The Power of Giving

Most retirement gurus recommend taking your time before jumping into volunteer activities once freed from the rigors of the work world. I took that advice to heart when my fulltime work morphed into parttime and began exploring ways I could put my time and energy into something meaningful in my new beautiful city of Beaufort.

My previous volunteer work ran the gamut from leadership and fundraising roles to guiding a vision-impaired runner. It was the runner who changed the way I look at volunteering. He was a police officer, catastrophically blinded in the line of duty. I played a small role that combined my love of running and my desire to do something that had an immediate impact. Guiding him on long runs, via holding a shoelace between us, and through 5Ks and other races worked out for both of us. I got my runs in, and he was able to continue one thing he loved among the debris of all that he lost.

Once I settled into the Lowcountry, I began looking around at various ways to contribute. The joy of docenting at the Pat Conroy Center eventually led to volunteering at Lady’s Island Elementary School in the newly launched Storybuilders program where a group of mostly (not all) retired teachers help 3rd and 5th graders tap into their creativity through poetry, personal narrative and playwriting.

The kids are smart, eager to learn and sometimes exhausted from all the hard things in their world. The teachers, librarian and administration provide amazing guidance and support. I have to say, it’s been one of the great joys of my life. And, like guiding the blind runner, it feels immediate and impactful. I’m not sure how the story writing translates into test scores, but I can confirm the way the kids’ eyes light up with one-on-one attention from the volunteers.

Plus, they crack me up. I was explaining to the group how the kind of personal narrative writing I do has the power to make people laugh or think or roll their eyes. One boy raised his hand and I paused and let him ask his question.

“Do you tell stories about when you were in World War !!?” he asked. Yes. We are really old to these kids. But it’s not lost on them that people from their community care about their success and give up their time to show them how to write about the hero journey of their own lives.

When I make a pitch for the newly retired to explore volunteering opportunities, I suggest keeping it hyper-local and finding something that’s a little out of your comfort zone. The only elementary school kids I’ve ever been around were my own and that was decades ago.

There are incredible volunteer positions in this community and a great need for help. I have friends involved in social justice, health care, Friends of the Library, and on and on. My husband docents at the History Museum and participates in area conservation programs and the Good Neighbor medical clinic. There’s a huge need for former leaders to assume leadership positions in churches, local and national associations that tackle poverty, food insecurity, land conservation and other critical issues facing this community.

Figuring out a meaningful way to spend time newly free of deadlines, meetings and business travel requires some mindful planning. Take that first (or second or third) step, even if your contribution seems small and is right around the corner. For me, it’s a simple love of both telling stories and teaching

By Carolyn Mason

storytelling that led me to Lady’s Island Elementary School.

To those who say, ‘I don’t have anything to teach someone or particular skills to share,’ I can truthfully respond: I don’t even know you, but I promise you do!

And now, I must get started on my WWII memoir.

BEAUFORT/PORT ROYAL

Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island. (843) 838-9300. thefoolishfrog.com

Luther’s Rare & Well Done, 910 Bay Street. (843) 521-1888 or www.luthersrareandwelldone.com

Q on Bay, 822 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 524-7771 or www.qonbay.com

Rosie O’Gradys Irish Pub, in Beaufort Town Center. Irish American Sports Pub & Eatery. C'mon down! Rock & Roll Lunch. Wednesday, Friday & Saturday - Karaoke at 10pm. (843) 3797676 or Rosie's on Facebook.

Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 3793474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com

BLUFFTON/HILTON HEAD

Big Bamboo, Coligny Plaza. (843) 686-3443 or www.bigbamboocafe.com

Captain Woody’s, 6 Target Rd., Hilton Head or 17 State of Mind St., Bluffton. www.captainwoodys.com

The Jazz Corner, Village at Wexf1ord, Hilton Head. Sundays - Deas Guyz; Mondays - A Journey Through Jazz with The Martin Lesch Band; Tuesdays - Fat Tuesdays: A Swingin' Celebration of New Orleans and Beyond; Thursdays - Lavon Stevens with Louise Spencer. 5/24 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parler, 5/26 & 5/27 Noel Freidline & Maria Howell - A Little Help from my Friends: A Jazz Celebration of the Beatles, 5/31 Bobby Ryder, 6/2 & 6/3 Folderol - A Roaring 20s Twist on Popular Music, 6/7 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parler, 6/9 & 6/10 Dave Potter's Retro Groove. (843) 842-8620 or www. TheJazzCorner.com

Omni Hilton Head Ocean Front in Palmetto Dunes. Buoy Bar - HH Prime - (843) 842-8000 or www.omnihotels.com

Out Of Town

The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston. 5/26

The Midnight City, 5/27 The Elements, 6/2 High Tide Opening Party Westend; Baustin; Discull; BVR, 6/3 Summer Salt; Rare Occasions; Addison

Grace, 6/9 Power of Love, 6/10 Charleston Punk Night - Hanging Judge; Soda City Riot; Shemp Creeps; Anergy, 6/11 Mimosa Fest - DJ Sista Misses. (843) 408-1599 or www.musicfarm.com

The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. Sundays - The Motown Throwdown, Mondays - Slim & Friends; Tuesdays - Fusion Jonez, Wednesdays - Grateful Dead Wednesday with The Reckoning; Thursdays - iLLA ZiLLA. 5/24

Nattali Rize; Minori, 5/25 Matthew Logan Vasquez; Danny Golden; Mechanical River, 5/26 Brandon 'Taz' Niederauer; The Shady Recruits, 5/27 Thee Hot Girl Hoedown - April B & the Cool perform Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, 5/28 The Fritz, 5/30 Ballyhoo; The Harbor Boys, 5/31 Squeaky Feet, 6/1 La Luz; Jay Wood, 6/7 Baked Shrimp, 6/8 Triathalon, 6/9 The Band of Heathens; Danny Burns, 6/10 Harvest MoonNeil Young & CSNY tribute, 6/11 Ally Venable. (843) 571-4343 or www.charlestonpourhouse.com

Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms. 5/25 Futurebirds; Leon III; Fo Daniels, 5/26 Futurebirds; Leon III; Flat Spell, 5/27 Rock the 90's; High Society, 5/28 FlashMob; Rumors, 6/1 Flipturn, 6/2 & 6/3 Corey Smith, 6/4 Robert Randolph, 6/7 The Disco Biscuits, 6/9 Drivin' 'N' Cryin', 6/10 The Stews; Castellows, . (843) 886-8596 or www.the-windjammer.com

Now – 6/30, Of Earth & Fire, an exhibit of work by Anne M. Kennedy and Traci L. Walter at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery. 913 Bay Street, Beaufort.

Now – 6/17, Biennale – National Juried Art Exhibit at Art League Gallery. Inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843-681-5060, www. artleaguehhi.org

Sat 6/3, Maye River Quilters meeting at 10 am, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way in Hardeeville. Social time at 9:30. To attend as a guest, email RSVP to mayeriverquilters@gmail.com. For more information and for membership form, call 843-705-9590.

6/5 – 7/2, Colors of the World, an exhibit of photography by Savannah Kemper at the SOBA Gallery. Opening reception from 5-7 p. Corner of Church and Calhoun Streets in Old Town Bluffton. www.sobagallery.com

BOOKS & WRITERS

Fri 5/26, Debut novelist Kristin Ness (At Loggerheads) will be the featured author at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, starting at 5:30 pm. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Seating is limited; please call 843-379-7025 for reservations.

Thur 6/8, Open Mic Night, sponsored by the Pat Conroy Literary Center & partners at Sandies at the Beaufort Country Black Chamber of Commerce. From 6 – 7:30 pm. Helen P. Bradley will be this month’s featured writer. To request to read your work (3-5 minutes), email contact@patconroyliterarycenter.org in advance.

Music

email susan@lowcountryhabitat.org or call 843-522-3500.

6/5 – 6/9, 27th Annual Garden a Day Tour, sponsored by the Beaufort Garden Club. From 9 am –Noon, Mon – Fri. For a list of gardens and addresses, visit www.beaufortgardenclub.com

First Saturday of the Month, Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud at Port Royal Farmers Market. DAYLO students and other volunteers will read to young children between 9am and noon. Children are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animal.

Tuesdays, Tours of Hunting Island sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper Ted and his team. For info call the Nature Center at 843-8387437. Tours free are and park entry fees apply.

Second Friday, Beaufort Drum Circle 2nd Friday of every month. 6:30 – 8 pm at the Gazebo in Waterfront Park. Eric Roy is the facilitator. Sessions with 15-20 minutes of instruction on djembe playing and a selected traditional rhythm & accompaniment for participants. Time for spontaneous group drumming. All welcome. No experience necessary. Bring a drum, if you have one, a chair, and desire for fun. The Drum Circle has extra instruments anyone can use. For info visit the Drum Circle Facebook page.

Third Thursday, TECHconnect is a monthly networking event for professionals working in and around technology. Come and join on the for the conversation at BASEcamp 500 Carteret 5:307:30pm. 843-470-3506. www.beaufortdigital.com

Thursdays, History Tours of Fort Mitchell by the Heritage Library, 10am. $12/Adult $7/Child. 843-686-6560

Editors Note:

Events listed here may be subject to postponement or cancellation. Please check for further information.

THEATER/FILM/DANCE

Now – 5/28, ‘Company’ at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina on Hilton Head. Stephen Sondheim’s groundbreaking modern musical is a mature, intelligent and wildly funny look at relationships, directed by Russell Garrett. Tickets available at www.artshhi.com

GALLERIES/ART

Now – 5/28, May River Magic, an exhibit of oil paintings by John Kenney at thex Society of Bluffton Artists Gallery in Old T own Bluffton. www.sobagallery.com 843-757-6586

Now – 5/29, How Da Wada Kept Oona, an exhibit of Gullah Geechee art at the Port Royal Sound Foundation’s Maritime Center, 310 Okatie Highway, Okatie. Free and open to the public.

Fri 6/9, The Swingin’ Medallions will perform at the Jasper County Farmers Market at 8 pm. Admission: $20. Food trucks on site from 7pm-11pm. “Drinking wristbands” for 21 and older available for $20 each. Special VIP “up close” tables can be purchased in advance for $300. VIP Packages include tickets for 10 people. For advance tickets, call 843-726-8126. Rain or shine. Coolers not permitted.

Other Events

Saturdays Now – 6/24, Lunch and Learn Gardening Series at the Port Royal Farmers Market, starting at noon. Free and open to the public, around the Gazebo. Bring a folding chair! Sponsored by the Lowcountry Master Gardeners Association.

Wednesdays, 5/31, to 6/29, Drop-in Medicaid Help Sessions, Computer Lab, St. Helena Branch Library. Assistance with Medicaid renewal and enrollment process. Help is free and provided by League of Women Voters volunteers, no appointment necessary. Information on the end of automatic renewals (aka Medicaid unwinding) and on Medicaid expansion efforts in the state. 6355 Jonathan Francis Senior Road, St. Helena Island.

Sat 6/3, Inaugural Beaufort Housing Symposium, sponsored by LowCountry Habitat for Humanity. Panels, workshops, heirs property clinic, and more. This all-day event begins with a panel discussion from 9 – 10 am. Building 12 at Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort. For more information,

Ongoing, Beaufort Tree Walk sponsored by the Lady’s Island Garden Club. Meander through the historic Old Point neighborhood, enjoying some unique and noteworthy trees. The “walk” takes about an hour and is a little over a mile, starting at the corner of Craven & Carteret Streets and ending in Waterfront Park. Booklets with a map and info about each tree available FREE at the Visitors Center in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street.