VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 5, 2023

First Responders Project offers free Narcan, training to community

By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR

On the Tuesday before Christmas in the lobby of the Bluffton Branch Library, about a dozen people gathered for a non-festive reason: To learn how to reverse the effects of a drug overdose.

Tony “Pops” Roberts, a former paramedic in Virginia who now runs with the Lady’s Island-St. Helena Fire District, and Amanda, a peer support specialist, are members of the First Responders Project, part of the Beaufort County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Department. The pair were conducting a free training class in the application of the Narcan nasal spray to anyone who showed up.

“What we do is we respond to opioid overdoses in the county. We’re trying to get those people into recovery, find out why they’re using drugs, and then we move on to try and get them help,” said Roberts. “The biggest thing that we do with this is we try to get Narcan out into the community.”

Narcan – also known as Naloxone – is a first-aid medicine that quickly reverses an opioid overdose. It can restore normal breathing, lasting about 15 minutes per dose, enough time in Beaufort County for first responders to arrive on the scene to administer further interventions.

Most of the attendees were people worried about their grandchildren.

“I’m here because I have grandchildren, and I’m worried about them,” said Chuck Dulcie. “I have 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. I think this information is going to be helpful.”

When Lorraine Harrison saw the event pop up on Facebook. She put it on her calendar right away.

“I’m worried about my grandchildren. I wasn’t going to miss this,” she said.

Amanda said the six-member team frequently presents this program in schools, churches, the YMCA and anywhere else for groups that want the information. The mother of 17- and 8-year-old sons is just as concerned about what her children might encounter, especially when it comes to sharing lunches, candy and everything else.

“That was my jam for Halloween. (Drugs can be) disguised as Skittles, Smarties, any type of other candy. I tell my kid, ‘No matter what, you don’t take candy from other people. I would rather buy you a big bag of sugar mess and let you run up and down my house, rather than pass away from opioid overdose,’” she said.

“The biggest issue that we have with what’s going on right now is that this is making its way into our communities through what

we would consider to be legal drugs. These people are manufacturing these things in the basement of their houses. And what they’re doing is they’re finding a way to put these things into Tylenol, Advil, to make these

things look like they’re Xanax or something that’s familiar to us,” Roberts said.

He told the audience that not long ago

Nancy Horkay examines a model of Narcan nasal spray during a presentation by the First Responders Project at the Bluffton Branch Library. Project team members Tony “Pops” Roberts, center, and Amanda, a peer support specialist, right, spoke about the increasing spread of opioids.

PHOTOS BY GWYNETH J. SAUNDERS

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Is it time to fire up a goal-setting plan and do something?

By Lynne Cope Hummell EDITOR

It’s that time of year that we love and dread. It’s a New Year (we hope it’s going to be happy, as everyone shouted at midnight on Dec. 31), and we look forward to all things “new.”

Starting a new year is not as simple as getting adjusted to writing or typing the date “2023.” We often feel like we must do something different to make our personal year better, bigger, more purposeful.

That’s why some folks make resolutions, set new goals for themselves, and plan ahead for new adventures and such.

It has been quite some time since I made any New Year’s resolutions. Like so many others, I couldn’t keep them past February. But I felt like I had to “play along” with the crowd and make known some sort of intention.

I usually resolved to “eat less, exercise more, and get healthier.” And to stop procrastinating. And I usually didn’t do any of those things, at least not for very long.

Eleven years ago this month, however, I made up my mind to follow through on my broken promises to myself and focused on losing 50 pounds over the course of the year. (If you have been reading this space for a long time, you might recall that I shared much of my adventure.)

I joined a gym, got a trainer, and I did what I set out to do. It wasn’t easy, but I accomplished my goal.

At this point, I’m a little older and more sedentary. I just don’t have as much energy to get up and get out as I used to. Consequently, I have “found” some of what I lost.

Recently, I have been considering going back to the gym, because my new insurance plan includes free membership. In fact, the insurance company just sent me a brochure

to show me how to feel healthier “in body, mind and spirit.”I get it. They want me to exercise, eat better and stay well so they don’t have to pay any medical bills related to NOT doing those things.

They even gave me some suggestions for improving my mental and physical health.

It all starts with a positive attitude. I suppose they have not read the title of this column. “Sunny Side Up” is how I see things. Do they think just because I’m of a certain age that I’ve gotten cranky and angry at the world? I was born with a positive attitude!

They tell me I should “get active” because it’s a mood booster and “reach out” to friends and loved ones to stay happy. My mood is generally bright, thank you. And I don’t need to reach out, because my friends and family are already in touch regularly.

But the physical exertion they suggest is what really got my goat.

I’m to start with “exercises that match my

abilities.” Well, duh! If I am not able to run 10 miles, I’m not going to try. If I can’t lift 200 pounds, I won’t go near the weights.

They suggest dance classes. Oh boy. They haven’t seen me cutting a rug in front of a live band. (Good grief. Did I just say “cutting a rug”? How old AM I?)

They suggest I “do strength exercises” –things like gripping a tennis ball, or wall push-ups. Do they think I’m a shriveled old mushroom of a woman? How heavy is a tennis ball?

The brochure does make a couple of good points, though. I have been doing some brisk walking, as they suggest. Because when it’s 30 degrees outside, I’m not doing anything slowly out there!

Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the concern, and I recognize that I should be a little (or a lot) more active.

Maybe I’ll start after I finish up all the home projects I started last year.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Abby Bird

Jeff Bradley

Tom Dorsel

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E. Ronald Finger

Jean Harris Mathew Mastrorocco

Bill McCutchen Lindsay Perry Gwyneth J. Saunders

Larry Stoller

Scott Wierman

Tim Wood

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All contents copyright protected 20220. All submissions must include name, address and phone number. The Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any material, including advertisements. The Hilton Head Sun does not verify for licenses, endorse nor warrant any advertised businesses or services. The opinions and views expressed in the editorials are not necessarily those of the Editor and Publisher. Member, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.

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EDITORIAL

Beaufort County leaders strong in new Assembly

By Jeff Bradley CONTRIBUTOR

I am enthusiastically looking forward to our new session of the South Carolina legislature. This will be the 125th General Assembly in our state’s history. It begins Jan. 10 and will continue through May 11 unless it is extended for special circumstances.

tion. There are 46 senators also based on population.

non Erickson of Beaufort (House District 124) is chair of the Education and Public Works Committee, while Weston Newton of Bluffton (House District 120) is chairing the Judiciary Committee. I’ve been told that never before have three Beaufort County representatives been standing committee chair persons at one time.

Jeff Bradley

My eagerness is largely because I am pleased to report I have been elected to a new major responsibility by my fellow representatives. I will be serving as chairman of the Regulations & Administrative Procedures standing committee in the House. I believe this can be one of our most influential committees because it has purview and touches almost every aspect of how state agencies exercise their responsibilities. I will also be serving on the Education Committee.

For readers unfamiliar with the South Carolina General Assembly, there are two legislative bodies – the House and the Senate. The House is composed of 124 members representing equally sized geographical districts based on popula-

In the South Carolina House there are 13 standing committees: Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs; Education and Public Works; Interstate Cooperation; Judiciary; Labor, Commerce and Industry; Legislative Ethics; Legislative Oversight; Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs; Regulations and Administrative Procedures; Rules; Ways & Means, plus Invitations and Memorial Resolutions and Operations and Management which is advisory to the Speaker about personnel administration. In the Senate there are 15 standing committees.

I am deeply honored to have been elected by my peers to lead my committee. Regulations apply to the entirety of our state, and virtually every facet of business along with healthcare and environmental matters, the DMV, natural resources, consumer affairs and even education. I look forward to diligently exercising my new responsibilities and heading off unintended consequences of bad regulations that come to our attention.

Congratulations are also in order for other members of our Beaufort County delegation who have been elected to head other standing committees. Shan-

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

We at Memory Matters wanted to take a moment to thank all the generous local organizations that provided us funding in 2022. We are grateful for their generosity and belief in what we do here.

One grant we are very excited about is the one from the Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation. These dollars will allow us to partner with Beaufort Memorial Hospital to help detect early onset dementia in diverse communities through

free Memory Screens.

Memory Screens, or MoCA’s (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), are non-medical evaluations that include a consultation for next-step recommendations and program options.

More than 500 studies have shown that MoCA is superior to existing cognitive screening tools to detect Alzheimer’s Disease and 20 other disorders such as stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, and kidney disease.

Additionally, Bluffton’s Bill Herbkersman (House District 118) is vice chairman of the very powerful Ways & Means Committee which sets the state budget and agenda. On the Senate side, our Sen. Tom Davis (Senate District 46) has been elected chairman of the Senate’s Labor, Commerce and Industry Standing Committee.

It appears that the Republican majority in the General Assembly is preparing for a fast start. As of Dec. 31, more than 900 pre-bills had been filed for review in the House alone. I expect high on the agenda will be education issues, in particular, enacting parental choice by creating Education Savings Accounts (E.S.A.) so parents are not hindered sending their children to underperforming schools because of where they live.

Jeff Bradley is the representative for District 123 in the State House of Representatives.

The screening takes only about 15 minutes and is administered by a Memory Matters trained professional.

The Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The goal of the Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation is to help nonprofits improve lives by funding projects that address the basic human needs of the most vulnerable residents of the Greater Bluffton community.

Jill Horner Executive Director

SUN ON THE STREET

Looking forward in the New Year with excitement

With this feature, we seek to capture a glimpse of what you and your neighbors have to say about a variety of topics, issues, events –

and just plain fun questions. You might see us anywhere around town, with notepad and camera, randomly seeking out folks

who are willing to participate. If we find you, we hope you will want to respond.

On the sidewalks of Tanger 1

Outlet, we asked shoppers, “What are you most excited about for the New Year?”

Monique Frazier, Bluffton: “What business looks like in the New Year, and how it grows.”

Jack Swanson, Quahog, Rhode Island: “It’s the passing of time, my getting older, experiencing college. A new era.”

Karen Abrams, Hilton Head Island: “It’ll be my first year as a resident of Hilton Head Island, so I’m looking forward to getting to know the island.”

Trixie Johnson, Richmond, Virginia: “My daughter’s graduating and going to college.”

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Brian Holder, Toronto, Canada: “I’m hoping for the year to be a bit more normal with Covid, and a bit more sane.”

a resident complained of a headache to a co-worker, who gave the woman what she thought was two Tylenol. If her daughter had not found her nearly unresponsive, the woman would have died. It’s one example of why people need to be sure of the source of what they are taking, eating or drinking.

“If you didn’t open the seal on the bottle yourself, or it’s not somebody that you implicitly trust with your life, be very careful,” Roberts said. “If you dump a salt shaker out on the table and pick up one grain of salt, it only takes that much fentanyl to kill you.”

Amanda passed around a model of the Narcan nasal spray as she explained how to administer the dose. Those in attendance were given a free box of Narcan and were instructed in how to apply the nasal medicine should they come upon someone who appeared to have a drug overdose.

“I’m going to quickly open the front because in the midst of an emergency, sometimes you forget,” Amanda said. The directions are printed on the inside of the box, but before reading them, she said, “we’re going to call 911. Before we even administer this medication, we know that the EMS/fire is positioned in this county so within two to six minutes, they should be arriving.”

The next step is to examine the individual in distress by looking in their eyes.

“If their pupils are pinpointed – and you can tell the difference between a pinpoint

and a regular pupil – we’re going to give them a sternum rub with our knuckles,” said Amanda. “And I don’t know if any of you have had your chest rubbed (like that), but it hurts. If they’re going to be okay, they’re going to say, ‘Get off me, crazy, that hurts.’”

In many cases, the individual’s fingertips and the inside of their lips will be blue from lack of oxygen. That’s when one should pull the applicator out of the box, insert the tip in their nostril and firmly push the button at the bottom. This will spray the medicine into their nostrils and normal breathing should return.

Immediately turn the person onto their side because most likely, Amanda said, the person will throw up, and if they aspirate or breathe their own vomit, that becomes an additional problem.

Because opioids are so prevalent in prescription medicines, addiction can grasp anyone, including people like Amanda.

“I am in long-term recovery, and my story didn’t begin in the street. I had signs of blood clots in my lungs, and they were pushing pain medication. I stayed in ICU for two weeks, and it was there that the chemical took up my body. I was, for lack of better words, dependent upon it,” she said. “I have five years in recovery, so every day if I meet people, I’m able to understand what they’re

Lorraine Harrison speaks with Amanda, a peer support specialist with the First Responders Project, about her concerns for her grandchildren and the prevalence of drugs.

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NARCAN from page 8A

going through.”

Another surprising factor, said Roberts, is the number of drug overdoses in the population of people age 55 and older.

“We see it in retirement communities. It’s accidental. My father has dementia, and I can tell you I have to regulate his medicine every day,” Roberts said, because his father forgets when he has already taken it. “Or my mother has had surgery … and she’s had this pain medicine she says isn’t working. I tell her all the time that the last thing that’s going to happen is somebody in my family having an overdose.”

Nancy and Gene Horkay came for the information and were looking for ways to help.

“We’re kind of Good Samaritans where, you know, we’ve pulled people out of burning cars, and found people on the ground, on the street. And this could be a lifesaver if we ran into somebody with that kind of a condition,” said Gene Horkay. “We didn’t know about this stuff years ago. Maybe somebody just got hurt, so that was easy. But if somebody’s got drugs in them, without this they’re dead.”

Nancy said it was an opportunity to separate fact from fiction.

“What’s the real thing? Is that what I’m seeing on TV? How close to the truth is it?” she said. “Now we know the reality of Narcan.”

As for being that Good Samaritan, Roberts and Amanda said that anyone administering the Narcan was protected by South Carolina’s Good Samaritan Laws (SC Codes 15-1-310 and 44-130-50).

“If you choose to use it, as long as it’s in good faith, you are perfectly protected by the Good Samaritan Law. If you choose not to use the Narcan, you are also still protected. That is your choice one way or the other,” said Roberts. “As Amanda said, we always tell everybody call 911 first. You want to make sure that the cavalry, as I call it, is coming.”

For more information on how to get the First Responders Project to give a presentation and training, or for individual training, information, and how to get a free kit, call 843-255-6020.

Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.

Participants, volunteers and staff of Neighborhood Outreach Connection (NOC) celebrate receiving a $25,000 grant from the Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization with the goal of helping other nonprofits improve the lives of the most vulnerable residents of the Greater Bluffton community. The grant will support NOC’s community development program at its learning center in Bluffton with its educational, workforce development, and health/wellness programming.

COURTESY NOC

New county autopsy suite provides faster answers, saves money

By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR

Sooner or later, many of Beaufort County’s residents and even some visitors will be brought to the one-story brick building on Old Shell Road in Port Royal.

The Beaufort County Coroner’s office is one of the last stops for an individual who has died. The new autopsy suite that opened this past September gives the residents of Beaufort and surrounding counties quicker answers as to the cause of a loved one’s death.

“Having the facility within the county reduces the amount of time it takes to get results for most cases,” said Joni Skipper, the county’s forensic pathologist.

The cases that go to the coroner for autopsy are unaccompanied deaths, individuals that have died suddenly, died unexpectedly or may have died violently by suicide, accident or homicide.

Not every individual brought to the coroner’s facility requires an autopsy, according to Skipper.

Those that are known to be a natural death, in which there is no suspicious sign of foul play, can be signed out by a physi-

cian who had been treating the individual prior to death.

“Our primary goal is to establish the cause and manner of death. But with every case, we want to rule out foul play,” Skipper said. “We want to make sure that no one did something to this person. And also, we’re getting families answers. I think that that’s why most of us do this job.”

Prior to opening the new facility, those who required an autopsy had to be transported to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. It could take four or five days from the date of death to schedule the procedure.

Results can take up to 12 weeks, leaving family questions lingering, and perhaps delaying critical clues that law enforcement needs to help solve a case. According to the press release sent out when county council approved the Forensic Pathology Department along with the FY23 budget, “The addition of this department will cut down the waiting process to 24-36 hours for the autopsy and provide answers on the cause of death in 48 hours, barring the need for tissue or toxicology-related specimen

In the Beaufort County Coroner’s office, forensic pathologist Joni Skipper gestures while explaining how the new autopsy suite aids her team in determining a cause and manner of death.

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processing.”

A primary benefit to having the service available within the county is that, in most cases, Skipper and her team can get an exam done fairly quickly, she said, “and have the body ready for release to the family that day.

MUSC is still a backup for the county coroner in the event someone is unavailable, or there are so many cases that the department can’t get to them in a timely manner.

“The odds are if that’s the case, then MUSC is going to be behind, as well, because they serve so many counties in the state. But I think already we’ve seen that we’ve made a difference here,” Skipper said.

In addition to saving time, the proximity of the facility will save the county taxpayers $42,525 per year. Law enforcement agencies will save money because officers will no longer be required to travel to Charleston to observe autopsies or collect items used for evidence. Beaufort County averages 190 autopsies a year. It’s also expected that adjacent counties will be paying

to use the Beaufort services about 50 times, according to the county.

Skipper explained that in basic terms a pathologist is a physician who is specially trained to examine body tissues, body fluids, and to diagnose or exclude illness.

“Forensic pathologists are trained to perform post-mortem examinations or autopsies to determine the cause of death or a manner of death,” said Skipper. “In addition to performing the autopsies and generating an autopsy report, we also are called to testify to these findings when those cases go to trial.”

A cause of death is the specific illness or injury that is directly responsible for a death. A gunshot wound to the head is a cause of death. Acute myocardial infarction, or heart attack, is a cause of death.

The manner of death is something used to give some information about the circumstances surrounding the death.

“There are five manners: natural, accident, suicide, homicide, and, in a very small number of cases, undetermined. Either we don’t have enough information

because of the investigation or the condition of body decomposition,” the pathologist said.

About 5% of cases are designated undetermined, according to Skipper. There might be competing manners of death, as in the case of a gunshot wound to the head: Was it a suicidal gunshot, or was it accidental, or was it a homicide?

“If there’s not enough information for us to determine which of the three, we call it undetermined,” she said. “Another undetermined cause of death would be if I have skeletal remains. We may request a forensic anthropologist to examine the skeletal remains to look for trauma. If they don’t find any, anatomically I don’t have what I need to make a diagnosis.”

Skipper said in examining individuals, there are obvious anatomic findings and there are subtle anatomic findings. If she has to autopsy an otherwise healthy person with no disease or injury found at autopsy, she will send specimens for toxicology tests. The results may come back as fentanyl as the cause.

“At the time of the autopsy, I don’t have a cause of death, so there are additional procedures, additional tests that we perform to help establish that cause of death. Toxicology is one of those services,” said Skipper.

That is one example of the many pieces that go into determining how a person died.

“Everybody has a part to play. We depend on the investigators to provide us investigative information from the scene, from circumstances, and interviews with family or witnesses as to what may have happened,” she said.

All of that information combined with the autopsy findings and any additional tests will result in determining the cause or manner of death.

“None of this can be done in a vacuum. All of the different pieces have to be considered,” said Skipper. “It’s a very challenging job. It’s interesting every day because I never know what I’m going to have.”

Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.

Noted restaurateur retires, closes shop after 50 years

Signe Gardo, founder and owner of Hilton Head Island’s landmark eatery, Signe’s Heaven Bound Bakery & Café, has retired and closed her shop Dec. 24. “I have plans to finally relax and then write a cookbook with one of my daughters,” said Signe.

The business marked its 50th year in business, with Signe at the helm the entire time, on Aug. 11, 2022.

Although the iconic Heaven Bound Bakery Café at 93 Arrow Road will be closed for good, the facility itself is being refurbished and will re-open in February with a new eatery, Sprout Momma Breads. This family venture has become popular locally over 12 years as an artisan bread baking enterprise on Hilton Head Island’s north end, with regular appearances at regional festivals and farmers’ markets plus wholesale clients.

“They will do well,” said Signe. “Kim Tavino and her family are enthusiastic, youthful and have the right kind of work ethic to succeed in the restaurant business which can be stressful.”

Signe’s original bakery café was opened in the summer of 1972 in a former lighthouse keeper’s cottage in the area of Sea Pines Resort called Harbour Town. It moved to its current location in 1984. Unpretentious in nature, the eatery has garnered both local and national celebrity status for its expansive, unconventional menu and fanciful, low-key décor. It was a favorite stop for Heritage Golf Classic greats like Johnny Miller and Tom Watson, as well as tennis superstars Martina Navratilova, Evonne Goolagong and Chris Evert in the Family Circle Cup.

Named Hilton Head Island’s Small Business of the Year in 2007 by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Signe’s was once described by the New York Times as a “café with food that is as healthful as the climate and activities on Hilton Head Island.”

Over its 50-year span, the bakery café has been featured in Southern Living Magazine three times as well as Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure, Town & Country, Destination Weddings plus numerous other publications, as well as The Food Network, CBS Sunday

Signe Gardo was still baking celebration cakes in the final week that her Heaven Bound Bakery & Café was open.

Morning and the Today Show. Signe herself has been portrayed in US Weekly Magazine and South Carolina Living.

TV celeb Rachael Ray stopped by in 2004 and swooned over Signe’s deep-dish blueberry French Toast. Grandmothers have routinely arrived with their granddaughters in tow to share the same jumbo oatmeal raisin cookies that they once ate while vacationing on the island.

Now 81, Signe figures she has made more than 4,000 wedding cakes and that she had plenty of help. “Staying in this business for this long, I didn’t do it by myself. I have worked with more than 2,000 employees over the decades,” she said. “They are part of my life and I just try to be respectful and appreciate what they are doing to make it happen.”

She also acknowledges to have never followed a business plan other than making her customers happy and living by her faith.

“About two years ago when I broke my leg, I began wondering how long this would last,” said Signe. “I did not think of an exit plan. I just try to listen to the Lord each day. I knew that when it was time, he would let me know. And, now he has.”

COURTESY SIGNE’S BAKERY & CAFÉ

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Communities create sustainable habitats as part of lifestyle

By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR

Rolling down SC-170, most people passing the Oldfield community notice only the white picket fence enclosing the fields that occasionally hold a few horses. Next to the community’s entrance sign, a much smaller one pronounces Oldfield as an Audubon International Certified Sustainable Community, an award not easily achieved.

Although Audubon is primarily synonymous with birds, this designation from the international branch goes far beyond tending to the needs of feathered dinosaur descendants. It encompasses all manner of wildlife that inhabits the marshes along the Okatie River, as well as the landscape within the fences.

Leeanna McMillan, Outfitter Center assistant director and the community’s naturalist, said the process began before her arrival in 2019, but her efforts since then ensured that Oldfield would be recertified.

“To get the original certification, you have to have a list of goals and objectives that you want to reach. That’s kind of a lengthy process to get all those in line and get them approved by Audubon,” McMillan said, “and then we had to have a site visit.”

That evaluation visit resulted in Oldfield earning the designation in 2018 in the record time of one and a half years, not the usual three to five years.

The Oldfield Golf Course is certified under the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, which includes such recommendations as maintaining numerous bird boxes for blue birds and wood ducks and monitoring water usage. But the sustainable community tag goes much deeper toward balancing people with nature.

Audubon International helps the communities achieve a number of goals by helping them work through three stages needed to become certified: assessment, planning and implementation. Communities focus on 15 different areas, including natural and cultural resources, land use planning efforts, ecotourism, volunteerism, and environmental awareness through education.

At the Outfitters Center, a small nature center gives community residents and their guests an up-close look at a few creatures that inhabit the marshes and surrounding area. The star of the show is Col. Hazzard, a small alligator named after the previous owner of Oldfield.

Leanna McMillan, assistant director at the Outfitter Center at Oldfield, checks out the community garden with her constant companion, Bear.

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Welcome Home!

The Preciado boys cut the ribbon on their new home in The Glen neighborhood Dec. 16 following a dedication ceremony with Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity donors and volunteers, local leaders and friends. Esmerelda Preciado, the boys’ mother, said she is thankful for Habitat because since becoming a parent, their housing has been either in a bad neighborhood or too expensive. The Preciado home is the final house in The Glen, and the 124th house in the 32-year history of the local Habitat organization.

COURTESY HILTON HEAD HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!

Join LowCountry Alliance for Healthy Youth (LCAHY) in our efforts to unite the community in promoting the positive mental health and wellness of our youth.

AUDUBON

from page 18A

“I had to get an educational permit to have him,” McMillan said.

From the dock adjacent to the center, McMillan, who has a captain’s license, takes guests on river eco-cruises aboard the Oldfield Belle, a covered pontoon boat.

“People who aren’t from here want to see the area and experience the nature here,” she said.

Other aspects that fit into the Audubon certification include assets such as a quartet of beehives. McMillan said the hives produced 80 pounds of honey last year.

A community garden near Oldfield’s main gate is one of the sources of pollen. Most of the individual beds were still green with lots of lettuce, cauliflower and broccoli, plenty of herbs like oregano, sage and marjoram. There are grapefruit, lime and pecan trees.

The children’s garden has herbs and other plants, and there is even a fairy garden for the little ones. A small grape arbor is wrapped with muscadine and scuppernong grape vines that have produced wine.

“It’s all volunteer work, and it’s a true community garden where everybody gardens and everyone harvests,” she said.

When it was certified, Oldfield was one of eight communities in the world to be so designated. Now it is one of 13, a number that includes the Town of Hilton Head Island, which earned its designation in 2017, and was recently recertified.

Brian Eber, senior environmental planner, said the Town sets goals and tries to work on them each year in order to keep in the good graces of the sustainable community program.

When people come to Hilton Head, they want to experience the island, so visitors are directed to places like Newhall Preserve and Sea Pines Forest Preserve, where the longleaf pine is being reintroduced.

“I think it used to make up 80% of the pine population before development started happening a long time ago. We’re trying to reintroduce this,” said Eber.

The Town also has a native plant guide that is given to developers for wherever they want to plant trees as buffers along the shore line or in the developments.

“Sometimes people think only of the birds that are in our preserves and communities, especially people look for the raptors, but we also look out for the shore birds – the pelicans, seagulls – all of them,” said Eber.

Counting: It’s all about the birds

The Hilton Head Audubon Society, which is part of the National Audubon Society and not connected with Audubon International, has helped Hilton Head succeed in its efforts toward sustainability. It also participates in the annual nationwide bird audit known as the Christmas Bird Count.

Between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5 of each year, groups of bird lovers will organize to take a tally of species and total numbers of birds located within a prescribed 15-mile circle. Research scientists, wildlife agencies, conservation biologists and others use the results to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America.

LCAHY is the only non-profit community prevention coalition in Southern Beaufort County that brings together representation from all community sectors to identify and implement strategies that promote positive youth development by addressing mental health, substance use/abuse, and related risk behaviors.

“Obviously it touches key points in our long-range plan that we completed in 2020 for bicycle safety, rentals, public transportation, cost of living and recycling,” said Eber. “One of the things we’re looking to do is to add traditional recycling along our trails, so that if you’re cycling you can recycle.”

One of the things that often is overlooked is stormwater. The Hilton Head Town Hall has a xeriscape garden that requires no irrigation.

Local bird clubs, including Hilton Head and Sun City, have completed their counts already, but anyone interested can still participate in another citizen-scientist project. The Great Backyard Bird Count requires nothing more than sitting in the comfort of your home on your porch (or inside, looking out a window) and counting the birds you see.

This event takes place Feb. 17-20 and bird counters can spend as little as 15 minutes or as long as they want on any or all of the four days.

LCAHY is a recipient of the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program grant awarded by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)and administered by the CDC. The Community Foundation of the LowCountry serves as our fiscal agent.

“You don’t use irrigation but you can plant a garden, our native flowers, bushes, trees – you can plant all native plants and have a garden because they thrive in this environment,” Eber said.

For more information, a checklist and how to report what you see, go to birdcount. org.

Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.

Community Foundation awards $412,000 to nonprofits

In its first competitive grant cycle of the 2023 fiscal year (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023), Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has awarded $412,000 in grants to five local nonprofit organizations.

These competitive grants are available to nonprofits serving people who live or work in southern Beaufort County. The grants support new or expanded programs that enhance the mission of the recipients.

“We are privileged to work with agencies that serve so many needs in the community,” said CFL Vice President for Community Investment Debbie Cahoon. “The projects that were funded this cycle will bring lasting benefit to the Lowcountry.”

The recipients of the fall 2022 Community Foundation of the Lowcountry grants are: Memory Matters was awarded $45,000 to offset costs critical to expand Memory Care Adult Day Program, which will allow the agency to expand in-person program days/ hours and maximize the benefit to clients served.

Memory Matters also received up to $50,000 for an Endowment Challenge Matching Grant to grow the agency’s endowment fund.

Mental Health America – Beaufort/ Jasper was awarded up to $90,000, over two

years, to hire a bi-lingual counselor to provide services to Spanish-speaking members of the community who have been diagnosed with and/or need treatment for mental health conditions. Mental Health America will be collaborating with Volunteers in Medicine clinics on Hilton Head Island and Bluffton to maximize the benefit to the community.

Port Royal Sound Foundation was awarded up to $122,000 to develop and implement a research program to monitor the health of the Port Royal Sound. The program includes funding for a Research Coordinator, a database, and an online platform to ensure data is available to the community.

Programs for Exceptional People (PEP) was awarded up to $85,000 to purchase a van to transport PEP members to and from home, and to offsite locations necessary to participate in PEP programs.

Meals-on-Wheels Bluffton-Hilton Head was awarded $20,000 to expand the organization’s talent and technology project, allowing the agency to increase its efficiency and services.

The next competitive grant cycle will occur next spring. For more information about Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, visit cf-lowcountry.org or call 843-681-9100.

County honored for support

The South Carolina (SC) Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) awarded Beaufort County the 2021 Golden Palmetto Award.

The award is DDSN’s way of honoring SC county governments for providing outstanding support to individuals with disabilities.

DDSN Commissioners Barry Malphrus and Eddie Miller made the presentation to the council at the Beaufort County Council meeting in November at Buckwalter Recreation Center in Bluffton.

Beaufort County has made its Disabilities and Special Needs (DSN) board a county department.

This organization assures supported persons and their families of excellent services and needed resources in well-maintained facilities. A county council member serves on the agency’s Advisory Board to provide support and direction.

Ten years ago, Beaufort County made a commitment to design and construct a stateof-the-art facility to house their day program and other program offices. The county has also constructed 11 residential homes for persons supported.

The county government commissioned a study by the University of South Carolina to assess the needs of families with individuals with disabilities. The results of the survey were used to inform lawmakers of the needs

of Beaufort’s disability community and how to better serve them.

Most recently, the county approved two accessible playgrounds for families and caregivers, and distributed Beaufort’s policies and service information translated into Spanish to churches, businesses and families.

Beaufort County DSN Director Bill Love said, “Beaufort County government has generously supported our department’s finances and programs and is dedicated to the employment of people with disabilities and special needs in Beaufort County. They definitely deserve the Golden Palmetto Award.”

DDSN has given the Golden Palmetto award for the past 47 years with the exception of 2019 and 2020, due to the pandemic. This year, Beaufort County has become a four-time winner, with previous awards received in 1983, 1990 and 2011.

“Beaufort County employs a significant number of people with disabilities at its agency,” Malphrus said. “Employment is one of the things I am most passionate about because it promotes independence for people who are disabled and is something that is very dear to me as I am a person with cerebral palsy who is self-employed and owner of my own business in our community. Thank you, Beaufort County for all you do for those with disabilities.”

For more information, visit ddsn.sc.gov.

Beaufort County Council Chairman Joe Passiment, center, accepts the Golden Palmetto Award at the council meeting in November. At left is DDSN Commissioner Vice Chair Barry Malphrus, with DDSN Commissioner Eddie Miller on the right.

The Seahawk Times

A Hilton Head Island High School Student Newspaper

Guest Poet Invited to HHIHS To Speak to Students

A special guest poet came to Mrs. John's classroom to talk about how poetry affects us and that poetry is a wonderful yet simple thing of life. Mrs. John’s said “ I invited Marcus Amacker because somebody that I know, who also is a writer, was trying to organize for him to be able to come in to schools to work with some students. I thought it would be nice for him to come to my class to help the students see a person who is successful as an artist. One of the things that Amacker talked about is how he left his job in order to do something that he really loves.”

Elizabeth Monzon, a student who attended the guest speaker session, said “My experience was actually really great. I didn't know much about poetry. He taught me a lot and he was a very nice guy.”

Monzon also said “Well I learned that poetry doesn't always have to rhyme. Honestly a lot of songs that are made are a type of poetry because songs and poems both tell a life story about literally anything. Mr. Amacker taught me that, which I actually did not know.” Poetry comes in all ways, shapes, or forms.

By: Kimberly Valladares

Monzon also said “He first had us write like a poetry story and he said it didn’t have to rhyme. He did say he wanted some metaphors in it.” Students then wrote some poems and shared them out loud.

Students often wonder if teachers will invite anyone else to come speak to their classes. Mrs. Johns said “Yes and I also talked to Ms. Andis in the media center to see if we can have other authors, poets, and artists come in to talk to the students so that they can see other possibilities for things that they could do in their future.”

Students and teachers are looking forward to having more guest speakers come to HHIHS to help bring a deeper meaning to the content they learn in the classroom.

World Famous Surfer Speaks at Hilton Head Island High School

By: Julia Duncan

After two years of not having guest speakers, HHIHS has welcomed guests back into the building. On November 4th, HHIHS welcomed professional surfer and motivational speaker, Shaun Tomson, to speak to juniors and seniors. He came to talk about "the code to ride the wave of purpose."

Tomson discussed the power of change, and following one's own path to find success. Shaun Tomson was born in Durban, South Africa. Tomson has been surfing almost his whole life and retired in 1989 but has continued to surf recreationally since then. During his career and after he retired one of his many hobbies was teaching other people to surf including his two sons. One of the ways he teaches surfing is by using it as a metaphor for life. He does this to help people find motivation and success. He believes it is very important to try and influence young people in the most positive way possible. One thing he does is remind people to really think about the decisions they make before making them.

Tomson said “it is important to me to help, not just young people, but people in general to activate purpose in their life and to find their path.” He also said “surfing really helps teach you about perseverance and resilience” which is why, after one of his biggest wipeouts in the finals in one of the biggest surfing events in the world, he paddled back out to try and catch another wave. One of the things that has given him hope and motivated him in times when he was ready to give up is his passion to inspire people.

Tomson also shared what the definition of success means to him which is “being better and helping others to be better." He also says his original inspiration to start surfing was his parents, especially his dad, who was the first person who ever taught him how to surf.

He also told students "the only way to be successful that I have found and seen is to bust down the door. Find the power to bust down the door." To harness this power he said, "Words have great power to create change."

Students left inspired after hearing Tomson talk about motivation, power, and success.

Pro Surfer Shaun Tomson speaking to juniors and seniors.

Photo by: Ms. Spisz

Photo by: Ms. Spisz

Poet Marcus Amacker speaks to Mrs. Johns and Ms. Bode's students about poetry

CATE Program at HHIHS

Career Technical Education Program, CATE, is a program that brings careerbased classroom curricula to life by improving students’ knowledge of local career opportunities through first-hand experiences. At Hilton Head Island High School, there are many programs that students can select and participate in to obtain real world skills.

“The CATE Program is the Career Technical Education Program that provides courses with real world pathways such as Culinary Arts, general business, Hospitality, Tourism, and Marketing. These are classes that someone would take and specialize in. When students graduate from high school, the student will obtain real world skills,” Coach Beach said.

“There are no requirements for students to join. Students are required to complete a pathway. When the student completes the pathway they are eligible to receive a certification. This means that the student is college and career ready, and the student would also obtain a professional credential, like an OSHA certification,” Coach Beach stated.

BY: Norma Velez

Coach Beach continued “The goal for the CATE Program is to prepare students to be more college and career ready, meaning that once they complete the pathway, the student shall receive a cord for graduation and be ready for college. However, the goal of the CATE program and the CATE teachers is to give students actual life skills that are helpful for the rest of their lives.”

“The skills that students learn depend on the curriculum or CATE based program that the student partakes in. An example would be Culinary Arts, instructed by Chef Hill. In this class students have the opportunity to learn or strengthen their cooking skills. These skills can be really helpful to students who wish to take those steps into a future career or simply use these skills for their personal lives,” Coach Beach concluded.

Real world skills are highly important so students should consider participating in a CATE pathway. Whether it is Culinary Arts, Personal Finance, or Marketing, students have the ability to learn skills that can prepare them for the real world.

HHIHS Participates in the Michelin Design Challenge

By: Norma Velez

The Michelin Design Challenge is a competition where prestigious vehicles that are designed by students are displayed and judged. Students create vehicles for tomorrow and use STEM skills and critical thinking to complete the challenge. There are many locations where this competition is held. One example is Hilton Head Island. At Hilton Head Island High School, Mr. Best, a CATE Teacher, and three female students had the opportunity to participate in the Michelin Design Challenge this year.

“The Michelin Design Challenge is a partner with the Concours d'Elegance, which is a car show that is run annually on the island. They provide the Beaufort County School District wit h the opportunity to compete in the design challenge. There is a new topic every year. This year’s topic was ‘Create Your Own Adventure,' the participants were instructed to design a vehicle. In order to complete the task, the participants have to create all the design features. They can create the design in any way they choose, using any style, any creative design, etc." Mr. Best explained.

Unlike other competitions where they do a best of three, or one winner and it’s finalized, the judges choose one group from each school to present at the actual competition in front of judges. Mr. Best states “In the end, they pick one winner from each school and are given the opportunity to go to the car show and present to six or seven high ranking judges. For instance, one of the judges may be someone from Lexus. The judges have real experience in this field.” In this case, the three young ladies that participated in the final round, managed second place overall. They received $500 which was split between the three of them.

“As an award, each group receives $500 and the overall winner will receive $1000. For our school, these three young ladies, Sara Hill, Celia Walter, and Brook Ammerman participated in this challenge and were chosen out of the 35 other groups at HHIHS,” Mr. Best stated. These three girls represented HHIHS in the final round of the competition.

Brook Ammerman comments “It was nice to win."

Mr. Best continues “Every school can submit as many entries as they want. For this school year, our school submitted 35 entries. Each participant in this challenge has the opportunity to have a team, and the requirement is to have four people or less within each group. Although the participants are also

given the opportunity to do this challenge individually."

Celia Walter states “Putting it all together was hard because we all had different ideas and we had to put it all together afterwards.”

Sarah Hill continues “Despite some difficulties, the challenge was very fun.”

Congratulations this all the students who participated in the Michelin Design Challenge this year. The Seahawks also extend a big congratulations to Sarah, Brook, and Celia.

Spooky Season at the Nest

The HHIHS haunted house this year was held during the last two weekends in October from 7-10pm for students to stop by and get spooked for the Halloween season! The Nest went all out for Halloween this year. Students got to wear Halloween pajamas on Friday, October 28th and on the 31st students got to wear costumes of their choice. There were certain restrictions on what students could not wear: no excessive makeup, no fake weapons, and no inappropriate costumes. Some students and staff dressed up as: black cats, sea turtles, Batman, anime characters, pirates, a fortune teller, HufflePuff (Harry Potter), and a Joker to name a few. Many of the students enjoyed having the opportunity to show their school spirit for Halloween! Katie Olvera, a sophomore student, participated in the haunted house. This year's theme was “Fright School at the movies." She explained some of the things that went on and what was included in the house.

Katie said that "it took nearly 2-3 weeks to put the house all together. We raised about $5,000-$6,000 from both weekends so we did have a good amount of people come.” Since the mini Halloween spirit week was new this year, Katie said “Yeah, actually I thought it was kind of cool, the school I used to go to never did anything like this and I’ve never really heard of other schools have a Halloween spirit week, so I thought we would never do this.”

Seahawk Esports Starts Strong

By: Kimberly Valladares

Esports was introduced to HHIHS to offer more a diverse extra curricular activity. Ms. Collier, the esports coach, said “So there was a big interest going around the district for esports. May River was the first school that had a esports team put in place. I think that for long time there’s been an interest here for kids who want to play video games, want to play video games with people competitively, and through a lot of talking with the district we were able to make it happen on our campus this year.”

Esports brings excitement to the students when they play competitively. Ms. Collier said “I am really excited and I know the kids are excited too. As Seahawks it can be intimidating competing for the first time in front of an audience if they aren’t use to streaming online, but I am very excited, and so far they have done really well.” Ms. Collier is very excited for the esports team and their upcoming games and that her players are a very good team.

Ethan, one of the esports team members said “Well my first game I was nervous only because, you know it’s my first game and you know it’s my first time going against another school.”

Esports has competed in several tournaments so far including Mario Super Smash Bros, Mario Kart, Valorant, and Rocket League.

By: Karina Santiago

Things that made the haunted house different this year were “there were more people that participated, the theme was slightly different, and that there were a couple of changes to the layout.” Some adjustments that she would like to see for future Halloween events is having more time to build the haunted house, “So maybe just having more time in advance rather than a month. Also for the themes we should probably do something a little different in the future” she shared.

The type of actors who scared people were characters like“Jason, Annabelle, Leather face, La Llorona, and clowns. We had more but we had them as backups.” The HHIHS haunted house was a success and students look forward to more scary events and spirit days. This year's Halloween school spirit was definitely shown with the pajamas, costumes, and scares!

After the first Smash Bros tournament, Ethan said “Honestly I think we did good on the first game considering the fact it was our first game. I think everybody played really well.” Ethan had a lot of faith in his team for the fact it was their first game and everybody was really nervous.

So far, the Smash Bros Varsity team won 2-1 vs. May River, 2-0 vs. East Syracuse-Minoa Central High School (NY), and 2-1 vs. Commack High School (NY). The Smash Bros JV team won 2-0 vs. Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical School (MA). The Valorant varsity team won 2-0 against Dawson High School (TX). Varsity Rocket League won 3-0 against Charleston High School (IL).

Seahawks Esports is starting strong and is looking to compete in nationally ranked tournaments this spring.

Photo by: Ms. Spisz

Photo by: Rhiannon Curte

Student member of the Seahawk Stage Company dresses up for the HHIHS Haunted House to scare people.

Varsity Smash Bros team competing in a competition.

3D Art Takes A Walk in Their Shoes By: Karina Santiago

The 3D design art class made a project where students had to design a pair of shoes that described their personality. Ms. Harrington, the 3D design teacher, stated that she learned a lot because of this art project. Lots of crafting and timing took place in this art project, as well as creativity. Each shoe created by her students were displayed in the media center at HHIHS for other students and staff to come by and look at. Students and staff also got to vote for the best shoe design.

The concept of making these shoes come together was by thinking outside of the box. The main steps to doing this project was “Taping paper templates, making sure they work, and fit and then they transfer those paper templates to cardboard,” Ms. Harrington stated. The cardboard is hard, therefore it helps to keep the paper template sturdy, and students used hot glue guns to put these pieces together rather than regular glue.

She explained that the goal of the project was to show the cultural aspect of individuality, but also the art community.

The overall materials used for this project were “paper, tape, cardboard, hot glue, and acrylic paint.” She mentioned that some students used embroidery thread and used felt for laces and details on the shoe. It took a total of three weeks to finish the project.

What are the benefits of this project? Ms. Harrington said that it was more about individuality. She learned more about her students and how each single shoe portrays each of their personalities. “Art is about unity in the community to make students feel less alone and to see how they can relate. It is all about sharing.”

“I did learn from this because I had shoes I've never seen before, and I had to sit beside people and help, I learn everyday,” she said.

The art students at HHIHS continually work on creative projects that provide a different perspective about themselves and the world around them.

HHIHS Art Teacher Mrs. Schoellkopf-Lewis Wins Art Award By: Lia Piccioli

This year the Seahawks photography teacher, Mrs. Schoelkopf-Lewis, was awarded the South Carolina Art Education Association Secondary Educator of the Year Award. The process included submitting two recommendations, a picture, and a resume. This award recognizes one secondary visual art educator yearly. “It is really awesome to be recognized by the SC Art Education Association. Your goal as a visual artist is to model what this organization promotes,” stated Mrs. Schoelkopf-Lewis. SCAEA is a division of the National Art Education Association.

Mrs. Schoelkopf-Lewis’s achievements include but are not limited to: starting the HHIHS National Art Honor Society chapter in 2008, having four students win national silver medals in the Scholastica Art & Writing Awards, being invited to be an artist in resident at the University of Illinois, having two students artwork purchased by museums for their permanent collections, and she was featured as one of the National Art Education Association Featured Teacher Artists with her piece called “Boneyard At Sunrise.”

Ms. Schoelkopf-Lewis's students have won many national, regional, and local awards over the years. She continually inspires her students who have placed well at the SCAEA Youth Art Competition, Drexel photography competition and Scholastic Art Award competitions to name a few. HHIHS is lucky to have Mrs. Schoelkopf-Lewis on staff and she has definitely earned this award.

Decorating the Anchor in Front of HHIHS

By: Kimberly Valladares

Decorating the anchor in front of HHIHS is a long held tradition. The anchor changes themes and styles often. Ms. Dobbelaere, the art teacher who helps with the anchor, said “Yes, sometimes twice a month the anchor is decorated.” Students and staff often wonder who decorates the anchor because some of the designs are intricate. She said “It varies. Sometimes my class, sometimes clubs, and other times it is to support special school-wide initiatives or celebrations.”

The anchor in front of HHIHS. The anchor changes designs once or twice a month. Here the anchor is decorated to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.

How did this tradition begin ? Ms. Dobbelaere said “The idea came from a former assistant principal's discussion with Commander Pheiffer in 2017. They were having a conversation about how the anchor needed to be painted every so often to keep it looking good and that evolved into the possibility of decorating it. Commander Pheiffer approached me with an idea for the first anchor design, a candy cane.” The idea of decorating the anchor was a pretty nice thing that brings character to the front of the school. Students, staff, and the community should look for changes to the anchor designs to see what comes next !

Phoro by: Andrea Pejeau

• Chuck Swenson will be the featured speaker during the Athletic Club of the Lowcountry meeting Jan. 9 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 351 Buckwalter Parkway.

An informal reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by Swenson’s presentation at 7 p.m.

Swenson, former men’s collegiate basketball head coach at William & Mary, worked with teams at three Big Ten schools – Indiana, Michigan, and Penn State, along with stints at Duke and West Point. He was on Bob Knight’s coaching staff during the 1976 undefeated season at Indiana, when the team won the NCAA tournament.

Contact Judy Barry at golfmates202@ gmail.com if you plan to attend.

• The next monthly meeting of Liberal Men of the Lowcountry will begin at noon Jan. 11 at the Country Club of Hilton Head.

Guest speaker is Grant McClure from the Coastal Conservation League, who will talk about the protecting the natural resources of the South Carolina coastal plain.

Cost for the luncheon is $27. Non-members who are considering joining the organization are welcome to come, but they must email bew_50@hotmail.com in advance.

• Palmetto Quilt Guild will host an open meeting starting at 1 p.m. Jan. 19 at Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort, 40 Folly Field Road on Hilton Head Island. A social hour begins at noon. The meeting is open to anyone interested in the art of quilting.

Featured speaker is Sandy Fitzpatrick, who will demonstrate how to use machine stitching to create dimension with amped -up appliqué, decorative stitches, and thread painting. She is head of Hissyfitz Designs and is an appliqué quilt pattern designer. Her fusible appliqué patterns are full of whimsy.

Guests are welcome at a cost of $5 or become a member for $35 a year.

The next day, Jan. 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., a Fusible Appliqué with Decorative Stitching Workshop will be held at Palmetto Electric Community Room, 1 Cooperative Way, Hardeeville. Participants will learn Fitzpatrick’s techniques for fusible appliqué in the morning and focus on machine

stitching enhancements in the afternoon to create a wall-hanging.

This class is suitable for beginners as well as more experienced appliqué artists and machine quilters.

Non-member cost is $48, and member cost is $40. A kit fee of $12 is due day of class. There is still time to register but seats are are limited. For more information and to register, email palmettoquiltguild@gmail. com.

• World Affairs Council of Hilton Head will present Ambassador Lawrence (Larry) Butler, former deputy secretary of state and NSC director for Europe, who will speak on “The Balkans: The Next Battle Ground?” Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head Island.

Butler will address the many issues that affect the Balkans and their path to EU membership and peace. He devoted four decades as an American and international diplomat to deterrence, crisis management, conflict prevention, and promotion of human rights and democracy. He currently helps train U.S. Army units preparing to serve in Europe, the Middle East and Korea.

Guests are welcome for a $20 fee. For more information, call 843-384-6758 or visit wachh.org/event-4791306.

World Affairs Council of Hilton Head is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan organization that takes no political positions. Its mission is to educate, engage and inspire the community about world affairs.

• Lowcountry GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing) provides help, compassion, understanding and grief support for those who have lost a child, spouse, parent, sibling or a loved one to drug or alcohol abuse. The meetings are free, non-denominational, and open to anyone who has experienced this loss.

The next meetings will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Jan. 21 and Feb. 18 at the Bluffton Library, 120 Palmetto Way. There is no cost to attend but pre-registration is suggested prior to first meeting.

For more information or to pre-register, contact Steven at 843-384-0938 or swe-

Noteworthy

ber7151@gmail.com, or visit the GRASP website grasphelp.com.

• James River Greyhounds’ local representatives will be featuring retired race greyhound adoptions at local PetSmart stores on the following dates from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Hilton Head Island, first Saturday of the month; Bluffton, second Saturday of the month and Hardeeville, third Saturday of the month.

Anyone may come meet these sweet gentle dogs and learn about their transition to pets after their racing years end.

For more information, call Chris Schlentner at 847-321-1771 or Karen Shea at 804356-4102.

• The Bluffton Branch Library will host two special programs this month.

A free series of South Carolina Law Talks will begin Jan. 24, held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The first topic is “Starting a Business,” suitable for anyone starting a business, or business owners who have legal questions. Registration is required by calling 843-2556503.

On Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., author Suzanna Eibuszyc will discuss her book, “Memory is Our Home,” and travel back in time to Poland during WWI through WWII. She will talk about Soviet Russia, the Ukraine Famine, and of how members of her family survived Stalin’s Russia, Uzbekistan, and a forced labor camp. This is a two-part presentation, with a short break between Part 1 and Part 2.

Registration is not required. Doors open at 10:45 a.m.

The Bluffton Library is located at 120 Palmetto Way, in Bluffton Village. To learn more about these and other events visit beaufortcountylibrary.org/calendar.

• Volunteers have always been the lifeblood of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra (HHSO), and more people are being sought to help existing volunteers.

Opportunities include: Ushering for concerts at First Presbyterian Church, SoundWaves, or during the Hilton Head International Piano Competition; hosting an HHSO musician or HHIPC competitor in one’s home; coordinating HHSO musician hosts; helping out in the HHSO office at SoundWaves; and joining the HHSO League.

Anyone interested may call 843-842-2055 or email info@hhso.org.

• The quarterly Lowcountry Christian Women’s Connection luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at Hampton Hall Clubhouse, 170 Hampton Hall Blvd. in Bluffton.

The event will include a “Jazz It Up” feature, Speaker Tempe Brown, and a mini Jazz and Blues Concert.

Reservations must be prepaid with a $28 check payable to CWC Bluffton mailed to Carol Mock, 607 Argent Way, Bluffton SC 29910. For information contact Mock at 843-705-7604 or Julie Ott at 602-750-5465 or Julie.ott.az@gmail.com.

LYNNE COPE HUMMELL, EDITOR

Lowcountry resident for 38 years

A native South Carolinian, Lynne hails from the capital city of Columbia, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of South Carolina. She moved to Hilton Head Island in 1984 for a typography job, not even realizing there was a beach. The next year, she met Amos, the man who would become her husband and soul mate. They married in 1990 on one of the beaches they discovered. A frequent crosser of the bridges to Bluffton, Lynne worked at the local daily for nine years and has been with the Sun since 2009. While her job is editing, she also enjoys writing, and is confident there is a novel in her head somewhere.

ENJOYS: Waterfalls, good coffee, hanging out with the fam.

Set your taste buds for Restaurant Week

The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce will host its 15th annual Chamber Restaurant Week Jan. 28 through Feb. 4.

During that week, numerous Hilton Head Island and Bluffton restaurants will offer specially priced or prix-fixe menus, signature dishes, new entrées, and old favorites.

Last year, there were more than 41,600 visits to the restaurant week website.

Modeled after successful restaurant weeks in New York and other big cities, Restaurant Week offers residents and visitors a chance to enjoy meals at favorite eateries and try out a new restaurant.

“For the past 15 years, Chamber Restau-

rant Week has become a much-anticipated tradition on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton,” said Bill Miles, president and CEO of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. “Restaurants get to showcase their cuisine and special menus, while residents and visitors alike get to taste the variety of cuisine that the Lowcountry has to offer.”

Menus for participating restaurants can be found at ChamberRestaurantWeek.com and will be updated continuously up to the kick-off on Jan. 28. Those interested are encouraged to check the website frequently as restaurants and menus continue to be added.

Student Career Day set for Jan. 21

The Hilton Head MLK Committee for Social Justice is sponsoring a Career Day from noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 21 at Hilton Head Island High School, 70 Wilbon Road.

This event is open to all high school students in Beaufort and Jasper counties and their parents.

The goal of the event is to provide families with information about two- and four-year colleges, skilled trade programs with apprenticeships and internships, the educational benefits of a military career, and careers in public safety or utility companies.

Information about the Career Day will be made available to guidance counselors in the high schools prior to the event and students are encouraged to speak with a counselor if they seek assistance or have questions.

Representatives from participating colleges will have information on academic and/or skilled trade programs, information on entrance requirements and financial aid or scholarships offered.

The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, a local nonprofit organization, will also be onsite to discuss the more than 30 different financial aid opportunities available and managed by them.

Several key personnel will be at this event to discuss the financial advantages of joining the Armed Forces while obtaining a college degree or learning specialized skills that will continue to be beneficial as a veteran.

A virtual simulator, like those used in video games, will be onsite, providing a unique opportunity to demonstrate how gaming skills can translate into the lucrative technical skills that local businesses are recruiting.

Essential in every community, public safety and the utility companies’ representatives will be present highlighting careers ranging from administrative to out-in-the-field training. Internships and/or apprenticeships might be available.

Food trucks will be available for food purchase in the school parking lot during the event.

Business Briefs

• Chris Hervochon, CPA, CVA has been selected as one of the 2022 “40 Under 40” in the Accounting Profession by CPA Practice Advisor magazine.

This is the fourth consecutive year Hervochon has received this recognition. He is featured in the October digital edition of CPA Practice Advisor magazine. The award recognizes 40 professionals who are under the age of 40 and have emerged as future leaders in the profession.

Hervochon operates a virtual accounting practice that specializes in helping marketing and creative agencies achieve greater profitability and grow confidently.

cooking, painting and entertaining. Dollenberg Properties is managed by the collaborative team of Eric and Hillary Dollenberg. Lifelong residents of Hilton Head Island, the couple have sold millions of dollars of real estate on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. For more information, visit dollenbergproperties.com.

• Technical College of the Lowcountry’s marketing department has been honored with two National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) Medallion Awards.

TCL received a gold Medallion for its 2022 State of the College report and a bronze Medallion for its program flyers. The awards, chosen from nearly 300 entries, recognize excellence in design and communication at community and technical colleges at the district level.

TCL marketing staff members are Leigh Copeland, assistant vice president for marketing; Mark Rand, graphic artist; and Mindy Lucas, public relations specialist.

• Matt and Whitney Wortman have joined Dollenberg Properties of KW Luxury Hilton Head. The duo shares a passion for real estate, and both have extensive background in customer service.

Matt has been in the real estate business for a year, and previously owned a mechanical contracting company. He interned for a real estate office while growing up on Hilton Head Island.

Whitney recently earned her real estate license and is eager to get her real estate career started and learn from the Dollenberg Properties Team. Previously, she was a retail store manager where she enjoyed the customer service aspect.

Matt & Whitney have a sixth-grade student, Landon, at Hilton Head Prep and enjoy going to his sports events. Matt enjoys fishing, golf, and watching the Miami Dolphins. Whitney enjoys pickleball with a group of local moms,

The awards were presented at the NCMPR Medallion Awards Ceremony at the District 2 Fall Conference in St. Petersburg, Florida, in October. TCL is a member of NCMPR District 2, which includes 11 southeastern states – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia – as well as Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and The Bahamas.

The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) is the leading professional development association exclusively serving those working in communication at two-year community and technical colleges.

The Bluffton Sun welcomes news of new employees, promotions, awards and honors, as well as new businesses and relocations. Email info to editor@blufftonsun.com.

Matt Wortman

Whitney Wortman

Three doors open, while four legends shift to next chapters

By Tim Wood CONTRIBUTOR

Winter in the Lowcountry typically sees a lull in the new business calendar, but that was back in the days when brick and mortar ruled the roost. We have plenty to discuss, both new businesses and some fond farewells.

Welcome, welcome!

Parker’s Kitchen, 5 Oliver Court, Bluffton, 843-901-2280, parkerskitchen.com: You’ve been seeing it sprout up on Bluffton Parkway for most of 2022. It seemed done for the past couple of months. But yes, the new Parker’s is open. So now you have gas options on both sides of that stretch of the parkway. This Parker’s is a bit different than others, though. There are fewer pumps than most of the recent additions around town. On the plus side, the kitchen offerings are a

bit more extensive. I’ve tried the catfish and it more than makes up for Cracker Barrel taking catfish off their menu (Jim ’N’ Nick’s

still the chain fave, Chef B’s and Da Shack the local gems).

Two new gift shops at Tanger

December was a busy month for Jenny Alberson and the crew over at Tanger Outlets Hilton Head, as they welcomed two new themed gift shops. At Tanger 1, Bay Breeze opened in mid-December next to Adidas. The store is all about both beach and ocean-themed apparel and Hilton Head and Bluffton branded tees and sweatshirts. Down the road, Mermaid of Hilton Head has opened next to Zales. What began as an ocean conservation boat tour idea has grown into children’s books and a new retail location for Mermaid Nina, husband Captain Rick, and their ocean-roaming crew. Check out the new store for everything you need to live the mermaid life, including your very own swimmable mermaid tails.

One bit of bummer news out of Tanger:

Please see UPDATE on page 36A

Leading Eye Doctors in Three Lowcountry Locations.

If you’re looking for exceptional and compassionate eye care, you don’t have to look far. Bishop Eye Center now has seven physicians in three Lowcountry locations to welcome you with an exceptional eye care environment and premier patient experience right where you live.

When it comes to caring for your vision, you deserve the very best.

The new Mermaid of Hilton Head retail location in Tanger 2.

UPDATE from page 35A

The eatery and self-pour concept that is Tapville Social will not be coming to the back parking lot side of Tanger 2. We were excited to see what this was all about, as it’s been teased for months. But alas, it was not meant to be. Tanger officials say a new business is taking over the space in the coming months.

Thank you for your service

We have some farewells to share and some tips of the cap to three amazing businesses that have brought decades of smiles to the bellies of Lowcountry foodies.

Hydrafacial Is For Everyone

“At Pinnacle, we want our patients to feel like they are part of our family and we strive to treat them that way from the first time they visit. We pride ourselves on the customer experience. It is important to always keep up with the latest advances, but our practice uniquely separates the gimmicks from the options that produce results. It is our philosophy to listen first to our patients’ goals and then help guide them to the treatments and procedures that will help us all work toward that shared goal. Your inner and outer you should be in harmony.”

The grand dame of them all, Signe Gardo, decided to hang up her apron after 50 years of baking and cooking on the island’s south end. Gardo cooked her last batch of Christmas meal packages for more than 50 families and closed the doors of Signe’s Heaven Bound Bakery and Café at 93 Arrow Road on Christmas Eve.

Signe’s is believed to be the longest-running restaurant with a single owner on Hilton Head. The adventure began at Signe’s World deli in a lighthouse keeper’s cottage at Harbour Town in August 1972. She moved to Arrow Road in 1984 and proved the roadway could be more than just a cutthrough road, that it could support thriving businesses.

Signe’s has been a favorite of both the golf and tennis pros that have played and stayed on the island. Gardo, now 81, has been easing toward retirement since breaking her leg two years ago, but her most diehard fans never believed this day would come. Gardo plans to share her half-century of kitchen adventures in an upcoming cookbook she is working on with her daughter.

She is one of the kindest and most humble souls you’ll find. Our waistlines may be thinner without her, but the end of an era leaves a gaping hole in the heart of the Lowcountry business community.

The happy news here is the space will continue to host incredible eats. Sprout Momma Breads is taking over the space after a bit of renovating. Kim Tavino and Ryan Fennessey have been a fave of the market circuit with their fresh take on old world bread-making – and now they will have a central location to share their breads and sandwiches. Plans are to open in

February.

We’ve talked about Lisa “Bernie” Bernstein and how her combination of big heart and mouth-watering baked goods has wowed foodies. Well, Bernie will be closing up her Palmetto Bay Road location on Dec. 31 after a rent hike forced her to rethink her operation. Not to fret though: After a three-week break, Bernstein will be doing advance-order baking after working out a deal with a local restaurant to use their kitchen. Watch The Purple Cow Facebook page for updates.

Off island, we’re saying goodbye to the brick-and-mortar Riverwalk location for The Lunch Lady. Mindi and Brandon Meyaard have been comfort food favorites for 15 years, so much so that the business has expanded to a thriving catering and food truck business. The couple have been easing away from dine-in for a bit (COVID and a lack of staff expedited that evolution), and simply put, one of the balls in the air had to go.

Mindi shared on The Lunch Lady Facebook that the family has lost eight family members over the past 30 months, which has caused the couple to reassess priorities. They will continue the catering and the food truck, but their last day at Riverwalk will be Jan. 5.

Finally, Marleigh and Mike Hammer will be closing the doors at their Berkeley Place location for Sunset Slush Hilton Head. Ongoing maintenance issues at the plaza combined with shifting priorities have forced the Hammers to downsize and focus their entrepreneurial efforts on their housecleaning business, HammerTime Cleaning. Marleigh will also be competing in the Miss Plus America state pageant in Columbia in the spring.

This is a quartet of four of the hardest-working and kind-hearted families around, the kind of guts, spirit and talent that make the Lowcountry the special place we know and love.

Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. timwood@blufftonsun.com.

Beaufort Memorial partners with Telescope Health

Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH) has entered into a three-year agreement with Telescope Health, an innovator in offering value-based health care solutions, to provide telemedicine services to patients throughout the Lowcountry.

The partnership marks the latest expansion for Telescope Health and represents their initial footprint in South Carolina.

“We’re committed to improving the quality of life in the Lowcountry and that includes providing easy to access care when and where it is needed,” said Russell Baxley, Beaufort Memorial president and CEO. “As we continue to innovate and improve services for the community, this new partnership with Telescope Health will help us ensure that our patients’ needs are met.”

Patients seeking urgent care through the 24/7 BMH Care Anywhere platform via the app, the BMHCareAnywhere.org website, or kiosks at select Publix locations in the Low-

country will now be cared for by one of the board-certified physicians on the Telescope Health team.

The BMH Care Anywhere platform, launched in 2018 as the area’s first consumer telehealth service, will now be enhanced with the addition of Telescope Health staff offering real-time advice for acute symptoms, connecting patients with Beaufort Memorial providers for any necessary follow-up care, and providing prescriptions when appropriate.

“We’re passionate about addressing access to care concerns and our services will integrate seamlessly into Beaufort Memorial’s established tradition of doing just that,” said Telescope Health co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Matthew Thompson. “We’re truly honored to support patients in this region by offering them flexible consultation options during their healthcare journey.”

SAFETY

Home addressing for 911 response

By Cinda Seamon CONTRIBUTOR

One of the most critical elements for emergency services responding to a call is being able to identify the address of a residence.

Imagine what could happen when you or a loved one is having an emergency, but fire rescue or law enforcement are not able to find your home because the address (house number) is not posted or is not easily visible.

In addition to Fire Rescue being able to identify a residence, it is also a requirement by the International Residential Code and International Fire Code. This code has been adopted by the Town of Hilton Head Island. Here are guidelines for home addressing:

• Numbers should be a minimum of 4 inches high with a minimum stroke width of 0.5 inch and shall contrast with the background.

• Place numbers beside or above the main entrance door, clearly visible from the street.

• If the structure is more than 50 feet from the road, the number must also be posted near the walkway, driveway, gatepost, fence or common entrance, so as to be seen clearly from the roadway.

Remember, when there is an emergency and seconds count, it makes a difference if your address is posted properly. Take the time to make sure your address is visible and legible – this could save a life!

Cinda Seamon is the fire and life safety educator for Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue.

Laser light therapy ideal tool to stop pain, accelerate healing

By Matthew Mastrorocco CONTRIBUTOR

Since I began using laser light therapy in 2009, it has truly been one of my practice’s greatest treatment tools. Laser therapy helps technologically advanced practices achieve greater results for our patients with dramatically less discomfort and much shorter recovery time.

Matthew Mastrorocco

A dental laser is a focused beam of light emitted from a handheld instrument connected to a standalone machine generating its energy. In dentistry, lasers can be used on both hard (teeth, bone) and soft tissue, depending on the laser type and its

capabilities. Soft tissue laser therapy is the most common in dentistry.

First introduced in dentistry in the 1990s, a dental laser is not a replacement, but rather a supplement to a dental practice’s traditional instruments. Unlike traditional metal instruments, a laser is non-invasive, reduces infection rates by evaporating bacteria, and decreases post-operative pain by sealing nerve endings. When used by trained dental professionals, it is extremely safe and effective.

Dentists use laser therapy to remove gum tissue during procedures that typically require a scalpel. Lasers provide dentists with greater precision and accuracy, allowing for higher preservation of healthy tissue.

Dentists can also use it to remove a tongue tie, recontour gums to eliminate a speech impediment, prepare the gum

tissue prior to a root canal, and alter the tissue around dental implants to achieve a more natural appearance.

The laser works very quickly and even rehydrates tissue to maintain its health. It desensitizes nerves so there is little to no bleeding, pain or discomfort. It can also eliminate cold sores and ulcers, drain abscesses, and assist in removing tissue for biopsy.

Dental hygienists use laser therapy primarily for non-surgical periodontal treatment, which is for patients who require deeper cleaning treatments, rather than traditional hygiene cleaning.

With these patients, the laser decontaminates pockets around teeth that harbor bacteria and can cause gingivitis and lead to gum disease.

Patients love laser therapy because the procedure is much shorter, healing is fast, and there is little to no discomfort.

The laser may also be a good choice for a patient who is years overdue for a professional hygiene cleaning and can benefit from a deep cleaning before resuming regularly scheduled appointments.

Laser treatments are performed in the dental chair and, for most patients, a local anesthetic is used prior to the procedure’s start. The laser is quiet; there is only a small humming sound coming from the machine, and only light pressure is felt on the gums.

You can see why we and our patients absolutely love our dental laser. Its precision and efficiency provides greater comfort with faster recovery and results that exceed those achieved using traditional metal instruments.

Matthew Mastrorocco, DMD is the owner and founder of ROC Dental Group, serving Bluffton and Hilton Head Island.

ISLAND

Beaufort Memorial earns top award for superior quality, safety

Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH) was named a 2022 Top General Hospital nationally by The Leapfrog Group, a watchdog organization that is widely acknowledged as the toughest standard-setters for health care safety and quality.

Granted to a select group of hospitals who have earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade, only 5% of the nation’s hospitals were recognized in the “Top” category this year.

BMH is among only three general hospitals in South Carolina to earn the distinction.

“We are honored to recognize Beaufort Memorial as a Top Hospital this year,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “They have demonstrated that they truly put patients first. We congratulate the board, staff and clinicians whose efforts made this honor possible.”

The quality of patient care across many areas of hospital performance is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, practices for safer surgery, maternity care, and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication errors.

“The Birthing Center team’s consistent focus on providing the best care to each and every mother and newborn is in part why Beaufort Memorial is being recognized,” said BMH Chief of Obstetrics Dr. Gregory A. Miller, a board-certified OBGYN who delivers hundreds of babies at the hospital each year. “We’re minimizing the need for cesarean deliveries and all the risks they pose to mother and child. Potential health concerns for new mothers are actively addressed. And, we have an experienced and highly skilled team of nurses and pediatricians in the level 2 nursery, caring for babies and ensuring they are screened and treated for conditions before they result in harm.”

Orthopedic care was also among the top patient care areas for which Beaufort Memorial received recognition.

“When compared to the rest of the nation, our team has a level of proficiency with all the aspects of patient care that are essential to a successful surgery,” said Dr. Edward Blocker, a Beaufort Memorial board-certified orthopedic surgeon and chief of orthopedics. “What that means for my joint replacement patients is better outcomes and a shorter length of stay. It also means we see fewer complications and readmissions after surgery.”

For the past 10 years, the Leapfrog Group has assigned letter grades to hospitals throughout the United States, based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring. The most recent results can be found at HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

“To be recognized among the nation’s top 5% of hospitals for high quality and safe care is an honor and our entire staff deserves the thanks and congratulations,” said Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell Baxley. “This type of recognition can only be achieved with a hospital-wide commitment to safety, involving everyone from our housekeeping and food services staffs to the nurses, doctors and technicians on our medical team. Their hard work and vigilance to keep patients, visitors and each other safe is central to the values we hold as an institution.”

Why do we age, and what are the latest treatments? WELLNESS

By E. Ronald Finger CONTRIBUTOR

Many have heard of free radicals. These are basically loose electrons as a result of oxidation (the process of burning oxygen).

Every living person and animal burns oxygen to create cellular heat, which is converted to energy for everything from thinking to muscle movement.

But, oxidation has a downside and that is the formation of free radicals. When a banana or an apple turns brown, or when seafood smells fishy, or metal corrodes, that is oxidation. So, when we age, our bodies are rusting! How can we diminish this process?

The obvious answer is to reduce free radicals (excess sun exposure, smoking, etc.) and eat more antioxidants. The ultimate way would be to consume plant-

based food, especially with a variety of colors, which is where antioxidants come from.

The question then may be, “But where would we get our protein?” Protein comes from plants. Horses, elephants and giraffes eat only plants.

How can we treat the results of oxidation, e.g., aging, wrinkles, sagging skin, brown spots, etc.?

The recent higher technology is voluminous. The latest lasers can treat unwanted hair with zero discomfort. Brown spots, large pores, abnormal pigmentation, spider veins, lower eyelid bags, sagging skin and more can also be treated with much less discomfort and recovery time. This includes the wrinkles around the mouth, which everyone despises.

Fillers have been used for years for re-volumizing lost volume mostly in the face, such as the cheeks, under the lower

eyelids, and even cellulite on the legs and buttocks.

Now there is a product that stimulates the production of a patient’s own fat to replace lost fat that occurs with aging. It is felt that this fat will last five years or more, and it can be used virtually anywhere, such as acne scars, the face, hands, cellulite, and most other areas.

New technology enables the treatment of sun-damaged skin of the arms or neck with advanced radiofrequency microneedling, such as the versatile Virtue RF.

Both Smooth and Lifting PDO threads can be used to increase production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, which rejuvenates the skin while also lifting sagging skin. It might be necessary to combine treatments with fillers (Restylane, Juvederm, etc.) or the previously mentioned fat-increasing product for the maximum result to the face and body.

For fat reduction, liposuction is still the most effective, and there is nothing like removing fat once and for all. This usually can be done under local anesthesia. Often it requires skin tightening also, which can be done with radiofrequency, such as the Renuvion, performed at the same time.

Often combination therapy is used for the best results. Repeat treatments are needed as we continue along the anti-aging road, as well as the mentioned healthful diets and avoidance of environmental hazards.

These anti-aging technologies work every time, but, if we are lucky, we will continue aging chronologically.

E. Ronald Finger, MD, FACS is a board certified plastic surgeon with offices in Savannah and Bluffton. fingerandassociates.com

Jan. 6

Beginner Shag Lessons, four-week series, offered by the Hilton Head Island Carolina Shag Club, resume Jan. 6 at Heinrichs Hall, inside Christ Lutheran Church, 829 William Hilton Parkway on Hilton Head. Lessons 5:30 p.m., with check-in at 5:15 p.m. Visit hiltonheadshagclub, facebook.com/HHICSC, or call Bruce Zimmermann at 843-363-6008

Jan. 7

Kirsten Maxwell, 7 p.m. at Music on Malphrus, 110 Malphrus Road, Bluffton. General admission $25 at door, open at 6:15 p.m. Located at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry. 843-837-3330, uulowcountry.org or MusicOnMalphrus@gmail.com

Jan. 8, 9

Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra concert, “Rachmaninoff and Sibelius,” John Morris Russell, conductor; Jaeden-Izik Dzurko, piano. 4 p.m. Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9, at First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Pkwy., Hilton Head Island. Pre-concert discussion one hour prior to concerts. Tickets $25-$70 at hhso.org.

Jan. 18 “A Musical Feast,” benefit for Hilton Head International Piano Competition and Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, 6 p.m. Sonesta Resort Ballroom, 130 Shipyard Drive. Performance by 2008 HHIPC winner Ran Dank, with members of HHSO, and tenor Bernard Holcomb. Tickets $150 at hhso.org. Call Eileen Durkin at 570-460-2878 by Jan. 6 for reservations of tables of 8 and other seating requests.

Jan. 19-21, 26-29

“The Lifespan of a Fact,” Lean Ensemble Theatre, a humorous battle of facts vs. fiction, at Main

Arts Calendar

Street Theatre, 3000 Main St., Hilton Head Island. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19-21 and 26-28, 2 p.m. Jan. 22 and 29. Talk backs after Friday and Sunday performances. Tickets $45, discounts available. leanensemble.org or 843-715-6676

Jan. 22, 23

Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra concert, “Mendelssohn’s Elijah,” John Morris Russell, conductor; featuring vocalists Michael Preacely, Victoria Okafor, Krysty Swann and Bernard Holcomb, with HHSO Chorus and Georgia Southern University’s Southern Chorale. 4 p.m. Jan. 22, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23, at First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Pkwy., Hilton Head Island. Pre-concert discussion one hour prior to concerts. Tickets $25-$70 at hhso.org.

Jan. 28

Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra Youth Concerto Competition, featuring young musicians from

throughout the southeastern U.S. 1 p.m. at SoundWaves, 7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head Island. Tickets $20 general admission.

Through Jan. 28

“Anything Goes!” at Art League Hilton Head. Annual Member Show, celebrating the many art forms represented by members, in any media, size, shape, form or subject. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. Jan. 11; attendees invited to vote for favorite art pieces. Awards to 1st, 2nd, 3rd places. Gallery hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday, and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance.

Jan. 29

Pre-Valentine’s Day Party and Tribute to Adele and Amy Winehouse, at Kind of Blue, 19 Dunnagan’s Alley,

Hilton Head Island. Featuring Alyce Marie and the Charleston band Me + Mr. Jones. Shows at 5 and 8 p.m. Music charge $20.

Through Jan. 29

Conceptual Photography by Kendra Natter, featured exhibit at Society of Bluffton Artists gallery, 8 Church St., Bluffton. Opening reception 3-5 p.m. Jan. 8 at the gallery, free and open to the public. sobagallery.com or 843-757-6586

Through Feb. 12, 2023

“Avant Gardener: a Creative Exploration of Imperiled Species,” exhibition by artist Lisa D. Watson, at Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. Gallery hours 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.

Feb. 17-19, 24-26

“The Odd Couple,” by Main Stage Community Theatre at Coligny Theater, Coligny Plaza, Hilton Head Island. Directed by Ron Ruckle, featuring Kyle Price as Oscar, Mark Erickson as Felix. MainStageCommunityTheatre.org

Through Feb. 28

SOBA Call for Artists, for 29th annual Judged Show, March 6-April 2, 2023. Form available at the gallery, 6 Church St. in Old Town Bluffton, or online at sobagallery.com/product/register-for-judged-show. For complete rules, guidelines and more information, visit soba.com or call 843-757-6586.

Annual member show with over 150 of the best new works from our exhibiting members on display and for sale

January 3-28, 2023 Mon-Sat

10am-4pm Sun • 12-4pm and 90 minutes before all Arts Center performances

Opening Reception

Wed, January 11 • 5-7pm

Awards and door prizes announced at 6pm

Free and open to the public

USCB professor releases new book

Dr. Erin McCoy, Associate Professor of English and Interdisciplinary Studies at USCB, has released a new book titled “A War Tour of Viet Nam.”

Based on extensive research and interviews, her book examines the cultural history of the Vietnam War and its lasting impact on the regions where it was fought. She examines popular songs as vehicles for expressing ideas about race, patriotism, protest and other defining concepts of the Vietnam War era.

Part history, part travelogue, this new work reveals that – 50 years after it ended – the war’s legacy is very much alive in the places where it was fought and in the memories of those who survived it.

As part of her research for A War Tour of Viet Nam, USCB’s Erin McCoy toured the Ha Long Bay area near the Gulf of Tonkin, where the war began and where the Japanese-turned-Vietnamese Hospital Cave Viet Nam War site is located.

The 206-page book includes photographs taken by McCoy during her research trips,

and touches on North and South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Australia, and the United States.

The book is available on mcfarlandbooks. com, Amazon.com, and barnesandnoble. com.

For more information, contact McCoy at emccoy@uscb.edu or 843-208-8365.

Dr. Erin McCoy with her new book, “A War Tour of Viet Nam.”

Savannah Music Festival delights fans of every musical taste

Celebrated for distinctive live performances spanning American and international roots music, jazz, classical, jam, rock, and blues genres, the Savannah Music Festival is revving up its 2023 season, which runs from March 23 through April 8.

Tickets start at $31 and can be purchased online at savannahmusicfestival.org, by phone at 912-525-5050 or in person at the Savannah Box Office, 216 E. Broughton St.

“Our 34th season expands upon what our organization has always championed, creating a compelling musical experience of global scope within Savannah’s Historic District,” said Artistic Director Ryan McMaken. “We welcome audiences and artists into our creative community to enjoy stellar performances in intimate, historic indoor venues as well as expansive outdoor spaces.”

SMF 2023 features a series of outdoor performances at Trustees’ Garden, including two nights showcasing living legend and blues pioneer Buddy Guy on his “Damn Right Farewell” tour with special guests Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Eric

Gales, King Solomon Hicks and Jontavious Willis. The Tedeschi Trucks Band returns after a four-year hiatus, and New Orleans jam favorites Galactic teams up with funk maestro Cory Wong and the jazz, R&B and pop fusion of Nate Smith + KINFOLK for a special performance.

Classical highlights include the Philip Dukes & Friends chamber music series, led by the world-renowned viola player and SMF Associate Artistic Director Dukes. A concert by the Zurich Chamber Orchestra,

also with Dukes and former SMF Artistic Director Daniel Hope, represents a symbolic passing of the baton from Hope to Dukes. The festival will offer a number of onetime-only programs and special double bills. Melding world music with Americana, Malian master of the ngoni (precursor to the banjo) Bassekou Kouyate shares a bill with Jake Blount, scholar/performer of the Black string band tradition, appearing with Nic Gareiss and Laurel Premo. Master old-time and bluegrass practitioners Bruce Molsky,

Tony Trischka and Michael Daves share the stage with The Onlies, which finds the mentors alongside a young, award-winning string band.

Acclaimed jazz violinist Regina Carter offers “Gone in a Phrase of Air,” an original music and multimedia performance that explores the effects of the urban renewal of the 1950s and 1960s.

Always exceeding expectations for festival goers who are eager to discover new favorites, 2023 debut artists include Terence Blanchard, Patty Griffin, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Leo Kottke, Regina Carter, Sona Jobarteh, Natu Camara, Stanton Moore Trio, Los Lobos, and more.

Additional highlights include a Zydeco Dance Party featuring Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys, a Latin Dance Party with Eddie Palmieri’s Latin Jazz Band, as well as a Cajun Dance Party featuring The Lost Bayou Ramblers.

For more information, visit savannahmusicfestival.org.

Natu Camara makes her debut at Savannah Music Festival this year.

Looking back at last year, looking forward to the New Year

By Scott Wierman CONTRIBUTOR

The New Year is the one time when you simultaneously look back on the year that just passed, while looking forward to the year ahead. We would like to take this time to share some of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s 2022 accomplishments and highlight the exciting things already planned for 2023.

The Foundation embraced the theme “All Together Now” in 2022, which focused on our four-county service area of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper. With that theme in mind, the Foundation released the 2022 Community Indicators Report in October (available on our website at cf-lowcountry.org).

We are incredibly proud of the publication, which provides local data on topics like Health, Housing, Employment & Business,

Education, Transportation, Poverty, and the Environment. We recently partnered with Lowcountry Council of Governments to make the Community Indicators Report an online living document that is regularly updated with new data (summer 2023).

The “All Together Now” theme carries through to our 2022 Annual Report, which will be published in early 2023. We as a community can no longer think of the four-county region as simply a series of individual, disconnected zip codes. Residents from all four counties play an important part in the vitality of our region. The report looks at the exciting ways in which we partner with impassioned individuals who have identified a need in the Lowcountry and have taken steps with the Foundation to tackle it, including the nursing shortage, transportation issues, and educational challenges.

We kick off 2023 with excitement building

for our Annual Community Meeting, a free event taking place March 29, 2023, at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. The program will highlight the recent work of the Foundation and focus on the committed partnerships we have developed over the years with local nonprofits and individual

donors.

WSAV-TV Lowcountry reporter Andrew Davis will MC and we are extremely honored to have Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, as the keynote speaker.

The Foundation will present the inaugural Joan and Wade Webster Community Impact Award at the event, which recognizes an individual who has dedicated his or her time to improve the quality of life in the region.

The Foundation is incredibly fortunate to partner with so many charitable individuals and nonprofits. If you are interested in starting your philanthropic journey in 2023, please contact the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry at 843-681-9100 or visit cf-lowcountry.org to learn more about your giving options.

Scott Wierman is the president and CEO of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.

Reflect the Creator to find, engage and create beauty

By Bill McCutchen CONTRIBUTOR

Winter has arrived in the Lowcountry. The marshes have lost the luster of spring and summer green. The water has moved on from the deep blue and green hues to the dark and foreboding grey.

Beauty seems to have gone into hibernation as it awaits the warmth of spring to awaken from its cold and dreary sleep. But has it?

Is there still beauty to be seen and experienced and created, even in the midst of winter?

As Christians, we believe that all humanity, all women and all men, are created in the image of God. Bearing the image of our Creator implies certain traits and characteristics and desires. We have a desire to be known and loved as God has the desire to be known and loved.

We also bear the trait of our Creator to create – to create beauty and speak into the void and chaos of the world around us and call out the beauty that is yet to be seen and experienced. In this way we reflect our creator who hovered over the deep and called forth the beauty of creation.

We view the world around us differently because we see in nature the artistry of a creative God. We hang our kindergartener’s scribble on the refrigerator because we see the creative desire in the crayon marks on the page. We hold our lover’s hand and experience the beauty of being known and knowing another. There is beauty to be found and beauty to be created.

Psychiatrist and author Curt Thompson suggests that we do three things to develop the right hemisphere of our brains where we experience beauty. He suggests that we first make a habitual practice of engaging in some creative action at least two or three

times a week. Draw a picture with your child; pull weeds from your garden; begin to read a book; take a walk and take photos of the world around you.

Second, practice putting yourself “in the path of oncoming beauty.” Make time to engage in art, be that music, poetry, sculpture or painting. Spend 20-30 minutes just being with what you are viewing or listening to or reading.

Another way to put yourself in oncoming beauty’s path is to begin your day by stepping into nature rather than turning on a device. Experience the creation around you. Take a walk and remember what J.R.R. Tolkien said: “Not all those who wander are lost.”

Third, simply plan to connect with others with regular frequency with the intention of sharing with them what creative acts you engaged in or how beauty revealed itself unexpectedly. We are relational by nature

and need to share our hearts and minds with others.

Thompson also writes, “God sees us not as problems to be solved or broken objects to be repaired but beauty on the way to being formed. Sin, then, is what keeps us in a posture of resisting God’s desire for creating beauty in, with, and through us. His desire is for us to join him in creating and adding to the beauty we are becoming, which transforms the world around us into much the same.”

So, as you make your New Year’s resolutions, be sure to resolve to join with your Creator in seeing, experiencing, and creating beauty in your life and in the lives of those around you.

Rev. Bill McCutchen is lead pastor of Hilton Head Presbyterian Church. bill. mccutchen@hiltonheadpca.com or hiltonheadpca.com

To improve, you must first accept that golf is a difficult game

By Tom Dorsel CONTRIBUTOR

For some reason, non-golfers often get the crazy impression that golf is easy. Even some seasoned golfers seem to think similarly, as evidenced by their getting so mad when golf gets tough. They think, “This game is so easy, why do I keep messing it up? There is no rhyme nor reason for this!”

Well, the rhyme and the reason are that they have not accepted that golf is a difficult game, thereby setting themselves up for a number of problems:

1. Getting easily frustrated and angry when they fail: “How can I play this lousy,

when the game is so easy?”

2. Blaming the clubs, the course and bad luck, rather than their lack of skill: “I know I am good at golf, and the game is so easy, it has to be the wrong clubs, poor course conditions, or bad luck that are holding me back.”

3. Fudging on their handicaps, turning in only low scores in order to look better than they are, at least on paper. They are pretending to be capable when they really aren’t there yet. “I don’t want anyone to know how bad I am at this easy game.”

4. Most importantly, if golf is easy and mainly a matter of luck, then why practice? “Hey, I shouldn’t have to practice, because golf is easy. And, besides, it will do no good to practice, because the whole game is just a matter of luck.”

The benefit of recognizing and accepting the difficulty of golf is that, going forward, you can relax and welcome the

challenge, rather than getting all upset and creating tension in your swing and confusion in your head.

You can now start learning from your mistakes and practicing what needs to be practiced. You can also not be afraid to keep an honest handicap that reflects your current honest level of play. A true handicap will help you relax in team com-

petitions and allow you to make an actual contribution to your team’s success.

The happiest outcome of all is that gradual improvement will occur, rather than your game going nowhere as you continue with your anger, frustration, blaming and pretending.

An old friend, with whom I had played golf for years, once told me, “You know, the most important thing I have learned from playing with you is that golf is a difficult game.”

Sadly, I have to assume that he merely witnessed how difficult the game was for ME! As for him, he had always known golf’s difficulty cognitively, but had not ever accepted it emotionally, nor let it change his behavior for the better.

Dr. Tom Dorsel of Hilton Head Island is a sport psychologist and author of “Golf: The Mental Game.” Dorsel.com

Tom Dorsel

Getting ‘fit’ for golf clubs: Is it better indoors or outside?

By Jean Harris CONTRIBUTOR

I hear all the time from students that they “aren’t good enough” to get a club fitting. That is not true.

Even a beginner and high handicapper delivers the golf club a consistent speed and path. Having the correct shafts and head designs will help them improve.

The advanced golfer will definitely improve with the correct golf clubs.

Indoor and outdoor club fittings should yield the same results but the experiences and cost are different. There are pros and cons of both experiences.

Indoor environment: Allen O’Berry, manager of the Bluffton Club Champion, spent more than two hours fitting me with numerous combinations. A full bag fitting lasts about 3 1/2 hours.

O’Berry said, “Our clubs are guaranteed and you can bring them back until the results are what you want.”

Pros:

• Controlled temperature and no wind

• You can use the ball you play instead of range balls. You can also use RCT Titleist

balls that have metal in the ball, which helps give accurate numbers on the monitor.

• You see how the ball travels when it leaves your clubface, which gives you a better understanding of how the clubhead works for you.

• Club Champion has 50,000 hit-able clubheads and shafts from more than 60 golf manufacturers. I tried clubs from Titleist, Taylor Made, Callaway, Cobra, Ping and more. You can get a full bag fitting, driver fitting, iron fitting, fairway/hybrid fitting, wedge fitting, or putter fitting. Sessions can be divided in half.

• They will build the right shaft, clubhead and grips for your game. The right shaft is critical to determining the best ball speed and club speed.

• Use top of the line analysis: Trackman Pro, SAM putt lab, SST Pure shaft alignment

Please see GOLF on page 48A

Outside at Pinecrest Golf Club, Dr. Jean Harris got fitted for clubs by David La Pour, a certified club fitter and golf pro.

Gifts of Joy

More than 200 members of the Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island gathered at Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort Dec. 8 for a holiday luncheon and collection of gifts for the community. Under the direction of Michele Foote and Linda Heise, WAHHI adopted more than 80 families from The Children’s Center. Members provided more than 425 gifts. In addition, WAHHI donated 12 bicycles; 22 balls; crayons and glue sticks to the center. Founded in 1961, the Women’s Association is a group of more than 1,000 women who are active in civic, cultural and philanthropic activities in the Bluffton and the Hilton Head community. For more information, contact Linda Jackson at membership@wahhi.org.

GOLF from page 47A

Cons:

• Hitting off a mat can be more forgiving. Firm mats will cause the ball to launch lower and spin higher. Soft mats give you higher launch with less spin.

• Some golfers prefer to see the actual flight of the ball instead of on a monitor.

• It is more expensive to have the indoor fitting and getting clubs built for your game takes time and more expense.

Outside fitting: I spent two hours with David La Pour, certified club fitter, PGA professional, at Pinecrest Golf Club, hitting clubs from Callaway Golf. I started out hitting my own clubs and getting my numbers on the launch monitor.

La Pour, being an excellent golf professional, would tell me some of my swing errors during the lesson. I highly recommend getting fitted by a golf professional who can cover cause and effect during the fitting. La Pour said, “Coaching and club fitting at the same time gets you the best results.”

Pros:

• The grass offers more resistance to the club at impact due to club/turf interaction.

Wedge fittings outdoors is the way to go to help determine the bounce of your sand wedge. You need to hit out of the sand to get the feeling of a sand shot.

• Hitting off the grass allows the fitter to see divot and turf interactions. You have the opportunity to see the ball flight and feel the contact.

• You can take the fitted club out on the course for a few holes to see how it responds to different conditions.

Cons:

• Hitting range balls can affect the ball flight and distance

• The weather, hot or cold, and wind can affect the distance.

• You are only being fitted for one golf company.

Bottom line: Do yourself a favor and get fitted for clubs in 2023. Your game will improve.

Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local golf courses. jean. golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; golfdoctorjean. com

Lowcountry Art By Amos Hummell

COURTESY WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF HHI

Favorite memories of the past help some accept the future

By Collins Doughtie CONTRIBUTOR

Is it really 2023?

Just so you know, I am one of those folks that has a hard time giving up the past. A perfect example of this happened in early 2022. My bank would call me weekly until around April saying I had put “2021” on checks I had written and could I stop by and correct them.

Even my grade school report cards, which my parents so graciously held on to, include teacher comments like “Collins is likable but he has a hard time accepting what day it is. He is not exactly ‘slow’ but he’s also not very fast either.”

This past year is pretty much a blur. Talk about time flying by! For me, 2022 was like one of those cars going for a land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

I think a lot of it had to do with the weather. If I remember correctly, it never really got cold and, for a fisherman like myself, it kept me guessing as to when this fish or that fish would show up. In hindsight, every one of them came early.

Starting with shad, which usually show up in late February, they must have migrated up the rivers in early February because I simply missed them.

Then there was the wahoo run, probably my all-time favorite fish to catch. They started chewing in early February and by March and April the bite is insane. There were more

big wahoo caught around here this past year than at any other time in my life.

Always a show when they chase down a trolled bait, without a doubt the best visual wahoo bite happened six years ago on-board Don McCarthy’s boat the Manatee Mac. It was an 84-pound monster that still gives me chills when I think about the way it took the bait.

It was around 1p.m. and I had just put out a lure I had made and just after dropping it back, I tapped my friend Will “Catfish” Thompson on the shoulder and told him to check out my homemade. In the blink of an eye, that monster came straight out of the water a good 10 to 15 feet in the air and like a cat, pounced on the lure on the way down.

It was spectacular! The wahoo fishing here during March and April is as good, if not better, than any other place on the planet. I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store.

2022 was also a banner year for good friends. I feel so blessed to have friends that accept me for who I am and, if you read my columns with any regularity, that is asking a whole lot of someone.

I am talking friends that would take the shirt off their back for me if asked. I have always cherished friendships more than about anything and during this past year I have held onto tried and true friends from all periods of my life, as well as building onto that stable with a handful of new friends. Even on my very worst days, a call from one of these friends can change my entire attitude

from gloom to laughing so hard I can’t catch a breath. Now that is priceless.

Speaking of weather, we lucked out with hurricanes but, Lord have mercy, was it brutally hot. I was stupid to ride out hurricane Mathew in 2016 on Hilton Head Island, but does that really surprise you? Other than Hurricane David in 1979, in my 65 years here I have never once left for a storm.

Even when I was 6 years old with four brothers and sisters, my folks would take us to the oceanfront William Hilton Inn to ride out hurricanes. Blame my arrogance on genetics.

Even when there are mega lightning storms, I am that idiot that is outside watching the light show.

Extreme weather intrigues me but I do have great respect for the power of Mother Nature. Any of you who spend a great deal of time out on the water, often many miles offshore, know that the ocean can take you in the blink of an eye. That’s where respect, and awareness comes in. I never, ever take the power of nature for granted.

I know many of you think I am a full-time employee of the Sun, but truth be known, I am a lowly freelance writer. I just like to write.

With that said, what I am about to say does not reflect the opinion of the Bluffton Sun/ Hilton Head Sun but is solely my opinion.

I am extremely worried with the direction Beaufort County is taking regarding development, especially when it threatens my greatest love, the ocean. An avid supporter of the Waddell Mariculture Center and the Port Royal Foundation, I pray that more of you, especially those who are new to this area, get involved in some way to protect this incredibly beautiful, yet fragile, ecosystem.

On topics from stormwater runoff to overthe-top development, only our unified voices can ensure preservation of the unique beauty we call the Lowcountry.

May good health be with you all this new year we call 2023.

Collins Doughtie, a 60-year resident of the Lowcountry, is a sportsman, graphic artist, and lover of nature. collinsdoughtie@icloud. com

Roseate spoonbills make their way into Lowcountry waters to feed in the shallows. (Photo from Sept. 20, 2022, issue)

January is training time after holiday arrival of new pets

By Abby Bird CONTRIBUTOR

Each year, I write about the holidays being the time of year in which many families purchase or adopt dogs. It is a difficult time to establish routine, since these new family members have been added during the holiday break.

Families can generally spend plenty of time with the new dog, but the routine during this season is not the normal one and the return to a regular routine can be difficult.

As a private dog trainer and behavioral consultant, January is often my busiest time.

The coming quieter times gives owners a chance to embark on training necessary to teach the dog how to become an acceptable pet and acclimate to an everyday routine.

Dogs are creatures of habit and do not like change.

For those with new puppies, the most important things to do within their first months are potty training, eliminating nipping and biting, redirecting chewing to positive items, good manners (including not jumping), introduction to their world, proper greetings with children and adults, and socialization with dogs.

A pup trains easily with treats, toys, play, praise and touch rewards. Leadership skills demonstrated by the owner are critical so the puppy learns to respect as well as love you.

For the human, knowing what to do and what NOT to do, so that mixed signals are not sent to your dog, might make the difference between a healthy relationship and one that is fraught with difficulties. Most owners have had dogs before, but somehow memories of puppyhood are very short, and we don’t remember doing all this work.

Basic obedience should begin early and include Sit, Stay, Come (the most important

safety command), Down, Leave it, leash walking and more. These, and solving behavioral issues, need to be incorporated into your earliest training plan with puppies and older dogs.

Adopted dogs, whether adolescent or older, might need dedicated attention since you might not know their history.

Making a plan on how to introduce the dog to his new life will help not only the dog adjust but your family as well. Don’t be surprised if your new older dog is not quite what you expected. Be patient!

Lifestyle and family type play an important role. Are you home during the day? Do you have young children? How much time can you devote to the dog? How long will the dog be alone?

Do you have other pets? Are you expecting a baby? Will your dog be exposed to men, women and children? If the dog is a rescue, are you aware of any history? Are you prepared to be patient with any behavioral issues?

Personally, I look forward to January. Meeting new people and dogs that will become part of my life, as I become part of theirs, is extremely rewarding as it is challenging. Giving a family confidence that their new dog will indeed become the dog they want, with work and patience, is the best reward.

Abby Bird is owner of Alphadog Training Academy. AlphadogTrainingAcademy@gmail. com

Bluffton couple finds beauty in adopting special needs cats

By Lindsay Perry CONTRIBUTOR

Imagine being a shelter pet without the benefit of eyesight to guide you. Surely an animal in this situation would be frightened and hopeless, right? Not if you ask Lou and Ray!

Palmetto Animal League rescued the 5-month-old sisters from a rural shelter. Lou had limited vision and, sadly, Ray lost what little eyesight she had left, leaving her completely blind.

Lou immediately came to her sister’s aid, taking on the all-important role of Ray’s seeing eye cat! Their story touched many people back in September 2020, including PAL supporter Nicole Lucignoli, whose two beloved cats had recently passed away.

“I remember when Nicole came in to look at Lou and Ray the first time, she was in love at first sight,” said Sally Dawkins, PAL

adoption coordinator.

Nicole had no previous experience with special needs pets, but that didn’t matter to her.

“Lou immediately came down to me from where she was perched,” said Nicole. “I noticed her eyes were a little different. I started playing with the other cats and then noticed Ray had no eyes. I went back out and read their profiles and my heart just melted.”

Nicole learned that Lou and Ray had been at PAL for almost a year, and that was it!

She went home and told her boyfriend, Paul Steinberg, that they had just adopted two blind cats.

Six months after adopting Lou and Ray, Nicole came back to PAL and asked if we had any more visually impaired cats up for adoption. That’s how she and Paul fell in love with a blind cat named Birdie.

“We found out Birdie had a little buddy named Belle who was just as cute,” Nicole said. “We knew we didn’t want to split them up, so we adopted both.”

They may be blind, but Lou, Ray, and Birdie navigate their home just as gracefully and masterfully as sharp-sighted Belle.

“Don’t be afraid to adopt an animal just because they look a little different or need a little extra care,” Nicole advises others seeking to adopt. “We really don’t consider them special needs. You would never know they’re blind.”

Nicole and Paul saw the beauty in three blind cats and gave them a forever home but say it’s their life that has changed for the better.

If you are considering adopting a pet, visit Palmetto Animal League’s No Kill Adoption Center, located at 56 Riverwalk Blvd in Okatie’s Riverwalk Business Park Monday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

Lindsay Perry is the marketing coordinator for Palmetto Animal League. PalmettoAnimalLeague.org

Birdie, who is blind, and Lou, who has limited vision, nap together at their forever home.

It’s time to get back to the people’s business

By Larry Stoller CONTRIBUTOR

According to a study by Woods & Poole Economics Inc., the Hilton Head-Bluffton area is the 25th fastest growing area in the United States.

Here are the real estate implications:

• High demand for housing and low inventory. The influx of new residents to Bluffton and Hilton Head is expanding the need for more houses, villas, and condos to buy and/ or to rent.

• Homes appreciate faster and prices rise. Population growth is increasing demand for homes, causing prices to rise and homes to sell faster. In fact, we have seen some pretty wild appreciation over the past year and a half.

• Multiple offers on homes. As more people move here and buy homes, we will continue to see multiple offers, with houses coming on the market today and going off the market tomorrow. When we were in a hot seller’s

market, that is exactly what we saw.

• Great place to buy or build a home. Many folks like “the small town feeling” and “yearround out-door activities” of living in this area, with all the benefits of the big cities a short drive away.

• Still in a seller’s market. A little more than a few years ago, we were in a buyer’s market (inventory high, demand low, and prices very low). Now in 2023, we are in a seller’s market (inventory low, demand high, and prices going up). It’s not as crazy as it was a year and a half ago, but still a great time to sell.

• Residential rental market is very strong. There is a substantial shortage in rental housing in this area. In fact, it would be safe to say it is a landlord’s market (many people looking to rent, high rents, and low vacancy rates).

• Investing in rental properties makes sense. Even with home prices rising, there are still many good house values here that make it smart to buy rental properties for immediate income flow and for future appreciation

expectations.

The Bluffton-Hilton Head local area market statistics for the period Jan. 2021 to Jan. 2022 (from hhrealtor.com) indicate:

• Median sales price up 16.2% (still a good time to sell)

• Average sales price up 17.6% (same as above)

• Inventory of homes for sale up 76.6%% (more homes to choose from)

• Housing affordability index (HAI) down 14.5% (houses are less affordable)

• Days on market up 38.1% (buyers might be able to get better deals)

• New listings down 4.1% (fewer resales available)

What’s going on in your plantation or housing development? Contact your knowledgeable real estate agent.

Larry Stoller is a broker and Realtor with Real Estate Five of the Lowcountry. Larry@ RealEstateFive.com, RealEstateFive.com

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