Group seeks to cover cemetery with wreaths 12A
Rabbi leads discussion on ways to combat antisemitism 16A
Roasting Room music venue to close at end of year 24A
• The Bridge in Old Town welcomes first occupants 29A
• Winners named in PRSF art contest 32A
There’s nothing like going to your me chanic for an oil change and fluid top-up just to have him give you the bad news that – unobserved by you – your tires are balding.
While you stand there deciding which brand and how many you need, have you ever given serious thought to what hap pened to all that tread?
Beaufort County’s Stormwater Manage ment Department knows what happens to ground rubber – as well as the oils, dirt, vegetation, trash and everything else that collects on our roadways. Without any bar riers, the stormwater runoff quickly washes that debris into the marshlands and bodies
of water that run through our communities.
“Beaufort County has had water quality standards since the ’90s, which is because we’re a very progressive area,” said Katie Herrera, the department’s manager. “The Evergreen Regional Water Quality Retention Basin is designed to improve water quality within the Okatie River watershed. We want [the river] to be fishable and swimmable. Our little Okatie River is never going to be drinkable, but we want to make sure that the harvesting resource is there to make sure the shellfish is safe for everyone’s consump tion.”
The basin is the in the 24-acre Evergreen Tract on SC 170 next to Seagrass Station. It is one of the solutions the county has devel
Please see BASIN on page 10A
The Bluffton Police Department will host its “Shop with a Cop” for 12 local children Dec. 10.
Each of the six Bluffton school resource officers select two children from a financial ly challenged family. Those 12 children will receive a $100 gift card and, with a Bluffton police officer, go to Wal-Mart and “Shop
with a Cop.” The students may purchase holiday gifts for their families or themselves. Donations are being accepted through the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry to help cover the cost. To donate online, visit cflowountry.civicore.com/BPDBenevo lencefund, or mail a check to the Founda tion at PO Box 23019, Hilton Head Island,
SC. Write “Shop with a Cop” in the memo section.
“The Bluffton community is second to none in the ways neighbors help neigh-
bors,” said Interim Chief Scott Chandler. “These toy events bring joy to children in our community and are a wonderful way for officers to build relationships with families.”
At Beaufort Memorial, our entire team of physicians and joint care experts is committed to helping you be your best and enjoy life without pain.
A testament to our quality outcomes, the Joint Replacement Center is one of only three programs in South Carolina to achieve advanced certification in knee and hip replacement. Our boardcertified surgeons are skilled with state-of-the art minimally invasive technology, including Mako SmartRoboticsTM for knee and hip replacement. Many of our patients go home the same day as their surgery.
At Beaufort Memorial you’ll also find:
• Joint preservation therapies
• Numerous non-surgical treatment options
• A personalized approach to restoring joint function
• Pre-operative education classes that engage patients and caregivers in the healing process
• A Joint Optimization Program that follows you through the process to ensure the best outcomes
• Outpatient and in-home rehab services to get you back in the game faster
If we pay attention, we can sometimes find inspiration in the weirdest of places. It happened last week, when I was reminded that I should make more of an effort to be kind to others – not just in this season of good will, but all the time.
But first, let me share that as a child, I was taught that being kind is something we simply must do. My mother taught all her children a Bible verse, Ephesians 4:32: “Be ye kind, one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another …”
My mother was the epitome of kindness. The stereotypical church lady, she was always doing nice things for other people –taking meals to those who were ill, or out of work, or grieving; making baby blankets for every newborn in our church; calling folks who had missed Sunday school.
She once enlisted a couple of friends to make food for the wedding reception of a
young couple who were getting married. They were college students who had little money and told her they would just have peanut butter sandwiches and lemonade for their small reception.
Mom and her friends showered them with ham biscuits, sausage balls, pimento cheese, crackers, cookies, and a cake – all the accoutrements of a 1960s-era down home Southern wedding.
Mom taught me how to be kind by taking me with her on some of her visits. I remember feeling sad for her cousin Fran at the State Hospital (she had mental health is sues) and for Mr. Peel, the veteran at a nurs ing home who had no legs. Mom showed me that these folks, especially going through rough times, deserved human kindness.
The Christmas holidays were especially busy for my mother, because, in addition to tending to my brother and sister and me, she took time to bake cookies and pies for others. And everyone got a Christmas card in the mail!
She loved Christmas, mostly because we celebrated the birth of Baby Jesus, but also because it was a time when everyone – even the grumpy neighbor across the street –seemed to be a little nicer to one another.
Fast forward to last week, when my hus band and I watched a Christmas movie after dinner. It was an old one, released in 1988, but neither of us had seen “Scrooged,” starring Bill Murray as a money-hungry, grouchy executive of a big TV production company.
Murray’s character, Frank Cross, was a curmudgeon focused only on the bottom line, making more profit with less effort, disregarding the ideas of his employees, and firing anyone who disagreed with him –even on Christmas Eve.
The story progresses along the lines of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” complete with ghosts showing Frank his sad past, his ugly present and his devastating future.
Thankfully, Frank realizes what he has be
come and has an amazing change of heart. He bursts into the live Christmas Eve show in progress at his TV studio and proclaims the most wonderful words of promise that reminded me of – you guessed it – my mom.
“It’s Christmas Eve. It’s the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more,” Frank said. “For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people we always hoped we would be.”
Those words resonated with me. I do try to be nice most of the time. But when my snarky side sometimes shows through, I wonder if I’m the person my mom always hoped I would be.
Frank goes on to encourage viewers to open their hearts and feel the Christmas spirit: “Be the person you always wished you would be,” he said. “Christmas can happen every day.”
Put another way, “Be ye kind, one to another.”
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While we are getting ready for the holidays, I also want you to get ready for construction on a few much-needed proj ects the town has budgeted. Below are a few highlights –you can follow these by check ing our CIP map on our town website.
Also, staff will keep everyone updated through media releases and Facebook of any construction activity that may impact traffic in any of these areas.
Bridge Street Streetscape, Phase 1 Update: Construction to begin December. Includes construction of new streetscape and pedestrian safety improvements to in clude sidewalks, street lighting, and Ameri cans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant crosswalks.
As with all of our projects, this will include stormwater runoff Best Management Practices to improve water quality prior to entering Heyward Cove and the May River. The contract was awarded to JS Construc tion Services. Phase 1 of the project area encompasses the north and south sides of Bridge St. from Burnt Church Road to Cal houn Street. It is anticipated that some lane closures (with flagmen) will be required during construction.
Buck Island Road Drainage Improve ments: Construction to begin December; completed early January 2023. JS Con struction will replace drainage pipes under Buck Island Road north of the intersection of Kitty Road. Construction is to occur between Christmas and New Year’s to mini mally disrupt school traffic.
Americans with Disabilities Act Crosswalk Improvements, Phase 1: Construc tion to begin December. Contract to be executed by Town Manager with First Con struction Management. This phase of ADA crosswalk improvements will occur along Goethe Road from May River Road to north of the M.C. Riley Sports Complex. This project supports increased pedestrian safety measures and brings intersection crossings into compliance with ADA standards.
Law Enforcement Center Reflection Plaza: Ribbon Cutting January 2023. Construction of the Reflection Plaza is nearing completion at the LEC and includes an exterior gathering space with grilling station, site furnishings, shade sails and landscaping. With funding support from Hargray, this area offers Bluffton’s Police Officers a dedicated space for camaraderie and reflection to protect and improve our officers’ mental health.
Law Enforcement Center Challenge
Course: Construction to begin January 2023. Contract awarded to The Green ery for clearing, landscaping and fencing of the Challenge Course area at the LEC. This project supports our Bluffton Police Department in physical agility training and screening of potential new officers.
Squire Pope Carriage House: Con struction to begin January 2023. Con tract awarded to Huss Inc. to renovate the structure as staff offices and welcome center facility. A groundbreaking event is proposed in January, depending upon Wright Family availability.
New Riverside Barn Park, Phase 1 Site Development: Construction to begin January 2023. Contract awarded to JS Construction to complete Phase 1 site de velopment work, to include excavation and grading, stormwater treatment, water and sewer extensions and roadway, parking and sidewalk paving. A groundbreaking event is proposed in January.
These are all projects to enhance the lives of our citizens, and we are excited to see the completion of all of them.
With the holiday season approaching us, please find ways to help others and spread seeds of love and kindness.
Lisa Sulka is the mayor of the Town of Bluff ton. lsulka@townofbluffton.com
To the Editor,
I’m thankful for local newspapers that continue to open their doors in search of community in all its glory – births and deaths, graduations, weddings, holidays, celebrations and scandals.
Plus, over-the-fence conversations about local things that need fixing and those who are up to the challenge or not. A variety of stories that display a range of behavior like caring and sharing, industry, and frivolity that lead us to know our neighbors better.
Thank you, Bluffton Sun.
A recent article in The Bluffton Sun stated that Christ did not come to save us, “but rather to direct our attention back to the reality of who we are as divine expressions of God.”
Susan Baukhages BlufftonTo say something so clearly opposed to the clear teaching of the Bible, with the title of minister, I believe warrants a response. Should we be thankful people? Absolutely! (1 Thess 5:18; Phil 4:4). But how could we possibly be thankful for anything, how could we have any true peace, unless we have first been reconciled to God, the one who has made us, the one who redeems His people from the curse of sin, the one who is blessed and the fount of every blessing (Eph 1:3)?
To claim that Jesus did not live to save sin ners ignores the clear teaching of Scripture and will lead many to everlasting ruin (1 John 5:10-13; Romans 3:23-26). It is not by works of the law that we are saved (Phil 3:9), especially not good works performed before people (Matt 6:1-4), but the righteousness which is ours through faith in Christ, which is itself a gift of God (Eph 2:4-10).
Yes, we ought to be grateful, but there first must be something worthy of our eternal praise, namely salvation, which comes through embracing Christ as the only Savior.
Andrew Wann Pastor, Covenant Presbyterian Church of the Lowcountry Bluffton
With this feature, we seek to cap ture a glimpse of what you and your neighbors have to say about a variety of topics, issues, events – and just
plain fun questions.
You might see us anywhere around town, with notepad and camera, randomly seeking out folks who are
willing to participate. If we find you, we hope you will want to respond.
At the Arts Center of Coastal Car olina’s Holiday Kick-off Festival Nov.
19 (stading in line to see Santa), we asked: “What unwrapped gift do you wish for this holiday season?”
“A trip someplace fancy and relaxing with my husband.”
Palmetto Electric Cooperative is working continuously to make this the brightest of seasons From energy saving tips to programs that benefit our community, we are helping ensure the spirit of the season lasts all year long.
The internet became public in 1993, which led to social media few years later. Beginning with group emails, social media soon evolved into various platforms including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tic Tok.
These platforms enable people to communicate their thoughts and feel ings to friends and family, as well as people they have never met in person, on just about any topic whatsoever. Many, myself included, believed this was a great communication break through.
I was wrong.
It did not take long to see the in ternet’s dark side. Many social media conversations start innocently enough from important topics to the trivial. Some topics or conversations soon degenerate into heated name-calling and back-and-forth arguments called “flame wars.”
But is this anything new? These situations often remind me of the pro verbial holiday family dinner.
Everyone sits down to dinner and before long a discussion – about politics, religion, sports, or whatev er – turns into a heated argument or worse. Some family members sit qui etly, wishing it would all go away. The host might in desperation say some thing like, “Can’t we all get along?”
Social media can seem like one big virtual holiday dinner minus the food. The hosts (moderators) do their best to be even-handed in their attempts to control runaway online flame wars. There are the ubiquitous rules of on line “netiquette” and being respectful of each other even as their own biases perhaps creep in making things worse.
So how do we explain this behavior? Many experts claim that the online or
virtual environment, where there is no or little face-to-face contact, is the culprit. There is a false sense of famil iarity as well as anonymity that gives people license to say things that we would not usually say face to face. However, how do we explain the holiday dinner scenarios and sim ilar in-person encounters? Most of us have forgotten, or perhaps never learned, the art of civil debate. There are debating clubs in high schools and colleges but not everyone joins the debating team. Too many of us learn “civil discourse” from the media and so-called “reality TV,” where insulting comments get ratings. Think “Survi vor,” “Big Brother,” “The Apprentice” and the like.
For generations, we have watched political debates on TV, but they are anything but debates. The moderator asks a question and the candidate, more often than not, does not answer the question but gives a prepared response that oftentimes disparages their opponent personally.
So how can we have civil discus sions when we do not always agree?
A good rule proposed by Carl Sa gan, a noted scientist and philosopher, suggests that we should try not to get overly attached to an idea or belief just because it’s ours. That’s easier said than done! Too often the slight est criticism of our ideas or beliefs is taken as a personal attack. Once we feel attacked, whether real or imag ined, there is almost a knee-jerk to reciprocate.
As with most wars, once started difficult to stop. There is no easy solution. But perhaps hitting pause or delay before we respond may be a start.
Riolo of Moss Creek teaches grad uate research online at Walden Universi ty. john.a.riolo@gmail.com
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from page 1A
oped to collect the runoff. A series of those are being constructed along SC 170 from SC 46 to US 278. They are part of an agreement with the South Carolina Department of Transportation after more than four miles of the highway was widened in 2014.
The Evergreen basin is barely visible to passing traffic, and the camber of the highway slanting toward the road edge is hardly noticeable. A curbside conduit leads untreated stormwater runoff into a concrete box, where a 24-inch intake pipe channels it out into a 7.5-acre pond. About a third of the distance away from the intake pipe is a line of stones that crosses the width of the pond.
“In front of the pipe, there’s a big riprap channel called a ‘forebay.’ That’s where all of the sediment collects. When you go to maintain it, you just are digging up small areas, you’re not having to do the whole thing,” said Herrera. “All pollutants are basically attached to the sediment, and what the riprap does is allow that to settle in the forebay.”
It will take a while for sediment to fill up the forebay, but the county will be monitor ing and maintaining the ponds, redredging as necessary to remove the collected sedi ment and pollutant particles.
Should there be a 100-year storm that brings a deluge into the area, causing the pond to overflow the riprap, there are follow-on steps in place to catch whatever escapes the forebay.
At the end distant from the road is a second concrete box to catch trash and slow the flow of water out of the pond. Any water rolling through the box will then filter through a rock creek dam that ultimately leads to nearby wetlands and into the start of the Okatie tributary.
While concrete boxes and stones insure
much of the water that reaches the Okatie is clean, one method of treatment requires no human intervention: UV exposure.
“In 2018, the county built Okatie West, another project for water quality improve ments. This is a pond that’s on the same property, just slightly south,” said Herrera. “What we saw with that is we’re getting extremely good treatment numbers. When the water’s coming into the system, you’ve got relatively high levels of bacteria. The UV treatment that the sun provides for the bacteria is really effective for reducing the amount of bacteria going into the system before it outfalls.”
The Evergreen project was paid for in part with $299,000 from a 319 Grant admin istered by the Environmental Protection Agency through South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The remainder of the $700,000 project came from the Stormwater Management Utility fund. Planning began in 2018, and con struction from start to finish took just under 10 months.
As a requirement of the funding, the department has been doing public outreach and education on the project and has hosted two tours so far to the site. More outreach on this and future projects is planned and those meetings will be open to the public.
The pond is set back far enough from the road that it is nearly invisible and is not designed for recreational activities. Herons, egrets and – judging from the tracks – nu merous deer have found it appealing, but one of the engineers accompanying a recent tour suggested wandering around is not advisable.
“I feel like we may already have an alliga tor,” he said.
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
Gwyneth was born in Pennsylvania, raised in South Jersey, now living in Bluffton. She retired from the U.S. Navy after 26 years as a Navy journalist. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Norfolk State University (“Go Spartans”). Married 19.5 years to Tony, an adorable Welshman. They have two sweet rescue cats, Tigger the tripod and Benji (neither are spoiled). She is a member of Sun City Veterans Association; chorus, Sundancers, softball, art, and computer clubs. A Philadelphia Eagles fan, Gwyneth love pasta, sushi and great burgers. Love my family, friends. I have the best job.
ENJOYS: Books, performing, art, cooking
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Again this year, local Wreaths Across America donors hope to place wreaths on all the graves in Beaufort National Cemetery at the annual holiday presentation Dec. 17.
More than 26,000 wreaths will be needed to mark the graves of those veterans and family members interred in the cemetery, and Sun City Hilton Head’s Andy Hoerner has been a big part of generating the gated community’s participation.
She began her push for wreaths in 2017 in her neighborhood of Okatie Village after hearing about it from her husband.
“Jim was a member of the Sun City Veterans Association. He came back from a meeting and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this. They lay all these wreaths up in Beaufort National,’” she said. “So I looked into it, and I started in my neighborhood. That first year, we raised $1,600.”
From the youngest Army private to the oldest Navy admiral, those buried in national cemeteries across the nation are
honored each December during wreath-lay ing ceremonies.
Beaufort National Cemetery on Boundary
Street is the final resting place for more than 26,000 military members and their spouses. Those interred represent every conflict
from the Spanish American War to current combat casualties.
Established by Abraham Lincoln as a national cemetery in 1863, it began as the burial site of patients from local Union hos pitals. The historic site contains unknown soldiers as well famous leaders, Medal of Honor recipients and drummer boys. This year, nine unclaimed veterans’ bodies will be laid to rest at Beaufort National at 11 a.m. Dec. 9.
Although this year’s donations are less than those for 2021, Hoerner’s reach and that modest initial sum have grown. Partic ipants live in more than 50 of the com munity’s neighborhoods, especially since Wreaths Across America is now an official group within Sun City’s official activities. The organization raised $81,390 last year and was able to donate 15,561 wreaths. By the donation deadline of Nov. 29 this year, the Sun City group had raised more than $72,000.
“We’re on our way to having a great year,
and we are so pleased so many people are helping,” she said. “In combination with other organizations, and excess wreaths from other cemeteries, the entire cemetery was covered last year. And we have signed up for a new program that will provide us with three wreaths for every two pur chased.”
The wreath tradition began in 1992 when Maine businessman Morrill Worcester was left with a surplus of 5,000 holiday wreaths. He offered them to adorn the graves in Arlington National Cemetery that year, then continued delivering them each following year.
The donation continued quietly until 2005, when a photo of the scene circulated on the internet. Money from all over the country quickly poured in to purchase even more wreaths for Arlington, and the individ ual tribute became a national movement.
The beribboned greens will be placed at more than 250,000 Arlington graves this year. Wreaths are currently placed at 3,137 participating locations, and more than two million volunteers placed 2.4 million wreaths in 2021.
There are about 33 organizations in Beau fort County contributing, according to the Wreaths Across America website. Among the many Beaufort County organizations supporting the Wreaths Across America efforts are the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 12, the Sun City Veterans Associa tion, Okatie Boy Scout Troop 213, the Emily Geiger Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Bluffton American Legion Post 205, and
National Wreaths Across America Day will begin promptly at noon in each time zone around the world. For Beaufort National Cemetery, that will be preceded by the arrival of a very audible phalanx of motor cycle groups escorting several tractor trailers laden with cases of wreaths. Hundreds of volunteer professional truck drivers driving donated equipment and fuel from 390 carriers delivered the greenery across the country last year.
Waiting in the entryway of the cemetery will be local volunteers – from excited grade school children to graying veterans with canes, from scouts to color guards – all wait ing to place an armful of wreaths on some of the many graves.
As they place a wreath, each volunteer will be asked to say the name cut into that marker to acknowledge that the buried are not forgotten.
The deadline to donate has passed, but in keeping with this year’s Wreaths Across America theme, “Find a Way to Serve,” any one may show up to help place the wreaths. Volunteers are also needed for the wreath removal on Jan. 14.
It is recommended that volunteers arrive about 10 a.m. and be dressed for whatever weather is predicted. The ceremonial area fills quickly.
For more information, visit wreathsac rossamerica.org/pages/14942 for Beaufort National Cemetery.
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journalist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
There are many theories about when and how antisemitism began. Did it start with the Assyrians or the Babylonians? Did it start with the Greeks or the Ro mans? Why have Jews been persecuted for so long, and why does the hatred continue today?
Rabbi Robert Haas of Congregation Mickve Israel in Savannah attempted to answer these questions at a Nov. 16 lecture he presented on the evolution of antisemitism. The lecture, “The Evolu tion of Antisemitism: What Can We Do?” was hosted by Lowcountry Presbyterian Church in Bluffton and co-sponsored by Temple Oseh Shalom and the Hilton Head Island chapter of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America.
“Antisemitism is hate (toward Jewish people) without reason. Antisemitism is not something that makes sense,” Haas said. “It has to be unreasonable to really be antisemitism.”
For example, he said, it might not be right to hate someone who took your job, but it is reasonable. It is not reasonable, however, to hate someone simply because they are Jewish.
Often referred to as the oldest form of hatred, antisemitism is still a problem in the United States, and Haas said it’s grow ing exponentially in Europe.
Anyone can simply read a newspaper to see reports of antisemitic graffiti, the dis tribution of antisemitic propaganda, and celebrities spewing antisemitic rhetoric. Synagogues and Jewish schools are still the targets of violence.
Just a few years ago, 11 people were shot to death while praying at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. And a year prior to that, the world watched as white nationalists marched through the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, with torches, chanting, “Jews will not replace us.”
Over the centuries, Jews have been persecuted for their wealth, for their religious views and for their connection to Israel. They’ve been called racially in
ferior. They’ve been blamed for the death of Jesus.
In the 11th century, the idea of Jews killing Jesus became a popular excuse for hating Jewish people. Along with that came the idea of Jews using the blood of Jesus to make matzah – a baseless rumor, by the way, that Haas still hears people say in Savannah.
“Think about that,” Haas said. “A thou sand years later, Jews start being perse cuted for killing Jesus, much more than they were at the time of his death. This is
where we see antisemitism as we know it begin, about a thousand years ago.”
Haas said the stereotypes about Jews being money hungry came into play during the Crusades because there were so many restrictions on what Jews were allowed to do for a living. The one industry they were allowed to work in was banking, which made them look like villains when they had to collect repay ment on loans.
It also made Jews easy targets for thieves, who knew they often had money on hand.
Haas said religious antisemitism was popular until the 19th century, when antisemitism evolved into something much worse, physical antisemitism – also known as racism.
“In the 19th century, we start seeing the idea that there are human beings that are inferior in a variety of ways, and the Jews are on this list,” Haas said. “If you’re born inferior, there’s no way to fix it, whereas
Nomination Form and Guidelines available on the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s website at cf-lowcountry.org .
Nomination deadline is January 17, 2023.
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if it’s religion, I can change my religion. I can’t change my DNA.”
This racial ideology took hold with the Nazis, who took antisemitism to a new level by killing 6 million Jews during the Holocaust.
Haas said the Nazis weren’t religious people so they didn’t care that Jews killed Jesus. They hated Jews because they looked different and dressed differently. They were worried about Jews controlling the world.
We don’t hear about this type of an tisemitism anymore, Haas said, because it disappeared. No one, other than extrem ists, wants to be connected to the Nazis.
“That antisemitism had to disappear because it doesn’t work in this age any more,” Haas said. “For antisemitism to exist, it had to evolve, and that’s what it did. It had to figure out, ‘What way do we persecute the Jews and get away with it on mass scale?’”
Haas said most of the antisemitism seen today is anti-Israel. Some people think Israel is the worst of the worst countries, and that all Jews are bad because they are
somehow connected to Israel.
“Anti-Israel is the new antisemitism,” Haas said. “People use anti-Israel as an excuse to hate Jews. It makes no sense to hate a whole country and to persecute people who don’t even live there, or to hate a whole country and want the coun try destroyed.”
Parents need to teach their children that it’s OK to criticize others for what they do, Haas said, but it’s not OK to dehumanize others.
“That takes hate to another level,” he said.
The solution to antisemitism, the rabbi said, is to stick up for other people when they’re being persecuted. A united front makes things a lot more difficult for those who hate.
For more information on antisemitism and how to combat it, Haas suggested people visit the Anti-Defamation League’s website at adl.org.
Amy Coyne Bredeson of Bluffton is a free lance writer, a mother of two and a volunteer with the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.
It is no longer news that U.S. Marines and others were exposed to contaminated water if they spent more than 30 days in certain parts of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between Aug. 1, 1953, and Dec. 31, 1987. At least 20 specific diseases – most of them various forms of cancer, as well as Parkinson’s dis ease – and cardiac and neural tube defects have been attributed to the exposure.
On Aug. 10, 2022, the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT) was signed into law by President Joe Biden. It covers numerous situations that exposed military person nel, their families and civilians to hazard ous conditions stateside and around the globe.
For many Marines, this act also in cludes a provision known as the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (CLJA). It specifically provides for those who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, as well as others who qualify, to file a claim with the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy’s Tort Claims Unit in Norfolk, Virginia.
A claim may also be filed on behalf of someone who is incapacitated – such as a spouse or adult child – or for someone who died from any of the diseases. The claims must be made by Aug. 24, 2024.
Not all areas of Camp Lejeune were serviced with contaminated water, but two distribution systems that fed Hadnot Point and Tarawa Terrace carried toxic chemicals and carcinogens in drinking and bathing water. Those areas included barracks, family housing, daycare centers, schools and workplaces.
Camp Lejeune Legal, an association of law firms working together to pursue federal claims under the CLJA, recently hosted a town hall on Hilton Head Island where attendees heard how the water contamination impacted one retired Ma rine and the adult child of another, and how others can file claims for themselves or their loved ones.
Retired Master Sergeant Jerry Ens
Retired Master Sergeant Jerry Ensminger speaks at a town hall-style meeting on Hilton Head Island about how those exposed to tox ins at Camp Lejeune Marine base might pursue claims for themselves and family members.
minger was stationed at Camp Lejeune in 1977, living in Tarawa Terrace. Just as he received orders for drill instructor school at Parris Island, his wife, Jamie, learned she was pregnant. Because the schooling was temporary, he couldn’t move his family until he graduated and received permanent change of station orders.
So, for almost the entire first trimester of Jamie’s pregnancy, she was exposed to contaminants.
Six years later, the couple’s daughter, Janey, developed a high fever. Nothing worked to lower it, so on a Sunday he took her to the naval hospital on base.
“Luckily my battalion surgeon had duty that day at the urgent care. First, they had us go down to the lab and they drew blood. And then we sat, hour after hour,” Ensminger said.
After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor came out and said, “We’re wait ing for the head of pediatrics here at the hospital. We’re pretty sure your daughter has leukemia.”
Two and a half years later, Janey died, the couple got divorced, and when he got ready to retire, Ensminger bought a small farm just north of Camp Lejeune where he was in the same TV market as the base. That’s how he learned from an evening newscast in August 1997 that a public
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health assessment from the Agency for Toxic Substances revealed that Camp Le jeune’s drinking water was contaminated.
After years of questioning how his daughter got leukemia, he told the au dience, he finally had a glimmer of hope that he would get an answer.
Mike Partain was born in Camp Le jeune. His father was an officer deployed to Vietnam. When his father came back to the States and was due to rotate back to Camp Lejeune, Partain’s mother said she did not want to go back, so his father took a job in Florida. The family moved there when Partain was four.
At age 39, Partain was diagnosed with male breast cancer. As unusual as it is, the family didn’t research how he got it. There was no history in his family and he did not have the genetic indicators.
“One day Dad happened to turn on the TV and saw Jerry testifying to Con gress. He talked about the children born between 1968 and 1987, and how they were being exposed to toxic chemicals. My birthday is Jan. 30, 1968, and that’s how my original story started,” said
Partain.
“I got in touch with Jerry through congressional staff at that hearing, and he called me back on the day I was about to receive my first chemotherapy treatment. That was in 2010.”
The documentary “Semper Fi: Always Faithful” portrays Ensminger’s efforts to bring justice to those who served on Camp Lejeune. Both Ensminger and Par tain have testified before Congress.
They were joined by environmental consumer advocate Erin Brockovich, who helped push into law the Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Act that was signed in 2012 when they were guests at the White House.
They were also present this past August when President Biden signed the PACT.
“Semper Fi: Always Faithful” is avail able for viewing on Prime. For more information on how to file a claim, visit camplejeunelegal.com or go to jag.navy. mil and search for Camp Lejeune Justice Act.
Gwyneth J. Saunders is a veteran journal ist and freelance writer living in Bluffton.
Restorative medicine involves using Human Cellular Tissue Products (HCTPs) to help the body heal itself. Through restorative medicine, damaged tissue in joints are supplemented with healthy structural tissue to provide an opportunity to restore from within.
Dr. Heather Hinshelwood MD has helped thousands of patients with knees, shoulders, hips and more. The procedure takes only 30 minutes and allows the patient to leave with a simple band-aid over the site.
Many patients experience a significant reduction in knee pain within 48 hours due to the reduced inflammation. With restorative medicine therapy, most patients feel maximum results within 10 to 12 weeks and up to 95% within 6 months.
A shockwave hit the Lowcountry musical community on Nov. 13, as an email hit our inboxes to signal the end of an era.
“Every great story has a beginning, a middle, and an end,” wrote Jordan Ross, co-founder of The Roasting Room, in an nouncing that the music venue would not be hosting live music events in 2023. “After years of providing high-quality musical performances out of the space above the Corner Perk Brunch Café in sunny Bluffton, the Roasting Room will be ceasing opera tions on Dec. 23, 2022.”
Ross teamed with Corner Perk owner Josh Cooke to create something that even the most ardent area music fans didn’t think possible – an acclaimed music room that became a must-play destination for both up-and-coming singers across the Southeast and seasoned veterans that treasured the intimate atmosphere, hominess and acoustic perfection of the space.
“The space itself will remain, but The
Roasting Room will not remain in its current form. What form it takes is up to those clos est to it. That next great book is unwritten,” Ross wrote.
Cooke reiterated that point to patrons, saying there are no padlocks on the space.
Corner Perk recently hired a new catering manager who will look to increase the num ber of special event bookings such as private parties and corporate meetings.
The news came as a surprise to some who had seen shows announced as far out as March 2023. But as it turns out, the Room
will have a full-circle moment as the artist who opened the venue in 2015, Angie Aparo, will play two last-hurrah shows Dec. 22-23.
The stoppage of live music bookings is the latest in a bad year for the Bluffton music scene, as The Roasting Room is the third music-boosting business to close in just the past six months. Corks closed in July, followed by the Bluffton Trading Post in September. Lorrie and Neil Ritter from Corks are renovating a building in the Moss Creek bridge-side shopping center complex
that will be more music-centric.
But, while Captain Woody’s and Calhoun’s continue to host live music, the Roasting Room closing feels different to many boost ers of the arts.
Known-entity artists from Aparo to Tommy Tutone to frequent guest performer Ed Roland of Collective Soul all count The Roasting Room as among the top listening rooms in the country. That alone was an incredible source of pride for local artists to have such a venue to aspire to play.
“Listen, this is a back-to-square-one moment for the scene and for many of the artists,” said Bluffton resident and frequent Room performer Jevon Daly. “People always say, ‘Why do you stay in your hometown?’ There are so many reasons, but I mean, to have this place just a mile away from where I played my first-ever performance in front of people with the school band at the May River Auditorium, that’s something.”
Daly holds the record for most sold-out performances at The Roasting Room, having
Please see MUSIC on page 28A
Kathy Cooksey, LE thefaceplacebykc.com 843-384-5451
Bluffton Police Department is partnering with Bluffton Self Help in collecting toys, games and other youthful gifts for its ninth annual Toy Drive to bring holiday joy and gifts to local children.
BPD will be collecting toys through Dec. 9. Donors may drop off toys in the lobby of the Department headquarters, 101 Pro gressive St. in Buckwalter Place, or at Town Hall, 20 Bridge St. in Old Town.
Those toys will be delivered to local families through Bluffton Self Help the following Monday.
Toys should be suitable for children from infants through age 15 and should be unwrapped.
BPD is also seeking financial contribu tions for its annual “Shop with a Cop.” (See page 1A.) Make donations online, via the Community Foundation of the Lowcoun try, at cflowcountry.civicore.com/BPDBe nevolenceFund.
To donate by check, mail to The Com munity Foundation of the Lowcountry, P.O. Box 23019, Hilton Head Island, SC 29925. CFL is a 501(C)(3) and donations are
tax-deductible. Write “Shop with A Cop” in the memo section.
“If children grow up around police offi cers who advocate for them, those children become our best public safety partners as they grow up,” said Interim Chief Scott Chandler.
For more information about partnering with the Bluffton Police Department for these events, contact Debbie Szpanka, director of communications, at dszpanka@ townofbluffton.com or 843-540-2274.
completed the feat for the eighth time this fall. But he was looking forward to many more artists challenging that record.
“I had never played a solo show before Jordan challenged me to step up to the mic in 2016,” Daly said. That seems unthinkable to fans of his Coligny Plaza kids shows and many solo outings beyond his work with bands like Lowcountry Boil, Silicone Sister and JoJo Squirrel and the Home Pickles. “That’s what that stage means to me. I’m blessed to play all over the area, but The Roasting Room, that was the pinnacle. They treat you like a headlining artist there. The details that went in to a production there … it’s truly special.”
While some of his friends are angry with the closing, and still others sense this as a sign of live music in Old Town on its death bed, Daly doesn’t buy that sentiment.
“Am I upset? Of course. But above all, I’m grateful to Jordan and Josh and everyone that made this an actual thing. Like, we had this world-class spot in our backyard,” Daly said. “Once a year, I got to hold a party, to feel special, to elevate my game and I’m so thankful for that. If anything, I just wish more folks had taken advantage of it.”
The hardest thing to reconcile is the why. Ross transitioned out of day-to-day oper ations this year before moving back to his Ohio hometown in July. But Cooke said that while someone like Ross is impossible to replace, many folks stepped up behind the scenes and made it a banner year for the business.
Others point to the countless hours necessary to run a place like The Roast ing Room without it running you – the booking, the work with agents and the details of maintaining the acoustic quality of the setting. It would be fair to say that the return on time investment did not compare to the core Corner Perk business, as Cooke is expanding the brand with the company’s first Hilton Head Island location.
Cooke said there is no one thing to point to in making the decision, just a confluence of factors.
“The source is elusive and impossible to pinpoint, as we all know that sometimes a culmination of a lot of little things begin to grow into an unsustainable force that moves us so far away from our original goals that there is no righting what went wrong along the way,” Cooke said in a Nov. 13 email to
Roasting Room members.
Cooke said that, like Ross, he is hoping this is simply the end of a chapter in the book, and that he will be there to help inspire the next entity that wants to author the next part of the story.
“This space is not dying, it’s not a funeral. We’ve invested too much in it to just let it go. We own the building, we want to keep the space as vibrant as ever,” Cooke said. “The upside is this opens up plenty of opportunity and dates for those interested in booking events, hopefully many that feature that next incredible artist dying to play here.”
Simply said, while Cooke can no longer be the driving force behind running The Roasting Room business, he is hoping he can be a mentor and the space be the incu bator for the next great idea.
“We will be over here waiting for the next spark of innovation, opportunity, the right players and stars to align to see what might fill this wonderful room again,” Cooke said.
It’s the kind of quote that makes many of us morph into Lloyd Christmas holding out hope of dating Mary Swanson in “Dumb and Dumber.”
“So you’re saying there’s a chance!”
Unlike Mary in the movie, Daly believes the odds are far better than a one-in-a-mil lion chance.
“Creativity lives on. Finding that guy like Jordan Ross that takes on such a dream and is so selfless, that’s tricky,” he said. “I mean, he is as talented as anyone that ever played that space. He could have booked himself there once a week, but there was never a Jordan Ross night. So, yes, you need money to invest, but the time and the passion are the real kicker.”
In the meantime, Daly said the opportu nities for musicians continue to be stronger than ever in the Lowcountry. The magic of his hometown inspires him daily. He’s working on a song for Bluffton legends Bab bie Guscio and Wally Palmer to honor the town’s vibe in the 1980’s and the “Bluffton Buzzards” days under then-mayor George Heyward.
“The biggest thing that any of us want is to keep that vibe alive, to keep Bluffton eccentric, to always honor and foster that energy,” he said.
Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. timwood@blufftonsun.com
By Tim Wood CONTRIBUTOR
The Bridge at Calhoun mixed-use building project has finally reached the beginning days of the finish line stage.
It’s a home stretch of refining build-outs and aesthetic details that developer Matt Cunningham and his team were losing faith would ever happen.
“We had this dogged determination to show folks the vision here. But even when you have that unwavering focus, life events around you can crumble the dream,” Cunningham said. “We are in an unprece dented time for commercial development with a volatile economy and a world health pandemic. So, to be able to show off this gorgeous space, it is a huge moment for all of us.”
The $1.5 million project comprises three buildings united by a coastal architectural style in homage to the original structures that once adorned the corner of Bridge and Calhoun Streets. Cunningham said the goal was to blend the historical look and feel of neighboring buildings while at the same time creating an innovative concept that honors the artistic ingenuity of the Calhoun Street district.
“It’s been a journey. I thank town officials for giving us the chance to see through the vision here,” Cunningham said of his
back-and-forth evolving of the project with entities like the Historic Preservation Commission. “That was healthy and spirited conversation. I understand the concerns.
I think we have slowly won over the folks that were averse to the space evolving, and I get their hesitancy. We just had to sell folks on the end goal here and deliver on those promises.”
The guiding creative mandate for The Bridge was “art” as the focus for a mixed resi dential and commercial build.
“That takes on many forms, art as a business, culinary artistry and the actual output of the artistic community,” Cunning ham said. The two buildings that are most front-facing to the public have framed builtin canvas spaces meant for large murals, with the aim to highlight a rotating lineup of local artists.
“We want to bring beauty to the com munity, to educate folks on up-and-coming artists and create a marketplace for the artists to spotlight their work,” he said.
Cunningham has high praise for the de sign partners in the project – Court-Atkins, Shoreline Construction, J. Elder Studio of Savannah and Balfour Beatty out of Charles ton.
“We just couldn’t have hoped to work with a more professional crew that were all
The Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Bluffton Scholarship Organization is seek ing contestants for the Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Bluffton 2023 pageant competition, to be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 7, 2023, at May River High School.
Applications are due Dec. 19.
For the 2023 pageant competition, four winners will be awarded: Miss Hilton Head Island, Miss Bluffton, Miss Hilton Head Island Teen, and Miss Bluffton Teen. The Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Bluffton Scholarship Organization is a local franchise of the Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization, which is part of the Miss America Organization.
Teens from the ages of 13-18 can apply to the contest, which features a private interview in the morning, and an onstage competition in the evening, comprised of evening gown and on-stage question, a fitness routine, and a 90-second talent performance.
The Miss contest is accepting applicants from the ages of 19-26. Candidates will have a private interview, an onstage inter view and Social Impact pitch, an Evening Gown portion, and a 90-second talent performance.
All four winners of the competition will advance to the state pageant in June, com peting for the title of Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina Teen, and up to $60,000 in scholarships.
Co-directors Josh Wall and Jennifer Herrin, both Bluffton residents, have been part of the state organization for eight years. Their mission is to assist young ladies in attaining their highest goals for themselves in their educational and career pursuits, helping them develop their personal skills.
To learn more, or to request an appli cation, email the organization at misshil tonheadblufftonorg@gmail.com, or follow MissHiltonHeadBlufftonOrg on Instagram.
aligned in the ultimate goal here,” Cunning ham said.
The first residential tenants have begun moving in after the buildings received certifi cations of occupancy in mid-October. Six of the 11 residential units are already occupied, according to Cunningham – three full-time tenants and three staged properties that will be used as AirBNBs.
The commercial side of the project is also taking shape. Two of the six commercial spaces are well into their buildout – a restau rant and a high-end clothier.
You might have seen the Okan food truck out and about at Lowcountry events. The West Africa-Caribbean cuisine is prepared by Chef Bernard Bennett, an acclaimed Midwest native who worked in Chicago kitchens for the past decade to master his craft.
Bennett will expand his food truck offer ings into The Bridge’s first restaurant space. You can get a preview of what to expect from the menu on Okan’s Instagram, @okanbluff ton.
J. Parker Ltd. is a name known more to Coastal Empire residents, with three Savan nah-area locations, on Broughton Street, midtown at the Twelve Oaks Shopping
Center, and in the Plant Riverside District on River Street. J. Parker has been dressing Sa vannah men since first opening their doors in 1972 and has recently expanded to offer women’s clothing and outerwear. You can learn about what to expect from the clothier at jparkerltd.com.
Both businesses are aiming for a mid-Feb ruary 2023 opening.
“We’re making progress on both store fronts. Timelines are at the mercy of the sup ply chain, but we’re feeling like early spring is a realistic goal,” Cunningham said.
The developer is excited about the businesses that are occupying The Bridge, fulfilling the goal to spotlight women and African-American entrepreneurs.
“Working with someone like Chef Ber nard, taking that dream from food truck to a brick-and-mortar eatery, it’s exciting. That’s the mission here, to bring new voices to the Lowcountry and have this as a forefront for artistic innovation in Old Town,” Cunning ham said.
All six of the commercial spaces are either under contract or in final stages of negotia
tions. The one other brand that has publicly announced their move to The Bridge is a home décor company out of California, Fid dle + Shine House Market. Cunningham did not have an exact timeline for the retailer, but expects a mid- to late 2023 opening.
A luxury lingerie shop is slated to occupy the space next to Okan. Cunningham said that agreements are in place and the buildout should begin in the next quarter.
The commercial end of the project is slat ed to be fully built out by early 2024.
Cunningham said the plan is to have an open house and grand opening party in early spring 2023 to formally christen the space. He hopes that with a series of open spaces on the property, The Bridge will be a hub for community events.
“We are looking for purposeful engage ment at every opportunity. We want to have local schools showcase their art on site, to use this property as a living canvas for cre ativity in all forms,” Cunningham said.
For more on The Bridge at Calhoun, visit thebridge-collective.com.
Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. timwood@blufftonsun.com
Dozens of talented artists and budding environmentalists were recognized Nov. 14 for artwork representing aspects related to the Port Royal Sound.
Winners in the fifth annual Port Royal Sound Foundation Recycled Art Contest were named and prizes were awarded in seven categories, with five honorable men tions given as well.
The competition was created to help re mind the community how important it is to reduce, reuse or recycle waste materials as it supports PRSF’s mission to keep the water and land of the Port Royal Sound area clean and healthy.
Winners are:
Best School Entry: Battery Creek High School, Patsy Stowe
Best Group Entry: Rod and Ty Newsome
Best Individual Entry: Pamela Glover
Best Youth Individual Entry: Amelia Matis (age 10)
Best Use of Recycled Materials: Hilton Head Middle School, Andrea Norman
PRSF Award – Best Represents the Port Royal Sound: Hilton Head Island Elemen tary School Artistically Gifted & Talented students, Helen Ashton
Best in Show: Calvary Day School, Chris tine Powell
Honorable mentions were: Drew Cun ningham (Individual); Michael Church (Individual); Stacey Schultz, Sea Island Sips (Individual); Fine Arts at the Citadel,
The contest was open to individuals, clubs, schools, families and businesses. The winning Sound-related artwork was made almost entirely of recycled materials and/or trash.
Award recipients received $300, with a grand prize of $500 for the Best in Show. Judges for the contest included Sharon Stewart, PRSF volunteers, and the arts in dustry director from the South Carolina Arts Commission. More than $2,000 in prize money was provided by the Arts Commis sion, supported by the National Endow ment for the Arts.
“I admired how each participant thought fully used the recycled materials to tell the story of the importance of the environment,” said La Ruchala Murphy, a contest judge and member of the Arts Commission. “The works were creative, thought-provoking and well crafted. Each unique in their own way, the works presented an integration of art, nature and community.”
All art entries will remain on display at the Sharon and Dick Stewart Maritime Cen ter, located at 310 Okatie Highway, through Jan. 1, 2023, and can be found on PRSF’s Facebook page. Winning entries will stay throughout the month of January 2023.
For more information, visit PortRoyal SoundFoundation.org or call 843-6457774.
• Programs for Exceptional People (PEP), based in Beaufort County, was recently recognized by South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond as one of 10 Angel Charities, organizations that have demonstrated good steward ship of charitable resources in South Carolina.
More than 91% of donations received by PEP go directly toward the mission of promoting independence, social interac tion and employment opportunities for adults who live with intellectual, physi cal and developmental disabilities.
The Angels were selected by review of financial reports submitted annually to the Secretary of State’s Office, as well as by nominations from the public. To be selected as an Angel, the charity must have devoted 80% or more of its total expenditures to charitable programs, among other criteria.
• The Bluffton Library will host a Good Company Readers Theater production of “A Christmas Carol” by
Charles Dickens from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8.
The performance is free and open to all ages, and will be followed by cookies and non-alcoholic eggnog.
For more information on this and other events at the Bluffton Library, visit beaufortcountylibrary.org/calendar or call 843-255-6503. Bluffton Library is located at 120 Palmetto Way in Bluffton Village.
• A fundraiser and “Thank You” to Lowcountry nurses, presented by the Together While Apart Art Project, will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 9 at Local Pie, 15 State of Mind St. in Bluffton. Together While Apart Art Project is a collaborative effort of 18 artists from around the United Stated that was organized in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective was to honor frontline workers, especially nurses.
The campaign continues to raise funds for the American Nurses Association’s
Wellness Initiative Programs, supporting nurses who struggle with burn-out and PTSD.
A portion of proceeds from the Local Pie event will go directly to the wellness fund. Suggested donations of $20.20 may be made anytime at givetonursing. networkforgood.com/projects/159204
• Citizen Journalism, an introduc tion to news gathering, will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Hilton Head Branch Library, 11 Beach City Road.
The presentation will cover notewor thy stories, interview techniques, writing tips, where to publish, and the basics of writing press releases. The program will be led by Hilton Head reference librari an and former newspaper writer/editor Warren Cobb. For more information call 843-255-6525.
• The next monthly meeting of Liber al Men of the Lowcountry will begin at noon Dec. 14 at the Country Club of Hilton Head.
Guest speaker is Pete Nardi from Hilton Head Public Service District, who will talk about the water supply and wa ter resources of Hilton Head and plans for future development.
Cost for the luncheon is $27. Non-members who are considering joining the organization are welcome to come, but they must email bew_50@ hotmail.com in advance.
• First Zion Missionary Baptist Church is hosting a coat and toy drive, accepting donations of new and gently worn coats as well as new, unwrapped toys through Dec. 18.
All items received will be donated to the following organizations: Bluffton Self Help, Goodwill Industries, Inc., and the Salvation Army. Any donations would be greatly appreciated.
Donation boxes will be available in front of the church, 10 Robertson St. in Bluffton, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call Felicia Wright at 843-338-2258.
• Must have a valid SC Driver’s License
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• May be required to use your personal owned vehicle ($0.97 cents per mile)
• PAY: $19.50 per hour paid Bi-Weekly; There is NEVER a charge for background checks, to apply or test. If you are ‘charged’ you have been re-directed to a third-party site. Visit usps.com/careers to apply for a career with the US Postal Service.
At the heart of the Heritage Classic Foundation is a history of philanthropic giving that goes far beyond golf.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and host to South Carolina’s annual RBC Heritage PGA TOUR golf tournament is proud to announce applications for the 2023 Heritage Classic Foundation Scholar Awards are now available online for all Beaufort and Jasper county high school seniors.
Seniors in all Beaufort and Jasper county high schools are eligible to apply. Each Scholar will have an opportunity to receive a four-year grant totaling up to $16,000 or $20,000.
Scholarship applications are reviewed on the basis of academic success, com munity service, essays written by the student and financial need. An interview is required by all finalists.
Since this Scholar program was insti tuted in 1993, 364 graduating seniors
have been named Heritage Scholars. These grants, to a college of the stu dent’s choice, have totaled more than $5 million.
Applications are now available online and can be found at heritageclassicfoun dation.com. All applications must be completed by Jan. 15, 2023.
The 2023 Scholars will be recog nized at the 55th annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing to be conducted over the Harbour Town Golf Links April 10-16, 2023.
Since 1987, the Heritage Classic Foun dation has raised and donated $49.1 million to educational and charitable initiatives that lift lives in South Caroli na. Every year, our 501(c)(3) nonprofit hosts a world-class PGA TOUR event as a primary fundraising effort.
For more information, call 843-6712448, visit heritageclassicfoundation. com.
By Tim Wood CONTRIBUTOR
Happy holidays to everyone, and please remember to shop local as you look for those perfect gifts to put under the tree.
We have a bunch of new businesses to tell you about this month, as well as some updates on businesses readying to open in the area.
Preserve Dental, 20 Cassidy Drive, Bluffton, 843-706-5612, preserve-dental. com: Recent New England transplant Dr. David Nadolski has opened a dental prac tice in town.
The dentist practiced in Connecticut for 13 years before deciding to move with his wife and two kids to Hampton Lake in 2020. The practice is currently accepting new patients and offers a full array of ser vices, including general and cosmetic den tistry and oral health exams and planning.
Escape Island, 2600 Main St., Suite 103, Hilton Head Island, 843-802-0063, es capeislandhhi.com: Owner Brandy Queen and her family recently celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon cutting at the newest island entertainment attraction, located next to CrossFit Coastal Carolina.
The escape room complex is building out three unique experiences. The first one to open, The Dr.’s In, has visitors playing the nosy next-door neighbor of a surgeon at the center of missing person reports. Your job: Find out what’s behind all the weird sounds
and drilling noise coming from his home office.
Still to come is Dog Dayz, a pet-themed adventure charging you to find a missing pup before the owner returns home, and The Grit Breakout, a caper where you and your gang are captured attempting a robbery and must break free from your captives.
Fit4Mom, DuBois Park, Lawrence Street, Bluffton, 843-342-9692. Bluffton-hilton head.fit4mom.com: Local owner Jillian Wolf offers pre and postnatal health, well ness and fitness programs for every stage of motherhood. The company is currently offering a Founding Moms Special, where the first 10 moms to purchase a monthly membership will receive free enrollment and discounted membership fees.
Wolf is currently offering the Stroller Stride workout at 9 a.m. Monday, Wednes day and Friday at the DuBois Park pavilion. The 60-minute class focused on strength, cardio and core training, all while engaging your little one in a stroller.
Delays have been the name of the game for many businesses trying to open over the past two years, but thankfully, we have some hopeful news on a number of store fronts where you’ve been wanting to see “Open” signs for months.
In return, we have developed meaningful relationships with our patients and team members, impactful partnerships with nonprofits, and gratitude for the ability to work and play in our beautiful Lowcountry. It would be our privilege to welcome you to our practice and help you achieve your best oral and overall health.
UPDATE from page 35A
Uncorked Wine, Bar, Food and Music – the sequel to the Old Town Corks owned by Lorrie and Neil Ritter – is in a holding pattern while they wait for permits from the county. “We’re ready to go,” said Lorrie. “Once we get the paper, the buildout will get done quickly.” Speaking of quick, send ing happy thoughts Lorrie’s way for a quick recovery from two broken ribs suffered Thanksgiving night.
The Fording Island Road Aldi store in Bluffton is making progress, both in the build-out and the hiring of staff. But they won’t be hitting their target December opening. Company officials say early spring 2023 is the new target date.
The two new storefronts in the Kroger row at Buckwalter Place are getting close to open dates. The UPS Store is nearing full build-out and just staffing up and waiting for final approvals. The hope is to open mid-month, while Rita’s Italian Ice is likely a bit further out. Owner Doug Fulton had hoped for a December opening, but is more likely that a ribbon cutting will be held in the first few weeks of 2023.
K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel on S.C. 170 in Ridgeland is readying for their grand opening. The resort will offer a premium care experience for your dog, complete with chandeliers, Italian tile flooring, Kuranda dog bedding, executive suites, flat screen TVs and more. The 6,100-square-foot facili ty is celebrating with a ribbon cutting event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 10, with food from the Mother Smokin’ Good BBQ food truck and tours of the new facility. Owner James Merli has been a consistent presence on social media and in the community over the past year and is thrilled to add 21 jobs with the newest member of the K9 Resorts lineup.
You’ve seen the course take shape at Lighthouse Lagoon in the Buckwalter Place plaza across the street from Station 300. We’ve talked about a number of hopeful opening dates in these pages, but here’s the thing: You can pour the concrete for the holes, but you can’t have a mini-golf course without the hole carpeting. That, along with precast concrete storm drain piping and a constructor worker shortage have been the major factors keeping Collin
and Billy Hubbard from teeing it up for a grand opening.
“We truly are getting close and we appre ciate everyone’s patience. It stinks to wait like this, but it’s exciting to hear so many folks asking when we’re opening,” said Billy Hubbard. “We knew the area needed more family entertainment, but the response has been amazing.”
The project that began with an an nouncement in February 2021 is now look ing at a spring 2023 opening. The 1.3-acre project will include a 1,300-square-foot clubhouse and concessions building and an 840-square-foot outdoor pavilion area to host parties of up to 40 people.
While one entertainment complex nears completion, we have an unfortunate update to pass along on the trampoline park front. The Altitude Trampoline Park that was announced in October will not be moving forward. The local franchisees have decided not to pursue the project that was hoped to open in late 2023 to early 2024.
Joe’s Classic Cuts is expanding. Owner Joseph Gancio has announced that the beloved barbershop will be occupying a space just outside the William Pope Drive Sun City gates next to Okatie Ale House and Daddy O’s Liquors. Gancio previewed the new spot under construction on social media and said he hopes to open in mid-January.
We have a couple name updates on busi nesses coming to the Promenade that we’ve discussed in previous updates. The new wine and charcuterie bar that is taking over the former Ben & Jerry’s space will be called Wine Time Bluffton, while the high-end seafood restaurant from restauranteur Brian Behnke will be called Crudo. Both are cur rently working on build-outs but have not announced opening dates.
And we wish happy retirement to the owners of Cocoon specialty women’s store, who closed their doors on Oct. 29. We’re hearing whispers of a well-known local businesswoman expanding her burgeoning empire in the space. More to come – stay tuned.
Tim Wood is a veteran journalist based in Bluffton. timwood@blufftonsun.com
An estate plan might not come in a perfectly wrapped box with a fancy bow or have shiny tinsel and color ful lights hanging around it. Dis cussions of estate planning during the holidays might not even be met with cheers and smiles.
However, it’s important to keep in mind what the holiday season is truly about – which is peace. There’s no better joy or peace in knowing that you have created a reliable and comprehensive estate plan that will save your family and loved ones the stress and challenges faced
in settling an estate or in management of your care if something happened to you. You can give them the gift of peace of mind.
A well-crafted estate plan can serve as a tool and guide to what you want to happen with your care, finances and belongings. If something were to happen to you or if you passed with out first having created an estate plan, your loved ones would be left with trying to figure out how you would want your affairs handled, which can cause a great deal of stress.
By having an estate plan in place your inner circle can feel rest assured that they have a guide to follow that honors your wishes.
By creating an estate plan, you get to remain in control and dictate your care during incapacity, and the distribution of your assets upon your death. If you fail to plan, then a court
will decide for you through any neces sary guardianship or conservatorship proceedings, and the laws of intestacy.
A guardianship proceeding can be a time-consuming and costly process. Also, if you pass away intestate (with no estate plan), then intestate probate proceedings may result in your estate not being handled in the manner you might have wanted, or also result in those inheriting from your estate that you had not intended to.
One of the main reasons people tend to procrastinate this topic is because of the misconception that it may be too complicated. However, with the assistance of a qualified estate planning attorney, it doesn’t have to be difficult. Remember, even working with an attorney to create a basic will is better than having nothing at all.
If you already have an estate plan, that’s great. But, when was the last
time that you’ve reviewed it? Have there been any life-changing events that happened that could result in the need for you to update your current estate plan?
Do you still wish to have the same named agents or personal representa tives (executors) in your documents – are those individuals still available or living? Depending on your answers to these questions, it may be time to update your current estate plan.
Though planning for your passing or incapacity may not sound as sweet as a holiday treat, it can be just as refreshing and will bring you a sense of relief. Plan for tomorrow, today and speak with a qualified estate planning attorney.
Jada L. Gaines is an associate attorney with Elder Law & Estate Planning Cen ter in Bluffton. hiltonheadelderlaw.com
Estate and asset protection planning avoids many problems, such as unnecessary legal and court fees, guardianship, conser vatorship, loss of assets to long term care, taxes, loss of assets to in-laws, and family disputes.
These are a few things you will avoid with a good comprehensive estate and asset protection plan, which usually consists of a variety of legal instruments.
If properly drawn with care and advice is followed, then all of the above problems can be avoided so everything is administered privately with no unnecessary problems.
In many cases, we can protect your assets (your home) from creditors and also avoid issues for your loved ones who may inherit.
In all cases, we seek to avoid or defer taxes.
Unlike insurance, which often goes unused, with estate planning, we can be
certain that at some time, these papers will be there to protect you and to advance your interests – to avoid court involvement, to avoid family conflict, and to leave assets to your loved ones as you direct, to avoid taxes and to keep it in your family.
The documents usually consist of powers
of attorney, will and trust, deeds, updating beneficiary designations, and making sure title on your assets is optimal to accomplish your goals.
The process usually takes three in-person meetings and one teleconference. This per mits time to provide guidance and counsel
regarding decisions and options, and is a good way to do it.
Let’s say Jack and Jill, who recently moved here and are in a second marriage, have a son together named Bob; Jill has a son from a prior marriage named Kevin.
Jill wants to make sure Bob and Kevin will get equal shares and that if either son gets divorced or sued, they won’t lose their inheritance. She wants to make sure assets stay in the bloodlines.
So, what should Jack and Jill do? They should get a comprehensive estate and asset protection plan and direct assets, when they are both gone, to go into trusts for Kevin and Bob in equal shares. They should agree not to change the ultimate distribution of their property.
In several meetings, all of these goals –and peace of mind – can be accomplished.
Mark F. Winn, J.D., Master of Laws (LL.M.) in estate planning, is a local asset protection, estate and elder law planning attorney. mwin nesq.com
The perioral area is a troublesome area for most women and men as age-related changes produce sagging, deflation and fine lines to deep wrinkles, especially in the upper lip.
Decreased soft tissue thickness, length ening and volume loss contribute to signs of aging in this area, especially at the alar nasolabial fold coming from the base of the nose to the corners of the lip. The loss of soft tissue allows fine lines and deep wrinkles to form around the mouth as the muscles work closer to the skin.
Lengthening of tissues between the base of the nose to the vermillion border of the lip or philtrum leads the upper lip to roll inward and appear thinner.
The best approach to rejuvenating the perioral area focuses on non-surgical in terventions to treat fine lines and wrinkles and restore volume and considering sur gical intervention to reduce lengthening.
Optimizing your skin health with medical grade skin care can improve skin texture, treat lines, and help prevent aging in the perioral area.
Medical grade skin peels and laser skin resurfacing treatments in a series stimu late peeling and ablate damaged and dead skin in the epidermal and dermal layer of skin and may be adjusted according to the desired result from light to aggressive treatment.
Removing these outer layers reveals fresh skin with decreased lines and improved texture. Laser skin resurfacing goes further to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin for more long-term effects.
Injectables such as neuromodulators and dermal fillers can help prevent aging and soften lines in the perioral area.
Neuromodulators by an expert injec tor can reduce muscle movement and the subsequent formation of lines and wrinkles. Dermal fillers soften fine lines around the mouth and when injected into the lips restore the vermillion border and
add volume to the upper and lower lip for a youthful appearance.
Treatment with neuromodulators and dermal fillers requires ongoing treatment to maintain results.
Finally, to address the elongation of the philtrum greater than 15-18mm, the lip lift is an excellent minor outpatient proce dure. Lip lift surgery reduces the length of the area from the base of the nose to the vermillion border of the upper lip.
Lip lift surgery brings a youthful, rejuvenated look to the perioral area that has long-term results. Even for younger patients, this surgery is highly sought after to change the shape of naturally thin lips and as an alternative to repetitive lip injections. By reducing the space in this area, the pink hue of the lip rolls outward, creating a fuller shape the upper lip.
This surgery may be tailored to the patient who may have to folding over of the corners of the lip or to accentuate the Cupid’s bow in the inner lip. Lip lift surgery is often part of a facelift and brow lift surgery, setting the clock back about 10-plus years for ideal candidates with excellent longevity.
Mathew T. Epps, MD, MS, DABS is a plas tic surgeon, triple- fellowship trained in fa cial, eyelid, and breast surgery. mathewepps md.com or info@dreppsmd.com
To celebrate the 2022 Hanukkah season, Chabad Greater Hilton Head will be holding its annual Car Menorah Parade and public Menorah Lighting Dec. 19.
The parade of cars will depart from Tanger Outlets 2 traveling to Shelter Cove Towne Center, where a giant me norah will be lighted at 5:30 p.m. The parade route will travel via the main thoroughfares of Bluffton and Hilton Head Island.
To join the parade, sign up at jewish hiltonhead.org/chanukkah
Dec. 19 is the second night of Hanuk kah, the eight-day Festival of Lights. The event will feature the Charleston Juggling Show, live Jewish music, do nuts and hot latkes.
Complimentary Hanukkah menorahs and candles will be distributed as well for participants to light at home.
“Everyone is especially excited about Hanukkah this year,” said Rabbi Mendel, Rabbi of Chabad Greater Hilton Head. “People are preparing to celebrate with family and friends, to fill their homes with the light of Hanukkah, and there’s a palpable joy. The public Hanukkah celebration is about sharing this light and joy with the broader community and the entire Greater Hilton Head.”
The word “plastic” in the term “plastic surgery” evolved from the Greek word “plastikos,” meaning “to mold.”
The first textbook on plastic surgery was written by Gaspar Ta gliacozzi in the 1500s. He wrote about the re construction of noses after trauma.
The first breast augmentation was done in 1895, when tissue from the back was transplanted to the breast.
The first implantable materials were implanted into the breast in 1889, and they included paraffin and beeswax, and – later on –vegetable oil, industrial silicone, and Ivalon sponges. I personally removed a number of these decades ago. Thankfully, none lately, as they felt like lumpy bricks.
The father of modern-day plastic sur gery was Jacques Joseph, particularly with the rhinoplasty, and this was around the turn of the last century. His techniques and surgical instruments are still used today.
Plastic surgery grew with reconstruc tion of World War I injuries. Plastic surgeons became involved in peace time injuries, including burns, facial fractures from automobile accidents and injuries at work and on farms with the advent of automated machinery.
Also, reconstruction for birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palates and cancer were needed. Prior to “cosmetic” surgery, these were a plastic surgeon’s focus.
When Hollywood movies began, female movie stars were among the first to request cosmetic surgery. A tragic example was Hedy Lamarr, who sought out a plastic surgeon and told him where
she wanted skin removed and where she wanted fillers injected into her face – at the time, probably industrial silicone.
Apparently, the results were disfiguring to the point that she became a recluse and would not even let her children see her until her death.
Breast enlargement became popular with the famous Carol DoDa, a topless dancer in San Francisco, who had large amounts of silicone injected into her breasts. The results were spectacular as far as size went, but were hard and lumpy. These first requests lead to a boom in plastic surgery for the everyday person.
Silicone breast implants were devel oped in the 1960s, and thousands of women flocked to plastic surgeons for breast enlargement. The request for “nose jobs,” eyelid lifts, facelifts, breast uplifts and reductions, ear pinning, and other “cosmetic” procedures also became popular.
Liposuction was invented around 1980 and has since become the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure.
Today, many working people have little or no down time for cosmetic procedure recovery, so there has been a demand for “non-surgical procedures,” thus the birth of Botox/Dysport, and fillers such as Juve derm, Sculptra and Restylane. Also, lasers and radio-frequency devices, automated hair transplant equipment, and cosme ceutical skin care systems have become mainstream.
There is still a need for “reconstructive” surgeons, but the demand for cosmet ic surgery is very common now. With cosmetic dentistry, hair dyes, youthful clothing and cosmetic surgery, today’s grandmothers look vastly different from photos of grandmothers of the past. As with virtually everything, technology and techniques continue to improve with time.
E. Ronald Finger, MD, FACS is a board certified plastic surgeon with offices in Savan nah and Bluffton. fingerandassociates.com
The holidays are all about glitz and sparkle, but colder weather and drops in humidity can leave you feeling cracked and pale – and holiday shopping and commit ments can cause additional stress.
Before the holiday rush, take some time to care for your skin. There are ways to look radiant, even without a tan.
Q: Is sunscreen helpful in the winter?
A: Sunscreen isn’t just for summertime! It protects the skin from the long ultravio let A rays and helps prevent redness. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your face and your hands about 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply frequently if you stay outside a long time.
Q: What can I do to manage my rosa cea over the holidays?
A: The holidays can pose some hurdles for rosacea suffers. The changing weather,
combined with a heavy social calendar, can wreak havoc on rosacea. Here are a few suggestions to navigate the holiday season successfully.
• Now more than ever is the time to use your rosacea medication.
• A hectic schedule can lead to stress inducing flare-ups. Get plenty of rest, eat right, maintain a daily exercise routine and above all, don’t over-commit yourself.
• Holiday cooking can quickly heat up the kitchen and lead to a rosacea flare-up. Keep a damp towel nearby to pat your face, and take a break to a cooler part of the house when you can.
Q: I’m worried that my psoriasis might flare up over the holidays.
A: Between the physical discomfort of your skin lesions and concern about camouflaging your condition or handling people’s remarks and stares, holiday stress can cause your psoriasis symptoms to worse. Stress-reduction therapies, like massage or yoga, might be beneficial. And,
For patients recovering from a stroke, surgery or illness, getting home is their goal – and ours. It’s this passion that makes us the trusted choice in rehabilitation services. This holiday season our hope is that everyone can experience the joy of being home.
despite the temptation, it’s in your best interest to avoid going overboard with holiday indulgences.
Following a healthy lifestyle – eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise – will help keep your body in shape and might make psoriasis treatments more effective.
Q: What can I do about chapped lips?
A: Chapped lips are always a problem in the winter because your lips do not have hair follicles or oil glands to protect them like the rest of your skin. Try making mois turizing your lips a part of your regular skin care routine; carry a lip balm or use a lipstick (especially one with SPF protec tion and added moisturizers); and try to remember, licking your lips only makes it worse.
Before the rush, take a little time to give yourself the gift of healthy skin.
Dr. Oswald Lightsey Mikell, certified by the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, is the owner of Dermatology Associates of the Lowcountry.
HALO Primary Care is a new primary care office in Bluffton, SC. Here at HALO, we believe you should be in charge of your health. We understand that each patient is different; therefore, we strive to work with you to develop a plan of care that is obtainable and reasonable.
• House calls are offered to homebound patients living in the 29909 and 29910 zip codes.
• Telehealth visits are also offered for established patients.
40 Okatie Center Blvd., Suite 215 Bluffton, SC 29909 (843) 603-4800 • www.halo-primarycare.com
HOW OLD YOU ARE IS YOUR BUSINESS.
Patients are usually surprised if my team or I recommend more frequent dental office visits than semi-annual. For some patients, six months is too long to wait. In fact, most of our patients come in for regular checkups or treatment sooner than six months.
The habit of visiting the dentist every six months is rooted in marketing, rather than science.
In the early 1900s, toothbrushing was extremely unpopular and only 7% of people had toothpaste or tooth powder in their homes.
During that time, marketing genius Claude Hopkins designed an ad campaign for a new toothpaste called “Pepsodent.” Rather than focusing on its many health benefits, Hopkins boasted about the cos metic benefits of a “Pepsodent smile,” which included the jingle, “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent!”
The campaign was so successful that within 10 years of its introduction, an esti mated 65% of households owned a tube of Pepsodent.
After World War II, Pepsodent created a new catchphrase: “Use Pepsodent every day – see your dentist twice a year.” The slogan pleasantly surprised dentists. By 1954, den tal insurance companies referred to it when determining the number of covered visits in their annual dental benefits.
Today we know that preventative den tistry is not one-size-fits-all medicine. The
American Dental Association (ADA) recom mends that regular dental visits for preven tive care be set at intervals determined by a dentist and the frequency be tailored to each patient.
Patients who have diabetes, smoke tobacco, or have a family history of gum disease usually require additional and more extensive hygiene cleanings. Even patients with the most proficient home care routine cannot replicate a cleaning from a highly trained hygienist using professional instru ments.
Many older patients benefit from more frequent cleanings because their loss of dex terity makes it more difficult to reach and clean the entire mouth. Certain medications they take have side effects like less salivary production resulting in dry mouth.
Saliva is the premier cavity-fighting, natural resource for maintaining a healthy mouth. In addition to keeping your mouth moist and comfortable, saliva prevents cavities and periodontal problems by wash ing sugars off your teeth and reducing the mouth’s acidity.
Above all, regular dental visits are about making sure your mouth is healthy and preventing bigger, more costly, inconve nient and painful dental health issues in the future. Make sure to consult with your dental professional to determine which dental office visit frequency is best for your unique needs, but biannual visits should be the bare minimum.
Matthew Mastrorocco, DMD is the owner and founder of ROC Dental Group, serving Bluffton and Hilton Head Island.
HOW YOUNG YOU LOOK IS OUR BUSINESS.
HOW OLD YOU ARE IS YOUR BUSINESS.
Pure Med Spa is here to assist you in achieving your skincare goals.
Pure Med Spa is here to assist you in achieving your skincare
HOW YOUNG YOU LOOK IS OUR BUSINESS.
Pure Med Spa is here to assist you in achieving your skincare goals.
Hydrafacial Is For Everyone
Fine Lines | Wrinkles | Elasticity | Firmness
Even Tone | Vibrancy | Skin texture
Enlarged Pores | Oily or Congested skin
Fine Lines | Wrinkles | Elasticity | Firmness
Even Tone | Vibrancy | Skin texture
Enlarged Pores | Oily or Congested skin
“At Pinnacle, we want our patients to feel like they are part of our family and we strive to treat them that way from the first time they visit. We pride ourselves on the customer experience. It is important to always keep up with the latest advances, but our practice uniquely separates the gimmicks from the options that produce results. It is our philosophy to listen first to our patients’ goals and then help guide them to the treatments and procedures that will help us all work toward that shared goal. Your inner and outer you should be in harmony.”
“At Pinnacle, we want our patients to feel like they are part of our family and we strive to treat them that way from the first time they visit. We pride ourselves on the customer experience. It is important to always keep up with the latest advances, but our practice uniquely separates the gimmicks from the options that produce results. It is our philosophy to listen first to our patients’ goals and then help guide them to the treatments and procedures that will help us all work toward that shared goal. Your inner and outer you should be in harmony.”
goals.
The holidays are upon us! The sights, sounds and smells of the season are finding their fullness day by day as we approach their apex later this month.
One of the elements of holiday time that brings back incredible memories of seasons gone by is the presence of music. Music is perhaps one of the defining characteristics of the season lasting between Thanksgiving and New Years.
Try to imagine the holidays without its perennial soundtrack – I dare say it can’t be done! From “Over the River and Through the Woods” to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to “Ave Maria” and everything in between, Christmas songs, secular and sa cred, permeate our sense of the season and truly define its cozy, comfortable character.
The 1966 Broadway musical “Mame,” written by Jerry Herman and starring Angela Lansbury, premiered the now-classic Christ
mas ditty “We Need a Little Christmas.”
While most of the lyrics are self-explanatory, some listeners might have needed a little help with the verse: “But we need a little Christmas / Right this very minute / Candles in the window / Carols at the spinet.”
Excuse me, some might ask, but what is a “spinet”? It’s a catchy rhyme, but what does it have to do with Christmas?
Many more of us, however, might have fond memories of evenings spent gathered around a spinet for hours, belting out
carols with family, friends and neigh bors.
A spinet, for those needing help with the lyr ics, is a small, par lor-sized upright piano, which at one time occupied the living rooms of most homes across America. In recent decades, spinets have given way to other home furnishings and amenities, and I believe that we are the poorer for it.
These days, instead of creating music our selves at home, we rely on recording artists to provide it for us.
However, there may be a light in the musical darkness. Many families are dis covering the delight of traditional pianos that can be retrofitted to play themselves. Carols at the spinet – or the baby grand, or
the grand upright, or the full grand – are possible at the push of a button on an app, digitally igniting the mechanical parts of an acoustic piano. Strains of “Jingle Bells,” “O Holy Night,” or any Bing Crosby tune allow a family to sing and dream about a white Christmas from the celebratory comfort of their living room once again.
Even better, Bing Crosby might sing along with you, or (a miracle of digital technol ogy) the likes of Michael Bublé can give a concert on your very piano while you gather ’round to hear the music and watch him live on your smart TV.
If you’re growing weary of the same Christmas songs repeated on the radio, while grandmother’s piano sits silent in the corner, it might be time for Santa to bring some different music down the chimney this year. Jerry Herman would be proud!
Jennifer Herrin is the co-owner of Kawai Piano Gallery by Herrin in Bluffton. jennifer@ kpgbyherrin.com or kawaipianogallerybyherrin. com
The 2023 grants theme of Women in Philanthropy is “Strengthening Mental Health Services for Children and Young Adults Through Age 21.”
This will be an exciting awards year for Women in Philanthropy as the organiza tion celebrates its 20th anniversary.
We have all heard distressing news about the increased anxiety our young people are experiencing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the scourge of school shootings and mass violence.
Women in Philanthropy is inviting Beaufort County nonprofits to submit grant applications relevant to the theme using the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s online grant portal. Visit the website at cf-lowcountry.org to learn more.
Applications are due by 4 p.m. Jan. 13, 2023. Grant awards of up to $25,000 will be announced at Women in Philan thropy’s annual luncheon May 17, 2023.
Projects related to the grants must be completed by April 30, 2024.
The Women in Philanthropy Fund is an endowed giving circle fund of the Com munity Foundation of the Lowcountry.
Since its founding in 2003, the mem bers of Women in Philanthropy have built an endowment of more than $1million and have awarded more than $685,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations through out Beaufort County.
For more information about Women in Philanthropy, visit cf-lowcountry.org/giv ing-circles/women-in-philanthropy-wip.
The Hilton Head Island Jingle Jingle Bridge Run, a family Christmas tradition since 1992, will be held Dec 24, begin ning at 8 a.m.
The 5K and 10K runs will start and finish at Crossing’s Park and take partici pants over the scenic Broad Creek on the Cross Island Expressway.
All participants will receive a color ful long sleeve Jingle Jingle Bridge Run T-shirt.
An award ceremony featuring refresh ments, music and door prizes will be held following the race.
Awards will be given to the top three overall male and female runners, top male and female masters, and top three in each age group category.
Participants are encouraged to dress in the spirit of the season and wear elf, Santa or other holiday costumes.
Race officials prefer walkers participate only in the 5K event. Those who choose
to walk the 10K will have a 90-minute time limit. No pets or baby joggers will be permit ted in either event.
A percentage of proceeds from the event will benefit local charities. For more information or to register visit bear footsports.com or call Bear Foot Sports at 843/757-8520.
The practice of Andrew Castro, MD Mark T. Dean, MD
Board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine specialist Andrew Castro, M.D., joined BOSS Orthopaedics (formerly known as Beaufort Orthopaedic, Sports & Spine).
Dr. Castro brings extensive experience to the practice, having treated a variety of disorders of the spine in both adults and children. Trained in the latest surgical techniques, including minimally invasive surgery and disc replacement, he most recently spent over 20 years in Denver, Colorado, where he built one of the busiest spine practices in the area and was selected as one of Denver’s “Top Docs.”
Dr. Castro is active in spinal biomechanics research and has presented at various national conferences and published journal articles and book chapters on the subject. Recipient of the John H. Moe Award from the Scoliosis Research Society, he has also designed and patented medical implants that are currently in use.
Daniel J. Del Gaizo, MD
Ralph F. Salzer, MD
Douglas A. Scott, MD
Scott E. Strohmeyer, MD
Emre Caglayan, PA-C
James Langford, PA-C Paul Linnert PA-C
Bachelor of Science & Master of Science in Bioengineering, Clemson University University of South Carolina School of Medicine Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, SUNY Downstate Medical Center Fellowship Training in Complex Spinal Deformities, University of Colorado www.beaufortorthopedics.com
Beaufort, Bluffton & Hilton Head Island.
(843) 837-4300 1076 Ribaut Road, Ste 101 Beaufort, SC 29902 (843) 525-0045 39 Hospital Center Commons Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 681-2363
It was 4:30 a.m. July 4 at the quirky Rip ley Creek Inn in Stewart, British Columbia, when we heard “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” at 100 decibels.
It was the resident rooster just outside our open window.
Sometimes it’s the small, unexpected hap penings that add spice to your long drives.
I had been to Alaska many times as an Air Force navigator, flying through Alaska to Vietnam, but never had time to see much on the ground. Alaska was the only state my wife, Carole, had never visited.
In 2013, we were both working parttime, so we flew to Alaska from Ohio and rented a car for nine days. On a jammed red-eye return flight to Chicago, I said to my wife, “Next time we’re driving” – which we did in 2015, 2018 and again in 2022.
We prefer to drive because: 1. We can determine our own itinerary; 2. We have
flexibility; and 3. There are more worth while attractions in the western U.S. and Canada than just in Alaska.
In 2022 we decided on one more drive to the 49th state. At age 79, we knew it would be our last long road trip. Our objective
was to visit some places we had never vis ited and a few that were old favorites. As in any long road trip, there are always glitches. We left home on June 24, headed west, and visited the St. Louis Gateway Arch on a 100-degree day. Then it was farther west to Denver, where we had dinner with my old 1966 USAF Navigator School classmate and his wife.
The next day we toured Rocky Mountain National Park, which we had never visited. From there we headed north toward Lake Louise, Alberta, where we had booked a shuttle to Moraine Lake, billed as Canada’s most scenic lake. It is glacier fed, pale blue and surrounded by majestic mountains.
From Lake Louise, we drove north through Banff and Jasper, Alberta, and the very scenic Alberta Route 40 to the Acorn Motel in the small town of Grande Cache, Alberta.
When I made our reservation, I men
tioned that we would be celebrating our 56th wedding anniversary in Grande Cache. The motel provided an upgraded room, a bouquet of flowers and a fruit basket to help us celebrate.
We had planned to continue up the sce nic Route 40 to the Alcan Highway when (Glitch No. 1) we learned that a culvert had washed out and the Alcan was closed, So, we drove back several hundred miles south and proceeded west into British Columbia, then headed north toward the Yukon on the Cassiar Highway.
We spent a night at the quirky Ripley Creek Inn in the small town of Stewart, British Columbia (Pop. 405). The owner of the hotel had reconditioned several old buildings into a fairly modern facility. After dinner we drove a few miles west through Hyder, Alaska (Pop. 87), the state’s eastern most town.
The only ways to get to Hyder are by driving through Stewart, British Columbia, by float plane, or by boat from Ketchikan, Alaska, 100 miles west. It was the Fourth of July week and all the Hyderites were gathered in front of the Glacier Inn, young
women in their prom dresses and everyone drinking beer!
We drove north a few miles to the bear and salmon viewing platform but there were no salmon, and thus, no bears.
We came back to the Ripley Creek Inn, where our two-bedroom suite was in the old brothel. This was where the hotel’s resident rooster scared us awake. He is very lucky I didn’t have a weapon.
We wanted to spend a night in Dawson City, Yukon’s Klondike region – a place we had never been. But (Glitch No. 2) a wildfire had jumped the road outside of the town. When we got close to the fire, a pilot car led us through the smoke and minimal flames, and we reached Dawson City safely.
After dinner we headed to the Downtown Hotel and watched folks downing $12 Sourtoe Cocktails – with an actual big toe submerged in Yukon Jack whisky. There’s aa $2,500 fine if you swallow the toe. We elected to not participate.
From Dawson City, we crossed the Yukon River on the free ferry and started our drive across the Top of the World Highway. This remote mostly-gravel road connects Daw
son City with Tok, Alaska, and winds across scenic mountain ridges for most of the way.
After a night in Tok we drove west to the old (also mostly gravel-surfaced) Denali Highway. We spent the night at the remote Maclaren River Lodge and, the next day, we continued our journey westward along this scenic, historic road.
We had hoped to take the 97-mile eachway bus trip into Denali Park, which we had already enjoyed twice, but (Glitch No. 3) the gravel road had suffered a landslide and was closed for the final 50 miles.
So, we dug deep down into our pockets and booked an airplane ride around Denali. It was very cloudy and, had we not had an experienced and very proficient Piper Navajo pilot, it is doubtful if we would have survived this somewhat harrowing flight. All told, it was probably the highlight of our last Alaska drive.
After our flight we needed lunch – soon. We decided to go to a nearby, somewhat expensive, restaurant where we had dinner nine years ago. It was 2 p.m. and the only choice for lunch was chicken fingers with fries, for $25 each. We decided that was
better than starving to death in Alaska!
We headed south, with a lunch in Talk eetna, to Girdwood, Alaska. It was Car ole’s birthday, so we hoped for an upscale dinner. Unfortunately, the best restaurant in this small town was closed, so we ate a mediocre dinner in a nearby bar. We made up for it at our next destination, The Inn at Whittier, the next day.
We drove through the railroad/vehicle tunnel and arrived in Whittier, Alaska (Pop. 282), in mid-morning, greatly appreciating the beauty of this small town ringed by snowcapped mountains on three sides and the Passage Canal Bay on the fourth. Then we enjoyed a five-hour glacier cruise which included lunch.
We saw several glaciers, seals, some beautiful waterfalls dropping directly into the fjords, and a raft of sea otters.
From Whittier, we drove the few hours to Kenai where Carole wanted to try her luck fishing in the Kenai River, one of the most famous salmon rivers in the world. Unfortunately, the gill netters at the mouth Please see ALASKA on page 50A
of the river were intercepting most of the salmon, so Carole didn’t catch anything. But we did enjoy our time on this beautiful azure blue river.
Our next destination was Glennallen, Alaska. We had made a two-night reserva tion at the beautiful Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, a place where we had stayed three times previously. Unfortunate ly, they were having problems obtaining adequate staffing and (Glitch No. 4) had decided to close at the end of June. This area is sparsely populated with limited lodging, and we were lucky to find a small, adequate B&B for two nights.
From Glennallen, we took a day trip to Valdez, the terminus of the Alaska Pipeline. The town had been essentially wiped out by a tsunami during the 1964 earthquake and they rebuilt the town at a safer level a few miles away.
We drove out Dayville Road, east of Valdez, hoping to spot some bears. With no bears in sight, we headed back toward Valdez. As we passed the Valdez fish weir, my peripheral vision picked up something in the water. There were seven or eight
huge, 8- to 10-foot long, stellar sea lions in the area. We and about 20 other tourists reveled in watching these behemoths swim ming, fishing and grunting below the weir.
We headed east into the Yukon and south through British Columbia on the remote Cassiar Highway for another night at the Ripley Creek Inn in Stewart. Fortunately, the resident 100-decibel rooster was on the opposite side of the hotel from our room this time.
Then it was south through British Columbia to the wine country north of Osoyoos, British Columbia, and the U.S. border. We stopped for lunch at the upscale Burrowing Owl Winery. By upscale, I mean my lunch was a $20 grilled cheese sand wich – tasty, with an expansive view of the valley.
After crossing the border to the U.S., we headed toward Yellowstone National Park, where we had booked a cabin at Mammoth in the north edge of the park. But (Glitch No. 5), because of the severe flooding in the area in June, the Mammoth area was closed.
We managed to find a room in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, a town
where we had stayed on an Air Force move in 1967.
We visited several of the Yellowstone gey sers, saw lots of bison and had a nice lunch overlooking Yellowstone Lake. Then it was south to Jackson, Wyoming, and Carole’s favorite mountains, the Tetons.
We spent two nights in Jackson and, after dinner, drove out Gros Ventre Road where we had seen moose in every previous sojourn in Jackson. There were trout fisher men on the river, so there were no moose!
Next, a beeline to South Carolina with a stop in Tennessee, where Carole’s older sister had lived, to visit some old friends and enjoy the first home-cooked food in five and a half weeks.
We arrived home on Hiton Head Island on Aug. 1 and were unpacked in about two days.
Frank J. Parry and his wife, Carole, Hilton Head Island residents since 1999, have traveled to all 50 states, six Canadian provinces, and numerous Caribbean islands. Parry is the author of “Driving to Alaska,” which covers his and Carole’s trips in 2013, 2015 and 2018.
The prophet Isaiah said, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlast ing Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, KJV)
Before the idea of radical gift giving, Isaiah announced that the greatest gift was being given to the world. December tends to be the month we give the most to those we love, and even, sometimes, to those we feel are not deserving.
In this announcement, God is giving the gift of salvation to all; those who are deserv ing and those who are not. This gift carries the burden of all our sins and wipes all our slates clean.
As we shop this season to purchase gifts for our loved ones, let us not forget the needy. Let us share the spirit of giving and
love with everyone, the lovable and the unlovable. Let us share the peace of Christ with all who we encounter, just as God loved us and shared His greatest gift, the gift of Christ.
The book of Luke proclaims: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and
the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke:2:8-12, NIV)
When we wrap our gifts of love in pretty paper and place them under the Christmas tree, let us remember that our Savior was wrapped in swaddling cloths and placed in a manger. Remember that it is not about the wrapping, but what’s inside that matters.
Lastly, we find these words in the book of John: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
When we look at this season through the lens of scripture, we find that the greatest gift ever given comes from God. It is a gift that we can never outgrow, lose, or even give away. This gift came from the greatest heart and has been freely given without any strings attached.
This season, try to emulate and give love from your heart, without any strings attached to everyone you meet.
Rev. Dr. Christopher L. Thompson is pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Okatie.
Lord of Life is an ELCA Congregation
By Scott Wierman CONTRIBUTOR
The Community Foundation of the Low country witnesses the incredible charitable spirit exhibited in our four-county service area on a daily basis. The majority of these people’s good deeds go largely unnoticed by the general public, but are critical to the success of the organizations and/ or communities they support.
So we, along with a longtime Foundation philanthropic partner, set out to develop something that would acknowledge a deserving individual while benefitting a local nonprofit. I am excited to announce the creation of the Joan and Wade Webster Community Impact Award. Established as an endowed fund in 2022
with the generous support of Joan and Wade Webster, the Community Impact Award will be presented to an individual who has made a positive impact in the Low country quality of life and has demonstrated visionary leadership in a community activity or on behalf of a community organization. This is not a lifetime achievement award and is designed to recognize an individual for a recent charitable act. The nominee is required to be a resident of Beaufort, Colle ton, Hampton or Jasper County,
The Joan and Wade Webster Community Impact Award is the Foundation’s highest honor presented on behalf of a grateful community. The winner will receive a $10,000 grant to bestow to a charitable/ nonprofit organization based in the Foun dation’s service territory, as well as a piece of art to memorialize the honor.
The nomination form is now available to download on the Community Foundation’s website at cf-lowcountry.org. Please com plete your nomination form and email it to
info@cf-lowcountry.org (along with your answers to the three questions). You may also pick up a nomination form at the Com munity Foundation office, 4 Northridge Drive, Suite A.
The nomination deadline is Jan. 17, 2023. A selection committee, chosen by the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry board of directors, will review the nomina tions and select the award winner.
Community Foundation of the Lowcoun try staff and board, public elected officials, and paid staff of a nonprofit are ineligible to receive the award.
The inaugural Community Impact Award will be presented on March 29, 2023, at the Community Foundation of the Lowcoun try’s Annual Community Meeting, to be held at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina on Hilton Head Island. We are excited to announce that the featured speaker will be Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford.
More details about the free event, as well as registration information, will be coming soon.
Most all beginner golfers start out topping the ball because they think they have to help get the ball air borne. Golf is a game of opposites – so one must hit “down” for the ball to go “up.”
There are a number of reasons for topping the ball. Pay attention to the following areas of your swing:
• Wrists are usually the real culprit. If wrists are uncocking before impact, you are going to hit the ball fat or top the shot.
• The ball must be hit with a de scending angle of approach, using the leading edge of the club.
• Arms and right elbow must ex tend at impact and not before.
• “Flipping” the wrists rather than letting the arms swing. When the
wrist flips or uncocks early, the club head raises and you top the ball.
• If your knees are moving up and down, you will top the ball. The tar get knee needs to stay flexed on the backswing and the trail knee needs to be flexed at impact.
• You must maintain your “spine angle” throughout the shot. Many golfers have their hips moving toward the ball at impact instead of rotating toward the target.
• Fear of hitting the ground. Some golfers tense up and the club never makes contact with the grass, thus topping the ball. The grass under and in front of the ball is your friend.
• Ball position is important. Playing the ball too forward in your stance can cause you to hit the ball on the upswing.
Try these drills to improve your swing:
• Swing at 50% speed until you start making good contact.
• Take a divot after the ball (Slant ed Tee Drill: Put tee one inch in front of the ball with head of tee slanted toward the ball). Club head must hit tee out of the ground.
• Hit practice balls off a powder line and get rid of the powder and the grass in front of the ball.
• Put a penny or ball marker under the ball and practice hitting the penny.
• Place some “face tape” on the clubface and get the leading edge of the club hitting first and having the ball’s image high on the face tape.
If all else fails, give your local golf professional a call.
Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local golf courses. jean.golfdoctor.harris@gmail. com; golfdoctorjean.com
Operation Holiday Heroes, a program of United Way of the Lowcountry, is now tak ing applications for anyone who may need Christmas assistance this year.
Operation Holiday Heroes is a countywide collaboration to assure that every child and family in need in Beaufort and Jasper counties has toys at Christmas.
This year, United Way of the Lowcountry is proud to partner with Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, The Agape Family Life Center Hardeeville, Antioch Educational Center, Bluffton Self Help, The Deep Well Project, Love House Ministries and The Salvation Army of the Lowcountry to bring the magic of Christmas to families in the Lowcountry.
To participate in Operation Holiday He
roes, each family must register for assistance at one of the participating nonprofits. Proof of residency will be required.
A complete listing of Beaufort and Jasper county registration dates, times and locations is available in English and Spanish at uwlowcountry. org/santa.
Since the 1950s, United Way of the Lowcountry has been working to create a better life for the residents of Beaufort and Jasper counties. Our focus is on protecting services vital to the immediate basic needs of the most vulnerable members of our communi ty; while making long term investments in education, economic mobility and health, because these are the building blocks for a good quality of life.
In my last article, I wrote about lessons learned from Hurricane Ian. We were very fortunate to have been spared the worst of that storm.
While Hurricane Matthew in 2016 was more of an event for us, it also could have been worse.
When will the big one hit us head-on? As I wrote this article, yet another tropical storm was headed our way. At press time, however, we are finally out of hurricane season.
There are two natural elements that can mitigate damage from hurricanes. First is barrier islands. In addition to serving as a habitat and refuge for wildlife, barrier is lands also protect the nearby coastline from severe storm damage – presuming that the marshes remain relatively undeveloped.
Pinckney Island is a good example of an undeveloped barrier island. Without it, a good part of Bluffton and Hilton Head Island would have experienced far greater damage during Matthew, and possibly even with Ian.
Pinckney Island broke some of the winds and wave action, which helped protect properties in our area.
Hilton Head Island is an example of a barrier island that has been extensively de veloped. It is not surprising that it sustains greater damage than the mainland when hurricanes or tropical storms strike our area.
The second mitigator of storm damage is the marsh grass surrounding barrier islands. Also called cordgrass, or salt grass (genus
Spartina), it is one of the best natural ways of controlling erosion because its fibrous roots spread both deeply and quickly. This helps protect shorelines by binding the soil and reducing erosion.
Marsh grass also helps with dissipating wave energy and wave height from the shoreline and also reduces flooding farther inland.
So, what does all this mean?
Let’s say you own a home that is a mile or so from the shore, and it is at an elevation that does not require that you carry flood insurance (although that might be a good idea anyway).
If plans are made to further develop the shoreline with more homes, businesses, amenities, etc., the resulting removal of marsh grass will increase the chances of your home being flooded the next time a big storm heads our way.
Flooding will not only endanger your house, but it will also weaken surrounding trees, damaging the root system and wash ing away the soil all around trees, bushes and other plants. Undermined trees are also more likely to fall.
In many instances, plantings and shrubs need to be replaced because of damaged root systems. Otherwise, the next storm may further damage your property.
Mother Nature has given us a beautiful, pristine coastal paradise. She needs our help to keep it that way for future genera tions to enjoy.
John Riolo lives in Moss Creek and is past president of the Nature Club of Moss Creek. john.a.riolo@gmail.com
By Collins Doughtie CONTRIBUTOR
Of all the holidays, Thanksgiving is by far my favorite. I love that there is very little pressure to do anything – other than cook ing, of course – and most important of all, it just seems to bring out the best in everyone. This year was no exception.
I guess it was around three or four years ago that my wife, Karen, and I began the tradition of spending Thanksgiving with my sister Grace at her home in Indian Harbor Beach, Florida. Since her kids and mine have now grown up and all of them are leading their own separate lives, stretch ing from Costa Rica to L.A., it just seemed logical that she and I should catch up after 20-something years of being apart while we raised children.
Besides, I can think of worse places to spend Thanksgiving than beachside in good ol’ sunny Florida.
Like me, Grace is a kid at heart. I would love to know what it is in our gene pool that makes us so childlike. Like the cast of “Seinfeld,” we find it way too easy to get our jollies from the simplest things. It might be the server at a restaurant that discovers that his tip will greatly increase if he or she notices the faces we created on our plates with our leftover food.
And people watching isn’t just a pastime for us; it’s more of a religion.
A quick run to Wal-Mart can easily turn into an hour-long game of dodge ball as we sneak up on one another – no matter what the department – throwing those huge,
brightly colored rubber balls at each other. That alone is worth the drive.
And speaking of driving, even that aspect of our jaunt to Florida is somewhat sopho moric. Due to my back condition, my wife Karen does most of the driving. We don’t listen to books on tape – no siree! We sing dreadfully off-key almost the entire way there and back. We play “Name that Tune,” “Name That Performer,” and “What Were You Doing When That Song Came Out?”
I thought a lot of people sang their way down the highway until I started asking my friends if they ever tried this mode of travel ing. I have yet to find one “yes” couple that didn’t also give me that “you aren’t quite right” look. Oh well…
One downside of being on the coast of Florida during a family get-together is the ocean is just too darn close. I can smell it. I know what you are thinking: “What’s so bad about that?”
For me, being sur rounded by crystal clear water that just has to be teeming with fish is akin to an alcoholic walking into a room with a fountain only to find that the fountain dispenses vodka with a twist of lime. I simply can’t resist it. When I should be thinking of turkey, giblets and stuffing smothered in gravy, all I can think about is the snook that has to be hiding behind that dock or that dock, and for sure under that big dock over there. Snook … they’re everywhere… they’re everywhere!
I will admit I have managed to get through my past Florida Thanksgivings without fishing. This time may be different though because instead of just hanging out at Indian Harbor Beach, I considered head ing to my old college stomping ground in Sarasota, where I attended Ringling School of Art and Design when I wasn’t out fishing.
I planned to leave all my gear at home. Then the thought of chartering a guide for a day on the water crept into my psyche.
Thinking back to a prior Thanksgiving in Florida, I remember Grace called before I left Bluffton and told me to make sure to bring my rods because I was going fishing the day after Thanksgiving with her late husband Kevin aboard his boat. I was so ex
cited Thanksgiving night I barely slept, even with 10 pounds of turkey and pumpkin pie in my gut.
Hooking up Kevin’s boat at first light, we headed off. Much to my dismay, the wind was blowing too hard to go after snook, but he informed me that the big trout should be within reach.
Typically, Florida trout are much bigger than ours, so instead of shrimp, the bait of choice is live mullet – the bigger the better.
The fishing was slow, so I reached into my Lowcountry bag of tricks for free-lining live mullet and soon nailed three huge trout. This impressed Kevin, a true Floridian, to no end. I wanted to release them, but Kevin said, “No way!” as he had grand plans for Panko crusted, pan-fried fish.
As we were heading in, a wildlife officer stopped us. I handed him my license and, as he admired the trout with a broad grin, he said, “So who caught ’em?” Brimming with South Carolina pride, I quickly said, “I caught ’em – I caught ’em all!”
With that he replied, “Congratulations, sir. You Carolina boys are quite the fisher men, but you DO know that trout are out of season here, right?”
I reckon it was my pitiful look that prompted him to let me go ticketless – only if I dumped the fish overboard.
This year, whether I decided to go fishing in Indian Harbor or Sarasota, you can bet it was only after I checked all the rules and regs.
Collins Doughtie, a 60-year resident of the Lowcountry, is a sportsman, graphic artist, and lover of nature. collinsdoughtie@icloud.com
By Abby Bird CONTRIBUTOR
Some dogs will just wolf down whatev er food you put in front of them. In cases where the dog eats too quickly, I recom mend slow feed bowls. They come in plastic and metal and often look like a maze. It forces a dog to eat slower.
But then you get just the opposite – dogs that are very picky and don’t eat what they need to or are just grazers and disinterested even when you give them the best quality foods.
If you have your heart set on a particular kind of food, especially if it is a dry dog food, you might need to consider some kind of a “topper” for these picky eaters. The additions can be wet or dry, depending on your needs as well as the dog’s dietary requirements. For now, let’s address the dry offerings.
Dry toppers are really easy to use and don’t require refrigeration or too much
preparation and can be varied. Others may require some work. Budgetary concerns are also a factor.
I have personal favorites in the freezedried category. I use Instinct Raw Boost freeze-dried mixers that come in a variety of flavors: beef, chicken, lamb. They look like dog treats and can be used that way as well,
but I crumble just a few of them by hand and sprinkle on top of the food. I usually give my dogs one whole chunk and then let them see me sprinkle the rest on their food. I like to vary the flavors.
These are easy to use and not messy. A bag can be pricy, but if used this way it lasts a long time.
I also like freeze-dried beef or chicken liver made by Stewart. It comes in a tub and really lasts a long time for the price. These I grind in a food processor or small grinder a few at a time, then store the entire ground product in a container.
This does not need refrigeration. I store it in a sealed container. Because I grind it until it is like a powder, I take some from the container and put that in a small spice jar with holes on top. I can then can just sprinkle some on top of the food. This is very cost effective.
You can also buy freeze-dried raw patties by Stella & Chewy and break these up to put on top when you want pieces that are bigger. This is probably a more expensive route, but a very good quality item.
Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend is pricy and a freeze-dried raw blend of high quality organ meats and veggies. I also grind this or crum ble on top of food. The dogs love this. It can be addictive as well as very healthy. It can be used as a food as well soaked in warm water. You can find this on the internet.
Good luck, and I hope these suggestions will help with your picky eaters.
Abby Bird is owner of Alphadog Training Academy. AlphadogTrainingAcademy@gmail. com
Tomcat, a hunk of a cat with rugged good looks, showed up outside the Palmetto Ani mal League Adoption Center more than five years ago. He was a bit antisocial, but happy to take advantage of our feeding station.
Tomcat quickly realized our staff mem bers take lunch breaks outside, which meant he could finagle far tastier fare than just cat food! Over time, and after many a shared meal, we were able to pet Tom, and eventually he became a familiar fixture near the feeding station.
“Last year, we noticed Tom was losing weight rapidly, so our veterinarian per formed tests and found that his teeth were making it too painful to eat,” said PAL Adoption Coordinator Sally Dawkins.
After a trip to a dental specialist, we brought Tom inside to rest while his mouth healed. Day after day, he seemed to enjoy his cushy new life, lounging around, and having humans serve him all kinds of tasty meals.
Now, with his mouth long healed, 10-year-old Tom shows zero interest in going outside.
“His full-time job is hanging out in the kitchen where he asks everyone for food,” Dawkins said, smiling. “Volunteers are even known to bring him cooked bacon.”
Because of PAL’s kindhearted supporters, Tom received the veterinary care he needed to live comfortably and happily in his golden years. With a tummy full of food and a heart full of love, he wishes for nothing more than a home to call his own.
“Tom has been a long-time lap cat ever since he was outside sharing lunch breaks with our staff,” said Dawkins. “He would make a great companion for someone who, like him, appreciates snacks and snuggles.”
You can change the life of a homeless pet this holiday season during Palmetto Animal League’s “Season of Second Chances.” We are waiving adoption fees for cats, kittens, and adult dogs throughout December. All pets are spayed/neutered, microchipped and up to date on vaccinations.
Can’t adopt? You can still share holiday cheer with pets in need. Drop by the PAL Adoption Center at 56 Riverwalk Blvd in Okatie from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 10 for our Holiday Open House. Enjoy cookies, cocoa, and lots of good cheer as you spend time with homeless yet hopeful pets like Tomcat.
Please consider bringing a donation for our pet pantry, including cat and dog food, toys, treats, pet beds, and cozy blankets, and we’ll make sure your gifts get to those animals who need them most.
Amy Campanini is president of Palmetto Animal League.
Getting enough water in your system every day is important for your health. Drinking water can prevent dehydration, a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, and lead to constipation and kidney stones.
Water has no calories, so it can also help with managing body weight and reducing calorie intake when substituted for drinks with calories, such as sweet tea or sodas.
Water helps your body maintain a normal temperature, lubricate and cushion joints, protect your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, and get rid of waste through urina tion, perspiration and bowel movements.
Everyone should consume water every day to improve health. Although many recommend drinking eight ounces of water every day, some doctors have recommended a half ounce for each pound you weigh as a great every day recommendation.
Daily total water intake (fluid) is defined as the amount of water consumed from foods, plain drinking water and other beverages. Most of your fluid needs are met through the water and other beverages you drink.
You can get some fluids through the foods that you eat – especially foods with high water content, such as many fruits and veg etables. However, actually drinking water is
a better way of getting fluids into your body.
To help you drink more water, consider these tips: Carry a water bottle with you and refill it throughout the day. Freeze some freezer-safe water bottles and take one with you for ice-cold water all day long.
Choose water over sugary drinks and opt for water when eating out (you’ll save mon ey and calories). Serve water during meals. Add a wedge of lime or lemon to your water to improve the taste and make sure your kids are getting enough water too.
Water is the best choice to maintain hydration. Be sure to drink before, during and after activity. Even when you don’t feel thirsty, keep drinking water. Avoid soda, fruit juices, flavored waters, and any drinks that contain high concentrations of sugar to aid in weight loss.
Clean, healthy, filtered water is the best water to stay hydrated. Faucet mount filters and pitcher filtered water are a much better option than chlorinated tap water, but Reverse Osmosis Water is the best filtered water you can put in your body to stay hydrated.
For more information on how you can safeguard your home’s water supply, visit the Water Quality Association at wqa.org, or call a local water treatment professional.
Chris Lane is the owner of Culligan Water Conditioning of the Lowcountry, serving Beau fort, Jasper and Hampton counties. culliganhhi. com
CARDS WANTED: Vesci Sports Cards, specializing in pre-1972 baseball, football and basketball cards. Looking for personal collections. Cash paid for cards. Hilton Head resident Jim Vesci 215-266-2975 jdvescisr@gmail.com SEEKING PERSON TO RUN ERRANDS and take me to doctors’ appointments. Must be efficient, dependable and responsible. $20/hr., local preferred, references required. Call 843705-1940.
AD HERE CAN REACH 25,000 house holds and businesses from Moss Creek to Sun City to Callawassie Island. Promote services, sell goods, announce a yard sale, buy a house, sell a house, find a job, find employees, ask for help, offer help! Ads starting at $28 for 40 words. 843-757-9507.
By Larry Stoller CONTRIBUTOR
It’s already the beginning of December, the holiday season is in full swing, and we were thinking about selling our home.
We started out with what we original ly paid, added home appreciation, and factored in home improvement costs. We determined that our home should sell for $795,000.
As I went to sleep that night, the thought of getting that price was very comforting.
Rattling by the window awakened me. An apparition appeared and said, “I’m your local real estate agent. I want to sell your home. How much do you want?”
“$795,000,” I said.
“You’re right on the money,” he said. “Sign this listing agreement.” When I told him I have to run it by my wife, he said, “Okay, I’ll leave it here. Sign it when she wakes up and email it to me.”
And he disappeared.
I went back to sleep but there was some more rattling and I was awakened again by a second spirit. “I want to sell your home. What’s your price?”
“It’s $795,000.”
She replied, “With your waterfront location, you could get $150,000 more. Wake up your wife and we’ll sign this listing agreement.”
“No way am I waking up my wife,” I said. “Call me tomorrow.”
She said OK and then she was gone.
I fell asleep again. The music was soft and sweet, and when I opened my eyes, two more spirits were looking at me. In unison, they said, “We would like to share some in formation about your home’s market value.”
I asked them if they wanted to know what I thought our home would sell for. “Oh no,” they said. “Better to compare our informa tion with the price you came up with.”
With a wave of their hands, a Compar ative Market Analysis (CMA) appeared suspended out of thin air. It compared
homes similar to ours for sale and homes recently sold, indicating that our home would sell somewhere between $777,000 and $849,000.
With another wave of the hand, the three of us were visiting these homes (which were priced between $770k and $890k) and the CMA was adjusted to a value of $825,000 for our home.
When we awoke in the morning, I told my wife about the visits from the real estate agent apparitions. She said, “$825,000 is a great price. Maybe that is a sign that we should sell our home now. Do you know of a good real estate agent?”
On my nightstand were two business cards. I replied, “Actually, I know of two.”
I wish you all happy and healthy holi days, and if you decide to sell your home, I hope it sells fast and for the highest possible price!
Larry Stoller is a broker and Realtor with Real Estate Five of the Lowcountry. Larry@ RealEstateFive.com, RealEstateFive.com
Dec. 6-31
“A Christmas Story: The Mu sical,” Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. Directed by Mark Martino; children age 5 and older welcomed and encouraged. Tickets $53 child, $58 adult preview; $58 child, $63 adult regular run. artshhi.com
Dec. 8-18
“Educating Rita,” Lean Ensemble Theatre at Main Street Theatre, 3000 Main St., Hilton Head Island. Performanc es at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8-10, 15-17; and 2 p.m. Dec. 8, 18. Talkbacks Dec. 9, 11, 16, 18. Tickets $45, with student, first responder, military and group discounts offered. Rush tickets on sale 30 minutes prior to performances. leanensemble.org
Dec. 8
“A Singing’ Little Christmas with Suzy Bogguss,” 7:30 p.m. at USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret St., Beaufort. Tick ets at USCBCenterForTheArts. com or 843-521-4145.
“A Haunt ingly Good Victorian Comedy,” comedic adaptation of “A Christ mas Carol,” by Travis Hornsby at May River Theatre. Dec. 9-10 at 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. at Ulmer Auditorium, inside Town Hall, 20 Bridge St., Bluffton.
Dec. 9
“The Many Moods of the Sea son,” holiday concert by Hilton Head Choral Society, under direction of Dr. Dustin Ousley, 7 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 540 William Hilton Pkwy. on Hilton Head Island. Tickets $15$40, available at hiltonheadcho ralsociety.org. For more infor mation or for assistance with ticket order, call 843-341-3818 or email tickets@hiltonheadcho ralsociety.org.
Dec. 10
“Carols in the Courtyard,” second annual free outdoor holiday concert by Lowcountry Community Concert Band, 2 p.m. at USCB Bluffton campus. Includes food truck, cookie baking contest, ugly sweater contest. Bring chairs and bev erages. Wheelchair accessible. Donations welcomed.
“It’s a Nutty Christmas,” nut cracker paintings on boards, created by Beaufort Art Association artists, placed at local businesses. Rent a nutcracker to benefit BAA education fund for children. Vote for favorite Nutcracker at BSS, 913 Bay St., Beaufort. 207985-8888 or 843-521-4444
Dec. 16
Lunch with Author Series, noon at Belfair Clubhouse, Bluff ton. Featuring Mary Martha Greene, “The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All,” and Kevin Mitchell, “Taste of the State.” Books available for purchasing and signing. Tickets $50 at USCBCenterForTheArts.com or 843-521-4145.
Dec. 16
Ted Rosenthal Trio, holiday jazz piano, part of Hilton Head International Piano Competition Recital Series, 7:30 p.m. at SoundWaves, 7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head Island. Tickets $40, cash bar. 843-842-2055 or hhso.org
Dec. 16
“Sounds of the Holidays,” annual holiday cabaret with Terry Herron and Friends, Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club. Cock tails, 5:30 p.m. (cash bar), dinner 6-7 p.m., show 7-8:30 p.m. Tickets $45. 843-271-9919 or 678-644-8200
Dec. 18
Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra final Supper Club of 2022, 6:30 p.m. dinner; 7:30 p.m. concert at SoundWaves, 7 Lagoon Road, Hilton Head Island. Cabaret seating, tickets $29-$69. 843-842-2055 or hhso.org
Holiday Gallery of Gifts, Art League of Hilton Head, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island. Original works of art, jewelry, handmade ornaments, stocking stuffers, and holiday decor. Gallery hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday.
Christmas Bazaar at SOBA Gallery, 6 Church St., Bluffton. Unique handcrafted gifts, art, decor. Gallery hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. SOBAgal lery.com or 843-757-6586
“Avant Gardener: a Creative Exploration od Imperiled Species,” exhibition by artist Lisa D. Watson, at Coastal Discovery Musuem, 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island. “Art-full Seeding” workshop 5-7 p.m. Dec. 1, $30, reservations required at coastaldiscover.org. Gallery hours 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-3 p.m Sunday.
Nicholas Reed as Ralphie in “A Christmas Story: The Musical” at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina.
The Arts Center’s holiday production is directed by New York City’s Mark Martino (previous Arts Center credits: “Newsies,” “White Christmas,” “Elf,” “An American in Paris,” “Kiss Me Kate,” and “Forever Plaid”). The show runs Dec. 6-31.
Following a successful Broadway run garnering three 2013 Tony Award nom inations including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Joseph Robinette) and Best Original Score (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul), along with six Drama Desk nominations, and two Outer Critics Circle nominations, “A Christmas Story: The Musical” is geared up to win you over – and your whole family too!
Based on the perennial holiday movie
favorite, “A Christmas Story: The Musi cal” chronicles young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way toward the holiday gift of his dreams, an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle (“You’ll shoot your eye out kid!”).
An infamous leg lamp, outrageous pink bunny pajamas, a maniacal department store Santa, and a tripledog-dare to lick a freezing flagpole are just a few of the distractions that stand between Ralphie and his Christmas wish.
Hailed by The Associated Press as “a joyous Christmas miracle,” The New York Times writes “You’d have to have a Grinch-sized heart not to feel a smile spreading across your face.”
“A Christmas Story: The Musical” is a triple-dog-dare of a good time and it is sure to warm your heart this holiday season. For tickets, call the Arts Center box office at 843-842- 2787 or visit artshhi.com.
A Christmas Story: The Musical and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way toward the holiday gift of his dreams. Meanwhile, an infamous leg lamp, outrageous pink bunny pajamas, a maniacal department store Santa, and a triple-dog-dare to lick a freezing flagpole are just a few of the distractions that stand between Ralphie and his Christmas wish.
“A
JOYOUS CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.”
Travis Hornsby returns to the Low country to direct his comedic adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” at May River Theatre, Dec. 9-11.
“A Hauntingly Good Victorian Com edy” is a comedic retelling of the classic Christmas novel by Charles Dickens that keeps viewers wondering will Scrooge change his ways and embrace the holiday spirit? Playwright Hornsby has created a festive frolic through Victorian England infusing humor that includes slapstick, vaudeville, adult jokes, as well as a healthy dose of cross-dressing to this famed holiday piece. Benjamin Morgan is musical director for the show, Not familiar with this Dickensian tale? The basic synopsis is that, on the anniver sary of the death of his only friend (and former business partner) Jacob, the miser ly Scrooge is visited by a host of ghosts on Christmas Eve. They show him his Past and Present and what is Yet to Come – if he does not change his ways. The story is propelled with the help of Carolers who
play a myriad of characters from Scrooge’s past, present and future. New and returning actors and sing ers will be gracing the May River stage,
including Warren Cobb (Scrooge), Travis Hornsby (Fred), Benjamin Morgan (Jacob Marley), Wayne Hester (Gentleman), Jayme Brinson (Bob Cratchett), Rebekah
Kane (Martha Cratchett), Adalyn Aeber sold (Fanny), Maggie Gardner (Clara), and introducing Jemma Beck (Tiny Tim). The cast includes Walt Hoskins, Heath er Bell, Kirtus Miller, Haden Gonsowski, Luke Strebe and Val Tannuzzi as towns people and Ellie Friedman, Catherine Trotter, Annaliese Germany, Belle Chirico and Lily Beck as Carolers.
Remaining performances are Dec. 9-10 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. at Ulmer Auditorium, inside Town Hall, 20 Bridge St., Bluffton.
May River Theatre is a local theatre company started by Ed and Jodie Dupuis in 2002. MRT is committed to engag ing the Bluffton community through a breadth of quality theatrical performances that facilitate growth in both the pro duction and understanding of the entire theatrical experience.
For more information on season tickets, sponsorships, gift certificates and tick ets for this Christmas Carol adaptation, please visit mayrivertheatre.com.
Hilton Head Island author Susan Dia mond Riley has released the third entry in her celebrated Delta and Jax Mysteries series, “The Sea Witch’s Revenge.”
Set primarily on Hilton Head Island and sur rounding areas, the series focuses on a pair of sibling sleuths whose grandfather runs the Island History Museum – loosely based on the real Smithso nian-affiliated Coastal Discovery Museum.
Each book focuses on a mystery related to a specific era in Lowcountry history, including the Civil War and the age of Span ish settlement. “The Sea Witch’s Revenge” explores the fierce rival ry between Hilton Head and Daufuskie islands during the American Revolution.
The first two books in the series, “The Sea Island’s Secret” and “The Sea Turtle’s
Curse,” have won numerous national and international awards, including an Ama zon Bestseller title. In addition, both have been used by school systems in various states – including Beaufort County Schools – to teach American history in an en tertaining but factual way.
Earlier this year, interest in the “hidden history” addressed in her books prompted Riley to begin a blog, “Greetings from the Lowcountry!,” which now draws thousands of readers to her features on “the history, people, and traditions that make the Carolina Sea Islands and their mainland neighbors so special.”
All three books in the Delta and Jax Mystery series are available wherever books are sold. For more information, visit SusanDiamondRiley.com.
Lowcountry artists are invited to submit their works of art for the So ciety of Bluffton Artists (SOBA) 29th annual Judged Show.
Winners will be awarded first, second and third place cash awards in the following categories: acrylic, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, watercolor or 3D.
Registration is required by complet ing a form available at the gallery, 6 Church St. in Old Town Bluffton, or online at sobagallery.com/product/reg ister-for-judged-show.
The cost to register is $25 for SOBA members and $50 for non-members. The registration deadline is Feb. 28. The deadline for dropping off art will be 9 to 11 a.m. March 6 at the SOBA Art School, 8 Church St.
A full list of rules is available online
at sobagallery.com/2023-judged-show.
The Judged Show exhibit will be on display from March 6 through April 2 at the SOBA gallery. An awards ceremony will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. March 9. These events are free to attend and open to the public.
The judge for the show is Eve Mill er, a signature member of the Pastel Society of America and a member of the Master Circle of the International Association of Pastel Societies. Her works have been featured in numer ous publications and she presently exhibits her work in three internation al juried exhibitions in France.
The SOBA gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sat urday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit soba.com or call 843-757-6586.
I was 5 years old when I took my first dance lesson and am still dancing today at age 45. It is never too early to intro duce the arts to kids.
So why is dancing so good for kids? Overall, kids can gain muscle control and coordination. Their endurance and stamina will improve. Strength, flexibility and balance will all improve.
When kids are in a structured class, they engage in learning patterns and se quential learning. This involves planning, which helps with memory skills.
Children learn to focus and concen trate better. While in dance classes, kids also learn to work as a team and build camaraderie. They learn discipline.
Learning in a class setting also creates a sense of accomplishment while building confidence and self-esteem.
For many kids, dancing becomes an outlet of expression and fosters creativity so they might begin to appreciate the arts
in all forms.
It is never too early for kids to try dancing and learn how to coordinate and move their bodies to music. Consider giving your child a chance to be exposed to formal dance or dance instruction –you never know what’s hiding inside a child.
For example, our Youth Ballroom Dance Club consists of students from ages 7 to 18. It is amazing what they have been able to accomplish since they have been coming to us.
Each child is developing their own level of talent in their own way with their own individual style, and each is becom
ing their own dancer.
Not only are we teaching dance, but also etiquette and social skills. These skills can help them interact with each other comfortably in close proximity at an early age and in an appropriate man ner. We hope that going forward they will become ladies and gentlemen, and use their skills in the real world that were taught to them in the dance studio.
Parents, start opening those doors for your kids and allowing them to experi ence all the different art forms at a very early age. Remember, dancing is not only for girls – boys also will appreciate the benefit of being able to dance in the future.
When kids are involved in some sort of dance they will look better, feel better and have fun!
Sandro Virag is a partner and instructor at Hilton Head Ballroom Dance Studio of Hilton Head, located in Bluffton at Seaquins Ballroom. hiltonheadballroom.com
Mixed greens, oven roasted red and yellow beets, blue cheese, red onion, and candied walnuts served with cilantro vinaigrette (GF) S15
Mixed greens, feta cheese, red onions, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and olives served with white balsamic (GF) $14
ADD CHICKEN $6 / ADD SHRIMP $8 ADD STEAK $10 /
ADD SALMON $9
HOT PEPPERS
Fresh cut hungarian hot peppers in oil & herbs (GF) $7
LOBSTER EGG ROLLS
Maine lobster with carrots, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, and hand tossed pastry shells baked crispy golden brown $15
LOBSTER FONDUE
Maine lobster, swiss and monterey jack cheeses. served with pita bread S15
Lightly egg battered eggplant layered with mozzarella cheese and marinara, served over a bed of spaghetti $14
Breaded chicken breast topped with marinara and mozzarella cheese, served over a bed of spaghetti $17
Tender chicken medallions sautéed with mixed greens and creamy parmesan mushroom sauce over penne pasta $19
Lightly egg battered grouper, lemon and white wine sauce over spaghetti $19
Fresh grouper filet with herb crust served with seasonal vegetable (GFR) $18
Wild caught salmon sautéed with a honey garlic sauce served with jasmine rice $24
Baked wild caught salmon, gal1ic, spinach, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, white wine reduction served with seasonal vegetable $25
TUNA CRAB RICE BOWL
Panseared yellow fin tuna tossed in sriracha aioli, seasoned crab meat, avocado, jasmine rice $23
PAN SEARED SNAPPER
Pan seared Red snapper with creamy Mediterranean herbs served with jasmine rice $22
Whole roasted fresh Sea bass topped with compound butter and Mediterranean herbs served with jasmine rice and Brussels sprouts $42
Jumbo shrimp saU1eed with Hungarian hot peppers, and fresh garlic over a bed of spaghetti $19
SHRIMP & CLAM SPAGHETTI
Jumbo shrimp, and chopped clam in white wine reduction and a touch of marinara over a bed of spaghetti $20
BLACKENED SHRIMP & LOBSTER RAVIOLI
Lobster and cheese stuffed ravioli with ala vodka sauce, topped with blackened shrimp $24
BONE IN PORK CHOP
French cut pork chop topped with brandy glaze served with baked potato $22
PEPPERCORN FILET
8oz. grilled beef tendel1oin finished with rich demi glaze, green peppercorn, a touch of cream and tarragon, served with baked potato $29
RIBEYE
16oz. char grilled ribeye steak served with baked potato $28
PARMESAN HADDOCK
Fresh Haddock filet baked with herb and Parmesan crust served with seasonal vegetables $21
The Lowcountry Community Concert Band will present a special outdoor holiday concert, “Carols in the Courtyard,” at 2 p.m. Dec. 10 in the front courtyard of the library at the USCB Bluffton campus. Admission is free to all, and donations are gratefully accepted.
The event will include a food truck, a Christmas cookie baking contest, and an Ugly Christmas Sweater con test.
Songs on the playlist include “Sleigh Ride,” “Minor Alterations (Christmas Through the Looking Glass),” “Ave Maria,” selections from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and a special “Christmas Finale.”
Guests may bring chairs and coolers. There is plenty of parking available and the event is wheelchair accessible.
The band is sponsored by the Osher
Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at USCB. In addition to the main con cert band, LCCB/OLLI supports two smaller chamber ensembles — the Lowcountry Jazz Ensemble and the Flutes of the Lowcountry. The LCCB provides an opportunity for musicians of all ages and abilities to play instru mental music together for enjoyment as well as to perform for the commu nity.
Any OLLI member is welcome to join. Students and adults of any age can join the band. The LCCB is 100% self-sustaining and receives no state or local funding. Donations are welcome, and are used for buying new music and equipment, repairing instruments, and rental of venue space for perfor mances where required.
For more information, visit ollilccb. com.
For the past 15 years, an integral part of the All Saints Garden Tour, which donates all proceeds to local 501(c)(3) charities, has been the Artist Poster Contest. Hundreds of local artists have entered works in this competition, and many have sold their work as a result.
In preparation for the 34th All Saints Garden Tour, scheduled for May 20, 2023, local artists are invited to enter one piece of two-dimensional, garden-related art in the poster competition. Flowers, birds, bees, butterflies, frogs, fountains, floral landscapes and abstracts are acceptable subjects for entries.
Works in oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastels, mixed media, photography, and colored pencil are acceptable. The piece selected for the poster must be vertically oriented, roughly 12x10 in scale.
The submitted art will be hung in the gallery corridor of the Hilton Head Branch Library Feb. 3-28, 2023. Deadline for sub mission is early January.
The artwork selected for the Garden
Tour Poster will be on hundreds of posters displayed throughout Beaufort and Jasper Counties and on the cover of the Garden Tour ticket booklet. In addition, the art may be used in the future for charitable garden tour fundraising. For more information, visit allsaints gardentour.com or email gardentourentry@ gmail.com.
Country singer-songwriter Suzy Bogguss will headline “A Swingin’ Little Christmas” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at the USCB Center for the Arts in Beaufort.
The show is is a joyous, festive evening of traditional songs and spontaneity. “The audience is different every night and so is our performance,” Bogguss said. “The folks that come out are always in the spir it and eager to participate. They’re very much a part of the show.”
Bogguss began her career in the 1980s and quickly became one of the key artists that defined the golden days of ’90s coun try. She had a string of Top 10 singles, a platinum album and three gold albums.
The musicianship in the Christmas show is jaw-dropping and the artist’s rich and fluid voice takes the audience through sentimental songs like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” to her own raucous “Two Step Round The Christmas Tree.”
It’s a fun-filled night of all the Christ mas classics sprinkled with some of Suzy’s hits through the years and select songs
from her recent releases, “American Folk Songbook,” “Lucky” and “Aces Redux.” The whole family will enjoy this show.
For tickets and more information, visit USCBCenterForTheArts.com or call 843521-4145.
USCB Center for the Arts is located at 801 Carteret St. in Beaufort.
The University of South Carolina Beaufort Lunch with Author 20222023 Series continues this month with the writers of two cookbooks that cele brate Southern cuisine and hospitality.
Mary Martha Greene, author of “The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All,” and David S. Shields, co-author of “Taste the State,” will share their stories and reci pes at the event that starts at noon Dec. 16 at Belfair Clubhouse in Bluffton.
In “The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All,” Greene, a former lobbyist, pairs more than 100 tried-and-true recipes for dishes like country ham scones, Frogmore stew dip, shrimp and corn pie, and lemon pound cake with stories from her corner of the South.
The book opens with the famous cheese biscuit recipe (complete with family secrets), and the pages that follow brim with fabulous characters, antic-filled anecdotes, and recipes so good they might just call for a change in State House rules (true story).
With new ideas for the consummate entertain er, helpful tips for less experienced cooks, and stories to make even the grumpi est legislator laugh, “The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All” has a place in every kitchen.
Greene is a South Carolina native and former government relations consultant who perfected her entertaining skills for making friends and engaging clients during her 40-year career.
From the influence of 1920s fashion on asparagus growers to an heirloom watermelon lost and found, “Taste the State” abounds with surprising stories from South Carolina’s singularly rich
food tradi tion. Au thors Kevin Mitchell and David S. Shields present engaging profiles of 82 of the state’s most distinctive ingredients. These portraits, illustrated with origi nal photographs and historical draw ings, provide origin stories and tales of kitchen creativity and agricultural innovation.
“Taste the State” presents the cultur al histories of native ingredients and showcases the evolution of the dishes and the variety of preparations that have emerged. Here you will find true Carolina cooking in all of its cultural depth, historical vividness, and sump
tuous splendor – from the plain home cooking of sweet potato pone to Lady Baltimore cake worthy of a Charleston society banquet.
Shields is a Carolina Distinguished Professor of the English Language and Literature Department at the University of South Carolina and the chair of the Carolina Gold Rice Foundation. He is the author of numerous books, includ ing “Southern Provisions: The Creation and Revival of a Cuisine” and “The Culinarians: Lives and Careers from the First Age of American Fine Din ing,” and the recipient of the Southern Foodways Alliance’s Ruth Fertel Keeper of the Flame Award.
Tickets for the event are $50. Books will be available for purchase and the authors will be signing books. Belfair Clubhouse is located at 200 Belfair Oaks Blvd. in Bluffton.
For tickets and more information, visit USCBCenterForTheArts.com or call 843-521-4145.
WHAT CAN WE DO TODAY ... TO STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN ... WITH SO MUCH TO DO ........ AND SO LITTLE TIME ... WE HAVE EXTENDED FAMILY, ALL VISITING FROM ANAHEIM. Kids will want pies... and turkey or ham for Uncle Burt, I have no time to cook .... And I thought of that ad of the bulldog wearing the shirt. Glazed ham, Prime rib or turkey that’s fried, and reading down further, couldn’t believe all the sides There was mashed potatoes and gravy, French bread and green beans, and Granny got excited to see shrimp and grits and collard greens. After opening one gift, and seeing Grandpa Teddy’s ugly tie, it was so nice to relax to a nice slice of pecan pie Christmas eve was less stressful, it seemed like a breeze, We would highly recommend ...
