Island Connection - October 30, 2009

PRESORT STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID CHARLESTON SC PERMIT NO 437

Volume 3 Issue 14

October 30, 2009

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It’s all about the lighting

Photo by Stan Ullner

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udging a photo contest is tough, so when the Seabrook Camera Club asked The Island Connection to judge their “Boats Afloat” photo contest, we searched around for some experts to help us make the tough decisions. With our offices located on Sullivan’s Island, we were able to pull from the island’s incredibly artistic community. For the photo contest, we asked Isle of Palms Council member and former photographer for The Chicago Tribune, Barbara Bergwerf, to be a judge, as well as Kathy

I n s id e

page 10 Bats!

Sullivan, an animal artist most well known for her horse painting on the 2006 Kentucky Derby commemorative edition of Woodford Reserve, and National Geographic photographer Vincent Musi, who is home from a photo shoot of a groundbreaking archeological discovery in the Fertile Crescent. Though each photographer/artist had their opinions and reasons for selecting the paintings that they did, in the end, it all came down to five. In first place, Stanley

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Ullner’s photo of sailors standing on the crossbeams of a tallship caught the eye of several judges, including Vince Musi. “It’s a graphic use of the human element,” Musi explained. “It’s challenging and pleasing at the same time. I even like how the top guys are a little cut off,” he smiled. In second place, judges agreed that DeTurk’s image of the Photo contest continued on page 3

Con nection. . .

page 7 spooky pet parade

page 14 Fall Festival

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October 30, 2009

Seabrook candidates’ stand on the roads Staff report

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he Farm to Market Road, the Cross Island Expressway, the Johns Island Greenway; call it what you will, the plan to build a road across southern Johns Island connecting River Road to Betsy Kerrison has been discussed on the islands for more than 40 years. But as the idea becomes more tenable, the protests and pleadings for a cross-island road are becoming more and more heated. While Charleston County has voted to do a study on a new roadway so that

The Island Connection Lynn Pierotti Publisher [email protected] Kristin Hackler Managing Editor [email protected] Swan Richards Graphic Designer [email protected] Ali Akhyari Assistant Editor [email protected] Lori Dixon Account Executive [email protected]

the potential route of the road as well as the costs involved will finally be put on paper, other parties have suggested the possibility of simply widening Bohicket and Main road to avoid cutting a new road on the island; an idea which many see as a potential gateway to even more development on the island. However, the safety of the current roads has consistently been called into question and as more and more people move onto the sea islands, the need for some solution to the growing traffic, as well as the increase in accidents, has many saying that its now an issue of life or death. The improvements - whether its

widening the roads, building the Greenway, improving existing roads or a combination of all three - will need the support not only of the Johns Islanders, but the residents of Kiawah and Seabrook, as well. And before Seabrookers go to the voting poles on November 3, it would be in their best interest to know how their candidates stand on the roads. “The carnage has gone on long enough,” says incumbent candidate Robert Savin. “We need the Cross Island Road with green space on each side to preserve the island beauty and ecology and to provide safe transport for residents from all four islands.”

Seabrook: don’t forget to vote! Provided by Eugene Corrigan Registered S.C. voters may get an absentee ballot for the Seabrook Island Municipal Election of November 3 at the Voter Registration office, 4367 Headquarters Rd. off  Leeds Ave. near Dorchester Road, N. Charleston, SC, 29405. For more info, call them at 744-8683.    A state picture ID or registration certificate is required.  Ballots must be returned there by November 2.    Registered Seabrook Island voters may cast their vote between 7am and 7pm on November 3, 2009 at the Town Hall.  South Carolina picture ID or Seabrook address voter registration card is required.

Chelsea Langan Advertising [email protected]

Eugene P. Corrigan, Jr. is the Chairman of the Seabrook Island Municipal Election Commission.

Interns Dylan Sharek Paul Robinson Contributors Eugene Corrigan Jennifer Barbour Sidi Limehouse Dwight Ives Sue Holloman Rosebank Farms Published by Lucky Dog Publishing of South Carolina, LLC P.O. Box 837 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 843-886-NEWS Future deadlines: November 4 for submissions.

Op-Ed articles do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Lucky Dog News or its writers.

Candidates continued on page 3

Monday, November 2

Civic Calendar

Kiawah Island Environmental Committee 3pm - 5pm Town Hall - 2nd Floor Conference Room

Tuesday, November 3 Kiawah Island Town Council 2pm - 4pm Town Hall Council Chambers Kiawah Island Ways and Means Committee meeting 8am Kiawah Island Municipal Center’s 2nd Floor Conference Room

Wednesday, November 4

Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC Publishers of Island Eye News, The Island Connection and The Folly Current.

“Our present roads are scenic but not safe,” said Mayoral candidate, William Holtz. “The State, as well as the County and City of  Charleston, have to have a plan to handle the population growth coming to Johns Island, which is expected to double in 10 years, and to improve the condition of the present roads. The State is working on a plan to extend 526 with an exit on Johns Island and the County is conducting a study on all of the roads on Johns Island. Without a plan, there is no chance we can compete for the limited financing available. Working with the Town Council, I hope to continue to endorse a  Cross Island road that ties into the 526 extension . This road should allow bicycles and pedestrians to travel along designated paths without risking their lives. In addition, we will support improvement for the Main and  Rt. 17 intersection as that is our questionable evacuation route. Whatever plan emerges we will work with the other municipal governments and communities to improve the road situation.” Incumbent Jerry Cummin notes that, “Part of my job while serving on the Town of Seabrook Island’s External Affairs Commission (2004-2008) was to monitor road planning developments effecting Johns Island. One thing was clear: traffic moves fast, road improvements do not. Bohicket and River Roads are some of the most dangerous rural roads in the Nation. Road safety improvements start with action by the County Council. “Councilman Paul Thurmond has announced that he will not run for re-election when his term expires in 2010. He has been the leading supporter in the effort to bring a new, safe road to

unless noted otherwise on the Town bulletin board.

Thursday, November 5 Johns Island Council Meeting 7pm – 8pm Berkeley Electric Co-Op on Maybank Rd.

K iawah Island Town H all 21 Beachwalker Drive Kiawah Island, SC 29455 Phone: 768-9166 Fax: 768-4764 Email: [email protected]

Seabrook Island Town H all 2001 Seabrook Island Road Seabrook Island, SC 29455 Kiawah Island Arts Council Phone: 768-9121 3pm - 5pm Town Hall - 2nd Floor Conference Room Fax: 768-9830 Email: [email protected]

Monday, November 9

St. Johns Fire District Commission 7pm St. Johns Commission Building 3327 Maybank Highway, Johns Island

Kiawah Island Planning Commission 3pm - 5pm Town Hall Council Chambers

Wednesday, November 11

Seabrook Island Planning Commission – work session All Planning Commission meetings will be held at 2:30pm at the Town Hall

Seabrook Island Planning Commission See Wednesday, November 4.

Veteran’s Day Kiawah offices will be closed

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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 Dr, N Charleston (843) 958-4700 City of Charleston 75 Calhoun St. (843) 724-3745

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October 30, 2009 “I, too, am disappointed with the condition of the roads (River Road and Bohicket Rd.) that lead to Johns Island. I would prefer the Sea Island Greenway Seabrook Island,” says candidate Henry Hobson. “We to destroying a lot of Grand Oaks in order to widen certainly need an upgrade on both of these dangerous Bohicket Road to four lanes, but if that is the only roads since they are both highways of potential death option, I will support it. Once the study is published, and destruction to anyone travelling them.  Regrettably it is important for all of us to communicate our wishes there are those residents of Johns Island who feel to County Council. Paul Thurmond may still be there that  any further development, whether road building to help but he won’t be there after the end of 2010. or road maintenance, will lead to further gentrification County Council pays attention to email. Their email of the island and the potential destruction of its rural addresses can be found here: www.charlestoncounty. nature. I do not agree with this position. We need to org/departments/Council/contacts.htm.” provide for the safety and security of travelers to and The issue of road safety is also of great concern to from our island.  The possible solution of the Johns candidate Sam Reed, who chairs the Seabrook Roads Island Greenway has emerged as a limited access Committee comprised of nine Seabrook Island residents. highway which would preserve existing development Reed notes that their Committee has met several times and not facilitate further residential development along and has been working with a similar group on Kiawah. its path.  It would be free of the dangerous proximity of “Our position is that our roads to this part of Charleston large oak trees that threaten travelers on Bohicket and County are terribly unsafe,” says Reed. “It is more than River Roads.  What we need to understand now is how a Seabrook-Kiawah problem, since over 90% of the much it would cost.” travelers at the Freshfields roundabout are not residents Finally, candidate Terrence Ahearn remarks that of Seabrook or Kiawah. This issue MUST be dealt with he feels passionately about the need for safe roads on before others are maimed or killed on Bohicket, Main, the island. “Safety is the main issue with the roads and River Roads.  In order to preserve the beautiful and situation,” says Ahearn. “Some people complain that environmentally positive canopy on Bohicket, it seems a new road would be for the ‘rich people on Kiawah that a new greenway (with possible bicycle and jogging and Seabrook’, but most of the people that drive out lanes) would be preferred.  The adjoining ground could to the islands are guests, renters, construction workers, be put in a limited access easement, so that business Freshfields employees, etc. and they’re in just as much development could not occur.  I have also been told danger on the roads as anyone. I would prefer to see a that a new greenway would be less expensive and less new road instead of four laning Main and Bohicket, disruptive to property owners than a widening project but if that plan doesn’ t work, I would be for widening on Bohicket and River Roads.  In any event, I think we the roads in an environmentally friendly manner and owe it to those using these roads that safety should be doing what we can to protect the grand oaks. foremost, and that a solution should and can be found.  Editor’s note: Candidate Frank Farfone was I will continue to work on this issue until a solution is unavailable to give his stance on the roads situation before found.” our deadline date. Candidates continued from page 2

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Photo contest continued from cover reflection of a boat on glassy, rippling water was incredibly well-conceived. “You have to ask ‘what did the photographer bring to the situation?’,” said Musi. “We can all stand in a great situation, it’s what you do with it that makes a good picture.” The quality of light in most of the images was a definite deciding factor for the judges, as well as the use of scale. A couple judges pointed out that just because you have a zoom lens doesn’t mean you have to take tight, close-up shots. In fact, that’s the reason they chose the third place picture by Judy Bailey. The distinct image of a man standing on a thin handmade boat was made all the more intriguing by the fact that his foot was swinging out above the water, almost dancing as he maneuvered the small craft through the river. A pool of golden light at the bow of the ship casts both the action and the silhouette of the man in an almost fairytale setting. The two honorable mentions, Shirley Hanson’s image of a woman painting a sailboat from shore and Bob Hider’s capture of a boat’s crew casting fish scraps to a flock of pelicans before an impending storm, were unanimously chosen for their use of light and framing. “It was a nice surprise to see the artist in the corner,” said Musi of Hanson’s image. “It was very sensibly done.” And Hider’s image of the pelican feeding was exceptional for the quality of light use in extreme weather conditions. “It’s hard to capture weather,” said Musi, noting how the “edges” of the day are often the best times to take pictures as they provide some of the most interesting light. The awards for the Seabrook Camera Club “Boats Afloat” winners were given out on Thursday, October 22. Cash prizes were given to first, second and third place winners and prizes were given to the honorable mentions. The Seabrook Camera Club meets the fourth Thursday of every month at the Lake House at 7pm. Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, the November meeting will be held on November 19, 2009.

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Exchange Club returns to Seabrook

n Wednesday, October 21, the Kiawah/Seabrook Exchange Club held their very first meeting in the new Island House on Seabrook Island. More than 130 Exchange Club members and their spouses attended the event, enjoying light refreshments and drinks in the Carolina Room before moving out to the wide porches to enjoy a beautiful Lowcountry late fall sunset. During the social hour, a string quartet from the Charleston Symphony Orchestra led by concertmaster Yuriy Bekker performed in the Carolina Room. Following a delicious dinner prepared by chef Randy McDonald, club president Jim Tilson welcomed the president elect of the National Exchange Club, Charleston resident Margie Miller, to the podium. Miller thanked everyone for their support during her campaign and explained that the little gold trinket that each member had received when they arrived at the dinner was a tiny Oscar, an award which is only given to successful Exchange Clubs. “Let’s hear a round of applause for such a great club with such a great record of service!” she cheered. Youth of the Month awards were given to students Elizabeth Robinson of St. Johns High School and William Northcutt of Charleston Collegiate. Both thanked the Club for their support and explained briefly what they planned to do in college. Elizabeth plans to pursue a

degree in psychology while William hopes to pursue either acting or visual arts. At the close of the evening, featured speaker Yuriy Bekker, concertmaster for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, explained how the Symphony has been working with local schools, taking their instruments to classrooms and cafeterias in an effort to educate students on the beauty and passion of classical music. “Many [children] don’t grow up listening to classical music,” said Bekker. “We explain how learning a musical instrument takes discipline and to play well, you must practice. We don’t’ expect the kids to become professionals, but we want to help them develop an appreciation for it and become future symphony attendees.” Bekker explained that even though the Symphony has suffered through pay cuts of 10% in 2008 and 20% in 2009, they are still working hard to keep the Symphony alive and will continue to reach out to the community. “We’ll keep inspiring and playing,” he smiled, “and we thank you all for your support through such difficult times.” Thanks to the Exchange Club, the CSO will be performing a free family concert at St. Johns High School on April 29. “It’s a great opportunity for Johns Island residents to come out and hear the Symphony,” said Bekker. For more information on the Family concert event, visit www.charlestonsymphony.com.

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12th Annual Kiawah Tour of Homes

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n Saturday, November 7, 2009, the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League will be hosting its 12th Annual Symphony Tour of Homes on Kiawah Island. Highlighted on this year’s Symphony House Tour will be six exquisite homes. All of them feature the finest architecture and interior design. Proceeds from the Symphony House Tour benefit the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. Ticket holders will be able to enjoy music throughout the day. While picking up tour books and directions at Freshfields Village in the morning, you will be serenaded by members of the Lowcountry Youth Orchestra. Some of the homes will have live music while one of the homes will offer light refreshments and an opportunity to meet Maestro David Stahl of the CSO. At 5:30pm on the Freshfields Village Green, Maestro Stahl will conduct the Symphony in a free concert under a tent with seating for several hundred. Tickets for the Tour of Homes are $40 prior to November 7 and will be $45 the day of the event. They are now available at the Kiawah Island Visitors Center and at Indigo Books in Freshfields Village. For further information, go to csolinc. org to purchase tickets online or write to: CSOL Island House Tour, 721 Virginia Rail Road, Johns Island, SC 29455.

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October 30, 2009

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October 30, 2009

The seven pirate ghosts of Capn Sams

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ams was his last name, not his first. Sams was not a possessive man, he never owned any land. Sams was a Capn, not a Captain. He had no “t” in his name. He could have had that “t”, but he preferred to avoid positions of authority. For a brief successful time he was a pirate. In his pirate days, he worked for George Raynor aboard one of the two ships Raynor possessed. Raynor considered Sams his right arm and on patrol, Sams commanded one pirate ship, though both ships looked to Raynor as Captain. Raynor’s two pirate ships worked as a team patrolling from the Stono River inlet toward the southeast as far as provisions allowed. The home anchorage was behind Kiawah Island in a small creek known as Old Dock Creek. Raynor’s boats were fast. Upon Capn Sams advice, the sails were made big and armaments were kept light. They could outrun anything the Spaniards had, or anything the English had. Speed was the key; or so Capn Sams believed. On September 16, 1682, the two ships left Kiawah and headed south. A week earlier there had been a hurricane and they hoped to find a ship or two that had endured the storm intact – ideally, a scattered Spanish convoy. Three weeks later, Raynor stood off the bar of the harbor at Charles Towne a rich man. He was done pirating and he wanted to become a Charles Towne gentleman. Every ship entering the harbor had to

By Sidi Limehouse

have papers. Every ship had to stand off, have its cargo inspected and the papers stamped with the King’s seal, indicating that all duty and taxes to King Charles were paid. Only then was the ship allowed into the harbor. Raynor had no papers, but a few Spanish gold coins solved that problem. He sailed across the bar, bought his way into society and quashed certain rumors from England and William Penn that he was a pirate by giving monies to benevolent societies. His last act before settling down to insure his acceptance as a gentleman was to purchase from the Lord Proprietors his own hiding place: Keywah Island. Raynor also looked out for his men, and Capn Sams took his share of gold coin, which at the time was worth plenty (on today’s market worth over $50 million), and announced that he did not want money, that “money is the root of all evil”, though he meant the pursuit of money was the root of all evil. He did not know how right he was. Soon it became evident to Capn Sams that he had to leave Charles Towne just to be left alone. Raynor was relishing in his fame and fortune as he was the richest man in Charles Towne, but Capn Sams was a private man and hated to be in the spotlight. So Raynor’s solution to help Capn Sams was to send him to Keywah, giving him 200 acres of the island and a spit of land between the fast lands of

Keywah and Jones Islands (known today as Seabrook Island). Sams turned down the gift, telling Raynor that “this forbidden place should belong to no man, as the air we breathe shouldn’t belong to anyone.” Sams knew, however, that this place was perfect. No one would ever go there, no one would hound him and best of all, no ladies would seek favors of him and his gold. The local Indians who lived at Cassique made friends with Sams. In time, they began to refer to the spit, the inlet and the creek as simply “Capn Sams”. The rest of the pirate crew had scattered and most had drunk and caroused away their portion of the booty. Seven of these scoundrels, however, stayed in Charles Towne and one day, they took it into their heads to seek out Capn Sams lair. Somehow they had heard that Sams was living on the end of Keywah on a “beach spit of white sand often overrun by the fury of the sea”. These seven ne’er do wells figured that because Sams had no use for the gold, that they should have it. Being familiar with the Keywah River, the pirates rowed to the village of Cassique, the name of which translates to “King”. At the village they inquired about Sams and were soon on their way to the spit, taking with them one Indian, a very talkative Indian, who told them Capn Sams had a special place on the spit where no one could go, indicated by a metal post that stood even

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with the top of a nearby dune; and the Indian could point it out to the pirates. Meanwhile, another Indian, unencumbered by a large boat and seven big men, hurried ahead and told Sams about the seven armed men approaching the spit. Sams had feared this would happen. How he hated the Spanish and their damned gold. Sams and the Indian hurried across the inlet and hid the Indian’s canoe; just in time, as the pirates had appeared around the bend of the river and were disembarking as the two tucked the boat away in a thick patch of shrubs. On finding only an abandoned shack with only one small window, the seven pirates asked the Indian about the whereabouts of Capn Sams. The Indian, realizing now that perhaps these men wanted to do Capn Sams harm, told them that Sams had died the week before of yellow fever, a common curse in the Lowcountry. But the Indian still showed them the site of the post from the one window in the shack and the pirates quickly went to work. Using the four shovels they brought with them, the pirates dug into the sand and at two feet, they ran into palmetto logs which had been used to shore up the loose sand. The palmettos were about eight feet long and were laid out in a square, giving the pirates enough room so that two men could dig while the Pirate ghosts continued on page 13

8 Friday, October 30 Scary’um Aquarium! A Frightful & Fun Experience October means fish, fun and frights at the Scary’um Aquarium! Ghouls & Buoys of all ages can celebrate the scariest season at the South Carolina Aquarium with “Legends of South Carolina”. Kids can celebrate Halloween all month with a special $2 children’s admission discount for all those in costume! For more info, visit scaquarium. org or call 577-FISH (3474).

Saturday, October 31 Happy Halloween! Halloween at the John’s Island library! Join us for a spooky family story time at 11am. Wear costumes, eat candy, read scary books and make a Halloween craft! All ages welcome. John’s Island Regional Library, 3531 Maybank Highway. For more info, call 559-1945. Charleston Pony Club’s Annual Gymkhana 9am-3pm, the Charleston Pony Club is hosting their Annual Gymkhana at the John’s Island farm of Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding (CATR). A giant tack sale will benefit the CATR Scholarship Fund. Spectators encouraged! Enjoy 25 of the most exciting games played on horseback-where riders, horses and ponies of all ages and skill levels test themselves. For more info, call 559-6040. 2669 Hamilton Road, John’s Island, SC 29455.

Sunday, November 1 All Saints Day

October 30, 2009

Daylight Savings ends (“Fall” back one hour)

Island Connec

Kayak Capn Sams Spit Info under Sidi’s story, page 13. Open Water Sea Kayaking 9am. Get ready for some off season paddling in the ocean. This class will serve as an ACA Level 4 training class. Full day of training for the price of a half-day class only $80. Call Sea Kayak Carolina at 843225-7969 to register, SeaKayakCarolina. com for more info. 1731 Signal Point Rd, James Island.

Monday, November 2 1st Annual Love, Inc. Golf Tournament At Charleston National Golf Course in Mount Pleasant with registration at 11am and a shotgun start at 12pm. Cost is $80 per person or $300 per four-person team. All proceeds will go toward helping Love Inc. provide free-of-charge services to our community’s elderly and disabled. For more info or to register, contact Jeff Burkhart at 375-1245 or e-mail jburkhard@ horizon-seniorservices.com.

Tuesday, November 3 Seabrook Island Elections

Thursday, November 5 Wild Dunes hosts Super Senior Tennis Tournament Thursday, November 5, through Sunday, November 8, 2009, Wild Dunes will host the United States Tennis Association (USTA) South Carolina Section of the Super Senior Tennis

October 30 - N Tournament at the Resort’s Tennis Center. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on the tournament, schedule of play or a Wild Dunes gate pass, please call 886-2113.

Friday, November 6 5th Annual Pet Helpers Black Tie Fur Ball Gala This year our theme is Fur Bollywood!  Guests are encouraged to wear Bollywood attire and Saris...Bindis will abound! From 6:30pm –11pm, at Memminger Auditorium, 56 Beaufain Street in downtown Charleston. Tickets: $150 each and can be purchased at the shelter, by calling 7951110, or online at www.pethelpers.org.   

Harvest Festival Trail Ride Bring your horse, camping gear, and supplies to Mullet Hall Equestrian Center November 6-8 for two nights of camping and three days of trail riding on 20 miles of beautiful, wooded trails. Trail rides take place from 3pm-6pm each day. Registration fee is $45/$35 for Mullet Hall pass holders. Registration fee for children 12 and under is $15/$10 for Mullet Hall pass holders. This fee includes dinner Saturday evening, breakfast Sunday morning, and admission into the Harvest Festival on November 7. Call 795-4386 to register or for more info.

Saturday, November 7 Harvest Festival Come out to Mullet Hall from 11am-

Ta k e a Johns Island Regional Library 3531 Maybank Highway 559-1945 Hours: Monday – Thursday: 10 – 8 Friday & Saturday: 10 – 6 Sunday: 2 – 5

*Computer Basics (adults/young adults) Monday, November 2 from 6 – 8pm *Word Basics (adults/young adults) Tuesday, November 3 from 10am – 12 Noon *Keyboard Basics (adults/young adults) Monday, November 9 from 6pm – 8pm

Halloween at the John’s Island Regional Library! (all ages) Saturday, October 31 at 11am

*Excel Basics (adults/young adults) Tuesday, November 10 from 10am – 12 Noon

Wee Reads (under 24 months with adult) Monday, November 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 10:30am

*Files and Folders: File Organization and Management (adults/young adults) Monday, November 16 from 6pm – 8pm

Time for Twos (2–3 years old with adult) Tuesday, November 3, 10, 17 and 24 at 10:30am

*Excel: Beyond the Basics (adults/young adults). Tuesday, November 17 from 10am – 12 Noon

Preschool Storytime (3–6 years) Wednesday, November 4, 18 and 25 at 10:30am

*Internet Basics (adults/young adults) Monday, November 30 from 6 – 8pm

Saturday Family Storytime (all ages) Saturday, November 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 11am

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*All computer classes are free. For more information please call 559-1945 and ask for the Reference Department. Class space is available for 8 participants per session.

October 30, 2009

ction Calendar

November 12 5pm for Harvest Fest 2009! Do not miss down-home delights like a crafter market, children’s activities, live foot-stompin’ bluegrass entertainment and more! No outside food or beverages permitted. Admission is $5/free for children 12 and under as well as Gold Pass holders. For more info, call 795-4386 or visit our website at www.ccprc.com. Tour of Homes on Kiawah 10am to 4pm. Charleston Symphony Orchestra musicians will be playing at some tour homes and light refreshment will be available. Tickets for the home tour are $40 in advance from the Kiawah Island Visitors Center, Indigo Books or by calling the CSO office at 723-7528 x110. For more info, visit www.csolinc.org.

Sunday, November 8 Art on the Beach and Chefs in the Kitchen From t1 – 5pm, tour historic homes, artists’ studios and the Sullivan’s Island lighthouse, as well as delicious foods from several local restaurants. Art, musical entertainment and a dessert reception at Station 22 Restaurant round out the day with proceeds benefiting Creative Spark Center for the Arts’ scholarship fund.  Tickets can be purchased to include the entire tour and reception for $35 and Patron tickets are $150. They may be purchased at Creative Spark 881-3780 and Sandpiper Gallery.

a page Kiawah Island Photography Club Reception (all ages) Monday, November 2 from 6 - 7:30pm Get Lost @ John’s Island Library with the movie Land of the Lost (grades 6 -12) Wednesday, November 4 from 3:30 - 5:30pm Rated PG-13, 101 minutes. Club Anime! (ages 12-19) Saturday, November 7 from 3 - 5:15pm Needlecrafts Group (adults) Thursday, November 12 from 10 - 11:30am Tea Program (all ages) Saturday, November 14 at 12 Noon-1:30pm Come to the library and learn the history and benefits of tea from Margarita Hart of the Charleston Tea Plantation. Saturday Movie: Treasure Island (all ages) Saturday November 14 at 2pm Rated PG, 87 minutes. Sponsor: The UPS Store, 3575 Maybank Highway, John’s Island. Sea Islands Book Club (adults) Tuesday, November 17 at 2pm Selected book: Loving Frank: A Novel by

Nancy Horan. Club Anime! (ages 12-19) Tuesday, November 17 from 4 - 5:30pm TLT: Teen Lab Time (grades 6 -12) Wednesday, November 18 from 4 – 6pm Free Legal Clinic: Landlord and Tenant Issues (adults) Thursday, November 19 at 6pm Mark W. McKnight, Esq., Charleston, SC will provide a 30-45 minute lecture on landlord and tenant issues followed by an open question and answer session.

Fall Harvest Dinner at Legare Farms All of the food will be Legare Farms’ own and will be prepared by ten of Charleston’s finest chefs. All proceeds will go to Legare Farms Education Foundation. Beer from Coast Brewery and Palmetto Brewery, and wine from Irvin House Vineyards. Music will be provided by Ricky Rio, Sarah Berry, and Sheena Stover. Tickets are $50 each. 559-0788 or e-mail legarefarms@bellsouth. net

Wednesday, November 11 Veteran’s Day

Thursday, November 12 Holiday Festival of Lights Fun Run/Walk Runners and walkers will be the first in Charleston to experience more than 200 magical light displays and over 6 million twinkling lights! This two-mile noncompetitive run/walk will take place from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Registration is $9 and $15 after November 6, and free for ages 2 and under. To register or for more information, call 795-4386 or visit our website at www.ccprc.com. Pure Theater presents The Tragedian 7:30pm at the Turtlepoint Clubhouse. By PURE Theater Playwright in Residence and Co-founder Rodney Lee Rogers. A breathtaking and explosive portrait of Edwin Booth, one of the most brilliant theatrical artists in history and the older brother of Lincoln assassin (and actor) John Wilkes Booth.

Displays Photography Exhibit November 1-30 The Kiawah Island Photography Club will showcase their photographs of people, nature, landscapes, travel and more. Tea Display November 1-30 The Charleston Tea Plantation will display teapots and varieties of tea. The Charleston Tea Plantation is America’s only working tea garden and is located on Wadmalaw Island.

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Seabrook Island Natural History Group Evening Program Jim Jordan, Kiawah naturalist, will present his findings of the latest bobcat trackings on the islands.  Begins at the Lake House at 7:30 with refreshments served beginning at 7pm. Open to all Seabrook residents for a $5 donation.  (Free to SINHG members). For more info, visit www.sinhg.org . Friday, November 13

2009 Kiawah Arts Fest Visit the Kiawah Sandcastle Community Center over the weekend of November 13-15 for the 2009 Arts Fest. Talented local artists will display fine arts, crafts and photography for entertainment and purchase. Friday, 5 – 7pm, wine and cheese reception; Saturday, 10 – 5pm; Sunday, 10am – 2pm. Please RSVP for the wine and cheese reception by November 6. To RSVP or for additional information, contact the Sandcastle at 843-768-3875 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Seabrook Garden Club The Seabrook Garden Club will meet at the Lake House with refreshments at 9am and programs beginning at 9:30am. Today’s presentation will be given by Hamby Catering on the topic of “Holiday Food and Decorations”.

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Daily Discoveries: the facts on bats

October 30, 2009

By Jennifer Barbour

t is that time of year when bats are everywhere. Too many people associate these flying mammals with spooky Halloween decorations and vampire movies that play on late night television every October. There are so many myths about bats that I thought it would be good to share some facts so we can all have a better understanding of this valuable member of the twilight sky: MYTH: Bats are flying rodents. FACT: Bats are more related to monkeys and lemurs than they are to rodents. They are such unique animals that scientists have placed them in a group all their own, called Chiroptera, which means ‘hand-wing’. MYTH: Bats are blind and will get caught in my hair at night. FACT: Most bats can see as well as humans. Fruit bats can see in color, having eyesight much like cats, and are well adapted to low light. Bats are also equipped with a built-in sonar system that allows them to navigate at fast speeds through total darkness without running into objects along the way, including a full head of hair. This is called echolocation. MYTH: Bats are ugly and dirty. FACT: Most bats are smaller than the palm of your hand and have very cute faces. They also spend an enormous amount of time each day grooming their fur to keep it clean and soft. MYTH: All bats are vampires and suck blood. FACT: Of the world’s 1100+ species, only three are vampire bats, and their territory is mostly limited to Latin America. Vampire bats are very small (about the size of a package of M&Ms) and do not attack humans or suck our blood; they prefer to get their teaspoon-sized meals from other animals. The remaining 1097 or so species of bats eat insects, fruit, nectar and pollen. A few species eat fish and frogs. Insect-eating bats eat billions of insects each summer. They protect our crops and keep our costs down at the market place. Fruit bats bring us over 450 commercial products and 80 medicines through pollination and seed dispersal. Over 95% of rainforest re-growth comes from seeds that have been spread by fruit bats. MYTH: Bats only live in caves. FACT: While some bats do occupy caves, many species live in trees and man made structures such as buildings, barns, and bridges.

information. Contact your local wildlife resource if you find an injured bat or have problems with their occupancy in your home. About the Author: Jennifer is a Naturalist with the Kiawah Island Nature Program. To contact her with comments or personal stories, email her at Jennifer_Barbour@ kiawahresort.com. * Information from Bat Conservation & Management, Bat World Sanctuary, and Southeastern Outdoors was used in this article.

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Bat facts: Bats are among the slowest reproducing animals on earth. Most bat species have only one young per year. The average lifespan of a bat is 25 – 40 years. Bats make up over 20% of all mammal species and are the only mammal species that flies. 45 species of bats are in danger of extinction. An increasing number of bats in the northeastern United States are dying from a strange fungal disease called White Nose Syndrome. A single brown bat can catch more than 1,200 insects per hour. Fewer than .5% of bats have rabies.

To learn more about bats and to spot a few local species, come join one of our Naturalists for a night beach walk on Kiawah Island. Call the Nature Center at 768-6001 for more

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October 30, 2009

Seabrook Howl-o-ween parade

OLM celebrates 20 years

(above) Ronald Rose and Camellia Creasy of Jim and Nick’s Barbeque served up delicious sandwiches and sweet tea during the event. (left) Ashley Moreno, 14, a singer with Joyful Noise Productions, serenaded the crowd with a series of beautiful spirituals.

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n Saturday, October 24, the Seabrtook Dog Club (SEADOGS) and islanders Paul and Cindy Covert hosted the first annual Seabrook Halloween Pet Parade at the Lake House. Category winners included: Best Pet/Owner look alike - Pam Tittle & the Cavalier Ballet Company (pictured below); Funniest - Kathy Smith; Scariest - Daphne the Pirate; Best Seabrook Island look - Don Smith with Seabrook Surfer Doodle; Most Original Costume Ciara & Potter Amos; Waggingest Tail - Beau Kinenger; Best Trick Darby Reed.

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October 30, 2009

Cleaning for a Reason

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or women undergoing cancer treatment, there are suddenly hundreds of little day-to-day activities which, after attending chemotherapy treatments, become incredibly difficult to handle. One of these is simply keeping their house in order. In response to this need, Deborah Sardone, a 26 year veteran of the residential cleaning industry, began Cleaning for a Reason. Through this program, women undergoing cancer treatment receive free professional house cleaning services once a month over a four month period. Started only three years ago in Lewisville, Texas, Cleaning for a Reason has expanded to more than 550 partners offering free cleaning services to women throughout the United States and Canada. Its partners have donated more than $350,000 worth of cleaning services to more than 1,500 women with cancer nationwide. In the Johns, Wadmalaw, Kiawah and Seabrook Islands area, Gamble Home Services is proud to be a member of this exceptional, charitable cause. “I recently attended a breakfast meeting in Chicago for women who are undergoing cancer treatment and receiving help from

Staff report Cleaning for a Reason,” said Mark Frisch, Vice President of Gamble Home Services. “One woman testified about how she didn’t have anyone to help her at home and her house was a mess. And after undergoing chemo, she d id n’t have the

strength to do anything about it. She was physically and emotionally a wreck. So when Cleaning for a Reason offered to have a cleaning service come to her home and clean it once a month for four months for free, she almost cried. It was great, she said, to have someone come in and take the burden of cleaning off of her shoulders.” Frisch, whose father-in-law recently

passed away from cancer, understands the needs of cancer patients and has made it the goal of Gamble Home Services to provide Cleaning for a Reason services when needed. “It’s not something we’re just doing for a season,” said Frisch. “This is an ongoing service. We’re very passionate about it and want to do what w e can t o help.” Cleaning for a Reason is the only 501(c)3 non-profit corporation in America providing free professional house cleaning services to w o m e n . Here is how it works: Each client patient receives four free cleanings spaced out once a month for four months. To register for this program, the only requirement is that the patient contact the Cleaning for a Reason organization at (877) 337-3348, or visit their website,

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www.cleaningforareason.org, and provide a medical notice that they are undergoing treatment. If you know a woman who is in need of help during this difficult season of her life, or if you are in need, please visit www. cleaningforareason.org or call their toll free number for more information. You can also e-mail Mark Frisch at Mark@ gamblehomeservices.com, call 768-9923, or visit www.gamblehomeservices.com for a link to the Cleaning for a Reason website. During the month of November, Gamble Home will donate 5% of all of their cleaning revenue to Cleaning for a Reason. As with any non-profit organization, this foundation needs help in order to service as many women as possible. Each cleaning company involved with Cleaning for a Reason provides time and money to help fund the operations. You can offer your support by providing a donation to Cleaning for a Reason, which will help the foundation market to and recruit other cleaning companies throughout the country to provide this wonderful service to women in need.

as ives sees it

The Great Late Night Cookie Mystery

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y parents were scientifically trained. My Mom is a retired registered nurse who taught us to read prescription directions three times before dispensing. My Dad majored in chemistry – first becoming a pharmaceutical salesman before dedicating his life to the family business of education. He introduced us to the use of the scientific method: test, observe, record, repeat. I applied this training at my job while working at the largest Bi-Lo in South Carolina at the bypass in Mount Pleasant. I needed a job post haste due to a disagreement within a family-owned company which I dearly loved and served as a manager. The sell-out, combined with an unexpected divorce, immediately converted me into “Deli Dwight”, the late night cookie monger. But I made the best of the situation and, drawing from my chemisty-oriented past, I developed a “scientific method” to produce as nearperfect a cookie as possible – not too dry, too moist or too sticky. One night around 4am I was putting away the freshly washed cookie pans and waiting for Nancy, the early morning bread baker, to replace me. Everything was as usual upon her arrival. I brought Nancy up to date with the happenings of the previous night. All of a sudden we both heard two muffled but distinct male voices a few feet away to our right, but for the life of us we couldn’t see who was

by Dwight S. Ives talking, though they seemed to emanate from one well-defined point. This, however, wasn’t a particularly unusual event for the old store. Besides hearing voices, employees had noticed that freezer doors would often open late at night no matter how hard they were slammed shut. One night, though, I was lucky enough to see some of these strange events in action. Raw cookie dough was always kept in the freezer, twelve dozen to a box. They could be really gross if they thawed, so it was imperative that the freezer door be kept shut. However, one particular night as I was standing next to the freezers, I heard the blower fans kick in. That was the clue! With no one in the freezer prior to the fans turning on, the freezer compartment was virtually airtight. The atmospheric pressure was equal on both sides. Once the fans kicked in, the pressure inside increased above that on the outside, pushing the door open gently. I tested and retested. There went that ghost theory, I thought. But now we had muffled voices with no bodies. We first checked to see if there was either a communications speaker or customer in the vicinity, but there were none to be found. I even checked to see if a microphone might have been left keyed on. This was not the case, nor were there any male workers nearby. Since the deli side and bakery side join at almost perfect right angles, I theorized

that there might have been a parabolic dish effect collecting sounds from the other side of the store, much like a magnifying glass collects sunlight and focuses it to a single fine point of intensified light. In theory, this sounded like the solution. There was just one problem – there were too many obstructions in the way between the front of the store where the voices were heard and the back where they might be originating. Celetex (acoustical tile) hung from the drop down ceiling, preventing store sounds from echoing throughout the building. Plus, the sounds would have to take a ricochet path around to eventually bounce up over a five foot counter to drop exactly in that spot. The last place to check was the roof to see if there were workers Pirate ghosts continued from page 7 others rested, kept watch or carried away the excess sand. At eight feet, it became impossible to toss the sand clear of the hole, so the pirates decided to go into the village of Cassique and secure baskets and rope to help them proceed. Riding the tide the half mile from the spit to the village, the pirates noticed that it was unusually warm for the 30th of October. Even stranger was that when they arrived at the formerly bustling village of Cassique, they found it completely abandoned, all 400 residents gone in the span of a day. The men didn’t stop to think about it, though, and quickly grabbed the supplies they needed, helping themselves to food which was still sitting out in pots, as though the Indians had left in a great hurry. When they returned to the site, the pirates rigged the baskets and continued digging. The work was slow, and as daylight approached the next day, they noticed that the surf seemed angry, and the seasoned sailors thought how lucky they were to be on land. Perhaps a nor’easter was pushing through, they thought, but they set concern aside and continued to dig steadily throughout the day. At fourteen feet, they knew they were close. The sand was becoming soggy, so they knew they were at sea level. But this night, the sea wasn’t normal, not normal at all. Those dumping the baskets heard the pounding of the surf, but could see nothing through the stinging rain. The wind screamed across the open pit, but just as the storm was reaching a torrential fury, the light of the oil lamp revealed the Spanish gold. In their eagerness to see the treasure, all seven pirates crammed themselves into the hole, causing the oil lamp to extinguish, but they had all seen the treasure. The first wave to break over the hole was, as a surfer would put it, a good one. Somewhere on Capn Sams spit lies the remains of seven pirates in a grave they dug for themselves. When the good Capn returned to the spit, he could not find a shred of evidence of his shack, his metal rod of where anything had been; not even a bush. It was like God had washed it clean, but Sams was happy.

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around. There were none. Besides, even if there had been work on the roof above our area, we would have heard something - at least a bump or a thump - other than mere voices. Eventually, the voices just faded as quickly as they “appeared”, leaving Nancy and I at a loss with no logical explanation. Let’s start something new! If you have a story that just cannot be explained by ordinary means, please send it to: [email protected]. Include your name, e-mail address, and phone number (with area code). Maybe we can solve your mystery or pass it on to those who can. No more would the gold coins of the Spanish haunt him. A hurricane on the last day of October. How strange; and stranger yet that Capn Sams and the Indians of Cassique swore that on the anniversary of the storm, October 31 at midnight, they could hear the surf sound unusually loud and the sound of cries from the spit; the cries of seven dying men. After the hurricane, Capn Sams never returned to the spit, though he lived to be 91, a ripe old age in those days. Instead, he lived at Saw Pit, which is about 100 yards from the bridge to nowhere located on the golf course at Cassique. From there he could look out on the spit and reminisce about his good fortune and the $50 million in gold coins that lay somewhere under the white sands of the spit. Oftentimes, Capn Sams would take the river down to Charles Towne to sell lumber and to visit his old friend Captain Raynor. In the late 1600s, the rivers were the roads, and as soon as Capn Sams’ boat hit the water, seven dolphins began cavorting around his boat, and when he passed a certain place on the spit, these seven beasts slid up onto the beach. Sams knew the beasts were trying to show him where the Spanish coins lay, but Sams wasn’t interested. For Sams’ life was now all sevens. Today, the descendants of these seven dolphins still propel themselves onto the beach, and to them, the mullet are gold. This stranding passed down through the generations as a lesson from their seven ancestors; an attempt to right a wrong. Editor’s note: This story was originally written in Sidi’s hand on seven sheets of paper, though that was not his intention. The legend of sevens lives on even in the telling of the tale. Trip to Capn Sams! This Saturday, November 1, Sidi Limehouse will be hosting a free kayaking trip to Capn Sams Inlet. To register, sign up at www.kiawahriver. org. The group will meet at Mingo Point at 10:30am and the kayaks will launch with the tide at 11am. A free lunch of barbeque and fresh vegetables will be served afterwards at Rosebank Farms. Donations are encouraged to help fund the efforts to protect Capn Sams Spit.

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October 30, 2009

Dr. Jean visits Mt. Zion

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By Sue Holloman

he cafeteria at Mt. Zion School was full of excitement as a large group of four, five and six year olds tried to contain themselves as they waited for a visit from Dr. Jean. They had listened to her CDs, sung along with her Silly Songs, learned how to Kiss Their Brains and now they were going to see her and sing along with Dr. Jean! Dr. Jean Feldman is a resident of Seabrook Island when she isn’t traveling nationally, putting on workshops for teachers of young children and providing children with sing-a-long concerts of her music. Her focus is on helping children improve their self esteem and learn at the same time; and the children love her music. When Dr. Jean arrived in the school cafeteria, a sea of red shirts (the school uniform) began bouncing up and down in their chairs with joy. Jean immediately got the children involved with her music and it was nonstop for the next 45 minutes. The children were thoroughly engaged the entire time; singing, using hand motions and moving to the music. The children were ready to keep going, but the adults in the audience who were

following along with Jean were exhausted trying to keep up with her. Everyone, adults and children, had fun. Dr. Jean Feldman has been involved in education for over 35 years, teaching both children and adults. She earned her Ph.D. from Georgia State University and is well known on the national scene as an educator of young children. Her CDs are very familiar to teachers of young children and they are used in many kindergartens in the country. Jean offered to provide a concert for the children at Mt. Zion at no cost to the school. Mt. Zion is the neighborhood school for Seabrook and Kiawah and her offer was greeted with great joy by the teachers at the school, who quickly made arrangements to take advantage of her generosity. The children at Mt. Zion are fortunate to have a wonderful “neighbor” like Jean who was willing to come to the school and provide such an educational and enjoyable program for them. Those who live on Kiawah and Seabrook are fortunate to have caring adults among them who are willing to provide extra opportunities for the children. PHOTO BY Principal Deborah Fordham

5th Annual Lowcountry Fall Festival at Rosebank Farms Provided by Rosebank Farms

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any years ago, families knew that as the leaves turned color and the air turned crisp, it was time to gather for fellowship and fun while waiting for syrup to be made. Now we invite you to the farm for the same fellowship and fun! On Saturday, November 14, from 10am – 3pm, watch the Rosebank Farms mules, Stuart and Jack Frost, grind sugar cane grown at the farm to make molasses. As he cooks the cane juice, Sidi Limehouse will provide historical information about the molasses-making process, complete with biscuits and molasses for tasting. Bottles of our signature homemade molasses will be for sale in the market stand. Molassesmaking demonstrations will be held at 10:30am and again at 2pm. Learn how to use seasonal vegetables, flowers and grasses to create elegant and unique arrangements for the table. The demonstration by Louise Bennett and Erik Lindstrom will begin at 10:30am. At 11am, watch The Southern Farmers Market Cookbook author and Cordon

Dr. Jean Feldman entertains the children of the Mt. Zion School with sing-a-long concerts of her music.

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Seabrookers dominate LCTA Championship

n October 17, Seabrook Island resident Warren Kimball let his tennis team to win the LCTA 3.5 Super Senior 70 Flight Championship, earning them a berth in the Super Senior State Championships to be held at Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms on November 5-8. And Seabrook Islander Mary Jane Zuccaro’s team will be joining them, as her team won the ladies 3.5 Super Senior Over 60 Flight Championship against two other Lowcountry teams.  If the two teams win at Wild Dunes, they will move on to the Southern Sectional championships and compete against nine other southern states in Pelham, Alabama, on March 12 - 14, 2010. The National Championships are set for April 30 – May 2, 2010 and will most likely take place in Arizona. The Wild Dunes Tournament play will begin for all 70s levels on November 5, 2009. All other levels will begin Friday morning, except 75s men 3.0 and 3.5 whose play will be Saturday and Sunday.   A tournament schedule will be published and posted on the USTA South Carolina website (sctennis.com) approximately a week prior to the tournament.

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Bleu-trained chef Holly Herrick prepare a selected recipe from her cookbook. Holly will also autograph copies of the cookbook, which will be for sale in the market stand. From 12 noon until 1:30pm, enjoy a lunch of Sidi’s famous BBQ and farm fresh vegetables. Cost of the lunch is $12. After lunch, join naturalist Billy McCord for an informative lecture about butterflies of the South Carolina coastal region. Billy will lead tours through the farm’s fields to identify butterflies and discuss their migration patterns. At 2pm, enjoy a demonstration on how locally grown broomcorn can be made into functional and decorative brooms. Throughout the day, Marsh Tacky, the farm’s miniature horse, will be circling the fields, giving children free cart rides from which they can enjoy the farm scenery. For further information, send an to [email protected] or call 768-0508 during weekday business hours. View photos and a short video of last year’s festival at www.rosebankfarms.com.

Kiawah #1 island

or the seventeenth consecutive year, readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine designated Charleston a “Top 10” travel destination in the U.S. Charleston was honored with the number 2 slot - topped only by San Francisco. This ranking maintains Charleston’s spot as the number 1 east coast destination. In other local rankings, Kiawah Island was lauded as the number 1 island in North America, while The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort took home top honors as number 1 resort in the mainland U.S. A number of the top 100 hotels in the U.S. are located in the Charleston area. Properties honored include: Charleston Place Hotel, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Market Pavilion Hotel, John Rutledge House Inn, French Quarter Inn and Planters Inn. Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. stated,

“Charleston is a distinctive destination, offering history, architecture, the arts, incomparable food, beautiful hotels and inns and unique recreation opportunities. I consistently hear from visitors that Charleston is their favorite place to visit and repeat visits seem to be the norm.  Our human scale architecture combined with the natural environment of rivers, marsh and ocean offer a level of comfort and ease which we love to share. We are honored to have been at the top of the travel list for so many years.” Condé Nast Traveler, whose credo is “Truth in Travel,” is a monthly publication that caters to the experienced, discerning and frequent traveler. Correspondents, as far as possible, travel anonymously.  The magazine has an audience of 3.1 million. For more information and details on this year’s Readers Choice Awards visit www. concierge.com/cntraveler/.