Pines and other properties. Lois said he lived in a rented cottage on North Forest Beach.

“He came by the store one day and he filled up three baskets full of groceries and I

thought I had died and gone to heaven,” Lois said. “That was a big sale for me.”

Lois, who now lives with her son J.R. and his family in Sea Pines, also had to take Fraser to task for being careless with a key she gave him to the store.

“He was going to Savannah a lot in those days so I gave him a key to the store,” she explained.

“And I went in one morning and the door was unlocked. So I took the key away from him.”

Lois and Fraser went on to have a long-term business relationship. She was Fraser’s first employee and worked for him for 14 years. Her husband, Norris, who died in 2001 at the age of 87, was working in the store in the morning and then “hammering nails” and doing other work for Bobby Woods, a contractor, in the afternoon to make ends meet. So Lois told Fraser one day that she could type if he needed help.

Soon Fraser was bringing stacks of magazines about travel destinations to the grocery store with instructions for her to write to the advertisers and request information about their resorts.

“That’s how he gathered his information,” Lois said.

Lois and Norris continued to purchase land around the area until all the land at Coligny Plaza was acquired.

“Norris was the visionary,” Lois said softly. “He was the dreamer.”

“Lois was the accountant,” J.R. hastened to add. “What they did was build the first of everything.

The first barber shop, the first fast food restaurant — the ‘Fin and Feather’ which served fried fish and fried chicken ­— the first retail dress shop, a hardware store, a laundromat … ”

Today, the family’s holdings in Coligny total approximately 11 acres. “I bought the last building 10 years ago,” said J.R. Asked what the future may hold, he replied, “We eventually will do some new and interesting things here, but we’re not trying to build 40 stories here or anything like that. I’ve been working with the town over the past 12 or 13 years and every time we’ve got some plan, we get to the altar and they start going in a different direction.

So it’s kind of hard to figure out what the town is doing. Now we’ve got a new mayor, so I have no idea what’s going on.”

In addition to their business interests, Lois and Norrris started the First Baptist Church in their home using the unfinished basement for services and the children’s bedrooms for Sunday school.

The couple had three children, J.R., the middle child, an older daughter, Mary Katherine Toomer, and a younger son, Collins, who died at 17 of a kidney disorder. Lois donated one of her kidneys to her son at a time transplants were not common. She has received a citation commending her for her action. Lois also has seven grandchildren and 12 greatgrandchildren. But it all started back in the ‘50s.

Lois and Norris’ move to Hilton Head Island was an outgrowth of a vacation they spent with relatives in Ridgeland. They were living in Georgia at the time. After they got home, the relatives urged them to come back and relocate to the Hilton Head area.

“From then on,” said Lois, “we were head over heels in love with Hilton Head.” M

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HEALTH

A R , N E E W Y Y W OU E N WELCOME TO 2015!

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

- Walt Disney

Are you ready for a change? Do you want to start the year with resolutions that radiate throughout the year and longer?

The New Year symbolizes rebirth. We cannot go back and relive 2014, but we have blank pages to write in 2015.

Perhaps you went through a divorce, had a baby, retired, or maybe nothing extremely lifechanging occurred in 2014, but you are ready for transformation, a new beginning, a new you!

Say goodbye to 2014 and make a fresh start this year with a makeover that will last a lifetime. Steadily become healthier, feel better and look younger with the following information to help you make the best lifestyle, nutrition and exercise choices.

We can help you reach your health & fitness goals any time of day! LAVA Team Training, the island’s newest fitness program, is delivering serious results! In addition to fitness, LAVA 24 offers nutrition guidance, massage and a full physical therapy clinic. All factors adding up to a mentally stronger and more physically stable you!

LAVA 24 Fitness | 843-842-3226

A lot of people take it for granted, but once it’s gone, they realize how important it is to their lives. Good health is important in order to live life to the fullest. That’s where Good Health Unlimited comes in, a locally owned and operated health food store on Hilton Head Island. This nutrition and health awareness specialty store has been in business for 29 years.

Good Health Unlimited | 843-681-7701

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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HEALTH

Leave your excess weight in 2014 Shed the pounds and uncover the new you!

Weight loss tops most people’s lists of New Year’s resolutions year after year. So how can you really drop weight and keep it off? The ultimate goal is health.

Eat REAL foods and remove processed foods and drinks from your diet. For example, begin by cutting out sodas and eating more vegetables. Create a lifestyle that involves eating foods from the farmer’s market and shop the exterior aisles of the grocery store.

Avoid packaged foods as much as possible.

Start slow! As the Chinese proverb states, “Be not afraid of going slowly, be only afraid of standing still.”

Remember that it is a process. Stay the course and you will reach your goal. The benefits of a healthy diet and lifestyle are endless, from lower cholesterol and blood pressure to more energy and reduced risk of stroke.

As little as an hour at a medical spa can give you back years. Serendipity Medical Spa provides the latest advances in the art of facial and body rejuvenation – blending the pampering, soothing elements of a spa with the safety and assurance of superior medical treatment. The professionally qualified staff is constantly trained in the latest cuttingedge rejuvenation technologies.

Serendipity Medical Spa | 843-342-2639

From subtle changes to major repairs, your dentist can perform a variety of procedures to improve your smile. At Beyond Exceptional Dentistry, Dr. Brad Durham has completed thousands of hours in continuing education, with an emphasis on head, neck, and facial pain treatment, dental cosmetics, and complex dental reconstruction.

Brad Durham, Beyond Exceptional Dentistry | 843-706-2999

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HEALTH

Look good and feel great this year!

If you want more energy, less stress and a better body, make a fitness comeback that will last with these simple tips.

Get an exercise buddy. Statistics show that we are held more accountable and are more likely to stick to our exercise program when someone else is involved.

Join a gym. There are countless specials run for the New Year, and what better way to hold yourself liable than the almighty dollar?

Hire a personal trainer. If you are still skipping the gym, a personal trainer takes accountability to the next level. Furthermore, they will teach you how to work out safely and make sure you reach your goals.

Take a class. Go to a cross fit, pilates or yoga class.

Most places offer the first class for free, which makes it easy to try different workouts to find the best one for you. It is also a great way to meet new people with similar interests and goals.

Utilize our area. We live in a beautiful region with mild temperatures. Get outside and enjoy our vast walking and bike trails, join a tennis group, jog on the beach. The options are endless.

Make it a priority. Make exercise part of your daily routine. It takes 21 days to form a habit. Once it becomes ingrained in your schedule you will miss it if you skip a day. Fit it in where you can. Christie Brinkley does squats while she blow-dries her hair. Even 10 minutes of yoga in the morning reduces stress and improves flexibility and balance.

At Hilton Head Dental, learn what you need to know to keep your teeth for life. Comprehensive dental care is performed using the latest technologies for endodontist, Periodontist and oral surgery (including implant restoration and modern cosmetic dental procedures).

Dr. Lawless is committed to practices designed for the comfort and convenience of their patients.

Daniel Lawless, Hilton Head Dental 843-681-6200, 843-705-7675

Most people fail to reach their weight loss goal because of how long it takes. If that describes you, the HCG weight loss program is the solution for you. Diet without hunger pains and appetite suppressants. No calorie counting required. Eat fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and lean protein that you prepare at home. Eating the approved foods, in conjunction with HCG injections, results in burning stored fat in a short period of time without reducing muscle mass. Come in for a FREE consultation and learn more.

Equilibrium Weight Loss & Longevity |843-310-0715

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HEALTH

Brighten the New Year with your smile!

Have you been dreaming of a whiter, brighter, straighter smile? A beautiful smile can improve your overall appearance, confidence and self-esteem.

There are countless options when it comes to enhancing your smile, from whitening to orthodontics to cosmetic dentistry.

It’s easy and inexpensive to whiten your teeth at home, especially if you already have professional trays, which you can easily acquire at your dentist’s office.

When it comes to getting a straighter smile, there are more options than the big metal braces of the old days, including clear braces and invisalign.

For those of you who want a complete smile makeover, cosmetic dentistry has come a long way. Porcelain veneers and crowns are a couple of ways to improve your smile and make it picture perfect.

Regular dental exams and cleanings are important to your overall health.

The expert hygienists at Kenneth Kowalyk, DMD, will provide a custom hygiene schedule, at-home hygiene suggestions and techniques unique to you. When needed, Kowalyk and his team use only non-metal filling materials and restore fractured teeth to proper function. In addition, all porcelain crowns and bleaching can help create a perfect smile.

Kenneth Kowalyk DMD 843-682-3030

Fringe is the original and established Aveda Concept Salon on Hilton Head Island, creating fabulous for 13 years.

We offer Master Artists with the ability to create unique and individual Hair Coloring and Design Experiences for our guests. At fringe, our focus is on our Guests. It is our desire for our salon to be a relaxation and renewal haven for your spirit. Using Aveda’s sensory experiences, we infuse our environment with soothing, restorative and calming energy. We invite you to experience our expertise dedicated towards your self-image.

Fringe Salon | 843-785-7400

The single biggest thing you can do to reduce stress in your life is to spend more time focusing on the things you can control and less time focusing on the things you can’t. Clean out your closet, empty a junk drawer, go for a run, get a massage, work in the yard, organize your desk. Taking action on little things will bring relief from the overwhelm. You can’t control your boss, spouse, children or the weather, but these little things will help you control the way you react to them.

Relish, Jenny Lockhart 843-384-9166

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Are You Ready To Make a Change in 2015?

If you have decided that for your health, appearance or lifestyle that now is the time to lose weight you need to visit Equilibrium Weight Loss.

Come in and see why readers of Hilton Head Monthly and The Island Packet have voted Equilibrium Weight Loss as their Favorite Weight Loss Center in both 2013 and 2014.

ASK US R 2015 ABOUT OU , NEW NEW YEAR IAL YOU SPEC OFFERS

1-843-310-0715 www.eqbalancehhi.com 29 Plantation Park Drive, Suite 110, Blu˜ ton, SC

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Voted Best Weight Loss Management Center

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HEALTH

Lift more than your spirits this New Year!

Do you want to look younger? Do you want to look more attractive and look happier? Having a beautiful smile not only does all of those, it also instills confidence. Dr. Timothy Gross is an instructor at the prestigious Las Vegas Institute of cosmetic dentistry and creates beautiful smiles with whitening, veneers and straighter teeth with braces and Invisalign.

Timothy Gross DMD, LVI Fellow | 843-342-7700

Tighten, tone and lift your body this year with procedures that will last a lifetime and have you looking and feeling younger than ever. From minimally invasive procedures to cosmetic surgery, there is a treatment that fits your budget and desires.

Chemical peels, laser treatments, injectable solutions, face lifts, breast enhancements and full body makeovers are just some of the myriad options available when it comes to cosmetic procedures. Contact your doctor for a consultation.

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Pamper the new you!

Relax, unwind and reduce stress in 2015 with regular trips to the spa. Enriching spa treatments are great for helping your skin and body feel (and look) young and healthy. Detoxify your body and relax at the same time with a soothing massage and achieve glowing skin through regular facials.

The options for body and face regimens are abundant, and what better way to begin the year than with the resolution to relax while looking and feeling great?

Finger & Associates is proud to be part of the Hilton Head/Bluffton community and we want to extend excellence in “Aesthetic Procedures” at affordable rates!

With a brand new office in Bluffton, as well as our “New Youth Medical spa & Laser Center” in Savannah, there is no reason why you can’t look your best this year.

Finger & Associates | 912-354-4411

Here’s a resolution we know you can keep: “To Look Great in 2015.”

So whether you can only commit to a quick fix — like a Zoom Whitening treatment, or go all in on a full smile makeover ... Bluffton Center for Dentistry wants to make this your best year ever!

Dr. Porcelli, Bluffton Center for Dentistry | 843-593-8123

Cosmetics can trap skin-damaging free radicals that float in the air (i.e. pollution). Always remember to take your makeup off at night. If you don’t, it can mix with dirt and oils to clog your pores which can cause break outs, or worse, aging! Too tired to take it off? Try FACES Makeup Dissolving Fluid, no sink required!

FACES Day Spa | 843-785-3075

See yourself clearly and for the first time in 2015!

There are several ways to improve your eyesight, including diet and exercise. Increasing beta-carotene intake and exercising your eyes are simple at-home ways that can help your vision. However, for more immediate and professional results, laser eye surgery is a popular option that now has very little downtime. Imagine having perfect vision overnight. There are different laser eye surgery options. Consult with your doctor to find one best suited for you.

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She’s got legs and she knows how to use them!

If you’re self-conscious about your legs, fret not, you can walk with confidence once again!

Make 2015 the year you wear shorts again. Say goodbye to your razor with laser hair removal. It is an easy and permanent way to remove unwanted hair from your legs and bikini area. If spider veins or varicose veins are your ailment, there are a variety of vein treatments to correct these issues. Consult with your doctor to find the best procedure for you.

Bishop Eye wants to help you achieve your best vision, confidently and comfortably. To meet that goal, Bishop Eye has established a team of experienced eye doctors who are highly qualified in general eye care, as well as such specialty areas as low vision, cataracts, glaucoma, dry eye and more. Bishop Eye has invested in the most advanced technology available to diagnose and treat your eyes.

Bishop Eye | 843-689-3937, 843-208-3937

Consider a life coach If you are feeling stuck or looking for a change, life coaching is a viable option to help you transform. Unlocking your passion is attainable through small changes and creative measures. Although the idea of a life coach may seem daunting, coaches provide strategies and encouragement that make it easy to succeed. Modest adjustments become massive improvements, and the expertise of a life coach will help you pinpoint those adjustments to reveal your ultimate potential.

Fortunately, the treatment of varicose veins no longer requires painful vein stripping. Laser ablation is an outpatient procedure performed with a local anesthetic allowing immediate return to normal activity. Patient satisfaction is high. The misery of varicose veins is now easily eliminated permitting a more comfortable life.

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THRIFT

A secondhand destination Thrift and consignment stores are only as good as the people who supply them, and as luck would have it, the affluent citizens of Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and the surrounding Lowcountry SUPPLY OUR WIDE ARRAY OF SHOPS WITH A GREAT SELECTION.

N

ot too long ago, secondhand shops had a reputation for musty smells, bad lighting and aisles clogged with shoddy merchandise. Times have changed. Thirft and consignment shops are not just for penny-pinching grandmas anymore.

The upward trend started with The Great Recession back in 2008. A declining housing market and lack of job security resulted in a boon for secondhand stores both here and across the country.

According to the National Association of Resale Professionals, the number of resale stores increased seven percent in each of the past three years. Much of the recent growth can be attributed to young shoppers, many of whom are passing on trips to the mall in favor of thrift stores.

About 20 percent of people shop in thrift stores regularly, compared with

about 14 percent in 2011.

At some point during the recession and its lingering aftermath, Gen Y, the youth demographic burdened with huge student loans and an awful job market, realized that perhaps paying $30 for a new T-shirt was unwise. It certainly was not sustainable. Young shoppers may have first turned to thrift stores out of necessity or desperation, but by now, they’re more likely to view secondhand shopping as sensible — even cool.

Secondhand finds suit young consumers who want to stand out and make a statement. People today take pride in being individual and unique, in setting trends versus following them. With so much sameness at traditional retailers, one way to achieve this kind of originality is by buying retro and vintage items that are no longer in production.

THE BARGAIN BOX Owner: The Bargain Box is a stand-alone 501(c)(3) organization What does your shop offer? The Bargain Box sells a broad range of gently used donated items — clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, all types of home goods, toys, books, movies, notions, furniture, decorator items, artwork, appliances, electronics, tools, home repair items, sporting goods, holiday items and more – all at everyday bargain prices.

What charity does your shop benefit? For many charities and social agencies in the Lowcountry, The Bargain Box provides monetary and in-kind support that has been a major factor in their ability to provide needed service to those in need in the community. Each of the dozens of agencies and thousands of people affected over the years have their own stories of how the support of The Bargain Box, which has totaled over $12.5 million, have helped them.

What makes your shop stand out? We normally have a good selection of antiques, collectibles of all sorts, formal wear, and other specialty items. We often have the unusual and unexpected; we have even sold an airplane, an RV, a Rolls Royce, a diamond bracelet, more than one mink coat and a baby grand piano.

What is the most interesting item currently for sale in your shop? Stop in and find out!

Hours of operation: 1-4 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Saturday Contact information: 843-342-2469, www.bargainboxhhi.org

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CHURCH MOUSE BOUTIQUE THRIFT SHOP Owner: St. Luke’s Church What does your shop offer? We offer reasonably priced clothing, jewelry, furniture, art, home goods, books collectibles, sporting equipment and linens. We also loan medical equipment and offer furniture donation pickups.

What charity does your shop benefit? The Church Mouse is associated with St. Luke’s Church on Hilton Head Island and supports the church’s missions as well as local outreach and non-profit charities. We are pleased to announce for this year the 2014 funding total will be in excess of $200,000!

What makes your shop stand out? Merchandising and display. Our sales floor is inviting and beautifully displayed. We have a wonderful group of dedicated volunteers who share their time and talents in so many ways.

What is the most interesting item currently for sale in your shop? Right now we have a beautiful leather top partners desk dating from the 1890s.

Hours of operation: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Thursday Contact information: 843-785-2322, www.churchmousethrift.com

GOD’S GOODS THRIFT STORE Owner: The Church of the Cross What does your shop offer? Adult and children clothing; housewares; linens; furniture; rugs; electronics; toys; books; musical instruments; large and small appliances; art works; variety of decorative items; sporting goods.

What charity does your shop benefit? Funds and goods are distributed to local, national and international outreach ministries.

What makes your store stand out? God’s Goods is completely staffed by more than 180 volunteers who work together to provide quality goods at low prices to our customers.

What is the most interesting item currently for sale in your shop? A 1915 Howard (Baldwin) Baby Grand piano.

Hours of Operation: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday Contact Information: 843-757-2024, www.godsgoods.org

The quality of merchandise found at secondhand stores has also improved. Shoppers today, it seems, are reaping the benefits of years of overconsumption.

The donations delivered to thrift stores are often only gently used, and some items have never been worn at all. Even the more well used items are typically highquality and have been well cared for before being passed on to the secondhand market.

Fashion and money conscious millenials aren’t the only people being attracted to these shops.

Secondhand stores also draw in people who like to find hidden treasures. A crystal vase, a valuable painting, an expensive watch or some other hidden gem could be hiding among all of the everyday items listed in the store. What the donor may not have recognized may be your chance to score a real treasure.

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Secondhand stores are full of items originally bought with the best of intentions.

Exercise equipment is a good example. Retail stores know that everyone makes New Year’s resolutions and many of them are related to exercise and weight loss. New exercise equipment goes on sale in December and January to take advantage of these good intentions.

People buy this equipment with the intention of starting the New Year off with an exercise and/or weight reduction program. Those plans often fall by the wayside not long after. Eventually, the equipment ends up at a resale shop. This is your opportunity to pick up nearly new equipment at a fraction of the original cost.

Entrepreneurs often buy used items for resale on internet sites such as eBay. Thrift shops and consignment stores can be great sources for re-sale bargains.

One particularly important tip is to use your smart phone to research the item you are considering purchasing.

Know the value of what you are buying whether you

Young shoppers may have first turned to resale stores out of necessity or desperation, but by now, they’re more likely to view secondhand shopping as sensible — even cool. are buying it for yourself or buying it for resale. Your smart phone can help give you that information instantly and on the spot.

In addition to not over paying for an item, it may be even more important to recognize value where others can’t see it.

A small repair, a new coat of paint, or a little sprucing up and an otherwise worthless item can be made into something of value that you can resell.

Even if you do pay a little more than you should for an item, know many thrift shops support worthy charities.

HOSPICE COMMUNITY THRIFT Owner: Non-profit board run What does your shop offer? Hospice Thrift is a very organized, clean thrift shop. We offer many top of the line items, at very reasonable prices.

What charity does your shop benefit? Hospice Community Thrift raises money for Hospice Care of the LowCountry, which is also a non-profit organization. Hospice’s mission is to provide comfort and dignity for end of life patients and their families through compassionate care, regardless of financial circumstances.

What makes your shop stand out? Hospice Thrift looks like a real store. All merchandise is displayed in an orderly manner. All household items have been washed and inspected.

What is the most interesting item currently for sale? The perfect gift for a child, a furnished doll house.

Hours of operation: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday; noon-4 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday Contact Information: 843-689-5455

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THRIFT THE LITTER BOX Owner: The Hilton Head Humane Association What does your shop offer?

We offer the widest range of products in our 10,000-squarefoot retail facility at the very best prices in a friendly and upbeat environment.

What charity does your shop benefit? The Hilton Head Humane Association What makes your shop stand out? We are the largest 501(c)(3) non-profit thrift store in the area, and we are also the only thrift store you can bring your pet to!

What is the most interesting item currently for sale in your shop?

That changes daily. Just in this past week we sold a very rare Montblanc fountain pen, a Waterford crystal decanter set, and a beautiful stainless steel french door refrigerator.

Hours of operation: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Saturday Contact information: 843-842-MEOW (6369), www.hhhumane.org

OFF ISLAND THRIFT Owner: Karen Matthews What does your shop offer? We offer top quality new and pre-owned clothing, jewelry and home furnishings at excellent prices in a beautiful, clean and organized environment.

What charity does your shop benefit? 100 percent of our proceeds go to The Cancer Awareness Foundation, which directly helps local cancer patients in need by providing products, equipment, and financial support for utilities, medical bills, etc.

What makes your shop stand out? As the area’s largest thrift shops, totaling over 48,000 square feet, our beautiful, clean and organized department stores of thrift provide incomparable selections and prices.

What is the most interesting item currently for sale in your shop? A 2003 Mercedes SLK Hours of operation: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m.4 p.m. Saturday Contact information: 843-815-SAVE (7283), www.OffIslandThrift.com

ST. FRANCIS THRIFT SHOP Owner: St. Francis by the Sea Catholic Church What does your shop offer? Our store features a large, well displayed inventory of furniture, clothing, designer brands, house wares, jewelry, books, art work, sporting goods and one-of-a-kind collectibles. We offer new merchandise every day and have weekly special sales.

What charity does your shop benefit? All our profit is returned to the community via a grant application and award process. Last year we funded grants to 28 local non-profit organizations in the local Hilton Head, Beaufort County area.

What makes your shop stand out? Our merchandise is professionally displayed in a well marked and easy to navigate store layout.

Clothing is organized by type and gender. All items are clearly priced. We have a $1 Last Call Wall and many unadvertised specials.

What is the most interesting item currently for sale in your shop?

Rocking cradle for twins. One-of-a-kind, can’t be found anywhere else.

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Many are operated by charitable or non-profit organizations.

Churches, hospitals and private schools have shops to support their causes and other organizations provide much-needed jobs.

We know that donating items to these organizations will help support them. Maybe we should support them even more by shopping there also.

True, not all resale shops are associated with a non-profit.

Some are actually for-profit business. But, even that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t use them. They are better for the environment. These stores collect and recycle items that would otherwise be waste. When people donate items and others purchase them from a resale shop, they are keeping these items out of a landfill. Everyone involved is helping the environment.

thrift and consignment stores: What’s the difference?

• Thrift and charity stores sell used clothing and items that were donated by individuals. Depending on the individual store, profits from the sales that go directly to charity vary, but all sales contribute in some way monetarily to the charity who owns the thrift.

• Consignment shops are places where individuals can sell their used clothing through a dealer. The shop, as the dealer, takes a percentage of the profit for each item sold. If items do not sell during the period they are on the sales floor, they are returned to the owner with no compensation.

THREE SISTERS RESALE & MORE Owners: We really are three sisters; Kathie Tofaute, Carol Monahan and Janet Adams What does your shop offer? A bit of everything – repurposed, reclaimed, upcycled, collectors, vintage and new items and clothing.

Our Gallery 3 features select local, national and international artists, artisans and authors.

What charity does your shop benefit? Approximately 5 percent of our net proceeds is donated to three charities – CODA, MUSC Hollings Cancer Center and Daufuskie Island Community Farm & Artisan Village.

What makes your shop stand out? We carry original art by our resident artist Sonja Griffin Evans and offer sculpture pieces by international artist Ann Hermans and Daufuskie Island metal artist Chase Allen.

What is the most interesting item currently for sale? A working full size traffic signal light.

Hours of operation: 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday Contact information: 843-341-3455, 3SResale@hargray.com, www. threesistersresaleandmore.com January 2015 97

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FASHION meet our

model 'Name our Dame' and win free passes to Aerial Adventure Hilton Head

T

Some of our favorite submitted names from the Readers' Choice party were Hilda Head, Madamme Monthly, Manny Quin, Emma, Powder, Tyra Planks, Twiggy, Skeeter, Susie Beea Lifeless and Silly Lily the Dingo Baby.

items

his year were are adding a new fashion page to our magazine. Each month this mannequin will show off the hottest clothing and accessories available at local businesses. We wanted to name her but struggled to come up with something good.

We asked for names at our Readers' Choice party and got some good ones. Before we pick one of those, we wanted to give readers that didn't attend the party an equal opportunity. The winning name gets a free pass to Aerial Adventure Hilton Head. Send your names to lance@hiltonheadmonthly.com.

Good luck!

hot

PICK

AVAILABLE AT OUTSIDE HILTON HEAD Sorel, Out N About Leather Boot North Face, E-Tip Apex Glove North Face, Sth Ski Pants Buff, Wool Buff Neck Warmer, Purple Smartwool, Midweight Patterned Zip Patagonia, Mini Mass, Ikat Purple Pistil, Cora Hat North Face, W's Termoball Triclimate, gray/white

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Save the Date!

Over 50 fabulous vendors showcasing Sample Menus, Floral Displays, Bridal Fashions and more CAN’T MISS WORKSHOPS: [ GROOMS-ONLY WORKSHOP ]

for the guys to learn everything they need to know- with free beer and big prizes! [ WEDDING TIMELINE WORKSHOP ]

to help you figure out where to start while relaxing with free mimosas and entering to win luxurious prizes!

Make it a weekend stay. book now for the Westin’s special bridal show rate of $109 / night + taxes and fees. westinhhi.com / hilton-head-bridal-show

H I L T O N

H E A D

BRIDAL SHOW Sunday Feb 8, 2015, 12pm-4pm

The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, 2 Grasslawn Ave, HHI For more info, e-mail Samantha at marketing@freymedia.com

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now what?

ENGAGED!

Getting engaged is a momentous event and something that you’ll never forget. Whether the proposal is incredibly elaborate or perfectly simple, it is that life event that changes everything. BY LIBBY O’REGAN

S

ome brides know exactly, word for word, what her fiancé said or did while proposing. For other brides, it’s a bit a blur. In any case, when the dust has settled and you are, in fact, officially engaged, all brides-to-be ask: “Now what?”

Take a moment to enjoy your engagement with just you and your fiancé. That wonderful feeling and excitement inside can be shared between just the two of you for as long as you like. Don’t rush the calls and frenzy to announce the news.

According to Peggy Post, it’s proper etiquette to call the bride’s parents first,

then the groom’s. Notify your family and then close friends before posting anything on any type of social media. (Your uncle for example, should not hear news of your engagement on Facebook.)

Consider hiring a professional photographer to take engagement portraits of you and your finance. Oftentimes, the photographer will include the portrait session in the price of the wedding day. If you aren’t sure who you are going to use for your wedding day photographer, an engagement portrait session is a great way to “interview” and test out the photographer.

There are some fantastic wedding photog-

raphers on Hilton Head and in Bluffton.

Along with your favorite photo, consider writing a brief announcement to be released to newspapers and magazines to let the local community learn the news of your engagement. (Note: Hilton Head Monthly features engagement and wedding announcements and is also now looking for real wedding submissions. Visit us online at www.hiltonheadmonthly.com to learn more.)

After the news has spread and you’ve had the opportunity to enjoy your engagement, you’ll want to start planning. But where should you start?

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M BRIDAL for the first time, speeches, vow exchange and dance floor highlights.

Many brides and grooms who choose professional videographers say it is money well spent. With the day all being a blur, it’s wonderful to be able to relive the day on video.

6-8 months in advance

Have a candid conversation with your fiancé about what kind of wedding you want.

Do you want a casual beach affair? Or do you want a luxurious, formal event in a ballroom?

Getting on the same page with the style and feel of your wedding is no doubt the first step.

Your second step will be to determine your guest list, followed closely by a third step, which is determining your budget. Often steps 2 and 3 are directly related.

This is a good time to talk to your family about who’s paying for what. Traditionally the entire cost of the wedding ceremony and reception has been absorbed by the bride’s parents, but that has changed in recent years with many couples paying for aspects of their own wedding. The groom’s parents may contribute as well. The only way you’ll know is to be open and honest with all members of your family participating in the planning process. Don’t be shy to discuss the money subject. Be sure to have the conversation early on in the planning process to avoid confusion down the road.

During these early planning stages, consider hiring a wedding planner. A wedding planner is so much more than someone who coordinates your wedding on the big day.

Wedding planners help design your overall look and feel of your wedding and bring your wedding day vision to life.

They keep track of budgets, payments and source local vendors to get you the best prices. They walk you through wedding timelines, help you through nitty-gritty logistics of getting married and provide peace of mind that everything will go according to plan on the day of the wedding. Many brides and their families say it’s the best money they spent on their wedding.

If you choose to do all the planning yourself, we recommend the following timeline:

9-12 months in advance Choose your ceremony location and reception venue. Hilton Head and Bluffton have a wide array of options from which to choose. Your catering and sales manager will work closely with you throughout the planning process so make sure you click.

Be sure to attend the Hilton Head Monthly Bridal Show at The Westin on Feb. 8. The show features a variety of wedding vendors and specialists in their field. You’ll be inspired with ideas for your wedding and source local vendors.

When your guest list is finalized and your venue booked, you can send save-the-date cards. Remember that etiquette dictates if a person is sent a save-the-date card, they will be invited to the wedding. Visit a local stationery store to see, touch and get the right paper look for your wedding (it can be very difficult online).

After you have booked your ceremony and reception venue, you have big decisions to make. You’ll need to hire a florist, wedding photographer, entertainment (band or DJ) and consider a videographer.

Wedding videography has changed substantially over the last several years. Rather than a long, drawn-out movie of your wedding, videographers now make 3-minute clips called “trailers.” These trailers are short highlight reels of the wedding. They’re often very moving (grab the tissues!) and set to the music of your choice.

Wedding film “features” are a bit longer, ranging from 10-15 minutes, but encompass all the highlights from the day, such as the bride getting dressed, her father seeing her

During this time, you can have a bit more fun with the planning process and breathe a sigh of relief that your major points are covered. You’ll want to shop for a wedding gown, which, depending on the designer, can be made to order and can take several months.

These days there is no one style that’s in.

There are a variety of choices and your bridal salon will walk you through them all. Check off groomsmen and bridesmaids attire during this time.

4-5 months in advance Details, details and more details. Here you will want to finalize flowers and work with all your wedding vendors on the details.

Order your invitations and select your calligrapher, if you so choose.

You’ll also have your tasting for your food during this time.

2 months in advance Send out your invitations. Upon receiving responses, you can work on seating charts if you are having a plated dinner.

Be sure to order favors, items for your welcome bags, and pick up accessories like jewelry and clutch. Have your hair and makeup trial during this time.

1 month in advance Confirm all of your guests and give final numbers to caterer.

Finalize seating charts, transportation for your guests and have your final dress fitting.

Confirm all of your vendors and payments, as many of them are due 30 days before your wedding date.

Before the big weekend, make sure you take some time to relax. No doubt right before your wedding there is a frenzy of things to do but carving out time for yourself is absolutely essential.

Go on a date with your fiancé and make a rule: no wedding talk! Ensuring your focus is not entirely on your wedding but on your marriage is the recipe for the best wedding of all. M January 2015 101

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AT HOME

A step

backin time

WEXFORD HOME IS SPECIAL IN MANY ASPECTS

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AT HOME

By Dean Rowland | Photos by Josh Gibson

Promises of interior splendor tantalize when approaching the grand British West Indies-designed home on Knightsbridge Lane in Wexford Plantation.

T

he volute-shaped steps are made of stucco and Old Savannah brick, leading up to the custom-made oversized mahogany front door with seeded glass are reminiscent of another time, another place.

Inside the 23-foot-high foyer, one’s eyes lock westward along the stained hickory flooring into the great room, beyond the patio and swimming pool, and into the boat masts in Wexford harbor beyond. The view is breathtaking.

Yes, this is a home in the Lowcountry, but this is not a Lowcountry-style home, except for its comfort, simple elegance, abundant windows drawing in the light and warmth of the sun and harbor views from most of the rooms on both floor levels. It is splendid in all of its 5,500 square feet, and the attention to every detail, from the rugs to the tile to the colors to the ambiance and to the open floor plan, tells its design story.

“This house is special,” said Gunther Hammer, a retired manufacturer of specialized heating and cooling systems from Solina, Ontario, near Toronto. He and his wife, Sheila, owned a vacation home in Long Cove for four years before building in Wexford. “My family fell in love with this house” when they first visited it last July.

“One of their homes in Toronto is extremely contemporary, but their main home in Toronto is not so they have a lot of different styles that they like,” said Debbie Kelley, president of Kelley Designs Inc. on Hilton Head Island, who blended those two design styles into her client’s Wexford home by using most of the couple’s furnishings from their former home, which she also designed.

She also purchased additional pieces to complement the carryovers.

“One of the challenges for me was taking the existing (furniture) and making it look different in a totally different environment,” said

Kelley, who moved to the island in 1980 and formed her company in 1985. That required considerable relocations of major pieces, artwork, rugs, a bookcase ... nearly everything.

“One of the challenges is getting the scale correct for the space,” the West Virginia native said.

The challenge for Court Atkins Architects in Bluffton and Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes was how to accommodate the homeowners’ initial list of “wants” and subsequent changes they required throughout the planning and construction on the tight 1/3-acre waterfront lot in Wexford. The original plan was to design and build a 4,500-square-foot home. That didn’t — and couldn’t — happen on the irregularly-shaped small lot that the owners purchased in 2012.

“Their list of requirements was larger than the (initial) square footage would allow,” said boutique builder Nathan Cameron, an upstate New York native who formed his January 2015 103

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The grandeur and splendor of the Hammer’s home here fits in to the overall architectural scheme of Wexford. The lighting fixtures are contemporary in the kitchen and living room with a blend of traditional and contemporary elsewhere.

Notice the contrast of dark wood and honeycolored floor.

own company in Bluffton four years ago. “Everything they wanted on this required quite a few go-rounds. When we started out, they wanted to drive under the house, but because of the lot size and how high the house would have to be, that required more steps,” he said. Those “steps” repositioned the garage to the front of the home, for instance.

“I think what makes this house special is seeing their personality in this house, the little touches of things,” Kelley said. “They like things very clean and simple and calming.”

She and Cameron, who have partnered their considerable talent in about 10 other homes, succeeded ever since Gunther’s wife “fell in love with Hilton Head in 1989” while on vacation here.

Let’s start in the kitchen. A large 5-by-10-foot seamless black galaxy granite island anchors the 12-foot-high space and doubles as a sit-down bar. There is a supremely textured leathered granite countertop that separates the kitchen from the great room, with mosaic tile shells in the stove-area backsplash.

A hidden pantry, a hidden double refrigerator/freezer with drawers and a wine cooler are conveniently tucked away behind cabinetry custom-built by Palmetto Cabinet Studio. Adjacent to the kitchen is a “service kitchen” that houses all of the typical countertop appliances, as well as a dishwasher and another refrigerator.

The kitchen abuts the formal dining room, which features a buffet/server and outside views through the enclosed porch. The delightfully warm and comfortable living room has an exquisitely carved wooden bird cage from North Carolina and a three-piece table that invites private conservation. The grand great room has a fireplace, area rug, secretary, sofas and fine appointments.

“I wanted to use dark wood just to make it richer,” Kelley said of the furniture in the living room. “Most of

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AT HOME

my furniture is white, and I used a lot of textures and neutral colors” throughout the home.

The lighting fixtures are contemporary in the kitchen and living room with a blend of traditional and contemporary elsewhere. Kelley likes the “contrast of dark wood and honey-colored floor.”

His and her sinks and marble mosaic decorative tiles are used “as a piece of art” in the master bathroom featuring a double-entrance doorless shower.

There’s also a powder room with textured wallpaper and a floating vanity; lighting fixtures affixed to frameless large mirrors in the upstairs “suite” bathroom, one of 5.5 baths in the home; an elevator; a cozy sitting alcove overlooking the harbor in one upstairs bedroom; and custom-made swivel bookshelves that access the attic.

An upstairs sitting room is between two guest bedrooms and features a wet bar, refrigerator, a backgammon table and fireplace. A runner carpet is illuminated by soft, subdued positioned lighting and leads upstairs to the seagrass-carpeted bedrooms.

There is travertine stone on the patio and terraces in the 1,700 square feet of outdoor living space.

The composite look and feel of this home is rich in detail, lush in furnishings and accessories, spatially open, functional, grand in scale, and welcoming for the Hammer’s family of three children and four grandchildren.

The owners plan on spending upward of four months here throughout the year, despite owning three other properties in Canada with plans for building a fourth home there in a few months.

The grandeur and splendor of the Hammer’s home here fits in to the overall architectural scheme of Wexford.

“Wexford is very period-correct in new architecture,” Cameron said. “They’re very diverse but they insist you pick one (architectural period design) and Vendor List stick to it,” Cameron Architect: Court Atkins Architects said. “If you’re going Builder: Cameron & Cameron Custom to do a British West Homes Interior Design: Kelley Designs Inc. Indies home, you’re Cabinetry: Palmetto Cabinet Studio going to do it right …

Garage Doors: Building Specialties which I think is wonPlumbing Fixtures: Cregger derful … the scale Company and mapping of the Cast Stone Mantels: Urban Geology windows and the roof LLC and all that has to do Granite: Distinctive Granite & Marble with the style of the Wood: Floors To Go LLC West Indies.”

Carpet: Floors To Go LLC Appliances: Billy Wood Appliance Ah, the late afterFireplace: Megastructure noon Lowcountry Landscaping: Horticultural Services breeze and casual Elevator: Advanced Lift Solutions LLC Lowcountry living will Screened Porch: Low Country Stucco certainly make the & Stone LLC Hammers feel right at Pool/Spa /Boardwalks: Quality Pools home. M

The composite look and feel of this home is rich in detail, lush in furnishings and accessories, spatially open, functional, grand in scale, and welcoming for the Hammer’s family of three children and four grandchildren.

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!

E C I T O !

N E C C I I L T B O U N P C I L B PU DO NOT BE CONFUSED!

There is only ONE local heating and air conditioning company owned by the EPPERSON FAMILY and that is…

LOCAL OWNERS:

Pat Epperson Martin Jones Patrick Epperson, Jr.

EAC Heating & Air is NOT in any way affiliated with any Service Experts companies. If you want to do business with our family-owned business, remember to look for the E.A.C. logo in our advertisements.

Thank you to all of our customers for your many years of support!

See Dealer for Details. Expires 1/31/2015

See Dealer for Details. Expires 1/31/2015

For New Customers Only. Expires 1/31/2015

Call EAC for Details. Expires 1/31/2015

www.eacair.com

•

843-681-3999

EAC Heating & Air is not associated with Epperson Heating & Air.

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DISTINCTIVE.

CREATIVE.

ORIGINAL.

IT’S ALL I N THE DETA I LS.

24 Marsh View Drive | Hi lton Head Island | 843.785.4500 | ken@crastcustomhomeshhi.com | www.crastcustomhomeshhi.com

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REAL ESTATE

JANUARY IS THE IDEAL

time to purchase IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

It was largely another year of recovery in 2014 in the local real estate market, which saw inventory decrease, price point increase and an upsurge in construction permits. BY JEAN BECK

If

we look deep into the numbers, there are specific segments that did better than others. For the 12-month period spanning December 2013 through November 2014, the price range with the largest gain in sales was the $300,001 and above range, where they increased 1.6 percent. Closed transactions for that same period were down 5.4 percent.

Traditionally, buyers consider spring to be the peak time to purchase real estate. After all, that’s when it’s believed to have the most available inventory. However, if you’re considering a second home or investing in a vacation rental property, January and February is the ideal time to purchase in the Lowcountry.

Winter is traditionally less busy with weekly island visitors, allowing you more availability to view properties. If you look during the summer, many villas and resort homes are rented and not available to see except on Saturday, known as “turn day.”

Another advantage of purchasing in winter is to prepare your property for the peak tourist season, which begins in March.

To get the most out of your rental property, you want it to be inviting to the visitor. Fresh paint, new kitchen supplies and updating the interior will increase your rate of investment. It’s

always a good idea to seek out a property manager who will help you market and manage your property throughout the year.

There are advantages to owning a vacation rental property, but buyers should seek the advice of their financial advisor or tax accountant before purchasing. A vacation rental property can be a one-bedroom villa to an eight-bedroom oceanfront property.

Know ahead of time what you can invest so you can target the properties in that price point.

According to the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, there are upwards of 2.5 million visitors to the area annually. Island resort communities are investing millions of dollars to upgrade their facilities. Over and over Hilton Head Island and its resorts receive awards and accolades touting it as a premier destination. Now is the time to own a piece of paradise.

If you are buying or selling real estate, ask if your agent is a Realtor and a member of the Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors. M Jean Beck is the executive vice president of the Hilton Head Island Association of Realtors.

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Give Charles, Frances, or Angela a Call!

(843) 384-7300 or (800) 267-3285 ext. 215

81 Main Street, Suite 202 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

Charles Sampson Home - (843) 681-3000 Mobile - (843) 384 -7300

Frances Sampson (843) 681-3307 x 236 Mobile - (843) 384-1002

Angela Mullis (843) 681-3307 x 223 Mobile - (843) 384-7301

Charles@CharlesSampson.com

Frances@FrancesSampson.com

Angela@AngelaMullis.com

www.CharlesSampson.com www.CSampson.com Island Resident Since 1972.

HiltonHeadIslandSouthCarolina

1 BRIGANTINE – PALMETTO DUNES

33 WEXFORD CLUB DRIVE

40 SPARWHEEL LANE

STEPS FROM THE GOLD COAST of Hilton Head Island and its white sugar sand beaches – located in Palmetto Dunes Resort on a 3rd row corner lot. Close but not too close to all the happenings at the Marriott, Omni, the Tennis Center and Jones Golf Course and clubhouse. Palmetto Dunes Resort is in the heart of all Hilton Head Island has to offer and the Palmetto Dunes Beach Buggy will take you to Shelter Cove for shopping, dining and Island activities. 1 Brigantine is an 8 Bedroom, 7 Bath home with multi indoor and outdoor living areas. The private 2-level pool is a focal point and features tiki bar seating, wading area and waterfall surrounded by expansive decking and a covered outdoor kitchen. High smooth ceilings, Saturnia floors, granite tops, 3 car garage, 4 outdoor balconies. 1 Brigantine offers an outstanding rental property, 2nd or private home where generational family memories will be made. $2,170,000

WEXFORD PLANTATION. One of Hilton Head Island’s finest communities. For boaters the Wexford Harbor is just off Broad Creek and easy access to the ICW. Golf Course has recently been redesigned. Tennis at Wexford is first class. This 4 Bedroom 4.5 Bath home has been totally redone with travertine and hand scraped wood floors, high smooth ceilings with exposed beams, a chef’s kitchen with granite. Beautiful view of the 8th fairway.

Close to beach, shopping and dining. $1,050,000

WINDMILL HARBOUR. Heated and cooled workshop, hobby room, storage room and 3+ car garage. This Lowcountry style home has many features – 5 BR, 5 BA, 5000+ sq ft, 15’ ground elevation, very energy efficient in structure and operation. Smooth ceilings, teak floors, geothermal heat pumps. Just steps from the harbor. A 60’ slip could be purchased. Comfort, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, low maintenance, and outstanding Lowcountry design.

Hilton Head Plantation Collection 31 OLD FORT DRIVE

37 OLD FORT DRIVE

15 BEAR ISLAND

SUNSET/WATERWAY VIEWS. Magnificent moss draped oaks and vistas up Skull Creek and the Port Royal Sound to the Broad River Bridge. 3 or 4 bedroom, library, 2 offices, 2nd floor family room, tons of storage and a hobby room. Open floor plan flows to the pool deck, covered terrace and two lower decks. Views abound from almost every room. Homesite is an oversized patio with a private open space. $1,250,000

ENJOY THE SUNSETS over Skull Creek. This Hilton Head Plantation home has it all. 4 BR home features an elevator which allows for the master suite to be on the 2nd floor with its outstanding views. Other features include formal LR & DR, 1st floor Office plus and eat-in Kitchen and Family Room. The rear deck is expansive and has room under for Kayak storage.

Short distance to the Country Club of Hilton Head clubhouse with its indoor/outdoor pools, tennis, dining, health club and golf course. $795,000

HILTON HEAD ISLAND MARSHVIEW AT ITS FINEST – with expansive Elliott Creek and Marsh views, stately moss draped oaks and palmettos and at high tide you may even be able to kayak from your back yard. This Italian villa style home features 5 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths, formal Living and Dining rooms, 1st floor office or Den, Bonus room with burnished cherry paneling plus an expansive eat-in Kitchen/Family Room. Adjacent lot available. $799,000

34 OLD FORT DRIVE

16 TOWHEE ROAD

11 SUNSET PLACE

OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS FINEST. Private Lanai covered pool, hot tub and outdoor Kitchen.View of the fairway and green of Oyster Reef golf course. On a quiet street in the heart of Hilton Head Plantation with open space to one side, golf to the back. Home features smooth ceilings, wood and tile flooring, granite in the Kitchen and Baths.Two newer HVAC systems. 3 BR, 3 BA, an office off the Master Suite, formal Dining Room and Living Room with high ceilings and stone fireplace. 2 car Garage, $595,000

CONVENIENT LOCATION, CONVENIENT LIFESTYLE - Unique understated courtyard home with its private courtyard pool. Just a short distance to the boat docks along Skull Creek and fantastic sunsets over the water. Also very close to the Country Club of Hilton Head.This 3 BR, 2.5 BA Hilton Head Plantation home has a split bedroom floorplan with a 1st floor master and two up, formal LR & DR, Den, 2 car Garage, high smooth ceilings and wood floors.This home is a “10!” $563,000

R

ED U

C

ED

10 OYSTER BAY PLACE

Ch1_Sampson_0115.indd 112

OUTSTANDING GOLF AND LAGOON VIEW. Cool breezes off Shell Creek make this Hilton Head Plantation home pretty neat. Located behind the 11th tee of the Country Club of Hilton Head, a par 3, with views of the entire hole, stately moss draped oaks and a lagoon. 3 Bedroom, 1st Floor Master with bedrooms upstairs, 2.5 Bath, Formal Living Room & Dining Room plus updated Kitchen and Family Room. High smooth ceilings, 2-car garage and 2nd row waterway.

View, Convenient Location, andValue. $487,000

OYSTER REEF GOLF CLUB’S 4TH FAIRWAY and lagoon view, short distance to the Port Royal Sound and located in the heart of Hilton Head Plantation on a cul de sac street.

This 3 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath home offers views and values. There is a formal Living Room & Dining Room, an open Kitchen/Family Room, 2 car side entry Garage, cathedral and tray ceilings. Great curb appeal and mature landscaping. $435,000

12/23/14 10:40 AM

61

Give Charles, Frances, or Angela a Call!

(843) 384-7300 or (800) 267-3285 ext. 215

is 223 7301

Charles Sampson Home - (843) 681-3000 Mobile - (843) 384 -7300

Frances Sampson (843) 681-3307 x 236 Mobile - (843) 384-1002

Angela Mullis (843) 681-3307 x 223 Mobile - (843) 384-7301

s.com

Charles@CharlesSampson.com

Frances@FrancesSampson.com

Angela@AngelaMullis.com

6 SUMMERS LANE

107 THE BREAKERS VILLA

3312 THE SPA

OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD your dream home in the exclusive Seabrook Landing neighborhood of Hilton Head Plantation. This marsh front homesite will allow for views to the 13th fairway of the Country Club of Hilton Head and across the marsh to the sunsets over Skull Creek. In addition, residents of Seabrook Landing can enjoy all the benefits of living in Hilton Head Plantation.$425,000

WONDERFUL private end of a cul de sac with a large wooded backyard and setting.There is open space to the front and back of the property - Great Location for a tree fort or a kids touch football game. This Palmetto Hall Lowcountry home features an updated granite kitchen/family room, 3 BR plus a large Bonus Room/Hobby Room, 3.5 baths, high smooth ceilings, wood floors, two-car garage, screened porch, fireplace and more. $438,750

A GREAT WAY TO OWN a get-a-way at the Hilton Head Island Beach. Just steps from the ocean and in Coligny Plaza with its dining, shopping, night life and music. The oceanfront pool complex is outstanding. There is covered parking. This 1st floor one bedroom villas which can sleep 6 is turnkey ready. All you need to do is bring your toothbrush, bathing suit and some suntan lotion. $178,500

TOP FLOOR UNIT with screened in balcony overlooking the tennis courts. This unit is being sold fully furnished and has a newer HVAC and newer refrigerator. The Spa is located on the Port Royal Sound and has many amenities including 24 hour security, indoor pool, fitness center and two outdoor pools. $76,900

K-18 MARSH SIDE

6 FANTAIL LANE

6 MASTERS COURT

12 WATER THRUSH PLACE C U O N N D T E R R A C T

NEAR THE SCHOOLS and all Hilton Head Island has to offer. Quick bike ride to the shops and restaurants of Main Street and Festival Center at Indigo Run.The Marsh Side complex is not only conveniently located, it has it all - pool, tennis, workout room. K-18 is one of the popular loft floor plans, but this one also has a tranquil marsh view. Newer HVAC, appliances, high ceiling, fireplace, full sized washer and dryer and extra storage outside. $94,500

WINDMILL HARBOUR - This private residential community is only 172 acres and is located on the Intracoastal Waterway. Full sized homesite. Wood and tile floors, high smooth ceilings, granite tops, S/S appliances, formal Living & Dining rooms, plus a bright Carolina Room with 5 Bedrooms or 4 plus Den. Newer roof and remodeled in 2010. this is an outstanding home in a great boaters community. $584,777

A SHORT DISTANCE from The Leamington Beach Club. Quiet cul de sac under hardwood trees on a private full sized homesite. Minutes from dining and shopping. Newer 4 BR or 3 plus a Bonus Room, 3 BA, high smooth ceiling with crown molding, wood floors, updated baths with granite and limestone floors. Dining Room, Split Bedroom plan, Office with bright and open Great Room floorplan. Expansive back private patio and yard.

PRISTINE is the best way to describe this one owner Hilton Head Plantation home. Private, well landscaped homesite in the popular Rookery Neighborhood with its private fishing lagoons and neighborhood pool complex. Offers a great opportunity to own a 3 Bedroom home. Mature landscaping, formal Living and Dining Rooms, side entry 2 car Garage with a coated floor, expansive Carolina Room which had been a screened porch.

Bright and Open floorplan. $348,500

618 SPANISH WELLS

18 WELLINGTON DRIVE

17 SAPELO LANE

LOWCOUNTRY HOMESITES

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C U O N N D T E R R A C T

HiltonHeadIslandSouthCarolina

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www.CharlesSampson.com www.CSampson.com Island Resident Since 1972.

C U O N N D T E R R A C T

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81 Main Street, Suite 202 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

HILTON HEAD PLANTATION 7 ANGLERS POND CT. LAGOON VIEW $186,900 18 CHINA COCKLE LANE 2ND ROW SOUND $242,000 13 BEAR ISLAND RD MARSHFRONT $247,500 HAMPTON HALL 280 FARNSLEIGH AVE $179,000 11 HAMPSTEAD AVE $114,500

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY to own an acreage on Hilton Head Island overlooking marsh to deep water. There is a possibility to subdivide the 5 acres into multiple homesites with two of those being marshfront. Drive by and scout out this great Bank Owned property. $399,900

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SPECTACULAR SETTING with this 2 story home located towards the end of a cul-desac in Woodbridge. Updated Kitchen with granite counters, wood floors, finished Bonus Room and large fenced in back yard. Eat-in Kitchen, formal Dining Room, Laundry Room, Pantry, and Foyer.

Woodbridge is located in the Okatie school district and features a community pool and park.

This home is near shopping, dining, family entertainment center, and theater. $229,000

FEATURES A LARGE FENCED IN BACK YARD overlooking the 4th green of the Island West golf course. Other features of this home include a first floor master, formal dining room, eat in kitchen with granite counters and fireplace in the great room. This home is a quick walk to the Island West amenities including pool, playground, and fitness center. Island West is located in the award winning Okatie school district. $319,900

BLUFFTON 38 BARTONS RUN DR $185,000 COMMERCIAL REDUCED 44 PERSIMMON ST. $198,500 BOATSLIP 139 VILLAGE OF SKULL CREEK DOCK UP TO A ’44 BOAT $29,500

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2 0 14 James’ phenomenal real estate career began on Hilton Head back in 1981 and is a proud co-founder of Charter One Realty – the #1 real estate company in the Lowcountry.

James has been a #1 Realtor since 1990 and recognized as an Award Winning Top 100 agent in the USA. James brings expert real estate experience with over 30 years in this market, with exceptional credentials and a positive professional attitude and attention to details in negotiations and marketing.

So whether it is buying or selling residential properties, I look forward to building a relationship with you!

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Ann Webster

(o) 843-686-2523 (c) 843-384-5338 www.annwebster.com ann@annwebster.com

Selling Island-wide for Over 29 Years with Over $225 Million Sold!

Betty Hemphill (c) 843-384-2919 www.bettyhemphill.com betty@bettyhemphill.com

Selling Island-wide for Over 24 Years with Over $224 Million Sold!

Ingrid Low

(o) 843-686-6460 (c) 843-384-7095 www.ingridlow.com ingrid@ingridlow.com

Selling Island-wide for Over 29 Years with Over $245 Million Sold!

63 BAYNARD COVE – Spectacular sunsets over the marshes out to Calibogue Sound from this private estate. Own approx. 1 acre of privacy in Sea Pines; 4 bedroom home with new, top of the line kitchen, heated pool, 3 fireplaces, and 3 car garage. One of a kind! $1,999,999

SOUTH BEACH LANE – SEA PINES – Distinctive home on .576 acres viewing Audubon Pond 6th row ocean. Five bed/6 bath plus office, huge screened outdoor entertainment area heated pool/spa/waterfall. Over 5000 heated sq ft. $2,100,000

6 PRINCETON CIRCLE – PORT ROYAL – Light & bright 3BR, 3BA home just steps away from the beach! First floor master, living room w/ vaulted ceilings & fireplace, large eat-in kitchen, charming patio and 2- car garage. $549,000

28 BAYNARD COVE – A fabulous,new (2007) quality -built home with 5 bedrooms, stone floors, gourmet kitchen, heated pool/spa and 5 min walk to beach. Over $100k in rental projections. $1,699,000

66 DUNE LANE – FOREST BEACH – Southern styles newer 5 BR/5 BA home with wide verandas taking advantage of ocean views and breezes.

Enclosed pool, billard room tiki bar area. Fun vacation home or rental property with over $100,000 in rental income. $1,749,000 fully furn.

23 TABBY ROAD – Port Royal. Incredible marsh views with creek running thru it from this 3BR/2B home. Hardwood floors, master with FP. 3 decks, elevator, new eat-in kitchen. $599,000

7 SEASIDE SPARROW — A charming 3rd row beach house with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, private heated pool, screened porch and views of Sprunt Pond. Excellent rental history and fully furnished for $1,245,000.

KETCH COURT — Terrific one bedroom in Harbor Town fully furnished and remodeled with laundry room and easy access to all HT amenities. Terrific short term rental income. $194,000 Furn.

Charming Low Country style home in popular “Rookery”. 1 min. walk to “Rookery” pool. 3BR/3BA,Carolina room, FP w. brick chimney. 1-car garage. $309,000

16 DUCK HAWK – 4th row walkway. 4BR /3BA heated pool and spa. Original owner. $1,195,000

SEA PINES – RED MAPLE – Great opportunity to be on fabulous lot overlooking lagoon and 12th fairway of Heron Point Course.

Located on quiet cul de sac street steps to bike trail to the beach. Remodeled cottage with rental history. $849,000 Furn.

33 SOUTH SEA PINES DRIVE – 3BR/3BA plus den, lg. pool, lagoon view, FP, walk to SP best beach and SB village.

Selling “as is.” Great price. $564,000

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42 PURPLE MARTIN LANE – HILTON HEAD PLANTATION –

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Enhance the Experience A D I V I S I O N O F YA D K I N B A N K

If you’re buying, building, refinancing, renovating or a first time homebuyer, Yadkin can make it possible for you!

Branch Manager NMLS# 239964 cell 843.384.3097

Ed Brown

Reverse Mortgage Specialist NMLS# 900952 cell 843.368.5535

NMLS# 243073 cell 843.247.7655

Karen Hall

Joan Sherwood

Jacqueline Alcock

Bob Cummins

Sam McGowan, III

Shawn D. Crouch

NMLS# 246640 843.368.3404

Don Davis

NMLS# 339838 843.524.2004

NMLS# 264178 843.524.5240

NMLS# 659256 cell 843.384.1385

NMLS# 313712 cell 843.415.8316

Yadkin Bank offers a full array of financial services.

• Conventional (Fannie and Freddie Loans) • PORTFOLIO LOANS (Both conforming and jumbo loan amounts) • USDA Rural Housing Loans (100% loan amounts) • Piggy Back Loans (1st and 2nd mortgages) • Construction/Perm Loans Keeping it simple, Making it personal • Home Equity Loans • Lot Loans • FHA and VA financing • Commercial Loans NMLS#522448 • Reverse Mortgages www.yadkinbank.com A D I V I S I O N O F YA D K I N B A N K

905 Charles Street The Old Commons Beaufort, SC 29902

1040 William Hilton Parkway Suite 104 Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

1302 Calhoun Street The Promenade Bluffton, SC 29910

843.785.2880

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141 Otter Road

One of the lowest priced homes in Sea Pines, this is your opportunity to own in Hilton Head Island’s most popular community. Nearly 1,900 heated square feet, this spacious 2-BR, 2-BA home includes a loft area that can easily be used as a 3rd BR, den or home office. Property has just been re-carpeted and painted. Tons of potential with a price of just $269,900.

6 Fawn Lane

P I N E S

Super value on this newer 4 bedroom home and office located on nearly an acre lot with tons of privacy! Down the road from the Victoria Bluff Heritage Nature preserve! Have a boat, then this is a perfect home for you with plenty of room to keep your boat, then drive down to the road to the public boat launch!

Open kitchen into living area and dining area, gas fireplace, 2 car garage and tons of closet space too! Just $299,000.

6 Port Au Spain Road

GREAT LAND VALUE

Fantastic opportunity to purchase a beautiful well cared for one level 3 bedroom home w/such a great layout! As you pull in the drive way you will see what curb appeal is all about. A large open living area w/vaulted ceilings opening up to the screened in porch and huge back deck! Light and bright w/a super eat in kitchen, so much natural light too. This really is a special house and I know you will love it the minute you walk in the door, just like these folks did. Offered for sale for $289,000.

8 Woodstork Way

BLUFFTON OFF PLANTATION

P L A N T A T I O N

www.RickSaba.com

Stunning golf view lot in Shipyard Plantation on a private cul de sac street!

This is an unbelievable building lot more than 1/2 an acre! Please take a drive by this beautiful piece of property. Homes are selling and builders are building again, so pick up your dream lot now at this great price! Offered for sale for $249,000.

S E A

This is a great opportunity to purchase such a fantastic home w/so much character and stunning golf fairway, green and lagoon views...three views in one! Open Kitchen to family room area, huge spacious living area complete w/wood burning fireplace and vaulted ceilings w/beautiful wood beams. This home has been well cared for and used very little as a true second home. Relax on your screened in porch and just enjoy! The owner said make us an offer! Listed for $475,000.

19 Sally Port Road PORT ROYAL PLANTATION

Unbelievable value on this 4 bedroom + Carolina-Sun Room one level home on an amazing GOLF GREEN view lot! Open concept living at its best with large eat in kitchen to family room layout complete with dual sided fireplace, separate living room area, dining room and tons of storage throughout. Well cared for over the years and just recently renovated with all new interior paint, all new carpeting and much, much more. Offered for $579,000 OWNER SAID MAKE AN OFFER!

SHORT SALE AND FORECLOSURE BUYS

6 Newhall Road

J1 Golfmaster II Villas

Fantastic 1st floor Golfmaster II villa with large back deck, which are ONLY available on the first floor units. Built in 2001 with high ceilings, open concept living with a large Carolina Room and fireplace! Lots of square footage on these 3 bedroom villas, make these stand out above the rest! PREAPPROVED SHORT SALE $310,000.

511 Cypress Cove

Great buy on this BANK OWNED 3 bedroom one level home with a 1 car garage, located in Edgefield. Offered for sale for $149,000, this will not last long.

Rick has always provided timely information regarding current market in Hilton Head Island, SC When I was buying a property from him he worked for me to get the best price possible and negotiated fair as well. When I was selling Rick kept on top of the showings and provided feedback on how I could sell the properties timely and for a fair price. He is the best for Hilton Head Real Estate! — Eric Lapin

Rick Saba

Carolina Realty Group (843) 683-4701 • Rick@TheBestAddressinTown.com www.RickSaba.com 2009 Realtor® of the Year Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors® 2005 President Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors®

Follow me on the web and on Facebook & Twitter.

Happy Searching! www.SearchRealEstateHiltonHead.com Would you like to get AUTO ALERTS on ANY COMMUNITY OR VILLA COMPLEX? Please call (843) 683-4701 or email me today: Rick@TheBestAddressinTown.com

Life is Short!

Live where you want to live!

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cell 843.384.8797 | office 843.681.3307 | toll free 800.267.3285 | email Richard@RMacDonald.com INDIGO RUN

INDIGO RUN

INDIGO RUN

INDIGO RUN

ELEGANT HOME. Ultimate outdoor living space.

18th, 17th and Lagoon in the Golf Club. 4 Bedrooms and 3.5 Baths. $739,000

RIVER CLUB. Used only as a 2nd home.

BEAUTIFUL LAGOON/GOLF VIEW. 4 bedroom and 4.5 bathroom. Large Study/Den. $689,000

BEAUTIFUL HOME overlooking the 18th Fairway of Golden Bear. 4 Bedrooms and 4.5 Baths. $679,900

INDIGO RUN

PALMETTO HALL

INDIGO RUN

INDIGO RUN

BEAUTIFUL Home overlooking free form pool with

Kentucky fieldstone decking with a lagoon and fairway view. 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths + a Study. $679,000

CUSTOM BUILT CLASSIC LowCountry home. 4 Bedrooms + Bonus Room and 3.5 Baths.

Lagoon view. $629,000

BRAND NEW HOME overlooking Otter Creek.

COASTAL COTTAGE HOME overlooking the 11th Green. Designers dream home. 3 Bedrooms and 2.5 Baths. $549,000

HILTON HEAD PLANTATION

HILTON HEAD PLANTATION

HILTON HEAD PLANTATION

HILTON HEAD PLANTATION

RAINTREE MODEL. 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths

Panoramic lagoon view. 4 Bedrooms or 3 Bedrooms + Bonus Room, 3 Full Baths. $695,000

4 Bedrooms and 4 Full Baths. $589,900

FABULOUS TOWNHOMES across from the PANORAMIC VIEW of Bear Lake. Beautiful

CLOSE TO THE PORT ROYAL SOUND.

CCHH. 3 Bedrooms and 3.5 Baths. Prices starting at $479,000

updated home overlooking free form pool. 3 Bedrooms and 3 Full Baths. $459,000

THE CRESCENT

SEA PINES

SHIPYARD

LAKE LINDEN

SOUGHT AFTER CHARTWELL MODEL. 4 Bedrooms and 3 Baths. Seller will consider leaseback. $359,000

STONEY CREEK TOWNHOME overlooking tidal marsh and near Harbourtown. 1 Bedroom and 1.5 Bath. $275,000

HAMILTON VILLA. Great permanent or 2nd home. 2 Bedrooms and 2 Baths + Deck. $239,000

BEAUTIFUL LAGOON VIEW. 4 Bedrooms

and a large Screened Lanai overlooking a lagoon. $519,000

FOLLY FIELD

HILTONHEAD PLANTATION 62 Bear Creek Drive . . . . . . $275,000 HAMPTON HALL 9 Sherbrooke Avenue . . . . . . .$99,000 1ST FLOOR FIDDLERS COVE VILLA. Walk to the beach. 2 Bedrooms and 2 Baths. $126,000

or 3 Bedrooms +huge Bonus Room and 2.5 Baths.

Screened Porch. $197,500

THE OAKS

HOMESITES

For incredible homesites contact Richard MacDonald.

Used only as a 2nd Home. 3 Bedrooms and 2.5 Baths. $449,000

INDIGO RUN 1 LINDEN PLACE . . . . . .

10 LINDEN PLACE . . . . . .

51 COTESWOTH PLACE . . .

286 BERWICK DRIVE . . . .

21 LARIUM PLACE. . . . . .

. . . . .

. .$85,000 . $159,500 . $160,000 . $169,000 . $216,000 RENOVATED 2 Bedroom Townhouse on the north end. Great Permanent home or long term rental. $65,000

Visit my website: www.RMacDonald.com

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FROM THE HHSO MARY M. BRIGGS President & CEO www.hhso.org

Happy New Year FROM THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA!

The HHSO will welcome 2015 with Tragedy and Triumph: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.

T

his continuation of the orchestra’s 33rd season, “Music of Dreams and Drama,” will open with Mozart’s Don Giovanni Overture and conclude with Tchaikovsky’s massive Fifth Symphony. Noted violinist Danielle Belen will join the HHSO in a performance of Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Belen, just received notice that she is a Sphinx Medals of Excellence 2015 awardee. The award includes a $50,000 grant for career development. Two concerts will be held on Sunday, January 18 at 4 pm and Monday, January 19 at 8 pm in Hilton Head’s First Presbyterian Church. Maestro Russell will conduct a pre-concert chat before each performance.

SHEN LU, 2014 winner of the Hilton Head International Piano Competition returns to perform the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor on Sunday, February 8th at 4pm and Monday, February 9th at 8pm. At age 29, Shen Lu is already an accomplished international performer. He has won numerous international piano competitions and performed in recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall this past November. In addition to performances at Beijing’s Central Conservatory Music Hall, Culture Center, and City Hall in his native China, he has performed in the Jordan Hall in Boston, the Mixon Hall in Cleveland, the Flagey Concert Hall in Brussels, and the Seymour Centre in BOND AND BEYOND Sydney. Robert Schumann’s Mark your calendars for the Symphony No. 4 in D minor popular Symphony Under the completes this program of Stars where tables and seats are romantic German masters. For already selling at a fast pace. further information visit www.

This year’s theme: Bond and hhso.org or call 843-842-2055.

Beyond promises thrills for one and all. The event takes place on April 7 and 8 at the We hope you will join us!

Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn under a giant tent under the stars. Check our website for more information Mary M. Briggs at www.hhso.org.

President & CEO

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To submit a Big Picture please e-mail a high-res photo to jeremy@hiltonheadmonthly.com

bigPICTURE READY TO ROLL | by W Photography

JANUARY

CALENDAR XJAN. 6-31: ANYTHING GOES! ... JAN. 5-31: ART OUTSIDE THE BOX ... JAN. 7: CA

ART JAN. 5-31 Jan. 18 | p137

Jan. 31 | p138

Jan. 30 | p140

Art Outside the Box by Denis Reshetar: The Society of Bluffton Artists presents a collection of exciting abstract paintings by local artist Denis Reshetar. This intensely vivid exhibit will be on display from Jan. 5-31 at the SOBA Gallery. Reshetar paints on canvases that he has created himself with cutout shapes expertly covered. The cutouts enhance the bright color palette and the subjects are strong and geometric. In 2010, Reshetar and his wife moved to the Lowcountry from southern Indiana. Here, he finds the time to work on his sculpture and pottery in addition to his paintings. The opening reception to meet the artist is 4-6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, at the SOBA Gallery. Enjoy refreshments, “Outside the Box,” and the work of over 100 other member artists. sobagallery.com or 843-757-6586

JAN. 7-FEB. 6

Camera Club photo exhibit: The Camera Club of Hilton Head Island will exhibit 30 framed images of the Lowcountry at First Presbyterian Church on Hilton Head Island. The 135-member club includes many of the island’s best photographers. The photos will showcase their best artistic expressions of landscapes and wildlife, as well as the built environment of the Lowcountry. parsonsjohng@aol.com or 843-681-3696

THROUGH FEB. 28

Palmetto Quilt Guild award winners: 10:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Jan. 20, and Tuesday, Feb. 17, Coastal Discovery Museum. The museum will display the winners from the 2014 Palmetto Quilt Guild’s Quilt Festival. Ever wonder why one piece of art is chosen over another? Why one quilt won a “Best” in category when you liked another one better? “Best of Hilton Head Island – In the Judge’s Eyes” will feature several of the winners of this annual event as well as comments from the judge about each one. The exhibition will also feature other examples of work by members of the Palmetto Quilt Guild. In addition to the display, two special programs are planned to discuss the winners.

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7: CA

Community events JAN. 15-19

2015 Martin Luther King Celebration Weekend: Four days of events are planned for the 2015 Martin Luther King Celebration Weekend. They include: • 7 p.m, Thursday, Jan. 15: Ecumenical Community Worship Service, Queen Chapel AME Church, 114 Beach City Road; • 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 16, Shabbat Service honoring Dr. King, Congregation Beth Yam, 4005 Meeting St.; • 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19: MLK Memorial March starting and ending in HHIHS parking lot; • 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 19: MLK Memorial Program in the HHIHS VPAC; • 12:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19: Community luncheon in the cafeteria; • 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19: Showing of documentary film “Inequality for All” in All Saints Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 1003 Meeting St.; • Jan. 10-19, MLK Jr. Community Food Drive, Collection bins will be available in various gated communities, neighborhoods and churches to collect nutritious boxed and canned good for Sandalwood Food Pantry at 114 Beach City Road. 843-681-3991 or jengajdalo@aol.com

DANCES JAN. 31

Chamber Ball 2015: 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31, at Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa. Enjoy fine dining, dancing and entertainment at the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce’s elegant Fire & Ice-themed gala. Each year the chamber’s prestigious annual awards are presented at the ball: The Alice Glenn Doughtie Good Citizenship Award and the Outstanding Organization of the Year Award. The chamber also honors the Bluffton Regional Business Council Member of the Year, the Zonta Woman of the Year and the Sue West Educator of the Year. To reserve seating, go to HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org.

Educational JAN. 7

Bald Eagles of the Lowcountry: 3, p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn will present a program on bald eagles in South Carolina. Tom Murphy, a retired biologist from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and principal investigator for the Bald Eagle Program for 33 years, will share his knowledge of the natural history of bald eagles in the Lowcountry. $7 per person; 843-6896767, ext. 223.

JAN. 6-31

The Art League of Hilton Head Presents “Anything Goes!”: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Art League of Hilton Head group of more than 100 local artists will be showcasing their best works to enjoy throughout the month. This exhibition will showcase a wide variety of artistic talents from Hilton Head Island. A variety of media will be featured including but not limited to oils, acrylic, water media, fibers and ceramic works. The opening reception is 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Art League Gallery, inside the Art Center of Costal Carolina. 843-681-5060 or www.ArtLeagueHHI.org January 2015 129

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WHAT TO DO

JAN. 20: PERSONAL PERSPECTIV

JAN. 20

2015 Special Speaker Series: Hilton Head in the Modern Era: 5:30 p.m., Coligny Theater. The Heritage Library and the Coastal Discovery Museum have announced the continuation of their popular “Hilton Head in the Modern Era” speaker series at Coligny Plaza. The 2015 series will open with Hilton Head Monthly CEO Marc Frey of Frey Media. A wine reception starts at 5:30 p.m. followed by a 6 p.m. talk.

Frey’s program is named Personal Perspectives: Risks and Opportunities in the Next Decade for an Island Community. Individual tickets are $30 per person or $45 per couple. Tickets for the entire five-part series are $125 per single and $200 per couple. Upcoming speakers are environmentalist Todd Ballentine (March 24), musician Lavon Stevens (May 19), tourism expert Charles Calvert (Sept. 22) and town manager Steve Riley (Nov. 18). For reservations, call the Heritage Library at 843-686-6560 or the Coastal Discovery Museum at 843-689-6767, ext. 223. heritagelib.org.

EDUCATIONAL JAN. 7

Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Speaker Series: The Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce will begin this series on digital marketing to support local businesses.

Community members are invited to participate with business owners, managers, marketing professionals and those interested in technology being the primary audience. The Bluffton chamber partnered with local company Nosoco to provide these workshops. Shellie West, executive director of the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, spearheaded the initiative and is currently calling on other community members to provide their expertise to support Southern Beaufort County businesses.

The first topic will be Digital Marketing 101, presented at 9 a.m. at 217 Goethe Road. The cost of the event is $10 for chamber members and $15 for all nonchamber members. 843-757-1010 or info@blufftonchamberofcommerce.org.

JAN. 14

Tide of Death: The Hurricane of 1893: 3 p.m., the Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head Island will present Tide of Death – The Hurricane of 1893.

Grace Cordial, manager of the Beaufort County Library system’s special local history collection and archives, will share materials about the largest natural disaster to ever hit Beaufort County. Listen to first-person accounts

and see rare materials about the night that death came to call. The program, for adults audience only, is sponsored in part by the Kroger Foundation and the Beaufort County Library, and there is no charge to attend. Reservations are required. 843-689-6767, ext. 223

JAN. 14

The Liberal Men of the Lowcountry monthly meeting: Noon, Indigo Run. The speaker will be from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department and will present information and their programs on gun violence and related issues and domestic violence in the county. If interested, contact Richard Hammes at 847-921-8188.

JAN. 17

Heritage to Habitat: Rice Culture in the Lowcountry: 3 p.m., at the Coastal Discovery Museum. The museum will host Marvin Bouknight for this program on rice. Rice was king in the South Carolina Lowcountry during the plantation era. Enslaved Africans physically altered the area’s riverside properties to grow this labor-intensive crop. Years later, these changes are still affecting our environment today. Bouknight (author, naturalist and photographer) explains the history of rice plantations and the transformation of our region’s landscape through time. There is no charge for museum members and $10 per person for non-museum members.

843-689-6767, ext. 223

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PERSPECTIVES; Risks and opportunities in the

JAN. 27

World Affairs Council of Hilton Head speaker series - Kent Harrington: The Politics of National Security, Civil Liberties and Privacy When Technology Calls the Tune. The program begins with a small plate buffet beginning at 5:30 p.m. and will be held at the Yacht Club of Hilton Head at Palmetto Bay Marina. Each program will end at about 7:30 p.m. wachhi@gmail.com or 843384-6758

FUNDRAISERS JAN. 10

2nd annual Reilley’s Plaza Chowder Challenge: Noon to 4 p.m. at Reilley’s Plaza. Enjoy a fun family day. Kidz zone, live music by the Headliners and silent auction items. Many local restaurants will be competing for the best chowder.

All proceeds will benefit the Heather Trew Foundation for organ donation and research. For more information, contact Chris Heyburn at chris@theheathertrewfoundation.org, 843-3632303, 843-422-5385.

JAN. 24

Pancake breakfast fundraiser: The youth fellowship of First Presbyterian Church of Hilton Head Island will host a pancake breakfast fundraiser from 7:30-10 a.m. in Fellowship Hall at the church. The cost is $6 per person and includes pancakes, sausage, fruit cup and beverage. Proceeds will support youth conferences and retreats. 843681-3696

HEALTH JAN. 1, 7, 13

Blood donation: The American Red Cross asks eligible blood donors to

make a resolution to give blood regularly in 2015, beginning with National Blood Donor Month in January.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 1 at Shelter Cove Towne Centre; noon to 6 p.m. Jan. 7 at the American Red Cross Palmetto Chapter in Bluffton; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 13 at 114 Sun City Lane in Sun City. redcrossblood.org

JAN. 5

The Home Health Academy will begin its next round of Certified Nursing Assistant classes in January.

Applications are now being accepted.

The six-week course offers students three weeks of classroom work and three weeks of clinical work within a local skilled nursing facility, for a total of 134 hours of practical experience.

Once students successfully complete the course, they will be eligible to take the state exam for licensure.

Experienced nurses teach various components of the state-certified CNA program. Classes are scheduled to begin Jan. 5 at the Home Health Academy, 2 Big Oak St., Hilton Head Island. 843837-3041 or desarae.leach@homehelperslowcountry.com

JAN. 23

CPR course: 9-10 a.m., Hilton Head Hospital board room. Hilton Head Hospital and the Town of Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue are offering free basic CPR training for those who want to learn CPR and do not require a provider card. Using the American Heart Association’s Family and Friends CPR program, trained AHA CPR instructors from the hospital and fire rescue will cover adult and child CPR, AED (Automated External Defibrillator) demonstration and making the emergency call. Space is limited and registration is required. 877-582-2737

JAN. 1, 10, 15, 21, 30

Free gong meditations: Also known as gong bath or sonic massage, at The Energy Center, 35 Bill Fries Drive. Dates are 2-3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 1; 1-2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10.; 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15; 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21; and 7-8 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 30. www.alicetobin.com January 2015 131

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WHAT TO DO

JAN. 5: Internet 101 Drop-in ...

LIBRARY EVENTS BLUFFTON BRANCH

WED., SAT.

Yoga: 10 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. Relax your mind and body under the direction of Martha Pike.

Bring yoga mat. Free. For more information, contact Armistead Reasoner at 843-255-6512 or areasoner@bcgov.net.

FRIDAY

Friday Yoga: 1 p.m. Pamela Brown leads this new yoga class to help prepare the way for a serene and balanced segway into the weekend. Bring a yoga mat. Free. For more information, contact Armistead Reasoner at 843-255-6512 or areasoner@bcgov.net.

JAN. 5, 19

Internet 101 Drop-In: 10 a.m. first and third Monday of the month. Stop by the computer lab and learn the latest about email, search engines, searching the web and other best practices for the Internet. Free. For more information, contact Patrick Goodman at 843-2556506, pgoodman@bcgov.net.

JAN. 6, 13

Tech Drop-In: 10 a.m. Bring your tablet, device or laptop, or use one of the library computers and have your computer questions or issues addressed by a seasoned information technology pro. Free. For more information, contact Bratton DeLoach at 843-255-6503, bdeloach@bcgov.net.

JAN. 6, 20

Learn About Your iPhone: 12:30 p.m. A Bluffton Library volunteer helps with questions related to iPhones and iPhone apps. Free. For more information, contact Bratton DeLoach at 843255-6503, bdeloach@bcgov.net.

JAN. 10

Rug Hooking: 1 p.m. Learn or become more proficient at rug hooking.

Free. For more information, contact Armistead Reasoner at 843-255-6512 or areasoner@bcgov.net.

JAN. 12, 26

Microsoft Office and Operating Systems Drop-In: 10 a.m. Visit the computer lab and ask questions about

MS Office or Windows and Apple operating systems, or learn about online “how to” resources and tutorials. For more information, contact Armistead Reasoner at 843-255-6512 or areasoner@bcgov.net.

JAN. 13

Mischievous Angels and Dancing Saints - Forgotten Art of Venice and Rome: 6 p.m. Part travelogue, part art history, Mischievous Angels and Dancing Saints explores Venice and Rome through the lens of their art, architecture and sculpture. From the Sistine Chapel to the exquisite glass creations of Venice and many stops in between, Ron Roth takes you on a memorable tour of these iconic cities.

Free. For more information, contact Armistead Reasoner at 843-255-6512 or areasoner@bcgov.net.

JAN. 15

African American Film Club: 5 p.m.

This viewing and discussion group explores the key themes in the AfricanAmerican experience that are vital parts of American history. For more information, contact Linda Tallant at 843-2556507, ltallant@bcgov.net.

JAN. 21

Bluffton Book Club: 1 p.m. Come be part of the fun as this group reads and discusses the latest popular adult novels. Free. For more information, contact info Linda Tallant, 843-255-6507, ltallant@bcgov.net.

BY APPOINTMENT

Career Services 101: Spend some time with the library’s career services experts who will help you develop fantastic resumes, cover letters and job-seeking strategies. For more information, contact Armistead Reasoner at 843-2556512 or areasoner@bcgov.net.

HILTON HEAD BRANCH

VARIOUS DATES

Book Break Wednesdays: Noon, Hilton Head Branch Library. This popular series includes reviews of national bestsellers and Lowcountry authors. The

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1 Drop-in ... Jan. 13: Mischievous Angels and Da reviews are presented by a talented and diverse group of speakers. Each review is from noon to 1 p.m. in the Hilton Head Library, preceded by coffee and cookies at 11:30 a.m.

The schedule includes Jan. 21, “I Wish You Had Been There” by James Alexander, reviewed by James Alexander; Jan. 28, “The World of the Salt Marsh: Appreciating and Protecting the Tidal Marshes of the Southeastern Atlantic”

by Charles Seabrook, reviewed by David Lauderdale; Feb. 4, “The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd, reviewed by Linda Kellom; Feb. 11, “The Warmth of Other Suns”

by Isabel Wilkerson, reviewed by Dr. George Amonitti Jr.; Feb. 18, “The Pursuit of Love” by Nancy Mitford, reviewed by Claudia Kennedy; Feb. 25, “The Agile Gene, How Nature Turns on Nurture” by Matt Ridley, reviewed by Debi Lynes.

JAN. 7, 14, 21, 28

Computer Drop-In Sessions: 11 a.m. Bring any computer questions or practice what you’ve learned in class!

Practice Word, Excel, Mousercise, Facebook, email, Google and more on library lab computers and receive oneon-one help from experienced “techies.”

No registration necessary. Free. For more information, contact Halle Eisenman, 843-255-6525, heisenman@ bcgov.net.

JAN. 12-FEB. 28

Winter Reading Program: Write a book review and enter it into a prize drawing. For more information, contact Priscilla Pomazal at 843-255-6525, priscillap@bcgov.net.

JAN. 20

New Year, Whole Foods: Healthy Pantry Makeover: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Take your new year’s resolutions for some motivation and practical plans as Whole Foods Market’s healthy eating educator explains what to have on hand to facilitate healthful cooking. Attendees will be eligible to win a gift card. For more information, contact Lauren Read at 843-255-6531, lread@bcgov.net.

JAN. 20

Novel Evenings Book Club: 6 p.m.

Join a lively discussion of “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad. Free.

For more information, contact Halle Eisenman at 843-255-6525, heisenman@bcgov.net.

JAN. 21

How to Take a Good Photo: 10 a.m.

Victor Pizzolato will share tips on taking a good photo and critique photos brought in to the session. Bring your camera to the class, with manual, if possible. Free. For more information, contact Priscilla Pomazal at 843-255-6525, priscillap@bcgov.net.

JAN. 24

National Readathon Day: Noon to 4 p.m. To prepare for the big day, visit or call to join the library team (of staff and patrons alike) to raise funds for the National Book Foundation. Donations help efforts to educate, tutor and create and sustain a lifelong love of reading.

The community marathon reading session will take place at the library. Free.

For more information, contact Lauren Read at 843-255-6531, lread@bcgov. net.

JAN. 15, 29

JAN. 28

JAN. 17

VARIOUS DATES

Learn about your iPhone: Have questions about how to use your iPhone? The Hilton Head Library will have someone on hand to answer them. Free. For more information, contact Halle Eisenman, 843-255-6525, heisenman@bcgov.net.

DIY Bath Products (Baby, It’s Cold Outside): 1 p.m. Jazz up your next bath using salts and scrubs you make at the library. Free. Register in advance as spots are limited. Free. For more information, contact Lauren Read at 843-255-6531, lread@bcgov.net.

Novel Mornings Book Club: 11 a.m.

Meet with fellow book lovers for a discussion of “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck. Free. For more information, contact Halle Eisenman, 843-255-6525, heisenman@bcgov.net.

Computer Classes: The Hilton Head Library offers a variety of computer classes, including Computer Basics, Internet Basics, Introduction to Microsoft Excel and more. For more information on times, dates and more, contact Halle Eisenman, 843-255-6525, heisenman@bcgov.net.

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WHAT TO DO

JAN. 15: Palmetto Quilt Guild

MEETINGS JAN. 15

Palmetto Quilt Guild meeting: 1 p.m., Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort. The speaker is Sue Nickels, an international award-winner, teacher and lecturer. She specializes in machine techniques. Guests are welcome for a $5 visit fee. Go early and socialize. www. palmettoquiltguild.org or 843-7572613

JAN. 16

Hilton Head Island Ski Club: 5-7 p.m. All are welcome to join the fun at monthly TGIF to be held at Kurama Japanese Restaurant, 9 Palmetto Bay Road. Reservations not required. hiltonheadskiclub.com or lgp.hhisc@ earthlink.net.

JAN. 20

UGA Alumni Association, Hilton Head Island Chapter, Lowcountry Boil: 6-8 p.m., at Crazy Crab on Jarvis Creek. The cost to attend is $25 per person, which includes a Lowcountry boil, an oyster roast, a beverage ticket and sides. Nonseafood items will be available such as sliders and chicken wings. Guest speakers will be Dr. Mark Risse, director of the UGA Marine Outreach Programs, and John Crawford, from UGA’s Marine Extension Services. They will speak on the history, science and beautification of the Lowcountry, and share updates from the UGA Marine Extension Service.

To sign up, go to UGA Alumni, Hilton Head Chapter, and click on the link to “Lowcountry boil.” For more information, contact Jackie Guglietta, 706-5420080, jmg88@uga.edu.

JAN. 24

Lowcountry Vegan Community Outreach, Monthly Vegan Potluck: 5:30 p.m., All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head. Lowcountry Vegan Community Outreach hosts a monthly vegan potluck every fourth Saturday. The events are vegan, but you don’t have to be. meetup.com/Lowcountry-Vegan

JAN. 27

Camera Club of Hilton Head Island meeting: 7 p.m., All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head. The guest speaker is Ron Roth, a former art curator and museum director. He will discuss the criteria he used when making museum

acquisitions of photography and mounting exhibitions. With examples ranging from the work of Ansel Adams to Annie Liebovitz, he will discuss the question, “When is a photograph a work of art?”

Free. Newcomers and guests welcome. www.cchhi.net

MOVIES JAN. 15-MARCH 5

The Friends of the Hilton Head Library 2015 Book and Film Series: This year, the film seminar series is moving to the Island Lutheran Church for the entire film series. The church is at 4400 Main St., between Meeting Street and Wilborn Road. The series has been directed by Bill Garton for more than 10 years. The events are on Thursday for eight weeks. Each starts at 1:30 with a half-hour travel log and refreshments. The movie begins at 2 p.m. and is followed by a discussion. A complete schedule with film titles is available on the Friends of the Hilton Head Library website, friendsofthehiltonheadlibrary. org. Free to FOL members; $3 donation suggested for others (includes all the homemade the cookies you can eat).

ON STAGE JAN. 4

Auditions for “Gyspy”: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Auditions are by appointment only. First rehearsal is April 7.

Performances April 29-May 24. Must be available during entire rehearsal and performance period. All roles are available. Prepare a song either from the show or in the style of the show, and bring a picture and resume stapled together. Accompanist provided. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Gail Ragland at 843-686-3945, ext. 236, or email GRagland@artshhi.com.

JAN. 10-11

Musical theatre workshops: Noon to 3 p.m Jan. 10; 1-4 p.m., Jan. 11, Main Street Youth Theatre. Each workshop is $40 and youths must be advancedbeginner and up. The first part of the workshops will be a class and the second part will be learning a combination of staging. Go to www.msyt.org to sign up for these classes. Must registered in

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Quilt Guild Meeting ... JAN. 16: Hilton Head Isla

JAN. 19

Touch the Wall: 7:30-9:16 p.m., Cinemark Bluffton. The Bluffton Fins Swimteam is sponsoring a presentation of “Touch the Wall.” This feature-length documentary follows swimming phenom and Olympic Gold Medalist Missy Franklin. It is the story of how two amazing women, Franklin and Kara Lynn Joyce, along with their coach and how they got to where they are. It’s a story of winning and losing, of commitment and of triumph through adversity. It’s also a story of family, of loving what you do and having fun with the people around you. This is a one-time showing and is a perfect way to start the new year. Any athlete will not want to miss it. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the event page at tugg.com. Tickets are $12. For more information, call Erin Laytham Lentz at 843-415-1772.

advance. For more information, contact madirussell1@gmail.com. For questions about registering, call 843-681-3646.

JAN. 14

The Stardust Orchestra: 6:30-8 p.m., First Presbyterian Church. Tickets or reservations not required. 843-707-7813

JAN. 18-19

Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra: 4-6 p.m., First Presbyterian Church.

“Tragedy and Triumph: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.” Tickets are $25-$50.

843-842-2055 or mrebish@hhso.org

JAN. 31-FEB. 1

Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra: 1:30-5 p.m., St. Luke’s Church. HHSO Youth Concerto Competition instrumentalists, age 18 and younger from throughout the Southeast compete for cash prizes and performances. This program provides talented young musicians the opportunity to perform standard orchestral repertoire from memory before an audience. 843-842-2055 or mrebish2hhso.org

VOLUNTEERS JAN. 13

Volunteer Training at the Coastal Discovery Museum: 2 p.m. The Coastal Discovery Museum relies upon

its talented and dedicated volunteers to lead tours, work in the gift store, care for its Marsh Tacky horses, lead school programs and more. Each year, volunteers engage young visitors with stories of the Lowcountry’s unique culture, history and environment through handson programs and field trips. Gift store volunteers inform tens of thousands of visitors each year about Honey Horn’s special history and museum offerings.

Visit www.coastaldiscovery.org and click on the “Discover a Cause” tab. Call 843689-6767, ext. 223, to sign up for this year’s training.

SEA PINES EVENTS THROUGHOUT JAN.

Alligator & Wildlife Boat Tour: Enjoy a one-hour guided boat tour through the freshwater lakes of the Sea Pines Forest Preserve and get an up-close view of Hilton Head Island’s indigenous plant and animal life, including the American alligator. Daily. Call for schedule. $22 for adults, $19 for children ages 12 and under. Reservations are required. 843686-5323

THROUGHOUT JAN.

Alligator Wine & Cheese: Enjoy a sunset cruise on the freshwater lakes of the January 2015 135

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WHAT TO DO

THROUGHOUT JAN.: Harbour To

Sea Pines Forest Preserve and discover indigenous plants and animals while enjoying complimentary wine and cheese. Daily. Call for schedule. Adults only. $45 per person. Reservations are required. 843-686-5323

THROUGHOUT JAN.

Harbour Town Lighthouse Museum: Explore Hilton Head Island’s rich history, including the history of the lighthouse, in a unique museum-like setting. Enjoy the Lowcountry’s best views and the island’s most elevated shopping and wave to friends and family via webcam. $3.75 per person; complimentary for children ages 5 and younger. 843-671-2810

JAN. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Forest Preserve Wagon Journey: 3-4:30 p.m. Sit back, relax and experience the animals and plant life of the Sea Pines Forest Preserve. Search for turtles, alligators, birds and other critters as participants ride past Heritage Farm, Lake Joe, Fish Island and more. $13 for adults, $10 for children ages 12 and under. Reservations are required and may be made by contacting the Sea Pines Resort Recreation Department at 843-842-1979.

THROUGHOUT JAN.

THROUGHOUT JAN.

Stars & Stripes: Daily. Only in Harbour Town can you sail aboard the real 12-meter America’s Cup, the Stars & Stripes, once skippered by Dennis Connor. All trips take place under full sail and afternoon sails and sunset sails are available. Reservations are required.

Call for schedule. 843-363-9026

THROUGHOUT JAN.

Dolphin Watching & Enviro Tours: Daily. Explore Calibogue Sound and surrounding waterways by boat during an Enviro Tour. Discover Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, eagles and other marine wildlife in their natural habitat. Venture over to Daufuskie Island and take a step back in time.

Comb the beach for shells, or relax and take in the beauty of a Lowcountry sunset while touring the salt marshes and tidal creeks. Whatever you choose, it’s bound to be an adventure that’s fun for all ages. Reservations are required. Call for schedule. 843-671-4386.

SAVE THE DATES FEB. 4

Trail Rides: Daily. Lawton Stables offers one-hour guided trail rides for adults and children ages 8 and older.

Experience the preserve from horseback while being immersed in the natural beauty of the Lowcountry. Call for schedule. 843-671-2586

The Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island February Luncheon: Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa. The keynote speaker will be Mary Alice Monroe. Known for her intimate portrayals of women’s lives, Monroe’s writing gained added purpose and depth with her books set in the Lowcountry.

An active environmentalist, Monroe draws themes for her novels from nature and the parallels with human nature, thus drawing attention to various endangered species and the human connection to the natural world. $30 for members and $38 for nonmembers.

Open to the public. Contact lljjot@aol. com for more information.

THROUGHOUT JAN.

FEB. 6

Fishing, Walking and Wagon Tours: Daily. Relax on a wagon ride, catch a catfish in Lake Joe or enjoy a walking tour of the 4,000-year-old Indian Shell Ring or the 18th-century Lawton Rice Field. Daily. Call for schedule. 843-8421979

THROUGHOUT JAN.

Spirit of Harbour Town: Daily. Enjoy the island’s best sunset and finest dinner buffet aboard the Spirit of Harbour Town, the only air-conditioned and heated multi-passenger yacht on Hilton Head Island. All menu items are prepared fresh daily. Reservations are required. Call for schedule. 843-3639026

Mardi Gras Party: 6:30-10:30 p.m., Country Club of Hilton Head. Jazz performance by Lavon Stevens and Louise Spencer. Silent and live auctions. New Orleans-inspired dinner. Beads, masks and all that jazz. Tickets start at $75.

This is a fundraiser for NAMI Beaufort County. www.namibeaufortcounty.org or 843-681-2200

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Harbour Town Lighthouse Museum ... THROUGH

VIM hosting annual

Soup Challenge

P

GINGER ALLEN

repare to have a “souper” time at the 23rd annual Lowcountry Soup Challenge, to be held Jan. 18 at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. The event, which benefits Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head Island, has grown to become an island institution and the premier winter event for culinary creativity and community caring.

Each year, almost 1,000 people gather to dazzle their tastebuds with “all of the soup you can eat,”artfully crafted by 25 of the finest chefs on Hilton Head Island and the region.

The competition is steep and the entries are judiciously rated on criteria including presentation, composition, preparation and serving. In addition to the judges’ awards for first, second and third place, the coveted People’s Choice Award is up for grabs as all Soup Challenge attendees have the opportunity to cast a vote for their favorite soup.

“Of all of the local competitions that we enter, the Lowcountry

DETAILS

What: VIM 23rd annual Lowcountry Soup Challenge When: Noon to 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 18 Where: The Westin Hilton head Island Resort & Spa Tickets: $20 adult. Children 12 and under free Information: vimclinic.org

Soup Challenge is nearest and dearest to us,” said Brandon Arrieta, owner of Hugo’s Seafood and Steakhouse and winner of the Soup Challenge for the past two years. “We absolutely believe in the mission of VIM. In fact, my dad volunteered there for years. We love the Soup Challenge as we get the chance to think outside the box and build on creative and different ideas for recipes … which often make it to the menu at Hugo’s!”

Join VIM supporters at the event to sample unlimited soups and help our medically underserved neighbors, who all have a common need for quality health care. Soup’s on y’all! M January 2015 137

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WHAT TO DO

JAN. 31: Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Hilton Head Island Teen pag

Search is on for next Miss Hilton Head Island

PHOTO BY RUTHE

T

he Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Hilton Head Island Teen pageant competitions will take place at 7 p.m.

Jan. 31 at Hilton Head Island High School’s Seahawk Cultural Center on Hilton Head Island.

The Miss Hilton Head Island Scholarship Pageant is in its third year, back from a return after a 15-year absence from the island and the Miss SC Competition.

Contestants are currently being sought.

If you are interested in competing and are between the ages of 13 and 24, contact Jeremy Culpepper, executive director.

Contestants will compete in five phases of competition, including private interview with the judges, fitness for teen, swimsuit for miss, talent and evening gown. During the competition, each contestant will also discuss her chosen platform, a social or community issue of concern to herself and our society at large.

The winner of the Miss Hilton Head Island Competition will be awarded a $1,000 schol-

Miss Hilton Head Island Rachel Tripp is crowned following last year’s pageant competition.

arship for her college or graduate school education. In addition, she will receive in-kind prizes and scholarships. Other scholarship money will be awarded to preliminary competition winners, runners-up and special award winners, such as talent winners.

This year the pageant competition will continue its Pre-Teen competition for young

ladies from the ages of 8 to 12 years old.

The winner of the Pre-Teen competition will receive the entry fee paid to the state to participate as Miss Hilton Head Island’s official Miss SC Princess and perform during the Miss SC Pageant as well as make appearances throughout Miss SC Week in Columbia.

The Pre-Teen Pageant will be held from 2-4 p.m. Jan. 31.

During her year of service, Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Hilton Head Island Teen will travel across the Lowcountry region and throughout the state, speaking to government officials, business leaders, community groups and all types of citizens about her platform issue and encouraging them to become involved in her cause. They will also be eligible to compete for the Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina Teen titles in Columbia in June.

For competition applications and information, visit www.misshiltonheadisland.org or contact at misshhipageant@gmail.com. M

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nd Teen pageant ... Feb. 8: Celebrity Cake Auc

SAVE THE DATES FEB. 8

Hilton Head Bridal Show by Hilton Head Monthly: Noon to 4 p.m. Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. More than 50 fabulous vendors showcasing sample menus, floral displays, bridal fashions and more. Live music from Target The Band. Make it a weekend stay.

Special bridal show rates at the Westin are $109 per night. For more information, call Samantha Bradshaw at 843-842-6988, ext. 265. www.hiltonheadmonthly.com

FEB. 8

Celebrity Cake Auction: 3 p.m., Country Club of Hilton Head. A fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Meet local celebrities, enjoy comedy, silent auction, book signings and more. Tickets are $30, sold at Burke’s Pharmacy, The French Bakery and The Porcupine. 843342-4834

FEB. 20, MARCH 1

Cooks & Books: Plan now to chase away your mid-winter blues by attending the Literacy Center’s Cooks & Books fundraiser. Enjoy an elegant evening featuring a lavish dinner buffet, decadent desserts, unique silent auction and open bar at the Cooks & Books Preview Party from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 20 at TidePointe, A Vi Community. Tickets are $95 per person ($90 online before Feb. 6). Space is limited. The ninth annual Cooks & Books festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 1 at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The ticket includes unlimited tastings, access to the authors and the chef’s competition, and the opportunity to vote for a favorite tasting in “The Peoples’ Choice.” Visit www.theliteracycenter.org for more information and to learn how to buy tickets to both events.

Interested in volunteering or donating an auction item? Contact Wendy Jones at 843-815-6616 to learn how you can support the event.

FEB. 7

2015 Hilton Head Heart Ball: 6-11:30 p.m. at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. The American Heart Association invites you celebrate achievements in cardiovascular

research, science and medicine with the annual Hilton Head Heart Ball. Themed in 2015 as “Ignite Your Passion,” this year’s event is co-chaired by Robert and Eileen Hutton and John and Mary Kate Boyle. Attendees will enjoy gourmet dining, dancing, a live auction, a silent auction, live entertainment from Flashback and an opportunity to meet the Open Your Heart honoree.

Each year, the Heart Ball helps to raise money essential to research and education that aids in the fight against heart disease and stroke – the No. 1 and No. 4 killers of people in this country, respectively. Nationally, every 33 seconds someone dies from heart disease, and each year just under 1 million people die from cardiovascular diseases. Tickets are $200. For more information on the 2015 Heart Ball, contact Carla Raines, Heart Ball director, at 843-540-6338 or email carla.raines@ heart.org.

FEB. 7

2015 Publix Hilton Head Island Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K: 8 a.m., at Jarvis Creek Park. Runners will depart from Jarvis Creek Park and follow a course that will take them over the Cross Island Parkway, through several parks, numerous neighborhoods and over Broad Creek. The new and improved marathon course will travel over the Broad Creek twice, run through Spanish Wells Plantation, Point Comfort and Honey Horn. This certified “Boston Qualifier” is fast and flat other then trips over the bridge. The Half Marathon certified course takes participants through two parks and over the Broad Creek. Both the Marathon and Half Marathon will feature all standard male and female divisions. 843-757-8520 or bearfootsports.com January 2015 139

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WHAT TO DO

JAN. 30: CRF SPORTING CLAYS SHOOT ... JAN

CRF Sporting Clays Shoot

returns to Forest City Gun Club

W

BY CRISTEEN DENNIS

ith all the very worthy causes to support in the local community, with so many dinners, auctions and wonderful reasons to dress for the occasion and celebrate the art of giving, why does one event in particular seem to draw such a buzz?

Or should one say, make such a bang?

This month is the fourth annual CRF Sporting Clays Shoot at Forest City Gun Club in Savannah. It’s a day to put on the jeans, get down to earth, break bread, bust clays, meet new friends, gather with old ones, aim high, show off a bit and learn something brand new.

The date is set for Jan. 30, and the event consists of an exhibition by trick shooter Michael Perry; a Lowcountry lunch; and a clay shoot competition. It wraps up with an awards reception and silent auction.

This is not your typical fundraiser.

All the proceeds go to the Children’s Relief Fund (CRF), which has been supporting the special needs community for over 23 years.

Why is this event so popular? There are many reasons. First, this event draws the most interesting, passionate, dedicated people in the community. They are not afraid to roll up their sleeves, get down and dirty and have a lot of fun. Second, there are moments of seriousness and stiff competition (last year the top gun shot 95 percent), but the overall feel of the day is light-hearted, humorous and genuinely loving.

“On one side you have the ‘Annie Oakleys,’ who are dedicated and sophisticated about their shooting, and then you have the Italian American Club uncomfortably sandwiched between the women and some law enforcement representatives, making good fodder for all,” said RJ Bartholomew.

“Last year I had invited (friends) Bill and Dorothy Taylor to join my group,” said Bartholomew. “Dorothy was there to cheer her husband on as he was knocking the dust off his gun since he hadn’t shot in a while, and by the end of the day, Dorothy was shooting right alongside of him. ... Last I heard they joined a club and Dorothy now has a new toy and hobby.”

Jeff Fotia, committee volunteer, also said

DETAILS

What: CRF Sporting Clays Shoot When: Friday, Jan. 30 Where: Forest City Gun Club, Savannah Schedule: • 9-11 a.m.: Registration; 5 stand warm-up • 11 a.m.: Lunch by Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ • 12:30 p.m.: Exhibition, safety clinic • 1 p.m.: Clay shoot begins • 4:30 p.m.: Awards and reception, auction

the event is unique and fun.

“I believe our clay shoot is a great combination of a social and competitive environment while raising money. It’s not only rewarding, but a fun way to donate,” he said.

It may be surprising to learn that clay shooting is one of the most rapidly growing sports in the nation. College scholarships are even available. To participate, one doesn’t have to hunt to shoot, or even own a gun.

“One of the coolest things is seeing the women and youth - the numbers are over the top,” said Perry. “They are getting involved and loving it.”

The Lowcountry Annie Oakleys have participated the last three years and are excited about this year’s event. They say their goal is “to give back to our community through these events while at the same time having fun, fellowship and introducing more women to the sport of shooting.”

So what can be anticipated this year? This is an ever-evolving event. For instance, the trick shooting exhibition is always a highlight.

Perry is involved with shoots and events all over the area, but he says the CRF event connects closer to home for him because he has a family member that is mentally handicapped.

He says, for him, “it’s the tops … the structure of the day, overall conduct and organization of the event ... you have the iconic Fuzzy Davis as ringleader of the day, entertainment, an auction and the cause itself all together turns into something you just want to be a part of.”

Who says raising money can’t be fun?

For more information contact Carol Bartholomew at 843-384-1315 or visit www. thechildrensrelieffund.org. M

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SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

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PHOTOS BY KEITH VANDER SCHAAF

onthly’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Party at the Sonesta Resort was a smashing success!

Thanks to all that came out and made it such a special night. Extra special thanks to The Greenery for their beautiful flowers and plants, Sonesta Resort for hosting the event, and the fantastic musicians in Cranford Hollow, the Jazz Corner Quartet and the Lavon Stevens Quartet. Proceeds benefited Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.

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SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

Several members of The Whole Foods Market team volunteered at The Outside Foundation’s Broad Creek Clean Up.

Holiday on Main Street took place at Main Street Youth Theatre.

Whole Foods Market Hilton Head Island donated a Pure Fix India bicycle to the Hilton Head Humane Association Litter Box Thrift Store to help improve the lives of homeless animals on the island.

Palmetto Bluff presented checks of $46,000 each for charities Bluffton Self Help and the Boys and Girls Club. The checks were presented at the Southern Living Idea House.

Gen. (Retired) Arthur Brown, Maggie Bruen, Drew Laughlin, Richard DeKany and Will Dopp are shown at the 4th Quarter Mayor’s Citizens of the Month event.

The Agriculture program at Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence accepted an 8-week old pig as a gift to the Plant and Animal System Career and Technology Education program from the mayor of Hardeeville, Bronco Bostick.

Jamie Selby, Patricia Carey Wirth and Larry Sanders are shown at the 17th annual Golf Tournament at Oldfield Golf Club.

The Greenery and other contributors to Bluffton’s Wharf Street Redevelopment Project were recognized recently by the Town of Bluffton for their hard work. The project was honored in the August issue of Southern Living magazine as the “Best Community Revitalization.” Pictured are Melissa Brock and Janet Noonan with The Greenery.

Mary Ellen McConnell, wife of Volunteers in Medicine founder Dr. Jack McConnell, and her son Page enjoyed supporting VIM’s largest annual fundraising event, Dance for the Kids.

The 10th annual Cupid’s Arrow Golf Classic took place at Oldfield Golf Club in Okatie. Best net score winners were Mark White, Chris Golis and Gary Perkins.

Kevin Railey, Social Studies teacher at Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence, was nominated for Outstanding Teacher of American History for 2014.

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GET IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PHOTO BY THOMAS LOVE

To submit photos from your event or party e-mail editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com or you can share them directly from your Facebook page by liking us on Facebook. All photos courtesy those pictured unless otherwise noted.

Lori Goodridge Cribb, Andrea Gannon, Casey Colgan, Lynn Hummell and Judi Matoon are shown at the dress rehearsal for Singin’ in the Rain at the Arts Center.

Superman himself, Dean Cain, flew into Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte for a quick bite to eat.

This year’s recipient of the Wayne Carbiener “Above and Beyond Grant” from the Foundation for Educational Excellence is Amy Simmons, Beaufort County School District’s Teacher of the Year. Pictured are Carbiener’s wife, foundation board member Jan Davis-Vater, Simmons, and Carbiener’s daughter, Jody Dreyer.

The Monthly Pet: Kara is a beautiful lab/shepherd mix.

She’s fully grown at just 31 pounds which makes her a perfect-sized dog for a family or apartment. She’s got a great personality to match her good looks. For more information call 843-681-8686 or visit www. hhhumane.org.

Jeanne Hammel, Madeline Metzger, Marcia Adair, Judi Kestenbaum, Armando Aseneta, Cameron Hammel and Sandro Virag all competed in the World Promotions Orlando Ballroom Blitz.

The Dove Street Festival of Lights returned to Hilton Head with a lighting ceremony at Shelter Cove Towne Centre.

The Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence held a canned food drive organized by the officers and members of the Student Council, FFA and SkillsUSA student organizations. The students brought in over 300 cans of food and other perishable items.

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DINING

FEATURED RESTAURANT

Sea Grass Grille Intimate yet casual dining in a Lowcounry beach house setting.

Specializing in fresh seafood, Tuesday through Saturday.

807 William Hilton Pkwy., suite 1000 Hilton Head Island 843-785-9990, seagrassgrille.com

HILTON HEAD north end

Atlanta Bread Company: 45 Pembroke Drive 342-2253.  Bella Italia Bistro and Pizza: 95 Mathews Drive in Port Royal Plaza.

689-5560.  Carolina Café: The Westin Resort, Port Royal Plantation. 681-4000, ext.

7045.  Chart House: 2 Hudson Road. 3429066.  Crazy Crab (north): 104 William

Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5021, www.thecrazycrab. com. 

WANT TO BE LISTED?

Dye’s Gullah Fixin’s: 840 William Hilton Parkway. 681-8106. 

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Open Late Sunday Brunch

Fancy Q Sushi Bar & Grill: 435 William Hilton Parkway. 342-6626.  Fiesta Fresh Mexican Grill (north): 95 Mathews Drive. 342-8808.  Frankie Bones: Frankie’s boasts big booths, soft lighting and crisp snappy service with Sinatra playing in the background. Reminiscent of the enduring restaurants of Chicago and New

All area codes 843. Listings are fluid and heavily dependent on your help; to submit or update email editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com

York during the ’50s and ’60s. The kitchen boasts a combination wood fired and charcoal grilled cuisine.

TRY THIS: Frankie’s Signature Ribeye; chargrilled 16 oz. coffee marinated ribeye. Served with twice-baked potato casserole. $25.95. 1301 Main Street.

682-4455.  French Bakery: 430 William Hilton

Parkway in Pineland Station. 3425420.  Hudson’s on the Docks: 1 Hudson Road. 681-2772. www.hudsonsonthedocks.com.  Il Carpaccio: If you’re hankering for some authentic Italian cuisine, this hidden gem tucked away in Pineland Station is worth finding. Pizza is cooked

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DINING in a hardwood burning oven, imported from Italy.

TRY THIS: Vitella Piemonteste; veal scaloppine sauteed with mushrooms and Italian mild sausage in a light cream sauce, $16.95. 430 William Hilton Parkway in Pineland Station. 342-9949. www.ilcarpaccioofhiltonhead.com. LD

Tapas: 95 Mathews Drive, Suite B5, Hilton Head Island. 681-8590. D

Le Bistro Mediterranean: 430 William Hilton Parkway in Pineland Station. 681-8425. www.lebistromediterranean.com. D

OKKO: 95 Mathews Dr. 341-3377. LD

WiseGuys Restaurant and Lounge: WiseGuys has become a local see and be seen hot spot. Featuring small plates, signature entrees and steaks, they offers a comfortable contemporary full dining experience with an award winning wine list. WiseGuys’ serves the highest quality seafood and meats, the freshest ingredients, and when possible, local farm-to-table vegetables.

TRY THIS: Grouper Daufuskie; mushrooms, baby spinach, smoked Gouda grits and Daufuskie sauce. $27. 1513 Main Street. 842-8866. DO

Old Fort Pub: 65 Skull Creek Drive.

681-2386. DS

Yummy House: 2 Southwood Park Drive. 681-5888. LD

Outback Steakhouse: 20 Hatton Place. 681-4329. LD

HILTON HEAD

Main Street Café: 1411 Main Street Village. 689-3999. LDS Mangiamo!: 2000 Main Street. 6822444. LD Munchies: 1407 Main Street. 7853354. LD

PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

New York City Pizza: 45 Pembroke Dr. 689-2222. LD

Pan Fresco Ole: 55 Matthews Dr. 681-5989. LD Plantation Café and Deli: 95 Mathews Drive. 342-4472. BL

TJ’s Take and Bake Pizza: 35 Main Street. 681-2900. LD Turtles Beach Bar & Grill: 2 Grasslawn Avenue at the Westin Resort. 681-4000. LDO

mid-island

843: 890 William Hilton Parkway, Fresh Market Shoppes. 681-8843.

LD

Reilley’s Grill and Bar (north): 95 Mathews Drive. 681-4153. LDSO

Alexander’s: 76 Queens Folly Road.

785-4999. LD

Relish Cafe: 430 William Hilton Parkway, Pineland Station. 342-4800.

Alfred’s: European-trained chef Alfred Kettering combines some of the most appealing elements of classic American and Continental cuisine in this tiny Plantation Center hideaway. Grab a seat at the chef’s counter to watch the master at work.

TRY THIS: Roast Rack of Spring Lamb with mashed potatoes and vegetables $34.95. 807 William Hilton Parkway, #1200, in Plantation Center, 341-3117, www.alfredsofhiltonhead.com D

Ruby Lee’s: 46 Wild Horse Road.

681-7829. LDS Skull Creek Boathouse: On the scenic banks of Skull Creek, overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway and Pinckney Island Wildlife Preserve, the Boathouse is a landmark waterfront restaurant. Chef Brad Blake provides a huge selection of items for both seafood and land lovers.

TRY THIS: Salt and Vinegar Crab Cakes; potato chip crust, remoulade sauce, yukon gold smashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables. $16. 397 Squire Pope Road. 681-3663. DO Starbucks: 430 William Hilton Pkway in Pineland Station, 689-6823.

Street Meet: 95 Mathews Drive in Port Royal Plaza. 842-2570. LDO Sunset Grille: 43 Jenkins Island Road. 689-6744. LDOS

Arthur’s Grille: Arthur Hills course, Palmetto Dunes. 785-1191. LD Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers and Pizza: Robert Trent Jones course, Palmetto Dunes. 785-1165. LD Bistro 17: 17 Harbourside Lane in Shelter Cove. 785-5517. www.bistro17hhi.com. LD Bonefish: 890 William Hilton Parkway. 341-3772. LD Carrabba’s Italian Grill: 14 Folly January 2015 149

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DINING

Charlie’s L’etoile Verte A great place for a power lunch or a romantic dinner. Owner Charlie Golson and his son Palmer write their entire menu by hand each day, based on the freshest local seafood available.

The dinner menu offers an array of 14 fresh fish, rack of lamb, filet mignon and more.

PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN

TRY THIS Local cobia:Grilled with mango vinaigrette, $29.

8 New Orleans Road. 785-9277. www.charliesgreenstar.com

Field Drive. 785-5007. LD Café at the Marriott: Oceanside at Marriott Beach and Golf Resort, Palmetto Dunes. 686-8488. BL Carolina Seafood House: Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort, 40 Folly Field Road. 8420084. D Coco’s On The Beach: 663 William Hilton Parkway; also located at beach marker 94A. 8422626. LD CocoNutz Sportz Bar: Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort, 40 Folly Field Road. 8420043 DO Conroy’s: Hilton Head Marriott Beach and Golf Resort, Palmetto Dunes. 686-8499. DS ELA’s Blu Water Grille: Featured in Bon Appetit and the winner of numerous Open Table awards. Fresh catch seafood and prime cut steaks of the highest quality compliment the extensive boutique wine selection. ELA’s is known for the best water views on the island. Serving lunch Monday - Friday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dinner nightly starting at 5 p.m., and now offering “Sunday Brunch on the Water” complete with live jazz music every Sunday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

TRY THIS: ELA’s Calamari; lightly battered long strips, served with wasabi and red pepper remoulade. $10.

1 Shelter Cove Lane in Shelter Cove Harbour. 785-3030. www. elasgrille.com. LD Flora’s Italian Cafe: 841 William Hilton Parkway in South Island Square. 842-8200. D Gator’z Pizza: HHI Beach & Tennis Resort. 842-0004. D Giuseppi’s Pizza and Pasta: Giuseppi’s serves award-winning pizza plus pasta, subs, other sandwiches and much more. Two locations at the Plaza at Shelter Cove Island and Kittie’s Crossing in Bluffton. Hilton Head Giuseppi’s recently had its interior rebuilt and remodeled with outstanding results.

TRY THIS: Giuseppi’s Special: Pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and black olives. $22.95 (large). 32 Shelter Cove Lane in Shelter Cove.

785-4144. LD Harold’s Diner: 641 William Hilton Parkway. 842-9292. BL HH Prime: Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort in Palmetto Dunes. 842-8000. BLDS Island Bagel & Deli: South

Island Square. 686-3353. BL Jamaica Joe’z Beach Bar: Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort, 40 Folly Field Road.

842-0044.

Kingfisher Seafood, Pasta and Steakhouse: Voted one of the Island’s best for 21 years.

Casual, affordable waterfront dining featuring delicious local specialties. Meals served on the spacious deck or indoors in an old world Mediterranean setting with a view of the water. Free live musical entertainment. After dinner, catch a show at the comedy club upstairs.

TRY THIS: Broiled Seafood Medley: Shrimp, scallops, deviled crab and tilapia, with rice pilaf and vegetables. $19.99. 18 Harbourside Lane in Shelter Cove. 785-4442. www. kingfisherseafood.com. DO La Fontana Grill & Pizzeria: 13 Harbourside Lane, Shelter Cove.

785-3300. LDO Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar: 841 William Hilton Pkwy, Unit A, South Island Square. 681-3474. www.luckyroosterhhi.com. DO Mediterranean Harbour: 13 Harbourside Lane, Unit B, Shelter Cove Harbour. 842-9991, mediterraneanharbour.com. DO

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DINING

RESTAURANT WEEK dishes up Taste of the Lowcountry

I

t’s about to look like the middle of the summer rush at many area restaurants — but that’s a good thing for the restaurants and diners alike. The seventh annual Chamber Restaurant Week kicks off Jan. 24 and runs through Jan. 31, and the annual event brings out crowds of hungry foodies all looking to sample the best of what area restaurants have to offer at a reduced price.

This year, more than 50 restaurants are participating, and they’ll be offering fixed-price menus that offer a bargain on multi-course menus in hopes of boosting business during a typically slow time of year. For Lowcountry residents, these deals are a chance to check out a new spot in town or to try a restaurant that might otherwise be too pricey.

“The week is a win-win for our area’s restaurants, because it helps drive business at a time when it’s usually slower than our busy visitor season and also for diners, who get to experience everything our area has to offer,” said Charlie Clark, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman.

The chamber modeled the weeklong event after other successful food-centric weeks in cities such as Los Angeles and New York City as a way to showcase the Lowcountry’s unique culinary scene. A list of participating restaurants and the special menus they’ll be offering is available at www.

ChamberRestaurantWeek.com, and new restaurants are added daily.

This year’s list of participating restaurants offers something for everyone. Hungry diners will be able to choose from a variety of different restaurants, including upscale favorites such as Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana, The Jazz Corner, Frankie Bones and May River Grille, as well as more casual spots such as Charbar Co., Jump and Phil’s Bar and Grill and The Old Town Dispensary in Old Town Bluffton. Those with a sweet tooth will find special deals at Pino Gelato as well as Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, which recently opened at the new Shelter Cove Town Centre.

The wide array of Chamber Restaurant Week offerings helps showcase the area’s unique culinary scene, something that excites some restaurateurs.

“We’re not the typical dockside Hilton Head seafood restaurant,” said Clayton Rollison, owner and chef at Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. “This is a great chance to really stand out. Restaurant Week helps expose us to island visitors and locals who haven’t dined with us before, while still showing our appreciation to our loyal patrons who come in time and time again by offering them a great deal.”

New restaurants also are taking advantage of the chance to introduce diners to their menus.

Coast, an onceanfront restaurant at the Sea Pines Beach Club, and Live Oak, which dishes up Lowcountry-inspired cuisine at the Sea Pines Resort, both recently opened their doors and will be participating in Chamber Restaurant Week.

IF YOU GO When: Jan. 24-31 Details: Fixed-price menus that offer a bargain on muti-course menus. Participating restaurants (at press time). Find the latest list online at www.ChamberRestaurantWeek.com • Alexander’s

• Black Marlin Bayside Grill

• Charbar Co. • Coast • The Crazy Crab • Frankie Bones • Holy Tequila • The Jazz Corner • Kingfisher • La Fontana • Lucky Rooster • Michael Anthony’s • Nick’s • The Dispensary • Orange Leaf • Red Fish • Santa Fe Cafe • The Studio • Trattoria Divina • Truffles Belfair • Whole Foods

• Chart House • Corner Perk Cafe • ELA’S Blu Water Grille • Heyward’s Restaurant • Hugo’s Seafood & Steakhouse • Jump and Phi’s Bar and Grill • Kurama Japanese Restaurant • Live Oak • May River Grill • NEO • Old Oyster Factory • OMBRA Cucina Rustica • Pino Gelato • Reilley’s Grill and Bar • Sea Grass Grille • Skull Creek Boathouse • TJ’s Take & Bake Pizza • Truffles Cafe Sea Pines • WiseGuys January 2015 151

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DINING

Holy Tequilla

PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN

Offering a harmonizing blend of Mexican street food with new American flavors. Its inviting space features an open kitchen, an indoor/outdoor open air seating area, a large tequila bar and a private tasting room. The menu features a wide variety of gourmet tacos, quesadillas, salads and smalls plates, all priced under $11; and a fully stocked bar with more than 40 premium tequilas, hand33 Office Park Road, Suite 228 crafted specialty cocktails, Mexican beers Hilton Head Island and spanish inspired wines.

681-8226, holytequila.com

TRY THIS Fried chicken taco: Fried chicken, spicy pimento cheese, collards and boiled peanuts, $3.95.

New York City Pizza: 45 Pembroke Dr., Ste. 105. 689-2229. LD Old Oyster Factory: With panoramic views overlooking Broad Creek, this Hilton Head landmark was voted one of the country’s “Top 100 Scenic View Restaurants” by OpenTable. It was also recently recommended in the “Off the Beaten Track” column of The Wall Street Journal. Wine Spectator magazine bestowed its “Award of Excellence” for the restaurant’s wine list and knowledge of wine.

TRY THIS: Potato Crusted Black Grouper served with garlic Parmesan rice and julienned vegetables, finished with a horseradish cream, $24.99. 101 Marshland Road. 681-6040. www. oldoysterfactory.com DO

Orange Leaf: Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt is a self-serve, choose-your-own toppings frozen treat destination at the new Shelter Cove Towne Centre shopping complex. Sixteen rotating unique flavors are prepared fresh daily with fat free milk and mixed up in proprietary serving machines that make for a richer, creamier treat. Find a selection of at least 35 toppings, ranging from kidfriendly gummy bears to tree-hugging granola. All fruit toppings are prepared fresh daily and rotate seasonally.

TRY THIS: Wedding Cake; You’ll love this Froyo so much, you just may marry it. $0.55 per ounce. 38 Shelter Cove Lane, 843-689-5323, orangeleafyogurt.com.

Pazzo: 807 William Hilton Parkway in

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DINING

Plantation Center. 842-9463. LD Roastfish & Cornbread: 70 Marshland Road. 342-2996. LD Ruan Thai Cuisine I: 81 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island.

785-8575. LD Scott’s Fish Market Restaurant and Bar: 17 Harbour Side Lane. 7857575. D San Miguel’s: 9 Shelter Cove Lane in Shelter Cove Harbour. 842-4555. www. sanmiguels.com. LD Santa Fe Café: 807 William Hilton Parkway in Plantation Center. 7853838. LD Sea Grass Grille: 807 William Hilton Parkway. 785-9990. LD Signals Lounge: 130 Shipyard Drive Crowne Plaza Resort. 842-2400.

Starbucks: 32 Shelter Cove Lane.

842-4090 Up the Creek Pub & Grill: Broad Creek Marina, 18 Simmons Road. 6813625. LDO XO Lounge: Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort in Palmetto Dunes.

341-8080.

YoAddiction!: 890 William Hilton Parkway. 341-3335

HILTON HEAD south end

Amigos Cafe y Cantina: 70 Pope Avenue. 785-8226. LD Angler’s Beach Market Grill: 2 North Forest Beach Dr., 785-3474. LD Annie O’s: A southern restaurant serving classics such as slow roasted pork shoulder, shrimp and grits and fried chicken.

TRY THIS: Buttermilk fried catfish; served over cheese grits with peach barbecue and a vinegar slaw. $11. 124 Arrow Road. 341-2664. LD Asian Bistro: 51 New Orleans Road.

686-9888. LD Aunt Chilada’s Easy Street Cafe: 69 Pope Avenue. 785-7700. LD Beach Break Grill: 24 Palmetto Bay Road, Suite F. 785-2466. LD Bess’ Delicatessen and Catering: Lunch specials include fresh home-

made soups and assorted salads, and the only 100 percent freshly oven roasted turkey breast on the island.

Bess’ features Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, Hellmann’s mayonnaise and 28 years of experience.

TRY THIS: Soap’s Delight; freshly baked turkey breast, cranberry mayo, bacon, swiss and lettuce on wheat. $7.50. 55 New Orleans Road, Fountain Center.

785-5504. www.bessdeli.com. BL Big Bamboo Cafe: 1 North Forest Beach Drive, Coligny Plaza. 686-3443, www.bigbamboocafe.com.

Black Marlin Bayside Grill and Hurricane Bar: Attractive waterside restaurant in Palmetto Bay Marina.

Patrons may choose to dine or enjoy libations indoors or outdoors with a view of Broad Creek. The Black Marlin serves the island’s largest selection of fresh seafood, frozen drinks and delicious hand cut steaks in a casual relaxing atmosphere. The menu focuses on a variety of seafood, steaks and fresh fish daily. There are daily blackboard seafood selections, plus nightly specials that incorporate season items purchased locally whenever possible.

TRY THIS: Baja Lobster Tacos; battered and fried lobster tail, baja taco sauce, shaved cabbage, pico de gallo and sour cream on a flour tortilla. $19.

86 Helmsman Way in Palmetto Bay Marina. 785-4950. LDS Bomboras Grille: 101 A/B Pope Avenue, Coligny Plaza. 689-2662 LDO Bayley’s: 130 Shipyard Drive. 8422400. BD British Open Pub: 1000 William Hilton Parkway D3 in the Village at Wexford. 686-6736. LDO Bullies BBQ: 3 Regents Pkwy. 6867427. LD Callahan’s Sports Bar & Grill: 49 New Orleans Road. 686-7665. LDO Captain Woody’s: Many restaurants claim to be a favorite of locals.

Speaking as locals, one of our favorites is Captain Woody’s. Owners Shannon and Russell Anderson made a good thing even better with their new location at 6 Target Road. Woody’s now offers more seating, an expanded menu and an attractive outdoor patio with an attached bar.

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DINING

Kurama Japanese Restaurant

9 Palmetto Bay Road, 785-4955 kuramahhi.com PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN

Kurama has long served locals and Hilton Head visitors with the finest in Japanese cuisine. Ready to cater to the most discriminating tastes, Kurama can many offer different dining experiences, all with same high-quality food and service. Whether it be a teppanyaki-style offering prepared right before your eyes or a mouth-watering creation from the sushi bar, Kurama prides itself on using only the freshest ingredients.

TRY THIS Fire scallop roll: Shrimp tempura, asparagus and spicy mayo with sliced scallops on top, $10.95

TRY THIS: Grouper Melt, fried and topped with sauteed onions, mushrooms and melted cheese. Served open faced on a kaiser roll with homemade chips, $13.99. 6 Target Road.

785-2400. www.captainwoodys.com.

LDO

salads and more.

TRY THIS: Champ Burger; Signature beef blend on toasted brioche with sharp cheddar cheese, bacon marmalade, dijon mustard and dill pickles. $10. 33 Office Park Rd., Suite 213.

Park Plaza, 85-CHAR (2427).

Carolina Crab Company: 86 Helmsman Way, Palmetto Bay Marina.

LD

Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte: 8 New Orleans Road. 785-9277. www.charliesgreenstar.com.D

Casey’s Sports Bar and Grille: 37 New Orleans Road. 785-2255. LDO

Chow Daddy’s: This new restaurant, located in the old Dry Dock building on Executive Park Road, is using local, organic ingredients with meals prepared to order. The menu will feature salad bowls, sandwiches, tacos, hot bowls, platters and other snacks. The daily happy hour is 4-6 p.m.

TRY THIS: Pork tacos; sriracha aioli,

Catch 22: 37 New Orleans Plaza. 7856261. D Charbar Co.: Executive chef Charles Pejeau’s burger creations have made this a local favorite, serving award winning gourmet burgers, sandwiches, 154 hiltonheadmonthly.com

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DINING arugula, avocado and peppadew pepper sauce. $8.50. 14B Executive Park Road, Hilton Head Island, 843-842CHOW, chowdaddys.com.

Coast: Sea Pines Beach Club. 8421888 LD Coligny Deli & Grill: Coligny Plaza.

785-4440. LD Corks Neighborhood Wine Bar: 11 Palmetto Bay Road. 671-7783. LD CQ’s: 140A Lighthouse Lane.

671-2779. LD Crane’s Tavern and Steakhouse: 26 New Orleans Road. 341-2333. D Crazy Crab (Harbour Town): 149 Lighthouse Road. 363-2722. LD DelisheeeYo: Palmetto Bay Road in the Village Exchange. 785-3633. www. delisheeeyo.com.

Daniel’s Restaurant and Lounge: 2 North Forest Beach Drive. 341-9379. www.danielshhi.com. LD Dough Boys: 1-B New Orleans Road.

686-BOYS. doughboyshhi.com. LD DryDock: 21 Office Park Road. 8429775.LDO Earle of Sandwich Pub: 1 North Forest Beach Drive in Coligny Plaza.

785-7767. LD

Harbour Town, Sea Pines Resort, 843842-1444, www.seapines.com. LD Harbour Town Bakery and Cafe: Harbour Town, Sea Pines. 363-2021.

BL Heyward’s: 130 Shipyard Drive. 8422400. BD Hilton Head Diner: 6 Marina Side Drive. 686-2400. BLDO Hilton Head Brewing Company: 7C Greenwood Drive (Reilley’s Plaza), Hilton Head Plaza. 785-3900. www. hhbrewingco.com.LD Hilton Head Ice Cream: 55 New Orleans Road, #114. 852-6333.

Hinchey’s Chicago Bar and Grill: 36 South Forest Beach Drive. 6865959. LDO Hinoki of Kurama: 37 New Orleans Road. 785-9800. LD Holy Tequila: 33 Office Park Rd., Suite 228. 681-8226. LD Hugo’s Seafood & Steakhouse: 841 William Hilton Parkway. 785HUGO. LD It’s Greek To Me: 11 Lagoon Road in Coligny Plaza. 842-4033. LDO Java Burrito Company: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy. 842-5282. BLD

Electric Piano: 33 Office Park Road.

785-5399. O

Java Joe’s: 101 Pope Avenue in Coligny Plaza. 686- 5282. BLDO

Fat Baby’s: 1034 William Hilton Parkway. 842-4200. LD

Jazz Corner: Village at Wexford. 8428620. DO

Fiesta Fresh Mexican Grill: 51 New Orleans Road. 785-4788. LD

Jump and Phil’s Bar and Grill: 7 Greenwood Drive, Suite 3B. 785-9070.

LDO

FlatBread Grill: 2 North Forest Beach Drive, 341-2225, flatbreadgrillhhi. com.

French Kiss Bakery: Coligny Plaza, 1 North Forest Beach Drive. 687-5471.

BL Frozen Moo: Coligny Plaza, 1 North Forest Beach Drive. 842-3131 Frosty Frog Cafe: 1 North Forest Beach in Coligny Plaza. 686-3764.

LDO

Kenny B’s French Quarter Cafe: 70 Pope Avenue in Circle Center. 7853315. BLDS Jersey Mike’s: 11 Palmetto Bay Rd., Island Crossing. 341-6800.

Kurama Japanese Steak and Seafood House: 9 Palmetto Bay Road. 785-4955. D La Hacienda: 11 Palmetto Bay Road.

842-4982. LD

Gringo’s Diner: E-5, Coligny Plaza.

785-5400.

Land’s End Tavern: South Beach Marina, Sea Pines. 671-5456. BLD

Gruby’s New York Deli: 890 William Hilton Parkway in the Fresh Market Shoppes. 842-9111. BL

Live Oak: 100 North Sea Pines Drive, 842-1441, liveoaklowcountrycuisine. com

Harbourside Burgers and Brews:

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DINING Bay Road at The Village Exchange.

785-9273. BLD Lodge Beer and Growler Bar: The Southeast’s premier Craft Beer Bar. 36 rotating taps and an extensive bar.

Burgers and gourmet grilled cheeses.

Kick back and relax in a ski mountain themed atmosphere.

TRY THIS: Juicy Lucy; American cheese stuffed into a juicy burger, topped iwth 1000 island dressing, stone smoked onions and pickles. $8.5. 7B Greenwood Drive, Hilton Head Plaza.

842-8966. DO Mellow Mushroom: 33 Office Park Road in Park Plaza. 686-2474. www. mellowmushroom.com. LDO Mi Tierra (Hilton Head): 130 Arrow Rd. 342-3409. LD Market Street Cafe: 12 Coligny Plaza. 686-4976. LD Marley’s Island Grille: Marleys serves up all sorts of delicious fare cooked on a wood-fired grill, using hickory wood to enhance flavor.

Spacious, attractive tropical hideaway-

style restaurant with open kitchen.

Special steamers for shellfish. Ice Cream & Trading Company, immediately adjacent to the restaurant, features more than 20 ice creams handmade on the premises.

TRY THIS: Captain’s Seafood Trio; stuffed shrimp, scallops and flounder broiled in mojo de ajo, island rice, black beans and house vegetables. $23.99. 35 Office Park Road in Park Plaza. 686-5800. DO Michael Anthony’s: Now celebrating its 12th year in business, Michael Anthony’s has been recognized by Open Table diners as one of the “Top 50 Italian Restaurants” in the United States.

TRY THIS: Bistecca alla Fiorentina; Tuscan-style herb encrusted bone-in ribeye. $38. 37 New Orleans Road.

785-6272, michael-anthonys.com.

New York City Pizza: 81 Pope Avenue. 842-2227. LD Nick’s Steak & Seafood: 9 Park Lane. 686-2920. D Ombra Cucina Rustica: Popular

local chef Michael Cirafesi and distinguished Philadelphia chef Nunzio Patruno have teamed up to open this upscale Italian restaurant in the Village at Wexford. Many dishes were created hundreds of years ago, passed down from generation to generation. All deserts, pastas and breads are made daily using natural and fresh ingredients imported from Italy.

TRY THIS: Carpaccio di Manzo; thinly sliced raw “Piemontese” beef, arugula, olive oil and shaved Parmigiano, $14.

Village at Wexford. 842-5505. www. ombrahhi.com. D One Hot Mama’s: Mama serves meats, smoked low and slow, that are sure to please. Enjoy award-winning wings and ribs, or steaks hand cut daily. All sides are homemade in small batches. Specialties include quality steaks, baby back ribs, pork, brisket, seafood, smoked and fried BBQ chicken.

TRY THIS: Winning Rib Sampler; Mama’s Perfect 10, Hot Asian and Chocolate BBQ. $21. 7 Greenwood Drive, Hilton Head Plaza. 682-6262.

LDSO Palmetto Bay Sunrise Café: 86 Helmsman Way in Palmetto Bay Marina. 686-3232. BL Philly’s Café and Deli: 102 Fountain Center, New Orleans Road.

785-9966. L Pino Gelato: 1000 William Hilton Parkway, Village at Wexford. 842-2822.

Plantation Café and Deli (south): 81 Pope Avenue in Heritage Plaza.

785-9020. BL Pomodori: 1 New Orleans Road. 6863100. D The Porch: Beach House hotel. One South Forest Beach Drive. 785-5126.

BLD Quarterdeck: 149 Lighthouse Road, Harbour Town, Sea Pines. 842-1999.

LDO Red Fish: Upscale dining at its finest.

Head chef Chaun Bescos takes advantage of his close relationship with local growers and farmer’s markets, tailoring Red Fish’s menu around which

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DINING foods are in season. The result is an eclectic blend of seafood, steaks, fresh fruit and local vegetables.

TRY THIS: Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits; served with Keegan Filion Farms chorizo gravy and fried okra over a bed of sauteed kale, $24. 8 Archer Road.

686-3388. www.redfishofhiltonhead. com. LD

Stellini:15 Executive Park Road. 7857006. D Stu’s Surfside: 1 North Forest Beach Drive, Coligny Plaza. 686-7873. LD The Studio: 20 Executive Park Road.

785-6000. D Sweet Carolina Cupcakes: 1 N. Forest Beach Drive. 342-2611.

Reilley’s Grill and Bar (south): 7D Greenwood Drive. 842-4414. LDO

Tiki Hut: 1 South Forest Beach Drive at the Beach House. 785-5126. OLD

Rita’s Italian Ice: 1 North Forest Beach Drive, Coligny Plaza. 686-2596, ritasice.com.

Topside Waterfront Restaurant: Harbour Town, Sea Pines. 842-1999. D

Salty Dog Cafe: One of Hilton Head’s favorite outdoor cafes for more than 20 years. Fresh seafood. Located at South Beach Marina, overlooking Braddock Cove. Both indoor and outdoor seating are available. Live music and children’s entertainment nightly during the season.

TRY THIS: Crab Cake Dinner; two freshly prepared Chesapeake-style lump crab cakes with homemade remoulade sauce. Served with Captain’s Au Gratin potatoes and fresh vegetables, $22.99. South Beach Marina Village, Sea Pines Resort. 671-7327. www.saltydog. com. LD Sage Room: 81 Pope Avenue, Heritage Plaza. 785-5352. D Sea Shack: 6 Executive Park Drive.

785-2464. LD Signe’s Bakery & Cafe: 93 Arrow Road. 785-9118. BLS Skillets Café: Coligny Plaza. 7853131. BLD The Smokehouse: 34 Palmetto Bay Road. 842-4227. BLDO Smuthiland: 11 Palmetto Bay Rd. in Island Crossing shopping center.

842-9808.

Southern Coney & Breakfast: 70 Pope Avenue in Circle Center. 6892447. BL Spirit of Harbour Town: 843-3639026. www.vagabondcruise.com.

Stack’s Pancakes of Hilton Head: 2 Regency Parkway. 341-3347. BLD Starbucks (south): 11 Palmetto Bay Road. 341-5477 Steamers: 28 Coligny Plaza. 7852070. LD

Trattoria Divina: 33 Office Park Rd. 686-4442. D Truffles Cafe (Sea Pines): Fresh local seafood, Black Angus steaks, baby back ribs, homemade soups and garden salads.

TRY THIS: Chicken Pot Pie; tender breast meat, carrots, mushrooms, sweet bell peppers and white wine cream sauce covered with a puff pastry. $12.95. 671-6136. 71 Lighthouse Road. Sea Pines Center. www.trufflescafe.com LD Urban Vegan: 86 Helmsman Way, Palmetto Bay Marina. 671-3474. LD Vari Asian Seafood and Sushi Buffet: 840 William Hilton Pkwy. 7859000. LD Vine: 1 North Forest Beach Drive in Coligny Plaza. 686-3900. LD Vintage Prime: 55 New Orleans Road 802-4564. D Watusi: 71 Pope Avenue. 686-5200. www.islandwatusi.com. BL Wild Wing Café: 72 Pope Avenue.

785-9464. LDO Wine and Cheese If You Please: 24 Palmetto Bay Rd. Suit G. 842-1200.

Wreck of the Salty Dog: South Beach Marina Village, Sea Pines. 6717327. D YoAddiction!: 890 William Hilton Parkway. 341-3335

BLUFFTON Amigos Belfair (Bluffton): 133 Towne Drive. 815-8226. LD Backwater Bill’s: 20 Hampton Lake Drive. 875-5253. LDO Bluffton BBQ: 11 State of Mind January 2015 157

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DINING Street. 757-7427, blufftonbbq.com.

LD Bluffton Family Seafood House: 27 Dr. Mellichamp Drive. 757-4010.

LD The Bluffton Room: 15 Promenade Street, 843-757-3525, www.theblufftonroom.com D The Brick Chicken: 1011 Fording Island Rd. in the Best Buy Shopping Center. 836-5040. LDO Buffalos Restaurant: 476 Mount Pelia Road inside Palmetto Bluff. 7066500. LD Cahill’s Market & Chicken Kitchen: 1055 May River Rd. 7572921. LD Captain Woody’s: Many restaurants claim to be a favorite of locals.

Speaking as locals, one of our favorites is Captain Woody’s.

TRY THIS: Grouper Melt, fried and topped with sauteed onions, mushrooms and melted cheese. Served open faced on a kaiser roll with homemade chips, $13.99. 17 State

of Mind Street in the Calhoun Street Promenade. 757-6222. www.captainwoodys.com. LDO Cheeburger Cheeburger: 108 Buckwalter Parkway. 837-2433. LD Choo Choo BBQ Xpress: 129 Burnt Church Rd. 815-7675. LDO Claude & Uli’s Bistro: 1533 Fording Island Road. 837-3336. LD Coconuts Bar & Grille: 39 Persimmon Street. 757-0602. DO Corks Neighborhood Wine Bar: 1297 May River Road. 815-5168. DO Corner Perk Cafe: 1297 May River Road, Downtown. 816-5674, cornerperk.com. BL The Cottage Cafe, Bakery and Tea Room: 38 Calhoun Street. 757-0508. www.thecottagebluffton.com. BL Crescent City Cafe: 4490 Bluffton Park Crescent, 843-757-7771, crescentcitycafe.us. LD Downtown Deli: 27 Dr. Mellichamp Drive. 815-5005. BL

El Super Internacional: 33 Sherington Dr. 815-8113. LD

Honeybaked Ham: 1060 Fording Island Road. 815-7388. BLD

Firehouse Subs: 32 Malphrus Rd., #109. 815-7827. LD

The Infield: 9 Promenade St., Suite 1201-2, 757-2999. LD

Fiesta Fresh Mexican Grill: 876 Fording Island Road (Hwy. 278), Suite 1. 706-7280. LD

Island Bagel & Deli: Sheridan Park.

815-5300. BL

Giuseppi’s Pizza and Pasta: Giuseppi’s serves award-winning pizza plus pasta, subs, other sandwiches and much more. Two locations at the Plaza at Shelter Cove Island and Kittie’s Crossing in Bluffton.

TRY THIS: Giuseppi’s Special: Pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and black olives. $22.95 (large). 25 Bluffton Road. 815-9200. LD Hana Sushi and Japanese Fusion: 1534 Fording Island Road. 837-3388. www.hanasushifusion.com LD Hinchey’s Chicago Bar & Grill: 104 Buckwalter Place Suite 1A. 836-5909.

LD HogsHead Kitchen and Wine Bar: 1555 Fording Island Rd. 837-4647.

Jameson’s Charhouse: 671 Cypress Hills Drive, Sun City. 705-8200. LD Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q: 872 Fording Island Road. 706-9741. LD Katie O’Donald’s: 1008 Fording Island Road (Kittie’s Crossing). 8155555. LDO Kelly’s Tavern: 11B Buckingham Plantation Drive. 837-3353. BLDO Kobe Japanese Restaurant: 30 Plantation Park Drive. 757-6688. LD Longhorn: Inside Tanger I. 705-7001.

LD Los Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill: The Bridge Center. 837-2333. LD Lowcountry Flower Girls: Berkeley Place. 837-2253.

May River Grill: 1263 May River

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DINING

Road. 757-5755. LD Mellow Mushroom: 878 Fording Island Rd. 706-0800. www.mellowmushroom.com. LDO Mi Tierra: 27 Dr. Mellichamp Drive.

757-7200. LD Mi Tierrita: 214 Okatie Village Drive.

705-0925. LD Moon Mi Pizza: 15 State of Mind Street. 757-7007. LD Moe’s Southwest Grill: 3 Malphrus Road. 837-8722. LD Mulberry Street Trattoria: 1476 Fording Island Road. 837-2426.

LDS NEO: 326 Moss Creek Village. 8375111. LD Old Town Dispensary: 15 Captains Cove. 837-1893. LDO Orobello’s Bistro & Pizzeria: 103 Buckwalter Place, Unit 108. 837-5637, www.orobellosbluffton.com. LDO

foods are in season. The result is an eclectic blend of seafood, steaks, fresh fruit and local vegetables.

TRY THIS: Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits; served with Keegan Filion Farms chorizo gravy and fried okra over a bed of sauteed kale, $24. 32 Bruin Road, 837-8888. LD Red Stripes Caribbean Cuisine and Lounge: 8 Pin Oak Street. 7578111. LDO River House Restaurant: 476 Mount Pelia Road in Palmetto Bluff.

706-6500. LD Robert Irvine’s Nosh!: Inside Tanger II. 837-5765. LD Ruan Thai Cuisine II: 26 Towne Drive, Belfair Town Village. 757-9479.

LD Saigon Cafe: 1304 Fording Island Road. 837-1800. BLD Sake House: G1017 Fording Island Road Ste 105. 706-9222. LD

Outback Steakhouse: 100 Buckwalter Place. 757-9888. LD

Sigler’s Rotisserie: 12 Sheridan Park Circle. 815-5030. D

Panda Chinese Restaurant: 25 Bluffton Road. 815-6790. LD

Sippin’ Cow Cafe: 1230 May River Road. 757-5051. BL

Pepper’s Porch: 1255 May River Road. 757-2522. LD Pino Gelato Gourmet Cafe: A European-style coffeehouse that offers freshly orated coffee and high-end treats. High-quality desserts, sandwiches, flatbreads and more. No items have preservatives.

TRY THIS: Gourmet Sandwich; French salad, eggs, ham, salami and pickles. $7.95. 1536 Fording Island Road (Bridge Center), Bluffton, 843-8372633, pinogelatogourmetcafe.com.

BLD Plantation Cafe & Deli: 1532 Fording Island Road. 815-4445.

Pour Richard’s: 4376 Bluffton Parkway. 757-1999. DO The Pub at Old Carolina: 91 Old Carolina Road. 757-6844. D R Bar: 70 Pennington Drive. 7577264. LD Red Fish: Upscale dining at its finest.

Head chef Chaun Bescos takes advantage of his close relationship with local growers and farmer’s markets, tailoring Red Fish’s menu around which

Squat N’ Gobble: 1231 May River Road. 757-4242. BLD Stooges Cafe: 25 Sherington Drive.

706-6178. BL Truffles Cafe: Fresh local seafood, Black Angus steaks, baby back ribs, homemade soups and garden salads.

TRY THIS: Chicken Pot Pie; tender breast meat, carrots, mushrooms, sweet bell peppers and white wine cream sauce covered with a puff pastry.

91 Towne Drive Belfair Towne Village.

815-5551. trufflescafe.com. LD Vineyard 55: 55 Calhoun Street.

757-9463. D Veritas: 163 Bluffton Rd. Unit F. 843815-6900, veritasbluffton.com. D Walnuts Café: 70 Pennington Drive in Sheridan Park. 815-2877. BLS Wild Wing Café (Bluffton): 1188 Fording Island Road. 837-9453. LD Zepplin’s Bar & Grill: Inside Station 300. 25 Innovation Dr. 815-2695.

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LAST CALL

PLEASE HELP ENVISION THE FUTURE OF

your community

MARC FREY mfrey@freymedia.com

Take our survey on www.hiltonheadmonthly. com/survey

I have been asked to give a speech Jan. 20 on the “Risks and Opportunities for the Next Decade for an Island Community,” as part of a speaker series organized by the Heritage Library and Coastal Discovery Museum entitled “Hilton Head in the Modern Era.” (See the ad on page 142).

B

ut I need your help. I would like your input on the current state of our community as well as its future. You can e-mail me directly or take our online survey at www.hiltonheadmonthly. com/survey.

The results of this collective effort will not only influence my presentation, but will also be published in a future issue of Monthly. The brightest idea will win the MONTHLY Community Innovation Award, a yearly award judged by the editorial staff of this magazine for the best new ideas, solutions or initiative that could improve the quality of life in our community.

It is vital that I take into consideration as many voices as possible since I hope the resulting presentation will influence the way we think, plan and act on the future of our community.

A town is a breathing and living system that is just as much subject to change as any other entity. It’s quite complex and made up of many parts that interact with each other, but ultimately it is a decisive part of what makes up our quality of life. A town also has an image and reputation, which we could refer to as a brand because it influences a number of things, including things like real estate values. As with any brand, its brand equity is either increasing or decreasing in value.

Think of the Lowcountry when you first visited or moved here and how it has changed since then. Now try projecting forward a decade or two. What are some of the things you envision that should be improved or need to change? Do you think Hilton Head or Bluffton are prepared for the rapid changes the future will bring? Think of technology, aging, environment, growth, etc.

How would you rate the quality of life in Bluffton or on Hilton Head? Is the community living up to the expectations you had? How would you rate the environment, transportation, housing, safety, education, health care, employment or business opportunities, the cost of living, recreation, the arts, the people you meet, etc.?

Take a few minutes to answer these questions and send us your wish list and suggestions for solutions for the future. After all, there is no such thing as A community, we collectively ARE the community, and key decision makers across a vast spectrum will be paying attention to the direction we take.

And yes, please come to the event. It’s a fundraiser for two very important nonprofit organizations that are vital to document and showcase the rich history of the Lowcountry.

Onwards! M

SOUND OFF Please send your comments to mfrey@ freymedia.com. I would like to get your feedback on this idea.

IF YOU GO: What: Personal Perspectives: Risks and Opportunities in the Next Decade for an Island Community When: 5:30 p.m. Wine reception, 6 p.m. Talk; Jan. 20 Where: Coligny Theater Reservations: 843-686-6560 or 843-689-6767, ext. 223

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