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Volume 10 Issue 11

September 9, 2016

FREE

Collards in
Kabul
OVERSEAS
WORK INSPIRES
EFFORTS TO
CONNECT
THROUGH FOOD
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

Beach Walk Gem

Robert Berman of Naples, Florida, captured this vivid photo on the beach off Eugenia Drive during a visit to Kiawah Island
this summer and reached out to The Island Connection to share it. Berman said he had his morning coffee that morning then
set out at 7 a.m. for his beach walk when he snapped the image. Kiawah was the most relaxing vacation I had ever taken,
Berman said. I shall return.

Lowcountry Beer & Wine

Page 4

World Affairs Council

Page 11

ina Singleton has spent years doing

outreach work abroad, and while
her penchant for philanthropy has
brought its own rewards, she found that
cultural exchange is a two-way street, one
that led her to a food-driven epiphany
during her years in Afghanistan.
Those experiences continue to
inspire Singleton, who recently created
Transformation Table, a combination
of raw and vegan cooking classes, and is
also staging community dinners for the
Lowcountry.
She shared her story recently during
her presentation Collards in Kabul at
the Johns Island branch of the Charleston
County Library this summer.
An international career
Singleton isnt new to South Carolina,
where she once lived while growing up,
but is new to the Lowcountry. Her father
was in the Air Force, so moving was
common. However, she still has plenty of
family in the Sumter area.
Her education began with a bachelor's
degree in clothing and textiles from
the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro, but she eventually changed
course. Maybe it was wanderlust that
led to a stint in the Peace Corps and to
University College London for a masters
degree in Community Disability Studies
for Developing Countries. The real fun
began shortly thereafter.
Singleton put her training into practice
working internationally for 15 years. Her

Collards in Kabul continues on page 5

Living Green Fest

Page 15

September 9, 2016

civic

Swan Richards
senior graphic designer
swan@luckydognews.com
Lori McGee
sales manager
lori@luckydognews.com
Alejandro Ferreyros
graphic designer
alejandro@luckydognews.com
Hannah Markowitz
contributing photographer
Staff Writers
Gregg Bragg
Contributors
Jamie Gnazzo
Allen Reed
Martha Zink
Jennifer Meshanko
Monique Boissier Sporn
Susan Ferris Hill
Bob Hooper
Jason M. Mengel
Sarah Reynolds

Published by
Lucky Dog Publishing
of South Carolina, LLC
P.O. Box 837
Sullivans Island, SC 29482
843-886-NEWS
Future deadlines: September 14
for submissions for the
September 23 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,

ledges were recited and minutes were

approved by Seabrook Island Town
Council late in August. The mayor
reported revenues for the month came
in $21,000 above expectations while the
council spent $1,300 less than planned.
The steady march of cash positive reports
puts Seabrook in position to boast of
being just over $357,000 ahead of budget
for the year.
The mayor then turned his attention
to a busier than usual agenda, which
included guest speaker Brenda Mitchell
with the South Carolina State Fiscal
Accountability
Authority
(SFAA).
Mitchell provided an overview of the
towns insurance.
SFAA is the single source of insurance
for municipalities as mandated by The
Restructuring Act of 2014. The SFAA is
overseen by South Carolinas governor,
treasurer, comptroller general, chairman
of the Senate Finance Committee, and
the chairman of the House Ways and
Means Committee. SFAA provides
central administrative support services
for insurance (and related fields), and by
pooling risks, it is able to keep premiums
at rock bottom.
Mitchell detailed the coverages carried
by Seabrook. They include: auto liability,
comprehensive and collision (auto),
buildings and personal property, inland
marine (misc. items), general tort liability
and coverage for Business Interruption
and Extra Expense. According to Athena
Christianson, SFAA Field Services
Manager, the premiums for all of this
costs a scooch less than $13,679 a year,
though the number may change.
The presentation ended with several
councilmembers requesting a quote
for Data coverage, the only item on
the SFAA menu not currently held by
Seabrook.

Councilmember John Gregg said the

Seabrook Island Club met earlier in the
month and had made incremental progress
on the 2017 strategic plan. The goal at this
early stage is to buff and fluff an objective
statement for the plan being considered.
Once the statement is in place, steps will
be added to the framework to achieve it.
Gregg then turned to the first of several
motions in his report. He requested
approval of an intergovernmental
agreement for disaster debris removal with
Charleston County. The standby contract
with Phillips & Jordan will remain, Gregg
cautioned. However, the agreement with
the county means reducing duplication
and leveraging Federal Emergency
Management Agency funds to the benefit
of Seabrook. Mayor Ronald Ciancio
chimed in to the discussion asking if the
measure included authorizing him to sign
it, and everyone in the room chuckled
their approval. The measure passed
unanimously.
Speaking of Phillips & Jordan, Gregg
then moved to continue the agreement
for another year, wisely adding the caveat
the mayor was authorized to sign the pact.
More chuckles accompanied the motion/
comment, and the measure passed
unanimously. The previously reported
issue of allowing contractors to access
Seabrook for when residents are not is still
being worked out.
Greggs third motion was consistent
with last months vow to resolve the
contract with AirMedCare. Gregg said it
would be ready for a vote in August and
here it was. AirMedCare was the only
air Ambulance service to respond to a
request for proposal from Seabrook. The
issue of coverage for the remainder of
2016 was worked out and the contract
runs through 2017.
The 16-month contract will cost the

Civic Calendar
Town of Kiawah
Environmental
Committee Meeting
Tues, Sept. 13, 3 p.m.
Kiawan Town Hall
Board of Zoning and
Appeals
Mon, Sept. 19, 4 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall
Ways and Means
Committee Meeting
Tues, Sept. 27, 2 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall
Town Council
Meeting
Tues, October 4, 2 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Planning Commission
Meeting
Wed, October 5, 3 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Town of Seabrook
Ways & Means
Sept. 20, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Town Council
Sept. 27, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Planning Commission
October 5, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Ways & Means
October 18, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

Planning
Commission
Nov. 2, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

facebook.com/
islandconnectionnews

Jennifer Tuohy
Susan Hill Smith
managing editors
jennifer@luckydognews.com
susan@luckydognews.com

BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

News Updates
Online at

Lynn Pierotti
publisher
lynn@luckydognews.com

Seabrook Island Town Council

budget news stays positive
town $9,236 with funding for the 2017
portion of the contract to be budgeted for
later this fall. Effective with the agreement,
AirMedCare will provide emergency air
ambulance service for Seabrook residents
within Charleston County with a co-pay
limited to either the passengers insurance
limits or the Medicare approved amount
as applicable. The service usually costs
upward of $25,000 a trip.
Councilmember John Turner reported
the new buoy signs (cords from the beach
to a float in the water) used to mark areas
where dogs are allowed to roam free
needed attention. One of the lines was
untethered and needed to be reattached
but Turner thought the signs were an
effective improvement. He also reported
static on some of the radios used by town
officials but thought the issue would soon
be resolved.
Councilmember John Wells said the
details with Bob George (the engineering
firm selected to resolve drainage issues
along the parkway) had been worked
out and an agreement signed. The first
priority will be to establish property lines
followed by negotiations with the owners
for any work which could impact their
land. Wells thinks the work will take
about four months.
Wells continued with a report
on
advertising/website.
Obviouslee
Marketing was continuing with their
summer projects and would be prepared
with a fall overview of their efforts in time
for the September meeting of council, he
reported. He reiterated last months report
describing a recent change in the way
Southern Living was using card ticketing
to advance Seabrook. The concept is to
tear a perforated card out of the magazine
and return it to Seabrook, checking boxes
on the card to indicate subjects the reader
wants to explore.

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

September 9, 2016

civic
Councilmember Skip Crane reported
Bohicket Marina had completed the
task of installing the new pilings in the
launch area. He concluded his report by
commenting on how quiet August had
been.
Last month, the mayor reported he and
his counterparts on Kiawah contacted
Russell Sobel to do an economic impact
study. Sobel is a professor of economics
with the school of business at The Citadel.
The study will examine the spending
patterns of Seabrook/Kiawah residents
in Charleston and on Johns Island, how
many jobs are created and volunteer hours
and taxes contributed to the adjacent
regions.
The study was approved and will move
forward starting in September. However,
it may not help make the case for a cross
Island parkway.
The mayor reported that following a
meeting with City of Charleston Mayor
Tecklenburg to discuss roads and traffic
congestion, there was no appetite for
the cross island parkway. The solution
promoted by elected officials on Seabrook/
Kiawah was proffered as a less expensive,
less invasive solution to traffic congestion.
Widening Main road from Bees Ferry
to Maybank is still listed as a priority
project and possibly widening Maybank
itself. However, absent approval for
extending I-526 the mayor also said those
projects provided, insufficient benefit to
Seabrook. Consequently Ciancio said
he would not support the half cent sales
tax increase requested by the City of
Charleston, which is slated for a vote this
November.
Ciancio then announced Town
Administrator Randy Pierce would be
out of commission for up to six weeks for

surgery and asked for support. He also

announced the retirement of long term
Seabrook Island Utility Commissioner
Jeff Bostock. The mayor praised Bostocks
many contributions to the community,
including Seabrooks Horizon Plan,
and wished him the best of luck before
turning the utility report over to Jim
Bannwart, chairman of the Water &
Sewer Commissioners.
Bannwart reported normal activity
for the month of July and said the deep
well was working again. But he warned
Augusts report would not be as rosy. An
amount of $50,000 to repair the deep
well will be included in next months
financials, and reserves will be impacted
by repayment of a $150,000 loan from
Seabrook Island Town Council. Supplying
freshwater had produced a profit while
wastewater had, again, resulted in a loss,
said Bannwart. The recurring pattern
prompted the commissions approval of a 6
percent increase for wastewater treatment.
The move will mean an increase of
$1.95/resident/month. He concluded his
report by informing council the sewer
feed from town hall had been repaired
and an invoice for $6,000 is in the mail.
The only action item on the agenda was
Ordinance 2016-08. The measure updates
the development standards ordinance to
allow political signs on private property
for 30 days prior to an event and two
days after the event. The discussion which
followed included agreement political
signs could not be posted on town
property. There were no objections to the
measure and it passed unanimously.
There being no further business and
nothing else for the mayor to sign, the
meeting was adjourned.

Tid e Char t
Date

High Tide

Low Tide

Sep 09
Sep 10
Sep 11
Sep 12
Sep 13
Sep 14
Sep 15
Sep 16
Sep 17
Sep 18
Sep 19
Sep 20
Sep 21
Sep 22

1:51am/2:42pm
2:45am/3:38pm
3:42am/4:34pm
4:39am/5:28pm
5:35am/6:20pm
6:28am/7:09pm
7:20am/7:57pm
8:10am/8:45pm
9:00am/9:32pm
9:51am/10:21pm
10:43am/11:12pm
11:38am
12:07am/12:36pm
1:05am/1:37pm

7:51am/8:51pm
8:46am/9:48pm
9:45am/10:44pm
10:45am/11:38pm
11:43am
12:28am/12:37pm
1:17am/1:30pm
2:04am/2:22pm
2:51am/3:13pm
3:38am/4:05pm
4:26am/4:58pm
5:16am/5:54pm
6:09am/6:52pm
7:05am/7:54pm

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

arts & events

September 9, 2016

September 9, 2016

daily

Lowcountry Beer & Wine Festival celebrates

10th year at Freshfields Village

EVENT BENEFITS BARRIER ISLANDS FREE MEDICAL

CLINIC ON JOHNS ISLAND
BY JAMIE GNAZZO

For The Island Connection

arrier Islands Free Medical Clinic will host its

10th annual Lowcountry Beer & Wine Festival
at Freshfields Village on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 3
to 6 p.m.
The event raises money for the Johns Island clinic
and will honor the accomplishments of co-founders
Arthur Booth and Charlie Davis, board members,
staff, physicians and other workers.
Those who attend will have the opportunity to
taste a variety of wines, craft beer and small bites on
the Village Green at Freshfields Village. Red wine
samples will be provided from the private cellar of a
local donor while a selection of white wine samples
from Italy, Spain and South America will be offered
by FortyEight - A Wine Bar. Charlestons Revelry
Brewing Co. will provide beer, and Crave Charleston
Catering and Saffrons will offer light food samples
prepared with locally grown ingredients.
The Lowhills, a roots and Americana band from
Johns Island, will perform at the event.
Tickets went on sale Sept. 1, and are available for
purchase at Indigo Books in Freshfields Village or at Those who attend the festival can taste a variety of wines, craft
the clinic. Adult tickets will be $40 in advance and beer and small bites, which are all included in the ticket price.
$45 at the door. Tickets for attendees under the age of Photo by Charlotte Elizabeth Photography

21 will be $20. Only a limited number of tickets will

be offered for this milestone event. The cost includes
unlimited food and beverage tastings.
Over the last decade, the festival has raised more
than $500,000 for the clinic. These donations have
provided 8,500 free patient visits for adults work or
live on Johns, James and Wadmalaw Islands and dont
have health insurance. Currently, more than 400
patients receive primary medical care on a monthly
basis, and the clinic has served almost 4,000 patients
to date.
Year after year, our guests look forward to
socializing with friends and neighbors at this event
while recognizing an amazing local cause, says Trish
Pruitt, marketing manager for Freshfields Village.
The Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic offers critical
services to our local community, and we are honored to
host this event in its 10th year to continue supporting
the clinics work.
For more information on Barrier Islands Free Medical
Clinic and Lowcountry Beer & Wine Festival, please
contact clinic director Brenda Falls at 843.266.9800, or
visit www.bifmc.org.

Tina Singleton hosted popular lunches

while living in Afghanistan.

Collards in Kabul continues from cover

path took her to Kabul, Afghanistan,
in 2006 with the non-governmental
organization Handicap International
France. NGOs operate out of secure
compounds, and while Singleton was
safer because of them, she couldnt help
feeling sequestered. No Afghan national
was allowed in the compound, and you
werent allowed to visit them in their
homes. If there was an attack/explosion,
the organizations van would come around
to collect you and take you back to the
compound, she said.
Helping Afghans tell their stories
Singleton felt compelled to bridge
the chasm between the people she was
working to connect with and herself. She
went back to Kabul in 2008 on her own
as part of the Afghanistan Independent
Human Rights Commission. I was able
to move around more freely, and you
still had to be careful, but this made it
possible for me to develop relationships,

said Singleton. Those relationships would

morph into still another project.
Singleton directed the Afghan
Womens Writing Project in 2011. Classes
were taught by American female writers
who encouraged Afghan women to tell
their own stories and fight the stereotypes
of Afghan women. Students could express
themselves through poetry, essays and
short stories. There were, however, strings
attached.
Security demanded they keep it on
the down low and hide their identities
by using pseudonyms. Singleton taught
a class in her house once each month
and the rest was done online. [For a look
through the window into these womens
lives, go to awwproject.org]. There were
security alerts every single day and all you
could do was buckle down and hope for
the best." Visitors could leave the country
when they got tired of the rat race "but the
Afghans simply dont have that option,
she added.
Asked about wearing a full Burka
she said, No, I was in Kabul, which
was very different. Women commonly
wear Burkas in the villages. Kabul was
more westernized, though I still wore a
headscarf. And though different, women
in Kabul still tended to wear full length
tunic style outfits and long sleeves to keep
it all covered. Developing relationships
was again on the table, and the cultural
exchange began in earnest.
An abundance of collards
Singleton was living in a house this
time and noticed what seemed to be
the remnants of a garden, or certainly a
very conducive space for one. She had a
longstanding, familial interest in farming
and gardening, though she claims to have
killed everything she ever planted. But as
a product of the South, she had to have
her collard greens.
There are many markets and even
grocery stores in Kabul, but the greens
left a lot to be desired. The only things
routinely available were some tired
looking spinach and flavor free iceberg
lettuce. And I wanted collards. So I got
some seeds from the U.S. and started
planting away. I probably overplanted."
She got greens, lettuces and salad
mixes, eggplant, tomatoes, scallions,
peppers and carrots. The Afghan guards
and 70-year-old gardener Miraj, who
helped her plant called them foreigner
seeds.
The planting worked and she was both
blessed and cursed with an embarrassment
of plenty. Singleton recognized a rare

opportunity and began inviting as many

as 10 Afghan and other foreign nationals
to the house each month for a vegan
meal together. She later embellished the
menu with some of her mothers recipes
and lunch at Tinas house grew in
popularity.
Eventually the luncheons grew to 20
people who visited the quiet place in the
middle of a war zone, and an amazing
discovery she calls the power of food
was revealed. Mmmm is as universal a
word as it gets when it comes to eating.
The sound means the same thing in every
language. If you sit around and share a
meal with someone, you find out they
want the same things you do. A sort of
magic happens when you are breaking
bread with someone, she muses.
Exploring Lowcountry's food scene
When Singleton moved to James Island
in 2015, she decided to find out what was
happening with food in the Lowcountry.
She is currently working at Joseph Fields
farm on Johns Island to get a better feel
for the craft. She notes that you can apply
and present a business plan at DIRT
Works, an incubator farm on Johns Island
that allows you to try farming on a smaller
scale, if you think you may be interested
in farming.
There is more to Singleton. She
worked with the International Federation
of Electoral Systems in Libya, and
apprenticed at the Center for Agroecology
and Sustainable Food Systems in Santa
Cruz, California.
As a result of her experiences in Kabul,
she recently started her cooking classes

with Transformation Table. She is also

holding community dinners designed to
bring Charlestonians together. Bring
people together for a meal and youll be
amazed at the outcome. Food is the great
connector, connecting people to others
they would not otherwise meet. Food can
be a way to heal our broken society. Its so
simple, or it could be.
For
more
information
about
Transformation Table, email Tina at info@
transformationtable.com.

A Lucky Dog Favorite

September 9, 2016

daily

When it comes to education,

sometimes it takes a village
ANGEL OAK STUDENTS ENGAGED THROUGH THE SUMMER
BY ALLEN REED

For The Island Connection

n the aftermath of the Mother Emanuel tragedy in

Charleston, the Rev. Michael Clarkson of the Church
of Our Saviour and the Rev. Leonard Huggins of
Bethlehem-St. James United Methodist Church asked
several members of their respective churches to form a
Cross-Cultural Bible Study group with the general purpose
of building personal relationships between the respective
communities on Johns Island.
There were no specific objectives or agenda for the
group, just to spend time together and develop a better
understanding of the issues and perceptions of their
respective communities.
One of the common areas of concern that emerged from
this effort is the state of public education on Johns Island.
While the educational challenges of schools on Johns
Island are many, there are dedicated teachers, parents and
community leaders who are working hard to improve the
quality of education available to students. But more was
needed.
A few members of the Bible study group personally
undertook an effort to better understand some of these
educational issues at the grassroots level by engaging
directly with school principals, teachers and members of the
community who were involved with family and educational
concerns on Johns Island.
Dr. Michael Griggs, the principal at Angel Oak
Elementary School, pointed out that national research studies
have determined that the three-month summer vacation is a
major impediment to improving the reading and math skills
of elementary school children, particularly in lower-income
school districts. Grade-level testing consistently shows a
decline in competency levels between the school years end
in May and the next school year beginning in August. This
is a problem well recognized by educators on Johns Island.
With the support of Dr. Griggs and the teachers at Angel

The special summer program at Angel Oak Elementary

School was a group effort involving these educators,
students and volunteers, as well as many others.

Oak Elementary, a prototype summer reading and math

program was developed for implementation in June and July
of this year. The program provided three hours of reading
and math instruction per day, four days a week for seven
weeks to approximately 70 students in grades K-5.
Under the guidance of Literacy Coach Leanne Vance,
teachers designed instruction to meet the specific needs of
the students enrolled in the program. The objective of this
program was to demonstrate a measurable level of success
that could be used to justify public and private funding for
an expanded program in the future. This program had the
potential to positively impact the lives of hundreds of young
students on Johns Island on a long-term basis.
However, there were no funds available to pay for the
teachers and materials required to run the program. So the

residents of Johns Island, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island

and related community organizations began an outreach
program to raise the funding required to pay the costs of the
program and to provide the meals required to support the
program initiative.
Contributions from over 50 individuals, the Kiawah Cares
Foundation, and the two Johns Island churches were raised
to pay for all of the program costs, including a special field
trip to the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston for the
students. The Charleston County School District Seamless
Summer Feeding Program provided breakfasts, and with the
support of Shirley Salvo and numerous volunteers from the
Sea Island Hunger Awareness Foundation, the Lowcountry
Food Bank provided lunches for all of the students. And
to recognize those who participated in the program, Todd
Gerhart at the Ice Cream Boat Cafe at Bohicket Marina
provided special Growing Summer Brains T-shirts to the
students and teachers.
The Angel Oak Elementary School motto is At AOE
we GOB (Grow Our Brains). In the summer of 2016,
there were 70 students who had the opportunity to grow
their brains during the usual summer recess, and organizers
expect to see a positive impact when they look at the students
fall MAP test scores.
It could not have happened without extra effort on the
part of the AOE educators and widespread volunteer and
financial support from the surrounding communities.
This is not the only example of church and community
support of education on the Sea Islands. The residents of
Kiawah, Seabrook, Johns and Wadmalaw Islands recognize
the importance of education and have multiple initiatives
supporting the public schools. The summer program at
AOE was another step in the public/private joint efforts to
improve the quality of education for all students on the Sea
Islands.

September 9, 2016

volunteer spotlight

arts & events

Joan Brown gets satisfaction Gardening like Grandma

KIAWAH CLUB KICKS OFF WITH
from helping others
BY JENNIFER MESHANKO

F O C U S O N N AT U R A L S O L U T I O N S

For The Island Connection

and Healthcare Center and serves as the

associate minister at Nazarene Baptist
Church.
In January 2015, she was caring for
Mary Kelly, a resident who recently
broke her leg and was recovering at the
rehabilitation center where Joan works.
Mary shared with Joan that she volunteers
at Our Lady of Mercy Community

There is always
someone less
fortunate. I try
to encourage
people when
their outlook is
bleak.

Joan Brown

oan Brown is a compassionate,

professional caregiver whose encounter
with a patient led to her volunteering
with Our Lady of Mercy Community
Outreach.
Joan was born in Manhattan and raised
in New Jersey, where she would live for 30
years. As a young, single mother of eight
children, Joan overcame many difficult
times. She believes being able to set and
reach goals can make a positive change in
someones life.
Thirty-nine years ago, Joan was able to
achieve her goal of becoming a licensed
practical nurse. She has practiced many
disciplines of nursing, but she enjoys
geriatric nursing the most. Joan also has a
bachelors degree in theology.
She eventually moved to Wadmalaw
Island when she married her husband,
William Brown. She currently works
part-time at Johns Island Rehabilitation

Outreach. Now, Joan and Mary volunteer

together in the clothing room on
Mondays.
Joan enjoys volunteering because she
is able meet new people and lift their
spirits. There is always someone less
fortunate. I try to encourage people when
their outlook is bleak, says Joan. She
also encourages those who would like
to volunteer to come and try it! She
believes in giving back to the community.
You get a feeling of satisfaction that
youve helped someone.
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 contact Jennifer Meshanko via
phone 843.559.4109 or email Jennifer.
meshanko@olmoutreach.org.

BY MARTHA ZINK

For The Island Connection

he Kiawah Island Garden Club will

launch its 2016-2017 season with a
meeting on Sept. 12 at the Sandcastle.
Following a coffee social gathering at 9:30
a.m., the meeting will begin at 10 a.m. Linda
Geronilla, Ph.D., will talk about Why we
should garden like Grandma.
Geronilla is a holistic coach with masters
degrees in nutrition and interfaith studies and
a doctoral degree in counseling psychology.
Chronic pain from a herniated disc led her
to study holistic techniques. Certifications in
energy medicine and psychology allow her
to use integrative and natural treatments for
both mental and physical challenges.
She is a master gardener, master naturalist
and permaculture practitioner specializing in
soil sciences and the soil food web. Geronilla
is in private practice on Johns Island where
she focuses on natural solutions for your
health, home and garden.
Her talk will address whether we have
enjoyed better living through chemistry,
and how we can find out what harmful
substances we may have been using as well as
how to avoid them.
Geronilla said she will explore how
gardening has changed over the last 65 years

and how it has changed our lives, homes

and yards. Participants can expect to learn
why some of our modern ways may not be
good for our health nor the environment
and why we need to garden sustainably like
Grandma.
According to Geronilla, Grandma had
more :
Fruits, nuts and vegetables
Rain barrels
Compost piles
Animals with manure for garden
Natural ways to get rid of pests (flour,
soaps, traps, pepper spray, etc.)
While we have more:
Lawns and flowers
Chlorinated and fluoridated city
water and spray irrigation
Pick up for garbage, yard waste and
recycle
Fertilizers
Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides
The Garden Club has many interesting
meetings planned, including workshops
and outings. All Kiawah Island residents are
welcome to join the club and find out about
the upcoming events.

September 9, 2016

daily

arts & events

What makes a great image? Volunteers needed to help

S E A B R O O K I S L A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y clean up beach, waterways

CLUB TO GO STEP BY STEP

STAFF REPORT

For The Island Connection

he Seabrook Island Photography

Club kicks off its fall lineup on
Sept. 15 with treasurer Derek
Fyfe leading Howd they do that? Photo
Learning Session.
The 6:30 p.m. meeting will be at the
Lake House in Live Oak Hall.
When you view a great photograph,
what is not displayed are the steps that
were required to produce it. To help
explain, five photographers will show
some of their pictures on computers
and informally explain many of the
important steps required to create the
work from both artistic and technical
standpoints.
Each will host small groups for about
15 minutes and delve into specific
aspects of techniques used. Each
photographer will emphasize different
aspects or subjects of photography.
Stan Ulner will talk about use of
vivid color and black and images.
Charlie Moore will reveal the
secrets of his bird pictures.
Ted Hederer will explore the
subtleties of composition.

Bill
Nelson
will
discuss
the essentials of light and
photographing people.
Patricia Schaefer will disclose
her secrets of nature and artistic
photography.
The club hopes this informal format will
facilitate lively and fun communication
for aspiring photographers of all skill
levels. Everyone will be encouraged to ask
questions.

T H O U S A N D S T Y P I C A L LY TA K E
PA R T I N S W E E P I N S C
BY SUSAN FERRIS HILL

Future programs planned for

fall

Oct. 20: Stans Downtown Charleston

Photo Shoot
Nov. 17: Martys Downtown
Charleston Theme Assignment
Log onto www.seabrookislandphotoclub.
com click 2016 Schedule for program
details.Questions? Contact Derek Fyfe at
404-889-1690 or Derekfyfe2014@gmail.
com.

For The Island Connection

ach year, thousands of people

volunteer for the Beach Sweep/
River SweepSouth Carolinas
largest one-day litter cleanup of beaches,
marshes and waterways. The 28th annual

anyone can
participate
individuals,
families,
schools, youth
groups, civic and
conservation
clubs and
businesses.
event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 17,
from 9 a.m. until noon.

The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium is

partnering with the S.C. Department
of Natural Resources to organize
the statewide event, which is held in
conjunction with the Ocean Conservancys
International Coastal Cleanup. Anyone can
participateindividuals, families, schools,
youth groups, civic and conservation clubs
and businesses. Volunteers either organize
their own cleanups at sites that are not
already covered or they may sign up to
assist at the cleanup locations listed on the
websites below.
Last year over 4,500 dedicated
volunteers removed nearly 32 tons of
litter from the states beaches, marshes
and waterways. In the cleanups 27-year
history, 1,209 tons of litter have been
collected, and much of it was recycled.
To participate in coastal counties, visit
scseagrant.org or contact Susan Ferris Hill
at 843-953-2092 or susan.ferris.hill@
scseagrant.org.

September 9, 2016

daily

Safari Club International

sends teachers to Wyoming

STAFF REPORTS

For The Island Connection

afari Club International has partnered

with Charleston Collegiate School in
selecting two teachers for wilderness
leadership training in Wyoming. One
of the teachers already traveled to the
American Wilderness Leadership School
for a week-long outdoor education
training program this summer.
The Safari Club International is a
multinational organization which works
to promote wildlife conservation. Safari
Club International participates in a
great deal of philanthropy and selected
Charleston Collegiate as this years
recipient of their Wilderness Leadership
donation.
The information learned by these
teachers strengthens the schools science
program while integrating outdoor
education. The two Charleston Collegiate
teachers were selected based on personal
essay submissions.
Middle School science teacher Jen
Joseph said, "The Safari Club provided
me with an amazing experience this
summer. I was given the opportunity to
spend eight days in Jackson, Wyoming,
with a group of educators who brought
their various teaching experiences from all
different parts of the country. I was able
to collaborate with others while learning
how to integrate the outdoors into my
classroom. The American Wilderness
Leadership School supplied me with
ample materials and knowledge to begin
transforming my classroom into a
nature-conscious environment."
Currently, Charleston Collegiate
utilizes outdoor education in grades
PK-12, with an emphasis on teambuilding
and communication skills while actively
engaging in wilderness survival, ecology
and other outdoor education elements.
Charleston Collegiate also utilizes
archery as part of their outdoor education
program.
The expanding Lower School outdoor
education program currently helps
transition 4th graders into Middle School
(grades 5-8). Due to wildfires out west,
the second selected teacher was not able to
attend but will be travelling to the training
next summer. Former second-grade

teacher and newly appointed Outdoor

Education teacher Campbell Bowers
said, I am thrilled for this opportunity
to gain more knowledge of the outdoors,
especially as I embark on my new position
as Lower School Outdoor Education
instructor. I look forward to learning
about the mountainous environments of
the west, becoming skilled in archery, and
meeting like-minded people. I cant wait
to take what I know to the West and to
bring what I learn back East. What an
incredible coast-to-coast experience!
Charleston Collegiate School is a PK-12
independent school in the Charleston area
and is an accredited member of the Southern
Association of Independent Schools and
the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools. Charleston Collegiate Schools
mission is to inspire students to become
passionate, lifelong learners by empowering
them with knowledge, creativity, curiosity
and confidence to mindfully embrace the
opportunities of tomorrow. Learn more at
charlestoncollegiate.org.

10

September 9, 2016

arts & events

Artist James Pratt to talk,

paint at Lake House
BY MONIQUE BOISSIER SPORN
For The Island Connection

of scale which adds greatly to the impact

of the finished painting.
As described by a prominent fine art
collector, Pratts work is very full of life
and color and causes the viewer to feel
inspired to want to travel and have this
kind of an experience.
Born in Wellington, New Zealand,
James now lives just outside of Charleston,
when not spending time at his home in
Southern France.
He welcomes visitors to his studio
by appointment and offers palette knife
workshops and private lessons. Please
visit jamesprattfineart.com to learn more
about his DVDs, books and his online
academy videos.

James Pratt

he Seabrook Island Artists Guild

will welcome world renowned
Palette Knife Artist James Pratt
to Lake House Sept. 20. Please note the
time has been adjusted from previous
announcements with the program now
scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m.
Pratt is a member of Oil Painters of
America and considered to be one of the
Modern Masters. He will be painting
live and discuss his work and technique
at the SIAG September meeting. For
Pratt, Painting with the knife, one can
achieve the suggestion of movement and
the changing of light by adding textures
which can be thin or ridged. Using a knife
in this way allows the paint to stand out
and encourages a lively and impressionistic
treatment, providing an exciting contrast

Pratts Haven.

Artists of the month

Through September, the Seabrook Island Artists Guild presents a unique
collection of paintings that feature the spectacular beauty of Seabrook Islands
pristine beaches, colorful tidal marshes and creeks, gorgeous sunsets and
abundant wildlife. Discover the Unique Beauty of Seabrook will be on exhibit
at the Lake House Gallery on Seabrook Island.

September 9, 2016

11

daily

computer corner

World Affairs Council of

Charleston to examine Brexit

Dont wait to update

your Apple products
BY BOB HOOPER

For The Island Connection

will get to last column's note about

the "cloud" shortly, but let's talk first
about your iPhone and iPad and the
latest iOS update9.3.5which came
out recently and has a security update that
has been on the news and on the Internet.
If you missed it, update now!

The Oct. 3 talk will be held at The Citadel Alumni Center.

STAFF REPORTS

For The Island Connection

wo foreign policy experts will

discuss Great Britains vote to
leave the European Union and its
potential impact on the U.S. in Charleston
on Oct. 3.
The talk, to be held at the Citadel
Alumni Center, kicks off the World
Affairs Council of Charlestons 2016-17
season.
Samuel Wells, a South Carolina native,
is former deputy director of the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars
in Washington, D.C., and founded its
International Security Studies Program.
He is a graduate of the University of North
Carolina and received both masters and
Ph.D. degrees from Harvard.
Sherrill Brown Wells is a lecturer
at George Washington University,
focusing on the European Union. She is
the former editor of the Department of
State's American Foreign Policy Current
Documents series. A graduate of Vassar
College, she received both masters and
Ph.D. degrees from the London School of
Economics.
The World Affairs Council, formerly
the Charleston Foreign Affairs Forum,
was founded in 1980.
The
nonprofit,
nonpartisan
organizations goal is to expand the
knowledge of international and world

affairs to audiences throughout the

Lowcountry.
WACC holds six speaking events each
season. Its members represent a crosssection of local residents from business,
education and civic backgrounds. It is
a member of the national World Affairs
Councils, which has some 100 branches
in 40 states.
Series membership is $170 for two
people living at the same address and
$100 for an individual. A prospective
member can attend one meeting as a guest
for $20, which can be applied toward the
membership fee. No pre-registration is
required.
Meetings are at The Citadel Alumni
Center at 69 Hagood Ave. at 6 p.m., with
a reception starting at 5:15 p.m.
The World Affairs Council also
sponsors Great Decisions Groups in
members homes, using materials from
the Foreign Policy Association. It also
sponsors an annual awards program for
students from the local schools and The
Citadel who have expressed an interest
and have excelled in the study of foreign
affairs.
For more information,
waccharleston.org.

go

to

Thats the cloud!

Yep, your data
is setting on a
hard drive in a
huge building
out in the desert
outside Las Vegas
owned by Amazon,
rented by Insert
name here. And
then you have a
link to it through
what is called a
VPN or some other
means where you
can access it.

The update "fills" a hole that allowed

the bad guys to insert bad stuff onto
your iPad/iPhone through a bug called
"Pegasus. This was actually found
by a company called Citizen Lab and
supposedly comes from a group called
Trident. Thanks, Citizen Lab.
On Sept. 2, an update came out for
Safari and OS X El Capitan and Yosemite,
which again you should update right now.
It covers the same problems and what are
called "zero day" attacks.
With Apple/Mac products I usually
wait a week or two for an update to see if
any changes occur, or I see if others (the
guinea pigs) find problems, but with this
update, please do it now.
Now onto the "cloud. What is that

thing? It is really up there in the sky?

Where does my stuff go when I "put it on
the cloud"?
The "cloud" whether it's iCloud,
Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or
another company offering to keep your
data safeis really just a "server" sitting
somewhere. So a company either has
a bunch of machines with lots of data
storage (hard drives) or "rents" the storage
from someonelike Amazonand then
your data is "stored" there.
That's the cloud! Yep, your data is
setting on a hard drive in a huge building
out in the desert outside Las Vegas owned
by Amazon, rented by "Insert name here.
And then you have a link to it through
what is called a VPN or some other means
(a website for example) where you can
access it.
So the next time someone says their
stuff is in the "cloud," don't look up!
Looking 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

September 9
Ongoing
Mondays

Intermediate Oil Classes

At the Todd & Huff Art Center located
at Bohicket Marina, Wednesdays, 1-4
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 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 Tuesday
of every month from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
The Bookmobile will be parked in the lot
behind Heges and Java Java.

September 21

Island Connection Calendar

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.
Lake House Exercise Class
Join Kelly Gricunas as she returns to
Total Body Toning on Mondays and
Wednesdays at its new start time of 10:45
a.m. A new Zumba class starts at 9:30
a.m. on Wednesdays taught by Meagan
Bergeron. Get Pumped on Fridays will be
moving to 11 a.m.
10-11 a.m. Kids Art Classes
Acrylic on Canvas, ages 3-12, $15, 3280
Loft at Bohicket Marina, 1897 Andell
Bluff Way, Seabrook Island,843-494-8784,
3280loft.com
Sip & Stroll at Bohicket Marina Market
4-6 p.m. every Wednesday in September.
Stop in for light refreshments,
compliments of the Bohicket Merchants
Association.

Fridays

Adult art classes

10 a.m. to noon, multimedia, $40, 3280
Loft at Bohicket Marina, 1897 Andell
Bluff Way, Seabrook Island, 843-4948784, 3280loft.com.

Friday Indoor Pickleball

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

Visit https://charlestonlibsc.
readsquared.com/ to register.

Saturdays

Seabrook Island Garden Club

9:30 to 11 a.m., first meeting of the season
at the Seabrook Island Lake House, for
Membership Information, please contact
Nancy Wair: nwair@neo.rr.com. New
members welcomed!

Homegrown
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Every Saturday
at 3546 Maybank Highway Johns
Island. For more information, visit
johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.
2016 Sea Island Cars and Coffee
9 to 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.

Johns Island
Regional Library
Storytimes

Babygarten (0-18 months with

adult):Mondays, September 19 and 26 at
10:30 a.m.
Toddler Time (24-36 months with
adult): Tuesdays, September 20 and 27
at 10:30 a.m.
Preschool Storytime (3-6 years with
adult): Wednesdays, September 21 and
28 at 10:30 a.m.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Naturally Kiawah Pathways Pond

Biking Tour with Matt Guillette
8 a.m., join Kiawah Conservancy wildlife
biologist, Matt Guillette, for a Naturally
Kiawah Pathways biking tour of Kiawahs
ponds. Reservations required for free
tour. Call 843-768-2029 or visit www.
kiawahconservancy.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
South Carolina Aquarium Turtle Trek
5 p.m. preliminary activities include packet
pickup and beach sweep for litter. (Bags and
gloves will be provided.) 6 p.m. kids fun run
($20), followed by 5K beach run ($40) at 6:30
p.m. Trek takes off from Isle of Palms County
Park. After party/awards at The Windjammer
includes food by Home Team BBQ, music by
The Distinguished Gentleman.
A Night to Remember Gala
6 p.m. Charleston Symphony Orchestra
opens its 2016-2017 season with a special

CSO performance with renowned

pianist Leon Fleisher. Call the box
office at 843-723-7528, ext. 110 or visit
CharlestonSymphony.org.

MONDAY, SEPT. 12
Kiawah Island Garden Club
9:30 a.m. coffee social gathering at the
Sandcastle, followed by 10 a.m. talk on
gardening like Grandma by Linda
Geronilla, Ph.D., as the club kicks off the
2016-2017 season.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Escaping Slavery in Early South
Carolina
11 a.m., Johns Island Regional Library,
with CCPLs historian Dr. Nic Butler. Join
us for an exploration of various ways that
slaves escaped before the Civil War, and
examples of specific men and women who
found freedom in early South Carolina.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
Freshfields Village Fall Sip and Stroll
4 to 7 p.m., monthly event. Visit
participating stores for light snacks and
sips while enjoying special events, sales,
and promotions inside the shops. The event
will be held the third Thursday of the
month in September, October, November
& December.

Seabrook Island Photography Club

6:30 pm Lake House, Live Oak Hall,
Howd they do that? Photo Learning
Session. Five photographers will
display pictures and explain many of
the important steps required to create
the work. Questions, 404-889-1690 or
Derekfyfe2014@gmail.com.

Beach Sweep/River Sweep

9 a.m. to noon. Thousands volunteer
for South Carolinas largest one-day
litter cleanup of beaches, marshes and
waterways. To participate in coastal
counties, visit scseagrant.org or contact
Susan Ferris Hill at 843-953-2092 or
susan.ferris.hill@scseagrant.org.

A Night for the Children Gala

7 to 11 p.m., Memminger Auditorium,
Charleston. Benefits Carolina Youth
Development Center programs. Catered
dinner by Mosaic, The Midnight City
Band, live and silent auctions. To buy
tickets visit cydc.org/gala.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
4th Annual Barrier Island 5K Run/Hike
St. Christophers hosts this fun, family-friendly
trail event on Seabrook Island that showcases
the 314 acres of beach, maritime forest and
undisturbed salt marsh the program operates
on. To register visit stchristopher.org/events/bi5k/, a $5 discount will be deducted from the
fee with the promo code charlesrun.
Cars & Coffee
9-11 a.m. Stop by Freshfields Village for
Cars & Coffee, featuring a variety of
unique, antique and other cool cars. The
monthly event is complimentary. Coffee
and breakfast is available for purchase at
Java Java.

Living Green Fest

12 to 5 p.m. at James Island County Park.
Education and resources for protecting
and preserving our natural environment.
Plus health, wellness resources and fitness
activities. Admission is free with $2 per
person regular park entry fee, or free for
Charleston County Parks Gold Pass
members. Visit CharlestonCountyParks.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Ancient Peaks of Paso Robles Wine
Tasting
6 p.m., welcoming the wines of Ancient
Peaks, a family owned winery at the
southernmost point of Paso Robles, for
a tasting at FortyEight - A Wine Bar,
475 Freshfields Drive, Kiawah Island. $2
donation to Lowcountry Food Bank.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Sea Islands Book Club for adults
2 p.m., Johns Island Regional Library.

Discussion about the novel Leaving

Time by Jodi Picoult, in which a 13-yearold girl seeks to find the truth behind the
mysterious disappearance of her mother,
an accomplished scientist who studied grief
among elephants. Free.
Seabrook Island Artists Guild
2 to 4 p.m.time rescheduled from earlier
announcement. World renowned Palette
Knife Artist James Pratt will talk at Lake
House. Pratt is a member of Oil Painters
of America and considered to be one of the
Modern Masters.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
Naturally Kiawah Pathways Pond
Biking Tour with Matt Guillette
5:30 p.m., join Kiawah Conservancy
wildlife biologist, Matt Guillette, for a
Naturally Kiawah Pathways biking tour of
Kiawahs ponds. Reservations required for
free tour. Call 843-768-2029 or visit www.
kiawahconservancy.org.
Puppies & Pinot
6 p.m., FortyEight - A Wine Bar, 475
Freshfields Drive, Kiawah Island. Its the
pups night out! Bring your favorite pooch
to hang out on the patio. Four-legged
escorts will be treated to snacks courtesy of
Doolittles in Freshfields Village, and only
the finest water. Accompanying humans
will enjoy special wine selections.

September 9, 2016

daily

You wont hit home

runs every day
DIVERSIFY FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS
BY JASON M. MENGEL
For The Island Connection

recently read a rather intriguing

report on the history of equity returns
published by Michael Cembalest,
chairman of market and investment
strategy at J.P. Morgan. He conducted
an extensive analysis on the Russell 3000
index to determine the frequency of
catastrophic losses.
The Russell 3000 Index measures the
performance of the largest 3,000 U.S.
companies representing approximately
98 percent of the investable U.S. equity
market. Whereas the S&P 500 only
represents large companies, the Russell
3000 is a mix of large, medium and
smaller stocks. It is reconstituted annually
to ensure that new and growing companies
are reflected.
Three very startling conclusions came
from comparing his work to the historical
returns of the index that are worth noting:
Huge Gains: The Russell 3000
increased over 1,800 percent from
1980 to 2014, which is a strong
return over a 35-year time period.
Catastrophic Losses: Over the
same time period, roughly 40
percent of all stocks suffered a
permanent 70 percent plus decline
from their peak value.
More Losers Than Winners:
Two-thirds
of
all
stocks
underperformed the Russell 3000,
and the median return since
inception relative to the index is
-54 percent.
Upon first glance, these conclusions
may appear to contradict one another.
How can an index of stocks do so well
when most of the individual components
performed so poorly?
The answer lies in the fact that around
7 percent of the stocks in the index have
been home runs that we all dream of
owning.
Its mind boggling to think that such
a tiny subset of stocks can perform well
enough to drive the equity market up so
high until we start to think about the
math behind winners and losers.
A stock has a limit to how much money
it can lose because its loss is capped at
100 percent. On the other hand, a home
run can theoretically rise forever. Since
there is no cap on the upside, these select
few stocks have been the driver for such
powerful performance for U.S. equities
over the past three decades.
Simply put, for every Apple or Google,
there have been way more companies that
have failed, but in the end, the returns on
the home runs have more than offset the
losers.
Implications for investors
Wouldnt it be great to put together a
portfolio that only consists of future home
runs and avoids the other 93 percent of
stocks? In fact, we could even take it a step
further and bet against the stocks that we
dont want to own so that we amplify our
returns even higher.

In a nutshell, thats pretty much what

the entire hedge fund industry attempts
to accomplish each and every year.
These money management firms are
filled with billionaires, Ph.D.s, and some
of the most brilliant academic minds to
ever live, and they work hundred-hour
work weeks and spend millions every year
for access to information to try to find
that 7 percent of stocks.
The problem is that not even this
cohort can pull it off because such a
herculean task is impossible. Even the
most successful investor will only find a
handful of home runs over the span of a
lifetime, so what separates the best from
the rest is recognizing this reality and
managing the risk along the way so that a
catastrophic loss on a single holding does
not take the entire ship down.
The best way to manage such risk is to
avoid concentrated holdings at all times.
Numbers dont lie, and if any given stock
has a 40 percent chance of experiencing
a permanent loss of 70 percent or greater
from their peak value, then no one
position should ever dominate a portfolio.
But not all hope is lost because the
beauty of disciplined investing is that
there is no reason to even try to only
pick home runs. Owning a lot of losers
is perfectly fine because the catastrophic
losses wont matter as long as we follow
three important rules:
Remain Diversified: Owning
a diversified portfolio of stocks
can give an investor exposure to a
few home runs and dramatically
reduce concentration risk.
Ignore The Pawns: Dont lose
faith when some of the stocks in
your portfolio blow up. These are
merely the pawns that must exist
for you to achieve success, so focus
on total portfolio returns rather
than individual holdings.
Swallow Your Pride: Successful
investors would much rather be
rich than right, and the only way
to be rich is to learn to become
comfortable with being wrong a
lot. Even the savviest investor is
wrong way more often than right.
The bottom line is that the investor
should focus on the overall portfolio
performance rather than the individual
components because the only way that
catastrophic losses can derail your
financial future is if you break the rules of
diversification.
This commentary is not intended
as investment advice or an investment
recommendation. It is solely the opinion of
our investment team at the time of writing.
Fusion Capital is a Registered Investment
Advisor firm. If you have comments or
questions, please contact Jason Mengel,
CFP, at jmengel@fusioncapital.net or call
843-972-0065.

September 9, 2016

15

arts & events

Living Green Fest ramps up fitness component

A C T I V I T I E S I N C L U D E S L A C K L I N I N G , M O U N TA I N B I K I N G ,
SAND BAG WORKOUT

roviding education and resources for protecting

and preserving our natural environment has been
the goal of the Living Green Fest, formerly the
Carolina Green Fair, for the past nine years. This fall, the
Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission
will host the festival again, providing health and wellness
education to Charleston County residents and visitors.
This years Living Green Fest takes place from noon to
5 p.m. at James Island County Park on Sunday, Sept. 18.

BY SARAH REYNOLDS
For The Island Connection

Admission to the event is free with $2 per person regular

park entry fee, or free for Charleston County Parks Gold
Pass members.
The newly renamed Living Green Fest will feature the
same programs and activities as in years past, as well as
resources to help Lowcountry residents and visitors live a
healthier and happier lifestyle.
Healthy lifestyles and living green go hand in
hand, said Allison Foster, CCPRCs fitness and wellness
program manager.
To expand the fitness component of the event, the
Living Green Fest will feature more health and wellness
information and activities for the whole family, including
a variety of additional vendors and experts, plus activities
on site including slacklining, mountain biking and more.
This years festival will also include a sand bag workout,
where kids will help repurpose household items to create
sand bag weights, which will then be used during a free
on-site fitness program.
Each year, the festival features a variety of
environmentally friendly vendors, educators, activities,
artisans, demos, entertainment and much more, all
with the mission to educate and encourage attendees
to use sustainable products, services, and technologies.
A family-friendly event, the fair also offers the popular
KidZone and Eco-Carnival areas, which are packed with
games and activities to entertain and educate little ones.
Some features include the mechanical bull, jump castles,

The festival also offers the popular KidZone and EcoCarnival areas.

climbing wall and more. An all-day pass for the KidZone

is just $5.
For the third year, grant winners for the Green
Community Stewardship Project will be showcased at the
festival. The project, which is funded by Bosch, provides
up to $5,000 needed for youth-led environmental projects
that improve local schools.
For more information on the Living Green Fest, visit
www.CharlestonCountyParks.com.