South Carolina Living February 2016

CHANGE OUT

SC R E C I PE

FEBRUARY 2016

Celebrate Mardi Gras SC TR AV E L S

Into the woods

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THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS Vol. 70 • No. 2 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 559,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033

FEBRUARY 2016 • VOLUME 70, NUMBER 2

Tel: (803) 926-3 1 75 Fax: (803) 796-6064 Email: letters@scliving.coop EDITOR

Keith Phillips ASSISTANT EDITOR

Diane Veto Parham FIELD EDITOR

Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Travis Ward

ART DIRECTOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER

FEATURE

Susan Collins

12 College prep 101

PRODUCTION

Andrew Chapman WEB EDITOR

Van O’Cain

Master the art of applying for college with our 10-step plan.

COPY EDITOR

Susan Scott Soyars CONTRIBUTORS

Becky Billingsley, Mike Couick, Hastings Hensel, Jan A. Igoe, Charles Joyner, Belinda Smith-Sullivan Lou Green

4 CO-OP CONNECTION

ADVERTISING

Mary Watts Tel: (803) 739-5074 Email: ads@scliving.coop NATIONAL REPRESENTATION

National Country Market Tel: (800) NCM-1181 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.

© COPYRIGHT 201 6. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without permission of the Editor.

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.

6 ON THE AGENDA

Hilarity for Charity is back with funnyman James Gregory helping to raise money for worthy Upstate causes. Plus: South Carolina high school football plays a starring role in a new Touchstone Energy ad campaign airing nationwide this month.

POWER USER DIALOGUE

10 Sharing in good times and bad Cooperation between cooperatives helps keep power rates low, improves safety and allows us to share the burden of natural disasters.

SC LIFE STORIES

17 Sharing the spotlight

When S.C. blues legend Mac Arnold takes the stage, he always brings his gas-can guitar, but never his ego.

18

TRAVELS

18 Boggy beauty

Reconnect with nature on a walk through Beidler Forest, one of the last old-growth woodlands left in South Carolina.

GWÉNAËL LE VOT

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

Cooperative news

MIC SMITH

PUBLISHER

RECIPE

22 Celebrate, Mardi Gras style Let the good times roll with four traditional recipes straight out of New Orleans.

22

CHEF’S CHOICE

24 Family bistro serves

up comfort food

Sumter chef Jeff Dennis makes sure nobody goes home hungry from Simply Southern Bistro.

24

HUMOR ME

SC R E C I PE

Printed on recycled paper

Member of the NCM network of publications, reaching more than 7 million homes and businesses

SC TR AV E LS

Into the woods

Getting into college (and finding a way to pay for it) isn’t easy, but our expert tips will help you on the journey. Illustration by Nip Rogers.

mixed nuts

Our humor columnist gets more than she bargained for on a trip to the grocery store.

26 MARKETPLACE 28 SC EVENTS

IS MI LTO N MO RR

FEBRUARY 2016

Celebrate Mardi Gras

30 Supermarkets have

On the Agenda For a listing p m co lete s, see of Event 8 page 2

Highlights

FEBRUARY 19 Longtime funnyman James Gregory returns to Broad River Electric Auditorium in Gaffney for this seventh annual comedy show, sponsored by Broad River Electric Charities. A native of rural Georgia, Gregory has twice before been the featured entertainer at Hilarity for Charity, which raises funds for charities in Union, Cherokee and Spartanburg counties. Known as “the funniest man in America,” Gregory has been making audiences laugh for more than 30 years with his clean, down-home act that pokes fun at some of the more ridiculous behaviors of his fellow human beings. “His shows are not only hilarious but also have raised a lot of money for the beneficiaries,” says Josh P. Crotzer, Broad River Electric Cooperative member services coordinator.

Proceeds from this year’s show will help local veterans in need.

MICHAEL WEINTROB

THEFRENCHGUY

For details, visit broadriverelectric.com/h4c or call (864) 489-5737.

FEBRUARY 18 AND 28 FEBRUARY 27

Southern Sound Series: Rhiannon Giddens

Rhiannon Giddens helps York celebrate Black History Month by bringing her “Swimming in Dark Waters: Other Voices of the American Experience” tour to McCelvey Center as part of the Southern Sound Series. A powerful vocalist, Giddens performs with guitarist Bhi Bhiman and cellist Leyla McCalla to share folk songs, music and stories of people of color. Next up in the series are Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors on March 19 and Iris Dement on April 30.

For details, visit chmuseums.org/southernsoundseries or call (803) 909-7313.

6

Cooks & Books

Eat, read and play at The Literacy Center’s 10th annual Cooks & Books Gala (Feb. 18) and Celebration (Feb. 28), raising funds for Beaufort County adult literacy programs. The evening Gala at TidePointe in Hilton Head features jazz music, gourmet buffet, and live and silent auctions. The Sunday Celebration at the Hilton Head Marriott promises book signings with Lowcountry writers, including celebrated debut authors James E. McTeer II and Ellen Malphrus, as well as longtime favorites Cassandra King and Kathryn Wall. The “Heat Is On” chefs competition and food tastings from local restaurants round out the afternoon’s entertainment.

For details, visit theliteracycenter.org or call (843) 815-6616.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

MARCH 4

Pickin’ in Pickens

Tune in for award-winning bluegrass music when Balsam Range performs at Pickens High School auditorium. The five-man acoustic band from the mountains of North Carolina has been raking in awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association, including Vocal Group of the Year and Song of the Year (“Moon over Memphis”) in 2015. Sponsored by the Pickens High School Athletic Association, the concert is raising funds for school athletic programs.

For details, visit blueflameathletics.com or call (864) 296-9330.

EMAIL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND STORY SUGGESTIONS TO LETTERS@SCLIVING.COOP

GAME ON!

SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYS A STARRING

role in a new Touchstone Energy commercial that will begin airing nationwide this month.

Scenes for the new 30- and 60-second TV spots were Elijah Turner, a senior shot at the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl in quarterback at Seneca High School and grandson of a North Myrtle Beach in December. The commercial longtime employee of Blue ­features five S.C. high school football players, most promRidge Electric Cooperative, inently Elijah Turner, a senior quarterback at Seneca is one of five S.C. football players who will be in a High School. new nationwide Touchstone “Football is a lot of hard work Energy commercial. Scenes and takes a well-oiled machine were shot during practices for the North-South and a team of people working bowl game. together, and that’s just like what —RUBEN MUSCA, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, TOUCHSTONE ENERGY Touchstone Energy does,” says Ruben Musca, creative director at Touchstone Energy.

The ad cuts between images of cooperative linemen heading out to work and football players preparing for a big game, illustrating the effort and determination these groups of people have in common. “Every action that a lineman takes is mirrored by a football player doing something similar,” Musca says of the ad.

The Touchstone Energy “On Tour” video crew originally came to South Carolina to shoot a mini-­ documentary on the co-op-sponsored all-star game, which includes a philanthropic toy drive for under­privileged kids that the players take part in before the game. While in state, Musca says, the crew decided to shoot additional footage for the commercial and recruited help from five S.C. football players, including Turner.

“About halfway through the week, the commercial people came and asked if I would be involved in a commercial for Touchstone Energy,” Turner says. The crew captured Turner in a variety of shots—throwing and pitching a football, walking through the tunnel from the locker room, listening to the coach’s pregame pep talk and putting on equipment for the game.

“I enjoyed it,” Turner says.

“It wasn’t hard—I just WATCH THE VIDEO had to do what I would Visit the “Featured Videos” section on the home normally do.” page of SCLiving.coop to see S.C.RAMBLE! Turner’s father, Brett, the Touchstone Energy Bowl

BY CHARLES JOYNER, the head football coach for SEE ANSWER ON PAGE 27 mini-documentary.

Seneca High, says there is a family connection to John Gorrie, inventor of mechanical _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, the state’s cooperatives the Touchstone crew didn’t even e c r e m a c e s d m l b know about until after shooting. Wayne Turner, who is Brett’s father and Elijah’s grandfather, was a longtime was born in Charleston in 1803. employee of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative before retirUse the capital letters in the code key below ing in 2002 as manager of operations. to fill in the blanks above.

“That was kind of neat, because the co-op was a big A E F G I N O R T means part of our lives, because he worked there for so long,” s cr amb l ed Brett Turner says. —DIANE VETO PARHAM

‘ Every action that a lineman takes is mirrored by a football player doing something similar.’

SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

7

On the Agenda O N LY O N

SCLiving.coop

BONUS VIDEO Cutting up in the kitchen.

Stretch your grocery dollars by cutting up your own whole chicken for use in gumbo, stews and casseroles. Chef Belinda shows you how at SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda.

BONUS ARTICLES SMART CHOICE: Bathroom

bliss. Turn your bathroom into a luxury spa with these clever gadgets.

S.C. GARDENER: Invasive plants. Invasive species may look pretty, but they are a threat to native plants. Learn how to repel the invaders and leave beneficial plants unharmed.

APPLY FOR WIRE OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP A FINANCIAL BOOST IS AVAILABLE TO

South Carolina women who are electric cooperative members and are trying to earn a college degree, thanks to the 2016 WIRE Jenny Ballard Opportunity Scholarship.

The WIRE scholarship offers a onetime, $2,500 award to a woman who is an electric cooperative member, who has Niki Roach Staley of been out of school for several years and Windsor received a WIRE who is ready to complete her education. scholarship in 2015.

Two women were awarded WIRE scholarships in 2015. Niki Roach Staley of Windsor, a member of Aiken Electric Cooperative, received a $2,500 award to attend USC-Aiken, working toward a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

Leslie Shay Hardin of Easley, a member of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, enrolled at Converse College to earn a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in secondary education.

An applicant for the WIRE scholarship must: u be a member of a South Carolina electric cooperative u have graduated from high school or earned her GED at least 10 years ago u be accepted into an accredited S.C. college or university, and u demonstrate financial need and personal goals.

Women who have previously obtained a four-year college degree are not eligible. Applicants may have previously earned a two-year degree or some college credits. The scholarship, which can be used for the fall 2016 or spring 2017 semester, will be paid jointly to the winner and her college of choice.

Applications are available at your local electric cooperative or by download from scliving.coop. The deadline to apply is June 2.

Mail your completed application to WIRE Scholarship Committee, Attention: Bobbie Cook, Aiken Electric Cooperative, Inc., P.O. Box 417, Aiken, S.C. 29802, or fax to (803) 641-8310.

INTERACTIVE FEATURES Register to win $100. Sign up today for our free email news­letter, and you will automatically be entered in this month’s Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes. One lucky reader’s name will be drawn to win a $100 gift card.

Register before Feb. 29, 2016, at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply.

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK Join us as we celebrate all that’s great about life in South Carolina. Add your voice to the ­conversation and share your photos at facebook.com/SouthCarolinaLiving.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

GONE FISHIN’ The Vektor Fish & Game Forecast provides feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour. Minor peaks, ½ hour before and after.

Minor

PM Major

17 9:16 4:31 2:01 18 10:01 5:01 3:01 19 10:46 5:31 3:46 20 11:16 6:01 4:31 21 11:46 6:16 — 22 6:46 12:01 12:16 23 7:01 12:31 12:46 24 7:16 12:46 1:16 25 7:46 1:16 7:46 26 8:01 1:46 8:31 27 2:01 8:16 9:16 28 2:31 8:31 10:46 29 3:01 9:01 —

9:31 10:16 11:01 11:31 5:16 5:46 6:31 7:01 1:46 2:16 3:01 3:46 4:46

Minor

AM Major

FEBRUARY

Minor

PM Major

1 1:31 9:31 — 2 3:31 11:01 — 3 8:46 4:01 1:01 4 9:31 4:16 2:16 5 10:16 4:46 3:31 6 10:46 5:16 4:16 7 11:31 5:46 5:16 8 — 6:16 12:01 9 6:46 12:16 12:46 10 7:16 1:01 7:31 11 1:31 7:46 8:31 12 2:16 8:16 9:31 13 2:46 8:46 11:01 14 3:31 9:16 — 15 1:31 10:16 — 16 8:01 3:31 12:01

6:16 7:46 8:46 9:31 10:16 11:01 11:46 6:01 6:46 1:16 2:01 3:01 4:01 5:16 6:46 8:16

Minor

AM Major

MARCH

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Dialogue

Sharing in good times and in bad donations from cooperatives elsewhere, including Mississippi and Alabama, bringing the giving and —redundant, even—but it’s true. caring full circle.

It’s also important. Cooperation between Cooperation isn’t just sharing data, sharing cooperatives is how innovation gets shared from resources, sharing work. It isn’t just taking care of coast to coast. It’s how our costs remain low. It’s employees wherever they are. It isn’t just serving how we stay safe and how we give back. members until the job is done or the lights are In late August and September of 2005, on. At its heart, cooperation means making life Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the better for the communities we serve as a posiGulf Coast. The havoc they wrought was enormous, the critical power tive force for good. It’s crisis huge. And while that spirit of giving that THE SEVEN national media attenis the true magic of the CO O P E R AT I V E P R I N C I P L E S principle of cooperation tion was riveted on New among the cooperative Orleans, not as much 1. Voluntary and open membership family. attention was given to 2. Democratic member control If we learn something rural areas in Mississippi 3. Members’ economic participation in South Carolina—on and Alabama. Those 4. Autonomy and independence places, however, are solar or energy storage 5. Education, training and information ­precisely the ones most or how to comply with 6. Cooperation among cooperatives served by electric coopEPA regulations or the best way to handle a eratives, just as they 7. Concern for community certain safety issue— are here.

In South Carolina, it’s not knowledge that members of electric cooperatives wanted to we squirrel away like acorns for winter. It’s help. They did so by forming a 501(c)(3) corpoknowledge we share.

When someone shouts “Eureka!” and has ration called South Carolina Cooperatives Care. found gold by way of an idea, that idea is to That group raised approximately $50,000 from be shared for the benefit of all, rather than the members and employees to send to Mississippi profit of one company or utility. That spirit and Alabama, because they knew the linemen brings more than 900 cooperatives together there were out working day and night to get across the country as one community in ways the lights back on for their neighbors, even as that don’t exist in many other marketplaces. It their own homes had suffered damage or been destroyed. They were caught in a tough situation. also brings a sense of purpose—that we can be Besides sending money, cooperative crews on the front end of innovation with a unique from around the region also mobilized to help, ability to act on behalf of our members, our establishing a meaningful pattern of mobilizaneighbors and the world at large.

Cooperatives cooperate. When you think tion and sharing that always is ready to respond about it, there’s really nothing trite about it. to need.

Fast-forward to October 2015. South Carolina suffers from historic rainfall and flooding associated with Hurricane Joaquin, and, lo and behold, that very same 501(c)(3), South Carolina Cooperatives Care, becomes the home for COOPERATIVES COOPERATE. THAT MAY SOUND TRITE​

MIKE COUICK

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Santee Cooper welcomes Volvo Cars to the Palmetto State! And why wouldn’t they come here? We lead the nation in automobile exports and Southern hospitality.

Santee Cooper, together with our partners at the South Carolina Power Team, Edisto and Berkeley cooperatives, will be along for the ride to help Volvo drive toward “Brighter Tomorrows, Today.”

www.scpowerteam.com • www.santeecooper.com/SL

BY DIANE VETO PARHAM

Your uide g p e t s 0 1 ng to applyi e to colleg As a high school junior, Marrcel Smith was con­vinced he’d go to Auburn University. The Bluffton native fell in love with that Alabama campus on a visit, applied and got accepted, and worked hard to accumulate scholarships to help pay tuition.

But at the end of his senior year, he accepted an offer instead to attend Clemson University.

Weighing pros and cons, he realized Clemson, too, had a pretty campus, as well as the right academic programs for his career goals. And with lower instate tuition and his scholarships, Smith says, he could go to college “stress free and debt free.”

“Applying to college isn’t exactly the most fun thing to do,” says Smith, a Clemson freshman studying civil engineering and political science.

“The best part is definitely getting that letter in the mail saying you’re accepted. Because, number one, it means it’s over. And number two, it means you succeeded.”

An organized plan of attack, along with support from his parents and guidance counselor, steered Smith through his college applications. For students preparing to make that leap from high school to college—and for their parents—here are 10 tips to help navigate the admissions process.

Marrcel Smith, now enjoying life as a Clemson student, is grateful for the advice he got from family, friends and school counselors while applying to colleges.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

to get notified about events in your hometown and upcoming deadlines.

Research scholarship opportunities you may be eligible for. And don’t let those grades slip—colleges will notice.

1.

Start now.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHARRI HARRIS WOLFGANG

No matter what grade you’re in, if you’re in high school, it’s time to start thinking about college.

Granted, the activity ramps up in your junior year, but even ninth and tenth graders can prepare for college by laying a strong academic foundation. Take the preparatory courses most colleges require, and do your best work all four years.

“All grades count, starting in the ninth grade,” says Scott Verzyl, dean of undergraduate admissions at the University of South Carolina. Even some middle school courses count toward a high school GPA, he says.

“It’s very difficult to catch up in your senior year of high school if your grades aren’t what they need to be.”

The College Board website (bigfuture.collegeboard.org) has checklists for each grade of high school to keep you on track. Freshmen and sophomores should meet with guidance counselors to map out an academic plan. Explore extracurricular activities and internships that reflect your interests and career goals.

As a junior, get busy preparing for the application process. Take the SAT or ACT. Visit college websites and campuses that interest you. Ask your counselor about upcoming deadlines or missing pieces in your academic file. Talk about financial resources with your parents, and be looking into scholarships.

The fall of your senior year is crunch time. Start filling out applications. Take the SAT or ACT again if you’re not happy with your scores. Visit your top-choice schools, and ask to be on their mailing list

2.

Choose three to five schools.

There are thousands of colleges out there. How do you know which one is right for you?

“First thing, take a long, hard look at yourself,” says Robert Barkley, Clemson’s director of undergraduate admissions. “Who am I? Which type of college campus is going to suit my personality, my interests, my needs, my goals?”

Barkley recommends the College Board’s online tools for finding your fit based on school characteristics. A good starting place is location. If you know you want to stay in state, that narrows the field. Consider whether you want a big or small campus, an urban or small-town setting.

Does the school have majors that match your career interests? Are there places nearby that offer internships or extracurricular learning experiences to boost your appeal to future employers or graduate schools?

Compare costs and admission standards. Is the tuition in your price range? Are the average GPA or SAT

scores of admitted freshmen higher or lower than yours?

Once you have a short list, decide how many schools to apply to. Five is an average. But choose at least three— your heart’s desire, plus some you feel more confident about getting into, in case your first choice falls through.

It happens.

3.

Pay attention to details.

Forgetting to register for the SAT, failing to take the right math course, missing an application deadline— those are important details that, if overlooked, can make getting into college harder than it has to be.

“People will come up short because maybe they didn’t want to take a class in their senior year, because it didn’t fit their schedule,” Verzyl says.

The job of keeping up with details should belong primarily to the student, says Diane Richardson, college counselor at Wilson Hall in Sumter, a school that specializes in preparing students for college.

“Parents need to see that their son or daughter is completing the process, but not take over,” Richardson says.

“The student needs to be engaged in the process.”

Richardson also recommends getting to know your high school

‘ Which type of college campus is going to suit my personality, my interests, my needs, my goals?’

ROBERT BARKLEY, CLEMSON’S DIRECTOR OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS

SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

13

‘ Parents need to see that their son or daughter is completing the process, but not take over.’

DIANE RICHARDSON, COLLEGE COUNSELOR, WILSON HALL, SUMTER

guidance counselor. Not only can counselors help ensure you take the right courses for college admission, they are also resources for SAT and ACT registration deadlines, preparing transcripts, college visits, scholarship applications and other important details.

Stay organized by creating a checklist for colleges you’re applying to—for example, when their new applications will be available online, deadlines for applications, transcripts and fees, as well as special admissions requirements, such as advanced science courses for engineering applicants or auditions for performing arts students.

Set up a separate email account to use just for college applications, Barkley suggests, so important emails won’t get lost among emails from friends or junk mail.

choices twice—a guided tour when classes are in session, and a casual weekend visit to get the flavor of student life.

Sit in on classes, visit academic departments that interest you, ask questions and meet with the financial aid office. Being on campus just for an athletic event doesn’t count as an “intentional visit,” Richardson says.

“I have had parents and students tell me that when they actually made a specific college visit, they saw that college in an entirely different light,” Richardson says.

5.

Make the most of the SAT or ACT. 4.

Visit campuses.

Would you buy a car without test driving it? Getting a feel for the campus environment is why college visits are important, Verzyl says.

“If you haven’t tried it out for real, then how do you really know it fits and that you’re really going to like it?” he says.

Barkley suggests visiting your top 14

There’s a new SAT in town, starting in March. The revised test is designed to better reflect what students learn in high school and what they need to master for college success.

A bonus feature is the option of free, personalized, online test practice through Khan Academy (khanacademy.org/sat).

Students entering college as fresh­ men in the fall of 2017 will be the first cohort affected by the change.

Anyone who takes both the old test and the new version should be aware that, because the two tests are

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

fundamentally different, colleges may not combine your best test scores between the two versions. Ask the colleges you are applying to about their score policies.

Richardson advises students to take the SAT and ACT at least once during the second semester of the junior year, again in the fall of the senior year, and once more if they’re targeting a particular score—say, if they’re trying to meet the 1100 SAT (24 ACT) qualifying score for the S.C. LIFE Scholarship.

In between test dates, practice sections of the test where you scored lower, she says. You might also find you perform better on either the SAT or ACT; if that’s the case, try to maximize your scores on that test.

SAT or ACT test scores are just one part of the bigger picture, Barkley says. A student’s total academic record, activities and essays are considered in every admissions decision.

“It’s the one thing folks have the most anxiety about,” Barkley says.

“Scores are important, but they’re not a complete make-or-break scenario.”

Don’t forget: The student, not the guidance counselor, is responsible for making sure test administrators send score reports to the colleges specified during test registration.

6.

Fill in the forms.

Nowadays, most of the paperwork for college admission is online. As soon as colleges post the newest version of their applications on their websites (usually in August), set up accounts with your chosen schools.

Harvard fresh­man Kate Brady says visiting the campus convinced her it was the right school for her.

Kate Brady, a Piedmont native and Wren High School graduate now in her freshman year at Harvard, recommends tackling simpler applica­tion questions first, then coming back to focus on tougher questions and essays later. Don’t be shy about naming your accomplishments, she says; this is your time to shine.

“It’s like studying versus taking the test,” Brady says. “You’ve already done all the hard work. The application is your chance to show what you’ve done.”

Two online platforms can help you be more efficient with applications and creating a personal record of achievements. The Common Application (commonapp.org) offers a single online form that allows ­students to apply for admission at multiple institutions among its 600‑plus member colleges across the U.S. and abroad, including six private S.C. schools—Columbia College, Converse College, Furman University, Newberry College, Presbyterian College and Wofford College. Be aware that each school you apply to through the Common App may have additional admission requirements beyond this form, including different essay questions.

Starting in the summer of 2016, another shared application format will come into play. The Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success (coalitionforcollegeaccess.org) will allow students to create online portfolios and streamline applications to its 80‑plus public and private U.S. colleges and universities, including Clemson and USC.

Helpful online resource s 7.

Don’t fear the essay.

At some point, you’ll have to write an essay that gives the admissions office a better picture of who you are. It’s not meant to torture you; it’s your chance to show why you’d be a great fit at that school.

“People dread the essay for the wrong reasons,” Verzyl says. “They think they’re being judged on things like grammar and structure. And it is important to be able to show that you have the ability to communicate effectively in written form.

“But also, it’s an opportunity for a student to talk about themselves in ways that the rest of the application doesn’t provide. It lets you put a voice in your application. ...The essay is where you can talk about things that really tell who you are. That should be something you want to do, rather than dread doing.”

8.

File the FAFSA. Here’s a chore parents can help with: filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form online at fafsa.ed.gov. It does take time, effort and attention to detail, but it can pay off in dollars.

College Board planning resources bigfuture.collegeboard.org Interactive tools for finding the right college; college planning calendars for each grade of high school; printable checklists; tips for paying for college.

Free online test prep for the new SAT khanacademy.org/sat The new SAT includes free, interactive, personalized, online test prep through Khan Academy, including practice tests, video lessons, hints and feedback.

The Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success coalitionforcollegeaccess.org Provides a common application platform for multiple schools, including the University of South Carolina and Clemson University.

The Common Application commonapp.org Member schools from South Carolina include Columbia College, Converse College, Furman University, Newberry College, Presbyterian College and Wofford College.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) fafsa.ed.gov Apply by Jan. 1 of your senior year for the best chances of getting loans, grants, scholarships and work-study funds.

Net Price Calculator studentnpc.collegeboard.org Use this tool to calculate what you might expect to pay for college after filling in your family’s financial information and factoring in any financial aid you may be eligible for. Many college websites have similar calculators on their financial aid pages.

S.C. Commission on Higher Education www.che.sc.gov Get information on scholarships and grants available to S.C. residents, including Palmetto Fellows, LIFE and HOPE scholarships. Details are listed in the “Paying for college” section under the “Students, Families & Military” tab.

SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

15

The FAFSA collects information to establish what level of federal aid, scholarships, grants, work-study funds and loans a student may be eligible for.

Try to complete the form as soon as possible after Jan. 1 in the student’s senior year to increase your chances of getting aid. The form asks for tax return information; you can go ahead and submit using the previous year’s return, then update your form after you file the current year’s taxes. You can even import your tax information electronically online to the FAFSA form.

“I recommend people apply for federal financial aid even if they don’t think they’re going to qualify,” Verzyl says. “The worst thing that can happen is you’ll get nothing. The best thing is you might get aid you didn’t think you’d qualify for. But you’ll never know if you don’t fill it out.”

9.

Find ways to pay for it.

Cost is always a factor when planning for college. But it doesn’t have to be a deterrent.

“Families need to look beyond the sticker price,” Verzyl says. Financial aid packages and scholarships make college more affordable; don’t be afraid to ask about those, he says.

“Few students pay the actual list price you see on a school’s website.”

One way to get a better idea of what you’ll pay is to look for a net price calculator on a college’s financial aid Web page. This online tool lets you enter your family’s financial information, then estimate what you might expect to pay after factoring in 16

‘ People think getting into college is a prize to be won, and the reality is it’s a match to be made.’

SCOTT VERZYL, DEAN OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

the financial aid you are eligible for.

The S.C. Commission on Higher Education website (www.che.sc.gov) lists scholarships and grants available to S.C. residents, including the lotteryfunded Palmetto Fellows, LIFE and HOPE scholarships. Find out the requirements, qualifications and deadlines for each—they can take a big bite out of college costs.

High school guidance offices keep lists of scholarship opportunities; ask your counselor which ones you may be eligible to apply for.

Look into scholarships offered by the parents’ or student’s employers, as well as clubs and organizations the student is involved in. Internet searches may turn up scholarship competitions promoted by local school districts, private foundations and statewide organizations. See if the college you are planning to attend has designated scholarships for students in your major.

10.

Wait for the envelope.

It’s not universally true, but a big envelope in the mailbox is usually a good sign you got in, while the business-letter envelope is more likely to hold a disappointing “We’re sorry, but no.”

“Yes” is just the beginning; now

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

Getting accepted is exciting, but be sure to read everything in the big envelope.

there’s a new checklist. Tales of woe exist from students who forgot to pay a deposit, fill out a housing form or make sure final transcripts were sent.

Read all the other papers in the big envelope to find out what to do next.

If the answer is “no,” don’t despair.

“Not getting in as a freshman doesn’t mean you’ll never get in— there’s more than one pathway,” Verzyl says. “It’s the goal that you need to focus on, not so much the path.”

Talk to the admissions office about your best options—getting on a waiting list, enrolling in January instead, or completing some coursework at another school and transferring in later. Some applicants may be eligible to enter bridge programs that allow students to take classes as freshmen at a partnering school, such as one of the state’s technical college campuses, then enroll as sophomores at their target schools. Bridge students can even start participating in many aspects of campus life at their target schools.

If admission doesn’t happen exactly as you imagined it, the doors aren’t closed.

“People think getting into college is a prize to be won, and the reality is it’s a match to be made,” Verzyl says. “At the end of the day, we want people to find the right fit, the right school for them, so they can meet their goals.”

SC Life

Stories

Mac Arnold AGE:

74

Pelzer CLAIM TO FAME: Blues legend who recorded and toured with the likes of Muddy Waters, B.B. King and John Lee Hooker PASSION PROJECTS: His band, Mac Arnold & Plate Full o’ Blues; introducing kids to music through the I Can Do Anything Foundation; running Dr. Mac Arnold’s Blues Restaurant featuring Roots Smokehouse in West Greenville; for details, visit macarnold.com HONORS: Awarded the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 2006 and an honorary doctorate in music from the University of South Carolina in 2014 CO-OP AFFILIATION: Laurens Electric Cooperative HOMETOWN:

CARROLL FOSTER

Sharing the spotlight

When Mac Arnold takes the stage with his band, Mac Arnold & Plate Full o’ Blues, he always brings a big smile, his Stetson hat and a gas-can guitar—but never his ego.

Forget for a moment that he was touring and recording with the likes of Muddy Waters, B.B. King and John Lee Hooker (to name just a few) decades before his bandmates were born.

Music is a team effort. Everybody on stage gets to sing or play lead, and sometimes that includes an awestruck middle-school music student.

“If you’re playing, I’m playing,” Arnold says with a laugh. “I have no jealousy or anything like that.”

Raised on a farm near Pelzer, Arnold learned to play the blues on homemade guitars built by his older brother, Leroy. At the age of 15, he was playing professionally in Greenville juke joints, and by 24, he was touring and recording with the Muddy Waters Band.

Arnold retired from music in the 1990s and was content to run the family farm until Greenville harmonica player Max Hightower talked him into forming a new band. Since 2005, Mac Arnold & Plate Full o’ Blues has taken the blues scene by storm. This spring, the group will release its fifth CD, “Give It Away,” and begin touring the U.S. and Europe.

“We enjoy playing with each other, and when people enjoy playing with each other, other people enjoy listening and watching it on stage,” Arnold says. “We’ve had a lot of fun.”

While clearly enjoying his encore career, Arnold’s greatest delight is sharing music with kids through the I Can Do Anything Foundation and visits to public schools.

“A student will volunteer to come on the stage, and whether they’ve ever held an instrument in their hands before or not, we give them a little line to play,” Arnold says. “We build a band around them right there. In less than 10 minutes, we’ve got them playing music. It’s such a joy.”

—KEITH PHILLIPS

SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

17

SCTravels

BY HASTINGS HENSEL | PHOTOS BY MIC SMITH

Boggy beauty Reconnect with nature on a walk through Beidler Forest The nonagressive red orbweaver spider isn’t interested in snacking on human visitors to Francis Beidler Forest.

WHEN TAKING THE SELF-GUIDED TOUR

along the wooden boardwalk in Francis Beidler Forest, one naturally thinks about time, especially the past.

It’s not hard to appreciate the way a swamp like this one can seem to slow time down. There is a beautiful monotony and stillness to the tanninsteeped black water, punctuated here and there by some natural event or observation.

Lizards will crawl out of the cypress bark. A crawfish will scuttle across the flooded leaf litter. A moccasin will slither up a dead log. A red orb-weaver spider will be spinning its nest across the boardwalk. Out on the lookout above Goodson Lake, kingfishers will fly by, and mudfish will roll the surface. In the spring, one may catch a glimpse of the sanctuary’s iconic yellow songbird, the prothonotary warbler.

And towering above everything are the ancient bald cypress trees, 18

among them one that is 1,600 years old, the second oldest of its species in the world. One imagines it springing to life a century before the invention of the bow and arrow, a millennium before European settlement, and persisting through floods, drought, cold snaps and hot spells.

‘ There’s only two patches of this kind of old-growth forest left in the state.’

“This is what South Carolina, or at least whole parts of South Carolina, used to look like,” says Michael Dawson, director of the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, as he

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

stops along the board­ walk to admire the cypress.

“Virtually every other square inch of South Carolina has, at some point in time, been changed by people,” he says. “We’ve cut the trees down for farms, for timber, for highways and roads, all the stuff we do.

There’s only two patches of this kind of old-growth forest left in the state.”

One is the heavily trafficked Congaree National Forest, but the other is this lesser-known, 1,700-plusacre gem, which also doubles as the state office for the National Audubon Society and has been designated a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.

The swamp itself is commonly referred to as Four Holes Swamp but was officially named after the early20th-century timber baron Francis

Beidler, whose family liquidated his land holdings in the 1960s and sold a significant tract to a local Audubon chapter. Today, with its curio-filled gift shop and its 1.75-mile boardwalk, the center welcomes between 10,000 and 12,000 visitors annually.

The self-guided tour of the board­ walk, however, is just an appetizer for swamp lovers. On the first Saturday of each month, one can join an Audubon naturalist for a bird walk. On Fridays and Saturdays in the spring (March through May), one can take a two- or four-hour guided canoe trip through the swamp waters. Each month, a naturalist leads a night walk, where guests can experience the cacophony of the swamp coming alive in the dark.

And on one Saturday each April, the Center hosts a special benefit called Wine & Warblers, in which guests can stroll the boardwalk with wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Michael Dawson, director of the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, promotes the swamp with events such as night walks and kayak tours.

GetThere

Dawson knows that he must keep up these efforts—acquiring more land, educating schoolchildren and the general public, encouraging scientific research, raising money through the gift shop and grants and the leasing of land to hunt clubs—in order to preserve these wetlands.

“Our gospel message is that here you’ve got this water filter, air filter, wildlife factory—a beautiful place to 2016 SC LIVING BFBB_BFBB sc living

2016

The Audubon Center at Beidler Forest is located at 336 Sanctuary Road in Harleyville.

HOURS: Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m to 5 p.m.

ADMISSION: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6–12 and free for children under 6.

DETAILS: For more information, visit beidlerforest.audubon.org or call (843) 462-2150.

visit,” he says. “There’s this whole slew of values to wetlands. They’re far from worthless.”

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Recipe

BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

Mardi Gras, ay,” is or “Fat Tuesd February in ar ye ch e celebrated ea ades, costum ar p et re st h it e w m ti ch t ar ea M or ’s a gr of partying. It balls and lots itional foods from New to sample trad ous for its Mardi Gras fam Orleans, a city its mix of Southern, an festivities d ajun cooking.

Creole and C

PHOTOS THIS PAGE: GWÉNAËL LE VOT

, e t a r b e l Ce Mardi Gras style

BEIGNETS MAKES 20–24

A beignet (pronounced ben-yay) is a square doughnut or fritter, popular in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

For a true New Orleans experience, serve these with strong, hot coffee.

RED BEANS AND RICE SERVES 6

Red beans and rice was a traditional meal on laundry day in Louisiana. Homemakers needed an easy-to-prepare meal that allowed them to complete their day-long laundry chores.

1 pound dry, small red beans 2 pounds ham shanks or ham hocks 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups) 4 cups water 1 ½ cups chopped celery 1 cup chopped bell pepper 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Tabasco sauce (optional) Cooked white rice

Place dried beans in a large bowl, and cover them with cold water. Let soak 8 hours or overnight. (To quick soak, put them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them, covering them by 2 inches, then let them soak 2 hours.) Drain.

Place soaked beans, ham shanks, garlic, chopped onion and water in an 8-quart pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover; simmer 1½ hours or until beans are tender.

Remove ham shanks from the pot to a dish. Let cool slightly, then shred meat away from the bones. Return the meat to the pot of beans. Add celery, bell pepper, Worcestershire and Cajun or Creole seasonings. Cover and cook 1 hour or until mixture gets thick. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. Serve over rice.

22

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

½ cup water, lukewarm ½ cup milk, lukewarm 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 large egg ¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons instant yeast Canola oil Powdered sugar

In a stand mixer, combine all ingredients except oil and powdered sugar. Mix and knead in bowl until you have a soft, smooth dough. Cover dough and allow to rise for 1 hour or until it is puffy (not necessarily doubled in bulk). Gently deflate dough, and place it in a greased bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

(Dough will keep up to a week in refrigerator and actually improves with age. Occasionally punch down dough when it rises. Dough can also be frozen; roll out and cut/shape beignets before freezing.)

Remove dough from refrigerator, and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a 14-inch-by-10-inch rectangle, and cut dough into 2-inch squares. If dough is difficult to roll, let it warm up a little first.

In a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, pour canola oil about 1 ½–2 inches deep. Allow oil to reach 375 F. Drop 5 or 6 squares of dough into hot oil. They may sink to the bottom, then after about 5 seconds, rise to the top. Fry beignets for 1 minute, then turn them over. Fry another minute, until puffed and golden brown all over. Remove from oil, and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. When beignets are cool, sprinkle them heavily with powdered sugar.

SEAFOOD JAMBALAYA SERVES 6–8

Jambalaya is a casserole with rice cooked into it. Chicken, sausage and shrimp are traditional versions, but it can be made with ham, beef, crab or game meats.

1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed 1–2 lobster tails chopped into bite-sized pieces (optional) ½ pound boneless chicken breast, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning 2 tablespoons butter 8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons paprika ½ teaspoon cayenne

WILLIAM P. EDWARDS

Season the seafood and the chicken, in separate bowls, with Cajun or Creole seasoning, working it into the meat well. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat butter. Add sausage, and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Stir in onion, bell pepper and celery, and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and Tabasco.

Stir in rice, and slowly add stock. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.

When rice is tender, add chicken, and cook until meat is done, about 15 minutes. Add seafood, replace lid, and cook 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Cajun or Creole seasoning.

CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE GUMBO SERVES 8

Gumbo (a West African word for okra) is a soup or stew served over rice. Gumbo purists insist that without the okra, you can’t call it gumbo!

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste 2 bay leaves 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes 2 cups frozen sliced okra ½ cup chopped fresh parsley Cooked white rice Pepper sauce (optional)

In a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Saute chicken and sausage until brown on all sides. It’s fine if some meat sticks to the bottom of the pot and then releases. When brown, remove meat from pot. When chicken has cooled enough to handle, pull meat from bones, and discard bones. Set aside chicken and sausage.

Add remaining oil and flour to pot, stirring constantly for about 15 minutes.

When flour is browned to the color of milk chocolate, add onion, celery and bell pepper. Saute on low heat 8–10 minutes. Gradually add chicken stock, stirring constantly, until blended and starting to thicken. Add chicken, sausage and all other ingredients except okra, parsley, rice and pepper sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat 30 minutes. Remove lid, and cook 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add okra and parsley, and continue to cook on low heat, uncovered, 15 minutes. Serve in a soup bowl over rice.

Season with pepper sauce, if desired.

MICHAEL PHILLIPS

½ cup vegetable oil (corn or canola) 1 whole chicken, cut up and skin removed 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced bite size ¾ cup flour 2 cups chopped onions 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped bell pepper 6 cups chicken stock, unsalted 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

1 cup chopped onion ½ cup chopped bell pepper 1 cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons chopped garlic ½ cup diced tomatoes 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 1 cup rice, uncooked 3 cups chicken stock, unsalted Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

W H AT Õ S C O O K I N G AT

SCLiving.coop

Cut up your own whole chicken, and you’ll not only stretch your grocery dollars, you’ll have chicken pieces ready to use in gumbo, stews and casseroles. Chef Belinda shows you how at

SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2016 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

23

SCChefÕsChoice

BY DIANE VETO PARHAM

Family bistro serves up comfort food

MILTON MORRIS

MAYBE IT’S THE WORD “SOUTHERN” that leads first-time diners at Simply Southern Bistro to expect a traditional meat-and-three menu.

Don’t. Instead, executive chef Jeff Dennis says, focus on the word “bistro,” a place to go for casually elegant comfort food. He designed his Sumter restaurant to serve creative, made-from-scratch meals in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

Nobody’s going home hungry after eating the bistro’s hearty shrimp and grits, prime rib melt, fried green Jeff Dennis is in control of tomatoes, baked pimiento cheese dip, or loaded the kitchen and the menu at Simply Southern Bistro.

Simply Southern Bistro chicken biscuit—a cheese biscuit covered in mashed “Nothing here is diet food,” potatoes, buttermilk fried chicken and sausage gravy.

65 W. Wesmark Blvd., Sumter he says, laughing.

Dennis satisfies diners with flavorful meats, full (803) 469-8502 plates, and occasional surprises like fried duck croissimplysouthernbistro.com sants (topped with bacon, cheddar and fried egg) and HOURS: Sunday–Tuesday, pork belly with brie.

11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. and “I’ve taken what I’ve learned cooking in differ5–9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, ent places, incorporating some things, tweaking some 11 a.m.–9 p.m. things,” says Dennis, who earned a degree in culinary arts from Charleston’s Trident Technical College.

He opened Simply Southern Bistro six years ago with his parents, Wayne and Gail Dennis, members of Black River Electric Cooperative. He was accustomed to long hours in restaurant kitchens, starting as a dishwasher at 17 and LOADED CHICKEN BISCUIT cooking at Mexican, Italian, seafood, rotisserie-chicken and SERVES 4 fine-dining establishments. At 28, he was ready to make the 4 ounces smoked sausage, 2½ cups Adluh biscuit mix leap to his own space, and his parents were ready to help. sliced thin 2–3 cups buttermilk, divided “They had the money, and I had the drive and the will,” ½ cup white wine ½ cup shredded cheddar Dennis says.

1 teaspoon minced garlic cheese “He had the experience and the ambition,” Gail Dennis 2 cups heavy cream Cooking oil adds.

“You know, he’d been working in all these restaurants, 4 boneless, skinless chicken Salt, pepper and Cajun but we really didn’t know what he could do until we seasoning to taste breasts opened this place.”

1 –2 teaspoons roux (equal 2–3 cups Adluh seafood breader parts blended flour and The Dennises found a former sub shop in a small shop­ water) ½ cup mix of finely diced ping strip and put in a full-service kitchen. They gave the onion, peppers and celery Mashed potatoes interior a cozy makeover with warm red and gold walls, Preheat oven to 425 F. Blend biscuit mix, 1 cup buttermilk and shredded cushiony dining booths, and great spaces for conver­sation. cheese; shape into biscuits, and bake 17–20 minutes.

Jeff Dennis cooks; his parents manage the dining area.

“Jeff is over that whole kitchen—we don’t know In deep pan or fryer, heat cooking oil to 350 F. Coat chicken breasts in anything about it,” Gail Dennis says. seafood breader, then remaining buttermilk, then back in breader. Fry chicken until meat temperature reaches 165 F. “He won’t let me in the kitchen—he runs me out,” Wayne Dennis jokes.

In small skillet, saute onion, peppers, celery and sausage. Add wine; Specials change every few days, allowing Dennis to try continue cooking over medium heat until sauce reduces slightly. Add out new dishes and desserts. It’s still a lot of hours in the garlic, cream and seasonings. Bring to a simmer; thicken sauce with roux. kitchen, he says, but “it’s rewarding, when it’s yours.

To assemble, cut biscuit in half. Put bottom half on plate, and layer with “You’re the one bringing the people in and cooking the mashed potatoes, fried chicken breast, wine gravy and top of biscuit. food they enjoy.”

24

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27

Calendar of Events UPSTATE

FEBRUARY

12–14 and 19–21 • “Love Letters,” Oconee Community Theatre, Seneca. (864) 882-1910.

18 • Peace Voices, Poetic Conversations: Honoring Black History Month with Joshua Bennett, Huguenot Mill Loft, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

18–21 • “She Loves Me,” Brooks Center for the Performing Arts, Clemson. (864) 656-7787.

19 • Hilarity for Charity featuring comedian James Gregory, Broad River Electric Cooperative, Gaffney. (864) 489-5737.

19 • Winter Jazz: Spartanburg Jazz Ensemble, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

20 • Engineering Day, Spartanburg Science Center, Spartanburg. (864) 583-2777.

20–21 • Meet the Heroes, presented by Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Peace Concert Hall, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

21 • Herring Chamber Ensemble Winter Concert, presented by Greenville Chorale, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Greenville. (800) 888-7768.

23 • “Annie,” Brooks Center for the Performing Arts, Clemson. (864) 656-7787.

25 • Vocalosity, Peace Concert Hall, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

26 • Bluegrass: The Travelin’ McCourys, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

27 • Gathering of Appalachian Life, Hagood Community Center, Pickens. (864) 878-6000.

28 • James Gregory: The Funniest Man in America, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

MARCH

3 • GlobalFEST Creole Carnival, Brooks Center for the Performing Arts, Clemson. (864) 656-7787.

4 • Espresso Shot #3: Caffe’ Americano by Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra Brass Quintet, Chapman Cultural Center Theatre, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

4 • Pickin’ in Pickens, Pickens High School, Pickens. (864) 296-9330.

4–6 • Southern Home and Garden Show, TD Convention Center, Greenville. (864) 233-2562.

5 • “Enchanted: A Fairytale Ballet,” Gunter Theatre, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

5 • Making the Most of Your Dutch Oven, Hagood Mill State Historic Site, Pickens. (864) 898-2936.

28

5–6 • Walnut Grove on the March, Walnut Grove Plantation, Roebuck. (864) 596-3501.

8 • Step Afrika! Peace Concert Hall, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

11–13 and 18–20 • “The Dixie Swim Club,” Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

11–13 and 18–20 • “The Secret Garden,” Foothills Playhouse, Easley. (864) 855-1817.

12 • Character Breakfast Celebration, Poinsett Club, Greenville. (864) 235-2885.

12 • Space Day, Roper Mountain Science Center, Greenville. (864) 355-8900.

12 • St. Paddy’s Day Dash & Bash, downtown, Greenville. (864) 373-5848.

ONGOING

Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays • Hagood Creek Petroglyph Site open to public, Hagood Mill State Historic Site, Pickens. (864) 898-2936.

Third Thursdays • Art Walk, downtown, Spartanburg.

(864) 542-2787.

Third Fridays • Contra Dance, First Presbyterian Church, Spartanburg. (864) 308-1337.

Second Saturdays • Heartstrings, Hagood Mill State Historic Site, Pickens. (864) 898-2936.

Sundays • Sundays Unplugged, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

Saturdays, weather permitting • Aiken Trolley Tours, Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum, Aiken. (803) 644-1907.

Saturdays in March • Engineering the International Space Station, DuPont Planetarium, Aiken. (803) 641-3654.

Fourth Saturdays • Haynes Bluegrass Series, Haynes Auditorium, Leesville. (803) 582-8479.

Fourth Saturdays • Mountain Dulcimers of Aiken, Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum, Aiken. (803) 293-7846.

ARTISTIC EXPRESSION Choreographer

Terrance Henderson (above) presents “Ruins,” a contemporary dance work with an ensemble of local performers, on Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College in Irmo.

25 • Oyster Roast to Benefit Leaphart Place, My Carolina Haven, Columbia. (803) 327-2233.

26 • Friends Night Gala, Stone River, West Columbia.

(803) 256-7394.

27 • Adult Garden Workshops: Upcycled—Lightbulb Bright Ideas, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

27 • Black History Jazz Concert, Smith-Hazel Recreation Center, Aiken. (803) 642-7634.

27 • General Francis Marion Revolutionary War Living History Encampment, Camp Bob Cooper, MIDLANDS Summerton. (803) 478-2645.

FEBRUARY 27 • Joy of Gardening Symposium, Baxter Hood Center, 11–14 and 18–21 • “The Rock Hill. (803) 367-6427.

Mountaintop,” Sumter Little Theatre, Sumter. (803) 775-2150.

27 • March for Meals 5K, 18 • Family Night with Timmy & Timmerman Trail, Cayce.

Susana Abell, Clover School District (803) 252-7734, ext. 256.

Auditorium, Clover. (803) 810-8000. 27 • North Augusta Healthy Fair, Riverview Park Activities Center, 18 • The Wonderful Wizard North Augusta. (803) 279-7100. of Song: The Music of Harold Arlen, Etherredge Center, 27 • Rhiannon Giddens’ Aiken. (803) 641-3305.

Swimming in Dark Waters: Other Voices of the American 19–21 and 26–27 • “Godspell,” Experience tour, McCelvey Aiken Community Playhouse, Center, York. (803) 909-7313.

Aiken. (803) 648-1438.

27 • “Ruins,” Harbison Theatre 20 • “A Little ‘Night’ Music” by at Midlands Technical College, the Dutch Fork Choral Society, Irmo. (803) 407-5011.

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Chapin. (803) 345-3962.

MARCH 20–21 • Battle of Aiken, 1 • Franc D’Ambrosio: The 1210 Powell Pond Road, Phantom Unmasked, Clover Aiken. (803) 641-1111.

School District Auditorium, 24 • Combined Test & Dressage Clover. (803) 810-8000.

Show and Jumping Derby, Paradise 2 • “Carmen” presented Farm, Aiken. (803) 507-4577.

by Moscow Festival Ballet, 25 • Beethoven, Beethoven, Newberry Opera House, Beethoven! Aiken’s First Baptist Newberry. (803) 276-6264.

Church, Aiken. (803) 644-7394.

4 • Twilight Trek: Spring Fling, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

LOWCOUNTRY FEBRUARY

1–28 • Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration, multiple locations, Hilton Head Island area. (843) 255-7304.

15 • Strawberry Schoolhouse, Hobcaw Barony, Georgetown.

(843) 546-4623.

4–6 • Craftsmen’s Classic Art & Craft Festival, 20 • Bacon and Bourbon, S.C. State Fairgrounds, Memminger Auditorium, Columbia. (336) 282-5550.

Charleston. (843) 819-5947.

5 • Run Hard Columbia 20 • Gullah Arts, Crafts and Food Marathon, S.C. State House, Expo, Coastal Discovery Museum, Columbia. (803) 414-9508.

Hilton Head Island. (843) 255-7304.

5–12 • Joye in Aiken Performing 21 • North Charleston Arts Festival, multiple locations, Bridal Show, Charleston Area Aiken. (803) 226-0016.

Convention Center, North Charleston. (800) 532-8917.

7 • GlobalFEST Creole Carnival, Newberry Opera House, 22 • Comedian Henry Cho, Arts Newberry. (803) 276-6264.

Center of Coastal Carolina, Hilton Head Island. (888) 860-2787.

9 • Harlem Globetrotters, USC‑Aiken, Aiken. (866) 722-8877.

25–27 • Palmetto Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, 11 • Irish Fling, downtown, Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Newberry. (803) 321-1015.

Myrtle Beach. (800) 871-8326.

11–13 • Carolina Classic 26 • African American Heritage Home & Garden Show, Festival, North Charleston S.C. State Fairgrounds, Wannamaker County Park, North Columbia. (803) 256-6238.

Charleston. (843) 795-4386.

12 • Adult Garden Workshops: 26–27 • Horry County Museum Vegetable Gardening 101, Quilt Gala, Ocean Lakes Family Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Campground Recreation Center, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

12 • S.C. Philharmonic: Sayaka in Myrtle Beach. (843) 915-5320.

27 • Brewvival, Coast Brewing Co., the Spring, Koger Center for the North Charleston. (843) 343-4727.

Arts, Columbia. (803) 251-2222.

27 • The Chocolate Affair, ONGOING Memminger Auditorium, Daily through April • “Julius Charleston. (843) 740-6793.

Caesar: Roman Military Might and 27 • LifePoint Race for Life, Machines,” South Carolina State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898-4921. James Island County Park, Charleston. (800) 462-0755.

12th day of month • 12-Cent Kids’ Day, EdVenture Children’s MARCH Museum, Columbia. (803) 779-3100. 1 • Race and Social Justice Initiative Lecture: A Tuesdays through Sundays, through Feb. 28 • “Only Owls” Conversation with Marian Wright Edelman, Sottile Theatre, and “Carolina Landscapes,” Charleston. (843) 953-7609.

Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

2–6 • Charleston Wine + Food Festival, multiple locations, Fridays through February • Charleston. (843) 727-9998.

Free Fridays, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

3–5 • Myrtle Beach Marathon Race and Expo, multiple locations, Myrtle Beach. (843) 293-7223.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

3 and 10 • Behind the Scenes Tour, Hobcaw Barony, Georgetown. (843) 546-4623.

4–5 • Cobblestone Quilters Guild Show, Omar Shrine Temple Convention Center, Mount Pleasant. (843) 302-1229.

5 • Amazing Myrtle Beach State Park Challenge Race, Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach. (843) 238-0874.

5 • Seafood Fest, Shelter Cove Community Park, Hilton Head Island. (843) 681-7273.

5 • Where the Wild Things Run 5K, Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Ravenel. (843) 795-4386.

6 • “Elephant and Piggie’s,” Hartsville Children’s Theatre, Hartsville. (843) 383-3015.

7–13 • Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival, Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island. (843) 686-4944.

7–14 • International Piano Competition, multiple locations, Hilton Head Island. (843) 842-5880.

11 • Art of Design with Downton Abbey designer Andrew Prince, Charleston Marriott, Charleston. (843) 722-2706.

11–13 • Palmetto Quilt Guild Festival, Hilton Head Beach & Tennis Resort, Hilton Head Island. (843) 686-4288.

12 • Artfest, Towne Centre, Mount Pleasant. (843) 884-8517.

12 • Rising Stars Youth Arts Festival, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Hilton Head Island. (888) 860-2787.

12 • St. Paddy’s Pawlooza, North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, North Charleston.

(843) 795-4386.

12 • St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, Main Street, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5673.

ONGOING

Tuesdays through March 8 • South Carolina Historical Society Winter Lecture Series, First Baptist Church, Charleston.

(843) 723-3225, ext. 111.

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Feb. 9–March 19 • Camellia Walks, Middleton Place, Charleston. (800) 782-3608.

Tuesdays through Sundays, through April 7 • “Frank Lloyd Wright: Architecture of the Interior,” Franklin G. BurroughsSimeon B. Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach. (843) 238-2510.

Thursdays • “The Civil War Era,” Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Island. (843) 689-6767, ext. 223.

Fridays in February • Rivertown Art Stroll, downtown, Conway. (843) 248-6260.

SCHumorMe

BY JAN A. IGOE

Supermarkets have mixed nuts EVERY SO OFTEN, WHEN

I’m down to my last wilted lettuce leaf and my Chinese takeout tab is approaching triple digits, I venture outside my comfort zone and into the super­market.

By supermarket, I mean a food-tropolis the size of Saturn, where every item is continually orbiting around “for your shopping conven­ ience.” It takes an experienced tour guide with a GPS to find the artichoke hearts. Even he won’t know where the sardines went since your last visit.

I would gladly hire a bounty hunter to apprehend some bananas and frozen dinners just to avoid the whole scene, but Dog and Beth aren’t returning calls. So it’s just me, alone with the fruits, nuts and other personality disorders. Maybe you’ve met some of my friends:

THE COUPON-A-THONER These brave female warriors (I’ve yet to see a guy) come armed with 4-inch-thick assault binders and an arsenal of alphabetical bargains sorted by expiration date.

This is no hobby. It’s a grueling, fulltime job, perfect for type-A personalities. If these ladies weren’t clipping coupons, they could be running the Pentagon with their exceptional administrative skill and readiness to do battle over a stray nickel. When you see someone pushing 96 cans of SpaghettiOs in her cart, get your crumb buns to the nearest checkout if you want to be home by Easter.

30

THE NAS-CART DRIVER These are guys

(I’ve yet to see a woman) who are under the impression that anything with wheels, even wiggly ones, should go fast. And there’s no better place to practice one’s Kyle Busch impersonation than aisle 67 of the local supermarket. As far as these race cart drivers are concerned, anyone dawdling between the gherkins and dills is blocking their straightaway.

You’ll be safest by the cantaloupes, where the straights are shorter and the turns come up fast.

THE CLUELESS HERO There’s always a

wandering loner who is surprised he can’t find frozen broccoli in the produce section. You’ll recognize the unmistakable “my wife sent me” look of panic. He may be a decorated Navy SEAL, but he has never had his boots on the ground in a place like this.

Just be patient, and if he asks, explain what freezers can do for food.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2016 | SCLIVING.COOP

THE LANE HOGGERS These people come in several flavors. Some just want to eat right, which is fine, as long as they don’t stop to read (and recite) every label in the store while blocking access to the poisonous product you came to buy. I try not to handle anything with gluten or GMOs in their presence, because they’ll remind me that I am about to die.

Supermarkets are also great places for sorority meetings and spontaneous social gatherings. When friends convene, it’s acceptable practice to park all their shopping carts across the aisle, cutting off traffic for the block party. They may let you pass; they may not. Sometimes it’s easier to grab a bag of pretzels and hang out with the mixed nuts.

When I design a supermarket, it will have traffic lights and yield signs inside the store to reduce collisions and remind dawdlers to move along. Extreme coupon-athoners can shop between midnight and 6 a.m., and we’ll install restrictor plates on our carts so they can’t break the sound barrier zooming past the Bisquick.

Sorry, Kyle. It’s an insurance thing.

JAN A. IGOE is still learning how to navigate the supermarket but will leave advanced coupon collecting to the pros. Kindred spirits can write her at HumorMe@SCLiving.coop.

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SAVE $200

comp at

$259.99 61840/61297/68146

5999

2500 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH WITH WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL

$

LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt.

Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 6/12/16. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

comp at

1999 $59.97

$1399

LOT 5889 62281 61637 shown

29 PIECE TITANIUM NITRIDE COATED HIGH SPEED STEEL DRILL BIT SET

WOW SUPER COUPON

SAVE 76%

$

or by calling stores or HarborFreight.com LIMIT 6 - Good at our used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be from original purchase with original receipt. must be purchases after 30 days Non-transferable. Original coupon Offer good while supplies last. . Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 6/12/16