Issuu

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February 2024 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 3

TO THE READERS OF

Lexington Life Magazine

For Voting Us “Best”

BEST PEDIATRIC PRACTICE

BEST OB/GYN PRACTICE

BEST UROLOGY PRACTICE

6 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

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8 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

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FROM THE

inside FEATURES

Lexington Women’s Club ........................ 16 Best of Lexington Life 2024 Winners List.......................................... 23 National School Counseling Week........... 38 7 Tips for Dry Winter Skin...................... 43 Vintage Vinyl SC...................................... 46 EmmanuWheel......................................... 50 Beginner’s Guide to AI............................. 55

publisher

“My heart is so full!” This is one of my wife Donna’s favorite sayings. She repeatedly says this when the kids are all at home and everyone is getting along well. She can be rather dramatic when she speaks it and of course, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Now everyone in our family has their own distinctively “unique” version of verbalizing, “My heart is so full.” With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I have been thinking of something creative to do for Donna. She recently had a routine checkup with her cardiologist, which turned out to be anything but routine. Without going into too much detail, we found out that her heart is literally so full that it is enlarged. It has been a crazy month in our household since her diagnosis, probably more mentally than physically. She has been put on medicine and is doing much better. However, to be honest, I was devastated. Dealing with mortality is not a topic most like to discuss, but when faced with her diagnosis I now understand how much she is “my” person. I also recognize how much I take her for granted and rely on her. For the first time, I pictured my life without her in it. That did not go well. I prayed for strength and God brought us the comfort we needed, as only He can. February is our 2024 Best of Winner’s edition and I’d like to congratulate all the winners and nominees for their successes in our community. I’m presenting Donna, the Best Mother and Wife award this year. If anyone has issues with that, you can take it up with management. Happy Valentine’s Day honey, I love you and all jokes aside, you make my heart so full! Thanks for reading Lexington Life. I appreciate everyone’s support. God bless you and those you love, Todd Shevchik

COLUMNS

Faith Matters......................................... 13 David Clark.............................................. 63

DEPARTMENTS

From the Publisher................................ 9 Calendar of Events............................... 11 Lexington Leader.................................. 15 Spice of Life.......................................... 60

IRMOCHAPINLIFE.COM

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Jan Johnson Editor & Director of Digital Media lexlifeeditor@gmail.com

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10 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

lexingtonlife.com

CALENDAR OF

events

FEBRUARY

Saturday, February 10 The Lake Murray Polar Plunge Lake Murray Dam | Hwy 6 at Corley Mill Rd. Lexington | 10 am – 12 pm This event is part of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Torch Run campaign and 100% of the funds raised directly benefit Special Olympics programs around the state. For more information contact Mike Still at mstill@so-sc.org. Saturday, February 10 Valentine Farm Fest JP Farms of Lexington 118 Liberty Hill Rd. | Lexington 11 am – 4 pm Come join the fun on the farm with horse rides, a kissing booth, a fire pit, photo ops, feeding fun, food trucks, and more. Also, get your Valentine’s Day shopping done with a variety of vendors. Visit their Facebook page for more information. Saturday, February 10 4th Annual Lexington Mother-Son Dance Lexington United Methodist Church 309 East Main St. | Lexington 6 pm - 8:30 pm The 4th Annual Lexington Mother-Son Dance will go “Under the Sea” for a night of fun with snacks, a live DJ, and a balloon drop to wrap up the night. All proceeds will benefit Soccer Superheroes, a soccer league for children with disabilities. Food donations will be collected at the door for Snack Sacks. Visit eventbrite.com for tickets.

Sunday, February 18 2024 Lexington Chili Cookoff Icehouse Amphitheater | 107 West Main St. Lexington | 12 pm – 5 pm At the 10th annual chili cookoff, presented by the Old Mill Brewpub and the Lexington County Blowfish, sample outstanding chili, vote for your favorite, and raise money for Lexington County charitable organizations. For tickets visit goblowfishbaseball.com and for team registration contact john@oldmillbrepub.net. Friday, February 23 Matthew West Don’t Stop Praying 2024 Tour Northside Baptist Church 4347 Sunset Blvd. | Lexington | 7 pm Amidst a world filled with challenges, Matthew West and special guest Cochren & Co. invite you to experience the power of prayer like never before. You won’t want to miss this evening where prayers become melodies, hearts are touched, and souls are encouraged. For tickets visit northsidebaptist.org. Saturday, February 24 Shuckin’ on the Shoals Oyster Roast Saluda Shoals Park | 5605 Bush River Rd. Columbia | 5 pm – 8 pm This annual fundraiser includes all-youcan-eat oysters and steamed shrimp, delicious sides, craft beer and wine, live music, raffles, and prize drawings. For tickets visit icrc.net. Saturday, February 24 Lauren Daigle – The Kaleidoscope Tour Colonial Life Arena | 801 Lincoln St. Columbia | 7 pm The award-winning contemporary Chris-

TRUST EXPERIENCE RESULTS

tian music singer and songwriter brings her tour to Columbia. For tickets visit coloniallifearena.com. Saturday, February 24 Carolina’s Evening of Hope Featuring Hayes’ Heroes The Country Club of Lexington 1066 Barr Rd. | Lexington | 7 pm Proceeds from this event benefit Cure Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the leading SMA research organization in the country. Hosted by Hayes’ Heroes in honor of Hayes Wingard, a local 10-year-old living with SMA Type II. To sponsor, register, or for more information visit curesma. ejoinme.org/carolinas2024register. Saturday, March 2 Lexington Community Health and Safety Fair Lexington Leisure Center | 108 Park Rd. Lexington | 9:30 am – 1:30 pm Sponsored by several local churches, this event will include a variety of screenings, resources, and activities for all ages. For more information visit lexpreschurch.com. Saturday, March 2 The Battle of Bull Street Segra Park | 1640 Freed St. Columbia The Columbia Fireflies host the 3rd annual baseball clash between Clemson University and The University of South Carolina. For more information and tickets visit columbiafireflies.com.

The Downing Group

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February 2024 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 11

At the Law Offices of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC,

NO CASE IS HOPELESS Happy Valentine’s Day! Let us help you plan the perfect meal! Heart Shaped Ribeye Steaks

Caughman’s Famous Onion Sausage Fresh Cuts of Beef, Pork and Poultry Chili Scrapple/Mush Souse/Liver Pudding BBQ and Hash

Thanks for voting us Best Criminal Defense Attorney

Come see us today! Gii Certiﬁcates available!

Caughman’s MEAT ‘N PLACE

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5 off

any purchase of $50 or more Expires 2/29/24

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164 Meat Plant Rd, Lexington (oﬀ Hwy 1 at I-20) TUESDAYYFRIDAY 9AMM6PM SATURDAY 9AMM3PM

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faith MATTERS

DAN WILLIAMS

Associate Pastor for Senior Adults & Congregational Care Lexington Baptist Church 308 E. Main Street, Lexington, SC lexingtonbaptist.org

Keep the Horse in Front of the Cart Two keywords in the Bible have been the subject of debate when it comes to understanding salvation. It involves the proper understanding of the roles of faith and works. Which is more important, what we believe or what we do? The answer is not easy because there are scriptures that seem to support both sides of the question. Christianity was birthed from the Hebrews of the Old Testament who struggled with their physical acts of obedience to God’s commands. When they obeyed God, they were blessed. When they disobeyed, they were punished. Some say the purpose of God’s laws was to prove to us that we could not keep them. That is why God sent His Son Jesus to take the sentence of death for our sins upon Himself so that our sins could be forgiven by our belief in Jesus. Most know John 3:16 which says that “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.” The dying thief on the cross next to Jesus just exhibited the belief that Jesus was who he said he was and was promised paradise after he died. But then there is James 2:17-18 which says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.’” If you have total belief in God, your works will be the result of your belief. Works become part of our worship. Jesus said in John 14:15: “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” His commandments certainly included what He (being present with the Father from the beginning) gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The understanding of this is simplified by thinking of a horse and a cart. The “horse” is Jesus who empowers your salvation in Him alone. But there is a cart, and you are sitting in it. The cart contains your works of obedience which you do because you love the One pulling your cart. And if you think you earn favor or forgiveness of your sins by what you do, you have hitched the horse behind your cart to no avail. n

Thank you Lexington for continuing to choose us as your Preferred Custom Home Builder

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703 NORTH LAKE DR.

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LEXINGTON

leader

by Mary Ann Hutcheson

Mayor Temus C. Miles, Jr. West Columbia Mayor Temus Miles, Jr., grew up in Lake City, South Carolina. He graduated from Lake City High School in 1996, and The Citadel in 2000. He attended law school in Michigan, where he met his wife, Cassie. Both were admitted to the South Carolina Bar Association in 2006. Miles worked as Law Clerk to the Honorable Paul E. Short, Jr. at the South Carolina Court of Appeals, then served as staff counsel in the South Carolina Senate’s Office of Senate Research. He entered private practice in lexingtonlife.com

2010 with The McKay Firm of Columbia, where he practiced civil litigation and became a partner. He started The Miles Firm in 2020, where he continues to practice civil litigation. Miles’ modest demeanor betrays his achievements. “From childhood, this has been a stumble through one progression to the next. I came from a working-class family and still consider myself to be that. This is the level I’ve attained with everybody’s help and the responsibility that I have put into my work. This was

kind of a new endeavor for me.” Miles likes helping people. “I do that as a mayor and a lawyer,” he says. “There’s a lot of synergy between those two. If you’re doing either one of those things for the right reasons and in the right ways, then your motivation is always to help people.” When asked for advice on achieving one’s goal, Miles says, “My advice for anybody in life is to get after it, stick to it, and work hard at it. That’s pretty much the key to everything, in my opinion. Not everybody can go as far as everybody else; that’s an absolute certainty. But for you to go as far as you possibly can, it’s going to take hard work and determination.” Miles was elected mayor of West Columbia in 2019 and was reelected to a second term last November. He says, “I look forward to continuing the serve the people of West Columbia and the State of South Carolina, either as a mayor or attorney, in any way I possibly can.” The Miles and their daughters--Emma, Cate, and Charlotte--are members of The Basilica of St. Peter in Columbia. Miles is an avid walker and enjoys hunting, fishing, and boating. He says he spends most of his free time chasing kids and dogs--one in particular, Pepé. For those who remember the animated French skunk in the Looney Tunes cartoon series Pepé Le Pew, yes, it is that Pepé. n February 2024 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 15

Lexington Women’s Club members from the 1980’s

A Community-Minded Mission:

Lexington Woman’s Club 40th Annual Golf Tourna by Abigail Harris

Lexington Woman’s Club (LWC) is a local organization that is part of the international organization, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, which spans all over the globe. The LWC stems from its South Carolina chapter, with its main headquarters in downtown Columbia, nestled within a historically rich building dating back to the 1800s. 16 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

The LWC began on April 7, 1958, with twenty-one charter members, one of whom, Vie Sandifer, is still a member. Currently, it consists of 48 members from various walks of life, ranging from stay-athome moms to working women and retirees. “These women are united in common goals to make Lexington a better place to live,” says Connie McFarland, former President, and current member. Their motto is “Work Today for a Better Tomorrow”, which they do through friendship, elite loyalty, support, and service to others. These women strongly desire to impact Lexington in significant ways by supporting programs and activities that benefit the people in the community. “We participate, support, and encourage the needs of our community throughout each year,” says McFarland. “Just since

September, we have worked with the Pink Bags of Hope, sponsored World Food Hunger Days, collected and delivered clothing to Midlands Orphan’s Relief, donated to Operation Smile, donated to misplaced veterans, supported the workshops at Lexington County Museum, donated to Ezekiel ministries, provided Thanksgiving cards to nursing homes and Christmas cards to veterans, placed wreaths on cemeteries at Fort Jackson, and decorated Lexington Medical Center for Christmas.” They also offer scholarships to students in the Lexington School District One planning to attend a South Carolina college. In addition to smaller projects they do throughout the year, the LWC votes on a Community Impact Project to focus on for two years. In the past, they have supported the building of the Lexington Public Lilexingtonlife.com

brary, Camp Kemo, and Mission Lexington. They established a childcare center at Lexington Technology Center to assist in childcare for adults going to school who require childcare during class time. They have supported Lexington Children’s Shelter, Lexington Recreation and Aging Commission, the Association for the Protection of the Elderly, the Sexual Trauma Center of the Midlands, Central Midlands Transitional Retreat, Samaritans Well, and Chris Myers’ Children’s Home. They helped bring awareness to breast cancer by funding the mammography van for Lexington Medical Center. The Club has decorated, furnished, and purchased supplies for shelters that assist broken families in crisis, purchased bulletproof vests for the sheriff’s department, and updated the new training facility for the Town of Lexington Police Department. This year, they are supporting Hun-

ger No More of the Midlands/Lexington Community Garden, which provides fresh produce and food education to those who otherwise may not have access to healthy food choices.

ment

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February 2024 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 17

How does the LWC fund all of these incredible projects? It all started in a member’s kitchen back in 1984. McFarland and two co-chairs, Sue Wharton and Sheri Kimball decided a golf tournament fundraiser could be a great way to gather the community to raise money for various needs. The first tournament started with only eight players. Most of those players were members’ husbands. Funds were short during this time, so they raided their husbands’ bars and prepared the food themselves. The winner won a visor, and the losers received boxes of tissues. The ladies had a sense of humor and enjoyed the camaraderie among the players. It was a

Before

After

golf pro, Norman Flynn, and assistant pro, Will Branham, that set this event apart. Their impact continued to spark enthusiasm in future tournaments and helped make it what it is today. The men were able to give guidance to players and help build the event into what it has become. “From 1984, when we were raiding our pantries with meager resources, we are now blessed to have loyal sponsors who assist with food, beverages, gifts, and auction items to help offset tournament costs so more money can be put towards all of our worthwhile projects,” said Sarah Weiss, Treasurer of LWC. She continues, “It is a special day full of fun and fel-

lowship. We are thankful for our donors and community partners who help make it all possible.” This year’s Annual Golf Tournament takes place on Monday, March 25, 2024, at the Country Club of Lexington. Registration and breakfast will begin at 10:00 am with a shotgun tee-off at noon. To learn more about the tournament, contact Jennifer O’Neal at lex.woman.club@ gmail.com or call 803-673-1335. Lexington Woman’s Club is more than just a club, they are a long-standing beacon of light in the community. Visit lexwc. org to learn more about the Club and how to get involved. n

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| February 20 2024 | January-February 20 || LEXINGTONLIFE IRMO-CHAPIN LIFE

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Evening Caregivers Support Group Oakleaf Village hosts a monthly gathering for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s. Gain valuable insights, find encouragement, and receive help in navigating the challenges of the disease with a sense of understanding, support and community.

First Thursday of Every Month | 6:00 PM 800 N. Lake Drive, Lexington, SC 29072

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Senior Living Choices offered by Liberty Senior Living

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2024 Best of Lexington Life Winners Best Accounting Firm Dooley & Company

Best Apartment Complex River Bluff of Lexington

Best Aesthetic Practice Cardinal Wellness and Aesthetics

Asian Restaurant Ganbei Japanese Restaurant & Bar

Best Aesthetic Spa About You Aesthetics

Best Assisted Living Facility Oakleaf Village of Lexington

Best Afterschool Program Palmetto Athletic Center

Best Attorney/Criminal Defense Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr.

Best Allergist Allergy Partners of the Midlands

Best Attorney/Family Law The Farley Law Firm

Best Alterations Kimmy’s Alteration Shop

Best Attorney/Litigation Morgan Litigation Group

Best Ambulance Service (Private) For Life Medical Transport

Best Attorney/Personal Injury Lyle Law Firm

Lexington TRUSTS McCutchen McLean, LLC

Thank you for Voting us Best BBQ Restaurant!

Thank you for voting us Best Probate/Estate Attorney

James L. McCutchen, Robin R. McLean, Claire Y. Dorbandt, Sydney N. Willingham, Chandler J. Hammond

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Restaurant:803-356-1070 Catering: 803-356-1118

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Best Attorney/Probate and Estate McCutchen McLean LLC

Best Car Wash Take 5 Car Wash

Best Attorney/Real Estate The Templeton Law Firm

Best Carpet Store Floor Boys

Best Audiologist Midland Hearing Associates

Best Catering Company Maurice’s Event Catering

Best Auto Body Shop Gilbert Paint & Body

Best Cell Phone/Tablet Repair Smart Phone Medic

Best Auto Performance Shop Kestner Automotive

Best Charter School Gray Collegiate Academy

Best Auto Repair Shop/Domestic Christian Brothers Automotive

Best Chiropractor Old Mill Chiropractic

Best Auto Repair Shop/Foreign B&T Automotive

Best Coin or Collectible Dealer Gilbert Coin & Collectible Exchange

Best Auto Service Department Dealership Herndon Chevrolet

Best College for Working Adults Midlands Technical College

Best Bank First Community Bank

Best Commercial Contractor Hill Construction Company

Best Barber Shop Lexington Barber Shop

Best Commercial Real Estate Agency Century 21 803 Realty

Best BBQ Restaurant Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ

Best Consignment Shop Magnolia Boutique & Resale

Best Breakfast Creekside Restaurant

Best Cosmetic Dentist Southern Shores Dental

Best Buffet Shealy’s Bar-B-Que

Best Cosmetology School Lexington Technology Center

Best Burger O’Hara’s Public House

Best CPA Deese & Company

Best Electrician for 2024!

Serving the Midlands for over a decade!

Thank you For Your Support. RytecElectric.com (803) 399-8879

26 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

Thanks for Voting us Best Event Venue! 2401 Highway 378 Gilbert, SC 29054 (803)-647-4518 www.southernoaks378.com southernoaks378@gmail.com Featured on: Facebook, Instagram, The Knot & Wedding Wire

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Best Credit Union Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union

Best Exterminator Cramer Pest Control

Best Custom Home Builder Epic Homes

Best Facial The Essential Face

Best Damage Restoration Services Palmetto Commercial Services

Best Fast Food Chick-fil-A

Best Dance Company Stepping Out Dance Studio

Best Fence Company Ryan Brewer Enterprises

Best Day Spa Rejuvenations Laser Center & Medical Spa

Best Fitness Center HOTWORX

Best Daycare Northside Baptist Church

Best Florist Lexington Florist

Best Dentist/Adult Robinson Dental

Best Foot Store Foot Savi Comfort Footwear

Best Dentist/Kids Palmetto Smiles

Best Funeral Home Caughman-Harman Funeral Homes

Best Dermatologist Palmetto Dermatology

Best Furniture Store Scott’s Furniture Company

Best Dessert O’Hara’s Bakery Café

Best Garden Center Wingard’s Market

Best Dry Cleaner Lexington Dry Cleaning

Best Gastroenterologist Consultants in Gastroenterology

Best Engineering Firm E Haselden & Associates

Best Glass Store Absolute Glass

Best Electrician Rytec Electric

Best Golf Course Country Club of Lexington

Best Event Venue Southern Oaks

Best Greek Restaurant Bellis House of Pizza

Thank you for voting us Best Home Owner’s Insurance!

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Best Group Fitness Studio RockBox Fitness

Best Hospice Care Medical Services of America

Best Gun and Ammunition Store JCs Outdoors

Best Hotel Wingate by Wyndham

Best Gym MUV Fitness

Best Ice Cream Shop Lick Ice Cream

Best Hair Salon/Adults Milk & Honey Fine Salon

Best Insurance Agent Hal Girard State Farm Insurance

Best Hair Salon/Kids Sharkey’s Cuts For Kids Best Hairstylist Arianne Connors Free Spirited Hair Best Happy Hour O’Hara’s Public House Best Hardware Store Bob’s Ace Hardware Best Healthy Eating Restaurant Clean Eatz Best Heart Doctor Dr. Garrison Morgan MUSC Health Best Heating and Air Company All American Heating & Air Best Home Builder Great Southern Homes Best Home Health Hands and Hearts Home Care

Best Insurance/Auto Misty Stathos State Farm Insurance Best Insurance/Health Jeff Howle HealthMarkets Insurance Best Insurance/Homeowner Herring Insurance Services Best Insurance/Life Farm Bureau Insurance Best Interior Design Paige Butler Interior Styling and Design Best Internet Service Provider Comporium Best Investment Firm Cornerstone Financial Management Best Irrigation The Lawn Smith Best Italian Restaurant Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar

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Best Jewelry Store The Chapman Company Fine Jewelers

Best Men’s Clothing Store Craig Reagin Clothiers

Best Karate/Martial Arts Studio Black Tiger Tae Kwon Do

Best Mexican Restaurant Diablo’s Southwest Grill

Best Kid Friendly Restaurant Flight Deck Restaurant

Best Microbrewery/Local Krafty Draft Brew Pub

Best Landscaping Company Saluda Hill Landscapes

Best Milkshake Rush’s

Best Landscaping Supply Pinestraw Place Landscape Supply

Best Mortgage Company Movement Mortgage

Best Learning Center Mathnasium

Best Mosquito Treatment Mosquito Joe of Lake Murray

Best Manicure/Pedicure Luxx Nail Spa

Best Moving Company The Moving Squad

Best Manufactured Housing Company Lexington Discount Homes

Best Music School Lexington School of Music

Best Marina Lighthouse Marina

Best OB/GYN Lexington Women’s Care

Best Massage Massage Mechanics

Best Oil Change Abbott’s Auto Care & Tire

Best Mattress Store Economy Furniture Company

Best Oncologist SC Oncology Associates

Best Meat Store Old Timey Meat Market

Best Ophthalmology Practice Cardinal Vision

Best Medical Imaging Palmetto Imaging

Best Optometry Practice My Pharmacy & Optical

Best Medical Spa SC My Care

Best Orthodontist The Braces Place

Thank you for voting us the Best Coin and Collectible and Best Place to Sell Gold!

Come see why we are voted Best Carpet Store and Best Place to Buy Flooring!

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Best Orthopedic Practice Palmetto Bone & Joint

Best Place to Buy a Car/New Steve Padgett’s Honda of Lake Murray

Best Pain Management Physicians Pain and Spine

Best Place to Buy a Car/Used Hyatt Cars of Lexington

Best Pediatric Practice Lexington Pediatric Practice

Best Place to Buy a Pool Griffin Pools & Spas

Best Periodontist Palmetto Endodontics

Best Place to Buy a Prom Dress Dazzles Pageant & Prom Apparel

Best Personal Trainer Faith Barbare Simply Fit

Best Place to Buy an RV Camping World

Best Pet Groomer Sutton’s Southern Pet Retreat Best Pet Hospital Cherokee Trail Veterinary Hospital Best Pet Kennel/Boarding Facility Sutton’s Southern Pet Retreat Best Pet Supply Store Lazy Creek Pet Food Center Best Pet Trainer The Leash Connection Best Pharmacy/Local Medicine Mart Pharmacy Best Physical Therapy Practice Drayer Physical Therapy Institute Best Pizza Bellacino’s Pizza & Grinders Best Place to Buy a Boat Captain’s Choice Marine

Best Place to Buy Bath or Kitchen Fixtures Gateway Supply Co. Best Place to Buy Eyeglasses Envision Family EyeCare Best Place to Buy Flooring Floor Boys Best Place to Buy Organic Products 14 Carrot Whole Foods Best Place to Buy Outdoor Furniture Costless Outlet Store Best Place to Buy Paint e.d.’s Paint & Decorating Best Place to Buy Propane Palmetto Propane, Fuels, Ice Best Place to Buy Tires Old School Automotive & Tire Best Place to Buy Windows Stroud Supply

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US

Best Property Management Company

“Columbia’s Home of the $99 Flat Fee Property Management”

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102 Gantt Street, Lexington, SC 29072 • (803) 920-2321

34 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

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Best Place to Sell Gold Gilbert Coin & Collectible Exchange

Best Roofing Company Vista Roofing

Best Place to Work Michelin

Best Salad Momma Rabbit’s Nibbles & Sips

Best Plastic Surgeon Lefkowitz Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics

Best Sandwich Shop Cribb’s Sandwich & Sweet Shop

Best Plumber Piedmont Plumbers

Best Seafood Restaurant Catch Seafood

Best Pressure Washing Company Mathias Pressure Washing

Best Self-Storage Facility Charter Oak Storage

Best Private School Northside Christian Academy

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School Counseling A conversation with a counselor in honor of

National

by Erin Bluvas

Sara Beckett has a huge whiteboard covering one wall of her office at Lexington High School. It’s filled with postgraduation planning, continuing education sessions, administrative tasks, positive affirmations, and more. But it’s written in a dry erase marker for a reason. 38 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

Week

“Sometimes the whole schedule goes out the door,” says Beckett, who was named the school’s counseling director in 2021. “Whether the needs that arise are challenging or uplifting, the students’ needs come first, so, as school counselors, we really don’t know how each day is going to unfold.” This variability is one of the reasons Beckett was drawn to the profession. It was her own high school experience that first attracted her to helping others. A psychology class sparked her interest in mental health, and she majored in the field, with a focus on schools, as a student at Appalachian State University. While school psychologists play a critical role in every school – developing Individualized Education Program plans, working closely with special education teachers, conducting interventions, and more – Beckett decided to pivot to school counseling. She attended Kent State University for a master’s degree – a requirement for the profession. “I wanted to use a holistic approach in working with students to help them achieve success,” Beckett says. “I loved every minute of my program and knew that was exactly where I needed to be.” When it was time to complete her one-year internship, the Fort Mill native worked with her school to find a placement in South Carolina. Out-of-state internships were not the norm, but Beckett was determined to make a difference where she grew up. After a year at Fort Mill High School,

Beckett was hired to open a brand-new middle school in the district. The next year, she repeated the process by opening a high school, but this time she stayed for five years. “Opening two schools in two years was a hectic experience for someone early in their career, but I learned a lot and I was glad to be back in a high school setting,” Beckett says. In 2012, she made the move to Columbia after meeting her husband, who owned a local business. She spent three years at Pelion High School before settling in at Lexington High School, where she now oversees seven other counselors, with the team of eight serving close to 2,500 students. “School counselors are the heart of a school, and, in some ways, we serve as a hub for the community,” Beckett says. “We are a touchpoint for every student in this school and work closely with many of the parents as well.” Her office is often the first point of contact for families with needs not traditionally associated with schools – whether for resources or information. In addition to helping students register for classes and advise them on their career plans, school counselors assist with an array of issues and use their connections and breadth of knowledge to refer to specialists within their network. These may include mental health counselors, social service workers, tutors, legal advisors, and others who can connect students and families with resources to meet both basic (e.g., food, housing) and complex (e.g., guardianship) needs. Referrals might take place during a scheduled meeting, like a check-in with a struggling student or the state-mandated annual Individual Graduation Planning meeting that helps students map out their career plans and how to achieve them. They could also be a result of an interaction that was not on the day’s schedule. “Students often wander into our offices with something they want to talk about, or they might have an urgent need and we are the first people they can think of who can help. Sometimes a teacher walks them over from class,” Beckett says. “This is why each day is never the same. I have plenty of things on my calendar to do, but the day decides how it will go. There are days where nothing goes as expected.” Sometimes that day goes well into the lexingtonlife.com

evening, with Beckett hosting parent nights in the auditorium to provide information about academic scheduling or available resources. Sometimes that day leads her off school grounds to complete a myriad of continuing education requirements and/ or receive legal/ethical updates. “The pace is fast, and the needs are high,” Beckett summarizes of the profession. “It is a very demanding job because the students and families need a lot from the school.” Historically known as guidance counselors, the title transitioned to school counselor to more accurately reflect the proactive academic/achievement planning, collaborative nature, and leadership responsibilities associated with the role. While the American School Counselor Association states that 250 students to 1 counselor is the ideal caseload, this ratio is 464:1 according to the latest available data. Further, eight million U.S. children do not have access to a school counselor. It’s a major issue due to the key role that school counselors play in the development and well-being of American youth. Whether through structured meetings, such as Individualized Graduation Planning, or spontaneous encounters, school counselors help students form healthy mindsets, goals, and behaviors. They facilitate the development of perseverance, time man-

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agement, self-motivation, strategic habits, and collaboration skills. Sometimes it is simply their presence, sitting next to a student while s/he accomplishes something that seems daunting if faced alone. “I had a student ask me if she could come to my office to set up her Midlands Tech account, so she could enroll in classes,” Beckett says. “I know that she is extremely capable and doesn’t technically need me for that, but the answer is always yes. That five minutes of my day – of my support – means everything to her both now and to her confidence moving forward.” For Beckett, the student successes – big or small – are the best part of the job. One day, a win might be that five minutes of a reassuring presence while a teenager engages in the grown-up activity of registering at a community college. Another day might be the culmination of four years of meeting and planning to chart a path to success after high school – whatever that might look like for each individual student. “If we as counselors can remember why we came into this profession and breathe, then we can more fully appreciate these moments,” Beckett says. “Yes, the demands are high and there is a lot on us, but it’s all so rewarding. It’s just about finding the right balance.” n

“School counselors are the heart of a school, and, in some ways, we serve as a hub for the community. We are a touchpoint for every student in this school and work closely with many of the parents as well.”

February 2024 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 39

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Winter Skin Care Tips for Dry Skin by Elizabeth Myers

Winter can be a tough time for your skin. Winter weather can wreak havoc on your skin, leaving it dry and flaky. This is especially true for those with sensitive skin. When the cold weather hits, it’s important to take steps to protect your skin from the elements. Here are some winter skin care tips for dry skin. 1. Moisturize soon after bathing with a rich moisturizer Your body needs moisture to stay healthy, and the best time to apply lotion is immediately after bathing when your pores are open and ready to absorb moisture. If you wait too long, your skin will lose that ability, and it will take longer for the lotion to penetrate and hydrate your skin. 2. Drink lots of water Dehydration can cause dry skin, and that’s especially true in the winter when indoor heating tends to dry out the air in your home and office. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water every day -- eight glasses are recommended for adults. Drink more on days when you exercise or are outside playing in the snow. 3. Wear sunscreen daily Even if you live in a place that doesn’t see too much sun during the winter months, it’s still important to wear sunscreen every day. Sunscreen isn’t just about preventing sunburns -- it also protects against wrinkles and other signs of aging caused by ultraviolet (UV) damage over time. Make sure you choose one with an SPF (sun protection factor) between 30 and 50. It should be applied 20 minutes before going outside so that it has time to absorb into your skin. 4. Avoid over-exfoliating Exfoliation is important for keeping your skin healthy, but if you have dry skin, you may want to avoid exfoliating more than once or twice a week. Excessive exfoliation will only dry out your skin more. Exfoliation removes dead cells from the surface of your skin, which can be beneficial if done properly and in moderation. However, if you have dry or sensitive skin, exfoliating too often, especially in winter, could cause irritation or redness. Also, avoid harsh exfoliators like sea salt scrubs -- opt for gentle types instead. This will help remove dead cells without causing too much damage to your epidermis. 5. Avoid extremely hot baths Hot water strips moisture from the outer layer of your skin and leaves it vulnerable to cracking and flaking. Instead of taking long hot baths or showers every day, opt for warm or lukewarm water instead. After bathing or showering, pat your body dry rather than rubbing vigorously with a towel -- otherwise, you could irritate already sensitive areas like your face further by removing too much natural protective oil from them. 6. Don’t forget your lips and hands Dry lips can crack, which hurts! So, make sure you apply lip balm with SPF throughout the day (even when you are inside). Also, frequently moisturizing your hands during winter can prevent cracking around nails and cuticles, as well as inflammation from dryness or friction from gloves or mittens during outings in the cold weather. 7. Use unscented skin care products Scented products can irritate sensitive skin or cause an allergic reaction in some people, especially during the winter months when their skin is already dry. Stick with fragrance-free products for the best results. Winter skin can be dry, sensitive, and prone to redness. Follow these winter skin care tips for dry skin to keep your skin looking and feeling healthy during the cold months. n lexingtonlife.com

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Vintage

VINYL SC by Betsey Guzior Wayne Mullins picks up the album by folk singer Karen Dalton titled “In My Own Time.” This was the last album she recorded, which was released by Paramount Records in 1971. Since a movie about her tragic life and death was released in 2020, interest has renewed in Dalton’s music. “It’s constantly selling for over $100 online,” he said, as he carefully put the record back into a case at Vintage Vinyl SC, the shop he’s owned for eight years. A sticker on the album reveals it once sold for 44 cents.

46 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

Mullins, 57, has taken his love for music to amass hundreds of vinyl records for sale in his Augusta Road space. He sells new and vintage vinyl records, some for as little as a couple of dollars, and others worth much more. In an era in which music can be found anywhere in so many different formats, vinyl is having a moment. Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, and Billie Eilish led the sales of vinyl in 2023, which increased for the 16th straight year, according to Music Week. New artists are releasing special collections on vinyl. Classic rock bands such as Rush

are reissuing vinyl in special editions. There’s also a revival in finding older music on vinyl, offering a sound unlike that of a CD, the best online streamer, or a cassette. And finding a rare record, well, that’s a collector’s dream. Mullins pulls out Jethro Tull’s “Thick as a Brick” out of a case reserved for his rare finds. Thousands of the ‘70s rock band albums remain in circulation, but this one contains all the inserts, including a mock newspaper. A Pat Benatar album with a “hype sticker” also has a postcard for her fan club. Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” still contains the posters originally sold stored in the album sleeve. It’s these kinds of touches that make older vinyl records more valuable. Mullins, who moved to Lexington in 1988, had been a fan of music even before he went to his first concert, watching Elvis Presley perform in Charleston, West Virginia. “Growing up in West Virginia, there was hunting, fishing, and music,” Mullins said. When he opened the shop in 2017, he stocked the store with a lot of country music, thinking he was speaking to the market. Instead, he found that his clientele wanted more classic rock. And he found many of his younger customers looking for singers such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and the Rat Pack of the 1950s. Classic rock continues to sell well. Elton John, Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Allman Brothers also do very well. Mullins offers tips on beginning a vinyl collection: • Invest in a good turntable. Many of the turntables sold have basic parts that could damage a record. A fully manual turntable

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can sound the best, but it requires paying attention to when the record is over. Playing records is intentional; it’s not just putting on background music and hoping for the best, he said. “So, sit back with a glass of wine or whatever you want to do and just relax and drop the needle and look at the album cover, read the liner notes.” • Store records in a rice paper inner sleeve. Regular paper inner sleeves have an off-gassing effect that could stain the record. • A good album cover doesn’t have frayed edges, so those albums you loved as a teen might be too worn out to be valuable. Mullins and his daughter, Anna, run the shop together. She orders and keeps inventory and maintains their Facebook page. She and her father bond over music, a “universal language,” Anna said. n

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EmmanuWheel Ministry by Tenell Felder EmmanuWheel started from humble beginnings as a group of church volunteers doing home repairs and yard work. Now, the 501(c)(3) ministry has grown to more than 350 volunteers helping others gain safe access to and from their homes. “We partner with other churches, organizations, and businesses to provide wheelchair ramps for people who can’t afford the cost of construction or building materials,” said EmmanuWheel Director Chris Sharpe. “Being a Christian organization, the entire reason why we’re doing this is to share the love of Jesus.” EmmanuWheel serves Richland, Lexington, Saluda, and Aiken counties; however, Sharpe says they will travel to other counties if there is a need. “We’ve done a wheelchair ramp in Goose Creek. We’ve also been asked to go to Rock Hill, Orangeburg, and other places around the state to help,” said Sharpe. Sharpe estimates EmmanuWheel will build 75 ramps this year. Building a wheelchair ramp helps families safely leave their homes with a disabled family member for doctor’s visits or other necessities. Without one, transporting someone with little or no mobility can become dangerous. 50 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

“It could be risking their lives just to leave home. Let’s say the husband is in a wheelchair. His wife has to figure out a way to get him down the steps, and into a car for a doctor’s appointment,” said Sharpe. “In one case, there was a 34-year-old woman who was pretty small, and she had to put her dad on her back to walk him down the steps to get into the car. You want to do whatever you can to help when you see those situations,” said Sharpe. EmmanuWheel’s wheelchair ramps are customized and built with pressure-treated lumber. Aluminum modular ramps are used for temporary situations. “Each ramp is custom built to the specific home. The ramps are on code and abide by the American Disability Act (ADA) standard for accessible design. We’ve made modifications to make sure that we stay up to those standards,” said EmmanuWheel Board Chair Bob Groomes. “No two ramps are ever going to be the same. Sometimes it might be a six foot long ramp off the back, but other times it could be an eight foot ramp that needs to be in the front yard.” Ramp size, type, and placement are determined by the homeowner and EmmanuWheel volunteers. lexingtonlife.com

“We send a crew out to evaluate the situation. They talk to the homeowner, and we get the idea of where they want the ramp. Then we scope it out to make sure that we can put it where they want it because sometimes, we can’t,” said Sharpe. “We make sure to come up with a happy medium as to where it’s going to go. Then we design it to make sure the ramp fits, and that it comes out to basically the exact number of board feet we need per board.” The prebuild team then assembles the sections and the team assigned to that site builds the ramp. It usually takes one day for a team to build a ramp, a majority of which is done on weekends. EmmanuWheel teams are made up of volunteers from churches, non-profits, and local businesses. “We have so many great people that come alongside us,” said Groomes. Mungo Homes, Palmetto Citizens Credit Union, and AAA Heating and Air are just some of the business partners that have assisted EmmanuWheel by providing funding, building materials, and volunteers. Service clubs also get involved by providing volunteers to build ramps. “The Latino Lions (the Latino branch of the Lions Service Club) are extremely active. They do one ramp a month like clockwork,” said Sharpe. Groomes encourages anyone interested in getting involved to come out on-site when a ramp is being built. Volunteers are trained, so no prior building experience is required. “For people interested in participating – come out, observe, see what is going on. No previous experience is required. We will train anyone,” said Groomes. “We are constantly looking for teams. There is a huge need. You would think we’re going to run out of ramps to build, but the need is so huge. We are actively looking for new teams all the time,” added Sharpe.

“Once you’ve done one ramp project, you get hooked. When you see the look on someone’s and they thank you, and some of them are crying … it isn’t anything I did or anything that we did. These are things that God allowed us to do.” — Chris Sharpe The average price for a wheelchair ramp can come to $1,200 or higher depending on the price of building materials. EmmanuWheel covers the cost of the wheelchair ramp by providing volunteer labor, planning, and materials for those who qualify for assistance. “On our website you can fill out a referral and email it where it goes to our client intake coordinator. We confirm we are helping people who need assistance,” said Sharpe. Referrals might also be made by nurses and social workers. “We have a reputation of people reaching out to us. A lot of hospitals and nursing homes will not allow someone to leave until they have access to their home, and they will notify us,” said Sharpe. It’s been thirteen years since EmmanuWheel began under the leadership of Jeff Kirby, and since then they have built more than 600 ramps and are quickly approaching 700. “Back in 2009, we lexingtonlife.com

February 2024 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 51

decided at church that we were going to get a group of guys to fix things on people’s homes. Just a little work – home repairs, yard work, things like that. On that team, we had a guy who was a contractor who knew how to build homes. We had someone ask if we could build a wheelchair ramp. So, we went and built that one. Then somebody else that needed a ramp came to us,” said Sharpe. “Word got out that we did wheelchair ramps, then nurses and social workers flooded Jeff Kirby with requests for ramps.” Groomes and Sharpe say that the past thirteen years showed them how God has worked through EmmanuWheel to help those who needed it the most. “It’s just the story of EmmanuWheel, how God opened doors and brought the right people to us over and over again,” said Sharpe. For information on how to volunteer with EmmanuWheel, contact Chris Sharpe at 803-466-6052 or on their website, emmanuwheel.org. n

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A Beginner’s Guide to

AI TECHNOLOGY by Brandon Williams

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become not only a topic of conversation in technology circles but a hot-button political issue. Is AI dangerous? What effect will AI have on the economy? Will AI deem humans obsolete? Should AI development be regulated, and if so, how? The general public has a lot of questions that need answers. Unfortunately, one of the most important questions isn’t being asked: what is AI? This article will avoid the doom and gloom often accompanying discussions of this emerging technology, but also won’t pretend that AI is the best invention in human history. Instead, the goal is to arm people with the information they need to make an informed decision about the current capalexingtonlife.com

bilities of AI and what it could do in the future. Exploring what artificial intelligence means makes for a natural starting point. What Is Artificial Intelligence? AI represents a machine’s ability to learn, reason, generalize, and infer meaning. The technology has numerous current and potential applications, including

advanced internet search engines, recommendation systems (such as those found on sites such as YouTube and Netflix), understanding human speech (voice assistants such as Alexa and Siri), strategic game systems (Stockfish for chess), and creative tools (ChatGPT). The name “artificial intelligence” is a misleading term because it encourages people to think of it as the equal of human intelligence. Human intelligence is flexible, allowing humans to tackle any problem. In contrast, every form of AI runs on an algorithm designed to do something very specific. For example, Stockfish is a powFebruary 2024 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 55

erful algorithm designed for chess. As of December 2023, it achieves an Elo rating of 3,546, while the top human classical chess player in the world, Magnus Carlsen, peaked at 2,889 in April 2014. Stockfish can also solve chess puzzles, offer advice to human chess players, review completed chess games, and calculate running odds move-by-move whether it’s participating in the game or not. It cannot play Go, generate text like ChatGPT, or “think” independently. It’s no more and no less than an exceptionally strong chess algorithm. You might also see the term “machine learning” used interchangeably with AI, but machine learning is a type of AI, not synonymous with it. Machine learning is defined as the study of computer algorithms that improve automatically through experience. The most common examples are search engine algorithms that provide users with a personalized experience and recommendations on platforms like YouTube. There are two types of machine learning: supervised and unsupervised. Supervised learning requires a human to feed the machine labeled data, training the algorithm to correctly sort subsequent data into one of the categories it was presented with. Unsupervised learning refers

to algorithms attempting to find patterns in a stream of inputs without human involvement. The algorithm can only sort data into the buckets it was programmed to “see” and will never advance beyond 56 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

that. Other types of AI often have a machine learning component to help them improve, but tools like ChatGPT are much more than machine learning. The end goal of AI development is artificial general intelligence, or the ability to solve arbitrary problems by considering multiple variables as humans can. Every doomsday scenario in a science fiction story assumes general intelligence, but the technology doesn’t exist yet. Furthermore, experts disagree on how general AI could be achieved in theory, leading many to assume that true artificial general intelligence is centuries away. What Is ChatGPT? ChatGPT is the centerpiece of most contemporary AI discussions because it’s the most famous form of generative AI or gen-AI for short. Gen-AI refers to any algorithm capable of generating text, images, or other media in response to prompts. ChatGPT is a chatbot developed by a firm called OpenAI that can write you a story, an essay, or a legal defense. It can also simulate text-based conversations or facilitate interactive games. Notably, ChatGPT doesn’t have any comprehension of the text it produces.

Instead, it simply strings words together and tries to produce something that meets the prompter’s needs. Likewise, ChatGPT is not the only or most powerful form of gen-AI. OpenAI has already moved on to

something more powerful called GPT-4, and other companies, including Google, have launched more powerful alternatives as well. That said, ChatGPT is among the most accessible gen-AI tools. Since the phrase “generative artificial intelligence” doesn’t have a place in the public consciousness, ChatGPT is sometimes used as a proxy for any form of gen-AI. What Are the Limitations of Current AI Technology? While many breakthroughs have been made recently in the AI field, the technology is still considered emerging. Here are three big issues that AI has yet to solve. Hallucinations A hallucination is the AI industry’s term for when an algorithm makes a mistake. Some of these hiccups are relatively benign, such as a head-scratching Netflix recommendation or ChatGPT mixing up two proper nouns in its prompt. Others are more serious, such as making up court cases to support a legal argument or spreading misinformation that looks real. Many AI vendors downplay the existence of hallucinations, claiming their algorithms either don’t make them or portray them as so rare they’re not worth thinking about. Both are lies, especially in the field of gen-AI. Mistakes are unavoidable with current technology, and their ramifications are only greater when people don’t realize how imperfect the technology still is. Outdated Information While most AI applications are capable of machine learning, their initial data set will still determine their performance moving forward. Most AI applications stop crawling the internet eventually, meaning that machine learning is the only way for them to get more info. If users start noticing dated responses, they’ll take their requests elsewhere. The lack of inputs renders machine learning impossible, leaving the tool with no means to update its information. For instance, Elon Musk limited the number of Tweets that could be viewed per day in July of 2023 to prevent AI applications such as ChatGPT from “scraping potentially valuable data” from Twitter. His efforts were too late, as ChatGPT hasn’t scraped anything from the internet lexingtonlife.com

since 2021. GPT-4 and other gen-AI applications are still scraping the internet, but the fact that Musk called out ChatGPT by name underscores how little the general public understands about AI. Costs ChatGPT is free to the end user, so you may be surprised to find out that gen-AI is extremely expensive. Whenever somebody types in a prompt, the AI converts the request to tokens. You might think that one word would be one token, but that’s not how it works. The most common example is “hamburger.” It’s only one word, but gen-AI reads it as three tokens: “ham,” “bur,” and “ger.” OpenAI charges by token, so many vendors limit their search parameters or impose restrictive rules to keep their token costs under control. Gen-AI also requires a ton of energy, so companies such as OpenAI run up massive utility bills. Likewise, the computers need constant access to water and air conditioning to prevent overheating, further adding to the hidden costs of gen-AI. Most experts believe these costs will be passed on to consumers eventually, potentially impacting the role of AI in the economy.

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In conclusion, AI offers the potential to change the world, but most people assume it’s more powerful than it currently is. Persistent problems such as hallucinations and costs must be solved for the tech-

nology to reach its full potential, and the public needs to be educated on what AI even is. Only time will tell if AI becomes the world-changing phenomenon it has the potential to be. n

February 2024 | LEXINGTON LIFE | 57

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s t a e r t t e e sw spice OF LIFE

Valentine’s Day

Brown Sugar Blondies 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking powder ⅛ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ⅓ cup butter 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 cup to 1 ⅓ cup M&M’s Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Melt ⅓ cup butter, add 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, and mix well. Cool slightly, add beaten egg and vanilla, and blend well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, mixing well. Mix in ⅔ cup M&M’s. Spread in a 9 x 9 x 2-inch pan and sprinkle ⅓ to ⅔ cup M&M’s on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup chocolate chunks 1 cup dried cherries Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cocoa then set aside. With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time, then add in vanilla extract and mix until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks and dried cherries. Scoop the dough into rounded tbsps and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until cookies are set, but still soft in the center. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving.

Strawberry Jell-O Cupcakes 1 box of white cupcake mix 3-oz box strawberry gelatin (Jell-O) 1 cup water 1 container of whipped white frosting Prepare cupcakes as directed and cook according to instructions, allowing them to cool completely. Boil 1 cup water and add Jell-O, stir until completely dissolved. Poke holes in cupcakes with a fork or toothpick. Using a spoon, pour the strawberry gelatin mixture over the cupcakes. Then put cupcakes into the fridge for about 2-3 hours to set. Once set, frost cupcakes with whipped frosting and top with sliced strawberries.

Colorful Bundt Cake 1 box of white cake mix 1 cup powdered sugar 4-5 tbsp milk of choice (plus more for thinning) 1 tsp pure vanilla extract ⅛ tsp cherry extract red and pink food coloring sprinkles

Chocolate Cherry Cookies 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp sea salt ¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa 1 cup unsalted butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup light brown sugar 60 | LEXINGTONLIFE | February 2024

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Prepare cake as directed and cook according to instructions. Let cool completely so the frosting will stay on the cake when drizzled on. Combine powdered sugar, milk, and extracts and smooth. (Adjust extract flavoring to taste.) Add additional milk by the tablespoon until the frosting can be easily drizzled over the cake. Divide the frosting into three bowls. Color one red, one pink, and leave one white. Alternate drizzling various colors over the cake and top with sprinkles. Chocolate Strawberry Brownies 2 large eggs ¼ cup vegetable oil 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 2 tbsp water 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 ¼ cups sugar ¾ cup all-purpose flour ⅔ cup cocoa powder ½ cup confectioners’ sugar ½ tsp kosher salt ½ cup chocolate chips or chunks 3 cups strawberries, stems removed chocolate melting wafers Preheat the oven to 325°F. Whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, melted butter, water, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powders, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pour the batter onto a prepared baking pan. Bake the brownies until they are just set in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the brownies from the oven then let them cool completely in the pan. Once the brownies have cooled, arrange the strawberries on top, cut side down. Melt the chocolate wafers according to the package instructions and drizzle on top of the strawberries. Let the chocolate drizzle firm before serving. Sprinkled White Chocolate Fudge 3 ¾ cups (24-oz) white chocolate chips 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ cup sprinkles Line a 9×9 square pan with parchment paper that covers the sides of the pan. Place the white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl and microwave for one minute. Stir well to combine and allow the heat to melt the chocolate chips. If needed, microwave for another 30 seconds, until the chocolate is completely smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract

and ¼ cup of sprinkles, then quickly transfer the mixture to the lined pan and spread evenly. Top the fudge with the remaining sprinkles and press them down into the top of the fudge. Refrigerate until it’s completely cool and firm. Cut the fudge into squares and store in an airtight container. Red Velvet Cookie Cake For the cookie: 15-oz box of red velvet cake mix 1 stick ½ cup butter, softened 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup white chocolate chips (optional) For the frosting: 4-oz cream cheese softened ¼ cup unsalted butter softened 2 cups powdered sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp heavy whipping cream sprinkles Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9” cake pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Using a stand or a hand mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add cake mix, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat until dough forms and no lumps remain. Stir in white chocolate chips and press cookie dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a hint of red. Cool completely before removing from the pan. Make the frosting: beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until the frosting comes together, then mix in vanilla and heavy cream. Pipe frosting onto the cookie using a round or 1M tip and add sprinkles. For a thinner cookie, use a 10” round pan. Black Forest Trifle 1 box of devil’s food cake 1 (5.9-oz) box of instant chocolate pudding 3 cups whipped cream or 8-oz cool whip 1 (21-oz) can cherry pie filling Prepare cake as directed and cook according to instructions. Prepare pudding as directed according to instructions. Crumble cake into small pieces. Layer cake, pudding, cherry filling, and whipped cream. Continue layering until all ingredients have been used. Refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors meld and serve chilled. n

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had a conversation about ham radio with three younger men. We began by discussing the possibility of “regular methods” of communication failing. It doesn’t take much of a ride in the country where we live to figure out phone service isn’t exactly a sure thing. They were intrigued when I said that ham radio always gets through. When one reaches “Ancient and Seriously Senior status,” one enters the hallowed ground where anybody without gray hair is just a kid. Like all old men who walked before on this path, I automatically assume nobody without gray hair knows anything. We all know that’s not necessarily true, but any old man will testify that it is indeed sometimes true. And of course, the men in their 80s say a “kid who’s only 64 doesn’t know squat,” so I’m still going through it myself. One young man asked: “When has radio ever been important?” I mentioned a Missouri friend using his little battery-powered radio and Morse Code to reach state emergency contacts when a tornado destroyed his town’s public safety and cellphone towers. The young man said: “Well, that was a fluke of a thing. What’s another example?” I related how the BBC used simple sentences stated by an announcer between musical selections to signal to the French Resistance that the Invasion of Normandy would begin that night. The ridiculous sentence “John has a long mustache” activated hundreds of regular folks in France lexingtonlife.com

who suddenly became warriors and spent the night destroying train tracks and blowing up bridges and doing other pre-assigned tasks to assist the Allies in the invasion of France. The response to this anecdote was startling. One young man didn’t know what the BBC was. Another had never heard of the French Resistance. The third said he’d heard of the Invasion of Normandy but wasn’t sure where or what it was. These three statements sort of took my breath away. All three of these men had college degrees. All three were smart young men. I could only ask myself: “What in the world is going on?” We can say they weren’t paying attention in school, but I’d bet the odds are better that it was never discussed in the first place. We heard about these things by the 4th grade, but we were being raised and taught by people who had lived and served in some way during D-Day. Our talk moved from radio to explaining who the French Resistance was, what the BBC is, and what and where the Invasion of Normandy was. These guys were fascinated as I spun out an oversimplified history lesson. But I learned something extremely important. All of us “old folks” have a job to do. We must figure out if the young folks we love know the things we all learned by the time we got out of high school. Then we must teach the “things everybody knows” to these younger people so they can teach their kids. n

The Things Everybody Knows

David Clark writes and works in Cochran, GA. Connect with him at cw.w4trj@gmail.com.

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