SCS February 14, 2023

PHOTO BY TOM MILLS

2 Ways to Sign-up

Social club adds meaning to their meetings with donations

By Katherine Mace CONTRIBUTOR

“We are all children of service. Our community has a core value of service, and everyone can feel a sense of joy when they give.” This is how Debi Boccanfuso, president of one of Sun City’s oldest clubs, Town Square Upbeats, explains why people are so enthusiastic about this club.

The Upbeats have a continuous service project to collect money on behalf of Toys for Tots, a U.S. Marine Corps program whose mission is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas.

Toys for Tots began in 1947 when a Marine’s wife asked him to donate her handmade dolls to an organization that supported children in need. He couldn’t find this type of organization, so he started one, and the Marine Corps’ icon-

ic Toys for Tots was born.

Ed Martin, a long-time member and unofficial club historian, moved to Sun City with his wife in 2000. “Sun City opened officially in 1995,” he said. “There was nothing much around.”

Martin described what it looked like in the area surrounding the Sun City community. There was a two-lane road to Hilton Head Island, there were no shops or restaurants inside or outside the gates.

“People would bring food and something to drink and come (to Upbeats) to socialize,” Martin said.

Charlie and Mary Keller, Boccanfuso’s parents, and 14-year Sun City residents, have been Upbeats for 10 years.

“Many people like this (club) because we gather early enough that you can go out later and still eat the Early Bird special,” Mary said. “We have two daughters who live here. The first time Debi came

Please see UPBEATS on page 6SC

Debi Boccanfuso acknowledges a bid during the Town Square Upbeats auction night. Proceeds from auction sales go to Toys for Tots, the Upbeats charity of choice.

PHOTOS BY TOM MILLS

A HUG AROUND THE NECK THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

UPBEATS from page 4SC

to visit, she told us, ‘When I retire, I’ll move here and join the Town Square Upbeats!’”

Martin said the Upbeats was the fourth club to be chartered in Sun City. “First came the Vets Club, and then men’s and women’s golf,” he said.

The Sun City Veterans’ Association was the first to support Toys for Tots in Sun City. When a member in the leadership of the Vets’ Club came over to the Upbeats, he brought the Toys for Tots with him. “He hounded me to be president, and finally I agreed,” Martin said. “I’ve been president on and off for 14 years. It’s a lot of work and takes lots of time. All the money we made went to Toys for Tots.”

To this day, the Town Square Upbeats are all-in and activities are held throughout the year to support Toys for Tots. Every Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., approximately 150 Town Square Upbeats members meet in the Pinckney Hall ballroom.

The evening starts with a small, freewill donation at the door.

On a recent Friday, $259 was contributed at the door. This was auction night as well, and as usual, all proceeds were going to Toys for Tots.

The atmosphere was electric. Numbered auction cards were distributed, so each person was prepared to make a bid. The crowd was wildly enthusiastic in response to Boccanfuso, the auctioneer, and scores of arms jutted into the air as item after item was presented for sale.

Pamela Gobel bid on – and won – a white golf bag with pink trim. “I bought this to support Toys for Tots,” she said.

The comment was the same throughout the evening. Pat Braley bought two items. Her reason: To support Toys for Tots.

Auctions sales totaled more than $2,000, and in less than 2 hours.

Around Nov. 1, the club distributes Toys for Tots boxes in Riverbend, Magnolia Hall, Hidden Cypress, Pinckney Hall, and the Lake House. Sun City residents generously donate toys, and volunteers empty the boxes daily.

“Last year we collected lots of toys and

around $10,000 in monetary donations,” Boccanfuso said. “We took $7,000 to Walmart, where there was a dedicated cashier. Six or seven of us went shopping, and in an hour and a half we spent $7,000 on toys. The average toy cost was $10.”

Boccanfuso said the group also gave $3,000 cash to the effort. “The Marines have designated people to shop for the kids who are 14-17,” she said. “That’s a hard group to buy for.”

Ultimately, the gifts are distributed by the Marines to churches and social organizations like the YMCA, Knights of Columbus, and designated schools. “The Marines bring a truck and come in uniform to our December Dinner-Dance Holiday Party to pick up the toys,” Boccanfuso said.

It is estimated that throughout its history, Toys for Tots has donated 627 million toys to 281 million children, nationwide. The regional coordinator and contact for the Town Square Upbeats is Marine Sgt. Damion Lewis. In 2022, Lewis’ region provided 14,958 kids with 37,287 toys.

This coming year promises weekly fun and special events like a chili supper, a spaghetti supper, a cookout, and an end of the year holiday party.

Boccanfuso said joining is easy. “To become a member costs $10,” she said. “You can just come on Friday night, and join on the spot.”

Katherine Mace is a writer who lives in Sun City.

Lori Conti won the item she bid on– a ceramic chicken wine bottle holder – and appears excited about her good fortune. Joe Conti, not so much.

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2023

Winners named for Creative Visions arts pairing, exhibit

By Sophia Schade

More than 3,500 Sun City residents and guests attended and voted for their favorite Creative Visions entries this year.

Formerly known as Double Vision, this year, the 10th annual event provided more “oohs” and “aaahs” than ever before with the addition of four glass artists and a total of 108 entries of photographs, paintings and glass art.

Participating artists are members of the All About Art Club, the Sun City Photography Club, or the Glasscrafters Club. This year was the first time glass was included as a medium, and the work was spectacular.

Creative Visions started with a pairings event in September, where photographers and artists were paired in a blind drawing of names. The matched pair then collaborated through realistic, impressionistic or abstract art to create an artistic interpretation of the photographic work.

The exhibit of the collaborations was held Feb. 3-5 at Pinckney Hall, where all the paired works were on view and available for sale.

The Awards Ceremony was held Feb. 5 and featured a look back at Double

A special thank you to Linda Grady and Melanie Frank, co-chairs of the event. Not only did these two women work tirelessly to produce a jaw-dropping show, but they also raised $1,000 in donations from businesses in and around the community. We can’t forget the many volunteers (more than 450) representing all three clubs who were also instrumental in our success.

Those who attended Creative Visions were able to vote for their favorite Pairing as well as Best Artist, Best Photographer and Most Creative Interpretation.

The winners are:

Best in Show, 1st Place: Teresa Brandt, artist, and Tom Hanley, photographer.

Best in Show, 2nd Place: Anne Curran, glass artist, and Kathy Leonard, photographer.

Best in Show, 3rd Place: Linda Hilts, artist, and Mike Davis, photographer.

Most Creative Interpretation: Anne Curran and Kathy Leonard

Best in Show, Artwork: Anne Curran

Best in Show, Photographer: Tom Hanley

Vision 2015 with a video compiled by Gracene Peluso.

Sophia Schade is a photographer and freelance writer who lives in Sun City.

CONTRIBUTOR

TOM MILLS

Winners selected by public vote for the Creative Visions competition are acknowledged Feb. 5 at the end of the exhibit. From left are Anne Curran, Kathy Leonard, Mike Davis, Linda Hilts, Tom Hanley and Teresa Brandt.

By David W. Smith CONTRIBUTOR

Lowcountry Environmental Action has been active as a Sun City group for several years. Our common concern is with the sustainability of the Earth as a habitable environment for human existence.

We are not overzealous activists. We believe in the environmental importance of trees, but don’t chain ourselves to them or lie down in the paths of bulldozers to protect them. Our primary mission is to educate and inspire actions in our neighbors and our community to help insure that our planet continues to be hospitable.

Our group has evolved from a 2019 Earth Day exhibit concerning Global Climate Change to the Environmental Action Group and recently to Lowcountry Environmental Action. Our new name better reflects our mission: educating and motivating residents of Sun City Hilton Head and surrounding communities, as well as working with local

government leaders to promote sustainable practices. Our primary focus continues to be on the Sun City community. Along with our new name comes a new look with an updated logo, and a new website where we will regularly post environmental news updates, and action items you can use to help protect the environment while saving money.

Our group’s meetings are open to the community and feature speakers focusing upon timely environmental concerns and

possible solutions. Recent topics have been regional development, the practicality of solar panels, and the importance of native plants. We are planning field trips to St. Phillips Island, Palmetto Bluff, and Beaufort Jasper Water & Sewer Authority to learn more about our surroundings.

Members with specific environmental concerns and those wanting to be more involved in our efforts join action teams. 4Rs suggests ways to Reduce, Replace, Reuse and Recycle single-use items to minimize

waste. Land and Water focuses on sustaining nature. Solar educates on the viability of panels. Energy Conservation and Transportation studies and informs on energy-saving appliances and electric vehicles.

We are the driving force behind Sun City’s Earth Day event. Be sure to mark your calendars to visit the Pavilion on April 22 when a dozen clubs and 20 outside groups come together to share environmental news, solutions for addressing climate concerns, ecologically friendly landscaping practices, and money saving tips for energy conservation, renewable energy, and solid waste reduction.

We need your help! You might want to become actively involved in a team or to just attend meetings and take part in field trips. You might be too busy to do either but want to support our efforts. Please join today by visiting our website lcenvironment.org and clicking the “Join Us” button.

David W. Smith is a member of Lowcountry Environmental Action.

Earth Day 2022, held last April, was a great success.

COURTESY LOWCOUNTRY ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

Aging is full of surprises when it comes to our appearance

By Chris Roosa CONTRIBUTOR

My husband asked me the other day, “Can you believe that I’ve been retired 24 years already?”

Oh yeah! I could believe that. Twenty-four years, eight months and 14 hours to be exact – but who’s counting?

When the little ones still lived at home, ALL DAY LONG, I could put them down for a nap. In order to achieve my daily requirement of peace for my psyche, I needed that silence.

Then the Lord gave us blessed school! By the time the mischievous darlings returned home from their busy day, I could deal with them until bedtime or high school graduation – whichever came first.

However, with hubby home EVERY DAY now, he just drifts in and out of consciousness all day long. No rhyme or rhythm to his

rest pattern. So, there is no escape!

I finally decided I would crawl into my cave, better known as a bedroom, for a daily nap. I just needed to recharge my batteries so I could repeatedly answer “What?” for the balance of the day because he won’t wear his hearing aids.

When we were younger, my husband was the best kisser. Now we approach one another like two calves sucking on an udder. It’s an old person kiss. Gone is the youthful passion, because our bellies just won’t let us get too close anymore. So, hence the puckering in the first place.

It’s a race, in this household, as to who is going to be bald first. The old man began losing his locks in his 60s but I’ve certainly caught up to him this year.

I wear my hair in a three-stranded, redand-white rooted ponytail coming from a

AGING from page 10SC

shiny scalp. My scalp is now very prevalent so you can’t miss it. My bangs look like a wisp of fringe sticking out from my forehead. Surely you’ll recognize me when you see me around the community.

A few years ago, I realized that my long, lush lashes no longer existed. I had the individual lashes glued on. They looked pretty tht first day. Because of my restless nighttime thrashing, I’d wake up each morning with a good portion of my fake investment laying on my pillow. Lashes, lashes everywhere ... including my own.

Yep, they all vanished from my eyelids leaving me with no lashes at all. Then I’d have to invest in a product to get mine to grow back. I finally gave up on long, lush lashes and accept the stubs.

And the crepe skin! Did you ever notice how wrinkled and crepe-like older skin becomes? There was a time when I could show off my muscled arms from lifting 80-pound bales of hay each day. Now I can hardly open a new pickle jar because of the vacuum suction.

My lower torso was toned with muscular legs from many hours of horseback riding. My skin always had a lovely tan from all the hours spent outside with nature.

Today, it’s wrinkled crepe with brown age spots. Then there’s the color of our skin. Because my husband and I are both on blood thinners we bruise easily. His arms are a solid magenta from his biceps down. Mine are purple also but dotted with brown age spots from sun damage.

Anymore, when I have to fill out paperwork that asks me if I’m white, black, brown or other, I just put “other: PURPLE!” Let them figure that one out for themselves. A dermatologist would understand.

Mother never told me about this aging process. Of course, none of our parents lived this l-o-n-g! It’s been a real eye opener. I can hardly wait for the coming years to deteriorate even more. I’m sure Mother Nature has plenty of surprises in store for me.

Chris Roosa is a resident of Sun City Hilton Head.

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