Sun City Sun August 15, 2023

PHOTO BY TOM MILLS

The Sun City Avant Gardeners Club Held A Colorful Celebration With A Party At Pinckney Hall.

Tips

Hurricane Season

Hurricane

Season Be Read y Be Safe Be Prepared

Be Read y Be Safe Be Prepared

Hurricane season begins in June and runs through November. It is important to plan ahead so you are safe in an emergency.

Hurricane season begins in June and runs through November. It is important to plan ahead so you are safe in an emergency.

Crab Cakes: A Perfectly Prepared Culinary Delight

Exploring the Seafood Delights of South Carolina

By Charles Russo III CONTRIBUTOR

The Palmetto State boasts nearly 200 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline, and plenty of rivers and lakes, making it an ideal destination for seafood lovers. From savory shrimp and grits to crispy fried flounder, there’s an abundance of seafood options for everyone. Join us as we dive into the seafood delights of South Carolina and discover what this beautiful Lowcountry has to offer.

1. Shrimp

South Carolina’s shrimp industry is well established, producing around 25 million pounds of shrimp every year. Thanks to the state’s extensive coastal marshlands, our local shrimp thrive in our rich waters, resulting in the sweetest and most succulent meat. Shrimp and grits is a popular classic dish in the state, but there’s more to explore. Try a Lowcountry Boil, which is a one-pot recipe featuring shrimp, corn, smoked sausage, onion and potatoes boiled with a blend of seasoning.

2. Blue Crab

Blue crab is another favorite seafood staple in South Carolina. Local blue crabs are served in various dishes, including crispy crab cakes, creamy She-crab soup, a fresh crab salad, or a rich crab dip. Blue crab can also work wonders added to a Lowcountry Boil. The state of South Carolina promotes sustainable seafood practices, ensuring that the blue crab population is well-managed

and sustainable.

3. Flounder

Flounder is a seafood staple in South Carolina. The fish thrives in both the state’s inshore and offshore waters. The most popular way to enjoy local flounder is fried in a light batter served with tartar sauce, honey mustard sauce, or simply some fresh lemon juice. Baked flounder with crab stuffing is another favorite way to enjoy this mild, flaky fish.

South Carolina is a food lovers’ paradise, and seafood certainly takes center stage. With its location on the Atlantic Coast and an abundance of freshwater sources, South Carolina has many seafood options to explore with fresh daily catches and seasonal specialties. From crab cakes to fried flounder, the Palmetto state is home to some of the most delicious seafood dishes you will ever enjoy. Be sure to take a food tour of the state, try the traditional dishes, and discover new and exciting flavors.

Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner or want to try something new, the abundance of seafood in South Carolina is sure to satisfy your cravings. So why not discover the seafood delights of South Carolina for yourself? You’ll be glad you did!

And if you’re looking to buy fresh, local seafood, don’t forget to contact your local fishmonger.

Charles J. Russo III is the owner of Russo’s Fresh Seafood Bluffton. Visit russosfreshseafood.com.

Garden Party Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Sun City Avant Gardeners celebrated their 25th anniversary with a party at Pinckney Hall. A slide presentation and scrapbooks highlighted many interesting programs and garden events. The establishment and maintenance of the butterfly garden was determined to be one of their greatest achievements for the community. Members brought flowers from their gardens and worked in small groups to make beautiful arrangements. One lucky member from each table took home their table’s masterpiece.

Photos by Tom Mills

Getting the Highest Possible Price for Your Home

By Larry Stoller

CONTRIBUTOR

At the beginning of August, there were approximately 248 single-family homes and 14 villa/condos for sale in Bluffton. At the same time, in addition to this low inventory, homes were selling fairly fast.

It is not a frenzied seller’s market like it was about 18 months ago, when we saw multiple offers and bidding wars … but it still is a seller’s market, where inventory is low, and demand is high.

With the high demand for local area homes, it is important to price your home correctly so it sells for the highest possible price. There are several different ways to do this.

One strategy is to price your home above what it should sell for. If you don’t get an offer within a few weeks, reduce the price (we are seeing that many buyers are waiting

for price reductions before making offers).

The above strategy ensures that you are not leaving any money on the table. Savvy real estate agents know how to strategically price homes by looking at comparable homes that are for sale, are under contract and/or have recently sold.

Another strategy is to value price your home. For example, if you have a lot of updates, upgrades, and special features, include them all in the multiple listing (which goes

UNDER CONTRACT - 132 STRATFORD VILLAGE WAY

to Zillow and all the other major online real estate directories) so that home shoppers can see the true value of your home.

NOTE: The multiple listing property description is very limited (there’s no way to list all improvements and special features). But there is an easy fix to get around that. Have your agent include a supplemental document that is readily available (takes just one click) for all perspective buyers to see. Another strategy is to include an Exclusive

Property Website with your home’s address as the domain name. These sites really showcase all your property’s special features to help perspective buyers see the “true value” of your home. Here’s an example: www.132stratfordvillageway.com.

Did you know that out-of-state home buyers really appreciate our area’s lower property taxes and affordable home prices?

It has been my experience that perspective home buyers from up North feel that they are getting a good deal when they shop online for our lowcountry homes for sale. And with the inventory still low in most Bluffton communities, they are more than ready to make attractive cash offers on what they see.

Larry Stoller is a Broker-Owner and Realtor with Real Estate FIVE of the Low Country. He lives in Bluffton and works and plays on and off the island. www.RealEstateFive.com. larry@realestatefive.com

site with lush plants is peaceful and private. Meticulously maintained one owner home.

$434,000

LIVE THE LIFE YOU LOVE

As a retired registered nurse, Linda had undergone back surgery four years prior to treatment at Fraum. She was in so much pain after her procedure that just never fully resolved. Wanting to avoid a second surgery, Linda made the decision to seek treatment with the doctors at Fraum. The combination of restorative medicine and physical therapy has improved her range of motion and pain levels significantly in order to give Linda her life back in a way she hadn’t experienced before.

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Sun City Residents “Pay It Forward” and “Give Back”

By Ron Gray

“Pay It Forward” is an expression for describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying the kindness to others rather than to the original benefactor. The phrase may have been coined by Lily Hardy Hammond in her 1916 book “In the Garden of Delight”. In Sun City, there are over 1,000 residents who “pay it forward” or “give back” on a regular basis by volunteering their time and talents to assist in maintaining and enhancing the exceptional quality of the Sun City community and by providing assistance to worthy causes outside of the Sun City gates.

Within Sun City, there are numerous opportunities for volunteerism including leadership and membership roles related to the seven Board Advisory Committees, Safety & Security roles, Neighborhood Representatives and Alternate Representatives, and various Chartered Clubs, Registered Community Groups and Committees. The October 30 election will include a Resident Board of Directors position and Neighborhood Rep and Alternate Rep positions.

For an effort to be impactful, there must be leaders and members who believe in the group’s mission and are willing to

devote their time and talents to achieve the group’s goals. As individuals leave the leadership and the membership of many of these groups, it has been challenging to find replacements. While it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to maintain and enhance a high-quality community.

Anna Maria Tabernik (Tab), Vice President of Sun City’s Board of Directors shared her thoughts regarding volunteerism in Sun City: “Personally, I made a promise when I retired to ‘give back’ to help others in appreciation for the help family and friends gave to me when I was a single parent raising my children and working. Knowing you have a support system in your life is invaluable for facing life’s challenges with determination. To me, the essence of our community is volunteerism. Yes, it is a way to ‘pay it forward’ or ‘give back’ for all the blessings we now enjoy. Residents who give of their time to help others, lead others, or participate in our governance are an integral part of what makes Sun City such a great place to live. Those who believe their time is well spent volunteering inside and outside of our gates set us apart from other HOAs. Sun City has earned the reputation as a

CONTRIBUTOR

Turnover Brings Change In The Neighborhood

People usually select residences based on a number of factors; location, cost and prospective lifestyle being among the most important factors. Some folks will knock on doors to meet their prospective new neighbors before finalizing their housing decision or will drive through the neighborhood to get a glance at their potential neighbors and their properties. But many folks only meet their new neighbors after they move into their new residence.

Sun City residents are very fortunate in that most neighborhoods are populated by people who turn out to be very good, even great, neighbors. New relationships and friendships are built and neighborhoods develop a culture of “caring and sharing.”

Unfortunately, there are a few exceptions. But a very high percent of Sun City residents greatly enjoy their neighbors and their neighborhoods. They help each other when there is a need. They socialize together and

participate together in neighborhood events and activities. Living in a great neighborhood with amazing neighbors is just one reason why Sun City is a great place to live. Over time, however, things might change. A neighbor moves out and a new neighbor moves in. The dynamics of the neighborhood change. Some residents continue their relationships with their old neighbors and shy away from the new neighbors. Others welcome the new neighbors with open arms.

Recognizing that “change is the only constant,” it is important that each resident does his or her part in maintaining and enhancing the caring culture of the neighborhood.

Yes, some of our neighbors may move out and new neighbors will move in. Let’s wish our outgoing neighbors well and welcome our new neighbors into a neighborhood that is, and will continue to be, a very special place to live.

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caring and generous community thanks to those who ‘give back’ or ‘pay it forward’ in one way or another.”

Brad Phillips, Sun City’s General Manager expresses his appreciation of Sun City’s many volunteers. “We are fortunate to have many residents in Sun City that provide an invaluable service to the community - the act of volunteerism - paying it forward with acts of kindness and support. Our volunteers assist their neighbors within this great community and form the backbone of our active lifestyle.”

We at the Sun City Sun are always interested in hearing stories about your clubs, sports, hobbies, current and past careers, achievements, interesting characters, collections ... you name it!

Email your great ideas to editor@blufftonsun.com.

PRICE REDUCTION!

Many Sun City residents volunteer for worthy causes outside of our gates. A glance at the list of Registered Community Groups shows about 10 groups that exist to support specific worthy causes in the local non-profit community. The bottom line is that Sun City people are kind, caring, talented and experienced people who freely give their time and talents to help others. It’s nice to live in a community with such neighbors!

Judy Ferguson is one of a large number

of Sun City volunteers at God’s Goods Thrift Store in Bluffton, which is 100% staffed by volunteers. Judy manages the God’s Goods Facebook page that includes a number of pictures of Sun City’s volunteers. Kim Perri, God’s Goods Ministry Leader, notes that over 800 volunteers have served God’s Goods over its 13-year history and that approximately half of the volunteers have been from Sun City. Kim said that “ God’s Goods is grateful and blessed by the residents of Sun City for all that they do to contribute toward achieving the God’s Goods Mission.” Kim adds that Sun City residents also play a vital role by donating (and purchasing) goods as well as helping to stock the shelves of the Food Pantry. Sun City resident Linda Tompkins serves as God’s Goods’ Volunteer Manager.

Most, perhaps all, of Sun City’s 19,000 residents have much for which we can be thankful. Our lives and our careers have led to our residency in this great community. The notion of “paying it forward” and

“giving back” appears to be alive and well in our community. But thinking about paying it forward and giving back through volunteering is not the whole story. There are other significant reasons why residents volunteer. When asked, many volunteers point to several reasons that they give freely of their time and talents including reinvigorated energy, physical, mental, and emotional stimulation, camaraderie and friendships, genuine caring for our community and/or a worthy cause, or perhaps simply the opportunity to get off the sofa and get out of the house.

If you are not currently a volunteer, and are considering the possibility, check the community’s website and Sunsations to learn more about the many volunteer opportunities. If you are, or have been a volunteer, thank you! As Tab and Brad said, you are the backbone of our active lifestyle.

Ron Gray is a freelance writer and resident of Sun City, psuron@live.com.

Sun City Community Theatre Presents “God of Carnage.”

This riveting play is about a young boy who gets his tooth knocked out by the son of one of the couples. The two couples get together one afternoon to try and get others to take responsibility for their son’s behavior. These somewhat sophisticated couples start off having a pleasant conversation, albeit a bit contrived, and it escalates into a melee.

This is one of those plays that people react to by gasping with utter surprise and then falling down with laughter.

The amazing actors are Craig Geoffrion, Karen Reber, Ralph Spiegel, and Heather Adams. The amazing and talented Bernadette MacNeal produced this play.

Directed by Shirley Alberti whose career was in Hollywood as a Script Supervisor on numerous television shows including “Barney Miller,” “Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters” and her last production before retiring was on “Entertainment Tonight.”

God of Carnage will be performed in Sun City’s Pinckney Hall on August 24th-26th at 7p.m. and a matinee on Sunday, August 27 at 2p.m.

This is a one act play with no intermissions.

Please be aware that this play contains adult language.

Tickets available through LifeStyles in Sun City.

The Marriage Contract

By Chris Roosa

CONTRIBUTOR

Our first-born daughter was recently getting married, for the third time. Just remember, we never got to pick the other husbands.

Hubby number one lasted only months due to their young age.

Number two dragged on for twenty-five years before she realized what the whole family thought all along. Yuk!

“Current prospect” is 60 years old, has never been married, with no kids to contend with. That’s a plus. The concern is can he adapt and last the duration? She too has been single a LONG time and does not have a good track record, right?

This time around we wanted a signed/ notarized marriage contract from the future “current husband.”

1. Dowry. We would expect a sizable dowry of either a healthy sow or a massive 1500 pound heifer.

2. Devotion. We would like your guarantee of love and devotion, as none of the other husbands provided our daughter with either.

3. Kindness. We would like to have your word that you will wake up every morning telling our daughter how lovely she is and professing your eternal love even if it’s a bad-ugly morning.

4. Unity. When WE MOVE IN WITH YOU newlyweds, we require the master bed-

room, plus we like our meals served at 6:00 p.m.

5. Warranty. As parents, we would expect a monthly stipend for our daughters’ domestic chores. Whatever you feel best suits the value of our beloved child, what’s her name???

6. Livelihood. As the provider, we would expect you to continue your massive garden so that she can eat fresh fruit and vegetables daily. After all, we want to keep her trim. Do NOT grow bananas, as one hubby left her with low self-esteem after abandoning her on a tree branch just like a monkey.

7. Financial Aid. In the past WE paid those other husbands to take her off our

hands, since being twice returned, we could get by with a small piglet or a calf. We understand she’s OLD now but, for the record, we like bacon.

8. Special Child. Because what’s her name is so special to us, we want to make sure you know how to cook, clean, wash, iron, snow blow and mow. She’s our little Princess after all.

9. Final commandment. We hand her over with hope, in our hearts, that you too don’t return her. We’re old and decrepit now. We want to go to our graves knowing that all our children are married to someone that will take care of them in their old age. So, PLEASE keep her. We’ll even give you a new rototiller. Forget the tiny piglet and calf. How about a frog? Yes, a frog would make an excellent dowry. We could learn to like frog legs. Happy Marriage!

Chris Roosa is a resident of Sun City Hilton Head.

Sun City most popular model on the most sought after location. This Wisteria model features 3 bd, 2 ba and Den. Recent updates include Tiled kitchen, laundry room. wood floors throughout most of the home. Extended cabinets in laundry room with sink. Crown molding, decorative window treatments. Recent remodeled Master bath with enlarged shower enclosure. Sit in the large Sunroom with views of multiple golf holes, a lagoon and practice range or enjoy the sunshine from the paver patio. a 2 minute walk to The Hidden Cypress Amenity Center. This home is truly one of a Kind.