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Volume 9 Issue 3

May 22, 2015

FREE

22nd annual
golf tourney
a success
NON PROFIT HELPS
LOWCOUNTRY
RESIDENTS ACHIEVE
SELF-SUFFICIENCY

BY MARIA GUROVICH
For The Island Connection

And so it begins...

PHOTO BY KELLY BRAGG

FIRST TURTLE NEST ON ISLANDS PROMPTS

R E E X A M I N AT I O N O F P R E D AT I O N M I T I G AT I O N
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

eabrook Island's first loggerhead nest arrived a little after

Mother's Day, but it was still something to celebrate. The
turtle came ashore on Pelican Beach, Tuesday, May 12,
laying 173 eggs. The nest was moved to the turtle nursery between
the SBI Club and North Beach. Beth Henry and Stephanie Lea
found the nest and Sandy MacCoss and Judy Morr responded to
help move the nest. And so the 2015 loggerhead season begins.
Last years season produced mixed results, with a below
average count of 142 nests (including 16 found by DNR outside
normal patrol zones) on Kiawah and 32 on Seabrook. Kiawah
had a record 402 nests the previous year while Seabrook had a
more typical 68. Though numbers fluctuate from year to year,
the low numbers in 2014 were made worse by an unchecked
problem with coyotes.
I would like to get rid of the coyotes. DNR has said its OK and
we are working with the Seabrook Environmental Committee
[to that end] Beautsie Zahrn, 22 year Seabrook Island turtle

CATR Raises $71,000

Page 5

patrol veteran, said. Owing to some issues with erosion, most

nests on Seabrook are moved to a nursery, making predation
numbers difficult to track. Kiawah, on the other hand, watched
28 percent of their nests suffer from coyote predation. Details of
the losses are available on www.Seaturtle.org as reported to the
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The metric
brings last years decision by the Town of Kiawah Island to study
the problem into relief. Hungry coyotes seemed to think they
had won franchise rights and predictably voted to eat turtles.
Statewide results were only marginally better.
Charlotte Hope is a biologist with the SCDNR Marine Turtle
Conservation Program and has worked to document the issue.
Last years statewide total of 2,097 nests represents a decrease of
28.6 percent from the 33 year running average, she said during
a presentation last fall. Although some losses are to be expected,

And so it begins continues on page 3

Turtles Return Home

Page 16

ur Lady of Mercy Community

Outreach held its 22nd Annual
Golf Tournament at The Golf
Club at Briars Creek on Johns Island.
Eighty players enjoyed the beautiful
weather and participated in the best
ball 18 hole tournament. A cocktail
hour, award ceremony and dinner
followed tournament play. The event
raised over $50,000 that will go towards
supporting the many services offered by
the organization.
I want to wholeheartedly thank all
of the sponsors, volunteers, and golfers
who made this event successful, says
the organizations Executive Director, Jill
Jackson Ledford. The money raised from
this Golf Tournament will help provide
education and services that Sea Islands
as well as downtown-area residents need
to make positive changes in their lives.
Through educational programs, health
services, and direct emergency assistance,
we empower members of our community
to improve their circumstances.

Executive Director, Jill Jackson

Ledford & Sister Mary Joseph Ritter.
Photo by Maria Gurovich.

Outdoor Adventures

Page 21

May 22, 2015

civic

Kiawah Island Town Council

Meeting, May, 2015

Lynn Pierotti
publisher
[email protected]

A D M I N I S T R AT O R R U C K E R R E S I G N S ;
TOWN OPPOSES OFFSHORE DRILLING

Jennifer Tuohy
managing editor
[email protected]
Swan Richards
senior graphic designer
[email protected]
Lori McGee
sales manager
[email protected]
Alejandro Ferreyros
graphic designer
[email protected]
Ralph Secoy
staff photographer
Staff Writer
Gregg Bragg
Contributors
Maria Gurovich
Catherine Gilmore
Charlotte Meyer
Kate Ditloff
Carol Antman
Bob Hooper
Marilyn Markel
Barbara Burgess
Lori McGee

Published by
Lucky Dog Publishing
of South Carolina, LLC
P.O. Box 837
Sullivans Island, SC 29482
843-886-NEWS
Future deadlines: May 27
for submissions for the
June 5 Issue
Op-Ed articles and letters to the editor do not
necessarily reflect the opinion of
Lucky Dog News or its writers.

The Island
Connection

Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC

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

BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

:05 p.m. on March 5, 2015 and the

monthly town council meeting of
the Town of Kiawah Island was
up and running. Proceedings sputtered
a bit as the minutes from an array of
previous meetings were reviewed and
approved unanimously. The exception
was the result of the previous months
town council meeting minutes.They
had been completed and included in the
packets but not in time to allow council
members to review. It is the responsibility
of the Town Clerk to review recordings,
transcribe discussions for every meeting
under TOKI purview, 12 each month.
With that in mind, the motion to defer
approval until the June meeting of town
council was passed unanimously and
without comment but with kudos to the
clerk.
Kiawah resident Wendy Kulick asked
plenty of questions during the first
installment of Citizens Comments this
month. She began by saying she had been
appalled because of a vote (the previous
week) by the Ways & Means Committee.
The group had voted to approve $90,000
for a private car show, (listed in the budget
as Motoring Retreat). The measure had
passed unanimously (councilmember
John Wilson recused himself. He, along
with other elected notables such as
Kiawah Island Community Association
Board Member Bruce Stemerman, is a
member of the car show committee).
Kulick (wife of long term Kiawah Fire
Commissioner Tom Kulick) went on to
explain her disappointment was intensified
because a St. Johns Fire District request
for $50,000 had been rejected by Ways
& Means. The SJFD request was to be

used to enhance the medical training of

its Kiawah based employees. Additionally,
she pointed out, last fall TOKI spent
$60,000 on a study which recommended
similar solutions to those in the SJFD
request, to resolve medical access issues
on the island. Before Kulick could return
to her seat, the Mayor said her question
would be answered later in the meeting.
There was no Old Business on the
agenda, putting New Business and the
budget center stage.
The entire budget is available at the
towns website (www.kiawahisland.org).
Residents are encouraged to find and
review it for themselves. Despite the
absence of both the Town Administrator
and Treasurer from the budget retreat,
several budget changes were decided on
and discussed by town council.
1. Hire employees of Safe Built in
lieu of the current contractual
arrangement
2. Elimination of the proposed
position of Public Safety Director
3. Hiring a part-time planner (to
be housed at Charleston County
offices) in anticipation of hiring
their own full-time planning staff,
to be housed on Kiawah as the
town grows in size and complexity.
4. Adjustments for TOKI staff
salaries and money for the deputies
at Freshfields
5. Parsing out the funds for the
planned Municipal Center. ($4
million would be taken from
capital funds and $7 million in
new debt).
6. Adjustments necessary to lease

vehicles (currently 7 in the TOKI

fleet) for 3-4 years instead of
buying them and eliminate the
need for the car proposed for
the [now eliminated] position of
Public Safety Director.
7. Funding for both the Motoring
Retreat and SJFD
8. Money for TOKIs part in the
Kiawah
Island
Community
Association [e.g. roads) signage
project
9. Hire a part time graphic designer
to help with the web-site.
Coastal Science Engineering had
been engaged to review bids of candidate
companies to address erosion at the Ocean
Course (work scheduled March 11-15,
CSE representative Steven Traynum
said, in a letter to TOKI A total of nine
bids was receivedBased on reviews,
CSE recommends the Town pursue an
agreement for construction of the project
with Lake Moultrie Water Co. It was
noted all permits had been signed and
approved.
TOKI continued work on the
Comprehensive Plan by sending
a
memorandum of understanding to the
Kiawah Island Golf Resort, which both
parties will sign. This includes funds for
an intern to be housed at the county, will
report to the [proposed] TOKI Planning
supervisor and help in the preparation of
the plan.
The Kiawah Island Conservancy was
in attendance to ask for funds to be used
in a pair of studies they have undertaken
on top of the annual TOKI contribution.
$5,000 would be used for an alligator

K iawah Island Town H all

21 Beachwalker Drive
Kiawah Island, SC 29455
Phone: 768-9166
Thursday, June 4 Fax: 768-4764
Arts & Cultural
Seabrook Island Town H all
Events Council
2001 Seabrook Island Road
3 - 5 p.m.
Seabrook Island, SC 29455
Municipal Center
Downstairs Conference Phone: 768-9121
Fax: 768-9830
Room
Email: [email protected]

Civic Calendar
Monday, May 25

Friday, May 29

MEMORIAL DAY
Town Offices Closed

Comprehensive
Plan Subcommittee
Meeting
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Lonnie Hamilton,
III Public Services
Building

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

Tuesday, June 2

Kiawah Ways and

Means
2 - 4 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Town Council
Meeting
2 - 4 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall

Public Hearing Ordinance 2015-06

1:30 - 2 p.m.
Kiawah Municipal
Center Council
Chambers

Seabrook Island Town

Council Meeting
2 - 4 p.m.
Municipal Center
Council Chambers

Tuesday, June 9

Communications
Committee Meeting
3 - 5 p.m.
Municipal Center
Downstairs Conference
Room

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 22, 2015

civic

study and another $10,000 was requested

to film Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol in
action. If we have our new building and
our own visitors center [in lieu of Jan
Fox and the Charleston Visitors Bureau
currently stationed at the entrance to
town hall] we could play it [the movie]
there, pitched councilmember Mary
Johnson. Both requests were approved
unanimously.
Committee reports opened with the
Mayor holding a newspaper clipping
above his head. The headline announced
seismic testing had been approved to
proceed off the coast of South Carolina.
The Mayor described the article as being
generally supportive of drilling along with
state officials and said we just dont have
enough information [to pass a resolution].
The suggestion of more studying was the
perfect segue for councilmember Mary
Johnson, fresh from a meeting of the
Environmental Committee.
Seabrook decided to go ahead and
pass a resolution, their Environmental
Committee reports to their community
association where ours is a committee
under the town council, she said. Their
environmental committee did a survey of
their residents and 80 percent were against
this. The drilling and seismic testing.
Council then proceeded with a resolution
they have sent to the Governor and that
took care of the little bit of work we had
done to set up a forum, said Johnson. She
went on to say that 40 or 41 other South
Carolina communities had passed similar
resolutions. We will be highly criticized
if we leave it alone. I think we will be
highly criticized if we dont oppose it,
concluded Johnson.
Town council made a motion to
oppose seismic testing and offshore
drilling. There was more discussion but
in the end, a motion to oppose offshore
drilling was passed by a 3-2 vote with
Weaver and Wilson voting against the
measure. Regrettably and as mentioned
by several Kiawah residents over the past
three months, the resolution was too late
to be included in the public comment

period of the Bureau of Ocean Energy

Management. BOEM, incidentally,
was the last large organization to have a
comment period.
The Mayors report included the
announcement Town Administrator
Tumiko Rucker had submitted her
resignation, to be effective at the end of
June. Although she is presently on leave,
she will return and assist in finding her
replacement. She will be missed, said
Mayor Lipuma.
The final installment of Citizens
Comments for the day was as lively as
ever. SJFD Chief Walz was formal and
dignified in thanking council for their
consideration of providing funds to train
Kiawah based SJFD employees.
Kiawah resident and retired Presiding
Municipal Judge Dennis McGill tried
again to get an explanation for the salaries
paid by TOKI to Senior staff. To help
make his point, he cited the salary budget
of $545,000 for staff under Mayor Orban,
which is now estimated at $845,000.
However, His 3 minute speaking
allotment expired and he gaveled back
to his seat. Who is going to answer my
requests? McGill persisted.
Kiawah resident Diane Lehder asked if
there was a policy on the private use of
TOKI vehicles.
Mason Sullivan then introduced
himself as an employee of Senator Lindsey
Graham. Just because my boss may be
running for President doesnt mean we
have forgotten who is important, said
Sullivan. Asked if his boss was in favor of
drilling, Sulllvan replied in the affirmative
and took license to continue well past
the three minute limit. A restless crowd
eventually enforced the time limit but not
before Mayor Lipuma invited Sullivan to
lunch.
There was no Executive Session and the
meeting was adjourned.

wildlife

Volunteers from the Seabrook Island Turtle

Patrol excavate the first nest of the season.

And so it begins continues from cover

rogue high tides or big storms claimed
only 34 nests while predation took more
than its usual toll. Raccoons, present on
18 South Carolina islands, accounted
for the loss of 242 nests. Coyotes, on the
other hand, were present on only seven SC
islands but accounted for the loss of 190
nests, defying all efforts to alleviate their
impact.
The SCDNR presentation continued
with slide after slide depicting mitigation
efforts (predation prevention). Measures
which have historically been applied to
good effect against raccoons were ignored
altogether by coyotes. On some islands,
screens were dug under or chewed through,

and metal cages buried around the nests

egg chamber were circumvented. Always
trying to stay one step ahead of this
predator, other deterrents tested included
fluttering flags, motion activated lights/
sound mechanisms and offensive odors.
On islands with longer histories of coyote
populations, the raiders became inured
to the obstacles. During an interview
immediately after the presentation, Hope
observed the impact of the coyotes on the
2014 season had been on top of normally
expected losses. Fortunately, there
are changes planned on Kiawah (and
elsewhere) for 2015.
As far as I know, the changes include
screening of all nests, and the Town of
Kiawah is going to be more involved,
said Hope. Town staff will be doing a
few days of surveying in the construction
zones on the NE end of the island [e.g. the
planned beach re-nourishment project at
the Ocean Course], have been trained to
help with strandings and will be entering
the sea turtle data into the database. They
have also expressed interest in going out
on the truck to learn more about how the
whole project works, concluded Hope,
who will be overseeing the efforts again
this year.
Little can prevent predation before
the nest is found by turtle patrollers.
But the hope is that more study and
increased mitigation efforts will help
protect turtle nests. Kiawah and Seabrook
boast some of the most active turtle patrol
programs in the state of South Carolina.
The involvement of so many volunteers
combined with increased awareness bodes
well for efforts to protect sea turtles.

May 22, 2015

May 22, 2015

fundraising

CATR raises $71,000 for a roof

I N T H E C O M PA N Y O F H O R S E S A B I G S U C C E S S
FOR THERAPEUTIC RIDING PROGRAM

n the company of horses is a

great way to spend an afternoon
on Johns Island. ICOH is also
a fundraiser held at the Brickhouse
Equestrian Center where many of the
steeds they house participate in the
Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding
program for those coping with physical
or mental challenge. Participants range in
age and disability from autistic children
to wounded veterans. Hoping to raise
the funds necessary for a covered arena,
CATR (a registered non-profit) staged the
perfect bar-b-que on the historic site last
month.
The Sweetgrass Revival doled out
musical favorites.The local duo of Susan
Curry and John Mohror had a big,
polished sound they tailored to suit the
elegant country venue perfectly. Carnival
games were available and scored to elicit
corporate contributions, while tickets
were available to win the prize of your
choice. A silent auction of 100 items
and the photographs of local favorite
MJ Green rounded out the contribution
mediums, but it was still the horses that
drew the most attention.
Samantha (10-14 hands) could easily
play her part in an old western. Looking
fierce in a dusty white coat with an
over-sprayed layer of black she conjures
visions of Clint Eastwood. However, the
nearby docent, one of over eighty CATR
volunteers from all over the Lowcountry,
said Sam was the most gentle of the
horses and the most sought after. The
offhand comment would prove prophetic.
Two different kinds of bar-b-que,
toasty on the top mac&cheese, rolls and
best-ever broccoli slaw were provided by
Tristan Events. Southern Eagle and Extra
Virgin Oven collaborated on a range of
beverages. And, as the buzz of dinner
conversation ebbed, an education was
provided by some of the CATR students
themselves.
Looking 100 percent his part of an
old western, CATR student ambassador
Conor McManus sat astride Samantha.

BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

Conor is one of over 140 students who

participate in therapeutic riding at
Brickhouse. The demonstration ended
to applause as Conors mom, Miranda
expressed her appreciation.

The change
you see is best
described as
empowering
Anne Marie Hagood
Conor has been asleep 60 times
[anesthesia/surgery] but he takes control
of his life for that period of time [while
hes riding], she said. Although she
felt her description didnt do justice
to the benefits of therapeutic riding, a
discernable difference in she and her sons
countenance was easily apparent as she
turned over the microphone. Organizers
had one last bit of excitement in store after
all.
Five big ticket items including jewelry
and travel packages, were entrusted to
live auctioneer Doug Warner. The very
engaged crowd voiced approval at every
step of the process as the price for each
item spiraled slowly upward, seemed to
stall, only to roar to life again with a new
bid. Late arriving bids almost seemed
deliberate, contributing to a crescendo
of cheers and applause, which gained
momentum until the last item found a
home. All told, over $71,000 was collected
by organizers, headed in part by Anne
Marie Hagood.
Hagood is president of the CATR
board of advisors, which consists of nine to
15 members from all over the Tri-County
area who serve three year terms. Currently

in her seventh year on the board, Anne

explained her longstanding service is
motivated by the impact it has on the
students. The change in perspective
CATR provides for participants is both
literal and emotional. One example is a
student who starts their session looking
up from a wheelchair, but ends looking
down from the back of a horse.
The change you see is best described as
empowering, says Hagood, who lavishes
praise on the volunteers and staff who
make it all possible, including Murray
Neale.
Neale has been Executive Director
of CATR for over eighteen years now.
She explained a typical session for one
of the students lasts 45 minutesa 30
minute ride and 15 minutes of either
grooming or groundwork depending on
individual abilities. It also takes from
one to three volunteers to shepherd each
student through their paces every week.
Although CATR keeps things busy at the
Brickhouse Equestrian Center, it is also a
business in its own right.

Twenty four horses are boarded there,

ten of which participate in the CATR
program. Neale went on to explain CATR
originally bought approximately 13 acres
of Brickhouse in 2004. Five years later,
the Greenbelt Program made $700,000
in funding and an additional 30 acres
available, provided the tract was held as
a conservation easement. The Executive
Director also knows a thing or two about
hosting a fundraiser.
Over 350 people attended the late
April event and the $71,000 accumulated
exceeded the days goal. Lowcountry
Giving Day a few weeks later also added
to the amount raised. Prospects of a
covered arena are looking better every
day. A covered arena would mean CATR
students will be able to ride rain or shine

A Lucky
Dog Favorite

May 22, 2015

fundraising

Arts, etc. House Tour raises

funds for local schools
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

rts, etc. may be a new name, but

the same sisterhood of Kiawah
and Cassique women has been
promoting art appreciation and education
for fifteen years. The name change
coincided with the groups transition
to 501(c)(3) status as an independent
charitable organization. Its legendary for
the annual Kiawah Art and House Tour
and the latest installment of the marquee
fundraiser was held on April 10, 2015 and
was met with eager enthusiasm.
Perfect weather was a blessing to the
flock of attendees, most of whom had
purchased tickets in advance. Most
participants seemed to have dressed for
dinner, which lent a parade-like quality to
the event. Several couples opted to avoid
driving and rode bikes, which only added
to the festive atmosphere.The raft of sunny
smiles on display suggested the admission
price was money well spent, not only for
a good cause, but also for decorating ideas
you could go a lifetime without thinking
of on your own.
Complete descriptions of the homes

PHOTOS BY TINA SCHELL

are available at www.kiawahartsetc.org.

Highlights include hardwood countertops
in kitchens, sweeping views of ocean,
marsh and river, wood and rock combined
to inspire renovators. One home boasted
a loggia with cooking area, decks, swings
and pool all nestled amongst the dunes
with an ocean view. Another home had a
super-secret cabinet in the kitchen pantry,
which opened to reveal a ladder, which
descended into a childrens playroom. The
kids could be under foot and out of the
way at the same time. As impressive as
they were, however, the homes were just
the frame for the art intended to be the
tours focus.
The terracotta warrior (one of two)
at the impressive fourth house on the
tour was friendlier than the respect his
menacing countenance demanded. He
stood vigil over a sculpture made of
Tibetan prayer flags draped through
the airway of a two storey, wrap around
stairwell. Mary Beth McAnaney, a wellstudied docent, explained the piece had
been individualized for the homeowner
during a trip to Tibet.

Consistent with the ancient tradition

of prayer flags in Tibet, the prayers
printed on the flags are carried on the
wind. Monks in Tibet had analyzed the
homeowners horoscope to guide what
was printed on each flag. The flags were
then arranged by color for the subject. The
traditional flags are blue (sky), white (air),
red (fire), green (water) and yellow (earth).
The homeowner then had the sculpture
made, concluded McAnaney, one of 110
volunteers for Arts, etc. coordinated by
the House Tour Committee.
House Tour co-chairs Becky Hilstad
and Sandra Brooks had plenty on their
palette for the April event. The name
change to Arts, etc. alone necessitated
a host of updates. The website was
completely redesigned, letterhead and
signs were updated. Even the ticketing
process had to be re-engineered and
there was still the tour itself to consider.
Through the efforts of what Hilstad
described as a tireless group of dedicated
women working to promote the arts in
the Lowcountry, the successful event was
executed with aplomb and its customary
precision.
When the dust settled, Arts, etc. was
able to contribute over $70,000, split
between two Johns Island charities.

We are proud to announce the two

organizations have been selected as
recipients of proceeds from the 2015
Art & House Tour are Art To Go and
Engaging Creative Minds, says the Arts,
etc. website. Ticket sales and Platinum
Level Business Sponsors like John L. Paul,
CIC/Anderson Insurance Associates and
PURE Insurance along with over 30 other
corporate sponsors and over 30 individual
sponsors contributed to the benefit of the
event and the neighborhood.
Arts, etc. Board President Jeannie
Dolson and the rest of the organization,
for that matter, define the neighborhood
as Johns Island schools. We used to be
Charleston based but are now more focused
on art and whats in our neighborhood,
said Dolson. We [harnessed] the energy
of being a social group and [applied] it to
advancing the arts in local schools, and
so they have.
Arts, etc. is closing fast on the $1.5
million mark in contributions over the
lifetime of the young organization. The
torch will be passed to others, a million
moving parts will be coordinated, and the
next Kiawah Island Art & House Tour
will contribute to the steady march of
advancing the arts in the Lowcountry.

May 22, 2015

people you meet

People You Meet: Sidi Limehouse

T H E FA R M E R C O M E S F U L L C I R C L E
BY GREGG BRAGG

The Island Connection Staff Writer

The Island Connection is launching a new monthly

column, People You Meet will profile interesting individuals
from across the Sea Islands. If you have suggestions for future
subjects please email [email protected]

f you have an opinion about the completion of 526,

construction of the Greenway or development on
Captain Sams Spit, odds favor an encounter with
Sidi Limehouse. The Johns Island farmer has an abiding
interest in retaining the rural nature of his home and
believes in sharing his view. His interest began shortly
after he was born on Johns Island in 1938 [a date that
varies with the season] and given a name which may
sound unique, but isnt in the Lowcountry.
According to one account, the Limehouse family
left England early in the eighteenth century. During
the voyage to a new life in America, one of four young
Limehouse boys fell over the side but was rescued by an
Arab named Sidi. Generations of the family have handed
down the heros name along with a tradition of farming,
another passion of Sidi Limehouse III. This can make
catching up with him a different matter.
Sidi wasnt available the early afternoon of October
5 when I first sought him out to get his take on the
appearance of a mysterious South Carolina Department
of Health and Environmental Control sign. The now
infamous sign was in the field Sidi used to grow wild
flowers on Betsy Kerrison and portended closure of
his iconic produce stand to make way for the Town of
Kiawahs new municipal complex. Rosebank Farms
lieutenant Kevin ended up as both tour guide and
window into how things work on one of the areas most
famous farms.
You know Kevin, too, incidentally. He probably
introduced himself when you mistook him for Sidi, a
coincidence they put to good use at Rosebank Farm.

Rosebank Farms iconic produce stand has found a new

home.

Having a look-alike makes for better customer service,

keeps any eye-servants busy thinking the boss is
everywhere and provides a buffer. Knowing why someone
wants to talk with Sidi makes exchanges easier and on this
occasion, Kevin maintained a pleasant, if circumspect,
dialogue. Sidi hasnt wanted to say too much because
hes still hoping the town will let him stay [at the present
location], offered Kevin at the time.
Anecdotes provide another window into the
operations of Rosebank, say something about the depth
of community support for the farm stand, and provide a
whisper of hope it will endure. One local tells of arriving
after the farm stand had closed one winter evening. Sidi
stayed late, however, and sent the resident home with a
Christmas tree and the chance to carve the roast beast.
Another tells of benefiting from a bulk price for apples.
Sidi could have made more selling the produce by the
piece but offered the discount after sharing a moment

with the customer. This sort of story makes it hard to

image the Lowcountry without Rosebank and the many
people employed there.
When Sidi finally was available, he and Kevin pulled
up together in the same SUV you always see them driving.
Greetings, salutations and handshakes were followed by
Sidi indicating he would park and Ill be right back.
Before you could finish a thought, he was motioning
to an empty seat in the shade under the tree of life which
used to canopy Rosebanks Farm stand. Because what
proper southern gentleman would do anything in the
glaring sun he didnt have to.
Sidi went on to say his farm stand had been
[somewhere] on Betsy Kerrison for thirty years. We
used to be down by the Catholic Church. The Little Pig
was right there. When asked if being so close to the
Piggly Wiggly [now the Ace Hardware store] had been a
problem he said, No. The people that used to come here
[to vacation] couldnt eat out for every meal. They had to
prepare meals. So they would come see us and then go to
the Little Pig. Freshfields was a problem for us, though,
because they [vacationers/shoppers] had to go around the
circle and into the lot to Newton Farms. It seemed like
[more of] a second stop but it worked out.
Bringing us back to today, Sidi may have a new home
for his Rosebank farm stand. Im 73, Sidi volunteered.
Everything is going to be alright, he said with a resigned
shrug. A plan to move directly across the road gave way
to negotiations with the Freeman family in the hope of
sharing their location (or possibly even a second stand)
near the intersection of River Road and Betsy Kerrison.
Finally, and if the recently erected tent is any indication,
a deal has been worked out for a spot just north of the
Church Of Our Savior. It looks like Rosebank will end
this chapter where the story began, on Betsy Kerrison and
provide an object lesson in tenacity as part of the bargain.

May 22, 2015

WIC opens on Johns Island

Nicholas Davidson, Public Health Director for DHEC cuts the ribbon to officially open a new Women, Infant, and
Children (WIC) clinic in the Sea Island Comprehensive facility on Johns Island 3627 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island,
SC. The new clinic will offer a range of WIC services, including food products, infant formula support, and nutrition
and health classes. Other key WIC services and resources will also be available. To make an appointment call
800.868.0404. For more information visit www.scdhec.gov/WIC.

May 22, 2015

farmer focus

The Big Cheese

BY CATHERINE GILMORE
For The Island Connection

hen it comes to fresh, local

cheese, Charleston Artisan
Cheesehouse is at the top of
its game in the Lowcountry. Owners
Greg Tatis, Monica Jaramillo-Tatis and
Pete and Heather Holmes work hard to
provide an array of Charleston-themed
cheeses that have that authentic, raw
flavor desired by connoisseurs. However,
it doesnt take a connoisseur to recognize
that these cheeses are special, a far cry
from those found at the grocery store.
Whether its for personal enjoyment or for
gifts, the Charleston Artisan Cheesehouse
has something special for everyone with
fun, innovative flavors such as the Battery
Park Bloomy Rind, the Lowcountry
Whey and the French Quarter.
Current owner and partner Greg Tatis
was approached years ago about making
cheese while he was the general manager
at a local restaurant. The owner of the
restaurants son expressed his desire to
begin a cheese making business and asked
Greg if he would help due to his culinary
experience. Greg accepted the challenge
and began his partnership making a small
assortment of artisan cheeses. About two
years in, however, Greg was asked by the
restaurant owners son to take over the
operation until the full investment was
returned. Being the general manager of
his restaurant and running Charleston
Artisan Cheesehouse proved to be nearly
impossible, so he enlisted the help of a few
friends.
Pete and Heather Holmes were in
the process of relocating to Charleston
when they began toying with the idea
of a partnership with Greg and his wife
Monica. The two couples had known
each other for years and Pete and Heather
were in need of jobs in Charleston; after
their first look into the cheese operation
they decided that they wanted in. Pete
and Heather became official partners
last February. Since the partnership, the
business has grown about 1200 percent
in productivity and the owners are
looking to expand their cheese house to
accommodate those numbers.

One woman has helped make their

recent success possible: Margaret Peters
from Glen Gary Farms in Canada. Greg
began buying his equipment from her and
has since received tips such as to how to
tweak their original recipes. Margaret has
even helped with making their operation
more efficient and is responsible for much
of their recent spike in productivity.
These tips do not come without a price,
however; in exchange for cheese advice,
Greg gives Margaret culinary advice and
ideas based off his experience with food.
Without the help from Margaret, the
Charleston Artisan Cheesehouse would
not be growing as quickly as it is now.
When it comes to taste, Pete says the
secret is the Hickory Hill Milk they use
from Edgefield, South Carolina. The folks
at Hickory Hill Milk never give hormones
or antibiotics to the cows and the milk
has the classic, cream line flavor that is
so highly sought after. This milk, along
with creative flavors made from natural
ingredients are what makes the Charleston
Artisan Cheesehouses cheese so special
and such a gem in the Lowcountry.
Though they participate in a farmers
market almost every day of the week,
the Homegrown Johns Island Farmers
Market was the Cheesehouses first.
Therefore, the owners or one of their
representatives always make sure to attend
every Saturday. The Johns Island market
has opened up a world of opportunity
for them, between everyday cheese lovers
turned loyal customers to chefs at high
end restaurants, the market has proven to
be extremely valuable to their business and
most of their revenue can be attributed
to connections made there. Find them
there and bring home their vast array of
different cheeses every Saturday from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m., 3546 Maybank Highway.
The folks at the Charleston Artisan Cheese
house may be contacted at 843.608.9118,
ChsCheesehouse@CharlestonCheeseHouse.
com, www.johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.

10

Tastes of the south

May 22, 2015

Bulls Bay
Saltworks
BY CHARLOTTE MEYER
For The Island Connection

ounded just three years ago, in May

2012, Bull's Bay Saltworks was
initially a passion project undertaken
by Rustin and Teresa Gooden. As amateur
homesteaders living on Bull's Bay, Rustin
and Teresa sought both to reimagine how
they could have ready access to everyday
stapleswithout driving to townand to
harness that particular flavor so inherent
to a South Carolinian's taste. Namely, a
love of the distinct, mineral-y salt of the
Lowcountry. This is their passionto
produce a domestic sea salt sourced from
clean resources, with the smallest carbon
footprint.
Harvesting from the pure waters of
Bull's Bay, kept clean by a flourishing
community of tasty bivalves, Teresa and
Rustin produce a variety of salt-based

products that are clearly rooted in the

place in which they are made. But, just
as importantly, the products themselves
make it possible for folks across the
country to experience and understand
that salty Lowcountry bite.
I didn't grow up in the South, let
alone the Lowcountry, so the first time
I tasted the Carolina Flake Salt from
Bull's Bay, it was something totally new
to me, something pure and distinct. It has
a flavor of its own, but it also perfectly
complements and accentuates the flavors
of any dish, from crisp spring vegetables to
BBQ ribs. Perhaps the best flavor pairing
for Summer 2015 is to use the salt for your
cocktail needs.The Carolina Margarita
Salt they produce is the best way to elevate
the classic summer drink!

11

Island Photo: Whos there?

May 22, 2015

Larry Corio, a, part-time Kiawah Island resident from New York, photographed this great horned owl perched
above lot 5 of Shell Creek Landing on Kiawah Island. See more of Larrys work at www.larrycorio.com.
If you photograph an interesting wildlife sighting or beautiful scene on the islands, please send them to The
Island Connection and well feature them in our Island Photo section. Email to [email protected].

Island Connection Calendar

May 22
ONGOING EVENTS
Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto Arts
Festivals
Two weeks of exceptional arts and music
events take over downtown Charleston
and surrounding communities May 22
through June 7. See spoletousa.org and
piccolospoleto.com for more details.
Donate blood through the American Red
Cross this summer
11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on June 9; 8 a.m. - 1
p.m. on June 14. Johns Island, Islands
Community, 1880 Andell Bluff Blvd. St.
Johns High The American Red Cross seeks
eligible donors to give blood in honor of
World Blood Donor Day, June 14, and
throughout the summer to help ensure a
sufficient blood supply for patients in need.
Those who come to donate blood with the
Red Cross June 8 - 14, 2015 will receive a
limited-edition Nexcare givebandage in one
of eight global-inspired designs in honor
of World Blood Donor Day. School, 1518
Main Road. Seabrook Island; June 11 10:30
a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Lake House 2319
Seabrook Island Road.

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. For more information, call

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. Call 843.559.1945 for more
information.

Mondays

Monday Bridge Group

9 a.m. at the Lake House. The Monday
Bridge Group needs new players. For more
information, please contact Lori Muenow
at 843.768.2314 or Ilse Calcagno at
843.768.0317.
Seabrook Stitchers
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. The Lake House. For more
information, please contact Denise Doyon
at [email protected].

Tuesdays

Mah Jongg Practice

1 - 4 p.m. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Tuesday
of the month, 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 [email protected].

Storytimes at Johns Island Regional

Library
10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: May 5 and 12; June
2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. Time for Twos (2 3
years old with caregiver).

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 yourself for
success and be ready to shine.
Storytimes at Johns Island Regional
Library
10:30 a.m. May 6 and 13 at Preschool
Storytime (3 5 years old with caregiver).

Fridays

Preschool Zone
10:30 a.m. Throughout April. 351 Maybank
Highway, Johns Island Regional Library.
3 - 6 years old with adult. Call 843.559.1945
for more information.
Friday Indoor Pickleball
12:30 - 2:30 p.m. 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
10 a.m. 2 p.m. Johns Island Farmers
Market. Every Third Saturday at 3546
Maybank Highway Johns Island.
For more information, visit www.
johnsislandfarmersmarket.com.
2015 Sea Island Cars and Coffee
9 - 11 a.m. The third Saturday each month,
Freshfields Village. The next Cars and
Coffee will be on June 20.
Sippin Saturdays at Irvin House
Vineyards
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. For more
information, visit www.charlestonwine.com.

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

FRIDAY, MAY 22

Music on the Green

Freshfields Memorial Day Weekend
Concert Series featurestwo nights of live
music, The concerts are complimentary, and
are scheduled from 6-9 p.m. on the Village
Green. Blankets and chairs are encouraged.
Kick off the summer with Hot Sauce. This
energetic variety band has mastered the
sounds of rock, oldies, soul, funk, and Top
40. A great band and an even better venue
for the entire family to come out and enjoy.
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.
Beachwalker Bird Walks
8:30 - 11 a.m. The southwestern end of
Kiawah Island is an excellent place to spot
seabirds and shorebirds. Well hike nearly
two miles of pristine beach looking for
a variety of birds, including raptors and
songbirds. A chaperone is required for
participants ages 15 and under. Free. Meets
at the Kiawah Beachwalker Park. For ages
12 and up.

SATURDAY, MAY 23

Music on the Green

6-9 p.m. Freshfields Memorial Day
Weekend Concert Series continues with
CoastRunner, a Carolina beach music band
that specializes in oldies, soul, beach music,
and more. This band is known for familiar
tunes that get the crowd up and dancing
from the first song of the night to the last.
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.

June 6
Charleston Tea Plantation, Wadmalaw
Island.

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.

THURSDAY, MAY 28

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.

Piccolo Comes to Kiawah

7:30 p.m. City of Charleston Office of
Cultural Affairs and Piccolo Spoleto
Festival will present Piccolo Comes to
Kiawah at the Turtle Point Clubhouse.
This event is funded by the Town of Kiawah
Island Cultural Events Fund. The program
will consist of two parts: The In-Between,
featuring Jill Terhaar Lewis, soprano and
Robert Lewis, saxophone, with Gerald
Gregory, piano, Tyler Ross, guitar, and
Norbert Lewandowski, cello; and Daniel D,
a contemporary violinist.

SUNDAY, MAY 24

SATURDAY, MAY 30

First Flush Festival

Sheryl Crow will headline the 9th Annual
First Flush Festival at the Charleston
Tea Plantation on May 24, 2015 from
12 p.m. -11 p.m. Tickets are $40 at
www.firstflushfestival.com/tickets. The

Call of the Ancient Mariner

Documentary exploring the relationship
between man and sea turtles returns to the
Terrace Theater the week of May 29-June
4th. The film won Best of the Festival at the
Terrace Charleston Film Festival in March.
Much of the film was shot in the Charleston

area and many Charleston-based sea turtle

patrols are supporting the project. Saturday,
May 30 the 4 p.m. showing will be followed
by a DVD release party featuring light
finger foods from How Art Thou and a
chance to pick up a copy of the DVD or
film T-Shirt. Director David 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.

SATURDAY, JUNE 6

9th Annual Rotary Club Duck Race

1:30 p.m. The Rotary Program on the
Sea Islands and Around the World are
selling adoptions for the 2015 Duck Race.
Rubber ducks are $10/piece. Each year
approximately 30,000 ducks are dropped
in the Wando River to Race toward the
Daniel Island Waterfront Park. Some of the
fastest lucky ducks to the finish line will
win big. Ducks can be adopted on-line at:
www.charlestonduckrace.com or at the front
desk at Harvest Health and Rehab of Johns
Island. For more information please contact
Lindsay Anderson at 843.749.4573.

THURSDAY, JUNE 11
Disaster Awareness Day
10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. sponsored by the
Towns of Kiawah Island and Seabrook
Island held at the Seabrook Island Club.

14

May 22, 2015

15

May 22, 2015

arts & events

Seabrook Artists Guild artist and

photographer of the month

Photographer of the Month:

Bob Hider

I got my first camera when I was in high

school. It was a Voightlander 35mm, with
a flip down bellows lens. It had a great lens
and took good pictures... unfortunately I
didnt take good pictures. I had a lot to
learn. So over the years I wasted a lot of
film, most of it under or over exposed. I
bought a light meter. That solved many of
the exposure issues, but still my pictures
didnt have that great look that I had
seen from other photographers. That led
to a darkroom. There I had another huge
learning experience, and it wasnt until a
friend of a friend showed me how to get
the most out of a shot in the developing
tray that I finally began to be satisfied
with my pictures.
Of course I hadnt even thought of
things like composition, artistic quality
and the things that make good pictures
great pictures. In fact that didnt happen
for almost 40 years. Sure, I had cameras all
throughout my life, but they were mostly
for picture taking, kids, trips, parties, etc.
I hadnt considered making artistic images
that people would buy until 3 things came

Artist of the Month:

Frank Cassara

into confluence in my life.

The first was retirement. That gave
me the time to seek out good shots. The
second was the digital camera revolution.
I was turned on immediately by the idea
that I could now manipulate my pictures
in a computer, rather than a dark room
(my profession as a director/producer had
given me a basic knowledge of Adobe
Photoshop which I quickly put to work on
my photos.) The third thing was moving
to Seabrook Island, SC, which opened my
eyes to the beauty of the Lowcountry: the
marshes, the wildlife, the sunrises and the
sunsets. It all came together for me.
And, the fact that I could sell my work
for a worthwhile charity, the Respite Care
of Charleston, made me want to show
and sell as much as possible. Of course I
still want to be retired, but photography
has given me a purpose and an outlet for
my creative juices. When someone buys a
picture, the check is made out to Respite
Care of Charleston. That money is passed
directly to Respite along with an invoice
for my expenses for which they reimburse
me. I dont lose money, they gain money
and the buyer gets a tax deduction and a
nice picture.

Frank moved to Seabrook in 2003

from Annapolis MD with his wife,
Linda. At that time he was still working
as an account manager for a major
pharmaceutical company. After retiring in
2005 Frank has been able to fully enjoy all
the wonderful activities that Seabrook has
to offer, including tennis, golf, kayaking,
cycling, cooking, the beach, and music.
He has sung with the Charleston
Symphony Orchestra Chorus and now
sings with the Johns Island Presbyterian
Church choir and occasionally plays piano
at services. Currently he is serving on
the House Committee for the Club and
the SI Natural History Group planning
committee.
Frank has been interested in drawing
and art since early childhood. He took
art classes through high school and
considered majoring in art in college.
Other interests and career distractions
kept him from pursuing this passion until
recently when he took up painting in oil.
He loves to use bold colors to capture
the beauty of nature in all its many
forms. The marshes, ocean, and sun of his

home on Seabrook provide ample subject

matter. However, he is also interested in
the colors of winter, mountains, wildlife
and flowers. Frank works mainly from
his studio at home and from his own
photos but has also done some plein aire
work. He is currently studying under Bob
LeFevre on Seabrook Island and displays
locally.

16

wildlife

May 22, 2015

Six turtles return to the ocean following

treatment at Sea Turtle Hospital

Photos courtesy South Carolina Aquarium.

he public turned out in force last week to bid

farewell to six sea turtles successfully rehabilitated
by the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue
Program. Five Kemp's ridley and one green sea turtle
were returned to the Atlantic Ocean Thursday, May 14
at the Isle of Palms County Park. This release marks 163
threatened and endangered sea turtles rehabilitated and
released into the wild by the Sea Turtle Rescue Program.
Bailey: Bailey, the largest green sea turtle ever brought
to the Sea Turtle Rescue Program, was admitted after
being found floating and in distress near Bailey Island,
S.C. This juvenile sea turtle was emaciated and suffering
from a boat strike that sheared off a portion of the upper

BY KATE DITLOFF

For The Island Connection

jaw and damaged the left eye. In addition, Bailey is the

first turtle to be found off the South Carolina coast with
fibropappilomatosis, a disease characterized by tumors
caused by a herpesvirus, Bailey's treatment included
fluids, vitamin injections, pain medication, antibiotics, a
freshwater bath to remove the leeches, and removal of the
small fibropappiloma tumors. Team members worked for
months to provide supportive care to Bailey. After close
to a year of treatment and no sign of tumor regrowth,
Bailey is ready to once again swim the deep blue sea.
Tater, Gibbons, Pilatus, Fitz and Cavin: These five
Kemp's ridley sea turtles were all part of a massive
stranding event along the New England coast in
November 2014, when more than 1,000 sea turtles were
found near death, suffering from hypothermia after a
severe cold front hit Massachusetts' coastal waters. The
turtles were flown to Charleston via a private plane
generously donated by Will and Margie Dorminy, local
residents and owners of Southern Eagle Distributing. The
turtles were treated with antibiotics, fluids and vitamin
injections. After six months of care, all five are ready to
be released into the warm waters off of Isle of Palms.
Sea turtles are cold-blooded reptiles that depend on
the environment to regulate their body temperature.
Typically, sea turtles migrate to warmer waters when the
water starts cooling in the fall. If they don't make the
migration before coastal water temperatures drop, they
suffer from hypothermia, also known as cold-stunning.
Symptoms of cold-stunning include a decreased heart

and respiration rate, decreased circulation, and lethargy,

followed by shock, pneumonia and, in worst case
scenarios, death.
You can help protect threatened and endangered sea
turtles. If you find a sick or injured sea turtle, contact
the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources sea
turtle hotline at 800.922.5431. You also may help care for
sea turtles in recovery in the South Carolina Aquarium
Sea Turtle Rescue Program by going to scaquarium.org
and making a donation.

May 22, 2015

arts & events

Unforgettable
festival moments

SPOLETO AND PICCOLO

SPOLETO INSPIRE A CITY

BY CAROL ANTMAN

For The Island Connection

f all the Spoleto and Piccolo Spoleto

Festivals did was provide us with
entertaining ephemeral moments
it would be enough. Moments of joy,
harmony, insight or beauty: enough.
Strengthen our economy with tourist
dollars: enough. Fill our streets with
more colorful and artistic visitors hauling
musical instruments, painting in the
parks, leaping onto stages: enough. It
would be enough to spend an evening
out, see a great show, enjoy ourselves and
go home to soon forget it all. Many of
lifes best moments are this fleeting. But
sometimes theres more. Sometimes the
festivals rock our world.
It could be the timing. In 1993
Lynn Riding was finding her foothold
in Charleston after emigrating from
England. On a balmy Charleston evening
walking with new friends towards Marion
Square she began hearing the Drifters
tune Under the Boardwalk. As they got
closer she choked up. The songs she had
danced to as a teenager were playing in
her new hometown. I couldnt believe it.
It was a moment of pure happiness with
new friends that said to me everything is
working out, she said.
It could be a glimpse at arts cutting
edge. In 1988 my children and I emerged
from a piano lesson at the College of
Charleston and noticed a cherry picker
looming in the Cistern. It had been
transformed into a giant ant puppet. Of
course we had to go watch this rehearsal
for Warrior Ant. What a spectacle!
Music critic Daniel Webster described the
show as An ant becomes a god, and all
kinds of mock obeisances are performed.
Singers improvise, drummers frisk and
the stage becomes a town in the rain
forest. There were actors perched in the
Cisterns trees and a Caribbean procession
that led the entire audience to dance in
the streets.
In 2012 when Theater Company 1927
performed The Animals and Children
Took to the Streets, it was a revelation
for Lila Trussler. It was an entirely
different art form than I had ever seen.
There were so many different things
going on at once. It seemed brand new.
It was dark, edgy, innovative, creepy and
unique. Anne Birdseye was captivated
by the 2008 Monkey: Journey to the
West that combined a circus of cartoons,
acrobats, Chinese music and a tribe of
monkeys flying among bamboo poles.
Not the kinds of thing you can see every
weekend in Charleston but exactly what

the festivals bring to our doorstep. It was

very engaging. I like things that are so
different, that you wouldnt otherwise be
able to see, said Anne.
Then theres the star power. Like
many Charleston women, Ive delighted
in extemporaneous hugs from Charles
Wadsworth. I became embarrassingly
tongue-tied upon being introduced to
Jean Yves Thibaudet. I once mustered my
courage to approach Gian Carlo Menotti in
a parking garage, tell him he was my hero
and that Id studied his opera Amahl in
grade school. Barry Goldsmith who was the
director of arts instruction for Charleston
County Schools for many years said, For
me, the most exciting part of Spoleto was,
because of my position with the school
district, getting to know Gian Carlo
Menotti. I admired him and could not have
imagined I would one day work with him to
develop programs for students.
Twenty years ago Corday Rice
was playing the recorder and became
transfixed by a Renaissance opera record
she nearly wore out until she learned to
play the motifs. She and her mother Beth
went to that opera and then to many more
in a yearly mother-daughter tradition
that they cherish. Our son Philip and his
friend Derek Cribb still talk about the
Latin band Bio Ritmo they saw twenty
years ago at a Piccolo Finale. It was
monumental, Philip recalls A whole new
musical language. They both grew up to
be professional musicians. The festivals
have given our children the foundations
to build their artistic lives.
Most of all its the transcendent
moments that grab our hearts. These we
remember most. I was at a Chamber
Music performance several years ago, and
Charles Wadsworth was introducing the
piece about to be played, Nancye Starnes
recalls. He told us that the composer
was very much in love but restricted by
her family from moving ahead with the
relationship. So, he wrote a chamber
piece to express his love. As I sat there
listening to the work, I could feel, actually
physically feel, his desire, his agony at not
being able to be with her, how heartbroken
he was.Tears were streaming down my
cheeks. I've not had such a reaction to
a composition since but since I'm still
attending the Chamber series--there's
always hope!
Have fun, be entertained. Thats enough.
But art can change lives. Its happening
right now, right here in Charleston.

17

18

May 22, 2015

computer corner

seasons of the south

Windows 10 is closer
than you think

Tomato Pie

BY BOB HOOPER

For The Island Connection

few columns back I wrote a short

paragraph about Windows 10 and
it coming out later this year, well
it seems the date may be more like the
middle of the summer. Unless of course
Microsoft changes its mind and slips the
date, back but for now the mid summer
timeframe looks good.
Windows 10 also seems committed to
bringing back the "start" button which
disappeared with Windows 8/8.1. This is
a major improvement in that even though
other things change you still have the
desktop and recognizable way to navigate
around your computer. Lots of under the
hood changes are for the good mostly, and
a real major change in the way you access
the Internet is in the works.
Internet Explorer 11 (and earlier
versions) is going away and the new
browser from Microsoft is tentatively
called "Edge". It will load faster as Chrome
and Firefox do, supposedly fixes all the
inherent bugs and does things differently
from IE11. One thing that I guess was a
given is that it predicts what you want
through Bing, similar to how the Google
search engine does now. Having not seen
it yet I am not sure if you can replace Bing
with Google or some other search engine
to do the predicting. Edge will also allow

you to mark up a webpage and send a

link to someone with that markup, have
a reading pane like Safari's and the ability
to interface with Cortana.
What, you ask, is Cortana? It's Window
10's new (well it's been around on Windows
phones) Personal Digital Assistant, like
Siri for iPhones, but better Microsoft
says. Cortana can provide recipes and
dietary information, automatically follow
parcel tracking information youve been
emailed, and monitor flights and other
travel methods. Sounds wonderful but
with anything nowadays this sort of help
comes with a loss of privacy, just be aware
of it. Just like allowing your phone to
know where you are thru GPS for maps
and locations of nearby shops, allowing
Cortana to know your location can help
to track that parcel right to you.
So if you have a Windows 7/8 or 8.1
computer (laptop or desktop) soon you
will able to upgrade to 10 for free. But I
would caution to wait a couple of months
to see how it goes.
As with all of my columns if you want help
or have questions don't hesitate to call Rent
A Bob Computers LLC at 843.822.7794 or
email at [email protected].

BY MARILYN MARKEL
For The Island Connection

s the weather heats up, the tomato

plants really start producing.
Wondering what to do with your
surplus crop? Make a pie!

Quick Facts: One 9 inch tart

Ingredients

1 5.3 oz box Carrs Cheese Melts

Crackers
4 Tbsp butter
4 6 heirloom tomatoes
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup bacon mayonnaise
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
4 green onions, finely chopped
8 basil leaves, julienned
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble

up crackers into a fine meal either in the
food processor or by crushing with a
skillet in a sturdy plastic bag. Melt butter
and combine with crackers. Press lightly
into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart
pan.
Peel and slice tomatoes and place them
on a rack on a sheet pan. Lightly salt the

tomatoes. Put the tomatoes and the crust

into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the crust and turn tomatoes.
Bake for another 20 minutes or so. With a
paper towel remove excess moisture from
tomatoes.
Spread the tomatoes all over the crust.
Combine mayonnaise, cheese, onions,
basil and pepper. Taste for salt. Spread
over the tomatoes.
Bake for about 40 minutes until golden
all over. Let rest for about 10 minutes then
serve warm.

Wine Pairing

Fattoria Casabianca Chianti Colli

Senesi - $12.99. This Chianti is made
in the traditional style of the region,
with mostly Sangiovese blended with
Merlot, Cabernet, and Cannaiolo.
Flavors of cherry and dark berry blend
with a hint of earth and spice, and the
medium-bodied value-drinker finishes
smooth and soft. This is a no-brainer
with tomato pie, grilled meats, and any
pasta with red sauce!

May 22, 2015

daily

daily

Kick off summer with

the SC Aquarium

Islanders in Business:
Island Mike

SHARKS AND TURTLES IN THE SPOTLIGHT

T H I S M E M O R I A L D AY W E E K E N D

BY BARBARA BURGESS

BY SC AQUARIUM

For The Island Connection

emorial Day weekendits the

kickoff to summer, and what
better way to start your break
than with the South Carolina Aquarium
touching sharks? Yes, you read that
right, you can now touch a shark at the
Aquarium.
Shark Shallows, the largest exhibit
constructed at the Aquarium in 15
years, is now open to the public. The
beautifully designed, 20,000-gallon
tank was constructed on the Aquariums
Riverside Terrace overlooking the historic
Charleston Harbor, and it features three
different species of animals.
Youll be able to come fingers to fins
with bonnethead sharks, cownose rays
and southern stingrays, species all found
swimming right off our coast. Shark
Shallows features a shallow end of the tank
where you can reach in with a two-finger
approach to touch these amazing animals
and a deeper end where you can come
eye-to-eye with the newest Aquarium
residents.
Shark Shallows serves to dispel the
misconceptions that surround sharks as
being aggressive predators. In reality,
humans kill more sharks, with 100
million sharks dying each year due to
human activity. When you visit the
exhibit, you will not only be able to touch
these animals, but you will also learn more
about why they are so important to our

oceans and what you can do to become a

champion on their behalf.
During Memorial Day weekend, we
will also host a very special celebration in
honor of World Turtle Day. Join us May
23 for special activities throughout the
Aquarium. Local sea turtle teams and the
Department of Natural Resources will
be on hand educating guests about the
importance of sea turtles.
There will also be additional Sea Turtle
Hospital tours at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and
2 p.m. During the tour, you can view sea
turtles currently undergoing care in our
Sea Turtle Hospital. Our education staff
will have special stations set up around
the Aquarium with more information on
the turtles that live in South Carolina.
You will even get to meet many of those
turtle species.
Lastly, be sure to check out our artistsin-residence, our tiny diamondback
terrapin painters. They work with
non-toxic paint and create beautiful works
of art while you watch. You can then head
down to the Aquariums gift shop and buy
your very own masterpiece with proceeds
benefiting the Sea Turtle Hospital.
For more information on Shark
Shallows and Memorial Day activities
at the South Carolina Aquarium, visit
scaquarium.org or call 843.577.FISH
(3474).

Tid e Char t
Date

High Tide

Low Tide

May 22
May 23
May 24
May 25
May 26
May 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
May 31
Jun 01
Jun 02
Jun 03
Jun 04

12:22pm
12:32am/1:12pm
1:19am/2:04pm
2:07am/2:56pm
2:57am/3:49pm
3:48am/4:40pm
4:39am/5:29pm
5:29am/6:16pm
6:17am/7:01pm
7:04am/7:44pm
7:49am/8:26pm
8:32am/9:07pm
9:16am/9:49pm
10:00am/10:32pm

6:08am/6:09pm
6:55am/6:59pm
7:42am/7:51pm
8:30am/8:47pm
9:17am/9:43pm
10:05am/10:39pm
10:51am/11:31pm
11:37am
12:21am/12:20pm
1:08am/1:04pm
1:53am/1:46pm
2:37am/2:29pm
3:21am/3:13pm
4:05am/3:59pm

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

19

For The Island Connection

ike Gorski has been visiting

Seabrook and Kiawah Islands for
over 20 years. He is a property
owner in Seabrook. He owned a business
that provided industrial powder coating
to manufacturing companies in varying
industries such as automotive, medical,
lighting, to name a few. Through pure
happenstance, someone made him an offer
to buy his business well ahead of his plan to
do so. The offer was a good one, so he sold
early. That led him to buy a business from a
Seabrooker that provided airport service for
the residents of Seabrook and Kiawah. He
bought the owners list, then proceeded to
rename and expand the services offered. He
calls it Island Transportation Services, LLC.
He only services Seabrook and Kiawah
Islands. He is known by many as Island
Mike.
Mikes service is a unique one in that
he not only provides transportation to the
airport, the bulk of his business, but he
has added additional services that have
come in handy for a variety of people on
the islands. He will do downtown dining,
which involves transporting people
to their restaurant reservations, then
bringing them back to the Islands.
Mike
also
provides
medical
appointment service, which could
mean dropping someone off at their
appointment and waiting to bring them
back. However, since Mike has a 91 year
old mother and he is used to taking care
of her needs, he recognizes the special

needs for some. He will take the person

to their appointment, take them into the
doctor or clinic, leave his card with the
receptionist to get in touch with him
when he is needed, then take the person
home. He has received many grateful
thanks from families who appreciate the
services he provides to people who need
some extra help.
Mike says no two days are alike. Some
days he is out of the house at 4 a.m. for an
airport drop off and some days he doesnt get
home until midnight. The most interesting
part of his job is the conversations he has
with his clients. He has developed close
relationships with many of them. 60 percent
of his clients are from Seabrook and 40
percent are from Kiawah.
Mike feels that he is somewhat semi
retired. He very much enjoys what he is
doing and his clients appreciate the value
of his service. They say it is like a neighbor
picking them up. Mike feels he is very
much a part of the community and has
great pleasure to serve it as well. He says
he feels like Norm in the TV program
Cheers. Like Norm, he gets big hellos
from clients wherever he goes.
Sounds like he is filling a community
need.

May 22, 2015

daily

Get the most out of

summer with some
outdoor adventures

Images courtesy Coastal Expeditions www.coastalexpeditions.com

BY LORI MCGEE

For The Island Connection

harleston is bursting with hundreds

of outdoor adventures. The nearby
islands are natural paradises for
water sports, long walks, bicycling tours,
paddleboarding and kayaking, not to
mention the marinas where you can
find day sailing cruises, water ferries and
deep-sea fishing excursions. Charleston
is rich in history and good food, but it is
also a wonderful outdoor destination for
lowcountry adventurers. So pack your sun
tan lotion, a blanket, water, good shoes
and lets go exploring!

Take a stroll

Let your feet wander. Charleston is a

very pedestrian friendly city and offers
something for everyone. Start the day
with a stroll up the Battery at the tip of
the Charleston peninsula.You will see Fort
Sumter out in the Charleston Harbor,
where the first shot of the Civil War
was fired. Walk through the cobblestone
streets and alleys of downtown Charleston
and explore some of the most beautiful
and historic homes to your hearts desire.
Or take a walk over the beautiful Ravenel
Bridge, spanning 2.7 miles across the
Cooper River from downtown Charleston
to Mount Pleasant.

Pack a Picnic

With countless parks and beautiful

weather, a picnic is a must do. Waterfront
Park is a favorite of visitors and locals alike,
offering fantastic views of the Charleston
harbor.The park covers more than 1,000
feet along the coast and allows visitors a
chance to sit and relax after a long day of
shopping and sightseeing. Another option
is to dine under the shady limbs of Angel
Oak, the estimated 1,500-year-old live
oak located on Johns Island. With giant
branches that crawl along the ground,
the tree has a diameter of 160 feet, a
circumference of 25 feet, and a height of
65 feet. The park has picnic tables or you
can simply spread out your blanket, lie
back and stare up at the tree.

Hit the Beach

You can't enjoy the complete

Charleston experience if you don't pay a
visit to one of our beautiful beaches while
in town. Build sand castles, go hunting
for seashells or just relax and feel the
ocean breeze against your skin. Three
public beaches are within a few minutes

drive from downtown Charleston. Each

is distinctly different from the others,
and each offers its own special brand of
Lowcountry fun and relaxation.
Sullivan's Island is popular among
local residents and visitors who want to
avoid the crowds, and enjoy the serenity
of island life.
Isle of Palms offers a beachfront County
Park with restrooms and is a popular spot
for families. It also offers shopping and
restaurants.
Folly Beach is known for its laidback, easy-going beach lifestyle and great
surfing. Its six miles of beachfront isn't
overly commercialized.
Located 21 miles from downtown
Charleston, Kiawah and Seabrook islands
boast over 10 miles of pristine beaches
and there is very little commercial
development. Wildlife abounds on these
islands and great care has been taken to
protect the natural beauty of the islands.
Beachwalker Park is the only public beach
in the area, and is also a County Park with
restrooms and family-friendly facilities.

Sail Away

Does a boat ride sound fun? There

seems to be no better way to see all the
sites in Charleston than to embark on
one of the many sightseeing tours. Learn
about Charlestons fascinating history
while you cruise the gentle waves of her
harbor. From private charters, historic
tours, ghost tours and fishing excursions,
make sure to plan a water adventure soon.

Kayaking

Do you see yourself kayaking through

Shem Creek and watching the dolphins
frolic in the water? If so, then explore
Charleston the way nature intended, by
sea or marsh. The average female paddler
who weighs 135 lbs. burns 240 calories
an hour kayaking leisurely, says Kathie
Livingston, owner of Nature Adventure
Outfitters. Even better, it heals you
by relieving stress in our daily lives by
connecting to nature and getting outdoors.
So paddling is great for the mind, body
and spirit. We are fortunate to have some
of the most diverse ecosystems on the
planet, so book your adventure and see
the wonders firsthand.
Information courtesy charlestoncvb.com.

21

May 22, 2015

volunteer spotlight

Cava Riley
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A
SECOND LANGUAGE

Cava Riley and some of her students.

BY MARIA GUROVICH
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 [email protected].

ava Riley grew up in Walterboro

and went to the College of Notre
Dame in Baltimore, Maryland.
She met and married her husband Michael
who was a student at Loyola College. They
later returned to Clemson where Michael
finished his Doctorate studies. For the
next forty years they lived in five different
states, returning to South Carolina in
2008. Cava and Michael have three adult
childrentwin daughters, Catherine
Dillon and Cava Compton, who both
live with their families in the Charleston
area, and a son, Lt. Col. Michael Riley,
Jr. who lives with his family Washington,
DC. They also have six wonderful
grandchildren. After ten years as fulltime mom, Cava completed her graduate
degree at the University of Louisville and
taught for more than 30 years.
I love teaching and my volunteer
position at Our Lady of Mercy
Community Outreach has allowed me
to continue to do so, says Cava There
is nothing more rewarding than seeing a
student learn.
Cava has always volunteered no matter
where they happened to live at the time.
She frequently talks about many good
experiences and the wonderful people
she met through her involvement with
different charitable organizations. Locally,
she volunteers with Water Missions
International, her church, as well as at
OLMCOS.
I found out about the Outreach
through an article in the paper and
called for more information and a
tour. It was a pleasant surprise that the

Volunteer Coordinator at that time,

Claire Bergstrom, was a familiar face
from church. She was able to convince me
that I would not need to speak Spanish in
order to become an English as a Second
Language (ESL) tutor and the rest is
history. remembers Cava.
She has been an ESL tutor for six years
and just this year started helping as a
GED tutor as well.
Working on the math section has
been a great brain workout for me. smiles
Cava. Thankfully, the staff here is very
supportive. It is a wonderful, positive
place to be. She goes on to say that there
is a sense all around you that good things
are happening here. She really believes
that people have to decide for themselves
that they want to change and improve
their lives. She is always impressed by
the students at OLMCOS who have
made that decision. Cava says that it is
tremendously rewarding to offer them a
helping hand.
I often see some of our former students
out in the community and am thrilled to
talk with them and hear they are doing
well, Cava says.
To those who are thinking of getting
involved she says, Come join us! You will
never regret it. It may sound trite, but it is
absolutely true that you always get back so
much more than you give.
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
[email protected].

May 22, 2015

19