• Campbell Chapel AME Church hosts
‘Beloved’ art exhibit 14A
• Groundbreaking, luncheon held for Ma Daisy’s Porch 20A
• Nonprofit a source of ‘light’ for those with mental illness 22A
• Bird caught in plastic rescued by citizens 25A
• Events April 4-8 to mark 55th anniversary of MLK assassination 32A
By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
Filled with computer work stations and racks of electronic gear, the former Bridges Preparatory School in Beaufort now sports an industrial-gray décor with wall-mounted large-screen monitors for use by cybersecurity students learning how to prevent cyberattacks.
It’s the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s newest classroom, the result of the 2021 grant proposal that led to $1.3 million in funding. The grant came from the U.S. Department of Defense’s office of Local Defense Community and funded the renovation and equipment for the new cyber lab.
A ribbon cutting was held March 20 for the new space at 1100 Boundary St.
In remarks at the event, USCB Chancellor Al M. Panu credited Brian Canada, Department of Computer Science & Mathematics chair, with what he considered an apt description of the facility.
“As you walk in there, there is something very cool about this industrial look. It reminds you of shows such as ‘24’ and ‘The Blacklist,’ and what it has in there,”
Panu said. “I have to agree it was definitely wonderful to be able to find that analogy. It is absolutely fascinating.”
Panu told the audience that cybersecurity will be a top priority for every company, and the cybersecurity industry is expected to grow by 44% in the next five years, requiring companies to hire cybersecurity professionals.
“As you may be aware, USCB’s cybersecurity program presently exists in the form of a degree concentration within our baccalaureate program in Information Science and Technology,” he said at the ceremony.
“While much of USCB’s cybersecurity curriculum can be supported by so-called ‘virtual lab’ software solutions that can be used by anyone with an internet connection, what makes this particular lab unique is the integration of specialized network security equipment that has been furnished to USCB by Fortinet.”
Fortinet is a global cybersecurity company that provides a wide range of network security solutions for enterprises, service providers and government organizations.
Panu said the company’s reputation for quality rivals such highly regarded security
solutions providers as Palo Alto Networks and CheckPoint.
“Having this equipment available in the classroom provides our students with much more of a hands-on experience that goes far
beyond network security fundamentals and theory,” Panu added. “All of this technology and its use by our students is simultane-
Please see CYBER LABS on page 12A
We all want access to top healthcare, because we know that “top” means a commitment to pursuing and achieving the best, which is especially important when you’re looking for medical services and care. And the good news: it’s right in our backyard.
We’re proud to be among the select group of hospitals recognized by the national hospital safety watchdog organization The Leapfrog Group for putting patients and their safety first every day. Not only does it mean our team is focused on you, it means you can feel confident in trusting us when it matters most.
Only 5% of hospitals in the U.S. have earned the Top Hospital award for patient safety and quality — and Beaufort Memorial is one of them. BeaufortMemorial.org/TopHospital
Have you ever considered just how smart you are? Do you know that just by virtue of being human, you have an amazing cognitive superpower?
We all have it – humans, I mean. We have the innate ability to be friendly.
It has been passed down by generations of our ancestors, going back to the beginning of homo sapiens, some say. What allowed us to survive back then was our ability to effectively communicate and cooperate with others – being friendly – in order for us to domesticate ourselves.
Cooperation is action based on recognizing the benefit of working together with others to achieve a common goal – whether gathering food, or building a shelter, or making sure the fire keeps going.
Someone just told me about a book that
was first published in 2020, with the fascinating title “Survival of the Friendliest,” by husband and wife Brian Hare, an anthropologist, and writer Vanessa Woods. The subtitle is “Understanding Our Origins and Rediscovering Our Common Humanity.”
The writers start the book with a chapter on “Thinking about Thinking,” and tell us how we all started communicating by pointing as babies, and how sophisticated that simple action is.
They say, “pointing is the gateway to reading other people’s minds, to what psychologists call ‘theory of mind,’” a useful and important social-cognitive skill. In just a few years a child can understand what others are thinking based on the others’ actions.
And we will forever after base our own words, actions and decisions on our perception and understanding of what others think.
(Side note: It’s called “theory” of mind because we can never know exactly what an-
other person is thinking, even if they tell us.)
But let’s get back to the friendliness thing, and the survival of those who are friendliest. Let’s note that “survival” means more than living longer – it means living well, living purposefully, living fully.
And it’s not just friendliness toward those you know. We can be kind to strangers. It’s a simple matter of communication and collaboration.
Recently my younger son and I attended a fundraising event in Florida for an organization that supports research on the neuro-muscular disease, Friedrich’s Ataxia (FA), that my son has. It was our first time attending one of these national RideAtaxia events. There were about 300 people attending, and we knew only two of them when we arrived.
From the beginning moments of a meet and greet reception to the final remarks the next day, we experienced a flood of welcoming kindness. Others who have FA, their
families, the national spokesperson, top neurologists who are researching the disease – so many people who share the experiences of living with the disease welcomed us to this community new to us.
It was an amazing experience.
Here in the South, and especially in our Lowcountry, we are already known for our hospitality. We are nice to our visitors and customers so they will come back again, of course (and we base our actions on what we believe they think of us).
But I believe if we are genuinely friendly and kind to everyone we meet, then we can all enjoy a better way of being. We can begin to thrive emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually. Other benefits might include lower stress, more joy, and a potentially increased lifespan.
If we can achieve those benefits by showing friendliness, imagine what those on the receiving end might feel.
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Spring is in the air and our high school seniors are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
So, this article is a small update on the students in our town and county.
It is heartwarming to see how much energy is spent on enhancing the lives of our young residents.
The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry serves as the fiscal agent.
The coalition held its annual Community Forum focusing on Child & Adolescent Mental Health and Wellness March 27 at Bluffton High School. Featured speakers were doctors from the Medical University of South Carolina, as well as a message from the Teens group.
I would urge you to visit lcahealthyyouth.com to learn how you can support these young men and women.
2022-23 school year, awarding multiyear and single-year scholarships. Visit heritageclassicfoundation.com, or Facebook (Heritage Classic Foundation) and Twitter (@HCFGolf) to see more news on this wonderful Foundation.
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All contents are copyrighted by Lowcountry Local Media Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. All submissions must include name, address and phone number. The Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any material, including advertisements. The Bluffton Sun does not verify for licenses, endorse nor warrant any advertised businesses or services. The opinions and views expressed in the editorials are not necessarily those of the Editor and Publisher. Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Old Town Bluffton Merchants Society.
LCAHY is the acronym for Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy Youth. Established in February 2012 in response to numerous alcohol-related tragedies involving our youth in the recent past, the organization created a teen group as well, Teens for Healthy Youth. That initiative has grown from a few students in a few schools to every high school in Southern Beaufort County.
The nonprofit organization recently was awarded a second Drug Free Communities Grant, receiving $125,000 each year for five years. LCAHY has the distinct honor of being the only 2022 DFC grant recipient in South Carolina.
The Heritage Classic Foundation has a history of philanthropy that expands far beyond golf. Every year, this 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization hosts a world-class PGA TOUR event as a primary fundraising effort. The Foundation’s 2022 charitable giving equaled $2.44 million, bringing the total distributed since 1987 to $50 million.
What an amazing success in just 36 years and continues to be dedicated to enriching life in South Carolina, from supporting college scholarships to nutritious meals, emergency housing to early childhood education, workforce training to culture and arts.
The Foundation recently named 11 Beaufort County seniors as Heritage Classic Foundation Scholars for the
To the Editor:
In regards to repealing the Blaine Amendment, Mr. Weston Newton (editorial, March 14 issue of Bluffton Sun) doesn’t mention
that the money diverted to non-public religious schools will further deprive funding public schools.
This is not necessarily to right a wrong,
Do you have some thoughts you would like to share about local issues? Have you wanted to commend a local business or organization for its good work in the community?
The Bluffton Sun welcomes letters to the editor from Bluffton residents or visitors. Letters must be no longer than 250 words. Longer op-ed pieces on timely topics will be consid-
M.A.G.I.C Youth Leadership Program will be launching this spring, in part to support junior docent training for the Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park at the Bluffton and Hilton Head Boys and Girls Clubs. The program trains local students in critical job and life skills including public speaking and communication, in addition to teaching the important history of the local community.
By the end of the school year, the students will have gained the knowledge and confidence to become Park tour guides, preparing them for brighter futures and work experiences ahead. The partnership between the RBC Foundation and the Heritage Classic Foundation will provide a much-needed grant to support this program. Learn more about the significance of Mitchelville at exploremitchelville.org.
but toward the further destruction of public schooling in South Carolina.
David Glazer Blufftonered on an individual basis. All submissions must include the writer’s name, address and phone number. Email submissions to editor@blufftonsun.com.
With this feature, we seek to capture a glimpse of what you and your neighbors have to say about a variety of topics, issues, events –
and just plain fun questions. You might see us anywhere around town, with notepad and camera, randomly seeking out folks
who are willing to participate. If we find you, we hope you will want to respond.
At the 50th Anniversary celebra-
tion for the Deep Well Project, we asked: “What’s the best thing about spring in the Lowcountry?”
Scholars of democracy, political observers, and everyday Americans of all stripes have come to fear for our democracy.
Former President Jimmy Carter, whose Carter Center is a strong defender of democracy around the world, made the profoundly disturbing assessment about polarization that exists in the United States: “Our great nation now teeters on the brink of a widening abyss. Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. Americans must set aside differences and work together before it is too late.”
One important remedy for this crisis is to renew our ability to talk and listen to one another. As Benjamin Ginsberg, a Republican commentator, clarified at a New York Times panel discussion, “It seems to me that if there is an avenue that’s going to work, it has to be that we all swallow hard and again start talking to people with whom we really don’t agree, and maybe think we don’t respect, to see if there is common ground. We need, as a country and as individuals in communities, to take the difficult step of figuring out how to start having those conversations.”
Unfortunately, most Americans are not comfortable participating in conversations about public problems and can feel powerless to play a meaningful role in rehabilitating our democracy. We need a more active and participatory approach.
Crosscurrents, our dialogue group composed of liberal and conservative voices, has been in continuous dialogue about public problems since 2019 and recently discussed the numerous threats to our democracy. We reached bipartisan agreement that respect for facts and a shared knowledge of reality are fundamental to our democracy, and we called on Americans to seek and build on factual common ground to address and solve pressing public problems (Bluffton Sun, Nov. 14,
2022; Aiken Standard, Nov. 5, 2022).
Our Crosscurrents group has reached agreements in bipartisan fashion on a variety of other potentially divisive topics such as health care, gun control, electoral reform, police reform, immigration and shared American values. This article briefly describes the Crosscurrents dialogue model. We call on our fellow citizens to join the initiative by extending the model to more Americans.
Crosscurrents conversations are structured with a small size of 12 to 15 persons and take place twice monthly in person or virtually. Participants must:
• be curious – interested in learning from others
• be willing to consider the possibility that their own opinion is wrong
• agree to disagree respectfully
• be tolerant of hearing ideas they dislike
• have the patience to backtrack if the group hits a dead end
• select one member as discussion moderator
Set up in this fashion, the process unfolds in two stages. The first is a divergent phase characterized primarily by exploration and similar to brainstorming but also incorporating fact checking. Four steps in this phase are:
1. Propose and agree on a topic/problem for discussion
2. Collect relevant facts from reliable sources
3. Discuss and agree on a limited and common set facts
4. Consider the possible causes of the problem
In this first phase, the discussion can backtrack through the steps, possibly even selecting a new topic. Here, members employ critical thinking and sound decision-making approaches to prepare for the second phase, which is the convergent phase characterized
Sometimes the group experiences a col-
The Bluffton Police Department (BPD) wants to hear, via a survey, from citizens about how the department is serving the Bluffton community.
The 12-question survey also provides a comment section for residents to provide a comment, compliant, compliment or suggestion. The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.
“As Bluffton’s new chief, it’s important to know exactly where public perception is, (in order) to plan where we want to go, in terms of new resources and program enhancements,” Bluffton Police Chief Joe Babkiewicz, said. “Surveying our community is a crucial step to developing specific and measurable goals for the department’s strategic plan.”
The survey deadline is May 1. Citizen
input will be incorporated into the department’s 2023-25 strategic plan.
“Bluffton police officers and staff members are so grateful for the community support of local law enforcement, and I thank everyone in advance for giving us feedback so we can continuously strive to better serve and partner with our community,” Babkiewicz said.
To access the survey, visit bit.ly/3TIFep5.
Paper copies of the survey will be available at Bluffton Police Department front office, 101 Progressive St., or at Town Hall, 20 Bridge St. Completed copies may be dropped off at either the front desk at BPD or Town Hall.
For more information, contact Debbie Szpanka, public information officer, at dszpanka@townofbluffton.com.
We are pleased to announce the availability of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry 2022 Annual Report.
The report is available to everyone digitally at: cf-lowcountry.org/news/2022-annual-report-all-together-now
EDITORIAL from page 8A
lective “aha moment” during the convergent phase that requires them to return to the first phase. Six steps in this phase are:
1. Think of feasible solutions
2. Consider pros and cons of key solutions
3. Find common ground needed for agreement
4. Propose a potentially agreeable solution
5. Discuss and agree on a solution
6. Write up the agreement and submit it for publication
The agreement might not cover all aspects of the topic, but on a divisive topic, even limited agreement is a success.
The successful Crosscurrents statements listed above provide proof of concept that Americans of different persuasions can agree on facts and work together productively. The remedy that concerned experts are calling for is within our capacity and can be successfully implemented in our communities if we muster the will to do so.
Our original national motto is “e pluribus unum” (“out of many, one”), an aspiration echoed in the Preamble of the Constitution’s phrase, “to form a more perfect Union.” We know from the Founders that “united we stand, divided we fall.” All have a stake in rediscovering and refocusing on common ground and shared interests.
Common ground exists only if we are willing to look for it. It can serve as a springboard to finding a compromise on our most divisive public problems and, perhaps, help save our democracy.
For more information about how to join the Crosscurrents initiative and help expand productive civil conversation in your area, contact rogbernier@gmail.com.
Current members of the Crosscurrents group are Starr Barnum, Roger Bernier, Greg Blackburn, Haim Bober, Bruce Bunevich, George Clare, Gerry Cyr, Rob Darling, Raymond Dominick, Ray Haley, Mark Koenig, Laura McFadden, Michael Sacks, Linda Sheets, and Suzanne Yuskiw.
After chest pain and shortness of breath began making peanut farming difficult for Terry, he was diagnosed with ischemic cardiomyopathy. His heart was functioning at half capacity and was deemed too diseased for a bypass.
Terry was referred to Dr. Papoy, a cardiothoracic surgeon at St. Joseph’s/Candler. Specially trained to perform coronary endarterectomies, Dr. Papoy was able to remove the diseased part of the coronary artery and reconstruct it. A rapid recovery after the operation was made possible by the Impella 5.5 heart pump. Terry’s heart is now fully working. And to his delight, so is he.
“The St. Joseph’s/Candler team not only saved my life, they allowed me to get back to work and spend quality time traveling with my wife and being with my grandkids.” – Terry Reese
ously supported by Fortinet’s cybersecurity certification program pathways that map various levels of Network Security Expert (or NSE) expertise to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, or ‘N.I.C.E.’, framework that is expressly designed to enable organizations to develop a modern, skilled cybersecurity workforce.”
The City of Beaufort bought the 24,000 square-foot building, which originally housed the Beaufort Boys & Girls Club, from the school for $2.3 million in December. Inside there are classrooms, meeting spaces and a gym. The city is funding it through $450,000 from the state, $500,000 from the county, and the rest through a bond.
Also speaking at the ribbon-cutting was Beaufort Mayor Stephen Murray. He is vice chair of the South Coast Cyber Center, a 501(c)(3) collaboration of public and private partners to establish a center of innovation, academic excellence, and economic opportunity in cybersecurity.
“It’s a big deal for us to buy a building like this, at this scope, but we knew it was the right thing to do for our partners: the University of South Carolina Beaufort, Technical College of the Lowcountry, the Beaufort Digital Corridor, the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation, government, and the private sector,” Murray said.
Matthew Heightland, director of Infor-
mation Technology Services and Support, explained the use of the hardware already installed in the racks, which included a power over ethernet switch connected to a wireless access point, as well as a firewall. Students will be exposed to the actual equipment, although there is a virtual analog hosted by Fortinet.
“This is more to support an advanced network security,” Heightland said. “Whenever you’re working on industry standard certifications, you want to have equipment that you can work with. Now, you don’t necessarily need the physical devices, so that’s why we also have the virtual analog of all of these, but it makes life a lot easier. You don’t want the first time you see the machines (to be) when you’re troubleshooting them.”
The new Cybersecurity Lab page on the university’s website notes that “With a focus on information security, digital forensics, ethical hacking, and system administration, students will gain technical knowledge and skills to develop and maintain cybersecurity solutions,” and describes what the classroom provides.
“We are marking a giant step forward in ensuring the security of our systems,” Panu said, “and continued undisrupted delivery of business and economic services for our region, state, nation and beyond.”
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By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
The children’s faces peered out of the picture frames at a world they would never see. Two wore caps, some had lace. A few had names, others did not. There were big eyes, chubby cheeks, and a shy smile.
They are so adorable it’s enough to make even the childless want to scoop them up and wrap them in a blanket of love. Most of those portrayed, however, lived and died under the oppression of slavery or were killed in the gas chambers of Nazi Germany.
The dozen portraits in the exhibition “Beloved: Legacy of Slavery” are a combination of two series by Mary Burkett, a retired pediatric nurse from West Columbia whose family has been in South Carolina for “many, many generations,” she said.
Originally slated for three years ago, the exhibit was rescheduled for March 11 by the Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate at Campbell Chapel AME Church.
The program included a praise dance
by local performer Richard Ford III, and a story and the 23rd Psalm recited by Gullah-Geechee storyteller Louise Cohen. Following the program, a reception was highlighted by the Hilton Head Orchestra String Quartet.
Burkett, who said she had never taken art classes, had the idea in 2017 about learning to draw. Set up with pad and pencil, she looked for something on the internet to inspire her. Hirsch Goldberg, a little 5-yearold boy born in Romania in 1939, was her first subject.
“I found a picture of him, and it just absolutely leapt off the screen. It was breaking my heart, and I said I’m going to try to draw him,” she said. “I told you I’ve never had any art lessons, so you can imagine if you sat down and just sort of started drawing. In three or four hours, he just looked out of the paper at me, and I told my husband, ‘Oh, my gosh, there’s a little boy in there!’ I just had absolutely no idea of how that happened.”
Over one million joint replacements are performed in the U.S. each year and according to the Cleveland Clinic, over 85% of knee replacements need to be redone within 15 years. Since 2018 the Fraum Center for Restorative Health has been one of the only facilities in the United States, offering a non-surgical alternative to joint replacement that is Beyond Stem Cells™. This future of healthcare, cutting edge technology helps patients get back to living the life they love.
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TUES APRIL 11TH NOON
MON APRIL 17TH 6PM
TUES APRIL 25TH NOON
MON MAY 1ST 6PM
*All lecture series include complimentary lunch or dinner
[ Learn, Lead and Serve ]
John Paul II Catholic School, educating grades 6-12, is one of the fastest growing private schools in South Carolina and one of the fastest growing Catholic schools in the United States. As a result, we seek passionate, faith-filled educators and support staff to join our growing family.
If you enjoy working in a rigorous academic environment, building authentic relationships with students inside and outside of the classroom while preparing graduates to be scholars with a soul, then consider employment at the school recently voted BEST MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, and PRIVATE SCHOOL in the Lowcountry.
Anticipated openings* for the 2023-2024 school year are:
INSTRUCTION
Art Teacher
English Teachers
Math Teacher
Performing Arts Teacher (vocal, music, and theater)
Physical Education Teacher
Science and Technology Teacher
Spanish Language Teacher
Special Education Teachers
Social Studies Teacher
Theology Teacher
SUPPORT STAFF
Technology and Information Systems Specialist
Grounds Maintenance Supervisor
Custodian (part-time evenings)
Campus Security (part-time)
Bus Drivers
COACHING
Head Varsity Football
*Positions are open until filled
If interested in any of the above positions, please email a letter of interest and current resume to: John McCarthy, President at john.mccarthy@johnpaul2school.org.
4211 N Okatie Highway, Ridgeland SC 29936 (843) 645-3838 | www.johnpaul2school.org
CHILDREN from page 14A
Hirsch was gassed at Auschwitz May 5, 1944. Burkett knows that and more about this child and most of the Holocaust children because “the Nazis were absolute maniacs about records.”
After that unexpected beginning, Burkett began looking for more children who had died in the Holocaust, especially photos of them when they were at home with their parents.
Edith Helena Bartels was born in Tilburg, Netherlands, in 1940. She was hidden separately from her parents for nearly two years. Discovered in August 1944, she was deported to Auschwitz, and after a two-day ride in a cattle car with no one she knew, she was murdered upon arrival.
Edith was the first little girl that she drew, and when she began exhibiting her art, this little girl’s face was used on the brochure and poster. A couple of years later, Burkett received an email from a woman in the Netherlands.
“She said, ‘I’m the sister of Edith that you drew.’ It ended up that the parents had survived. After the war, they had a son and another daughter, and the son lives in Israel, and he happened to see an advertisement for the ‘Beloved,’ recognized his sister, and called the other sister in the Netherlands. He said ‘You’ve got to find this lady in America because she’s drawn our sister’.”
They asked if they could possibly buy the portrait of their sister, to which Burkett said no, but she would send them copies.
“In a sense, she’s back home with her family,” she said.
When she finally stopped at 27 portraits, she figured she was finished, but she wasn’t.
In November 2017, she attended a screening of “Beyond the Fields,” which was filmed in Charleston at Middleton Place.
“It used a lot of ground footage from the gardens and it was just stunningly beautiful. I was sitting there and what I kept thinking to myself is ‘who are the people? Where are the people?’ All that didn’t just create itself,” she said. “I felt like I had been struck by lightning. I knew absolutely in a moment that I was supposed to do a series of ‘Beloved’ about slavery.”
Neither Middleton Place nor the South Carolina Library had photos of enslaved children. Photography did not arrive in America until 1839, so by the 1850s only the wealthy could afford portraits. Burkett eventually found 14 photos.
“They either appeared in a newspaper archive, or the child was standing behind the person who owned them in a portrait of that person,” Burkett said.
She found a full-length photo of a little
CHILDREN from page 16A
boy dressed up but barefoot.
“He has a Union army cap on, and he’s dressed in a very oversized, military uniform. It’s folded over twice already, and there’s a belt holding it on,” she said. “This is an example of how we occasionally have pictures of these kids, because some of them, especially (in) 1863, 1864, ended up at Union army camps, and they actually had a camera there. He was probably so proud of that cap.”
Another portrait was of a little girl born in Virginia, the daughter of the plantation owner and a slave.
Her name was Fanny Virginia Cassiopeia Lawrence.
“She was found in 1863 by a Union Army nurse, who described her as being filthy and in rags, and her name was Fanny. She decided to adopt her and take her home with her to New York,” Burkett said.
The nurse named her Virginia for the state, and Cassiopeia for the constellation that was in the sky. When she moved to New York, she was baptized in the church where
the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe was the pastor.
“The reason we have her little photo is because she was used in a lot of newspapers in the north for the Abolitionist cause,” Burkett said.
Courtney Peeples, who attended the program, was mesmerized by the portrait of another little girl, Cora.
“She looks at you, and it’s like an expression of many things in her mind. ‘What am I here for? Is this what I’m supposed to be doing for my life?’” Peeples said. “‘Is this actually something that God wants me to share, or is this something God wants me to become in my future use?’”
“Beloved: Legacy of Slavery” will be on display in the Chapel’s fellowship hall for viewing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays through April. No appointment is necessary. The church phone number is 843-757-3652.
Early Drive-Thru Only
Registration and Voting
Thursday, May 4 7 a.m.– 7 p.m.
Friday, May 5 7 a.m.– 7 p.m.
In-Person Only Saturday, May 6
Registration & Voting begins at Noon
Auction, Concessions, Flea Market and Kid’s Activities open at Noon
Entertainment, MUDDYCREEK at 2 p.m.
Registration & Voting ends at 4 p.m.
In-Person Business Meeting
Saturday, May 6 begins 4:30 p.m.
Members will be able to view the business meeting on Palmetto Electric’s website, palmetto.coop, by May 8
Registration Gifts
Each member who registers and votes in person will receive a H $25 credit on their electr H
H Lots of Prizes Ever y member who registers and votes will be entered for prize dra wings. Prize dra wings will be held a t the conclusion of the business meeting
By Lynne Cope Hummell EDITORMarch 10 started as a rainy morning in Bluffton, but the clouds parted in time for the 10 a.m. groundbreaking of Ma Daisy’s Porch on May River Road.
The project is a dream come true for Bluffton native Bridgette Frazier, whose partnership with Watterson Brands made the project possible.
Ma Daisy’s Porch is an ode to Frazier’s grandmother and to the Gullah community in the way that it is not just a restaurant, but an entire compound composed of a restaurant, bakery, open-air market with goods from the Black and Gullah community, and the first Gullah Heritage Center in Bluffton.
Speaking at the podium later in the event, Frazier noted that she had a lifetime of support along the way to get her to that moment.
“I know that it’s because of people, like Ma Daisy, my grandmother, and like my mother, Sadie Wilson, and like my father (Oscar Frazier Sr.) who is no longer with me, their stories keep me going,” she said. “I’m reminded of Maya Angelou, who said when she gets up every day, she doesn’t think that those people are gone and forgotten – she gets up and she says, ‘Everybody come with me.’ And that’s how I live my life.”
...and more exciting prizes
Members do not have to be present to win. Winners will be notified, and the names will be posted on our website and our Facebook pa ge
Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/ Geechee Nation, of St. Helena Island performed a traditional spiritual groundbreaking, surrounded by all attendees in a circle around her, her comments sprinkled with her native Gullah language.
As she began, Queen Quet said that the previous rain was not intended as a dampener for the event, but rather the drops were tears of joy from the ancestors in the heavens.
It was evident to Frazier that the ancestors were present, watching over her and the event.
Fighting tears, Frazier continued, “I feel very blessed that I have God at the helm, but everywhere I go, that my dad and my mom and my grandmother, and all the people who made me who I am, that they are always with me. … It’s a type of fortitude you cannot buy.”
The project – which is expected to be open for business early next year – is another of Billy Watterson’s investments in the Lowcountry community and its people.
Plans, artists’ renderings and information about Ma Daisy’s Porch were on display during the luncheon that followed the groundbreaking. The 1.8-acre parcel of land and existing buildings will be “reimagined” and renovated with the help of Shoreline Commercial Construction.
“You are so desperate for somebody who has the light, all you want is to find the person with the light. Because what you’re in, there’s no roadmap, there are no guide books, there are precious few people who really want to help. Or at least that was our experience back home,” said Sun City resident Terri Reutter.
Reutter, whose daughter Holly spent her last 20 years in and out of psychiatric hospitals and rehabilitation programs before committing suicide in 2020, was sharing what she and husband Wes found out about Mental Health America of Beaufort-Jasper.
“Had I known that this existed when we moved here in 2014, we would have brought our daughter down here,” Reutter said, “but we were told by two fairly reliable sources that there wasn’t really any mental health support down here, particularly not for women.”
The 501(c)(3) organization was founded in 1976 on Hilton Head Island, and provides “diagnostic, preventative and rehabilitative procedures recommended by a physician or other licensed practitioner of the healing
arts,” according to its website.
While attending an author’s lunch at Belfair, Reutter sat next to the organization’s cochairs, Joyce A. Braude and Susan Williams.
“They began to tell me a little bit about Mental Health America, and about Island House. Because we had a daughter who had mental health issues, a bell went off in my head and I wanted to know more,” said Reutter.
After Braude gave her a business card and an invitation to visit the Bluffton location where Mental Health America was now located, Reutter made an appointment, and toured the entire facility at 4454 Bluffton Park Crescent.
“Holly would have been an ideal person to live at the Canal Apartments because she could have lived independently, and she could have held down a job as she did over the years,” Reutter said. “It just it breaks my heart that we didn’t know. But you can’t play the ‘what if.’”
The apartments are one of four locations that serve clients: La Isla House, which shares with Island House; Canal Apartments in Beaufort; and Jasper House in Ridgeland.
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• Regularly $129, now only $59
• Helps save energy and avoid costly breakdowns
HOUSE from page 22A
Each house can serve eight people per counselor, and at the moment only Island House is full. In anticipation of clients for La Isla House, Steve Caywood, executive director of Mental Health America of Beaufort-Jasper, hired Maria Renee Rodriguez Josey, a bilingual counselor from Guatemala. She has been connecting with Spanish ministries in area churches.
The organization is “probably one of the oldest, least-known charities in the whole region,” Caywood said. The nonprofit treats clients ages 18 and older who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, mostly bipolar or schizophrenia, in an outpatient mental health group counseling model. They might also treat those who have suffered serious head injuries.
Reutter said Holly was a dual diagnosis person, with the most significant issue being a borderline personality disorder that professionals told the family was very difficult to treat.
“We came down here in 2014, and Holly was still in Delaware. Her sister, our only other child, lives in New York City, so (Holly) was on her own. When we came down here, it was okay, and then it was really not okay. And then it was okay,” Reutter said. “She would go through these cycles, and she couldn’t really support herself.”
In 2020, Holly had just come off a very long psychiatric hospital stay, said her mother, and then a person who was very significant to her died in March 2020.
“His death just threw her into an even deeper depression than she normally dealt with, and she went back into a psychiatric hospital for a month. When she came out, I don’t think she was out for more than 48 hours, and she took her own life,” Reutter said. “I just think it was all too much.”
Caywood, who has headed the local Mental Health America organization for 18 months, after leaving the top spot at Hilton Head Hospital, said he figures more than 200 clients have passed through the organization in the past 47 years.
young, they were in the military and when they transitioned out, they had four children. It was then that the husband became extremely abusive, Caywood said.
“All kinds of things happened, and she basically spiraled down to the point that they ended up admitting her to a psychiatric unit. He divorced her and she lost her kids. Eventually she got into the Island House program,” he said. “She was in five or six years and got herself back together. She now is kind of a motivational speaker, and has a book out called ‘What’s in Your Purse,’ and she has a pretty decent, active life.”
Caywood said Savage paid Island House a visit the day of this interview.
“When she walked in, the people in our program knew her right away, and one woman started crying. But she’s just a wonderful, wonderful lady, and she’s wildly accepted,” he said.
Savage, however, is the rare exception.
“The answer is there’s no one in our program currently that’s ever going to go out and live independently,” Caywood said.
Everything is aimed at giving them daily living skills, including being responsible for making their own meals as a group, and talking openly in group counseling about their particular mental illnesses.
“This is trying to get them comfortable so they can understand what it is and deal with it, and try to remove the stigma of having that mental illness,” said Caywood.
Clients are referred to MHA through their doctors or other resources such as Coastal Empire Mental Health on the island or the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The nonprofit is funded by client fees, donations and grants. Caywood said $300,000 will be paid from client fees and other sources, but he still needs $200,000 to cover the cost of the operation.
843.681.9210
Very few of those who come for treatment are able to leave and become fully independent, he said.
One who did is Wendye Savage, now a local author and motivational speaker. Caywood said she and her husband married
There are three other Mental Health America affiliates in South Carolina: Greenville, Spartanburg, and the main office in Columbia. They are among more than 200 others that fall under the corporate offices in Washington, D.C.
For more information about Mental Health America Beaufort-Jasper, go to mhabeaufortjasper.org or call 843-757-3900.
(Editor’s Note: Cliff Amos sent the following story the day after the rescue happened. Rather than rewrite it from another perspective, we decided to run his first-person account with his byline.)
I thought you might enjoy this event that happened March 19. It is a heartwarming success story, but with a cautionary side. For about a week, we (Sun City Bird Club members) had been told about a Great Blue Heron that had been seen with a water bottle shrink-wrap around its neck.
I went to the site near Hidden Cypress Golf Course. Two Bird Club ladies and I attempted to catch this large bird. But it could still fly enough to go across the lagoon to evade us.
After a few tries, we felt that we didn’t want to tire the bird, and have it go in the water. Great Blue Herons are waders – they don’t swim. If he went down in deep water, he would essentially become gator food. So, we called it a night.
On Saturday we got word of a Facebook post about seeing this bird, with the blueish plastic and all, on the peak of a house –
RESCUE from page 25A
complete with picture and address. I went over there to see if I could find him, and then maybe call around for some help.
It was raining so I was able to walk some golf cart paths in that area. No luck.
The next morning, I received a call from a lady who was actively watching this “large gray bird, with plastic around its neck.” I knew immediately that this was the one.
I quickly called a friend and fellow Bird Club member, Linda Maslowski, who has experience with rescuing large birds of prey and shorebirds. My wife, Ruth, and I quickly got in the car and got over there.
We found the bird just behind the house against a small bush at the edge of a lagoon. Linda arrived and we made a plan. We would attempt to throw a sheet over it.
But again, the bird quickly became suspicious and glided across the lagoon.
Next plan: We would try to get close and toss a towel over any part of it, then I would try to get one over its head. The ultimate goal is to get its beak in control for safety’s sake.
As we approached him, he was again right on the bank of the lagoon. Linda made the attempt to throw the towel and the heron tried to fly, but just could run forward. Hindered by that awful plastic, he went a few yards out into the water.
Almost simultaneously, we heard a splash on the other side. A gator now realized a bird was in the water. We had to act quick.
Linda got into the shallow water and just stood still, not wanting to stress the bird. We
now had the advantage!
By this time, the heron got its footing and was slowly walking back to the shore avoid her. As it got closer Linda was able to reach out and just grab a wing tip.
I jumped into the water and was able to wrap my gloved hand around its beak. Linda put her arm around it and we walked slowly backwards up to the bank.
Holding it carefully, we maneuvered the plastic around to allow Ruth to cut the plastic away from its neck. It wasn’t just draped over the neck – it was wrapped around it twice.
With the plastic off I held the bird while Linda got on shore, and I transferred it to her. We looked over the bird as well as we could. No noticeable abrasions around the neck. No bleeding, etc.
Linda released its feet and set the bird on the grass. It just stood there a few seconds then walked about 5 yards away.
Again, it just looked around for a few minutes. It never seemed agitated, never made a sound. Then, it calmly opened its wings and with a couple of flaps glided over the lagoon, and then smoothly (no plastic hanging from its neck) flew away over the trees.
The three of us began to high-five, with hugs, smiles, laughter and tears.
Only in a naturalist’s fantasies could this happen.
Eleven outstanding Beaufort County seniors have been named Heritage Classic Foundation scholars for the 2022-2023 school year. The students come from seven different high schools and one is home schooled.
Seniors in all Beaufort and Jasper County high schools were eligible to apply and applications were reviewed on the basis of academic success, community service, essays written by the student and financial need. Thirteen finalists were interviewed by the Scholar Committee; the two not selected were awarded a one-time $2,500 grant.
During the March 10 awards presentation, held at the Harbour Town Clubhouse, Heritage Classic Foundation Scholar Committee Chairman, Scott Richardson told the audience, “This is always an exciting day for the Heritage Classic Foundation. We believe the resumes of these young adults are better than ever. The teachers and administrators of our school systems, as well as the award winners, deserve special praise.”
Six of the newly named Scholars will receive a $16,000 scholarship over the next four years. Four additional awards carry a $20,000 opportunity.
Two of the latter scholarships honor Scholar Committee chairmen who have passed, John Zimmerman and Mike Malanick. One honors the late Scholar Committee member Charlie Brown, and the Tartan Club Award recognizes the donations made by the Tartan Club.
The Kirby Scholarship, a one-year $4,000 scholar award, was created in memoriam
of past Scholar Committee chairman Ward Kirby and will be granted every year moving forward. Two additional students will receive a one-year $2,500 award.
Next fall, a total of 41 Beaufort County collegians will be attending school and will have received Foundation grants at an expenditure of $200,000.
A grand total of $5 million will have been awarded to 375 students after the 2023 distribution.
In addition to these 11 scholarships, the Foundation is funding four $2,500 annual scholarships to the University of South Carolina Beaufort and two $1,500 annual scholarships to the Technical College of the Lowcountry.
The following graduating seniors were selected:
Ella Gordon, Battery Creek
Benjamin Steen, Beaufort Academy
Megan Alvarez and Susan “Elizabeth”
Livesay, Beaufort High School
Kellen Kubec, Heritage Academy
Cynthia Gudaitis, Benjamin Lewis and Laurel Hawkins, Hilton Head Island High School
Emma “Hayes” Wilkinson, Hilton Head Preparatory School
Samantha Reilly, John Paul II Catholic School
Levi Bates, Homeschooled
For more information, call 843-671-2448, visit heritageclassicfoundation.com, or find us on Facebook (Heritage Classic Foundation) and Twitter (@HCFGolf).
Bluffton Academy for the Arts (BAA) has announced the creation of its new musical theatre program, slated to start in the fall for the 2023-2024 school year. BAA is now taking applications for next school year’s musical theatre and dance programs.
BAA is a private, secondary school created specifically with performing arts students and their families in mind. BAA, located at 123 Persimmon St., Bluffton, provides a safe environment for students seeking to combine high-level performing arts training with the time-flexible, online learning program of their choice. The academy offers dance, voice and musical theater training from local and visiting faculty.
BAA Director and Bluffton School of Dance lead ballet instructor Meg Eberly said the school was created to “provide a safe, supportive education experience that grants performing arts students the flexibility to train more intensely while also completing academic requirements.”
Students attend BAA from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday with the assistance of an onsite director and academic support staff. BAA’s format allows students to take their arts training to the next level, while still mastering school assignments and receiving social interaction with like-minded students and staff.
Class sizes are kept small, so that every student receives the one-on-one attention they need to reach their goals.
BAA’s school calendar typically mirrors the Beaufort County School District calen-
dar, which makes scheduling a little easier for families with multiple children.
The new musical theatre program is for rising eighth to 12th graders in search of a school that combines an academic focus with high-level voice, drama and musical theatre-style dance training.
“There are so many talented young artists in our community training in musical theatre, and I am thrilled to be able to offer them a school that provides them the resources and time needed to pursue their artistic passion,” Eberly said.
The program will offer music theory, basic keyboarding, private voice lessons as well as ensemble voice training taught by esteemed vocal teacher Sonya Jacobs. Jacobs is a vocalist who has performed solo and in ensembles around the Southeast, including the Atlanta Master Chorale. She is also a Speech-Language Pathologist, which enhances her understanding of the voice as a human instrument.
Musical theatre students will also have access to rotating classes such as musical-theater dance training, drama/acting skills classes, and various opportunities to discover new musical theater shows and songs. They will also join BAA’s dancers for an end-of-year production to showcase their performing arts skills.
For more information and to register for the 2023-2024 school year, visit blufftonacademyforthearts.com or email Director Meg Eberly at info@blufftonacademyforthearts. com.
This is one of those topics you’re going to scoff at right now but thank us for in about a month.
No, it’s not just you. The first wave of our yellow snow, otherwise known as pollen, started far too early this year. While it wreaked havoc on ears, noses and throats all across the Lowcountry, it seems to be a non-issue now.
The good news is that your car will no longer have a coat of this sneeze-inducing hellraiser. Your eyes will not be too watery to actually see the blue skies and your nose will be unblocked enough to take a deep inhale of all the majesty that makes our corner of the world an unparalleled gem.
It feels like a bit of a fool’s errand to tackle a list of best outdoor dining spots. When I first broached the topic with
friends, they gave me side eye and said, “Uh, a-doy, everywhere.” And yes, that is true, but some postcard views are better than others.
My food and beverage friends gave me a more pointed, angry scoff when I raised the topic.
“You think you have issues keeping your windshield clean, try keeping an exposed bar and 42 table tops clear of this stuff for just 15 minutes,” one FNB rock star said. “Just when you feel you’ve got a handle on that, the no-see-ums start attacking ankles and shins relentlessly.”
So when we consider outdoor dining, it is far more about the outdoor part of the equation than the dining. If an eatery is in a prime location to capitalize on sunsets and primetime people watching, nine times out of 10 they have proven that their food is stellar enough to pay the rent
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HOT SPOTS from page 29A
consistently.
So for this Hot Spots, we’re going with volume to give you options and to try to decipher what differentiates one view from the next in paradise – a guide for both newcomers and longtimers who might have taken some of the gems for granted for too long.
The Tiki Hut, South Forest Beach, Hilton Head Island: It is iconic for so many reasons and its inclusion here will give you a sense of what we’re classifying best in show here. This iconic island locale gives you oceanside bites and that intoxicating mix of sea salts, lotions and some of the best people watching on the East Coast. Plus, you will get a steady stream of the premier musical talents daily.
Fishcamp (11 Simmons Road, Hilton Head Island; 1699 11th Street,
Port Royal): I had been away from the Lowcountry for a couple of years. I drove down one weekend to make sure that with all the growth, this was still the heaven I remember. I met a friend at the Port Royal Fishcamp. It took me all of four minutes soaking in the views to know. This is one of those spots where you truly can get drunk on the scenery. These two locales are just that perfect.
Quarterdeck, 160 Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island: It took losing this Harbour Town legend for months which bled into years which seemed like decades to truly understand what we were missing. And then they went and built a completely reimagined version of this topic OG on Calibogue Sound, with 270-degree views and uninterrupted views of one soul-soothing sunset after another.
The Squire Pope Road Classics: There are camps here, to be sure. Though they
are just a rock skip across Skull Creek from each other, Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, Dockside and Skull Creek Boathouse have their distinct fans. Whether it be the table they’ve scoped out for decades, their spot at the bar, or the signature dish or cocktail, each set of fans is equally passionate about these three locales. For me, they each check every single box I could ever create when it comes to outdoor dining nirvana. It’s like choosing between two brands of $100,000 caviars. Either way, you win.
First of all, this list is dominated by Hilton Head Island locations, for good reason. It’s about prime real estate. Entrepreneurs staked their claims on the waterfront on the island and the same can not be said about Bluffton.
Some would say it’s criminal that Bluffton does not have that mainstream waterfront eatery. There are an equal volume of
voices that will tell you that’s what makes Bluffton better, that we were smarter in keeping the best away from the masses. For the sake of this list, Bluffton is a onetrick pony and that’s people watching. And all of that comes in the classic one square mile in Old Town. The best peak-season people-watching spots to scout out the sidewalk-side tables are at The Cottage and The Pearl on Calhoun Street, and Calhoun’s, Corner Perk, The Bluffton Room and Captain Woody’s in The Promenade (the latter has the upstairs outdoors bar that gives a good look down on the action.
Now, in terms of taking in the sea of humanity in Bluffton, there are two top plays.
Okatie Ale House (25 William Pope Drive): The O’Gormans have mastered the blueprint of creating a scene in areas once laughed at as a potential landing spot for the masses. They did this in the
Please see HOT SPOTS on page 31A
HOT SPOTS from page 30A
early part of the new century at Bluffton Ale House, which is now British Open Pub in Sheridan Park. And now, with their deck and manmade pond just a strong fairway wood from 278, there is a consistent mix of the Sun City crowd and an older millennial parent crowd looking for a mildly wild night out.
Old Town Dispensary (15 Captains Cove, Bluffton) is off the beaten path of Calhoun Street but is worth seeking out. It has everything you want in an outdoor dining mecca except the water.
Back on the island, there are classics like Crazy Crab (on Jarvis Creek as you come onto the island and in Harbour Town) and Black Marlin (86 Helmsman Way) and Salty Dog Café (232 South Sea Pines Drive) that will give you the textbook sunsets, musical moments and people watching wonders that make braving the bridge traffic sooooo worth it. Coast (87 North Sea Pines Drive, Hilton
Head Island) is everything you could ever want in a casual beach club eatery. Fish, Big Bamboo and Skillets are your best classic plays at Coligny Plaza. It’s not like there are hidden gems here – kind of an oxymoron for the list. But in terms of spots you might not be thinking of top of tongue, Poseidon (38 Shelter Cove Lane) is best away from the water, while Elas on the Water and Top Dawg Tavern over at Shelter Cove are the best waterway-adjacent spots on the come up. And there’s the classic you thought I forget. They are still packed consistently, so I’m not crying for them, but far too many people forget Old Oyster Factory off Marshland Road when it comes to primetime waterfront dining. There, you should be set for a few weeks. Make sure to visit your faves before the weather gets warm and they will be overwhelmed with summer guests.
Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. timwood@blufftonsun.com.
CHICKEN PARMIGIANA 17
Breaded chicken breast topped with marinara and mozzarella cheese, served over a bed of spaghetti
HERB CRUSTED GROUPER 22
Fresh grouper filet with herb crust served with seasonal vegetable (GFR)
SHRIMP JAMBALAYA 23
Fresh jumbo shrimp sauteed with sausage and onions, seasoned to perfection served over jasmine rice
NEW YORK STRIP STEAK 26
12oz. char grilled New York strip steak served with baked potato
SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE 16
Tender semolina pasta tossed in homemade Bolognese sauce
FRIED PERCH 13
Fried perch, lettuce, tomato, and spicy aioli on a toasted brioche bun
HONEY GARLIC SALMON 25
Wild caught salmon sauteed with a honey garlic sauce served with jasmine rice
HOUSE REUBEN 14
Sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, thousand island dressing on marbled rye
PENNE ALLA VODKA 13
Tender penne served in fresh homemade vodka sauce
CALIFORNIA BURGER 15
Blend of certified angus beef, short rib, and brisket, applewood bacon, avocado, provolone cheese, and tomato on a toasted brioche bun
KYRA SPRING SALAD 15
Mixed greens, apples, strawberries, candied walnuts, served with white balsamic (GF)
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta. He was killed by an assassin’s bullet on April 4, 1968. He will long be remembered as a spiritual and civil rights leader.
He especially will be remembered as a dreamer who had visualized this country being a nation where equity and justice would be the standard for all and not a privilege for some.
The Bluffton MLK Observance Committee will commemorate the 55th assassination anniversary of the late Rev. Dr. King with a week-long reflection of the life and legacy of a martyr and true American patriot. The theme is “Together, We Can Be the Dream.”
The highlight event will be the Inaugural MLK Martyr Day Banquet/Luncheon at 11 a.m. April 4 at The Rotary Community Center at Oscar Frazier Park.
Community leaders, clergy, citizens, organizations and officials will gather to reflect on the life and legacy of a martyr,
who sacrificed his life for the shared commitment of equity for all. There will also be a call to action to continue the work of building the “beloved community.”
Tickets are available for $25 each. For more information, visit the Bluffton MLK Observance Committee page on Facebook, contact blufftonmlk@yahoo.com or contact Benisha Brown at 843-494-2408.
The event will be an afternoon that not only reflects on the day the world stood still as a martyr who gave his life for the betterment of all was brutally assassinated, but will also celebrate heroes and champions within the community, who embody the legacy Dr. King worked tirelessly to build.
April 6 will feature two events: A community soup kitchen will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., focused on feeding public works and sanitation workers, two groups near and dear to Dr. King’s legacy. Anyone interested in volunteering to serve or to donate a prepared dish or
dessert may contact blufftonmlk@yahoo. com or Jacquelyn Brown at 843-227-0485 for more information.
Later that evening, the committee will host a community forum focusing on “Race and Education: Post Brown vs. Board of Education and the 1965 Civil Rights Acts.” This event is a Part II continuation of the January forum that
focused on policing in America in the aftermath of the murder of Tyre Nichols. This panel discussion will feature local legislators, experts and educators, and will be an open dialogue between the community and panel speakers. Topics surrounding the effects of book banning and CRT will also be addressed. Contact blufftonmlk@yahoo.com or Bridgette Frazier at 843-816-9671 for more information.
The weekend will end with a Gullah Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 8 at The Heyward House Common Grounds. The market will showcase local artisans providing an array of Lowcountry and Gullah comfort foods, craftsmen, merchandise, entertainment and fun for the whole family. All are welcome.
For more information contact blufftonmlk@yahoo.com or Jacquelyn Brown at 843-227-0485.
*Total purchase value must exceed $500 or more on select furniture for o er to be valid. For one time use only and can’t be used with any other o er or discount. This o er must be presented to sales associate prior to time of sale.
• The Bluffton Democratic Club will meet at 6 p.m. April 6 at Blue HQ, 39 Persimmon St., Suite 201, in Bluffton.
Meetings are held the first Thursday of each month and include Happy Hour and Hang Out starting at 5 p.m. Coffee, tea and water are provided, and attendees may BYOB.
• The monthly Palm Trees & Pistons car show will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. April 8 at Sea Turtle Marketplace on Hilton Head Island, in the parking lot of the former SteinMart store.
The show will feature vintage, antique, exotic, muscle and unique cars owned by area locals. Any car owners who would like to display their vehicles are welcome to bring them for show and tell, and to meet others of like mind. It’s all free.
The show is held the second Saturday of each month and is free and open to the public.
• On April 11, visiting Maasai Chief Joseph ole Tipanko, his wife, Cicilia Seleyian and his tribal member John Parsitau will give a presentation at 2 p.m. at the Bluffton Library, 120 Palmetto Way.
The presentation is about the life and culture of the Maasai People of Kenya and Tanzania. There will be dancing and singing of traditional songs.
The event is free and open to the public.
• Calling all members of Delta Delta Delta in Beaufort County. The Lowcountry S.C. Alumnae Chapter of Delta Delta Delta has 29 paid members and is expanding! Join us by contacting: Sunday Molen, President 843505-0108.
The next meeting is a Beach Sweep on Earth Day, April 22, starting at 9:30 a.m. at Fish Haul Beach, 124 Mitchelville Road on Hilton Head Island.
Dress for the weather and dirty work. We will supply trash bags and gloves. Coffee will be available at 9:30 a.m. Family members are invited.
Since 1888, Tri Delta has initiated more than 330,000 women. We have 139 collegiate chapters across North America. Tri Delta provides transformational programming and premier leadership development programming for our collegiate and alumnae members.
• The Bluffton Library, 120 Palmetto Way will be hosting two special programs in April. South Carolina Bar Association volunteer attorneys will provide brief topic overviews, followed by a question and answer periods at each of the following sessions: Special Education Law, April 11, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.; andConsumer Law, April 25, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Register at 843-255-6503.
A volunteer from the S.C. Deppartment of Consumer Affairs will discuss “Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself From It and What To Do If It Happens to You” from 3 to 4 p.m. April 13. Register at 843-255-6503.
• The next monthly meeting of Liberal Men of the Lowcountry will begin at noon, April 12, at the Country Club of Hilton Head. Guest speaker is Erin Erenberg, speaking on behalf of Chamber of Mothers, an organization of which she is co-founder and is currently executive director.
Cost for the luncheon is $27. Non-members who are considering joining the organization
are welcome to come, but they must email bew_50@hotmail.com before April 5.
• The Savannah/Hilton Head/Bluffton chapter of Silverliners International will meet at noon April 12 at Colleton River’s Jack Nicklaus Clubhouse for lunch.
We are a social and charitable organization of current and former flight attendants representing more than 54 airlines. If you would like to join us, respond to Sue Smith by phone or text at 973-670-5832 or email camhillsue@ gmail.com.
• Palmetto Quilt Guild will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. April 20 at Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort, 40 Folly Field Road on Hilton Head Island. Social hour begins at noon. Carolyn McCormick from Colorado will be the guest speaker. Her Company is CM Designs, and quilters know her most famous product: The Add-A-Quarter Ruler. She will \ showcase some of the women who have had a big influence in quilting.
Also, a workshop, “How to: Table Runner,” will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 21 at Palmetto Electric Community Room in Hardeeville.
This class will include four techniques using the Add-A-Quarter Plus ruler. Learn how to paper piece, use templates, fussy cut and “stitch and flip.” Contact palmettoquiltguild.org to reserve a place. Space is limited. Non-member cost is $54.
• April 22 will be a day of fun and fundraising for the Lowcountry Autism Foundation at Hilton Head Lakes Golf Club and Southern Barrel Brewing Company Tavern.
Hilton Head Lakes Golf Club is hosting a charity golf tournament benefiting the Foundation with a shotgun start. The tournament will include 18 holes of golf, food, one drink and prizes. Cost is $135 a person or $540 for a four-person team. Tournament and hole sponsorships are available.
The fun continues into the evening at the annual Ales For Autism Night. From 5 to 10
p.m., Southern Barrel will donate 10% of all sales from the evening to LAF. It is a great way to support the Autism Foundation while enjoying live music and local craft beer.
Commemorative beer glasses, tee shirts and koozies will be available along with a 50/50 raffle and silent auction. LAF is currently looking for sponsors for this popular event as well as silent auction items.
For more information call Sophia Townes, program coordinator, at 843-80-7171 ext. 3, or email stownes@lafinc.org.
• The Children’s Center will host its second annual Celebration Dinner April 29 at The Westin Hilton Head Island.
The evening will include a cocktail reception, seated dinner, live and silent auctions and entertainment by The Junior Jazz Foundation. With a theme of “Building Futures,” the night will also feature work from local Lego Brick Master Chris Sudduth.
All proceeds from the night will fund the organization’s mission of providing afford-
able, high-quality early childhood education and childcare to the working families of the Lowcountry.
Ticket prices are $140 per person or $1,120 per table of eight. Each person will receieve one drink ticket with purchase. Tickets can be purchased at thechildrenscentersc.org/annual-celebration. Checks can be mailed to The Children’s Center, 8 Natures Way Hilton Head Island, SC 29926. For more information email info@thechildrenscentersc.org.
• Friends of Caroline will host Release & Remember, a community butterfly release, at 11 a.m. April 29 at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort. Participants may purchase a butterfly for $12 in memory of a loved one. Names will be placed on memory boards displayed at the event and on the Friends of Caroline website. Butterflies can be picked up at the event beginning at 10:30 a.m.
For more information, call Friends of Caroline at 843-525-6257 or visit fochospice.org.
The Outside Foundation, with partners Palmetto Running Company, The Town of Hilton Head Island, and Keen on Klean, have announced #EarthDayHHI, an island-wide litter sweep of all 12 miles of beach and natural spaces on Hilton Head Island on April 22.
Clubs, nonprofits, neighborhoods, schools, businesses and other groups are invited to participate in this year’s campaign to sweep the entire Island of litter and trash this Earth Day.
Over the past year The Outside Foundation and its partners have cleaned up more than 1.6 tons of trash from Hilton Head Island’s parks, beaches, and waterways.
“Our Island and its fragile saltwater marsh and coastal ecosystems are the most valuable natural resource we have. It’s our job as Islanders and stewards of this special place to take care of it,” said.
Outside Foundation Executive Director Dr. Jean Fruh. “I challenge every Islander to pick their favorite park or beach access
to clean up. From bottle caps to tires, every piece of plastic we remove from this Island will have an impact.” says Fruh. New to #EarthDayHHI, which is in its third year, is a challenge with local schools. The challenge will run through April 12.
Schools will compete by organizing at least one litter sweep and will have a chance to win a cash grant to help reduce litter in and around their campus.
The challenge kicked off March 11 at the Island Rec Center with a run and walk at 7
a.m., followed by a litter sweep at 8 a.m. Winning schools will be announced at the HHI Earth Day Festival on April 22 at Coligny Beach Park from 10 a.m. to noon.
To register a group for #EarthDayHHI visit earthdayhhi.com and fill out the registration form to receive more information.
The Outside Foundation was founded in 2014 with a mission to get kids outside and to preserve and protect our local environment. The Foundation seeks to develop, enhance, and expand programs directed at providing opportunities for children, and their families, to explore and develop lasting connections with our local waters and ecosystem, regardless of socioeconomic barriers.
With the goal of fostering the development of environmental stewardship, our focus is threefold: education, involvement, and empowerment. Our programs focus on our two most valuable community resources: our children and our local environment.
Chabad Greater Hilton Head plans to distribute hundreds of packages of handmade Shmurah Matzah and Passover Handbooks this year to assist Lowcountry Jews to participate in the upcoming Passover holiday.
The Matzahs will be distributed, or they can be requested at jewishhiltonhead.org/matzah.
Passover, celebrated this year from Wednesday evening, April 5 until after nightfall on April 13, commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt in 1313 BCE. Directed by God to leave Egypt hastily, the people of Israel could not wait for their dough to rise, and thus ate unleavened crackers called “matzah.”
Round, kneaded and shaped by hand, present day “shmurah” matzahs (literally “watched matzahs”) are similar to those eaten by the Jews when leaving Egypt more than 3000 years ago.
From the moment the wheat is harvested, the ingredients are carefully watched to ensure that they do not become leavened, which would be prohibited on Passover.
In addition, Chabad Greater Hilton Head will host a Community Passover Seder, “Relive the Passover Exodus” with Rabbi Mendel Hertz.
All Jewish residents are invited to participate in community seders to be held on April 5 and April 6.
Few Jewish holidays evoke the same warm sentiments as Passover. Memories of family and friends gathered as the four cups of wine are poured, the four questions asked, and the matzah served, all contribute to Passover’s popularity in the Jewish community.
The Seders take participants through the liberation of our ancestors from Egyptian bondage, while sharing the relevance and beauty of the age-old festival in our modern lives. Included in
the Seder will be a delicious Passover dinner, and a meaningful experience.
“Passover is not simply a celebration of the historic liberation of an ancient people,” said Rabbi Mendel. “Passover is about our own personal liberation –physically, emotionally and spiritually. Passover inspires us to break free from the shackles restraining us from reaching new heights – in our lives, relationships and connection with God.”
Chabad’s Community Seder is part
of a global Passover campaign that began in 1954, when the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, considered the most influential rabbi in modern history, launched the Shmurah Matzah initiative as part of an effort to create awareness and promote observance of the holiday. An estimated four million hand-baked Shmurah Matzahs will be distributed by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement this year.
All Jews are welcome to join the community seder, regardless of Jewish affiliation or background. Reservations can be made at jewishhiltonhead.org/ seder.
Chabad of Greater Hilton Head offers Jewish education, outreach and social service programming for families and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations. For more information, contact Chabad Greater Hilton Head at 843-301-1819 or visit jewishhiltonhead.org.
For the past 19 years, an integral part of this charitable endeavor has been the Artist Poster Contest. Local artists are invited to submit original artwork in any 2-D medium.
Hundreds of local artists have entered works in this competition, and many have sold their work as a result. The artwork selected is used on the cover of the ticket booklet and on the Garden Tour Poster, which is displayed throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties.
At a reception held Feb. 28, Pat Diemand was announced as the winner of the 2023 Artist Poster Contest. Diemand gravitates to color and paints in an Impressionist style where subject matter is anything that catches her eye. She turns to a vast inventory of photographs and sketches from all the places she’s lived.
“If my art makes a connection with the viewer then my goal has been achieved and this becomes my greatest satisfaction,” Diemand said.
Diemand’s winning artwork “Blue Bench” was selected by professional artists Joyce and Don Nagel, along with Neil Clark, architect, artist, and winner of the 2022 Poster Contest.
The artwork was juried in a two-step process to determine which piece of art would produce the strongest graphic image. After an initial selection of five finalists, those pieces are mocked up as posters to determine which piece would produce the most eye-catching image to represent the Garden Tour.
An additional activity related to the Garden Tour this year is the raffle of a lovely pastel, “Up the Garden Path,” created and donated by Joyce Nagel,
trust
well known in the Lowcountry for her work in pastels. Nagel, an award-winning artist whose work is displayed in private and corporate collections throughout the country, initiated the Poster Art competition for the Garden Tour in 2003 and chaired this activity for many years.
Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20 and can be purchased at allsaintsgardentour.com; at All Saints Episcopal Church, 3001 Meeting St., Monday through Thursday between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; and on the day of the tour, May 20, between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the Boutique at the church. A returning event this year is the boutique and bake sale on the same day and time as the Garden Tour. The Boutique includes crafts by local artists, a bake sale, and another opportunity to purchase raffle tickets. Credit cards will be accepted as well as checks and cash.
For more information, visit allsaintsgardentour.com. Tickets purchased online by May 6 will be mailed. Beginning April 17, Garden Tour tickets are available at garden centers and other businesses in Hilton Head and Bluffton.
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Luncheon and Fashion Show
Presented by the Hampton Hall Charitable Fund
Be transported to Paris for a day!
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Doors open at 11am Luncheon & Program to follow
$85.00 per guest
Includes welcome cocktail & amuse-bouche, plated meal, dessert and swag bag!
Hampton Hall Community Clubhouse
170 Hampton Hall Blvd. Bluffton, SC 29910
Purchase tickets by April 15 at HHCFFashionShow.eventbrite.com
Questions - contact Sandy Rak at 570-677-3210
Tickets are non-refundable. All proceeds from this event benefit the HHCF grants program. HHCF is a fund of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, a 501(c)3 organization.
Scan the QR Code or visit http://aprilinparis.carrd.co for more information.
The 2023 Bluffton Sunset Party Kick Off Event & Earth Day Celebration will be held at Bluffton Oyster Factory Park from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 21, featuring live music from the Jupiter Coyote Trio and The Minks.
Bluffton Sunset Parties are held once a month on Friday evenings during the summer, overlooking the May River at Oyster Factory Park. Each sundown celebration finds the Bluffton Community coming together with family, friends and neighbors to celebrate local foods, vendors, craft beers, boutique wine, fantastic live music and other fun activities for everyone of all ages.
In the course of their 33-year history, Jupiter Coyote has played more than 5,000 shows, traveled everywhere and done just about everything a touring band can do.
The innovative group has independently sold close to a million CDs, tens of thousands of downloads, and who knows how many bootlegs they cut loose to fans for free. Their sound has been labeled “Mountain Rock” – a mixture of Southern Appalachian boogie, bluegrass-infused, funk-rock.
Coyote has shared the stage with The Allman Brothers Band, Dave Matthews, Widespread Panic, String Cheese, The Radiators and Skynyrd just to name a few. They have played large festivals from coast to coast, including High Sierra Music Fest in California, Charlotte’s Center City Fest, Atlanta’s Mid-Town, Birmingham’s City Stages, Asheville’s Bele Chere and The Magnolia Fest in Live Oak, Fla.
The Minks are part of Nashville’s psychedelic music scene, heavy on the rock and roll. They have a low-down, all the way, purse-lipped, eyes-shut, head-whirling kind of groove. The band’s palpable sound has roots in every music fan’s top ten – from Lou to Patti to Creedence to Hank – but blends them into something totally original and current.
Come by boat, bike, or golf cart and party with your pooch (on a leash). Sun-
set Parties are kid and pet friendly, lawn chairs are welcomed, but no outside food or drinks will be allowed.
Tickets for the Bluffton Sunset Party Kick Off Event & Earth Day Celebration are available at blufftonsunsetparty.com for $15 advance or $20 cash at the door. Group discounts are also available. Children 12 and under get in for free.
Bear Foot Sports is proud to partner with Bluffton Paddle Club as the evening’s charity.
The remainder of the Sunset Party schedule includes:
May 19 – Sunset Palooza
June 9 – Blues & Brews on the Bluff
July 20 – May River Shrimp Festival / Thurs
July 21 – May River Shrimp Festival / Fri
September 30 – Blufftemberfest Music Festival
The Bluffton Sunset Party Series benefits several local charities, including Your Sound Stage, Friends of Coastal Conservation Association, Bluffton Paddle Club, Bluffton Gaelic Football Club, The Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Bluffton Organization and others. Since 2013, we have helped to raise more than $58,000 for our nonprofit partners. For more information visit blufftonsunsetparty.com or call Bear Foot Sports at 843-757-8520.
The Foundation for Educational Excellence will present “Let’s Rock!” a fundraiser concert, from 7 to 10 p.m. April 22 at Hilton Head Island High School’s Seahawk Cultural Center, 70 Wilborn Road, Hilton Head Island.
The event is an evening of classical rock performances by well-known local bands and musicians, and students. The concert is a fundraiser for the Foundation, and also a celebration for the 40th anniversary of Hilton Head Island High School.
The concert will feature local favorite, The Beagles: Steve Richard and Richie Dreier playing music of the Beatles. Other local musicians performing include Chick O’Shea, Annie Thompson and Bob Savarese playing classics from legends like Tom Petty, Simon & Garfunkle, Carole King and more.
Some of the local alumni celebrity performers include Sara Burns, Dun-
can Aspinwall-Winter and Domino Theory, Adriana Urato, Emma Stanton and The Alumni Band: Dakota Sabados, Dallas Ackerman and Alex Tye.
Plus, there will be a special performance by the HHIHS Arts Department.
All proceeds of the concert will benefit the Foundation for Educational Excellence, serving the students and teachers of the Beaufort County school district since 2007.
“What better way to celebrate the school’s 40th birthday than with a giant party with the entire community?” said Cindy Sturgis, Foundation Board member and event coordinator. “I hope that everyone shows up ready to have a great time for an amazing cause – supporting the Foundation.”
General admission tickets are $20 and can be purchased online. Tickets for students are $5 with ID at the door and teachers will be admitted for $10
ONLY ONE STEP AWAY
with ID at the door. To purchase tickets or for more information, follow @ foundationedexcellence on Facebook or visit foundationedexcellence.com.
The Foundation for Educational Excellence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds to support the mission and goals of the Beaufort County School District by furthering student instructional activities and projects through Innovative Teacher Grants, Innovative School Resource Grants
and Student Enrichment Grants.
Established in 2007, the Foundation awarded its first grants in 2009 and has awarded more than $325,000 in grants to the teachers and students in the public school system since its inception, benefitting thousands of students across the county each year.
The Foundation is supported by individual donations and these local charities: The Bargain Box of Hilton Head, Friends of Callawassie Island, Italian-American Club of Hilton Head, Moss Creek Charitable Fund, the Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island, and Women In Philanthropy of Hilton Head. We are grateful for their ongoing support of our work.
The Foundation is a fund of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law and can be made at oundationedexcellence.com/donate.
Allison Bonner and Amanda Denmark, local professionals from the architecture industry, have launched Save the Shutters, an initiative whose mission is restoring livability with community.
Save the Shutters is a charitable effort administered by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, dedicated to helping homeowners who have been temporarily displaced from their home, or have a barrier to access, due to degradation of the home, or an event that has caused an unsafe/unhealthy living environment, and do not have the means to restore it.
“Save the Shutters works with teams and volunteers in the community to pool resources, time, donations, and kindness to make this goal achievable,” said Bonner. “We work closely with the Town of Bluffton’s Neighborhood Assistance Program, and many other charitable groups, to manage the process of which funds can be used, how much is available, and what needs to be supplemented through Save the Shutters.”
Bonner is an architect and Denmark is a project manager at Pearce Scott Architects in Old Town Bluffton. While Pearce Scott Architects is one of Save The Shutters’ biggest donors, Bonner and Denmark are running the initiative separately from their architecture firm.
The first project (which is still ongoing), located in the Town of Bluffton, initially involved a roof repair after a tree fell on the home close to two years ago. The house had been covered in tarps for a year while the homeowner fought for a repair.
“She was brought to our attention as someone who had exhausted all avenues and still could not get the complete help she needed,” Denmark said.
Bonner and Denmark helped organize the repair, securing a structural engineer to visit the site and a builder to coordinate the project with a roofer and carpenter. Within a month, Save The Shutters and these generous tradespeo-
ple helped the homeowner get a new roof, with donations from the goodness of many hearts.
“The issue that we were now faced with was that because of all the water intrusion from the tarp insecurity, the entire house tested positive for mold and it was toxic for anyone to live in,” Bonner said.
Most of the local charities around Bluffton do not work with mold removal/remediation, including the Neighborhood Assistance Program. Save the Shutters brought Servpro on board to remove all the toxic materials and treat the house to make it safe to enter the home.
Once the house was cleaned of all the mold, they had to address the structural damage found due to the age of the home and the tree impact.
“Where we are now: We’re working on the foundation and framing in order to stabilize the home,” Denmark said.
“The homeowner is one of the most deserving people in the community. We have a long list of generous people who are ready to donate finishes, appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical, flooring, etc. just to finish this because they love her so much.”
Donations help fund these efforts for many low-income, both newer and generational families, in Bluffton whose contributions to the Lowcountry community have been part of establishing and supporting the town.
For more information, email savetheshutters@gmail.com.
We are moving into prime-time tourist season and it’s just as busy for new businesses making their mark in the Lowcountry. Happy Heritage Month, y’all. We get started with news on one of the fastest-growing sections of Bluffton.
Big News in New Riverside: You’ve seen the DOT work and the streets being paved and the townhome and apartment shells popping up quicker than spring weeds. Now we have some real news as to how the commercial side of New Riverside Village is coming together.
First thing you may have noticed is that there is a placard on the May River Road frontage sign for the budding epicenter of commerce and leisure next to the roundabout. That belongs to Riverside Animal
Hospital, but it really belongs to the folks behind Bluffton Veterinary Hospital. They were one of the OG veterinarians that sprung up on the Bluffton Parkway before even the first resident boom in the early days of Y2K. Now they plan to be one of the early settlers on the New Riverside side of town (Lowcountry Vets has already set up shop off Gibbet Road). The largest part of the commercial boom at the Village will be a 16,000-square-foot restaurant and retail complex being developed by J.R. Richardson of The Richardson Group. The first official tenant announced is a familiar one – Local Pie. The Neapolitan-style woodfired pizzeria will open its third location as one of the dining anchors, joining their New Orleans Road location on Hilton Head Island and their first Bluffton loca-
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tion in The Promenade in Old Town.
TRG officials are working to finalize other retail and dining partners, including a second large eatery. I hear that an announcement on the names to fill those building is coming in the next few weeks. But Richardson Group officials said they hope to have Local Pie and other partners open by March 2024.
One more name we don’t need to wait on is a familiar coffee roaster. The Grind Roasters has signed on to join the Village and will be opening its second location this fall, according to owner Ian Duncan. He said they hope to get keys to their spot in early fall for an October/November opening.
One footnote: There is construction activity across the street at May River Crossing as well. An urgent care facility is being built out next to the Ice Cream Stop and there was recent construction activity on the building that is still set to house the latest locale for New York City Pizza. There is currently a loud, red stop-work-order sticker on the window, but town officials confirmed that NYCP is still building there once it is properly permitted.
Corner Perk invades island: One of Bluffton’s other favorite java gems has
officially crossed the bridge. Josh Cooke and his crew officially opened the doors on March 6, giving the first 100 customers through the doors a $50 gift card. There are so many nooks and crannies to the new locale – it feels like Cooke and Co. went into overdrive to create the optimum ambiance inside to compensate for the difference in outside vibes between The Promenade and the Hilton Head locale in the Publix shopping center. Mission accomplished. Between the comfy chairs, stylish workstation desks and the murals and decoration, the island locale has the comfy feeling that has become synonymous with the Perk. You’ve come along way since Bruin Road, my friend. Congrats.
Yes, a third coffee item thanks to the behemoth: I have felt the pain of the Buckwalter crowd that has seen every corner of the U.S. 278 corridor get a Starbucks before them. That problem is getting solved, as plans have been submitted for a third Bluffton standalone location in the new Washington Square development off Buckwalter Parkway. The proposed 2,500-square-foot coffee shop would be located at 401 Bleecker St. next
UPDATE from page 42A
to Lowcountry Fresh Market and Café. One unique feature of the plan: A drivethrough lane that would accommodate 12 cars before dumping into the 28-space parking lot.
Same owner, new name at Berkeley Place eatery: It has been a while since we’ve been able to chow down on a glorious Cheeburger Cheeburger cheeseburger next to the Cinemark movie theater in Berkeley Place. That’s all thanks to extensive water and ceiling damage that shut down the location for many months. But that did not stop the mother-daughter Groark family team from rebuilding. They have shed the franchise label and re-opened as the Prime Time Grille on March 3, just in time for March Madness. While some may be sad to see the shake bar gone, in its place is a true bar area with TV screens that make it a much-needed sports bar locale for the Buckwalter set.
Lemon Island Seafood coming to Bluffton: Brandy Witherow has had a rollercoaster year. First, she won a $10,000 woman-owned business grant in September 2022. Then she finds out that the county is evicting her from her Okatie Highway location to build a parking lot for boaters. The coaster is on the upswing though, as Witherow has announced that she will be moving to Plantation Park Plaza off U.S. 278 in Bluffton. The new location will be next to the Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Witherow told her followers on Facebook that she hopes to open by May 1.
A new daily habit on the island: Michelle and Scott Allen have been a food and beverage staple on Hilton Head Island for four decades. The owners of Scott’s Fish Market Restaurant and Bar at Shelter Cove have opened up Daily Café HHI (dailyhh.com, 843-686-2525), just down the row from Scott’s in the Shops at Shelter Cove Marina at 9 Harbourside Lane, Unit A1. The idea behind Daily Café is quality ingredients and grab-andgo foods, from breakfast items to salads and sandwiches. Scott has been involved
in many eatery icons for decades, from Hugo’s to CQ’s to Fulvio’s and Harbourmasters, and early reviews have the Daily off to a roaring start since its March 7 opening.
Hey, Hey, it’s Monkee’s: No, it’s not the iconic ’60s TV rockin’ goofballs. This is a Southeast-based women’s boutique franchise that has opened its doors in the Old Town Promenade at 14 Promenade Street, Unit 301 (monkeesofbluffton. com, 843-707-4597). Each of the franchise’s locations are independently owned and operated, and Alison Haynes is the proprietor of the clothier’s latest location. Haynes previously worked for the family business, All Seasons Comfort, until her father’s retirement last year. Her husband, Alex, and his team at Genesis Construction, did the buildout and renovation of the space ahead of the boutique’s March 12 opening. Congrats to the Monkee’s team and to Alex and Alison, who just celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary.
Tonkin taking his shot: Jamie Tonkin has built up a strong reputation in the garage door business for two decades across the Lowcountry working for others. Now, he’s ready to build his own brand as he launches Coastline Overhead Door (coastlineoverheaddoor.com). The company will focus on new and replacement installation, as well as annual tune-ups and preventative care to make sure your garage door is in top-top shape. Call Coastline at 843-422-8584 for a free quote.
A sad anniversary: This spring marks the 12th anniversary of when The Sembler Company hoped to break ground on the $400 million Okatie Crossing project at the intersection of U.S. 278 and S.C. 170. Okatie River runoff concerns, an economic downturn and some local short-sightedness led Sembler to move on to brighter pastures. It’s filling in piecemeal now, but oh, what could have been.
• Marc L. Johnston, CFP, ChFC, CAIA has joined the team at The Bedminster Group. Johnston has more than 25 years of investment, financial planning and portfolio management experience. Before relocating to South Carolina in 2023, he was a money market mutual fund portfolio manager with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s investment group, RE Advisers Corp. During his 20-year career there, he also provided shareholders and plan participants with financial education, planning and portfolio construction services.
Johnston earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Northeastern University in Boston, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania.
Johnston was also commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy upon graduation from Villanova University.
Johnston lives on Hilton Head Island with his wife Lisa and dog Everest. All three of his children are out and making their way in the world. He enjoys keeping fit and beach activities when not in the office.
The Bedminster Group, 36 William Pope Drive, Bluffton is a premier investment management firm in the Lowcountry for more than two decades. For more information visit TheBedminsterGroup.com.
• Gary Hughes has joined the team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group as a Realtor. Licensed in three states (South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee), Hughes brings decades of experience in sales and customer service to the Lowcountry.
Hughes has served as a real estate agent for the past five years and was awarded the Berkshire Hathaway Leading Edge Society
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award for outstanding sales in Tennessee in 2021. Prior to that, he owned and operated Hughes RV Sales in Abingdon, Virginia, for 40 years, managing all aspects of the business from sales and contracts to service and employee management.
Originally from Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee, Hughes and his wife recently moved to Callawassie Island to be near their grandchildren and family. They are active members of St. Gregory Church in Bluffton and have a therapy dog that they take to children’s hospitals, nursing homes and schools.
For more information, visit baystreetrealtygroup.com.
• Hilton Head Dental Spa has opened at 2 Corpus Christie Place, Suite 206 on Hilton Head Island.
A new concept in care for the whole body, the business is a full service dental practice that specializes in cosmetic and restorative dentistry. We also focus on health and beauty, including Botox, body contouring, specialty facials and massages.
A dental spa is a dental facility supervised by a licensed Oral Health Care Provider in which dental services are provided alongside spa treatments.
Jacquelyn Lawless is the owner of the business. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday by appointment.
For more information, call 843-802-0155, email thespa@hhdentalspa.com, or visit hhdentalspa.com.
The Bluffton Sun welcomes news of new employees, promotions, awards and honors, as well as new businesses and relocations. Email info to editor@blufftonsun.com.
HALO Primary Care is a new primary care office in Bluffton, SC. Here at HALO, we believe you should be in charge of your health. We understand that each patient is different; therefore, we strive to work with you to develop a plan of care that is obtainable and reasonable.
• House calls are offered to homebound patients living in the 29909 and 29910 zip codes.
• Telehealth visits are also offered for established patients.
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Petals & Stars will kick off a new season of Entrepreneur Day 4 Kids popup markets in Beaufort County starting April 15 at Martin Family Park in Bluffton.
From noon to 3 p.m., children and their parents will be onsite selling slime, cupcakes, jewelry, artwork and a variety of other items. Bluffton Police Department will also be on hand with a static display for public interactions.
This is the second year Petals & Stars has organized the events in Beaufort County, after holding markets on the University of South Carolina Bluffton campus and Hilton Head Island’s Shelter Cove Community Park last year.
Local businesses and organizations are pitching in to support the project by donating coupons, promotional products and other items to the “small” business stars.
The vendor fee is $15 per booth for children 16 and younger.
The event is free and open to the public. For info and to reserve a space or do-
nate, visit the Facebook page @petalsandstars or email hope@petalsandstars.org.
Petals & Stars is a local program with a mission of spreading hope to its neighbors. Its signature initiative, the Kindness Creations Project, invites students to write encouraging messages on small, specialty paper for distribution to animal helpers, veterans, first responders, farmers and other community workers.
To date, thousands of notes have been shared with targeted groups in Beaufort and surrounding counties.
The Entrepreneur Day 4 Kids popup market was started in 2022 for children with aspirations of entrepreneurship. In addition to families with “small” business stars setting up booths to sell baked goods, jewelry, artwork, and other fun products, local community helpers present onsite static displays for fun interactions.
For more info, email us at hope@petalsandstars.org or visit petalsandstars.org, Facebook @petalsandstars or Instagram @ petalsandstarsproject.
The Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce recognized local businesses and individuals at the eighth annual Golden Oyster Awards Gala, an event created to honor businesses and individuals who have made substantial contributions to the Chamber and the community. The event was held March 18 at Pinckney Hall in Sun City and was presented by Hospice Care of the Lowcountry.
More than 45 businesses were nominated to receive an award for nine different categories. Nominee applications for the awards were vetted by individuals in the Chamber of Commerce industry from Louisiana, Tennessee and Florida.
Based on specific award category criteria, the following local businesses were recognized as recipients among the different categories:
Chamber Ambassador of the Year: Monty Schwartz
Bluffton Chamber Young Professional of the Year: Marcus Walsh
Nonprofit of the Year: Programs for Exceptional People (PEP)
Community Philanthropy Award: Pay
Proudly
New Business of the Year: Southern Sky Recovery
Business of the Year: WHHI-TV
Chamber Member of the Year: Oceano Blue Media
Lifetime Achievement Award: Daniel Wood Wood was honored for his lifelong service to the Greater Bluffton Community. He is passionate about enhancing the quality of life for all, giving back, and is heavily involved
in several civic organizations within our community. In addition, he is known as the founder of the Arts & Seafood Festival, a Lowcountry signature event.
In addition to the above awards, one of the award recipients received the Pearl Award, the highest honor that is awarded to a recipient based on standing out above the rest for their contributions and service to the Greater Bluffton area.
Gustavo Rattia, and his Oceano Blue Media company, was chosen as the 2022 Pearl Award
recipient for “standing out” above this year’s award recipients for his dedication and impact to the Chamber and the Greater Bluffton community. He tirelessly gives of himself and his talents to make the Chamber and community better.
“It is a true honor and privilege to prestigiously recognize local businesses for their contributions that they have made to the Greater Bluffton community,” said Natalie Osterman, CEO of the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. “This event was a true testament to (our) community, and we were elated to see so many women and men coming together to celebrate, connect, and support local businesses.”
Since its creation in 2012, the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce has been the “voice” of local businesses, providing them with valuable resources and opportunities to help them connect, grow and succeed in an ever-changing economy.
For more information about the awards, visit blufftonchamberofcommerce.org.
Spring is in the air! When we think of the term “spring cleaning,” we tend to think only about how we can refresh our living spaces, donate clothes or other items that we don’t use.
However, our annual spring cleaning festivities are also the perfect time to get our estate affairs in order by reviewing, updating, and/ or creating an estate plan. Here are a few things to check for:
• Have you created an estate plan? If not, then there’s no better time than now to spring into action.
• Do you have actual executed estate planning documents? I’ve had clients who believed they had an estate plan in place but it turned out they didn’t! They only had draft documents that were never executed 5-plus years ago. A drafted estate plan is not an effective estate plan – it’s as if no estate plan was ever created.
• Do you know where your original documents are? Many times, people have no idea where their originals are. The documents may be in an old storage bin, a box from their last move that’s stored in the attic, or maybe their former attorney (who cannot be located) retained the originals. If you don’t know where your documents are, your loved ones aren’t going to be able to locate them either.
• Do people have access to your original documents? If your original documents are stored in a home safe or filing cabinet, does a trusted loved one know the combination lock or have a key? If not, then they’re likely going to encounter a delay in being able to assist you or your estate.
• When’s the last time you reviewed
your documents? Reviewing your estate plan isn’t something that you do weekly or monthly. However, it’s recommended that, at minimum, you review your documents at least once every three to five years.
• Have you experienced a life changing event since you last updated your documents? Maybe you’ve gotten married, divorced, or there’s been a new birth in the family. Whatever the event may be, it’s important to make sure that your documents still meet your goals.
• Have your assets changed? Maybe you’ve inherited more assets and need to do some tax planning in your documents. Or, maybe you want to make specific devises of certain assets within your documents that you didn’t do before.
• Review your beneficiaries. Do you still want your named beneficiary to inherit? Times change and relationships change. Or maybe your beneficiary has died – have you accounted for a contingency?
• Do you have reliable Power of Attorney (POA) documents? A financial power of attorney and a health care power of attorney (aka living will) are just as important as having a will or a trust.
• Review the names of your chosen executors, successor trustees, and agents in your POAs. Are these individuals still people who you trust or want, or are even capable of serving in the roles?
These are just a few things that you should check for when spring cleaning your estate plan. If you found yourself scratching your head or answering “no” to one or more of the items listed, then you’re a perfect candidate for a formal estate planning review.
Spring into action today and don’t fall behind tomorrow – consult with an experienced estate planning attorney.
Facial flushing can be embarrassing, as people will often mistake it for an emotional response. Flushing can be the result of many different things, and understanding what might be triggering it can help you to prevent the problem from occurring.
Q: What causes facial flushing?
A: When your body’s core overheats, the hypothalamus region of your brain sends a message to your blood vessels to dilate. During those times, warm blood moves from the internal organs to the blood vessels in the
skin’s surface. This reaction, called vasodilation, causes your skin to flush.
Q: What is facial flushing?
A: Facial flushing is a sudden reddening of the face. The redness may affect the neck, or upper chest and is often associated with a sense of warmth, sweating or mild itching. It’s a normal bodily response to an intense emotion, such as embarrassed or anger, but it may also be associated with certain medical conditions.
Embarrassment, anger or stress can cause a release of adrenaline – increasing the heart rate. In turn, that means that more blood travels to the face and more of it will remain there, creating the impression of a red face.
Rosacea is a medical condition that causes redness in the face and sometime pimples to form. It typically has a deeper red hue than that caused by flushing and
the color does not fade. If you think that you are affected by rosacea, you should see a dermatologist for assessment and treatment.
Acne can be the cause of a flushed face. In some cases, as clusters of spots filled with blood can make whole areas look red.
A rash can be the result of an allergy and is an immune response. If you have recently begun using a new face cream, shampoo or other product, or if you have eaten something that you do not normally eat, any of these things could explain the cause of an allergic reaction. Try taking them out of your diet/regime and see if the rash goes away. Spicy foods are commonly known to cause facial flushing.
Alcohol and some medications can cause flushing as a reaction and the severity will depend on the individual.
Body heat, whether caused by external
temperatures or from exercise will cause flushing. Exercise of course gets your blood pumping around your body and that means it travels to your face too, and at the same time it also causes your internal body temperature to rise more than it normally would which additionally causes flushing.
Poor circulation can cause blood to collect in a range of places and not flow as effectively as it should and this can also lead to facial flushing.
Q: How is facial flushing treated?
A: The treatment of facial flushing depends on the underlying cause.
Dr. Oswald Lightsey Mikell, certified by the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, is the owner of Dermatology Associates of the Lowcountry.
Each year the multi-billion-dollar health and wellness industry introduces more fitness fads that promise greater health as long as you prescribe to their levels of daily exercise, balanced diets and sleep.
I have never seen a health trend that prescribes better teeth-brushing habits, increased flossing and regular dental visits as part of its program, but I wish I would!
I admit, a new Peloton or a Whole 30 diet plan seems more exciting than a regular oral hygiene routine, but the connection between your oral health and your overall health should not be ignored.
Oral health is much more than just healthy teeth. A recent study by University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry explained how it includes the health of many other anatomical structures like the gums, bones
and muscles. Many oral health issues stem from plaque resulting from inadequate dental hygiene.
Bacteria feed off plaque, which eventually develops into gum disease. Sore, bleeding gums provide an entry point for bacteria to travel into the bloodstream and organs and throughout the body. Bacteria in the bloodstream cause respiratory and circulatory conditions or blood clots, which can cause a stroke. A growing body of research has also identified a connection between oral health
and chronic diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. I tell my patients to approach removing plaque as they would a splinter. Most people stop everything to work at removing the splinter, knowing that it could eventually fester, cause an infection, and lead to more serious issues.
The same goes for plaque; it’s best to remove it ASAP!
I also tell my patients to think of oral health maintenance in the same way as they
care for their homes. In this scenario, the house they currently live in is the house they will live in forever, just like their one and only mouth!
Ignoring an isolated issue like a leaky roof or a drafty window can cause damage throughout their entire home. Just like preventing a damaged roof or window, regular hygiene and dental appointments are imperative. Not only is it impossible to replicate professional cleanings at home, many in-office instruments, such as digital X-rays and intraoral cameras, can catch issues early to save time, money, and discomfort later. Remember, as you strive to improve your overall health, include your oral hygiene routine as a part of the plan! It will have as much impact on your lifespan and quality of life as a healthy diet and exercise.
If money is the lifeblood of an organization, then volunteers are the backbone.
Volunteering is something anyone can do to help a community, no matter their age, educational background, or other demographic characteristic. With more than 800 nonprofit organizations in Beaufort County, it’s easy to get involved.
With so many nonprofits, it’s also easy for an individual to get overwhelmed with requests for monetary donations.
When an organization’s mission pulls at your heartstrings and you don’t have extra money to donate, remember the old saying, “time is money.” According to Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs, the national value of a volunteer hour is $29.95. That’s the equivalent of more than
$1,500 a year for one hour per week of volunteering.
We can also look at volunteers as invaluable. Helping our neighbors and serving our communities is truly priceless and, even though volunteers do not expect anything in return for their time, there are positive benefits from volunteering.
Volunteering is a way to meet friends, develop skills for future employment, and improve one’s quality of life. You can volunteer your skills from a current or previous job or use the opportunity to do something completely different from your everyday life.
Friends of Caroline has opportunities for all ages and skill sets. The Medicare Hospice Conditions of Participation require 5% of a patient’s care to come from volunteers. Our patient and family support volunteers visit patients in their place of residence and provide support through
friendship. These visits also provide respite for the patient’s family and caregivers.
Administrative volunteers provide support to our main office, departments and programs. Some assist in our office attending to administrative duties while others greet guests to Caroline’s Cottage.
Student bereavement volunteers help students cope with the death of a loved one in a group or one-on-one setting at a Beaufort County school during school hours and at our two-day Camp Caroline. This year’s camp will be held June 21-23 at John Paul II Catholic School.
If you are looking for an opportunity that is more short term, our fundraisers and special events volunteers donate their time from co-chairing and planning events to working a shift during one of our annual events, such as Bands, Brews and BBQ in February.
Volunteers can also serve as Neigh-
borhood Champions, collecting butterfly orders for our new fundraiser, Release & Remember. In 2022, we released 1,400 butterflies in Waterfront Park. This year’s event will take place April 29. Most volunteer positions at Friends of Caroline require application and screening requirements that may include personal references, criminal background check, driving record check, and two-step TB test. Training for required positions is provided. Whether we see you serving BBQ in February or see you weekly in the office or in one of our patients’ homes, we thank you for your commitment to our community. For more information about volunteering, contact LaNelle Fabian at lanelle@ fochospice.org or 843-525-6257.
Lindsay Roberg is the president/CEO at Friends of Caroline, a local nonprofit hospice and palliative agency. fochospice.org
If “HydraFacial” sounds like something out of science fiction, then you’re not totally wrong. HydraFacials rely on state-of-theart technology and a drastically improved understanding of skin physiology to accomplish skin rejuvenation like never before. Making the most of exfoliating and extracting technologies as well as concentrated medical-grade serums, HydraFacial offers a complete facial for remarkable results in under an hour and can be easily tailored for anti-aging, acne, lymphatic drainage and even the neck and neckline areas.
Best of all, the process is every bit as comfortable as a spa facial!
To demystify the HydraFacial, we need to understand how they work step-by-step. Step 1: Vortex exfoliation. Cleaning your windows and cleaning your face have more
in common than you might think. Before we buff any glass surface to brilliance, we have to clean it.
During the first step of your HydraFacial, an esthetician uses a vortex exfoliating wand to remove dead skin cells, revealing the newer, supple skin below.
Dead skin cells can dull our complexion. Removing these dry, lusterless cells evens out skin tone while also allowing the skin underneath to hydrate and breathe.
Once your face is cleansed and exfoliated, it’s time for the next step.
Step 2: Peel hydration. Without our realizing it, our skin pores are hard at work each day. Pores serve as output channels for sweat, oils and other toxins that may damage or dull our skin. Cleaner pores allow for more toxins and oils to escape, improving overall appearance and health.
In this step of your HydraFacial, an irritant-free chemical peel is applied for two
key purposes. First, the peel extracts debris and leftover toxins from your pores. Next, the nutrient-rich peel permeates the skin to provide deep, nourishing hydration.
Unlike traditional chemical peels, this special solution won’t leave your face feeling hot or scoured. Instead, immediately after step 2, you should notice softer, refreshed-feeling facial skin. A vacuum may also be used during step 2 for total pore penetration, giving you the cleanest possible pathways for naturally removing toxins.
Step 3: Protection. After exfoliating, cleaning and hydrating, what could possibly come next?
Similar to a premium car wash, the third and final step is a protecting serum to maximize results and longevity. An esthetician will use the HydraFacial wand to apply a collagen- and antioxidant-rich serum.
Although our skin naturally produces collagen, its maximum output diminishes
as we age. This collagen-rich serum puts the bounce back into your skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Sun damaged and greasy skin, along with blemishes, should also see immediate improvement.
HydraFacials are the cutting-edge in spa skincare treatments. In just three easy steps, you can rejuvenate your skin for unbelievable results lasting six weeks or longer.
With HydraFacials, there’s no intense downtime or restrictive recovery period. Aside from avoiding certain topical ointments or acne medications for one or two days after the treatment, you’ll mostly just need to avoid tanning beds or intense UV exposure.
Dr. Audrey A. Klenke, MD, FACS, is a co-owner and medical director of Pinnacle Plastic Surgery, Pinnacle Dermatology and Pure Medical Spa with offices in Bluffton and Beaufort.
This month’s primer on facial rejuvenation will focus on the upper third of the face –the forehead and brow. These techniques offer a large “bang for the physiological buck.”
The risk/benefit ratio is quite low, with a great impact on a refreshened “look” for the recovery time and money invested.
But first, consideration must be given to both anatomy and aesthetics. For example, the usual brow position for women is above the bony ridge above the eyelid. Anatomical position and shape should be tailored with the goal of a natural lift or “look” where the brow is slightly higher with a subtle lateral peak. In men, the youthful brow is a lower, more flattened shape.
Guidance from a plastic surgeon is important in addressing various desired brow positions.
Any surgical consult addressing upper eyelid surgery should also address the brow position. Commonly, patients seek improvement of a chronically tired appearance, including hooding around the eyes with a look of fatigue and anger. Brow descent can be severe enough to obstruct a person’s vision.
On occasion, a patient consults for eyelid surgery yet really needs a browlift – or both, but simply are not offered it or do not know of the technique’s availability.
For the past decade or so the population has settled into the use of neurotoxins such as Botox, Dysport and Xeomin to create a temporary “chemical browlift.” However, browlift surgery offers a considerably more long-lasting return to a refreshed look without the temporary “frozen” or “over-lifted” look as with neurotoxins.
There are several variations of browlift techniques, and these can be performed simultaneously with eyelid surgery when
needed. Browlift can be performed endoscopically with small incisions hidden at or behind the hairline. Short-scar lateral browlift alone can elevate treated hooding around the eyes.
A more traditional, full browlift can be performed with a hidden incision just behind the hairline as well. The technique is typically patient and surgeon specific.
A recent study in JAMA Plastic Surgery stated patients undergoing browlift had a 93% satisfaction rate, with 96% recommending the procedure to others. Further, browlifts are particularly safe with thousands being performed every year under local anesthesia with conscious sedation in an outpatient setting.
Like upper eyelid surgery, browlifts in general do not require much downtime. Mild swelling and bruising may occur but do not typically interrupt a speedy recovery and return to work.
If you have been thinking about brightening your appearance, seek an evaluation with a plastic surgeon to see if aesthetic surgery of the forehead and brow might be right for you.
Mathew T. Epps, MD, MS, DABS is a plastic surgeon, triple- fellowship trained in facial, eyelid, and breast surgery. matheweppsmd. com or info@dreppsmd.com
By E. Ronald Finger CONTRIBUTOR
Q: What can be done for droopy ear lobes?
A: Like most things, more time equals more droopiness for just about everything on our bodies. Regarding earlobes, earrings cause even more sagginess, and heavier earrings logically cause the problem even faster.
But even without earrings, earlobes will sag over time. Earlobes lose their volume with aging and consequently become saggy – much like a beachball that loses air.
The simplest treatment is to use a small amount of a hyaluronic filler. This expands
the earlobe to a more youthful shape, reducing the sagginess.
If the sagginess exceeds what can be corrected with a filler, then the excess skin can be excised.
Lastly, wrinkles from excess sun exposure causes loss of elasticity and can be treated with an ablative laser. Sometimes a combination of treatments must be used to get the optimal result.
Q: My son has a weak chin. Can anything be done about it?
A: Chin implants have been the mainstay treatment for decades, providing the mandible is not too deficient. In these cases, the mandible must be advanced, and this also aligns the teeth.
Chin implants are a cosmetic treatment, and they come in different projections, shapes and lengths. The treating surgeon must make these determinations and take necessary measurements to provide the
proper implant.
Recently, chin injections with fillers have been used very successfully to augment the chin. The advantage of an injectable filler is that the injection can be accomplished during an office visit in about 10 minutes with minimal to no recovery time needed. The mandible can also be injected with a filler and to create a more defined jawline.
Q: My upper lip seems to have disappeared. Can anything be done about this?
A: As with any patient, the treatment must be individualized. Some people have very little lip volume to begin with, but even those with ample lips (meaning the red part of the lips called the vermillion) diminishes with advancing age.
This shrinkage is from a combination of thinning and lengthening of the cutaneous lip (between the vermillion and nose), loss of volume, and loss of elasticity, which in addition results in wrinkles.
If the cutaneous lip is too long, it covers the teeth excessively and the lip turns under making the vermillion look smaller – not a youthful look.
A “buck-horn lip lift” excises a carefully measured buckhorn shaped horizontal width of skin just under the nose, shortening the distance between the nose and upper lip. This turns the lip up exposing teeth as in a more youthful person. For wrinkles, a combination of an ablative laser, as in a CO2 laser, with PDO threads to increase collagen and elastin production, and even fillers can be used. A good professional cosmeceutical skin care line should be used to diminish future wrinkling.
Spring is here! It’s a new season of growth and new beginnings.
If you’ve thought about starting something new, “spring” into your local piano store. If you’re wondering what you might find there, here is a sampling:
Your neighbors: You might be surprised to find that many people you know play the piano and rely on their hometown piano store to service their piano with annual tunings, small repairs, string replacements, piano dehumidifiers and cleanings.
Speaking of neighbors, the Hilton Head International Piano Competition just wrapped up its 26th year of offering a stellar piano competition that draws pianists from all over the world. The community comes together to volunteer time and provide host homes for these competitors.
Your local piano store is proud to play a role in helping the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra host such a renowned event.
Local musicians: On any given day in your local piano store, you might hear local musicians like Martin Lesch, James Berry or Charlie Curtis tickling the ivories. Piano stores draw recording artists and virtuoso pianists like kids to candy stores.
If you stop by, you might just be treated to a mini performance. There are also ticketed events such as recitals and chamber ensembles that dot the yearly calendar and provide an evening of musical entertainment.
Piano students: A piano store without piano lessons is like a zebra without stripes, and we get very excited about the families and students that come to the piano studio for lessons each week. These students (young and older) bring excitement, energy and music to the store. We love to see them get lost in the racks of piano music.
Recently, we were thrilled to loan a new baby grand piano to the piano students at Hilton Head Christian Academy – helping neighbors and musicians alike in their pursuit of music.
Friendly staff: It’s hard to have a bad day at work when you work in a candy store – I mean, a piano store! Everywhere you look, there are beautiful pianos, baby grands, electronic keyboards, and the potential for exciting, romantic, jazzy, fanfare, or dance music to emanate from any of them at the hands of a pianist or at the touch of an iPad. Spring is an excellent time of the year to find growth in a new hobby or passion. Find your way to your local neighborhood piano store this season, and perhaps discover a new beginning.
Jennifer Herrin is the co-owner of Kawai Piano Gallery by Herrin in Bluffton. @ kawaipianogallerybyherrin or kawaipianogallerybyherrin.com
Reading this article’s title might make you ask, “What in the world is she talking about?”
Many dogs suffer from chronic digestive issues that are exhibited most often by diarrhea. No matter what food changes, including prescription diets, and medications that are off and on, the issue does not seem to resolve itself.
Owners can be at their wits end as to what to do for their poor dog. It is very difficult to live with a dog that has this condition, as it means many trips outside – not just during the day but in the middle of the night as well. It can also create difficulties with house breaking, as the dog can’t control its bowels.
Recently I spoke to an owner of such a dog. Her veterinarian had recently been to a conference where the subject of fecal transplant was discussed. Evidently it has been around for a while but not often used due to the training. I had never heard of it and was very intrigued.
In this case the owner decided to give it a try. It often takes two doses and information follows:
Microbiome restorative therapy transfers gut microorganisms from a healthy dog to a dog that suffers from chronic gut issues. I know it sounds icky, but it can prove to be a very successful process.
Microbiomes include bacteria, fungi, protozoa and more. They do not cause disease but support the body’s health. Food, drugs and chemicals can destroy these health-producing microbes and cause disruptive imbalances.
More than 80% of the body’s immune system in both animals and humans reside in the digestive tract. These imbalances can cause a variety of diseases and medical conditions other than just digestive ones.
The dog receiving the transplant needs to be prepared by making some changes to reduce inflammation, such as food changes,
and adding probiotics and immune support products.
Locating a healthy donor dog is also difficult. The donor dog needs to pass an array of tests to ensure their health. One doesn’t want to transfer any unwanted disease-producing organisms. The exact criteria can’t often be found, which is one of the many reasons this procedure is not often offered. However, even if the perfect criteria can’t be found, coming close might be the best bet.
Preferred donor dogs are not spayed or neutered, have been on very few chemicals (drugs, especially antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories), and have a long-lived ancestry.
The procedure: Fecal sample is collected from the donor dog and processed. It is inserted through a tube and placed in the rectum of a partially sedated recipient. The tube goes up all through the length of the intestine. It can be repeated over a course of months.
If you can get past the grossness of this and have tried many other remedies, it may be time to discuss with your veterinarian. It is not considered an expensive process but very few vets offer this, so you might need to check around.
Close your eyes and picture, for a moment, the stark contrast between darkness and light. Imagine the darkness as it might be experienced by an abandoned animal.
A 3-month-old puppy found himself dumped at a shelter. But this puppy is different. He is blind. Without the benefit of sight, he is left to navigate this scary place using only his senses of hearing, smell and touch.
The nights are loud, long, and cold. The days are even worse. Then a hand reaches into the terrifying void and gently leads this puppy out.
The warmth and calm of the Palmetto Animal League Adoption Center must have come as a huge relief for the pup who was named Wonder. A rural, underfunded shelter contacted the adoption center when they realized he was completely blind.
Since his eyes show no outward signs of his disability, we can’t help but think how long this precious soul was left to fend for himself, literally, in the dark.
“Wonder wants to be close to people and feel like he is not alone,” said Sally Dawkins, PAL foster coordinator. “He especially enjoys being swaddled like a baby and held close to your chest.”
Wonder came to PAL in February, and while we provide him with all the care and
comfort possible, an adoption center is no place for a blind puppy. He deserves a family and all the stability that comes with having a real home.
“He is a very smart puppy, and if we can find him a foster or adopter with experience or a willingness to do the research on blind dogs, he will adapt in no time,” said Dawkins.
Wonder’s other senses have been adapting quickly since coming to PAL. Our devoted dog care team is working hard to provide him with the positive interactions he needs to feel safe and learn how to adapt in different surroundings and situations.
“He is incredibly eager to learn new skills,” said Dawkins. “He loves to be outside for playtime and his favorite game is tug of war.”
Wonder is the perfect mixture of sweetness and determination. He’s ready to take on the world, but first he needs to find a soulmate. Wonder will be a loyal, loving companion and in return, he just asks for someone to devote a little extra time to teaching him the ropes.
To meet Wonder, lover of warm hugs and toys that tug, call PAL at 843-645-1725 to schedule a visit to our adoption center in Okatie. If you’re unable to adopt, but you’d still like to help more homeless pets like Wonder, visit PalmettoAnimalLeague.org.
Amy Campanini is president of Palmetto Animal League.
To give unselfishly, to help where help is needed, and to understand both the suffering and the weaknesses of your fellow-men, means to receive, because it is the simple and true way to the Highest!
– Abd-ru-shin
In Matthew 28:6 (NIV) we find these words: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said...”
As we prepare to celebrate Easter, by dyeing boiled eggs or filling plastic eggs with money or candy; by wearing new, brightly, pastel colored clothing; or presenting the children with baskets filled with goodies –let us stop and reverence the real reason for this season.
He arose!
For the Christian, Easter follows Lent, the 40-day (not counting Sundays) period of penance and fasting. Lent “is immediately preceded by Holy Week, which includes Maundy Thursday, the commemoration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples; Good Friday, the day of his Crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, the transition between Crucifixion
and Resurrection,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
It is, as we in the African American church like to call it, That Great Getting Up Morning.
We say “Great Getting Up” because we reflect on the fact that Jesus took on our sin – that he was tried by his people, found guilty of nothing, ridiculed and crucified. All of this happened so that our sins would be
wiped away. That we – you and I – might have everlasting life. As a child
I remember singing the words of this hymn in the choir and the church:
“They crucified my Savior, and nailed Him to the cross; (3x)
And the Lord shall bear my spirit home.
He rose, He rose, He rose from the dead; (3x)
And the Lord shall bear my spirit home. But Joseph begged His body, and laid it in a tomb; (3x)
And the Lord shall bear my spirit home. He rose, He rose, He rose from the dead; (3x)
And the Lord shall bear my spirit home. An angel came from glory, and rolled away the stone; (3x)
And the Lord shall bear my spirit home. He rose, He rose, He rose from the dead; (3x)
And the Lord shall bear my spirit home. As we are celebrating the joy of Easter, let us be mindful that Christ died for us and rose on the third day that we may have a new lease on eternal life.
He rose that our sins would be washed away in his blood. He rose so that you and I will not have to suffer eternal damnation if we believe and attest that he is the son of God.
He arose, he arose, he arose from the dead that we will have a new beginning.
Rev. Dr. Christopher L. Thompson is pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Okatie.
Since you are reading this article, there is a very good chance you know at least some of what we do at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. However, you might not know about the entire impact the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has on our four-county service area of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties.
Fortunately, there is a quick way to fill in the gaps about all that the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has to offer: our 2022 Annual Report! It is a concise, enlightening 23-page report that both informs and engages the reader.
Readers of our annual report will get an inside look at the various ways in which Community Foundation of the Lowcountry partners with donors and nonprofits to help improve the lives of people living and work-
ing in the region.
Four groups or organizations are featured in the 2022 Annual Report, all of whom have funds administered by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. These stories not only highlight the power of philanthropy, but also touch on very timely issues in the Lowcountry: a nursing shortage (S.C. Nurse Retention Initiative), a transportation issue (Antioch Educational Center), and educational challenges (William and Mary Cale Education Enhancement Fund). In addition, there is the story of one family who took an unthinkable tragedy and turned it into opportunity for others (Live Like D.J.: Dwon Fields Jr. Scholarship Fund).
You will learn about the motivation for these giving, committed people to step up, and the important role the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry had in making their charitable objectives a reality.
If you are a numbers person, our annual
report will not disappoint. Since our inception in 1994, the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has awarded more than $95
million in grants to deserving local nonprofits and more than $9 million in scholarships to dedicated Lowcountry students interested in continuing their education at a university or trade school.
In fiscal year 2022, the Community Foundation awarded more than $7.3 million in grants to nonprofits and more than $836,000 in scholarships. The Community Foundation manages 445 active funds (and counting), including 37 new funds in FY22. The Annual Report also includes all of our grants awarded in FY22 (Impact, Opportunity, and Organizational Development).
We hope we have piqued your interest in our annual report and you are now ready to read it! Visit cf-lowcountry.org to read the digital version or stop by our Hilton Head Island office at 4 Northridge Drive, Suite A to pick up a copy.
Scott Wierman is the president and CEO of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.
If you are sitting around twiddling your thumbs trying to figure out something to do with your spare time, then you must be from another planet.
It’s April, folks! This is turkey hunting time, redfish time, sheepshead time, and my personal favorite – wahoo time. It only seems appropriate that April begins with an “A” because for outdoorsmen like myself, I give April a solid A plus.
Though I haven’t been turkey hunting yet, I know that many of my friends were chasing these big birds when the season opened April 1. For years I was a turkey fanatic, hopping up long before the earliest rooster crows, then driving an hour or more to get to some turkey territory.
And how do I know this? I did the same thing for darn near 20 years when I would go every single morning during turkey season. I guess age and my back have dampened my enthusiasm to go, but I still dream about a big gobbler strutting and drumming just a few feet from me.
If you have never experienced this awesome spectacle, it ranks up there in my top five outdoor memories. If this piques your interest, the state has several game management areas not that far away that are loaded with gobblers.
If you have never tried turkey hunting, it is fabulous. At times if can be frustrating,
but if you stay real still, and know two or three calls, the odds are in your favor.
April also means the water temperature is reaching that magic mark that triggers every fish out there to feed and feed and feed some more, trying to pack on pounds they lost during the winter months. In both fresh and saltwater, the feed is on.
I don’t do that much freshwater fishing, but if I did, April is the month to go. There is one pond I know of that is loaded with small gizzard shad, and during April those shad go into a spawning ritual that drives the big bass crazy. It happens at first light, and the shad congregate by the thousands right up against the shoreline.
The first time I saw it, I couldn’t believe the carnage as every big bass in that pond exploded under the shad. I found that a Rapala shallow-running Shad Rap mimicked the shad perfectly, and on a good morning I could catch a bass on just about every single cast. And talk about exploding on a lure,
the bass will hit it so hard and fast it will scare you the first few times it happens.
We still have a while before the cobia show up, but in the Gulf Stream the water is already in the mid-70s. So what does that mean? That means it is time to get the heck out there! It’s a long run for sure, but boy is it worth it. The water there is such a brilliant blue it is hard to describe.
And clear? You can watch a quarter flutter down nearly 30 feet before it disappears. What really gets my heart pumping is to be trolling big lures and big baits and watching them skip across the surface. Then, almost like magic a huge shape appears right behind one of the baits.
If it is a mahi-mahi, its dorsal fin is standing straight up and it weaves back and forth with super quick movements as it eyes its prey. When it finally decides to eat, it changes from a vibrant blue to a kaleidoscope of yellows, oranges and greens. This is called being “lit up.”
Most all the pelagic species out there possess the ability to change colors as quickly as if you had just flipped a switch. Marlin and sailfish do it, tuna do it and my favorite fish
of all – wahoo – do it too.
Why am I so all fired up about wahoo? I guess it is their raw, savage power that attracts me. With a unique hinged jaw chock full of razor-sharp teeth, a wahoo doesn’t mess around when it decides to eat. Reaching speeds of 60 mph, there is no mistaking when one has hit the bait.
They can dump tons of line off a reel in the blink of an eye, they will shake and thrash their head like a mad bulldog. And there isn’t a better eating fish in the ocean. With the S.C. Wahoo Series in full swing, with more than 150 boats entered, you surely won’t be alone out there on those days when the wind allows. Thus far, it seems like the wind has been honking for weeks but that isn’t unusual for March.
One final note: I am considering another two-part “How to Fish the Lowcountry” seminar. I have yet to schedule exactly when and where, but once I figure out the logistics I’ll let you know.
These are usually limited to 15 attendees, which allows me more one-on-one time, whether it be inshore, near shore or offshore fishing. For now, April is the beginning of multiple choices chasing either fins or feathers. A set of three turkey tags for residents is $5 ($100 for non-residents) and can be ordered online at SCDNR.
Collins Doughtie, a 60-year resident of the Lowcountry, is a sportsman, graphic artist, and lover of nature. collinsdoughtie@icloud. com
Since the beginning of human history, we humans have anthropomorphized non-human animals. That is, we often attribute human characteristics to non-human animals.
Our folklore is rife with examples of attributing human qualities to animals also. Let’s take a look at some examples:
• Lions are majestic. We call them the “king of the jungle.” It may be a small point, however, lions are rarely found in jungles – rather their habitat is the savannahs of Africa. Tigers, who live in jungles, are larger and arguably just as majestic, but are on the verge of extinction in their natural habitat.
• Dogs are referred to as our best friends. Any dog owner will tell you that. The wolf, however, from which all dogs are descended is considered the “Big Bad Wolf,” which we have nearly exterminated to extinction and
are only now beginning to see the importance of wolves in keeping the balance of nature.
• Also in the canine family, we have the fox and the coyote. We have the “wiley coyote” and the “crafty fox.” Many people see the fox as cute and adorable, but the coyote
is seen as a menace and a pest. Yet both are skilled carnivores and hunt the same prey for the most part.
If you’re a pet owner like me, you take anthropomorphizing to the next level. Scientific data suggests that dogs can learn up to 90 or so words and phrases. Cats may only understand 25 to 35 words.
A dog may follow a few basic commands. A cat may or may not understand those commands, but we will never know, since they are unlikely to follow them. If a dog is man’s best friend, we are more often than not our cat’s loyal servants.
I have been known to have long, wordy conversations with our cat, Madison. On an emotional level, I am convinced she understood every word, even if she did whatever she chose. For example, like most cats, she did not take medicine well and would run and hide when she thought it was medicine time. So, my wife and I have been known to whisper or even text her when her meds were ready so as not to have her running and hiding under the bed.
Sadly, Maddie had a variety of health issues that destined her for a short life despite the best care we and our vet could provide her. Her life might have been short, but it was filled with love both given and received. You don’t get more anthropomorphizing than that.
With somewhat warmer weather and longer days approaching, this is a good time to take on long-neglected projects like deep cleaning, home repairs, and yard work.
Start by reducing the amount of clutter inside and outside your home. While clutter does not start fires, it can become fuel for a fire.
Household and pool chemicals, paints, and poisons should be marked and stored out of a child’s reach. Dispose of any that are leaking or expired.
Make sure gasoline and cleaning fluids are also marked and stored in a cool dry place away from the house and away from children and pets. Use only approved containers for gasoline storage.
Common household chemicals can fuel a fire and can also be hazardous to your
health. Maintain only the amounts you need and be sure to use, store and dispose of household hazardous materials in a safe manner as outlined on the product. Your medicine cabinet is not meant to be a storage area for all the medicines that you have ever been prescribed. Spring cleaning is a good time to get rid of them and any
expired over-the-counter medicines that you may have.
Maintain your yard by trimming bushes, plants and trees. Removing vegetation clears fuel for any potential fire. Keep gutters and roofs clear of leaves and other buildup. Check the kids’ play area for sharp objects, poisonous plants, and tripping hazards.
Clean up work areas by putting tools and other work items away from children’s reach. Remove all fire hazards, including stacks of rags, newspapers and magazines.
Pay attention to spaces around hot water tanks, fireplaces, space heaters and dryers, as well as under stairs.
Check your barbeque grill for leaks and cracks and be sure to store any propane tanks at least 10 feet away from your house and garage. Locate grills a safe distance – at least 10 feet – from buildings or wooden decks.
Test all your smoke alarms to ensure they are working. Change the batteries at least once a year and the actual smoke alarm every 10 years.
Spring cleaning can greatly improve the safety of your home and family.
Cinda Seamon is the fire and life safety educator for Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue.
Golf fans and friends are mourning the passing of golf icon Jim Ferree, a resident of Hilton Head Island, who died March 14 at the age of 91.
Ferree was born in Pine Bluff, North Carolina and learned the game of golf from his father, Purvis, a longtime golf professional at Old Town Club in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The younger Ferree played golf at Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem and college golf for the University of North Carolina from 1951 to 1953. During his time at UNC, he won the Southern Conference Championship.
He was a member of the Southern Conference 75th Anniversary team that included Arnold Palmer and Brad Faxon. In 1991, Ferree was the first golfer inducted into the
University of North Carolina Hall of Fame. After college, Ferree served in the Armed Forces and participated in intramural military golf competitions. He had a lifetime commitment to supporting and respecting America’s active armed services women, men and veterans.
In 1955, Ferree turned professional. He won once on the PGA circuit – at the 1958 Vancouver Open, where he had a one-shot victory over golf legend Billy Casper. He played in 295 tour events and had two runner-up finishes.
In 1966, Ferree became the head pro at Savannah Inn and Country Club. He later became the golf pro at Westmoreland Country Club in Export, Pennsylvania. At Westmoreland, Ferree coached many great junior golfers, including well-known PGA Tour winner Rocco Mediate.
In its inaugural 1981 season, Ferree joined the Senior PGA (now the Champions Tour).
Because of his knickers, trademark hat and signature swing, Deane Beman chose Ferree to be the model for the Senior Tour logo.
While still playing on the Senior Tour, Ferree became the first Director of Golf at Long Cove Cub on Hilton Head Island. In 1981, he and his longtime friend, Karen Shapiro, a golf pro at Long Cove, married.
Ferree won twice on the Senior Tour. In 1986, at the Greater Grand Rapids Open beating Gene Littler and Chi-Chi Rodriguez in a playoff and in 1991, winning the Bell Atlantic Classic beating Lee Trevino by 2 strokes. Ferree also had 12 runner-up finishes.
In 1998, Ferree was inducted into the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame. When Karen was inducted in 2014, they became the first husband and wife pair to earn the honor. They are both members of the Lowcountry Golf Hall of Fame as well.
He stayed active in golf, and in 2002 and
2003 he teamed with Miller Barber and won the Demaret Division of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. In 2019, Ferree was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.
Ferree remained committed to the local golf community with his support of the First Tee of the Lowcountry in his final years.
Last year, Ferree was the guest of honor at a 90th birthday celebration held on the Long Cove course as he finished his round of golf. Dozens of friends, members and golf pros gathered near a large sign to sing “Happy Birthday” as the legend dropped his ball into the final hole.
For a video of the celebration, search YouTube for “Jim Ferree Birthday Long Cove Club.”
Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local golf courses. jean. golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; golfdoctorjean. com
United Way of the Lowcountry (UWLC) has announced the Clarece Walker Legacy Endowment Fund’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for new, inspiring, cutting-edge and innovative educational programs that inspire area families to lift themselves out of poverty.
The Clarece Walker Legacy Endowment Fund was established in 2013 in honor of Clarece S. Walker, retired President and CEO of UWLC.
The RFP invites nonprofit organizations in Beaufort and Jasper counties to submit proposals for educational programs that address poverty at its root causes and focus on empowering families to achieve financial stability and self-sufficiency. The endowment fund is seeking proposals for educational programs that offer innovative
approaches to addressing poverty as well as community collaboration.
“We are thrilled to offer this opportunity to organizations in Beaufort and Jasper counties,” said UWLC President and CEO Dale Douthat.
Any organization that has a 501(c) (3) status or any collaborative that has a fiscal agent that has a 501(c)(3) status may apply. The fund’s advisory board will give special consideration to those applicants that are submitting as a collaborative. Funding ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 will be considered.
Letters of Intent are due April 14, and applications from selected agencies will be due May 12. Agencies will be notified of funding decisions by June 23. For more information, visit uwlowcountry.org.
Why RE/MAX? RE/MAX gives your property more world wide exposure
Toni LaRose-Gerken has earned the Lifetime Achievement Award from REMAX – an award earned by only 6% of all REMAX agents worldwide!
8 PINCKNEY DRIVE | $650,000
This ENLARGED home will please the buyer w/a discerning eye. Glorious lagoon views. An added large Carolina Room overlooks a new patio & peaceful water views. Featuring 3 Bedrooms plus DEN/OFFICE, 2 full BA, Dining Rm plus an extra area for a Bar or Piano, large Kitchen w/beautiful countertops & appliances, Great Rm w/built-in entertainment center & gas fireplace. Office has built-in shelving, Master w/his & her closets, Roof only 3 yrs old, 13’8x15 brick paver patio, WOW!
153 CYPRESS RUN | $350,000
Lovely Azalea w/many upgrades & great features including a large screened lanai that is 16 x 16 that can be used as a year-round room w/polyurethane windows. Overlooking a beautiful nature preserve giving you much privacy. Featuring 2 bedrms or one w/Den, 2 full baths w/comfort-ht toilets, Master w/ walk-in shower, dual sinks & walk-in closet, Master Bedrm w/Bay window making room larger. Kitchen w/white Southern cabinets, Granite & pass-thru bar, stainless appl., large pantry & storage area.
Call Toni direct cell: (843) 384-3574 or Toll Free 1-866-297-0142
Endora is a peach! This beautiful girl loves to talk and play with new people who visit her room. She enjoys her time looking out the window or lounging with one of her roommates. She is 2 years old, spayed, up to date on vaccines, and microchipped. To make an appointment to meet Endora, or for more information, call the Palmetto Animal League Adoption Center at 843-645-1725 or email info@ palmettoanimalleague.org.
New Listing in Sun City! 76 Herons Bill Drive
Stunning Lilac Model | Offered for $625,000
Stunning Lilac model, this spacious home has an inviting entry foyer, abundant kitchen cabinets & pantry, prep island with granite countertops. Carolina Room leads out to the screened-in lanai with plunge pool and probably the most spectacular lagoon view in Sun City Hilton Head. Large primary bedroom suite w/bay window & two walk-in closets. Private guest area with full bath. Come play and enjoy all the SCHH amenities.— Hilton Head MLS #: 432751
| ruthkimball@msn.com
It is important to one’s well-being to feel good, be happy, be healthy, be productive – to be the best version of oneself. Mindfulness and health are key elements to our best journey.
Our feel-good self is the connection to our mental and physical health. Using the Law of Attraction to create my best life, I use my training and learning to share these ideas with you.
Did you know your mood and behavior can be affected by your surroundings? A lighter and brighter living environment can improve your well-being, which can also improve your behavior and your physical health.
Consider painting your rooms with light and cheerful colors – happy colors make for a happier you. Color choices are one of,
if not, the most important elements of the home.
Color connects us. The shades of colors we choose can help our senses. Colors – and various shades of colors – can enable us to be the happiest and best versions of ourselves.
The cortisol levels of stress deeply affect our bodies. Relaxing in our homes helps us rebuilds our immune system, the essential
element for good health.
Designing a comfy living room where chairs and sofa face each will encourage people to feel at ease and comfortable. Find the best seating that suits you and also fits the shape and size of the room.
A warm, friendly, attractive space will encourage open communication essential for our energy and our sense of well-being.
Our hectic, busy, somewhat stress-filled lives affects our health. Maintaining a balance for mental and physical health and wellness, for ourselves and for our relationships is the goal.
We have to feel our best to be our best. Furnishing a home can be an overwhelming task.
Have you ever felt something in your living space is wrong? A professional can diagnose the issues and easily correct them. Remember, your energy and joy is your responsibility – and it is OK to ask for a bit of help.
In the end, you will avoid making costly mistakes. With the right choices, you will love, thrive and enjoy your surroundings to the fullest. It will be a good investment and money well spent.
Diamond Riegel is an interior design consultant and owner of Designs by Diamond, Bluffton. diamondbydesign@aol.com
www.217StratfordVillageWay.com for a virtual open house panorama of this wonderful Sun City Home OR scan the QR Code with your cell phone.
While successful real estate listing agents go the extra mile for their sellers, sellers can help their agents get their home sold faster and for a higher price.
Here are three ideas/sales strategies that sellers and agents can add to the marketing plan to get from “Just listed” to “Just sold.”
1. Create a selling book. Tell the story of your home through photographs, descriptions and graphics, all combined in a beautiful book format. Not only is this a powerful selling tool, but also a nice keepsake for the sellers and the new buyers.
A selling book will give the home its own identity, highlighting all the special features that the home has to offer – i.e., the beauty of the home in every season, the home’s appeal during special holidays, information about the architect and builder, views of the forest, the lagoon, nature that surrounds the home, wildlife outside the window and
anything else that shows how special your home is.
Once the selling book is complete and in print, it can easily be developed into a digital flip book that can be added to various real estate websites.
2. Create a renovation book. List all the home improvement projects that have been completed. Show before and after photos of renovations that made the property more comfortable and appealing. This is a very persuasive tool for buyers to see that your home has more added value than the competition.
It also helps sellers get offers as close to their asking price (or more) as possible, as most purchasers do not want to take the time, effort, energy, vision and expense of doing the remodeling themselves.
3. Create an exclusive single property website. While this can be done by ambitious sellers using an online marketing program like propertiesonline.com, many savvy real estate agents will include this marketing method in their services for their seller clients.
Routinely, when you list your home, it immediately is displayed in the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Zillow, and a number of other online real estate portals. Adding an exclusive single property website (e.g., 1234HomeSt.com) can syndicate your home listing to hundreds of other online real estate directories.
Larry Stoller is a broker and Realtor with Real Estate Five of the Lowcountry. Larry@ RealEstateFive.com, RealEstateFive.com
SPORTS CARDS WANTED: Vesci Sports Cards, specializing in pre-1972 baseball, football and basketball cards. Looking for personal collections. Cash paid for cards. Hilton Head resident Jim Vesci 215-266-2975 jdvescisr@gmail.com
CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 843-757-9507.
YOUR AD HERE CAN REACH 25,000 households and businesses from Moss Creek to Sun City to Callawassie Island. Promote services, sell goods, announce a yard sale, buy a house, sell a house, find a job, find
employees, ask for help, offer help! Ads starting at $28 for 40 words. 843-757-9507.
CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 843-757-9507
CLASSIFIED ADS WORK! CALL 843-757-9507
John K. Crum at Art League of Hilton Head
April 11-May 13
“Sea Breeze” by John K. Crum
‘Art That Makes You Smile’
April 6
“Disney’s Frozen Junior,” Sea Pines Montessori students at Seahawk Cultural Center, 5:30 p.m. Hilton Head Island High School, 70 Wilborn Rd., Hilton Head. Tickets $12 children 5-17, $15 adult at spma.com.
Through April 8
“Art + Quilt = Art,” exhibit by Art Quilters of the Lowcountry at Art League of Hilton Head, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head. Free and open to public. artleaguehhi.org or 843-681-5060
Through April 8
Savannah Music Festival, 34th season. A cross-cultural musical event, with artists in classical, contemporary, Americana, blues, jazz, funk, pop fusion and more. Tickets starting at $31 for various venues. Savannahmusicfestival.org or 912-5255050.
April 11
“Twitty & Lynn, A Salute to Conway & Loretta,” performed by their grandchildren, Tayla Lynn and Tre Twitty. 7:30 p.m. Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. Tickets $56 at arthhi.org or 843-842-2787.
April 11
“Gullah Me, Gullah You” Gullah Cultural Series event, “Taste and See: Gullah Cuisine and Art,” 6:30 p.m. at SoundWaves, 7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head Island. Gullah dinner, Gullah
basketmakers’ demo and discussion, music by Lavon Stevens Band. Tickets from $29 (concert only) to $49 (reserved, dinner and concert) at hhso.org or 843-842-2055.
April 11-May 13
“Art That Makes You Smile: The Gently Surreal Art of John K. Crum,” at Art League of Hilton Head, 14 Shelter Cove Lane.
Opening reception
5-7 p.m. April 12. Art demonstrations 11 a.m. April 17-18. Gallery hours 10 am.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday, and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance. artleaguehhi.org or 843-681-5060
April 20-30
“Ripcord,” by Lean Ensemble Theatre at HH Prep Main Street Theatre, 3000 Main St., Hilton Head Island. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets $45 at leanensemble.org or 843-715-6676.
April 21
Joe Jencks, folk singer-songwriter, in concert, 7 p.m. at Music on Malphrus, 110 Malphrus Road, Bluffton. General admission tickets $25 at door; doors open 6:15 p.m. uulowcountry.org or MusicOnMalphrus@gmail.com
April 21, 22
“Dance ... Rhythm in Motion,” annual Rainbow of Rhythm production, featuring the dance clubs of Sun City. Performances 7 p.m. April 21; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 22. Tickets $15 at Magnolia Hall box office or 843-645-1870.
April 22
“Let’s Rock,” 7 p.m. concert at Seahawk Cultural Center, 70 Wilborn Road, Hilton Head Island. Fundraiser for Foundation for Educational Excellence, featuring local bands, solos and students of Hilton Head Island High School, and celebrating the school’s 40th anniversary. General admission tickets $20 at foundation excellence.com and at the door. Students with ID, $5 at door; teachers with ID, $10 at door.
April 28-May 7
“The Rise and Fall of Little Voice,” May River Theatre at Ulmer Auditorium, 20 Bridge St., Bluffton. Performances 7:30 p.m. April 28-29, May 5-6; 2 p.m. April 30, May 7. Tickets $26 at mayrivertheatre.com.
April 29-30
“Terpsichore,” presented by Hilton Head Dance Theatre, 7:30 p.m. April 29, 2:30 p.m. April 30, at Seahawk Cultural Center, 70 Wilborn Road, Hilton Head Island. Tickets $20 adult, $10 students and children 18 and under.
Through April 30
“Bring Nature Home,” art exhibit by Karen Richards at SOBA gallery, 6 Church St. in Old Town Bluffton. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. April 6, free and open to public. sabagallery.com or 843-757-6586
Through May 6
Bluffton 8th Grade Juried Art Show, featuring student art from Bluffton schools, on exhibit at Bluffton Library. People’s Choice voting through April 29. Artist Awards reception May 4.
“Art That Makes You Smile: The Gently Surreal Art of John K. Crum” is the title of the artist’s latest exhibit in the Art League of Hilton Head gallery.
The works will be on view April 11 to May 13, with an opening artist’s reception from 5 to 7 p.m. April 12.
Crum’s whimsical and graphic work features bright color palettes, bold designs, and, in his own words, “gentle, surreal landscapes” sure to brighten the viewer’s mood. Perspectives are often distorted in curious, whimsical scenes in order to tell his joyful stories.
“I love to paint themes such as life experiences, romance, love and the human spirit,” said Crum. “I want to make people smile while taking them on an unexpected and magical journey.”
Crum has enjoyed a long, successful career in illustration, graphic arts, and mural painting. He came to Hilton Head Island more than two decades ago from Bay Village, Ohio, and continues to exhibit his work locally.
Artist’s demonstrations will be held at 11 a.m. April 17 and 18, when guests can learn more about the artist and his
APRIL 11
techniques.
The exhibit, reception and demonstrations are all free and open to the public.
The gallery is open every day: Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m., and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance.
Art League Gallery is located mid-island inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane on Hilton Head Island.
Art League of Hilton Head is the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit visual arts organization on Hilton Head Island with a synergistic art gallery and teaching Academy.
Art League Academy welcomes artists and students in all media at all skill levels, including true beginners. Taught by professional art educators, students can choose from many art classes and workshops that change monthly.
Art League Gallery features local artwork in all media created by more than 170 member artists. All artwork on display is for sale and exhibits change every month.
For more information, visit artleaguehhi.org or call 843-681-5060.
The high-energy, heartfelt show highlights not only the bond Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty had as best friends and musical partners, but the unique bond Loretta and Conway’s grandkids, Tayla and Tre, have formed through years of an intertwined family history and their own musical relationship.
APRIL 26 – MAY 28
On the night of his 35th birthday, Robert struggles to think of a wish to make as he blows out his birthday candles. The lone New York bachelor, surrounded by his married friends, is uncertain whether he should simply be happy with his lot in life or wish for his own romantic partner.
Company, Stephen Sondheim’s groundbreaking modern musical, is a mature, intelligent, and wildly funny look at relationships, vulnerability, and “being alive.”
FIVE TIME TONY AWARD-WINNER, INCLUDING BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL.
DIRECTED BY RUSSELL GARRETT
The 2023 Hilton Head International Piano Competition was held March 13-18 at St Luke’s Anglican Church and First Presbyterian Church. An international jury selected these winners, shown on stage following the finals, from left: Zhonghua Wei (China), First Prize; Donghwi Kang (S. Korea), Second Prize; Xinran Shi (USA), Third Prize; Nathaniel Zhang (USA), Medalist; and David Choi (USA/S. Korea), Medalist. In addition, Zarin Mehta (USA) won the Sascha Gorodnitzki Memorial Prize, and Zhonghua Wei won the Peter Takacs Classical Sonata Prize. The competition is a program inaugurated in 1996 by the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.
Hilton Head Dance Theatre will present an exciting program of classical and contemporary dance featuring company members and distinguished guest artists this month. Shows are 7:30 p.m. April 29 and 2:30 p.m. April 30 at the Seahawk Cultural Center on the campus of Hilton Head Island High School, 70 Wilborn Road.
The program takes its name from Terpsichore, the Greek muse of dance, and is always an audience favorite. Dancers and audience members alike enjoy the unique collection of dance genres.
The program opens with “Gershwin Suite,” Ballet Master Jamal Edwards’ exuberant ballet set to some of George Gershwin’s most beloved tunes. Featured will be Alex Watts and guest artist Anatto McMillan.
Also on the program is an elegant pas de deux, featuring Jordan Gentemann and guest Will Scott, set to the exquisitely beautiful “Gymnopédies” by Erik Satie.
Changing the mood will be “Sunnyside of the Street,” HHDT artistic director and co-founder John Carlyle’s spin on the music of the Irish rock band The Pogues. This piece will star Colleen Ott and Jamal Edwards.
Deana St. Hillaire will dazzle in “A
Rose for Ecclesiastes” – a dance ode to beauty.
Edwards was inspired by the music of “They Might Be Giants” and has restaged the fan favorite “Istanbul (Not Constantinople).” It will feature Caroline Denckhoff, Jamie Hanley and Alex Watts.
Edwards was also inspired to create “Empowered,” a tribute to the talented and amazing women of the Hilton Head Dance Theatre. It will be performed for the first time on this program.
The finale of this spectacular program is HHDT artistic director and co-founder Karena Brock-Carlyle’s staging of the third act of Marius Petipa’s masterpiece, “Don Quixote,” featuring the iconic wedding pas de deux. Featured as Kitri and Basilio are Lucy Peltz and guest artist Will Scott.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and children 18 and under. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit hiltonheaddance.com.
Karen Richards’ art exhibit, “Bring Nature Home,” will be on display through May 1 at The Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery, 6 Church St. in Old Town Bluffton.
Meet the artist during an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. April 6. These events are free and open to the public.
The exhibit is a reflection of her passion for preserving natural resources and protecting the ecosystem. Richards will donate 30% of the sales of her artwork to the Hilton Head Audubon Society and the South Coast Region of the Coastal Conservation League.
The exhibit features a collection of florals, birds and local landscapes. “As much a plant nerd as a painter, I’m either getting my hands soiled in the garden or covered in paint in my studio,” Richards said. “My preferred medium is acrylics. I am fascinated by the way colors blend and layer to create depth and energy in a painting. My style varies depending on my mood and the feeling I want to express for the subject.”
Originally from Long Island, New York,
Richards has always appreciated the beauty of coastal marshes and beaches.
She holds a degree in Horticulture, eventually designing and maintaining gardens
in Southampton, NY. Richards earned a degree in Fine Art at Long Island University and a Masters of Education at Stony Brook University. Art history classes introduced
her to artists whose paintings continue to inspire, including Claude Monet, Edward Manet, and Odilon Redon.
“A few years ago I was fortunate to spend an entire week in a cottage half a mile from Monet’s home in Giverny with an artist friend,” Richards said. “We were even able to paint on the grounds of his home in the gardens and by the lily pond after museum hours! I’ve been painting flowers ever since.”
Within a few years her work could be found in private and corporate collections including her largest work – a three panel, 15’ x 4’ painting at Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty in Warwick, New York.
Richards moved to Bluffton in 2021. Her current focus is on creating and selling collections of her work and donating to local environmentally conscious groups. The SOBA gallery is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays. Visit www.sobagallery.com for a complete calendar of events and other information or call 843-757-6586.
WEEKEND EVENTS
Friday April 21 Spring Art Walk 5-7 pm
Shops and galleries open late Refreshments served New artists Music
Saturday April 22 11am-4 pm Enjoy Earth Day
Live Demos at galleries in Historic Old Town Bluffton
Sunday April 23
Sunday Brunch in downtown restaurants Shops and Galleries Open
Photography
A heartbeat. Each breath that’s taken. The woodpecker that repeatedly tap tap taps into his chosen tree. The intermittent beating of a rainstorm hitting a tin roof. The rhythms of life. Without rhythm, life would be chaotic. Ah, but then there’s the dance. The ultimate rhythm in motion.
Rhythm is created with each regular and irregular beat of music. This month, the dance clubs of Sun City will be performing in the annual Rainbow of Rhythm show. This year’s production is
Please see DANCE on page 10B
DANCE from page 9B entitled “Dance…. Rhythm in Motion.”
A yearly endeavor created by residents, Rainbow has had one of the longest runs in Sun City.
There is little more beautiful than to witness dance accompanied by a rhythmic musical beat that brings life to the dance and creates the dancer. Peace and calm enter the soul as the audience and performers react to the dance with toes tapping, fingers snapping or heads swaying to the beat.
The dancers get quick glances of the audience reactions and it’s only then that it is known that everyone has felt that rhythm too. Without that, the endeavor loses its significance.
Plato is credited with saying that “Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.”
This year’s production is directed by Alice Di Nolfi and Sharon Quinter. The producers are Donna Hastie and Deb Zak. Each woman brings a new and refreshing vision to this year’s show.
No dance production can be created without the direction, instruction, and patience of the choreographers.
It has been written that “Dance is the music of our body, sound is the rhythm of our feeling, silence is the symphony of our soul.”
The dancers hope that audiences will appreciate the rhythms and experience a magical performance.
Shows are at 7 p.m. April 21 and 22, with a 2 p.m. matinee April 22.
Tickets are $ 15 each. Group rate is $120 for 10 tickets if paid by check or cash.
Tickets are available at Magnolia Hall from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday through April 14; and Monday through Friday at the same hours from April 17 to 21; and one hour prior to each performance.
To order tickets by phone, call 843-6451870.
Joe Jencks will perform at Music on Malphrus, 110 Malphrus Road in Bluffton, at 7 p.m. April 21.
Jencks is a 25-year veteran of the international folk circuit, an award-winning songwriter, and celebrated vocalist based in Chicago. Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, Jencks delivers engaged musical narratives filled with heart, soul, groove and grit.
Having penned several No. 1 folk songs, including the ever-relevant “Lady of The Harbor,” Jencks is also co-founder of the harmony trio, Brother Sun.
From festivals like Falcon Ridge, Kerrville, Mariposa and Old Songs, to venues like
Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Jencks has enthralled diverse audiences with his approachable style. He is noted for his unique merging of musical beauty, social consciousness, and spiritual exploration.
In August 2022, Jencks released his 17th recording, “The Coming of the Years,” an album that stands firmly in the modern Celtic traditions and is still quintessentially a Joe Jencks record. Centered around songs he wrote while on tour in Ireland over a 12-year period, this album emerges as a synergistic blend of past and present merging with themes of immigration spanning multiple generations.
General admission tickets are $25 at door; doors open 6:15 p.m. For more information, visit uulowcountry.org or email MusicOnMalphrus@gmail.com.
For more information about the artist, visit joejencks.com.
