2021 Lake Wylie Today - Fall

LakeWylie TODAY Fall 2021 | Issue 3

A Tale of Three Bridges A fascinating look at the history of the Buster Boyd Bridge

A Round of Appreciation New golf tournament aims to show love to area veterans

Chamber Spotlight Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce news and information

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Looking To A BrighTer FuTure WiTh neW hope.

As we enter Fall, we look to the future with hope and gratitude. As COVID will hopefully have less impact on our day-to-day lives, our focus continues to be on our relationships and health. Living and enjoying the present. Grip intentionality, smiling at the brighter moments while letting go of the insignificant points we used to oppose so fiercely. Appreciate the life and its gifts we had prior and through the pandemic.

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Our View

Time to enjoy fall’s treasures

By Susan Bromfield, President,

Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

A

hhhh, fall is in the air, cooler days, crisp nights and the many treasures of the season are just around the corner. As the leaves change colors and the temperatures cool off after summer’s heat, there is a sense of peace at the lake as the sounds and sights of nature become more noticeable. Soon, we will welcome the sight of pumpkins on porches and pots with pansies and mums.

Fall is one of the most beautiful seasons on Lake Wylie. It is a time to dine outside and celebrate the season and beautiful scenery.

The lake becomes calm, the boats move slower and it becomes quieter and more serene with each passing day. A walk becomes an experience to soak up the beauty that surrounds us each day. Suddenly, the sounds of the squirrels and birds moving about are more noticeable.

Hummingbirds and butterflies are hovering by abundant blossoms and flowers. Deer appear out of nowhere and streak by. I feel fortunate to live in a neighborhood that is a bird sanctuary and filled with trees and nature. It is a quiet sanctuary and a great place to live and walk.

It is a frequent sight to see kayakers, paddleboarders and fishermen in the coves and quieter areas of the lake. It makes me realize how fortunate we are to live at Lake Wylie where there is a richness of nature, beauty and recreational opportunities for all.

As we welcome fall, this issue of Lake Wylie Today celebrates the season and community with stories that reflect the times. The “green story” highlights the Adopt a Block program and explains how neighbors can organize their 2

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

communities and neighbors to have pride and be proactive in keeping the areas where we live clean. Collectively, neighbors can make a difference all over the community. The Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce began the first Adopt-A-Highway Program in York County around 1989-1990. River Hills and Boy Scout Troop 333 currently sponsor a section along S.C. Highway 49. Lake Wylie Rotary and other groups embraced the Adopt-A-Stream Program. Others all over the community can Adopt a Block and help keep our community clean.

The Faces feature highlights River Hills Country Club General Manager Rolf Eckert and his professional journey that took him from Europe, to cruise ships, to prestigious clubs, ultimately leading River Hills Country Club during a pandemic to safely navigate the times and create a cruise ship atmosphere right here in our backyard. From gourmet take-out meals presented in a festive pick-up portico at the club, wine and nine to socially distance in the evening on the golf course with wine and great food along the course, and date night on the golf course, to creating a great pool cabana where hospitality is safely available as well as all kinds of activities along the way. With Rolf ’s experience and leadership, the club has beautifully created a cruise ship atmosphere with no travel needed right here in our backyard.

During the pandemic, the club has provided a variety of creative activities for people to stay socially distanced and close to home and still enjoy recreation and good times.

The Food for Thought feature highlights

fresh strawberries and produce for fall in a story about how Bush N Vine grows fresh, sweet strawberries for a fall crop. What a gift to have easily accessible farm-fresh berries and produce throughout the fall season. Pumpkins, apples and a lot of fall treats are right here.

Another story tells of how installing an elevator in a local home has allowed a local couple to remain comfortably in their three-level home. With many multi-level homes built on hills around the lake, simple tasks such as bringing in groceries or taking the dog out many times a day for a walk may become a challenge or inconvenience — especially for those with health issues — so we thought the elevator story is of interest to many.

The Community feature highlights Veterans Day, which is just around the corner. This year, an inaugural golf event is being planned at River Hills Country Club to honor area veterans. This story features how the idea began and the plans to honor area veterans with a day of golf as a treat.

The Buster Boyd Bridge, an area landmark, celebrates its 60th anniversary and, of course, it has a story. Named after a local farmer who owned land which is now the part of the lake, the bridge has been rebuilt, raised and widened; someone even flew a plane under it! Writer Kathy Widenhouse tells the story with details and many will remember the old bridge.

This fall issue reminds me how fortunate we are to live here. Whatever you do this fall, take the time to enjoy the beauty around us and count your blessings. Happy fall!! LW

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Contents Fall 2021

2 Our View Time to savor Fall’s treasures 6 Mailbag 16 Shoreline

A look at the history of the Buster Boyd Bridge

LakeWylie 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 Advertising Sales - Mark Wright mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143

Contributing Editors Susan Bromfield President, Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce susan@lakewyliesc.com • 803.831.2827

24 Food for Thought

It’s time to score fresh strawberries

32 Feature The market for residential elevators

is on the rise

36 Faces

Rolfe Eckert adds a fun cruise ship vibe to River Hills Country Club

40 Feature

Adopt A Spot and help keep it beautiful

44 Feature

New golf tournament shares community love for area veterans

Contributing Writers Susan Bromfield Kathy Widenhouse Contributing Photographers Zack Bordeaux Susan Bromfield Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce Dana Sipper Jan Todd Kathy Widenhouse

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.

48 Development Update 50 Spotlight

The magazine of the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Cover and table of contents photography by Jan Todd 4

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

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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 .

Hagan named Chef of the Carolinas Winner

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ob Hagan, executive chef at River Hills Country Club, was recently named a winner in the 2021 Chef of the Carolinas competition.

The event, put on by the Carolinas Chapter of Club Managers of America Association, is a fundraiser for the organization’s six student chapters, The event was broken down into three groups: Chef Portion, Student Portion, and Fundraising. In the Chef Portion, chefs were asked to create a 6-10 minute video showcasing not only their club, but their culinary skills and a favorite recipe.

Hagan’s recipe:

Japanese style Sous Vide Octopus, tri-colored trim top baby carrot purées, olive oil and ginger pudding, shiso cucumber gelée, umami dash celeriac juice sphere, lemongrass soy bubbles, enoki mushrooms, tomato caviar, citrus-cilantro vinaigrette, garlic chip, junmai taru sake and hickory smoked sea salt flakes.

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Mailbag

Greenway Horse Show is Nov. 13

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f you enjoy equestrian activities, you might want to check out the Anne Springs Close Greenway’s bi-annual horse show, to be held on Saturday, Nov. 13, starting at 9:30 a.m. in the Lake Haiglar Entrance Riding Ring.

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 803-548-7252.

Curtin Farms Fest Oct. 9

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urtin Farms Fest returns October 9 from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 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-year-old working farm.

Featuring more than 50 local artisans and craftsmen as well as live music, craft beer, local food and live demonstrations, 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 803831-1345, email curtinfarms@att.net or visit the website at www.curtinfarms.com.

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Mailbag

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Mailbag

DSBG Orchid Garden open

T SCarowinds returns Sept. 17- Oct. 31

S

he Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden’s orchid conservatory has reopened to the public after an 18-month hiatus due to pandemic related social distancing concerns.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden has not only brought in interior landscapers but has hired additional staff to restore the Orchid Conservatory to its former glory, as well as fill it with colorful, exciting new plants that will delight regulars and newcomers alike.

Daniel Stowe offers a variety of events, classes and programs, from sip and paint sessions and live music events to nature walks and classes. For more information call 704825-4490 or visit the website at www.dsbg.org.

Carowinds, the Carolinas’ largest Halloween event, returns to Carowinds starting September 17. Whether you’ve visited each year of fear, or if this is your first time, you’ll sleep with the lights on after experiencing this new generation of SCarowinds. Every corner is cursed afresh with haunted mazes, scare zones and live (or maybe not live) entertainment.

Hordes of hungry zombies and blood-thirsty vampires eagerly await their next meal – you.

And those wicked screams! There’s just no escaping them. Add world-class thrill rides that instill a brand of fear all their own and you’ve got extreme, supreme Halloween fun.

For more information go to www.carowinds.com

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11/12/20 3:48 PM

Mailbag

Mailbag

Community Foundation making a strong impact

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hrough fundraisers such Christmas tree sales, Directory sales, and donations from the River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions Community Foundation, the club lives its motto, “We Serve.” While the Directory sales have been the largest contributor for our outreach and service programs, the Community Foundation is also a major donor to the RHLW Lions and in the future is destined to be one of its largest donors, according to Bruce Roberts, one of the Foundation’s trustees.

“The Foundation needs to continue our community outreach and establish ourselves as a trustworthy partner for philanthropic individuals and families in the York County area,” said Allan Sutherland, Foundation chairman. “It has taken us 16 years to get to the million-dollar mark. I would hope we could double that in the next five years.”

Clover High School student receives 2 scholarship awards from RHLW Lions Club

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lina K. Tomko won the Harold M. Breitman Memorial Scholarship Award. She will receive $2,000 per year for four years. In addition, the Clover High School graduate will receive a $1,000 scholarship this year in memory of Martin Lewis, a longtime member of the RHLW Lions who passed away this year.

The daughter of Michael and Melissa Tomko, Alina plans to attend the University of South Carolina-Aiken. Her career goal is to major in Industrial Process Engineering and work for Boeing.

River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions Club recognizes Alford, Naber for leadership

T

he River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions Club presented two awards to outstanding Lions during its business breakfast meeting in June. Marlin Alford received the Lion of the Year Award while Drew Naber received the Melvin Jones honor.

Alford joined the RHLW Lions Club four years ago and serves as manager of the Directory sales white pages and as webmaster.

Naber joined the club 17 years ago and served as Christmas tree sales captain, assisted with the pancake breakfast, worked as a Directory salesperson and coordinated with the Pro Shop to collect player fees for the golf tournament. Naber also served on the Board of Trustees for Clover High School student Alina Tomko the RHLW Lions Community Foundation, helping raise more than $125,000 over the $100,000 (above) received scholarship funds from the RHLW Lions Club during the school’s challenge grant for the 2018 campaign. awards ceremony.

RHLW Lions Club continues to give back to area

L

ion R.J. Phillips and Richard Ellington, president of the River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions Club, presented several donation checks to local organizations this month.

Phillips presented a donation to Emily Parrish, executive director of the Children’s Attention Home in Rock Hill. Club President Ellington presented a check to Camp Thunderbird in Lake Wylie during a recent visit with its executive director, Kimberly Conroy.

RHLW proudly supports more than 30 charities, most of which are local.

Richard Ellington visits Camp Thunderbird and presents a check to Executive Director Kimberly Conroy.

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Mailbag

Service dollars used to enhance assistance in Clover region

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ichard Ellington, president of the River Hills/Lake Wylie Lions Club, presented a check to Karen Van Vierssen, executive director of the Clover Area Assistance Center, during a recent visit.

The RHLW Lions Club is one of the co-founders of CAAC, a service organization launched to provide assistance when area textile mills shuttered in the early 1980s, according to CAAC’s website.

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Lake Wylie Rotary Club President Anne Violanti presents Wayne Hills with the club’s Unsung Hero award.

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Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Mailbag

RHCA Photo Contest Winners

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he River Hills Community Association held a photo contest earlier this year, with winners chosen and announced in July. The theme was “River Hills – A Lakeside Community,” and encouraged photos in a variety of categories, including, but not limited to plan to Nature, Wildlife, Marina, Community Gardens, Neighborhood Parks, Lake, Biking, Walking, Walking the dog, Neighborhood Events, Sports, Family Fun, and many more. The idea was to not only encourage community members to show off their photographic eye, but to showcase the River Hills Community. In fact, many of these may eventually be seen in brochures and publications promoting and showcasing the area.

First Place, Marina

Photographer: Phillip Davis

Honorable Mention, Marina Photographer: Tiffany Schultheis

First Place, Around the Neighborhood Honorable Mention, Around the Neighborhood Photographer: Sandy Ulhman 14

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Photographer: Kathryn McMath

Mailbag

First Place, Sunset

Photographer: Tiffany Schultheis

Honorable Mention, Sunset Photographer: Adam Schultheis

First Place, Special Occassions

Photographer: George Ling

First Place, People

Photographer: Lydia Smith

Dr. Chad Vanourny | Dr. Britany Baker

Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Shoreline

Three Bri A Tale of

ion.

g celebrat during openin 23 19 in I e dg ri Buster Boyd B e Wylie Man) iams, The Lak ill W r le el /K to (Pho

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Shoreline

dges Buster Boyd Bridge I in 1960. (Photo/Millican Pictorial History Museum)

A

century ago, a trip from Clover or Rock Hill into Charlotte was 35 miles longer than it is today.

Lake Wylie – then the Catawba River – stood

in the way of a direct route. Travelers had to drive north through Gastonia or east through Lancaster County to get into the Queen City.

But today the Buster Boyd Bridge crosses that span, allowing South Carolinians easy access to Charlotte-Douglas Airport, Steele Creek, and uptown Charlotte, yet without the added miles.

Buster Boyd Bridge I in 1960, lake view.

(Photo/Keller Williams, The Lake Wylie Man) Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Shoreline the bridge was put to good use by merchants and farmers on both sides of the river.

That summer, officials decided to celebrate the bridge’s opening with a public shindig.

And what a party it was! On August 17, 1923, an estimated crowd of 12,000 visitors converged on the new bridge for the day-long festival.

Autos lined the road leading to the bridge on both sides of the river, including 40 acres on the North Carolina side that had been cleared for a parking lot. Governors from both North and South Carolina, highway commissioners, government officials, and community bands joined for the opening ceremony and feasted on local barbeque and cold drinks. As a grand finale, two aviators from Charlotte flew a Curtiss biplane beneath the bridge.

Buster Boyd II: The Bridge Gets Busted Buster Boyd Bridge III, looking east.

(Photo/Kathy Widenhouse) below the then-top speed of 30 miles per hour. Some of the byways were impassable.

Road improvements would help merchants and farmers prosper.

As a farmer, Buster Boyd understood this problem. He urged the Mecklenburg County legislature to pave the road between Charlotte and Lake Catawba. He also lobbied for a bridge to be built between Mecklenburg and York counties.

Then he went further. He donated his land on the North Carolina side of the lake for the project.

The two counties agreed to jointly sponsor the bridge. Mecklenburg County would pay two-thirds of the $120,000 construction costs and York County the remaining third.

The Original Farm-To-Market Road In the early 1920s, North Carolina had just Each was responsible for paving Route 49 on 2,000 miles of hard-surfaced roadways. South their respective sides of the river leading to Carolina fared worse, with just 225 miles of the bridge. The result was the area’s original paved roads crisscrossing the Palmetto State. farm-to-market road.

Locally, most roads on both sides of the Catawba River were dirt. Charlotte Highway The Bridge Built By Buster (Route 49) was one of them.

The initial structure, named “the YorkAt this point cars were no longer a Mecklenburg Bridge,” was a two-lane wood luxury item but were now mass produced plank covered with asphalt and built over and affordable to many of South Carolina’s concrete piers. When it opened in early 1923, residents. But poor roads posed a dilemma locals renamed it after Buster Boyd in honor for many of the new automobile owners in the of the man who championed its construction. local area. Automobiles stirred up dust and By then just three miles on the York mud along dirt roads, even when operating County side of the road were paved. Even so, It’s been nearly one hundred years since the bridge first traversed the water bringing the Carolinas together. Since then, businesses and homes and communities have sprouted up along the shore that creates a natural dividing line.

It was a cotton farmer in Steele Creek named William Monroe “Buster” Boyd who had the idea to build the bridge between Mecklenburg County and York County.

Buster Boyd envisioned the bridge as a way to carry goods to market. Connecting the roads would improve the economy for both states, he reasoned.

And in a way, it still does.

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In 1925, industrialist and physician Dr. Walker Gill Wylie gained support for the local Catawba Power Company – now Duke Power – to raise the Catawba Dam along the river, expanding the body of water to its current size. In the 1960s, Catawba Lake was renamed Lake Wylie in honor of the good doctor. The lake’s increased footprint made the bridge more important than ever.

The original Buster Boyd Bridge remained operational over that span for nearly 40 years.

An upgrade was underway in 1961 when a truck damaged the original bridge and forced it to close briefly. Once again, traveling between South Carolina and the Queen City meant a 35-mile detour, but this time the long re-route lasted only about a month. The bridge re-opened as Buster Boyd II in late 1961.

Buster Boyd III Celebrates 20 Years

In the 1980s, when officials discovered the bridge’s paint contained lead, it became clear that the two-lane lake crossing needed improvements. Local leaders and environmentalists planned an expansion that would protect the lake and provide adequate roads for both North and South Carolina as the Charlotte area grew.

The result is Buster Boyd III, a project co-sponsored by North and South Carolina Departments of Transportation. The new bridge took four years to build. It opened to two lanes of traffic in 2001, making this year its twentieth birthday.

Just two weeks later, Buster Boyd II was

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We offer private club memberships that include access to the amenities on the property; Including Kayak’s, snack shack, discounts on concerts, free events with live entertainment, Christmas wonderland, Easter egg roll, Chili cook off, Oktoberfest pumpkin patch, haunted house & more. Spring discounts available now.

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Shoreline demolished. All four lanes of the new bridge were open by 2003.

And it’s a good thing. Charlotte has been ranked as the country’s fastest-growing metro area in the new century’s first decade and continues to be the third-fastest growing city in the U.S. The bridge absorbs more than its share of traffic. Today, more than 35,000 vehicles cross Buster Boyd Bridge daily, as commuters to and from Steele Creek and Charlotte can attest.

Yet the bridge remains an iconic landmark for travelers not only on the road but also the water. Its current 1,500-foot span is five feet higher than the original to allow boat traffic plenty of clearance for boats. Anglers use Buster Boyd as a visual signal that they are passing from one Carolinas portion of

the lake into another, aware that they need appropriate fishing licenses for both states.

And thanks to smart planning for Buster Boyd III, there’s a sidewalk on its northeastern side, allowing pedestrians to cross the lake and take in the views.

Bridge Building Ahead

Long term, the bridge and its traffic may get some relief from the proposed Catawba Crossings project. Potentially six miles long, Catawba Crossings will connect South New Hope Road in Gastonia to Steele Creek with two new bridges, both north of Buster Boyd: one over both the Catawba River and one over South Fork River. The project, now in feasibility stages as part of a ten-year plan, could handle a portion of the Gaston County

traffic that makes its way through Lake Wylie into North Carolina each day, says Randi Gates, administrator of the GastonCleveland-Lincoln Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Meanwhile, it is clear that the bridge connecting the roads between the two states has achieved one of Buster Boyd’s goals: it has helped improve the economy for both Carolinas. Businesses, shopping areas, and residential areas now dot the shoreline up and down Lake Wylie. Autos continue use Buster Boyd Bridge – and save miles – as they come and go from North Carolina to South Carolina to visit family, go to work, travel to appointments, and to go to the market.

Just like Buster Boyd intended. LW

Buster Boyd Bridge Facts

3x’s

Buster Boyd Bridge has been built and rebuilt three times.

35,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily.

During its initial construction, the bridge was referred to as “the York-Mecklenburg Bridge,” but upon completion was named to honor Buster Boyd.

The bridge has a sidewalk on its northeastern side for pedestrian traffic.

The Buster Boyd Bridge is the only bridge in which North Carolina is on the “southern” end and South Carolina is on the “northern” end.

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The current Buster Boyd Bridge took four years to build and opened in 2001.

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Shoreline

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NEED A TOW? Sea Tow

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FISHING LICENSES A fishing license is required for anyone age 16 or older when fishing in any public water, including coastal waters, in both Carolinas. Purchase North Catrolina licenses by calling 888-248-6834 or at www.ncwildlife.org. South Carolina licenses are available at www.dnr. sc.gov or by calling 803-734-3833. A seven-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

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Food for Thought

Berries by Request

Move over, apples and pumpkins.

Make way for locally grown fall strawberries.

By Kathy Widenhouse Photography by Bush-N-Vine Farm

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www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

Food for Thought

Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

25

Food for Thought

F

resh fall strawberries have become a mainstay in and around Lake Wylie.

It used to be that locally grown strawberries were available only in spring. But now, thanks to our friends at Bush-N-Vine Farm, you can enjoy those juicy globes of sweetness even as the days grow shorter and the temperatures turn colder.

Fall Berries By Special Request

It’s been more than twenty years since local customers noticed that grocery stores stocked fresh strawberries during the fall and winter.

But where were they sourced?

Patrons posed that question to the Hall Family, who own and operate the Bush-NVine Farm in York. “Our customers saw that the berries weren’t coming from local farms and wanted to know why,” says Sam Hall, who works with his parents to run Bush-N-Vine.

“There was a demand.”

That special request led the Halls to investigate what it would take to plant a fall crop of strawberries. It didn’t take long to put some in the ground.

The more they planted, the more they sold.

And now, local residents start asking for fall strawberries soon after Labor Day.

Four Decades of Strawberries

The 175-acre Bush-N-Vine Farm has been in the Hall family for over 150 years. Originally its sole crop was peaches, which were sorted and sold from the farm’s York, S.C. packing shed on Route 321 between York and Clover.

In the late 1970s, the family began updating their operations and in 1979, Bob Hall reopened the doors using the space as an openair market. That year, he also planted Bush-N Vine’s first spring strawberry crop. The season lasted just three or four weeks.

In those early days, about 99% of the farm’s

strawberry sales were from pick-your-own customers. Whole families came to the farm and together picked 10-15 gallons of strawberries, which they’d cart home to freeze or make into jam.

With the crop’s success – plus all those questions from customers about fall berries – one thing led to another. In 1999, the Halls planted their first fall strawberry crop.

Fall strawberries, explains Sam Hall, take a little bit more work than their spring counterparts. They’re more comfortable with cooler

temperatures than other crops like peaches and tomatoes, which is why strawberries are among the first to give us fruit in the spring.

Treat them right in the fall, and they’ll produce well, too.

The Variety of Choice

There are three types of strawberry plants.

June-bearing strawberries are true to their name. They set fruit in late spring, usually for a two- to three-week period. Farmers and gardeners often choose several differ-

The growth stages of strawberries

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Food for Thought ent June-bearing varieties – early season, mid-season, and late season – to extend their harvests.

Everbearing strawberries, on the other hand, produce two harvests a year – one in the spring and another in the late summer or fall.

Then there are day-neutral strawberry varieties, unique for a couple of reasons. First, day-neutrals are less fussy about light than other varieties. They continue to blossom and set fruit in spring, summer, and fall – even as daylight hours lengthen from nine hours all the way up to fourteen and back again.

Their tolerance for varying amounts of light earned them the “day-neutral” moniker. Plus, day-neutrals continue to produce fruit until frost. They’re at their best when treated as an annual (a crop that is re-planted year after year) rather than as a perennial (a crop that returns year after year).

That is how Bush-N-Vine treats its berries.

The farm plants the same day-neutral variety, Albion, to harvest in both spring and fall.

Developed in 2006, Albions are considered by many to be the gold standard for day-neutrals thanks to its dark red color, firm fruit, and high sugar content. They’re sweet. And

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27

Food for Thought

Want Berries?

Call ahead or check Bush-N-Vine’s social media pages for availability and hours during the fall and winter.

Bush-N-Vine Farm

Telephone: (803) 684-2732 Web: www.bushnvinefarm.com Facebook: facebook.com/bushnvinefarm Instagram: instagram.com/bushnvine

York Stand

1650 Filbert Highway, York, SC 29745

Lake Wylie Stand

4090 Charlotte Highway (next to The Bagel Boat) Lake Wylie, SC 29710

Rock Hill Stand

1662 Ebenezer Road (across from Kentucky Fried Chicken) ​Rock Hill, SC 29732

for South Carolinians, Albion strawberries have another highly coveted quality: they are heat- and humidity-resistant.

Two Planting Waves

The Halls purchase mother stock from a wholesale garden provider in the North Carolina mountains. Then, they plant strawberries in two waves. The spring crop goes into the ground in October, which allows plants six or seven months to get their bearings and start producing. But fall strawberries are planted much earlier – in early September.

Surprisingly, the farm plants approximately the same number of mother stock for both fall and spring crops: about 100,000 – 120,000 plants. The reason? “Strawberries produce about a pound of fruit per plant in the spring,” says Sam Hall. “But only about a fourth of that in the fall.” The farm still offers pick-yourown berries in the spring, but not in the fall.

A big reason is that fall strawberries take an extra bit of TLC. About two-thirds of the fall strawberries are planted in garden tunnels, which are large cold-frame hoops with plastic coverings much like a greenhouse, but without heat or fans. The plastic protects the plants from extreme temperatures and captures the sun to heat the soil, which means

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a longer blooming and picking season – into January.

The remaining plants must be covered with blankets at night when cold overnight temperatures or frost threatens. Cold and rain, too, make the crop more labor-intensive. Bush-N-Vine employs 20-25 workers throughout the fall and winter to help.

But those cold nights mean sweeter fruit, according to Sam Hall. “Our fall berries tend to be firmer and have a higher sugar content,” he says. “In the spring, the fruit is juicier because the days are warmer and warmer, even though they’re the same variety as the fall berries.”

36 Weeks of Strawberries

The extra work is why many other local farms take a pass on growing fall strawberries.

Yet for all the effort, Bush-N-Vine charges just $2-3 more per gallon for fall strawberries over spring strawberries.

The farm staff typically begins picking the fall crop by late September, about thirty days after the first blossoms appear on plants. They continue to harvest into early January. Soon after that, the earliest spring strawberries are harvested and sold at Bush-N-Vine stand, usually by late March.

That means you can buy fresh Bush-NVine strawberries about 36 weeks out of the year.

Bush-N-Vine’s York stand serves patrons daily, except for Sundays, throughout the year.

During the fall and winter months, both the Lake Wylie and Rock Hill stands are often open just two days a week. Best advice? Call ahead or check social media to ask about strawberries and stand hours during colder months.

And plan ahead.

The Halls don’t stock grocery store shelves and sell very little to wholesale vendors but admit that the demand for their fall strawberries is very high, particularly during late November and in December. Since being introduced locally more than two decades ago, fall strawberries have become popular at Lake Wylie Thanksgiving tables, Christmas celebrations, and even New Year’s parties.

“There are a lot of customers who have been buying our fall strawberries from Year 1 and they have been loyal,” says Sam Hall. “We are thankful for them and we want to keep serving them.”

Farm-fresh apples and pumpkins? They are the stuff of fall. But around here, they need to move over and make room for fresh strawberries, too. LW

Lake Wylie

Food for Thought

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Working Together Supporting Each Other

Working Together Staying Connected Supporting Each Other WConnected e Succeed Staying We Succeed THE BUSINESS OF A THRIVING COMMUNITY

Interested in joining this winning team?

Call Charlie at 803.831.2827 www.lakewyliesc.com

The Business of a Thriving Community Interested in joining this winning team?

Call Charlie at 803.831.2827 www.lakewyliesc.com Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Food for Thought

DINING GUIDE

Arby’s 511 Nautical Drive Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-5555

Domino’s Pizza 125 E Evergreen Rd Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-7075

Lily’s Bistro 4547 Charlotte Highway Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 701-7788

Starbucks 1201 Village Harbor Drive, #101 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (704) 591-5361

Azteca Grill 604 Nautical Dr. Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-8930

Dunkin Donuts 335 Vesla Lane Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 675-6044

Subway 5245 Hwy 557 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-0143

Bagel Boat – Bagels 4090 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-5995

Famous Toastery of Lake Wylie 5217 Highway 557 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803)675-6000

McDonalds 5262 Highway 557 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803)831-0577 Moe’s Southwest Grill 312 Bulkhead Way #105 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 398-1663

Best China 5243 Hwy 557 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-5540

Fast Frog Bakery 54 Highway 55E Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803)209-2065

Bojangles 4927 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-9346

Jersey Mike’s 604 Nautical Drive, Suite 101 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-0912

Chef ’s Kitchen 5301 Highway 557 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 803-701-7215

Kochi Japanese Steakhouse 5360 Highway 557 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 610-0146

Cherry – Asian Cuisine 4034 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-9594

Lake Wylie Bowl N Bounce 4034 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-2553

Christopher’s Bar and Grille 1500 Village Harbor Dr. Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-2461

Lake Wylie Italian and Pizza 4074 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-0855

Copper Premium Pub 4516 Charlotte Highway Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 701-7021

Lee’s Hoagie House 312 Bulkhead Way Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 619-4046

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Panda Hut 144 Highway 274 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 631-1988 Papa Doc’s Shore Club 3990 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 803-831-0043 Papa Johns 221 Latitude Lane Suite 101 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-0101 Pier 88 at River Hills Marina 54 Marina Rd Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-0088 Pizza Hut 5241 Hwy 557 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-1188 Rey Azteca Mexican 4052 Charlotte Highway Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-9277 River Hills Country Club 1 Country Club Dr. Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-2126

Sweetwater Grille 4582 Charlotte Highway Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-1788 Taco Bell at Lake Wylie 311 Vesla Lane Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 701-7068 Thai Fusion 125 Evergreen Road Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 746-5047 The Caddyshack 4052 Charlotte Highway Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 701-7295 Waffle House 5013 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-0315 Wendy’s 5188 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710-8099 (803) 831-2687 Zaxby’s 143 SC-274 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 (803) 831-2634

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Garden Party

Norma Wood riding up to the second floor.

GOING UP Residential elevators are on the rise in Lake Wylie and nationwide Story and photography by Kathy Widenhouse 32

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

Garden Party

“M

eet me upstairs.”

Those are the instructions from Charles Wood to his golden retriever, Woody, when the two return from their morning walk.

As they enter the basement, Woody scampers toward the staircase. Meanwhile, Charles steps into the elevator, presses “Up,” and greets Woody on the home’s main floor just a few seconds later.

The elevator is a new addition to the 33-year-old Lake Wylie home – and one that Charles and his wife, Norma, couldn’t be happier with.

“We didn’t think about the stairs when we bought the house in 1988,” says Charles. And now, they don’t have to.

A dozen trips a day

The Woods’ home, built on a slope, has a walkout basement and three staircases, each with 18-22 steps. And while Charles and Norma enjoy good health, those stairs have become harder to manage even with the master bedroom on the home’s main floor. Between taking Woody for walks, bringing in groceries, and daily chores, Charles and Norma move between floors about a dozen times a day.

“We want to stay in this house as long as we can,” explains Charles. “We have a low heating bill and wonderful neighbors.”

The couple investigated adding stairlifts – those electric chairs that attach to railings, allowing the user to sit and be carried up the stairs. Yet their turning staircases made stairlifts impractical. “Plus, they’re slow,” says Norma.

But when the Woods discovered that home lifts were cost-effective and competitive for their circumstances, they chose a PVE 30, made by Pneumatic Vacuum Elevators. It was installed in one day.

Charles and Norma have been riding it ever since.

The rise of home elevators

The Woods are among a growing number of homeowners both locally and across the nation who have elevators in their home.

It used to be that a home lift was a luxury.

That is no longer the case, according to Lake Wylie resident Don Boozer, manufacturing representative for Residential Elevators, Inc. (REI) who serves a sales region covering Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Asheville, Columbia and Greenville.

Residential elevators are quickly becoming an amenity of choice. Don’s most recent building project, a townhome development in north Charlotte, priced its new homes in the

Woody, the family dog, watching Charles Wood as he moves between floors.

low $300,000s. All included elevators.

And more and more, current homeowners are adding lifts to their existing homes. “Until about five years ago, elevators were a feature primarily in new construction,” says Don. “But we’ve seen a distinct shift. These days, we’re about fifty-fifty, with about half our business coming from retrofits.”

Why move when you can remodel?

Adding an elevator is not only for homeowners who want to delay downsizing and Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

33

Garden Party stairs room or hallway to another on the upper floor.

Such was the case for River Hills homeowner Charles Muse. He and his wife added a Stilitz lift – a traction elevator – to their home in March to accommodate Charles’ foot neuropathy and in his words, “to make it easier for my wife to carry laundry up and down the stairs.”

The Muses’ lift operates between their main floor open living area and the open room in the lowest floor, just adjacent to the laundry area. The unit operates on two rails on a dedicated 200-volt line. The installers simply cut an opening in the floor, tied off the joists, and then reinserted the flooring on top of the lift to connect the unit. “It’s a very slick operation,” says Charles.

The three floors of the Woods home necessitate an elevator. age in place. Increasingly, it’s a desirable option in the post-pandemic world for employees who work at home and those who have a family member with disabilities. Elevators are a safety feature, too, reducing the number of stair-related accidents in homes for both the elderly and children.

But beyond the obvious need to avoid stairs, a home elevator offers convenience.

No longer must you drag a vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs or haul the Christmas tree from one floor to the next. The lift makes a home safer and more functional.

Does an elevator increase your home’s value? The jury is still out on that one. But if planned well, an elevator in your home can give you more usable space. A lift has a smaller footprint than a standard stairwell – just 25 square feet. Meanwhile, a staircase takes up nine to 10 feet of horizontal floor space on both floors, plus 30 square feet above and below the stairs for access between floors. More usable square footage and more open space means more value.

Three types of residential elevators

Three types of elevators dominate the residential lift business.

Hydraulic elevators are powered by electric motors and pistons, requiring an elevator shaft and a machine room. Hydraulics are easier to plan for when your home is new construction.

The second type of home lift, a traction elevator, slides up and down on a track. With

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no machine room or shaft required, traction elevators are simpler to integrate into an existing home than hydraulics.

As are pneumatic elevators, the Woods’ choice. A more recent invention, pneumatics operate on a vacuum system within an oversized, polycarbonate tube – much like pneumatic cylinders that are used in bank drivethrough lanes. They are powered by a 220-volt line and air pressure, making pneumatic elevators eco-friendly.

Residential elevators of all types include standard safety features such as an alarm system, a phone, and battery back-up. That means when the power fails for any reason, owners can still move from one floor to the next until power is restored.

Retrofit your home with an elevator

Even if a new homeowner doesn’t want an operational elevator right away, the lift’s shaft and machine room can be included in new construction plans. New homeowners often leave the shaft in place, says Don Boozer, until they’re ready to add the elevator. That makes installation costs lower, too, because there are no retrofitting expenses.

Yet there are plenty of options for adding a lift to an existing home. Elevators can be installed within a turning staircase, from closet to closet on two floors, in a constructed shaft in a garage, or even on a home’s exterior. Both pneumatic lifts and traction elevators can be installed in homes built on a slab.

The most common option is from a down-

The bottom line: going down

Since every home elevator is custom built, lift prices can vary widely depending upon the type of elevator, cab, fixtures, gate, and number of stops. Plus, a retrofit involves construction.

Even so, residential elevators’ popularity has grown so much in recent years that costs have gone down commensurately. The average price of a home elevator is $21,000 to $25,000.

Don Boozer sums up the rising popularity of home elevators by using an example from a contractor friend, Robert, who has four decades of experience in the building industry.

“It used to be that new homeowners requested a dishwasher as part of their building plans,” says Robert. “Then it was garage door openers.”

Both of these features have since become standard, says Robert. “These days, homeowners ask for something else altogether.

They request elevators.” LW

Consider a Lift

If you’re thinking of adding an elevator to a new or existing home, check out these options.

Residential Elevators, Inc. (REI) www.residentialelevators.com (800) 832-2004 Stiltz Homelifts www.stiltzlifts.com (844) 917-0390 Pneumatic Vacuum Elevators, LLC (PVE) www.vacuumelevators.com (305) 884-1091

Garden Party

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35

house

By Kathy Widen

p i h s e s i u r c The d r a y k c a b r in you to a b lu C y tr n u o C ls il H r New GM Leads RiveDuring Pandemic and Beyond Fresh, Fun Season

R

backyard. has docked in your ip sh se ui cr ’s rt olf Ecke HCC) lls Country Club (R As the new River Hi club’s Rolf oversees the general manager, nnis club, and t facilities, golf, te ue nq ba , nt ra au st re emic on “just as the pand ok to he n tio si po a pool,

grin. hit,” he says with a for other a stumbling block en be ve ha ay m That turn of events professional. former cruise ship a lf, Ro r fo t no t ives, bu hospitality execut h the guide RHCC throug to m hi ed w lo al e rienc Instead, Rolf’s expe ason. refreshing, new se a to in ch un la d g waters an pandemic’s swirlin

36

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

use)

to/Kathy Widenho

Rolf Eckert. (Pho

Faces

ke on the

Smo m the first Scenes fro Festival.

Cruising Into a Career

Water

Rolf ’s journey into gold star service began in the kitchen of a restaurant. He grew up in Germany. A part-time job in a Munich resort’s catering department during his teen years meant Rolf was part of banquets for the German president, chancellor, and other high-level international players.

“I loved it,” Rolf confesses. “I’m a detail-oriented, numbers guy and I discovered that successful people in the food and beverage industry have to be very organized.”

And he enjoyed traveling, both as a foreign exchange student to Australia and with his family vacationing in locales from Egypt to Mexico.

After an apprenticeship at a family-owned resort in Bavaria, Rolf sought further training in international hospitality management at Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland.

One of his internships was with Princess Cruises, which led to a full-time position with the cruise line.

Just a couple of months into the job, Rolf met his now-wife, Jennifer, a passenger on the cruise ship. “Officers on the ship were encour-

Chef Rob Hagan at the first Smoke on the Water Festival.

(Photos/River Hills Country Club) aged to entertain guests,” he says, smiling. “I was simply doing my job.” They married in 2005 and have two children, Maximilian (13) and Charlotte (11).

Within just two years of joining Princess, Rolf ’s passion for impeccable service made him the youngest and fastest-promoted food and beverage director within the line. He oversaw the cruise ship’s 4-star restaurants and bars, all the while managing many crises that guests never hear about or see.

In one instance, a supplier failed to deliver seven tons of protein to supply more than 3,000 guests for a 10-day cruise from Australia through the south Pacific. When the ship docked at Nouméa, New Caledonia, Rolf and his team members split up across the island and together persuaded local poultry and pork farmers to sell them every bit of meat they needed to finish the cruise. “The customers never knew there was a crisis,” says Rolf.

He became so adept as a problem-solver that Princess tapped him as their food and beverage representative in the restructuring of the Cunard Line’s 5-star Queen Elizabeth II to restore profitability, quality, and customer

satisfaction.

“My cruise ship experience taught me a valuable lesson,” says Rolf. “Don’t panic. Just solve the problem.”

But beyond being dubbed “Mr. Fix It,” Rolf learned the value of offering multiple benefits to guests. During subsequent stints as interim general manager at Washington, DC’s The Army and Navy Club and Clubhouse Manager at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, Rolf was on the front lines of facilitating growth: $500,000 in added food and beverage revenue during his first year … a new members-only headliner concert series .. a Fourth of July Extravaganza with 1,600 catered guests and a members-only fireworks display. “I love getting ideas, figuring out their feasibility, and then making them happen,” says Rolf.

Pandemic, But Not Panic

He was able to draw on his cruise line and club experience soon after being named RHCC’s general manager. The COVID-19 public health crisis disrupted the hospitality industry around the world – a challenge that was overwhelming for even the most experienced

Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

37

Faces

Left: Rolf rocks lederhosen during RHCC’s Oktoberfest (Photos/River Hills Country Club)

property, added amenities, and grown its membership even while hospitality providers elsewhere closed their doors.

Among the first changes targeted the club’s racquet sports enthusiasts. Pickleball, the nation’s fastest-growing racquet sport, has surged in popularity in and around Lake Wylie. Rolf led the charge in converting two of the tennis club’s courts into six pickleball courts, which have remained full every day. Meanwhile, the clay tennis courts have been resurfaced, too, and now include a professional-grade Spinshot machine so members can practice customized drills.

Over on the golf course, fairways were aerated for the first time in seven years. And as the pandemic summer heated up, members had the advantage of poolside service at the pool’s new cabana bar. There is fresh carpeting and new banquet chairs in the clubhouse and updated flooring at the club snack bar, Turn Shack.

Even the latest nationwide worker shortage has become a rallying cry for Rolf and his team. “Everyone chips in and helps,” says Rolf, explaining that sometimes means he must set up chairs or deliver plates to dinner guests.

“We have built a fantastic team and a culture where we help each other.”

Add Amenities, Build FOMO

Scenes from the Smoke on the Water Festival.

(Photos/River Hills Country Club) managers – but was one that Rolf was ready to meet head-on.

“I’ve been in this industry for thirty years,” says Rolf. “Things happen.” His first order of business was to replicate the 100% sanitation scores earned by his Princess teams during shipboard U.S. Public Health Inspections.

RHCC immediately garnered a Palmetto Priority Certification designation for cleanliness and safety.

By keeping the restaurant open for 40038

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

500 carryout meals a day and the golf course open for cooped-up members who needed to get outside, Rolf was able to avoid layoffs and build his new team.

Make Improvements, Build Teamwork

It’s that team Rolf is especially proud of – one that has accomplished much more than merely weathering the pandemic storm. Since he took the helm at RHCC, the club has not merely survived. RHCC has improved its

Just as successful cruise lines offer a stream of exciting activities for guests, successful country clubs offer unique, special events for members only. “Create a major event and you’ll create a fear-of-missing-out that builds the community and attracts new applicants,” says Rolf.

RHCC’s first new event under Rolf ’s leadership? Smoke on the Water Festival, a two-day barbecue on the grounds of the club in October. RHCC chef Rob Hagan set up 25-foot smoker in the circle fronting the club to prepared smoked meats and barbecue. Meanwhile, entire families played acorn toss, balloon soccer, and pumpkin volleyball while hundreds enjoyed live music provided

by Scott “Fudd” McKinney and his bluegrass partners. The second annual Smoke on the Water in October 2021 is projected to attract even more guests.

Rather than a one-and-done, Smoke on the Water is just the first of a slate of new activities at the club, including a curbside luau and socially-distanced Oktoberfest. In 2021, the golf club launched Operation 36, a developmental golf program that’s become especially popular with children and youth. Additional

Faces upcoming plans include a new water slide for the pool, movie nights on the driving range, a pub crawl to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and a boat dock for club members only.

Check out the cruise ship in your backyard Learn more about River Hills Country Club membership

Fresh Ideas, New Members

With all the changes, guests have been hooked. Fifty new member families have joined RHCC since the beginning of 2021, well exceeding Rolf ’s goals.

Part of the credit goes to the new membership levels (seven in all), including more affordable junior memberships for families in which the oldest member of the household is under 40 years old. And as more people work from home, RHCC serves as a centralized entertainment hub for entire families.

Yet in looking ahead as RHCC celebrates its 50th year in 2022, the club has grown so much that there is currently a waitlist for social level memberships. Which means Rolf ’s fresh approach –with different themes and menus and activities – attracts all members of the family, from the youngest to oldest.

It’s a lot like a cruise ship, except you can enjoy it year-round.

And this cruise ship is right in your backyard. LW

River Hills Country Club One Country Club Drive Lake Wylie SC, 29710 Telephone: (803) 831-2126 Membership: (803) 621-3115 Web: www.riverhillscc.org/membership Call for a membership tour appointment

Membership Levels Full Membership and Junior Full Membership Unlimited dining, golf, tennis, pickleball, swimming, social events, and fitness Sports Membership and Junior Sports Membership 72 holes of golf per month plus unlimited dining, tennis, pickleball, swimming, social events, and fitness

Social Membership and Junior Social Membership 36 holes of golf per month plus unlimited dining, swimming, social events, and fitness Associate Pool Membership Access to pools and the Turn Shack, a casual lunch restaurant

Clover Area Assistance Center Keep It Local for the Holidays

As we enter this season of giving, let’s all work together to keep our resources local to help those in need who live right here in our own community!

Food needs are ongoing! Plan a holiday drive through your church, school, place of work, or service organization. We can help with ideas, tips, and strategies to help make your drive a success!!

Prefer to make a monetary donation? 100% will go directly toward financial assistance or the cause of your choice when specified.

To make a donation, volunteer, or find out about how to get help, call or visit:

803.222.4837

1130 Highway 55 East (P.O. Box 521) | Clover, SC 29710 www.CloverAreaAssistance.org Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

39

Feature

Spot Adopt Your

Residents and businesses join forces to keep Lake Wylie roads litter-free

By Kathy Widenhouse

M

ercy Cureton had just filled a second bag with litter when a van pulled over to the side of the road. A woman leaned out the driver’s window. “My kids would like to help you,” she said.

Three boys jumped out of the vehicle and Mercy handed each of them gloves and trash bags. Just 30 minutes later the entire stretch of the road was trash-free. The boys load-

ed the tied-off trash bags into the trunk of Mercy’s 2011 Honda Civic, thanked him for giving them the chance to help, and waved goodbye.

It’s not the first time that fellow residents have stopped to encourage Mercy, cheer him on, or hand him a bottle of water – but it was one of the most meaningful. “It brought a tear to my eye,” says Mercy, who serves as a

Adopt-A-Highway sign along S.C. 49 westbound. (Photo /Kathy Widenhous e) volunteer with York County’s Litter Challenge. “I like seeing young people understand the impact of litter on our community.”

Mercy is among 50 volunteers who picks up litter on York County roads as part of The Litter Challenge. It’s just one way that residents of all ages can help keep our community safe and clean. And with a burgeoning local population, the need is greater than ever.

Mercy Cureton (left) and friend work together as part of the Litter Challenge. (Photo/Keep York County Beautiful) 40

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

Feature

erce’s mber of Comm Lake Wylie Cha ay award.

Adopt-A-Highw Commerce) ylie Chamber of (Photo/Lake W

Adopt A Highway and Raise Awareness

Clean roadways and sidewalks are not just healthier than those that are dotted with soda cans and fast-food wrappers. They also show pride in our community and help residents feel safe.

But how should residents respond to litter-strewn highways when the trash is not theirs?

More than half of the litter on our local roadways is from rubbish that mistakenly blows off trucks and vehicles, according to York County’s Clean Community Coordinator Alysen Woodruff. Drivers don’t realize their trash bags, loose boxes, and flying fragments end up on streets and in rivers, creating hazards for people and wildlife alike. Yet many state and local governments do not have the resources to clean up the litter on our roadways.

It was this dual problem of limited resources and community pride that gave birth to the nation-wide Adopt A Highway program.

During the 1980s, James Evans, a maintenance engineer with the Texas Department of Transportation, routinely received complaints from the public about trash on the roads. One day while driving along the highway in his hometown of Tyler, Texas, Evans saw debris flying out of the bed of a pickup truck in front of him. The driver didn’t seem to notice. The lack of awareness gave Evans an idea. What if volunteers could be recognized for helping

Clover Vet’s landscaping improvements as a result of winning a mini-grant.

(Photo/Keep York County Beautiful) to keep roads litter-free? Highways would be cleaner and residents would become more mindful to secure their loads.

Evans challenged groups and individuals to Adopt A Highway by picking up litter four times a year along a designated stretch of road. The Tyler Civitan Club accepted the challenge in 1985 and became the first Adopt A Highway sponsor. Once the public saw the group’s name on a sign on the highway, the movement spread. “The secret is giving people credit for what they do,” said Evans.

South Carolina launched its own Adopt A Highway program in 1988 under Palmetto Pride, the South Carolina affiliate of the Keep America Beautiful. The Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce embraced the movement as the first York County participant by adopting Charlotte Highway (S.C. Highway 49) in 1990, back when it was just two lanes.

River Hills Community and Boy Scout Troop 333 later took on the project.

You can recognize other Adopt a Highway participants from the signs scattered across Lake Wylie and Clover.

Adopt A Highway has reduced litter on state roads by 60% and has saved South Carolinians millions of dollars. Meanwhile, York County has also developed other ways to involve residents in keeping our community clean.

Adopt A County Road in Your Backyard

South Carolina oversees state highways while York County is responsible for maintaining the local roads it owns – generally recognizable as those without painted lines.

Even before Keep York County Beautiful (KYCB) became a Palmetto Pride affiliate in 2010, the county launched its own Adopt A County Road program.

Volunteers, ranging from civic groups to individuals, choose 1- to 2- mile stretches to maintain across the county. They agree to schedule four collection times a year. Currently, five Clover/Lake Wylie area roads are

Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

41

Feature adopted and maintained by volunteers: Ranger, Calabash, Dulin, and Cedar Oak Drive.

The county provides recognition signs for adopters as well as bags, vests, and gloves.

Groups are also recognized on social media for their efforts. But the real benefit, say volunteers, are clean roads.

Adopt Your Spot and Reap Benefits

About five years ago, KYCB extended its adoption program to businesses and organizations by launching the Adopt Your Spot program. Businesses can stop litter before it’s generated – and improve their physical space – by joining Adopt Your Spot.

Participants provide ongoing clean-up of the public places around their physical business locations, including sidewalks, parking areas, and landscaping. The county provides Adopt Your Spot businesses with free trash receptacles, recycling bins, ashtray and cigarette disposal containers, trash bags, recycle bags, vests, gloves.

The freebies total up to $300 in value, says Alysen Woodruff.

But there’s more. Participating businesses display a special KYCB Adopt Your Spot win-

Adopt a Road volunteer.

(Photo/Keep York County Beautiful)

dow cling acknowledging their commitment to clean communities. They’re also featured on social media four times a year.

And Adopt Your Spot businesses can apply for special KYCB beautification minigrants for up to $500. “They can use the grant for all kinds of beautification projects, including landscaping,” says Alysen Woodruff. “Research shows that a clean environment makes a positive economic impression.” Clover Vet has been a KYCB mini-grant participant and Southern Cottage & Gifts is also an Adopt Your Spot partner.

Take The Litter Challenge

Individual residents, too, can contribute to making our community tidier and healthier – and can do so at their convenience. Such as the case Beverly Walsh who regularly collects litter in her Willow Pond neighborhood off of Fewell Road.

Residents like Beverly are why the county birthed The Litter Challenge program, allowing individual citizens to participate was their schedules allow. When Litter Challenge volunteers register to help, they agree to collect litter

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Feature at least ten times a year for 20 minutes at a time.

Volunteers also agree to dispose of trash and recyclables either to their own curbside service or at one of the county’s 16 recycling centers.

Many residents are already volunteering and don’t even know it, according to Alysen Woodruff. “People routinely collect trash in and around their neighborhoods or even in public parking lots,” she says. But registering as a Litter Challenge volunteer makes a difference. Volunteer reporting allows KYCB to submit accurate numbers to Palmetto Pride and allow continuing funding for clean-up efforts for York County.

Help Keep York County Beautiful

Whether you decide to adopt a road or adopt your spot or take The Litter Challenge, be on the lookout for Mercy Cureton.

He became a Litter Challenge volunteer about a decade ago. These days, he collects litter six days a week. “God showed me the need for it and for me, it’s just become a habit,” says Mercy. “I hope more and more residents can join us in this effort and help keep our community beautiful.” LW

Help Keep Lake Wylie Litter-Free Join with your group, neighborhood, or family to help keep our roads, parks, businesses, and neighborhoods clean and safe.

Adopt A Highway: Palmetto Pride

Groups who adopt a stretch of state roadway and collect litter 4 times a year.

2700 Middleburg Dr #216 Columbia, SC 29204 Telephone: (877) PAL-PRDE (725-7733) Web: www.palmettopride.org

Adopt A County Road: Keep York County Beautiful (KYCB)

Adopt Your Spot: in partnership with KYCB

Businesses who provide ongoing clean-up and beautification in the areas immediately surrounding their physical location.

The Litter Challenge: in partnership with KYCB

Citizens who agree to pick up litter anywhere in the county 10 times a year.

Groups, families, and individuals who adopt a stretch of county roadway and collect litter 4 times a year.

Alysen Woodruff, Clean Community Coordinator 220 Public Works Road York, SC 29745 Telephone: (803) 628-3181 Web: www.yorkcountygov.com/346/ Keep-York-County-Beautiful-Volunteer-Pro

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Feature

A Round of

Apprec 44

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

Feature

ciation River Hills Inaugurates New Golf Tournament to Salute and Support Local Veterans

By Kathy Widenhouse

River Hills golf course.

(Photo/Jen Webber, Imajenation Photography)

Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

45

Feature n Veterans Day, our nation honors military personnel who have served the United States.

Military installations and cemeteries and town halls across the nation conduct services and ceremonies to recognize members of all military branches.

Meanwhile, private businesses have gotten into the act, too. There are dozens of specials for veterans on November 11, from free meals at Applebee’s to free haircuts at Great Clips to free car washes at Autobell to discounts at retail outlets.

And this year on November 11, veterans in and around Lake Wylie will get a special round of appreciation designed just for them.

On that day, the River Hills Country Club is sponsoring its first Veterans Appreciation Golf Tournament. Veterans will play golf for free on the 18-hole championship River Hills course and enjoy a fun-filled day celebrating their service.

And looking to the future, tournament organizers envision an annual event that will spark support for our local military personnel that lasts all year long.

O

A 3-Fold Goal

The tournament idea was birthed by a group of River Hills Country Club (RHCC) members during the COVID-19 lockdown. Club members, particularly those who are military retirees, became aware of the pandemic’s economic impact and mental health challenges for their fellow service members, both active duty and retired.

Rod McKinley, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (retired), is one of those RHCC club members. Thirty years in uniform including three as the Air Force’s highest-ranked enlisted airman have given Rod has a special appreciation for a service member’s stresses and sacrifices. In retirement, he continues to travel regularly to speak with non-commissioned officers and ROTC units across the country, putting him in ongoing contact with those on the front lines.

Since moving to Lake Wylie in 2019 Rod has discovered an opportunity to recognize those in uniform. When November 11 rolls around each year, he says, there are few local celebrations for veterans in the immediate community. So when COVID-19 hit, Rod’s empathy for service members escalated further.

“It’s true that the pandemic’s social isolation, mounting anxiety, and job loss have been challenging for the general popula-

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tion,” says Rod. “Yet many of us have been able to bridge that isolation gap on the golf course and through other activities. Plenty of vets don’t have that kind of social outlet.”

As well as rounds on the golf course, RHCC members have enjoyed new events launched during 2020 by general manager Rolf Eckert that have allowed them to interact even while social distancing (see related story, The Cruise Ship in Your Backyard.)

Rod’s realization led to a discussion on the golf course with RHCC Board member Jen Webber. Why not find a way to honor our local military veterans and simultaneously help them connect to a community of support?

The RHCC Board of Directors golf committee suggested a tournament event that would give local veterans a special day. And in the process of celebrating those from all branches of the military during the tournament, the community will learn their stories.

Organizers embraced the idea but chose to go a step further. They decided to structure the tournament as a benefit that will financially support a selected veteran service organization, thereby extending the event’s impact in an additional, concrete way.

That gives the tournament a three-fold goal, says Jen Webber: to salute, support, and share about our military personnel. “We hope to provide a free, fun day for veterans to honor their service,” she explains. “And in the process, we want to raise awareness about the military and raise money for a worthy local charitable organization that benefits service members and their families.”

Salute our Veterans

In what organizers hope will be an annual affair, sixty veterans will be treated to a day of camaraderie on the golf course on November 11. First to be invited: veterans who are River Hills Country Club members or live within the River Hills community. Additional spots, if any are left, may potentially be filled by veterans who live in and around Lake Wylie.

Meanwhile, local businesses and vendors are invited to join in celebrating and appreciating those who have served by stepping up as tournament hole sponsors, vendors, and by donating raffle ticket items. RHCC members with expertise on the course will serve as volunteer caddies, providing information and assistance for competing veterans. Volunteers will also help with registration, food and beverages, and awards. “Our members are excited to be a part of appreciating our veterans,” said Jen. Along with acknowledging the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families, organizers envision the event will raise awareness about vets in our community. “There are many, many veterans who live in and around Lake Wylie,” says Rod. “We want people to know about the heroes among us and how much they have sacrificed for our nation.”

Support our Veterans

That’s one reason the tournament will benefit Veterans Bridge Home (VBH), a Carolinas-based nonprofit organization that bridges the gap for veterans transitioning from military life to civilian life in North and South Carolina. “It’s much more than a welcome organization,” says RHCC member Jim Amos, General and former Commandant of the United States Marine Corps (retired), who has served on the Veterans Bridge Home board of advisors for six years. “The Veterans Bridge Home helps vets transition to our area by offering a strong support system.”

It’s that connection that VBH helps veterans to manage, whether by identifying local veteran-friendly employers, connecting vets to resources they need like medical care or referrals to new school systems, or simply by offering fellowship.

And that connection is one goal that organizers hope to foster as a result of the tournament, too. “First of all, we want to recognize and appreciate the veterans in our community,” says Jim. “And second, we want to find

“There are many, many veterans who live in and around Lake Wylie. We want people to know about the heroes among us and how much they have sacrificed for our nation.”

– Chief Master Sergeant Rodney McKinley

Feature out who our local veterans are and ask if they need help, support, or just a sense of community. That is more important than anything.”

Share about Veterans

Currently, less than 1% of country serves in the military, explains Rod McKinley. Many in the general public know very little about what service members do or what they go through.

But that changes this November.

Rod’s hope for the tournament is to recognize vets who live locally and also raise awareness of their presence among us, thereby helping the Lake Wylie community acknowledge these hidden heroes and understand how they have served our country so selflessly.

“Veterans are proud to raise their right hand and serve,” says Rod. “Many do not see themselves as special, though they are.”

This year, they will get that recognition.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month … and on the golf course at River Hills. LW

“First of all, we want to recognize and appreciate the veterans in our community. And second, we want to find out who our local veterans are and ask if they need help, support, or just a sense of community.

That is more important than anything.”

– General James Amos

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Salute and Support Help our neighbors connect veterans to the River Hills Community Association or support the Veterans Appreciation Golf Tournament as sponsors, vendors, or donors. Profits will be donated to Veterans Bridge Home.

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First Annual River Hills Veterans Appreciation Golf Tournament Thursday, November 11, 2021 River Hills Country Club Jen Webber, public point of contact Telephone: (317) 840-7536 Email: jenwebber.rhcc@gmail.com

Dr. Steve O’Brien, vendor/sponsor/donor contact Telephone: (803) 610-8226 Email: drsteveobrienrhccboard@gmail.com Support local veterans with a tax-deductible gift or learn how you or a veteran you know can connect with other veterans.

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Development Update

This custom home in the Retreat at Sunset Ridge in Lake Wylie was listed in August for $889,900 — and under contract in just two days! It features a screened porch with fireplace, plus a deck and patio overlooking the wooded back yard as well as a gourmet kitchen and keeping room, second garage with workshop, and beautiful architectural details indoors.

Knocking on the door of the luxury market L

ake Wylie has always had a share of our area’s luxury market, but most of the high dollar home sales were on the water. In recent years, buyer pockets have gotten deeper on non-waterfront homes.

Thus far in 2021, over 20% of non-waterfront homes sold in the Lake Wylie/Clover ZIP code were priced over $500,000. In comparison, less than 7% of homes sold five years ago were in this “luxury” price category.

Homes not on the water in lake communities — with easy access to boat landings and water views in the neighborhood — carry price tags that used to be seen only for waterfront homes. Prices in The Coves on River Oaks, Heron Cove, Carolina Cove and The

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www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

By Drew Choate Landing average almost $600,000 for non-waterfront homes.

Off-the-water homes in River Hills and Paddler’s Cove average just over $500,000.

Prices per square foot for non-waterfront homes have jumped an astounding 50% in the past five years — partly due to supply and demand, and partly due to the shift towards homes with higher priced, luxury features.

Even through the summer, when listings are usually most plentiful, the real estate market has been in a frenzy, with homes selling quickly after listing, at or above asking price, with multiple offers in many cases.

Builders in new neighborhoods are facing a backlog of high demand, and many are ask-

ing for “highest and best” offers on their inventory.

Buyers are looking for features such as outdoor living spaces with fireplaces, pools, built-in barbecues and kitchens; home offices; gourmet kitchens with high end appliances. The pandemic increased time spent at home for most people, and the features now on the “must have” list for buyers reflect that consideration.

People are on the move, attracted by the beautiful natural resources in the Carolinas, as well as the lower cost of living in our suburban areas (compared to places in the Northeast and California.) The availability of larger lots, pleasant climate and laid-back lifestyle also draw new residents to our area.

Development Update

This home in Handsmill featuring multiple outdoor living areas, sold in June for $1.7 million. Inside features a gourmet kitchen with Thermador appliances, a luxurious bath with a dressing room, exercise and recreation rooms.

Lakefront real estate

Just since last year, waterfront home prices on Lake Wylie have increased 20-25%. About a third of lake homes sold to date this year were priced over $1 million — a record for Lake Wylie.

Year-to-date sales for waterfront homes are up 22% over the average in recent years, and show no signs of slowing down.

Tight inventory and high demand have been the story for lakefront property — similar to real estate all over our area. Even undeveloped waterfront lots, plentifully available a few years ago, are at record low inventory levels.

In this fast-paced real estate climate, expert advice is invaluable. An experienced Realtor can help both buyers and sellers receive the best value — recommending prices, sharing knowledge of the neighborhood and area, and ensuring a smooth closing. LW Drew Choate and The Lake Wylie Man team are affiliated with Keller Williams Fort Mill. The Lake Wylie Man team has been the leader in Lake Wylie waterfront sales each year for over a decade. For more information on the market and recent sales, visit TheLakeWylieMan.com.

Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

49

Spotlight News of the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Fall 2021

Members on the Move

By Susan Bromfield, President of Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

A

lot is happening in and around Lake Wylie. Neighborhoods sprouted up and continue to grow. Locally, our businesses are expanding, growing, launching and here are a few highlights and updates: Caromont Urgent Care facility opened at Lake Wylie located at 1201 Village Harbor Drive in the Village Harbor shopping plaza near Starbuck’s and Allen Tate Realty. The urgent care team will offer diagnosis, care and treatment for minor illness and injuries like colds, common infections, cuts and scrapes, and mild sports injuries. The 6,200 squarefoot, state-of-the-art office has eight exam rooms and on-site x-ray and laboratory testing for quick, convenient results. Great effort was taken to design a welcoming atmosphere, incorporating an abundance of natural light throughout the space. Photographs of scenes from around York County hang prominently in the practice, highlighting the natural beauty and rich history of the area. Hours are 8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Appointments can be made online, so no waiting needed.

Caromont has also purchased land in Shoppes at the Landing and plans to build a medical complex in 2022 that will include lots of new practices coming to Lake Wylie in about 18 months! Caromont already owns the land next to Arby’s and will be building a new facility for Primary Care and other practices!

This will bring lots of specialty providers to our area!

A new UPS Store located at Shoppes at the Landing by Moe’s and Lee’s Hoagie House is slated to open this fall just in time for the holidays.

Land has been purchased by Lake Wylie Business Centre in Shoppes at the Landing 50

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

next to the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce to be developed as an Assisted Living facility. This new addition will allow local families to have their parents and grandparents nearby and allow for aging seniors to be able to remain in Lake Wylie when they can no longer live independently. Construction is to begin in 2022.

At Lake Wylie Business Centre, located on Latitude Lane, plans are being developed to build the final building to complete the planned business complex. The business condominium complex and building are zoned for office and businesses and affords the opportunity for businesses to launch, expand and grow or establish a business at Lake Wylie in a successful, established, convenient location. Lake Wylie Business Centre is also home to Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce with its visitor center and small business center, Dragonfly Wellness, Carolina Family Dentistry at Lake Wylie, K.A. Gregory Wealth Management, Lake Wylie Family Chiropractic, Scholarship Gold, Ingun, Revel Salon and Color Studio and other businesses. It is an office condo complex making it affordable for small businesses to own their location rather than rent. For more info or contact info contact the chamber at 803-831-2827.

Craig Hudson Agency with American Republic Insurance Co. established an office at Lake Wylie located at Lake Wylie Business Centre. Craig and his family are longtime residents in the area.

Perfected Home Health Care, owned by LaTonya Raiford, opened an office in Lake Wylie at Lake Wylie Business Centre. PHHC offers home health care and non- medical support.

Lake Wylie Liquors, owned by the Mugavero family, has expanded offerings of specialty liquors and wines.

Whether it be limited edition of fine bourbons, whiskeys or scotches or specially bottled items Matthew Mugavero for Lake Wylie Li- at Lake Wylie Liquors quors. The limited added many specialty edition of wine with and unique items to Lake Wylie etched the inventory. into the bottle is sure to be a special treat or gift. With holiday coming up be sure to watch their Facebook page for updates.

Dragonfly Wellness Center, owned by “Doc Marcia” Nibert and Mike Cockram, located in Lake Wylie Business Centre next to the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce, opened in spring 2020 and has expanded services and offers chiropractic, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, digital imaging and other services that support locals to take control of their well-being. Individualized treatment programs are multidimensional and highly

Spotlight Lake Wylie Wellness Initiative

E

fforts continue to encourage our community to take simple steps to be healthy. Each Monday the chamber posts some tips on Facebook to remind all of us of simple things we can do to remain healthy and encourage others.

Lake Wylie Field Day Park is celebrating its first anniversary. personalized. Whether the need is for a sports injury, stress or general wellness Doc Marcia and her team are there to help.

Carolina Family Dentistry at Lake Wylie, also located in Lake Wylie Business Centre expanded its facility by adding nearly 1000 sq. ft. enabling Dr. Vargas to add more dental services and staff to better serve our growing community. Dr. Vargas and Carolina Family Dentistry at Lake Wylie will soon be celebrating their 15th Anniversary.

Lowe’s – Lake Wylie is also expanding the store by adding more square footage to be able to stock more building supplies locally and offer more merchandise for our fast-growing community. Lowe’s will be celebrating its 14year anniversary at Lake Wylie in 2022.

Vibes Around the Lake was launched

by Little Woods Marketing owned by Jane DuBois. Vibes Around the Lake is a digital only platform for local businesses to announce special offers and upcoming events.

Look for Vibes Around the Lake on Facebook and Instagram. And, if you would like to receive the weekly text that highlights 15 deals and/or events - Text the word “Buster” to 844.476.0100. This is an excellent way for businesses to be able to advertise news and specials locally and easily.

Land has been purchased for a hotel to be built at Lake Wylie. More info later.

Land has also been purchased by Walmart along 274 before the bridge to develop commercial lease space complex. More details will

Takeout Meals Luau theme for pickup at River Hills Country Club.

be available in 2022.

The new Tractor Supply, located on Highway 274 past Crowders Creek School, will soon be open. Tractor Supply sells a variety of interesting merchandise that includes far supplies and feed, bird feeders, assorted clothing, and seasonal fun items. Watch for signs with opening date.

Lake Wylie Field Day Park will celebrate its first anniversary in October 2021. The community park has been a welcome addition to the fast- growing community and has had a variety of activities throughout the year.

Pickle Ball has been a hit with neighbors of all ages. Outdoor movie nights were launched in summer and more activities are added with each season.

River Hills Country Club quickly adapted to a pandemic year to offer a variety of activities outside combining recreation and social.

Whether it was date night on the golf course with 9-holes of golf with drinks and food along the way or adapting the club to allow folks to gather safely and socially distance while having a good time or winning a top chef award, RHCC brought the cruise ship fun, excellent food, and activities to our backyard. (Story in LWT) Membership is open to all.

A lot has transpired during the last months and year. Support all our local businesses. Especially support our restaurants and how they adapt to accommodate the circumstances this year. Be kind, patient and enjoy a safe and healthy fall.

Thank you to all who contributed to the Lake Wylie Community Fireworks Fund!

I

t takes a village to pull off the annual fireworks show at Lake Wylie each year.

Next year’s Fireworks show will be on Monday, the 4th of July 2022!!!

We all enjoy the fireworks each year.

Since Lake Wylie Community Fireworks Display is funded solely through donations, your support of this wonderful event is really needed for the event to continue. In order to insure the 2022 Lake Wylie Fireworks show can be scheduled, Please send your contribution in any amount now to:

Camp Thunderbird Fireworks Fund One Thunderbird Lane Lake Wylie, SC 29710

Thanks very much for your support!

Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

51

Spotlight Nominations are now being accepted for 2021 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

2019 Matthew Mugavero

Ed Lindsey

2017 Gwen Thompson

Perry Johnston

2016 Tom Smith

Melanie Wilson

2015 Kitty Muccigrosso

Dick Mann

2014 Haven Presley

Norma Wood

2013 Leonard Jackson

Lisa McCarthy

2007 Ed Stewart

Susan Bromfield (Milestone Award)

2006 Diana Grubenhoff

Dr. Steve Miszkiewicz

2005 Mark DeChant

Stacy Waddell -Blackmon

2004 Andy Kane

Fred Wetherell

2003 Rod Hall Roberta Spampinato 2002 Leslie Hall

Don Long

2001 Paige McCarter

Charles Wood

2012 Q2U BBQ Business Chad Bordeaux

of the Year

2000 David Mathein

S.C. Rep. Becky Meacham

1999 Myron Boloyan

S.C. Rep. Herb Kirsh

2011 Doug McSpadden

Rep. Ralph Norman

1998 Tally Roberts

Ruth Sheets

2010 Fred Caldwell

Tom Smith

1997 Jong and Po Liu

Diane Roberts

2009

Elizabeth Hartley

1996 Jack Allen

Senator Harvey Peeler

1995 MaMa “C”

Nick and Joanne Jones

1994 Mark Erwin

Peggy Upchurch

1993 John Wilkerson

“Duck” Alexander

1992

Firechief Bill Johnston

Rob Watson and Fred Nason Watson Insurance Business of the Year

2008 Al Powell

Vince Mugavero

Nominee for Business Person:____________________________________________________________________ Nominee for Citizen:___________________________________________________________________________ Please tell us about your nominee and his/or her contributions to the community: __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Deadline for nominees: 5 p.m., Oct. 18, 2021 Email: lakewyliechamber@yahoo.com 52

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

Spotlight

Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC - REGISTRATION FORM

THURSDAY, September 30, 2021 | 1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start – Captain’s Choice | Held at River Hills Country Club Contact Name:_____________________________________________________________________________ Company:________________________________________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________________________________ City:______________________________________________________ State:___________ Zip:____________ Daytime Telephone: (

)___________________________________ Fax: ( )___________________

E-mail:___________________________________________________________________________________ Golf: Includes box lunch, driving range privileges, golf, cart, hospitality and great networking safely!

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 $_______

Golfer’s Name:__________________________ Handicap:_____ E-mail:__________________________________ Golfer’s Name:__________________________ Handicap:_____ E-mail:__________________________________ Golfer’s Name:__________________________ Handicap:_____ E-mail:__________________________________ Golfer’s Name:__________________________ Handicap:_____ E-mail:__________________________________

Optional… _____ Mulligan (s) – Limit 2 per player $10 each _____ Mulligan (s) – For the team $80

Total $_______ Total $_______

_____ Hole Sponsorship - $250 (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 P.O. Box 5233, Lake Wylie, SC 29710 Phone: 803-831-2827 | Email: lakewyliechamber@yahoo.com | Web: www.lakewyliesc.com Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Spotlight

Welcome New Members

Renewing Members investing in the chamber

May 1 through August 20, 2021

Businesses

Fitness Center Anytime Fitness Lake Wylie Erica Andres 125 Evergreen Road #109 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 803-831-1234 lakewyliesc@anytimefitness.com www.anytimefitness.com

Support for Homeless and Needy children Lake Wylie / Clover Mayday Project Wayne Lynch 4100 Charlotte Hwy. Lake Wylie, SC 29710 704-905-2554 wclynch1946@gmail.com www.maydayproject.org

Commercial Construction Batson-Cook Construction Rick Kiger 1900 South Blvd., Suite 300 Charlotte, NC 28203 704-790-4040 rkiger@batson-cook.com

Massage Therapy Deep Relief Mobile Massage Heather Stephenson 3220 Balkan Drive York, SC 29745 803-526-8148 deepreliefmobilemassage@gmail. com www.deepbook.com/biz/deepreliefmobilemassage

Monthly Marketing Magazine The Inside Coup Jill Shea 6 Sandy Cove Road Lake Wylie, SC 29710 704-905-1563 jshea@theinsidecoop.com www.theinsidecoop.com

Commercial Lease Space The Meld Greg Forrest Lake Wylie, SC 29710 803-610-1246 greg@the-meld.com

Financial Advisor Free Market Financial INC Peter Kitzerow 16416 Doves Canyon Lane Charlotte, NC 28278 336-685-8622 peter@freemarketfinancial.net www.freemarketfinancial.net

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www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

May 2021 through August 20, 2021 Azteca Grill BB&T BNA CPAS and Advisors Clover School District #2 Comfort Systems of York County LLC Duke Energy Fast Frog Bakery Inc Fort Mill Ford KA Gregory Wealth Management LLC Lake Wylie Assisted Living Lake Wylie Charters LLC Lake Wylie Liquors Lake Wylie Pet Resort LLC Lake Wylie Pharmacy Lake Wylie Pizza Lee’s Hoagie House May Green Properties LLC M.L. Ford & Sons INC Palisades Episcopal School Parkway Concrete Products Quick Trip Rey Azteca River Hills Marina Club Inc R.P. Boggs & co.

Sea Tow State Farm – Seth Neely Steele Creek Animal Hospital TLC Your Way Home Care Services Inc United Way of York County Villas at Marlin Bay Watson Insurance York County York County Natural Gas York Electric Cooperative

Individual Members Kevin Brackett Mark Erwin Dianne Kehler Jim Lane Jeff Ledford Tally Roberts Nancy Snyder

Spotlight Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce 2021 Board of Directors Jeff Ledford - Chairman

Business Suite Now Available For Rent

Charles Wood - Past Chairman Susan Bromfield - President Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce Matthew Mugavero - Vice Chairman Lake Wylie Liquors Donna Bordeaux - Secretary Calculated Moves, PA Michaelyn Sherrill - Treasurer Home Companions Fred Caldwell, Fred Caldwell Chevrolet Jane DuBois, Lake Wylie Marketing Kim Conway, YMCA Camp Thunderbird Allan Gregory, K. A. Gregory Wealth Management Ed Lindsey, Rotary Club of Lake Wylie

Everything A Small Business Needs At Reasonable Rates!

Angel Neelands, United Bank Stephen Nishimuta, Carolina Family Dentistry Sheila Quinn, Clover School District Ed Stewart

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

2021 Chamber Champion Gold Member

Fully and Beautifully Furnished Rental Office New Professional Business Center Includes High Speed Internet and WiFi Includes All Utilities Except Telephone Includes Reception Area & Mail Service Large Office Ample Parking Prime Lake Wylie Business Location Convenient Location Easy Access Save Fuel and Work Close to Home Includes Hospitality Area

Located at Lake Wylie Business Center 264 Latitude Lane Lake Wylie, SC

For information or tour, call Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce (803) 831-2827.

Fall 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Spotlight Photo/Dana Sipper Photography

Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Upcoming Activities

33rd Annual “Lights on the Lake”

T Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Classic Thursday, September 30, 2021 1 p.m. Shotgun Start, Captain’s Choice Golf, prizes, hospitality and fun for all!

Held at River Hills Country Club Lake Wylie, SC

Fall Business After Hours Al Fresco Thursday, October 21, 2021 5:00- 7:00 p.m. sponsored by Comfort Systems and River Hills Marina Club held at River Hills Marina – Picnic Pavilion and Deck 54 Marina Road – River Hills at Lake Wylie, SC

Annual Holiday Gala Thursday, December 2, 2021 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Cocktails, Dinner and Music Seating Limited, Festive Attire Held at River Hills Country Club Lake Wylie, SC

Holiday Boat Parade Saturday, December 11, 2021 6:30 p.m. Boat Parade Held by Papa Doc’s Shore Club

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www.LakeWylieToday.com | Fall 2021

Holiday Boat Parade Set for Dec.11

he lake will light up with one of Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce’s most popular events, the 33rd annual “Lights on the Lake” Holiday Boat Parade, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 11. Each year the event grows in number of participants and popularity, and this year many more boats are expected to join in. Homeowners are encouraged to participate too by decorating their docks as a way of adding to the festivities.

Boats will meet at Papa Doc’s Shore Club, S.C. Highway 49 by Buster Boyd Bridge, at 6 p.m. for line up. A meeting of the boat captains will be held on the shore next to Papa Doc’s at the same time. The parade begins at 6:30 p.m. and the parade route spans both sides of the Buster Boyd Bridge. Best viewing

is from the deck at Papa Doc’s and the Buster Boyd Public Boating Landing and access area.

Awards will be presented to the participant with the most creative lighting display. There will be first, second and third place winners.

Early registration is $25 and must be received by Thursday, Dec. 9. Late and sameday registration is $30. Mark your calendars and plan for a fun night on the lake.

Please mail your check and registration form to BOAT PARADE, Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 5233, Lake Wylie, SC 29710. For additional information and a registration form, contact the Chamber at 803831-2827, e-mail lakewyliechamber@yahoo. com or visit www.lakewyliesc.com.

Save the Date!

Lake Wylie Chamber Annual Holiday Gala

Thursday, December 2, 2021 Held at River Hills Country Club

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