• Victims Services Center adds services for adult survivors of abuse 12A
• First Zion Church brings AEDs to building for defib emergencies 16A
• Opioid settlement funds coming to Beaufort County 18A
• Town awards first grant for historic asset 21A
• Hot Spots: Where to find best comfort food on cold winter days 25A
About 18 months ago, the question for the Alljoy community in the small, quiet corner of unincorporated Beaufort County was, “To pave or not to pave.”
That is no longer a question.
Alljoy will have paved sidewalks down the length of the road from Burnt Church to Thomas Lawton. The project is expected to be advertised for construction in the next couple of months and construction is expected to begin after March 2023.
The last public meeting, held Jan. 10 at the Bluffton Recreation Center, drew a number of neighborhood residents still dissatisfied with the project, some as much for the lack of attention to other long-term issues as for the project itself.
Myrtle Island resident Nancy Epps said the road and the speeding traffic are big problems, one of the issues being the speed limit. In speaking with Clark Henson, a representative from Infrastructure Consulting and Engineering, she said she believes there should be stop signs at both Shad Avenue and the end of Alljoy at Thomas Lawton.
“We’re just worried about the amount of traffic and the speed. We get a lot of people coming into our area, so they’re sightseers with a lot of bikes, bikers and everything, and they like to tour around. No one does anything about the speed limit. When was the last time you saw anyone stopped and given a ticket for speeding?” said Epps. “And our road has big holes in it. We’ve got big lakes in the road. They came and filled a couple of holes with leftover asphalt, but the road itself is just a huge mess. And there’s so much construction. We’ve got five houses under construction, which means 18-wheelers coming in with heavy loads, and just tearing the road up even more.”
Dave Brown, who lives in The Crescent, came down to see the project’s final phase.
“I think the plan looks good. Wide sidewalks are good. Maybe bikes and pedestrians can work together. I mean, it looks okay to me,” said Brown.
The width of the sidewalk was a big part of the project.
“It started out 8 feet and is now 6 feet,” said Henson. “Six feet solves everything. Most everything is kind of the middle ground. It’s a step in the right direction. Most people seem
to be in favor from what I’ve seen so far, but I’ve got a few that are not in favor of it. They just don’t need it. Don’t want it.”
In response to a question regarding the decision about which side of the road the sidewalk was going, Henson said there were
decisions about drainage, utilities, overall impact in general, as well as impacts, costs, and crossings.
For one group of residents in attendance, it
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The car radio has been mostly off since Christmas music stopped playing a few weeks ago. The music stations have far too many “new car” and “payday cash” commercials. Talk radio is all politics and Covid, neither of which I can tolerate.
But one recent afternoon while running errands I flipped on the radio to NPR, where I heard some confounding yet empowering news: Your clutter carries a message – and if you want to be successful in decluttering, you must listen to and understand the message of your mess.
I had to stop and listen to the conversation, and later I looked up the show on npr.org.
If you’ve read this column a time or two, you might recall that I have a bit of an issue with clutter. Year after year, I attempt (again) to rid my environment of things I don’t
really need but can’t seem to discard, and to organize what’s left.
I have had some success – including emptying an entire closet and clearing out a bedroom to create my home office. I took three trunkloads of “stuff” to thrift stores.
But back to the radio show. The interviewer was speaking with Star Hansen, a professional organizer and “clutter whisperer.”
Hansen says that clutter speaks to us because “we are talking to ourselves through our clutter.” What becomes our clutter and where it accumulates says a lot about what’s going on with us.
“Everything you hold on to has a connection to your psyche,” Hansen said. There’s a lot of emotion attached to our mess. That’s why it’s not easy to just get rid of everything.
That years-old blazer hanging in the back of your closet might be telling you that you miss your former profession. Sauce packets and chopsticks in the kitchen drawer speak
to your guilt about waste and sustainability.
Whether it’s clothes, the junk drawer, a pile of books or boxes of memorabilia, clutter causes chaos in our lives. And that ongoing chaos can make us feel bad about ourselves.
So, Hansen suggests, we should address our clutter with curiosity rather than shame. We can allow ourselves to be OK with our clutter and not judge ourselves. Only then can we begin to understand why it’s there, and then work on letting it go. Only then can we hear the message of our mess.
When I got home, I looked around at the clutter in my office. Most of it is there because it had previously been stored in an unused bedroom. When a child moved back home, the boxes of stuff had to go somewhere, and the office was the most available.
Once a few boxes were stashed, it was easy to stash a few more. The only area that stayed untouched was my work desk.
As I sit and type at said desk, I consider
what message my mess is trying to send me.
The box of beading supplies in one corner might be telling me to spend some down time being creative rather than watching Netflix.
The boxes of books are shouting at me to read more! And to get serious about finding suitable shelving to store them properly.
My sweet little sewing machine is crying for attention. It has been covered for several years to keep the dust off, but it needs to be used. Maybe I should use some of the fabric that is also stored here and make something.
Hansen suggests that we give ourselves permission to spend as little or as much time as we decide on decluttering – whether an hour or a day or five minutes. Whatever time we spend, if we focus on getting our belongings organized, we will have made things better.
I should be able to find at least five minutes, right?
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The holidays are over, and the tree has been turned into mulch. The decorations, many of which are like old friends, have all been put away until next Christmas, and our New Year’s resolutions include fresh and renewed commitments to be or do better this year than last.
Our oldest child, Reedy, is a college senior and likely, at least for the next few years, will not have an extended Christmas break. Further, this year was the last holiday season with a high schooler.
It is a bit daunting to think that next year Rose and I will have our first experience decorating the house for our brood without the extra hands and their youthful excitement around to help. However, I am already thinking about what a blessing it will be to have them all here together then.
ment is the result of public servants working together to build consensus in doing the people’s business in a transparent manner with honor, integrity and discipline.
Weston NewtonMore significantly, our older two children have returned to college and my youngest has started her last semester of high school. It is not simply that the wonderful family “chaos” has again abated or that house is less full, but that with each passing year the family time becomes less and less.
For me, the hardest part of the holiday season is the conclusion of the few weeks period when each morning, while I drink my first cup of coffee, each of our offspring are asleep in their respective bedrooms upstairs. I have treasured each day they were here this year and look forward to next year in a melancholy sort of way.
Last week, I had the privilege of being included in the Riley-Wilkins Awards Dinner recognizing Sen. Thomas Alexander and our own Roland Gardner from Beaufort Jasper Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. The Riley Institute’s annual celebration of civic and legislative leadership are highly coveted awards.
In 2017, I was honored to receive the Ambassador David Wilkins Legislative Leadership award from the Riley Institute at Furman University. In accepting that award I thanked the Riley Institute for providing an image of what “good government” looks like and for helping us understand its relationship to the idea of true “public service.”
Throughout my tenure in public office, I have often stated good govern-
Republicans often think we have the corner on growth and economic opportunity. I agree strongly with my good friend and former representative Democrat James Smith, the 2011 legislative award recipient, when he says, “We all love this state and want to have it succeed. We might have different ideas on how we get there, but we respect each other [because we share] a genuine devotion to the future of our state.”
A key component to leadership in the state house is that whether you are a Republican or Democrat, you are committed to the wellbeing of the people of South Carolina. As we begin a new year, it is my hope that this beginning will be met with faith and the optimism that together we can move head.
It is my honor and privilege to serve the citizens and residents of House District 120.
Weston Newton is the representative for District 120 in the State House of Representatives. WestonNewton@ schouse.gov
To the Editor:
At LowCountry Community Church, we believe everyone is made in the image of God and should be treated with dignity and celebrated. Those with special needs are often overlooked or need help participating in many special events, such as prom. Because of this, we are hosting Night to Shine 2023, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Night to Shine is a unique prom night experience celebrating people with special needs worldwide on Feb. 10. Every guest of Night to Shine enters this complimentary
event on a red carpet, with a warm welcome from a friendly crowd and paparazzi.
Once inside, guests receive the royal treatment, including hair and makeup stations, shoe shining areas, corsages and boutonnieres, a catered dinner, karaoke, prom favors, and a dance floor, all leading up to the moment of each guest crowned king or queen of the prom.
LowCountry Community Church is excited to be once again a part of this worldwide movement serving as a catalyst to change how cultures embrace people with special
needs, ensuring they know they are valued and loved.
Night to Shine will start at 6 p.m. at LowCountry Community Church and is open to anyone with special needs ages 14 and up. Participants can learn more and sign up at lowcountrycc.org/nighttoshine.
LowCountry Community Church is located at 801 Buckwalter Pkwy. in Bluffton.
Will Hopson Outreach Pastor, LowCountry Community Church
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.
At Martin Family Park and the Calhoun Street dock, on a beautiful
Saturday afternoon, we asked: “What invention doesn’t get a lot of love, but has greatly improved the world?”
Courtney Coons, Bluffton: “For us, it has been the pacifier.”
Directly across Hwy. 170 from Sun City are about 60 acres that were purchased with funds from the Rural and Critical Lands program. That fund has been financed by a series of levies that the voters in Beaufort County approved over many years to preserve the character of the Lowcountry.
The County Council is now considering a proposal to build a branch library on one part of that property and ballfields on another.
The presentation of the proposal at the County Council meeting of Nov. 14 is available at the following link: beaufortcountysc.gov/the-county-channel/#vod. Select the Nov. 14, 2022, meeting, click on video, and then skip to item 21 near the end of the agenda.
The proposal is presented as a land swap, exchanging development on most of these 60 acres for a permanent easement on Camp St. Mary, which the County already owns (google Camp St. Mary). A riverfront dock is open for your visit there.
The County bought this camp from the Catholic Diocese many years ago as a future site for a park. Local opposition stopped the development of an active park with ball fields and the like, and so the camp has sat largely unused for 20 years.
County government discussions about the future of the camp in 2020 still focused on the park idea. At the more recent Nov. 14 meeting, one council member asserted that the County would never approve development of Camp St. Mary.
But it could happen. This current proposal highlights a worrisome feature of the Rural and Critical Lands Fund: With a majority vote, County Council can order whatever use of that land it deems appropriate.
In the past, the County has allowed part of a Rural and Critical Lands tract to be used for an animal shelter. In that case, to compensate for the loss, the County substituted conservation protection on a parcel that had been bought to house a recycling center. It too had been stopped by opposition from neighbors.
Under the current proposal, the County is proposing to set aside from development land that has never been considered for anything but a park.
Supporters of the proposal say it saves the county the cost of land for a library and ball fields. Critics say that rural and critical lands money should not be buying land to house a library and ballfields; that outcome is not what voters expected when they passed those levies.
Aside from purely local considerations, the woodlands on those 60 acres provide habitat for wildlife and fight climate change. Globally, deforestation is rampant, and wildlife populations of all kinds are plummeting, largely due to loss of habitat.
It would be hypocritical to censure Brazil or Madagascar for clearing away the rainforest if Beaufort County cannot preserve 60 acres that were specifically purchased with money voted to protect the environment.
Libraries and ballfields are great, but not on land that was bought with tax money levied specifically to rein in development.
Raymond Dominick is a member of Lowcountry Environmental Action, a registered community group based in Sun City and open to members from outside the gates.
Residents of the South Carolina lowcountry have access to expanded oncology services from St. Joseph’s/Candler where over a half-million cancer treatments have been performed in the last 5 years. They’ve received care that is nationally recognized for excellence, conveniently close to home at many locations throughout the region, including our newest location on our Bluffton Campus. The oncology specialists at the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion at St. Joseph’s/ Candler provide innovative advances in surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy with customized treatment plans to target your specific cancer.
Expect the very best in oncology care. Located near your home, in your community, at St. Joseph’s/Candler.
is the drainage and the lack of connections to sewage lines that has raised their ire.
“What I’m not happy with is that they’re doing this instead of drainage and septic that we need more than anything in the world. That’s our concern,” said Debbie Keebler, who lives on Sailor’s Choice. “Most of the houses on Alljoy are on septic tanks, not connected to sewage lines.”
“And they don’t even clean the ditches,” said Tammy Ray.
Several people spoke up about the route of the path itself.
“Well, the biggest thing is it makes sense for them to come down Ulmer and go to Shad and go to the Rec Center,” said Ray. “That’s so the Rec Center can be enjoyed –instead of putting a sidewalk down Alljoy just so the marketing looks better for the Town of Bluffton to sell property. It makes no sense to come down all the way, except for marketing, and I know it is, because I’ve talked to a lot of real estate agents.”
Kathie Coburn pointed out the area was rather special.
“It’s just a small area with older homes and
newer homes that have come in. But it was a fishing community, is what it was. And they’re killing the whole concept of what we have there,” she said.
Once people reach the end of Alljoy Road and make the turn, the view in front of them is the parking lot with the concrete boat ramp, and a small patch of sand.
“This one day, these people came by
because they were reading about all this in the paper, and they were like, ‘Well, where’s the beach? We came down here to see the beach’,” said Coburn. “You know what the beach looks like. It’s not Hilton Head Island, that’s for sure.”
The Alljoy Road Pathway Project was one of 24 projects passed when county voters approved the 2018 One Cent Sales Tax
Referendum. In 2019, due to lack of funding, Alljoy fell off the list when County Resolution 2019/22 set priorities. Prior to the referendum, however, a study was done and the Alljoy Road community responded for a need for a pedestrian/bike path along Alljoy Road due to safety concerns.
Whether locals want it or not, the project was voted on by any county resident who chose to cast their ballot.
“The project is here because it is a penny sales tax collected for all residents,” said Jennifer Bragg of J. Bragg Consulting, Inc. “It’s the citizens’ penny.”
Bragg added that all of the proposed design exhibits and other project information are available at beaufortcountypenny. com. Public comments can be made online at the above website, or by mail (Beaufort County Engineering Dept., 2266 Boundary St., Beaufort SC 29902), or by email (info@ beaufortcountypenny.com) until Jan. 25. For more information, contact the Engineering Department at 843-255-2700.
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
New homes from the low $300s
Since it opened in October 2019, the Victims Services Center in Okatie has served nearly 1,500 clients dealing with domestic abuse.
One of the services provided is to conduct sexual assault exams of adults at local hospital emergency rooms, and exams of children at the center, in a space designed for them.
Under a new initiative, adults now have the added option of being seen at the center when it is open or by appointment. The additional service is in partnership with the Ulmer Family Pharmacy and Wellness Center.
It gives forensic nurse Jennifer Talley, who oversees the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program and its forensic nurses, more opportunities to help adult survivors of sexual assault.
“Technically, I could see them anytime during the day or night, but typically adults report to ERs near their homes,” she said. “The benefit would be that (our
center) is a much less intimidating environment, and more direct and compassionate one-on-one, as opposed to an ER with 20 other people” coming in and out.
Since the center opened, 113 adult and 45 pediatric exams have been conducted by the forensic nurse staff of the VSC in emergency rooms, at MUSC and at the VSC.
The pediatric exam program was the initial focus.
“It was borne out of the simple fact there just weren’t services for children who were sexually abused or assaulted,” said Erinn McGuire, community outreach coordinator for the 14th Circuit Court. “They were having to travel long distances to MUSC to have these pediatric exams performed, and the solicitor felt that was worrisome and concerning on many levels. This facility was another option closer to home.”
The aim of the forensic exam is to assess a victim’s health care needs, coordinate treatment of any injuries, and
Recent events surrounding the life-saving efforts of the Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin showed the value of using automated external defibrillators and CPR as soon as possible.
While resuscitating a professional athlete might not be in the cards, the 200 members of Bluffton’s First Zion Missionary Baptist Church were on the mind of Gwendolyn Ferguson, chair of the Women’s Ministry.
“I’m a nurse, and I felt that it was important for our church to have something like that, given our community. Black Americans have a higher rate of heart disease,” she said.
First Zion has had the defibrillators since March 2022, when they purchased them through the local nonprofit Arrhythmia Alliance which raises awareness of heart rhythm disorders and sudden cardiac arrest
(SCA).
Ferguson brought the need for the equipment to the church leadership, resulting in a fundraiser to purchase two AEDs.
According to the Alliance, “every year, approximately 360,000 American citizens die from sudden cardiac arrest. This is more than breast cancer, lung cancer, and AIDS combined.”
The Defibs Save Lives campaign raises awareness of the importance of knowing the difference between a heart attack and SCA, and the use of an AED. A heart attack is related to the plumbing of the heart whereas a SCA has to do with the electrics – hence the need for an AED to “shock” the heart back into a normal rhythm. Using the AED plus CPR could have prevented 80% of those deaths, states the Alliance in its press releases.
Ferguson’s goal as the church continues to return to its pre-COVID routines is to carry on with what she began when the equipment first arrived. She maintains a visual check on it to make sure the lights are flashing and it is still operational.
“With COVID ending, we just began getting back to in-person. When we had our first church meeting - which we hadn’t had in a while - I did a brief introduction to it,” she said. “I told them where the cabinet was, gave them a quick demonstration of it, and how it’s going to tell you what to do, and not be afraid of it.”
Her plans are to repeat the information at church meetings.
“When an emergency happens, you panic, and I just want them to be familiar with them, plus call 911 to get the real people there,” said Ferguson. “But the sooner you get the heartbeat going again, the better it is.”
Helping the church acquire the AEDs is part of the Arrhythmia Alliance “Defibs Saves Lives” campaign. Since 2016, more than 50 AEDs have been placed in Bluffton. There are AEDs in every Bluffton Police
SERVICES from page 12A
collect evidence for potential use during case investigation and prosecution. However, the goal of the center is not tied to increasing convictions but is simply to provide victims with professional services in a compassionate manner in a safe environment.
“Since the body is the crime scene, evidence is time-sensitive,” Talley said. “It is best to seek medical attention immediately. We are now able to treat for sexually transmitted diseases and other issues. That was another drawback to providing exams to adult patients here, and now through an agreement with Ulmer pharmacy, we have medications on hand.”
14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone said addressing intimate-partner violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking is a top priority.
“We have the only Family Justice Center in the state that provides services to victims, regardless of where they live,” said Stone. “Our community and
Department vehicle, there are AEDs in Oscar Frazier and Dubois Parks, two at First Zion Missionary Baptist Church, and others throughout the community as well as with first responders.
“Science has proven that early defibrillation increases outcomes after a sudden lethal cardiac event. People can be assured that we will do everything we can to be there in their time of need until EMS arrives,” Ferguson said. “Even for our community – if we are out and about on the grounds, and someone goes down, we can go run for it and use it on someone even if they’re not in our church.”
Arrhythmia Alliance is a coalition of charities, patient groups, patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and allied professionals. A-A provides information, support, education, and awareness on all heart rhythm disorders and Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
For more information, go to heartrhythmalliance.org/aa/us.
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
nonprofit partners have joined us in our commitment to provide compassionate, safe, private and professional services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and other crimes against vulnerable people.”
Forensic nursing services are available for adults during normal business hours or by calling the center at 843-790-6220 to schedule an appointment. Patients needing after-hours care are encouraged to call 911 or visit their nearest emergency room.
When victims come to the Services Center, “I think that they’re more relaxed and more comfortable giving information, and even more receptive to receiving information, because it’s not as stimulating in the center as it is in an emergency room,” Talley said. “It’s focused on them instead of everything else that is going on around them.”
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
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By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTORBeaufort County is about to disburse $1 million dollars to fight opioid abuse. The money isn’t for treatment or prevention but for other impacts that have affected the county.
“It’s trying to build the infrastructure in this county to be able to help these people to change their lives and keep them alive long enough to be able to do that,” said Steve Donaldson, director of the Beaufort County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Department. “These are not throw-away people. These are people we know.”
Donaldson said the county looked at the money about to come in, looked at the needs of his department, and realized there was more money than could be spent by county departments for opiate abatement strategies. He approached County Council asking if they would approve a resolution for him to submit to the community a “Notice of Funding” opportunity. That would give community groups and organizations the chance to generate or put into action plans they had set aside for lack of funds.
“We want to make sure this money is going to abatement strategies and helping to heal, abate and ameliorate the harm done by the (opioid) epidemic,” he said.
Ten grants will be provided to county 501(c)(3) nonprofits after their applications are reviewed and approved by the new volunteer citizen-staffed Opiate Abatement Management Team.
Donaldson, who also heads the team, anticipates a variety of different approaches to fight the growing problem of opioid abuse that includes the rapid spread of fentanyl in the community.
“One of the things that we’ve seen, especially since the beginning of COVID, is the number of overdoses seems to be increasing, the deaths seem to be increasing, fentanyl on the streets is increasing,” Donaldson said. “So it’s the old adage of ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always gotten.’ What I am really hopeful about is these approved uses for these funds are going to be very visionary.”
The money is part of the $26 billion settlement finalized by the National Prescrip-
tion Opiate Litigation Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee. This will be the first allotment for Beaufort County via the South Carolina Opioid Settlement Funds. The state will receive $360 million during the next 18 years.
The panel reviewing the applications consists of nine volunteer citizens who have expertise in substance abuse prevention and treatment, medical knowledge, or a background in grant writing and process.
The 10 grants will break down to two awards for up to $100,000 per year for two years, equaling a $200,000 total award each; four awards for up to $50,000 per year for two years for $100,000 total award each; and four awards up to $25,000 per year for two years for $50,000 total award each. The grants will be available to applicants who demonstrate gaps, evidence-based strategies for addressing gaps, and those with sound goals and evaluation plans for opiate abatement.
“So maybe this is an organization that wants to help us with anti-stigma messaging. This other group could be someone getting Narcan training into the hands of the com-
munity,” Donaldson said. “It could be harm reduction strategies. Without this epidemic hitting us so hard, we would never have considered some of these programs, like the needle exchange program.”
Needle or syringe exchange programs began in 1988 as part of an HIV intervention. According to the Centers for Disease Control, statistics show that exchanging used needles for new ones does not increase drug use.
“To the average citizen, that sounds really enabling, whereas these needle exchange program folks generate a relationship with people, checking things like HIV or hepatitis,” said Donaldson. “It might be with that relationship being built there might become an opportunity for that person to reach out saying ‘I’m tired of doing this, I need help.’
Exchanging needles is only 10% of what they do; 90% is dealing with other hierarchy needs. Quite frankly, they are saving lives.”
Applicant priority will be given to those who address opiate issues in Beaufort County that relate to prevention and recovery, to equip those impacted with necessary
resources to provide innovative interventions to reduce opiate issues, address unmet needs, and reduce opioid-related deaths.
While the county chose to focus on nonprofit applications for this first disbursal, future application opportunities will be available to county departments, cities or townships, education organizations, and public housing authorities. Who is eligible and what they can do with the funds is outlined on the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund website at scorf.sc.gov.
“There are funds here available for law enforcement, emergency medical personnel. There’s a ton of money where this can be spent, such as where you go to work, because everyone is being impacted by the epidemic,” Donaldson said.
One of the requirements of receiving the grants will be to include performance measures in their reports.
“I’m thinking if I am going to write a report and send it to a government agency, I felt I couldn’t do that without putting performance measures in place, so everyone who is receiving funding from this board
has been asked to include that information,” he said. “We need to see the metrics, and in the reports they send to us, they have to tell us if their project did anything, and if they did something good.”
Then that becomes a model that can be replicated elsewhere, Donaldson said.
“We’re not going to get it right every time. We don’t know if it’s going to work every time, but we’re going go try it, and we’re going to measure it,” he said.
The subsequent comprehensive report will inform the county and the state about what did and did not work.
“We hope that what we do with this money in Beaufort County is going in impact lives in a positive way. We are hopeful that the people who are applying have good plans that are worth funding,” Donaldson said. “I know some of the people applying have good frameworks, and I can’t wait to see how they are going to use the money to help us.”
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
The competition for Miss Bluffton, Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Hilton Head Island Teen was held Jan. 7 at May River High School. Miss South Carolina Jill Dudley was the host and MC for the local event.
Winners are Ashley Bodden, Miss Bluffton; Allison Bryant, Miss Hilton Head Island; and Savannah McAlister, Miss Hilton Head Island Teen.
Bodden and Bryant will both advance to compete in the Miss South Carolina competition to be held in June. The competition is part of the Miss America Organization.
Bodden attends Charleston Southern University, where she studies pre-professional biology and Spanish. She is a member of the Buc Angels dance team, a MUSC pre-med mentee, in the pre-med club and the health science club. Her social impact initiative, Mental Health for Athletes, is based on her experience as a competitive dancer.
Bryant is a sophomore at Charleston Southern University, majoring in Business Administration. She won the People’s Choice award, Miss Congeniality, and was
the overall Miss Talent winner. Her social impact initiative is The Rise & Shine Project, created from her experience as a student during the Covid-19 pandemic.
McAlister is a high school senior planning to major in Mechanical Engineering in college, with the hopes of becoming a lead engineer for a NASCAR race team. Her social impact initiative is called #shecanSTEM: Shattering Stereotypes While Empowering Women to do the Unexpected.
The Town awarded its first Historic Preservation Grant to the Historic Bluffton Foundation Dec. 12, 2022, for exterior renovations to the Heyward House, located at 70 Boundary St. The $20,000 grant will help cover the cost of the project.
The Town’s Historic Preservation Grant Program is available to owners of Contributing Resources to the Old Town Bluffton Historic District to financially assist in the preservation, restoration or rehabilitation of these structures so, collectively, these will continue to represent the history of Bluffton.
Bluffton currently has 84 structures on its list of Contributing Resources, which means these homes, churches, schools and other resources (i.e., non-structures which include the Heyward and Huger coves) significantly contribute to Bluffton’s history and tell a story about our collective
past. Without these resources, meaningful components of Bluffton’s history would be lost.
“The template to attract tourism and economic development all starts with historic preservation,” says Mayor Lisa Sulka. “Preserve your ‘sense of place’ with historic preservation, tell the story of your community, and pride and prosperity follows. Bluffton’s Historic District is our town’s past, present and future.”
Owners of qualifying structures in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District can apply for grants of up to $30,000 for residential structures and for up to $20,000 for non-residential/ commercial structures.
Additional information about the program and grant applications are available by contacting Glen Umberger, the Town’s historic preservationist at gumberger@townofbluffton.com.
By Edwina Hoyle
“Will any of this be on the test?”
This question drives today’s schools, for both teachers and students. There is testing at every turn, and what gets measured gets taught.
“Our system is focused on memorization rather than analysis. We have lots of knowledge, but it is a mile wide and an inch deep,” said Richard Hammes, author of a new book, “The Myth of Education in America.”
Hammes contends that the focus in education should be to teach critical thinking from first grade through graduate school. Education should be “how you learn,” not
only “what you learn.”
Hammes believes his book could revolutionize education in America by changing the educational process in the classroom and enhancing the ability of students to evaluate information and determine what makes sense to them.
Hammes’ favorite quote is from Robert Hutchins: “Far more important than knowledge is the method by which it is reached.”
A resident of Hilton Head Island, Hammes has a doctorate in learning and developmental psychology, was an adjunct college professor for 43 years, and a management and employee development consultant
for 30 years. He compiled his research and curriculum materials and used his vast experience to create his book. Surprisingly, it’s not a 5-pound tome of complicated jargon, but rather a user-friendly blueprint for critical thinking.
Critical thinking and analysis is a life-long journey, and everyone should be involved in the process, he explained. The ability to sort out differing opinions, determine accuracy of data, and evaluate options are important for all citizens.
“Employers are confronted with employees that just want direction – ‘Tell me what to do and I will do it.’ They want employees that will generate new ideas, take the initiative and figure things out,” he said. Employers are more and more concerned that our schools are not producing the kinds of employees that are self-motivated and independent thinkers.
A professor of Hammes, Dr. Michael Hakeem at the University of Wisconsin, is responsible for Hammes’ passion for critical thinking.
In one class Hakeem stepped to the right side of the stage and made a formal presentation with data and research to support his position. Hammes said it was extremely convincing.
Then Hakeem moved to the left side of the stage, made a second presentation complete with data and research that was the complete opposite of the first presentation.
“That taught me that nothing is absolute,” Hames said. “Discussion, research, analysis and multiple sources – critical thinking – creates a different thought process and alternative viewpoints. Critical thinking can
get people to back up a little bit and ask what other options and causes are there.”
We often talk about parents and teachers working together to help children with school work. Using critical thinking is a perfect way to do this, Hammes explained.
“Arm parents with the same logical principles and have them sit with their children and analyze the information in school work and in popular materials,” he said. “This will truly get parents integrated into their children’s learning process. It is often difficult for parents to have knowledge of the content, but they can help by asking analytical questions even if they do not fully understand the content.”
“It’s simple things,” Hammes said. “Ask why, think critically, ask how something could be different, and don’t rely on one piece of information.” These are logical principles everyone can use, regardless of the content or source, he said.
In the classroom and as a consultant, Hammes said he implemented critical thinking. The expanded value of his book goes beyond teachers at all levels, to students, administrators, boards of education, parents, and employers – and in everyday life.
Hammes hails from Wisconsin, spent his adult life in Chicago, and he and his wife, Barbara, retired to Hilton Head in 2018.
A book signing will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 18 at Barnes and Noble on Hilton Head. Hammes will sign purchased copies of his book, which are available in the store and on Amazon.
Edwina Hoyle is a freelance writer in Bluffton.
A native of Pittsburgh, Eddy naturally has a little Steelers’ DNA. She moved to the Lowcountry by way of Boston with her husband, Renny. They live in Bluffton with their pooch, Gizmo. Eddy studied journalism at Marquette University but found her true calling in the nonprofit world while living in Massachusetts. She retired as Executive Director of Memory Matters, Hilton Head in 2017 and now enjoys freelance writing.
ENJOYS: Time with family, the beach and her newest passion: pickleball!
Junior Service League of Beaufort is seeking donations of formal dresses, jewelry and accessories to stock its free Prom Boutique for high school girls in Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties.
The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. March 4 at Bridges Preparatory Academy in Beaufort and is open to juniors and seniors to select a free dress and accessories.
JSLB will accept new or gently used long and short dresses in all sizes, as well as accessories, such as earrings, necklaces, bracelets, shawls and handbags. Dresses must be clean and have no visible tears or stains. Accessories must be in good condition.
Since 2011, JSLB’s Prom Boutique has helped girls in our community experience the magic of finding the perfect prom dress.
Donation drop-off locations include Inner Peace Spa, 48 Pennington Drive in
Bluffton; Lux, A Medical Spa, 350 Fording Island Road, Suite 101 in Bluffton; Pink Magazine, 37 New Orleans Road, Suite M on Hilton Head Island; Kinghorn Insurance, 910 Carteret St. in Beaufort; and City Java and News, 301 Carteret St. in Beaufort.
For more information about the event or donations, contact Kayla Griffin at communication.jslb@gmail.com, or visit jslbprom. com.
Founded in 2005, the Junior Service League of Beaufort is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and enriching the lives of women, children and families in the Beaufort County community. Since its founding, the league has donated more than $145,000 and provides regular volunteers to organizations such as the Child Abuse Prevention Association and Hopeful Horizons.
The abnormally arctic temperatures over the past month have made us all realize you can never truly outrun Mother Nature. Whether you’re a lifelong native or a “comya” that escaped winter for the year-round sun, sand and surf, it’s cold here right now.
Even when the temps hit the mid-70s during the day, by sunset it’s usually not eat-outside temperatures.
As much as we’re all trying to keep that New Year’s gym habit going strong into late January and beyond, it’s also the time when comfort food is beckoning us the most. We’re lucky in a warm climate that we don’t need that hot cocoa fix after shoveling out from under a foot of snow.
This is tricky for another reason. You ask most folks about comfort food and it’s all about Mom’s recipes that they cook at
home. I’ve got mine for sure (more on that later), but we don’t always feel like cooking but still need that dish that, in one bite, delivers us a warm hug and kiss from Nana. Cue the “Law and Order” music. DuhDUH. These are those dishes.
Country Fried Steak, Cahill’s Market, Bluffton: I could have put a blank line in front of the restaurant name and said, “Insert dish here.” Every Cahill’s dish delivers on the promise of Southern comfort food. For me, it’s their catfish. Others will say the fried chicken, the fried pork chops, sweet potato casserole or collards. I must stop myself. I could name the whole menu. But when I pinned people down on which one delivers the biggest culinary Meemaw hug, it was this dish ri-chere.
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes, The Lunch Lady: This is the comfort food I get
snobby about, because I simply have never gotten an eat-out meatloaf better than the tweaking I’ve done to my Mom’s recipe to make it my own. Mindi and Brandon’s meatloaf was a regular on their restaurant menu and they challenged me to try it when I shared my snobbery. I’m not willing to full-on concede, but the moistness and mix of tastes was a strong 1-A, I’ll say that. Sadly, the restaurant is no longer open, but you can still get this dish through catering.
Beef Cottage Pie and Carnoustie Chicken Pot Pies, British Open Pub: We’re always looking for the next hot thing in our lives, but sometimes, the OG’s still nail that dish. So is the case with BOP’s meat and chicken pies. They are scrumptious, as good as the shepherd’s and meat pies I’ve had in Dublin or Liverpool. To make this list, you have to have a history of delivering consistent excellence with the dish. This dish is the standard
bearer for that principle.
Chicken Parmesan, Okatie Ale House: This is the dish I order the most when I’m out, because as adventurous as I want to be, there are just certain taste profiles I want in my tummy. Also, to me, if you’re an Italian restaurant, you must nail this dish or I won’t try the rest of the menu. And if you’re not an Italian spot and you nail it, then I know anything on your menu is going to rock. So is the case with OAH’s chicken parm. I’d estimate I’ve had this dish at 45 different spots up and down 278 and 170, from Port Royal to Calibogue Sound (including all the Italian spots) and the O’Gorman take is still the best.
Firkin Tots, Southern Barrel: Bluffton’s first brewery has a kick-arse pub menu to
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.
“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.”
Lowcountry Autism Foundation has received a grant from the Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation that will help fund monthly Parents Night Out events in Bluffton.
Parents Night Out is a three-hour respite offered monthly to parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
“This special night of fun, food and friends is more than just a great night for children with autism,” said LAF Executive Director Kelly Hampton. “Many of the families rarely have the opportunity for a date night or one-on-one time with their other children.”
Trained volunteers consisting of occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech therapists volunteer their time to supervise the event. The trained therapists build relationships
with the children and put families at ease.
The next Parent’s Night Out will be held from 5:15 to 8 p.m. Jan. 20 at Jumpin’ Jellybeans Hilton Head, located in Tanger 1 in Bluffton. To learn more, visit lafinc.org.
The Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation’s vision is to “Make a difference by addressing the basic human needs of the greater Bluffton Community, especially those who are most vulnerable.”
The charitable foundation has raised more than $2.5 million for Lowcountry charities since its inception in 2008.
The Lowcountry Autism Foundation is committed to enhancing the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families through individually designed programming, advocacy and awareness efforts.
match their liquid creations. Personally, I’m a big fan of the 10 oz. Prop & Peller soft pretzel hung on a pretzel holder. The donuts and burgers are also delightful, but the fries and tots are stand-alone – and otherworldly when smothered in Hodhe’s mix of beer cheese, bacon and a melted cheddar blend.
Aloo hand pie, Okan: You’re going to thank us for this in six months after you’ve become addicted to the offering Chef Bernard at his new brick and mortar spot at The Bridge at Calhoun (set to open in late February-early March). For now, he has a groupie following of online stalkers waiting to see the next anchor spot for his food truck. We’ve been fortunate to sample his Western Caribbean offerings when we caught him as the featured food at Lot 9 Brewing Company. The flaky crust, cumin-spiced potatoes and Chadon beni sauce. The last bit here is a condiment mixing native to Trinidad and Tobago that I had previously never sampled and now can’t imagine living without. I fear this chef and eatery are going to be a James Corden-level
of overexposed by the end of 2023. Try them now and you can say you were on it before it was cool.
Philly cheesesteak, Dominick’s: I’m not using words to justify this. Just go to their base in the Home Depot parking lot. You’ll see, and you’re welcome in advance.
Quesa birria tacos, La Birria Loca: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What’s with all the food trucks, Tim? Well, I raise my nose to your snobbery. The financial challenges of opening a brick and mortar may have fueled this craze but more and more, the folks that deliver one thing well in the truck do it better than most if not all sit-down eateries – and without me having to pay for their overhead. We will do a food truck update in the coming months, but this is one of the newer trucks that is slaying their specialty. Their mix tender, shredded meats and a mouth-watering, beg-them-for-the-recipe au jus make this a must inclusion on our list.
Red Cedar sandwich, Downtown Deli: This is like the twin that Bess’ Delicatesesen
on the island has never met. She has been here longer and is still amazing, but Chef Ryan McCarthy has crafted a similar taste profile and made it distinctly his own – and I don’t have to cross the bridge to get it. Roast beef, melted cheddar, sauteed mushrooms and onions and horseradish mayo. Oh, baby! I am still befuddled as to why the meatball sub is off the menu (it would have made this list) and I desperately miss their breakfast sandwiches (they did breakfast back before there were 6,143 breakfast spots here), but this is a masterpiece that is even above those two past faves.
Pho, Saigan Café: Warm, salty, meaty, spicy. I’m short on words here, because more so than any dish on here, it’s the one words won’t do justice to (and I used way too many trying to explain Okan’s hand pie). This is a Vietnamese hug from ba noi.
Chicken pot pie soup, Nectar: Comfort soups is a whole other article, but I needed to include this because it’s so well done. We’re so happy to have this concept in Old
Town. The chicken and waffles, the donuts, the tomato hand pie – again, plenty of dishes compete to dance with your taste buds here. But to choose just one, like in the case of Cahill’s, it’s this starter that truly fills you like a meal.
There will be many that feel cheated for not being on this list. The discussion will continue and this list will be fluid. For dishes like shrimp and grits and she crab soup, I don’t have a trusted consensus to name just one. The Huffman’s pulled pork at Bluffton BBQ, the Euro platter at Olive and Fig, the seafood chimi changas at Mi Tierrita, the fried chicken livers at Bluffton Room, the fried chicken at Duke’s or Olde House in Walterboro, any variety of Underground Burrito, the entire menu at Da Shack and Chef B’s Eatz, and yes, the pasta e fagioli at Olive Garden … all deserve love here.
And I need to get on the treadmill after typing all this.
Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. timwood@blufftonsun.com.
At our hospital, we create rehabilitation programs that are specifically designed for each patient’s needs, using advanced technology and innovative treatments to maximize recovery. It’s why so many people and their caregivers choose us. And why we are the trusted choice of a growing number of medical professionals.
HALO Primary Care is a new primary care office in Bluffton, SC. Here at HALO, we believe you should be in charge of your health. We understand that each patient is different; therefore, we strive to work with you to develop a plan of care that is obtainable and reasonable.
• House calls are offered to homebound patients living in the 29909 and 29910 zip codes.
• Telehealth visits are also offered for established patients. 40 Okatie Center Blvd., Suite 215 Bluffton, SC 29909 (843) 603-4800
(Editor’s Note: From time to time, we hear about exceptional volunteers in our community. We’d like to highlight those who give freely of their time, talent and treasure to help others. Know a great volunteer? Let us know: editor@blufftonsun. com)
When you are a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Bluffton-Hilton Head you know a day may come when you could possibly save a client’s life. That day came for Donna Pitzer, a resident in Bluffton, during this holiday season.
It was a routine day until she arrived at one client’s home. Doris (not her real name), 72 and a client since 2018, usually greeted her at the door. Pitzer knocked but Doris didn’t answer.
Because Doris is a shut-in due to health issues, Pitzer was concerned. A little voice in her head told her to listen carefully. She heard a muffled cry for help coming from within the house.
“I felt something wasn’t right,” said Pitzer. “We always announce ‘Meals on Wheels’ very loudly and knock on the door.”
She asked if she could enter, and Doris’s meek voice could be heard: “I need a little help.” Pitzer proceeded to the bedroom. Doris had fallen, fully clothed, into her bathtub. Her walker was out of her reach.
Pitzer checked for wounds and blood. Seeing none, she calmed Doris down and called 911. Doris had been trapped for 13 hours.
“My certified nursing assistant training taught me not to panic and not to move the patient,” said Pitzer. “The Bluffton Fire Department emergency team was so very professional and kind with my client.”
After a week in the hospital and two weeks in rehabilitation, Doris is back home and receiving her weekday meals.
“I saw her on my last meal delivery, and we chatted about the incident,” said Pitzer. Plus, the staff has made sure her emergency contact is adequate to monitor her going forward.
Pitzer ran a childcare center out of her home for over 30 years when she lived in Rhode Island. After relocating to the Lowcountry, she was a substitute teacher in the public school system in Beaufort County. She and her husband Phil moved to the area four years ago.
“I started volunteering for Meals on Wheels in May,” said Pitzer. “I love the people, I love to chat, and I love the staff, as well.” Pitzer volunteers for Meals on Wheels, Bluffton-Hilton Head twice a month on two different Bluffton routes.
She also volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club in Bluffton.
“It was such a privilege to help someone in need,” Pitzer said. “It’s what my faith is all about.” Pitzer had spent 40 years working with youth at her church in Rhode Island. She also sang in the church choir and served as the church secretary for a while. Not only that, but she also drove the church bus on many occasions.
Currently, Pitzer teaches Sunday school at Cornerstone Church in Bluffton. “It’s a blast. Those kids keep me young and laughing.”
Meals on Wheels, Bluffton-Hilton Head is seeking drivers for off-island trips to serve clients in Bluffton and Sun City. Volunteers are also needed to assist with food preparation from 8 to 10 a.m. on Hilton Head Island, a volunteer accountant for one day a week, people interested in helping with events, office assistants, and a nutritionist. For more information contact the volunteer coordinator at volcoordinator@mowblufftonhiltonhead.org.
• The National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force will host a STEM Family Day student educational event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 28.
The focus is Space Exploration from WWII to the present. Hands-on activities are included! Cost is $5 for children and adults, or free for museum members. For more information, visit mightyeighth.org.
• Friends of the Bluffton Library will host its Mega Book Sale and Silent Auction over three days.
Feb. 2, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. is early access for FOBL members only. The event is open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 3, and 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 4.
Also, National Inventors Day will be celebrated from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 11 with an Author Talk and Book Signing. Lisa Lindahl, author of Unleash the Girls, will share the untold story
of the invention of the Sports Bra and how it changed the world (and her).
For more information visit friendsoftheblufftonlibrary.com.
The event is free and open to the public. The library is located at 120 Palmetto Way in Bluffton.
• Maye River Quilters will meet Feb. 4 at 9:30 for social time, with the meeting beginning at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way in Hardeeville.
To attend the meeting as a guest, send an RSVP email to mayeriverquilters@gmail.com.
For more information and for membership forms to join the group, call 843-705-9590.
• “Blitzed: How WWII Bombings Affected Brits (and still do),” a program by Dr. Annette Laing, will be held at 11
a.m. Feb. 4 at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force in Pooler, Georgia.
The event is free and open to the public. An option brunch will be held afterward, at $10 per person for members, and $15 for non-members.
Books are available for purchase in the museum store. Book signing to follow. Registration is required. Contact 912-988-1835 or education@mightyeighth.org
• Gullah/Geechee Nation will host a Black History and Living Legacy Celebration starting at noon Feb. 4 at Brick Baptist Church, 85 MLK Drive on Saint Helena Island.
Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/ Geechee Nation, will lead the event. Vendors will include Chef B.J. Dennis, Andrea Annie Jefferson and Gullah Sweetgrass Baskets, and Ngome Style.
Gullah/Geechee and African craft,
art and books will be available for sale.
Tickets are $5 and $10 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, visit gullahgeecheenation.com.
• The Bluffton Library will be hosting these special programs in February:
Mary Kull, chocolatier for Bluffton Village’s Craft Kitchen, will present “I Speak Chocolate” Feb. 7 from 10 to 11 a.m. Enjoy samples of dark, milk, and white Belgian chocolate and learn how to arrange a chocolate charcuterie board just in time for Valentine’s Day. Call 843-255-6503 to register.
A second Free Law Talk by a volunteer attorney, through the South Carolina Bar Association will be given on Feb. 22 from 10 to 11 a.m. This month’s talk will be a brief overview and questions and answers session pertaining to elder law and advance directives. Call 843-255-6503 to register.
By Tom Henz CONTRIBUTOR
We Americans are obsessed with work. The more we work, the faster we’ll get ahead. Time off is time wasted. Go, go, go!
Well, slow down a minute. Are we sure it’s a good thing to always be in overdrive?
Metaphor No. 1: Even a high-powered Tesla needs to stop and recharge before its batteries are drained. Maybe we need to reconsider the pace at which we’re going. Maybe there’s a better way to go.
It’s important to consider alternative approaches to achieving goals.
Metaphor No. 2: What if life is not a
sprint but rather a marathon? “Run Less Run Faster,” a book published in 2007 and now in its third edition (2021), was written by Furman University professors involved with the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST). It is a popular read for those training to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
The authors dispel the myth that the best way to train is to rack up as many miles as you can, as fast as you can (i.e. go, go, go!).
Their research points to a different approach, one in which you run only three days a week and at varying distances and speeds. Those days following a run are for rest and/or cross-training (not running).
The days off help repair and restore muscles to enable you to run even faster than before. In other words, the days of rest are just as important as the days of running.
What we can learn from Teslas and Boston Marathoners is that down time is definitely not wasted time. Down time is actually vitally important. The rest helps us to recharge, repair, restore, rejuvenate,
reenergize. It also helps prevent burnout, a common ailment among those of us pressed for productivity.
Often we gain more by doing less.
Metaphor No. 3: Stop and smell the roses. When we try to get so much done in the course of a day/week/month/year/lifetime we frequently gloss right over the good stuff. And the more activity we try to fit into our world, the faster time seems to fly by. What have we missed? What have we lost?
I’m not suggesting that you show up for work only three days a week. I’m also not going to offer yet another metaphor. But consider giving yourself time periodically to pause and recharge your batteries. Then, get out and run your marathon.
Tom Henz is an adjunct professor at USCB, as well as director and facilitator of the school’s Center for Strategic Planning. uscb. edu/csp
Palmetto Animal League will reopen its veterinary clinic on a limited basis to, once again, provide Lowcountry families with access to affordable, loving veterinary care.
As many find it difficult to take their pets to the vet during the busy work week, PAL will begin offering Saturday walk-in wellness clinics as well as comprehensive appointment-only veterinary care. The PAL Veterinary Clinic focuses on wellness and prevention to help keep pets in a caring home for their lifetime.
“Far too often, people are forced to give up a pet due to inability to pay,” said PAL President Amy Campanini. “We provide routine care so pet owners avoid costly veterinary bills for conditions that can be prevented like heartworms, fleas, dermatitis, and many others.”
PAL will hold a Walk-In Wellness
Clinic Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. offering vaccines, heartworm tests, and flea, tick and heartworm prevention products for cats and dogs. They will also offer comprehensive appointment only veterinary care from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 18, Jan. 20, and Jan. 23-24. No walk-ins will be accepted on these dates.
“PAL is thrilled to be able to reopen our veterinary clinic as a resource to the community providing quality, affordable care for every pet and every family,” said Campanini.
With proceeds going to help fund their no-kill rescue programs, folks who bring their pets to PAL’s vet clinic at 56 Riverwalk Blvd. in Okatie are helping save homeless animals. Learn more about their mission at PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.
By Jada Gaines CONTRIBUTOR
Many pet owners view their pets as a member of their family. However, when it comes to estate planning, the family dog, cat, horse, and other beloved animals are often overlooked, and their care isn’t taken into consideration when planning for the owner’s incapacity or death.
To ensure the on-going care of your fourlegged companion, you might consider establishing a pet trust.
A pet trust is a legal technique that is available where a pet owner can plan for their pet(s) to receive proper care by providing enough money (or percentage of your
estate) to a trusted person (a trustee) who will be required to make arrangements for the proper care of your pets in accordance to your instructions.
There are various types of pet trust, but there are mainly two: statutory and traditional.
A statutory pet trust is a basic plan that doesn’t require the pet owner to make as many detailed decisions regarding the terms of the pet trust. South Carolina’s laws will fill in the gaps for the management of the trust.
A minor provision in your estate plan stating something to the effect of “I leave $2,500 in trust for the care of my cat, Oliver” will likely be effective or suffice.
A traditional pet trust is favored more among pet owners because the owner can outline specific instructions and control the details of the management of the trust and care of the pet. For example, you can outline
the following details in a traditional pet trust: the amount to leave in trust, food and diet, grooming, veterinary care, toys, etc.
For a pet trust to be most effective, it should include:
• Trustee: You should name a person who will serve as the acting trustee of the pet trust, because you can’t leave funds directly to your pet to manage on their own. The trustee will be responsible for the management of the pet trust and making distributions to the named caregiver.
• Caregiver: Your pet trust should identify the person (or care sanctuary, etc.) that will care for your pet.
• Funding amount: Include a specific monetary amount or stated percentage of your estate that will be used to provide for the care of your pet.
• Instructions: Provide detailed instructions on how you want your pet to be cared for with regard to their daily routine, medi-
cations, medical treatment, etc.
• Remainder beneficiary: It is possible that when your pet(s) die, there may be funds still left in the pet trust. You should name a beneficiary (person, charity, etc.) who will receive the remaining trust property, if any. It’s never a good idea for your named caregiver to also be your named remainder beneficiary because then there is no incentive to keep your pet alive.
Any pet that outlives its owner(s) already will be confused and will have to go through a transitioning phase. Don’t leave them without knowing that you have planned for their proper care.
If you would like to learn more about a pet trust, consult with an estate planning attorney.
Jada L. Gaines is an associate attorney with Elder Law & Estate Planning Center in Bluffton. hiltonheadelderlaw.com
Crys Matthews will perform at 7 p.m. Jan. 21 at Music on Malphrus, 110 Malphrus Road, in Bluffton. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Already being hailed as “the next Woody Guthrie,” Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. A powerful lyricist whose songs of compassionate dissent reflect her lived experience as what she lightheartedly calls “the poster-child for intersectionality,” Justin Hiltner of Bluegrass Situation called Matthews’s gift “a reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge those divides.”
Matthews began performing in 2010, but cemented her acclaim at Lincoln Center as the 2017 New Song Music and Performance Competition grand prize winner. That year she also released her album “The Imagineers,” and her EP “Battle Hymn for an Army of Lovers,” which tackles social justice themes.
Matthews also won the People’s Music Network’s Social Justice Songs contest at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance. Loyal fans quickly followed as Matthews racked up performances at large music festivals and prestigious venues including the Sundance Film Festival, Kerrville Folk Festival, and Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center.
Born and raised in a small town in southeastern North Carolina by an A.M.E. preacher, Matthews witnessed the power of music from an early age. A former drum major and classically trained clarinetist turned folk singer, Matthews is using her voice to answer Dr. Martin Luther King’s call to be “a drum major for justice.” Learn more at chrysmatthews.com.
General admission tickets are $25 at the door. For more information, visit uulowcountry.org or email musiconmalphrus@ gmail.com.
BY TODD KREIDLER
A white couple’s proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter brings her black fiance home to meet them in this fresh and relevant stage adaptation of the iconic film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.
This classic is a witty and insightful reflection on two families confronted by their prejudices. With humor and insight, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner begins a conversation sure to continue at dinner tables long after the curtain comes down.
STAR TRIBUNE Directed by Patdro HarrisNative island heritage gets the star treatment at this celebration of all things Gullah. Lowcountry specialties such as barbecue ribs, shrimp and grits, conch stew rice and beans, and okra gumbo will feed your body and soul! Enjoy storytelling, gospel music, De Aarts ob We People, hands-on crafts and more!
Sponsored By: Bank of America In Partnership With: NIBCAA
In the world of estate planning, every situation is unique. Situations that involve second marriages and live-in partners can reveal competing considerations. Fortunately, using the law of trusts can often help us accommodate the competing concerns and fashion a comfortable result for all interested parties.
For instance, let us imagine the following scenario. Edgar and Kristin have each been married in the past, and now they want to live together. They have determined getting married is unduly burdensome and not necessary.
Edgar has two children, Francine and Emily, from a prior marriage. Kristin has two children, Ellie and Tom, from a prior marriage.
Edgar owns the home and wants Kristin to be able to live in the house for her remaining single life, if she survives him. What should Edgar do to ensure this happens?
Edgar should create a trust agreement that accomplishes these objectives. He will deed the real estate to his trust. This will ensure the terms of his trust control the disposition of the real estate and that this asset will avoid probate.
Edgar will want to pay careful attention to the conditions that could cause the beneficial interest in Kristin to cease, such as remarriage or carnal cohabitation. Also, Edgar might want to consider naming one of his children as co-trustee. The key thing is to carefully craft the language so as to be
very clear about the rights and responsibilities created.
Now, let us consider that Ellie has special needs that entitle her to government assistance. Kristin’s disposition will want to ensure that Ellie’s share may be held in trust for her benefit and perhaps that her brother Tom is the trustee.
If done properly, these funds can be made available for the benefit of Ellie while at the same time not jeopardizing her government benefits. Without the law of trusts, we would not be able to accomplish the same result.
Now, let us consider that Francine is a surgeon. For asset protection purposes, it would be strongly advised to consider leaving her share in trust so that these assets would not be exposed to lawsuits. Further, let us assume that Francine will never have children because she is infertile and will not adopt. In this case, it would be
wise to spell out in Francine’s trust so that when Francine passes, the property will go to her sister, Emily.
Alternatively, let us assume Francine is in a bad marriage. Her share shall be left to her “in trust” so she will not lose it in a divorce. This protects Emily’s future interest.
In sum, by the above example we can see trusts can be used to control the flow of assets over time and to preserve government entitlements and protect against legal claims. If used properly, trust law can prove a wonderful tool to manage competing concerns that naturally arise in the context of cases involving second marriages and live-in partners.
Mark F. Winn, J.D., Master of Laws (LL.M.) in estate planning, is a local asset protection, estate and elder law planning attorney. mwinnesq.com
Back pain is like the common cold – nearly all of us will have to deal with it at some point.
The good news is that most back pain will go away with minimal treatment. This type of pain is typically “acute,” meaning it comes on suddenly and lasts no more than a few weeks.
Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and topical analgesics often provide relief.
However, if your pain lasts more than 12 weeks, it is characterized as “chronic.”
If you are experiencing persistent back pain, don’t ignore the problem. Chronic
back pain can take a toll on your overall physical and emotional health, so it’s crucial that you seek professional care.
The first step will be for your provider to determine exactly what is causing your pain. I encourage people to pay attention to warning signs and what hurts, as it helps me diagnose the cause.
For example, if you’re experiencing leg pain in addition to low back pain, it could be a sign of a herniated disk. If you notice numbness in your arms or legs, it could be caused by spinal stenosis or a side effect of arthritis.
If you have persistent pain that is accompanied by fever or unexplained weight loss, follows an accident or blow to the back, or impacts bladder or bowel function, you should see a doctor immediately. While most chronic back pain is due to spinal issues, it’s always good to make sure it’s not due to anything else.
When it comes to chronic back pain, a healthy lifestyle can make a big difference.
First, address the things you can change, such as losing weight, quitting smoking or making your work area more ergonomically correct. Most importantly, maintain a low-impact exercise routine and strengthen your core, giving your body the tools it needs to take the stress off your back.
Talk to your doctor about treatments that can help you move past the pain. There are many options, including pain medication, physical therapy, and injections to nerve ablation.
What about surgery? With proper diagnosis and treatment, most back pain will improve without surgery. However, if you’ve gone through conservative treatments and still have no relief for your back pain, surgery can be an effective option to relieve back pain, neck pain, deformities and disk problems.
And while “spine surgery” may sound daunting, the good news is that many of today’s state-of-the-art spinal surgeries are minimally invasive and designed to spare healthy muscle tissue, speed recovery and cause less postsurgical pain.
If back pain has become an issue for you, join Dr. B. Andrew Castro for a special “Talk with the Doc” at 2 p.m. Feb. 2 at Okatie Pines, where he will discuss caring for your back and solutions for back pain. A board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine specialist, Dr. Castro is on the medical staff at Beaufort Memorial and practices with BOSS Orthopaedics in Beaufort, Bluffton and Hilton Head Island.
Okatie Pines is located at 142 Okatie Blvd. North. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. To RSVP, visit TalkWithDoc.eventbrite.com.
Facelift surgery is the best approach to take 10 to 15 years off the effects of aging in the face and neck. An aesthetic plastic surgeon specialized in facelift surgery can lift the brow, midface and neck, where gravity has led to descension of tissues, creating jowls and an overall tired and unhappy look.
Incorporating non-surgical therapies, including medical grade skincare, Hydrafacial, intense pulse light therapy (IPL), laser vein treatment, and laser skin resurfacing with facelift surgery, is an essential component to enhance surgical outcomes and reduce healing time after surgery.
Medical grade skincare is the first step in addressing facial rejuvenation. The right medical grade skin care is prescription based and utilizes the best ingredients and technologies to provide clinically proven
results.
Incorporating a morning and nightly routine can help with maintenance, enhancement and correction of various skin concerns, including texture, hydration, pigmentation and appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the face and neck.
The newest Hydrafacial Syndeo device utilizes a patented handpiece and various tips and serums for a comprehensive facial treatment that hydrates, exfoliates, provides a light peel, extracts dirt and impurities from the skin and protects the skin with antioxidant protection. The treatment can be customized with skin boosters to target and correct specific skin conditions including pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, elasticity and firmness, hydration, dark spots and redness.
Coupling Hydrafacial treatments with non-surgical treatments enhances their efficacy. Paired with IPL, there is a 30%
reduction in brown spots. When combined with laser skin resurfacing, skin is twice as smooth following treatments.
Hydrafacial as an adjunct with facelift improves the appearance of skin and promotes circulation prior to and following surgery to shorten healing time.
IPL, also branded as BBL, utilizes various wavelengths of light to deliver energy to the skin and treat brown and red pigmentation, vascularity, and bacteria that causes acne and congestion. In addition to treating these concerns and brightening skin, IPL stimulates the production of collagen and elastin in the dermal layer to tighten skin and treat fine lines and wrinkles.
Laser vein treatment is another laser technology that targets vascular lesions, including spider veins and cherry angiomas. Spider veins, or telangiectasias, may be small red, purple, or blue vessels that are common on and around the nose and cheek
and give a congested look. This technology transmits energy to heat, damage and collapse vascular lesions.
Laser skin resurfacing improves skin texture, skin discolorations and pigmentation, tightens skin and smooths fine lines and wrinkles. Skin resurfacing uses an ablative laser at targeted skin to remove the damaged layers of the epidermis and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the dermis.
Non-surgical therapies with facelift surgery enhances your surgical outcome with younger-looking, healthy skin and promotes healing following surgery. Incorporate these techniques, products and technologies for optimal results.
Mathew T. Epps, MD, MS, DABS is a plastic surgeon, triple- fellowship trained in facial, eyelid, and breast surgery. matheweppsmd. com or info@dreppsmd.com
According to the Center for Disease Control, every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke – blood stops flowing to the brain. As the brain is unable to get oxygen and nutrients, brain cells begin to die. For these people, their lives are changed forever.
Victims of a stroke often experience many physical and emotional changes. But with time and rehabilitation, survivors can overcome these limitations.
Stroke survivors, using the top medical resources, will achieve better outcomes, making the road to recovery a smoother process.
Because of the life-changing effects of a stroke, many will need additional support that is best found in others who have experienced a stroke. Stroke support groups allow camaraderie and emotional support from peers who understand the recovery process. Additionally, they offer a wealth of information on products and care spe-
cific to the needs of life after a stroke.
Survivors and loved ones can attend a stroke support group on the second Wednesday of each month from 3 to 4 p.m. at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Bluffton.
In addition, Encompass Health is beginning a unit in its volunteer group specifically for stroke support. It’s called the Stroke Buddy Program. The purpose is to provide more one-on-one attention on the next steps of recovery.
Encompass Health is located at 107 Seagrass Station Road in Bluffton. For more information, call 843-836-8200.
an angle and that height will tell you how high the ball will come out if hit correctly.
If you play golf in the Lowcountry, you will probably get into a fairway bunker almost every time you play. Fairway bunkers are actually easier to hit out of than greenside bunkers – if you follow some of my suggestions here.
Check the lip of the bunker first, since loft on this shot is the most important variable. Choose a club that has enough loft to clear the lip.
How can you tell if the club’s loft can clear the lip? Take your club outside the bunker, even with your shot, and step on the clubface with the face up. The shaft will point at
If you can clear the lip easily, then use one more club than you would hit at that distance if it was on the grass, e.g., a 6 iron instead of 7 iron.
For longer bunker shots, hybrids are a great choice of club because of their rounded sole and loft.
Choke up on the grip about one inch and stand closer to the ball.
Stand taller than normal and dig feet only enough to stay balanced.
Ball position is in the center with a wider square stance to minimize weight shift. Keep your lower body “quiet” with as little leg movement as possible.
Focus your eyes in front of the ball ¬–this will promote ball first contact. You don’t want to hit behind the ball like you do in a greenside bunker.
Hit the ball thin and “pick it” off the sand
taking no divot.
Many driving ranges don’t have fairway bunkers to practice out of. Pinecrest Golf Club, where I teach, has a great place to practice fairway bunkers.
Another option is to take some sand out on the driving range and place it on a divot. Place a ball on the sand and hit no sand when executing your shot.
Finally, a great way to practice this shot is on the golf course when it isn’t crowded. Try it with different irons and hybrids. Practice shots from various distances and various lips when you are out playing for fun.
Playing golf from the sand is more fun than going to the beach.
Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local golf courses. jean. golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; golfdoctorjean. com
By Chris Dewey CONTRIBUTOR
The 2022 holiday season is over. It’s the New Year, 2023, and you’re next in line at the pharmacy. You whip out your new Medicare Part D drug plan and the sticker shock has you at a loss for words.
Or perhaps you realize the same drug plan you had last year that rolled over went from $22 to $40 a month. What now?
Let’s delve into what to do when you, the Medicare beneficiary, neglected to study the annual notice of change your insurance company sent you regarding your Part D drug plan – or worse, your insurance agent, after spending an inordinate amount of time trying to find the best plan for you based upon your drugs, forgot to hit the submit button.
This happened to me, because ... I don’t have a reason or an excuse, but for a couple
of my clients, I firmly believe the mistake was on my end, not theirs.
I filled out the application and applied for a new drug plan with my client right in front of me at our office, but because of a technical
snafu or user error, the application was not received by CMS.
Is there any recourse? Well, yes, there is. I plan on doing a three-way call with Medicare and the three clients whose plans should have been changed on Jan. 1. Do I have a case? The Office of Aging says this about changing plans after Dec. 7: “However, there are some exceptions: You accidentally enrolled in the same plan or stayed in a plan you didn’t want, or you enrolled in a Medicare plan by mistake. If you are enrolled in the wrong
Medicare plan by mistake or after receiving misleading information, you may be able to disenroll from the plan and enroll in a new plan that is a better fit for your needs.”
I dropped the ball for three of my new clients. In my three-way call with my clients and Medicare, I can explain to CMS that the new technology I used to enroll these folks did not work properly or perhaps I messed up. Either way, I am confident we will resolve the issue.
If you’re uncertain as to what drug plan you are on, or perhaps the plan you kept made huge changes to the drug formulary, premium and deductible, and you never received the Annual Notice of Change, you should call Medicare and explain your situation. Or, better yet, have your agent make that call with you.
Dewey is the founder of May River Medicare Insurance in Bluffton.
About 65% of my clients are above the age of 50. To help us age more gracefully and gently than the generation before us, let’s start with our hairstyles.
I don’t think this means embrace an older age. “Old lady” haircuts and hair color make us look like “old ladies.”
I believe that we should look like we feel or want to feel. That does not mean that your hair needs to be spiked, shaved or fuchsia. There is a very fine line in trying too hard to stay young and looking a bit ridiculous.
Many striking, beautiful, older women have great haircuts and color. It’s not rocket science, but it does require some effort. The short, over the ears, no-style, salt-and-pepper or white “old lady” ’do’s are DON’T’S!
Instead of looking old or older, why not have a cut and/or color that can take years off how you look?
The basic rules, as I consistently write about, are:
1. Your cut should bring focus to the eyes and cheeks, not the jaw or chin.
2. Your color should be lighter around the face to soften the wrinkles.
Both of of these can be achieved with the proper style. It doesn’t have to be high maintenance. However, you must be willing to use products and a tiny bit of effort.
Our hair is lightening as “nature’s blonde,” better known as gray, begins rearing its ugly head. That starkness can be softened easily, without that dreaded line of new growth and without being a slave to your hair.
All over, one-color, no-dimension color is not the answer either. That’s what inevitably happens when you color you own
hair. That just makes it more obvious.
The gray can be softened to look like a natural color with shine and dimension that just wears off with time. You won’t have to have the salon on speed dial to cover the roots.
As far as the cut, the upside-down triangle shape that I constantly dwell on is the most youthful-shaped cut for everyone. It draws the eye up and brings focus to the place we all want the focus to be.
It doesn’t have to be short. It can be a layered bob (bottom layers are a must). Many newer versions of the 1980s shag are extremely flattering on all ages. Texture and products can make a boring haircut come to life.
Layers are also very flattering and helpful in achieving volume with a little bit of effort.
The stylist should take the time to consult with you before doing anything.
Your lifestyle and routine are of utmost importance when tailoring a style that suits you.
Instructions should be given while styling so you can recreate it at home with no problem.
I tell all my clients three very important things: I cannot read your mind, therefore you must tell me if something bothers you. I can’t fix it if I don’t know. And come back if it doesn’t work for you. I’ll show you again. There is nothing good about having a style that you can’t do yourself. Remember those things and make an appointment for a new, more youthful look. It will be your least expensive and easiest 10 pounds lost and 10 years gained.
Joy Ross is owner of Style It Salon in Old Town Bluffton. styleitsalon.com
By Pete Berntson CONTRIBUTOR
Just weeks into a new year, there is both excitement and uncertainty about all the possibilities and challenges that lie ahead. One thing that can help us navigate this journey with confidence and peace is faith in God.
Faith in God means trusting that there is more than we can see, or even understand fully. Faith is trusting in God’s goodness, wisdom, and plan for our lives. It means believing that God is always with us, even in the difficult times, and that God has a purpose for everything that happens to us.
But faith in God doesn’t mean we will never face challenges or struggle with doubt. In fact, it is often in the midst of these struggles that our faith is tested. But it is a choice. We can let our difficulties and adversities make us bitter and angry. Or we can choose
to challenge ourselves to look even harder to recognize God’s presence and activity in our lives and our world.
Among the many ways to increase our ability to see God at work for good, in the world and in us, is to devote time to being with God, studying Holy Scripture, and seeking guidance from others who have a
strong faith. Some call these practices acts of piety.
Another way to journey through the new year with faith in God is to engage in acts of mercy. These are active and intentional choices to find ways to serve and love others.
Focusing on helping others can help us put our own problems and worries into
perspective and find meaning and purpose in life. It can also help us develop a deeper sense of compassion and empathy, leading to a more fulfilling and joyful life.
Both acts of piety and acts of mercy are enhanced by surrounding ourselves with other people who have a strong faith in God. Whether it’s through a church community, a small group, or simply a few close friends, having people in our lives who can encourage and support us in our faith can be a great source of strength and encouragement.
The New Year is just starting, and there is much uncertainty ahead and likely no shortage of both joy and heartache. Yet trusting that God is with us, will never leave us, and choosing to draw closer to God and God’s people can enable us to navigate the ups and downs of life. May it be so for all of us in 2023.
Pete Berntson is the pastor of Church of the Palms United Methodist Church in Okatie.
In my last couple of articles, I wrote about hurricanes and tropical storms. I was elated when the tropical storm season abated and looked forward to a normal Lowcountry fall and winter.
But what’s a normal Lowcountry winter? I remember warm December days walking on the beach and even one Christmas walking around in short sleeves and shorts. This is among the reasons we moved from the northeast to the Lowcountry.
But every now and again a cold winter storm rears its head here in the South. Over this past Christmas holiday, for instance, we experienced what has been described as a “bomb cyclone.”
A bomb cyclone, also known as bombogenesis, is a fast-developing storm that occurs when atmospheric pressure drops
at least 24 millibars or 0.7 inches over a 24-hour period, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
With the arrival of this year’s bomb cyclone, most of us rushed to protect our plants from frost and did our best to keep our plumbing from freezing – not to mention trying to keep ourselves warm.
This storm hit not only the Lowcountry but elsewhere in the South as well. Friends
in other states reported temperatures in the single digits and many parts of the north had record snowfalls. I recall more than one neighbor joking, “What’s all this about global warming?” Some will remind us that we have had severe cold and snow here before.
In Beaufort County, in January 2018, we experienced what was called a “historic winter storm.” The beaches were covered in snow. The last sizable snowfall was the record-breaker that happened in 1989, when more than 6 inches of snow landed in the Lowcountry and Hwy. 278 was a slab of ice. There was also the blizzard of 1973, one of
the biggest South Carolina blizzards of all time.
Yes, we have had weather fluctuations where we might get very extreme heat or rain, cold or snowy spells. But our average climate refers to much longer periods over time. We become aware of a sharp change in weather almost immediately.
However, we do not seem to notice the slower, protracted changes in our climate. Scientists inform us that the Gulf Stream is slowing. Polar ice caps are melting. And all these factors together will impact both the number and severity of storms both tropical and winter that we will see over time.
Although this extreme type of weather system does not come often to this area, we still need to be concerned once the tropical storm season is over.
John Riolo lives in Moss Creek and is past president of the Nature Club of Moss Creek. john.a.riolo@gmail.com
I came across two trips with fathers and their sons. These fishing excursions brought back a flood of memories of my own early days fishing with my dad.
At the same time, these trips jolted my memory bank about some of the times I shared outdoor experiences with my son Logan and my daughter Camden. If my dad hadn’t taken the time to teach me about fishing and the outdoors, I can assure you my entire life would be a whole lot different than it is now.
As I listen to all the hoopla about kids and how they never get any exercise because of computers, video games and all the other electronic toys, I thank my stars that I grew up in a time when the great outdoors was my video game. I couldn’t get enough of it.
With my kids now in their mid- to upper 30s, they are both well-balanced when it comes to splitting time between electronic distractions and the outdoors. Logan lives outside Los Angeles and, even though there isn’t all that much fishing where he lives, he has made hiking his favorite outdoor endeavor. A passionate fisherman, he will eventually figure out the West Coast angling scene, but at least he is outdoors instead of gluing his face to a computer screen 24/7.
So many of my early life memories involve the outdoors. Almost like it was yesterday, I can vividly remember all my firsts in fishing.
My first mahi-mahi, my first wahoo, redfish, tuna, largemouth bass, snook … but the most awesome visual and physical experience had to have been my first blue marlin. Again, I was with my dad, and it was one of those super calm days. I had the port outrigger bait, a large Spanish mackerel, and I watched it intently as it skipped along the surface. Then it was there – a huge blue marlin, its bill slashing at my mackerel. I was stunned.
Lit up like a Christmas tree, that marlin hit the bait once, twice, and then in a giant explosion of water it inhaled that mackerel like it was candy. I was only 10, and I was frozen in fear as that monster fish came clear out of water and greyhounded across the ocean.
The line was peeling off the rod so fast I wasn’t about to touch it. Dad led me to the fighting chair, brought me the rod (which weighed about as much as I did) and
encouraged me throughout the long battle.
He helped me hold the rod and reeled for me when my arms got too tired but it was MY fish. I saw the pride in his eyes when we finally brought that marlin boat side.
I tried my best to do the same thing with my kids. I know I had that same look of pride when one of them completed a battle with a fish that was larger than they were – Camden when she battled a 76-pound cobia for nearly an hour, and Logan with his first tarpon that was around 110 pounds. I know in both cases, the visual images of those two experiences will stay with them long after I am gone.
The first father-son excursion when I began guiding part time was with a father from Ohio and his two sons, ages 9 and 7. As it is with most young’uns, when introducing them to fishing, you have to be extremely patient with them. On many father-son trips the kids have as much fun playing with the live bait as they do with the fishing and that’s OK.
On this trip, when a big redfish latched onto the older brother’s line, he grabbed the rod and went at it like a pro, even though the
biggest fish he had ever caught prior to this trip was a freshwater 2-pound largemouth bass.
His dad helped him, but when that 36inch redfish was finally hauled into the boat, that boy held that fish like it was his favorite toy. I could see the pride in his eyes and in his father’s eyes as well.
After a few more redfish caught by both boys, I truly believe it was the start of a lifelong love of fishing and the outdoors for both of them.
Another memorable father-son trip was with a man from New Jersey and his 10-yearold son. I took them live baiting for big Spanish mackerel at the Whitewater Reef a few miles off the south end of Hilton Head. I was ready to bag the trip, as the boy struggled with seasickness, when suddenly one of the reels began to sing.
Fighting that fish was all that was needed to snap him out of feeling not so great. From that first fish to six more just like it, he was hooked.
In both of these cases, these kids will never forget those saltwater experiences.
If you have kids, get them outside and show them that the great outdoors is better than any video game or cell phone. It might just change their lives as much as it changed mine.
Collins Doughtie, a 60-year resident of the Lowcountry, is a sportsman, graphic artist, and lover of nature. collinsdoughtie@icloud. com
Happy 2023! We hope that everyone had a good holiday season and we’re sure everyone is eager to get back into their regular routine.
Over the holidays we were greeted with some cold winter weather including some freezes, and our landscape is a clear reflection of that. Most grasses have gone completely dormant now and many plants have been showing signs of frost damage.
If you didn’t apply rye grass this season, any green sections of the lawn are most likely weeds. The majority of weeds encountered this time of year are broadleaf, which are fairly manageable.
However, the main weed of concern this time of year is Poa Annua. Also
known as annual bluegrass, Poa Annua is a grassy winter weed that often appears in clumps. It is very difficult to control post bloom if a pre-emergent was not applied in the fall.
As we get closer to summertime and our temperatures increase, the Poa Annua will die out.
When it comes to changes in your plants this time of year, we encourage everyone to be patient. These heavy freezes might have caused the leaves to turn brown on your plants. But don’t worry! Most plants will recover from this in the spring.
The brown leaves will need to be pruned off the plants, as they will not turn back to green, but the new growth should be healthy.
We recommend waiting until March to trim back the brown leaves in the event that we run into anoth-
er heavy freeze. It is, after all, only January!
This time of year, not much maintenance is needed on the lawn. Make sure that airflow and sunlight remain adequate by keeping leaves and debris off the lawn.
If you plan to mulch leaves with a mower, I would leave the mower blade at or above recommended height to avoid scalping or root exposure.
As for watering, irrigation systems should remain off until temperatures warm back up around late March and early April. If we go an extended period without rainfall, you might want to run the irrigation system at a heavy rate for one day.
By Larry Stoller CONTRIBUTOR
It’s 2023 and many of us may have made resolutions to do things differently this year.
In the spirit of making good real estate decisions, here are some real estate resolutions to think about:
Selling and buying at the same time: Selling and buying simultaneously is very challenging. For example, can you afford to buy a home without selling your current home? Or do you have to sell first and find a place to stay until you buy your new home? It is best have to a strategy in place and work closely with your agent for a win-win deal. Getting your finances together: If you plan to buy a home in 2023, now’s the time to meet with a mortgage professional to view your financial picture from a lender’s perspective. There is no charge for this service,
and meeting with a local lender will give you a clear picture of how much you can borrow and how much you can afford.
Think of your home as a car that you want to sell: Clean it up inside and out.
Make it appealing. Make it sparkle and shine. Do some painting if needed. (Back in 2004, I sold a 1983 280ZX that I had painted for a lot more than I originally paid.) Staging and organizing a home also helps get it sold.
Check the market to see what homes are for sale: It is very important to learn about the local real estate market, homes for sale, homes that recently sold, and home values in the neighborhood where you want to live. Browse all the listings to see what’s available and what’s sold. Become an informed buyer or seller. Get assistance from a knowledgeable real estate agent.
Choose the right real estate agent who will work best for you: Selling and/or buying a home takes a lot of time and planning. To make sure all your real estate needs and wants are fully satisfied, get the right real estate agent who will work best for you and make your real estate experience as good as it can be. I would suggest interviewing at least three agents.
Larry Stoller is a broker and Realtor with Real Estate Five of the Lowcountry. Larry@ RealEstateFive.com, RealEstateFive.com
Affordable loving care. Every pet. Every family.
Offering wellness exams, vaccines and other services at affordable prices. Proceeds help us rescue homeless animals.
State and local officials will provide updates, trends and a forecast in the fight against human trafficking during an annual meeting Jan. 25 of the Lowcountry Human Trafficking Task Force.
The presentation is set for 10 a.m. to noon at the Hardeeville Recreation Center at 258 John Smith Road in Hardeeville. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Kathryn Moorehead is expected to speak on behalf of the S.C. Office of the Attorney General. She is the director of Violence Against Women Act and Human Trafficking Programs. She is also the coordinator of the S.C. Human Trafficking Task Force. She brings more than 20 years of experience in education, social work, advocacy and public health.
Other presenters will include Hardeeville Police Chief Sam Woodward,
14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carra Henderson, and task force co-chairs JoJo Woodward and Michelle Fraser.
Woodward has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and currently is a cold-case investigator with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office. Fraser, a victim advocate for 15 years, oversees the day-to-day operation of the 14th Circuit Victims Services Center and its community partners.
The Lowcountry Human Trafficking Task Force is a member of the larger state Human Trafficking Task Force, created to prevent human trafficking, to protect trafficked victims and to prosecute traffickers. To learn more, visit sclchttf.wixsite.com.
Registration is strongly encouraged by contacting Erinn McGuire at sclchttf@ gmail.com or by calling 843-790-6453.
