Happy Thanksgiving
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SECOND YEAR IN A ROW #
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contents
FEATURES 16 21 25 27 43
Run Hard Operation Christmas Child Thompson Funeral Home Best of Lexington Life Nominations Martin’s Vintage Music Co.
COLUMNS 11 15 19 55
Faith Matters Tom Poland Health & Wellness David Clark
DEPARTMENTS
The lightning flashed in rapid-fire succession and the thunder shook the entire house. The wind howled, and the rain struck the roof with a viciousness not seen in a long time. Our paralyzed dog Biff was petrified. He usually scooted around on the floor dragging his back legs and hiding in the corner behind a chair until the storm passed. This time was different. He hopped and didn’t seem to be going anywhere. I got off the sofa and helped him to his safe place, but I knew right then that Biff’s time was near. He had just celebrated his fourteenth birthday and my wife, Donna, and I fed Biff hamburgers and cheese for his last supper. Everyone in the family took special one-on-one time with Biff and we drove him over the dam for one last ride in the convertible. I am thankful for Biff. He was both my and my kid’s first dog. He showed us true courage as he fought to regain the use of his rear legs. I am thankful for Donna and all the love and caregiving she did for Biff. If she takes care of me half as well as Biff, I will be just fine. I’m thankful Biff loved the kids and he was great with our other dogs too. So long Biff, thanks for showing your unconditional love to our family. You will be missed. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for reading Lexington Life Magazine. Todd Shevchik
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From the Publisher Calendar of Events Lexington Leader Spice of Life
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NOVEMBER Thursday, November 9 Leeza’s Care Connections Dare2Care Gala USC Alumni Center | 900 Senate St. | Columbia | 7 pm – 9 pm Join Leeza Gibbons and special guests to benefit Leeza’s Care Connection, South Carolina’s only comprehensive resource and support center offering free services for families and caregivers caring for a loved one with a chronic illness. For tickets visit dare2careevent.com. Friday, November 10 Lexington Medical Center Foundation’s Wine on the River West Columbia Riverwalk | 109 Alexander Rd. | West Columbia | 6 pm - 10 pm Gather with friends for a memorable evening featuring live music, fun activities, and an around-the-world culinary experience. The proceeds benefit Linda’s Love Fund at Lexington Medical Center. For tickets visit lexmed.com/giving/foundation. Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11 Wingard’s Market Holiday Soiree 1403 N. Lake Dr. | Lexington | Fri. 9 am – 6 pm & Sat. 9 am – 5 pm Sip while you shop at the Wingard’s Market Holiday Soiree. Enjoy refreshments, tasty treats, plus several giveaways. For more information visit wingardsmarket.com. Sunday, November 12 Holiday Market at Hope Plaza 1812 Augusta Hwy. | Lexington | 1 pm – 6 pm Come out and eat, drink, and shop locally. Raffle tickets for prizes and beer from Angry
Fish Brewery. All proceeds benefit Arthur Hutchinson, McCall Wright, and the Caring Heart Foundation. For more information visit reflectionssalonsc.com. Sunday, November 12 Lexington Women’s Club Decorating Workshop The Lexington County Museum | 231 Fox St. | Lexington | 3 pm – 5 pm The Lexington Woman’s Club is sponsoring a Della Robbia-style workshop with all proceeds benefiting the Lexington County Museum. This workshop will feature the Hogarth Curve form and its many uses in decorating for Christmas and other events. For more information contact Carolyn Hall at chall241@ sc.rr.com. Thursday, November 16 Vista Holiday Lights 701 Gervais St. | Columbia | 6 pm – 10 pm The 38th Annual Vista Lights presented by Prisma Health, will include more than 60 galleries, shops, and restaurants to showcase their holiday treasures and delicious dishes. Live entertainment by local groups and tree lighting. For more information visit vistacolumbia.com.
Thursday, November 30 and Friday, December 1 Christmas Craft Fair Icehouse Amphitheater | 107 W. Main St. | Lexington | 4 pm – 8 pm Kick off the holiday season with the Christmas Craft Fair featuring fresh produce, unique gifts, food, and more from local vendors. Saturday, December 2 Snowball Festival Carnival and Movie Icehouse Amphitheater | 107 W. Main St. | Lexington | 1 pm Join the Town of Lexington for face painting, balloon artists, pictures with Santa, rides, and more. Make sure to stay and watch The Santa Clause (PG) which will begin at 5:30 pm. Saturday, December 2 and Sunday, December 3 Lexington Youth Ballet’s The Nutcracker River Bluff Performing Arts Center | 320 Corley Mill Rd. | Lexington | Sat. 3 pm, 7 pm & Sun. 3 pm The Nutcracker featuring Lexington Youth Ballet dancers and professional guest artists will bring this time-honored tradition of the Christmas season to Lexington. For tickets visit theacademyoflyb.com. Sunday, December 3 Town of Lexington Snowball Parade Main St. | Lexington | 3 pm Bring the kids and get in the Christmas spirit by watching an array of parade floats make their way through downtown.
Friday, November 17 Mission Lexington’s Oyster Roast for a Reason Icehouse Amphitheater | 107 W. Main St. | Lexington | 6 pm - 9:30 pm Get ready for a shuckin’ good time and indulge in delicious oysters, southern sides, live music, and a whole lot of fun. For tickets visit missionlexingtonsc.org.
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Kevin Thumpston Lead Pastor Watershed Fellowship
711 East Main Street Suite S watershedfellowship.org
Time Under the Son Have you ever imagined a life without hurry, relentless work, multitasking, or scarcity? A life that is characterized instead by presence, attention, rest, rootedness, fruitfulness, and generosity? Jen Pollock Michel encourages us to ask these questions in her book, In Good Time. We have all bought into the mindset that the best use of time is marked by perpetual productivity. We have to be efficient and check off all the lists to feel accomplished. But have we been duped? Have we bought into a lie? Perhaps God had something different in mind for us when he spoke time into existence. The Bible speaks of two different types of time: Kronos (time ticking under the sun) and Kairos (moments where the kingdom of God breaks into our lives). Both are a reality, and both are a gift. God has given each of us days, and he has numbered them all. Every day is a gift to discover all the good and glorious providences in our lives. We are to build relationships, be purposeful, and honor the Lord. We do that through a weekly rhythm of worship, work, rest, and play. When climbing the ladder of self-centered gain consumes us, we miss out on the Kairos moments, where God reminds us there is more to life than the rat race. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) We need to reprioritize our time according to the kingdom of God rather than doggedly building our own little kingdoms. We need a thicker life rather than a flimsy version cobbled together by our selfish pursuits. We need to shift our priorities from living life under the sun to living life under the Son or what I like to call a “Royal Waste of Time.” Here are a few ways to rethink your time to honor the LORD. 1. Spend time with the Author of Time. When we behold him, we become like him. 2. Savor the Presence. Savor the presence of God throughout your day and be present for those whom God brings across your path. 3. See through Child-like Eyes. Be curious. Ask questions. Try new things. Invite others to discover with you. 4. Serve Others. Be generous. Give your time and self away to bless others. n
711 East Main Street Suite S watershedfellowship.org
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Happy Thanksgiving! We offer Coin Collecting Supplies , Collectible Coins, Gold and Silver Bullion, Colonial, Obsolete, Confederate, FRN and other Paper Money Estate Appraisals for Coin Collections We buy Coins, Gold, Silver, Jewelry, Diamonds, Paper Money and Other Numismatic Items
Your Hometown Coin & Collectible Shop Since 2010
5 miles from Lexington High School in The Shoppes of Gilbert
4079 Augusta Highway 803-892-4307 | www.gilbertcoins.com
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by Mary Ann Hutcheson
Ed Lundeen
“Serving those who served and sacrificed for America”
Are you or a loved one a Veteran who needs support but doesn’t know where to start? Your first stop might be to visit the Lexington County Veterans Affairs (VA) website, palmettovets.org. The main page lists clear descriptions of the VA’s Mission, Vision, and Values, and you can trust that they are not empty rhetoric. The director, Edward “Ed” Lundeen, is a retired Army Master Sergeant, and his stated passion is, “What motivates me is my inner drive of energy to help Veterans and their families obtain the VA benefits they are entitled to.” His passion, dedication, and drive have not gone unnoticed. In May 2023, Lundeen was named South Carolina Veterans Affairs Officer of the Year by the South Carolina Association of County Veterans Affairs Officers. A highly decorated former Army Master Sergeant, Lundeen was a recipient of The Bronze Star, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and served in a variety of non-commissioned Officer leadership roles. Mr. Lundeen’s education, skills, experience, and awards are just a fraction of what qualifies him both as a leader and an advocate for military veterans. He says, “This comes with an internal strength and passion to get it right for everyone we are privileged to serve. I come to work daily with this passion and drive, and I am wholeheartedly proud of the services my team and I provide to the Veterans of Lexington County. We ask ourselves, ‘What are veterans searching for? What do they need?’ That’s what we want to provide for them.” Veterans Service Organizations aid and serve veterans, service members, dependents, and survivors. Lundeen and his team can assist in collecting the required evidence to submit a fully developed claim on a Veteran’s behalf and correspond with Veterans Affairs about the claim. VSOs also provide their representation on VA claims free of charge. A lifelong resident of Lexington County, Mr. Lundeen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, and a Master of Science degree in Management and Leadership. He and his wife Linda Manchester Lundeen have been married for 42 years. They have three adult children and three grandchildren, with a granddaughter due in December. Lundeen loves history, traveling to foreign countries, reading, genealogy research, spending time with his grandchildren, college football, helping others, and making a positive difference in people’s lives. Lundeen says, “I am just a thankful American. I can’t believe the good Lord picked me to do this because I wouldn’t have picked me. I want to stay humble. I’m just one person, and my team of co-workers are some of the best with whom I’ve worked.” Lundeen plans to continue serving Veterans and their families until retirement. Post-retirement, he would love to continue visiting foreign countries and learning about their culture and traditions. He wants to spend more time with his grandchildren and enjoy their activities. And not surprisingly, he says, “I want to volunteer in many aspects to give back to the community.” n Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 13
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Coming Full Circle by Tom Poland
I felt like I’d been tied to the whipping post. I was as low as the proverbial snake’s belly. On May 30 a tornado destroyed my Athens, Georgia, home. My marriage was floundering, and I found myself with nothing but the clothes on my back and a bangedup stereo system. Thank heavens that sound system survived the tornado. Music kept me afloat in the summer of 1973.
Four years earlier, Capricorn Records had released “The Allman Brothers Band.” They released “Brothers and Sisters” in August 1973. That record, the band’s fourth studio album, and the 1969 record lifted my spirits during the difficult summer of 1973. Living in the musty basement of a brick house along Highway 78, I wore both albums out. The Beatles had broken up and I needed new music heroes. I found them in the Allman Brothers, and they hailed from Macon, Georgia, less than two hours away. Driving to Macon was out of the question. I worked full-time as a ticket agent at the bus station, took a full load of courses, and taught classes as a graduate assistant. I sensed, though, that someday somehow, I would see where the boys made that marvelous music. In the years to come, I drove to Macon seven times, but I could never work Capricorn Records into my schedule. Trips to interview an attorney for a book, to speak to the Georgia Huguenot Society, and a drive to see Georgia’s folk drama, Swamp Gravy, stage my play took me through Macon but time was short as always. And so, my Allman Brothers wish list languished. On it were four items: Rose Hill Cemetery, Capricorn Records, the Big House (Allman Brothers’ residence/museum), and the chance to someday meet legendary musician Chuck Leavell who lived south of Macon. The chance to meet him was coming in a surprising way. In the fall of 1973, my department chair called me into her office. “I’m sending you to Columbia, South Carolina, to teach for six months at a small college.” Six months led to many years. That difficult summer of 1973 was to be my last living in Georgia, but the move to Columbia opened doors. In 2018 I wrote features for an excellent magazine. My last assignment for the magazine was to profile Chuck Leavell. Things went well with the February 2019 interview and subsequent feature, and I made several trips back to Charlane Woodlands, Chuck and his wife Rose Lane’s home, to write a feature on Rose Lane. As a result of my work, Chuck asked me to co-write his memoir. Recently he invited me to stay at his place and attend a September 6 event at Capricorn where he was to discuss a book recalling the Allman Brothers’ days when they were known as the Allman Joys. Mercer University now operates Capricorn as Capricorn Sound Studios. I stood where the music had been laid down for all to hear. Songs filled my head as I looked at the piano Chuck had given the studio. “Jessica” came to me as clear as a bell. “Trouble No More” and “Every Hungry Woman” played in my head, as did “Dreams.” The next day I thought of “Rambling Man” as I rolled down Highway 41 in Macon. I had come full circle since that difficult summer of 1973. Those longhaired, rough, and rowdy boys blessed us with a new genre of music, “Southern Rock,” and they saved me when I most needed saving. Way, way back in 1973 the idea was formed that someday I would make it to Macon and see where legends had risen, and I did. Other bands added to Southern Rock, among them Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker Band, and much later the Black Crowes, but it’s the Allman Brothers I go back to time and time again. Trips to visit Chuck Leavell as I co-write his memoir of tree farming and rock music have given me the chance to visit Rose Hill Cemetery where Duane and Greg Allman sleep, Capricorn Sound Studios, and the Big House where the Brothers lived. Sometimes you just have to wait and hope things will play out as you wish. My old car is long gone, my girls are grown, and my hair is silver. That music, though? It’s as good as ever, as good as it was when I played it over and over in the musty basement of a house that still stands. n Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 15
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Running is not just good for the body, but for the soul. For more than a decade, Jesse Harmon has been trying to spread that message through his nonprofit, aimed at elementary school students. “Running is a great life teacher,” Harmon said. Harmon oversees his Run Hard organization in Lexington, which teaches elementary students the skills to run a 5K. The former youth minister is passionate about the benefits of organized athletics.
Run Hard aims to reach that goal by exposing youth to the sport of running, which can lead to a lifetime of fitness. You’ll be able to see some of that passion at the next fundraising road race for Run Hard, scheduled for Nov. 11 beginning at the Lexington County Blowfish Stadium on Park Road. Hundreds plan to run to fund scholarships for Run Hard in half marathon, 10K, and 5K races. Harmon began his dream in 2010, delivering newspapers early in the morning
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while he learned the ins and outs of creating a nonprofit and zeroing in on its mission. In 2012, then-assistant principal of Rocky Creek Elementary School Adam Diamond approached Harmon about fulfilling a need for a boy’s running club, with more than 50 students interested. “I remember telling him, ‘I would love to teach them about running, but I would also like to leverage that time to teach him more about life, giving them life concepts that will build a platform for success later in life.’ And he said I love it. Let’s do it.” Another group was formed at Meadow Glen Elementary School, and both programs served as a pilot to work out the kinks. Since then, the program has expanded to other Lexington County schools, along with other Run Hard training in schools throughout the state, as well as Augusta and Florida. Just under 800 students in the Midlands now are enrolled in fee-based programs for the fall running season. Harmon serves as executive director with a staff that oversees the individual programs and their coaches. In December, the kids will run a 5K with an adult running with them. In eight weeks of training, the students learn the
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fundamentals of running, with sessions designed to build the stamina to navigate about the 3.1 miles of the race. The kids also learn the value of positive peer pressure, how teamwork operates on and off the track, and what it takes to be honorable and show respect. “Those are the concepts that we thought were important to building a platform for success,” he said. The 2000 graduate of Lexington High School feels that running can change the direction of one’s life. It certainly changed his. “I was an overweight, unathletic kid and bullied through middle school. Middle school was a tough season of life for me as it is for many kids,” he said. He challenged himself to train after barely running a mile for a Presidential Fitness test. “The next time the test came around the next semester, I thought, I’m going to run as long as I can and see what time I can get. And so, I was at White Knoll Middle School running around the dirt track, and I remember making it one lap and I realized, ‘Hey, I ran a full lap without stopping. I’m pretty proud of myself.’ And then I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to see if I can make it to two, and I made it two.’ And pushed on, ‘All right, I’m halfway there.’ I can vividly remember these thoughts.” That training helped Harmon to break eight minutes in a mile. It led to a lifetime of running, including his first marathon in March 2007 and the Boston Marathon in 2011. Working as a youth pastor after graduating from Columbia International University also helped Harmon develop a passion for teaching life lessons. “I began to understand that running, though tough, teaches you a lot. And if I put work in, I have a little
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bit of potential. So, let’s find out what that potential is.” Harmon remembers so many successes, but the story of Crawford sticks with him. Crawford has been running with Run Hard since second grade. In 2020, a benign tumor on Crawford’s spine returned, prompting a long time of surgery and rehabilitation. In 2022, Crawford ran his first 5K race after surgery. He came in last in his race in Augusta but was happy that he finished. “I think a lot in life can be learned by doing difficult things,” Harmon said. “And running is just a difficult thing to do. It’s hard. It makes us work hard. It requires a lot of effort. But whenever we get finished, whenever you see those kids cross the finish line, you can see it on their faces and the expression, it doesn’t matter if you finish first or last, you still cross that finish line and you get an elevated sense of self-respect or self-accomplishment because it’s like ‘I just did something that a lot of people didn’t do this morning and that’s something to be proud of.’ So that’s why we choose running.” Learn more at runhard.org and runhardhalf.org. n
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Christopher Cooper, MD, MPH Internal Medicine Physician South Carolina My Care Team Medical Director & Chief Executive Officer
Get Ready for the Holidays!
South Carolina My Care Team is a uniquely private medical service designed to bring you excellent quality medical care in a way that highlights the closeness of the old-fashioned personal doctor-patient relationship coupled with all of the great emerging technology available to us today. This allows us to provide you with efficient state-of-the-art Primary Care, without sacrificing the closeness of personal relationship. At SC My Care, we believe that looking and feeling your best go handin-hand. Our comprehensive range of aesthetic services is designed to help you enhance your natural beauty while promoting overall wellness. Our experienced team of professionals is dedicated to providing personalized treatments using the latest advancements in aesthetic medicine. Here are a few of the most common questions we receive about our aesthetic services. Are you a doctor or an esthetician? I am a medical doctor trained with special interests in functional and integrative medicine, spirituality in healthcare, hormone optimization, medical weight loss and aesthetic services. What kind medical aesthetics do you offer? Our offerings include Botox, Juvederm, Kybella, and PRP Micro-needling, prescription skin care, and many more to help you achieve a rejuvenated, youthful appearance. Do the procedures hurt? We pride ourselves on taking extra care to provide an experience that is as painless as possible. Our patients often comment how gentle Dr. Cooper is when performing his procedures. What should I expect immediately following my procedure? You may experience mild tenderness or a stinging sensation following the injection. Minimal and temporary redness, bruising, and/or swelling may occur. At SC My Care, we are committed to helping you look and feel your best through our personalized aesthetic services. If you’re ready to embrace a more confident and radiant version of yourself, schedule a consultation with our expert team today. Call us at (803) 771-1993 or request an appointment online at scmycare.com to discover the transformative power of our aesthetic treatments. n
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by Tenell Felder
A
desire to reach children globally with the love of Christ has developed into a 23-year ministry for Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church. “Starting back in 2000, our church wanted to get involved with an international ministry for children. One of the pastors asked me to head up Operation Shoe Box (now Operation Christmas Child). That’s where the journey started,” church member and Operation Christmas Child volunteer Harvey Blanchard said. Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse and reaches children in 170 countries with Christmas gifts packed in standard-sized shoeboxes. A shoebox can contain toys, hygienic items, school supplies, crafts, and clothes. “The excitement comes with knowing that we can be a part of international discipleship for children. We can participate here locally, and we can involve our youth.” Blanchard said.
During Operation Christmas Child, families and individuals are invited to fill a shoebox with gifts and take it to a drop-off location. In conjunction with other churches, Saxe Gotha serves as one of the drop-off locations in Lexington. “People can pick up a shoebox (from Saxe Gotha) starting October 22. They can take the box, fill it up, and bring it back to the church to drop off,” Interim Director of Children’s Ministry for Saxe Gotha Dawn Merck explained. From the drop-off location, the shoeboxes are delivered to the Samaritan’s Purse processing center for inspection and final preparations before being distributed worldwide. To date, more than 200 million children have received Christmas gifts through Operation Christmas Child. “Operation Christmas Child says that with every child that receives a shoebox, nine people around them are affected and get to hear the gospel. This is a multiplier because it spreads out into the children’s
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families and their communities,” Merck said. In 2010, Saxe Gotha began hosting its very own packing party for church and community members to assemble hundreds of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Each shoebox coming from Saxe Gotha is individually packed by volunteers, prayed over, and contains a one-of-a-kind, wooden cross handmade by Saxe Gotha church members Jeff and Candi Ashcraft. “It’s amazing to see people come together to assemble shoeboxes. When we pack a shoebox, we want to make sure we present it well. We like to put the prayer cross on top so when the child opens it up, the prayer cross is right there,” Merck said. “During the packing party, we have a prayer room where people can pray individually, or kids can pray with their parents … I have a fifth grader, and I remember encouraging him to pray over his box as a kindergartener,” she continued. A note is also included from the individual or family who packed the box. The note provides the child receiving the box information about where the sender lives and what their favorite foods and activities are. “We send a note to the child receiving that shoebox because we want to let them know we love them unconditionally. We get to tell them a little bit about who we are and where we live as well,” Blanchard shared. Preparations for Saxe Gotha’s packing party are year-round as the church collects and organizes items all year. “The materials for the packing party are stored in big containers so that throughout the year as people bring things in, we can organize them. Over the summer we have youth coming in for service days and church members who also help to organize,” Merck said.
“It’s amazing to see people come together to assemble shoeboxes. When we pack a shoebox, we want to make sure we present it well. We like to put the prayer cross on top so when the child opens it up, the prayer cross is right there.” — Dawn Merck 22 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
Sometimes recipients of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes have shared their experience at Saxe Gotha’s packing party. Merck recalled meeting a woman and finding out that she was involved in Operation Christmas Child in her country. She later shared her experience working with Operation Christmas Child at the packing party. “Six years ago, I was blessed to be introduced to a woman named Gina Rodriguez. She moved here from Colombia to teach Spanish. As we got to know her, we realized that she handed out the Operation Christmas Child boxes in Colombia,” Merck said. “Gina said kids were walking in the rain a couple of miles to come to Bible study … that made it more powerful for me because it showed this ministry is affecting hearts,” she shared. There are various ways that the community can participate in Operation Christmas Child with Saxe Gotha. Those who want to provide shoebox items can purchase them from Saxe Gotha’s Amazon wish list. (Please see the QR code to access the wish list) “Our Amazon wish list has items needed for the shoeboxes, which is easier for a lot of people because they don’t have to figure out what to buy. The items from the wish list will be delivered straight to the church,” Merck said. On Sunday, November 12, Saxe Gotha Presbyterian will host its annual Operation Christmas Child packing party which is open to the community. A pizza party will follow for all volunteers. Visit saxegotha.org to learn more about how to get involved with Operation Christmas Child. n
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Please join us for our Annual
HOLIDAY REMEMBRANCE SERVICE
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 • 7:00 pm 4720 Augusta Road, Lexington, SC 803.996.1023 • thompsonsfuneral.com
There will be a catered reception immediately following the Remembrance Service. 24 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
Celebrates 95 Years
Thompson Funeral Home The history of Thompson Funeral Home dates back to 1928, when J.R. “Buddy” Thompson started the business with the simple idea of providing unparalleled personal service to Cayce, West Columbia, and Columbia families. From the beginning, their mission has been to honor and celebrate the lives of those they serve. As pioneers in the community, they were the first to introduce ShareLife, a multisensory experience that helps families tell the story of their loved ones in a unique and engaging manner. They believe every person is one-of-a-kind and are dedicated to creating services tailored to each individual. They also take great pride in their role as Veterans’ Funeral Specialists and their team is well-versed in military honors and benefits. Their “Honor and Glory” hearse, the only one of its kind in the Midlands, allows them to pay tribute to veterans in a truly special way. Understanding the profound significance of service and sacrifice, they also offer a flag retirement program that allows a US flag to be properly retired when a Veteran selects cremation. By honoring both the Veteran and the US flag together, they commemorate their dedication and service to our country. Thompson Funeral Home’s commitment to serving extends beyond the moment of loss. Their Community Outreach and Aftercare Programs are offered at no cost and without obligation to all community members. With their onsite crematory, a free-standing funeral home, and a combination funeral home and memorial park, they can provide a full range of options and services. Families can trust that their loved ones will never leave their care or community, allowing for a seamless and compassionate experience. A family recently shared, “If I could give 1000 stars I would, all of them accounted for and well-deserved. Every single person I encountered at Thompson’s Funeral Home made me realize that, in an age of profit-first culture, they still hold dear to what matters most - respectful, compassionate, professional service, especially when we need it most.” Gregg Turner, Thompson’s Market Leader, states, “It is our privilege and honor to be trusted during life’s most challenging moments, and we are grateful for the opportunity to provide comfort and support when needed most.” n
Christ Centered Family Oriented Traditional Worship
Sundays 8:30 am & 11:00 am
1130 Saint Peters Road, Lexington, SC 29072 803-359-2470 | www.stpeterslexsc.org
I am so thankful for all of my clients!
April Stroud 803-920-6899
april.resourcecolumbia.com Email: april@resourcecolumbia.com
Your Honest, Reliable & Hardworking Agent
“Where We Meet by Accident” Batesburg Location: 803-820-0353 210 W Church Street, Batesburg, SC 29006 Gilbert Location: 803-820-0352 3970 Augusta Hwy, Gilbert, SC 29054 Hours: Monday- Friday 8AM-5:30PM
www.gilbertpaintandbodysc.com ww Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 25
Nominated Best Family Law AAorney. Please vote for us!
Professional Approach for Targeted Results Andrew B. Farley | Sabine S. Boulware 137 E Butler Street, Lexington, SC
803.359.0428 | www.afarleylaw.com
Family owned for more than 90 years!
Come check out our Holiday Gift Boxes!
Nominated Best Produce Farm and Best Meat Store! 4856 Augusta Rd, Lexington, SC Located at Hwy 1 and I-20 in Lexington
www.fouroaksfarm.com | 803-356-3194
Nominated Best Insurance Agent and Best Auto Insurance MISTY STATHOS
Misty Stathos Ins Agcy Inc 1207 N. Lake Drive Lexington, SC 29072 803-951-9151 www.stathosagency.com 26 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
Congratulations to the 2024 Nominees for the Best of Lexington Life Magazine Contest!
Vote for your favorites today at lexingtonlifemagazine.com Deadline to vote is December 15, 2023 Winners will be announced in the February 2024 issue of Lexington Life Magazine.
Remain where the memories are. Your Home. Our Care.®
Thank You
for placing your trust in us. Our in-home services include: 24-Hour Home Care Transitional Care Personal Care Companion Care Specialty Care
assistinghands.com/midlands Our compassionate caregivers provide peace of mind, helping you or your loved one remain safe and comfortable at home.
Celebrating 11 Years Serving the Midlands 2012-2023 104 Hamilton St., Lexington SC 29072
803.661.7557
DHEC License # IHCP-0494 ©2023 Assisting Hands® Home Care, Nampa, Idaho 83687. All Rights Reserved.
Thomas and Jayne Falk - Franchise Owners
Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 27
Best Accounting Firm Deese and Company Dooley & Company Thomas, Watson, & Company
Best Alterations Jackie Lynn Tailoring & Alterations Kimmy’s Alteration Shop Zebra Cleaners
Best Attorney: Criminal Defense Bland Richter Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr. Williams, Stitely & Brink
Best Aesthetic Practice Cardinal Wellness and Aesthetics Enhance Image Spa Lexington Aesthetics Medical Spa
Best Ambulance Service (Private) First Priority Medical Transport For Life Medical Transport MedTrust Medical Transport
Best Attorney: Family Law Jewitte Dooley Law McCutchen McLean The Farley Law Firm
Best Aesthetic Spa About You Aesthetics Allure Medical The Essential Face Best Afterschool Program Big Blue Marble Academy Palmetto Athletic Center Vitali Family Karate Best Allergist Allergy Partners of the Midlands Palmetto ENT and Allergy SC ENT Allergy & Sleep Medicine
Best Apartment Complex Cedarcrest Village Apartments River Bluff of Lexington Waterway Apartment Homes Best Asian Restaurant Antai Asian Dining Ganbei Japanese Red Bowl Asian Bistro Best Assisted Living Facility Lakeside Place Senior Living Oakleaf Village of Lexington The Legacy of Lexington
Best Attorney: Litigation Johnson + Johnson McCutchen McLean Morgan Litigation Group Best Attorney: Personal Injury Harling & West Johnson + Johnson Lyle Law Firm Best Attorney: Probate/Estate Amy Cofield Law Firm McCutchen McLean Williams, Stitely & Brink
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
Thanks for nominating me BEST CPA!
Thank you for Nominating us BEST Criminal Defense Attorney
A. Tyler Deese, CPA, CVA
1224 Pickens Street Suite 180 Columbia, SC 29201 www.DeeseCPAs.com • (803) 429-6569
Thanks for nominating me Best Litigation Attorney!
KIRK MORGAN 135 E. Main Street, Lex, SC 29072 803.359.6194 www.morganlitigation.com 28 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
123 Harmon Street (Downtown Lexington) Call (803) 359-3301 • www.snelllaw.com
Best Attorney - Real Estate Clark Law Office Dial, Grimm & Rupert The Templeton Law Firm
Best Auto Repair Shop: Foreign Abbott’s Auto Care & Tire B&T Automotive North Lake Auto Repair
Best Breakfast Cafe Strudel Creekside Restaurant Eggs Up Grill
Best Audiologist Digital Hearing Outlet Lake Murray Hearing Midlands Hearing Associates
Best Auto Service Department Dealership Herndon Chevrolet Honda of Columbia Jim Hudson Ford
Best Buffet Blossom Buffet Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ Shealy’s Bar-B-Que
Best Auto Body Shop Birchmore Paint & Body Shop Ellison Collison & Customs Gilbert Paint & Body Best Auto Performance Shop Automotive Experts Kestner Automotive North Lake Auto Repair Best Auto Repair Shop: Domestic Abbott’s Auto Care & Tire Christian Brothers Automotive Lexington 1 Stop Auto Shop
Best Burger Goodfellas Grill and Bar O’Hara’s Public House The Root Cellar
Best Bank First Citizens Bank First Community Bank First Reliance Bank Best Barber Shop Ivy League Barber & Beauty Lexington Barber Shop Terry’s Barber Shop Best BBQ Restaurant Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ Maurice’s Piggie Park PK BBQ Bar & Grill
Best Car Wash Marty’s Car Wash ModWash Take 5 Car Wash Best Carpet Store Carpet One Floor & Home Door To Door Floors Floor Boys
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
“Where We Meet by Accident” Batesburg Location: 803-820-0353 210 W Church Street, Batesburg, SC 29006 Gilbert Location: 803-820-0352 3970 Augusta Hwy, Gilbert, SC 29054 Hours: Monday- Friday 8AM-5:30PM
www.gilbertpaintandbodysc.com ww
Perfect for You!
Thanks for nominating us Best Barbeque and Best Catering Company! (803) 791-5887, ext. 106 A bridge to success for the students who will change tomorrow.
We appreciate your support! 305 N. Lake Drive Lexington, SC 29072 (803) 770-0701 todd@lylelawsc.com
JUSTICE WITH INTEGRITY
Thank you for Nominating us BEST Charter School!
803-822-3333 MidlandsMiddleCollege.com
Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 29
Best Catering Company Carolina Smoke N Fire Maurice’s Piggie Park RF’s Corner Grill
Best College for Working Adults Midlands Technical College Strayer University USC Palmetto College
Best Cosmetology School Kenneth Shuler School Lexington Technology Center Southeastern Esthetics Institute
Best Cell Phone/Tablet Repair CPR Cellphone Repair Smart Phone Medic uBreakiFix
Best Commercial Contractor Hazelwood Construction Company Hill Construction Company Springhill Construction
Best CPA Burkett, Burkett, Burkett Deese and Company Dooley & Company
Best Charter School Gray Collegiate Academy Midlands Middle College SC Whitmore School
Best Commercial Real Estate Agency Century 21 803 Realty Southern Visions Real Estate Trinity Partners
Best Credit Union Palmetto Citizens SAFE Federal Credit Union SC State Federal Credit Union
Best Chiropractor Bigbie Chiropractic Old Mill Chiropractic Vital Nutrition & Chiropractic Best Coin or Collectible Dealer Gilbert Coin & Collectible Golden Eagle Precious Metals Palmetto Cards
Best Consignment Shop Good As New Magnolia Boutique & Resale Revente Best Cosmetic Dentist Columbia Smiles Dr. James Denny Southern Shores Dental
Best Custom Home Builder Epic Homes Gage Construction Reese Builders Best Damage Restoration Services Palmetto Commercial Services Rumsey Construction Rytech Restoration of the Midlands
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
Magnolia Boutique & Resale
Thanks for Nominating us Best Consignment Shop! Gently Used Clothing For The Entire Family Most Adult Clothing $3–$10, Children's Items $2–$6 ***Boutique Items*** Candles, Soaps, Gii Items and Clothing
5140 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 2, Lexington, SC | (803) 520-0011
Thanks for nominating us Best Auto Body Shop! 30 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
404 W Main Street, Lexington (803) 399-1208 • palmettocards.com
Best Dance Company Elite Ballroom Dance Academy South Carolina Dance Company Stepping Out Dance Studio
Best Dermatologist Columbia Dermatology Columbia Skin Clinic Palmetto Dermatology
Best Event Venue Corley Mill House & Gardens Southern Oaks Twelve Oak Estate
Best Day Spa Lexington Aesthetics Medical Spa Rejuvenations WellSoul Spa + Salon
Best Dessert Cribb’s Sandwich & Sweet Shop Mingos Cookies & Bubble Tea O’Hara’s Bakery Cafe
Best Exterminator Baine Termite and Pest Control Cramer Pest Control Hartley & Sons Pest Control
Best Daycare Big Blue Marble Academy Calvary Christian Day Care Northside Baptist Church
Best Dry Cleaner Lexington Dry Cleaning Tripp’s Fine Cleaners Zebra Cleaners
Best Facial Holistic Skincare & Waxing OCCO Luxury Spa The Essential Face
Best Dentist: Adults Northwood Dental Associates Robinson Dental Sherry Powell Dentistry
Best Engineering Firm E Haselden & Associates Mead & Hunt Tobias & West
Best Fast Food Chick-fil-A Sonic Drive-In Zaxby’s
Best Dentist: Kids Midlands Pediatric Dentistry Palmetto Smiles Sunset Children’s Dentistry
Best Electrician Grow Electric Mr. Electric Rytec Electric
Best Fence Company Palmetto Southern Ryan Brewer Enterprises Seegars Fence Company
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
Thank yy ff nninating us BEST Cosmetic Dentist! SouthernShoresDental.com
THE CLEAR CHOICE FOR YOUR GLASS NEEDS Glass Repair & Installation Made Easy 4308 Augusta Road, Lexington, SC 29073 (803) 808-0202 Facebook: @CentralGlassofSC centralglasslexington.com
Thank you for nominating us Best Electrician for 2024! Serving the Midlands for over a decade!
Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 31
Best Fitness Center Fit Body Boot Camp HOTWORX ISI Elite Training
Best Garden Center A-Oak Farms Lowe’s Home Improvement Wingard’s Market
Best Group Fitness Studio 9Round Fitness Orangetheory Fitness RockBox Fitness
Best Florist Lexington Florist Storey’s Florist Worthy’s Florist
Best Gastroenterologist Columbia Gastroenterology Consultants in Gastroenterology
Best Gun and Ammunition Store Amick’s Guns JCs Outdoors Palmetto State Armory
Best Glass Store Absolute Glass ACE Glass Central Glass
Best Foot Store Fleet Feet Foot Savi Shoes & More The Good Feet Store Best Funeral Home Barr-Price Funeral Home Caughman-Harman Thompson Funeral Homes Best Furniture Store Economy Furniture Company Marty Rae’s of Lexington Scott’s Furniture Company
Best Golf Course Charwood Golf Club Country Club of Lexington Golden Hills Golf & Country Club Best Greek Restaurant Angelo’s Greek & Italian Bellis House of Pizza Showmars
Best Gym Dynamic Health and Fitness MUV Fitness Planet Fitness Best Hair Salon: Adults Free Spirited Hair Milk & Honey Fine Salon Salon M Best Hair Salon: Kids Ivy League Barber & Beauty Sharkey’s Cuts For Kids Snip-its Haircuts for Kids
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM Let us help you decorate the perfect holiday table!
Auto • Home • Business
Thank you for nominating us Best Glass Store!
www.absoluteglassinc.com 1612 W. Main St., Lexington
951-7200
Thanks for nominating us Best Adult Hair Salon! 414 Old Cherokee Rd, Lex, SC 29072 (803) 996-0117 lexingtonsalonm.com
32 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
Family Owned, Locally Operated by Jimmy Worthy
1100 West Main Street, Lex SC 803-359-6097 Hours Mon-Sat 8am-5:30pm we accept major credit cards
Thanks for Nominating us Best Greek Restaurant! We appreciate your business! Dine in and takeout available. 100 Old Cherokee Rd. Lexington, SC 29072 • 804-356-9734
www.bellishouseofpizzalexington.com
Best Hairstylist Arianne Connors, Free Spirited Marina Wilson, Elevate Salon Zena Quattlebaum, Zena Salon
Best Heating and Air Company All American Heating & Air Comfort Experts Mid-State Heating and Air
Best Ice Cream Shop Ice Cream Taco Lick’s Ice Cream Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
Best Happy Hour LJ’s Par and Grill O’Hara’s Public House Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar
Best Home Builder Great Southern Homes McGuinn Hybrid Homes Stanley Martin Homes
Best Insurance Agent Hal Girard, State Farm Ins. Misty Stathos, State Farm Ins. Patrick Williams, Williams Ins.
Best Hardware Store Bob’s Ace Hardware Do it Best Lexington True Value Hardware
Best Home Health Hands and Hearts Home Care RetireEase Senior Services Solutions for Living at Home
Best Insurance: Auto Daniel Scott, Allstate Misty Stathos, State Farm Ryan Grubbs, State Farm
Best Healthy Eating Restaurant CAVA Clean Eatz Clean Juice
Best Hospice Care Agape Care SC Heart of Hospice Medical Services of America
Best Insurance: Health Jeff Howle- Healthmarkets Lourie Life & Health Mauldin Insurance
Best Heart Doctor Dr. Amy Epps, LMC Dr. Dan Bouknight, CCVA Dr. Garrison Morgan, MUSC
Best Hotel Hampton Inn & Suites Quality Inn & Suites Wingate by Wyndman
Best Insurance: Homeowners Herring Insurance Services Scott Amick, State Farm Tidwell Insurance
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
HealthMarkets Insurance Agency Jeff Howle - Sales Leader Thanks for nominating us Best Homeowner Insurance
925 E Main St, Ste C , Lex | 803 356 0763 | Email: Brent@BrentHerring.com
Licensed Insurance Agent Health | Medicare | Small Group | Life 803-678-8121 • Fax: 877-714-4421 jhowle@healthmarkets.com www.jeffhowle.com
Thanks for Nominating me Best Insurance Agent! PATRICK WILLIAMS: (803) 957-8004
581 Old Chapin Rd, Lex, SC 29072 | williamsinsuranceteam.com Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 33
Best Insurance: Life Berry Insurance Group Farm Bureau Insurance Larry Hutto, State Farm
Best Italian Restaurant DeLucca’s Italian Grill Luce Cucina Italiano Travinia Italian Kitchen
Best Landscaping Supply Carolina Turfgrass Pinestraw Place W.P. Law
Best Interior Design e.d.’s Paint & Decorating Erin Rasmussen Design & Dwell Paige Butler Interior Styling
Best Jewelry Store The Chapman Company Moseley’s Diamond Showcase Tidwell Jewelers
Best Learning Center Attest Kumon Math & Reading Center Mathnasium
Best Internet Service Provider Carolina Connection Comporium Spectrum
Best Karate/Martial Arts Studio Black Belt 4 Life Black Tiger Tae Kwon Do Vitali Family Karate
Best Manicure/Pedicure Diva Nails Luxx Nail Spa VIP Nail Bar
Best Investment Firm Ameriprise Financial Services Cornerstone Financial Management Crescent Financial Group
Best Kid Friendly Restaurant Diablo’s Southwest Grill Flight Deck Restaurant Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill
Best Manufactured Home Hoover Building Systems Lexington Discount Homes Palmetto Home Outlet
Best Irrigation Lexington Sprinkler Repair SmartYard Irrigation The Lawn Smith
Best Landscaping Company Elite Landscaping Greener Solutions Company Saluda Hill Landscapes
Best Marina Big Man’s Marina Lighthouse Marina Southshore Marina
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
Thank you to our customers for 25 years in business!
We are thankful for being your local Jeweler since 1998. 903 North Lake Dr Lexington, SC • (803) 996–5530 Locally owned and operated, over 40 years experience. 34 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
Best Massage FLOW Massage Massage Mechanics Soothing Sessions Massage
Best Men’s Clothing Store BP Skinner Clothiers Craig Reagin Clothiers JCs Outdoors
Best Mosquito Treatment Cramer Pest Control Mosquito Joe of Lake Murray Mosquito Squad
Best Mattress Store Economy Furniture Company Marty Rae’s of Lexington Michaelas Mattress
Best Mexican Restaurant Brothers and Beer Diablo’s Southwest Grill El Jimador
Best Moving Company Gamecock Moving The Moving Squad Two Men and a Truck
Best Meat Store Caughman’s Meats Four Oaks Farm Country Store Old Timey Meat Market
Best Microbrewery: Local Hazelwood Brewing Company Krafty Draft Brew Pub Steel Hands Brewing
Best Music School Freeway Music Lexington School of Music Musician Supply
Best Medical Imaging American Health Imaging Lexington Radiology Associates Palmetto Imaging
Best Milkshake Cook Out Freddy’s Rush’s
Best OB/GYN Practice Carolina Women’s Physicians Kraemer Women’s Care Lexington Women’s Care
Best Medical Spa Allure Medical Spa Cardinal Wellness & Aesthetics SC My Care
Best Mortgage Company Guaranteed Rate Affinity Movement Mortgage Synovus Bank
Best Oil Change Abbott’s Auto Care & Tire Christian Brothers Automotive Express Oil Change
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
Thanks ff nominating me Best Dentist
Caa today! Dr. Sherry Powell 120 Midlands Court West Columbia, SC 29169 (803) 739-0390 M-Th 8AM–5PM
Thank you for Nominating us BEST Commercial Contractor!
803-720-9225 • www.hillconstructionllc.com Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 35
Best Oncologist Lexington Medical Cancer Center SC Oncology Associates Best Ophthalmology Practice Cardinal Vision Columbia Eye Clinic Palmetto Ophthalmology Best Optometry Practice Envision Family EyeCare Eye Care of Lexington My Pharmacy & Optical Best Orthodontist The Braces Place Purnell Orthodontics Whitehead Orthodontics Best Orthopedic Practice Lexington Orthopaedics Midlands Orthopaedics Palmetto Bone & Joint
Best Pain Management Carolina Spine & Pain Center Physicians Pain & Spine Center Thrive Wellness & Rehab
Best Pet Hospital Cherokee Trail Veterinary Hospital Grace Animal Hospital Veterinary Care Center
Best Pediatric Practice Lexington Pediatric Practice Palmetto Pediatric SouthernMED Pediatrics
Best Pet Kennel/ Boarding Facility Central Bark Lexington Pet Lodge Sutton’s Southern Pet Retreat
Best Periodontist Columbia Periodontal Associates Palmetto Endodontics Southern Roots Periodontics Best Personal Trainer Coach Lindsay, Bodyshop Faith Barbare, Simply Fit John Scarborough, ISI Best Pet Groomer Bubble Buds Lexington Pet Lodge Sutton’s Southern Pet Retreat
Best Pet Supply Store Hollywood Feed Lazy Creek Pet Food Center The Leash Connection Best Pet Trainer Krista’s Pawsitive K-9 Solutions Sam Dooley, Walk N Wag The Leash Connection Best Pharmacy: Local Medicine Mart Pharmacy My Pharmacy & Optical Riley’s Drugs
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
803-941-8095
Monday–Friday 8 am–5pm
Thank you for nominating us BEST Orthopedic Practice
803-941-8096
Monday–Friday 7:30am–5pm
www.palmettoboneandjoint.com Thank you for nominating us Best Pet Kennel/Boarding Facility and Best Groomer!
Mon - Fri: 8am - 6pm | Sat - Sun: 8am - 5pm Now 2 locations to serve you in Lexington & Irmo! 1481C Pisgah Church Road, Lexington, SC 29072 803.951.3313 | www.facebook.com/suttonspetretreat 36 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
Hay anksging!
Serving the Midlands Allergy and Asthma Needs for 31 Years
Best Physical Therapy Practice Drayer Physical Therapy Institute Fyzical Therapy & Balance INSHAPE Physical Therapy
Best Place to Buy a Pool Aquarian Pools Griffin Pool and Spa S&S Pools
Best Pizza Bellacino’s Pizza & Grinders Clara & Ray’s Ristorante Italiano Nicky’s Pizzeria
Best Place to Buy a Prom Dress Dazzles Pageant & Prom Apparel Greg McKenzie Pageant & Prom Tylar Rose Pageant Prom
Best Place to Buy a Boat Captain’s Choice Marine Cove 2 Coast Marine Dynamic Marine & Motorsports
Best Place to Buy an RV Blue Compass RV Camping World Lester RV
Best Place to Buy a Car: New Herlong Chevrolet Herndon Chevrolet Steve Padgett’s Honda
Best Place to Buy Bath or Kitchen Fixtures Gateway Supply Co. KB Kitchen & Bath Stroud Supply
Best Place to Buy a Car: Used B & L Auto Sales Hyatt Cars of Lexington Rock & Roll Auto Sales
Best Place to Buy Eyeglasses Envision Family EyeCare My Pharmacy & Optical Sansbury Eye Center
Best Place to Buy Hardwood Floors Carpet One Door to Door Floors Floor Boys Best Place to Buy Organic Products 14 Carrot Whole Foods Clean Juice Garner’s Natural Life Best Place to Buy Outdoor Furniture Carolina Pottery Costless Outlet Lowe’s Home Improvement Best Place to Buy Paint e.d.’s Paint & Decorating Lexington Paint & Flooring Sherwin-Williams Paint Store
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM Vote online at lexingtonlifemagazine.com
10% OFF
ON SERVICES UP TO $150.00 Exp. 11/30/23
Thank you for voting us BEST again!
764 West Main Street Lexington, SC 29072 803-399-1514 | www.kestnerautomotive.com
Thank you for nominating us Best Place to Buy Outdoor Furniture SHOP LOCAL, SAVE MONEY!
FOOD~CLOTHING~HOUSEWARES~FURNITURE~APPLIANCES
Providing Heart Healthy Services One Patient at A Time 1 Wellness Boulevard, Suite 106 Irmo, SC 29063 | (803) 888-2282
523 Columbia Ave, Lexington, SC 29072 (803) 996-0594 | costlessoutlet.com Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 37
Best Property Management Company Rogers Property Management Scott Properties of the Midlands Southern Dreams Realty
Best Place to Buy Propane AmeriGas Propane Barnes Oil & Propane Palmetto Propane, Fuels, & Ice
Best Plastic Surgeon Carlin Plastic Surgery Lefkowitz Plastic Surgery Palmetto Cosmetic Surgery
Best Place to Buy Tires Bo Tire & Oil Company Mavis Tires & Brakes Old School Automotive & Tire
Best Plumber Delta Plumbing Piedmont Plumbers Smooth Waters Plumbing
Best Place to Buy Windows Pella Windows & Doors of Irmo Stroud Supply
Best Pressure Washing Company Mathias Pressure Washing Not Your Average Joe’s Super Soakers Pressure Washing
Best Place to Sell Gold Gilbert Coin and Collectibles Palmetto Gold & Pawn Golden Eagle Precious Metals Best Place to Work Hands and Hearts Home Care Lexington Medical Center Michelin
Best Private School Grace Christian Academy Hammond School Northside Christian Academy Best Produce Farm Four Oaks Farm Country Store Wingard’s Nursery WP Rawl
Best Real Estate Agent: Commercial David Brock, ERA Wilder Realty Dustin Johns, Resource Realty Group James Spangler, Fuzion Best Real Estate Agent: Residential April Stroud, Resource Realty Group Patrick Connor, Coldwell Banker Tim Williams, Century 21 803 Best Residential Contractor Anthony John Construction New Level Construction The Wright Group Construction
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
April Stroud 803-920-6899
april.resourcecolumbia.com Email: april@resourcecolumbia.com
Thanks for Nominating us Best Plumber!
127 Bellerive Drive, Lexington SC 29073 803-834-9483 | deltaplumbingllc.com
$30off
�anks for nominating me Best Real Estate Agent 5 years in a row!
FOR RESIDENTIAL SERVICES ONLY (some restrictions apply)
Your Honest, Reliable & Hardworking Agent
800-233-1882
palmettopropane.com
We appreciate our supporters and this community! To show our thanks please redeem this coupon for
15% OFF ANY RETAIL PURCHASE
38 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
Best Residential Real Estate Company Century 21 803 Realty Resource Realty Group Southern Dreams Realty Best Ribs Carolina Wings & Rib House Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ Willie Jewell’s Bar-B-Q Best Roofing Company Beaver Roofing & Gutters Premiere Roofing Vista Roofing Best Salad Momma Rabbit’s O’Hara’s Public House Twisted Roots Bar and Grill Best Sandwich Shop Cribb’s Sandwich & Sweet Shop Firehouse Subs Groucho’s Deli
Best Seafood Restaurant Bone-Appetite Catch Seafood Poke Bros.
Best Sign/Graphic Design Shop Guerrilla Graphix Signarama The Graphics Source
Best Self-Storage Facility Charter Oak Self Storage Crescent Self Storage Morningstar Storage
Best Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Lexington Extended Care Millennium Post-Acute NHC HealthCare
Best Senior Home Care Assisting Hands Hands and Hearts Home Care McLeod Home Care Best Senior Living Community Lakeview Retirement Community The Legacy of Lexington The Village at Southlake Best Shooting Range C2C Arms Kilo Charlie Shooting Range Palmetto Outdoors Shooting
Best Smoothie Clean Juice Smoothie King Tropical Smoothie Café Best Southern Cooking Hudson’s Smokehouse BBQ Lizard’s Thicket Willie Jewell’s Bar-B-Q Best Steak Big Tuna’s Kitchen O’Hara’s Public House Private Property
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
SouthernDreamsRealEstate southerndreamsrealty
Thank You for nominating Assisting Hands® for
Best Senior Home Care 4 years in a row! We appreciate your vote!
Your Home. Our Care.® Serving the Midlands Since 2012
102 Gantt Street, Lexington, SC 29072 (803) 920-2321 • www.southerndreamsrealty.com
104 Hamilton St., Lexington SC 29072
803.661.7557
DHEC License # IHCP-0494 ©2023 Assisting Hands® Home Care, Nampa, Idaho 83687. All Rights Reserved.
Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 39
Best Subs Groucho’s Deli Jersey Mike’s Sub Station II
Best Towing Service Freedom Towing & Recovery Pee Wee’s Towing Wingard Towing Service
Best Urgent Care Doctors Care LMC Urgent Care Veritas Urgent Care
Best Sushi Antai Asian Dining Ganbei Japanese Sukiya Japanese Steak House
Best Travel Agency Cruise Planners Diserella Travel Company Travel Leaders of Lexington, SC
Best Urology Clinic Dr. Richard Morrow Lexington Urology Southern Urogynecology
Best Sweet Tea Cribb’s Sandwich & Sweet Shop McAlister’s Deli PK BBQ Bar & Grill
Best Tree Removal Boozer’s Tree Service Mike’s Tree Service Spotted Dog Outdoors
Best Veterinarian Practice Crossroads Veterinary Services Grace Animal Hospital Veterinary Care Center
Best Tanning Salon Carolina Tan Factory LexingTAN & Retail Therapy Palm Beach Tan
Best Unique Gift Shop Blush Boutique & Home Gifts Galore & So Much More Just For You by Lu Boutique
Best Wait Staff Eggs Up Grill Goodfellas Grill and Bar O’Hara’s Public House
Best Temporary Employment Service Express Employment Professionals Roper Staffing Snelling
Best Upholstery Repair Gunn’s Upholstery Hot Rod’s Upholstery Polk’s Furniture Service
Best Wedding Venue Southern Oaks Stone River Twelve Oak Estate
VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
Happy Thanksgiving!
147 Charter Oak Road, Lexington, SC 29072 (Located near Lexington High School) 803-808-7387 |www.gracepets.com
DR. BRIANA DAVIS
40 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
DR. RYAN K. DOVER
DR. HALEY HUNT
DR. TIM LOONAM
DR. BAILEY ECHOLS
Dr. Harris Jordan
DR. SONYA AKERS
Best Weight Loss Program Bigbie Chiropractic Profile Plan SimplyFit
Best Women’s Gym 9Round Fitness Burn Boot Camp HOTWORX
Best Women’s Clothing Store Aiden Lane Charleys Clothing & Apparel Tulip Boutique
Best Yoga/Pilates Instruction Club Pilates Pink Lotus Yoga Center Stretch Zone
Best Write In Category Lexington Dog Walk Merle Norman Hair Studio Palmetto Archery Targets
Thank you for Voting! VOTE ONLINE AT LEXINGTONLIFEMAGAZINE.COM
Thank you for Nominating us Best Tree Removal! Proudly Serving the Midlands over 16 years! 10% Military/First Responder/Teacher Discount
(803) 622-3785 BEFORE
Thanks for Nominating us Best Women's Clothing Store
5175 Sunset Boulevard, Unit 5, Lex, SC
www.shopattulip.com
AFTER 2 TXS
Removal of Brown/Age Spots and Red Pigmentation with the new “Gold Standard” for treatment of a variety of skin conditions Dye VL Technology (Pulsed Dye Laser and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL))
Purchase package of 3 & get hands treated for FREE! �ank you for nominating us Best Aesthetic Practice!
MONICA WHITEHEAD STATON, CFNP
scan here for a list of our services:
DR. HANK MARTIN
803-520-0506 | 4721D Sunset Blvd, Lex cardinalwellnessandaesthetics.com Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com | 41
Thank you for nominating us Best Pet Kennel/Boarding Facility and Best Groomer!
THANKS FOR NOMINATING US BEST CHIROPRACTOR Come experience what all the buzz is about... Join our community of families seeking TRUE health. Experience the difference when a physician:
Listens ~ Explains the cause ~ Takes a holistic approach ~ Cares about YOU. Webster certified for pregnancy care and pediatric certifed Treat patients from pre-conception to the golden years!
INSURANCE ACCEPTED. FAMILY PLANS. WELLNESS PLANS. Its time to stop hiding the symptom. Feel like yourself again.
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Martin’s Vintage Music Co. by Abigail Harris
Nestled in the heart of downtown Lexington sits a familiar building you may have passed driving down East Main Street. This building, which neighbors the Old Mill, holds new tenants with a fantastic story. Owned by Kenny and Loni Martin, this new music shop, Martin’s Vintage Music Co., is a beautiful addition to downtown Lexington businesses. The store is a long-time dream of Kenny’s. He saw the benefit of opening a store with various musical instruments and wanted to bring that vision to life here in Lexington. This family-owned store offers a unique shopping opportunity to find sought-after, vintage musical items and a place to connect with like-minded folks. Martin’s Vintage Music Co. provides an array of instruments, equipment, and vinyl records. Each piece in the shop
holds a story and memories from the past. Whether the vinyl records evoke reminders of the past through the music or the feel of a vintage guitar in the hands of a musician ushers in nostalgia for simpler times, almost every item in Martin’s Vintage Music Co. has a tale and scars from a well-lived life. Kenny enjoys the uniqueness of each piece in the shop and says he has difficulty parting with many of them when their new owners take them home.
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Music has been an instrumental part of Kenny’s life for over 54 years. He started playing music at the tender age of 10, and at 14, he played the Ridge Jamboree in a packed house in Batesburg-Leesville, an event he looks back on as a treasured memory. He has had the opportunity to work with the industry’s best during his time in music. Kenny has made many incredible memories and connections, from playing steel guitar with The Marshall Tucker Band from 2011-2016 to playing the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium twice and at the Gaylord Opry five times. Kenny says, “I have wanted to open a vintage music store for many years. Being a touring musician allowed me to visit many family-owned music stores nationwide. Opening my own music store is a lifelong dream that has now come true.
“I get to play music every day. Talk about music every day. Listen to music every day. My average workday is the best day a musician could have, a musician’s dream come true. I get to work at a music store and play everything in the store. Pretty cool!” — Kenny Martin We hope that Martin’s Music Co. can help others enjoy the memories brought back through music and make new memories for the future with musical instruments and records,” he continues. Kenny’s inspiration comes from his wife, Loni, his family, and his love of music. His wife and stepdaughter, Carly, are very musically talented, and Kenny is even a part of Carly’s band, The Show Goats. “I get to play music every day. Talk about music every day. Listen to music every day. My average workday is the best day a musician could have, a musician’s dream come true. I get to work at a music store and play everything in the store. Pretty cool!” The Martin family brings even more entertainment to the Lexington community as well. They offer music shows to the community at their farm at Fiddler Branch Road, where they play Bluegrass, Country, and Rock. Most of the events are free to the public, and it is a family-friendly environment. If you are looking for an instrument, classic vinyl record, or maybe you are just in the mood to browse through some vintage items, take a moment to stop by Martin’s Vintage Music Co. located at 605 East Main Street in Lexington. They are open Tuesday-Friday from 10 am - 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am - 4 pm, or you can visit their website at martinsvintagemusic.com. n
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We can help you stock up on your faa essentials! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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In Memorium
Charles Darrell Roland
In Memorium Ted O. McGee 1939-2023
1961-2023
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Holiday Appetizers Cranberry Turkey Sliders 12 Hawaiian Rolls (1 package) 8-oz deli turkey slices 8-oz Swiss cheese ¾ cup cranberry sauce 1 stick butter, melted 2 tbsp spicy brown mustard 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup cranberry sauce 1 tbsp poppy seeds ¼ cup dried cranberries Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Slice Hawaiian rolls in half and place in a casserole dish. Spread ¾ cranberry sauce on the bottom of the rolls, top with sliced turkey and cheese. Add top of rolls on top of the Swiss cheese. Mix melted butter, ¼ cranberry sauce, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and poppy seeds until lumps are gone, and pour mixture over sandwiches. Top with ¼ cup dried cranberries. Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Cornbread Spinach Wafers 1 box frozen chopped spinach 2 eggs 3-oz melted butter ½ cup blue cheese dressing ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp garlic powder ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 box corn muffin mix Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix eggs, butter, and blue cheese dressing. Add garlic powder, onion powder, parmesan cheese, and corn muffin mix. Fold in the spinach (drained and water squeezed out) and cheddar cheese and mix well. Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, make small balls with the dough. Place dough on a parchment-covered cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges turn light brown. Cool on a cooling rack and serve with blue cheese dressing.
Sweet Potato Puffs 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & sliced into 1/4” thick rounds 2 tbsp melted butter 1 tsp maple syrup Kosher salt 1 (10-oz) bag marshmallows ½ cup pecan halves Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a large baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes with melted butter and maple syrup and arrange in an even layer, season with salt. Bake until tender, flipping halfway through, about 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and switch the oven to broil. Top each sweet potato round with a marshmallow and broil until puffed and golden. Immediately top each marshmallow with a pecan half and serve. Maple Bacon Carrots 2 pounds carrots, less than ½ inch thick, peeled 1 pound thin-sliced bacon ¼ cup maple syrup Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap one slice of bacon tightly around each carrot (starting at the thick end of the carrot). When wrapping bacon, be careful not to overlap the layers. Arrange the carrots on a wire rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and the carrots are tender. Remove from the oven and carefully glaze all sides with the maple syrup. Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes and serve.
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Mac and Cheese Bites 8-oz elbow pasta 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp all-purpose flour ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp mustard powder ½ tsp salt 1 ¼ cups 2% milk 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease two mini-muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions, about
7-9 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Melt the butter, add the flour, garlic powder, and mustard powder into the pot, and stir to combine, for about 2 minutes. Add the milk, season with salt and pepper, and whisk well to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheese until the mixture is melted. Fold in the cooked pasta and mix until it is evenly coated with the sauce. Scoop about 2 tbsp of the mac-and-cheese mixture into each muffin cup and pack in with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle panko breadcrumbs and remaining cheese on top. Bake until the cheese is melted, and the breadcrumbs become golden, for about 20 to 25 minutes. Cinnamon Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 3 cups fresh dried pumpkin seeds ¼ cup butter melted 4 tbsp pure maple syrup 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground cloves pinch of salt Preheat the oven to 275 °F. Put the dried seeds in a bowl, pour the melted butter and the maple syrup over the seeds. Stir to coat well. In a separate bowl mix all the spices together (You can add 2-3 tbsp white or brown sugar to dry spice mix if you want them sweeter). Dump the spices over the seeds and mix well. Spread the seeds onto parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook for 30-45 mins (or until the seeds look golden brown), stirring every 15-20 minutes. After the seeds have cooled, break up with your hands. Store the seeds in an airtight container at room temperature.
Green Bean Casserole Cups 16-oz canned biscuits 8 count 28-oz canned green beans drained 10.5-oz cream of mushroom or cream of celery 3 cloves garlic minced 1 small onion diced 1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded 2 tsp seasoning salt 1 1/4 cup crispy fried onions Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray the muffin pan with nonstick spray. Remove the biscuits from the can and separate each biscuit in half. Place each piece in a muffin cup and press down on the bottom and up the sides. Combine the green beans, cream of mushroom (or celery) soup, garlic, 1 cup of cheese, and onions in a large mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients until well combined. Spoon the green bean mixture into the muffin cups, filling up to the top. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Remove from the oven, add the remaining cheese and fried onions. Place back into the oven and bake until the cheese melts. n
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My office is at The Flight Deck Shoppes in Lexington, South Carolina. I am focused on serving the Health Insurance Needs for Individuals of all Ages. I offer guidance and solutions with regards to the needs for Health Insurance and Medicare Insurance. Choosing Health Insurance plans can be Difficult. That is why I make it Easy. The Annual Enrollment for Medicare is October15–December 77. Open Enrollment for Individual Health Insurance is November 1–January 15.Give me a call to get on my Calendar so that we can discuss the best Options for your Individual Health Insurance in 2024. I will be glad to help. You can Call or Text Jeff Howle at 803-678-8121. You can also Email Jeff at jhowle@healthmarkets.com www.jeffhowle.com. or find him online at ww
HealthMarkets Insurance Agency Jeff Howle - Sales Leader Licensed Insurance Agent Health | Medicare | Small Group | Life 803-678-8121 • Fax: 877-714-4421 jhowle@healthmarkets.com • www.jeffhowle.com 52 | Vote now for the Best of Lexington Life 2024 at lexingtonlife.com
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Meet our Care Team! What is the Secret to our Residents’ Success?
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Creating Thankfulness A younger friend mentioned how he sometimes felt bad about all the worry he caused his folks. I agreed and added that I felt ashamed of how I caused so much worry. He laughed a wry laugh and said it made him want to cry if he thought about it hard enough. He and I grew up in similar situations -a Mama and Daddy who worked, checked our homework, and took the whole family to church on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening. We both had a Mama who could cook up a storm and tear our tails up if we needed it. We both had a Daddy who would listen, who taught us how to throw and catch and fix our bikes, and who called us out when we needed to be corrected by a man who wouldn’t take any guff from a kid. We shared several examples of fire raining down on our behind after some infraction we thought at the time was quite minor. He said: “But you know, now that I look back, those minor corrections are what saved me. It was the right way to do it, even though I hated my folks at the time
for whoopin’ me. I thank God everyday for all those whoopin’s because I wouldn’t be worth a hoot now if I hadn’t gotten them.” We discussed the dinner table, and how there was always some intelligent conversation -- usually about how school was going or what we were learning, and occasionally about something Mama or Daddy had heard from a teacher and just wanted “some clarification.” These “clarifications” were always about things we thought nobody knew anything about. My friend laughed. “Man, we couldn’t get away with anything back then. My parents knew everything I did or was thinking about doing.” I laughed at that. “Yep, it’s hard to imagine they did all the same stuff we did before we came along. Maybe not exactly the same, but the same type of stuff. And you may have noticed we know what our own kids are doing, right?” He said: “Oh yeah. My son is amazed when I describe what he’s doing to a T. And now that we’re talking about real conversations at the table, my wife and I have
talked about making changes at our house. We’re going to all eat together from now on. Nobody will have a phone. I owe these kids the same grilling I got. I think I’m going to call their teachers and get some real information about how they’re doing.” “Well, you know they’re going to hate you for that.” “Yeah, I know, but they already hate me anyway, just like I hated my folks. Who cares? I want them to have something to be thankful for, so my wife and I are going to earn that hatred now, so they’ll be thankful later. It worked with us. I pray to God it works with my kids.” We shook hands. “Happy Thanksgiving.” n
David Clark writes and works in Cochran, GA. Connect with him at cw.w4trj@gmail.com.
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