Hilton Head Monthly March 2020

THE

Essential

South

YEARS

ISSUE

MARCH 2020 JANUARY 2020

VOICE FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS

for Residents of Beaufort and Jasper counties! $1 or less per month for out-of-area mailings hiltonheadmonthly.com/subscriptions 14 Westbury Park Way, Suite 200, Bluffton 29910 843-842-6988 | hiltonheadmonthly.com MEDIA ENTREPRENEUR

Marc Frey marc@hiltonheadmonthly.com PUBLISHER Anuska Frey anuska@hiltonheadmonthly.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Carol Weir carol@hiltonheadmonthly.com SENIOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sasha Sweeney sasha@hiltonheadmonthly.com ART & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Michael Lupi mike@hiltonheadmonthly.com MANAGING EDITOR Anthony Garzilli anthony@hiltonheadmonthly.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Allyson Venrick DIRECTOR OF SALES Mary Ann Kent maryann@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-384-9390 ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Rebecca V. Kerns rebecca@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-816-2732 Cathy Flory cathy@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-384-1538 Majka Mochnac majka@hiltonheadmonthly.com 843-290-9372 PHOTOGRAPHERS: Guido Flueck, Butch Hirsch. Barry Kaufman, Scott Lengel, Calen Reagin, Ruthe Ritterbeck, Lloyd Wainscott CONTRIBUTORS: Barbara Augsdorfer, Clay Bonnyman Evans, Jessica Farthing, Marco Frey, Ellis Harman, Carrie Hirsch, Barry Kaufman, Marie McAden, Dean Rowland, Michael Sampogna, Nicole Schultz, Gail Westerfield

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››

March’s

Must Reads

38

144

42 38 Essential South: Barbecue University:

66 Leading Ladies

42 Essential South: Porches

108 Indigo Goes Green

56 Instagram Influencers

144

Business owners, real estate agents, medical professionals and more are featured in our annual special section about the women who run the Lowcountry.

When grilling guru Steven Raichlen wanted a new location for his famous Barbecue University, he chose Palmetto Bluff.

Marcia and David Lentz’s garden in Hilton Head Island’s Indigo Run is a tribute to ferns.

If there’s one architectural element that epitomizes Southern living, it’s the porch.

Thanks to Instagram, sharing snapshots of one’s life—including gorgeous shots of Lowcountry scenes—is now a real job.

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May River Rising

Bluffton’s beloved May River is showing signs of stress as growth leads to higher levels of bacteria. Officials are trying to protect it.

››In this Issue 156

180

152 24 Mitchelville

NEWS

96 Dr. Sanjay Gupta

HEALTH

DINING

History park master plan approved.

Celebrity doc visits the Lowcountry.

Gourmet can go outdoors too.

26 Plastic-free life

Some local restaurants go green.

28 Sanjay Gupta

98 Heart Health The latest in cardiac research.

100 Seeking Wellness

Celebrity doctor visits Lowcountry.

Alternative health is on the rise.

BUSINESS

Do you know which you need?.

32 Economics of climate change

Will a warming planet cost us?

ESSENTIAL SOUTH

50 Bottle Trees

An ancient custom explained.

52 Southern Slang

104 Primary, Urgent and ER care

HISTORY 152 Beaufort’s National Park Monuments get official status.

SPORTS

156 Coach Jeremiah Faber

People really do talk like this.

A basketball legend retires.

54 Charleston Shoe

A trip to Mexico led to success.

158 Grace Coastal Church

RELIGION

PEOPLE

Teaching the Gospel in Okatie.

Her expertise is end of life.

160 Prom Boutique

60 Janet Porter 64 Heather Nicole Price Bluffton’s Ask & Answer maven.

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180 Southern Picnic

PARENTING

Free prom attire at YMCA.

8 At The Helm 10 Opinion 12 Behind the Scenes 14 News 16 Pets of the Month 18 Social Spotlight 22 Where in the World?

28 Community Connection 34 On the Move 162 Calendar 178 Dining Briefs 184 Restaurant Listings 192 Last Call

››At the Helm

Dear Reader Anuska Frey – publisher anuska@hiltonheadmonthly.com Carol Weir – editor carol@hiltonheadmonthly.com

About the Cover: Our composite cover features the work of three great local photographers (counterclockwise from top): Scott Lengel, Rob Kaufman and Calen Reagin.

The fourth photo of Steven Raichlen of Barbecue University was supplied by barbecuebible.com

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Spring is here with its insistence on new life, renewal and hope. At Monthly, we are full of energy and embracing this gorgeous season.

Check out our “The Essential South” section for articles that explore the cultural traditions, food, entrepreneurs and more that make this part of the country special. Have you ever heard a Southern expression and weren’t sure what it meant? No worries, Barry Kaufman offers a guide to some of the basics of Southern slang. You’ll be fixin’ to try out some of the sayings in no time.

As nature shows off its beauty this month, we’re reminded of the need to care for our environment. In this issue, we explore the economic impacts of climate change, from the international to local level. We also bring you a pictorial and story about the gorgeous May River and efforts to protect it.

We also shine a spotlight on people making an impact in our communities. Female business leaders and others answer questions about their lives and careers in our Leading Ladies special section. And we learn how entrepreneur Neely Powell turned her discovery of a pair of hand-made shoes in Mexico into her own booming business.

We are always thinking of ways to stay healthy and active. In this issue, we get to share with you the wisdom of celebrity neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta, author and public health advocate, who visited the Lowcountry last month and revealed the secrets to living a long, healthy life. It was a captivating presentation as part of the Lowcountry Speaker Series, and we are excited to relay some of his advice.

On Hilton Head and in Bluffton, spring is always full of festivals and community events. St. Patrick’s Day is a don’t-miss annual party for locals and visitors alike, and we bring you what’s new with the Hilton Head parade and other favorite festivities.

Finally, we can’t resist showing off photos of our Bridal Show last month at Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island. Soon-to-be brides and grooms and their friends and parents mingled with local vendors like wedding planners, photographers and florists. Between the mimosas and the live music, everyone had a great time. Please join us next year if you missed it this time.

Enjoy your Lowcountry spring, and never underestimate the power of good people working together.

››Opinion

Letters to the Editor: THANKS FOR ARTS CENTER SUPPORT

A SUNNIER SUN CITY

You might have recently heard about plans for the acquisition and expansion of the facilities at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, as well as a collaborative arrangement with the University of South Carolina Beaufort to locate its new production design major at the arts center campus.

The Global Climate Change Group in Sun City Hilton Head has been focused on ways our community can help fight climate change.

One of the biggest items on our list was solar panels, but we discovered design guidelines bar them from most homes — visibility from streets, golf courses and across lagoons was not permitted. As a result, only 20 of the 8,500 homes in our community have rooftop solar.

While the discussions are still in the early stages, there will be no changes to the arts center’s organization, mission or role; we will still focus on education, community outreach and staging performing arts productions in our current facility. The plans include the sale, improvement and development of the arts center’s 4.6-acre campus to broaden its use

by USCB and the island arts community, as well as where the arts center will continue to operate.

If the Town of Hilton Head Island referendum, now scheduled for Nov. 2021, is approved, it will benefit the town, USCB, the arts center and the broader arts community. It also will have an increased economic impact on the town as additional higher education opportunities move to the island’s expanded campus.

While there is much work to be done — and again, we are still early in this process — we greatly appreciate your support and we will continue to share details as they unfold.

Robert E. Lee Chairman, board of trustees, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING SCHOOLS The Foundation for Educational Excellence wants to thank The Bargain Box of Hilton Head for its recent grant, which will fund at least 10 grants during our 2020 Innovative Teacher Grant cycle, impacting hundreds of Beaufort County students.

After South Carolina passed the Energy Freedom Act, we thought our time had come.

We circulated a petition asking the Sun City board to ease its restrictions on solar, collecting nearly 300 signatures. But when we attempted to share the petition with the board, it was rejected with no explanation.

So we turned to state Sen. Tom Davis, who had written the Energy Freedom Act, to discuss legislation to limit HOAs’ authority to restrict solar. We also wrote to Pulte Corp., the current Sun City builder, which actively promotes solar in its national advertising.

During a formal meeting with the Sun City board president, we shared what we had learned and that we felt Sun City’s guidelines were outdated. The board agreed to survey the community about loosening the rules, and solar prevailed. The guidelines will be updated to allow rear roof placement with lagoon or golf course visibility.

Our program is funded by private donations and grants, as well as by the foundation’s annual fundraising event, Jewels & Jeans. This year’s Jewels & Jeans will be 6-9:30 p.m. March 7 at Hilton Head Island Beach & Tennis Resort. Since 2009, the foundation has awarded more than $270,000 in grants, offering over 85,000 student learning opportunities.

We appreciate the board’s willingness to listen to residents, and we hope that eventually street visibility of solar panels will be allowed to make solar available to all.

We thank The Bargain Box of Hilton Head for its support. To date, The Bargain Box has contributed $15 million to local nonprofit groups serving Beaufort County. We are thankful for the group’s commitment to Beaufort County students.

Laura McFadden Sun City Hilton Head

Deborah E. Colella Chairwoman, Foundation for Educational Excellence

Let us know what you think. Email editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com 10 hiltonheadmonthly.com

››Behind the Scenes MEET OUR PHOTOGRAPHER: GUIDO FLUECK From portraits to fashion, food and nature images, Guido Flueck has used his camera to chronicle life for more than 30 years.

ONLINE

EXCLUSIVE

CHECK IT OUT AT: HILTONHEADMONTHLY.COM

Born in a village on Lake Zurich in Switzerland in 1955, Flueck became interested in photography and film as a teenager. He earned a master’s in economics and worked as a ski instructor before being discovered by a fashion photographer. He worked as a model — including a GQ cover in 1979 — until 1987, when he moved behind the lens. He relocated to Los Angeles in 1990, where he shot for publications like GQ, Elle and Cosmopolitan.

Flueck was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2001, and his recovery led to a passion for helping others. As a fundraiser to combat children’s cancer, he walked from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles. In 2012, he opened a school for photography, Eye B Photography.

In 2016, Flueck and his wife moved to the Lowcountry, where the region’s natural beauty led him to focus on wildlife photography. He leads photography tours and can often be found taking pictures in Palmetto Bluff.

To see Flueck’s work, go to guidoandreas.jimdofree. com, email guidoandreas@gmail.com or “like” EyeB Adventure Photography on Facebook.

MONTHLY CONTRIBUTORS

CARRIE HIRSCH Writer

MIKE SAMPOGNA Writer

BARBARA AUGSDORFER Writer

A documentary producer and author of columns about cooking and entertaining, Carrie Hirsch has written for many nonprofits in the Lowcountry. She and son George Hirsch Jr., published The College Man’s Cookbook in 2017.

Mike Sampogna has been a writer, reporter, and television news producer for more than 20 years He helps to manage social media for the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic on Hilton Head Island. Mike lives in Bluffton and is the father of two teenagers.

Barbara Augsdorfer is a native of Southern California and a graduate of California Lutheran University.

She has many years of experience writing and editing for newspapers and magazines. Barbara and her husband, Michael, recently moved to Savannah.

GO PLASTIC-FREE: WHERE TO FIND ECO-FRIENDLY LOCAL EATERIES Plastics are the subject of two features in this month’s issue—see pages 26-27 and page 192.

Online, we’re compiling a running list of local businesses that are using eco-friendly food packaging.

These were submitted by our readers: Bluffton The Salty Dog Cafe Mulberry Street Trattoria Calhoun Street Tavern Old Town Dispensary Pour Richard’s Bluffton Brauhaus Southern Barrel Brewing Backwater Bill’s Grill First Watch The Grind Coffee Roasters Hilton Head Island Local Pie Michael Anthony’s Java Burrito Company A Lowcountry Backyard Restaurant Bad Biscuit Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks Watusi Cafe The Whiskey Room Charbar Company Brother Shucker’s Bar & Grill Harris Teeter (salad bar) Annie O’s Kitchen Holy Tequila The Studio Delisheeyo Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte Healthy Habit The SandBar Beach Eats Do you know a local restaurant that uses ecofriendly products to serve or package food that’s not on this list? Email it to editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com.

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News Briefs NEW RIVERSIDE PARK PLANNED FOR BLUFFTON

The town of Bluffton has plans to turn a 760-acre parcel of undeveloped land into a large public park. Plans include an open-air picnic shelter, more than 4 miles of hiking and biking trails, and kayaking and canoe trails along the New River. Plans also call for two camping sites. The town council is expected to vote on the proposal in the coming months.

TREE CLEARING COMPLETE ALONG I-95

Initial data from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety has shown that tree-clearing along 34 miles of Interstate 95 has already saved lives. The clearing was completed in April 2019, and total tree-related collisions dropped almost 60% between 2018 and 2019. In 2019, no one was killed after crashing into a tree along the highway.

BUCKWALTER SPACE TO BECOME WASHINGTON SQUARE

A 35-acre cleared parcel on Bluffton’s Buckwalter Parkway will eventually become Washington Square, a development with retail, residential and office spaces. On the west side of Buckwalter near Berkeley Place, it will feature 36 apartments above businesses, a locally sourced grocery market, an 80-room hotel, an assisted-living facility and more.

Washington Square is still in the early stages of construction and development.

YEMASSEE PROPOSES ANNEXATION INTO BEAUFORT COUNTY

Yemassee, a small town in the center of the South Carolina Lowcountry, is currently zoned for Hampton County. Town leaders want to secede from Hampton County in favor of joining Beaufort County to lower taxes and receive more efficient emergency services.

The proposal is still in the discussion phase and Yemassee town leaders plan to host educational town hall meetings to inform residents of what the annexation would mean.

BEAUFORT COUNTY SOLAR FARM PROTECTED FROM DEVELOPMENT

A large solar energy facility in northern Beaufort County will be permanently protected 14 hiltonheadmonthly.com

SHELTER COVE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS ARE UNDERWAY

Road improvements to re-route the flow of traffic in the Shelter Cove corridor are underway.

The work was triggered by public safety concerns after an increase in traffic accidents at one of the island’s most popular shopping and dining centers. The $1.45 million project will add turning lanes and traffic signals at three intersections on U.S. 278 and eliminate two acceleration lanes that were criticized as too short to match the speed of oncoming traffic. More than 100 crashes have been documented in the Shelter Cove corridor since 2015, including three that were fatal. The most recent fatal wreck occurred in January.

Construction is expected to be completed in May. But one thing that won’t change: the live oak canopy. Engineers and arborists have developed a plan that protects every live oak in the corridor.

Just six tree limbs are at risk of being lost during construction so that drivers can see the new traffic lights.

The corridor runs from the intersection of Queens Folly Road and King Neptune Way with William Hilton Parkway near Palmetto Dunes north to Shelter Cove Lane and William Hilton Parkway, near the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, and includes Shelter Cove Towne Centre and the Whole Foods shopping mall.

from major development, a first for South Carolina. The 628-acre property was a former tomato farm and is now owned by an affiliate of Adger Solar. Dominion Energy will begin operating on the land this year and is expected to power 9,000 homes for the next 25 years.

GO DARK FOR EARTH HOUR

Join millions around the world for Earth Hour 2020 and raise your voices for nature.

Switch off your lights for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m. March 28. Earth Hour is the world’s largest grass-roots movement for the environment, inspiring communities around the world in more than 180 countries and territories.

››News

HISTORIC CHURCH MUST MOVE FOR AIRPORT RUNWAY EXPANSION

The 134-year-old St. James Baptist Church on Hilton Head Island has to leave its original property because it’s at the northern end of the airport’s newly expanded runway. In 2018 the airport finished a 700-foot runway addition. Making the runway longer allowed larger planes to land there — but also extended the federally mandated “runway protection zone” over both St. James and the Old Cherry Hill School. St. James Church is the oldest continuously-operating cultural institution remaining within Mitchelville, the north-end village established for freed slaves in 1886, according to church leaders. The town’s plan is to purchase the school and St. James, relocate the schoolhouse building in its original form, and build the new church, according to town materials.

PETS

of the month

IN MEMORIAM BARRY LOWES

Barry Lowes, Hilton Head’s best-known birder for about 30 years, died Feb. 8 at the age of 93. Lowes led the Audubon Christmas Bird Count for more than a quarter-century and acted as an environmental conscience for the Lowcountry, warning that development needed to leave habitat for birds and other animals. Hilton Head Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count, which includes the Bluffton area, has the third-highest number of participants in North America, local organizers report. Lowes travelled the world watching birds and was a photographer, author and owner of a children’s summer camp in his native Canada.

BILLY FINK

Billy Fink, owner of Bicycle Billy’s Bike Rentals, died Dec. 23 and was honored by the Lowcountry community in a memorial service Feb. 28. He is survived by his wife, Nikki, and their 5-year-old daughter, Emma. Fink was an avid outdoorsman, adventurer and athlete who enjoyed skiing and sailing. Laid-back and helpful, he was known and loved by many; his friends described him as great fun. His shop near Coligny Plaza on Hilton Head Island was a gathering place where those who stopped in always knew they would be welcomed.

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Trixie

Name: Trixie

Age: 2 years Rainey Gender: Female Weight: 35-40 pounds Breed: Hound/Shepard mix Temperament: Gets along great with other dogs and people, house trained, crate trained.

Name: Rainey

Age: 7 months Gender: Female Weight: 35 pounds Breed: Lab mix Temperament: Good with cats and loves other dogs. Playful.

Crate trained and house training in process.

Adopt them at:

Rogue Rescue & Sanctuary Located in Bluffton. By appointment only. Donations and foster families also needed. For more information: 843-816-0097 or roguerescue.org.

›› 2020 Bridal Show

Brides, grooms, their families and friends had a great time at the Sonesta Hilton Head Resort on Feb. 16. Thanks to all who attended, to our great local vendors and to everyone who helped at this fun annual event.

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March 2020 19

›› Social Spotlight

››News

Elizabeth Loda of Women in Philanthropy and Natalie Daise at the Taste of Gullah at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina.

People lined up to fill their plates at the Taste of Gullah food festival.

The Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour at Coligny Plaza Theatre brought people out on a chilly evening.

Kathi Bateson was awarded the Zonta Club’s “Woman of the Year” at the Chamber Ball.

Almost $4,000 was raised at the annual Souper Bowl of Caring to benefit Second Helpings.

To submit a photo of your event for Social Spotlight, email editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com

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Victoria Smalls speaks at Gullah Heritage Night: Making The Connection at Hilton Head Island Middle School.

The “Meet Me Under the Sea” Daddy-Daughter Dance was held at Poseidon on Feb. 8.

››Where in the World?

Portugal Steven and Jenifer Gajdalo brought Monthly on a lift to Monte in Funchal.

Italy Costa Rica

Vito and Loredana Cocita read Monthly at home in Sommatino, Sicily.

A group of nature lovers from Oldfield in Bluffton took Monthly to the Arenal Volcano.

Marco Island

England

Antarctica

Dick and Mary Ellen Phillips brought Monthly along with them to Marco Island, Florida.

Steve and Karen Drescher shared Monthly at Stonehenge.

Bruce and Marty Turnbull bundled up to read Monthly in the southernmost continent.

››

We love to see where Monthly travels! Submit your photos to editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com for this section. Space is limited.

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››News

Plans for the Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park include an 18,000-square-foot interpretive center.

Mitchelville Master Plan REFERENDUM’S DELAY MAY AFFECT PACE AT HISTORIC MITCHELVILLE FREEDOM PARK

BY BARRY KAUFMAN

T

he plans were finalized, the meetings had been held, the committees had all approved everything. The only step left was final approval from the Town of Hilton Head Island before Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park’s executive director, Ahmad Ward, and its board could begin the arduous task of fundraising.

But then, unexpectedly, the $5 million in town funds that would have gone toward the park if voters approved the town’s proposed “quality of life” tax was delayed by more than a year. The day after committees approved the master plan for a series of reconstructed houses, educational pathways and an interpretive center at the park, the town opted to postpone the public referendum vote on the $65 million parks and arts tax.

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The decision to delay the referendum came after residents complained that the vote felt rushed and the projects had received little public comment. Officials will spend the next 18 months working with consultants to define project details and educating the public about the issues.

Originally scheduled for May, the referendum will now be on ballots in November 2021. If voters approve it, $30 million for recreation and $35 million for arts and culture organizations will be disbursed over the next 25 years.

The decision to postpone the referendum surprised almost everyone.

“Obviously, we would have liked to have that $5 million sooner rather than later, but the thing is, this gives us more time to explain to people what will happen,” Ward said. “(That money is) a quarter of what we need. It’s no small thing. … All we can do is talk about what we’re going to do.”

Fortunately, Ward and the park’s board of directors say they weren’t counting

solely on the referendum for funding.

They’ve already reached out to national groups like the Smithsonian Institute and the National Museum of African American Culture and History to help spread the word about the Mitchelville project. Mitchelville is the nation’s first town for freed slaves, and the lessons to be learned from its history include resilience, perseverance and self-determination. The park speaks to the African American experience nationwide.

“Around 20 to 40 percent of African Americans can trace their lineage back to South Carolina, so that gives us the opportunity to tell that story,” Ward said.

“There’s a tourism highway that runs from Charleston to Savannah, and there’s 500 years of history in Beaufort County.”

Culture and history also coincide with one of the fastest-growing trends in travel. In 2018, cultural heritage tourism accounted for $192 billion in travel spending, with $63 billion coming from African American tourists. According to Ward, South Carolina only pocketed $2.4 billion of that.

“There’s an opportunity there to not only change how we look at Hilton Head Island, but how we look at the state. If this is successful, the tourism (landscape) changes,” he said.

He and the rest of the Mitchelville board hope expanding the park will help better highlight the history — and historical significance — of the site.

Reconstructed housing will show visitors

how Mitchelville’s first residents lived, and plans are in the works to re-create the freedmen town’s general store. However, plans to rebuild the town’s church were scrapped after Native American artifacts were also found at the site; instead, a “reflection area” is planned.

“It’s common knowledge that Native Americans and Africans in America have had a long history of interacting with each other, and this is an opportunity to talk about that connection and highlight the archaic imprint on the site,” Ward said.

The centerpiece of Historic Mitchelville will be an 18,000-square-foot interpretive center, which will host everything from educational seminars to gallery shows and historic maps showing where structures once stood. Now that the plans have been approved, it’s all a matter of funding.

“Everything would be predicated on how funds are coming in,” Ward said, noting that to build everything included in the master plan would cost about $22 million. “But we’re working on a couple of channels and have some irons in the fire.”

The expansion will allow for more programming, extended tours and presentations for students and visitors of all ages.

“Right now, we offer Griot’s Corner. He’s a West African storyteller and teacher,” Ward said. “When we have buildings out here, there will be more opportunities for lectures and exhibitions. We want to make sure visitors have a genuine connection to Mitchelville.”

March 2020 25

››News

A PlasticLight Life LOWCOUNTRY EXAMINES REDUCING SINGLE-USE PLASTICS

BY BARBARA AUGSDORFER | PHOTO BY BARRY KAUFMAN

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P

lastic is everywhere. Many people aren’t even aware of how much of it they use in a day: A straw for their drink at lunch, a bottle from the vending machine, disposable utensils in a bag of takeout food.

As more people become aware of the damage these single-use items can do to the environment, they’re trying to cut back. After residents and environmental activists lobbied local elected officials, Beaufort County eliminated single-use plastic bags in November 2018. But some of the area’s larger retailers are offering reusable plastic bags, which adhere to the letter of the law but not its spirit. These reusable plastic bags can be used “up to 125 times,” according to instructions printed on the bags. But they’re still non-biodegradable plastic that can end up on the beach, in the water and in landfills.

Rikki Parker, director of the Coastal Conservation League South Coast Office, and local officials including Bluffton Town Councilman Dan Woods have expressed their disappointment in the stores’ “workaround.”

Parker says that everyone can help make the plastic-bag ban effective by doing their part: Use cloth bags when shopping; encourage store managers to stock cloth and paper bags, rather than plastic; and participate in customer surveys printed on store receipts, leaving comments requesting cloth or paper bags.

In other areas of the state, some municipalities have eliminated single-use plastic bags and gone much farther. As of Jan. 1, businesses, nonprofit groups and schools in Charleston, the Town of James Island and in the unincorporated areas of Charleston County are no longer allowed to use or sell plastic food packaging items including Styrofoam and other non-recyclable and non-compostable carryout containers and food packaging such as bowls, boxes, clamshells, cups, plates, stirrers and straws.

Many in Bluffton and on Hilton Head Island are watching this transition with interest. Some local businesses — including Hilton Head Island restaurants Watusi, The Salty Dog Café, Java Burrito and Bad Biscuit, and Bluffton Brauhaus, The Grind Coffee Roasters and Zoe’s Kitchen on the mainland—are already using biodegradable, eco-friendly food packaging, but local municipalities have yet to tackle the issue of plastic food packaging head on.

“Eco-friendly serving containers are the way to go and I would love to see the town offer incentives or initiatives to restaurants and food establishments adopting this green idea,” said Bluffton Town Council member Bridgette Frazier.

Polystyrene plastic, better known as Styrofoam, is one of the most problematic types of plastic because it isn’t biodegradable and isn’t recycled, and it pollutes area oceans and waters.

Eliminating Styrofoam is a goal of local environmentalists.

Even some beach toys aren’t safe.

“A lot of people just don’t see it,” said Byron Sewell, owner of Native Son Adventures on Hilton Head. “The Styrofoam boogie boards that Walmart sells for $8 or $10 — kids break them and these boards just release little foam beads all over the beach and water. Fish and birds eat [the little foam beads] because they think they are fish eggs.”

Activists recommend avoiding Styrofoam cups, plates, coolers and surfboards in favor of items made of materials that are biodegradable or can be reused multiple times.

IF YOU GO Palmetto Ocean Conservancy has been collecting plastic bottle caps for months to reuse them in an art mural. More than 1 million caps have been collected, and officials need help washing the caps, counting them and sorting them by shape and size.

The sorting will be done from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 27-28 and noon-4 p.m. March 29 at Buckwalter Recreation Center, 905 Buckwalter Parkway, Bluffton.

March 2020 27

Winning for the Kids BOYS & GIRLS CLUB NAMED OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATION

BY ANTHONY GARZILLI

28 hiltonheadmonthly.com

T

he Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, so it’s only right the group recently was recognized for its longstanding community impact.

In February, the club was honored as Organization of the Year, the top honor given by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce at the chamber’s annual ball.

Club fan Randy Brooks and Stan Smith nominated the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island for the award, helping the group cinch the honor.

“We knew we had a story to tell, but we didn’t know how to pull all the pieces together, and that’s where Randy came in,” said club director Kim Likins.

Brooks, who grew up attending a Boys & Girls Club in Baltimore, is a retired market research professional. He said looking at the Hilton Head club’s data made it easy to see just how much of an impact the club has on the island.

“The club serves children, but I uncovered the fact that their kids’ parents are out here working for us,” he said. “When you know the parents of the children on the island are providing services to all of us, it makes the club’s impact even bigger than you’d guess.”

About 600 adults whose children are members of the club work in service-industry jobs on the island, accounting for nearly 10% of the workforce in these positions, according to data from the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island.

Photo courtesy of Hilton Head Island – Bluffton Chamber of Commerce

››News

Likins said 64% of Boys & Girls Club members are part of families that fall below the national federal poverty guidelines. In fact, 45% of members’ families are at the lowest level — making $25,000 or less per year — and roughly 80% of the club’s members receive need-based scholarships to participate. The Boys & Girls Club expects to serve more than 55,000 meals to those children this year.

“We need to be able to serve more children and need to ensure they have access to academic programs and enrichment opportunities that they would otherwise never have,” Likins said.

The Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island offers an after-school program five days a week that includes academic support and wellness activities — soccer, basketball, and gardening — as well as exposure to the arts by way of violin lessons, painting and drama workshops. Summer programs include job-readiness classes and services to help members prepare for post-secondary education and careers.

The First Tee of the Lowcountry also partners with the Boys & Girls Club to introduce children to golf, teaching them the basics of the sport but also emphasizing The First Tee’s core principles: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

Brooks said he admires the work done at the Boys & Girls Club.

“It is an incredibly worthwhile charity,” he said. “You wouldn’t find any more worthwhile people on the island.”

IF YOU GO

What: Hilton Head Boys & Girls Club Gala 2020 When: 6-10 p.m. Saturday, March 21 Where: The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa Cost: $225; tickets are available at bgchiltonhead.org/events Details: Benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island.

For more information, contact Melissa Whitton at 843-384-1769 or melissa.whitton@bgclowcountry.org March 2020 29

››Community Connection

Admirals Billy and BrendaWatterson

WATTERSONS NAMED YACHT HOP ADMIRALS

Billy and Brenda Watterson have been selected as the admirals of the 2020 Yacht Hop on Hilton Head Island. Billy Watterson is the founder and owner of Watterson Brands and Burnt Church Distillery, which is under construction in Bluffton.

The Watterson Family Foundation helps people break the cycle of poverty. The Yacht Hop, scheduled for May 3 at the Harbour Town Yacht Basin in Sea Pines, benefits patients at Hospice Care of the Lowcountry. For more information, call 843-706-2296.

CHURCH OF THE PALMS PERFORMS AT CARNEGIE HALL

The Church of the Palms choir performed at New York City’s Carnegie Hall in December. The choir thanks everyone who participated in its fundraising efforts to help the choir participate in this prestigious concert.

ROTARY CLUB SEEKS SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANTS

The Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island is seeking applicants for its four-year scholarships. The program is open to high school seniors living on Hilton Head Island or attending Hilton Head schools. The application deadline is March 15. For more information, go to hiltonheadrotary.org.

SINGERS SOUGHT FOR ISLAND’S FIRST DIVERSITY WEEKEND

Hilton Head Island’s first Diversity Weekend is seeking choir members and soloists for two

››

Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island grant recipients

Lowcountry-style gospel, blues and standards concerts. Singers from all churches and denominations are invited to participate. The Diversity Weekend will take place April 24-26.

For more information, call 843-812-6111 or 843-271-9919.

WAHHI AWARDS 8 COMMUNITY GRANTS

The Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island recently announced community grants to eight nonprofit organizations. The 2020 grant recipients are the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Heritage Library Foundation, Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Island Sea Turtle Protection Project, The Outside Foundation, Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island, Hilton Head Island Audubon Society and The Children’s Center.

HOPEFUL HORIZONS EARNS GRANT

Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina has awarded a $750,000 grant to Hopeful Horizons, a children’s advocacy, domestic violence and rape crisis center with offices in Beaufort and Bluffton. The grant will be dispersed over five years and will enable the organization to add a satellite office in Colleton County, which has the highest rate of child abuse cases in the state.

LOWCOUNTRY VITA COALITION SEEKS TAX VOLUNTEERS

The Lowcounty VITA Coalition, in collaboration with the IRS, United Way of the Lowcountry and the Beaufort County Human Services Alliance, is

again providing free tax preparation throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties for low-income residents. VITA is seeking volunteer greeters for the Beaufort, St. Helena and Lobeco libraries during tax season. Training will be provided. For more information, call 843-321-9071 or go to vitalowcountry.org.

SONESTA OFFERS WEDDING DISCOUNTS TO TEACHERS, FIRST RESPONDERS

Sonesta Resort Hilton Head island is offering discounted wedding packages to teachers and first responders. The 15% discount applies to new weddings booked and held before Dec. 31.

Preschool, day care, K-12 and college teachers, police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 911 dispatchers, doctors and nurses are eligible. For more information, call 843-341-1862.

GO STRAWLESS THIS SUMMER

Last summer, more than 50 restaurants and bars in Bluffton and on Hilton Head Island vowed to give up plastic straws for the season— though they were still available if anyone asked. This year, they’re doing it again, said Michelle Meissen, founder and CEO of Palmetto Ocean Conservancy. Restaurant participation is laudable, she said, but it’s a team effort.

“Consumers can say, ‘I really don’t need this straw. I’m going to save this business money and save the environment at the same time,’” she said. The “Strawless Summer” education campaign will launch April 1, with the official event to run July through August.

Generosity is one of the best things about the Lowcountry. Has your business or organization given back to the community?

Submit your photos to editor@hiltonheadmonthly.com for this section. Space is limited.

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Heritage Classic Foundation Scholars

HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS

Ten outstanding Beaufort and Jasper County seniors were named Heritage Classic Foundation Scholars at a luncheon Jan. 28 at the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island. The four-year total scholarship amounts are $16,000 to $20,000 for each student. The 2020 winners are: Beaufort Academy: Albert (Cal) Harvey (Scholar Alumni Award winner, $16,000); Beaufort High School: Rhea Desai ($10,000), Brigid Murphy (Malanick Award winner, $20,000); Bluffton High School: Ethan Helms ($10,000) Elena Senouillet (Zimmerman Award winner, $20,000); Hilton Head Christian Academy: Daniel Harrington

Church of the Palms

($10,000), Joseph Reindl ($10,000); Hilton Head Preparatory School: Felipe Mendoza ($10,000); Holy Trinity Classical Christian School: Caroline O’Neal (Tartan Club Award winner, $20,000); Homeschooled: Brodie Brant (Brown Award winner, $20,000). In the fall, 37 Beaufort County collegians will be receiving Foundation grants at an expenditure of $165,000. A grand total of $4,452,350 will have been awarded to 342 students after the 2020 distribution.

BIRDIES FOR CHARITY AND PLAID TO READ ARE UNDERWAY

Two of the Heritage Classic Foundation’s charitable initiatives are back this year. Birdies

May the roof over

for Charity asks supporters to make a pledge for every birdie scored during the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. In golf, a birdie is a score of 1 under par on any hole. Birdie pledges range from 1 cent to $1. The Heritage Classic Foundation will contribute an extra 15% on top of all donations. The foundation also held its Plaid About Reading program in February.

Twenty-two elementary schools from Hilton Head Island to Charleston participated, giving students a chance to win $500 for their school, $150 for their class, tickets to the RBC Heritage and the chance to meet a professional PGA TOUR golfer.

For details on both initiatives, go to heritageclassicfoundation.com/giving-programs.

your head always be strong.

— Traditional Irish Toast

Metal Roofing

(Standing Seam, 5V Crimp & Tuff Rib)

Trim Fabrication Custom Fabrication Roll Forming

Red Oaks Plaza, 201 Red Oaks Way, Ridgeland, SC. 29936 843.208.2433 • www.4mmetals.com

Metal Roofing | Trim Fabrication | Roofing Supplies | Sheet Metal Sales March 2020 31

››Business

The Economic Impact of Climate Change

BY ELIHU SPENCER

T

he past decade or so has been dominated by political debate over climate change. I’m not going to get into that too much, but I do want to discuss the impact the changing climate is having on economic activity globally, nationally and locally.

There are obvious points of view about why we are experiencing climate change. Either we are in a normal climate cycle, or human behaviors are causing temperatures to rise — leading to rising sea levels, more frequent catastrophic events, and melting glaciers. It doesn’t matter why it’s happening; the potential impacts are very real and very serious.

Almost 20 years ago, J.B. Smith, a noted expert on climate change impacts and a principal at Stratus Consulting, wrote that “a small increase in our global mean temperature (up to 2 degrees Celsius) would result in net negative impact on developing nations and short-term net positives on developed nations.”

The health impacts of a 1.5-degree global temperature shift could cost 80 million jobs or $2,400 billion in productivity, with workers in agriculture, construction, tourism and sports most affected.

For centuries, outdoor enthusiasts have observed that changes in temperature impact the migration patterns of all kinds of animals. Most recently, scientists have studied how changing sea and land temperatures affect the global ecosystem. Bird, fish and

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mammal migration is most obvious — and we can see it for ourselves as dolphins, redfish and shrimp move in and out of the coastal waters of the Lowcountry.

And certainly, temperature plays a role in bringing the monarch butterfly on its journey through Hilton Head Island every year, as well as the arrival of the great-crested flycatcher in early March.

So what are the potential impacts on global, national and local economies?

I have already mentioned lower productivity in various key industries. At the current rate of temperature change, global GDP could be reduced by as much as 10%.

In the near term, rising temperatures could result in a net positive for the United States. With the relative superiority we enjoy in areas such as agriculture, technology and infrastructure, the U.S. can take advantage of the economic disruption in the developing world and actually grow our GDP significantly.

Unfortunately, any positive impacts will be short-lived as the global economy eventually stalls.

For example: American farmers are preparing for significant changes in crop growing cycles through the use of artificial intelligence; satellites are collecting data on changing wind patterns, temperatures and rainfall, and farmers will use that data to adjust their crop rotation, planting and harvesting schedules. Soon we

may see the day when we are harvesting wheat in the Midwest in October, making the “bumper crop” a normal occurrence. But the price of wheat will fall unless we can find new buyers.

The Lowcountry is especially prone to impacts from a minor rise in average temperatures. Changing wind patterns and warmer ocean waters will certainly bring more severe weather.

Hurricanes will be more frequent and more severe. Flooding will increase in low-lying areas and will reduce the size of our beautiful beaches.

Animal migration patterns will change, and we’ll notice a difference in the species that fill our local waters. And you can be sure the economic impact on the Lowcountry will be remarkable.

Tourism patterns will change, insurance costs will rise and the cost of rebuilding after storms will increase as building codes will be strengthened.

At the end of the day, the debate over whether the current climate trend is cyclical or man-made isn’t the important issue.

Instead, we should be focusing on how it will impact our economy. We have the intellectual capacity to mitigate the effects, but we need to stop arguing about why this is happening and start talking about what we are going to do about it.

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.

March 2020 33

››On the Move PROFESSIONAL PICKLEBALL REGISTRY WELCOMES COORDINATOR

Casey

Rhine

Noa Geyne will join the team at Professional Pickleball Registry as a member services coordinator. In her new role, Geyne will support all aspects of the organization’s fast-growing membership. She is a Tennessee native who recently moved to Hilton Head Island.

PALMETTO DUNES RESORT PROMOTES COO

Brad Marra has been promoted to chief operating officer at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. Previously, Marra served as vice president of resort operations for Greenwood.

He has been with the company for 15 years.

In his new role, he will be responsible for all Greenwood’s resort operations at Palmetto Dunes and Shelter Cove Marina.

Myers

BJVIM APPOINTS NEW MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Dr. Kathleen Casey has been appointed as the new medical director for BlufftonJasper County Volunteers in Medicine Clinic.

Previously, Casey worked for 32 years at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center. She joined Bluffton-Jasper Volunteers in Medicine in April 2019, after moving to the Bluffton area with her husband. The clinic’s current director, Dr. Ronald E. Smith, is stepping down after five years.

PARKER’S HIRES FINANCIAL PLANNING ANALYST

John Rhine has been hired as a financial planning and analysis analyst for Parker’s convenience stores. In his new position, Rhine blends traditional financial reporting and analysis practices with business intelligence technology and develops data-driven financial forecast models. Before joining Parker’s, he served as a financial analyst at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. He lives in Rincon.

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Geyne

BARBERS OF THE LOWCOUNTRY PROMOTES ONE

Patrick “Paddy” Myers has been promoted to senior barber at Barbers of the Lowcountry.

Myers is a Spartanburg native who has worked at the Bluffton barbershop for the past three years. As a senior barber, Myers will take on a larger managerial role and will be tasked with helping the barbershop’s associate and intermediate barbers advance their skills.

LUXURY INN, NEW FITNESS APP COMING TO HILTON HEAD HEALTH

Hilton Head Health will welcome an 18,000-square-foot Sweetgrass Inn by the end of 2020. The inn will include 30 guest rooms, a game room and theater room.

Hilton Head Health visitors will now have the opportunity to stay on-site at the weight loss and wellness resort. Hilton Head Health has also launched H3 On Demand, an all-inclusive digital program that combines fitness, recipes and education videos in one platform. For more information, go to h3ondemand.com.

CHILDRESS EARNS HUB INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION

Kelly Childress was promoted to quality lead manager of HUB International Insurance for both the Bluffton and Hilton Head offices. She has been with the company for 14 years.

SONESTA RESORT NAMES FINANCE DIRECTOR

Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island has named Peter Conboy as its new director of finance. He was previously the director of finance for Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms.

CAZORLA JOINS BEAUFORT DERMATOLOGY

Pinnacle Medical Group has added Dr. Sarah Cazorla to the group’s Beaufort Dermatology location. Cazorla specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgeries including breast reconstruction, “mommy makeovers,” Botox and fillers with an emphasis on a natural aesthetic. She completed a residency program at Texas Tech Health Science Center and a plastic surgery fellowship at the University of Virginia Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Cazorla has practiced medicine since 2011.

March 2020 35

Essential

South 36 hiltonheadmonthly.com

W

hat does it mean to be Southern now in America?

The South as a region is more layered, more diverse in culture and thought than stereotypes and much of literature would have it. Distinctive music, food and, to borrow from Southern author Julia Reed, a certain “never meet a stranger” civility, are alive and well, despite recurring predictions that the region’s ways would be absorbed into broader American currents. Instead, the South has become a net exporter of culture–and a net importer of people. The population of the South as a whole will soon overtake that of the Northeast and Midwest combined. The combination of its unique history and the fact that many Southerners maintain—and even nurture—an identity separate from the rest of the country has led to it being the most studied, most written-about and sung-about region of the U.S. In this section we look at a few things we love that are uniquely Southern.

March 2020 37

››Essential

South

Fired Up BARBECUE UNIVERSITY EVENT TO BE HELD AT PALMETTO BLUFF

BY MIKE SAMPOGNA

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T

here’s something primal and undeniably fun about cooking over a live fire.

“Nobody gathers around the stove to watch a loaf of bread baking,” said grilling guru Steven Raichlen. “But when you light a fire, it’s a party.”

When Raichlen was looking for a new location for his famous Barbecue University program, one thing was clear: “The South and barbecue go together like salt and pepper,” he said. “Barbecue is deeply woven into the culinary fabric of the South.”

That made the Lowcountry an ideal landing spot for the annual live-fire cooking fantasy camp. On June 18-21

Palmetto Bluff executive chef Nathan Beriau looks forward to hosting Barbecue University June 18-21.

— Father’s Day weekend — Raichlen will bring his program to Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton.

“I’m a water guy and for some reason all of my Barbecue Universities have always been in the mountains,” Raichlen said. “When the opportunity came up to move the school to the seaside near the ocean, I just leapt at it.”

Palmetto Bluff’s executive chef, Nathan Beriau, saw the event as a unique and wonderful opportunity for the resort.

“It’s incredibly exciting,” Beriau said.

The classes will take place at Cole’s, a lodge and restaurants on the property. It’s the ideal space for the event — it boasts a state-of-the-art classroom and outdoor burn area, complete with an Argentinean-style fire pit, that was designed in part by barbecue pitmaster Myron Mixon.

There are 50 spots available for the three-day-long cooking program, and Raichlen said Barbecue University events tend to sell out fast. Rates start at $1,495 per night.

Barbecue University attracts everyone from “people that arrive on private jets to people who have saved up 10 years to come. You have fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, groups of friends,” Raichlen said.

Participants will prepare eight to 16 dishes each day using one of the five methods of live-fire cooking: smoking, grilling, spit-roasting, ember roasting and indirect grilling. All of the participants stay on site for the event and have access to Palmetto Bluff’s other amenities, like boating, golf, horseback riding, and the spa.

“It’s a beautiful property,” Raichlen said. “And it’s an area that has a rich local cuisine and culinary traditions. There’s a Lowcountry cuisine that is very well-developed, and I was excited to bring the school to a place with such a deep food culture.”

Beriau echoed Raichlen’s sentiments.

“If you look at the barbecue trail in America, it takes you smack dab into the Carolinas, which is pretty darn cool,” he said.

Raichlen also was excited about the opportunity to use locally sourced products: “The South has oysters, incredible fish, crabs and shrimp — all the foods of the Carolina coast.”

In fact, Raichlen said the event will kick off with a Lowcountry oyster roast.

“That’s a very specific style of live-fire cooking that you find in South Carolina and really nowhere else on the planet,” he said.

It’s also a reminder to participants that the program will go beyond traditional pork barbecue to focus on what Raichlen calls Planet Barbecue.

“I look forward to doing an exchange of my global grilling techniques with indigenous food,” he said.

The program is also focused on education.

March 2020 39

››Essential

South Chef Steven Reichlen and Nathan Beriau prepare for Barbecue University. Participants will prepare eight to 16 dishes using one of the five methods of live-fire cooking: smoking, grilling, spit-roasting, ember roasting and indirect grilling.

“When I plan my menus, I am thinking about pedagogy and the body of knowledge that I want to impart,” he said.

“We will cover all the major proteins: beef, pork, poultry, seafood; we’ll also do a lot of work with grilled vegetables.

We’ll do grilled breakfast dishes, grilled lunch dishes, and grilled dinners.”

Raichlen said that Barbecue University is one of the highlights of his year every year, and that if there is enough demand, additional sessions could be created. The camaraderie that develops among students is inspiring, he said.

“The conviviality that’s involved is really quite extraordinary,” he said. “Every class, we start with 50 people who don’t know each other and over the course of three days, they become this incredible team.”

Raichlen didn’t plan on dedicating his life to cooking over live flame; he earned a degree in French literature in Oregon’s Reed College. He won a fellowship to study medieval French cooking and ended up in Paris, exploring the intersection of food, history and culture.

“In 1994, I had an epiphany,” he said. “I heard these words from heaven that said, ‘Follow the fire.’”

Raichlen is the author of 31 books, including 10 on barbecue. He is in the process of writing his next book, a “vegetable-forward grilling book.” He has also hosted several cooking shows.

For more information on Raichlen and Barbecue University, go to barbecuebible.com.

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March 2020 41

››Essential

South

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Porch Sittin’ OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES HAVE LONG BEEN AN ESSENTIAL PART OF SOUTHERN LIFE

BY DEAN ROWLAND PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN

I

f there’s one architectural element that epitomizes Southern living, it’s the porch. Sure, it’s changed over time — in the old days, porches usually were restricted to the front of the house, while today they can be found on all sides — but the porch has endured for more than 200 years.

“I feel the porch defines the house,” said Randolph Stewart, owner of R. Stewart Design in Bluffton. “Traditionally, it’s a love affair. We didn’t invent the wheel, but we sure use the hell out of it. It’s the same thing with the porch. There’s a function for it, and the function today is the same as it has been.”

Porches became popular in the South because of the region’s climate, but they quickly turned into social gathering spots and a mainstay of Lowcountry architecture, as evidenced by homes from Charleston to Savannah.

“We pull from traditional architecture in our designs where our clients are looking to evoke a sense of history,” said William Court, a partner in Bluffton’s Court Atkins Group, of homes his company has designed in Palmetto Bluff and Oldfield. “If you go back to the roots of what these porches were doing, they provided shade, protection to the home, outdoor living space protected from the elements, an opportunity to capture breezes and make Southern life enjoyable and livable at certain times of the year when the home would have been oppressive with heat.”

March 2020 43

››Essential

South

In the late 1700s and throughout the next century, the front porch faced the street, the hub of public communal life. It was a neighborly environment filled with social interaction between homeowners and passers-by.

“It was very important to sit on that porch, and say, ‘How are you doing today?’” said Stewart, who also is a preservationist, urban planner and magazine publisher. “It’s an important distinction

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between the public realm and the private realm.”

While porches provided a part-time outdoor living space in the days before electricity — and air conditioning — they did have a drawback.

“Here’s the catch-22,” said Stewart, who has restored 30 homes on the National Register of Historic Places. “You’ve got a 10- to 12-foot porch that blocks light. So, if your house is two rooms deep, you’re

not going to get a lot of light in the center of your house. So that’s where the dormer (windows) came in.”

Porch floors were built of dense grain heart pine or cypress wood and ceilings were often painted a shade known as “haint blue” to ward off evil spirits, according to folklore, and to repel insects.

Double-stacked front porches — one on each level of the house — are signatures of the antebellum period. For examples,

look at the Rhett House, built in 1800, and the Cuthbert House, built circa 1790: two neoclassical Beaufort masterpieces that today have been turned into bedand-breakfasts. They each front the river on Bay Street and feature multiple large, cylindrical columns stretching from floor to ceiling that were both aesthetically pleasing and structurally necessary.

Porches are also ubiquitous features in the eight antebellum homes in Bluffton

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I feel the porch defines the house.

– RANDOLPH STEWART, BLUFFTON DESIGNER

that survived the “burning of Bluffton” in 1863 by Union forces, including one overlooking the May River. Antebellum homes used porches to capture wind coming in off the water.

“You would do an L-shaped porch or a U-shaped porch to gather prevailing winds…and it still holds true,” Stewart said.

Though front porches are no longer the center of the social scene and don’t have the same practical benefits when it comes to heating and cooling, they’re still in demand. Lowcountry architects are being asked to design functional front and back porches and patios that allow for entertaining, without sacrificing any of the charm.

“We’re developing porches that have something to do with the spirit of the traditional Lowcountry porch: exposed rafter tails, big overhangs, simple wood columns and raised porches,” Court said. “Our porch floors now may be synthetic rather than pine, but it’s still that tongue-and-groove painted look of a porch floor.”

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››Essential

South

We pull from traditional architecture in our designs.

– WILLIAM COURT, COURT ATKINS GROUP

Homeowners and designers are adding accessories to make them even more inviting: settees, tables, rocking chairs, rugs, plants and colorful pillows.

“As life has evolved and modernized and communities have modernized, homes have become more private and it’s less about street life. It’s about creating more outdoor living,” Court said. “We’re striving now for our clients to seamlessly transition between the indoors to the porch living to the outdoor living that all have a sense of flow and function. We’re starting to see a trend in all-season, allweather, all-environment porches.”

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March 2020 49

››Essential

South

Glass from the Past BOTTLE TREES’ HISTORY GOES BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS

BY CLAY BONNYMAN EVANS PHOTOS BY ROB KAUFMAN

F

elder Rushing, self-described “Southern garden guru” and host of the NPR podcast “The Gestalt Gardener,” is hitting the bottle — but not in the way you think. He’s leading a campaign to dispel “the same tired old history and lore” of bottle trees, the whimsical sculptures made from glass bottles — usually blue, sometimes green — placed on branches of metal or wood that dot many a garden in the Lowcountry.

Rushing, 67, remembers seeing his first bottle tree while shuffling barefoot down a dusty road on the banks of Mississippi’s Sunflower River when he was just 15. Since then, he’s photographed hundreds, not just in the South but all over North America, Europe, South America and Africa. After years of research, he published “Bottle Trees: … and the Whimsical Art of Garden Glass” in 2013.

“I’ve researched the subject until I’m almost sick of it.

And no matter what I say, people keep saying the African slave thing,” he said by phone while soaking in a bath in England, where he lives when he’s not in Jackson, Mississippi.

For years, Rushing subscribed to the “common thread of lore that dates the origin of bottle trees to the Congo area of Africa in the 9th century A.D.,” he said, and that they were brought to America by slaves. But his research found that the folk-art tradition goes back thousands of years and has ties to the Middle East and Europe.

“Bottle trees and their lore go back much farther in time, and originate farther north,” he says. “The superstitions surrounding them were embraced by most ancient cultures, including European.”

Rushing says that spirits known as djinns — the origin of the English word “genie” — were associated with glass bottles from their first creation in northern Africa and Mesopotamia around 1600 B.C., likely due to the mournful sounds they make when wind or breath passes over their open necks. Gradually,

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myths that hanging bottles in trees could trap mischievous spirits migrated north into Europe and south into sub-Saharan Africa.

Blue became the “color of choice,” Rushing said, because of its long association with calm and relaxation. But cobalt blue, a favored hue for bottle trees, is named after kobolds, mythical German imps believed to cause trouble for miners.

Meanwhile, the haint blue shade said to ward off spirits — “more concept than specific color,” Rushing said, ranging from “baby blue to periwinkle to blue-green” — originated in Europe, not Africa. Shakespeare even used the word “hanter,” meaning to “inhabit” or “stalk,” in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“Bottle trees became associated with African American culture in the South through a process of syncretization,” Rushing says. “People were bringing bottles over (from Europe) and throwing them away. Slaves picked them up to use as ornaments, incorporating Middle Eastern myths of genies in bottles. … The well-worn myth that they were brought from Africa is simply not

true, but because it was mostly Southern blacks making them, it was attributed to them.”

Louise Miller Cohen, 76, founder of the nonprofit Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island, says that bottle trees and their associated lore were not part of the Gullah-Geechee tradition passed down in her family.

The woman she calls “Mama,” who was born at the turn of the 20th century and who raised Cohen from the time she was 9 months old, “never mentioned anything about the bottle tree,” she said. “And when people ask me whether the blue paint we have at the Gullah museum is to ward off evil spirits, I have to tell them that it was never mentioned in my household.”

But, she said, that doesn’t take away from the trees’ tradition.

“That’s not to say it wasn’t a tradition other places,” Cohen says. “But bottle trees traveled here from somewhere else.”

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››Essential

South

Southern Slang A PRIMER ON A FEW TERMS Y’ALL NEED TO KNOW

BY BARRY KAUFMAN

W

e’re no linguists, but you could definitely make a case that there are two kinds of American English: the highly descriptive yet ultimately boring Yankee variety, and the infinitely creative and boundlessly colorful Southern strain. Our corner of the South has been kind enough to welcome its share of Yankee-speaking Northerners, so as a public service we present the following basics of Southern slang: Bless your heart: A somewhat sympathetic—but mostly insincere—condolence that also manages to convey to the recipient that they are, in fact, a dingbat. Example: “You used Hellmann’s instead of Duke’s in the potato salad? Oh, bless your heart.”

Citified: Anything that’s overly sophisticated or simply born, conceived of or created on the wrong side of the Mason-Dixon line.

Example: “Lookit Mr. L.L. Bean with his citified hunting camo.”

Dressing: Bread crumbs, seasoning and celery baked inside a turkey; what Yankees call “stuffing.” This term also indicates salad dressing, which isn’t at all confusing at Thanksgiving. Example: “Would you mind passing the dressing? No, not that dressing. The dressing. Oh, bless your heart.”

Fat as a tick: To be overstuffed. The natural state of being following a dinner at Mama’s. Example: “After all that dressing and dressing, I’m fat as a tick.”

Fixin’ tah: To be in the midst of preparations toward action.

Example: “I’m fixin’ tah go to the Sandbar. How are we set for beer?”

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Golly: A highly flexible interjection indicating disbelief. Curiously, this word can be extended to indicate varying degrees of disbelief.

Example: “You really caught a catfish that big? Golly. With your bare hands? Gollllllllly.” It’s all in the Ls. Good ol’ boy: Often used as pejorative when discussing politicians, but considered a badge of honor in almost every other context. Example: “Everyone thinks the mayor’s part of the good ol’ boy network, but he’s just a good ol’ boy.”

Idjit: One who works in politics. Example: “I can’t believe I voted for that idjit. He doesn’t have the sense God gave a mule.”

“I was born at night, but not last night”: I am not a fool. Example: When somebody ate the fried chicken for the church picnic and the only person home tries to deny it, say, “I was born at night, but not last night.”

Might could: Might. Also could. Example: “Y’all hungry? I might could eat.”

“My back teeth are floatin’ ”: Having an urgent need to find either a commode or a tree in a private spot. Example: “You gonna be in there long? I’ve had three SweetWaters and I gotta go so bad that my back teeth are floatin.’ ” To hear him crow: The reason the sun rises, according to conceited people. Example: “He thinks the sun comes up just to hear him crow.”

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››Essential

South

Neely Powell is the founder and owner of Charleston Shoe Co.

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A Winning Combination A SIMPLY DESIGNED SANDAL INSPIRED A LOWCOUNTRY ENTREPRENEUR

BY JESSICA FARTHING PHOTO SUPPLIED

F

rom “cobblestones to cocktails.”

That clever phrase is the concept behind the Charleston Shoe Company, whose claim to fame is making footwear that’s both comfortable and stylish, says owner Neely Powell.

She seems to be on to something. Powell’s shoes sell in more than 300 boutiques nationwide, including several on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton, and she’s just opened her 30th branded store in Santa Monica, California.

It all started years ago, during summers that Powell spent exploring artisan markets with her mother in San Miguel, Mexico.

On one outing, Powell stumbled onto something that captured her imagination.

“We were scavenging the streets of San Miguel, which has the best shopping ever, and we stumbled into this little store with a dirt floor,” she said. “There was a man in there making shoes. We brought some home and every time we went back, friends and family asked us to bring them a pair. They were so comfortable.”

San Miguel’s streets are made of cobblestone, and the handmade sandals moved and flexed with the foot, allowing a comfortable tread. So whenever Powell traveled to places where comfortable and stylish shoes were needed, she took along a pair of the shoes.

Her stops included High Point, North Carolina, Atlanta and New York, where her mother sold furniture at trade shows.

“When I was a freshman in college, I’d help my mom work the shows,” Powell said. “We’d bring the shoes, thinking that the people walking around the market needed comfortable shoes.”

The shoes were a sensation. Customers at the trade shows

wanted to stock up on the shoes and sell them in their stores back home. Even though Powell was still in college, she already was building a successful enterprise.

“I had over 300 wholesale accounts when I got out of college,” she said.

Looking to expand beyond her wholesale business, Powell enrolled at SCAD to learn all she could about making shoes.

“I made sure that I learned all that went into the construction of the shoe. I took courses where I made my own shoes from scratch,” she said. “I learned a lot about the technicality of making a shoe.”

Next, she partnered with a Mexican cobbler to produce handmade sandals like the ones that originally caught her eye in San Miguel, and they caught on quickly.

At the time, comfort wasn’t associated with cute shoes, Powell recalled. “Years ago, comfort was kind of a bad word. Now, the demographic of my business has shifted and is younger. There’s more competition. We’ve begun innovating new products and adapting to the market.”

Now, more than 70 cobblers make shoes for the Charleston Shoe Company, producing a rainbow of sandals, plus a line of fall and winter boots and shoes. The array of footwear includes strappy sandals, wedges, a cocktail line, closed toes and boots — even kids versions.

“I think they’re just magical,” Powell said. “Twenty years later, it never gets old to watch someone slip on our shoes for the very first time and be surprised at the comfort. It’s the same response every time and it makes me feel good.”

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››Essential

South

The Lowcountry on Instagram

INFLUENCERS ARE INSTAGRAM USERS WHO HAVE USED THEIR CREDIBILITY AND VOICE TO BUILD AN AUDIENCE. BECAUSE HILTON HEAD ISLAND AND BLUFFTON ARE PICTURE-PERFECT, MANY NATIONAL AND LOCAL BRANDS LOOK TO PARTNER WITH INFLUENCERS IN THE LOWCOUNTRY. MONTHLY REACHED OUT TO SOME AND ASKED THEM TO SEND US SOME OF THEIR FAVORITE LOCAL SHOTS. HERE’S WHAT THEY SHARED WITH US.

@faustisland

Photographer Amber Faust met her husband Matthew years ago on a tiny Caribbean Island and it’s been charming chaos since. They live on Hilton Head Island and have three kids; ages 13, 4 and 3. “Somehow along the way we became an accidental family of influencers,” she wrote in her profile. She also has a website, faustisland.com, where she blogs about family, lifestyle and health topics.

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@bellestrategies

Rachel Creveling is the owner of Belle Strategies Marketing Agency and she holds a special place in her heart for Old Town Bluffton.

It was the first stop on a 2015 road trip that led to her family moving to the Lowcountry the following year.

@cruisingwiththekinards

Brian Kinard is a local Realtor and“Cruising With The Kinards” started last year as an engaging and entertaining way to inform people about the Hilton Head Island real estate market. It’s also a social channel for Mollie Kinard and Brian to feature the Lowcountry’s active outdoor lifestyle, outdoor environments and diverse ecosystems, and to show others how all these things combined make Hilton Head and the Lowcountry a great place to live, work and play.

PHOTOS BY SUMMER PAGATPATAN

@totumwomen

Erin Erenberg is an attorney, mom of three and founder of Totum, a company that celebrates moms through online support, products, events and advocacy. She and her family moved to Hilton Head Island from Los Angeles last year and live on North Forest Beach. “I’ve been coming to Hilton Head since I was a little girl, and we’re excited to call it home,” she wrote on her page. Totum has partnered with brands like Happiest Baby, Lunya, ThirdLove and Hatch.

March 2020 57

@thelowcountryedit

Adrienne LeBlanc of Bluffton is a career professional and small business owner with a star-spangled heart, a deep love for living on the coast, self-deprecating humor and WWII history as well as leading a healthy, active lifestyle. If she’s not at the beach, she’s drinking Around the World at EPCOT in Walt Disney World.

@HereInHiltonHead

Madeline Cox is a Hilton Head Island resident who loves having Folly Field Beach right in her backyard. She tries to never miss a sunset and describes herself as a “tourist turned local.” Cox invites brands that are interested in collaborating to DM her.

@nachobasicmom

Stephanie Cole is a Hilton Head Island“newbie” and stay-at-home mom. She loves fashion, reading and exploring the island and surrounding areas with her husband, Michael and two kids. Her Instagram feed includes posts about crafts, products she loves, child-raising tips and more.

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››People

Honor Until the End HILTON HEAD RESIDENT JANET PORTER FACILITATES END-OF-LIFE DISCUSSIONS

BY CARRIE HIRSCH PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

I

t came as a shock to Janet Porter’s sorority sisters at Ohio State University when she took an interest in end-oflife issues and enrolled in studies on death and dying at St. Thomas More Newman Center, the school’s Roman Catholic campus ministry.

For her, it was just the beginning.

Porter earned her bachelor’s degree in health management and a master’s in health administration in health management policy, and then earned an MBA in strategy and a Ph.D. in health care strategy. And she’s put those degrees to work: For more than 40 years, she’s served as a public health leader, a hospital executive and an administrator, author, lecturer and faculty member at institutions including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, University of Miami, and University of North Carolina. Today, she serves on the board of trustees at OSU and Stroudwater Associates.

And she will be a featured speaker at TEDxHiltonHead’s “Making Waves” presentation, giving a talk titled “Living Life Fully Through the End of Life,” discussing lessons she’s learned through her work, including as chairwoman of Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.

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The group “helps its valued patients and their families experience the fullness and dignity they deserve, even as they face the anxieties with the end of life,” she said.

That includes helping patients celebrate milestones.

“We recently did a ceremony for a veteran; it was the couple’s 60th wedding anniversary,” she said. “We got a cake, and these guys are in uniform. After the

“It’s a taboo subject like sex, finance and religion — and politics, now,” she said.

But even if it’s an awkward conversation, it’s a necessary one. To make it easier, she recommends resources like “Driving Miss Norma” by Tim Bauerschmidt and Ramie Liddle, a book that focuses on what really matters at the end of life.

“Everybody should read this book,” Porter said. “We know death is coming, but we don’t want to talk about that and

We know death is coming, but we don’t want to talk about that... ceremony was over, the patient turned to our volunteer coordinator, Maggie Clark, and said, ‘I know there were only six people here, but it felt like 600.’”

The patient died a week later, and Porter said she was glad the hospice group was able to help him mark his anniversary with a special ceremony. “If we don’t talk about” end-of-life issues, she said, “we can’t honor the wishes of the ones we love.”

Honor and dignity are very important to Porter.

“Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, who founded the Red Cross — those were who I really wanted to be like,” she said. “Then I had this service thing from my parents. My parents would say that they wanted to give us three messages — get a good education, work hard and provide service to others.”

Part of her service to others, Porter said, is encouraging them to have the “someday” conversation about end-oflife issues with loved ones before illness — including dementia — complicates the process.

we don’t prepare for it and then that endof-life experience is not what you want.

My message is the gift you give those you love is to tell them what’s important to you at end of life. The medical profession has medicalized the dying process — do you want a feeding tube or do you want to be on a ventilator? The legal profession has legalized it — so they say where do you want your assets to go? In fact, it’s a social process of you and your family bringing closure and celebrating your life.”

IF YOU GO

Janet Porter, chairwoman of the board of directors of Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, will be a featured speaker at TEDxHiltonHead’s “Making Waves” presentation, to be held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 14 at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Tickets are $72 and include morning refreshments and lunch. For more information, go to tedxhiltonhead.com.

March 2020 61

››People

S

Mayers Makes it Happen KPM FLOORING OWNER IS BUSINESS, COMMUNITY LEADER

BY ANTHONY GARZILLI PHOTO BY RUTHE RITTERBECK

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he drove a taxi, waited tables, and even became a scuba instructor.

Before Kathleen Mayers started her own business — KPM Flooring on Hilton Head Island’s Main Street — out of her garage in 2007 and emerged as a community leader and advocate for Down syndrome awareness on Hilton Head Island, she’d already shown she was willing to work hard.

“Personally, I’m willing to do what I need to do to make ends meet,” said Mayers, who worked various jobs throughout college and spent 20 years as an employee at a flooring store before launching her own company. “I’m not too proud to dig a ditch.”

Mayers’ gritty mindset was tested in 2004 when her newborn daughter, Caroline, was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

The news was surprising but spurred Mayers into action. After the initial diagnosis, she brought Caroline to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where she said her family met openminded people who shared information that made her feel better about Caroline’s future — and she saw a tenacity in her daughter that elevated her optimism.

At 3 weeks old, Caroline was weak and intubated, but she “pulled and pulled until she extubated herself,” Mayers said.

Her daughter was strong.

The experience at MUSC was so positive and “life-altering” that Mayers knew she had to give back. Never one to sit still, Mayers and her other family members decided to help other families affected by Down syndrome.

They founded Caroline & Friends, a nonprofit group that promotes Down syndrome awareness and raises money to help families affected by the condition. The group’s website, carolineandfriends. com, features information about Down syndrome and provides links to clinics and advocacy groups.

In October 2006, the Mayers family hosted their first Buddy Walk, a National Down Syndrome Society program geared toward raising awareness.

This month, Mayers will join in a National Down Syndrome Society 3.21-mile run on March 21, as part of World Down Syndrome Day. Mayers said since its inception, Caroline & Friends has raised $75,000 to support local families living with Down syndrome. The money can help families in many ways, including paying for tutoring or speech and physical therapies.

“We will work with (families) to try to get those things covered,” she said.

Mayers is thrilled that Caroline is thriving. She’s a freshman at Hilton Head Island High School and recently attended a school dance.

While dropping Caroline off there, Mayers and her youngest daughter, 13-year-old Honora, were awed by her confidence. No hesitation. No trepidation.

“It was just one of those moments,” Mayers said. “We looked at each other and — she’s unfazed by so much. Very few 15-yearold girls would have walked in and there was nothing timid about that moment to her. That’s just the amazing thing about her. It’s like, holy cow, if she can do this, I should be able to do this.”

Caroline has a 3.78 GPA, has played soccer, loves to swim and is already thinking about college. She plans to attend Clemson University.

“She doesn’t look at her challenges as challenges,” Mayers said.

Mayers is also reveling in her daughters’ business acumen.

Last year, Caroline, Honora, and her oldest daughter, Emma, 18, a student at Columbia College Chicago, launched Wee Three Sisters, a jewelry business in which they collaborate to make and sell their own pieces.

“It’s phenomenal,” Mayers said. “It teaches practical life skills for all three of my daughters: own a business, report your taxes, do whatever you have to do.”

In addition to raising her daughters, running her successful flooring store, and travelling to attend flooring markets, Mayers is a member of the Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and the Hilton Head Area Home Builders Association. And she’s up at 5 a.m. during the week to teach or participate in a fitness class. Despite her busy schedule, Mayers is a proponent of family time.

“When I’m home, I’m home,” she said. “I’m there. I’m present.”

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››People

Virtual Community HEATHER PRICE CONNECTS THE LOWCOUNTRY THROUGH ACTIVE FACEBOOK GROUP

BY CAROL WEIR PHOTO BY RUTHE RITTERBECK

H

eather Price imagined an online coffee shop where people could ask questions about life in the Lowcountry and get answers. She ended up with a gathering in a virtual arena the size of a small stadium.

Price is the creator and chief administrator of “Bluffton/Hilton Head Ask and Answer [Original],” a Facebook group that has more than 21,000 members — many of them very active.

A Lowcountry resident since 1984, Price attended Hilton Head Island High School, has a bachelor’s degree in human services from the University of South Carolina Beaufort, is trained as an EMT and worked for the Jasper County Emergency Services Department.

During her time there, she developed a sympathetic, strong voice and the ability to stay calm during stressful situations.

“Emergency management helped me anticipate what was going to happen next,” she said.

Price, who lives near Old Town Bluffton, first got the idea for a Facebook group for questions when she saw members of another online group criticize a woman who asked about a spider on a local page dedicated to buying and selling used items.

“She responded that she was a military wife with a baby at home and her husband was deployed,” Price recalled. “She had just moved here and didn’t know anyone.”

Price envisioned a supportive online space where people could get their questions answered, find out local news and connect with the community — a type of online community board. In 2015, when her daughter Charlotte was 6 months old, she stared “Bluffton/Hilton Head Ask and Answer.” In the beginning, she did most of the asking and all of the answering.

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The page grew steadily, then took off when Hurricane Matthew threatened. In one week, Price added 1,000 people to the group.

“I stayed, and through a friend’s job got onto Hilton Head Island to go live on Facebook for the first time,” she said.

“People asked me to check on their houses and I did. We rescued animals.

Someone asked me to go get her breast milk and I did.”

After the hurricane, needs started pouring in. People were out of work and had spent money evacuating. Many had never needed assistance before and didn’t know where to turn. Price asked group members to help with Christmas presents, homelessness and hunger.

“Of course, we refer to local nonprofits. But many make too much on paper to qualify for help. And things happen outside business hours. I have

Bluffton/Hilton Head Ask and Answer [Original], a Facebook group, has more than 21,000 members.

found that the page fills gaps,” Price said.

Recently, she was able to help a victim of domestic violence escape a dangerous situation. But not all the needs are as dire: when a Bluffton woman left her flip-flops at the beach and posted about it, another group member responded that she was just pulling into the parking lot and would pick them up. On a recent day, the page was aflutter about lost pets, a tennis group seeking members, recommendations for photographers for engagement photos and a pop-up face painting booth at DuBois Park. Through the page, Price organized a buddy system for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and hurricane evacuations.

Of course, members also air their grievances online. Price and her current group of six administrators have adopted rules including no bullying, no major profanity and no selling anything. If members break the rules, administrators block their ability to comment temporarily or permanently. She added the word “original” to the group’s name after several copy-cats sprung up.

Price works up to 50 hours a week on the site, in small bits of time between her duties as a single mom (she also has an adult son, Nicholas) and cleaning houses for income. In the back of her mind is the mission that when tragedy hits, she wants to make sure locals are surrounded by love. Price and her thenfiancé lost their 6-week-old daughter, Vivienne, to SIDS in 2013. She remembers that after the ambulance and police left their house, they had to drive themselves to Hilton Head Hospital to see if their daughter was still alive. Help for dark times came later when they joined a pregnancy and infant loss support group run by Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, from the nonprofit Harper Project, and from a meal train organized by members of Hilton Head Hospital’s “The Boob Group” Facebook group.

Bluffton/Hilton Head Ask and Answer has responded to loss in the community as well.

“When people are hurting, I post, “Let’s love on them,” Price said. “And our members do.”

After the hurricane, needs started pouring in. People were out of work and had spent money evacuating.

Many had never needed assistance before and didn’t know where to turn.

March 2020 65

Leading

Ladies

Lowcountry of the

This month, Monthly invited local women in business, education, sports and the arts to discuss their work and how they define success.

In their profiles, these Lowcountry influencers share advice and connect across a diverse range of expertise and industries. They discuss their obstacles, accomplishments, backgrounds, motivation and the people who have inspired them. From the owners of small family businesses to the team that leads the Hilton Head Public Service District, these local women have made a positive impact in the community. They are the leading ladies of the Lowcountry — women in charge who make Hilton Head and Bluffton better places to live.

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March 2020 67

1st row left to right: Shannon Baltzegar, Rhonda Schwarz, Sandra Priest, Kelly Young 2nd row standing Barbara Williams, Melidza Cruz, Kim Thorn, Martha Moore, Diane Heim

The Leading Ladies of Stoneworks PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

StoneWorks is a leading resource for porcelain, quartz, granite, marble and tile. Our craftsmanship with state-ofthe-art fabrication facilities and a vast stock of materials on hand can deliver “inspiration to installation” within 5 business days.

Q: Who are the leading ladies at StoneWorks?

A: We are a team of design and sales professionals that collaborate with clients to help create spaces where family and friends make memories!

Many of us have been a part of StoneWorks for over 10 years and combined, we have decades of experience in the industry.

We share a passion for every client project and have a reputation for being a “go-to team.”

28 Hunter Rd. Hilton Head Island, SC

843.689.6980 hiltonheadstone.com

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We realize that each project is crucial to the owner, whether business or home so we strive to make each customer feel like they are the most important client as soon as they walk through the door. If our client can imagine it – StoneWorks can create the space!

Q: Why do homeowners and property managers choose to work with the women of StoneWorks?

A: We are known for our creativity, vast product knowledge, design skills, and superb customer communications and relationships. Ultimately, we want professionals and homeowners to be so pleased with each project that they come back as a return customer time and time again.

Q: What are the leading ladies of StoneWorks focusing on now?

A: Porcelains Countertops! Porcelain is stain, heat and water resistant for indoor and outdoor countertop surfaces. It is ideal for kitchens and bathrooms in colors and finishes that mimic Mother Nature.

Porcelain outperforms other materials on the market.

Q: Any other words of advice?

A: Come see our showroom. Have a cup of coffee with us and let’s imagine what a newly created space can bring to your home.

The Leading Lady of J. Banks Design Group

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY GUIDO FLUECK

The global appeal of Lowcountry elegance can be traced back to the success of one firm: J Banks Design Group. And the success of J. Banks Design Group? Well, you can thank Joni Vanderslice for that.

She supplemented her own talents by surrounding herself with a world-class team and changed the Lowcountry. We find out how she did it.

Q: What challenges did you face as a woman in business?

A: When I was first starting out, it was more difficult to have business conversations with other women, while this was much more of a norm for men.

Balancing family and business remains a challenge for women, as we tend to be more focused on that balance and the expectations of family.

Q: Were there any mentors you looked to as you started out?

A: My father was a business owner and entrepreneur.

He took me with him as he met with various customers, partners and others to negotiate and discuss business deals. As a result, talking about business is not difficult for me and is something that I enjoy. My original investors at J. Banks Design Group were the original Melrose Company partners: Bob Kolb, Steve Kiser, Jim Coleman, Rick Reichel, Reggie Bray and Jim Nicksa. They each played a role in getting me to where I am today and were crucial at many pivotal points in my business. They have also always been my biggest supporters, even after they were no longer financial partners. Joe Harden was always willing to sit down with me and help with business methods and questions.

Q: While there’s no “magic pill” for success, what do you think has been the single most important thing for yours?

A: Prayer – lots of it. Putting relationships first.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: You are only as good as those you surround yourself with. You cannot do it all on your own.

35 Main St., Hilton Head Island, SC 843.681.5122 jbanksdesign.com March 2020 69

Alliance Dance Academy’s Leading Ladies

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

Rochelle Clarkson opened Alliance Dance Academy four years ago, having danced for over 50 years with a career as a dancer, artist and instructor who has helped launched hundreds of careers. A mentor and professional with a passion for dance, she shares her thoughts on bridging the artistic and business worlds.

Q: What lessons have you learned in starting Alliance Dance Academy?

39 Persimmon St. STE 404, Bluffton, SC

843.757.8277 alliancedanceacademy.com

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A: Being a good dance teacher doesn’t necessarily make you a good studio owner. That’s where most studios fail. Most people who are artistic don’t have the mindset necessary for the business side of it. Somehow I kind of have both, but I think that comes from doing this for so long. I worked at many studios before I went out on my

own, so I kind of knew what was going to work for me and what wasn’t.

I think the hardest thing this time around was everyone told me I had to do it differently. Everyone said you need to do online registration and do everything through email.

That’s just not me. If I’m working with a child, I want to know what parent goes with that child. I went at it kind of old school, which obviously the teachers, parents and kids appreciate, as it makes us more of a family!

It’s not just me making this studio grow! I couldn’t do this without my entire staff. And you really need to find teachers that have the same beliefs you do. It’s all about making the kids and parents comfortable and having fun while they are dancing and learning.

The Leading Lady of Terra’s Hair Salon

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

Women already face a unique set of challenges when creating a successful business, and those challenges multiply when your name is on the sign. Terra Scoggins has handled those challenges with a smile, establishing Terra’s Hair Salon as the island’s go-to destination for fabulous looks.

Q: How long have you been in business?

A: Since 2008 Q: What challenges did you face as a woman opening her own studio?

A: Goodness, it’s been so long. Feeling like I had to “do it all” immediately to be able to succeed. When In reality, everything worth something takes time, patience and a lot of long hours with hard work.

Q: Were there any mentors you looked to as you started out?

A: I’ve worked with so many amazing stylists and salon owners over the years. Each one has taught me something! What to do, what not to do. I remember a stylist icon I look up to once said at a class “be different but be your best”!

Q: Who were your big supporters along the way?

A: My family, always. and my loyal clients, I’ve had some clients for 19 years. They’ve been with me through a lot!

Q: While there’s no “magic pill” for success, what do you think has been the single most important thing for yours?

A: I care. I love people and I want everyone who leaves my studio to feel better about themselves. I offer hugs with services, free of charge haha. Just listening to others is key. If you love what you do and give it your best you will be successful.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: Keep on going! It will be hard sometimes and you will want to give up. But, pick yourself up and face another day. It is all worth it, I promise!

2 Marshland Rd., Hilton Head Island, SC 843.682.4247 terrashairstudio.com March 2020 71

Leading Ladies of Hilton Head PSD

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

Founded in 1969, Hilton Head PSD has provided clean water and friendly service to the island as it has grown from a sleepy golf resort into a busy community. We asked a few of their leading ladies about their work at HHPSD and their lives as women in the industry.

Q: Were there any mentors you looked to as you started out?

A: My supervisor, Vermell. She was always open with sharing institutional knowledge in a respectful and pleasant manner. She made me extremely comfortable coming to her with questions, which really helped me find my way in the organization.

- Renee White, customer support representative Q: What challenges did you face as a woman in business?

A: Early on, it was probably just finding my voice and not being intimidated by the more experienced team members surrounding me. When I learned to stand a little taller and speak with confidence, doors began to open.

– Connie Whitehead, executive assistant

21 Oak Park Dr. Hilton Head Island, SC

843.681.5525 hhpsd.com

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Q: What do you think has been the single most important thing for your success?

A: There are four things I hold equally: Positivity, Respect, Education and Selfcare. You must be positive. It carries over into your mood, words and actions.

Respect ALL people! Treat everyone like you would want your mother to be treated.

Be a lifelong learner. The world, industry and community are constantly changing.

Take care of yourself. You have to be your best to offer your best.

- Vermell Doctor-Scott, customer support supervisor Q: What challenges did you face as a woman in business?

A: Personally, I’ve sometimes found it hard to speak up for myself in some of the predominately male businesses I’ve worked for. Not out of fear, but because I didn’t feel it would make a difference. It has really been an area of growth for me over the last two decades.

- Lorie Chisolm, accounting specialist Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: Believe in yourself and reach for the stars. You determine your goals and your limits. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you can have it.

- Elizabeth Hamilton, customer support representative

The Leading Ladies of Kelly Caron Designs

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE

Since opening up her own boutique design studio in Bluffton five years ago, Kelly Caron has been at the vanguard of the Lowcountry look, creating some of the most dazzling interiors in the South. We caught up with her to get a few tricks of the trade.

Q: Were there any mentors you looked to as you started out?

A: Most of my mentors are not directly related to interior design. There were other business owners and individuals who could give me positive advice on what to do and not do as a young businessperson. I also have a dad who has several businesses and he gave me very wise advice on getting loans, employees, and how to navigate starting my own business.

Q: Who were your big supporters?

843.815.4737 kellycarondesigns.com

A: My parents, my family, friends and other builders and architects. I also, very thankfully, had clients from my past work experience stay with me as their designer, which I am very

thankful for! I joined a BNI group that introduced me to trades and other business professionals who did network beyond what I would normally have done without the group.

Q: To what do you credit your studio’s success?

A: I work very hard on everything I do.

I wake up ready to work, and I honestly love what I do every day! Every milestone of growth was also a push to keep working hard. I also have a fantastic design team behind me and our day to day work.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: You have to work very hard and smart. Throw 9-5 work time out the window! Do not be afraid to cold call or write an email reaching out to people for business. Invest in advertisement in a smart way. Get noticed on social media. Be positive and keep trying even if there are roadblocks along the way. Don’t give up!

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Leading Ladies of Cera Products

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY ARNO DIMMLING

Launched in 1993 by Charlene Riikonen, Cera Products encompasses a whole line of cutting edge hydration products used by everyone from pro athletes to Army Rangers and other military Special Operations. Today Riikonen runs the company with her daughter, Jennifer Gurrola at her side.

Q: What challenges did you face as a woman opening her own business?

A: As a woman starting a business, people often thought it was my husband at the head… And often the relationships which help you get contracts are those made in fraternities in college, on the golf course, etc. this was also reflected in seeking investment funds.

Q: What did it mean to you to have your daughter with you as you’ve grown?

A: We think alike in many or most instances, but she is far better at sales and marketing and working with the military. She also has more patience than I do. We are a great team!

88 Main St., D1, Hilton Head Island, SC 843.842.2600 | ceraproductsinc.com

The Leading Lady of The Art of Massage and Yoga/ Herb Room

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

April Lewis lives and breathes wellness. Both through The Art of Massage and The Herb Room, she is committed to helping women feel their best. We found out how it all started for her.

Q: What led you to start your own business?

A: The reason that I started my own business was feeling uninspired in prior jobs and knew there were a lot of things that I wanted to do differently. I did a lot of self studying and researching in hopes of creating an inspiring workplace.

Q: What has played the biggest role in your business’ growth?

A: Definitely community events. We volunteer or donate as much as we can to many different events from Humane Society fundraisers, local marathons, breast cancer walks, etc... and there is no doubt that connecting with the community grows your business!

14 New Orleans Road, Suite 2, Hilton Head Island, SC 843.422.8378 | hiltonheadwellness.com 74 hiltonheadmonthly.com

The Leading Lady of Orangetheory Fitness

When Kelly Ogden launched her Orangetheory Fitness location on Hilton Head Island, she brought one of the most innovative fitness experiences in the world to our little island. Here she shares a few thoughts on how that happened.

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

Q: Were there any mentors you looked to as you started out?

430 William Hilton Pkwy, Hilton Head Island, SC 843.473.4505 hilton-head.orangetheoryfitness.com

A: My mentor for opening Orangetheory Fitness on the island is the founder of Orangetheory Fitness herself, Ellen Latham. My husband and I tried our first Orangetheory class while we were visiting Austin, TX a few years ago. After buying Ellen Latham’s book, “Push,” at the Austin studio I read it in two days and knew that I had to be a part of Orangetheory. Her story is amazing and inspiring! I’ve met and spoken to Ellen several times and her passion and down-to-earth realness is so catching!

Q: Who were your big supporters?

A: My husband and our three daughters are by far my biggest supporters, they’re my cheerleaders! After our youngest left for college, I knew I had to do something. I grew up in a fitness-minded family and my first job out of college and while in grad school in the ’80s was as an aerobics instructor. While raising our family I participated in almost every fitness modality out there, so it was only natural that I came full circle to opening a fitness studio.

Q: What’s the secret to Orangetheory Fitness’ success?

A: Our success is in the community that has been created by our hardworking, butt kicking members and staff. Because Orangetheory Fitness is a heart rate monitor based workout designed for all ages and all abilities we have everyone coming together and supporting each other in class no matter where they are in their journey to a healthier and active life.

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The Leading Lady of HHI Builders BUILDING A GREAT REPUTATION ONE HOME AT A TIME

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

If there is one industry that is the most difficult for women to break into, it is definitely construction.

However as a co-owner of HHI Builders, Danielle Young handles the boy’s club with ease. Working side by side with her husband & their talented team of craftsmen they have transformed numerous villas & homes on Hilton Head Island. Her attention to detail and her commitment to excellence is unparalled.

Handling design projects, power tools, or P&L’s Danielle excels in all aspects of the business.

Q: We were told you are the glue of your organization. Would that be accurate?

1 Matthews Drive Suite 111 Hilton Head Island, SC

843.715.8060 hhi-builders.com License #122477

76 hiltonheadmonthly.com

A: (laughs) That would be 100 percent correct. I do a little bit of everything….the finances, scheduling, purchasing, meeting with clients, working with subcontractors.

Q: Is it a challenge being a woman in the traditional male trade of construction?

A: This industry itself is challenging.

I am most fortunate that I have not experienced challenges specific to being a female in a male-dominated industry in my experience thus far.

Q: What’s the big strength you bring to a job site?

A: I keep everything on track! Our industry is an ever-changing environment. The boundaries are pushed daily in order to provide work that is on time, on budget and holds quality to the highest standard.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: Find your passion. No matter what your background or your industry focus, become the best and share your expertise. Try to learn from your mistakes as mistakes make you tougher!

The Leading Ladies of Heritage Fine Jewelry RAISING THE BAR FOR 30 YEARS

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

28 Shelter Cove Ln, #114, Hilton Head Island, SC

843.689-2900 heritagejewelershhi.com

When Patti Catalano brought her business, Heritage Fine Jewelry, to Hilton Head 30 years ago, she launched a family legacy. Today, her sons, as well as daughter Jennifer Lance, join her in a business that has consistently raised the bar for exquisite jewelry on Hilton Head Island.

Q: What challenges did you face as a woman opening a jewelry store?

A: Funds were low! I started my first jewelry store with $2,500 and couldn’t even afford a commercial phone line for the first few months.

Finding a lady jeweler behind the bench, actually making and repairing the jewelry, was pretty unheard of so there were lots of cases where people would come in and ask to speak with the jeweler. When they found out that was me, they were pretty surprised. Needless to say, that has changed drastically and now some of the best jewelry makers/ designers are women. It’s great to see that progress.

Q: Who were your big supporters?

A: I had the support of my mom and dad who encouraged me to follow my dreams, but I had to do it on my own. There was no financial help from them, just good old-fashioned advice about business and life. They always said that whatever money I made that didn’t need to go to everyday living, I needed to put back into the business. I’ve always done that and am so blessed by how far we’ve come.

Q: While there’s no “magic pill” for success, what do you think has been the single most important thing for yours?

A: Customer service is really the key.

I have always strived to make sure my customers know that they are being treated fairly. Honesty and integrity are huge in this business and if there is no trust, there is no business. I’ve made sure to instill in my kids how important this is and now I get to watch them carry on those values.

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The Leading Lady of Bluffton Aesthetics

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

Ingrid Nivens has long played a leading role in the spinal medicine practice run by her husband, Dr. Charles J. Nivens. With Bluffton Aesthetics, she steps into the spotlight at the helm of a full-service medical spa. Here she shares her thoughts on building her own legacy of quality care.

Q: What challenges did you face as a woman opening her own business?

A: The biggest challenge that I’ve faced is balancing the time required to focus on getting the business not only up and running, but succeeding, along with the everyday requirements of being a mom, wife and maintaining a key role in my husband’s business.

Q: Were there any mentors you looked to as you started out?

A: Although I’ve been involved in my husband’s medical practice for over 20 years, starting a med spa from ground zero was a new challenge. My husband has always been my primary mentor, however. I am thankful that I have several friends that have retail and service-oriented businesses that I have been able to lean on for advice in marketing and networking.

Q: Who were your big supporters?

A: My husband and my family have been my biggest supporters both in moral and financial support.

Q: While there’s no “magic pill” for success, what do you think has been the single most important thing for yours?

A: My goal in opening Bluffton Aesthetics was to provide the best service in a comfortable and professional environment. I visualized that many women like myself would like to have a place to go to learn how to take care of their skin and body and to address things that bother them without having to seek out a plastic surgeon. I feel that many women are okay with aging “gracefully,” but that doesn’t mean that we want to look our age! A large part of our success is that we invested in stateof-the-art equipment that allows us to address a multitude of concerns for skin and body. I am also fortunate to have a great support staff that is knowledgeable and experienced in our services.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: Our focus has and continues to be: how to stand out from our competition. I feel that this is key no matter what business you own. You need to be the best at what you have to offer.

3 Plantation Park Dr., Bluffton, SC 843.505.0584 blufftonaesthetics.com 78 hiltonheadmonthly.com

Leading Ladies of Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

Margaret Pearman has spent the last 10 years as the face of her father’s restaurant, Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte. Starting out clearing tables at age 10, she has a unique perspective on both taking charge of the family business and being a woman in a leadership role at an island institution.

Q: What challenges did you face as a woman taking over the reins of a successful restaurant?

A: Many customers don’t take me seriously, and even ask to speak to the “real” manager. Often customers are surprised when I approach the table to help them pick out a wine. I also get asked “when did you start?” I just say to myself, “ Clearly you don’t look 37, Margaret!”

Q: Were there any mentors you looked to as you started out?

8 New Orleans Rd., Hilton Head Island, SC

843.785.9277 charliesgreenstar.com

A: My college experience in New Orleans probably impacted me the most. During my time there, I worked at Commander’s Palace where the Brennan women ran

the show. Lally and Tee would sweep in and out each evening but had a very specific agenda while they were working the floor: to make themselves seen, greet any VIPs, and relay any discontents to the management. I learned quickly if your smile was not plastered on your face, you wouldn’t have a job the next day.

Also, I cannot discount my time spent at Rollers Wine and Spirits working under Camille Copeland. She’s a woman who knows wants she wants and is determined to get it. I have always been envious of her fortitude.

Lastly, I have had the opportunity to work with many people who have been in the restaurant business a lot longer than me. My ears are always open to their input. I think they appreciate that. I am indebted to my staff for their strength and perseverance. Although I have lots of flexibility now to raise my small kids, it has taken a long time to get to this point.

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The Leading Lady of Java Burrito

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

For six years, Java Burrito has been keeping Hilton Head Island caffeinated and satisfied with their premium burritos and fresh experience. And leading the way has been owner Frederika Liene Feketé. Pour a cup of joe and hear a few thoughts on her success.

Q: What do you think has been the key to Java Burrito’s success?

A: I would say the thing that seems to always effect every aspect of success would be attention to detail. Every little thing counts. I’ve also been lucky to have such a great business partner - my husband.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business A: To not be afraid of hard work, long days, and sacrifice. It helps if you’re a little competitive in nature ;) Q: What can you tell us about your expansion plans?

A: We are opening in Old Town Bluffton this year! It will be a free-standing building with its own parking lot on the corner of May River Road and Wharf Street. We are so excited - it’s going to be really cool!

1000 William Hilton Pkwy, Suite J6, Hilton Head Island, SC 843.842.5282 | javaburrito.com

The Leading Lady of Coastal Long-Term Rental Company

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

Broker-in-Charge Laura Wuller became the owner of Coastal Long-Term Rental Company, LLC in 2013 following a ten-year career in both the rental and real estate industries.

Q: What challenges do you face as a woman running her own business?

A: One big challenge I think all women face at some point during their career is a good balance of work, family time and personal time. Raising a family while successfully running my business has been one of my greatest challenges, and I’m proud of how I’ve accomplished a good balance.

Q: Who were your big supporters?

A: My husband, parents, the former owner of the business, former employers, and Realtors who I have known for years. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their encouragement.

Q: While there’s no “magic pill” for success, what do you think has been the single most important thing for yours?

A: I believe a good part of my success is derived from my reputation built on strong work ethic and a high sense of integrity. Growing up on a ranch in Montana, these qualities were simply a way of life.

18 Executive Park Rd., Ste 2, 7 Simmonsville Rd., Ste 100A, Hilton Head Island, SC Bluffton, SC 843.842.4546 | 843.706.7368 | CoastalLTR.com 80 hiltonheadmonthly.com

The Leading Ladies of Island Getaway

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

For 20 years, Sarah Brooks and her husband Todd have been at the helm of Island Getaway, the business founded by Sarah’s father in the late ’80s. Under their leadership, and with the help of their staff, it has grown into one of the island’s leading vacation rental companies.

Q: What challenges does a woman face in your industry or what advantages does it give you?

A: In our line of work, women are typically the primary decision makers in choosing a vacation for their families. Our ladies relate to their needs and provide them with the knowledge and information to ensure a memorable experience. There will always be the stigma that someone “wants to talk to a man.” The gender difference subsides the moment they speak to a staff member and they realize that their expectations will be met or exceeded.

28 New Orleans Rd Hilton Head Island, SC

843.842.4664 islandgetaway.com

Q: While there’s no “magic pill” for success, what do you think has been the single most important thing for yours?

A: The working atmosphere we have created at Island Getaway. The staff does not see each other as just co-workers, they are good friends and like family. The majority of our staff has been here over ten years (and almost half over 15 years). They are friends outside of the office, have seen each other’s kids grow up, and have enormous support for each other on every level. It creates an environment of a close-knit group and everyone is working towards the same goal.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: Always do the right thing. Your reputation means way more in the long run than you could ever imagine when starting out. You can take shortcuts in efforts to grow your business more quickly, but it will always catch up with you… Treat people with respect, listen to their needs, and follow up with them and communicate.

March 2020 81

The Leading Lady of Everlasting Memories

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

Sarah Wright came to the Lowcountry from Tennessee, and has made her mark on the Lowcountry by creating some of its most memorable events. Her business, Everlasting Memories, runs the gamut from weddings to corporate events, adding flair to each and giving clients peace of mind that their day will be spectacular. We picked her brain to see what it’s like being a woman in her field.

Q: How long have you been in business?

A: I started the company in 2008 Q: Who have been your big supporters?

A: My biggest supporters are my husband, Clifford Wright and lead coordinator, Amanda McIntyre. My husband is constantly challenging me to do more, and Amanda is always there to cheer me on.

Q: While there’s no “magic pill” for success, what do you think has been the single most important thing for yours?

A: The most important thing for me is my dedication and persistence.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: Be persistent, never give up, and always do your best!

Q: What type of events do you plan?

A: We plan weddings and corporate events. Everything from a two-person elopement to a 500-guest wedding, grand opening, cocktail party or a large multiple-day festival.

Q: Unlike some industries, event planning does seem to be predominately female-led. Why do you suppose that is?

A: A good event planner, whether its an intimate wedding or a huge corporate event, needs to be organized, creative and able to multi-task to the extreme. It’s about lining up all the little details to make dreams into reality, and these are skillsets that women just tend to gravitate toward.

912.484.1449 everlastingmemoriessavhhi.com 82 hiltonheadmonthly.com

The Leading Ladies of Al & Harry’s Home Fashions

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

You have no doubt seen the adorable storefront of Al & Harry’s Home Fashions while wandering Calhoun Street, and perhaps wandered in to check out the dazzling home décor within. The story behind the storefront, that of owner Alison Fargione, is equally inspiring.

Q: What were your biggest challenges in the beginning?

A: I didn’t face any outward challenges I would say my challenge was in myself.

I had to remind myself of the road that brought me here and to draw on the passion to create and not give up; to constantly press in.

Q: This being your first business, who were your mentors starting out?

20 Calhoun Street Bluffton, SC

843.757.5999 alandharryhome.com

A: There are a few women in the business I really admire but I would say my mentor is my husband Joe. We were in this together and he helped me with all the business aspects since I had no experience at all. Whenever there was something we weren’t sure of, we prayed and worked it out together.

Q: Beyond Joe, who were your big supporters?

A: My supporters were my family, I couldn’t have done it without them.

My children Sarah, Rachel, Juliana and Michael have all been a big part of the business. Sarah and Juliana have joined us in the business and have given a fresh eye to everything. Rachel, although she lives in Charlotte, she joins us on our shopping trips to market and it’s always a fun time. Michael has helped move and deliver endless amounts of furniture always with a smile.

My mom and dad are the inspiration for starting the store, I love designing things that remind me of home.

Q: What advice would you give for anyone starting out in your business?

A: My advice for anyone starting a business , would be to surround yourself with people who love you and care about your success. Also, follow your passion.

If you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work.

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Broad Smiles at Broad Creek Marina Adventures LEADING LADIES OF BROAD CREEK MARINA ADVENTURES

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

Encompassing some of the island’s most exciting attractions and one of its most beloved restaurants, Broad Creek Marina Adventures brings together ZipLine HH, Aerial Adventure HH, Broad Creek Marina and Up the Creek Pub & Grill. And, coming soon, the adrenaline-pumping fun of GoKart HH. Q: Tell us a little bit about your female management staff – how long have most of you worked here and what are your responsibilities?

A: A majority of the women here have been with us for more than a decade.

You’re looking at a cumulative total of 55 years of broad smiles. We have women involved in all aspects of the operation from customer relations to communications and to financial operations. But no matter where they are in the organization, their responsibility first and foremost is to reflect the company’s commitment to fun and adventure.

Q: How excited are you to start ramping up the GoKart HH aspect of the experience?

Sales Manager Lacey Mattox, Reservations Manager Emily Hernandez, Accounting Manager Robbin Rachels, Marketing Director Pam Freedman, Training and Office Manager Charlotte Evans, Kitchen Manager Margarita Cordero, and Marketing Coordinator Dayana Jara

A: We have never heard more excitement than we have for the electric GoKarts. The response from the community has been unbelievable. And it fits nicely with our overarching goal of offering outdoor Lowcountry thrills.

18 Simmons Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 843.681.3625 | ziplinehiltonhead.com

Leading Lady of Real Estate

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

Paula Traver has become a fixture on the island as a member of Sea Pines Real Estate and as a local leader in the industry, with TV appearances adding to her already high profile. We asked her a few questions on what makes up her secret to success.

Q: How long have you been in business?

A: 17 years on Hilton Head Island but I bought my first home at age 19.

That was the true start with my love affair of real estate.

Q: What challenges did you face as a woman in the real estate business?

A: With over 1,900 agents, one needs to be ambitious. If you put the time and energy into your clients, you will achieve results.

Q: Who are your biggest supporters?

A: My husband and children! They never complained. In the beginning, I was commuting from Connecticut. Ironically, during my commuting years I had the most transactions!

Q: To what do you attribute your success?

A: Not being pushy. Always pointing out the bad I see on a property as well as the good. That has always served me well.

Paula Traver & Associates 843. 247.3728 | hhi4me.com 84 hiltonheadmonthly.com

Leading Lady of Innovative Pool & Spa LISA MAPP

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

You might know Innovative Pool & Spa as the experts responsible for the dazzling pool at this year’s HGTV Dream House. Now take a look behind the scenes and meet Lisa Mapp, their leading lady.

Q: How long have you been in the pool construction business?

A: I have been a part of the Innovative team for 2 ½ years; however, I have an extensive background in customer service, office & project management from my previous work experience. My daddy owned his own construction business when I was growing up, so I have been around the industry my whole life.

Q: What challenges did you face as a woman in your industry?

A: There are many challenges that women, in general, can face in the construction industry. I do believe over the years the industry has been and is more accepting of women being out in the field and interacting with sub-contractors and clients. I have been very fortunate over the last 2 ½ years, I haven’t experienced the challenges personally. The clients that I work with are very encouraging and supportive; all my sub-contractors are just as supportive and have always been willing to pass along their knowledge to help me on any of our projects. In my short time working with Eric and the Innovative team, I have had the privilege to work with and on movie sets for large prop pools that our team has constructed. To name a few – Passengers with Jennifer Lawrence and Jungle Cruise with “The Rock”, Venom with Tom Hardy.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: “All you know isn’t all there is to know; therefore, you should always remain teachable.”

Peachtree City, GA & Bluffton, SC 770.487.9618 innovativepoolandspa.com March 2020 85

The Leading Lady of San Miguel’s

BY BARRY KAUFMAN PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

San Miguel’s is famous for its margaritas and Mexi-Cali favorites, but it’s equally famous for its friendly staff.

Owner Maryanne Laskowitz knows this very well, and wanted to introduce you to some of the restaurant’s leading ladies.

Q: Who were your mentors when you first transitioned into a restaurateur career?

A: The people I worked with in the early days were mentors. I learned all about food & beverage from working with some amazing people who were happy to teach me their particular skills.

Q: How much does it mean to you to have so many long-time employees on your team?

A: It means everything to me to have employees that have worked with me for so long. We have consistently spent so much time together through the years.

I sometimes think we spend more time together than some families do and that means a lot to me.

Q: Beyond your team, who have been your biggest supporters?

A: The biggest supporters are my family and all of the wonderful customers that have been coming to San Miguel’s for years. My husband is very in tune with what is happening at the restaurant and is always supportive. My family has always helped to make sure I’ve been able to spend much needed time with them while simultaneously working at and running the restaurant. Our customers have always been incredibly supportive. We have a wonderful crowd that comes in frequently and repeat customers that come every time they’re in town.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your industry?

A: I believe anyone starting out in a business need to be truly “present” in what they do. Understand and have at least a rudimentary knowledge of all the positions in the business, engage with all of the people in your world and keep yourself in the loop. Enjoying the interaction and paying attention all help keep me in the “present” when I’m at work.

9 Harbourside Ln., Hilton Head Island, SC 843.842.4555 sanmiguels.com 86 hiltonheadmonthly.com

The Leading Ladies of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hilton Head Bluffton Realty places a premium on serving clients by identifying individual client real estate goals and working diligently to realize them. The brokerage aims to forge long-term relationships rooted in integrity and open dialogue.

HILTON HEAD BLUFFTON REALTY

The Hilton Head-Bluffton team took time recently to answer some questions.

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

23C Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head, SC

212 Bluffton Rd., Bluffton, SC

843.785.9500 | hiltonheadhomes.com

Q: Why should buyers or sellers choose Berkshire Hathaway to represent them in a real estate transaction?

A: Our years of experience and dedication are why our clients continue to return to us for guidance in selling their current property or when planning to purchase. Our agents are knowl edgeable and professional as well as caring and dedicated to providing a superb client experience every step of the transaction. Plus the technology and tools we have access to through Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices give our clients the upper edge. Clients also refer their friends and family to us because of our commitment to excellent service.

Q: When a seller lists a property with your company, what is included in your services for the listing?

A: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices broadcasts the property to 5 Continents, 38 countries and 1,600+ websites. In addition to using Adwerx, we also have very specific marketing plans for the luxury market. Our Luxury Collection Specialists have programs designed specifically to leverage the strength and reliability of the Berkshire Hathaway name while providing special expertise in the upscale market. Did we mention our global network? Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has more than 50,000 agents in 1,450 offices across the US, Europe and Asia.

Q: Where are you located? What areas of the Lowcountry do you specialize in?

A: With offices located mid-island on Hilton Head and in the heart of Old Town Bluffton, we cover the Lowcountry, including most of Beaufort County and beyond. Prior to becoming Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hilton Head Bluffton Realty in 2017, we were Lancaster Real Estate Sales for almost 40 years.

March 2020 87

Rachel Mayoh, middle, is the owner of Enliten Salon. Master Designer Jaime Braymiller, left, and Creative Director Karrie Del Aguila have both been with the salon for more than 10 years and mentor and train new stylists.

Leading Ladies of Enliten Salon

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

Enliten, a premier salon on the south end of Hilton Head Island, specializes in haircuts, color, hair styling, extensions, Keratin smoothing treatments and more. Owner Rachel Mayoh took time out of her busy day recently to answer a few questions.

Q: Customers at your salon know your team lives by the saying: “Life may not be perfect, but your hair can be.” What does this mean to you?

A: It’s more than just a clever motto, it’s a promise to deliver a fabulous look and the finest customer experience. Communication is the key to our success.

Q: It’s true, Enliten is known for great customer service. How do you ensure that your clients enjoy themselves while having their hair done?

37A New Orleans Rd. Orleans Plaza Hilton Head Island, SC

843.842.9200 enlitensalon.com

88 hiltonheadmonthly.com

A: Driving that customer experience is a tight-knit team who supports one another, constantly raising the

bar for themselves and each other to deliver. Every stylist at Enliten undergoes in-house training up to a year beyond their own certification, as well as continuing education throughout the southeast.

Q: Part of your mission is to be an environmentally-friendly salon.

How do you do this?

A: Beyond healthy hair, Enliten Salon is committed to a healthy planet, embracing sustainable brands like Aveda and Kevin Murphy. We are part of the nonprofit Green Circle Salon Network, which teaches salons how to engage in environmentally friendly practices.

So when you leave Enliten Salon, you can walk with your head held high for two reasons – you’ll not only look amazing, you’ll feel good about being a part of a greener salon experience.

Photo taken at the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island during our Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball.

The Leading Ladies of NAMI Lowcountry

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

The Lowcountry branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI Lowcountry has dedicated itself to improving the lives of those with mental illness and their families throughout the Lowcountry. We spoke with board member Felicia Vairo and board president Michelle Casey to get their thoughts on the work they do and the challenges they face.

Q: What drew you to working in mental health?

29 Plantation Park Dr. #204, Bluffton, SC

843.636.3100 namilowcountry.org

A: My daughter was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 in 2015 at the age of 22. Up to that point she never showed any outward signs of a mental health condition. Unbeknownst to me she had been suffering in silence for years.

With the help of her doctor, therapist and the proper mix of medication and self care she is living and thriving with her diagnoses. My mission is to help others see that there is hope to live and thrive with whatever your diagnosis is. As a parent it can be a very difficult and confusing time when a child is diagnosed with a mental health condition. If I can offer any advice or

encouragement then I feel I am contributing and helping to end the stigma associated with mental illness.

- Felicia Vairo, Board Member Q: Your two employees as well as your entire BOD are all women. How does that impact your ability to reach NAMI Lowcountry’s goals?

A: We do indeed have a female team of BOD and staff for the first time. I am delighted to say that diversity has been one our greatest strengths in NAMI. Our team is all female by chance, not by design. We previously had four men on our board and their terms of service had expired in 2019. Our newest board members are brimming with fresh ideas, and they just happen to be women. An all- female cast affords us the opportunity for more intimate partnerships during collaboration.

Women have a unique way of bonding and easily form sisterhoods. I feel that this will maximize the exchange and development of ideas. I am excited to see what our wonder woman team will bring for 2020.

-Michelle Casey, Board President

March 2020 89

The Leading Ladies at House of Design

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY RITTERBECK PHOTOGRAPHY

Jackie Spooner and Patty Small have been combining their considerable talents since 1998, changing interior design one home at a time as the leading ladies of House of Design.

Q: What challenges did you face as women opening their own business?

A: Patty and I were together with five other designers, who have since retired. We were very fortunate that we were, and still are, very seasoned designers with a strong following. Some larger companies did not want to deal with a smaller design firm, and that made it difficult to get the quality of items we wanted, but then the market shifted and all of a sudden they were knocking at the door, realizing that designers were the key to their business.

Q: 22 years is a long time - what do you credit with your longevity?

A: We believe our blend of expertise, sensitivity to our clients’ needs and hard work make us a unique design firm, and has created wonderful long-lasting relationships with our clients. We approach a single window treatment with as much enthusiasm as furnishing a complete home.

37 New Orleans Rd., Hilton Head Island, SC 843.384.9159 | houseofdesignhhi.com

The Leading Lady of Hilton Head Dance School & Theatre

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO SUPPLIED

Karena Brock-Carlyle, former principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, considers her life today as her third act. Following a successful career on the stage, one that saw her dance at the White House twice and partner with the likes of Rudolph Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov, and a second act as the Artistic Director for the Savannah Ballet, she came to Hilton Head in 1985 to start her own school and company.

Q: How did your “third act” with Hilton Head Dance School & Theatre start?

A: Margaret Jones used to be on the Board of Savannah Ballet, and she approached me and asked if we’d like to open a school on the island.

It was a wonderful opportunity to get something going because the island was developing so quickly. We have such an incredible arts scene and it was an honor to be asked to enhance the beauty of the island with the beauty of dance.

24 Palmetto Business Park Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 843.785.5477 | hiltonheaddance.com 90 hiltonheadmonthly.com

Leading Ladies at Hilton Head Christian Academy

Since 1979, Hilton Head Christian Academy has been a leader in Lowcountry education, broadening horizons and molding the leaders of tomorrow. We asked members of the HHCA guidance team: “What’s the most important part of your job?” Here’s what they said.

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO SUMBITTED

Building community partnerships for our Flight School and Student Internship programs provides students with opportunities to explore their interests, develop skills and have experiences that prepare them for success in college, career, and life.

Guiding juniors and seniors through the process of college discovery, preparation, application, and admissions is also vitally important and rewarding. After more than 40 years of building a brand known for excellence, HHCA seniors are recognized among the best of best institutions.

- Mary Delle Robinson, College & Career Advisor

55 Gardner Drive Hilton Head Island, SC

843.681.2878 hhca.org

My role is dedicated to helping students in middle school through early high school

develop a new level of autonomy and independence. I work closely with them through this critical time, guiding them to discover who they are in Christ, their passions, and God-given strengths. In partnership with families, we create an individualized academic and social/emotional growth plan for every student.

- Jen Murphy, Guidance Counselor Students participating in our community internship program gain exposure to multiple industries and organizations.I also seek out and coordinate an array of online courses and learning.

- Caitlyn Lankowski, Online Learning Director & Internship Supervisor Coordinating details from scheduling to grades to tracking the 7,500 hours of community service our students tally each year as they volunteer in the Lowcountry community is part of what we do to provide an atmosphere in which students can thrive.

- Bridget Short, Registrar March 2020 91

SERG Group’s Leading Lady

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY GUIDO FLUECK

9 Hunter Rd. Hilton Head Island, SC

843.715.0344 serggroup.com

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As an organization, SERG Group is no stranger to elevating women to positions of leadership. Across the board, in nearly every capacity, you’ll find a woman helping create the dining experience that has made SERG Group successful. One such example is Lori Taylor, who led the charge into Bluffton with the opening of Giuseppi’s Pizza and Pasta Bluffton and has been a mainstay ever since.

Q: Who were your big supporters starting out?

A: I think the term work-life balance, to describe the challenges of women, can be worded differently. Every working woman, with children, has various demands that touch up against each other. You can’t think of it as a balancing scale. Some days you will have it all together and other days, you simply won’t, and that’s okay! For me, it was learning to be present at the times, when it matters the most. Some days it will be work and other days it will be home.

A: Looking back to 23 years ago, my biggest supporters were my brother, Anthony Arcuri, and my partner, Steve Carb. And of course my husband Jamie, who is my hidden strength and head chef, at Giuseppi’s. They all encouraged me to operate at my best, which made me rise up and achieve more than what I thought I was capable of doing.

Q: Being part of the organization as it has grown, how has your role evolved?

Q: What challenges does a woman face in the restaurant industry?

A: Being a part of an amazing organization, that has had such growth and success, has made me realize how blessed we are to be in business for 35 years. It is not necessarily evolving personally, it has very much to do with the people you are surrounded by, who help you run it. It is important for me to stay true to our core values, so we are able to continually serve our customers for many generations to come.

Left to Right: Carman Franklin, Michelle Myhre, CFP®, Heidi Yoshida, CFP®

The Leading Ladies of Oak Advisors, LLC

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY GUIDO FLUECK

Oak Advisors, LLC built their reputation on their personable service and thorough attention to detail when it comes to protecting their clients’ financial interests.

We talked to a few of their leading ladies about the business.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out in your business?

A: Michelle Myhre, CFP® and managing partner: The investment management field requires endurance, strong leadership and the ability to make sound decisions in the midst of an ever-changing environment. It is a fast-paced field with a need to constantly monitor economic, political and world events. Trust is extremely important so act with honesty and integrity. Also, be a very good listener so you can truly understand others to better help them. By starting my mornings with prayer, God has enabled me to meet all my daily demands.

3 Clark Summit Dr. #201, Bluffton, SC

843.757.9339 OakAdvisors.net

Heidi Yoshida, CFP® and client service advisor: The most important advice I would give someone starting out in the world of investment advising would be to maintain a positive attitude. While

working with clients we utilize a broad range of skills from listening and communicating to analyzing data and calculating returns. A client will notice your attitude right away, make sure it is positive even if they interrupt you in the middle of a complicated task. Think of your client interactions as a chance to improve someone’s day. Try to change problems into opportunities to use your skills and have fun doing it.

Q: Were there any mentors you looked to as you started out?

A: Carman Franklin, client service advisor: I attribute much of my early success to the mentorship I received at Clemson University. I was fortunate to have an academic advisor, Josh Harris, who really took the time to invest in his students and the future of the financial planning profession. From helping me navigate job opportunities to giving advice on how to prepare for the CFP exam, I am very thankful for all of his guidance. Mr. Harris helped prepare me for my first job where I am fortunate to work with a group of people who I learn from every day.

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Tracy Dayton: The Leading Lady of Lowcountry Real Estate

Tracy Dayton of Charter One Realty gives her clients exemplary real estate service from start to finish.

Respect, communication, and professionalism are part of her work ethic as a full-time agent dedicated to client satisfaction.

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTO BY FAITH SEIDERS

Q: Where are you from and where did you start your real estate career?

How long have you been selling real estate on Hilton Head Island?

81 Main Street, Suite 202 Hilton Head Island, SC

843.686.4000 tracydayton.com

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A: I’m originally from Queens, New York. My first job in real estate was when I was 15 years old, as a receptionist in a brokerage in New York.

After college, I secured a job with a land developer/new home construction and started my real estate career in the 1980s. I found my piece of paradise, moved to the island in

2005, and have been assisting buyers and sellers for the past 15 years.

Q: How’s the real estate market right now?

A: Looks like the busy buying season has arrived early and I’m so thankful for the amount of business I’ve had so far this year.

Q: In addition to being a Realtor, your website says you’re a Hilton Head Island Ambassador. What does this mean?

A: The Lowcountry is rich in history, which I love to share. I’m also knowledgeable about the many different communities in the Lowcountry. My clients entrust me with one of their biggest decisions and I am honored and privileged to work with them.

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››Health

The Famous Doctor is In DR. SANJAY GUPTA BRINGS HEALTH ADVICE TO THE LOWCOUNTRY, VISITS VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE

BY CAROL WEIR | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY VIM HHI

B

ringing advice for a long and healthy life, celebrity neurosurgeon and medical reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta visited Hilton Head Island on Feb. 11 as part of the new Lowcountry Speaker Series. He also stopped in at Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head Island Clinic.

Gupta has won multiple Emmy awards for his work as CNN’s chief medical correspondent. He is a practicing neurosurgeon at Emory University Hospital and the associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.

Before his evening lecture at Marriott Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, he took at tour of VIM Hilton Head Island and chatted with volunteers and staff.

“VIM was thrilled to share our work with Dr. Gupta, and we appreciate his broad global experiences in health care,” said Dr. Ray Cox, the clinic’s executive director. “I was particularly impressed with his insight and wisdom in understanding the limitations of our medical care system.”

At VIM, Gupta also talked about the importance of emotional factors in health outcomes like gratitude and caring, which are hard to measure.

VIM is staffed with retired medical personnel and community volunteers who provide free medical care and patient education for the uninsured and medically underserved. The Volunteers in Medicine organization, which started on Hilton Head in the early 1990s, has since grown on a national scale, with nearly 100 clinics currently open across the U.S. Gupta’s visit to the Hilton Head clinic was part of Lowcountry Speaker Series founder James Lamar’s mission to broaden community participation with the series, provide platforms for

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community conversation, and promote life-long learning.

Top: Dr. Sanjay Gupta addresses the In his talk at the Marriott, Gupta audience at the Lowcountry Speaker shared his experience with health Series on Hilton Head Island on Feb. care systems and practices around the 11. Bottom: Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks world, including lessons about diet, with Volunteers in Medicine’s executive activity and rest he learned from the director, Dr. Ray Cox. Tsimane, an indigenous tribe in Bolivia whose members rarely develops heart disease. Gupta also participated in a question-and-answer session.

The Lowcountry Speaker Series, presented in partnership with the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, is halfway through its inaugural season; the final two speakers are National Geographic photographer and marine biologist Paul Nicklen on March 10 and Robert O’Neill, former SEAL Team Six leader and author of the New York Times best-selling memoir “The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden,” on April 7.

Season subscriptions and individual lecture tickets are still available.

Donations are also being accepted through the Lowcountry Speaker Series – Our Doors Are Always Open charitable fund, which provides free tickets to educators, students, veterans, first responders and volunteers. For more information, go to lowcountryspeakerseries.com.

››Health

MICRO-NEEDLE PATCH COULD HELP AFTER HEART ATTACKS

A new device is improving survival odds for heart attack victims. A thin patch containing micro-needles is attached to the heart, and the needles deliver molecules that help heal tissue damaged by the heart attack.

So far, researchers have only tried the patch on animals, but results seem promising: The hearts of animals treated with the patch out-perform those without it.

However, much work remains to be done to determine the efficacy and long-term safety of the device in humans. Researchers also are looking for less-invasive ways to implant the device and are trying to find the polymers to make it out of.

PEDIATRIC HEART PROSTHETIC DESIGN SHOWS PROMISE Correcting leaky heart valves in children is a complex problem for pediatric surgeons. Usually, multiple surgeries are required because valve repair techniques cannot accommodate for heart growth; as the child ages and grows up, new surgeries are required to help the valve keep pace. But a new prosthetic made of stretchy mesh could change that.

During a single surgery, the stretchy, interwoven implant would be wrapped around the base of the heart valve to keep it from leaking. Over time, the prosthetic would grow and stretch with children’s hearts, eliminating the need for multiple procedures.

Human trials of the prosthetic are expected to begin within several years.

HEART HEALTH BRIEFS YO-YO DIETS LINKED TO INCREASED CARDIAC RISK

Researchers following nearly 160,000 post-menopausal women over the course of 11 years found that frequent weight changes hurt health outcomes. That was true even when the weights were within normal range, with up to three times higher risk of heart death for yo-yo dieters over those with stable weights. Notably, the dieters’ risks were higher than those who maintained a consistent weight that was over the ideal range.

While the study cautions readers that the data is not completely conclusive, it makes sense that increased stress on the heart from weight cycling could have negative consequences.

POOR AND INSUFFICIENT SLEEP TIED TO HEART DISEASE AND STROKE

Researchers have discovered that there are five types of sleepers who might have lower risks for heart disease and stroke: Early risers, those who sleep seven to eight hours a night, those who do not suffer from insomnia, those who don’t snore, and those with little to no daytime sleepiness.

There was a 34% difference in cardiac risk between poor sleepers, who fit in zero to one of the healthy sleeper categories, and those who could be classified as all five types of sleeper. The results held even when the subjects had a genetic risk for cardiovascular disease, suggesting healthy sleep is protective against heart problems.

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PTSD, STRESS DISORDERS LINKED TO HIGH RATES OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

A research team using a national health registry of Swedish patients found higher rates of cardiovascular disease in patients who had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological trauma.

The team identified Swedish patients with stress-related disorders like PTSD and other mental illnesses from 1987-2013 who did not have a history of cardiovascular disease and then compared those patients’ outcomes with those of their siblings and unrelated peers. The researchers determined that the patients with stress disorders and acute trauma had poorer heart health overall.

CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING STATIN DRUGS SHOW NO SIGN OF COGNITIVE IMPACTS Despite previous concerns with the cognitive impacts of statin drugs, a study in Australia has shown no link between their use and mental acuity over time.

Over the six-year study, researchers measured mental acuity in people ages 70 to 90, using MRIs conducted two years apart. Cognitive changes were the same in subjects who regularly took statins and those who had never taken them. In fact, those with heart disease and a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease showed better scores on some memory tests.

STUDIES WARN OF DANGERS OF ‘SILENT HEART ATTACKS’ Not all heart attacks are dramatic events; some are so-called “silent heart attacks” that cause serious damage and increase risks of cardiac death but don’t cause typical symptoms. These cardiac events are especially dangerous because without adequate knowledge, patients cannot make the same lifestyle changes as their counterparts who know about their heightened cardiac risks.

Yet a study from Finland and Iceland found that 10-year rates of cardiac death and complications like congestive heart failure were the same for patients who had experienced silent myocardial infarction as for those who had experienced heart attacks. A second study based on autopsy results found that a full quarter of subjects had cardiac scarring associated with silent heart attacks.

THESE HEALTH UPDATES WERE EXCERPTED FROM SCIENCE NEWS AND THE NEW YORK TIMES. FOR THE FULL STORIES, SEE NEWYORKTIMES.COM AND SCIENCENEWS.COM.

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››Health

Seeking Wellness ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE GROWS

BY SLOAN KELLY

I

ntegrative medicine combines standard care with complementary or alternative medicine to treat diseases and ensure wellness of body, mind and spirit. And it’s growing in popularity.

Complementary medicine is a group of diagnostic and therapeutic disciplines that are used with conventional medicine, like the use of aromatherapy after surgery to help lessen a patient’s discomfort. Traditionally, complementary medicine hasn’t been taught or used in Western medical schools or hospitals, but some of its practices are increasingly being recommended by mainstream doctors.

Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine — for example, turning to a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Alternative practices are generally not recognized by the medical community, and Western medical doctors usually don’t recommend them.

Alternative medicine can include dietary supplements, vitamins, herbal preparations, special teas, massage, magnet therapy and spiritual healing. Alternative medical systems have evolved apart from and often earlier than the conventional medical approach used in the United States.

Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms.

However, some of these techniques have become mainstream — for example, patient support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Other mind-body techniques are still considered nonconventional, including meditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets such as art, music, or dance.

Manipulative and body-based methods are based on movement of one or more parts of the body. Some examples include chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation and massage.

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Energy therapies involve the use of energy fields. Biofield therapies affect energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the human body. The existence of such fields has not been scientifically proven, but some practitioners believe that some forms of energy therapy can manipulate them by applying pressure or placing the hands in or through the fields. Examples include qi gong, reiki, and therapeutic touch.

Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current or direct-current fields.

It’s important to know that some complementary and alternative therapies may interfere with standard treatment or may be harmful when used with conventional treatment. It is a good idea to learn about the therapy, including whether the results of scientific studies support the claims it makes.

VET YOUR PRACTITIONER

When selecting a new practitioner, be prepared: • Gather information about each practitioner you are considering before making your first visit.

• Ask questions about their credentials and practice: Where did they receive their training? What licenses or certifications do they have? How much will treatments cost?

• Check with your insurer to see if the cost of treatment will be covered.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE RESOURCE LIST

Art of Massage and Yoga/Herb Room 843.422.8378 HiltonHeadWellness.com Bluffton Aesthetics 843.505.0584 Blufftonaesthetics.com Coastal Carolina CBD & Wellness 843.757.3339

Integrated Pain Relief and Natural Eye Care 843.422.2592 HiltonHeadIslandAcupuncture.com Sativa Health Products 843.683.3692 Sativahealthproducts.com

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››Health

ALTERNATIVE GUYS AT SPAS

64%

of men experienced a massage at a spa

12%

of men had a skincare service

of men got their nails done

MILLENNIALS PAMPER THEMSELVES AT SPAS People born from 1981-1996 account for of appointments

20%

HERBAL MEDICINE

80%

of people worldwide use herbal medicine

CHILDREN CHIROPRACTIC CARE

99.7% of 21,750 respondents reported a

positive experience with chiropractic care for their child under 12 years old.

ACUPUNCTURE

33.5% of acupuncture clients seek relief for chronic uses include fertility pain. Other and stress relief.

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25%

MEDICINE INFOGRAPHIC

COSMETIC SURGERY

80%

of all treatments performed by facial plastic surgeons are injectables, like Botox and fillers.

AAFPRS’s annual survey found that 72% OF FACIAL PLASTIC SURGEONS saw an increase in cosmetic surgery or injectables in patients under 30.

YOGA IS EN VOGUE Americans participate

2012

20.4 million 36.7 million 2016

CBD JANUARY 2019 20% of beauty consumers were using CBD-based beauty products MAY 2019 40% of beauty consumers were using CBD-based beauty products

SOURCES: AMERICANSPA.COM, DAYSPAMAGAZINE.COM, YOGAJOURNAL.COM, GLOBAL ACUPUNCTURE MARKET RESEARCH REPORT, WEBMD.COM, BETTERSAFECARE.VIC. GOV.AU, THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FACIAL PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY.

March 2020 103

››Health

I

CARE Primary, Urgent, or the ER: HERE’S WHEN TO VISIT EACH

BY ANTHONY GARZILLI

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llnesses can strike at any time — in the middle of the night, during the weekend or while at work. How do you know what kind of care you need? Should you call your primary care physician, go to an urgent care facility or head straight to the emergency room?

What about receiving care via video or phone? Here’s a primer on the different types of care.

• Primary Care Physician: This is your regular doctor, the one who serves as your main medical resource and offers continuity in care. Your primary care doctor provides your annual physical and treats common ailments, like a cold or skin rash.

• Urgent Care Clinic: These facilities are best for non-emergencies that need quick care.

Typically, most urgent care clinics don’t require appointments and have extended hours; they can help treat flu symptoms,

mild asthma and sprains, and some offer school physicals and vaccinations.

• Emergency Room: Visit an emergency room for medical emergencies such as uncontrolled bleeding, difficulty breathing, chest pain or signs of stroke — sudden numbness in the face, dizziness, difficulty talking. If you are not sure if your ailment is an emergency, a visit to the emergency room is usually the safest option.

• Telemedicine: Online medical services are sometimes available to patients through video conferencing or via telephone. It can be a convenient way to get advice and possibly a prescription without leaving your couch or bed, and it is often used for minor medical issues such as a cough, cold, flu, rash, minor burn, pink eye, sinus infection, sore throat and urinary tract infection.

Test Your Health Smarts 1. Which symptoms do not require a visit to the emergency room?

A. Loss of consciousness B. Slurred speech and numbness on one side of the body C. Sinus pain D. Eye injury

3. If you need to lose weight but haven’t been successful on your own, where should you turn for help with a weight loss plan?

A. Primary care doctor B. ER C. Urgent care D. None of the above 4. You should bring your child to the emergency room if …

A. He is younger than 2 months old and has a fever, defined as a temperature 100.4 degrees or higher B. He hits his head and appears to pass out or lose consciousness for a few seconds C. He has had a seizure D. All of the above 5. What illnesses or injuries cannot be treated by telemedicine?

A. Bug bites B. Broken bone C. Allergies D. Sore throat 6. Is it advised to call an urgent care clinic and describe your infant’s symptoms before going to the facility?

A. Yes B. No

ANSWERS: 1. C; 2. D; 3. A; 4. D 5. B; 6. A | SOURCES: WGAPLANS.COM; CARTHAGEHOSPITAL.COM

2. Which of the following can be treated at an urgent care facility?

A. Rash without fever B. Sore throat C. Sprains D. All of the above

March 2020 105

››Health

Co t of Care The

BY MARIE MCADEN

W

[

The challenge: to expand services, improve outcomes and control costs

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]

hile presidential candidates and lawmakers heatedly discuss the future of health care in America, hospital administrators are exploring innovative ways to provide more accessible and affordable medical care to the communities they serve.

Much of their focus has centered on reducing expenses in an industry where cutting-edge procedures, technology and medicines are being introduced every day, driving up the cost of treatment.

The development of new drugs and complex specialty pharmaceuticals — along with advancements in implants, including knee and hip prosthetics, pacemakers and cardiac stents — are improving patient outcomes, but at a hefty price tag.

t

Hospitals also must upgrade their technology to stay at the forefront of medicine. For example, the state-of-theart TrueBeam radiotherapy system, used in the treatment of cancer, can cost $7 million.

One way that hospitals try to control costs is to create levels of care under the umbrella of the hospital. This provides patients with more affordable medical options when appropriate. Depending on the severity of their illness or injury, patients can choose to seek treatment online, at a primary care practice, at an urgent care clinic or the emergency room.

Offering a variety of options has been successful for Beaufort Memorial Hospital, officials say.

“Since we started offering video visits and opened our first walk-in clinic, we’ve seen a decrease of 100 to 150 ER visits a month,” said Russell Baxley, the hospital’s president and chief executive officer.

“People were going to the ER because they had no other choice if it was after hours or they couldn’t get an appointment with their doctor,” he said. “By providing less expensive options for care, the ER can be reserved for the truly emergency cases.”

Baxley predicts telemedicine will increase by 25% in the next five to 10 years, allowing busy physicians to treat more patients and reach underserved communities. He also sees the American health care system shifting to valued-based care and disease prevention in an effort to slow the growing epidemic of chronic conditions.

“The current health care system is unsustainable,” he said. “We’re going to have to change the way we deliver care.”

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››Home

Indigo Goes Green A LOVE OF FERNS HAS HILTON HEAD HOME IN FULL BLOOM

BY DEAN ROWLAND | PHOTOS BY CALEN REAGIN

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David Lentz (left) and his wife Marcia’s love for ferns is showcased at their garden in Indigo Run.

M

arcia Lentz of Indigo Run has an abiding love for ferns of all shapes, sizes, textures and colors — just look at her garden.

On a recent January afternoon, she showed off her lush quarter-acre property, starting with the fern garden along the home’s right side. Hundreds of ferns adorn the organically fertilized soil, and she can identify each one.

“I love ferns,” the certified Master Gardener said — a clear understatement.

The variety of ferns in her garden underscores her love of the green fronds. She’s got quite a mix, from shiny bristle ferns to heart tongue ferns and lace ribbon ferns. There’s also the rabbit’s foot fern — native to Fiji — and Australian ferns, asparagus ferns and foxtail ferns. She knows them all by sight.

March 2020 109

››Home

It’s great to see the variety.

It’s so hard to not buy one of everything.

- MARCIA LENTZ

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Variegated leaves and yellow accents provide visual interest in David and Marcia Lentz’s garden on Hilton Head Island.

“It feels just like a pine tree,” she said, describing her arborvitae fern.

The semi-evergreen ground cover has foliage resembling cedar, while its scale-like fronds turn several stages of green during the year – soft light green in the early spring to bronze

during the winter.

And she’s happy to share her knowledge. For example, she advises giving Australian ferns — with their broad, bright green fronds and triangular, lacy leaves — plenty of room, because the plants can grow very tall.

But Lentz doesn’t limit herself just to ferns. Lenten roses, also known as hellebores, dot her garden; their dark, coarsetextured and dissected foliage contrasts nicely with many of her delicate ferns. For eight to 10 weeks, the roses’ white and lavender flowers will be in full bloom before turning into fruit.

“I have them everywhere, and they will start blooming soon,” Lentz said.

The garden also is home to Japanese hollies, with their eyecatching green-white flowers that morph into black fruit, and a “so sweet” Meyer lemon tree.

Lentz also has space in her garden to compost, and uses the mixture of organic ingredients as fertilizer.

And that’s just the side yard. The backyard is picture-perfect: carefully placed accent benches covered with inviting homemade pillows sit in front of a tranquil lagoon, and the landscape is dotted with saw palmettos, camellias, hellebores and gardenias.

“I have gardenias all over the place because they’re so easy to root. I love them,” Lentz said. “Camellias bloom all winter through June. It’s so great to see the variety. It’s so hard to not buy one of everything.”

March 2020 111

››Home

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Textured tabby showcases the patio in back, framed by black-painted fences.

It’s a good thing Lentz has such a green thumb — though creativity clearly runs in her veins, as she’s a talented watercolor artist, quilter and crafter. When she and her husband, David, both Pennsylvania natives, bought the home four years ago, the yard in front and on the side of the house was barren and nondescript.

“It was just a mess with a little ground path,” she said. “We wanted a flagstone path, which was one of the first things we did. There was a wall of wax myrtle.

We took most of them out. We didn’t even know when we bought the house that there was a lagoon behind it; it’s just beautiful. … So we put the path in, cleared out the back and just started expanding.”

She’s the buyer and planter and he’s the groundskeeper. Lentz jokingly calls it a “mom-and-pop garden” because the couple creates and maintains it themselves, with no help from professional landscapers.

PLANTING TIPS

Leafy ferns love the shade, partial or full. But they do require moist soil rich in nutrients.

Dig a hole the same depth as the fern’s root ball and two times as wide. Make sure the crown of the plant — or where the fronds emerge from the roots — sits at soil level.

Fill the hole with soil around the roots and water thoroughly. Then cover the soil with a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch, like composted pine bark, to add nutrients.

Mulch also helps to retain moisture and keep the soil cool for the ferns.

Water the newly planted fern once or twice weekly to keep it moist, but be careful not to let it get soggy.

Depending on the species, ferns can grow as high as 3 feet tall and wide; other types of ferns will grow only a few inches tall.

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››Environment

May River

RISING

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BY CAROL WEIR | PHOTOS BY GUIDO FLUECK AND SCOTT LENGEL

TOWN OFFICIALS SEEK SOLUTIONS TO BACTERIA LEVELS March 2020 145

››Environment

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H

e’s spotting more bottlenose dolphins in the May River than ever, and the oysters, fish and crabs seem to be doing fine. But Larry Toomer, owner of Bluffton Oyster Co., has noticed that new homes are springing up on the river’s banks and boat traffic has increased — not always good omens for the river’s health.

“I’ve been working on the May River for 30 years and I’m out there almost every day, weather permitting,” he said.

“From the water you can see it. Everybody wants to live on the river.”

The beauty of the May River dazzles as it winds past the Alljoy boat landing, along the bluffs near Old Town and beside the multi-million-dollar homes at Palmetto Bluff. Locals call the area near Pritchardville the “headwaters,” but in reality, the May is a finger of the ocean that pushes westward into land.

It’s approximately 14.5 miles long from the causeway that leads into Palmetto Bluff, where the river ends, to the mouth of the river at its confluence with Calibogue Sound. The river is fed by the tides; the only fresh water comes from rainwater runoff — and that is where its problems have multiplied.

The May River is the pride and joy of Bluffton, but this local treasure is showing signs of stress as the town grows.

Bluffton is one of the state’s fastest growing municipalities, with a population of about 23,000 that may reach 75,000 at build-out, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the town of Bluffton.

And with population growth come other increases. Fecal coliform bacteria levels have been rising in the May River for the past two decades and, in some areas, are sometimes above above limits that the federal government considers safe for shellfish harvesting. This was demonstrated in a study led by biology professor Eric Montie at the University of South Carolina Beaufort that analyzed more than 20 years of data.

The study, commissioned by Bluffton and Beaufort County and released late last year, showed fecal coliform levels near the headwaters of the May were 15 to 16 times greater in 2017 than in 1999. In his presentation of the data, Montie explained that Bluffton’s building and population boom over the past 20 years has resulted in less green space available to absorb rain, so it runs into the May, lowering the river’s salinity and allowing fecal coliform bacteria to thrive. Impervious surfaces like rooftops, roads and parking lots now make up more than 10% of Bluffton’s land area, which some environmental scientists consider a tipping point for ecosystem health. A 1-acre parking lot produces 16 times the volume of stormwater

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››Environment

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March 2020 149

››Environment runoff that comes from a 1-acre meadow, experts say.

There’s nothing town officials can do to erase neighborhoods and shopping centers that are already built, and little they can do to prevent construction that is in the works and permitted under development agreements signed by previous administrations. So they’re focusing on what they can control: the amount of fecal material finding its way into the river. To figure out how to combat the bacteria, they have to know where it’s coming from.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control regularly collects water quality samples at monitoring stations along the May, which allows officials to pinpoint specific areas of concern. To figure out whether the fecal material entering the river is from humans, dogs, horses or wild animals, the town started a microbial source testing program about three years ago.

“When I was a kid growing up, we had cows, horses and hogs in the marsh.

People’s fences came down to or beyond the low water mark so the animals couldn’t go from one property to another. We had hundreds of large animals and we didn’t have water quality issues. It’s people causing the problem now,” Toomer said.

Water testing stations near Stoney Creek and in drainage ditches and coves in and around Old Town — both areas where many homes have septic systems — have shown high levels of human DNA readings after rainstorms.

None of Bluffton’s new developments use septic systems, and in 2017, the town began an aggressive program designed to prohibit new septic systems and to transition existing residential septic systems

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to sanitary sewers. Projects are underway to extend sewer lines and connect residents’ homes to them, and grant funding will allow residents of the town’s Historic District to connect to them for free.

Bluffton officials have said that in five years there will be no septic systems left within town limits, but many of the

roughly 500 septic systems directly adjacent to the May River and its coves are in the county.

“The town’s Neighborhood Assistance Program offers free septic system maintenance assistance to town residents. The county has no such equivalent,” said Kim Jones, Bluffton’s watershed management

division manager.

Regional discussions about the need for sewer extension with Beaufort County and Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority are taking place, Jones said.

Toomer believes that in addition to failing septic systems, rising sea levels and the subdivision of large riverfront properties in the county and construction of additional septic drain fields on these plots are contributing to the problem.

“Areas [in greater Bluffton] that used to never go underwater are going under much more frequently. Existing homes and septic systems are now being inundated on full moon tides and king tides. And storm surges come in much farther,” he said.

In the effort to save the May River, not all the focus is on septic systems. To better filter rainwater, the town is retrofitting where upgrades are needed and implementing current best practices for stormwater management in ditches, ponds, swales and drains, said Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka. The new Wright Family Park on the May River in front of The Church of the Cross and Martin Family Park near Heyward House were designed with elements to improve water filtration, and new town parking lots that have been constructed recently are gravel, not paved, to minimize run-off.

“Each new capital improvement project that we do has a stormwater component,” Jones said.

Problems with the river were expected because heavy growth in other cities along the east coast has led to degradation of their waterways, Sulka said. She

added that Bluffton is implementing cutting-edge water quality policies, and town officials have been invited to speak about them at national conferences for municipalities.

And though it will be an uphill battle, town officials looking to slow the pace of growth are exploring legal avenues to modify development agreements signed

years ago. If eliminating some permitted density were possible, the town might be saved from more suburban sprawl.

“This is complex legal stuff,” said councilman Dan Wood. “We’re exploring it.”

While officials explore options, local residents are paying close attention to the May River’s health. Montie’s

report generated a flurry of public concern for town officials and even Toomer — his Bluffton Oyster Co. is reported to be the last hand-shucking oyster house in South Carolina, and people wondered if the sweet, salty oysters that they love were imperiled. But Toomer stresses that nothing has changed: Oyster harvesting has been prohibited in the river’s headwaters for the past decade and, since the 1980s, local oyster beds are closed by the state as a precaution after heavy rains and reopened after a waiting period.

“There has been no change to the river’s classification. We may be on a downward slope, but we’re not there yet,” Toomer said. He noted that because oysters are consumed raw, regulations governing their harvesting are very tight — “along the lines of drinking water,” he said. For now, and hopefully into the future, the May River is still a source of food, a site for recreation and a salve for the soul.

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››History

Focus on Reconstruction BEAUFORT COUNTY'S NEW NATIONAL PARK TELLS AN IMPORTANT STORY

BY GAIL WESTERFIELD | PHOTOS BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

A

new national park in northern Beaufort County honors an important and emotional era in U.S. history.

Known as Reconstruction, it’s the period following the Civil War — after slavery was abolished but before Jim Crow laws were established, a time when freed African Americans learned to read and write, owned property, and were elected to public office, including Congress.

The country was grappling with the question of how to integrate millions of newly freed African Americans into social, political, economic and labor systems — all issues that could be seen firsthand in Beaufort County.

Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling (pictured here) worked with Congressmen Jim Clyburn, Mark Sanford and Joe Cunningham to create the new Reconstruction Era National Historical Park.

››History

The new Reconstruction Era National Historical Park tells the story of this transition. The story of Reconstruction was a “missing piece” in the area’s history, according to park superintendent Scott Teodorski of the National Park Service.

In 2017, then-President Barack Obama established four sites in Beaufort County as the first national monument dedicated to Reconstruction, and the National Park Service — in cooperation with many partners in Beaufort County and beyond — developed a management plan to preserve the monument’s resources and develop “an outstanding visitor experience,” according to its website.

The monument was rechristened on March 12, 2019 as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park.

“It took 16 years to get a monument, and two years to transition to a national park and a network,” said Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling, a passionate proponent of the park. “It took that long to wake people up to the notion that many have denied: that there’s more to the story of Reconstruction.”

The first four locations in the Reconstruction Era National Historic Park are the Old Beaufort Firehouse, which also doubles as the park’s visitor center; Camp Saxton, which on Jan. 1, 1863, served as an assembling point for 3,000 slaves from the surrounding Sea Islands to gather to hear Union Gen. Rufus Saxton read the Emancipation Proclamation; Darrah Hall at Penn Center, one of the first schools in the South for freed slaves; and Brick Baptist Church, built in 1855 by enslaved parishioners who were then relegated to the church’s balcony to keep them out of sight of white churchgoers. The church was taken over by freed slaves after the Battle of Port Royal in 1861.

The park covers American history from 1861 — starting with Port Royal Sound’s occupation by Union forces — to 1900.

Teodorski described Beaufort County as “the canvas on which this Reconstruction story really started to develop.”

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VISIT HISTORY

The Reconstruction Era National Historical Park visitor center is in the Old Beaufort Firehouse at 706 Craven St. and includes a bookstore and Reconstruction exhibit. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Programs are offered throughout the year.

For more information, go to nps.gov/reer/index.htm.

Other sites, like the Mather School, Robert Smalls’ house, and historic sites in Bluffton, could become affiliated with the park in the future.

“There are a lot of inspirational stories from Reconstruction,” he said, “but also brutality and setbacks [especially in the last two decades of the 19th century].”

With the national park designation, the National Park Service can obtain historic preservation easements. Keyserling said the potential exists for the entire Historic Landmark District in Beaufort, which includes approximately 60 significant Reconstruction-era sites, to become part of the park.

The designation also means the park service can establish a network of public

and private sites that are important to Reconstruction but fall outside the park — Keyserling said there are more than 100 potential network sites in Beaufort County alone that could be included in the future.

Some that aren’t managed by the park service, like Hilton Head Island’s Mitchelville, are “on the radar already” for inclusion, Teodorski said. Other sites, like the Mather School, Robert Smalls’ house, and historic sites in Bluffton, could become affiliated with the park in the future, he said.

Smalls was born into slavery in Beaufort. He became a hero about a year after the Civil War began at Fort Sumter, when he commandeered a Confederate transport ship and sailed it into a Union blockade outside of Charleston. After he returned to Beaufort County, Smalls purchased his former master’s house in a tax sale and taught himself to read and write.

Smalls went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was the author of legislation to provide free, compulsory public education for all children, the first system of its kind in the United States.

“We will be able to connect visitors to Smalls’ inspiring story and to so many others,” Teodorski said.

Since the park was established, Keyserling has assembled a group of top scholars and preservationists to generate support for the park and help teachers use experiences to teach students about the Reconstruction era.

March 2020 155

››Sports

Faber Finds Peace Off The Court LONGTIME JASPER COUNTY BASKETBALL COACH ENJOYS SPENDING TIME OFF THE SIDELINES

BY ANTHONY GARZILLI PHOTOS BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

H

e’s traveled just outside of Columbia to see his grandson play basketball.

He’s visited one son in Tennessee and another in Atlanta, and he and his wife of 37 years, Jacklyn, are planning a cruise.

He’s played a lot of golf.

Jeremiah Faber is enjoying his time away from the basketball court — his first season not stalking the sidelines in one of his signature suits in 35 years.

The former Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School boys varsity coach began teaching in the Jasper County School District in 1984 and started coaching basketball in 1985. He won 565 games, 11 region titles and three Lower State titles.

The Jaguars reached the state final three times — in 2015, 2018, 2019 — but Faber never could claim a state crown.

Last October, the Ridgeland resident decided to step away, resigning as the high school coach and as athletic director of the middle school.

Since mid-December he has stepped in as a part-time athletic director at the high school, setting his own hours, but he’s no longer formulating game plans or repeatedly practicing the full-court press during the week.

Instead, he’s spending more time with his wife and getting a chance to see his family.

“I am at peace with my decision,” said Faber, who turns 63 in March.

Faber said he initially missed the routine of practice and the sense of camaraderie with his players, but he stayed away from the gym when the season began. He checked the internet for scores and waited

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to hear from new coach Kevin Wilson after the games.

But any desire to return to coaching has been offset by the opportunities to see his grandson play at Westwood High School in Blythewood.

Faber said he would rarely see Jaylen, a junior, play when he coached, but in retirement he’s had opportunities to watch the guard in action.

“I really enjoy watching him play,” Faber said. “Now I see basketball in a different light. Coaching, I saw it as more of me

trying to will my players to the next level; when I watch my grandson play, I try to help him to develop skills. It’s not demanding, it’s nurturing and helping him be aware of different things.”

And though Faber has retired, he still finds himself back at the gym every now and then — as athletic director, he’s there during Ridgeland-Hardeeville High’s home games, and he’s still invested in the team’s success.

In December, the Jaguars lost at home to Whale Branch High School. After the game,

Wilson, who had been Faber’s longtime assistant, asked him to speak to the team.

Faber had coached many of those players.

It all came back to him.

“I told them, ‘Every game is an opportunity to make a play,’” he said. “I said, ‘The same effort that you would have given me, you need to give to Coach Wilson. He’s your head coach.’”

The team responded by winning nine of its next 10 games, including eight in a row, en route to winning 18 games in the regular season and a region title.

The gym is a place of comfort for Faber, and soon it will be a place that bears his name. Jasper County’s school board voted unanimously recently to name the Ridgeland-Hardeeville High gym the Jeremiah Faber Sr. Gymnasium. A formal naming ceremony is planned for March 21.

“I never would have given that even a thought; it’s just amazing,” he said. “I’m thankful to my family, my wife. She stuck beside me. That honor of the gym is just as much hers as it is mine.”

Faber said he always tried to be an influence on and off the court. He was the coordinator for the school’s chapter of the

Jasper County’s school board voted unanimously to name the RidgelandHardeeville High gym the Jeremiah Faber Sr. Gymnasium.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes and tried to be a mentor. He’s troubled by recent shootings in Beaufort and Jasper counties, which have often involved youngsters.

There were 15 homicides in Beaufort County in 2019, including the shooting death of 18-year-old Trey Blackshear of Hilton Head Island two days before Christmas. Two 16-year-olds and a 19-yearold were among four suspects charged in connection with the shooting.

An 18-year-old Lady’s Island man was charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of a 20-year-old man in November.

And in Jasper County, a 21-year-old Ridgeland man was charged in October in connection with a drive-by shooting that injured a 10-year-old boy. Faber hopes future conflicts can peacefully be resolved.

“One of the biggest things is, our young people don’t know how to handle conflict resolution,” Faber said. “You don’t have to always stand your ground.

You respect someone, but if the situation gets too hot, you walk away from it. At the end of the day, we all want to go home. You don’t always have to be involved. That’s hard for young people to do today.”

March 2020 157

››Where to Worship Pastor Sam Joyner (below) leads his congregation at Grace Coastal Church in Okatie in worship, fellowship and community service projects.

Gospel Transformation FAITH IN ACTION IS FOUND AT GRACE COASTAL CHURCH

BY BARRY KAUFMAN | PHOTOS BY JOHN R. RING

W

rapped up in the sermons, the service and the ceremony are two words that define the mission at Grace Coastal Church, and indeed faith itself: Gospel transformation.

“We believe the gospel is the good news that can transform us as Christians and can transform our community,” said Senior Pastor Sam Joyner. “It should not just be an insurance policy to get us into heaven, it should have an impact now.”

Putting faith into action is a hallmark of Grace Coastal Church. One of the first questions Joyner asks of his flock is what they intend to do with the message. He wants each member of his church to seek out ways they can be a transforming influence on the world.

“We want to be a blessing on our community,” Joyner explained. Being a blessing means sowing good deeds wherever possible. Working with Family Promise of Beaufort County, Grace Coastal Church opens its doors to families with children who find themselves temporarily homeless, giving them food, shelter and fellowship as they work to rebuild their

158 hiltonheadmonthly.com

lives. Members of the congregation work on the nonprofit James Project, helping with construction on the weekends. They team with Learn Together Lowcountry to give homeschooled students a place to come together for extracurricular activities ranging from Jiu Jitsu to calligraphy. And their ministry regularly hosts Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon meetings.

Service to the community is part of a comprehensive approach to faith that focuses on lifting up each congregant.

“We want to help you on an individual basis, where you’re saying, ‘Where am I stuck in life? Where have I been wounded?

Where can I get unstuck? Where can I get healed by the gospel?’” he said.

One of Joyner’s favorite Bible passages speaks to this mission, found in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

“I’ve found that following Christ lightens the load or the yoke of expectations,” said Joyner. “The world will fill your cart with all kinds of stuff that says, ‘Unless you do these things you’re nobody.’”

Welcoming those who have been wounded by their experiences with religion is one of the central tenets of Grace Coastal Church.

“We have Saturday night gatherings for the uniquely wounded, people who grew up in the church and had a bad experience,” said Joyner. “They may not be ready to come back on Sunday morning, but they want to take a step back toward the church.”

These meetings also welcome “seekers,” those who are seeking their first experience with the gospel. It’s an ethos of hospitality and welcoming all that truly reflects the teachings of Christ.

“I love pointing people to the place where I found help for myself,” said Joyner. “The life that I found is possible through Jesus. I want to share that.”

Where toWorship Grace Coastal Church Come. Experience Grace.

Saturday night Come As You Are service at 6:30pm followed by a fellowship meal Sunday morning First worship service at 8:45 Coffee fellowship and Education for all Ages at 10:00 Second worship service at 11:00 15 WILLIAMS DRIVE OKATIE SC 29909

843-379-5520 GCCOFFICE16@GMAIL.COM

UU Congregation of the Lowcountry An open-minded, open-hearted spiritual community

Sunday Schedule Meditation 9:15 a.m.

Service 10 a.m.

Childcare available 110 MALPHRUS ROAD, BLUFFTON, SC 29910 UULOWCOUNTRY.ORG

Lowcountry Presbyterian Church Surrounded by God’s grace, we are a family of faith joined together through Christ, offering meaning and hope to all by the way we worship, serve and live.

Sunday Worship Services at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Childcare available at 10:30 a.m. service 10 SIMMONSVILLE ROAD BLUFFTON, SC 29910 (INTERSECTION OF HWY 278)

843-815-6570 LPCOFFICE1@HARGRAY.COM LOWCOUNTRYPRES.ORG

Lord of Life Lutheran Church

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

Sundays 8:30am and 10:30am 351 BUCKWALTER PARKWAY BLUFFTON, SC 29910

LORDOFLIFE-BLUFFTON.ORG 843-757-4774

››Parenting

PROM QUEENS FREE PROM BOUTIQUE BRINGS HIGH FASHION TO GIRLS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY

BY ANTHONY GARZILLI

T

he look on the girls’ faces is what Hannah Nichols enjoys most.

“My favorite part is just seeing their faces light up when they get to experience the boutique atmosphere,” said Nichols, communication director for the Junior Service League of Beaufort.

Since 2011, the Junior Service League of Beaufort has helped high school girls in the Lowcountry experience the magic of finding the perfect prom dress through its Prom Boutique.

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This year the ninth annual JSLB Prom Boutique is 1-4 p.m. March 7 at the BeaufortJasper YMCA of the Lowcountry.

The boutique allows juniors and seniors in Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton county schools to shop for the perfect dress, jewelry and accessories for prom — all for free. The students are treated to a red-carpet experience: Not only do they have the opportunity to shop for dresses and accessories, but they each have a personalized stylist.

Last year, more than 50 local high school girls were able to have their Cinderella moments and find the dress of their dreams. Nichols said the goal this year is to accommodate 75 girls.

But the league needs a little help from the community to make these magical moments happen. The boutique is stocked with donations; dresses in all sizes and styles are accepted, though they must be clean and have no visible tears or stains.

As of mid-February, the league had more than 300 dresses ready for the boutique.

Accessories accepted include earrings, necklaces, bracelets, shawls and handbags. Shoes are not accepted.

According to promheadquarters.com, the online boutique of Dimitra Designs Bridal Emporium in Greenville, some of the trends for prom dresses this year include classic A-line gowns; mermaid dresses, which are tight until the knee, then flare out; and slinky and sequined dresses.

Those types of dresses and more might be found at the Prom Boutique.

“We have a great selection and we are very cognizant of trends,” Nichols said.

Nichols said she gets a thrill out of seeing a girl find her perfect dress. She recalls being the stylist for a girl with a “quirky personality.” The girl found a unique dress with a dragon print and instantly was enthralled.

“Her eyes lit up and it fit her like a glove,” Nichols said. “It feels rewarding when they find that dress that is obviously meant to be theirs.”

The league hopes that Prom Boutique makes the special night a little more

affordable for area students. Between the cost of a dress and things like hair, nails, accessories and dinner out, prom runs families an average of $919, according to money.com. Taking the cost of the dress out of the equation can make it more manageable.

Nichols said donors are thrilled to be able to help make the evening special.

“Everyone I have gotten dresses from has been very excited,” she said. “Your dress goes out to help the community.”

Nichols said to shop at the boutique students need to bring their high school ID cards.

To donate, contact Nichols at communication.jslb@gmail.com or go to jslbprom.com.

Smart Parenting in the Lowcountry YOUR LOCAL RESOURCE FOR ALL STAGES OF PARENTING

WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH THE KIDS THIS WEEKEND?

The Parenthood IQ

NEWSLETTER is your answer.

DONATION DROPOFF

Donations of formal wear and accessories for the Prom Boutique can be dropped off at the following locations: • Lux ~ A Medical Spa: 350 Fording Island Road, Suite 101, Bluffton • Pink Magazine: 37 New Orleans Road, #M, Hilton Head Island • Amazing Rentals: 352 Argent Blvd., Hardeeville • The Beaufort Sound: 206 Sea Island Parkway, Suite 31, Lady’s Island — located in TideWatch • Sugar Belle: 906 Boundary St., Beaufort • Hobbit Hill: All Beaufort locations • Kinghorn Insurance: 910 Carteret St., Beaufort

PROM BOUTIQUE The ninth annual JSLB free Prom Boutique is 1-4 p.m. March 7 at the Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry, 1801 Richmond Ave., Port Royal.

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››Calendar

March 15

››

HILTON HEAD ISLAND ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE: The oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in South Carolina.

Featuring a parade of floats, boats, trucks, cars, bikes, golf carts, people, horses and dogs. Free. 3 p.m., Pope Avenue, Hilton Head Island. hiltonheadireland.org.

Calendar | MARCH

›› Arts & Culture

MARCH 12 “PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY OF THE LOWCOUNTRY”: A reception for Kendra Natter and her work featuring the natural environment of the Lowcountry. Free. 5-7 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-681-5060 or artleaguehhi.org.

MARCH 4

SOBA ANNUAL JUDGED SHOW OPENING RECEPTION: Come meet participating local artists who use acrylic, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, watercolor or 3-D mediums. Free.

5-7 p.m., Center for Creative Arts, 6 Church St., Bluffton. 843-757-6586 or sobagallery.com.

MARCH 27

MARCH 7 AFRICAN AMERICAN QUILT TRADITION WORKSHOP: Instruction by Cookie Washington. $10. 12:30 p.m., Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, 10782 South Jacob Smart Blvd., Ridgeland. 843-284-9227 or morrisheritagecenter.org.

MARCH 7 YOUTH ARTSFEST: Dance and drama workshops, entertainment, craft projects and ISCA’s Rising Stars and Promising Picasso’s youth art exhibition. Suitable for all ages. Free. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-842-2787 or artshhi.com.

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MARCH 9 “COLLECTING IMPRESSIONISM”: Telfair Museum delves into its permanent collection, which includes more than 7,000 works, to reveal striking examples of American, German and French Impressionism. Includes a coffee reception. Free. 10 a.m., Jepson Center, 207 West York St., Savannah. 917-566-9101 or telfair.org.

MARCH 12 “ABOVE AND BEYOND”: An opening reception for an exceptional collection of abstract artworks from 13 artists. Free. 5-7 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

FOURTH FRIDAY ARTISTS MARKET: Shop, sip and stroll while enjoying live painting and sculpting from local artists. Free. 4-7 p.m., Coligny Plaza, 1 North Forest Beach Dr., Hilton Head. 843-842-6050 or colignyplaza.com.

››Community/Charity MARCH 1 PAGE ISLAND OYSTER ROAST: A fundraiser for the Kids in Kayaks Scholarship Fund, an initiative of The Outside Foundation. Includes a boat cruise to remote Page Island near Daufuskie, an oyster roast, live music, silent and live auctions, plus games for kids. $150 for adults, $75 for children. 1-5 p.m. outsidefoundation.org.

MARCH 7 JEWELS AND JEANS: Put on your denim and dancing shoes for the Foundation for Educational Excellence’s annual event.

Featuring Deas-Guyz, appetizers and food. 6-9:30 p.m., Hilton Head Island Beach & Tennis, 40 Folly Field Road, Hilton Head.

843-301-7150 or foundationedexcellence.com.

MARCH 7 COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER: Hosted by Hospice Care of the Lowcountry’s Harper Project, this event will support expectant mothers by providing access to baby products that promote safety and well-being for children. Includes brunch with mimosas and mocktails. $75, $125 for VIP. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., The Clubhouse at Wexford Plantation, 111 Wexford Club Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-706-2296 or hospicecarelc.org.

MARCH 14 GOLF TOURNAMENT AND VEGAS CASINO NIGHT GALA: A special fundraiser for St. Francis Catholic School. Kick off the afternoon with a round of golf at Palmetto Hall, followed by an evening of casino games, prizes, dancing, dinner and live and silent auctions at the Vegas Casino Night Gala.

Golf is $100 per player, gala tickets are $80 per person. 1 p.m. golf tournament, 6-11 p.m. gala. St. Francis Catholic School, 45 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-681-6501 or stfrancishhi.org.

MARCH 14

H I LT 2020

BLUFFTON BOYS & GIRLS CLUB SPRING GALA: Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, silent and live auctions, dinner and entertainment. Black tie optional. $250. 6 p.m., Montage Palmetto Bluff, 477 Mount Pelia Road, Bluffton. 843-757-2845 or bgcbluffton.org.

MARCH 20 THE AMERICAN DREAM CELEBRATION: A special evening to raise funds for The Literacy Center. Featuring live music, appetizers, drinks, a sit-down dinner and live and silent auctions. $100. 6-9 p.m., University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Hilton Head Campus, 1 Sand Shark Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-681-6655 or theliteracycenter.org.

MARCH 21 BOURBON AND BUBBLES: An evening of bourbon and champagne to support the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Featuring live entertainment by “American Idol” winner Candice Glover, specialty drinks, food and an outdoor cigar lounge. $175-$200.

Reservations required. 6 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-842-2787 or artshhi.com.

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››Calendar

MARCH 28 RELEASE AND REMEMBER: A community butterfly release to celebrate the memory of lost loved ones. $10 per butterfly. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort. 843-525-6257 or fochospice.org.

MARCH 29 PUBLIC POLICY MEETING: An exchange of ideas and dialogue on matters of public policy in our community. Free. 8-9 a.m., Chamber of Commerce, 1 Chamber of Commerce Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-785-3673 or hiltonheadchamber.org.

››Dance & Theatre MARCH 19-21, 26, 27-28

LEAN ENSEMBLE: “CRY IT OUT”: A dark and gritty comedy about three women navigating life around their newborn babies. $40 for adults, $15 for students and active-duty military. Hilton Head Preparatory School Main Street Theatre, 3000 Main St., Hilton Head Island. 843-715-6676 or leanensemble.org.

MARCH 21 BOYS & GIRLS CLUB GALA: The theme of this year’s Boys & Girls Club Gala is “Creating Pathways to Great Futures.” Featuring a cocktail reception, silent auction, live auction and dancing. Black tie optional. $225 or $2,250 for a table of 10. 6 p.m., The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, 2 Grasslawn Ave., Hilton Head Island. 843-689-3646 or bgchiltonhead.org.

MARCH 21 WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY RUN: A 3.21-mile run held annually by the National Down Syndrome Society to raise awareness for Down syndrome.

7 a.m. Shelter Cove. carolineandfriends.com.

MARCH 22

PANCAKE BREAKFAST: The Low Country Kappa Delta Alumnae Chapter will host a pancake breakfast to raise funds for Child Abuse Prevention Association of Beaufort. Includes a short stack of pancakes, bacon or sausage, and coffee or juice. $10 for adults, $5 for children. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Skillets Cafe, 1 North Forest Beach Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-815-5951 or lowcountry.kappadelta.org.

MARCH 23 FORGET ME NOT FASHION SHOW AND LUNCHEON: Enjoy shopping and a fashion show, plus lunch and a cash bar, to benefit Memory Matters. $35.

11 a.m., Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island, 130 Shipyard Drive, Hilton Head Island. mymemorymatters.org.

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MARCH 5-8 MAIN STREET YOUTH THEATRE: “PETER PAN JR.”: This classic musical will whisk the audience away to a place where dreams are born and no one ever grows up. $25 for adults, $15 for students. Times vary. Main Street Youth Theatre, 3000 Main St., Hilton Head. 843-689-6246 or msyt.org.

MARCH 6-8, 13, 14-15 “MAN OF LA MANCHA”: An imprisoned poet invites the audience and his fellow inmates to escape the prison through his imagination. $15$20. Times vary. Asbury Memorial Church Theatre, 1008 East Henry St., Savannah. 912-233-4351 or asburymemorial.org.

MARCH 14 CAPA’S “DANCING WITH OUR STARS”: The Child Abuse Prevention Association presents 12 teams of community heroes paired with dance instructors for a special performance. Ticket prices vary. 7:30 p.m., University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Arts, 805 Carteret St., Beaufort.

843-524-4350 or capabeaufort.org.

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MARCH 19-21 HILTON HEAD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY THEATRE: “ALL SHOOK UP”: Inspired by Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and featuring the music of Elvis Presley, this in-the-round performance has the audience completely surrounding the stage. $18 for adults, $12 for students. 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee Saturday. Hilton Head Christian Academy, 55 Gardner Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-681-2878 or hhca.org.

MARCH 19-22, 26, 28-29 HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL SEAHAWK STAGE COMPANY: “MATILDA THE MUSICAL”: A performance that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. $20 for adults, $10 for students. 7 p.m.

Wednesdays-Fridays; 2 p.m. Saturdays. Seahawk Stage Company, 80 Wilborn Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-4800 or seahawkstagecompany.com.

MARCH 19-21, 26, 27-28 LEAN ENSEMBLE: “CRY IT OUT”: A dark and gritty comedy about three women navigating life around their newborn babies. $40 for adults, $15 for students and active-duty military. Hilton Head Preparatory School Main Street Theatre, 3000 Main St., Hilton Head Island. 843-715-6676 or leanensemble.org.

MARCH 26 CHARLOTTE BALLET: A captivating performance by 26 professional dancers of the Charlotte Ballet. Suitable for ages 5 and older. $61. 8 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island.

843-842-2787 or artshhi.com.

MARCH 26-29 & APRIL 2-5 MAY RIVER THEATRE: “PLAZA SUITE”: An uproarious and piercing look at love and marriage, directed by Jim Kadra. $27. 7 p.m. ThursdaysSaturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. May River Theatre, 20 Bridge St., Bluffton.

843-815-5581 or mayrivertheatre.com.

›› Food & Drink MARCH 1

SEAFOOD, CHAMPAGNE AND GULLAH BRUNCH: Music, bottomless bloody mary bar, champagne and brunch: It’s the perfect waterfront 166 hiltonheadmonthly.com

experience. $59. Seating available at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., Hudson’s Seafood On the Docks, 1 Hudson Road, Hilton Head Island. 843681-2772 or hudsonsonthedocks.com.

MARCH 3 PLUMPJACK WINE DINNER: A four-course dinner featuring wine pairings with PlumpJack Winery. Seating is limited. $135. 6:30 p.m., Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte, 8 New Orleans Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-785-9277 or charliesgreenstar.com.

MARCH 6 FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY: A fun outdoors event featuring food trucks and carts. Free. 3-7 p.m., Island Rec Center, 20 Wilborn Road, Hilton Head Island.

843-681-7273 or islandreccenter.org

MARCH 11 BIRDSONG BREWING BEER DINNER: Enjoy an evening of delicious food and craft beer, featuring Charlotte-based Birdsong Brewing. Guests will be served a five-course dinner paired with five different Birdsong Brewing beers. $35. 6 p.m., Old Oyster Factory, 101 Marshland Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-681-6040 or oldoysterfactory.com.

››Music

MARCH 3-4

CELTIC THUNDER’S EMMET CAHILL: Talented tenor Emmet Cahill will perform traditional Irish tunes, Broadway classics and more. $65. 8 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island.

843-842-2787 or artshhi.com.

MARCH 14 MUSIC ON MALPHRUS: Musician Kristen Maxwell will perform at Music on Malphrus, an acoustic listening room. $20. Doors open at 6 p.m., show is at 7 p.m., The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry, 110 Malphrus Road, Bluffton. 843-837-3330 or uulowcountry.org.

MARCH 14 INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION FINALS: The five finalists of the weeklong Hilton Head International Piano Competition will join John Morris Russell and the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. $25-$60. 7 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island.

843-842-2055 or hhso.org.

MARCH 21 SAVANNAH PHILHARMONIC: “GERMAN PASSION”: A program featuring some of the best works of German romantic composers. $25$80. 7:30 p.m., Lucas Theatre for the Arts, 32 Abercorn St., Savannah.

912-525-5040 or savannahphilharmonic.org.

MARCH 22-23 DOUBLE CONCERTO: Featuring the music of Brahms, Wagner and Rimsky-Korsakov. Pre-concert talk will begin one hour before concert. $30-$60. 5 p.m. Sunday; 8 p.m. Monday. First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. 843-842-2055 or hhso.org.

MARCH 26 SPRING MUSIC AND TASTE: This pet-friendly outdoor concert series will feature a variety of bands, great food and dancing. Free. 6-9 p.m., Shelter Cove Harbour, 1 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-593-9116 or sheltercovehiltonhead.com.

MARCH 26-APRIL 11 SAVANNAH MUSIC FESTIVAL: Now in its 31st season, this festival features world-class celebrations of the musical arts by creating timeless productions that stimulate arts education, foster economic growth and

MARCH 3 MARY GREEN CHORALE: “OPERA, OPERETTA, BROADWAY”: The chorale will perform hits and favorites from the opera, operetta and Broadway. $25. 7:30 p.m. All Saints Episcopal Church, 3001 Meeting St., Hilton Head Island. marygreenchorale.org.

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››Calendar unite artists and audiences. Ticket prices, times and locations vary. 912-234-3378 or savannahmusicfestival.org.

MARCH 28 MUSIC ON MALPHRUS: Kyshona Armstrong will perform at Music on Malphrus, an acoustic listening room. $20. Doors open at 6 p.m., show is at 7 p.m., The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry, 110 Malphrus Rd, Bluffton. 843-837-3330 or uulowcountry.org

MARCH 29 DEAS-GUYZ SPRING ORCHESTRA: A four-course spring tasting menu and live performance. Proceeds benefit The Junior Jazz Foundation. $150. 5 p.m., 8:15 p.m., The Jazz Corner, 1000 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. 843-842-8620.

›› Outdoors/Sports MARCH 1

WMNRUN HILTON HEAD: A female-only half-marathon, half-marathon relay, quarter-

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marathon and 5K. Includes custom T-shirts, finisher medals, pint glasses and swag, followed by drinks, food, music and yoga. $110 for half-marathon, $135 for relay, $85 for quartermarathon, $65 for 5K. 7 a.m.-noon, Beach House, 1 South Forest Beach Drive, Hilton Head.

“Like” the event on Facebook. runsignup.com.

MARCH 2-3 COLLETON RIVER COLLEGIATE TOURNAMENT: This two-day tournament will showcase the talents of many of the nation’s leading collegiate golf players as they vie for the coveted individual and team titles in a 54-hole stroke play tournament. Spectators are welcome. Free. Colleton River Clubhouse, 1 Colleton River Drive, Bluffton. 843-836-4400 or colletonriverclub.com.

MARCH 6 SPORTING CLAYS SHOOT: A unique fundraiser to benefit Pockets Full of Sunshine, featuring a full day of food, exhibition, shooting, awards and reception. Also includes an auction highlighting handcrafted and screen-printed items made by special-needs adults. $45 for spectators, $300 for individual clay shooters, $1,200 for a team of

MARCH 6-8 DARIUS RUCKER INTERCOLLEGIATE GOLF TOURNAMENT: Top teams from around the country will travel to Long Cove Club to complete for the title. Free for spectators. 8:30 a.m., Long Cove Club, 399 Long Cove Drive, Hilton Head Island.

843-686-1070 or longcoveclub.com.

four. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Forest City Gun Club, 9203 Ferguson Ave., Sav. 843-384-1315 or pocketsfullofsun.org.

MARCH 8-9 FULL MOON KAYAK TOUR: Explore the Lowcountry water by the light of the moon during this two-hour kayak tour, led by an interpretive naturalist guide. Children younger than 12 must be on a tandem kayak with an adult. $45 for an adult single kayak, $67.50 for an adult and child double kayak, $90 for double kayak for two adults.

7:30 p.m., Outside Hilton Head, 50 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-686-6996 or outsidehiltonhead.com.

MARCH 14 SHAMROCK RUN: Wear your green for this fun and colorful 5K run and health walk. A percentage of proceeds will benefit The Rotary Club. $40. 7 a.m., Heritage Plaza, 81 Pope Ave., Hilton Head Island.

843-757-8520 or bearfootsports.com.

MARCH 27-28 LOWCO BASKETBALL SHOWCASE: A basketball showcase event to feature 96 of the best hoops stars in the Lowcountry. $15 per day, $25 for both days. 5:30 p.m., 240 Sam Point Road, Beaufort.

843-540-9394 or lowcosports.com.

MARCH 28 SANDALWOOD RUN FOR HUNGER: A 5K and 10K race to support the Sandalwood Community Food Pantry, a nonprofit group that helps feed more than 700 local families. Registration for the 5K is $25 for adults, $20 for those younger than 18; the 10K is $35 for adults, $25 for runners younger than 18. 8:30-11 a.m., Mitchelville Freedom Park, 229 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island. runsignup.com.

MARCH 29 POLO AT THE BLUFF: A thrilling afternoon polo match, featuring VIP tents with hors d’oeuvres and beverages. $40 for general admission, $125 for VIP, $20 for kids VIP. 1 p.m., Longfield Stables, 477 Mount Pelia Road, Bluffton. 321-408-0437.

›› Festivals/Events MARCH 1 EMANUEL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF THE CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTING. St. Luke’s Church invites the community to see this documentary that was released in 2019, but has not been shown to wide audiences in the Lowcountry until now. Free. 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Coligny Theatre, Hilton Head Island.

MARCH 9-15 HILTON HEAD ISLAND WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL: A weeklong celebration of global wine partnerships, signature Lowcountry cuisine, grass-roots cultural happenings and the authentic fabric of a unique community of artists. Featuring celebrity chef showcases, wine education sessions, live entertainment and tastings. Ticket prices, times and locations vary. 843-686-4944 or hiltonheadwineandfood.com.

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MARCH 15

MARCH 28

IRISHFEST AT THE SANDBOX: Come and play at The Sandbox before the annual Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The Sandbox is on the parade route. Includes a bounce house, outdoor games and other fun activities. $5 per person. 1-3 p.m., The Sandbox: An Interactive Children’s Museum, 18 Pope Ave., Hilton Head Island. 843-842-7645 or thesandbox.org.

LOWCOUNTRY FAIR WITH HISTORICAL FLAIR: Commemorating the diverse heritage of the Lowcountry, the fair will feature artisans, food vendors, music, equestrian events, living history presentations, weapon demonstrations, educational booths and more. $15 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-17, $40 for families of two adults and two children. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-379-1550 or santa-elena.org.

MARCH 20 LAGOS TRUNK SHOW: Shop the new spring collection of Steven Lagos’ newest inspiration from his most recent travels. Enjoy light bites, bubbles and a complimentary gift with purchase.

Free. Noon-7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday. Forsythe Jewelers, 71 Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-671-7070 or forsythejewelers.biz.

MARCH 21

MARCH 21 NATIVE PLANT SALE: A variety of native plants is for sale to cover diverse landscaping needs. Cash or check only. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

MARCH 5-7 CUSTOM JEWELRY DESIGN EVENT: Repurpose your jewelry and create something new. Work directly with professional jewelry designer Paula Dawkins to select a new setting or stones to reimagine a new custom designed piece. Appointments required. Forsythe Jewelers, 71 Lighthouse Road, Suite 311, Hilton Head Island. 843-671-7070 or forsythejewelers.biz.

MARCH 14 SOUTH BEACH SHAMROCK HUNT: Children younger than 12 are invited to search for lucky shamrocks on the beach, redeemable for tasty treats and Salty Dog gear. Free. 9 a.m., The Salty Dog, 232 South Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-671-2233 or saltydog.com.

MARCH 15 HILTON HEAD ISLAND ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE: The oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in South Carolina. Featuring a parade of floats, boats, trucks, cars, bikes, golf carts, people, horses and dogs. Free. 3 p.m., Pope Avenue, Hilton Head Island. hiltonheadireland.org.

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HILTON HEAD WINGFEST: A family-friendly festival featuring more than 20 local restaurants competing for top honors. Includes a kid’s zone, live entertainment, a kid’s Wing Bobbing Contest and more. $8 for adults, free for children 10 and younger. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Shelter Cove Community Park, 39 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. hiltonheadwingfest.com.

MARCH 22 HARBOUR TOWN SPRING FEST: Enjoy a day at Harbour Town featuring live music with DeasGuyz, nautical activities, children’s activities and a classic-cars display. Free. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Harbour Town, 149 Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-785-3333 or seapines.com.

MARCH 28 SPRING SHOP HOP: Enjoy an afternoon of great deals, live music and gourmet treats. This event is fun for the whole family and includes photos with the Easter Bunny. Free. 2-5 p.m., The Village at Wexford, 1000 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. villageatwexford. com.

MARCH 31 NATIONAL CRAYON DAY: Celebrate National Crayon Day by coloring a picture in the children’s area. All ages welcome. Free. 3:30-5 p.m., Hilton Head Library, 11 Beach City Road, Hilton Head.

843-255-6500 or beaufortcountylibrary.org.

››Education MARCH 2

MARCH 22

“OVERWINTERING HUMMINGBIRDS”: Doreen Cubie will discuss her research on rubythroated hummingbirds and her banding study of wintering hummingbirds near Charleston.

Reservations required. $7. 2 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

SAVANNAH VEG FEST: A festival that showcases local plant-based foods. Featuring expert speakers, cooking demos, vendors and animal rescues. Free. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Forsyth Park Band Shell, 699 Drayton St., Savannah. savannahvegfest.org.

“RIGHT WHALES”: Professor Michael Williamson will introduce right whales and the current status and research on this species. Reservations required. $7. 2 p.m.,

MARCH 4

MARCH 4 HERITAGE LIBRARY: “Understanding the Census”: This class looks at changes in the U.S. Census throughout history and explores what information is missing and why. $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Hilton Head Campus, Classroom 214, 1 Sand Shark Drive, Hilton Head Island.

843-686-6560 or heritagelib.org.

Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

MARCH 4 PALMETTO PLANT EATERS CLUB: Chef Thomas Carrig will discuss grains and how they can be crafted into delicious and highly nutritious meals. Free. 6:30 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry, 110 Malphrus Road, Bluffton. palmettoplanteaters.com.

MARCH 6 WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL: Sheila A. Smith, senior fellow for Japan studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, will discuss Japan’s military postmodernism. Free for members, $15 for guests. 10-11:30 a.m., First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island. wachh.org.

MARCH 6-8 PAT CONROY WRITERS RETREAT WEEKEND: Participating writers will immerse themselves in a collaborative experience with award-winning writers and publishing professionals. Includes a two-night hotel stay, evening receptions, breakfast and lunch. $1,500. Anchorage 1770 Inn, 1103 Bay St., Beaufort.

877-951-1770 or patconroyliterarycenter.org.

MARCH 7 ACADEMIC WORLDQUEST: This event is considered the Super Bowl of global issues and foreign policy for high school students. The winner goes to Washington, D.C. Hosted by the World Affairs Council. 9 a.m., Hilton Head Island High School, 70 Wilbourn Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-816-1498.

MARCH 8 HELPING PARENTS HEAL: A support group to help parents who have lost children by providing resources to aid in the healing process. Free. 1-3 p.m., The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry, 110 Malphrus Road, Bluffton.

201-233-6015 or helpingparentsheal.org.

MARCH 9 “BIRD-FRIENDLY BACKYARDS”: Sean Dennis will present an overview of native plants you can add to your landscaping to provide food and habitat for common Lowcountry songbird species. Reservations required. $7. 2 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

MARCH 9-11 PAINTING WORKSHOP: “DAWN TO DUSK, CAPTURING LIGHT IN OILS”: Artist Peggy Ellis will teach students how to capture light in

oils during this three-day workshop. Instruction includes step-by-step tips and techniques. All skill levels are welcome. $315 for members, $350 for non-members. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Art League Academy, 106 Cordillo Parkway, Hilton Head. 843-842-5738 or artleaguehhi.org

MARCH 10 LOWCOUNTRY SPEAKER SERIES: National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen will be the featured speaker at this month’s Lowcountry Speaker Series. $70-$85. 7:30-9 p.m., Marriott Hilton Head Resort & Spa, 1 Hotel Circle, Hilton Head Island. 843-823-4111 or lowcountryspeakerseries.com.

MARCH 10 CANCER FINANCIAL PLANNING WORKSHOP: A presentation for those affected by cancer about facing the future with confidence. Free. 1 p.m., H.O.P.E. Life Lymphedema & Rehab Center, 60 Main St., Unit G, Hilton Head Island. 843-715-4146 or hopelifeandlymphedema.com.

MARCH 11 BRAIN HEALTH SUMMIT 3: Join Memory Matters for a full day of exhibitions focused on the brain. The theme is “Energize, Optimize, Personalize.” $60. 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Hilton Head Beach & Tennis, 40 Folly Field Rd., Hilton Head.

843-842-6688 or mymemorymatters.org.

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››Calendar Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-379-1550 or santa-elena.org.

MARCH 21 JUNIOR BRIDGE OPEN HOUSE: An open house to introduce children in second grade and older to the game of bridge. Featuring food, giveaways, tournaments and more. Free. 10 a.m.noon. Hilton Head Island Bridge Club, 95 Matthews Drive, Hilton Head Island.

843-342-7529.

MARCH 11

MARCH 16

HERITAGE LIBRARY: “Genealogy Research: Where to Start for Free”: Add more to your family’s past through free online genealogy research tools. $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Hilton Head Campus, Classroom 214, 1 Sand Shark Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-686-6560 or heritagelib.org.

“MIRACLE OF MIGRATION”: Diana Churchill will introduce the why, how and who of bird migration. Reservations required. $7. 2 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

MARCH 11 “WHERE FREEDOM BEGAN”: Join executive director Ahmad Ward for a presentation about Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park. Reservations required. $7. 2 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

MARCH 14 READ TO A DOG: Share a story with a therapy dog to build reading confidence. Bring a favorite book from home or use a library book.

Registration required. Ages 5-12. Free. 11 a.m.-noon. Hilton Head Library, 11 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island. 843-255-6500 or beaufortcountylibrary.org.

MARCH 14 TEDXHILTON HEAD: A day that brings together prestigious national and local speakers, celebrating those who are “making waves” to create a positive impact in the world. $72. 8:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. tedxhiltonhead.com.

MARCH 14, 28 COOKING CLASS: Chef Josh and Chef Joe will lead a small hands-on cooking class, followed by a chance to sit down and enjoy the meal with a glass of wine. $125. 11 a.m., Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte, 8 New Orleans Road, Hilton Head Island.

843-785-9277 or charliesgreenstar.com.

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MARCH 30 “A CONVERSATION WITH A SOLDIER”: First- and third-person storytelling of the hardships, humor, heartbreaks and horrors of war. Reservations required. $7. 2 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

MARCH 31 MORRIS CENTER BOOK TALK: A book talk with Ron Roth, author of “The Civil War in the South Carolina Lowcountry.” Free. 5 p.m., Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, 10782 South Jacob Smart Blvd., Ridgeland. 843-284-9227 or morrisheritagecenter.org.

››Save the Date

MARCH 19 “NUTRITION AND CANCER”: A three-part series presented by Jan Kirk, RD, MPH. This month’s presentation will discuss nutrition and the road to cancer recovery through eating well after treatment. Free. 1 p.m., H.O.P.E. Life Lymphedema & Rehab Center, 60 Main St., Unit G, Hilton Head Island. 843-715-4146 or hopelifeandlymphedema.com.

MARCH 23 “WAR AND WINE”: Join Rich Thomas from the Heritage Library to explore the Revolutionary War in the Beaufort District. After the presentation, enjoy a wine tasting curated just for this history lesson. $50. 5-7 p.m., FISH Casual Coastal Seafood, 1 North Forest Beach Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-686-6560 or heritagelib.org.

MARCH 25 “HOW HIGH’S THE WATER?”: Join Kevin Mills for a presentation about solutions in the age of climate change. Learn what’s at stake in the Lowcountry as the planet warms and sea levels rise. Reservations required. $7. 2 p.m., Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. 843-689-6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

MARCH 27 STUDENT HISTORY DAY: A fun-filled educational event to showcase 500 years of Lowcountry history. Includes marsh tacky horses, nature tours, learning stations, weapons demos and more. Open to students of all ages. $5, free for teachers. 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.,

APRIL 4-5 HILTON HEAD DANCE SCHOOL: “TERPSICHORE”: An annual performance of classical and contemporary dance, featuring company members and distinguished guest artists. 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. 843-785-5477 or hiltonheaddance.com

APRIL 2 “A NIGHT OF PROMISE:” A fundraiser for Family Promise of Beaufort County, featuring a buffet dinner, beer and wine, plus live and silent auctions. $100. 5:30-9 p.m., Hampton Hall Clubhouse, 170 Hampton Hall Blvd., Bluffton. 843-815-4211 or familypromisebeaufortcounty.com.

››Calendar APRIL 3 TASTE OF BLUFFTON: High on the Hog Bourbon Gala: Kick off the Taste of Bluffton weekend with a fun bourbon gala. 6-9 p.m., Heyward House, 70 Boundary St., Bluffton. tasteofbluffton.com..

APRIL 9 COMMUNITY SEDER: Congregation Beth Yam will hold a community Seder conducted by Rabbi Brad Bloom. Traditional holiday food will be served, and non-members are invited to attend. Reservations required by April 1. $65 for members older than 14, $75 for non-member adults, $18 for non-member children ages 6-13, free for children younger than 6. 5 p.m., Congregation Beth Yam, 4501 Meeting St., Hilton Head Island. 843689-2178 or bethyam.org.

›› Ongoing

MORRIS CENTER MUSEUM GUIDED DAILY TOURS: Get an indepth look at the exhibitions on view from Lowcountry plantations to the Battle of Honey Hill. Free. 11 a.m., Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, 10782 South Jacob Smart Blvd., Ridgeland. 843-284-9227 or morrisheritagecenter.org.

COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE HAPPY HOUR: Relieve stress and relax during this acupuncture happy hour, held the last Friday of each month. $30. 4-7 p.m., Integrative Pain Relief, 4 Dunmore Court, Building C, Suite 300, Hilton Head Island. 843-422-2592 or integrativepainrelief.net.

MARCH 2020

AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS: Join a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics and addicts who share their experience, strength, and hope to solve common problems. Free. al-anon-sc.org.

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PM 1:00 H 1:52 H 2:50 H 3:51 H 4:54 H 5:55 H 12:45 L 2:37 L 3:26 L 4:14 L 5:00 L 5:47 L 12:29 H 1:24 H 2:21 H 3:19 H 4:18 H 5:18 H 6:16 H 1:10 L 1:54 L 2:34 L 3:12 L 3:47 L 4:21 L 4:54 L 5:28 L 6:03 L 12:39 H 1:25 H 2:20 H

PM 6:59 L 7:54 L 8:59 L 10:05 L 11:08 L ––– 6:51 H 8:44 H 9:34 H 10:24 H 11:14 H ––– 6:35 L 7:26 L 8:22 L 9:26 L 10:34 L 11:38 L ––– 7:09 H 7:56 H 8:39 H 9:17 H 9:53 H 10:27 H 11:01 H 11:35 H ––– 6:42 L 7:28 L 8:23 L

BEACH PASSES FOR SALE: Hilton Head Island property owners and residents can now purchase a 2020-21 beach parking pass, valid through Dec. 31, 2021. Cost is $30 per vehicle. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Town of Hilton Head Island, 1 Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island. 843-342-4580 or hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

SPECIAL STARS DANCE CLASS: A dance class providing movement and self-empowerment for anyone with special needs. Open to dancers with any type of special needs. Classes are free with $50 registration fee.

4:30-5:15 p.m. Tuesdays, Alliance Dance Academy, 39 Persimmon St., Unit 404, Bluffton. 843-757-8277 or allianceacademyofdance.com.

SAVANNAH PORT TOUR: The Port of Savannah, the nation’s largest port in volume, contains over 50 piers, wharves and docks. Experience a working port from the water on this 90-minute tour. $55 for adults, $35 for children ages 3-13, free for children younger than 2. 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m., Savannah Harbour, Savannah. 843-686-6996 or outsidehiltonhead.com.

SAVANNAH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE TOUR: A naturalist’s dream come true. This three-hour boat tour provides views of the Savannah Riverfront and an in-depth tour of the Georgia Ports Authority. $75 for adults, $60 for children ages 3-13, free for children younger than 2. 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., Savannah Harbour, Savannah. 843-686-6996 or outsidehiltonhead.com.

FOR A FULL LIST OF THIS MONTH’S CALENDAR AND ONGOING EVENTS OR TO SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER VISIT HILTONHEADMONTHLY.COM

Upcoming purchase tickets today

Events

March 27-29 Order your tickets on My Lowcountry Tix For more information go to www.paradeofhomestour.com

For more information on promoting your next event: call Karrie at 843-949-2591

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Support Main Street. Not Wall Street.

HILTON HEAD

goes Irish The Island

H ILTO NH E A D IR E LA N D. ORG

Hilton Head celebrates with popular St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 15, 2020 3-6p.m.

By Carrie Hirsch

The parade route begins at the south end of Pope Avenue at Coligny Circle and proceeds north, turning left onto Office Park Road and ending at The Courtyard Building across from Park Plaza. Admission is free and well-behaved, leashed dogs are permitted. Bring sunscreen, water and charged cellphones.

Officially, St. Patrick’s Day is March 17, but Hilton Head Island likes to get a jump on the celebration. More than 25,000 people are expected to line Pope Avenue on March 15 for the annual parade — one of the oldest in honor of St. Patrick in South Carolina.

This year, the parade committee has selected Gloria and Allan LaCoe as grand marshals. The philanthropic couple, who are both Realtors, have been recognized for their involvement with local nonprofit organizations and institutions such as Main Street Youth Theatre, The Children’s Center, St. Andrews By-The-Sea United Methodist Church, the Island Recreation Center, and the Southern Coast Heart Ball.

The pair also helped to establish another beloved island tradition: the Thanksgiving Community Dinner at Hudson’s Seafood House On the Docks.

Following the LaCoes — in their traditional bright green sashes with gold fringe — along the parade route will be colorful floats, plus golf carts, horses, dogs and, of course, boats, for a touch of Lowcountry spirit. Businesses and nonprofit groups go all out with their decorations and costumes to compete for awards like the Grand Marshal Award for Best Small Business Float, the Shamrock Award for Best Nonprofit Float, the Leprechaun Award for Best Youth Float and the Irish Heritage Award.

The Battery Creek High School band will also march down Pope Avenue, along with bands from Sol C. Johnson High School and Savannah High School in Savannah, the Williston-Elko Drum Line

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

from Williston, and the band from Bishop Moore High School in Orlando, among others from all over the Southeast.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a St. Patrick’s Day parade without bag pipers.

Many area restaurants are joining the celebration acting as parade sponsors and will feature food and drink specials.

The Sandbar Beach Eats will serve up a bloody mary bar, while Carolina Coffee & Crumbs will offer Irish Coffee. Meanwhile, locals know that Rockfish Seafood & Steaks and Reilley’s Grill & Bar — an island institution since 1982 — are the places to party after the actual event.

And before the parade, Coligny Plaza is sponsoring a Facebook Live show featuring local celebrities and parade dignitaries and hosted by Leslie Richardson, owner of Coligny Plaza; Lee Lucier, COO of The Richardson Group; and Heather Rath of Heather Rath Consulting. Tune in from 10 a.m. to noon; for more information, go to colignyplaza.com/events. From noon to 3 p.m., the Matt Brantley Band will be performing at Coligny Plaza in the parking lot between Frosty Frog and Sandbar Beach Eats.

#OurLowcountry

2020 PARADE ROUTE

››Dining Briefs GR8 Bites

Juice Hive

Charbar

CHARBAR INTRODUCES SUSHI MENU

Charbar on Hilton Head Island has added a sushi bar. The sushi rolls are named after artists, records and songs that have inspired executive chef Tim Nelson. Examples include the Strawberry Fields roll — escolar, strawberry, jalapeño, toasted almonds and eel sauce — and the Coco Cabana roll, made with coconut tempura shrimp, cucumber, ahi tuna, avocado and spicy mayo.

SMOKEHOUSE WILL REBUILD UPDATED RESTAURANT

The popular Hilton Head Island barbecue restaurant Smokehouse, which burned down last summer, received approval from the Town of Hilton Head Island Design Review Board to rebuild. Plans that owner Jerry Leonard submitted to the town show a 7,515-squarefoot, two-story building with outdoor patios, mixing vintage and modern design elements.

THE COTTAGE CAFÉ, JUICE HIVE WIN GOOD FOOD AWARDS

The Cottage Café, Bakery and Tea Room and The Juice Hive won four Good Food Awards from The Good Food Foundation. The Cottage won for its All Hail Caesar and Pickled West Indian Gherkin. The Juice Hive won for its Watermelon Rind Kimchi and Shiso, Sweet

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Old Oyster Factory

Potato and Asian Sour Leaf Kimchi. Good Food Awards honor food that is delicious, respectful of the environment and connected to communities and cultural traditions.

OLD OYSTER FACTORY NOW OPEN FOR LUNCH

For the first time in more than 30 years, the Old Oyster Factory on Hilton Head Island is now open for lunch. A lunch menu is offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day.

LUCKY ROOSTER FEATURED IN GARDEN & GUN

The February/March issue of Garden & Gun magazine features Hilton Head Island’s Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar in its “Ultimate Guide to Grits” feature. The guide features tips from chefs across the South, including Lucky Rooster Chef Clayton Rollison’s advice to make grits in the oven. The multiple-page feature highlights kernels of wisdom about one of the South’s fundamental foods.

SERG GROUP NAMED RBC HERITAGE PARTNER

The SERG Group has been named operator of the food and beverage program at RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. The SERG Group plans to introduce to the tournament specialty items from its restaurants including Poseidon’s fish

Lucky Rooster

tacos, One Hot Mama’s boneless wings, Skull Creek Boathouse’s shrimp and grits and more.

UNDERGROUND BURRITO OPENS IN BLUFFTON

Underground Burrito is open in Bluffton. The take-out style burrito joint operates inside Ulmer’s Family Pharmacy and orders are designed to be picked up and eaten to-go. Orders can be picked up hot and ready to eat, or refrigerated for reheating later. The menu features traditional, vegetarian and six-pack burritos.

THE COTTAGE EXPANDS TEA MENU

The Cottage Café, Bakery and Tea Room on Calhoun Street in Bluffton is now offering 116 different teas and has expanded its full afternoon tea menu. The new menu will include more gourmet sandwiches, freshly baked scones and other delicacies.

GR8 BITES NOW OPEN

Gr8 Bites, a new breakfast-all-day deli, has opened in Main Street Village on Hilton Head Island in the former Munchies location. The menu features paninis, soup, salads, sandwiches and daily specials. The restaurant also offers freshly baked pie, cookies, muffins and scones. Gr8 Bites also has an ice cream parlor and is available for delivery through DoorDash. The restaurant is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

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››Dining | Favorites

Gourmet Picnic

BY CARRIE HIRSCH | PHOTOS BY BUTCH HIRSCH

I

t’s hard to picture a better setting for a picnic than a Sunday in the South: Red-checked blanket spread along the banks of the May River, shade provided by towering live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, glasses of lemonade dripping with condensation as platter after platter is pulled from a wicker hamper — fried chicken, deviled eggs, potato salad.

It’s enough to make your mouth water just thinking about it.

At your next outdoor affair, kick your classic fare up a notch with these gourmet twists.

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Citrus & Green Olive

Blueberry

Shrimp

Lemon Bars

Makes: 6 servings

Makes: 16 servings

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup green olives stuffed with pimientos, drained and finely chopped

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ tablespoons shallots, finely minced juice of 1 lemon zest of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, steamed, peeled and deveined with tails on

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt 6 tablespoons salted butter, divided into 6 pieces 4 egg yolks, beaten 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice zest of 2 lemons 1/2 cup blueberries

Process olive oil, green olives, shallots, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt in a food processor for 15 seconds. Place shrimp in a serving bowl and then toss with the marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate.

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Note: This dish can be made a day in advance and kept refrigerated.

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust the rack to the middle setting. Lightly coat an 8-by-8 baking dish with cooking spray and then line with parchment paper, allowing extra paper to hang over the sides to serve as “handles” to remove the squares once cooled. Pulse the flour, add powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined, about five seconds. Add four slices of butter and process for 20 seconds; the texture will be powdery. Transfer to the parchment paper-lined baking dish and press firmly onto the bottom of the dish, creating an even layer.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust begins to brown.

To make the filling, add the egg yolks to a medium saucepan. Whisk in sugar until thoroughly combined, and then stir in lemon juice and zest. Set heat to medium-low, then add remaining two slices, butter and cook, stirring constantly, for five minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and strain through a mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Stir in blueberries and heavy cream. Pour filling over the prepared crust and bake for 12-14 minutes. The center will be slightly jiggly. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Remove from baking dish using the parchment paper “handles,” and then cut into squares. Transfer to a serving platter and dust with powdered sugar, sprinkle with blueberries, and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

3 tablespoons powdered sugar Fresh mint leaves

March 2020 181

››Dining | Favorites Caviar and Wasabi

Deviled Eggs Makes: 16 servings 8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chilled 1/4 cup mayonnaise 3 tablespoons sour cream 3 teaspoons prepared wasabi sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 ounce red whitefish caviar Cut eggs in half and remove yolks. Combine yolks with mayonnaise, sour cream, wasabi sauce, rice vinegar and Dijon mustard and mash with a fork until smooth. Place the filling in a piping bag, seal with a rubber band and refrigerate. Assemble the deviled eggs at the picnic by arranging the egg whites on a platter and then piping in the filling. Top each with a generous dollop of red caviar.

Pimiento Cheese

Celery Bites Make: 32 servings 1 eight-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup mayonnaise 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup pimientos, drained and finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 celery stalks, each sliced on the bias into four pieces Using a mixer, combine the first 8 ingredients until well incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Top each celery stick with a generous mound of pimiento cheese.

Cover and refrigerate.

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St. Patrick's Day

Sweet Tea Makes: 1 gallon 4 cups of water plus an additional 12 cups of water 12 tea black bags 1 cup granulated sugar 8 drops of green food coloring (optional) lime slices (optional) mint leaves (optional) Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Remove from heat and add tea bags, allowing them to steep for 10 minutes.

Discard the tea bags and stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour into a gallon container and add the 12 additional cups of water and refrigerate for at least four hours. Stir in food coloring for a true St. Patrick’s Day treat, and then serve over ice in tall glasses. Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves, to taste.

South Carolina was the first state to grow tea commercially, with production dating to the 1700s. In 2003, as part of an April Fool’s Day prank, our neighbor Georgia introduced a bill into the legislature that restaurants serving tea must also serve sweet tea or they would be “guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.” Sweet tea lovers would not object!

. r e tt e B g n i l e e F Finding the right health care provider for you in the Lowcountry can be difficult. Let us help.

Insightful articles, medical profiles and our directory of local health professionals.

HEALTH + WELLNESS 2020 LOCAL GUIDE

Coming in May

To advertise contact your Hitlon Head Monthly Sales Representative today!

March 2020 183

Our Favorite

Restaurants Brought to you by Monthly, Fork & Fun and Vacation Guide

Hilton Head – North End CocoNutz Sportz Bar

40 Folly Field Road HHI Beach & Tennis Resort 843.842.0043 Open to the public. Imagine your favorite sporting events shown on dual 125” high-definition screens and 18 other TV’s tuned in to every sporting event imaginable. That’s what you will find at CocoNutz. If you get hungry, try the “Island’s Best Wings,” 1st place at Wingfest 2017, craft burgers and brews, prime rib.

Crazy Crab Jarvis Creek Hwy. 278 (near Mile Marker 1) 843.681.5021 | thecrazycrab.com

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

Gator’z Pizza

40 Folly Field Road HHI Beach & Tennis Resort 843.842.0043 Be sure to stop by Gator’z Pizza and order the “Bigly” MEGA Pizza. It’s 400 square inches of pizza perfection! These delicious pizzas are available for both dine in and take out.

Healthy Habit

Street Meet: The American Tavern Port Royal Plaza 843.842.2570 | streetmeethhi.com

Street Meet specializes in homemade versions of regional American bar food. Best Wings, Fish & Chips, Homemade Soups, Salads, Vegetarian Menu, Seafood.

33 Office Park Road Suite 227 843.686.5600 | healthyhabithhi.com A Quick service style restaurant with a focus on chopped salads and other plant based items utilizing the freshest ingredients possible with hand crafted dressings.

Old Fort Pub

65 Skull Creek Drive 843.681.2386 | OldFortPub.com Dine indoors or on the patio, enjoy beautiful views of the Intracoastal Waterway. The only AAA Four Diamond Restaurant on Hilton Head. (Won 11 times!) Reservations Recommended.

Reilley’s North End Pub 95 Mathews Dr. (Port Royal Plaza) 843.681.4153 | reilleysnorth.com

An island institution, Reilley’s has been serving up steaks, seafood, pasta & sandwiches for more than 35 years. Kids eat free Tuesdays with an adult entrée.

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Il Carpaccio

200A Museum St. (Across from Walmart)

843.342.9949 Serving a wide variety of authentic Italian cuisine, ranging from cuisine of Northern Italy to genuine crispy, thin-crust, Italian-style pizza. Casual, attractive restaurant, with large, attractive bar and a genuine brick oven (imported from Italy) for baking pizza.

Hilton Head – Mid-Island Alexander’s Restaurant & Wine Bar 76 Queens Folly Rd. (Palmetto Dunes) 843.785.4999 | alexandersrestaurant.com

Menu uses seasonal ingredients with a strong emphasis on seafood while paying homage to Alexander’s original favorites. Dinner from 5–10pm daily.

Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers & Pizza 7 Trent Jones Ln. (Palmetto Dunes) 855.878.1966 | palmettodunes.com/big-jims

Big Jim’s offers signature Southern dishes, gourmet burgers, pizzas, soups, salads, seafood, steaks and ribs. Open daily for breakfast, lunch & dinner.

ELA’S Blu Water Grille

1 Shelter Cove Ln. (Shelter Cove) 843.785.3030 | elasgrille.com

Fresh catch seafood and prime cut steaks of the highest quality, artfully prepared by their team of culinary experts, compliment the extensive boutique wine selection. Overlooking Shelter Cove marina and Broad Creek, ELA’S offers the island’s best water views.

Reservations recommended.

Fishcamp on Broad Creek

11 Simmons Road (Adjacent to Broad Creek Marina) 843.842.2267 | fishcamphhi.com Fishcamp’s menu consists of seafood and American cuisine, including steak and lobster. They have an outdoor bar and open patio. Family friendly.

The French Bakery & Courtyard Café 28 Shelter Cove Ln. 843.342.5420 | frenchbakeryhiltonhead.com

Have breakfast or lunch inside or outdoors in this bakery/café. Enjoy crepes, omelets, breads, baguette & panini sandwiches, salads, soups, quiches & pastries. Traditional French recipes.

Jamaica Joe’z Beach Bar

40 Folly Field Rd. (Mid-island) 843.842.0043 | hhibeachandtennis.com Open 7 days. Steps from the beach and a great place to kick back, snack on some pork nachos or a burger, and cool off with a frozen cocktail,cold beer or a soft drink.

Jane Bistro & Bar

28 Shelter Cove Lane (Shelter Cove Towne Centre) 843.686.5696 | janehhi.com Classic bistro fare with Lowcountry influences. Favorites include jumbo lump crab cakes, pecan cranberry chicken salad, crispy flounder and petit filet mignon with pommes frites. Open daily.

Island Bagel & Deli

S. Island Square 843.686.3353 | islandbagelanddeli.com The island's only New York style boiled bagels made daily. Choose from 16 flavors of bagels, 12 home-made cream cheeses.

For lunch: specialty hoagies, classic sandwiches & salads.

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››Dining | Favorites

Old Oyster Factory

101 Marshland Rd. 843.681.6040 | OldOysterFactory.com

Charlie’s L’Etoile Verte

Panoramic marsh and water views. Specializing in fresh seafood and some of the best steaks on Hilton Head. featured in The Wall Street Journal's “Off the Beaten Track.” Wine Spectator magazine’s “Award of Excellence.”

8 New Orleans Road 843.785.9277 | charliesgreenstar.com Open since 1982, Charlie’s, an island favorite among locals and tourists alike, writes its menu daily based on the freshest seafood available. Dinner menu offers an array of 14 fresh fish, rack of lamb, filet mignon and more. An extensive wine list.

San Miguel’s

9 Harbourside Ln. (Shelter Cove Harbour) 843.842.4555 | sanmiguels.com Located directly on the harbour at Shelter Cove and provides good food and fun. Extensive California/Mexican menu. Try San Miguel’s Fish Tacos, fajitas and chimichangas. Lunch and dinner served daily.

Santa Fe Cafe

807 William Hilton Parkway (Plantation Center by Palmetto Dunes) 843.785.3838 | santafecafeofhiltonhead.com Casually elegant dining that captures the spirit of New Mexico. Signature items include Parmesan Chipotle Grouper, 24-ounce bone-in ribeye steaks, fajitas , & Painted Desert Soup.

Big Bamboo

1 N. Forest Beach Dr. (Coligny Plaza) 843.686.3443 | bigbamboocafe.com Where the South Pacific meets the Carolina Coast just steps from the beach. A casual hangout with a local vibe serving burgers, seafood and festive libations. Come for the food, stay for the live entertainment!

British Open Pub

Sea Grass Grille

Village at Wexford 843.686.6736 | thebritishopenpub.com

(Plantation Center by Palmetto Dunes)

Family friendly pub style restaurant with authentic English food with American favorites and certified Angus beef. Try the signature fish and chips or their shepherd’s pie, steak & mushroom pie, lobster pot pie and bangers & mash.

807 William Hilton Parkway 843.785.9990 | seagrassgrille.com American and Lowcountry Continental cuisine. Chef Chad brings 38 years of hands-on culinary expertise. More than 50 wines by the glass. Winner of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence.

Up the Creek Pub & Grill

18 Simmons Rd. (Broad Creek Marina) 843.681.3625 | upthecreekpubandgrill.com Located on Broad Creek with great marina and water views.

Known for smoked wings, hush puppies, buffalo chicken dip, beer selection and the best burgers. Kids menu available.

Dogs are welcome.

Carolina Crab Company 86 Helmsman Way 843.842.2016 | carolinacrabco.com

Boasting water views, enjoy fresh seafood at an affordable price in a family-friendly atmosphere. Offering an array of seafood; peel-n-eat shrimp, giant Po Boys, burgers, Maine lobster, & crab legs. Pet-friendly outside bar & patio.

Catch 22

37 New Orleans Rd. (Orleans Plaza near Sea Pines Circle) 843.785.6261 | catch22hhi.com Catch 22 is locally owned. Dinner is served nightly from 5 p.m.

Early Dining Menu from 5:00– 6:00 p.m. All of our beef is aged 28 days, U.S.D.A prime, hand selected and cut in house.

ChowDaddy’s

14b Executive Park Rd. (off of Pope Ave.) 843.757.CHOW(2469) | chowdaddys.com Offering a wide variety of menu items focusing on buns, bowls, and tacos and great libations. Serving lunch & dinner daily.

Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse

1000 William Hilton Parkway, B-6 843.715.3565 | cowboybraziliansteakhouse.com A unique, all-you-can eat “Churrascaria.” Enjoy a 30 item salad bar, 6 Brazilian hot dishes and a “parade” of 16 USDA Prime cuts of beef, lamb, chicken and pork carved at your table by their gauchos.

CQ’s Restaurant

Hilton Head – South End Aunt Chilada’s Easy Street Café 69 Pope Avenue 843.785.7700 | auntchiladashhi.com

Excellent Tex-Mex and American fare. Enjoy the crab legs, sizzling fajitas, & margaritas. Reservations & large parties welcome. Private dining/event area. Live entertainment (seasonally) on the covered patio.

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

Crane’s Tavern Steakhouse & Seafood 26 New Orleans Rd. 843.341.2333 | cranestavern.com

Perfect for steak and seafood lovers, serving cuts of only USDA Prime grade beef, their Famous Prime Rib. Excellent selection of fresh fish, seafood & pasta dishes.

Captain Woody’s

6 Target Rd. (off of Palmetto Bay Rd.) 843.785.2400 Enjoy “Fresh Seafood, Cold Beer & Great Happy Hour & Still A Locals Favorite For Over 30 Years!” Dine inside or outside on the patio. Serving a variety of fresh seafood, sandwiches, award winning soups and salads all at affordable prices.

Crazy Crab Harbour Town Sea Pines at Harbour Town 843.363.2722 | thecrazycrab.com

Genuine service and fresh seafood; a Hilton Head tradition for over 30 years! Menus feature crab clusters, local oysters, seafood “your way,” local shrimp and more. Dine in the heart of Sea Pines at Harbour Town.

Dough Boys Pizza

1 New Orleans Rd. 843.686.2697 | DoughBoysHHI.com

Delisheeyo

32 Palmetto Bay Road 843.785.3633 | delisheeeyo.com Vegetarian. Delisheeyo owner Blake Wearren set out to create a place for people to escape for lunch. The fruit and veggie smoothies are a quick meal by themselves.

Their Buddha Bowls, consisting of steamed grain and healthy toppings of your choice, is a favorite of the regulars. Delisheeyo’s mission is to provide meals that you can trust, that are real, and healthy.

House-made crusts: traditional hand tossed, thin crust and thick Sicilian. Create-Your-Own-Chopped Salad from 40 different item choices. Specialty subs are served on Amoroso rolls.

Flatbread Grill & Bar

2 N. Forest Beach Dr. (Beach Market Center) 843.341.2225 | flatbreadgrillhhi.com Upscale, casual dining. Enjoy Neapolitan pizza, fresh pasta, gourmet salads, burgers, wraps, flatbread sandwiches and more. Dough & sauces are freshly made.

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››Dining | Favorites

Michael Anthony’s

37 New Orleans Rd. (Orleans Plaza) 843.785.6272 | michael-anthonys.com

Nunzio Restaurant + Bar 18 New Orleans Road 843.715.2172 | nunziohhi.com

Popular New Jersey chef Nunzio Patruno has brought his acclaimed cooking style to Hilton Head Island. Nunzio Restaurant + Bar specializes in fresh seafood and homemade pasta. Enjoy a delicious meal in the beautifully renovated 1,300-squarefoot restaurant equipped with a large bar area and two outdoor seating areas.

Frosty Frog Cafe & Pizza Coligny Plaza 843.686.FROG | frostyfrog.com

Dine inside or out on the large patio w/retractable roof.

Enjoy daiquiris, wine, beer & a full liquor bar; menu includes burgers, crabcakes, salads, wraps, pizza, calzones, crab legs, shrimp, extensive gluten-free options & a kids menu.

Gusto Ristorante

890 William Hilton Parkway (Fresh Market Plaza) GustoHiltonHead.com Voted Hilton Head's Best New Restaurant. Executive chef/ owner Giancarlo Balestra and his wife Nancy bring the flavors of his hometown of Rome Italy to Hilton Head.

Closed Monday.

Healthy Habit

33 Office Park Rd., suite 227 843-686-5600 | healthyhabithhi.com

Hinchey’s Chicago Bar & Grill

MidiCi Italian Kitchen

7C Greenwood Dr. (Reilley’s Plaza) 843.842.7999 MidiCi Italian Kitchen brings Italy’s original Neapolitan woodfired pizza and authentic pasta to Reilley’s Plaza on Hilton Head Island. Taste the freshness of quality ingredients – pizza made with Italian flour in authentic wood-fired ovens.

Enjoy signature appetizers, salads, and desserts made with fresh, natural and mostly non-GMO ingredients.

Nick’s Steak & Seafood

70 Pope Avenue 843.686.5959 | hincheys.com

9 Park Lane 843.686.2920 | nickssteakandseafood.com

Hinchey’s has much in common with a sports bar, but is very much a restaurant, too. It is casual, with beach-goers invited to stop by for lunch, or for drinks or dinner. Dine inside or out.

Open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner.

Nick’s Steak & Seafood emphasizes steaks, seafood and barbecue and offers sandwiches, salads, appetizers, soups, burgers, pasta and a children’s menu. Reservations accepted.

Large parties welcome.

Hinoki Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Palmetto Bay Sun Rise Café

37 New Orleans Rd. (Orleans Plaza) 843.785.9800 | hinokihhi.com

Palmetto Bay Marina 843.686.3232 | palmettobaysunrisecafe.com

Serving traditional Japanese dishes including grilled fish, chicken and steak, sukiyaki, noodle dishes, tempura, and daily specials, plus sushi and sashimi. More than 20 entrées.

Reservations are recommended for dinner.

Breakfast fare starting before the sun rises, from 6 a.m.

Breakfast and lunch items are available continuously. The cafe offers to-go lunches for charter boats, the beach or any other occasion. Open seven days a week.

It’s Greek To Me

Phillys Cafe & Deli

11 Lagoon Rd. 843.842.4033 | itsgreektomehhi.com

Quick service style restaurant with a focus on chopped salads, superfood bowls, fresh bottled juices, smoothies, breakfast and organic coffee & teas and other plant based items utilizing the freshest ingredients possible.

Genuine Greek cuisine, from gyros to fried calamari to souvlaki to baklava for dessert. Food is prepared with authentic Greek recipes and they have the only gyro machines on the island. Greek beer and ouzo. Reservations accepted.

Hilton Head Diner

Kenny B’s Cajun/Creole Seafood

Hwy. 278 at Yacht Cove Dr. 843.686.2400 | hiltonheaddiner.com

70-A Pope Ave. 843.785.3315

One of the island’s only 24-hour restaurants. Modern diner boasting one of Hilton Head’s most extensive menus. All baking is done on the premises. Beer, wine & mixed drinks available. breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

“Creole cuisine with a Lowcountry influence.” Order New Orleans traditions such as jambalaya, red beans and rice, and authentic gumbos. Kenny B’s is home of the Island’s best po’ boys and fried seafood. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch.

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Family owned and operated since 2002, offering upscale classic Italian fine dining featuring innovative preparations and farm fresh ingredients. Open Table rates them as one of the country's Top 50 Italian Restaurants. Dinner is served Monday - Saturday. Reservations suggested.

55 New Orleans Rd. 843.785.9966 | phillyscafe.com Locally owned and operated for more than 25 years, Phillys’ motto is “Best sandwiches on the island...Period!” Custom sandwiches with bread baked fresh daily. The pita wraps and salads are both imaginative and health-conscious.

Red Fish

8 Archer Rd. (a half mile from Sea Pines Circle) 843-686-3388 | redfishofhiltonhead.com Red Fish specializes in beautifully prepared seafood and steaks. Diners may choose from a 1,000-plus bottle selection of wines from around the world. Private dining room for large parties. Multi-course early dining specials from 5-5:45 p.m. feature soup or salad; choice of seven entrées; and complimentary glass of chef’s choice of wine.

Reilley’s Grill & Bar

7D Greenwood Dr. (Reilley’s Plaza) 843.842.4414 | reilleyshiltonhead.com Reilley’s has been serving up steaks, seafood, pasta & sandwiches for more than 35 years.

Lunch & dinner daily, & Sunday brunch. The bar is open late. Enjoy Mon.Night Lobster and Fri. & Sat. Prime Rib (reservations required).

Rockfish Seafood & Steaks at Bomboras

Ombra Cucina Italiana

A unique family seafood restaurant and bar that is located right near the beach. Offering fresh and local lowcounty ingredients paired with craft beers and wines. Kids menu. Lunches to Go for the beach.

Chef Michael Cirafesi promotes the foods & wines of Italy. He prepares all pastas, homemade gnocchi, desserts and breads daily. An extensive wine list from every region in Italy. A European-style bar & lounge with a vast selection of Italian cocktails. Peanut-free. Gluten-free pasta available. Open 7 days a week from 4:30. Reservations recommended, walk-ins welcome.

5 Lagoon Road 843.689.2662 | rockfishhhi.com

1000 William Hilton Parkway (Village at Wexford) | 843.842.5505 | ombrahhi.com

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››Dining | Favorites Slapfish

1024 William Hilton Pwy (near Sea Pines Circle) 843.521.5830 | Slapfishrestaurant.com Slapfish, the nation’s fastest growing seafood restaurant has opened at 1024 William Hilton Parkway near Sea Pines Circle. Slapfish on Hilton Head is locally owned and operated by the Lomasney family serving honest flippin’ seafood infused with lots of flavor!

British Open Pub

Sheridan Park 843.815.6736 | britishopenpub.net Pub-style restaurant featuring authentic English food.

Excellent signature fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, steak and mushroom pie, and bangers and mash. Also wide selection of American appetizers and entrées. Lunch & dinner daily.

Calhoun Street Tavern

Salty Dog Cafe

South Beach Marina Village, Sea Pines, 843.671.7327 | saltydog.com 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.

Sea Shack

6 Executive Park Rd. (off Pope Ave.) 843.785.2464 | seashackhhi.com Serving up one of the island’s most extensive menus of seafood & more. Voted one of "South Carolina’s best seafood spots" by Coastal Living and Southern Living. Open Mon.-Sat. for lunch & dinner.

Stack’s Pancakes & More

Truffles

Sea Pines Center 843.671.6136 | trufflescafe.com Fresh local seafood, Black Angus steaks, baby back ribs, homemade soups, sandwiches, and garden salads. Specialties include glazed grouper, mango salmon, crab cakes, chipotle chicken, meatloaf and fried shrimp. Daily from 11am.

11 Palmetto Bay Road, #102 (next to Staples) 843.802.0510

Family owned & operated, serving breakfast & lunch, 7 days.

Enjoy pancakes, waffles, house-made fruit sauces, crepes, Crème Brûlée French Toast, shrimp & grits, crab benedict, shrimp omelet topped with lobster cream sauce. Gluten free items.

Open Monday through Saturday, 5-11 p.m. A local cocktail and wine bar. You can find it in Festival Center Plaza, near the Sea Pines Circle.

15 Executive Park Rd. (near Sea Pines Circle) 843.785.7006 | stellinihhi.com Family owned & operated since 1989! Popular Italian appetizers and entrees from NY & Northern NJ. Delicious pasta, poultry, veal, seafood, beef and lamb all expertly prepared.

Gluten Free & Children’s Menu.

The Studio

20 Executive Park Road 843.785.6000 | studiodining.com Dine while enjoying watching artists paint in the elegant studio. The menu is inspired by American and global cuisines and uses the finest regional, natural & organic ingredients.

Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan menu offerings.

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ChowDaddy’s

15 Towne Dr. (Belfair Towne Village) 843.757.CHOW(2469) | chowdaddys.com Focusing on buns, bowls, and tacos and great libations.

Enjoy salads, sliders, a house ground rib eye burger, or their famous smoked fried chicken. Serving lunch & dinner daily.

Cinco Mexican Grill

102 Buckwalter Parkway, Suite 3D (Berkeley Place) | 843.815.2233 | cincomexgrill.com Authentic Mexican cuisine made from scratch using both traditional and modern recipes. Popular dishes are the Cinco Bowl, Piña Fajitas, Carnitas, Enchiladas, Chimichangas, Flautas and flan.

Twisted Cork

2 Regency Pkwy. & Hwy. 278 843.341.3347

Stellini

9 Promenade St. 843.757.4334 | calhounstreettavern.co A place where fine spirits are drunk, laughs are had, and stories are told. Cold beer, classic cocktails, and familiar faces paired with a chef driven menu of southern plates and comforting lowcountry classic food.

Vine

1 N Forest Beach Drive (Coligny Plaza Shopping Center) 843.686.3900 From marinated octopus to field greens from nearby St. George, the offerings at this intimate bistro are a treat for all.

Mediterranean cuisine with a hint of Asian fusion. Reservations.

Dinner starting at 5:30 p.m.

BLUFFTON

Amigos, Bluffton 133 Belfair Town Village 843.815.8226

Authentic Mexican taqueria, serving delicious food “inspired

by Mexican cuisine from Baja, Mexico, to Santa Barbara, California.” Owner Andrew Farbman created Amigos’ famous BBQ Chicken Salad. Amigos uses the finest ingredients.

Island Bagel & Deli

17 Sherington Dr. 843.815.5300 | islandbagelanddeli.com The island's only New York style boiled bagels made from scratch daily. Choose from 16 flavors of bagels, 12 homemade cream cheeses, pastries & breakfast sandwiches. For lunch: specialty hoagies, classic sandwiches & salads.

Captain Woody’s

17 State of Mind St. (Calhoun Street Promenade)

843.757.6222 Enjoy “Fresh Seafood, Cold Beer & Great Happy Hour & Still A Locals Favorite For Over 30 Years!” They have dining inside and outside on the patio. A big outdoor deck bar featurs beer, wine and specialty cocktails. Captain Woody’s serves fresh seafood, great signature sandwiches, award winning soups and salads all at affordable prices.

Corner Perk

843.816.5674 | cornerperk.com A coffeehouse/brunch restaurant where city meets South. Corner Perk offers the most amazing locally roasted Coffees, Teas, Espresso drinks, Cold Brew, Frappes as well as Skillets, Omelettes, Wraps, Sandwiches, and Salads.

Gourmet on Wheels/Grab and Go

61 Riverwalk Blvd., Unit E | 843.970.3030 | gourmetonwheels.org Gourmet on Wheels Delivery provides individually prepared healthy meals and delivers to your door weekly. Go online and choose your entrees with sides each week. Also, check out their Gourmet Grab and Go store with fresh made salads, meals, smoothies and more.

Grind Coffee Roasters

1 Sherington Drive, Suite J | 843.368.3348 | grindroasters.com Grab a cup of Grind’s specialty coffee made with beans from Columbia, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya and more. Other options include infused coffee barrel-aged in bourbon and whiskey barrels, and coffee infused with essential oils. Come inside or take advantage of the drive-thru.

Jack Frost

25 William Pope Center | 843.705.5669 | jackfrosticecream@gmail.com Fresh, frozen treats from scratch. Try flavors like cake batter and cookie dough, or their sorbets made with seasonal fruits. Stop by the parlor, where you can sit outside and perhaps sight Jack the alligator. Planning an event or party? They'll bring all the sweet stuff to you! Open Mon Sun, 1pm - 9pm.

Nonna Lucia

5 Godfrey Place | 843.707.4281 | blufftonnonnalucia.com Bluffton's only BYOB! Nonna Lucia is a casual award winning Italian Restaurant, Family owned and operated and located conveniently near downtown Bluffton. Early dining daily, live music every Friday and Saturday evening. Opens 4pm. Closed Mondays.

Olive & Fig

1533 Fording Island Road, Suite 326 (Moss Creek Village) | 843.707.1934 Olive & Fig provides guests with a unique opportunity to experience authentic Mediterranean cuisine. The menu features Lebanese and Greek dishes alongside traditional Mediterranean fare, and gluten free and vegetarian options. Open Mon-Sat Closed Sundays.

Truffles

Belfair Towne Village 843.815.5551 | trufflescafe.com Casual cafe featuring the “freshest and finest of everything!” Fresh local seafood, Black Angus steaks, baby back ribs, homemade soups and garden salads. Covered patio. Lunch, dinner daily.

Full cocktail bar. Happy hour from 4-6.

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››Last Call

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE RITTERBECK

Get plastics out of the ocean

Marco Frey marcofreyjazz@gmail.com

It’s time we slowed the hamster wheel and took the long view towards sustainable consumption habits.

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A

ccording to the MacArthur Foundation, by 2050 the world’s oceans will contain more plastic than fish — based on sheer tonnage. And it’s not just in the ocean: Recent reports have found microplastics in our bodies and the air we breathe. How did we get here?

Today, it’s easy to hear the word plastic and think: Bad. We hear about the dangers not only to our bodies but also to marine life — and our Lowcountry. Our beloved sea turtles get caught in the rings of six-pack packaging or tangled in plastic fishing line. People shoot off illegal bottle rockets on the beach and the plastic tails float out to sea. Dolphins ingest bits of plastic from beach toys left in the sand.

Plastic bottle caps and wrappers clog local estuaries. Plastic litter is ruining some of the very things that make the Lowcountry special.

How did plastic become so ubiquitous?

It’s sterile and lightweight. It’s cheap, durable and can be molded into virtually any shape. It has done wonders for food safety and revolutionized health care. Without plastic insulation in electronics, the digital revolution would never have happened. And it’s provided a way to get drinkable water to regions where governments have failed to do so.

Let’s go back to the Victorian era. Before plastic, people pickled, brined or cured foods for preservation. But many people also died of food-borne illnesses, and many stored food in containers made with lead. They were eating locally and seasonally in a way we can’t imagine — mostly because they didn’t have the technology to transport products long distances without spoilage. But they still couldn’t be sure their food was safe to eat. Sure, you could buy food from a street vendor, but you had to be

willing to drink straight from the same mug as the last patron.

I’m pretty sure none of us want to return to this scenario —and I’m not praising plastics.

But before we can hope to overhaul a technology, we have to give credit to its utility — can we go without the conveniences it makes possible? Can we find less harmful alternatives that can scale up quickly in a globalized economy? Because plastic has a few fatal flaws: It doesn’t decompose for a thousand years. And though its negative health effects are subtle, we still don’t know the full extent of the damage its use has done to us.

I believe the rise of plastic is both a symptom and a driver of larger forces at play — the rise of global capitalism and the race to get ahead. It’s the idea that consumer goods should be made quickly and cheaply for the sake of convenience so that each individual can have a chance to improve their upward mobility. The dark underbelly is the massive amounts of waste we create and often hardly see (in the first world, anyway). It’s these externalities that will blow up in our face if we don’t address them.

At the consumer level, it’s well past time that we phase out single-use plastics and switch to tote bags, a canteen for water, and sustainable toys our kids can pass on to their kids. On the government level, local governments can restrict or ban single-use plastics, promote tap water through water refill stations, and install reverse vending machines that dispense cash for plastic bottles. On a societal level, it’s time we slowed the hamster wheel and took the long view towards sustainable consumption habits.