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Volume 10 Issue 6

July 1, 2016

FREE

Sea Island
residents push
for road
improvements
COUNTY HOSTS
S A L E S TA X
MEETING
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

T
PHOTOS COURTESY DOLPHIN ANGELS

Kiawah explores plight of

dolphins, whales
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

outh Carolinas coast is home to myriad species of marine life

including the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and
right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). Interest in both species is
high and definitive information so hard to come by, it prompted the
Kiawah Island Naturalists Group and the Kiawah Conservancy to
schedule a presentation at the Sandcastle last April.
Wayne McFee, a conservationist with the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Marine Mammal
Assessments department was happy to oblige.
The bottlenose dolphin is very much at risk in the Lowcountry,
said McFee. There are two estuary pods of dolphin, one at each
end of Kiawah, for example, and the entire SC coast is dotted with
similar family units. What McFee called dolphin basics include:

Fashion Boutique

Page 6

1. Life span - Males: 40-45 years, Females: at least 50 years

2. Length - Male: 8-13 ft., Female: 7-12 ft.
3. A one-year gestation period results in calves weaned at
18-20 months at three year intervals
4. Status of population: considered depleted
The fact estuary pods dont migrate provides some protection
from diseases passed along by pods that do, but South Carolina still
averages 50 strandings each year according to McFee. However,
there are other threats that affect both dolphins and whales.
1. Coastal development (construction in sensitive areas)
2. Noise (shipping and construction many stranded

Dolphins & Whales continues on page 4

The Land of Pasaquan

Page 10

here was yet another massive traffic

jam on Johns Island. This time,
however, pedestrian traffic was
to blame as over 250 JI residents queued
to make the turn into the Johns Island
High School cafeteria. Representatives of
Charleston County Council and the City
of Charleston had scheduled the June 20,
2016 public meeting to discuss a proposed
Sales Tax Referendum. It was the third in
a series of meetings designed to pitch the
cent sales and use tax increase, currently
totaling 8.5 percent (e.g. Complete the
Penny).
Announcements led many
participants to believe their opinions
would help prioritize projects intended to
improve beleaguered JI roads.
People began arriving as early as 6 p.m.
for the 6:30 p.m. confab, anxious to enter
their contact information at check in, and
win handouts like;
1. A three page list of all funding
requests made to CCC (JI was
only mentioned once).
2. A one page funding scenario
reflecting a short list of projects
which would move forward if
the penny gets completed for a
total of $2.1 billion (JI was only
mentioned once).
3. A seven page form for
commenting on funding scenario
items with room at the back for
adding projects ala carte.
The table in front of the door led to a
cavernous room. There were three pairs of
easels on the far side with Jurassic sized

Roads continues on page 5

Going For World Record

Page 15

July 1, 2016

civic

Disaster Awareness Day

well-attended, informative

Lynn Pierotti
publisher
lynn@luckydognews.com

BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

Jennifer Tuohy
managing editor
jennifer@luckydognews.com
Swan Richards
senior graphic designer
swan@luckydognews.com
Lori McGee
sales manager
lori@luckydognews.com

Staff Writers
Gregg Bragg
Contributors
Ashley Brady
Monique Sporn
Bob Hooper
Krista Ritterhoff
Kara Bale
Carol Antman
Maria Gurovich
Sarah Reynolds

Published by
Lucky Dog Publishing
of South Carolina, LLC
P.O. Box 837
Sullivans Island, SC 29482
843-886-NEWS
Future deadlines: July 6
for submissions for the
July 15 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,

he Seabrook Island Club played

host to Disaster Awareness Day
for the second consecutive year on
June 16, 2016. Maybe it was free lunch,
door prizes, lots of giveaways or a raft of
intermittent raffles, but despite a beautiful
day, the Island House may well have set
an attendance record for DAD. Seabrook
mayor pro tem John Gregg emceed the
annual event, now in its tenth year. And
although attendance matters, something
else was very different this year.
Vendors had always been the focus
and primary draw during past events.
Participants would arrive at their leisure,
visit booths and stay for any of multiple
rounds of speakers peppered in waves
throughout the schedule. Gregg turned
the format on its head with attention
shifted to fewer governmental type
presenters from law enforcement, fire and
emergency services. Local organizations
with vested interests in safety that had
done presentations in the past, still
participated, but on a panel at the end
of the event. The idea was an apparent
success, judging by the number of people
who stayed.
Derrec Becker with the South Carolina
Emergency Management Division was the
first to speak. He said, Im blown away by

Civic Calendar
Town of Kiawah
Town Council
Meeting
Tues, July 5, 2 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall
Planning Commission
Meeting
Wedn, July 6, 3 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall
Environmental
Committee Meeting
Tues, July 12, 3 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall
Public Safety
Committee Meeting
Weds, July 13, 2 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Communications
Meeting
Thurs, July 14,3 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Town of Seabrook
Planning Commission
July 6, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Ways & Means
July 19, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Town Council
July 26, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Planning Commission
August 3, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

Ways & Means

August 16, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

facebook.com/
islandconnectionnews

Ralph Secoy
contributing photographer

PHOTOS COURTESY TOWN OF KIAWAH

News Updates
Online at

Alejandro Ferreyros
graphic designer
alejandro@luckydognews.com

how many people are here. Becker shared

state level plans, including some of the
changes made since the hurricane Floyd
debacle. Refugees from three states were
trying to use the same evacuation route,
which resulted in intolerable and unsafe
delays his office has rectified.
Captain Robert Woods with the SC
Highway Patrol got right to it, leading
off with details of the evacuation plans
in different areas of the Lowcountry.
Attendees had their pencils at the ready
when he said and the route for Seabrook
and Kiawah (Johns Island and Wadmalaw,
too) is:
Main road to route 17
17 SOUTH to Jacksonboro
RT. 64 to Walterboro
Take 321 to Olar
Continue on 321 by turning right
to Denmark
US 78 to Aiken, (the designated
Point of Safety after which you
can do what you want)
Woods went on to say early evacuation
opened up some options, but waiting for
a mandatory order would mean strict
and enforced adherence to the designated
route in an effort to prevent overlap with
other areas and their plans. Waiting also
means the left lane of Betsy Kerrsion
would continue along Bohicket while the
right lane would be routed along River
Road until it meets back up with Main
Rd. with its two lanes at the other end.
The inbound lane will not be used as part
of the evacuation to allow emergency
access.
He stressed the following;
1. Leave early or you will be at the
mercy of designated routes.
2. Know your route.
3. Manage your expectations

There are approximately 1.5

million of your best friends in the
area and everyone will be trying to
evacuate at the same time. You will
be inconvenienced if you wait for a
mandatory evacuation period, end
of story, he said.
4. Respect mandatory evacuation
orders.
Ryan Kunitzer, Battalion Chief
and Fire Marshal, and Marc Hankins,
Battalion Chief with the St. Johns Fire
District, amplified the point of respecting
mandatory evacuations better than
anyone. Do not stay here. Do not! In
the event of a serious event, even fire and
Emergency Medical Services will move
inland and will not be available. A ladder
truck costs about $1 million and will
be evacuated as far inland as necessary/
possible. We will have to cut our way back
in to get to you or before you try to
come home, said Kunitzer.
He continued saying once SJFD
returns, they will do damage assessments.
SJFD does have a search and rescue
capacity. Kunitzer said SJFD was part of
a national network (SJFD went up to help
NY and NJ after hurricane Sandy) which
would be brought to bear. However, he
emphasized the probability of delays.
Be patient! It will be days, maybe

K iawah Island Town H all

21 Beachwalker Drive
Kiawah Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9166
Fax: 768-4764
Seabrook Island Town H all
2001 Seabrook Island Road
Seabrook Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9121
Fax: 768-9830
Email: lmanning@townofseabrookisland.org
Johns Island Council
Meetings are held at the Berkeley Electric
Co-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, Johns
Island.
Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113
Charleston County Council
4045 Bridge View Dr, N. Charleston
958-4700
City of Charleston
75 Calhoun St.
724-3745

July 1, 2016

civic

weeks, before you can come back and

your expectations may be unrealistic
so be patient. When you leave, shut off
electric and water. Get outdoor furniture
inside (they can turn into projectiles) take
enough medications to last you three
weeks [and/or] have your doctor call
ahead to the area you are evacuating to,
so you can renew your prescriptions, if
needed, said Kunitzer.
Asked about an earthquake, Kunitzer
said SJFD follows pretty much the same
protocols as they do in a post hurricane
follow up. He also said SJFD personnel
did not collect the personal information
of people who refused to leave. However,

letter to the editor

to make the same point the suggestion was

made to write identifying information on
your arm with a sharpie.
Melinda Walker from EMS echoed
the points made by SJFD and used her
time with the mic to recommend using a
program called Smart911. Smart911 is a
national service now available to residents
of Charleston County, Walker said. The
free service allows participants to list
PETS, health conditions, medications,
emergency contacts, and vehicle
descriptions, anything which might help
first responders with information a victim
may not be able to provide at the time
of service. Information entered will be
available to dispatchers and will be passed
along to EMS personnel.
Live 5 News Chief Meteorologist
Bill Walsh wrapped up the formal
performances. His presentation brought
enough electricity with it to cure
schizophrenia the old fashioned way,
and broke the somber tone in the room.
He connected well with the room and
knew several attendees personally.
They exchanged anecdotes of their long
standing experiences in the Lowcountry
and promised to continue keeping the
Lowcountry informed. The now famous
free lunch had a picnic theme with
burgers, hot dogs and chicken sandwiches
with all the fixings. The panel discussion
(mentioned above) followed and wrapped
up the day.
For more information please contact
your local municipal officials or visit their
websites: Seabrook - townofseabrookisland.
org - Kiawah - kiawahisland.org.

Tid e Char t
Date

High Tide

Low Tide

Jul 01
Jul 02
Jul 03
Jul 04
Jul 05
Jul 06
Jul 07
Jul 08
Jul 09
Jul 10
Jul 11
Jul 12
Jul 13
Jul 14

5:50am/6:26pm
6:50am/7:24pm
7:48am/8:18pm
8:44am/9:10pm
9:37am/9:59pm
10:29am/10:46pm
11:19am/11:32pm
12:09pm
12:16am/12:58pm
1:00am/1:47pm
1:45am/2:36pm
2:32am/3:26pm
3:21am/4:16pm
4:11am/5:06pm

11:56am
12:48am/12:52pm
1:44am/1:47pm
2:37am/2:39pm
3:28am/3:30pm
4:16am/4:20pm
5:03am/5:09pm
5:49am/5:57pm
6:33am/6:47pm
7:17am/7:38pm
8:01am/8:31pm
8:46am/9:25pm
9:32am/10:20pm
10:20am/11:13pm

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

Beauty Threatened
Down Bohicket Road

harleston County Council held five public meeting to provide citizens the opportunity
to comment on proposed funding scenarios/projects which would be supported by an
increase in the Sales and Use Tax. One "Regional Improvement" contains a request
to create a four-lane highway from Bees Ferry to Betsy Kerrison Parkway on Johns Island.
Carefully omitted in this request is the expansion of Bohicket Road to a four-lane highway. To
justify this improvement, the state would conduct Traffic Pattern Studies during the summer
months only, thus resulting in bias and inaccurate data/study. Does the excessive development
on Johns Island, in addition to summer rentals at Kiawah, warrant a four-lane highway, giving
direct access to Kiawah and Seabrook?
Currently, South Street Partners have available almost 500 lots on Kiawah and hundreds
of acres on Johns Island for development. Given the investment purchase price of almost half
a billion dollars, straight through access to Kiawah, supported by a public tax increase, would
be extremely attractive to their investment partners and developers. Was this always a part of
South Street Partners long-term strategy? Will the residents of Johns Island, who oppose the
demolition and destruction of the beauty of Bohicket Road into a four-lane highway, be forced
to face litigation similar to the Captain Sams Spit debacle, a 20-acre wildlife spit on Kiawah?
Reckless disregard for Kiawah, Johns Island, Bohicket Road and the natural beauty
surrounding all of us should not be compromised by developers self interests and greed.
Oppose the four-lane highway on Bohicket Road to Betsy Kerrison Parkway by completing
the form on: http://roads.charlestoncounty.org/tax-ref.php. Vote no to the tax referendum on
November 8, 2016.
Michael Kenney
Johns Island

About Letters to the Editor / Opinon / Editorials

All letters and Opinions submitted to The Island Connection must bear a full name,
address and phone number for verification. Only the authors name and city will be
printed. Submissions are accepted via email to jennifer@luckydognews.com.
Submissions may be edited for length and readability. The Island Connection reserves
the right to reject submissions that are libelous, unseemly, not individually addressed
to The Island Connection or that have been previously published elsewhere. The Island
Connection will not publish letters endorsing political candidates. Op-Ed articles and
Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinion of Lucky Dog News or its writers.

What? Im Working Here.

Dolphins & Whales continues from cover

dolphins are found to be deaf)
3. Climate change (less food/more competition)
4. Disease (morbillivirus and brucella often passed by
migrating pods)
5. Contaminants (plastics, marine debris and other
chemicals)
6. Fisheries (Dolphins taking bait off hooks/
competition)
7. Boat and Ship Traffic (boat/ship strikes)
8. Illegal feeding and harassment (dont feed the
dolphins)
9. Balloons (mistaken for food and ingested)
Contaminants, continued McFee, are particularly
insidious. Male dolphins are unable to dump toxins
they ingest, which build up over time and may contribute
to strandings. Females can dump toxins but it usually

July 1, 2016

wildlife

July 1, 2016

daily

PHOTO BY KELLY BRAGG

ends up in the systems of their first born and again, may

contribute strandings. Whales have all of this to contend
with and more.
Right whales were assigned their common name because
they were deemed the best species to hunt, beginning as
early as the era of tall ships, said McFee. Most species of
whales sink like Moby Dick when killed, floating back to
the surface only after enough gases have built up to make
them buoyant. Right whales, however, stay on the surface,
making them easier to harvest.
The trait contributed to reducing the right whale
population to just 300 individuals (originally estimated to
be 10,000). Although the population now stands at 500,
the current trend still ends in extinction. Studying the
problem is the priority for McFee.
The April presentation had originally been scheduled
for much earlier in the year. McFee was called away at the
time to cover an Unusual Mortality Event. Defining the
term was the darkest before the dawn portion of his visit.

McFee defined the term as;

1. A marked increase in the magnitude or a marked
change in the nature of morbidity, mortality or
strandings when compared with prior records.
2. A temporal change in morbidity, mortality or
strandings occurring.
3. A spatial change in morbidity, mortality or
strandings occurring.
4. The species, age, or sex composition of the affected
animals is different than that of animals that are
normally affected.
5. Affected animals exhibit similar or unusual
pathologic findings, behavior patterns, clinical
signs, or general physical condition (e.g., blubber
thickness).
6. Potentially significant morbidity, mortality
or stranding is observed in species, stocks or
populations that are particularly vulnerable (e.g.,
listed as depleted, threatened or endangered or
declining).
Fortunately, the news isnt all bad. McFee is a member
of and/or works with several groups which are working
to make a difference. The Sighting Advisory System has
been instituted to monitor marine animals in high density
areas. SAS is augmented with the Early Warning System.
EWS is used to advise ships when there is activity in their
path. Interested in helping whales and dolphins? There is
plenty you can do.
1. Report strandings to (800) 922-5431 page (843)
820-0612.
2. Do not push a live whale or dolphin back to the sea
3. Do not feed dolphins
4. Report illegal dolphin feeding to (843) 762-8592
5. Remove marine debris (rope, plastic, netting, etc.)
from the water and beaches
For more information contact NOAA or, sparingly, email
Wayne McFee using the address wayne.mcfee@noaa.gov.

Roads continues from cover

renderings of the handouts, chaperoned by
CCC staff. The partition to the adjoining
auditorium was closed and lunch tables
were stowed, but the room was filling fast
and the line to get in wrapped around
the building. Eventually, people started
rolling out tables only to be informed
it wasnt that kind of meeting. Its only
a brief presentation and then people are
going to come around [and look at the
easels] said a CCC staffer, pointing.
The auditorium was opened shortly
after and speakers started 10 minutes later
than planned.
Steve Thigpen introduced himself
as Director of Sales Tax for CCC. He
expressed his enthusiasm for the turnout
and said previous iterations of the meeting
had garnered only 20 people in North
Charleston and 25 in West Ashley (and
maybe 35 at James Island several days later).
Thigpen continued with a review of the
handouts and spent a little extra time on
the comment form. The form can also be
completed online by visiting http://roads.
charlestoncounty.org/tax-ref.php he said,
and specific questions, can be emailed
to
publiccomment@charlestoncounty.
org. He thanked everyone for coming and
encouraged them to visit the displays [easels]
and talk with the staff. His presentation had
taken about 5 minutes, adding credence
to the idea this really wasnt that kind of
meeting.
JI residents, who had paid for the full
hour with elected officials they rarely see,
werent going anywhere so soon after
arriving. Surprised murmurs grew to a full
on acclamation; attendees had questions
they wanted public responses to, and
organizers felt compelled to indulge them.
CCC member Anna Johnson attempted
to gin up enthusiasm. Her greeting to the
masses was apparently intended to solicit
a specific response. She didnt like what
she heard the first time, so she asked again
before saying, I understand you were in
a little bit of a traffic jam [earlier today].
Define little, interjected one attendee,
who seemed to know she meant Maybank
Rd. Johnson would go to say she knew it
was a problem but didnt mention why the
project wasnt listed in the handouts.
Representative Browns opponent for
SC house district 116, Carrol ONeal,
took advantage of the gathering to express
his support for road improvements. He
was followed by Marvin Wagner, City
of Charleston council member from
District 5. Wagner gave S.C. Rep. Leon

Stavrinakis a nod for his long-term

support of road improvements in the
Lowcountry. he then opened the floor to
questions. Organizers got more than they
bargained for from a frustrated and wellinformed JI crowd. The first question was
about the intersection of Main Rd/rt. 17.
Improving the intersection was the sole
project of interest to JI listed on meeting
handouts. However, since meetings of
CCC, the project had ballooned from an
estimated $60 million designed to alleviate
congestion and mitigate flooding. Handouts
now listed the project closer to $195 million
and included both the flyover and also
widening of Main/Bohicket from Bees
Ferry all the way to Betsy Kerrison. Wagner
confirmed some version of the project was a
priority. Asked why the Pitchfork wasnt
listed, he responded the project [to alleviate
congestion at the intersection of Maybank
and River roads] was already approved and
underway. There were several proposals
from the floor to put a moratorium on
building until infrastructure has a chance to
catch up to development.
The sales tax was for I-526 and now
that we know were not getting that, what
is the money for and how do we get the
$420 million previously allocated [to
the Lowcountry], asked an unidentified
JI resident. Charleston Mayor John
Tecklenburg tagged in to the meeting to
address the sensitive question. The State
Transportation Infrastructure Bank
recently nixed completion of I-526,
acknowledged the mayor adding, if
we dont get that money [$420 million]
were screwed. The flyover is critical.
Improvements to Maybank are critical,
he reassured the crowd. He recommended
contacting both the STIB and CCC to
help secure the $420 million.
The newly elected mayor answered the
rest of the question saying CARTA is on
life support and if we dont support it, there
will never be stops here on JI. He endeared
himself to organizers and attendees alike
when he added I dont know if you want me
to be the one to answer these [questions],
he grinned to hearty chuckles. But he
held the floor all the same, just asking to
be polite. Tecklenburg really was on a roll
and connecting with the room in a way
appreciated by one resident in particular.
JI resident Amanda Mandy Coffey
was one of several to tell the mayor, we
dont feel like were represented very
well and youre the best person to help,
to wild cheers and applause. Coffey was
framing her concerns about unbridled
development on JI. Mayor Tecklenburg

responded, saying there would be no

expansion beyond the Urban Growth
Boundary as currently defined for JI.
Jessica Cervantes, also a JI resident was
puzzled because she couldnt reconcile
some of the projects being discussed with
the handouts. If these projects arent
specifically listed, I wont support it [sales
tax increase].
There were 18 public questions/
comments in all. Some additional
highlights include:
1. Mayor Tecklenburg said he has
already requested police to assist in
congested areas until some of these
projects come to fruition.
2. Byron Saunders said widening
Main all the way to Betsy Kerrison
wasnt needed and didnt help JI
residents. He said the same thing
about the cross island parkway
or greenway, an endeavor
supported by the Town of Kiawah
which would bisect JI. His father,
Civil Rights icon Bill Saunders,
added, Storms are being used
again to build new roads. Most
of the people on Johns and
Wadmalaw don't have any place
to go. We want to establish Johns
Island High School as a shelter.
3. Steve Harris, Chairman of the
newly formed Johns Island
Community Association says
his nascent group has several
priorities. They intend to;
a. Float the idea of a Johns Island
connector (similar to James
Island), providing a third route

off JI.
b. A moratorium on the
construction of new homes
c. Widening Maybank to four
lanes
4. Seabrook resident Sue Holloman
suggested an impact fee on
developers
The meeting wound down with Steve
Thigpen back at the helm. He closed the
meeting the same way he opened it and
stressed the importance of registering
your priorities by visiting the web address
http://roads.charlestoncounty.org/tax-ref.
php and/or sending specific questions
to email address publiccomment@
charlestoncounty.org. The June 27
deadline will have passed by the time you
read this. Requests to extend the comment
period have already been received by CCC
staff.

July 1, 2016

daily

Johns Island resident

brings Scout &
Mollys to Freshfields
N E W FA S H I O N B O U T I Q U E
OPENS IN THE VILLAGE
BY JENNIFER TUOHY

The Island Connection Editor

Scout & Mollys opened last May at

Freshfields.

ast Saturday, June 25, Scout &

Mollys celebrated the grand opening
of its newest franchise, right here
on Kiawah Island. The 960 square foot
boutique, located at 458 Freshfields Drive,
offers upscale designer womens clothing
as well as original chic designs.
Scout & Molly's Kiawah is a shopping
destination where our customers can find
the latest fashion trends from casual to
timeless, owner Erica Maldonado said.
You can look for the perfect designer
label or find that just right accessory, all
while being treated to a relaxed shopping
environment and the absolute best in
customer service.
Scout & Mollys, based in Raleigh, NC,
launched in 2002 and was the dream of
entrepreneur Lisa Kornstein. Maldonado,
who had always wanted to own her own

store, was drawn to Kornsteins concept

and decided to open the first franchise in
the Charleston-area.
Ive always wanted to open up my
own clothing store and throughout the
years I had that in the back of my mind,
Maldonado said. I tried to do a cupcake
store and online selling, but then I
decided I wanted to look into a franchise.
My fiance was researching as well and he
came across Scout & Mollys. I looked into
it and just fell in love with the concept. I
love everything about it.
Maldonado spent a year searching for
the perfect location to open her store,
before deciding on Kiawah.
We saw how much it was growing and
decided it was the perfect place, she said.
Maldonado, who is originally from
Brooklyn, NY, has lived in Charleston
since 2008. She and her fiance live on
Johns Island.
I love Charleston, she said. This is
where I believe Im going to live for the
most of life.
The store has been open since May 21,
2016. Maldonado says the first few weeks
of business have been great.
Its been amazing, better than what I
thought it would be. Sales are good and
Im very proud of how everythings been
going.

July 1, 2016

daily

Freshfields Village welcomes

new stores, restaurant
S C O U T & M O L LY S , T R S C A R M E N , K I AWA H N A I L S T U D I O ,
DOLITTLES AND FUJI SUSHI BAR AND GRILL WILL
JOIN THE ROSTER OF TENANTS

y this fall, Freshfields Village will

be home to four new storesScout
& Mollys, Trs Carmen, Kiawah
Nail Studio, and Dolittlesand a new
restaurant, Fuji Sushi Bar and Grill.
These additions to Freshfields Villages
already vibrant shopping and dining scene
highlight the villages commitment to
supporting local and regional businesses.
While the retail stores will open
throughout the summer, the restaurant
will follow with a fall opening.
Complimenting Freshfields Villages
array of womens clothing boutiques:
Scout & Molly's is a destination for
today's transcending woman who goes to
find that special little something thatll fit
just right. Its boutiques are merchandised
with a simple rule in mind: No style fits
all, in an effort to maintain individuality
while dressing in the latest trends. The

BY ASHLEY BRADY

For The Island Connection

shop will be located at 458 Freshfields

Drive and is now open.
At Trs Carmen, shoppers will find
apparel, accessories and shoes from
designers such as Nicole Miller, Joie and
BCBGMAXAZRIA. This will be the
stores second location in the area, with
the original boutique on James Island. The
Freshfields Village shop will be located at
615 Freshfields Drive, and is expected to
open in July. More information can be
found at trescarmen.com.
Kiawah Nail Studio will provide a full
service nail salon with manicures and
pedicures. The relaxing and refreshing
environment will offer an elegant and
professional treatment tailored to meet
the customers needs. The nail studio will
be located at 205 Gardeners Circle and is
slated to open by July 1.
Dolittles, a Charleston based

company, will offer quality pet products

including food, toys, collars and leashes,
beds and more. The shop will also have
a self-service pet bathing room. Dolittle's
is focused on finding solutions for the
little problems that arise in life with cats
and dogs. Having more than 20 years
of experience in the industry, the staff
is equipped to help customers provide
the best for their pets. Located at 352
Freshfields Drive, the Freshfields Village
store will be Dolittles third location in
the Lowcountry, and is expected to open
by July 1. More information can be found
at www.dolittles.com.
We are pleased to introduce these
new additions to Freshfields Village,
says President of Northwood Retail,
Ward Kampf. Not only are we excited to
provide the Kiawah shopper with a unique
mix of quality local and regional retailers,

but also some of the latest curated food

offerings that broaden Freshfields diverse
dining options.
With these additions, Freshfields
Village features almost 30 different
stores for one of the Lowcountrys most
extensive, well curated shopping, lodging
and dining experiences, with more to
come throughout 2016. Complementing
the new retail offerings, Mount Pleasant
based Fuji Sushi Bar and Grill is slated to
open its third area location in the village
this fall.

A Lucky Dog Favorite

arts & events

arts & events

July 1, 2016

Watch the creative Kunkelman strives to

art process live capture Lowcountrys
luminosity

BY MONIQUE SPORN
For The Island Connection

BY MONIQUE SPORN

ome and celebrate Independence

Day with Seabrook Island artists.
The Seabrook Island Artist Guild
will host an opening day reception at the
Seabrook Lake House on Friday, July 1,
5-7 p.m. The show will continue through
Saturday, July 2, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Come and experience the creative
process live. Talented artists Tina
Mayland, Bob Lefevre and Gary
Kunkelman will be painting during the
event on Saturday. Tinas, Bobs and
Garys paintings are exhibited in several
Charleston art galleries and can be
admired there.
This is one of the biggest shows of the
year for the many talented and prized
artists of the Seabrook Island Artists Guild.
A diverse mix of media will be offered
for view and purchase: oil paintings,
watercolors, pastels, etchings, mixed
media, photography, beaded serving pieces
and china sets, and other crafts.
SIAG includes over 100 members from
Seabrook Island, Kiawah Island and Johns
Island. For more information on the Guilds
events, workshops and membership, visit
seabrookislandartistguild.com

For The Island Connection

Gary Kunkelman

eabrook Island artist

Gary Kunkelman works
in oils and pastels in a
variety of subject areas still
life, portraiture, marine art
and, increasingly, landscapes.
The Lowcountrys beauty
and amazing quality of light
are magnets for painters, he
says. There's a special clarity
and luminosity here that you
dont find in many other
places."
Gary and wife Kathy
moved to Seabrook full-time
in 2014, after he retired from
Penn States Berks College.
He says that while he had
wanted to be a painter from
his earliest years, life moved
in another direction. After
a 20-plus year career in
journalism and advertising,
he was hired by Penn State to LowCountry Still Life, by Gary Kunkelman
teach professional writing.
methodical and even plodding approach.
It was pure luck that I fell into teaching The goal is to recapture their fire in the
studio painting at Penn State, he explains. painting without exotic ingredients like
"The head of the art department saw some pulverized gemstones and without taking
of my paintings in an exhibit and said, years to finish a canvas.
You need to be teaching painting. That
This experience has colored his style
turned me in a direction I never seriously as he works to combine elements from
thought possible.
these two very different approaches in
Kunkelman studied for nearly a decade his own paintings. He says, Thats very
with marine artist Jack Coggins and at the much a work in progress. Kunkelman is
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He education vice president of the Seabrook
lists as influences a number of American Island Artist Guild. He teaches oil and
painters from the late 19th and early 20th pastel painting and is represented by
century, including William Merrit Chase, Studio 151 in Charleston.
Robert Henri and Arthur B. Davies.
The July 2016 Artist of the Month
For the past few years, Kunkelman exhibit of the Seabrook Island Artist
has been working on a project begun by Guild will feature oil and pastel paintings
a Pennsylvania Academy faculty member by Gary Kunkelman. A sample of his art
to recreate the depth and luminosity of will be displayed during the entire month
the Masters using modern materials and of July in the Lake House gallery. All are
methods. Spontaneity and directness cordially invited.
have defined painting since the time of the
Impressionists, he explains, and thats
pretty much the opposite of the Masters

July 1, 2016

arts & events

computer corner

Celebrate Americas Windows 10 is here, or is it?

birthday with the South
Carolina Aquarium
M
BY BOB HOOPER

For The Island Connection

See fireworks over Charleston Harbor from the South Carolina Aquarium during the Sea
Stars and Stripes celebration.

BY KRISTA RITTERHOFF
For The Island Connection

hinking of celebrating this

Independence Day out on the
town? Looking for a great view
of fireworks and delicious food without
the hassle of lighting up the grill? Then
look no further than the South Carolina
Aquariums Sea Stars and Stripes
celebration for patriotic holiday fun. This
Fourth of July, join the South Carolina
Aquarium in celebrating Americas
birthday with some fishy friends and enjoy
the best seat in town to watch the famous
fireworks over the scenic Charleston
Harbor.
Sea Stars and Stripes will be held at the
South Carolina Aquarium from 7-10 p.m.,
July 4. All-inclusive ticket prices are $60
for adults and $30 for children (children
under 2 years old are free) and include
admission to the aquarium. Members
receive a $5 discount on tickets. This is
a popular sell out event, so make sure to
get your tickets soon. To purchase tickets,
visit scaquarium.org or call 843-577FISH (3474).
Sea Stars and Stripes, a Good Catch
event, is serving up delicious and
sustainable seafood as well as family fun.

Indulge in a Lowcountry boil, a local

favorite and a staple of Charlestons famous
cuisine, while also helping to support
local fisheries in an environmentally
friendly and responsible way. The menu
also includes barbecue, a classic summer
staple that no Fourth of July party would
be complete without. As you eat, enjoy a
front row seat to the fireworks over the
Charleston Harbor. All-inclusive tickets
to the event also include admission to
the aquarium where you can enjoy many
amazing exhibits while you escape from
the summer heat.
This is the only Fourth of July party in
town where you can catch a glimpse of an
albino alligator, hang out with Caretta the
loggerhead sea turtle and have a hands-on
experience with stingrays. Sea Stars and
Stripes is also a great opportunity to see
cute and curious red ruffed lemurs and the
rest of the animals in Madagascar Journey
before they leave the aquarium at the end
of the summer. These amazing and exotic
animals are leaving to make room for Sea
Turtle Recovery, a new exhibit which will
be breaking ground this fall.

icrosoft has been pushing the

"upgrade" to Windows 10
really hard these last few weeks,
actually the past several months. But with
a date in late July looming as the final
cut-off for a free "upgrade," the reminders,
pop-ups and downright pushiness have
gone into warpdrive.
If considering the upgrade, or if you
have already done it, make sure to "optout" of all the wonderful (sarcastic here)
things Microsoft has opted you into, such
as allowing your laptop to send every
keystroke you make to them and send
anonymous data about basically every
website/ document/ print job you do.
Here is a website that can guide you
through doing the job: https://fix10.
isleaked.com/.
Some "geeks" have taken a laptop and
tried to make it not phone home, and
it does not seem possible. Regardless of
how many places you opt-out, Microsoft
has embedded in the operating system a
way to send some sort of data home. In
the case of newer laptop, it's built into the
hardware and cannot be turned off.
So, do I recommend Windows 10 with
the upgrade date of July 28? It depends
on whether you are buying brand new or
upgrading an existing laptop/desktop. If
brand new and buying locally, you really
have no choice. Its Windows 10 or buy

Mac (Apple), that's about it. Opt-out of

the things you can and then enjoy.
Windows 10 is actually a decent
operating system and is easy to manage.
It has lots of cool "apps" and can make
life easier if you don't care much about
your privacy. If you disable most privacy
settings that follow/listen, then some
of the "cool" items are disabled, but the
operating system still functions quite
well, except when Microsoft sends out an
update that messes with stuff.
If you are considering upgrading an
existing laptop/desktop from 7/8.1, I
would caution against it. The 10 OS is
not made to run its best on older models
and has been known to either make them
unusable or very slow after the "upgrade."
In the best of worlds, you have traded a
very good OS (in the case of 7) for an OK
OS that spies on you. Windows 7 will be
supported by Microsoft until 2020 and
8.1 is 2023 (I think). By that time, who
knows what will be available?
Next column, no more 10! Lots of
good info on other products and how to
stay safe on the 'net.
I look forward to some good questions
and helping you out. If you need immediate
assistance, you can always call Rent A Bob
at 843-822-7794 or at rentabob@live.com.

10

roadtrips charleston

July 1, 2016

Into the Land

of Pasaquan
T I N Y B U E N A V I S TA , G E O R G I A
PROVIDES UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO
THE INTUITIVE ARTISTIC PROCESS

BY CAROL ANTMAN

For The Island Connection

ddie Owens Martin was deathly

sick. His days being a young hustler
in 1930s New York were catching
up with him. I was just coughin and
heavinlike I was cleansin myself of
my past. And durin the worst night
of all, when I thought I had died, my
spirit seemed to leave my body and I
encountered this vision of a great big man
sittin there like some kinda god, with
arms big around as watermelons... . And
he said to me, If you follow my spirit,
then you can go, he told biographer
Tom Patterson.
Visions instructed him to start a new
religion, Pasaquoyanism, to change his
name to St. EOM. Youre an artist,
voices said. I really didnt ever know
what I wanted to be in life until I began to
dabble in the arts and learned to depend
on that inner voice . Soon paintings
of Mayan temples, bizarre landscapes
and ancient civilizations filled his squalid
apartment. His image changed from slick
to mystic, a guru without followers. His
tribal robes and coiled long, spindly locks
added to his allure as he became a popular
fortune teller.
Hed run away from the family farm
outside of tiny Buena Vista, Georgia
when he was just 14 years old. I threw
myself on the mercy of the world, hed
said about leaving an abusive father and a
community that labeled him as different.
Then, at age 49, the spirits told him to
move back to the now-vacant family farm
and begin building his legacy: the Land
of Pasaquan.
I never had any overall plan. All I knew
was that I could see these designs in my
mind I hadnt ever built nothin before.
I was experimentin. Peaking through
the woods, townspeople were astonished
and mystified as Eddie created 900 feet of
masonry fences emblazoned with weird
and risqu images, psychedelic totems,
decorative walkways, sculptures, a dance
platform, murals and fanciful copulas.
Hammered tin embellishments turned

the modest farmhouse into a temple. He

toiled relentlessly, mostly alone, for 30
years. He funded the construction with
income from fortune telling. One of his
regular customers was Plains resident
Miss Lillian Carter.
Rumors of trained rattlesnakes kept out
interlopers. Teenagers dared each other to
go in. One of them, Fred Fussell, took the
dare. He came to get his fortune read and
left with a fascination that lasted 30 years.
Fred was among the first to recognize
the value of St. EOMs creation and the
possibilities it brought to the region.
When Eddie died by suicide in 1986, Fred
and his neighbors founded the Pasaquan
Preservation Society. Years of struggling to
find funding finally attracted the Kohler
Foundation. It has spent three years and
millions of dollars to restore it: everything
from stabilizing foundations to bringing
the vibrant artwork back to life, the largest
and most complex project the Foundation
ever undertook. Its beyond our wildest
dreams. Wed tried every avenue we could
think of, Fred says.
Michael McFalls led Columbus State
Universitys collaboration during the
restoration work and will direct the
project as the college takes responsibility
for its future preservation. The vision is
to to give visitors a unique insight into
the intuitive artistic process through
diverse programming, interdisciplinary
workshops, lectures, seminars, retreats,
and performances, which challenge
established ideas about the arts. We
envision Pasaquan becoming a culturally
enriching leaderwhile assisting in
economic development.
Buena Vista, GA, population 2,000,
could use some economic development.
There are hardly any restaurants. The one
B&B is looking for a buyer. Michael says
that the town is coming around to the
idea of Pasaquan being an opportunity.
They recognize the genius in their
backyard. Its a slow process.
When I visited in November there

July 1, 2016

11

roadtrips charleston

wildlife

Wild at Wingswood
to benefit Birds of
Prey Center
BY KARA BALE

For The Island Connection

werent even any signs directing visitors

to the remote art environment. In nearby
Richland though, entrepreneurs have
been quick to sense opportunity and raise
economic development money. A shiny
rum distillery dominates the still-shabby
downtown. The sugar canes provenance
is just up the road making them the only
U.S. rum manufacturer with their own
farm. The high quality sipping rum is
distributed as far away as Europe. Amy
Stankus moved her artisanal Chocolate
South from Atlanta and is gearing up to
make gourmet rum balls. Regional artists
are being enticed by the low cost of living
and progressive ideas. Its an ironic outcome
for St. EOM who bragged of being too

bold and brazen for them people that run

the art world. Nonetheless, he created
one of the most significant intuitive arts
environments in the country. On October
22, 2016, Pasaquan will reopen to the
public with great fanfare. St. EOMs spirit
will certainly be in attendance.
Roadtrips
Charleston
highlights
interesting destinations within a few hours
drive of Charleston, S.C. as well as more far
flung locales. Carol Antmans wanderlust is
driven by a passion for outdoor adventure,
artistic experiences, cultural insights and
challenging travel. For hot links, photographs
and previous columns or to make comments
please see peaksandpotholes.blogspot.com.

Kohler Foundation: kohlerfoundation.org

Pasaquan tour information and links to digital images: art.columbusstate.
edu/pasaquan.php

Where to stay

sign-of-the-dove.com a small B&B in Buena Vista

In Americus, 25 miles away: www.windsor-americus.com
Richland Rum: richlandrum.com
Chocolate South: chocolatesouth.com

he Avian Conservation Center/

Center for Birds of Prey marks 25
years of avian science and wildlife
conservation this year, and to celebrate, its
popular annual fundraiser will return to
its campus on Saturday, Oct. 15, for Wild
at Wingswood 2016.
Wild at Wingswood 2016 will be
enhanced by a wonderful variety of live
birds of prey including hawks, falcons, kites
and owls. Nestled against the incredible
backdrop that is the natural beauty of the
Lowcountry, guests will relish each aspect
of the evenings activities, from ample
dining options and premium open bar, to
exclusive, handpicked auction items.
Admission is $125, with tickets
available in August. Private bus
transportation to and from convenient
locations around Charleston will be
made available to guests for an additional
nominal fee. To be included on the 25th
anniversary reservation list, contact the
Center for Birds of Prey at 843-971-7474.

A limited number of event sponsorships

are still available.
The center is located on Highway 17
North, just 16 miles north of Charleston.
Open to the public on Thursdays,
Fridays and Saturdays, visitors enjoy
expertly guided walking tours and flight
demonstrations featuring an exciting
array of falcons, hawks, owls and other
birds of prey. Admission to the center is
$15 for adults, $10 for youth (ages 6-17)
and free for children younger than 6.
If seeking help with an injured bird
of prey or shore bird, please contact the
center from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday
through Sunday.
For
more
information,
visit
thecenterforbirdsofprey.org,
call
843.971.7474 or like the Center for Birds
of Prey on Facebook at facebook.com/
scbirdsofprey.

Island Connection Calendar

July 1
Mondays

Freshfields Village Farmers Market

4-8 p.m., every Monday through Aug. 29.
Monday Bridge Group
9 a.m. at the Lake House. The Monday
Bridge Group needs new players. For more
information, please contact 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. hmtsbsc@gmail.com.
Bookmobile
The Charleston County Bookmobile comes
to Freshfields Village on the first Tuesday
of every month from 10 to 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. 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 days
intention, set up yourself for success and be
ready to shine.

Fridays

Friday Indoor Pickleball

12:30 - 2:30 p.m. at St. Christophers
Camp. For further information, please

contact Mary Torello at 843.768.0056.

SATURDAY, JULY 2

Saturdays

Independence Day Art Exhibit,

Demonstration & Sale
10 - 4 p.m. The Seabrook Island Artists
Guild event will showcase a wide selection
of fine art in different mediums capturing
the beauty of the Lowcountry. Crafts
artists will be offering their unique
creations as well. Several of the exhibiting
artists who display in Charleston galleries,
will be painting live at the event on
Saturday. This is a unique opportunity
to see great art, purchase original pieces
and experience the creative process.
seabrookislandartistguild.com

Homegrown
9 a.m. 1 p.m. New summer opening
hours! Johns Island Farmers Market. Every
Third Saturday at 3546 Maybank Highway
Johns Island. For more information, visit
www.johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.
2016 Sea Island Cars and Coffee
9 - 11 a.m. The third Saturday each month
at Freshfields Village.

Sundays

Sunday Afternoon Matinees

The Lake House hosts Sunday Matinees
at 1 p.m. in the Live Oak Hall. You are
welcome to bring your favorite snacks or
refreshments. Water and popcorn will be
provided.

FRIDAY, JULY 1
Independence Day Art Exhibit,
Demonstration & Sale
5 - 7 p.m., opening reception at The Lake
House, Seabrook Island
Music on the Green
6 - 9 p.m. Java headlines the free
Freshfields concert. Java has performed
with artists like Earth Wind & Fire,
Chicago, Anthony Hamilton and many
more. eastcoastentertainment.com/artist/
java-band

Red Hot Art Show at Bohicket Marina

11 a.m. till 7:30 p.m. Beautiful artwork
and photography by award winning artists
local and out of state will be on display at
Todd & Huff Art Center
Fourth of July 5K Walk/Run
8 a.m.Start/Finish - The Lake House,
Seabrook.

SUNDAY, JULY 3
Tri It Kids Triathlon
8 a.m., at The Lake House, Seabrook
Island
Independence Day Concert and
Fireworks
Charleston Symphony Orchestras Brass

Ensemble and vocalist Leah Edwards

perform a concert featuring patriotic music
from the silver screen and Broadway. The
performance will take place immediately
in front of the golf driving range at the
Seabrook Island Club. The Ensembles
performance starts at 8:15, fireworks at
9:15. Sponsored by the Town of Seabrook.
Seabrook Island Club Driving Range.
Raindate: Tuesday, July 5. In the event
of inclement weather on July 5, the
Symphony will perform at Holy Spirit
Catholic Church at 7 p.m.

MONDAY, JULY 4
Fourth of July
Seabrook Island Fourth of July Parade
9:30 a.m. Seabrook Island Road Loop.
Immediately following the Parade is a
Family Fun Celebration including a slide,
music and hot dogs.
Sand Sculpting Contest
1:30 - 3 p.m., Kiawah Resort. Themes will
be Most Patriotic and Most Creative.
Judging will begin promptly at 3:15pm.
Complimentary.
Kiawah Resort Bike Parade
5:45 - 6:30 p.m. Parade decorations will
be available at 5:30 p.m. on Sea Forest
Drive near the East Beach Village. Parade
starts at 6:15 p.m. The Kiawah Island
Fire Department will lead followed by

Uncle Sam and Betsy Ross. The route

leads participants down Sea Forest Drive,
from the East Beach Village and finishes
at Night Heron Park. For additional
information, please contact the Heron Park
Nature Center at 843.768.6001.
Independence Festival,
Fireworks in the Park
6 - 10 p.m., Night Heron Park. Festivities
include live music, tye dye, face painting,
train rides, carnival games, and much
more! Food will be served until 9:30 p.m.
Fireworks at 10 p.m. Raindate: July 5.

TUESDAY, JULY 5
Conservation Matters & Discovery
Series: Birds of Prey & Serpentarium
6 - 8 p.m. at Night Heron Park. Join the
Kiawah Conservancy and KIGR Nature
Program for presentations from the Center
for Birds of Prey and the Edisto Island
Serpentarium. Admission is free, blankets
or chairs are recommended. Co-sponsored
by the Kiawah Conservancy and Kiawah
Island Golf Resorts Nature Program. No
reservations are necessary.
Childrens Summer Movie: Hotel
Transylvania 2.
2 p.m. Johns Island Regional Library.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6
Starlight Cinema: Minions

8:30 p.m., free movie at Freshfields Village

on the green. Minions get their very own
spin-off in this summer tent-pole from
Universal Pictures. Pierre Coffin and Kyle
Balda co-direct this animated comedy
featuring the voices of Sandra Bullock and
Jon Hamm.
Charleston Battery vs Rangers FC
International exhibition soccer match.
Gates: 5 p.m. Kick-Off: 7 p.m. at MUSC
Health Stadium, 1990 Daniel Island Dr,
Charleston. The Glasgow Rangers are
traveling 3,800 miles from Scotland to
Charleston, SC to play their only North
American game in 2016. Tickets are $35
- $70 at www.etix.com/ticket/p/2253167/
rangers-fc--charleston-musc-healthstadium, or by calling 843-971GOAL(4625).

THURSDAY, JULY 7
Yappy Hour
Dog owners are invited to pick up mans
best friend after work and join the
happy hour fun at James Island County
Park. Yappy Hour features live music
and beverages for sale in the off-leash
dog park. Music will be provided by
Return of the Mac from 4 8 p.m. Free
with park admission. 843-795-4386,
CharlestonCountyParks.com.
Knit and Purl: A Casual Knitting Group
5-6:30 p.m. Johns Island Regional Library.

July 6
Bring your knitting materials and join us
each month to knit with fellow crafters. All
skill levels welcome

2 p.m., Johns Island Regional Library.

FRIDAY, JULY 8

Childrens Summer Movie: The Good

Dinosaur
2 p.m. Johns Island Regional Library.

Music on the Green

6 - 9 p.m. Hot Sauce performs at this
free concert on Frehfields Village Green.
This killer band of musicians, not only
know how to bring the party, but more
importantly, bring an even better show
to every gig they play. High energy stage
presence and crowd interaction assures
a great time for everyone. Their wide
selection will feature dance, rock, funk,
and top 40 tunes. eastcoastentertainment.
com/artist/Hot_Sauce

SATURDAY, JULY 9
Johns Island Regional Library Saturday
Movie
2 p.m. Zootopia. Rated PG; 108 minutes.

MONDAY, JULY 11
Freshfields Farmers Market
4 - 8 p.m. The annual Freshfields
Village Farmers Market, located on the
Village Green features organic produce,
local products and handmade crafts.
freshfieldsvillage.com
Caleb Alexander:
The New Generation of Magic

TUESDAY, JULY 12

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13
Starlight Cinema: Goosebumps
8:30 p.m. A free movie on the green at
Freshfields. Jack Black stars as acclaimed
Goosebumps writer R.L. Stine in this
feature-film adaptation of the popular YA
book series.

THURSDAY, JULY 14
6 p.m. Sokol Blosser of Oregon Tasting
at FortyEight
Sokol Blosser, a family-operated winery in
the Dundee Hills of Oregon, was one of
the original vineyards and winemakers in
Oregon, planting their first Pinot Noir
in 1971. Now, Sokol Blosser makes some
of the worlds best and most sought after
Pinot Noirs as well as a full portfolio
of white wines including rare varietals.
This tasting will feature a selection of
both red and white Sokol Blosser wines.
Complimentary, no reservation is
necessary.

14

July 1, 2016

daily

volunteer spotlight

Southern Season closes Mount

Pleasant store, restaurant

Heidi Steinkamp

outhern Season, the nationally

recognized gourmet specialty food
and gift retailer headquartered in
Chapel Hill, announced last week that
it is closing its Mount Pleasant store.
Southerly Restaurant, as well in-store fresh
food services and the Cooking School, are
closed too.
The Taste of Southern Season store
in downtown Charleston remains open.
Southern Season will concentrate its
resources on the opening of multiple new
Taste of Southern Season stores across
the Southeast over the next 36 months.
Southern Season also closed its large
Richmond store in April.
Building
off
its
successful
60,000-square-foot flagship store in
Chapel Hill, and following the trend
in retail store size, Southern Season has
developed a smaller store concept which
has proven to a big success for consumers
and for the company. Taste of Southern
Season stores are open on Market Street
in Charleston and at Cameron Village in
Raleigh. A third small-format store will
open soon at Biltmore Village in Asheville,
and the company has plans to open two
additional Taste of Southern Season stores
in Southern Pines and Wilmington over
the next few months.
It was apparent to the company that the
Mount Pleasant store was too large and
too expensive to keep open. The decision

to close this store was made after careful

consideration of the long-term financial
performance of this location. Eligible store
team members are being offered the option
to transfer to other Southern Season stores.
Team members who choose not to transfer
will be offered a separation package.
We thank our valued Mount Pleasant
store customers for their loyalty for nearly
three years, said Southern Season President
Dave Herman. We look forward to seeing
them over the next week at our storewide
sale and invite them to continue to shop
with us online (southernseason.com) and
at our downtown Taste of Southern Season
store.

BY MARIA GUROVICH

Digital eCommerce Store

Southern Season is also making a

significant investment this yere-launching
its Digital eCommerce store, to allow
customers to order from the 80,000 items
carried in-store.
The new Digital eCommerce store will
not only be easy to use, but will bring the
excitement of our brand to new markets
and will drive in-store sales by allowing
customers in our Taste of Southern Season
stores to place orders on site for all the
items we sell in our larger stores and have
them delivered to their home overnight,
according to Brian Fauver, Senior Vice
President.

For The Island Connection

r. Heidi Steinkamps passion for

medicine and helping others was
sparked by her mother who was a
registered nurse and her father who was
left paralyzed from the waist down after
contracting polio prior to the development
of a vaccine.
Born in 1980 to older parents, the
youngest of three siblings, Heidi was
raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She attended
the Ohio State University from which she
graduated with two Bachelor degrees in
Microbiology and Chemistry. She moved
to the San Francisco Bay area where she
worked for a research lab at UC Berkeley
for two years. While working at the lab,
Heidi had a very charismatic boss, a
MacArthur Genius Award recipient, who
inspired her to obtain a degree in dental
medicine and pursue a PhD in parasitic
diseases.
Heidi has always been very involved
as a volunteer and an activist. In college,
along with one of her best friends and
roommate, who now runs a poverty center,
she founded a club whose objective was to
let students experience diversity. The club
brought speakers from different cultures
and ethnic groups, who spoke about their
traditions and the experiences in the
US. The club also organized childrens
activities for the greater Columbus African
American festival. Among other things,
Heidi volunteered with an all-womens
Habitat for Humanity crew and was also
heavily involved with Womens Health
while an undergraduate at Ohio State.
As a post doctorate research fellow

at MUSC, Dr. Steinkamp got involved

with volunteering at the Our Lady of
Mercy Community Outreachs Wellness
Center because she wanted to give back
to the community and because she missed
working with patients. Volunteering with
the dental clinic has been very rewarding.
The patients are very appreciative. She
also enjoyed working with the Wellness
Center staff. Dr. Howard is an incredible
person. He is very committed to the
wellbeing of his patients.
Dr. Steinkamp encourages everyone
to get involved. When you volunteer,
there is no rush or stress, you can really
take your time to help your patients and
provide them with a good experience with
minimal pain. Dr. Steinkamp will be
returning back to Ohio this June to begin
residency training in pediatric dentistry
at Ohio State/Nationwide Childrens
Hospital. However, she plans to maintain
her SC dental license so that she can
continue to volunteer at Our Lady of
Mercy Community Outreach when she
comes back to visit Charleston.
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. If you d like to
get involved with Our Lady of Mercy
Community Outreach and make a positive
change in someones life contact Maria
Gurovich via phone 843.559.4109 or email
mariad@olmoutreach.org.

July 1, 2016

15

daily

World record attempted for the Worlds

Largest Swimming Lesson
GOING FOR A WORLD RECORD AND SPREADING THE MESSAGE
A B O U T L E A R N I N G T O S W I M AT C H A R L E S T O N C O U N T Y WAT E R PA R K S
BY SARAH REYNOLDS
For The Island Connection

n Friday, June 24, 2016, tens of thousands of kids

and adults at aquatic facilities around the world
united for the seventh year in a row in an attempt
to set a new Guinness World Record. The global record
attempt for The Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson
took place at an estimated 500 locations over the course
of 24 hours on June 24. The Charleston County Park
and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) participated by
offering special one-time swimming lessons to over 100
registered summer camp participants at area waterparks.
In Charleston County, official host location facilities
for the WLSL event on June 24 included Splash Island
Waterpark in Mount Pleasant, Splash Zone Waterpark on
James Island, and Whirlin Waters Adventure Waterpark
in North Charleston. Select children participating in
CCPRC summer camps took part in an effort to raise
awareness about the importance of learning to swim.
Since its inception, more than 155,000 children and
adults have participated in WLSL lessons, generating
more than half a billion media impressions about the
vital importance of learning to swim. The 2015 WLSL
event included 38,170 participants from 22 countries.
The national WLSL organization will collect records
and photography from all organizations that participated

in the 2016 event, for submission later this summer to

the Guinness World Record organization for review to
determine if a new record was in fact set.
Tragically, drowning remains the leading cause of
unintended, injury related death for children ages 1-4,
and the second leading cause of accidental death for
children under 14. Research shows participation in formal
swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by
88% among children aged 1 to 4, yet many kids do not
receive formal swimming or water safety training. The
World's Largest Swimming Lesson was created to serve
as a platform to help local community aquatic facilities
and the many different national, regional and statewide
water safety and drowning prevention organizations

work together to tell this important story on a local and

national level.
CCPRC encourages area residents to visit
SwimSafeLowcountry.com for information about
accessible and affordable swimming lessons and water
safety instruction in the area, offered on a year-round basis.
While CCPRC does not offer formal public swimming
lessons, the organization does operate a portable
swimming pool in which Odyssey Summer Campers
at CCPRC sites in McClellanville, Johns Island, and
Hollywood all learn basic swimming skills each summer.
CCPRC's non-profit partner, The Parklands Foundation,
also raises funds through The Genesis Project to build
permanent swimming pools in these three areas, which
currently do not have public pools easily accessible for
swimming lessons. Jennifer Holmes, the mother of
drowning victim and Genesis Project namesake Genesis
Holmes, was on hand at Splash Island June 24 to watch
the lesson with her nephew, who participated.
For more information on The Genesis Project and
how to help build pools in rural Charleston County, visit
TheParklandsFoundation.org. For more information about
The Worlds Largest Swimming Lesson visit WLSL.org.