Elegant Island Living December 2017

ST. NICK’S PICKS FUN & GAMES

Help Yourself Holiday

Come find us at our New Location. In-Home Services Available to Help You Put it all Together.

505 Beachview Drive • St. Simons Island • In the Village 9 1 2 . 6 3 4 . 2 7 6 4 • w w w. d u t c h m a n s d e s i g n s . c o m

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

I Wanna Be THAT Guy! NOT that guy!

C

hristmas is so much harder as you get older. When you were a kid, it was easy. You grabbed the Sears Wish Book, turned to the sporting goods section and discreetly turned down the corner of the page showing the item you wanted Santa to bring.

As you get older, its more complicated. It’s like, “What do you want this year?” I don’t know.

A lower mortgage rate? A sense of purpose? A New Year’s diet resolution that actually works?

Speaking of resolutions, I’ve decided that THIS year I’m going to get into the Christmas spirit and finally put up a tree! For the past 10 years I’ve recycled the plastic wreath the previous owner left in my laundry room/ basement/catch-all/man cave. It has served me loyally and was about the ONLY thing unaffected by the storm surge of Hurricane Matthew. In fact, I think the storm surge actually cleaned off some of the dirt and cobwebs that had accumulated on the wreath. Being that my front door is made of glass and metal, I have always “hung” the wreath on my porch light “with care.” (Get it?)

MerryChristmas & HappyNew Year

Celebrating �0 Years in Business 28 Market Street, Suite 124 St. Simons Island, GA 912.638.5100 12

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When it comes to holiday decorations, there is always that one guy in the neighborhood that goes ALL out. You know him! He’s the Clark Griswold of the neighborhood. The guy who makes every other “dad” on the street look like a rank amateur when it comes to bringing good cheer. My buddy, Andy Jones, is THAT guy! He turns his yard into a veritable North Pole each year, making sure he has the very latest in visual and sometimes pyrotechnic technology. Why, some local folks even think he’s Santa! (Wink, wink.)

Of course, in my neighborhood, Sea Palms, we have possibly the best “THAT Guy” in the county! Each night leading up to Christmas,

hundreds of cars slowly drive down Shore Rush Drive, drawn to the cornucopia of lights. The visual display rivals anything Clark Griswold could come up with – or Disney for that matter! I can’t imagine what the Georgia Power bill for December looks like every year at that house! The only thing worse would be having to live on either side of THAT guy! Anything you put out is going to pale in comparison to that display. And if you DON’T put out any decorations, then you’re that guy who lives next to THAT guy … you know, the one who doesn’t like Christmas!

Yeah, Christmas keeps getting harder each year.

If I buy a tree, I’m gonna need a tree stand.

And lights. And ornaments. And candy canes.

And … Maybe I’ll just put up my Christmas wreath one last year. But NEXT year! Yeah, NEXT year, I”m gonna be THAT guy!

The EIL family wishes you & yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

P.S. If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for an out-of-town friend or family member who once lived here, vacations here, or anyone who loves to get a glimpse of our little island home, EIL now has mail subscriptions. We’re discounting rates through December 31. Just $25 for one year (12 issues) or $50 for two years (24 issues) to have EIL delivered right to their door.

Go to elegantislandliving.net and click the subscription tab to order.

PUBLISHER

David Butler

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COOKING CLASSES AND PRIVATE PARTIES AVAILABLE

PREMIER KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGN AND SPECIALTY STORE FEATURING UNIQUE TILES, PLUMBING, CABINETRY, HARDWARE & KITCHEN AND BATH ACCESSORIES M-F 10-5 or by Appointment / 8 Market Street, St. Simons Island / 912.268.4210 / www.simmerandsoak.com

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On the Cover: Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy holiday season from all of us at Elegant Island Living to you and yours! We’re looking forward to meeting new people, visiting with old friends, and covering more exciting events in 2018!

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912.634.6056 500 Mallery Street villageinnandpub.com 16

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38 H O L I DAY

F E AT U R ES

18 St. Nick’s Picks

P H I L A N T H R O PY

51 The Gift of Good Theatre

24 Holiday Happenings

contents

I S L A N D E N T E RTA I N I N G

I MP R ESS I O N S

52 No Room at the Interstate

26 All Fun and Games 38 Help Yourself Holiday

54 Business Buzz 60 What’s Happening

EVENTS

46 Shuckers Stake their Claim

64 Social Scene 86 Real Estate

REAL

ESTAT E

48 View from the Top

P R O F I L E

122 SSI Archives

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The EIL elves are at it again. We’ve badgered Santa into giving us a peek in his gift bag and we’re hoping you make the “nice” list to snag some of these great goodies! Collectibles and clothes, toys and treats, these gifts from retailers around the Golden Isles include something for everyone.

Take a cue from Santa and shop where he does!

Merry Christmas, y’all!

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ARTISAN HEIRLOOM KEEPSAKES Pick up classic Christopher Radko ornaments to adorn your tree or as gifts for the special people in your life. Handcrafted by European artisans, these exquisite decorations will be passed down to future generations. Sold exclusively at Indigo & Cotton, Shops at Sea Island. 912.634.8884

CELEBRATE IN STYLE

Brighten your holiday wardrobe with a classic swing jacket. Wear casually over jeans or over dark slacks for formal events. Available in various colors. Their holiday accessories can complete your festive look. Coastal Georgia Historical Society Museum Store, 610 Beachview Drive, 912.634.7099. coastalgeorgiahistory.org

CHEERS TO GO In need of a killer gift

for that friend who has it all? Look no further than Cloister Collection’s selection of Goverre™ adult Sippy Cups! Whether you’re heading to the beach, or tailgating, you’ll never leave home without this portable stemless wine glass. Available in several colors, call the store at 912.634.8084 to purchase.

GIFTS FROM THE EARTH This beautiful citrine from Brazil, a lapis necklace, or a 64 million year-old ammonite fossil are a hit for a holiday gift for people of any age. Crystals, fossils and gifts from around the world. Crystal Earth, 209 Redfern Village, 912.434.9073.

TASTEFUL TREATS Gift baskets for all occasions are available year-round.

Stuffed with your choice of wines, cheese, chocolates, gourmet foods, and gifts, choose one that’s ready to go or have us custom make one to suit your needs. Wine Body & Soul, 208 Redfern Village, 912.638.4400.

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PICTURE PERFECT PLAID This Whisper Plaid classic collection empire dress, J. Bailey Whisper Plaid button-down, cord pant, cord bow tie and canvas belt are just some of the special looks that are perfect for your Christmas cards or holiday outings. These and more, exclusively at the Bailey Boys or baileyboys.com. 155 Skylane Rd., 912.638.7700.

HANDBAGS & BOOTIES GALORE Complete your look this Christmas with Georgia-made Canoe fur bags. They pair great with beautiful detailed booties from both Antelope and Eileen Fisher. Shackleford Shoes is located at The Shops on Market Street, 912.634.0924. shackelfordshoes.com

COZY FOR CHRISTMAS Wrap her up in luxury! These Rex Rabbit real fur scarves from Diana Rosh are adjustable and come in a variety of colors. They’ll even gift wrap it for you! Can’t make it in? Just give them a call. Evelyne Talman, 3301 Frederica Rd., 912.638.3470.

SMELL THE ROSES Experience the power of doTERRA® essential oils. Intensely fragrant and naturally occurring in flowers and plants, essential oils have long been used for food preparation, beauty treatment, and health-care practices.

J Kris & Co. Salon, 2601 Demere Rd., Kristin Hoffman, 912.268.2780 or Christine Howell, 229.425.7530

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TWICE THE FUN Melissa & Doug™ Deluxe Star Diner Restaurant’s sturdy double-sided wooden play space lets kids cook from the kitchen or enjoy a meal in a booth. There’s an extra-large oven, refrigerator, drink dispenser, milkshake maker, even a jukebox with moving dial to choose music! For children three and older, Whippersnappers, 600 Sea Island Rd., #9A, 912.638.2056.

GOURMET GIFTING Santa’s helpers have been busy creating

a wide range of unique Christmas baskets for you. Golden Isles Olive Oil can meet any budget. Ideal for personal or corporate gift giving. 306 Redfern Village, 912.602.9736. goldenislesoliveoil.com

SOPHISTICATED ISLAND STYLE This stylish embroidered poncho looks fabulous on all island girls.

Paired with a peacock Damask silk blouse and tied together with a loosefitting belt, it’s a hot trend for the holidays. Ronne’s on Market Street, 28 Market Street, # 124, 912.638.5100.

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KEEP IT COOL Health conscious family and friends will love to find a YoToGo in their stocking! YoToGo is a patented neoprene cooler for Greek yogurt cups complete with ice pack and spoon. BPA free, dishwasher safe and collapsible! Available at YoToGo.net, Love & Sweat, Sea Island Market, The UPS Store SSI, and Pelican Market.

t little cutes dress e h t be el She’ll d pink ang d d MAS e k T . c S T I o 4 R - A ,” in T CH titched sm le in 3M S nly R e I ’S F Heav ailab nd-s BABY in this ha ini, av ngel doll “ hing, 136 v a n t a b yA cheru le cord b ter, fleece ildren’s Clo is h wa s C in l le p e t t s in rou te li ltima e. Ca 060. the u or brunett .3 3 6 e 2. 8 blond Plaza, 91 at Retre

PERFECT STOCKING STUFFER The Golden Isles at War one-hour documentary explores WWII’s impact on our area and includes firsthand accounts of the hard work and patriotism of Glynn County residents. Proceeds benefit the new WWII Home Front Museum. Coastal Georgia Historical Society Museum Store, 610 Beachview Drive, 912.634.7099. coastalgeorgiahistory.org.

THE GIFT OF ADVENTURE From the most basic to the most

advanced fishing kayaks, SouthEast Adventure Outfitters has the largest kayak inventory in coastal Georgia.

Located in the pier village on St. Simons and adjacent to Marshside Grill on Hwy 17 South in Brunswick.

Sharing the beautiful Golden Isles since 1994, 912.638.6732. southeastadventure.com.

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December is filled with holiday events and open houses. Here’s a list of what was scheduled at print date, but follow EIL on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for reminders and news about any other events that may pop up. The EIL elves will keep you informed of any Santa sightings and holiday fun!

DECEMBER 1 It’s Santa Cinema at the St. Simons Island Casino Theater. Come enjoy a movie with Santa! Each child will visit with Santa and receive a special treat (photo op for parents).

Christmas classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas will be shown every half hour between 6:00-8:00 p.m. $3 per person (cash only) includes cocoa and cookies too.

DECEMBER 1-2 St. Simons Drug Co. hosts a Holiday Open House with free gift wrapping, letters to Santa, Toys for Tots toy drive, refreshments and door prizes from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2.

Celebrate the 38th Annual HofwylBroadfield Plantation Christmas on Friday, December 1, or Saturday, December 2, from 6:00-9:00 p.m.

This magical experience at this state historic site will demonstrate how Christmas was celebrated on an antebellum rice plantation during the 1850s. Free with regular admission. 912.264.7333.

DECEMBER 2 Lord of Life Lutheran Church Holiday Market Craft Fair will take place at 2801 Frederica Road from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with more than 30 vendors of quality handmade wares and gift items, plus bake sale, refreshments, and more.

Cassina Garden Club’s “Best Bake Sale in the Southeast!” will be going on from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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at the Tabby Cabins at Gascoigne Bluff on St. Simons Island.

The Magnolia Garden Club hosts its Annual Christmas Tour of Homes from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This year, the bake sale and market, which run from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., will be held at historic Old City Hall of Brunswick, 1229 Newcastle Street. This is also where the tour begins and tickets can be purchased.

Golden Isles Olive Oil at 306 Redfern Village hosts a Holiday Open House complete with refreshments, tastings, holiday gift shopping, and photo ops with Santa from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Santa at the Jekyll Island Skating Village. Take a spin around the bigger and better oceanfront “ice” rink on Beachview Drive with the jolly old soul himself. 30-minute skating sessions with skate rental are only $5 per person. Santa will be there between 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Concessions also available.

Historic Brunswick’s annual Christmas Parade will be part of a festive day in Mary Ross Waterfront Park with food trucks, games and prizes between 1:00-7:00 p.m. The lighted Christmas Parade will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Continuing three decades of tradition, the Golden Isles Messiah Chorus will present Handel’s “Messiah, Part I” at Wesley United Methodist Church, Frederica on

St. Simons Island at 3:00 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

Merry Mixer - Shake it up for the Teen Center at Halyards and Tramici! This year doors will open early at 3:30 p.m. so guests won’t miss a minute of the excitement when UGA plays in the SEC Championship game! And Defunk is reuniting to provide the live music too! Tickets available at apositiveplace.net.

DECEMBER 2-3 Glynn Visual Arts’ Mistletoe Market Holiday Festival will be held in Postell Park in the Village on Saturday and Sunday, December 2 and 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. This fine art and gift market includes more than 60 accomplished artists and artisan vendors. There will be a Kid’s Creation Station with free holiday themed craft activities during the festival as well as live music from local musicians. Holiday Hound Hike Pooch Parade is Saturday morning at 11:00 am. glynnvisualarts.org.

Golden Isles Ballet presents The Nutcracker at Brunswick High School Auditorium at noon both Saturday and Sunday December 2 and 3. Get your tickets online at goldenislesballet.org.

DECEMBER 5 At the Holiday High Tea at the Jekyll Island Club Resort, enjoy a selection of teas, tea sandwiches, soup, warm scones with fruit compote and exquisite holiday sweets while listening to the sounds of the season!

3:00 p.m.

Tickets must be purchased in advance more than 24 hours before the event.

877.860.1395 DECEMBER 7 Lights of Love, a program with music and luminary lighting follows a 5:00 p.m. Service of Remembrance at Hospice of the Golden Isles, 1692 Glynco Parkway.

Free and open to the public. If you’d like to honor your loved one by purchasing a memorial/ honorary dove ornament, please call 912.265.4735 or visit Hospice.me.

Operation Bed Spread’s Holiday BEDlam will take place at Mullet Bay on St. Simons Island from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Join them for a fun evening with food, prizes and live music by Backbeat Boulevard. $25 donation at the door.

DECEMBER 8-10 The Ritz Radio Theatre will be presenting A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens’ immortal tale of mean old miser Scrooge and his magical night discovering the true meaning of Christmas. Shows take

place at The Historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Brunswick at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and 3:00 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets available at goldenislesarts.org and at the box office.

DECEMBER 9 Jingle All the Way CASA Jingle All the Way 5K and Fun Run takes place at Great Dunes Park on Jekyll Island. Start times are 9:00 a.m. for the 5K and 10:00 a.m. for the 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk, and award presentation at 10:30 a.m. casaglynn.org/jingle-race Santa at the Jekyll Island Skating Village. Take a spin around the bigger and better oceanfront “ice” rink on Beachview Drive with the jolly old soul himself. 30-minute skating sessions with skate rental are only $5 per person. Santa will be there between 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Concessions also available.

Merry Movies at Island Cinemas.

Wear your favorite PJs for photos with Santa and see Mickey’s Christmas Carol or The Polar Express.

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Tickets $10.

912.355.1278 or acsvictoryboard.org DECEMBER 9-10 Jill Stanford Dance’s annual performance of The Grinch is at Glynn Academy Auditorium on Saturday, December 9 at 2:00 and 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 10 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $12 at the door.

DECEMBER 12 At the Holiday High Tea at the Jekyll Island Club Resort, enjoy a selection of teas, tea sandwiches, soup, warm scones with fruit compote and exquisite holiday sweets while listening to the sounds of the season! 3:00 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance more than 24 hours before the event.

877.860.1395

DECEMBER 13-14 Glynn Academy Drama presents The Cookie Cabaret, a Christmas show and dessert auction in the Glynn Academy Auditorium on December 13 and 14 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Club Resort with hostess, Christina Godwin allows kids to spend the afternoon sipping on tea and munching on delicious treats, all while learning the ins and outs of proper table etiquette. Santa’s special elves will even make an appearance at the tea party with gifts in hand!

2:00-4:00 p.m. Tickets are for children only but adults must accompany. Call 877.860.1395 to purchase tickets.

DECEMBER 15-17 The Ritz Radio Theatre brings It’s a Wonderful Life, to the stage. Shows take place at The Historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Brunswick at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and 3:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets available at goldenislesarts. org and at the box office.

DECEMBER 19-20 It’s not Christmas without some cookie decorating! Spend the afternoon with Jekyll Island Club’s pastry chefs in the Morgan Center on December 19 or 20. You’ll receive a dozen cookies to turn into masterpieces with colored icings, sprinkles and more as you enjoy punch and mulled cider.

Non-decorators can attend for $5. Call 877.860.1395 to purchase tickets.

DECEMBER 16 Breakfast with Santa on Jekyll Island. Bring the kids to enjoy a holiday-themed breakfast buffet at the Morgan Center with a visit with Santa to follow. The kids can share their wish list with Santa, then the whole family can join in for a photo! (photos not included in ticket price). 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Call 877.860.1395 to purchase tickets.

Mingle & Jingle on Market Street from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Enjoy beverages and bites while you do some holiday shopping at the many stores on Market Street (behind CVS and Zaxby’s) on St. Simons Island.

512 Ocean Boulevard St. Simons Island, GA 31522 912.634.9977 www.mulletbayrestaurant.com Live Music on the Deck

DECEMBER 24 On Christmas Eve, Santa will make his usual rounds on the vintage fire truck on St. Simons Island beginning at the St. Simons Island Casino Building at 5:00 p.m., and making stops at the Coast Guard Station, Shops at Demere, Brogen’s North, and First African Baptist Church.

Children are invited to visit with Santa and photo ops are plentiful.

The Holly Jolly Jekyll Parade will depart Oceanview Beach Park at 5:30 p.m. and head to Beach Village.

Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. at the Jekyll Island Skating Village parking lot. Show your holiday spirit!

DECEMBER 17 The Kids Holiday Tea Party and Etiquette Class at Jekyll Island

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verybody is a kid at the holidays so we thought we’d spotlight games in this issue. Social interaction has involved play since the beginning of time. Rocks, wood, sticks, and animal bones and skins were all used creatively as toys and implements of play. From outdoor fun to parlor games, games played at the kitchen table to those enjoyed at the pub, competitive sport to children’s pastimes, there are a wide variety of games that have developed and evolved through the years that still entertain today. When you’re out doing your holiday shopping, don’t forget to include the board games or maybe a croquet set for the backyard! As the family gathers to enjoy the Christmas spread, instead of watching everyone on their phones or sitting in front of the TV, engage them in a round of bocce at the beach or some hot and heavy Scrabble competition.

- CROQUET The inspiration for this piece, ironically, did come from sitting and looking at a screen and discovering that the Jekyll Island Croquet Club was having a Wine, Wicket Wednesday monthly social where everyone is invited to attend to learn more about the game, the basics of play, and are encouraged to join in a friendly game of golf croquet with members. Of course, just the image of people gathered in white holding mallets to strike the colorful balls through wickets on the green lawn in front of the beautiful backdrop of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel stirs a sense of nostalgia. Right here in this very place, the Astors, Morgans, Goulds, and Rockefellers who founded the Club in the late 1800s may have been swinging mallets of their own on a lazy winter afternoon. It’s not hard to imagine at all.

Jekyll Island Club was created as a private winter hunting retreat, and as it grew, other outdoor leisure activities became popular with members. The first golf course was built on Jekyll Island in 1898, just north of the Club compound. Tennis courts, a swimming pool, bocce, and croquet lawns followed. Golf become the dominant sport of the Club and a second oceanside course was added in the 1920s. It’s easy to picture

the ladies with their parasols, herding their children around the well-manicured lawns, while the dapper men in their caps made wagers over friendly outdoor tournaments. But unlike golf, croquet did not remain a mainstay of the Jekyll Island Club during the years of its evolution into today’s resort.

Jekyll Island Croquet Club President John Donohue explained to me that the current croquet lawn didn’t come about until the 1980s when the sport experienced a renaissance and the new owners developed an interest. But, perhaps before you hear about the renaissance and modern play, you should know a little more about the history of the game.

“Croquet is believed to have been first played by thirteenth century French peasants who used crudely fashioned mallets to whack wooden balls through hoops made of willow branches.” According to the Croquet Foundation of America. However, the origins of the modern game have been traced back a game called “crooky” that was played in Ireland since the 1830s was introduced in England around 1852. The game’s popularity spread when John Jaques, a London sporting goods manufacturer began selling croquet sets. By 1870, croquet was one of the primary social and recreational activities of the leisure class in

Britain and had spread to virtually all of its colonies as well. Growth waned with the introduction of lawn tennis and the onset of World War I, but it regained its popularity in the 1930s and 40s. After World War II, toy makers began marketing croquet as a backyard children’s game with miniaturized sets and simplified rules. In the late 1970s, croquet began its revitalization as a competitive sport and has continued to grow in popularity throughout North America since that time.

The informal backyard version of croquet is usually played with nine wickets and two stakes as friendly competition between friends and family under “house rules” on less than perfect grassy terrain. This game remains incredibly popular, with more than an estimated 100,000 backyard croquet sets sold each year.

The sport version of croquet is played competitively in more than twenty countries and is currently experiencing a dramatic revival, even here locally. The sport’s growth can be largely attributed to the efforts of international and national croquet organizations such as Croquet Canada and the United States Croquet Association. Since the early 1980s the number of (continues)

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competitive players in North America has risen from 50 to over 8,000.

Competitive croquet is played with six wickets and one stake in the center of the court. The “six-wicket” game offers the player the opportunity to learn more advanced shot-making techniques and strategies than the backyard version. Equipment is also more advanced than the standard backyard set. Balls weigh one pound each and have only an eighth of an inch clearance through the uprights, which are iron or steel precision wickets. Fine wood is used for most mallets, which are weighted depending on the needs of the player. While you may see some with cylindric heads (like in your typical backyard set), mallets with square heads are popular for their convenience – they stand upright when a player sets them down. The variety in mallets is similar to variety in golf clubs with players choosing comfortable shaft height, and the balance and weight of the club that suits them.

Men and women compete on an equal playing level without separate divisions and the sport can be played by all ages. Divisions in competitive play only exist among skill levels.

Yet another version of the game, and the one we observed on Jekyll, is Golf Croquet. Equipment and order of wickets is the same as in six-wicket play, but only one ball goes through any one wicket, earning one point for its shooter, with shooters alternating. The players advance to the next wicket, with a winning score usually being the first player or team to achieve seven points.

As Donohue explained, this is a much more social and entertaining game for non-competitive play because players can play immediately, and think more about shot making than the more complex strategy involved in the six-wicket game. However, because of its ease and fast pace, it is becoming popular in competitive play tournaments as well. The US Croquet Association fosters croquet in all its forms.

A fantastic way to learn the game is to come out for the monthly socials hosted by the Jekyll Island Croquet Club. Like the game itself, the 28

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Club has also gained popularity and is currently one of seven regional clubs, with about 400 players in the SGA/NFL area. They meet on Tuesdays for six-wicket club play, and on Wednesdays from 3:00-5:00 p.m. for less formal games of golf croquet, to which all are welcome without committing to lessons or fees. Members of the Jekyll Island Croquet Club must also join the Jekyll Island Hotel annually for access to the court. Croquet lessons are available through the Jekyll Island Arts Association. Please email John at jfd9089@gmail.com for more information.

- BOCCE Another old-fashioned “lawn game” you’ll commonly see in the Golden Isles is bocce.

Here, of course, you’ll mostly see it being played on the beach in casual social settings, but there are some more serious competitors on the island too! Bella Italia of the Golden Isles, our local social organization dedicating to preserving, promoting, and celebrating Italian culture and traditions, has a bocce league and was instrumental in having the bocce ball court built at Epworth Park. This, if you know the game’s history, is only fitting.

Throwing balls toward a target is the oldest game known to mankind and is the origin of the game of bocce. There are recorded representations of figures tossing balls or polished stones that date back as early as 5200 B.C. And while today’s game of bocce differs distinctly from its early origins, the game’s objective has always been to try to come as close to a fixed target as possible. It’s estimated that the game made its way from Egypt to Greece around 800 B.C. It was the early Romans who learned the game from the Greeks and were among the

first to play a game resembling what we now know as today’s game of bocce. Beginning with Emperor Augustus, Bocce became the sport of statesman and rulers. Coconuts brought back from Africa were initially used for balls, and later they were carved from hard olive wood.

Bocce enthusiasts and historians say that early participants and proponents of the sport included Greek physician Hippocrates and the Italian Renaissance figure Galileo. They noted that the athleticism and spirit of competition of the game was helpful to rejuvenate the body. Yet, as the game’s popularity grew, while it might have been considered healthy for the body, it had just the opposite effect the state of the nation.

Bocce was prohibited because it interfered with military training and security of the state. It was publicly condemned by the Republic of Venice in 1576, and condemned by the Catholic Church as well. In Great Britain, however, the game thrived with Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Francis Drake being among its avid fans.

Italian nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi is credited with popularizing the sport as it is known today. In 1896, the first Bocce Olympiad was held in Athens, Greece and bocce has been a part of international sports ever since. It was an English version of the sport called “Bowls” that first introduced the sport in America. Balls were thrown not on stone dust (as is done today) but on close cropped grass lawns (you’ve heard of Bowling Green, right?!). The first modern bocce clubs were organized in Italy, with the first Italian League being formed in 1947 by fifteen teams in and around the town of Rivoli (Torino). That was the same year of the first Bocce World Championship, a tournament which continues today with participants from more than 30 nations, including the US. It was thanks to the many Italian immigrants at the turn of the century that bocce became popular in America. Currently it’s estimated that there are more than 25 million bocce enthusiasts throughout the United States and the sport ranks with golf and soccer as having the most participants worldwide. (continues)

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- POOL/BILLIARDS -

W

hether you choose to call it “pool” or “billiards,” the history of the game is long and rich and there’s likely someone playing at a table here in the Golden Isles every weekend. Surprisingly, tracing the lineage of billiards brings us back to where we began.

Billiards is thought to have evolved from a lawn game similar to croquet played in the 15th century in Northern Europe and likely France as well. Due to cold or intemperate weather, play moved indoors to a wooden table with a green cloth to simulate grass and a simple border was placed around the edges as a bumper. Instead of today’s cue, which is used to strike the ball, players pushed the balls with wooden sticks called “maces” or “billarts” in French. While early billiards may have been mostly played by nobles, public billiard tables were common by 1800. The cue stick was developed sometime in the 1600s, with the leather cue tip perfected in 1823, and the two-piece cue arriving in 1829. Billiard equipment improved rapidly following the Industrial Revolution and by 1850, the billiard table had essentially evolved into its current form.

While English and American billiards games differed, the word “pool” became attached to

pocket billiards. Pool tables were often installed in betting parlors for horse racing to pass the time between races. For some, this connection with betting gave the “poolroom” an unsavory connotation. Eight-Ball was invented shortly after 1900, Straight Pool around 1910, and Nine-Ball developed about a decade later. Billiards refers to all games played on a billiard table (with or without pockets). Billiards remained popular from the late 1800s until the mid-1950s when men who returned from the war no longer spent afternoons around a pool table, but focused on building careers.

The renaissance of the game can largely be attributed to two movies: The Hustler in 1961, and The Color of Money in 1986. New, upscale pool rooms opened and interest in the game and competitive play returned. You can find tables at a number of establishments in the Golden Isles. Murphy’s Tavern is the choice of EIL readers for Best Place to Play Pool, but there are tables at Castaways, Ziggy’s, and Rafters as well.

- BRIDGE Having fun indoors was not a novel idea, card, board, and parlor games have been around long before billiard tables came about. Playing cards

originated in China, where paper was invented, around the year 1120 and were first used for fortune telling and gambling. Cards were introduced into Italy and Spain around 1370, probably coming from Egypt. Tarot cards, used for fortune telling, were introduced in Italy in 1440. The French suits were introduced around 1480 and became popular in English playing cards in the 16th century.

One of the most popular card games worldwide, especially among seniors, is bridge.

The game of bridge was derived from Russian whist, with books on whist dating back to the mid-1700’s. Here in the US, historians have noted that George Washington enjoyed bridge, often making small wagers on the game to make it more exciting. The “duplicate” method of play was introduced in England in 1857, to eliminate most of the luck associated with the deal of the cards. Inner-club match play began in America around 1883. In 1891 came the invention of the duplicate tray used to hold the cards separately so players could replay the identical cards. The idea was to eliminate chance and provide a true test of skill. By 1893, bridge was introduced in New York, using formal rules that were printed by Henry Barbey. Sometime around (continues)

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1904, auction bridge was developed, in which the players bid in a competitive auction to decide the contract and declarer. The object became to make at least as many tricks as were contracted for, and penalties were introduced for failing to do so.

Major changes to scoring and the game of bridge were introduced in 1925, and interestingly, here in the history of the game, we have another connection to the Jekyll Island Club era and its founders. Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, a railroad executive and the son of William K. Vanderbilt, a member of the Club from 1886-1902 (and nephew of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, another Club member) was a champion yachtsman as well as an innovator and champion player of contract bridge. While on board the cruise ship SS Finland in 1925, he originated changes to the bridge scoring system to make the game more exciting. His version of “contract bridge” overtook auction bridge in popularity within a few years and “bridge” became synonymous with contract bridge. Vanderbilt invented the first strong club system, which he called the “Club Convention” but is now more commonly known as the “Vanderbilt Club,” a family of bidding systems that has performed exceptionally well in world championship play. He wrote four books on the subject. He endowed the Vanderbilt Cup which is awarded to the winners of the North American team-of-four championship. He also donated the World Bridge Federation Vanderbilt Trophy. Vanderbilt was a member

of The Bridge World’s 1964 inaugural “hall of fame” class and a founding member of the ACBL Hall of Fame.

Contract bridge is played in clubs, tournaments and online today. When its popularity peaked in the 1940s, a survey found that the game was played in 44% of US households.

While the popularity of bridge has declined, it’s estimated that in the US there are still several million players. The game is most definitely alive and well on Skylane Court on St. Simons Island, at the home of the Golden Isles Duplicate Bridge Club. This American Contract Bridge League-sanctioned club offers friendly and competitive duplicate contract bridge to players of all levels and can find you a partner with whom to pair if you’re visiting or new to the area and want to join a game. They also offer lessons and instruction for players of various skill levels. See bridgewebs.com/goldenisles/ for more information.

- DOMINOES Another game with origins in ancient China is dominoes. Domino tiles, also known

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as “bones,” were often carved from bone, ivory, or dark hardwoods with the dots or “pips” marked in a contrasting color.

The Chinese 32-piece set of tiles was made to represent each possible face of two thrown dice, and had no blank faces. Several different types of sets have arisen since then with both blanks and duplicates. Modern dominoes first appeared in Italy in the 18th century. A wide variety of games can be played with domino tiles and numerous different sets exist, with most commercially sold sets being double-six with 28 tiles and double-nine with 55 tiles.

Like with playing cards, dominoes are incredibly versatile and can be used to play numerous games of varying simplicity and complexity, making them perfect for creating family games tailored to allow even the youngest players to participate. (continues)

Did You Know?

Backgammon is one of the oldest games known in existence. There is evidence of dice made of human bones and 60 relic game pieces being found in the 5,000 year old civilization called “Burnt City” in southeast Iran. And, the emperor Nero played for today’s equivalent of $10,000 a game. If philosophers, scholars, kings and presidents have played the game, why not you?

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B

- SCRABBLE -

ut when we think of tile games and social play, it’s an American classic that first comes to mind for this writer. It may be less than a century old, but more than a billion Scrabble® games have been played in that time. The game’s website says that more than one hundred million sets have been sold worldwide and between one and two million are sold each year in North America.

Scrabble’s history is a great American tale. In the 1940s, an out-of-work NY architect, Alfred Mosher Butts, decided to invent a board game.

ers and word games, such as anagrams. Butts combined features of anagrams and crossword puzzles in an attempt to create a game that would use both chance and skill. To decide on letter distribution, Butts studied the front page of The New York Times and did painstaking calculations of letter frequency. That basic cryptographic analysis of our language and Butts’ original tile distribution have remained valid to this day.

Butts faced rejection across the board in his quest for commercial development until he met James Brunot, a game-loving entrepreneur. Together, they refined the rules and design and came up with its name. The game

To decide on letter distribution, Butts studied the front page of The New York Times and did painstaking calculations of letter frequency. That basic cryptographic analysis of our language and Butts’ original tile distribution have remained valid to this day.

He found that board games fell into three categories: number games, such as dice and bingo; move games, such as chess and check-

was trademarked Scrabble ® Brand Crossword Game in 1948. Initially, the Brunot family rented an abandoned schoolhouse in Con-

necticut where, with friends, they turned out 12 games an hour, stamping letters on wooden tiles one at a time. Later, boards, boxes and tiles were made elsewhere and sent to the factory for assembly and shipping.

The initial years were a struggle, with the Brunots making only 2,400 sets and ending up with a loss of $450 in 1949. The game was gaining slow but steady popularity among consumers, however. The tide turned in the early 1950s when, as legend has it, the president of Macy’s discovered the game while on vacation and ordered some for his store. Within a year, everyone “had to have one” to the point that Scrabble games were being rationed to stores around the country. By 1952, the Brunots realized they could no longer make the games fast enough to meet the growing interest and had to hire a manufacturer to step up production, market and distribute the games. Popularity and demand continued to grow and in 1972 the Brunots sold the trademark. Hasbro, Inc., owner of Milton Bradley Company, the nation’s leading game company, now produces and markets the Scrabble games in its various editions. It is estimated that the game is found in one of every three American homes (continues)

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FUN FACT: The board game Clue was originally

named Murder! and was created to pass the time during the war when troops were stuck in underground bunkers during long air raid drills. and competitive Scrabble game play has also become widely popular similarly to chess and bridge. Every year, a National Scrabble Championship is held in a major US city, and on alternate years the World Scrabble Championship is hosted between Hasbro and Mattel.

In addition, the National Scrabble Association sanctions over 180 tournaments and more than 200 clubs in the US and Canada. There is even a School Scrabble Program with over a half million kids playing the game in more than 18,000 schools nationwide. Hundreds of these students compete in state and regional championships across the country.

Scrabble should be a mainstay of any family game night, allowing for limited vocabulary of younger players. Pull out your board and tiles, add in some other classics like Jenga, Sorry, Trouble, Life, Clue, and Monopoly, and you have a full weekend of fun around the table!

- JACKS Don’t forget the fun of the simple classics either! How about a game of jacks?! There’s nothing more fun than seeing the kids try to best mom or dad with their

dexterity in scooping up pieces while the ball bounces.

Another game with ancient origins, this time traced back to Greece, jacks was originally known as “knucklebones” for the sheep’s bones that were used as game pieces. The game was also played with stones, with one stone being tossed in the air, while the others were scooped up from the ground or table. Modern sets have a rubber ball and 10 jacks, usually plastic or metal. There are variations in play, but the main objective is still to pick up the most number of jacks in a single bounce of the ball through several rounds of play.

A set of jacks is a terrific stocking stuffer!

Younger kids will love to play the game and adults appreciate the nostalgia.

No matter what game you choose, inside or out, put down those smartphones, step away from the TV and the gaming consoles, grab your family and friends and get to playing! It’s time to reclaim the “social” from social media and bring people together for a good time.

Enjoy the holidays! Ready, set … PLAY!

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’Tis the season

for holiday entertaining and you want your party to be memorable. Up the “Wow!” factor of your food and drink choices with creative and beautifully-styled interactive food stations.

Serve-yourself bars are the perfect way to avoid the worries about guests not liking something you have prepared, kids (and adults) who are picky eaters, and guests who might have food allergies. And they’re not just for salad anymore! From beverages to snacks and desserts, there are so many wonderful ideas that will make party food presentation fun for your guests and easier for you to serve and clean-up too!

THERE’S NO REASON you can’t apply this wedding recep-

tion and event trend right in your own home. No matter what the meal, party theme, or the age range of the guests, there are self-serve food bars that fit the bill. You can keep them simple or go all out. Use creative containers like mason jars, steel pails, paper cones, and Chinese take-out boxes.

Because bowls and platters can be re-filled as they begin to run low, food stays fresher and at the right temperatures for longer before serving. You may want to decide whether you want to limit options, add-ons, etc. based on temperature for that reason too. When the party is over, you can simply transfer remaining portions into storage containers or jars and put aside to use for later meals. Self-serve can make leftovers fun for the family too!

Mini chalkboards or printed signs with menus for the various offerings on the table are a beautiful touch. Get cre-

ative with cards and papers, markers or crayons. Take your time to write interesting descriptions. A bean dish with dressing sounds so much more appealing when it is called “Three Bean Salad with Vidalia Onions and Warm Dijon Vinaigrette.” Try to use local and regional ingredients and name the purveyor on the menu. Scrambled eggs and ham becomes “Locally Sourced Organic Eggs with Hunter Cattle Sausage Bits.” Group the ingredients together on the menu by using names like Main, Accoutrements, Sauces, Toppings and Condiments. Make little cards on your tables with descriptions of what is displayed. Remember to make them two sided if you can access the food from different directions. Have fun with it, because, after all, it is a party!

While top-your-own pizzas, deli trays for sandwiches, pasta bars, and make-your-own ice cream sundae counters are terrific party options, here are some other do-it-yourself food station ideas that you might not have considered. (continues)

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Breakfast and Brunch WAFFLES Whether it’s a holiday breakfast at Grandma’s house or a post-sleepover brunch for the teens, a waffle bar is sure to put a smile on the face of even the smallest guest! At Grandma’s, have a warming tray full of Belgian waffle sections or consider having someone act as “waffle chef,” pouring batter onto a waffle iron at the station for fresh-made hot and crispy waffles. For the teen sleepover, show how in tune you are with pop culture and have a toaster set up with a tray of Eggo’s for them to toast themselves.

And in keeping with the Stranger Things theme, you’ll certainly want to have Eleven different toppings available for customizing their waffles!

Fill the table with toppings both sweet and savory, starting with the basics of butter and real maple syrup.

There are many varieties of flavored butters and syrups you can add, as well as honey, fresh fruit, chopped pecans or walnuts, chocolate chips, sprinkles, Nutella, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and the usual breakfast proteins like crumbled sausage, diced ham, and bacon. You can always offer fried chicken tenders too, for that Southern specialty, chicken and waffles.

CEREAL A cereal bar gives young kids just what they love and takes adults on a nostalgic trip down memory lane to

lazy Saturday mornings spent enjoying cartoons on TV. There’s no cooking, baking, or special prep needed, other than slicing some fruit. Here’s your chance to dazzle with the display. Place colorful cereals in clear glass display jars or cookie jars, and use whimsical bowls.

Supply bowls, milk, and a wide variety of cereals – mostly the fun stuff like Froot-Loops, Cocoa Krispies, and Lucky Charms. Offer some “plain” options as well, like Cheerios, Rice Krispies, or Chex, that can be dressed up with sliced bananas and fresh berries. Bowls of granola and plain or vanilla yogurt allow guests to make breakfast parfaits too.

- Southern Style You can keep it simple and serve only classic buttermilk biscuits or add flavored varieties like cinnamon or cheese. Make sure to offer a variety of spreads, including butters, honey, jellies, jams, and fruit preserves. Don’t be afraid to go beyond strawberry jam and orange marmalade and offer pepper jelly, tomato jam, and bacon jam. Pimento cheese, ham, fried chicken tenders, and bacon are good biscuit fillers as well.

BISCUITS Perfect for Christmas Day when the kids are up early and ready to tear through the wrapping paper on their gifts and guests may be coming and going, biscuits are delicious for breakfast, lunch, or a snack. Slather with sausage gravy for a filling breakfast. A couple strips of bacon, a slice of tomato and some pimento cheese, and you’ve got a tasty lunch sandwich. Top with some sliced strawberries, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, and a dollop of whipped cream, and it’s a DIY strawberry shortcake!

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SHRIMP & GRITS Another big hit with the events crowd is a shrimp & grits bar. Fun alternatives to the standard bowl or parfait cup are martini and margarita glasses. Grits, gravy, and shrimp can all be kept in their own warmers for serving, with variations like plain or cheese grits, and plain or blackened shrimp, or simply combine shrimp and gravy together. Bowls of shredded cheese, diced chorizo, diced ham, crumbled bacon, corn, scallions, and possibly even MORE

shrimp, let your guests tailor this classic Southern dish to their own tastes. A selection of hot sauces is also suggested.

Favorites with Flair TACOS/NACHOS

Just like Friday nights at home! Offer a couple different proteins like ground beef or shredded chicken, black beans, refried beans, corn, and seasoned rice to get the party started. Baskets should hold tortilla chips, hard taco shells and soft flour tortillas. As for toppings, go for it!

Shredded cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, jalapeños and other varieties of peppers, onion, cilantro, and sour cream are all traditional choices. Have fun with the salsa offerings – corn and black bean, pineapple mango, peach, green tomatillo – there are so many varieties and in differing degrees of heat. (continues)

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Don’t be afraid to be adventurous (if you’re really going all out, make your own!), but make sure to have some more sedate classics for guests with less bold palates. Several different types of hot sauces and Tabasco are also a necessity here. Olé!

SPUDS There are so many ways to do potato bars! You can serve up French fries in paper cones and offer a variety of condiments for dipping, and seasoned salts to flavor. Or you can use mashed potatoes, potato skins, cottage fries, homemade chips, and/or tater tots as the base layer to be topped. Shredded cheese and/or cheese sauce, chili, sour cream, ranch dressing, crumbled bacon, scallions, chives – the options are limited only by your imagination.

MAC AND CHEESE Adults aren’t afraid to show their love for this childhood classic, and why not give them some ways to dress it up?! If you have a smaller party, it’s best to start with a good mac and cheese recipe made in a slow cooker to keep the noodles warm. Serve with additional shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, diced ham or even cocktail weenies, ground beef or pulled pork (with or without BBQ sauce), lobster or crab meat, diced or shredded chicken and buffalo sauce, broccoli, spinach, artichokes, diced tomatoes, pico de gallo, jalapeños. Whole Foods is making a mac and cheese bar a new addition in some of their stores, so you’ll be right on trend!

CHILI Everybody’s favorite bar during football game days is the chili bar! You can always make the chili using a slow cooker or make in advance and just heat up and leave warming in a crock pot to serve.

For a deluxe bar, make more than one variety of chili to spice up the mix. In addition to your regular preferred traditional version, add white chicken chili, black bean vegetarian chili, or maybe a super spicy firehouse version for the heat-lovers.

The chili bar is extra versatile because you can load the table up with bowls of sour cream,

onions, shredded cheese, jalapeños and fritos for fabulous topping combinations, but you can also use the chili as a topper too. Add hot dogs and buns to the bar to let guests make chili cheese dogs. If you combine your chili bar with the spud bar idea above, guests can enjoy tater tots, fries, or baked potatoes as sides to accompany the chili or topped by it.

A chowder bar with corn chowder or potato chowder gives people a hearty soup to start and lets them add to satisfy their hunger. Stock the bar with proteins like diced chicken, ham, bacon, and shrimp. Offer a variety of cheeses with different flavor profiles, like cheddar and smoked gouda, as well as any veggie options you might want to include, and chopped green onion, red pepper flakes, and other herbs and seasonings.

Snacks and Desserts

CHOWDER

POPCORN

A chilly or damp Southern winter day where you just want to snuggle up and watch movies or play board games, is a perfect time to set out bread and soup on the buffet so people can enjoy at their leisure. And just what makes soup a chowder? According to PreparedPantry.com, a chowder is a thick, rich, chunky soup usually made with a white sauce base (with the exception of Manhattan chowders, which have a tomato base). Originally, it was a fisherman’s stew made with seafood, but today, vegetable chowders like potato and corn chowder are common. A chowder is typically made up of 5 parts: vegetables or seafood, the focal ingredient of the soup; secondary ingredients like cream, diced onions, bacon, or herbs; the cooking liquid, usually a broth or stock; a thickening agent like potatoes, flour or cornstarch; and seasonings.

Why not have a family movie night complete with a popcorn bar? Who doesn’t love this light and crunchy treat – especially when you can make it sweet or salty or spicy to suit your cravings?! Supply plain brown or white paper bags and let your guests scoop their choices from large baskets or pails of popcorn.

If you’d like, offer pre-flavored varieties of popcorn, starting with the basics like plain salted, cheddar cheese, and caramel. Then offer bowls of mixers like M&Ms, milk, dark, and white chocolate chips, or pretzels.

Another option is to serve plain popcorn and let people customize using butter and/or oil sprays and a variety of powdered flavors like cheddar, Old Bay, and truffle salt. There are so many sweet and savory options. Think Cracker Jacks and get inspired! (continues)

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S’MORES You don’t have to sleep outside to enjoy everyone’s favorite campfire treat. Instead of chowing down on cookies the night before Christmas, have a s’mores party! Who originally came up with the genius idea to place a toasted marshmallow between graham crackers with a square of chocolate? Nobody is absolutely certain, however the first published recipe for “some mores” can be tracked to a Girl Scouts publication in 1927 and is credited to Loretta Scott Crew, who made the treats for Girl Scouts sitting around a fire. Inside, you can create your “campfire” with a display that uses several sterno burners to allow for multiple guests to toast their marshmallows at the same time. Don’t forget the long sticks; go rustic and grab some from outside or use wooden or metal kabob skewers. Fun roasting sticks can also be purchased online and at some party supply stores.

On the table, supply graham crackers in regular and chocolate flavors, and if you want more variety, you can also offer chocolate chip cookies or buttery crackers as other options. Have plenty of large marshmallows and both milk and dark chocolate bars. For more flavor combination choices, add Nutella, Reese’s peanut

butter cups, Ghirardelli squares in a variety of flavors, and maybe some caramels. You can always have bowls or sliced bananas, strawberries, and coconut flakes for another fresh twist.

Beverages

HOT CHOCOLATE/COFFEE Start with party-size urns of coffee and hot cocoa. Use a variety of holiday mugs – none matching – if your party isn’t too large. Of course, provide sugar, sugar substitute, cream, milk, as you would for your typical coffee service. Bottles of popular syrups like vanilla, peppermint, hazelnut, coconut, raspberry, and almond let your guests tailor their favorite flavors. Then comes the fun stuff: whipped cream, marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, crushed peppermint, sprinkles, shakers of cinnamon and cocoa powder. If it’s an over 21+ affair, consider adding Bailey’s, Kahlua, and Peppermint Schnapps for more spirited hot beverages.

MIMOSA AND BLOODY MARY For the “morning-after” party, or the early football games, why not add a mimosa and Bloody Mary bar to your food buffet? That

should start the day with smiles! Not everyone likes Bloodys though, so guests will appreciate having the fruit juice infused champagne as an alternative. And the drinks are no-brainers: start with a good mix and easy-pour vodka on the Bloody Mary side, and stock the mimosa side with bottles of bubbly and carafes of fruit juices and let them pour. There’s no wrong way to make one!

Be creative in the array of fresh fruit juices you offer: orange, grapefruit, mango, strawberrykiwi, raspberry-blueberry. Prepare bowls of berries and fruit slices to drop in or add as “garnish.” For the Bloodys, put out regular and flavored vodkas, a good Bloody Mary mix, plenty of olives, lemon and lime slices, raw and pickled vegetables, like celery, pickled asparagus or okra, cocktail shrimp, bacon, beef jerky, spices, and a variety of hot sauces for a f u n and colorful drink station.

Take these ideas, combine them, or let them be your inspiration to run with a food bar idea of your own. Invite your guests, set it up, then sit back and enjoy the party!

Gifts for All and Stocking Stuffers Galore!

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912-434-9844 | 3600 Frederica Road (next to Brogen’s North) | southernfindsssi.com 44

ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING

Give a Gift or Gift Yourself this Holiday Season

THE ONE YOU KNOW AND TRUST (912) 268-4471 ELIMINATE STUBBORN FAT No Surgery. No Downtime.

Call us at (912) 268-4471 to schedule your free consultation.

114 Northpark Dr.

| Brunswick, GA 31520 | 912.268.4471 | www.DiPretaDermatology.com

DECEMBER 2017

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Shuckers Stake their Claim

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evoted oyster shuckers all, they assemble at the oyster tables set up at Gascoigne Bluff promptly at 5:00 o’clock, knives and gloves in hand, and never leave for the next two to three hours. While most other St. Simons Land Trust Oyster Roast guests tend to wander from the barbecue table to the Low Country Boil to the sides and on to the desserts, the true oyster fans never budge.

faces among the servers, as well. Kellogg, who teaches general psychology at College of Coastal Georgia, has chaired the operation for eight years. With her from the beginning: Emmitt Nolan, Ellen Mullis, and Dan Welch.

The team of eight to 10 oyster servers, headed up by Georgia Kellogg, see some of the same enthusiastic faces year after year. The guests at the oyster tables tend to see the same

Who actually steams the oysters? That would be a team headed by Crabdaddy’s owner, Charlie Williams, who has volunteered for more than 10 years. He brings two friends,

ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING

Kellogg says that after eight years, they have the operation down to a science. “It’s like riding a bicycle,” she says. “I organize what we need from lining up volunteers all the way to the cleanup, including buying the lemons, the wipes, and the paper towels.”

including his son-in-law, Joey Baldwin, who owns Boulevard Café. Don Gentile brings an assistant from Bennie’s Red Barn.

On his way to the roast, Williams picks up 25 to 30 100-pound sacks of oysters from City Market for a total of about 3,600 to 5,000 oysters. Since attendance last year set a record of close to 1,000 people, the number of oysters steamed was on the high side.

Williams says his crew can steam 200 pounds at once in two baskets. With that many oysters, it’s fortunate they have a hoist that can pull them out of the steamer and deposit them on the table. It takes about 15 minutes to steam each batch – and “there are so many people to serve, we still can’t cook them fast enough,” he says.

Charlie’s tip: “A great time to sit down at the oyster table is about 7:00 p.m. The busiest time is 5:00 p.m. The last hour, we have a lot of oysters left.” Williams says if there are any oysters left at 8:00 p.m., City Market will take them back. But first, Kellogg says, “We love to feed all the policemen and others who are there taking care of things.” And what happens to the

mounds of oyster shells? They go to the Coastal Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which uses them to build oyster reefs in the Golden Isles.

And while the shuckers pop open shell after shell, other less oyster-enthusiastic guests make their way around the beautiful lighted grounds to sample food donated by some 40 talented local chefs and restaurants and enjoy the upbeat music under the oaks. This year, popular local group Suzy and the Bird Dogs will bring their country/folk/rock repertoire to the stage.

Join the shuckers, party-lovers, Land Trust supporters and volunteers for the 18th annual St. Simons Land Trust Oyster Roast on Saturday, January 13. All proceeds benefit the St. Simons Land trust and their mission to preserve the island’s natural and scenic character and enhance the quality of life in our island community for present and future generations. Tickets are $60 for members before January 5 and $85 for non-members. Heavy rain cancels the event. To join the St. Simons Island Land Trust and/or buy tickets, visit sslt. org or call 912.638.9109

St. Simons Land Trust 18th Annual Oyster Roast Saturday, January 13, 2018 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Gascoigne Bluff $60 members (before Jan. 5) $85 non-members 912.638.9109 / sslt.org

DECEMBER 2017

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The View from the Top

Sitting Down with Patrick Dunn of Sea Island Properties 912-638-5161 • seaislandproperties.com

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For the past few years, Elegant Island Living has met with the top producing agent in Glynn County for a conversation about real estate on St. Simons and Sea Island.

Once again, our interview is with Sea Island Properties’ Patrick Dunn, who has been the top producing agent in Glynn County for the last five years with over $375 million in sales. We wanted to know what it is about his practices or personality that have led to him being recognized as one of the elite real estate agents in the country. Specifically, what does it takes to succeed in today’s real estate environment?

225 Aledru Way

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e have noted over the years that Patrick is very humble when it comes to talking about himself, but we were able to get a few insights into his continued success. He begins, “My approach to real estate is very simple and elementary, and can be applied to any business involving sales.” (By the way, he doesn’t particularly like the word “sales” and prefers to be referred to as a “real estate counselor.”)

Patrick shares that the most important key to his success has been building and sustaining meaningful relationships with his buyers and sellers over the years. He thoroughly enjoys forming genuine, close, and lasting friend48

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ships with his clients. He loves to take them fishing and hunting, or inviting them to special family events.

Patrick goes on to say that in today’s competitive environment it is imperative to provide an amazing client experience. The key is to differentiate yourself from the pack by providing a higher level of professional services, guidance and consultation that will exceed the client’s expectations. Again, this seems simple, but Patrick has seen real growth in his business because he developed a system of staying in touch with his clients before, during, and after each transaction. He knows consistent communication is important in order to assist his clients through the buying or selling process. More important-

ly, he stays in touch with them after the transaction has been completed to ensure he has met all their needs. He says, “If I’ve done my job and my client is satisfied, then they become my best source for future referrals.”

When asked to provide us with some other examples of what it takes to be a top producer, Number of sales for 2017 vs. 2016 through November 1st on St. Simons and Sea Island NUMBER OF CLOSED TRANSACTIONS 2017 2016

St. Simons Island......719 St. Simons Island..... 679 Sea Island....................84 Sea Island....................50 Source: Golden Isles Multiple Listing Service

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208 Hampton Point Drive

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Cottage 558

Cottage 546

Patrick Dunn with his family

Patrick stated that when listing a residence, he has developed a detailed marketing plan for sellers structured specifically for their property.

He indicated that this also includes a detailed list of marketing items and other services that he commits to providing for the seller. This approach, coupled with the Sea Island marketing strategies, has enabled him to give his clients the best possible services and exposure for their property. Because he believes it’s impor-

tant to keep all his buyers, sellers, and prospects abreast of the current market conditions and trends, he sends out a monthly newsletter to his database.

“You have to be an expert in your marketplace,” Patrick explains. “The client will accept nothing less. You have to possess great knowledge of the inventory in the area that you specialize in so that you can communicate with high confidence and accuracy. Buyers and sellers are looking for guidance and want a knowledgeable, reputable and ethical sales associate to represent them in the transaction.” He continues, “And above all of that, you need to be a great listener and communicator, and have excellent attention to detail.”

nation found in very few places. The people on the islands are diverse, care about each other, and welcome newcomers of all ages with enthusiasm,” he asserted. “I am passionate about my job and our community that has given so much to me and my family. It is important to me and I enjoy to giving back by sharing my time, energy, and financial resources in our great community.”

Finally, we asked him about our wonderful Golden Isles community. “Sea Island and St. Simons create an incredible community in which to live, work, and play. That’s a combi-

Patrick Dunn’s office is located at Sea Island Properties, 351 Sea Island Road, St. Simons Island. He can be reached at 912.222.0142 or by email at patrickdunn@seasisland.com.

DECEMBER 2017

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Home Accessories of all kinds for Christmas including 1800 count bedding sheet sets in many colors.

100 Sylvan Drive Suite 150 St. Simons Island

(912) 638-8344 Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Lamp Repairs of all kinds Including Custom Design

lampandshadecollection.com

WILD GEORGIA SHRIMP CRAB LEGS SALADS FRESH CATCH OF THE DAY

THE STAFF OF CATCH 228 WISHES YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

IT’S FOOTBALL SEASON Watch the game of your choice on one of our multiple TVs with College/NFL Broadcast Packages.

HAPPY HOUR Oysters, Beer, Wine Specials 4-6 p.m.

EVERY DAY!

Full Bar Featuring our Bloody Mary Bar with all the Fixins (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) Open Monday-Thursday 4-10 p.m.

Serving Lunch Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

228 Redfern Village 912.634.6228

LOCAL, PERSONAL, QUALITY, CUSTOM WORK WHERE FRAMING IS AN ART

SPORTSWEAR 2-16 WOMEN’S SIZES 1X-3X ACCESSORIES GIFTS • SHOES

1616 Frederica Rd 912- 638-3995 Mon.-Sat. 10-5:30 maggiesssi.com

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ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING

HUGE SELECTION OF IN-STOCK MOLDING TO CHOOSE FROM! NO WAITING, NO HASSLE.

Main Street Frame Shop Beautiful, Quality Custom Framing Done Right!

1403 Newcastle Street • Downtown • 262-0050

THE GIFT

of Good Theatre

T

he Glynn Academy Players are a sparkling gem in the treasure that is our local theatre community. This public high school theatre company was founded in 1988 and they are proud members of the International Thespian Society and Thespian Troupe #5019. This dynamic group is under the direction of Josh Sinyard for the third year and produces many shows throughout the school year.

Their recent production of Bonnie & Clyde placed third overall in state competition.

To maintain excellence in the theatre arts and produce the highest quality theatrical productions in this academic setting, Sinyard knows that funding is essential and must come from sources outside the school and beyond ticket sales for the shows. He’s come up with some terrific ideas to get the community involved and to encourage Glynn Academy alumni to invest in their beloved school in a personal way.

The most ambitious fundraising endeavor is the #filltheseats initiative. You can memorialize

special moments, dates, or people by purchasing an engraved metal seat plaque in Glynn Memorial Auditorium. There are both seat back plaques and arm rest name plates available for purchase and prices vary based on location in the auditorium. You can personalize the plates to remember loved ones who attended Glynn Academy or lifetime theatre enthusiasts. You can also commemorate special events or class memories to be cherished for years to come with a plaque. Get together with some fellow former classmates and honor a favorite teacher. Celebrate your days with the band.

So many different ways to preserve a personal memory in this place that is special to so many!

Consider giving a plaque as a holiday gift. It’s not only something that GA alumni will love, it also has the benefit of being a gift to the school and the drama program. These decorative plaques do not convey any special rights to the purchaser regarding the seats nor do they reserve the seat for any events. The plaques range in price from $150 to $450. See more

information, seating chart, and purchase form at gaplayers.com.

Another way to help the Glynn Academy Players while celebrating the season is to attend The Cookie Cabaret, A Christmas Show & Dessert Auction, on either December 13 or 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the Glynn Academy Auditorium. Tickets are only $5 and are available at the door, but bring some cash so you can take home some sweet treats for the holidays.

Make someone’s Christmas special with a plaque as a present or come out and support the shows, and you’ll be giving the gift of your support for Glynn Academy, the youth in our community, and arts and culture in the Golden Isles. That’s a gift that just keeps giving!

Complete Dental Care for Infants, Children and Teens.

– NO REFERRAL NECESSARY – We take the time to attend to each child’s individual needs.

Certified, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry 2487 Demere Rd., Suite 300 St. Simons Island, GA 912-638-9302

Happily Providing Children’s Dental Care for Glynn and Surrounding Counties for 25 Years!

WhatleyPediatricDentistry.com

DECEMBER 2017

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woman who looked pleasant but perhaps a bit sad. As we walked to the restroom, a nice older gentleman coming back from the building made a lighthearted comment about one of my girls who was fussing about something, and then continued on his way towards the parking lot.

ISLAND IMPRESSIONS

BY FR. TOM PURDY, RECTOR OF CHRIST CHURCH

NO ROOM AT THE INTERSTATE

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s Christmas approaches I have been thinking about the time I left Mary and Joseph out in the cold. I don’t really know if their names were Mary and Joseph, but it’s possible. And I’ve thought about them often over the years. A few years ago, our family made a quick trip to Pennsylvania and back for a funeral in December. We (read I) try our best to make good time and stop as few times as possible whenever we’re on long trips.

We (read I) usually try to combine stops for optimal speed; food, fuel, and bio breaks all at the same time. But, at one point in this trip we realized we would need to make a stop at one of the many rest stops along route I-95S. No food, no fuel, just the break. Ugh. When we parked, I noticed a small beat-up pickup truck next to us, perhaps a twenty-yearold Nissan or Toyota. A well-loved truck to be sure. Sitting alone in the passenger seat was a

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As I returned to the car, I noticed the same truck was still there. The woman was now sitting sideways in the open door of the truck and the older man who had been friendly a few moments earlier was in the driver’s seat doing something with pliers from a Leatherman tool. “Excuse me, sir,” the woman said to me. I looked at her closely for the first time and noticed that she wasn’t as young as I first thought, though much younger than him, and that she was pregnant. She also looked like she had had a hard life, as did her companion. “Do you have anything you could give us? We’ve got a long way to go and we’re almost out of gas?”

I saw that there were some food wrappers on the dashboard and that there might have been a mishmash of personal belongings strewn in the truck. “I’m sorry,” I said, “I don’t carry any cash on me.” She said, “Thank you,” and I got into our car and off we went.

Two things occurred to me as I merged back on the highway: First, I remembered that I did have cash – two dollars. Not gas money, but better than nothing, yet I didn’t even look. I really don’t carry cash with me often, I rationalized.

But then I thought about how I didn’t really try very hard to help these two persons, offering a silent prayer of confession. My cynical side rationalized that they were really fine, likely

living near the interstate and taking the opportunity to get donations from travelers stopping for breaks along I-95. My pastoral side said that they could have been modern day bearers of the Son of God, a pair of nobodies on a journey during which they struggled to find the kindness that all people deserve, and offered another silent prayer of confession.

I will never know who they were nor which of my thoughts was most accurate. Regardless, I did not take an opportunity to aid someone who asked for help. No matter their intentions or need, I had a chance to respond in accordance with Christ’s invitation, and I did not take it.

Granted, when I do have cash, sometimes I give to panhandlers, and sometimes I do not. I still rationalize and still ask for forgiveness for my failures. In this season when we remember that our Lord came in such a fragile state to parents who needed but could not find a place to stay, I wonder how many are like them in the world today? Too many, I’m sure.

I don’t know where my Mary and Joseph were headed or where they’ve ended up, but I pray they arrived and that “Mary” had a safe and healthy conclusion to her pregnancy. I will work this Christmas to make sure I have the room in my heart to respond a bit more fully the next time someone asks for my help. I can do more than I think I can to alleviate the suffering of others. Most of us can. As Christmas draws near and we think about gifts given and received, let us thank God for all our blessings, and for giving us hearts big enough to love others. May we use them in this season and all the year long.

BACK PAIN? Physical Therapy

A Touch of

is a Gift that Keeps on Giving

Choose ADVANCE for your Physical Therapy needs.

for the Holidays

Buy a Gift for Yourself, Get a Gift to Give For the Month of December We are offering exceptional savings on product, non-surgical and surgical procedures. Come in or call for details.

GOLDEN ISLES

CENTER FOR PLASTIC SURGERY, PC D G.B , MD IANE

212 Retreat Village (next to Winn Dixie) / St. Simons Island / 912.638.1444 4204 Coral Park Dr. / Brunswick / 912.280.9205

OWEN

Breast Augmentation/Lift/ Reduction/Reconstruction Botox Liposuction Filler Tummy Tuck Skin Care Facelift Laser Hair Removal Brow Lift PRP Facial Rejuvenation Blepharoplasty Microblading Eyebrows

912-634-1993 / 1015 Arthur J Moore Drive • St. Simons Island, GA www.drdianebowen.com

HO HO HO APPAREL JEWELRY SHOES ACCESSORIES GIFTS LINGERIE

A Total Solution

214 REDFERN V I L L AG E

Senior Relocation/Resettling Estate Liquidation Organize/Declutter Clean Out Online Auctions Nationwide Network

(912) 634-4563 wildandpersonal.com Fab Fashions from XS – 1X

Offices Nationwide Bonded & Insured Each Office is independently owned and operated.

Caroline Moore 912-434-1170 www.caringtransitionscoastalga.com

DECEMBER 2017

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BUSINESS BUZZ GIFTS GALORE The Rose & Vine, located at 1602 Newcastle Street, is not only a fullservice florist, but your place to find a variety of more than 500 bottles of competitively priced wines, and gifts as well. Owner Danielle Brazell has stocked her shop with indemand brands in everything from home décor to jewelry, clothing, and accessories too. Lolita wine glasses, Luxury Lite battery-operated remote-controlled candles, and Cocopotomus chocolate truffles (the preferred chocolate of the stars) are just a few of the popular selections. There’s also Costa Del

Mar and Smith Optics, Jade, JoyJoy, and Simply Southern. And with a 10% discount when you buy 4 bottles of wine or more and the option of personal gift delivery

to St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island and Brunswick, you’ll want to stop and smell the roses – and the rosés too! Come shop downtown or call 912.289.WINE.

PATSY BRYAN JOINS REAL ESTATE FIRM Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) Hodnett Cooper Real Estate is pleased to announce that Patsy Bryan, an industry veteran with more than 28 years’ real estate experience, has recently joined the professionals in the St. Simons Longview office. Patsy is one of the most knowledgeable residential real estate agents in the area and is recognized for her exceptional results and commitment to excellence. This Circle of Excellence member and Oglethorpe Award recipient will focus her real estate efforts on residential and luxury real estate on St. Simons Island and Sea Island. “I am honored to welcome Patsy Bryan to our real estate team,” said Pat Cooper, President and Broker of BHHS Hodnett Cooper Real Estate. “Patsy is a true professional and a perfect fit for our company as we continue to redefine the real estate experience.” Patsy can be reached at 912.291.3409 or 912.222.2587 bhhsHodnettCooper.com

NEW MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES AT WATERMARKS In business on St. Simons Island for more than 30 years, Watermarks Printing is poised to help their customers uncover new marketing opportunities.

They are pleased to announce a new expansion to their awardwinning, professional print services with the addition of the industry-leading Xerox Versant 54

ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING

180 Press machine. This additional automation, performance and quality for larger formats and a wider variety of substrates will enable Watermarks to take your project to new heights faster than ever before.

Contact them for your corporate or non-profit projects and for your

holiday card needs. Watermarks Printing is located at 295 Redfern Village, Suite A, 912.638.1445. watermarksprinting.com

BUSINESS BUZZ SECURITY MADE SIMPLE Enjoy the convenience of having a key to your home or business in an easily accessible, secure place and provide first responders with immediate access without damaging property or losing life-saving moments in emergency situations.

Secure-A-Key of Golden Isles can give you the peace of mind that comes with safety and security for your home by installing an emergency lockbox that is registered with the 911 dispatcher. This saves

critical response time in emergencies and the costly expense of replacing a broken door. With only a one-time cost of $150, it’s a perfect gift for the people on your list who have it all or are hard to buy for. Excellent for seniors, families with kids (or adults) who misplace or lose keys, and vacation and second homes. Call Jon Hollard at 912.258.6669 or T.C. Cowan at 912.617.5051, email securekey911@gmail.com, or visit secureakey.com/golden-isles for more information.

WATERS PROMOTED TO REGIONAL PRESIDENT United Community Bank is pleased to name Glynn County native Mason Waters as its new Regional President for the Coastal Georgia region. Waters will be responsible for overseeing all United Community Bank activity in the area, which includes retail branches in Savannah, Brunswick, St. Simons, Bluffton and Waycross and a loan production office in Macon.

Waters most recently served as Market President for the Brunswick area branches. “Mason is an ideal banker to lead our Coastal Georgia Region team of bankers,” said Bill Gilbert, president of Community Banking with United Community Bank. “Not only does he understand the needs of these communities with his local knowledge, Mason also embodies our Bank’s culture with a strong commitment to service. We look forward to his leadership in this region.” A St. Simons Island resident since 2004, Waters has nearly 25 years of experience in the financial services industry and since 2014, has served as President of United Community Bank in Brunswick. ucbi.com Toys Puzzles Teachers Gifts Christmas Cards Wreaths Candles Frames Jewelry Stocking Stuffers Stationery 56

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EXCITING EXPANSION Golden Isles Olive Oil has plans for expansion that include a Wine Bar and Demonstration Kitchen. “I envision it as a gathering place where you can enjoy some time with friends, have a glass of wine and enjoy small bites of antipasto, fine cheeses, charcuterie and more. It’s all a natural extension of

our current marketing plan,” says owner Donna MacPherson.

She’ll also be introducing new product lines including a wide variety of spices and antipasto selections.

Golden Isles Olive Oil is dedicated to bringing you healthy lifestyle culinary options with the highest quality products. They stand by their motto that nutritious meals do not have to be flavorless or boring. It’s one of the primary reasons they have been so well received. With over 60 flavors of fused and infused extra virgin olive oils and balsamic from which to choose, you can bring any dish alive. 306 Redfern Village, 912.602.9736. goldenislesoliveoil.com.

Not Just a Drug Store… Also, an

Extraordinary Gift Store Merry Christmas from Our Family

ENTERTAINING FAMILY & FRIENDS

P E R M A N E N T B OTA N I C A L S - B E A U T Y F O R Y E A R S TO C O M E !

Or just relaxing and enjoying the outdoors

269 REDFERN VILLAGE

FREE DELIVERY & SET UP

MAKE SURE YOU DO IT IN STYLE W I T H B E A U T I F U L LY D E S I G N E D A N D Q U A L I T Y F U R N I T U R E

l

l

STORE 912.434.9050

WWW.CACHETTES.NET

Please join us for a Christmas Open House Thursday, Friday and Saturday December 7th, 8th and 9th.

BRANDS WE CARRY: Breezesta, Chicago Wicker, Erwin & Sons Wicker, Lloyd Flanders, Tropitone, Windham Castings, Castelle, Casual Line PVC, Oriflamme Fire Tables, Treasure Garden Umbrellas, Royal Teak, Windward Design Group

Located 1.7 miles East of I95 at exit 3 in the Three Palms Plaza in Kingsland.

(912) 729-1173 | thepatiostorega.com | Open Tuesday – Saturday

O P E N M O N D AY - S AT U R D AY 1 1 - 5

300 Main Street, Suite 201 • St. Simons Island, Georgia (912) 264-4211 / www.choateandcompany.com

DECEMBER 2017

57

BUSINESS BUZZ

Take Your Brainstorming Offsite

Blend Business + Leisure

SEASIDE HOME BECOMES RESTORATION IMPORTS Seaside Home is celebrating 10 years in business and will become Restoration Imports. With this rebranding, Mary and Ernie Knight will continue to be the sole owners. They are a stocking dealer, wholesale to the trade and a retail showroom. They will have their own lines of outdoor furniture, lighting, home furnishings, bedding, rugs and more. Seaside Home has been in existence since 2007 and looks forward to many more years offering unique furnishings

Do a little R & R + Ramp up the ROI

Sandbox: a space in which new or untested ideas can be explored securely.

800.916.5835 507 Ocean Blvd Suite 218 St. Simons Island, GA rachel@sandboxexperience.com www.lifestylesandbox.com

RACHEL M BERG CEO

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which will be live in early 2018.

Restoration Imports, 125 Gary L Moore Ct. 912.638.8815.

ISLAND AIRPORT WINS AWARD Congratulations to our little island airport! Recently the Georgia Airport Association named McKinnon-St. Simons Island Airport as the winner of the 2017 General Aviation Project of the Year for its 16/34 Runway Rehabilitation & Electrical Replacement. The award is granted for significant contributions for the betterment of the airport and local community. The airport first opened in May 28, 1938 as Malcom McKinnon Field, was obtained and renamed by the US Navy in 1942 when it was used as a Navy Radar Training School, and was returned to Glynn County ownership in 1947. Since then, there has been much change and growth for the airport, which was renamed McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport in 2003. Today, the facility welcomes aviators and visitors from around the world. For more information about the airport and its services, visit flygcairports.com.

Lifestyle: the way in which a person or group lives.

Lifestyle Sandbox: a space to reflect, refine and redesign your culture at work, your lifestyle off hours, and your results at both.

Ours is a story of success in life as well as work.

and décor for your home as Restoration Imports. New shipments are arriving daily. They currently have a new website under construction

SIGNATURE PROPERTIES GROUP WELCOMES STAFFORD Shannon Stafford will be handling the new division of vacation and residential rentals along with property management at Signature Properties Group. A Savannah native, Shannon has a professional background in hospitality and customer service, and moved here in 1989 to further her career

in property and property management. She attributes her success to her vast knowledge of the island’s market, and being able to build a strong relationship with her clients. Whether it is a residential or vacation rental, Shannon is gifted in placing clients with the right properties to create the ultimate “Island Time”

atmosphere.” Shannon was a competitive soccer, dance, and pageant mom for her daughter Colleen, and has recently been promoted to a Gigi! She loves to spoil her new grandson Mason, and brings her deep love for family to her work here in the Golden Isles. Call Shannon at 912.638.5843.

Pamper Your Loved Ones This Holiday Season

BUON NATALE E FELICE ANNO NUOVO Pizza Napoletana

Holiday Gift Cards AVAILABLE!

FULL DAY SPA OFFERING CUSTOMIZED TREATMENT PLANS Massages | Facials | Full Service Hair Salon Full Body Waxing | Body Treatments Chemical Peels | Makeup Application Micodermabrasion | Manicures | Pedicures Call 912.638.7799 for an appointment l visit us online at theislanddayspa.com 60 Cinema Lane l St. Simons Island (near Island Cinema + Halyards) NEW OF T YPES NEW PIZZA , LU AN D D NC H C HO INNER ICES

60 Years in Business and Still Running Strong because of our Loyal Customers. We Thank You!

SPECIALIZING IN MERCEDES, BMW, LEXUS JAGUAR AND VOLVO

D E TH HOO OR O B T H IG CE NE PLA E! B

VOTED BEST PIZZA FOR 76 CONSECUTIVE YEARS 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 “On behalf of my wonderful staff, and myself, we wish you the very best of health, happiness and prosperity for the holiday season and new year ahead! May the joy of the holiday spirit continue for you and your family throughout the entire year! It is truly an honor and privilege to cook for YOU and serve YOU” – from Sal Cenicola and Staff.

Come in and see your favorite sports and world news on WSAL-TV.

SERVING YOU THE BEST AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FOOD, NOT JUST PIZZA!

Great Service & Great Italian Family Food Recipes CLOSED MONDAYS Tuesday-Wednesday 4:00-9:30 p.m. Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Friday-Saturday 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Sunday 4:00-9:00 p.m.

3415 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island, GA

912-268-2328

FOREIGN CAR CENTER 201 Mansfield St., Brunswick ¦ 912.265.8981 ¦ foreigncarfixer.com

Available Sundays and Mondays for Private Events

by Appointment Only For Catering Reservations Call Sal on his mobile phone!

DECEMBER 2017

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ANTIQUE SHOW SURE TO PLEASE On February 22-25, The Thomasville Antiques Show presents 30 of the country’s most prestigious antiques exhibitors and offers attendees the chance to view and purchase exquisite antiques. There’s also an exceptional opportunity to learn about Art, Antiques and Contemporary Design with renowned speakers Bobby McAlpine, Eddie Ross, Beth Webb, and Ashley Woodson-Bailey. Other events during the show include a Children’s Floral Workshop and a Cocktails & Collection dinner party.

The event will showcase antique furniture, paintings, rugs, jewelry, tableware, accessories, and collectibles to suit the tastes of both casual and serious collectors. The show hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will be open on February 23, 24, and 25 at the Thomasville Exchange Club Fairgrounds, 2057 GA Hwy 122. You can find all the information at thomasvilleantiquesshow.com

TAKE TIME FOR A WORLD TOUR The annual variety production show directed and choreographed by Christina Godwin will be presented at the Ritz Theatre in the heart of Brunswick on February 11 with showtimes at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30pm. This year’s theme is “Christina’s Dance World Tour” and you’re invited on a journey as award-winning talent takes the stage. Local “guest stars” from our community and afar join forces with the CDW cast creating an electrifying performance. This professional presentation is exciting and entertaining for the entire family that you don’t want to miss.

Christina’s Dance World is active in the community serving others and Christina personally serves as a worship leader and encourager for the Kid Jam elementary program at St. Simons Community Church. A portion of ticket sales are shared with local non-profits.

For more information call 912.399.1417 or visit christinasdanceworld.com.

Drawn by Annika Clark, student of Christina’s Dance World

BROADWAY COMES TO THE GOLDEN ISLES Mark February 3 on your calendar and prepare to be wowed! The Golden Age of New York cabaret will be recreated at The Cloister on Sea Island the Symphony Society’s Cabaret 2018.

The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. with cocktails sponsored by the Men’s Committee. The curtain rises at 7:00 p.m. with an Overture featuring the Toast of the Town. Act I brings an exceptionally

fine dinner to be followed by an Intermezzo featuring a tribute to retiring Music Director and Symphony Conductor Maestro Luis Haza. The showcase of Act II is the live auction. The Finale stars Broadway veteran Robert Ray and his talented company of singers, dancers and musicians. Enjoy your favorite songs from the past and current Broadway productions. Don’t miss

this special one-night-only tribute to Broadway and our “Toast of the Town” Maestro Haza. Call 912.223.6755 for more information and tickets.

our Christmas Seas to Book yes, Family Dinners & Gon Reservation e m i atherings s!

It’s T Office Parti

BENNIE’S RED BARN Restaurant, Music Club & Special Events Venue OPEN NIGHTLY FOR DINNER Reservations Suggested (but not always necessary)

SOUTHERN SUNDAY BRUNCH BUFFET 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC IN THE TREEBAR Wednesday-Saturday Nights (Free Fish Fry on Thursday)

5514 FREDERICA RD • 912-638-2844 • BENNIESREDBARN.COM 60

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Your Full Service Durable Medical Equipment Provider A FULL LINE OF SCRUBS TOO!

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MORE TALES TO BE SPUN AT EPWORTH St. Simons Island Storytelling Festival at Epworth by the Sea returns February 17-19. The 2018 Festival Lineup will feature “Lightning Struck, Freight Train Hopping Hilarious Fellow” Kevin Kling, a playwright and storyteller who recently won a regional Emmy Award; “The Lady of Heartfelt Wisdom” humorist Kim Weitkamp, one of the most sought-after storytellers in the country; and returning tellers, “The Dean

of Storytelling,” Donald Davis, an oftfeatured teller, prolific author, and master teacher of workshops and storytelling courses, and that hilarious “Outer-Kid” Andy Offutt Irwin, storyteller, humorist, singer, songwriter, musician, whistler, walking menagerie of sound effects and dialects, and so much more. Join these master tale-spinners for a weekend of education and entertainment. Learning can definitely be fun, especially in the fabulous setting of Epworth-by-the-Sea. For more information and to register online, visit epworthbythesea.org.

AN ARTFUL EVENING OF FINE FOOD AND DRINK Join Glynn Visual Arts, Golden Isles Olive Oil Company and Georgia Sea Grill on January 21 for The Art of Food, a progressive dinner filled with amazing art, music and specially prepared food and beverage. The “Art of the Cocktail” will kick off the evening at the Glynn Visual Arts Center. Following a quick trolley ride, Georgia Sea Grill will serve a custom menu of artfully presented courses, each with the perfect complementary wine. The evening culminates with an exciting auction featuring incredible art and experiences. Tickets are $150 for a single ticket, $250 for two tickets, or $700 for a table of 6. They’d make a great stocking stuffer for your favorite foodie! For more information and to purchase tickets, visit glynnvisualarts.org.

ABOVE: Last year’s featured storytellers: Donald Davis,

Lyn Ford, Bill Lepp, Andy Offutt Irwin.

SAVE THE DATE TO SIP & SHOP Set aside February 10 for an afternoon of fun at the 5th annual Wine Women & Shoes to benefit Hospice of the Golden Isles. The event, which is presented by the Auxiliary of Hospice of the Golden Isles, will take place at The Cloister on Sea Island from 1:30-5:00 p.m., with VIPs and patrons receiving early access at 1:00 p.m. In addition to the delicious wines to taste, vendors to visit, and always charming Shoe Guys, the organizers have some big surprises in store for you this year, so keep your eye on the Wine Women & Shoes Golden Isles Facebook page for updates! We’ll provide details as we get closer to the event too, but make sure to circle the date on your calendar and get your tickets to this incredibly fun fundraiser. For more details and ticket information, visit Visit the event page for the Golden Isles at winewomenandshoes.com

The holidays are here!

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THE SHOPS AT SEA ISLAND 634-1521

GLYNN PLACE MALL 264-1023

May All of Your Surprises be Good Ones.

Merry Christmas!

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1804 Frederica Rd., Suite B St. Simons Island 912.268.2800 www.coastalendo.net

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DECEMBER 2017

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THE ST. SIMONS ISLAND FOOD + SPIRITS FESTIVAL BENEFITING HOSPICE OF THE GOLDEN ISLES MADE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO THE ISLAND FOR A 5-DAY EPICUREAN EXTRAVAGANZA. EIL POPPED IN SEVERAL OF THE EVENTS AND CAN ATTEST THAT THE FOOD WAS AMAZING, SPECIALTY COCKTAILS WERE INSPIRED, AND THERE WAS MUCH FUN TO BE HAD, NO MATTER WHAT THE SETTING! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT NEXT YEAR BRINGS! 64

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THE STAR FOUNDATION RECENTLY HELD ITS ANNUAL GALA AT OCEAN FOREST ON SEA ISLAND. It was a gorgeous night with a wonderful turn-out of guests who came to welcome new STAR Foundation Executive Director Cheryl Isaac and bid adieu to Katie Orrel and Ellen Murphy. The future is bright for this organization … as bright as the stars. 1. Denise Taylor, Lasonya Smith. 2. Katie Orrel, Penny Flickinger, Ellen Murphy. 3. Wally Orrel, Celeste and Jeff Jones. 4. Diann Pender, STAR Foundation Executive Director Cheryl Isaac. 5. Pamela Devenney, Hélène Rothermund-Collins. 6. Tom Flickinger, Jr., Louise Flickinger, Tina Kirby, Bill Kirby. 7. Denise Taylor, Bill Thau, Frankie Strother, Carrie Wessel. 8. John Teltsch, Toni Laird, Jack Cole, Kitsy Teltsch. 9. Mark Boozer, Angela Scott, Margaret Goodman. 10. Ellen Murphy and Larry Smith, Katie and Wally Orrel. 11. Brooke Sumerford, Meg Amshultz, Susan and Don Myers. 12. Donna Davis, Logan McGlamory, Dawn Pantano. 13. John Ludwig, Caroline Plyler, Nancy Ludwig. 14. Brooke and Mike Thompson, Lisa and Scott Morgan, Marjorie Mathieu.

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Have a Very Merry Louis Vuitton Christmas VOTED BEST CONSIGNMENT SHOPPING, CLOTHING 2015, 2016 & 2017 Elegant Island Living Readers Choice Awards Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday 12n-5 p.m.

912.434.9600 3415 Frederica Rd. St. Simons Island Located next to Delaney’s and Sal’s Handbags by Louis Vuitton Shoes by Tory Burch Clothing by lululemon

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SOUTHEAST GEORGIA HEALTH SYSTEM RECENTLY HELD A GARDEN DEDICATION CEREMONY AT NUNNALLY HOUSE. This beautiful garden with stunning stained glass window panels and a fountain is dedicated to health and healing and was donated by Mike and Lucia Gumaer. It is a welcome addition to this facility which provides rooms for cancer patients and family from out of the area and families of critical care patients. 1. Dr. Robert Brown, Martin Turbidy, Sandy Turbidy, Nicol Turner. 2. Robert and Leha Medders. 3. Kim Snyder, Lee Rikard. 4. Kim and Paul Medders. 5. Russ Mentzer, Mike Scherneck. 6. John Knopf, Vijay Venkatesan, Kalpana Reddy, Radhika Patel, Daniel Phan. 7. Dodie Gumaer, Krista Robitz. 8. Drew Williams, Lucia Gumaer, Peter Gumaer THE SYMPHONY SOCIETY’S ANNUAL GOLDEN ELEPHANT UPSCALE RESALE MARKET WAS OFF TO A GOOD START with many purchases being made at the Thursday night Preview Party. Friday and Saturday sales were strong as well, with all proceeds benefiting the Coastal Symphony of Georgia. 9. John Harper, Linda Wright. 10. Barbara Smith, Frances McCrary. 11. Carol Norton, Joanne Scott, Fran Hilsman, Ann Mansfield. 12. Marty and Jan Carriker. 13. Meg Barton, Beth Thrift.

14. Caroline Moore, Kim Beckum.

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ST. SIMONS ISLAND WAS A SEA OF RED AND BLACK ONCE AGAIN DURING THE ANNUAL GA-FL MATCH-UP. ON GAME DAY, LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS WERE FILLED TO CAPACITY WITH DAWG FANS CHEERING THEIR TEAM ON TO VICTORY OVER THE HATED GATORS.

EIL dropped in at Locos Grill & Pub, Mullet Bay, and Mellow Mushroom to catch some of the excitement and we even spotted a few canines dressed to represent their pack. GO DAWGS! 70

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ACS Breast Cancer Fashion Show and Luncheon

Taste of the Vine Fundraiser

SEA PALMS RESORT RECENTLY HOSTED THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY’S ANNUAL BREAST CANCER FASHION SHOW AND LUNCHEON. BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS FROM OUR COMMUNITY MODELED THE LATEST FASHIONS FROM LOCAL BOUTIQUES AND GUESTS ENJOYED A DELICIOUS LUNCH AND MANY LEFT WITH PINK MYSTERY GIFT BOXES IN HAND. IT WAS A LOVELY AFTERNOON! COASTAL COALITION FOR CHILDREN’S TASTE OF THE VINE FUNDRAISER AT GEORGIA SEA GRILL WAS A WELCOME WARM SPOT ON A CHILLY, DAMP EVENING. The event was well-attended and the crowd was lively. Wine selections received high marks from the tasters, as did the corn chowder bar

and tasty hors d’oeuvres being passed throughout the night.

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THE GROUNDS OF THE LOVE FAMILY’S SINCLAIR PLANTATION WERE THE SITE OF A FESTIVE AND FUN FUNDRAISING FETE FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF SOUTH COASTAL GEORGIA. THIS YEAR’S BLUE JEAN BALL WAS ONCE AGAIN A SOLD-OUT AFFAIR. Attendees enjoyed

delicious barbeque, music by Suzy and the Bird Dogs, and rousing entertainment led by Akil Jackson and DJ Weav. Proceeds from the event will help provide service for the animals in the care of HSSCG. 74

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S C E N E Empty Bowl Fundraiser

Whiddon Family Hootenanny

GLYNN VISUAL ART HOSTED THE ANNUAL EMPTY BOWL FUNDRAISER FOR SECOND HARVEST OF COASTAL GEORGIA. GUESTS WERE TREATED TO SOUPS PREPARED BY STRATON HALL EVENTS IN BOWLS THAT THEY HAD CREATED THEMSELVES OR WERE MADE BY OTHER ARTISTS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. The evening ended with sweet treats from Boulevard Café, St. Simons Sweets, Serendipity and Treehouse

Macarons, and the bowl to take home as a keepsake.

CHEFS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WHO HAD WORKED WITH CHEF SHANE WHIDDON AND HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAME TOGETHER AT THE WHIDDON FAMILY HOMETOWN HOOTENANNY AT CERTIFIED BURGERS & BEVERAGE. A Glynn Academy graduate and

former Sea Island chef, Shane’s life was taken by a gunman in Charleston this past August. This night honored his memory and helped raise funds to support his family.

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Cunningham’s Holiday Traditions!

MAKING DINNING TABLES FESTIVE FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS!

Merry Christmas!

S O P H I S T I C AT E D & T R E N D Y S T Y L E S

Cunningham Jewelers B E AU T I F U L

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LOCATED BEHIND ZAXBY’S

T I M E L E S S

The Golden Isles Premier Jeweler S I N C E

26 Market St., Suite 112 • St. Simons Island • Mon.-Sat. 10-5 Owned & Operated by Felicia Braden and Nicole Dowling

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1510 Newcastle Street • Brunswick 912.265.8652 / cunninghamjewelers.com

A Quaint Beach Neighborhood Grocery Store GRAB A SCOOP OF ICE CREAM ON THE GO!

FRESH

SEAFOOD

TERIYAKI HIBACHI TEMPURA

WINE & BEER 211 Redfern Village 634-9570 Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Friday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.

THE PERFECT STOP FOR: Coffee & Soft Drinks • Bagels & Sandwiches

Fresh Produce • Health & Beauty Items • Beach Gear • Gifts Local Made Products & Art • Dippin’ Dots • Boiled Peanuts & So Much More

1226 Ocean Blvd. (Across from Crabdaddy’s) 912.268.2818

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THE BRUNSWICK-GOLDEN ISLES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS WAS HELD AT THE WHARF RESTAURANT IN OCTOBER. CO-HOSTS INCLUDED ADDINGTON PLACE OF BRUNSWICK, COASTAL COMPUTER CONSULTING, IHEART MEDIA OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA, AND ISLAND BRIDAL BOUTIQUE. BACKBEAT BOULEVARD ROCKED THE DOCK. 1. Amy Wisenbaker, Kortney Grenyion, Rachael Stewart, Kelli Hartill. 2. Susan Linyear, Audrey Gibbons. 3. Bob Miller,

Danny Maddox, Don Asdell. 4. Alex and Corrine Rutherford. 5. Taylor Duncan, William Duggan. 6. Adam Casgar, Jay Hunter. 7. Jon and Olivia Holland. 8. Andrea Belton, Chelsea Hill. 9. Kate Reeves, Debbie Banks, Joni Acosta. 10. Kathryn Ross, Jennifer Moore. 11. Joanne DeVincenzo, Ed O’Grady. 12. Cindy Lewis, Kent Capper. 13. Kendall and Cheryl Isaac. 14. Brenda Martin, Aaron Brown.

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125 Gary L Moore Court – located off Demere Road and Airport Road St. Simons Island

912-638-8815

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL OF US AT SEASIDE HOME

1 3 4 R E T R E AT P L A Z A 912.638.4061

French Reproductions, Hand Painted-Distressed

Dr. Diana Cicchiello

200 Hyde Park Commons Winn Dixie shopping center, exit 29 / Brunswick,GA

912-275-7174

satillafamilydentistry.com

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MEMBERS OF THE ST. SIMONS COTILLION RECENTLY GATHERED AT MULLET BAY FOR A MEETING DISGUISED AS A GIRLS NIGHT OUT. The ladies enjoyed good fellowship and good food while they discussed club business and upcoming events. 1. Anna Stroud, Susan Davenport, Julie Lovein. 2. Marsha Risi, Nicole Anderson, Nancy Dobrenic. 3. Lloyd Flanders, Julie Beimler, Lee Malone. 4. Nancy Pandolfi, Terri Flexer, Anne Harrell. 5. Sue Sayer, Joyce Mattox, Nancy Dobrenic, Sally Strother. 6. Joyce Mattox, Ashley Swann, Margaret Butler, Ann Cullens, Sue Sayer. 7. Gayle Disque, Mary Walters, Connie Sudlow. 8. Margaret Butler, Charlotte Zell.

THE ISLAND NEWCOMERS CLUB GOT THEIR BOOTS DUSTY AT A RECENT HOEDOWN HELD AT THE STABLES AT FREDERICA. They laughed and learned about each other over delicious fare catered by Southern Soul Barbeque while taking in the beautiful rustic setting. 9. Jo Scott, Amy Bone. 10. Linda Woodwall, Kathy Pace, Corinne Ramsey, Scott Stansbury. 11. Debbie Miller, Ginny Racz, Judy Hart. 12. Davis Scott, Susan Madden, Jack Coram, Randy and Amy Baumgarner. 13. John Hart, Rick Fishman, Hutch Johnson. 14. Lila Magbee, Gordon Zeese.

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Purchase or Refinance

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• Highly personalized and concierge services • Medication assisted treatment for addiction

912-342-2400 NOW SERVING GEORGIA, FLORIDA AND ALABAMA

1700 Frederica Rd. Suite #106 • Saint Simons Island, GA • NMLS 922145 208 Scranton Cnctr. Suite #123 • Brunswick, GA • NMLS 340123 FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo and Conventional mortgages for purchase or refinance.

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613 Beachview Drive, Ste B / St. Simons Island, GA 912-434-9311 Office / 912-434-9926 Fax sethmd@recoveryrebooted.com Find me on LinkedIn: Seth Eisenberg MD

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RECENTLY FRIENDS OF CASA HELD THEIR ANNUAL KICKOFF COFFEE AT THE GORGEOUS SEA ISLAND HOME OF JAN AUFFENBERG. CASA Glynn Executive Director Cary Greenfield and Thea Ramirez of Adoption-Share briefly addressed the assembled members to discuss exciting developments for CASA Glynn, which also now serves Camden County. If you’d like to help with holiday giving for CASA children, please visit the CASA Glynn Facebook page for updates on needs or go to casaglynn.org to see more ways to donate or get involved. 1. Jan Auffenberg, Lillian Clarke. 2. Wendy Robinson, Deanna Phillips, Liz Meadows. 3. April Strange, Antoinette Gant, Carmen Knox. 4. Ellen Dunn, Kathleen Haller, Frances McCrary, Jane Segerberg. 5. Kathleen Haller, Jennifer Wilcoxson, Gloria Gash. 6. Jayne Monroe, Ruth Heyward Beall. 7. Margie Harris, Beverly Lewis. 8. Brooke Sumerford, Robbin Churchill. 9. Jennifer Butler, Alice Keen. 10. Susie Henning, Ellen Woodside. 11. Mimsie Lanier, Gloria Cowart. 12. Bess Thompson, Alisha Seymour, Mary Jo Prater. 13. Janet Torrance, Nancy Ludwig. 14. Thea Ramirez, Jayne Monroe, Cary Greenfield.

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BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY NOW

Authentic Argentinian and Italian Cuisine Open for Breakfast Saturday 8:30-11 a.m. and Sunday 7:30-1 p.m.

Lunch Tuesday-Saturday | Dinner Monday-Sunday 321 Mallery St. St. Simons Island RSVP (912) 638-1223

1 8 0 6 Fr e d e r i c a Ro a d S u i t e B , S t . S i m o n s I s l a n d ( 9 1 2 ) 26 8 - 424 4 Monday – Saturday 10am-5:30pm Vi s i t w w w.f a c e t o f a c e h o m e . c o m Fo l l o w o n I n s t a g r a m @ Fa c e t o f a c e d e s i g n s

Everything you need to decorate with this Holiday Season

Visit Ace Garden Center for your holiday décor, inside and out. Topiaries, fresh greens, rosemary, cyclamen and narcissus to accent holiday decorating.

Orchids, Bromiliads and seasonal silk flowers and foliage to freshen up inside.

2 8 0 7 D E M E R E R D. , S T. S I M O N S I S L A N D ( 9 1 2 ) 6 3 4 - 0 5 2 3 O P E N M O N AY- F R I DAY 8 - 5 : 3 0 P. M . , S AT U R DAY 8 - 5 P. M . A N D S U N DAY 1 2 - 4 P. M .

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COASTFEST 2017 WAS A FUN FAMILY AFFAIR WITH KIDS OF ALL AGES IN ATTENDANCE. THEY WATCHED JIM SAWGRASS DEMONSTRATE NATIVE AMERICAN LIFE ON THE COAST, LEARNED ABOUT LOCAL WILDLIFE AND CREATURES THAT MAKE THEIR HOME IN THE SEA, TRIED THEIR HAND AT ARCHERY, ART, CRAFTS, AND GAMES ON THIS HOT FALL DAY. This celebration of our unique coastal environment and ecology is always

full of education and entertainment, and we can’t wait until it returns next year!

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ENGLISH MAHOGANY PINE & COUNTRY FRENCH FURNITURE • DIRECT IMPORTERS • ACCESSORIES • GIFTS

YOUR BEST FRIEND IS IN OUR GOOD HANDS

First Day Always Free for Locals!

SERVICES: Daycare Overnight Boarding Obedience and Behavior Training Spa/Grooming Boutique

WINNER

- Best Antiques Elegant Island Living Readers Choice Award 2015, 2016, 2017

912.268.4361 201 Longview Plaza islandtailwaggers.com

(912) 638-1216 Located Between Redfern Village and St. Simons Drugs.

No other outdoor cooker can match the quality and versatility of a Big Green Egg® – It truly is The Ultimate Cooking Experience!® Island Ace Hardware 329 Longview Plaza Longview Shopping Plaza 912-638-3800

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Shipyard Santa Claus

F

ew remember whose idea it was to work the regular shipyard shift on Christmas Day, let alone the idea to donate their overtime checks to the U.S. Treasury for the war effort. But that is exactly what happened on Christmas Day 1944 in Brunswick at the J.A. Jones Shipyard.

Brunswick’s shipyard had gained a reputation as being one of the most productive in the nation, earning several commendation awards from the Maritime Commission and surpassing the annual production of the Southeastern Shipbuilding Yard in Savannah. The Jones Shipyard fulfilled the national quota of providing six Liberty Ships in the month of December 1944 by delivering the sixth ship early, on December 23.

The Battle of the Bulge, which was to be one of the last major German offensives of World War II, raged on through December of 1944. Against that backdrop of war, the workers of the Jones Shipyard decided to celebrate Christmas in a more patriotic way than usual. They worked a 16-hour

shift that day, surrounded by handmade decorations and caroling with each other on their breaks. At the end of the night, all of the overtime checks from that day’s work were donated to the war effort. The workers of the Jones Shipyard gave one of the most generous gifts of the holiday season – $16,080.

In addition, a seventh ship was launched on December 30, 1944, with one day to spare. Vice Admiral Emory S. Land of the Maritime Commission wired a telegram to Brunswick on January 2, 1945. He wrote: “This is a performance unequaled by any of the six-way yards. By exceeding the deliveries expected of it, your yard has made an extra contribution toward hastening the day of victory.”

Santa Claus visited the Jones Shipyard that Christmas, spreading holiday cheer and pitching in to help. This month’s images from the Coastal Georgia Historical Society’s archives show Santa serving Christmas dinner to the workers and trying his hand at shipbuilding.

Our monthly images on this page are from the vast archives of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society. The Society’s mission includes the “administration, restoration and maintenance of historic facilities and resources … preserved as a living part of the historical and cultural foundations of our coastal community.” Society facilities include the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum, the A.W. Jones Heritage Center, and the Maritime Center (formerly the U.S. Coast Guard Station). To learn more about the Society, its diverse programs, and the benefits of Society membership, please call (912) 638.4666, or visit www.saintsimonslighthouse.org.

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