Beaufort Lifestyle April May 2016

B EAUFORT, P ORT R OYAL A ND T HE S EA I SLANDS

APRIL/MAY 2016

Gwen Yvette SINGER

SONGWRITER

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CONTRIBUTORS

Cindy Reid

Mary Ellen Thompson

Cindy Reid has been published in About Town, skirt!, Salon.com and The Coastal Mariner. A graduate of Mills College in Oakland, CA, she spent most of her career working with authors in the retail book business before becoming one herself. She has a daughter who lives in the state of Washington. A native of New York’s Hudson Valley, she now makes her home on St. Helena Island.

Mary Ellen Thompson has never met a train, boat or plane that she didn’t like ~ they represent travel and adventures, two of her most favorite things. Having started life on Philadelphia’s Main Line, she’s lived in houses and on boats on the Chesapeake Bay, New York, Florida, England, France, and now Beaufort.

When she travels she find the most secret locavore restaurants, the best dive bars, and the most charming little hotels. When Mary Ellen’s at home, she loves being with her friends, entertaining, listening to the marsh, and her silly cats. Best of all, she loves her son in Denver, her daughter in New York, and her great friend and editor, Meredith, in PA.

Susan Deloach Susan Deloach was born Susan Bessinger in Beaufort, where she still resides with her husband, Larry, and sons Hudson and Tucker. Susan has a gift for capturing the personality and unique essence of her subject whether on location or in the studio. Her portraits are as diverse as the personalities of the people she photographs - some are edgy, some joyful, but all have one thing in common: the sensitive, skilled and thoughtful approach of the artist behind the camera.

John Wollwerth

John Wollwerth is a photographer raised in New York, now living in Beaufort. He specializes in wedding and commercial photography, with additional background in portrait and stock photography. His work has appeared in such publications as The Washington Post, the Minneapolis Tribune, Coastal Living and South Carolina Homes and Gardens. John is involved with the Photography Club of Beaufort and the Professional Photographer of South Carolina. He lives with his wife and three children.

Paul Nurnberg

Kim Poovey Kim Poovey is an author and historic reenactress specializing in the Victorian era. Her novel, Truer Words, is a work of historic fiction set in the Lowcountry of SC during the 19th century. Her lifelong love of horses led to a BA degree from Virginia Intermont College where she was a winning member of the equestrian team.

Kim lives with her husband, three dogs, and a cat in Beaufort.

Carol Lauvray

Carol Lauvray has called Beaufort home since 2011, when she relocated from Ohio. Her passion for the coastal beauty and history of the Lowcountry drew her to settle here and become a docent for the Beaufort History Museum. She has more than 20 years of experience writing marketing communications and holds a Masters Degree in organizational communication from Ohio University. Her daughter Cristin and son-in-law Kevin live near Columbus, Ohio.

Paul Nurnberg, whose studio is in Beaufort, SC, specializes in architectural and lifestyle advertising photography. He photographs a variety of subjects including people, products, food, nature and travel for ad agencies, large corporations and magazines.

Local clients include, Beaufort Memorial Hospital, The Vegetable Kingdom and Swanky J Boutique.

Other clients include JCB, (UK/Savannah), Johnson Matthey, Parker’s Markets and Stertil­Koni. Paul also teaches photography and camera classes and one on one lessons to individuals. He just finished a two-year term as president of the SC chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers

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Beaufort Lifestyle welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea, or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Jeff Whitten at jeff@idpmagazines.com Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Beaufort, Port Royal or the Sea Islands will be considered.

www.beaufortlifestyle.com 04 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

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C O N T E N T S April/May 2016

features

08 Gwen Yvette Singer, Songwriter, Radio Host 14 The RJ Galloway Sound of the South

20 Maggie Schein and Jonathan Hannah A Pair...Author and Artist

26 Jim Bachety Smooth Jazz Musician

Extraordinaire and Mentor

32 Artistic Shelly Kohli Pursuits

08

14

departments

07 Publisher’s Thoughts 36 Dining Guide 46 Let’s Do Business

20

47 Real Estate 50 In The News special sections

37 Home and Garden

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P U B L I S H E R ’ S Thoughts

Julie Hales owner/publisher julie@idpmagazines.com Jeff Whitten editor jeff@idpmagazines.com Lane Gallegos graphic design lane@idpmagazines.com Lea Allen administrative assistant/circulation lea@idpmagazines.com Marsha Stewart account executive marsha@idpmagazines.com

Beaufort Lifestyle is proudly produced by:

One Beaufort Town Center 2015 Boundary Street, Suite 221 Beaufort, SC 29902 (843) 379-8696

We’ve Got Talent!

Our annual Music and Arts issue is one of my favorites. It really gives us an opportunity to dig into the community and find out more about our amazing local talent.

Our search this year was no different. It brought us a fabulous array of local musicians, authors and artists.

I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of them, hearing their tales and sharing a laugh or two.....and, in some cases, three or four.

Now, I have had the privilege of reading their stories.

What an amazing group of talent we have had the opportunity to bring to our readers this year. I am sure each of you will enjoy their stories as much as I have.

Beaufort is certainly known for a lot of things.....and local talent should be right at the top of that list.

Our cover story, which actually happened to be a Julie Hales, PUBLISHER “late entry” into our line-up, Gwen Yvette, is an amazing local singer. Speaking with her the first time was quite an experience....I could tell through the phone line that she had tons of personality.

After reading her story, I knew I was “spot-on.” She has a beautiful story of how her dream to become a singer unfolds. And unfold it did. Gwen’s first album is being released this month. How exciting! Congratulations Gwen....I am sure we will be hearing a lot out of you in the future.

We also have a great story about RJ Galloway, who has now made Port Royal his home after years being in Nashville. RJ is quite an accomplished musician....I think this is a story you will love.

Author Maggie Schein and husband Jonathon Hannah are a pair.....author and artist.

Their story is amazing.....and these two are extremely talented individuals.

Jim Bachety also shared his story with us....his love for playing music...teaching music.....and his desire to help future musicians in the Beaufort area. Thanks Jim for all you do!

And Shelly Kohli, what a gifted artist. She has a great story about how a personal experience inspired the artist within.

What a great line-up of stories. I feel certain you will enjoy the read.

B EAUFORT, P ORT R OYAL A ND T HE S EA I SLANDS

ABOUT THE COVER

CIRCULATION: Beaufort Lifestyle is publlished bi-monthly (six issues a year), printing 15,000 copies and distributed to over 200 locations.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

APRIL/MAY 2016

Gwen Yvette SINGER

Meet the beautiful and talented Gwen Yvette. Gwen shares her story and passion to be a singer, and how her dream become a reality. Look for her new album being released this month.

Photo by Susan DeLoach

SONGWRITER

RADIO HOST

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Gwen Yvette

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G

SINGER,

wendolyn McKinnon, whose stage name is Gwen Yvette, is a force; remember her name and keep an eye on this woman because she is going to take her passion and go great places.

Having wanted to be a singer since she was a child when she stood in front of the mirror singing into her hairbrush, Gwen has just recently pushed away all doubts, cleared the playing field, and taken a leap of faith. In June of 2015 she quit her teaching job; in January 2016 she left her drug and alcohol counseling position, and, as she says, “Trusted God that I would be ok.” She began volunteering as a radio host on WKWQ 100.7 FM, the Gullah radio station with her show, “Afternoon Glide with Gwen Yvette” on Wednesdays to Fridays from 3:00 to 6:00; “I use that time to say things that need to be said. I try to use my platform to empower other people.” On February 9, 2016, Gwen released her first single, So In Love; the video will debut on April 2. Her second song, Victorious, will be released this May and we can look for the entire album, Love, Dreams, & Visions, in November.

“I was born in New York and we moved here when I was six. When I first met my grandaddy, Joseph Legree, the cast net maker (Beaufort Lifestyle - June/July 2011), I couldn’t understand him. It took me years to understand the Gullah language. It was a big change from New York to Saint Helena but I still have friends from first grade; we try to do at least one event annually where we can hang out.

“I don’t even recall my first singing experience because I was three years old, singing with my mother, Connie, at church in the choir. She tells that story all the time, about me singing loud and proud, in the adult choir with her. I do recall loving it when I sang in the sunbeam choir at church, the Beaufort High School Gospel Choir when I was in tenth grade, and singing in the choir as an adult now at Bethesda Christian Fellowship.”

When Gwen graduated from Beaufort High, she boldly headed for New York where she planned on a career in singing.

She met with producers but they all told her the same story, “You have a great voice, but..... None of the producers would work with me because of my size; we hadn’t had a plus size artist at that time. They said I needed to change my look. I was young and rebellious, so I came home. When I was nineteen to twentyone, I sang with Dr. Patch and the Enterprise Band. That was a great experience, six guys and me as the only female vocalist.

Over the years I sang at probably one hundred weddings!

“I got married when I was 22, and somehow, I knew on that day that it wasn’t going to be forever, and I was right - it lasted one year. At 26, I got married again and that day I thought it was forever, but fifteen years later we divorced. I had wanted babies, but that didn’t happen so I tried to compensate for what I was missing, and threw myself into education. I have two masters degrees, one from Capella University in Human Services with counseling emphasis, and the other in Education, School

SONGWRITER, RADIO HOST story by mary ellen thompson photography by susan deloach www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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Counseling & Guidance from Cambridge College, and am three courses shy of a PhD in human services. I am a behavior management specialist and state certified guidance counselor.

“I have always known that counseling was part of what I would do with my life because it came naturally. In retrospect, others would seek my guidance without either of us really recognizing it as such.

I miss working with the kids, but I don’t miss the bureaucracy associated with being an employee of the school district. I have to use my education and talents to help others.”

To that same end, Gwen became involved with “Women of Greatness” when her friend, Deborah Martin, heard

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her singing in the hallway when Gwen was teaching at Saint Helena Elementary, and asked her to sing at a fashion show benefit for Family Promise of Beaufort about two years ago. This past February, Gwen shared her story by singing her song, Victorious, at an empowerment breakfast Women of Greatness hosted. “I want to inspire women to do their thing; to focus on what it is that they were created to do.

Overall, I want people to see that you are never too old, too fat, or too anything to pursue your dreams! Pursue!”

Part of a large family, with seven brothers and one sister, Gwen remembers, “We grew up tight with each other. We didn’t have much money, so for fun we would put on family talent shows and

our parents were the judges.” When in 2011 Gwen’s beloved father, Algerene McKinnon, passed away, and in 2012 one of her favorite singers, Whitney Houston, died, Gwen told herself that she couldn’t put her dreams off any longer. “In 2012, I went to Atlanta to audition for Sunday Best which is a reality television gospel music singing competition series. I stood in line for seven hours to get fifteen minutes of audition. I chose the song He Touched Me; we had ten seconds to sing a part of it and I chose the wrong ten second part.

“In March of 2013, I went to Charleston to audition for The X Factor. There were thousands and thousands of people there!

They liked me and I got the first ‘yes’, then I got another ‘yes’; then I waited and waited and filled out paperwork, after that I was told to go home and they would let me know in a month. In May, I was invited to the celebrity round and there I got all ‘yesses’ and they sent me to Hollywood.

In Hollywood, the judges decided to choose from audition videos as opposed to another round of competition and I was sent home. I have never been able to view my audition, which is hurtful because that was a huge moment in my life and I wanted to see what my audition looked like from the outside.

“I, along with Charlotte Embry Fletcher and Panda Ross, will be touring each other’s cities to help broaden our audiences. We met at The X Factor and we decided to make dates to visit each other’s cities and perform. We will be here, if I can get the right venue, on May 28, in St. Louis on May 21, and Dallas, Texas June 4.”

In the meanwhile, Gwen’s band, TC Soul Playas, has perform regionally at several prestigious events. The band is comprised of notable local musicians: Nakika Riley on keyboard, Jerome Robinson on bass guitar, Tony Brown on lead guitar, Isaiah Singleton on drums, and vocals by Jonathan Brown, Adriane Johnson, Deeric Coaxum and Tomi Washington.

Upon reflection, Gwen says, “This is very important to me: I realized at about age thirteen that when I sang, people were moved. I recognized their expressions and their movements that indicated to me that they felt me, and it felt good to them.

That made it feel good to me. I remember thinking, I like this, I like how this feels.”

When you hear Gwen sing, it will make you feel not only “good,” but also inspired in many ways. It’s her voice, her inspiration, her courage and, at the end of the day, her outright enthusiasm and dedication.

“I want to inspire women to do their thing; to focus on what it is that they were created to do. Overall, I want people to see that you are never too old, too fat, or too anything to pursue your dreams! Pursue!�

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www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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RJ Galloway 14 April/May | Beaufort Lifestyle

story by cindy reid photography by paul nurnberg

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estled in a peaceful corner of Port Royal, singer songwriter RJ Galloway and his wife Carol have settled down happily in the lowcountry. Having relocated here from Nashville last year, along with their Corgi Nash, they are enjoying the peaceful laid back lifestyle. “Port Royal is very different than Nashville in so many ways.” RJ said as he glanced at Carol and chuckled. “This is the absolute most charming town we have found along this east coast.” In addition to his singing and songwriting career, RJ is also a multi- talented instrumentalist, author and actor – all talents he plans to pursue here in the lowcountry.

RJ recently signed a lifelong publishing deal with Nashville mega publisher Grand Entertainment (Joe Meador, CEO and song catalog administrator).

After signing the contract, he says “We realized that we could actually live anywhere in the world we wanted to. Carol was born and raised in Fort Meyers, Florida, and I was born and raised in the upstate of South Carolina, so it seemed a great idea to compromise and settle on the coast here.

We really do love this town. We know we made the right choice.”

Musical Success A lifelong musician who has played most genres, RJ has released three albums to date, and has found success with each one. His first, The Blue Fire, was released in 2009 by Tree Records International. The second, If I Could, was released in 2011 by PMG Universal, Nashville. His third, Midnight Stories, was released after dropping PMG and forming his own publishing company, (Randy Joe Productions & Publications), and signing with Joe Meadors Company to publish it worldwide and collect the royalties.

In June 2011, RJ had a number one single from his album If I Could titled Walk Away, on the Independent Music Network country charts. The album also produced a number three song, Are You Still Lovin Me on the mainstream charts. Three more songs from the same album charted in the top 20 indie charts. This didn’t go unnoticed by the industry. He was nominated for Favorite Male Country Artist and Favorite New Artist Or Group, by the Independent Music Networks.

I’m Over You

The Sound of the

RJ’s latest single from the Midnight Stories album; I’m Over You hit the number one spot on the indie networks late last fall, and prompted a

South www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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me, the song doesn’t fit into just one genre.

When I write, genre just doesn’t exist to me. I could really care less if music critics try to pigeonhole my work. It’s really none of my business. I just write it.”

Always Music “I’ve always been around music” says RJ. “My parents, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. Music has been a staple of entertainment for my entire family.

I started early in church with my Aunt Gertrude. She played piano in a full gospel church and let me tell you, those people were filled with the spirit! They shouted, danced, fell and flopped on the floor. Wow, it scared me! I started writing very early in life. Poetry, songs, short stories, it just seemed to pour out of me. My hound dog Blue was my first audience. I would spend my summer days singing to him until my own face was blue! I would usually remember a tune and just make up words that rhymed.”

Playing Guitar in junior high and high school, RJ soon found out that the girls liked musicians. After high school, he joined several bands to enjoy the road life. This included doing tours with bands that he listened to as a teenager, and later shared stages with. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshal Tucker, 38 Special, Doobie Brothers, Foreigner, the list goes on. Some of his greatest influences were Toy Caldwell of The Marshal Tucker Band and Rickey and Ronnie Godfrey, from Greenville, SC, where he spent a lot of his time growing up, and as an adult.

Greenville

road trip back to Nashville in November to headline an eight band concert for The Black Sheep Network. RJ says, “I turned down an offer for a buy out on the song from the ABC series Nashville. I think it was a good call considering the success it’s had with radio.” RJ also worked as an actor on the hit series, he says “I was actually working as a featured extra on the show, I did seven episodes. What a great experience! I loved working with all the crew and cast on the set, including the stars I got to work with there. “

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The song I’m Over You was recorded in Nashville at Mark Lamberts’ studio. RJ says, “Mark has produced many greats.

Leon Russell, for instance, one of many who record there. I actually got to play Leon’s piano on the soundtrack. What an honor. Joe Meador set the session up after hearing a raw version of the song. I felt a tingle in my chest when I wrote the song, and then again when I recorded it. I knew it was different. I think anyone who has ever loved and lost will recognize and relate to the story when they hear it. Like

In early 2000, RJ was doing some bounty hunting as his day job and soon he owned his own bail bond company in Greenville. Fox Carolina did a two part news series on him , Bounty Hunter In The Upstate. While the crew was filming, he captured one of the 10 most wanted fugitives in the county. But after seven years as a bondsman/recovery agent, he got out of the business because of health concerns.

While in Greenville, he never left the music world, sitting in as often as he could with friends at The Blind Horse Saloon, one of the biggest nightclubs in South Carolina. RJ says, “That’s when I started my recording career. I had so many songs written that I had been playing for years in clubs and concerts. I felt like I needed to leave this world with a part of me that would remain after I had passed. That was

my motivation. It had nothing to do with charts, or publicity. Things just kind of ended up there.”

Lowcountry Since arriving in Port Royal, RJ has made it a point to get out and hear as many local bands and musicians as he can, often inviting them over to his home for informal jam sessions. It was during one of these sessions that he met drummer Jimmy Sauls, formerly of The Marshland Party Band and many others. Jimmy was invited over by RJ’s friend and bass guitar player for The Mad Hatters Band, Andy Cheyne. RJ said, “I could tell Jimmy was a well disciplined musician from the first session. It seemed we could read each other’s minds, and knew what each other would do next. That kind of connection doesn’t happen that often in this business.

But when it does, magic happens on the stage and in the recording studio.”

They have been playing together for six months now, and along with Andy Cheyne,

they went to Nashville last November as a headliner for the eight band concert, (The Black Sheep Extravaganza ) when RJ’s single I’m Over You, was the number one indie song on the charts.

Jimmy Sauls says, “RJ is a fantastic musician, talented songwriter, and an overall wonderful guy. It’s great to work with someone of his caliber. I’m enjoying the challenge of finding the right drum parts for his original music. He’s the best at what he does, and an inspiration to everyone who meets him.”

As far as other bands in the area RJ says, “Snazzy Red is my favorite local band here that I’ve heard so far. I love those guys! There are a lot of talented folks here, and I hope I get to hear all of them.”

Continuing his interest in acting, RJ says he is keeping his eyes and options open for roles that appeal to him. He says, “I really enjoyed acting in the Nashville series and hope I can get a chance to explore the profession in depth. I went to the Beaufort International Film Festival and met VW Sheich, and his wife Uyen

Le, the film makers who made the movie Interwoven. I also met Ron and Rebecca Tucker and who are the founders of the festival. It was a great experience. “ Writing in the lowcountry has come easy. He says “I have written some of my best blues since I’ve been here. I’m currently writing a ten song album for Michael Allman, Gregg’s oldest son.

Michael asked me to write for the album for him when we talked last Christmas Eve. He has been like a brother to me for quite a few years now. We always had a blast when he visited and stayed with us in Nashville. We did a few acoustic shows there together too.”

Reflecting on his many talents, RJ says, “All in all, I have always just used what God gave me to make my way in this world. I’ve been happy at most everything I’ve done so far. To me, success is a constant realization of a worthy goal. It’s not measured in money, status, or time.

Would I do it all again? Yes, Yes I would.”

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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Maggie Schein and Jonathan Hannah

A Pair...

Author and Artist

T

story by mary ellen thompson photography by john wollwerth

here are just some people out there who defy description. You may be acquainted with them, if you are so fortunate; they may be your neighbors, or people with whom you chatted at an event, they may even be your friends. They are the people that, if you know them on the surface, are inevitably lovely and kind and do good things for others. If you are able to peek behind the curtain, you will be awed and dazzled by their intellect, their creativity, and their dedication. Maggie Schein and Jonathan Hannah are two such people; and how delightful, and inevitable, that they come as a pair. Author and artist: Maggie wrote Lost Cantos of the Ouroboros Caves, and Jonathan brought the stories to life with his striking and intuitive illustrations.

When you have a chat with this nice couple who, you find, rescue all sorts of injured animals, and discover that Maggie spent many years as a ballerina and is a philosopher and ethicist with a PhD from the University of Chicago Committee on Social Thought, you might wonder if you should be a bit intimidated.

Worry not. Maggie’s words will woo you, no matter the subject.

If you are intrigued by Jonathan, and you will be, look at his art for clues into his character. Immediately evident, they are his precision, his musicality, his spirituality, and his athleticism.

Look further, and you will be transported to a deeper realm.

Maggie’s love of language was most certainly fostered by Pat Conroy, who was her dear friend and guide through the world of words. Upon his passing, Maggie wrote, “May your toes skim the waterway on your ascent like a heron taking off, and disrupt the current just enough to make the dolphins curious and dance as you fly across to the other side, surrounded by all the love you have generated, and lit by the crimson setting and dawning suns of the low country, Pat. Pat Conroy’s physical body is now at rest.

His love, his life, and his work can now expand beyond what any singular body can hold.”

Jonathan thought to capture the last essence of Pat’s physical presence in a photograph he took of Pat’s study, as he had recently left it with his chair angled just so from his desk and his pen and glasses atop the journal in which he had been writing.

Pat had been present the night of Maggie’s birth as the best friend of her parents, Bernie and Martha Schein. Pat wrote the foreward to Lost Cantos of the Ouroboros Caves, and in the hardback edition there is the last recording of him reading his

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Photo Above: Jonathan Hannah took this photo own writing, along with Janis Ian’s audio of the stories, tucked into the front and back covers.

When asked about the inspiration for this collection of her stories Maggie responded, “I read stories and philosophy because I have questions. I think both stories and philosophy address the greatest questions there are about love, life, birth, death, and what may or may not happen in between. My intention in writing my stories is to create an experience of those questions; I’m sharing my experience of them and hopefully galvanizing my readers to ask their own questions. I left philosophy because there is a tendency to want to find answers.” Maggie’s stories don’t provide answers; instead, they create pathways along which her readers can meander as they investigate their own questions and search for their own solutions.

Although she will occasionally refer to them as fables while searching for a word that will better define them, it’s no wonder there isn’t a proper name - they defy ordinary description. These are stories, fables and songs, woven into their own unique genre.

Each of them is told in a way that can evoke your rawest emotion in a single phrase, sing the sweetest songs to your memories, and tell truths so evident that they have become lost in the mist. There is the influence of Pat Conroy in Maggie’s lush use of language, but you will also feel the embrace of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and Kahlil Gibran, weaving in and out of the collection.

Did the stories come to her, in dreams or visions, in parts or as a whole? Maggie replies, “The stories come in dreams, and in visions, and not necessarily in sequence. Sometimes the middle comes first, sometimes the end; sometimes they come in dreams and are complete and I then have to unravel them. Other times

22 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

they come from one word, one moment, one feeling, or one freak accident, and the trick is to give that a home.”

Phrases from the book read like this: “That is what love feels like to a child. They lick it from the smile-creased eyes like honeysuckle dew.” Or, “...when the moon discreetly unveils one sliver of her bright shoulder, and if one presses one’s eyes closed at the crest of the cricket’s symphony.”

Did those words come to her just that way, or does she write and rewrite? Maggie answers, “The first one was written just that way; in the second, one word was changed. I pay as much attention to each word as I do to the whole story. Individual words can tell you everything you need to know about a scene.”

Jonathan agrees, “It’s zen-like, finding the right word. For instance, vanilla versus white; vanilla adds flavor, texture, depth.”

And how right he is, “white” can be cold, stark, blank, but when you hear “vanilla” there is immediately a scent and taste already attached.

The illustrations were created under the gun, so to speak.

Jonathan elucidates that Maggie asked him to create all eleven of them in only one month. They were to have no faces, except for one, and they needed to be in black and white, with the cover also in color. And, Maggie had to have final approval. The simple explanation of how Jonathan was able to do this is that he built them in a 3D modeler. For those of us who have no idea what that means, he basically created an entire world inside a computer.

It probably came in handy that he is an artist, graphic designer, and builds web sites, among his many other talents. For instance re: the other talents, “I studied traditional Tibetan art, not only because of the beauty, but also because of the sacred geometry.

of Pat Conroy’s desk, the last image of the space Afterwards, I mixed the formal technique with the visions I had in my meditations.

“I did art as soon as I popped out,” Jonathan says with a smile in his eyes. “I won awards in high school and planned to go to art school but wound up as a theology major. That lasted one year.

I heard a female pianist play Variations on a Theme, composed

by Brahms, and I switched my major to music. I received a BA in composition and theory. For awhile, I had a business doing production, composing, arranging and marketing music for films which included a music library where people could purchase music for licensing. One of the things that I am now looking forward to is having time for creating ambient soundscapes for meditation.”

Although their lives nearly intersected at different points both in New York and Connecticut, Maggie and Jonathan eventually met in a dojo, which is a training hall for martial arts, in Chicago.

Here is the dialogue they have about that day.

Maggie: “I couldn’t dance any more, and I didn’t want to kill anyone, but I was really small, and single, and I wanted to have enough skill to protect myself. I met some people who trained and I went with them to learn karate.”

Jonathan: “I was the lead teacher there when she went.”

Maggie: “When I went to that studio, Jonathan was the bad ass teacher.”

Jonathan: “She thought she was the badass; which was why she came to that class.”

Maggie: “Being a dancer, I like to kick. I’m strong and accurate and go right to the head. I tried to kick him in the head and he executed a spinning hook kick and his heel landed in the back of

my head; then I saw three of him.”

Jonathan has long been a student and teacher of martial arts; he recounts, “I started my training in Chinese martial arts when I was growing up in Connecticut. I moved to Manhattan and started studying Seido karate, which is a traditional Japanese karate.

Then I went to Chicago where I continued studying and learned a more medicinal form of tai chi from a woman named How Come, she was teaching it to patients in a hospital. Now that is what I teach; my students range in age from 40 to 70. I just started studying Brazilian jiu jitsu at the Stillness gym here. In martial arts, it’s all about the teacher for me and my teacher, Cesar, is exceptionally perceptive, intuitive and skilled.”

What this imaginative and diverse couple are working on now is this: “We are putting our heads and diverse skills sets together again, both in the creation of a second collection of fables and illustrations, and also, more importantly, in the creation of a unique system for connecting readers with the stories they need, and publishers and distributers with their audiences. The system will be holistic, and a sophisticated approach to the complications and opportunities of our rapidly changing digitalized age, with utmost reverence for the always important need and desire to read the right words at the right time. The new venture is, at present, in development, and is called The Literary Apothecary.”

Although the literaryapothecary.com website is currently under construction, I suggest that everyone pay attention and check back. Come out for Maggie’s book readings, you will be delighted and entranced.

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

23

t i s i V Port Royal Murals and Furniture Makeovers Also offering Commissioned Fine Art

Artist Aki Kato

www.akikato.com

(843) 263-8712 facebook.com/akikatostudio camfld@islc.net

Visit my homepage to see more work.

Call or Email Aki for a free estimate & consultation for Beaufort, Bluffton and Hilton Head area customers!

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If your pet isn’t becoming to you, it should be coming to us!

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www.portroyalveterinaryhospital.com Mon 10am-8pm • Tues,Wed,Thurs,Fri 8-6 Sat 8-2 • Closed Sunday

24 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Village Treasures Furniture • Decor • Jewelry • Vintage

WE’RE STILL HERE! LOADS OF NEW STUFF

Come see us in Port Royal

1215 Paris Ave, Port Royal, SC 29935 843-379-5599 Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10am-4pm

Unique & Creative Fun Stuff!

26 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Jim Bachety:

Smooth Jazz Musician Extraordinaire and Mentor

J

story by carol lauvray

photography by paul nurnberg

im Bachety is on a mission to preserve jazz as an original American musical art form. And he’s doing that by teaching a new generation of musicians how to play jazz—and training his young students to become professional musicians like himself.

Music wasn’t always a passion for Jim Bachety. Growing up in Levittown, New York, he was a typical boy who liked to play sports, particularly football. His mother, Paula, was the singer in a wedding band and wanted him to pursue music, so she gave Jim a guitar at the age of 12 and encouraged him to take lessons. Jim’s first foray into the world of music was short-lived; he decided he didn’t like playing the guitar, so for the next six years he put all of his energy into football. But when Jim was 18, he saw one of his friends playing guitar—that’s when he decided it was cool to play the guitar.

Although Jim took up the guitar much later than many professional musicians, he made up for lost time by immersing himself in learning to play. He enrolled in nearby Nassau Community College, studying with Stephen Leonard, the understudy to one of the greatest classical guitarists of all time, Andres Segovia. During this period, Jim holed up in his room 12-hours a day practicing the guitar to perfect his style. And it paid off. Through his community college, Jim had the opportunity to audition to perform with Paul Anka on his East Coast tour and played dozens of gigs with Anka.

Jim continued to seek opportunities to learn and grow in his art, studying with the top guitar players on Long Island—Howard Morgan, Joe Monk, Bob Homan and Frank Vignola. He enrolled in a summer music program at the University of Michigan and gigged extensively in the Michigan area for a year. When he returned to New York, Jim began playing with the regionally and nationally known Bob Homan group.

At just 23, along with some friends, Jim formed his own band, Natural Element, and he composed and produced all of the songs for the jazz group. Natural Element quickly became national recording artists and their music was played in all major jazz cities—Albany, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami—and the band did it without signing with a record label. The group recorded their album, The Nature of Things, at Doug Stegmeyer Studios (Stegmeyer was Billy Joel’s bass player and back-up vocalist). Natural Element’s music introduced Smooth Jazz as a genre.

While he was playing and touring with Natural Element, Jim also owned a music store in Bayshore, NY, called NuCreations and was its main music teacher for several years. Jim says that during

this time, Natural Element served as the house band for Oheka Castle Hotel (the premier event venue in New York), playing for events attended by celebrities such as Montel Williams and the Jonas Brothers, and on the same play bills with musical acts like George Benson, Kenny G, Tony Bennett and the Theme of Cats.

Bringing Jazz to the Lowcountry Jim took a few years off from music when he relocated to Beaufort in 2000 with his wife Julie, daughter Jessica and son James. They moved here to be close to Jim’s parents and his aunt, who lived in Spanish Point. Then through a mutual friend Bruno Rossi, Jim met Bill Verity who wanted his granddaughter to take music lessons. Verity suggested that Jim teach music at Beaufort Academy, which he did for two years. He also taught guitar courses part-time at Beaufort Middle School and Lady’s Island Elementary School. Teaching music again led Jim to open his successful music school, The Guitar Place (now known as Port Royal Music Academy), in 2003 in Port Royal, SC. “Without the help and support of both Bill Verity and Bruno Rossi, I’m not sure I would have gotten back into teaching music,” Jim says.

“The year after opening my music store in Port Royal, I was feeling the itch to play again, so I started a jazz duo called Breeze with Ben Langan, and we played every Friday at the Beaufort Inn and at restaurants and private parties on Saturdays and Sundays,” says Jim. In 2013 he started another smooth jazz group, Horizon, with three of his best music students—Elizabeth Mandell (rhythm guitar and vocals), Kyle Fabian (bass guitar), and Stefan Moser (drums). Jim plays lead guitar for the group. All three of these students are now in their early 20s, but have been taking music lessons from Jim for eight to 12 years. Jim emphasizes, “I put my own time and talent into getting these kids together as a group and getting them started as professional musicians here in Beaufort, because they are really talented! I want to saturate the Beaufort area with as much good music as I can.” Horizon plays regularly at local venues including downtown at Wined It Up and at Sweetgrass Restaurant and Bar at Dataw, as well as for special events, weddings and parties like Pat Conroy’s 70th Birthday Party at the Arsenal last October. The group also plays at the famed Oheka Castle in New York for some events. Jim explains, “I want Horizon to get to the next level—and that won’t happen unless they can make a living in their own town from playing live shows and then go on tour.”

“Jazz should be taught in our schools because it’s America’s only pure musical art form,” Jim says. He believes that jazz

Beaufort Lifestyle | April/May 2016 27

“Jazz should be taught in our schools because it’s America’s only pure musical art form.” musicians should be able to make a living playing the music they love. Jim’s passion is teaching his students everything he knows about music. “I’ll always have a school and be teaching kids music here,” he proclaims. “I have about 40 students right now and I teach kids as young as seven years old and adults as old as 80.”

And, he teaches both guitar and drums, saying that once you understand music theory you can apply it to teaching instruments other than the one you play yourself. Some of the adults he’s taught include local musicians Beekman Webb and Richard Darby, Liz Mandell’s mother, Melissa Mandell, and Mandy Barnes. Last summer at his urging, some of Jim’s best young students formed another band, Iridescent, and they are making a big impression around town playing rock, blues, indie, pop and jazz. Band members Wilson Storm Wallace (guitar, vocals)

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and Paul Gearhart (lead guitar) are just 17 years old. Keri Flora (bass guitar) and Stan Dobbs (drums) are in their early 20s.

And these kids are amazingly talented.

Iridescent plays live shows regularly at Wined It Up and plays at other venues like Brody’s Bar & Grill, AMVETs, and at weddings. Stay tuned—you’ll be hearing more about this band, they are that good!

A Lasting Musical Legacy Proof of Jim’s impact on his students and their future as professional musicians was on display during the show Saturday Night Live on March 5th. A former guitar student Jim taught for several years in New York, Matt Spatalo, played with both the #1 hit-making rapper Future and the band Weekend on that late night show. After the show aired, Jim spoke with Spatalo who said, “Jim, thank you

for planting the seed of music in me!”

After studying with Jim, Spatalo went on to graduate in 2012 from Musicians Institute College of Contemporary Music in California, and has since performed with artists including Jackie Boyz, singer/ comedian Wayne Brady, and Beaufort’s own American Idol winner, Candice Glover.

Jim Bachety is an extraordinary musician and music teacher who is emphatic about what he wants as his legacy. “Jazz is America’s music and unfortunately it is becoming a falling art. Before I pass on, I want to restore America’s own art form, jazz, to our kids who are the next generation of musicians.

That’s why I teach music—I want my students to understand what music was like when I was a kid, and I want them to keep it alive in the future!”

(843) 521-5090 2242 Boundary St, Beaufort, SC 29902

Your Local Fresh Seafood Market

Call today to place your order (843) 521-5090 OR visit us at 2242 Boundary Street.

Community Supported Fishery sounds familiar, but WHAT IS A CSF? Our Community Supported Fishery program connects you to local fishermen, saves you money & helps save our local fishing heritage. Our CSF members pre-pay for a “season” of freshly caught seafood. In return, we provide a weekly share of premium, locally caught, seasonal fish, shrimp and/or shellfish.

Now, you and members in your community can encourage low-impact fishing practices & build relationships between local fishermen and community members.

Our pickup locations include: • Beaufort - Sea Eagle Market • Port Royal - CJ Seafood Express • Bluffton - Claude & Uli’s • Hilton Head - Piggly Wiggly on North Forest Beach Rd.

For More Information Visit us at the Market or call

(843) 521-5090

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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“MEMORIAL DAY ON DA’ ISLAND” Fine Chocolates and Other Confections Made On The Premises!

Memorial Day: Saturday, May 28

Gallery artist works will portray Gullah People Celebrating “Decoration Day” now referred to as “Memorial Day.” The East of the River Boys and Girls Steel Band of Washington, DC will be performing. Local business on St. Helena host an Open House with artists in residence, food, specials on shopping and music.

“Okra” Featured Artist Zayid Majid

www.thechocolatetree.us 507 Carteret Street • Beaufort, SC phone 843-524-7980

“Blue Bottle Tree” Dorothy Montgomery

“Meet and Greet” the artists at the Red Piano Too Art Gallery on St. Helena Island from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Ox Cart on Village Creek” Elayne Scott

“Girlfriends Together” Cassandra Gillens

Red Piano Too A R T G A L L E RY

870 Sea Island Pkwy., St. Helena Island, SC 29920

(843) 838-2241 www.RedPianoToo.com

The

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30 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Kayaking, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Running and More!

11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Kayak and Stand-up Paddleboard Rentals

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www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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Shelly Kohli

Artistic Pursuits story by kim poovey photography by john wollwerth

32 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

S

helly’s world is a vibrant kaleidoscope of artistry, altruism and bliss. Her simple, yet beautiful, manner of living is an extension of her inner grace and peace. Not only does she produce art, she lives it. Her home has the charm of a tree house, branching into flowing open spaces, diverse art and a serene décor. “It’s a very homey, comfortable house. It’s a personal house.”

Born in Pensacola, Florida, Shelly is a coastal soul enjoying time at the beach from youth to the present.

“As a child, I loved going to the beach where the sand was white and the water was like jade. I prefer the west coast of Florida, it’s so pretty.” She went on to share childhood memories of meeting the boats at the docks and indulging in local seafood.

Although born in Pensacola, she grew up in the Orlando area before venturing to other locales such as Scotland and London, where she and her daughter spent several months. Instead of returning to Florida, they moved to Savannah. After several visits to Beaufort they decided to relocate. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to us. I love it here. The people have embraced Emily and me. I love sitting on my porch and taking in all the beauty.”

A smile spread across her face as she spoke about her kids; a son, Michael, who lives in Utah, and her daughter, Emily who resides in Beaufort. Children of the four-legged variety also reside in the house including two rescue dogs, Lema and Bailey, and two cats, Penelope and Tiger.

Shelly’s work history is as distinctive as her art.

Before settling into her artistry, she worked as an illustrator for Martin Marietta, an art teacher, and an art therapist. “I got burned out when I worked at Laurel Oaks psychiatric hospital and realized it wasn’t my calling. When you do what you love you can always

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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“I choose to live life to the best of my abilities. I want to encourage others to follow their dreams.” work, whether you’re up or down, happy or sad. I’m really grateful to be able to do what I love through my art.”

Her principal mode of art was born from bereavement.

Twenty-five years ago she cared for a dear friend who was battling pancreatic cancer. One night, as Shelly held her dying friend, she glanced at the ceiling, which began to swirl into circular designs of varying colors, creating intricately detailed configurations. It was her first experience with an art form referred to as ‘Mandala’ and she has been drawing them ever since. “I’ve been doing this for nearly a quarter century and I haven’t gotten tired of them yet. I didn’t even realize they had a name until several years later.”

Although her initial inspiration for Mandalas originated the night of her friend’s passing, it would be several years before she learned the art form was more than 2500 years old, dating back to Tibetan monks. Carl Jung, notable psychoanalyst, was also intrigued by Mandalas. “I sketched every morning in a notebook a small circular drawing,...which seemed to correspond to my inner situation at the time....Only gradually did I discover what the Mandala really is:...the Self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well is harmonious.” (Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections).

“I’m fascinated by the Mandala patterns which are endless. I end because there is no more room on the page but I could make one that went on forever if there was enough space.” She finds early morning and late night hours to be her most creative. “I can get more done in a couple of hours in the morning than the entire day.” Autumn is an inspirational time of year for Shelly. “I love fall. The quality of light is wonderful in the south and it’s pretty mild here. There’s a feeling of expectancy in the fall.”

34 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

One of her Mandala pieces won an honorable mention at the Winterpark Art Festival. “It never occurred to me that anyone would want to see these. This particular piece was folded up in the towel drawer for years. When I first started doing Mandalas, I hid them in the closet. They weren’t done for public consumption, they were done for peace and therapy.”

Shelly is a natural, self-taught artist having filled sketchbooks with drawings throughout her childhood. Inspiration from an array of artisans has influenced her work ranging from Degas’ paintings of ballerinas to Andrew Wyatt’s realism. “We had the opportunity to see Wyatt’s work at the Smithsonian last year and it was wonderful.” Shelly also enjoys French illustrator Erte’s depictions of art deco women in extravagant gowns.

Her creative channels are as diverse as the artists she admires.

Shelly’s Mandalas have reached beyond paper onto bracelets, earrings, and pendants creating striking pieces of wearable art. In addition to her Mandalas and jewelry, she also paints portraits.

“My love of portraits, whether person or animal, preceded my Mandalas.”

On the rare occasion Shelly has time to take a break, she enjoys curling up with a good book. “I read a lot. I have two or three books going at a time and I read myself to sleep every night. It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures.” Her favorite tome is “Prayer for Owen Meany” by John Irving. “I read it every year.” She also enjoys works by Stephen King. Although she doesn’t have much time for hobbies, she shared, “I used to roller skate but now art is my hobby for relaxation, work, and a way to reduce stress.”

Periodically, Shelly indulges in a movie or mini series on DVD. Favorites include Downton Abbey and most British productions

as well as the films, Harold and Maude and What Dreams May Come.

“My idea of the perfect day would be to wake up by 7:00 am and work until noon. To have five hours of uninterrupted work would be heaven. Then I would lay down with a book at noon, have a siesta, and get up to work until midnight. At midnight I would go to bed with a book and read for an hour or two. Life’s motto should be “the best days are filled with simple pleasures.”

Despite her obvious passion for art, Shelly is driven to help others. Currently, she is working on a coloring book for adults using the Mandala designs in an effort to encourage others to unwind and find peace. Her ambitions are rather simple; “I hope to keep doing this for the rest of my life. I’m not the office type of person. I’d rather do something hands-on. I hope I’m painting until the end.”

Shelly believes “everybody is creative and ought to be doing something they love. Most people are more creative than they think they are. There are many different ways to create. My grandmother could make simple meals into a feast. I had a friend with a talent for decorating a home.

Artistry doesn’t have to be pen to paper.” She went on to say, “We are all born with a thesis statement. My thesis is ‘creating is an alternative to despair.’ We play a part in our own happiness, when you’re called you have to answer. I want to help people move on and make things better.”

What began as a pastime has blossomed into a garden of artistry and altruism, leading Shelly to a life of peace, serenity, and euphoria. “You know what I live for? I live to do art under this light at this table. I’m totally dedicated to what I do. I don’t want to look back and have any regrets.”

y h W

s U Ask OU On Y Be ! ld ages u o Sh ur P O

(843) 379-8696 www.beaufortlifestyle.com One Beaufort Town Center 2015 Boundary Street • Suite 221 Beaufort, SC, 29902 www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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dining guide Luther’s Rare and Well Done 910 Bay Street Beaufort,SC 29902 843-521-1888 www.luthersrareandwelldone.com

1635 On The Avenue 1635 Paris Avenue Port Royal, SC (843) 379-0607 Breakwater Restaurant and Bar 102 Carteret Street, Suite 102, Beaufort SC 29902 (843) 379-0052 www.breakwatersc.com

Sea Eagle Market 2242 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC. (843) 521-5090 www.seaeaglemarket.com

Lazy Susan’s Cafe & Creperie 31A Market Street Habersham, SC 29906 (843) 466-0735 www.lazysusanscafe.com

SMOKIN’ PLANKS BBQ AND SMOKEHOUSE 914 Paris Avenue, Port Royal, SC (843) 522-0322 www.smokinplanks.com

1635 Paris Avenue • Port Royal, South Carolina • (843) 379-0607 Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11:30-2 • Dinner: Thursday-Saturday 5 until...

To Advertise in the dining guide, or to find out how to get your restaurant, pub or bar listedMake pleaseyours call Julie at (912)657-4120. today.

Impressions are everything.

Impressions are everything.

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Serving The Best Steaks, Ribs & Chops In Town.

Make reservations for your special day today. are Impressions

everything.

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203 Carteret Street | Beaufort 843.379.0052 | breakwatersc.com

203 Carteret Street | Beaufort 843.379.0052 | breakwatersc.com

Where The Locals Go...

Casual Dining With A Beautiful Waterfront Daily Lunch & Dinner Specials

FULL SERVICE BAR WITH LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

843-521-1888

910 Bay Street, Beaufort, SC

36 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Open 7 Days A Week 11:00 AM - 2 AM

NEW ADDITIONS! Beer and Wine License • Mimosas • Paninis Whole bean coffee sales of our Lazy Susan’s House Blend “HABBY HOUR” from 5-7 the first Friday of each month featuring a new dish each time: Fondue, Tomato basil bread bowls, Triple Decker Grilled Cheese, Broccoli Cheese Soup.

Home

& Garden

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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SAVE BIG WHEN YOU SELL

Y

story by will mccullough

ou’ve probably heard the big news already.

You know, the news about a new industry-changing business, the one that couples exceptional customer service with great savings, the one based on Lady’s Island but serving the entire Beaufort area?

WalMart? What, are you serious? No. I guess I can see why you thought that but….

Publix? Oh, for Pete’s sake, they’re not new, they just moved across the dang street.

I’m talking about EquitySafe Realty. We’re different. I mean REALLY different. We may save you thousands, even tens of thousands, when we list and sell your home in the Beaufort area.

OK, full disclosure: Some may say that I have a bit of bias in my positive opinion of EquitySafe Realty simply because I founded the company. For the record, I think that’s a pretty cynical mindset but, in the interest of fairness, I will admit that there’s at least the potential for a little favoritism on my part.

So, anyways, here’s what happened, Beaufort Lifestyle Magazine agreed to run an advertorial on our new real estate company, but, in an admittedly unfortunate slip of their normally high standards, even let me write it. Something about “no one else wanted to..” or words to that effect but, in any event, if you have a moment, please allow me to share a bit about our new approach to real estate.

My background in the local real estate market: I moved to Beaufort in 1993 to serve as a USMC Drill Instructor aboard Parris Island. I then left the Marine Corps in 1997, opened a martial arts school and began purchasing “fixer upper” properties with another local former USMC DI and good friend.

One thing led to another and, by 2003, I’d made the switch into representing clients buying and selling real estate full time.

It’s been a great run.

Over the years, I’ve been the top producing agent at two of the area’s leading brokerages, represented the developer for the downtown Midtown Square project which earned Southern Living Magazine’s “Planned Community of the Year” award, represented the buyers in the Anchorage purchase on Bay Street and served hundreds of clients, both buyers and sellers, in a cornucopia of successful transactions.

None of the above is meant to sound like I’m bragging. I’m not.

There’s a lot of great agents in Beaufort, all of whom I respect.

I share the above only to help frame the professional experiences that led to my personal evolution over the last decade and a half into a singular honest opinion: “I feel it’s no longer logical for clients to pay higher listing commissions.”

I know that that sounds like a gimmicky “line” and I guess it kind of is. But it’s also genuinely how I feel. So, after much thought and preparation, EquitySafe Realty was born. To my knowledge, it is a real estate model unique not only to the Beaufort area but to the entire real estate industry as a whole.

We’re convinced it’s the future and, quite frankly, a much better way of doing business.

38 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

photography by susan deloach

In a nutshell, I based the EquitySafe Realty model on three tenets: • High quality, full service representation: We’re not a “discount” brokerage and we don’t cut corners on marketing our client’s properties. There’s a couple very subtle logistical things we do slightly different in order to increase overall company efficiency but my goal was to meet or exceed the quality of service my past clients received when I worked at other leading companies and I strongly feel that we’ve met that goal.

• Pay the BUYER’S AGENCY more: While all real estate commissions are negotiable, it’s certainly not uncommon in the industry for a listing agency to charge a selling client something in the range of a 6% commission on a closed sale. Further, using that same 6% example, it’s then also not uncommon for half of that, or 3% of the sales price, to be offered to the Buyer’s Agent for bringing the Buyer to the sale. I feel that it serves the Seller well for the folks who actually produce the Buyer to be better compensated as there’s then a “built in” incentive to produce a positive result. Therefore, all EquitySafe Realty single family home listings pay out 3.5% to the Buyer Agency. That’s like a $500 “bonus,” to the Buyer Agency, for every $100,000 of sales price, when compared to the example 6% listing. Once again, not all listings are at 6% but, hopefully, you get the idea.

• Pay the LISTING AGENCY less: EquitySafe Realty delivers full service representation, pays the Buyer Agency well...and then charges a FLAT RATE of $1,999, paid only at closing, for our listing side commission REGARDLESS of sales price. Once again, industry commissions can vary but, using the same 6% example from above, we’d likely see 3% being kept by the Listing Agency. Compare that to the EquitySafe Realty model and that’s a Listing-side commission difference of approximately $4000 on a $200,000 home, $13,000 on a $500,000 home and $28,000 on a 1 million dollar home.

So what’s the catch?

There’s not one. Sometimes “too good” actually is “true”.

While there’s not enough room to explain all of the details here, in short, we’re able to do this because, in my opinion, the techniques utilized to market real estate have become so automated and computerized that there’s no longer that much difference in the marketing efforts required between properties across the various price ranges.

Once again, that’s my opinion and some of my competitors might disagree but I believe it to be true so, if you are thinking about selling, before you list, call us to compare both services and price...I’m pretty sure we’ll make a believer out of you as well.

I can be reached directly via email at Will@EquitySafeRealty. com or via phone at 1-843-YOU-LIST. Thanks for reading, have a great day!

Will McCullough President - EquitySafe Realty, LLC see our ad on page 2 Paid For Adverisement

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

39

White Kitchens are White Hot!

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story by andrea antunes mcgilton

hite motifs continue to dominate kitchen décor and Distinctive Granite and Marble now offers a new white quartz product that has taken the lowcountry by storm.

Called PolarStone, this quartz surface stone requires virtually no maintenance and mimics the look and feel of classic marble.

“PolarStone has really enabled homeowners to have the white marble-look kitchens they want,” said Anneli Badenhorst, project manager at Distinctive Granite and Marble’s new Beaufort showroom on Burton Hill Road.

Distinctive is the lowcountry’s exclusive distributor of PolarStone and has seen it explode in popularity since introduced last year.

PolarStone has established itself as a revolutionary new product that combines the timeless beauty of marble patterns with quartz surface technology. The stone shows threedimensional marble veins that change in shape, color and size throughout each slab, while achieving the identical natural translucency of marble. The enduring spirit and beauty of white Italian marble, like Carrara and Calacatta, is flawlessly captured in PolarStone.

With an option that offers easy maintenance, white stone surfaces are increasingly popular, used to create modern, clean, open spaces that reflect natural light and provide a subtle background for art and furnishings. White can be used to create kitchens that are modern, traditional, transitional or sophisticated. White kitchens are classic, they defy trends, and they are the perfect backdrop for punches of color or a mixture of styles.

Today, the desire for the elegance of classic white marble, once avoided in many applications, can now be satisfied without

reservation. PolarStone marries the aesthetics of marble to the surface performance of quartz. It is resilient against scratches, stains, chips and heat, and requires very little maintenance.

Traditional marble colors beyond white are also offered.

In their quest to use extend creativity in white kitchens, local designers are often opting to use white-on-white, mixing tones, textures and finishes of multiple white products within the same space. A stone can be finished in two to three different ways to create sophisticated and subtle differences that make a big statement about attention-to-detail and individual creativity.

White bath countertops can coordinate with white tiled floors, stone shower walls and borders in a sophisticated neutral palette that encompasses tones, textures and varieties of white products.

Beyond white, for the slightly more adventurous, charcoal greys, neutral pastels and tinted whites are attractive alternatives.

In fact, grey and silver-grey granite are now considered neutral since they pair easily with white and accent colors. Grey can be “cool” or “warm” depending on its tone. Grey is now a timeless kitchen and bath choice that is never outdated.

The big story here: the options for stone use have never been more exciting or unlimited for renovations and new construction.

Even a small budget can allow new countertops or accent stone that can make substantial visual impact and provide practical upgrades. A visit to Distinctive Granite and Marble will open your eyes to the world of possibilities available within every budget. *** Andrea Antunes McGilton is sales manager at Distinctive Granite and Marble, the company founded by her father, John Antunes, over 30 years ago. Distinctive has showrooms in Hilton Head Island, Riverwalk, Beaufort and Pooler (Savannah).

Beaufort Grand Opening!

Showroom. Fabrication Shop. Stone Yard.

10% Off All Installations* Granite. Marble, PolarStone. All Stone.

Price Match for Existing Quotes** DGM Beaufort Showroom 39 Burton Hill Road • 843.379.5012

PolarStone offers the beauty of classic marble with easy maintenance and affordability.

40 October/November 2015 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Opening Celebration!

Thursday, April 28, 2 to 7 p.m.

Food & Beverage, Gifts and Giveaways *Minimum purchase $2500. Must be ordered April 1 – May 31, 2016. **All written quotes must have been obtained within past 60 days.

Proud to be the 1 Choice For Quartz. st

White kitchens and baths are a top trend and PolarStone quartz is making it practical and affordable. Capturing the beauty and translucence of white marble, PolarStone also offers ease of maintenance and affordability. It’s no wonder quartz is a top choice of today’s home owners. Distinctive Granite and Marble is the lowcountry’s exclusive distributor of PolarStone.

Visit the Beaufort Showroom Today!

39 Burton Hill road (Just 1/2 mile off roBert smalls Parkway) • 843-379-5012 otHer distinctive sHowrooms: Hilton Head island • riverwalk • savannaH

G ranite • M arble • t ravertine • O nyx • l iMestOne • s l ate • t ile • Q uartz

distinctivegraniteandmarble.com Distinctive Granite and Marble supports cancer research and is the presenting sponsor for the Beaufort and .B Hilton Head Island Relay for Life events. www eaufort Lifestyle .com | February/March 2016

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Offering The Beaufort Area Professional

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SURVEYING

f you’re looking for high quality, personal and professional service, you’ve come to the right place. At Beaufort Surveying, Inc. we’ll give you the attention and personal service you’ll come to expect and enjoy.

We have always been able to provide our clients with the most accurate and timely land surveying services. A longstanding member in Beaufort’s business front, we are involved with the many aspects of Beaufort’s growth and development. The development that Beaufort County has encountered lends itself to the numerous endeavors experienced in the surveying field. Our repertoire includes, but is not limited to Boundary Retracement, Tree and Topographic Survey, Subdivision Design and Layout and Construction Staking.

We provide residential and commercial land surveying services in the Lowcountry of South Carolina including Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton and Colleton Counties. We can provide Boundary Surveys, Closing Plats, Elevation Certificates, Tree Surveys, Topographic Surveys, Dock As-built, Dock Permits, Subdivisions, Construction Staking, As-built Surveys and ALTA-ACSM Land Title Surveys. We utilize the best and latest equipment to accomplish these services in an accurate and timely fashion including survey grade GPS equipment.

Know Your Boundary...

WITH BEAUFORT SURVEYING, INC.

• Boundary Retracement • Tree Survey • Togographic Surveys • Subdivision Design • Layout and Construction Staking 2201 Boundary Street Suite 103 Beaufort, South Carolina (843) 524-3261

Oyster Cay Collection Paid For Adverisement

Oyster Cay Collection Focusing On Unique, Functional Pieces Oyster Cay Collection

O

yster Cay Collection is one of the top 10 importers of antique teak furniture into the United States. Our focus has been to buy unique, functional pieces— Proud Sponsor Of items that fit into any home whether the style is Beaufortcan International Film Festival Large selection of one of a kind teak furniture,contemporary or traditional. for indoor or out We import furniture and handicrafts through the island of Perfect for Lowcountry living but, most originate from Java, Sumatra, and Bali, Indonesia Handcrafted placemats, lamps,Lombok. unique homeThe décor,antique furniture you see in Oyster Cay Collection woven and beaded women’s accessories of the Dutch February 10-14, 2016 is primarily Colonial style—simple lines, hand wrought, and generally teak.

Teak, indigenous to Southeast Asia, Old Bay Marketplace | 917 Bay Street, Suite I | Historic Downtown is the preferred building material with few knots and a beautiful 843-525-0485 patina.

Mon thru Sat 10 to 5pm and Sunday Noon to 4pm Most of our tables date to the 1930s. The cabinets are in that Shipping and delivery available | Oystercaycollection.com Proud Sponsor Of same vintage, and several of the armoires from the early 20th Beaufort International Film Festival Large selection of one of a kind teak furniture, century. They are all original pieces, but have been rebuilt, out Large selectionforofindoor teakorfurniture, for indoor and out. and refinished to make them a truly exceptional addition to your home. We also purchase a few newly constructed pieces.

Perfect for Lowcountry living Those new pieces are made from old wood, Borneo rosewood, Handcrafted placemats, lamps, unique home décor, Handcrafted placemats, lamps, unique home decor ironwood, or teak. You will also find Indonesian handicrafts— woven and beaded women’s accessories February 10-14, 2016 woven placemats, covered trays, beaded purses, hand carved Old Bay Marketplace wooden birds and Buddha, wall panels, and many other home Old Bay Marketplace | 917 Bay Street, Suite I | Historic Downtown 917 Bay Street, Suite 1 Historic Downtown accessories.

843-525-0485 We also design pieces, which are made using reclaimed teak.

843-525-0485 Oystercaycollection.com Mon thru Sat 10 to 5pm and Sunday Noon to 4pm We can draw up your piece to suit your specifications. Call or Shipping andShipping delivery available Oystercaycollection.com and |delivery available email us for a free quote on any design or shipping costs.

Perfect for Lowcountry living

42 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Paid For Adverisement

Need Home Renovations?

W

hat’s In A Name? In the case of Hallaluyah Restoration, check the company’s mission statement, which reads: “We try to grow daily as spiritual people, doing honest work in a managed businesslike manner. This enhances our ability to execute a service deeply rooted in family values. We want to give you the renovation that will bring one phrase to mind - ‘HALLELUYAH.’” That’s what’s in Halleluyah Restoration’s name.

Everything.

What is Halleluyah Restoration? It’ s locally owned and family operated by owners Marc and Kristina Pack, who’ve been in the exterior restoration business since 2005. They do everything from windows and doors to fencing and decks, and from siding and gutters to additions and porches, and though they’re based in Effingham County, they do renovations from Beaufort County, S.C. to Bulloch County, Ga. They use the finest materials, like Trex decking and Simonton Windows. They also offer financing. With both a Facebook page and an easy to navigate website, getting a quote is as easy as going on line and asking for someone to come out and take a look at the job.

And Halleluyah Restorations gives back to such worthy causes as recreation sports and Habitat for Humanity. That’s why, when the company opens up its 3,500-square foot showroom at 2667 Highway 80 in Bloomingdale on Saturday, May 14, a good portion of the proceeds from various raffles will be donated to

help others.

“It’s really important to our company to give back to our community,” said Marc Pack. “We’re here to provide more than a service. We strive to be professional, to do the best work possible and to give back.”

But don’t just take Marc’s word for it. Online reviewers also give Halleluyah Restorations high marks. This 5-star review was posted on Facebook by a Statesboro man: “Halleluyah Restoration installed a double french door in our home. They were prompt, courteous and finished their work with excellence. They earned my highest commendation. They are good people. The entire crew was respectful, responsive and left everything in perfect condition.”

Here’s another 5-star shout out to Halleluyah Restoration from a school teacher in Screven County: “The terrific team from HalleluYAH Restoration out of Guyton just finished my privacy fence. Lowes sent them out here. They were hard working,very professional, and well mannered. My fence is perfect!! Thank you!”

There’s more where those came from, and additional 5-star ratings on other sites as well. So Google Halleluyah Restorations and see what satisified customers are saying. Or, for more information, visit www.912homeworks.com on Facebook or call 912-313-0278 Paid For Adverisement

Effingham Exterior Experts

Windows and Doors • Fencing and Decks Siding and Gutters • Additions and Porches Financing available

Come see our showroom: 2667 Hwy 80 Bloomingdale GA 31302 Call us for a free estimate: (912)313-0278 • 912homeworks.com www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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3.875 X 5

CAROLINA AIR, INC. COMMITMENT. A Tradition of Service COMFORT. TRUST. .................

.................

Your home is your sanctuary. Your family counts on you to provide them with comfort and a healthy environment, and you count on Carolina Air to deliver everything to you with service you can trust. Guaranteed!

It takes years to build trust and only a moment to destroy it. That’s why at Carolina Air, we never betray the trust of our customers. We stand by our word and we stand behind our work.

The most important day in the life of your central air system is the day that is it installed. Even the best equipment won’t deliver its promised comfort without a precision installation.

Surveys show that up to 90% of installations have problems: incorrect sizing, an inadequate refrigerant charge, leaky ductwork, airflow issues and more. At Carolina Air, we work to be in the top 10% of superior installations. And we back it up with a 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back.

Once your system is installed, Carolina Air continues to make sure it does its job to keep you comfortable. Our service agreements maintain your equipment so it lasts longer, retains efficiency and spots potential problems before they become major issues.

It’s simple really; we do whatever it takes to please our customers. Everyone at Carolina Air shares this dedication to complete customer satisfaction.

Paid For Adverisement

843.524.2581

L

www.carolina-air.com

orrie Stroud moved to Beaufort full time in 2009 from Richmond, Virginia.

She first discovered the Lowcountry of South Carolina in 1985 when she and her family moved to Charleston for a few years. After one camping trip to Hunting Island, she was smitten with the charm of Beaufort and the Sea Islands.

Lorrie owned a successful mortgage brokerage business in Louisa County, VA. She has over 30 years of experience in the mortgage banking / real estate industry. Her positions include real estate closings for law firms, working as a real estate appraiser and real estate sales consultant.

She has worked in private communities, builder communities and now general brokerage; which includes acreage, single family homes, multi-family, as well as commercial. She also enjoys working with investors and invests in local real estate market herself.

Lorrie loves sharing her passion and love for the area, and will help make your dream of living in the Lowcountry a reality.

She has the ability to read between the lines and find the right community and home for her clients. She is mindful of the smallest detail and will make your move a stress free event. She has a servant’s heart and is always willing to help. Call her today!

933A Paris Avenue, Port Royal, SC 29935 cell: (843) 476-7572 CoastalREsolutions.com

44 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Beautiful Home on the National Historic Registry

Beachfront Home with 2 full acres. This 1893 home was the original caretaker cottage to the Historic Coffin Point Plantation. The home has a breathtaking view of the Port Royal Sound with expansive lawn - great for entertaining.

The beach front is quiet and secluded. This property has ample room to build another home as well - create your family compound. It is a lovely 2 story with original heart pine floors. The 3 Bed, 3 Bathroom has a nice entry, large mud room, kitchen with sitting area, along with formal dining and large family room with fireplace. It also has a huge screen porch that wraps along 2 sides with great views of the sound.

Home Offered By: Lorrie D. Stroud Coastal Real Estate Solutions

cell: (843) 476-7572 lorrie.stroud@gmail.com Paid For Adverisement

Upscale Furniture, Antiques and Accessories

J

im and Candice Thomas have owned The Front Porch Consignment shop, located in the Tidewatch business center, for 16 years. Seven years ago, their precious dog, Beau, came on the scene as the shop greeter!

The Front Porch specializes in carrying unique items that may not can be found at other places. They strive to supply their patrons with clean, upscale, gently-used furniture and decorative items at affordable prices.

The shop always has a wide variety of merchandise. New items are brought in on the floor each Tuesday and Thursday. You may bring merchandise to Candice or schedule a time for her to meet with you.

She will work with you on establishing the best pricing for your items. Free pick up is available, ad they also have delivery and set up service for purchased items for reasonable fee.

They strive for customer and consignor satisfaction!

Jim is also the pastor of the “Pentecostals of Beaufort” church.

“My Thrift Shop”, located in the same business center, is part of the church. All profits of the thrift shop provide for Sunday school classrooms and supplies for the primaries and teens. Jim and Candice want to thank the community for shopping and donating items to help their church.

The Front Porch CONSIGNMENTS!

Upscale Furniture, Antiques & Accessories 206 Sea Island Parkway, (Hwy. 21) (Tidewatch), Lady’s Island (.04 Mile South of Publix)

521-3090

Open Tues-Sat

Pick Up & Delivery

Paid For Adverisement

Looking for us?

Check Out Our Website For A Full Distribution List www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Meet the

Ethan James, REALTOR

AGENTS 933A Paris Avenue, Port Royal, SC 29935 cell: (843) 812-0060 fax: (843) 987-0238 ethan@coastalREsolutions.com www.ethanjamesrealestate.com

843-379-5503

35 Parris Island Gateway • Beaufort, South Carolina 29906

TENTS TABLES TUXEDOS PORTALETS CHAIRS CHINA FLATWARE LINENS GLASSES WEDDING ARCHES PHOTO BOOTH

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | June/July 2015

45

Let’s Do Business...

Nationally Recognized

RESTORATION & CONSERVATION OF FINE PERIOD FURNITURE AND DECORATIVE ART

IN BEAUFORT We are the Lowcountry Property & Flood EXPERTS

We offer competitive prices because we represent many insurance carriers... not just one!

24 Market Beaufort, SC In The Habersham Marketplace www.jsdoigrestoration.com

860.930.5070 Meeting Space Available In Beautiful Downtown Beaufort!

Meeting Space On The Waterfont for up to 70 people in our newly renovated banquet room.

Room now available to rent for baby showers, small business meetings, from 2-30 people.

80 Ladys Island Drive, Beaufort, SC 29907

843.522.2020

jalthoff@insuranceserv.com www.lowcountryinsurance.com

46 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Sea Island Inn

1015 Bay Street • Beaufort, South Carolina (843) 522-2090 • siibeaufort.com

real estate

This Home is Offered By: Greg Bennett (843) 812-0623 greg@beaufortrealtyconsultants.com

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

47

Beaufort’s First Choice in Property Management

• RESIDENTIAL • VACATION • COMMERCIAL

Serving Beaufort, Bluffton and Hilton Head

910 Charles Street Beaufort, SC 29902 Rentals & Property Management

843-521-1942

www.VisitSeaIslandRentals.com

Serving Beaufort and the Sea Islands

Fripp Island, Harbor Island, Coosaw Point, Beaufort 2 Harbor Drive Harbor Island, SC 29920 843-838-3004- office 48 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

20 The Horseshoe Coosaw Point, SC 29907 www.islandrealty.info 888-374-7747 - toll free “Open Daily”

C

PRI

Sing Pappas

ION

UCT

ED ER

Available, Professional, Experienced Sing@ApexTeamLLC.com

MOBILE: 843-252-2424 OFFICE: 843-321-9204 1503 Paris Avenue Port Royal, SC, 29935 ForSaleInBeaufort.com

10 MISES ROAD

Beautiful, traditional Lowcountry home in New Point, one of Beaufort’s most sought after neighborhoods!

The wide double front porches are the perfect place to entertain or simply enjoy the outdoors. A gorgeous sunroom is the perfect place for family time and easily flows into the eat in kitchen. The first floor also hosts a large utility room as well as a bedroom and full bath. There is a large Master Suite and cozy bedroom upstairs, both with en suite baths. Walk down the tree lined sidewalks to enjoy the community dock! This home has wonderful updates, has been well cared for and is ready for new owners!

MLS#143828 $410,000

84 OAKS PLANTATION TOAD

Stunning 2 acre estate on St. Helena Island just minutes to the heart of Beaufort. Build your dream home on this beautiful site located on Cowen Creek complete with a private dock and float. Sweeping water views from this partially wooded land with magnificent oaks throughout. There is open land as well as wooded areas which makes this parcel very diverse. Enjoy the convenience of being close to everything yet have your own waterfront paradise tucked away. This is truly a special piece of property just waiting for someone to make it their home! MLS#146669 $332,000

Amy Achurch REALTOR

Weichert Realtors Palmetto Coast

Carl Joye

MOBILE: 843-575-2898 CarlJoye@ApexTeamLLC.com

30 years Local & Reliable Knowledge & Experience

843-441-5748 Amy@BallengerRealty.com

W W W. B E A U F O R T T I M E . C O M

Apex Team Real Estate OFFICE: 843-321-9204 1503 Paris Avenue, Port Royal, SC 29935 ForSaleInBeaufort.com

Explore The Coast Line For Your New Home

AUFORT E B M O R F

TO HILTON HEAD

TO SAVA N

NAH

AND ALL ALONG THE COAST OF GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA

“Connecting People and Places” Annette Bryant REALTOR®

843-986-7343 • 843-986-2444 www.CoastalRealEstateinMotion.com Annette.Bryant@ColdwellBanker.com 1211 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29902 www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

49

NEWS AND NOTES

Cultural Treasures Inducted Into The Penn Center 1862 Circle

I

t is at this time each year that the historic Penn Center celebrates its 1862 Circle Gala. The Gala is the non-profit’s major fundraiser spearheaded by the Board of Trustees of Penn Center. The formal affair welcomes over 500 guests to witness the induction of individuals and organizations into the prestigious 1862 Circle.

The Board of Trustees of Penn Center and Executive Director, Dr. Rodell Lawrence is pleased to announce Lipman Family Farms as the 2016 Visionary Sponsor of the 1862 Circle Gala.

Lipman Family Farms have been long committed to philanthropy and community service. Lipman’s goal is to support organizations like Penn Center that provide long-term solutions to real social issues—centered primarily on children, education and hunger relief.

First established in 2003, the 1862 Circle recognizes leaders who embody the spirit of Penn Center and who serve as national advocates for the enduring history and culture of the Sea Islands.

The name celebrates the founding of Penn School, now Penn Center, in 1862.

This year’s Gala will celebrate “Cultural Treasures: Health, Art and Service” by inducting into membership Robert “Bobby” Middleton, an author and faithful docent; Reverend Dr. Elijah Washington, a dedicated and devoted physician, and Anita Singleton-Prather, a cultural educator and entertainer. This year’s In-Memoriam honorees are Leroy E. Browne, Sr. and Corinne J. Browne, along with Jonathan N. Francis, Sr. Robert “Bobby” Middleton, a St. Helena Island native, attended Penn Normal, Agricultural and Industrial School and is a sixteen-year dedicated docent for the York W. Bailey Museum where he welcomes 75,000 visitors annually to Penn Center. He is the co-author of With Open Arms: The Robert Middleton Story. Mr. Middleton enjoys providing private tours of the St. Helena Island Gullah community and guided tours of Penn Center’s 50-acre National Historic Landmark District. He also serves as one of the caretakers of the Coffin Point Praise House, one of only four praise houses still in existence on St. Helena Island. Mr. Robert “Bobby” Middleton is a long-time member of Penn Club, Inc., has served as Deacon of First African Baptist Church on St. Helena Island for 30-years, and is a promoter of St. Helena Island Gullah culture.

50 April/May 2016 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

Reverend Dr. Elijah Washington, a Sheldon native, is a retired Doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology who practiced and served the community for over 47-years within his private practice, Beaufort Memorial Hospital and Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton Comprehensive Health Services (BJHCHS), where upon his dedicated service called “The Elijah Washington Era” (19711983) is a direct result of BJHCHS’s most remembered history. He is the author of Moma, I Can’t Smile (2013), Afro-Americans and Beaufort Memorial Hospital: the Upward Struggle in the Early Years (2013), and co-authored numerous publications that were released in The Journal of Medical Society of New Jersey and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Reverend Dr. Elijah Washington is presently the pastor of First African Baptist Church of St. Helena Island.

Anita SingletonPrather, a Beaufort native, is a Gullah ambassador, actor, director, entertainer and master storyteller.

She brings Gullah culture alive through her creation of “Aunt Pearlie-Sue,” a character inspired by her beloved grandmother. Ms. Prather is the founder of the musical performance group The Gullah Kinfolk and of ASE Gullah Education, an organization that strives to educate the world through the arts, about the rich and unique Gullah culture. Ms. Anita Singleton-Prather has appeared and performed at many festivals, including the Penn Center Heritage Days Celebration and Spoleto Festival USA, in movies, like Forrest Gump, and films broadcast nationally on PBS and ETV, including the newly released Circle Unbroken: A Gullah Journey from Africa to America.

Leroy E. Browne, Sr. and Corinne J. Browne, of St. Helena Island, were both dedicated to Penn School—Penn Center and the community. Corinne Jefferson Browne is a 1936 graduate of Penn School who studied at Hampton University. She was the founder and first Director of the Penn Nursey School which she

organized in 1950. This was the only program of its kind in the Lowcountry at the time and was met with much skepticism in the community. Mrs. Browne further proved her dedication to the community when she opened her home to children in the program to assist parents who worked late hours. During her 25year tenure she touched the lives of over 500 children, who demonstrated their learning readiness when they enrolled in the public school system. Corinne J. Browne was married to Leroy E. Browne, Sr. and she died in 2008. Mr. Browne began his involvement with Penn Center as a child, graduating from the Penn School in 1934. He also graduated from Hampton Institute in 1940. Browne worked at Penn School for 25-years as Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. Mr. Leroy Browne, a former Beaufort County Councilman, was South Carolina’s first African American elected official after Reconstruction. St. Helena Island’s first health center, part of Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, was named in Mr. Browne’s honor in 1980. When he retired in 1980, Browne was given the state’s highest honor, The Order of the Palmetto, presented by former Governor Richard Riley for accomplishments and contributions to the state. Mr. Leroy E. Browne, Sr. died in 2007.

Jonathan N. Francis, Sr., a native of Clarendon County was a son of sharecroppers. He found domestic work in his early adulthood which eventually led to earning a free college education. Mr. Francis earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from South Carolina State College and soon became a teacher and principal of Bluffton Colored Grade School in 1942. It was in 1948 that he became the first public school principal of Penn School, as well as the school’s first African American principal. Mr. Francis later served as the first principal of St. Helena High School 1948—1963. Mr. Jonathan N. Francis, Sr. died in 1963.

In keeping with its mission, Penn Center strives to promote the Gullah Geechee art forms by featuring the work of area artists.

“Songs of Zion,” a painting from the Penn School Collection, was donated and created by Gullah-Creole artist, Diane BrittonDunham, whose paintings are well known for themes that represent her heritage and deep roots in the South Carolina Lowcountry and the Louisiana Bayous. Penn Center is grateful to Mrs. Diane Britton-Dunham for granting permission to feature

“Songs of Zion” for the 2016 Gala.

Through the years, Penn Center has inducted thirty individuals and organizations into the 1862 Circle, along with eight InMemoriam honorees. Some of the members include: Emory S. Campbell, Vernon Jordan, James Denmark, the Honorable John Lewis, the Honorable James E. Clyburn, Jonathan Green, the Honorable Ernest F. “Fritz.” Hollings, Thomas C Barnwell, Jr., the Honorable Robert Smalls, Phylicia Rashad, Roland Gardner, Louis O. Dore, Marian Wright Edelman, Former South Carolina Governor Richard “Dick” Riley, Penn School founders and educators, Lauran Towne, Ellen Murray and Charlotte Forten, and recently departed author and educator, Pat Conroy.

Organizations and support groups inducted into the 1862 Circle include: The Penn Club, Inc., Sankofa Circle, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort, Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton Comprehensive Health Services and the historic Brick Baptist Church.

The Board of Trustees of Penn Center, Inc. cordially invite you to attend the thirteenth annual 1862 Circle Gala to be held on April 30th, at the Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head Island.

Reception and silent auction will begin at 6:00 p.m. Formal dinner and induction program is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with music for the occasion by jazz and blues singer, Jan Spencer. For more information on making a seat or table reservation, please contact Penn Center: (843) 838-2432, info@penncenter.com or www.penncenter.com. The 1862 Circle Gala the major fundraiser for Penn Center, Inc., a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization.

Beaufort Lifestyle | April/May 2016 51

NEWS AND NOTES

New York Times Bestselling Author of The Summer Girls

W

edding season has arrived in New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe’s newest novel, A LOWCOUNTRY WEDDING (Gallery Books; on-sale May 3, 2016; Trade Paperback, $16.00), the next installment in the “distinct, complex, and endearing” (Charleston Magazine) Lowcountry Summer series.

Nothing could be more enchanting than a summer wedding—or two!—in storied Sullivan’s Island. A centuries-old plantation, an avenue of ancient oaks dripping moss, a sand dune at sunset… it’s all picture perfect, and half-sisters Dora, Carson, and Harper, and their grandmother Marietta “Mamaw” Muir couldn’t be more excited. Venues are booked, favors selected, and delectable cakes tasted. What could possibly go wrong?

The answer, the Muir clan is soon to find out, is everything. Carson can’t wait to

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be Blake’s bride, until she realizes it means giving up her freedom . . . Harper makes a discovery that will change the course of her and Taylor’s lives, not to mention their impending wedding . . . and a newly unfettered Dora has no plans to walk down the aisle at all—but she just might, if Devlin has anything to say about it.

Just when it seems things couldn’t get more complicated for the Muir sisters, a stranger arrives bearing a long-held family secret that has the potential to upend even the most carefully laid-out plans. With the weddings mere weeks away and the sisters in flux, it’s up to Mamaw to come to the rescue and see her Summer Girls through to their very own happily-ever-afters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including The Summer Girls, The Summer Wind, The Summer’s End, Last Light Over Carolina, Time Is a River, Sweetgrass, Skyward, The

Beach House, Beach House Memories, Swimming Lessons, The Four Seasons, and The Book Club. Her books have received numerous awards, including the 2008 South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing, the 2014 South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence, the 2015 SW Florida Author of Distinction Award, the RT Lifetime Achievement Award, and the International Book Award for Green Fiction. An active conservationist, she lives in the lowcountry of South Carolina. Visit her at MaryAliceMonroe.com and at Facebook. com/MaryAliceMonroe.

Known for her intimate portrayals of women’s lives, Mary Alice Monroe’s writing has gained added purpose and depth with her books set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. An active environmentalist, Monroe draws themes for her novels from nature and the parallels with human nature, thus drawing attention to various endangered species and the human connection to the natural

world.

Mary Alice is involved with several environmental groups and is on the board of the South Carolina Aquarium, the Leatherback Trust, and Charleston Volunteers for Literacy. Her volunteer work with these and other groups provided the inspiration for her novels, The Beach House Trilogy.

With the same heart of conservation, Monroe has written two children’s picture books, TURTLE SUMMER and A BUTTERFLY CALLED HOPE. The Lowcountry Summer series is her newest endeavor and is set against the backdrop of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. THE SUMMER GIRLS, the first book in the series, was released summer 2013 and introduces the complex relationships between three sisters of the Muir family at Sea Breeze, their historic home on Sullivan’s Island, S.C. The second installment, THE SUMMER WIND was released in 2014 and book three, THE SUMMER’S END was published in summer 2015. The last in the series, A LOWCOUNTRY WEDDING

will be released May 2016.

Mary Alice Monroe is the author of nearly two dozen novels, several non-fiction titles, and children’s books. Her body of work reflects her commitment to the natural world through literature.

Monroe has served on the faculty of numerous writer’s conferences and retreats. She is a featured speaker at events, both literary and conservation.

Her books have achieved several best seller lists, including the New York Times, SIBA, USA Today and are sold worldwide. Her children’s books received several awards, including the ASPCA Henry Bergh award. Monroe was awarded the SC Center for the Book Award for Fiction and the International Book Award for Green Fiction. In May 2014, she was awarded the Career Achievement Award for mainstream fiction by RT Book Reviews, SW Florida’s Distinguished Author Award, and the South Carolina Book Festival Literary Excellence Award.

And be sure to check out more books from Mary Alice Monroe!

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NEWS AND NOTES

C

larence “C.J.” Cummings Jr. has continued opening eyes and winning competitions since last we visited -- he was on the cover of the August/September 2014 issue of Beaufort Lifestyle - and the Beaufort native is now considered by some to be a strong favorite to win an Olympic medal for the U.S. men’s team. The only question seems to be when and what medal. Some say he’s an early favorite to break the U.S. Men’s team’s more than five-decade long streak without a Gold medal.

And why not?

Though still in high school and measuring only 5-foot-2 and 152 pounds, C.J., 15, has already set 18 men’s and youth records in U.S. competition, including one that came after he lifted 175 kilos in the clean and jerk at the U.S. National Meet in August 2015 in Dallas.

Yes, 175 kilos. That’s more than 385 pounds. And that’s more than the average refrigerator weighs. In fact, it’s more than a lot of things weigh.

No wonder then that Cummings, who trains under coach Ray Jones, is considered everything from a phenom to one of the strongest kids in the world. C.J’s performances have earned him such nicknames such “The Lebron James of Weightlifting,” by none other than the Wall Street Journal. It seems a fitting sobriquet for a kid who has already been featured by CBS News, the Washington Post and USA Today, which in an August 2015 story noted “If we had an award for Most Likely to Appear on a Wheaties Box, Cummings ... a weightlifting phenom, would’ve won in a landslide.”

If that seems pretty heady stuff, it is. But Cummings, the son of Clarence Sr. and Savasah Cummings, continues by all accounts to be a great kid, no matter the level at which he competes. Our advice: Don’t be surprised when he brings an Olympic medal home to Beaufort.

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刀椀挀栀愀爀搀 䘀⸀ 倀漀爀挀攀氀氀椀Ⰰ 䐀䐀匀 䄀氀瘀椀渀 䠀⸀ 䐀愀渀攀渀戀攀爀最Ⰰ 䐀䐀匀 䨀愀礀 刀⸀ 䘀爀椀攀搀洀愀渀Ⰰ 䐀䐀匀

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | April/May 2016

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(BACK ROW) Pauline Phillips, FNP-C; F. Carl Derrick III, MD; Nicholas Dardes, DO; Dan Smith, DO (FRONT ROW) Veronica Smalheiser, ANP-BC; Robert Parrick, DO; Jenny Martin, NP-C; Craig Floyd, MD; Erin Scott, ANP-BC

At Lowcountry Medical Group, our board-certified internists Drs. Nicholas Dardes, F. Carl Derrick III and Robert Parrick and family medicine specialists Drs. Craig Floyd and Dan Smith — along with their team of certified nurse practitioners Jennifer Martin, Pauline Phillips, Erin Scott and Veronica Smalheiser — are currently accepting new patients.

Committed to providing excellence in care for the past 19 years, Beaufort Memorial Lowcountry Medical Group offers a full range of general adult outpatient medical services, from diagnosis and treatment to case management and total coordination of care across the life spectrum. In addition to primary care physicians and nurse practitioners, the practice also includes specialists in gastroenterology, gynecology, cardiology and neurology.

Call (843) 770-0404 to schedule an appointment.

300 Midtown Drive, Beaufort

Accepting most major medical health insurance plans, including commercial insurance, Medicare and Tricare

BEAUFORT MEMORIAL PHYSICIAN PARTNERS IS A MULTISPECIALTY PHYSICIAN GROUP DEDICATED TO PUTTING PATIENTS’ NEEDS FIRST.

56 February/March 2016 | www.BTo eaufort Lifestyle learn more.com about Beaufort Memorial visit beaufortmemorial.org.