July 20, 2021 • Volume 24, Issue 14 • Complimentary • BlufftonSun.com
INSIDE • 94-year-old tomato grower becomes social media icon 12A • Signs of celebration popping up all over Bluffton 19A • Youth invited to visit PAL center and read to rescues 22A • Hardeeville rec center to open soon 24A • 10 Hot Spots: How to cool off in oppressive summer heat 25A
New decals shorten lines, save tax dollars at convenience centers By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
Beaufort County’s nine free convenience centers have made it easy for county residents to dispose of trash, broken furniture, unwanted goods, and all kinds of recyclable materials. And that’s a problem. It has also made it easy for non-residents and commercial contractors to dispose of their debris, thus tying up access, inconveniencing those who pay taxes for the service, increasing costs to the county, and causing dangerous situations. Those concerns prompted Beaufort County Council to initiate a mandatory decal policy. Chris Ophardt, the
county’s public information officer, said the decal was one suggestion that came out of a report generated in 2019 by A. Goldsmith Resources, LLC (AGR) to evaluate operations at each of the county’s convenience centers, and will become a requirement this fall. “We’ve done a soft roll out, so even if you don’t have a decal you can still use (the centers),” Ophardt said, “but the employees there will inform you that eventually you will have to get one.” Nearly 48,000 residents had signed up for their decal by July 9. Ophardt said the wait time at the centers has
Please see DECALS on page 8A
GWYNETH J. SAUNDERS
Beaufort County employee Warren Ladson monitors entry into the trash portion of the Bluffton Convenience Center.
BPD opens registration for fall edition of Citizens Police Academy The Bluffton Police Department is now accepting applications for the 2021 Citizens Police Academy (CPA). The eight-week, free Academy gives residents a glimpse into the department, the experiences of its officers, the multi-faceted skill sets required of law enforcement and the specialized divisions of BPD. The course
will give participants an overview of the issues, challenges, rewards and experiences of local law enforcement. The academy will cover topics such as: the history of police, traffic enforcement, radar operation, evidence collection, fingerprint recovery, defensive tactics and firearms. “Community relationships are a key tenet
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to successful policing, especially in Bluffton,” Chief Stephenie Price said. “This course is a wonderful opportunity for residents to understand the complexities of law enforcement and for officers to hear directly from the residents whom they serve.” Applicants must be 18 years or older, have a valid driver’s license and agree to a
background check. Seats are limited. Apply online at townofbluffton. sc.gov/261/Citizens-Police-Academy. The deadline for applications is Oct. 4. For more information, contact Lt. Kelly McCauley at kmccauley@townofbluffton. com or Sgt. John DeStasio jdestasio@townofbluffton.com.
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
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SUNNY SIDE UP
Consider which COVID habits to keep and some we should ditch By Lynne Cope Hummell EDITOR
Over the previous Year That Really Wasn’t, meaning roughly March 2020 through March 2021, if you’re a human being, you probably developed a few habits suited to our unusual “down” time. For some of us, quarantine lasted nearly the whole year. Others got out and about with major safety precautions initiated, while still others stayed their previous “normal” course, disregarded safety protocols, and returned to regular activities as soon as they opened. But we’re not here to judge. We’re here to consider some of the habits we adopted – the good, the bad and the ugly – and to ponder which we might keep and which we would do well to eliminate immediately, if not sooner. Faced with the other-worldliness of the “worldwide panini,” for the most part we stayed at home and got comfortable,
creative and innovative. We adapted a number of our habits, some better than others. When we didn’t have to dress for work every day, we resorted to resort wear, sweats, yoga pants, loose shirts and – raise your hand if this is you: pajamas. Some ambitious souls took it a bit further and distinguished between “day pajamas” and “night pajamas.” Many of us gave up on haircuts, makeup and accessories as well. The habit of choosing leisurewear for all occasions is one we might want to reconsider as we increasingly come back out to enjoy social activities. It just depends on one’s level of comfort, professionalism, or corporate dress code in some cases. Now, as we emerge, let’s suggest a glance in the mirror before leaving the house. The habits of personal hygiene we perfected – washing our hands at every turn, covering our mouth and nose when we cough or sneeze, not crowding others – should probably remain in force. It’s just
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a good idea to avoid germs as much as possible. Did your diet change during the past year or so? At our house, we converted from weekly grocery store trips in person to delivery or curbside pickup. While this was a timesaving (if not money-saving) blessing with minimal contact, it wasn’t perfect. Early in the year, our shopper inadvertently included two containers of ice cream with our order. We stuck them in the freezer, thinking we’d pass them along to a neighbor, as we weren’t in the habit of eating the frozen delight. But, along with the comfort clothing came the desire for comfort food. I broke the seal on the “moose tracks” and ate all of it within a week. I have since added that item to my “buy it again” list. It’s not a good habit, but a tasty one! In the early days of 2020, outdoor coffee time or happy hours were instrumental in keeping friends and neighbors in touch,
even when we chose not to hug or shake hands. Fresh air is always good, right? This habit will likely remain on our agendas. Having discovered several new parks in our area, we likely won’t restrict ourselves to our yards. Because we missed out on live arts and music events, many of us turned to streaming movies and old TV shows from online services. Thank goodness for Netflix, right? Though our household was happy to discover old episodes of “Survivor,” I’m grateful that live theatre and music has returned in abundance. Some habits most likely to be ditched, based on comments from a random sampling of friends, include Zoom meetings, all-day pajamas and pick-up/take-out dinner every single night. Some likely to remain include outdoor happy hour, ice cream, and creative efforts of all kinds. What habits will you maintain, and which will you ditch?
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July 20, 2021
EDITORIAL
Current Circulation Via USPS is 24,670 Finalist: Small Business of the Year, HHI-Bluffton Chamber. Winner of the SAPA General Excellence Award; 1st place, Front Page Design; 2nd place, Most Improved Publication; and 3rd place, Self-Promotion Advertising. IFPA-SAPA 3rd Place, Business Coverage
PUBLISHER
Kevin Aylmer, kevina@blufftonsun.com
EDITOR
Lynne Hummell, editor@blufftonsun.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kim Perry Bowen
OFFICE MANAGER Melissa McCullough
CONTRIBUTORS Lindsay Perry Edward Poenicke Kingston Rhoads Joy Ross Gwyneth J. Saunders Larry Stoller Lisa Sulka Mark Winn Tim Wood Holly Wright
Abby Bird Pete Berntson Bob Colyer Tom Dorsel Collins Doughtie Jerry Glenn Jean Harris Laura Kaponer Deanna Mansker Lou Marino
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BlufftonSun.com For more information, 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 are copyrighted by Lowcountry Local Media Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. All submissions must include name, address and phone number. The Editor reserves the right to edit or reject any material, including advertisements. The Bluffton Sun does not verify for licenses, endorse nor warrant any advertised businesses or services. The opinions and views expressed in the editorials are not necessarily those of the Editor and Publisher. Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Old Town Bluffton Merchants Society.
THE BLUFFTON SUN Issue 14, July 20, 2021 is published twice monthly by Lowcountry Local Media, Inc., 14D Johnston Way, Bluffton, SC 29910. Periodicals Postage Paid at Bluffton, SC and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE BLUFFTON SUN, PO Box 2056, Bluffton, SC 29910-2056.
Online tools help keep citizens informed By Lisa Sulka CONTRIBUTOR
I write about this often because I feel it is important to make sure this info is in your hands if you ever have questions or concerns, and make sure you are aware of tools you can access with just a few clicks on your computer. You are always welcome to continue Lisa Sulka to email, call or text anyone on council, but these links will help empower you with knowledge of what is going on in the town. 1. SeeClickFix This app allows citizens to request Town services and report service issues within the Town of Bluffton and to upload photos, videos and specific description in the notification. In addition, the SeeClickFix platform provides Town of Bluffton staff members with a centralized issue management system to manage issues from creation to resolution. We will do our best to educate residents about what issues the Town can solve and notify the appropriate agency of requests outside of the Town’s juris-
diction. The mobile app also allows citizens to create their own “watch areas.” Citizens can opt-in to receiving notifications about all the issues reported in a designated area, enabling them to follow the progress of all service requests within that area – not just the ones they report. The SeeClickFix mobile app is available for download on Android (Google Play) and iPhone (App Store). Download SeeClickFix and enter “Bluffton, South Carolina.” 2: Permit finder The Permit Application Map provides information about private development anywhere within town limits, to include some of the faster growing areas such as Buckwalter Parkway and the New Riverside area. The Permit Application Map also contains a description of the project as well as a status update. If residents click on a specific location on the map, an information box will populate with the project information. The permit status will be described as “Submitted,” “Pending,” “Approved” or “Under Construction.” The Permit Application Map provides information on a variety of Town permits for site development such as grading and clearing, subdivisions, highway corridor overlay and historic
district certificates of appropriateness (site lighting, landscaping and architecture) as well as building permits, which are required to construct, alter, repair, move or demolish a residential or commercial building. Users can search for permits by address, permit number, parcel number of by simply clicking on a blue pin on the map. 3: Capital Projects website This map will provide information for public construction projects being managed by the Town, including descriptions and updates. The projects are tagged on the map and are color-coded by status. The status of each project will be listed under the category of “Planned, underway or complete.” Users can click on the tag and details will populate about each project. Directions to both Permit and Capital Projects maps: • Go to the Town of Bluffton website: townofbluffton.sc.gov • Click on the “I Want To” box on the front of the homepage • Click on “Find a Map,” and it will direct you to the Map Gallery page • Click on either “Permit Application Map” or the “Capital Improvement Project Map.” Lisa Sulka is the mayor of the Town of Bluffton. lsulka@townofbluffton.com
Letter to the Editor To the Editor: I was fascinated reading Collins Doughtie’s article in the July 7 issue of the Bluffton Sun! I love hearing or reading about “years ago” where we live: the swing bridge. What things looked like so many years ago. What used to be where things are now. We have neighbors who moved here in Sun City in the early days of the community and I am constantly picking their brains for stories about
what it was like when they first arrived (e.g., riding in a cart through muck and mire to view the plot where their future home would be built, and having to travel to Savannah for things you can now get in a blink of the eye down the road somewhere). I do hope Collins will keep to his thought about “continuing in the next issue,” and in many issues to come! Barbara Costa Bluffton
Editorial Policy The Bluffton Sun welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be no longer than 250 words. Longer op-ed pieces on timely topics will be considered on an individual basis. Submissions must include the writer’s name, address and phone number. Email submissions to editor@ blufftonsun.com.
July 20, 2021
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
SUN ON THE STREET
Life is happy, good, even wonderful, according to neighbors With this feature, we seek to capture a glimpse of what you and your neighbors have to say about a variety of topics, is-
John Fekner, Bluffton: “Great.”
sues, events – and just plain fun questions. You might see us anywhere around town, with notepad and camera, randomly
Jackie Simmons, Beaufort: “Enjoyment, peace of mind.”
seeking out folks who are willing to participate. If we find you, we hope you will want to respond.
Jim Scott, Bluffton: “Wonderful in the Lowcountry.”
At the recycling section of the Bluffton Convenience Center, we asked folks to finish this sentence: “Life is ...”
Dick Mitchell, Okatie: “More important than life.”
Dom DeMaria, Bluffton: “Happiness.”
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July 20, 2021
DECALS from page 1A since significantly decreased, and while there hasn’t been a decrease in recycled materials, there has been a decrease in trash by eliminating unauthorized users. The recycling sections do not require a decal, so everyone – including renters – can continue to drop off their items in Bluffton or at the Shanklin site in Beaufort. “The council commissioned the study to compare us to like-sized counties in the state. The consultants said, ‘You’re essentially exceeding anticipated amounts of garbage, which is costing the county a lot of money.’ It was determined that it was because there were contractors and people from outside of the county illegally dumping in the collection centers,” he said. “Also the situation was becoming dangerous because the dumpsters were overflowing, and could not be emptied fast enough. Because of those issues it was determined to institute the decal system.” The AGR report stated that bulky
GWYNETH J. SAUNDERS
A customer shows his digital decal to get clearance to use the trash portion of the at the Bluffton Convenience Center.
waste, i.e., Class 2 construction and demolition (C&D) debris, was 30.7% of the total solid waste received at the
convenience centers, and more than one-third of the total received at Bluffton and Shanklin convenience centers.
“Given the proportion of C&D observed in these loads, it is likely that at least a portion of the C&D observed in bulky waste received at the convenience centers is from contractors and other non-residential generators,” the report stated. “Fewer tons, especially of bulky waste, would reduce the number of times containers must be pulled, and lower associated hauling and disposal costs.” The actual cost savings will be coming out and should be announced at the 26 July county council meeting, Ophardt said. “We want to make sure we’re maximizing the tax dollars that pay for the dump as the garbage impact fee. That fee is the money that used to go into the General Fund and could be used for garbage collection or other stuff, but the council decided to show how much of our tax dollars are going to trash,” Ophardt added. “Now it will be saved as a Solid Waste and Recy-
Please see DECALS on page 10A
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
DECALS from page 8A cling Enterprise Fund for long-term convenience center projects. It’s not a new fee but it’s is now broken out in the tax statements.” With the roll-out, the county has heard a number of concerns from residents and visitors, with the biggest complaint coming from renters at commercial rental properties. “Because they do not qualify for decals, their trash solution is provided by the rental companies run by the property owners, including Airbnbs. If they have big materials to dump they need to go over to the main landfill in Jasper County,” said Ophardt, referring to the Oakwood Landfill at 751 Strobhart Road in Ridgeland. The second biggest complaint was people not knowing how to get the decals, and knowing that they could get multiple copies. Residents can register for their decal at beaufortcountysc.gov/SWRDecal. “We need to verify property owners, and we do give two decals – one digital and one sticker. We felt it was more effective for the people who use the collections centers to apply for their own sticker,” Ophardt said. Registration gets the resident the actual decal that goes on the vehicle’s windshield as well as an email link to a digital version for a mobile device. It can also be printed out for use by other residents of that address. The third biggest concern came from those renting single family homes or duplexes. “If you are renting, your property owner is supposed to give you the decal, and we’ve informed a number of people about that as well,” Ophardt said. “ Even though a major concern about illegal dumping focused on construction debris, individual home owners who are also construction contractors and doing their own renovations can still make use of the centers even if they are using their business trucks. “As long as the person has a decal and he is doing a personal trash trip,” Ophardt said, “it should not be a problem. Everyone does not own a truck and they understand that at the centers.”
With the decal, residents can visit the trash centers three times a week. The study determined that was the number of times the average person frequented a convenience center. The decal holder can use either the sticker on the car windshield, the digital copy on their mobile device, or a printed copy of the decal itself. Once that number is recorded by the barcode reader used by the center employees, residents can take their debris and trash to the Oakwood trash center. “When the decal scan goes into the system, the decal person sees how many times you’ve been there,” said Ophardt. “The system resets itself every Sunday.” One group of residents with unique concerns are those who live on heirs property – the land and homes that are jointly owned by descendants of a deceased individual whose estate was not handled in Probate Court. “Heirs property has been an issue and we’re helping councilmen Gerald Dawson and York Glover to help the families to get their decals. They can’t use the automated system because their homes do not have assigned numbers,” Ophardt said. “We’re taking every effort to make sure every property owner in the county is getting their decals.” No other changes are planned at this time to the county’s convenience center operations. “We just need people to get their decals. Our employees are going to hand out cards to help you get your decal, and sometime this fall we are going to start requiring you have decals. And we’re still trying to help citizens get the decals because we don’t want to turn anybody away,” Ophardt said. “The taxpayers are going to benefit from this program, because they are not paying for contractors and non-residents to illegally dump, and we hope to show that with the finished accounting at the end of July.” Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
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July 20, 2021
New generation finds agricultural icon, where he’s always been By Tim Wood
TIM WOOD
“I’m just so proud of him, I just wanted to spread the word,” Cheryl said. “It’s not about money. I just want folks to know him, to taste his tomatoes, feel the pride he’s put in to his work for so many years.” The Crosbys are a farming institution. Bubba’s father bought 400 acres of land along the New Riverside tract. Bubba remembers sitting in his yard in the 1920s watching construction workers plow the road to construct what would become S.C. 46 and a stretch of land known as Freedom Highway. “Daddy divided that land up among me and my siblings. I got about 80 acres, gave 40 of them to conservation. It was plenty enough to work. The work was always there. The land provided, just had to work it,” he said. He starting farming in 1947 after two years in the Army. He met his soul mate, Joyce, when her cousin (one of the OG Pinckneys) wanted another couple along on her blind date. The date’s friend, Bubba,
Bubba Crosby visits with a longtime family friend, Elizabeth Lassiter, on a recent afternoon on his porch in Pritchardville, where he sells tomatoes.
Please see BUBBA on page 14A
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Bubba Crosby never fashioned himself a viral sensation. He has spent 92 of his 94 years on Earth on the same plot of land, a mile or so down from what is now the Savannah-bound side of the New Riverside roundabout off S.C. 46. “I’m a farmer, this is my land right chere. I love my tomatoes and I love sharing them with whomever wanders onto my front porch,” said the patriarch of the Crosby family farm. “I used to work 300 acres of this land back in the day, just like my daddy and my granddaddy. Now, I plant three rows of tomatoes on an acre. I talk to folks, sell the tomatoes. I take a little nap until the next customer comes along.” Thanks to a social media blitz by Cheryl, the youngest of his four children, Bubba has taken over Facebook feeds far and wide across the Lowcountry. One look at the nonagenarian’s inviting smile holding his prized red beauties, and it’s hard not to fall in love with both the man and the tomatoes.
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July 20, 2021
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
BUBBA from page 12A showed up and it was kismet. “His Daddy was a bootlegger, my Daddy was Revenue,” said Bubba’s 88-year-young wife of their Romeo and Juliet romance. “His Daddy was trying to outrun my Daddy, and Bubba was always tracking me down. I went to business college in Jacksonville and he’d come to see me.” The couple dated for three years before marrying on New Year’s Day 1953. So Crosby set out doing what was in his blood to support a wife and the newborns that followed. He planted endless hundreds of acres of tomatoes from Hilton Head Plantation to Oak Forest on Saw Mill Creek, from his own tract in Pritchardville to Red Bluff Plantation on the Hardeeville-Savannah line. “I used to farm big time, grew cotton way back. Then we turned to watermelons, tomatoes, cukes, squash,” he said. “We sold truckloads to the North. Later, I planted and sold a lot of roses and daffodils. Whatever the people wanted.” Crosby would drive his truck to Hardeeville, Savannah and Ridgeland, selling fruit and produce right out of his truck to start. His operation grew bigger
TIM WOOD
The fruits of Bubba Crosby’s labors, vine ripe tomatoes.
over time. “We did 40,000 pounds worth of truckloads at our height. Most I ever got was three-quarters a cent per pound back then, most were a half-cent,” he said. “But boy, I had rusty tractors, I had some shiny big ones, but it was a lot of pushing dirt and praying for good growing.” Our conversation was frequently inter-
rupted by both long-time and his newest fans, who saw Cheryl’s post that has now been shared by thousands on Facebook groups like What’s Happening in Bluffton and Bluffton/Hilton Head Ask and Answer. One of the day’s visitors was Elizabeth Lassiter. She grew up just minutes down the road, where her grandparents still live. Now living in Huntsville, Ala., with her pastor
husband and kids, Lassiter had to stop by the Crosby porch while back in town. “I just had to get my tomato fix. I’m longtime friends with your grandson, Blake, Mr. Bubba,” Lassiter said upon gazing at the table of tomatoes before her. Lassiter told of her days playing softball for Hilton Head Christian Academy and the shocking losses suffered thanks to Bubba. “Mr. Bubba’s softball team came to play us. He must have been in his 70s by then and I still remember him cracking home run after home run off of us,” Lassiter said. “Well, we tried to take it easy on you. We tried to groove some pitches, but I just can’t stop hitting,” said Crosby, who played organized softball until his knees had other plans at age 79. The conversation took us down a whole other rabbit hole, as Joyce motioned daughter Karen to go grab a plaque from inside the house, an Army athletic award given to Bubba, known as the proper “Richard” then, as Western Base Section Baseball Champions in 1945. “I had a little game back then, this paper
Please see BUBBA on page 18A
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July 20, 2021
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July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
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COURTESY EMILY GEIGER CHAPTER DAR
Cadet Rosa Vega, a member of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program at Bluffton High School, received the National Society Daughters of American Revolution (DAR) Bronze ROTC medal, award and monetary gift from Emily Geiger DAR Chapter. The award was presented by Jill Dawson, representing the DAR chapter. Medals are awarded to student cadets of outstanding ability and achievement in high school JROTC programs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.
BUBBA from page 14A right chere, those were good times,” Bubba said. “There have been a lot of good times right here, too.” Lassiter promises to bring her grandmother by for a visit before heading back to Huntsville. She exits the porch with a bag full of plump perfection and a few smaller, less saleable but still plenty delicious gems – free of charge from Bubba, a thank you for the walk down Memory Lane. “We can’t drive the cars anymore and we all stay close to home due to this corona,” Bubba said. “But our kids, all these folks buying the ’maters, they bring the world to us. That was fun remembering wilder times.” Bubba and Joyce are a living history of the corridor, from the times when crickets were more plentiful than people, to the current population boom. He’s proud that his family has all stayed close by through it all. Cheryl, the youngest of their offspring at 55, lives around the corner on S.C. 170 and comes over every morning to make the couple breakfast. Janice and Ricky live on property, Ricky a longtime farmer himself.
Karen lives down the road across from the Cahills and is over every day to help cook and clean. Janice and a number of grandkids plan to build houses on the property when the price of lumber gets reasonable again. “I have these amazing kids, nine grandkids, four great grandkids. A pretty nice life. We got a baseball team to field and then some,” Bubba said. Crosby cans about 20 quarts of the juicy delights for the family and sells the rest of his three rows worth of crops. By the time you read this, the tomatoes will likely be gone for this season. Bubba and Joyce will still be on the porch ready to chat if you want to stop by. New friends always welcome. And don’t you worry. Bubba plans to be back every summer with his tomatoes as long as he can plant and pick ’em. “I got my tractor, I got my golf cart, I got Joyce and my kids. We’re ready to go,” he said. “Can’t wait to see y’all.” Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. Contact him at timwood@blufftonsun. com.
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
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COURTESY SIGN DREAMERS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY
Valerie Shyblosky in front of one of her latest sign creations.
By Tim Wood CONTRIBUTOR
You have likely seen them on front yards around your neighborhood. When you see one, it’s very hard to miss. That’s kind of the point. Yard signs have become the latest big thing in Bluffton, literally. It’s a unique and extremely bold way of showing love for family or friends on a special occasion, and a number of hard-working entrepreneurs have made it their business to put epic smiles on faces through their yard creations. Valerie Shyblosky is a mother of two, including a special needs teen, and a special education assistant at Bluffton Elementary School. She decided to start the side hustle during the early days of the COVID quarantine as a way to brighten the spirits of those around her, launching Sign Dreamers of Beaufort County. “My husband and I noticed many friends in Oklahoma and Tennessee getting these signs in their yards, posting on Facebook. And we thought this was just ingenious, but I wasn’t seeing any of these signs here,” Shyblosky said. “Parties were being cancelled, fun was at a premium. I started doing some
research and found this was a real business that fits my life and my crazy schedule, and a great way to stay busy and spread some love and happiness during a horrible time for all of us.” The signage works like any election placard or the recent graduation yard signs placed in Class of 2021 grads’ yards – just on a larger scale. A series of corrugated plastic signs with numbers, letters and pictures are placed together to create gigantic surprises for the recipient. “You rent the signage for a day. You tell us your special one’s interests and hobbies and we tailor a sign to celebrate the event,” Shyblosky said. “We come late at night to set the sign up so you’re the talk of the block the next morning.” Shyblosky and her husband Charles travel all over Beaufort and Jasper counties to set up and take down birthday, anniversary and graduation installations. She found that there are three larger sign distributors that have cornered the U.S. market on the business – Sign Dreamers, Yard Gypsies and Card My Yard. “It’s not a franchise, but I have a licensing
Please see SIGNS on page 20A
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
SIGNS from page 19A deal with them that I only get my signage from them and they give me access to a huge library of sign components that I can get shipped to me as quick as Amazon whenever I need new pieces,” Shyblosky said. Shyblosky does most of her marketing through Facebook. At first, she set signs up on friends’ and neighbors’ lawns free of charge just to spread the word. “I called up friends in all the different neighborhoods I know and asked if it’s OK if I set up a sample just to show off what I can do … and by summer, it really took off,” she said. Now, she spends days setting up orders from her website and nights traveling across the Lowcountry setting up the sign art – often getting home well after midnight. “I don’t know who’s happier, the giver, the recipient or myself. I love spreading joy, especially right now. It’s everything,” Shyblosky said. “My family are my biggest supporters. I’m a perfectionist. I probably need a second helper, but it’s an artform to create just the right mix in the message and I make sure the end result meets my highest standards.”
COURTESY LJG EVENTS
Kesha Hamilton stands with one of her latest pop-up sign installations.
As it turns out, one of her neighbors knows Shyblosky’s plight. Kesha Hamilton launched her own sign business, LJG Events, right around the same time. “My daughter and I have the same birth-
day and we had heard of these signs, seen them online, but we couldn’t find anyone around here that did them,” Hamilton said. “So I decided to make it a business as a way of honoring my Mom who has passed,
Laura Jean Garrett.” Hamilton said her mom, who died in late 2016, was known for spreading happiness and laughter. Rather than work with one of the larger sign distributors like Shylosky does, Hamilton works with many different sign makers to create her masterpieces. “It’s funny, Val and I didn’t know each other were doing it, but I think we each received our first inventory of signage right around the same time,” she said. “I have flexibility in how I create signage. I actually make a lot of my own special images. If you’re a Clemson fan or a Steelers nut or a pug lover, I’ll print up a picture and glue it to one of the sign backs. I try to customize wherever possible.” Like Shyblosky, Hamilton started by setting up examples on friends’ front yards and the word spread. “It’s a lot of driving, and sometimes we spook out the neighbors and have to explain that we’re not trespassing or vandalizing. Dogs are always curious, but we try to be as stealth as we can in creating a special
Please see SIGNS on page 21A
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July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
The Pines opens with behavioral health, addiction treatment services The Pines at Willingway, based in Statesboro, Ga., is offering new behavioral health and addiction treatment options for adolescents ages 14 to 18. In addition, The Pines has also launched a freestanding Relapse Prevention Program, REFOCUS, for adults who need to recalibrate after undergoing more comprehensive treatment in the past. The Pines at Willingway is a comprehensive program for adolescents that encompasses detoxification, residential treatment and partial hospitalization services for teens dealing with alcohol and drug problems. “We have seen a growing need in the community for adolescent programs to treat addiction,” said Cherie Tolley, CEO of The Pines of Willingway. “Our evidence-based approach to addiction recovery provides teens with a framework to achieve sobriety and the skills to maintain long-term recovery.” The REFOCUS program provides a
safe, medically supervised detox and treatment program that is grounded in the 12-step principles and includes the Gorksi Model Relapse Prevention Programming, an accelerated path to coping with and learning triggers, and individual and group therapy. The relapse program is a 14-day intensive initiative. Both programs are housed in new, 5,000-square-foot buildings on the Willingway campus. The buildings include 20 beds for the adolescent program, 16 beds for REFOCUS, and offer patients access to an indoor pool and hot tub as well as outdoor recreation areas. Willingway has been providing addiction treatment for clients and their families since 1974. The Pines at Willingway and Willingway are owned by Summit BHC, a national provider of behavioral health and addiction treatment services. For more information, visit Willingway. com/the-pines or call 888-445-4510.
SIGNS from page 20 memory,” Hamilton said. “It’s the kind of grand gesture I think a lot of us needed during COVID, but when folks see what we create, how would you not want it for your loved one?” Beaufort County seems to agree. The sign business has become the hottest trend in the local gifting market, as givers spend $75 and up to celebrate a new house, a job promotion or a military welcome home. And the competition is getting even greater among message makers. Bluffton resident Lisa Cotter launched Lowcountry Signs, a Sign Gypsies affiliate. Married couple Floyd and Benita Ferguson have launched Yard Love Bluffton, an affiliate of one of the up-and-coming sign makers. Lowcountry Yard Art was the first local to launch back in 2019, a slightly different approach with with larger, homemade wooden signage of things like Easter eggs and baseball mitts and numbers – but no personalized name signs. “I think the beauty is we all have our own unique style,” Shyblosky said. “You look at Kesha’s work, the others, my signs, we have our little signatures. I think it’s a personal
preference for sure. I do feel like I was born to do this. I think we all share that bond of truly loving being in the happiness business.” And there has been plenty of work to go around. Both Hamilton and Shyblosky suggest ordering at least one week ahead of an event. And both entrepreneurs are constantly adding new sign options – and finding creative storage spots in their houses for all the signs. “The numbers and letters are everywhere, a lot of bins, a lot of organization. We’re not getting rich with this, we put a lot of extra money into this to do the customizing. The gas money adds up, but we’re getting busier and busier and more booked up as folks see our work more and more,” Hamilton said. “My husband Jarvis and I, we are people pleasers. You see the looks on the kids’ faces, the tears of joy, knowing we created a memory, it keeps us energized and constantly upping our game.” Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. Contact him at timwood@blufftonsun. com.
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The Bluffton Sun
Beaufort Memorial
WELCOMES Kimberly Bean, FNP-C .................................................
.................................................
July 20, 2021
Library, adoption program brings reading to the rescue
to Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Primary Care Beaufort Memorial Bluffton Primary Care has added Kimberly Bean, FNP-C, an experienced board-certified family nurse practitioner, to its team of providers, thus increasing access to primary care for residents south of the Broad River. Bean holds a Master of Science in Nursing from the Clemson University School of Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Carolina College of Nursing. Since relocating to the Lowcountry in 2017, she has served as a nurse practitioner in a family medicine practice and with hospice and long-term care agencies. A New Jersey native, Bean was previously affiliated with Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, where she managed patient treatment in the facility’s wound care center and on its inpatient orthopaedic unit, and in the internal medicine department of Medical Group of the Carolinas, also in Spartanburg.
CALL 843-706-8690 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. Kimberly Bean joins board-certified primary care physicians Drs. Johnna Stevens, Roger Ulrich, Robert Webb and Rhonda Wallace at Bluffton Primary Care.
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Hartley Perry reads to a kitty at Palmetto Animal League’s adoption center.
By Lindsay Perry CONTRIBUTOR
Summer reading takes on new meaning for animal loving kids. The Beaufort County Library System and Palmetto Animal League are teaming up to give summer readers a fun new option: Parents and guardians can now bring their children to PAL’s Adoption Center to read to adoptable pets. “Time spent with families is good for shelter pets and, as you can see, the kids are loving it,” said PAL Adoption Specialist Sally Dawkins. Not only does this program make reading fun and meaningful, but it also gives animal-loving kids an opportunity to actively help homeless pets. “It’s a win-win situation,” said Angie Brown, Bluffton Branch Library circulation supervisor. “The cats get socialized and the kids get to practice their reading skills, which we hope will increase their love of books and encourage them to become even more compassionate toward animals in need.” A child’s summer reading assignments can make a shelter pet’s day and also bring books to life for younger kids. “It’s really adorable to see how these reading sessions unfold,” Dawkins said. “A brother and sister came to PAL to read in a room full of kittens. It was touching to watch as the older brother helped his younger sister with larger words as they
read together to their furry audience.” The program is PAL’s own Reading to the Rescue outreach, and is part of the Library’s far broader Tails for Tales program. “The response here in the Lowcountry has been heartwarming,” Brown said. “Not only have families been reading at the PAL Adoption Center, but they have also been making DIY toys for the animals.” When parents bring their children to read at PAL, the Beaufort County Library System is encouraging them to consider bringing a donation for the adoptable pets. The staff at PAL put together a special list of items the animals really love and need this summer, including Friskies Cat Pate, Purina Cat Chow, Purina Kitten Chow, kitten wet food, KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer), Miracle Nipples, Purina Dog Chow, Authority Puppy Chow, cat and dog toys, and cat and dog beds. In addition, blankets, laundry detergent, hand soap, and printer paper are needed on an on-going basis. If your child is interested in reading to some adoptable pets, contact the Bluffton Branch of the Beaufort County Library System to sign up for their summer reading program. Then, email Sally@PalmettoAnimalLeague.org to schedule a visit to Palmetto Animal League’s No Kill Adoption Center, located at 56 Riverwalk Blvd. in Okatie. Lindsay Perry is the marketing coordinator for Palmetto Animal League. PalmettoAnimalLeague.org
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
Multi-purpose rec center set to open in Hardeeville July 31
Architectural rendering of the Hardeeville Recreation Center.
By Kingston Rhoads CONTRIBUTOR
After more than six years of planning, assembling financing, and debating what features should be included and what ideas discarded in public forums and city council meetings, the day will finally arrive July 31 for the $8.5 million, 35,000-square-foot multi-purpose Hardeeville Recreation Center to be unveiled to the public. Hardeeville Mayor Harry Williams will preside in a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by four hours of festivity with tours, demonstrations, music refreshments and giveaways. Williams has been saying for quite some time that he is looking forward to the new facility becoming a major asset to the quality of life in Hardeeville (which includes Margaritaville and parts of Sun City) as well as an economic driver in the immediate vicinity of its location at the corner of John Smith Road and McTeer Street just off the city’s main thoroughfare. Jennifer Combs, director of the City of Hardeeville’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, said the key features of the facility will include an NCAA-size basketball court with seating for 1,000 spectators, plus additional court space for volleyball, racquetball, pickleball and more basketball. There will be an indoor walking track, a state-of-art fitness center plus a 2,200-square-foot events room. The events space can be divided into three meeting areas and is larger than any other indoor meetings venue in Hardeeville. It will have the capacity to host activities such as galas and community forums that have previously been a challenge or impossible. Plus, the spaces will have concession
facilities for catering. Williams said he hopes the venue will “bring the diverse and fast-growing city of Hardeeville closer together in many positive ways.” The center also is expected to be a boost for added tourism revenue. The Recreation Department will invite regional sports and recreation programs to use the Hardeeville facility for invitational tournaments. The NCAA-sized basketball court is expected to be a major attraction, as will the public pickleball and racquetball courts. Hugo Montenegro, the recently named Recreation Center manager, is already reaching out to pickleball organizations in South Carolina and Georgia to attract tournaments to the new facility. The tourism feature of the Recreation Center was a key element in providing a source of funding to build the facility. Of the $8.5 million in construction and development costs, $6.5 comes from accommodations tax revenues (ATAX) with the remaining $2 million from borrowed funds – a fixed 15-year loan from BB&T Bank at 3.1%. Combs believes the state-of-the-art, fully equipped fitness center will attract a strong following from visitors using local hotel and motel accommodations as well as from residents, who will be offered membership benefits. Of particular appeal is the stylish indoor walking track around the basketball arena. “Quality of life is one of the highest reasons why people choose their communities to live in,” said Combs, “and this new facility will serve our guests, neighbors and visitors in many positive ways.” Kingston Rhoads is a freelance writer covering the Lowcountry.
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
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10 HOT SPOTS
Where, how to stay cool in the thick of summer heat By Tim Wood CONTRIBUTOR
Whether you just got to town or you’ve been here for 90 years, we can all agree on one thing today: It’s oppressively hot outside. If you’re not near water, your body is likely creating sticky sweat that makes you feel like you just got out of the pool. This is the time of the year that the snowbirds and the natives alike usually head for cooler pastures. But you’re stuck here and you’re desperate to have fun and escape the heat at the same time. Here’s our list of 10 hot spots for scratching that good-time itch without getting that prickly heat. Throw an axe: It’s a nationwide sensation that’s finally made it to the Lowcountry. Axe throwing sounds like something from a World’s Strongest Man episode from early ’80s ESPN. If you’re new to the craze, you
Friends gather at the May River Sandbar every weekend – and holidays – during the warm seasons.
should know that some innovative folks have actually found a way to essentially play darts with a gigantic wood-cutting axe. Palmetto Axes (4375 Bluffton Parkway, Suite F behind Off-Island Thrift, Bluffton, 843816-7878, palmettoaxes.com) will give you a primer on throwing safe. And don’t worry, they have some local libations to quell the frustration when your axe keeps doinking the wall without attaching to the bullseye. Escape together: Escape rooms are a
group adventure where you are trapped in a themed room and have to use the clues all around the room to solve puzzles and find your way out within a certain time limit (usually an hour). If you’re claustrophobic, keep reading, this is not for you. But for all others, it is an action-packed and brain-busting adventure as you work your way through intricately planned scenarios. Some rooms are creepy, some scary, some just outright frustrating. Lockstar Escape (70 Pennington Drive,
Suite 17, Bluffton, 843-757-8727, lockstarescape.com) is open Wednesday-Sunday by appointment only currently. If you’re on the island, try Hilton Head Escape Room (10 Executive Drive, Suite 102, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-7529, hiltonheadescaperoom.com) has three scenarios to choose from, with varying degrees of difficulty. Expect to pay about $30 per person for an hour of fun. Indoor golf galore: You want to play at a championship level course without having to endure the four-hour bake in midsummer sun? Just a few months ago, you had zero options to get that thrill. Now, you have a bevy of choices. In Bluffton, you can hit Rendezvous Golf (70 Pennington Drive No. 3, Bluffton, 843757-9199, Bluffton, rendezvousblufftonsc. com) has 100 courses to choose from on their simulators and holds events Fridays,
Please see HOT SPOTS on page 26A
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
HOT SPOTS from page 25A Saturdays and Sundays as well allowing for private play ($40 per hour for up to four players to play). Featured in our last issue, Chronic Golf (59A New Orleans Road, Hilton Head Island, 843-987-4653, mychronicgolf.com) offers world-class golf course play along with a choice of 13 different sports to challenge friends and family. And you absolutely must try the zombie dodgeball. We are big, big fans. If you’re jonesing for a Top Golf-esque experience, hit the TopTracer Driving Range at Palmetto Dunes (7 Trent Jones Drive, Hilton Head Island, palmettodunestoptracerrange. com). You will get all the same tech, golf selection and challenges with covered bays to give you the outside feel without all the sunburn. Go to a movie: This seems so basic, but the movie theaters are actually open again. The prices and concessions deals at Cinemark Bluffton (106 Buckwalter Place, Bluffton, cinemark.com/theatres/sc-bluffton/ cinemark-bluffton) has a Tuesday discount day and luxury recliner seating. Join the movie club to get deep discounts on conces-
sions and tickets and rewards for the more you go to the theater. Our first time back as a family was to see the latest “Fast and the Furious” movie. I love me some Vin Diesel, I love me some fast cars and the whole crew, but I never thought I’d cry at one of these franchise movies. But there I was, bawling for joy just to finally be sitting comfortably back in front of a gigantic movie screen. Hit the Sandbar: It is a Bluffton institution, the quintessential experience to truly capture the State of Mind. Locals know of this spot along the May River where boats park between tides and families empty out to socialize. Yes, it’s become insanely crowded compared to the good ol’ days, as seemingly everyone bought a boat during COVID. But trust us, you can’t call yourself a true Blufftonian until you’ve bathed in the soul-cleansing day of fun at the Sandbar. If you don’t have a boat, hire Capt. Chris at May River Excursions (81 Calhoun Street, Bluffton, 843-304-2878, mayriverexcursions.com) to take you out there. Museum it up: If you’re looking for hands-on experiences and an air-condi-
tioned way to learn about local history, you have a number of options. The Coastal Discovery Museum (70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island, coastaldiscovery.org) offers interactive programs with alligators and blue crabs and 68 coastal acres of Lowcountry stories and mystique waiting to be explored. There is more to do there than we can do justice in this tiny space. You must see for yourself. If you’re a military buff and want to take a little bit of a ride, our panel suggests both the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth off of I-95 in Pooler (mightyeighth.org, tickets $8-$12) or the Marine Museum at Parris Island (parrisislandmuseum.com, admission free). And if your kids are looking for an interactive museum, check out The Sandbox at the Tanger 2 Outlet (1414 Fording Island Road, Suite E-180, Bluffton, thesandbox. org). It’s considered the satellite location, but has a full slate of programs to entertain the kiddos. The mothership on Hilton Head Island is preparing to open a huge expansion at the new Lowcountry Celebration Park location, but until they open the doors, you can enjoy music and comedy from entertainer Rick Hubbard on Monday nights
at 7 p.m. on the steps of the new building. The best of the rest: Our panel was all over the place with their suggestions. Some of them cover the basics – get a book at the Bluffton Library (120 Palmetto Way, Bluffton, beaufortlibrary.org) or go bowling and play in the arcade at Station 300 (25 Innovation Drive, Bluffton, station300. com). If you choose the latter and are going with kids, sign up for the Kids Bowl Free program (kidsbowlfree.com) and two adults and two kids will be able to each bowl two free games per day. Some of the suggestions cover people watching, because you will visit an air-conditioned sea of humanity walking the aisles at Target, Sam’s Club or Walmart. And if you really just want to get a respite while on the road, try the walk-in beer coolers at just about any Parker’s. It is a simple pleasure that will get you back to room temperature in no time. Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. Contact him at timwood@blufftonsun. com.
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1July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
BUSINESS
General manager hired for Hilton Head National RV Resort
COURTESY HILTON HEAD NATIONAL RV RESORT
Kathy Chittenden poses with her rescue dog, Rommell. Dogs are a big deal with a majority of RV enthusiasts, and as a result, Hilton Head National RV Resort will include a significant dog park amenity.
Hilton Head National RV Resort has named Kathy Chittenden as its general manager, and is looking to a grand opening this Fall, said Bill Palmer, President of Scratch Golf LLC, which owns the new RV Resort and adjacent 18-hole, championship golf course in Bluffton. Chittenden brings more than 35 years of management experience in RV resort and hotel property operations. Most recently she was general manager of the Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort, and before that served 12 years as general manager for the award-winning Blazing Star Luxury RV Resort in San Antonio, Texas. “Kathy’s addition to our Hilton Head National team is outstanding news for
our property,” said Palmer. “She is a seasoned professional in the RV hospitality field. She knows how to create a welcoming and authentic guest experience while handling the day-to-day responsibilities of launching and operating an upscale RV resort.” Chittenden said she is “extremely excited” about the opportunity. “I fully believe Hilton Head National will soon be considered one of the finest luxury RV resorts in the Southeast,” she said. Located on Bluffton Parkway less than one mile from the bridges to Hilton Head Island, the gated 97-acre RV resort features 340 rental-only RV sites. “We have an ideal location close to
Please see RESORT on page 28A
Page 27A
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
Palmetto Breeze awarded for kindness campaign
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Lowcountry Regional Transportation Authority’s “Being Kind is a Breeze: ChalktheStops” kindness campaign from August 2020 was recognized with a first-place transit marketing and communications award. The award, known as an AdWheel Award, was given by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and is one of the most prestigious honors that transit agencies and their industry partners across North America can receive for excellence in marketing and communications. The kindness campaign was targeted at Breeze Trolley passengers, Palmetto Breeze Transit riders, social media followers, community stakeholders, resort visitors and guests, and others. The social media-based campaign occurred the same day as the Hilton
Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event to spread kindness across the area with chalk art and messages of kindness. As a first-place award winner, the campaign remains eligible for an APTA Grand Award, to be announced later this summer.
RESORT from page 27A Hilton Head’s beautiful beaches plus the shopping and historic sites of Bluffton and Beaufort,” said Chittenden, “but the adjacency of a premier championship level golf course will be the amenity that distinguishes Hilton Head National RV resort from all others.” Palmer pointed out that the Hilton Head National team did significant research into what amenities would be the best to offer. “As a result we have incorporated many features which owners of today’s top flight RV’s seem to prefer, while also focusing on privacy and security,” she said. Chittenden said the resort itself will feature two main activity areas: Double Eagle, the main Clubhouse, and Waters Edge Clubhouse for adults only. The Double Eagle will be an 8,500-square-foot beach access pool with a lazy river plus a general store with a bar, restaurant and snack area as well as a fitness center and arcade. Here, the grounds include a playground plus recreation courts for basketball, pickle ball and bocce ball, plus loung-
ing cabanas with TVs and fire pits. Water’s Edge, designed for adults only, will include its own private concierge lounge and bar with a more intimate pool and hot tub, as well as private cabanas. Another popular feature is expected to be The Rough – an expansive dog park that will accommodate both large and smaller dogs, complete with its own dog wash station and shower. All guests at the new RV resort will have access to wireless internet, complimentary cable, laundry, men’s and women’s shower facilities, walking trails and golf carts. Access to the RV Resort will be through a main entry gate from Bluffton Parkway. Paved roads will run throughout the 97-acre grounds. Chittenden said a website (hiltonheadrv.com) and Facebook page (facebook.com/HHNRVResort ) are now available to learn more about the resort. Additional information is available by emailing hhnrvresortinfo@gmail.com or by calling 843-540-0208.
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
Business Briefs • Collins Group Realty has been named one of America’s most productive sales teams as a part of RealTrends + Tom Ferry America’s Best Real Estate Professionals, a ranking report produced by RealTrends and Tom Ferry International. CRG is now a member of the “America’s Best Real Estate Agents,” and ranked the No. 1 large team, by volume and transactions, in the state of South Carolina. RealTrends America’s Best Real Estate Professionals ranks more than 18,500 residential real estate professionals solely based on their excellence in real estate sales during calendar year 2020. All production numbers are independently verified by a third party to ensure accuracy and report integrity. This group of highly successful real estate sales agents represents the top 1 percent of all real estate practitioners in the United States. To qualify for inclusion, an individual agent must have closed at least 50 transaction sides or $20 million in sales volume in 2020. For real estate agent teams, the minimum is 75 transaction sides or $30 million in closed sales volume. • Shannon Baltzegar has been promoted to sales manager at StoneWorks. She is the daughter of company founder John Baltzegar III and one of the company’s owners. She has worked in the business officially for more than 23 years. Recently, she has taken the lead in the Shannon Baltzegar design of the StoneWorks boutique showroom. A 6,500-square-foot design center in Bluffton, which is opening soon. Furthermore, Baltzegar is structuring that showroom and the sales personnel for continued growth. Originally from North Augusta, Baltzegar has worked in sales, design, administrative, accounting and overall corporate strategy for StoneWorks. She is a member of Professional Women In
Building Council of Hilton Head Area HBA and regularly travels to national trade conferences for stone and tile and kitchen and bath industries. The new StoneWorks showroom will open soon at 11 Sheridan Park, Suite 3. Their new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is now open at 779 Robert Smalls Parkway in Beaufort. For more information, call 843-689-6980 or visit hiltonheadstone.com • Lowcountry Legal Volunteers is looking for new volunteers to join its team of advisers. LCLV has provided free, vital legal services in Beaufort. Jasper and Hampton counties for more than 20 years. Located in Okatie, LCLV serves individuals and families in the areas of family law, landlord/tenant, wills and health care powers of attorney. The organization is recruiting retired attorneys, local active attorneys, paralegals and administrative professionals to volunteer and make a difference. For more information, call 843-8151570 or email icela@lclv.org. • Zach Brimacomb has been hired as an assistant superintendent at Savannah Hardscapes construction in Hardeeville. Brimacomb brings experience as a former heavy equipment operator and foreman in the construction industry. Duties will include managing numerous projects, Zach Brimacomb ordering product for projects, and securing an on-time delivery for those products. Brimacomb also coordinates with and oversees the performance and quality of the company’s team of subcontractors to ensure job standards are met.
SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS NEWS The Bluffton Sun welcomes news of new employees, promotions, awards and honors, as well as new businesses and relocations. Email info to editor@blufftonsun.com.
Page 29A
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
Business Briefs • Bishop Jonathon Holston of the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church has appointed the Rev. Dr. Robin Dease to the position of senior pastor for St. Andrew By-TheSea United Methodist Church, with campuses on both Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. Dr. Dease assumes Dr. Robin Dease this role upon the retirement of Rev. Neil M. Yongue, Jr. Dr. Dease most recently served as District Superintendent for the Hartsville District of the South Carolina Conference for the past eight years. Prior to that, she served United Methodist churches in Greenville and on Johns Island. Dr. Dease will work closely with the Bluffton Campus pastor, Rev. Daniel S. Burbage, to assure the vitality of one of only a few two-campus United Methodist Churches in the state. Dr. Dease hopes to continue a tradi-
Volunteers, Donors
tion she has upheld by serving in other community roles in addition to her church responsibilities. She previously has volunteered on boards and committees connected with the Chamber of Commerce and the United Way. For more information, contact the church at 843-785-4711 hhiumc.com. • Marya Moore has joined the staff at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa as director of food and beverage. With more than 25 years’ experience working in hospitality and management, Moore will oversee operations and staff for its five onsite restaurants, catering and special events. Marya Moore She is also responsible for maximizing profits, providing outstanding guest service, and implementing creative programming and promotions to enhance the guest experience.
A Massachusetts native, Moore established herself in the culinary industry with a variety of positions working in resorts and hotels, including 23 years with Marriott International. Most recently, Moore was executive chef and director of restaurants at Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel following her tenure at Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.). At Sawgrass Marriott, she held various management positions including restaurant manager and executive sous chef. Previously, Moore spent seven years at JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes. Th Westin is located at 2 Grasslawn Ave., Hilton Head Island. For more information, call 843-681-4000.
SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS NEWS The Bluffton Sun welcomes news of new employees, promotions, awards and honors, as well as new businesses and relocations. Email info to editor@blufftonsun.com.
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Page 31A
LEGAL
Careful planning now can help avoid problems later By Mark F. Winn CONTRIBUTOR
Having good updated legal papers in place are critical if you want to guarantee the least amount of problems in the event of your incapacity or passing. If you have papers that are outdated or from another state, it is wise to update them so they are accurate and will work as intended. Quite simply, without proper planning, you or your loved ones could face substantial legal costs and fees which can easily be avoided. I recently was told by a client that they were quoted a fee from another local law firm of $15,000 to effectuate a guardianship and conservatorship. I was surprised, because that type of work in our area is more likely to incur legal fees of about $5,000. None of this is needed, however, if you have a proper updated general Power of Attorney. Also, if you plan with wills only, then you
or your family are likely going to face the prospect of having assets go through probate. This comes with lack of privacy, fees and costs that can be easily avoided. Every million dollars going through probate generates a fee to the treasurer of about $1,800. This is easily avoided by using a trust.
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The good news is that with updated planning, you can avoid cost and delay, preserve privacy, keep it in your family protected from lawsuits, including divorce. If you leave assets in trust for loved ones, you can assure the assets will be protected from lawsuits, predatory spouses in a divorce, creditors, and estate taxes.
If you leave assets free of trust to loved ones, they will have full ownership, but the assets will be exposed to lawsuits, predatory spouses in a divorce, your loved ones’ creditors, and the estate tax in a loved one’s estate. Usually, attorneys who do this kind of work execute a variety of papers to cover all the threats. For instance, some use releases, powers of attorney, wills, trusts, private agreements – all to ensure your affairs will be managed privately and your assets will be protected. If done properly, court involvement is minimized, legal expenses are minimized, privacy and protection are maximized. Perhaps in no other area is it as important to make sure your papers are in order, updated and effective. The problems that can occur without good planning are many. 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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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
HEALTH
Pain in the gut: Could it be your gallbladder? By Deanna Mansker CONTRIBUTOR
From time to time, we’ve all experienced stomach trouble, oftentimes caused by something we ate – or ate too much of. Summer is the season of cookouts, vacations, and lots of excuses for getting out of our usual healthy-eating routines. But beware! Overindulging in warm-weather fare, like burgers, Deanna Mansker fried chicken, fatty dips, and ice cream, might bring on more than just the occasional tummy ache. So, when is that pain in the gut a sign of something more serious – like a gallbladder attack? But first, what is a gallbladder? The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped, sac-like organ in the right upper part of the abdo-
men, just under the liver. It releases bile into the small intestine to help break down the foods you eat – particularly fatty foods. If something slows or blocks the flow of bile from the gallbladder, a number of problems can result. Three common causes of gallbladder pain are: • Cholelithiasis. Gallstones develop when there is more cholesterol in the bile secreted by your liver than it can dissolve, often caused by the fatty foods in our Western diet. • Cholecystitis. Inflammation or irritation of the gallbladder that occurs when the gallbladder doesn’t squeeze as well it should or gallstones get stuck in the bile duct. • Biliary dyskinesia. When the gallbladder simply does not work properly. There are no gallstones present, although the symptoms may be the same. Gallbladder disease is actually one of the most common problems surgeons across America see and treat. In fact, 20% of wom-
READER’S SURVEY OUR WINNER! Mr. Edward Seremet of Bluffton was the Winner of a Recent Drawing for $1,000 sponsored by The Bluffton Sun. We look forward to sharing the RESULTS of the READER’S SURVEY in Future Issues!
en and 10% of men have gallstones by the age of 60. Symptoms include: • Cramping or sharp pain in the upper right or upper middle portion of the abdomen. • Pain that may extend beneath the right shoulder blade or to the back. • Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. These symptoms generally begin 30 to 60 minutes after eating; they come and go, and are more pronounced after consuming fatty foods. More serious symptoms include severe pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes and fever. In that case, you should seek immediate care. Once gallbladder disease become a problem, the most common treatment options are either medications that can help dissolve gallstones, or surgery to remove the gallbladder. Unfortunately, medications are usually ineffective and when they do actually work, patients often develop recurrence of the
stones as soon as they stop taking them. While gallstones can be hereditary, most of them are due to what we eat. So, the best thing you can do to prevent gallbladder disease is adjust your diet – and get some exercise. • Eat foods containing monounsaturated fats (olive and canola oils) or omega-3 fatty acids (canola, flaxseed and fish oil). • Avoid saturated fats like what is found in butter, meats, and other animal products. • Increase your intake of fiber. • Enjoy lots of nuts, fruits and vegetables. • Watch your sugar intake. • Eat fewer simple carbohydrates (pastas and bread). You can still enjoy your summer and keep your gallbladder happy. Just skip the fries and have a salad with your burger! Deanna Mansker, M.D., FACS, CWSP, is a board-certified general surgeon with Beaufort Memorial Surgical Specialists in Okatie and Beaufort.
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
Page 33A
HEALTH
To break cycle of suicide, we must start a conversation By Laura Kaponer CONTRIBUTOR
“I am a family member of an individual who died by suicide,” said Maria Beth Smith of Summerville. “My son David, who was on the spectrum (autism) and extremely high functioning, did not want to be recognized as different from his peers. He wrote a letter declaring his ‘love’ for a young lady at school. She, not knowing how to respond, shared the letter with friends, who shared the content with others. Some of these students started teasing him. David came home from school and ended his life.” Suicide is something we just don’t talk about. When we don’t talk about suicide, it’s impossible to understand the mindset of an individual experiencing thoughts, feelings or actions of suicide. Defining suicide as something ugly and shameful takes away a safe place to seek support – support that is necessary for both the
individual at risk as well as their loved ones. How do we break this turbulent cycle? We must start the conversation. We need to approach the conversation of suicide with an open mind in order to break through any misconceptions or prejudices we might have. It’s important to know the “language” of suicide in order to have the conversation that will promote the greatest possibility of change. Previously it was said a person who took their life “committed suicide.” This strongly indicated that suicide was a deliberate choice. This also insinuated some level of malicious intent, such as a person who “commits” a crime. Suicide is a death caused by an illness. Now, the language of suicide reflects that with the term “died by suicide.” According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) warning signs might include: • Talk: wanting to kill themselves,
feeling hopeless or a burden, having no reason to live • Behavior: increased use of substances, withdrawing from activities, giving away prized possessions, isolating from family and friend • Mood: depression, anxiety, humiliation/shame, relief or sudden improvement Risk factors are characteristics and conditions that increase the likelihood of a suicide attempt. ASFP lists some possible risk factors: mental health conditions, substance use problems, serious physical health conditions, prolonged stress or harassment, and stressful life events such as divorce or financial crisis. “David didn’t have the typical warning signs for suicide, but he did have some risk factors,” his mother said. “David came from a ‘broken home’ – his parents were divorced. He had a family history of mental health conditions and suicide, a personal history of episodic depression,
and was being harassed by his peers that day. He tended to be an introvert and not share his embarrassment or distress to anyone in the family when he got home from school.” Knowing all the warning signs and risk factors isn’t a guarantee of suicide prevention. Often those left behind blame themselves for not doing or saying something. The most important thing to remember is that suicide is no one’s fault. We can take a proactive role to learn more and offer support where it’s needed. When someone dies by suicide, we all lose. For more resources on this topic, visit SurvivorsofSuicide.com, Suicide Prevention Resource Center (sprc.org), Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (save.org). Laura Kaponer is a mental health advocate and social media blogger, as well as a volunteer with the local chapter of NAMI. #LauraKaponeris1in5 (as 1 in 5 Americans have a mental illness).
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
WELLNESS
Be still, focus, meditate and be in the calm moment By Holly Wright CONTRIBUTOR
In our hectic lives, we do not spend enough time in the moment and sitting still. It might be because our lives are too full of responsibilities and lists. We have not found a balance between work and home life. We spend a lot of time worrying, anxious and fearful. We do not spend enough time in silence or in concentration on one thing. By spending 15 to 20 minutes daily in simple meditation you can create a calmer, focused and healthier lifestyle, which in turn will help us get more done within our day. Meditation is about thinking deeply or focusing your mind normally on one thing for a set period of time. There are a few different ways that one can do meditation. You can focus on scripture. You can focus on a mantra, which is just either words or sounds that are repeat-
ed. You can focus on your breath. You can focus on a place where you would like to be and use visualization. Meditation forces the brain to take a short rest from multitasking and being over-
whelmed by our task list. It brings our attention momentarily towards one goal of relaxing the mind. The effects on the body are amazing. Your nervous system relaxes. Your lungs get more attention and allow for better oxygen intake. When the body’s oxygen intake increases, it can be used more readily within our body. Oxygen is a key element that our cells need to create energy, and allows us to perform better by giving this energy to both our mind and body. Meditation allows for more effective and beneficial sleep.
Although there are many different ways that one can meditate, when someone is starting out, don’t worry about doing it right or wrong. I have found starting small for those who have a hard time concentrating on one thing is better. Don’t tie yourself into 20 minutes. Instead, start with breathing for 1 to 5 minutes. Even if your mind starts to wander, allow yourself to acknowledge that your mind was led off course and gently correct to its original goal. Practice the concentration techniques of meditation and over time you will reap the ultimate benefits. If you prefer to be guided through meditation there are great apps out there such as Gaia, or Calm. Try it today and feel the benefits daily when it becomes your routine.
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July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
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NATURE’S WAY
Life in the olden days was more like golden days – for a kid By Collins Doughtie CONTRIBUTOR
If you missed my column in the July 7 issue of the Sun, I wrote about what it was like growing up here in the Lowcountry way before development changed everything. So why am I taking this bumpy ride down the dirt road called memory lane? I guess it’s because whenever someone learns that I have lived here for 60 years, they almost always bombard me with questions about what it was like. And almost without exception, they get this glazed look as I describe a place that has little resemblance to what they now see every day. With that said, I’ll keep on going. In this chapter, I want to tell you about the people that lived here as well as the places they lived. For instance, what prompted my father and mother to gather up all their five kids and move us to some unknown island off the South Carolina coast? My dad was a very successful fixture in the New York City advertising scene and to make such a move had to have been downright scary. I once asked him that question and his reasoning is not much different than what brought many others here. It was all about quality of life. There were so few people around, you pretty much knew everyone, no matter if they were black or white. There were a couple of grocery stores, but for the
most part it took a trip to Savannah to get most staples. The only courier service around belonged to Charlie Simmons, an elderly black man who drove a rickety old school bus. The amusing part of Charlie’s delivery service was that he toted everything from fine furniture for my folks shop, The Island Shop (Hilton Head’s first shop) to boxes of fish and shrimp. I can remember my folks having to leave that fine furniture outside for days on end so that the fish smell could be aired out. It was just the way it was. Hunting was big back then and most everybody carried a shotgun around in his or her car. Sea Pines and Port Royal Plantation were the only two developments on Hilton Head and the majority of the land in both of these places was undeveloped. I would hunt ducks and wild turkeys in Sea Pines and there was no shortage of either. Today’s Colleton River Plantation once was called Foot Point Plantation, owned by the Cram family, and it was one of my favorite places to explore. Long, winding dirt roads snaked through this huge piece of property and during a whole day of walking the only living thing you might encounter were deer, pigs, turkeys and an occasional rattlesnake basking in the sun on one of the sandy roads. It was magical. As a matter of fact, the first duck I ever shot was in one of ponds at Foot Point. It was a cold winter morning and I was
SUBMITTED BY COLLINS DOUGHTIE
When Collins Doughtie was growing up, he would make money dispatching troublesome gators near the family home, using bacon on a large hook and whacking the gator with the back end of an ax. The local undertaker would pay him $15 for each gator.
woefully underdressed for the occasion. I shot a black duck with my dad’s old 20-gauge shotgun but the duck dropped way out in the pond. Having no dog to retrieve it, and no waders, I swam out to retrieve that damn duck. Needless to say, I spent the next five days in bed with a cold but it was worth it! Alligators were everywhere and one of my favorite childhood activities was catching baby gators. I learned how
to call the mama gator away from her babies and then run over to the where the babies were hidden and, using a crab net, try and catch as many as I could before she came after me. In addition, angry gators regularly chased me as I tried to drag a fish out of the water before the gator could get it. It was a great form of entertainment. Old South Gold Links was nothing but tomato fields owned by the Ulmer family, Palmetto Dunes on Hilton Head was the Pope Hunting Club, and Honey Horn Plantation was a working farm. Pinckney Colony Road had a working dairy farm, a pig farm – and a monkey farm that burned down and all the monkeys escaped, though I never did see one. This whole area was meant for exploring, and for us kids that was pretty much all we did. It was paradise pure and simple. Maybe someday I’ll tell you about catching rattlesnakes, hanging out at all hours of the night at the Golden Rose Park, while getting our vegetables off an ox-drawn cart as an old black fellow sang Gullah spirituals … but that will have to wait. I will tell you this, all of these things may have happened long ago, but for me it was like it was just yesterday. 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 Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
WE ARE HIRINGCollectors an interesting group COLLECTING
of folk pursuing treasures
ASSISTANT RURAL CARRIERS By Jerry Glenn & WE’RE HIRING FOR We had the privilege of being an active RURAL CARRIER ASSOCIATES collectibles dealer for most of the 1970s ASSISTANT RURAL CARRIERS and ’80s. I say “privilege” as we met all sorts & of personalities that had different goals as for collectors. CONTRIBUTOR
RURAL CARRIER ASSOCIATES
We estimate that we participated in FTON Post Office for - BLUFFTON SC about29910 120 shows during the Golden Age of
persons caught up in the craze. There were FTON CARRIER ANNEX - OKATIE 29909 BLUFFTON POST OFFICE - BLUFFTON SC 29910SChistorians, investors, decorators, impulsives,
pickers, and fellow dealers. As a reader of this column, where do you fit in? You might be a combination of all. Recently, at a luncheon with friends, we discussed how we started a collection of coins and how interesting it was to research the history of each denomination. Come to find out, there are 100 million coin collectors, and the next time we met our friends, they too had joined the millions! They said how proud they were to purchase a nice group of silver dollars and admitted they were hooked. The interesting aspect of this case is that these people are really into collecting other things. They really are not unusual, as so many of us are from the “gotta have it” mentality. Today the market is strong, which is a “good news, bad news” atmosphere. It’s good for the seller and bad for the buyer. BuyW! ers should not despair, however, for if you purchase quality, you will be rewarded in the s.com/careers to complete an application. long term, and you’ll enjoy the fruits of your ments can now be completed from your electronic devices.search. My wife and I truly looked forward Visit www.usps.com/careers to complete an application. to each show and convention as we met ave a validassessments SC Driver’scan License Online now be completed from your so many great people, and we relive our required to use your personal owned vehicle ($0.81 centsunusual per mile) experiences regularly. One of our electronic devices. most exciting customers was during a New York City theatre show. A lady came into per hour paid Bi-Weekly • Must have a valid SC Driver’s License our booth and started to point out items and said, “I want that, and that, and all of those!” • May be required to use your personal She then said, “Mark them ‘sold’ and I’ll be owned vehicle ($0.81 cents per mile) back.” She left, and about 15 minutes before closing, she came back with a stevedore and PAY: $19.06 per hour paid Bi-Weekly flatbed and said, “How much?” We said, “You are some kind of collector!”
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She replied, “I’m not a collector. I rent these items to Broadway as props and charge them what I pay you, and retain ownership.” Needless to say, we were overjoyed each New York show when “Elsie” came into our booth. This is just one of our hundreds of stories that made our collecting experience wonderful. For the past four years, you’ll recall our stress on condition of your collectibles and how it will protect your investment. A good example just happened last week, regarding baseball cards in a national auction. A Willie Mays rookie card, graded 1.5 “poor” sold for $2,200, while a Grade 4 sold for $16,000! Can you imagine what a Grade 8 would bring? Coins are another hot item as silver continues to be excellent and Grades 6-plus are always a safe purchase. By all means, do not let investments dictate your collections. Have fun in the search and the meeting of people with a common interest. If you have read this far you are no doubt a collector. What segment of collector are you, from the list in our opening paragraph? Isn’t collecting your “whatever” great? Jerry Glenn, former owner of Reminisce gift shop, currently is an appraiser of certain collectibles.
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
Page 37A
BEAUTY
Tips to help get your hair through summer By Joy Ross CONTRIBUTOR
Summertime is often a bad time for our hair, resulting in frizz, damage, fading, flat and limp hair. I know all of you have at least one of the above, and likely more. Misery loves company so know you’re not alone. I can’t stress enough how important it is to take extra special care of your hair in these hot, sticky months. Use a good shampoo and conditioner and a spray leave-in conditioner when you know you’ll be spending time outside. A heat protectant before blowing and styling will help to protect the hair. Do not shampoo every day. Shampoo strips your hair of natural oils and dries out the scalp, which signals the body to make more oil to replace what was stripped. This makes the hair greasy. After a few weeks of not shampooing every day, the body will stop producing so much oil.
Saturate the hair before swimming so it cannot absorb the chemicals in the pool water. It will make a big difference in the health of your hair and keeping the color in place longer. Hair grows faster in the spring and summer months (just like the plants). The
reason is increased exposure to the sun, and therefore to vitamin D. Some might think it’s a pain for their hair to grow faster because it means more trips to the salon. Perhaps, but having regular trims is important for other reasons. I know it’s easier to put your hair up and forget about it, but it needs extra attention, and doesn’t deserve to be ignored. Along with your summertime hair tips, here are a couple of little-known facts about hair. You might consider them useless, but
you could also share them when stuck for conversation at a dinner party. • Black is the most predominant natural hair color, followed by brown, then blonde then red which is the rarest. • Hair can stretch up to 30% of its original length when wet. This is why you shouldn’t brush or pull your hair when it’s wet. The elasticity will cause it to damage and snap when it’s stressed. • Did you know your hair is dead? Our follicles are alive but the strand of hair is dead. Therefore it cannot absorb toxins and chemicals. Until next time, stay cool and care for your hair. And, if there’s something related to hair that you think is a subject others would like to hear about, email me joy@ styleitsalon.com. I can be your “Dear Abby” for hair. I would welcome your thoughts and questions. Joy Ross is owner of Style It Salon in Old Town Bluffton. styleitsalon.com
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
PETS
Two points of contact make better leash-walking experience By Abby Bird CONTRIBUTOR
There are hundreds of types of training equipment on the market to help you with walking your dog. When you have a large dog that pulls or lunges when you are leash walking, this can result in a serious issue. Whether it is the kids who walk the dog or someone with physical limitations, the situation is prone to accidents, such as the person falling or even the dog’s leash getting dropped and the dog getting away. Or perhaps the dog could knock over another person, or get involved with another dog inappropriately. Sometimes traditional walking tools aren’t the answer. Over the past few years another technique has become available. It is called Two Points of Contact. The concept is simple but the training equipment needed for this is unique. There are a few forms that are available. The most popular are
harnesses. One is made by a company called Two Hounds and is called the Freedom harness. It looks like a traditional strappy harness, but has two leash connector points. One is on the front chest and is stationary while the other is on the back, and the leash connects to a ring on a martingale loop which corrects the dog when pulling. Why? It gives the handler control of both the front pulling/leading edge of the dog as well as the back when he digs in to lower his center of gravity to pull. The leash has two snap hooks, each of which connects to the different rings. It is very difficult for the dog to pull when you control both of their body parts. Another similar product is made by Petsafe and is called a three-in-one harness; it also requires a double connector leash. The most effective of these harnesses has one ring that connects to a corrective loop – not the kind of vest-style harnesses
which have no corrective ability even if they have multiple rings. In other cases, the best alternative is actually both a corrective collar such as a martingale as well as a front control harness. I prefer the PetSafe Deluxe Easy Walk harness. This gives the handler
control of both the dogs’ neck without choking them and the front leading edge of the dog. As a trainer, I avail myself of these or other products to help with uncontrolled pulling before we start the leash-walking process. In most cases it can give the handler more control and therefore more confidence. A double control leash is still required. Even the leash style will be important to the handler’s comfort and control. I prefer either a padded handle or a rope-style leash. The equipment training should be followed by a walking lesson so that the dog and owner learn proper skills, including paying attention in distracting situations. Contact me for the equipment assessment and lessons. If you need this alternative, we can teach you all to enjoy your walks. Abby Bird is owner of Alphadog Training Academy. AlphadogTrainingAcademy@ gmail.com
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
Page 39A
PETS
Shop to save more homeless pets during PAL’s online auction By Lindsay Perry CONTRIBUTOR
Have you heard? The 12th annual Bid for PAL Online Auction will take place Aug. 5-8 at PALauction.org. Proceeds benefit Palmetto Animal League’s no-kill adoption center, rescuing pets like Janie, who has taken on a motherly role with the younger cats at PAL. She adores a comfy lap and can’t wait to find a home of her own. “As we re-emerge from this pandemic, PAL’s online auction is a fun and impactful way for people to help animals and learn about local businesses that support animal rescue,” said PAL President Amy Campanini. Anyone can bid on a variety of items and gift certificates from popular restaurants, shops and service providers. Each item in the auction represents life-saving support for PAL’s compassionate, no-kill rescue programs.
“There is no greater joy in animal rescue than watching a gentle, faithful creature experience true compassion for the first time,” Campanini said. “You may not get to experience these rescues first-hand, but when you take part in our auction, you are giving a forgotten animal a name and the assurance of a new life.” Bid for PAL showcases some of the most sought-after products and services our area has to offer. By getting the highest bid, folks can find themselves wine tasting in Hilton Head, golfing in Bluffton, dining in Beaufort, or shopping in Savannah. “When people come to PAL following the auction to pick up the items they won, it’s touching to see them connect with the adoptable animals they are helping,” says PAL Development Coordinator Stephanie Bashaw. From golf rounds at renowned clubs to restaurant certificates, travel getaways, clothing, jewelry, home decor and more,
Janie, a resident at Palmetto Animal League’s no-kill adoption center, warms up the computer keyboard for the next person who wants to bid on any number of cool auction items in the annual Big for PAL Online Auction.
still want to help, you can bid on essential equipment for the PAL Adoption Center that will help animals for years to come,” said Bashaw. “We also offer animal sponsorships where you can sponsor a special needs pet, a hospice pet, or even a freedom flight saving dozens of animals at once.” Bid for PAL is a must-see virtual experience for those who love shopping almost as much as they love animals. “Bidders get to see all the big-hearted Lowcountry businesses that continue to support animal rescue even while times are tough,” Bashaw said. “And folks can feel good about supporting these companies in the future.” The Bid for PAL Online Auction goes live Aug. 5 at PALauction.org. Let your heart do the bidding because the more you spend, the more animals like Janie you save.
PAL’s online Auction has something for everyone. “If you don’t want to shop for yourself but
Lindsay Perry is the marketing coordinator for Palmetto Animal League. PalmettoAnimalLeague.org
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Page 40A
The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
SAFETY
When in water, be alert to quiet signs of someone drowning By Cinda Seamon CONTRIBUTOR
You’re on the beach and you see someone in the water violently thrashing around and yelling for help. Is this person drowning? Most people would think so, but what you’re seeing is likely closer to aquatic distress, which many times does not last long. These people can sometimes still assist in their own rescue by grabbing a lifeline or life ring. Real drowning is not what most people expect it to be. There is not much splashing, no calling for help, no waving of the arms. Many people watching have no idea what’s happening. Except in rare cases, drowning people are unable to call out for help. When the mouths of drowning people are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly before sinking below the surface of the water again, and therefore do not have time to call out.
Drowning people also cannot wave for help. They instinctively extend their arms and press down on the water’s surface to create leverage so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe. Their bodies might also be upright in the water with no sign of kicking. They might have only 20 to 60 seconds before they go
under again. Here are some signs of a drowning in progress: • Head low in the water, mouth at water level • Head tilted back with mouth open • Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus • Eyes closed
• Hair over forehead or eyes • Not using legs – body is vertical • Hyperventilating or gasping • Trying to roll over on their back • Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder • Appear to be pushing their way out of the water with arms extended outward Pay close attention to your family and friends in the water, especially children, and remember that drowning might not look like drowning. If you suspect something is off, ask the person if they are OK. If they can answer, then they are most likely fine. If the person looks at you with a blank stare, you will need to act fast to get them out of the water. Parents should note that children playing in the water are usually pretty noisy – when they get quiet, make sure you immediately check to see what’s going on. Cinda Seamon is the fire and life safety educator for Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue.
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July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
Page 41A
FAITH
What have we learned, what will we do with our ‘re-set’? By Pete Berntson CONTRIBUTOR
Might the emergence from the numerous restrictions necessitated by COVID-19 be an opportunity for a much-needed “reset?” The significant social changes that lasted for longer than a year altered most of our patterns and practices. Now, with the lifting of restrictions, we are given a unique opportunity, if we will take it, to reexamine our choices and priorities. Instead of just automatically resuming all the activities we engaged in before the pandemic, we can carefully evaluate what is vital and essential, meaningful and life-giving, and what is less so. A great deal of the “learning” that occurred over the past year is that so much of what used to consume our time, energy and resources really weren’t that important. At the same time, it was excruciating
to realize what we were missing, unable to do, or with whom we unable to spend our time. In many ways, we have been given the gift of a new beginning. We can let go of the baggage we have been carrying for so very long. With a lighter load, we can focus more of our energy on re-establishing relationships, even mending those that were fractured prior, and recommitting ourselves to high purposes. For many of us, this re-creation is a God-given gift. It is not that God caused the pandemic, but rather God took what was bad and used it for good. God is good at creating new beginnings, even out of darkness and despair. God has done it over and over throughout the history of humankind. The Bible opens with a beginning and closes with a beginning. Creation is the first word, and new creation is the last word. So now is the time to determine how
we will use, if we will at all, this new gift, this God-given new beginning. This gift should be a source of bright new hope. While we are not yet what we should be, we’re not what we once were. Making the necessary choices and establishing the new priorities that will fuel our continued transformation will not be easy and will not come quickly. We will need God’s constant love and will need God’s continued presence and guidance. Thankfully, God has already promised these to us, along with God’s spirit, to empower us. It will be intriguing to see what we each do with our specific “reset” and new creations. May we respond with joy and thanksgiving!
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Page 42A
The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
SPORTS
Why we probably won’t follow a great golf score with another By Tom Dorsel CONTRIBUTOR
Backing up a great golf score with another one is rare. Here’s why: 1. Golf is a difficult game. It is tough to shoot one good round, much less two back to back. The odds are greatly against you. 2. Many factors affect a round of golf. One day you are hitting greens, next day you are putting lights out, next day you are lucky. To shoot a great round, you have to get all those ducks in a row in one day. And to do it two straight days – well, good luck! 3. On the first day, everyone is equal and many are flying under the radar. But when one player jumps to the forefront with a great score, suddenly all eyes are on that player, and he or she might cave a bit to the new visibility and accompanying pressure, making it harder to repeat the next day. 4. Rather than the second-round letdown being an anomaly, I think the great first round was probably the anomaly. Let’s say
that a player shoots 63-71 the first two rounds. The second-round score (71) might be more the one that is within the player’s actual comfort zone, and the average between his or her great first-round score and comfortable second-round score, 67 in this case, might be the more realistically stellar score for the player to aim for. Every once in a while the player might go lower, but that
would be the anomaly. 5. Still, there are players who do string together great scores. Steward Cink did it with a pair of 63s at this year’s RBC Heritage. The players who accomplish this feat consistently practice both the physical and mental side of the game and prepare themselves for these situations. They play a lot of competitive golf, work on keeping
their scores within a narrow range, and even anticipate shooting great scores and not getting too excited about it. They just focus on the swing keys or images that led to the great score yesterday, and hope it works again today. The takeaway might be to just play the percentages and follow a great round with a good round. You can’t force a great round. Good rounds, yes, but the great ones seem to have a mind of their own and just happen. You are not going to win a four-round tournament on the second day, but you could lose it, particularly if you let your excitement and lofty expectations get the better of you. Just go out and execute your swing keys and images, play the percentages, and the score will take care of itself. Tom Dorsel, Ph.D. is founder and head instructor at “Sport Psychology of Hilton Head” on Facebook. His latest book is “Golf: The Mental Game.” dorsal.com
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
Page 43A
SPORTS
How you practice short game affects your play on the course By Jean Harris CONTRIBUTOR
In 18 holes of golf, most golfers hit 10 to 14 tee shots with their driver and 23 to 30 full swings with woods, hybrids and irons. The same golfer will use his or her putter 30 to 38 times a round and hit at least 25 to 30 pitches, chips and bunker shots from 100 yards in. If you look at the above statistics, you will see that approximately two-thirds of all shots during a round are from 100 yards in. The next time you play, keep track of how many shots you take from 100 yards in and see what your percentage is. I’m sure that you will find that approximately 65% of your shots are considered the “short game.” The typical golfer doesn’t practice their short game because it isn’t as exciting as hitting a long, solid tee shot. Many golf-
ers feel that practicing the short game is boring. So how can I help you change your mind about practicing golf? First of all, the objective of playing golf is to have the lowest score possible. As a golf professional, I can’t teach the average golfer how to hit a driver 300 yards, but I can help you hit shots into the green to lower your scores. Remember that a 300-yard drive and a 3-foot putt count the same amount when you add up your score. One suggestion is to practice your chipping and putting with the same ball(s) you play golf with. Range balls have one-piece covers and don’t fly as far as the balls you play with. They also don’t spin on short shots. Most beginning golfers play with a two-piece ball that has a solid rubber core and a firm outer layer. These balls fly farther but have less accuracy around the greens. If you can afford to buy a
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three-piece ball, I recommend it if you want to have more spin on your short game shots. I also recommend having three wedges in your bag: A sand wedge, a gap wedge, and a pitching wedge. Occasionally, practice chipping and putting with one ball. Chip the ball to a hole and then putt it out. Then take another club and chip to a different hole and putt it out. Practice should not be repetitive in the short game. You need to change clubs and targets every few shots. Short game is about “feel” and “distance control.” Remember that you only get one chance on the golf course, so your practice needs to reflect how you really play the game. JEAN HARRIS
Bob Buckley hitting one chip and a putt to a hole.
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Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local courses. jean.golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; golfdoctorjean.com
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Page 44A
The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021
SPORTS
Correcting myths about swim strokes to improve efficiency By Bob Colyer CONTRIBUTOR
Myth 1. Front crawl is swum on the front and back crawl on the back. These “long axis” strokes are not swum on the front or back, but instead on alternating sides through the front or back. The glide position for these strokes is not with both arms above the head, but on one side with one arm up and the other down at the side. As the swimmer recovers one arm from down below the hip, the other arm “catches” the water below the surface in preparation for stroking. It is not until the recovering arm almost reaches the other (extended) arm that the shoulder girdle is pulled forward. The “seesaw” action of the stable shoulder girdle thus pulls the stroking shoulder to initiate the arm stroke. Less efficient swimmers do not wait long enough to let the shoulders initiate this switch from side to side. However, it is clear from underwater slow motion photography
that this is how the world’s best swimmers actually coordinate their strokes. By doing so, they can swim more strokes per pool length, and with less effort. Myth 2. Stroking consists of moving the hand (and arm) past the body. The opposite is what happens. The swimmer’s body is levered past the hand (and arm), which are anchored against the
water. The most efficient swimmers are able to maneuver their hands (and arms) to maintain pressure all the way through the stroke, from the catch to where the hip passes the hand. There are metaphors for such efficiency. The front crawl (“freestyle” in competitive terms) can be thought of as grabbing hold of the rung of a ladder suspended below the OPEN MON. - FRI. • 9 AM TO 3 PM 2 Southwood Park Drive • Hilton Head, SC 29926 Next to Dunkin Donuts • 843.683.7770
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pool surface, keeping the elbow up while using the rung for leverage. The backstroke can be imagined as reaching back to grab ahold of a pole anchored vertically from the bottom. Then apply leverage the same way. This latter technique can be accomplished literally with an instructor holding a pole. The former can be accomplished by using a rope tied below the surface. Both drills give a swimmer the feeling of what it’s like to swim more efficiently until the swimmer can mimic the same technique without assistance. Efficient swimming is not a myth, but the gradual development of techniques that result in greater distance per stroke and thus fewer strokes per pool length as a swimmer’s goal. Dr. Bob Colyer of Bluffton is an actively retired college professor, coach and author of “Swim Better: A Guide to Greater Efficiency for Swimmers & Instructors,” directed primarily to non-competitors. bobcolyer@yahoo.com
July 20, 2021
The Bluffton Sun
Page 45A
GARDEN
Water, fertilize, prune and watch for pesky insects By Edward Poenicke CONTRIBUTOR
With the year at its midpoint, we need to make the final light pruning on azaleas now, if you haven’t done so already, as the plants will start setting blooms over the next couple of months. With the hot temperatures we have been having, watering is very important. If we don’t get rain showers, you will need to water at least twice a week – making applications of one-half inch per watering. Make sure you water in the early morning hours or the middle of the night. We do not want to tuck plants in wet at night, as this starts disease problems on lawns and flowers. Insect problems on ornamental plants and trees are also present at this time. Aphids attack Crape Myrtles and cause the leaves to turn black, while lace bugs attack lantana and keep them from blooming. Watch for scale, mealy bugs and while flies
as well. Apply an insecticide to correct these problems. One disease on grass is Brown Patch, which starts out as a dinner plate-sized spot and spreads outward. This must be treated with a fungicide. St. Augustine can get a disease called gray leaf spot and it has areas on the leaf blade that is gray in color and needs a fungicide to correct it. Both problems start due to late watering or evening rains.
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Another problem we have at this time is mole crickets hatching and eating the fine root hairs of the grass and weakening the lawn. Then, disease can affect the lawn due to its weakened state of not being able to take up water or nutrients. We are also seeing chinch bugs, which attack St. Augustine lawns. Chinch bug damage usually starts in the sunniest and hottest parts of the lawn near the road and driveway. It will start out turning yellow, then brown. This damage can be devastat-
ing, as chinch bugs inject a toxin that kills the grass. At this time, we need to make our last fertilization to our shrubs for the year. Apply one tablespoonful per foot height of plant and apply it at the drip line of the plant – the end of the limbs. You do not have to remove the mulch to fertilize; just scatter it on the surface of the mulch and water in. Keep fertilizing your roses each month through September. Fertilize your annuals and perennials this month and again in August. Keep dead-heading flowers that need to be removed after they bloom so the plant does not put energy into seed production but into seed growth and flowers instead. If you do not dead-head annuals, they will die soon after, as the plant thinks it has done its job of growing from seed and making seeds for next year. Edward Poenicke is a retired Chatham County extension agent. This article is provided in collaboration with Lawn Doctor of Beaufort County.
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The Bluffton Sun
July 20, 2021J
REAL ESTATE
Seller’s market plus summertime equals profitable selling By Larry Stoller CONTRIBUTOR
It is summer 2021 in the Lowcountry and, thanks to a seller’s market unlike anything we have seen during the past several years, sellers are getting more for their homes than ever before. Selling a home in the summer has some challenges – families go on vacation, kids are out of school and need attention, summer activities distract. There are too many fun things to do and selling home is not one of them. It is more difficult to get sellers in the home-selling mood in the summertime, but with full-price, above-price and multiple offers, maybe this summer will be different. Another challenge, especially during July and August , is the heat. It might be too hot for buyers to be running around looking at homes. On the other hand, increased demand, decreased inventory, rising prices, and a hot
local seller’s real estate market are motivating buyers (many of them out-of-state) to make a deal this summer. In the summertime, here are some things you can do to make your home more appealing and attract buyers: • Mow the lawn more often. Grass and weeds grow fast, so cut and manicure the
lawn to make it look its best. • Decorate with summer in mind. Use brighter summer colors and vibrant blues for a calming and cooling effect. • Create curb appeal. Curb appeal makes buyers feel happy about your home. Trim bushes, plant flowers, spruce up the yard, and make your home entryway attrac-
tive and welcoming. • Bring in the light. Open the blinds, remove the heavy drapes, make it light and bright. • Accentuate the outside. Move furniture to the sunroom, screened porch and covered patio. Create an allusion of (or highlight) an appealing summer lifestyle. • Supply summer treats. Different parts of the country are noted for their summer food and drink. Offer some pecan pie and lemonade at your next open house. • Keep it nice and cool. No one wants to be in a stuffy hot house on a hot summer day. Turn on the fans, keep the air moving, and turn down the AC a bit to keep visitors cool, comfortable and want to stay inside a while. Happy summer selling, y’all! Larry Stoller is a broker and Realtor with Real Estate Five of the Lowcountry. Larry@ RealEstateFive.com, RealEstateFive.com, Sun CityOpenHouses247.com
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