A Bittersweet Goodbye
SEABROOK BIDS FAREWELL TO ADMINISTRATOR
BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
The December 17 Seabrook Town Council meeting took a sad turn when Mayor Bruce Kleinman announced the departure of the town’s assistant town administrator Katharine Watkins. She will be leaving her role in early January to be the town administrator for the town of Awendaw.
As the assistant town administrator, Watkins took care of the day-to-day operations of the town, performing a variety of functions including human resources, IT, payroll and procurement.
Watkins came to Seabrook in 2021 to fill the role that Faye Allbritton had left after her retirement. Allbritton had been with the town for 25 years. Watkins first started with Seabrook as the town clerk/treasurer.
Working in the public sector is not new for Watkins, and neither is working for a coastal
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An Update on Island Park Place
BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
Mayor Bruce Kleinman provided an update on the current status of Island Park Place with Charleston County. He announced that he had penned a letter of disapproval of the project to Charleston County in November.
Kleinman said that his letter was presented to the Charleston County Planning Commission, who ultimately voted unanimously to recommend denying approval of the project to Charleston County Council. Charleston County staff also recommended denying the project.
A Charleston County Public Hearing about the project was held on Tuesday, December 10. The Monday before that, a community meeting was held on Kiawah Island and hosted by Kleinman and Mayor Bradley Belt of Kiawah Island.
Kleinman said that Charleston County Council Member Jenny Costa Honeycutt, who represents the Sea Islands, attended the community meeting. He added that the developer was invited, but neglected to respond to the invitations and did not show up to the meeting. He said he was encouraged by Honeycutt’s expression of opposition to the project.
Charleston County’s Planning and Public Works Committee was supposed to consider an approval or denial recommendation on
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New Year, New Town Officials
KIAWAH ISLAND’S COUNCIL IS NOW COMPLETE
BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
For the first time, the new and fully constituted Kiawah Island Town Council met on December 3. With the addition of Lane Spencer, who was elected in November, Council is complete.
Mayor Bradley Belt addressed the members, their talents and the expertise that they will bring to the town.
“We’re quite lucky because these are all roll-up-your-sleeves types,” he said.
He started with Town Council Member Russell Berner, who began his four-year term in 2023. He is Mayor Pro Tempore and chairs the Public Safety Committee.
Belt said, “Berner’s portfolio is not just acting as public safety committee chair, but also helping with public safety at large, including law enforcement, EMS, beach patrol and code enforcement. I am particularly impressed with CERT, which is the Community Emergency Response Team, and their level of activity in the past three weeks. It has really expanded over the past three years.”
Berner is also a Trustee with the Kiawah Conservancy and a Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol Member. He was a member of the Town’s Board of Zoning Appeals, but that service ended when he was elected to Town Council. He is currently working on two important projects for Kiawah: a design to improve exiting traffic flow at the front gate and a design to reduce flooding on Governor’s Drive.
In Berner’s professional life, he was a licensed engineer, and he holds a degree in mechanical engineering. He worked 44 years in the construction industry. He owned a business called Construction Claims Group from 1999 to 2020, where he testified as an expert witness in court 30 times for construction claims.
Council Member Madeleine Kaye also began her term in 2023 and will serve until 2027. Kaye serves as the Environmental Committee chair, and she chairs the Marsh Management Committee.
Belt said, “Madeleine Kaye is in charge of protecting our natural environment and native wildlife. She has been working on a broad range
of projects that have gotten a lot of attention recently, some that have garnered some tension and notoriety. One of those topics was the off-leash rules and the impacts that has on nesting shorebirds and the shorebird population. She also deals with the marsh management plan and management of the Kiawah River bridge and many other related matters.”
Kaye has a background in communications and public affairs and worked for 30 years for Merck & Company in a variety of managerial positions.
She was a member of the Planning Commission, where she said they made key decisions that impact Kiawah’s future, including issues like rezoning West Beach tracts, drafting a sweeping Marsh Management Plan, working on the Town’s next comprehensive plan and crafting a much-needed tree preservation ordinance.
Council Member Luke Farrell's term will expire in 2025. He chairs the South Carolina State Accommodation Tax Committee, as well as the Audit Committee and the Ways and Means Committee.
Belt said about Farrell: “He has taken the bull by the horns and has updated our accounting policies and procedures, which is ongoing. He is looking at ways to really think about our state accommodations tax or local hospitality tax revenues, which are constrained on how they are used, but we can probably use them in more creative ways than we have before. We want to get more people interested in applying for ATAX funds. He will also be looking into how to review our investment policy.”
Farrell has an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering and ran chemical plants for two Fortune 500 companies for over 12 years, which helped him develop strong project management and problem-solving skills. He spent the last 25 years on Wall Street as a trader, analyst, portfolio manager and senior strategist. He worked with and led teams making large financial decisions, while integrating both risk and outcomes, all with clear and
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Mayor Bradley Belt.
Lance Spencer.
Luke Farrell.
Madeleine Kaye.
Russell Berner.
PUBLISHERS
OF
The Island Eye News, The Island Connection & SiP Magazine
Christian Senger AssistAnt Publisher
Denise K. James editor denisekjames@gmail.com
Swan Richards grAPhic design
Advertising advertising@mylonews.com 267-225-0192
Lynn Pierotti consultAnt lynn@luckydognews.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Theresa Stratford
Christian Senger
Bonnie Younginer Leah Burris
Future
JANUARY 15 for the JANUARY 24 issue
P.O. Box 837
Island, SC 29482 843-886-NEWS
Park Place (continued from page 1)
December 19, but that meeting was rescheduled to January 9.
During the January 9 meeting, the Charleston County Planning and Public Works Committee discussed the proposed up-zoning request for the Island Park Place development and made a recommendation to Charleston County Council for approval or denial of the development. Although no public comments were considered during the meeting, the public was encouraged to email public comments to ZREZ00157@publicinput.com.
Kiawah Conservancy posted on their website to copy Council Members Robert L. Wehrman (rlwehrman@charlestoncounty.org) and Kylon Jerome Middleton (kmiddleton@charlestoncounty.org) in public comments.
After the Charleston County Planning and Public Works Committee meeting on January 9, Charleston County Council will meet on January 14 to hold a First Reading vote to either approve or reject the proposed development. Public comments will be limited to a set number of speakers at this meeting.
Kiawah Conservancy is asking members of the public to attend the meeting to demonstrate strong opposition. As noted on their website, the Kiawah Conservancy sites the following reasons for their opposition:
• Habitat Loss and Wildlife Corridor Fragmentation: The proposed development threatens critical wildlife habitats and disrupts established corridors essential for local species.
• Destruction of Grand Trees: The project plans to cut down twelve (12) mature grand trees, which are vital to the local ecosystem.
• Wetlands Destruction: The development will involve filling in up to two (2) acres of wetlands, which provide important ecological functions, including flood mitigation and water filtration.
• Environmental Risks: There is concern over potential groundwater and watershed contamination, due to the use of septic systems in this area.
• Increased Flooding and Water Quality Issues: With 60% of the development being impervious surfaces, the project is likely to exacerbate flooding and negatively affect water quality in the region.
• Threat of Over-Development: This project could serve as a stepping stone to up-zoning and high-density development, further changing the rural character of Johns Island.
For residents against the Health and Wellness Village, their main issue is the size. The plan calls for 18 dwelling units and retail spaces. There would be a minimum of seven acres of open space, a maximum of 159,846 square feet of building area and a maximum of 55,000 square feet of utility sewage service area.
For the residents in the Johns Island area that support the Health and Wellness Village, they want to see more services in the area to afford them the luxury of not having to drive to West Ashley, James Island or downtown Charleston for those same services.
The developers actually reduced the scale of the original plan from 18 buildings to 15 buildings and decreased the square footage by 20% in late 2023. They also tried to preserve as many grand trees as possible.
It is worth noting that Trident Hospital is coming to Maybank Highway soon, and the MUSC Medical Center is currently underway near Freshfields Village. Roper St. Francis also plans to open medical offices in Freshfields Village.
A year ago, the Town of Kiawah Island conducted a survey among their residents about the development. A couple of results are as follows:
• Regarding impact on the community’s quality of life, about 21% felt the Health and Wellness Village would have a positive impact, 75% noted a negative impact and 3% saw no impact.
• Overall, 77% of respondents indicated that they opposed the rezoning proposal and 22% were in favor.
TOWN OF KIAWAH
Environmental Committee
Wednesday, January 15, 1 p.m.
Kiawah Island Town Hall
Public Safety Committee
Thursday, January 16, 11 a.m.
Kiawah Island Town Hall
CERT Team
Wednesday, January 22, 3 p.m.
Kiawah Island Town Hall
Board of Zoning Appeals
Monday, January 27, 1 p.m.
Kiawah Island Town Hall
Arts & Cultural Event Council -
Planning Session
Tuesday, January 28, 9 a.m.
Kiawah Island Town Hall
TOWN OF SEABROOK
Public Safety Committee
Tuesday, January 21, 10 a.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Town Council
Thursday, January 23, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Environment and Wildlife Committee
Thursday, February 13, 10 a.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Town Council - Special Called Meeting
Thursday, February 13, 11 a.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Public Safety Committee
Tuesday, February 18, 10 a.m.
Seabrook Town Hall
Administrator (continued from page 1)
community’s local government. She came to Seabrook from a six-year stint with the City of Folly Beach. She started there as the administrative clerk, handling utility payments, business licenses, permits and the like. In 2018, she was promoted to municipal clerk. She started the position with Folly Beach after graduating from the College of Charleston in 2015 with a degree in finance and a minor in hospitality and tourism. In 2021, she graduated with honors with a master’s in public administration from the College of Charleston.
In 2021, when Watkins first started with Seabrook, she provided this quote to The Island Connection: “You’ll never have the same day twice when you work in local government. I think what drew me into working in the public sector was being able to help my community. It is so rewarding, and I enjoy knowing that I am making an impact.”
Kleinman referred to Watkins as the “swiss army knife” of Seabrook Island.
“We are going to miss her tremendously. She has only been here three and a half years, but it is hard to imagine this town without her. She has been a tremendous resource. I learned so much from her about how municipal government works. I hope Awendaw realizes what a gem they are getting. I have been blown away by how big her job is. I want to say thank you,” he said.
Town Administrator Joe Cronin added, “I know you wanted to be a town administrator, so I am very happy for you, but I hate to see you go. Thankfully, you are right up the road so we can contact you at any time and we encourage you to contact us at any time, as well.”
Watkins is originally from Canton, Connecticut.
Katharine Watkins.
New Council (continued from page 1)
measurable accountability.
His work on the Kiawah Island Planning Commission allowed him to apply his work experience to decisions affecting land-use, zoning, conservation and comprehensive planning.
The newest council member, Lance Spencer, who attended his first meeting on December 3, will be on Town Council until 2027. He serves as the liaison for CARTA, and he is chair for the Infrastructure and Public Works Committee.
Belt commented, “Council Member Spencer will work on the infrastructure in the public works portfolio. Telecommunications is a critical part of that, which will be ongoing. It is this campus, our roads and leisure trails we are responsible for, but also relationships with all our infrastructure providers, like Telecom, Seabrook Island Utility, Kiawah Island Utility and Berkeley Electric.”
Spencer has undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering. He was an Air Force officer and has been deployed multiple times. He was presented the esteemed Legion of Merit by the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force at The Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes and was recently named to the Air Force’s highly selective Cyberspace Hall of Fame. He was a senior executive in a Fortune 13 company, leading a major business unit. He negotiated with global companies to win crucial contracts and established an industry consortium of over 30 of the largest international companies to develop next-generation solutions. He was also heavily involved in the previous
community he lived in, where he served on the Community Association Board and the Traffic Task Force.
In his role, Mayor Belt serves as the liaison for the Kiawah Conservancy, Kiawah Partners, Kiawah Golf Resort, Kiawah Island Community Association, South Carolina Councils of Governments, City of Charleston, Charleston County, Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Johns Island Task Force, Edens, St. Johns Fire District, and the Town of Seabrook Island.
Belt spent the last decade or so in executive roles with asset management and investment banking firms. Prior to that, he served in the Administration of President George W. Bush as the head of the agency responsible for overseeing and ensuring private sector pension plans. He had leadership roles with two “think tanks,” and early in his career, served in senior counsel roles at the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Throughout his professional career, Belt served on the fiduciary or advisory boards of various companies, nonprofit organizations, and professional associations, including the Social Security Advisory Board and UNICEF USA (MidAtlantic). Belt’s term will expire in 2025.
Belt concluded the meeting by mentioning that they need more residents to serve on Town committees. “If citizens have the energy and expertise, you should put your name in the hat,” he commented.
A Heart for Art Education
SIAG RAISES FUNDS FOR ST. JOHN’S HIGH SCHOOL
BY BONNIE YOUNGINER For The Island Connection
Seabrook Island residents are active in the Johns Island community through various organizations. One such organization is the Seabrook Island Artist Guild. (SIAG). Through the efforts of Guild members, the artists and artisans of the Guild sold their art work at the Black Friday art show, donating 10% of their proceeds to St. John’s High School art department.
Another contributor was Guild workshop artist and acclaimed sweetgrass basket-maker Sarah EdwardsHammond. She donated one of her beautiful sweetgrass bread baskets. It was a silent auction of only one item— Sarah’s basket. The bids kept coming in, providing much needed funds to the cause. Also, Guild members provided a “donation jar,” explaining the need and asking for a donation from the many visitors attending the show. All of the efforts were a success.
In total, the Guild raised more than $1,700.00 for the high school art department. SIAG worked with Principal Jermaine Joyner and art teacher Ms. Dana Brown to learn the needs of the art department and which areas educators would like to see expanded to provide a more robust and professional art curriculum.
Items to produce artistic projects –such as paints, clay or canvases – are used daily and are soon depleted as the students produce their artwork. These funds will help to replenish the supplies as needed and promote a much richer art program at the school.
Fortunately, the South Carolina Department of Education provides funding to schools for durable items. St. John’s High School qualified for this program. These items must meet certain criteria for the funding to apply; the cost of the item must be an amount too cost prohibitive for the school to absorb; and the item must have a lifespan of at least a year. Through this provision, the Department of Education purchased a kiln for the school to use with glass fusion artwork, as well as offering the ability to fire clay projects for pottery.
The monetary donation by SIAG, along with the support of the Department of Education, provides a true art program exposing students to many different and unique art mediums, something that was lacking in the current art curriculum. SIAG intends to continue to work in various ways within the Johns Island community on a yearly basis. Thank you to all who participated in this important event.
Principal Jermaine Joyner with Ms. Dana Brown.
Ms. Brown and the new kiln.
It’s Wild SEWE CELEBRATES 43RD SHOWCASE
BY CHRISTIAN SENGER For The Island Connection
The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE), a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating wildlife and the outdoors through fine art, live entertainment and special events, will host its 43rd annual showcase in downtown Charleston from Feb. 14-16. Tickets for general admission, special events and limited VIP packages are now available for purchase.
SEWE will again feature popular attractions across five major exhibit sites in downtown Charleston: The Charleston Place, Brittlebank Park, Gaillard Center, Marion Square and the revamped Charleston Marriott, which will have an expanded footprint, enhanced programming and a larger selection of high-end exhibitors. Attendees can look forward to returning favorites, including:
• SEWE Fine Art Gallery, showcasing wildlife art
• DockDogs competitions, featuring canine athleticism
• Center for Birds of Prey demonstrations and Busch Wildlife Sanctuary live shows, offering close encounters with animals
• Artisan goods, craftsmen exhibitors, canine demonstrations, chef demos and more.
“For more than 40 years, SEWE has championed wildlife art and the sporting lifestyle, promoting conservation education and awareness through captivating art, live performances and thoughtfully curated events,” said John Powell, president of SEWE. “As we look ahead to 2025, we want to express our gratitude to our loyal patrons for their unwavering support. We are enhancing SEWE for everyone by upgrading spaces and events, introducing new artists and exhibitors and bringing back beloved favorites, ensuring an unforgettable weekend for all attendees, artists, exhibitors and partners.”
VIP Experience
A limited number of VIP packages are available on a firstcome, first-served basis. SEWE VIP members enjoy exclusive perks throughout the weekend, including:
• Private art viewings and access to exclusive lounge areas
• After-hour parties and special events
• Private shuttle services
• Priority entry to all venues during show hours Tickets are available online at sewe.com. To learn more about SEWE 2025, including the full schedule of events, ticket options, and details about special events, visit sewe.com.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SEWE
Kiawah Island Reactivates CERT, seeks volunteers
BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
Kiawah Island Town Council Member Russell Berner began his segment of the December 3 meeting with a solicitation request. He asked members of the public to consider joining the Town’s newly established Community Emergency Response Team, otherwise known as CERT.
Berner said that when he was elected about two years ago, CERT had pretty much fallen to the wayside. Currently, however, it’s up to 20 volunteers, but Berner wants more.
As the chair of the Town’s Public Safety Committee, Berner wants to be sure that they create a team of residents with some prior experience in emergency response, whether that be residents trained in CPR, nursing, medicine or security.
“When police or fire are overburdened because of a big event, like – God forbid – a plane crash, or maybe because of a big storm, the response is needed elsewhere,” he said. “CERT would be activated here on the island.”
Berner said that CERT members have to go through training. The class, taught by the Charleston County Emergency Management Division, would give the volunteers Charleston County certification in addressing certain life-saving techniques. They will learn how to respond in emergency situations involving apnea, excessive bleeding and shock. Topics such as fire suppression, search and rescue, injury triage and earthquake response will also be covered. The course is meant to give some basic training in disaster survival, and rescue skills would improve the ability of residents to survive until responders or other assistance could arrive.
The Charleston County website
reads, “CERT teams can be comprised of neighbors, fellow employees within an industry, schools, church groups, civic organizations, etc. To qualify as a neighborhood team, at least three members from a designated area or organization need to participate in and complete the training program.”
Berner said that the CERT members will also work major events, like the Kiawah Island Marathon, which took place the weekend of December 14. CERT members were out on the course in nine different zones, looking for runners in distress.
“They went through some training from the Charleston County Sheriff Department on that,” Berner added.
CERT will also activate in emergency preparations before, during, and after a hurricane. “They will help prepare the beach and they will be out directing traffic during evacuations,” Berner said.
Kiawah Island uses CodeRED to communicate to residents in emergency situations or for critical community alerts. CodeRED is typically reserved for short evacuation-related messages sent with only pertinent information.
Kiawah Island is serviced by the Kiawah Island Community Association’s Security, as well as the Charleston County Sheriff’s Department, St. John’s Fire Department, the Charleston County Consolidated 911 Dispatch, Charleston County EMS, and the Town of Kiawah Island’s Public Safety, which includes the Town’s Code Enforcement officers.
Ballot Season
KIAWAH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS TO VOTE ON FIVE AMENDMENTS
BY LEAH BURRIS For The Island Connection
The Kiawah Island Community Association’s (KICA) annual membership vote will open on Monday, January 13 at noon and will remain open for one month. This year, KICA members are voting to elect two new members to represent their interests on the board of directors. They will vote to approve or deny five vital amendments to the association’s covenants, and they will cast their attendance proxy for the KICA Annual Meeting.
The Kiawah Island Community Association’s Board of Directors is comprised of six elected representatives and a developer-appointed director. The 2025 election will fill the two seats of outgoing member directors David DeStefano and Lisa Mascolo. Three candidates – Tim Hazel, Bran Petranovic, and Phil Walpole – are running for the two open seats that will serve three-year terms, 2025-2028. All three candidates have published campaign statements and have participated in a video interview, Q&A event and virtual open forums.
The ballot also contains five KICA Covenant amendments recommended by the board of directors. If approved,
the right of the developer to appoint a seat on the KICA board will be removed; KICA’s authority to operate the island’s architectural control function and modify the community’s Rules and Regulations will be affirmed; directorship qualifications will be clarified to address a legacy flaw that fails to recognize the various modern forms of property ownership; and several miscellaneous administrative updates to improve clarity and accuracy will be made.
Each of the ballot sections has a quorum requirement, the greatest of which is the vote on the KICA Covenant amendments. This requires participation from at least 60% of the total base vote of Kiawah residential and commercial properties. Typically, about 55% of property representatives participate, so the 60% quorum requirement is expected to be a challenge, and all KICA members are fervently encouraged to participate.
Voting will take place online, unless a mailed ballot was previously requested. The primary contact of each property’s managing household will receive the ballot. Voting opens January 13 at noon and closes on February 13 at noon. Complete details on this vote can be found at kica.us/vote.
Scan to hear this week’s installment of “LESSONS FROM THE ANGEL OAK”
Young Brigid and John learn spiritual lessons and wisdom from the centuries-old Angel Oak located next to St. John’s Episcopal Church.
around the islands...
ONGOING
WHAT: Charleston Restaurant Week
WHERE: Various
WHEN: Daily from Thursday, January 9 through Sunday, January 19
MORE INFO: The next installment of Charleston Restaurant Week kicks off on Thursday, January 9. The popular event offers patrons the opportunity to explore and enjoy cuisine from Charleston area chefs, as participating restaurants offer speciallyselected lunch and dinner menus.
WHAT: Museum Mile Month
WHERE: Various
WHEN: Entire month of January
MORE INFO: With the Museum Mile Month pass, visitors gain access to a series of historic sites and cultural organizations along Meeting Street. For this year’s participating organizations and more info, visit charlestonsmuseummile.org.
WHAT: BEEPLE
WHERE: Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St, Charleston
WHEN: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MORE INFO: The Gibbes Museum will feature Beeple's latest kinetic sculptures. Beeple, a trailblazer in digital art, gained worldwide recognition. His work has been showcased in several prestigious museums.
WHAT: Sea Island Farmers Market
WHERE: 2024 Academy Rd., John’s Island WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: The Sea Island Farmers Market is a year-round delight for locals and visitors alike. This market offers a wide variety of fresh produce, artisanal foods and handmade crafts. It's the perfect spot to start your weekend with a basket full of farmfresh goodies and unique finds.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11
WHAT: Weekend Wine-Down
WHERE: Deep Water Vineyard, 6775 Bears Bluff Rd, Wadmalaw Island WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MORE INFO: Attendees can expect tastings ($15 gets you a tasting of 6 samples of the vineyard's wine and a souvenir stemless glass), drinks, food trucks, live music, and more
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12
WHAT: 2nd Sunday on King Street
WHERE: King Street, Charleston WHEN: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
MORE INFO: King Street will be shut down to through traffic from Queen to Calhoun. Strolling guests can enjoy music, shopping, dining, and more.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15
WHAT: Dear Evan Hansen
WHERE: Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St, Charleston
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. on January 15 and 16
MORE INFO: The Tony and Grammy-Winning Best Musical Dear Evan Hansen is the first musical to take a groundbreaking look—from the point of view of both the parents and young people—at our complex, interconnected, and social media-filled lives.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 17
WHAT: Opera! by Shakespeare WHERE: King Street, Charleston WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: The theatrical genius of Shakespeare, coupled with the high-wire emotion inherent in opera, creates an electrifying result. Shakespearean plots have inspired opera composers to write some of their most compelling works. Opera! by Shakespeare showcases some of these masterpieces.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18
WHAT: Cars & Coffee
WHERE: Freshfields Village
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
MORE INFO: The monthly Cars & Coffee event happens on the third Saturday of every month, showcasing unique cars and offering the opportunity to purchase coffee from Java Java.
WHAT: Island Litter Sweep
WHERE: Mingo Point at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
WHEN: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
MORE INFO: Join the Kiawah Conservancy and the South Carolina Aquarium for the first Island Litter Sweep of 2025. This is a free event and no registration is necessary. All litter sweep materials will be provided. Bug spray and sunscreen are always recommended. Don’t forget your water bottle to stay hydrated.
WHAT: Weekend Wine-Down
WHERE: Deep Water Vineyard, Wadmalaw Island
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MORE INFO: Attendees can expect tastings ($15 gets you a tasting of 6 samples of the vineyard's wine and a souvenir stemless glass), drinks, food trucks, live music, and more.
WHAT: Charleston Winter Wine Festival
WHERE: Festival Hall, Charleston
WHEN: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
MORE INFO: Attendees can expect 50+ wines, mimosas, beer, live music, and a DJ. Food will be available for purchase. Tickets include entry, entertainment, souvenir acrylic glass, and all wine, mimosa, and beer samples.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19
WHAT: New Year Embodiment: Art Therapy Class WHERE: The Paper Canopy, Charleston WHEN: 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Start the new year by reconnecting with your deepest intentions for 2025—not just what you want to achieve, but how you want to feel as you move through the year. Through guided meditation, you’ll connect with the emotions you want to embody throughout the year—whether it’s joy, peace, confidence, or vitality. From there, you’ll channel those feelings into a creative process, crafting a meaningful piece of art that reflects how you want to FEEL throughout 2025. $50 includes all materials.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23
WHAT: Jazz Night WHERE: Freshfields Village WHEN: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
MORE INFO: Jazz Night is held every second and fourth Thursday of the month from 6 to 8 pm at the Porch Bar of the Andell Inn. Guests of the Andell Inn and others can enjoy live music performances from local Charleston groups in a cozy atmosphere.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24
WHAT: The Black Jacket Symphony Presents The Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ WHERE: Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St, Charleston WHEN: 8 p.m.
MORE INFO: Remember putting on an album and listening from start to finish? Relive that moment with a live concert experience unlike any other as The Black Jacket Symphony recreates The Beatles� “Abbey Road” album live in its entirety—note for note, sound for sound—plus a full set of greatest hits from the evening’s artist.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25
WHAT: Outdoor Barre Workout at Andell Inn WHERE: Freshfields Village WHEN: 11:30 a.m.
MORE INFO: Women of all ages are welcome! It’ll be a workout focused on strengthening, tightening and toning the full body while enjoying the ocean breeze and watching gators swim in the pond. Bring a mat and a set of light weights (1-3lbs). Don’t worry if you don’t have anything; organizers will have extras.
How an Estate Sale Helps You Manage Life’s Stressful Changes
The holiday season represents joy and family gatherings for many, and a time for New Year’s resolutions. Sometimes those resolutions are made in the wake of life’s transitions, a death in the family, aging parents, health changes, divorce, becoming empty nesters, retirement or income changes. Invariably these changes require moving or downsizing, and the disposition of valuable home furnishings.
While sellers regret the thought of throwing out or donating valuable items, buyers feel “stuck” with furnishings that don’t meet their needs or tastes. In many cases, Realtors find themselves in the middle-facing the awkward task of “shoehorning” a large furniture transaction into the addendum of a property sale.
Luckily, there’s a better solution. An estate sale removes much of the anxiety for home buyers and sellers who are at a loss to deal with a home’s contents.
If you or a family member owns property in Kiawah, Seabrook or Johns Island, Blue Moon Estate Sales has the expertise to help you sell the entire range of home furnishings, from furniture sets to antiques, family heirlooms or one-of-akind treasures. Blue Moon’s unique online sales platform showcases your estate’s inventory to the public, without having to worry about parking in front of your home or disrupting your home’s privacy.
Blue Moon Estate Sales is accredited, licensed
and insured, specializing in large and small clean outs, inventory assessments, free “soft appraisals”, and online estate sales. The firm also offers traditional on-site, in-home estate sales in neighborhoods without gate restrictions.
Blue Moon also has its own warehouse for smaller consignment sales, allowing home designers, antique dealers and the public to shop for individual items and pickup within 48 hours of purchase.
The holidays should be a time for joy, as well as a time for reflection and resolution. Blue Moon Estate Sales can be your partner in the process.
Contact Nancy Schwartz, Owner | Operator, Blue Moon Estate Sales of Charleston p: (843) 801-6777 w: bluemoonestatesales.com/Charleston e: nancy@bluemoonestatesales.com.
As the holiday season approaches, I’m especially grateful to call Seabrook Island and Charleston my home. It’s an honor to represent my clients' beautiful properties here, and through Sotheby’s International Realty’s global network, I’m thankful for the opportunity to share the unique charm and lifestyle of this special place with others. If you have friends and family visiting over the holidays, please reach out for an opportunity to see these beautiful properties.
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Celebrating Community Support Every Page Now Supports Our People!
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Partners for Sustaining Free Press on Kiawah Island & Seabrook Island!
e are thrilled to share an exciting update with our cherished community. Starting January 2025, Lucky Dog Publishing will embark on a new chapter where all profits from our free Island Connection community papers will be reinvested right back into Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island. This initiative is our way of saying thank you and giving back to the community that has supported us tirelessly.
Our papers have always been a staple of local news and events, freely accessible to everyone on the islands, and it is with your continuous support that we can keep this tradition alive. As we move forward, the funds generated will be directed towards enhancing community life even further. This includes event sponsorships, support for our heroic first responders, and contributions to local nonprofits and charitable organizations that make a difference every day.
To ensure these funds are used effectively, we are assembling a dedicated board tasked with overseeing allocations, guaranteeing that every dollar is spent in a way that enriches our community. By advertising with us, you’re not just reaching thousands of readers; you’re making a tangible impact on the lives of all island residents.
Thank you for believing in our mission to maintain free access to local news and for helping us turn every advertisement into a step towards community enrichment. We look forward to continuing this journey with you, making Kiawah Island & Seabrook Island not just places to live, but places to thrive. Together, we keep the community informed and supported—because local news matters, and so does our community.
