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Volume 9 Issue 21

January 29, 2016

FREE

Art on wheels
rolls onto Kiawah
K I AWA H I S L A N D M O T O R I N G R E T R E AT R E T U R N S
TO THE ISLAND IN APRIL
BY BRUCE STEMERMAN
For The Island Connection

he Kiawah Island Motoring Retreat and Concours

is coming to Kiawah the weekend of April 15 to
17. It is a Lowcountry celebration of outstanding
automobiles. The major events will take place at Ocean
Park, a beautiful and scenic new park at the entrance to
the Ocean Course.
The first KIMR was held in late 2013 on the 18th hole

People You Meet

Page 10

of the River Course. Thanks to the Kiawah Development

Partners, KIMR secured a multi-year commitment for
the use of Ocean Park. The Town of Kiawah Island
provided a generous contribution for the event.
An outstanding team is supporting and planning the
show including nationally recognized judges, automobile
museum curators, authors and collectors. The master of

Arts on Tap

Page 3

ceremonies is Keith Martin, publisher of two popular

enthusiast magazines and co-host of Velocity Networks
highly rated Whats My Car Worth TV series.
KIMR has been advertised in all the major classic and
antique auto magazines providing extensive exposure for

Art on Wheels continues on page 7

Magnolia to Clemson

Page 13

January 29, 2016

civic

Town of Kiawah holds

annual retreat

Lynn Pierotti
publisher
lynn@luckydognews.com
Jennifer Tuohy
managing editor
jennifer@luckydognews.com
Swan Richards
senior graphic designer
swan@luckydognews.com
Lori McGee
sales manager
lori@luckydognews.com
Alejandro Ferreyros
graphic designer
alejandro@luckydognews.com
Ralph Secoy
contributing photographer
Staff Writers
Gregg Bragg
Contributors
Bruce Stemerman
Stephanie Braswell
Joanne Threlfall
Gary Fansler
Amanda Bunting Comen
Chief Gary Lohr
Lorraine McDermott
Carol Antman
Martha Zink
Alberta Barron
Kelley Andrews
Roberta Boatti

Published by
Lucky Dog Publishing
of South Carolina, LLC
P.O. Box 837
Sullivans Island, SC 29482
843-886-NEWS
Future deadlines: February 3
for submissions for the
February 12 Issue
Op-Ed articles and letters to the editor do not
necessarily reflect the opinion of
Lucky Dog News or its writers.

The Island
Connection

Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC

Publishers of Island Eye News,
The Island Connection,
The Folly Current

BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

own of Kiawah Islands annual

retreat took place Jan. 20, 2016 at
the Ocean Course. The annual day
long meeting has become a routine for
the town and is intended to allow council
members a chance to look up from the
details, out toward the future and draft
an agenda for the coming year.
The PGA room was a welcome relief
to spectators of this years retreat. Banks
of windows provide sweeping, panoramic
views of beach, dunes, driving range, the
Atlantic and the sun (The Town Council
had been relegated to what felt like a
dungeon at the Charleston Marriott last
year). The meetings brisk start kept things
moving and demanded attention.
Trays of muffins, baskets of fruit and
vats of coffee were dispatched and the
mayors opening remarks concluded with
a brief allusion to recouping money from
overpaid employees.
Recent forensic audits of TOKIs
finances revealed four staff members had
received overpayments of 20 percent,
or more in one case, beyond their stated
salaries for the previous two years.
Information will be shared as the forensic
analysis continues to ripple outward.
Awareness, however, is part of a solution
Mayor Lipuma said the town would
continue to work toward before moving
discussion to the proposed Municipal
Complex.
Discussion of the Municipal Complex
commanded a little over two hours of
agenda space the topic would need. The
mayors opening was a repeat of his oft
expressed intent to sell the existing town
hall to the community association. He
also reiterated KICA's interest in buying
it, although there is some distance
between the bid and asking prices. KICA
currently rents half of the building from
the town. Discussing the loss of $72,000

per year in rental income (e.g. after the

sale) bled into a discussion of the impact a
new building would have on reserves.
Councilmember Weaver used the
opportunity to ask if council was correct
to proceed in small steps (funding for
architects, selection of contractors etc.)
when the overall proposal had not been
ratified. Lengthy review of the steps taken
to get to this point was offered in response.
The matter summed to wondering how to
approve a project without knowing the
costs associated with the final product.
It appears, said some, there is no way to
grasp the scope without incurring some
expense. The subject was closed out when
the towns treasurer brought the focus
back to the topic of reserves.
Fresh from developing 10 years
worth of budget projections, the new
town treasurer chimed in to suggest any
dip from using reserves to pay for a new
building would flatten out over time.
The mayor supported the possibility and
celebrated potential permit/licensing
income generated by a number of projects;
1. 50 homes to be built on Captain
Sams Spit
2. 280 homes to be built in Ocean
Park
3. Condos
anticipated
for
construction at West Beach
4. Continued development of the 17
acres at Freshfields.
Using reserves to pay for part of the
new building was not an issue, claimed
the mayor, since the town had plenty of
cash on hand and was only responsible
for disaster damage outside KICAs gate.
Inside the gate is on KICA [and] not
the towns responsibility, said Mayor
Lipuma.
Supporting the position, the towns
attorney speculated there was insurance

Civic Calendar
Town of
Seabrook
Planning Commission
Regular Meeting
February 3,
2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Ways & Means
February 16,
2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Town Council
February 23, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Planning Commission
Regular Meeting
March 2,
2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

on big ticket items (e.g. the bridge across

the Kiawah River). The counselor then
suggested another appraisal of the Betsy
Kerrison parcel would be beneficial,
claiming the property was worth more
than the town paid. Councilmember
Weaver, however, wasnt sure what the
point would be, since real dollars could not
be added to the books unless the property
was sold. Protracted discussions of the
steps taken to get to this point ensued.
Details on every possible combination of
down payments, amounts financed and
the impact of the VIG (a.k.a. vigorish) on
the towns budget were considered. The
debate took the meeting up to a break,
preceding discussion of the organizational
chart.
Discussion of the org. chart opened
with town administrator Stephanie
Tillerson announcing her hiring of a part
time planner. Although she was hired for
her experience as a planner, town officials
still agreed she required the assistance.
Costs of the new employee, (housed in
an empty office on the second floor of
town hall when on-site 2-3 days/week),
will be shared with the county. However,
Tillerson also floated the idea of bringing
on two more employees.
Stephanie Braswell, for example, is
wearing too many hats, Tillerson cited.
Braswell currently assists the town
administrator, helps with the website,
completes any art and design requirements,
and handles communications along with
anything else flying over the proverbial
wall. Tillerson wants to hire a dedicated
assistant/communications
officer,
allowing Braswell to focus on one or the
other.
The second, prospective new hire would
assist with licensing and permitting.
Space available in the new building will
come in handy and allow staff numbers to

K iawah Island Town H all

21 Beachwalker Drive
Kiawah Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9166
Fax: 768-4764

Ways & Means

March 15,
2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

Town Council
Meeting
February 9, 2 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Town Council
March 22, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

Public Safety
Committee Meeting
February 10, 2 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Town of Kiawah

Communications
Committee Meeting
February 16, 3 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Johns Island Council

Meetings are held at the Berkeley Electric
Co-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, Johns
Island.
Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113

Municipal Center
Committee
February 18, 1 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Charleston County Council

4045 Bridge View Dr, N. Charleston
958-4700

Planning Commission
Meeting
February 3, 3 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall
Arts and Cultural
Events Council
Meeting
February 4, 3 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Seabrook Island Town H all

2001 Seabrook Island Road
Seabrook Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9121
Fax: 768-9830
Email: lmanning@townofseabrookisland.org

City of Charleston
75 Calhoun St.
724-3745

January 29, 2016

civic

increase, as attempts to compartmentalize

gain
momentum.
Councilmember
Weaver said overtime should be used as a
guide to hiring additional staff before the
topic moved to town committees.
The policy for selection of committee
members has been a hot topic at many
recent town council meetings. Residents
like Wendy Kulick have been critical of
the process applied to selecting members.
Some committee vacancies are announced
while others are filled by people already
known to council. This leaves other,
equally qualified and interested residents
out of the loop. Reviews of each
committees charter were unremarkable.
However, Tillerson seemed to agree with
Kulick, suggesting a more comprehensive
process be developed and put in place.
The town's contract with SAFEbuilt
spent a good deal of time in the spotlight.
The company, in this context at least, is
basically an insurance policy. SAFEbuilt
agrees to provide warm bodies to help
with inspections and clean up in the event
of a disaster. TOKI has under-utilized
their services but has still witnessed steep
increases in premiums. Multiple members
of council were openly critical of the
contract despite town staff member Bruce
Spichers endorsement. Kiawah is divided
into four zones, each requiring a two
person team [in the event of a disaster].
We do not currently have the [resources]
for the task, said Spicher.
SAFEbuilt Regional Manager Roni
Abdella was in attendance and explained
her sales rep. Dexter Sullivan, had been
delayed en-route from Atlanta. Sullivan
arrived an hour past his scheduled
appearance. He was as cool as the other

civic

side of the pillow in the face of outrageous

fortune to little effect. Although no votes
were taken and no decisions were made,
council left no doubt the contract was in
dire jeopardy of cancellation.
Review of the annual budget was the
last item for discussion. The new town
treasurer elicited some good natured if
sardonic laughs when she described an
inability to base projections on figures
inherited from her predecessor. Budgets
are hard to talk about without details,
however. Conversation quickly devolved
into debates over individual line items,
most notably, the towns $476,000 a year
contribution to the Charleston Visitors
Bureau.
The towns attorney mentioned
eliminating contributions to the CVB
for the second consecutive year. We are
legally able to use that money to have our
own [visitors bureau], the counselor said.
The idea of promoting Kiawah to people
who are already here garnered a different
reaction from councilmember Johnson,
who has been working with the CVB more
recently, and believes the contribution is a
good investment.
The meeting adjourned earlier than
expected, marking the beginning of a race
for desserts leftover from the afternoons
lavish lunch.

Kiawah Arts Council

presents jazz, movies
and the CSO in February
BY STEPHANIE BRASWELL
For The Island Connection

John Pizzarelli Quartet

News Updates Online at

facebook.com/
islandconnectionnews

Tid e Char t
Date

High Tide

Low Tide

Jan 29
Jan 30
Jan 31
Feb 01
Feb 02
Feb 03
Feb 04
Feb 05
Feb 06
Feb 07
Feb 08
Feb 08
Feb 09
Feb 10

11:27am
12:04am/12:09pm
12:52am/12:56pm
1:44am/1:48pm
2:40am/2:44pm
3:38am/3:42pm
4:35am/4:39pm
5:28am/5:32pm
6:18am/6:23pm
7:05am/7:12pm
7:51am/7:59pm
8:37am/8:47pm
9:22am/9:36pm
10:10am/10:27pm

5:19am/5:36pm
6:04am/6:15pm
6:54am/7:00pm
7:49am/7:52pm
8:48am/8:49pm
9:48am/9:47pm
10:43am/10:44pm
11:35am/11:37pm
12:24pm
12:28am/1:11pm
1:18am/1:57pm
2:07am/2:42pm
2:56am/3:28pm
3:46am/4:16pm

Hurricanes, storms, etc., are NOT included in the predictions.

Tidal current direction changes and tide time predictions can be
very different. Tide predictions are PREDICTIONS; they can be
wrong so use common sense.
Source: saltwatertides.com

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.,

East Beach Conference Center, $10.
Tickets available at Kiawah Town
Hall 843.768.9166 or online at www.
kiawahisland.org/specialevents.
Online
Tickets will be verified at the door.
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island
Arts and Cultural Events Council
John Pizzarelli is a world renowned
guitarist and singer who has been hailed
as the genial genius of the guitar as well
as one of the hottest jazz acts around.
The Arts and Cultural Events Council is
pleased to present the John Pizzarelli Jazz
Quartet, featuring Paul Keller on doublebass, drummer Keven Kanner and Konrad
Paszkudzki on piano. Pizzarelli started
playing guitar at age six, following in the
tradition of his father, Bucky Pizzarelli.
He turned to jazz in his late teens after
playing in rock bands, and he received
an education playing with his father and
many jazz greats who would influence his
work: Benny Goodman, Les Paul, Zoot
Sims, Clark Terry and Slam Stewart,
among others.

His solo recording career started in

1990 with My Blue Heaven on Chesky
Records. He played clubs and concert
halls on the jazz circuit, opening for such
greats as Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis
and Rosemary Clooney. In 1993, he
was honored to open for Frank Sinatras
international tour and then joined in
the celebration for his 80th birthday at
Carnegie Hall, bringing down the house
singing I Dont Know Why I Love You
Like I Do with his father accompanying
him.
Over his career, Pizzarelli has recorded
more than 40 albums of music, either
as the leader or in tandem with other
performers.
In late May 2014, Sir Paul McCartney
wrote to Pizzarelli: I got an idea in my
head. It might be interesting for you to
do a few of my songs that are lesser known
than some of the others. I realize this
may be a little immodest, if not pushy.
McCartney suggested the album might
be titled Midnight McCartney and
continued, as I said, this may tickle your
fancy or you may decide these are the
ramblings of a deranged composer with
too much time on his hands.
Pizzarellis fancy was indeed tickled,
and in September 2015, his latest
recording, Midnight McCartney was
released to critical acclaim. A radio
personality who got his start in the
medium in 1984, Pizzarelli is co-host,
alongside his wife, Jessica Molaskey,
of Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli.
Heard on more than 40 radio stations,
the syndicated radio show brings warmth,
humor and that long-lost live feel back
to radio. The show takes place in their
deluxe living room high atop Lexington
Avenue, and the conversations are
relaxed, candid and off-the-cuff as is the
music. The show is also available globally
as a podcast at www.johnpizzarelli.com
and via iTunes.

Arts Council continues on page 4

civic

University (under the tutelage of master pianist and

composer Kenny Barron), and an Artist Diploma from
the world-renowned Juilliard School.
His experience and reputation in the classroom would
lay the foundation for his own pedagogy, which led to
teaching opportunities the world over, while helping to
sustain a New York studio of his own, located in Brooklyns
history-rich Prospect Park. In 2013, JOHN CHIN began
his partnership with Carnegie Hall working in outreach
programs to help rehabilitate inmates in prisons, and
with young mothers in teen clinics at hospitals.
John Chin has performed internationally as a leader
and sideman for many major festivals as well as some of
Americas most important and storied jazz rooms. He has
shared the stage with Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Irvin
Mayfield, Jaimeo Brown, Gregory Tardy, Marianne
Solivan, Mark Turner, Dayna Stephens, Joel Frahm,
John Ellis, Chris Cheek, and Rudy Royston, among
many others.
In June 2015, John Chin accepted the invitation to
join Grammy-nominated vocalist Ren Marie as pianist
with Experiment in Truth and is featured extensively on
Maries upcoming release on Motma.

Arts Council continues from page 3

Art Film #3 Stories we Tell

Friday, Feb, 5, 2016 at 3 p.m., Sandcastle. No Tickets

Required
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island Arts and
Cultural Events Council
In this inspired, genre-twisting new film, Oscarnominated writer/director Sarah Polley discovers that the
truth depends on whos telling it. Polley is both filmmaker
and detective as she investigates the secrets kept by a family
of storytellers. She playfully interviews and interrogates
a cast of characters of varying reliability, eliciting
refreshingly candid, yet mostly contradictory, answers to
the same questions. As each relates their version of the
family mythology, present-day recollections shift into
nostalgia-tinged glimpses of their mother, who departed
too soon, leaving a trail of unanswered questions. Polley
unravels the paradoxes to reveal the essence of family:
always complicated, warmly messy and fiercely loving.
Stories We Tell explores the elusive nature of truth and
memory, but at its core is a deeply personal film about
how our narratives shape and define us as individuals and
families, all interconnecting to paint a profound, funny
and poignant picture of the larger human story.

Art Film #4 Keep on Keeping On

Quentin Baxter Presents John Chin Trio

Featuring Elias Bailey on bass and Quentin E.
Baxter on drums

Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016 at 7:30 p.m., Turtle Point

Clubhouse, tickets are $20 and are available at www.
baxtermusic.com or 843.766.8814
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island Arts and
Cultural Events Council
Grammy-nominated musician/producer and worldrenowned drummer Quentin E. Baxter presents an
amazing 3-concert series on Kiawah Island! The second
artist on the agenda is jazz pianist and composer John

January 29, 2016

Chin, featuring Elias Bailey on bass, and Quentin E.

Baxter on drums. John Chin has been a fixture on the
New York jazz scene since 1998 and was introduced to
the piano at age four. At fourteen, he began studying
jazz at California State University as part of the Early
Entrance Program for Gifted Students where he received
a B.A. in Music by the age of nineteen. Chin continued
his musical studies at the University of North Texas,
before pursuing a Masters of Music degree from Rutgers

Friday, Feb. 19, 2016 at 3 p.m. Sandcastle, No Tickets

Required
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island Arts and
Cultural Events Council
The Film depicts the friendship of music legend and
teacher Clark Terry, 89 and Justin Kauflin, a 23-year-old, blind piano prodigy. Kauflin, who suffers from
debilitating stage fright, is invited to compete in an elite
Jazz competition, just as Terrys health takes a turn for
the worse. As the clock ticks, we see two friends confront
the toughest challenges of their lives. Terry was also
Quincy Jones first teacher, and mentor to Miles Davis.
He is among the few performers ever to have played in
both Count Basies and Duke Ellingtons bands. In the

January 29, 2016

civic

60s Terry broke the color barrier as the

first African-American staff musician at
NBC on "The Tonight Show."
Shot over the course of five years,
Keep on Keeping On is crafted with
great affection by first time filmmaker
Al Hicks, who is a drummer and former
student of Terrys.Paula DuPre Pesmen
(behind the Academy Award winning The
Cover and the Oscar nominated Chasing
Ice) produced the film with seven time
Academy Award nominee Quincy Jones,
who also counts Terry as his mentor.

Beethoven and Shostakovich

Performed by the Charleston
Symphony Orchestra

Conducted by Music Director Ken Lam

and featuring Natalia Khoma, cello Yuriy
Bekker, violin, Volodymyr Vynnytsky, piano
Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016 at 4 p.m., Holy
Spirit Catholic Church, Ticket Release:
Kiawah 2/2 Public 2/5. Complimentary
Tickets available at Kiawah Town
Hall 843.768.9166 or online at www.
kiawahisland.org/specialevents
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island
Arts and Cultural Events Council
The CSO returns to Holy Spirit
Catholic Church on Sunday, Feb. 21 at
4 p.m. with Music Director Ken Lam on
the podium. Not only will Maestro Lam
conduct the program, but hes designed
it specifically for his first concert at
Holy Spirit. The program begins with
Beethovens Overture to the Creatures
of Prometheus ballet, and the bristling
allegro section will gain your attention
almost before youre settled in your seats.
Second on the program is Dmitri
Shostakovichs
intensely
emotional
Chamber Symphony in C minor.
The Chamber Symphony is based on
Shostakovichs 8th String Quartet, and was
transcribed with the composers permission
by violist and conductor Rudolf Barshai.
The original string quartet was composed
by Shostakovich in 1960 over a three day
period after he viewed the World War II
destruction of Dresden. The official Soviet
line said the quartet was a memorial to the
victims of the Axis powers, but many close
to Shostakovich felt it was autobiographical
in nature relating to his depression after
having joined the Communist Party in the
preceding months. Many also believe it
expressed his view against wars in general.
Make your own judgment after listening to
this not to be forgotten work.
The concert concludes with our three
featured musicians and the orchestra
performing Beethovens Triple Concerto

for piano, violin and cello. Youve had the

pleasure of hearing each of our featured
artists as soloists and as a piano trio in recent
Arts Council performances; and now you
have the opportunity to hear them play the
rarely performed Triple Concerto. The piano
part apparently was written by Beethoven
for his student Archduke Rudolph of
Austria, who later became his patron. This
is the only concerto composed by Beethoven
where multiple soloists are featured, and in
this case the cellist often takes the lead. The
grand opening segment is followed by a
short largo movement, which sets the stage
for the thoroughly entertaining third and
concluding movement.

fundraising

Kiawah Fine Jewelry sells

earrings, bracelets for
Backpack Buddies

Judy Carmichaels Jazz Inspired

Feb. 22 & 23 Broadcast, 3:30 p.m.,

Feb. 24, performance by Judy Carmichael
Trio, 7:30 p.m. River Course Clubhouse.
Ticket Release: 2/5. Complimentary
Tickets available at Kiawah Town
Hall 843.768.9166 or online at www.
kiawahisland.org/specialevents
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island
Arts and Cultural Events Council.
Judy Carmichaels Jazz Inspired returns
to Kiawah Island, SC. Jazz pianist/
vocalist/radio host Judy Carmichael
explores how jazz inspires the creativity
of celebrated artists on her Public Radio
Show Jazz Inspired. Judy often records
the show on stage and in February 2016
Jazz Inspired will be in gorgeous
Kiawah Island for 3 days of interviews
and performances.
Schedule
Monday, Feb. 22: Bill Cunliffe - Judy
will interview and perform with pianist/
composer/arranger Bill Cunliffe and
discuss his busy concert career and
writing for film and television. Bill and
Judy will be joined by bassist Pat OLeary
and saxophonist Harry Allen.
Tuesday, Feb. 23: Al Green - Biographer
Al Green will discuss his new biography
about his father, guitarist Freddie Green,
who was a native of Charleston and an
integral part of the Count Basie sound.
Guitarist James Chirillo will illustrate
what is called the Freddie Green style
and join Judy, Harry Allen and Pat
OLeary in performing songs associated
with Freddie Green and Count Basie.
Wednesday, Feb. 24: Judy Charmichael
Quartet
Judy and her quartet will perform a
concert of swing music and Judys original
compositions written with Harry Allen.
Music by Harry, lyrics by Judy.
www.jazzinspired.com/kiawah/

From left, Elaine Davis, Joanne Threlfall, Kiawah Fine Jewelry owners, Wendy and Bill
Henzy, Terry Lynn Weaver, Theresa Widuch.

BY JOANNE THRELFALL
For The Island Connection

he ladies of Backpack Buddies

Seabrook Island and The Kiawah
Womens Foundation have a
simple joint mission. Every Friday we
both provide children at risk of hunger,
with backpacks filled with healthful,
shelf-stable foods, to sustain them over
the weekend. These two neighboring
groups serve the following Johns Island
schools: Angel Oak, Mt. Zion, and
Frierson Elementary, Haut Gap Middle
School, and St. Johns High School, as
well as Lambs Elementary in North
Charleston. Together we provide for over
375 students. All these schools have a
very high poverty rate. Our mission is to
ensure that no child experiences hunger.
While food programs at local pantries
and churches do exist, most are not
prepared to address the unique needs of
high-poverty rural communities such as
Johns and Wadmalaw Islands, where a
lack of transportation is so prevalent.
None of this would be possible
without the continuous, loyal support
of our volunteers and donors. Through
generous donations from so many
individuals, groups and local merchants,
we are filling a great need, stated Terry
Weaver, a founding partner of the Kiawah
Womens Foundation.
One such generous donor is local

merchant, Kiawah Fine Jewelry. Kiawah

Fine Jewelry generously hosted a
fundraising event this past fall for both
backpack buddies groups. During the
months of September and October, Bill
and Wendy Henzy, owners of Kiawah
Fine Jewelry donated 10 percent of the
proceeds from earrings, and Kiawah
Island and Seabrook Island bracelets,
specially designed for the backpack buddy
programs, to the two groups.
Children need to be able to come to
school on Monday morning fed, focused
and eager to learn. These programs help
make that happen. Charleston Countys
Communities In Schools social workers
and teachers have told us that they see
major changes in the concentration of
students benefiting from these programs.
Both Backpack Buddies Seabrook Island
and the Kiawah Womens Group are 501 (c)
(3) non-profit organizations. If you would
like additional information regarding
the Seabrook program, please visit: www.
Backpackbuddiesseabrookisland.com
or
contact Joanne Threlfall at 203.417.8518. For
the Kiawah program, contact Terry Weaver
at 843.768.7233 or visit their website at:
www.Kiawahwomensfoundation.org. All
donations are tax deductible as permitted
by law.

daily

arts & events

January 29, 2016

Seabrook Natural History Bohicket Creek Bait and

Group's February line-up Tackle relocates, renames

SINHG Program

BY GARY FANSLER

BY AMANDA BUNTING COMEN

For The Island Connection

Seabrook Island Natural History

Group Presents Low Country Oystering
by Robert Barber Thursday, Feb. 11.
Robert Barber is the owner of Bowen's
Island Seafood Restaurant on Folly Road.
Roberts path to becoming an expert on
oysters began when he was born into the
family that called Bowens Island home,
but it took a circuitous route to get him
to where he is today. Hes been a minister,
a lawyer and a Charleston County School
Board member. He was also elected to
the South Carolina legislature and had
a successful career as a lobbyist. But,
Bowens Islands strong family attachment

brought him back to the family restaurant.

Refreshments are at 7 p.m., the
program begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Lake
House. All Seabrook Island residents and
guests are welcome. There is a $5 donation
for non SINHG members. Information
about future programs and SINHG
membership can be found at the SINHG
web site, sinhg.org.

SINHG Soup Supper Feb. 19

Its that time again to break out your

favorite recipes and begin planning your
special soup. The annual SINHG Soup
Supper will be held on Friday, Feb. 19
beginning at 5:30 p.m. The event will
again be held in the Atlantic Room at the
Island House.
As usual, the Soup Supper will feature
great soups, chili, breads and desserts as
well as the traditional Soup Throwdown
where a prize of incalculable value will be
awarded to the chef with the best soup.
Most importantly it is an evening of fun
and camaraderie.
Reserved tables will be available, so get
your friends together and start planning
for this special fun event. The sign-up
form is available on the SINHG website
at www.sinhg.org

For The Island Connection

ohicket Creek Bait and Tackle

is now South Side Bait and
Tackle. In addition, the
business relocated from Bohicket
Marina to 3874 Savannah Highway.
SSB&T will continue to carry all
the same products and services.
Performance wear, tackle, marine
supplies, ice, live and frozen bait - all
conveniently located in Charleston,
SC on Savannah Hwy near Limehouse
Bridge and Bulow Landing.
The grand opening will be
Saturday, March 12. Join SSB&T
from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to enjoy
giveaways, free barbecue lunch and
more. This event is in memory of
the owner's father-in-law that passed
away from prostate cancer last
November. Any donations collected
and a portion of that day's sales
will be made to the Prostate Cancer
Foundation.
For more details call 843.324.1993
or visit southsidebaitandtackle.com.

January 29, 2016

Art on Wheels continues from cover

Kiawah to a group that might not otherwise be familiar
with or visit the Island. Cars and guests will be coming
from up and down the eastern US and well beyond.
An entire weekend of events will take place from
Friday, April 15, 2016 through Sunday, April 17, 2016
including:
Friday morning - A scenic motoring tour through
John's, Wadmalaw and Kiawah Islands, with a stop at
Firefly Distillery for lunch and a little moonshine tasting.
This is limited to 50 classic cars and 1 passenger per car.
Friday afternoon - Seminars for enthusiasts on classic
car valuation trend and the art of detailing your favorite
car.
Friday evening - A very special dinner and wine
tasting at the Briar's Creek Club limited to 60 people.
Also on Friday evening, there will be a traditional

arts & events

Lowcountry oyster roast/shrimp boil coupled with a beer

tasting from Charlestons Palmetto Brewery and live
music. That will be held at Rhett's Bluff on Kiawah and
is limited to 200 tickets.
Saturday - Cars on Kiawah will take place on the
show field at Ocean Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nearly
20 local and regional car clubs, as well as individual
enthusiasts will bring 200 plus diverse and cool cars to
the Park. This is a free event, except for a $5 parking fee.
The park will have vendors, great food options and other
attractions from our sponsors.
Saturday evening, there will be a traditional barbeque
and bourbon tasting on the show field at Ocean Park,
also accompanied by live music. Attendance will be
limited to 250.
Sunday - The main event with a world class Concours
show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ocean Park. These cars
represent the best of the best, most with values of several
hundred thousand dollars and up. It will be a fully judged

event with awards for best of each class of cars and best
of show. For those who need a diversion from the cars,
there will be a homes tour provided by Kiawah Island
Real Estate (very limited tickets).
KIMR is a non-profit organization and a percentage
of proceeds will Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic,
Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding Program, Kiawah
Conservancy and The Kiawah Womens Foundation
Backpack Buddies.
Sponsors include Town of Kiawah Island, KICA,
Kiawah Development Partners, Kiawah Island Golf
Resort, Kiawah Island Real Estate, Porsche North
America, Daimler/Mercedes, American Express, several
private foundations, Barrier Island Marine, Kiawah Fine
Jewelry and many more.
For schedule of events, VIP packages and event pricing
visit kiawahconours.com or call 843.277.0271.

Island Connection Calendar

January 29
Mondays

Intermediate Oil Classes

At the Todd & Huff Art Center located
at Bohicket Marina, Wednesdays and
Fridays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Topics include
value work, applying composition elements
to your paintings, edge work, brush and
palette knife use. Painting from still life
and photos. Email toddhuffcenter@gmail.
com for information.
Monday Bridge Group
9 a.m. at the Lake House. The Monday
Bridge Group needs new players. For more
information, please contact Lori Muenow
at 843.768.2314 or Ilse Calcagno at
843.768.0317.

Tuesdays

Mah Jongg Practice

1 - 4 p.m. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Tuesday
of the month. Located at The Lake
HouseOsprey 2. Open to all new
players, those returning to the game, and
anyone else who wants a chance to practice
with others who are learning the game.
If you have any questions, please contact
Helen Thompson at hmtsbsc@gmail.com.
Bookmobile
The Charleston County Bookmobile comes
to Freshfields Village on the first and third
Tuesday of every month from 10 11:30
a.m. The Bookmobile will be parked in the
lot behind Heges and Java Java.

Wednesdays

Lake House Yoga

8:30 a.m. Join us for Rise and Shine Yoga
with Patti Romano, formerly known at
Gentle Flow Yoga. Rise and Shine Yoga
is an all-levels practice focused around
finding your day's intention, set up yourself
for success and be ready to shine.

Fridays

Friday Indoor Pickleball

12:30 - 2:30 p.m. at St. Christopher's
Camp. For further information, please
contact Mary Torello at 843.768.0056.

Saturdays

Homegrown
10 a.m. 2 p.m. Johns Island Farmers
Market. Every Third Saturday at 3546
Maybank Highway Johns Island.
For more information, visit www.
johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.
2015 Sea Island Cars and Coffee
9 - 11 a.m. The third Saturday each month
at Freshfields Village.

Ongoing

Artist of the Month

The month of February Colleen
Wiessmann will display her work at
the Lake House Gallery. The opening
reception will be held at the gallery on
Monday, Feb. 1 from 5 7 p.m.

The Seat of Justice

Feb. 19 - Mar. 6, 2016 at the Dock Street
Theatre. Tickets at www.charlestonstage.
com. Julian Wiles's acclaimed play
chronicles the courageous journey of the
historic Briggs v. Elliott desegregation
case from rural Clarendon County, South
Carolina to the halls of the United States
Supreme Court.
Early Morning Bird Walks at Caw Caw
Saturday, January 30. This Charleston
County Parks and Recreation bird walk
treks through many distinct to allow
participants to view and discuss a variety of
birds, butterflies, and other organisms. A
paid chaperone is required for participants
ages 15 and under. Preregistration is not
required. 8:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m., Caw
Caw Interpretive Center, 5200 Savannah
Highway, Ravenel. Contact 843-795-4386
or email customerservice@ccprc.com. $10
or free for Gold Pass Members
Southeastern Wildlife Exposition
SEWE returns the weekend of Feb 12.
13 & 14, bringing with it an annual
celebration of wildlife and nature through
fine art, conservation education, sporting
demonstrations, food and drink. For a full
schedule visit sewe.com.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28
Conservation Matters: Dolphins and
Right Whales
3 p.m., The Sandcastle, Kiawah Island.
Join the Kiawah Conservancy and
Sandcastle for another great Conservation
Matters education program. Come
learn about dolphins and right whales
from Wayne McFee, research wildlife
biologist at the NOAA Center for Coastal
Environmental Health and Bimolecular
Research. McFee has been the principal
investigator for the Coastal Marine
Stranding Assessments Program since
1993. He conducts research on stranding
demographic, causes of mortality, age and
growth, reproduction, skeletal pathology
and fisheries interaction of commonly
stranded marine mammal species in South
Carolina. He was also a member of the
Southeast Implementation Team for the
Recovery of the Northern Right Whale
from 1994-2008. Register you attendance
for this free program online at www.
kiawahconservancy.org, call 843-768-2029

or email beverly@kiawahconservancy.org.
Colorist Workshop
Laurie Meyer leads this two day workshop
at the Oyster Catcher Pavilion, 2241
Oyster Catcher Court, Seabrook Island.
The workshop cost will be $200 for art
guild members and $250 for non-members.
Contact Bob LeFevre at (843) 768-3284 or
e-mail him rodory@gmail.com.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29
Art Film #2 - Life is Beautiful
3 p.m. Sandcastle. No Tickets Required.
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island
Arts and Cultural Events Council.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31
Washington Sax Quartet with
Charleston Southern University Sax
Quartet
4 p.m. Church of Our Saviour. Ticket
Release: Kiawah 1/12 Public 1/15.
Complimentary Tickets available at
Kiawah Town Hall 843.768.9166 or online
at www.kiawahisland.org/specialevents.
Sponsored by the Town of Kiawah Island
Arts and Cultural Events Council.
Our Lady of Mercy Community
Outreach Auction
The 19th annual fundraiser will be held
from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Charleston
Marriott Hotel located at 170 N.
Lockwood Blvd. Tickets are $100 and
include a silent auction during a cocktail
hour with light hors devours and wine
followed by dinner and live auction
hosted by Tom Crawford and Lorraine
McDermott. To purchase tickets call
Jennifer Meshanko 843.559.4109, visit
www.facebook.com/OLMOutreach for
updates and featured auction items.
Best Buddies Bash
5-8 p.m., The Lake House, Live Oak
Hall. Featuring the five piece Hot Pepper
Band and catered by the Gullah Grub
restaurant. BYOB and your dancing
shoes, $25 pp. Purchase tickets at www.
backpackbuddiesseabrookisland.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6
Deep Water Vineyard Fourth Annual
Cork Shuckin Festival

Theres nothing better than local, salty

oysters in the Lowcountry winter. Grab
your oyster knives for a shuckin good
time under the oaks at Firefly Distillery
and Deep Water Vineyard (previously
Irvin~House Vineyards) from 1 to 5 p.m.
at 6775 Bears Bluff Road on Wadmalaw
Island. Admission is $5 per car.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11
John Chin Trio
7:30 p.m. Turtle Point Clubhouse $20
Tickets available via www.baxtermusic.
com or
by calling 843-766-8814. Sponsored by the
Town of Kiawah Island Arts and Cultural
Events Council.
Seabrook Island Garden Club Meeting
9:30 a.m. at the Seabrook Island Lake
House, with special guest Amy Dobbs.
Low Country Oystering by Robert
Barber
Seabrook Island Natural History Group
presents Robert Barber, owner of Bowen's
Island Seafood Restaurant on Folly Road.
Refreshments 7 p.m., program 7:30 p.m.
Location The Lake House, all Seabrook
Island residents and guests are welcome.
$5 donation for non SINHG members.
Information about future programs and
SINHG membership can be found at the
SINHG web site, sinhg.org.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12
29th Annual Arts & Crafts Show & Sale
Through Feb. 14 at The Lake House, Live
Oak room. Friday 2 5 p.m., Meet the
Artists reception 7 9 p.m., Saturday
10:30 a.m. 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. 3
p.m.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15
President's Day

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16
Seabrook Island Artist Guild
Artist Shannon Runquist presents at the
Guild's monthly meeting, 3 p.m. Live Oak
room, Lakehouse.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18

gg2016
8th Annual Gourmet & Grapes at The
Sanctuary, showcases the very best of
local and regional cuisine paired with
outstanding wines from around the world,
this event raises money for research at the
Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical
University of South Carolina. Purchase
tickets at www.kiawahresort.com/gourmetgrapes or contact the Hollings Cancer
Center Office of Development at 843-7929335 or gourmetandgrapes@musc.edu.
"Passion.Power.Purpose"
Center for Women's Annual Conference.
Feb 18-19 in Charleston, visit www.
c4women.org/2016conference/ for more
details.
Art Class with Tina Mayland
1 3 p.m. Eagles Nest room Lake House,
put on by the Seabrook Island Artists
Guild.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19
SINHG Soup Supper
Beginning at 5:30 p.m. The event will
again be held in the Atlantic Room at the
Island House. As usual, the Soup Supper
will feature great soups, chili, breads and
desserts as well as the traditional Soup
Throwdown where a prize of incalculable
value will be awarded to the chef with
the best soup. Most importantly it is an
evening of fun and camaraderie. Reserved
tables will be available, the sign-up form is
available on the SINHG website at www.
sinhg.org.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Black History Month Celebration
4 p.m. Honoring the legacies from
Wadmalaw and Johns Island, past. present
and future. At the Wadmalaw Island
Community Center, 5605 Katy Hill Road.
Guest speaker The Honorable Lewis H.
Nelson, Jr. $20 cost includes program
and dinner. All proceeds support the
Community Center. call 843.557.8408 or
bartistic2@aol.com for tickets.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Pack and Go Like a Pro
Bernadette Brogan presents a seminar for
Seabrookers who are interested learning

March 5
how to plan your next big trip, from what
to put in your suitcase to how to plan a
visit to a foreign destination. There will be
trivia questions with small prizes during
the presentation. 1 p.m., The Lake House.
All are welcome, free.

6th annual competitive title of Most

Artistic or Most Delicious dessert.
Creations will be judged by Chocolate
Affair attendees. Tickets may be purchased
by calling 843.740.6793 or at www.
thechocolateaffair.net.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28

African American Heritage Festival

10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wannamaker County
Park. Attention educators! Join us for a
day of celebration. Through performances,
demonstrations, and hands-on experiences,
festival goers will explore African
American history and culture from its
roots in Africa to the Americas and South
Carolina. Elementary and middle schools
are welcome. For more information or to
register, visit CharlestonCountyParks.com
or call 843-795-4386. Fee: $10

4th Annual 'South Atlantic Bank'

Oyster Roast & Chili Cook-Off
2 p.m. - 5 p.m. at Hobcaw Yacht Club in
Mt. Pleasant. This family-friendly event
will have all you can eat oysters provided
by Sticky Fingers, hot dogs and fixins, a
delicious chili cook-off and live music.
Adults 21 $35, Under 21 $15. Tickets
can be purchased by visiting www.
FlorenceCrittentonSC.org.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Where the Wild Things Run/Walk 5K

8:30 a.m. race start at the Caw Caw
Interpretive Center. Walkers, joggers, and
runners are invited to explore their wild
side on the scenic nature trails at Caw Caw
Interpretive Center. The 5K trail run and
walk starts at 8:30 a.m., and an award
ceremony with local food and beverages
will be held immediately afterward. Kids'
yoga and crafts for ages 6-12 will keep
children entertained throughout the
morning. Online registration at www.
ccprc.com.

"The Chocolate Affair"

6.30 p.m.The Chocolate Affair gala
and auction supports Communities In
Schools (CIS) of the Charleston Area,
Inc. Held at 6:30 p.m. at the Memminger
Auditorium, live entertainment and over
200 auction items are a featured part of
this even and include jewelry, vacation
packages, restaurant, ticket packages,
and original art from talented Charleston
artists. In addition to these wonderful
auction items, dozens of Charleston
bakeries and restaurants will vie for the

SATURDAY, MARCH 5

10

January 29, 2016

whats hot

the people you meet

Be safe while
heating this winter

Louetta Davis

BY CHIEF GARY LOHR

For The Island Connection

he winter months are upon us and

many of us spend time indoors,
curled up by a fireplace or space
heater, reading a book or watching
television. The St. Johns Fire District wants
to remind you that heating equipment is
a leading cause of home fire deaths and
half of home heating equipment fires are
reported during the months of December,
January and February. There are several
steps you can take to help prevent most
heating-related fires from happening.
Keep anything that can burn at
least three feet away from heating
equipment, like the furnace,
fireplace, wood stove, or portable
space heater.
Have a three-foot kid-free zone
around open fires and space
heaters.
Never use your oven to heat your
home.
Have a qualified professional
install stationary space heating
equipment, water heaters or central
heating equipment according to
the local codes and manufacturers
instructions.

Have heating equipment and

chimneys cleaned and inspected
every year by a qualified
professional.
Remember to turn portable
heaters off when leaving the room
or going to bed.
Always use the right kind of fuel,
specified by the manufacturer, for
fuel burning space heaters.
Make sure the fireplace has a
sturdy screen to stop sparks
from flying into the room. Ashes
should be cool before putting
them in a metal container. Keep
the container a safe distance away
from your home.
Test smoke alarms monthly.
Follow these simple steps to keep you
and your family safe during the cold
winter months. If you would like more
information about heater safety, smoke
or carbon monoxide alarms, or to have
a home safety survey conducted in your
home then please contact the St. Johns
Fire District at 843.559.9194.

Louetta Davis with one of her creations.

BY LORRAINE MCDERMOTT
For The Island Connection

ouetta Davis comes to the Our Lady

of Mercy Community Outreach on
Thursday mornings for quilting and
fellowship. Born in 1936 to Mamie and
Jack Bennett in Williams, SC, she often
talks of how hard her daddy worked on
their sharecropper farm. Beside cash crops
of cotton and corn, the family cultivated
their own garden plot and raised animals
on their own to eat and and sell. Louetta
remembers when she was about 12 years
old her father gave her an injured piglet to
raise. She says, That pig grew up to be a
big Momma.
When Louetta graduated from high
school, prospects beyond working in
the field were scant. She saw an ad in a
newspaper asking for young women to
come to New York to take care of sick
people. With her fathers blessing and
the proceeds from the sale of one of Big
Mommas offspring, Louetta, a scared
teenager who had never been anywhere,
got on the bus bound for New York. Many
of the details of that daring leap are long
forgotten, but Louetta vividly remembers
her fear and praying to God to protect her.

By some miraculous twist of fate Louetta

wound up working in Louie Kaminskis
house on Long Island taking care of his
two sisters.
When Louie gave Louetta her first
paycheck, he said, Now you are not
going to cash that. Instead, he took her
to his bank where he opened a savings
account for her. All subsequent paychecks
went into that account. Louie was also
instrumental in Louettas marriage to
Bennie Davis. They were blessed with
three children.
Today Louetta is a retired woman back
in her beloved Lowcountry making sweet
grass baskets and beautiful quilts. If you
come by the Outreach on a Thursday
morning you might get to meet Louetta
or one of the other amazing women who
just happen to be one of the quilters.
The People You Meet is a monthly
column profiling interesting individuals
from across the Sea Islands. If you have
suggestions for future subjects please email
jennifer@luckydognews.com

January 29, 2016

11

roadtrips charleston

New Year's Resolution:

Travel More
A C O N R N U C O P I A O F O N L I N E T R AV E L R E S O U R C E S
FOR THIS YEARS ADVENTURES
BY CAROL ANTMAN

For The Island Connection

ouve booked flights on Expedia. Youve relied on

Tripadvisor. But there's a whole world wide web
of travel resources out there. Here are some of my
favorite websites to fuel your wanderlust.
Just have time for a daytrip or short weekend? Check
out www.skiway.net. Go on an astonishing journey into
the past, where historic figures appear on stageyou
question them... the audiences are always a part of the
show...and the shows are free! at Greenvilles Chautauqua.
Kick up your heels Myrtle Beachs Square and Round
Dancers Fun in the Sun. At iMagine Upstate Festival
in Greenville six stages include a maker-space, robotics
battle, live science demonstration, drone flight experience
and an augmented reality experience. At Florences
Pecan Festival you can Run Like a Nut. Theres ice
skating in town squares, steeplechases in Camden,
championship rodeos in Blythewood and festivals and
runs galore. All at our doorstep.

Scenic drives
are a wonderful
way to spend a
vacation and
each state has
routes designed
to appeal to
travelers
interests
Scenic drives are a wonderful way to spend a vacation
and each state has routes designed to appeal to travelers
interests. Among the several listed at www.visitflorida.
com is the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. To the tune
of Stephen Fosters Old Folks at Home, you can drive
to a collection of springs, fishing villages and Class III
rapids over the 207 miles from northern Florida to the
Gulf of Mexico. Georgia does a particularly good job of

marketing driving tours that are arranged to highlight

presidential, civil war or plantation history. Theyre at
www.ExploreGeorgia.com.
Photos from a gigantic twig sculpture, Coral Castle,
the worlds biggest cherry pie, a ten-acre whirligig farm,
a house-size chest of drawers and other oddities fill our
family albums. Find these crazy pit stops on one of my
favorite websites: www.roadsideamerica.com. It will
remind you that the journey is the destination.
Let a soundtrack guide you to your next trip. Start
at www.musicfestivaljunkies.com where youll see
hundreds of worldwide music festivals listed. How about
Serbias Exit Festival that takes place in a 17th century
Petrovaradin fortress? Or the Jam Cruise out of Miami: a
one of a kind music and vacation experience featuring 5
days of music aboard a luxurious cruise ship?
Eschew the chain hotel for a more authentic experience.
I've found www.vrbo.com to be a great resource. On
a girls trip to Chicago we stayed in a huge loft with a
gourmet kitchen. In Amsterdam, friends joined us in
a two bedroom apartment overlooking a canal. The
friendly owners in Puerto Rico recommended restaurants
near their lovely pied--terre. Often the cost is less than
multiple hotel rooms if youre with a group or if youre
staying a week or more.
With Charleston being such a popular destination,
it would be easy to take part in house swapping. Check
out www.lovehomeswap.com and consider trading for a
3-bedroom apartment with a view of the Eiffel Tower or
penthouse on the sea in Tuscany. Annie and her family
had a fantastic experience trading their Sullivans Island
house for a rural farm in Tuscany. He even let us drink
his wine and olive oil as they toured the countryside
from Pisa to Cinque Terre.
Heres a website Ill be exploring this year: www.
glampinghub.com. It offers unique properties worldwide
including barns, treehouses, caves and cabins ranging
from rustic to luxurious. How does a vineyard yurt in
Barcelona sound? Its only $88 per night. Or a treehouse
near Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii? You can even
stay for free if youre willing to couch surf, which involves
staying with locals in their homes (or hosting travelers in
yours). Sign up at www.couchsurfing.com, a network of
10 million interesting locals in over 230 countries.

Travelling has joined the emerging sharing economy.

On www.vayable.com locals in cities around the world
share authentic experiences with travelers. A photography
walking tour in Paris, a food crawl in Rome, a tour of
Cuenca, Ecuador for those considering retirement there
are all examples on their extensive website. On www.
eatwith.com and www.travelingspoon.com vetted chefs
host small pop-up dinners in their homes. While in
Bali, Meryl and her family spent 3 hours in a family
compound preparing multiple dishes from scratch with
their Indonesian hosts, using only ingredients grown
nearby. We shredded coconut with a little bark grater
while two little ladies cooked over a fire all night. We
ground spices into pastes for the sauces. It was one
of their most memorable experiences, especially the
delicious corn fritters.

Let a soundtrack
guide you to your
next trip

For active vacations, check out bicycling trips at www.

backroads.com, or horseback riding at www.hiddentrails.
com. The independent travel sites www.bootsnall.com or
www.gonomad.com and www.travelsignposts.com have
extensive compilations of first-hand experiences that
stray from the beaten path.
Armchair travelling, I love it. I can spend hours
reading reviews and imagining trips. If youre like me and
enjoy the planning almost as much as the going, these
resources will launch you on your next adventure.
Roadtrips Charleston presents adventurous and interesting
destinations within a few hours drive of Charleston, S.C..
Carol Antmans passion for outdoor and artistic experiences
feeds her wanderlust for exotic and nearby adventures. For
hot links, photographs and previous columns or to make
comments please see www.peaksandpotholes.blogspot.com

12

January 29, 2016

gardening

Orchid Tips and Tricks:

What champion growers wont tell you

( B U T P R O B A B LY W O U L D I F Y O U A S K E D )

n Monday, Jan. 11, the Kiawah

Island Garden Club learned
from Tom Wise, of Johns Island
Orchids, how to have more success with
our orchids at home. Tom began dividing
and selling the babies of his orchids 20
years ago and has been a judge for the
American Orchid Society since 2011.
His greenhouse on River Road is open
by appointment. He gave us 7 tips, and a
great, entertaining education.
To be a better grower, learn more about
your orchids. There are 22-27,000 species
of orchids, the second largest group in
the world, behind grasses. They grow
on every continent except Antarctica,
but primarily in the tropics. The richest
area, in diversity, is at the foot of the
Himalayas in India, Nepal and Bhutan.
The characteristic which helps to identify
an orchid is Bilateral Symmetry, as one
side mirrors the other. There are two
major growth habits: either sympodial,
growing on a rhizome, or monopodial,
where growth emerges from the top of a
single stem. Most are epiphytes, growing
on trees, usually in the tropics. Others are
lithophytes, growing on rocks, with leaves
like a succulent because they thrive in
harsh, dry, sunny conditions. Still others
are terrestrial, growing from a bulb in the
ground if its too cold to grow on trees.
Some, as those in Australia, have evolved
to bloom better after an area burns, and
there are wild orchids like that in the

BY MARTHA ZINK

For The Island Connection

Francis Marion forest. Therefore you need

to know which type you have, so that
you know the proper potting mixture
(Epiphytes need loose media), whether
they should be kept wet or dry (Lithotypes
need to be kept dry), and if other growers
say the orchid is easy or tough to grow.
Pay attention, as the old Chinese
proverb says: the best fertilizer is the
gardeners shadow. Pick up and examine
your plant, remove dead or dying leaves
and weeds, and remove or spray for scale
or mealy bugs (spray Bayer Advanced
Rose and Flower Spray on the medium
and the roots also). Overwatering is a
common problem; do not let the roots
stay wet, so examine the potting medium:
take the orchid out of the pot, turn it
upside down and make sure the medium
is not decomposed. Orchids have a front
and back, the leaves of an orchid in the
forest will face the sun, so your plant
should also. The leaves are angled towards
one side.
Orchid roots need air, so repot if
the leaves look dry (the roots have been
overwatered and rotted!) You can test
with a bamboo stake, if its dry, still
wait another day or so. Pot in fir bark,
sphagnum moss plus sponge rock (Perlite),
or Chilean or New Zealand large fibered
sphagnum moss.
Try Cypress or Cedar mulch mixed
with sponge rock, a loose airy mix. For

Cattleyas use hardwood lump charcoal

(not briquets!) as it mimics a tree. Use
Nutricote, a slow release fertilizer, every
6-8 months. Osmocote will burn the
orchids. Use Miracle Gro, at half or
quarter strength: weakly weekly," and
flush out with tap water every once in
awhile.
Choose your container wisely, with
holes in the bottom, either plastic pots or,
ideally, unglazed terracotta which wicks
water away because orchids are tough
and like to dry out quickly. Phalenopsis
are monopodial and when you repot, coil
the roots around and put them into the
medium loosely. When the orchid has
finished blooming, cut off the spike, take
it out of an ornamental pot and let it get
indirect sun to rejuvenate. If the leaves
feel warm to the touch, its too much sun.
Artificial light is fine but is not enough
for cattlyeas. Do not use plastic net pots
as it tears up the roots. Teak baskets are
great for orchids which bloom from the
bottom, such as Stanhopea. The baskets
will rot and then you replace them.
Many orchids like to be mounted, as if
on a tree, on cork, a teak plank, a tree fern
plank, hickory bark or wild grapevines
such as you find on the trees around here.
Try mounting your difficult orchids:
Dendrobiums, phalaenopsis, and some
small Cattleyas. Attach them with zip
ties and eventually the roots will attach

themselves and you can remove the ties.

Wire S hooks are good for Vandas.
Dont stress if your orchid dies, its a
plant, not a puppy. Sick orchids take a long
time to heal and may never fully recover.
They will attract insects and disease. Just
try to learn from your mistakes, such
as decayed roots from over watering.
Growers have killed many orchids, and so
you are not alone.
Orchid judges train for 6 years and
promote good orchids and growing
methods, and Tom Wise is doing just
that. He recommends going on the
American Orchid Society website, as
well as the Internet Orchid Species
Photo Encyclopedia. Or visit him at his
greenhouses on River Road to learn from
the master.
On Tuesday, Feb. 16, the Kiawah
Island Garden Club is joining with the
Kiawah Conservancy to hear Dr. Richard
Porcher, a professor at the College of
Charleston, speak about Wildflowers of
the Lowcountry.
On Monday, March 14, the Garden
Club meeting will be at the Cassique
clubhouse, where the chef will give a
talk on cooking with flowers, followed
by luncheon featuring edible flowers.
Members will receive emails with the
details and reservation information.

13

January 29, 2016

gardening

volunteer spotlight

Seabrook Island
Garden club goes from
Magnolia to Clemson

Nancy Sue Platz

For The Island Connection

Nancy Sue Platz

BY ALBERTA BARRON
For The Island Connection

Amy Dabs

BY KELLEY ANDREWS

t was a full house at the January

Seabrook Island Garden Club meeting.
The members welcomed and enjoyed
Tom Johnsons, lively stories regarding
his pursuit of historic camellias for the
restoration of the Magnolia Plantation
and Gardens in Charleston. Toms
heartwarming sagas about his expeditions
throughout the world were thoroughly
charming and eye-opening. His warmth
and casual Southern humor was endearing
and many were left wanting more of his
time and insightfulness.
At the next meeting, Thursday, Feb.
11, 9:30 a.m. at the Lake House, the club
welcomes special guest Amy Dabbs.
Amy is the Clemson Extension
Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener

Coordinator for Berkeley, Charleston and

Dorchester counties. She has a Masters
Degree in Horticulture from Clemson
University specializing in horticulture
therapy. Amy spent ten years at the
South Carolina Botanical Garden as a
registered horticultural therapist where
she coordinated the after school children's
gardening program, Sprouting Wings.
As an Area Horticulture Agent working
with a large urban audience in the
Lowcountry, Amy enjoys teaching the
public about native plants, composting,
pollinator gardening, family friendly
gardening, edibles and perennials.
Amy has partnered with the College of
Charlestons Farm to School Initiative
to provide online training and technical
support to area educators interested in
starting and improving school gardens.
She is also a regular contributor to The
Post & Courier Newspaper and appears
regularly on the SCETV gardening show
Making It Grow.
As always the Seabrook Garden Club
welcomes members and their guests to this
special presentation. New at Seabrook?
The Seabrook Garden Club consistently
provides perfect opportunities for
learning from expert speakers and each
other as well as sharing casual time
with friends in a warm and hospitable
setting. For information on membership
email Cheryl Schumann cschumann@
seabrookislandrealestate.com.

or Nancy Sue Platz, life is about

service. She grew up in Lacey,
Washington in a family of nine
children. At the age of 20 she joined the
United States Air Force where became
a Chaplains Assistant. Her first duty
assignment was based in Zaragoza, Spain.
There was a reason for me being sent to
help the church, Nancy Sue says. My
whole career shows that God had a plan.
After five years of active service, Nancy
Sues mother became terminally ill. Faced
with an important decision, Nancy Sue
chose to leave active duty in order to take
care of her mother. As part of leaving active
service requirements she signed up for
United States Reserves where she trained

other Chaplains Assistants. Ultimately

she achieved the rank of Senior Master
Sergeant. Later on, thanks to the GI Bill,
she completed a degree in dental hygiene.
Presently, Nancy Sue enjoys her
retirement working as a background
actress in TV series and commercials. She
also volunteers as an extra for the South
Carolina Indie Grants Film Program.
Nancy Sue loves to make jewelry and
owns a jewelry design company called Go
with the Flo. She first got involved with
jewelry design at Bliss Spiritual Co-op,
multi-cultural retreat house located in
Mt. Pleasant.
Nancy Sue leads a group of volunteers
from Bliss who, once a month, serve a
meal in the soup kitchen at a downtown
nonprofit, The Neighborhood House.
It is Gods commandment to love one
another and at The Neighborhood House
we are able to do just that. Nancy Sue
particularly loves how efficiently the
kitchen is managed. Vonceil (the kitchen
manager) runs it like a military operation,
which is a compliment coming from me!
Editors Note: Volunteer Spotlight
is a column in The Island Connection
highlighting members of the community who
give their time to help others. If you know of
a volunteer who deserves the spotlight email
jennifer@luckydognews.com.

14

January 29, 2016

arts & events

Shannon Runquist is
February's guest artist
BY ROBERTA BOATTI
For The Island Connection

Shannon Runquist.

lassically trained, realistic oil

painter, Shannon Runquist will be
the featured guest artist at the Feb.
16 meeting of the Seabrook Island Artist
Guild, to be held at 3 p.m. at the Lake
House.
When speaking about her style and
process, Shannon responds I would like
for my paintings to convey a timeless
aesthetic. They are often an extension of
an emotion at the time I am painting,
but I hope my work remains ambiguous.
I paint what is familiar to me, what I
have collected or a place I have been. My
favorite paintings are ones that tell a story
but leave a little mystery for the viewer.

She focuses, primarily, on landscape and

still life images.
Runquist, who was born is Savannah,
Georgia and educated at the Pennsylvania
Academy of Fine Art, Florence Academy
of Art and the University of Georgia, has
spent most of her life in the South. She
has lived on St. Simons Island, Georgia
and currently resides in the Lowcountry,
spending her summers on Cape Cod.
Leaving near the shore has developed in
her, a great love for coastal regions and
the elements that define them. She has
painted and studied in Europe, Mexico,
Central America and the Caribbean.

Runquist has participated in many

national and international exhibitions
including consecutive years at the
Salmagundi Club in New York City,
the Salon International and Honorable
Mention in the 1012 Cashiers NC, Plein
Air Paint Out. She enjoys traveling and
painting en plein air as well as working in
her home studio. Her paintings hang in
both corporate and private collections in
the United States and abroad.
To learn more about the Seabrook
Island Artist Guild events, workshops and
membership visit the website at www.
seabrookislandartistguild.com.

29th Annual Arts and Crafts Show

The Seabrook Island Artist Guild and Photography

Club invite you to the 29th Annual Arts and Crafts
Show and Sale on Feb. 12 through Feb. 14 in the
Live Oak room at the Lake House. This yearly
event showcases the art, photography and craft work
of Seabrooks vibrant creative community. The show
has grown by leaps and bounds since its humble
beginnings in the Oyster Catcher Community
Center all those years ago. Make sure to calendar
this one, its not to be missed.
The show opens on Friday, from 2 5 p.m. A special
wine and cheese Meet the Artists reception will be
held that evening from 7 9 p.m. On Saturday the
hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 10
a.m. 3 p.m. on Sunday. Stop in and be amazed at
whats been going on behind closed studio doors.

15

January 29, 2016

arts & events

Seabrook Island artist, photographer

of the month, February

Colleen Wiessmann

Artist of the Month

Abstract artist and former Seabrook
Island Artist Guild president, Colleen
Wiessmann, is Artist of the Month for
February. Her work will be on display in
the Lake House Art Gallery from Feb. 1
through Feb. 29.
Originally from northern New Jersey,
Colleen studied at the school of New York
Botanical Gardens, where her early artistic
endeavors focused on the field of Interior
Plant Scaping or office plant dcor. This
experience helped to develop her eye for
shapes, colors, balance and aesthetics.

Contrary to popular opinion, Colleen

says that creating an abstract piece of
art is not just a matter of throwing paint
on canvas, but a melding of experiences,
creative instincts and innate abilities.
Working from her Seabrook studio, she
creates acrylics using collage and layering
techniques. Her emotions dictate the
process: laying paint on texturized canvas,
changing shapes and colors, scrubbing out
and repainting until the canvas evolves
into a harmonious work of art, exquisite
in its composition, balance and color
harmony.
Colleens work can be seen at the 151
Fine Art Gallery, 175 Church St. and at
the Picolo Spoleto Festival.
To learn more about the art guild,
view the work of member artists, or stay
on top of upcoming events visit www.
seabrookislandartistguild.com

Bob Hider

Photographer of the Month

I got my first camera when I was in high
school. It was a Voightlander 35mm, with
a flip down bellows lens. It had a great lens
and took good pictures... unfortunately I
didnt take good pictures. I had a lot to
learn. So over the years I wasted a lot of
film, most of it under or over exposed. I

bought a light meter. That solved many of

the exposure issues, but still my pictures
didnt have that great look that I had
seen from other photographers. That led
to a darkroom. There I had another huge
learning experience, and it wasnt until a
friend of a friend showed me how to get
the most out of a shot in the developing
tray that I finally began to be satisfied
with my pictures.
Of course I hadnt even thought of
things like composition, artistic quality
and the things that make good pictures
great pictures. In fact that didnt happen
for almost 40 years. Sure, I had cameras all
throughout my life, but they were mostly
for picture taking - kids, trips, parties, etc.
I hadnt considered making artistic images
that people would buy until 3 things came
into confluence in my life.
The first was retirement. That gave
me the time to seek out good shots. The
second was the digital camera revolution.
I was turned on immediately by the idea
that I could now manipulate my pictures
in a computer, rather than a dark room
(my profession as a director/producer had
given me a basic knowledge of Adobe
Photoshop which I quickly put to work on
my photos.) The third thing was moving
to Seabrook Island, SC, which opened my
eyes to the beauty of the lowcountry: the

marshes, the wildlife, the sunrises and the

sunsets. It all came together for me.
And, the fact that I could sell my work
for a worthwhile charity, currently the
Respite Care of Charleston, made me
want to show and sell as much as possible.
Of course I still want to be retired, but
photography has given me a purpose and
an outlet for my creative juices. When
someone buys a picture, the check is made
out to RCC. That money is passed directly
to Respite Care along with an invoice for
my expenses for which they reimburse
me. I dont lose money, they gain money
and the buyer gets a tax deduction and a
nice picture.
Im happy.

A cocktail reception will be held at the

Lake House on Feb. 1 from 5-7 p.m.