May 5, 2021 • Volume 10, Issue 5 • Complimentary • HiltonHeadSun.com
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THE BOATING LIFE
Tales of a 65-year-old greenhorn attest to dreams realized By Tim Wood CONTRIBUTOR
(Editor’s note: We asked you to tell us your story, and we are so honored Valerie Palmer took us up on that offer.) Dreams have no expiration date. Too often, our will to chase them down is what finally gives out. Valerie Palmer was determined to not let the rigors of life extinguish her dream. It just took her 18,250 days – 50 years – to make it a reality. Water has always been in Palmer’s blood. She was born in Salem, Mass., across the street from The House of the Seven Gables, the seaside mansion built in 1668 by Capt. John Turner, one of the world’s most successful maritime families ever. Her grandfather was the long-time harbormaster in Salem. Her mother was the New England champion for single skull racing, having beat out a man for the title. “I don’t remember a time not being able to swim,” said the 87-year-old Hilton Head Island resident and mother of longtime islander Laurie Bunting. “We didn’t have the money for a boat, but I always found a way to be on and in the water.” As a junior at Marblehead High School
It’s sea turtle season: Be cautious, helpful 12A
in 1951, she saw a film about the Yankee Clipper, a vessel that was taking students for a two-year trip around the world. Palmer knew this was her destiny. “I called Irving Johnson, the skipper, and said, ‘I want in.’ I’ve never wanted to do anything more,” she said. “Problem was the price was $4,000 and I didn’t even have close to $40.” Palmer found a way to quench her thirst for adventure and wanderlust on land at first. She heard of traveling jobs with the government and ended up working for the Air Force stationed in Japan in her early 20s. Palmer constantly worked for much of the next four decades, got her masters degree in psychology and provided as the single parent to four kids after “a marriage that never worked” ended after 20 years. She spent many of those years in a Victorian house in the Philly suburbs, dreaming of a day when she’d move to Cape Cod. She fulfilled that dream in moving to Chatham before a family tragedy forced a life change. A mid-1990s trip to a Marblehead High reunion would change her life once more. “I remember talking to a woman talked
Please see DREAMS on page 8A
Mental Health Month: Help is available 14A
TIM WOOD
Fearless former deckhand Valerie Palmer holding photos from her adventures.
Foundation for Educational Excellence awards grants 18A
Teen drivers to see more options for lessons 22A
Sunny Side Up 3A • Editorial 4A • Sun on the Street 6A • Noteworthy 34A • Business 38A • Technology 43A • Legal 44A • Health 45A • Pets 49A • Faith 52A • Nature 53A • Home 54A
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The Hilton Head Sun
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May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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SUNNY SIDE UP
Reach out, check in, recognize mental health issues By Lynne Cope Hummell EDITOR
April showers have brought May flowers, so spring is a common topic this month. The Kentucky Derby has been run, Mother’s Day is just around the corner and Memorial Day will be here in a few weeks. In normal times, the Bluffton Village Festival, aka MayFest, would be held the day before Mother’s Day. But these are still not normal times. And partially because of that, I’m choosing another topic for this first of May column. May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, focused on an often overlooked – or ignored – topic that probably should get lots more attention. Would it be more palatable if we called it Mental Wellness Month? As you can read in two other articles in this paper (pg. 38A and 58A), the pandemic has wreaked havoc with the mental health of all facets of our population, even
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some serious mental health issues. The here in our little corner of the world. teen has suffered with depression and anxI’ve spoken with folks who say they feel “on the edge” of a deep, dark precipice. I iety issues for a few years, and has been on know of friends who are isolated, lonely medication, but now it seems different. and suffering. Their mental wellness is Social isolation from friends and classsuffering. mates, losing interest in hobbies, falling Recently, a reader emailed some thoughts grades – somewhat attributed to effects of on my previous column about “brain fog,” COVID-19 – sent the child to a dark place, sending a link to a New York Times article the parent relayed. I’m sure this child is not that describes that feeling as “languishing.” the only one. The reader continued with a list of social Thankfully, a professional counselor was activities and events formerly enjoyed that helpful in guiding the family through a she said she has no desire to do again. She crisis period, and all seems to be back on admitted she is “maybe more resigned an even keel. to things not going back to that kind of Psychologists and other therapists normal.” remind us that mental health is as vital to I am concerned about her, and so many well-being as physical health. When we others like her. Although I’m not a medical suffer physical ailments, we go to a doctor expert, I worry that this reader is suffering who specializes in that ailment – cardiolfrom isolation anxiety and perhaps even ogist, oncologist, dentist, orthopedist, etc. depression. I also worry that it’s far more When we suffer mental ailments, we need common than we think. to just as quickly seek out professionals Just last week, I heard from a friend in the field – psychologist, psychiatrist, whose high school child is experiencing therapist, counselor. There should be no BelleLuxe | Villa Pointe Maple, Soft Golden
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
EDITORIAL Current Circulation Via USPS is 24,099 Winner of the 2013 IFPA-SAPA award for Business Coverage
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Kevin Aylmer, kevina@blufftonsun.com
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Lynne Hummell, editor@blufftonsun.com
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OFFICE MANAGER Melissa McCullough
CONTRIBUTORS Joe Agee Jeff Bradley Amy Coyne Bredeson Collins Doughtie E. Ronald Finger Lynn Hall Heather Hinshelwood Edwina Hoyle
Amber Kuehn Dave Miller Brett Myers Gwyneth J. Saunders Scott Wierman Mark F. Winn Tim Wood
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For information about The Hilton Head Sun, contact: Kevin Aylmer PO Box 2056, Bluffton, SC 29910 843-757-9507, 843-757-9506 (fax) Physical address: 14D Johnston Way Bluffton, SC 29910 All contents copyright protected 2020. All submissions must include name, address and phone number. The Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any material, including advertisements. The Hilton Head 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. Member Southeastern Advertising Publishers Association; Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.
Education receives boost; conservative agenda enhanced By Jeff Bradley CONTRIBUTOR
In late April, with unanimous support from my colleagues in the South Carolina House of Representatives, our state provided a major boost toward getting public schools back on track. Moving forward, all schools will be open five days per Jeff Bradley week for in-class instruction, whereas only some school districts were operating in this manner before now. It is hoped that this new legislation will enable students to catch up much of the ground lost during COVID-19 virtual instruction. The bill also allows retired school teachers to return to the classroom and earn up to $50,000 without losing any retirement benefits. We hope this initiative will also assist in providing extra remedial help to students who have fallen behind. During Heritage Week, I had some time to reflect on the goals our Republican Caucus had set for this 2021-2022 session, and am pleased
to report that with our significant majority in numbers, we have made excellent progress. Already we’ve accomplished four of the six objectives for this half of the session. Here’s a recap of what we have achieved to date on those goals: 1. PASSED: Protecting the integrity of our elections. This bill tasks the State Election Commission with ensuring there is uniformity to guarantee free and fair elections. After the elections of 2020, it became clear that even in our state there were discrepancies in how each county handled votes. We learned that some counties were employing inconsistent processes. I voted “Yes” to this bill to ensure that a vote here in Beaufort County is counted the same as a vote in Jasper County or Marlboro County. 2. PASSED: Protecting the unborn. This bill, passed in mid-February, would outlaw abortions once a heartbeat is detected, which is usually around six to eight weeks after conception. However, a federal judge’s injunction on March 19 prohibited this legislation from going into effect. 3. PASSED: Open carry with education. This bill allows a firearm to be carried openly in South Carolina, given that the individual has under-
gone proper training and received certification. The legislation pulls South Carolina in line with 45 other states. 4. PASSED: Modifying emergency powers. This bill provides a check to the Governor’s powers when modifying and or extending a State of Emergency. While this power was previously in the hands of the Governor, now the power to extend, modify, or discontinue the order falls into the hands of the legislature. The Speaker of the House and President of the Senate may call the legislature back to make these crucial decisions, or 10 of our 46 county legislative delegations can elect to come in to take action. At any rate, this bill allows for greater accountability to the wishes of South Carolina’s citizens. Overall, in the first 12-plus weeks of this session, there has been much to be pleased about. Over the remaining weeks our Republican Caucus looks forward to making more progress toward achieving the goals of our conservative agenda. Jeff Bradley is the representative for District 123 in the State House of Representatives.
Letter to the Editor To the Editor: We have serious thoughts and prayers about the insanity that propelled the S.C. House of Representatives to pass legislation authorizing open carry of firearms. Can the legislators and the governor hold straight faces if they say that South Carolinians will be more secure or otherwise better off when everyone can walk down Calhoun Street brandishing handguns, rifles, shotguns and AK-47s? To Rep. Weston Newton’s recent statement in his column that the proposal safeguards the Second Amendment, we respond that we see the open carry law as
an abuse of the Second Amendment. We have no objection to appropriately stored handguns in the home for protection, and we do not object to rifles and shotguns if they are properly stored and used only for hunting or sport. However, this nation’s love affair with firearms grows increasingly dangerous. According to the internationally recognized Small Arms Survey, the U.S. civilian population, only 4% of the world’s total population, now owns 40% of the civilian world’s guns. Think about this: Numerous studies show that it’s far more likely that a gun
in the home will be used for suicide or homicide than for self-defense. What could be the reason for any law-abiding, emotionally stable person to show off his or her firearms in a public place – a city sidewalk, a parking lot, a grocery store, a park – where unarmed people are simply walking around, tending to business? And what about the risks to all of us from the openly armed angry, emotionally wrecked person (who can easily get any kind of gun he wants under current law)? Bill and Fran Bollin Bluffton
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
SUN ON THE STREET
Remembering and giving motherly words of wisdom 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.
Sergio Reynal, Hilton Head Island: “Be yourself, and don’t worry about what other people will say.”
Z
D
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
Jane Reynal, Hilton Head Island: “Make your bed every day.”
want to respond. For this issue, we spoke with guests at the Art Market at Honey Horn, home of Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton
Martha Davis, Hilton Head Island: “Love your children unconditionally.”
Head. To honor moms just before Mother’s Day, we asked: “What was the best motherly advice you ever received, or gave?”
Miho Kinnas, Hilton Head Island: “My mom said ‘Don’t worry about what people will say’ – she certainly didn’t!”
Katie Gilbert, Hilton Head Island: “Walk in like you own the place!”
SPRING SUPER VALUE DAYS!
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May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
DREAMS from page 1A about her dying Mom and how she said, ‘I feel as if I could have done so much more with my life,’” she recalled. Valerie, then in her early 60s, was determined to not follow that path. So she set out to making her childhood dream a reality. “My kids supported me all the way,” Palmer said. “And when I really truly went after it, it’s as if the seas parted and let me through.” For much of the next five years, Palmer sailed the Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean and Caribbean seas. Her first journey was with church friends down the Intracoastal Waterway. “I lived on their boat, I made connections and I heard about this Caribbean 1500 Rally,” she said. “This man, he was looking to take his 37-foot Tayana on the 1,500-mile trek and needed crew. I told him I had no experience but that my qualifications were that I’ve never been seasick, I’m a quick study and very easy going and hard working. Somehow he picked me along with one other crewmate.” The third crewmate got deathly seasick
SUBMITTED
Valerie Palmer sailing through the Greek Isles.
right from the start of the sail, so Palmer propelled from greenhorn to relief captain when the skipper needed sleep, and worked the deck the other 12 hours each day until, after two weeks at sea, the boat arrived in the British Virgin Island of Jost
Van Dyke. “It was exhilarating and exhausting and a dream come for me, but I just felt so bad for the other fella,” Palmer said of her maiden voyage. That led Palmer to connect with the
Seven Seas Cruising Organization, a group that matches skippers with crewmates for journeys all across the world. She traveled west to start, meeting up with her son before heading out on a 2,500-mile journey from to San Diego to Pearl Harbor, the longest offshore passage on the planet – and all done with just wind power. She and a Belgian couple immediately got “con man” vibes about their skipper on the trip. “The Belgian woman was a carpenter, her husband was tireless, the three of us were a great team over those 21 days. We fixed up his boat better than when he met us,” Palmer said. “But that captain, he was suspicious and we heard plenty of stories once we got to Pearl Harbor. I’m usually a spot-on judge of character, and being taken is part of the risk of these trips. It was a huge learning experience. I told myself I was never going to be taken advantage of that again. I’m lifelong friends with that couple, spent a month at their house in Belgium, but that skipper, we got him dismissed from Seven Seas.”
Please see DREAMS on page 10A
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May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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UN SR N O RT BA
Beautiful home on over 1.8 acres w/heated saltwater pool & lanai. This is coastal living at it’s best! Jasmine floor plan w/so many upgrades & options. 1st floor living w/primary BR & 2 guest BR downstairs. Great open concept w/upgraded kitchen, gas range, beautiful granite & tile backsplash. Open to dining/living area & formal dining room. LR has gas fireplace & french doors to extended Carolina Room. M BA has pretty custom shower. Hand scraped wood floors through main living & M BR, tile in baths & laundry. Stately wrought iron & wood staircase lead upstairs to open loft, 4th BR & BA & large heated storage area. Pvt, peaceful, wooded views!
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40 FOLLY FIELD ROAD UNIT#B103 MLS 414515 $233,000
Nicely remodeled villa with great beach decor, tile floors throughout and pretty open kitchen, updated cabinets and open shelves, newer furnishings, SS appliances & moveable island! Kids bunk beds too! You get a peek of the ocean and soft breezes from the balcony & enjoy the first floor convenience. So many on site amenities with bike rentals, restaurants, beach bar, pickle ball and tennis courts, laundry, convention center and 2 pools, including the largest ocean front resort pool on HHI. Great for a vacation property, rental or residence, this is turn key! Bring your beach gear and enjoy! Don’t wait as these are not on the market long!
42 HAMMOCK OAKS CIRCLE MLS 414499 $679,900
T ON FR
Incredible marsh front home in a private, gatSH ed community w/ water access & panoramic AR M water views, off desirable Spanish Wells Rd. A true turn key home featuring top-of-the-line finishes. 2 spacious marsh front porches provide marsh views and spectacular sunsets. Main floor offers screened in waterproof/ noseeum proof porch.Top tier kitchen finishes. Master BR features a private sun porch, spacious walk-in closet, double vanity & large walk-in frameless tiled shower. Plantation shutters added throughout. Hurricane shutters & elevated construction w/ a large garage for multiple cars & storage. Just steps away from the private community dock.
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T ON FR N EA OC
40 FOLLY FIELD ROAD UNIT#A323 MLS 414247 $379,500
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52 STABLE GATE RD MOSS CREEK MLS 412116 $318,900
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29 DAVIS COURT, PRITCHARDVILLE MLS 383497 $799,000
E AG RE C A
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A Tradition Of Trust
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
DREAMS from page 8A Palmer kept making new friends at every port, networking to find the next adventure. She made repeated journeys across the Eastern Caribbean, with stops in spots like Trinidad and Venezuela. She even flirted with the idea of dropping her life anchor in the tropical locale. She was a deckhand for a skipper in the Eastern Mediterranean Yacht Rally, a battle among some of the richest boat owners in the world, and was treated like royalty when she visited Syria, Lebanon, Israel and, her favorite destination in all her travels, Turkey. “Marmaris was our port there. Everywhere I went was just magnificent, like a never-ending museum,” Palmer said. “I stayed with a Turkish friend from a past trip there for a month, just saw everything I could of that amazing land and people.” She saw the worst the seas had to offer as well, faced 22-foot squalls in the Pacific and a “Perfect Storm” scenario that could have ended her life at sea. “It was an inky blackness squall, the type that takes away the horizon. The backstay snapped in the worst of it. My
other crewmate, he was too scared to stand but I didn’t have time to be scared – you just get through it. I always dreamed of seeing what was beyond the horizon as a child, but in those moments, I never wanted to see the horizon more in my life,” she said of the defining moment. And when she encountered another squirrelly skipper, this time in Guatemala, Palmer had a backup plan. “The guy thought we were slaves there to serve his every need. He was an eccentric who painted his engine pink and never liked to get too close to the dock, so I was always jumping off to tie us up,” Palmer said. “I hurt my knee real bad on one jump, was using a broomstick as a crutch, but he wouldn’t take me to a doctor. So I made contact with a friend who arranged to get me on another boat and got away from that situation. Life is too short to deal with that.” In all, Palmer said she made 10 epic journeys in those five years, figuring that she made it about halfway around the world. When she was ready to return to land for good, Palmer headed to Hilton
In June 1999, after 21 days at sea, the vessel on which Valerie Palmer was crewing made its way to Diamond Head in Hawaii. Palmer wrote in her scrapbook with this photo “Happy we made it.”
Head Island to be with daughter Laurie. “She told me it was 360 days of sun and that’s just what I wanted. It was like the Caribbean but I got to be with family, and
there’s nothing better.” Palmer lives at The Seabrook of Hilton Head these days, in a 450-square-feet studio that she says feels like a mansion compared to some of her on-ship quarters. She has piles of journals and pictures of his adventures that keep the memories fresh. “Few people here know any of this, I’m not a bragger,” she said. “It’s so hard to believe it’s been 20 years now. I’m not always as sharp as I used to be but thinking back on those days, it all feels like yesterday.” Palmer said she shared her story to show her island neighbors that age is merely a number, that dreams never die. “It took me 50 years to fulfill the dream, but it is never too late. I have amazing kids and grandkids, and I love being here. I am so glad I never gave up on the dream,” she said. “And it was every bit as spectacular as I’d always imagined it would be.” Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. Contact him at timwood@blufftonsun.com.
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
We celebrate Mother’s Day every day. Whether you are looking forward to your first Mother’s Day or expanding your family, you can feel safe knowing we’ve got you covered from island to inland. Our OB specialists and experienced staff are ready to serve you with warmth and understanding, as well as the expertise, technical skill and clinical judgment that are vital to a positive delivery. Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Riverside Women’s Care and Hilton Head Regional Healthcare. Locations Beaufort • Bluffton • Hilton Head Island
To schedule an appointment, call 833-803-5520 or visit HiltonHeadRegional.com/OBGYN
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
During sea turtle season, humans should be cautious, helpful By Amber Kuehn CONTRIBUTOR
It’s Turtle Time on Hilton Head Island’s 14 miles of beach and everyone – visitors and residents – is encouraged to join in to make this a successful nesting and hatching season for the visiting sea turtles. When the water temperature reaches 70 degrees, the sea turtles, mostly loggerheads, come ashore to make a nest and lay their eggs. Loggerheads nest at night to avoid predators and overheating in the summer sun. The mother selects a site above the high tide line in the dry sand. Once she has laid her eggs, she will cover her nest and make her crawl back to the sea. Hatching begins in July and nesting stops in mid-August. A loggerhead can nest several times in a single season. Volunteers from the Sea Turtle Patrol HHI drive the 14 miles of beach every morning before dawn from May to October. These volunteers are state-certified to
The Children’s Center
COURTESY SEA TURTLE PATROL HHI
Female sea turtles return to the ocean after laying their eggs in soft sand on our island’s beaches.
Soup Kitchen by the Sea
manage and oversee all things sea turtle. Each nest location is marked using GPS, with information entered into the SCDNR electronic data base. Caution tape affixed to poles in the sand surrounds each nest. The nests are monitored through the 60- to 80-day incubation period. A network of volunteer Turtle Trackers is also out on the beaches every day to educate visitors on beach etiquette for the nesting season. In the evenings, the Turtle Trackers clear debris and make sure there is a clear path for nesting female loggerheads and their hatchlings. Hatchlings emerge approximately 60 days after the eggs are laid, when they sense a temperature drop, indicating that the sun has set. The 2-inch-long hatchlings begin a dangerous journey in the darkness, starting with a walk to the ocean and a long swim offshore. Life is difficult for these babies, and it is likely only one in a thousand hatchlings
Please see TURTLES on page 16A
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May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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Obtain the Property Report required by Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA BUREAU OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR QUALIFIED THE OFFERINGS. Latitude Margaritaville Kentucky Registration Number R-201. For NY Residents: THE COMPLETE OFFERING TERMS FOR THE SALE OF LOTS IN LATITUDE MARGARITAVILLE AT HILTON HEAD ARE IN THE CPS-12 APPLICATION AVAILABLE FROM SPONSOR, MINTO LATITUDE HH, LLC. FILE NO. CP18-0021. Pennsylvania Registration Number OL001170. Latitude Margaritaville at Hilton Head is registered with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salesmen, 1000 Washington Street, Suite 710, Boston, MA 02118 and with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20552. This material shall not constitute a valid offer in any state where prior registration is required and has not been completed. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only and are merely representative of current development plans. Development plans, amenities, facilities, dimensions, specifications, prices and features depicted by artists renderings or otherwise described herein are approximate and subject to change without notice. ©Minto Communities, LLC 2021. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored, or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Latitude Margaritaville and the Latitude Margaritaville logo are trademarks of Margaritaville Enterprises, LLC and are used under license. Minto and the Minto logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. CGC 1519880/CGC 120919. 2021
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The Hilton Head Sun
SPRING TOURS
May 5, 2021
Mental Health Month a good time for personal wellness
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Costumes supported by Bargain Box
TUESDAYS AT 10:30AM Visit the gravesites of four Revolutionary War heroes and find out about the bloody skirmish that was fought just steps away. Corner of Hwy. 278 & Mathews Dr. $15/ADULT • $10/CHILD
HISTORIC FT. MITCHEL TOUR
THURSDAYS AT 10:30AM Fort Mitchel contains the remains of a coastal defense battery erected in 1862 to protect the Port Royal Sound by way of Skull Creek from incursions by Confederate gunboats. 65 Skull Creek Dr., Hilton Head Plantation $15/ADULT • $10/CHILD
Registration required. Book online at heritagelib.org/Tours HERITAGE LIBRARY HILTON HEAD ISLAND The Professional Bldg, Suite 100 | 2 Corpus Christi | Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 843.686.6560 | HeritageLib.org
COVID program at Lifecare of Hilton Head. That week’s theme was The Benefit of Nature in Dealing with Anxiety and Depression. The program was funded by a grant from the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.
By Edwina Hoyle CONTRIBUTOR
It’s been a tough year, and while 2020 may be in the rearview mirror, the effects of COVID-19 are still with us. It’s fair to say that there has been universal frustration, sadness and isolation, and many have lost loved ones. So it’s important to recognize that life has changed – and change is tough. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and experts say it’s a good time to evaluate our own stress, sadness, anxiety and levels of isolation. From youngsters in preschool to seniors in long-term living communities, we have all missed out on significant celebrations we took for granted: school, graduations, parties, sports, clubs, proms, dinners out with friends, and especially family gatherings. These are the moments we cannot recapture, and for many, it has been not only disappointing but potentially devastating emotionally. In addition, Zoom meetings have replaced face-to-face engagement, many have lost jobs and income, and in-person social interaction is limited. According to Steve Maglione, executive director of Mental Health America Beaufort/ Jasper, “Mental health issues like depression, anxiety and substance use are difficult to identify, screen and treat under any circumstances. The person must seek help, access a screening provider, begin indicated
treatment, and follow a plan of care. The onset of COVID-19 has complicated this exponentially.” Anxiety and depression, loss of income and normal routine, worrying about the virus, and loss of loved ones are among the adverse effects of COVID-19 Maglione listed. “These factors increase stress and lead to or compound mental health issues,” he said. “The pandemic has led to increased risk of substance use which compounds mental health problems.” He added that it’s important to talk to someone, not isolate, engage and keep to a normal, healthy routine as much as possible. “Linkage to support during the COVID-19 pandemic is critical for people in recovery from existing mental health and substance abuse issues,” Maglione stated. “As social entities who crave connection with others, isolation causes these issues to spiral. There a plethora of evidence linking social isolation and loneliness to mental health and addiction.” Maglione and other experts say major concerns include stress, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, disordered eating and sleeping patterns, and general addictive behaviors. “We believe it is critically important that people with existing mental health and addiction issues stay connected to help and support as vaccines are rolled out and the
Please see AWARENESS on page 16A
Reliable WiFi Anywhere With summer approaching, there is nothing more enjoyable than spending time outdoors among the sights and sounds of nature–especially after a difficult year that kept us partially secluded and tucked inside. While many have relied on technology to stay connected, safe and operational inside their homes this past year, they are now discovering it is just as easy to do the same on the outside. The increasing popularity of outdoor living has brought a new focus to outdoor lighting, audio and WiFi. Creating areas outside your home to enjoy by yourself or with loved ones adds to the livable square footage of your property. This means there is more space for family to spread out. Adding landscape lighting and outdoor audio features to your home is an investment in pleasure, safety and curb appeal. Ensuring WiFi is accessible anywhere on your property, opens a whole door of possibilities for entertaining, work and controlling your home automation system. As the demands for data use increase throughout home and yard, many consumers are finding that their off-theshelf networking equipment cannot handle the demands of multiple wired and wireless devices. So, while working from your patio, or hosting a party down at the dock sounds like a great idea, system drop outs, video buffering or equipment lockups can become a critical inconvenience. The good news is that enterprise grade equipment and proper design and installation can solve your access problems while keeping your home network safe from prying intruders. A robust, reliable wireless network gives your home the strong base it needs to smoothly control features both indoors and out. To ensure your wireless network and home automation systems function at full capacity so you can enjoy more outdoor living, visit the experts at Custom Audio Video today.
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 15A
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The Hilton Head Sun
TURTLES from page 12A will survive to adulthood. Last year, 291 turtle nests were marked along Hilton Head’s beaches, with an estimated 23,700 turtles hatched and returned to the sea. Visit the Sea Turtle Patrol website by using the QR code found on the beach signs or go to seaturtlepatrolhhi.org for up-to-date turtle activity information. To support the Sea Turtle’s Patrol’s efforts, donations are accepted on the website;
AWARENESS from page 14A 100% of donations goes to nest monitoring efforts. You can also complete a Nest Dedication form on the website and receive information throughout the turtle nesting season. ‘ Amber Kuehn is the director of Sea Turtle Patrol Hilton Head Island and holder of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources permit.
HOW YOU CAN HELP SEA TURTLES Sea turtles are federally protected by the Endangered Species Act. Here’s how you can help protect them too: Keep the beach clean. Pick up all your debris – and any other that you see – at the end of your beach visit. Leave nothing on the beach that can harm or obstruct the turtles. Flatten the beach. Fill any holes and flatten sandcastles at the end of your beach day. Leave the nests alone. If you see a nest, don’t disturb it. Leave any markers in place.
May 5, 2021
Turn off your lights. The Town of Hilton Head protects the loggerheads by requiring residents along the beach to turn out lights or shield them from the beach from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Artificial lights distract and can disorient the sea turtles. Use red flashlights instead of white for nighttime beach walks. Do not harass a turtle. If you are lucky enough to see a sea turtle, do not touch her or get in the way of the a turtle or hatchlings. Give all turtles a wide berth.
pandemic’s end is within sight,” he said. One way to check in with yourself is to take a mental health screen at MHAscreening.org, he said. It’s a quick, free and private way for someone to assess their mental health. Typical questions used in mental health screenings at MHA Beaufort/Jasper include: Have you felt consistently sad for the last few months or lost interest in things you enjoy? Have you had occasions when you felt anxious, overwhelmed, afraid or experienced panic-like symptoms? Have you excessively worried about things that are out of your control? Have you felt as though you don’t care about your own well-being? Have you been fearful of leaving your safe places in the last few months? Have you experienced a traumatic event recently? The answers can help professionals determine how and what kind of help might be warranted. “Anxiety increases depression and even suicidal ideation,” said Susan Williams, board co-chair of MHA of Beaufort/Jasper. “No concentration, motivation or energy to keep up, and lack of socialization are signs
to make a special effort reach out to others for support.” To help increase our mental wellness, counselors encourage consumers to accept situations in life that we cannot change, actively work to process the mental struggles associated with big changes, manage anger and frustration, recognize when trauma might be affecting our mental health, challenge negative thinking patterns, and make time to take care of ourselves. Knowing when to turn to friends, family and coworkers when you are struggling with life’s challenges can help improve one’s mental health. MHA has received a grant to provide free counseling services to low- and moderate-income people in Hilton Head. Call 843-757-3900 for information. Other resources are professional counselors; NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), 843-636-3100; Alcoholics Anonymous/Al-Anon, 843-785-9630; as well as senior services, the Council on Aging, and support groups. Edwina Hoyle is a freelance writer in Bluffton.
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The Hilton Head Sun
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
Education grants fund teacher projects to engage students By Amy Coyne Bredeson
have provided Hilton Head Island High School with a science lab for studying light, color and fiber optics; and Red Cedar Elementary School with a coding robot. The organization gives out three kinds of grants. Innovative Teacher Grants are awarded each fall to teachers seeking to go above and beyond regular classroom lessons. Student Enrichment Grants are awarded throughout the school year for academic and arts-related events held outside of the school district. Innovative School Resource Grants are awarded each fall for schoolwide projects. One of the teacher grants this school year went to Bluffton High School for a store run by special education students. The plan changed slightly, and the school opened a coffee shop instead. However, at the time of publication, the students were setting up the store, which was set to open in the next week
CONTRIBUTOR
Students across Beaufort County are excited about learning, thanks in large part to a local nonprofit organization that awards grants for innovative learning projects. Teachers often have grand ideas about how to get their students interested in learning, but turning those ideas into reality often requires money that is just not in the budget. The Foundation for Educational Excellence gives Beaufort County School District teachers and schools the opportunity to bring those ideas to life. “It runs the gamut of ideas and requests to stimulate children to learn,” Foundation board chair Lisa Carroll said. The grants have made it possible for students at River Ridge Academy to learn to play the ukulele and for Joseph S. Shanklin Elementary School students to create a butterfly garden. They
Bobcat Beanery student worker Jonathn sorts coffee deliveries by floor and room number. The student coffee shop was funded by a grant from the Foundation for Educational Excellence.
Please see GRANTS on page 20A
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May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
GRANTS from page 18A
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or so. Students will sell T-shirts, lanyards and phone chargers during the four lunch periods. Special education teacher Elizabeth Reber oversees The Bobcat Beanery, but the students do the work. Everyone has a job, whether pouring coffee, adding cream and sugar, putting lids on coffee cups or delivering drinks to the teachers. Every Monday morning, about 14 students with varying abilities make and deliver drinks and breakfast treats to teachers throughout the school. Teachers can order hot tea, hot coffee or iced coffee as well as muffins, indicating on an order form how much sugar or cream they would like. They can purchase a $10 card. Each item costs $1. The Corner Perk provides the coffee at cost. The special blend is called the Bobcat Brew. “There’s a lot of differing skills that they have to do,” Reber said. “It works out well for all the different kids. Some of the kids who are higher functioning help the kids who are lower functioning, which is nice, too. It gives them a little bit of leadership opportunities.” After delivering the coffee on Mondays, the students take inventory and fill out an order form for supplies. They update, alphabetize and file cards that keep track of which teachers ordered something each week. Reber said the students have gained a lot working at the coffee shop. Some of them are nonverbal by choice, and delivering coffee has helped them open up. Even something as simple as “Here’s your coffee” is an important accomplishment. “We had a couple of kids who didn’t want anything to do with it in the beginning, and now show up and ask for work,” Reber said. “So it’s been an amazing transformation.” According to the Foundation for Educational Excellence website, the group has granted more than $270,000 to the school district since 2009, impacting more than 90,000 students. Just this school year, the foundation has distributed almost $30,000 in grants – 19 innovative teacher grants and seven school resource grants. Those
grants went to 18 different schools and provided 5,606 individual learning opportunities. Carroll said in the past, the group has raised about $30,000 a year for the schools. This school year, the group has raised almost $100,000 to help with tutoring, technology and other specific needs for students who have fallen behind due to COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, the foundation awarded $61,000 to the five Hilton Head schools, and $25,000 to Robert Smalls International Academy and Shanklin S. Elementary. The foundation relies on the support of the community through the following groups: the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, Bargain Box of Hilton Head, Friends of Callawassie Island, The Italian-American Club of Hilton Head Island, the Okatie Rotary Club, Women in Philanthropy, and the Moss Creek Charitable Fund. Another major fundraiser for the organization is its annual Jewels and Jeans fundraiser, which is not being held in 2021. Every year, the foundation gives a $1,000 grant to the Beaufort County Teacher of the Year. This year’s recipient was Okatie Elementary School firstgrade teacher Megan DeWeese. The organization also honors a person or group of people each year with the Peggy May Inspiration Award for dedication, inspiration and support for the county schools. This year’s award went to the entire school system. “How do we pick just one person when all of the schools are improvising every single day?” Carroll said. “And not just teachers, not just administration but really everyone at the school level, from bus drivers to cafeteria workers to custodians … so we decided to honor all of them.” Each school received a plaque, a “Congratulations” sign at its entrance and a breakfast buffet. For more information about the Foundation for Educational Excellence, visit foundationedexcellence.com. Amy Coyne Bredeson of Bluffton is a freelance writer, a mother of two and a volunteer with the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 21A
THE PURSUIT OF HEALTHINESS! Living a life you love begins with living pain-free. Don’t allow painful degenerative conditions hold you back another day or year in your pursuit for happiness and longevity! Whether you suffer from arthritis, back, joint, hip, shoulder or knee pain, the Fraum Center for Restorative Health can provide you with natural, noninvasive alternatives so you can live your best life now! Our therapies keep you youthful on the inside, and now with our aesthetic solutions, you can look your best on the outside.
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
Teens will have more drivers ed options coming this spring
KEVIN AYLMER
123 Drive! training academy has a fleet of eight cars and is located in Bluffton Village.
By Tim Wood CONTRIBUTOR
Teenagers have already been especially challenged during the coronavirus pandemic socially, mentally and academically. Add “learning to drive” as another aspect of their growth that has been stunted. Bluffton teens and parents will tell you there was already a shortage of Lowcountry class space and instructors pre-COVID. Between business shutdowns and restrictions on class size during the pandemic, a trying situation became nearly untenable. But there is relief on the horizon – both in a tapered return to normalcy from the area’s established driving academy and news of a new school opening up to service the Lowcountry’s population explosion. Doreen Haughton-James started 123 Driving Academy 15 years ago when she found there to be a lack of quality driver education options for her kids. Now, as a pair of competitors retired and high
schools cut back on offering in-school drivers’ ed, she has had to navigate the pandemic knowing less kids will be able to learn to drive in a timely manner. “We had to close in April 2020 for a month and that alone created a backlog of students. We moved classes online and that helped, but our in-person classes were cut in half,” said the owner of the school with classes in Bluffton and Hilton Head Island. Island classes shrunk from 40 to 20 while Bluffton classes contracted from 30 to 15 in-person spots. The Department of Motor Vehicles allowed the school to go virtual with their Saturday 8-hour classes with strict supervision to make sure students were watching and following the class instruction. “It helped for sure, but right now, our classes are full through the end of June into July,” Haughton-James said. “As the numbers get better, we’re slowly getting classroom seats back and we’ll offer them
Please see DRIVERS ED on page 24A
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
DRIVERS ED from page 22A to waitlisted students to try to get them into class sooner.” Students with their beginners permit that completed the class and want to begin in-car driving instruction must currently wait up to a month to get started. “Between the masks in class and wearing masks and creating partial partitions in the cars to prevent any transmission of the virus, there were a lot of inconveniences and delays, but we’re slowly getting back on schedule,” she said. The business is also trying to adjust to added demand beyond the delays caused by COVID. “We just added a car, our eighth, and we’re always advertising for quality teacher to add to our staff of 10 instructors,” Haughton-James said. The school is also looking into added a third location in Ridgeland to service the growing population along the S.C. 170 corridor. “Finding the right instructors are key. We have former teachers, UPS drivers, instructors with masters in education, all types. But the key is to be personable and show they’re comfortable teaching teens.” The 123 owner has seen a population growth since beginning the business and said that increased traffic and more scrutiny of their performance have been the biggest changes over her tenure. As for what parents can do to help their kids navigate the learning process and the potential delays in getting to learn in the field, Haughton-James said nothing beats the basics. “Find an empty parking lot, get your kids as many reps and hours behind the wheel as you can,” she said. “There is no substitute for experience and comfort in operating the vehicle.” A new option with a twist David Murphy served a decade in local law enforcement – eight with the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office and two as a Bluffton police officer. During that time, he was part of countless traffic accident investigations. It gave him a unique and often gruesome insight into the results of poor or distracted driving. When he, his wife Carrie and his father (a former sheriff deputy and current owner of New River Transmission in Hardeeville) were looking to start a business, his experience with
accident collisions combined with his knowledge of the population growth and lack of drivers ed options led his family to buy a franchise with the 911 Driving School. The chain, a subsidiary of the Seattle-based Driver Training Group, has seven offices across South Carolina and 50 across the country, with more franchises coming online every month. The differentiating factor that Murphy said will make 911 stand out: all instructors are current or retired first responders or law enforcement officers. “Officers can relate to the teaching on a different level. We’re out there driving 12 hours a day, we see the barrage of distracted driving first hand and have a unique insight into proper defensive driving,” Murphy said. “Driving is one of the most underestimated tasks we do. Repetition of doing it creates complacency and lazy habits. A Ford F-150 with a distracted or texting driver is essentially a 3,000-pound missile.” The school’s first class began May 1 with eight-hour classes scheduled for each Saturday through mid-September. The school will offer in-person classes at their Plantation Park classroom and office. The school’s cost run from $400 to $600, $75 to $200 higher than 123 Drive’s class rates. Murphy said the professionalism and experience that instruction from law enforcement officers will give beginning students a leg up in their learning. “We have seen the 911 teaching blueprint, it’s proven and successful and we’re excited to bring that to this area,” Murphy said. He said that in addition to himself, he has two current local police officers signed up to teach classes and do in-car instruction and will hire more instructors as demand warrants. “And we are already seeing that demand. We’re built to serve the growth in the need for drivers ed, and to service that need with the highest quality instruction possible,” he said. “We have a very fertile pool of current and retired officers to recruit instructors from.” Sign up for classes online at 123drivingacademy.com or 911drivingschool.com. Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. Contact him at timwood@blufftonsun.com.
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 25A
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
Workshops offered for caregivers of those with dementia Senior Living Connections will host a series of educational workshops, “Discovering Dementia,” for caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia. Senior Living Connections is an organization of advisors for assisted living options. The livestream workshops will be held via Zoom from 6 to 7 p.m. on the designated days. • May 6: “Stages and Communication Techniques,” a discussion about how to interact with those living with dementia, various stages of the disease and best ways to communicate. • May 20: “Behaviors and Medication Management” focuses on understanding different behaviors that can accompany dementia, how to manage challenging situations, and types of medications used in treatment. • May 27: “Choices at End of Life,”
a deep dive into final stages of life, challenges one might encounter, and education on care options. The presenter for the workshops is Melissa Chambers, a dementia specialist with more than 25 years’ experience in the health care industry. Chambers is a certified Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia care trainer, and offers fresh insight to questions about dementia. A question and answer session will be held at the end of each workshop. There is no charge to participate. The series is non-sequential and open to anyone caring for persons living with dementia. If unable to attend any session, complimentary consultations are available. For more information and to register for the workshops, email info@seniorlivingconnections.org.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS A FREE PUBLIC SEMINAR Join us for this free presentation by Lowcountry Legal Volunteers on your legal rights. Topics, with questions and answers, will include the following: - Housing, and your rights as a tenant - Wills and healthcare powers of attorney - Family law (divorce, custody, child support)
DATES: May 6 and May 20 TIME: 6:00pm to 7:30pm PLACE: Church of the Cross, Bluffton - Parish Hall 110 Calhoun Street
And, an immigration presentation by local attorney Aimee Deverall. LowcountryLegalVolunteers.org
To reserve your socially distanced seat please call us at
843-815-1570
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 27A
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
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May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 29A
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Page 30A
The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
10 HOT SPOTS Creating spaces where family and friends make memories
Cinco de Mayo: Are you ready for a party in your mouth?
COURTESY HOLY TEQUILA
The prime rib taco from Holy Tequila
By Tim Wood CONTRIBUTOR
Specializing in Stone Countertops, Fireplaces, Outdoor Spaces, and Swimming Pools CALL FOR YOUR PRIVATE APPOINTMENT 843-689-6980 | HILTONHEADSTONE.COM 28 Hunter Road on Hilton Head Now open, our NEW Manufacturing Facility – 779 Robert Smalls Parkway in Beaufort
How did a holiday meant to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victorious stand against the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 become synonymous with food and egregious margarita consumption? Cinco de Mayo is so much more than that to both Mexican Americans and fans of Mexican heritage. In celebrating the liberation, we are simultaneously shining an annual spotlight on the spirit of a people and their freedom to share their passions with the world. And if ever there was a year we’re all ready for a party (socially distanced, of course), it is 2021. In honor of the May 5 Mexico-a-palooza, here are our blue ribbon panel’s picks for the 10 Hot Spots for Mexican cuisine in Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, with input from you, the readers, weighing heavily as always. Picks are in no particular order, though again, you weren’t shy about voicing your clear-cut favorites. • Taqueria del Sabor, 142 Bluffton Road, Bluffton, 843-227-1203: Folks couldn’t always give us the name of this outdoor dining spot, but they know that
the “spot across from the Bluffton post office” is where to get the authentic goods. The tacos dorado curried particular favor, along with the quesadillas. Feel free to get the ordinary chicken and cheese fixings, but if you’re adventurous, the chorizo, shepherd, roast, tongue and head options are on par with anything we’ve had in Mexico. • La Huesteca, 12 Sheridan Park Circle, Bluffton: When you want the straight word on who’s got the best, you get it from a chef’s mouth. Big Dog Tacos food truck owner Joe DePatty has won plenty of raves for his creations, but when Joe wants the legit stuff – not the TexMex variety that caters more to the American palate – this is where he goes. “It’s as close to the true Mexican my mom and grandma made us as kids in San Diego,” he said. “This is, in my opinion, the truest in every sense of the best Mexican food around. None other will do.” He is especially a fan of their mole and sauces. • Maiz Taqueria, Bluffton, 843-8162389: It’s a food truck on the move, so you have to check the latest location on Face-
Please see HOTSPOTS on page 32A
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 31A
Come Join Our Canterfield Family!
FRIDAY, MAY 7TH, 9 AM - 11 AM
Tour Our Brand New Independent Villas HAVE A COFFEE AND DANISH WITH US
• EVERYONE TAKING A TOUR ON THIS DAY WILL BE ENTERED IN OUR RAFFLE TO WIN AN EXCLUSIVE PRIZE!
RSVP (843) 645-4000
Our Base Monthly Rate Includes:
• Chef prepared meals from our restaurant style dining room • All Utilities (except phone and cable) • Weekly Housekeeping • On Site Maintenance Director • Use of common areas in community, including Canterfield Theatre, Library, Activities Room and Private Dining Area
Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care Canterfield of Bluffton 567 N. Okatie Highway Ridgeland, SC 29936
843-645-4000
www.canterfieldofbluffton.com
Page 32A
The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
HOTSPOTS from page 30A book (though they have been seen at the Backyard State of Mind food truck pavilion on Bluffton Road). The owners promise a gluten free, organic and 100% delight in every bite. Foodies also rave about their Sunday brunch. • Holy Tequila Mexican Kitchen, 33 Office Park Road, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-8226, holytequila.com: This island fave wins raves for atmosphere and ambience along with its attention to vegan and vegetarian-friendly menu options. The carne asada taco is a particular favorite, along with the flourless and breakfast burritos. Wash it all down with a jalapeno margarita if you’re looking for a walk on the wild side. • Fiesta Fresh, 51 New Orleans Road, Suite 4, Hilton Head Island, 843-7854788, fiestafreshgrill.com: A lot of our options are newer compared to this OG island dinery that sprouted a Bluffton sibling. Getting a table for lunch at the island location is a bit tricky, but the pursuit is worth it. The eatery wins particular honors
for their service and friendly staff. • Tio’s Latin American Kitchen, 40 Shelter Cove Lane #181, Hilton Head, and 7 Venture Drive #106, Bluffton, 843-8428467, tioshhi.com: Honduras native chef Lynden Zuniga won over island diners who comment that his personality shines through in every bite. He, his co-owner and wife Sally, and fellow chef Logan McManus have created a diverse menu that showcases several different Latino country faves and win just as many kudos for their drink menu with a mix of sophisticated offerings and attention to basics (namely, a depth of tequila and rum options). Plus, they feature a locally owned company, Ring Stinger Pepper Company, in all their hot and taco sauces. • Blue Laguna Mexican Grill and Cantina, 841 William Hilton Parkway Suite L, Hilton Head Island, 843-682-6222, facebook.com/bluelagunagrill: This newer eatery is winning fast praise for their fajitas, the way they differentiate their Taco Tuesday specials and the homey atmosphere.
• Mi Tierra, 27 Mellichamp Drive, Bluffton, 843-757-7200, mitierrabluffton. com: The staff was repeatedly mentioned by our panel, as well as the colorful interior design. The salsa, sautéed shrimp tacos and guac were also singled out by readers, as well as the large portions and bang for the buck. The pollo poblano and steak picado are among our favorites of their house specials. This is consistently the top-ranked Bluffton Mexican locale on TripAdvisor, and for good reason. • La Poblanita, 4494 Bluffton Park Crescent, Bluffton, 843-815-5221, la-poblanita-bluffton.com: “Best in class” and “hidden secret” are the review headlines you’ll see on the web. This spot is tucked behind the Enmarket off Bluffton Parkway, but the food quality is far from shy. The shrimp tacos are a winner for sure. Again, be aware that this is not the more Americanized TexMex palate. It’s much more of true Mexican. Our reviewers repeatedly said they don’t want to risk their special place being overrun with newbies.
• Agave Side Bar, 13 State of Mind Street, Bluffton, 843-757-8226, agavebluffton.com: You will think the people watching and outdoor dining is worth the trip alone … until you taste the food. It is among the pricier options on our list, but the portions are strong, the ahi tuna tacos are delectable and the blackened mahi and pork belly taco will bring you tears of joy. And oh my, the street corn. Honorable mentions: If you’re up for a drive, La Parilla on S.C. 170 across from Oldfield Mews offers brains and cows head tacos that multiple panel members said were otherworldly. Mi Tierrita in Okatie could be on a top pizza list just as much as for their Mexican, odd combo but it works. Taqueria El Primo in Bluffton, Amigos in Bluffton’s Belfair Village, and Java Burrito, Aunt Chilada’s and San Miguel’s on the island also got votes from our readers and panelists. Have a suggestion for our next topic for 10 Hot Spots? Email Tim Wood at timwood@ blufftonsun.com to give us your idea.
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Join us for the May Day 5k Run/Walk. Family-friendly fun, strollers & dogs are welcome! Pizza Co. will be on-site with pizza for purchase to refuel after the race!
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HOSTED BY
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WWW.LCAHEALTHYYOUTH.COM
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
At Okatie Pines, we offer more than just a community, we offer all-inclusive independent retirement living. Designed exclusively for adults 55 and over, we take care of everything with one monthly price and no buy-in fee, so you can enjoy the good things in life.
May Events Meet Our Managers
Wednesday, May 12 from 11:00 am -1:00 pm
There’s no better way to experience our resort lifestyle than meeting our managers! Join us for a casual social time over a chef-prepared lunch and learn about our all-inclusive amenities!
RSVP by May 10.
Information Seminar
Wednesday, May 26 from 11:00 am -1:00 pm
Are you ready to Celebrate Life? Join us for a brief presentation followed by a complimentary lunch and discover how the resort lifestyle at Okatie Pines encourages a happier and healthier life!
RSVP by May 24
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
Noteworthy
It’s as easy as 1) Go to Seabrook’s website:
www.theseabrook.com and watch the Virtual Tour video. Next, take a look at the villas available and see which floorplan catches your eye.
2) Look at the two living options: Purchase (own) or Entry Fee (lease) - which option is best for you? Either way, The Seabrook offers an affordable lifestyle. 3) Call Joe at 843-686-0919 or email jagee@theseabrook.com to schedule a tour of our community. Ask about our “Move In Before You Sell Your Home” program. The Seabrook offers the best value when compared to other senior communities. You need to visit and see for yourself!
843.842.3747 www.theseabrook.com
• Art League of Hilton Head will host its 27th Biennale art exhibit through May 26 at its gallery, 14 Shelter Cove Lane on Hilton Head Island. The exhibit includes works from 100 artists from 28 states, juried from 735 works from 40 states, across major media. An awards reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. May 7 with judge Marc Hanson. The event is free and open to public. Hanson will host a Critic’s Coffee at 10 a.m. May 8 at the gallery. The fee is $10 fee, and registration is required at gallery@artleaguehhi.org. The exhibit is on display during gallery hours, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday, and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance. For more information, call 843-6815060 or visit artleaguehhi.org. • The monthly First Thursdays Art Market will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. May 6 at Shops at Sea Pines Center on Hilton Head Island. It is free and open to the public. The market features local painters, photographers, sculptors, potters, jewelry makers and other creatives, plus live music and complimentary wine samples. For a full schedule, visit TheShopsAtSeaPinesCenter.com • Tickets are still available for “Johnny Mercer: The Man and his Music,” onstage May 7-15 at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. The cabaret-style musical features Mercer’s memorable songs with accompanying narration. Tickets are $35 and are available at artshhi.org. • Congregation Beth Yam in Hilton Head will sponsor a live-streamed musical program called Music Makes Friends at 4 p.m. May 9. The program will feature the musical group Latin Vox, whose lead singers, Guillermo and Nellymar Brazon, might be familiar to residents of the Lowcountry.
The program can be accessed from the CBY Facebook page or directly from the CBY website at bethyam.org. • The 21st annual Low Country Home & Garden Show will be held May 14-16 at the Savannah Convention Center on Hutchinson Island. Admission is free; parking is available for $5, credit or debit only. Show hours are 2-6 p.m. May 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 15, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. May 16. For more information, visit SavannahHomeandGardenShow.com. • May is Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) awareness month. The annual fundraiser will be held virtually this year. The Step Forward to Cure Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Global Virtual Walk-Run-Ride will be held May 1516, wherever participants are located. TSC, a rare, incurable genetic disease called tuberous sclerosis complex, is the leading genetic cause of autism and epilepsy, and affects 1 million people worldwide. Walk, run or ride wherever you are May 15-16, and share your photos on social media with #StepForward4TSC. To sign up or donate, visit stepforwardtocuretsc.org. • The Sun City Amateur Radio Club will sponsor an Amateur Radio license testing session May 19 at Pinckney Hall in Sun City. While the test session is open to all, appointments are suggested. Contact Dennis Hopkins, AC4DH, at 207350-1350 or AC4DH@arrl.net for additional information or to schedule a test. Those interested in a pre-exam review session to help them prepare for the test may contact Hopkins indicating interest, and the topic(s) you would like covered. For additional information about the SCHHARC call Ron Frick, membership chairman, at 843-705-9923 or email Ron at frickron@aol.com.
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
•FOOD!
•ART!
Something for Everyone!
Furniture • Art • Lighting • Consignments
Mon-Fri 11am-4pm • Sat 10am-4pm (843) 815-4669 1230 May River Road, Bluffton SC 29910 la petiteCoastalexchangebluffton@yahoo.com sun ad may 21_Layout 1 4/6/21 8:22 AM Page 1 Sunset by Don Nagel
Featuring works in oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor and mixed media by Rose Cofield | Kristin Griffis | Don Nagel Murray Sease | Lauren Terrett | Bill Winn & sculpture by Wally Palmer Adjacent to “The Store” 56 Calhoun Street lapetitegallerie.com
•SHOP!
Page 35A
•FUN!
Page 36A
The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
Celebrate timeless music of songwriting legend Johnny Mercer
EXPERIENCE A MUSICAL
JOURNEY THROUGH THE LIFE MEMORABLE
SONGS INCLUDE MOON RIVER T HAT OLD
BL ACK M AG IC HURRAY F OR HOLLY W OOD
AC C EN T UAT E
T HE POSIT IVE C OME RAIN
OR C OME SHINE
OF LOWCOUNTRY SONGWRITING LEGEND JOHNNY MERCER.
This cabaret-style musical brings Mercer’s timeless songs to the stage with fascinating narration woven throughout. Mercer was inspired by the music and language of southern African Americans. Beginning in his youth, popular music had begun to infuse black musical culture in the world of blues and jazz.
A cabaret-style musical at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina May 7-15 brings Johnny Mercer’s timeless songs to the stage with fascinating narration woven throughout. “Johnny Mercer: The Man and His Music” celebrates the life and work of the songwriting legend from the Lowcountry region. Mercer was inspired by the music and language of Southern African Americans. Beginning in his youth, popular music had begun to infuse black musical culture in the world of blues and jazz. Mercer absorbed the influences of his Lowcountry region and its people, merging music to create an entirely new sound. Considered one of the greatest songwriters to ever live, Mercer wrote the lyrics to more than 1,700 songs from the 1930s to the 1970s. This original work by playwright
Calvin Ramsey spotlights some of Mercer’s most memorable songs, including “Moon River,” “That Old Black Magic,” “Accentuate the Positive,” and “Come Rain or Come Shine.” The Arts Center is located at 14 Shelter Cove Lane on Hilton Head Island.
Johnny Mercer absorbed the influences of his Lowcountry region and its people, merging music to create an entirely new sound.
FLEETWOOD MAC’S LEGENDARY ALBUM! Featuring
100 ARTISTS from Around the Country
Added By Popular Demand:
SAT (5/29) 4PM
MAY 28 – 29
True to the Fleetwood Mac sound, BJS plays Rumours in the first act and the greatest hits in the second.
ON VIEW MAY 4-26, 2021 AWARDS RECEPTION
Fri., May 7, 5-7pm Free RSVP gallery@artleaguehhi.org
CRITIC’S COFFEE
with Judge Marc Hanson, O.P.A.M., Award-Winning Landscape Painter
This full rock concert brings this legendary music to life ...
Sat., May 8, 10am-12pm $10 at the Gallery Door RSVP gallery@artleaguehhi.org
AN EPIC CONCERT EXPERIENCE!
OUR SPONSORS:
The Great Frame Up Publix Super Markets Charities
EVENT SAFETY
FACE COVERINGS
PHYSICAL DISTANCE
REDUCED OCCUPANCY
TEMPERATURE SCREENINGS
ART LEAGUE GALLERY at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island www.ArtLeagueHHI.org | 843.681.5060
Bishop Eye Associates, PA Carolyn’s Landscaping Custom Audio Video
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
BravoPiano! Festival honors ‘Music of the Americas’
Page 37A
June 4 -12, 2021 HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION
BRAVO PRESENTS
COURTESY HHIPC
The BravoPiano! Festival, a production of the Hilton Head International Piano Competition, will take place June 4-12 in multiple venues on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. BravoPiano is held every three years. This year’s theme is Celebrating the Music of the Americas. Featured composers hail from Canada to Argentina with works spanning three centuries, from the Revolutionary War to the present day. Guests will have a choice of solo recitals, chamber music, jazz and an intriguing piano trio. Tickets go on sale May 5 and are available HHIPC.org or by calling the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra office at 843-842-2055. The schedule is: June 4, 7:30 p.m.: Music from the American Stage: The Cheng-Chow Trio share two pianos to perform works of Copland, Gershwin and Bernstein and others. June 5, 7:30 p.m.: Rhythms of Latin America: Priscila Navarro, a native of Peru will explore the influence of dance rhythms on the music of South American, Caribbean and Mexican composers. June 6, 7:30 p.m.: HHSO plays Chamber Music – join the principal players of the HHSO as they celebrate the chamber music of America. June 7, 7:30 p.m.: Yankee Doodle and More: Jack Winerock will trace the history of piano music by American composers from Yankee Doodle Dandy to the mid-twentieth century.
June 8, 3 p.m.: Women of American Music: Jennifer Nicole Campbell and Chamber Music Charleston will showcase chamber music composed by American women including solo works by the artist herself. June 8, 7:30 p.m.: Sing Out: Martin Lesch and Friends will perform variety of beloved American songs from the 20th and 21st centuries June 9, 7:30 p.m.: Jazz – Quintessential America: Sullivan Fortner, Grammy award-winning pianist, will dive into familiar jazz standards with vocalist Cecile McClorin Savant. June 10, 7:30 p.m.: Visions at the Piano: Henry Kramer will play music of the Americas from the last 100 years, including a World Premiere of a living American composer, Hannah Lash. June 11, 7:30 p.m.: Gullah-Geechee Musical Influences: Lavon Stevens, with a nod to our Lowcountry heritage and accompanied by a combo/vocalist, will trace Gullah-Geechee influences on American jazz, blues and gospel. June 12, 7:30 p.m.: Three Centuries: The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra hosts Reed Tetzloff playing Edward McDowell’s Piano Concerto #2 (1885); Michelle Cann playing Florence Price’s Piano Concert in One Movement (1934); and Stuart Goodyear playing his own Callaloo Suite, a Caribbean Suite for Piano and Orchestra, composed by the artist (2016). For more information, including locations and tickets, visit HHIPC.org.
CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF THE AMERICAS FROM THE 1700’S TO PRESENT DAY COMPOSERS FROM CANADA TO ARGENTINA
LET’S FES TIVAL...!
10 EVENTS CLASSICAL | CHAMBER MUSIC JAZZ | LATIN & CARIBBEAN GULLAH-GEECHEE | FINALE WITH HHSO TICKETS ON SALE MAY 5 CALL 843.842.2055 OR VISIT HHIPC.ORG
O F F I C I A L F E S T I VA L P I A N O
SPONSORED BY THE HILTON HEAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Page 38A
The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
BUSINESS UPDATE
New indoor sports venture headlines business openings, renos It has been a busy month of businesses moving dirt, hanging shingles, and planning for the next chapter of their commercial adventures. Here’s the latest on the business front around Bluffton and Hilton Head Island. Golf simulators and so much more Dreaming of a place where you can play a round of golf with air conditioning keeping you cool from above? There has been much talk of a true TopGolf experience needed in the Lowcountry – and Jeff Smith heard your pleas. The entrepreneur is prepping to give locals and tourists so much more with the opening of Chronic Golf, taking over the former home of the Adventure Radio Group at 59 New Orleans Road. Renovations have been ongoing since late 2019. The sports experience bar and grill will feature full-swing simulators with two advanced tracking technologies to give HD feedback and analytics as you play a choice of 90-plus golf courses. It’s much more than just golf though. You can actually play 13 different sports on each simulator, from baseball to hockey to football and soccer. Not interested in sports? Try tossing some bombs at zombies. Everything from the sports to the food and drink will operate with a next-gen tech backbone experience. The space will be open for leagues, corporate outings, and birthday parties. Smith is planning for a soft opening during the week of Memorial Day with a full grand opening in early June. Visit mychronicgolf.com for more information. Quick hits from the storefronts • Lowcountry Fresh is inching toward completion. The new grocery store, market and café featuring locally source products in a farmers market atmosphere has hung the signs at 303 Bleecker St. on Buckwalter Parkway between Buckwalter Place and Berkeley Place. Management is putting the finishing touches on the buildout and running
the final dry runs of training with new employees. Visit lowcountryfresh.com for the latest information on the business’ grand opening plans. • A new Starbucks is coming to island’s South end. The exhilarating game of Lowcountry Starbucks musical chairs continues and this time, we’re adding a couple. We told you of the plans the java-centric chain has for May River Crossing in Bluffton. Now, the company has filed plans to open at 18 Pope Ave., next to St. Andrew By-The-Sea Church. This will be the fourth Starbucks on the island, with one in the Sea Turtle Marketplace (rebuilt after a fire in 2019), one in Shelter Cove, and one near Publix off Palmetto Bay Road (the only freestanding location without a drive-thru). The new location promises a drive-thru, but also a walk-up window and a large outdoor dining area. • Wiseguys is closed for renovations: One of the gems of the SERG Restaurant Group is closed to make improvements for foodie fans. Wiseguys closed its Main Street location on the island temporarily to make the eatery “bigger and better for our loyal guests,” according to its Facebook page. The restaurant closed the day after Easter and is working on renovations now, according to staff. • May River Crossing taking shape with two more shingles hung: We now know there will be an AT&T store in the block of storefronts directly across from the Publix in May River Crossing, located at the intersection of Hwy. 170 and May River Road, near the New Riverside circle. Logo signs were hung on the building in mid-April. Great Clips has hung posters in the storefront attached to Publix in search of hairstylists for their new location. No opening dates for either spot have been announced.
Please see UPDATE on page 41 A
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 39A
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Page 40A
The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
New leadership to head up human trafficking task force The Lowcountry Human Trafficking Task Force has new leadership after the election of two new co-chairs during its April 21 quarterly meeting. JoJo Woodward and Michelle Fraser will lead the task force, one of nine regional task forces under the state’s task force purview. The South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force is headed up by the S.C. Attorney General’s Office. Woodward has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience. He is a member of the Solicitor’s Office Career Criminal Unit, a team of veteran prosecutors and investigators who target habitual and dangerous defendants. Fraser oversees the day-to-day operation of the 14th Circuit Victims Services Center (VSC) and its community partners. She has been a Solicitor’s Office victim advocate for more than 15 years
and is a Marine Corps veteran. The Lowcountry Human Trafficking Task Force encompasses Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton, Hampton and Allendale counties and includes active members from the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, nonprofits, victim service providers, social services, clergy, local, state and federal law enforcement, healthcare professionals, civic organizations and others. Woodward and Fraser take over from Sheila Roemeling, founder of Fresh Start Healing Heart, and Capt. Shane Roberts of the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office. The next meeting of the task force is July 21. For more information, email sclchtff@gmail.com. To report suspected human trafficking call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 (BeFree).
843.707.9400
& MEMORY CARE
Come e eur ToCuoCrmoO m ruO ur!Cusr!ome rpuO CToaTuom mpus
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& & M EMMEOMR O Y RCYA R C EA R & E MEMORY CARE
& MEMORY CARE
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MAY CHANGE, BUT IT NEVER GETS OLD. e ComLIFE Tour Our a ampusu! r Our Campus! CC o
T Campus!
Short Term & Long Term Rehabilitation Long Term Care • Memory Care 843.705.8220 nhcbluffton.com
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 41A
UPDATE from page 38A • Lucky Rooster is back in business: Beloved island chef Clayton Rollison’s popular Lucky Rooster Kitchen and Bar reopened April 8 with new owners. The Leffew Restaurant Group has continued the focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, now under the direction of executive chef David Landrigan. The former chef at Circa 1875 and La Scala Ristorante in Savannah joins operating partner David Leffew in promising to build on what Rollison started. The restaurant is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Check luckyroosterhhi.com for more information. • Berkeley Hall starts upgrades project: The Berkeley Hall Club in Bluffton broke ground on the first phase of a renovation project to transform its clubhouse and eateries. The centerpiece of the project is the building of the 4 Seasons Veranda, a 5,000-square-foot addition that extends off the Grand Hall. The new space will provide year-round dining in a climate-controlled environment.
The scope of the first phase work also includes a renovation of the Mixed Grille eatery and a kitchen and design upgrade. The exterior is scheduled to be finished by the fall with full use by spring/summer 2022. The Clubhouse, Mixed Grill, Tap Room bar bistro and Tuscan Wine Room will remain open throughout most of the construction. The club’s two Fazio-designed golf courses are also getting a facelift and “return to their pristine original vision,” according to club officials. • Sweetgrass Inn opens: Hilton Head Health has opened the doors of its 18,000-square-foot, $5 million Sweetgrass Inn project, the first time in the business’ 40-plus-year history that the island weight loss and wellness retreat will have its own on-campus accommodations. Sweetgrass features 30 guest rooms, a game room and a theater room overlooking the pool. For more information on the new addition and all that Hilton Head Health has
to offer, visit hhhealth.com Welcome to the neighborhood • Animal Eye Clinic, 70 Pennington Drive, Suite 10, Bluffton, 912-236-2050, coastalaec.com: This specialty veterinary clinic devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders in animals based in Savannah has opened an office in Bluffton. The staff works closely with their patients’ primary care vets to reach a diagnosis and establish a plan for ophthalmic treatment for pets. • Cassandra’s Kitchen, 258 Red Cedar Street, No. 17, Bluffton, 843-815-3500, cassandraskitchen.com: Cassandra Schultz’s family has a 40-year history with Ina Garten, aka Barefoot Contessa. Her dad worked for Garten in East Hampton, N.Y. She worked the cash register at Ina’s East Hampton store. Her mom helped on the photo shoots for Garten’s first cookbook. Cassandra knows Garten’s work and products inside and out, so it makes perfect sense that she along with co-owner Cintia Parsons would open a store featuring all of Barefoot Contessa’s kitch-
en products in one place. What started as a popular website that has spawned the duo’s first brick and mortar location, which opened in mid-April. • La Pizzeria, 1460 Fording Island Road, Bluffton, 843-757-4444, lapizzeriahhi.com: A new pizza place has opened in Tanger 2. The new eatery opened April 19, promising hot, fresh, made-fromscratch pizzas, wings, pasta and salads. They will offer lunch specials daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as vegetarian and gluten-free menu options. • 911 Driving School, 22 Plantation Park Drive, Suite 105B, Bluffton, 911drivingschool.com: A new option for drivers education has opened in the U.S. 278-adjacent plaza known for tenants like Dairy Queen, Kobe and Enterprise Rent-a-Car. The school will offer drivers ed with a twist, with current and retired first responders and law enforcement officers teaching students. Now registering students for weekly classes throughout the summer. See page 22 for more on the new driving school in town.
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
Chronic pain group created to help sufferers share info, cope By Amy Coyne Bredeson CONTRIBUTOR
Bob Fortier of Hilton Head Island has suffered from chronic pain for more than 20 years. After looking for a support group and realizing there were none within hundreds of miles, he decided to start one. The 71-year-old retired engineer said the pain started when the disc between his Bob Fortier L4 and L5 vertebrae burst. Fortier said a spinal disc is similar to a baseball in that its outer layers consist of a leather-like material and the nucleus in the middle is soft. “In my case, I wore through all of the layers of leather,” Fortier said. “In a singular moment – I was actually putting my socks on – the last layer went, and the nucleus came out, and extruded up and down my spine. And, of course, I hit the
deck.” Fortier said when you have a catastrophic failure of a disc like he experienced, the whole structural system fails over time. Now he also has diagnoses of complex regional pain syndrome and peripheral neuropathy. If he hurts himself, the pain stays with him for a long time. For example, he had hip surgery a couple of years ago and the post-op pain has never left him. Fortier said between 2000 and 2015, he had a spinal cord stimulator installed and tried most of the opiates that are on the market. Unfortunately, he had to keep increasing dosages and trying new medications because they just weren’t working. In September 2020, he had a pain pump installed. The pump is filled with a mixture of morphine and fentanyl. Fortier sees his pain management doctor every four to six weeks, at which time the doctor uses a syringe to refill the pump. The relief so far is marginal, but it helps him sleep. He and his doctor are still working on finding the correct dosage.
In the meantime, he continues to take oxycodone for pain. About 15 years ago, Fortier was diagnosed with clinical depression. “That was a dark, lonely place to be,” he said. “And pain can bring you there.” Thankfully, Fortier was able to dig himself out of the darkness and began to get better. Fortier knows he’s not the only one in the Lowcountry with chronic pain. He also knows he wants to share the knowledge he has gained along his journey and support others on theirs, while also bringing in experts to discuss the latest research and treatments. Fortier received positive feedback after giving two presentations on chronic pain for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. A participant’s comment was a catalyst for him. “One woman in particular wrote, ‘I was in tears listening to you because you’re the first person who has validated my pain,’” Fortier said. “I just said, ‘I have to do this. I can’t sit around and complain
that there’s no group here. If there’s no group here, get off your sorry butt and start one.’” Fortier is now a certified support group facilitator for The American Chronic Pain Association. His new group, the Lowcountry Chronic Pain Support Group will meet via Zoom, at least in the beginning. He hopes to be able to host the first meeting in mid-May. “Because I’ve had this 20-year journey and I’ve acquired, through experience and through study, a lot of information, it would be an utter waste of my efforts to keep that all to myself,” Fortier said. “It’s kind of like music – it’s to be shared. So I’m hoping that in sharing, other people can benefit from my journey. And I would feel utterly selfish if I didn’t do it.” For more information on the group, contact Fortier at 843-290-7556 or rdfortier@twc.com. Amy Coyne Bredeson of Bluffton is a freelance writer, a mother of two and a volunteer with the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
TECHNOLOGY
Personalize your high-tech backyard, then get outside
By Lynn Hall CONTRIBUTOR
Warm weather calls for more time outside. Is your backyard the ultimate hangout space, or does it need an update? Now is a great time to personalize your outdoor space and turn your yard into an oasis, entertainment hub, or activity center. Whatever you want to use your space for, here are some ways you can take your backyard to the next level with helpful high-tech devices. If your greenery is sacred, check out smart gardening tools like a robotic lawnmower and sprinkler system. A smart sprinkler lets you manage your sprinkler system from anywhere with a mobile app. It can cater to the specific needs of your lawn, by programming based on plant type and sun exposure. These sprinklers can also check the weather to adjust based on the amount of precipitation. They can also help conserve water and save you money, all while keeping your lawn healthy. If you don’t have space for an outdoor garden, a smart indoor planter
helps you grow fresh greens, fruits and herbs inside. A connected planter programs lighting, nutrients, and water so that you can set it and forget it. All you must do is insert pre-seeded biodegradable pods with smart technology, add some water, and plug in your garden – kind of like a single-serve coffee maker. The idea for high-tech indoor planters was inspired by NASA technology that creates the perfect environment for plants to thrive inside. Ambiance can bring any backyard to life at night. Use smart outdoor lights to illuminate your space. Specialized outdoor lights have weather-proof bulbs that are safe to use outside. You can turn them off and on and change the color using an app on your phone. If security is a concern, secure your backyard with a keyless outdoor smart lock. You can easily control access to the lock and monitor activity from your phone using Bluetooth technology. When adding more connected devices to your home, you’ll need the fastest internet in town to keep them running at top speed! Lynn Hall is the general manager of Hargray.
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
LEGAL
In blended family, plan ahead for each child’s interest By Mark F. Winn CONTRIBUTOR
Many people are in blended families. You might be in a second marriage. You might have a significant other and are cohabitating but not remarried. These situations beg resolution by good planning. So, if one of the above circumstances apply to you, how do you protect your children’s inheritance and make sure the people you love ultimately inherit what is left? There are two primary tools we use: 1. trust law to protect the property and to control and direct the remainder interest, and 2. an agreement not to alter the plan. Let us assume John and Cindy are married and John has a child, Michael, from a prior marriage. Cindy has a child, Janice, from a prior marriage. John and Cindy realize it is possible that the survivor could get remarried. They also
realize the survivor could re-direct assets to their child. Given this possibility, when they are getting their estate planning put together, they can sign an agreement that indicates neither will alter their estate plan to change the distribution without each other’s consent. The agreement can also state if the survivor is to get remarried, then the new spouse
will waive their spousal rights under a valid prenuptial agreement. Also, let us imagine that John owns the home and he wants Cindy to be able to live in it for her life if she survives him, with the remainder to Michael. John can direct the home into a trust for her benefit, and he can spell out all the terms of who pays for what, and when the interest ceases.
It would usually cease on cohabitation with another or on death. There are many options. But the idea is to keep your property so it ultimately goes to whomever you want it to go to. What does signing the agreement not to alter the plan do? It creates equitable rights in Michael and Janice and ultimately protects their remainder interest. If we do this and we also utilize trust law to protect assets during surviving spouse’s life and to direct where the remainder will go (to Michael and or Janice), then you have secured the manner in which your property will benefit loved ones. With good planning, your assets will not be lost to a new spouse, will not be lost to a lawsuit, and will not be lost to unnecessary taxes. Mark F. Winn, J.D., Master of Laws (LL.M.) in estate planning, is a local asset protection, estate and elder law planning attorney. mwinnesq.com
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May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 45A
HEALTH
Hope of spring can take us outside for some Vitamin D By Heather Hinshelwood CONTRIBUTOR
In contrast to last year, when the spring months felt somber, fearful, and enclosed, this spring has brought about feelings about hope and renewal. After the winter months of cooler temperatures, people are scrambling to spend time outdoors, and rightfully so. In the initial efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, thousands of outdoor facilities were shut down to the public, hindering many people’s ability to enjoy the open, fresh air. Across the country, beaches, parks and even some waterways were closed. Healthcare professionals saw an early and shocking trend: Patients that stayed predominantly indoors became the most ill when they contracted COVID-19. In July 2020, the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging published a compelling study: Low vitamin D levels are an independent risk factor (i.e., there’s an association but not
necessarily a causal link) for death due to COVID-19. Ninety-three percent of patients who experienced severe symptoms with the disease had a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is a nutrient our bodies need for good health, and luckily you can get it for free by spending some time outdoors. A generation ago, vitamin D deficiency was not a concern. People were outdoors so
much that an extraordinary set of circumstances had to be present to lead to vitamin D deficiency. The American lifestyle has become so sedentary that the deficiency is now much more common. While a common response to this might be to just take a supplement, a recommendation we all should really consider is to go
outside in the sun. This spring and summer, take every opportunity to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Lowcountry weather. When you wake up, go outside on a screened-in porch and enjoy a cup of coffee. Go outside for walks along the May River or on one of the surrounding, sandy beaches. Go outside and explore South Carolina’s state park system. Go outside and cook dinner on the grill. Go outside and plant some flowers, even if it’s just in a planter on your porch. If you haven’t already, make the switch from a sedentary, indoors existence and take advantage of the free health benefits that come from spending time in the sun. Just remember to wear your sunscreen. Dr. Heather Hinshelwood, MD, FACEP is a double board-certified physician and a passionate proponent for healthy living. She is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and currently practices at Fraum Center for Restorative Health.
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
WELLNESS
Questions about hair loss have many successful answers By E. Ronald Finger CONTRIBUTOR
What causes hair loss? In men and women, the most common cause is generally genetic. Other causes are hormonal, such as thyroid imbalances, or excess testosterone causing an increase in DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Many men taking steroids have increases in DHT, causing permanent hair loss. In men, genetic hair loss is called Male Pattern Baldness (MPB), and in women, Female Pattern Baldness (FPB). For non-surgical treatments there is Spectral DNC Spray or minoxidil 5% (Rogaine) form or solution; both are topical solutions. For men, Finasteride, a prescription medication that prevents conversion of testosterone to DHT, can be prescribed. There are also various vitamins and shampoos available. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) scalp injections can also be very successful. Blood is drawn from the patient and processed to isolate the
Before and after photos of hair loss and NeoGraft transplant.
platelets, which contain multiple growth factors, and then injected into the scalp. Generally, a series of three-monthly injections are scheduled and then annually. Often PRP injections are used with hair transplants to prevent further hair loss in the balding areas. For hair transplants, hair grafts are removed from the back of the scalp, where they are not destined to fall out, and micro-grafted to the front, top or wherever hair is needed. In the new location, these grafts will grow like normal hair.
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Two current hair transplant techniques are follicular unit extraction, or FUE, and follicular unit transplant, or FUT. FUE involves removing 1-millimeter micro-grafts containing from one to four hair follicles (and thus hairs). FUE grafts require no sutures and leave no visible scars in the back of the scalp. FUT removes the grafts by removing a strip of scalp, closing the donor site defect with sutures, and dissecting the strip into the same 1-millimeter grafts as with FUE. FUT is faster, and only a strip of the scalp needs
to be shaved, but it does leave a scar hidden by hair. NeoGraft is another option. It is an automated FUE technique allowing a greater number of grafts to be taken than manual FUE, with no scar. The most important factors to consider are the skill and experience of those performing the procedure. The hairline must be designed naturally, the grafts must be placed in the proper direction, and the grafts must be single hair follicle grafts for a totally natural hairline. Behind the hairline, grafts with two to four follicles should be used for more density. Grafted hair starts growing at 3 months. Full density is at 1 1/2 years. Generally, hair growth is permanent. For more information visit hairrestorationsavannah.com. E. Ronald Finger, MD, FACS is a board certified plastic surgeon with offices in Savannah and Bluffton. fingerandassociates.com
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 47A
GIVING
COVID has taken quiet toll on community’s mental health By Scott Wierman CONTRIBUTOR
As I watch the news each night, it strikes me how often I hear about the physical damage COVID-19 can cause. During the past year I’ve learned more about the human respiratory system than I ever expected to. Recently, I’ve also begun to hear more about the toll the Scott Wierman pandemic is taking on our minds. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so it’s the perfect time to examine how the pandemic impacts us from a mental health perspective. To learn more, we reached out to the executive directors of two local mental health nonprofits – Sarah Eliasoph of NAMI Lowcountry
(National Alliance on Mental Illness) and Steve Maglione of The Island House/ Mental Health America of Beaufort-Jasper. Both organizations have established funds with the Community Foundation to further their missions of supporting individuals with mental health conditions, and they shared their observations on how the pandemic has affected people in the Lowcountry. Both organizations have seen a tremendous uptick in mental health issues since the pandemic started, “primarily in the areas of depression and anxiety,” according to Eliasoph. “Everyday people are finding it difficult, especially if they are living alone. The stressors are finances, health, employment, child care, home schooling and day-to-day living in uncertainty.” Eliasoph said that many calls they’ve received come from parents who are worried about their depressed, anxious and sometimes angry children.
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It’s not just children who are affected. COVID-19 is taking a mental toll on veterans, adults, young adults and law enforcement personnel, including white, Black, Latinx, LGBTQ, kids, parents and grandparents, Eliasoph says. “COVID is equal opportunity, just like mental illness.” Maglione said it’s difficult to identify, screen and treat mental illness under any circumstances, but the pandemic has complicated the process even further. The Island House provides licensed therapeutic services to promote and sustain emotional stability within each person’s life situations, and COVID-19 has required that they “adapt additional safety measures and curriculum aspects to respond to the consequences of the pandemic.” NAMI provides their clients the names of therapists or psychiatrists, or referrals to mental health centers. Additionally, they offer support groups for both the individual experiencing mental health
issues and their families, though some have been paused during the pandemic. “The first thing we do is listen,” she says, “and sometimes we’re the first people to do so.” Mental health problems are often stigmatized, even though statistics indicate that one in four adults in the United States will suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. The pandemic has only increased our awareness that anyone can experience this struggle. If you find yourself wrestling with anxiety, depression, anger or other mental health issues, you can find helpful information at namilowcountry.org or mhaislandhouse.com. If you would like to support these organizations so they can continue their vital work, you can donate to their funds via the Community Foundation website at cf-lowcountry.org. Scott Wierman is the president and CEO of Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
SENIORS Fit body, fit mind: How can one stay in sharp into old age? By Joe Agee CONTRIBUTOR
Ironically, I was working out in our garage when I stumbled upon a magazine that caught my eye. Scientific American produced a special collector’s edition, “Secrets of Staying Young: The Science of Healthy Aging.” The articles in the magazine are quite powerful and useful, covering health topics such as Why We Age, How To Stay Smart And Strong, and Clues To Slow Aging, just to name a few. Working in a senior living community, I’m reminded each day how extremely important our health is and what we should be doing to live a long and prosperous life. I would like to share some of the scientific content from these articles that directly impacts our body and mind as we continue to age. While we’ve come to understand
intelligence is primarily a genetic inheritance, it is also affected by what we do physically. We have learned that staying physically and mentally active helps us stay sharp as we age. Seniors who participate in aerobic exercise outperform their peers who do not. If we don’t work out, our muscles start shrinking. What most people don’t realize, however, is that our brain also stays in better shape when we exercise. Learning a new language, doing difficult crossword puzzles, or taking on other intellectually stimulating tasks will be a challenge, but are quite possible. Researchers are finding physical exercise is critical to vigorous mental health, too. Scientists tell us in these articles that “participating in activities that make you think, getting regular exercise, staying socially engaged and even having a positive attitude – have a meaningful
influence on how effective you cognitive functioning will be in old age.” And let’s forget about the saying “old dogs can’t learn new tricks,” because they can! Science has proven that seniors can generally learn new pursuits, but it happens more slowly than with younger people. Even the sheer effort of learning something new will slow the decline in cognition that comes with advancing age. What these scientists are telling us is that even though we are more sedentary as we age, just a few months of “doing something” physical can begin to affect our brain power in positive ways. If you want to strengthen your brain, start working on your body too. Joe Agee is the marketing and sales director for The Seabrook of Hilton Head. TheSeabrook.com
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May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 49A
PETS
Found abandoned and wounded, Malin gets her miracle By Amy Campanini CONTRIBUTOR
When rescuing an animal, healing is often the key to helping. And, for one little homeless dog who came to Palmetto Animal League with a big wound, that was certainly the case. Malin was picked up by a friendly law enforcement officer in Jasper County as a stray dog in distress. The gaping gash down her back was infected and ran so deep it mangled both muscle and tendon. When Malin arrived at PAL, she was in shock and severely malnourished, with a badly damaged eye, so we rushed her to a trusted emergency vet clinic. With a wound that large, sutures were not an option, so the vet recommended wrapping and changing the oversized dressing every day. Safe and secure in a foster home, Malin’s healing began. After a couple of weeks of rest, food
and medications for her wound, her foster realized Malin was pregnant! And that wasn’t the only miracle. Without surgery, Malin’s wound responded to daily, specialized dressings and eventually closed on its own. So, the little dog with the big wound raised her pups and watched as they all were happily adopted, and the next chapter of Malin’s life is unfolding in a wonderful way. Her damaged eye responded to treatment, and PAL vets were able to save her vision. Meanwhile, our training team has been working on Malin’s leash skills as we search for her perfect adopter. We will never know what happened in Malin’s past that left her with such a gruesome injury, but we can promise her a future filled with love. If not for PAL’s commitment to saving every pet possible, Malin would have been euthanized and all her puppies lost along with her. But, because of caring
The inset “before” photo shows the extent of Malin’s primary wound, while the “after” picture highlights her happy face after months of healing.
to have their stories told. Do you have a pet with a special story? Celebrate your special friend May 2-8 during National Pet Week by ordering a Pet Portrait Tile from Palmetto Animal League. PAL’s Pet Portrait Tiles are the perfect way to recognize the love a pet has brought to your life. One tile will be permanently displayed on the walls of the PAL Adoption Center in honor or in memory of your beloved pet, and should you choose to order a second tile, it can become a beautiful display in your own home. Order tiles at PalmettoAnimalLeague.org. All proceeds support PAL’s adoption center and rescue programs. Compassionate gifts were a miracle for Malin. Your support will pay it forward to save another animal waiting for rescue.
people who support PAL’s no kill rescue programs, abandoned pets like Malin live
Amy Campanini is president of Palmetto Animal League.
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Page 50A
The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
PETS
Emergency vet clinic now open for off-hours pet services
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By Abby Bird CONTRIBUTOR
Local pet owners have needed an offhours emergency veterinary clinic for years. Our veterinarians have had to refer pets to emergency vets in either Savannah or Charleston. It takes anywhere from 40 minutes to 2 hours to get there, and when your pet is in need of immediate urgent care that’s a long way. Plus, some emergencies, such as pets hit by a car, snake bite, unexplained illness, and poisoning are time-critical and need immediate care. So here’s great news: Finally, we have an emergency vet clinic in Bluffton! Carolina Veterinary Critical Care is now open in the building occupied by Coastal Veterinary Clinic at 21 Buck Island Road. This is a temporary location until the permanent facility is built. The office is open weekdays from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. and Saturdays from noon to Monday at 8 a.m. These hours are meant to cover times when local veterinarian offices are closed. The emergency care clinic will have well-trained emergency staff to cover overnight visits, and if your pet is OK, you can either take him home when discharged or you can pick up and take your pet to their regular vet when they open. Some might still need to be referred to specialists at other clinics. Eventually, perhaps in about a year or so, the permanent 24/7 emergency clinic will also house specialists such as internal medicine, cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, post-surgical rehab, and more. Over time they will offer a variety of laboratory and sophisticated diagnostic equipment as well. “The time had come,” said founder Dr. Ben Parker, “when the local demographics could finally support this much-needed facility. It also needed support of the local veterinarians for referrals. The next step was to engage an emergency veterinarian. We got lucky in that Dr. Matthew Tenwolde had recently relocated to the
Dr. Matthew Tenwolde, who recently moved to the Lowcountry, is trained in emergency veterinary medicine and will lead the team at Carolina Veterinary Critical Care.
Lowcountry.” Dr. Parker and Dr. Tenwolde make a formidable team for this project. Dr. Parker has been a trusted vet here for more than two decades and has huge community support and trust. Dr. Tenwolde trained in emergency veterinary medicine at the prestigious University of California at Davis, where he also was faculty. He built a successful emergency practice – and then met his wife, who was from Bluffton. “Bluffton seemed like an excellent place to raise a family and to continue practice,” he said. “Dr. Ben proposed this idea and I also saw the serious need and was on board!” Both veterinarians said community support has been “fantastic” since they opened. Once built, the clinic will require full staffing, and recent veterinary graduates and successful practitioners will be considered. “The beauty, lifestyle, cost of living and safety will attract some very talented veterinary specialists. We can offer so much here and families will appreciate it,” Dr. Tenwolde said. Contact Carolina Veterinary Critical Care at 843-706-9200 or visit carolinavcc.com. Abby Bird is owner of Alphadog Training Academy. AlphadogTrainingAcademy@ gmail.com
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
Page 51A
This is Your
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Get your questions answered at BeaufortMemorial.org/Vaccines
Page 52A
The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
FAITH
Seek contentment in unwavering source of joy, peace By Brett Myers
of ability (or maybe my unwillingness) to find contentment with my immediate circumstances. To some degree, most of us probably struggle with this. We save up to go somewhere else. We work our fingers to the bone for retirement years. We endure our job to get to the weekend. We long for a nicer car or house. While it’s certainly acceptable to strive toward growth, savings and success in life, we come into a dangerous position when these become our source of contentment. When we find our happiness in possessions, in careers, in 401K’s, or in any other part of our portfolio, we find ourselves placing our trust and intrinsic value in something that can change in the blink of an eye. One phone call from a doctor, one blip in the stock market, or one errantly placed candle, and that can all be taken away. What reasonable person, then, would
CONTRIBUTOR
Ready or not, summer is here! I have now been blessed to call Hilton Head Island “home” for just over three years, and God still reminds me of how blessed I am to call “home” a place where so many save up to visit for one week. But we don’t always remember that, do we? I don’t always remember that. That still, small voice from God as a reminder often comes when I’m grumbling to myself while stuck in summer traffic at a traffic circle that will not be named, or leaving our church campus on South Forest Beach Drive only to battle through traffic and pedestrians with beach gear in tow. If I’m honest, it takes frequent reminders from the Lord of how blessed I am, despite myself being an annual vacationer here for 19 years. For me, this is a reminder of my lack
has been a resounding question in my mind, and one that I am so thankful has been answered through my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:8 proclaims that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” James 1:17 proclaims that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Maybe earthly things we are permitted to enjoy were never intended to be the source of our joy. Maybe the source of that joy, the source of our contentment, can only be found in our Creator, through whom we find relationship with His Son. I pray you find the true source of lasting contentment and joy. not seek to find contentment in something, or Someone, who never changes? As our family has faced medical issues unlike any we’ve ever experienced, this
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Brett Myers is the senior pastor at First Baptist Church on Hilton Head Island. FBCHHI.org
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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NATURE’S WAY
Crazy for cobia? Don’t be greedy, help conserve our treasure By Collins Doughtie CONTRIBUTOR
You would think that all folks would associate the color green with spring but, oh no! Around here, brown is by far the color everyone is talking about – everyone, that is, who has anything to do with fishing, and more specifically fishing for cobia. In some areas of the country they are called “ling” but around these parts “brownies” is their given title. If you have followed my writing then you know I have a very soft spot for these particular fish. For most of my life, fisherman never targeted cobia all that much, but as techniques for catching them improved and more boats started showing up in local waters, the brownie craze took over. It got so crazy it was hard to see how these sociable fish could possibly survive such an onslaught. Unfortunately, right here in Port Royal Sound, that possibility became reality as we decimated the population of genetically pure Port Royal cobia that had been arriving in that sound each spring to mate, something they had done for hundreds of years if not longer. Without dwelling on the downside of this sad story, a lot of good came from what has since been learned about these amazing fish. South Carolina is years ahead of other Southern states when it comes to understanding the migration patterns of cobia, through satellite tagging and identifying specific groups of cobia through DNA sampling.
Much of this discovery came from our very own Waddell Mariculture Center’s studies, with the help of both private individuals and charter fisherman. By collecting them in deep freezers at specific marinas, carcasses of caught cobia, along with fin clippings from fish that were released, once and for all proved that cobia were divided into specific groups. Some were strictly offshore cobia, bouncing along the coast from Florida all the way to Virginia, while others, like the Port Royal group, were specific to that body of water. It wasn’t until we learned this that steps were taken to close our state waters in the month of May so that these Port Royal cobia might breed and replenish the population there. To further that cause, genetically pure Port Royal males and females were captured and bred at the Waddell center. In the past year alone, Waddell has released nearly 12,000 Port Royal strain cobia back into the sound. Though the center is sorely understaffed, I have to hand it to Erin Levesque, Waddell’s director, and her two biologists, Jake Morgenstern and Jason Broach, for not only bringing the facility up to date but also doing a superhuman job with their fish rearing efforts, water sampling and research that will keep our precious waters healthy and vibrant. State waters are closed the entire month of May and any cobia caught during that period must be released unharmed. As of June 1, the allowance is one cobia per day per angler in state waters, with no more than
The staff at Waddell Mariculture Center includes, from left, Jason Broach, Jake Morgenstern and Kyle Woznick. Erin Levesque, director of the center, is not pictured.
three per boat. As for offshore federal waters, one cobia per person per day with no more than six fish per boat. As for the size limit, they must be 36 inches fork length or 40 inches total length. This is when I just have to throw in my personal opinion: South Carolina’s limit of six cobia per boat is insane. Two per boat is more than enough fish to feed a small army. I have seen days at some of our artificial reefs such as the Betsy Ross with more than 50 boats covering every square inch of the reef, and every single boat is after one fish and one fish only – cobia. These fish are being hammered from the moment they leave Florida waters all the way up to Virginia. Historically, North Carolina and Virginia have exceeded the allotted poundage for cobia by as much as 100%, which has led to closing of the cobia fishery. They are about where we were when we initially began cobia research here. While I attending conferences when I was on the cobia/mackerel board for the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, I
was very vocal, warning other delegates that they might see populations crash in their state waters if they don’t also close their waters for a period long enough to allow cobia to mate and keep populations stable. Thus far, they have no closure of state waters. I’ll end this column with a plea to all you cobia freaks that live for this time of year: Cobia are not hard to catch because they are so curious, often swimming right up to a boat. From experience, I know how tempting it is go into a “fish frenzy,” when six or more brownies swim up. But if you want to continue to have cobia around here, make your own boat policy of one or two fish per boat. Another plea is to net fish, not gaff them. The larger fish are almost always females full of eggs, so let the big ones go and keep a couple of smaller fish. Even then you’ll have more than enough meat to feed the entire neighborhood. If we all do this we’ll enjoy these great fish for generations, but if we don’t – well, the writing is on the wall. Hopefully Waddell will reopen for tours once the pandemic threat is over and I encourage all of you to experience this great facility and donate to the Waddell Fund. I hope my Waddell fundraiser “Run For The Bulls” mahi tournament on May 15 will raise enough to add another intern to the staff. Waddell is truly the gem of the Lowcountry and needs your support. Collins Doughtie, a 60-year resident of the Lowcountry, is a sportsman, graphic artist, and lover of nature. collinsdoughtie@icloud.com
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The Hilton Head Sun
May 5, 2021
HOME
Innovations in air products that upgrade your comfort By Dave Miller CONTRIBUTOR
In 1901, the version of what we know today as the modern electric-powered air conditioning unit was first built. While many of today’s ACs might run on the same fundamentals, there have been leaps and bounds in improvements made in ways to enhance comfort past just primary cooling. Over the past few decades, the industry has developed split systems, smart thermostats, solar HVAC, and temperature zoning systems to help homeowners stay comfortable. In a temperature zoning system, each separate living space can get its own discretely installed thermostat. This will control the flow of cool air to specific zones within your home through a series of ductwork upgrades to ensure each rooms’ own unique temperature needs are met, keeping every room of your home as hot or as cool as you’d like.
Split systems, sometimes referred to as mini-splits, allow for total comfort control for any room. Many properties have one room that doesn’t get hot or cold enough, no matter how you set your thermostat. Split systems are essentially single-room HVAC systems, meaning you can have fine control of the comfort level of an individual room without an unsightly window unit. This versatile option allows for customizable comfort in an individual room without
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having to reconfigure your entire HVAC system. Energy Star and the U.S. Department of Energy recommend that you heat and cool your property based on occupancy during specific times of the day. While you could try to manage this yourself by manually adjusting your thermostat every eight hours or so, smart thermostats make it easy. These systems automatically learn your routines and adjust your HVAC system temperature multiple times throughout the
day without affecting your comfort. The means your HVAC won’t run as hard while you’re not home but can also cool your property down again in anticipation of your return. In the end, for a smart thermostat investment, you can save significant dollars on your energy bills without sacrificing comfort. With solar powered HVAC units, you can harness the light and heat of the sun to power your property’s HVAC systems. In addition to collecting solar energy, solar panels utilize natural heat retention to assist in the temperature control of your AC’s refrigerant. In the end, that means you’ll see a major reduction in the power consumption of your AC. Dave Miller, owner of Superior Services, has been providing residential and commercial HVAC services in the Lowcountry for 20 years. gotosuperior.com
May 5, 2021
The Hilton Head Sun
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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING SPORTS CARDS WANTED: Vesci Sports Cards, specializing in pre1972 baseball, football and basketball cards. Looking for personal collections. Cash paid for cards. Hilton Head resident Jim Vesci, 215266-2975. jdvescisr@gmail.com
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The Hilton Head Sun
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