Since May 2007

PRESORT STANDARD
US POSTAGE PAID
CHARLESTON SC
PERMIT NO 437
POSTAL PATRON

Volume 9 Issue 2

May 08, 2015

FREE

PGA returns
to Kiawah
STAFF REPORT

For The Island Connection

Front row: Diane Lehder, Wendy Kulick, Eileen Van Horn, Jennifer Schachet, Margarethe Rayburn. Back row: Carol Hurley, Phyllis
Wills, Eva Glover, Catherine Scully, Tammy Thorp Charlotte Moran, Anita Marciniak. Photo by Diane Ledher.

Ladies of Kiawah, Seabrook

help build a home for habitat
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

omen Build has been part of the Sea Island Habitat for
Humanity program for fifteen years now. True to the
organizations vision of A world where everyone has a
decent place to live, a group of women spend a week each May
building a house for someone who doesnt. This year was a little
different timing-wise, but the commitment to build homes,
communities and hope is constant. During the week of April
11, 162 women from all over the Sea Island community met in
Laurel Oak Grove, James Island to add to an already long list of
accomplishments.

Sanford Switches Sides

Page 4

Typically, the group arrives the first day to nothing but a

foundation. Frames are then built and lifted into place followed
by the manufacture of trusses. The trusses are then lifted into
place on top of the frame. Once everything is squared, the
women move on, adding fiber board to outside walls, decking to
the roof, fabric and Tyvek, windows, doors, siding, tar paper and
shingles. Sounds pretty easy and in some ways, it is.

Habitat continues on page 5

Turtle Rescue

Page 7

he 103rd edition of the

Championship in August 2021
returns to the renowned Pete
Dye-designed oceanfront layout on
Kiawah Island 9 years after its first visit
in 2012, when Rory McIlroy captured
the Wanamaker Trophy by a recordsetting margin. The Ocean Course is one
of four venues to host each of the PGA
of Americas major championships
the Ryder Cup (1991), the Senior PGA
Championship presented by KitchenAid
(2007) and the PGA Championship. The
Ocean Course also hosted the 2005 PGA
Professional National Championship.
Ever since The Ocean Course was
introduced to the world, it has been a
supreme test for the greatest players in golf,
PGA of America President Derek Sprague
said. From a down-to-the-last putt thriller
of a Ryder Cup in 1991 to Rory McIlroy
closing a record-setting performance in the
2012 PGA Championship, there has never
been a shortage of thrills on The Ocean
Course. We anticipate that tradition of
excellence continuing in 2021 at the PGA
Championship.
The PGA Championship also is the
only one of golfs four majors to be hosted
in South Carolina. The announcement
was made with Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Chairman Bill Goodwin on May 1.
Its an honor to have the PGA
Championship returning to The Ocean
Course and Kiawah Island, Goodwin
said. We have enjoyed dramatic finishes
and premier Champions each time the
PGA of America elected to bring an event
to the island. We will do all that we can
to provide the best possible conditions
for the worlds best players and make
the experience memorable to golf fans
of South Carolina and to thousands of
visitors worldwide.
The PGA Championship, the only
all-professional major, features one of the
deepest international fields in golf. Since
1994, it has perennially featured the most
top-100 players in the Official World Golf
Rankings of all golf Championships.

Caribbean Chicken

Page 17

May 08, 2015

civic

Lynn Pierotti
publisher
lynn@luckydognews.com
Jennifer Tuohy
managing editor
jennifer@luckydognews.com
Swan Richards
senior graphic designer
swan@luckydognews.com
Lori McGee
sales manager
lori@luckydognews.com
Alejandro Ferreyros
graphic designer
alejandro@luckydognews.com
Ralph Secoy
staff photographer
Staff Writer
Gregg Bragg
Contributors
Teri Hinkebein
Richard Wildermann
Cassandra Harris
Stephanie Braswell
Martha Zink
Maria Gurovich
Marilyn Markel
Carol Antman
David Brown
Catherine Gilmore
Charlotte Meyer

Published by
Lucky Dog Publishing
of South Carolina, LLC
P.O. Box 837
Sullivans Island, SC 29482
843-886-NEWS
Future deadlines: May 13
for submissions for the
May 22 Issue
Op-Ed articles and letters to the editor do not
necessarily reflect the opinion of
Lucky Dog News or its writers.

The Island
Connection

Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC

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

Seabrook Island Town Council,

April 2015
C O U N C I L V O T E S U N A N I M O U S LY O N R E S O L U T I O N
TO OPPOSE OFFSHORE DRILLING
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

he public hearing scheduled by

Seabrook Town Council for April
28 was completely uneventful.
There were no comments at all on
Ordinance 2015-04 (website privacy
policy) and the hearing finished in the five
minutes it had been allotted. Obligations
for the regularly scheduled town council
meeting were dispatched with equal
efficiency and Mayor Terry Ahearn
proceeded to his report of the financials
for the month of March.
We are still doing fairly well for the
year, said the mayor. Revenues for the
month were $55,000 ahead of budget and
a total of $67,000 ahead of budget for the
year. Expenditures were another matter
and showed a blip of $29,000 more than
expected. Councilmember and Mayor Pro
Tem Ron Ciancio chimed in, describing a
call he had handled from the Conde Nast
collections department. Despite Caincios
assurances Seabrook was good for it, the
money changers were not deterred. Conde
Nast insisted on an unexpected down
payment of $25,000 for their part in the
Make It Uniquely Yours campaign,
accounting for the bulk of the extra
expenditures for the month.
Citizen Presentations were kicked
off by Brent Lewis, Department of
Transportation
(DOT)
Program
Manager, Lowcountry Region. Lewis was
there to inform council the Burdens Creek
Bridge outage had been delayed until the
summer of 2016. The tone suggested DOT
was still there to help and listen, but had
already considered every alternative, every
detail and every combination. Owing
to the sites archeological significance
(e.g. The Battle for Burdens Causeway

islandconnectionnews.com/?p=1728)
options were severely limited and the
project would have to move forward.
Joe Elmore, CEO of Charleston
Animal Society stepped up to present a
review of 2014. His very long presentation
is best summarized in a list.
1. Pictures of kids and puppies and
kittens pitching the virtues of a
NO KILL community
2. MISSION to prevent cruelty to
animals
3. They will not rest until a home
is found for every abandoned,
abused or unwanted animal
4. They handle 90 percent of strays in
Charleston County
5. They are the number one spay/
neuter provider in South Carolina
6. They are one of only three NO
KILL communities in the south
7. Their free periodical CAROLINA
TAILS is available everywhere.
Please look for a copy.
8. Charleston County is first in the
deep south to be recognized as a
NO KILL community
The presentation was quite thorough
and good news for animal lovers. More
information and ways to help can
be found by visiting the Charleston
Animal Society at 2455 Remount Rd,
N. Charleston or their website www.
charlestonanimalsociety.org.
Councilmember John Gregg was next
to report on the topic of Community
Relations with the Seabrook Island Club.
Much like councilmember Romanos
remarks about the Seabrook Island

Civic Calendar
Tuesday, May 12

Monday, May 18

Kiawah
Communications
Committee
CANCELLED
3 - 5 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Kiawah Board of
Zoning and Appeals
4 - 5 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Wed, May 13
Seabrook Planning
Commission
2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Kiawah Public Safety
Committee
2 - 4 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Thursday, May 21
Kiawah Municipal
Center Committee
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Monday, May 25
MEMORIAL DAY
Town Offices Closed

Tuesday, May 26
Seabrook Town
Council Meeting
2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall

Kiawah Ways and

Means
2 - 4 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Tuesday, June 2
Town Council
Meeting
2 - 4 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Property Owners Association, the now

familiar 9 topics are still being discussed.
Presently, little is known about how the
topics translate into actionable items.
However, focus groups are forming in
both groups to discuss and define exactly
that. Effectively a conference committee
will then be formed to reconcile any
differences. For their part, town council
is participating in the process and as
a direction emerges, is prepared to act
accordingly.
Councilmember Romano had some
additional comments on the gateway
committee. The objective of the gateway
committee has always been get em
through the gate, said Romano.
However, attempts at temporary cards had
failed, unable to be read by the scanner,
pushing island guests back to the slower,
manual process representatives were
trying to rectify. He informed council the
project would have to be postponed and
perhaps addressed when SIPOA builds
the new gatehouse, requiring an entirely
new system. The clearly disappointed
councilmember could only warn his
colleagues the final solution could end
up being more expensive than previously
hoped.
On public safety, John Gregg
continued announcing disaster awareness
exercises had been scheduled for June 2-3.
The activity coincides with Charleston
Countys planned hurricane exercise,
scheduled for June 3. Disaster Awareness
Day has also been scheduled and is
planned for June 11. The half day event
will be held at the Seabrook Island Club.
SIPOA has already been approached about
expediting gate access hoping visitors will

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
958-4700t
City of Charleston
75 Calhoun St.
724-3745

May 08, 2015

civic

be allowed on Seabrook for the asking.

Increasing participation of Seabrook
residents is one of the primary objectives
for hosting the event. The half day
session will include expert presentations,
informational booths, door prizes,
drawings for more prizes throughout the
morning and free lunch. A discussion
about having one of the larger fire engines
at the event or even providing rides was
considered. However, Seabrook Fire
Commissioner Sue Holloman guided
council toward the idea of the engine
being more of a static display for insurance
reasons. Councilmember Gregg then
moved to approve $6,000 for the event.
Gregg said he hoped to spend less
and reminded colleagues Kiawah would
be contributing. However, the thinking
asking for money once was better than
asking twice, and you dont have to spend
it prevailed in the end. The motion
passed unanimously.
Councilmember Turner returned to
the oft mentioned subject of signs for
the beach in his role as communications
liaison. Two mock ups were available for
councils consideration. There was a lot
of information on the signs, which were
still perfectly legible, succinct and well
received. Further action on the proposed
signs was deferred until costs are assessed
but action on offshore drilling forged full
steam ahead.
Turner had also accepted the
assignment of learning more about
offshore drilling. Consulting a raft of
resources, it was a visit to the Bureau
of Ocean Energy Management, which
seemed to have the biggest impact on
the
councilmember.
Consequently,
Turner proposed a resolution opposing
oil exploration and related seismic testing,
while allowing unrelated seismic testing.
The resulting debate went on for quite
some time and long enough to make
conservationists in the room squirm.
A great deal of attention was given to
a recent SIPOA survey of Seabrook
residents. The unofficial results said fully
80 percent opposed offshore drilling.
When it looked like the motion might

stall out or be delayed, Fire Commissioner

Sue Holloman reminded council of the
BOEM deadline for public comments,
scheduled to expire in mere days.
Mayor Ahearn, with oil and gas
industry experience on his resume, had
been circumspect but eventually said
he hadnt shared his personal opinion
because otherwise, I wouldnt sign it
[John Turners proffered resolution].
Significantly however, Mayor Ahearn
went on to say he was glad to represent
Seabrook. Council would represent their
constituents with a unanimous vote,
passing the Turner Resolution. The final
version reads;
The Town of Seabrook Island opposes
both (i) the inclusion of the Mid-Atlantic
and South Atlantic planning areas in
the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf
Oil and Gas Leasing Program, and (ii)
the use of seismic analysis as part of
geological and geophysical exploration
in the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic
Outer Continental Shelf. The Mayor is
directed to forward copies of this motion
to applicable federal and state elected
officials.
Councilmember
Ron
Ciancio
explained proposed amendments to
building code were intended to simplify
the process. However, he and city attorney
Brown wanted to work out some details
before the ordinance was read.
The ATAX committee had failed to
produce a quorum at its last meeting.
Consequently, the $20,000 for fireworks
would have to come out of the general
fund.
On the topic of advertising, the
$150,000 budget item would be reviewed
with both the club and SIPOA before
determining a direction for next year.
Town Administrator, Randy Pierce
reported Fourth of July fireworks were
scheduled for July 3 with a rain out date
of July 5.
Utility Commissioner Jeff Bostock
reported a slight profit for the month
and advised council four more lines had
been requested by Freshfields for four new
buildings.

May 08, 2015

civic

Sanford switches sides, opposes

offshore drilling, testing
STAFF REPORT

For The Island Connection

n April 27, U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford held a

press conference at Shem Creek park in Mount
Pleasant to announce his opposition to permits
for seismic testing and offshore drilling in the waters off
the coast of South Carolina. This announcement reversed
his previous position on the matter.
Among those standing with Sanford at the event
were Isle of Palms Mayor Dick Cronin, councilmembers
Jimmy Ward, Jimmy Carroll and State Sen. Chip
Campsen, who lives on Isle of Palms. Sullivans Island
mayor Pat ONeil and councilmembers Chauncey Clark
and Jerry Kaynard also stood up with the Congressman.
Those that join me today represent and understand
the unique look and feel of South Carolinas Lowcountry,
Sanford said, Unfortunately; their views would not be
represented in the process for testing or permitting for
offshore drilling until it is far too late under the current
proposal.
Id give real credit to local leaders from all political
perspectives like Senator Chip Campsen or Charleston
Mayor Joe Riley for being outspoken and clear on this
issue. Also thanks to the communities of Edisto Beach,
Hilton Head, Port Royal, the City of Beaufort, Isle of
Palms, Sullivans Island, James Island, James Island
Public Service District, Rockville, and the City of
Charleston for making evident their views on drilling off
our coast.

U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford with State Sen. Chip Campsen

and various elected officials from coastal communities in
South Carolina at a press conference last month. Photo
by Myles Maland.

Under the seismic testing plan, South Carolina would

not have full access to the testing data until after the U.S.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management had signed leases
with the energy companies.
In the case of South Carolina, weighing the balance
between large blocks of untouched coastal estuarine
areas, and in other parts, an established tourism industry,
against the potential benefits of drilling is not something
that Washington officials are best positioned to do.
Sanford said. In my view, it makes little sense to even
conduct tests when the states and regions affected will
have no say in the process of determining--especially
when factoring potential impacts on the environment,
tourism, along with other risks inherent in the process.
So based on the public input I have received,
including nine towns in the First Congressional District,
and given that there would not be enough transparency
for South Carolinians to have an in-depth conversation
about a path forward, I have asked the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management not to move forward with seismic
testing off the coast of South Carolina.
Since the event, the Town of Seabrook has also issued
a resolution against offshore drilling and seismic testing.
The towns of Kiawah Island and Mount Pleasant have
not yet publicly considered such resolutions.

May 08, 2015

civic

arts & events

Prepare for
disaster

TOWN S J O I NT LY
S P ONSO R DI S A S T E R
AWARE NE S S D AY
FO R RE S I DE N T S

STAFF REPORT

For The Island Connection

he
annual
local
Disaster
Awareness Day sponsored by
the towns of Kiawah Island and
Seabrook Island will be held 11 June at
the Seabrook Island Club.
This event, open to all, combines an
informational half-day program with
displays by vendors and emergency
service first responders. Lunch will be
provided and there will be prize drawings
interspersed throughout the program
sessions.
The program will be a mix of expert
presentations and question and answer
sessions all relating to emergency
preparedness topics including event
notifications; evacuation, return and
clean-up; role of the Salvation Army;
earthquakes; and, building codes and
flood insurance.

15 Years continues on from cover

Division of labor is the key. Charlotte
Moran, Chair of the Women Build
Committee and former construction
supervisor, collaborates with people like
Julia Hammer, Communications and
Development Coordinator for Habitat.
Those two (and countless others) work
together to organize the group into shifts
of 35 women at any given time, schedule
materials delivery in advance and tee
up things like inspections. Every
possible detail is streamlined. Never has
the expression Many hands make work
light, been more apt. It has been that way
with Habitat from the beginning.

The Eastern Mennonite Board of

Missions sent volunteers to Johns Island
In the late 60s to repair homes and help
migrant workers. The gesture was well
received, repeated and continued to gain
traction, garnering recognition from
Habitat, a relatively new organization at
the time. The end of the 70s witnessed a
full-blown marriage of the two, forming
the Sea Island Habitat for Humanity. The
genesis of the third oldest Habitat chapter
on the planet coincided with the Van
Horns retirement to the lowcountry.
The Van Horn family had been
involved with Habitat from the start,

so when the Women Build Committee

formed in 2000, Eileen was in the front
of the line She [Eileen Van Horn] is
amazing and has been here every single
time, Julia Hammer said. Now at the age
of 91, climbing ladders doesnt hold the
same appeal it used to, but her specialty
is weatherproofing the seam between the
foundation and frame, which is a ground
level task anyway. Eileen was part of the
13 member Kiawah/Seabrook contingent
to help on Thursday, April 16 and Friday,
April 17. However, they were not the only
faction from the area to contribute.
April 11 saw approximately 20 women
from the Kiawah Island Golf Resort
on-site to get the party started. They paid
the $35 registration fee themselves, Julia
said, contributed funds from a cornhole tournament [held to benefit Women
Build] and lunch was provided by The
Sanctuary. Other corporate contributors
chipped in as well. So much so, the cost
of building materials was covered for the
Laurel Oak Grove project, to the relief of
homeowner, Kioshi Gathers.
Having the homeowner show up for
several days of the project was really nice.
She has a good job and a son, Charlotte
Moran said. Kioshi not only showed up,
but worked side by side with volunteers
during two days of the 7 day project. She
cant wait to move in to her new home in
late June. Volunteering for Women Build
comes with a built in sense of pride but
having her [Gathers] there gave everyone
an added sense of accomplishment,
Moran said.

May 08, 2015

daily

arts & events

More jewelry, fashion

comes to Freshfields

Chili Cook Off

cooks up $15,000

PEYTON WILLIAM AND

TOMMY BAHAMAS OPENS

B A C K PA C K B U D D I E S P R O G R A M B E N E F I T S

FROM BOHICKET MARINA BASH

Todd Gerhart of the Ice Cream Boat presents a check for over $15,000 to
representatives of the Backpack Buddies program.

BY JENNIFER TUOHY

STAFF REPORT

For The Island Connection

eyton William designer Gabrielle

Egan has been creating and
displaying her unique gemstone
jewelry for the past two years at her
downtown Charleston store. Last month
Peyton William has expanded by opening
up a second location in Freshfields Village,
at 149 Village Green Lane, between La
Tela Pizzeria and J.McLaughlin. The
bright, airy, minimalist store showcases
Gabrielles creations as well as locally
designed jewelry from Thistle & Thatch.
Peyton William offers an assortment
of necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earring
in various styles that complement any
womans wardrobe. A Grand Opening
party will be Friday, May 22 from 5 to
8 p.m. Also, on May 15 the store hosts a
Summer Style Event with J.McLaughlin
from 3-6 p.m.
This month, Tommy Bahamas opened
its new Freshfields store. The Seattlebased island-lifestyle brand is grounded

in the concept of Make Life One Long

Weekend.
Tommy Bahama defines the essence
of relaxed living with mens and womens
sportswear,
swimwear,
footwear,
accessories and items for the home.
This laidback style of clothing will
bring a relaxed feel to this already laidback island community at 654 Freshfields
Drive.
We are excited to have Freshfields
Village, the most prestigious shopping
destination on Kiawah Island, as our
newest store in South Carolina, Mike
Barrow, VP, Tommy Bahama Retail, said.
We look forward to showing our Kiawah
Island guests how the relaxed state of
mind they experience on a beach or golf
vacation can be a part of everyday life.

The Island Connection Editor

he inaugural Bohicket Backpack

Buddies Bash Chili Cook Off
raised $15,421 to help the Backpack
Buddies programs at Mt. Zion, Angel
Oak and Frierson Elementary Schools,
and Haut Gap Middle School with the
expansion of the programs anticipated for
the next school year.
The Backpack Buddies program
provides healthy food for children to take
home from school on Fridays, to ensure
they have adequate nutrition over the
weekend. Currently the program costs
just shy of $44,000 a year, and the need
has gone up substantially.
The money we raised will fund 80
children for the entire school year. Our
goal next year is to get over $20,000
raised, Todd Gerhart, owner of the Ice
Cream Boat and the main sponsor for the
event, said.
Gerhart was justifiably pleased with
the success of the Chili Cook Off.
Wow! Just wow, he said when asked
how it went. We had 1,305 people here

that day. It was the largest one day event

in history of Bohicket Marina.
The success of the event ensures it will
be back next year.
It'll be an annual event, held on the
third Saturday in March every year,
Gerhart said. Theres been lots of interest
already in being one of the business to fill
the 40 chili booth slots. Island businesses
and off-island ones participated this year.
Fipps and Sons Auto Care on River Road
won Best Decorated Booth, Prime Cuts
Salon in Bohicket won the overall Best
Chili prize, which was judged by the
4 principles of the benefitting schools,
and Gerharts Ice Cream Boat won the
Peoples Choice award, raising just shy of
$2300 at its booth.
The community involvement was
fantastic, Gerhart said. The companies
that were here had a great time. And the
Backpack Buddies program really raised
some awareness, most people that came
didn't realize the extent of what is and the
need that is out there. Now they know.

May 08, 2015

daily

daily

Loggerhead rescued
at Bohicket

Award-winning sea
turtle film returns
to Charleston
L O C A L T U R T L E PAT R O L S F E AT U R E D
BY GARY FANSLER

For The Island Connection

all of the Ancient Mariner, a

new film by filmmaker David
Weintraub will return to the
Terrace Theater on the week of May 29
through June 4 for a week-long run.
The documentary wowed Charleston
audiences in March when it played to
packed houses and won Best of the
Festival at the Terrace Charleston Film
Festival.

showing at 4 p.m.will be followed by a

DVD release party featuring refreshments
from local restaurants and a chance to
purchase a copy of the DVD and/or film
T-shirt.
Director Weintraub will be on hand
to sign copies of the DVD and to discuss
the film. A portion of the proceeds from
T-shirt sales will go to the South Carolina
Aquariums expansion plans for the Sea
Turtle Hospital.
Call of the Ancient Mariner is co-sponsored
by the South Carolina Aquarium, Georgia
Sea Turtle Center, Carolina Mountain
Land Conservancy, Loggerhead Marinelife
Center, and the North Carolina Arboretum.
To order tickets contact the Terrace
Theater at 843.762.4247 or go to www.
terracetheater.com. For information about
future film screenings, online purchases of
the DVD and more information about the
film visit www.saveculture.org.

PHOTO COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM

BY TERI HINKEBEIN
For The Island Connection

uvenile loggerhead turtle "Bohicket" is

one of the newest guests at the South
Carolina Aquarium in Charleston.
The turtle was found at Bohicket Marina
by the marina staff, who immediately
recognized that the turtle was in distress.
They contacted the Department of
Natural Resources, who rescued Bohicket
and took him to the aquarium.
According to Kelly Thorvalson at the
aquarium, Bohicket was a "floater," which
means positively buoyant, and x-rays
confirmed he had lots of gas in the GI
tract. Thorvalson doesn't believe Bohicket
had been sick for very long and he was

immediately administered supportive care

including antibiotic injections, vitamin
injections and fluids. After the first 5 days
of treatment, Bohicket's buoyancy issues
were better and he was much more active.
The staff at the aquarium is hopeful this
trend will continue.
The South Carolina Aquarium begins
an expansion of their Sea Turtle Hospital
this fall to handle the increasing number
of turtles that need care throughout
the East Coast. Donations are greatly
appreciated and may be made online at
www.scaquarium.org/STH-expand.

Mariner tells the story of mans love

affair with sea turtles that has existed
since the dawn of time. Much of the
film was shot in the Charleston area and
many Charleston-based sea turtle patrols
are supporting the project. In addition to
offering audiences a chance to see a film
that Terrace Theater owner Paul Brown has
called compelling and truly resonating
with the audience, the Saturday, May 30

May 08, 2015

daily

A night in the life of

the Miracle on Maybank
THE BARRIER ISLAND FREE MEDICAL CLINICS
EVENING CLINIC HELPS THOSE IN NEED
BY BARBARA BURGESS
For The Island Connection

t is late Monday afternoon and the Barrier Island

Free Medical Clinic is already starting to receive
patients. The waiting room starts filling up around 5
p.m., in anticipation of the Clinics opening at 6. One
patient, Juan, is at the Clinic for his 6 month check up.
The Clinic has started to stress regular check ups in an
effort to prevent problems before they become serious.
Another patient, Annelcar, is seeing a Doctor about
a thyroid problem that requires attention. Both Juan
and Annelcar have no insurance and very little income,
and they both live on Johns Island. Criteria for being
eligible for treatment at the Clinic includes income at the
poverty level, no insurance and living on James, Johns or
Wadmalaw islands. All treatments are free.
Another patient, Terrence, works in the kitchen of a
restaurant. He was cutting peppers and he sliced through
his finger completely taking off the nail. He went to the
emergency room where he sat in the hallways for 2 hours
before he could be seen. He is clearly in pain. He is a
regular patient at the Clinic and since the Emergency

Dr. Wiley

Room required that he see a primary care physician to

take care of the finger he came to the Clinic, which he
uses as his primary healthcare provider. He has been a
regular at the Clinic for several years and says they have
saved his life a whole bunch of times. He feels he gets
better service at the Clinic than he does with outside
doctors as the Clinic physicians take time with you and
seem to care about the welfare of the patients.
Lisa is the only one waiting for treatment who has
never been to the Clinic before. She has done something
to her back, which is radiating upward to her neck. She is
having trouble moving and walking is difficult. She has
just moved to the area and has no local physician. She is
in a lot of pain.
The Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic starts its
weekly hours with an evening clinic on Mondays, then is
open from 9 to 5, Tuesday through Friday. The Clinic has
27 doctors and 34 nurses, all of whom donate their time.
The Clinic has several well-established programs to treat
patients with high-risk diseases, promote womens breast

May 08, 2015

Nurse Linton

health and assist patients with high cost prescription

drugs. It is located on Maybank Highway, hence the title,
Miracle on Maybank.
This Monday evening there are three nurses on duty
and two doctors. The staff attempts to get all of the
patients records lined up before the Doctors come on
duty at 6 p.m. so the patients can move through the
examination rooms expeditiously and get the treatment
they need. There are five examining rooms in the Clinic
and files on patients are posted so that the doctors can

daily
access them easily. There is a slight delay on patient
activity as there are two Hispanics with little English
and only one Spanish interpreter has turned up. Two
more interpreters join them shortly and the movement of
patients continues.
The place is buzzing with activity. The three nurses
see the patients to check over their records and let the
doctors know what the patients need. The nurses also
run interference on all cases getting the required medical
paraphernalia the doctors require. There are frequent
conferences in the hallway as the doctors and nurses
exchange ideas of treatment options.
One nurse on duty is Jameela Goudarzi. She is in
graduate school, studying to be a Nurse Practitioner.
Crystal Menick is another of the nurses on duty; she is
also studying to be a nurse practitioner. Rose Linton is
the third nurse. She spent 20 years at Roper Hospital
in General Medicine. She retired two years ago and has
been at the Clinic ever since. In addition to nursing care,
she also has been calling patients to make sure they come
in for their regular medical check ups.
There are two doctors on duty. One is Dr Kathleen
Wiley, a specialist in internal medicine and geriatrics. She
has been participating in the Monday night clinics for
several years and still works full time as a physician at
MUSC.
Dr. George Taylor is the second doctor on duty. He
is Professor of Medicine at MUSC and volunteers at the
Clinic 3 times a month. He has written 17 books on the
general topic of educational materials for students and
doctors in residence.
Rodrigo Haddad de Sousa is a Spanish interpreter at
the Clinic. He goes into the examining room with the
patient and the doctor to help the two communicate. He
is careful in translating medical terms so the patient and
doctor both have a clear idea of what is being said. He
says the situation can at times be awkward, so he sees
setting the patient at ease as a primary part of his job.
If the doctor and the patient are comfortable with each
other, the job is easy.

Nurse Menick

Four of the five medical personnel on duty this

Monday evening work full time during the day. Two
are also doing further study. To offer their time free of
charge to help people in need adds a great deal of stress
to their already busy days but is an incredible gift to the
population they serve. Furthermore, all of this medical
care is offered free to patients who meet the qualifications
of income, residency and are without insurance.
Is it any wonder the Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic
is called the Miracle on Maybank?

Island Connection Calendar

May 8
ONGOING EVENTS
Seabrook Island Beach Rule Change for
Dogs on May 1
Turtle season commences and a rule change
for dogs on Seabrook beaches takes effect:
Within the Designated Area (app. 300 yds.
east of a line extending from Community
Center boardwalk to Atlantic Ocean &
continuing app. 550 yds.) from May 1 until
October 31, dogs will be allowed off leads
below the apparent high water mark prior
to 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m. provided they
remain subject to voice control of the person
supervising them. Dogs must be leashed at
all times on all other beach areas.

Mondays

Monday Bridge Group

The Monday Bridge Group needs new
players. 9 a.m. at the Lake House. For
more information, please contact Lori
Muenow at 843.768.2314 or Ilse Calcagno
at 843.768.0317.
Seabrook Stitchers
The Lake House, every Monday from 11
a.m. - 1 p.m. For more information, please
contact Denise Doyon at dendoyon@gmail.
com.

Tuesdays

Mah Jongg Practice

2nd, 3rd, and 4th Tuesday of the month,
The Lake HouseOsprey 2, 1 - 4 p.m.
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.

843.266.7477. For more information on

the Weekly Wine Strolls, go to www.
middletonplace.org, or call 843.556.6020.

Storytimes at Johns Island Regional

Library
May 12 10:30 a.m. Time for Twos (2 3
years old with caregiver)

Preschool Zone
Fridays in April at 10:30 a.m., 351 Maybank
Highway, Johns Island Regional Library.
3-6 years old with adult. Call 843.559.1945
for more information.

Wednesdays

Lake House Yoga

8:30 a.m. Join us for Rise and Shine Yoga
with Patti Romano, formerly known at
Gentle Flow Yoga. Rise and Shine Yoga is
an all levels practice focused around finding
your days intention, set up your self for
success and be ready to shine.
Storytimes at Johns Island Regional
Library
May 13 at 10:30 a.m. Preschool Storytime
(3 5 years old with caregiver)
Middleton Place Wine Strolls
Through May 27, Wine Strolls invite
patrons to drink in the natural beauty of
the 274 year old plantationAmericas
Oldest Landscaped Gardens. Each
week, samples of specially selected wines
from around the world are chosen by the
Restaurants sommelier. Wine Strolls are
$20 per person purchased in advance online
and $25 per person at the gate. Members
of the Middleton Place Foundation receive
$5 off. For Restaurant reservations, call

Fridays

Friday Indoor Pickleball

12:30-2:30 every Friday at St. Christophers
Camp. For further information, please
contact Mary Torello at 843.768.0056
Reggae Concerts at James Island County
Park
June 5: Coolie G & Lion Soul Reggae
Band, June 26: ReggaeInfinity, July 10:
Mystic Vibrations, July 31: Inner Visions

Saturdays

Homegrown
Johns Island Farmers Market. Every Third
Saturday at 3546 Maybank Highway
Johns Island 10 a.m. 2 p.m. www.
johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.
2015 Sea Island Cars and Coffee
Third Saturday of every month from 8 to 10
a.m., Freshfields Village.
Sippin Saturdays at Irvin House
Vineyards
Every Saturday from 12 4 p.m., the

winery and distillery will serve up a

different local food vendor and musical
group to entertain locals and visitors.
There is no admission fee but patrons are
encouraged to bring their cash and credit
for a wide variety of libations and food
options. Bring lawn chairs and blankets
to picnic under the oaks and relish in the
Lowcountry beauty. www.charlestonwine.
com

Johns Island Library

Programs
Early Literacy Station
Throughout May - Enjoy a fun activity
based on the S.C. Day-by-Day Family
Literacy Activity Calendar. The theme for
May is animals. Johns Island Regional
Library. 3531 Maybank Highway, Johns
Island. 843.559.1945.

Get Caught Reading Month Trivia

(grades 6-12)
May 1 May 30 - Read aloud to a
Reference librarian for a candy prize. Teen
participants only. Johns Island Regional
Library. 3531 Maybank Highway, Johns
Island. 843.559.1945.

FRIDAY, MAY 8
Johns Island TAG Lock-In! (grades 6-12)
6 - 8:45 p.m. The library will belong to the
Teens after closing. Activities will include
a Do-It-Yourself face painting station,
Wii gaming tournament, and library ping

pong. Pizza will be provided. Johns Island

Regional Library. 3531 Maybank Highway,
Johns Island. 843.559.1945.

SATURDAY, MAY 9
Understanding Pat Conroy
1 p.m. Join the Charleston Music Hall
as Pat Conroy and Catherine Seltzer
discuss and sign copies of Seltzers book,
Understanding Pat Conroy. Tickets are $40
and include a signed hardback copy of the
book. This fun and lively discussion of the
autobiographical and creative impulses that
drive Conroys writing life will take place
at the Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St.,
downtown Charleston. A book signing at
nearby Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King St.,
will follow the talk.
Lift to Feed
9 a.m. CrossFit Johns Island will be
hosting a charity to benefit Backpack
Buddies Seabrook Island. All donations
and sponsorships will be donated to feed
children at Mt. Zion Elementary School
on Johns Island. Donations and spectators
are welcome. Registration is $25 per
participant through April 2, afterwards
the price will be $35 per person. Visit
www.crossfitjohnsisland.com. For more
information about sponsorships, please
contact Nic Porter at 843.478.7257 or
crossfitjohnsisland@gmail.com.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

The Footlight Players present The Mystery
of Edwin Drood, a wildly warm-hearted
musical rendition of an unfinished Dickens
novel. Adults $35, Seniors/Military $32,
Students $25. Call or go online for tickets
and info. May 9 at 8 p.m.
The Siege: Metalsmithing
Prepare for battle and make your own
helmets and weapons to wield at the Siege
Family Festival! Johns Island Regional
Library. 3531 Maybank Highway, Johns
Island. 843.559.1945.
Saturday Movie: Annie
2 p.m. Rated PG; 118 minutes. Sponsored
by The UPS Store, 3575 Maybank Hwy,
Johns Island. Johns Island Regional
Library. 3531 Maybank Highway, Johns
Island.

SATURDAY, MAY 16
Charleston Beer Garden
12 - 8 p.m. 4th Annual Charleston Beer
Garden will take place at its new home,
The Grove at Patriots Point in Mount
Pleasant. Known as Charlestons largest
pop-up beer garden, this event invites craft
beer-lovers to enjoy an epic lineup of craft
brews plus homebrewers, Beer Olympics,
and five live bands. Advance Tickets $25 for
General Admission and $50 for VIP Grove
Admission through May 15.

May 27
TUESDAY, MAY 19
Sea Islands Book Club (adults)
2 p.m. The Color of Water by James
McBride, Johns Island Regional Library.
3531 Maybank Highway.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20
Wine Down Wednesday
Guests will enjoy wine, hors doeuvres
and live music (see schedule below) while
exploring Old Towne Creek County Park
in West Ashley. The event series debuted
in 2013 and has gained popularity since.
Event fees of $20 cover wine, hors doeuvres
and a commemorative stemless wine glass.
Charleston County residents can get a
discounted rate in advance.

THURSDAY, MAY 21
Seabrook Island Photography Club
Meeting
4 p.m. At the Lake House. Charles Measter
speaks on Macro Photography.

FRIDAY, MAY 22
Spring Fling BBQ at Equestrian Center
4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Please join us for fun, food,
horses, and music. The event is free and no
reservations are necessary. This is an allIsland eventbring the kids and grandkids.
There will be a barbeque and a beer & wine
bar. Food and beverages may be charged to
your Club account or cash will be accepted;

sorryno credit cards. Held at the Seabrook

Island Equestrian Center

SATURDAY, MAY 23
Jane Austen Society
1:30 p.m. The May meeting of the Jane
Austen Society will feature The Pleasure
Gardens of Early Charleston, presented by
CCPL Historian Dr. Nic Butler. Sponsored
by the Jane Austen Society of North
America (JASNA, South Carolina Region).
Refreshments will be provided. Johns
Island Regional Library. 3531 Maybank
Highway.
Nesha Jenkins Tate Book Signing
4 - 6 p.m. A reading, discussion and
book signing with local author Dr. Nesha
Jenkins-Tate and her book Perfecting
the Dance, Soulful Lessons about Love,
Faith and Courage. Wadmalaw Island
Community Center, 5605 Katy Hill Road.
Music and refreshments will be provided.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27
Round Table Discussion with
Councilwoman Johnson
12:30 p.m. Discuss concerns and issues
with Councilwoman Anna Johnson of
Charleston County District 8. Johns Island
Regional Library. 3531 Maybank Highway.

12

May 08, 2015

daily

Vincents Drug Store turns ten

M O N T H - L O N G B I R T H D AY C E L E B R AT I O N S I N C L U D E
FREE ICE CREAM AND THROWBACK PRICING
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

lready the owners of multiple

locations (Denver, CO and
Lakeland, FL), the Lamendola
family had plenty of experience with
pharmacies. Such seasoned professionals
might have viewed opening in a third state
a matter of routine. Damien Lamendola
didnt, and was nostalgic for Baton Rouge
and time spent at a soda fountain style
drug store with his father, Vincent.
I have many fond memories of going
to an old-fashioned soda fountain with my
dad and having a handmade hamburger
and a root beer float, Damien, who has
a home on Kiawah with his wife Debbi,
said. I will never forget the atmospheres
feeling of warmth, family and a sense of
community. This is the atmosphere we
aspire to keep going at Vincents.
While Freshfields was still being
designed, Lamendola told developers
about his idea for an old-fashioned soda
fountain and pharmacy, hoping it could
be added to the plan. Providing overthe-counter medications and select
gift merchandise wasnt as compelling

as thinking every community needs a

pharmacy, and serving milkshakes was
the cherry on top. The pitch worked
and the idea was added to the grand plan.
Vincents Drug Store opened on May 19,
2005 and has been run by the family ever
since.
The management torch has been passed
around in the intervening years and is
currently held by Courtney Lamendola.
I just fell into the managing of this
place! My dad swears my first word was
'mall,' so buying for the store seemed to
be a natural fit, Courtney, Damiens
daughter, says. The combination of an
affinity for retail and more degrees than
most ovens, has worked well for Courtney.
She does all the buying and manages a
year round staff of 11 employees. Summer
months are busy with vacationers, so an
additional 14 people are brought in to
help with the lunch counter.
Weve had customers from England,
France, China, Scotland, Ireland,
Germany, Australia and South America.
I have no idea how many people come

through our doors in a given year. All

I know is that June-July-August are
absolutely crazy in Vincent's. Sometimes
the line is out the door, she says.
Knowing your customer is an
institutional objective that helps make
Vincents successful. They are always
anxious to help.
[From] April-October we do big
business in sunscreens! Bug sprays and
Benadryl itch creams are flying off
the shelves at the moment as well. The
no-see-ems are pretty bad right now.
There are a lot of people coming in for
allergy medicine at the moment, too. We
try to stock a bit of everything on our
shelves. We also have a huge database of
over the counter medications that we can
order. Shipments arrive every morning,
Monday through Friday. So, if you don't
see it on our shelves, we can probably get
it for you the next day, she said.
Hand-in-hand with its ten year
anniversary, Vincents has a slate of

new projects in the works. The website

vincentsdrugstore.com will be re-launched
with a new look this month. There will
also be a new rewards program launched,
earning frequent visitors one point per
dollar spent. Once the customer reaches
the 100 point level, a $10 voucher will
be awarded for use on over-the-counter
medications and retail merchandise.
However, that is just the beginning of
plans for May.
During the month-long anniversary
celebrations there will be free coffee every
morning. Each Friday, throwback pricing
will be in effect and purchases will cost
what they did ten years ago. The week of
May 17 is particularly exciting. Ice cream
cones will cost fifty cents all week with
only one exception. On May 19, there will
be free ice cream cones all day as well as
a 10 percent discount on over the counter
and retail purchases.
Happy anniversary Vincents!

13

May 08, 2015

fundraising

arts & events

Local author holds book Seabrook Island golfers

signing at Wadmalaw
donate equipment
Community Center
STAFF REPORT

For The Island Connection

reading, discussion and book

signing with local author Dr.
Nesha Jenkins-Tate of her book
Perfecting the Dance, Soulful Lessons
about Love, Faith and Courage, will be
held at the Wadmalaw Island Community
Center, 5605 Katy Hill Road., May
23, 2015 from 4-6 p.m. Music and
refreshments will be provided.
Dr. Nesha is from the Sea Islands,
her mother is from Wadmalaw and
her father from Johns Island. She is the
granddaughter of the late Esau Jenkins
and her grandmother Wilhemina Jenkins
was instrumental in assisting the early
Board in acquiring the property for the
Community Center.
Proceeds from the sales of her book
will be donated to the Community
Center's Senior's Ministry honoring her
grandparents Proceeds from the sale of her
book will be donated to the Community/
Senior Center.

Husbands of Seabrook Island Lady Golf Association members prepare to deliver all the
donated equipment the group collected to first tees.

BY JERRY FARBER

For The Island Connection

n April 8, 2015 Seabrook Island

Ladies Golf Association collected
over 500 golf clubs, 30 golf bags
and over 2,000 balls and donated them to
The FIRST Tees of Greater Charleston.
Anne Smith and Diane Eberhard,
members of the SILGA Board, organized
the effort. Over 40 Seabrookers donated
equipment for the cause. Husbands of
SILGA members helped collect and deliver
the golf equipment to First Tees.
Since 2008, The First Tees of Greater
Charleston has reached over 10,000
local youth through in-school and
after school programs throughout the
Greater Charleston area. Bucky Dudley,

Associate Director of Operations for the

organization, thanked Seabrook Island
Club members for its contribution, which
supports programs that will positively
impact the lives of our local youth
by providing structured educational
programs that build character, instill lifeenhancing values and promote healthy
choices through the game of golf.
SILGA has over 100 members and
annually supports the Barrier Island
Free Medical Clinic, lowcountry Food
Bank and SC Womens Golf Association
Junior Program through their efforts.
SILGA plans to make the golf equipment
collection an annual event.

14

on the water

May 08, 2015

May fishing report

BY GEOFF BENNETT
For The Island Connection

ith its blustery and rainy days,

spring roared into Charleston
over the last few weeks. This
change in season will trigger lots of great
things in our fishery. Redfish will be more
active and aggressive. The trout bite will
strengthen. Anglers can also expect the
arrival of a whole host of seasonal species
including shark, Spanish mackerel and
ladyfish. If you havent been already, you
need to get out on the water.

Its time to break

out the cast
nets. Menhaden
have become
prolific and make
excellent bait.

Its time to break out the cast nets.

Menhaden have become prolific and make
excellent bait. Those same redfish that
might have been ignoring your frozen
mullet will devour a fresh chunk of this
bait fish. Try fishing structure like docks
and pilings at low tide. Ill use size 3/0 circle

hooks and leave the rods in the holders.

Make sure to dial your drags way down
because you will hook into some beasts.
As trout begin to feed in earnest,
popping corks cast over oyster beds
and along grass banks will be a good
bet, paired with live shrimp and mud
minnows. I usually use a size 1 circle hook
and a 18-24 leader. When fishing with a
popping cork, always try to keep slack out
of your line and when that cork drops just
reel tight to set the hook. The circle hook
will do all the work for you.
With the warmer water temperatures,
sharks have returned to our waters. Watch
along the banks and youll see the fins of
bonnethead sharks slicing through the
water as they seek out prey. These sharks
can be caught in a foot of water or in the
middle of the harbor. Chunks of blue
crab as well as live shrimp are go-to baits.
Younger anglers love fishing for sharks as
they not only tend to be eager eaters but
also are great fighters.
See you on the water!
Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston
Charter Fishing providing light tackle and fly
fishing charters. For more information, call Capt.
Bennett at 843.324.3332, visit his website at
www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him
at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.

May 08, 2015

15

volunteer spotlight

computer corner

Recipient gives back to

OLM Community Outreach

The Internet is a wild

and friendly place

BY MARIA GUROVICH

BY BOB HOOPER

For The Island Connection

Editors Note: Volunteer Spotlight is a column in The Island Connection highlighting

members of the community who give their time to help others. If you know of a volunteer
who deserves the spotlight email jennifer@luckydognews.com.

hirty-one-year-old,
Trident
Technical College Dental Hygiene
student, Josefina Carmona was
born and raised on Johns Island. Josefinas
parents came to the United States from
Mexico as migrant workers 33 years ago.
They lived in Texas, Nebraska, and Florida
before they finally settled on Johns Island.
Josefina, her parents, and six siblings
were the only family that lived at the
Bennie Jenkins migrant camp all yearround.
My family first came to the Outreach,
or Las Monjitas (the Sisters) over 20 years
ago seeking help. We didnt have it easy.
Although, my parents were hard working
people, they lacked education and spoke
virtually no English, reminisces Josefina.
She remembers how much support they
received from the Sisters. I dont know
how we would have survived without their
help. In addition to coming to Our Lady
of Mercy Outreach to receive food and
clothing, Josefina remembers receiving
dental care in a trailer that was located on
the Outreachs property.
It feels very special to be able to do
my practicum at the Our Lady of Mercy
Outreach Wellness Center Clinic. It
feels good to be able to give back to my
community, says Josefina, who no longer
lives on Johns Island, but still considers
it her home. Josefina hopes to start

volunteering with the Outreach after

graduating from the Trident Technical
College Dental Hygienist Program in
May. As both a former client and now a
dental student, Josefinas brings a unique
perspective to her work at the OLM
Community Outreachs clinic. Josefina
speak from her heart when she says, I
feel like people are more willing to change
their lives for positive if they feel like
someone cares about them.

For The Island Connection

o the last few columns have been

somewhat paranoid, as I am paranoid
and am PAID to be so. But on the
whole the World Wide Web is fine to visit.
Although the bad guys are out there in
full force most Web sites are fine to visit
and are doing everything possible to keep
you safe. It's in the Web sites best interest,
not only to get you to come back but also
to keep down potential lawsuits and bad
reviews, which today can be as damaging
as anything.

If it looks too
good to be true,
it most likely is

For more information on how to

get involved with Our Lady of Mercy
Community Outreach contact Maria
Gurovich via phone 843.559.4109 or email
maria.gurovich@olmoutreach.org.

Tid e Char t
Date

High Tide

Low Tide

May 08
May 09
May 10
May 11
May 12
May 13
May 14
May 15
May 16
May 17
May 18
May 19
May 20
May 21

11:46am
12:15am/12:38pm
1:10am/1:38pm
2:12am/2:42pm
3:16am/3:48pm
4:20am/4:52pm
5:23am/5:53pm
6:22am/6:50pm
7:18am/7:44pm
8:12am/8:36pm
9:03am/9:25pm
9:54am/10:13pm
10:43am/11:00pm
11:32am/11:46pm

5:53am/5:49pm
6:43am/6:44pm
7:38am/7:45pm
8:36am/8:53pm
9:35am/10:02pm
10:34am/11:08pm
11:31am
12:10am/12:26pm
1:08am/1:18pm
2:03am/2:09pm
2:55am/2:58pm
3:44am/3:46pm
4:33am/4:33pm
5:21am/5:21pm

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

Large companies, especially those such

as banking and investing sites, spend lots
of time and money to keep their sites
clean and unencumbered by baddies.
Most have dedicated security teams who
constantly scan and proactively work
to stop attacks before they even begin.
When you log on the stuff that happens
in the background is strong. The simple
act of using your user name and password
kicks in some very wild sort of actions
that first start with sharing one type of
key and phasing over to another type,
in the end with a private commutation
tunneling through the 'net between you
and the bank.
Google, along with tracking you
everywhere, also tracks those baddies. It,
along with other search engines, does a lot
in the background to make your search
for left-handed widgets or pink elephants
as safe as possible. There are some
notable examples of Web sites that seem
to be search engines but in fact are just
bad guys in disguise. One prime way of
spotting this is if one day your open your
browser and your home page is not what
you are used to. It might say something

like Ask, Binkiland, Babylon, Conduit or

even Delta; all are fake and are proof
that you have been infected with either
a virus (malware) or a PUP (Potentially
Unwanted Programs).
When shopping or just surfing
remember the old adage, If it looks too
good to be true, it most likely is. This is
just as true on the Internet. Nothing is
free, no Prince from Africa or Duke from
England is needing to send you some
money. Although owners of Web sites
should regularly check their sites, some
people put one up for whatever reason,
forget about and it gets hijacked. When
going to a new site if it looks funky it most
likely is, if it has pop-ups and wants info
right away, get out of there!
Have a great time surfing, emailing
and shopping. Be very aware that the dark
alley is just that and could have a bad guy
at the end of it. A well lit street such as a
bank should be no problem and shopping
at a mall like Amazon or Kohl's/Macy's
(for example) can be safer than one of
those out of the way streets although
the deals may be better!
As with all of my columns if you want
help or have questions don't hesitate to call
Rent A Bob at 843.822.7794 or email at
rentabob@live.com.

16

May 08, 2015

daily

Splash into summer at

Charlestons waterparks
PA R K S O P E N W E E K E N D S I N M AY

BY SARAH REYNOLDS
For The Island Connection

ool fun awaits Lowcountry

residents and visitors at Charleston
County Park and Recreation
Commissions three area waterparks
Splash Zone, Splash Island and Whirlin
Waters Adventure Waterpark. The
waterparks open officially for the season
on May 2, for weekend operations only.
Whirlin Waters Adventure Waterpark
is located at North Charleston
Wannamaker County Park. The largest
waterpark in the Charleston area, Whirlin
Waters features unique activities for all
agesfrom curious little ones to thrillseeking adults. Children enjoy the Otter
Bay pool area and The Big Splash Tree
House featuring slides, sprays, interactive
play elements and a giant bucket that
dumps 1,000 gallons of water. Lily Pad
Lagoon, a toddler play area, provides
hours of fun with a shallow pool and
three spray geysers. Adults can unwind
while drifting down Rollin River, a lazy
river hosting 870 feet of relaxation. The
Big Kahuna wave pool is a family favorite
with 27,000 square feet of wave action.
For thrill seekers, Tubular Twister or the
six-lane Riptide Run are guaranteed to
provide a rush of excitement. Whirlin
Waters is open weekends only until May
30, when the park will be open every day
through mid-August.
Splash Zone, located in James Island
County Park, brings the Caribbean
to Charleston with island-style play
structures and two 200-foot-long slides.
Spend the day relaxing in the large leisure
pool or floating endlessly on the lazy
river. Splash Zone Waterpark, located on
James Island, will be open for everyday
operations starting May 25.
Splash Island at Mount Pleasant
Palmetto Islands County Park is tucked
deep within tropical vegetation and

provides hours of fun and recreation for

toddlers to pre-teenage children. Enjoy
slides, sprays, geysers, waterfalls and more.
Splash Island is open weekends only until
May 30, when the park will be open every
day through mid-August.
The waterparks also offer a full range
of amenities including concessions,
lockers for securing items, lounge chairs,
showers and restrooms. Each waterpark is
staffed with trained lifeguards to provide
a safe experience. In an effort to support
Charleston County Parks stewardship
initiatives to divert waste from area
landfills, all three waterparks offer on-site
composting bins in addition to recycling
bins at main concession stands.
For all three waterparks, hours of
operation are 10 a.m. 6 p.m., and
operating dates are:
May 2 - May 24 All three waterparks
open weekends only
May 25 mid-August Splash Zone
open daily
May 30 mid-August Whirlin
Waters and Splash Island open daily
August 15 - Labor Day open
weekends only
Special event rentals are also available
for all three waterparks. Additionally,
people with special needs and their
caregivers are invited to exclusive nights
at the waterparks. Special Needs Swim
Night will be held May 9 at Splash Zone,
and June 20 and July 18 at Whirlin
Waters.
For
more
information
or
to
purchase waterpark passes, visit www.
CharlestonCountyParks.com
or
call
843.795.4386.

May 08, 2015

seasons of the south

Caribbean Chicken
Skewers with Mashed
Sweet Potatoes

BY MARILYN MARKEL
For The Island Connection

Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Jerk marinade (I used Plutos)
1/2 cup ketchup
grilling skewers
mashed sweet potatoes, recipe below
Mashed Sweet Potatoes Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed,
but unpeeled (about 4 lb)
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 1/2 hour, longer elapsed time
Combine the marinade and the
ketchup in a bowl. Trim the chicken
breasts and cut thinly. Place in the
marinade overnight. Soak skewers if they
are wooden for several hours in water.
Heat the grill/grill pan or broiler. Thread
the chicken onto the skewers. Cook at
least 4 minutes per side until the chicken
is cooked through.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes Preparation

Preheat oven to 400. Line a large
baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place
the potatoes on the baking sheets and
pierce each one a few times with a fork.
Roast, until the potatoes are tender, about
1 hour. Transfer to a large bowl. Let cool
slightly and peel. Mash with a potato
masher, adding the butter, maple syrup,
and salt. Serve hot.

17

18

May 08, 2015

tennis

German Kerber wins Family

Circle Cup trophy
BY JENNIFER TUOHY
The IslandConnection Editor

he 2015 Family Circle Cup

wrapped up on April 12, 2015 with
a dramatic final between Angelique
Kerber of Germany and rising American
star Madison Keys. Keys lost in a tight
third set, capping off a week filled with
excellent tennis and copious amounts of
family friendly entertainment.
The tournament, which is a WTA
event, has been running since 1973,
moving to its home on Daniel Island
in 2001. This year the organizers really
emphasized the family part of its
title, letting children under 12 in free
throughout the tournament. An Easter
Egg hunt, bouncy castles and childrens
tennis games, as well as the willingness of
all the players to sign autographs and pose
with their young fans, brought a great
atmosphere to the festivities. Next year
the event takes place April 2 10, 2016

2015 FCC Champion Angelique Kerber brought her

trophy out to Isle of Palms, posing for a photo shoot on
the beach. Photo by Alice Keeney.

The surprise arrival of Martina Hingis spiced up the always

popular doubles section of the tournament.

Fan favorite and former champ Jelena Jankovic of Serbia

withdrew at the quarter-final stage with an injured foot.

May 08, 2015

financial focus

Step-by-Step approach can

ease estate-planning process

BY DIMI MATOUCHEV
For The Island Connection

ike many people, you may enjoy

investing. After all, it can be
invigorating to put away money for
your future, follow the performance of
your investments and track the progress
youre making toward your long-term
goals, such as a comfortable retirement.
However, you might be less excited
about doing estate planning, dreading
the perceived time, effort and cost. Yet,
you can make the entire process more
manageable by breaking it up into specific
tasks.
What are these tasks? Everyones needs
are different, but here are a few suggestions
that may be applicable to your situation:
Purchase life insurance
If something were to happen to you,
would your family be able to stay
in the house? Would your children
be able to go to college? You should
have sufficient life insurance to take
care of these and other essential
needs. You might hear about various
formulas for how much insurance
you should purchase, but you may be
better off by working with a financial
professionalsomeone who can
evaluate your assets, goals and family
situation, and then recommend an
appropriate level of coverage.
Draw up your will
For most people, a will is probably
the most essential estate-planning
document. Regardless of the size
of your estate, you need a will to
ensure that your assets and personal
belongings will be distributed
according to your wishes. If you
die intestate (without a will), your
belongings will be distributed to your
heirs as defined by state lawsand
these distributions may not be at all
what you had in mind.
Consider a living trust
Depending on your situation, you
may need to go beyond a will when
drawing up your estate plans. For
example, you might want to create
a living trust, which can allow your
assets to go directly to your heirs,
avoiding the public, time-consuming

and expensive process of probate. A

living trust offers other benefits, too,
so you may want to consult with a
legal professional to learn more about
this estate-planning tool.
Check beneficiary designations
The beneficiary designations on your
insurance policies and retirement
accounts, such as your IRA and
401(k), are powerful and can even
supersede the instructions left in your
will. So its in your best interests to
make sure youve got the right people
listed as your beneficiaries. Over
time, you may need to update these
designations to reflect changes in
your family situation.
Make final arrangements
Whenever you pass away, it will
be a stressful time for your loved
ones. To ease their burden, consider
establishing a payable-on-death
account at your bank, and then
funding this account to pay for your
funeral and related expenses.
Share your plans
The most comprehensive estate
plan in the world may not be of
much value if nobody knows of its
existence. Share your plans with your
loved ones and heirs. Its important
that everyone knows their roles in
carrying out your wishes.
When dealing with any estate-planning
issues, youll want to consult with your
legal and tax professionals. And by taking
a step-by-step approach, you can keep
the process moving forward without
feeling that youre being overwhelmed.
This article was written by Edward Jones
for use by your local Edward Jones Financial
Advisor. Edward Jones, its employees and
financial advisors are not estate planners
and cannot provide tax or legal advice

19