The Bluffton Sun • February 21, 2024

The Blufft n Sun

Ochsner 65 Plus Clinic Touts Comprehensive Care Plan

BY SHANNON COPCUTT Editor

As a large majority of the population enters their golden

years, medical care is top of mind for many of these individuals. And primary care doctors aren’t easy to come

by, especially in the Bluffton area. That is why Ochsner 65 Plus, a comprehensive care program that caters to pa-

tients 65 and older, was created. And now, it has come to our area.

Ochsner’s brand-new facility is located in Okatie, and offers patients extended one-onone time with their primary care doctors, with appointments lasting up to one hour to meet the unique and complex needs of older patients. The idea is to practice a much more comprehensive approach to wellness, including not just medicine, but also preventative care and mental well-being.

The facility includes extended medical care options, including on site labs for bloodwork to prevent multiple trips for checkups and sick visits, a fitness room with an on-site coach to run group workout sessions, and a community room where patients

OCHSNER CONT. ON PAGE 17A

A new medical facility, Ochsner and Novant Health 65 Plus, has opened locally and will offer a comprehensive care program for patients 65 and older including medical care, fitness, social and wellness opportunities.

BBruce Vincent, M . D.

to Beaufort Memorial May River Primary Care

oard-certified family medicine specialist Bruce Vincent, M.D. has joined the clinical team at Beaufort Memorial May River Primary Care, bringing more than three decades of experience in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illness in adult patients to the practice.

Dr. Vincent most recently was with Mountain Region Family Medicine (MRFM) in Kingsport, Tenn., where he had practiced since 1996 and spent six years as president of the medical group’s board. At the time of his relocation, he was associate medical director of State of Franklin Healthcare Associates, MRFM’s parent organization, and a member of its clinical excellence committee advocating for quality improvement.

“We are delighted to add a physician of Dr. Vincent’s caliber to our team,” said Russell Baxley, Beaufort Memorial president and CEO. “Addressing the significant existing shortage of primary care for residents south of the Broad River and beyond remains a core goal for Beaufort Memorial, and Dr. Vincent will help us achieve it.”

843-706-2287

Board-Certified Family Medicine

Residency – Family Medicine

Bayfront Medical Center (now Bayfront Health), Tampa, Florida

Doctor of Medicine

University of Florida College of Medicine (now USF Health Morsani College of Medicine) Tampa, Florida

Bachelor of Science – Chemistry

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

Dr. Vincent joins board-certified family medicine specialists Brad Kelly, D.O., and Christopher Opella, M.D., at the practice.

Let’s Take A Journey Towards Collective Wellness

BY SHANNON COPCUTT Editor

As we emerge from the cocoon of winter and look forward to the longer, busier days of spring and summer, it is important to remember to maintain our health— both mental and physical.

The fast pace and challenges of everyday life take a toll on our wellbeing and cannot be overstated.

I know for myself, and my family, we struggled through a few bouts of illness this winter, and are looking forward to getting outdoors more to enjoy the warmer weather and hopefully, some healthier times.

The path to wellness is fraught with hurdles, not least of which is the accessibility of resources. With the rate at which our community continues to grow, I know that many of us, myself included, have struggled to find the perfect healthcare

solution that suits our needs. One thing I have noticed is that local hospitals and family medical practices have been committed to and are continuously adding new medical staff members to their rosters to accommodate all of the new resi-

dents moving to our area.

With the influx of new talent, we are also seeing new facilities and new technology. In this issue of the newspaper in fact, we write about local hospitals and doctors exploring the potential uses of artificial intelligence (AI) for medical procedures. We also discuss the fresh approach of the Ochsner 65 Plus comprehensive healthcare solution that just debuted in our area for older residents. This new kind of healthcare practices a comprehensive approach to wellness, combining preventative care, mental support, social opportunities, sick care, hospital follow up care and fitness.

And many doctors, mine included, are taking advantage of many of the new technologies of the digital age to bridge gaps in medical care, by using virtual wellness programs, telehealth services, and online support to complement medical efforts for a more seemless experience.

As we embark on this journey towards

a healthier tomorrow, it’s crucial to remember that wellness is not a one-sizefits-all proposition. It’s about creating a culture of health that respects and incorporates the diverse needs, abilities, and interests of all community members. From the young mother seeking postnatal fitness classes to the senior citizen in need of low-impact exercise options or mental stimulation, everyone’s path to wellness is unique.

I urge everyone to get out there and enjoy the awakening of our surroundings, and to also renew, update, or improve your self-care practices to ensure that moving into the warmer days, and older years, you are able to enjoy life to its fullest. There are so many events to experience and enjoy in the upcoming months. So make sure you weave health and wellness into the very fabric of your daily life so you can continue to enjoy all our community has to offer.

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Contributors

Amy Coyne Bredeson

Rev. Jon Black

Collins Doughtie

Dr. Mathew T. Epps

Jada Gaines

Dr. Jean Harris

Channing Heiss

Justin Jarrett

Andrea Hoerner

Weston Newton

Lindsay Perry

Anita Stephens

Larry Stoller

Chris Roosa

Larry Toomer

Joseph Turino

Mark Winn

Carol Weir

Jennifer Wolfe

We Are Making Strides To Protect SC Children Through Legislation

BY WESTON NEWTON Contributor

Melissa

Physical address:

SC 29910

BlufftonSun.com

In the short time we have been back in session in this second year of the legislative session we have made significant strides in the House on legislation that is important to so many in our state. Protecting children is among the most important work we do as legislators. Our accomplishments this session reflect a unified theme- safeguarding the future of our state and its citizens through prudent, conservative leadership. From protecting our economic interests to ensuring the safety and well-being of our children, each action we have taken is a testament to our commitment to uphold South Carolina’s conservative values.

Early in January the Senate passed the ESG Pension Protection Act, which I supported

last year when it first passed the House, which is designed as a defense against the pressures of liberal Environmental-Social- Governance objectives, ensuring that the pensions of over 600,000 state and local government employees are invested wisely and freely from ideological influence.

As I mentioned last month in this space, some of the earliest actions taken by up by the House were initiatives focused on protecting the physical and mental well-being of our youth. A landmark achievement in this area was the passage of the Help Not Harm bill. This legislation aligns with conservative principles and prohibits gender transition procedures for minors and bans any Medicaid or public funding for such treatments from those under 26.

This bill took great steps to ensure we maintain access to mental health services, protect our teachers from being responsible for diagnosing children and hold doctors criminally accountable for performing those procedures. This legislation is central to our

mission to safeguard minors from irreversible gender transition procedures, but it does not impose a blanket ban on transgender healthcare, such as mental health services. It is specifically designed to restrict gender transition procedures for individuals under 18.

We achieved additional significant milestones with the passage of legislation focused on parental consent for minors’social media use and age verification for accessing websites and on-line apps that contain adult content. The SC Social Media Regulation Act, of which I was the primary sponsor, received an almost unanimous favorable vote. The bill will give parents more control over children’s use of social media by requiring age verification and parental consent for accounts for minors as well as prohibiting adults from direct messaging children they are not connected with and prohibiting most targeted advertising to minors. Finally, the bill requires social media companies to take steps to prevent minors from accessing content that advocates for self-

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

harm or for the use of force likely to incite imminent lawless action or the destruction of property in a school setting.

Similarly, we passed the Child Online Safety Act, which I co-sponsored; legislation which will protect our children from inappropriate online content, particularly pornographic material. Both of these bills form a comprehensive framework for protecting minors from the diverse risks of the digital landscape and have robust language restricting the use of and prohibiting the retention of any identification information obtained in the age verification processes.

Finally, we passed a bill focused on combating the act of luring children by amending the existing kidnapping statue and bolstering the state’s legal framework to protect our children from such a heinous crime.

Weston Newton is the representative for District 120 in the State House of Representatives. WestonNewton@schouse.gov

Dear Editor, I believe character and integrity matter.

We have an opportunity to speak up in South Carolina and to pick a confident, graceful, and knowledgeable leader in Nikki Haley. She served us well as governor and she is the new generational leader our country needs.

Nikki will solve our border crisis, curtail spending to bring inflation down, bring peace through strength, keep taxes low and drive economic growth higher while respecting all Americans.

Imagine a president who respects our military and our women! Imagine a president who

is coherent and makes sense!

Any registered voter in SC can vote for Nikki in the primary, so long as they did not already vote on February 3rd. Your vote in the primary will move Nikki forward.

Let’s all get out and vote between now and February 24th and make our voices heard.

Visit scvotes.gov to see how to vote early or to see where you can vote on Saturday, February 24th.

Jenny Sanford McKay Former First Lady of South Carolina

Weston Newton

BY CHANNING HEISS Contributor

If there is one thing Hilton Head Regional Healthcare and the surrounding medical community are proving, it is that when it comes to healthcare innovation and sophistication, you do not need to be a big city market to offer cutting-edge resources or to attract new players on the scene that bring financial prowess and optimism.

Recently, Novant Health announced their acquisition of Hilton Head Hospital and Coastal Carolina Hospital in Hardeeville from Tenet Healthcare Corporation. They also acquired East Cooper Medical Center in Mt. Pleasant. Novant invested approximately $2.4 billion in this purchase making them a major player in the local healthcare scene.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome our new team members and grow our presence in South Carolina,” said Carl S. Armato, president and CEO, Novant Health. “Novant Health’s long-term vi-

sion is to transform the health and wellness of these communities through ex-

panded specialty services and clinical expertise. We are energized and united behind our cause to create a healthier future together by building connections with patients and clinicians in coastal South Carolina.”

As part of its expansion, Novant Health invested billions and its just the beginning.

“We are working closely with our new Novant Health team members to ensure a seamless transition for patients and team members,” said Joel Taylor, market CEO of Hilton Head Regional Healthcare. “We are eager to move forward together in support of our teams and know decisions will be made with our community’s needs at the forefront.”

“We understand that taking care of our patients starts with taking care of our people, so I’m delighted to join a

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To honor and remember the Four Chaplains of the SS Dorchester, American Legion Bluffton Post 205, hosted a ceremony at the Veterans’ Memorial in Buckwalter Place. The small but enthusiastic crowd, on a beautiful, sunny but chilly morning, listened to the account of the heroic four men who gave their all to save others during WWII. Each year, on February 3, a ceremony is held to keep the memory of these brave men in the hearts and minds of all.

New Meals on Wheels, Bluffton-Hilton Head Distribution Site Open

Meals on Wheels, Bluffton-Hilton Head, announced the ribbon cutting and open house celebration of their new food distribution site in Bluffton, located at 21 Boundary Street in Old Town Bluffton, a site that is shared with The Bluffton Community Soup Kitchen. Both agencies invited community members and their supporters to join them Feb. 16 for a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and on Feb. 19 for the open house to see the new location, a small broad front ranch house located next to the Campbell Chapel AME Church offering a compatible location off the island. It is a convenient drop-off spot for Senior Services Incorporated of Savannah, the agency that prepares the meals daily and delivers them to the agency’s food distribution sites. Meals on Wheels, Bluffton-Hilton Head uses the site from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Bluffton Community Soup Kitchen offers

an after-school program after 3 p.m.

“Ever since 1979, Meals on Wheels volunteers living in Bluffton have traveled to Hilton Head Island to pick up meals at the food distribution site on Hilton Head Island. The volunteers are thrilled with the convenience of this site,” explained Joe Scalzo, board chair of Meals on Wheels, Bluffton-Hilton Head. “We have been operational for about two months and are now prepared to celebrate this amazing collaboration.”

For the more than 100 volunteers living and delivering meals in Bluffton and Sun City, the reduced commute to volunteer has been a welcoming relief. As one volunteer said, “five minutes versus 45 minutes, what’s not to like!” Volunteers serving Hilton Head Island clients will continue to pick up their daily meal deliveries at the agency’s main office on Hilton Head Island.

Mathew Epps MD, MS, DABS

Jane Epps RN, BSN

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Spring Is In The Air And So Is Pollen

BY ANITA STEPHENS Contributor

Spring in the Lowcountry is a beautiful sight with the re-emergence of vegetation that has taken a well-deserved rest from the previous hot summer and growing season. But, the change of season can pose a challenging time for allergy sufferers. Beginning in late February, tree pollen season is in full force.

It seems like everything on a horizontal plane, moving or stationary, is a suitable landing area for pine pollen. It covers and colors our world a hazy shade of yellow. But, surprisingly, the pine pollen we see coating everything is not the culprit of seasonal allergies – but, instead the pollens from other trees, such as elm and oak, are the main troublemakers. Those pollens are too small to see with the naked eye but are also flourishing in copious amounts at the same time as the pines’ release. Pine pollen, as annoying as it is, has been given a bad rap when it

comes to people’s allergy symptoms and complaints.

Some may also think it their imagination that spring allergy season starts earlier and lasts longer every year, but USDA studies confirm the observation to be true. Recent research has shown that pollen seasons start 20 days earlier and are 10 days longer than they were in 1990. A mix of climate change and more carbon emissions in the atmosphere have led plants in many areas to have longer growing seasons, therefore, higher pollen levels. In fact, the USDA reports allergy seasons feature 21% more pollen than three decades ago.

Locally, Dr. Christopher Opella, primary care physician with Beaufort Memorial Health System says, “because of the humid and warm climate we have here in South Carolina, allergies can be yearround. This all depends on what the patient is allergic to. But, as the temperatures do warm up and we head into pollen

Leading the Way.

season we do see an uptick this time of year in the number of patients who complain of allergy symptoms.” For people who deal with chronic conditions such as asthma, pollen season can be especially challenging. “There are several triggers that can cause asthma. Allergies are probably the number one reason for acute exacerbations of asthma. It is important that asthma patients understand they must maintain regimens to control allergies thus maintain better asthma control as well,” says Dr. Opella.

To help minimize pollens effects, sufferers may find the following tips helpful:

• Check pollen counts daily on websites such as www.pollen.com and tailor activities accordingly. When counts are high — typically on dry, windy days — minimize time outside.

• Exercise outside when pollen counts are lowest (usually early and late in the day, though times vary by pollen type.)

• Wear sunglasses and a protective mask while gardening or working outside.

• Don’t bring pollen inside. Shower, wash your hair and change your clothes after time outside. Your pets need to be brushed or washed as they too can carry pollen into your home.

• Keep windows and doors closed in your house and car.

• Run your air conditioning.

• Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

When self-help measures fail to work, see a primary care provider for medical care. He or she may recommend an allergist, a doctor who specializes in treating allergies and asthma in severe cases.

We’re always on the lookout for better. That’s why we’re the pioneers in ultra-comfortable, exceptionally accurate laser cataract surgery. We were the first in the region to offer the technology a decade ago and have engaged with industry leaders to further perfect the technique ever since. In fact, we facilitated FDA approval of the latest CATALYS laser software and were the first in the country to implement it. We continually look over the horizon for what’s next so you can see the horizon more clearly.

Let’s talk about your eyes.

The Leading

Surgery

ANITA STEPHENS

Contributor

The 2024 Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival, often described as the gastronomic event of the year, is in full swing and running through the end of this week. The seven-day festival of incredible food and Lowcountry experiences offers something for everyone. Celebrating its 16th year, locals and many out of state visitors, who plan their trip to the area specifically centered around the dates of the event, eagerly anticipate an unforgettable Lowcountry culinary adventure for seafood and non-seafood lovers alike.

The curated events of the week take place in various locations throughout the Island, including The Coastal Discovery Museum, Alexander’s Restaurant, Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, Holy Tequila Restaurant, Lincoln + South Brewing Company and May River excursions in Bluffton. Fourteen special events fill this year’s roster, providing plenty to do, eat, drink and please the multitude.

The exciting and varied culinary adventure showcases the area’s rich heritage, its food and gracious hospitality, featuring talented local chefs as well as several nationally recognized chefs who will bring their own recipe twists to local fare. Other events during the festival include a traditional rustic, “Pig Pickin’ and Oyster Roast” barbecue, bonfires, culinary tool demonstration/ lectures, wine tastings, an art exhibition, outdoor excursions, music, family friendly activities and more. It is the quintessential Lowcountry Island celebratory experience.

For food connoisseurs, James Beard Award Winner Fernando Olea will appear at the Holy, Mole, and Olea event. North Carolina chef, Jenny Castleman, currently on Gordon Ramsay’s latest

television show, will also be a featured guest chef at this year’s festival. Serious foodies can tantalize their palates at Alexander’s Home-Grown Supper for a five-course meal featuring flavors of the Lowcountry and wine from Elyse Winery. Zero Forks Given promises to be a unique dining experience as no forks will be required for all foods offered during this culinary event.

The family-friendly main event, the Saturday Seafood Festival, takes place February 23 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Coastal Discovery Museum. Tickets for admission are $15.00 for adults and children under age 12 are free. For three and a half hours, attendees can indulge in food and drink from over 100 vendors, enjoy live music, take in cooking demonstrations, and meet guest chefs and cookbook authors. If personal constraints allow attendance to only one event during the week-long 2024 Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival, Saturday is the perfect opportunity to capture and condense the entire festival experience. Fun, kid friendly activities like rock climbing and mining for shark teeth will keep the younger attendees amused and entertained. Rex Garniewicz, Director of the Coastal Discovery Museum, looks forward to welcoming attendees to the property and says it is one of the “favorite events of the year. The museum grounds are carefully manicured and preserved to maintain its pristine appearance and provide a look back into what Hilton Head Island looked like in the early days,” said Garniewicz. “It is a little slice of Heaven back here. We also have a great art exhibition currently showing in our museum’s gallery entitled, “Intricate Oceans: Coral in Contemporary Art.” We are expecting over 5,000 in attendance for

INNOVATIONS FROM PAGE 6A

leadership team that strives to not only be a healthcare provider of choice but also an employer of choice,” said Ryan Lee, CEO of Coastal Carolina Hospital. “I look forward to expanding the resources available to our team.”

The Novant Health network consists of more than 1,900 physicians and over 36,000 team members who provide care at more than 800 locations, including 19 hospitals and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics, according to the news release. In addition to incorporating advanced technology into their medical care, the North Carolina based company has developed initiatives including professional development programs, scholarships, and health education screenings.

In addition to its hospitals and their physicians, Hilton Head Regional Healthcare works with over 40 independent physicians. Advancements here in recent years and new ones being planned and developed, show a common innovative mindset between our local medical professionals and Novant Health. The Hilton Head Island Bluffton Chamber of Commerce recently featured local healthcare professionals in its “5 questions “ podcasts, including Joel Taylor and cardiologist Dr. Timothy Alikakos.

Late last year, Taylor talked with the Chamber about the many advances and subsequent recognition seen at Hilton Head Hospital and Coastal Carolina Hospital in recent years. He noted investment in technology which helps improve care and outcomes. Taylor pointed out that Healthgrades, an independent third-party organization, had ranked Hilton Head Hospital in the top 100 hospitals nationally three times for orthopedics. The system is also ranked in the top five percent in joint replacement. These two hospitals have obtained and used advanced technology including systems such as Da Vinci robotics and the Smith and Nephew CORI system to perform a wide range of surgeries from cardiovascular to orthopedic and others. Taylor announced in fact, that Coastal Carolina

Hospital had recently performed its 3000th DaVinci robot surgery. Even with the great success of robotics and other technology, Taylor noted that there must remain a focus on the human excellence that contributes to the quality of medical care in this area.

“We have a medical staff that could practice anywhere. They choose to live here,” he said, illustrating our ability to attract talented professionals. Taylor talked on the podcast about many of the strengths of our healthcare including the collaboration between the two hospitals, and the importance of teamwork.

“The commitment to quality and safety is all built on the team,” said Taylor.

Dr. Alikakos also emphasized the intersection of technology and the human element in creating excellent healthcare when he spoke to the Chamber recently. Specifically, when on the topic of the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and its inevitable influence on the medical profession, he said, “We talk about where this is going to go. I often wonder where it’s going to go.” Acknowledging the potential benefits of AI, he added “I hope the human side is still given a lot of importance and preference.”

From the technological side, Dr. Alikakos said we might see AI uses emerge first in radiology in terms of its benefits for evaluation of results in imaging. He said one of the most important advances that can be made in medicine combining technology and human skills is in streamlining and improving information exchange, both between doctors and between the doctor and the patient. He indicated that improved information exchange has the ability to improve outcomes. While factors such as genetics are not easy to overcome, Dr. Alikakos noted that individuals can have an influence on their own health and be further empowered by gaining health knowledge and practicing good health habits. He says this can combine with the new trend toward more individualized care to create better outcomes.

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Kiwanis Club of Bluffton Members, Jim Jensen and Robyn Kiser, present a check for $2,400 to Bethany Thomas, Bluffton Red Cedar Elementary Library Media Specialist. The check to Red Cedar Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization is to provide students in need with coupons for Red Cedar’s Book Fair and for a Magnet Wall to be used in conjunction with the school’s Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Program. It’s all part of Bluffton Kiwanis’ mission of “Improving the World One Chid, and One Community, At a Time.

The Bluffton Kiwanis Club serves charitable organizations throughout the Greater Bluffton Region. For more information, including information on membership, contact Tim Beedle at 415-218-0058.

Time To Get Back On The Diamond: Senior Softball League Fires Up

BY JUSTIN JARRETT Contributor

Some people just don’t know when to hang up their spikes.

If that sounds like you, Senior Softball Beaufort County wants to see how much game you’ve got left — but only if you’re 55 or older.

The league has partnered with Hilton Head Island Recreation Center to announce its spring season, which is set to begin in March with games played at Barker Field on Hilton Head Island, and the organization already has more than 80 players committed to five teams, as well as a number of local sponsors.

But there’s still room for more players, whether they’re hardcore or hardly care whether they win or lose.

“We want players of all abilities and will build team rosters that foster friendships, fun, and healthy competition,” league commissioner Rick Trenary said. “All of our teams include tournament-caliber players alongside teammates that just want to play for the fun of the game.”

The league was founded in 2021 by Trenary and Dave Hofmann and employs specific rules designed to allow senior men and women to continue playing in a safe, fun, and competitive environment.

“Rosters are limited to 15 players,” Hofmann said. “So that means everyone who shows up for games will be in the batting lineup and play at least a few innings in the field.”

Some existing teams are seeking additional players, and the league is open to expansion. Interested players are encouraged to register as soon as possible and will be contacted prior to a series of scheduled introductory practices. The practice sessions will serve to allow players to knock off the rust and get back into game mode, as well as give league organizers and coaches an opportunity to evaluate players’ skills to aide in creating competitively balanced rosters.

Teams are built with a goal of parity through a draft process, so individuals are asked to register on-line at www.seniorsoftballbeaufort.com and strongly encouraged to attend at least one open group practice.

The season will run from March through late-May with teams playing doubleheaders on Wednesday afternoons at Barker Field. The league will also hold a fall season.

To find more information about the league or to register, visit SeniorSoftballBeaufort.com or send email to SeniorSoftballofBeaufort@gmail.com.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SENIOR SOFTBALL BEAUFORT COUNTY

Men and women ages 55 and over are invited to register for the spring season of Senior Softball Beaufort County, which will be played from March through May at Barker Field on Hilton Head Island.

Calling All Fur Babies: New Pet Resort Open

BY AMY COYNE BREDESON Contributor

Does your dog need more exercise and some socialization with other dogs? Send him to day camp at the newly opened Pet Paradise in Okatie, and he will be one happy camper.

The Okatie location is Pet Paradise’s 59th resort nationwide and its third in South Carolina. Based out of Jacksonville, the company is expected to open several more resorts across the country between this year and next.

Pet Paradise President and CEO Fernando Acosta-Rua said the idea is to have sort of a one-stop shop for pets, complete with a day camp, overnight boarding, a grooming salon and dog training. Some locations also have a veterinarian on site. The Okatie resort is still looking for a dog trainer, who they hope to hire before the end of the year.

“I remember as a kid dropping our dog off at the vet when we’d go out of town,”

we can provide that service, which we do, then we think it’s a win.”

Resort manager Shelby Ehly said their canine guests are separated into different play groups based on size and activity level. Dogs under 25 pounds get to play in the specially designed Tiny Town. Playtime coordinators supervise all of the dogs to make sure everyone gets along and stays safe.

tween all of the fun.

The new facility in Okatie is more than 15,000 square feet and features nearly 200 air-conditioned suites. Dog owners can choose between an indoor suite, an indoor-outdoor suite, and a VIP suite.

Acosta-Rua said. “It was a traumatic experience, our German shepherd, tail between his legs and cowering. It was traumatic for everybody.”

He said at Pet Paradise the goal is for the dogs to be excited when they return for a visit. He and his staff love when dog owners say their fur babies didn’t want to leave.

“That’s the best compliment we get from our owners,” Acosta-Rua said. “If

Dogs who visit Pet Paradise get plenty of exercise running around, playing with new friends in the indoor and outdoor play yards, and splashing around in a zero-entry bone-shaped swimming pool.

Ehly said dog owners don’t need to worry about their pets overheating in the summer because in addition to the pool, they have shaded areas and misting stations outdoors. She said the playtime coordinators also make sure the dogs have time to rest in their private rooms in be-

Your little prince or princess will be living like royalty in one of Pet Paradise’s VIP suites, which include a comfy toddler bed with blanket and pillow, a TV, a webcam so you can check in on your furry friend at any time, and locally made dogsafe ice cream from Jack Frost Homemade Ice Cream.

While Pet Paradise might seem like a dogs-only resort, don’t be mistaken. The humans there love cats as much as they love dogs. The resort offers overnight boarding in its 14 multi-level cat condos.

Pet Paradise has a great deal for new customers - one free overnight stay or one free day of camp. The resort is located at 139 Okatie Center Blvd North. Go to www. petparadise.com/hilton-head.htm for more information.

Pet Paradise is open and ready to spoil fur babies of all kinds for the day or overnights stays.

and the community at large can hold gatherings such as bingo and have educational speakers.

“It is really like taking all of the benefits of concierge care without any of the cost,” said Dr. Rachael Kermis, system medical director, Ochsner 65 Plus. “And there was such a need for primary care doctors here; it is a prime spot.”

Several doctors are on staff at the facility currently- two male and one female doctor, all of whom take appointments as well as drop ins. A case manager will also be available to help patients navigate all the things that come with aging including medications, hospital visits, and staying active. They specialize in common conditions experienced by older adults, like arthritis, diabetes, dementia and heart failure.

“Everything we do here is geared toward educating and helping the patient know more about their health. We will take time with each patient, getting to know them and their needs and providing a personal touch,” said Kermis.

With the U.S. is seeing a significant and rapid increase in the number of people 65 and older, which is projected to reach 22% of the population by 2040, the offerings are forward reaching and extend beyond traditional medical services to include social and wellness opportunities matched to patients’ interests and lifestyles, such as group fitness, cooking demonstrations, health coaching, and card games, among others.

“We have designed these facilities to be all about health maintenance. With appointments between 40 and 60 minutes long, and a social health worker and fitness and social spaces, we are looking to treat the whole person,” noted Daniel Tanner, manager of clinical operations, South Carolina.

Ochsner and Novant Health 65 Plus staff also help patients obtain difficult-to-acquire medications, navigate insurance, obtain financial assistance, and utilize Ochsner Digital Medicine technologies. The facility takes both Humana and traditional Medicare.

Beaufort County Parks Launches New Facebook Page

On Friday, Feb. 2, the primary administrators of the Beaufort County Parks & Recreation social media sites discovered something was wrong on the Parks and Recreation Facebook account. Hence, they have created a new account and encourage everyone to follow the new page and unfollow the old one.

The Facebook account was originally created in 2013 and has gained a healthy following of families and sports enthusiasts in the last decade. Beaufort County Parks and Recreation has enjoyed being able to facilitate transparent and open conversations with residents and used the platform to facilitate the distribution

of information to the public regarding sports and recreational programming.

“With the Spring sports season quickly approaching, we want to be sure that we can communicate quickly and effectively with Beaufort families and residents. The old page should no longer be considered an official informational source and is now considered unauthorized,” stated Beaufort County Public Information Officer Hannah Nichols.

The new page can be accessed by tapping on the Facebook icon on their website at bcscrec.com or by visiting https:// www.facebook.com/bftparksandrec.

Welcome Dr. May!

We are thrilled to welcome Robyn May, DMD to our Bluffton office! Dr. May has lived most of her life in Savannah and attended the University of Louisville Dental School with our own Dr. Jordan Haire! Her kind and friendly personality, combined with her expert clinical skills make her a wonderful addition to our team. Her arrival enables us to better serve our patients and contribute more to our Lowcountry community.

Town Seeks Scholarship Applicants For Safe Student Drivers

The Town of Bluffton is accepting scholarship applications now through April 20 for the four $1,000 scholarships which the Town will award to local seniors and college students who are safe driving ambassadors.

The “Stay Safe, Bluffton!” scholarships are awarded to honor academic and civic achievement while encouraging all students to influence their peers to be safe drivers in order to reduce vehicle incidents.

“Stay Safe, Bluffton!” is a local safe driving campaign to reduce traffic collisions in our region and raise awareness of mindful driving, especially among our town’s younger residents.

Since 2019, the Town awards four $1,000 scholarships to students in greater Bluffton. The application period started February 1 and the Town is accepting applications until April 20, 2024.

More details and the application are available on the Town’s website: https:// www.townofbluffton.sc.gov/FormCenter/Police-11/2024-Stay-Safe-BlufftonScholarship-94

SEAFOOD

The Town’s annual 5K will be held in conjunction with the Town’s Independence Day celebration to raise funds for these scholarships. Please mark your calendar for this date. Participants can run, jog, or walk. There will also be prizes for canine and stroller participants. This event is a way to show your support for safe driving on roads while supporting local scholarships.

Town leaders hope the campaign, annual 5K race, and resulting scholarships act as a reminder for everyone to #justdrive and be mindful of not multi-tasking while driving.

The four scholarship winners will be chosen from Bluffton High School, May River High School, private high schools, homeschooled seniors, or a local college/vocational school student.

Scholarship winners will be announced in May.

For more information about the Town’s “Stay Safe, Bluffton!” Campaign, please contact, Eileen McCallum, event coordinator, at emccallum@townofbluffton.com.

FROM PAGE 12A

Saturday’s event.” Rex enjoys working together with the David M. Carmines Foundation, the principal sponsor and driver behind the festival and its events. “Andrew Carmines and the Foundation are incredibly generous and have at the crux of their heart, a likeminded goal focused on continued preservation and sustainability of our environment and it’s waterways.”

The David M. Carmines Memorial Foundation was established by the Carmines family with a mission to serve the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton community while honoring their son David who died at age 24 from a rare form of cancer. “Each ticket sold helps to provide funds

for nonprofits that benefit our beloved Lowcountry. There is so much to be excited about this year, we’ve had 16 years of evolution, but we’ve kept the same core spirit of adventure in the outdoors that defined David so much,” said Andrew Carmine, brother of David. “Every penny is earmarked for donation. We’ve donated $5 million to local charities in the past five years so that just means the world.”

Events are ticketed and due to their popularity, some events are expected to be sell outs. For current ticket status and ticket purchase information, go to: https://www.hiltonheadseafoodfestival. com/.

Arts & Entertainment Calendar

THROUGH FEB. 25

Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival at the Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head Island celebrates the South’s food culture with weeklong festivities showcasing fresh local seafood but offers plenty for the non-seafood lover as well. Celebrity chef dinners, pitmasters, cooking demos, wine tastings and fun for families with kids. For tickets and information go to: www.hiltonheadseafoodfetival. com

FEB. 29 -MAR. 4

Bravo Piano! International Piano Competition “Plays Well With Others…” showcases the piano’s countless collaborative capabilities, featuring outstanding Hilton Head International Piano Competition alumni—both prize-winners and judges—as well as prominent jazz pianists performing in a variety of ensemble settings. For tickets and information

go to: www.hhso.org/event/bravopiano-festival/

MAR. 4 - 6

Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Golf Tournament returns to the Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island with 17 college women’s team members competing for the titles in both team and individual divisions.

Open to the public at no charge. For more information go to: https://longcoveclub.com/darius-rucker-intercollegiate

MAR. 9

The Boys & Girls Club “Passport to Great Futures Gala” Experience unique world culture and cuisine as you take flight to the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island’s Passport to Great Futures Gala at Westin Hilton Head Resort & Spa, from 6 – 10 p.m. For tickets and more information go to: www.bgchiltonhead.

org/events

MAR. 16

Bluffton St. Patrick’s Day Celebration multiple events include a 5K run, Golf Cart Parade and Block Party Celebration at the Oyster Factory Park. Events begin at 8:45 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. Sign-up and registrations are required to participate. More information may be found at: https://www.blufftonsc.com/events/stpatricks-block-party/

MAR. 16

Irishfest at Celebration Park on Hilton Head Island will host an Irish Concert, featuring the Celtic folk rock band, Syr, as well as pipe and drum bands and Irish cloggers and dancers. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to sit on. No coolers or pets allowed at this event.

MAR. 17

Hilton Head Island Saint Patrick’s Day Parade begins at 2 p.m. on Pope Avenue near Celebration Park and ends at Office Park Road. Monty Jett is the 2024 Grand Marshall. The Budweiser Clydesdales will make an appearance along with the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile, marching bands, colorful floats and more.

MAR. 24 - 30

Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival returns for the 39th year, bringing with it beautiful weather, delicious sips and tasty bites from the region’s culinary leaders. For more information and tickets go to: www.hiltonheadwineandfood.com/

LIBRARY WINTER CLASSES

Tuesday, February 27, 2024 | 1:30-2:30pm

Tea and Torture in 1774

Tuesday, March 5, 2024 | 10:30-11:30am

Crossing the Combahee – Settlement of the Southern Parishes and Beaufort District

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | 4:30-6:30pm

Hilton Head History & Happy Hour

@ Tio’s Latin American Kitchen

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

Family Tree Maker Classes: A Four-Part Series

Thursday, March 7, 2024 | 10:00-11:30am

PART 1: Overview and the First Steps

Thursday, March 14, 2024 | 10:00-11:30am

PART 2: Getting Started – People and Media Tabs

Thursday, March 21, 2024 | 10:00-11:30am

PART 3: Introducing the Web Search

Thursday, March 28, 2024 | 10:00-11:30am

WHERE: 56 Calhoun Street, Bluffton, SC 29910 lapetitegallerie.com

Grilli Featured Artist

At La Petite Gallerie

PART 4: Creating a Final Product – Find and Fix Errors and Get Started with the Publish Tab

Tuesday, March 12, 2024 | 10:30-11:30am

Women in the American Revolution

La Petite Gallerie, an intimate Old Town Bluffton shop featuring local art, is spotlighting painter Sue Grilli in March. Her art is a delightful treat to experience! Her floral paintings, as well as her abstract creations elicit more than just visual pleasure. Describing her florals she says, “A garden filled with flowers presents an everlasting inspiration for art. Although there is so much beauty in nature, I am not just painting the flowers. I am painting how the flowers make you feel.”

Sue is a mixed media artist – always trying something new and exploring the interaction of her paints, inks, and what-

ever other form of color making materials she can lay her hands on, with different painting surfaces. She is intrigued with texture and often incorporates collage – including cut or torn painted paper – into her work. Whether using watercolor, oil or acrylic, she paints intuitive abstracts and landscapes that don’t just capture nature at its best, but how experiencing it makes you feel. Sue is generally on hand Thursdays to greet you – her day to work the desk at La Petite Gallerie. She is delighted to share and let you in on her latest artistic experiments. Stop by to see her soon!

LA PETITE GALLERIE

The Roasting Room Live Music Venue Re-Opens

The Roasting Room, Bluffton’s unique café and music venue located on the second floor above the Corner Perk, is percolating with live music shows this week in celebration of the Room’s reopening. The stage is set for three nights of performances by favorite artists who will fill the night with exceptional live music.

The week began with a double feature on Feb. 20 with John Brewster & Hollifield after having toured the country and played on big stages. Brewster, after a successful and adventurous three-year run with local Charleston band, SondorBlue, made the decision to embark on his creative journey as a solo artist.

Charleston rock n’ roll ensemble, Hollifield, rolls out amiable, cozy, small town tunes. Both artist and band originated in Bluffton and are excited to play for the home town crowd again.

Cranford Hollow, a one-of-a-kind

Southern rock band, follows on Tuesday, Feb. 21 with back-to-back shows: Acoustic Vibes and Rocks Out. Hailed as “A Truly American Band” by No Depression Magazine, Cranford Hollow has played over 2,000 shows across 42 states and has shared the bill and opening for national acts like Charlie Daniels, Blues Traveler, and Guster.

Thursday night’s music will combine Nick Poulin & Matt Waters and the Recipe, two best bud bands performing on in a double feature Wednesday evening.

Friday opens with Sweet Lillies and their quartet lineup of guitar, viola, upright bass, drums and ethereal vocal harmonies that float like a dream, their music has a hard-hitting original flavor with a forward-looking eye. Friday’s second feature act is the Kenny George Band at 9 p.m. The week finishes Saturday evening with the resilient and popular The Hight Divers.

ROASTING ROOM SHOWS

Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Cranford Hollow: Acoustic Vibes & Rocks Out

Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Nick Poulin & Matt Waters and the Recipe

Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.

The Sweet Lillies.

Feb. 23 at 9 p.m.

Kenny George Band

Feb 24. at 7 p.m. & 9 p.m.

The High Divers

DIRECTED BY JAMEEKA HOLLOWAY

PALMETTO QUILT GUILD

2024 QUILT FESTIVAL MARCH 22-24

Hours: 10am - 5pm Friday & Saturday 10am – 1pm Sunday

Admission $15

Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort

40 Folly Field Road, Hilton Head Island

More than 125 Quilts Displayed

Boutique and Vintage Items for Sale, Silent Auction, Vendors and MORE…

AQS Certified Quilt Appraiser on March 22 & 23 $65 for a written appraisal.

See our website for an appointment or walk-ins available.

Inaugural Beer And Cigar Festival Comes To Hilton Head Island

The inaugural Bold Beer and Cigar Festival is coming to Hilton Head on Saturday, March 2nd. The festival was a hit with beer enthusiasts last November in Bluffton and now the Island gets their chance to indulge. The event will feature 25 high gravity, seasonal, craft, and international beers curated by the local event management company, Bear Foot Sports.

Bear Foot Sports has been putting on beer festivals for over thirty years, but for this occasion, they’re focusing on providing a selective beer list and quality experience. The exclusive menu is curated with high rated sours, bitters, and “beer with flavor,” as president and founder, Mark Weisner puts it.

In the name of luxury and relaxation, the festival will also feature a cigar vendor so guests can further indulge, as well as an option to include two premi-

um cigars alongside the beer tasting experience. Live music will be provided by the father/son duo, the Joey & Mike Show and food vendors will have delicious options to pair with the drinks.

The festival will be set at local venue Shelter Cove Community Park with its local shops and scenic views of the marsh. Mark says, “we just want to create an experience for people who really like good beer. We want people to come out, relax, and enjoy– even those with a discriminating palate.”

Bring your lounge chairs and come unwind for the afternoon. The festival is from 3 to 6 PM and you can choose from two packages– one for a premium beer flight and the other for a flight plus premium cigars. For tickets, visit bearfootsports.com.

This is a 21+, cash only event.

“Plays Well with Others” – BravoPiano!

2024 Festival on Hilton Head Island

The Hilton Head International Piano Competition (HHIPC) will present the BravoPiano! 2024 Festival from Feb. 29 through Mar. 4, featuring eleven world-class artists over five days on Hilton Head Island. This triennial festival celebrates the HHIPC and its rich history. This season’s event is entitled “PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS…,” showcasing the piano as an instrument and its many collaborative capabilities. Guest performers include outstanding HHIPC alumni—both prize-winners and judges—as well as prominent jazz pianists in a variety of ensemble settings.

BravoPiano! Festival began in 2018 to recognize the Hilton Head International Piano Competition’s significance as a premier international competition. The HHI International Piano Competition has been providing important opportunities for young pianists to perform and grow since 1996.

As professional solo pianists live a very solitary existence as performers, the focus of this year’s festival will be on the piano’s natural collaborative nature with other instruments. The festival opens with two premier piano duos in classical music and jazz, who also happen to be married couples: classical virtuosos Ran Dank and Soyeon Kate Lee, (Feb. 29), followed the next night by jazz greats Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes (Mar.1). Saturday’s spotlight is on chamber music, with piano quintets performed by pianist Angela Cheng and the award-winning Verona Quartet (Mar. 2). Sunday’s pro-

gram combines jazz and classical music in the masterful hands of pianist Aaron Diehl and bassist David Wong (Mar. 3). The finale on Monday, Mar. 4 is a three-concerto extravaganza with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and Maestro John Morris Russell entitled “Rhapsody and Fantasy,” featuring three different guest soloists. Drew Petersen (2011 HHIPC Second Prize winner) will play Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue (in honor of the 100th anniversary of the premiere); Wynona Yinuo Yang (2022 HHIPC Medalist) will perform Busoni’s rarely heard Indian Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra; and the program culminates with Orli Shaham(HHIPC 2019 Juror) playing Rachmaninoff’s thrilling Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

By bringing back former winners and judges to combine styles and play with eminent jazz performers, the spotlight proudly shines on the HHIPC and celebrates its successful impact on the piano world in an unanticipated collaboration of styles.

The first four BravoPiano! performances (Feb. 29 – Mar. 3) take place at St. Luke’s Anglican Church (50 Pope Avenue), and the finale on Mar. 4 will be at the HHSO’s traditional concert home at First Presbyterian Church Hilton Head Island (540 William Hilton Parkway). Tickets for all concerts are on sale now through the HHIPC website (www.hhipc.org). More information and tickets can also be obtained by calling the box office at 843-842-2055.

Don’t Miss The 29th Annual Hilton Head Shamrock Run

BY CHANNING HEISS Contributor

It’s not too early to start looking forward to Spring and the organizers of the upcoming Hilton Head Shamrock 5k Run announced their event is open for registration. The run will be held March 16.

Presented by Bearfoot Sports, the fee is $38 through March 14 and $45 for late registration. Online registration is available at the Bearfoot Sports website. The race begins at 8 a.m., starting on Pope Avenue at Heritage Plaza and finishing at Coligny Plaza. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in all age groups

and for the top three men and women.

Whether you are a racer or just a reveler, Bearfoot Sports says “get your Irish on.” The organizers encourage you to “channel your inner leprechaun” as you rummage through the closet to put together the perfect St. Patty’s Day outfit. They describe the event as a healthy family tradition where they promote fun and community. Bearfoot Sports will donate a portion of the proceeds to a local nonprofit as they do with all of their events.

For more information, go to the Bearfoot Sports website at www.bearfootsports.com or call 843-757-8520.

Dual Artist Demonstration at Maye River Gallery

Two well-known, local artisans will be giving a demonstration of their jewelry making techniques on Feb. 22 at the Maye River Gallery, 100 Church Street from 12 and 3 p.m. The artisans, Susan C. Knight and Lydia Chojnacki have honed their skills for many years and produce beautiful, original pieces that include necklaces, pendants, bracelets and earrings. Their works are seen regularly in Lowcountry galleries and exhibits. Knight, best known for her work in sterling silver signature piece designs of ginkgo leaves gains inspiration from the folklore surrounding the leaf itself. “The ginkgo leaf has always been a favorite. I love

the grace and strength of this leaf,” says Susan. “It comes from the Ginkgo baloba tree, also called the maidenhair tree, which is believed to stand for longevity and happiness. Trees live for hundreds of years and nothing makes me happier than a day at my work bench working on a piece and incorporating a new leaf design in sterling.” Lydia Chojnacki works with stunning glass pearl beads and sterling as well. Over the years, her work has evolved from simple jewelry pieces to complicated classic designs that incorporate semi-precious beads, wirework and a variety of beading techniques. Uniqueness and quality craftsmanship are the tenets of her work.

Roots Music Duo To Perform At Music On Malphrus

David Jacobs-Strain and Bob Beach, a dynamic duo since 2010, will perform at Music on Malphrus Friday, March 15.

The duo captivates audiences with their multigenerational blend of roots music. Performing up to 100 shows annually, these singer/songwriters astonish fans with their stage presence and musical prowess.

Listen to David strum his Pogreba guitar, crafted by a legendary builder, and Bob skillfully wield two harmonicas. Original music and melodies live at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Friday, March 15 at Music on Malphrus at The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry, located at 110 Malphrus Road, Bluffton, SC.

Tickets $25 available at door or from

www.uulowcountry.org Or call 843-837-3330 for more information.

‘Let’s Rock’ Returns

The Foundation for Educational Excellence is holding a “Let’s Rock! For Innovative Education” concert on Friday, March 8, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with an evening of performances by well-known local musicians. The concert will take place at Hilton Head Island High School’s Seahawk Cultural Center, 70 Wilborn Road, Hilton Head Island.

This event is the 2nd Annual Classic Rock Concert benefiting the Foundation. Local favorite, Deas Guyz, will be headlining the concert. Other musicians performing include the Horan Brothers Band with Lee Johnson and Bob Savarese!

All proceeds of the concert will benefit the Foundation for Educational Excellence serving the students and teachers of the Beaufort County school district since 2007. Last year’s concert raised almost $9,000 that was then granted to district teachers for their innovative projects in their classrooms and schools. Thanks to the success of last year’s concert along with the generous support of

many local organizations, the Foundation was able to award 12 Innovative Teacher Grants and 7 School Resource Grants in the Fall of 2023 to teachers across Beaufort County from 13 different schools. The grants awarded totaled over $25,000 for innovative learning opportunities and projects that go beyond the regular school district budget.

“The Board of the Foundation is thrilled to again host a top-notch concert benefiting the teachers and students of the Beaufort County School District through the Foundation’s efforts,” said Lisa Carroll, Foundation Board Chair. “We hope that the whole community comes out to enjoy an evening of fantastic music for a great cause.”

General admission tickets are $25 and can be purchased online. Tickets for students and teachers are FREE with ID at the door along with a donation of any amount to the Foundation. To purchase tickets or for more information, follow @ foundationedexcellence on Facebook or visit www.foundationedexcellence.com.

Student Artists On Display At SOBA

The Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery (SOBA) currently features the artwork of local students in its annual High School Art Show, which runs through March 3.

This year, three schools are participating in the student art exhibit: Bluffton High School, May River High School and Cross School. High school students involved in their schools’ arts programs get the chance to show the community their work in art, design or photography.

SOBA is located in Bluffton’s historic District at the corner of Church and Calhoun streets. SOBA offers regular art classes, featured artist shows, exhibitions and more. Please visit www. sobagallery.com for a complete calendar of events and other information or call 843-757-6586.

Photo on display titled “Green Lizard” by May River High School Student Delaney Roberts.

Photo on display “Roses” by Bluffton High School Student Harley Rose Galvin.

Acrylic paint titled “Stained Glass” by May River High School Student Emma Peeples.

Colored pencil art titled “Fruit with Hands” by May River High School Student Haley Shupard.

Clay art titled “Ouroborzois” by Bluffton High School Student Victoria Wenrick.

A sampling of works are on display at SOBA’s High School Art Show.

PHOTO CREDIT JOSEPH TURINO

We’re celebrating our anniversary all year long with monthly events at the SOBA Gallery in Old Town Bluffton.

We’ll mark the 30th one day early on Thursday, Feb. 29, as we continue celebrating Valentine's Day and serve homemade truffles to our gallery guests.

Stop in and have some fun!

6 CHURCH STREET OLD TOWN BLUFFTON

SOBAGALLERY.COM

The Benefits of Growth Factors In Anti-Aging Skincare

BY JENNIFER WOLFE Contributor

In the ever-evolving world of skincare, science continues to uncover groundbreaking ingredients that promise to rejuvenate and revitalize our skin. One such discovery that has gained immense popularity is the use of growth factors. These potent proteins play a crucial role in promoting cell growth, tissue repair, and overall skin renewal.

Growth factors are naturally occurring proteins found in our bodies that regulate various cellular processes. In the context of skincare, these proteins are derived from various sources, including plants, animals, and even human stem cells. Their ability to communicate with cells and stimulate the production of collagen, elastin, and other essential components makes them a powerful ally in the fight against aging and skin damage.

Growth factors play a pivotal role in pro-

moting collagen synthesis, a crucial protein responsible for maintaining skin structure and elasticity. As we age, collagen production decreases, leading to sagging and wrinkles. Incorporating growth factors into your skincare routine helps stimulate collagen production, resulting in firmer, more youthful-looking skin.

Skin is constantly exposed to environmental stressors, such as UV rays and pollution, which can cause damage to cellular structures. Growth factors aid in repairing

and regenerating damaged skin cells, promoting a healthier and more resilient complexion. This cellular renewal process can contribute to a smoother skin texture and a reduction in the appearance of scars and fine lines.

Fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots are often the visible signs of aging skin. Growth factors help mitigate these signs by promoting cell turnover and boosting the production of essential skin components. Regular use of growth factor-infused skincare products can lead to a more youthful and radiant complexion.

In the pursuit of radiant and youthful skin, the integration of growth factors into your skincare routine can be a game-changer. These powerful proteins offer a holistic approach to skincare, addressing a range of concerns from fine lines to uneven skin tone. As with any skincare ingredient, it’s essential to choose products from reputable brands and incor-

porate them into a consistent routine for optimal results.

Incorporate growth factor strategies into your age intervention plans with a few non-medical products. For example, Jan Marini’s Regeneration Booster is a potent serum formulated to kickstart your skin’s renewal process. Packed with advanced growth factors, peptides, and antioxidants, this booster is a key player in promoting collagen production, improving elasticity, and reducing the visible signs of aging. Complementing the regeneration booster, the transformation cream from the same line takes your skincare routine to new heights. This moisturizer is enriched with a unique blend of peptides, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants to hydrate, nourish, and transform your skin.

If you are looking for a facial that doesn’t require a visit to the plastic surBENEFITS

Hilton Head National: One Of Bluffton’s Best Courses

BY DR. JEAN HARRIS Contributor

Playing Hilton Head National is the ultimate golf experience in the Lowcountry. It has been rated by local magazines, golf apps (Best of Bluffton for seven years, Golf Now, Golf Advisor) as one of the best courses in South Carolina.

Hilton Head National opened in 1989. It was a Gary Player Signature Course. In 1995 they opened a third nine with Bobby Weed as the architect. However, in 2008, the Bluffton Parkway took nine of the holes away. The course is now a combination of Player/Weed design. This makes the course more interesting with two different styles of design.

Service is their number one priority. The course is extremely popular with tourists with 75% of their play coming from visitors to the Lowcountry. Head professional, Sterlyn Mitchell, says that “word of mouth, social media including Facebook,

Twitter and Instagram, have helped with our popularity. Locals also enjoy playing the course because we treat them like a member.” Mitchell also stated that the “absence of houses, roads and noises makes us different from other public golf courses.”

I toured the course recently and it is in excellent shape. The greens are awesome, and they recently had a bunker renovation making the bunkers perfectly manicured and consistent to hit out of. The bunkers

are strategically located where you can run up shots to many of the greens instead of the forced carries that you have at most golf courses in the Lowcountry. Both Player and Weed wanted to make sure that the average golfer could enjoy playing the course. This also helps with pace of play.

One of the exclusive aspects of the course is the golf carts. They have a GPS system, Visage, that shows you the hole design and distances to the pin on the green. It can also show you how far it is to bunkers and water hazards. It allows the pro shop to know where every cart is on the course so they can monitor pace of play. They want you to be able to finish your round in four hours and fifteen minutes.

The sixth hole is the most picturesque and is their “signature hole.” This hole is very narrow with a lake all along the righthand side and bunkers well placed along the left. The shot to the elevated green is challenging and well bunkered with water

coming into play if you use the wrong club into the green.

An exciting new renovation is the 16th hole, the number one handicap hole on the course. They have rebuilt the fairway to the right giving the golfer more landing area. This helps you with your shot to the smallest green on the course.

The final hole, number 18, is very challenging with both length and accuracy needed to end your round with a good number. A water hazard along the right side makes accuracy important on both your drive and shot into this elevated green.

Finally, Hilton Head National added their resort RV Park in 2022 to rave reviews. Now the camping world knows about golf in the Lowcountry.

Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local golf courses. jean.golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; golfdoctorjean.com

Hilton Head National has consistently been rated as one of the best courses in South Carolina.

USCB Faculty, Student Researchers Seeking Cure To Chagas Disease

BY CAROL WEIR Contributor

About seven million people, mostly in Latin America, have Chagas disease. Now, a faculty-student research team at the University of South Carolina Beaufort might have discovered a new way to beat the illness.

“Chagas’ disease is a neglected tropical disease requiring an overhaul of the current therapeutic medicinal options,” said research project leader Edward L. D’Antonio, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Structural Biology. “The goal of our research is to eventually discover a therapeutic having a good relative efficacy that lacks harsh side effects.”

Chagas disease is considered a neglected tropical disease because it is rarely addressed by global health programs and funding agencies. It is caused by a unicellular parasite — Trypanosoma cruzi — commonly transmitted by the bite from the blood-sucking triatomine bug, often referred to as the kissing bug — and kissing

bugs are found in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

In the initial stage of infection, the symptoms of Chagas disease range from nothing to fever, headache, muscle pain, difficulty in breathing, and abdominal or chest pain. If untreated, the disease can cause cardiac and digestive disorders, including enlarged heart and colon. In later years, it can result in the inflammation of key digestive tract organs and the heart, heart failure, and sudden death. Between 5% to 10% of those infected with Chagas disease will die from it.

To survive and reproduce, the T. cruzi parasite that causes Chagas disease needs to absorb nutrition from its host’s cells. Glucose is one supplement the parasite needs. D’Antonio and his USCB team of student researchers have identified three metabolic pathways within T. cruzi that utilize glucose.

Blocking glucose from these three pathways effective-

USCB biology majors Carson Frey and Destiny O’Neill at work in the D’Antonio laboratory running assays.

Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal Announced For Festivities On March 16-17

The 2024 Grand Marshal for the 39th annual Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade was introduced February 8 at at Reilley’s Grill & Bar, headquarters for the parade.

Monty Jett, well-known in the community for his work in radio, but also recognized as the announcer’s voice for numerous nonprofit fundraisers, received his sash in a 3 p.m. ceremony, with past Grand Marshals, parade officials, friends and media present.

Jett came to Hilton Head Island in 1988 from Charleston to start up JOY 108 FM. He rode in that year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade with his coworkers and has participated in the parade every year since then. For the past several years, he has served as a parade announcer at the reviewing stand after riding as a parade entry.

Jett has volunteered his emcee and announcer services for numerous local nonprofits over the years, helping to raise an estimated $30 million in donations. Among those organizations are Volunteers in Medicine, Boys & Girls Club, American Cancer Society, Island Recreation Center, the Celebrity Golf Tournament, and dozens more. In early 2000, he considered retiring from that service –until last year’s Grand Marshal, Stan Smith, called and said the Boys & Girls Club needed help.

Whenever there is a fundraising event, you will likely hear him before you see him.

Parade time backed up to 2 p.m.

The ever-popular Budweiser Clydesdales will return to the Lowcountry for the 39th Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s

Day Parade, the highlight of IrishFest weekend on the island. The parade steps off this year at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 17, on Pope Avenue near Lowcountry Celebration Park, 94 Pope Ave., and ends at Office Park Road.

The parade is expected to draw thousands of participants and spectators of all ages from around the region.

Another fan favorite, the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile, will be on hand for the weekend. Scheduled to march are a number of pipe and drum bands, including Charleston Pipe & Drum Corps and the U.S. Border Patrol, with bands from Atlanta, Savannah and New Haven, Connecticut. Several area high school bands and performance troupes will participate as well.

Local businesses, schools and nonprofits will be represented with colorful floats,

cars, trucks, boats and other vehicles, along with local and state dignitaries.

The previous day, Saturday, March 16, at 4 p.m. the third annual Irish Concert will be held at Lowcountry Celebration Park, featuring the Celtic folk rock band Syr, as well as pipe and drum bands, and Irish cloggers and dancers.

This event is free and open to the public. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to sit and enjoy the music. No coolers or pets will be allowed.

To enter a school, business or community group in the parade, to volunteer, and for more information, visit hiltonheadireland.org.

BY MARK F. WINN Contributor

When you decide to plan your estate, if you use a revocable trust as a vehicle for transferring your assets to avoid probate, as opposed to a will alone (which ensures probate in almost all cases), then what are the rules practicing lawyers employ to advise you?

RULE 1: Assets such as life insurance, most annuities, retirement accounts, other accounts that are payable on death (P.O.D), generally pass in accordance with the designation on file with the life insurance company, the custodian, or the financial institution. So, what controls

these assets? Answer: The beneficiary designation. Do assets that are governed by beneficiary designation go through probate? Not if they are payable to a person, persons or to a trust.

RULE 2: Assets that are owned jointly with right of survivorship, pass to surviving joint owner(s) by operation of law.

RULE 3: Assets in a trust are governed by the trust terms. They do not go through probate.

Those are the rules related to what governs the disposition of different asset classes. Now, what are the general objectives people wish to accomplish?

OBJECTIVE 1: Avoid unnecessary fees and costs at probate court.

OBJECTIVE 2: Maximize the amount that may go to a spouse or loved one “in trust” (pursuant to the terms of a trust). Why? To avoid estate taxes, maximize asset protection and keep it in your blood family.

In order to accomplish desired objectives, it is imperative that the client be informed and advised as to the title or designation on each asset class they may have so as to ensure optimal results in their planning.

A simple example illustrates. Let’s say Dad created a revocable trust and he directs all his assets go into a trust for the benefit of his daughter and her two children (his grandchildren). The trust directs she can get all the income and the principal for her needs. It also ensures that if the daughter gets sued, or divorced, those assets in trust will NOT be exposed. This is great planning but not effective unless Dad re-titles his non-retirement accounts into his trust and properly designates the beneficiary on his annuities, retirement accounts, etc.

Now, assume Dad just had daughter as beneficiary on everything and that she was joint owner on his assets too. If that

is the case, probate may be avoided but none of the assets would legally be directed to go to the trust for the daughter’s benefit. She could be sued and this would expose his assets to the lawsuit. Fast forward 15 years and daughter had inherited $500,000 free of trust (because Dad’s trust wasn’t properly funded) and daughter gets sued for divorce. Do you think she could lose $250,000 or half of her inheritance in the divorce, or to another lawsuit? You bet she could. Would that money be included in her taxable estate for estate tax purposes? Yes, it would. Are Dad’s assets guaranteed to go down to his grandchildren? No. Moral of the story: Proper titling of assets and coordinated beneficiary designations is crucial to the success of any estate plan.

Mark F. Winn, J.D., is a Master in Estate Planning, a local tax, asset protection and estate planning attorney.

Mark Winn

The ‘Internal-Bra’ Breast Lift Is A New Surgical Technique Being Explored

BY DR. MATHEW EPPS Contributor

A breast lift with bioabsorbable mesh, also known as an “internal bra” or “mesh-assisted” breast lift, is a recent highend surgical procedure that combines traditional breast lift techniques with the use of a mesh material to provide additional internal support and longevity to the results. The technique is especially helpful following significant weight loss.

During a breast lift, excess skin is removed, and the remaining breast tissue is reshaped and lifted to create a more youthful and perky appearance. However, in some cases, especially when the breasts

have lost significant volume and elasticity, as an alternative to breast implant placement, surgeons may incorporate a mesh material, typically made of a synthetic filament which is reabsorbed over several months, to reinforce the internal structure of the breast and help maintain the lifted position over time.

Further, the mesh-assisted lift can be combined with small-volume fat grafts to the breast tissue to create both upper pole fullness and to correct asymmetry.

Benefits of using mesh in a breast lift may include:

1. Improved longevity of results: The mesh helps to support the breast tissue and prevent sagging, potentially prolonging the effects of the breast lift.

2. Enhanced support for larger and lower breasts: Women with larger or heavier breasts may benefit from the additional reinforcement provided by the

mesh.

3. Reduced risk of complications: By providing internal support, mesh-assisted breast lifts may reduce the risk of certain complications associated with traditional breast-implants.

The recovery time from an absorbable mesh-assisted breast lift can vary, but generally, patients can expect a full recovery to take about six weeks on average. Most patients are typically able to resume normal activities after about two months.

It is important to note that while absorbable mesh-assisted breast lifts can be effective in certain cases, they are not suitable for everyone. The decision to use mesh should be made on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as the patient’s breast anatomy, skin quality, and medical history. As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and considerations associated with breast lifts using mesh, including the risk of infection, and the need for additional surgeries. As this is a modern high-end approach, patients considering mesh-assisted breast lift should thoroughly discuss this procedure with a qualified aesthetic plastic surgeon specialist.

Mathew T. Epps MD, MS, DABS is Triple Fellowship Trained Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon Specializing in Facial, Eyelid, and Breast Surgery. Visit Matheweppsmd.com or email at info@dreppsmd.com

Mathew Epps

Proactive Relocation To The Rescue

BY LINDSAY PERRY Contributor

At Palmetto Animal League, they always say there is a person out there for every pet. However, sometimes it’s not the person that’s the perfect fit, but the place!

EDDIE

A cat named Eddie was adopted as a kitten and then, through no fault of his own, was returned to PAL at 10 months old. After spending nearly two years at their adoption center, it became clear that Eddie needed a little extra help finding his forever home.

“He’s a leather jacket-wearing, goatee-sporting renegade who loves being free to bust boundaries,” says PAL volunteer Lori Higgins.

So, PAL reached out to friends at LiveBrineShrimp.com in Oak Hill, FL and asked if the farm, which supplies the aquatic industry, could use the loyal presence of an independent-minded feline with a proven track record of deterring rodents.

“We had recently adopted a farm cat who was not interested being outside in the slightest,” says Aquaculture Manager Ford Howell. “So, I drove 4+ hours to PAL and brought Eddie down to the farm.”

Within 2 weeks Eddie was out on the farm chasing fiddler crabs and earning his keep by ridding the farm of pests that hinder operations.

“Eddie is adventurous, affectionate, and very inquisitive, which has led to some pretty amusing antics” says Howell smiling. “He likes to paw at the feeder fish in the tank and he’s already fallen in twice!”

Not every cat is destined for the same life and just like people, some cats need different environments to reach their full potential.

“Eddie just needed to be outside and be part of nature to thrive,” says Howell.

“When he’s not climbing trees and chasing crabs, I’m pretty sure Eddie is plotting to take over the world - or at least the farm.”

UBU

A dog named Ubu came to Palmetto Animal League with a collar embedded in his

neck. The abuse he suffered through neglect was unspeakable. Long after his physical wounds had healed, Ubu continued to shy away from entering a crate and wearing a collar. He needed a second chance somewhere he could be free and continue healing emotionally at his own pace. PAL staff felt strongly that Grace Farm Animal Rescue in Islandton, SC would be Ubu’s saving grace.

“When I heard about Ubu, I knew I had the space and ability to give him a chance to get out of the kennel,” says Grace Farm Founder Robin Boeke. “He, like so many other dogs, became a product of an abusive environment, resulting in fear issues that eventually led to behavioral issues. With time, patience, love, and the right setting, these problems can be overcome.”

When Ubu arrived at Grace Farm, he found his very own “pup tent condo” complete with a rug, bed, doghouse, and lots of

Happy New Year, Happy New Year, Happy New Year, Happy New Year!

BY RABBI KEN KANTER Contributor

No, this is not a typographical or computer error in this article. In fact, while we in the general Bluffton community have one New Year celebration, that December 31/January 1 moment when we watch the ball drop in a huge crowd of revelers in Manhattan’s Times Square or the fireworks from the iconic bridge in Australia’s Sydney Harbor, for the Jewish community, there are four new year commemorations for four different reasons.

Just recently, we celebrated the new year for nature and trees, an ecological new year. Entitled Tu B’Shevat, which means the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, it is a time when Jews around the world plant trees and give

thanks to God for the beautiful gift of our world, given to us to care for. In our Temple Oseh Shalom ritual, not only do we add special liturgy to our Sabbath service, we also gather together to plant a tree in a sacred place.

And what are the other new year celebrations? Well, you are probably familiar

with the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which, even though it is the first day of the seventh Hebrew calendar month of Tishri, it is understood as the date when the new Hebrew year is ushered in, like 2023 becomes 2024. For the Jewish community, when October 3 comes, we will go from the year 5784 to 5785.

A third new year is in the Spring, when we recognize the first month of the year, the month of Nisan. This is a very important month, as in the middle of Nisan, we celebrate Passover, probably the most popular and widely honored festival in the Jewish calendar.

The fourth new year is entitled the New Year for the King, when the rule of the Jewish head of state is dated. Much like the monarch in Great Britain whose birthday is celebrated in June regardless

of when the actual birthday is, this new year is similar to a governmental commemoration.

On this New Year of Nature and Ecology, let me share some words of prayer:

How wonderful, O God, are the works of Your hands. The heavens declare Your glory, the sky displays Your handiwork. In Your love, you have given us the power to behold the beauty of Your world in all its splendor. The sun and the stars, the hills and valleys, the rivers, and lakes. In Your goodness, You have made us able to hear the music of the world. The whispering of the trees, and the precious voices of loved ones reveal to us that You are in our midst.

On behalf of our Temple Oseh Shalom congregation in Bluffton, Happy New Year, Happy New Year, Happy New Year, and Happy New Year! -Rabbi Ken Kanter

Participate In Life While Keeping Faith, Values

BY REV. DR. JON BLACK Contributor

This year, the United States will hold a presidential election. While this is not news, it presents a moral challenge for committed believers. As a called-out people, we are commanded to live in the world but not be of the world. Our values and mores are counter-cultural, and basic tenets of our faith like truth-telling are challenged by both major political parties. It is difficult to claim to be people of faith and vote in an election that has pitted one group of Americans against another in such an offensive manner. Despite these challenges, I believe that authentic believers can participate in public life while remaining true to their faith and values.

In Matthew chapter 22, Jesus addressed a problematic political matter. The taxes that were collected from the community were used to oppress the community.

Jesus’ solution was to take a coin in his hand and ask the congregation whose image was on the coin. Jesus then proclaims, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” This statement highlights the importance of being a responsible citizen while also remaining true to one’s faith. Voting is an act of rending to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar.

How can our vote be so important? We are an exceptional nation because our

government is built upon the concept of one person one vote. If I am true to history, I must admit that when our country was formed women and minorities were not given the vote. Enslavers were allowed an additional 3/5 vote for each person they enslaved. Even in the face of this ugly history, the founding creeds offered our nation a pathway to greatness. The Preamble of the Constitution was a seed that would lead to the 13th and 14th Amendments and the Voter’s Rights Act of 1964. Our voting demonstrates our belief that God is guiding the growth and development of our nation. We are truly becoming a more perfect union.

However, it is important to recognize that government has its limitations. While it can provide essential services and infrastructure, it cannot mend relationships or create community. These are tasks that require the active participation of individ-

uals and specifically, people of faith. These acts conform to the notion of rendering to God the things that belong to God. We must work together to build strong, resilient communities that are capable of addressing the challenges we face.

The good news is that each of us has the power to make a difference. Our advocacy can have a profound positive impact on others in our area and on our community. By serving our neighbors with love and compassion, we can transform our world and create a brighter future for all. Voting is a crucial aspect of good citizenship, but it is only the beginning. By serving our neighbors with love and compassion, we can create a better world for ourselves and future generations.

The Rev. Dr. Jon R. Black is senior pastor at Campbell Chapel A.M.E. Church in Bluffton.

Estate Planning For Partners And Unmarried Couples

BY JADA L. GAINES Contributor

For partners and unmarried couples, there’s typically no presumption that your estate (or portions thereof) will immediately pass to your partner. Yes, if you and your partner jointly own assets as joint tenants right of survivorship then your partner will become the sole owner of that asset upon your passing, but what about assets held as tenants in commonmeaning that you and your partner each hold individual interest in the asset and when one of you passes, that interest flows through the deceased person’s own individual estate and does not automatically transfer to the other partner or owner?

Unfortunately, if you haven’t provided

for your partner via a Will, Trust, or through other applicable legal methods, then when you die, the laws of intestacy will apply to the distribution of your estate. Those laws favor your legal next of kin, which would not include your partner.

Essential estate planning documents for yourself and partner

1) Financial Power of Attorney

A document where you’ve selected and granted an Agent (a person) the authority to assist you and handle your business and financial affairs on your behalf when you are unavailable or incapable of handling them on your own. The alternative to not having a financial power of attorney in place will result in your partner having to seek guardianship or conservatorship over you, and your partner won’t be given immediate first priority as the individual to be appointed as your guardian or conservator.

2) Health Care Power of Attorney

Here, you’ve selected and granted an

Agent the authority to make and communicate medical decisions on your behalf when you’re unable to communicate them on your own. Your health care power of attorney should be fully comprehensive because it is much more than just about making life ending decisions. Similar to the alternative outcome result with a financial power of attorney, failing to have a health care power of attorney can also result in your partner having to go through legal avenues before being able to make medical decisions on your behalf.

3) Last Will and Testament (“LWT”)

A LWT is a testamentary document where you’ve expressed your final wishes and have outlined who will be your Personal Representative (also known as an Executor and is responsible for administering your estate), and who you wish to be your beneficiaries. Keep in mind that your partner is not considered to be one of your legal next of kin that would be entitled to inherit from your probate estate if you fail to provide for them in a LWT.

4) Revocable Living Trust (RLT)

A RLT is an estate planning tool where not only your estate assets can avoid the probate process but you can also maintain privacy. Here, your RLT is the “central location” of your estate plan. You, as the Grantor/Trustor/Settlor, create a RLT to hold your estate assets during your lifetime, and also retain the right to amend or revoke the trust. You can easily provide for your partner as a beneficiary by the terms outlined in your RLT.

Don’t make the mistake of not creating an estate plan just because you may have assets titled jointly with your partner. There are many situations that arise that cause complications for your partner to either be able to manage your care, assets, or inherit from you if you have failed to make your wishes known. Have discussions with your partner and speak with an estate planning attorney today.

Jada L. Gaines is an associate attorney with Elder Law & Estate Planning Center in Bluffton. hiltonheadelderlaw.com

Jada L. Gaines

BY CINDA SEAMON Contributor

With our year-round, mostly pleasant temperatures, people are spending more time outside. If you are considering some entertaining outdoors using a chiminea, consider these safety tips.

At many parties, outdoor fireplaces and chimineas on the patio are a favorite. They can add ambiance as well as heat to a cool evening.

Always place your chiminea on a fireproof or fire-resistant surface such as cement, pavers, bricks, slate tiles, terracotta or any other fire-resistant surface. It should not be on a deck and your chiminea should be at least 10 feet away from any structure or combustible surface.

Cooler Temps

When

When it comes to starting these fires, there are a few things to keep in mind. Use kindling to create a small fire then slowly add larger wood to the flame. Keep the fire small. The bigger the fire, the bigger the chance for disaster and do not

touch your chiminea while it is being used. You may even want to place a small wall around your chiminea to remind people that getting too close can be dangerous.

Before lighting, check the weather fore-

cast. Windy conditions can blow embers. Also be aware of burn bans or ordinances in your town or county.

Clear the area around your chiminea –leaves or other dry materials can lead to a fire accidentally spreading. Always have a water container nearby and a garden hose before starting the fire.

Never use an accelerant like gasoline as it can increase the chances of your clothes catching on fire or the fire spreading rapidly.

Some chimineas can stay hot for hours after the fire has died down. Make sure children are properly supervised and your guests are aware.

Cinda Seamon is Fire & Life Safety Educator at Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue.

Beaufort Memorial Adds Board-Certified General Surgeon

Beaufort Memorial Surgical Specialists has added another board-certified general surgeon, further expanding access to surgical services for local residents.

Aubrey Place, M.D., comes to the Lowcountry following completion of her residency in general surgery at University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City. The Macon, Ga. native, who earned a Bachelor of Science in cellular biology summa cum laude from University of Georgia in Athens and a Doctor of Medicine from Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, brings significant training and experience in a broad range of surgeries to the practice.

Skilled in laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques, Dr. Place includes among her professional interests surgeries involving the esophagus, stomach and upper

small intestine, and hernia repair. She also performs breast, skin and colorectal surgeries, among others.

Dr. Place joins board-certified general surgeons Drs. Deanna Mansker and Stephen Sisco as well as certified physician assistants Laura Livergood Kaiser and Anna Grace Stoddard at the practice. She sees patients at both Beaufort Memorial Okatie Medical Pavilion, 122 Okatie Center Blvd. North and at Beaufort Medical Plaza, 989 Ribaut Road, Beaufort.

Beaufort Memorial Surgical Specialists offers a full range of surgeries, from simple, minimally invasive procedures to complex operations. Its highly experienced, board-certified surgeons are skilled in using the latest minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgical techniques. To make an appointment, call (843) 524-8171.

Historic Bluffton Foundation Begins Lecture Series

The Historic Bluffton Foundation’s months long lecture series begins on Feb. 29 with speaker Melanie Marks who will be unveiling her connections to the Lowcountry for the very first time. How do a handmade quilt, a couple of old photographs, a gravestone and Fort Pulaski have anything to do with each other?

To find the answers to those questions and learn the incredible true story, Marks will share the historical trek of one family’s trials and tribulations during the mid - 1860s. The fascinating and heart wrenching story includes a brother and sister who watched their family being torn apart, all because of a selfish father who wanted more out of life. Siblings found themselves being separated, never to see one another again. While one traveled to Ohio with a family from her home in Maryland, the other was sent to Pennsylvania to live with a family he didn’t even know. It was there,

and just shy of his 15th birthday, that he enlisted into the Union Army to fight in the Civil War. Melanie Beal Marks, guest lecturer and Historic Bluffton Foundation Board member, will take you through this personal family story and the sadness her great, great grandmother endured at learning of the loss of her brother during the war. Marks received a 2017 South Carolina Historic Preservation Award from Governor Henry McMaster recognizing her previous work and extensive research regarding the Cyrus Garvin-Garvey family genealogy. The Garvin-Garvey House, built around 1870 and located in what is now known as Oyster Factory Park in Bluffton, is the only house still standing on the May River that was previously owned by freed slaves. The lecture begins at 5 p.m. and will be presented at Bluffton United Methodist Church, 101 Calhoun Street, Bluffton.

NATURE’S WAY

We All Start Somewhere In Our Love Of Fishing

BY COLLINS DOUGHTIE Contributor

I can’t tell you how many people ask me how hard it is to come up with my columns even after nearly 15 years of doing so. My usual answer is once I get that first sentence down, the words just seem to flow out of me. If I had to pick a time of year when coming up with that first sentence is hardest it would be right about now. The water is cold, the wind never seems to abate and on a scale of one to 10 with 10 being the best, I would say right now is about a two to three.

With that said I began thinking way, way back when I knew for a fact fishing would be in my blood for the rest of my life. Like most fisherman I know we all got our start fishing in fresh water. Even though I was blessed with a father that pitched a lucrative life in advertising on Madison Avenue in New York City and made the move to a then remote island called Hilton Head, with five children to clothe and feed he was either extremely brave or simply insane. Whatever you call it, it forever changed the course of my life because if he had stayed put in the Big Apple things would be different. Being the youngest, that previous life is rather hazy since once we planted ourselves on Hilton Head I had just turned six years old. Sea Pines was just getting started and if my memory serves me correctly, I believe our house was around the eighth house built there. Talk about a kid in a candy shop, my mom had just read me “Swiss Family

Robinson,” and from that point on I became a character from that very book.

Most all the roads were dirt, herds of deer were absolutely everywhere as well as wild turkeys, wild boar, rattlesnakes, and huge gators sunned themselves on the banks of nearly every pond. Most lagoons were brackish and were loaded with shrimp, crabs and just about every saltwater fish you could imagine. After learning what vegetation grew in brackish waters and which grew in freshwater ponds, I began mapping out which ponds were which. I think it was this time when my love of fishing took over my soul and has been there front and center ever since.

Thankfully my dad was a diehard angler, and like most dads got me started on fish like freshwater bream. One pond in particular had so many bream and bass in it, it was just too easy. Fishing with earthworms under a cork, once that bait hit the water the cork would instantly disappear. It was this very pond that in a way changed my future fishing world. Since there were no schools on the island school days were long, pretty much from dawn til dusk since my siblings and I had to commute to Savannah to get a higher education leaving very little time for fishing until weekends arrived. Before going on, my higher education came more from nature than it did from school and if my folks were still around, I guarantee they would whole-heartedly agree. But let’s go back to the magic pond tale.

I had fished this pond dozens of times but early one morning I hopped on my bike to see if the early bird really does catch the worm. As I walked up to the edge of the water I saw it. Not five feet

from the bank was this white sandy patch on the bottom and silhouetted against that was the largest largemouth bass I had ever seen! If only I could catch it, I would be the talk of the town. But as soon as I thought that it slowly swam away. Obsessed with that monster I came back day after day but other than picking up my bait, swimming a couple of feet it would spit it out and settle back down on that sandy patch. This went on for nearly a week with the same results each and every time, so I decided to try a new tactic.

Arriving before daylight I crawled a good 20 feet and lay there behind a small bush waiting for the sun to rise. Using an old school rubber worm, I cast it several feet beyond that bass and just let it sit on the bottom. Every couple of minutes I would reel it a couple of feet, let it sit and repeat this until it edged into her domain. This time she inhaled it and I set the hook. Blasting out the water that fish gave me the what-for, until finally tired out, I pulled her out of water. She was massive, easily over 10 pounds and all I wanted to do was show her to anyone and everyone. But after looking at her sad eyes and thinking about the joyous and rather frustrating challenge she had given me for all those days I just couldn’t do it so I gently released her back into the water. Only seven years old, I swear that one fish taught me more about life than the next 15 or more years of schooling ever did.

My grandson Ben with a redfish.

Further

St. Andrew By-The-Sea UMC Hosts Free Lecture Series on The Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park

St. Andrew By-The-Sea United Methodist Church will host a free in-person presentation event with refreshments following at the church at 20 Pope Avenue on Hilton Head Island. Ahmad Ward, Executive Director of The Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, will be speaking on the exciting additions coming to historic Mitchelville.

Before Mitchelville, Ward spent fifteen years leading the Education Department at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama. It is there where he honed his expertise in telling the story of civil and human rights in America, with a focus on historic analysis and application to current social justice issues. With Masters-level training and years of experience in exhibition design, he has a strong understanding of storytelling and the importance of technology in interpretation. He has been responsible for creating programming partnerships with local schools, uni-

versities and organizations; teacher and student resources; written articles, blogs and essays for local, national and international platforms as well as the development of public programming for community-at-large in the areas of civil and human rights movements, multiculturalism and contemporary human rights issues.

“We’re excited to have Ahmad Ward as

our guest speaker at the Dr. Julius Scott Lecture Series,” said Maddie Tucker, 2024 chairperson of the SABTS Bridge Builders. “He has extensive background in civil and human rights, and specifically with The Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, which is such an important part of our community’s history. Learning about the plans for the more than $2.5 million in grants and

donations will make for a very interesting event.”

Bridge Builders’ purpose is to explore, better understand and help educate others on the issues of racism and inequality while ensuring that the goals and objectives related to racism and inequality are grounded in scripture and to help develop and promote systems for addressing and overcoming racism and inequality. The lecture series, named after one of its founding members, the late Dr. Julius S. Scott, Jr., a lifelong educator and civil rights advocate, is one way the group offers community-wide seminars and conferences.

To RSVP to the event, please email standrewbythesea@gmail.com. For more information about St. Andrew By-The-Sea UMC, please visit www.hhiumc.com. Follow SABTS on Facebook and Instagram.

ly will starve and kill the parasite. This strategy is the team’s focus for stopping Chagas disease in its tracks.

D’Antonio and his students screened around 100 compounds to identify the successful inhibitor that is key to blocking the three pathways. For the next phase of their research, they will directly test and analyze the inhibitor’s effectiveness.

“This contribution is significant because it is expected to lead to a new therapeutic candidate that will surpass the effectiveness of benznidazole and nifurtimox, the current treatments for Chagas disease,” D’Antonio said.

Benznidazole and nifurtimox are prescribed for 60 days during the acute stage of Chagas’ disease when inflammatory symp-

toms of the digestive tract organs or the heart are not present. However, because the side effects can be harsh, including stinging pain in the fingertips, nausea and vomiting, many Chagas disease patients stop taking their prescriptions.

USCB biology students Lindsey Baker, Carson Frey, Anna Husted and Destiny O’Neill are running the assays (tests) on the glucose inhibitors. They’re using a small screening approach with a microplate reader in the laboratory. Observing how the many versions of a key compound scaffold would react during an assay is the very first step in early-stage drug discovery.

“Some compounds will then hopefully move on to the next trial of experimental testing and eventually may be chosen to help people in need. It’s a lot of hard work and time that I think will leave no stone unturned,” Frey said.

RESCUE FROM PAGE 37A

toys. The dog who longed to be free had finally found his happy place, nestled peacefully and harmoniously amidst nature.

“Every morning, I sing Ubu’s name on my way over to feed him and let him out into his yard,” says Boeke. “He gets all wiggly and smiles with a toothy, scrunch-face grin, and my heart explodes with happiness!”

The goal is to slowly introduce Ubu to the other animals at Grace Farm in hopes that he will even-

BENEFITS FROM PAGE 31A

geon, consider Hydrafacial with the Hydrafacial growth factor serum. This serum is a specialized skincare product designed to complement the HydraFacial treatment, a popular non-invasive facial treatment that combines cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration, and antioxidant protection.

It’s important to note that individual responses to skincare products may vary, and results de-

tually become part of their free-roaming pack. “Ubu’s story isn’t over,” says Boeke. “He just needs the right family that can respect that he isn’t perfect. He is a happy, loving, silly dog with so much to offer.”

Eddie and Ubu are prime examples of how proactive relocation is saving some of the most vulnerable animals. PAL is grateful to LiveBrineShrimp.com and Grace Farm for seeing the beauty in two animals the outside world had forgotten.

Lindsay Perry is Palmetto Animal League Marketing Coordinator.

pend on various factors such as skin type, age, and overall skincare practices. If considering the HydraFacial Growth Factor Serum, it’s advisable to consult with a skincare professional to determine its suitability for your specific needs and goals.

Jennifer Wolfe is the Owner and Creative Director of Whisper Creek Luxury Day Spa in Bluffton. She previously led an intellectual property law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio, and relocated year-round to the lowcountry with her husband in 2021. She can be reached at jen.wolfe@whispercreekspa.com

Russell Baxley and Melissa Pender Appointed To SC EOC

President and CEO of Beaufort Memorial Hospital Russell Baxley, and Coosa Elementary Principal Melissa Pender have been appointed to serve as members of the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee (EOC). Baxley and Pender were appointed by Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee, Rep. Shannon Erickson.

Baxley has served in his current position at Beaufort Memorial Hospital for approximately seven and a half years. While under his leadership, the hospital system has increased healthcare access for its community through new urgent care clinics, cancer treatment centers, provider recruitment and the BMH Care Anywhere telehealth app. However, he is most proud of the on-site clinical education and workforce development programs that were made possible through partnerships with the county, city, school district and other local educational insti-

tutions.

“I am excited to help ensure South Carolina’s students are set up for success and ready to excel in meaningful careers,” said Baxley. “We have the opportunity to not only make a difference in the lives of our school children, but the future of all South Carolinians.”

Among many other awards and accolades, Beaufort Memorial has been recognized among the nation’s 150 “Great Community Hospitals” by Becker’s Hospital Review and one of the top 30 general acute care hospitals in the country for patient safety and quality under his tenure. Prior to his current position, Baxley served as CEO for Lancaster Regional Medical Center in Pennsylvania.

Baxley holds a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of South Carolina, and completed his undergraduate studies at Clemson University where he received his Bachelor of Science

in microbiology. He and his wife Stephanie live with their young son in Beaufort.

Pender has 25 years of experience in public education during which she was recognized as Teacher of the Year. She served as a teacher at Beaufort Elementary, Davis Elementary and Coosa Elementary for 18 years before becoming assistant principal and then principal in 2019. Under her leadership, Coosa Elementary’s overall school rating increased from Average in 2019 to Excellent. Additionally, the overall percentage of students meeting and exceeding state standards increased, and Coosa Elementary was recognized as a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School.

“I am looking forward to collaborating with others who have a shared vison of setting our children on the path of excellence as they become active citizens of our state and global community,” Pender said.

Pender is a member of the SC Association of School Administrators (SCASA), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the Palmetto State Literacy Association (PSLA). She is also involved in several committees at the school and district level.

Pender received her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the University of South Carolina, her Master of Arts in Integration of Technology into Education from Lesley University and her Master of Arts in Elementary Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Melissa has two stepchildren and a son with her husband, Brian. She also teaches for VirtualSC and recently achieved her pilot’s license. She is looking forward to serving in a broader capacity in the field of education.

NOTEWORTHY

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry (CFL) announced that tickets are now available for its 2nd Annual Community Meeting. The event will take place on March 20 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Hilton Head’s Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. While the event is free, tickets are required. The only place to get tickets is by calling the Arts Center Box Office at 843842-2787, Mon-Fri from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. The Annual Community Meeting will celebrate the Community Foundation’s 30th Anniversary, with special guest speakers focusing on the Past, Present, and Future. CFL is extremely honored to have Estill (Hampton Co.) native Paula Harper Bethea as the Keynote Speaker and WJCL-22 ABC Anchor/Reporter Riley Miller as the Master of Ceremonies.

The Maye River Quilters will meet March 2 at 9:30 a.m. for social time, with the meeting beginning at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way in Hardeeville. To attend the meeting as a

guest, send an RSVP email to mayeriverquilters@gmail.com.

For more information and for membership forms to join the group, call 978-4640585.

Chi Chapter, one of 42 Delta Kappa Gamma chapters in South Carolina, is meeting in Port Royal with a master naturalist to explore the Cypress Wetlands on Saturday, March 9. Information gathered from this exploration will be used to supplement science curricula. Delta Kappa Gamma is a society of key women educators, teachers and school administrators, kindergarten through higher education.

Jennifer Minks, MBA, SPHR, has acquired HRCoastal, a Human Resources Consulting and Outsourcing firm for small businesses in Bluffton. Minks brings 25 years of Human Resources experience in the professional services and healthcare industries, serving small to mid-size businesses. Her expertise includes recruiting, training, and assisting clients with meeting their HR obligations.

She obtained her MBA from Kent State University and is a member of the Lowcountry Human Resources Association (LCHRA), Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), and serves as a Board of Advisor for Ashland University’s Women in Leadership program. She holds a Senior Human Resources Professional certification (SPHR).

Jennifer can be reached at HRCoastal at (843) 226-3120 or jminks@hrcoastal.com

The Bluffton Branch Library will feature local amateur astronomer and presenter for the Sun City Skywatchers, Jerry Jeffrey, on Saturday, March 16, from 10 to 11 a.m. He will talk about the upcoming 2024 Eclipse, what is needed to safely view it, and other things astronomical. This event is suitable for all ages and is open to the public. First come, first seated in the Bluffton Library’s Large Meeting Room. Doors will open for seating at 9:45 a.m.

The Low Country Kappa Delta Alumnae Chapter will host the 4th an-

nual Beach Walk to benefit CAPA of Beaufort County. The event will take place on Saturday, March 2 at 10 a.m. The walk will begin at Coligny Beach Park, 1 North Forest Beach on Hilton Head. The Rain Date is March 3. A minimum donation of $10 per person is suggested. If you are unable to join the walk in person, make a donation and walk in your neighborhood.

Make checks payable to Low Country KD AC and send to Jennifer Kaple, 301 Central Avenue, Suite 122, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926. You may also donate via Venmo to Jennifer-Kaple-SC1.

CAPA(Child Abuse Prevention Association) is a local non-profit organization that offers a variety of programs to the community to help raise awareness about child abuse and its effects on the community. CAPA offers community and schoolbased outreach programs, safe sleep education, home visitation and foster care. For more information on the Beach Walk, call 843.707.7899

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