Celebrate Hilton Head / Celebrate Bluffton and Beyond: January 2019 Issue

PG.44 VANESSA STEWART IS THE 2019 BACHELORETTE OF THE YEAR

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H A P P Y

PURE BARRE READY, SET, CHANGE!

N E W

PG.110 IN THE SHOWER!

THE FRUGAL FASHIONISTA

love me

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Y E A R !

WHITLEY DEPUTY AND HIS RUBBER DUCKY,

PG.63 HEALTH & WELLNESS SECTION

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5 DRINKS WITH PHILLIP SIRMANS

JANUARY 2019

CONTENTS 01.19 P22

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EDITOR’S NOTE And the winner is..

In a world of instant search results and two-day guaranteed deliveries for almost any item you care to purchase, waiting to reap significant benefits of your budget or diet can seem more tedious than watching the grass grow..” - PAGE 93

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A WORD FROM OUR MAYOR Lisa Sulka of Bluffton updates you on town happenings.

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THIS & THAT

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CH2’S BACHELORETTE OF THE YEAR, VANESSA STEWART

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GET THE MESSAGE Sentext Solutions gives businesses a direct line to their customers.

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THE DOCTOR IS IN May River Flooring now accepting new patients.

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LOVE ME TWO TIMES

THE FRUGAL FASHIONISTA For January’s fashion feature, we went, literally, where someone has been before. Taking a cue from Molly Ringwald’s character in Pretty in Pink, our stylist went thrifting and consignment shopping to show what’s possible on a budget. Pictured mirror can be purchased at Classic Consignments on Arrow Rd.

VANESSA STEWART IS THE 2019 BACHELORETTE OF THE YEAR

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With her main squeeze and best friend, tucker marie

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PURE BARRE READY, SET, CHANGE!

Bachelorette of the year vanessa stewart

Y E A R !

WHITLEY DEPUTY AND HIS RUBBER DUCKY,

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IN THE SHOWER!

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FEATURING 6 LOCAL DENTISTs

MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS:

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LOOKS FOR THE FRUGAL FASHIONISTA

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HEALTH & WELLNESS SECTION

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5 DRINKS WITH PHILLIP SIRMANS

JANUARY 2019

ON OUR COVERS ON THE CH2 COVER

ON THE CB2 COVER

Photography by M.Kat Congratulations to our 2019 Bachelorette of the Year Winner, Vanessa Stewart! Pictured here with her dog, Tucker Marie.

Photography by M.Kat Styling by Kaila Manthei Hair and Make-up by Bride’s Side Beauty Thanks to Karsten and Halo Model and Talent Agency

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JAN. 2019

C2 MAGAZINE

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MEET ATTORNEY DAVE GEIS Vietnam vet, attorney, and member of the community, Geis is definitely no shark.

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DRINKS WITH: PHILLIP SIMMONS

CB2 CELEBRATE BLUFFTON & BEYOND

CH2 CELEBRATE HILTON HEAD!

a woman for all seasons!

THE SILVER GARDEN Where jewelry and art tell a story

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LOWCOUNTRY DENTISTS A spotlight on your neighborhood dentists

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BIG, BAD, BULGING, BUG BITES...

Is there a hay fever connection?

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PURE BARRE Ready, set, change!

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BLUFFTON PHARMACY Commitment to personalized customer service continues to set local drug store apart

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HIP CHECK Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Chad T. Zehms: from the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to the rolling fairways of Hilton Head Island.

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SALT OF THE EARTH Pure Salt Studios introduces new concept of wellness

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THE KEYS TO SUCCESS IN BUDGETS AND DIETS

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A DOCTOR FOR YOUR HEALTH, A FINANCIAL PLANNER FOR YOUR WEALTH

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THE NEW OLD STANDBY: SANTA FE CAFÉ The constant reinvention of an island institution.

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5 DRINKS WITH...

Lucky Rooster Chef d’Cuisine Phillip Sirmans TRAVEL FEATURE

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FLORIDA SPRINGS Pure Magic in the Sunshine State

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MUSICIANS IN BATHROOMS FEATURING Whitley Deputy

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ith this issue, we begin another trip around the sun. I hope we get snow again like we did last January. That’s a real treat for a former New Yorker like myself, although I may get hate mail for saying that.

After many months of fundraising, partying and voting, we finally have the winner of CH2’s Bachelorette of the Year contest. Congratulations to Vanessa Stewart, who won our second-ever Bachelorette contest and did it to raise money for a charity near and dear to her heart.

You see, the smiling woman on our cover lost her brother to a heroin overdose a few years ago and has made it her mission to raise awareness and money for an organization that helps addicts get back on their feet after getting clean.

We asked all of our bachelorette nominees to bring something special to them for the initial photoshoot— something that would help define them in a photo or two.

Vanessa brought a T-shirt with her brother’s image on it, promoting a Stop Heroin walk she had organized to raise money in January of 2018. This “prop” led to quite a lengthy conversation with Vanessa about how passionate she is to perhaps be part of the reason some other addict’s story doesn’t end like her brother’s. There were tears during the interview, and it became apparent that this woman is a force to be reckoned with.

It’s always interesting for our team to look back and think about meeting our nominees for the first time. We’ve never successfully been able to predict the winner—but we do have fun betting with each other on who it might be, based on our time with everyone. I invite you to turn to page 44 and get to know Vanessa Stewart. However, based on the number of votes she racked up, there’s a good chance you already know her.

Our creative team did something a little bit different with this month’s fashion feature. We went thrifting and consignment shopping to show you just how stylish clothes can be the second time around. We have so many great local thrift stores in our area, and they all benefit local charitable organizations; so, win-win, right? The high

EDITOR’S NOTE JANUARY 2019

fashion photo above is yours truly, showing our model how to pose whilst Hunter tries not to laugh. You be the judge of who did it better.

Karsten’s attempt is on page 38.

This issue also kicks off a new (old) column from our very first year in publication. Barry Kaufman is bringing back “5 Drinks with …” and is looking forward to throwing back a few beverages with some of the interesting characters that make our town, our town. If there’s anyone you would like him to drink with, let us know. This month’s column features Cranford Hollow’s Phillip Sirmans enjoying a Jameson whisky at the Lucky Rooster.

Happy New Year! 

MAGGIE WASHO

Publisher / Editor-in-Chief

MAYOR < Bluffton Mayor

Photography by Krisztian Lonyai

A Note from Lisa Sulka

MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT

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he holidays are full of festivity and events in Bluffton. We mark the beginning of this time with our annual Christmas tree lighting and parade. This took place the first weekend in December, but I wanted to thank all of our staff for spending “off”-hour time to make both events so special to all of our residents, young and old. So please allow me to give a shout out to all who helped make the beginning of this season so wonderful.

For more than 50 years, Blufftonians have lined the streets of the Historic District to cheer their neighbors, laugh at the eclectic entertainment and kickoff the Christmas season. The parade is as rich and multi-layered as Bluffton’s history, and so are the preparations to make the parade and Friday’s tree lighting happen. Here’s a shout-out to all who scurry around like Santa’s elves, making these events come to life.

Town staff members have been planning these two events since August. On Veterans’ Day, a 25-foot, 2,500-pound Fraser fir tree was transported 349 miles from Sugar Mountain Nursery (North Carolina).

With the help of ratchet straps, shims, and the muscles of three public works employees and the public information officer, three hours later the tree was installed.

Two town employees, Rocio Rexrode and Dana Smith, who double as ornament masters, then sprayed glue and red, silver and white glitter on more than 385 tree ornaments. Maybe by Memorial Day, they will stop finding glitter in their clothes, beds, sofas and cars.

After Thanksgiving, our town clerk Kim Chapman joined the ornament masters, and with the help of a scissor lift, they hung nearly 400 ornaments in the misty rain one afternoon.

The entire Santa’s workshop (i.e. five boxes of Christmas decorations, countless stuffed animals and two Christmas trees) for Friday’s tree lighting ceremony comes from Dana Smith’s garage attic.

This act of kindness for the Bluffton community is Dana’s way to honor the legacy of her mother, who loved the Christmas season and passed away, years ago, in December. After the tree lighting, the Christmas décor is moved to the Bluffton Police Department, so the officers can enjoy it as they work through the holidays.

This year, more than 200 children sat on Santa’s lap and consumed more than 750 cookies and 20 gallons of hot chocolate from The Corner Perk.

The parade is always the first Saturday of December, rain or shine.

Thank you, Mother Nature, for not raining too much on our parade. More than 65 town employees and about 50 police officers arrived at 7 a.m. to work the entire day. More than 230 entries were signed up to participate; 40 porta potties were strategically placed; and officials planned for a crowd between 10,000-15,000 people. Thank you to Derrick Coaxum, public works manager and his crew for coordinating every detail.

There are so many people to thank—from Mike Reichenbach (Chevrolet) for the lease of his vehicles; the Bluffton Bike Taxi who chauffeured Mayor Pro Tempore Larry Toomer and me; the Marine Corps Marching Band; and the numerous property owners who allowed more than 200 parade floats and a dozen horses and few dozen dogs to wait in pre-determined staging areas.

Mark your calendars for next year’s Christmas parade, rain or shine.

Happy New Year, Bluffton!  C2 MAGAZINE

JAN. 2019

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This & That

C2 Magazine • January 2019 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 m.washo@celebratehiltonhead.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Taylor Lomprez, previously in the fitness industry, is now using her newest certification along with her MA in communication to pursue her dreams of helping people buy and sell homes. Lomprez has joined Keller Williams Realty The Joan Kelly Group, and specializes in the Bluffton, Okatie, Hilton Head area.

BALLET MEMPHIS: Celebrating the Human Spirit

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reathtaking. Awe-inspiring. Elevating. Ballet Memphis was the vision of Artistic Director Dorothy Gunther Pugh, who, in 1986, founded this now nationally lauded, professional dance company, which has become known for its innovative, classically-based repertoire. Now, see this dynamic company when they perform at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina on Friday, January 18 at 8 p.m., for one show only.

Pugh’s dream has always been to create a company like none other in the Memphis area, or across the country, by actively seeking to create, present and teach ballet in a way that celebrates the human spirit. To that end, the company has built an acclaimed original repertoire that speaks of the cultural significance of the area, which they have shared with audiences around the globe and at home.

Ballet Memphis has received rave reviews in Paris, New York, Washington D.C., Houston, and Quebec, performing in venues including The Joyce Theater and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, among others.

Associate Artistic director Steven McMahon has created more than a dozen ballets for Ballet Memphis, including his first full-length ballet, Wizard of Oz. Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, McMahon was also a dancer with Ballet Memphis, joining the company after completing his training at The Ailey School in New York City.

Additionally, Ballet Memphis partners with artists from around the globe for collaborative and original works. The Ford Foundation lauded Ballet Memphis as a “national treasure.”

From its original company of two dancers, Ballet Memphis now soars onstage at the Arts Center January 18! Tickets are $60 and can be purchased online at www. artshhi.com.  Sponsored, in part, by South Arts.

Bob Milot has joined the Bluffton office of Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty as a sales associate. A Bluffton resident for four years, Milot has more than 30 years of experience as a sales and marketing executive, directing key field operations and central office assignments for General Motors.

Bishop Eye Center welcomes optometrist Dr. Emily Bollin to its growing practice.

Bollin previously practiced optometry in her hometown of Charleston, West Virginia and has been practicing on Hilton Head Island and in Okatie since 2007.

Haig Point is thrilled to announce the addition of Tom Beavor to its Realtor team. Beavor and his wife Toni have resided full-time on Daufuskie Island since January 1995 and are Haig Point members; the couple jointly started Daufuskie Properties of SC, Inc. in 1998 closing over 70 million dollars in real estate business spanning all of Daufuskie Island.

Campbell Elizabeth Harmon was delivered on November 30th, 2018 at 7:51 p.m. to parents Ashton (our very own sales director) and Steve Harmon! She was 5.3 pounds and very healthy!

Dad & Mom

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This & That

C2 Magazine • January 2019 Edition

THE LONG COVE CLUB CHARITABLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

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he Long Cove Club Charitable Advisory Committee will be accepting applications starting January 15, 2019 for grants that will be made this year to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in Beaufort and Jasper Counties. To be considered, organizations should have plans for a project to improve health, housing, hunger or educational issues. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2019.

The application and all pertinent information can be found at www. longcoveclub.com under the “People” tab and “Caring Community.” For questions on how to locate the grant application, contact Jordan Potter at jpotter@ longcoveclub.com or (843) 686-1070.

All who received grants in 2018 should submit your interim report prior to the March 31 deadline to be considered for a grant in 2019. In 2018, the LCCCAC hit the $1 million mark in grants distributed since its inception in 2003. 

Bluffton Backpack Buddies

St. Stephens Outreach Food Bank

ALL SAINTS GARDEN TOUR GRANT RECIPIENTS

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nnually, all the net proceeds from the All Saints Garden Tours are donated to charities that focus on hunger, homelessness, literacy or aging with budgets of less than $650,000 in Beaufort and Jasper Counties. These charities are identified in the fall prior to the Tour, and the grant is awarded the following year after the tour is completed. During the past 31 years, over $500,000. has been awarded to local charities.

The 2018 grant recipients included The Antioch Educational Center, Backpack Buddies of Bluffton, Backpack Buddies of Hilton Head, Hilton Head Safe Harbour and St. Stephen’s Outreach Foodbank. These charities recently received their awards from the 2018 Garden Tour.

The thirty-second annual All Saints Episcopal Church Garden Tour is scheduled for May 18, 2019. The Garden Tour board recently announced the six charities that will benefit from the 2019 Tour proceeds: Jasper Backpack Buddies (Antioch Educational Center), Backpack Buddies of Bluffton, Backpack Buddies of Hilton Head Island, St. Stephen’s UMC Outreach Food Bank, Hilton Head Safe Harbour, and The Literacy Center.

For more information about the 2019 Garden Tour is available at www. allsaintsgardentour.com. 

C2 MAGAZINE

JAN. 2019

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843-686-5600 . www.HealthyHabitHHI.com

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f you haven’t heard of Healthy Habit, they are the local purveyors of delicious nourishment for the wellness-aware; recently voted Hilton Head Island’s “Best Salads” for the second year in a row, their menu consists of their delicious chopped salads in addition to wraps, bowls, juices and smoothies. On the walls of the restaurant, they share their beliefs that living well isn’t just about eating the right food, but about sharing it with the right people. “When you dine with us, you’re dining with a community that cares enough to enrich their taste buds and their bodies. Our philosophy is simple. Food should make you feel better—not worse—and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice taste to live a healthier lifestyle. Every meal we serve is prepared to that standard,” said Healthy Habit executive chef Kevin Yeung. To ring in the new year, Healthy Habit is launching an exciting new promotion aimed at helping everyone get healthier in the new year. “We want to give price conscious consumers a choice when it comes to eating healthily and affordably come the new year and tackling those New Year resolutions. In fact, that’s really where it all started for us. We kept asking over and over again, “Why can’t I just get something great tasting and good for me with the same convenience, speed and price of traditional fast food options?” To start the new year off with a bang, they’re doubling down on that sentiment and introducing the Healthy Habit Jumpstart Cleanse—a total body wellness program centered around delivering a daily curated juice cleanse package which includes a salad of your choice as well. For the month of January, they are offering the Healthy Habit Jumpstart cleanse package promo. If you participate, you receive a curated selection of delicious cold pressed juices to start your day off right and you finish with a salad at night. In addition to the Jumpstart cleanse package, Healthy Habit is launching a new menu in January which includes a new all day breakfast offering featuring a

Blueberry Nice Cream Toast

Avocado Toast

full organic coffee lineup, and breakfast items such a avocado toast and blueberry compote toast, breakfast sandwiches and acai power bowls to start your day off right. So whether you are going all in on a juice cleanse, or just looking for your new local coffee shop and breakfast stop, Healthy Habit has you covered.

JOin the CoffEe Club!

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For January’s fashion

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Pink, our stylist went thrifting and consignment shopping to show what’s possible on a budget.

Vintage is always in, and you can find some great pieces with just a little bit of digging. And here’s the bonus: Using something more than once is good for the environment and the community. Did you know most local thrift stores benefit charitable organizations? Keep them in mind when donating items for end-of-the-year tax purposes. Selling things on consignment is a great way to “share” all those gowns you only wore once—and make a little extra cash for that big trip you have planned next month.

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The Frugal Fashionista

Clothing modeled by Karsten of

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Styling by Kaila Jeffcoat, Hair & Makeup by Bride’s Side Beauty,

Black Gown $50, Black Scarf $2, Necklance $3 Purchased at Palmetto Animal League Thrift Store

Halo Model & Talent Agency

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Green Pamela Roland Gown $350, Earrings $4 Purchased at Osprey Village Thrift Store

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love me two times > Red Leather Jacket with Gold beading $30 Purchased at Palmetto Animal League Thrift Store White Keds $5 Purchased at Goodwill Industries

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Tan trench $12 Available at My Sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Closet Black Cane $4 Available at Church Mouse Boutique Thrift Store

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love me two times > Green leather crop jacket $65, Cream and black print skirt $22, Necklace $28, Painting $17, Lamp $36, Chair $239, Chest of drawers $239 Available at The Church Mouse Thrift Boutique

> Wide leg pant- $3, Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s white button-down $7, Hat with the feathers $4, Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two-toned shoes $10 Purchased at St. Francis by the Sea Thrift Shop

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love me two times Caribbean Queen jump suit $74, Vintage boots, Anna Marino $46, Handbag $40, Bangles- $17-$18 Available at Chella D

> Ruffled Red Prom Dress $4 Purchased at Palmetto Animal League Thrift Store

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Plain T-shirt top $3.50, Wide leg fringe bottom denim $7.50, Brocade print blazer $5.50, Denim fanny pack $4.50 Purchased at Goodwill Industries

Pink Lily Pulitzer houndstooth jacket $69 Purchased at Church Mouse Thrift Boutique

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love me two times > Women’s sleeveless cream suit $10, Men’s blazer $4, Funky wood circular bead belt $3 Purchased at The Litter Box Rustic metal and wood chest $89, Necklace $10 Available at Bargains and Treasures

> Two Piece Denim Suit $68 Available at My Sister’s Closet

> Riding pants $24, Corduroy top $8, Under Armor cleats $9.50 Available at Encore Consignment Stool $10 Purchased at Palmetto Animal League Thrift Store

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A WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS: Meet your Bachelorette

my mom is the best!

Article by Barry Kaufman~Photography by M.Kat

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Vanessa Stewart using her Bachelorette notoriety to help those struggling with addiction

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f you, the readers of CH2 simply chose our Bachelorette of the Year on beauty, Vanessa Stewart would still be a clear winner. If you voted primarily on whether you know someone, she’d probably still win. But there’s more to the winning Bachelorette than a pretty face and a wide social circle. There’s the unmistakable energy she brings to a room, the way the atmosphere is lightened when she enters, shadows banished by the sheer brightness of her personality.

It’s more than just beauty. It’s spirit. And hands down, no contest, Vanessa Stewart embodies that spirit. Her laugh and her vitality instantly change the character of any place, but beyond that lies the deep wellspring of her humanity. She didn’t enter our Bachelorette contest to meet guys; she didn’t do it for the ego boost. She did it because of the good she knew she could do.

“I was really kind of nervous putting myself out there, but the key thing is you win money for your charity,” she said. Stewart chose Any Length Recovery, a long-term addiction recovery center in Sumter that places special emphasis on helping addicts rebuild their lives long after the treatment is over. “I lost my brother two and a half years ago, so I just said, ‘I’m doing this.’”

Winning the contest dovetails nicely with her January Stop Heroin Walk, held on the island to raise funds for Any Length. “It all kind of fell into place. I just thought, how great would it be to give them even more money, since all the proceeds from the walk go to Any Length Recovery. That was my biggest motivation.”

Stewart found Any Length through two of her friends who had their lives turned around by the clinic, both of whom are clean to this day. Fresh from the pain of losing her brother, she found some form of catharsis in keeping others from losing family through the same tragic circumstances.

“It’s crazy how something so painful can bring so much positivity,” said Any Length co-director Lisa Woodie. “And Vanessa is amazing. Coming out of that pain of loss, it’s so easy to just go dark. She’s not that type of person. She’s very giving.”

And she’s using that giving spirit to honor her brother Ricky’s memory.

“When my brother passed, it was life changing.

We were only 18 months apart,” she said. “My brother’s walk has been so therapeutic for me it’s unbelievable. To be able to talk about it, it makes my heart beam.”

HER LAUGH AND HER VITALITY INSTANTLY CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF ANY PLACE, BUT BEYOND THAT LIES THE DEEP WELLSPRING OF HER HUMANITY. SHE DIDN’T ENTER OUR BACHELORETTE CONTEST TO MEET GUYS; SHE DIDN’T DO IT FOR THE EGO BOOST. SHE DID IT BECAUSE OF THE GOOD SHE KNEW SHE COULD DO. Smile for the camera “I love taking care of people, and I love helping people,” Stewart said. Her job as a dental hygienist not only gives her the chance to help people, one healthy smile at a time, it also gives her a chance to meet people—which, for a self-declared people person, is a dream come true. And while she is passionate about her job, she’s also very candid about how her career path started.

“I hated my dentist growing up,” she said with a laugh. Of course, that could have something to do with the circumstances behind those visits. “I literally had my brother push me off a hideaway bed and jam my baby tooth up into my gums. I had to have it removed; I was already upset, and my dentist was just mean to me. He really traumatized me.”

It’s said with a laugh, but that early brush with her dentist’s less-thanstellar bedside manner convinced her she could do better. And when she

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AND NOW, STEWART IS OUR BACHELORETTE OF THE YEAR. THROUGH YOUR VOTES, YOU’VE HELPED HER CHANGE COUNTLESS LIVES, AND YOU CAN CONTINUE TO HELP DURING HER STOP HEROIN WALK, JAN. 26 AT THE TIKI HUT.

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VANESSA STEWART learned that the vocational school at her high school offered a dental assisting program that could get her out of school for four hours, she jumped at the chance. “I fell in love with it, and I just had that in the back of my head that this is what I want to do.”

With her family torn apart by addiction, both her brother’s and her mother’s, Stewart put herself through school in her native Michigan. Even before she graduated, she had her next steps figured out.

“My aunt lives in Charlotte and she was like, ‘I know you want to move south, but have you ever checked out Hilton Head before?’

I started Googling it and said, ‘Okay, there’s an ocean and it’s going to be warm.’” That, and the fact that there was a two-day-a-week opening at Dr. Jeffrey Wachtel’s office, was all she needed to know.

“I sent him a résumé, and he literally called me the next day,” she said. She came down for a visit and was told she had the job as soon as she graduated. It probably helped that she already

demonstrated the kind of spunk and determination that have defined her, by showing up for what was going to be a visit with her scrubs ready to go. “I still have those scrubs, and I will not get rid of them.”

Island living In Wachtel’s practice, Stewart not only found employment and a way to escape the frosty climate of Michigan, she found a family. “He’s seriously like my second dad. I love his wife and they’re a huge part of my life,” Stewart said. “You should have seen him when the issue came out. He was like, ‘This is great, I want your poster up on every wall. I want everyone to vote.’ He’s been wonderful. Honestly, he was my first phone call—even when I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone.”

She acclimatized well to her new surroundings, finding endless happiness poolside or at the beach. “The Tiki Hut is one of my favorite places,” she said. Joining her every step of the way is her loyal pooch Tucker Marie, her graduation gift to herself. “His middle name is Marie, and yes he wears ruffles. I don’t care; he’s very comfortable in his skin.

And now, Stewart is our Bachelorette of the Year. Through your votes, you’ve helped her change countless lives, and you can continue to help during her Stop Heroin Walk, Jan. 26 at The Tiki Hut. 

Dan Sinkiewicz explains to a potential client how Sentext Solutions works to reach your customer base via text messages.

Verizon

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here are no shortages of ways businesses can reach their customers these days. You can Tweet. You can Instagram. You can Facebook. You can flood their inboxes with your newsletters they more than

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P H OT O G R A P H Y B Y M . K AT

likely will never open. In short, you can do what every other business is doing and just carpet bomb your message across the landscape of ambivalent customers and hope they respond.

For years now, it’s been the way to go.

You establish that social media presence, you hype up your specials or sales, and you cross your fingers that the message in a bottle you have sent out on the great digital tide will find its way to a receptive audience. And despite the nearly invisible return on investment, it’s been the default 586

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format for businesses looking to get their message across to customers.

Sentext has something a little bit better. “It’s as simple as this: If you have a business or an organization that has customers or members, you want to be able to reach them in a fast and effective way,” said Dan Sinkiewicz, local independent Sentext owner. “And texting is that way.”

It makes sense. On a personal level, think of how often your own emails get ignored, that little number on the

SENTEXT SOLUTIONS

> The big draw for both businesses and consumers is the way the Sentext service creates a “VIP Customer” level connection. For the consumer, this means special discounts and regular special offers available only to those who sign up for the service, delivered to you in real time. For the business, it establishes a loyalty program with far more immediacy and impact than simple social media followers.

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notification widget climbing ever higher. And even if you are an ardent follower of a business across social media, do you get notified whenever someone posts something new? Or is it just part of a feed of other business, memes, food photos, and cat videos that make up your social media channel. But a text message, that’s a little harder to ignore.

Sinkiewicz points out the generally accepted rule of thumb that social media reaches maybe 30 percent of customers. With text messaging, that climbs considerably.

“Texting is how the world is communicating these days,” Sinkiewicz said. “Businesses are thirsty for ways to really reach their customers, and this is a way they can do that with a 97 percent effective rate.”

Right about now you’re thinking, “Oh great, another way I can get spam.” And my friend, you are way off the mark.

The Sentext solution is 100 percent opt-in, meaning a business can’t simply sign you up for it and begin blasting you with text messages.

The big draw for both businesses and consumers is the way the Sentext service creates a “VIP Customer” level connection. For the consumer, this means special discounts and regular special offers available only to those who sign up for the service, delivered to you in real time. For the business, it establishes a loyalty program with far more immediacy and impact than simple social media followers.

“Usually, there is some kind of special that the shop advertises, where if you sign up you receive 10 percent off today or a free round of golf, something like that,” Sinkiewicz said. “Once you’ve built a list of VIP members, it’s very easy to continue to grow that list for everyone who wants to be a part of it.”

He points to a situation with one of his clients, Bill’s Liquors, who offered a special on Dewar’s scotch, exclusively for customers who were signed up for their Sentext program. As customers came into the store showing off the text message they sent, everyone else in the store noticed the great deal on offer and were signing up left and right.

And this is far from yet another newsletter you sign up for; according to Sinkiewicz, opting out is simple if you so choose, and he coaches businesses on how many text alerts to send out and what makes for a more valuable message for customers. So, for customers, it offers that most rare of prospects—a loyalty program that doesn’t overload you and is actually worth your time. It’s why nationally, Sentext sees a less than 2 percent opt-out rate.

For businesses, it gives them a chance to market like the big boys. Massive companies from McDonald’s to Chick-Fil-A utilize Sentext’s unique solution to reach their customers, and smaller businesses can enjoy that same technology for less than $100 a month. How else are you going to get a national high-tech marketing firm with local in-person service for that kind of money?

“When I sell to a local merchant, there’s a whole company behind me that services them and helps me out,” Sinkiewicz said. “And this is a relatively economical way to advertise—less than $100 a month. It’s tough to beat that kind of price to reach your customers.”

Perhaps the most attractive aspect to businesses is the way it gives them a concrete return on investment in an era where marketing budgets are shrinking. “With my system and my solution, you get 100 percent return on investment. When you send out that text message, you know exactly how many people are taking advantage of it. You’re going to see the return on investment walking through your door.”

For small businesses searching for ways to build loyalty and market themselves to customers in the easiest, most efficient way possible, it’s a no-brainer. Either spend months building a social media presence and hoping for the best, or just simply pick up the phone.

“It’s a great tool,” Sinkiewicz said. “The merchants that use it love it.”

Sinkiewicz points out that any business looking to try Sentext will get three free months to build up their user base when they sign up for a year, letting them see first-hand how powerful this new solution is. All you have to do is reach out at (508) 692-7937.

Obviously, the best way to do that is to shoot him a text. 

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M a y

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Plank Flooring

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DOCtor is In Co-owners Robbie Taylor and Kenny Nix

ARTICLE BY BARRY KAUFMAN

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“

y wife jokes that I’m the flooring doctor,” said Kenny Connecticut, where he plied his trade doing everything from reNix of May River Flooring. He must like the moniker flooring basketball courts to installing bathrooms. that his wife Heather came up with for him, as he “We did as many courts as we could in summer, and then recently changed his Instagram handle to reflect his when school was back in, they had me working with the tile new PhD: floordoctor843. guys doing bathroom remodels,” Nix said. “I was intrigued by the While he may not have an actual doctorate in flooring waterproofing aspect of it.” (to the best of our knowledge no such degree exists), he has That intrigue led to him adding custom bathroom remodels the next best thing: a quarter century of experience. Puns are to the range of services at May River Flooring, executed with the generally unforgivable, but in this case, it’s apt to say that he same care and attention to detail as his flooring projects. And built his career in flooring from the ground up. speaking of flooring, he’s become the area expert in one of the Indeed, it’s that depth of experience that helps May River hottest new trends in flooring: luxury vinyl planks.

Flooring stand apart. “There are a lot of great flooring companies “Since Hurricane Matthew, we’ve been seeing a lot of it, in Hilton Head and Bluffton, but what makes us because it’s so durable and waterproof,” he said. different is that I was an installer in the area for “People love the look of it, Forget everything you knew about vinyl flooring; 25 years,” Nix said. today’s high-end vinyl flooring gives you the then when we tell them it’s That experience has not only given Nix a same durability and waterproof coat as those old super durable, pet proof chance to view the flooring industry from every tacky tiles, but with a sophisticated finish that and water proof they flip.” looks just like the real thing. angle, it has also imbued in him a work ethic that sets May River Flooring apart. “It blew my During a recent reflooring of a commercial - Heather Nix mind, some of the shortcuts I saw being taken,” showroom, he noted, nearly every customer he said. “I knew when I opened my own store who walked in complimented the client on their that I wanted to do things the right way and not take shortcuts.” wood floors. Little did those customers know it was vinyl.

That right way is demonstrated in every remarkable “People love the look of it, then when we tell them it’s super transformation May River Flooring creates, on floors and in durable, pet proof and water proof they flip,” Heather said. bathrooms across the Lowcountry. You read that right: May Ultimately, though, what May River Flooring specializes in isn’t River Flooring is far more than just floors. found on the floor or in the bathroom. It’s in the feeling each client “We do showers, we do a lot of tile work and we do carpet takes home. as well,” Nix said. “I’m known by a lot of builders and Realtors “I try to offer a greater experience for anyone who comes in the industry for my wood flooring, but it goes beyond that.” into my store. They’re going to be educated, and it’s going to be Nix’s multi-faceted experience stems in part from his a relationship,” Kenny said. “I’m a firm believer that we’re in the family’s long experience in construction (his uncle is Joe Nix of relationship business.”  Nix Construction) but also, in part, from his experience up in Find out more at www.mayriverflooring.com.

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Jim and Linda Saylor sit with their miniature schnauzer, Sarah, in their newly expanded shop in the Village Exchange.

A r t i cl e by Li n d a S. H o p k i n s Ph o t o g ra p hy by M . K a t

The

SILVER GARDEN Wh e r e Jewe l r y a n d A r t Te l l a St o r y

W

hen does a piece of jewelry or a work of art become more than the sum of its materials? When it tells a story.

Stepping into The Silver Garden in the Village Exchange on Hilton Head Island, now entering its seventh year in business, is like immersing yourself in a novel—the plotline expressed through a unique and ever-evolving line of artisan and customized jewelry (handcrafted by owners Jim and Linda Saylor) along with a collection of personal and regional art.

“The thing about handmade jewelry or an original work of art is the fact that there’s often a story behind the design or the materials chosen by the artist,” Linda said. “You’re buying the history that goes along with it or an interpretation of your own story—told through a beautiful piece of art to wear or display in your home.”

Once upon a time …

Much like the jewelry and works of art on display at The Silver Garden, the business has a fascinating story of its own. The original shop was the offshoot of what began as a hobby for Linda—mostly beading and repurposing broken jewelry to sell online. Jim,

A design specifically created in a partnership with P.E.O., a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate women

SILVER GARDEN

The

who agreed to pitch in and help with repairs, soon became fascinated by the intricacies of design, pouring his energy into metal work, and coming up with ideas for new pieces on sleepless nights. A bit bored with retirement life, the former corporate CFO turned master silversmith, found an outlet for his creativity and problem-solving skills, while Linda, a former commercial real estate executive, continued exploring her innate love of the arts.

When the opportunity presented itself in the form of a small vacant storage space, the Saylors transformed it into a charming retail store and workshop where they continued producing unique, customized wearable art. News spread, mostly by word of mouth, as customers seeking the unusual or wishing to create a story of their own by tapping into the Saylors’ talents found their way to the tiny nook—again and again.

Chapter two If you haven’t visited The Silver Garden in a while, you are in for a treat, because there’s so much more to the story now. For those who know the Saylors, it comes as no surprise that their business has more than tripled in size (from 200 to 700 square feet)— their recent expansion into the space next door, completed in March 2018, making way for more jewelry as well as an eclectic assortment of high-quality art with a local connection.

The idea for adding a small art gallery was spawned by Linda’s newest hobby: abstract acrylic painting, a technique she learned by watching over 300 YouTube videos, she said. The plan was to use the self-renovated space to display and sell Linda’s personal art, which she was already exhibiting in local and regional galleries. Several of her works are featured in the Hilton 56

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An exotic wood pendant embellished with garnets, was chosen for the Sixth National Juried Fine Art Craft Guild Exhibition, presented by the Art League of Hilton Head, which features artists from around the country.

Head Symphony Orchestra’s 2018-2019 brochure and two have graced the covers of area publications.

“At first it was going to be just for my art,” Linda said. But as a board member of the Art League of Hilton Head, she extended invitations to a few more artists. “I know all the artists.

As an exhibiting artist, you only get to exhibit one or two pieces a month,” she explained. “So virtually everyone I asked said yes.”

The Silver Garden, is currently carrying works from 38-40 artists, making it not only the newest, but one of the most prolific galleries in the area in terms of the sheer number of artists represented. You will find works from Addison Palmer (local painter specializing in nature scenes); William Rhett III (Lowcountry scenes painted on antique piano keys); Peg Weschke (award-winning fiber artist and art quilter); Samantha Claar (folk art—Gullah living); Buona Terra

Woodworks (home décor pieces made from reclaimed wood from Hurricane Matthew); Deanna Bowers (Charleston-based folk artist); and many more. “We’re really trying to stick to Lowcountry and Lowcountry artists,” Linda said. “We have wood, basket art, porcelain, pottery, raku, paper quilling … we even have a writer, Ellen Giordano—author of Best Day Ever, a children’s book that’s all about things for children to do on the island.”

In addition to opening their doors to area artists, the Silver Garden is collaborating with an international organization called P.E.O.— Philanthropic Educational Organization—a nonprofit whose mission is to educate women. Recently invited to join, Linda said, “Not one penny goes towards anything but education. Everything is given. We created an entire jewelry line in sterling and gold for this organization, and every piece sold generates a donation to educational programs.”

Another buzz-worthy collaboration is with Sonja Griffin Evans, an internationally known Gullah artist based in Bluffton. Griffin Evans is painting Lowcountry scenes on small wood pieces for which Jim has created a custom bezel, thus rendering a wearable piece of collectible art. The title of the series is “Heart of the Lowcountry,” and each piece finished with a heart charm.

While Linda is focused on her own art and growing the gallery, Jim continues to refine his craft, creating highly-sought-after, original jewelry, straight from his imagination. (An exotic wood pendant embellished with garnets, was chosen for the Sixth National Juried Fine Art Craft Guild Exhibition, presented by the Art League of Hilton Head, which features artists from around the country.) In addition, customers bring in projects and describe what they want. “They sometimes push me outside of my comfort zone, and I end up doing things that I otherwise would not have tried to do. So much of my learning comes from projects like that,” Jim said of his ever-expanding skill set.

One thing is certain: There’s always something new to see at The Silver Garden. Drop by MondayFriday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or on Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. You will likely be greeted by 10-year-old miniature schnauzer, Sarah, the shop dog, and you will always be treated like one of the family. Whether you simply want to browse, learn the stories behind the art, or commission a custom piece of jewelry or painting, indulge your curiosity in a comfortable, unpretentious atmosphere. Get to know Jim and Linda Saylor, and you’ll soon be telling your own stories through the jewelry you wear and the art you display in your home.  The Silver Garden is located at 32 Palmetto Bay Rd., Suite 3A, in the Village Exchange. For more information, call (407) 595-2119; visit www.thesilvergarden.net; or check out over 500 of their offerings online at www. etsy.com/shop/TheSilverGardenHHI.

ART I C L E

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Dave Geis V I ETN A M

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Attorney Dave Geis sits at his desk in his Main Street office.

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ave Geis returned from the Vietnam War and went directly into law school, graduating from Fordham Law School (JD) and NYU Law School (LLM). His first career position was as a Confidential Law Clerk in the New York State Judicial System, and he eventually became a partner in a midsized New York City law firm. Throughout his career, he limited his practice to family law participating in, and trying, several legal precedent-setting cases.

In 2000, after practicing law in New York for more than 20 years, he relocated to the South Carolina Lowcountry while maintaining a presence in New York through his work as counsel to the White Plains law firm of Kramer and Kozak P.C. Over the last 18 years he has come to focus his practice entirely in the Lowcountry. During this time, he has served as president of the Beaufort County Bar Association; a member of the Family Law Council of the South Carolina Bar and as the first native New Yorker to serve as the Chairman of the Family Law Council.

“Serving in these positions has been among the greatest learning experiences of my life,” he said. “I met great people, knowledgeable people and people who cared for their community and their profession and wanted to contribute positively to both.”

There is a certain mental image that some people have when they are considering hiring an attorney: the mental image of a shark in a three-piece suit.

“Remember, a shark doesn’t mind who he bites,” Geis

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From left to right: Judy Palazzo, David Geis, Tracy Fender, Ally Martin and Addison Dowling Fender

said. “The practice of family law is a little bit different than other disciplines; you are dealing with people and their families in crisis.”

Geis appreciates the circumstances his clients find themselves in when they are facing the sort of legal challenges on which he commonly focuses. It’s not an occasion that calls for the simplistic aggression of a shark. It’s an occasion that calls for an attorney who balances thorough knowledge of the law with an abiding compassion for his clients.

“The most important attributes of a lawyer are legal acumen and integrity,” he said. “In addition, it is helpful if a family lawyer has the ability to empathize with a client who is dealing

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with struggles over custody, alimony and divorce. Providing the emotional strength and discipline a client needs to stay the course is just as important as anything else I do as an attorney.”

After practicing solo for almost 10 years, recently the Fender Law firm and the Law Offices of David Parker Geis, LLC have become of counsel to the other.

This allows both firms to work together on larger complex cases which demand more “firepower,” while still being able to provide the individual services of a solo firm when appropriate. For clients, it’s the best of both worlds. Addison Fender is a third-generation Beaufort attorney who restricts his practice to Family Law, and the firms are looking forward to providing their services north and south of the Broad.  Visit www.dpgeislaw.com or call (843) 715-0661 for more information.

"Smile, It Lets Your Teeth Breathe.â&#x20AC;?

Meet Your Lowcountry

DENTISTS PG. 64

PG. 65

PG. 66

Dr. Jim Mason Adventure Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Andrea Grant Guess New River Dental Center

Kevin E. Hardy DDS, JD, MBA Irish Dental

James G. Jenkins, DMD Bluffton Dental Care

Elizabeth Abell, DMD Harbor Point Dentistry

Dr. Terri Hubbard Coastal Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Jim Mason ADVENTURE PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY What is your field of expertise?

We specialize in conservative pediatric dental treatment along with the growth and development of our little ones. We offer the only Solea® pediatric laser in South Carolina.

Where did you study dentistry?

Medical College of Virginia for dental school, a one-year residency in the Air Force focusing on surgery, and then pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Why did you choose dentistry?

I chose dentistry because I am able to interact with a lot of people, alleviate their fears, and utilize my artistic skills.

Who or what influenced you to start your own business?

I practiced for 14 years in the Air Force, first with a pilot slot and then as a dentist. After numerous deployments, I was weary of missing my family and joined the reserves.

What do you enjoy most about being a dentist?

Building the relationships that we have to foster in our role as a dental home. We have fun at Adventure Pediatrics!

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

We have the only Solea® Pediatric Laser with which we can provide treatment often without having to give a shot. We also have a fun, active environment where we take our time with the children and have fun.

FUN FACT!

What is your favorite song?

How Far We’ve Come, Matchbox Twenty; Burning Man. 337 Buckwalter Place Blvd.

Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 815-6000 www.adventurepediatricdentistry. com

James G. Jenkins, DMD BLUFFTON DENTAL CARE

What is your field of expertise?

General, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry Where did you study medicine?

University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, 1981.

Why did you choose dentistry?

I wanted a career that was interesting, helped other people directly and allowed me to exercise my artistic ability.

Who or what influenced you to start your own business?

My sister had such a positive impression and experience with her dentist that she influenced me to become a dentist and start my own business.

What do you enjoy most about being a dentist?

My back-up degree was chemical engineering. I enjoy science, engineering and the art of being a dentist.

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

We offer conscious sedation and laughing gas to relieve anxiety. CEREC one day crowns minimize trips to the office; digital X rays greatly reduce radiation exposure; InvisAlign is a guided orthodontic that, again, reduces dental visits; before and after imaging presentations eliminate the fear of the final result.

FUN FACT!

What is your favorite song?

“In the Garden” 25 Clark Summit Drive, Suite 100 Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 706-3800 www.blufftondentalcare.com

Dr. Andrea Grant Guess NEW RIVER DENTAL CENTER

What is your field of expertise?

I practice general dentistry. So, I enjoy working with people of all ages and at all stages of life. Surprisingly, when people see that we treat children and adults, they say she must have a lot of patience!

Where did you study medicine?

I am a graduate of Howard University College of Dentistry in Washington, D.C. Why did you choose dentistry?

As a wife and mother, I chose dentistry because I wanted to work in a field that had a good balance of work and professional life. I am in the position to help those in need and still be able to have quality time with my family.

Who or what influenced you to start your own business?

I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My grandparents owned their own business and so do my parents.

What do you enjoy most about being a dentist?

I love the fact that no one day is the exact same as

Elizabeth Abell, DMD HARBOR POINT DENTISTRY What is your field of expertise?

My field of expertise is all aspects of cosmetic and family dentistry, providing top-tier service within the dental profession.

Where did you study dentistry?

I obtained my doctorate in dentistry from the Medical College of Georgia. I also obtained my bachelor of science and master of science degrees in biology prior to pursuing my doctorate and career in dentistry.

Why did you choose dentistry?

I receive great personal satisfaction from helping others establish the best possible oral healthcare program and maintain personal confidence in their smile.

What do you enjoy most about being a dentist?

I view it as a privilege and gift to serve the people of this wonderful community.

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

I set high expectations for my patients’ quality of care and their comfort. I apply a highquality approach to dentistry with a warm and friendly team to fulfill all of your dental needs.

Furthermore, I will always spend quality time with you to discuss a variety of treatment options to ensure your comfort. I aim to create a long-lasting relationship with you!

FUN FACT!

What is your favorite song?

Anything by Don Williams!

40 Okatie Center Blvd., South, Suite 302 Bluffton, SC 29909 (843) 492-0386 www.harborpointdentistry.com

the day before. Dentistry is a rapidly evolving field with new technology that can make the experience a lot easier for the patient and the dentist.

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

We have so many different ways to relax our patients. Most of it, though, is relatability—making the patient feel like they are at home and comfortable. We remember birthdays, special trips, new grandkids … From warm blankets, neck pillows, topical, laughing gas, and our most recentlyupgraded digital impressions. So, we have gotten rid of the gaginducing impression material.

FUN FACT!

What is your favorite song?

“Superwoman,” by Alicia Keys 300 New River Parkway, Suite 1 Hardeeville, SC 29927 (843) 208-2888 www.newriverdentist.com

Kevin E. Hardy DDS, JD, MBA IRISH DENTAL

I

rish Dental on Hilton Head Island is owned by Dr. Kevin Hardy, an experienced family dentist. Dr. Hardy provides comprehensive cosmetic and restorative dental and understands that the pursuit of dental care is often a reluctant endeavor. He strives to create a comfortable treatment atmosphere where you are valued, listened to, and treated as family. Irish Dental offers a full scope of services including, implants, crowns, veneers, Botox® delivery, and TMJ disorder and sleep apnea treatment. Additionally, on-site therapy dogs, Minnow and Morrison, are there for those times when you need a little bit more comfort.

Dr. Hardy is originally from Danville, Virginia. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry and Business where he received his DDS and MBA in 2006. Furthering his dental education, Dr. Hardy received advanced training at the

Metrohealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, focusing on the provision of care to the pediatric and developmentally disabled population. During his time practicing in Cleveland, Dr. Hardy attended the John Marshall College of Law, receiving his JD in 2015. It was also in Cleveland where he met his wife Shannon, and they were married at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame.

Dr. Hardy and Shannon are members of St. Francis by the Sea Catholic Church and are excited to call the wonderful community of Hilton Head Island their home. It is the mission of Dr. Hardy and Irish Dental to provide a kind and caring dental home for years to come.

25 Hospital Center Boulevard, Suite 102 Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 689-5500 welcome@irishdentalhhi.com www.irishdental.com

Dr. Terri Hubbard

COASTAL PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

helping children. It is amazing to see What is your field of expertise? a scared, anxious child transformed Pediatric dentistry, specializing in treating infants, children and teens. to a confident individual in our office.

Where did you study medicine?

I obtained my doctorate of dental medicine (DMD) degree from University of Louisville and went on to complete my residency at the University of Alabama Birmingham.

Why did you choose dentistry?

Dentistry extends far beyond cleaning teeth. I truly enjoy educating the public on oral health and having the ability to change a person’s life by elevating their confidence with a beautiful smile.

Who or what influenced you to start your own business?

My influence has always been Veva Narramore, my third grade teacher.

It was her love for children that has inspired me throughout my life.

She had a child with special needs, and I ended up treating her during my residency.

What do you enjoy most about being a dentist?

The kids. It was not until dental school that I realized my love for

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

In our office, we like to make the experience of going to the dentist fun with a lively atmosphere, game rooms, a movie theater, and personal TVs on the ceiling above the dental chairs. Making going to the dentist fun helps the children establish a positive relationship with the dentist.

FUN FACT!

What is your favorite song?

“Hello, You Beautiful Thing,” by Jason Mraz 10 Arley Way, Suite 102 Bluffton SC 29926 23 Main Street, Suite 302 Hilton Head Island 29926 34 Kemmerlin Lane Beaufort, SC 29910 (843) 757-7336 www.coastal-pedo.com

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Article by Dr. Thomas Beller

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pring is coming, and that means warmer weather is right around the corner. It also means the return of mosquitoes and other bothersome insects, which are more active during warmer months. For most of us, these insects are nothing more than a minor annoyance. For others, they are a much more significant nuisance because of the way the body overreacts to their bites. For these unlucky people, a walk in the park or a nice spring picnic can result in a collection of inflamed mounds on the exposed skin. In some cases, the inflammatory response can be severe enough to cause noticeable swelling of an entire foot or other body part.

Why do some people react so severely to insects when others hardly react at all? The purpose of this article is to present a theory that environmental allergy (sometimes called hay fever) is the underlying cause. To understand this, first, we have to understand why our bodies react to insects in the first place. Some insects sting us with venom in a manner that is designed to cause pain and inflammation as a warning

BUG

B I T E S

to get away. Others are actually biting us because they are feeding on our blood. We react to both, for different reasons. Stinging insects inject venom that triggers a toxic response, resulting in swelling and inflammation. Some people can develop allergy to venom, resulting in severe allergic reactions. Biting insects cause swelling for another reason. It’s not because of venom, nor because the body cares about what the insect took from us, and it is almost never because of an allergic reaction to the insect. Rather, biting insects cause swelling because historically their saliva contained parasites and other infectious organisms. The immune system is responding to the bite in an effort to defend itself from the invasion of these organisms.

In our society today, hygiene and medications have allowed us to eradicate many of the organisms that biting insects used to carry. So, why do we still react to them?

And why do some of us react so dramatically? It appears that evolution has allowed our immune systems to recognize the association between insect saliva and these organisms. Today, insect saliva alone is enough to trigger the inflammatory response, acting as a surrogate signal for parasites based on their strong historical association.

In other words, there is an “assumption” that parasites and other organisms may be present, even when they are not. To understand why some people overreact we have to understand the nature of allergy.

Allergies have a significant relationship to parasites. The more we have eliminated parasites from our society, the more problematic allergies have become. Parasites were such a common part of our lives in the past that virtually everything humans ate and drank for millions of years contained them. It was also more common for biting insects to carry them in their saliva. Today, we have a much different scenario, and this scenario has changed fairly rapidly.

The elimination of parasites has occurred primarily because of two factors: cooking our food and chlorinating our water supply. Chlorinating the water supply may be the most important factor. There is evidence that we started cooking food over a million years ago, leaving the water supply as our last remaining major source of parasitic exposure. We only started chlorinating the water a little more than 100 years ago, and this is when our exposure to parasites went to nearly zero.

Medications have also helped eliminate parasites from people as well as domesticated animals and animals in the food chain. Fewer infections also means fewer insects with

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parasites, since insects pick up parasites from their victims who harbor them.

It is theorized that our immune systems continue to search for parasites and even amplify this search since they are virtually absent, resulting in mistakes. It turns out that parasites and allergens have similarities in their protein structure, making it easy for the immune system to mistake allergens as parasites. It has long been known that parasites have protein patterns that we call pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or sometimes danger associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Recently PAMPs and DAMPs have also been discovered on pollen, dust mites, pet dander and other allergens. The sharing of PAMPs and DAMPs makes it easy for the immune system to mistake allergens for parasites. When the immune system makes this mistake, it attacks allergens using the same immune pathways and mediators that it uses for parasites.

Allergens can therefore be thought of as false parasites. This theory is called the “old friends” hypothesis, a subset of the broader “hygiene” hypothesis. Simply put, the cleaner our society has become, the more our immune system has to search for things to kill, resulting in mistakes.

The immune system of a person with environmental allergies is constantly defending the body from what it perceives to be a massive invasion of parasites. In the same way that war can prompt the need for production of weapons, allergy can amplify anti-parasitic pathways and the production of anti-parasitic mediators of the immune system. Severe allergy sufferers can easily over-produce these mediators in a dramatic way. These anti-parasitic pathways and mediators are the same as those used in the skin when the body reacts to the saliva of insects after a bite. These mediators are so abundant in the skin that even a single insect bite can cause a dramatic inflammatory response. This completes the connection.

If this theory is true, can anything be done about it? Antihistamines can help, but only if they are taken before the bites occur.

Once the swelling is present, histamine has already performed its duty. Steroid creams are modestly helpful to reduce swelling, and oral steroids are very helpful but come with side effects. The best approach for those who are severely affected by this issue may be to start allergen immunotherapy for environmental allergies, a treatment referred to as “allergy shots.” Benefits of immunotherapy are well established for typical nasal/ocular allergies and for asthma, but are not yet proven to help with large local reactions to insects. However, in my experience, immunotherapy typically reverses this issue whether administered as shots or as sublingual drops under the tongue. So, as the weather gets warm, enjoy the outdoors, but if you are significantly affected by big, bad, bulging, bug bites, go see an allergist.  Dr. Thomas Beller is a board certified specialist in adult and pediatric allergy, asthma, and immunology. For more information, visit www.hiltonheadallergy.com.

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PURE BARRE IS THE PERFECT PRESCRIPTION FOR YOUR BODY. I RECOMMEND TAKING CLASSIC TWO TO THREE TIMES A WEEK AND DOING ONE

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REFORM AND ONE EMPOWER CLASS.

Kara Raehn, owner of Pure Barre Hilton Head Island and Pure Barre Bluffton, with her son Cohen.

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The retail store at the Pure Barre Bluffton location in Belfair Towne Village.

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Kara showing the newest format for Pure Barre called Pure Reform. It focuses on strength and conditioning.

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CBD

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annabidiol, or CBD. It’s not pot, but it’s not, not pot—at least that is what many people think. But let’s “toke” a closer look. Marijuana contains both tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, as well as only trace amounts of CBD. When cooked or smoked, THC stimulates a psychotropic

or “high” effect. Unlike THC, CBD does not produce a mind-altering response. Instead, research suggests it provides numerous medicinal benefits.

Now let’s smoke out the difference between marijuana and hemp. Hemp contains no more than 0.3 percent of THC and, unlike

Article by Becca Edwards

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Where to Buy CBD Locally

C a n n a b i d i o l marijuana, a substantial amount of the hemp plant from which CBD oil is CBD. “A marijuana plant is a marijuana extracted for medicinal purposes. plant and a hemp plant is a hemp Because of its numerous uses, plant,” said Cynthia Groff, a registered hemp is one of the fastest growing nurse and owner of Sativa Health industries in the world right now.

Products LLC, a retailer of “lab-tested, Getting in on the action, and thanks to high-quality, zero-THC products.” the Farm Bill of 2014, South Carolina “Marijuana and hemp are different currently has 20 permitted hemp farms strains of cannabis. When people hear (each no more than 20 acres) and is cannabis, their minds go instantly to expected to have a total of 40 farms thinking about medicinal marijuana, in 2019 and 60 farms in 2020, making but industrial hemp is making amazing our great state one of the most hempbreakthroughs.” hip states in the country.

The hemp plant consists of a seed, a This means great things, not just stalk, leaves and flowers. for our economy, but The hemp seed, which also the environment.

Marijuana and hemp are does not contain CBD, Hemp, which literally different strains of can be used to make grows like a weed, granola, cereal, non-dairy cannabis. When people hear can flourish in a milk and protein powder variety of climates cannabis, their minds go and is a great addition to and soil types (and instantly to thinking about does quite well in smoothies since it is rich in B vitamins, magnesium sandy or loamy soil medicinal marijuana, but and vitamin E. The oil that found in the industrial hemp is making like from the hemp seeds Lowcountry), in a amazing breakthroughs. can be used to make condensed amount lubricants, ink, varnish, of space (therefore paint, body products, and cosmetics. decreasing land use) and at a fast The hemp stalk and its fibers can growing rate (which leads to high be utilized in an array of ways. The yields). Furthermore, hemp actually inner hurd of the hemp stalk can be improves soil health allowing farmers used as mulch, a chemical absorbent, to grow other food crops immediately insulation, and concrete. The bast fiber after a hemp harvest without a fallow of the hemp stalk can be manufactured period. As a result, slowly and steadily to make rope, netting, canvas, bio- you will likely see local farmers shifting composites, non-wovens, clothes, from soil depleting or environmentally shoes and bags. And the stalk itself uncool crops to hemp, and, as I helps to make biofuel/ethanol, paper hope, to an overall reassessment of products, cardboard and filters. The sustainability and energy and fuel leaves and flowers are the parts of efficiency. (Note: I also suspect you

Ways to Use CBD Topically with a cream or salve. This is ideal for pain management and conditions like arthritis.

By inhaling via vaping. This is ideal for a quick solution in situations like the onset of an anxiety attack.

Sublingually as a tincture or concentrate. Pay close attention to dosing.

Ingesting such as in pill form or as a mint, chocolate, infused beverage, or other edible.

Note: Make sure any CBD product you buy has been third-party tested and is made in the United States or Europe. According to Tavia Overstock of Vitality Medical Spa, “The biggest exporter of hemp in the world is China and the biggest importer of hemp in the world is the USA. Which means many of the CBD oils out there today come from hemp grown in non-organic Chinese soil.”

Vitality Medical Spa Stephens Compounding Pharmacy Sativa Health Products LLC Your CBD Store - Hilton Head Bluffton Pharmacy

will see a shift from CBD products being exported from poor-practice countries like China to safer options like the good ole U-S-of-A.) I also hope to see CBD products positively affect people’s health, as it has for Jeanne Daly and Michelle Albany. Daly’s story began when she was hit in the face with a golf club, which caused her to suffer from trigeminal neuralgia. “I had been dealing with chronic pain for so many years. At one point, I was desperate to find alternatives to pharmaceuticals. I knew that CBDs didn’t get you high, and they were a natural product, so I was more than happy to give them a try. But I wanted to purchase them from someone I could trust like Cindy Groff,” Daly said. “Cindy and I actually first talked about CBDs for my dog, who had a fear of thunderstorms. That led to a conversation with Cindy about my chronic pain issues.”

Continuing, Daly said, “CBD has helped me live a life with less pain and has given my dog relief from the fear of thunderstorms. Anyone who is experiencing a health issue like anxiety and/or chronic pain and is hesitant to try CBD, don’t be afraid to try it.

It doesn’t get you high; it’s a natural product, and there’s no harm done if it doesn’t work for you.”

For Michelle Albany, her CBD story began with a chronically ill husband.

“After he tried lots of different pain treatments that were not effective, I started researching CBD,” Albany said.

“Unfortunately, if a kidney became available and CBD was in his system, it would disqualify him from receiving a kidney transplant. To me, this was ridiculous. But ultimately I couldn’t risk his transplant eligibility.”

Because of the anxiety most caregivers experience, and the negative side-effects of anti-anxiety medications like Xanax, Albany began to wonder if CBD would benefit her. “My daily

medication controlled my anxiety during the day, but at night when I would lie down, all my worries would flood my brain. My heart would palpitate; I felt like I couldn’t breathe; my whole body would tingle kind of like restless legs syndrome, but it was both arms and both legs. If I was lucky enough to fall asleep, I didn’t stay asleep more than an hour. I was up all night,” Albany candidly explained. The first CBD sample Groff gave Albany was in a mint form. “I started with one mint at night, and it quieted my mind within 20 minutes. I fell asleep easily and I slept for four hours before waking up. I then ate another mint and was asleep until morning. It was fantastic.

“My husband then hit another bump in the road. So up bumped my anxiety again,” Albany continued.

“The mints still helped at night, but during the day I would have panic attacks, so Cindy introduced me to the vape. I will never be without a vape again. It is a miracle within a pen.

It works immediately and has saved me from multiple panic attacks.”

Albany’s take away: “I have recommended CBD to multiple people. For me, one of the best properties about CBD is that there are no bad side-effects. Doctors have no problem prescribing narcotics and controlled substances that then cause 18 different nasty side-effects.

I don’t understand how that is okay and how CBD is frowned upon. CBD helped me control my anxiety while maintaining my ability to function.

Honestly I do not know what I would do without it.”  Becca Edwards is a wellness professional, freelance writer, and owner of b.e.WELL+b.e.CREATIVE (bewellbecreative.com).

10 Medicinal Uses of CBD • • • • • • • • • •

Inflammation Anxiety Diabetes PTSD Crone’s Disease Chronic Pain ADD/ADHD Insomnia Seizures Specific types of cancer including colon and leukemia (data based on preclinical studies)

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BJVIM Offering Laser Eye Screenings Article by Dot Jeger

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t’s a very Happy New Year at Greater Bluffton Jasper County Volunteers in Medicine (BJVIM) with the recent addition of a new Laser Eye Machine, designed for early detection of eye diseases in diabetic patients. The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) selected BJVIM as the second free clinic in the Lowcountry, and just the fifth in the whole state, to receive the laser eye machine.

The new laser eye machine requires no dilation and produces a high quality of photography, aiding in early detection of various eye diseases. There are older cameras available to aid in eye disease detection, but they require dilation and a trained technician to administer.

Initially, screenings will be done by appointment only, Monday-Thursday mornings, and as the need increases, the times will expand. BJVIM medical providers will conduct the tests, aided by members of the Hilton Head, Sun City and Beaufort Lions Club members. BJVIM began conducting the screenings in December.

Pam Toney, executive director at BJVIM, is excited to bring this new level of care to the many diabetic patients in the BJVIM clinic and to patients throughout Beaufort County.

“In continuing to believe in collaboration, BJVIM will work with Good Neighbor Free Clinic, Hilton Head VIM and AccessHealth of the Lowcountry to screen diabetic patients,” Toney said. “The new laser machine will allow us to provide state-of-the-art eye care in diabetic patients,

VIM Locations in South Carolina

> Bluffton Jasper County Volunteers in Medicine Clinic. to help prevent or curb eye disease leading to blindness, through proactive measures. We are thrilled to have this new technology at BJVIM.” Over 40 percent of BJVIM’s patients suffer from diabetes. South Carolina ranks tenth in the nation in diabetes, and our Lowcountry area has one of the highest diabetic populations in the state. One risk of diabetes is loss of eye sight, and diabetes is the leading cause of adultonset blindness. But the key is early detection.

Despite the risks of eye disease, a large percentage of diabetic patients go without adequate eye screening.

This usually leads to a delayed diagnosis when loss is often irreversible.

To help tackle a growing concern with the increase of diabetes, several doctors from the MUSC Storm Eye Institute applied for and were awarded a grant from the prestigious Duke Endowment to obtain four state-of-the-art laser eye cameras for South Carolina primary care clinics. The first cameras were placed in the MUSC Internal Medicine Clinic and the Harvest Free Medical Clinic at the old Naval Base campus in North Charleston.

The areas around Charleston are in what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls the “diabetes belt,” meaning at least 11 percent of residents have been diagnosed with diabetes. Over 400 patients have been screened with the new laser eye machines in the Charleston area clinics since February 2018.

To expand the program over more of South Carolina, additional cameras were purchased by the Storm Eye Institute and installed in Hartsville, Bluffton, and Summerville.

Dr. James Kondor, a local ophthalmologists and volunteer at BJVIM, worked with the Storm Eye Institute to obtain the laser machine for BJVIM at no cost to the clinic.

BJVIM provides medical care on a volunteer basis to the uninsured community of Bluffton and Jasper County.

In operation since 2011, BJVIM recently purchased space and moved to a new permanent location at 29 Plantation Business Park, Units 601-604. BJVIM operates with the help of 92 medical and non-medical volunteers.

Bluffton-Jasper County Volunteers in Medicine is one of over 90 independent clinics under the guidance of the National Volunteers in Medicine Alliance. The clinics offer free medical exams, counseling and nutritional services, as well as preventative disease education. The greater Bluffton and Jasper County clinic sees more than 2,000 patients a year.

The new laser eye machine is one more step in BJVIM’s commitment and dedication to serving the needs of their patients and providing the highest level of professional healthcare, as dictated by their vision: No one in our community goes without access to quality health care.

The staff and volunteers at BJVIM are so thankful to be kicking off 2019 with this new machine to help aid in the health and wellness of so many of its patients.  C2 MAGAZINE

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Pharmacist Jim Sauter works in his Compounding Pharmacy in Bluffton.

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Bluffton Pharmacy COMMITMENT TO PERSONALIZED CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTINUES TO SET LOCAL DRUG STORE APART

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career in the medical field was almost a certainty for Jim Sauter, whose family has had at least one person working in the healthcare field since 1903.

His mother was a nurse and his father a doctor, and Sauter always planned to follow in his dad’s footsteps. His father had other ideas, though, and encouraged young Jim to, instead, go into his grandfather’s line of work. Numerous customers who have come to count on Bluffton Pharmacy for unparalleled customer service and advice over the years certainly thank him for that.

Sauter took his dad’s advice and went to pharmacy school, and he was practicing in the Charlotte area in 1988 when he saw a newspaper ad from someone looking to open a community pharmacy in the small town of Bluffton. Sauter got the job, and less than a year later he bought the pharmacy.

Thirty years later, Bluffton Pharmacy is still providing the personalized service once expected of a small-town drug store but rarely found in today’s marketplace, which is dominated by “one-stop shops.” And contrary to common belief, the locally-owned business offers competitive pricing, especially for customers who have to pay for their medications out of pocket.

“We focus on practicing pharmacy and serving our customers and taking care of their prescription needs,” Sauter said. “We’ll let the chain stores sell the beach chairs and fry the chicken and try to be pharmacists at the same time.”

Bluffton Pharmacy is providing the personalized service once expected of small-town drug stores, but rarely found in today’s marketplace.

The Bluffton Pharmacy Team Jim Sauter, Alexis Wonser, LaFrenchie Gillison, Austin Snyder and Zeus, a day visitor from Maranatha Farm who is currently looking for a new home.

Even during Sauter’s first decade in Bluffton, when the now sprawling town was a tiny village where his pharmacy had no direct competition, the focus was always on giving his customers top-notch service. And even as the population of Bluffton has exploded and brought numerous competitors to town, Bluffton Pharmacy remains essentially the same as it was three decades ago.

“We’ve had to streamline our operations to some extent, but we’re still one of the only businesses you’ll ever call where you’ll get a human being answering the phone,” Sauter said. “And that’s a challenge. It would be a whole lot easier to have a machine answer the phone so we could continue doing what we’re doing, but I’ve always believed in keeping that high level of customer service, and part of that is being able to talk to a human being.”

The personal touch goes well beyond the phone, though. Bluffton Pharmacy also offers home delivery for customers who can’t get out of the house, a 24-hour emergency hotline, and curbside concierge. If an elderly customer or a busy parent with a carload of kids doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of going into the store, they can call from the parking lot and the human being on the other end of the line will bring out their order.

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“There’s a reason we win ‘Best of Bluffton’ awards year in and year out,” Sauter said. “We treat you like family and will know you by name.

We do whatever it takes to make you happy.”

That includes custom ordering products that might be hard to find elsewhere—like an obscure brand of deodorant or shampoo—and recommending home remedies to be used in lieu of medication, some of which are shared on the store’s website.

Another area where Bluffton Pharmacy made its mark is with its custom compounding laboratory, which is one more way Sauter and his team add a personal touch. They work with doctors to prepare personalized medications to fit their patients’ needs.

“We had to find a niche in order to be really successful, and that niche is compounding,” Sauter said. “We’ve been compounding since day one, basically. There are a lot of other entities out there that claim to be experts in compounding, but no one has done it longer than I have in this area.”

For example, if a patient can’t take a certain medication because it upsets his or her stomach, Bluffton Pharmacy can take the active ingredient and put in a different delivery form, such as a topical cream, so it can be applied directly to the affected tissue and bypass the stomach. In some cases, they can even devise methods to deliver a medication the patient is allergic to without causing a reaction.

Compounding is especially useful with hormone replacement therapy, Sauter said, likening it to “sitting 600 women down in an auditorium and telling them they all need to wear a size seven shoe.” Instead, Bluffton Pharmacy can fine-tune each patient’s combination of medications to produce the desired result.

They even do custom compounding of veterinary products, just one example of their dedication to caring not only for their patients, but also for their pets. The pharmacy also hosts the Ridgeland-based non-profit animal rescue Maranatha Farm for pet adoptions every Thursday.

“We love to see our pet patients,” Sauter said. “They come in and we have treats for them.”

Whether human or canine, it’s always a treat to do business at Bluffton Pharmacy, and that goes for both the customer and the staff.

“We have a lot of customers who have been with me since day one, but we have a lot of new people too,” Sauter said. “A lot of great people come through the door.”  Bluffton Pharmacy is located at 167 Bluffton Rd., Suite B, in Bluffton. For more information, call (843) 757-4999.

ask

Dr. Mikell

When a Mole isn’t a Mole

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oles are quite common and can occur anywhere on the skin. Most moles are acquired as one ages, and in some cases will wither away in old age. Although moles are a normal skin condition, care should be taken if they exhibit changes in size, shape or color. Most moles are harmless, but in rare cases, moles may become cancerous. Monitoring moles and other pigmented patches is an important step in detecting skin cancer, especially malignant melanoma. Not all melanomas develop from pre-existing moles, but many begin in or near a mole or other dark spot on the skin.

Q: When should I be worried about a mole?

A: Moles that look different and moles that change color, size, shape, height or condition are suspicious.

Many moles are hereditary and passed from generation to generation in genes. These inherited moles may be larger than average and have irregular shapes or color. These atypical moles may develop into melanoma skin cancer.

Dermatologists use a simple test for determining the problem potential of a mole. Use this A to E skin selfexamination guide: • A is for Asymmetrical Shape. Look for moles with irregular shapes, such as two very different-looking halves.

• B is for Irregular Border. Look for moles with irregular, notched or scalloped borders—the characteristics of melanomas.

• C is for Changes in Color. Look for growths that have many colors or an uneven distribution of color.

• D is for Diameter. Look for growths that are larger than about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters). This is the least important, however. If the other features are present, they are more important.

• E is for Evolving. Look for changes over time, such as a mole that grows in size or that changes color or shape. Moles may also evolve to develop new signs and symptoms, such as new itchiness or bleeding.

Article by Oswald Lightsey Mikell, MD Q: What should I be doing to spot potential problems at an early stage?

A: Become familiar with the location and pattern of your moles. Examine your skin carefully on a regular basis. You may want to consider having a dermatologist check your moles.

Q: How are moles removed?

A: Cosmetic removal of moles is a simple procedure done under a local anesthetic in the doctor’s office by cutting with a scalpel. If the mole is suspicious, your dermatologist may remove the entire mole or a segment for biopsy. If the mole is cancerous, the entire mole should be completely removed and the wound closed.

Some superficial growths, called seborrheic keratosis, which many patients think of as moles, can simply be frozen in the office.

Q: Is there any way to prevent moles?

A: The easy answer is no. However, sun exposed parts of the body generally have more moles, so the number, size and color may be reduced by limiting sun exposure, using sun block and avoiding sunburn.

If you have questions or concerns, call Dermatology Associates of the Lowcountry (843) 689-5259 (Hilton Head); (843) 705-0840 (Bluffton / Okatie); or (843) 525-9277 (Beaufort) to schedule a consultation. Any abnormality of the skin should be looked at and possibly biopsied to be sure it is not cancerous.  Dr. Oswald Mikell of Dermatology Associates of the Lowcountry is board certified in dermatology and cosmetic surgery. For information, visit www.dalcdermatology.com.

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Hip Check ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON DR. CHAD T. ZEHMS: FROM THE FROZEN TUNDRA OF LAMBEAU FIELD TO THE ROLLING FAIRWAYS OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND ARTICLE BY BARRY KAUFMAN

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Dr. Zehms stands with his medical assistant, Chelsea Shelner.

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Dr. Zehms examining a patient’s knee for possible injuries.

Hilton Head Island,” he said. “This is a very specialized and improved way of treating injuries and arthritis of the hip. People are heading to Savannah or Charleston to get that done. Patients are very savvy, and they’re reading about the anterior hip approach and are intrigued by its success. So, they seek out providers doing that procedure. Now they have an option right here on the island.”

Offering a quicker healing and recovery time and less postoperative pain, anterior hip replacement is quickly becoming one of the most popular choices for patients seeking relief. And it’s just one of the services in which Zehms excels, including arthroscopic ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair and transplantation; arthroscopic rotator cuff repair; sports arthroscopy of the hip, shoulder, knee, elbow and ankle; cartilage restoration and replacement; and advanced trauma/fracture repair. For an island dominated by scratch golfers and tennis aces, it’s a suite of services that definitely fills a need.

“One thing I’ve been very surprised by is how in shape everyone I’ve been taking care of down here is,” Zehms said. “I have 75-yearold tennis athletes come in who are in better shape than I am. It’s good living down here.”

You don’t need to tell Dr. Zehms that. A long-time visitor, he’d been itching for an excuse to move his practice to sunny South Carolina when opportunity presented itself in the form of Optim Orthopedics.

“We were at the Heritage three years ago, and I remember saying I’d give my right arm to come work down here,” he said. “It really was the perfect opportunity.”  Learn more about Dr. Zehms at www.optimhealth.com.

Jenny Longlais Photography

here is a world of difference between Green Bay, Wisconsin and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Especially this time of year. There is, however, one place where the two may as well be one and the same.

“I live in Sea Pines now, and we discovered Jump ’n’ Phil’s fairly quickly,” said Dr. Chad T. Zehms, a recent transplant from the land of the cheeseheads. “We go in there for Packer games, and I feel like I’m back in Green Bay.” Back in his native Wisconsin, Zehms utilized his extensive career in orthopedic surgery as a trauma specialist for the Green Bay Packers.

Drawn south by the warmer climes of coastal Carolina and his family, he continues that world-class care as part of Optim Orthopedics, treating patients at Optim’s new South Carolina locations in Bluffton and on Hilton Head Island.

The same expertise he brought to bear up north as a board certified, fellowship-trained surgeon specializing in orthopedic sports medicine surgery for musculoskeletal injuries, he now brings to South Carolina. And while the sports may have changed, the impact on the body hasn’t.

“The types of injuries I see, interestingly enough, are actually the same. It’s just the athlete that’s different,” he said. “I’m still seeing ACL tears, rotator cuff tears and meniscus tears in the knee. They’re just a result of playing golf and tennis rather than football or soccer.”

Another thing he brings to this area is something that’s been sorely lacking: in-depth knowledge of hip arthroscopy and anterior hip replacement.

“Currently, there’s no one offering direct anterior hip replacement or hip arthroscopy on

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Dr. Zehms and his family: Back, left to right: Emma, 16; Ava, 12; wife Marci; Dr. Zehms; Jake, 19 On rug: Sarah, 10; Harper, 6; Zoey the Dog, 5

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salt of the earth

The Children’s salt room provides a dedicated space for kids to play while they heal and recharge.

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Article by barry kaufman - Photography by Blake Crosby

Pur e S al t Studios introduc e s n e w concept of w ellness

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ou settle into your chair, soothed already by the low light and gentle crunch of salt on the floor beneath your feet, like traipsing among sand dunes.

Gradually, the gentle chimes, the slow-burning glow of lights concealed behind a wall of Himalayan salt and the soft whir of hidden machinery lets you know that your halotherapy has begun. Within minutes, the air fills with billions of minute salt particles, finer than any powder and dispersed through the air. The salt’s legendary healing properties, renowned for centuries, begin to work on you from the inside out, urging air deep in your lungs, opening up your sinuses and gently beautifying your skin.

Dry salt therapy, or halotherapy, is one of the fastestgrowing new wellness categories, and Bluffton now has its own place to enjoy all of its rejuvenating benefits.

“This is kind of next-level,” said Lauren Bell who runs

Pure Salt Studios along with her parents, Cheryl and Tim. “As you sit in there, you’re inhaling it, and it’s getting through your whole respiratory system. And because salt is super absorbent, it’s soaking up all of the mucus, pollutants and toxins.”

Not only does the therapy give your immune system a boost, the fine grains of salt work themselves all through your sinuses and lungs, reducing the inflammation from cold winter weather and the countless allergens of the pollen-dusted Lowcountry. The salt you don’t breathe in settles on your skin, normalizing your pH levels and giving skin rigidity and vitality.

The Bells became convinced of halotherapy’s efficacy

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The studio was designed to feel light, bright and inviting so that a focus on self-care and wellness is at the forefront of your experience.

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NOT ONLY DOES THE THERAPY GIVE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM A BOOST, THE FINE GRAINS OF SALT WORK THEMSELVES ALL THROUGH YOUR SINUSES AND LUNGS, REDUCING THE INFLAMMATION FROM COLD WINTER WEATHER AND THE COUNTLESS ALLERGENS OF THE POLLEN-DUSTED LOWCOUNTRY.

Pure Himalayan salt bricks were laid by hand in the signature salt room while loose Himalayan salt lines the floor, grounding the space.

when they witnessed it firsthand. Afflicted with a number of respiratory issues from a chronic cough to COPD, Tim had visited nearly every doctor in New York seeking treatment, with little relief.

“One doctor put me on Albuterol, another said I had sleep apnea, and none of what they were doing helped,” he said.

“We started looking into holistic options, because we got to that point where we were just desperate for something to work,” Lauren said. “We tried halotherapy, and after his first session, he came out and it was the first time he could get a breath in. From that point, he made that a part of his treatment plan.”

When the Bells relocated to the area, they soon found that the closest halotherapy was hundreds of miles away. It wasn’t long before they decided to open Pure Salt Studios. “It was a really great opportunity to bring halotherapy to the Lowcountry and maybe help others who were suffering or looking for another self-care option,” Lauren said.

Since breathing issues can affect anyone and halotherapy is safe for all ages, Pure Salt Studios also offers a kid-friendly therapy room, with activities, games and a fun ocean-themed mural. “The kids go in there and have a great time—they don’t even know they’re getting therapy,” Tim said.

The tranquility of the main therapy room also makes it the perfect place for wellness classes, which Pure Salt Studios hosts regularly. Within the serenity of their Himalayan salt walls, you can enjoy everything from heartcentered energy healing to yoga nidra and kids yoga.

With a little something for mind, body and soul, Pure Salt Studios is proving to be a breath of fresh air. Find out more at www.puresaltstudios.com. 

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ARTICLE BY KENT THUNE

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f you made a New Year’s resolution for 2019, there’s a 90 percent chance it was either to improve your finances or to lose weight. However, based on historic averages in the United States, there’s also a 90 percent chance that your resolutions will fail by this spring. But before this daunting statistic dashes your hopes of being richer and healthier in the New Year, you can find yourself in the minority of successful resolution makers by adhering to a few powerful philosophies.

The most common financial and health goals involve budgeting and dieting, respectively. Although there are countless budgets and diets that exist in the universe, the most successful ones share the same basic framework.

In fact, the primary keys to success in budgets are universal philosophies that are the same for diets. These philosophical keys to success are awareness, simplicity, patience, moderation and self-knowledge.

Awareness: Successful budgets begin with tracking your spending and successful diets begin with counting calories. Once you are aware of where your money is

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going, you can identify expenses that can be reduced or eliminated. Similarly, once you have an accurate count on your daily calorie intake, you can compare this amount to the ideal number of calories for your age, gender, and height, and then adjust your diet accordingly. You may be surprised by how many small purchases you make or how many snacks or sodas you mindlessly purchase each month. These small purchases and snacks add up to big money and high calories.

Simplicity: There is a centuries-old principle in the philosophy of science called Occam’s Razor, which states that the simplest hypothesis is always preferred to the complex one. This is also a universal rule that applies to many things in life, including budgets and diets. Don’t make them complex when they don’t need to be! Instead, begin with a simple foundation. A successful budget consists of finding the simplest means of spending less than you make and sticking to the plan. And the general consensus among dieticians is that losing weight requires the right combination of diet and exercise. That’s it! Nothing else needs to be added! Adding gimmicks, shortcuts, or trends may appear to make the budget or diet easier in the short run but they often prove to fail in the long run.

Patience: In a world of instant search results and two-day guaranteed deliveries for almost any item you care to purchase, waiting to reap significant benefits of your budget or diet can seem more tedious than watching the grass grow. In fact, the

BUDGET APPS TO CHECK OUT: • You Need a Budget (YNAB), Mvelopes, Quicken, and Mint.

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DIETING APPS TO CHECK OUT: • Weight Watchers, Lose It!, MyFitnessPal, or Fitbit

growth of grass is likely to be faster than the growth of your bank account or the pounds coming off of your waistline. Remember that one of the greatest factors of budgets and diets is time. Give yourself a year to see real results. After 12 months have passed, look back at where you started. The ancient Chinese philosopher, Lau Tzu, says it best: “Nature does not hurry; yet everything is accomplished.”

Moderation: Excessive goals are the ones that cause most New Year’s resolutions to fail.

Budgets and diets both commonly fail because people try to do too much, too fast. Make your goals attainable and celebrate the small victories. Not everyone can set a budget to save 10 percent of their income for retirement, and not everyone can lose 10 pounds in one month.

Set goals you know you can achieve, and when you see the results, you will be encouraged to continue on to see more results. Every time you reach a new milestone, whether it’s one more dollar saved or one more pound shed, celebrate that small victory! Small successes lead to big successes.

Self-Knowledge: All of the previously mentioned keys to success in budgets and diets are universal truths, but they are also generalizations. We are all human, but we are all unique individuals; therefore, the greatest knowledge of all is self-knowledge. This wisdom goes back to the ancient Greeks, such as Socrates and Plato, and even before their time. Once you have the framework built for your budget or diet, personalize it.

For example, if you are a planner, or you feel you’ll increase odds of success with a concrete system in place, you could use the envelope system for your budget. To do this, place cash every month in separate envelopes that are dedicated to small splurges, such as eating out and entertainment. When the cash is gone, you can’t splurge on those items again until the next month. The same goes with diets. You may need to set a meal plan in advance every week, buy only the items you need at the grocery store, and stick to the plan.

To get a better idea of what kind of budget or diet will work for you and your personality, you may want to try an app for that! For budgets, check out You Need a Budget (YNAB), Mvelopes, Quicken, and Mint. For diets, try Weight Watchers, Lose it!, MyFitnessPal, or Fitbit. Most of these apps are free and easy to use.

There’s one more correlation between budgets and diets to remember: If you have the right budget, you won’t eat as much. This doesn’t mean you can’t eat at your favorite restaurant (especially in January when there are so many great deals in the Lowcountry).

You’ll just need to be smarter about it. Have healthy money and food habits and you will be well in 2019 and beyond.  Kent Thune is a Certified Financial Planner® and is the owner of a Hilton Head Island investment advisory firm, Atlantic Capital Investments. He is also a personal financial counselor to Marines and other service members on Parris Island. Thune’s financial guidance has been published at The Motley Fool, Yahoo Finance, Kiplinger.com, MarketWatch. com, Nasdaq.com, InvestorPlace.com, and his own blog at TheFinancialPhilosopher.com.

A Doctor for Your Health, A Financial Planner for Your Wealth Article by Pat Sokolowski

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ith the new year upon us, many people start thinking about their health and finances. The two are actually intertwined and very similar. A visit to a financial planner early in the year can set you up for a financially healthy 2019. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, I get asked all the time, “What can a financial planner do for me?” I like to compare what a CFP® does for your finances to what your primary care doctor does for your health.

ESTABLISH A BASELINE When a patient goes to a doctor for the first time, the doctor will make an assessment of that person’s physical and mental health. From head to toe, the doctor will do his or her best to understand the patient’s health. This allows the doctor to both make recommendations for improvements and spot when something is amiss.

A financial planner does the same analysis, but with your personal financial situation. The first step is to look at where you stand today.

How much do you have saved? How much do you spend? What do you have for insurance coverage? How much do you pay in taxes? Do you have estate planning documents in place? What are your financial goals? This allows planners to understand your current situation before making recommendations and gives them something to measure against for future meetings to spot missteps or celebrate achievements. It’s helpful for both your health and your wealth to work with someone who understands where you started.

WE HAVE A TEST FOR THAT Doctors run tests to establish your current health and to help diagnose the ailment when something is wrong. They run tests again to see if what they have recommended is helping.

Financial planners run a series of tests as well.

This is especially important while developing recommendations. Different tests, like Monte Carlo Analysis, for example, can be used to help understand the probability of success based on the planner’s recommendation and compare it to what the client is currently doing to meet his or her goals. The planner can then make changes to recommendations based on the test results.

THE RIGHT DOSAGE All medicines have side effects, and doctors try to find the correct dosage that will improve the patient’s condition and minimize the side effects. Financial planners do so the same for their clients. A good planner finds a solution that allows the client to achieve his or her goals with the minimum amount of risk.

Investing without planning is a fool’s errand; without identifying goals, timelines, and a projection of the cost of those goals, it is impossible to determine the amount of risk to take.

A GOOD PLANNER FINDS A SOLUTION THAT ALLOWS THE CLIENT TO ACHIEVE HIS OR HER GOALS WITH THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF RISK. INVESTING WITHOUT PLANNING IS A FOOL’S ERRAND; WITHOUT IDENTIFYING GOALS, TIMELINES, AND A PROJECTION OF THE COST OF THOSE GOALS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF RISK TO TAKE.

REFERRALS It is common for your primary care doctor to refer you to a specialist when you need someone with more expertise for a specific area of your health. Financial planners do this as well when a planning need lies outside their area of expertise. For example, financial planners have a lot of estate planning knowledge and can identify gaps in an estate plan. However, writing a will or drafting a trust is a job for an attorney. Similarly, you may be referred to a CPA for complicated tax matters. Financial planners have a duty to refer you to someone who can best service your needs.

AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP When you are sick and need to see a doctor, the care and service you receive from your primary physician is likely superior and less stressful than a trip to the emergency room or an urgent care facility. Your primary care doctor already knows you and your health; you have a relationship, and they have seen you while you are healthy. Likewise, the delivery of a financial plan is not the end of your relationship with a financial planner. You can return as often as needed, and when you do, the planner will already know where you started and what you have been doing. In times of an urgent question or problem, it’s important that you already have someone you know and trust. A CFP can be invaluable when there is the death of a spouse, a divorce or any number of life-changing events.

Having a relationship with someone who is working in your best financial interest is just as important as having someone you can go to about your health. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER can be your partner to improve your wealth. Take the time this year to get a financial plan; your future self will undoubtedly thank you.  Pat Sokolowski is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER with WestView Investment Advisors, located at 1 Corpus Christi Place, Suite 106, Hilton Head Island. For more information, call (843) 2436088 or visit online at www.westviewhhi.com.

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the

New Tax Law A r t i c l e by T h o m a s D ow l i n g C FA , C F P ® , C I M A ®

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f you did not prepare for the New Tax Law in 2018 do not delay; now is the time to start preparing for 2019. The new tax law has created some new planning opportunities. Here are a few changes of note: KIDDIE TAX RULES A child’s unearned income is now taxed at fiduciary (trust) rates. The trust rates are not as kind as the ordinary rates. Investment earnings over $2,100 are taxed at the same rates as trusts. Basically, anything over $12,500 will be taxed at a 37 percent rate. Just to give you a frame of reference, the 37 percent tax rate does not kick in until $500k in earnings under the individual tax rates. Depending on the income generated and the parents’ income level, this could lead more tax payers to consider using Roth IRAs and 529 plans for their children or grandchildren if the funds were earmarked specifically for college.

529 PLANS When 529 plans were created in 2001, they were designated for college expenses for qualified educational institutions. Now you can use your 529 plan funds to pay tuition for private primary and secondary schools (including religious) up to $10,000 per year per student. You can now use a tax-advantaged account to pay for a child or grandchild’s K through graduate school expenses.

Keep in mind, many states, including South Carolina, provide a state tax deduction on contributions to a 529 plan.

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS Charitable giving has been affected in a few ways.

First, the adjusted gross income (AGI) limitation on cash gifts has increased from 50 percent to 60 percent. In the past, if you made a cash contribution of $60,000 and your AGI was $100,000, you were only able to deduct up to $50,000 on your income tax return. Now, it is a $60,000 deduction. This increase in percentage of AGI can be helpful for those who also have given in the past but were unable to take the full deduction due to AGI levels. You may now be able to accelerate the carryforwards. The rule for non-cash contributions such as stock and mutual funds remains the same at 30 percent of AGI. DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS Donor-advised funds (DAF) allow you to contribute money and receive the current tax benefits allowed (cash 60 percent of AGI and noncash 30 percent) and then use those funds for a

qualified charity of your choice when you choose. It provides the flexibility to name your favorite charity or charities and to stop giving to certain charities if your preferences change over the years.

You can use the DAF to switch between itemizing and using the standard deduction. You can lump your charitable contributions into specific years to take advantage of itemizing and then apply the standard deduction in other years.

Another way you can use DAF is if you are charitably inclined and plan to retire in a few years. If you expect your income to decrease in retirement, you can accelerate your charitable giving a few years before retirement by placing the funds into a DAF, receive the current income tax deduction while your income and tax rates are higher, and then spread out the distribution of those funds over the years in your retirement as your favorite charities evolve or priorities change.

ESTATE TAXES The new tax law has temporarily increased the federal estate tax exemption to $11.2 million for an individual and $22.4 million for a married couple. (This is from $5.6 million for an individual and $11.2 million for couples.) The new amount will also be indexed for inflation. However, this will revert to the limits under current law in 2025.

The fact that these new limits are temporary creates a need for estate planning. In reality, most people would not have hit the exemption anyway; however, the desire to 1) avoid probate, 2) keep control of your assets, and 3) make sure your wishes are enacted are still some of the fundamental reasons for establishing an estate plan.

Additionally, many states have their own estate or inheritance taxes that are not as generous as the federal estate tax exemption, and spousal portability may not be available.

Therefore, you need to take into consideration your state or states of residence when preparing your estate plan.

As you can see, some additional planning opportunities have arisen, but mostly it is a matter of applying current methods of planning with some strategic changes to truly maximize the benefits of the new tax law. Please consult your financial, estate and/or tax advisor regarding your personal circumstances to determine if these strategies may be suitable for you.  Thomas M. Dowling is a Registered Representative and Investment Adviser Representative and offers securities products and advisory services through Aegis Capital Corporation, Member FINRA/SIPC, as well as an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. As such, these services are strictly intended for individuals residing in the states in which the advisor is licensed. For more information please visit https://www.aegisplanning.com.

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The Santa Fe Cafe Team



the new old standby:

Santa fe Café The constant reinvention of an island institution.

ARTICLE BY BARRY KAUFMAN

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ommon wisdom states that if something isn’t broken, don’t fix it. It’s essentially a way of reinforcing stasis and stagnation, implying that change is almost never for the better.

That common wisdom doesn’t apply to Santa Fe Café. Here, despite the many things that stay the same year in and year out, there’s an almost unquenchable desire to fix what can be fixed, to improve upon the experience in ways that border on the subliminal.

“Every year, we close after Thanksgiving, so there’s always something,” said Marshall Sampson, owner of Santa Fe Café. “We try to at least do something new.”

This year’s post-Thanksgiving project was beautiful new flooring, an impressive undertaking that seems like a minor refresh compared to the major project that was the rebirth of their rooftop bar and patio last year. More than just a makeover, the rooftop experience was completely rethought, with a seldom used secondary kitchen being removed to make way for more seating and more room to enjoy the fresh air. The addition of an expansive new bar and state-of-the-art sound system helped create one of the best places on the island to watch a game and enjoy a few drinks.

And if you’re thinking to yourself that this year’s bone-chilling temps mean it’s too cold to enjoy a

Fueled by regular trips to the American Southwest to sample the flavors of authentic Mexican-American fusion, the menu broadens the horizons of what those flavors can do. The aromatics of real wood smoke cut through spices and sauces on Mexican-inspired fare from tacos to enchiladas, while a dedicated aging process creates cuts of beef that could go toe-to-toe with any gourmet steakhouse in the world. rooftop bar, you’re in for a surprise. Just plant yourself next to the wide mouth of the outdoor fireplace and enjoy a warm and cozy rooftop experience you won’t find anywhere else.

“We’re really proud of how that turned out,” Sampson said.

“The entire rooftop bar was a labor of love for us.”

Of course, Santa Fe Café isn’t only defined by the things it changes. It’s also defined by the things that stay the same. For example, the staff. Maintaining many of the same people for years on end has allowed Santa Fe Café to deliver a consistent product, in both the back and front of the house. From Sampson’s partner Sean Crosby to chefs Austin Harris and Dave Strosnider and the friendly faces mixing drinks, greeting guests and taking orders, it’s a familiar cast of favorites that have stood the test of time.

“Our core staff has been here a long time,” Sampson said.

“When guests come in, they know their names and they know what they want. They’re really professional, and it shows in their service.”

But of course, you can’t talk about Santa Fe Café’s brilliance in treading the line between consistency and experimentation without talking about the food. Fueled by regular trips to the American Southwest to sample the flavors of authentic Mexican American fusion, the menu broadens the horizons of what those flavors can do. The aromatics of real wood smoke cut through spices and sauces on Mexican-inspired fare from tacos to enchiladas, while a dedicated aging process creates cuts of beef that could go toe-to-toe with any gourmet steakhouse in the world.

Whether you’re ordering something unforgettable for that special occasion, or a few happy hour tacos to enjoy on the rooftop, you get the same dedication on every plate.

“A lot of love and care has been put into everything we do.”  Santa Fe Café is located in Plantation Center, 807 William Hilton Parkway, #700, Hilton Head Island. For more information, visit https://santafehhi.com or call (843) 785-3838.

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5 DRINKS WITH: Lucky Rooster Chef d’Cuisine

Phillip Sirmans THE BASS-PLAYING ROCK STAR FROM CRANFORD HOLLOW TALKS HIS CULINARY BACKGROUND, AMISH TRANSPORTATION, AND THE SECRET TO KEEPING A WHOLE BAND FED FOR $40.

ong-time CH readers may recall the “Five Drinks With” column from the magazine’s early years, penned by local legend Tom Bastek. With Big Tommy’s blessing, I’m proud to reintroduce this monthly sit-down drinking session with some of the Lowcountry’s most fascinating people.

Basically, we want you to meet the many rock stars, literal and figurative, that make our area special. And I couldn’t think of anyone better to inaugurate this space than Phillip Sirmans, who is both in the truest sense. Literally, as the bass player for Cranford Hollow, and figuratively as a culinary rock star who is raising the bar at Lucky Rooster.

Phillip is drinking: Gin and tonic and a Jameson “I’m into regular whiskeys, not all this bourbon stuff.”

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Article by Barry Kaufman Photography by M.Kat

I’m drinking: Svensk Punsch, a traditional Caribbean/ Swedish punch made with aged rum, Batavia arrack, spiced tea, Champagne and unbridled aggression from bartender Paul Rabe, who hand-smashes all the ice for the drink as if it owes him money. Seriously, the drink is worth it for the show alone.

I don’t think a lot of people realize you’re a chef. How long have you been cooking?

Since ’98, just as a high school job. I grew up watching my grandfather, just standing there watching him cook. In 2001, I opened a little country restaurant right out of high school in Tennille, Georgia called The Crossing.

I don’t know if you know Tennille Georgia, but it’s pretty small. It’s pretty much defunct now. When I was there, there were only two restaurants and a hardware store. One lady owned most of the buildings and I rented the building from her, and she didn’t like that it was a restaurant and bar. She didn’t like the nightlife. Since we were the only place in town, I’d bring in bands and we’d do what I like to do: cook food and listen to music.

How did you get from there to the Ritz-Carlton?

They’d just built the one in Lake Oconee.

They needed anyone who could cook, and I thought I needed to jump on that opportunity.

I walk in and it’s me and four other chefs from other Ritz-Carlton properties who wanted a working vacation to check out the new property. Every day I was told there were way too many chiefs and I was the one Indian. I was green to all that.

And these are all seriously experienced chefs.

Yeah, from all over. France. Canada. I’m this Southern boy, and I was just trying to figure out their accents. They’d be throwing all these French terms; “brunoise this” and I’m just like, ‘So, you want me to cut it, right?’

The chef that I worked for, Scott Ross, was like, “You want to go to culinary school, right?

You just walked into one.”

Sounds intense.

There were times I’d sleep in the parking lot because I lived 45 minutes away, so it was

an hour round trip for four hours of sleep.

Luckily, I had my shagging wagon, which was a giant cargo van I used for my old bands and stuff. I put wood walls in and a futon and of course brown shag carpeting. I remember working 85 hours one week. Then the next week I’d cut down to 60. If they were going to give me the hours, I was going to take them. I was young and I could do that. I don’t know if my body could take it now.

I worked there for about two years and then opened a steakhouse in Milledgeville with my buddy. I did that for two years then got a phone call from the Ritz-Carlton offering me a lot of money. They said, “We don’t have anybody that learned as quick as you.”

There were times I’d sleep in the parking lot because I lived 45 minutes away, so it was an hour round trip for four hours of sleep.

Luckily, I had my shagging wagon, which was a giant cargo van I used for my old bands and stuff.

Were you cooking and playing back then, too?

I took a few years off for my first band, Daddy Hoovie. I spent a few years doing that and filling in at my buddy’s restaurant. I knew the restaurant, helped open it, so it was easy to kind of slide in there. That band—we were good, but it was more of a [mess] than Cranford Hollow. Milledgeville has Georgia College State University and Georgia Military Academy; it’s like if you take one block from Athens Georgia and plop it in the middle of nowhere.

(Going back through my notes, it’s unclear how the conversation turned to Amish kick scooters. But suffice it to say, that is some strong punch).

Barry Kaufman and Phillip Sirmans throw back a few at the Lucky Rooster.

a

5

5 Wait, you do what?

I collect some of those Amish kick scooters, and I put motors on them. It’s sitting right over there. It’s like a giant Razor scooter, but with a 16-inch wheel on the front and a 26-inch wheel on the front. It’s like a hotrod.

And this is what the Amish ride around on?

A lot of the Amish weren’t allowed to ride bicycles, so they made these kick scooters to ride around on. At least that’s what I heard. Or that’s what I just made up.

It makes sense. You start with the bicycles and next thing you know you’re using smartphones. The bicycle is a gateway.

What brought you to Hilton Head?

The chef I worked for at the Ritz-Carlton, Scott Ross, I worked with him another time at Breakwater, but he took the executive chef at Long Cove job.

One of my best friends Nick Berta came up here and was a sous chef. I said, ‘Sounds like you guys are having fun down there. Got any openings?’ They just said, ‘When can you start?’

And of course, you were like, ‘Give me two weeks, I’m traveling by Amish scooter.’

Yeah, exactly. ‘It’s gonna be a hot minute.’ I had been running a place called Aubrey Lanes. We were open six days a week, lunch and dinner, and I’d go in there on Sundays to do inventory, making sure everything was tight. I was crazy about inventory and keeping my food costs right. After two and a half years, I didn’t take a vacation. I’d play shows. I had a band then called Jake Outlaw and the Short 68. It was three of us, and the other two guys were

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my dishwashers. We played shows at the restaurant, and if we ever had a show anywhere else, I’d be down a chef and two dishwashers.

I came to Long Cove because I just wanted to cook with two of my best friends.

Were you still playing?

When I moved here, I sold off all my gigging and touring stuff except for one bass and one little amp and lived in the Days Inn. By February, I met Phil Mullins at the Lodge, and we started talking music. I told him I was a bass player and he said, ‘I got someone you have to meet. What are you doing Wednesday? Come to open mic.’

And that’s where I met John Cranford. We talked, shot the [breeze], whatever, and a week later me and him were playing a show together with his band Treble Jay at the old Remy’s behind New York City Pizza. I didn’t even know it existed. I had my bass down here, but I still didn’t have a car. I got to be good friends with Gary who worked for Yellow Cab. I remember telling him. ‘You’re going to need to bring the van tonight,’ and he told me, ‘I guess I’m your roadie now, too.’

So, you were playing with Treble Jay while working at Long Cove It was just me, Nick and Scott Ross at Long Cove. There was another cook, I can’t remember her name. But it was just us. So, my two-week paystub would have 90 plus hours on it. By the end of a year, me and Nick were making our own lunch meats, curing our own ham, everything.

I’d play almost twice a weekend with them, so that meant doing my normal shift at work, getting home, cleaning up, calling the cab, getting all my gear in the taxi then playing a show from like 11 until 3, loading all my gear back into a taxi and getting home. And I had to work daytime. We did a Sunday brunch at Long Cove, so that was tough on a Saturday night. I’d be out until 3 and then have to be up and head into work on a bicycle at 7 a.m. to get the brunch rolling. Fortunately, I was good about prepping a lot ahead of time.

How long were you doing this?

A year. We did a little New Year’s show, and we all looked at each other and said, ‘We should do this Cranford & Sons thing. Like as our job.’ We were having a blast and we could get gigs. In my head I’m thinking I should jump on this opportunity. I was just 29 or 30. There are years down the road. I can become a chef when I’ve blown out my ears and can’t hear anymore. I can go back in kitchen and ignore people while I cook.

I put in my notice, quit, and in that first week I wrote six songs. I still had that kitchen mentality, where it’s 8 in the morning and I have to do something. I got with

the band, John had written songs too, because he just hadn’t had an outlet for that. I think in April of that year we were in the studio.

From then, you guys were touring heavy, you were playing around here a lot…

That first year, for me and John, we did 289 shows between Cranford Hollow and Treble Jay. We treated it as if we were doing 50-60 hours in the kitchen, like we were used to, so we just crushed it.

That’s right, I forgot John had a culinary background too.

He was in the same mindset, I was used to working all the time, and he was the same way. So, we just crushed it. I don’t remember a lot of it, but we had a good time.

So, what are you guys doing now; are you scaling it back? You’re doing this, John’s running Coligny Theater with his wife…

We’ve been planning on scaling back. John got married last November, and Yannie Reynecke, our guitar player, is going on to do things with Angie Aparo off and on. We’ve been doing this for five years straight; we’d put out five albums and did four tours a year, so we decided just to hit the big shows for a year and then revisit.

We have some things in the works. We might do a tour in Colorado.

I bet with a culinary background it’s hard to subsist on road food.

That’s the good thing about that. John and I did a summer tour, and I think we ate fast food like twice in seven weeks. We brought our own grill and a Traeger smoker and a box with pans, knives and everything. We’d camp out a lot since it was summer, and I would unhook the van while they set up campsite and take the van and $40 to the grocery store. I could feed all seven of us for $40, and you can’t get out of a fast food restaurant with that. I’d bring it back and we’d have a grand old meal from a then-former chef that was economical, tasty, and way better for us. We’d have salad entrée and sides for under $40.

What’s the secret to feeding that many people with $40? What do you get?

Whatever’s on sale. I literally didn’t go in with recipes or a menu n mind; I just see what needs to be eaten that day. I must have probably cooked 60-70 meals on the road. I’d do anything

I could get my hands on. A lot of chicken thighs. A lot of pork loins, because usually we could get a pork loin for $12 and feed seven people meat, cutting it into individual cuts since I could get it cheaper in bulk.

We always had a salad. You gotta eat something a little healthy.

That’s the rock and roll lifestyle. No Jameson until you finish your salad. So, when did you start here at Lucky Rooster?

Last November. My buddy Nick worked here for a while, and I’ve known Clayton for a while. We’ve played shows here, and it was always my favorite restaurant. I knew the band was slowing down and he was in need of line cooks, and I was like, ‘I can do that. It could be fun. I haven’t been in a kitchen in six years, but I’m sure I still got it.’

Or at least a kitchen you didn’t have to pack up into the back of a van.

It’s weird because my buddy Gary Graham, who I ran the steakhouse with, he was actually here with Clayton. He worked here with Clayton and Nick Berta—they were both here at the same time. They met, and they were like, ‘You know Phil?’ Me and Gary have been in different restaurants together from the RitzCarlton to Milledgeville, but I never worked with him here. I love it here. I don’t have many bad days here.

How often do you play now?

I’ve been out since late September with a hand injury. I just played last week. It went through here and cut a nerve. I had surgery. It’s still numb right here. It’s usually called an avocado injury; for me it was a box and a dull knife. I immediately knew.

My thumb just went pins and needles. I didn’t even look at it, I just gripped it, wrapped a towel around it and said, ‘Time to go to the hospital.’ I have therapy for it tomorrow. But I just played a private show with Cranford Hollow, and it was the first full show back.

Wednesday, I played two-three songs with Bobby and Yannie wearing a brace.

So, are you a chef who plays bass or a bass player who can cook?

God, I don’t know. That’s weird, but yeah. I was playing bass before I really cooked, and I cooked before I really started playing bass. So, I guess the answer is yes. 

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Y OU A RE H ERE: Fa n n i n g Spr i n g s

Florida Springs Pu r e M a g ic i n t he Sun sh i n e St at e

Article and Photos by Michele Roldán-Shaw

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ou’re longing for that perfect shade of crystal water— Caribbean blue, swimming pool blue, dreamy vision of the tropics. But have you ever seen it surrounded by a ring of cypress trees, or in an unexpected swim hole along a blackwater river, or flowing out a jungly cave? The Florida springs, bubbling up through porous limestone from their source in the underground Floridan Aquifer, create hundreds of magical spots throughout the north, central, and western parts of the state. Giving rise to lush, exotic ecosystems of their own, many have been preserved as state parks or recreation areas. Here are a few of our favorites.

BEST SPRINGS FOR SWIMMING There is nothing like immersing yourself in the airy, perfect waters of a Florida spring. Gushing at a pleasant temperature year-round (about 70 degrees), these are the same pure waters sourced for drinking. (Although it is not a good idea to gulp while swimming!) Many, though not all, are open to the public, and a standout is Silver Glen Springs in the Ocala National Forest. A wide, white sand-bottomed pool, it isn’t shady like some others and gets plenty of sunshine that highlights the spectacular color of the water.

Take a picnic, walk the trail to nearby Lake George, and see

Rock Springs

Blue Springs Gopher Tortosie at Manatee Springs.

Peacock Springs

the “sand boil,” a tiny spring in the woods that creates a strange phenomenon of bubbling sand. At Manatee Springs State Park, an exquisite deep teal hole sits in a natural grove of bald cypresses; cool off after a hike around the nature trails, where you might catch sight of wildlife like snakes and gopher tortoises, and the “chickee hut” (open palm-thatch dwelling of Florida’s native tribes) tucked away in the forest.

BEST SPRINGS FOR DIVING Blue Grotto offers a 100-foot plunge into a pristine and wondrous freshwater cavern and is considered safe for beginners. Same with Devil’s Den, where fossils of extinct prehistoric animals have been discovered. Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park is a worldclass dive site with one of the longest underwater cave systems in the United States, only open for certified scuba divers to explore.

However, if you just want to snorkel or take a dip, this quiet place in rural North Florida features enchanting turquoise waters where you may find only ibis, butterflies and curious otters as your companions.

BEST SPRINGS FOR TUBING Kelly Park in Apopka provides the best old-fashioned fun. Jump in at the headsprings, an incredible limestone grotto overhung with ferns and palm fronds, and arguably one of the prettiest spots in the state. Float the spring run of shallow sparkling waters over white sand and limestone hedged in by the jungle, then half-hour later get out and walk back along a pretty trail to do it all over again. For a more epic float expedition, Icheetucknee River is perhaps the most gorgeous and pristine run in the state, fed by numerous springs so that it flows clear rather than black through miles of lush undeveloped subtropical forests.

BEST SPRINGS FOR PADDLING Despite being just outside Orlando, Wekiva River is one of only two designated National Wild and Scenic Rivers in the state. Yes, there are gators—that’s part of the fun! Start at Wekiwa Springs State Park and journey as far as the St. John’s 16 miles away; or put in at King’s Landing and paddle the beautiful Rock Springs Run to where it connects with the Wekiva. Both of these trips require shuttles by local outfitters. Juniper Springs is a hidden oasis in the Central Florida pine scrub; rent a canoe (or bring your kayak) and shoot the run through an incredible jungle tunnel that is like a lost world unto itself. But for the ultimate wilderness experience, you cannot beat Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge on the west coast. This huge preserved area has miles and miles of paddling along the Chassahowitzka River to the Gulf, exploring little spring-fed tributaries to find secret rope swings over spots like The Crack, or stopping to swim in the Seven Sisters where you can dive down into one gem-like hole and pop back up in another. This place is truly one of Old Florida’s treasures.

BEST SPRINGS FOR CAMPING The Ocala National Forest in Central Florida has a number of popular springs, all within hundreds of thousands of acres where you 108

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Wakulla Springs Lodge Silver Glen Shrimp & Grits at Wakulla Lodge

Ichetucknee Springs can hike, camp, and ride horses or ATVs. Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs and Salt Springs have full-service campgrounds with swim areas close at hand. For more rustic camping, Hopkins Prairie makes a lovely base-camp to explore the springs and other attractions on daytrips, including section hiking the Florida Scenic Trail that runs right through the campground. There is also dispersed primitive camping throughout the forest. Plan for several days of adventure in the Ocala.

BEST SPRINGS FOR FAMILY FUN Take a glass-bottomed boat ride at Silver Springs State Park, or go paddleboarding before having an ice cream cone at the springside cafe. At Wakulla Springs State Park, dive off the 20-foot platform, then watch the old black and white horror movie Creature from Black Lagoon, which was filmed at Wakulla along with the original Tarzan. Stay at Wakulla Springs Lodge to soak up vintage elegance combined with the funky charm of Old Florida. They serve amazing shrimp and grits in a grand dining room guarded by “Old Joe,” the massive taxidermized alligator that used to live by the swim area and never bothered anybody until one day he was tragically shot by poachers. At Ponce De Leon Springs State Park, cap off your dip at the Old Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House, where you make your own pancakes on a griddle in the center of the table. For cabin rentals, the charm and economy of Fanning Springs State Park is unbeatable— homey wood cabins sleep the whole family, have rocking chairs and grills on the wraparound porch, and are a bargain deal yet surprisingly clean and modern inside. Fanning Springs itself is lovely and empties right into the tea-colored Suwannee River, where, in warm weather, you can see massive Gulf sturgeon leaping right and left.

BEST SPRINGS FOR MANATEES Blue Springs State Park, quickly accessible off Interstate 4, is a big blue bowl surrounded by high bluffs overlooking this favorite winter resort of gentle beasts beloved for their friendly curiosity.

Crystal River in West Florida is another great place to see them, with its hundreds of spring sources that draw manatees and kayakers alike; in particular Three Sisters Springs is a hot spot. But your surest bet is Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. A rehabilitation and rescue center for the endangered manatees, it features a unique underwater viewing tank that allows visitors to look in on them, as well as the fish, alligators and other wildlife swimming freely in the springs.

BEST SPRINGS FOR MERMAIDS No survey would be complete without Weeki Wachee, the pinnacle of Florida kitsch. Their live mermaid show features young ladies in magical costumes doing synchronized swimming performances of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid,” as real turtles and fish swim around their swirling hair in a natural underwater cavern that has been made into a one-of-a-kind theatre.

Your kids will thank you forever.  For more information on the history, ecology and conservation of the springs, as well as a locator map, visit www.floridasprings.org.

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A Q&A Series with Local Artists

I S CIANS MU in bathrooms MUSICIAN: WHITLEY DEPUTY BAND: WHITLEY DEPUTY BAND

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S p e c ia l th anks to the K os ty los for le tting u s in v a d e t he ir home and e s pe c ially the ir b a th room for this photos hoot!

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NICE BUTT WHITLEY!

What’s your sign?

It’s red. It has eight sides and it says “STOP IT!” Whenever someone asks me what my sign is, I always say, “Cancer” or “Gemini” or something that I’m not, and they’re always like, “Oh, that totally makes sense” lol. I believe a person ultimately chooses who they want to be with their free will, so I don’t believe in zodiac signs.

But the Mazzaroth is pretty cool.

Most underrated song that in your opinion should be a classic: There are so many songs I love that would fit. But the song that comes to mind at this moment is Chicken Grease, by D’Angelo. It grooves so hard!

Biggest compliment you’ve ever gotten from a fan: Most of the compliments I receive are on my voice, but lately I’ve been getting a lot of other compliments. Last weekend, I had two people tell me my guitar playing sounded flawless—like it was on the radio. I had two people tell me I had a nice butt. And to top it all off, I had a guy tell me, “I don’t know how to say this, but you look like Captain America.”

I was like, “Thanks man.” lol. But maybe the biggest compliment I’ve received was the first time I made a woman cry playing one of my original songs. Sorry, Holly!

Not sorry.

What is your favorite song to perform?

It depends on my mood. My favorite songs to perform are my original songs. But perhaps my favorite cover to play is “Let’s Stay Together,” by Al Green.

What do you sing in the shower?

Believe it or not, I don’t really sing in the shower. I typically spend that time evaluating my life. Then I can’t remember if I washed certain parts of my body or not, so I wash them again just to make damn sure.

THANKS, I GOT IT FROM MY MAMA...

#MAJESTIC #THISISWHITLEY #SOAR #FLYHIGHLITTLEBIRD

Favorite cereal?

Cookie Crisp is my jam.

At what venue do you most like to perform?

Over the years I have played at many amazing venues, but I would have to put two of them on the top of my list, and I’m very proud to say they’re both right here at home: The Tiki Hut and The Jazz Corner.

Another favorite of mine is The Mansion at Forsyth Park in Savannah. The acoustics are incredible.

Most requested song at shows?

People always seem to request the most random songs. They ask me to play songs I’ve never heard of by people I don’t know who the hell they are. Did ya really think I would know that one, Harold?

First concert you attended?

I must have been about 17. I went to see Goodie Mob. Favorite artist: I’d have to narrow it down to these: Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, James Brown, Michael Jackson, D’Angelo, Aretha Franklin, Ruben Blades, Hector Lavoe, Sonora Carruseles, Puerto Rican Power, and Vulfpeck. And I love my brother Zach Deputy!

Place you go to get away from it all?

For me it’s not a place; it’s a thing. SALSA! If you haven’t tried salsa dancing, you are missing out! I love it. I go every week. I practice several times a week. I go out of town to conferences. I just can’t get enough.

If my schedule allows, I’m hoping to start teaching classes again at Alliance Dance Academy after the new year. But if I’m really having a tough time, I pray. I go to God. I just let go and let him take care of it. It works out 100 percent of the time when I do that. God is good.

Do you tweet, gram or book? What’s your handle?

I have a Twitter account (@WhitleyDeputy) but I don’t really use it much. I think that will change. I do Instagram (@whitleydeputy). I’m either posting some music-related stuff or some comedy video I made that I and 14 other people think is hilarious. I have three Facebook pages: Whitley Deputy Band, Whitley Freakin’ Deputy Hilarious Comedian, and Whitley Keepin’ it Real where I talk about politics, current events or whatever I feel like blabbin’ about.

Finish this verse as if it were the hook of a song: “Sally went down to the bayou...”

She was looking for a soul to steal. Tight red dress; she’s a hot mess. Better run from them high heels.

Who would star as you in the epic retelling of your life on film?

Well I would have said Chris Pratt or maybe Channing Tatum, but after last weekend, I’m gonna have to go with Captain America.

First instrument you learned to play?

My Uncle Grady taught me how to beat box when I was five years old. I was the man on the playground. I play guitar now, but I started playing drums at 17. I miss it. I played drums on my record that will be coming out in the spring. That was so much fun! Big thanks to my boys Nick Poulin and especially Kyle Wareham of Pretty Darn for making this record sound so freakin’ awesome. Couldn’t have done it without you Kyle! Love you bro. I also want to thank my bass player Clarence Williams and my keyboard player Willie Jones. These guys absolutely killed it.

Song you were thrilled to finally master: I don’t know if I ever want to think that I’ve mastered anything. It makes it harder to grow. I just want to continue trying to become a better me.

What do you wish you knew more about?

God. He’s so awesome. There are so many things about him that I just don’t understand—can’t understand. But what I do know is that the closer I get to him, the better my life gets.

What famous musician would you love to sing a duet with?

RIP Aretha Franklin. Maybe we’ll do one in heaven.

What animal do you most identify with?

It used to be a turtle, but since I have come out of my shell, I would have to say a falcon—a very large and majestic falcon.

If you got super-famous and you had to change your name, what would your new name be?

I spent a large portion of my childhood being ashamed of my name. There was a female character on a show called A Different World named Whitley Gilbert. I can’t tell you how many times I was called Whitley Houston. Going into middle school, I decided to start going by my first name, Jonathan, to avoid getting made fun of by a whole new group of stupid kids. Whitley is my middle name. When I was 17 years old, I decided that I was going to embrace my name that my family called me rather than be ashamed of it. It’s mine. I’m the only Whitley Deputy in the world. I will never change it again. But just for fun, if I got famous and I had to change my name, I would change it to Enrique Pablo. 

* Real quick, this isn’t an answer to a question, but I just want to thank Maggie, Catherine, Hunter and everyone at CH2/CB2 magazine for having me! You guys do an amazing job, and we are especially fortunate to have you here in the Lowcountry. You guys are awesome!

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