• Community rallies around four kids fighting cancer at the same time 14A
• Rehab to turn dilapidated house into welcome center 18A
• Buzzard Day, flower show celebrate our funky town 19A
• Children’s book shows how homelessness affects others 21A
• Traces of lost settlement found in Beaufort 21A
The Jan. 7 murder of Memphis resident Tyre Nichols at the hands of five black police officers was catalyst for discourse and action. This spurred the Bluffton Police Department and the Bluffton MLK Observance Committee to co-host an open discussion Jan. 31 to give residents an opportunity to share their feelings and experiences.
“I’ve gotten positive feedback from the community,” said Bluffton Police Chief Joe Babkiewicz a week later. “The next day I had several people call me talking about what we do, where we go from here?”
The program was moderated by Bluffton Councilwoman Bridgette Frazier, chair of the MLK Observance Committee. Panel members included Gloria Holmes, professor of education at the University of South Carolina Beaufort at the Bluffton campus; Michael Lewis, a retired social worker, community organizer and member of the Campbell Chapel Social Action Ministry; Michael Maybin, pastor of Kingdom Seekers Family Worship Center, and retired
lieutenant with the City of Baltimore Fire Department; and Jamal Toure, cultural director of the Geechee Kunda Cultural Arts Center and Museum in Riceboro, Georgia.
Before the meeting, Bluffton resident Octavia Lewis said she came to see if there would be any valuable solutions to police brutality across the country.
“I hope that they would listen to the people in the audience for suggestions as to what could possibly correct this crazy system that’s in place now. Is it a symptom of location or local culture?” she said. “It seems to me that the people who are police officers here were born and raised here. They went away and came back, so they know the people. And even if they were not born in Bluffton, they are from the local area and their experiences are different with people of color. This is a major problem and specifically for black lives. We are not held as of much value. When you speak to young people, they don’t feel as if they are valued.”
Hilton Head resident Jenifer Gajdalo also came because of similar recurring tragedies.
“Yes, we also have a policing problem,
but the public can’t point to the police, and say ‘it’s your fault.’ Communities need to work together, discuss what we think would be safe, fair and equitable for all citizens.
Then develop ways, training methods that we periodically evaluate,” said Gajdalo.
Please see MEETING on page 10A
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I spent the better part of a recent Sunday afternoon sifting through the big box of old family photos that was handed to me by a sibling after our dad died in 2009.
I was looking for pictures of another sibling to mark a big birthday.
As I pored over the images – more than a century’s worth – I couldn’t help but marvel at how many photos there were of family groups, mostly having fun. My mother’s side, the Poe family, was well represented.
Mom was the baby of that family of nine children. I remember back to my young adult years when the siblings and their spouses held what must have been semi-annual gatherings at one another’s homes. I think this started once they all retired.
My parents loved these outings. They usually involved silly gifts, sometimes costumes,
and always lots of food and great fun. In virtually every photo, everyone is smiling, if not laughing.
These gatherings were in addition to the annual family reunions at the lake – usually Lake Murray, outside of Columbia. Everyone showed up for these – all the siblings, all their children, then grandchildren, then great-grands. Everyone brought their special dishes to share, and we all ate way too much.
These outings were the highlight of my summer as a teen. I loved hanging out with my cousins, swimming in the lake, and I even enjoyed conversations with my aunts and uncles – most of whom were funny in their own right. There was always lots of laughter, stories and a game of horseshoes. There were also occasional reunions in Southern Pines, North Carolina, where the “old aunts” lived – Aunt Annie, Aunt Mollie, Aunt Ludie, Aunt Rose. I remember in my early years traveling to visit these ancient
women! I found photos of them as well. Of course, the family also gathered when someone died. I was surprised to find many photos of gravesites and flower arrangements.
But the Cope side of my family was not to be outdone! They win the prize for the oldest of the photos in the box. There was a wonderful portrait of my Granddaddy J.A. Cope at age 17 – in 1906. When that photo was taken, he couldn’t have known that he would be at the foundation of such a prolific family; he and Grandmama Pearl were parents to seven children.
This side of my history included numerous family reunions as well – mostly in and around Orangeburg, where my grandmother was born. I recall the annual reunion was usually held on Sundays – after we had already been to church! Lunch was late on those days, as Orangeburg was about 45 miles away.
There were a number of pictures from these reunions as well. I recognized Aunt Belle and Aunt Flossie, Grandmama’s sisters, but don’t recall whether either of them had children. Neither of them smiled much –maybe they didn’t experience the joy of kids.
Of course, there were photos of my siblings and me – as children, then teens, then adults. These photos remind me how close our family has always been. We genuinely like each other – it is apparent in our smiles. My photographic trip down memory lane triggered lots of emotions as I sat crosslegged on the sofa. With each new discovery, I felt happy, then sad, then nostalgic and giddy, then wistful.
But overall, I felt joy and I felt loved – because as odd or somber or goofy or beautiful some of these people were and are, they are part of my history. We share DNA, we share these memories. We share the love that is evident in that old box of photos.
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Tim Wood
As we conclude the first month of this 125th General Assembly with more than 700 bills having been filed and assigned to their proper committee, the committees and subcommittees have been busy with the legislative process of receiving public testimony, discussing, amending, rejecting and/or sending legislation to floor of the House of Representatives for debate.
The House Judiciary Committee, which I chair, is no exception. We spent the first few weeks of this new session welcoming new committee staff attorneys, organizing subcommittees, and advancing prioritized legislation from our Caucus Agenda.
and prioritize public safety and make law and order a top priority.
We elaborated on and reiterated our commitment to increase teacher pay raises and school choice, to stop the revolving door of repeat offenders being let out on bond, and to address the fentanyl epidemic plaguing our state and nation.
Public safety is the No. 1 responsibility of government at every level. As widely reported, China has found a conduit through Mexican criminal cartels who use our Southern border to flood America and South Carolina with fentanyl.
Mixing fentanyl powder into illicit pills is a deadly combination. It is estimated that more than 1,100 South Carolinians died last year because of fentanyl and trafficking of fentanyl is increasing in record numbers. An amount of fentanyl equal to the size of an individual sugar packet would kill 100 people.
3503 declares fentanyl a Schedule 1 drug and increases the penalties on dealers who sell it.
This bipartisan bill provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and sends a strong message to drug dealers and those trafficking fentanyl that South Carolina will no longer tolerate their dangerous drug activity in the Palmetto State. I am hopeful the Senate moves quickly to make this legislation the law of our state.
During the second week of February, the House took up a bill to address Critical Race Theory Teaching. The House Education Committee had passed legislation to ensure transparency and make it easier for parents to have input into their child’s curriculum.
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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.
A few weeks ago I stood alongside the Speaker, the House Majority Leader and the other chairmen of standing committees outlining our 2023-2024 Legislative Agenda built on conservative reform in five areas including: Improving statewide economic development to ensure prosperity; reforming our education system so students are better prepared for the workforce; limit government by implementing fiscal discipline and responsibility; increase personal freedom and encourage conservative values
These overdose deaths remain a leading cause of injury-related deaths throughout the US. The House Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee after receiving testimony from an overwhelming number of families, law enforcement agencies and local government leaders approved legislation that strengthened penalties for fentanyl crimes.
The full Judiciary Committee strongly supported the legislation, and I was pleased to join 91 of my House colleagues last week in passing a strong fentanyl trafficking bill that takes an important step toward stopping the flow of this lethal drug into our state and that will protect our children. House Bill
The committee’s work is an important step for a controversial bill that will go a long way toward ensuring that our public education system is fair and open, and where instruction is non-biased and fact based, especially in history and social studies.
The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Raye Felder, included language in the bill that clearly states: “Public school instruction should be non-biased and include the broad scope of history, both the inspirational history and the shameful history, of our great nation.”
It is my honor and privilege to serve the citizens of SC House District 120. If I may be of service, please call on me.
Weston Newton is the representative for District 120 in the State House of Representatives. WestonNewton@schouse.gov
To the Editor:
The Calhoun Station board of directors met January 12 and awarded funding in the amount of $5,000 to both Meals on Wheels and Programs for Exceptional People. Since it was founded in 1989, Calhoun Station Thrift Store has donated more than $1.6 million to help improve social services for Bluffton residents.
Calhoun Station Thrift Store is supported
solely by donations and volunteers.
We would also like to recognize Jack Castro, who will be leaving Bluffton. He has given 13 years of dedication and service to Calhoun Station. Jack will be deeply missed not just by Calhoun Station Thrift Store but many other charitable organizations he volunteers for.
The store is open on Wednesday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We continue to seek
volunteers, who are needed two days a week during business hours.
Donations are accepted on Wednesday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. New volunteers can sign up during those hours.
The store is located at 77 Pritchard St. in Bluffton.
Linda Collins President, Calhoun Station Board of Directors
With this feature, we seek to capture a glimpse of what you and your neighbors have to say about a variety of topics, issues, events –
and just plain fun questions. You might see us anywhere around town, with notepad and camera, randomly seeking out folks
who are willing to participate. If we find you, we hope you will want to respond.
At the new Aldi grocery store in
Bluffton, we asked: “What makes you feel loved?”
I have been closely watching the development projects in Hardeeville. The flood gates are opening up for massive home building and rentals, especially on the east side of Argent Blvd. opposite Sun City’s Sgt. William Jasper Blvd. entrance/exit, and along Hwy. 170 (Okatie Highway) from the north end of Argent Blvd. heading southwest toward Fording Island Road.
I keep wondering how long this massive clear-cutting of trees and displacing of natural wildlife can be sustained. And the question that I ask (and have yet to hear any elected official answer) is, “How much water can the Savannah River supply to South Carolina and Georgia?”
One would think that there would be regional concerns about this, and that government leaders would be talking to each other about it.
The City of Hardeeville had two public hearings Feb. 2 on two major development projects within approximately a half mile of each other, proposing more than 800 rental units between the two of them. I spent about four hours at these hearings and made the following statement toward the end when the mayor called for public comments:
My issue here is with development and this mad rush to build a glut of houses and rental apartments concentrated in a small area of Hardeeville, AND if there is sufficient infrastructure to support it.
Let’s take water, for example.
Rapidly developing areas of Georgia and South Carolina rely on the Savannah River to provide clean drinking water, to flush toilets, to irrigate our properties, and so much more. Will there be enough to go around in the future?
Or is it: Build first … and find out later? What about the traffic on an already overcrowded and dangerous Okatie Highway?
If you put a hundred traffic lights on 170, it does nothing to reduce the volume.
Instead of encouraging alternative means of transportation (like bicycles, walking paths, etc.), in the public areas outside of private developments (for real inter-connectivity), it seems as if some of our elected officials are okay with increasing our dependency on cars.
The “Share the Road” signs on Okatie Highway are a joke. Riding a bicycle on 170 or 278 or on Argent Blvd. is like a death sentence.
The conditions that existed 10, 20, or 30 years ago were a lot different than they are today. And present circumstances should be what government approvals are based upon. Will there be a need for more police, fire, and EMS workers … and facilities for same? Will the developers pay for their salaries and benefits?
Can private sanitation handle this growth?
When I asked about school impacts, I was told that this is not a concern down here. Huh?
I will send this statement to the Bluffton Sun for publishing – hopefully, on the same page where Mayor Sulka once reported that developers own more than 90% of Bluffton. And if I had any drawing talent, I would include a cartoon of our elected officials with their hands bound, watching developer equipment rip out thousands of trees with fleeing wildlife. The caption would read something like: “Look! Our hands are tied!” Gene Ceccrelli is a resident of Okatie.
The Bluffton Sun welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be no longer than 250 words. Longer op-ed pieces on timely topics will be considered on an individual basis. Submissions must include the writer’s name, address and phone number. Email submissions to editor@blufftonsun.com.
MEETING from page 1A
“Citizens should feel part of the process, and then everyone will feel they are part of the end result.”
Pastor Bennie Jenkins from First Zion Missionary Baptist Church is also the police department chaplain.
“I’m going to present a solution working toward the harmony. We need to have this discussion about injustice, stereotype about police officers, just to bring about harmony and understanding, and to promote dialogue,” he said.
Babkiewicz began the meeting by saying the panel wanted to hear about the community’s experiences and how changes can be made.
“Too often you’ll see statements being made across the country from law enforcement leaders, but it ends there,” said Babkiewicz. “We don’t want to have it end there. We don’t want to just make a statement. We want to sit here and talk this out.”
Frazier noted that the Bluffton community is able to engage in and have a conversation about the elephant in the room.
“We have seen these instances of brutali-
ty that have occurred in our society. In each instance, it leads everyone to ask what do we do different?” she said. “Why does this continue to happen? What are the issues and circumstances surrounding it? And we ask questions, and some people are afraid to tackle the serious issue.”
Bluffton resident Erin Dalia, a mother of five, felt after the meeting was over that there was really good discussion with a lot of basis for change, a lot of ideas.
“I think it starts with the kids, and that representation matters. Our kids aren’t seeing people of color in every position. I have five children, four of which are black. And all of them have been in the AP honors, gifted and talented, programs here in the area. And they are just one of a few,” she said during the meeting. “Sometimes I wonder if the reason that I chose those classes is because I as their white mother have pushed this. It needs to start at the bottom. My 10-year-old son is currently the only black boy in his gifted and talented class in his elementary school. He hates it but he doesn’t want to leave it. He says
some of the other black kids in his grade don’t talk to him because of where he is.”
As a former educator, Frazier acknowledged Dalia’s concern.
“I would often have, if not zero kids in my honors or gifted classes, maybe one or two black kids. It wasn’t that they weren’t capable of doing it. What we found was that they would group students based on their testing scores,” Frazier said. “When we looked back at the data for some of the issues, we would pose that we know that testing itself is biased. How do we remove barriers that exist early on that will separate them and give them a feeling of being better than other kids?”
Toure said it is up to individuals to act.
“Bluffton is doing a lot better than a whole bunch of other communities at the moment,” he said. “I say this all the time: good people must stand up. We want someone else to be the hero, or the she-ro. You must be the hero or the she-ro, but we tend to run from that discussion of race and ethnicity. (When) you see injustice, remove it with your hands. And if you can’t do with
your hands, then speak out against it. That’s what we could all do. And that’s something simple.”
Larry Edwards, founder and executive director of Edwards Mentoring and Social Services in Acworth, Ga., is a Bluffton native, and worked in New York City for 18 years. He sees the bigger problem as having to do with privilege.
“I’ve been in every one of your situations, the only black kid in a predominantly white school. Self-hatred is real. Black-on-black is real,” he said. “The problem is, with the privilege, you haven’t dealt with inequality in the benefits that a certain group gets from the privilege. There’s a certain level of accountability that we all have to own when it comes to privilege. It’s deeper than just starting with the children. Your self-esteem is established based on how you can look at somebody and devalue them. Until we stop doing that, we are going to keep having these meetings.”
Maybin had similar concerns.
Please see MEETING on page 12A
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MEETING from page 10A
L.J. Bush, another Bluffton native, is the executive director of Changing Our Image Now, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission “to help young adults in the Lowcountry of South Carolina to find their purpose, and discover hope where hopelessness resides due to external and internal challenges.”
“Start talking to your kids about what the history was. Not looking at it to let it be a crutch, but understanding so as to move forward with your best friend who is white or Hispanic or black,” Bush said. “Better relationships start with having more meetings like this on a quarterly basis. Let’s move forward in a strategic way to be intentional about what we do.”
Among the key takeaways Frazier noted was that the open discussion was a conversation that should continue to happen.
Other important recommendations
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included knowing about election cycles and that each vote always matters; South Carolina is still one of only two states that do not have a hate crime bill on the books – Wyoming is the other state. Frazier recommended contacting State Representative Bill Herbkersman to ask why that bill has not been passed. She suggested that citizens participate in community opportunities, such as the Bluffton Police Department’s law enforcement advisory committee.
Frazier also noted that the Chief Babkiewicz has an open door policy, and all of Bluffton’s residents are encouraged to bring issues to the town’s elected officials.
“What we do want everyone to know and walk away with is tonight has been productive in the sense of this is something that for far too long people were refusing to do,” Frazier said. “I don’t want anyone to ever be disengaged or feel like this is something that we should just talk about one time, and leave it alone.”
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
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Bluffton residents and Lowcountry chefs are sharing their passion to help raise money for a quartet of families tackling unthinkable medical battles.
A locals cookbook project has spawned out of a post in the Bluffton Then and Now Facebook group by local historian Paul Tollefson. He posted a link to a classic collection of recipes from the Episcopal Church of the Cross from 1971.
The pamphlet-sized book included a deviled crab recipe from Naomi McCracken, a chicken chow mein recipe from the Mingledorff family, a red rice recipe from Margaret Heyward, a chicken loaf masterpiece from Olive Pinckney, and a shrimp pilau recipe from Edith Inglesby among its mix of culinary gems.
Members of the What’s Happening in Bluffton Facebook group loved the
cookbook post and raised the possibility of doing a similar project to help a number of kids facing uphill hospital ordeals.
Nine-year-old Red Cedar Elementary student Kendall Brodie was diagnosed in early February with Stage 2 neuroblastoma, an extremely rare form of cancer. She is the daughter of Brandy and Beav Brodie, the founder of Bluffton-based Tactical Baby Gear.
You may have seen the “Kick Ass Kendall” and “Team Kendall” shirt around town. That’s all to raise Kendall’s spirits and show her the visual love as she endures this battle.
River Ridge Academy eighth grader Kailey Morris was diagnosed around the same time with a brain tumor. Kailey is a cheerleader at RRA and the entire school community has rallied to support her and her family.
Three-year-old Bluffton Early Child-
KIDS from page 14A
hood Center student Daws Skager has recently completed the latest round of chemotherapy treatment (his eighth round overall) to battle a brain tumor as well. He’s a little farther down the road of illness, but the family still needs our support. Daws is currently enduring a proton radiation treatment, just the latest step in his fight against the wave of symptoms.
Daws’ smile and spirit have captured the hearts of everyone that has heard about his battle – knowing of someone so young having to endure so much pain has brought everyone out to support the Skagers. A recent toy drive fundraiser at BECC and Bluffton Elementary lifted Daws’ spirits mightily before a new group of setbacks have his family praying for a miracle.
“Considering his platelet issues, kidney issues, sodium issues, respiratory issues, and now neurological issues, (his doctor) doesn’t think Daws would survive a stem cell transplant,” his mom, Stephanie Skager, said in a Jan. 31 Facebook post. “Our other option is more radiation, and really, we aren’t sure if he would make it through daily sedation, and if he does, would the final product leave enough of Daws left to make it worth it? Scott and I are left with the decision: Do we fight ’til his last breath or leave the hospital and live like he were dying … because he is. I think we are both still stuck in a land between devastation and denial.”
Bluffton Middle Schooler Krystal Buck is a little farther into a battle with leukemia she began in July, but the
battle is no less intense today.
Krystal is still enduring chemotherapy treatments and is struggling emotionally just not being able to be around all her friends on a day-to-day basis. She was able to attend and watch the girls’ basketball team play in the playoffs, just sitting with family away from the crowd to minimize compromising her immune system.
She was able to have Chic-Fil-A for the first time in months (chemo made her lose the taste for it), but her meds wore off soon after and she immediately battled a headache, nausea and stomach pain.
“We make the most of the time we have,” said her mother, Windy Buck, in a Feb. 6 Facebook post. “There will be a small break and then two weeks that will be really, really hard. Pray for my baby. And her mom and dad’s aching hearts.”
The cookbook project is one way to show ongoing support for these families. Pre-orders are being taken with the final cookbook expected to ship in mid-April. You can order your copy in the store section at lowcountrychronicle.com.
Recipes are being accepted through the end of February, as we are looking to get as many dining delights as possible out in this cookbook. Email your favorite recipe to timmaywood@gmail. com to be included.
Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. timwood@blufftonsun.com.
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Thanks to all 200 participants who ran, jogged, or walked to support the Town’s Lutzie 43 5K, supporting the Town’s campaign to reduce distracted driving and its annual scholarships.
Special thanks to the Town’s sponsors and partners:
• Palmetto Running Company • Kevin Sevier/State Farm Insurance
• The Bluffton Sun • HHI-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
• Burn Boot Camp• Collins Group Realty • Carson Realty
• Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy Youth & Teens for Healthy Youth
• Miss Hilton Head Island Allie Bryant
In-Kind Sponsors include:
• Accurate Lithograph • Hargray & all Town Christmas Parade entrants who supported this cause in lieu of a parade fee.
The Bluffton Lutzie 5K proceeds go to the Lutzie 43 Scholarship Fund. The Town annually awards (4) $1000 scholarships to students who are safe driving ambassadors.
The Town is accepting applications now through March 31.
For information & application:
www.townofbluffton.sc.gov/639/Bluffton-Lutzie-43-Scholarship
By Lynne Cope Hummell EDITORThough it stood worn and tattered as a backdrop for the day’s event, the Squire Pope Carriage House at the May River end of Calhoun Street was celebrated Feb. 2.
That day, the Town of Bluffton kicked off a rehabilitation project for the 150-year-old structure, with family members present who once lived in the two-story house overlooking the river. Members of the community, staff of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Town staff and partners in the project joined in the celebration.
In her opening remarks, Mayor Lisa Sulka said, “This is not just a kickoff (of this project), but also a chance to celebrate this park that opened a couple of years ago, but we didn’t have a chance to say ‘yay.’”
This rehab project is the last part of the park project, she said.
She referred to the Wright Family Park, located on the waterfront and including a public dock, named for the last family to live in the house. Family members present were acknowledged and applauded.
Sulka noted that the house had survived the Burning of Bluffton in 1863 and continues to stand strong and to hold “lots of stories.”
Some of those stories were then told by Augustine “Gus” Wright III, affectionately known as Pastor Gus, now of Colorado.
Wright said the thought of preserving the house started with Joannie Heyward, a neighbor of the family in Bluffton, who said “I’ve got an idea,” which sparked numerous long-distance conversations.
He said his father, who had died just 11 months prior, was excited about the Town’s plans. “In his memory and in his honor, I want to say thank you and well done,” Wright said.
Wright shared memories of playing video games in his bedroom on the second floor, family dinners in the kitchen, and the fact that the original house didn’t have plumbing or electricity.
“Homes become part of a family’s life forever. This house is magnetic in its personality. This house has evolved with the times,” Wright said. “I hope it will be fixed up as it deserves.”
Sulka then read part of a letter Wright had given the Town after closing on the sale. “Our hope is that this property will be a beautiful park. One in which the birds sing their melodies, which have been sung for hundreds of years, the true song of the South. Our hope is that this park will inform the locals as well as guests of the way things were, the beauty that is present, and dreamers will dream dreams of the world to come.”
Sulka said the letter has guided the Town designers and engineers in their plans for the house.
Leave it to the Queen of Calhoun to come up with another exciting festival for all of Bluffton to enjoy.
Babbie Guscio, owner of The Store, is the creator of such fun events as Mayfest (aka Bluffton Village Festival) and the Fourth of July Children’s Parade, and organizer of the famed Bluffton Christmas Parade from 1976 through the 2010s.
She also started the Bluffton Flower Show, which was last held in 2021, and which she is bringing back to blossom on March 4 at the Heyward House in Old Town from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Now, her very imaginative brain has brought forth the inaugural Bluffton Buzzard Day, to be held from 2 to 4 p.m. March 5 at Martin Family Park.
The two events are being held so close together because, Guscio said, “It’s time to bring the fun and funky back to town!”
For the flower show, anyone interested is invited to “Celebrate the Beauty of Bluffton” and enter floral arrangements to be judged. There’s a $5 entry fee per arrangement, and prize ribbons will be awarded. Sage advice will be offered, she said, and a plant swap and sale will be conducted.
Spring and garden vendors are welcome to join the fun with a $25 fee.
The flower fun will be followed the next day with all attention focused on buzzards.
Buzzard Day is expected to attract lots of ... well, buzzards.
Just for the heck of it, all are invited to dress up like buzzards, and to participate in the Buzzard Strut Contest, and to play
Please see FUNKY FUNS on page 20A
A well-heeled hound heads out to visit his friends and neighbors one day, only to find some of them have become homeless through a series of misfortunes.
“Everybody Deserves a Home” is a new children’s book that illustrates who can be affected by homelessness, and how individual and community efforts can help change lives.
The colorful characters and short story may seem an overly simple way to depict a real-life hardship that affects many, but author Maia Cooper hopes her book would make a small difference in any community.
Cooper said she wrote the ending about two years ago, because the same lines kept coming to her that “it
doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like, but you deserve a place that fits you.”
After finishing the preliminary story 18 months ago, she began sending her draft to publishers, finishing with submissions to more than 120.
“I got so many rejects. I got about 60% emails back but a lot said develop this story more, develop the characters more, explain the different types of housing needs,” she said.
Others, she added, liked the story but did not want to use her illustrator. That was a no-go for Cooper, who had asked her college roommate Valerie Valdivia, who helped her develop the story.
“I said I would never not work with her, and now since the book got published, some of the publishers reached back out to her,” Cooper said. “Now she is a regular illustrator, including for those who have authors with stories but no artist.”
HOUSING from page 21A
Cooper, who has family in Bluffton, lives in Ohio, and is vice president of development for Woda Cooper, a development company with emphasis on safe, affordable and quality housing. The company has recently built housing in Beaufort and Jasper counties, and has an office in Savannah.
It was her experience providing housing for veterans who experienced chronic homelessness that brought home the point that people have a misconception about who the homeless are.
“In my job, I help find the qualified allocation plan in the states where the company operates. That’s a roadmap for where that state wants their affordable housing,” she said. “In one community, we met with groups who said there was a critical need for veteran housing. There was a need to give them a chance to have a safe place to live, and a chance to get on their feet.”
Initially there was a pushback from those living in and around the proposed neighborhood about housing homeless veterans, but Cooper said the company was able to change attitudes.
“Once we put a face on the homeless, and brought in the veterans who were down on their luck and their families, it changed peoples’ minds,” Cooper said. “I thought, how about if we do the same thing with children, and explain to them challenging housing issues in a simple way? Because really, in general, that’s what children are seeing. A lot of children are experiencing housing insecurity or are seeing children in their classroom struggling to have a place to stay, so it’s not a foreign concept to them.”
Affordable Housing Finance News, one of the resources Cooper uses, wrote a feature in December about the book. That helped her spread the word from California to Washington, D.C., and when that issue hit the desk of an employee at the D.C. Housing Finance Agency, Cooper had an immediate sale.
“She wanted her small children to read the book and see that she does work similar to the main character to help developers build housing for working families,” she said. “Affordable housing can be an investment to help rebuild communities affected by natural disasters. This job has changed my life. It’s really community organizing within the company. I don’t do that alone. There’s a whole team of people.”
Prior to the pandemic, local data indicated there were 68 homeless or transient households, consisting of 126 individuals countywide.
Ben Boswell, Beaufort County Human Services administrative manager, said that the numbers for 2022 showed there were 73 individuals who were unsheltered homeless or imminently expecting to become homeless. Out of that number, 20 were children, 37 adults, 12 seniors, and four with unrecorded ages.
“These numbers seem low compared to previous years – and it’s mostly because of all of the COVID-related assistance that has gone out the past two years. Those funding streams are drying up with many expected to end this spring or summer,” Boswell said.
Cooper’s book, “Everybody Deserves a Home,” can be found on the shelves at Bluffton’s Storybook Shoppe on Calhoun Street, as well as at everybodydeservesahome.com. Not only does the book tell a story, there are several online resources listed on the last page for grown-ups to check out.
“It really does put a face on the people who need houses – the post office worker, teacher, grandparent. They deserve a place to live where they work, and near the library and school and stores. They shouldn’t have to drive two or more hours,” Cooper said. “My hope is that it begins conversations so we can improve the problem, and engage younger generations to fix this situation.”
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
Feb. 15
“Carolina’s Ring” publication pop-in with author Lynn Seldon, 5-7 p.m. at at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen St. in Beaufort.
Feb. 17-19, 24-26
“The Odd Couple,” by Main Stage Community Theatre at Coligny Theater, Coligny Plaza, Hilton Head Island. Directed by Ron Ruckle, featuring Kyle Price as Oscar, Mark Erickson as Felix. MainStageCommunityTheatre.org
Feb. 18
Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers and Jon Stickley Trio Live in Concert, part of Savannah Music Festival, 8 p.m. Victory North, 2603 Whitaker St., Savannah. Chart-topping band, frequent collaborator with banjoist Steve Martin, festival favorite; with bluegrass instrumental trio. $35 at savannahmusicfestival.org
Feb. 18
“In Conversation with John Warley,” Lynn Seldon, author of recently published “Carolina’s Ring,” 4-6 p.m. at Beaufort Bookstore, 2127 Boundary St. Free.
Feb. 19-20
“Harmony,” music by Gershwin and Ravel, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. John Morris Russell, conductor, Bella Hristova, violin. 4 p.m. Feb. 19; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20, First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Parkway. Tickets at hhso.org
Feb. 24-26, March 3-5
“The Glass Menagerie,” classic Tennessee Williams play, at May River Theatre, 20 Bridge St., Bluffton. 7:30 p.m. Feb 24-25 and March 3-4, with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Feb. 26 and March 5. Tickets at mayrivertheatre.com.
Through Feb. 27
Through Feb. 19
“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. Tickets and more information at artshhi.com or 843-842-2787.
“On the Edge of a Forest, A Conversation Begins,” exhibition of works by Jean McLaughlin and Tom Spleth, at USCB Sea Islands Center Gallery, 1106 Carteret St., Beaufort.
Through Feb. 28
SOBA Call for Artists, for 29th annual Judged Show, March 6-April 2, 2023. Form available at the gallery, 6 Church St. in Old Town Bluffton, or online at sobagallery.com/product/register-for-judgedshow. For complete rules, guidelines and more information, visit soba.com or call 843-757-6586.
March 2-5
“Guys and Dolls Jr.,” by Main Stage Community Theatre at Seahawk Cultural Center at Hilton Head High School, 70 Wilborn Rd., Hilton Head Island. 7 p.m. March 2, 3 and 4, and a 2 p.m. matinee March 5. Tickets $25 adults, $15 students, $5 for 8 and under. Mainstagecommunitytheatre.org or 843-689-6246.
March 3
“Mitchelville” focus group, 1 p.m. at Hilton Head Public Library, 11 Beach City Road. Panel discussion in advance of world premiere of Aurin Squire’s play. Discussion with Hilton Head native islanders, members of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, with production team of Lean Enemble, which is producing the play. Free and open to public.
March 3-5 (ART: J Drew Lanham, tifs) March Forth, commemorating passing of Pat Conroy on March 4, 2016, with programs on themes of his writing and teaching, including social justice inclusivity, conservation, etc. Presentations
by current poets, novelists and memoirists; varied events at Penn Center and other venues. Schedule at patconroyliterarycenter.org.
Through March 5
Student Art Exhibit at Society of Bluffton Artists (SOBA), 8 Church St. Bluffton. Opening reception 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 11. Featuring student work from three Bluffton high schools. sobagallery.com or 843-7576586
March 7-April 8
“Art + Quilt = Art,” exhibit buy Art Quilters of the Lowcountry at Art League of Hilton Head, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. March 8. Free and open to public. artleaguehhi. org or 843-681-5060
March 18
Country & Cocktails, 5:30 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. auction, 8 p.m. concert by Two Way Crossing. Themed event with jeans and boots. Benefit for and at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head. Tickets starting at $175 through Feb. 24. Artshhi. com or 843-868-3945, ext. 305
March 18
Story, Song & Poetry, an Evening of Words and Music, 7 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 110 Malphrus Road, Bluffton. Featuring Bill Newby, with contributions by others. Free, donations welcomed. UULowcountry.org
March 23-April 8
Savannah Music Festival, 34th season, cross-cultural musical event, with artists in classical, contemporary, Americana, blues, jazz, funk, pop fusion and more. Tickets available now, starting at $31, for various venues around Savannah. Savannahmusicfestival. org or 912-525-5050.
“Art + Quilt = Art,” an exhibit opening March 7 at Art League Gallery, showcases the work of the five award-winning members of Art Quilters of the Lowcountry.
The show will be on exhibit through April 8. An artist reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. March 8. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. RSVP to gallery@artleaguehhi.org.
The five artists are Ron Hodge, Ro Morrissey, Donna Stankiewicz, Peg Weschke and Jody Wigton.
Art Quilters of the Lowcountry was formed as the fiber artists got to know one another and recognized their shared love for textures and colors. They are inspired by their surroundings in the Lowcountry and create with textiles and thread to share their art with others.
The five members are also part of a larger group called the Outside the Block bee and meet monthly.
Each artist has his or her own individual style and signature technique, making for an eclectic and inspiring show. From realistic to abstract, whimsical to majestic, and large to small, these quilts show textile art’s creativity and versatility.
Techniques used include beading, im-
provisational piecing, and thread and fabric painting.
“The exhibit displays the incredible colorwork, inventiveness and craftsmanship of the quilters’ unique art form,” said Kristen McIntosh, Art League general manager.
“These aren’t traditional bed quilts. They’re art quilts that are just as emotionally powerful as any painting or sculpture.”
Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance.
Art League is located at 14 Shelter Cove on Hilton Head Island, inside the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina.
Art League of Hilton Head is the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit visual arts organization on Hilton Head Island with a synergistic art gallery and teaching Academy.
Art League Academy welcomes artists and students in all media at all skill levels, including true beginners. Taught by professional art educators, students can choose from many art classes and workshops that change monthly.
For more information, visit artleaguehhi. org or call 843-681-5060.
A spring benefit and party, Country & Cocktails, will be held March 18 at the Arts Center of Carolina, starting with cocktails at 5:30 p.m.
Included will be professional photos, complimentary specialty drinks, beer and wine, and hors d’oeuvres (inside and out).
Guests are invited to dress up – or down – in their finest jeans and boots for the occasion.
After a brief live auction emceed by WSAV’s Andrew Davis and the Arts Center’s Andrea Gannon, there will be an intermission followed by Nashville party band, Two Way Crossing. The group plays favorite hits from Taylor Swift to Rascal Flats, keeping their country roots, but infusing their music with rock and roll and pop.
Two Way Crossing, the brainchild of Jenny Marvin and Blake Marvin, was originally formed in 2014 when they moved from Denver, Colorado, to Nashville to surround themselves with some of the best writers, performers, and producers in the music business.
Jenny and Blake have been touring with their six-piece band for the past four years, bringing energetic, uplifting shows to towns
and cities and sharing their music with the world.
The band’s shows are high energy and
allow audiences an easy escape from the day-to-day monotony, a theme that is contagious to anyone observing. The listener is able to feel those emotions with the help of the talented songwriting that is at the forefront of the band. Jenny spends a lot of time songwriting for the group, pouring her heart and soul into their catchy and heartfelt lyrics.
“Sandy Berthelsen is the event chair for Country & Cocktails and has worked diligently in conjunction with the Arts Center staff and numerous volunteers to make this night truly something special,” said Arts Center President/CEO Jeffrey Reeves. “We are thrilled to be hosting our annual benefit that supports not only programming onstage, but education and outreach programs in our community as well.”
Early bird pricing for tickets through Feb. 24 are $175 per person, and after Feb. 24 are $200 per person.
For tickets, visit artshhi.com or call Sara Passamonte, development adminstrator, at 843-686-3945 x 305 for more information.
PRESENTS
“Shrek the Musical,” a Hilton Head Prep Production, will be presented Feb. 22-26 at the school’s Main Street Theatre.
Performed by Prep students, the musical is suitable for all ages.
Set in a mythical “once upon a time” sort of land, “Shrek the Musical” is the story of a hulking green ogre who, after being mocked and feared his entire life by anything that crosses his path, retreats to an ugly green swamp to exist in happy isolation.
Suddenly, a gang of homeless fairytale characters (Pinocchio, Cinderella, the Three Pigs, you name it) raid his sanctuary, saying they have been evicted by the vertically challenged Lord Farquaad.
So Shrek strikes a deal: “I’ll get your homes back, if you give me my home back!”
But when Shrek and Farquaad meet, the Lord strikes a deal of his own: He’ll give the fairy-tale characters their homes back, if Shrek rescues Princess Fiona. Shrek obliges and sets out to find
Fiona and return her. Along the way, he finds something appealing – something strange and different – about this pretty princess. He likes her. A lot. But why does she always run off when the sun sets?
Under the direction of Performing Arts Director Patti Maurer and Prep alumna Meredith Ingelsby ’93, this production features Prep seniors Trey Middleton and Hayes Wilkinson as Shrek and Fiona in this energetic, hilarious show that is perfect for the entire family. Prep’s award-winning performing arts department has acquired professional production elements for the students to experience and the Lowcountry will surely enjoy the imaginative costumes from the “Shrek” Las Vegas production. Performances will be at 7p.m. Feb. 2225 and 2 p.m. Feb. 25-26 at the Hilton Head Preparatory School Main Street Theatre, 3000 Main St. on Hilton Head Island.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students and can be purchased online at hhprep.org or at the door.
Based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon. Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser. Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. Guys and Dolls Junior is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International’s Broadway Junior Collection.
Based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon. Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser. Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. Guys and Dolls Junior is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International’s Broadway Junior Collection.
DIRECTOR
MICHELLE MCELROY COX
DIRECTOR
CHOREOGRAPHER
JAMAL EDWARDS
MICHELLE MCELROY COX
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
JAMES BERRY
CHOREOGRAPHER
2023
JAMAL EDWARDS
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
TICKETS $25/Adults $15/Students $5/Under 8
MARCH 2, 3, 4 - 7PM
JAMES BERRY
MARCH 5 - 2PM
MARCH
Hilton Head High School Seahawk
A new exhibit at Coastal Discovery Museum, “Binya: Faces ob de Gullah Geechee,” will open March 4 and be on display through July 9 in the main gallery.
An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m.
The exhibit features more than 30 portraits and related objects from the 1960s to the present, delving into the varied stories of individuals from across the Gullah Geechee corridor. The word “binya” is a Gullah term for someone who has lived in a place for a long time, those who have “been here.”
“Many of us identify with the culture in terms of the sense of place that we have from our family roots being here and being raised within the corridor, many of us remain actively engaged with the cultural practices, and others identify with the culture because of their lineage,” said co-cu-
rator Angela Dore. “For example, their parents or grandparents may have grown up within the corridor and passed the dialect, spiritual beliefs, and foodways down to them. We still cook like our grandmothers did. We remember the stories, values, and lessons that our elders taught us, and we teach those things to our children.”
An exhibition of portraits was selected as a way of showing the perseverance of this culture while also highlighting the individuality within it. While the Gullah Geechee community has suffered many hardships, it remains one of the oldest cultural groups still thriving as a “nation within a nation.”
Recent acquisitions and commissions for the collection at the Coastal Discovery Museum will be featured along with numerous loans from regional artists and collectors.
“As we delved into this subject, we were excited to discover the range of portraits of significant members of the community, said Elizabeth
Greenberg, the museum’s director of exhibitions. “And we were particularly thrilled to commission Natalie Daise to paint Dr. Emory Campbell and Anthony Johnson to draw Ms. Louise Cohen, as well as acquiring Curtis Phillips’ portraits of Joe Legree and Alex Brown.” These new acquisitions will be unveiled alongside work by Sam Doyle, Jonathan Green, Walter Greer, Charles Edward Williams, Nancey B. Price, Lisa Rivers, and Amiri Farris, among others.
Curator’s tours will be offered at 1 p.m. March 21 and May 6. Collage Night with Nancey B. Price will be held at 5:30 p.m. April 27.
Coastal Discovery Museum is located at 70 Honey Horn Drive on Hilton Head Island. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, visit coastaldiscovery.org or call 843-689-6767.
HILTON
GULLAH
Lynn Seldon wears the ring.
A graduate of Virginia Military Institute, Seldon wrote his first novel, “Virginia’s Ring,” published in 2014, with that school as the setting for his story.
It was the idea of his mentor, the late Pat Conroy, beloved author of Beaufort, who has more than a few titles of note. “The Lords of Discipline” (2002) is Conroy’s tale of cadets at a fictional military institute in Charleston in the 1960s.
Conroy was a graduate of the Citadel, which is in Charleston. He wore the ring.
Seldon said Conroy had mentioned in a conversation that he was “surprised that no one had written about VMI like I did about the Citadel.” That was Seldon’s cue.
As soon as Seldon’s first book was published, he and Conroy immediately started talking about a sequel. “Carolina’s Ring,” set to publish Feb. 15, is that book.
The story features twins Ben and Alf Marshall, who were born on the same day as their next-door neighbor, Carolina Stone, in Travelers Rest, South Carolina.
The trio was inseparable until Carolina chose Alf to explore a romantic relationship as teenagers. The three went off to college, Carolina to UNC-Chapel Hill, Alf to The
Citadel on a Marine Corps scholarship, and Ben goes to VMI.
Upon graduation, Alf and Carolina marry and Alf is deployed to Iraq, where he is ultimately killed in battle.
Ben moves to Richmond after graduation and pursues a relationship with Virginia, a fellow cadet from VMI (and the main character from “Virginia’s Ring”).
Later, Ben interprets a letter from his brother suggesting that Ben marry Carolina should anything happen to Alf. Will they circle back to their childhood connection?
Though Seldon’s and Conroy’s stories are entirely different, it makes sense that there are similarities. The circles continue from the rings to the writers’ relationship to the space where the books were created.
After Conroy’s passing in 2016, and as Seldon was preparing to focus on writing “Carolina’s Ring,” his mentor’s widow, Cassandra King, offered him a unique opportunity. She invited him to write his book in Conroy’s Beaufort office.
“Cassandra’s kindness has been amazing,” Seldon said. “This book certainly has Pat’s fingerprints all over it.”
The public is invited to the “Carolina’s Ring Publication Day” pop-in event from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen St. in Beaufort.
JANUARY 31 – MARCH 4
ARTS OB WE PEOPLE: WINTER EXHIBIT AND SALE
Location: Art League Gallery
14 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Times: Sunday – Saturday 10AM – 4PM
Cost: Free, Donations are Welcome
FEBRUARY 3
GULLAH CULTURAL SERIES: GULLAH ME, GULLAH YOU
Location: SoundWaves
7 Lagoon Circle, Hilton Head Island, SC 29228
Time: 6PM – 8PM
Cost: $29 - $69
FEBRUARY 4
FREEDOM DAY CELEBRATION
Location: Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
40 Harriet Tubman Way, Hilton Head Island, SC 29226
Time: 11AM – 1PM
Cost: Free, Donations are Welcome
*In partnership with the Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
FEBRUARY 4 - 18
FREEDOM DAY: FILM SERIES
Location: Seahawk Cultural Center
70 Wilborn Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
Time: 6PM
Cost: $20
FEBRUARY 7
FAMILY AND FRIENDS DAY
Location: Historic First African Baptist Church
70 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island SC 29226
Time: 7PM
Cost: Free, Donations are Welcome
FEBRUARY 1 - 28, 2023 BUY TICKETS ONLINE at www.gullahcelebration.com or call 843.255.7303
FEBRUARY 8
GULLAH CELEBRATION’S PATRONS AND FRIENDS PARTY
Location: Art League Gallery
14 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Time: 6PM – 8PM
Cost: Free, Donations are Welcome
FEBRUARY 11 A TASTE OF GULLAH
Location: Art League Gallery
14 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Time: 11AM – 5PM
Cost: Free, Donations are Welcome
*In partnership with the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina
FEBRUARY
GULLAH
CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN
Cost:
For more information visit gullahcelebration.com or connect with us at f a x
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center’s seventh annual March Forth will be held March 4 and 5, with a special preview event the evening of March 3.
March Forth commemorates the anniversary of acclaimed Southern author Pat Conroy’s passing on March 4, 2016, with programs on major themes of his writing and teaching life, including social justice, inclusivity, conservation, education, and storytelling.
On March 4 at Penn Center, a number of author events will be held. In addition, the York W. Bailey Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $7 admission for adults, $5 per child. Darrah Hall will be open with free admission.
Author events include interviews and appearances by MacArthur Fellowship honoree, environmentalist, memoirist and poet J. Drew Lanham; South Carolina Academy of Authors honoree, environmentalist, memoirist, poet and novelist John Lane; New York Times bestselling novelists
De’Shawn Charles Winslow and Megan Miranda; and former Charleston City Poet Laureate Marcus Amaker.
Lunch will be served and book signings will be held for each author.
On March 5, also at Penn Center, Lanham will lead a nature walk from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a book signing to follow.
Reservations for the above events should be made and paid by Feb. 24 at marchforth2023.eventbrite.com.
The free preview event will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. March 3 at NeverMore Books, 910 Port Republic St. in Beaufort. New York Times bestselling novelist De’Shawn Charles Winslow, author of newly released
“Decent People,” will be in conversation with Jonathan Haupt. Winslow will sign books following the discussion. Seating is limited; call 843-812-9460 to reserve in advance. A free Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud will be held from 9 a.m. to noon March 4 at the Port Royal Farmers Market. High school students will be reading children’s books to young readers, with light snacks provided. March Forth is presented in collaboration between the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center and Penn Center, NeverMore Books, the Storybook Shoppe, the Port Royal Farmers Market, Catering by Debbi Covington, and the DAYLO (Diversity Awareness Youth Literacy Organization) chapters of Beaufort High School and Beaufort Academy, and sponsored in part by a grant from South Carolina Humanities.
To learn more about March Forth and the Pat Conroy Literary Center, visit online at patconroyliterarycenter.org or in person at 601 Bladen St., Beaufort, Thursday through Sunday, noon to 4:00 p.m.
Art League of Hilton Head invites artists in multiple media to enter the 2023 Biennale, its 28th National Juried Exhibition, held every other year.
Works in the categories of Oil, Acrylic, Pastel, Watermedia, Photography, Mixed Media, and Three-Dimensional will be judged and selected by three jurors; accepted works will be on display for the exhibit.
More than $5,000 in cash prizes will be awarded. The prestigious juror, Aline Ordman, will choose the prize winners. This state-of-the-art gallery provides the finest 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. Submit one image per application.
The deadline for artists to enter is March
16-June 17. An awards reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. May 19. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. Ordman received her BFA at Cornell University, and continued her training at the
and places where beauty is not only evident but startling and suddenly present,” she said.
Ordman is a master pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, a signature member of the American Impressionist Society, a signature member of the Oil Painters of America, and a master circle pastelist with the International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS).
She has juried for the Pastel Society of America’s National Juried show; The Pastel Journal’s Top 100 Animal and Wildlife Competition, the Pastel Society of New Mexico’s Annual Juried Show, and the Adirondack Plein Air Festival Awards.
Ordman was featured in an article in the February issue of the Pastel Journal and she has been honored with awards at three
Annual Juried Shows of the Pastel Society of America in New York City.
She has won awards several times in the Top 100 Pastels issues of the Pastel Journal. Her work has been accepted in national juried shows of the American Impressionist Society, The Pastel Society of America, and the Oil Painters of America.
Ordman teaches workshops throughout the country and in Europe. She is represented by Camden Falls Gallery in Camden, Maine; Blue Heron Gallery in Wellfleet, Massachusetts; Brickhouse Gallery, Vermont; and Little Gallery in Mackinac, Michigan. For more information, visit her website, alineordman.com.
Art League Gallery is located at 14 Shelter Cove Lane, inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturdayand noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, and 90 minutes before all Arts Center performances.
For more information, visit artshhi.org or call 843-681-5060.
Music lovers can look forward to a treat during Feb. 21 and 23. On those dates, the Lowcountry Community Band (LCCB) will share concert stages with several local high school bands who are preparing for their upcoming Concert Performance Assessments (CPAs).
On Feb. 21 at May River High School, the music starts at 6:30 p.m., featuring the school’s band, directed by Deborah Hamner, and the H.E. McCracken Middle School Band, directed by Matthew Dickler.
At 7 p.m., the LCCB presents its Valentine-themed program, “With Love,” featuring “A Tribute to Marvin Hamlisch” medley, arranged by Michael Brown; “The Beatles: Love” medley, arranged by Jay Bocock; “Highlights from Porgy and Bess,” arranged by Douglas Wagner; “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini, arranged by Merlin Patterson; “And May We Always Cherish,” by Benjamin Dean Taylor; and “The Bride Elect,” a march by John Philip Sousa. The LCCB is led by Conductor/Ar-
tistic Director David Carbone and Associate Conductor Debra Hamner.
Then, on Feb. 24 at Bluffton High School, the music starts at 6:30 p.m., featuring the school’s Jazz Band and Symphonic Band, directed by Anthony Grandquist. At 7 p.m., the LCCB will repeat its Valentine-themed program as above.
There is no charge for either of the concerts.
“Our concert is entitled ‘With Love’ as a complimentary closing of a love letter from the band to the members’ families, loved ones, and our LCCB supporters,” said LCCB Conductor David Carbone. “The musical selections are in the spirit of the month of
the Valentine, featuring themes associated with love from past Broadway hits and major revues. We are honored to share concert stages with the town of Bluffton’s high school and middle school band programs as they prepare for their upcoming Concert Performance Assessments.”
The LCCB is sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. LCCB provides an opportunity for musicians of all ages and abilities to play instrumental music together for enjoyment as well as to perform for the community.
Students and adults of any age, as well as OLLI members, can join the band. LCCB is 100% self-sustaining and receives no state or local funding. Donations are welcome, and are used for buying new music and equipment, repairing instruments, and rental of venue space for performances where required.
For more information, visit ollilccb.com.
Dixie is the definition of tiny but mighty! She is a strong and independent little lady who loves to tell you what she thinks. She is the right fit for someone who wants a medium-sized dog to fit into their family. Dixie is 1 year old, spayed, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped. If you are interested in adopting Dixie, call the Palmetto Animal League Adoption Center at 843-645-1725 or email info@palmettoanimalleague.org to make an appointment.
Derek W. Black, author of “Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy,” will be guest speaker at two free events hosted by the League of Women Voters Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Area.
Black will speak at 10 a.m. Feb. 25 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry, 110 Malphrus Road, Bluffton. At 2 p.m., he will speak at the Penn Center, 16 Penn Center Circle E, St. Helena Island.
Black is the product of a public education, having attended high school in Clinton, Tennessee, where he was born and raised. Currently serving as a professor of law at the University of South Carolina School of Law and director of its Constitutional Law Center, he said he never envisioned himself with a college degree, let alone as an expert in education law and policy.
According to his biography, “he offers expert witness testimony in school funding, voucher, and federal policy litigation and his research is routinely cited in the federal courts, including before the U.S. Supreme Court. He is also a regular commentator and op-ed contributor in outlets like USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, among others. He appears on radio and television, including National Public Radio stations and affiliates across the nation, PBS, cable television networks, and CSPAN.”
In the foreword to his book, Black said there were more GEDs in his family than college degrees until he earned one. It wasn’t until years later that he realized how important his high school and his community were to his education, and that of millions of students across the country. In 1956, Clinton High School “was the first traditionally white high school in the South to enroll and graduate an African American student,” he wrote.
The local League of Women Voters
chapter scheduled presentations in order to educate the public about the current state of affairs in public schools.
“The League is trying to do some public relations education programs to help peo-
ple be aware so they can make informed choices. Many people are not aware of what is happening in the schools,” said League member Marsha Lewellyn. “And without public education, he wouldn’t be where he is right now. He felt that without public education, that gift of public education, he wouldn’t have amounted to anything.”
When discussing the arrangements and locations for his presentation, Black expressed a wish to speak at the Penn Center, location of one of the country’s first schools for formerly enslaved people.
“It’s because it addressed underserved populations. Around here, it’s kind of a beacon of democracy,” said Diane Heitman, League director of voter services.
“And in this country, Black said that education is an intergenerational gift that we pass down from generation to generation, the right to a public education, and we’re losing that.”
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By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOROn a hot, steamy August afternoon last year, two men dug in the dirt on The Green in Beaufort. Seemingly impervious to the heat, they concentrated on what they were doing.
Historical Archaeology Professor Charlie Cobb and graduate student Aaron Ellrich, both from the University of Florida, were part of a team of archaeologists and anthropologists looking for traces of a short-lived and long-forgotten Scottish settlement called Stuarts Town. Cobb said The Green was the only block in the city of Beaufort that was never actually built on, even though there were a few structures around the edges.
Following years of study, Chester DePratter, research professor with the South Carolina Institute for Archaeology and Anthropology, and Cobb launched the search hoping to find the exact location of
Stuarts Town.
The Scots arrived in the Port Royal Sound in November 1684 with two small ships carrying 51 colonists. Lots were surveyed and a church was built, followed by a fort and then houses. They made friends with the Yemassee Indians, a tribe that originated in central Georgia but moved up to the Lowcountry. Encouraged by the Scots, who did not like the Spanish, the Yemassee took it upon themselves to raid a Spanish mission in Florida, hauling off prisoners to become slaves – something that was clearly against the Scots’ charter. This was a catastrophe. The Scottish settlement was not thriving, as only 41 of more than 200 surveyed lots were occupied, and fewer people were crossing the Atlantic to fill in the colony. Duly angered, a Spanish unit of three galleons with a force of about 125 troops came up from St. Augustine, landed south of Beaufort at
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DIG from page 37A
Spanish Point, and marched inland to the settlement.
Over the next three days, according to the researchers, the Spanish burnt the town to the ground, and reportedly kidnapped three women whom they later released. DePratter said the Spanish weren’t sure what the Scots’ role was in the raid, but they knew the settlers had armed the Yemassee, so there had to be retaliation. The incident was barely acknowledged at home.
“After all, [the settlement] lasted less than two years. It never had more than a few dozen colonists. It was essentially defunded after the first year, and when Spanish Corsairs plundered and burned it to the ground in 1686, it was abandoned by its parliament,” DePratter said.
The Scots forgot Stuarts Town even before it failed, because it was eclipsed by a much more spectacular failure: Scotland’s attempted colonization of distant areas, which bankrupted the whole country.
“Scotland sponsored several colonies in the Americas, and Panama was partic-
ularly disastrous.” DePratter said. “I can’t imagine if you’re Scotland, why you would put a colony in the middle of Spanish colonies. That’s one reason why it was disastrous.”
On opening day for the dig, Aug. 8, about 100 people showed up to The Green in response to advanced publicity to see what all the excitement was about. The area of the dig was about 40 acres, bounded by Carteret Street on the west and Prince Street on the north.
DePratter wrote letters to more than 100 households in the neighborhood, asking if his team could come “disturb their wellkept lawns and dig holes in their yard.”
“Surprisingly, 31 of those 100 responded positively, so we were able to access properties with a promise that we would do as little damage as possible, fill the holes and record all the results of our explorations. And hopefully find the remains of Stuarts Town,” DePratter said. “It’s still a very big tract of land to work on in the search for a
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DIG from page 38A
settlement occupied for two years, making no more than a few dozen houses. Again, we might have done better if we had been able to search [more in the center of the city], because if people are arriving, they might have selected the high ground on the bluff first, rather than the low-lying ground on the point.”
Team members spread out around the city, digging on approved public grounds and private lawns. They dug 118 “shovel test” holes, some as deep as 3 feet, in search of proof, particularly charcoal.
Artifacts were slow to surface throughout the five-day dig, but on the first day Cobb found two small pieces of Staffordshire ware, lead-glazed pottery made in England beginning in the 17th century.
“That indicates that this at least brackets the time period,” Cobb said. “We’re interested in late 1600s. We know that this is at least potentially associated with that.”
As the dig continued, many more pottery pieces and other artifacts, such as small bits of charcoal and glass were found.
“I think what we’re hoping to find as well as pottery like this is charcoal from when the Spanish burned the town,” said Cobb. “Those two together don’t guarantee anything, but they’re even more indicative that maybe this is the right area.”
The final results were somewhat encouraging, but not 100% conclusive, as DePratter and Cobb both said at the follow-up symposium Feb. 4.
“I think we can conclusively say now that Stuarts Town is under Beaufort,” said DePratter at the symposium. “That is based on the accumulation of information from documents on the archaeology. And with the shovel tests, we found material old enough to be from Stuarts Town. We didn’t find a concentration. We’d hoped we would find a burned house, but we don’t know how many houses there were.”
Shards of Native American ceramics as old as 4,000 years were found in six locations. Spanish ceramics were potentially dated to the 17th century, as well as Chinese porcelain and Delft.
“These all were potentially 17th centu-
ry – some of them go into the early 18th,” DePratter said, “but the fact that we found a fairly good assemblage means we’re likely in the area where there was 17th century occupation.”
All of the artifacts were logged, cleaned, catalogued and are now stored in the curation facility at the University of South Carolina. As part of preserving the story as well as the artifacts, the team were interviewed for a film that will document the entire project. There are also plans for putting together an exhibit for the Beaufort History Museum.
While it is unlikely that the next team will show up with a jackhammer and backhoe prepared to dig through asphalt in a downtown parking lot, there will be more requests to homeowners and more digs in the future.
For more information, visit stuartstown. com. The symposium was filmed and is expected to be available on the website.
Since 2012, the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate women’s golf tournament has been played in Hilton Head at the beautiful Long Cove Golf Course. The event returns this year Feb. 27-March 1, and spectators are welcome at no charge.
Darius Rucker is a country music artist and is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Hootie and the Blowfish. The band was formed in the late 1980s, when Rucker was a student at the University of South Carolina. Before “Hootie” became a household name and won two Grammys, the band played small venues in the state, included a favorite bar on Hilton Head Island known as the Old Post Office, formerly on Pope Avenue.
Rucker is also an avid golf fan. Several years ago, he was approached by the coach
of the University of South Carolina’s golf team to see if he would help sponsor the
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collegiate tournament.
“Long Cove is one of the best courses, if
not the best, on Hilton Head,” Rucker said. “They do an amazing job with the ladies tournament and we are blessed to be able to host at this course.”
The Darius Rucker Intercollegiate provides the unique combination of golf and music. Rucker looks forward to the event every year when he gets the chance to perform in concert for the student golfers, families, sponsors and Long Cove members in a small intimate setting.
Long Cove is a 1981 Pete Dye design. It is rated No. 4 in Best Private Courses in South Carolina by Golfweek magazine. Long Cove is set within a breathtaking Lowcountry backdrop featuring century-old live oaks and awesome water views. Long Cove is always a challenge for the ladies. During the tournament the weather is often cold, windy and sometimes rainy.
Please see GOLFERS on page 41A
GOLFERS from page 40A
The course requires discipline and patience by the golfers.
This year’s field includes 18 teams from all over the United States – from Oregon to Texas to Kentucky and other universities.
The 2022 championship team, Wake Forest, is competing to defend last year’s win. They are the highest ranked team at No. 2.
Host team South Carolina, ranked No. 4, will be looking to win the tournament for the first time. There are eight teams com-
peting from the Southeast Conference.
Previous winners of this tournament
Stephanie Meadows (Alabama), Leona Maguire (Duke), Cheyenne Knight (Alabama), and Maria Fassi (Arkansas) now play on the LPGA Tour.
The Golf Channel will be televising the tournament, and you can watch coverage Monday through Wednesday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The tournament is open to spectators at no charge, starting at 9:40 a.m. each day.
Tee times each day start off No. 1 and No. 10 tees.
Spectators may enjoy food and beverage items at the snack bar located between the No. 9 green and No. 1 tee box.
Following play on Wednesday, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the awards ceremony will be held at the clubhouse.
Parking is free at Central Church, directly across William Hilton Parkway from Long Cove. Parking attendants will be on hand to assist. A shuttle will be available to
take patrons back and forth to the course. This is a great opportunity for anyone to come and watch some of the best golf played in South Carolina.
For more information, including start times and parking guidelines, visit longcoveclub.com/darius-rucker-intercollegiate.
Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local golf courses. jean.golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; golfdoctorjean.com
• The Bluffton Democratic Club will meet at 6 p.m. March 2 at Blue HQ, 39 Persimmon St., Suite 201, in Bluffton.
Special guest speakers will be members of WREN, the South Carolina Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network. Melissa Moore and Kenya Cummings will speak about advocacy and community organizing.
The club will also celebrate South Carolina’s selection at the Democratic National Convention as the First Primary State in 2024.
The meeting is free and open to the public.
• Maye River Quilters will meet March 4 at 9:30 a.m. for social time, with the meeting beginning at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way in Hardeeville.
To attend the meeting as a guest, send an RSVP email to mayeriverquilters@gmail. com.
For more information and for member-
ship forms to join the group, call 843-7059590.
• Power of the Purse, the annual celebration of Women United in the Lowcountry, will be held at 6 p.m. March 9 at Saltus River Grill in Beaufort. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar will be offered, along with a silent auction.
The finalists for the 2023 Woman of the Year will be presented, and the winner named.
Tickets are $100 per person or $180 per couple and are available at uwlowcountry. org/womenunited.
Proceeds benefit United Way of the Lowcountry Women United’s Breaking Barriers to Education fund.
• Rotary Club of Bluffton is now accepting applications from local nonprofits for grants to be awarded through the club’s charitable giving program.
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded. To
qualify, nonprofits must serve individuals or families who live or work in or near Bluffton. Grants are awarded for projects that align with one of Rotary’s six focus areas: promote peace; fight disease; provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene; save mothers and children; support education; or grow local economies. This is the first of two grant cycles the Club conducts each year.
The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, March 24, 2023.
A full list of grant guidelines, along with the application form and step-by-step application process, can be found at blufftonrotary.org, under the Charitable Giving Process tab.
To be considered for a grant, organizations must complete the entire grant application form.
• Sigma Chi is a national college fraternity with active chapters on more than 240 college campuses and an additional 152 alumni chapters. The Hilton Head Sigma
Chi Alumni Chapter continues to seek out Lowcountry Sigs, in hopes they will join the chapter.
The group meets monthly throughout the year for lunch at a local restaurant, and hosts coed social events such as oyster roasts or dinner cruises and golf tournaments.
Sigma Chi strives to develop men of good character, students of fair ability, with ambitious purposes, a congenial disposition, possessed of good morals, having a high sense of honor and a deep sense of personal responsibility.
For more information and to inquire about joining, visit hiltonheadsigmachialumni.org and click on “Contact.”
The Bluffton Sun welcomes news of community, club, church, school and organization events. If the event is open to the public, email info to editor@blufftonsun.com.
• Joseph Almeida has been named the next Head of School at Cross Schools, beginning June 1. Almeida is currently serving in the role of lower school principal at the school.
Almeida earned a Bachelor of Science in childhood development and learning with teacher licensure from Maryville College, a Master of Science in Educational Leadership, and an Educational Leadership Certificate from Buffalo State SUNY. He is nearing completion of his EdS Doctorate in educational leadership through Gordon College. His experience includes serving as a teacher, coach and administrator in Tennessee, Brazil, Georgia and South Carolina. During his 17-year career, he has worked in public and private schools stateside and abroad.
Almeida and his wife, Kathleen, have five
children and live in Bluffton. Located in Bluffton, Cross Schools was established in 1998 as an independent Christian school. The school expanded to its Buckwalter Campus at 495 Buckwalter Parkway and serves more than 650 students in preschool through high school. For more information, visit crossschools. org or call 843-706-2000.
• Suzie Gray has joined Park Plaza Cinema as marketing and events manager, responsible for the oversight and execution of a rebranding marketing strategy. In this role, Gray will be focused on engaging area professional organizations as well as nonprofits, educational entities and arts groups for private events at the venue. Gray has more than 25 years’ experience in handling events and marketing for worldwide organizations, including digital marketing and largescale fundraisers. For more information visit parkplazacinemahhisc@gmail.com.
• The Seabrook of Hilton Head’s Fraser Health Center has been named one of the Top Four Nursing Homes in South Carolina. According to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS), The Seabrook of Hilton Head’s Fraser Health Center received CMS’s highest five-star rating, and ranked the health center No. 4 in the state.
The Fraser Health Center is a licensed and Medicare-certified skilled nursing and rehabilitation health center located on The Seabrook of Hilton Head’s 21-acre continuing care campus. For more information about The Seabrook, visit theseabrook.com.
• Dr. Teri N. Moak recently joined Weniger and Associates Plastic Surgery as a board-eligible plastic surgeon for the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Moak is a graduate of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where she completed her undergraduate degrees in physics and biochemistry with minors in chemistry, ki-
nesiology, and Spanish. She pursued Masters of Science degrees in biophysical chemistry at the University of Mississippi and biological medical sciences at Mississippi College. Additionally, she studied physical therapy at the University of Mississippi Medical Center prior to obtaining her medical degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Dr. Moak later joined the Washington University Plastic and Reconstructive Residency Training Program, the longest-standing and one of the top training programs in the country. She completed an American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery-endorsed fellowship in Aesthetic Surgery with Dr. Grady Core in Birmingham, Alabama. Weniger and Associates is located in Bluffton.
Let’s be honest: Who doesn’t procrastinate? As children, we put off homework assignments or studying until the last minute. As adults, we tend to wait until the deadline to file our IRS taxes, or we delay in scheduling routine doctor appointments.
We all do it – it’s human nature. But as we know, some procrastinations do not end well and can result in unintended consequences.
Estate planning is one of the most procrastinated subjects. It doesn’t matter if you’re young, old, rich, or receive average income, failing to plan can have an impact on
not only the management and distribution of your estate, but also on your loved ones who are left to sort out the complications you left.
Here are a few reasons why people procrastinate estate planning:
• We think there’s plenty of time. We tell ourselves that things “can wait” or that “there’s plenty of time to get it done.” The younger generation has the “immortality complex.” They’re young, healthy, and focused on the now, their careers, or future advancements, and believe that they may be too young to be concerned about estate planning – they’re at least half a century away from dying, right?
The older generation knows that they’re not getting any younger, but many feel healthy and have no sense of urgency to create or update an estate plan. They tell themselves that it can wait a few more months or maybe another year, etc.
Truth is, time does not stand still and time waits on no one. If you were involved in a car accident, what good would it do if you didn’t put your seat belt on until after the accident occurred? Don’t treat your estate plan like a wound that a bandage can be put on after a tragedy occurs – because there might not be a bandage big enough.
• Death is difficult to think about. Who wants to talk about death? Very few of us, if anyone at all. But, creating an estate plan is not just about planning for your death. Unexpected events and tragedies happen daily that could result in you becoming disabled or incapacitated. If there aren’t certain documents in place that have planned for with regard to the management of your care, i.e. Powers of Attorney, then someone will have to seek guardianship or conservatorship over you.
• “Estate planning is too expensive.”
Many people believe that creating an estate
plan is just too expensive. The reality is, it is far more expensive to not have even the most basic estate plan in place than it is to create one with the assistance of an attorney. There is an estate plan out there for everyone that can be crafted to best suit your needs. Yes, there might be price differences depending on the type of estate plan you may want or how creative you decide to be in your distributions to beneficiaries. However, you should view an estate plan as an investment that could save thousands of dollars and time in the future. Don’t let your fear of “how much” be an excuse to not create an estate plan.
Don’t be a procrastinator, because if you fail to plan then you plan to fail. Speak with an experienced estate planning attorney today.
Jada L. Gaines is an associate attorney with Elder Law & Estate Planning Center in Bluffton. hiltonheadelderlaw.com
In order to provide additional access for patients suffering from acute orthopaedic injuries, BOSS Orthopaedics has opened an after-hours orthopaedic urgent care clinic located at the practice’s Bluffton office at 4812 Bluffton Parkway.
Now open, the new “Ortho After Hours” urgent care clinic operates 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, offering immediate care for a wide range of injuries and issues including joint pain, back pain, fractures, dislocations, torn ligaments, sprains and sports injuries.
In addition, X-ray, MRI and physical therapy are available onsite. Walk-ins are accepted at the clinic, which will be staffed by John Dana, PA-C, a board-certified physician assistant with extensive experience in orthopaedic urgent care.
“The clinic is designed to provide faster access to care for patients who have an emergency or can’t get in during regular
office hours,” said Dana. “In addition, by providing treatment after hours, we are able to ease the demand for same-day appointments during regular hours and, most importantly, decrease the need for ER visits.”
Dana, who retired from the U.S. Army with the rank of Major after 20 years of service, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physician assistant studies at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, and received a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska. He completed a U.S. Army Physician Assistant residency program specializing in orthopaedics at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and has vast experience in the evaluation and treatment of the full spectrum of orthopaedic and sports-related injuries.
Dana joins board certified orthopaedic surgeons Dr. Mark Dean, Dr. Ralph Salzer,
Gaizo, along with board-certified Physician Assistants Emre Caglayan, James Langford and Paul Linnert at BOSS Orthopaedics.
Serving the Lowcountry for more than 35 years, the practice, formerly known as Beaufort Orthopaedic Sports & Spine, provides orthopaedic surgery and nonsurgical care for patients of all ages at three locations in Beaufort, Hilton Head Island and Bluffton.
“We are pleased to be able to offer patients more access to our practice with evening hours in Bluffton,” said BOSS partner Dr. Dean. “We realize that patients often need orthopaedic evaluation and treatment after our normal clinic hours and that our patient’s work and school commitments can make scheduling doctor appointments during daytime hours a challenge.”
BOSS Orthopaedics accepts most insurance. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 843-837-4320.
The No. 1 issue I hear about hair care is that the majority of the population want to do little or nothing to their hair but want to look amazing at all times.
Your hair stylist is not a magician. But I will tell you how to make the most of your time by doing a little styling and using a little product to look amazing. Fair?
Most people begin styling their hair too soon after a wash, when it’s still too wet. They think the humidity will help it “stay” better. Not true.
It might come as a surprise, but that is a big waste of time. Hair will not hold any style unless it is totally dry. I’ll repeat: Hair will not hold any style unless it is totally dry. If you understand that fact alone it will save you time and stress.
After shampooing your hair, you must use product. There wouldn’t be a plethora of products available unless there was a reason for them. The question is, which ones?
Use a good (salon-purchased) mousse on roots where you want lift. Use cream or oil on the length for helping to keep frizz to a minimum, and a holding product for helping to retain the style.
One or some of these types of products are a must on wet hair to achieve the outcome they should produce. Less is best.
Then just blow, blow, blow. No brush yet – just blow your hair in all directions, concentrating heat on the roots where you want lift. The heat will set the lift, and blowing the hair in all directions will help get the moisture out of the hair quicker than trying to do this with a brush.
Hair will not hold style unless it is totally dry, remember?
When your hair feels dry, and only when it feels completely dry, take your brush and blow dryer and style the hair into the design you want.
Know that when the hair feels dry, it isn’t necessarily dry. Moisture hides, and this is the biggest reason people spend way too much time styling – and all the styling they did is just a waste of time.
Blow with heat, style only when it feels dry, use the proper products. And maybe try a little de-frizzing product or light hairspray at the very end when it all looks perfect.
I guarantee you you will look amazing in much less time and it will stay for a lot longer.
styleitsalon.comTherefore become spiritually free!
Burst all the fetters that hold you down! If obstacles present themselves welcome them joyfully; for they show you the way to freedom and strength!
– Abd-ru-shinJoy Ross is owner of Style It Salon in Old Town Bluffton.
February is Black History Month. Black History is American History. Black History tells the stories that have been excluded from many history books. It tells the stories of enslaved people longing to be free. It tells the stories of a small – very small – portion of the population, less than 14%, who, against great odds, overcame Jim Crow segregation, the lynching era, mass incarceration, voting discrimination, Red Lining and so many other social ills.
African Americans did not do this on their own. Many who were not of African
descent joined the struggle for racial equality and social justice. Black History tells their stories.
The stories of Black History are often difficult to hear. They remind us of the collective sins we all share as Americans.
This dark history is not limited to African Americans. Every racial group has troubling stories. The genocide of native peoples, the development of ethnic ghettos in our major cities, the support of Nazism during and after World War II and the imprisonment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor are all a part of American History. As horrific as these matters are, they are true events that took place in our country.
I understand why people would like to ignore or forget these stories. But there is a danger in hiding ourselves from them. Spanish philosopher George Santayana (1863-1952) is credited with saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are con-
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demned to repeat it.” While American History contains many painful stories, we cannot eliminate them from our history books or refuse to teach them in our schools. Our fear of the truth is a slippery slope that will only lead to developing new painful stories.
Our faith traditions offer a transformative means of addressing the difficult stories of American History. While the following terms might sound archaic and anachronistic, many of us believe in a faith renewing process of confession, repentance and reconciliation. We believe that the best method of addressing the past sins of our nation is to own up to them, to confess them. To declare them as wrong and sinful.
The Beloved Disciple, John, wrote: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Confession opens the door for repen-
tance. When we as a people acknowledge our history, we can then make a commitment to change, to make our future better than our past. Ultimately, repentance will open the door for reconciliation. Our faith traditions teach us that sin separates us from God and from each other. However, the opposite happens when we utilize a restorative justice model. Taking responsibility for our history allows us to participate in aiming and guiding our future.
By faithfully facing the past, we can dream of a future where people are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. We can dream of a future where the vision of our founding fathers and mothers is a reality for all citizens.
Getting your dog well behaved and trained enough to enjoy them is work, especially if the dog is a puppy.
The first skill is potty training. Whether your dog is outside trained or even inside trained with potty pads, you need to know what their schedule is. Making social plans or just getting on with your lifestyle requires knowing when your dog needs to potty.
Having a puppy temporarily changes your schedule, so the faster you learn theirs, the easier it is for you.
The same is true for travel. Is your dog predictable enough to be invited to go places with you? Keep a written record of when your dog potties based upon the activity your dog just did; playing, sleeping, walking, eating, drinking, etc.
Puppyhood is like having a new baby. Did
you prepare for that? The energy of the dog, not just in puppyhood but when they are adult, is a good question to ask BEFORE you choose a dog!
If you are sedentary, did you choose a dog that is appropriate? If you are active, did you get one that can participate with your exercise and play? Is size important?
Do you have kids? Not all breeds are good with kids, plus you have to instruct your kids in appropriate behavior to avoid issues. All dogs need supervision around children. You cannot expect a puppy to know what to do so instruct the humans.
Puppy or dog proof your home with baby gates, exercise pen, and crate. Remove anything the puppy can get into or block them so they can’t access it. Temporarily remove rugs and anything reachable from low surfaces.
Socialize the dog by bringing him to public places, introducing him to all kinds of
situations, environments and people. Bring him to puppy playtimes, not dog parks if they are too young.
Have family members attend obedience and behavior classes. Owners and dogs bond through training. Sit, Come, Lie down, leash walking, leaving items alone, good manners and more are imprinted at a young age. Families need to learn these basic skills and behaviors to train the dog to be enjoyable and well adjusted.
You might think the dog is behaving abnormally when actually she is acting out age-appropriate behaviors. Jumping, chewing and nipping are normal in pups, but can persist with dogs due to lack of training – or are breed related.
Everyone in the family needs to know how to redirect those the right way. Walk and exercise the dog enough to allow him to explore and get tired. Make time to play at what the dog enjoys: ball, running, chasing, tugging and other human play. Does your dog like to sniff and smell or hunt or swim? Find puppy or dog games which allow your pet use those instincts. Supervise all child play.
If you can handle this, then you will enjoy your dog for a long time and they will be blessed to have you as owners.
Abby Bird is owner of Alphadog Training Academy. AlphadogTrainingAcademy@
gmail.com
By Collins Doughtie CONTRIBUTOR
Waking to a steaming cup of Costa Rican coffee and sitting on an outside deck, I drink in the calls of my feathered friends as they too get their day started. But during a recent two weeks, something changed.
Instead of cardinals, I heard the screech of toucans. The chirps of Carolina wrens replaced non-stop chattering of small green parrots and a variety of vividly colored tanagers that would give our painted bunting a run for their money.
Hands down the best of all had to be the bizarre call of an Oropendola. To describe their call, imagine a two-stroke engine from back in the day, one cylinder gone haywire and – to complete this mechanical misfit – the owner forgot to put oil in the one working cylinder.
OK, enough of this teasing because if you haven’t yet guessed, I was in Costa Rica.
My wife, Karen, along with my sister, Grace, went on a whirlwind tour of Costa, a country we have all visited many times but this time around we let my niece Ali and her husband, Martin, arrange an itinerary to visit places we had never been. They have lived in a town called Atenas for the better part of 20 years.
Arriving at their fabulous hacienda, it seemed if they had rented out the best of the best wildlife this country offers. A massive fig tree behind our guest house was loaded
with fruit and at least three dozen whitefaced monkeys, almost as many toucans, and huge chicken-like birds gouging themselves on all the fruit.
If that wasn’t enough, out walked a pizote, their version of our raccoon, but way cooler; and an agouti that resembled a 20-pound hairless guinea pig.
Talk about a warm welcoming, I still believe it was somehow staged.
Ali and Martin are two of the most interesting people I’ve ever known. World travelers, Ali started in the Peace Corps and from there lived all over the world teaching English in third world countries, as did Martin – which ultimately led to their love affair.
In Costa Rica, Ali was a travel writer for Costarica.com and now uses her talents as a copywriter, while Martin teaches at a small but exclusive school for American students that don’t quite fit into most U.S. educational
standards.
If I were way younger, I would mimic their lifestyle in a heartbeat.
Did I fish? Oh, come on, you know that answer! But sadly, Spirit Airlines lost my fishing rod in transit. I did have a reel but no rod, though I found a half-decent replacement as we headed to the Uvida on the southern Pacific coast.
Every place we stayed required four-wheel drive to get to our digs but was it worth it. Besides another bevy of incredible birds and a sloth encounter, the cicada hatch was in full swing and the only sound that could penetrate their deafening orchestra was the deep rumbling made by howler monkeys –usually around dawn and dusk.
Chartering a panga, a 20-something foot boat, I convinced the rest of the gang to join me as I just had to itch my fishing bug. Flat calm seas calmed their fears of seasickness
and within minutes of dropping my lures overboard, we began hooking up.
First were two medium tuna followed by what I wanted most – roosterfish! With long, brightly colored dorsal fins that resemble the fingers on your hand extending high out of the water as they chase a lure down, it is a sight to behold.
Catching several medium size roosters, we lost a pig after it dumped a good hundred yards of line off the reel. All was not lost because not a minute had gone by when a humpback whale paid us an upclose visit. As they say in Costa Rica, “Pura Vida!”
Our last stop was up in the cloud-covered mountains in a place called Lauraceas. If you are a birder, this is the place to go. I have never seen so many folks decked in Patagonia, L.L. Bean and Orvis outerwear in my life.
And the cameras on tripods! Some of their telephoto lenses were so big, I swear they could pick out Neil Armstrong’s footprints on the moon!
Though I had no idea, the stream across from our cabin was chock full of freshwater trout. Totally unprepared, I did catch one rainbow that had to be 6 or 7 pounds. So there you have it but one last thing, Google the call of a Oropendola bird. It’s worth it.
Collins Doughtie, a 60-year resident of the Lowcountry, is a sportsman, graphic artist, and lover of nature. collinsdoughtie@icloud. com
We probably don’t give much thought to safety when our dirty laundry is piled up, then washed and dried.
But, if we don’t pay attention, even the wash-day chores can turn into a serious accident. Specifically, we need to take care of the dryer so it doesn’t cause a fire.
Let’s start at the beginning.
Before using a new dryer for the first time, read the manufacturer’s instructions, warnings and care instructions.
Have your clothes dryer installed by qualified personnel. Professionals can ensure the proper installation of your dryer and will be knowledgeable about the different kinds of units.
A clothes dryer works by forcing hot air through a turning drum. Wet clothes are placed in the drum and then dried by
moving hot air.
Lint, consisting of small fibers from the clothes, is created from the clothes as they tumble. While much of the lint is trapped in the filter, some is carried along through the vent system.
Make sure to clean the filter before and after each cycle. In addition, clean the lint filter every 6 months with a nylon brush.
Don’t forget to clean the back of the dryer, where expelled lint can build up.
For optimum performance, the interior of the dryer and venting system should be serviced and cleaned periodically.
Check occasionally to make sure nests of small animals and insects are not blocking the outside vent.
Here are some more tips:
• Do not store cleaning products, boxes and baskets of clothing around the dryer because they can cause a fire to start.
• Do not dry anything containing foam, rubber or plastic, such as bathroom rugs or tennis shoes.
• Do not leave a clothes dryer running if you leave home or when you go to bed.
• Do not run a dryer without the lint filter, as this is your built in defense against lint build up.
• Do not overload – a heavy load of clothing is too hard on the dryer. It can cause parts to work overtime, producing higher than average temperatures, which can cause a fire.
A fire will change your life in ways that you cannot even begin to imagine. Fire safety starts with you, so practice fire safety every day!
Cinda Seamon is the fire and life safety educator for Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue.
This year has been a challenge with our fluctuating temperatures. We will most likely continue to see this weather trend – warm, then cold, then freezing temperatures and back to warm.
We do not advise installing new sod at this time; you will have much better results by waiting until the weather is consistently warm. Whenever you do get ready to add sod, make sure that you monitor the amount of sunlight the area receives to ensure you are putting in the proper turf-type. Conversely, now is a great time to plant trees and shrubs! Make sure they are not planted too deep and do not use too many amendments.
Now is also the time to spray the fruit trees with horticultural oil. This will take care of insects. The horticultural oil should
be applied only when the plants are dormant.
This is also a good time to prepare your planting beds. You might look into Snapshot 2.5 pre-emergent for landscape and container grown material. Make sure you read and follow all label instructions and verify your plant material is safe for this product.
In addition to applying this pre-emergent, now is a good time to select and schedule the application. We could potentially have a shortage of this product, so order soon. As you look around your yard, you may see volcano-type mulching covering the roots and a portion of some tree trunks. This can cause airflow and nutrient issues for your trees and plants. You should apply mulch at a depth of 3 inches and allow 10 to 12 inches of room around the base of all trees and plants.
One yard of mulch will cover roughly 100 square feet at a 3-inch depth. The combina-
tion of a pre-emergent and mulch will minimize weeds and reduce maintenance needs during the growing season. This should be completed prior to our spring weeds germi-
nating, approximately March 15. Looking ahead to warmer months, notice your yard and your neighbors’ yards. You might wonder why does some grass do better than others? A well-trained turf professional can provide the facts related to turf. Each turf type has specific needs – sunlight, mowing height, frequency of mowing, fertility, water and oxygen. If we follow the guidelines for “right plant, right place” and other elements that impact a quality lawn, you will be successful.
When you decide to renovate your turf, always think of what the tree canopy will look like over the next three to five years. Do you have all the necessary conditions that will foster a heatlhy lawn?
Contact a turf professional first and ask for best recommendations based on your specific site.
Mark Deloach is the owner of Lawn Doctor of Beaufort County.
As we look to the year ahead for real estate in the Lowcountry, here are a few of the steering factors that we’re paying close attention to.
• Seller inventory. In the spring of 2022, newly listed inventory was beginning to climb, causing some buyers and market analysts to speculate that we might see a sharp spike in inventory as the hot market began to cool. However, continued strong buyer demand absorbed the best opportunities in that new wave of listings, leaving only those listings that were overpriced or in non-premium condition to add to the longer-term inventory.
Fast forward to the start of 2023, we see a higher active inventory than a year before, but there’s only a trickle of new listings coming on the market. Owner property retention
is at an all-time high as many owners are compelled by their low-interest-rate loans, and confident in the stability of property values in the Lowcountry. The net effect is a continued seller’s market amid low inventory and steady demand.
• Buyer demand. For the second year in a row in ’22, Collins Group Realty ushered in buyers from 30 states, deeply diluting the long-standing joke that everyone comes from Ohio. 2023 has started off with not only a steady stream of new buyer interest, but we’ve also seen that the new year has clicked existing prospects into a new gear, and post-holiday market activity has sprung into full swing.
The Lowcountry has received a tremendous amount of positive press over the past several years, and we are fielding increasing inquiries from folks who are just hearing about our area recently. And, as always, the rule that “friends follow friends” has never
been more at play than in the wake of the record-setting market we just experienced.
• Money. An obvious factor when it comes to any real estate market, money promises to be a particularly impactful steering factor this year. The stock market has finally shown its other face, which has sent investors (once again) back into real estate as a diversified investment avenue. Plus, as baby boomers are poised to conduct the greatest wealth transfer ever (some $68 trillion!), we expect to see a continuation of impressive cash purchases, especially as we attract buyers from higher sales price markets. Meanwhile, mortgage money is readily available as lenders are getting creative in their programs to help offset the rise in rates we saw develop last year.
• The Ripple and the Bubble. It’s well established that not much that happens in our local market causes a ripple effect in the national market. Quite the opposite, we have more often felt the effects when markets
elsewhere experience substantial change. As the sense of wealth and equity has grown for those who enjoy the Lowcountry, our market has grown as a result. And, in times (like 2008) when financial insecurity has taken hold, we’ve suffered from that decline. Yet, given the significant growth in our year-round population, the expansion of our market area, and the more dynamic nature of our economy, it’s possible that we may be building somewhat of a protective bubble around our market, making us less vulnerable to the ripple effect that has previously impacted our market demand and values. The Lowcountry is coming into its own, and it’s exciting for all of us!
For more steering factors in their 2023 Annual Market Analysis, visit CollinsGroupRealty.com/2023-2.
Chip Collins is the broker-owner of Collins Group Realty. chip@collinsgrouprealty.com or collinsgrouprealty.com
It’s Feb. 14! There have been Cupid sightings throughout Bluffton, Valentine cards are aplenty, and chocolates will be heavily discounted come tomorrow!
It is also a good time to remember that home is where the heart is and that our homes should be filled with love.
Here are some suggestions for adding some love to your home:
• Make it your no-stress zone, your safe haven, where you go to rest, relax and be at peace. Think about being happy. Take a few deep breaths before you open the door, and when you enter your home, leave your worries on the doorstep.
• Take it nice and easy. Don’t fret if not everything in your home is perfect. That kind of thinking can create stress. Just step back and say to yourself, “It will all come together in good time and as it does, I will enjoy my home in all its different stages.”
• Share your place with special people. Invite good friends over for dinner, wine and cheese, or a fun game of Canasta. Let laughter and happiness fill your home (and stay as long as they want to).
• Make good memories. When you enjoy living in your home, you will also be creating fond memories. And just thinking of those memories will make you smile and love your home.
• Spend quality time there. It might not be Tara or Twelve Oaks, but it’s your home. So don’t run out every chance you get. Get to know your home better. Do fun things in your home.
Many years ago we lived in West Bloomington, Minnesota. Our daughter was just six months old when we moved there. I remember that our big husky-shephard would lie by the side of her crib and watch over her. That was a good feeling. I loved that home.
Now we live in Rose Hill Plantation. We share our home with Cherie, our beloved standard poodle. Wherever we are in the house, that’s where she is. She watches over us (or maybe she thinks we watch over her). Seeing her in our house every day makes me feel good. I love this home.
It’s not too difficult to love to your home, and it’s not too late to show your home some love.
Larry Stoller is a broker and Realtor with Real Estate Five of the Lowcountry. Larry@ RealEstateFive.com, RealEstateFive.com
“Birdability” birdwatching tours at Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge will be offered free of charge for mobility challenged individuals each Tuesday from March 21May 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
The partnership between the Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges and Hilton Head Audubon offers an opportunity to ride a 15-seat electric shuttle with a bird guide to look for both migrat-
ing birds and nesting egrets and herons present during the spring on Pinckney Island.
Passengers do not have to leave the shuttle during the tour. The golf cart was purchased to expand accessibility at Pinckney, thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.
The diverse habitats at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge attract an
abundance of wildlife throughout the year, providing excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. The refuge bird list contains more than 250 species.
Pinckney Island NWR is one of the best places in South Carolina to see breeding yellow-crowned night herons.
Birdability focuses on removing barriers to access for birders with mobility challenges and disabilities or other health
concerns. According to the organization Birdability, which publishes information for the mobility challenged, the organization works to ensure that the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe and accessible for everyone.
Guests may bring their own binoculars or use those provided. You must be registered to participate. Register at coastalrefuges.org/pinckney-tours.
SPORTS CARDS WANTED: Vesci Sports Cards, specializing in pre-1972 baseball, football and basketball cards. Looking for personal collections. Cash paid for cards. Hilton Head resident Jim Vesci 215-266-2975 jdvescisr@gmail.com
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