Lake Wylie Today, Fall 2019

LakeWylie Crisp and Cool As fall arrives, Lake Wylie is the place to be

TODAY Fall 2019 | Issue 3

Something to Celebrate Lake Wylie Today magazine turns 10 years old

Chamber Spotlight Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce news and information

Our View

CELEBRATING LAKE WYLIE TODAY’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY

By Susan Bromfield, President, Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

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en years ago, the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce contacted SC Biz News and proposed collaborating to create a beautiful, full-color publication to promote, market and present the Lake Wylie community, its businesses, people and stories to the community and visitors alike. This collaboration ultimately led to Lake Wylie Today winning First Place awards from the S.C. Press Association, along with multiple awards for design and features within the magazine.

So, it is with pride and pleasure we present this 10th anniversary issue of Lake Wylie Today. What a fast and rewarding 10 years it has been!

Lake Wylie has blossomed and grown in every way. There are new neighborhoods, businesses, schools and a new fire department facility, an aquatic center and a park are under construction. The YMCA’s Camp Thunderbird added the Duke Energy Pavilion, and River Hills Country Club invested in new greens and complete renovations of the golf building, clubhouse and swimming pools. Via the award-winning Lake Wylie Today magazine, we have been able to bring these stories, photos, news and information, while promoting the area to locals, visitors and newcomers. We were among the first in the area to promote agritourism and encourage people to explore and enjoy the richness and beauty of the rural areas around us — the fabulous farm stands, horse ranches, event venues, the bee ladies, and Farm to Table opportunities.

The Garden Party sections have featured the annual local home tour, area homes and gardens and much more. Development Update has provided the latest trends in real estate and information about business and residential growth in the area. Food for Thought enabled us to promote local dining, from the many restaurants and food selections to Farm to Table themes, cocktails, wine selections and holiday entertaining themes. The Shoreline section has featured stories about boating, fishing, waterboarding, canoeing, kayaking

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and other recreation opportunities as well as Riversweep and the lake cleanup, Adopt-a-Cove or stream, the Catawba Riverkeeper and many others. The Mailbag section has been a collection and celebration of news and info sent to us from local clubs and groups and featured in each issue.

There have been features about youth, music, athletic activities and interesting people and places in the community. Many stories have featured all kinds of interesting local people, including our state senator, Harvey Peeler, who recently made history by becoming the first president of the South Carolina Senate after the legislature changed the role of the Lt. Governor, who formerly presided over the senate.

These features have showcased interesting and unique local stories for the past 10 years.

The quarterly magazine has seasonal flavor and themes like “Healthy, Wealthy and Wise” for spring, “Summer fun for summertime,” “The green issue” in fall and holiday themes for the winter issue. Photos and stories are mainly done locally, with support of Lake Wylie Chamber staff, Susan Bromfield and Lisa Jubenville. Jane DuBois is the exclusive advertising sales associate. Jan Todd has been the main local writer for years. This year, Kathy Widenhouse took on that role. Once the photos, stories and content are in place, the SC Biz designer and editor do their magic to create a beautiful publication.

There have literally been thousands of visitors to the area — and a few thousand have made Lake Wylie their home — during the past decade. The Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce has had the pleasure of serving as a visitor center and first impression for many who visit the area and may move, open a business and invest heavily in the area. Lake Wylie Today and the new Living on Lake Wylie Newcomers Guide are the tools that complement these promotional efforts.

We hope you enjoy this special issue of Lake Wylie Today celebrating our 10th anniversary. LW

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Contents Fall 2019

2 Our View Recalling 10 years of Lake Wylie Today magazine 8 Mailbag 20 Shoreline

River Hills Yacht Club welcomes new friends to the best parties on the lake

26 Food for Thought

Family of 3 runs nationally ranked orchard and popular York County attraction

34 Garden Party

Lake Wylie couple and parents thrive under one roof

42 Feature

Lake Wylie Today celebrates a decade

52 Feature

For Lake Wylie Children’s Charity, it’s all about the kids

58 Feature

Clover’s Stellie J. Jackson Enrichment Center expanding to help more children

63 Fall Calendar 64 Feature

10 years of growth and development

70 Spotlight

TODAY

www.LakeWylieToday.com Published by SC Biz News Lake Wylie Today Editor - Jim Tatum jtatum@scbiznews.com • 864.720.2269 Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox production1@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117 Senior Graphic Designer - Jane James production2@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3118 Graphic Designer - Andrew Sprague asprague@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3128 Assistant Graphic Designer - Jessica Stout jstout@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3113 Assistant Graphic Designer - Joel Travis jtravis@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3124 Advertising Sales - Jane DuBois jane@lakewylietoday.com • 704.287.8668 Contributing Editors Susan Bromfield President, Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce susan@lakewyliesc.com • 803.831.2827 Jane DuBois jane@lakewylietoday.com • 704.287.8668 Contributing Writers Susan Bromfield Jan Todd Kathy Widenhouse Contributing Photographers Susan Bromfield Steve Chole Jane DuBois Lake Wylie Camera Club Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce Jan Todd Kathy Widenhouse

Lowering your risk of colorectal cancer

66 Development Update

LakeWylie

The entire contents of this publication are copyright by NWS Company LLC with all rights reserved.

Any reproduction or use of the content within this publication without permission is prohibited.

The magazine of the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

80 Southern Twang

A look at the Southern side by Jan Todd

Cover and Table of Contents photos by Jan Todd 4

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1439 Stuart Engals Blvd., Suite 200 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 843.849.3100 • Fax: 843.849.3122 www.scbiznews.com

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Mailbag Did you just catch a fish? Celebrate your 50th wedding anniversary? Are you participating in a charity event or community fundraiser? Where did you go on your last family outing? Whether you just celebrated a major milestone or are gearing up to give back, part of our goal with Lake Wylie Today is to provide a platform for our community to share what’s happening in the community through stories and photos. We want to celebrate with you, laugh with you and build memories with you. Please email photos and stories to smcdaniel@scbiznews.com .

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usan Bromfield was honored by the Lake Wylie Rotary Club on Tuesday, July 30 for her outstanding service to the Lake Wylie community. Susan was given a Paul Harris Fellowship Award. The Paul Harris Fellowship Award is given to those who are fine examples of “Service Above Self ” the Rotary motto.

Thunderfest at Camp Thunderbird

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et ready to cap off your summer on the shores of Lake Wylie with great food, music, craft beer and outdoor adventures!

Grab your friends and enjoy: Live Music; Outdoor Yoga; Zip Lines & Ropes Courses; Paddle Sports; Tubing; Group Exercise Classes; Beer at the Barn; Local Food Trucks; and so much more!

Thunderfest kicks off on Saturday, September 14, directly following the C2 Obstacle Trail Run (participation in the run is not required). The good times continue Sunday, September 15. Athletes training for a triathlon or those that want to practice their water endurance are invited to participate in our Open Water Swim in the lake. Call YMCA Camp Thunderbird at 704-716-4100 for ticket information.

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Event Details:

Saturday, September 14 from 12 PM – 8 PM Sunday, September 15 from 9 AM – 5 PM

Rotary District Governor Rob Hanley presents Susan Bromfield with the Paul Harris Fellow Award.

Farm to Table Join us at the Duke Pavilion and Barn at Camp Thunderbird for a night of live music, beer and wine and a locally sourced, farmfresh meal by our very own Chef Chris!

Saturday, October 5 6 – 9 PM All proceeds support the Camp Thunderbird annual campaign and help provide life-changing camp scholarships for deserving campers. Single tickets and tables of 8 are available for purchase. Email celebratingcamp@ymcacharlotte.org for more information.

Dr. David Redding, District Governor Rob Hanley, Matt Burris and Susan Bromfield.

Hanley visited Lake Wylie Rotary Club to present the most recent Paul Harris Fellows Awards.

Mailbag

Clover-Lake Wylie Republican Women award scholarships

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he Clover-Lake Wylie Republican Women awarded the Fay Bergman Scholarship to three recent graduates of Clover High School. Each student will receive a $4,000, one-time-only award.

The winners are Mackenzie Campbell, daughter of Brande and Randall Campbell, who plans to attend Western Carolina University and

major in chemistry; Abby Renner, daughter of Joe and Teresa Renner, who plans to attend Furman University and major in public health; and Lydia Sutton, daughter of Lanette and Brian Sutton, who plans to attend Anderson University and major in graphic design.

Proceeds from the spring Lake Wylie Home and Garden Tour fund the scholarship.

Lynn Viets, scholarship chair for Clover-Lake Wylie Republican Women, introduces Fay Bergman Scholarship winners during business luncheon at the River Hills Country Club last month. From left: Lydia Sutton, Abby Renner and MacKenzie Campbell.

Lake Wylie Chamber Of Commerce

ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC THURSDAY, September 19, 2019 1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start Captain’s Choice

Held at River Hills Country Club Play limited to 25 foursomes $125.00 per golfer - $500.00 per foursome Hole Sponsorships Available Fabulous day of golf, hospitality, networking and fun!

Prizes at almost every Hole Featuring our special Hospitality on Holes Box lunch included

Business After Golf Hospitality and Libations 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on the terrace of River Hills Country Club

Contact Lake Wylie Chamber at 803-831-2827 or via email at lakewyliechamber@yahoo.com for further information or to reserve a spot Fall 2019 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Mailbag

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iver Hills Community Church is hosting a food packing event in conjunction with Rise Against Hunger on Oct. 5.

There are several two-hour shifts available to pack over 100,000 boxes of food. This is a great opportunity for families, workgroups, neighbors, and teams to give back to their community together. Childcare for children under 5 will be provided. The children will be given special projects to help with the event in a fun setting.

For more information go to https://sforce. co/33FqvB4. Thanks again for giving your time!

French Legion of Honor awarded

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om “Pinky” Funderburk of Rock Hill has been awarded the French Legion of Honor. The Legion of Honor is the highest French civil and military order of merit, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte.

“Pinky” flew B-17 bombers, known as the Flying Fortress, with the 8th U.S. Air Force during World War II. Major Funderburk received this honor for conspicuous bravery during combat missions over France in 1945. Additionally, he was part of covert operations to Horsching, Austria, where he flew rescued POWs to safety. Congressman Ralph Norman presented the medal to Major Funderburk during a special ceremony held Aug. 1.

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Mailbag

Carolina Trust presents $20,000 pledge

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n Wednesday June 5, the management of Carolina Trust Bank met with the Board of Directors of the Stellie Jackson Enrichment Center in Clover to present their pledge of $20,000 toward the construction of a new permanent facility for the Center.

Following the acquisition of Clover Community Bank by Carolina Trust, the leadership of Carolina Trust reaffirmed their commitment to helping local charitable organizations.

The Stellie Jackson Enrichment Center was selected for the bank’s major contribution this year.

The Center offers a daily after school program for children in grades 3 to 5 during the school year.

It also organizes a reading program for younger children during summer school vacation. The Center partners with the Clover School District, which provides transportation, the Upper Palmetto YMCA for support staff, and the Town of Clover for the usage of the present mobile home used by the Center.

The Stellie Jackson Enrichment Center is conducting a fundraising campaign to fund the construction of a larger permanent facility that will accommodate twice as many students. River Hills Community Church reached out to the Center last year by providing a generous financial contribution of $75,000 that launched the fundraising efforts. In addition to several significant individual donations, local churches, foundations and civic organizations have already contributed to the $250,000 total needed.

The Carolina Trust Bank donation of $20,000 will be a major step toward reaching the Center’s goal, and breaking ground, this fall. The multipurpose room in the future center will be named after the bank.

“Carolina Trust Bank is a true community bank and is honored to be able to give back to support this project as it touches so many young people’s lives in this community,” President/CEO Jerry Ocheltree said. “Carolina Trust Bank is committed to our communities and we cherish the partnerships that we form in our communities.”

For more information on how to contribute funds or how contractors can donate their labor, call Monique Boekhout at 704-301-3652.

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Mailbag

Master Pilot Award

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n June 10, Ray Petty received the Wright Brothers Master Pilots Award in a standing-room-only ceremony held at the Rock Hill Airport. Mr. Petty, of York, was surprised, and quite moved, when he received a standing ovation from his fellow pilots. The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61.

This award recognizes individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft as Master Pilots.

Lake Wylie Camera Club up and running

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hether you are an enthusiastic shutterbug or just getting interested in photography, the Lake Wylie Camera Club is up and running and would be glad to meet you.

The club meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Lake Wylie Public Library, 185 Blucher Circle, Lake Wylie, and all skill levels are welcome. Come join fellow photography enthusiasts and instructor Joe Ciarlante to learn about and discuss various photography methods, strategies and suggestions.

For more information please visit the club’s Facebook Page.

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Mailbag

Corn maze/Pumpkin patch

D Arts Center offers Artful Bra Project, Mobile 3D mammogram screenings

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he Artful Bra Project is an invitational exhibition featuring one-of-a-kind works of art created by local artists who used the bra as the foundation of their pieces to raise awareness for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Artful Bra Project will be on display in the Perimeter Gallery at the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, from September 12 - October 27, 2019 and online from October 10 – 27.

The Arts Council is hosting an online auction of the bras from October 10 – 27, 2019, with proceeds benefiting the Breast Screening Source of York County, an organization that provides assistance to those who do not have insurance, or have insurance that only covers hospital care, and who meet certain income guidelines.

In addition, Mobile 3D mammogram screenings will be available at the Center for the Arts.

On Friday, October 11, 2019 from 9 AM - 3 PM in the parking lot beside Wells Fargo, 101 E. Main St., Rock Hill. Invision Diagnostics will be on-site with their mobile 3D mammography coach where they will provide mammograms.

This event is open to the public. 22 appointment slots are available. Please schedule appointments in advance and complete the required forms through the Invision Diagnostics online portal available at yorkcountyarts.org/artfulbras.

This event is open to the public. Those who do not have insurance and meet the Breast Cancer Screening Source of York County’s criteria may participate in this event. To learn more about the program and to apply for aid, call (803) 493-2716.

More information regarding the Artful Bras Project, the Breast Screening Source of York County, and Invision Diagnostics’ Mobile 3D Mammogram Screenings is available at yorkcountarts.org/artfulbras.

The Arts Council is headquartered in downtown Rock Hill, a state-recognized cultural district. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County at (803)328-2787, by email at arts@yorkcountyarts.org, or visit our webpage at www. yorkcountyarts.org.

o you enjoy losing yourself in a cornmaze or finding just the right pumpkin? Looking for fresh produce or unusual crafts or gifts?

A number of local farms are offering all kinds of fun fall activities for all ages. For example, South Forty Farm has a cow train, pumpkin patch, corn maze, miniature horses, “designer” chickens” and farm tours, as well as a farmer’s market. Bush N Vine, lo-

cated at 1650 Filbert Highway in York, The Peach Tree, located at 2077 Filbert Highway in York, and Windy Hill, located at 1860 Black Highway at Windy Hill Road in York, all offer a variety of amenities and activities, including pumpkin patches, tours and other family-friendly activities.

Come on out and celebrate the season!

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Mailbag

Clover Chamber names Executive Director

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nn Ferrell Skar has been named Executive Director of the Clover Chamber of Commerce. Born and raised in Rock Hill, she graduated from Winthrop University with a BS in

Business Administration with a Marketing emphasis. She is married to Gil Skar. While working with SC Works, Ann called on Clover area businesses to assist with their hiring needs. Ann was a chamber ambassador and Ambassador of the Year with the York County Regional Chamber. She also volunteered as a Come-See-Me Festival team leader several years and then chosen to oversee the festival as chairman.

Greenway Horse Show is Nov. 9

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f you enjoy equestrian activities, you might want to check out the Anne Springs Close Greenway’s biannual horse show, to be held on Saturday, Nov. 9, starting at 9:30 a.m. in the Lake Haiglar Entrance Riding Ring. Entry fees are $5 and all skill levels are welcome. Spectators are encouraged! There will be food vendors at the show and there will be more than 40 competitive classes being showcased.

For more information call 803-547-4575.

Curtin Farms Fest Oct. 12

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urtin Farms Fest returns October 12 with a wide variety of activities, artisans and exhibits. The festival, hosted by Curtin Farms located at 407 N. Paraham Road, Clover, is a community gathering for those who appreciate quality, hand-crafted and unique treasures and for those who want to enjoy a relaxing, family-friendly day surrounded by rolling pastures with the sights and sounds of a 100-yearold working farm.

Curtin Farms Fest is proud to provide a marketplace for handmade, hand crafted, and hand restored goods. If you are someone who appreciates local, homegrown food, unique artistry and live music, it’s worth a trip.

Tickets are $7 for 10 years old and over, $3 for 9 and under, and admission is free for 2 and under. For more information call 803-8321345, email curtinfarms@att.net or visit the website at www.curtinfarms.com.

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Photo/Arts Council of York County

Mailbag

Reflecting Her Story on exhibition

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eflecting Her Story, works by Vivianne Carey, Caroline Rust, and Noor ul ain Zaib opens in the Dalton Gallery at the Center for the Arts, 121 East Main Street, Rock Hill, SC, on Friday, September 13, 2019. This exhibition runs through Sunday, October 27, with a free, public reception on Thursday, October 10 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM. Reflecting Her Story presents a visual depiction of womanhood through the investigation of the female sense of self, identity, and physical appearance. Each artist blends introspective components to expose a woman›s moments of extreme vulnerability, challenge her sense of empowerment, and contemplate situations she faces.

In a collaborative exhibition, Vivianne Carey, Caroline Rust, and Noor ul ain Zaib highlight a selection of artworks they each have created over the last few years. This body of work for exhibition is important as it is a visual depiction mirroring the intricacies of being a woman.

Underlying themes of the artists’ works blend introspective components exposing a woman’s moments of extreme vulnerability, challenge her sense of empowerment, and contemplate situations that she faces. The common core elements include altars, adornment, sexuality, women’s effects, garments, gender roles and self-image. Yet, the portfolios of these artists, stand in contrast to one another as well.

The Arts Council is headquartered in downtown Rock Hill, a state-recognized cultural district. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County at 803-328-2787, by email at arts@yorkcountyarts.org, or visit our webpage at www.yorkcountyarts.org.

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Mailbag

New attractions Boogie Board Racer, Grand Carnivale coming to Carowinds

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orld-class water slide racing is coming to Carowinds in 2020 when Boogie Board Racer, the longest mat racing slide in the Southeast, debuts next summer at Carolina Harbor waterpark.

On Boogie Board Racer, guests will ascend to nearly 60 feet, grab a mat, and choose one of six lanes where they’ll wait for the green light to begin an exhilarating competitive ride. Racers will zoom through tubes, high-speed chutes and a thrilling 360-degree loop. A final drop brings them to maximum acceleration before they reach the finish lane to splashdown.

Boogie Board Racer is the first new attraction in Carolina Harbor since the waterpark was expanded and re-themed in 2016. The brightly colored slide will be located near the park’s newest roller coaster, Copperhead Strike.

The slide was custom designed for Carowinds

by White Water West, a Vancouver-based world leader in water park attraction design.

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Also new in 2020 is Grand Carnivale, a nighttime international festival and street party celebrating global culture in grand scale, with signature beverages and a special menu. The Spectacle of Color full-scale parade is a highlight of the festival, with extravagantly decorated and brightly lit floats, and lavishly costumed street performers who will draw guests into the action, tossing beads as they travel through the park to the beat of lively music. The festival will run nightly June 13-July 5, 2020.

Carowinds has added many exceptional new attractions over the past few years. In 2019, Carowinds debuted the seven-acre Blue

Ridge Junction area including the Carolinas’ first double launch roller coaster, Copperhead Strike, the Mountain Gliders family ride, and Blue Ridge Country Kitchen restaurant. Other recent additions include the record-breaking Fury 325 giga coaster, and County Fair and Camp Snoopy themed areas.

The best way to experience every moment of Grand Carnivale and Carowinds’ full calendar of events is with a 2020 Gold Season Pass. The pass gives holders unlimited visits for the rest of 2019 and all of 2020 so they can enjoy the recently announced PEANUTS Celebration and WinterFest Wonderland Parade this year, too.

For more information visit Carowinds.com.

Photo/Carowinds

Image/Carowinds

Mailbag

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Shoreline

The River Hills Yacht Club is all about good times and great friends, whether dancing at the River Hills pavilion, shuffling sand in shorts and flip flops, or putting on the ritz at Casino Night. Nobody owns a yacht, but everybody knows how to have a good time.

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No Boat?

No Problem.

River Hills Yacht Club Welcomes New Friends to the Best Parties on the Lake

By Kathy Widenhouse

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t all started with some residents looking for good times on Lake Wylie.

In 1973, a few houseboat owners at River Hills Marina began to gather regularly at Dock A on Saturday afternoons. They set up lawn chairs, opened their coolers, and talked about their day on the lake. Once in a while, they’d climb onto one of the boats and take it out for a spin at sunset. It was a way to get together and have some fun on the water.

Jokingly, they began calling themselves the River Hills Yacht Club.

The name stuck but the good times have continued.

Today, more than 110 local residents are members of this social club that throws 8-10 themed parties a year, ranging from scavenger hunts to casino nights, Hawaiian luaus, talent shows, a battle of the bands, disco parties, dessert cruises, and happy hours. Each year culminates in a black-tie Change of the Watch event in October at the River Hills Country Club.

A yacht club that’s not about boating? That’s right. River Hills Yacht Club is focused on meeting people and having a great time together.

Plenty of members own boats. But not one owns a yacht.

Your ticket to some of the best parties on the lake “Calling yourself a yacht club can be tricky,” admits Sue Houdek, longtime yacht club member and 2019 Commodore. She has fielded inquiries from new residents who were former

members of yacht clubs in San Francisco, Calif. and Charleston, S.C. “I explain that we are a social club that welcomes all residents who live near or around Lake Wylie.”

You don’t need a boat to be a member of River Hills Yacht Club. In fact, you don’t need to live in River Hills or even on the lake. Membership is open to all that would share in fellowship and fun. The roster lists members who live in Tega Cay, Fort Mill, and The Palisades, just over the bridge in Mecklenburg County.

Sue and her husband moved to River Hills in 2001 and have seen the yacht club evolve right along with the tight-knit community.

“Back then, it was largely a retirement community with just four school-aged children living here,” she said. “Now four entire school buses are needed to transport all the River Hills children to school and back.”

The yacht club is looking to the future to accommodate those families. Annual membership fees are low – just $35 a year per person.

Those funds provide for the yacht club’s famous open bar offered at each event all year long.

Most events also include a catered meal.

Cover fees for each party range from $15-30 per person, which pay for venue rentals, food, and entertainment. Low costs mean younger couples can afford a nice evening out with friends at a reasonable price.

“I serve as Fleet Measurer – a.k.a. beverage provider – in what some call ‘the most important job in the club,’” jokes Bob. He keeps a running inventory of available beverages left over from the last event and procures extras needed for the next party to make sure there’s always plenty of sodas, beer, wine, liquor, and mixed drinks.

Bob first heard about the yacht club when he attended a River Hills newcomers get-together shortly after moving to the area about five years ago.

“A couple of folks mentioned the yacht club and how much fun it was, so I checked it out and attended a few events,” said Bob. “The parties are true to the club’s motto: ‘Good food, great friends, and outstanding entertainment.’”

Creative parties all year round

How does the yacht club come up with so many creative party ideas?

That job falls on the shoulders of the board of directors, who meet each January with their calendars to plan the upcoming year’s events.

They sift through holidays, school schedules, local church plans, and other River Hills activities, and choose dates with minimal conflicts.

All yacht club activities are held on Saturday evenings.

The board divvies up the dates to board members who each become the point person for one of the parties, and then brainstorms Good food, great friends, themes for the year. outstanding entertainment Some events remain on the calendar from This year the club’s popular bar is organized

by Bob Ward, who is a member of the board of one year to the next. January and February kick off each new year with themed Happy directors.

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Shoreline

Hours. The club’s popular Casino Night, held in March, routinely draws 80-100 guests to Hall Marine, just down the road from the River Hills community. The boat dealer empties the boats from its showroom so that yacht club members can set up poker chips, craps, and roulette tables.

As the weather warms, outdoor parties take center stage. The Gilligan’s Island Luau last September drew 133 guests to the community’s Southpoint Beach complete with a pig roast, hula dancing instruction, and a fire dancing exhibition.

“We survived three thunderstorms that

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evening,” said Bob. “Everyone had a great time.”

The planning team schedules as many events as possible at River Hills facilities – like the Pavilion and the Marina – to keep down venue rental costs. Plus, the lake and boats are right there. Board members line up the needed number of club boat owners to host boating events on the lake and thank them with a gift card to be used for gasoline.

“I enjoy throwing parties, coming up with ideas, and then making it happen,” said Sue. “It’s not as time consuming as you may think when creative minds on the board come together.”

Each season closes with a formal Change of the Watch when club members thank the current board for serving and welcome new officers who take on the planning role for the upcoming year.

away they noticed he was new and approached him to introduce themselves.

“It’s a great way to meet people,” he added.

Long-time residents and newcomers alike are welcomed to the club in what people describe as an ultra-friendly, welcoming group that simply enjoy each other and enjoy having a good time.

By meeting nearly monthly, members can count on the rhythm of good times offered in the group’s social schedule. Yet the connections don’t stop there. The yacht club has spawned friendships among its members that go beyond the monthly gatherings to long-standing, deep relationships.

“I like the camaraderie and social aspect of the club,” said Sue. “And we remind would-be members to not let the name put them off. Nobody in the club owns a yacht.”

For River Hills Yacht Club members, it’s good food, great friends, and outstanding entertainment.

And a little boating now and then.

Want to Join? You don’t need to own a boat.

River Hills Yacht Club When Bob attended his first yacht club www.riverhillsyachtclub.com events, he was surprised at how quickly he was Email: rhyachtclub@gmail.com able to connect with other members. Right Facebook: River Hills Yacht Club LW

Lots of fun and a little boating now and then

Shoreline

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Fishing Licenses

fishing license is required for anyone age 16 or older when fishing in any public water, including coastal waters, in both Carolinas. Purchase NC licenses by calling 888-248-6834 or at www.ncwildlife.org. SC licenses are available at www.dnr. sc.gov or by calling 803-734-3833. A 7 day license can be purchased for out of state visitors. Must have a valid state ID.

Pendleton’s Sporting Goods 5930 Charlotte Highway Clover, SC 29710 (Highway 49 near “Five Points”) 803-631-5410

River Stop Food Mart 3900 Mt. Gallant Road Rock Hill, SC 29732 803-329-0002

Wal-Mart - Lake Wylie 175 SC-274 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 803-831-2115

Wal-Mart - Newport 4875 Old York Rd Rock Hill, SC 29732 803-323-2080

Wal-Mart-Tega Cay 1151 Stonecrest Blvd Tega Cay, SC 29708 803-578-4140

Grab N Go 13920 S Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28278 704-587-0045 Fall 2019 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Food for Thought Owner Matt Gusmer at Windy Hill Orchard’s outdoor cider bar.

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A Hard

Cider

Life Family-run Windy Hill Orchard a hobby turned successful business

Story and photos by Kathy Widenhouse

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Food for Thought

Shorty guards the cider kegs.

A feline possessed of discriminating tastes, Shorty is also an accomplished doughnut thief.

Matt Gusmer explains the cider making process during a tour.

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horty is a doughnut thief. But he has good taste.

The cat is a fixture around the picnic benches, tables and umbrellas at Windy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill in York. Customers enjoy slipping Shorty part of an apple cider doughnut or fried apple pie while they sip on a Ginger Gold or Fresh Ginger Peach hard cider.

Meanwhile, the farm’s 30 free-range chickens and 18 pot-bellied pigs have fulltime jobs nosing through the orchard just adjacent to the farm stand and pavilion.

“They need to pull their weight around here,” says owner Matt Gusmer with a grin.

“The pigs eat dropped apples and the chickens take care of all kinds of pests.”

In other words, it’s all hands on deck throughout the year at Windy Hill, a family business that started as a hobby and now is ranked among the top 50 apple orchards nationwide by The Daily Meal and as Trip Advisor’s No. 1 attraction for families in York County.

Hard cider by accident Matt’s parents, Fritz and Catherine, grew up in New Jersey, where a trip to the pick-your-own apple orchard was “just a thing everybody did every fall.”

They moved to South Carolina in the late 28

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1970s so Fritz, a chemist, could help with his father’s business.

The couple planted apples on their property to have their own supply for their growing family. In his off hours, Fritz tinkered with a family apple press and began making small amounts of sweet cider.

By September 1989 he was ready to produce his first large batch of a couple of thousand gallons. The apples were pressed and the cider was ready to be bottled when Hurricane Hugo hit.

“The electricity was out, so the cider naturally fermented on its own,” says Matt.

“Dad’s first full batch of sweet cider actually became his first full batch of hard cider.”

That happy accident prompted Fritz to develop the product. By 1996, Gusmers became licensed to produce hard cider commercially and began selling it in local beverage stores.

The term “agritourism” was not yet popular, but Fritz and Catherine saw the opportunity to bring visitors to the orchard. They started offering school group tours at Windy Hill and opened a farm stand with their three children working alongside them.

And even after the first wave of craft beer and craft cider excitement died down in the 1990s, Fritz continued to make his signature Ginger Gold hard cider.

Craft cider follows beer trends Craft cider popularity follows close at the heels of craft beer trends, explains Matt, with the most recent resurgence just under a decade old.

He joined the family operation after earning a graduate degree in business administration from the University of Florida.

The 2008 recession nixed Matt’s job offer in corporate finance but opened the door for him to work with his parents to build the Windy Hill brand.

Because Windy Hill is classified as a winery – rather than a brewery –the family could self-distribute its product. Matt began weekly treks on a route through Spartanburg, Greenville, Columbia, Lancaster, and Fort Mill with cases and kegs of cider in the bed of his pickup truck, handselling to beverage stores, bars, and restaurants.

Things started taking off when he stopped by The Grapevine in Fort Mill. “I was hoping a local craft cider would come through my door soon,” said owner Dave Sills, who became one of Windy Hill’s first accounts.

As Windy Hill products grew in popularity, the Gusmers engaged three distributors to spread all that cider goodness.

And while the mill produces just 30,000 - 50,000 gallons of cider a year, Matt, Fritz,

Food for Thought and Catherine do most of the work, including picking and pressing the apples, processing the cider, and keeping the machinery running. Each spring they hire a part time employee to help with bottling the mill’s seven or eight hard cider varieties: Peach Cider, Strawberry Cider, Rusty Gold, Jersey Blues and of course, Ginger Gold, along with specialty flavors like Pumpkin, Rosé, and Fresh Ginger Peach in limited seasonal batches.

And because “Dad always believes in getting the most that we can from every apple,” the fruit’s residue leftover from pressing is given to local cattle farmers for feed, says Matt.

The three Gusmers also maintain the orchard’s 10 acres of apple trees. They start picking Grimes Golden apples in early July, followed later in the summer by Gala, Pink Lady, Suncrisps, and Stayman Winesaps, an heirloom southern variety that accounts for 80% Windy Hill’s apples. Stayman Winesaps are good for making both sweet and hard ciders but also tasty to eat right off the tree, making them the orchard’s apple of choice for the pick-your-own crowd.

When fall rolls around, the Gusmers hire

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Freshly made doughnuts.

15-20 seasonal employees to help on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays to help serve the customers who converge on the orchard for tastings and treats.

Don’t miss the doughnuts These days, cider sales account for half of Windy Hill’s business. The other half is supplied by the orchard’s expanded agritourism activities.

The orchard offers two special ticketed events. The Apple Harvest Festival, held on the third Saturday in October, started years ago as a celebration of the end of picking season and has grown to a full day of family fun that attracts two thousand people at just $10 a ticket. Families take hayrides together and can cook apple butter in a copper kettle. January’s Oyster Roast, now in its third year, is also offered by ticket only and pulls in a couple of hundred guests. “It’s a way our family can say thank you to our customers for the previous year and celebrate the new one,” says Matt.

Apart from that, the orchard and mill are open to the public each weekend in the fall and again during May and June. The best time to visit the orchard, says Matt, is November, when the air is still crisp but the crowds are smaller.

And while both hard and sweet cider are a big draw, everybody comes to sample apple cider doughnuts.

“The doughnut line is about 50-100 people deep on our busiest days,” says Matt.

“They’re the biggest reason many of our visitors stop by.”

On Saturdays in September and October, Matt fires up the doughnut maker at 7 AM 30

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Food for Thought Everyone has a job - even the critters. The potbellied pigs eat dropped apples, while the chickens keep down bug populations

A tractor’s eye view of the orchard.

The chickens and pigs are freerange throughout the orchard grounds.

Want To Go? Weekends beginning August 17 through December 22, 2019 Fridays 5 PM - 9 PM Saturdays 10 AM – 6 PM Sundays 12 PM – 6 PM Farm stand, hard cider tastings, live music, fire pit, cornhole, hay rides

Pick Your Own Apples and doesn’t shut it down until 5:30 or 6 PM, putting out up to 72 dozen (864 doughnuts) an hour. In keeping with the mill’s family-centric ways, he follows an old family recipe.

And for just $1.50 each, rolled up in cinnamon sugar, who can resist? The doughnuts have become so popular that the orchard regularly receives orders for weddings, corporate events, and Christmas parties.

Meanwhile, visitors flock to the orchard’s pick-your-own weekends and goodies at the farm stand ranging from fresh apples to sweet apple cider, apple slushies, apple butter, dried apples, caramel apples, and fried apple pies.

They sit under the pavilion, enjoy a flight deck of six hard apple cider varieties, and play cornhole. Couples come for the live music and cozy fire pit on cool autumn evenings.

And everyone likes sharing apple cider doughnuts with the resident cat, which means Shorty gets a bit plumper every fall.

But as you sip a mouth-tingling cider and bite into an apple cider doughnut, it can be easy to forget that you’re at a popular attraction that pulls in visitors from up and down the east coast.

Because with just three people running the place, you feel like you’re part of the family. LW

Weekends in September Check the website to confirm availability and conditions

26th Annual Apple Harvest Festival Saturday, October 19 Tickets required

3rd Annual Oyster Roast Saturday, January 4, 2020 Tickets required

Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill 1860 Black Highway York, SC 29745 (803) 684-0690 www.windyhillorchard.com

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Food for Thought

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Food for Thought

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Garden Party

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Garden Party

One Home, Two Generations Lake Wylie couple and parents find happy habitation under one roof

By Kathy Widenhouse

The whole family poses for a photo on the front steps. (Photos provided

by Steve Chole)

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Garden Party

The back yard of the Chole-Lewis house features a pool and large deck area.

“W

from their St. Louis home to visit the Lewises, who had lived in River Hills for 30 years.

But Steve’s work-from-home pharmaceutical consultant job gave the Choles the flexibility to live anywhere near an airport.

Charlotte is nearby. Why not move to Lake Wylie? Both couples could sell their homes and build one residence that provided for each family’s independent living space — one that also included a shared area for accessibility to each other.

Steve and Ginny telephoned Dick and Darla to present their idea of living under one roof. “Think about it,” they told the older couple. The Lewises took their time — about 24 hours. They responded the next day. “We’re in!”

A home closer to family ... much The Lewis’ River Hills home had a buyer closer before it was listed. Halfway across the counDarla’s declining health gave Steve and Ginny the idea to move closer to her parents. try, the Choles sold their house on the first day it was shown. Each couple moved into rental Much closer. properties to plan and build their shared home As in together.

The Choles had been traveling regularly in Lake Wylie. elcome home.”

Those words, posted on the entryway wall, greet visitors in the common area of a unique Lake Wylie home shared by two generations of one family.

The house became home to Steve and Ginny Chole and Ginny’s parents, Dick and Darla Lewis, in 2016.

“We knew that Mom and Dad were aging and would need to make a decision about where to live,” says Ginny. “We could wait until an emergency came up. Or we could be proactive now and make a plan for the kind of life they wanted in their later years.”

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Multigenerational living was the cultural American norm well into the early 20th century, when 70% of elderly parents lived with their adult children. But that living arrangement took a nosedive during economic prosperity following World War II. The current trend is back toward shared space, says Pew Research. The Choles and Lewises are among one in five Americans today who live in a household with multiple adult generations. While caregiving and companionship are key motivators, families increasingly cite the added benefit of co-homeownership, which offers equity and tax protection for the estate and the survivors.

A home built with a hub How do you go about building a home for two families who will share a roof?

Careful planning and lots of conference calls, says Steve. Fortunately, both couples had a good idea of what they wanted in a home.

Their combined ideas meshed well.

Garden Party

The open floor plan and expansive kitchen makes for a great space for everyone to interact.

Three generations gathered by the pool.

Darla and Dick Lewis.

Darla Lewis, Ginny’s mother, found the 3.5-acre lot in River Oaks. Steve and Ginny chose a basic floor plan. Architect Peter Brooks captured the vision both families had for the project: Separate wings so that each couple could have their own space, along with a common area that connects the two.

Dubbed by the family as “The Hub,” the shared space is more than a simple work area with laundry appliances, a freezer, and access to the four-car garage. “The Hub has become the center of activity during holidays and get-togethers,” says Ginny. A large island works double duty as a buffet table and focal point for people to gather as they move among both living spaces. Doors allow each family to close off their wing for privacy.

The Lewis wing, situated on one story, has two separate bedroom suites that share a large combination walk-in closet and wheelchair-accessible bathroom. On the other side of the house, Steve’s office, the master suite, and an extra bedroom are on the ground floor,

while upstairs two bedrooms and living space allow guests to spread out when they visit.

Each wing includes living room, kitchen and dining areas.

Darla’s creative streak is evident throughout the home in plenty of thoughtful touches: wheelchair-accessible appliances, rolling laundry baskets that fit under the counter, and a walk-in shower and tub. A clean air recovery system keeps out southern pollen and dust, which was important during Darla’s battle with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). A whole-house generator provides emergency power back up.

Meanwhile, Ginny worked with builder Dana Anthony (Dana Anthony Custom Homes) to make the best use of the space.

Extra storage is tucked everywhere: walk-ins over the garage, under the back staircase, and under the crawl space.

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Garden Party member he was a part of family gatherings.”

The shared roof has also opened up plenty of opportunities for the Choles to welcome other family members to the upstairs guest rooms as a stopping point when passing through Charlotte. Ginny’s brother lived in the suite while looking for a new home.

Meanwhile, the home’s open floor plan and the Chole’s open-handed hospitality allows them to host church groups and get-togethers for large numbers, beautifully reflecting the welcoming words on The Hub’s main wall.

The Choles and Lewises are quick to point out that a multigenerational home may not be for everyone, but the arrangement works well for them. “The simple fact is that we like each other,” says Ginny. Steve, who lost his own dad as a child, enjoys a particular closeness to his father-in-law Dick.

“We are taught at an early age to honor our parents,” says Steve. “We’re seeing more and more adult children honor their parents during the later season of life. And we’re glad we can do so, too.” LW

From left clockwise, Dick (holding Charlie), Ginny and Steve. Aerial view of the property, the whole family gathered together, and a beautiful front view of the home.

on their 60th wedding anniversary. Steve and Ginny followed a few weeks later, once they were assured that the older couple was settled. The timing allowed Darla to spend her last months in the home before she passed away in February 2017.

Today, Dick continues to live independently in his wing of the house but joins Steve and Ginny each evening for dinner in theirs.

And while the Chole-Lewis home has allowed these two generations to thrive under one roof, their arrangement has also provided a perfect environment for the Chole’s three adult children, their spouses and grandchildren for when they visit. The back patio and pool are accessible from both wings of the house and are equipped with a removable fence to ensure the little ones’ safety during visits.

Nooks and crannies make the house a child’s delight, from a special play area accessible on hands-and-knees through the kitchen pantry to a secret hidden passageway between Steve’s office and the Chole’s master suite. Grandbabies are monitored in a crib room converted from a small would-be upstairs closet.

“Our grandchildren will have wonderful memories of their great-grandfather,” says Ginny, referring to Dick. “They’ll remember the times they were here with him. They’ll reFall 2019 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Through theYears Lake Wylie Today celebrates a decade

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Story and a decade worth of photos by Jan Todd

T

en years ago, Susan Bromfield, president of the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce, sat down with Grady Johnson of SC Biz News. “We need a magazine,” she told him. Lake Wylie was a growing community, and the Lake Wylie Chamber needed a way to showcase its businesses, share news and events, celebrate the stories and accomplishments of citizens, and promote the rich resources of Lake Wylie.

It wasn’t a great time to launch a magazine. The economy was still in the throes of recession, long-standing print media companies were closing their doors, and advertisers’ budgets were tight. And yet, Bromfield’s vision — and desire — to support and promote Lake Wylie convinced her there was no better time.

Newcomers and visitors were continuing to pour into Lake Wylie and the surrounding

area, and this “gateway” location — with approximately 40,000 cars traveling through on a daily basis — needed a tool to showcase the area, and for advertisers to reach both locals and tourists. Jane DuBois signed on as the magazine’s local advertising salesperson, and local contributing writers and photographers stepped up to provide content.

Ten years later, the magazine is a staple in our community, and has won numerous awards along the way, including first place for best magazine from the S.C. Press Association (twice!), plus several awards for design and features. Bromfield often calls the magazine “a labor of love,” and together with the rest of the team, managed to beat the odds and find a bit of magic to share in every issue.

We look back at some of our favorite stories over the years.

The lake Center stage in our area is, of course, Lake Wylie itself. The magazine’s “Shoreline” section highlights recreation, fishing, sailing, and events on the water.

Whether fishing for fun, fishing for dinner, or fishing for a prize, anglers are hooked on fishing the waters of Lake Wylie. Information about upcoming fishing tournaments, fishing charters and guides, types of fish and recommended bait, and license requirements are regularly featured in Lake Wylie today.

One cold November morning in 2012, one of our writers ventured out in the wee hours to photograph and talk to the five master bass fishermen participating in the “King of the Lake” tournament, a competition limited to the top five competition anglers of the year.

“Most of the time, we’re competing against

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Feature dozens of other fishermen for a prize of a thousand dollars or so,” said Mike Stone, who organized the tournament series. “Not today.

Today there are just five of us and the purse is $5,000. That’s a big deal!”

Stone, who said he fishes two or three days a week, mused, “I love being out on the lake.

There is no substitute for it.”

Rodger Taylor, of Catfish On! Guide Service was featured in the spring 2017 issue, where he commented, “The maturing of a fisherman is when you move from wanting to prove yourself by catching the limit to just appreciating being out there. You want to watch the sun come up in the morning, watch it go down in the evening and see the lake’s stillness being broken by the splash of a big fish in the water.”

The Catawba Yacht Club, founded in 1939, celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. It has been featured in the magazine several times over the years, as a private, nonprofit club for sailing, rowing and water fun. Members enjoy a clubhouse located near the end of Youngblood Road West.

In an article about an Ensign regatta that appeared in the summer 2012 issue, board member Ron Wright said, “There are several yacht clubs and marinas on Lake Wylie, but ours is the only racing sailboat club on the lake. The club has three fleets of sailboats: Ensigns, MC Scows and Cruisers.”

Races are held regularly during the spring and summer, and spectators can gather to watch from their own boats on the lake, near the mouth of Crowder’s Creek, or from the large observation deck at the club.

Summertime lake events — such as the boat parade and ski show on July Fourth each year — bring the lake to life. Hundreds of boaters gather to watch the mid-day festivities, enjoy a picnic on the water, then head towards the Buster Boyd Bridge to watch fireworks.

In the summer 2018 issue, we marked the 30th anniversary of the Carolina Show Ski Team, which performs at Windjammer Park on Lake Wylie regularly during the summer, including at the Fourth of July festivities.

“A ski show of this type is more than just tricks and jumps,” explained Becky Fox, who has been a member of the team for about 20 years. “Our performances typically include a theatrical performance, with ballet, athletics, balancing, barefoot skiing, and jumps. The shows have music, choreography, acting and comedy.”

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Feature Show Ski Team raises money for various causes, giving back to the community. They also hold ski clinics each summer to teach others how to waterski.

Another regularly featured event is the annual “Lights on the Lake” parade. From frigid weather when only a few brave souls participated, to years where folks showed up in shorts and t-shirts, the parade kicks off the holiday season in a spectacular, and beautiful display of twinkling lights reflecting on the water.

Emerging trends appear in the magazine as well. Stand-up paddle boarding, the sporting activity with the highest number of new participants of any in the U.S. in 2013, was featured in the summer 2014 issue of Lake Wylie Today.

Enjoyed year-round by paddlers equipped with wetsuits, Torrence Creek resident Barbara Nichols commented about the sport, “Observing the seasonal changes of the landscape and wildlife on Lake Wylie is spectacular year-round, as we glide quietly along the shorelines.”

Paddle boarding offers the participant a unique perspective, with the opportunity to float quietly near the shoreline or move to open water. “Sometimes we just stop and float, closing our eyes and listening to the sounds of the birds, the wind, the waves.”

Boats are needed to clean up the coves and waterways at Riversweep each year.

Rideability Therapeutic Riding Center, located at Cherokee Farms, was featured in LWT in fall 2018.

Children visiting animals at Victory Farms.

People making a difference If the lake is the center stage, the people of Lake Wylie are the stars. People who care about the community give of themselves tirelessly, working and inspiring others to help others, protect and improve the environment, and enhance the lives and world around us.

We’ve celebrated the contributions of many over the years.

Riverkeepers, those charged with protecting the life of the Catawba-Wateree watershed, including Lake Wylie, have advocated for clean water since 1997. The magazine regularly includes Riverkeeper news and events, including the annual Riversweep, and featured the organization for its 20th anniversary in fall 2017.

The Catawba-Wateree River Basin, which stretches from the Blue Ridge Mountains to central South Carolina, supplies drinking water for almost 2 million people. How does this nonprofit organization protect such a huge area? With volunteers, donors and a small but dedicated staff.

Charter member Karl Froelich said the organization began by dealing with trash, dump-

ing, and other issues. “Now I think the river is holding its own,” he said. “Even with the influx of people and developments and growth, it’s still safe to swim in.”

Froelich stressed that vigilance and persistence “by all kinds of people” are required to keep the water safe, abundant and affordable. “The work is never permanently done,” he said.

The River Hills Lions Club is often highlighted in Lake Wylie Today. As one of the largest service organizations in the area, The Lions Club was chartered in 1975 and contributes over $100,000 plus thousands of volunteer hours to people in need and a large number of charitable organizations in our area.

“Our expertise is to raise money and then give it away,” said Lee Kehler, longtime member of the club.

Their fundraisers include a golf tournament, annual raffle, Christmas tree sale, and

pancake breakfast with Santa — a favorite holiday event that attracts 600 people a year.

One member of the Lions Club, Don Long, was honored with the first-ever Legacy Award for his dedication and contributions to the Lake Wylie community. He was featured in the spring 2019 issue of Lake Wylie Today.

The Clover Area Assistance Center (CAAC) has graced the pages of Lake Wylie Today many times, as the nonprofit organizations that runs the largest food pantry in Western York County, plus much more. The magazine celebrated CAAC’s 35th anniversary in winter 2017 in an article entitled, “Not a Handout, a Hand Up.” The article title embodied the mission of CAAC. The center helps meet basic, urgent needs through food, financial assistance, and health services, plus provides educational programs to help recipients bridge the gap between dependency and self-sufficiency.

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Feature “We partner with churches, other nonprofit agencies and various providers to work together and meet the needs in our community,” said Karen Van Vierssen, executive director of CAAC. Some of the partners include the Lake Wylie/River Hills Lions Club, the Clover School District, United Way, Duke Energy, York Electric Cooperative, a number of grocery stores and churches.

Citizens such as Perry Johnson, a charter member of the Bethel Volunteer Fire Department, an advocate for protecting the shoreline

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of Lake Wylie, and one of the early organizers of the Lake Wylie Athletic Association, is one who sees a need and applies his passion to make a difference in the community.

His story was shared in the spring 2018 issue, and his memories of growing up in Lake Wylie resonated with and intrigued our readers.

Johnson recalled, “The community back then was known as Bethel. Where the back gate of River Hills is now was Brown Harper’s Store. That was where people would go to get

gas, bologna and cheese, basic things when they didn’t want to drive all the way to Clover for groceries.”

“Everyone got their mail at Harper’s,” Johnson continued. “All the mailboxes were lined up between two cedar trees. Most of the people out here got the Charlotte Observer on Sunday, and the papers were all delivered to Harper’s. People would stop by the store after church, thumb through and find their name, pick up their paper and leave the rest. It was a different world back then.”

Johnson was named Lake Wylie’s “Citizen of the Year” in 2017, recognizing his life of volunteering and dedication to the community.

Sometimes, the stories about people making a difference in our community inspired others to make a difference as well. Such was the case after the fall 2012 article about Victory Farms, a therapeutic horseback riding center in Gaston County run by Dory Pell.

Pell combines her education and experience in physical therapy with a lifelong love of horses to provide service to children and adults with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, injuries and other special needs.

The success stories of the program — physical benefits such as core muscle development and coordination, and socio-emotional benefits such as improved self-confidence, patience, and overall joy — are nothing short of miraculous.

Reading about the transformation in participants such as 5-year old Braden, who was once nonverbal and unable to sit up or crawl, into a confident little boy able to navigate a walker and attend kindergarten, inspired people to volunteer and donate to Victory Farms.

In fall 2018, we took readers to RideAbility Therapeutic Riding Center, located at Cherokee Farms in Clover. The center is run by Dr. Wendy Schonfeld, who moved to Clover from New York about six years ago. Schonfeld paired her skills as a chiropractor and desire to help others with her passion for horses.

Volunteers are the backbone of the organization, Schonfeld said. Rideability has about 50 volunteers each week, ranging from age 14 up to senior citizens. They help groom the horses, walk alongside the riders during sessions, fundraise and help with administrative tasks.

“Here, at the stables, the horses give our riders motivation. This is an outdoor activity, where riders work on balance and coordination. Plus, it’s fun! They get to be on these beautiful horses, and that gives them their legs. People in wheelchairs spend their lives

Feature looking up at other people, but up on a horse, it is just the opposite. Other people are looking up at them,” Schonfeld said.

Agritourism – celebrating our farms As the population of Lake Wylie grows, and the city influences stretch into our borders, the serenity of the farms and the country call to our readers from the other side of the county. We’ve celebrated the fields and farms of York County in many stories over the years.

In our fall 2013 issue, readers met 15-yearold Laird Curtin, who developed an interest in raising alpacas after reading about them in his father’s farm journals. Laird became involved in a co-op of alpaca owners and learned about caring for the animals and harvesting their fleece to produce yarn. He developed marketing and business skills as a young entrepreneur.

Later, in fall 2016 after Laird went to college, Lake Wylie Today featured the Curtin’s farm again, this time as an agritourism and educational destination for school children to learn about farming. In addition, an annual Curtin Farms Fest in the fall opened the farm to the community.

Curtin Farms is a wonderful place to learn more about a working farm.

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Feature The Carolina Show Ski Team doing what they do best.

The Camp Thunderbird climbing wall.

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Feature The Catawba Yacht Club celebrates its 80th anniversary this year.

December’s Lights on the Lake Parade is a popular annual event that keeps spirits warm, even in winter.

Something magical happens when a child gets to see farm animals up close, experiencing the sheer size of a cow, feeling the soft fleece of an alpaca, and hearing the grunts of a pig. Cathy Curtin, a former school teacher, said, “We have worked really hard on restoring this farm, and our goal is to share it.”

Mama Bee Hive’s mission is to educate others about honey bees, and our article in spring 2014 included plenty of information on how these fascinating insects are vital to the survival of the human race.

The Bee Ladies — a group of beekeepers from York County — offer educational sessions to teach schoolchildren about honey bee culture and get the students involved and excited about sustainability.

The Bee Ladies regularly participate in the South Carolina Ag + Art Tours, which have been featured regularly in Lake Wylie Today.

From the peaches and produce at Bush ‘N Vine, to the crisp apples and cider at Windy Hill, to the home-grown tomatoes

at South Forty Farms, we’ve covered some of the area’s favorite farms in many of our issues. No longer simply road-side stands to load up on the fresh bounty of summer, these farms have become destinations in themselves with harvest festivals, pick-yourown activities, and educational experiences for the whole family.

Tourist destinations: Bringing visitors to Lake Wylie Visitors from near and far flock to the Lake Wylie area to visit attractions such as Carowinds, Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, and Camp Thunderbird — and these gems have inspired many articles over the years.

From the Environmental Education Camp program at Camp Thunderbird, featured in the winter 2012 issue, to the profile of 40+ year staff members Bill and Kaye Carraway in fall 2018, to many other camp articles over the years, Lake Wylie Today has provided readers a peek inside to the various aspects and offer-

Camp Thunderbird is all about fun, all year long.

Paddle boarders enjoy a day on Torrence Creek.

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Top, a pontoon boat decked out for the Fourth of July boat parade. Above, pressing apples for cider at Windy Hill Orchard. Left, Jan Todd, Susan Bromfield and Jane DuBois are all smiles as they celebrate a S.C. Press Assocation first place award for Lake Wylie Today magazine.

ings of Camp Thunderbird.

Camp Thunderbird has evolved from a summer camp for kids to include a year-round educational facility for schoolchildren and a convention and training facility for corporate clients. Founded in 1936, the camp is an important part of Lake Wylie’s past — and an important part of our future.

The flowers of Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens have decorated several of our magazine covers. From the tulips of spring to the magnificent orchid tree displayed every Christmas season, the beauty of DSBG is always a treat to feature on our pages.

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We’ve covered the new exhibits at the gar- holiday season. den, the annual holiday lights, and the educaThe Common Ground project on Allison tional offerings of this area attraction, located Creek, a historical preservation effort, was feain nearby Belmont. tured in our spring 2017 issue. As our community grows and changes, remembering and honoring the past is important.

Preserving history Reflecting over 10 years of Lake Wylie While the community of Lake Wylie is relatively young, our area has a rich Southern Today, Susan Bromfield said the Lake Wylie history. We celebrated the town of Clover’s Chamber is proud of the publication. “We’ve 125th anniversary in our spring 2013 issue, worked hard to share local stories and inforand the 250th anniversary of Bethel Presbyte- mation, with beautiful photos and designs that reflect all the aspects of our community.” rian Church in our Spring 2014 issue.

We thank our readers and our advertisers We’ve peeked inside some of York and Clover’s historical homes — featured in tours each for a decade of support! LW

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Time in a bottle T

en years seems like a long time when you say it, but we all know it happens in the blink of an eye. If you’re lucky, life gives you those magic moments when you Grady Johnson wish you could put time Group Publisher in a bottle. I always find SC Biz News myself thinking back on them, trying to remember what they felt like. I guess that’s why I like publishing so much. We have the opportunity to capture some of those moments and embed them in ink on paper.

I know that sounds old school, but hey, I am what I am.

Publishing Lake Wylie Today has been an absolute joy for us. As you probably know, we mostly publish business journals, lawyers’ weeklies and economic development reports. So it’s always fun to get our heads out of spreadsheets, unemployment data and legal opinions, and live a little. Lake Wylie is a pleasant reminder that there is a life to live.

And, of course, it’s all about the lake. We have such a good crew that I never worry about the quality of the magazine or meeting the deadlines. The only thing the editors and designers will hear me say is “Please tell me you have a good cover photo of the lake for every season, winter, spring, summer, fall.” Because, if we don’t get that great cover shot, we all know Susan will fuss at us.

Which brings me to Susan. When Susan Bromfield got in touch with me 10 years ago, publishing a magazine to chronicle the lifestyle of the residents of Lake Wylie was the last thing in the world I would have thought about. But it only took about five minutes with Susan and I was hooked. She’s such a believer in this community that I just wanted to be part of it. She’ll tell you she doesn’t fish, but that’s after she’s reeled you in and thrown you into the boat. And just to make sure I didn’t wriggle out, I’m pretty sure Jane DuBois was there with a net.

We’ve watched this community grow and are proud to have been part of it. Sure, there

are lots of growing pains. But all growing communities have them. I think what we have been able to do throughout all of that is to showcase the sense of community the residents had when we started this magazine and still have 10 years later. For while we say the magazine is “All about the lake,” what we really mean is the lake is all about the people who live there.

So go sit out by the lake and enjoy the sunset. Or better yet, catch a fish. It doesn’t matter if it’s big or small. Just get me a good picture of you holding it up for the world to see. And remember to smile. Because we’re gonna put time in a bottle. LW

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Fun for a cause For Lake Wylie Children’s Charity, it’s all about the kids

By Kathy Widenhouse

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Feature Bands and fans gearing up at annual benefit concert.

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Feature

“E

verything we do is fun.”

That philosophy, says Lake Wylie Children’s Charity (LWCC) board chair Haven Presley, explains why hundreds are so enthusiastic about the charity and its high-visibility fundraising events.

The good times are sprinkled throughout the year, ranging from LWCC’s annual benefit concert on the shores of Lake Wylie to boat poker, road poker, and a spring golf tournament. All told, the good times have combined to raise over $1 million since the charity’s inception in 2002.

But it’s what happens behind the scenes that brings the most meaning to supporters and has coined LWCC’s hashtag, #FunForACause.

The cause? Local families with children who face devastating, life-altering illnesses.

“Everyone comes together for these really fun events,” says longtime volunteer Shelley Sabo. “And we are able to do amazing things for children and families. It’s awesome.”

Helping with expenses Many charities already focus on helping to defray the costs of medical bills, explains LWCC Executive Director Jennifer Joye. But affected families always have other expenses, often hidden and substantial. LWCC steps in the gap to meet needs that might otherwise drain a family’s resources or threaten their ability to continue as a family unit.

LWCC approaches a nominated family to identify how the organization can help, says Jennifer, by asking a simple question: “What is your biggest need right now?”

For some families, it’s food, clothing, or utility bills.

Others have costs that arise specifically because of the child’s condition. When a car accident left Katie paralyzed and wheelchair-bound, her family’s biggest need was a chair lift. LWCC helped provide one and saw to its installation, so Katie can now maneuver throughout the family’s two-story home. In another instance, Morgan had battled Crohn’s disease for several years, and her family needed help with home repairs that had been postponed. LWCC stepped in with new living room flooring, fresh paint in Morgan’s bedroom, and a bathroom upgrade.

How does LWCC find these families?

Community members, medical professionals, pastors, business leaders, family members and friends can nominate a child and his family for sponsorship. The only requirements are that a child be younger than age 18, live in a county 54

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that touches Lake Wylie (Gaston, Mecklenburg or York), and face a life-threatening or life-altering medical issue that is draining the family’s resources, making it difficult to meet day-to-day expenses.

#SuperJase is one of them Jase McCarter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis just a week after his birth in September 2018. The illness meant that one parent needed to stay long term with Jase in the hospital.

His mom Samantha, a teacher, took a leave of absence from her job while her husband continued to work.

The loss of income could have devastated the family, even with continued health insurance benefits. But a LWCC volunteer knew the family’s situation and nominated Jase for sponsorship. LWCC is helping with the family’s mortgage payments and other daily expenses until Samantha returns to the classroom.

Meanwhile, Jase continues to exceed doctors’ expectations and get stronger each day.

Nine hundred fans follow #SuperJase and Jase’s Journey on Facebook.

Even casual friends refer children to

LWCC. Addison Galloway, age 8, had been battling a rare brain tumor for almost three years when an acquaintance from church told LWCC about the family. LWCC sponsorship made it possible for all five Galloways to travel to Florida for the Lighthouse Family Retreat for pediatric oncology families. LWCC has also taken care of some household bills. “I know now that we’re not alone,” says Addison’s mother Christi.

LWCC has helped sponsored families with car insurance bills, laptops for children who must be homeschooled, car repairs, and plane tickets for travel out of state for medical care.

Team members have built six outdoor wheelchair ramps for sponsored families and in three instances, LWCC purchased a car for a family in need.

And in one case, a home.

Luke, a leukemia patient, along with his mother Crystal and a sibling, were living with a friend when LWCC approached them with its standard question: “What is your biggest need right now?”

Crystal confessed that the family needed a place to live. “Do you think you might be able to find a home that no one would make

Feature Fans of all ages attended the show.

us leave?” she asked. “We are always asked to leave when things get too inconvenient.” The LWCC team found a former mill house in York and purchased it in Crystal’s name. Volunteers helped to paint and update the home.

Haven Presley remembers the day Luke and his family moved into the house.

“You are now a homeowner,” she told Crystal, handing her the keys. “No one can make you leave ever again.” Crystal became a state certified childcare provider and now operates a childcare center in that home, fully supporting herself and her children. And, today, Luke’s leukemia is in remission.

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#FunForACause The first #FunForACause event benefited Dakota Gage, a brain cancer victim, whose mother did not have health insurance. As a group of friends discussed the situation one evening while listening to local musician Justin Mychals, they decided to do something to help the family.

Justin offered to provide free music. “We threw the rest of it together,” laughs Haven Presley. “Food, beverages, silent auction items — everything was donated. Two weeks later Fall 2019 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Jase McCarter and Mom.

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we put on our first benefit concert.”

Receipts from the event totaled $19,000, and with the good times came a good feeling of helping a friend.

“As people left the concert, they kept asking us the same question,” says Haven. “’You’re going to do this every year, aren’t you?’”

That was in 2002. Since then, LWCC has held its benefit concert every year and #FunForACause has grown to impact hundreds across the Lake Wylie area. The spring golf tournament alone attracts more than 100 golfers. Both Boat Poker and Road Poker pull in a couple of hundred participants for a day of fun.

This year’s LWCC Annual Benefit Concert is slated for Sunday, September 29 on the grounds of Papa Doc’s Shore Club from noon to 6 p.m. Its festival-like atmosphere features live music all afternoon, including five bands that comp their services. Inflatables and face

painting are set up in a kid zone adjacent to the stage. Businesses donate food, beverages, and silent auction items to accommodate the three to five thousand visitors who are expected to attend.

The money raised is used to directly help sponsored families with just 2% going to cover organizational expenses.

“We started raising so much money that we needed help getting it to more families,” says Haven.

Nearly all LWCC-sponsored children have been patients at Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, which has opened up opportunities for the charity to help additional families each year in smaller but meaningful ways. At least once a week, social workers at Levine alert LWCC to needs the charity can meet easily, such as providing car seats, cribs, mobile tablets, and baby monitors for families with children who were admitted to Levine in emergency situations. LWCC volunteers distribute gift cards to families on the Levine wards at Christmastime.

Haven Presley estimates that over the years, LWCC has directly sponsored 40-50 children and has impacted an additional 150 families referred by Levine.

Feature The LWCC team gives all the credit to its supporters. “The community has a great time raising money,” says Haven. “The more people we help, the better we feel about it.” Which makes the good times even sweeter.

Fans enjoing the festivities of the annual charity concert.

Attend: Join the fun when you attend one of LWCC’s annual events: Annual Benefit Concert at Papa Doc’s (September 29), Annual Golf Tournament (last Friday in March), Boat Poker (July) and Road Poker (August).

Volunteer: Give a few hours to help with #FunForACause events.

Donate Silent Auction Items: Drop off gift cards, in-kind services, electronics, gift items, and more at Watson Insurance (4569 Charlotte Highway).

Become a Sponsor: Promote your

business during the LWCC Annual Benefit Concert with opportunities ranging from stage banners to program ads.

Nominate a Child: Tell LWCC about a local family with a child suffering from a

life-altering illness so the organization can determine how to help.

Donate: Give a tax-deductible financial gift.

Create Your Own Event: Raise awareness by

creating your own event or dedicating your orga-

nization’s fundraising efforts to benefit LWCC. Lake Wylie Children’s Charity P.O. Box 5188, Lake Wylie, SC 29710 980-722-9395 www.lkwchildrenscharity.org info@lkwchildrenscharity.org LW

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Loving, Listening, Learning Clover’s Stellie J. Jackson Enrichment Center expanding to strengthen more children

By Kathy Widenhouse

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There is always fun to be had out on the playground.

Feature

W

hen the after-school bus pulled into the cul-de-sac parking lot on Clover’s Mobley Street, Shauna scrambled out, ran to her teacher, and gave her a hug.

The young girl had a smile on her face as she joined more than a dozen other children making their way into the Stellie J. Jackson Enrichment Center.

Those smiles were nothing short of miraculous for Shauna, who had experienced the trauma of abuse.

Fortunately, Shauna was enrolled in the Enrichment Center’s personalized after-school tutoring program for children in grades three through five – a program that does much more than reinforce the 3 R’s of reading, writing and arithmetic.

“The children we serve have to grow up fast,” says Center Staff Director Billie Burris, explaining that students are referred by Kinard Elementary School for academic, emotional, and practical support.

The program’s 15-student capacity meant Shauna was showered with attention, hugs, and plenty of one-on-one care and encouragement. Team members consulted regularly with Shauna’s mother, who had explained the challenges Shauna encountered. The Center notified the school to arrange counseling. By the time she entered middle school, Shauna had achieved consistent emotional and scholastic stability.

“The Center was a constant in her life while everything else fell apart,” says Executive Director Liz Stowe Johnson. “She felt loved, safe, and respected here.”

“I like to say that we operate by the 3Ls — loving, listening, and learning,” added Billie.

“When you love children, they listen. When they listen, they learn.”

Loving, listening, and learning has strengthened dozens of children like Shauna since the program opened its doors in 2011.

And now the Center is poised to reach even more kids.

District joined in the collaboration with technology equipment and transportation, and Clover YMCA provides paid staff members, volunteers, field trips, and supplies.

Today, the meticulously maintained 900-square foot mobile unit is straddled on one side by a freshly mulched playground and on the other with a pavilion and open fields.

The after-school program serves up daily Bible study, led by Liz Johnson, incorporating life lessons and resilience skills. Staff and vol-

unteers provide one-to-one homework help.

Music, art, hands-on science classes, field trips, and career days with local professionals round out the program. Students participate in Clover’s town parade, give annual performances, and provide service projects to the elderly in the local neighborhood.

In 2013 the Center launched its summer program for pre-K through second grade with a special emphasis on reading readiness and reading improvement, designed to give

Story time.

Homework time.

A community listens to residents The Center’s roots extend back Roosevelt Community Watch, organized in 1997 by concerned citizens looking out for their neighbors in the Roosevelt Park neighborhood on Clover’s west side. Soon it became clear that neighborhood children would benefit from a structured after-school program.

With support from the town of Clover, Clover Rotary Club, and local churches, the Community Watch’s meeting place was converted to an after-school facility. Clover School Fall 2019 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Feature Liz Johnson (from left), Monique Boekhout and Stellie Jackson.

Kids file in at the current facility.

Play time.

younger children a good start when entering school. “It’s a good feeling knowing that I’m helping these children learn,” says volunteer Lauren Rapp, a 2019 Clover High School graduate. “But they have taught me a lot of things, too. They have taught me I can have impact on another person.”

A community extends its reach “We absolutely see differences in the lives of our students who attend the Enrichment Center – all of them positive,” says Kinard Elementary School Principal George Smith.

“Students take forward strides academically.

But more importantly, these students develop empathy and kindness for each other, which is crucial amid today’s cultural desensitization.”

Board member Monique Boekhout echoes that sentiment. When she first toured the facility Monique saw bright, respectful children who were eager to learn. “One child drops a pencil and another picks it up without being 60

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asked,” she said. “These children are learning to respect themselves and value each other. I was hooked.”

Kinard administrators say they could easily refer twice as many students to the Center than the current fifteen slots allow.

Capacity enrollment, a growing waiting list, and changed lives have prompted the Center’s Board of Directors to set its sights on doubling its outreach and extending services to Bethany, Griggs, and Larne Elementary school families. In 2017, the Board launched a building campaign to expand the Center’s space, seeded with a $75,000 pledge from River Hills Community Church.

Soon, local residents donated two property lots, adjacent to the current Center, to help with expansion. When a title search complicated the expansion’s progress, the Town of Clover stepped in with a creative land swap proposal. The Town helped the Center to procure the needed property titles; the Center do-

nated some of its new property to the Town to use for desperately needed overflow parking in Roosevelt Park. The win-win arrangement allows the Center to continue to operate in the mobile home during the planning and building phases.

Meanwhile, architect Ben Montgomery created the building renderings pro bono and Waddell Construction has agreed to serve as general contractor at cost. Eason Roofing is set to provide the roof as an in-kind gift. Foundations, civic groups, individuals, and businesses have also contributed to the $260,000 project price tag, most recently in a $20,000 gift from Carolina Trust Bank.

Groundbreaking is set for fall 2019 for the new 2100-square-foot center, which will include a community room, four classrooms, and provision for additional space.

“We have a very generous community,” says Monique Boekhout. “When we have a need and ask people to help, they respond

Feature

Above, Summer Camp is in session. Right, students enjoying time out under the pavilion.

because they see we are doing everything we can to help these children grow to be healthy, secure, and productive.”

Looking ahead, the Center envisions offering classes in personal finance, parenting, computer skills, and Bible study for parents, caregivers and older siblings of enrolled children. “A strong family unit is critical to a young child’s ability to excel,” says Liz Johnson. “We want to provide programs to support stability and growth for families.”

A community shows respect At the suggestion of Clover Mayor Greg Homes, the Center is named in honor of local community leader Stellie J. Jackson, the first person of color to serve on the Clover School Board. Mr. Jackson worked as a U.S. Post Office employee, served as a pastor, and raised three children with his wife Mary Jane throughout his four consecutive school board terms spanning 1976-1992.

“The Center’s programs serve to continue the school day for our children,” says Mr. Jackson. “Our board, staff and volunteers are the best example of creating a positive future. I’m very appreciative of what God has inspired this group of people to give our children, and while we recognize not every child will take the opportunities they are given, some will.”

The difference is palpable for children who have passed through the Center’s doors. To date, all who still live locally have stayed in school – further evidence that the 3L’s of loving, listening, and learning have a positive impact.

“People came together to support these kids when we opened the Enrichment Center,” said Billie Burris. “With the community’s help, we want to love even more children so they’re

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empowered to listen and learn.�

Want to help?

You can be a part of the Stellie J. Jackson Enrichment Center expansion. The Center’s most immediate needs include: After-school program support: caring, motivational, and innovative part-time employees and volunteer staff

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Presenters: community residents who can offer one-time presentations about their profession or explain a life skill to students to encourage and inspire them Pro-bono professional resources: administration, marketing, legal services Financial gifts for the building campaign: donate at www.sjjec.org/donate or by mail.

The Center is a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit

organization. Your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

The Stellie J. Jackson Enrichment Center 315 Mobley Street, P.O. Box 81 Clover, SC 29710 Phone: 980-329-6540 Web: www.sjjec.org Email: Info@SJJEC.org LW

Autumn Events

Fall Calendar

OCTOBER Every Friday in October

Whitewater Film Series - The U.S. National Whitewater Center is proud to host the 2019 Whitewater Film Series featuring a variety of outdoor feature-length films from across the globe. Viewers will have a chance to experience the active, outdoor music, barbecue, tours of a plantation house elebrate the season with fun, family-friendly events. Please check ahead and booths. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Historic Brat- lifestyle from the perspectives of those livwith event organizers to confirm dates tonsville, 1444 Brattonsville Road, McCon- ing it to the fullest. The Whitewater Film Series takes place on Friday evenings at nells, SC. 803-684-2327. and times as they are subject to change. sunset in October. For more information go to www.usnwc.org SEPTEMBER

C

Weekends September 13 - October 27

‘SCarowinds’ - Carowinds will transform from a theme park to a scream park at “SCarowinds.” Experience the thrills and chills of your favorite rides and attractions, along with more than 500 scary monsters roaming the grounds. Not recommended for children under 13. 14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte. www.carowinds.com.

September 29

Lake Wylie Children’s Charity Inc. Fall Benefit Concert – At Papa Doc’s Shore Club.

The annual fall benefit concert is the last big event of the year for LWCC. Come join in a fun day of live music, food, a silent auction and kid zone to raise money to help families of children with life-threatening illnesses. In the past, auction items included helicopter rides, wing parties, catering events and winery tours.

Noon-6 p.m.

September 14 – October 27

Great Pumpkin Fest at Carowinds Family friendly Halloween attractions for the little ghosts and goblins Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. including a costume parade, foam zone, mazes and more.

It’s kid-sized frights that every age will love in addition to all the rides. 14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte. Visit www.carowinds.com for ticket information.

October 26

Tega Cay Fall Festival - Features arts and crafts, businesses and food/beverage vendors.

Local entertainment and kid zones. Children’s costume contest and hula hoop contest for all ages. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Glennon Center, 15083 Molokai Drive, Tega Cay.

November 23

Christian Music – Enjoy a powerful evening of Christian music at Carowinds, featuring some of today’s most popular artists, including Skillet, Hillsong Young & Free, Danny Gokey, and more. Ticket includes entry to the park.

Piedmont Pottery and Pickin’ Festival - Potters from North and South Carolina, including contemporary Catawba Indian potters, will be on hand at the Piedmont Pottery and Pickin’ Festival. Demonstrations in 18th-century cooking with pottery on an open hearth, artful presentations, live

Curtin Farms Fest - A community gathering featuring a marketplace for handmade, handcrafted and hand-restored goods at a working farm. Food and music. 407 Paraham Road, Clover. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Rain or shine.

NOVEMBER

September 21

September 28

October 12

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout the fall

Hard Cider tastings - Every Sat. and Sun. Windy Hill Orchard will hold hard cider tastings. Live music Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. Enjoy an open-air farm stand, pick-your-own apples and a hayride with Johnny Appleseed (hayride times vary). Visit windyhillorchard. com. 1860 Black Hwy, York.

Long Creek Adventure Race - The Long Creek Adventure Race tests teams of two or three, as well as solo participants, to utilize their navigation and endurance skills during this 4 or 8-hour multi discipline adventure.

Designed to engage participants via foot, bike and paddle, racers will traverse 40 – 60 miles of various forms including single track trails, flatwater, paved roads and forested land to find a series of self-plotted UTM coordinate checkpoints. Racers will use a map provided at the start of the race to seek out the checkpoints dispersed throughout the USNWC property, surrounding public lands and Catawba River. Strategy is vital when setting your course to capture each checkpoint as there is no right or wrong route. Teams/Solo participants with the most completed check points in the least amount of time will come out on top. For more information go to www.usnwc.org. LW

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Deadly Trend C

More young people are getting colorectal cancer — Here’s how you can lower your risk

olorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, as well as the third leading cause of cancer-related death. For a long time, the vast majority of those diagnosed with the disease were aged 50 or older. But suddenly, a new trend is emerging: more and more people around the world who are under the age of 50 are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

“At every major meeting we have, we talk about it,” says Reza Nazemzadeh, MD, an oncologist at Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute. And while theories abound, medical professionals are not quite sure about the cause of this disturbing phenomenon. So with this trend in mind, what should young people know?

The importance of healthy eating “A sedentary lifestyle is something we’ve always known as a risk factor for colorectal cancer,” says Dr. Nazemzadeh. And studies have shown that those who exercise have a 20-30% lower risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Even just a couple hours of cardiovascular exercise a week — such as jogging, playing a sport, or taking part in any sort of physical activity you enjoy — can make a difference.

Additionally, eating a healthy diet that is low in saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and fiber is recommended. After all, overweight and obese individuals are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with the disease. Not smoking and limiting your alcohol intake are other steps you can take to lower your risk.

Changing screening guidelines

parent was diagnosed at the age of 45, you should get a colonoscopy at 35.

A new test called Cologuard has also become a popular option among those getting screened at a younger age. It’s non-endoscopic, easy-to-use, and a possible compromise for patients whose insurance may not cover a colonoscopy at a younger age.

“More people need to be talking about this” “I didn’t see this kind of trend at the beginning of my career, and I’ve been doing this for 16 years,” says Dr. Nazemzadeh, who’s been struck by how quickly this trend has taken hold. He estimates that the data on this uptick in younger diagnoses only started about five years ago. Understandably, patients and the medical community are still playing catch-up and getting educated on what this means as far as colorectal cancer screening habits go.

“If you have symptoms like rectal bleeding or abdominal pain, a colorectal cancer screening has to be considered more seriously than it was in the past,” says Dr. Nazemzadeh. Before this trend, doctors would assume younger patients were simply dealing with hemorrhoids or something similarly minor if they were showing symptoms. Now doctors need to be thorough and consider even a symptom like iron deficiency — particularly among men — as something worth investigating with a screening.

While many ideas have been put forward as to why this trend is happening — from poor modern diets to widespread sedentary lifestyles — doctors aren’t ready to make any big conclusions as to a clear cause. But Dr. Nazemzadeh knows one thing for sure: this trend is real — and must be taken into account when symptoms arise. So if you feel like you might have symptoms, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor about getting screened.

In the past, the medical community recommended patients get a colonoscopy at the age of 50. But given the recent increase in colorectal cancer among young people, the American Cancer Society now sets that standard age at 45. But ongoing studies might find that even earlier screening programs might be Did you know that colonoscopies prevent colon canneeded in the average risk person. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, doctors recommend cer? This screening test can also find colon cancer early, you get screened 10 years younger than the age at when it’s easiest to treat. To schedule a colonoscopy apwhich your relative was diagnosed. For instance, if a pointment at Atrium Health, call 704-512-6161. LW Fall 2019 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Development Update

Lake Wylie Park grading and construction in progress.

Ten Years and Growing

By Susan Bromfield, President, Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

L

ake Wylie continues to blossom and grow — in every direction — with the expansion and opening of many new businesses and residential developments.

During the past 10 years there have been new neighborhoods, new businesses, new schools, a new fire department facility, a new aquatic center and new park under construction. YMCA Camp Thunderbird added the Duke Energy Pavilion and River Hills Country Club invested in new greens and a complete renovation of the golf building, clubhouse and swimming pools. River Hills Marina, with its offices, transformed into a modern business center with rental offices, lakeside views and

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amenities. The former Fred’s location in Lake Wylie Plaza is now home to Habitat for Humanity Resale store. Keller Williams opened an office at Lake Wylie, then expanded and located in Lake Wylie Plaza.

Around 2008, there were just 12 restaurants at Lake Wylie. During 2012-13, nine new restaurants opened. There are now more than 30 eating establishments in the Lake Wylie area. T-Bones celebrated its 24th anniversary, then when T-Bones closed this past spring, the Bottle Cap group opened Papa Doc’s Shore Club at that established lakeside location.

Cherry’s, Q2U BBQ, Stateline BBQ, Copper Premium Pub all opened with inside and out-

side dining. Sweetwater Pub, Lily’s Bistro, Arby’s, Waffle House, Azteca Grill, Lee’s Hoagies, Moe’s, Zaxby’s, Thai Fusion and The Cove all opened during this past decade.

With more people and vehicles moving into the area, an abundance of storage businesses and gas stations, convenience stores and car washes have opened. Auto parts stores and a U-Haul rental business have opened along Highway 49. Resale stores have become popular, leading to the opening and expansion of the Estate Boys, as well as the popularity of Sweet Repeat and the new Habitat Resale Store - all located in the same plaza.

Ten years ago, there was one dental practice

Development Update at Lake Wylie; now there are several, including a pediatric dentist and several orthodontists.

There are a variety of wellness and healthcare professionals that have located at Lake Wylie.

Physical Therapy is available locally at Lake Wylie. There are several massage therapists, nutrition and health coaches, an acupuncturist, several fitness centers and the opening of the CSD and YMCA Aquatic Center and Fitness facility by Crowders Creek.

Carolina Healthcare System, now Atrium Health, built a medical and emergency center across the lake in Steele Creek, just a few miles away. This addition enables River Hills EMS to reduce emergency transport time to just a few minutes, which can save lives. If medical care is needed, there is now an assortment of medical professionals just across the bridge in Steele Creek.

Publix opened in Lake Wylie in a former BI-LO location. Clover Community Bank became Carolina Trust Bank, allowing it to grow.

Revel Salon and Color Studio opened offering a full assortment of beauty services.

School bond referendums have been passed and new schools have been built. Local voters supported for the creation of a special tax district to fund the Bethel Fire Department and to add more paid firemen and needed equipment to keep up with the growing area. A modern new fire station was built and equipped.

York County voters supported another Pennies for Progress gasoline tax to build much needed roads. Voters supported Sunday Sales, allowing the sale of liquor in restaurants on Sundays with proper licensing. Blue laws were lifted, enabling businesses to open earlier on Sundays. Voters also supported the county referendum to modernize and build a county office facility, improve courthouse, jail and other county buildings.

Lake Wylie voters supported and voted for a special tax district to fund the new Lake Wylie Park with ballfields, a community center building and other amenities. The park, about 13 years in the works, is expected to finally open in spring 2020.

A look back A game changer for Lake Wylie occurred in 2012, when Waterside Marketplace was rejuvenated after more than a decade of being a vacant shopping center. Several new businesses opened at Lakeside West, formerly known as Waterside Marketplace, located just as you cross into York County on the South Carolina side of the lake. New landscape, fresh bright colors and a new look brightened the land-

D.R. Horton former model home at Rosemont off Evergreen Road.

CSD - YMCA Aquatic Center swimming pool and water park on a sunny day. scape of this well-known shopping area that had been vacant for several years.

Shortly after, Quik Trip opened in July 2012 with its 20 gas pumps, making it the largest gas station and convenience store in the area. Located on Highway 49 just inside the York County next to the Buster Boyd Bridge and Access area, one of the busiest spots on the Catawba River basin, Quik Trip is one of the most popular businesses in the area.

It is a state-of-the-art new style convenience store and gas station, with offerings of fresh food, soft serve ice cream, fresh doughnuts and muffins made daily and a barista offering fresh coffee. In recent years, QuikTrip, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been consistently listed among Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. Lake Wylie Bowl n’ Bounce, owned by Darrin Skinner, also opened in July 2012 at Water-

side West. This bowling alley and bounce business has 16 bowling lanes, 10 big screen TVs and a bounce room. It added laser tag and expanded three times to add a game arcade and other fun experiences. This facility is always busy, offering indoor recreational opportunities available 12 months out of the year.

As Darrin says, “bowling can bring families closer, youth groups together and is a popular family-friendly gathering spot at Lake Wylie.”

The Lake Wylie YMCA opened in April 2012, also at Waterside West, with classes and programs in response to the rapid growth and member requests. This led to 2016, when the Upper Palmetto YMCA partnered with the Clover School District to build an aquatic center with indoor pools, lazy river, spinning room, workout and meeting rooms. The YMCA facility encourages people of all ages to engage in a fitness program or activity locally.

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Development Update

Clover School District - YMCA Aquatic and Fitness Center.

Papa Doc’s Shore Club Dockside on a sunny day.

Frank Keefe opened the Bagel Boat at the former Bank of America location at the front of Lake Wylie Plaza. The Bagel Boat, featuring freshly made New York style bagels, coffee, frozen yogurt and ice cream created a community gathering spot for locals to meet, enjoy a coffee, play a game or have a meeting.

May Green Properties, known for its open spaces and natural settings, created The Coves on River Oaks, then phase 2, which consisted of tracts averaging two acres in size for custom homes.

In following with The Coves and Carolina Coves, two previous May Green developments, there are green space corridors with walking trails throughout the development.

The estate-sized wooded tracts cater to individuals looking for space to build a larger custom home. May Green Properties continues to develop beautiful communities that blend with the woods and natural beauty of the area. LW 68

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Development Update

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Spotlight Spotlight

News of the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Fall 2019

Ready for LW Chamber Golf!

Lake Wylie Liquors Team on hole 18 at Chamber Golf Classic.

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Spotlight Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC REGISTRATION FORM

Thursday, September 19, 2019 1:00 pm Shotgun Start– Captain’s Choice River Hills Country Club Contact Name:___________________________________________________________ Company:_______________________________________________________________ Address:________________________________________________________________ City:____________________________________State:___________Zip:_____________ Daytime Telephone: ( )_________________________ Fax: ( )___________________ E-mail:__________________________________________________________________

Includes box lunch, driving range privileges, golf, cart, hospitality and great networking!

All player spots are reserved upon receipt of payment and registration form. _____ Individual Golfer(s) @ $125 per person................................................ Total $_______ _____ Golf Team(s) – Four players @ $500 per team..................................... Total $_______ Name:_____________________________________ Handicap:___ E-mail:_________________________ Name:_____________________________________ Handicap:___ E-mail:_________________________ Name:_____________________________________ Handicap:___ E-mail:_________________________ Name:_____________________________________ Handicap:___ E-mail:_________________________

Optional _____ Mulligan (s) – Limit 2 per player $5 each.............................................. Total$_______ _____ Mulligan (s) – For the team $40............................................................. Total $_______ _____ Hole Sponsorship - $200

(Includes sign at tee box or green, and recognition in Lake Wylie Today Magazine! _____ I’d like to donate a raffle prize!

Please return this registration form with your check to: Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Save The Date!

Lake Wylie Chamber

Annual Holiday Gala Thursday, December 5, 2019

Held at River Hills Country Club Lake Wylie

P.O. Box 5233, Lake Wylie, SC 29710 Phone: 803-831-2827 lakewyliechamber@yahoo.com www.lakewyliesc.com

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Spotlight

Business After Hours May 16, 2019 Sponsored by Duke Energy – Catawba Nuclear Station Photos by Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce – Duke Energy

Charles and Norma Wood enjoy the Bud and Ann Rother enjoying the event. hospitality at the May BAH.

Mike Barrett and his team at Jackson’s Kitchen Catering catered the luau-themed BAH.

Rick Jiran of Duke Energy and Angel Neelands of Carolina Trust Bank.

Hemingway and Charlie Bromfield with Lisa The Westmorelands, McCorkles and friends enJubenville at the Catawba Station Plant. joying a beautiful evening at the May BAH.

The Catawba Station Park was a perfect location for the Hemingway, Susan and Charlie Bromfield Deb and Tom Dagilus, Derek Lewis May BAH and a game of corn hole. enjoying one of the best views on Lake Wylie. and Clark Curry.

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Spotlight

Business After Hours June 20, 2019

Sponsored by Comporium, Elrod Pope Law Firm, Jackson’s Kitchen Catering, Lake Wylie Renovations, River Hills Marina Club, Rotary Club of Lake Wylie, Tow Boat U.S. – Lake Wylie and Clover Chamber of Commerce Special Thanks also to Carolina Selfies and DJ Ray-Ray Photos by Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Anne Violanti, Mary Sieck and Amy Strong at Joan Brom with Deb and Tom Dagilus at Keirsten Huth of Tow Boat US - Lake Wylie and the Carolina Selfie Booth.

River Hills Marina.

Michael Sisskind of Audibel Hearing Center.

Susan Bromfield and Lisa McCarthy. Mary Sieck and Amy Strong bring door prizes from Rotary of Lake Wylie.

Andrea Cossette and Joe Abbey Marshall and Brad Howey of Cossette.

Comporium.

The Carolina Trust Bank Team at the Team Tow Boat US-Lake Wylie, with DJ Ray Team Rotary of Lake Wylie Club at the Carolina Selfie Carolinas Selfie Photo Booth.

Ray and members of Lake Wylie Camera Club. Booth at the June BAH. Fall 2019 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Spotlight

Lake Wylie Splash Dash June 9, 2019 Photos by Lake Wylie Camera Club

Ready, set, go at this year’s Splash Dash as the race begins.

Clover High School ROTC volunteers at the Splash Dash in June.

Robert McBee, 1st Place winner of the 10K 50-54 Male Category, enjoys the day with his supporters.

Gwen Thompson, Chamber Board Member and Ambassador for Carolina Trust Bank, runs through River Hills at the Splash Dash.

Sheila Quinn helps with same day registration.

Volunteers Larry Marraccini and Kim Shrewsberry.

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Spotlight

Splash Dash WINNERS! THANK YOU Female Overall 10K Winner Alexis Liston of Columbia, SC.

Male Overall 10K Winner Benjamin Kassel of Davidson, NC.

Female 5K Winner Carolann Saracco of Charlotte, NC.

Male 5K Winner Robert Collea of Mount Holly, NC.

to the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

2019 Splash Dash Sponsors!

Comporium Atrium Health River Hills Community Association YMCA Camp Thunderbird Bank of York BenchMark Physical Therapy Bethel Commons Cabela’s Carolina Storks and More Carolina Trust Bank Contagious Graphics Duke Energy Fast Frog Bakery Fred Caldwell Chevrolet Glaza Chiropractic Center Harris Teeter Keller Williams Lake Wylie Pediatric Dentistry Lake Wylie Renovations Lake Wylie Assisted Living Lee’s Hoagie House Queen City Timing Redwood Lake Wylie Rey Azteca The Muscle Factory The Office Gym and Fitness Center Walmart – Lake Wylie York County Natural Gas York Electric Co-Op

Please Patronize our Sponsors!

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Spotlight Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

2019 Board of Directors

Welcome New Members May 3, 2019 – July 31, 2019

Charles Wood - Chairman

Printing Services

Susan Bromfield - President Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

SOUTHERN CUSTOM PRINTING Andy Jackson 6079 Little Mountain Road Clover, SC 29710 (704) 617-0635 southerncustomsigns@gmail.com www.southernscustomsigns.com

Donna Bordeaux Calculated Moves, CPAs, PA Fred Caldwell Fred Caldwell Chevrolet Jane DuBois Lake Wylie Today Allan Gregory K. A. Gregory Wealth Management Jeff Ledford Ed Lindsey Rotary Club of Lake Wylie Don Long Matthew Mugavero Lake Wylie Liquors Sheila Quinn Clover School District

Michaelyn Sherrill Home Companions Ed Stewart M.L. Ford and Sons Gwen Thompson Carolina Trust Bank P.O. Box 5233 264 Latitude Lane, Suite 101 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-2827 Fax: (803) 831-2460 lakewyliechamber@yahoo.com www.lakewyliesc.com 76

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DON MARK CUSTOM PUBLISHING, INC. Don Holland 2435 Lunn Road, Suite 106 Raleigh, NC 27612 (919) 518-0755

Digital Marketing

dholland@relocationguide.biz

PINPOINT LOCAL Bob Elliott 187 Clintwood Drive Clover, SC 29710 (803) 610-7044 Robert.elliott@pinpointlocal.com www.pinpointlocal.com

Hearing Services

Financial EDWARD JONES Sonja Parker 2085 Cutterpoint Drive, Suite 105 Clover, SC 29710 (803) 610-1516 Sonja.parker@edwardjones.com

Brian Rich Brad Rippetoe YMCA Camp Thunderbird

Publishing

www.relocationguide.biz

SOUND ADVICE HEARING CENTER John B. Davis 1515 Onyx Ridge, Suite 102 Fort Mill, SC 29708 (803) 547-5700 jd@soundadvice-hearing.com www.soundadvice-hearing.com

Restaurant and Bar

Home Repair and Handyman

PAPA DOC’S SHORE CLUB Morgan Convoy 3990 Charlotte Highway Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-0043 morganc@bottlecapgroup.com www.papadocslkw.com

BEST HOME SERVICES Jack Dagenhart Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (704) 467-1636 j.dagenhart3@gmail.com

2019 Chamber Champion Gold Member

Spotlight

Renewing Investing Members May 3, 2019 August 1, 2019

Arby’s/Brumit Restaurant Group, LLC Association Management Solutions BB&T BBSI Blue Granite Water Company BNA CPA Advisors Boat Sales of Lake Wylie Inc. Carolina Family Dentistry Carolina Trust Bank CaroMont Health Catawba Valley Dental Care Certainty Home Loans Clover School District Comporium Dr. M’s Mobile Pet Vet Duke Energy Elrod Pope Law Firm Fast Frog Bakery, Inc. Fort Mill Ford Halford, Niemiec and Freeman, LLC Home Companions, LLC Lake Wylie Assisted Living Lake Wylie Eye Lake Wylie Family Dentistry Lake Wylie Family Dentistry Lake Wylie Pet Resort

Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Lake Wylie Renovations Lakeside Insurance Law Office of Craig S. Johannesmeyer, PLLC Lee’s Hoagie House M.L. Ford & Sons, Inc. Mary Kay Cosmetics-Heather Catts New River Church Palisades Episcopal School Piedmont Regional Association of Realtors, Inc. Quik Trip R.P. Boggs & Co. River Hills Marina Club, Inc. Scholarship Gold Consulting Sea Tow Steele Creek Animal Hospital The Lodges at Lake Wylie, LLC Tow Boat US Lake Wylie Villas at Marlin Bay Walmart Lake Wylie York County Natural Gas York Electric Cooperative York Technical College

Individuals Kevin Bracket Representative Bruce Bryant Dianne Kehler Jeff Ledford Tally Roberts Bud Rother Nancy Snyder

Partnerships: BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina The Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce partners with BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina to provide coverage for our members.

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina offers an extensive array of health insurance options for employers with two-50 employees on their Business BlueEssentialsSM platform. Medical coverage is also available for employers with 51-99 employees on the Business Blue Chamber platform.

BlueCross now offers the Blue BundleSM, which combines dental, vision, life and critical

illness insurance for companies with two-50 employees.

The Blue Bundle product is exclusive to Chamber of Commerce members.

The Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce can work with BlueCross to provide employer groups with access to local field experts who work for independent agencies representing BlueCross.

For more information, please contact: Emi Ferry, Chamber of Commerce Marketing Representative, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina 800-288-2227, ext. 22145 or email Chamber.quote@bcbssc.com

Upcoming Activities Ribbon Cutting

Friday, September 13, 2019, 5:00 p.m. sponsored by and held at Lodges at Lake Wylie – Apartment Homes. Highway 49 and Senator Drive – Lake Wylie

Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Classic

Thursday, September 19, 2019 1 p.m. Shotgun Start, Captain’s Choice Held at River Hills Country Club Lake Wylie, SC

Business After Golf

Thursday, September 19, 2019, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Held at River Hills Country Club Lake Wylie, SC

Business After Hours

Thursday, October 10, 2019, 5:30- 7:30 p.m. sponsored by and held at Benchmark Physical Therapy 131 Evergreen Rd. – Lake Wylie, SC

Business After Hours

Thursday, October 24, 2019, 5:30- 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by and held at Kasby’s By The Lake. Shopton Road and Highway 49 Charlotte, NC

Business After Hours

Thursday, November 7, 2019, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by and held at DRB Group in Paddlers Cove Model Home Paddlers Cove - Lake Wylie, SC

Annual Holiday Gala

Thursday, December 5, 2019, 6:30 p.m. to Midnight Cocktails, Dinner and Music Seating Limited, Festive Attire Held at River Hills Country Club Lake Wylie, SC

Holiday Business After Hours Tuesday, December 10, 2019, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by and held at Lake Wylie Assisted Living with Lake Wylie Liquors and Home Companions

Holiday Boat Parade Saturday, December 14, 2019, 6:30 p.m. Boat Parade Held by Papa Doc’s Shore Club

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Spotlight Nominations are now being accepted for

2019 Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Business Person and Citizen of the Year Candidates should have the following: A history of long-time involvement in the community.

A positive impact on the Lake Wylie Community.

Business person must be a chamber member with a history of being supportive of community and chamber activities.

Citizen should be a person who makes a positive difference to the community as a whole.

Past Recipients include: 2018 Special Legacy Award - Don Long

Business Person

Citizen

Gwen Thompson Tom Smith Kitty Muccigrosso Haven Presley Leonard Jackson Q2U BBQ

Perry Johnston Melanie Wilson Dick Mann Norma Wood Lisa McCarthy Chad Bordeaux

2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012

Business of the Year

2011

2010 2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

Doug McSpadden Fred Caldwell Rob Watson and Fred Nason, Watson Insurance Al Powell Ed Stewart Diana Grubenhoff Mark DeChant Andy Kane Rod Hall Leslie Hall Paige McCarter David Mathein Myron Boloyan Tally Roberts Jong and Po Liu Jack Allen MaMa “C” Mark Erwin John Wilkerson n/a

Rep. Ralph Norman Tom Smith Elizabeth Hartley Vince Mugavero Susan Bromfield (Milestone Award) Dr. Steve Miszkiewicz Stacy Waddell -Blackmon Fred Wetherell Roberta Spampinato Don Long Charles Wood S.C. Rep. Becky Meacham S.C. Rep. Herb Kirsh Ruth Sheets Diane Roberts Senator Harvey Peeler Nick and Joanne Jones Peggy Upchurch “Duck” Alexander Fire chief Bill Johnston

Nominee for Business Person: _________________________________ Nominee for Citizen: ______________________________________ Please tell us about your nominee and his/or her contributions to the community _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Deadline for nominees - 10/18/19 – 5:00 PM – email: lakewyliechamber@yahoo.com 78

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Spotlight Ribbon-cutting!

Left: Ribbon-cutting at Fast Frog Bakery with Joy and Galen Sanderson. Above: Galen and Joy Sanderson, owners of Fast Frog Bakery, at their grand opening on May 11.

Ribbon-cutting!

Above: Ribbon-cutting at Papa Doc’s Shore Club on June 4. Top left: New sign at Papa Doc’s Shore Club. Bottom left: Papa Doc’s Tiki Bar on Lake Wylie is open.

Fall 2019 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Southern Twang

A’huggin’ and a’kissin’

by Jan Todd

I

had a business appointment recently, meeting a client for the first time. I had talked to her a time or two on the phone, and we had exchanged a number of emails. When I walked into her office, she gave me a big ol’ hug.

Now, mind you, this occurred in the small Southern town of Lincolnton, North Carolina — not in the big city of Charlotte — so I wasn’t too surprised. After all, I am an extremely huggable Southern gal and naturally, people are glad to see me wherever I go. At least I think so.

This was a Southern-gal-to-Southern-gal hug, nothing that would raise eyebrows, but it did get me to wondering: What kind of greetings can folks expect in our neck of the woods?

I have some friends from Up North and find ‘em right friendly except when it’s football season and they’re rootin’ for a certain red-white-and-blue team from New England.

But we’re not gonna talk about that nonsense.

Bless their hearts.

It was at the home of these folks that I first experienced being kissed goodbye after a dinner party. Now usually, I just reserve giving a little sugar (that’s kissin’, y’all) to my Main Man, but evidently these New Englanders are 80

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a little more footloose and fancy free with kissin’. It was just a peck on the cheek, mind you, but heavens above, it caught me by surprise.

But at least it was a real kiss — lips to cheek, that is. Years ago, in a business setting, I was “air kissed” by some woman from New York City. Gracious daisies! This woman shook my hand, then pulled me in for a double air kiss, about three or four inches away from each side of my face. I swannie!

So I reckon the Southern custom of hugging is pretty tame.

When folks are invited to our house, most times they’ll be greeted with a hug. If they’re uninvited or just making a delivery, we’ll be nice and polite and all, but no hug.

If we don’t know the person, but they show up with a good friend or family member, they’ll get a hug, particularly if it is for a party or dinner.

If it is a neighbor showing up unannounced, say to borrow a cup of grits (it could happen), a hug would probably not be involved. If the neighbor shows up wearing a certain redwhite-and-blue football jersey, there would definitely be no hug. ‘Course, they probably wouldn’t be coming over to borrow a cup of grits, either. Bless their hearts.

I’ve been told that folks “not from around here” are sometimes surprised by these friendly hugs and are not always willing participants.

As a matter of fact, I have one friend from Out West who arrives late to church each week, just so she can skip the “Greet your neighbor” portion of the service when folks are asked to stand up and say hello to those around them.

Newcomers at our church always get a smile and handshake during those sessions, but those who show up regularly get hugs.

When greeting folks in this way, my husband will usually announce, “We’re huggin’ people.” That’s just good manners, seein’ as how he is a Southern gentleman, and a big one at that. Letting them know what to expect curtails the holy-cow-why-is-this-big-guycoming-so-close-to-me stage of panic that can occur in someone not accustomed to the Southern hug greeting.

Now there ain’t nuthin’ much more awkward than someone who tries to duck outta the hug greeting/farewell, so I wouldn’t recommend you try unless absolutely necessary.

But if you do need a way out, simply hold up your hands and say, “I’ve just gotten over a stomach bug,” or “Go Patriots.” LW