VOLUME 24, ISSUE 2 • JANUARY 20, 2021

Jan. 19, 2021 • Volume 24, Issue 2 • Complimentary • BlufftonSun.com

WEAR A MASK!

INSIDE • Artist wished to donate handbuilt Nativity display 14A • Zion Missionary Church ready to get into new Life Center 17A • Forum discusses human trafficking issues in state 20A • On the Porch with Fred Hamilton 23A • DRCI welcomes Hardeeville to business programs 27A

Bluffton’s reputation as safe town continues to grow

By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR

For the 12th time in six years, Bluffton is one of the safest cities in South Carolina, according to a variety of security system and real estate websites.

The most recent listing by Safety.com ranks Bluffton as No. 1. The town was also ranked No. 1 by Home Safety Advisor and HomeSnacks.com. A number of other similar organizations have rated the town in the top five safest.

At the time of the most recent ranking, Bluffton had the lowest poverty rate and the second-lowest unemployment rate on the list.

Capt. Scott Chandler, who heads the

Bluffton Police Department Support Services Division, said the biggest thing that has helped has been the support of the government, the town staff and the community that enables the police to do their jobs.

“I think the town has been very forward thinking, especially in anticipating the needs of the town, the growth and the department,” Chandler said. “Basically it’s the partnership that we have formed in the community that helps keep us so safe.”

The numerous organizations give Bluffton its high safety rankings based on examination of detailed government data. Safety. com, for example, references FBI reports

Please see SAFETY on page 12A

LYNNE COPE HUMMELL

Officers with the Bluffton Police Department engage with community youth in a game of kickball on a Saturday in June 2020 during the Gullah Market event held at Eagle’s Field.

BCSD registration dates set for 2021-22 kindergarten, pre-K Pre-registration for Beaufort County children to attend public school kindergarten or pre-kindergarten next school year will be held Feb. 1-26.

Interested parents with children who will be 5 years old by Sept. 1 can pre-register for kindergarten at the school serving their neighborhood’s attendance area. Parents with

y p p a H ! r a e Y w e N

questions about school attendance zones should call any elementary school in their area.

Parents with children who will be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1 can pre-register for pre-kindergarten at their neighborhood schools. Because space is limited for Pre-K, 4-year-olds will be assessed for possible

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enrollment during Child Find screenings the week of March 1-5.

Decisions on placement for Pre-K will be made at each school after children’s screenings are complete. Children are ranked in order of greatest need for participation based on the provided list of at-risk indicators.

For all student enrollments, parents

should bring their child’s birth certificate, South Carolina Certificate of Immunization (shot record), and two proofs of residency, such as a utility bill showing a home address.

For more information, call your neighborhood school or the district office’s Office of Early Childhood at 843-521-2399.

Page 2A

The Bluffton Sun

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Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 3A

SUNNY SIDE UP

Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it educates humans

By Lynne Cope Hummell EDITOR

Watching my new favorite series, the “Great British Baking Show,” on Netflix recently, I noticed in the background an odd-looking yet beautiful large bird strutting about the lawn of the British manor beyond the tent where the show is filmed.

I was intrigued by the pattern of black and white speckles on his body (assuming it was a male, because it’s usually the male birds who sport the grandest plumage), the bright orange beak with red “flaps” alongside, and a pointy bump on its head that seemed to be a replica of the beak.

I was curious about the bird, so I paused the show to look it up. Thank goodness for option to search by image on the internet.

I discovered that I had seen a guinea fowl, likely a male – judging by the longish “flaps,” which are called “wattles.” The “bump” on his head is called a “helmet.”

Females look similar to males, except their

wattles and helmets are smaller and shorter.

There are about 20 different colors of guinea fowl, and the feathers of adult males and females of each color variety look nearly identical. My bird was the original pearl gray color.

I could go on about what I learned on a dozen websites about guinea fowl – from how to build a roost (not a coop) for pet guineas, to what they eat, to how to tell if it’s a male or female.

Learning almost always happens when I follow up on something that piques my curiosity.

The reason I started watching the baking show is that I failed so miserably during the widespread coronavirus isolation-induced mania last spring to hone one’s bread-baking skills. The recipe and method sounded so easy, and I had a jar of starter, and explicit instructions – and I messed it up over and over.

I was curious about how other bakers handled the challenge, and why the tem-

perature of water makes a difference to yeast, and what is the secret to baking a great loaf of bread every single time?

I’ve learned a lot from those bakers, and from host and bread master Paul Hollywood.

I’ve also learned about baked goods from around the world. Who knew there were so many diverse ways to use flour and water?

The learning that comes from curiosity is one reason I encouraged my children to always ask questions if they were curious about something, or didn’t understand it, or just wanted to know more.

Boy, did they ask questions! Usually, when they were younger, they proffered mostly “why?” questions, the kind parents do their best to answer, only to have their short answer be questioned again: “Why?” Even now, as young adults, they still ask perplexing questions: “Why, exactly, is it better to have a mortgage hanging over your head instead of renting?” “Why are we forced to have car insurance?” Again, there are no short answers.

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Driving home recently, I heard a promo spot on NPR for a program that appeals to those who are curious, according to the host, who is also curious.

“Think” is a national, daily interview show that explores all kinds of topics. When I got to my computer and looked it up, I found a list of intriguing topics, many of which I have been curious about but haven’t taken the time to search for: humorist David Sedaris; “What happens when medical misinformation goes viral”; “Latter Day Saints in a modern world”; and why IS Wonder Woman the only female Superhero?

What piques your curiosity? If you can’t think of something to look up, here’s a starter set of questions: What is a Kransekake, and how is it made?

How tall is the Empire State Building?

What’s the coldest, habitable place in the U.S.?

How many pennies are there in a million dollars?

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Page 4A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

EDITORIAL

Current Circulation Via USPS is 24,670 Finalist: Small Business of the Year, HHI-Bluffton Chamber.

Winner of the SAPA General Excellence Award; 1st place, Front Page Design; 2nd place, Most Improved Publication; and 3rd place, Self-Promotion Advertising.

IFPA-SAPA 3rd Place, Business Coverage

PUBLISHER

Kevin Aylmer, kevina@blufftonsun.com

EDITOR

Lynne Hummell, editor@blufftonsun.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kim Perry Bowen

OFFICE MANAGER Susan Tarbona

CONTRIBUTORS Pete Berntson Abby Bird Amy Coyne Bredeson Jerry Glenn Jean Harris Ashley Hildreth Chris Lane Lou Marino Dave Miller

Edward Poenicke Joy Ross Gwyneth J. Saunders Cinda Seamon Larry Stoller Lisa Sulka Brittny Valburg Mark F. Winn

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BlufftonSun.com For more information, contact: Kevin Aylmer PO Box 2056, Bluffton, SC 29910 843-757-9507, 843-757-9506 (fax) Physical address: 14D Johnston Way Bluffton, SC 29910 All contents are copyrighted by Lowcountry Local Media Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. All submissions must include name, address and phone number. The Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any material, including advertisements. The Bluffton Sun does not verify for licenses, endorse nor warrant any advertised businesses or services. The opinions and views expressed in the editorials are not necessarily those of the Editor and Publisher. Member: Southeastern Advertising Publishers Assoc., Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Old Town Bluffton Merchants Society.

THE BLUFFTON SUN Issue 2, January 20, 2021 is published twice monthly by Lowcountry Local Media, Inc., 14D Johnston Way, Bluffton, SC 29910.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Bluffton, SC and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE BLUFFTON SUN, PO Box 2056, Bluffton, SC 29910-2056.

Despite pandemic, positive things happened

By Lisa Sulka CONTRIBUTOR

Even though we might like to erase this past year, it is important to recognize the many positive things that occurred in this town.

Two over-reaching projects focus on providing resources for the community: • We approved a Small Business Lisa Sulka Economic Resiliency Plan for the Don Ryan Center for Innovation to provide the local business community a resource clearinghouse.

• The Town produced a map of nonprofit, helping agencies that provide resources to local families who are experiencing financial and food challenges during the pandemic. You can find this map online by searching “storymaps Helping Agencies Providing Assistance.”

While we have been operating under less than normal conditions we continued forward on many of our capital projects: Wright Family Property: Across the street from the historic Church of the Cross, the park offers a boardwalk, a large central lawn, walkways, parking, landscaping, lighting, fencing, public restrooms and spectacular views of the May River.

Calhoun Street Regional Dock Enhancement Project: The removal of the existing public dock and building a larger, more accessible regional dock. The public dock has been located at the end of Calhoun Street since the early 1800s and has been central to the town’s commerce and economic health, bringing products and people to the center of town for centuries.

Buckwalter Place Park/Bluffton’s Veterans Memorial: The more than 1.5-acre park site is composed of

open space, an inclusive playground, a walking path and café-style outdoor furniture.

Oscar Frazier Park/“Field of Dreams” Sidewalk Installation: We installed approximately a quarter mile of concrete and oyster shell sidewalk around the perimeter of grassy area of Oscar Frazier Park.

Buck Island-Simmonsville Community Sidewalk/Lighting project: We installed the final phase of sidewalks on Buck Island Road with 1,100 linear feet of 5-foot wide sidewalks.

The project also includes the installation of street lighting.

Buck Island-Simmonsville Sewer Project: Phase 5: This is the last phase of this project and frees dependency on septic tanks for these properties.

Historic District Sewer Project/ Phase 1-Pritchard Street: This first phase includes installing 2,550 linear feet of main sewer lines and will service 25 properties with houses and four additional undeveloped lots.

This will also retire 25 septic tanks, a process known as “abandoning septic tanks,” so they pose no further threat to the local environment.

The Don Ryan Center for Innovation Hub: The new 3,000-square-foot center offers a co-working space for innovators and DRCI members. This business center features gigabit highspeed internet, Apple iMac and Windows computers, AutoCAD/design software, high-definition large panel monitors for presentations/workshops, meeting rooms and whiteboards.

Regional Stormwater Standard: The Town partnered with Beaufort County, Jasper County, Town of Port Royal, City of Beaufort, City of Hardeeville, and Town of Yemassee to develop a regional Southern Lowcountry Post Construction Stormwater Ordinance and Design Manual to protect the region’s coastal waterways.

This coordinated effort will assist developers with parallel stormwater

regulations and management standards throughout the region.

Additional accomplishments include: Town creates Law Enforcement Advisory Committee: Town Council appointed 11 citizens from the greater Bluffton area to advise the Bluffton Police Department regarding community concerns.

Toy Drive: Bluffton Police Department collected toys during the eighth annual 2020 Town of Bluffton Toy Drive. Officers were also able to purchase 37 bicycles for children in Bluffton, thanks to numerous monetary donations the department received during this drive. Additionally, Bluffton’s school resource officers identified specific students in their schools who needed help with Christmas and purchased specific wish-list items for those students.

Reverse Christmas Parade: The Town hosted its annual Christmas parade the first Saturday in December as a “reverse parade.” This concept enabled Bluffton’s holiday tradition to stay alive while incorporating health and safety precautions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Youth Community Service Award Ceremony: The Town hosted the fifth annual Youth Community Service Award Aug. 11. The Mayor’s Bluffton Youth Community Service Program recognizes high school sophomores and juniors for their volunteerism to the Bluffton community during the past year.

We couldn’t have done half of this (and even more that isn’t listed) without the help and hard work of our staff and input from our many residents. I hope you all have a healthy and happy New Year and I look forward to all the positive things to come.

Lisa Sulka is the mayor of the Town of Bluffton. lsulka@townofbluffton.com

Jan. 19, 2021

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The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

SUN ON THE STREET

Brisk Lowcountry days better than snow, crowds, traffic 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

Tony Pannozzo, Hilton Head Island and Plymouth, Mass.: “There is more comfortable weather. And Southern hospitality.”

plain fun questions.

Over several months, due to pandemic restrictions and precautions, we conducted our mini survey

Barbara Myers, Hilton Head Island and Plymouth, Mass.: “No snow!

We’re here for the winter from the Boston area.”

online. For this issue, however, we were once again on the street. We recently visited the brand new Wright Family Park at the end of Calhoun

Haleigh Allen, Bluffton: “No mosquitoes, fishing and surfing is good.

And there are fewer people on the south end of the island so we can spend more time there.”

Street to ask: “What is the best thing about winter in the Lowcountry?”

Olivia Allen, Bluffton, age 6: “We can spend more time with family outside, on the water and on bike rides.”

Amanda Turner, Anderson: “It’s not really that cold, and there’s less traffic.”

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Page 8A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

EDITORIAL

Liberals, conservatives discuss, agree on police reform

By Crosscurrents Group CONTRIBUTOR

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was researched and written by a local group called Crosscurrents, which joins liberals and conservatives in discussion of policy matters such as gun control, health care and police reform. The group chooses topics that are in the national spotlight, and seeks agreement on public policy issues. This article was drafted following a spate of unrest in the summer of 2020.

For each of the past five years in the United States, police have killed approximately 1,000 persons. Approximately 40% of the deceased were unarmed. Most citizens view many of these deaths as unacceptable because they are the opposite of the protection we expect from police. An apt analogy would be of doctors harming their patients.

Of the 1,000 killed, approximately 30% are Black. Liberals and conservatives in our group offered differing explanations for this over representation of Blacks. Liberals

highlighted systemic racism, which they say pervades our society and manifests itself in the unwarranted actions of some police.

Conservatives countered that the majority of those shot by police are non-Black. Blacks are over-represented among the dead, conservatives said, because they are over-represented in violent crime, with a homicide rate approximately four times that of the non-Black population.

Both explanations could be true, and, whether or not racism is a central cause, our group agreed police reform is urgently needed. People of every race will benefit if police killings are cut. The group thinks our country also needs to reduce killings of police. FBI statistics report 89 officers were killed in the line of duty in 2019. All lives are important, and we owe police gratitude for the risks they take to protect us.

Police reform done right is a win for everyone, including police. Higher quality policing would translate into better lives for our citizens, with safer, healthier neighborhoods and more effective community

development and growth. Police would find greater respect, increased personal safety, and greater cooperation in solving crimes.

With strong popular support, and with numerous police reform concepts and policy initiatives discussed and tried in many towns and cities for many years, it is fair to ask what holds back full acceptance and broad implementation of police reform.

There are numerous reasons, including proliferated bureaucracies, inter-organizational dynamics, limited resource availability, multi-level politics, and people being people in a large, geographically varied and diversely peopled nation.

Some key facts about policing structure and funding: 1. Nationwide, there are nearly 18,000 police organizations with nearly 700,000 officers; 2. By far the most numerous police organizations with largest numbers of police are at the town and city level – counties augment towns and cities, but rarely assume sole responsibilities for policing, as Beaufort County does on Hilton Head Island; 3. In 2017 these towns and cit-

ies funded 86% of the costs of police with various local taxes; 4. States pay about 10% of policing costs, but that always includes the state police, leaving little for localities.

Federal Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA’s) provide very limited local funding.

Therefore, the roadblocks to police reform include: 1. Policing in America is predominantly a local responsibility, and it is paid for mostly by local resources; 2. Police leaders and their elected bosses in cities and towns zealously guard their local control of police and are resistant to change; 3. The proliferation of police organizations leads inevitably to jurisdictional, operational, procedural and functional interface problems that require constant coordination and adjudication at all levels; 4. Police reform requires continuing training, technology and increased salaries for the quality police force of the future; and 5. Human factors, bureaucratic inertia, local ordinances and the pull of stakeholders (such as Fraternal Order of

Please see OPED on page 10A

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Page 10A

The Bluffton Sun

OPED from page 8A Police) are some of the other impediments to implementing police reform.

The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is an organization consisting of leaders in police forces along with scholars who study policing issues. It recommends 30 principles to guide smarter policing. Among many suggestions, No. 1 is dedication to the sanctity of life. The other principles flow from that foundation – for example, confining the use of force to the scale and nature of the threat. PERF urges that agency guidelines on the use of force must be easy to understand and follow.

Recruiting good officer candidates is basic to good policing. Currently, the majority of new hires come from current officer referrals. Increased efforts to locate motivated, well-qualified candidates are essential.

A national registry of officers dismissed for misconduct should be used to prevent rehiring problem police. To retain good officers, pay and benefits should be substantially above the regional average for all jobs.

The training should challenge outdated concepts, such as the idea that police must always “draw a line in the sand” and resolve all situations as quickly as possible. Officers

must initially contain whatever threat is present, but then training should teach de-escalation, striving to prevent, reduce and manage conflict.

To assist officers in making vital decisions under the enormously stressful conditions they sometimes face, PERF recommends training in and use of the Critical Decision Model, wherein officers are guided in gathering information and using the principles and policies of their agency to develop a plan. With this model officers find they can resolve situations with a response that is safe, ethical and proportional to the threat.

Training in racial bias should incorporate a brief history of the relationship between police and minorities, including reflection on episodes from the past that have gone wrong. One task force summarized the goal of training as creating a police culture of guardians, not warriors.

Coupling this training with community policing, wherein officers are assigned to specific communities and are closely involved with residents, organizations, businesses, etc., reduces mistrust and increases comfort with officers.

As a simple practical matter, agency policy should require body and dashboard cameras to be turned on during all police

actions. These cameras should be improved to incorporate audio recording. If force becomes unavoidable, then the minimum amount required should be employed, and very carefully. Some unnecessary deaths could be eliminated by banning chokeholds.

No-knock warrants should be used only in cases of a severe and immediate threat.

Equipment and training in an array of non-lethal options should be provided.

To better identify problem areas as well as successes, data on all police activity should be collected in a standardized format and shared nationally. All incidents that might involve deadly force should require investigations by a national agency similar to the National Transportation Safety Board. Decisions about disciplinary measures should always incorporate citizen input. Insights gathered should be analyzed and shared widely and used for training and guidance.

Federal LEAs should be in a leadership role and provide technology, communications, IT solutions, intelligence access, technical services, and best practices; state and county LEAs should provide surge manpower, forensic and crime scene augmentation, recruiting support, training, standards, as well as certifications and licensing for police departments and officers themselves.

Jan. 19, 2021 Reducing the 18,000 police organizations in the America by 30% to 50%, mostly at the local level, should be an achievable goal in this decade. This reduction would vastly simplify the complexity of coordination in police operations, standardize policing methods and procedures, and improve the potential for police reform. State and federal LEA partners should “nudge” localities toward greater cooperation and consolidation by technical and grant incentives they provide for towns that regionalize policing.

When police reform is implemented, local resistance to consolidation might be mitigated for mayors, city councils – and police chiefs – when they realize the possible budget savings that could accrue even as local policing improves.

The Crosscurrents dialogue group is interested in growing to help increase its credibility and impact. If you have an open mind, are willing to learn regardless of your political views or party and would like to join or learn more about our group, contact Richard Hammes at rhammes@comcast.net.

Authors: Roger Bernier, Raymond Dominick and Fred Gaskin live in Okatie; Greg Blackburn, Bluffton; Richard Hammes, Hilton Head Island.

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Jan. 19, 2021

SAFETY from page 1A on property, violent and hate crimes, and aggravated assaults.

Information on officer-related shootings and mass shootings comes from statistics gathered in the Gun Violence Archive, an online collection of gun violence reports from more than 7,500 law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources.

Safety.com also evaluated the town’s financial security by examining socioeconomic factors collected by the U.S. Census Bureau: cost of living, rent, unemployment, poverty level, the numbers of those employed and unemployed without health insurance.

Another aspect evaluated was the South Carolina’s natural disaster risks and public health ratings compared to other states.

In 2010, Bluffton’s population was 12,893. According to the 2019 Census, the population more than doubled by 2019 to 25,557 residents. Another population date web site, World Population Review, estimates the 2020 statistic is even higher at 28,247. Protecting the burgeoning town has become an even greater responsibility with an annual population growth of 10%.

“I think the department is very well rounded in the relationships we formed.

There are the school resources officers and their relationships with the teachers and the students. We have relationships with local businesses, especially in Old Town,” Chandler said. “And I think one of the most important is our relationships with the local churches. We couldn’t do it by ourselves. It’s mutually beneficial. We help the churches out but they help us out because they have a much greater reach throughout the community.”

Working with and within the various entities that make up Bluffton has helped the police department protect the community.

“A lot of those relationships we have formed enables us to have an open line of communication. It’s very important for the police department to hear and understand what the community is thinking,” he said.

In addition to patrolling the community, serving in the schools and responding to calls, the BPD has several programs open to the community that have brought together all kinds of people for fun, food and information.

“With the partnerships we form, the community takes part in the programs we

COURTESY BLUFFTON POLICE DEPARTMENT

Bluffton Police Department officer Terry Harden conducts a routine traffic stop recently.

have,” Chandler said. “There’s the Citizens Police Academy. There’s the Cookout with Cops. And especially the community comes out in droves to National Night Out every year … except in COVID year.

I’ve never seen a community that is so involved, that truly cares about what goes on in the community. They want to make it better. It’s not the police department that is doing all of this; it truly is a community effort.”

The BPD’s programs include not just those Chandler mentioned but also – in normal times – Bluffton Safety Day, an annual event where the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Bluffton Township Fire District provide displays and handson activities for the community; a law enforcement Explorer Program for young adults; the holiday Shop with a Cop; and the annual Town of Bluffton toy drive.

As Chandler said, the department’s work depends upon partnerships and a lot of the success comes from the community’s efforts. And it is the community that will continue to make it a success.

“We ask that the community continue to support its police department. They have to hold us to task,” said Chandler. “If they see something that we’re doing that needs improvement, they need to tell us so we can improve on that. They need to be critics of the police department as well as supporters.”

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

Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 13A

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The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

One of artist’s last wishes: Find a home for nativity display

By Amy Coyne Bredeson CONTRIBUTOR

Richard Coyne became fascinated with Christmas villages when he was a young boy. His grandfather would set up an elaborate display every year.

Coyne grew up to be a successful artist and eventually took up his grandfather’s hobby by setting up his own villages each year at Christmas time.

A few years ago, the Bluffton man spent at least 10 weeks creating a new village.

Instead of the modern villages showing winter scenes, this one was a village in Bethlehem.

Sadly, Coyne died Jan. 7 after a long battle with brain cancer. But before his death, he made sure those closest to him knew where he wanted the Bethlehem village to go.

“It is too heartbreaking to tear it down and destroy it,” Coyne’s life partner, Gabriele Hoffmann, said. “So we would like a permanent home, where it can be exhibited for the holidays and also stored for the

SUBMITTED

Richard Coyne’s elaborate re-creation of the Village of Bethlehem takes up about a 10-foot-by10-foot space.

rest of the year.”

Since the entire village is about 100 square feet, it takes up a lot of space.

Hoffmann said it has to be taken apart in at least six pieces and is no small undertaking. She said she and Coyne’s family would prefer that it go to a church, but that isn’t necessarily a requirement.

“Whoever takes it, it will take some work,” Hoffmann said. “It would need someone with an affinity for art or 3-dimensional dioramas.”

A plein air oil painter and draftsman, Coyne was well-known in the community for his Christmas village displays, which he loved to share with the public. He was also known for his detailed drawings of Live Oak trees, including the historic Secession Tree in Bluffton.

Coyne won awards for his village displays, which were featured in several magazines, newspapers and on TV. His village displays were even made into puzzles.

The layout of Coyne’s Bethlehem village

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Page 16A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

NATIVITY from page 14A

SUBMITTED

A close-up of the nativity scene in Richard Coyne’s Village of Bethlehem.

was inspired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Christmas tree and Neapolitan nativity scene. It was also influenced by his travels to Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran in the 1970s, which helped him arrange the intricate scene to resemble a Middle Eastern village.

The village features four centers of activity that are lit by campfires, with animals, shepherds and more. Coyne constructed some of the buildings, made many of the trees from scratch and sculpted the nearly terrain for the diorama.

“It has a very organic feel and is magical when lit up,” Hoffmann said.

Anyone interested in taking ownership of the display may call her at 646-417-3941.

Coyne’s nephew, Rick Coyne, is grateful for the memories he has of his uncle, who made sure to introduce him and his broth- A close-up of a rooftop in Richard Coyne’s Viler to the magic of his Christmas villages lage of Bethlehem shows details of the display. when they were children. soul that spent his life creating beauty to “He understood the importance of inspiring wonder and creativity as a benefit share with the rest of the world in hope of helping others find beauty and passion in for all mankind,” Rick said. “I think the theirs.” best part for him in the end was watching some kid’s eyes light up when they walk Amy Coyne Bredeson of Bluffton is a freeup and see these grand, magnificent pieces he dreamt up and made real with his own lance writer, a mother of two and a volunteer hands ... He was a kind and passionate with the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.

Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

First Zion’s new addition almost ready for grand opening

GWYNETH J. SAUNDERS

The new Life Center at First Zion Missionary Baptist Church on Wharf Street, on the same property as the church sanctuary, is nearly complete and will soon be ready for parishioners to use and enjoy.

By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR

The new Life Center built next to First Zion Missionary Baptist Church is nearly ready for occupancy, according to Pastor Bennie Jenkins.

Groundbreaking for the new building was June 16, 2019, and Jenkins and the congregation expected to be using it in time for the church’s 158th anniversary last October, but – like everyone else – “We postponed a lot of things on our schedule last year,” said Jenkins.

“We had actually finished the building process early last year. The structure and everything is turnkey,” he said. “We still had some other line items as far as communication – monitors and things – but the building is about 95% ready to be utilized.”

Jenkins expects the final details to be finished and the last equipment installed, fully functional, and ready to be used in February.

“We’ve got some ideas concerning the Life Center. It’s a fellowship hall as well as a place for study, and we’re looking to extend the use to the community

for meetings, workshops, small-setting social gatherings for everybody, town officials, business owners,” Jenkins said.

The church was founded in 1862 and is Bluffton’s second-oldest African American church. Abraham Murchison is recorded in the history books as organizing the church. An escaped slave, Rev. Murchison became the first preacher to serve the community of Mitchellville on Hilton Head Island. He is also credited with recruiting former slaves into the First South Carolina Volunteer Regiment – the first all-black unit in the Civil War. The church had a number of programs well-established prior to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down public gatherings of any kind. That won’t curb any plans for restarting those, as well as preparing for future initiatives.

“Before COVID came in, we had an after-school program in the sanctuary, but the vision for the future is it to have the after-school programs in the Life Center,” he said. “And if the Lord opens the way, we are looking to open a K-5 school in the future. The vision God gave us is to

Please see FIRST ZION on page 18A

Page 17A

Page 18A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

FIRST ZION from page 17A be a facility to help children – through educational means and other ways, such as counseling, and building kids academically and spiritually.”

The congregation had to make some serious choices in order to get the Life Center built.

“The beautiful thing is we are debtfree. We prayed about it, and there were some hard decisions to be made, but God gave us a budget. We stuck to the budget, and lo and behold! Looking back, if we had gotten a mortgage with COVID-19 hitting, we might not have been is such a good position,” Jenkins said. “We had a lot of members playing a big part in making this successful and we’re grateful.”

Those members total about 250 people of all ages.

“The strength of the church is 25 to 50 years old,” the pastor said. “We still have our patriarchs and matriarchs. They are still with us, giving us good guidance and wisdom from their longevity, and we thank God for them, who paved the way for us.”

Jenkins said the congregation is looking forward to being able to use the center and promises a celebration when the time comes.

“We’re pretty much relying on the whole vaccination process. We did do an in-house ribbon-cutting around February 2020 to do the prayer and ceremonial rites and all, so we did do something small. But something we are looking forward to doing is the final ceremonial rites, and we want the whole community involved when we cut the ribbon,” said Jenkins.

For 158 years, First Zion has been in the same location at 10 Robertson St., off Wharf Street and one block north of the Bluffton Oyster Factory.

At the moment, because of the current concerns and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the church is not conducting inhouse worship, but that hasn’t stopped them from worshipping.

“We are still having services on the church grounds. We are doing live-streaming online at 10 a.m. and we

have people come out and park on the church grounds in their cars,” Jenkins said. Because the worship is outside, he said there have been a lot of guests who would otherwise not be attending the church’s services.

“We are now able to have members participating with people who were not members. People who were out walking their dogs or on their golf carts have stopped by, and now we have regular visits from these same people and we are grateful for that, too,” he said.

First Zion conducts a virtual Sunday service at 9 a.m. on its Facebook page and a live, in-person “drive-in” church at 10 a.m.

“And all are welcome: dogs, cats, golf carts. Everybody,” Jenkins said.

For more information, call 843-7573129 or 843-757-3130, visit firstzionbc. com, email firstzion@hargray.com, or find the church on Facebook at firstzionmissionarybaptistchurchbluffton,sc.

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

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The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

Billion-dollar industry seeks workers in South Carolina

By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR

Hundreds of thousands of people are already working in one of the three most lucrative businesses in the world, one that conducts daily job interviews, with promising positions available, especially for women and children.

The business is human trafficking, the third largest crime industry – behind drugs and guns – which rakes in $1.5 billion dollars each year.

“Hundreds of thousands of people are being trafficked for sex as well as work, and we think about half of them are children,” said Duffie Stone, 14th Circuit Court solicitor at the Jan. 13 meeting of the Lowcountry Human Trafficking Task Force. The meeting was held at Faith Walterboro in Colleton County and streamed live.

“We meet each year, and every year it’s shocking to me how little we know about trafficking,” Stone said. “We don’t know a lot of things but I think we know about the tip of the iceberg.”

SCREENSHOT

Sheila Roemeling, director of Fresh Start Healing Heart, speaks during the Jan. 13 meeting of the Lowcountry Human Trafficking Task Force. Roemeling is chair of the task force.

The meeting was hosted by Task Force chair Sheila Roemeling, founder and executive director of Fresh Start Healing Heart, a nonprofit that provides safe housing, immediate needs and restorative services for emotional, spiritual, physical, educational and financial healing, according to its website.

Roemeling opened the meeting speaking

to those in attendance from law enforcement, faith organizations, and legal groups, interested community members, and those watching as the presentation was livestreamed on Facebook.

“In our plans for 2021, we will focus on doing more training for each other and in local areas as well as pulling in a lot more

members for our committees for collaborating with the state,” she said.

Part of that training includes recognizing those who have been trafficked or are vulnerable.

“Get involved in your community, get to know the people where you eat, where you shop,” she said. “Talk to them.”

The United Nations defines human trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud, or coercion) for an improper purpose, including forced labor or sexual exploitation.

Stone said the industry is almost entirely run by organized crime. Many former drug cartels have turned to trafficking because it is more profitable.

In meeting with members of the New York Attorney General’s Office, Stone learned that almost all of the current half dozen to a dozen human trafficking cases were a street gang-organized trafficking operation.

“We’ve seen videos in which gang mem-

Please see TRAFFICKING on page 22A

Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 21A

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The Bluffton Sun

TRAFFICKING from page 20A bers have posted really professional-looking videos in which they are showing drugs, guns, young girls, and they’re posting those on YouTube video,” Stone said. “They’re not just advertising. They’re recruiting, and they’re not recruiting just anybody but they’re recruiting our children.”

Stone frequently confers with professionals around the country, seeking the latest tools and methodology to make his own investigations successful.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who is also chairman of the state task force, offered some recent statistics on current cases and known attributes with data from the Polaris Project, which operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.

“In the 2020 annual report, 10 different defendants were charged with 13 counts of human trafficking, and eight of those cases were closed in the state court,” said Wilson.

“As of the 2021 report, 75 cases are pending in state courts.”

He said Polaris was one of many national partners, one that enables users to track trends using data gleaned from the tips called in. “Not every tip is human trafficking.

It might be some other criminal activity,

but it is instructive and helpful identifying problem areas,” said Wilson.

A number of factors place certain counties at the top of different categories, but that does not indicate that is where the trouble is.

“Just because a county makes a ‘top five’ doesn’t mean that’s where the human trafficking is taking place. That’s the top five counties from where the tips were given,” Wilson said. “With 46 counties in South Carolina, there could be an ample human trafficking problem going unrecognized yet.

According to Polaris, there have been 139 cases reported since the last report, down from 156. There have been 179 victims since last report in 2020.”

Wilson highlighted the following categories related to human trafficking, in order: • Top five counties: Horry, Charleston, Greenville, Richland, Anderson.

• Top five sex trafficking venues: Illicit massage and spa businesses; hotel and motel-based; resident-based businesses, like a brothel; pornography; escort delivery services.

• Top five labor venues: Hospitality; construction; travel and sales cruises; agriculture; restaurant and food service.

• Top five trafficker relationships to

Jan. 19, 2021 said. “While I realize there is a public safety risk with people in small confined areas in the detention center, there is another public safety risk you have got to also prepare for, which is having these same violent criminals out on the streets.” Stone added they aren’t going anywhere until courts reopen.

In response to a question about possible penalties, Wilson was definitive in his answer.

“Penalties for human trafficking on my end are 30 years for the first offense and 45 for the second. That will give you an idea how serious we take it,” he said.

For more information about the South Carolina Lowcountry Human Trafficking Task Force, visit sclchttf.wixsite.com.

If you or someone you know needs assistance or has information about trafficking situations, call 888-373-7888 for the National Human Trafficking Hotline; message SMS: 233733 (text “HELP” or “INFO”). The system is open 24/7 and operates in English, Spanish and 200 more languages. For more information, visit humantraffickinghotline. org.

victims: Employee; intimate partner; family member; recruiter; drug dealer or illicit substance provider.

• Top eight methods of recruiting: Job offers and advertising; familial relationship; intimate partner posing as a benefactor; false promise or fraud; abduction; coercion; smuggling-related.

Wilson noted the presence of a local task force is paramount in fighting the trafficking crime.

“The one thing you have to understand is we can’t beat human trafficking from Columbia. The state task force is a tool that we have that allows us to go in multiple counties,” he said. “We can do our parts but we can only do our parts if all of you engage in a task force like this one.”

One of the issues caused by the pandemic was the closing of courts across the state, delaying many cases until such time it is determined that it is safe to reopen for trial.

Stone said there are numerous cases pending on the docket, including a number of trafficking cases. Most of those defendants are being held in their detention centers.

“As a general rule, if they are a violent offender, if they’re involved in something like this, they are still in the detention center,” he

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

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If your loved one needs to move into our assisted living facility from home, it is a very easy process First, I will send you the apartment floor plans with pricing to review. Once you select a floor plan, we start completing the admission paperwork. One of our nurses will come visit your loved one to complete the onsite evaluation. If move in day occurs while visitor restrictions are still in place, we will coordinate moving your furnishings into your apartment at no charge.

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Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 23A

ON THE PORCH WITH …

Growing up in Bluffton was ‘like being in a village’

By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR

Bluffton-born Fred Hamilton’s family originated on Spring Island, off Highway 170 toward Beaufort. Growing up, the industrious entrepreneur lived on Buck Island, Simmonsville and Goethe roads under the watchful eyes of the whole community.

“When I grew up, everyone was your parents, whether you were 10 miles away or two minutes away. They didn’t even have phones then. It was like being in a village,” Hamilton said. It was as if all the parents had a mental telepathy network: “Everyone was responsible for you.”

The oldest of four – two boys and two girls – he became part of that watchful community, much as he is these days as a member of the Bluffton Town Council.

“I was very advanced as a kid. I felt like I had the responsibilities of making

GWYNETH J. SAUNDERS

Bluffton native Fred Hamilton, also a member of Bluffton Town Council, takes a moment for a photo on his porch.

sure they were OK,” he said.

That included finding ways to have fun.

GET IN. GET OUT.

“We used to make our own toys. We spent time building tree houses and tunnels. We built a pool table, slingshots,

bicycles,” said Hamilton. “We were very creative in trying to find ways to entertain ourselves.”

One of his earliest memories was spending time with his great-grandparents and grandparents, eventually moving in with his mother’s parents.

“They always were more outgoing and I think I liked adventure as a young man,” he said. That included doing a lot of crabbing and fishing with his granddad.

His mother, Evelyn, worked a variety of jobs while he was young, but mostly spent time as a housewife while his father worked as an oysterman. Those experiences around the water influenced his favorite foods.

“My mother was a good cook but I’ve always loved seafood, even to today.

My favorite is anything the May River produced,” Hamilton said. “I have no

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The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

PORCH from page 23A favorites. I love it all.”

Much like playing in the river and along the streets of Bluffton, Hamilton remembers his teachers at Michael C. Riley Elementary and McCracken High Schools as an extension of the “village.”

“I remember teachers being my second parents, if you will. They always were dedicated to making sure of our well-being,” said Hamilton, who did well in science and math but was not as strong in English. “They took their jobs very seriously.”

Hamilton said he was very athletic in high school, playing football as a defensive back and a receiver, playing outfield and second base on the baseball diamond, as well as some basketball.

Even when he wasn’t playing in school, he’d participate in pick-up games.

That interest in sports continued when he went into the Army in 1977, when he played running back for his unit’s team.

Hamilton served from 1977-81, working in computer technology on radar and computers stationed in Oklahoma, Germany and finally at Hunter Army

Airfield when he transitioned out of the service.

“I was a father in my teens, so I had to make money fast, and that seemed like the way to go,” he said. “I’ve been self-employed ever since I got out of the Army, working home maintenance, landscaping, owning a music and stereo shop, and a car dealership.”

Currently, Hamilton is an independent car dealer and continues to do home maintenance work.

Much as he did as a youth, Hamilton continues to hold the “village” mentality.

As a member of the town council, he is currently serving in his fourth term and is Mayor Pro Tem. “Bluffton has changed and I’d like to preserve some of the culture that we have. It’s definitely not the Bluffton of the ’50s, ’60s or ’70s anymore, but at this point my focus is to make sure that as we grow, we do it smartly,” Hamilton said. “Family is important to me. I have lots of family throughout Bluffton, one of the key reasons for wanting to be here. I want to be the difference for

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everyone in Bluffton. I want to have the opportunity to be their voice.”

His main concerns are preserving the town’s unique culture while it grows, increasing affordable housing opportunities and giving young people reasons to live and work in their hometown.

“I also wanted to encourage my kids to want to remain here. However, both of them moved on to other places because opportunities were more accessible for educated young adults. They found more opportunities elsewhere at the time,” he said. “I think that’s something we could have done better earlier, but we’re adjusting that now.”

As a native Blufftonian, Hamilton wants to make sure that there are other long-time Bluffton voices at the table for balance with newcomers.

“We need to be looking back and looking ahead almost at the same time to make sure that we appreciate some of the things that we have grown used to.

But we also have to make sure that we protect the things that most people find to be of interest that makes them come

to Bluffton,” Hamilton said. “Sometimes we get in a place where we love what Bluffton has to offer but we lose track, and miss a few things that we had in the metro areas. If there’s not someone there to remind us about those values, we could very easily lose it and then regret it. We don’t want to be Somewhere Else, USA.” In comparing Bluffton to other places that he has visited, Hamilton said he didn’t want to lose the things that made it special, like the May River. Many other places he has seen either did not have the rich resources Bluffton has or lost them.

So why does he stay here?

“I visited a lot of different places traveling throughout my career,” said Hamilton. “I always wanted to get away from Bluffton, but I realized that Bluffton was so unique from all the other places that I really wanted to be home. Dorothy was right. There’s no place like home.”

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

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Jan. 19, 2021

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Page 26A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

Noteworthy • The Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island continues to celebrate its 60th anniversary by hosting its 2021 Author Series on Zoom. The first event will be held at 5 p.m. Jan. 21 with Marie Bostwick, author of “Restoration of Celia Fairchild.”

The series will include five bestselling authors launching new books.

Interviewer and WAHHI member Janet Porter uses her unique approach and extensive research to pose intriguing and thought-provoking questions, giving participants an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience into the author’s motivations, character development, and writing process.

Participants will also have the rare opportunity to ask the author their questions in a virtual Q&A session.

All sessions are free to WAHHI members. WAHHI encourages women of all ages to consider membership by visiting its website at wahhi.org. To register for one of the sessions, visit wahhi.org/calendar-of-events. For information about

joining the organization, email membership@wahhi.org.

• Hilton Head Snow Day will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 30 at Shelter Cove Community Park.

The family event will include inflatable rides, a snow field, and entertainment.

Cost is $5 per child ages 2 to 17, with adults admitted free. Additional rides and games sold separately.

For more information, visit islandreccenter.org or email info@islandreccenter. org.

• Memory Matters will host its Brain Boosters classes from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 22, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 on Zoom.

Topics include brain anatomy, how emotions affect your brain, neuroplasticity, and memory enhancement techniques, among others.

Cost is $99 for the three sessions. To register, call 843-842-6688. For more information, visit mymemorymatters.org.

• World Affairs Council of Hilton Head will host Dr. Colin Moseley for a Zoom webinar at 7 p.m. Feb. 9.

His topic is “Delivering Health Care: The U.S. vs. Canada.” The event is part of the organization’s Evening Speaker Series.

Dr. Moseley grew up in Montreal and studied at McGill University, where he trained in medicine and orthopedic surgery. He eventually relocated to the United States and spent the last half of his career as Chief of the Medical Staff of the Shriners Hospital for Children in Los Angeles. He also became heavily involved in orthopedic academic organizations including the Council on Education, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, and the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America where he served as President and was the recipient of their Distinguished Service Award. He has given numerous lectures and presentations to both national and international audiences.

This event is open to the public, but

reservations must be made in advance.

Tickets are $10. For more information contact the WACHH office at 843-3846758 or visit https://wachh.org/evening-speaker-series-2021.

• Lowcountry Legal Volunteers will host “A Night in Tuscany” from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Feb. 20 as a virtual evening of wine tasting and dinner.

The wine tasting will feature guest sommeliers Alessandro and Diana Guarino. Dinner for two may be picked up in advance by ticket holders at designated times and locations.

A silent auction will be held during the Zoom event.

Tickets are $150 each and include lasagna dinner for two from Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana and three bottles of wine.

Links to the event will be emailed upon ticket purchase.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit llvtuscany.com.

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Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

BUSINESS

DRCI welcomes Hardeeville to expanding business program

Mike Levine, left, CEO of the Don Ryan Center for Innovation, welcomes Harry Williams, Mayor of Hardeeville, center, and Michael Czymbor, City Manager of Hardeeville to the Center.

The Don Ryan Center for Innovation (DRCI) has announced an expansion of the organization’s business-building programs and services into the City of Hardeeville.

The DRCI will now be working closely with Hardeeville businesses to provide important resources, programs and one-on-one business consulting in order to help Hardeeville entrepreneurs and business owners launch and grow their businesses.

As part of its expanded Hardeeville programming, the DRCI is offering free membership to all local Hardeeville businesses.

With more than 500 members, the DRCI brings together a unique community of entrepreneurs, executives and some of the region’s top companies – giving Hardeeville entrepreneurs and business owners important opportunities to engage with peers and mentors who can help them in all stages of their business growth.

“We are excited to be supporting our new, existing and growing businesses in Hardeeville through this important new alliance with the Don Ryan Center for Innovation,” said Mayor Harry Williams. “With its proven track record in helping businesses grow and thrive, the Don Ryan Center will be a valuable resource for so many entrepreneurs and business owners throughout our community during this critical time for businesses today.”

Michael Czymbor, City Manager of Hardeeville, recently was named to the DRCI Board of Directors. “There’s never

been a better time for businesses to have access to the services and programs offered through the Don Ryan Center, and we’re happy to provide our local businesses with the many benefits of DRCI membership,” he said.

With free DRCI membership, Hardeeville residents and City based businesses will have complimentary access to The HUB, the soon-to-open community work space with flexible seating and resources for local businesses – including meeting rooms, whiteboards, high-speed internet and Apple iMAC/ Windows Computers.

In addition, Hardeeville businesses will benefit from virtual and on-site business events and networking opportunities, as well as a wide array of professional services available only to members. DRCI will also work closely with the city’s diverse minority-owned businesses and retirees in efforts to expand existing businesses and help incubate new ideas along with providing opportunities for members to participate in DRCI’s mentorship program. DRCI also encourages those retirees who live in communities such as Sun City and Latitude-Margaritaville or other communities throughout the City to reach out for opportunities to volunteer.

For more information about the Don Ryan Center for Innovation, visit donryancenter.com, email donryaninfor@townofbluffton.com, or call 843-540-0405.

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The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

ARTS

Atlantic Waters’ art exhibit opens at Lowcountry Made An opening reception for local artist Analisa Chase’s new seascape collection, “Atlantic Waters,” will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 27 at the new Lowcountry Made shop, 14 Johnston Way, inside the Juice Hive in Bluffton Village.

Chase is an accomplished abstract and representational realistic multi-media artist.

“The ‘Atlantic Waters’ collection is comprised of seascapes representing the Atlantic coastline from the rocky formations and darker hued waters of New England to tropical Florida where shelly sands emerge and the water shows its crystal clear brilliance,” Chase said. “The majority of paintings were drawn from memories gathered on my own travels.

For others, I referred to photos saved over many years that were sent to me from family members and friends. The entire idea for putting together this collection of paintings came from my ever growing passion for the most powerful and awe-

Analisa Chase Atlantic

Analisa Chase LCM

some element on the planet – water.”

Chase said this collection challenged her as an artist, as she worked to perfect her skills in painting water – an element she says is one of the hardest to capture, due to its “constant change in color, texture and mood.”

Painting this collection was a dream of Chase’s; she wanted to illustrate her travels to various coastlines, both where she’s traveled and where she lives. And, she said, she wanted to showcase how water plays such a significant role in her life while living on the coast.

“I feel blessed having such memories and grateful for the talent to express them in paint,” Chase said. “I am thrilled to showcase this collection to the public as a means to bring and spread joy.”

The event is free and open to the public. Masks will be required and social distancing best practices will be in place for attendees.

Lowcountry Made is a promotional organization that represents a collective of artists, artisans, and entrepreneurs creating in the Lowcountry.

Dedicated to encouraging the community to shop small and local, Lowcountry Made offers an online directory, a maker-to-shopper newsletter, special events, wholesaling representation and more. The organization’s goal is to provide opportunities for local makers to help their brands succeed whatever each maker’s goals may be. For more information, visit lcmade.com.

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Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

ART

Art League seeks artists for national juried exhibition Registration is open for artists to enter the Art League of Hilton Head’s 2021 Biennale, the 27th National Juried Exhibition, held every other year across multiple media types. The deadline to enter is March 19. The exhibit will open May 2.

Categories include Oil or Acrylic, Pastel, Watermedia, Photography, Mixed Media, Three-Dimensional, and All Other.

More than $5,000 in cash prizes will be awarded. All works of art selected by jurors will be on display at Art League Gallery.

The gallery provides an exhibit space with high tourist and community visibility.

A non-refundable fee of $35 enables each artist to enter one application of work. Artists may submit additional applications for $10 each, with a limit of three.

For more information and to enter, visit callforentry.org, click on “Find Calls” and search for Art League of Hilton Head.

Biennale judge is Marc Hanson, a nationally known, award-winning landscape artist currently based on Tybee Island, near Savannah. He is a Master Signature Member of the Oil Painters of America (O.P.A.M.), having won awards of excellence over numerous years at the OPA National Exhibit, including a Bronze Medal for Painting Excellence in 2011.

Hanson has also placed four times in The Pastel Journal’s “Pastel 100” competition, among many other prestigious awards throughout his career.

Hanson has been published in national art publications, including being featured on the covers of Plein Air and Southwest Art Magazine, and in the book “Oil Painting Secrets With The Masters,” by Cindy Salaski.

Hanson’s work has been shown in museums and galleries throughout the United States and abroad and can

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be found in both private and public collections. In addition to painting, Hanson teaches landscape workshops both in-studio and en plein air, locally and around the country.

The Biennale exhibition will be free and open to the public May 2-26 at Art League Gallery, located inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane on Hilton Head Island.

An opening reception and awards ceremony will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. May 7. The event is free and open as well.

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Page 30A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

LEGAL

Self-help and estate planning are not a good mix

By Mark F. Winn CONTRIBUTOR

With the pervasiveness in our society of do-it-yourself everything and the promise of fast, cheap and easy legal documents created at the click of a mouse, the public needs to beware.

WebMD.com is no replacement for a doctor. Likewise, self help websites for estate planning are not the Mark F. Winn same as working with a professional.

When it comes to legal matters, the question is not, “Is it legal?” The question is, “What are the legal consequences?”

For example, we had a client who came into the office with an internet-generated will. He thought it accomplished his objectives.

On the surface it appeared to, but as we began to talk, I learned that one of his chief objectives was to ensure that there would be peace and harmony among his children after he and his wife passed.

In his case, he had a will alone, which meant most of his and his wife’s assets would eventually go through probate.

Thus, a hefty fee to the treasurer was guaranteed for his heirs.

As we talked, I was perusing the will and I explained to him that “reasonable fees” in South Carolina to the executor could mean 5% of the probate estate. He did not want his children to fight. This provision could frustrate his objectives to ensure that there would be peace and harmony among his children after he and his wife passed. Why? Let’s ask the proper question. In the above case, what are the legal consequences of providing an executor entitled to reasonable fees?

1. Additional fees to the treasurer be-

cause of will-only planning.

2. Potential tension and conflict among his children with regard to the fees.

3. Would these fees be subject to income tax? Yes, it would be earned income to the executor. Would they be subject to income tax if the attorney was paid to do all the work? No, it would create an income tax deduction for the estate.

4. Is it fair for the executor to be paid a fee other than reimbursement? Not if the executor hires an attorney to do the work and gets paid anyway.

5. Is this what the client would have wanted? Probably not.

6. Will this cause conflict among the children? Maybe.

7. Is this what the client wanted? No. Let’s assume it is $1 million going through probate upon the second death.

The result is a fee of nearly $2,000 to the probate court, extra legal fees because of rigid procedural requirements, and up to $50,000 to the child executor which is

subject to income tax.

Perhaps this causes conflict among the children. All of these problems can all be avoided with proper use of a revocable living trust and a direction that a child be reimbursed for expenses but not paid a fee.

In addition, if you direct assets to be left “in trust” for loved ones, they can use and enjoy the property (subject to parameters you define) free from potential loss in a lawsuit and you can guarantee it will stay in your blood line.

In every case, these types of questions should be posed. Without proper representation, these questions might never even be considered. There are a myriad of other examples and issues that need to be considered in every case.

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

Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

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Page 32A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

HEALTH

70 or over? Tips for how to get the COVID-19 vaccine

By Ashley Hildreth CONTRIBUTOR

Last week Gov. Henry McMaster announced that residents ages 70 and older can now schedule their vaccination appointments, along with the remaining Phase 1a-eligible residents who plan to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Beaufort Memorial is one of the Bluffton-area locations administering the vaccine, both at the hospital’s Beaufort Medical Plaza in Beaufort and the Okatie Medical Pavilion, adjacent to Sun City. For those interested in registering through Beaufort Memorial to receive the vaccine, here are some recommendations to make the process easier to navigate: DO: Verify your eligibility for vaccination. A detailed list of Phase 1a-eligible residents can be found on the South Carolina DHEC website at scdhec.gov. These guidelines change frequently, so check back regularly if you are

not currently eligible.

Choose one of three options to register with Beaufort Memorial to schedule your appointment: • Register online at BeaufortMemorial. org/vaccine. Complete the online form and receive a confirmation email with further instructions. A second email will be sent from the CDC Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) within 24 to 48 hours with a link to schedule an appointment.

• Call the Beaufort Memorial Vaccine Call Center at 843-522-5670. Eligible residents can call to provide their information Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After business hours calls will roll to voicemail and be returned the next day.

• Email the required information to vaccine@bmhsc.org. Include first and last name; email address (every registrant must have a unique email address to be registered in the VAMS portal as that is used as an individual identifier); date of birth; phone number. The BMH team will upload eligible

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participants’ information daily to VAMS, which will generate an email from the CDC within 24 to 48 hours with a link to schedule an appointment.

Be patient. Directives from both the state and the CDC are updated frequently. Staff are doing their best to accommodate eligible residents as quickly as possible within the guidelines. While the hospital expects to receive weekly shipments of vaccines from the

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DON’T: • Call the main hospital or a BMH physician practice. They do not have the ability to process your information or schedule an appointment.

• Show up without an appointment.

Walk-ins cannot be accommodated.

• Share your appointment link with multiple people. Once an email is used in the system, it cannot be used again.

• Attempt to schedule appointments at multiple vaccine sites. This will cause an undue administrative burden on staff who are trying to use resources as effectively as possible.

• Expect to receive the vaccine immediately. While you are now able to schedule an appointment, the first available appointments might not be until February or March.

Ashley Hildreth, RN is the Patient Safety Officer at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

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Page 34A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

WELLNESS

Ashiatsu barefoot massage delivers therapeutic body work

By Brittny Valburg CONTRIBUTOR

Are you in need of deep tissue work, but don’t enjoy the discomfort that comes with pointy elbows and thumbs? Ashiatsu might be the treatment for you.

Gravity enables Ashiatsu therapists to deliver up to three times deeper pressure than with traditional hands-on treatments. In the Japenese language, “ashi” translates to “foot” and “atsu” means “pressure.”

Ashiatsu is a barefoot massage technique in which the therapist delivers deep, broad, consistent pressure while utilizing their feet and body weight. Working with gravity instead of against it, Ashiatsu therapists are able to provide an effective therapeutic massage without causing pain or discomfort to themselves or the receiving client.

Ashiatsu is deeper than deep tissue massage, and is a truly unique experience to receive. It is deeply relaxing and highly therapeutic.

The history of Ashiatsu spans several continents and more than 3,000 years.

Many different styles of barefoot massage have originated from India, Japan, Thailand, China and the Philippines. Some are practiced on a floor mat, others require balancing props, such as ceiling bars, chairs, bamboo rods, poles, and even ropes and chains.

Many of the early forms of Ashiatsu were recognized as a healing art, not massage, passed down through the generations.

From the Buddhist monks, who would only massage through clothing, to India’s Chavutti Thermal, which uses oils on the body and a single rope for balance, barefoot massage is ancient history in many cultures, yet relatively new to North America After only a few treatments, Ashiatsu barefoot massage has been known to improve posture and range of motion. It will significantly reduce or eliminate chronic muscle pain, and improve bodily functions, which will create a higher sense of balance

and well being for the client.

Many Ashiatsu strokes help to elongate the spine. These movements dramatically stretch shortened muscles, which help in relieving pain and discomfort. These long fluid strokes also help flush the body’s lymphatic system, which releases metabolic waste at a very high rate.

Although Ashiatsu is fairly new to our area, many clients can benefit from this modality. Ashiatsu is great for athletes, as the therapist is able to work deep within the muscles to help elongate and release them.

It can also assist in improving flexibility.

Adhesions and tight connective tissues create much of our discomfort, therefore anyone with chronic pain can benefit greatly from this massage as the compressions increase the circulation that flushes out inflammation that causes pain.

Brittny Valburg is a licensed Ashiatsu barefoot therapist at Inner Peace Massage in Bluffton.

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Page 35A

BEAUTY

Fight the appearance of aging with the perfect hairstyle

By Joy Ross CONTRIBUTOR

Happy 2021! It seems there’s a little light ahead. People are emerging from their cocoons. Both women and men are beginning to get their hair cut and colored again. Thank goodness.

A good percentage (approximately 50%) of my clients are 50 years old and older. So are all of our celebrity idols.

They are changing their looks to feel better too. Judging by their beauty, it’s apparent that we don’t have to look our age either.

I know they have amazing plastic surgeons, but their haircut and color is a major portion of their youthful appearance.

In this climate we have a little bit more of a challenge having a style that lasts throughout the day. I can tell you it is easier to maintain if you have the proper haircut and color and spend a

TUESDAYS

minimal amount of time and use a little bit of product. That’s not a lot to ask to look 10 years younger and 10 pounds lighter, is it?

My goal as a stylist is to give you a look that lets you can get out of bed, fluff and not be embarrassed to meet the neighbor outside while getting your mail. With a bit more initiative and direction, you can turn that into a style that gets you compliments and brings attention to the eyes and away from our neck and jowls.

I repeatedly talk about the upside-down triangle. I’ve let you off the hook in recent articles, but it is time to unearth my rule for those who have forgotten and for newbies to our great town.

Here it is: Your hair can be just about any length as long as the cut and style is the shape of an upside-down triangle.

Your eyes-ears area should be the widest part of the style. This brings focus to

that area.

The “point,” or narrowest part, of the style should at the neck and jaw area.

The proper cut is the foundation to achieving the shape. The styling should be easy after that. You do have to do something. Way too many women expect to use no products and do nothing but still look amazing. I try, but you have to do your part as well.

There are many styles that are extremely easy to work with, depending on the texture and length of the hair.

Gravity exists. Unfortunately for every facet of our bodies, including our hair, we need to lift as much as possible. That’s why a bit of styling and product helps the style stay up and off to bring the focus to where it needs to be (hence the 10 years and 10 pounds less).

The correct color is also vital. I do not care how “pretty” your gray hair is, it still ages you! Absence of color washes

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out color in your face, and that adds years to our appearance.

That said, your hair should not be too dark either. This brings out the lines in our face and adds harshness.

Ideally our hair should be a blend of a couple colors. This gives dimension. It should be a bit lighter around the face. A combination of highlights, lowlights and your natural color, even if that is gray, blended throughout the hair is youthful and grows out beautifully.

I will show you how to achieve this in little time but you do have to spend some time. It will be well worth it. A happy, more energetic and younger person is who we all need to see when looking in the mirror. Then, aging won’t be as obvious or painful. We can only hope!

Joy Ross is owner of Style It Salon in Old Town Bluffton. styleitsalon.com

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The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

PETS

Training of small dogs relies on direction, not coddling

By Abby Bird CONTRIBUTOR

When a dog trainer comes to your home to work with your dog, it is almost immediately obvious that the dog respects the trainer. Dogs sometimes do not exhibit the bad habits the owner has called the trainer in for. Why is that?

Most trainers have an innate sense of self and leadership powers the dog can see, smell, hear and otherwise sense.

Owners are amazed at the change in their attitudes.

So how do we get the dog to respond that way to their owner? As the trainer works with the dog to teach or change skills and behavior, they also work with the owner.

For example, owners of small dogs, when their dogs are outside and are barking at other dogs or vice versa, what do they do? Often, they pick them up.

This teaches the dog to be insecure and

not develop self-confidence. Or it can actually make them protective about the owners and make them even worse. In reality, it is mostly smaller dogs that tend to develop issues of insecurity and owners propagate it.

The best thing for the dog is to be taught to Sit and Stay by the owner’s side. No running behind and hiding or going between their legs, or charging and barking as people or dogs come near. If the dog is sitting and the owner is calm and relaxed the dog will become the same way.

Correcting the bark must be done immediately. A Quiet or Hush command is useful and, after 3 seconds, verbally praising the dog or giving them attention.

In a worst case scenario, the owner might try a water spray to deter the barking – but be quick to praise when the dog becomes silent.

It is important that the owner does not become overprotective of the dog. If their

dog is in danger, then get out of there. If not, that little dog needs to learn how to act properly. It is so important to not look at them as if they are powerless and need coddling.

Don’t encourage unwanted behavior by telling the dog it is OK when they are acting inappropriately. That only gives them solace in being insecure.

Having the dog Sit and Stay should also be the rule when greeting people on the street. Once again, owners of small dogs

often let their dog jump up on people because they are small.

The damage is to the dog! Good manners are important no matter what the size of the pet. A well-behaved dog sits quietly by the owner’s side while the owner engages in conversation.

If the person then wants to pet the dog, a well-behaved pet remains sitting for the attention, teaching them that loving only comes when their feet are on the ground.

In other words, don’t say “It’s OK.” Pet the dog only when the dog is sitting quietly, and withdraw your attention if not doing so.

If your dog is well behaved, it reflects on you and if they are ill-behaved it still reflects on you. If people comment on your dog’s good behavior, it reflects on all the work you did to make it so.

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

Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 37A

COLLECTING

During these strange times, a bit of nostalgia is good

By Jerry Glenn CONTRIBUTOR

Upon receiving the latest copy of the Saturday Evening Post, a feature really hit home. Researchers at Southampton University found that nostalgia helps strengthen our sense of identity and makes us feel more optimistic and inspired.

Happy memories let us take a break from negativity. And, goodness knows, today’s atmosphere is quite somber.

At breakfast last week during a discussion, the subject of collecting was mentioned and my guest, John, told me of his interests in miniature cameras, mechanical watches and microscopes.

He told stories of “spy” cameras during World War II and the various methods used. I could see how excited he became discussing his

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collection. John later went home and revisited his array of collectibles.

Happy times!

Remember the yo-yo? Back in the 1930s, yo-yos were a delight for all of us. And you had to have a Duncan.

Duncan held tournaments after school, with the winner of tricks receiving a “tourney” yo-yo. Honest, a customer recently showed me on his phone a collection of more than 100 yo-yos. Happy times!

The pace of life today seems to eliminate time to enjoy the simple things we so enjoyed.

One way to relive those moments is to collect objects of the past. For example: Tin containers with names of famous brands and attractive graphics. Artwork was prevalent on common objects during the early 1900s, and now collectors search for the “extinct.”

During the ’70s and ’80s, a club

in our show booth when he saw a rare Green Goose Tobacco tin. Happy times!

We opened this column quoting the Saturday Evening Post. It is difficult to imagine, but the SEP is 200 years old this year. And guess what? The Post has many collectors of Norman Rockwell covers.

The nostalgia of waiting each week to see another Rockwell piece of Americana was exciting for a whole family to enjoy. Happy times!

In closing, the great inventor Charles Kettering said, “You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time.”

Obviously, Mr. Kettering did not foresee COVID-19. A regular glimpse to the past is healthy. Happy times! called the TCCA (Tin Containers Club of America) had an avid membership of 200-plus. A collector of tobacco tins actually hyperventilated

Jerry Glenn, former owner of Reminisce gift shop, currently is an appraiser of certain collectibles.

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Page 38A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

SAFETY

Learn how to use fire extinguisher before you need it

By Cinda Seamon CONTRIBUTOR

When used properly for home fires, a portable fire extinguisher can limit property damage and prevent injuries.

When should you use an extinguisher and attempt to fight the fire?

Only if: • The fire department has been called and the experts are on the way; • Everyone is evacuating the building; • The fire is contained to a small area and not spreading; • You are physically able to use a fire extinguisher; • You have an easy escape route and an opening to your back; and • You have the right fire extinguisher.

Every fire extinguisher is designed to fight a certain class or classes of fire.

Identifying these various classes will help you select the right fire extinguisher. Keep in mind that using the wrong type of fire

extinguisher can cause a fire to spread and place you in greater danger.

The classes are normally printed on the box of the extinguisher and the extinguisher itself. For home use, most people will need an ABC extinguisher. This type of device works on three common classes of fires: Class A: ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber upholstery, and many plastics. Often found in homes and businesses.

Class B: flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, grease, tar, oil-based paint, etc. (The best example is a grease fire on the stove.)

Class C: energized electrical equipment, including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers, and appliances.

A home fire extinguisher is recommended for each floor level in the home or anywhere there is a risk. It should be placed near an exit in the event a fire breaks out. Keep extinguishers easy

for adults to see but out of the reach of children.

Fire extinguishers don’t last forever – usually about 7 to 10 years – so look for that information on the box and then date your extinguisher with a permanent marker.

Most extinguishers have visual how-to instructions for use right on the extin-

guisher. Make sure you understand them before a fire breaks out. The time of the emergency is not the time to be figuring out how to use an extinguisher.

There is a simple reminder to help you remember how to use an extinguisher: PASS. This means: • Pull the pin to unlock the handle (the pin is located at the top of the unit) • Aim low at the base of the fire • Squeeze the handle which will release the extinguishing agent • Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire After using an extinguisher, either replace it or have it serviced. Most home extinguishers are for one-time use.

If at any time the fire spreads, smoke starts to fill the room, or you feel overwhelmed, stop what you’re doing and get out!

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

T H E R E ’S MO R E TO OU R STO RY It’s that time of year when we think about making resolutions to keep in the New Year. Resolutions can be a reminder to focus on what is essential in life; what things are most important to us.

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So we encourage you to reflect on what matters this month. And to remember that no matter what 2021 brings, we’re here for you.

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Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 39A

FAITH

Be intentional, focus on the positive, reflect the light

By Pete Berntson CONTRIBUTOR

We are just weeks into 2021, and it appears the unique challenges of 2020 will be with us for quite a bit longer. So, what will be required is more discipline, self-control, and a significant amount of patience.

And it will take intentional effort not to let hope dissipate, not to give in to the despair that can result when the opportunities and potential of a new beginning seem to be fading. It won’t be easy.

Already many of the good intentions and New Year’s resolutions pledged to just a few weeks ago have been abandoned. The impact of the pandemic and continued social and political unrest only increases the sense of darkness.

This additional stress leads to the assumption that the entire year ahead will not, cannot be, anything better.

But dwelling on the darkness makes it easy to miss that the darkness of each day

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is slowly releasing its grip to the increasing share of light that is making its way to us.

What one sees depends on where one is looking.

So in the early days of this journey through 2021, we have a choice to make.

We can focus on the things that are wrong, the dreams that did not make it this far, and the stings and sores of living in the real world. Or we can focus on what is still possible, on surprises and joys that await our discovery.

For those who choose to see all of life through the lens of faith, our focus is drawn to a light that has come into the world. We know this light as Jesus the Christ, a light that no darkness can overcome.

We are so very aware that we would not know real hope without this light. We could not appreciate peace. We would have no source of true joy. And without this light, love would be a stranger to us.

We trust that Christ, the light of the world, goes with us through all of life and beyond. Rather than succumb to the general malaise around us, we commit ourselves to be reflectors of this light, pushing back the darkness near us and around us. The future might be unknown, but the God of the future is known and knows us.

So with more joy than sadness, more courage than fear, and more hope than despair, we genuinely look ahead with excitement to 2021!

Pete Berntson is the pastor of Church of the Palms United Methodist Church in Okatie.

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Page 40A

The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

SPORTS

Want to win more? Try the P/P=W tennis equation

By Lou Marino CONTRIBUTOR

As tennis players, there’s likely no better feeling than hitting a big, booming shot for a winner. I mean, the sheer exhilaration we’ve all felt blasting the heck out of the ball, right?

But how often when doing this do you end up making an unforced error? Too often, I’ll bet.

Well, here’s what seems to be an easy concept that will put more winners on your side of the scoreboard: placement over power equals winner.

Or, to put it in an easy to remember equation: P/P=W. As easy as this seems on paper, this is something that takes patience, recognizing how openings on your opponent’s side of the court develop, and practicing placing your shots.

My first experience with learning how to place the ball came from the first tennis coach I had when I was young. He would

simply say, “Hit it where they ain’t!”

What I learned from this was how to watch the ball (focused vision when receiving), then see my opponent, and the court (broader range focused vision after sending the ball) to anticipate where to be to hit the ball back, and where to place it resulting in a winner – or forcing my opponent to make an error.

A good first step to help achieve the P/ P=W is to develop consistency. This is one of those boring, mundane aspects of playing

tennis that can really pay big dividends.

Simply go to the practice wall for about 15 minutes and start by hitting as few as three balls in a row on each of your shots.

Try forehands first, then backhands and repeat until you can do it without missing. As you get more consistent, increase the number to five balls.

Next, try the same with volleys. This will be more challenging and take patience. You might want to use either red or orange “transition” balls for volleys at first, since they go slower and are easier to control.

Then, work your way up to the regulation yellow balls. Keep in mind that the wall will always return the ball and yellow balls generally come back as fast and hard as you hit them.

I hope this will be an incentive for you to work more to control rather than power the ball, which leads to a better understanding of P/P=W. After practicing on the wall, try going out with a practice partner and working on consistency drills. Just like the wall, start by hitting three forehands each, then three backhands.

Increase your numbers as you build more confidence. Same thing with the volleys.

Unlike the wall, you’ll have the added aspect of dealing with the net.

Next, try playing out some points. Rally at least three or four balls before trying to “place” a winning shot.

Before you know it, you’ll be winning more points with the P/P=W equation in your back pocket!

Lou Marino is a USPTA Cardio and youth tennis coach who lives, teaches and provides custom-hybrid racquet service in the Bluffton-Hilton Head Island area. lwmarino@hotmail.com

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Jan. 19, 2021

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Page 41A

SPORTS

Weather not great? Best time to work on golf fitness is now

By Jean Harris CONTRIBUTOR

We have just spent the past months stuffing our faces with holiday foods with our friends and relatives. We then made a resolution to get in better shape to play good golf. In order to accomplish your golf goals you need to know how to work on your golf fitness.

Golf requires some of the most unnatural complex movements in sports. Your upper and lower body are not doing the same thing, so doing exercises to get more flexibility and strength to different body parts is essential to improve your golf game.

Just think about it: How many sports do you play where you don’t face the target?

To make it more difficult, your non-dominant side faces the target so you have to use muscles you don’t use in other sports and daily activities.

Most fitness centers have activity cards for you to keep track of your repetitions and

weights. It is important to write down what you are doing so you can increase repetitions or weights as you get stronger and more flexible. If you are older than 65 years old, there is a program called Silver Sneakers, which is a free program at most fitness centers.

I met with Andy Alkire, certified personal fitness trainer. Every two years he gets re-certified. He also has a certification in golf fitness. He gave me a variety of exercises that will help with strength and flexibility.

Alkire suggests doing cardiovascular activities every other day. A brisk 30-minute walk in your neighborhood will suffice. If you enjoy indoor activities, using a treadmill or elliptical would be great. To stay motivated, keep track of your steps if you have a fitness watch.

On opposite days, do 30 minutes of weight training at least twice a week. It is also important to stretch at the end of every workout. Remember, whatever you decide, you need to write down what you are doing so you can see what progress you are

Andy Alkire, a certified personal trainer, shows Dr. Jean Harris how to do squats with TRX bands.

making.

Fitness recommendations for strength, flexibility and balance: • Golfers should use free weights. Use less weight and do more reps. to help with flexibility. Increase weight when the exercise feels too easy. This also builds up your strength.

• Exercise bands are great to improve your flexibility. They also help strengthen

your forearms. Stretches should incorporate stretches for your lower back, shoulders and hips.

• TRX bands are a good way to do squats, push-ups and chest presses.

• Balance exercises are important for golfers. There are balance boards available at most fitness centers. However, you can work on balance at home, staying close to a kitchen or bathroom counter in case you lose your balance. Practice balance on each foot.

• Use an exercise stability ball. It is a terrific way to work on core. You can do wall squats and sit-up exercises with the stability ball.

Finally, I recommend cutting down an old golf club to 27 inches and re-grip it. Practice your swing in slow motion in front of a mirror every day, working on positions and body rotation.

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

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The Bluffton Sun

Jan. 19, 2021

HOME

How to get the ‘best’ fresh air inside your home

By Dave Miller CONTRIBUTOR

Today, getting fresh air into your home can be sourced from many options on the market – from consumer grade “air purifiers” that sit in the corner of your room to UV light powered systems to whole home fresh air exchange and purification. Many readily available (and some inexpensive) options though, do not always provide proper solutions.

Let’s talk about the pros and cons of the most common systems.

Opening your windows. The most basic of tactics – allowing for air flow through your home by opening windows – can certainly help to exchange fresh air into your home. This however, can bring the potential to openly and freely allow allergens and pollutants inside.

It’s a simple way to add air circulation, but it might cause your current systems to work overtime to make up the difference in hot or

cold air temperature ranges.

At home “air purifier” towers and fans.

Sometimes also sold as “ionic air fans or purifiers,” most units don’t include any sort of filtration system whatsoever. That means any dust, pet dander and air contaminants that enter the back of your fan exit straight out of the front of the unit and are recirculated throughout your home.

Board Certified Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine

These units can help with moving air but they don’t address air freshness or contaminant removal efforts.

Professionally installed “fresh air ventilation or air exchange” systems.

Designed as a longlife, low-maintenance method for air movement, these exchange systems take in air from outside your home while expelling stale air from inside your home.

The end result is more appropriate levels of humidity and “fresh air” inside your home. This system also can work with your HVAC equipment in heating or cooling modes. They can help to reduce your energy costs, but offer more assistance with “fresh air” problems than they do with air purifi-

cation.

Whole home air filtration systems. Integrated into your air handler and/or HVAC system as a whole, entire home air filtration systems often combine multiple types of air filtration. This usually includes: 1. a carbon-based filter system for filtering outdoor air sources; 2. HEPA air filters for removal of airborne particles; and 3. UV lights to assist in the near complete eradication of common microbial contaminants in your air.

These systems can be especially useful in making the air in your home safer and more breathable for pet dander, bacteria and/or major allergy concerns. A whole home air filtration can be more costly than those mentioned above to initially implement – but these hybrid systems are the gold standard for fresh, clean and safe air inside your home and are worth the investment.

Dave Miller, owner of Superior Services, has been providing whole-home services for more than 20 years in the Lowcountry. gotosuperior. com

Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 43A

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Page 44A

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Jan. 19, 2021

HOME

Celebrate the New Year by drinking lots of filtered water

By Chris Lane CONTRIBUTOR

It is safe to say that many are very happy to ring out 2020 and ring in 2021. Like every Dec. 31, our lives are full of self-reflecting, promising to be heathier and, of course, making New Year’s resolutions.

Most years, many of us looked at the New Year with traditional resolutions like losing weight, quitting smoking, going to the gym, or limiting our intake of alcoholic beverages.

2020 has been like no other, and it provides an opportunity to reflect and move forward in a new way. After a year that’s been anything but “normal,” it’s fair to expect that many of our New Year’s resolutions will look different this year, too.

As we ring in 2021, it’s natural to reflect on how our lifestyles changed and what we might want to change in 2021 and beyond.

2020 taught us that the air we breathe is so precious to our health and safety. The pandemic has taught us to social distance,

wash our hands routinely, wear face coverings, and work from home.

In 2021, we all need to make the CDC Guidelines part of our New Year’s resolutions.

I have been asked by many if COVID-19 can be spread through drinking water. Currently, there is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people

by drinking treated water.

Our local public service districts’ water treatment plants use disinfectants to remove or kill germs, like the virus that causes COVID-19. The EPA regulates water treatment plants to ensure that treated water is safe to drink.

One great New Year’s resolution every year is to drink more water. The question always

comes up: How much water should I drink every day?

Some say 64 ounces per day or eight 8-ounce glasses of water, while other experts recommend a half ounce of water for each pound of body weight as your daily recommendation. Whichever choice you make for 2021, it will be a healthy choice.

I believe the best New Year’s resolution is to drink filtered water.

When choosing a filter for your home, make sure the filter is certified to remove any contaminants found in your tap water. Carbon refrigerator filters, faucet mount filters or filtered pitchers are affordable and reduce many common water contaminants. However, a reverse osmosis filter offers triple-filtered water and removes contaminants that carbon filters cannot, such as lead, nitrates, sodium, fluoride and pharmaceuticals.

For more information on how you can safeguard your home’s water supply, visit the Water Quality Association at wqa.org, or call a local water treatment expert.

Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 45A

GARDEN

Winter garden chores prepare plants, lawn for spring

By Edward Poenicke CONTRIBUTOR

There aren’t too many garden chores to be done in January, so you have plenty of time to peruse the seed catalogs both online and in print. Order your garden seeds and flowers now to be ready for the coming spring.

It is also time to prune fruit trees by removing any broken limbs, limbs that cross through the middle of the plants, and water suckers (especially on pears).

You can also prune muscadine grape vines now.

Start pruning crape myrtles as well, by removing very thin shoots first. Then, remove any limbs crossing through the middle of the plant.

Cut back main limbs by trimming the growth to look like fingers on the outside of the limbs. Do not cut back to knuckles, as this is the wrong way to prune crape myrtles.

Now is the time to prune off any limbs you were considering this past summer or fall on the other trees. Just remember: Once you cut off the limb, you cannot reattach it.

Start by removing smaller limbs first before cutting of the major limbs.

Appy pre-emergent products to your lawn to help control those winter weeds that have germinated (or are going to) along with early spring weeds. You have through late February to apply, but the earlier you apply the easier it is to remove those weeds before they become well

established.

If you are having a lot of leaf drop, keep mowing the lawn at the normal height to remove the leaves. If they build up, they will keep the grass moist, which could start fungus in the lawns as they start to green up this spring.

We could be having some warm temperatures soon, so be aware that mole cricket activity could increase. Consider treating for these insects before they cause major damage to the grass and weaken it.

That is how disease can get started easily.

If you have not limed your St. Augustine, Zoysia or Bermuda grass in the past year, consider doing so now, with dolomitic lime. You can also lime flower beds, vegetable gardens and most shrub beds – except azaleas and camellias.

Edward Poenicke is a retired Chatham County extension agent. This article is provided in collaboration with Lawn Doctor of Beaufort County.

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Jan. 19, 2021J

REAL ESTATE

All about commissions that sellers pay to sell their homes

By Larry Stoller CONTRIBUTOR

The real estate commission is the fee for that sellers pay agents to sell their homes.

It’s a percent of the sale price and it is agreed upon at the time of the listing. Every seller has the right to negotiate the commission, just as every agent may hold fast to his or her fee.

Commission could be 7%, 6%, 5%, more or less, and it gets paid to the listing brokerage upon successful closing of the real estate transaction. That means it gets paid to the real estate company, not the agent. The company and agent will have a commission agreement in place that will determine their split.

Fees and commissions are independently established and usually based upon the quantity and quality of services provided.

There are two rates of commission that one should be aware of: 1. The commission rate that the seller will

be required to pay to the listing company, and 2. The rate of commission that the listing company will pay to the selling company that procures the buyer.

For example: A $200,000 home with a 6% listing fee gets sold; the listing company

will receive 6% ($12,000).

Of that 6%, a certain percentage represents the coop commission (e.g., the commission that is paid to the selling company that brings in the buyer).

If that co-op commission is 3% (and both buying and selling agent have a 50% commission agreement with their brokers), then the commission will be split four ways, each broker and agent receiving $3,000.

In the above example, if the listing agent brought in the buyer (which in some geographic areas is called a “hogger”), then the listing broker and agent would receive $6,000 each.

One might think that different commission rates are based upon the services that a real estate brokerage provides (e.g., some

companies are full service, others might offer fewer services).

It stands to reason that more commission paid equates to more services received. But that is not always the case, and savvy sellers should always compare the commission they are paying to the services that they are receiving.

It is the listing agreement, a written contract between the seller and the real estate brokerage/company that specifies the commission. It details the agreed-upon terms under which a commission is paid and the total commission to be paid.

There are different types of listing agreements (e.g., exclusive, variable, and non-exclusive). In addition to spelling out the unique terms on how the home listing will be handled, the real estate commission will always be clearly stated.

Larry Stoller is a broker and Realtor with Real Estate Five of the Lowcountry. Larry@ RealEstateFive.com, RealEstateFive.com, SunCityOpenHouses247.com

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Jan. 19, 2021

The Bluffton Sun

Page 47A

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The Bluffton Sun

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