Issuu

2024 |nov/dec

THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS

VOLUME 78 • NUMBER 11

(ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240)

Read in more than 620,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by

The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc.

808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033

(803) 926 -3175

fax: (803) 796 - 6064 letters@scliving.coop

EDITOR

Sarah Ellis Owen (803) 739-3040

sarah.owen@ecsc.org

MANAGING EDITOR

Lou Green (803) 739-3042 lou.green@ecsc.org

FIELD EDITOR

Josh P. Crotzer

PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Raphael Ofendo Reyes

ART DIRECTOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang

DESIGNER

Rachael Arblaster

PRODUCTION

Andrew Chapman

WEB EDITOR Chase Toler

COPY EDITORS

Jennifer Jas, Jim Poindexter

CONTRIBUTORS

Michael Banks, Miranda Boutelle, Mike Couick, Hastings Hensel, Jan A. Igoe, L.A. Jackson, Belinda Smith-Sullivan

PUBLISHER

Avery Wilks

ADVERTISING

Mary Watts (803) 739-5074 ads@scliving.coop

NATIONAL REPRESENTATION

American MainStreet Publications (512) 441-5200

Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication. If you encounter a difficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor.

ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send to your local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above.

Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing offices.

14 Traditions

South Carolina’s family-run Christmas tree farms are places where merry memories grow.

Save money on your power bill with smart home technology, and mark your calendar for the Touchstone Energy

Hurricane Helene stretched our resources and resiliency but also seemed to have expanded our hearts.

Try these a-peel-ing recipes for your next celebratory gathering.

Ross Shotts has “that house” during the holidays—the one with all the lights. Here’s how he and his family put on a display for a good cause.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-profit electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s — and America’s — largest utility network.

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS: $4.95 members, $8 nonmembers

Turn some of your garden delectables into easy-to-make holiday gifts, and start planting spring-flowering bulbs.

Let

Jan A. Igoe makes a plea to protect desserts from vegan vigilantism in this classic column from August 2016.

family—grandmother

We hope you enjoy this combined November/December issue of South Carolina Living, and we will be back in your mailbox in January. In the meantime, look for onlineexclusive recipes, gardening tips and more at SCLiving.coop. We wish the happiest of holidays to you all.

CORRECTION: The article “Building a following” in the October edition erroneously stated that Shawn Goins, aka Handyman Hal, is a father. Goins does not have kids, but his video production partner, Jason Wheeler, does.

Makin

Tere, dad Mark, mom Michelle, daughter Martina and son Mason—enjoy cutting a tree at Penland Christmas Tree Farm. Photo by Nathan Bingle.

MID-CAROLINA Celebrating achievements, overcoming challenges

mcecoop.com

LEXINGTON OFFICE

P.O. Box 669

254 Longs Pond Road Lexington, SC 29071

DUTCH FORK OFFICE

7524 Broad River Road Irmo, SC 29063

CUSTOMER SERVICE

(803) 749-6400 (888) 813-8000 Toll Free

GENERAL INFORMATION (803) 749-6555 (888) 813-9000 Toll Free

REPORT OUTAGES (803) 749-6444 (888) 813-7000 Toll Free

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Marvin W. Sox, Chairman

Alan R. Lunsford, Vice Chairman

Donette B. Kirkland, Secretary

J. Allan Risinger, Treasurer

J. Carey Bedenbaugh, Jr.

Eddie C. Best, Jr.

Kenneth E. Lindler

Mark A. Svrcek

Justin B. Watts

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Bob Paulling

The mission of Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Inc., a not-for-profit member-owned electric distribution utility, is to deliver reliable, costefficient utilities and innovative solutions to our members.

Mid-Carolina Electric is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

CO-OP NEWS EDITOR

Katrina Goggins katrina@mcecoop.com

I BELIEVE MID-CAROLINA

ELECTRIC is a family one of different communities and people but of a single focus making the community we live in a great one.

As we approach the holiday season, this special edition of the magazine gives us an opportunity to reflect on the incredible year we’ve had at Mid-Carolina Electric. 2024 has been filled with remarkable achievements and tremendous challenges. Through it all, the dedication of our employees and the unwavering support of our members have shone brightly.

Without question, one of the most significant challenges we faced this year was the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which caused outages for nearly 97% of our members. The clean-up effort was historic, and we couldn’t have done it alone. Our employees worked tirelessly around the clock to restore both our electric and fiber systems, and the support we received from contractors, neighboring cooperatives and co-ops from other states, and our supplier, CEEUS, was invaluable. Their quick response and willingness to step in made a world of difference in restoring power to our members. The teamwork and dedication shown by everyone involved, along with the way our members supported our team and each other, was truly inspiring.

It was not easy, but together with the help of our partners and the spirit of Cooperation Among Cooperatives we restored our cooperative. Read more in this magazine about how these efforts came together.

Amidst these challenges, we also celebrated several key milestones. We saw record-setting attendance at our Annual Meeting, awarded more than $18,000 in Bright Ideas grants to educators across

our service territory and witnessed our employees giving back to the community through volunteer efforts. Our Operation Round Up program provided assistance to members in need, and we had the privilege of sending students on Washington Youth Tour and Cooperative Youth Summit life-changing experiences they’ll carry with them forever. Additionally, we honored a member making a difference in her community through our Who Powers You award, and we celebrated the milestone work anniversaries of many of our dedicated employees.

While we take pride in these successes, we also acknowledge the challenges ahead. As our leaders have shared over the past several months, rising costs have created the need for a rate change, which will go into effect in January 2025. More information about this change is included in this edition of the magazine, and we will continue to be transparent and share details through other member communications. Change is never easy, but time and again, we’ve seen our community rally together whether in times of celebration or hardship.

As this year draws to a close and a new one begins, I feel truly grateful to be part of the Mid-Carolina Electric family. On behalf of the board and all our employees, thank you for the privilege of serving you, our members. Be sure to check out more on this year’s celebrations and find additional details on our storm restoration efforts, the upcoming rate change, and much more in this issue.

Happy holidays and thank you for your continued trust and support.

ALLAN RISINGER Board Treasurer

Year in review

Mid-Carolina Electric celebrates a year of service, community impact

AS 2024 DRAWS TO A CLOSE, MidCarolina Electric Cooperative has much to celebrate in a year filled with accomplishments and service to the community. This year, the co-op continued to fulfill its mission of supporting the community through education, charitable initiatives and member engagement, achieving key milestones along the way.

In the spring, MCEC proudly awarded seven Touchstone Energy Scholarships, offering $4,000 grants to help high school seniors pursue higher education. The 2024 recipients included Freddie Asberry from Brookland-Cayce High School, Jennifer Boone and Erica Bryant from River Bluff High School, Graceanne Crumpton from Lexington High School, Skylar Esbensen from White Knoll High School, Preston Starnes from Gilbert High School and Andy Yang from Dutch Fork High School.

In addition to scholarships, MidCarolina offered students opportunities for leadership development through Washington Youth Tour and Cooperative Youth Summit. Three students Langston Barilla, Katherine Pinkney and Owen Roddy attended the five-day, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., while Aroosh Qazi, Emily Seung-joo You

and Taryn Smoak participated in the four-day Cooperative Youth Summit in Columbia.

April marked a major event for MCEC with record-breaking attendance at our Annual Meeting. A total of 5,601 members joined us for the drive-thru event, held at two locations. Our employees greeted members with a warm welcome, reinforcing the sense of community that defines our cooperative.

In August, we reached an exciting milestone in our partnership with CarolinaConnect. By the end of the summer, all Mid-Carolina members living in single-family homes had access to highspeed fiber optic internet, further enhancing the quality of life in our service area.

Our commitment to giving back to the community remained strong in 2024 through two annual charity fundraisers. In February, we held our Sporting Clays Fundraiser, raising more than $17,000 for the Burn Foundation. In October, our charity golf tournament at Golden Hills Country Club raised funds to support Becky’s Place at Lexington Medical Center, which provides resources for breast cancer patients. These fundraisers allow us to make a meaningful impact beyond providing energy.

October also brought exciting news for educators in our service territory, as MidCarolina awarded 20 Bright Ideas Grants to teachers for creative classroom projects. This year’s grant recipients included:

X Caitlin White and Collin Richardson, Airport High

X Stephanie Price, Centerville Elementary

X Anna Faust-Andrews, Carolina Springs Middle

X Jaime Chason, Carl Tilson, and Grace Fields, Dutch Fork High

p MCEC awarded 20 Bright Ideas

to area

X Paul Duggan, Leaphart Elementary

X Corey Bedenbaugh, Ivey Hatfield and Laura Bishop, Batesburg-Leesville Middle

X Kimberly Hardin, Brookland-Cayce High

X Hillary Collins, Saxe Gotha Elementary

X Heather Studer, Chapin Middle

X Jennifer Farmer, Meadow Glen Middle

X Leigh Ann Senn, Midway Elementary

X Meredith Miller-Rikard, Saluda Elementary

X Cherisha Floyd, Irmo High

X Craig Andrysczyk, Oak Pointe Elementary

X Daniel Cummins, Lexington Technology Center

Throughout the year, co-op employees also volunteered in schools, leading safety demonstrations, participating in career days and mentoring students at Saxe Gotha Elementary and Sandel Elementary. These efforts reflect our ongoing commitment to education and community support.

Mid-Carolina Electric looks forward to continuing its mission to serve our members and strengthen the communities we call home.

Grants

teachers for creative classroom projects. Paul Duggan (right),

teacher at Leaphart Elementary School, celebrated with his class during the check presentation by MCEC Communications Manager Katrina Goggins (far right).

Jim Clements of Irmo arrived in style at the 2024 Annual Meeting, which drew a record-breaking total of 5,601 members. Christina Rish was one of many MCEC employees who were on hand to assist members.

SC | agenda

Save with smart home tech

SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY can help you lower your power bill by optimizing energy use in your home. You might pay a little more for a product with the latest technology, but it could result in significant savings each year and over the lifetime of the appliance.

MEMBERS SPEAK ON THE COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE

SET IT AND FORGET IT Smart thermostats make it easier to save energy by automatically changing the temperature when you are asleep, not at home, or busy with more important tasks.

Smart thermostats save energy by automatically adjusting your heating or cooling system. You can program a smart thermostat to change the temperature when you are asleep or away or use a smartphone app to adjust your thermostat settings. You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling costs by adjusting your thermostat 7 to 10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours a day, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

A timer on your electric water heater can save energy if you turn it off at night and when you don’t need to use hot water. Some heat pump water heaters are equipped with smart technology features, including Wi-Fi, for controlling them remotely, viewing the amount of hot water available and tracking energy use. Some models can notify you or shut off if a leak is detected.

Smart lighting lets you control lights in your home remotely or set a lighting schedule good for energy savings and home security. Smart light switches are another budget-friendly way to control lighting. Some have sensors that turn lights off when no movement is detected in a room.

Smart plugs fit into any outlet to control whatever is plugged into them. Set them to automatically turn off and on or control them using a smartphone app.

A variety of smart shades, curtains and blinds are available, including styles with integrated controls. You can also add smart controls to your existing blinds or curtains. Both options allow you to adjust the tilt of the blinds and open or close the curtains. Set a schedule, control them remotely or use a voice command paired with a voice assistant, such as Alexa or Google Home. This allows you to reduce cooling needs in the summer and heating needs in the winter.

MIRANDA BOUTELLE

High school football’s best face off

South Carolina’s top high school football players will shine at the 2024 Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl North vs. South All-Star Game. At halftime, one player will receive the 2024 Mr. Football award, the state’s highest prep sports honor.

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. Kickoff at noon.

WHERE: Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium, 705 33rd Ave. N., Myrtle Beach.

TICKETS: Tickets are $30 plus fees and available exclusively online at TouchstoneEnergyBowl.com/tickets.

MR. FOOTBALL READER POLL: Visit SCLiving.coop/football starting Nov. 24 to cast your vote for the high school athlete most deserving of the 2024 Mr. Football award. The poll closes Nov. 30.

SPONSOR: The Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl is organized by the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association and is sponsored by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. For more information, visit touchstoneenergybowl.com.

Sammie Castles

FAIRFIELD ELECTRIC MEMBER

MEMBER SINCE: 1993

HOMETOWN: Winnsboro

OCCUPATION: Industrial parts seller, volunteer firefighter

Part of the team

For Sammie Castles, Fairfield Electric Cooperative doesn’t just feel like family—it is family. Castles’ father worked at the co-op for 33 years while also volunteering as a firefighter.

Castles followed in his dad’s footsteps, becoming a firefighter and eventually serving as fire chief for the Greenbrier Fire Department in Fairfield County. He says Fairfield Electric’s employees remind him of his team.

“All their employees are always there to help, and they are Johnny-on-the-spot whenever we need them,” Castles says.

Castles remembers Fairfield employees arriving at the scene of an accident that knocked down power lines and blocked the highway—a situation he says couldn’t have been resolved without them.

Co-op crew members got to work immediately, he says.

“It was like you knew them. It was like my guys,” Castles says. “They wanted to do what was right in the safest way and would always work with us in that manner.”

Castles says he can rely on the co-op.

“And that’s what stood out to me with Fairfield Electric,” Castles says. “They were right there when we needed them.”

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

Scan this QR code or visit SCLiving.coop/stories to share what you love about your coop. Entries may be published in future issues of South Carolina Living, online and on social media.

Helene’s hurt lingers

I DROVE THE BACKROADS OF EDGEFIELD COUNTY in the days after Hurricane Helene. For long stretches of asphalt early in my drive, everything around me seemed perfectly in place, as if the Category 4 storm had taken a big swing and missed. But with one turn, the scene shifted from idyllic to disastrous. Pine trees no longer towered above the earth; they were lying across houses. I saw huge metal power poles shorn off 18 inches above the ground, one after another.

What kind of force, I wondered, could have wrought such a disaster, not just on the landscape but on lives?

Rural South Carolina, the places that are home to our electric cooperatives, suffered some of Helene’s hardest blows. I don’t need to recount the details to you here hundreds of thousands of you lived through those days of anxiety, discomfort and even danger.

Helene stretched our resources and our resilience, but the storm also seemed to have expanded our hearts. Rarely have I seen such generosity and encouragement, not just within our stricken communities but poured in from friends and strangers around the country.

Many of you experienced the worst that anyone could imagine the loss of someone you love. Long after roofs have been tarped, debris has been cleared and power has been restored, we still mourn for the irreplaceable lives taken by Helene.

There’s no other way to say it I’m devastated by these deaths and by the enormity of the losses Helene caused in our state and far beyond it.

I want to tell you about just two of the heroes of this storm, a pair of hardworking South Carolinians who lost their lives while serving their rural community when their community needed them most.

Chad Satcher and Landon Bodie were volunteer firefighters for the Circle Fire Department in the small Saluda County community of Leesville. In the midst of the storm, they were responding to a call when a tree fell on their truck, killing them both. Chad, a 53-year-old plumber, was the chief of the volunteer department and had served there for 35 years. Young Landon, just 18, had served there only a few months after graduating from Blythewood High School, where he had been active in the Future Farmers of America.

As I read the news reports about their deaths, I thought that Chad and Landon were the epitome of servant leaders, the very kinds of people who pour their lives into the well-being of our communities. I know their loved ones carry the heavy burden of grief, and I hope the support of their community will help strengthen them.

There are too many stories to tell here of the lives lost to this storm. We’ll never forget the hurt that Helene washed over our state. But we’ll always remember how our communities have shown compassion and strength through the storm’s long aftermath.

We have more than enough reminders this year to hold tight to the people we love, to give generously to our communities and those around us and to give thanks for the blessings of each day. I pray for healing and hope as we continue moving forward from the storms we’ve weathered together.

MIKE COUICK President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

BY BELINDA SMITH‑SULLIVAN

Apples were the fruit the pilgrims brought to America and have been a mainstay ever since, especially in our holiday desserts. Try these a-peel-ing recipes for your next celebratory gathering.

CLASSIC DEEP-DISH APPLE PIE

SERVES 8

6–7 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 lemon, zested

2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed ¾ cup sugar, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch (or 4 tablespoons arrowroot)

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom

Pinch of kosher salt

2 9-inch pie dough rounds, store-bought or homemade

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

¼ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place sliced apples into a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon zest and lemon juice to prevent apples from turning brown. In a medium bowl, mix ½ cup sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Add to apples and toss well. Set aside. Roll out one pie dough round just large enough to cover the bottom and drape over the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan—preferably glass. Pour apples into the pan, and dot the top with the pieces of butter. Roll out second pie dough round and place over the top of apples. Cut off excess dough, leaving enough to turn under and crimp all around the edges.

Cut four slits in the top of pie dough to allow steam to escape as the pie bakes. Brush top of pie with cream and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup sugar. Place a pie rim protector over the edges, or use crimped aluminum foil, to prevent edges from browning too fast. Bake in preheated oven 45–60 minutes or until brown. Allow to cool. Serve with ice cream.

RUM AND CINNAMON STUFFED BAKED APPLES

SERVES 6

¼ cup light brown sugar (dark brown sugar will also work)

¼ cup rolled oats

¼ cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 large baking apples, such as Jonathan, Fuji, Gala or Braeburn

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

½ cup, plus 6 tablespoons rum

½ cup apple cider

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, combine sugar, oats, pecans and cinnamon to create the filling. Peel the top ¼ of each apple. Core the apples ¾ of the way down the middle, not going all the way through. Scoop out the seeds using a small melon baller or cookie scoop. Divide the filling among the apples, filling each one equally, and place apples in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Pour 1 tablespoon rum into each apple, and place a piece of butter on top. Pour the remaining rum and apple cider in the pan. Baste the tops of apples with the rum/cider mixture and bake for 30–40 minutes, basting occasionally to prevent the apples from drying out. Apples should be tender but not mushy. Serve apples warm, topped with ice cream, if desired. Drizzle the tops with the pan juices.

APPLE WALNUT SPICE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

SERVES 12–15, DEPENDING ON CUT SIZES

CAKE

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon allspice

⅔ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, room temperature

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

¾ cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup sour cream

1½ cups grated apples (use largest grating surface)

1½ cups chopped walnuts, divided

CREAM CHEESE ICING

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Pinch of kosher salt

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray and flour a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cardamom, ginger and allspice. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together oil, eggs, sugars, vanilla, sour cream and apples. Slowly fold in the flour mixture, scraping down the sides occasionally. Add 1 cup walnuts and blend thoroughly. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 40–45 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan.

In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add salt and vanilla and blend thoroughly. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. (If icing is not thick enough for spreading, add additional powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until desired spreading consistency.) Frost the cooled cake and top with remaining ½ cup chopped walnuts.

APPLE TARTE TATIN (UPSIDE-DOWN FRENCH APPLE TART)

SERVES 6–8

6 large tart apples, peeled, cored and quartered

½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

What’s cooking at SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda

COMING IN DECEMBER, ONLY ONLINE Ring in the new year with Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan’s recipes for a classic New Year’s Eve dinner.

1 teaspoon cinnamon or cardamom

Pinch of kosher salt

1 frozen puff pastry, thawed, or storebought pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 F. On a floured surface, roll out puff pastry or pie crust slightly larger than the opening of the skillet you’re using.

In a 10–12-inch cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook, stirring, until sugar is melted, about 4 minutes. Add apples and stir, coating the apples in the syrup about 10 minutes until the syrup turns amber and starts to caramelize. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place the pastry over apples and carefully tuck the edges all around between the apples and the sides of the skillet. With a fork, prick holes in the pastry. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Place a large serving plate face down on top of the skillet and flip the whole thing over. Serve with ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

AGE: 65.

RESIDES IN: Florence.

CLAIM TO FAME: Owner and operator of the charity holiday light display Lights 4 Paws.

LIGHTING UP THE SCREEN: The Shotts family participated in the ABC reality competition show The Great Christmas Light Fight on an episode that aired in 2023 but took four years of preparation. “The show was fun, but I don’t think we’d do it again,” Shotts says with a laugh. “We worked our behinds off getting ready for it.”

’TIS A LONG SEASON: The Shottses begin putting up their light show in September and don’t finish taking it down until February.

GET THERE: Lights 4 Paws is located at 3251 Mears Drive, Florence, S.C. 29501. It is open the Friday evening following Thanksgiving through the evening following Christmas.

Shedding light

In almost every neighborhood during the holidays, there’s always that house. You know the one. With hundreds of strung-up lights and a whole drama being enacted by inflatables on the front lawn, it’s the brightest and most eye-catching.

Ross and Darlene Shotts live in that house except, well, they level up. On their 5-acre lot in Florence, they turn on over 300,000 bulbs— an attraction that brings in thousands of holiday light-seekers.

“We do lights in a way where we have little windows or venues—so one area might be reindeer and another might be aliens and another might be all Christmas trees,” Ross Shotts says. “We’ve built up a reputation of being a holiday thing for people to come see every year.”

It all started decades ago with just a few white lights decorating their home in Concord, North Carolina. But then they got some colored lights. And then some more lights, then some more, to the point where they became a neighborhood attraction. And when they moved to Florence to be closer to Darlene’s sister—who now rounds out their three-person decorating team—they looked for a property specifically with lights in mind.

“We both grew up seeing lights,” Shotts says. “We had the means to do the lights, and we wanted to get people in it instead of just driving by. They can hear the music, get in the middle of it, point fingers and take time to look at things.”

The Shottses do not charge admission, but they do ask for donations— all of which go to the Humane Society. That’s why they call their display “Lights 4 Paws.”

“Whether it’s a dime or $100—whatever you want to give, that’s fine,” Shotts says. “We’re of the philosophy that Christmas lights are for everybody. Even if you can’t afford them, you should be able to come and enjoy them.” —HASTINGS

HENSEL | PHOTO BY MILTON MORRIS

Ross Shotts

MCEC announces rate change Rate change effective January 2025

AT MID-CAROLINA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE , we are committed to providing reliable, affordable energy to meet the needs of our members.

To continue delivering these essential services while addressing rising costs and system demands, a rate change will take effect in January 2025. This adjustment ensures that we can maintain and improve infrastructure while preparing for the energy challenges of the future.

What does this mean for you?

The average residential member can expect their total bill to increase by approximately $21. However, the impact will vary from household to household. Members who shift more of their energy use to off-peak hours may see smaller increases in their bill.

Under MCEC’s three-part rate structure, our new rates will include:

Charge Type Previous Rate New Rate Increase

Why is this rate change necessary?

Several key factors have prompted this rate adjustment, including inflation, changes from our main power supplier and new federal policies and regulations.

One of the most significant impacts comes from Santee Cooper, our primary power supplier. For the past four years, Santee Cooper has been under a rate freeze due to a class-action lawsuit, which is set to expire in December. Unfortunately, this means we, along with other

cooperatives, will have these increased costs passed on to us.

Federal policies also contribute to our challenges, as well as the undeniable impacts of inflation. Every aspect of our operation has faced significant price increases. For example, the cost of cable is up 70%, transformers have nearly doubled in cost and a single crossarm now costs $93, up from $42. These essential pieces of equipment support the nearly 4,600 miles of lines Mid-Carolina Electric operates to ensure safe and reliable electricity for our members.

Tools to help you plan

To help members prepare for the new rates, we will mail more detailed information directly to you, including:

X Rate Change Overview: A breakdown of the changes and their impact

X Online Calculator: Use this tool to estimate your future bills based on your specific energy use

We encourage members to explore ways to reduce their on-peak usage to minimize the impact of the rate adjustment. Shifting energyintensive activities—such as drying clothes during off-peak hours, using a timer on your water heater, or using a programmable thermostat—can help lower your costs under the new structure.

To maximize savings, members can avoid heavy energy use during on-peak hours:

X Winter peak hours: Nov. 1 to March 31, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

What you can expect

Change is never easy, but sometimes circumstances demand it. This is one of those times.

Recent events, like Hurricane Helene, have reminded us of the importance of being prepared. As your cooperative, we will continue to communicate openly with our members. And you can continue to count on us to implement rate changes only when absolutely necessary to manage the cost pressures we face.

For nearly 85 years, we have been dedicated to serving our community and members. Times change—and so do prices—but our mission remains the same. Mid-Carolina exists solely to serve you, and we are in your corner!

Historic storm, historic recovery

WHEN HURRICANE HELENE TORE THROUGH OUR AREA at the end of September, the damage to Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative's system was both historic and devastating. Nearly 600 poles were broken across our service territory and critical transmission, electrical and fiber infrastructures and systems were knocked offline causing outages for most of our members.

From the morning the storm passed, our lineworkers, fiber system crews and employees working behind the scenes joined forces with crews from across the nation to rebuild our system and restore service. Together, they worked tirelessly to repair the damage and restore every home and business.

This restoration has been a true community effort.

Neighbors supported neighbors, and many of you encouraged our teams along the way with kind words, meals, and thoughtful gestures. Your support has made all the difference.

At Mid-Carolina Electric, we believe that when a community comes together, there is no challenge too great to overcome. Thank you for standing with us, believing in us, and inspiring our teams as we rebuild and restore together.

Six days after Hurricane Helene came through the area, Mid-Carolina Electric lineman Sully Mosely hangs on a fuse barrel near a home near Crooked Creek Road in Chapin. The co-op’s crew worked around the clock to restore power to the members in that area.

Fallen trees not only tore down Mid-Carolina Electric’s delivery infrastructure but became obstacles to restoration efforts.

PHOTOS

A Mid-Carolina crew works in a right of way to repair damage from the storm.

Mid-Carolina Electric had hundreds of broken poles throughout their system after Hurricane Helene, each of which took as much as four hours to rebuild.

Lineworkers began restoration efforts as soon as Helene moved through our area and worked late into the night each day until all members had power again. PHOTO

Annual Meeting Date April 5, 2025

Nomination Process for Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees for Districts 7, 8 and 9 will be elected at the 2025 Annual Meeting

Petitions for Trustee Candidates Due No Later Than January 6, 2025

The following is an excerpt from Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative’s current Bylaws: Article IV

Board of Trustees

Section 4. Nominations. During the month of September of each year, the Board of Trustees shall set the exact date on which the annual meeting will be held for the following year and shall post a statement thereof at the principal office of the Cooperative. The Board of Trustees shall also, at that time, inform the Nominating and Qualifications Committee of the upcoming annual meeting date and direct the Nominating and Qualifications Committee to meet and begin the process of selecting nominees for those Trustee Districts which will have a Board member elected at the upcoming meeting.

Incumbent Trustees seeking reelection shall not directly or indirectly influence the nominations or credentials process. Said Trustees shall recuse themselves from participation in appointing the Nominating and Qualifications Committee, and Cooperative members on the Committee from their Trustee Districts shall be selected without their input or participation. Trustees may not appoint, direct, or cause a family member to become a member of the Committee. For purposes of this section, “family member´ means a spouse, parent, brother, sister, child, motherin-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-inlaw, grandparent, grandchild, and a member of the individual’s immediate family.

A candidate for Trustee must be nominated by the Nominating and Qualifications Committee or by member petition and then qualified as a Trustee candidate as provided in this Section in order to appear on the ballot.

(a) The Nominating and Qualifications Committee shall consist of nine members. All members of the Committee must agree to keep the personal information of Trustee candidates confidential. Members serving on the Committee must have at least a high school education, must not be past due on any obligation to the Cooperative, and cannot be employed by the Cooperative nor have a spouse, parent or child employed by the Cooperative. Each member of the Committee must have a primary residence in the Trustee District which the member represents.

(1) The members of the Committee shall initially be appointed by the Board after the 2012 annual meeting. One Committee member shall come from each Trustee electoral district. The Committee members from Districts 1, 2 and 3 shall be designated as CLASS A and their terms expire at the 2013 annual meeting. The Committee members from Districts 4, 5 and 6 shall be designated as CLASS B and their terms expire at the 2014 annual meeting. The Committee members from Districts 7, 8 and 9 shall be designated as CLASS C and their terms expire at the 2015 annual meeting.

(2) Thereafter, the elected members of the Committee shall serve for three years. Trustees shall recuse themselves from participation in nominating the Committee. A vacancy occurring on the Committee shall be filled by the affirmative vote of the majority of the remaining members of the Committee.

(3) Members of the Nomination and Qualifications Committee shall receive their expenses and a reasonable per diem fee for each meeting of the Committee, as set by the Board.

(4) The attorney/general counsel of the Cooperative shall be a non-voting

member of the Committee to provide information, advice, and counsel.

(5) The CEO of the Cooperative shall be a non-voting member of the Committee to provide information, data, and advice.

(b) The Nominating and Qualifications Committee shall give public notice of the Board seats up for election at the upcoming annual meeting at least 120 days prior to the annual meeting.

(1) The Committee shall provide to all candidates who submit their names for consideration as a Trustee candidate the required qualifications to be a Trustee stated in these Bylaws and any additional requirements established by the Board pursuant to these Bylaws.

(2) The Committee shall receive information from and gather information about each person who submits their name for consideration as a Trustee candidate so that the committee can investigate the candidate’s ability to meet the qualifications enumerated in Article IV, Section 3 of these Bylaws and additional qualifications enacted by the Board pursuant to Article IV, Section 3(k) of these Bylaws.

(3) The Committee will interview each candidate.

(4) After gathering and considering information on each candidate and the interviews, the Committee shall determine each candidate to be either qualified or unqualified to meet the qualifications enumerated in Article IV, Section 3 of these Bylaws and additional qualifications enacted by the Board pursuant to Article IV, Section 3(k) of these Bylaws. From the qualified candidates, at least 45 days before the annual meeting, the committee shall select and post the name(s) of at least one person nominated for each district up for election.

(c) Any 50 members of the Cooperative may, by written petition signed by each and delivered to the principal office of the Cooperative at least 90 days prior to an annual meeting, nominate a member in good standing to be considered by the Nominating and Qualifications Committee to be a Trustee candidate for any Board seat being filled by election at the upcoming annual meeting.

The Nominating and Qualifications Committee shall interview the petition candidate, gather, and receive information relevant to the petition candidate’s ability to meet the qualifications enumerated in Article IV, Section 3 of these Bylaws and additional qualifications enacted by the Board pursuant to Article IV, Section 3(k) of these Bylaws. At least 45 days prior to the annual meeting, the committee will find the petition candidate qualified or unqualified. If the petition candidate is found qualified, then the Committee will list the petition candidate as one of its nominations for that petition candidate’s district of residence.

(d) The Secretary shall be responsible for mailing to the members with the notice of the annual meeting, or separately, but at least ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, a statement of the total number of Trustees to be elected at the meeting. This statement shall include a list of the names and addresses of the candidate or candidates from each district nominated by the Committee, including those petition candidates found qualified. Nothing in this statement shall indicate a difference between candidates nominated by petition and those nominated directly by the Nominating and Qualifications Committee.

Photo Credit: Mic Smith

Traditions take root

Family-run Christmas tree farms are where merry memories grow

BY MICHAEL BANKS | PHOTOS BY NATHAN BINGLE

AS THE SUN RISES THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, a long line of vehicles waits at the front gate of the Penland Christmas Tree Farm in York County. Carloads of families wait to roam the fields of cedars, cypress and pine in search of the perfect Christmas tree. The day is all about making memories.

Memories are practically grown into the bark of Christmas trees on farms across South Carolina.

Three family farms with electric cooperative connections Penland in the Upstate, Aisles of Christmas Tree Farm in the Midlands and Booth’s Christmas Tree Farm in the Pee Dee sprouted from different traditions, yet they all work year-round to make sure families enjoy their own traditions and memories for generations to come.

At the Penland farm, families of four and five gather at the front desk. Dads or moms carry the saws, while children pull the carts. The smell of woodsmoke from a nearby fire pit lingers over the area.

A young boy pulling a wagon pauses at a nativity scene and looks at baby Jesus before continuing on, and his mother tries to keep up.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

“To the trees,” he says enthusiastically, and the family is soon hidden among a never-ending row of evergreens.

Steve Penland, who planted his first tree on the acreage in 1966, watches with a smile.

“The public wants to come to a farm to cut their own tree, not to buy one on a stake. They want that farm experience, the family tradition,” says Penland,

TREES, TREES, TREES Evergreens cover 70 acres at Penland Christmas Tree Farm, above, in York County. At top, Mason Makin and his sister, Martina, pose at the Penland farm after their family’s hunt for the perfect tree.

whose daughter and son-in-law, Allison and Martin Moses, now run the York County farm that he and his wife, Judy, tended all those years.

Christmas tree farming is in Allison’s blood.

“I see something that I plant that is 12 inches tall, and we’re the ones taking care of this tree for the next six, seven years,” says Allison, who became president of the South Carolina Christmas Tree Association earlier this year. “And seeing these families coming out? It’s very humbling to know that we grew this special tree for them to have in their house to celebrate the Christmas season.”

Heavenly direction

Forty-five farms make up the South Carolina Christmas Tree Association, and, according to its vice president, Jerry Hollis, almost all are small, family-run operations.

Hollis, his wife, Cindy, and 28 other family members planted their first stand of 1,100 trees in November 2019 at their Aisles of Christmas Tree Farm near Winnsboro in Fairfield County.

Hollis says he was lying in bed one night, wondering what to do with the pine-covered land they owned. He said to his wife, “God put it on my heart to grow Christmas trees.” Cindy replied, “Does God know how old we are?”

Hollis, now 65, had spent 21 years working with Coca-Cola and nearly 25 years at Michelin North America’s tire plant in Lexington before retiring and devoting his full attention to Christmas trees.

They clear-cut 24 acres and began removing stumps from the land. They offered their first “choose and cut” trees in 2023 some 8- and 9-foot-trees from that 2019 planting. In the fall of 2023, they planted their second field 2,800 trees in the shape of a cross.

“People ask, ‘How do you do it? ’ ” Hollis says. “Well, we put our hearts into it. You put your whole life into it and a lot of faith and let God do the rest.”

Hollis, a member of Fairfield Electric Cooperative, says this year, they’ll be able to offer their first full crop of cut-your-own trees.

“It’s a 365-day commitment to running a Christmas tree farm,” Hollis says. “And it’s only four or five weeks a year that we get to do our sales. The farmers work their hearts out just for those moments.”

A Christmas tree tradition for a female grower

Near Conway, Lauren Booth’s grandfather, Larue Booth, planted his first tree in 1962. He operated Booth’s Christmas Tree Farm until his death in 1986. Lauren’s father, Haley Booth, took over the farm, and Lauren joined him in 1999 when she graduated from high school. The two, both members of Horry Electric Cooperative, now run the farm together.

Nearly 40 acres are planted in trees. The Booths sell between 500 to 600 farm-grown trees each year, but the majority of their sales are Fraser firs that come from farms in North Carolina.

“A lot of my customers are from up north, and they think that what I grow is not a Christmas tree. They prefer the Fraser fir,” she says.

Booth is one of four female Christmas tree farm owners in the South Carolina Christmas Tree Association and was the first woman to serve as the organization’s president almost a decade ago. A real estate appraiser and agent who also works weekends at Myrtle Beach Shark Tooth Adventures, she estimates half her time is devoted to Christmas tree farming.

“You do something every day, if it’s nothing more than cutting grass,” she says. “You’ve got to touch and fertilize every tree twice a year. There’s something to be done all year long.”

Booth continues to live on the farm near her parents. She

FAMILY BUSINESS Allison and Martin Moses, and Allison’s parents, Judy and Steve Penland, above. Allison, right, feeds a family’s chosen bushy tree through the magical ring that makes for easy transport home.

GOD’S PLAN Jerry Hollis told his wife, Cindy, he felt called to grow Christmas trees on their Fairfield County farmland.

Traditions take root

Choosing and caring for a Christmas tree

This advice comes from Steve and Judy Penland, who operated Penland Christmas Tree Farm in York County for close to 50 years.

u Look for a straight trunk.

u Make sure the tree’s not too big for your house.

Most people prefer an 8- to 9-foot-tall tree.

does all the flocking (applying a liquid to the tree that adds the appearance of snow), while her father produces all the garlands. A longtime employee, Angie Brunson, makes the wreaths.

“All of the money the farm makes goes back into the farm,” Booth says. “We don’t profit. The bills get paid, but basically, we’re hobby farming.”

Still, Booth hopes her 6-year-old son will continue the business when he’s older.

“I like us being together. We’re together for the holidays, and a lot of people don’t get to do that,” she says. “The reason we’re continuing to farm is to keep that family tradition.”

Following in farmer footsteps

Back in York County, Steve and Judy Penland faced a lot of trial and error in the early years of their farm. A fire once burned about 100 trees. Then there was the year they awoke on the day after Thanksgiving to a cold rain falling. It was a little more than 30 days before the first payment was due on the farm and their new home.

“I’d bought everything on credit,” Steve recalls. “We needed to have a good day. And this was our peak day, the day you make all your money. And it was just pouring down rain. Judy and I were there lying in bed, and I said, ‘Well, we’ll just go out and do what we can.’ ”

The day turned out to be one of their biggest sales days ever.

“Luck saved us to make that payment and get us over the hump. The Lord works in mysterious ways,” Steve says. “As all farmers know, you deal with what you get, and you move forward.”

Judy admits it wasn’t easy when Steve announced in 2013 that he was planting his last field of Christmas trees. Of their four children, it was Allison, who grew up working on the farm, who wanted to take over.

u Keep the tree in water and make sure it doesn’t go dry. Look for a tree stand that will hold up to 2 gallons. A tree with a trunk diameter of 4 inches will consume a gallon of water per day.

u A properly cared-for tree will stay fresh for five weeks or more.

“Real trees make real memories.”

—JUDY PENLAND

“It’s hard to let go,” Judy says, “but it’s exciting watching your child go into this, and they’re doing an outstanding job. We think they grow a better tree than we did.”

Allison and Martin Moses have three children. Their oldest son, Michael, is a lineman with York Electric Cooperative. Their daughter Kayleigh, a 20-year-old student at Winthrop University, and her fiancé, Tyler Lark, who’s also a York Electric lineman, both help at the farm, along with the family’s youngest, 19-year-old Matthew.

Allison’s father tells her that not every tree is going to make it. Deer will rub on the bark and kill the tree, or there could be a dry spring, or water could pool in a low spot, drowning the fickle Leyland cypress trees. But, in the next breath, Steve remembers the days he’d climb on his tractor and mow the fields “just for relaxation and to clear my mind.”

“Farming is not for the weak of heart,” Steve says. “But, at the end of the day, you take a break, and you’re able to lay down on the earth and look up at the sky and just enjoy yourself.”

Allison flashes a half-smile at her father and looks out over fields of evergreen spaced out over 70 acres. The day is near its end, with a last hint of yellow and orange on the western edge.

“It’s peaceful out here,” she says. “And I know our hands have been on every one of these trees. That’s what I love to do. I grew up doing it, but I love it even more now.”

COURTESY OF LAUREN BOOTH

GRANDPA’S LEGACY Dad Haley and daughter Lauren Booth run the Christmas tree farm started by Haley’s father, Larue, in Conway.

OUR PEOPLE

ARE THE BACKBONE OF RELIABILITY

Your electric cooperative’s employees work night and day to keep your power on and your family in comfort. When outages happen, you can rest assured that a dedicated team is hustling to turn the lights back on.

NOTE: Some events listed may have been affected by Hurricane Helene. Please visit event websites or contact organizers for the most up-to-date information on events.

Upstate

NOVEMBER

16 Yuletide Market, Utica Baptist Church, Seneca. (864) 882‑9242.

28–Dec. 25 Anderson Christmas Lights, 150 Rose Valley Blvd., Anderson. andersonchristmaslights.org.

DECEMBER

1 Christmas Tree Lighting, Greer City Park, Greer. (864) 848‑2150 or cityofgreer.org.

1 Night of Lights, downtown, Greenville. (864) 233‑0461 or visitgreenvillesc.com.

2–3 Greer Christmas Festival, Greer City Park, Greer. greerfarmersmarket.com.

2–31 Holiday Ice, Carolina Wren Park, Anderson. (864) 231‑2232.

3 Dickens of a Christmas, downtown, Spartanburg. (864) 596‑2000.

4 Fountain Inn Christmas Parade, downtown, Fountain Inn. mainstreetfountaininn.com.

4–8 Rudolph the Red‑Nosed Reindeer, Greenwood Community Theatre, Greenwood. greenwoodcommunitytheatre.com.

5–7 Holiday Fair & Kringle Village, Greenville Convention Center, Greenville. kringleholidayvillage.com.

5–19 Christmas INN our Town, Main Street, Fountain Inn. mainstreetfountaininn.com.

5–22 Winter Wonderettes, Centre Stage, Greenville. (864) 233‑6733 or centrestage.org.

6–29 Misery, The Warehouse Theatre, Greenville. (864) 235‑6948 or warehousetheatre.com.

7 Breakfast with Santa, Hickory Knob State Park Resort, McCormick. (864) 391‑2450.

7 Poinsettia Christmas Parade, downtown, Greenville. greenvillesc.gov.

8 Simpsonville Christmas Parade, downtown, Simpsonville. (864) 963‑3781.

8 Uptown Greenwood Christmas Parade, uptown, Greenwood. uptowngreenwood.com.

14 Music on the Mountain, Table Rock State Park, Pickens. (864) 878‑9813.

20 Secession to the Civil War, Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site, Union. (864) 427‑5966.

20–Jan. 15 Ice on Main, Village Green, Greenville. (864) 232‑2273.

25–Dec. 31 Upstate Holiday Light Show, Greenville Pickens Speedway, Easley. greenvillepickens.com.

Midlands

NOVEMBER

15–Dec. 23 Wild Nights at Riverbanks Zoo, Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia. (803) 779‑8717 or riverbanks.org.

15–Dec. 30 Holiday Tours, Robert Mills House, Hampton Preston Mansion, Columbia. historiccolumbia.org.

15–Jan. 4 Fireflies Holiday Lights, Segra Park, Columbia. (803) 726‑4487 or firefliesholidaylights.com.

16 8th Annual Chapin Bands Holiday Market, Chapin High School, Chapin. (803) 575‑5400.

21 Vista Lights, Vista district, Columbia. vistacolumbia.com.

22 Main Street Lights: Community Christmas Tree Lighting, downtown, Newberry. (803) 321‑1015 or newberrychristmas.com.

22–24 56th Annual Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show, Jamil Shrine Temple, Columbia. (803) 736‑9317 or cgms.rocks.

23 Aiken Fall Steeplechase, Aiken Steeplechase Racecourse, Aiken. aikensteeplechase.com.

24–Jan. 1 Children’s Garden Christmas and Kids’ Walk, Edisto Memorial Gardens, Orangeburg. (803) 533‑6020 or orangeburg.sc.us/ edisto memorial gardens.

25 Chitlin’ Strut, downtown, Salley. chitlinstrut.com.

30 Christmas in the Backcountry, Living History Park, North Augusta. (803) 979‑9776 or colonialtimes.us.

DECEMBER

1–2 Christmas Craft Show, H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, Aiken. (803) 642‑7631.

Lights, Sumter. (803) 426‑2640 or sumtersc.gov/fantasyoflights.

5–8 ChristmasVille, Old Town, Rock Hill. christmasvillerockhill.com.

5–8 Junior League of Columbia Holiday Market, South Carolina State Fairgrounds, Columbia. (803) 252‑4552 or jlcolumbia.org.

5–15 A Nice Family Christmas, Chapin Theatre, Chapin. (803) 240‑8544 or chapintheatre.org.

5–15 Best Christmas Pageant Ever!, Sumter Little Theatre, Sumter. (803) 775‑2150 or sumterlittletheatre.com.

6, 13, 20 North Pole Lights, downtown, Newberry. (803) 321‑1015 or newberrychristmas.com.

6–8 A Twisted Christmas Carol, Fort Mill Playhouse, Fort Mill. (803) 548‑8102 or fortmillplayhouse.org.

6–14 A Christmas Carol, Aiken Community Theatre, Aiken. (803) 648‑1438 or aikencommunitytheatre.org.

7 Carolina Carillon Parade, downtown, Columbia. (803) 545‑3100 or carolinacarillon.org.

7 Christmas in the Backcountry, Living History Park, North Augusta. (803) 979‑9776 or colonialtimes.us.

7 Country Christmas Shopping on the Farm, Old McCaskill’s Farm, Rembert. (803) 432‑9537 or oldmccaskillfarm.com.

7 Hike Into the Boonies, Lee State Park, Bishopville. (803) 428‑5307.

7 South Carolina Gingerbread House Competition, 1530 Main St. Suite C, Columbia. (803) 908‑6080.

8 Art in the Yard, Melrose Heights neighborhood, Columbia. heather.s.preston@gmail.com.

8 Homes for the Holidays, Shandon, Hollywood Rose Hill neighborhoods, Columbia. homesfortheholidays columbia.com.

13–22 A Christmas Story, Rock Hill Theatre, Rock Hill. (803) 326‑7428 or rockhilltheatre.org.

14 Santa’s at Sesqui 5K, Sesquicentennial State Park, Columbia. (803) 788‑2706.

SCLiving.coop/calendar

Our mobile-friendly site lists even more festivals, shows and events. You’ll also find instructions on submitting your event. Please confirm information with the hosting event before attending.

Pee Dee & Lowcountry

NOVEMBER

15–16 YALLFest Young Adult Book Festival, Historic District, Charleston. (843) 722‑2666 or yallfest.org.

15–17 Jingle Bell Market, Florence Center, Florence. (843) 679‑9417 or florencecenter.com.

15–Dec. 31 Holiday Festival of Lights, Johns Island County Park, Johns Island. (843) 795‑4386 or ccprc.com.

16 Lowcountry Glass Mosaics, Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, Ridgeland. (843) 284‑9227 or morrisheritagecenter.org.

16–17 Mythical & Medieval Fest, RH Acres, Socastee. mythicalmedievalfest.com.

22–24 Shrek Jr. the Musical, USCB Center for the Arts, Beaufort. (843) 521‑4145 or uscbcenterforthearts.com.

23 Hilton Head Island Lantern Parade, South Forest Beach, Hilton Head Island. culturehhi.org.

24–Dec. 30 Holiday Lights Driving Tour, One Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner. celebratetheseason.org.

25–Dec. 30 The Great Christmas Light Show, North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex, North Myrtle Beach. nmbchristmas.com.

29–Jan. 1 Harbour Town Lights, Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island. (843) 785‑3333 or seapines.com.

30 Intercoastal Christmas Regatta, Grand Harbour Marina to Dock Holidays Marina, Little River. christmasregatta.com.

30 Fall Fest, Holy City Brewing, Charleston. (843) 608‑8383 or scbikes.org.

30–Dec. 22 A Christmas Carol, Dock Street Theatre, Charleston. (843) 577‑7183 or

DECEMBER

6 Downtown Christmas Magic, downtown, Florence. florencedowntown.com.

6–8, 13–15 Christkindlmarkt Charleston, 4461 N. US 17, Awendaw. christkindlmarktchs.com.

7 Atalaya Holiday Craft Market, Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet. (843) 237‑4440.

7 Great Guns on the Ashley (Artillery Demonstration), Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, Charleston. (864) 852‑4200.

7 Holiday Swing!, Charleston Music Hall, Charleston. (843) 641‑0011 or charlestonjazz.com.

7 Winter Whimsy Land, Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, Ridgeland. (843) 284‑9227 or morrisheritagecenter.org.

8 Wine Under the Oaks, Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant. (843) 884‑4371 or boonehallplantation.com.

14 Holiday Market & Craft Show, 645 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant. experiencemountpleasant.com.

15 Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade, Coleman Boulevard, Mount Pleasant. experiencemountpleasant.com.

22 Jingle Jingle Bridge Run, Crossings Park, Hilton Head Island. bearfootsports.com/jingle jingle run.

31 New Year’s Eve Flip-Flop Drop & Fireworks, Center Street, Folly Beach. visitfolly.com.

ONGOING

Second Saturdays Palm Trees & Pistons Car Show, Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen, Hilton Head Island. Visit Facebook and search for the event page.

First and third Wednesdays Low Country Coin Club, Midland Park Community Center, North Charleston. (843) 302‑6210.

Through March 23, 2025 This is Not: Aldwyth in Retrospect, Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Island. (843) 689‑6767 or coastaldiscovery.org.

PALMETTO STATE | market place

NOVEMBER IN THE GARDEN

n Want to add more botanical bling to your autumn landscape? Fall is not only a good time to plant woody ornamentals, but it is also THE season to personally observe possible picks draped in their flashy fall foliage. Some of my fiery favorites include ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica), serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.), chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) and, believe it or not, blueberry (Vaccinium spp.).

n Any houseplants still lingering outside should be brought indoors now, but first, check the foliage carefully for insects playing hide-and-seek. If you find any egg clusters, scrape them off to prevent unwanted visitors in your home this winter.

TIP OF THE MONTH Late autumn is the prime time to begin planting springflowering bulbs. But if your green thumb is getting cold feet because squirrels, rabbits and deer consider your growing grounds to be their personal salad bar, go with blooming beauties that those animals don’t like. Daffodils are definitely on their Yuck List, but so are other varmint-resisting spring delights such as snowdrops (Galanthus spp.), grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum), ornamental onions (Allium spp.), Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica), hyacinths (Hyacinth orientalis), summer snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum), fritillaries (Fritillaria spp.), Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) and glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa luciliae).

Herb vinegars

BY L.A. JACKSON

IT’S NOVEMBER AND TIME to wind down the herb garden. But if many of your special delectables are still growing, maybe it is also time to turn their presence into presents. Have you ever thought about trying your hand at crafting herb vinegars and giving them as holiday gifts to those special gardeners in your life?

Making herb vinegars is easy, being limited only by what is still growing in the herb garden and your creativity.

Let’s consider what might be useful for making tasty vinegars from your herb patch. Tarragon vinegar has been a classic for eons, but more commonly grown herbs such as basil, lemongrass, oregano, thyme, mint, chives, fennel, dill and rosemary are popular picks, too. Lesser known and lesser grown herbs such as borage, burnet, nasturtium and sweet marjoram can add their own distinctive, tasty flavorings to herb vinegars.

From the kitchen, citrus rinds (or zest), peppercorns, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes and cinnamon sticks are worthy additions to any herb vinegar recipe.

Freshly harvested herbs should be washed and patted dry before being added to a quart jar of vinegar. A oneto-two ratio of herbs to vinegar works well, but it’s your creation, so use this measure as a general guide. For a smooth flavor, either red or white wine vinegar is a good choice.

Let your mix steep for at least two to three weeks, occasionally shaking the jar to stir the contents. Then, strain the liquid through a coffee filter into clean, clear glass bottles with tight tops. To remind you what the final concoction is and to visually jazz it up toss in a few sprigs of the herbs you used in the mixture.

I’ve added rosemary to white wine vinegar many times, being sure to also

include several purple basil leaves for added flavoring and a tint that darkens to a pleasant plum hue. For an interesting garden-to-table salad dressing or marinade, steeping oregano, thyme and green basil in red wine vinegar has also been a go-to goody for me.

Bottles of herb vinegar used as decorations will be visually appealing for at least a few years. As edible accents, however, they should be used within a year. Generally, the more herbs you add to vinegar, the less acidic the solution becomes, so its ability to preserve the contents lessens.

L.A. JACKSON is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.

L.A. JACKSON

PLAY DEFENSE This pretty ornamental onion (Allium christophii ) tastes pretty bad to deer.

FLAVORFUL HOLIDAYS Herb vinegars can be easyto-make Christmas presents.

Let them eat cake

BY JAN A. IGOE

When I think of those gentle folk who dine exclusively on plants, I picture delicate woodland nymphs whispering to the ferns and spreading peace to all living creatures. What I don’t picture is Chuck’s sister: Mollie, the vegan vigilante.

As a recovering omnivore born into a family of bacon addicts, Mollie somehow survived 50 cheeseburger-filled years before realizing the error of her ways. Now, she’s on a mission to tofu-tize everyone she knows, starting with her big brother.

My neighbor is a fairly adventurous guy. Chuck has been on safari, fished for sharks from a kayak, fought a war and tried pole dancing in his wife’s yoga pants. The more likely something is to maim him, the more likely he is to participate. But all that went out the window when Mollie came over to cook his birthday dinner. While it’s customary to serve the birthday boy’s favorite dish, Mollie whipped up her meatless rendition. She didn’t think Chuck would notice.

First, she offered a gift to distract him. It was a lovely, illustrated children’s book: Santa’s First Vegan Christmas. (I guess Santa didn’t get that hefty on lentils.)

We all wondered where Santa went wrong, since he never ate a reindeer, and you can’t pull a sled with broccoli. But Chuck knew better than to ask and seemed grateful he didn’t get socks.

For appetizers, Mollie served a cauliflower-ginger-peanut concoction that was supposed to look like spicy chicken wings. But, trust me, Danny DeVito

That’s when Mollie proudly popped the question: “Did you know this dinner was meatless? Nothing on your plates had a face or a mother.”

could pass for George Clooney before this stuff would pass as wings. Chuck didn’t object, but his hand kept disappearing under the table, where the dog was choking.

The next course was chickpeas masquerading as turkey. I like chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, but it’s important to accept them for what they are, which is not poultry. Vegans must get confused by the “chick” part and totally ignore the “pea.”

Chuck was nibbling every forkful in slow motion, like he was hoping the world would be merciful enough to end before dessert hit the table. But it wasn’t.

A black-bean, faux-chocolate cake with

avocado frosting was coming for him.

That’s when Mollie proudly popped the question: “Did you know this dinner was meatless? Nothing on your plates had a face or a mother.”

Everybody managed a rigid smile and nod because we feared the truth might incite a sermon.

It’s funny. All of us like salads. We’ve all cut way back on meat and have nothing against garbanzos or any vegetable that died for our dinner. But why do they have to wear disguises and have secret identities, like they’re in witness protection? You don’t see Chuck dressing a pork chop up as an asparagus spear. Let’s stick those naked veggies on a plate and admit what they are. If you like tofu, eat tofu. Just stop telling me it’s turkey.

As much as I admire the vegan quest to make this a kinder, gentler planet, dessert should be off-limits. Chocolate is a deal-breaker. It’s sacred and stands alone among guilty pleasures. Chocolate has the natural power to make you lick your fingers and sneak them in the frosting when nobody’s looking. It would be wrong to mess with that.

Assuming we can agree to keep the avocados in the salad, vegans and omnivores can peacefully coexist, even on birthdays. Just let us have our cake. And let Santa eat it, too.

EDITOR’S NOTE: South Carolina Living is reprinting some of Jan A. Igoe’s previous columns. This “Humor Me” originally appeared in the August 2016 issue. Visit SCLiving.coop/news/ in-memory-of-jan-igoe

Two Opportunities for High School Students!

Juniors: Want an unforgettable adventure? The Washington Youth Tour takes place June 15–20, 2025. Explore Washington, D.C., with 1,600 students from across the country, meet lawmakers, tour iconic landmarks, and compete for a $5,000 scholarship! All expenses are covered by your local electric cooperative.

Sophomores: Interested in learning about your state and the world of co-ops? The Cooperative Youth Summit happens July 14–17, 2025, in Columbia, S.C. Visit the State House, explore careers in cooperatives, test your skills in an escape room, and compete for a $1,000 prize in the Orator’s Arena. All travel, meals, and activities are free!

Express Your Interest! Scan the QR code or visit ecsc.org/youth to learn more and indicate your interest.