2021 Lake Wylie Today - Summer

LakeWylie TODAY Summer 2021 | Issue 2

Where the bison roam Tatanka Bison Ranch bringing back majestic animals to the Carolinas

Glamping on Lake Wylie Tiny house vacations at Long Cove making big splash

Chamber Spotlight Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce news and information

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Our View

Summertime...

AND THE LIVING IS EASY

By Susan Bromfield, President, Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

A

fter more than a year of a pandemic and all the limitations it imposed, I think we are all ready to get out and safely enjoy this summer with fresh air, sunshine, and a feeling of summertime getaway. We have lots of fun and interesting options right around here. For example, in this issue of Lake Wylie Today, you will learn about the Bison Farm that was on the Ag and Art Tour in June.

This summer, a great day trip might be taking a country drive to explore the many farm fresh stands in the area. Lake Wylie and the surrounding area affords wonderful opportunities to enjoy the lake lifestyle and recreational activities, including what is now known as Agri-Tourism. This new title covers all kinds of rural visitor experiences. It can be a drive through the country to South Forty Farm to see the miniature horses and “designer chickens” while enjoying the authentic experience of buying farm fresh produce. The Peach Tree, a farm stand and ice cream shop reminiscent of days gone by, is a sweet, simple, quaint building filled with fresh summer produce and ice cream. It is definitely a treat for all ages to enjoy that beautiful drive through the country to reach a local farm stand and the feeling of days gone by.

Down the road is Windy Hill Apple Orchard. While it is too early for apple season, 2

Windy Hill will have a variety of farm fresh produce and a rural experience for children of all ages. Hard cider tasting makes for a nice summer evening or fall treat for adults.

Bush’n Vine farm stand will have berries and summer produce — and will even allow you to pick some produce as well as bouquets of summer flowers. It makes a lovely outing on a lazy summer day.

Another day trip or staycation idea might be a day or weekend spent at the newly updated Ebenezer Park on Lake Wylie or a day or weekend spent at Long Cove Marina with its tiny houses and lakeside amenities galore.

This issue features a story about the tiny house vacations on Lake Wylie and the amenities at Long Cove Resort and Marina. If you want to enjoy a day of boating on the lake and don’t have a boat, you can rent a boat, kayak or canoe. (List on page 20). And, of course, Lake Wylie is a great spot to fish all year long.

Lake Wylie is a summer playground for boating, waterskiing, kayaking, canoeing and fishing. River Hills Country Club is a wonderful venue for a day of fresh air and sunshine on the golf course or with a summer swim membership so the whole family can enjoy the pool and complementing amenities. Of course, it is summertime, so the magazine is dotted with ideas and updates about things going on this

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

summer. The highlight of summer will be the Fourth of July weekend. The Lake Wylie Community Fireworks will be held on July 4th at dark. This show is funded by donations so please send your checks to Camp Thunderbird Fireworks Fund, One Thunderbird Lane, Lake Wylie, SC 29710.

Tega Cay celebrates its birthday with a variety of activities on the Fourth of July, including the annual July 4th boat parade, pancake breakfast, golf outing and fireworks. Carowinds reopened for summer with new safety protocols and many new features at the park.

In August, Summerfest, an award-winning festival, will be held in York. A short drive away, there are parks like Kings Mountain for a camping experience and lots of trails for hiking, horseback riding and exploring. The summer experiences are vast and include rural, water sports and camping opportunities, all in the same area.

The Food for Thought feature will highlight Dining Al Fresco and some options where folks can dine outside. An updated dining guide will give readers a convenient list with phone numbers to be able to easily order take out or make reservations.

We invite you to sit down with a cup of coffee or glass of wine and enjoy this summer’s issue of Lake Wylie Today. LW

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Contents Summer 2021

2 Our View Summertime ... and the living is easy 8 Mailbag 16 Shoreline

Getaway “Glamping” just down the road

22 Food for Thought

Crape myrtles a favorite around the lake

32 Faces

The uplifting artwork of Eileen Davis

38 Feature

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

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

Silver in the City event celebrates iconic Airstream camper trailers

42 Feature

TODAY

Dining al fresco in Lake Wylie

28 Garden Party

LakeWylie

Return of the Bison: Tatanka Bison Ranch thunders with activity

48 Development Update

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.

50 Spotlight

The magazine of the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Cover photo by Jan Todd Table of Contents photo by Kathy Widenhouse 4

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1802 Dayton St., Suite 101 North Charleston, S.C. 29405 843.849.3100 • Fax: 843.849.3122 www.scbiznews.com

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

Park visitors enjoying a thrilling ride on the Fury.

(Photo/Carowinds)

C

Carowinds open for summer fun

arowinds, one of the area’s favorite destination for summer fun, is open and ready for visitors.

Located on I-77 at the NC/SC border, Carowinds is a premier entertainment destination of the Carolinas. Carowinds touts world-class thrill rides, live entertainment, mauy dining options, immersive events and more and offers a full day of fun and excitement for everyone. Kids love the antics of 6

Snoopy and the PEANUTS™ gang at Camp Snoopy. Folks enjoy strolling through the new Blue Ridge Junction area. Thrill-seekers get their fix on an astounding collection of worldclass rides, including Copperhead Strike, the Carolinas’ first double launch coaster. Carolina Harbor has added an exciting new attraction, Boogie Board Racer, the longest mat racing water slide in the Southeast Grand Carnivale, a cultural celebration in-

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

cluding a parade, special tasting menu, lavish décor and entertainment, and fireworks, debuts July 27 and runs through Aug. 1.

Carowinds is committed to ensuring the safety of both visitors and employees. To that end, reservations are required for admission to the park, and other safety guidelines are in place as well. For more information visit carowinds.com/welcoming-you-back.

Mailbag

Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens now open

L

ooking for a quiet place to get away and reflect, take an interesting class, or perhaps even nudge your creative muse?

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden located at 6500 South New Hope Road, Belmont, has re-opened to the public after being closed due to the pandemic. In addition to the beautiful gardens and grounds, DSBG will offer a wide variety of events and activities throughout the summer.

The park is open during the day, from May 26 – Sept. 6, Wednesday through Monday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. From September 8 - April 3, 2022, the park is open, Wednesday through Monday, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The garden reopens on Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 9 p.m. The Garden is conducting “Jazz at the Garden” the first Thursday of each month April through October. A special admission fee is required on these nights.

Food trucks will be on site during evening hours at the Garden and guests are permitted to bring food or picnic items. The Garden Store will be open during evening hours at the Garden.

Please note the Orchid Conservatory remains closed at this time.

Admission is $14.95 for adults, $12.95 for seniors 60 and older, $7.95 for children 2-12, and free for children under 2. Contact the garden to find out about special admission rates for groups of 15 or more.

For more information about everything from upcoming shows and exhibits to COVID-19 protocols, please visit dsbg.org, email info@dsbg.org, or call 704-825-4490.

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Mailbag

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Mailbag

Lake Wylie Rotarian Mary Sieck, Rotary District Governor Beth Padgett, Lake Wylie Rotary President Anne Violanti, and District Foundation Chairperson Lorraine Angelino.

Rotarians sporting their Paul Harris 100% Ribbons.

LW Rotary recognized for contributions

C

ongratulations to the Rotary Club of Lake Wylie for achieving the status of becoming a 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club.

The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International (TRF).

Lake Wylie Rotary celebrated this milestone on May 11, 2021. District Governor Beth Padgett was on hand to present this prestigious award. “I am so proud of Lake Wylie and what they have accomplished this year,” Padgett said. “This is an extremely active Rotary Club and it is always looking for ways to help others and make a dif-

ference in their community and the world. Club President Anne Violanti is providing outstanding leadership during this year that has been disrupted by a global pandemic. Anne, her leadership team and the entire club are an inspiration to me.”

Violanti stated, “The Lake Wylie Rotary Club extended herculean effort to reach the status of a Paul Harris 100%. Paul Moran, Chad Bordeaux, Mary Sieck and myself have been invested in this goal for over a year. There have been many challenges during COVID-19 and reaching this goal was one of those challenges. However, we did it!”

Lake Wylie Rotary President Anne Violanti welco mes two new Rotarians in M ay, John Krenitsky and Ritch ie Russell.

WORLD-CLASS TECHNOLOGY, FROM RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. At Comporium, we take great pride in supplying our neighbors in York County with the technology they need to make life easier and more enjoyable. Whether it’s 1-Gig Internet, Stream TV or ReadyHome security, you don’t have to look far to find the cuttingedge technologies you want in your new Lake Wylie home.

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11/12/20 3:48 PM

Mailbag

Mailbag

The 2020-2021 Clover High School girl’s basketball team brought home their first AAAAA state championship this year.

Highlights from the Clover School District

Kinard Elementary’s Ella Cooley, right, earned top 10 national ranking in the WordMasters Challenge competition.

These Pre-K students participated in a trike-a-thon to raise funds for St. Jude’s Hospital, Memphis, Tenn.

CSD 2020-21 Teachers of the Year, from left: Kate Burnett, Allison Gainey, Anna Glenn, Jill Piers, Michael Fitzgerald, Andrew Cather, Carroll Hester, Sharon Neal, Madison Grant, Joy Dillon, Stacey Rothaupt, Betsy Eaton, Ashlyn Condon.

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Mailbag

K of C charity golf tourney set for Aug. 23

T

he All Saints Knights of Columbus will host its annual KoC Charity Golf Outing at the River Hills Country Club on Aug. 23 with a shotgun start at 11 a.m.

Proceeds from the outing goes rto support local community and church charities, including the York County Special Olympics, Clover Area Assistance Center, Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, God’s Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity, youth scholarships, and elderly support with wheelchair ramps and transportation.

Entry fee is $125 per golfer, (age 17 and older), and includes green fees, cart, lunch, dinner, and awards.

There are also opportunities for individuals or businesses to sponsor a hole at three different levels, Platinum ($300-plus), Gold ($200) or Silver ($100). There will also be a silent auction with crafts and items donated by local businesses and artisans.

Plan to attend and invite family, friends, and neighbors for a fun filled day that will benefit most needy families of our community during the upcoming year. For more info go to https://tinyurl.com/kofccharitygolf.

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Mailbag

Summer Celebration!

Lake Wylie Community Fireworks What: Fantastic Fireworks Display When: Sunday, July 4, 2021 Time: Dusk – approximately 9:30 p.m.

Where: Lake Wylie by the Buster Boyd Bridge

S.C. Hwy. 49 at Lake Wylie Best Viewing: The Buster Boyd Bridge Boat Landing

Papa Doc’s Shore Club on outside deck

Rey Azteca deck at Lake Wylie Plaza

Lake Wylie Italian and Pizza on patio at Lake Wylie Plaza

Bagel Boat

Long Cove Resort

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 in order for the event to continue. 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!

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Mailbag

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Shoreline

GETAWAY GLAMPING JUST DOWN THE ROAD Long Cove Blends Nature and Luxury in Its Unique Tiny Home Resort

By Kathy Widenhouse Between COVID cabin fever and travel restrictions, you may just want to try a staycation this year.

How about a waterfront getaway? Better yet, one that’s minutes from your front door in the only waterfront accommodations on the shores of Lake Wylie.

You can find that retreat at Long Cove Resort, a tiny house and glamping destination that has a private beach, kayak rentals, pool, snack bar, and 120-boat marina … all on plenty of wooded acres tucked away on prime lakefront property just across the Buster Boyd Bridge.

Left: Long Cove seen from Lake Wylie Below: Tiny houses seen through the trees. (Photos/Kathy Widenhouse)

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Shoreline

Long Cove’s front lawn. (Photos/Kathy Widenhouse)

Glamping in Style

Most locals don’t even know Long Cove exists. To get there, you’ll need to follow a narrow, half-mile road that feels more like a secluded state park woods than an entrance.

You might even need to pull over to one side of the road to let a departing vehicle pass.

That’s the idea of a staycation. You can feel far, far away, yet not have to travel very far at all. And, you can enjoy all the comforts of home while doing so.

It’s also one of the principles driving the trend in “glamping,” short for “glamorous camping.” Long Cove embodies this vacation alternative that has skyrocketed in popularity over the last decade, particularly during the era of social distancing. The glamping option allows you to break away from the daily grind, immerse in the outdoors, and yet enjoy niceties not associated with traditional camping.

Glamping alternatives span a wide spectrum. In remote areas, a basic camping cabin with four walls, a mattress on the floor, and an outdoor campfire ring qualify as several steps above roughing it. Midrange glamping includes circular yurts and safari tents with electricity and basic running water.

On the other side of the spectrum is deluxe glamping, offered in Long Cove’s tiny houses.

From RVs to Tiny Homes

Long Cove opened its 14.5 acres as a family campground and marina in 1971. By 2016 it had become a rundown RV park and was hemorrhaging cash.

That’s when the property was brought to the attention of Jean-Marc Landau and his group of real estate investors. The partners have had considerable success with managing

Inside one of the tiny houses.

apartment complexes and multi-family properties across the country but had never invested in the hospitality industry.

Yet one visit to Long Cove changed all of that.

“Long Cove is on this gorgeous piece of lakefront property with three-quarters of a mile of shoreline,” says Jean-Luc. “But it’s just 20 minutes from downtown Charlotte — a huge growth market.” The group began constructing Long Cove’s tiny houses about three years ago.

Tiny houses, structures that are typically less than 400 square feet, are becoming more and more prevalent both as residences and vacation homes. They are designed to use space efficiently with the expectation that visitors will spend much of the time outside rather than in. And they offer creature comforts, too.

Long Cove’s tiny houses are outfitted resourcefully yet purposefully, with plenty of amenities. The resort’s forty itty-bitty homes range from efficiencies to one- or two-bedroom units, some with additional lofts to accommodate families. And they’re decked out with cool, crisp bedsheets, well-stocked kitchenettes, full bathrooms, and AC as well as televisions and Wi-Fi. Yet unlike a typical hotel room, Long Cover tiny houses come with birdsong at sunrise, wind whistling through the pines, a resident family of ducks, and a deck where you can grill a steak while overlooking the water.

There’s even a dedicated, romantic cabin that’s set aside for honeymooners.

Plus, there’s all the other stuff to enjoy as a vacationer at Long Cove: the resort’s private beach. A semi-Olympic pool, kayaks, and marina. There are woods to explore and a Fairy

Garden to discover. Or you can simply find one of the dozens of comfy Adirondack chairs that dot the property, curl up with a good book, and watch the sunlight on the lake.

And if you don’t want to cook? Pick up crepes, sandwiches, and other vittles at the waterside new Snack Shack.

A Retreat to Be Proud Of

In early 2020, Jean-Luc sought out consultant Gina Leblanc to create a plan to overhaul the facility further and incorporate an expanded vision. “This will be a place where guests can come to stay, play, rest, and retreat,” says Gina. “We see Long Cove becoming a destination that Charlotte can be really proud of.”

Gina’s first order of business was to update the resort’s water system so that the tiny house lodgings were on par with other local deluxe accommodations. Then, she managed the renovation of Long Cove’s larger cabins and arranged to rebuild the docks that had been underwater. Today, most of the marina’s available 118 boat slips are rented. The resort has two slips in reserve for houseboats for rent to vacationers.

“Now, we’re at the point where I get to do the fun stuff,” says Gina. That includes converting the resort’s pool to saltwater, adding a 15-foot heated jacuzzi, and creating a labyrinth on one hillside overlooking the lake.

Soon to come are a waterside bar, eatery, and bathhouse capped by a 3,400 square foot outlook deck.

A longer-term project, says Gina, is a two-story healing center which will include self-care and nutrition coaching for visitors while they de-stress.

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Shoreline

Visit Long Cove Schedule your local getaway or find out about membership at Long Cove Resort.

Long Cove Resort and Marina

14629 Rainbarrel Road Charlotte, NC 28278 704-588-1467 www.longcoveresort.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/longcoveresorts

Gather Safely and Enjoy the Lake As you schedule picnics, family reunions, work parties, or other get-togethers for this summer, consider these local options that allow for safe outdoor gatherings.

Long Cove Resort and Marina 14629 Rainbarrel Road, Charlotte, NC Telephone: (704) 588-1467 www.longcoveresort.com

River Hills Marina Club

Above: Long Cove’s Fairy Garden Right: Directions on Long Cove’s lawn.

(Photos/Kathy Widenhouse)

Benefits for Members

The resort continues to make improvements even while hosting overnight guests.

Reservations are taken online or through the resort’s office, allowing you to stay at Long Cove and soak up expansive Lake Wylie views. If you’re considering this option for your summer getaway, don’t wait long. The resort was completely full during June, July, and August 2020.

Yet renters are not the only ones who can take advantage of Long Cove’s lengthy list of luxuries and services. Slip renters become resort members automatically when they lease space for their boats. And annual memberships are available to anyone who would like to enjoy the resort year-round. Memberships are offered at a special introductory rate during this season while the management team is introducing the haven to local residents.

54 Marina Road, Lake Wylie, SC Telephone: (803) 831-1802 www.riverhillsmarina.com/home.asp

Red Fez Shrine Club

16600 Red Fez Club Road, Charlotte, NC Telephone: (980) 875-1257 www.redfezshrineclub.com/

Camp Thunderbird

1 Thunderbird Ln, Lake Wylie, SC Telephone: (704) 716-4100 www.ymcacharlotte.org/camps/camp-thunderbird

Ebenezer Park

4490 Boatshore Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29732 Telephone: (803) 366-6620 www.yorkcountygov.com/212/Ebenezer-Park

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Jean-Luc and Gina at Long Cove’s snack shack.

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

Members have full access to all Long Cove amenities and events as part of their annual membership, including reduced rates on tiny house and kayak rentals. Plus, Long Cove facilities are available to members as meeting space for family reunions, social gatherings, and other group gatherings.

Meanwhile, the resort has a full slate of activities planned for 2021 for members and vacationers, from movies on the beach to live music, fashion shows, an Octoberfest festival and a special Christmas Village, a unique setting of cottages with lights modeled after Santa’s village at the North Pole.

“I don’t like camping, but I love Long Cove because it’s nothing like camping,” says Gina.

“We are offering visitors a unique, first-class experience. Our goal is to make Long Cove a shining star that both local Charlotte residents and visitors can enjoy all year long.” LW

Shoreline

LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY INDEPENDENT LIVING ASSISTED LIVING LONG TERM CARE HOMEBRIDGE

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Shoreline

WHERE TO RENT A BOAT

FISHING LICENSES

April - Labor Day

Holley Watersports Located by Papa Doc’s

Pier 88

River Hills Marina Gas Dock 803-831-0088 www.pier88yachtclub.com 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

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

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

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

Grab N Go 13920 S Tryon St Charlotte, NC 28278 704-587-0045

Tega Cay Marina

803-548-3715 www.tegacaymarina.com

CareFree Boat Club

704-557-0848 www.carefreeboats.com

Lake Wylie Boat Rental

704-516-2674 www.lakewylieboatrental.com

HOW TO CHECK LAKE LEVELS www.duke-energy.com

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Shoreline

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21

Food for Thought

AL FRESCO ON THE LAKE Dining out post-pandemic takes on a whole new meaning

By Kathy Widenhouse

H

ungry? Want to get together with friends for a meal? Pre-pandemic, the solution was simple: dine out. Just pop by one of your favorite Lake Wylie haunts and nab a table.

Things changed over the last year. The term “dining out,” or eating a meal away from home, became popular in the post-Depression 1930s. Yet going out to eat has taken on a whole new meaning in the wake of the pandemic, even as local restaurant capacities begin to return to normal. Now, “dining outside” – literally, outdoor dining – is more the norm.

And outdoor dining has become a lifeline for both restaurants and patrons alike. Locally, we’ve been luckier than plenty of other communities across the country. And we have Lake Wylie’s restaurants to thank for that.

The Al Fresco Experience

Diners have been gathering to eat outdoors for centuries. Way back in the Middle Ages, hunters feasted on pastries and meats before setting off on a hunt. Across the channel, eighteenth century Germans gathered in Munich’s outdoor areas for beer and food, launching the beer garden tradition. And it was Britain’s Queen Victoria who hosted the first outdoor garden parties in the 1860s which made cucumber sandwiches and scones so famous.

As Europe’s villages became towns and cities, the sidewalk café culture grew, too. Openair dining became its centerpiece. That Euro-

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Leslie serving up drinks at Papa D oc’s.

(Photo/Papa Doc ’s Shore Club)

pean connection is why we credit the Italians for the “al fresco” term, which translates as “in the cool [air].” Yet ask an Italian about dining “al fresco” and they’ll believe you mean “spending time in the cooler” — or in jail.

Terminology aside, by the mid-twentieth century, America had adopted outdoor dining across its city pavements and rooftops.

Thanks to its casual style and festive, party-like atmosphere, al fresco dining was immensely popular before the pandemic. And it has only grown more widespread since then, especially in our lake community.

Pivot and provide more outdoor options

Lake Wylie’s mild temperatures and lakefront atmosphere have made al fresco dining a natural choice all along, particularly when the weather is beautiful. Yet over the past year outdoor dining became more than simply fun for patrons, but essential for the local hospitality industry.

About 17% restaurants across the U.S. closed permanently during 2020. That’s nearly 110,000 locations and 2.5 million jobs that were erased, according to the National Restaurant Association.

And while 30 Charlotte-area restaurants shut their doors during 2020, another 70 opened theirs for the first time. Among them was Chef ’s Kitchen in Lake Wylie. Anthony Smith and partner Taylor Bishop welcomed

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

Lily’s Bistro shows off an outdoor meal.

(Photo/Lily’s Bistro)

Food for Thought

Papa Doc’s deck dining.

Papa Doc’s in and out.

(Photos/Papa Doc’s Shore Club) patrons to the new, upscale restaurant last fall and quickly gained a following. “We have customers coming from as far as Concord just to eat at Chef ’s Kitchen,” Smith said. The move from its original South End catering location means Chef ’s Kitchen can offer locals an American-Southern-Italian fusion menu for dine in, catering, carryout, and patio dining.

That outdoor patio is one reason contributing to the new restaurant’s success.

In a typical scenario, restaurants that want increase volume offer additional seating outside to create a kind of extra dining room.

Outdoor dining increases the number of customers served every night and improves a restaurant’s bottom line. Wait staff continue to earn tips that may be lower or non-existent with carryout.

The past year, however, was anything but typical and accelerated the need for more outdoor dining options. It became clear that serving up meals outdoors was a way to safely host guests while following public health protocols. Restaurants across the country created makeshift al fresco options in parking lots, quickly constructed decks, and even covered porches with portable heaters.

Lake Wylie eateries followed suit and stepped up their game. Local restaurants that did not have an outdoor dining prior to March 2020 quickly moved to add one or upgrade what they already had.

Today as you cruise along Charlotte High-

Papa Doc’s reopens its outdoor deck.

Brittany serving guests on deck at Papa Doc’s.

way, you’ll see even more umbrellas and patios dotting restaurant exteriors than ever before.

Lily’s Bistro, Sweetwater Sports Bar & Grill, Christopher’s, and Rey Azteca have expanded outdoor seating options. In fact, a local restaurant without outside dining is the exception.

A good example is Lake Wylie Pizza & Italian Kitchen, which immediately pivoted in spring 2020 to solve dining problems presented by the virus. The restaurant expanded its patio to provide safe social distancing, tables that are arranged at least eight feet apart, and additional new outdoor lighting. Flexibility reigned as conditions changed. When the virus resurged

two months later in July, the pizzeria closed its restaurant and patio service and provided curbside and delivery only until infection numbers declined. “We are trying to do our part to keep our staff and community as safe as possible,” owner Yem Huseyin explained. Today, Lake Wylie Pizza and Italian Restaurant is open for dine in, patio dining, and carryout.

Those outdoor eating upgrades will only continue to help our local restaurants. “Eating outside has been a hit,” says financial management columnist Gene Marks. “It will provide a new channel of income for restaurateurs once the pandemic is behind us.”

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Food for Thought

Copper Premium Pub outdoor dining. (Photos/Copper Premium Pub) Copper Premium Pub outdoor dining looking in.

Under Cover, Under Umbrella, On the Water

And extra outdoor eating options continue to benefit patrons, too, during re-opening and long afterward. The return to normal indoor capacity levels means more outdoor seating for those who are more cautious by nature. By dining al fresco, you can see people but still maintain social distancing. Put your mind further at ease by following the CDC’s best outdoor eating safety tips: use hand sanitizer, check to ensure your table is at least six feet others, and wash your hands before and after the meal.

What about when clouds threaten raindrops and breezes blow a bit too much on your outdoor table?

You can still dine outside in eating spaces that are covered overhead. The Copper Premium Pub has upgraded its outdoor space to include both an extended patio and picnic tables with umbrellas, with ample room in between.

Sit there and you can still enjoy the pub’s 30

taps relaxed atmosphere. There’s even a grassy area behind the dining patio. Kids can romp while you finish your meal before launching into a family corn hole game.

Likewise, Papa Doc’s Shore Club has an overhang that protects customers who want to enjoy the views, even when drizzle is part of the package. Outdoors as well as in, the staff follows South Carolina food safety regulations including using disposable menus, cups, and silverware. All employees with direct food contact wear masks and gloves.

What if you’d still like to dine outdoors but would like to avoid as much human contact as possible?

In Lake Wylie, you can do so — in your boat.

Tie up to Papa Doc’s dock and order your meal. Enjoy the water, the breezes, and the feeling of “dining out” al fresco. And you’ll Outdoor drinks at Sweetwater Sports Bar & support our local restaurants at the same Grill. (Photo/)Sweetwater Sports Bar & Grill) time, too. LW

Dine outdoors in Lake Wylie Chef’s Kitchen 5301 Highway 557, Lake Wylie

Lake Wylie Pizza and Italian Restaurant

Rey Azteca

Telephone: (803) 701-7215

4074 Charlotte Highway, Lake Wylie Telephone: (803) 831-0855

Christopher’s Grill & Bar

Lily’s Bistro

Sweetwater Sports Bar & Grill

Copper Premium Pub

Papa Doc’s Shore Club

1500 Village Harbor Drive, Lake Wylie Telephone: (803) 831-2461

4516 Charlotte Highway, Lake Wylie Telephone: (803) 701-7021 24

4547 Charlotte Highway, Lake Wylie Telephone: (803) 701-7788

3990 Charlotte Highway, Lake Wylie Telephone: (803) 831-0043

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

4052 Charlotte Highway, Lake Wylie Telephone: (803) 831-9277

4582 Charlotte Highway, Lake Wylie Telephone: (803) 831-1788

Lake Wylie

Food for Thought

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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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

Lilac of the South

Naturalized crape myrtles are a favorite in Lake Wylie gardens

By Kathy Widenhouse

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Garden Party

A single crape myrtle as a centerpiece.

(Photo/Kathy Widenhouse)

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Garden Party

A

s lawns brown and flowers fade during the dog days of summer, one cultivar takes center stage in the Carolinas: crape myrtles.

These heat-loving beauties begin blooming in June and continue their colorful display well into September, earning their “100-day bloomer” nickname because of their longevity. Blossoms of red, pink, lavender and white dot yards as a single centerpiece or in groups massed along driveways, sidewalks, and highways, standing out when other ornamentals have petered out.

But it’s their cone-shaped profusions of blooms – plus the fact that they begin blooming after lilacs are spent – that have earned these gorgeous favorites the title, “The Lilac of the South.”

Like most beloved icons, crape myrtles raise some questions … and yes, even some debate.

Native or Cultivar?

It comes as a surprise to southerners and relocated residents alike that the crape myrtle is not native to our area.

The shrub made its North American entrance in nearby Charleston, SC, during the 1780s. French botanist Andre Michaux introduced Lagerstromia indicas to the New World from its native Asia after a disastrous stopover in England.

Crape myrtles adore heat and humidity – and tolerate drought. The British Isles could not comply with those requirements. But the American south most certainly can.

It didn’t take long for the shrubs to work their way into the hearts of a young nation.

In 1799, crape myrtles arrived at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Virginia home.

Thomas Jefferson also planted them at Monticello.

And now, more than three centuries after adapting to their adopted country, crape myrtles are included on University of Georgia’s list of plants that are beneficial to local pollinators. The recognition is partly due to bloom timing. A crape myrtle’s blossoms open up and stay that way in midsummer, just as other flowers are ready for dead heading, offering an open invitation to insects to land and spread dusty yellow particles across the landscape.

Tree or shrub?

Among the most frequently asked questions for crape myrtles are their classification.

Gardeners readily accept that the plant is deciduous. Yet is it a tree or a shrub?

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Crape myrtles along Lake Wylie.

(Photos/Kathy Widenhouse) At issue is size. To be technical, the crape myrtle boasts four habits. They may be trees (ranging from 15-35 feet tall), shrubs (6-15 feet), dwarfs (less than 6 feet), or trailing (used atop retaining walls and in hanging baskets).

Yet even dwarf crape myrtles can grow to be five feet tall, including the six crape myrtles in the Razzle Dazzle series developed for easy care by renowned horticulturalist Michael Dirr. And although regular crape myrtles don’t reach typical heights in colder climates, that’s not the case for Lake Wylie. Our year-round growing season allows the plants to grow quickly. Semi-dwarf hybrids can top out at ten feet and larger varieties can climb to forty feet high in our area.

Even so, most people call it a shrub while enduring the subsequent hullaballoo from gardening purists. And they prune accordingly.

Prune or Go Wild?

But pruning the Lilac of the South can be downright controversial.

Even the most experienced gardener is guilty of cutting back crape myrtles needlessly, mistakenly believing that the shrub will produce more blooms when aggressively clipped. The result are small stubs where once the regal shrub reigned, leading Southern

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

Living to coin the phrase “crape murder” in 1997.

Yet heavy-handedness with the pruning shears ruins the crape myrtle’s natural, graceful habit. Instead of slashing, the best pruning avenue for crape myrtles is a selective trim in late winter, primarily to dismiss random shoots and dead branches.

If your crape myrtle gets unwieldy, then there’s a good chance you’ve chosen a variety that’s too large for its spot. Commercial gardener and blogger Linda Gay recommends planting crape myrtles in the middle of your yard, rather than close to the house, to give them space. The resulting crape myrtle canopy will also provide shade from the summer heat. Clemson Extension Senior Agent James Hodges explains another way around the dilemma: measure the area that will become your crape myrtle’s new home. Research the potential varieties that will work well in that space, make note of each one’s potential size at maturity (dwarf, semi-dwarf, medium-sized shrub, or tree), and choose accordingly.

Summer or Winter?

For all their beauty in summer, crape myrtles can scare gardeners come winter, especially if owners are not familiar with their peeling bark. Layers fall off revealing

Garden Party

Choose a Crape Myrtle for Your Garden The Clemson Cooperative Extension recommends these crape myrtle varieties for our area that are appropriate for our USDA 7B hardiness zone, resistant to powdery mildew, and bred to withstand heat and humidity.

‘Acoma’: 10 feet; white Crape myrtle blossoms up close.

Crape myrtles in Lake Wylie neighborhood.

‘Catawba’: 12 feet; dark purple.

‘Cherokee’: 10 feet; brilliant red

inner creamy, gray, or pink layers that contrast sharply with the outer cinnamon or deep browns. Yet once you’ve adjusted to the range of colors on trunks, you’ll embrace the crape myrtle’s beauty throughout all four seasons.

Peeling bark is the plant’s way of ridding itself of moss, lichen, and even insects. That said, crape myrtles pose few problems for gardeners. The primary struggle is powdery mildew, a fungus that thrives in humidity.

You can alleviate powdery mildew by allowing plenty of circulation between your crape myrtle shrubs in the garden.

And be on the lookout for the newest threat to crape myrtles: bark scale. The Asian pest was first noticed on stateside shrubs in Texas about fifteen years ago. It spread north and was discovered in South Carolina in 2019.

If your shrubs are affected, you’ll see white or gray crusty infestations on stems and trunks – not on foliage – and lots of liquid honeydew.

The insects won’t kill your plants but will compromise blooms.

lows suit.

The rest of the U.S. use the more phonetic “crape myrtle” spelling, as do both Wikipedia and the American Horticultural Society. You may also see the name styled as crape-myrtle, crepemyrtle, or even crêpe myrtle (with the circumflex accent), in a nod to the Frenchman who brought it to our shores.

But the shrub can handle the alleged misspellings and nicknames. After all, it’s the darling of southern gardens. And your crape myrtle will keep producing blooms faithfully – summer after summer, often for decades – long after you’ve figured out what to call it. LW

‘Muskogee’: 21 feet; lavender-pink ‘Natchez’: 25 feet; white; exceptional exfoliating bark. A favorite in the Carolinas.

‘Seminole’: 8 feet; medium pink; will rebloom after cutting first flowers ‘Sioux’: 15 feet; dark pink.

‘Tuscarora’: 20 feet, dark coral ‘Tuskegee’: 15 feet, shrubbing/horizontal branches; deep rose

Naturalized or Hybrid?

With more than a reputed 110 varieties available, you may have a hard time selecting crape myrtles for your landscape.

Yet a quick fix is to choose from among the 29 hybrids that the USDA bred to withstand the powdery mildew arising from South Carolina’s humid summers. They were developed by the late Dr. Donald Egolf, a former research horticulturist with the National Arboretum research and breeding programs. In a tribute to his home state of Oklahoma, Don chose names of Native American tribes for the new shrubs like Natchez, Sioux, and Catawba.

Crepe or Crape?

Southerners swear that the plant name should be spelled with an “e,” as in “crepe myrtle,” because the delicate flowers resemble crepe paper. Southern Living magazine folSummer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Canvases o Faces

J

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of

Joy

Faces

Local actress, artist and author inspires others to cultivate resilience through the arts

By Kathy Widenhouse

W

ander through halls of Eileen and Russ Davis’s Lake Wylie home and you’ll see dozens of vibrant acrylic paintings.

In one, swirled clouds streak behind the Buster Boyd Bridge

at sunset. In another, the Davises are grinning ear-to ear. Eileen sports a fluffy-haired white-faced monkey on her shoulder and Russ entertains a feathered multi-colored parrot on his as the couple poses in front of a Honduran jungle backdrop.

Above: Eileen with one of her paintings.

Left: “Buster Boyd Bridge at Sunset.”

(Photos/Kathy Widenhouse) Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Faces

“Come Play.” (Photos/Kathy Widenhouse) There are paintings of sea lions playing in the Galapagos Islands surf … snakebirds sunning on the rocks … penguins dancing while the moon sparkles on the ocean beneath. Some of the artwork is embedded with multimedia, such as shells or small rocks scattered across a beach landscape. Others, like the black and white likenesses of the Davis grandchildren, are copied from photos and are dotted with an eye-popping touch of color – in this case, a bright yellow Black-eyed Susan.

Eileen’s exuberant art couldn’t stay hidden in her home forever.

In 2021, a friend discovered her work and brought it to River Hills Country Club for a two-month show. It was the first time that the club graced its walls with the work of a single local artist.

Club visitors not only had the opportunity to purchase her artwork, such as bright red poppies jumping off the canvas into their flower basket or a lifelike, playful tiger begging viewers to “Come Play.” They also had the chance to participate in a raffle in which Eileen gave away one of her selected works.

Yet dig a little deeper to get to know the artist behind the art – beneath the sunsets and parrots and landscapes and happy children – and you’ll uncover depth behind all that movement and vitality.

It was Eileen’s hard work in the face of tragedy that led to these colorful canvases of joy.

Beyond Survival

Eileen double-majored in theatre and psychology in college in New Jersey and studied

34

The Davis home as seen from Lake Wylie. in London before settling down, marrying, and becoming a mother. In those early days she taught art part-time in both West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

But physical threats and abuse ended her first two marriages. As an only child with distant parents, Eileen had no family to lean on.

She had to find a way to support herself and her three young children.

Eileen worked by day, went to grad school by night for six years, and eventually became an advocate for children with disabilities.

“People often tell me I was brave to leave an abusive marriage,” says Eileen. “But leaving has nothing to do with being brave. If you’re being abused, what kind of life is that for you and your kids? Getting out is about survival.”

Eileen found that she and her children could survive. And she wanted to go beyond mere existence. One way to do so, through those years, was art.

“When I had three young children, I didn’t have much time to paint,” says Eileen. “But I dabbled. Today, I encourage young mothers to take just one morning a month and enjoy art for themselves. I did and they can, too. It’s therapeutic.”

Eileen also found what she calls “chosen sisters” – close friends who offered support and encouragement as she fought her way out of abuse into normalcy. Some she met through her local church. Others, like her best friends from kindergarten and college, telephoned her regularly from Vermont and New Jersey, walking with her long-distance during the years of turmoil and recovery.

Those friendships showed Eileen that she could have healthy relationships and gave her

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

the courage to try again at marriage.

“You need to squelch your fear, have a bit of bravery, and get out there and meet people,” says Eileen. She initiated a relationship with her third husband, Russ, a former Navy attack pilot and commercial pilot with three children of his own. They married in 1997.

Together, the Davises navigated the waters of step-parenting in their blended family of six children. “We are a bit different than the Brady Bunch,” says Eileen, laughing. When the US Airways pilot base in Pennsylvania closed shortly after the 9/11 attacks, Eileen and Russ relocated to Charlotte. That was 13 years ago.

Creativity on Canvas and on Stage

Once their children were grown, Eileen cultivated her creativity further by returning to the stage. She appeared across the Carolinas from Pineville Players Productions to Masque Entertainment’s dinner theatre, film, and live productions.

But when the COVID-19 health crisis halted local acting opportunities, Eileen threw herself into art more fully. She now paints daily and is coached each week by renowned landscape artist Jack Bolin.

As her canvases have accumulated, so have her opportunities. Eileen accepts commissions of children pets, homes, and special moments. Along with the River Hills show, Eileen’s work is to be featured in a dedicated exhibition in November at the Clover Community Center.

“My painting has almost become fulltime,” she jokes. But it’s not her only creative outlet.

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Arrive any day of the week and settle into one of the cozy cabins, decorated with a cheerful southern warmth and charm. Multiple room options are available for two to seven guests. Some cabins offer patios with a view and kitchens, so you can enjoy a breakfast or coffee with friends and family. Choose between the Beach, the Terrace Hilltop Patio, the Luna Patio and the Pool to gather to enjoy the sweeping view of the lake. NOTE: ACCESS TO OUR GROUNDS AND GATHERING SPACES IS FOR LONG COVE MEMBERS & REGISTERED TINY HOME GUESTS ONLY. (There is unfortunately no outside guest access at this time.)

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Faces Creativity in Words

“For years, as I shared my personal history with friends, they encouraged me to write a book,” says Eileen. “They’ve told me that other women need to be empowered to leave abusive situations.”

The pandemic gave her the chance to channel some of her creative energy into finishing the manuscript she started a decade ago. In 2020, she found a publisher for the book, Third Time At Bat: A Memoir of Marriages, in which she tells the story of breaking free from abuse and moving on to build a healthy, creative life.

Eileen kept journals during her recovery and continued to process her experience every time she shared it. Those notes are now ensconced in twenty chapters and 250 pages of the re-telling. “I want young women to know they are stronger than they think,” says Eileen. “I hope my story can give someone, somewhere, the courage to take the next step.”

Empower Others

Above: Eileen’s paintings displayed at River Hills Country Club.

Right: Artwork in the Davis home (Photos/Kathy Widenhouse)

Artists often fear their work will never have an impact. Yet the success of Eileen’s show has opened the door for other local artists to show their work at River Hills Country Club. Indi-

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803-684-3131 | www.tenderheartsinyork.org Check us out on Facebook.

Faces Part of Eileen’s family portrait gallery.

Works

by Eileen Marie Davis

Book

Third Time At Bat: A Memoir of Marriages Warren Publishing: written under the pen name of Leigh Davis Available June 2021 at Amazon

Commissions

children, pets, homes, captured moments By appointment: silent-russ@msn.com vidual artists are scheduled to display their works in successive showings at the club in the coming months.

It’s a fitting outcome, says Eileen.

In her book, she quotes legendary baseball icon Babe Ruth, who said, “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the

game.”

“I like to think that my story and my art can impact others,” says Eileen, whether its young women, blended families, or aspiring artists. “And that they can move forward with courage to live their best lives.”

And create their own canvases of joy. LW

Art Show

November 2021 Clover Community Center 120 Bethel Street, Clover

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SILV Feature

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VER

Feature

IN THE CITY

Local Rally Brings Business to York County

By Kathy Widenhouse

A

bout a decade ago, York resident Terry Montgomery began to plan for retirement. He considered different ways he could enjoy more of the great outdoors together with his wife Annie.

Terry’s journey of discovery led him to purchase an Airstream camping trailer. It was a natural choice for the Montgomerys, who love to camp, wanted to travel, and enjoy meeting new people. The iconic silver camping trailers are not only a symbol of The Great American Road Trip. They’re also known for their long-lasting quality. And by purchasing an Airstream, Terry and Annie become part of an instant community of fellow owners.

They joined more than fifty other upstate families who are members of the Palmetto State Airstream Club, one of 120 Wally Byam Caravan Club International chapters scattered across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

The Palmetto chapter meets several times during the year to camp together, share tips, and simply enjoy each other’s company.

It wasn’t long before Terry and Annie became regular posters on online Airstream fo-

rums. There, they discovered weekend rallies, caravans, and campgrounds outside of the immediate area and across the country. And they are not the only ones who have become immersed in the Airstream life.

The Silver Surge

Airstream aluminum-sided campers are no strangers to American highways. Yet, as with other recreational vehicles, Airstream purchases have surged during the coronavirus pandemic. Even now sales show no signs of slowing, especially as the Airstream brand celebrates its 90th anniversary during 2021.

But Airstreams are not cheap. The camper earns a hefty price tag thanks to its aircraft-grade alloy exterior, custom furniture, glass tempered windows, and amenities like propane stoves, microwaves, surround-sound stereos, flat-screen televisions, and Wi-fi. New vehicles can start around $40,000 and can quickly multiply to five times that amount depending upon model and options.

Yet Airstreams hold their value if, by

John Leake (left) and Terry Montgom ery organized Silver in the City.

(Photo/Kathy Widenhouse)

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Feature

Terry Montgomery (right) with Ron and Brenda Glowatcky. (Photos/Kathy Widenhouse)

chance, you decide to sell your home-onwheels. In fact, in a testament to the brand’s longevity, about 70% of all Airstreams made over the course of the last nine decades are still in use.

Owners are rarely interested in divesting of their Silver Bullets, whether it’s a baseline Basecamp pull-behind travel trailer model (which starts at $39,100 and sleeps 4) or the much larger touring coach version (which lists for a base price of $196,000 for the Interstate 24GL that sleeps 9).

Instead, Airstreamers embrace a lifestyle, hitting the road with other owners as weekend warriors, regular travelers, or full-timers.

Which is what brought Silver in the City streamers to York.

First Downtown Rally in the Southeast

Before Terry Montgomery retired in 2019 as the city of York’s public works director, he and his buddy, furniture maker and fellow York resident John Leake, organized the first Silver in the City Airstream rally in the county seat.

A rally is an organized gathering of Airstreams at a specific location, typically lasting for a few days to a week. Rallies allow streamers to camp together with other owners in one place, giving them the chance to check out each other’s rigs while building camaraderie.

There’s an Airstream rally somewhere in

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the U.S. every weekend, says John. The majority are held at campgrounds, parks, or fairgrounds. But he and Terry envisioned something different in York.

Silver in the City is a downtown rally, the first of its kind in the southeast.

The York event typically begins on Thursday at York Place, where rigs gather after arriving from across the country.

On Friday morning, the city closes off key roads in downtown. Then Airstreams parade down York’s main drag and park at curbside, where they remain until Sunday. For the rest of the weekend, owners enjoy all that historic York has to offer.

Among them this year were Ron and Brenda Glowatcky, who heard about the Silver in the City rally on the online Airstream forums.

They live in Haubstadt, Indiana, but pulled their Flying Cloud 27FB Airstream for 500 miles to join other Airstreamers in York.

Don and Vickie Lee, on the other hand, drove just seven miles from their home in Sharon, S.C., to park their Airstream with other campers along Congress Street. “We didn’t get to travel much with our Airstream at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Vickie. “But now, we’d like to make up for that.”

Participants understand that Silver in the City is a boondocking event, meaning that water and electric hookups are not available

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

Airstreamers gather for Silver in the City.

to participants. Instead, owners fill their camper water tanks and charge generators ahead of time.

Wake up on Main Street in America

The weekend proceeds like a down-home America festival directly out of a storybook.

Airstream owners rediscover life on a small-town main street — in this case, Congress Street, which runs straight through the city’s historic area — by enjoying the town’s history, merchants, and eateries.

The historic location is a draw. “We like to think our little hometown is peaceful and quaint,” says Terry Montgomery. Historic York’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places boasts 180 contributing properties from private homes to commercial properties including the McNeel Hotel (1837), First Presbyterian Church of York (1859-1861), and the York County Courthouse (1914). Architectural styles range from Greek revival to gothic revival, Italianate, classical revival, and Victorian. The Sylvia Theatre (early 1900s) is typical of York’s historic buildings that have been restored and adapted for new uses, having operated as a hotel, department store, dry goods company, hardware store, teacher’s supply warehouse, and now an entertainment facility during its century-long storied history.

Feature

Don and Vickie Lee of Sharon, S.C., outside their Airstream.

Airstreamers gather for Silver in the City.

Caleb Oliver of Wake Forest, N.C., is one of the visitors drawn to the York rally. He and his wife brought their children — Rebecca (11), Emma (9), and Rachel (7) — for the weekend.

“We love historic districts,” said Caleb, who owns two Airstreams, one made in 1976 and the other in 1968. “We heard about the rally on the Airstream forums. We’ve been to plenty of rallies, but we’d never been to York, so we came.”

Meanwhile, owners give the rally an enthusiastic thumbs up. During the festival’s inaugural year, 28 Airstream rigs lined North Congress Street for a weekend. This year — the third rally — over sixty rigs filled the streets of the White Rose City, with participants hailing from both Carolinas, Georgia, and as far away as Alabama, Indiana, and Florida.

From the city’s point of view rallies attract visitors. Visitors spend money in York -- and York gains its own bit of silver in the city, thanks to the added business. Rallies add to the impressive gains which have already been made in the downtown area to ensure its continuing healthy redevelopment.

All in all, Silver in the City is win-win.

“We can’t take credit for the idea of a downtown rally,” says co-organizer John Leake. “But we’ve perfected it.” LW

Silver in the City

“When visitors come to the Silver in the City rally, they can enjoy everything a little town has to offer,” says Terry. Local organizers ask participants to make a donation to P.A.T.H., a York nonprofit that feeds and clothes the homeless. This year, the participants contributed $6,025.

Brenda Glowatcky inside her Airstream.

Airstreams line Congress Street at night.

Learn more about Airstreams Palmetto State Airstream Club www.palmettostate.airstreamclub.net Wally Byam Caravan Club International www.airstreamclub.org Campers Inn RV of Kings Mountain 615 Broadview Drive Kings Mountain, NC 28086 Telephone: (704) 750-7295 www.campersinn.com RV Center of Gastonia 1132 W Charlotte Avenue Mt Holly, NC 28120 Telephone: (704) 879-7365 www.rvcentergastonia.com

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Feature

The Return of the

Bison Tatanka Bison Ranch Brings Native Mammals Back to South Carolina

By Kathy Widenhouse

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www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

Feature

Photo/Kathy Widenhouse Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Feature

Owner Fred Ilse and his fiancée, Dana Plikaytis (Photos/Kathy Widenhouse)

W

hile traveling through the Carolinas shortly after his retirement, Fred Ilse noticed a herd of large, shaggy animals alongside the highway. He pulled off the road to investigate.

They were bison. Once teetering on the edge of extinction, bison are making a comeback. The stately creatures had roamed the Carolinas in the wild until colonial times but are now raised on ranches.

Fred had just purchased a stunning but abandoned and overgrown 215-acre parcel of pastures and forests near York. It didn’t take long for him to connect the dots: he was fascinated with bison and he had a place to raise them.

“There’s no handbook on how to start a bison ranch,” Fred jokes, even though bison were named America’s national mammal in 2016. Nevertheless, he set about to learn how.

That was in 2015. Today Tatanka Bison Ranch boasts a herd of healthy bison, offers regular agri-tours, and is a regular supplier of

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100% grass-fed bison meat for a handful of highly-select vendors.

A Bison Ranch Started from Scratch

A growing number of consumers are choosing bison for its great taste and nutritional benefits rather than simply as a novelty meat. Farmers are raising bison to supply that demand, but increasingly to help restore grasslands.

As Fred launched into his new venture, he added a third priority: education. From the very beginning, he envisioned Tatanka Bison Ranch would offer agri-tours so people can learn about bison and the grasslands that support them.

It took some work. The ranch’s rolling hills, though naturally exquisite, were badly overgrown. The facility needed infrastructure, too, from roads to water, fencing, and electricity.

After a period of intense research and multiple visits to bison ranches across the country, Fred worked to reclaim the ranch’s pastures

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

using no-till farming.

Now sustainable, the permanent pastures grow year-round. Seasonal pastures are used for grazing the ranch’s herd in rotation during the winter, spring, and summer. They’re planted with several types of grass, including cereal rye, daikon radish, and two types of clover which are high in protein and return nitrogen to the soil to replenish nutrients.

“Healthy farmland means healthy bison — and healthy girls,” explains Fred.

By girls, he means female bison. Tatanka’s first calves were born on the ranch in 2016.

Today, the herd is 40 strong. The main bull, Big Boy, weighs in at over 2,200 pounds and has fathered 60 calves. Like elephants, bison are matriarchal. The alpha cow welcomes each new calf into the herd, ensuring its acceptance.

“Bison love to wallow in the sand,” adds Fred. In the course of the pasture reclamation process, his workers discovered sand at five feet below the red clay surface. Large excava-

Feature

Photo/Kathy Widenhouse tors pulled out piles of sand to create “bison sandboxes” on the pastures.

Fred rotates the bison from pasture to pasture, following a strict schedule. “They graze in one pasture for two or three days and then move,” says Fred. “And they don’t return to that particular field for three weeks.” The rotation means parasites who don’t survive beyond their 21-day reproduction cycle are less likely to reinfect Fred’s bison. Fewer parasites mean just one round up a year.

them out of the corral. The bison wander around the edges, looking in. By the time the corral gate opens on Round Up Day, the herd walks right in. The approach reduces stress for both the bison and their handlers.

It takes just a couple of hours for Fred and the team of twelve volunteers to guide each bison through an arrangement of gates in The Squeeze, a chute system for handling each bison for weighing, vaccination, pregnancy checks, and tagging.

Round Up the Bison

Preservation, Education, and Agri-tourism

Plenty of ranches must deworm bison two or even three times a year. Thanks to Fred’s healthy fields and strict grazing, Tatanka’s bison endure it just once — usually in early spring.

Rounding up bison takes some ingenuity.

“Bison are not like cattle and cannot be corralled,” says Fred. “You cannot make a bison go where it doesn’t want to go.”

But bison are curious, says Fred, and he uses that trait to his advantage. About five days before the round up, Fred allows the herd free access to the corral. It is a place they like to rest and chew the cud when they are not out grazing.

The day before the round up, Fred locks

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Once the pasture reclamation was underway and the Tatanka herd consistently produced calves each year, Fred focused on his underlying goal: educating the next generation.

Agri-tours require meeting space. By 2019, Fred and ranch manager Wes Costner had completed the construction of the pole barn on the property’s high point, built from reclaimed wood. The ranch was a featured stop on the 2019 South Carolina Ag + Art Tour, hosting nearly 900 guests. The visitors toured the ranch and enjoyed a full day festival with a food truck serving bison hot dogs and vendors who demonstrated weaving, blacksmith-

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

ing, glassblowing, jewelry-making, Native American wood carving, pottery, beekeeping, and quilting. The ranch is scheduled to be a stop on the 2021 tour, too.

Meanwhile, the ranch had set up partnerships with Rock Hill, Clover, and York school districts — along with Clemson University Cooperative Extension and 4H clubs in York and Chester — to offer educational programs for students as part of their social studies and science curriculums.

But the COVID-19 pandemic put school tours on hold. Instead, during 2020, homeschool groups visited the ranch at a rate of two or three a week, coming from as far away as Mooresville, Weddington, and Belmont to learn about bison.

Fred and his team shuttled the students from pasture to pasture in their bison buggy wagon fielding questions like, “What does the word ‘Tatanka’ mean? (“bison bull” in Sioux) and “What’s the difference between a bison and a buffalo?” (bison are native to North America, while buffalo are native to Asia and Africa). Tours became so popular that the ranch has now purchased a vehicle that seats 10 and allows the sides to roll up.

And while Fred is quick to explain he is not in the meat business, the ranch harvests

Feature two animals every couple of months simply to keep the herd to a manageable size and supply the increasing demand for healthy meat products from grass-fed animals.

Tatanka bison are processed at a USDA-certified facility near Asheboro, N.C. The average harvested bison weighs about 1000 pounds, yielding 400 pounds of meat and 135 pounds of bones. Fred supplies farm-to-table Legal Remedy Brewing in Rock Hill with bison. He sells the rest of the meat at Charlotte Regional Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and directly from the ranch by appointment. Hides are donated to the local Catawba Indian reservation.

Dana Plikaytis, Fred’s fiancée, arranges and hosts farm-to-table dinners in their visitors’ barn using local chefs and produce.

More Bison in South Carolina

Fred and Dana with The Squeeze. (Photo/Kathy Widenhouse)

What Do You Mean I’m Not Going?

Fred continues to grow his knowledge of holistic management and bison raising by attending the National Bison Association conference in Denver, Colo. each year.

He sees himself “primarily as a grass and pasture farmer who happens to have bison.”

Yet Fred also has a vision for expanding the bison industry in South Carolina. He is mentoring a group of young ranchers in Kershaw, S.C. who have started their own bison ranch with young breeding animals that were born at Tatanka Bison Ranch.

“I love to share my dream with people who have an interest in the history of our great country and these amazing animals,” says Fred. “I feel very blessed to be a custodian of these magnificent creatures.” LW

Meet the Bison Tatanka Bison Ranch welcomes visitors and groups by appointment. You can also purchase the ranch’s USDA-inspected bison meet at the Charlotte Regional Farmer’s Market on Saturdays, 8 AM – 1 PM.

If You Just Can’t Take Them ...

Make your reservation for boarding early Your BFF will enjoy our kitty condos and doggy dens Be sure all healthcare and vaccines are up to date Continue flea, tick and mosquito protection

Tatanka Bison Ranch 8088 Kays Drive York, SC 29745 Telephone: (704) 860-2130 Web: www.tatankabison.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ tatankabisonranch/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/tatankabison

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9729 South Tryon St. l Charlotte l KeepingPetsHealthy.com Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Development Update

This lakefront beauty in York was listed at more than $1.5 million.

Sales setting new records

By Drew Choate

A

s we head into summer, typically the busiest season for real estate sales in our area, we are already setting records for the year.

Year-to-date waterfront sales for both homes and undeveloped lots on Lake Wylie are at the highest levels in over a decade, up 35% over the average sales for the past four years. At the same time, the number of listings available are at the lowest point — down about 40% compared to a couple of years ago.

With high buyer demand and low supply, prices are climbing. Properties are selling quickly, many within the first week of listing, and often with multiple offers at or above listing price.

Luxury home sales are up, with ten waterfront sales exceeding $1 million price tags thru April — and eight of those were in the Clover School District.

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The average waterfront home sale price is in the mid-$800’s, and sales prices have climbed 10-20%, depending on location, home features and price category.

Off the lake, the market is in a similar position. Average prices are up over 20% from two years ago, and homes are selling quickly. Around Lake Wylie, the neighborhoods with highest sales this year include Cypress Point, Paddlers Cove and River Hills.

In some of the new neighborhoods, the way that homes are being sold is changing.

In years past, the buyers would visit a model home, purchase a lot and choose their home style. In this fast and furious market, the homes are being built then released on the market with a “bring your highest and best offer by the end of the week” — then sold to the highest bidder.

Land sales for custom builds are strong as well — both on and off the lake. However,

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

building costs are up considerably. The supply chain has been strained, from import and shipping challenges during the pandemic, and from higher demand from home renovations as well as new construction.

Real estate is big news all over the country. We’re reading about people moving from the cities to the suburbs, attracted by a little more elbow room and access to nature.

Most of the folks who moved didn’t go far, staying within the same metro areas.

The pandemic changed the way we work and play. We learned to work from home, and companies invested in technology to accommodate a remote workforce. As we move past pandemic restrictions, some businesses may continue to offer their employees flexibility, with some days in the office and some days working from home.

These changes have an impact on real estate. In terms of location, a longer com-

Development Update

This home at 7126 Topsail Circle, Tega Cay, is listed at more than $800,000.

mute distance may not matter to the buyer as much, if they are able to limit the number of days they spend in the office. Houses with floorplans including home office space are in high demand, and fast internet capabilities are a must.

When buying and selling real estate in this fast-paced and changing market, an experienced real estate agent — one who specializes in the type of home or location of the property marketed — can help attain the best value for both the buyer and seller. A seasoned agent will know the true value of a property, will likely know buyers and upcoming sellers in the market, and will have the experience to address any issues that may come up during the transaction. 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.

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Spotlight News of the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Summer 2021

We took on the challenges together

T

his year has been a challenge in so many ways. Businesses have closed during the shutdown, adapted, implemented safety protocols, re-opened and continue to navigate unprecedented times.

There has been the sudden need for scanning thermometers, masks, hand sanitizers, cleaning supplies and many other added safety measures. There Susan Bromfield have been times of short supplies and President Lake Wylie Chamber of increased needs, and we have all supportCommerce ed each other. There have been twists and turns and uncertainty, week by week, as we all navigated the pandemic for nearly a year and a half. Events have been canceled, venues closed, and we are all ready to get back to gathering, networking and having events. Some became ill and most of our community took the safety precautions, followed established DHEC and CDC guidelines, and have managed to stay healthy.

We have supported the essential workers and our businesses have delivered gifts and donations of food and supplies. Food drives have been organized and held by the chamber, our businesses, clubs and groups throughout the year. There have been school supply drives, blood drives, toy and coat drives, and even more food drives held this past year.

Neighbors have helped neighbors. Our community has been generous and kind, helping many in the area.

The schools and teachers have truly gone

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the extra mile to modify quickly to online teaching and learning, delivering meals to those in need, modifying classrooms and schools for the return to school learning, and the list goes on and on.

What a year! There is much to be grateful for this year. In spite of all the challenges, our community and our businesses have pulled together to support each other and adapt to the needs as they came up. One of the challenges for this summer is hiring employees.

The Chamber has reached out to Clover School District on behalf of our businesses to get the word out to high school students and those with college students home for summer to be proactive and apply for jobs locally.

Our businesses have been opening more normally as people have been vaccinated and are getting out more to shop and dine. Some restrictions have been lifted. Employees are needed and will be trained to do jobs locally. This is an opportunity for students to get training and experience that will be valu-

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

able for a lifetime. CSD has worked with the Chamber and has set up a Google Job Board where jobs can be listed, and students can access the info and apply. The Chamber is also sharing posts, via Facebook, in an effort to get the word out for businesses and to reach prospective employees.

Please support our area businesses and order take out or dine at the local restaurants.

(A dining guide is on page 26) Shop locally when you can and be patient as everyone strives to meet the everchanging needs as things are beginning to open up and return to “our new normal”.

The Chamber is planning events and gathering when deemed safe for large groups.

The annual golf event will be held Sept. 30 at River Hills Country Club. United Bank and Lake Wylie Liquors tentatively plan to sponsor Business After Hours in September, when it’s expected we will be able to safely gather.

We can also plan a BAH held at River Hills Marina in the outdoor picnic pavilion. If your business would like to co-sponsor a BAH at the marina or at your location, please contact Susan (803-831-2827). We expect to resume our normal events and gatherings after Labor Day, or whenever deemed safe.

Many in our community have been vaccinated, which also helps our businesses resume operating and helps our community to be safe. In the meantime, enjoy this summer and all the recreational opportunities we have right here.

The Lake Wylie Community Fireworks will be held on July 4th at about 9:30 p.m. The fireworks are solely funded by contributions so please send checks to Camp Thunderbird Fireworks Fund, One Thunderbird Lane, Lake Wylie, SC 29710. Make it a terrific and safe summer for all.

Spotlight

Lake Wylie Wellness Initiative – 2021 The goal is for members of the chamber to strive to be the healthiest they can be through various opportunities presented to them in hopes to become role models to the community and teach them to live healthier lives.

Close to Home Self-Care and Safe Ideas •

Start a journal.

•

Take a walk outdoors – in your yard, on your street, or at the park.

•

Go to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual.

•

Call someone you haven’t talked to in a while and enjoy catching up.

•

De-clutter your desk or a room.

•

Spend an entire day without looking at social media.

•

Grab a fishing pole and head to the lake.

•

Make a healthy recipe with lots of fresh summer vegetables.

•

Enjoy a bowl of fresh berries, melon and other summer fruits.

•

Take a country drive and visit a farm stand.

•

Schedule 15 minutes to do nothing each day … Make time for yourself.

•

Snap a photo with your cellphone of something pretty or of nature each day.

•

Order a takeout meal from one of our local restaurants weekly and give yourself a break from cooking.

•

Sign up for pickle ball at Lake Wylie Field Day Park.

•

Do something kind or generous for someone else.

•

Put Chamber golf on your calendar for September 30.

Lifestyle Physical Therapy is offering Yoga Sessions for 4-5 people at your business.

Sessions are weekly for a month. Cost is $36 per person per month. A nice perk for employees.

Call (803) 831-1454 for more info.

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Spotlight LAKE WYLIE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC

THURSDAY, Sept. 30, 2021 | 1 p.m. Shotgun Start – Captain’s Choice | Held at River Hills Country Club Play limited to 25 foursomes $125 per golfer - $500 per foursome Hole Sponsorships Available

• Fabulous day of golf, hospitality, networking and fun • Prizes at almost every hole • Featuring our special Hospitality on Holes • Prizes, box lunch and hospitality included

Contact Lake Wylie Chamber at 803-831-2827 Email: lakewyliechamber@yahoo.com for more information or to reserve a spot, sponsor a hole or be a gold sponsor

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www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 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 - $200 (Includes sign at tee box or green, and recognition in Lake Wylie Today Magazine! _____ I’d like to donate a raffle prize!

Please return this registration form with your check to: Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 5233, Lake Wylie, SC 29710 Phone: 803-831-2827 Email: lakewyliechamber@yahoo.com | Web: www.lakewyliesc.com Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Spotlight

Welcome New Members February 2021 - May 2021

Life Coach / Professional Speaker Channell Consulting Group Jason Channell 924 Elderberry Lane Lake Wylie, SC 29710 704-689-3874 jason@channellconsulting.com www.channellconsulting.com

Chiropractor / Acupuncture Dragonfly Wellness Center Dr. Marcia Nibert 264 Latitude Lane #103 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 803-746-5700 info@docmarciaacupuncture.com

Crawl Space Remediation Mr. Crawl Graham Smith P.O. Box 29390 Charlotte, NC 28277 704-493-6080 contact@mrcrawlcarolina.com www.mrcrawlcarolina.com

Home Healthcare Perfected Healthcare Services LLC LaTonya Raiford 264 Latitude Lane #120 Lake Wylie, SC 29710 803-746-5236 phsllc@gmail.com

Electrician Fox Electrical LLC James Fox 1668 Glenway Road Clover, SC 29710 804-972-4318 focelectricalllc@outlook.com

Kayak and Boat Rentals Holley Watersports Charlesse Holley 3990 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 704-591-5383 holleywatersports@gmail.com

Physical Therapy Lifestyle Physical Therapy Karen Shuler 4543 Charlotte Hwy Lake Wylie, SC 29710 803-831-1454 lifestylept@bellsouth.net

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Shipping The UPS Store Coming Soon 312 Bulkhead Way Lake Wylie, SC 29710

Massage Therapy Deep Relief Mobile Massage Heather Stephenson LMBT SC Lic #9415 Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist, providing home and business massages to Lake Wylie SC and surrounding areas.

803-526-8148

Publishing/Media The Inside Coup Magazine Jill Shea 6 Sandy Cove Rd. Lake Wylie, SC 29710 704-905-1563 TheInsideCoup.com

www.LakeWylieToday.com | Summer 2021

Renewing Members investing in the chamber February 15, 2021 – May 10, 2021 Businesses Anchor Self Storage ACE – A Caring Environment Association Management Solutions Bethel Commons Catawba Valley Dental Care Culture & Heritage Museum of York County Dental Care of Lake Wylie Dragonfly Wellness Center DR Horton Eason Roofing, LLC Elrod Pope Law Firm Glaza Chiropractic Joe Versen Appraisals, LLC Journey Fellowship Keller Williams Realty – Andy Reynolds Keller Williams Realty – Janeece Swainey Lake Living With Matt and Katie Lakeside Barbers Lake Wylie Assisted Living Lake Wylie Bowl & Bounce Lake Wylie Family Dentistry Lake Wylie Marine Commission Lake Wylie Tax Lake Wylie Today Laurel Oak Farm LLC New River Church Palmetto Law Associates, LLC PaPa Doc’s Shore Club Publix – Lake Wylie Redwood Living – Lake Wylie Residential Mortgage Services- Andrew Miller Rotary Club of Lake Wylie Sifford Stine Insurance Agency Sloan Financial Stateline Chrysler – Jeep & Dodge Stellie J Jackson Enrichment Center Tindol Ford Upper Palmetto YMCA Walmart – Lake Wylie

Individual Members J Watts Roberson Peggy Upchurch Sandra Wilkerson Melanie Wilson

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 Today 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, ML Ford and Sons

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.

Summer 2021 | www.LakeWylieToday.com

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Spotlight Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce

Upcoming Activities

Lake Wylie Fourth of July Community Fireworks Sunday, July 4, 2021 Approximately 9:30 p.m.

Best Viewing Lake Wylie Plaza, Lake Wylie Italian and Pizza, Rey Azteca- Patio, Bagel Boat, Papa Docs and Long Cove Resort and Marina

Business After Hours Thursday, September TBA, 2021 5:30- 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by United Bank – Lake Wylie and Lake Wylie Liquors Highway 49 – Lake Wylie, SC

Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Classic Thursday, September 30, 2021 1 p.m. Shotgun Start, Captain’s Choice Held at River Hills Country Club Lake Wylie, SC

Business After Hours Thursday, October TBA, 2021 5:30- 7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by TBA

Remembering Stuart Donald “Bud” Rother

O

ur dear friend and volunteer, Bud Rother passed away on May 2, 2021, at his home.

Bud volunteered at the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center for nearly a decade and was a familiar face where he greeted visitors and enthusiastically told them about the area. Bud was 91 years young and enjoyed every day of his life.

Bud was kind, thoughtful and always willing to help at the visitor center, at events and was always a familiar face at chamber Business After Hours where he and his wife, Ann, many times volunteered and greeted members as they arrived. For decades, Bud volunteered in the community for many charitable causes and community activities.

Bud was a U. S. Navy veteran serving during the Korean conflict and attended St. Louis University and Washington University, studying Marketing and ICC law and rates. He retired from Kaiser Refractories, worked for a subsidiary, National Refractories, for seven years, then opened a print/copy shop in Charlotte. Bud did volunteer work with the American Red Cross, Easter Seals, Lake Wylie Lions Club and, of course, with the Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce. He and Ann enjoyed traveling, camping in their motor home and cruising. They enjoyed golf and took many vacations at various golf resorts. Bud and Ann were married for 68 years and have lived at Lake Wylie in River Hills for more than three decades.

We have many wonderful memories with Bud and Ann and will miss him dearly.

Annual Holiday Gala Thursday, December 2, 2021 6:30 p.m. to 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 56

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