Oct. 19, 2021 • SECTION SC Volume 24, I ssue 20
Barrel Landing Club: Sun City’s First 100 Buyers See pg. 4SC
Dick Roy, left, and Maria Biancheri display numbers representing their membership number for the Barrel Landing Club, composed of the first 100 purchasers of homes in Sun City Hilton Head. PHOTO BY TOM MILLS
Monthly Market Report
Sun City Hilton Heads Home and Villa
SEE SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION INSIDE
Page 2SC
Rick Malon
Owner/Broker (843) 338-1360
Oct. 19, 2021
Donnie Kunich Owner/Broker (843) 301-8517
WHY CHOOSE TOWN SQUARE REALTY?
WE’RE ALL ABOUT EASIER
Let TSR show you how we get homes SOLD. Call Today (843) 338-1360 or (843) 301-8517 Search All Sun City and Area Listings At:
55SCHH.com
Search Sun City by Model Name, Neighborhood, Price or view
TOWN SQUARE FEATURED HOME
154 Argent Way Camden model with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, den, Carolina Room with incredible lagoon view. Call for Details!
Your Next Chapter Start Here Local Expertise, Global Presence
Specializing in Sun City Real Estate over 3,000 Sun City homes closed.
Oct. 19, 2021
Page 3SC
Your Power Comes From People You Know & Trust.
As a member owned utility, Palmetto Electric was originally formed to bring power to the people when they needed it the most. Today, that tradition continues with quality electric service brought to you by your friends and neighbors— people who work hard for our shared prosperity. From linemen to board members, all of us at Palmetto Electric are honored to work and live alongside each and every member in the community we all call home.
843-208-5551
1-800-922-5551
palmetto.coop
Power Out! Call 1-866-445-5551or use our mobile app
Page 4SC
Oct. 19, 2021
No. 32 and No. 35 discuss early days of living in Sun City By Katherine Mace CONTRIBUTOR
Maria Biancheri and Dick Roy were pioneer residents in the new Sun City Hilton Head, and they are still neighbors 26 years later. The day after Thanksgiving 1994, a temporary sales center for Sun City Hilton Head (SCHH) opened in a trailer, just inside what is now the Lake Somerset gate. According to the 2015 SunSations 20th Anniversary edition, 25 homes were sold the first day. Dick Roy and his wife, Lorraine, came not long after. They were No. 32, and the people across the street, Joseph and Maria Pilar Biancheri, were No. 35. Both couples moved into the Historic Village. The Roys were from New England, and had a desire to get back to the ocean. When he retired, they moved to Hendersonville, N.C. “The first winter we had 19 inches of snow, so we decid-
TOM MILLS
TOM MILLS
No. 32 resident Dick Roy describes early living in Sun City.
No. 35 resident Maria Biancheri makes a point about the early days in Sun City.
ed to look around,” Roy said. “We read in the paper that Del Webb was going to build their first community east of the Mississippi. We bought this house off a sketch on a piece of paper. I think
we moved in Oct. 25, 1995. “Originally, Del Webb put pine straw everywhere. There was no landscaping; and that year we had a 100-year rain,” Roy continued. “The pine straw washed
into the sewers and clogged everything up. Del Webb put a group of us up in Port Royal for about a month while they fixed things. We had a great time!” Biancheri said her husband read about the new SCHH development in the New York Times. “Every year we would drive between Long Island and Florida,” she said. “The first time we stopped, they were digging Lake Somerset and they couldn’t show us anything. “The following year we put a down payment. It was a rainy summer,” she said. “They gave us boots that were too big. The mud was incredible. When I took a step, the boot would stay behind – stuck. It was a jungle. We looked from the road, and the salesman pointed. ‘See that stick over there? That’s where your house will be.’” Roy and Biancheri are both members of the Barrel Landing Club. Plaques were given to the first 100 homeowners
Please see PIONEERS on page 6SC
Oct. 19, 2021
Page 5SC
hy;Prestige Heating and Air;B20749-556894;5x10.25-4c (21NO)
REGULAR CARE Happy Thanksgiving = PERFECT AIR From Our Family To Yours!
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOYAL SUPPORT.
12 Months No Interest No Payments 18 Months Deferred Interest with Minimum Monthly Payment
843-208-3060 Indoor Air Quality Specialists 591 Browns Cove Road, Unit M • Riverwalk Business Center
Maintain to Sustain!
Our great reputation speaks for itself!!
Page 6SC
Oct. 19, 2021
VETERANS DAY NOV. 11 Sun City Veterans Association has scheduled the community’s Veterans Day event at 10 a.m. Nov. 11 in the parking lot of Magnolia Hall. Our speaker will be the former South Carolina Sen. Lewis Vaughn, a Korean War Veteran and Past National President of the Korean War Veterans Association. This year, the event will be recognizing the service of Korean War veterans who are living in Sun City. The event is free and open to all residents.
PIONEERS from page 4SC for exhibiting a pioneering spirit. (On the plaques, “Barrell” is spelled with two L’s. Various spellings appear in different versions of the history.) Roy explained how it got its name. Barges used to come up Okatie Creek to Barrel Landing (where the Goodyear tire store is). The settler-farmers brought their crops, packed in barrels. The barges then took the goods to Hilton Head Island and Savannah. This was just after the Revolutionary War. The Barrel Landing School was established between the Revolutionary War and the War Between the States. It operated continuously until 1919. According to Roy, “The Barrel Landing School originally stood on ground which is now the site of Sun City’s first neighborhood.” Roy went on to describe what living in Sun City was like. “There was one grocery store, a Piggly Wiggly, in Bluffton, and a small Publix and bank on Hilton Head Island. If you needed a hardware store you had to go to Savannah. We waited anxiously for Town Square to be built, and then the Okatie golf course.” Biancheri says that everyone knew everyone in the early days. “We were here as the buildings were built. My husband was a bike rider, and he would ride the roads and come back to tell me what was new,” she said. “I remember when they opened four tennis courts. I learned to play tennis here, and I still play almost every day. We were Super Senior Carolina Champions in 2011.” Roy described when the model homes were built. “I was a resident host; six
or eight of us worked part-time at the model home park where we baked cookies using dough we got from the Hilton Head Cookie Company,” he said. “When prospective buyers came to the models, we’d serve them cookies and coffee, and talk to them, and then hand them off to the salesmen.” When asked who closed the deal, Roy smiled and said, “Officially, the salesmen did.” Clubs began to be formed right away. “I was a Korean war vet, and six of us started the Veterans club,” Roy said. “We were involved in the start-up of everything. “ There were three hobby clubs – Ceramics, All About Art, and the Sewing Club, said Biancheri. “I was the first VP of the Sewing Club. The people from Del Webb asked what we needed, and then gave us four Bernina sewing machines, and two sergers,” she said. “These are very expensive machines and we’re still using them. “They added the Computer Club right next to the sewing club, and put an accordion door to separate us, but apparently, we were too noisy,” Biancheri said, “because after a few months the Del Webb folks came in and built a wall!” What is different now? Biancheri and Roy agree: “Everything!” “We sure did feel like pioneers,” Biancheri said. “Every day was an adventure, and at the end of the day … it was a good day.” Katherine Mace is a writer who lives in Sun City.
Oct. 19, 2021
Page 7SC
The Seabrook of Hilton Head Invites You to
A COMPLIMENTARY LUNCHEON PRESENTATION AND TOUR OF VILLAS Hear our panel of residents tell their Seabrook stories and provide insights into retirement living!
YOU MUST RSVP—ATTENDANCE IS LIMITED!
seating available for up to 20 guests. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2021 LUNCH AT 1:00 PM Masks are required except when eating
tours to follow lunch and presentation learn how you can “live the seabrook life” before you sell your home!
Page 8SC
Oct. 19, 2021
Procrastinating while moving a chair, many discoveries arise By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
I have achieved PhD-level procrastination! I decided I needed to swap out the office chair I have been using since we moved here for the one I was given by my neighbor after her husband died. I had put it in the guest room for guests to use, thinking mine was good for the long haul. But I have decided it is not helping my back, as much as I use it. I recently I decided I should make the switch now, because I have a lot to write about. However, moving the one chair out of the office into the guest room meant removing 497 pounds of cat hair because the cats, especially Miss Tigger in recent years, have slept on it. Well, that wasn’t going to work because as much as I brushed, scraped and used all the cat hair tools, there is still about half a cat in the fabric that is not budging. Surprise, surprise! I can’t put it in the guest room where my sister stays because she has cat allergies, albeit under control (plant allergies not so much). So that meant taking down the folding chair that I had set up next to the guitar
that I haven’t played in a long while. (I did resist both tuning and dusting said guitar.) Then I decided I needed to fill the hole occupied by the guest chair, which meant thinking of moving and stacking the tea box and the great-grandmom’s little Welsh trunk … which meant I then had to look inside of said trunks, especially the great-grandmom’s, because that would be on the bottom of a stack. And that meant wondering who on earth would want all the little tidy boxes of hand-
kerchiefs, all of the parachute silk my dad brought back, and should I still keep my brother’s rubber Davey Crocket toy? That was the great-grandmom’s trunk where my dads WWII uniform is also, and his Legion hats. Then I looked in the tea box I brought back from Japan (think slightly smaller wooden, metal-lined trunk – literally stored tea – and I was soon sorting through a pile of cloth material. If I had gone to the bottom, I would still be there. So I put that on top of the great-grandmom’s trunk set catty-cornered in the corner, and then put the antique washbowl full of guest-needs items on the top, all of my dubious paint-and-pour paintings behind them and then realized I had a big empty space (God forbid!) under the windows.
So I then decided I needed to move the folding end table that had been in the corner of my office between the piano and the music bookcase into the guest room. Which meant I had to empty that of the huge basket of greeting cards, a box of envelopes (thank you, Nancy), a large ceramic Santa head bowl, and a short stack of pictures and frames that need some TLC or SOMEthing! Now the end table is in the guest room, the guest-needs washbowl is on top of it, the thick winter fleece is on top of the tea box, the decorative pillows are back on the bed, the stuff I need to restuff the couch (still a future project) is on the guest bed until I have guests again, the basket of cards is on top of a large Walker’s Shortbread tin full of tchotchkes – on top of which is a straw box from Harrods that came in a gift basket from my sister-in-law several years ago that is full of photos yet to be sorted and the Santa head is on the floor waiting for a cat to occupy it. Miss Tigger is in the guest room, the old office chair is in the guitar corner, I am sitting in the new old office chair and I am exhausted! Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
My husband is mesmerized by a voice in the other room By Chris Roosa CONTRIBUTOR
My husband of 57 years brought another female into our home. She’s intelligent. She is engorged with volumes of information. She only speaks when spoken to, unlike me. And she has her youth. How am I supposed to compete? I’m normally not a jealous person. But I think what upset me the most is that the man of the house secretly brought this character into my life without any forewarning. My husband has always been a quiet man, a man of few words. So it was a stab to my pride when SHE entered my domain. And to make matters worse, he also brought her five sisters. He never asked me my opinion, nor did he seek my approval. It simply was never
discussed. They just appeared ... one by one – a female in every room of my home and another spy in the garage. At night, I hear him softly speaking to her before he turns off his lights. Again, first thing in the morning, he has a conversation with her before he even thinks of speaking to me, his wife of 67 years or so it seems. Her name is Alexa, all six of them. She turns the lights on, she turns the lights off. She gives him daily weather reports. She can even instruct him on how to cook. She has an answer to his every question. She’s not just in the house – she also is hooked up to our phone line. The phone rings and Alexa begins screaming out, “Debbie Downer is calling, Debbie Downer is calling.” Even when I pick up the phone, she’s still barking out the caller’s name. Obviously, the caller wonders who is yell-
ing in the background. I then have to explain that it’s my husband’s “other woman” living in our house – his toy bride. All this after what seems like 77 years of marriage. If UPS or Amazon makes a delivery, the broad will inform us of the arrival. For Amazon, she will even open the garage door so the package can be left inside rather than on the porch. Our house is now overrun with devices trying to make our life easier. I walked into the kitchen and heard beeping. Checked the oven alarm. No! Checked the dishwasher. No! Went to the refrigerator and found the source. The door was ajar. When I mentioned to the resident male that he left the fridge open, of course he assured me it wasn’t him. I had just come home from running errands, so I knew I was not the culprit. So, he determined it
was the 6-pound dog! Now, after 87 years of wedded bliss, or so it seems, our world is being run by digital devices and technology. I have a hard enough time turning on a vacuum cleaner, so you can imagine how difficult all this tech stuff is for a person of my age. I can’t even figure out which end my chip is on when running my credit card through the machine. Nor can I operate a cell phone. My mind is just not wired for these new-fangled devices. It used to be, when we couldn’t figure out the remote for the television or what’s wrong with my iPad, I’d just borrow a neighbor’s 4-year-old grandchild to fix it. Now, my life has been simplified. Now, he has Alexa. Chris Roosa is a resident of Sun City Hilton Head.
Oct. 19, 2021
Page 9SC
Affordable, Trusted & Personalized Dental Care One Trusted Office For All Your Dental Needs General Family Dentistry • Implant Dentistry Complete Cosmetic Services • Teeth Whitening
Call & Make An Appointment Today We Follow The American Dental Association Guidelines
(843) 929-1200
A Bluffton Tradition Of Trusted & Caring Dentistry! NEW PATIENT SPECIAL:
119
$
Cleaning, Exam & X-Rays
Includes A Healthy Mouth Cleaning, Comprehensive Exam And Necessary X-Rays
New patients only. Not valid for patients filing dental insurance. Limit one per patient.
Safety First Further Heightened Sterilization!
249
$
Annual Dental Plan Includes 2 Cleanings, 2 Exams And Necessary X-Rays 25% Off All Other Services (Excludes Implants & Orthodontics)
Please call the office for more details.
We Accept Most Dental Insurance Plans
Emergencies Urgent Appointments Seen Today!
We are Welcoming New Patients | Call Today: (843) 929-1200 Kimberly A. Frisk, DMD | 19 Towne Drive, Bluffton, SC Hablamos Español
Page 10SC
Oct. 19, 2021
Is the grass really greener in a manicured lawn? By David W. Smith CONTRIBUTOR
Many consider lawns to be a European invention. Some of the earliest lawns were the grasslands around medieval castles in France and Britain, kept clear of trees for an unobstructed view of approaching enemies. Grazing sheep and cattle served as hooved lawn mowers, keeping the grass cropped and fertilized, truly organic. Closely cut grass lawns first appeared in 17th century England at the homes of the aristocracy. Landowners began to depend on human labor to tend the grass closest to their homes. Only the rich could afford the help needed to scythe and weed the grass. Lawns became a feature of most American plantations, including Mount Vernon and Monticello, where sheep and slaves maintained them. The advent of the push mower allowed lawns to begin appearing in more homes in the late 1800s. With no practical value, lawns continued to be had primarily by the
UN DE RC ON TR
DAVID W. SMITH
This quarter mile of lawn that few people will ever see is opposite the nature trail.
wealthy throughout the early 20th century. That began to change after World War II with the availability of affordable government-sponsored home loans and the suburban boom. Developments such as Levittown not only included lawns and landscaping with their new homes, but stressed the importance of proper upkeep. Lawns and their acceptable appearance have become nearly synonymous with home ownership. Much time and expense are dedicated to lawncare.
Sun City | 33 Plymouth Lane | $425,000 AC T
2 Bedrooms, 2 Full Bathrooms, Den Gorgeous Hamilton Jefferson Carolina Room Main living areas w/Ceramic Woodlike Flooring Extended vinyl / screen porch Overlooking a long lagoon
UN DE RC ON TR
Sun City | 86 Andover Place | $235,000 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms Charming cottage • Screened porch Master suite has a bay window Open floor plan Main living areas w/LVP Perfect for entertaining
UN DE RC ON TR
AC T
Sun City | 32 Penny Creek Drive | $425,000 AC T
2 Bedrooms, 2 Full Bathrooms, Den Popular Dogwood Large lot close to Hidden Cypress amenities Many upgrades throughout 3 sliders to the brick paver screened porch Great room w/formal dining area Inviting front porch & entry foyer
Ruth Kimball | 843-540-0205 | ruthkimball@msn.com ASK ME ABOUT U.S. MILITARY ON THE MOVE! All information is believed to be accurate. Subject to verification by Buyer/Buyers Agent.
American homeowners have long strived to make their lawns brighter, lusher and more weed-free than their neighbors’ yards. This competition has a devastating environmental impact. Every year across the country, lawns consume nearly 3 trillion gallons of water and more than 70 million pounds of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. Herbicides damage the soil, increasing the need for more fertilizer to maintain the coveted green. Pesticides poison far more
than their targeted pests. Runoff from overwatering and rain carry the excess chemicals into our waterways, leading to numerous problems. More than 200 million gallons of gasoline are burned annually to fuel the machinery needed to maintain the acceptable appearance demanded by our culture. These noise-polluting machines are major contributors to air-pollution and the climate crisis. Turfgrass is the single largest crop in the United States, yet no living thing is sustained by it. Beyond providing a playing surface for a variety of sports, its only function is aesthetic. Wouldn’t replacing some of our lawn with native wildflowers and grasses make sense? Native plants, once established, require no artificial maintenance. Eliminating lawns would save time and money while contributing to a healthier and more diverse ecosystem. David W. Smith is a member of the Environmental Action Group of Sun City Hilton Head.
Oct. 19, 2021
Page 11SC
BEYOND STEM CELLS™ Living a life you love begins with living pain-free.
What are you waiting for? Start today and begin
Don’t allow painful degenerative conditions hold you
enjoying the life you loved once again by registering for
back another day or year in your pursuit for happiness
one of our free BEYOND STEM CELLS™ presentations on
and longevity!
restorative medicine, presented by Dr. Brad Fraum, DC and Dr. Heather Hinshelwood, MD, FACEP.
Whether you suffer from arthritis, back, joint, hip, shoulder or knee pain, the Fraum Center for Restorative Health can provide you with natural, non-invasive alternatives
Call 843.681.7777 or learn more at www.fraum.com.
so you can live your best life now! Our therapies keep
PRESENTATION SCHEDULE:
you youthful on the inside, and now with our aesthetic
TUES OCT 26TH
NOON
MON NOV 1ST
6PM
TUES NOV 9TH
NOON
MON NOV 15TH
6PM
WED OCT 20TH
12PM*
WED NOV 10TH
12PM*
solutions, you can look your best on the outside.
*DRX-9000 SPINAL DECOMPRESSION PRESENTATION *ALL PRESENTATIONS INCLUDE COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH OR DINNER
1403 MAIN STREET VILLAGE
/
HHI, SC 29926
/
843.681.7777
/
INFO@FRAUM.COM
/
WWW.FRAUM.COM
Page 12SC
Rick Malon Owner/Broker (843) 338-1360
Donnie Kunich Owner/Broker (843) 301-8517
Oct. 19, 2021
Ross Turpin Sales Associate (843) 263-3632
Hedda Tischler Sales Associate (843) 540-2074
Barbara Anderson Sales Associate (843) 489-9878
Greg Price Realtor (843) 338-3418
NEW LISTING!
96 Thomas Bee Drive $399,000
58 Redtail Drive $559,000
Heron floorplan featuring a converted den which allows for a true 3 bedroom home. Wood floors, Tiled sunroom located right off of the living area. Bay windows, Corian kitchen tops with black appliances. Workspace, washer/dryer, and utility tub in laundry room. Bedrooms have custom shelving in closets. Hunter Douglas window treatments, ceiling fans, and many other special features. Master bath offers a walk in shower and soaking tub and double vanities. Move-in ready spacious home for you in a very convenient area of Sun City. New roof 2019, New coils installed in HVAC in 2014.
Wisteria model you have been looking for just became available. This home features 3bedrooms,2 bathrooms, den, & enlarged sunroom. private views of the forest preserve from most rooms in the house. Light open floor plan with LVL floors throughout. Large 18x18 tile in the sunroom with vaulted smooth ceilings,& large picture windows. Designer ceiling fans. Custom dinning room fixture. raised vanities with stone counter tops in both bathrooms. Kitchen features oak cabinets with decorative pulls, granite counters, and white appliances. Bay windows in Kitchen & master bedroom. Gas fireplace 4’extended garage w/ work space. HVAC 2020, Roof 2021
Limited homes on the market, now is the time to sell...Call us today and let us show you how we can maximize your profit on the sale of your home.
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
UNDER CONTRACT
UNDER CONTRACT
UNDER CONTRACT
UNDER CONTRACT
206 Deublu Court $389,000
111 Arango Court $295,000
6 Norton Court $269,000
16 Belvedere Lane $475,000
57 Doncaster Lane $385,000
61 Honesty Lane $359,000
24 Sunflower Lane $397,000
23 Honesty Lane $269,000
47 Argent Way $339,000
UNDER CONTRACT
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
UNDER CONTRACT
UNDER CONTRACT
SOLD
7 Doncaster Lane $399,900
52 Concession Oak Drive $459,000
110 Lakeway Drive $329,000
47 Concession Oak Drive $459,000
23 Larkspur Lane $439,500
37 Raymond Road $385,000
20 Landing Lane $330,000
153 Col Thomas Heyward Rd $317,000
667 Farm Lake Drive $315,000