FORT MILL WINTER 2014
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first t friday FORT MILL FEB 6 - MAR 6 - APR 3 f ir st f r i d ay fo r t m i l l . c o m
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Special Advertiser’s Section: Gold Hill Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
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Smile! It looks good on you.
Led by Dr. Kavi Sagunarthy, DDS, the entire team at Gold Hill Dentistry is involved in guiding patients through their treatment, advising them on a personalized plan that is most appropriate for their dental needs. Dr. Sagunarthy places a strong emphasis on continuing education, so much so, he is currently pursuing a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry. A graduate of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. as well as the University of Buffalo’s School of Dental Medicine in Buffalo, NY, Dr. Sagunarthy also completed a General Practice Residency at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York, NY. In addition to his education in general dentistry, he also is
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highly trained in implant dentistry, receiving the International Congress of Oral Implantologists Award and recently became a volunteer faculty member for the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program at The Medical University of South Carolina. Joined by Dr. Jennifer Mokris, DMD, the team enjoys treating both children and adults and is dedicated to providing them with excellent dental care. Dr Mokris earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Florida College of Dentistry and is a member of the American Dental Association, the South Carolina Dental Association, the Central District Dental Society, and the Tri-County Dental Society. She is committed to continual learning in the practice of dentistry and enjoys participating in Continuing Dental Education courses to help her stay on the cutting edge of the constant changes in her profession. Gold Hill Dentistry is proud to offer a range of dental services, from family dentistry to implants and cosmetic dentistry. We understand that each patient presents a unique set of dental needs, so we focus on comprehensive care for each member of your family. We offer, asides from routine
preventative dentistry, teeth straightening, teeth whitening, and our high-quality dental implants improve both appearance and function, whether allowing a better fit for dentures or simply enhancing your smile. And with a variety of cosmetic options available, we can provide minimally invasive care with maximum cosmetic results. Whatever your needs, we at Gold Hill are committed to finding the best and most comfortable dental solution for you and your family.
Situated in Fort Mill, Gold Hill Dentistry serves the entire south Charlotte area and is convenient to Rock Hill, Indian Land, and Ballantyne. We are located at 2848 Pleasant Road Suite104, just off 77 at the Gold Hill Road exit. To find out more about our office, staff, and services, please visit us at goldhilldentistry.com or call us at 803-547-4466 to schedule an appointment. We look forward to your visit.
803.547.4466 | gold hi l ldent ist r y.com
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At Gold Hill Dentistry, we are committed to providing the Fort Mill area with the highest standard of dental care. We strive to optimize the patient experience, not only by offering state-of-the-art equipment and a friendly, highly trained staff, but also by creating a calming, upscale environment. From our plush waiting area to our patient-room entertainment, we deliver a relaxing and comfortable experience from the moment you step through our doors. In doing so, we aim to promote the well-being of not just your mouth, but the mind and body as well.
B i g f i r m e x p e r i e n c e. S m a l l f i r m v a l u e s. At Milazzo Gamble Laws Webb Law Group, PLLC, we offer you the superior service and quality of a big-name firm, but are committed to developing the deeper relationships associated with a smaller one. With our familial atmosphere, client-first philosophy, and experienced attorneys, we offer a unique client experience. We work hand-in-hand with you to fully understand the impact of legal disputes on your business or family, so that we can provide you with a professional — yet personal — resolution. 423 South Sharon Amity Road, Suite B, Charlotte, NC 28211 | 704.464.0460 | mglwlaw.com
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louis roman tracey roman
editor in chief tracey roman
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louis & tracey roman
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Fort Mill Magazine is distributed in fine retailers, hotels, real estate offices, Town Hall, the Fort Mill Public Library, and many local restaurants. For home delivery, go to fortmillmagazine.com and subscribe.
william emerson
William is a Christian, patriot, and small town boy who enjoys football and everything American. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
lisa mctigue
Lisa writes about travel, technology, mini living, buying local, and social media. She developed film, tv, and new media content for over 10 years in Hollywood. lisamctigue.com
Fort Mill Magazine would like to thank its advertisers for making this publication possible. We would also like to thank the editorial interns, contributing writers, photographers, wardrobe stylist, hair & makeup professionals, and models for their unending talent and creativity. Thank you! ©2014 Fort Mill Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the expess written consent of the copyright owner. Fort Mill Magazine does not necessarily endorse the views and perceptions of contributors or advertisers. Fort Mill Magazine is published by Market Style Media located at 118 Main Street, Fort Mill, SC 29715. Winter 2014 issue.
We are MORE than PRINT. LISTEN to our PODCAST or ENJOY our DIGITAL mag. wesley masters
Wesley is a Fort Mill High School senior and reporter for The Buzz TV. She plans to attend the University of South Carolina in the fall to study Broadcast Journalism.
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amy jones
A travel agent and dedicated liaison to the Fort Mill Magazine Travel Society, Amy enjoys helping clients plan their dream vacations. leisuretravelenterprises.com
We are SOCIAL. Join us on...
p.58 guide to eating local
features
sustainable supply chain
p.28 new era of fringe benefits p.40 green millennials influence change
prosperity
p.44 turkey destination
p.16 navigate healthcare helping you
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CHARACTER CAREER ENRICHMENT HEALTH INSPIRED THOUGHT RELATIONSHIP WEALTH
C CHARACTER ...it’s about you and your family
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Renewing Our Community. . . It’s 29 degrees outside. The wind whips through the patio at Renew Our Community (ROC) as the men and women gathered there turn their backs to keep from getting the brunt of the cold air in their faces. Many carry bags in their hands or backpacks on their backs, the things they couldn’t leave behind at the warming center or shelter they slept in the night before. They wait for the doors to open at ROC at 9 a.m. ROC is a faith-based organization where people who are homeless or in crisis can find help and direction. On winter mornings anywhere from 10 to 30 people wait outside until the doors open. Once inside, clients get a warm welcome,
can get out of the elements, grab a cup of coffee and a morning snack. By the end of the day, more than 100 people will have walked through ROC’s doors. Providing a place to stay warm, hot coffee and snacks is the easy work. Giving people the tools they need to renew their lives can be more difficult. Programs are offered throughout the week at ROC, aimed at helping clients become selfsufficient members of the community. Programs include one-on-one life renewal counseling, exercise classes, and bible study, among others. In 2014, ROC launched the Lunch and Learn program, a weekly program that provides lunch
and focuses on topics important to clients in crisis, such as conflict resolution, budgeting, or stress management. The topics and programs are tailored to ROC clients’ needs. One series of budgeting classes, for example, focused on maximizing grocery dollars when preparing food without electricity, a topic that is helpful for homeless clients and clients living in homes without power. In 2014, ROC modified its education program to better suit its clientele. After discovering that the GED program wasn’t suiting most clients’ needs, ROC’s education volunteers created a program that would help clients with basic reading
Special Advertiser’s Section
. . . . . . . a place where people are treated like they have never been treated before.
. . .O n e P e r s o n A t A T i m e
Text by Jenny Overman
and writing skills. For several clients, improved reading and writing skills has improved their ability to apply for and gain employment.
ROC client whose name has been changed for his privacy, came to ROC in early 2014 with substance abuse problems. He was chronically unemployed and had been homeless for many weeks.
so many clients like Marcus on the path to self-sufficiency, and to creating even more programs that will allow clients to become productive, independent members of the community.
Another of ROC’s newest programs, ROC Works, helps chronically unemployed clients learn valuable job skills. The ROC Works program includes more than 25 hours of classroom and on-the-job training, counseling and three months of supervised temporary employment. Of the 50 clients who graduated from the ROC Works program in 2014, 23 have secured full time employment.
Marcus began coming to ROC regularly. He was referred to an in-house substance abuse counselor to help him with his addictions. A ROC supervisor was able to get him a place in a men’s shelter so that he would have a place to sleep at night and Marcus began training in the ROC Works program. Now, he has a job and is well on his way towards self-sufficiency.
For more information, go to www.renewoc.org, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/renewoc and facebook.com/rocemporium. For more information about ROC programs and opportunities to get involved, call (803) 804-8737 or email info@renewoc.org. To make a tax deductible donation via Paypal, go to renewoc.org and click on donate.
It’s through its programs that ROC has seen its greatest success stories. Marcus, a
In 2015, ROC is committed to continuing the programs that have helped launch
People Providing H o p e To P e o p l e
1144 India Hook Road, Suite E, Rock Hill, SC 29732 803-324-7640 ◆ andersonhouck.com
Gain Oral Health WISDOM With Age Text by Dr. Heather Wright Johnson, D.D.S
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id you know that oral health care is one of the largest unmet healthcare needs in America? As the population in America ages, more older adults are keeping their teeth for more of their lives. As we age, we become more susceptible to oral disease. With new medications, increasing health problems, softer diet, and overall aging of our mouths, it is more important than ever to educate ourselves on what we can do to prevent a decline in our oral health. Older adults are more susceptible to tooth decay, gum disease, and oral disease. It is important to learn about how the health of your mouth can affect your overall health. There are many studies showing the link between the mouth and heart disease, as well as other systemic conditions. There are many things we can do at home to help maintain a healthy mouth. With technology becoming more accessible, there are many online educational tools to provide an in depth look at home care techniques, possible treatment options to replace missing teeth, and lifestyle changes we can make to keep our mouths healthy. The American Dental Association has launched its mouthhealthy.org website, which is a user friendly tool to educate people on proper oral care. Another easy to navigate website is Oral Health America’s toothwisdom.org. By using every tool available to us, hopefully we can decrease the percentage of people who have neglected their oral health for too long. Maintaining our home care, managing our diet, and seeing our dentist regularly are all essential to optimum oral health.
Special Advertiser’s Section clean. For instance, an electric toothbrush can be easier to hold, or thicker floss to get in between teeth with spaces. Diet is another incredibly important part of our oral health. Sugary and acidic drinks are a big problem in contributing to tooth decay. Water is not only good for our teeth, gums, and oral tissues, but it is essential to the overall health of our bodies. Some other common contributors to tooth decay are hard candies, cough drops, smokeless tobacco, smoking, chewy fruit snacks and candies, and frequently eating starchy snacks. Smoking is not only detrimental to your overall health, but it also contributes to gum disease, as well as dry mouth which leads to tooth decay. If you are taking medications, make sure to read the labels for side effects. Many of them cause dry mouth, and you may not even notice that you are producing less saliva. Normally, saliva rinses plaque and bacteria from our teeth, so a decrease in production can lead to rapid tooth decay. There are many over the counter and prescription products to help treat dry mouth (xerostomia), so talk to your dentist to see which is right for you. There have been countless studies on the link between oral disease and the rest of your body. Heart disease, risk of stroke, and diabetes are some of the health conditions that have been shown to have direct links to gum disease. When gum disease is present, there are bacteria that build up and stay under the gum tissue. The gum tissue becomes inflamed as your body tries to heal the infection. The gums begin to bleed and the bacteria is introduced into your bloodstream. Keeping your teeth clean at home, as well as regular professional cleanings and checkups will help to prevent gum disease, and the passing of bacteria through your body.
night to give your tissues rest. This time is critical to maintain healthy gum tissue, as well as a good time to clean the denture properly. It is also important to maintain your yearly check ups with your dentist if you have a denture. These exams are necessary to look for fungal infections (which are common with dentures), as well as oral cancer screenings, or other oral pathologies that are treatable when caught early. If you believe you, or someone you care for, has an ill fitting denture or has decided to forego dental exams because they have dentures, it is important to see a dentist soon. One of the most common misconceptions in the aging population is “my mouth is just too far gone” or “my teeth are bad and there is no point in trying to do anything with them.” There are always treatment options to help get you to a healthy mouth. A healthy mouth means a smile you can show with confidence, teeth you can maintain a healthy diet with, and teeth you can keep clean at home. Another misunderstanding is that “all dental treatments are expensive and I can’t afford any of them.” Most dentists will work with you to phase your treatment as you can do it. It can go slowly and there are many options. The most important decision is just to go and talk with your dentist. If you are already missing teeth, there are countless options to replace and restore them. From dentures and partials to dental implants and bridges, your dentist will walk along side you to customize your treatment plan to fit your needs.
Even with perfect health, as our bodies All oral disease, whether it be tooth decay, age our mouths age as well. That means gum disease, oral cancer, or another oral our gums recede, we have decreased pathology, is treatable if caught early. salivary flow, and our teeth begin to wear While maintaining your home hygiene, down. Proper oral hygiene, regular dental managing your diet, and looking out visits, and diet counseling are important for any changes in your mouth are all to maintaining good oral health. It is There are also some things to be aware of proactive steps in maintaining your important to brush twice a day with a if you are currently wearing dentures. For oral health, it is vital that you maintain fluoride toothpaste and floss once per day. instance, if you, or an older adult you take regular checkups with your dentist. The Do you have trouble with holding a tooth care of is wearing an ill fitting denture, gateway to your whole body is through brush or flossing those back teeth? Talk they could be suffering from nutritional your mouth, so make sure you are doing to your dentist. They may be able to show deficiencies or mouth sores. If you wear a everything you can to restore and sustain you another method to keep those teeth denture, it is important to take it out every your health. 1144 India Hook Road, Suite E | Rock Hill, SC 29732 | 803-324-7640
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HELPING
FORTMILL NAVIGATE THE COMPLEX WORLD OF HEALTHCARE Text by Wesley Masters
I
nsurance is a very complicated product to purchase, and with the recent changes to take effect in 2015 it has only become more confusing. Some of the changes to come about in 2015 include price changes for generic and specialty medications, copayments for primary care doctor visits, and emergency room trips.
The out of pocket maximums will increase for 900 plans. 250 plans are lowering their out of pocket maximums, and 180 plans are being discontinued. Though the Affordable HealthCare Act is intended to afford more individuals with the opportunity to purchase affordable healthcare coverage, it adds additional layers of complexity. People like Maria Overcash help consumers sort through the vast number of choices offered so that people can be comfortably insured and understand what exactly they’re purchasing. The Affordable Healthcare Act all started under the Obama Administration back in 2009. The provisions of the act can be summarized into 5 main categories: Free Medical Insurance, Obama Health Insurance Plan, Health Care Benefits, Individual Health Insurance, and Low Cost Health Plans. For coverage starting in 2015, the enrollment period is November 15, 2014 through February 15, 2015.
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B
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OPTION
When the bill was passed, a mandate was formed. This mandate stated that by 2014, every citizen had to have some form of health insurance or be forced to pay a penalty. Also by 2014, each state had to set up an exchange, a place where people could go to purchase a plan. Today, Overcash estimates that half a million people in the State of South Carolina qualify to receive assistance in some way. About 100,000 South Carolinians enrolled in some type of health care plan in 2014. Another choice is the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) for South Carolina’s small employers. A great deal will change, not just for
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people in the state of South Carolina. Depending on an individual’s plan and personal income, prices could increase or drop. Customers have until December 15th to change plans or they’re automatically re-enrolled. Using Pro Publica’s tool (projects.propublic.org/ aca-enrollment/) customers can see what the diffenrences will be in their specific plan from 2014 to 2015. Carolina Health Connections 19 years ago, Maria Overcash started working for a health insurance company and then decided her passion was really helping people. She later left that company and decided to open a business that gave people a place to discuss possible plans and peel away the layers
of complexity associated with health care. Carolina Health Connections is a organization helping the people of the Carolinas sort through and understand health insurance. “The mission of Carolina Health Connections is to help everyone find affordable health insurance regardless of their income level.” Overcash estimates that over four hundred families have been helped so far. Carolina Health Connections also helps small businesses and individuals fulfill their healthcare needs. Health Insurance can be very confusing depending on the premium you wish to pay. With a variety of combinations to
OPTION OPTION
consider, like deductibles, out-of-pocket
plan through one of the listed fedarally
way I do, in that health insurance is
maximums, copays, and coinsurance
facilitated exchanges.
complex and much deeper than simply
features, it’s a daunting task. For example,
purchasing a plan. I am glad that there
within the South Carolina Exchange, a
Does your income level matter? Yes, it
are businesses like Carolina Health
single parent earning $40,000 a year and
absolutely matters. While plugging in
Connections to help people sort through
living in the Fort Mill area can choose
incomes above $40,000 a year, the price
the complexity and make something that
from 62 different health plans.
combinations didn’t change. However,
is originally confusing, understandable.
when I plugged in lower incomes, the
By doing this, they are not only educating
With the help of people like Maria
prices dropped drastically. The total cost
the Fort Mill community, but also taking
Overcash, the process can be simplified to
of each plan is income dependent and
a heavy load off of someone’s shoulders.
help you find the perfect plan. For those
could range hundreds of dollars.
who need to enroll or need to change
Wesley Masters is a Fort Mill High School
their plan, visit healthcare.gov, select a
While researching all about the Affordable
senior and reporter for The Buzz TV. She
state, and browse options and pricing.
Healthcare Act, I found myself confused
plans to attend the University of South
For a local option, you can go to
and overwhelmed by all the information.
Carolina in the fall to study Broadcast
doi.sc.gov and purchase a qualified health
I can imagine that most people feel the
Journalism.
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W
ith breathtaking photography, well-written, engaging content, and exceptional design, Fort Mill Magazine, the only publication to cross the state line, delivers the very best to both the greater Fort Mill area and the Charlotte region.
Each issue consists of quality, thought-provoking feature articles that compliment four community building sections accompanied by exquisite, large-scale photography, and additional supporting articles. In the character section, you’ll find content on career, health, relationships, and wealth. In the backyard section, you’ll explore business, events, people, pets, and real estate. In the texture section, topics like art, beauty, fashion, music, tech, and travel will tantilize your senses. Lastly, the provisions section covers dining, drinking, foodie reviews, and recipes. Why Fort Mill? Fort Mill, SC is a boom town of middle to upper class families and a bedroom community of Charlotte, NC. With an engaged and growing LOCALIST movement, Fort Mill is an inviting place to do business. Plentiful GREEN SPACES attract young professionals, families, and empty-nesters alike. Fort Mill is CONVENIENT to the Charlotte region, yet uniquely poised for quality business growth. Ranked TOP TEN more than 7 times since 2012 as best place for families, to raise kids, to live, for homeownership, for safety, and a city on the rise. Fort Mill Magazine is the only publication that is distributed across the stateline to both North and South Carolina residents encompassing the greater Charlotte market. Ask about our print & digital marketing mix. With more than 20,500 print copies in circulation and our expansive digital media, we truly are the fastest growing publication in the Charlotte market. Here’s how are digital media is consumed: 247,962+ digital readers per quarterly issue and 74,832+ page views monthly made up of 46% returning visitors and 54% new visitors. Need help with Social Media? Search Engine Optimization? Email Marketing? We’ve got you covered! Grow your business with us. For information on advertising with Fort Mill Magazine, call 803-619-0491 or go to fortmillmagazine.com/advertise-fort-mill-magazine to download a media kit. Fort Mill Magazine is a Market Style Media publication.
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2014 MarCom Awards
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MELISSA S. WOOD, O.D. WINTER 2014•FORTMILLMAGAZINE.COM
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BACKYARD BUSINESS EVENTS FINE LIVING LOCAL FOLKS NIBBLES & BITS REAL ESTATE
B BACKYARD ...it’s what’s happening around this town
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TRAFFIC?! Our JOB As Realtors Is To Stay Informed Text by Kathryn Miller
New homes at every turn, traffic congestion driving you nuts? When my family moved here in 1996, there were two elementary schools, one middle, and one high school. How times have changed. Or have they? Folks are still moving here for the schools, quality of life, proximity to Charlotte, and the sense of community. Fort Mill currently has nine elementary, four middle, and two high schools with more on the way.
“
Folks continue to move here.
”
With growth comes traffic. We have all enjoyed the five lane highways along Gold Hill Road and Hwy 160 the last few years. Now, here’s the reality check – five lane highways are built to support dense population, and we all see the
explosive growth along these corridors. Plans are in place to help relieve the current congestion, but the speed of growth far exceeds the funding for road improvements.
2014 permits are at 2008 levels, lower than the explosion in the 2005-2007 era. The entire Doby’s Bridge landscape is evolving while the new Fort Mill Southern Bypass grows closer to full completion.
There is a dichotomy here with traffic planning: Homeowners want private neighborhoods and cul-de-sacs. Good planning for the commonweal calls for multiple ingress and egress from neighborhoods and few cul-de-sacs.
For a comprehensive overview of new communities and upcoming road systems, please feel free to contact us. Visit our office on Market Street in Baxter or visit us at BovenderTeam.com.
The intersection of Gold Hill and Hwy 160 is infamous, but the Hubert Graham Parkway, linking Stonecrest Boulevard and Gold Hill Road is coming. Of course, this will simply move some of the traffic bottleneck from one intersection to another. New subdivisions are popping up throughout York County, primarily in Fort Mill and Lake Wylie. Interestingly, Special Advertiser’s Section
Kathryn Miller, from the Andy Bovender Team, is a magna cum laude graduate of Wake Forest University, a 21 year military wife, a former school teacher, and a Top 100 Real Estate Broker in NC and SC. After six years as Coldwell Banker’s #1 Sales Associate in the Charlotte Metro area, she joined the Andy Bovender Team in 2013.
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NEWOF ERA FRINGE BM i El l eNn nEi aFl s IHTa vSe Influ enced Cha nge Text by Lisa McTigue Photos by Ryan McGuire According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, will represent more than 35% of the workforce. Millennials come with a lot of perceived baggage; however, they are positively influencing companies to change their policies and employee benefits. In the new millenium, it has been difficult to understand why corporations can raise prices, layoff workers, have record setting revenues, yet have no remorse for the struggling American people. In the United States, corporations have had the ability to pursue a broad range of activities; however, their sole purpose is to create longterm shareholder value. As early as 1919, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in Dodge vs. Ford Motor Company that it was Henry Ford’s duty to operate his company for the benefit of the shareholders. Ever since, the idea of “shareholder primacy,” gives the shareholder the ability to intercede corporate decision making. Therefore in the aftermath of tragedy or economic decline, it is the executive suite’s responsibility to reel in spending in order to increase profits and maintain stock price. Since 9/11 and the economic collapse, employee benefits and salaries shrank decreasing the size of the middle class and increasing employee frustration in order to benefit shareholders. Social or environmental responsibility cannot fit into a corporation’s decisionmaking if it impacts the shareholder negatively.
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The new generation of worker demands more out of their employer. They expect companies to be more than a bottom line. Millennials want their employer to be transparent, innovative, and make a difference. They want to be leaders, and companies that do not meet their needs and expectations can anticipate losing a Millennial as an employee. Companies are beginning to realize that employees are no longer as loyal as they used to be. A PricewaterhouseCoopers survey found that only 18% of Millennials expect to stay with their current employer for the long-term. So, what can a company do to ensure they retain the best workers? Each employer is required by state and federal laws to provide certain benefits like Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, Worker’s Compensation, and Disability Insurance. Additional benefits like personal leave, sick days, healthcare (yes, even under “Obamacare”) are optional and often included as a perk to employment. Some companies even offer gym memberships, flu shots, day care centers, telecommuting, and tuition reimbursement.
However, businesses don’t need to bring in top chefs to meet the demands of the Millennials. It is actually often cheaper for companies to provide playgroundesque workspaces than to offer higher salaries. Across the country businesses are changing office spaces to encourage a lighter working atmosphere and less restrictions on reviews and raises. “In order to meet the immediate need for reward that is expected by our younger employees, we now offer more frequent raises or the option to bank points towards a company paid vacation,” said a company executive who requested to remain anonymous. Don’t be mistaken, perks do not create the environment that Millennials seek. Perks should compliment a corporation’s values, must align with its culture, and need to allow for personal growth of the employee. Encourage employees to expand their horizons either through online courses, volunteerism, or travel. Allowing your employee to become a fuller person will make them a better employee.
However, the new generation is challenging employers to think beyond the traditional and conventional to create a great company culture and enjoyable workplace. If a corporation wants to retain the Millennial employees, they need to be transparent, more sustainable, care for the individual, and run an ethical business.
Patagonia, a high-end outdoor clothing company, is known for its environmental activism. They donate about 10% of their profit each year to environmental groups. The company also allows its employees up to two months of paid leave to volunteer at a green non-profit of the employees choice. Additionally, Patagonia provides the transparency that employee’s seek.
WORK HARD, PLAY AT WORK HARDER Companies in the technology sector over the last decade have made new expectations for the younger workforce. Previous generations would never have imagined the perks offered by tech companies. But, previous generations did not grow up surrounded by technology and the intate ability to multi-task.
In 2012, they released an innovative marketing campaign that revealed the good and the bad about the company. The Footprint Chronicles follows the entire manufacturing process of Patagonia’s products and reveals several ways that the company is not eco-friendly. Patagonia admits that they can do better and actively seek solutions from customers and employees.
Google is known for the unlimited snacks and five-star multi-cultural dining.
EMPLOYEE OWNED COMPANY Employee owned businesses are not
new. Oakland, California-based think tank, The National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) estimates that there are over 11,000 employee owned companies in the United States. A 2000 study by Dr. Douglas Kruse and Professor Joseph Blasi of Rutgers University found that Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) companies grow 2.3% to 2.4% faster after setting up their ESOP. Employee Stock Ownership Plan was invented by Louis Kelso, corporate and financial lawyer, to enable the employees of Peninsula Newspapers to buy out the retiring owners. The ownership plan was in actuality a retirement plan for the employees. ESOPs became popular with national corporations like Procter & Gamble and Sears & Roebuck upon realizing that employees serving the company for over 20 years could retire without any savings to sustain them after retirement. Publix Super Markets Southeast United States Publix Super Markets is the largest employee owned company in the United States according to a list compiled by NCEO in June 2014. In order to qualify for the list, the company must be at least 50% owned through ESOP. Publix opened its first South Carolina supermarket in 2012. For 17 straight years, Publix has landed on Forbes’ Top 100 Best Companies to Work For in America. In reviewing Publix employee reviews on Glassdoor, 74% of employees would recommend the company to a friend. “Publix is a great company to work for with outstanding benefits and opportunities to grow,” said an anonymous employee from the customer service staff. The company was founded in 1930 with one store in Winter Haven, Florida by George Jenkins. In 1945, the company expanded by purchasing 19 grocery stores. According to the July 15, 2005 Employee Ownership Update by NCEO, Publix also
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Only 18% of Millennials expect to stay with their current employer for the long-term.
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Encourage employees to expand their horizons either through online courses, volunteerism, or travel. Allowing your employee to become a fuller person will make them a better employee.
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became employee owned that same year. Mr. George, as his employees called him, created a share bonus and stock purchase plan for full-time employees. Shortly after the company expanded again in 1974 from Central and South Florida to North Florida, Publix converted to ESOP.
For the first time, a for-profit corporation has legal protection for their missiondriven business and can consider social and environmental gains, in addition to monetary profits. This legal protection helps the board of directors with corporate buy-outs or hostile takeovers.
Publix employs 167,000 people in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama with annual contributions around 10% of pay. It’s estimated that an associate could earn double a year’s pay over a decade.
Millennials seek companies that are transparent and making a difference in the world. Benefit Corporations might be a great alternative for companies to make a statement for their commitment to social or environmental missions. A study by Alex Edmands of The Wharton School found a link between people believing they are doing meaningful work and higher job performance.
EW Process Fort Mill, South Carolina Chip Smith, founder of EW Process, headquartered on Main Street in Fort Mill, South Carolina, converted his company to ESOP in 2011. Mr. Smith founded the company in 1990 as Process Equipment and changed its name when it merged with Emory Wilson Industrial in 2009. EW Process specializes in processed industrial liquid applications for pumps, meters, controllers, and valves. According to their website, “employee ownership creates a deep commitment to the success.” Rock Hill resident, Mark Pettibon rejoined the company as general manager in 2009. He was formerly a partner in Process Equipment and aided with the ESOP conversion. Mr. Pettibon became the President upon Mr. Smith’s departure in early 2014. EW Process also maintains a service center near downtown Fort Mill. BENEFIT CORPORATIONS, A NEW CLASS OF CORPORATIONS In 2010, Maryland passed a new class of a corporation, Benefit Corporation or B-Corporation legislation, which was co-drafted by B Lab, a Pennsylvania non-profit certifying socially responsible companies. A B-Corporation radically changes the landscape and options for businesses.
Benefit Corporations are required to publish transparency reports. King Arthur Flour Vermont The oldest flour company in the United States, King Arthur Flour became one of Vermont’s first Benefit Corporations in 2012. “King Arthur Flour is a 222-yearold company interested in preserving its mission and values into the next two centuries,” said President Steve Voigt. King Arthur Flour converted to an employee owned company in 1996 when they changed their name from Sands, Taylor & Wood in order to reflect their core brand. “We take care of our people— the whole person that comes into work every day,” Suzanne McDowell, the VP of Human Resources told The Atlantic. Money With A Mission South Carolina South Carolina became the tenth state to pass its own Benefit Corporation legislation with bipartisan support in 2012.
that your values should integrate with your finances. Greg Garvan, President of Money With A Mission, said, “For over 20 years we’ve been helping progressive individuals align their values and their financial life. We’ve been involved with Benefit Corporations in many other states and are ecstatic that South Carolina is now allowing this as well.” THE LAST WORD Born in a technological world, given accolades for trying, and raised under heavy supervision, Millennials are not like any prior generation. They have high expectations and entered the workforce in one of the worst economic times in the United States; the majority of them struggled to find jobs. Amy J. Lynch of Bottom Line Conversations wrote, “Most Millennials also believe that they will never see a pension or Social Security check and that they will need to find their own financial independence in retirement, so offering immediate [retirement alternatives] can have appeal for Millennials.” Considering the amount of money spent to find the best employee for the position, and time spent training them, it is worthwhile to create an environment and benefits worthy of keeping them.
Lisa McTigue writes about travel, technology, mini living, buying local, and social media. She developed film, tv, and new media content for over 10 years in Hollywood.
In 2013, Money With A Mission based in Charleston became South Carolina’s first Benefit Corporation. A fee-only financial planning firm that focuses on investments that are socially and environmentally conscious believing
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Special Advertiser’s Section
R O M A N T I C
GRANDUER
Want to explore this season’s most ethereal look? Dolce Lusso Salon & Day Spa can help you achieve just that with a private makeup lesson or makeover.
exists between sleep and wakening,” Beenders says. “The idea was to blur the lines between fantasy and reality, and between the past and present.”
Inspired by magnetic hues of the rising and setting sun, Aveda has just released Romantic Grandeur, the limited edition makeup collection for winter 2014.
At Dolce Lusso Salon & Day Spa, we can provide you with expert advice on how to achieve your best look everyday or for a special occasion. Six new eye shadows range from wintery soft pastels, to rich tones and golden accents to create a deeply feminine palette. Eye pencils in Delphinium deep blue and Fresh Plum update smoky eye looks with a touch of color. Lips go bold with Gogi Berry red lip color and Mangosteen lip glaze, especially when paired with the new Fire Maple lip
Created by Aveda’s Global Creative Director, Antoinette Beenders, Aveda’s winter makeup collection explores the ephemeral beauty and magic that exists within the realm between slumber and awareness. “Romantic Grandeur invites you to step into that magical realm that
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pencil, or more subtle with Sheer Fig lip color and Rose Blush lip glaze. You’ll find Dolce Lusso Salon & Day Spa in three convenient locations: Fort Mill, Charlotte, and Myrtle Beach, so stop in and let one of our makeup artists show you how to incorporate Aveda’s new makeup trends into your wardrobe this season. Call today to book a personal makeup session or your special event.
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GREEN PROSPERITY
Building A Better T o m o r r o w Text by William Emerson
A FABLE FOR TOMORROW There was once a town in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings‌ Then a strange blight crept over the area and everything began to change. Some evil spell had settled on the community; mysterious maladies swept the flocks of chickens; the cattle and sheep sickened and died. Everywhere was a shadow of death... This town does not actually exist, but it might easily have a thousand counterparts in America and elsewhere in the world. An excerpt from the opening of Silent Spring by Rachael Carson in 1962. The publishing of this book was hotly contested by the DuPont Corporation, which sparked a national debate on the unrestricted use of DichloroDiphenylTricholoroethane (DDT) and other pesticides by the United States government. The public awareness of this book marks the first milestone towards green technology. In 1989, building technologically aware of environment, or green building as it became known, gained traction
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in America when the American Association of Architects (AIA) formed the Committee on the Environment. Three years later, the AIA released, Environmental Resource Guide, a book paid for by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Energy Star program was launched by the EPA and Department of Energy. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) was formed in 1993 and the White House had numerous green renovations. With all the developments on a national scale, the general population began to notice and buy more
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Energy Star appliances. In 1998, USGBC launched their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Green prosperity is about sustainability in our environment, economy, and community. LEED Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design is a certification program that recognizes the best building strategies and practices. In order to receive the certification, the planning needs to start with the owners and the architect and follow all the way through construction,
and even demolition. The LEED certification rating system has over 20 categories including: New Construction, Existing Construction, and homes. The scorecard covers 69 points for certification from sustainable features to innovation. The pinnacle of LEED certification is platinum. Half-Moon Outfitters Distribution Center in North Charleston, South Carolina renovated an old grocery store into its headquarters. The certified platinum renovation provides office space, as well as, warehouse space to distribute clothing
and gear to the company’s five retail stores and process online orders. During renovation almost 6,000 feet of pavement was replaced with native vegetation that requires no irrigation. The headquarters is located near public transportation and offers indoor bicycle parking and a locker room. All plumbing utilizes low-flow fixtures and rainwater for flushing toilets. The building was expected to use 46% less energy than a conventional building, and 14% of all energy used within the building is produced by solar panels on the roof. Fort Mill has five LEED certified commercial buildings with at least four applications in process. The following buildings have been certified: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
HSBC Mortgage Services (Silver New Construction, 2008) Intellicenter-Charlotte (Certified Core + Shell, 2009) Kingsley Office I (Silver Core + Shell, 2009) Wells Fargo Fort Mill Campus 1 (Gold Existing Buildings, 2014) Wells Fargo Fort Mill Campus 2 (Gold Existing Buildings, 2014)
IDEAS FOR A BETTER TOMORROW Around the world there are innovative ideas to heal the world and create sustainable living. Smog Eating Concrete Scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology in Eindhoven, Netherlands installed air-purifiers into pavement. Their study, Full scale demonstration of air-purifying pavement, found that cement reduced nitrogen oxide air pollution up to 45% or an average reduction of 19% per day. Solar Roadways An incredibly popular IndieGoGo campaign that raised $2.2 million dollars for Solar Roadways also received as much criticism as it did praise. Scott and Julie Brusaws, a couple from Idaho, developed
solar panels that would replace asphalt on roadways, while converting sun rays into electricity. The Department of Transportation first funded the project in 2009 with a $100,000 research grant. The grant was meant to gather engineering experts and write a concept paper based on the findings. “I didn’t need that much money to have a bunch of professors write a paper. So, I asked [the DOT] if we could simply build a prototype,” Scott Brusaw told Green Tech Media. The following year, they had a 12-foot by 12-foot working solar cell to test when they were awarded GE’s Ecomagination challenge. Satisfied with Solar Roadways progress, the DOT issued an additional $750,000 grant to develop a parking lot with solar cells that had LED lights and a heating system built in. The money raised in the IndieGoGo campaign will be used to hire full-time materials experts and civil engineers to further prove the concept. Nest Nest, the thinking and learning home thermostat that programs itself and can be controlled by an app on your smartphone. Lower the heating and cooling bills by 20% when Nest is trained to know the most efficient temperatures. 37 YEARS & 8 MONTHS Tonight I want to have an unpleasant talk with you about a problem unprecedented in our history. With the exception of preventing war, this is the greatest challenge our country will face during our lifetimes. The energy crisis has not yet overwhelmed us, but it will if we do not act quickly. It is a problem we will not solve in the next few years, and it is likely to get progressively worse through the rest of this century. We must not be selfish or timid if we hope to have a decent world for our children and grandchildren.
We simply must balance our demand for energy with our rapidly shrinking resources. By acting now, we can control our future instead of letting the future control us. Two days from now, I will present my energy proposals to the Congress. It’s been 37 years and 8 months since President Jimmy Carter gave this speech on his proposed energy policy. He was right then, and he is right today. We must not be selfish or timid and we must balance our demand for energy with our ability to create alternative energy. We put a man on the moon eight years after President John F. Kennedy called for it. But,we have been unable to solve our energy crisis in nearly forty years after several presidents have called for a change. America used to be a leader, a progressive innovator of the industrial age. We built interstates, high rises, railroads, the Hoover Dam, and sent men to the moon. We must continue to innovate, but we must do it with the environment in mind. Let me leave you with this thought: 3 million years ago was the last time there was this much Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the air. The oceans were about 80 feet higher than they are now. If the ocean levels rise to just 25 feet, all of Charleston, South Carolina will be under water. There are 124 million Americans that live near a coastline and are at risk of losing their home, their land, and possibly their lives. To put that number in perspective, in all the wars and conflicts throughout our history we have lost 1.3 million people. Building a better tomorrow starts with us - today! William Emerson is a Christian, patriot, and small town boy who enjoys football and everything American. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” - Philippians 2:3
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TRAVEL SOCIETY
FORT MILL MAGAZINE
VW
DESTINATION
TURKEY Text by Amy Jones
Traveling to undiscovered destinations is a thrill. So with my extensive travel and training, I’m prepared to help others create memories and find new experiences, too. When the Fort Mill Magazine Travel Society announced their exciting new exclusive partnership with Leisure Travel Enterprises in Fort Mill, I became the dedicated liaison. This brings readers exclusive opportunities to travel and savor the destination before leaving. Carefully selected events unveiling unique destinations will immerse members in the culture, cuisine, wine, and sounds of the destination with friends and neighbors right here at home. As a locally owned agency with over 50 years of travel experience, the Leisure Travel Enterprises team provides insights from experts such as Sam Crane, owner of Crane Travel Tours in Charlotte. Crane is an expert on Turkey, offering tours exclusively to that region. Crane will be the guide on this Fort Mill Magazine Travel Society experience.
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ISTANBUL
“We know that time in Turkey is limited, so we want to make your stay in Turkey both enjoyable and memorable,” Crane said. “We also want to introduce you to Turkey in all its diversity, on and off the beaten path, but with all the safety and comfort you deserve.” Crane speaks fluent Turkish and has spent many years in the country. Knowing people like Crane puts the Leisure Travel Enterprises team in a position to talk with real people about how to customize travel ideas for their clients and Fort Mill Magazine Travel Society members. Leisure Travel Enterprises offers Travel Society members an excursion to Turkey, or Asia Minor, as it was known in antiquity. This area played a pivotal role in what we call “Western Civilization” because of its Greek and Roman history. Turkey has been the primary residence of three of the West’s great religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Because of the historical narrative built through many civilizations, it is best to use a guide when traveling here. Turkey has excellent English speaking guides who are trained and certified. Some “don’t miss” places to see when you visit are listed here, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Istanbul Istanbul is the heart of modern day Turkey and was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. The Bosphorus Strait divides the European and Asian parts of the city. Take a ferry ride up the Bosphorus and see the city from the water.
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EPHESUS
Cappadocia This UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts spectacular landscape entirely created by volcanoes and sculpted by erosion. Sites include individual homes, whole villages carved into the rock and underground troglodyte cave cities. This is an area where early Christians lived to avoid Roman armies and later, Arab marauders. The deepest underground city of the area, Derinkuyu, is eight floors deep. Pergamon Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, this ancient Greek city reached its zenith under Roman Imperial rule and is one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Visit the Acropolis, the Asclepion, the Temple of Athena, the Dionysus and the Altar of Zeus. Ephesus Known as the commercial, religious and social center of antiquity, it is a church of Asia from the Book of Revelation. The visible ruins give some idea of the city’s original splendor, and the names associated with the ruins are evocative of its former life: the Library of Celsius, the Temple of Artemis, and the Odeon (a small roofed theater). The main theater, at an estimated 44,000 seating capacity, is believed to be the largest outdoor theater in the ancient world. The apostle Paul lived here for three years.
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FETHIYE Hierapolis/Pamukkale Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See Pluto’s Gate and the Temple of Apollo. Next to it, the hot springs of Pamukkale have been used as a spa since the 2nd century B.C. Aphrodisias Named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, this city is one of the finest archeological sites of Asia Minor. Fethiye On the Mediterranean coast, this is good place to stay for a few days because of the many historical sites around it. Take a day cruise aboard a “gulet”, a two-masted sailing ship. The coastline has not changed in thousands of years and the cruise offers a chance to visit historical places such as St. Nicholas Island that are accessible only by water. Hearing how a simple trip has impacted a family reminds me of why I travel. Our family enjoys traveling and grows closer with every destination, and I want to share that with others. Working with the Fort Mill Magazine Travel Society is a privilege, and I am excited about meeting readers and planning their next adventure. Leisure Travel Enterprises is excited about creating an informational event to learn about Turkey with the Fort Mill Magazine Travel Society members and is anxious to share the beauty and allure of the country at this event on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at 7pm. Call me to R.S.V.P. Amy Jones is a travel agent with Leisure Travel Enterprises and the dedicated liaison to the Fort Mill Magazine Travel Society. She enjoys all kinds of travel and helping clients plan their dream vacations. For more information, contact Amy at (803)548-7009 or amyj@ltetravel.com.
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TRAVEL SOCIETY
FORT MILL MAGAZINE
VW
Want to learn more about the TURKEY experience? Join us Tuesday, Jan 20th at 7pm Travel Society Talk
DESTINATION: TURKEY
Call 803-548-7009 to reserve your seat. 52
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In the heart of historic downtown Fort Mill, we offer one-of-a-kind gifts for every occasion, home accessories, and timeless treasures. 102 Academy Street Fort Mill, SC 29715
(803) 548-0808 crossingsonmain.com
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PROVISIONS DINING
DRINKING
FOODIE REVIEW
INDULGE
RECIPES
P PROVISIONS ...it’s about food and drink
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Helping YOU Be A Localist Building Real Prosperity
What is a Localist? Being a localist is more than buying local. It is the idea that neighbors come together to ensure the prosperity of their community. ExploreTheMill.com connects customers to businesses that are locally owned, rethinking their industries, sourcing locally, and providing local services. When we support our locally owned stores, our hard earned dollars go back into the community. The farmer buys lunch at a local restaurant. The restaurant server pays for her daughter’s dance class. The dance instructor buys clothes from the boutique. The boutique owner buys food
at the farmers market. The farmer reinvests that money to grow more food. The more we spend here; the more stays here. At ExploreTheMill.com, we believe: 1. The Mill is full of amazing people wanting to build an amazing community. 2. You will never discover all the amazing things by yourself. 3. You will want to share the amazing things you discover. 4. Everything is more amazing when it comes with a story. We are here to help you share those stories, make discoveries, and connect with businesses you will love.
Special Advertiser’s Section
EXPLORETheMill.COM
SUSTAINABLE Supp ly Chains
From Farm-to-Mouth Your Guide to
Eating Local Text by Lisa McTigue
Over the last several years, we’ve all seen the campaigns to Buy Local. It’s sold as a goodwill measure to balance the big-box and chain grocery stores. The message needs to be clearer. You need to buy local in order to support your local economy. Money is the lifeblood of any town and in order to survive, it needs to constantly pump through the community. The New Economics Foundation, a think-tank based in London, did a study on what happens to a community when its residents buy from local markets versus supermarkets. They found that twice the amount of money stayed in the community. When local restaurants source locally, 75% of the money spent at the restaurant stays in the community and employs more people within the community. In recent years, the phrases ‘farm fresh’ and ‘farm to table’ have been major draws in the restaurant industry. This concept is bringing people back to good food, fresh food, and unprocessed food. As the Jamie Oliver Foundation puts it, “resuscitating dying food culture.” Watching any one of the documentaries about food in America can make a person hanker for a salad. In Morgan Surplock’s 2004 Supersize Me, he ate only McDonald’s food for 30 days and gained nearly 25 pounds. Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution explored modern-day schools and showed how government regulations are contributing to the obesity in this nation. Teaching our children that french fries and ketchup are acceptable forms of vegetables should be unacceptable. The ruling documentary however is 2008’s Food Inc., which revealed the deplorable, unsustainable mass food manufacturing process and the federal body that governs the labeling of our food.
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We need to dig deeper, expect more for ourselves and our bodies. Life expectancy in the United States was once expected to reach 100 years by 2060, however, in the last thirty years, in the age of obesity and increased diabetes, the acceleration of life expectancy has greatly declined. We may not even reach the projections this century, if ever, according to a special report in The New England Journal of Medicine.
processed foods contribute to our obesity and poor health.
WHY IS LOCALLY SOURCED FOOD BETTER? “Our taste buds are there for a reason. They are there to guide us to nutrition. It is not greed or gluttony to like the taste of food. It is a natural drive to nourish ourselves,” says Carol Boutard, Oregon farmer.
Americans need to learn that more is not better. And, made fresh daily does not mean healthy, organic, unprocessed, or even made on-site. We are a nation of overeaters. It really is a contributing factor to our weight. We want the biggest meal for the least amount of money otherwise, we feel were ripped off.
Good food is not only to be found in restaurants. Chefs prepare and showcase food that you can recreate at home or begin to understand the local foods available to you. The industrial state of food in this country is not concerned with taste or quality. It is only through grassroot movements that truly edible food is available.
In 2000, for the first time in history, there were less acres of farmland than the previous year and the acreage has decreased every year since. Yet, we are out pacing our population growth projections.
As a nation we have put a lot of stock into the belief that our government is there to protect us. However, in recent years it can be shown that they do not work for us, instead they work for the large companies that pay for their political campaigns. “You are told that food should be cheap. I think we have to learn to understand that we have been educated by a fast food system that tells us that cooking is drudgery. It’s much easier to go out and buy it,” mother of modern food, Chef Alice Waters of Chez Panisee, Berkeley, California. The United States spends less on food than any other industrialized nation. We replace meals with snacks made for “on the go.” The majority of our food is unnatural and predominantly high fructose corn syrup and sugar. The chemicals and high sugar in our
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We don’t have a problem spending more on technology, cars, homes, or luxury goods, but we have a major problem paying for locally sourced, chemical free nutrition. As a nation, we’ve been trained to believe that more is better. We all complained when the fast food chains started downsizing their hamburgers.
During the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, it was incredibly difficult for families to eat. 100,000,000 acres were affected as recorded in A History of Us: War, Peace, and All the Jazz by Joy Hakim. During this period, there were about 2 billion people in the world. Today, there are over 7 billion people and notably less land to grow food. “In fact, some 3,000 acres of productive farmland are lost to development each day in this country,” United States Environmental Protection Agency Report on Agriculture Landuse dated April 9, 2013. The ability for us to grow our own food has declined so dramatically that Farmer is no longer listed as an occupation on the United States Census. Additionally, less than 2% of the food we receive from overseas is inspected. But, if you don’t care where your food comes from, then why should you care what was done to it before it lands on your plate. “If you buy a pound of ground beef in the supermarket, you are buying a composite
of hundreds, if not thousands of cows. If any one of those cows had E coli problems, then its all mixed up in that same batch and shipped across several states,” John Neumeister, Cattail Creek Lamb. INDUSTRIAL FARMING “The raising of chickens now is just totally different. Everything back when I was growing up, and my mom started the farm, and was raising the chickens, it was a lot more manual labor. There were less chickens, the chickens grew for longer, the type of feed that was given to them didn’t make them grow as fast, “ said Mrs. Smith, Industrial Chicken Farmer in Arkansas. South Carolina’s top commodity in 2009 were broiler chickens, accounting for over 30% of the state’s agriculture sales, according to the National Agriculture in the Classroom’s A Look at South Carolina Agriculture. There are eight times more chickens on factory farms than there are people in South Carolina. Huge meat companies like Foster Farms and Perdue source their meat at several of these farms, forcing small farms to be replaced by factory farms. “When people say that the industrial food system is unsustainable, we throw around that word without really thinking it through. What does that really mean? It really means it can’t go on this way. Monocultures are very dangerous things. A monoculture is a lot of the same species growing together without variation. Nature doesn’t have monocultures. When you grow too much of the same thing, you end up with too many of the pests. The only reason you can grow vast amounts of the exact same species of animal in close confinement is because you use antibiotics to keep them alive,” says Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. When a crop is planted year after year, certain weeds will become prevalent and certain bugs will want to take over. “You have to spray for the darn things. Which you never used to have to do,” says
George Naylor, farmer. The resistance to the pesticides is building, so what will happen next? Perhaps, it’s already happened; hence genetically altered seeds and animals. “I don’t believe there is anything unhealthy in these chickens just because they grow as fast as they do. I think it’s just that these chickens are genetically bred to do this,” added Mrs. Smith. Chickens on factory farms are kept indoors without fresh air and natural light. Foodborne illness isn’t the only health threat, the overuse of antibiotics fuels antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The arsenic and growth hormones used in the feed, which in turn is stored in the chicken and its eggs, could cause cancer in those that eat it. More than 500 million eggs were recalled in 2010 due to Salmonella contamination. We’re taught it can be transmitted from raw poultry, meat, and eggs. But, do you know where it originated? Salmonella mysteriously began to appear in the late 1970s and early 1980s. When did industrial chicken farming begin? The early 1970s. There is no scientific proof that they are related, but it is interesting that there also hasn’t been a study on why it occurred, only studies on how to stop it, antibiotics. The USDA tests meat samples and issues a violation when the sample contains residues of antibiotics, veterinary drugs, heavy metal, or pesticides. Brown Packing Co. in Gaffney, South Carolina had 25 residue violations between 2010 and 2011. But remember, processed meat can be a combination of over a hundred animals and there were 33 farms across the United States that were issued at least 10 violations during this same period. LOCAL FARMS & SUPPLY According to the United States Department of Agriculture, there are nearly 28,000 farms in South Carolina. As consumers we spend hours researching technology, appliances, cars, homes, and luxury goods because of the investment that we make into them. Some of us pay
for exercise: yoga, gym, run club, karate or some activity that keeps us moderately healthy. When are we going to make the same investment in the food that we put into our bodies? Farmers do not make a lot of money and several family farms sold or converted to industrial farms in the hope of making more money. The 2009 US Census data shows the net earnings from farm activities on farms with sales less than $249,000 was on average $2,615, which represents 90.5% of all farms in the United States. The average salary for a farming family was $51,413 in 2011, according to the US Labor Department. These are not large operations and with the pressure to succome to industrial farming too great, we need to help support the farmers that try to farm naturally and provide us food that nourish our bodies rather than contaminate them. The following farms use traditional farming methods: 1.
2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
7. 8.
9.
Tega Hills Farm - Fort Mill, SC Lettuce, herbs, microgreens, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, melons, beans, and peas Bush-N-Vine Farm - York, SC Peaches, strawberries, blueberries, corn, and tomatoes Windy Hill Orchard - York, SC Apples and hard cider Thomas Family Farms - Clover, SC Goat dairy: milk and cheese: Chevre, Feta, and white Cheddar Sew & Water - Lancaster, SC Eggs, chicken, turkey, and honey Golden Delight Honey - Lancaster, SC. Raw wildflower honey, sourwood honey, chunk honey, spun honey, and cut honeycomb Finley Farms - Chester County, SC Mustard greens and collards Watson Farms - Lowry, SC 100% grass-fed beef, pastured pork and pastured chicken Poplar Ridge Farm - Waxhaw, NC Unique varieties of produce, herbs, and flowers
10. New Town Farms - Waxhaw, NC Certified organic vegetables, poultry, pork, and free range eggs 11. Hall Family Farm - Charlotte, NC. Strawberries, seasonal vegetables,and pumpkins 12. Peaceful Meadows Farm Marshville, NC. Cattle, pork, and chicken LOCAL FARMS & DINING OUT Someone once told me: “The only thing Americans fear is inconvenience.” How true is that statement? We only like to do things when they are convenient to us, which is one of the reasons we have become a fast food nation and consumer of products made to eat on the go. If we can’t have a meal on the table in 15 minutes or easily edible while driving, then what’s the point? We lead busier lifestyles than previous generations. We work more hours, participate in more activities, and watch more television. If we didn’t desire things to be convenient, then we wouldn’t have new fast food chains popping up, growing frozen food sections, pre-packaged products, and pre-cut vegetables. Here are local restaurants that source their food locally, Farm to Table concept: 1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
The Yolk - Rock Hill, SC Reopened after a fire this past summer, serving breakfast into the early afternoon The Flipside Cafe - Fort Mill, SC Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Local Dish - Fort Mill, SC Lunch and dinner Fish Market - Fort Mill, SC Lunch and dinner Passion8 Bistro - Charlotte, NC Formerly located in Fort Mill, Passion8 Bistro moved to Charlotte in mid-2014, serving dinner
SUPPLY LOCALLY AT HOME Are you ready to take the first step towards better, healthier, more nutritious food for yourself and your family? There are a few ways that you can supply
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your own kitchen with locally grown food from North Carolina or South Carolina.
1. 2.
3.
4. 5. 6.
7. 8.
Local Producers Carolina Ingredients: Seasoning blends, oils, salts, and spices Ann’s Home Baked Goodies: Uses organic flours milled in Graham, North Carolina Pat A Cakes Bakery: Awardwinning, made from scratch desserts, cakes, and goodies Black’s Peaches: Cornmeal, grits, hoop cheese, and hay Ida Claire Cheesecakes: Cheesecakes and vanilla extract PuckerButt Pepper Company: Carolina Reaper seeds, hot sauce, mustard, jelly, salsa, and nuts Forte Legato Coffee Company: Roasted coffee Shebas Dog Eatery: Real food for dogs
Certified South Carolina “Buy South Carolina. It’s a Matter of Taste,” one of the slogans of Certified South Carolina [CertifiedSCGrown. com]. According to its website, the Certified South Carolina program is a cooperative effort between the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and producers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers to promote South Carolina products. In order to be accepted in the program, a membership application is required to be accepted by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. There are two memberships available: Certified South Carolina Grown and Certified South Carolina Product. When shopping at the grocery store or farmers market, look for the Certified South Carolina sticker on the produce or product. Carolina Grown Carolina Grown [CarolinaGrown.org]
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believes that we should all “Eat Healthy. Eat Local. Eat Well.” A weekly membership delivers “nature’s goodness produced by North Carolina’s very own” to a portion of York County, South Carolina as a part of their Charlotte Delivery area. According to their website, “we want only the best products for our customers, so we go to great length to choose the diverse, high-quality producers with the freshest selections. We tour, taste, and get to know [the farmer’s] personally, to ensure that the Carolina Grown producers meet the highest standards for humane treatment, cleanliness, and safety.” You can register for a “Free Range” delivery or register for membership on their website to receive fresh, local produce, meat, fish, dairy, and artisan products like bread and honey. Community Shared Agriculture Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) provides a direct link from farmers to eaters. Individuals pre-purchase a “share” of the farm’s harvest, ensuring that the farmer can complete the growing season without the headache of trying to figure out how to sell it. In exchange, the individual receives a supply of fresh produce and products. There are several farms in the area that are members of the program. Search LocalHarvest.org for more infromation on members. Grow Your Own Microfarm Organic Gardens in Charlotte, North Carolina can help you get started with your organic garden or urban farm. They believe that everyone has the right to grow their own food and they design gardens of all shapes and sizes. The team can design, build, plant, and professionally maintain your edible garden, chicken coop, greenhouse, rainwater collection system, and compost system. They also sell a variety of seedlings to get your started.
THE LAST WORD A few years ago, I spent three months in Europe and really learned what sourcing locally meant. It wasn’t until that trip that I understood the deplorable food conditions in the United States. I didn’t change what I ate or how much I walked, but some how lost 20 pounds. I find it interesting that I could indulge in chocolate, cheese, and bread, yet still lose weight. To me that really says something about the difference between industrially produced food and fresh food. During my homestay in France, I learned that the town freely exchanged food from the family farms. Every family had some sort of farm, some a few acres and others only covered a portion of the side yard. The town had a butcher and a baker, but otherwise they shared their food with each other because it created a dependency on neighbors rather than an anonymous global community. Let’s remove ourselves from the national epidemic of obesity and diabetes. Know where your food comes from and go meet your local farmers and chefs. It’s a beautiful day for a neighbor. “I hope you’re proud of yourself for the times you’ve said ‘yes,’ when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only to somebody else,” Mr. Rogers. Challenge to Fort Mill and York County • Spend one week’s fast food allowance on food from a local farm. • Spend one week eating at restaurants that only source locally. • Let us know your opinion on Facebook, Twitter, or our website. Lisa McTigue writes about travel, technology, mini living, buying local, and social media. She developed film, tv, and new media content for over 10 years in Hollywood.
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I hope you’re proud of yourself for the times you’ve said ‘yes,’ when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only to somebody else.” - Mr. Rogers
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inspired thought
BUILDING PROSPERITY Text by Tracey Roman
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rowing deep is the concept of sourcing supplies and services locally, within a 50 mile radius of your small business, and in turn supporting other companies that are doing the same-sourcing locally. Let’s make a conscious investment in our local community and economy. Afterall, locally-owned businesses are consumers, too. Every dollar spent on locally-produced goods and services recirculates in our community longer. Sourcing locally brings our purchasing practices into alignment with our values, so we can advocate a prosperous future for Fort Mill. That’s what building prosperity is all about.
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