Celebrate Bluffton & Beyond: February 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

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THE PET ISSUE! MEET THE DENTISTS MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS WITH MOLLY OFGEOGRAPHY J.R. SANDIFER: FEEL THE VIBRATIONS

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(And Everything in Between)

18 LOVE AND MARRIAGE (AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN) If love is the block of marble, then marriage is the sculpture.

And the couples on the following pages have created some beautiful works together.

WHAT’S INSIDE

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CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE: MAKING SENSE OF THE SCIENCE

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12TH ANNUAL MOST ADORABLE LOWCOUNTRY PETS

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DOG PEOPLE: GROOMING BUSINESS MAKES MAGIC THROUGH SERVICE, EXCELLENCE, IMPACT

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PRACTICAL EMERGENCY: DOES YOUR PET NEED IMMEDIATE CARE, OR CAN IT WAIT?

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HERITAGE ACADEMY: NEW OWNER, SAME COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

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ROC DENTAL GROUP IS ON A ROLL

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MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS FEATURING MOLLY OFGEOGRAPHY

32 PERFECTING THE EXPERIENCE Nunzio Patruno will stop at nothing until the restaurant that bears his name offers absolute perfection.

36 THE PET PEOPLE Meet a few locals who make it their business to see that our pets are well cared for.

O N O U R C OV E R S

64 ON THE CH2 COVER More than just a handsome face, GP, RW Mikkat I-Catcher “Bentley” Alexander is a four-year-old purebred solid red Persian.

Originally destined for a cattery in Vienna, Austria, the stars aligned for him to move to Hilton Head Island instead, where he is the soulmate of Linda and Tom Hopkins and undisputed king of hearts.

ON THE CB2 COVER Local entertainers and one of our featured couples, Sterlin & Shuvette Colvin.

Photography by M.Kat

FEEL THE VIBRATIONS Fans see her as an abstract expressionist. But for J.R. Sandifer, it’s a means to share her spiritual energy on canvas.

GENIUSES AT WORK Architect of Ideas Maggie Marie Washo

play My stepmom painted this beautiful portrait of Lucy. Email her at robinrosshhi@yahoo.com to get a painting of your own. (of your dog, not mine.)

Technology Mastermind Carolyn Hunter Kostylo Financial Warden Marion Elizabeth Bowser Influencer-In-Residence Kim Conrad Crouch Culture Maven “Just Kandace” Wightman

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The Cut & Paste Crew Jeff Cline Catherine Colby Writing Specialists Cheryl Alexander Jesse Blanco John Cranford Jevon Daly Dr. Kirk Dixon, DVM Linda S. Hopkins Barry Kaufman Marie Mcaden John McCann Michele Roldan-Shaw Lisa Sulka Tim Wood Lighting Experts M. Kat Photography Krisztian Lonyai Find Us Here PO Box 22949 Hilton Head Island, SC 29925 843.689.2658 m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com

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The Gatekeepers Greta Von Bowser Vincent Von Bowser

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Mr. Toasty Buns Jevon Daly

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Intimacy Mentor Lucille Rosita Gonzalez Washo

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In-house Jeweler on Retainer Kaila Jeffcoat

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The Boomerang Morgan O'Banion

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Not an Easy One

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present to you an issue featuring all of the things I don’t currently have. A pet, romantic love and … well, never mind. I still have my teeth.

I’m not going to lie, this was a tough one to put out. It’s the first pet issue I’ve published without having a dog. As Hunter and I traveled around town photographing local people in the pet business and their four-legged friends, it was a daily painful reminder of how much I miss my sweet Lula Belle. (For new readers, I lost my 10-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog, Lucy, the day before Thanksgiving).

She was our constant companion in the CH2 office, an island mascot, and the love of my life. Everyone keeps telling me to go out and get another pooch, but I just cannot bring myself to do that. I’m sure eventually the time will come, but I think you must take time to grieve properly before rushing into a new “relationship.”

Be sure to follow us on Social Media

And speaking of “relationships,” let’s talk about how February is the month of Valentine’s Day, and LOVE and all things candied hearts and roses. One of our biggest features this month is on several local couples.

We chatted with them about everything from who is the messiest, how they keep their marriage “spicy,” and what advice they might offer for newly married couples. Be sure to check out the behindthe-scenes video of these interviews on our Facebook page. Hilarious … and also a reminder of how very single I am.

So anyway, on to the next special section: dental health. Cheryl Alexander wrote an excellent article highlighting all of the new technologies in dentistry, and we feature four local dentists on page 77. (Thank God I still have my teeth.)

If you also recently lost your pet, broke up with a long-term love, or had a tooth pulled, drop a line; we can be sad together. ;-) Until next month!

Candied Hearts + Roses,

MAGGIE WASHO Publisher / Editor-in-Chief

Instagram - @ch2hhimag Facebook - facebook.com/ch2magazine TikTok - @ch2mag YouTube - youtube.com/celebratehiltonhead

M ig v and ...

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(And Everything in Between) P ho t o gra p hy b y M.Kat

AFTER 25 YEARS, IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT THIS BOHEMIAN POWER COUPLE IS MORE THAN JUST A TEENAGE FLING.

A rt i c le b y Ba rry Kauf m a n

Paul McCartney once co-wrote, “All you need is love.” Of course, he would later go on to write, “You’d think that people would have had enough of silly love songs.”

His wild swing in perspective here more than likely boils down to one thing: sometime between writing those two songs, he got married. Because marriage and love are two different things.

Love is a fleeting rush of dopamine, a temporary fluttering of butterflies, a silly infatuation.

Marriage is something much stronger. Marriage is all that’s best about love—the selflessness, the devotion, the absolute inability to live without another person—but aged like wine.

If love is the block of marble, then marriage is the sculpture. And the couples on the following pages have created some beautiful works together.

You know Gavan and Selina Daly as soon as you see them. With her curly hair and piercing blue eyes and his towering stature and tattooed arms, they tend to stand out in the crowd. Odds are good that you know them, as well. Fixtures of the local scene when they’re not touring the American West with their cat Mittens or making their mark on New York City, their Hilton Head Island roots run deep.

But only the real long-time locals remember this power couple from when they were first dating. “People said it would never last, that this was just a fling,” Selina said.

“People said we were too young,” Gavan added. “Eventually everyone started changing their tune, asking, ‘What’s y’all’s secret? You’re soulmates.’”

With the benefit of hindsight and 25 years of wedded bliss, it’s easy to see what an effortless match the two of them make. Especially when you hear them talk—a love language of inside jokes and easygoing laughter. But you can forgive those who thought the couple was too young to be throwing around words like “love” and “soulmate.” They met when Selina was just 16 years old.

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“I went to a gig with a friend who had a crush on a guy Gav played with,” she said. “When I saw him playing drums … I was 16. It was innocent.”

From there they kept running into each other (the couple jokes about how Selina may have been lightly stalking Gavan). They’d chat about family at the original Java Joe’s. They’d share risqué jokes at Dunnagans Alley Theatre. It was the classic old-school Hilton Head teenage love story. But while the five years between them seems inconsequential now, it was a fairly large gap at the time. “He was having dreams that my dad was going to kill him,” Selina said. “But when my parents met him, they knew he was a good dude.”

Their love blossomed over the ensuing years, as Selina attended New York City’s prestigious Parsons School of Design under the tutelage of Tim Gunn and Gavan established himself as one of the country’s preeminent tattoo artists. Like all love, it is occasionally watered by the rainclouds of hardship, but that’s life.

“Like with any relationship, it’s still a lot of work, a lot of screwing up and making each other mad and figuring out how to adjust,” Gavan said. “You work together in tandem. You have to find a way to inspire each other’s dreams.”

Who made the first move and what was the move?

Selina: I did. I was basically stalking Gavan for a while until he accepted me as a friend. One day, after dropping him off at his house, I went to kiss him and stuck my tongue down his throat. Not necessarily the first move I would recommend, but somehow it worked, ha ha!

Gavan: Selina stuck her tongue down my throat after she and her friend dropped me off at her house.

How many years have you been married?

Selina: We’ve been married 16 years but together for 25.

How long before you were engaged?

Selina: We were together almost three years, but then we waited like another five years before we actually got married.

At what moment did you know she/he was the one and why?

Selina: This was all on me once again. Gavan may say different, but I saw him at a gig when he played in a band The Daly Planet. I just knew from that moment he was the one. That’s when the stalking started, ha ha! I told my mom after I met him he was the one. I knew I would marry him. I was only 16 so she was a little skeptical, but both she and my father loved Gavan right away, and I’ve never looked back.

Gavan: When she said she was into older people.

What’s the key to a happy marriage?

Selina: It’s a lot of give and take. You have to support each other’s dream and encourage one another. We are best friends, and we have so much fun together. Gavan still makes me laugh uncontrollably almost every day. The connection we share runs deep as we’ve gone through so much together, from loss of loved ones, caregiving and both being struggling artists for many years until we got to the next level in our art form.

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Gavan: Do everything that she says to do. No questions. That one is easy.

Advice to newly married couples in less than five words.

Selina: Listen to each other.

Gavan: Support each other.

What one quality do you find most attractive in your spouse?

Selina: His wit. He is the funniest person I know on this planet. He makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world every day I am with him.

Gavan: Her eyes. 

TWO PARALLEL F&B LIVES BECOME ONE UNDENIABLE LOVE

A rticl e by Tim Wood Becky’s first marriage was a disaster. She then met her soulmate, only to lose him to a tragic accident. By May 2008, she was in a purgatory—still alive and functioning in her job with Shore Beach Services, trying to be her usual smiling, fun magnet, but hollow inside and mourning. That is, until co-workers alerted her that Roy Prescott had stopped by the office multiple times.

“He came in four times one day. I’m like, ‘What the hell does he want?’” Becky said.

The legendarily gregarious Remy’s owner had catered her first two weddings. He was looking to plan a promo night for lifeguards.

Becky’s first husband was a Remy’s bartender, and Roy was casual friends with her second husband. They ran parallel island lives until that promo night. Eight hours of connecting inspired Roy, nearly two decades her elder and a divorcee after a 15-year marriage himself, to try an all-time great romantic escalation at sunrise.

After just a few weeks of dating, Roy said, “I love you”—a declaration that nearly caused a car accident on Palmetto Bay Road. “I yelled at him, ‘Take that back!’ I cried. It was so scary to embrace this unexpected thing, but I couldn’t deny I felt the same way,” Becky said.

Roy’s friends were surprised, as he had become a bit of a player after his divorce. But the more their inner circles saw of the new couple, the more it was clear they were witnessing amorous magic.

“I know Roy has the purest heart of any human I’ve ever met,” Becky said. “There were no games with us, just love. I only had a couple of rules: no gambling, no other women. I needed trust; I needed integrity and honesty, and Roy has delivered every day since.”

The pair have been apart just two nights since their early courtship, other than when Roy had quintuple bypass surgery in 2015.

They kept their romance quiet at first. Becky snuck Roy into her house late at night to avoid her roommates. When she finally told her friends, they thought she meant Roy’s now 34-year-old son, “Little Roy.” The two have melded lives, closed Remy’s and partnered on a new venture, Roy’s Café and Catering. They married at the base of the Eiffel Tower in 2011 with Roy’s kids, close friends like musician Jos Vicars and Becky’s parents and friends by their side (a Lowcountry reception party of 400-plus people at Honey Horn followed). They spend offseason months in the Caribbean and treasure every minute on Hilton Head Island.

“Becky has the unique ability to make everything good in my life great,” Roy said. “She is just incredible. We’re living a dream beyond anything we could have dreamed.”

Who made the first move and what was the move?

Roy: I definitely made the first move, but in reflection, Becky helped set the stage. I’ve known Becky for about 25 years, and we traveled on parallel paths on this small island. I was running promo parties at Remy’s for groups that could generate business. Lisa and I were brainstorming on the next group, and I mentioned the lifeguards may be good. I knew Becky still ran the operation. I made several calls; she was always busy, so I popped by a few times, and it seems she was in the middle of orientation with new guards. We finally spoke and agreed to a party for Tuesday, May 20, 2008. The guards bailed after the freebies for “ladies night” at Casey’s, and Becky felt bad, so she came in to thank me and we started talking and drinking. Next thing you know, its 4 a.m.—just us and the bartender who was ready to lock up. We decided to keep going, so we headed to Shag’s to continue our “mating dance.” About 6 a.m., I looked at Becky and said, “It’s late.

Are you going home with me or not?” She ordered another round and headed to the bathroom to gather herself. I asked would she like to have breakfast; she said yes, and I asked, “Should I call you or nudge you?”

We managed to keep our relationship a secret for a few weeks, which is near impossible on this island.

When Becky finally decided to go public, she invited two of her closest friends to Remy’s for drinks and “some news.” I was behind the bar eavesdropping on their conversation. When she said she was dating Roy Prescott, they looked at me, back at Becky and asked her Roy or Little Roy? I gave a little wave, brought over four shots of “grandma” and said hello girls, and the rest is history!

Becky: Roy did, and for now a PG version, let it be known we were at Shags, and of course it was 6 a.m. Roy said, “Are you going home with me or not?” I looked at the bartender and said, “Can I get one more shot of fireball and my tab please?”

We left, and since that night we’ve only spent two nights apart (other than when he had quintuple heart bypass surgery and was in the hospital for 11 nights)!

How many years have you been married?

March 8, 2021 will be our 10-year anniversary, which also happens to be the due date for our second grandchild!

How long before you were engaged?

Becky: I actually never wanted to get married again, and I was adamant about that. We were fully committed, and I was fine with that and so was Roy. He always said, “If you want to get married, just let me know.” Background info: Roy had never been to Europe, so we took a trip to Paris and London in 2009, and he fell in love with Paris. I’d been twice before, and it’s one of my favorite places as well. One night (May 7, 2010, which ironically is my parents’ anniversary), we were having dinner at 211 Park, and I went outside to say hello to an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. Somehow it came up that Roy and I were dating, and he said he was so glad, and I looked so happy. Another individual (unnamed for privacy) whom I knew casually said, “You’re not dating Roy Prescott” in a very snarky tone. I went inside and Roy could see I was upset. I told him what that snarky individual said to me; we were walking over to EP (Electric Piano), and he said, “You want to get married?” I said, “Sure, let’s get married, but only if we get married in Paris. He said okay, and we were engaged! We called my parents to share the good news (they didn’t approve of living in sin for so long, so they were happy). He got my ring ordered the next day and that was it. Most romantic proposal ever!

At what moment did you know she/he was the one and why?

Roy: I knew Becky was very special early in our relationship. One of my daughter’s friends said it best: “Mr. P, don’t screw this one up; we really like her. Maybe three or four weeks together, we were on Palmetto Bay Road on the way home after work. I looked at Becky and said, “You know I love you.” Her response was, “Whoa, whoa … don’t say that; pull over!” So, I parked at Crossings Park. She started bawling crying and said, “Take it back.” I replied, “No, I won’t, and you can’t tell me you don’t feel the same.” After somewhat drying her eyes, she said yes, you are right. So, Crossings Park is now “Commitment Park” to us.

What’s the key to a happy marriage?

Roy: Always remember the feeling and emotions that attracted and brought you together.

Becky: Never go to bed mad.

Who cooks and who cleans?

Roy: Becky stays out of the kitchen, and I stay out of the laundry room!

Becky: Roy cooks; I can barely make microwaveable popcorn. I clean.

Who wears the pants and what size are they?

Roy: Depends on the situation. Sometimes they fit me, and sometimes they fit Becky better. We do a pretty good job on the decision, but definitely large!

Becky: That’s a good question. We honestly split the pants depending on what’s going on—and they are very big girl panties and big boy drawers!

Advice to newly married couples in less than five words.

Roy: Always have each other’s back.

Becky: Always say I love you.

What one quality do you find most attractive in your spouse?

Roy: It’s impossible to choose one quality. Becky has the unique ability to make everything that is good in my life great!

Becky: His heart. Roy has the purest heart of gold and would do anything to help anyone. I love that quality in him so much! 

TRUE LOVE CAN ENDURE ANY DISTANCE, BUT IN THIS COUPLE’S CASE IT ENDURED TIME—AS IN ROUGHLY 42 YEARS APART.

Artic l e by Ba rry Kaufma n He was just a guy and she was just a girl, both making their way up Chicago’s Michigan Ave. toward the famous Playboy building. He worked in the art department. She worked on the eighth floor with all of the executives. It was the 1970s, near the zenith of the magazine’s enduring cultural impact.

“She looked gorgeous,” Tom said. Running inside, Tom told his friend Gary Cole about this vision, and it turned out Cole knew who she was and how to reach her. “I dialed her number, she answered, and then, like a dumbass, I’m just trying to figure out what to say.”

He didn’t need to say much. The girl, Chris, knew exactly who he was. “He had gone out with a friend of mine and dumped her after one date. So, I was going to punish him,” she said.

“The joke wound up being on me.”

Over drinks, the kind of love formed that endures the ages. They spent every day together

after that; engaged after five weeks, they were married in six months. It seemed like the perfect love story right up until their divorce two years later.

“Who knows why? We were young,” Tom explained.

From here we fast forward about 42 years.

Each went about the business of their lives, Chris making her way to California and Tom eventually to Hilton Head Island. That could have been the end of it were it not for Facebook. “We hadn’t seen or talked to each other over the last 42 years,” Tom said. “But after going back and forth on Facebook, we decided it would be better if we talked.”

They met in Vegas, and it was like nothing had changed. They were kids again, feeling that rush of new love. And this time around they moved just as fast.

“She came and stayed at my house in Belfair, and within 4-5 days we decided to get married,” Tom said. “Neither of us thought we’d ever get back together.”

These days, Tom stays busy helping define the look of a local magazine whose name escapes us, while Chris continues the mission she started in California to care for feral cats.

“Tom doesn’t appreciate the idea of me turning the house into a cathouse,” Chris said with a laugh. “I did fall into some kittens near our clubhouse. I’ve been doing some feeding and trapping.”

Back in each other’s lives and with their cats Rosie and Bebe as companions, these two are proving that love is even sweeter the second time around.

Who made the first move and what was the move? Who made the first move the second time around?

Tom’s best friend knew he was afraid to do it, so he dialed Chris’ number at work and handed Tom the phone. Tom asked Chris out, but she was booked for the next month and shot him down. He tried again, and it was love at first sight.

Chris made the second “move” via social media. From first phone call to meeting once again after 43 years in Vegas. All was the same as 43 years prior, only better.

How many years have you been married, combined?

Seven years total At what moment did you know she/he was the one, and why?

We were engaged five weeks after meeting the first time in 1972. We skipped the engagement step second time around and got married within three weeks of meeting again in Vegas.

What’s the key to a happy marriage?

Love at first sight (date) for both of us.

Who cooks and who cleans?

Chris cooks and cleans. Tom is OCD and puts cooking utensils away while Chris is still using them.

Who wears the pants and what size are they?

Chris: Tom wears pants, and I wear leggings. Leggings are flexible, and pants are not.

Advice to newly married couples in less than five words.

Respect each other’s opinions.

What one quality do you find most attractive in your spouse?

Tom: Chris’ spunk and sweetness Chris: Tom’s stability and his legs 

Artic l e by Tim Wood When we introduced you to woodworking artisan Sergio Raynal in our November 2020 issue, we gave you a taste of a love affair right out of a Nicholas Sparks novel. And now, the rest of the story.

Christmastime 2016. Los Angeles-based Raynal is in New York City for a busman’s holiday. He buys a single ticket to the Broadway play King Charles III. Jane Stouffer is preparing to head back to Hilton Head Island after the holiday.

Anxious to sneak in one more play, she looks for an orchestra seat for King Charles III online, but the app keeps kicking her up to the mezzanine.

She is seated next to Raynal. The two strike up a mesmerizing conversation that continues during the intermissions. A post-show downpour inspires the pair to seek shelter at a nearby restaurant.

“There was an instant connection on so many levels,” Jane, the never-married retired ad agency exec said. “My career was my mate and that was a great life— until this man appeared.”

Sergio spent 25 years in commercial real estate before pursuing his true passion. Despite an early-life failed marriage, he was captivated by this unexpected adventure. “This felt so right so quick, I had to see this through, no matter what,” he said.

He dined with and impressed her friends on Christmas Eve. She invited him to Birdland, where HHI fave Freddie Cole played and energized Sergio to go in for a first kiss.

Her New Year’s flight to Hilton Head was snowed in, so Sergio invited Jane and her dog to stay with him upstate as he completed a project at a friend’s house.

When it is time to go, Sergio asks when he can see Jane again.

“I’ll be in Paris this summer,” she said.

“Well then, so will I,” he replied.

“This could be the greatest romance that ever was. I will meet you anywhere.”

He wasn’t lying, as a string of far-flung meetups followed.

The whirlwind reminded Jane of the quote from the Nora Ephron classic, When Harry Met Sally: “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

“Meeting Sergio, I finally got it,” Jane said.

Sergio moved his life and business to Hilton Head in August 2018. The two married at Mill Creek two months later.

He moved into Jane’s house, her first adult venture living with a human. Jane said the melding of East Coast and West Coast lives has been remarkably smooth—other than kitchen utensils. “I come from tiny New York kitchens, so I have dainty spatulas,” she said. “He has restaurant-size pots and a roasting pan that doesn’t fit in our stove.”

Easy solution, Sergio said. He’ll remodel the kitchen. “Every moment I get to make her happy, that’s a blessing.”

Who made the first move and what was the move?

Jane: I did. Actually, I made the first three moves. First move: Telling Sergio that I may go get a cocktail at a specific nearby restaurant after the matinee.

Second move: Invited him to join me and my friends for Christmas Eve. Third move: Suggested we go hear Freddie Cole’s late show at Birdland on Christmas Eve (which is where Sergio made his first move!).

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FAITH, TRUST AND A LOT OF FUN THE KEY TO A NEVER-ENDING LOVE

How many years have you been married?

Sergio: We’ve been married two years last October.

Jane: Two years, two and a half months How long before you were engaged?

Sergio: It was not a surprise that we would get married, but there were many “false alarms” during our cross-country courtship when she anticipated a proposal, especially given romantic opportunities in Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Spain, Morocco, and here in the Lowcountry. We became engaged after I committed to move my business from Los Angeles and join her on Hilton Head Island. I proposed somewhat spontaneously and without preparation (I hadn’t even gotten a ring yet) after a wonderful day spent in Savannah, ending with dinner at Husk in March 2018. She describes it as the parking lot, but I insist it was on the sidewalk in front of the steps to Husk. I recall there was a full moon.

At what moment did you know she/he was the one, and why?

Sergio: I knew she was the one within one week of meeting her in NYC. She absolutely captivated and enchanted me. We were inseparable, and I knew she was going to have an important role in my life one way or another. She is smart, funny, kind, curious, thoughtful, beautiful, stylish, well-traveled and likes the arts, books, music and food. She was living in NYC and about to move permanently to HHI, and I was living in LA. We met in Paris six months later and spent a month in a friend’s apartment.

Jane: Five days in. We’d spent the better part of each day together since we met, and I’d never experienced such honesty, transparency, and shared interests and values.

What’s the key to a happy marriage?

Sergio: Communication, laughter, imagination and being open to possibility.

Jane: Knowing that quitting is never an option.

And laughter and a few hundred kisses a day.

Who cooks and who cleans?

Sergio: We both enjoy cooking, dining out and entertaining at home. Cleaning is a shared enterprise, though we are fortunate to employ a housekeeper.

Jane: Sergio is an excellent cook (even if he has to use every possible pot, pan and utensil), and he’ll clean up the kitchen fairly often. Still has no idea what those metal boxes are for (dishwasher, washer, dryer).

I’ve also said that he’d love to live in a department store where he could see all of his things all the time.

I’m a pretty good cook but he’s a master chef.

Who wears the pants and what size are they?

Sergio: I wear pants, and Jane wears pants. Jane wears dresses much better than I do.

Jane: Sergio can rock a mean sarong.

Advice to newly married couples in less than five words.

Sergio: Say yes often and mean it.

Jane: Kiss whenever you leave home.

What one quality do you find most attractive in your spouse?

Sergio: She makes me laugh every day.

Jane: That my big strong man has a very soft and sentimental side, and he’s not embarrassed to brush away a tear or admit to a lump in his throat.

(Plus, he has a killer smile).  24

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A rt i c le b y T i m W o o d There is no catchy storybook romance tale when telling the story of Steve and Ann Gibbs’ four decades together. They are deeply religious, a tight-knit family with three kids and two grandkids.

The couple met growing up in Vidalia, Ga., married in 1983, then migrated to the island to follow the work—Steve 26 years of cable maintenance for Hargray and Ann 26 years with Wells Fargo. It’s Ann’s second marriage (Steve adopted her first child, Kristi) and Steve’s “first and only.” Kristi is the one who nominated the Gibbs for our contest. “She’s the writer of the

family, the one that could make us sound somewhat exciting,” Steve said.

They know, in comparison, their love is probably boring, and that’s perfectly fine with the Bluffton couple. “Marriage is all about riding it out.

The ‘for better or worse’ is constantly tested,” said Steve, 58. “My two favorite parts of the day are when I kneel by the bed to pray with Ann in the morning and when we kneel to pray before bedtime.”

The rabid Georgia Bulldogs fans spent 20 straight years attending the Florida-Georgia game, rain or shine. “I remember one year we left Bluffton in a downpour, could barely see on the roads, got soaked at the game and came back in a downpour,” Steve said. “Nothing stops us for the Dawgs.” The family even had an English bulldog named Uga as one of their many pets through the years.

The kids are grown now. Kristi, 40, lives in the Florida panhandle with their grandkids; Daniel, 32, works in cybersecurity for the Army in Augusta; and Luke, 29, works for Hotwire near Greenville.

Steve and Ann have fond memories of yearly mountain retreats with the kids, a week full of hiking, camping, fishing and hunting. “The kids are our world. They rarely spent a night away growing up,” Ann said. “All their friends came to our house; we were the hangout central. So, it’s certainly quieter with just Steve and me now. He’s hard-headed; I’m soft-hearted, so we balance each other out.”

The Gibbs are decades-long parishioners at Bible Baptist in Savannah and count their faith as the driving force in their marriage. “We put God first, not just for show. And we put our trust in each other,” Steve said. “It’s how we’ve lived a great life, and it’s how we’ll be until we go out of this world together.”

The duo continues to work, saving for retirement—Steve a contractor with Spectrum and Ann a medical records assistant. They are looking for land in the mountains where they hope to start their next chapter of life in the next 18 months.

“The flatland has been good to us, but it’s been too long,” Steve said. “We want to wake up with a mountain view from here on out.”

Who made the first move, and what was the move?

Steve made the first move, and it was placing his arm around me in his new car. He had a brandnew Buick Regal, and we were riding around town together.

How many years have you been married?

38 years; November will be 39.

How long before you were engaged?

Seven months At what moment did you know she/he was the one, and why?

Steve: For me, it was after spending time with her on our weekends and enjoying her company.

Ann: Our second date. I could not wait to see him; my mind thought about him the whole time. I so enjoyed being with him, I just knew I wanted to spend my life with him. My heart was sad when we were apart.

What’s the key to a happy marriage?

Pray together; read your bible together; don’t go to bed angry at each other—nothing is that important.

Who cooks and who cleans?

Steve: Ann does both. I help clean up; my cooking is outside were smoke doesn’t affect you.

Who wears the pants and what size are they?

Steve: I wear the pants (42). God said it’s my responsibility, but we talk about every decision together. She’s my best friend.

Advice to newly married couples in less than five words.

Put God first always.

What one quality do you find most attractive in your spouse?

Steve: Ann is my sweetheart and has been from day one; she cares for everyone, even me when she’s mad at me.

Ann: Steve is a strong man, and I have always been able to depend on him. He has always loved and taken care of his family, and I am thankful for his love and his love for our Lord. 

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LOVE LAUGHS LAST.

Artic l e by Ba rry Kaufma n There are countless words you’ll find over and over again in poetry, silly love songs and in wedding vows. Devotion. Understanding.

Bliss. Desire. Passion.

However, the most underrated, yet the singularly most important word to describe true love, is compatible. It’s how John Pritchard describes the relation between himself and his wife of 53 years, Sherry.

“I know that’s not very romantic, but…”

“It is. We’re friends,” Sherry said.

To sit down with them and discuss their relationship is to witness what it’s like when two people are truly meant for each other on a fundamental level. It’s the way they finish each other’s sentences. The way their back-and-forth chemistry feels like watching an old movie. The way they gently tease one another. You’re seeing two halves of the same whole.

“People think he makes jokes all the time, but he really has a sincere heart,” Sherry said.

“It only takes about three bourbons, but then I’m the sweetest guy in the world,” John quipped back. And they both laughed, something you can’t help but join in on when you speak with them.

Not that this easy chemistry always comes naturally. Like any relationship, they work at it. “You have to respect each other.

You have to communicate. You have to be committed,” Sherry said. Or possibly John.

Honestly, it can be hard to tell sometimes.

“So many people these days don’t make the commitment and give up too soon. You have to care what the other person is doing.”

The couple met outside of Scranton, Pa. where John’s aunt ran a boarding house for local female college students. “I’d go every year and check out the new influx of boarders,” John said. “She got lucky and wound up with me.”

“He was getting a little old and decided he should settle down,” Sherry fired back.

The pair moved to Hilton Head Island in 1981 when there was just one red light.

“I actually came down here kicking and screaming,” Sherry said. “We didn’t even have a place to move into. A day before coming to bring us down, John found a place.”

They settled in well, with Sherry now working with Deep Well and John a seasoned Realtor.

“I don’t know what he does during the day,” Sherry said. “He might be having an affair; I don’t know.”

“Oh, it’s much too late for that,” John said. And, as always, they laugh. Together.

Who made the first move and what was the move?

John: My aunt used to board girls from a local college, so I would check them out every year after I got out of the military service. When I was going in the door, Sherry was coming out—ran smack into me and almost knocked me over. I later went back to my aunt’s home for hopefully another

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glimpse of Sherry. She was there, and I insisted she go to dinner at my parents’ home. I thought for sure I would never see her again when my mother served a strange liver dish called faggots.

How many years have you been married?

We have been married 53 years.

How long before you were engaged?

We got engaged one year after we met and were engaged for one year before we got married.

At what moment did you know she/he was the one and why?

It took a few dates, but it was an easy choice for both of us.

What’s the key to a happy marriage?

Respect, understanding, and accepting the other person’s viewpoint. This isn’t easy to do sometimes, but it always seems to work out for the best if you make an effort.

Who cooks and who cleans?

John: She is a great cook; I clean.

Who wears the pants and what size are they?

Depends on the circumstances. Pants are very large for both of us.

Advice to newly married couples in less than five words.

Respect, commit, communicate, be content, care. P.S. Never forget why you fell in love with each other!

What one quality do you find most attractive in your spouse?

John: She is much more caring for other people than I usually am.

Sherry: I think he is good-looking, and he can make me laugh every day. 

MUSIC BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER, AND MUSIC HAS KEPT THEM TOGETHER.

Artic l e by Ba rry Kaufma n Shuvette Colvin was just a girl from Memphis, but her angelic voice had already brought her to the choir in Missouri’s Lincoln College. As much as she focused on her own singing, she kept hearing what she calls a “beautiful tenor voice” behind her.

“I was in love with this voice, and I said, ‘One day I’m gonna look around at him.’ I turned around, and he was looking me dead in my face,” she said. “I was so embarrassed I didn’t come to choir for three days.”

She needn’t have been embarrassed. The boy behind the voice, Sterlin, had his eyes on her for a reason. “I thought she was the cutest little thing I’d ever seen. But it wasn’t just that,” he said. “When she sang, it melted my heart. She has the most beautiful voice in the world.”

For those who have seen the First Couple of Hilton Head Island’s music scene, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it was music that brought them together. “We were friends because of our musical interest. That’s kind of how of we fell in love,” Sterlin said. “We courted for six years before we got married.

Can you believe that?”

The music that brought them together would ultimately pull them apart, but only in the sense of distance. Shuvette had offers that would have made her a star, but the appeal of the business didn’t call to her as much as raising a family did. Sterlin, on the other hand, hustled across the country as a rising touring musician. For years he’d spend up to nine months out of the year on the road, with Shuvette raising the kids.

“The children were little. I had a lot to do just keeping up with them,” she said. “We were just used to it. I’d tell the kids, ‘He’ll be home in six weeks.’ Then he’d be in, pack his bags, and he’d be leaving again.”

“I basically moved us here to put the family back together,” Sterlin said. “We didn’t have cell phones, no FaceTime, so it was a big strain on the marriage and on the family.”

With the children now grown, Sterlin and Shuvette have added two grandbabies to the family. “I love them so much,” Shuvette said.

“That’s my little prince and princess.”

And the music that brought them together plays on, carried into every performance of the island’s favorite musical couple.

Who made the first move and what was the move?

Sterlin: Shuvette had a job at the library in the music department.

Shuvette: I was working; he surprised me with a kiss.

How many years have you been married?

Thirty-five. We have our first blessing Brooke to remind us.

How long before you were engaged?

Six years At what moment did you know she/he was the one and why?

Sterlin: We became great friends after freshman year. I went away to another university, realized how much I liked her and missed her company, so I came back to Lincoln University to make her mine.

Shuvette: I fell in love with his classical tenor voice before I knew him.

What’s the key to a happy marriage?

Respect Who cooks and who cleans?

We both do.

Who wears the pants and what size are they?

We share them; it’s one pair of pants, but there are two sizes, lol!

Advice to newly married couples in less than five words.

Don’t change a thing!

What one quality do you find most attractive in your spouse?

Sterlin: My wife has a very caring spirit.

Shuvette: He’s always willing to help others achieve.  C2 MAGAZINE

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A RT I C L E BY L I N DA S . H O P K I N S D E SI G N ED BY C AT H ERI N E CO L BY

CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE

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n the history of the English language, one four-letter word—L.O.V.E.—is perhaps the most powerful and most confounding. “I love you” is a phrase that can be hard to utter or easy to turn. When we say it to a lover, it means one thing.

When we say it to a friend, it means something entirely different. We say it to our children, to our extended family members, and to our pets. Yet who among us can begin to define exactly what love is?

Is it that tingly feeling when you kiss someone for the first time? Is it the excitement of a lover’s embrace, the intensity of an orgasm, the afterglow of sex? Is it the natural bond that occurs between mother and child at birth? Is it the deep connection you share with a family member or close friend? Is it the giddy excitement when your

dog greets you at the door or the warm affection you feel for the purring cat in your lap? Is it compassion for a fellow human or a creature in need?

The answer is yes. Love can be all of the above and more. We can love people, animals, even places, activities, and objects, all in different capacities and to different degrees in myriad ways. To figure out how and where these feelings originate, we look to science, with a most discerning eye toward the romantic version, which seems to be the most confusing and ill-defined.

LET’S GET CHEMICAL For centuries, people thought love arose from the heart, but it turns out love begins in the brain.

You know the feeling: your heartbeat quickens, your palms get sweaty, butterflies flitter about in your belly.

The euphoria is likened to being high, and with good reason. Research shows that when you’re falling in love, you really are in a mind-altered state.

While love never fits neatly into a box, it can be scientifically organized in three general categories: lust, attraction, and attachment, each directed by its own set of hormones. There is some overlap and intermingling but understanding the basic brain chemistry is a convenient place to begin.

Lust, largely fueled by the hormones testosterone and estrogen, is driven by the desire for sexual gratification and is based on our evolutionary need to reproduce. Caution! Hot potato! Don’t mistake lust for love; give a new relationship time before dreaming of a future together.

Attraction engages the brain’s reward circuitry, which partly explains why the first few weeks or months of a relationship can be so exhilarating. When we are attracted to someone, high levels of dopamine and a

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related hormone, norepinephrine, are released. Called the “neurochemicals of desire,” they are responsible for the starry-eyed bliss we associate with new love.

Attraction also causes a reduction in serotonin, a hormone known to influence appetite and mood. So, yes, you can be so lovestruck that you forget to eat. Interestingly, people who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder also have low levels of serotonin, leading scientists to speculate that this chemical underlies the overpowering infatuation that characterizes the beginning stages of love. That obsessive checking to see whether he/she called or sent a text? Blame it on serotonin.

Enter phenylethylamine (PEA), which is an amine structurally related to amphetamine. PEA is found in trace amounts in our brains, where it acts as a neurotransmitter, releasing dopamine and producing an antidepressant effect. PEA causes the newly smitten to view the object of affection through a rose-colored lens, magnifying their virtues and obscuring any flaws. These effects wear off over time, usually within 12-18 months—another reason to extend a courtship before making a larger commitment.

Want more staying power? There’s a formula for that! It’s normal for the fires of passion to cool as a romantic relationship matures, replaced by neurochemicals that foster attachment and connection, namely oxytocin and vasopressin. Oxytocin, the “superglue” bonding hormone, is released during orgasm (as well as during childbirth and breastfeeding). This may be the reason why sex can bring couples closer. Along for the ride is vasopressin, which promotes pair bonding and faithfulness—important for establishing monogamy. And to keep things lively, while the dopamine factory slows production over time, it doesn’t completely shut down, assuring that the undercurrent of attraction lives on beyond the honeymoon.

For the record, lust and attraction are pretty much exclusive to romantic relationships. In addition to long-term coupling, attachment is the primary player in friendships, parental bonding, and other intimacies.

HORMONES GONE HAYWIRE If this natural chemical cocktail sounds like a dream, beware, because the same ingredients can just as easily blow up the laboratory. For example, we can lust for or be attracted to someone with whom we’re not necessarily compatible or someone who is inappropriate for us. The problem with the

chemicals is that they operate on a subconscious level, and so we rationalize what we feel. While blind love can be real, many people are in love with the idea of falling in love and let their emotions run wild. During the dizzying phase when a relationship is new, enjoy the feeling, but don’t trust it as a directive for the rest of your life.

Recognize it for what it is: a chemical firestorm.

Along the same vein, our innate chemistry beakers are not always brewing up true love; meanwhile, hormones have been known to wreak havoc on our sensibilities. Sexual arousal can turn off regions of the brain that regulate critical thinking and rational behavior. Ever do something in the throes of passion that you later regretted? In short, that loving feeling often leads to stupid and embarrassing conduct.

As for dopamine, a little goes a long way, helping us to enjoy food, events, and relationships. But too much reliance on that natural high can lead to addiction. The same regions of the brain that light up when we’re feeling attraction light up when drug addicts take cocaine or when we binge eat sweets. Attraction to another person frequently mimics addiction and can create unhealthy emotional dependence. Worse yet, when a breakup occurs, withdrawal symptoms can render the lovelorn vulnerable to depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and poor decision-making.

The story is similar for oxytocin: too much of a good thing can be bad. Studies of recreational drugs such as MDMA and GHB show that oxytocin may be the hormone behind the feel-good, sociable effects these chemicals produce that cause the user to act recklessly. In romantic relationships, oxytocin is thought to be the force behind clingy behaviors and jealousy.

MORE THAN A FEELING It’s easy to see that chemistry plays a significant role in how and why we fall in love, and reviewing the science of lust, attraction and attachment can help us develop more realistic expectations. But perhaps we would have a clearer picture of love if we recognized that it is a feeling best expressed through action.

If we truly love someone, it will be reflected in what we do, which often boils down to conscious decisions and choice.

Sixteen years ago, after my husband and I repeated our marriage vows, the minister gave us some simple but sage advice. He said, “When you wake up every morning, take a moment to think to yourself, ‘What can I do to make my partner’s day more pleasant?’ If you both make a habit of this, you will have a strong marriage.”

Although I sometimes get focused on my own needs and obligations when popping out of bed for the day, I have applied the pastor’s wisdom throughout most of my marriage and can attest to the fact that it works. The act of making my husband’s day doesn’t have to be a big deal, but it is a matter of keeping him top of mind and prioritizing his needs and wants; works both ways, of course. When we get in a relationship funk, it’s usually because one or both of us is preoccupied and has forgotten the small thoughtful gestures and pleasantries that make all the difference.

Choice comes into play as well when relationships turn less than rosy—when the person we love is sick, injured, or disabled; when they grow old and feeble or bald or fat; when they are tired and cranky or mad or sad; when they leave the toilet seat up, burn the toast, or make loud chewing noises…

When we love someone, we see that person differently. We begin to look beyond their appearance, their moods, their mistakes, and even their annoying habits. Quite frankly, life becomes more interesting and fulfilling when we seek the happiness, security, and well-being of another. Whether it’s a partner, a child, a friend, or a pet, love has the power to transform our lives.

One thing I’ve learned about love is that when we give it away, it almost always comes boomeranging back—not necessarily from the same source or in the same sense, but often in the most unexpected and surprising ways.

Love, like all our thoughts, emotions and behaviors, relies on complex physical processes in the brain. But to say that love is brain chemistry alone would be to discount the mysteries and the magic. We all have our own definitions, formed from our unique experiences and what we’ve learned from past and present relationships. In the end, only you can decide what love means.  C2 MAGAZINE

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Chef Nunzio Patruno

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t was a night not so long ago, more or less the same as any other night at Nunzio Restaurant + Bar. The wine was flowing, uncorked and poured with practiced ease from a carefully curated collection that takes center stage right as you walk in. The food was as sublimely delicious as ever, each dish chosen to represent the pinnacle of Italian techniques and local flavors. And the conversation buzzed, as it tends to when diners are enjoying a meal to remember.

Every table was enjoying an experience that would bring them back again and again. All, this is, except for one. One single table out of the dozens in different dining areas peppered throughout Nunzio’s expansive footprint had a less-than-stellar experience. When we spoke, that one table’s dissatisfaction weighed heavily on Patruno’s mind. “I couldn’t sleep last night,” Patruno said. “I just kept thinking about it.”

The more you speak with Nunzio Patruno about the restaurant that bears his name, the more you see his relentless pursuit of creating the perfect dining experience. Not great. Not even fantastic. Perfect. That’s the standard.

You can see it in the way that one table bothers him so much. But you can also see it in the way the restaurant has constantly evolved since it opened, improving at

Chef Nunzio and wife Maribel.

Halibut Special Alaskan Halibut filet, lemon, butter, caper sauce, served with roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach, garlic and oil.

Ravioli Boscaiola Special House-made ravioli stuffed with four cheeses, served with prosciutto, peas, diced tomato, mushroom in a light cream sauce The Main Dining Room at Nunzio’s.

increments on an experience that was already one of the most celebrated on the island. Anyone else might see an exquisite dining experience par excellence.

Patruno sees room for improvements.

When we spoke, the most visible aspect of that march toward an ever-higher standard was the construction underway on the front porch. What had been an uncovered deck was in the process of becoming a covered outdoor dining area, still being framed out at the time.

“I’m making the investment because more people want to dine outside,” Patruno said. “Outdoor dining, I think, is going to continue to be popular even after all of the restrictions lift from corona.”

Stretching across the front patio, the woodframed roof will contain fans and heaters for yearround comfort. And Patruno is just getting started.

The restaurant’s rear garden, an intimate outdoor dining space surrounding a massive live oak tree, is next.

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PERFECTING the

experience “We’re trying to cover both of the outdoor spaces,” he said.

“I want to do some kind of retractable roof. We have the tree in the middle so that will take some magic.”

Fortunately, magic is Patruno’s specialty. You’ll find plenty of it on his restaurant’s menu, which is also something he is almost constantly improving. Part of that is that endless desire to achieve perfection, but part of that is just Patruno gleefully experimenting with new flavors.

“I like to do different specials—ossobuco, we always have Tuesday fish specials, some appetizers… As we get into the season, I’ll play around with some local produce, eggplant, zucchini flower, just to have that special that changes on a daily or weekly basis,” he said. “It’s nice to throw my chefs a curveball every once in a while. It lets you stay seasonal and also gives the kitchen a little bit of a chance to experiment.”

As with anything else in his restaurant, the specials represent a culinary experience where the standard is perfection. “We keep it simple because I want to keep the quality of food and the delivery of the food perfect,” Patruno said.

That same willingness to experiment will soon manifest in some exciting, expanded offerings at Nunzio Restaurant + Bar. Beyond seasonal tweaking of the menu and introduction of specials, Patruno has two new programs planned that will expand on what Nunzio is as a concept and introduce this exquisite Italian eatery to an entirely new audience. “I’m introducing a wine flight. I want to start it slowly, but what we’ll have is five different tastings of wine that come out together. We’re testing it right now,” he said.

The flights will give diners a chance to explore their palette and their tastes in wine with flights that cross regions and varietals.

One example Patruno brings up is a flight from California to Italy, with different reds and whites from various areas of both storied wine regions. Another would be a flight of whites or a flight of reds, letting rookie oenophiles learn the differences between a cabernet sauvignon and a chianti, for example.

“We don’t want the flight to be too expensive, so it’s a good entry for younger people who want to explore wine,” Patruno said. “Younger people go into something like this with more of an open mind, rather than when you’re older and already know what you like.”

Along with the new wine flights, Patruno is borrowing a page from the Italian enoteca, a wine experience that is growing in popularity in his homeland. “You go to Italy and they are popping up everywhere,” he said. “It’s like a boutique wine store where they’ll serve wine with different prosciutto, salami and cheeses.”

This new enoteca-inspired antipasto will roll out soon.

Literally. “I bought a big slicing machine. It’s mechanical, so it’s heavy, you know? I’m building a cart I can move around, and I’ll have a table of sliced prosciutto, mozzarella, some salami, some pickled vegetables, mushrooms, olives … really rustic Italian style,” he said. “I think people are going to love it, because no one else does it.”

That table-sized fresh-sliced antipasti will add an entirely new dynamic to the restaurant, with Patruno out front and center as he slices up fresh Italian delicacies hand-selected to complement the wine. “I’m going to be out there doing the whole show; that’s going to be part of it,” he said.

When Nunzio Restaurant + Bar opened its doors, it was immediately lauded for the stylish aesthetic of its dining rooms, its brilliantly curated wine list and its menu of truly authentic Italian flavors. For most diners, it represented a nearly perfect experience.

For Patruno, it was just the start. And he’s been working every day since to turn nearly perfect into perfect.  For more information, visit nunziohhi.com.

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T E P THE PLE PEO

Meet a few locals who make it their business to see that our pets are well cared for.

How does your business cater to pets/what services do you offer?

P HOTOG RA P HY BY M . KAT D E S I G N BY J E FF C L I N E

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Isle of Paws caters to dogs’ grooming needs: bathing, brushing, ear cleaning, pedicures, and haircuts.

What pets did you have as a child, and how did they influence your decision to work with animals?

As a child I had quite a few pets: four dogs, two cats, one rabbit, and a few fish. I loved all of my pets, but I really had a special connection with my dogs. I loved spending time with them, telling them my thoughts and how no one understood me but them. Lol. I also enjoyed training them but never got further then sit, shake, and lie down. I knew as a teen that I would really enjoy working with animals, but I didn’t know what direction I would go.

What lesson have you learned from animals that you might not understand otherwise?

Animals have taught me a lot. Sometimes I forget to give them the credit. They have taught me that patience goes a long way in building a trusting relationship and to never give up. It takes time. And it doesn’t matter how old or young the dog is.

How does working with animals enhances your relationships with other humans?

It’s just natural with pets and people to be kind, patient, and show them you care. If you don’t, what’s life all about? And the response of their appreciation, be it dog or human, is all you need to make you feel warm and happy inside. Life is like an echo: what you send out comes back. What you give you receive.

If you were reincarnated as an animal, what animal would you be and why?

If I were reincarnated as an animal, surprisingly it wouldn’t be a dog. It would be a dolphin. I love the ocean. It shows in all three of my kids’ middle names: Ocean, Reef, and Wave. I would love to explore the world from a different environment. And I just love watching dolphins. It never gets old seeing them jump, play, and trying to be social with us humans.

How many pets do you personally have?

I have two dogs, a Brittany Spaniel and a beagle mix.

Technically the beagle is my son’s, but she’s my dog.

What very important thing about owning a pet do you think everyone may not know going into it?

Pets will teach you more than you teach them. They will outsmart you. They need your time, love, and they need exercise just like us. They also need to be brushed!

Cara STEPHENSON

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How does your business cater to pets/what services do you offer?

Carolina Veterinary Critical Care is an after-hours and weekend emergency veterinary hospital. We provide urgent and emergency veterinary care for pets when the local veterinarians are not open to care for them. We are equipped to accommodate any emergency, from a sore paw to emergency abdominal surgery, and we offer 24-hour hospitalization and monitoring.

vet a n i l o r a c are critical c

What pets did you have as a child, and how did they influence your decision to work with animals?

Growing up in a law enforcement family, we had German Shepherds throughout my childhood. We also were big cat lovers. Looking back, they were all black cats, no particular reason why. I have a special place in my heart for black cats for that reason: they remind me of simpler times. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a veterinarian. I was a very compassionate boy, I remember on many occasions playing doctor on my own pets, trying to bandage their legs and massaging their muscles when I thought they were sick.

That became more and more sophisticated as I grew up.

There was never a doubt in my mind through school about my final goal. I was determined to become a veterinarian.

What lesson have you learned from animals that you might not understand otherwise?

As cliche as it may sound, they are a great example of unconditional love. Pets don’t live in their past; they live in the present. If you treat them kindly, show them love and let them experience life every day, be it going for walks with them, doggie day care or sitting on the couch with them in the evenings after work, the time and effort you put into that relationship will come back to you tenfold.

How does working with animals enhance your relationships with other humans?

Veterinary medicine, especially emergency veterinary medicine, can be very stressful. When animals are sick and people are stressed, due to their pet’s illness and often finances, you build bonds very quickly with people. People are good; they care. Pets bring out the best in people, and I love to see that. I cherish the bonds I make with clients, even if they are transient as they return to their local veterinarians for follow-up care and preventative medicine.

If you were reincarnated as an animal, what animal would you be and why?

Interesting question. Tough to not knee jerk to the coolest animal ever, the liger: half lion and half tiger. But honestly, I’d more likely be a horse. I’m gregarious, strong and proud.

How many pets do you personally have?

We have one cat and a bunny currently; both are rescues.

Boo Boo kitty (I know, my three-year-old named him) was found on the side of the road with severe wounds. He lost about 40 percent of his skin. Ten surgeries later, he’s a happy cat, terrorizing all the poor little marsh critters with his hunting

prowess. The bunny, Marshmallow, was found in the rain on the side of the road by my wife one cold, winter morning.

Once my kids laid eyes on him, there was no going back.

What very important thing about owning a pet do you think everyone may not know going into it?

They are definitely a commitment. Pet ownership is a big responsibility; taking them on is a big responsibility. They will depend on you for their everything. Make sure to go into ownership prepared for making sacrifices, be it financially or in the time they require to be well-adjusted pets. As I’ve said before, the time you put into that relationship will come back to you tenfold; they are worth every second you can spare with them.

What services does your business offer, and when did you know you wanted to work in this field?

If you were reincarnated as an animal, what animal would you be and why?

We offer overnight boarding for dogs, cats, and exotics (birds, turtles, etc.); doggy daycare, with 13 large play yards, 20 private patios, and 10 smaller play yards for select play groups; full grooming salon for baths, nail trimmings/ Dremel, full-breed groom styles, de-sheds, flea baths, etc.; in-your-home pet services (overnights very limited), also, in-your-home day services for walks, bathroom breaks, cleaning cat boxes, poo scoop yards; basic obedience training, while-boarding training, in-home training, puppy crate training coming in April.

I wanted to be a veterinarian but hated science. Luckily, when I was nine years old, I learned what a kennel was, and my dream grew from there. However, life got in the way. Eight years as a radio personality, almost 20 years in corporate sales, and raising children deterred my dream.

In 2007, after volunteering for years in shelters, my kennel dream came to fruition.

As a domesticated animal, I would choose a dog belonging to one of my customers in order to be spoiled rotten. If I were a wild animal, I would choose a hawk—resilient, majestic, fierce.

What pets did you have as a child, and how did they influence your decision to work with animals?

How many pets do you personally have?

I have six dogs, three cats, three feral cats, one turtle, two birds, and one 8-year-old grandson (not an animal but often a close resemblance).

What very important thing about owning a pet do you think everyone may not know going into it?

The cost and time commitment of care and upkeep, such as grooming, brushing, heartworm preventative, play time with your pet, veterinary care. Many customers want to keep their dog’s hair length long, but without brushing, the pets get matted and skin can be damaged. It is not just bringing your dog in for a groom every three months, but yet coat care/deep brushing every few days with grooming every six weeks (pet and breed depending, of course).

I had dogs, horses, rabbits, chickens, gerbils, hamsters, mice, hermit crabs, birds, and many aquatic critters. But I wasn’t allowed to have a cat. I always connected to animals better than other kids, so working with animals seemed the right path to take.

What lesson have you learned from animals that you might not understand otherwise?

Well, I realized how much un-neutered dogs just want to hump. Doesn’t matter what they hump, where, or how often. And that is exactly like teenage boys. Had I known this years ago, I would never have been as popular in high school. (I would have been more selective, ha ha).

How does working with animals enhance your relationships with other humans?

I don’t believe loving animals has enhanced my love of people. Though I enjoy animals more, I still do enjoy people. I’m an extroverted homebody! I enjoy dog owners most of all, especially those with a bit of a wicked sense of humor.

Karen JUST

the Bark

shack

Kaitlin IULO | DVM , CVA

How does your business cater to pets/what services do you offer?

ouch t g n i l a e h ture c n u p u c a animal

Healing Touch Animal Acupuncture is a mobile veterinary service offering traditional Chinese veterinary medicine/holistic medicine to dogs and cats. Services include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medication, food therapy, supplements, and hospice care consultation. Spinal manipulation (chiropractic) will be offered spring 2021! These healing traditions improve quality of life and decrease pain in animals challenged with arthritis, weakness, neck/back pain, cancer, chronic diseases (kidney disease, diabetes, Cushing’s) and other conditions.

What pets did you have as a child, and how did they influence your decision to work with animals?

Many! Dogs, cats, birds, a hamster, and a ferret at one point. My career path in veterinary medicine has been influenced by a lot of animals, but one specific childhood pet stands out. Our German Shepherd, Sierra, was a big influence on my decision to pursue acupuncture. She had hip dysplasia and mobility issues from a young age. She inspired me to help animals with similar challenges now as a veterinarian.

What lesson have you learned from animals that you might not understand otherwise?

Two big ones: unconditional love and living in the present moment. Pets are basically little furry gurus here to teach us something every day if we open ourselves up to their lessons.

How does working with animals enhance your relationships with other humans?

The animals I work with are all attached to humans, and I get to form close relationships with my clients as we work together to enhance the quality of life of their pets.

I really value this partnership. I also get to collaborate with other veterinarians looking for additional options for their patients. The teamwork involved is very rewarding.

Providing these services on the island is also a full-circle moment for me. I grew up here, and it is a gift to be able to do what I love and serve the community that gave me roots.

If you were reincarnated as an animal, what animal would you be and why?

Yeesh … I could answer this question so many ways depending on the day. I think I’d want to be a master of yoga, sleeping, and the universe, so I’d return to this earth plane as a well-kept house cat.

How many pets do you personally have?

Three: a German Shepherd named Fonzie, a one-eyed cat with 20 nicknames, and another cat named Pancakes (my soul cat).

What very important thing about owning a pet do you think everyone may not know going into it?

The quote, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” comes to mind. Our pets age faster than we do and supporting their bodies through a holistic approach can make a measurable difference as they grow older and face more health concerns. And remember to prepare for the cost of care throughout a pet’s lifetime. There is (generally) more cost toward the end of life, just like people. Consider pet insurance early!

Mary JAROSZ

Why do you volunteer at Hilton Head Humane, and how long have you been doing so?

The better question is why not volunteer at HHH? Starting or ending your day being greeted by homeless dogs and cats only seeking your love and attention and knowing you are actually making a difference in their lives is rewarding to say the least. HHH is truly one of our local island treasures, helping 3,000 animals annually; they provide a service our community needs. My values and beliefs align with the mission of Hilton Head Humane and being involved with such a compassionate organization gives me a sense of peace and purpose.

What pets did you have as a child? How did they influence your decision to work with animals?

Being the eldest of six children, we were always bringing home animals ... so, what pets didn’t we have?! One of my fondest memories, and earliest lessons in proper pet care was watching my dad build our rabbit Smokey’s enclosure by hand. And, because you asked (and maybe an unpopular answer to some), my favorite childhood pets were our two rats, Freddie and Peanuts. There was and still is such a misconception about these highly intelligent, loving creatures. Having cared for them at a young age and seeing firsthand that they weren’t just disease infested nuisances with worm-like tails showed me that all animals deserve a chance without judgement! These tiny beings had a HUGE influence on me to always help animals no matter how small or scary they may seem on the surface.

What lessons have you learned from animals that you might not have understood otherwise?

My entire adult life I have rescued dogs and adopted them from shelters and off the streets of Cleveland, Ohio. What I have come to know and have developed a deep respect for is the fact that they are all so different with unique personalities and need to be cared for accordingly. Just as humans have their own quirks and characteristics that define them, so do animals. By having as many dogs as I have over the years (all from varying backgrounds), I truly have learned so many different lessons from each one that have

influenced my empathy for other shelter pets needing that same understanding and effort.

Specifically, my late and greatest boy Chizzy transformed into a completely different dog over the years.

When I first found him, he was completely hairless with terrible skin allergies, an unknown complete medical history, needing multiple surgeries from the get-go, and that was just his physical challenges. He did not like men, people wearing hats, anyone riding a bike, life-size cardboard cut-outs (ha ha), and the list goes on. But you get the picture. It was very challenging at times, but he was worth it. He turned out to be the best dog and greatest companion I have ever had. Differences and personalities aside, the one thing dogs do have in common is the need for love, companionship, and commitment. Unlike humans, animals are quick to forgive, they don’t judge you, and if shown compassion, will effortlessly love you until the very end.

How does working with animals enhance your relationship with humans?

Working with, caring for, and learning daily from animals has taught me a sense of compassion you cannot express with words. How we treat animals is a clear reflection of how we treat other people. Animals can’t tell us how they feel in words, and yet we try our best to care for them regardless of this communication barrier. It has enhanced the way I treat other people. I may not understand them or have walked in their shoes, but I want to show them that same empathy regardless of anything else. Last month, we celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—He said, “ Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the wellbeing of a person or an animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the words we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”

If you were reincarnated as an animal what animal would you be and why?

That’s easy! A box turtle. “The spiritual meaning of turtle is finding the way to move forward and live through heavy times.” This is something I can personally relate to and in my own life has made me exactly who I am today.

How many pets do you personally have?

Just about a year ago, I lost my best boy Chizzy. The truth is he rescued me 12 years ago, and I am so fortunate for the time we had together. My family adopted Ozzie from HHH over three years ago, and for now, I get my pet fix when I babysit him or spend time with my grandpups, Moose and Ralphie. When my heart is ready, the right furry four-legged companion will come along. Lucky for me, I know the perfect place to adopt!

What very important thing about owning a pet do you think everyone may not know going into it?

First and foremost, everyone needs to understand that owning a pet is a very large responsibility and it won’t always be an easy one. It’s a commitment of time, energy, love, and dedication for as long as your pet lives. Unfortunately, so many rescues are filled with animals that once were cute puppies or kittens that weren’t given that commitment!

Anyone looking to add a furry companion to their family, please remember when adopting that these animals get sick, they need regular veterinary care and checkups, fresh food and water, reliable pet sitter options if you work long hours or plan to go out of town, daily exercise, and LOTS of love and attention. They are going to have accidents; they will bark or meow; they will cost money; and they cannot speak for themselves with only their people to look after them.

How does your business cater to pets/what services do you offer?

ALPHADOG TRAINING ACADEMY: Positive dog training, private in your home obedience/behavior lessons for puppies and all ages including adopted dogs. Also offering individual and group classes at my facility in Bluffton.

And limited invitation-only doggie daycare. (843) 304-4327 LITTLE PAWS PLAYCARE: Indoor small breed only supervised doggie daycare at Moss Creek Village (843) 715-7297.

How many pets do you personally have? I am owned by three adopted dogs: two Newfoundlands and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Abby BIRD

What inspired you to go into this business?

alphado g training academy Little paws playcare

I have been working with dogs my entire adult life and became a professional trainer about 20+ years ago. I had been working with ADD and ADHD children when I realized the similarities between them and dogs. But dogs don’t talk back! It was then that I turned professional.

I love working with owners and their dogs, always different and challenging. Problem solving and guiding owners to help keep dogs in an appropriate home is my main goal and assisting with rehoming if the situation is not right. I also foster for five area rescue groups.

To date I have been blessed to work with over 9,000 dogs and their humans and many second and third generation dogs entrusted to my methods. Happy dogs and happy owners!

What very important thing about owning a pet do you think everyone may not know going into it?

It should be a LIFETIME commitment. Whether you have kids or move or your pet gets sick and old, you should be there for them. They have entrusted their lives to you and the commitment on our part should not be viewed as temporary or one of convenience only.

If you can’t afford Vet bills and can’t give them time and attention and training, then think again before getting a fourlegged family member. They are forever.

In your opinion, is pet ownership for anyone who l oves animals? Why or why not.

Not everyone who loves an animal is prepared for the financial outlay, training and time commitment. Owning a pet must fit with your lifestyle every single day. If you love animals but determine it is not appropriate to own one, there are options.

You can volunteer with any of the rescue or shelter groups by visiting or walking pets. You can also volunteer at adoption events. How about fostering, which is a short-term commitment?

Assisting with fundraising? There is always a need for animal lovers!

What is the first thing you teach a new puppy and what is the hardest thing to teach a puppy?

First thing is actually to work with owners and not the pup.

Potty training and nipping and biting behaviors. Without those two first, many owners give up on their pup before obedience training even begins. Then teaching name recognition and positive recall (come) techniques. Recall is the number one most important safety cue and should be addressed early on.

The hardest thing to teach most puppies is correct social behavior and manners—having a dog that is friendly but under owner control. We want to be proud of our dogs’ manners by teaching them not to jump but to enjoy human contact in an appropriate way. Sometimes this about retraining the owners!

With many adopted dogs, social behavior can be just the opposite. They are shy or untrusting of people. Patience on the part of the owners and using positive techniques can turn a dog around. Teaching a dog to trust is one of the most challenging and rewarding skills I work with.

12th Annual Most Adorable Lowcountry Pets

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWS US ON FACEBOOK AND SUBMITTED FURBABIES FOR PUBLICATION IN OUR ANNUAL PET ISSUE. (WE RAN OUT OF ROOM HERE, BUT YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE PETS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.)

philly

tula

COACH

toby chester

shiloh paulie

pearl

nellie

oliver

DIDI

tatum

molly

HANK

howie

bigsby

LUCKY

buster

chris

dakota

hope

barry meownilow

tanner kelsey roxy

Summer jakey

MAGGIE

cozy

ollie

JAX daisy and patti

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12TH ANNUAL

Most Adorable Lowcountry Pets willy b

beans

bruce and cali

tigger

luna

’ sarah s cat

piper

gracie

lulu

MUFFIN

FIONA

FINLEY

WINNIE BUSTER S.

ROCCO AND CHARLOTTE

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ROSEY

NOLI

PATCHES

ATTIE

JOE AND JAKE

SAMMY

PAPPY VAN WINKLE

MCGEE

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TOOHIE

SKY

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BELLA

GROOMING BUSINESS MAKES MAGIC

g doeople p THROUGH SERVICE, EXCELLENCE, IMPACT

I

n 2017, Jane Misra’s life dramatically shifted.

Her family was living in Atlanta and had just celebrated her twins’ second birthday when her husband suddenly died of a heart attack. Not only was she forced to deal with a heartbreaking loss, but she also had to figure out how to make a living and support her children as a single mom.

With a professional business background in operations, Misra had expertise in accounting, p ro ce s s a n d p ro ce d u re , s t ra te g y, a n d entrepreneurial business development. She knew she wanted to start a business that she could be passionate about and one that would have a positive impact. Deciding on a passion was the easy part.

“One of the first things I did when I moved away from home in 1988 was get a dog,” Misra said. “I love having pets and have had dogs, cats or both for most of my adult life.”

ARTICLE BY CHERYL ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY

BY M.KAT

PLAYTIME Bongo plays with his buddies at the indoor play area in Dog People’s storefront near the entrance to Palmetto Dunes.

doegople p

THE DOG PEOPLE: (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) Samantha Tucker, Jane Misra, Donnie Blackburn, Victoria Tesh and Kat Brand

Putting a positive spin on a pet business is where she has been able to use her business acumen. She opened dog people in May of 2017 with her dog groomer Victoria and Victoria’s husband Donnie, out of a desire to do mobile dog grooming differently. “We wanted to create a next level grooming service that focused its attention on making sure the dog’s experience is always the top priority,” Misra explained.

They started the business in Atlanta with the founding principle of offering service that exceeds the “industry standard.” They also wanted it to truly be a DOG experience, by ensuring that the dog enjoys the entire process. For example,

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dog people considers the smallest, most trivial details— such as ambient noise in the grooming environment—as well as prioritizing things other places may never even consider, like having just the right water pressure or using a standardized all-natural shampoo.

Aside from opening and growing a new business, Misra’s priorities included rebuilding her life and cultivating the kind of life experiences she desired for herself and her children. So, in March of 2019, they moved to Hilton Head Island.

“Not moving the business here was never even considered,” Misra said. “We have a vision and a mission, and we are not done accomplishing it.”

On July 1, 2019, Misra opened for business on the island with the mobile grooming van, then a year later, on June 1, 2020, dog people headquarters, located at 807 William Hilton Parkway, opened its doors with the mission to catalyze radical change in every corner of the dog world, beginning with grooming.

Dog people offers mobile grooming and in-shop grooming, day-care, and boarding, assuring that all their clients receive the same standard of quality service across both platforms. “Our mobile grooming service is not a ‘light’ version of our in-shop grooms,” Misra explained. “We use the best mobile grooming conversion vans in the industry in order to make sure we maintain maximum dependability and efficiency while providing the highest quality of service.”

GROOMING ON THE GO Victoria Tesh grooms a pup in the mobile dog-washing and grooming van that makes house calls.

The mobile van is a great option for dogs that may not do well in the shop due to anxiety or other temperament conditions.

It is also excellent for older dogs who do not get in and out of cars with ease. Dog people is also unique in that they do not crate dogs, whether in the van or in the shop.

Dog people’s other primary focus is to provide exceptional employment for groomers. Misra believes that by offering groomers above-industry wages and a work-life balance philosophy that affords quality family time will result in the best possible environment for the dogs her groomers maintain.

Dog people groomers are selected based on their current ability and skill as well as their desire for continuing education.

Potential groomers are interviewed, their work is reviewed, and then they must demonstrate at least three breed standard cuts.

Currently there are two full-time groomers whose combined experience exceeds 35 years, and other groomers are in training.

Then each top groomer works with new groomers to pass along the standard of excellence and provide tools and resources for continual improvement.

“There is a definite ripple effect here,” Misra said. “Our groomers love their jobs; the dog clients receive excellent grooming and leave happy; and the owners see their happy dog, they are happy; then, possibly later, while on a walk still infused with happiness, the dog owner might talk to a neighbor walking by who was having a bad day and make them smile. And it all started with a groomer who is happy to come to work.”

This business equation: service + excellence + impact creates the well-loved dogs Misra strives to create at dog people. As dog people grows and expands, the goal is to create a contagious “dog people” culture. Current efforts also now include a charitable partnership with the Palmetto Animal League where they currently sponsor efforts to get dogs and cats adopted to “FURever” homes.

Dog people is proud of the co-caring rapport they offer to dogs and their owners by providing tools, resources and support for all things dog people might encounter along their journey. “If we do not know the answer to your question, we will reach out to our community and try to find help wherever possible,” Misra assured.

The good just goes on and on—from the groomer to the dog to the owner to the neighborhood, and then out to the community. dog people operates on the belief that good begets good. Thus, with this driving principle, they have taken dog grooming as a small business, deconstructed it to its essential components, and revised it to make it the best experience for the dog and groomer alike. And they are committed to continually revising to be as empowering and effective as possible.

“When the focus is on being in service and how we can make a positive impact,” Misra said, “the rest is the impact, the magic.”  For more information, visit dogpeople.dog or call (843) 341-3322.

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ARTICLE BY DR. KIRK DIXON, DVM

P RACT I CAL E MERG ENCY Does your pet need immediate care, or can it wait?

H

aving practiced veterinary medicine for over 38 years, I have seen thousands of emergencies and dealt with way more phone calls. The reality is that 95 percent of the emergencies I have seen over the years could have waited until the next business day. This is meant to be a practical guide for preventing or dealing with the most common real or perceived crisis situations. I will also debunk some myths and highlight common mistakes.

The biggest and most common myth is that the candy bar, chocolate chip cookies or the assorted chocolate candies he/she ate is going to kill your dog. What is toxic is unsweetened baking chocolate. If your dog ate a bar of that, there could be problems. However, that has never happened in my career. Milk chocolate and its assorted derivatives will only cause

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vomiting and diarrhea at worst. In addition, I have never seen a problem from the foil wrappers in which they are enclosed. Over the years, I have been amazed by the things dogs have passed without complication. Onions, grapes, raisins and acorns are also items from which I have never seen a pet have problems from ingesting. While in theory many items can be toxic, the amount that has to be consumed is often more than they would ever eat.

If your dog does eat something potentially toxic or dangerous, like rat poison or human drugs and medications, and it has been less than two hours post-ingestion, make them throw it up with hydrogen peroxide. Lift their head upward, pull out the corner of their mouth, and start pouring the peroxide slowly. Keep making them drink it until the foaming action in the stomach makes them vomit. Once they vomit the peroxide, they will stop vomiting. If it has been more than two hours, most likely it is out of the stomach and the only realistic option is to treat any symptoms if they arise.

Speaking of swallowing things, in cats, the most dangerous items are strings, tinsel, thread and occasionally abandoned fishhooks with bait on them. In dogs, socks, nylons, corn cobs, bones and toys are the most dangerous. The string-like things, including socks/nylons that can fray, are especially dangerous because they can ball up on each end and get stuck with strands in between. The vomiting action will cause the threads to act like a wire saw and cut open the intestines in several locations, often producing a massive infection and a fatal result. They will rarely show up on an x-ray, which makes diagnosis very difficult. I once had clients who owned an Old English Sheepdog, and they would laugh while telling me how many pairs of underwear their dog would throw up in a week. Unfortunately, one time it was a pair of nylons that frayed, and the result was fatal. If your pet likes to swallow things, try to be very careful as it eventually catches up to them.

Vomiting and/or diarrhea is a frequent after-hours call. The pet has been vomiting all day or for days but suddenly at 10 p.m., it is an emergency. If your pet has either of these, the very best thing you can do for them is to fast them for 24 hours—no food of any kind. If vomiting, no water for three or four hours, then start with a quarter cup of water followed by another quarter cup in 30 minutes, slowly increasing the amount over many hours; then call your vet the next day.

Bleeding (including bloody urine, vomit, or feces) is another symptom that freaks people out. Most of the time, blood looks worse than it is. If bleeding on the outside, the best thing is pressure on the area. Usually within 15 minutes the bleeding will stop. Many times, someone would insist on coming in after hours, only to have the bleeding stop on the way to the clinic. A little patience can often be very helpful.

Acute lameness is another overreaction. Something happens, the dog is screaming, and the owner wants to rush them in immediately. Very often, by the time they get to the clinic the dog is walking and not vocalizing. Medically speaking, even a broken bone does not have to be dealt with immediately. The point is that most lameness and injuries can wait until the next day.

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Onions, grapes, raisins and acorns are also items from which I have never seen a pet have problems from ingesting. While in theory many items can be toxic, the amount that has to be consumed is often more than they would ever eat.

With old, big dogs, the call is that they had a very active day, laid down and now can’t get up. Once again, rarely a need to panic. Put a towel under their abdomen, pull them up and force them to take a few steps. Usually after moving, their arthritic joints loosen a little and they can walk again.

When my kids were teenagers I used to lecture them that nothing good happens after midnight. Regarding pets, I have a variation of that point. If you remember nothing else, remember this: Nothing good happens in the bushes, especially at night during warm weather. Ticks, snakes, poisonous spiders, bugs and rat poison baits are all in the bushes. Almost all of the snake bites I have seen over the years happen after dark. If your pet is bitten by a poisonous bug, the sting/bite site will swell 10 to 30 percent, usually over an hour or so. With a poisonous snake, the bite location will swell twice as big within 30 minutes. If there is no swelling, there is no venom.

Antivenin has become very popular in emergency clinics. The only antivenin available is for rattlesnakes, and it is very expensive (expect a $1,500-$2,000 bill). Most of our snake bites are copperheads, and there is debate how well antivenin works. I have never used antivenin and have never had a death or a treatment failure using a hefty dose of corticosteroids and antibiotics.

I haven’t covered every possibility, but I have tried to touch on the most common reasons to call a veterinarian after hours. Most of the time, an emergency visit is not necessary, and the veterinary visit can wait until the next day. �

Dr. Kirk Dixon, DVM practices veterinary medicine at Hilton Head Veterinary Clinics, with locations on Hilton Head Island and Okatie. For more information, visit hiltonheadpet.com.

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RED Rover, red Rover,

Bring Your Doggie Over DOG BUSINESS OFFERS PROFESSIONAL GROOMING, DAILY PLAYCARE, AND OVERNIGHT BOARDING ARTICLE BY CHERYL ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT ed Rover owner Paige Grisette has always been a dog lover. “My earliest memories include dogs,” she said. “I don’t ever remember a time when my family didn’t have dogs, and as an adult, I’ve always had a dog or two.”

In 2008, Grisette realized there was no dog wash on Hilton Head Island, so she wrote a business plan and became a professional groomer. She attended numerous trade shows and seminars gaining industry expertise and learning dog psychology. In 2009, she opened the original Red Rover on New Orleans Road. Six years ago, in 2014, she decided to expand the business to include PlayCare and boarding. To accommodate the spatial requirements, she bought and renovated the building at 25 Bow Circle, which is the current location.

Grisette believes the employees and training are behind the success at Red Rover. “The team at Red Rover is young, smart, happy, honest, ethical, and team/ service-oriented, and those are attributes that can’t be taught,” she said. “I frequently get comments about how professional, helpful, and knowledgeable my team is.”

All employees are trained in “dog language,” the physical cues delivered by a dog’s tail, eyes, ears, mouth, and stance. Collectively, these cues telegraph what the dog is feeling and, to some extent, what they will do next. Upon completing a “final exam” in dog language, Red Rover employees then learn how to supervise groups of dogs.

“In PlayCare groups, there are multiple conversations going on at once, so the group supervisor must be able to read ‘conversations’ quickly and when/if needed, intervene with appropriate action to eliminate negative energy,” Grisette explained.

Two daily objectives guide decision-making at Red Rover: (1) ensuring safety— of both dogs and people and (2) providing a positive experience for all two-legged and four-legged customers.

“How we make sure each dog’s experience is a good one might mean making slight adjustments to their care,” Grisette said. For example, during group play, a supervisor may observe one dog unengaged and not having much fun. The solution might lie in some one-on-one time and extra TLC or perhaps moving him/her to a different group. And importantly, Red Rover supervisors never make assumptions based on previous visits, she explained. “Just like people have different daily moods, so do dogs.”

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Grisette understands that dogs are happiest when they are with the people and environments they know. When you register your dog for PlayCare or boarding, the first visit is complimentary, with the objective of getting all the unknowns out of the way. When your dog comes back, the experience is now a familiar one PLUS they know you will be back.

In addition to daily play and overnight boarding, Red Rover provides haircuts by two professional groomers and full-service bathing.

When dogs are at Red Rover for a bath, employees apply a different skill set they learned via Red Rover’s training program. And after a multi-step process—which includes cutting nails, cleaning ears, and expressing anal glands—dogs emerge about an hour later looking brand new.

And if you want to do it yourself, you can! DIY bathing is extremely popular with Red Rover customers.

For more information, visit theredrover.info or call (843) 671-WASH (9274).

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ARTICLE BY TIM WOOD

NOAH’S ARKS RESCUE: S AV I N G T H E D O G S N O O N E E L S E W I L L S AV E

Forsaken canines get a lifeline thanks to the work of a tireless heroine and her crew

T

hey are not the “puppy in the window.” They are the abused, tortured and discarded. The socalled “lost causes” that are on the verge of being euthanized.

Jennifer Smith has been fighting for these animals since growing up on a farm in Mississippi. She has fought to save these animals for more than 20 years in the Lowcountry. At first, it was to raise money for emergency medical care for the animals that shelters had given up on.

Smith and her volunteers at the not-for-profit Noah’s Arks Rescue have saved thousands of animals and raised enough funds to launch a rehab facility at Hazard Creek Village in Ridgeland.

“We take the worst of the worst, where the cost of caring for them is too high for most,” Smith said. “Whether it’s cancer, a gunshot, severe burns, an ear cut off by a machete, paws cut off—it doesn’t matter.

Every animal deserves equal love and humane treatment.”

The facility can house up to 32 dogs at a time. Smith works with shelters and vets from Savannah to Charleston, with most of her rescues going to Port Royal Vet Hospital. Each animal starts at veterinary ICUs. Half the animals live long enough to be fully rehabbed and adopted out to thoroughly vetted forever homes.

“There is a lot of sadness but so much hope and happiness,” Smith said. “There are more dogs on the street and fewer donations during COVID, but our work goes on.”

The rescue name is intentional.

Endless arks are needed to answer the

hundreds of emails Smith receives each day from shelters across the U.S. Noah’s Arks has found a unique way to help fund donations. Smith and her crew opened Fetch Mkt., a luxury boutique next to the rehab facility where 100 percent of profits go to saving dogs. The store is staffed by Noah’s Arks volunteers and sells an array of bath and body products, designer clothes, jewelry, gifts and art. The beauty of the products offered is in stark contrast to the pictures of the injured animals being treated.

“These dogs, they put on a smile no matter what. They just want to love and be loved,” Smith said. “We curate our products with the mission in mind and are fortunate to work with amazing creators who support our purpose.”

Smith chronicles the path to recovery of each dog and the emotions that each dog stirs in her heart on the rescue’s website. The photos are often graphic and heartbreaking, but they illustrate the urgency of the call to action for donors.

“What they have endured, I would have died 50 million times,” Smith said.

“We work to heal them, but these dogs

“WE CURATE OUR PRODUCTS WITH THE MISSION IN MIND AND ARE FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH AMAZING CREATORS WHO SUPPORT OUR PURPOSE.”- JENNIFER SMITH

do more healing to human hearts than we could ever provide. They just need a chance. Even when they’ve given up, we fight for them when they won’t fight for themselves.”

Noah’s Arks’ costs easily surpass $1 million per year. Expenses rise with each day the pandemic continues. Smith said that while donations are always needed, she is equally in search of people willing to give homes to her rehabbed heroes.

“They are so loving, so joyful, so ready to give that love to the humans who will be their hero.”

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E G A T : I ence l l Y e R c x E to E M t n e E m H AD Same Commit r, AC e n w wO Ne

Private s ch leader sh ool’s new ares her vision for t acclaimed he academy

d Woo Tim y B Kat icle y M. Art B y h rap tog o line h P ff C e J y gn B Desi

AMANDA WILLIAMS-O 'NAN

A

manda Williams-O’Nan was grateful for the opportunity to return to educating youngsters at Hilton Head Island private school Heritage Academy last summer. Just four months later, she got an opportunity she never imagined possible. “I bought the school,” said Williams’-O’Nan, the school’s new owner and Head of School.

The celebrated educator and former principal of Hilton Head Island High School started a college counseling service after her HHIHS departure, and her work attracted the attention of IJGA and Heritage owner Andrew Summers. Williams-O’Nan initially helped with several school programs and functions alongside former headmaster Gloria Shoemaker. In addition, she started community programs using the Academy facilities.

“There are so many needs during COVID, so we used classrooms for public school kids that needed guidance and oversight to do their virtual learning supervised by proctors,” she said.

Now that the purchase is official, Williams-O’Nan plans to rapidly evolve Heritage Academy from an island-based

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alternative for high-achieving international student-athletes to an affordable option for island families that continues to serve a unique student demographic.

“I am so grateful to the staff and families that have led us to this next chapter,” Williams-O’Nan said. “We want to open the doors and let island families rediscover what we’re all about.”

Heritage Academy was founded in 1993 as a courtside school for the Van der Meer Tennis Academy. The idea was to provide a flexible education atmosphere to students in grades 6-12 who were striving for a career in professional tennis.

The school evolved into a passions-focused haven for all student athletes and performers who needed individualized schooling that fit with their intense training schedules.

Summers took over and made it the academic base for his worldwide golf academy students. O’Nan plans to continue serving that niche community while hoping to fill the island void left as Hilton Head Christian Academy moved to a new Bluffton campus.

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5 “There is this myth out there that tuition here was $60- to $70,000, so we have an incredible opportunity to build new relationships in this transition,” she said. “You don’t have to be a gold or tennis star to be here. Whatever drives a child, we want to work with.”

“There is this myth out there that tuition here was $60to $70,000, so we have an incredible opportunity to build new relationships in this transition,” she said. “You don’t have to be a gold or tennis star to be here. Whatever drives a child, we want to work with.”

In fact, 2020 tuition was $14,950 for high schoolers.

Williams-O’Nan has already cut that cost to $11,950 for high schoolers and $9,950 for middle schoolers—in comparison,

almost half the cost of tuition at island neighbor Hilton Head Prep.

The school offers an 8:1 student/teacher ratio, over 50 AP courses and a schedule similar to college programs, with students taking three classes per semester, each class 90 minutes per day. Williams-O’Nan hopes to strike an agreement with a college institution to offer dual enrollment classes for college credit in the near future.

Just as she started during the summer, Williams-O’Nan looks forward to opening the campus to be a community learning center. In addition to recruiting island students, she plans to take advantage of the unique usage schedule of the school’s facilities.

“Our classes are over by just after lunch, so the lights are off for the rest of the day. We’re going to change that immediately,” she said. “I want to offer adult education classes, SAT prep, homework and tutoring assistance, just to name a few ideas. We want this to be a full-time educational center for the community.”

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personal goal driving her mission. “I’ve always been a publicschool advocate, but I see the benefits that a school like Heritage offers students,” she said. “I want this to be a school where I’d send my kids. The affordability that goes with the flexibility we can provide and the diversity of classes we offer is a huge plus.

We answer to our families and our board, not some arbitrary set of state mandates. We’re not teaching to the test here. We’re meeting students where they are to give them the best chance to succeed.”

The school currently houses 52 students but can currently hold over 100 students. Williams-O’Nan said she has already scouted additional commercial space on the island to be prepared for expansion as needed. She said that just in the first 24 hours after announcing the school purchase on Facebook, she got a steady flow of inquiries and eight new student sign-ups.

“We’re never going to be bursting at the seams,” she said.

“I believe with the partnerships I have fostered in my time in the Lowcountry, combined with the outreach we plan to undertake, we’re going to grow. And we’ll always be ahead of that growth.”

Williams-O’Nan won accolades for her staff-building skills and for creating strong relationships with students, teachers and parents alike. “Anybody could run a school, but to really succeed, you have to love children and you must have an amazing foundation of teachers. That’s what it’s all about,” she said. “I love the challenge of building that environment, of making good educators better. I feel like I’ve won the lottery here. We have amazing financial backers who have believed in me to create this opportunity.

The school offers an 8:1 student/teacher ratio, over 50 AP courses and a schedule similar to college programs, with students taking three classes per semester, each class 90 minutes per day. Williams-O’Nan hopes to strike an agreement with a college institution to offer dual enrollment classes for college credit in the near future.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have had a reset, to have time to focus on my three kids who are my world. Educating, it’s what makes my heart go pitter patter in the morning. I found that thing that motivates me, drives me, and I love having each day to help kids find and achieve that same path.”

Williams-O’Nan said she’s not looking to reinvent the wheel at Heritage Academy, a school with an already sterling reputation. She’s just looking to create more connections with the local opportunity to fully utilize all the school has to offer.

“I encourage folks to give us a try. We always need volunteers,” she said. “It’s a great way to get involved. There’s nothing more exciting than to see young kids learning, to see the magic happen, the light bulbs lighting.”

Williams-O’Nan said that word of mouth and the family relationships have been and will always be the measure of success. “You do right by a parent and a student, you have friends for life. Seeing those successes and students and families coming back and sharing their victories, that’s the best feeling in the world,” she said.

The new Head of School knows she has a lot of work ahead to forge the next chapter for Heritage Academy and is ready to start pounding the pavement. “Talking to parents, local organizations, potential partners, it’s what I love. I think we have an exciting story to tell,” she said. “The more we show what we have to offer here, I think the sky’s the limit.”

To find out more about Heritage Academy, go online to heritagehhi.com or email Williams-O’Nan at amanda.williams@ ijga.com.

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E G A RITEMY E H AD AC

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el The e F

Vibrations Fans see her as an abstract expressionist.

But for J.R. Sandifer, it’s a means to share her spiritual energy on canvas.

O

n the surface, J.R. Sandifer is as much of an oddball fit for Lowcountry living as the art she creates. For decades, interior designers have labored to perfect the coastal chic look, full of sand and ocean color palettes, seashells in bottles, and paintings of docks leading to the water and vessels gliding toward a perfect sunset horizon.

It’s a definable vibe, a joyous calm that envelops us as we exit the interstate and follow the Yellow Brick Road to Nirvana that is U.S. 278.

Abstract art is anything and everything but definable.

Local galleries don’t clamor for the genre because their clients haven’t historically been interested in hanging it on their walls. But vibes and tastes morph and evolve. Twenty years ago, the high-octane-living Saudi Arabia native behind the artist’s nom-de-plume would have never imagined herself living in the off-ramp of life that is Bluffton.

“Now, I can’t imagine being anywhere else. My journey has transformed me and given me the courage to share my energy through my art,” Sandifer said. “You won’t see just one thing in my work, but hopefully you will feel an energy.”

She knows that may sound New Age-y to some—that her pieces are as unpredictable as her ever-changing hair color. But Sandifer is slowly finding a following ready to embrace her enigmatic expressions as a welcome adventure in these heavy times. “The air is thick in society right now, and so I keep the vibrations above that thickness,” she said.

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The genesis of those vibrations began in Dhahran, a major hub of the Saudi Arabian oil industry on the Persian Gulf coast north of Qatar. Sandifer’s father answered a magazine ad for Aramco Oil and uprooted his wife and young son from the U.S. to work for what is today the sixth largest company by revenue in the world.

American Aramco staffers and their families lived in the same community, much like a U.S. military base. “Seeing camels on the way to the beach, hearing prayer calls ring out five times a day, that was normal, all I knew,” Sandifer said. “It was me, my parents, my brother. The rest of our family was oceans away. So, friends and keeping busy after school were everything.”

At a time when Flashdance and Footloose were stateside sensations, Julie Rae Sandifer was drawn to constant motion. She took up dance at age four and won numerous competitions as a child performer. Academics increasingly became a struggle, as her teachers saw that frenetic energy as lack of focus and diagnosed her with ADHD. The labels and the pressure led Sandifer to a string of bad decisions as an early teen.

“School was always challenging but it became harder. I was mischievous, I found trouble,” she said.

Back then, Saudi public school ended after ninth grade, and then it was off to boarding schools in Bahrain or other countries to finish schooling. Sandifer’s father was ready

ARTICLE BY TIM WOOD P H O T O G R A P H Y BY M . K AT DESIGN BY JEFF CLINE

“We were supposed to paint an orange. I just couldn’t do it. I just can’t draw or paint things. But this one girl in class, she said she loved my painting.

She said the imperfections made it all the better.” - J.R. Sandifer

to retire, and the idea of boarding didn’t sit right with her parents. So, the family moved back to the U.S. and settled in Daytona Beach, Fla. The abrupt adjustment to American life only created more inner turmoil for Sandifer. “I partied very hard. I just wanted to experience so much of life, and much of that was trouble. My parents blame themselves, but I don’t. We’re all on a certain path,” she said.

That path led Sandifer to Orlando and the University of Central Florida. She waited tables and frequented the O-Town club scene at first. Then a friend introduced her to Ashtanga Mysore, a disciplined style of yoga. The strenuous workouts led to more than just a physical rebirth.

“You learn one pose at a time and don’t progress until you master each pose. I found a structure, a purpose there that changed me,” she said. “I had this thirst for spiritual knowledge. It led me to meditation, vegetarian eating and plenty of spiritual coaching.”

An Introduction to Painting course at UCF led her to another awakening. “We were supposed to paint an orange.

I just couldn’t do it,” Sandifer said. “I just can’t draw or paint things. But this one girl in class, she said she loved my painting. She said the imperfections made it all the better.”

That encouragement fueled a new passion. Sandifer began working with textures and letting the emotions of the moment flow on to canvas. A friend in Orlando saw one of her paintings in her apartment and encouraged her to take her work to an art gallery, where Sandifer sold one of her creations for $45.

“That was incredible. That’s where J.R. Sandifer was born,” she said. “I wanted a name that had a bit of mystery to it, so I used my initials and Julie Rae became J.R.” Despite the newfound success, two straight moves quickly put art on the back burner. First, Sandifer moved to Delray Beach, where she focused on teaching fitness classes. The second move was for love, as an OK Cupid C2 MAGAZINE

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Art was one of the few things in her new life that was not fully clicking. “I took my work to galleries around the Lowcountry and got a lot of rejections. They said I wasn’t good enough. Abstract just wasn’t in demand here. So, I focused on dance and teaching and on helping Trevor build his business and us building a family,” she said.

She also continued her spiritual enlightenment, finding Gary Bodley and The Teachings of Joshua. “It’s about the Law of Attraction and about having power over fate through

painting Daly with a CH2’s Jevon Downz. ts e en im es Ta pr o, Julie his alter eg inspired by

online date blossomed into romance and marriage to musician and videographer Trevor Harden in 2011.

“When Trevor brought up moving, I was shell shocked. I thought, ugh, the South Carolina Lowcountry. I’d gotten used to a fast pace of city living and all it has to offer with arts and culture,” she said. “I figured a small town wouldn’t have as much of that.

It’s the sticks; everyone would stare at my weird hair. I could never have seen myself as domesticated.”

Disdain quickly turned into adoration, as the ocean and endless lush greenery was like a Pac Man power pellet for the newly minted Julie (Sandifer) Harden’s soul. She went all-in on Lowcountry life, began waitressing again at night and soon became an in-demand fitness and movement class instructor at Oldfield, Belfair and Berkeley Hall before being wooed by Colleton River.

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Seeing her work online drew a budding entourage to Sandifer’s artistic cookie jar.

An interior designer friend suggested an informal showing of her work at Colleton River earlier this year. spirituality, through positive thoughts and achieving higher vibrations,” she said. “I began to realize that life wasn’t happening to me, that all the events in life are happening for me.”

Equipped with newfound spiritual guidance, Sandifer turned back to painting as she and Trevor grew their brood—a six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter to go with Callie, her 16-year-old stepdaughter who lives with them for half the year.

Julie and Lando

“Dance is the core of my soul, it’s like breathing for me.

Painting was more of a forced commitment,” she said. “I told myself I’m going to paint two times a day, just for me, and I did it.”

She posted her work on Instagram, ready once again to show the world her J.R. Sandifer side. “I’ve never been just one thing, one label. Why be just one flavor of cookie? That’s boring,” she said with a smile. “I’m a dancer, a choreographer, a wife, a model, a mom, but I’ve never thought of myself as an artist. Money has never driven me; this wasn’t a profession. I wanted to pass on my energy and hopefully make people stop and feel something different.”

Seeing her work online drew a budding entourage to Sandifer’s artistic cookie jar. An interior designer friend suggested an informal showing of her work at Colleton River earlier this year.

“I paint large canvases, so these were taking up space at the house. I was just about to start giving them away on Facebook, so I loaded up 15 paintings and brought them to my friend’s house instead,” she said.

The socially distanced patio display drew more interest than she could have ever dreamed. She sold nine canvases that day, some for as much as $600.

“These folks are telling me I’m underpricing these, but the connections I made and the encouragement was worth so much more than money,” Sandifer said. “Turns out that abstract is suddenly on trend for home decorating. I was just beside myself.

Is this actual happening?”

She turned to Trevor for help designing a website and used the Artrooms app to digitally superimpose her work against an array of country and metropolitan home décor styles and palettes. She even took on her first-ever commission work.

“That was scary. I don’t have a plan or a color in mind when I paint. I am a conduit for channeling energies and go wherever that leads,” she said. “But it worked better than I imagined. I just asked about the décor where my work will be seen and stayed with those colors.”

Sandifer is starting to believe her artwork could truly be a career path. Trevor (“he’s the logical one and I’m the feeler,” she said) is helping with the business side of things, which increasing means updating the site with the word “SOLD” next to her creations. Validation of her talents for sure, but more important, a confidence boost that her efforts are making an impact.

“Shipping these 30 by 40 canvases will be a challenge, but I’m up for anything,” she said. “I’m approaching galleries in Savannah, Charleston and Atlanta—maybe some art shows when we get past COVID. The hard times, the turmoil, it’s all brought me to this place. The idea that I’m passing on this energy, that it will live physically with someone else, it’s exhilarating.”

For a sampling of J.R. Sandifer’s portfolio and to purchase her artwork, visit jrsandifer.com.

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ARTICLE BY CHERYL ALEXANDER

Technology at the

Dentist

office DEVELOPMENTS IN DENTAL TECHNOLOGY MAKE FUTURE VISITS BETTER THAN EVER

W

hile predicting what your next visit to the dentist will reveal is sometimes hard to imagine, one thing that is almost certain is that you’ll encounter some new dental technology that will benefit your oral health and make your visit more comfortable.

ROBOTICS You might already know about all the different options in dental implants: endosteal implants, subperiosteal implants, all-on-4 dental implants, implant overdentures, and even implant supported bridges. However, what is new and remarkably interesting is the use of robotic-assisted dental implants.

In dentistry, like other industries, robotics can enhance precision, accuracy, workflow, and patient results. For example, even though most patients experience great results from implants, there are risks of nerve damage and implant failure.

This is where robotics and navigational surgery technology can

improve success rates and guide the surgeon during the procedure by offering enhanced precision and consistency.

According to Kevin E. Hardy DDS, Irish Dental of Hilton Head, “Robots are taking over the world, and dentistry is no different. In dentistry, we talk in millimeters, but robots allow us to operate in miniscule fractions of millimeters. One day it will be nanometers. It really is an incredible development for the profession.”

INTRAORAL SCANNER If you’ve ever had impressions taken at the dentist, then the chances that you’ve gagged on the goop are certain. The intraoral scanner makes those gag-inducing impressions a thing of the past by simply scanning the patient’s mouth to create a digital impression. It is quick and painless and can assist when it comes to Invisalign or any restorative dental needs. It can even show patients how their teeth will look after treatment with aligners, braces, or whatever restorative dental procedure they may be having.

DIGITAL X-RAYS Digital dental x-rays are like traditional film x-rays but expose patients to less radiation. “Digital radiographs provide a drastic reduction in the amount of exposure,” Dr. Hardy said. “In fact, lounging for the day at Coligny Beach results in 10 times more exposure than a modern dental x-ray.” The images also go straight to a computer where they can be instantly examined closely to see areas below and inside the tooth that would otherwise not be visible.

Digital dental x-rays can be taken both inside your mouth, intraoral, or extraoral (outside of your mouth). Intraoral x-rays are performed with a bite-wing x-ray (when you bite down to capture a snapshot of a specific area, which helps identify any decay between teeth or the condition of bone around a tooth—useful before proceeding with a crown or filling) or a periapical x-ray (which shows the entire tooth as well as the bone surrounding the tooth where any abscesses or bone loss caused by gum disease may occur). Extraoral x-rays are panoramic. The machine circles

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Technology at the

Dentist

office

around your head to capture photos of all your teeth, commonly used to assess wisdom teeth, jaw issues, or dental implants.

CEREC ONE-VISIT CROWNS Unlike traditional crowns—which require more than one visit—CEREC one-visit crowns only require one. CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) one-visit crowns utilize digital impression to create a crown that usually only takes a few hours to make in the office.

“CEREC crowns also have some great benefits,” Dr. Bonnie Rothwell of Rothwell Cosmetic Dentistry on Hilton Head Island said. “For example, they do not have a metal core, which results in a tooth that looks much more natural. Also, they are often typically stronger than traditional crowns. Although the process to bond the crown to the tooth is quite similar, the time usually spent on impressions, trips back and forth, etc. is virtually eliminated.”

CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY Becoming mainstream in dental offices are digital x-rays called CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) scans. These machines operate extra-orally and circle around your head like the panoramic x-ray. The difference is the images produced by these machines are 3-dimensional.

Dr. Rothwell uses this particular type of x-ray in her office.

“The 3-D images can be used to map out important nerves when planning extractions or placing implants,” she explained. “We can

“THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW AND FANCY TOOLS THAT MAKE THE TECHNICAL ASPECT OF OUR PROFESSION SO MUCH EASIER, ALLOWING US TO INCREASE OUR PATIENT-FIRST FOCUS, WHICH IS A PRIMARY GOAL FOR EVERYONE THAT VISITS OUR PRACTICE.” — DR. KEVIN HARDY measure not just the height of bone but also the width and see the proximity of the roots of teeth to the sinuses.”

Dental abscesses can often be detected on the CBCT scan before they would show up on a traditional digital x-ray. The TMJ’s (temporal mandibular joints) can also be viewed in 3D, which is valuable for diagnosing and treating TMJ disorders.

Some of these CBCT machines can link up with the CEREC machines to plan implant placement, the ideal crown and then create a surgical guide. The CEREC unit can mill out a custom surgical guide for the implant surgery as well as the crown once the implant is ready to restore.

VIRTUAL REALITY Virtual Reality (VR) completely closes off the outside world with a dedicated headset and immerses the user in a virtual environment that can transport dental students and aspiring dental surgeons to the OR from their couches and allow dental patients to completely slip away into a calming landscape while experiencing what may be a dreaded dental appointment.

In a live dental procedure, only a few students can peek over the shoulder of the surgeon during an operation. Using virtual reality, surgeons can stream operations globally and allow medical students to be there in the OR using their VR goggles.

On the patient side, VR can be the solution to dentist office anxiety. A recent experiment showed that VR was an effective

distraction tool. Patients wore goggles that displayed calming natural scenes and remembered the treatments more positively afterwards.

TELEDENTISTRY Many people are reluctant to go to the dentist. Others have special needs or are residents of assisted living facilities. Distance is another issue for people who live in rural areas. Teledentistry can provide easier access to oral and dental care and is significantly cheaper for patients. Some services offer an all-in-one platform allowing patients to capture images, send relevant information to a dentist remotely, and do a live consult. During the current pandemic, remote care’s importance has risen, and teledentistry has also gained momentum.

“The utilization of teledentistry is definitely a work in progress,” Dr. Hardy said. “At Irish Dental, although we remained open throughout the pandemic due to a severe need for dental care in the area, we additionally helped lots of patients via Zoom communications for those with dental concerns. We realize that even though someone may not be in physical pain, their dental issues may be causing anxiety, so just being able to talk to their dentist is helpful.”

NEW DENTAL TECHNOLOGY Like all technology, dental technology is advancing rapidly, so as a patient, it is important to find a dental professional whom you not only trust to give you the best care, but who can offer you the state-of-the-art dental technology as part of the process.

“There are a lot of new and fancy tools that make the technical aspect of our profession so much easier, allowing us to increase our patient-first focus, which is a primary goal for everyone that visits our practice,” Dr. Hardy said.

Stay informed on what dental trends are available and ask questions to make sure you understand the pros and cons of all dental procedures and the options you have when it comes to routine cleanings, dental implants, orthodontia, and more. 

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ROC DENTAL GROUP IS ON A

ROLL Since rebranding, the island’s favorite dental practice has continued to do what it does best: provide an epic experience.

FOR NERVOUS PATIENTS, A WARM BLANKET OR A KNEE PILLOW ARE AVAILABLE AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE TO HELP EASE THE TENSION.

Bianca Campa, Caroline Klephchick, April Jenkins, Cinthia Memije, Matt Mastrorocco, Emily Parker, Jordan Haire, Karla Villeda, Kelly Paxton, Leighann Rohe, Mimi Rivera, Claudette Stewart, Rita Davis

F

or some of us, a dental visit is just another item to check off the to-do list. While it’s not something we circle on the calendar with the kind of glee reserved for birthdays or the Super Bowl, it’s something we enter into with the same enthusiasm one might bring to mowing the lawn.

For a large number of people, however, a trip to the dentist can be a rollercoaster of anxiety. There’s actually a term for it: dental anxiety (or dentophobia if you want to get technical). It’s very real, and it’s something that ROC Dental Group has made it their mission to overcome.

“I always feel like I want to be engaged and ask that question, ‘What can we do to make this more comfortable for you?” said Dr. Matt Mastrorocco, principal and founder of ROC Dental Group. Creating that comfort is a comprehensive effort at the Hilton Head Island practice. For nervous patients, a warm blanket or a knee pillow are available at a moment’s notice to help ease the tension.

Sometimes it just takes reassurance. “I know some patients have had previous experiences at the dentist that were not so great,” said Dr. Jordan Haire of ROC Dental Group. “I’m always trying to make sure they are comfortable, whether it’s talking about the previous experience, or letting them know that if they’re uncomfortable, we’re going to do everything in our power to change that before we proceed.”

“We’re always on the forefront of this technology and making sure we’re ahead of the curve on that. But in reality, the thing that always sets us apart is our connection. There’s an underlying fear for a majority of our patients, and our entire team tries to focus on the patient experience.” — Dr. Matt Mastrorocco

A R T I C L E BY B A R RY K A U F M A N | D E S I G N BY J E F F C L I N E | P H O T O G R A P H Y BY M . K AT

Naturally, one of the biggest anxieties that has sprung up over the past year revolves around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beyond the standard protocols, ROC Dental Group employs a trio of surgical quality air filters, positioned throughout the office, that destroy viruses and impurities on contact.

The end result of all this careful deliberation and patient care even has a name. “We call it The Epic Experience. So, they’re wowed from the first phone call until they leave the office. We want them to love coming to ROC Dental Group.” — Dr. Matt Mastrorocco

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But it goes far beyond pillows, blankets and communications. Every aspect of ROC Dental Group has been fine tuned to create comfort.

Everything from the colors of the walls to the artwork on display was meticulously chosen to soothe and relax. “That even extends to something like our front desk. I want the patient to feel like our team member will stand up and greet you,” Mastrorocco said. “It’s not just, ‘Sign the clipboard and sit down.’ We want them to feel like we know who’s coming and we are welcoming them.”

The end result of all this careful deliberation and patient care even has a name. “We call it The Epic Experience,” Mastrorocco said. “So, they’re wowed

from the first phone call until they leave the office. We want them to love coming to ROC Dental Group.”

Naturally, one of the biggest anxieties that has sprung up over the past year revolves around the COVID-19 pandemic.

While there has been no known transmission in the clinical dental setting, ROC Dental Group has taken every step to ensure the kind of safety and peace of mind that adds to The Epic Experience. Beyond the standard protocols, ROC Dental Group employs a trio of surgical quality air filters, positioned throughout the office, that destroy viruses and impurities on contact.

“This system is basically surgically scrubbing the air every 15 minutes,” Mastrorocco said. “This not only gives patients a lot of comfort; it has helped us maintain our office with zero cases coming out of our practice.”

These technological marvels are not the only tool at ROC Dental Group’s disposal. Embracing the leading edge of dental technology has long been a hallmark for the practice. “We’re very proud of the technology we have at our disposal,” Haire said.

One advanced piece of tech, called the cone beam CT scan, allows for a level of visibility that would have been the stuff of science fiction just a few years ago. “We can now look at the mouth in three dimensions for surgeries and placing implants,” Mastrorocco said. “It has also enabled us to detect infections and abscesses in a way we couldn’t before.”

Another, the iTero Scanner, replaces the traditional dental impression with a digital scan. To the layman, this means you, as the patient, don’t have to deal with the tongue-curling bitterness of impression mold. “No one likes that,” Haire said with a laugh. And there are far more tools, like lasers used in periodontal therapy that sterilize the pocket around the tooth.

The cone beam CT scan, allows for a level of visibility that would have been the stuff of science fiction just a few years ago.

We can now look at the mouth in three dimensions for surgeries and placing implants.” — Dr. Matt Mastrorocco But for all the tools at their disposal, ROC Dental Group knows that each is just the means to an end.

“We’re always on the forefront of this technology and making sure we’re ahead of the curve on that. But in reality, the thing that always sets us apart is our connection,” Mastrorocco said. “There’s an underlying fear for a majority of our patients, and our entire team tries to focus on the patient experience.”

His colleague concurs. “Ultimately, with the scanner, that’s all about patient comfort. But all these technologies are making our dental work more exceptional than it already was,” Haire said.

“The higher success rates they enable make our dental work more top notch and set us apart from other dental practices, but I’m always trying to make sure my patients are more comfortable.”

And that is the end goal of The Epic Experience. The technology, the customer service, the bedside manner, it’s all in service to turning a trip to the dentist into something better—not something to fear, and maybe even something to look forward to.

“There are always bells and whistles, but you need to feel comfortable in the chair,” Mastrorocco said.

To learn more, visit rocdentalgroup.com or call (843) 682-4601.

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Featuring Dr. Jim Maginnis • Dr. Terri Hubbard Dr. Adam Squicquero • Dr. Jeffrey C. Bauer

Dr. Jim Maginnis Maginnis Orthodontics

What is your field of expertise?

Orthodontics What innovations have helped ease the concerns of those who fear the dentist/orthodontist?

Invisible aligners—an esthetic solution to orthodontic treatment. It’s more comfortable and does not require frequent orthodontic visits—good for working professionals and those with busy schedules; light force wires reduce reliance on heavy, stiff wires that can cause old-school soreness.

Coastal Pediatric Dentistry

What is your field of expertise?

Pediatric dentistry—providing optimal dental treatment to infants, children and teens including those with special needs.

What innovations have helped ease the concerns of those who fear the dentist?

My staff and I use a technique called “Tell, show, do.” We tell our patients about the procedure, show the instruments used, then do the treatments. This helps the child feel more in control of the appointment and comfortable. We enjoy making the patients feel safe and creating a fun experience!

What is one piece of advice you give to patients on keeping a healthy mouth at home on a daily basis?

Floss! I cannot stress to my patients enough the importance of flossing and brushing every night before bed.

What are your feelings about the use of technology in dentistry and the benefit it provides to patients?

Technology in the dental field is great! We use digital x-rays,

which not only uses less radiation but provide better imaging for diagnosing and patient education.

At what age should a child visit the dentist?

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends by age one or when the child’s first tooth is erupted.

What do you enjoy most about being a dentist?

I enjoy being able to give children a love of going to the dentist and a lifetime of good oral health.

As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up?

My childhood dentist, Dr. Jerry Parker, inspired me to become a dentist.

10 Arley Way, Suite 102 Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 757-7336 coastal-pedo.com

What do you enjoy most about being an orthodontist?

The smiles, of course! I enjoy seeing the smile transformations we give our patients each day. The boost in self-confidence and personality transformation is awesome.

What is one piece of advice you give to patients on keeping a healthy mouth at home on a daily basis?

Floss! The old saying goes, “Floss only the teeth you want to keep.”

It’s so true. It’s cheap and easy and comes with so many dental benefits.

As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up?

A Navy pilot

What are your feelings about the use of technology in dentistry and the benefits it provides to patients?

I love the innovations happening today. Better tech with appropriate applications can give patients better treatment, a better experience, and potentially more convenience.

What song can you not get out of your head right now?

“Toosie Slide”

What is one of the most important dental habits you often see patients failing to do?

Flossing.

Dr. Terri Hubbard

At what age should a child visit the dentist?

When the teeth start to erupt.

Mothers need the appropriate education on how to prevent dental problems in their children.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve read or seen this week?

Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

11 Hospital Center Common, Suite 201 (843) 757-9760 maginnisorthodontics.com

Dr. Adam Squicquero Howard Family Dental

What is your field of expertise?

General dentistry with an emphasis on comprehensive treatment.

What innovations have helped ease the concerns of those who fear the dentist?

There is no substitute for a good relationship with one’s dentist to ease one’s fear of dental treatment.

There are very good medications that can make dental anxiety more manageable, similar to sedation.

What is one piece of advice you give to patients on keeping a healthy mouth at home on a daily basis?

Avoid foods that are acidic and have a lot of sugar. Remember, the important thing is to limit the amount of time the sugar or acid is present. If these foods are to be eaten, eat them around mealtimes only, and rinse or brush afterward.

What are your feelings about the use of technology in dentistry and the benefit it provides to patients?

Technological advancement in dentistry is moving rapidly; it takes a lot of continual education for the dentist to keep up with it and to use it in a way that improves the

Jeffrey C. Bauer, D.M.D. Bauer Dental Associates

What is your field of expertise?

Family and cosmetic dentistry What is one piece of advice you give to patients on keeping a healthy mouth at home on a daily basis?

Daily flossing, brushing after eating, and professional exams and cleaning as directed by your dentist and hygienist.

What are your feelings about the use of technology in dentistry and the benefit it provides to patients?

Simple orthodontic movements using Invisalign aid the patient to conveniently position their teeth resulting in a terrific smile. Also, whitening

products enhance a smile and give a person extra confidence.

What is one of the most important dental habits you often see patients failing to do?

Flossing daily and proper brushing.

What do you enjoy most about being a dentist?

Helping someone with a bothersome tooth as well as providing a patient ways to correct their smile that can give them confidence.

23 Promenade St., Unit 101 (843) 757-2222 Bauerdental.net

outcome of patient treatment. Seek out a provider with credentials that show they attend constant continued education.

What is one of the most important dental habits you often see patients failing to do?

A healthy diet. This cannot be overlooked, and it can have tremendous impacts on oral and systemic health alike.

At what age should a child visit the dentist?

The first birthday, or the first tooth, whichever comes first!

What do you enjoy most about being a dentist?

Improving a patient’s self-confidence by improving their smile.

What song can you not get out of your head right now?

“Livin’ on a Prayer” 10 Pinckney Colony Rd., Building 500, Ste. 503 (843) 593-9380 howardfamilydental.com

NICE LEGS!

INNOVATIVE VEIN CLINIC ELEVATES CONFIDENCE AND IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE Article by Cheryl Alexander

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nnovative Vein Center, located at 176 Dermis Road in Hardeeville, is a clinic with an innovative approach to treatment. Dr. David Capallo (a cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon with 35 years of experience) leads the team. He added vein surgery to his practice 15 years ago and now devotes his practice exclusively to venous disease.

“The transition is a natural one for a vascular surgeon,” Capallo explained. “Our mission is to provide our patients with the best possible care for the treatment of venous disease, and I believe that with our experience and the team we employ at Innovative Vein Center, we can do just that.”

When most people think of venous disease, they think of varicose veins, which many people experience as they age. However, varicose veins are only one indicator of venous reflux, which is the process that causes varicose veins. Other symptoms like leg swelling, leg heaviness or aching, and skin changes of the lower leg are also indicators of venous reflux.

“One of the most severe complications of venous disease is a venous ulcer,” Capallo said. “It can be an extremely difficult problem to manage, one that we don’t want people to ever experience. Therefore, we like to treat the disease prior to that point. Chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, and spider veins are all common, treatable indicators of vein disease, and when treated early, can help patients avoid venous ulcers.”

For many, unsightly veins are an aesthetic annoyance that can affect self-confidence. For others, the painful, throbbing blood vessels interrupt normal activities and are a significant health concern. Those who have swelling, pain, changes in skin color and/or texture, and/or sores on the skin that do not readily heal should consider consultation and treatment.

Those who are already dealing with ulcers may quickly find that topical medicines, specialty dressings (bandages), or treatment boots do not remedy the underlying cause. “In most cases of venous ulcers, the skin breakdown will not heal unless the venous insufficiency is addressed,” Capallo said.

Our biggest successes are with people who come in with longstanding, open leg ulcers. Many of them have been told that they need to continue local care and dressing changes. At Innovative Vein Center, we offer treatment of the underlying cause of vein disease and give those patients the relief they desire. With evaluation and ultrasound, we can identify the underlying cause of the venous ulcer and promote complete healing.”

Dr. Capallo also stresses that vein disease symptoms can vary greatly but ultrasound evaluation is always needed to formulate a treatment plan. “We are happy to see anybody with any leg complaints,” he said. “If they have venous disease, we can help them, and if they don’t, we can certainly offer other

DR. DAVID CAPALLO OF THE INNOVATIVE VEIN CENTER

solutions. In most cases, they will have venous insufficiency, but if not, we can rule it out and refer them for treatment elsewhere.”

If you experience any of the following symptoms in your legs, you may want to consider being evaluated: • Swelling, aching, pain • Pruritus (itching of the legs) • Fatigue and/or heaviness • Night cramps • Restless legs/numbness or tingling • Burning or throbbing veins • Bulging or enlarged raised veins • Small, red/blue, web-like veins • Skin thickening/discoloration of the lower legs If you are examined and found to be a candidate for treatment, rest assured that Innovative Vein Center specializes in modern vein technology designed to help you feel and look your best. Utilizing advanced, state-of-the-art, proven methods of vein therapy treatment, their specialists offer patients the best possible results, while avoiding the risks associated with other surgical vein procedures.

“We continuously research vein technology and techniques to better serve our patients,” Capallo said. “Our vein specialists are experienced, qualified, and focused on achieving the best outcomes. We deliver confidence to our patients that they will receive the appropriate recommendations and best possible care that literally improves their quality of life.”

One common misconception is that venous disease is just something that happens with age and that people simply must accept it. As well, many mistakenly think that treatment may involve an operation, anesthesia, or a hospital stay. The truth is that C2 MAGAZINE

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treating venous disease only requires a brief and minimally invasive procedure.

Innovative Vein Center offers a variety of minimally invasive, in-office vein treatment options for the treatment of venous insufficiency, including ultrasoundguided sclerotherapy and radiofrequency ablation. Sclerotherapy is performed by injecting the diseased veins with medication with ultrasound guidance. This causes the diseased veins to close. An ultrasound maps the veins in your legs prior to the treatment, giving Dr. Capallo the precise details to include the size and area of the veins needing treatment.

Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy typically causes little to no discomfort to the patient at the time of treatment, and patients typically resume activities immediately after concluding treatment. The lack of downtime and minimal discomfort (if any at all) is one major benefit of this procedure.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treats veins with venous reflux. During this procedure, Dr. Capallo inserts a catheter into the vein through a small needle.

Radiofrequency energy heats and collapses the diseased vein. The RFA procedure normally takes less than an hour. The body will redirect blood through healthier veins.

RFA allows for quick recovery, positive results, and minimal pain.

Vein treatment at Innovative Vein Center benefits include: • Non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment • Little to no downtime • No sedation • Experienced dedicated physicians • Covered by Medicare and most insurance plans • Average treatment time one hour • Lower risk than traditional treatments With innovation at the forefront of care, the Innovative Vein Center specializes in obtaining the best outcomes for all their patients, and they look forward to working with you to personalize a treatment plan.

Innovative Vein Center is managed by an experienced vascular surgeon whose specialization is the treatment of venous disorders. They offer most up-to-date treatment of this common disorder.

“We are here now in Hardeeville, and we are proud to offer our services locally,” Capallo said. My assistant Staci and I have worked together for 24 years. We have an established practice and a knowledgeable and experienced ultrasound technician. We are your one-stop shop. We enjoy helping people feel better and improve their quality of life, and we’ll be here when you need us.”

For more information, innovativeveincenter.com or call 282-0049.

visit (800)

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AN ORDINARY THREE WEEKS IN OAHU ARTICLE BY MICHELE ROLDAN-SHAW

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t’s always a beautiful day on the arid, leeward side of Oahu. Each morning of my visit, an island sunrise would unfold, with grand towering clouds over the Pacific in pastel purples, yellows and oranges, and a bank of heavier clouds clinging in a long, gray ribbon to the Wai’anae Range behind us. I would see just the top of this spectacle from the second story of my sister’s cookie-cutter house in the Honolulu suburbs and dream of a secluded beach shack someplace where I could see the whole thing. It would be like a vintage postcard, my little palmthatch hut, nestled in the skirt of a green jungle mountain with banana, papaya and breadfruit trees for my breakfast. I would hear the surf and seabird cries as I watched the sunrise over the ocean, in boardshorts, sipping my Kona coffee.

That never happened, of course. Like so many mainlanders who go to Hawaii, my sister was there because her husband got stationed on Oahu as a U.S. Marine. They lived in a nice family-friendly development that could have been anywhere if

not for the tropical landscaping and cutesy “Aloha!

Mahalo for taking your shoes off” signs on people’s front doors. They conceived their first child soon after arriving to this purgatorial paradise, and I immediately made my travel plans.

“Welcome to our house!” my sister announced brightly my first morning as the dog bounded in and vomited a pile of water just shy of the crawling baby’s head. Our tourist activities would be largely limited to what you could do carrying a front pack and a diaper bag. And yet I saw enough of the island—its sparkling blue bays and shapely turquoise waves; its orchids and rainbow fishes; its craters, pineapple plantations and precipitous green mountains rising in great folds from the sea— to begin to understand Hawaii. In a discovered world of tourist claims and package deals, this place is unarguably, understatedly special.

Where else can you see a man with tribal tattoos covering half his face in Costco or buy a fresh flower lei at Target? Where but Hawaii do traditional quilting patterns feature sea turtles?

Degradation of the environment and exploitation of Hawaiian land, has more than a few “kama’aina” wanting to close the door on the rest of the world.

Why couldn’t I be one of the lithe young beauties with long gleaming hair and brown legs in little running shorts who looked like after work they’d go swim under a waterfall? In Hawaii, waterfalls appear overnight, cascading down impossible slopes on the side of any old highway. People ride in the back of trucks, and speed limits on the interstate are as low as 35 (it’s an island—where are you really going?), so when someone cuts you off, you just chill and throw a shaka (“hang loose”) sign out the window. Everyone drives with aloha, which actually means love, peace, compassion and mercy, not just hello and goodbye.

Aloha is a Hawaiian institution. People wear aloha shirts— for work, for play, for life—and they love Happy Aloha Fridays.

Even the wild pigs have aloha, or so my sister tried to tell me when we went on a forest hike with signs posted to beware of them. Just don’t transport their meat through a certain tunnel that crosses Oahu east to west, for this will invoke the wrath

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of Pele, goddess of fire and volcanoes. She had a tempestuous love affair with Kamapua’a, half-man-half-pig demigod, and now she never wants to see him on her side of the island again, not even as pork. Also, don’t carry off any black lava rocks, because a curse will fall on your house until you ship them back—though evidently this is not real Hawaiian lore, only an urban legend concocted by a disgruntled park ranger.

At a distance these epic volcanic ranges appear soft and green as velvet, but on the ground, they could swallow you alive. Ferns tower. Vines strangle and aerial roots choke. Wild hibiscus fall at your feet. “There’s a perfume of a million flowers clinging to the heart of Old Hawaii,” crooned the vintage slackkey guitar song at the free hula class in Waikiki. The lyrics went on to extol trade winds and rainbows following the showers, all of which is true. Modern sounds coming out of Hawaii are no less full of island pride. The native reggae, which dominated

A food truck on Oahu’s North Shore.

Sparkling Hanauma Bay

local radio despite there seemed to be only half-a-dozen songs at any one time, was softer than the Jamaican style. A recent hit called “Smoke All Day” was actually about kalua pork, and the lyrics included a recipe as well as an injunction to “smoke meat not drugs.” DJs bantered in Hawaiian Pidgin about “pau hana” (quittin’ time), “choke kau kau” (lots of food) and “kama’aina” (people of the land).

Kama’aina: This inclusive term refers not only to native Hawaiians but any long-term resident, regardless of race, and is the qualifier for many a local discount. It’s good to be from the islands. But more than a few kama’aina were currently flying the state flag upside down in protest of a massive new telescope to be installed on the Big Island’s Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano that native culture holds sacred. Scientists say the location and climate are perfect for astronomical observation; detractors insist it will degrade the environment and be just one more blatant exploitation of Hawaiian land. There is trouble in paradise—homelessness; a hidden meth epidemic; ridiculously high cost of living that pushes out locals to make room for wealthy mainlanders; hikers lost or washed away in flash floods; dying coral reefs; too many junker cars—but all that’s to be expected. And it’s far less visible than the people living charmed lives with their beach bodies on Instagram.

“How you like it here?” asked the Hawaiian roadside coconut seller on Oahu’s famous North Shore. She was the fastest husker around, and the only woman, she informed us as she hacked up green coconuts with a meat cleaver and astonishing force.

When we answered that we liked it, she said “Good. Now go home. Too many people coming, and we want it to stay like it is.”

Ah, the doomed wish of people in so many beautiful places who’d like to slam the door shut on the world. I didn’t tell her I would never want to move to Hawaii (too expensive, too isolated, too contained), but I did point out that if people stopped coming, it would be bad for the coconut business.

In a year or two, my brother-in-law will be transferred, and my sister will move her family away from paradise to become the kama’aina of another land. But I dream of going back to Hawaii—in particular the “Garden Island” of Kauai—to keep exploring its florid crevices and gemlike shores. If fortune favors me, I’ll find my secluded beach shack yet.  C2 MAGAZINE

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The Voice of Experience After a quarter of a century, Gina FaucetteFarbman has seen it all when it comes to Hilton Head Island real estate.

Article by Barry Kaufman

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t might be one of the most well-worn tenants of the real estate industry, but there truly is no substitute for experience. Especially when it comes to buying and selling on Hilton Head Island, the best aspect a realtor can bring to the table is knowledge: what communities offer which amenities, where buyers can find the best value, how much sellers can expect their property to be worth … it all needs to be on command at a moment’s notice.

It’s truly what your Realtor knows that sets them apart. And to paraphrase a famous advertising catchphrase, Gina Faucette-Farbman knows a thing or two because she’s seen a thing or two.

“I know the villa market like the back of my hand,” she said. “And when I’m representing someone who is buying a villa, I ask the right questions to find out of if the POA has a healthy reserve and if there are any assessments coming down the pike.”

Her particular talent in the villa market comes from her unique background prior to entering the real estate industry. Working with Shaw Manufacturing for many years, Faucette-Farbman sold railing and structural steel in a territory that ranged from Savannah to Charleston. “I probably sold 90 percent of the gates on the island,” she said. “It’s not that I specialize in villas; I just know all the property managers.”

And while the always-red hot villa market might be her strong suit, it’s by no means her specialty. Her depth of experience is matched only by the breadth of her experience. “I have my license here and in Beaufort, so nowhere in the Lowcountry scares me,” she said. “I sell everywhere.”

Aiding her in this growing real estate territory is her associate Grace Barna, who recently relocated to the area from Virginia where she’d been working with RE/MAX. “It’s definitely been a change from Virginia; there are a lot more residential and vacation homes. It’s definitely a fast-paced environment,” Barna said.

Barna has proven she can more than keep up with the pace of island real estate, aiding in everything from

Gina Faucette-Farbman and Grace Barna

“I KNOW THE VILLA MARKET LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND, AND WHEN I’M REPRESENTING SOMEONE WHO IS BUYING A VILLA, I ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO FIND OUT OF IF THE POA HAS A HEALTHY RESERVE AND IF THERE ARE ANY ASSESSMENTS COMING DOWN THE PIKE.” - GINA FAUCETTE

transactions to marketing with practiced skill. “She is my saving grace,” Faucette-Farbman said.

Her territory might take her across both sides of the bridge, but it’s her island home for the past 25 years which holds a special place in Faucette-Farbman’s heart. “Everyone says I should run for office, but I don’t know about that,” she said with a laugh. Instead, she focuses her energies on organizations around here from the Boys & Girls Club to Zonta International.

But above all, she is dedicated to her clients. “I work 24/7,” she said. “And it doesn’t matter if it’s a $100,000 home or a milliondollar home. I treat every client the same.”

To find out more, visit HiltonHeadOceanfront.Love or call (843) 422-2144.

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OWNERS, KEVIN KICKLIGHTER AND ANDY O’REILLY.

Made in the Shade

BEFORE TINTING

THINK YOU HAVE A COOL CAR? Let Top Tint show you how much cooler it can be.

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ARTICLE BY BARRY KAUFMAN

he best thing about living in the coastal South is the sunshine, but also the worst thing about living in the coastal South is the sunshine. The brutal, unrelenting sunshine, blinding us on our daily commutes. Turning our pristine upholstery into a cracked, faded embarrassment, creating unseemly sweat stains in all the places the air conditioning doesn’t reach. It’s bad enough we’re subject to its merciless rays while we’re outside; shouldn’t we be safe in our own cars?

Thanks to Top Tint of Bluffton, we can. Kevin Kicklighter and Andy O’Reilly have made it their mission to make your car cooler in every sense of the word. (It will look cooler, of course. Every car looks cooler with tinted windows). “But it’s more than just the aesthetics of it,” Kicklighter said. “The films we use offer up to 99 percent UV protection and 90 percent heat reduction.”

O’Reilly is the company’s lead installer, although Kicklighter refers to him as “the doctor.” He’s been working in window tinting over the last eight years, and he’s seen it all. “I’ve done dump trucks, RVs, a 48-foot yacht … everything that has glass, I’ll tint it,” he said. “We’ve had everything in here from a $250,000 Aston Martin to a 1996 Honda Civic hatchback.”

The good doctor’s years of experience led him to demand only the best products for Top Tint’s services, including XPEL window tint. “I’ve always known them for their quality of product, and their customer service is great,” he said. “I’ve used a few other big names, but I’ve seen those fail. When we started opening the business, I said, ‘If we’re going to do this, we’re going to use the good stuff.’”

Their window tints are available in three different varieties, giving customers options when it comes to their price point and their protection. Even the base CS series offers 99 percent UV ray protection, with the HP series offering higher heat protection and the top-of-the-line XR series using nano-ceramic particles for incredible protection from the sun.

“The XR line has so much protection, it’s even helping to battle skin cancer,” O’Reilly said. He mentions the “trucker arm” that a lot of heavy drivers will experience—a distinctly redder shade on the left arm where it’s closer to the window. “That right there, in the long run, getting exposed to that can cause cancer.”

AFTER TINTING

And even if you’re not in your vehicle enough to worry about that, your car is subject to constant bombardment. UV rays are a nightmare for your car’s interior, slowly fading its color and eroding your resale value every second your car is parked outside. That is, if it’s not protected.

To stick it to the sun and protect your investment, your commute and possibly your health, visit toptintbluffton.com.

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Article by Barry Kaufman

DRIVEN

TO EXCELLENCE For 25 years, United Tire & Auto Repair has built a reputation for quality that’s unsurpassed.

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t’s one of the most common sentences you’ll hear when it comes to cars: “They don’t make ’em like they used to.” It’s an expression of a sense of quality and durability that seems to have become a dying art in the automobile industry. Sure, some who say it may simply be nostalgic for the days of tail fins and chrome bumpers; but what they’re really saying is that these days, excellence is hard to come by.

If excellence is no longer the standard in the automobile industry, someone forgot to tell that to the folks at United Tire & Auto Repair. “We’re a local family business with 25 years in the industry, and I feel like we’re one of the Lowcountry leaders in car care,” owner Glenn Plumlee said. “We’re really the alternative to the dealership.”

For any make or model, these are the folks you take your car to when it needs to be done right. Tires, brakes, A/C, tire alignments, tune-ups, repairs, oil changes … if it’s broke, or threatening to break, they can fix it. And what’s more, they fix it the way it used to be done—with honesty and integrity.

“We never sell anyone something they don’t need,” Plumlee said. “We do a lot of free inspections, whether it’s brakes, batteries or alignments, and they are truly free. They’re not upsells. We’re not digging around just trying to find something we can charge you for.”

Backing this old-school honest and integrity is a new-school dedication to mastering the latest technologies. “We’ve definitely kept up with everything as automobiles have changed and evolved. We have all the latest technologies and technicians who are certified on all the latest technologies,” Plumlee said. “We’re a true stateof-the-art shop, and we have one of the largest alignment machines in Beaufort County.”

For the customer, that means getting the best of both worlds. It’s integrity made like they

United Tire & Auto Repair is located on HWY 170 in OKATIE next to Riverwalk Business Park.

Convenient to Bluffton & Sun City.

Owners, Justin Hall and Terry Fowler

used to, combined with technological knowhow that’s centuries beyond the way they used to make it.

It’s hardly a wonder that United Tire & Auto Repair has cultivated such a loyal customer base. “We have customers that come from Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort … everywhere,” Plumlee said. “And it’s all managed and operated by Terry Fowler and Justin Hall, two guys who have built a huge reputation for doing the job right.”

Fowler and Hall came to United Tire & Auto Repair from Bluffton Tire & Auto, a company that had enjoyed its own storied reputation for quality, honesty and reliability before it closed. They brought with them even greater credibility to a firm that has earned the loyalty of thousands of satisfied customers.

They don’t make them like they used to? Think again. At United Tire & Auto Repair, they make it even better than they used to.

To find out more, visit unitedtowingandautorepair.com.

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ARTICLE BY CHERYL ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY BY M.KAT

BenchMark M

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LOWCOUNTRY PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINICS SET STANDARD FOR REHABILITATION

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hysical therapy is a growing field in medical industry where trained professionals evaluate and treat abnormal physical function related to injuries, disabilities, diseases, or other medical conditions. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) identifies a physical therapist as a trained and licensed medical professional with experience in diagnosing physical abnormalities, restoring physical function and mobility, maintaining physical function, and promoting physical activity and proper function.

BenchMark Physical Therapy, located in the shopping plaza at 1017 Fording Island Road, Suite 101F (between Petco and Sake House) and at 386D Mark Cummings Road, Suite 102, operates with a mission to serve their patients and treat them promptly with integrity, honesty, and compassion. Their reputation for best-in-class patient care and unparalleled customer service, combined with our local and regional density, makes BenchMark the provider of choice for patients and referral sources in the area.

Since 1995, BenchMark Physical Therapy has operated as part of the Upstream Rehabilitation family of clinical care, a network of industry-leading brands providing world-class physical and occupational therapy services across the U.S. In 2015, the health center expanded to the coastal market (Georgia and South Carolina). To date, there are more than 800 clinics nationwide through the Upstream Rehabilitation network. In addition to in-clinic treatment, they offer telehealth physical therapy services as an option should patients desire to receive care through

video interaction/conferencing with a licensed therapist, all from the comfort of home.

Leah Woods, PT, DPT, ATC, OCS, is the regional vice president for BenchMark Physical Therapy’s coastal market. She currently oversees 15 established clinics, with three additional clinics opening at the beginning of March. Woods is an athletic trainer and physical therapist, born and raised in Gwinnett County (northeast of Atlanta). Woods moved to the coastal market three years ago to assist with continued growth and the clinic’s mission of providing exceptional care throughout the Lowcountry.

Woods’ move to the area was driven by her desire to provide exceptional care and expand the BenchMark geographical footprint. As well, the continued population explosion of this area affords need for more physical therapy clinics.

“Anyone and everyone is welcome at BenchMark,” Woods said. “We strive to meet each individual patient where they are, whether they are recovering from a sports injury, surgery, deconditioning following COVID-19, cancer, or changes in their health status. We are here to meet you where you are in life, recovery, as well as your goals and ambitions.”

Woods believes that the individualized patient care offered at BenchMark is what sets her clinics apart from the others. The programs not only treat a client’s aches, Ryan Dromsky performing hands-on manual technique on Leann Ventriglia to assist with shoulder rehabilitation.

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(From Left to Right): Ryan Dromsky, Leann Ventriglia, Mark McManus and Leah Woods

Q Leann Ventriglia performing upper trapezius stretching to assist Mark McManus in providing relief of neck pain, headaches, and tension.

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pains, and functional limitations that affect daily living, but also overall wellness.

Additionally, BenchMark offers unique services that patients may not find elsewhere, such as trigger point dry needling (DN), an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain. DN, a procedure that involves inserting a very thin filament needle into a “trigger point” or muscle spasm that refers pain to a specific area of the body, can promote healing after injury and improves a patient’s ability to move with less pain.

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“It is a common misconception that dry needling is like acupuncture,” Woods explained.

“Although the tool we use is similar in that it is a very thin needle, our evaluation process, treatment and goals of the technique are different from acupuncture.”

In a DN session, BenchMark therapists evaluate

your neuromuscular system (nerves and muscles) to determine what tissues are contributing to your painful limitations. They then treat specific muscle tissue with the overall goal to improve healing, decrease pain and increase your ability to perform activities without limitations.

Another distinctive service that patients can expect at BenchMark is instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), an effective manual (hands-on) treatment to help relieve pain from soft-tissue injuries. Physical therapists use specially designed tools to help remodel scar tissue, increase range of motion and decrease pain. There are multiple types of IASTM products—ASTYM, Hawkgrips, and Graston Technique—yet despite their differences, each technique is designed to improve blood flow and scar tissue mobility, decrease muscle spasms, and improve healing.

Woods also credits the team of therapists and staff at BenchMark for propelling their clinics to the forefront of the industry. “Our employees uphold the company values, which include a commitment to the growth and success of our most valuable resources: our people and our communities, and excellence,” Woods said. “By focusing on being the best, we strive to deliver an experience that exceeds our customers’ highest expectations.”

To support the team’s clinical excellence, BenchMark’s hiring process involves selecting therapists who value patients as individuals and want to work alongside them to meet their personal goals. Therapists and associates receive continuing education, mentorship, and advancement opportunities. “By investing in our team with these opportunities, we are, in turn, investing in our patients,” Woods said.

The local team includes Leann Ventriglia, Clinic Director Bluffton; Ryan Dromsky, Physical Therapist Bluffton; and Mark McManus, Physical Therapist Okatie.

Ventriglia attended Touro College School of Health Sciences, Bayshore, N.Y., where she obtained her doctorate in physical therapy in 2018. She is successful in treating vestibular patients and has a passion for neurological patients, including those with Parkinson’s disease.

Dromsky attended Stockton University from 1998-2000 where he earned a master’s degree in physical therapy. He has 21 years of experience in outpatient physical therapy. His first 18 years of practice occurred in New Jersey, treating a board population of neurological, orthopedic, and geriatric patients. His treatment approach is individualized with a strong focus towards manual therapy in an effort to identify the primary cause of dysfunction or impairment. During his 18 years, he was able to be involved in start-ups and acquisitions of outpatient offices; in 2018, he moved to Bluffton to help open a local rehabilitation hospital.

Dromsky joined BenchMark Physical Therapy in December of 2020 to pursue his passion in helping others regain their life prior to injury or illness. He is a motivated and experienced therapist whose strength is his ability to analyze a patient’s needs.

McManus gained his doctorate in physical therapy in 2020 from Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y., and moved to Bluffton soon after. While in PT school, he obtained certification as a strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. McManus’ passion is working with athletes and other individuals who are motivated to get back to the activities they enjoy by incorporating principles of strength and conditioning into their rehabilitation.

Woods and the BenchMark team strive to inspire and empower the lives of their patients, serve their communities, and lead with purpose-driven passion. Through exceptional care and remarkable experiences, BenchMark Physical Therapy chooses to be the outpatient provider, employer, and partner of choice.  For more information or to make an appointment, visit https:// benchmark.urpt.com/locations/bluffton-sc/ or benchmark.urpt. com/locations/okatie/.

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NEWS From

‘THE SOUND’ Taking the music of the Lowcountry beyond our shores ARTICLE BY GREG CRITCHLEY P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y M . K AT

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ate 2020 and early 2021 have seen an endless and varied list of music projects flow through my recording studio, “The Sound.” 2020 ended on a high note with the manifestation of a brand new, non-profit philanthropic endeavor: the Hilton Head Island Music and Arts Coalition (HHMAC). HHMAC focuses on addressing the needs of children in our community via the local Boys & Girls Club, Backpack Buddies, and the Beaufort County PTA. In its burgeoning online fundraising event known as “We Are the Island,” I was tasked with finding a safe and socially distanced recording and production process in which more than 45 singers, one rapper, three 10-person choirs, nine drummers, 10 guitar players, one pianist, bass player, organist, trombonist, and accordion player, would all appear together performing one song, the apt and timely Burt Bacharach classic, “What the World Needs Now.” This project required scheduling carefully planned, musically layered recording sessions, (simultaneously video recorded by Trevor at Harden Creative), at numerous COVID-safe locations, including the Coligny Theatre, The Big Bamboo, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, and Veteran’s Park, as well as here at The Sound. The result is nothing short of epic and is the first of its kind in our area, bringing together a diverse cast of local musicians and entertainers under one united banner, representing our community’s vast wealth of talent. On December 22, 2020, the fully recorded/produced video was made available as a public, social media screening event via a donationbased ticket purchase. This video/song screening will be repeated until the fundraising goals are met and the help can be distributed.

To donate or to purchase tickets to view the song and video, please go to donatehhi.com.

GREG CRITCHLEY

RECENT COLLABORATIONS JULIA CLARK Late 2020 saw the release of “Are We in a Dream,” the freshman solo album by Hilton Head Island’s singer/songwriter Julia Clark, featuring eight radio-ready songs that will be right at home on the top 40 charts. Clark’s project was quickly picked up worldwide by BMG records’ new label, “Black Gold Records.” BGR releases songs from an exclusive, handpicked list of artists, to music supervisors worldwide, for licensing opportunities in film and television. “Are We in a Dream” is also available on Spotify and iTunes. Work on Clark’s followup record has already begun. You can purchase or stream Clark’s songs on Spotify or Apple Music. Follow her on social media: TikTok @juliaclarkmusic or Instagram @juliaxclark.

NEW SONGS AND MUSIC FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION In late 2020 and early 2021, I composed some new music for several shows on the Telepictures Network (Ellen, The Real, TMZ) and for Canada’s CTV Network. Based on my January performance statements, my original music now appears in over 30 countries worldwide, on TV shows such as Dr. Oz, Sister Wives, Teen Titans Go, The Bachelorette, Tiny House Nation, Trailer Park Boys, and many others too numerous to list.

JULIA CLARK

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Campfiya: Songwriter from the North Lifting Up the South

By Jay Von Not trying to take over, an almost unassuming man-boy has just released a single, and you need to hear it.

When Campfire Tyler inquired about producing his new song “Nostalgia,” I knew something interestin’ was about to take place.

“Nostalgia” is out now on all platforms for you to listen to and share or just play for a friend on your phone. It’s a chill piece—a true “vibe.” A feeling is achieved through song. Tyler switches between deadpan and clownin’ while maintaining a serious tone throughout the song; blobs of bass cushion his words. A sad saxophone player honks on the Pizza Hut speaker system: No pepperoni please. “There’s still places that I go to when my life’s a living hell.”

Quit reading this and listen to the song. Follow Tyler and his music on Facebook.

Shameless Plug

By Devon Nightly Jevon Daly has released two songs, recently produced in his mega-milliondollar studio. “Road Rage” is a screaming punk rock anthem about moms and dads screaming at other cars on the road. The guitars are ripping my ears off. There’s a lot of noise and humming sounds while the lyrics teach us how to avoid making eye contact with our maniacal parents as they beat the steering wheel and scream obscenities at other drivers.

So wholesome! The song shows us another side of Jevon (I heard he grew up listening to skate rock and nirvana).

“Put You Down” is a cover of song by Alice in Chains, a band that became popular in the early ’90s, coming out of Seattle, featuring singer Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell.

Their album Facelift became an instant classic, and Jevon has attempted giving this song a different look.

Both “Road Rage” and “Put You Down” feature big rock guitars and bangin’ drums, so bang yer head and go listen!

coast Boy King Continues to Impress

By John Cranford I had the opportunity to work with Q Smalls a few years back on his 2019 release Gullah Life, and the dude has some serious hustle.

Not only is he organized in the studio, he’s motivated every day to promote himself and his brand to the Lowcountry and beyond. As a producer or fellow musician, this is something that drives me to work harder on a project and pushes me to continue to work with that musician.

Smalls just released his second full-length solo album, Coast Boy King, in October via all streaming platforms. It’s an ambitious amount of work coming in at 14 total songs and three additional “skit” tracks.

These new tunes are an introspective look at who this guy is as a young Gullah man in the greater Lowcountry region—not just as a performer, but as a father, a friend, a businessman and an everyday nine-to-five working American.

Check it out on iTunes, Spotify, and all digital outlets now.

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KYLE WAREHAM

MOLLY “OFGEOGRAPHY” Chicago to Hilton Head singer/songwriter (and popular blogger) Molly “Of Geography” released two EPs in 2020, which I produced here at The Sound. As of January 15, 2021, her music has climbed exponentially to more than 350,000 streams worldwide. Both EPs also feature duets with local singers, Stee (Colvin) and Kyle Wareham. Visit online at ofgeography.com. Follow on all social media @ofgeography.

KYLE WAREHAM My recent collaborations with good friend and local colleague, singer/songwriter/producer Kyle Wareham (ThreeLegged Fox/Pretty Darn/Soundboy) has led to new contracts with Universal Records. Our efforts have already been rewarded with TV placements on Access Hollywood and Discovery Channel, as well as radio airplay in The Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Mexico, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden, and the UK. Meanwhile, Wareham’s Philly based band, Three Legged Fox, continues to stream internationally, gathering more than 15 million streams!

Stream Three Legged Fox (3LF) on Spotify or on the website threeleggedfoxlive. Follow on Instagram @ threeleggedfox.

STEE Bluffton singer/songwriter Stee’s single, “Teach Me How to Love You,” has rapidly climbed to more than 100,000 streams worldwide. Stream on Spotify. Follow on Instagram and Facebook @steemusic.

MALCOLM HORNE Malcolm Horne has built upon an already expansive music production and musician résumé to include major success on the “Twitch” gaming platform, where he now hosts over 5,000 faithful followers from around the world. Horne’s fans tune in daily to watch him create new original music on the fly, live from his Okatie studio. The tracks go on to become royalty-free albums for Twitch members to use to avoid “strikes” by DMCA (a music licensing body). Horne is also an esteemed player on Minecraft and has had upwards of 70,000 watchers on TikTok. Check him out on TikTok and Twitch @Musicman1017.

MALCOLM HORNE

BRAD SWANSON Singer/songwriter/producer (and fellow LA-to-Hilton Head transplant) Brad Swanson just produced and co-wrote a song featuring members of The Lollies called “Don’t Poison the Well,” which is featured in The Hardy Boys series on Hulu.

Check out Swanson at swansoundmusic.com or on Facebook @swansound.

Greg Critchley is a Canadian transplant, by way of Los Angeles, where he lived and worked for almost 20 years. A songwriter, composer, music producer, and musician, Critchley now works out of The Sound, LLC, his recording studio on Hilton Head Island, SC. For more about Critchley and his storied music career, or to contact The Sound about recording, go to www.gregcritchley.com or @gcritchleymusic on Instagram/ Twitter/Facebook.

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M A Y O R

Hilton Head Island Mayor Photography by M.Kat

A Note from John McCann

NEW TOWN MANAGER COMES WITH LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

H

ilton Head Island Town Council voted in December to offer the Hilton Head Island town manager position to Marc Orlando, who most recently served as town manager for Bluffton. Our action represents one of the highest duties of Town Council in employing a manager and determining what skills, experience, and personality are best suited to meet the needs and opportunities of the Town of Hilton Head Island.

Our community and its citizens have invested countless hours into building “Our Plan,” our future road map in building public infrastructure, parks, facilities, and the sustained strengthening of our community. With the potential support of a new town manager, and with the continued input and support of the community, we must now determine how to best allocate available town resources as we seek to implement the plan’s policies and objectives.

To accomplish these goals, we need the demonstrated experience Marc Orlando, as a fully credentialed manager within the International City & County Managers Association (ICMA), possesses and his proven track record in the areas of: • Managing public facilities and projects that we can see and touch.

• Initiating community planning and development, which incentivizes the right kind of growth.

• Creating and meeting appropriate budgets to finance town needs.

• Leading and managing a high-performing staff and encouraging its professional development.

Orlando’s successful history in public service is supplemented by his demonstrated ability to: • Effectively communicate with elected officials, staff and the community.

< Bluffton Mayor

• • • •

Demonstrate sound judgment in all matters that come before him.

Appropriately manage change and the accompanying stress that goes with it.

Publicly display his desire to engage with and enable the community.

Possess an unquestionable passion for our island and its people.

Town Council determined that Orlando embodies the characteristics necessary to effectively meet the town’s needs and is the ideal candidate for town manager. Given that a substantial amount of his professional career and accomplishments have taken place only 15 miles away, he is uniquely suited to this position and possesses

A Note from Lisa Sulka

M AY O R

BUSINESS AS USUAL WITH A NEW NORMAL

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lthough Town Hall remains closed for the public for safety precautions related to the current pandemic, town staff is still doing business as usual, with a new normal. Town staff continues to review plans and permits, conduct site inspections and conduct Zoom meetings.

Drop-off and pick-up bins are placed outside of Town Hall main doors to drop off plans and pick them up once they have been reviewed. The town has also launched its new online platform, which allows contractors, homebuilders and homeowners to electronically apply for permits, submit building plans, track the status of permits/plans, schedule building inspections and pay town invoices online. The new portal, known as Citizen Self Service Portal (CSS), is accepting plans and permits requests. CSS has replaced the former portal, known as the Citizens Access Portal (CAP). This provides another alternative to the traditional process of submitting paper comments and traveling to Town Hall or placing in the mail.

Contractors and home builders are the main users for this new online platform; however, Bluffton residents can use the portal when applying for permits such as tree removal and signs. The improved functionality will centralize all of the building permits and plan reviews for each individual and company. The dashboard function will enable customers to track the status of multiple plans and permits at once.

Photography by Krisztian Lonyai

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knowledge that many other potential candidates simply would not have.

Finally, while Orlando is well known to many on Town Council and town staff because of his work in the region, many people may not be aware that he previously worked for the town as an intern, GIS analyst and senior planner. We are excited that he is now able to come full circle with us in his career. His reputation in Bluffton, Beaufort County, the Lowcountry, and within the state is widely regarded as impeccable, and his professionalism is without question. This was demonstrated by his receipt of a resolution from the South Carolina House of Representatives recognizing him for his leadership and vision in the areas of community planning and environmental sustainability.

Town Council concluded he is the leader who is best prepared to elevate our community and to protect and enhance our quality of life. We will soon welcome Marc Orlando back to the Town of Hilton Head Island.

A Note from Lisa Sulka continued Transition Tips from CAP to CSS: • The new portal is located at: https://css.townofbluffton. com/EnerGov/SelfService#/home • Former users of Citizens’ Access Portal (CAP) need to register using the same e-mail address they used in CAP when creating their account for CSS. • If CAP was “bookmarked” in the past, please delete it from “favorites” and replace it with the bookmark for CSS. As a reminder, CAP has been taken offline, so continuing to use old bookmark will result in an error message • All permits and planning applications can now be submitted through the new portal. Paper plans to keep on site are still required once approved. Users are encouraged to contact the Customer Service Center at (843) 706-4500 for more information on the process and required documents.

Other services accessible from the comfort of your home or office include: • View board and committee agendas and meeting packets • Participate in public meetings via Facebook live • Review active permits and plans through the permitfinder map • Payment of fees • Coming very soon, ability to view property surveys and flood certificates by address or building permit number Town staff continues to monitor the process and make adjustments to ensure a high level of customer service and communication while adhering to all regulations and requirements.

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This & That

C2 Magazine • February 2021 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Hilton Head PSD’s Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) Facility is one of 28 projects worldwide selected by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as global great examples of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR). The projects are being featured in an upcoming UNESCO publication entitled “Managing Aquifer Recharge: A Showcase for Resilience and Sustainability.” The PSD’s facility is one of just two projects in the United States selected for the book.

The PSD’s ASR facility began operations in 2011 as the first ASR facility on Hilton Head Island.

The Women’s Association of Hilton Head Island (WAHHI) continues celebrating its sixtieth anniversary with a virtual event on February 17 via Zoom, featuring three captivating speakers: Barbara Catenaci, executive director of The Heritage Library; Dr. Carolyn Grant—“Growing Up Local”; and Joni Vanderslice, CEO J. Banks Design.

Speakers will share their insights and experiences on our Lowcountry community and WAHHI’s history and heritage. On April 8, the celebration continues with an outdoor luncheon in the pavilion at the Coastal Discovery Museum.

Women can learn more about WAHHI by attending one of several virtual informational events for prospective members scheduled for Monday, February 8 or Friday, March 5 at 10 a.m. Register at wahhi.com.

A Final Goodbye at The Quarterdeck

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Article By Jesse Blanco

or many years now, I have considered it an absolutely joy in my life to be able to grow roots in this area. It’s been over 20 years since I first moved to Savannah to become a weekend sportscaster at WSAV-TV. It was that TV job that allowed me to visit Hilton Head Island more times than not. Some of my greatest thrills as a sportscaster over the years came at the Heritage golf tournament. It was always a good time, if not a TON of work. But when you love your work as much as we did, it didn’t feel like it at all.

Some of those good times came at The Quarterdeck—the restaurant at the base of Hilton Head Island’s iconic lighthouse in Sea Pines Resort. After covering rounds of golf, we’d file our stories back to the station and hit “the deck” to begin our evening of fun. We were 20 somethings. I wasn’t even a father yet. So, we let the good times roll. And they did.

All these years later, the scene at The Quarterdeck hadn’t changed much during Heritage. The restaurant itself hadn’t either for that matter. Until now.

If you haven’t heard, Sea Pines announced late last year that the building around the famed lighthouse is coming down. Yes, all of it. It is going to be torn down to make room for an all-new Quarterdeck—a building the likes the island has yet to see.

The restaurant is going to be rebuilt from scratch. It will feature a rooftop bar, a seafood market, an enhanced general store for the boaters at the marina and a private dining area upstairs that may serve as the spot for the island’s best sunset view. That’s what I was told anyway.

I do know the new building is going to be amazing. I know the team involved in this project took a tour of nearly every rooftop bar in Savannah, including the two at the brand-new Plant Riverside District. They wanted to make sure they could see everything that was available to them before a shovel went into the ground on this new project at Harbour Town.

This is going to be a treat—scheduled to open in spring 2022 ahead of that year’s Heritage golf tournament. Fingers crossed.

In the meantime, if you have memories there like I do, and I know a lot of you on the island do, then you should make a point to come out to join us for one last night at The Quarterdeck. It’s a one-night event hosted by Sea Pines Plantation as part of their month-long Savor Sea Pines event running the entire month of February.

There will be food and drink, drawings of the new property plans, and a glorious view of the harbor from the old gal one last time on Saturday, February 13, Valentine’s Day weekend. After this event, the building is coming down to make way for that yearlong construction project.

There are plenty of tickets available right now, but my guess is it will sell out because numbers are being kept low for safety purposes. In fact, in chatting with Anthony Matteo, operations manager at Sea Pines last week, I asked him what main thing he wants the public to know about this month-long event. His response?

“Safety. Absolutely safety,” he said. “We are making sure everything is spaced out and comfortable so there shouldn’t be any concerns for the public at Savor Sea Pines.”

It’s going to be a month-long good time on the island. If you can’t make it to The Quarterdeck event, take a look at the list of events at savorseapines.com. There is something for everyone, so join us, Eat It and Like It.

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This & That

C2 Magazine • February2021 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Third Annual SouperBowl of Caring at Coligny

Chefs at Coligny Plaza restaurants on Hilton Head Island are pulling out their best soup recipes to benefit Second Helpings food rescue. It’s all in preparation for the third annual SouperBowl of Caring event on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Coligny Plaza.

This year, a safe dine-around outdoor walking event will be hosted by Coligny restaurants with soup samples at each location. In addition to soup, there will be live music. Beverages will be available from Coligny restaurants.

Coligny owner JR Richardson said the merchants and restaurants are excited to offer the SouperBowl event for the third year. “This annual event is a win-win for the participants who get to sample a variety of soup and for Second Helpings and the food pantries it serves. Coligny is thrilled to sponsor the SouperBowl of Caring with a twist this year as we make it a walk-around event in order to keep it COVID-safe.”

Volunteers from Second Helpings will be available to accept donations and to talk about the need for additional volunteers to rescue food and distribute it to 55 agencies in Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton counties.

Tickets are $25 per person with all proceeds benefitting Second Helpings. Only 150 tickets will be sold! For ticket information, go to Second Helpings or Coligny Plaza on Facebook or purchase tickets on eventbrite.com.

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Tina and Dave Kelsey are pleased to announce the opening of Sun Dog, a new Lowcountry pet boutique.

Sun Dog is a virtual shop catering to pets and pet parents, featuring custom collars, leashes, crossbody bags, totes, jewelry, T-shirts, notecards, pet-inspired home goods, and more.

This & That BILL FORD

C2 Magazine • January 2021 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

JAMES HALEY

JOHN PARROTT

SUE WANG

TROY LIVINGSTON

Dividend Assets Capital, LLC (DAC) announces promotions within the firm in several key leadership roles including Susie Wang, Jim Haley, Bill Ford, Troy Livingston, and Jon Parrott. Wang has been promoted to Chief Investment Officer; Haley has been promoted to Managing Director, Private Client Group; Ford has been promoted to Managing Director, Institutional Asset Management Group; Livingston has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer; Parrott has been promoted to Chief Operations Officer.

Palmera Inn and Suites recently went through a rigorous rating inspection process with AAA and was designated a Three Diamond property.

A Three Diamond designation means the hotel has comprehensive amenities, style and comfort level.

Weichert, Realtors® – Coastal Properties is proud to announce the promotion of team member Josh Ward to sales manager of the Beaufort office. Ward will be coaching and growing agents and helping them reach their full potential.

For the fourth consecutive year, local Bluffton chef and restaurant owner Leslie Rohland has been recognized with multiple prestigious Good Food Awards for new recipes available at her two local restaurants. Rohland, who has long been committed to creating and serving delicious and healthy cuisine at both The Cottage Café and The Juice Hive in Bluffton, has this year been recognized

by The Good Food Foundation with a total of five Good Food Awards, her creations rising to the top of nearly 2,000 entries and singled out for awardwinning dishes that are tasty, authentic and responsible.

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This & That

C2 Magazine • February 2021 Edition A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items.

You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email hunter@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Hopeful Horizons held its “V-Oscars” on Dec. 10 to honor the organization’s volunteers and outstanding service.

The 2020 Awards were presented via Zoom to: Marilyn Mueller, outstanding service to the Charles St. office; Lary Jones of Bluffton, outstanding service to the Bluffton and Okatie offices; Carol McGrath, outstanding service to the emergency domestic violence shelter; Jennifer Palmer of Hilton Head, outstanding service as a hospital advocate; Beth Young of Beaufort, Race4Love chairwoman, outstanding service with fundraising; Helen Tallone, outstanding service with the Strengthening Families program; Gail Temple, outstanding service in community education. The Hopeful Horizons Volunteer of The Year Award was given to Dr. Mary Helen Niemeyer for her generous gift of time, talent, and dedication over the past year. A special award, the Hopeful Horizons Award, was given to rape crisis volunteer Cinda Seamon (pictured) of Hilton Head for her more than three decades of services to Hopeful Horizons.

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Local abstract artist Steve Gregar will be The Society of Bluffton Artists’ featured artist for February. His show will run Feb. 2-28 with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m.

Feb. 7 at the gallery, located on Church Street in Old Town Bluffton.

Gregar will donate 50 percent of the sales from artwork to Bluffton Self Help, a local non-profit that provides food, clothing, educational and financial assistance to neighbors in need. “If you are looking to fill an empty space on a wall at home or office, give my work a look and know that if it is appealing to you, a purchase will not only fill an empty space on your wall but also an empty space in a hungry person’s stomach,” he said.

I S C IANS MU in bathrooms MUSICIAN: MOLLY OFGEOGRAPHY (AN INCREDIBLY DUMB NAME, WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGE, BUT AM SADDLED WITH THANKS TO A SERIES OF INTERNET ACCIDENTS).

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B Y

M . K AT

What’s your sign?

I am a Taurus Sun, Taurus Rising, which essentially means that I am the most stubborn person alive, and I can eat an entire block of cheese in one sitting. I definitely think that horoscopes are fake, but also, I absolutely do read mine every single day. I like the idea that the universe is out there being interested in my life, like, “What’s that funky little fake blonde getting up to today? Oh, spending money she doesn’t have on books she isn’t going to read?

Love that for her.”

Most underrated song that, in your opinion, should be a classic?

“Poster Girl” by the Backstreet Boys. Yes, I said the Backstreet Boys, and I’m right. No, I will not be accepting criticism at this time.

Biggest compliment you’ve ever gotten from a fan?

This one is really hard. People have said really, really kind things to me—sometimes about my lyrics, sometimes as a response to me as a person, which is very funny because in my head I’m like, this preposterous gremlin woman whose advice and opinions should be ignored at all costs. But I keep every note and email that I get sent in a folder on my computer called “I’m a sentimental baby.” I’m usually too embarrassed to go back and read them, but I do have them all. I think probably the thing that’s really stayed with me the most is I’ve gotten a lot of folks write to me about a line in “Mile Magnificent” (“never been much of a good, good woman”), which was helpful and comforting to them during a period of exploring and coming to understand their gender. I’m cisgender, so that line means something different to me, but (a) the author is dead! Art means whatever you want it to mean, and (b) it makes me feel really happy to have been part of that experience.

That was a really serious answer, which is embarrassing. One time a fan said, “I think you’re at least four things” and did not elaborate, and I think about it once a week.

What four things? I don’t know. It’s none of my business.

What do you sing in the shower?

Oh, genuinely anything. Whatever comes on shuffle. It does not matter if I know the words or if I sound good.

Favorite cereal?

Okay, there is one right answer to this, and it’s Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Reese’s Puffs are good, but they’re better dry, and as like a mid-afternoon snack. Frosted Flakes are a real “midnight shame snack” kind of vibe. I do have a real softness for Raisin Bran, but only the top half of the box, because after that it’s all raisins. Lucky Charms are a scam. Eat the marshmallows and throw the rest away.

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A Q&A Series with Local Artists What is your favorite piece to perform?

Hmm. Tricky. I know this question is about my own songs, but I think the honest answer is “Top of the World” by Patty Griffin, on the dulcimer. I like performing my own songs, but I feel very silly about it. It’s not that I don’t like attention; I’m the baby of my family and my parents are divorced, so obviously I love attention. It’s just that it’s less fun for me to feel like I’m that guy at the party going, “Anyway, here’s Wonderwall,” and ruining the vibe. That being said, I think probably “Bowerbird” is the most fun to sing, or maybe “Mile Magnificent.” I like the bops. Ballads are fun in their own way, but it must be said that I really like the bops.

At what venue do you most like to perform?

I come from a really musical family, and we often play together at home, so honestly, probably there. I didn’t start really recording my own stuff aside from joke songs about hockey until late 2019, and then this crazy thing happened where we all got locked inside our houses for a year.

For me, music has always been about hanging out with people, playing around and goofing off. The idea of a structured show is very strange to me. I’d much rather be in a small room with people and we all decide what we’re gonna play and sing together. At what venue can I do, like, stand-up comedy interspersed with folk covers of early-2000s slow jams? Wherever that venue is, that’s my favorite.

Most requested song at shows?

In the history of all bands? Probably “Freebird.”

Requested of me personally? “Island of Lost Things,” which I’m grateful for, because it’s extraordinarily easy to play on the guitar.

First concert you attended? ’ N SYNC! I hit Justin Timberlake in the head with a plastic bead necklace. It was a very exciting time.

Favorite artist?

I know this is probably a question about music, but the honest answer to that is I don’t have one. I like too many things, and I’m fickle. My favorite painter is Gustav Klimt, I think, because that funky lil’ dude lived in a bathrobe and loved gold: highly relatable. Also, one time I went to the Klimt museum in Vienna and one of the guards followed me around doing a sketching of me. It was super weird! I loved it.

Place you go to get away from it all?

Running! I know running is not a place, but the nice thing about it is that you can do it in any place. I am a big distance runner. There is no happier place in the world for me than putting on some headphones and just running out into the world. My brain is way too messy to meditate, but I think running is probably as close as I come.

Do you tweet, gram, or book?

I have both Twitter and Instagram (@ofgeography). I do have a Facebook, but I feel a real vibrant hatred for it and would just delete it if I weren’t such a hoarder.

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I’m notoriously bad at like, PR, so I honestly just use them to scream my shower thoughts into the abyss or make jokes about art at museums.

Finish this verse as if it were the hook of a song: “Sally went down to the bayou…”

Sally went down to the bayou, and she wouldn’t tell me why; The still waters called to her more than any shifting tide.

Sally went down to the bayou, and I stayed home with just my pride.

But pride don’t keep you breathing when the waters start to rise.

Who would star as you in the epic retelling of your life on film?

If we’re doing this based off of who looks the most like me, it’s probably Elizabeth Moss, whom I get mistaken for in restaurants not infrequently now that we’re both blondes. If I just got to pick anybody, it would be Eiza González, who looks absolutely nothing like me but was in the first telenovela I ever watched (Lola Érase Una Vez) and has my unending loyalty for that reason.

First instrument you learned to play?

I learned guitar and piano kind of simultaneously but stuck with guitar for longer and returned to piano later.

I wish I was better at both. I could practice, and achieve this, but the very good reason I don’t is that I [loud construction noises].

Song you were thrilled to finally master?

The first song I learned to play on the dulcimer was “Rich Girl” by Hall & Oates, and I had a great time doing it.

What do you wish you knew more about?

Almost everything. I’m an absolute nightmare about learning things. I get these insane hyper fixations and devour everything I can get my hands on. Right now, I’m very fascinated by wine forgery. I think wine forgers should just be allowed to do their crimes because it’s the funniest crime in the world. Perhaps an easier question is, “What do you wish you knew less about?”

To which the answer is: the Yellowstone supervolcano. If you’ve got anxiety and don’t know anything about the Yellowstone supervolcano, do not look it up.

What animal do you most identify with?

I mean, right now? In pandemic times? The sloth, probably. Maybe a panda. I asked some pals what they thought for this question, and the consensus was “an animal raised by a different breed of animal,” which feels right.

If you got super-famous and had to change your name, what would your new name be?

There is something very funny to me about naming myself after some very famous historical figure. Marie Antoinette, and no I won’t explain it. Have some cake and stop asking questions.

What famous musician would you love to sing a duet with?

Carly Simon, in 1971.

FEBRUARY 2021 2-28 NOISES OFF Called the funniest farce ever written, Noises Off is a play-withina-play about an ambitious director and his troupe of mediocre actors. https://www.artshhi.com/theaterseries/noises-off

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MONDAYS TARGET THE BAND FEATURING THE HEADLINERS Ruby Lee’s South 7-10pm

EVERY TUESDAY! SEA PINES FARMERS MARKET

FARMERS MARKET AT HONEY HORN

Sea Pines Shopping Center 10am-2pm

Coastal Discovery 9am-1pm

TUESDAYS

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAYS

rubyleessouth.com

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PIZZA TUESDAYS IN BLUFFTON Salty Dog Bluffton (Tanger 2)

PICKLEBALL AT PALMETTO DUNES Palmetto Dunes Pickleball Center 9am-6pm

Enjoy pizza for lunch or dinner - 1 large pizza, 2 salads (house or caesar) and 2 soft drinks all for just $20

palmettodunes.com.

19 22 HAPPY NATIONAL MARGARITA DAY! 28

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TARGET THE BAND Ruby Lee’s South 7-10pm rubyleessouth.com

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FIRST THURSDAYS ART MARKET

THIRD ANNUAL SOUPERBOWL OF CARING

Shops at Sea Pines Center 4-6:30pm Meet the Artists of Sea Pines

Coligny Plaza 1-4pm $25/person with all proceeds benefitting Second Helpings

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JUDE FRANCES TRUNK SHOW

VALENTINE’S DAY SCAVENGER HEART HUNT & BREAKFAST South Beach Marina 8am-11am saltydog.com

Forsythe Jewelers February 11 & 12 10am-5pm 843.671.7070

OLD TOWN BLUFFTON FARMERS MARKET Calhoun Street Thursdays 12-5pm (843) 415-2447

THURSDAYS JD’S MUSIC GROUP Ruby Lee’s South 7-10pm rubyleessouth.com

19 SALTY DOG’S SOUPER BOWL South Beach Marina Every weekend January through February (Fri - Sun or until the soup runs out!)

20-27 HILTON HEAD - BLUFFTON CHAMBER RESTAURANT WEEK!

27 2021 SPRING OYSTER ROAST South Beach Marina Starts at 4pm Live music, family fun & more!

ALL MONTH LONG! MAGGIE & ME WINTER SALE 25% - 50% off select merchandise 6 Bruin Rd - Bluffton (843) 707-9083

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