March 3, 2015 • Volume 18, Issue 5 • Complimentary
INSIDE • Local couple seeks to adopt siblings from Bulgaria 9A • Honor Vietnam Vets at March 8 ceremony 10A • History Day offers tours 12A • PIck up new car at Sweden factory 21A • Latest spring fashions 41A
‘Follow the Fiddlers’ on a trek to the May River By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
Expect fiddler crabs to appear soon in Old Town Bluffton and remain for years to come. You won’t need crab traps or nets to find them but you will need good eyesight and a touch of the treasure hunter spirit. “Follow the Fiddlers” as the 8-inch bronze fiddler crabs stop at various spots along Calhoun Street in an educational community project created by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class of 2015. The group of crabs, which is called a cast, will spread out from the Promenade to the May River near Church of the Cross, waiting to be discovered. Signs
located at either end of Calhoun will describe the marine life found in the May. Class member Kevin Quat said it was the perfect project for the 12 people who make up the class comprised of locals, out-of-towners, law enforcement people, attorneys, blog writers and health care professionals. “The idea was to create awareness of the May River and its importance to the heart of the Lowcountry,” said Quat. “We also wanted to make sure people not only knew the importance of the May River but had a fun, interactive way to experience downtown Bluffton.” The class members determined how Please see FIDDLERS on page 6A
P H OTO B Y G W Y N E T H J. S AU N D E R S
Kevin Quat, a member of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class 2015, shows a brochure describing the class project, “Follow the Fiddlers.” A brochure with educational information and a general location map will be distributed once the crabs are installed.
IRS issues alert on new email ‘phishing’ scam: Do not click on links The South Carolina Department of Revenue urges taxpayers to be aware and on guard against a new phishing scam attempting to fraudulently access personal information. The IRS has issued a warning to watch out for fake emails seeking updated per-
sonal or professional information that are actually phishing schemes. The IRS generally does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. Phishing is a scam typically carried out with the help of unsolicited email or
a fake website that poses as a legitimate site to lure in potential victims and prompt them to provide valuable personal and financial information. Armed with this information, a criminal can commit identity theft or financial theft. The links in the phishing email appear
to be a scheme to gather a taxpayer’s user name and password information. Recipients of such emails should not click on the links. Anyone who receives such a suspicious, unsolicited email should report it by forwarding it to phishing@irs.gov.
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SUNNY SIDE UP
Big numbers on anniversaries cause modicum of disbelief By Lynne Cope Hummell EDITOR
I know for sure that I am old. My children constantly remind me of this. Lately, however, I have begun to think I must be ancient. No, I haven’t recently had a major birthday ending in zero. It’s just that I’ve Lynne Hummell noticed some remarkable numbers in recent social media, press releases and news stories that give me cause to ponder: Where did the time go? Further, how did it get to be 2015 and I haven’t written my first book yet? The first notable reminder, a few months back, was a simple post on Facebook: “Hey classmates! It’s time for
our 40-year high school reunion!” I couldn’t get past the “40” without gasping for air. Whaaaat? I quickly grabbed a calculator to check for accuracy. Holy smoke. How did that happen? Coincidentally, I had been preoccupied with the anticipation of my younger son’s graduation from high school this June. I know how much older I am than he, but that number surprised me when I saw it in front of “reunion.” All this time, I could have been exercising madly and planning a knock-out wardrobe for the reunion dinner-dance certain to make all the cute boys from the Class of 1975 regret skipping over me to get to the cheerleaders. Apparently, I do things in increments of five years whenever possible. I recently passed the five-year mark as editor of this paper. It has been quite a crazy ride, but it sure doesn’t seem like I’ve been here that long.
My husband and I have lived in the same house for a little more than 20 years. This was supposed to be a starter home. I am guessing at this point, it will be our “finisher” home as well. This year is also our 25th wedding anniversary. This is truly mind-boggling to me. Seems like it was just last summer when we were cavorting on the beach all day, our skin bronzed, our blond hair tousled by the ocean breeze. We were footloose and fancy-free back in 1990 BC (before children). I noted a few months back that I have lived in the Lowcountry for 30 years now. That’s longer than I lived in my hometown. I have now spent more than half my life here. Another big anniversary that was recently pointed out came in a press release. This year – March 8, to be exact – marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the war in Vietnam.
That’s a sobering thought. I was just a child when it started, but I have vivid recollections of seeing soldiers and tanks and machine guns on the nightly news. Our local DAR chapter will honor this anniversary and the veterans who served in a special event March 14. See page 10A for details and consider attending. The war lasted 10 years, and the end came just before I graduated from high school. Which brings me back to the reunion. Actually, I am rather looking forward to it. I even joined the planning committee and have dusted off my old yearbooks. Dang, I was such a catch back then! Speaking of which, my first husband will likely be at this reunion. I think we shall sit at dinner with him and his fourth wife. That would be a hoot, wouldn’t it? It’s the little things that make getting old fun.
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EDITORIAL Current Circulation Via USPS is 27,494 Finalist: Small Business of the Year, 2014, HHI-Bluffton Chamber. Winner of the 2011 SAPA General Excellence Award; 1st place, Front Page Design; 2nd place, Most Improved Publication; and 3rd place, Self-Promotion Advertising. 2013 IFPA-SAPA 3rd Place, Business Coverage
PUBLISHER B.J. Frazier, bjf.citysun@hargray.com
EDITOR Lynne Hummell, editor@hargray.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kim Perry Bowen
OFFICE MANAGER Susan Tarbona
CONTRIBUTORS Abby Bird Emily Campbell Karen Doughtie E. Ronald Finger Jean Harris Alison Jedrick Audrey Klenke R. J. Le Tourneau Don Lowe Lou Marino Basil Massey Andrea McGilton Oswald L. Mikell
Debbie Morris Weston Newton Carlos Ramos Joy Ross Gwyneth Saunders Arthur Segal Jessica Sferlazzo Chris Shoemaker Jim Smith Denise K. Spencer Larry Stoller Brian Treacy Kathie Walsh
ADVERTISING • B.J. Frazier 422-2321 • Tim Anderson 540-0882 • Bill Griffin 705-9453 • Dean Rowland 609-505-2195 • Stan Wade 338-1900 • Larry Stoller, real estate, 290-5101
VISIT: www.blufftonsun.com For information about The Bluffton Sun, contact: B.J. Frazier PO Box 2056, Bluffton, SC 29910 843-757-9507, 843-757-9506 (fax) 14D Johnston Way Bluffton, SC 29910 All submissions must include name, address and phone number. The Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any material, including advertisements. The Bluffton Sun does not verify for licenses, endorse nor warrant any advertised businesses or services. The opinions and views expressed in the editorials are those of the Editor and Publisher. Member: Southeastern Advertising Publishers Assoc., Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Old Town Bluffton Merchants Society, Jasper County Chamber of Commerce.
In heat of politics as usual, a close call By Weston Newton CONTRIBUTOR
The legislative session in Columbia got off with a great deal of promise and fanfare. The governor and legislative leaders spoke almost as one as they announced that this is the year when the sunshine of ethics reform would permeate the dark recesses of “politics as usual.” Also, after much study, reams of testimony and endless deliberations, we are seemingly at a time when our roads and bridges will begin the long process back from deferred attention. My three Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) bills have been subjected to subcommittee scrutiny and reported out to the full Judiciary Committee. The House has passed more than a few bills designed to restore the public’s trust in their legislature. We have endorsed full income disclosure to assure that your legislators are not using their positions to enrich themselves or their close family members. The so-called Leadership PACs have been abolished, and the Ethics Commission has been given a reformed structure that reflects all three branches of government, as well as promising
independent investigations into alleged ethics violations. The House has also proposed that the Department of Transportation and the Infrastructure Bank be restructured to make our road and bridge dollars more likely to be distributed according to need, rather than politics. These are all, in my view, potentially great strides toward a renewed South Carolina, a more productive South Carolina, and finally, a more forwardlooking South Carolina. If the commitments made in the House are ratified in the Senate, and the funding to make it more than just rhetorical is agreed and secured, this session may live up to what we have been hearing. Unfortunately, there are “rumblings” among some of our Senate colleagues that what we in the House see as needed reforms, they view as “too much.” A few weeks ago, while in Columbia, I heard ominous rumblings from Bluffton, in the form of a call from my wife. She was hearing noises and seeing sparks coming from our clothes dryer. As she monitored the situation, it became more serious, prompting a call to the fire department and to our friend and neighbor, Lawson Lowery. With the children safely outside, my
courageous wife and neighbor battled the smoke and flames while awaiting Bluffton Fire Department, which arrived shortly. The well-equipped professional firefighters made short work of the blaze. They also commended the actions of our neighbor and those of my good wife Rose. They also made it clear that having a fire extinguisher on hand and knowing how to use it probably saved our home, or at least a good portion of it. Rushing home, my thoughts were on those loved ones waiting in our saved house. Our children are now bunking in the living room on blow-up mattresses. We are profoundly grateful for our neighbors and friends and for the safety of our family. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher, get one. Politics ideally moves us toward a greater good, often at glacial speed. Our family lives are more about trying to be good folks every day, and saying our prayers every night. For a while at least, I don’t need a reminder. Weston Newton is the representative for District 120 in the State House of Representatives.
Letters to the Editor To the Editor: Author Earl McDowell was the featured speaker at the Feb. 11 meeting of the Liberal Men of the Lowcountry. His presentation included information regarding South Carolina being one of the most relaxed states for gun regulation, making the state a major area for illegal gun trafficking. He provided data on a variety of gunrelated issues, such as 1/3 of all privately owned guns in the world are in America and there are 90 guns for every 100 citizens. There is one person killed by a gun
every 17 minutes in America and 87 percent of all gun-related deaths of children in the world occur in America. He agrees with former Supreme Court Justice John Stevens that we need to amend the Second Amendment so that it is clear that the Founders meant for a well-regulated militia (which is the National Guard in each state), not that everybody have a gun. The group meets monthly at Indigo Run. For more information, contact me at 847-921-8188. Richard Hammes Hilton Head
To the Editor: The unemployment rate is 5.7 percent. The growing economy has created 1,000,000 jobs since November 1. Many are good jobs, not part-time service positions. In January there was a rise in hourly wages . But Republicans insist the Obama economic policy is a failure. Republicans refer to the Labor Participation Rate (LPR) of 62.9 percent. Some use this Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly report to imply that “almost 40 percent of the Please see LETTERS on page 6A
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FIDDLERS from page 1A
LETTERS from page 4A
the bronze statue of Charles Fraser the project was developed. Quat said and his gator in the Compass Rose they all wanted something that was Park on the island. Though the fiddler going to enhance the lives of the comcrab is smaller, it is a complex little munity, both locals and tourists. creature. Class member Erin Schumacher, “It took a couple of weeks to make senior planner for the Town of the model of the crab,” said Bluffton, said the idea came from a visit she made to Greenville, S.C. “I Susie Chisholm’s clay model for the crabs Chisholm. Her original model – made from an oil-based clay – saw the ‘Mice on Main’ project which is based on a similar idea,” she said. “We thought it would be good to try is at the foundry now in wax mold form, Chisholm said, which means it is about half finished. something like that in Bluffton in a way that was fun The crabs are due by the end of April and the project and whimsical.” will be complete before the leadership class ends in May. After examining a number of projects, all of which Not all of the crabs will be on the ground, Quat said. would be good for the community, the class determined There will be a treasure map of their general locations that fiddlers had the potential to bring together people that will allow people to find them as well as learn who already live in the area together with tourists who about new places in Old Town that they might never are coming through. have seen before. “Our hope is that the project is an opportunity to Quat said that the class has raised almost half of the engage kids and adults in the Bluffton environment in a way that is atypical, because unless you’re paying atten- money needed to complete the project and they are still looking for sponsorships to fund the rest. tion, you won’t notice it,” Schumacher said. “We also Anyone interested in sponsoring part of the project hope that it’s an opportunity to educate kids in the may contact him at kevin@absoluteisland.com or call importance of the May River.” Susie Chisholm, a sculptor with studios in Savannah, the Chamber of Commerce at 843-785-3673. Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance is the artist responsible for the crabs and is familiar with the Hilton Head and Bluffton communities. She created writer living in Bluffton.
population is out of work” and a declining LPR as proof that workers have given up and dropped out of the labor force. The LPR takes into account “persons 16 and older in the civilian noninstitutional population who are either employed or unemployed but available for work and actively looking for work.” High school and college students, stay-at-home parents, and retirees are never counted. When people improve job skills by attending college or technical schools, the rate will decrease. As baby boomers reach retirement age, the rate will decrease. If one parent can now stay home with children because their partner’s job prospects improved, the rate decreases. If someone who was working just for health insurance can now obtain insurance through the ACA, the rate will decrease. And, those who “give up” will decrease the rate. (The recent increase in the unemployment rate is due in part to their reentry into the job market). Republicans, stop pretending that 40 percent of the population can’t find a job and acknowledge the improving economy. Lynn L. Tyson Bluffton
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GROUPS & GATHERINGS Civic Clubs • Bluffton Rotary Club: Every Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., Bluffton Community Center at Oscar Frazier Park. 815-2277. www.blufftonrotary.org. • Bluffton Toastmasters: Every Thursday, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Lowcountry Presbyterian, Simmonsville Rd. Dave Robbins 705-9997 or darobbins67@gmail.com • Democratic Club of Beaufort County, South of the Broad: John Giles, 689-3006. president@scdem club.com; www.scdemclub.org • Democratic Club of Bluffton: 3rd Wed. 7 p.m. wittig1@hargray.com or 505-1474. • Elks Lodge #2773: 2nd and 4th Monday. 23 Plantation Park Dr., #304, Bluffton. 706-3554. • Lions Club of Bluffton: 2nd Tuesday. Brenda Linblad, 757-3747. • Military Officers Association of America, Lowcountry: 2nd Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. Lady’s Island Airport. lcmoaa@gmail.com or www.lcmoaa.org. • Rotary Club of Okatie: Every Tuesday, noon. Sigler’s Rotisserie. Julie Lester, 384-8010 or jlester@bbandt.com. www.rotaryclubofokatie.com • Unanimity Masonic Lodge #418. 2nd Monday, 6:30 p.m. St. Andrew By-The-Sea United Methodist Church, 20 Pope Ave. Hilton Head. Jim Kilgore, 785-4766. • VFW: Call Joe Viens, 757-2757. • Zonta Club of Bluffton: 3rd Wednesday, 5 p.m. info@zontaclubofbluffton.com. General • American Singles Golf Hilton Head Chapter, 4th Sat. golf, 2nd Thurs. dinner. Barry Tretheway, 540-3985. • Bluffton Book Club: 3rd Wed. 1:15-3 p.m. Bluffton Library, except June, July, Dec.. 255-6503 • Bluffton Public Library: 10-8 p.m. Mon.-Thurs..; 1-5 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Closed Sun. 255-6490. • Bluffton Self Help: 757-8000. • Bluffton-Jasper County Volunteers in Medicine: 706-7090. • Christian Fishing Association 247-0241 or www.christianfishingassociation.org, or stuartg@christian fishingassociation.org. • Dos Lupes Gun Club: Every Saturday at club’s gun range in Ridgeland. Russ Keep, 683-4407. • Drinking Liberally: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m., various locations. www.hiltonhead@drinking liberally.org. • Genealogy Group: Thursdays, 2 p.m. Bluffton Library. 255-6503. • Green Drinks Bluffton: Last Thursday. 6:30 p.m. Chris, 816-0317, or Mark 301-2327.
• Heritage Library History & Genealogy Center, 852 Wm. Hilton Pkwy. Mon.-Tues., Thurs.-Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Linda Piekut, 686-6560. www.heritagelib.org • Hilton Head Island Ski Club. 2nd Friday. www. hiltonheadislandskiclub.com or lgp.hhisc@earthlink.net • Island Singles, social activities for mature singles. Jane Tapia, 785-5724. www.hiltonheadislandsingles.com • Island Writers’ Network, first Monday, Heritage Library, 852 Wm. Hilton Pkwy. www.iwn-hhi.org or call Sansing McPherson, 682-8250. • Italian-American Club of HH, 12:15 p.m. Thursdays, Flora’s Cafe, South Island Square, 841 Wm. Hilton Pkwy. John De Cecco, president, 401-524-1416. • La Dolce Vita, Italian American Club Sun City, quarterly. 7 p.m., Pinckney Hall, Sun City Hilton Head. Jim Cacciola, 705-2771. • Lowcountry Chapter American Guild of Organists: 2nd Friday. W. Raymond Ackerman, 888-8400152. www.lowcountryago.org • Lowcountry Civil War Round Table: 2nd Wednesday, Sept. to May (no Dec. mtg.) 6:45 p.m. at Bluffton H.S. auditorium. Joe Roney 838-4972. • Lowcountry Professional Women’s Networking Group, 3rd Tuesday, noon, luncheon, Oldfield Club. Danielle Jeffcoat, 815-4054. • Lowcountry Property Management Association, third Tuesday, noon, Country Club of Hilton Head. 785-3447. lcpmahhi@aol.com • National Active & Retired Federal Employees (NARFE)-Hilton Head-Bluffton Chapter 2258: First Tuesday (Sept-June) 11:30 a.m., Golden Corral, 1196 Fording Island Rd., Bluffton. Bob Chase, 705-6125. • Rug Hooking Group, 2nd Sat. 1-3, Bluffton Library. 255-6503. • U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Uniformed, volunteer component of USCG. Hal Blaisdell, 705-5424. Health and Fitness • Bluffton Health Center: Immunizations, family planning, STD control. Appt only. 757-2251. • Bluffton Fins Swim Team & Bluffton Redfish Summer Swim Team: Swim programs for all ages. Practice groups at Bluffton Pool. 298-4491 or www.blufftonfins.com. • Community Weight Loss Challenge: Ongoing 8-week program, payouts for winners. 843-644-1991. • Free Yoga Classes, Bluffton Library, all levels. Call for times. 255-6503. • Lowcountry Vegan Community Outreach. Various events. www.meetup.com/Lowcountry-Vegan • Med-I-Assist: Free assistance for low-income
patients. Tues., Thurs. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 757-4818. • PRC Running Club: Group runs, various times, locations. www.meetup.com/Palmetto-Running-Club. • Sea Island Sea Kayakers: 684-3296. • Senior Tennis: Thursdays, 9 a.m. edchen@aol.com • Team in Training: Local training, coaching for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraisers for half and full marathons nationwide. Jade, 843-881-8176. Support Groups •Adult Children of Alcoholics: 6:30 p.m. Thursday at YANA Club, Hilton Head. Pamela Brown, 757-9919. • Aging Gracefully: For families dealing with aging loved ones. 3rd Wednesday, 1 p.m. Life Care Center of Hilton Head. Kyndra Jones 681-6006. • Alcoholics Anonymous: For meeting information and locations call 785-2921 or (888) 534-0192 or en Espanol 247-2713. www.area62.org. • Al-Anon: Bluffton UMC, Calhoun St., 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; St. Luke’s UMC, 3080 Okatie Hwy. 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. • Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group: 2nd Wednesday, 2 p.m. NHC, 3039 Okatie Hwy. Stacy Floyd or Heather Miller, 705-8220. • As It Began Group, Alcoholics Anonymous: Tuesday 1:30 p.m.; Thursday 7:30 p.m. YANA Club, 107 Mathews Dr. 290-2292. • Bereavement Support: New Beginnings, 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 2:30-4 p.m., Lowcountry Presbyterian. Renee, 706-2296. • Bereavement Support: Thursdays, 5 p.m. Tidewater Hospice, 10 Buckingham Plantation Dr., Ste. A. 757-9388. • Breast Cancer Support: First Thursday at 10 a.m. Bluffton-Okatie Outpatient Ctr. Pat Southworth, 705-5607 • Breastfeeding Support Group: Thursdays, 2:30 p.m. Hilton Head Hospital. 689-8110. • Cancer Support: 3rd Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., BlufftonOkatie Outpatient Center. 815-4090. • Caregiver Support: 3rd Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. Palm Meadows Court, 48 Main St., 342-7122 • Compassionate Friends: For bereaved parents and other adult relatives. Usually 3rd Saturday, 1 p.m. Bluffton Library, 120 Palmetto Way. Chris 422-2083 or Jay 422-2082. • Diabetes Support: JDRF Adult Type 1 support group. adultt1dgroup@gmail.com • DivorceCare Group: Lowcountry Community Church, 816-7722. divorcecarelcc@hargray.com. Church of the Cross, Calhoun St. 757-2661. • Emotions Anonymous. Mondays, 6:30 p.m. Call
252-917-7082 or 252-2479. • Experiences in Aging Support Group: 2nd Thursday, 11 a.m. Bloom Hilton Head, 35 Beach City Rd.; 3rd Wednesday, 11 a.m. Bloom Bluffton, 800 Fording Island Rd. Carly Betancourt, 342-5599 • Hearing Loss Association of America Lowcountry: Quarterly. Laurette Del Pozzo 705-3088. • HIV/AIDS Support: Free, confidential HIV testing, counseling. Call 379-5600. • Insight, for mental health, Mondays, 1:30 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church, 110 Malphrus Rd., Bluffton. 682-3191. follyking@roadrunner.com. • Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry: Free adult literacy tutoring and English instruction. 686-6655. • Many Faces of Dementia: 2nd Monday, 10 a.m. Bloom at Belfair, 60 Oak Forest Rd., Bluffton. 815-5350. • Memory Matters: Dementia care support groups, various focus, times. 117 Wm. Hilton Pkwy. 842-6688. www.memory-matters.org • Mental Health Association of Beaufort-Jasper Counties Rendezvous Club: 1st and 3rd Wednesday, 6 p.m. Social club for adults recovering from mental disorders. 682-2900. • MS Lowcountry Support: Dotty, 705-6233. • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Caregiver groups, 4th Tuesday, 10 a.m. Lowcountry Presbyterian, general; NAMI Connection: Monday, 5:30 p.m. Palmetto Electric, HHI; Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., USCB Gateway Library; NAMI office, 681-2200. • NAR-ANON: Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. Central Church, 975 Wm. Hilton Pkwy., Hilton Head. Kevin, 717-314-9704. • Narcotics Anonymous: Wednesday, 6:15 p.m. Bluffton Library. • Overeaters Anonymous: Tuesdays, 6 p.m. St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3080 Okatie Hwy. Bebe, 318-393-5297. • Pain Support Group: Mondays, 2 p.m. Church of the Palms, Okatie. DeeAnn, 298-2900, 681-7830. • Parkinson’s Disease Support: 3rd Thursday, 2:30-4 p.m. Memory Matters, 117 Wm. Hilton Pkwy. Adrienne O’Neill, 836-2727; Ellen Forwalk, 681-3096. 4th Thursday, 12:45-2:30 p.m., Bluffton Medical Campus. Muriel Coleman, 987-3505. • Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group: 6 p.m. 2nd and 4th Wednesday, Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, 7 Plantation Park Dr., unit 4. 706-2296. • SC Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation. Joanna, 785-9109. • Survivors of Suicide (SOS) support: 6 p.m. 1st Monday, First Presbyterian Church library, 540 Wm. Hilton Pkwy. Vanessa Riley, 384-2901. vrileyhhi@gmail.com
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Local couple in China seeks to adopt siblings from Bulgaria By Lynne Hummell EDITOR
Central Church on Hilton Head Island has been more than “central” to Danae Watkins Carr and her husband, David. “We met there,” she said, “when I was 8 and he was 9.” She was at the church to perform in a play. Danae recollects that David’s father, Michael Carr, pastor of the church, introduced them. “He sort of grabbed David by the arm and said ‘Hey David, I want you to meet the girl you’re going to marry,’” Danae said. Neither of the Carr men recall the incident. Danae, who grew up in Bluffton, and David, who was raised on Hilton Head, were both homeschooled, and were in the same group that gathered for social activities and field trips. They dated as teenagers, although “I didn’t really like him that much at first,” said Danae. A few years later, they did marry – in December 2010, at Central Church. David had graduated from college the week before. The following year, two weeks after Danae graduated from college, the newlyweds moved to China to teach in a private international school. As Christians, they felt this was their calling. Eventually, the young couple came to hear another calling – to adopt a child from another country. Though they have no known fertility issues, they felt led to pursue this avenue to parenthood. As they began to research the process for an international adoption, the couple made many discoveries. The first was that they weren’t old enough to adopt. They would have wait until Danae was 25 to begin the application process. In the meantime, Danae continued researching and kept up with adoption laws that seemed to change constantly. They expanded their consideration from wanting a toddler to accepting two siblings up to 7 years old. The Carrs decided to pursue an adoption from Bulgaria.
They also discovered that the process could cost as much as $40,000 and could take up to three years. Finally, in October 2014, they were able to apply with an agency based in Indiana that could handle the international adoption. Just a few weeks ago, Danae and David were back at home in the Lowcountry. The couple came to handle some details, such as FBI fingerprinting, that couldn’t be done from China. While they were here, they attended a dinner and auction they had planned with the help of their parents to raise funds for the adoption. The event was held Feb. 21 at Central Church. “Before that,” David said, “the last time we were in the Fellowship Hall was our wedding reception.” Friends and neighbors donated all manner of items. About 100 people came to the event, and nearly all the auction items sold. To the couple’s pleasant surprise, the event raised nearly $7,000. They had already raised and saved about $5,000 on their own, making and selling jewelry, doing private tutoring and selling a cookie mix. They started a GoFundMe campaign online. The remainder of the funds will likely come from writing grants to adoption service agencies, Danae said, once they are approved as adoptive parents. And why are they putting so much time, effort and money into this process, when they don’t know for certain that they will be approved? Because they believe it is God’s will for their lives. On their adoption blog is a quote from scripture, James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” They are following the path that they believe God has put before them – a path that started, perhaps, at Central Church. To contribute to the Carr’s adoption fund, visit their blog at www.d-carrs. blogspot.com.
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Honor service to mark 50th anniversary of Vietnam War
Smart Start
P H OTO B Y B. J. F R A Z I E R
Healthsmart, a new holistic and homeopathic products store, recently held its grand opening ribbon cutting Feb. 26 at its Belfair Towne Village location in Bluffton. Co-owners J.L. Scott, (holding scissors) and Charlotte Ison (in apron) are joined by Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka (behind bow), Scott’s son Charlie, and well wishers from the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.
A special ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of the War in Vietnam, and to honor those who served in that conflict, will be held at 2 p.m. March 14 at the Rotary Community Center in Oscar Frazier Park, 11 Recreation Ct., Bluffton. The first troops landed in Vietnam on March 8, 1965, and the last troops left Saigon in April 1975. More than 58,000 service members died in Vietnam. Approximately 300 Vietnam veterans are expected to attend. The public is invited to attend to show appreciation for and honor the service of all the veterans who served. The program will include guest speakers Howard Metcalf, director of the South Carolina Bureau of Veterans’ Affairs, who also served in Vietnam; and
Col. Neal Pugliese of the U.S. Marine Corps in Parris Island. An Honor Wall will acknowledge those killed in combat during the war as well as those who served and since passed. Family members and friends may bring photos of their lost service members to post to the temporary wall. (Photos may be removed after the service.) The event is planned and sponsored by the Emily Geiger Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The event is held in cooperation with the United States Vietnam War Commemoration. Vietnam veterans who would like to participate are invited to register by March 13 by contacting chair Bonnie Wade-Mucia at 843-384-1477 or dearvietnamvet@ gmail.com.
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History Day, March 28, offers bus and bike cultural tours “Hilton Head Island has a wealth of historic sites, but they’re not always easily found by visitors or residents,” said Natalie Hefter, vice president of programs at the Coastal Discovery Museum. A pleasant solution will arrive March 28. The museum is partnering with the Heritage Library, the Town of Hilton Head Island and a dozen other organizations to present History Day. The 2015 History Day is modeled after the highly popular 350/30 Celebration of 2013, said Linda Piekut, executive director of The Heritage Library. Most of the same cultural organizations worked together “to highlight our historic sites” and celebrate, in a learning way, “our culture and community.” Starting at 10 a.m. on History Day, guided tour buses will take participants to 15 significant sites, where docents will lead walking tours. Those talking the tour can hop off and on the buses at their own pace throughout the day.
History-minded entertainment and other related activities, including some for participation by young people, will occur at some of the sites. Hefter said a goal of History Day is to connect more people with the wide variety of organizations that Sweetgrass basket maker Michael Smalls interacts with young Gray preserve “our imporDimaria. tant historic fabric, The History Day tours will begin and stories, and culture.” conclude at the museum’s free parking Anyone taking the tour will receive a area at Honey Horn. map showing all the sites plus all town The historic sites on the tour include bike paths. Photography will be encourFt. Mitchel, Amelia White Cemetery, aged. Green’s Shell Ring, the Gullah Museum, Additionally, cyclist volunteers will be First African Baptist Church, Mitchelville, offering guided bike tours during the tabby ruins, Ft. Sherman and the Steam event. Starting at 10 a.m. and leaving Cannon, among others. every 15 minutes from Mitchelville
Beach Park, this 15-mile ride will take bicyclists to some of the same locations and including: Queens Chapel AME Church, St. James Baptist Church and Cherry Hill School, tabby ruins of former slave cabins, and Fort Howell. Docents will be available at each site to take you back in time. Family-friendly activities, interpreters, re-enactors and entertainment will be offered at many of the sites. Bus tours will leave every half hour from the Coastal Discovery Museum’s free parking area at Honey Horn. The buses will circulate among the historic sites, each returning to the museum from time to time. Touring will conclude at 4 p.m. The charge for the bus tour is $10 per person; $5 for each child ages 4-13. Charge for the bike tour is $10 per person, ages 14 and older. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.coastaldiscovery.org/event-calendar.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
HOME TECHNOLOGY
Latest wireless audio options smart, flexible By Carlos Ramos CONTRIBUTOR
Many people today look to wireless audio as a means of eliminating unsightly cables. While this might certainly be one of the fringe benefits of using such technology, the truth is, audio video integraCarlos Ramos tors use installation techniques that are very effective in hiding cables and wires. This fact aside, there remain numerous features to wireless audio that make it an attractive proposition. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of wireless audio is the ability to push music from one’s computer or from portable devices like smartphones or tablets. Not only are these devices capable of playing music downloaded to them from the Internet, they can also store music from your CD library and synchronize with one another so that your music can be shared among them. How difficult is it to have the music you’ve put together for that perfect playlist come over your home audio? Simply put, not hard at all. Sonos, manufacturer of perhaps the best-known wireless audio systems, provides a robust and flexible solution that has a well-deserved reputation for being unequaled in wireless audio. This solution is robust because Sonos establishes its own wireless “bubble” independent of WiFi, so that if your WiFi network experiences technical difficulties, Sonos keeps running of its own accord. Plus, each Sonos device creates its own wireless bubble, in effect, strengthening the Sonos network while extending it.
It is flexible because Sonos manufactures a variety of speakers, from a sound bar known as the Playbar, which has eight drivers, to the Sonos’ subwoofer, the SUB, to the Play 1, Play 3 and Play 5, with 1, 3 and 5 drivers, respectively. And while Sonos speakers provide satisfactory sound, the Connect allows users to add their own audio equipment to the Sonos network, meaning the audiophile can integrate that special system with hand-picked speakers, amp and preamp into a Sonos network, or even build a wireless network around their high-fidelity system. In addition to allowing the user to play music stored from CDs or downloaded from the Internet, Sonos also provides a portal for streaming music from a variety of online sources such as Deezer, Pandora, and others. Another wireless audio system that affords consumers the use of their own speakers, amp and preamp is the Control 4 Music Bridge. Adding this small component to an existing audio system gives one the ability to push music from Bluetooth capable devices, and, like Sonos, is not limited to locally stored music. If the source device (i.e. smartphone, tablet or computer) is capable of using streaming services like Deezer and Spotify, these are all viable means for supplying your favorite music to the audio system that has been made wireless by the Control 4 bridge. These are just a few examples of wireless audio currently available on the market. Visit your local A-V experts, and let their team help you find the smartest solution for your needs. Carlos Ramos is the sales and marketing manager with Custom Audio Video in Bluffton.
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March 3, 2015
St. Baldrick’s head-shavings support cancer research Lowcountry residents will have two opportunities in March to help raise funds in support of childhood cancer research when annual St. Baldrick’s headshaving events are held in Savannah and on Hilton Head Island. St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a national, volunteer-driven charity committed to finding cures for childhood cancers and giving survivors long and healthy lives. In these events, volunteers raise money to have their heads shaved to show their support for children who lose their hair during cancer treatments. The Savannah event will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. March 7, in front of Wild Wing Café in Savannah’s City Market. The event is sponsored by Memorial University Medical Center, which benefits from St. Baldrick’s Foundation funding for clinical research trials for pediatric cancer patients. The fourth annual Hilton Head event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. March 14 at Mellow Mushroom in Park Plaza. This event was organized by Terry and Cynthia Cermak, who lost their son, Henry, in 2008 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. In 2013, St. Baldrick’s created a Hero Fund in his name: the
Henry Cermak Fund for Pediatric Cancer Research. The Cermak’s headshaving events have raised more than $50,000 for Henry’s Fund, and in July provided 50 percent of the funding for a research grant studying pediatric brain cancer treatments at St. Jude Hospital. Volunteers can join a team or start their own team at: http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/hsc15. Merchants who wish to help sponsor the event can call 843-476-4768 or email henrys1ups@gmail.com. In Savannah, individuals can sign up to have their head shaved or make a donation to sponsor someone who is getting shaved. Visit www.stbaldricks.org/events/SavannahCit yMarket to see a list of people who have already signed up to participate. For more information, contact Yael ElfassyConner at Yelpasso@hotmail.com. Since its inception in 2000, St. Baldrick’s Foundation has held more than 7,000 head-shaving events worldwide, raising more than $186 million for cancer research. For more information about the foundation, visit www.StBaldricks.org.
Vendors sought for Mayfest The Bluffton Rotary Club is now accepting vendor registrations for the 37th annual Bluffton Village Festival. The festival, often referred to as Mayfest, will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 9, the day before Mother’s Day in keeping with tradition, in Old Town Bluffton. Regular participants at the festival should get their applications in now. Vendors for this event include arts and crafts, food vendors, churches and nonprofits. The deadline for registration is April 24. All vendor applications will be date stamped as received and accepted. Vendors will be notified upon acceptance
of their application. Ensure the correct email address is included on the form and legible, as notifications will be sent via email. To register, visit www.blufftonvillagefestival.com and click on the “Forms” tab. This year, the Bluffton Rotary Club would also like to ask the community for help in manning the event. Anyone interested in lending a hand to aid in this Bluffton tradition can fill out a form on the “Volunteers” tab of the website. For more information, call 843-8152277.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
Local Toastmasters kick off worldwide speech contest The public is invited to observe contestants at 7 p.m. March 6 in the International Speech Contest as they compete within Fast Trackers Toastmasters Club of Hilton Head. The event will be held in the Community Room of Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 111 Matthews Dr. on Hilton Head. Winning speakers in this opening round of the International Speech Contest and the Table Topics Speech Contest will represent the Fast Trackers and compete for the area title. The International Speech Contest is open to qualifying Toastmasters members who speak for five to seven minutes on a topic of their choice. Local winners advance and ultimately compete for the international crown if they continue to win. The Table Topics Speech Contest is
open to all Toastmasters members. In this display of impromptu speaking, participants will, without prior knowledge of the topic, develop and deliver a twominute speech “on the fly.” This event culminates at the state champion level. Judging criteria include speech content, originality, organization, gestures, style and timing. During the 2015 sessions of the world’s largest speech competition, more than 30,000 contestants in 126 countries will vie for the title of World Champion of Public Speaking. The Toastmasters International Speech Contest begins in local clubs and culminates with the World Championship of Public Speaking on Aug. 15 in Las Vegas. For more information call David Premo at 843-689-3806.
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Noteworthy • The Coastal Discovery Museum will host a marine exploration of the May River from 10 a.m. to noon every Tuesday and Thursday starting March 3. This two-hour tour aboard research vessel Spartina will be led by marine biologist Capt. Amber Kuehn. Participants will observe nature up close with a display of live organisms. A scientific explanation will accompany a trip through this scenic river and salt marsh. The expedition will leave from the Calhoun Street Dock, located at the end of Calhoun Street adjacent to the Church of the Cross. Cost is $40 adult, $30 child (ages 12 and under). Reservations are required by calling 843-689-6767, ext. 223 or online at www.coastaldiscovery.org. • The Knights of Columbus will offer fish fry dinners every Friday during Lent, from 4 to 7 p.m. through March 27, at St. Andrew’s Hall on Pinckney Colony Road in Bluffton.
Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. For more information, contact Richard Bachner at 843-7053034 or Curleybee@sc.rr.com.
Club at Indigo Run, 101 Berwick Dr. on Hilton Head Island. The speaker will be research scientist Dave Desjardins presenting on “The Odds of a Major/Catastrophic Climate Change.” For more information, call Richard Hammes at 847-921-8188.
• The Athletic Club of the Lowcountry will meet at 7 p.m. March 9 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 350 Buckwalter Pkwy. in Bluffton. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. for social time and fellowship prior to the meeting. The speaker will be Dave Adams, athletic director at Bluffton High School. Adams is now an athletic administrator but has a long history of coaching football at four different schools. The meeting is open to members and guests. Guests should call Judy Barry at 843-540-7159 to register their intention to attend.
• “A Bird in the Hand: Bird Banding on Kiawah Island,” presented by Aaron Givens, is the topic of the next meeting of the Hilton Head Audubon Society, to be held at 3 p.m. March 12 at Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Dr. on Hilton Head Island. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information call Coastal Discovery Museum at 843-689-6767 or visit www.hiltonheadaudubon.org.
• The Liberal Men of the Lowcountry will hold a luncheon meeting at noon March 11 at the Golf
• The Hilton Head Island Ski Club will gather for its monthly TGIF from 5 to 7 p.m. March 13 to watch the sunset
from Poseidon’s Rooftop Bar in Shelter Cove Towne Centre. Reservations are not required. For more information, visit www.hiltonhead skiclub.com or email lgp.hhisc@ earthlink.net. • The second annual Ellie’s Army Poker Run will be held March 14 at Lowcountry Harley Davidson in North Charleston. Ellie’s Army was formed for the purpose of raising awareness about Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Ellison Grace, the daughter of Jonathan and Megan Burns, was diagnosed with SMA in December 2012. Activities will include music, activities for kids, food, and chances to win raffle prizes. Attendees need not own or ride a motorcycle to participate. For more information contact Kendra Dowdell Calore at 843-754-5543 or kdcalore@aol.com.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
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March 3, 2015
Noteworthy • The Palmetto Quilt Guild will hold its monthly meeting at 1 p.m. March 19 at Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort, 40 Folly Field Rd. on Hilton Head Island. Nancy Prince, nationally known thread painting expert, award-winning quilter, and author will be the speaker. Guests are welcome for a $5 visit fee. Come early and socialize. For more information, visit www.palmettoquiltguild.org. • Boy Scout Troop 212 of Lord of Life Lutheran Church will host a Pancake Breakfast and visit with the Easter Bunny March 21 at the church, 351 Buckwalter Pkwy. in Bluffton. The breakfast will be served from 7 a.m. to noon. The Easter Bunny will be available for visits and photos from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The breakfast will include all-you-caneat pancakes and a beverage. Cost for advance tickets is $7 for adults and $4 for children age 10 and under. Tickets at the door are $10 for adults and $5 for children 10 and under. Tickets are available at the church office during regular operating hours and at church service times. For more information email Holly Sherburne at Sherburne@hargray.com or call the office at 843-757-4774. Those who wish to take photos with the Easter Bunny should bring their own cameras. A donation of $3 per child and $2 per each additional person per family is recommended. For more information about the Scout troop, call Bill Zahler at 843-227-1313. All proceeds benefit the programs of Troop 212. • Classes for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University will begin at 6:30 p.m. March 23 at Lowcountry Community Church, 801Buckwalter Pkwy. in Bluffton. The nine-week course provides families and individuals with practical tools to gain control of their finances and set themselves up for long-term financial
success. The course meets once a week where a different lesson is taught by Dave on DVD followed by a small-group discussion. Lessons include budgeting, relationships and money, getting out of debt, saving for emergencies and investing. For more information and to register, call Brad Tholen at 843-836-110. On average families who complete FPU pay off $5,300 and save $2,700 in the first 90 days. Following the class, nearly 94 percent of those families budget regularly. For more information about the classes, visit www.daveramsey.com. • The Camera Club of Hilton Head Island will meet at 7 p.m. March 24 at All Saints Episcopal Church, 3001 Meeting St. on Hilton Head Island. Guest speaker will be Sue Jarrett, who was a newspaper photographer, then sport photographer for 10 years before turning her focus on wildlife and landscape photography. She will be discussing “Wildlife Focus,” settings in your camera for wildlife moving, stopped and flying birds. The event is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.cchhi.net. • The Lowcountry Master Gardeners Association is bringing the most respected garden guru in the South, Walter Reeves of Atlanta, to Beaufort at 1 p.m. March 26. The session will be held in the Auditorium of the Technical College of the Lowcountry Beaufort Campus at 921 Ribaut Rd. Reeves’s topic is “How to be a Sherlock Holmes in Your Garden.” He will teach attendees how to look for patterns in plant damage and how to know what caused the problem. He will conduct a plant clinic after the lecture, and attendees can bring weeds, insects or plant damage for Reeves to inspect. Cost is $10 per person. For more information visit www.walterreeves.com.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
Robotics Competitors
P H OTO S U B M I T T E D
M. C. Riley Elementary Epic Eagles LEGO Robotics Team competed in a regional FIRST Lego League (FLL) qualifying tournament in January at Colleton County Middle School. Regional teams went head to head, putting more than eight weeks of research, design, and programming to the test. Team members, all in fourth grade, include Sam White, Dawson Eakins, Hunter Cofall, Mateo Holzmann, Jennyfer Gomez, Brian Andrade, Connor Ross, Sean Griffin, Ethan FoxWright and Zach Seidner. Teacher advisors are Tammy Murphy and Brooke Mendenhall.
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March 3, 2015
DAR Essay Winners
P H OTO S U B M I T T E D
The Emily Geiger Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution awarded these students as the Chapter winners of the 2015 American History Essay Contest. From left are Sean Engler, grade 5, St. Gregory The Great School; Josh Gobel, grade 7, Cross Schools; Liliana Witkowski, grade 8, homeschool; and Grayson Kenyon, grade 6, St. Gregory The Great. Their essays have been forwarded to the state level for consideration of additional awards, which will be announced later in March. The annual contest is open to students in Bluffton and Jasper County schools.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
AUTO
World travelers tout Volvo ‘Overseas Delivery’ program
By Basil Massey CONTRIBUTOR
Do you fancy a European driving holiday in your own car? There is no better way to do it than with Volvo’s Overseas Delivery Program. In your own car? Well, yes. A consumer can follow the process (described below) to not only take delivery of a new vehicle, but also have the chance to experience the excellent travel program that Volvo has developed over the years. Perhaps this Volvo media release best explains their sense of pride in the program, complete with instructions for participating: “Volvo Overseas Delivery Program, which offers car buyers the unforgettable experience of picking up their Volvo in Sweden while also saving money, has been named the top program of its kind by the readers of Global Traveler Magazine. The survey, in its 11th year, asks frequent business and luxury travelers to name the best in a variety of travel-related categories. “Through Volvo’s Overseas Delivery Program, participants guarantee themselves a free trip to Sweden by purchasing a new Volvo car. Volvo provides two complimentary airline tickets to Gothenburg, where the customer picks up their new car directly from the Volvo factory. Then, they can head out on a European road trip, and when they’re
ready to return home, they can simply drop off the car and Volvo will ship it to the United States for free. “To take advantage of Volvo overseas delivery: 1. Visit the nearest Volvo retailer to find your perfect Volvo. 2. Order your Volvo through the Overseas Delivery Program at your local retailer. 3. Enjoy two complimentary airline tickets to Gothenburg from SAS Scandinavian Airlines. 4. Pick up your new Volvo at the Gothenburg Factory Delivery Center. Your new car will be registered for your stay in Europe with insurance for 15 days (additional days can be added). 5. Test your Volvo out on the roads of West Sweden, either with one of the program’s spectacular themed tours or on your own. Then, all of Europe is your road. 6. Drop off your Volvo in Gothenburg or an official drop-off location. Volvo will ship your car home and take care of all the problems that make importing a car difficult, from excise taxes to import duties.” Nothing could be easier, and what a great travel opportunity to add to the excitement of your new Volvo buying experience. Basil Massey is a local car enthusiast also known as The Car Fanatic on 93.5 FM and 1130 AM.
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March 3, 2015
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Deborah Burt gives back at VIM, Bluffton Rotary By Emily Campbell CONTRIBUTOR
The desire to make people feel special has led Deborah Burt to many places, including dressing up as a kidney in a downtown Atlanta parade, to rollerskating, to planning an international water project. “I think the greatest sense of accomplishment for me personally is to give back to other people,” said Burt, “to know that I have made a difference in someone’s life.” She said she also volunteers to help keep life in perspective and to stay focused on the things that matter most. Working in healthcare her entire career, caring for people just comes naturally. She began her career in an Atlanta clinic where she was very involved with the Kidney Foundation of Georgia. There, she wore the kidney costume
representing the Gift of Life organ donation program. On more than one Halloween, Burt found herself dressed up and rollerskating through the clinic to entertain the patients. To Burt, volunteering is important because it matters to other people. She believes that together ordinary P H OTO B Y L I S A C A R R O L L people can accomplish extraordinary things. Deborah Burt and her husband, Karl, volunteer in the concession That is one reason she is tent at the Bluffton Rotary Club’s annual oyster roast. actively involved in two volunteer organ- Christmas Angels and the Salvation Army. izations in the Lowcountry – Bluffton She also works with club members Rotary Club and Volunteers in Medicine. across the district on the planning phase Burt serves on the Bluffton Rotary of an international water project. Club board of directors this year. She is “I believe our community’s greatest the director of service projects and has need is basic healthcare services for so been responsible for coordinating the many Lowcountry residents,” said Burt. volunteers for service projects, including It is that conviction that has led her to a beautification project for the town,
volunteer at the Bluffton-Jasper County Volunteer In Medicine. Putting her knowledge in the healthcare industry to use, Burt joined the board of BJVIM in 2013. She currently serves as chair for its health services committee and is the incoming vice chair for 2016. “We have so many wonderful physicians in our area,” said Burt. “There is work to be done. We need to see that every person develops a relationship with a physician to receive basic health care and address preventable illnesses.” Born and raised in Atlanta, she and husband, Karl, relocated to the area in 2007 in search of a slower-paced lifestyle. She loves the beach, biking, nature and outdoor activities. Although she never plans to fully retire, she does plan to transition into spending more time in the non-profit area of healthcare.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
Cash for College
P H OTO S U B M I T T E D
The Palmetto Electric Trust recently presented a $50,000 check to the Technical College of the Lowcountry Foundation to establish The G. Thomas Upshaw Endowed Scholarship Fund, which honors recently retired Palmetto Electric president and CEO G. Thomas Upshaw. The scholarship will support students in Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties who attend TCL. From left are Berl Davis, Palmetto Electric president and CEO; Mary Lee Carns, TCL executive director of institutional advancement; Dr. Vicki Leitz, TCL Foundation chair; Joan Heyward, TCL commissioner; and Dr. Richard Gough, TCL president.
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March 3, 2015
CHARITY
The case for living generously in your new locale By Denise K. Spencer CONTRIBUTOR
The past 20 years of my life have been spent doing the work of community building, both as the CEO of a community foundation and as a volunteer. The first 12 of those 20 years were spent in Michigan, Denise K. Spencer and I did love it there. There were serious issues that needed to be addressed. There were also great people, generous donors and hardworking nonprofits that created the recipe for accomplishment in addressing the many concerns. We had a strong corporate sector, and these generous businesses encouraged their employees to be an active volunteer
force. We had a large and visionary group of private foundations that partnered with the community foundation financially and in other ways. And we all worked together to continually improve the quality of life in that corner of the world. But I’m here now. And there are serious issues here that need to be addressed. There are also great people, generous donors and hard-working nonprofits. We have less of a corporate sector and do not enjoy a large private foundation community. But we have many young, experienced retirees that have landed here and whose capacity and creativity can fill many volunteer and financial gaps. I love it here as well. If you’re one of those individuals who came from elsewhere either to work or retire here, have you begun to under-
stand the serious issues in the Lowcountry? Have you started to develop a vision of what could be done and how you could help? While it is appropriate to support the university where you spent four years, how about the community where you are spending this time of your life? While the symphony and conservancy and library 1,000 miles from here might have touched you at one time in amazing ways, so can similar organizations in your new home. Are you investing in your new home, building community with your dollars and your time, just as you might have done in the places from which you came? If you don’t know where to start, call me, or any of the team at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Through Lowcountry Volunteer Connections, a web portal
matching volunteers to volunteer positions, we can help you get involved. Through our current knowledge of the area, and our soon-to-be-launched Giving Marketplace (another web portal), we can help you research the many nonprofits in the area that are working to alleviate suffering, provide education, clean the environment, care for the animals, or one of many, many potential areas that tickle your fancy and focus your passion. We can also make structuring your own philanthropy easy and affordable. Many of you have done amazing work, living generously, at other times and locations in your life, and for that I know that many are grateful. Now, consider doing amazing work here – because you’re here now. Denise K. Spencer is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. www.cf-lowcountry.org
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
Snow Day
P H OTO B Y G L E N N D. B R I D G E S
The first ever Snow Day at Red Dam Baptist Church in Hardeeville drew a crowd of nearly 350, with plenty of food, fun and fellowship. The event included music, marshmallow roasting, bean-bag tossing and an inflatable slide. However, the main attraction was a 12-foot-tall, snow-covered slide – made all the more enjoyable by warm sunny weather.
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Business Briefs • Following the retirement of Sissy Jarrell, the First Presbyterian Day School has named Amy Dungan as director overseeing the school. Dungan brings 13 years experience in education, most Amy Dungan recently as lead teacher at Daufuskie Island Elementary School. Before that, she held teaching, coaching and administration positions in the Beaufort County School District. Prior to that Dungan enjoyed a career in the advertising industry. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Miami University, a Master of Arts in teaching from the University of South Carolina and a Master’s in educational administration from Cambridge College. The First Presbyterian Day School was established in 1984 and is accredited by
the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs (NAEYC). For more information call 681-3695.
Resort. For more information call 843363-6000 or visit www.lespahilton head.com.
• Le Spa in Sea Pines kicked off 2015 with new owners and an updated look. Karen and Michael Sileck, who have lived on Hilton Head Island for five years, purchased the spa and salon in December. The couple has kept Le Spa open throughout the transition. Michael Sileck is a business executive with more than 25 years experience operating a variety of media and technology companies. Karen Sileck, an organizational expert, has extensive experience in spa and salon services. Le Spa offers expert hair, make-up, nails and specialty services, including eyelash extensions and treatments, as well as a variety of therapeutic massage techniques, wraps and facials, including the new oxygen infusion facial. Le Spa of Sea Pines is at 71 Lighthouse Rd, #613, in Sea Pines
• Foundation Realty team members Liz Gillespie, Debbie Iredell, Charlene Neste, Carl Schroeder, Kati Schroeder and Charlie Schroeder received the 2014 Hilton Head Area Association Realtor Service Award. The award honors a small percentage of Realtors who have completed high levels of continuing education, professional development, association involvement and leadership, as well as dedicated service to our community by volunteering their time, talent and financial support. This distinction honors real estate professionals who demonstrate passion for their industry and community, while adhering to the strict Realtor Code of Ethics. For more information call Foundation Realty at 843-686-4002 or visit www.HiltonHeadRealEstateS.com.
• Rich Hodsdon, a 35-year veteran of the Hilton Head Island real estate business, has joined the sales team at Hilton Head Properties as an associate broker. A longtime real estate veteran, Rich Hodsdon Hodsdon has a reputation as a Realtor with a passion for the Hilton Head and Daufuskie areas. Since moving to Hilton Head Island in January 1980, Hodsdon has been instrumental in the development and sales of Brigantine Quarters, Ocean Palms, HarbourSide III, The Owners Club and The Oceanfront Residence Club on Daufuskie Island. The former college and pro football player spends some of his free time volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. Hodsdon can be reached at 843-7857111, ext. 6. Hilton Head Properties is located at 12 New Orleans Rd.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
Big Winners!
P H OTO S U B M I T T E D
The Storm Soccer Academy 03 Black Savannah squad defeated the top-rated teams from Columbia, Charleston and Charlotte and won the top bracket of U-11 boys division in the Charleston Battery Challenge Cup, held Feb. 21-22 at Blackbaud Stadium. The 03 Black Savannah squad includes Matthew Larkby, Brandon Gonzalez, Noah Gillinder and Colton Beine of Bluffton; Dilan Borja, Renzo Andreucetti, Chase Cooke and Owen Van Marter of Hilton Head Island; and Harry DeWalt, Landon Durham and Nicholas Stanley of Savannah. Miguel Lopez is the coach.
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Business Briefs • Dave Ropes has joined the team at group46 in Bluffton. Ropes has more than 30 years of experience as a senior marketing and advertising executive, working at the top of premier multinational consumer Dave Ropes product companies, including Ford Motor Company, Reebok, Pepsi Cola, Pizza Hut and Philip Morris. His expertise has led him to initiate corporate partnerships with publications such as Time magazine and create legendary commercials airing across the globe. Ropes’s experience has made him one of the top branding experts in the country. His work with Chiat Day led to winning the Grand Effie for Pizza Hut in 1986. He is a former board member of the Ad Council and the Association of
National Advertisers (ANA) He is also a Vietnam veteran, former helicopter pilot and captain in the U.S. Army. group46 is a diverse team of marketing and digital professionals. For more information about group46, visit www.Grp46.com. • Hilton Head Health has opened a new spa, The Indigo, at 14 Valencia Rd. in Shipyard Plantation on Hilton Head Island. Hilton Head Health has a long history of helping guests to reach their healthy weight goals and personal wellness peak. The Indigo will allow new ways to continue this journey through a wide variety of treatments that highlight the mindbody connection. The Indigo is 2,812 square feet and will offer more than 50 different services. The spa is a continuation of the transformation at Hilton Head Health, which also includes new programs and facilities. For more than 35 years, Hilton Head
Health has been recognized nationally as a premier weight loss and health retreat. For more information call 785-3919 or visit www.hhhealth.com.
Bree R. Kennedy
Pamela Blackshire
• Attorneys Bree R. Kennedy and Pamela W. Blackshire have formed the law firm Kennedy & Blackshire, LLC, located at 70 Arrow Rd., Bldg. 6, on Hilton Head Island. The practice is concentrated primarily on Family Law, including divorce, separation agreements, custody, visitation, alimony, child support, adoption and related legal issues.
With more than three decades of combined legal experience, Kennedy and Blackshire are dedicated to providing skilled representation in family law matters. Kennedy & Blackshire can be reached at 843-341-5555 and found online at www.kennedyblackshire.com. • Erica Dickinson has joined the Fowler Hospitality Team as the new area sales manager for the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, located at 105 Okatie Center Blvd. North. Dickinson comes with several years of sales and event planning experience. She will handle group blocks and corporate rates. Originally from Iowa and a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, she moved to the Lowcountry in 2010. For more information contact Dickinson at 843-266-8080 or via email at Erica.dickinson@marriott.com.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
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BUSINESS
Treating them right develops satisfied customers By R. J. Le Tourneau CONTRIBUTOR
Are you satisfied with your customers? Are they satisfied with you and your business? What happens to make them displeased and frustrated? What happens when your bill for a product purchased or R. J. Le Tourneau services rendered arrives at the customer’s home? If this is a standard billing process and payment is due, the customer will usually pay the amount noted on the bill. What will happen when the bill comes announcing it is overdue and will be sent to a collection agency in two weeks if it is not paid immediately? Now the recipients are unhappy, as
this notice is the first bill they have received. They immediately try to call the billing office. The telephone menu announces all employees are busy and to leave a message. The mechanical voice asks the customers to please state their name and leave a brief explanation for the call. It tells the customer someone will return the call within two business days. Your customer is not pleased. They are not going to be able to wait around for two days. Customers also have time pressures and activities. This is a good start for a displeased customer. If they post to a social media network – it will not be a positive one. Businesses need to earn true customer loyalty. Start with the obstacle course that is your telephone menu. Make it as
simple as possible and aimed at the external customer, not the internal one. The first person who speaks to the customer should “own” the customer. Streamline your website. Carefully plan what you want to say and how you want it to look most inviting. Fix the big issue bugging your customers. Conduct surveys; ask “How are we doing?” and “How can we improve?” Try offering customers something without having to be asked or making
them pay extra for it. Offer customers real choices. Don’t make them “opt out.” Let them make the decision to get your automatic emails, offers or whatever program you are running. If you are going to have a “special offer,” make sure it is special. Do some research, figure out how the loyal customer will benefit, and put some money behind it. Make sure you can measure the results. Lowcountry SCORE Chapter 650, “Counselors to America’s Small Business” can help you improve customer loyalty. SCORE Counselors provide free confidential counseling. In Beaufort County call 785-7107. In Jasper County call 726-8126. Contact by email score@hiltonheadisland.org or visit www.scorehiltonhead.com. R. J. Le Tourneau is a counselor with Lowcountry SCORE.
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March 3, 2015
LEGAL
Six most common estate-planning mistakes By Brian Treacy CONTRIBUTOR
If you’re like most people, you have the best of intentions with regard to how you want your estate distributed when you die or your affairs handled should you become incapacitated. Unfortunately, Brian Treacy your best intentions might not be enough. Here are six of the most common estate-planning mistakes people make: 1. Failing to plan. The biggest mistake is failing to create a plan in the first place. Without an estate plan, your assets will be distributed according to state law. Usually, if you are married, your
spouse is entitled to a portion of your estate and the rest is divided among other relatives. If you are single, your estate might go to your children, parents, or siblings. If you have absolutely no living relatives, then your estate will go to the state. This is probably not what you want to happen to your assets. 2. Doing it yourself. It is tempting to try to save money by using a do-it-yourself online service or just writing something up yourself, but these poorly drafted documents might only cost you or your heirs additional money in the end. It is impossible to know, without a legal education and years of experience, what the right legal solution is for any particular situation and what planning opportunities are available. Using a DIY estate planning program
means taking a large risk that can affect one’s family for generations to come. The problems created by not getting competent legal advice probably won’t be borne by the person creating the will but will be shouldered by the person’s children. 3. Not planning for disability. A properly prepared estate plan not only specifies what will happen to your assets when you die, it also plans for what happens if you become incapacitated. It is important to have documents, such as a power of attorney, that appoint someone you trust to act on your behalf if you can’t act for yourself. 4. Failing to fund a trust. Once you draft an estate plan, you aren’t done. If your estate plan includes a trust, you need to actually fund the trust – by retitling assets in the name of the trust – or the trust will be useless. 5. Not checking your beneficiary
designations. You should confirm your retirement plan is not outdated. Retirement accounts do not follow your will or trust; they are distributed according to the forms you fill out with the insurance company. You need to make sure you have named a beneficiary and that the beneficiary is who you want it to be. 6. Not reviewing the plan. Once you have an estate plan, it is important to keep it up to date. Circumstances, including getting married or divorced, having children, or experiencing an increase or decrease in assets, and laws change over time. Even if you don’t have any major changes, you should review your plan periodically to make sure it still expresses your wishes. Brian T. Treacy is an elder law and estate planning attorney with an office in Bluffton.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
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Health Briefs • Jeri Lawrence, D.C., has opened a new chiropractic clinic at 39 Persimmon St., Ste. 603, in Bluffton. Weekend appointments are also available on Hilton Head Island. Dr. Lawrence Jeri Lawrence earned her Doctorate of Chiropractic degree from Sherman College in Spartanburg. She has more than 15 years of practice experience in Bluffton and Hilton Head. For more information, call 843-3040757. • Dr. Audrey Klenke will host a free seminar entitled “Spring into Summer: Make a Daring Debut” March 12 at Pinnacle Plastic Surgery in Sheridan Park. A meet and greet with champagne and snacks will begin at 6 p.m. Guests can expect a candid conversa-
tion about regaining summertime confidence. The seminar will follow the reception. The event is free, but reservations are required. Call 843-815-6699 or visit www.PinnaclePlasticSurgeryMD.com. • The Lowcountry Ostomy Group will host its regular monthly meeting at 10:30 a.m. March 13 at the Bluffton Medical Campus, 75 Baylor Dr. Guest speaker will be Tania Rice, territory manager for ostomy care for ConvaTec, a leader in ostomy care technology in more than 100 countries. She will discuss ConvaTec’s latest ostomy care products and demonstrate samples. The meeting is open to current and potential ostomates, family, friends and medical professionals. For more information, call Harvey Shatz at 609 980-0444. • HealthSmart of Bluffton has opened at 67 Town Centre Dr. in Belfair
Towne Village. The company offers health foods, vitamins, supplements, natural products, a full line of beauty products, organic pet options, homeopathic and holistic products, including essential oils. Owners are J. L. Scott, who has relocated here from West Virginia, and Charlotte Ison, who has been living in the area for many years. HealthSmart is a small franchise originating in West Virginia. This is the first location in South Carolina. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information call 843815-5525. • The Blood Alliance, the only provider of blood to all Beaufort and Jasper County hospitals, is experiencing a very low blood supply across all blood types. Donors are needed urgently to help restore the supply. To give blood, a donor must be at
least 17 years of age and in generally good health. A government-issued photo I.D. is required to donate. Examples are driver’s license, passport, military I.D. In addition, several blood drives are scheduled for the area this month. They are: • March 9, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sea Pines Community Center, 175 Greenwood Dr., Hilton Head • March 11, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hilton Head Island High School, 70 Wilborn Rd., Hilton Head • March 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Coastal Carolina Hospital, 1000 Medical Center Dr., Hardeeville • March 17, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hilton Head Hospital, 25 Hospital Center Blvd., Hilton Head • March 27, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., CareCore National, 400 Buckwalter Place Blvd., Bluffton For more information or appointments, call 843-522-0409 or visit www.igiveblood.com
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March 3, 2015
HEALTH
Treatment options can help to improve aging skin By Oswald Lightsey Mikell CONTRIBUTOR
As our bodies age, fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and sometimes hollowed areas around the eyes and cheeks begin to appear. You might also experience a noticeable loss of firmness on the hands and Oswald Mikell neck. And while you cannot stop or even slow down the aging process, there are some things you can do to help prevent signs of premature aging. Good skin care – including sun protection, gentle cleansing and quitting smoking can keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come.
Q. What causes the skin to age? A. Over time, the skin loses its underlying layers of fat, and the production of collagen and elastin fibers slows. As a result, the skin loses its fullness. There are two distinct types of aging – aging caused by the genes we inherit, and aging caused by environmental factors, such as exposure to the sun’s rays or smoking. Q: How much damage does sun exposure cause? A. Just a few minutes of sun exposure each day can cause noticeable changes to the skin over time. The term “photoaging” is used to describe this sun-related skin damage. Photoaging occurs over a period of years. With repeated exposure to the sun, the skin loses the ability to repair itself, and the damage accumulates. Q. What are liver spots? A. Liver spots – also called age spots
and solar lentigines – actually have nothing at all to do with the liver, and they are not an indication of liver disease. They are flat gray, brown or black spots that usually appear on the face, hands, shoulders and arms – those areas most exposed to the sun. For cosmetic reasons, age spots can be lightened with skin-bleaching products or removed. However, avoiding the sun and using sunscreen can help avoid these dark skin spots. Q. Older people often complain of itching skin. What causes this? A. Aging and sun damage reduce the capacity of the skin to moisturize itself – so the skin becomes dry. Dry skin is one of the major causes of itchiness in aging skin. Severe itching as well as itching that does not respond to moisturizing should be evaluated by a dermatologist.
Q. What treatments are available to rejuvenate aging skin? A: There are a variety of treatments available to improve damaged skin. Injectable fillers, Botox and Fraxel are suitable for people with busy lifestyles who do not want the inconvenience of downtime. Dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, chemical peeling, microdermabrasion and some topical treatments can restore skin, giving it a smoother and refreshed appearance. If you want to diminish the signs of aging or have developed a condition that does not go away, call a dermatologist to schedule a consultation. Remember, a dermatologist should look at any abnormality of the skin. Dr. Oswald Lightsey Mikell, certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, is the owner of Dermatology Associates of the Lowcountry.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
HEALTH
Loving care as good as meds for those with Alzheimer’s? By Karen Doughtie CONTRIBUTOR
Is it possible that the love of a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s can be as effective as the drugs that are currently available for the treatment of the disease? I believe it can. When caregivers Karen Doughtie speak to their loved one in a kind voice, offer a hug, and smile when they arrive to pick them up from our daycare, we know they will probably have a good evening. A study led by Johns Hopkins and Utah State University researchers suggests that a particularly close relationship with caregivers might give people with Alzheimer’s disease a marked edge over those without one in retaining mind and brain function over time. The beneficial effect of emotional intimacy the researchers saw among participants was on par with some drugs used to treat the disease. In 2002, Dr. Constantine Lyketsos, M.D., M.H.S, director of the Johns Hopkins Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center, led the study of a select group of patients and caregivers (167 pairs) from the Cache County Dementia Progression Study, which has tracked hundreds of people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia since 1994. The team met with the couples every six months for four years. At each meeting, the patients underwent a battery of tests to assess physical, cognitive, functional and behavioral health. They also interviewed other family members about the caregiving environment. The survey asked caregivers to rate their level of agreement or disagreement
with six statements, such as, “My relationship with the care recipient is close” or “The care recipients make me laugh and I feel special. We talk to each other.” At the outset the study, all patients scored similarly on cognitive and functional tests. As time progressed, the researchers found marked differences between patients whose caregivers had scored their relationship as close or more distant on the surveys. Patients whose caregivers felt particularly close to them retained more of their cognitive functions over the course of the four-year study, losing less than half as many points on average by the end of the study on a common cognitive test, compared to patients with more distant caregivers. “We’ve shown that the benefits of having a close caregiver, especially a spouse, may be substantial,” said Dr. Lyketsos. “The difference in cognitive and functional decline over time between close and not-as-close pairs can mean the difference between staying at home or going to a nursing facility.” The complete study can be viewed on The Alzheimer’s Reading Room website. It would be unreasonable to think that a caregiver could be sweet, nice, and patient 24/7. This just does not happen. However, when caregivers really understand Alzheimer’s disease and know the importance of learning how to take care of themselves, the journey can be a little less stressful. Of course it all starts with love. This disease will test your love, but then, it just might strengthen it. Plan to attend our all-day conference, “Your Amazing Brain,” March 12. Get your ticket now by calling 843-8426688. Karen Doughtie is assistant director of Memory Matters, serving Bluffton and Hilton Head. karen@memory-matters.org
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March 3, 2015
WELLNESS
Breast enhancement surgery has come a long way By Audrey Klenke CONTRIBUTOR
Breasts are a marked symbol of femininity, and many women opt for cosmetic surgery to create or reclaim a more flattering contour that helps them look and feel their best. While there are Audrey Klenke many options for improving breast shape, the goal of this article is to inform you of the advances in implants and augmentation. Breast enhancement surgery has come a long way. In the 1940s, Japanese women started a trend by injecting various substances into their breasts to attract American servicemen, and by 1962 the first breast
augmentation with an implant had been performed in Texas. Then in the 1980s, there was a scare regarding silicone implants possibly causing autoimmune diseases. However, many large studies showed no connection between the two. Rather, the majority of people who get autoimmune diseases are women, as are the majority of people who undergo breast augmentation. They weren’t related, just running in parallel. The medical device research community is always looking to improve upon current standards, and breast implants are no exception. Today’s implants consist of an outer silicone polymer shell and internal contents of either silicone or saline. Over the years, the shells have become stronger without sacrificing their soft feeling. And, while the saline we use has remained virtually the same over the
years, the silicone used inside implants has continually improved. The various iterations of silicone are called “generations,” and right now we are on the fifth generation, also known as “gummy bear” implants. This silicone gel is form-stable, similar to if you chopped a gummy bear in half. It is still soft and squishy, but not runny. Other changes have come in the shape of implants. The traditional round shape is still an option, but now there is also a breast-shaped implant that more closely resembles a natural breast, with a gentle upper slope and more fullness at the bottom. This implant is great for patients who want more volume, but still want a natural look. There have been other evolutions to the procedure itself, such as electrocautery to greatly reduce bleeding, antibiotic-infused solutions to reduce infection
risk, and even simple advances like a sticky dressing that is applied over the nipple-areolar complex to further reduce infection risk. Breast augmentation requires a skilled hand and exact positioning of the implant to create the precise shape and contour you desire. With so many options these days, it is important to meet with your plastic surgeon to discuss which type of implant and procedure is best suited to fit your goals. The relationship with your surgeon is key, because understanding your unique goals is the foundation for a beautiful, satisfying result. Dr. Audrey Klenke, the area’s only female plastic surgeon, is the owner of Pinnacle Plastic Surgery. She is a member of the medical staff at both Beaufort Memorial Hospital and Hilton Head Hospital.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
WELLNESS
Don’t worry, look happy with facial fillers By E. Ronald Finger CONTRIBUTOR
Have you heard the expression, “Down in the mouth?” Do people ever come up to you and ask, “Why do you look sad?” Even though you might feel perfectly content, when people keep asking if you’re E. Ronald Finger sad or angry, it could leave you feeling … well, sad or angry. Many people can’t help projecting a sad or angry appearance, even when they’re not feeling that way. It’s a matter of DNA. Some people inherit stronger muscles, called the depressor angularis oris, which turn the corners of the mouth downward. You can reverse this expression by smiling continuously, which isn’t practical, and might even border on inappropriate in the wrong context. Remember the notorious Joker from Batman? So, while smiling is a wonderful thing, you can’t do it all the time to rectify this issue. Solution: Fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm or Sculptra can help turn the corners of the mouth upward. Note that I said “help,” but not correct entirely. If fillers can’t adequately address the problem, you might need minor surgery to elevate the corners of the mouth. This involves removing a small triangle of skin just above the corners of the lips, and this elevates the area permanently. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and leaves a faint scar. The choice then becomes whether you want to trade a chronic “down in the
mouth” look for a small scar above the lip. Weighing these options is an expected part of what each patient should consider during the decision-making process for any type of surgery. Other anatomical features that make us look unhappy, angry or sad are the frown lines between the brows. This expression is caused by the corrugator muscles, which become stronger as we grow older and are caused by frowning and squinting. We all have a reason to scowl at times, but too much frowning strengthens the muscle and deepens the lines to the point that they contract even when we are happy. As with any muscle – when you exercise it, it becomes stronger. Solution: There’s a simple solution for treating frown lines – Botox or Dysport. If you keep up with these products, the muscle becomes weaker, as the lines become less pronounced and you can do it less frequently. Using filler is also an option to help elevate the wrinkles as well. This must be done very carefully. For truly deep wrinkles, the muscle can be surgically removed. For a saggy outer brow causing a sad look, a brow lift can be performed along with removing the muscles that make you frown. So, if your outward appearance doesn’t match your feelings on the inside, your solution might be easier than you think. And that’s something to smile about. E. Ronald Finger, MD, FACS is a board certified plastic surgeon with offices in Savannah and Bluffton. www.fingerand associates.com
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March 3, 2015
FOOD MATTERS
Cookbooks abound for a whole food, plant-based lifestyle By Jim Smith CONTRIBUTOR
As eating a whole food, plant-based diet becomes more and more popular, cookbooks that cater to a healthy WFPB lifestyle are also beginning to proliferate. Two of my favorite cookbook authors are Lindsay S. Nixon and Jill Nussinow. Nixon has written five cookbooks in addition to a guide to plant-based eating under the name “The Happy Herbivore.” Nussinow, who is whole food, plantbased, focuses her attention on cooking with a pressure cooker. These cookbooks differ from other vegetarian cookbooks in that they focus on eating the whole plant while avoiding the use of oils and other processed foods. Any cookbook by either author will provide a wealth of good, healthy recipes that will keep a person eating a WFPB diet. Three of my favorite cookbooks are:
“Happy Herbivore Holidays and Gatherings” by Lindsay S. Nixon. One of the hardest things for a person following the WFPB lifestyle can be to know what to make for the holidays. This cookbook, released just a few months ago during the holiday season, is a hit for answering that These cookbooks provide many whole food, plant-based recipes. question. Nussinow shows how to do that with There are plenty of ideas for this cookbook. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Charts for cooking different types of Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, romantic occasions, Easter, Passover, whole grains, different types of beans and all common vegetables are included as kid parties and more. I find this cookpart of this cookbook. Pressure cooking book to be essential for those special basics are also provided along with occasions. recipes for a wide range of foods that go “The New Fast Food” by Jill well with a pressure cooker. Nussinow, MS, RD. Pressure cooking “Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook” really makes for some tasty dishes, and
by Del Sroufe. This cookbook, based on the documentary by the same name, contains more than 300 recipes for foods that can be eaten all year round. It includes recipes for smoothies, breakfasts, salads, soups, stews and chilies, wraps and spreads, pasta and noodles, vegetable dishes, bean dishes, grains, casseroles and, of course, desserts. Are you craving chocolate chip cookies? You’ll find the WFPB recipe for them in this cookbook. While those are three of my favorites, there are plenty of other good cookbooks to choose from. And many books on WFPB eating contain recipes at the end. Look for books by any of the above authors or those by Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. John A. McDougall or Rip Esselstyn. And enjoy! Jim Smith is a local freelance writer focused on the whole foods, plant-based lifestyle.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
SELF HELP
Tech-free Tuesdays an experiment worth exploring By Alison Jedrick CONTRIBUTOR
These days, we can walk into any public area or waiting room and see people using devices. Smartphones, tablets, laptops and handheld video games are everywhere. These devices are incredibly useful and Alison Jedrick also very fun. They can keep a child entertained at the dentist. They can help a person run a business while getting the household errands done. With the increasing utility of these devices, we are depending more and more on them to do our banking, shopping, homework and navigating from one place to the next. They are designed to make life easier, which should allow people to have more quality time to spend with each other. However, that is not always what happens. More and more, people are attached to their devices even when they are with their friends and family. People are not using eye contact when they are on devices. And, since more than half of social cues are non-verbal, people watching their “smart” devices are not as smart at paying full attention to their company. Interacting with half-present people leads to less satisfying communication, so the other person withdraws (often into
his or her own device) and the relationship suffers. So much of how people communicate is through body language and eye contact? Most studies show at least 80 percent, and some show that as much as 93 percent, of the information in interpersonal communication is nonverbal. Habitual text messengers, take note of how much you might be missing! People who are absorbed in the cyber world are missing out on many of these important nonverbal cues. It’s unrealistic to ask everyone to turn off all devices whenever they are around their family or friends, so try the following experiment for at least one month. Every Tuesday, if not all day then at least for two hours, try to unplug. Shut down the WiFi, turn off the television, close the laptop, log off the games, resist social media and maybe even turn the ringer off the phone. Be fully present with the people around you. Try to notice the difference in the quality of interactions with other people. Pay attention to how much of a difference this makes in your communication. This might be uncomfortable for some people at first, but might have some surprisingly positive effects on human connections. Friends and family might soon look forward to fully reconnecting on Techfree Tuesdays. It’s worth a try. Alison Jedrick, MSW, LISW-CP, is an associate with Psychological & Counseling Associates of the Lowcountry, LLC in Bluffton.
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March 3, 2015
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
SENIORS
Lowcountry offers many options for long-term care By Debbie Morris CONTRIBUTOR
If you’re new to the area, or perhaps new to navigating the waters of long-term care for yourself or perhaps a loved one, you’re in luck. The Lowcountry is home to many wonderful resources and choices in senior living, Debbie Morris including home care. Whether temporary or permanent, determining a care option or living arrangement is a major life decision that merits thorough consideration. Above all, it requires a clear understanding of your or your loved one’s unique needs and a careful evaluation of options to determine the best fit. You might begin by asking the following questions: • How often is care needed? This could range from a few hours a week to 24-7. • What type of care is needed? General assistance (non-medical), personal care (bathing, dressing, etc.) or skilled nursing care (medical)? • What payment resources are available? These could include private pay, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, grants, state Medicaid waivers, Medicare, etc. • What is your ultimate objective? Distinguish between needs and wants.
If you determine that in-home care is preferable and appropriate, here are some suggested questions to ask when considering an in-home care agency: 1. What is the company’s background? 2. What range of services does the agency provide? 3. Are their caregivers employees of the company or contract workers? 4. Are their caregivers bonded and insured? Do they perform criminal background checks and drug screenings? Does the agency have strict personnel policies? 5. How do they supervise their workers to make sure proper care is given? 6. Is the agency licensed by the state of South Carolina or certified by Medicare or Medicaid? What other accreditations does the company have? 7. What procedures are in place to handle emergencies? Are services available 24/7? 8. Do they coordinate other types of services and supports? 9. Can they provide references? 10. Do they conduct an in-home consultation and what does it include? Remember, do your homework. Ask a lot of questions. Trust your instincts. Debbie Morris, MA EdS, is certified by the National Academy of Certified Care Managers and is the CEO and co-owner of Home Helpers Home Care and Home Health. help@homehelperslowcountry.com.
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March 3, 2015
BEAUTY
Even home-colored hair damage can be fixed with TLC By Joy Ross CONTRIBUTOR
Choeli Campos has been a dear friend and sporadic client. I say that with love. She’s a young mom who “plays with” her own color. That is not uncommon. Unfortunately, because of the metallic additives in the over-the-counter hair colors, it makes our job as stylists much more difficult. The metals are so indelible that they cannot be removed or lifted without great effort, expertise and time. That’s when Choeli calls me. She had been coloring her hair a very dark cherry at home. It became inky and uneven because her hair was porous and damaged. The roots were new and healthy but the length was more porous as the hair had been on her head a long time and, therefore, colored repeatedly. The roots took the color normally, but
Choeli Campos before
the rest sucked that dye in over and over, making it impossible to lift. Hair color hell once again. Choeli wanted to go back to her natural color – medium brown. That wasn’t going to happen without damage, damage and more damage.
So the alternative was the professional one: Lighten a bit, no damage. There is no sense in doing something that is going to ruin the integrity of the hair. Then I colored it a gorgeous, rich mahogany. It suited her skin and didn’t look so harsh. This was the first of a few baby steps. Next time, after a great conditioner and some TLC, we can nudge it up another shade. As I mentioned, her hair had been a bit abused. So she agreed to letting me give her a Choeli Campos after new color, conditioning and cut good hair cut and some angled big makeover of its own. Stop by and see bangs – bangles I call them. it. Let’s chat about what we can do for Voila. New and improved hair for you. Choeli. Joy Ross is owner of Style It Salon in Old By the way, my salon has just had a Town Bluffton. www.styleitsalon.com
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
FASHION
Get in the know about latest spring fashion trends By Jessica Sferlazzo
in ruby red, and you’re sure to be a showstopper. CONTRIBUTOR Or, combine a pink gingham pant, a brown-sugar top and a pastel floral scarf This season it’s all about “new neufor a fun, “pattern play” look. trals,” a shift toward So what silhouettes will spring usher cooler, softer color in? From cocktail dresses to jumpsuits, to palettes. Pale pastels, bathing suits, the off-the-shoulder and nature-like neutrals one-shoulder look are the newest, and understated liveliest shapes for spring. brights are dominant Pair a one-shoulder jumpsuit with a this season. Such chunky statement necklace and pair of ethereal colors evoke quieter, gentler moods wedges for a casual but stylish statement. Jessica Sferlazzo Another popular silhouette is a robeand are soul soothing. like kimono. Kimonos are versatile and Some of my new favorite “it” colors voguish, so be creative. are Strawberry Ice, Custard Yellow and I love a sheer floral kimono paired Lucite green. Of these, my favorite is with skinny jeans and flats for a dapper Lucite, or mint green. It’s everywhere. Audrey Hepburn From handbags look. Or, dress it and accessories to up with a lace tops, bottoms and kimono, long more, you pendant necklace absolutely can’t go and heels for a wrong with this girls’ night out. playful color. A few other What about details to watch combination for are lace colors? Black and detailing on white is classic dresses and and still very on blouses, and small trend – I’m seeing pops of bold it in geometric colors, such as the and floral prints inside of a for a softer look. handbag, a pair of However, if Nature-like neutrals and and prints are on trend. bright mirrored black and white glasses or a coquettish pink lip. are too stark or boring for you, a good Whatever trend you choose, find the substitution would be blue and white, one that works best for you, and go for it. which is also on trend. Pair blue pants and a white top with a nautical scarf, and Don’t be afraid to emblazon your own style. you’ll be ready to jet set. Welcome spring, and happy shopSpeaking of prints, definitely the top print this season is gingham. From large- ping. format gingham in black and white to a Jessica Sferlazzo is a fashion merchanpetite gingham in pastels, you’re sure to diser and general manager of the Spartina be tres chic wearing this look. 449 flagship store in Bluffton. www.facePair a black-and-white gingham top book.com/spartina449fs with white pants, with your lips painted
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March 3, 2015
OUTDOORS
Doing nothing sometimes best way to catch fish By Chris Shoemaker CONTRIBUTOR
I was out fishing the other day with a group of guys from Canada who were down here escaping the cold weather up north. It was a decent winter day with temperatures in the mid 50s most of the afternoon, although I was still bundled up from head to toe daydreaming about warmer weather. I told the guys we were going to start out fishing for sheepshead. As soon as we arrived at our first spot, I set out the anchor and positioned us on the structure. The next step was getting them set up. The rods were already rigged the way I wanted them so I baited their hooks with fiddlers and showed them where to drop it. While their lines were settling onto the bottom I baited a hook for myself
uing to check it like a small child. I will admit I am the worst offender of my own advice. As I’m yanking my fishing pole all around the boat, we started chatting about the species of fish that are native in Canada. We then started talking about gear, and one of the guys started asking me a few questions about my reels. So I sat my pole down and walked up to the bow to Chris Shoemaker with a sheepshead caught almost by accident. show him how spinning and dropped it down. As we were reels work. He started showing me his talking, I was telling them they should reel from Canada and the small differjust let it sit down there and feel the fish ences. nibble the crab. While we were talking about our gear, As I’m telling them this, I’m jerking I completely forgot I had a line in the my bait all over the bottom and continwater. Then I heard the pole start
dancing across the deck. I dashed back to the stern and grabbed the thing before it took a dive. Of course, since we weren’t getting any bites I didn’t think to stick it in the rod holder. After getting a good grip, I could immediately feel that it was a nice one. After a few minutes of fighting, I finally got it to the top, and after a few swipes with the net my Canadian friend was able to land him in the boat. I don’t think any of us moved our fishing poles the rest of the day. We ended up catching a good amount, small and big, and ended the day with a nice mess of fish for dinner. Sometimes the best technique is to do nothing. Sometimes, you need to just leave your bait alone and let it sit. Chris Shoemaker, owner of May River Excursions, is a nature and fishing guide in Bluffton.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
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PETS
Be aware: ADA’s service dog designation has changed By Abby Bird CONTRIBUTOR
The “Service Dog” designation has changed over the past few years. Under the ADA (Americans with Disability Act), service dog guidelines state: “When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. A business may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. “Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.” The service animal designation includes dogs that have been trained to assist a person with mental illness or
remind them to take medications, as well as calming for anxiety attacks for those with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). A medical service dog is one that guides people with physical disabilities such as blindness, deafness, balance issues, or that has been trained to alert and protect a person having a seizure, diabetic attack or similar disability. According to the ADA’s definition, service animals are working animals, not pets, and the work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. Federal laws regarding housing and air travel and some state and local laws define service animals more broadly than the ADA does. Under ADA regulations, a service dog
must be under control at all times. A private business or public venue may ask you to remove your service dog if you can’t control it or if the dog is not housebroken. An emotional support dog helps a person who is in emotional distress; the dog’s presence helps to keep the person calm. Such dogs are no longer considered service dogs under the ADA’s latest requirements. Why the change and undoubtedly others to come? Because some people abused the previous rules. Unfortunately, not all these dogs are well behaved. There is no requirement that dogs be trained in any generic way because each dog performs a service for its owner’s individual need. Because needs vary, there are no national standards or testing. That doesn’t mean that these dogs should not have acceptable obedience and behavior.
A valid service dog is allowed anywhere its human goes. Although not required, anyone substantiating his or her dog as a service dog should carry a letter from a physician stipulating the owner’s need. If a business is in doubt, although you cannot be asked about your specific condition, you can be asked if you are disabled and what specific tasks your dog is trained to do. Businesses can report suspected abuse of service dog designations. Because of such abuse and because of those who claim they need their dogs everywhere they go, people who really need service dogs with them in places otherwise excluded to dogs may be in jeopardy. Abby Bird is owner of Alpha Dog Obedience Training. ajbird@hargray.com
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March 3, 2015
SPORTS
Check your tennis gear and get ready to ‘spring’ ahead By Lou Marino CONTRIBUTOR
With spring coming soon, along with an increase in your tennis activity, now is a good time to take inventory of your equipment and its condition. Most recreational tennis players go from one season to the next with an “ifit-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it” disposition, especially when it comes to racquets and strings. Even if you’re playing just once a week on average, your strings might not show any visible signs of wear, but they still lose tension over time. Qualified stringers have tools to test string tension and can also check for string notching (contact points between main and cross strings). So, if your racquet hasn’t been restrung in the past year consider getting new strings. Other areas to look over: • Inspect the racquet frame for any
be replaced if necessary when restringing). • Evaluate the condition of your grip and over-wrap and have a new one installed if needed. If you’re interested in replacing your current racquet, there are lots of new models to choose from. Check with your local racquet retailer, pro shop or tennis professional about available “demo” programs so you can try before you buy. Now you need to check out Consider getting your racquet restrung once a year. your shoes: possible fractures or cracks. If they are If you play mainly on clay courts, serious enough, it’s recommended that your tennis shoes might not seem to the racquet be retired because the frame show much wear on the soles. But their might not be able to handle tension from internal structure really takes the brunt of restringing. the beating, especially since we tend to • Look for excessive wear of the have longer rallies and points on clay bumper guard and grommets (these can rather than on hard courts.
On the other hand (or maybe the other foot?), if you play on hard courts regularly you’ll see visible wear of the shoe sole, making it easier to justify replacement. In either case, it’s a good idea to have two pairs of shoes so you can alternate them between playing days. And, for optimum performance, plan to replace at least one pair per year, or every six months, depending on how avid a player you are. Just like with racquets, there are tons of new shoe models available. To see the latest styles and technologies designed for tennis, check out your local tennis retailers and pro shops. A tennis “tune-up” can really inspire you to “spring ahead” into the 2015 tennis season. Lou Marino is a USPTA Cardio & Youth Tennis Coach who lives and teaches in the greater Bluffton-Hilton Head Island area.
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Go green for Shamrock Run March 14 The 20th Annual BiLo Hilton Head Shamrock Run will begin at 8 a.m. March 14, with starting line in front of New York City Pizza at Heritage Plaza and finishing at Coligny Plaza. The fun and colorful 5K Run and Health Walk covers a flat and fast Shamrock Run race course down Pope Avenue, North Forest Beach Drive and then back on Lagoon Road. Participants are encouraged to wear green in the St. Patrick’s Day tradition. New York City will host the Shamrock Run Block Party following the event, featuring the event awards ceremony, refreshments, pizza, music and door prizes. Prizes will be awarded to the top three overall male and female finishers plus the top three in each age category will also receive unique awards. Everyone will be eligible to win door prizes. The first 400 participants will receive a colorful Shamrock Run performance blend T-shirt and St. Patrick’s Day Party beads. There will also be a “Beat the Leprechaun” feature where every runner who beats our Hilton Head Leprechaun to the finish line will also receive a Shamrock Run gift. The BiLo Hilton Head Shamrock Run is presented by BNC Bank. For more information, visit www.bearfootsports.com or call Bear Foot Sports at 843-757-8520.
The Bluffton Sun
March 3, 2015
Sun City Masters Swim Team post impressive results at meet Sun City Hilton Head Masters Swim Team members traveled to North Myrtle Beach to participate in the South Carolina Short Course Yard State Championship meet Feb. 21-22. The team, with 13 swimmers entered in events, placed 4th out of 14 teams represented at the meet. The team coach is Ed Hazlett. Capturing High Point Awards for their age groups were Nana Whalen and Barbara Coughlin. New South Carolina state swimming records were established by both women during their swims. Coughlin set new records in all seven of her events – the 100 individual medley, 50 back, 100 breast, 50 free, 100 free, 50 breast and 200 free – as well as taking first place in all seven. Whalen set new records in the 100 IM, 200 back and 100 back. She also took first place in the 500 free, 50 free and 200 free, as well as 2nd in the 50 back and 100 free and 3rd in the 50 fly and 50 breast. The swimmers were also successful at reducing their times in their events. All swimmers swam
best times in most or all of their events. Tom Bastian captured a first in the 500 free, and 8th places in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free. The team also added many team points by swimming very well in relay events. In the women’s 200 Free Relay the team of Nana Whalen, Jo Stewart, Barb Coughlin and Ann Tullie took First place, while the team of Ruth Brown, Ginny South, Sheila Jemella and Caroline Mac Mullin placed 3rd. The Men’s 200 free relay took 2nd place with Tom Bastian, Jim Bedient, Tom Campagnola and Mike Farnham swimming. The Woman’s 200 Medley Relay made up of Ruth Brown, Caroline Mac Mullin, Sheila Jemella and Barbara Coughlin placed 2nd while the team of Nana Whalen, Joe Stewart, Ginny South and Rose Carney placed 3rd. Finishing the meet was the always exciting 200 Mixed Free Relay. The team of Ruth Brown, Sheila Jemella, Tom Campagnola and Mike Farnham swam to a second place finish.
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SPORTS
Make the most of your golf game in March winds By Jean Harris CONTRIBUTOR
We have had some severe wind this winter, and the month of March is typically even windier. There are a number of adjustments you need to make in your swing and club selection when playing in the wind. If the wind is in your face: • Take one extra club for every 10 mph. • Look at the treetops in the distance and see what they are doing; when hitting to a green, look at the flagstick and see which way the flag is blowing; throwing up grass in front of you only tells you what the wind is doing near you but not in the distance. • Widen your stance and flare out both toes; this helps lower your center of gravity. • Play the ball one inch further back
in your stance and lean hands and shaft slightly forward. Also lean your weight a little on your target side. • Choke down on the club and take a 3/4 backswing and swing at a 75 percent speed. • Learn how to hit a “knockdown” shot. • Remember when you play into the wind: “Swing easy when it’s breezy.” If the wind is behind you: • On tee shots, you may want to hit a 3-wood or tee your driver up higher. • When hitting into the green, use P H OTO B Y J E A N H A R R I S one less club and play the ball in the center of your stance, weight neutral Jerry Whalen widens his stance to putt in the wind. or slightly behind the ball. In a cross wind: • You can swing harder when the • There are two theories of playing wind is behind you since this creates spin crosswind shots; either way keep the ball and helps the ball stop when it gets on low. the green. • Beginners should play in the same
direction of the wind and let the wind take the ball; thus, if the wind is blowing left to right, aim left of target. • Better players should play in the opposite direction of the crosswind. If the wind is blowing left to right then close your stance and play a right to left shot; this should counteract the wind and produce a fairly straight shot. Putting in the wind: • Wind really affects putting, so widen your stance and get lower with your posture. • Avoid grounding the putter behind the ball because it could cause the ball to move. • Use a shorter stroke when putting with the wind and lengthen your stroke when putting into the wind. Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional at Sun City Hilton Head. jean.golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; www.golfdoctorjean.com
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March 3, 2015
TRAVEL
Kiawah Island resort a perfect 5-star winter getaway By Don Lowe CONTRIBUTOR
When we made our plans for a Valentine’s Day weekend getaway at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island some months ago, we were hoping to luck out with a mid-winter warm weather experience. Alas, it was not to be. With temperatures hovering in the 40s, and 30-plus mph wind gusts upon our arrival, it was a chilly oceanside greeting. However, a warm welcome by the pampering staff and the glow of the magnificently adorned lobby quickly warmed our spirits. Kiawah Island is a South Carolina barrier island some 20 miles from historic Charleston and an easy two-hour drive from Bluffton and Hilton Head Island. It lies along 10 miles of one of America’s Top 10 Atlantic Ocean beaches. Alas, there were no bathers in the
which was home to the 2012 PGA Championship. There are two world-class tennis clubs that together include 19 clay courts and five hard courts that have been rated as the No. 1 Tennis Resort in the world by TennisResorts Online.com. Beyond these top rated sporting opportunities there are plenty of other less competitive activities including bicycling; nature programs; marsh creek P H O T O C O U R T E S Y K I A W A H I S L A N D G O L F R E S O R T canoeing; a plush, gardenAerial view of The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. themed 5-star spa; and, our ocean or in the outdoor pools – although favorite, long walks along the ocean. the indoor pool was delightful – but If after all these activities you have there were plenty of other activities to worked up an appetite, there are enjoy. numerous delectable options to satisfy There are five championship golf every taste. These range from the Night courses designed by the world’s leading Heron Poolside Grill & Bar for appegolf course architects, including the tizers, salads, local seafood, sandwiches renowned Ocean Course by Pete Dye, and burgers, to the Ocean Room, which
is the resort’s signature steakhouse, with a menu specializing in exceptional handselected cuts of beef and chops as well as other scrumptious dishes. The accommodations include one- to four-bedroom villas, luxury homes and rooms at The Sanctuary, where rates start at $270 and climb to $4,700 per night for the Presidential Suite. Our room was one of the 90 percent that have an ocean view; how fortunate we were to experience the brilliant sunrises and aweinspiring sunsets over the Atlantic. Whatever season you choose to visit Kiawah, you will not be disappointed. We can’t wait to return in the warmer months to experience more of what this incredible resort has to offer. For reservations or for more information call 1-800-576-1570 or visit www.kiawahresort.com. Don Lowe of Bluffton is an accidental tourist who enjoys writing about his travels.
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
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BRIDGE
The negative double: an amazing, hard-working bid CONTRIBUTOR
What if you had a bid at your fingertips that could do the following: Show a suit with exact length; allow you to bid two suits at once; show one suit with help for partner’s original suit; indicate a minimum number of high card Kathie Walsh points; allow you to bid a strong suit with an otherwise relatively weak hand (with no confusion to partner); and keep your partner out of trouble. Then enter the world of the negative double. The negative double is a useful convention and one you definitely want to have in your bidding tool box; it is a tool
that is indispensable when coping with an opponent’s overcall. Most players confuse it with a penalty double, and it’s important to know the difference between a negative double and a takeout double. A negative double (ND) is used when your partner opens; a takeout double (TD) is used when an opponent opens. The responder makes a ND; a TD is made by the overcalling side. Thus, the overcaller’s suit is doubled in a ND, but the opener’s suit is doubled in a TD. You need six plus points to make a ND at the one level (more at higher levels), but you need an opening hand to make a TD at the one level (more at higher levels). The emphasis of a ND is on the unbid major(s), whereas the emphasis of the TD is on all of the unbid suits. In a ND you do not have to be short in the opponent’s suit, but in a TD you
must be short in the opponent’s suit. Finally, a ND followed by a bid in a new suit is weak; a TD followed by a bid in a new suit is strong (17 or more points). Beginning this week, the Hilton Head Island Bridge Club will present four clinics on this amazing bid, focusing on all aspects of the negative double: points needed to make a negative double on the one, two, and three levels; suits promised by a negative double, and opener’s rebids after a ND. We will use Marty Bergen’s book, “Introduction to Negative Doubles,” as a text, which will be available to partici-
pants at the club. Bergen, author of numerous bridge texts, claims that the negative double is “the most important convention in modern bridge.” He said if he had to choose to give up Stayman or negative doubles, he would sooner give up Stayman. Try a few exercises in which you need to know the negative double. Your partner opened one club; the RHO (right-hand opponent) overcalled one spade; your bid? (Answers below.) 1. 96 KJ43 KJ8 J972 2. AQ3 KJ986 974 96 3. 876 QJ96 K74 987 4. Q98 A4 KQJ J7643 5. 754 AK 643 AQ1098 Kathie Walsh is a certified ABTA teacher at Hilton Head Island Bridge Club. kbwalsh@roadrunner.com Answers to quiz: 1-double; 2-2H; 3double; 4-1NT; 5-2C
By Kathie Walsh
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March 3, 2015
FAITH
History of Jews in Afghanistan a colorful story By Arthur Segal CONTRIBUTOR
Shalom and peace. Let us continue exploring international Jewish communities with a country in the news, Afghanistan. Its Jewish history dates back 2,700 years to the Assyrian conquest of the 10 northern tribes in Israel, and the subsequent Babylonian conquest of the two remaining tribes in Judah. In 2013, Israel unveiled the first physical evidence discovered in captured Taliban caves of ancient Jewish Afghans. The Pashtun, the main Afghan tribe, call themselves Bani-Israel (Children of Israel). Many Pashtun names have Hebrew roots, e.g., Asheri and Naphtali, and they have Hebrew customs of wedding chupahs and circumcising sons on the eighth day. The exiled Afghan Royals say they are
They traded skins, carpets and antiquities. In 1870 Afghan Muslims enacted antiJewish measures, triggering a mass exodus. Nuremberg-like laws prompted more exoduses in 1933. When Israel was created and their travel ban was lifted, 5000 Jews left in 1951. With The Yu Aw Synagogue in Herat, Afghanistan, has been restored. the Russian invasion of from the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin. 1979, only 10 remained. A 10th- and 11th-century CE Jewish In 2004, only Zebulon Simentov and community in Ghazni, Afghanistan, is Isaac Levy were left. They lived at separecorded by Muslim documents. Jewish rate ends of the decaying synagogue in Isaac was advisor to Sultan Mahmud Kabul on Flower Street. Each claimed to (1010 CE). In 1839, thousands of Jews be the owner of the Torah and guardian fled forced Islamic conversions, bringing of the synagogue, and each accused the Afghanistan’s Jewish population to other of attempted theft of it. 40,000. Both men were imprisoned and tor-
tured in Taliban jails due to accusations against each other. The Taliban took the Torah scroll. Each man would celebrate holidays and Shabbat alone. The feud continued. Levy died in 2005 and Simentov would not attend the burial. Simentov turned the first floor of the synagogue into a store selling rugs and kabobs. He has since closed his stores but rents the space to other businesses. A play titled “The Last Jew of Afghanistan” was written about this absurd feud. Ironically, in the western city of Herat (Kabul is in the east), the Islamic Agha Khan Trust is restoring four synagogues in the Jewish quarter. The Yu Aw Synagogue has been completed, and is used as a school. Rabbi Arthur Segal is an international lecturer, author, and teacher. Visit www.JewishSpiritualRenewal.org or email RabbiASegal@aol.com. #RabbiASegal
March 3, 2015
The Bluffton Sun
Faith Briefs • All Saints Episcopal Church on Hilton Head Island will hold a new worship service at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays through May. Called Saturday@5, the service offers an inclusive atmosphere with an alternative worship style and music that seeks to inspire and embrace participants. Food and fellowship follow each service. All are welcome and are encouraged to come as they are and to bring friends. All Saints Episcopal Church is located at 3001 Meeting St., just off of Main Street. For more information, call 843681-8333 or visit the church’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/allsaintshhi. • Campbell Chapel AME Church will host a Women’s Conference March 20-21 at the church, 25 Boundary St. in Bluffton. The theme is “From Brokenness to Wholeness.” Guest speakers are Rev. Donna Baker of Columbus, Ga., and Rev. Margaret E. Flake of Jamaica, N.Y. Workshops include “Women in Leadership,” “A Woman After God’s Own Heart” and “God’s Single Mothers.” Early registration is $35, or $40 at the door. For more information, contact Joyce Lanier at 843-368-9371 or dougjoy11020@yahoo.com, or Dr. Sandra Young at 803-467-2877 or sy44@att.net. • A lecture titled “Ancient Design, Modern Problems,” focusing on the care of the human body, will be held at 7 p.m. March 22 at the Church of the Cross, Historic Campus, 110 Calhoun Street, Bluffton. The human body is a brilliant design, enabling mankind to accomplish all that we have and will. But life in the modern world is not what the body was best designed for. Led by Bradley H Davis, MD, Chief of Internal Medicine at the Naval Hospital in Beaufort, this class is meant to teach the general basics in health. For more
information, call 843-757-2661 or rsvp@thechurchofthecross.net. • A Senior Adult social will be held from 10 am. to noon on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, at Okatee Baptist Fellowship Hall, 5467 Okatie Hwy. (near Stuckey Furniture). All seniors in the area are invited for fun, games, music and Christian fellowship. A special lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Attendees are invited to wear something green. For more information, call 843-987-0885. • The 15th annual Congregation Beth Yam Sisterhood Women’s Seder will take place March 18 in the Congregation’s Social Hall. The program will begin at 11 a.m., followed by a Passover luncheon. This special Seder, held two weeks before the Passover holiday, is in celebration of women, including the righteous women of the generation of the Exodus. The program will center on the heroic acts of Pharaoh’s daughter, Miriam and others. The Women’s Seder will be patterned after the traditional Seder, which begins the Passover holiday each year. A special Haggadah (order of the service), which is read at the Seder table, will emphasize the role of women throughout Jewish history. The event is open to women of all faiths. Reservations must be made by March 11 by sending a check payable to Sisterhood Congregation Beth Yam to CBY, 4501 Meeting St., Hilton Head, SC 29926, attn. Women’s Seder. Cost is $35 for Sisterhood members and their mothers, $40 for guests. For more information, call 843-6892178.
SUBMIT FAITH RELATED NEWS The Bluffton Sun welcomes news related to the faith community. If the event is open to the public, email info to editor@hargray.com.
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New Home
P H OTO B Y B. J. F R A Z I E R
Associates of Benton House, a new senior residence off Bluffton Parkway near Hampton Lakes, cut the ceremonial ribbon Feb. 20. From left are Peter Millichap, Sandy Cooper, Kyle Diekmann, Summer Dempster, Collin Baranick, Brandy Gray, Ed Underhill and Felicia Rodgers. The new community offers assisted living, personal care and memory care.
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HOME
Travertine: The unsung but beautiful glamour stone By Andrea Antunes McGilton CONTRIBUTOR
Granite and marble seem to be grabbing the spotlight on glamour stone these days, but there’s a natural stone that is just as popular. Travertine is one of the most frequently used stones in modern architecture. Andrea McGilton It is actually a type of limestone and is used extensively in flooring, façades and wall cladding, plus other applications like fireplaces and range hoods. Travertine is used with beautiful results to pave garden paths and patios. Its wonderful suitability for indoor and outdoor applications and its neutral coloring make it a great partner for other
stones like marble, granite and limestone. Travertine is quarried primarily in Tivoli, Italy, known as Tibur in ancient Roman times. Other major deposits are found in Turkey, Mexico, Iran and Peru. There are actually smaller deposits in the western United States with minimal producP H OTO C O U RT E S Y D I S T I N C T I V E G R A N I T E A N D M A R B L E tion. Travertine is charac- Travertine is a popular and glamorous option for bathroom floors terized by pitted holes and cladding showers and tubs. found in tan, brown, cream-colored and and troughs in its surface that occur natrusty hues. The impurities that cause the urally. At first look, it appears that the color can often create beautifully colored stone has had wear and tear. Some bands resulting from the presence of iron installers fill the holes while others leave and other compounds. them in a natural state for a rustic, layThe Coliseum in Rome is constructed ered look. mostly of travertine, as is the Sacre Coeur Pure travertine is white, but it is often
Basilica in Paris and the Getty Center in Los Angeles. One of the most durable stone floor options, travertine requires minimal maintenance. Many installers suggest that the stone should be sealed annually to help preserve and protect it from dust and stains. Spills should be wiped up immediately. A neutral cleaner or stone soap, best applied with a clean mop, sponge or soft cloth, can be quickly followed by a dry mop. Coasters, trays, mats, rugs and runners will also give added protection. Mostly, just dust mop regularly to keep it free from dust and debris. Local stone experts can provide the guidance to protect and enhance your travertine for years to come. Andrea Antunes McGilton is project manager at Distinctive Granite and Marble, with showrooms in Okatie; Lady’s Island; Pooler, Ga., and on Hilton Head Island.
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March 3, 2015
REAL ESTATE
Five tips for happily buying your first house together By Larry Stoller CONTRIBUTOR
The key to happily buying your first home as a couple is clear communication. Here are some tips to make your first buying experience together a dream come true instead of your worst real estate nightmare: 1. Make sure you agree more than you disagree. You might have different ideas about which home you should buy. Is that home in town, in a gated community or somewhere farther out in the county? Is it that a bargain fixer-upper or a home that looks like a model? There are many decisions regarding location and condition, so make sure you both know what you want and what compromises you are willing to make. 2. Get your credit squared away. Speak to your mortgage professional,
review your credit reports, and find out your credit scores. Sharing credit information can be a sensitive matter for couples. Find a loan officer that you trust and work together to improve your credit worthiness. 3. Look at your money situation
and get pre-qualified. Have your loan officer get you prequalified, so that you know exactly what you can afford and how much you can borrow. Learn about the different types of loans that are available and which one will be best for you. Make sure you are comfortable with how much of your monthly income will go towards housing costs, so that you don’t have to decrease your standard of living. 4. Find the best agent for you (an experienced real estate agent that you can trust). Look for an experienced agent who knows the areas where you think you want to live – the agent should have first-hand knowledge of neighborhoods, schools and other amenities. Ask your friends for referrals, interview, ask questions, and
choose the agent that you feel will best guide you through the home buying process. 5. Do the real estate reality check. First-time homebuyers might have eyes that are bigger than their wallet or their purse. Or they might have expectations that are unrealistic. Let your agent help you with determining home values. Let your loan officer help you understand the true costs of owning a home. Work closely with the agent whose advice you trust and respect to get your best real estate deal, have a smooth real estate transaction, and keep your relationship in harmony while buying your first home together. Larry Stoller is a real estate consultant and advertising executive who loves living in Bluffton and helping real estate agents, sellers, and buyers realize their real estate goals.
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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING PERSONAL DRIVER FOR SUN CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS: Reasonable rates to airports, specializing in personal requirements. Bonded and insured. Call George, cell 201-294-1313, home 843-707-1077. ELECTROLYSIS BY DIANE. Located in Bluffton close to Route 46. Permanent hair removal. Safe and private. No waiting. Competitive rates. Late evenings available. Convenient to Hilton Head, Bluffton and Okatie. Call Diane at 203-241-0553. SUN CITY HOME FOR SALE BY OWNER: 10 Twinkling Court. $209,900, popular Heather model, 2BR, 2 full BAs PLUS den/3rd BR, living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, 15x10 sunroom, bay window in master and situated on a lovely lagoon lot. GREAT HOME! GREAT VALUE! AND GREAT PRICE! Call 843-705-4979 for more information.
GALE FORCE CLEANING. DEPENDABLE, HONEST house cleaning, caregiver. References available. Call 843-8165657. SUN CITY ONLY: WILL BE YOUR PERSONAL DRIVER. Reasonable/reliable. Special airport, Amtrak station rates, 24/7, Dr.’s appointments, errands, shopping, etc. Call Steve at 415-1125 or Don at 707-7073. PROFESSIONAL SPRINKLER SYSTEM SERVICES: Prevent water and money waste with a properly working system. Specializing in diagnosing, repairing, upgrading and expanding both residential and commercial systems. Protect your landscape investment. Providing reliable service since 1983. Licensed and insured. Call 843-816-2448. CHURCH YARD SALE,Saturday, March 7, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Church of the Palms, 1425 Okatie Hwy. Baked goods
and food court on site. Most credit cards accepted. LAWN CUTTING, WEEKLY, SEMI-MONTHLY, every 10 days while you are away. Sun City only. Call Steve, a Sun City resident. 415-1125. YOUR AD HERE CAN REACH 27,500 households and businesses from Moss Creek to Sun City to Callawassie Island. Promote services, sell items, announce yard sale, find a job! Ads starting at $28 for 40 words. Call now, 757-9507. CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 757-9507. CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 757-9507. CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 757-9507. CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 757-9507. CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 757-9507. CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 757-9507.
27,000
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March 3, 2015
the Musical Arts
ut n llo tio Pu ec S
Celebrating
Savannah Music Festival • March 19-April 4 See 3B
Buckwheat Zydeco, an entertainer for more than three decades, will perform this month at the Savannah Music Festival. Photo by Dragan Tasic.
March 3, 2015 • SECTION B Volume 18, Issue 3
Create your own Dance Club - 4B
Let’s Eat! Carolina Tavern - 5B
“Fiddler on the Roof” at SCCT - 7B
Mark McCoy featured in Art League show - 13B
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PERFORMING ARTS March 6 “Vive La Paris,” spring concert by Hilton Head Choral Society, 8 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Pkwy., Hilton Head. Tickets $30 preferred seating (online only), $25 general, available at Burke’s Pharmacy, Pretty Papers, Christie’s Hallmark and Markel’s. 3413818 or www.HiltonHeadChoralSociety.org March 6 First Friday for Folk Music, featuring Jason Bible and Robert Benton. 7:30 p.m. Stewart Hall, First Presbyterian Church, 520 Washington St., Savannah. Sponsored by Savannah Folk Music Society. Family friendly, alcohol- and smoke-free. $5 donation suggested. www.savannahfolk.org March 7 “This Joint is Jumpin’,” Hilton Head Shore Notes annual show, with special guests Boardwalk Men’s Quartet. 7 p.m. Seahawk Cultural Center, 70 Wilborn Rd., Hilton Head. $20, available at Burke’s Pharmacy, Markel’s, Pretty Papers and at www.hhsn2015show. brownpapertickets.com. Barbara at 843-705-6852, www.hiltonheadshorenotes.com March 7 Peter Nero, two-time Grammy Award-winning pianist, in concert with his orchestra, 8 p.m. Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane. Tickets $100. 843-842-2787 or www.artshhi.com March 8 “Harmonies for Habitat,” fundraiser concert to benefit The Glen, a Habitat for Humanity community. Sponsored by All Saints Episcopal Church, 3-5 p.m. at The Jazz Corner, Village at Wexford. For tickets, call 843-689-9495 or email gallings@aol.com. March 9-14 Hilton Head International Piano Competition for young artists. Round 1 and 2, March 9-12, at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina; Finals March 14 at First Presbyterian Church, 7 p.m. Tickets vary, available by calling 843-842-2055 or www.hhipc.org. March 11-12 The Celtic Tenors, 8 p.m. Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane. Three
friends whose music has become an international phenomenon of folk, Irish and pop. Tickets $61. 843-842-2787 or www.artshhi.com March 19-April 4 26th annual Savannah Music Festival, Georgia’s largest musical arts event. Various venues in downtown Savannah, with more than 100 performances of opera, symphonic, chamber, jazz, blues, gospel, rock, folk music and more. Complete schedule and tickets available at www.SavannahMusicFestival.org. March 20-29 “School House Rock Live,” Main Street Youth Theatre. Opening night gala, 5:30 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres and beverages, plus show, $50 adults, $25 students. Additional performances March 21, 22 and 29 at 2 p.m.; March 24-28 at 7 p.m. Tickets $25 adults, $15 students. Available at www.msyt.org or by calling 843-689-6246. March 29-April 4 “Forever Plaid,” popular ’60s singing group The Plaids comes back from the afterlife to perform their show that never was. Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane. Tickets $41 adults, $29 children. 843-842-2787 or www.artshhi.com Monthlong At the Jazz Corner: March 6-7, Satin Doll Trio; March 13-14, Annie Sellick Quartet; March 20-21, Jeff Phillips Quartet featuring Ronnie Leigh; March 27-28, Noel Freidline Quartet; April 34, Allan Vache Quintet. C1 Village at Wexford. 843-842-8620 or www.thejazzcorner.com
VISUAL ARTS March 3-26 “Journeys: People, Places and Nature,” paintings by Mark E. McCoy, Art League of Hilton Head Gallery, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head. Opening reception 5-7 March 4. Gallery hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. TuesdaySaturday. 843-681-2399 or www.artleaguehhi.org March 20-21 “Sculpture Show,” first ever at Four Corners Gallery, 1263 May River Rd., Bluffton. Six local sculptors in bronze or clay. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. March 20; gallery hours 11 a.m.-4 p.m. March 21. 843-757-8185 or www.fourcornersgallerybluffton.com Through March 28 “The Bluff and Beyond,” paintings by Paul Frederick, Beaufort Art Association Gallery, 913 Bay St., Beaufort. Works by 75 other members on display. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays.
Through March 30 “Lowcountry Through the Lens: A Photographic Exhibition,” work by members of Camera Club of Hilton Head Island, Hilton Head Regional Health Care gallery at Coastal Discovery Museum, 70 Honey Horn Dr. Gallery Talks 10 a.m. March 7 and 14. Gallery hours 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m.3 p.m. Sunday. Through March 31 “Jesus: Good Shepherd and Lamb of God,” art exhibit of international artists from 17th century to present. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday. First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Pkwy., Hilton Head. 681-3696
MISCELLANEOUS March 6-8 GnomeCon, three-day convention for area board gamers, comic book fans, etc. Includes table-top, card and role-playing games, designers, panel discussions, comedians, sci-fi writers, flea market for memorabilia. Family friendly. Starting at $40. www.gnomecon.org or publicity@gnomecon.org March 14 “Rising Stars” Youth Arts Festival, next generation of Lowcountry talent, performing and visual arts. Talent show at 2 p.m.; also mini-workshops, Promising Picassos art exhibit, refreshments. Sponsored by Island School Council for the Arts, at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane. Tickets for talent show, $20 adult, $10 children. 843-842-2787 or www.artshhi.com March 14 “An Evening of Dance,” fourth annual gala fundraiser for Bluffton Dance Company, 6-8 p.m. Pinckney Hall in Sun City Hilton Head. Performances by students, under direction of artistic director Dawn Rosa Miller. Tickets $10, available by calling 843-815-2619. March 16, 18 Auditions for “State Fair,” 7-9 p.m. at May River Theatre, in Ulmer Auditorium of Town Hall, corner of Bridge and Pritchard streets, Bluffton. Rehearsals begin March 23, show runs weekends May 8-24. Cast includes some children. Email director Terri Hsu at terrihsu@yahoo.com or call 917-897-1165. March 21 Concert of Yiddish folk songs and music by student cantor Nancy Dubin, 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Yam, 4501 Meeting St., Hilton Head. Tickets $10 per person for synagogue non-members, free for members. www.bethyam.org March 28 Mad About Plaid Gala, fundraiser for Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, includes food, silent auction, and opening night performance of “Forever Plaid.” 14 Shelter Cove Lane. Tickets $150-$175. 843-842-2787 or www.artshhi.com
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Savannah Music Festival brings international talent to town Downtown Savannah plays host to more than 100 live performances during the 26th annual Savannah Music Festival (SMF), to be held in various venues March 19 through April 4. The historic district provides an ideal backdrop for an event that celebrates exceptional artistry in jazz, classical and a variety of American and international musical traditions. This year’s festival, billed as Georgia’s largest musical arts event, marks the debut of opera at SMF, with an expansion of the number of programs staged, and the organization’s most international festival to date. The non-profit SMF is dedicated to presenting world-class celebrations of the musical arts, and this year’s event honors the mission. Opera is introduced to the festival with a co-production of Puccini’s “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi” with the Savannah VOICE Festival (SVF), fea-
turing the Savannah Philharmonic under Eugene Kohn. In celebration of Sherrill Milnes’s 80th birthday, these three arts organizations join forces in presenting two nights of opera, a chamber orchestra concert with Daniel Hope and Friends, and a vocal concert with singers from the SVF. A 10-concert chamber music series features the Emerson String P H OTO B Y C L AY PAT R I C K M c B R I D E Quartet, Brooklyn Rider and the Singer-songwriter Roseanne Cash, daughter of country Chamber Music Society of Lincoln music icon Johnny Cash, is scheduled to perform at the Savannah Music Festival. Center. Jazz has always been integral to Many of the country’s finest bluegrass SMF programming, and this year ensembles are scheduled, such as IBMA includes the Marcus Roberts Trio, the Entertainer of the Year Balsam Range, Warren Vaché Quintet on a bill with the The Boxcars, Jerry Douglas’s Flatt and Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, and the Scruggs project the Earls of Leicester, and Julian Lage and Jorge Roeder duo. Hot Rize. Blues, gospel, and R&B are prevalent The Band Courtbouillon hosts SMF’s in the festival schedule, with Mavis 2015 Cajun Dance Party, while Staples, Heritage Blues Orchestra and Buckwheat Zydeco brings his group for Jarekus Singleton. the 2015 Zydeco Dance Party. The
McIntosh County Shouters return to perform slave shout songs from the Georgia coast. A three-night run of western swing features the Hot Club of Cowtown and Asleep at the Wheel. Songwriters abound with performances by Josh Ritter, Lucinda Williams and Rosanne Cash. Folk-rock artists Shovels and Rope share the bill with Austin’s Shakey Graves, and The Barr Brothers perform alongside Apache Relay. The acclaimed Taiko drum troup Kodo brings its “One Earth: Mystery” project to the festival, and both Kayhan Kalhor and Béla Fleck will perform with Brooklyn Rider. Ukrainian drum and song ensemble DakhaBrakha closes out the festival. For the complete schedule and tickets for all events, visit www.savannah musicfestival.org. Tickets are available also by phone at 912-525-5050 or at 216 E. Broughton St. in Savannah.
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Dance club a great way to socialize, exercise and learn
P H OTO B Y C I N D A S E A M O N
Armando Aseneta observes the dance steps of members of the Hilton Head Plantation Dance Club.
By Sandro Virag Do you have a group of friends with whom you often try to think of something fun and different to do? Do what a group from Hilton Head Plantation did: form a dance club. Whether it’s line dancing, shag or ballroom, you can create a fun and healthy activity for your group. About seven years ago, a group from Hilton Head Plantation contacted my business partner, Armando Aseneta, and asked if they could do an ongoing dance program so they could learn to ballroom dance. Now, they meet twice a month and continue to learn new dances and perfect the old ones. We are experienced at teaching these dance clubs even though they may sound new to you. It’s a good way of socializing, exercising and learning something new together with your friends. This way you can control what style you want to learn and can design your own group class. A group class moves a little slower so it’s actually easier to keep up with the learning process. We spend more time on the individual steps and patterns, which can help in remembering the moves from
class to class. Each session begins with a review of the previous class. Here are what some of the members have to say about their club: Maria and Ted Gregg started just for the fun of it. They say it’s fantastic and they are getting better all the time. Helga and Ralph Palomares said that they have been married 50 years and have been dancing that entire time. They love this dance club. Olga and Richard Ritter started dancing with Armando when the Fred Astaire Dance Studio first opened. They say dancing keeps their brain, heart and feet in shape. Dance club members have become better friends over the years through dancing, and they even hold an end-ofseason potluck party to celebrate their accomplishments. Armando said he really enjoys these groups and the interaction it provides and is especially proud of their progress. Some of these couples have proceeded to private sessions to really advance their dancing and have even performed in our showcase and trophy balls and have gone on to compete. Sandro Virag is a partner and instructor at Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Hilton Head, located in Bluffton at Seaquins Ballroom.
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Tasty wings and ribs and a beer wall, oh my! By Dean Rowland The tasty chicken wings and succulent rack of baby back ribs are two excellent reasons to visit The Carolina Tavern. Beaufort County’s only beer wall and tap tables in the bar or the 20 high-definition televisions mounted throughout offer a few more great incentives. This “sports-themed casual restaurant” opened Jan. 12 at 5 Godfrey Place off Route 46 in Bluffton and already has attracted a steady following of regulars. “Our ribs are second to none,” said Dave Stewart, owner-operator along with his wife, Christine. “We don’t smoke our ribs. We cook our ribs for up to 16 hours in a moist cooking environment. If I were to hand you a rack of ribs right now, you can tap it with a fork and the meat will fall off the bone. It’s super tender. It’s all about the slow cooking for us.” A half-rack with a side dish (don’t miss the delicious grilled vegetables) and
a trip to the salad bar costs $15, while a full rack is $24. Diners can select from among six barbeque sauces, ranging from sweet mustard to North Carolina-style vinegar to a beer-based dry rub. Rib combination plates with all the trimmings range from $19.99 to $22. Other enticing entrees, from shrimp to a 15P H OTO B Y D E A N R O W L A N D ounce rib eye steak and House specialties at Carolina Tavern include a half-rack of ribs, one side and salad bar, range from $11.50 to $19. burgers and fish and chips. Oh, and cold beer from the tap. Wings lovers can start slow with nine One of the most popular choices is regular or boneless wings for $8.49 or the beer-battered Atlantic cod and chips power-eat their way through 100 for with hand-cut fries. “Every item on our menu, we prepare $63. The hard part might be choosing from among 24 sauce options. fresh – except the cheesecake,” said the The lightly breaded Fried Pickle North Carolina native. “We take pride in that. We have the best wings in town and Spears for $7 is showcased on the 16item appetizer menu. The Big Pig (pulled that’s what sets us apart.”
pork, Applewood bacon and a host of other ingredients) headlines the lineup of sandwiches, all for $9 or less including a side dish. Scrumptious burgers with a side, flatbread specialties, and soups and salads round out the menu. The Tavern features nightly and lunchtime specials, Happy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m. with food and drink discounts, and music and trivia every Thursday. Stewart calls his establishment a “restaurant first and a bar second,” with an emphasis on serving families lunch or dinner seven days a week. Still, adult beer lovers should experience the tap wall in the bar. Purchase a beer card and pour your own craft beer from one of six different taps. It’s fun, educational and interactive. Call 843-757-9464 for more information. Dean Rowland is a veteran senior editor and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
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Four Corners hosts inaugural sculpture show Four Corners Gallery Carolina’s Lowcountry; will host its first-ever Fran Kaminsky, Harriet sculpture show March and Mike Jandrlich, 20-21, featuring six additional Savannah sculptors who work in favorites. either bronze or clay. From contemporary An opening reception to more traditional, these will be held March 20 artists offer a variety of from 5 to 7 p.m. The subject matter. sculpture will remain on The artists will be exhibit March 21 from here on both Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The night as well as Saturday event is free and open to to speak with guests the public. “Oh Captain, My Captain” by Harriet about their process and Exhibiting artists are Jandrlich will be part of the exhibit. their vision. Judy Mooney of The gallery is located Savannah, who is well-known in Bluffton at 1263 May River Rd. in Old Town and Hilton Head arts circles; Susie Bluffton. Chisholm of Savannah, creator of the For more information call 843-757statue of Charles Fraser and his gator on 8185 or visit www.fourcornersgallery Hilton Head; Glo Coalson, who lives in bluffton.com. Texas but is a frequent visitor to South
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Tradition, faith and humor take the stage in ‘Fiddler’ By Jessica Goody “Tradition” takes center stage in the Sun City Community Theatre’s upcoming production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” onstage March 21-29 at Magnolia Hall. The production is directed by Anrose Perlstein. The beloved musical based on Sholem Aleichem’s “Tevye the Dairyman” stories features music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, with a book by Joseph Stein. Bob McCloskey plays the incorrigible Tevye, a struggling milkman forced through personal and political upheaval to reluctantly face a changing world. “The show is a classic,” said producer Ralph Spiegel. “This is actually only the third musical in which I’ve appeared,” said McCloskey. “It’s been a great experience.” McCloskey, who has performed in numerous SCCT productions and is an
anchor on Sun City TV, said, “Something that I appreciate so much about the Sun City lifestyle is that you are given these opportunities at a time in your life when you certainly didn’t expect them to show up.” Dominick Wasielewski, who plays Mordcha the innkeeper, P H OTO B Y S O N D R A G O L D B E R G said, “My favorite Bob McCloske as Tevye and Mae McMichael as his wife, Goldie, appear in scene is when the SCCT production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Tevye and Lazar and the Russian dancers are fantastic.” Wolfe meet at my inn to discuss Lazar’s “There are going to be some fabulous, marriage to Tevye’s daughter (Tzitel, fabulous dance scenes in this producplayed by Marsha Fleming). The music
tion,” said McCloskey. “The challenge for me,” Wasielewski said, “is that I neither sing or dance. (But our choreographers) Norma Lavelle and Hinda Klinghoffer have been fantastic.” SCCT newcomer Kevin Karg makes his stage debut in “Fiddler” as the butcher Lazar Wolf. Karg noted the universality of the show. “Bad things can happen to good people. Times change and people struggle to adapt to new customs. Even so, we persist,” he said. “The play demonstrates that no matter how bad conditions may be, people can adapt and keep hope alive.” “Fiddler on the Roof” performances will be at 7:30 p.m. March 20, 21, 27 and 28, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on March 29. Tickets are available at the Magnolia Hall Box Office or by calling 645-2700. Jessica Goody of Bluffton has written two volumes of poetry and is working on her first novel.
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Local talent rocks in stage version of ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ Saturday morning cartoons might have changed in the past few decades, but one reigns supreme in the hearts of many: “Schoolhouse Rock.” This spring, the talented company at Main Street Youth Theatre will take to the stage under the direction of Blake White, performing these sacred tunes that will leave the audience longing for lazy mornings by the television set. “Schoolhouse Rock Live!,” the fun, fast-paced stage musical, will run March 20-28 at the company’s home theatre, 3000 Main St. on Hilton Head Island. A special student showing will be offered March 26, with student tickets discounted to only $5. White has returned to MSYT to direct “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” after previously directing “A Midsummer Nights Dream” and “Twelfth Night” for MSYT’s Shakespeare in the Park series. White is joined by his creative team that includes Patti Mauer, choreographer;
actors ranging in age from 9 to 15. Some have performed in many productions at MSYT as well as other community theatres, including the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. The actors are students at different schools in Bluffton and on Hilton Head. Based on the Emmy Awardwinning 1970s cartoon series, the P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y A N N E show teaches hisCast members of Main Street Youth Theatre’s “Schoolhouse Rock Live!” tory, grammar, Anna Schaffer, music director; and Ben math, science and politics though clever Wolfe, set designer. and catchy songs. The stage show will The cast is composed of 15 young teach a whole new generation to
“Unpack Your Adjectives” and “Do the Circulations.” Tracy, a teacher nervous about her first day of teaching, tries to relax by watching TV. Various characters emerge from the set and show her how to win over her students with imagination and music. Long-time fans will recognize such beloved songs as “Just a Bill,” “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly” and “Conjunction Junction.” The show will open March 20 with a 5:30 p.m. fundraising gala that includes food and drinks followed by the show. Tickets for the gala are $50 for adults and $25 for students. Curtain during the rest of the run is 7 p.m. March 24-28 with 2 p.m. matinees March 21, 22 and 29. Tickets for these performances are $25 for adults and $15 for students. For tickets, including group discount information, visit www.msyt.org or call the box office at 843-689-6246 or 843338-6246.
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Support local dance company students at annual gala The Dance Boosters of Bluffton will host its fourth annual “An Evening of Dance” gala from 6 to 8 p.m. March 14 at Pinckney Hall in Sun City Hilton Head. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Bluffton Dance Company. The evening will feature a dance program with choreography and a dance showcase by students of Bluffton School of Dance. Also included are a silent auction, live music and hors d’oeuvres served by the Bluffton School of Dance Company members. Students have been choreographing and rehearsing dances for the evening since January, under the direction of the school’s artistic director, Dawn Rosa Miller. “We have an abundance of amazing talent in our community,” Miller said, “and this evening provides us the chance to showcase our students locally.”
The company usually performs out of town at regional and national conventions including Atlanta, Orlando and Greenville. Tickets for this event are sold for $10.00 and all proceeds will benefit the dance company. “We hope to use the funds from the showcase to help defray expenses related to our upcoming 2015 Summer Nationals trip to Orlando,” Miller said. “In addition, we will bring in master teachers from Los Angeles and other cities across the U.S. to provide intensive training for our dancers not available in our immediate area.” The event is sponsored by The Alliance Group Realty and other local businesses. For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Bluffton School of Dance at 843-815-2619.
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The Celtic Tenors promise fun evening of eclectic tunes The Celtic Tenors are back! Direct from Ireland, the Celtic Tenors return to the Lowcountry for two shows, March 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. They will be performing many favorite Irish tunes and other popular numbers. The Celtic Tenors are a three-man vocal group that includes Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson. The trio has been weaving together an eclectic repertoire of Celtic, operatic and popular songs for audiences worldwide since 2000. What began as three very talented friends gathering on the operatic stage has exploded into an international and touring phenomenon that transcends the trio’s classical roots and embraces folk, pop and various other dimensions of musical genres. The only tenor group with a truly global audience, The Celtic Tenors consistently give audiences a night to
These vocalists genuinely love what they do – and it is evident in each rendition of beautiful Celtic songs like the haunting “Danny Boy” and exhilarating opera classics such as “Nessun Dorma.” The group was signed this summer to Decca/Universal Records and they are currently in the studio recording a new album being produced by Charles Fisher. Fisher is an award-winThe Celtic Tenors return March 11-12. Photo by Barry McCall. ning producer of hits in remember. Whether playing a neighbor- Australia and overseas for decades, with hood cathedral or major concert halls in 12 Australian Record Industry international cities like New York, Association (ARIA) Awards to his name, Amsterdam or Shanghai, concert-goers including a Special Achievement for his are assured of a professional, sparkling Lifetime Contribution to Australian and good-humored performance. Music. His credits include Savage
Garden, The Hoodoo Gurus and Olivia Newton-John, among others. The Celtic Tenors last CD release, “Feels Like Home,” celebrates the uplifting music of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, while borrowing a few songs from other cultures along the way. “We cross a lot of borders when we travel, but we find that people all over the world are similar in many ways. Almost everyone is open to good music and an uplifting message. We have so many great fans around the globe,” says James Nelson. The Celtic Tenors give more than a performance. The give audiences an evening to savor and a night with singers, who despite their success, don’t take themselves too seriously. Tickets are $61 and are available by calling the box office at 843-842-2787, or online at www.artshhi.com. For more information about the Celtic Tenors, visit www.celtic-tenors.com.
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McCoy’s show at Art League depicts travel memories “Journeys: People, On one trip, he met a Places and Nature,” an cheese maker who exhibit featuring the carefully explained his newest works of local multi-week process. artist Mark E. McCoy, As McCoy photowill be on display at the graphed the artisan’s Art League of Hilton care-worn face, he Head Gallery March 3knew this man would 27. An opening recepbecome the subject of tion will be held from 5 one of his works. to 7 p.m. March 4 in “We were three the Walter Greer days into a two-week Gallery at the Arts trip and I already Center of Coastal knew I would paint his Carolina. portrait,” McCoy said, McCoy, a resident of “with the smoke house “Basil Side Street” by Mark McCoy Bluffton, has travelled in the background, throughout the world to capture the slightly out of view because he is the beauty of wildlife in their natural habisubject.” For McCoy, every painting is a tats. “Going to the zoo to get a reference memory with its own story. shot of an animal is fine,” he said, “but I McCoy’s paintings within the exhibit need to see how the animal behaves in are not limited to any one subject or its natural environment. Only then can I medium, and the body of work demonhope to capture it with conviction.” strates great flexibility and technical skill. Each trip McCoy and his wife take The exhibit will show works in oil, provides some kind of inspiration. A love pencil and watercolor. The artist subof history and natural history has led scribes to the belief that “It’s not the them to such diverse places as China, medium, but the results that count.” Czech Republic and Easter Island. The The Art League gallery is located at 14 artist is always equipped with his three Shelter Cove Lane on Hilton Head still cameras and video camera. He aver- Island. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 ages up to 10,000 photos a week during p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For their explorations. more information, call the Art League at McCoy’s inspirations can take many 843-681-2399 or visit forms and are not always wildlife related. www.artleaguehhi.org.
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Jump on board with Shore Notes quartets performing. The Hilton Head The Shore Notes have Shore Notes women’s a designated The cappella chorus will present “This Joint is Children’s Center as the recipient of a portion of Jumpin’!,” a musical the show’s profits. revue under the direcThe Shore Notes tion of Faye McLanahan, rehearse at Island at 7 p.m. March 7 at the Hilton Head Island High Lutheran Church at 4400 Main St. on Hilton School’s Seahawk Head Island every Cultural Center. Boardwalk men’s Monday from 6:45 to 9:30 p.m. They always quartet will make a speBoardwalk men’s quartet welcome guests and cial guest appearance. prospective new members, who need The phrase “This is not your father’s not read music to join the group. quartet” does not apply to Boardwalk. Tickets to the show are $20 and availComing from a long line of barbershop able at Burke’s Pharmacy and Pretty singers, this quartet’s performers credit Papers in Hilton Head and Markel’s Gifts their dads for having a heavy influence in Bluffton. They may also be purchased on their singing. online at www.hhsn2015show.brown Their versatility combines great barpapertickets.com or by calling Barbara at bershop harmony with folk music and instrumentation. Boardwalk competed in 843-705-6852. For more information about the group, visit www.hiltonhead their first Dixie District Competition last shorenotes.com. October and placed second out of 26
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SOBA presents annual members’ judged show
“The Tree Nymph” by Mary Ann Putzier won Best in Show in SOBA’s 2014 annual judged show.
The Society of Bluffton Artists opened its 21st annual Judged Show March 2; the exhibit will be on display through April 4. And opening reception and awards presentation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. March 6. The event is free and open to the public. SOBA members were invited
to enter one piece of their best art each. The works were judged by Jeff Markowsky, acclaimed artist and art professor from SCAD. The gallery is located at the corner of Church and Calhoun streets in Bluffton. Call 757-6586 or visit sobagallery.com for more information.
Choral Society transports audience to Paris The Hilton Head Choral Society brings the songs of Paris to the Lowcountry with “Vive La Paris” Musical Masterworks at 8 p.m. March 6 at First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Pkwy. on Hilton Head Island. HHCS artistic director Tim Reynolds will be the tour guide as the audience is “transported” on a trip to the City of Lights. The concert will feature the magnificent “Requiem” by 19th century French composer Gabriel Fauré, followed by smooth melodies of Michel Legrand and Henry Mancini, creating the feeling of a romantic and fancy-free evening in France. Music will include
the theme from the movie “1963 Charade,” starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant with lyrics by Savannah’s own Johnny Mercer. The night will conclude with a suite of music from Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables.” Lori Maurer, Hilton Head Island resident and longtime friend of the Choral Society, joins the other soloists. Tickets are $30 for preferred seating (available online only) and $25 general admission. Tickets may be purchased online at www.hiltonhead choral society.org or at Burke’s Pharmacy, Pretty Papers, Christie’s Hallmark, and Markel’s; or at the door. For more details, call 843-341-3818.
Student cantor featured in Yiddish concert Congregation Beth Yam will offer a concert of Yiddish music at 7:30 p.m. March 21 at the synagogue, 4501 Meeting St. on Hilton Head. Nancy Dubin, a student at the Hebrew Union College School of Sacred Music, who has been serving as student cantor at Congregation Beth Yam, will be the featured soloist. The Yiddish tradition is a rich source of folk songs and music which originated among the Ashkenazic population of central and eastern
Europe. Although most Jews were poor, the vitality of Jewish life was celebrated in music. Dubin will be accompanied by Larry Mercer on the piano and David Kimbell on the violin. Tickets are $10 per person for non-synagogue members; the concert is free for members. A wine and cheese reception will follow. Tickets may be ordered through the synagogue, attention F. Pascal, or online at www.bethyam.org.
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