PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID CHARLESTON SC PERMIT NO 437
Volume 2 Issue 20
January 23, 2009
FREE
Exchange Club celebrates every day of the year
from 68 to 99, the ladies are still flattered by all the attention they’ve received from their per mensem fame. One even remarked that she couldn’t even go to the supermarket without getting recognized. “I’ll be checking out at the calendar when someone will look at me and say, ‘Hey, you’re Ms. September!’”, she laughed. Before leaving, Ms. Farfone asked if anyone had any questions for the calendar girls. “Yes,” said an Exchangite, “have you received any complaints from Hugh Hefner?” The ladies look forward to releasing another calendar in the near future, but in the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more about the Bishop Gadsden community, check out www.bishopgadsden.org or call 762-3300.
I n s id e
page 4 groundhog day
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Photos by Stanford Ullner
W
ell, make that every month. On January 7, 2009, the Kiawah/Seabrook Exchange Club hosted the lovely ladies of the Bishop Gadsden 2009 calendar and, consequently, one of the largest crowds of members the Club has seen all year. Taking a cue from the women of the Rylstone, England Women’s Institute, Bishop Gadsden’s Wellness Director Jennifer Hartig took it upon herself to secretly inquire among the retirement community’s 300 plus women as to who would be interested in modeling in the semi-nude for a calendar. She was surprised with the results. “Almost everyone we asked wanted to be a part of it,” Hartig said. “The hardest part was keeping it a secret for six months.” Even though some of the women who were asked weren’t even aware of what a “calendar girl” was, they were still happy to participate. The photographs were taken by Katie Jayne and the cover was taken by Wade Spees. The settings ranged from neighboring back yards to county parks to bubble-filled bathtubs. And like the Women’s Institute before them, when the calendar was released on November 13, 2008, they sold out of their first thousand in less than a week. The second print sold out almost as fast and by the time they made it to the Exchange Club meeting, they only had 50 calendars left from their third and final printing. Needless to say, they were out of calendars by the end of the meeting, and the group was thrilled to announce that, along with the funds raised that night, they had collected over $18,000 in total, the profits from which will go toward the Bishop Gadsden resident assistance fund. Kimberly Farfone, daughter of Exchangite Frank Farfone and director of Bishop Gadsden’s Development and Public Relations, introduced each calendar girl with the help of a hand written lyrical poem. Each woman stood up as her name was announced and waved and blew kisses to the applauding crowd. Ranging in age
(Top) The Calendar Girls of Bishop Gadsden pose with speaker coordinator Jennifer Haugen. (Above) Kimberly Farfone, Jennifer Hartig and Katie Jayne hold up one of the last prints of the 2009 Bishop Gadsden calendar.
I sl a nd
Connection. . .
page 7 healthy soil
page 8 calendar of events
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Kiawah Town Council – January 6, 2009
Election of Mayor Pro-Tempore Mayor Wert nominated Councilman Al Burnaford to serve as Mayor ProTempore, a position which would allow the nominated Councilman to serve in the position of Mayor if the current Mayor is either absent or unable to perform his duties. He would also serve as Mayor until the next possible election if the current Mayor is unable to complete his term. The
motion was seconded and Councilman Steve Orban nominated Councilman Charles Lipuma, which as also seconded. Finally, Councilman Lipuma nominated Councilman Orban and was seconded. The nomination was held to a vote and Councilman Burnaford was elected by the majority as Mayor Pro-Tempore with a vote of 3 to 2, with Councilmen Orban and Lipuma voting against.
The Island Connection
Council Committee assignments Councilman Lipuma was assigned to the Arts Council, Councilman Orban was assigned to the Public Safety and Roads Committees, Councilman McHugh was assigned to the Environmental Committee and Councilman Burnaford was assigned to the Planning Commission and External Affairs.
Lynn Pierotti Publisher
[email protected] Kristin Hackler Editor
[email protected] Swan Richards Graphic Designer
[email protected] Ali Akhyari Assistant Editor
[email protected] Brittany Urbach Reporter
[email protected] Becca Finley Copy Editor/Reporter
[email protected] Chelsea Langan Advertising
[email protected] Interns Jennifer Millar Bridget Hinkebein Bri Horahan Ashley Anderson Contributors Chris Brooks David Farrow Lynda Fox Richard Hricik Dwight Ives John Nelson Nick Strehle Town of Kiawah Island
Committee member appointments Planning Commission: There are seven members on the Planning Commission serving staggered four year terms. The two Council members with expiring terms, Mr. Capelli and Mr. Tedesco, were re-elected by the Mayor and approved unanimously.
Environmental Committee: There can be no less than six and no more than ten Committee members on the Environmental Committee and all serve one year terms to expire on January 31. Current members Dave Achey, Dale Anderson, Jim Chitwood, David Elliott, Aaron Given, Jim Jordan, Elizabeth King and Norm Shea were re-elected with new Council member Lois Bryant being nominated to the Committee. All appointments were approved unanimously. Arts Council: There can be no less than five and no more than eight Committee members on the Arts Council and all serve one year terms to expire on January 31. All current members, Bill Blizard, Ellie Burnaford, Arie DeZanger, Julie
Correction: Seabrook CERT not disbanding The Island Connection would like to apologize for incorrectly stating in a recent Town Council report that the CERT team on Seabrook Island has disbanded. According to CERT chairman Ron Bourn, The Seabrook Island CERT team is still in existence and functioning. Shortly after receiving their CERT training, the Seabrook group formed a non-profit organization with a tax id number. Recently, the team has learned that their non-profit status may jeopardize its ability to defend itself from frivolous lawsuits. Therefore, the group is disbanding the formal nonprofit organization. The Town of Seabrook Island has agreed to include the CERT members on their liability coverage. The Seabrook CERT continues to exist and is prepared to respond to emergencies.
Civic Calendar
Monday, January 26
Kiawah Island Board of Zoning Appeals 4pm - 5pm Town Hall Council Chambers
Tuesday, January 27 Seabrook Island Town Council All Town Council meetings will be held at 2:30pm at the Town Hall unless noted otherwise on the Town bulletin board.
Monday, February 2
Published by Lucky Dog Publishing of South Carolina, LLC P.O. Box 837 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 843-886-NEWS
Kiawah Island Environmental Committee 3pm - 5pm Town Hall - 2nd Floor Conference Room
Future deadlines: January 28 for submissions.
Kiawah Island Arts Council 3pm - 5pm Town Hall - 2nd Floor Conference Room
Tuesday, February 3
Kiawah Island Ways and Means Committee meeting 8am Kiawah Island Municipal Center’s 2nd Floor Conference Room
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Board of Zoning Appeals: There are seven members on the Board of Zoning Appeals serving staggered three year terms. The Mayor spoke with the head of the Committee, Carol Fishman, and agreed to nominate the three existing members with expiring terms. The re-elections were approved unanimously.
Wednesday, February 4 Kiawah Island Planning Commission 3pm - 5pm Town Hall Council Chambers
Seabrook Island Planning Commission – work session All Planning Commission meetings will be held at 2:30pm at the Town Hall unless noted otherwise on the Town bulletin board.
January 23, 2009
Fenimore, Leni Freeburg, Mary Johnson, Linda Morganstein and Carol Anne Smalley were re-elected to the Committee and all appointments were approved unanimously. Public Safety: The terms for the members of Public Safety are for one year and expire on January 31. Current members Jim Broadus, Doug Dodge, Joe Pezzullo and Dick Sula were re-elected and all appointments were approved unanimously.
Affirmation of 2008 Ordinances Council affirmed the four ordinances passed in 2008. Ordinance 2008-01 prohibits the use of glass containers and products on the beaches of Kiawah Island; Ordinance 2008-02 allows the Town of Kiawah Island to collect, remove and dispose of storm debris from KICA streets and right-of-ways; Ordinance 2008-03 adopts the Fiscal Year 2008-09 Budget for the Town of Kiawah from July 1, 2008, until June 30, 2009, and Ordinance 2008-04 amends Aricle 12A-303: Accessory Uses, Buildings/Structures, Subparagraph 2, Standards for Detached Accessory Dwelling Units in Residential Districts. The affirmations were approved unanimously. Town staff re-appointments Cathy Wilson was re-appointed as Town Clerk, Kenneth Gunnells was re-appointed as Town Treasurer and Dennis Rhoads was re-appointed as Town Attorney. All appointments were approved unanimously. Ordinances for first reading: Ordinance 2009-01: Amendments to Article 12C-204 Preliminary Plat-Procedural Requirements Following two public hearings on October 1, 2008, and January 6, 2009, Council Council continued on page 3
Eye spy …
Kiawah Island Town Hall 21 Beachwalker Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Phone: 768-9166 Fax: 768-4764 Email:
[email protected] Seabrook Island Town Hall 2001 Seabrook Island Road Seabrook Island, SC 29455 Phone: 768-9121 Fax: 768-9830 Email:
[email protected] Johns Island Council Meetings are held at the Berkeley Electric Co-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, John’s Island. Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113 Charleston County Council 4045 Bridge View Drive, North Charleston (843) 958-4700 City of Charleston 75 Calhoun St. (843) 724-3745
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Cassique! Thank you to Angela Schuler of Simonini Builders on Johns Island for identifying our mystery “eye spy” picture! The aerial photograph in Volume 2 Issue 19 of The Island Connection is a project that Simonini Builders is in the process of constructing. The homes are in the Cassique neighborhood, right near the Sports Pavilion and the Cassique Club House.
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January 23, 2009 Council continued from page 2
moved to approve the amendment to Article 12C-204, which allows a developer to apply for a single (1) six month time extension on an approved preliminary plat (Article 12C-204 previously allowed for three (3) six month extensions). Approval of preliminary plats applies for three (3) years and when a subdivision is to be developed in sections or phases, the three (3) years is measured from the date of the approval granted to that phase or section of the subdivision. The Planning Commission may terminate an approval, for cause, at any time after three (3) years. Councilman Burnaford stated that he had spoken with Kiawah resident Denny Royal and pointed out that Royal is on his second extension and would have to re-apply for his permit if the Ordinance passed. Because of this, Royal asked that the Ordinance allow at least two (2) extensions. Council approved the Ordinance as written unanimously.
Ordinance 2009-02: Amendments to Zoning Map Since the 1994 zoning map for Kiawah Island was hand drawn and not parcelspecific, the Town of Kiawah wishes to update the Town zoning map in accordance with data based on the County GIS. All affected property owners have been notified via letters from the Town and all affected parcels have been posted. A notice of the public hearing on January 22, 2009, was published in the Post and Courier on January 1 and 4, 2009, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. The affected parcels are as follows: Mingo Point, Mingo North and Mingo South: 1994 – listed as “Special Development” and showed R-2/ Commercial uses in the development agreement. Proposed rezoning to R-2/ Commercial since, after the adoption of the 2005 Ordinance, the zoning district “Special Development” does not exist. Little Rabbit and Rabbit North: 1994 – listed as “Special Development” and showed R-2/Commercial uses in the development agreement. Proposed rezoning to R-2/ Commercial since, after the adoption of the 2005 Ordinance, the zoning district “Special Development” does not exist. Kiawah River Commons: 1994 – listed as “Special Development” and showed R-2/ Commercial uses in the development agreement. Proposed rezoning to R-2/ Commercial since, after the adoption of the 2005 Ordinance, the zoning district “Special Development” does not exist. Beachwalker Park and Beachwalker Ocean: 1994 – listed as “Special Development” and showed R-3/Commercial uses in the development agreement. Proposed rezoning to R-3/Commercial since, after the adoption of the 2005 Ordinance, the zoning district “Special Development” does not exist. Captain Sam’s Spit – parcel 12B: 1994 – listed as “Park”. Proposed rezoning to Conservation and R-1. Captain Sam’s Spit – parcel 12A: 1994 – listed as “Park”. Proposed rezoning to R-3 and Commercial. Kiawah Town Hall: 19994 – listed as “Special Development”. Proposed rezoning to “Community Support”. Beachwalker Lagoon: 1994 – listed as “Special Development” and showed R-3/ Commercial uses in the development
agreement. Proposed rezoning to R-3/ Commercial. Beachwalker Office Park: 1994 - listed as “Special Development” and showed R-2/ Commercial uses in the development agreement. Proposed rezoning to R-3/ Commercial. Marsh Point Residual (parcel 10): listed as “Special Development” and showed R-2/ Commercial uses in the development agreement. Proposed rezoning to R-2/ Commercial. Kiawah Island Resort: 1994 – listed as “Resort”. Proposed rezoning to RST-2 since, after the adoption of the 2005 Ordinance, RST or “Resort” was split into two districts.\ Eugenia Avenue: 1994 - Listed as R-E (Residential Eugenia). Proposed rezoning to R-1. The Sanctuary Hotel: 1994 – listed as “Resort”. Proposed rezoning to RST-1 since, after the adoption of the 2005 Ordinance, RST or “Resort” was split into two districts. Blue Heron Pond Tower: 1994 – listed as “Water”. Proposed rezoning to “Park”. Cougar Island Residual: 1994 – listed as “Park”. Proposed rezoning to R-2 as this parcel as not mapped in 1994. Little Bear Island (everything east of Penny’s Creek): 1994 – listed as “Park” and R-2. Proposed rezoning to “Conservation”. Ordinance 2009-03: Amendment to Ways and Means This ordinance amends Article 4 Section 2-401 to have at least two Town Council members and the Mayor on the Ways and Means Committee. The Mayor shall designate the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. The amendment was passed unanimously.
in the community,” said Councilman Lipuma. “It would seem to me, in a desire for community outreach, that this is a one time opportunity to support St. Johns High School.” Even though Ways and Means recommended that St. Johns High School not receive a donation, Lipuma pointed out that there was still $3,900 left in the contributions coffer. “I think we should give them what’s left,” he said. Councilman Orban agreed, stating that he had voted against the donation originally, but his heart was softened overnight, mainly due to a number of calls he received regarding the issue. “I say we take this one time opportunity to give these kids this trip,” said Orban. Councilman Burnaford pointed out that that Town has received donation requests from other schools in the past and the Town turned them down. “99% of the requests are well-intentioned,” said Burnaford. “I will not vote for this.” Council voted for the dontation with a vote of 3 to 2 with Mayor Wert and Councilman Burnaford voting against.
2009 Holiday schedule The Town approved the 2009 Town holiday closing schedule unanimously. Beach parking Councilman Lipuma reported that he had received a letter from Bill Goodwin just before today’s meeting in regards to the beach parking issue. “It’s good news that we have this information before us,” said Lipuma. “But, it’s still to be continued.” Kiawah River revetment Councilman Lipuma reported that the Office of Coastal Resource Management
Charitable contributions The Town of Kiawah began with a budget of $100,000 for charitable contributions from the General Fund for the year. Donations are given on a bi-annual basis, in January and July, and limits charitable donations, of more than $1000, to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Preference is given to organizations located in the geographic region of Charleston County whose services and programs seek to benefit, directly or indirectly, the Kiawah Island and Johns Island communities. As $56,050 of the budget has already been used, the Town was only able to donate up to $43,950 to requesting non-profits. Ways and Means considered all the applications and recommended the following to Council: Rural Mission, Inc: Requested $15,000 for equipment. Ways and Means recommended donating $6,500. Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic: Requested $25,000 to support their mission and budget. Ways and Means recommended donating $15,000. Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy: Requested $7,000 to support their mission and budget. Ways and Means recommended donating $3,500. St. Johns High School: Requested $5,000 to fund a trip for 45 students to Washington D.C. for President-Elect Obama’s historical inauguration. Ways and Means recommended not giving a donation. Pet Helpers: Requested $2,500 to support their mission and budget. Ways and Means recommended not giving a donation. “I gave a lot of thought to this and Kiawah Island is very proud of all the work we do
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(OCRM) has issued a permit, approving 270 feet of the requested 2,783 foot long bulkhead along the Kiawah River. The length was approved specifically for the parking lot of Beachwalker Park, which is considered an “endangered area” as it runs the risk of eroding into the river. “I must admit that I’m disappointed that Kiawah was not on the list to receive notification when the permit was approved,” said Lipuma. The Town received a copy of the permit on January 2, and found that the Town needs to specifically request a copy of any OCRM permit in the form of a letter with the Mayor’s signature. “Normally, the requester asks for the Town to know about the permit,” said Mayor Wert. He also noted that there is a 15 day period to appeal any OCRM decision and permits must be signed in 30 days or they will become void.
Environmental report Councilman Lipuma reported that there were three deer incidents, all in the second and third weeks of December. A female deer was hit near Mingo Point and a buck was hit near the real estate sales office. Both were badly injured and needed to be euthanized. They were unable to locate the third deer. There was a dolphin stranding recently, but no further information is known at this time. The piping plover count remains steady, around 17 birds per survey. Last week, Town biologist Jim Jordan gave a presentation on the State of the Beach to the Community Association. He reported that the beach remains stable and that an off-shore sand shoal has finally Council continued on page 5
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Earth Week 2009 is coming to Seabrook
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by Lynda Fox
eabrook Island’s Earth Day celebration is going to be so big that co-chairs Linda Sivert and Linda Mesaros want to include everyone. So they’re putting up a big tent on the real estate lawn outside the security gate and throwing open the doors (or rather, flaps!) to the islands. And, since one day isn’t big enough to hold all the events planned for this exciting day, the Lindas have expanded Earth Day to “Earth Week.” Save the dates – all five of them! Tuesday, April 21, through Saturday, April 25, is Earth Week 2009. The program includes feature speaker Billy McCord from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, who will give a beautiful power point presentation on the importance of barrier islands; the event will also feature a program just for kids with wildlife, crafts, games, and activities. Exhibits will include hybrid cars and creatures from the South Carolina Aquarium and services will include reduced cost bicycle tune-ups and energy
audits. Giveaways will include reusable shopping bags, corn mugs, and high efficiency fluorescent light bulbs. No event would be complete without prizes. Some notable prizes include a document shredder, herbs, and free SINHG trips. This year’s logo, “Sustainable Seabrook,” was designed by Lynda Fox. The planet Earth has been rotated to show Seabrook Island right in the center. It is our hope that, by everyone acting locally, the effects will be felt globally. The green and blue colors represent vegetated land and clean water. The white area in the north is the Greenland ice cap, which covers more than 650,000 square miles. If this ice cap were to melt, the sea level would rise by 23 feet, and we’d have to rename Seabrook Island just “Sea”. The star dotting the “i” in “sustainable” represents clean air, which lets us see the stars at night. Keep reading The Island Connection for updates and schedules as they become available.
January 23, 2009
The first Groundhog Day
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By Brianne Horahan
roundhog Day has its roots in early European traditions, when human life depended on nature for survival and church doctrine was prevalent. The day that we know as February 2, marked a significant point on both the Christian and Pagan calendars. For the Christians it was Candlemas, a purification celebration of the Virgin Mary forty days after giving birth to Christ, when all of the church’s candles were blessed, lit, and given to the parishioners to hold. For the Pagans, it was a “cross quarter day”, or the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, when various celebrations would take place. But, what does this have to do with Groundhog Day, and how did it come to America? It was a Roman legend passed on to the early Germans, who kept it alive over the centuries, through their journey to America and finally settling with them in Pennsylvania. The legend was that if the sun appeared on Candlemas, a hedgehog would come out from hibernation and see his shadow, meaning that there would be six more weeks of bad weather, which
they called the “Second Winter”. When the Germans came to America, hedgehogs were scarce, but groundhogs were everywhere. Therefore, they decided that the groundhog, resembling the hedgehog in looks, most likely also possessed the same intelligence and predictive abilities, so it could play the part just as well. On Candlemas, the Germans would recite “For as the Sun shines on Candlemas Day / So far will the snow swirl until May”. This custom is now considered Groundhog Day. Sources: www.groundhog.org, http://ona. cabe.k12.wv.us/candlemas.html
Johns Island Town Council The Johns Island Town Council met informally before the January 8 meeting at 6pm to discuss possible solutions for the Cross Island Parkway. This informal group will meet an hour before each Johns Island Council meeting at Berkeley Electric Co-Op.
Old business Chairman Cannon reported that he did not go to the City Planning Commission meeting last month, but he found that a request to rezone a property on Cane Slash from SR-1 to a Planned Unit Development had been deferred. However, the new PUD actually requested less units per acre than the SR-1 zoning allowed, so Cannon stated that he had no problem with it if the property was ever brought back for rezoning. Secondly, Cannon reported that the St. Johns Woods property was requesting a similar rezoning, SR-1 to a PUD, but again, the new zoning would provide less units per square acre than the previous zoning. Cannon again stated that he had no problem with this rezoning request. As for the County Planning Commission, Cannon reported that the rezoning request made by Mr. Charles Huff for 3003, 3011 and 2983 Maybank Highway to be changed from R-4 (four residential units/per acre) to Community Commercial was withdrawn. “He’ll probably come back with something new,” said Cannon. “But there was enough objection to it this time that he knew he couldn’t get it past the Commission.” Finally, the decision on whether or not to allow the property located at 3830 and 3780 Chisolm road to be rezoned from Agricultural Preservation to a Planned
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Unit Development was deferred, as the owners had withdrawn the request. Cannon and other representatives of the Johns Island community had spoken against the request at the last Planning Commission meeting and asked that the Planning Commission give them more of a notice in the future when items are going to be deferred. “A lot of people take a good deal of time out of their work day to attend these meetings,” said Cannon. “It would help to know if important items are going to be deferred in the future.”
Rising crime on the island Sam Brownlee reported that a commercial riding lawn mower was stolen from St. Johns Water Utility. “They were brazen,” said Brownlee. “They cut a clean square right in the chain link fence”. Other members of Council reported that they had heard of other things being stolen on the island recently, including copper wire, water pumps and cars. Water tower public hearing The Water Company will be holding a hearing on a proposed water tower to be built at Hope Plantation/Kiawah River Estates on January 27 from 5pm to 8pm at Berkeley Electric Co-Op. According to Brownlee, the water tower will help to increase water pressure around Hope Plantation and would also bring the water system up to DHEC standards. The next meeting of the Johns Island Council will be held on February 6, 2009, at Berkeley Electric Co-Op, located at 3351 Maybank Road, starting at 7pm. The Cross Island Parkway discussion will start at 6pm.
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January 23, 2009 Council continued from page 2
attached itself to the area near the Ocean Course. Councilman Orban asked if any sand was being lost on the west end of the beach and Lipuma replied that there has been some dune scarfing, but nothing serious. Mayor Wert commended Jordan on the excellent presentation and noted that erosion typically occurs on either side of a beach area before it attaches, which was one of the main reasons for the erosion around the Ocean Course. Now that the shoal is attaching itself, the erosion should fill back in.
Ways and Means Councilman Orban stated that the Town’s financials were looking okay, but all of the business licenses for the year are still not in. “We’ll have to wait to see if there’s any loss after the time period for turning in licenses closes,” he noted. Bikepath and parkway The Town received a letter from DHEC on December 11, 2008, approving the mitigated land for the bikepath and parkway. The Mayor signed the letter and the Town is now waiting for the permit. “We have still not resolved the design issue with Kiawah Development Partners, however,” said Orban. “So that’s about that on that.” Public Safety At the Public Safety Committee quarterly
meeting, Councilman Orban noted that the main topic of discussion would be the traffic backup during the Marathon. “KICA security did the best they could,” he said, “but with 4,000 people checking in at once, that’s a huge burden to put on the front gate. We need to work something out.”
route through the island, but since the toll idea is a no go, we have to wait to hear back from Washington, D.C.” Burnaford stated that Riley now supports the Cross Island and feels that the pitchfork concept before the Maybank/River intersection will only be effective if the Cross Island is in place.
Arts Council Councilman Lipuma reminded Council about upcoming shows on the island. In particular, Anne Caldwell will be performing smooth jazz with the LooseFit ensemble at the Sandcastle on January 25 starting at 7pm.
Town Administrator’s report Town Adminstrator Tumiko Rucker happily reported that Kiawah has received the 2009 Palmetto Pride grant of $4,000 for island beautification. The Town has also signed a new lease for printing equipment to provide greater efficiency in producing publications for the island.
Planning Commission Councilman Burnaford reminded Council and attendees of the Zoning Map public hearing at 1pm on January 22, 2009.
External Affairs Councilman Burnaford reported that he attended the December 17 meeting with the Mayors of Charleston, Kiawah, Seabrook, Wadmalaw and others concerning the Cross Island Parkway. He stated that the meeting lasted an hour and 20 minutes and there was no consensus made on the issue except that no one approved of the toll idea. “The Mayors are still tasked with putting together a proposal for roads across Johns Island,” said Burnaford. “One interesting thing, though. Mayor Riley left early because he was going to Washington to request funding for infrastructure. He acknowledged that we need an acceptable
Mayor’s report Mayor Wert stated that one of the privileges of being Mayor is appointing the Chair for the Ways and Means Committee. He reappointed Councilman Orban and Orban thanked him for the appointment. “I also want to address the issue of the accident on the Kiawah Island Parkway last weekend,” said Mayor Wert. “I want you to know that we have alternatives in place to open the roads if necessary.” The accident blocked traffic in both directions on the Parkway, but the Mayor assured everyone that if there was a medical emergency, there are two approved and one potential, though currently unapproved, helicopter landing areas on Kiawah. Also, if necessary, the Town has an agreement with St. Johns Fire Department to physically push aside cars if an ambulance LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHARLESTON TOWN OF SEABROOK ISLAND NOTICE OF ELECTION: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Seabrook Island Election Commission will conduct a non-partisan, at large Special Election for the following office for the Town of Seabrook Island: 1 (one) Town Council Member. Polls will be open from 7am to 7pm on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at the Town Hall, 2001 Seabrook Island Road, Seabrook Island. A hearing on challenged ballots will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2009, at the Town Hall. Election results will be determined by the plurality method. Voters who are blind, physically disabled or unable to read or write are entitled to assistance in casting their ballot. This assistance may be given by anyone the voter chooses except his employer, an agent of his employer, or an officer or agent of his union. The Managers must be notified if assistance is needed. Voters who are unable to enter their polling place due to physical disability or age may vote in the vehicle in which they drove, or were driven, to the polls. When notified, the Managers will help voters using this curbside voting provision. Candidates for the Town Council position shall file a statement of
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needs to get by. As for the Town’s financials, the Mayor said that, with the downturn in the economy, he has asked the Town staff to look into creating a budget with a 30% reduction for the next fiscal year, which starts in July. “We still have six months to see how the trends go,” he said. Finally, Mayor Wert stated that the County had sent an inspector to go through the old inn and they reported that, following a thorough inspection on December 5, 2008, they had determined the inn, though overgrown, was in a sound and repairable condition.
Citizens comments John C. Olson, Jr., speaking on behalf of St. Johns High School, stated that he has not lost faith in his fellow man. He would share the good news with the principal of St. Johns the second the meeting ended, but he wanted to profusely thank the Town for their kind and generous contribution. Both Anderson Mack, Jr. of Rural Mission and Christa Lewis of the Sea Island Habitat for Humanity stood to thank the Town for their kind contributions toward their causes. Wendy Kulick also spoke, suggesting to Council that they revise the Town Code in order to be in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act for both regular and special Town Council meetings. “There were two special meetings in 2008 and I did not receive notice on either of them,” she pointed out. candidacy with the Municipal Election Commission no earlier than noon on Friday, January 16, 2009, and they must be received at Town Hall no later than noon on Monday, January 26, 2009. Filing shall be accomplished by delivering the statement of candidacy to the Municipal Election Commission, c/o the Town Clerk/Treasurer at Town Hall. Interested parties may obtain further information and the necessary forms from the Municipal Clerk by phoning 843-768-5320 weekdays or by contacting one of the members of the Election Commission and arranging an appointment convenient to both parties. For persons eligible but not currently registered to vote, or whose registration data may have changed, registration to vote in this election must be accomplished prior to Saturday, February 28, 2009. If you wish to vote by absentee ballot, contact Charleston County Board of Elections & Voter Registration at 843-744-8683. The last day you may vote absentee at the Charleston County Board of Elections & Voter Registration is Monday, March 30, 2009, by 5 p.m. The last day to mail a ballot will be Friday, March 27, 2009. The examination of the absentee ballot envelopes will begin at 9 a.m. on March 31, 2009, at the Board of Elections and Voter Registration Office, 4367 Headquarters Road, North Charleston, SC. By the Authority of the Municipal Election Commission Eugene P. Corrigan, Jr., Chairman
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Heat up your winter
The Charleston Fire Department Wives Club has put together a calendar with some of Charleston’s bravest! It features 15 of Charleston’s Firefighters. The calendars are on sale for $20 and 1/2 of the proceeds are going to the MUSC Children’s Burn Center. The other 1/2 will go towards events that the Wives Club sponsors for the department. For more information or to purchase a calendar, contact Rachel Sheridan at
[email protected] or call 860-4383.
January 23, 2009
The afternoon of a faun
By Kathy Frye, Old Forest Drive, Johns Island
9th Annual Kiawah Island Art and House Tour
This picture was taken during one of the most exciting nature encounters I have had on Seabrook Island. As we were riding home on our bikes, we chased some deer into the lot in front of our house. I went inside and looked for the deer in our back yard. They weren’t there. Then I looked over into the neighbor’s yard and spotted them. As I watched, a bobcat began chasing around the deer’s feet, hoping to attack a fawn. I grabbed my camera and ran around to my neighbor’s side yard. Two does were facing the bobcat and there were two fawns on either side of me standing perfectly still. The does, who had positioned themselves between their fawns and the bobcat, were stomping their feet and snorting loudly. I snapped the picture just before the bobcat saw me and decided to saunter under the next house’s deck. The two does split and went into the thicket with their fawns.
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he 9th Annual Kiawah Island Art and House Tour, sponsored by the volunteer group Gibbes, etc., will take place on Friday, April 17, 2009, from 2pm to 6pm. Each year, exceptional homes that showcase spectacular art collections are selected for the fundraiser on beautiful Kiawah Island. This year, six stunning homes with dramatic views of the salt marsh, ocean, woodlands, or river have been selected to provide tour participants with a variety of experiences. Tickets are $55 and include an admission to the Gibbes Museum of Art. For more information, visit www.gibbesetc.org. Tickets can be purchased at the Gibbes Museum Store, online at www.gibbesmuseum. org/events or by calling 722-2706 (x18). Gibbes, etc., a group of Kiawah Island women dedicated to the support of the Gibbes Museum of Art, has produced this event since the group was founded in 2001. Since its inception and through the Art and House Tour, Gibbes, etc. has presented the museum with more than $600,000 to help fund traveling exhibitions and art education projects in the community.
www.islandconnection.sc
January 23, 2009
7
Mystery plant
One tomato you wouldn’t put in your salad
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Various members of the tomato family are highly important to humans as food sources. The tomato, obviously...but consider the economic and historic impact of the Irish potato (which originated in South America, not Ireland), also a member of the family. Eggplant, chilis, tomatillos, and edible peppers of various sorts are widely known, too. Because the plant parts in many members of the tomato family are rich in alkaloids and a variety of other substances, there are a lot of poisonous members. The deadly nightshades come to mind, along with
Healthy soil is happy soil
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By Nick Strehle
ot too long ago, organic supermarkets were not even on the radar. Then, in 1980, a company by the name of Whole Foods was born and today they are 270 stores strong. Many of their customers realized that their diets were lacking necessary nutrients and probably included many undesirable characteristics. The organic food movement has taken off and I feel it will only continue. The problem with all of these healthy alternatives, though, is that they are more expensive than conventional products and a lot of the time, it’s hard to know if you’re getting your money’s worth. It is my prediction that more and more people will forgo the higher priced supermarkets and will start to grow many of their vegetables themselves. This way, you’re guaranteed that your money will be saved, your vegetables will be balanced with nutrients and you will know exactly what went into them. Of course, not all of us have a green thumb, but you will be fine as long as you have a well balanced soil to work from. The first thing to remember is that all living things depend on soil fertility. Soil holds all the elements essential for life and can be connected back to our own health via nutrition. You may have noticed that farmers must supplement their livestock’s (or horses’) diet with other nutrients because the ground that they walk on is not complete with all the necessary elements. The good news is, the sand you are walking on is easy to change.
The elements of your soil can be identified and measured to properly manage it, but until the soil is measured properly, you might as well throw a handful of salt over your shoulder. Of course, a soil test can not be picked up at your local store and most cost more than $8, but there are a few labs around the country, and I would be glad to help you select one that would be right for you. One last thought before you start or continue your own organic garden. I do not believe in snake oils and many other soil additives that have been passed down from generation to generation, but if you insist on applying a product to your soil that is not on your soil management program, have it tested by the same lab that tests your soil. Too much product is actually just as bad. For example, too much nitrogen will result in a deficiency in copper, just as too much phosphorous will result in poor water utilization and will tie up your zinc. Stick to the basics, and know the facts about your soils chemistry before the next season is started. If worse comes to worse, there are local organic supermarkets and locally supported agriculture programs that can get you by in a pinch. Happy gardening!
the prickly Jimson weed. Although many of these species are quite poisonous, many have offered a variety of useful medicines. The tomato family - which includes tobacco - also features some really pretty flowers: petunias, anyone? This week’s mystery plant is a native of Asia and Europe, now widely appearing in much of the northern USA. It’s a viny herb with dark green, lobed leaves, and during the summer, it will produce clusters of attractive violet flowers that look like purple versions of your tomato plant’s blossoms. Toward the fall, the fruits begin to ripen, progressing from green to yellow and then orange to a beautiful red. This transformation doesn’t happen all at once, so that the plants often feature a variety of fruit colors at the same time. Although this plant is pretty, it is something of a weed and it has a reputation as being rather poisonous. The fruits have been used medicinally, to a limited extent, and they are said to have a sort of sweet and bitter flavor. Latin for these two words, “dulcis” and “amarus”, gives us the species name. As always, though, it is usually a bad idea to be spot-tasting unusual or unknown plant parts and it is
Nick Strehle is a Purdue University Agronomy Major, certified irrigation contractor and EPA WaterSense Partner for Sunburst Landscaping Inc., leading Sunburst’s clients into the next generation of water management. For more information, contact Sunburst at 768-2434.
www.islandconnection.sc
Photo by Dan Haley
not recommended here! (By the way, our mystery plant is also somewhat related to a different species; one in Europe called “Bella-donna”, a plant that is VERY poisonous. One of its poisonous compounds is atropine, known medicinally as an effective dilator of one’s pupils. Traditionally, high-society ladies in Renaissance Italy would apply drops of the plants’ juice into their eyes, making their pupils open up, thus becoming more beautiful. “Bella-donna”, of course, means “beautiful lady”, but don’t try this at home!) John Nelson is the curator of the Herbarium in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of South Carolina. As a public service, the Herbarium offers free plant identifications. For more information, visit www.herbarium.org or call 803-7778196. Answer: “Bittersweet,” Solanum dulcamara
By John Nelson
h, once again: the tomato family. The “tomato” family is a big one indeed, with nearly 4,000 different species growing around the world in both warm and temperate zones. These species are represented by herbs and shrubs, as well as various vine and tree forms. What’s very important to remember, from a practical standpoint, is that when botanists speak of the tomato family, it doesn’t mean that everything in the family is a tomato. (Specifically, “tomato” is the species Lycopersicon esculentum. That’s just one of the nearly 4,000 species).
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January 23, 2009
In memoriam: Thomas Flynn
PetsPetofHelpers the Week Hi, my name is Abbi and I’m almost four years old and I’m looking for a very special home. I’m feral, so I need a very patient owner, and to be in a home where my socialization needs can be met. Come find out more about me! Spayed, vax, chip, Fee.
T Hello! My name is Freddie. I’m a five year old, male, Terrier mix. I was brought in to Pet Helpers because my owner died and no one wanted to take care of me. I am super laid back. I get along with other dogs and I’m housebroken. I’d love a forever home with someone who will love me and give me attention. Come check me out! Neutered, vax, chip, fee.
Pet Helpers is located at 1447 Folly Road, James Island. Hours: Mon – Fri from 11am – 6pm and Sat from 11am - 5pm. Closed: Sundays and Holidays. For more information, please call 843-795-1110.
Kiawah canned food drive success Provided by the Town of Kiawah Island
The Town of Kiawah Island hosted a canned food drive during the months of November and December on behalf of Rural Mission, Inc. of Johns Island. The Kiawah Island Community Association accepted donations at the Sandcastle and
the Town accepted drop-offs at Town Hall. The canned drive was a great success. Thank you for your efforts in Community Outreach. For more information on Rural Mission, Inc. you may visit their homepage at http://ruralmission.org.
By Kristin Hackler
here is something to be said about guide when friends came to visit.” He a man you can trust, a man who remembered a picture Flynn kept of a you know will always be there surprise meeting between himself, Dick for you or even for a stranger; a man who Coomer and another Seabrooker, all of speaks his mind and will never leave you whom coincidentally ran into each other guessing as to where he stands. Seabrook in the same town in New Zealand while Island lost such a man on December 31, they were all on separate tours. 2008, and his passing was felt in every Flynn was also a skilled runner, corner of this quiet island community. competing in the New York marathon and Thomas Flynn was someone that you once even coming within a hair’s breadth felt comfortable around instantly. He of qualifying for the U.S. Olympics track was incredibly active in the community, and field team. serving on the Seabrook Town Council Although he served in the Navy and and as a past was a member president of of the Merchant the Seabrook Marines, Flynn Island Property was happy O w n e r s with simple, A ssociation. short trips He was a well in his motor known member boat which he of the Kiawahkept docked at S e abrook the Bohicket Exchange Club, Marina. He was a fact which was done with the not missed at the long days out at Club’s January, sea, but it was 2009, meeting. obvious from Before starting the beautiful the evening’s coastal towns in ceremonies, which he chose Exchange Club to live that he president Jim never got the Tilson asked the beauty of the gathered crowd open ocean out to join him The Seabrook Town Council celebrated Tom of his mind. Flynn’s birthday (June 29, 1936) as well as Mayor in a moment McNulty’s, following their July, 2008, Town Council He and his wife of silence for meeting. had moved to his friend, a Seabrook in great man, whom the Club would miss 1999 after Flynn retired from General immeasurably. Electric, where he worked building power According to Larry Blasch, a close plants around the world. friend of Flynn’s for over 25 years, Flynn Thomas Flynn’s memorial service and was an avid boater and looked forward funeral mass were held at the Holy Spirit every year to the three months he and Catholic Church on January 5, but friends his wife would spend in their condo in and well-wishers can still honor him by Mount Maunganui, a coastal town in making a donation in his name to the Northern New Zealand. “He would go Our Lady of Mercy Outreach Center. For there and play golf and go fly fishing,” information on donating, please call the said Blasch, “and he loved to play tour Center at 559-4109.
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January 23, 2009
Do you know your Charleston?
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The pace of place
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y name is David Farrow. Some of you might remember my column, “Do you know your Charleston?” that ran in a lot of other newspapers for six years at the turn of the century. Some of you might remember my tours of downtown Charleston. Most of you probably don’t have a clue as to who I am. That’s okay; together we are about to embark on a journey into history. Those of you old geezers who remember me will be curious to learn that I am back from Georgetown, SC, where I wrote a weekly column for a couple of years. It wasn’t the same. It wasn’t Charleston. It wasn’t you. We have shared memories, you and I. We go back to watching the girls riding horses at sunset on the beach of Sullivan’s Island; we remember being surfer dudes
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By David Farrow listening to WAPE on Folly; we recall listening to the Tams at Art’s New Seaside on the Isle of Palms and the long, dangerous drive back over the two-lane Cooper River Bridge. We remember the drive-in theaters like the Magnolia and the North 52. A quick story about the North 52 drive-in which could be seen from the train station: There was a line of pine trees that obscured the screen from the station until there wasn’t. I can recall being nine or 10 years old, waiting for the East Coast Champion with my father. Somebody knew nothing about the dearth of trees lining the station and began to show “blue” movies (This was a Navy town. Today, you’d see the same thing on basic cable, but in 1960, girls were loath to show their knees except at the beach – I’ve never figured that out). My father went ballistic.
Kiawah resident earns specialist certification
ohn Oakley, a Sales Executive or vacation destinations, as well as with Kiawah Island Real Estate properties for investment, development, (KIRE), has earned his Resort or retirement. To achieve the RSPS and Second-home Property Specialist Certification, REALTORS take two core (RSPS) certification from the National courses, and also complete two electives, Association of REALTORS® (NAR). or hold ABR, CIPS, CPM or CRS The certification is a nationally designations. There are currently only recognized certification that the seven REALTORS in the Charleston Trident region with the NAR awards to real estate certification. professionals who wish to demonstrate and promote Oakley has been their expertise in the with KIRE since 2004. specialty of resort- and He graduated from second-home properties. Appalachian State Certification is obtained University in 2003, and is through the RSPS program, a third-generation property which focuses on developing owner on Kiawah Island. knowledge and a skill base Oakley can be reached at that real estate professionals 843.768.5234 or john_ need to specialize in buying, oa k le y@k iawa h isla nd. selling, or managing second com. homes in resort, recreational John Oakley
The Sanctuary honored
It was handled. The next time we were there, a wall separated us from the salaciousness. I remember the stories of U-boats in our harbor, which, despite naysayers, I maintain was possible to this day. I still have the pictures of the submarine nets in Coburg Creek. I remember jumping off the Ben Sawyer Bridge with Taylor Silcox and Ted Deas when we were 17, as if we had good sense. I recall the story of the policeman who claimed he was on that bridge during Hurricane Hugo. The bridge broke from its moorings and the drawbridge began spinning like a top with the public servant still on it. The allegation is that the man timed the whirls so that he could spin off onto the Mount Pleasant side of the causeway. Good television, but I have never bought it. I was one of the first bartenders out at Kiawah in 1976. The only dwellings at the time were the inn and a couple of cinderblock houses. One afternoon, a woman from Ohio was golfing and hit her ball into one of the many lagoons and she innocently stuck her hand in to retrieve it. Living in the Lowcountry is like living in New York. You better figure it out pretty quickly lest the line that separates the quick
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Provided by Charleston Chamber of Commerce
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outhern Living magazine’s January edition features its 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards, in which several honors go to the Charleston, SC, area. In competition with other southern destinations, readers of the widely popular magazine once again named Charleston their Favorite Southern City. Honors also included top tier billing for Best Weekend Getaway, Best Family Destination and Best Festivals, among others. Several local businesses captured their fair share of prestigious awards. Magnolia’s Restaurant and Jestine’s Kitchen were named Southern Favorites for the restaurant category. Charleston restaurants led the pack in the Splurge Worthy category. Four of the top 10 are located in the Holy City. The winners are: Magnolia’s Restaurant, Peninsula Grill, High Cotton Maverick Bar & Grill and 82 Queen. Charleston Place Hotel and The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort were named two of the Best Hotels in the South. Spoleto Festival, USA was named a top draw for the Festivals and Fairs category. Thousands of Southern Living readers cast their ballots in scores of different categories for these annual honors. Southern Living magazine is published monthly and has a circulation of nearly 2.5 million. The magazine is designed to appeal to the tastes of today’s Southerners. www.SouthernLiving.com
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from the dead dissolve. Anyone from the area can tell you that golf balls look just like alligator eggs. The hapless tourist was bitten. Apparently, she was more shaken up than hurt. The next day, my favorite headline of all time appeared on the front page with a file photo of a gator’s jaws wide open. It read: Renegade Alligator Bites Woman. My thought was, “What a shame! A perfectly tamed alligator has gone postal. How will the family take it?” Many of us grew up watching Charleston remain what author Elizabeth Verner Hamilton described as a “raft going nowhere and we couldn’t have been happier”. It was a different place, a different pace, a different time and space. Stay with me as we meet the “been ya’s”. Rejoin me on my quest to preserve a memory as a fly in amber. As for all my old readers, welcome back. Thanks for having me back in your lives again and tell everyone who might give a rat’s behind to e-mail me. History is like divorce. There are three versions: his, hers and the truth. Together, let’s see if we can paint a mosaic our grandchildren will cherish. Barring that, let’s have a little fun. David Farrow can be reached at info@ luckydognews.com.
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Return to your roots: plant a garden
January 23, 2009
By Kristin Hackler
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remember reading about victory gardens when I was a little girl, and all I could think was, “Why does it take a war to get people to grow their own food?” The benefits seem to speak for themselves. Guaranteed fresh vegetables, legumes and fruits, ready any time, right at your back door. Of course, it takes some time to set up a proper garden, and growing plants from seed or seedling makes for an anxious couple of months; checking every morning for signs of new growth, peering under each delicate leaf for signs of infestation, hoping you didn’t over/under water them or over/under feed them. But once that first little flower appears and fades to the tiny swollen bulb of a new tomato, eggplant, green pepper or whatever plant you’ve gently nurtured and prayed over for the past two months, that instant burst of pride suddenly makes it all worth it. Before you know it, you’re taking bags and baskets of homegrown vegetables to neighbors’ homes, proudly announcing that they all came from your backyard. Of course, part of the reason backyard gardens fell into obscurity after World War II was because of maintenance. Keeping up with watering, soil balancing, bug problems and shooing away wild rabbits and hungry birds from tender sprouts became tedious compared to purchasing fruits and veggies cheaply at the grocery store. And as the necessity for families to have two working parents became more prevalent, making the time to maintain a backyard garden was no longer a high priority. But now, the pendulum is swinging the other way. We are still as busy as ever, with America being ranked by the United Nations as one of the hardest working countries in the world, but we are also realizing that we rely too much on the world’s transportation fleets, and therefore the wildly changing price of gas, for food. Add on top of that the recent outbreaks of salmonella in everything
from spinach leaves to peanuts, the unknown side effects of eating genetically modified food and the layers of insecticides, fungicides and who knows what other toxic compounds seeping into our morning grapefruit, and one starts to wonder if it’s really that hard to grow your own food. Luckily it’s not, especially when you have help: and help is now readily available. Legare Farms on Johns Island has paid close attention to Americans’ literal return to their roots. They began a Community Supported Agriculture program this past Spring which proved to be wildly successful and this year, they’re upping the ante. Legare Farms now offers an exclusive garden building and planting service for novice or timeconstrained gardeners who want a vegetable garden but either don’t know where to start or simply don’t have the time. With this service, an agricultural specialist will
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arrive at your house and build an eight foot by four foot raised bed from cedar planks (known for their insect-repelling qualities), fill it with perfectly balanced soil, plant it with your choice of produce, set up the watering system and hand over the keys. In the course of an afternoon, you are instantly set up for a full growing season’s worth of fresh vegetables, and you know exactly where they came from and what went into them. If at any point you have a question, you can call the farm for help and the total cost of products and service comes to only $750. The farm will also plant out your garden box again for the fall season for a nominal fee. The Greek philosopher Plato once said that, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, and as the need for saving money rises, people all over are inventing ways to cut financial corners and provide helpful and necessary services. Purchasing a garden box not only saves money, it helps to support a much needed local industry. If you’re interested in having Legare farms set up your own vegetable garden box, you can call the farm at 559-0788 or 559-0763, email them at
[email protected], or visit www.legarefarms.com for more information.
January 23, 2009
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Rural Mission at crossroads Having served 40 years, can it continue?
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orty years of dedication and service to those who have so little is a time for celebration and gratitude. The Rural Mission has helped to improve the lives and opportunities of countless rural residents and families across the Sea Islands. We have taught maturity, appreciation and faith to the many volunteers who have come to serve and we have changed lives and attitudes. Rev. Mike Smith of Trinity United Methodist Church in Orangeburg summed up this feeling by saying, “You have to pass through the Rural Mission on your way to Heaven.” The economic slowdown of 2008-09 has presented significant challenges to the Mission and to the needy families, migrants and elderly residents we serve. Bad economic times hit those hardest who have the least, and their recovery is much longer, if at all. They desperately need what the Mission has long sought to provide … hope, assistance and the opportunity to help themselves. However, today there is often little that the Mission can do. Giving is significantly decreased and all charities and non-profits are struggling to survive.
By Chris Brooks
Everyone deserves a decent and safe place to live!
They are competing with one another for awareness and very limited charitable dollars. Many who have given in the past simply cannot give now and some want to give more but must give less. Requests for assistance from the low income residents in the nearby islands have multiplied with countless stories and pleas due to hardship and shortage. Other charities on the islands have seen the same. The Rural Mission is also noticing
Seabrook winter welcome The Newcomers Hospitality Committee of the SIPOA and the Seabrook Island Club will host it’s first social of 2009 as part of the Seabrook Island Annual Meeting weekend. The party is scheduled Friday, February 20, 2009 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Deveaux Room (Island House), Seabrook Island Club. Seabrook Island property owners who purchased property in 2008 or 2009 and property owners who were unable to attend a Newcomers social previously are encouraged to attend. The party provides the opportunity to build new friendships, share information about special interest clubs and organizations, learn of the many volunteer opportunities available, and meet key Seabrook Island leadership individuals. Please return your RSVP included in the SIPOA mailing or contact Rose Crater at the SIPOA Office at 768-0061. The Newcomers Committee co-chairs, Cindy Willis, Jan McBride, Linda Sivert, and Carolyn McCormack are available to take calls as well. This promises to be an informational and fun weekend. The Committee looks forward to welcoming the new residents of our community.
that volunteers who are normally eager to serve are having to make difficult decisions about whether to come at all. The expense of bringing 75 or more young people and adults for a week-long mission project is an expense that has become much more formidable and eye-opening for far away churches. Their hearts are saying yes, but the realities of this year say no. Who loses? The poor, underserved residents of the Sea Islands will lose the
most, but the eager volunteers, young and old, will miss that faith experience that could mean so much in their lives. Our society loses as people experience less and understand less about others. Our rural communities forego an opportunity for uplifting and improvement. You can help support the work of the Rural Mission with your gifts and donations and by volunteering. Your gift can help pay a utility bill or assure that necessary prescription medicine is available. It can purchase a coat or school supplies for a child. It can help to repair a roof that is leaking and causing a family to suffer. It can put gas in a truck to deliver firewood for heating to a family with none. Learn more at www.ruralmission.org Please call the Rural Mission at 768-1720 or come by 3429 Camp Care Road, behind the Church of Our Saviour on Johns Island. Donations can be mailed and directed to the need of your choosing at P.O. Box 235, Johns Island, SC 29457. Ask a staff member to come and speak to your group about the Mission.
Lucky Dog News is "sharing the love" before Valentine's Day.
Call 886-NEWS (6397) for our special Valentine's rates
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14
I
really love my life and I am truly blessed to have the family and the career that I do. But my wife and two small children need me and at times, they need more from me then I may want to give. I have a job that carries with it a myriad of responsibilities, and as the owner of my business, I have all the additional pressure of keeping the place running. Add in a couple of volunteer commitments and writing this article once a month and there are times when I don’t just want to get away; I need to get away. I know the moment I do as I start to grow resentful of all the choices I have made in my life. Golf is my escape, whether it is playing 18, browsing at a retailer or hitting balls at a range. I leave the world of commitments and responsibility behind and allow myself to be completely distracted by a game. Some days when I am on these excursions I am in a joyous mood, celebrating my life; and at others, I am on a mission seeking refuge. Those times when I am retreating to the sanctuary of golf, I watch all who work in the industry and often I grow envious. Each one of them: be they a golf professional, assistant, retailer, or operator, appears to have it made. Their whole world revolves around the greatest game there is. How could life be any better? Theirs is also a fairly close knit group, especially here in the Lowcountry. Every
The rub of the green
January 23, 2009
By Richard Hricik
pro and greens keeper at just about every course knows each other personally and knows of everyone else in the golf business. They trade rounds at each others courses, swap favors and repairs and there is a genuine sense of community. I often imagine myself joining their ranks, leaving the pressures of a whitecollar desk job world behind for a simpler and perceived better life of taking tee times, honing my game, and becoming an assistant professional. No worries, no hassles - nothing but fun. But that isn’t the reality. For those who work at courses, their job demands getting up before sunrise every day and requires work on the weekends and holidays. Their ranks are often filled with players who at
one time saw a future for themselves that included playing in front of huge crowds for big money, but who now toil in a reality that is vastly different. Others simply love the game and know little else. No one takes a job in the golf business because of the money. Tour pros aside, the vast majority just earn a living working at a job that pays them far less than what most of their customers earn. There is also increasing demand for their jobs because of the “fun” perception, which further drives down earnings and makes the hold on any golf related job that much more tenuous. The other reality to the golf industry is that it gets hit harder and faster by a slowing economy than most other
www.islandconnection.sc
industries. No one needs golf, save retirees and the handful of obsessive compulsives like me. When times and the dollar are tight, that new driver, lesson, or even the weekend round are often put off for another day. People travel less and even when they do, limit their budgets and play fewer rounds of golf. Add all this up and the many friends and acquaintances I have in the golf business are hurting as their entire industry contracts. These are people with families, spouses and children the same age as my own, each with their own set of responsibilities. The job skills they possess just do not readily transfer into other career paths and they have a limited set of options. So as I watch people I know and care about either lose their jobs or lose their customers, the panacea career that I have always envisioned golf to be has been replaced with the stark reality that theirs is a business; a business filled with risk and a limited upside. The grass is always greener at the golf course - or so I used to believe. Until next time, play well. Richard is a golf enthusiast, local lawyer and part-time writer seeking publication of a novel about golf. Contact him at donseve@ bellsouth.net. ©2008 Richard Hricik.
January 23, 2009
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No love lost for lungs in South Carolina
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outh Carolina failed every category in the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control report for 2008. This is due to South Carolina’s failure to enact measures proven to prevent death and disease caused by tobacco use, like increasing the cigarette excise tax and funding state tobacco use prevention programs. South Carolina also has the lowest cigarette tax in the country according to June Deen, Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association in South Carolina. June Deen also stated that, “Our State elected officials must be held accountable for their failure last session to fully implement policies proven to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco use”. The State of Tobacco Control 2008 grades states and the District of Columbia on cigarette tax rates, tobacco prevention and control program funding, smoke-free air laws, and coverage of cessation treatments and services. Grades are calculated by comparing policies against standards that are based on the most current, recognized scientific criteria for effective tobacco control measures. Recently, our municipalities dealt with their own smoke-free air laws. Sullivan’s Island passed a smoke-free workplace ordinance and recently brought it into compliance with a court mandate. The Isle of Palms passed their own smoke-free
workplace ordinance last year following a good deal of debate. Folly Beach officials recently rejected an ordinance for a smokefree workplace. Tobacco-related illness remains the number-one preventable cause of death in the U.S. and is responsible for an estimated 6,129 deaths in South Carolina. Tobacco-related illness claims close to 393,000 American lives every year and costs our nation $193 billion annually. Nearly 50,000 additional deaths are due to secondhand smoke exposure and the U.S. Surgeon General has declared that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Six states: Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, joined South Carolina with a score of “F”. Not one state earned an “A” for the report’s new category, which measures state coverage of tobacco cessation treatments and services for its Medicaid recipients and state employees. “Tobacco use is at the heart of a crisis plaguing South Carolina and America’s health and economy, and it must become a priority for leaders at all levels of our government,” said Deen. The complete American Lung Association report, including federal and state grades, is available at www. stateoftobaccocontrol.org.
Ultimate kindness
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BY Dwight S. Ives, MA, MA, LUTCF
nce you solve a problem, there always seems to be another waiting to pounce. This past summer was no exception. I left my little Honda Civic for repairs at a local shop. For reasons much too long to describe here, I was prevented from picking it up at the very last minute. It was too late to make other arrangements for transportation and it was very late in the evening. My regular job pays for the usual: taxes, child support, healthcare (for me and my son), life insurance, etc. There is not much left afterward and though I have years of college and a great deal of job experience, I stay in Charleston because it is unique; and I stay for my son. So to supplement my income and because I like to keep busy, I have a paper route at night. It helps me relax, think, and write these articles. Besides, it doesn’t take long. But this night would be different from all others: like Christmas in June. I frequent the Waffle House at the intersection of Main and Highway 17 South and most of the waitresses know me by face, especially Maria. She had heard me calling frantically on my cell phone for help. Death (mine) and natural disaster are the only acceptable excuses not to show up for paper delivery. I was frantic. Maria knew it and she wanted to help. Her big brown eyes kept looking for a solution. I could get no one on the phone who could help, although many tried. I had to be able to deliver the paper or pay the mandatory $100 emergency substitute fee for someone else to work my route, and this amount would just about cover my repair costs. Curiously, a man Maria had been serving began writing on a card that he had just pulled out of his wallet. I had never seen him before at the restaurant. He was in his late 30s, it seemed, and was built like a football player. Maria kept talking to him, but he kept writing as though he was oblivious to Maria’s little voice. All of a sudden, he stood up and confirmed my image of a football player. He held out a card, his business card, which was the same one on which he had been writing. He turned to me and said, “I don’t know why I am doing this, but you are riding with me to my house. You will drop me off and take my SUV to run your route. But! You must be back by 6am so I can go to work.” I was waiting for Rod Serling to appear since I had surely entered the Twilight Zone. This was unbelievable trust and kindness. I do not know if Maria had anything to do with it or not, but Atlas shrugged and someone else took over my burden. I thanked him, but was speechless from then on as I followed him out. Maria was in her own world and acted as though this was par for the course. I looked at his card as he instructed. He was Mr. Moose, owner of The Palmetto Pizzeria in Hollywood. I was in shock: his name - one of my favorite boyhood cartoon characters; the town where I went to elementary school; even the hour – exactly to the minute when I am required by the company to have the weekly papers done. Angels do come to earth. Even if you don’t ask, they know when they are needed. So, if you are ever in Hollywood or hungry for a pizza or gyro, see Mr. Moose at The Palmetto Pizzeria. He watches out for people more than you can know, and tell him Dwight, The Paper Guy, sent you!
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