EDITOR’S
Letter Mark B. Johnston PUBLISHER mark@towncarolina.com
Photog r aph by Paul Meha f fey
Blair Knobel EDITOR-IN-CHIEF blair@towncarolina.com Paul Mehaffey ART DIRECTOR SENIOR EDITOR Andrew Huang STYLE EDITOR Laura Linen
The Roots of Giving
I
t’s true that to give, you must give up. And, while that is the Oxford definition, it is only half of the story. Take, for example, a tree. Its trunk strong with branches pushing upward, bearing sheltering limbs and foliage. But, its complementary roots, the parts that we can’t see, are crucial. As the tree’s sustaining element, they are largely out of sight, so that we are left with only the view of its bountiful and ever-growing beauty. Like a tree’s essential root system, givers are necessary for the health of our society. They keep us thriving so that we may continue to grow, blossom, and thrive. And, like hidden roots, which themselves strengthen as the tree grows, these folks also benefit from a stronger, more vibrant community. The 2015 honorees of the Charitable Giving Awards represent the root structure of our community tree. Their humble gestures are the life force of our success (“Good Nature,” page 88). In conjunction with the Community Foundation of Greenville, we are pleased to honor James Barker, Pendleton Place, Stewart and Martha Spinks, Dr. Jerry Youkey, Harriet Goldsmith, and Anne Ellefson. Their gracious acts help us to grow and bear fruit, which in turn keeps the cycle going. During November, we give thanks—for food, shelter, family, friends, and freedom. Here, we pay tribute to those who consistently pay it forward in myriad, yet understated, ways. In the case of their community investment, the return reverberates—echoing and multiplying with every season.
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS M. Linda Lee Steven Tingle Jac Valitchka CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mary Cathryn Armstrong, Stephanie Burnette, Kathryn Davé, John Jeter, George Singleton & Stephanie Trotter CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & DESIGNERS Chelsey Ashford, Will Crooks, Jivan Davé, TJ Grandy, Kate Guptill, Alice Ratterree, Cameron Reynolds, Elizabeth Shanks, Nill Silver & Eli Warren EDITORIAL INTERNS Hayden Arrington Abby Moore DESIGN INTERN Kayla Pellegrino Holly Hardin OPERATIONS MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Kristy Adair Michael Allen Whitney Fincannon MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Nicole Greer, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehmen & Emily Yepes
Blair Knobel Editor-in-Chief
Kate Madden DIRECTOR, EVENTS & ACCOUNT STRATEGY kate@towncarolina.com
Emily Price DIGITAL STRATEGIST
Photograph by Andrew Huang
HERE, WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO CONSISTENTLY PAY IT FORWARD IN MYRIAD, YET UNDERSTATED, WAYS.
Blair Knobel and artist Elizabeth Shanks discuss the details of this issue’s cover. To view more of Elizabeth’s work, see “Cut Away,” page 54.
12 TOWN / towncarolina.com
Danielle Car DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Kristi Fortner EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Lorraine Goldstein, Sue Priester & Hal Weiss CONSULTING MEMBERS TOWN Magazine (Vol. 5, No. 11) is published monthly (12 times per year) by TOWN Greenville, LLC, 581 Perry Ave, Greenville, SC 29611, (864) 679-1200. If you would like to have TOWN delivered to you each month, you may purchase an annual subscription (12 issues) for $65. For subscription information or where to find, please visit towncarolina.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to TOWN, 581 Perry Ave, Greenville, SC 29611. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.