Calling on superpowers to make life better for everyone

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.

Inside and outside the SOBA

Gallery on Church Street in Old Town Bluffton, we asked: “Consider yourself a superhero. What is your superpower?” you into the art, it will what you need the most.”

MLK from page 1A sponded to COVID-19 in partnership with the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce with an idea called Help 4 Hope, an initiative that used charitable donations not only to provide meals to those in need, but to keep money flowing into local restaurants during the shutdown.

The initiative raised $250,000 and served as a Lowcountry introduction to a force for positive change. The contributions began going to organizations such as Deep Well, the First Tee in the Lowcountry, Community Foundation of a Lowcountry, Teed up for the Troops, Black Equity, the Literacy Center, the Bluffton MLK Observance Committee, Bluffton Self Help and the Mitchellville Preservation Project.

In his remarks, Watterson said he realized that people in his position have a really rare opportunity to step into a space and do things that others can’t.

“We have a lot of work to do, but every one of us can do it. I will tell you the time for talking is over. When we work together, I can’t tell you how beautiful things are when we work together,” he said. “And when we come together, black and white, men and women, children of God, it is unreal how beautiful the outcome.”

Bonner and Denmark started Save the Shutters when someone told them of a family in need. The family had a tree fall on their house during a recent hurricane and, in the process of doing those repairs, found numerous other issues that needed correcting.

“We are not in the days anymore where you just make repairs to your home without going through certain permitting processes and getting certain reports and engineering information,” said Frazier in her introduction. “But it was them recognizing that instead of finding somebody else to fix the problem, they identified a problem and said, ‘Well, why can’t we do it?’”

Bonner and Denmark are architects with the firm of Pearce Scott Architects. With their knowledge and network, they brought in other partners in the trade and it became a community effort that saved the family’s home.

Now, Save the Shutters is looking for other residents who have exhausted all of their resources and are in need of additional help to be able to stay in their home.

“Save the Shutters works with teams of volunteers in the community to pool resources, time, donations and kindness to make this goal achievable,” said Bonner. “It’s labor and material, love and community, and that’s what this is all about. We want to help our neighbors and we want them to stay where they are. We are lucky enough to know a lot of people and different partners that can help fill those gaps that other people don’t know. We’re just excited to be able to help people.”

Although unable to attend, the third recipient was Hilton Head Island resident Taiwan Scott, a real estate agent and entrepreneur. Scott was recognized for being an advocate for advancing opportunities for African Americans in business and housing.

When he ran into overwhelming roadblocks for his own enterprise, he made his presence known through attendance at town council meetings and organizing a five-yearlong protest. That resulted in the Town of

Hilton Head Island forming a task force that would examine a variety of problems and concerns affecting residents on the island.

Frazier noted that today the task force has more than 30 agenda items to work through. Scott told Frazier that subdividing property and establishing new business enterprises has become easier.

Scott earned more recognition in his fight against gerrymandering. A federal court ordered South Carolina to redraw its 2021 congressional maps, ruling that Congressional District 1, anchored in Charleston County and other areas, were racially gerrymandered. The case was brought on behalf of the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, and one individual voter, Taiwan Scott, who was represented by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka said that the day’s program was a great way to celebrate King.

“He was the bridge builder. He spoke his belief and he wasn’t afraid. And he stood

Please see MLK on page 10A