Lowcountry Weekly December 20, 2023 – January 2, 2024

.{ Reflections on the good life in coastal South Carolina }.

Lowcountry Special Pull-Out Holiday Gift Guide

Forrest Gump turns 30 4 BIFF celebrates!

Beaufort & the Revolution 7 HBF lecture series

Notes 2024 9

A festival of music

Christmas Fruitcake 19 Ken's mama's recipe

Going Wild 20

In the Lowcountry

Incubate Debate 22 Kids thinking freely

.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

December 20, 2023 – January 2, 2024

Weekly

cover notes

Weekly

Lowcountry

The painting on our cover is by Karen Richards, from her upcoming exhibit with Kristie Schubert – Going Wild in the Lowcountry – at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery. For more information, see our story on page 20.

December 20, 2023 – January 2, 2024 Publisher: Jeff Evans — Jeff@LCWeekly.com Editor: Margaret Evans — Editor@LCWeekly.com Marketing Director: Amanda Hanna — 843-343-8483 or Amanda@LCWeekly.com Advertising Sales: Hope Falls — 757-274-7184 or Ads.TheIslandNews@Gmail.com Sandy Schepis — 678-641-4495 or SandySchepis@Gmail.com Art Director: Lydia Inglett Layout & Design: Amalgamated Sprinkleworks Contributing Writers: Katherine Tandy Brown, Debbi Covington, Sandra Educate, Wendy Hilte, Carolyn Mason, Cele & Lynn Seldon, and Sutty Suddeth What’s Happening Calendar: Staff – Editor@LCWeekly.com Letters to the Editor, comments or suggestions can be addressed to: Lowcountry Weekly 106 West Street Extension, Beaufort, SC 29902 Call: 843-986-9059 or Email: editor@lcweekly.com Lowcountry Weekly is published every other Wednesday and distributed throughout Beaufort County at various restaurants, retail locations, hotels and visitor’s centers.

The entire contents of Lowcountry Weekly is copyrighted 2023 & 2024 by P. Podd Press, LLC. No part may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions expected to be returned.

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Forrest Gump Turns 30, BIFF Celebrates Editor’s Note: Part of this column was published here 10 years ago. I barely remember writing it, so I’m hoping you won’t remember reading it. – Margaret

W

ho’d have imagined moving from metropolitan Atlanta to an obscure barrier island off the South Carolina coast could drastically broaden a girl’s horizons?

It was the summer of 1993. I had lived on Fripp Island only a short time, but already my life had taken a decided turn for the glamorous. I’d met my literary hero Pat Conroy, who turned out to be a neighbor . . . and now, a movie was being filmed right down the street from my house!

It had a weird name – Forrest Gump? – and according to the scuttlebutt, the movie would be every bit as odd as its title. People weren’t quite sure what to make of it. I figured it’d probably go straight to video.

Nevertheless, it was a movie! Excitement was in the air. Tom Hanks was starring, and rumor had it he was staying on the island. I dreamed of bumping into him “casually” – maybe on the beach or at the marina bar.

I would play it cool, no fawning, and he’d be taken with my low-key Southern charm. We’d end up chatting away like old friends and he’d ask me to show him around the island . . .

Never happened. I did, however, pass Hanks one day on the jogging trail. I was out for my daily run, and coming toward me along the path was a perfectly ordinary-looking man with a baseball cap pulled low on his forehead.

We made brief eye contact, as you often do in these situations, and he was already past me when I realized who he was. Needless to say, the encounter fell slightly short of my dream.

Still, my heart pounded. Tom Hanks!

Later that week, a very nice woman came into the dress shop where I worked, and we talked for almost an hour. Her name was Moira, and I can still remember her gravelly voice and her pale, merry blue eyes. We hit it off like gangbusters, just kind of clicked. She told me her husband had a part in the Tom Hanks movie and that she and their kids were enjoying a beach vacation while he worked.

He was an actor I’d never heard of before, and I assumed his role was a small one. His name was Gary Sinise.

Those are my personal Forrest Gump stories. They’re not much, but they’re mine, and I cherish them. Do we ever grow so old, so

jaded and world-weary, that we’re no longer thrilled by a fleeting brush with celebrity?

Do we ever get beyond being dazzled by The Movies and those rarified creatures who make them? I haven’t.

On the 30th anniversary of its release, Forrest Gump remains a source of great pride and affection for folks all over the Beaufort area, many of whom were involved in the making of this iconic – yes, I went there: iconic – American film. My “straight to video” prediction notwithstanding, Gump took six Oscars that season (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor), the character of Forrest became a fixture in American culture, and Gumpisms found a permanent place in our national lexicon. (“Life is like a box of chocolates,” “I’m not a smart man, but I know what love it,” etc. etc.)

And that actor I’d never heard of, Gary Sinise? Not only did he become a big star; he turned that “small role” – for my money, one of the most moving film performances of all time – into a symbol of hope, traveling from

Margaret Evans

RANTS & RAVES

A

From what I gather, the film is about the making of Forrest Gump – with Beaufortonians sharing their memories and stories – but also about the legacy of this movie, and the way Beaufort has cultivated that legacy.

I was fascinated by the filmmaker’s statement that accompanies the trailer on YouTube. Stanislawski is Polish, but it seems he has a real heart for the South Carolina Lowcountry: “In a direct or indirect way this film has influenced, in a positive way, the lives of many in this small seaside town and it has greatly contributed to the filmmaking legacy of the state of South Carolina. It's the Director's intent to show the amazing phenomenon of cultivating a film over the years and what values and message it brings. Besides, these are also interesting stories and anecdotes of the inhabitants from the period of the creation of this world-famous production of one of the most iconic films of all time. The background for it all is Beaufort, picturesquely situated on the island of Port Royal, in the heart of the Sea Islands and the South Carolina Lowcountry.

"As a man from Europe, fascinated by the United States, I want to thoroughly ‘investigate with the camera’ a part of the life of the American city and community.

Be able to get to know people and their lifestyle. Take part in the Beaufort Shrimp Festival, go on a shrimp boat or simply stroll the streets and surroundings of the city and visit historical film locations. And finally, taste the Chocolate Tree in Beaufort, because ‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.’ I love the film ‘Forrest Gump’ and as an independent filmmaker I want to give something from my heart with great passion in the form of a documentary that will undoubtedly be a beautiful souvenir for residents and a curiosity for film fans around the world." – Daniel Stanislawski.

It's going to be a great year at BIFF, y’all.

“The Best Ever,” as Ron Tucker always says, and he’s never wrong. Look for more information in Lowcountry Weekly as details unfold.

coast to coast (making several stops in Beaufort!) with his Lt. Dan Band, in support of America’s wounded warriors.

And this year, the Beaufort International Film Festival will celebrate 30 years of Forrest Gump by honoring Sinise with the Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The actor will be in town for the festivities, performing a Lt. Dan Band concert at MCAS on Friday, Feb. 23, and chatting with BIFF director Ron Tucker on stage at USCB the following day. (The details of these events are still firming up. Stay tuned!)

The other big Gump-centric event at BIFF 2024 will be the world premiere of The Spirit of Beaufort: Remembering Forrest Gump, a documentary film by Daniel Stanislawski.

You may have seen the trailer; it’s making the rounds on social media and is absolutely charming. It features lots of familiar faces – Pat Green, Catherine Scarborough, and Margaret Evans is the editor of Lowcountry Weekly.

Marlena Smalls, among others – and plenty She has been writing her award winning column, Rants & Raves, for over 20 years. of beautiful local scenery.

.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

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Anything Goes! this New Year at Art League

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nything Goes!, an exhibit of member art at Art League Gallery, celebrates the astounding array of artwork created by Art League exhibiting members. Truly anything goes at this exhibit: any media, size, shape, form or subject. From 2D art in painting, pencils, and photography to jewelry, glass, wood and other 3D forms, exhibiting artists challenge themselves to bring together their best for the new year.

"Our annual Anything Goes! exhibit is a chance for our member artists to create new pieces that showcase their best ideas and latest techniques," says Lyndsi Caulder, Gallery Manager, "Because we showcase multiple artists, the community can see just how talented and varied our artists are."

All attendees at the artist’s reception on

January 10, 5-7pm, are invited to vote for their favorite art pieces. The announcement of the People's Choice awards and door prizes winners will take place at 6pm.

The exhibit runs January 3–26, 2023. All artworks on display are for sale.

What: Anything Goes! member show.

When: Wednesday, January 3 through Friday, January 26, 2023. Awards reception will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 5-7pm. Art League Gallery open every day: Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm, Sunday 12-4pm and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance.

Where: Art League Gallery is located mid-island inside Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island, 843.681.5060.

Mr. Phillip's Pulpit by Glen J. Alvin, above Untitled by Dona Rhodes, below Waste No Time by Judy Stone, left

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DIY Holidays N o matter your spiritual or religious bent, it’s that time of year again, rife with elaborate decorations, parades, Santa sightings, window candles, yummy baked goods, menorahs, kinaras, and jolly greetings all around.

You may already know the three religions associated with those references, but just in case you don’t, following is a quick primer.

Because it may be the newest celebrated and the least familiar, let’s begin with Kwanzaa. This holiday was created in 1966 in the aftermath of the Watts riots as a non-Christian holiday dedicated specifically to African Americans and their heritage, culture, and unity. The word Kwanzaa is Swahili for “first,” signifying the first fruits of the harvest and giving thanks for good fortune.

Transpiring from December 26th to January 1st, the holiday focuses on the Seven Principles: Unity, Self-determination, Collective work and responsibility, Cooperative economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith. Seven candles represent the Seven Principles in a joined candelabrum reminiscent of a Jewish menorah. In the middle, one black candle stands for unity, three green candles on the right, for the earth, and three red candles on the left represent the struggle of African Americans or the shedding of blood.

Although the giving of gifts was not initially emphasized during Kwanzaa, now many African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa and Christmas, complete with presents.

Hannukah is Judaism’s Festival of Lights, fending off the season’s chill with warm flames. The fete was begun to celebrate the Maccabees’ victory over the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE and the resulting dedication of the Jewish Temple to God. Hannukah is also spelled Chanukah and means “dedication.” By all means, Google to read the holiday’s long, fascinating history.

Hannukah 2023 began on the evening of December 7th and ends at nightfall on December 15th.

Several symbolic traditions commemorate this long-observed holiday, including: 1. Lighting the menorah – This time of year, the word menorah refers to the eight-flamed lamp that is lit on the eight nights of Hannukah. Flames of the menorah (or chanukiah in modern Hebrew) are lit at sundown and allowed to burn into the night.

2. Eating fried foods like potato pancakes and doughnuts that are traditional Hannukah treats because they are cooked in oil to remind the faithful of a long-ago miracle of one day’s worth of oil that lasted eight days. Dairy foods like cheese and blintzes are also symbolic.

3. Playing dreidel – A dreidel is a child’s toy, a spinning top usually played for gelt, or chocolate coins covered with gold foil, or nuts, candies, coins, or any small treat. Each of its sides is imprinted with a letter that appears in the Hebrew phrase Nes Gadol Haya Sham, meaning “A great miracle happened there.”

Not initially part of Hannukah, giving presents became a tradition as Christmas gift-exchange rose to prominence in the late 19th century.

Christmas is a Christian festival originally celebrating the birth of Jesus. The English term “Christmas” is of recent origin.

Previously, the term Yule referred to the festival of winter solstice, a symbol of the resurgence of the sun, casting away winter and heralding the rebirth of spring and summer. Since the early 20th century,

Christmas has also been a secular family holiday observed by Christians and non-Christians alike, marked by an increasingly elaborate exchange of gifts.

A figure named Santa Claus plays the pivotal role. Midnight mass and a special service of “lessons and carols” are widely observed on Christmas Eve. Besides Santa, popular Christmas traditions include decorated trees, Christmas and Advent wreaths, twinkling lights, caroling, and parties with plenty of eggnog.

The thing is, while many folks find the holidays a time for reflection, joy, and gathering with family and friends, others are challenged by a different set of emotions, such as stress, sadness, loneliness, and depression. Causes of the “holiday blues” are myriad and people suffering from them often may assume that everyone else is having a happy, stress-free holiday.

Should this be the case for you, Thanksgiving through New Year’s may not be your favorite time of year. Retailers may want us to buy into the importance of giving the perfect gifts, serving the perfect meals, and throwing the perfect party. Remember, some 75 percent of their annual profits roll in this time of year.

General opinion may dictate that all season long, we should remain as happy as the sweet little forest creatures in Snow White. Norman Rockwell’s picture-perfect family gathered around a luscious-looking, fat turkey for a holiday meal can set the seasonal happiness bar too high for many people and thus, spawn guilt.

Should any of this ring true for you, here’s some food for thought: • You can personalize the holidays in any way you choose.

Back in my 30’s, three couples asked me to join them and their kids on a ski trip to Colorado, flying on Christmas Day. I’d always wanted to visit The Tattered Cover, a huge, cool bookstore – once a department store – in Denver.

So we flew out, they headed to Breckenridge, and I checked into a hotel, to join them next day after a store tour. While I was watching the then-newly released Rainman at a movie theater across the street, fat

WHOLLY HOLISTICS

by Katherine Tandy Brown flakes of snow began to fall. At a nearby restaurant, the owner gathered the few of us diners there for Christmas supper together at one table, and we all had a ball.

Granted, my mom wasn’t overjoyed that I wasn’t at her table, but the experience for me was memorable from stem to stern.

• “Family” does not have to be related by blood. If it’s your family of origin that brings you joy . . . fine. But if not, who or what place makes you happy? Choose to be with a heart-lifter or be somewhere that nurtures your innermost heart.

Before moving to South Carolina, I spent the first week of each year, beginning on New Year’s Day, at the Abbey of Gethsemani (monks.org), a Trappist monastery and retreat center in the “knobs country” of Kentucky.

The opportunity for retreatants – whether Catholic or not – to spend quiet, reflective time in nature, eat monk-made meals, hike the surrounding forested acres, and/or join the monks in any of their seven daily services can be a soul building start to a new year.

Try a new holiday behavior in 2023.

Treat yourself with the loving kindness that seems so much easier to give to others. Then give yourself a gold star. Remember those from grade school?

Says Sarah Ban Breathnach in her bestselling book, Simple Abundance, “The extraordinary days don’t need gold stars.

But ordinary days sure can be brighter with a shiny, five-pointed pat on the back.”

Especially if it’s from you . . . to you!

Katherine Tandy Brown has traveled the world as a freelance writer for 25 years. She teaches memoir, travel writing and writing practice in USCB’s OLLI Continuing Ed program and in her downtown cottage. A certified writing coach, she is penning her first novel, One to Go: An Equine Thriller. ktandybrown@gmail.com or (859) 312-6706

.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

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HBF Lecture Series: Beaufort & The Revolution

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hree February talks hosted by Historic Beaufort Foundation (HBF) in partnership with the University of South Carolina Center for the Arts will bring renowned South Carolina historians to share lectures on Partisans, Patriots, and Founders in the Winter Lecture Series.

Presenters include John McCardell, Lawrence Rowland and Stephen Wise.

Admission to the three lectures is $30 for HBF members, $35 for non-members, and full-time students with valid student ID can participate for $20.

Tickets for the event are expected to go fast and are currently available at https://historicbeaufort.org/

Dr. Stephen Wise Dr. Lawrence Rowland February 15: The war’s aftermath and a new beginning – Lawrence S. Rowland and John M. McCardell.

All the presentations will be held at the USC Beaufort Performing Arts Center on Carteret Street in historic downtown Beaufort.

THE LECTURERS

Dr. John McCardell “The American Revolution helped solidify Beaufort and the Lowcountry’s position as an economic and political leader among the Colonies,” HBF Executive Director Cynthia Jenkins said. “We are delighted and fortunate to offer our third Winter Lecture Series featuring the three most renowned Beaufort County historians of our time.”

THE LECTURES February 1: The coming of the Revolution and the first shots – Lawrence S. Rowland and Stephen R. Wise.

February 8: Wartime state and the national governments and the fight for independence – John M. McCardell and Stephen R. Wise.

John McCardell graduated from Washington and Lee University and earned his Ph.D. in history from Harvard University.

For his dissertation, The Idea of a Southern Nation, he earned the 1977 Alan Nevins Prize by the Society of American Historians.

McCardell served as vice-chancellor of Sewanee: The University of the South from 2010 until June 2020.

Larry Rowland is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History for the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, and previously held roles with USC as Professor of History and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College in New York and both his Master’s degree and Doctorate from the University of South Carolina. He has authored numerous books and articles about South Carolina and the Sea Islands.

Steve Wise is director of the museum for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at

Parris Island. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University, his Master’s degree from Bowling Green State University, and his PhD from the University of South Carolina. He has written and edited several books and articles including Lifeline of the Confederacy: Blockade Running During the Civil War, and Gate of Hell: The Campaign for Charleston Harbor.

Historic Beaufort Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit education foundation created to preserve, protect, and present sites and artifacts of historic, architectural, and cultural interest throughout Beaufort County, South Carolina.

For more information on the entity's mission and history, visit historicbeaufort.org and follow them on social media.

.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

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Christmas Wishes

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’m haunted by a recurring nightmare before Christmas that doesn’t require therapy to interpret. It’s Christmas Eve and I’ve not bought any presents, sent any cards, prepared food or even set up a Christmas tree. I start driving from store to store where I find only empty shelves, vacant lots and broken toys. Frantic, I try to cobble together something, but I don’t have tape or wrapping paper and the cupboards are bare. Once the family begins to arrive, I wake myself up, heart pounding and drenched in sweat.

In hindsight, I realize how decades of overseeing Christmas magic came with a steep price tag as I tried to make sure everyone not only got what they wanted, but also what they needed.

Now that I’m more Mimi than mommy, those panicked Christmas dreams have begun to subside. I don’t have to fill stockings, buy matching velvet dresses, tease out the wish lists or do any of the other things that once filled me with anxiety.

The days of assembling playhouses and Barbie camper vans after Christmas Eve Mass are behind me.

My grown girls’ wish lists now include things for their homes rather than baby dolls and bikes. Three hours away, my grandsons help set up the same creche their mom once added tiny plastic princesses alongside shepherds and sheep and their aunt placed Power Rangers next to the angels.

They hang my curated collection of Radko ornaments on their trees and even the battered copy of The Night Before Christmas has been passed on. It’s such a great joy to see my daughters begin creating their own holiday traditions, especially the ones that generously include us.

Our newly married daughter and s on-in-law are hosting us for Christmas Eve — I’m no longer responsible for planning and cooking! — before we head over to our grandsons’ house where Mimi and Pop’s gifts have already been wrapped and assembled.

It’s fine. I’m fine. Really. I loved every minute of those days and am filled with the warm light of enjoying Christmas instead of being the one who frets about how smoothly the holiday comes together. And yet, where did the time go? Oh, to go back and tell my younger self to slow down and

By

Carolyn Mason

savor the moments. She should know that the perfect gift was never the ones on the wish lists and the holiday joy was never something that could be given, only shared.

When I ask our girls what they remember the most about their childhood Christmases, they both say the Advent Angel tradition. We joined with four other families, drew names and secretly delivered gifts throughout the Sunday’s of December.

As the kids grew, the thrill of sneaking small presents without getting caught became the heart thumping, fun of the season. What they may not know is that the grown-ups continued the tradition of anonymously giving gifts to lonely, sick or heartbroken members of the community. Once, late at night, I placed a poinsettia on the porch of someone who recently lost their spouse and saw a fellow Advent Angel had gotten there before me.

I’m heartened that they chose a tradition of giving for their favorite memory and must laugh at myself that it wasn’t the getting of any of the season’s most elusive dolls or toys. All those lost hours of stalking the aisles of Toy R Us! When I asked my six-year-old grandson for his wish list, there were the usual boy items such as balls and race cars but his last request stopped me in my tracks.

“I want a shark that I can walk around on a leash,” he announced, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

Which is the perfect ask because while I can’t order that from Amazon, I can write a story for him about a little boy who walks a shark on a leash. And that’s a gift that will give great pleasure to this giver.

Carolyn Mason is a freelance writer who writes about everything from long haul trucking to how to retire gracefully. She and her husband Jeff live on Lady’s Island and have embraced the delights of the Lowcountry lifestyle.

.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

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Notes 2024: A Festival of Music

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his year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County are taking their popular annual ‘Notes’ benefit event to an exciting new level!

Instead of one night of fabulous music, fellowship, and fundraising – with a little art on the side – Notes 2024 is expanding into a full-blown music festival with a heaping helping of art!

music and a great cause. We even have an art exhibit!”

The festival will take place over several days, and there are several opportunities for sponsorship and/or attendance. There’s literally something for everybody!

“This is really about growing the community’s awareness of our clubs, and all the great things we’ve got going on,” said Kim Sullivan, Boys & Girls Clubs Director of Resource Development.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County serve 400 children across six locations. Their mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need them most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. All proceeds from Notes will go toward that mission.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS Tony Jackson set the country music world on fire with his back-to-tradition vocal style on his highly acclaimed debut album Tony Jackson and never looked back!

Touted as one of the most gifted singers ever to grace country music, his strong emotionally-charged and engaging voice captured the hearts of millions, seemingly overnight. The Gwen Yvette former U.S. Marine is often compared From the Notes website: “From Motown to to Randy Travis, the man who ushered in a Soul, Contemporary to County, this festival is new era and blew the doors off country for music lovers who appreciate both great music!

Gwen Yvette is an independent R&B/soul singer and songwriter from Coastal South Carolina. She is an artist with extraordinary t al e n t a nd vo cal range. The Harlemborn, St. Helena Island product first picked up a microphone at three years old and performed at community events growing up.

Gwen entered the music scene as a professional singer in t he ea r ly 19 9 0 ’s , performing with a popular local band.

Tony Jackson

She was later invited to tour with notable musician, Roy C. In 2023, the songstress had a successful run on Fox’s national television show, “The X-Factor.”

For more information or to purchase to any public Notes 2024 event, visit www. notesmusicfest.com

Notes 2024

Schedule of Public Events Sunday, January 7th: Gullah Soul at ShellRing, featuring Gwen Yvette 1 – 5 pm at ShellRing Ale Works, 1111 11th Street, Port Royal $25 a person – includes a ‘Notes’ special brew and admission to concert

Landau Eugene Murphy

Friday, January 12: Notes of Art Exhibition, Featuring Walker & Annabelle Dean 3- 6pm at Tabby Place, 913 Port Republic Street, Beaufort Free admission – includes music, free cookie decoration, artwork for viewing and sale, food trucks (food for purchase) Saturday, January 13, Country Music Showcase, Featuring Tony Jackson 7 pm at Tabby Place, 913 Port Republic Street, Beaufort $150 per person – includes full bar, heavy food stations, and concert

Voices of Classic Soul

(A private event featuring returning favorites Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. and the Voices of Classic Soul will take place on Dataw Island and is already sold out.)

.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

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Gary Sinise Honored at BIFF

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he Beaufort Film Society is delighted to announce that renowned actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise will be honored with the Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 18th annual Beaufort International Film Festival (BIFF), scheduled for February 20-25, 2024, in Beaufort.

Gary Sinise’s stage, television and film career has spanned nearly fifty years.

Beginning in 1974, he co-founded Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company then twenty years later for his performance as Lt. Dan Taylor in the blockbuster film Forrest Gump, he received nominations for Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and Academy Awards, and earned Best Supporting Actor Award from the National Board of Review and the Commander’s Award from the Disabled American Veterans.

Other film credits include Apollo 13, Ransom, The Green Mile and The Human Stain.

His most recent film and television work include, I Still Believe, Good Joe Bell and 13

Reasons Why. Sinise is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and two-time SAG Award winner for his roles in Truman and George Wallace. Gary also starred in the CBS television series Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and CSI: NY. For over forty years Gary has stood as an advocate on behalf of America’s service members, but following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Gary’s dedication to our nation’s active-duty defenders, veterans, first responders and their families has become a tireless crusade of support, service and gratitude for all those who protect our freedom and serve our country.

In 2003, after several USO handshake tours, he formed the Lt. Dan Band and began entertaining troops serving at home and abroad. Over the years, the 13 piece cover band has performed hundreds of shows for charities and fundraisers supporting wounded heroes, Gold Star families, veterans and troops around the world. The Lt. Dan Band is

BIFF, now in its 18th year, continues to celebrate the art of filmmaking and honors those who have made significant contributions to the industry. The festival serves as a platform for filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals to showcase their work and engage with audiences in the historic and picturesque Lowcountry setting of Beaufort, South Carolina.

For more information about the 18th Annual Beaufort International Actor and musician Gary Sinise Film Festival, visit scheduled to perform a concert in Beaufort www.beaufortfilmfestival.com The Beaufort Film Society is a nonprofit, during the period of the film festival.

In 2011, in an effort to expand his 501 (c) 3, member-supported organization, individual efforts, he established the Gary dedicated to providing the highest levels of Sinise Foundation with the mission to serve entertainment and education to the public and honor America’s defenders, veterans, from all areas of the film industry. Sponsors first responders, Gold Star families and for the Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award are Leslie and Landon Thorne. those in need.

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Six Tips for Hosting a Game Day Gathering

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ats and helmets, sticks and pucks, a goal and a ball – whether your favorite sport takes place on a field or a pitch, the ice or the hardwood, true fans get a kick out of hosting their fellow supporters to watch the home team play, The next time the good guys or gals take on their fiercest rivals, turn you house into a full-blown suite for a watch party that's sure to bring home a win.

A little game planning goes a long way, which is why the entertaining experts at Newman's Own recommend these tips to throw a trophy-worthy watch party.

Send Invites Ahead of Time Most sporting events are scheduled will in advance, giving you plenty of time to plan for game day. While waiting until the last minute can lead to an overwhelmed host and underwhelming many, sharing invitations in advance means guests can come prepared. Consider adding the the time you'd like fellow fans to arrive as well as the firs pitch, kickoff or tipoff time.

Opt for Easy Eats Tensions are already running high with the stress of a rivalry game, so skip complications in the kitchen and turn to on-hand, easy-to-make game day grub. For example, pizza is a popular choice with multiple toppings available so there's something for everyone, regardless of who they're

rooting for. Consider options like frozen pizzas, which deliver radically good flavor. With literally hundreds of possible topping combinations and varieties, it's a slam dunk choice.

Test the TV Whether you're a cable subscriber or cord cutter, ensure you'll have access to the right channel or streaming platform on game day. Test your setup for a good connection, proper picture quality and crisp sound so you can avoid technical difficulties when the game is on the line.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Add Championship-Level Decor Show off our team's colors with decor that makes a statement. Weather-permitting, set the stage with an outdoor flag donning the logo or mascot so neighbors and visitors feel your team spirit. Wear your jersey with pride, show off meaningful memorabilia and set out team-themed plates and napkins.

Maximize Seating Part of a positive game day experience is ensuring comfort for the crowd, meaning you'll want to maximize seating options without squeezing everyone i too tightly. Projecting attendance so you know exactly how much seating you'll need is key to keeping everyone comfortable. Avoid "standing room only" areas by bringing in added chair of stools, or consider turning on an extra TV in a separate room for a little more space.

Keep everyone Engaged While it might be challenging for diehard fans to acknowledge, there may be some party goers who are less inclined to tune in on every play. Make your gathering a fun experience for all, regardless of their interest level in the game, by setting up designated spaces for those who prefer socialization. If you you're expecting kids to be in attendance, provide ways for them to stay entertained like board games in the basement or bats, balls and gloves outside.

Three Steeples at Christmas Time

Lighting Up the Night

Uniquely Local Christmas Cards

Christmas Time on Hunting Island

Exclusive Cards by Mac Rogers

Only Found at Thibault Gallery • 815 Bay Street • Beaufort, SC • 843-379-4278 • www.ThibaultGallery.com

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Jan. 6th 5-8pm Downtown Beaufort First Friday

White Hot Chocolate W

hen it's cold outside, start up the fireplace, get your favorite slippers on, wrap up in a warm blanket and snuggle on the couch with this delicious White Hot Chocolate. Find more recipes at Culinary.net.

WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE • 3 cups Half & Half • 2/3 cup white chocolate baking pieces • 1 3 inch cinnamon stick

• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg • 1 tsp vanilla • 1/4 tsp almond extract • Ground Cinnamon (optional) • Whipped Cream (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan combine 1/4 of the half & half, white chocolate baking pieces, cinnamon stick and nutmeg.

Stir over low to medium heat until white chocolate is melted.

2. Add remaining half & half. Stir and cook until heated through. Remove from heat.

Discard cinnamon stick.

3. Add in vanilla and almond extract. Stir until mixed through.

4. Pour into your favorite mug(s). Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

5. Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

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Christmas Party F

I

love Christmas! I love December! What other month of the year is so overloaded with parties? It’s so much fun to dress up a couple of times a week and spend happy time with our friends. Vince and I hosted our annual Christmas party last weekend. Our dearest friends graced our home on Saturday night. Merriment ensued. We ate, drank, laughed, took a zillion photos and even sang a few carols around the piano. At the end of the evening, I asked some of our party guests to chose three of their favorite offerings from our cocktail buffet. The Bourbon Cocktail Meatballs won and the Lima Bean Hummus and Bacon-Wrapped Scallops came in close behind. I’m sharing those three delicious recipes this week. Vince and I wish you all the very merriest of Christmases and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

LIMA BEAN HUMMUS I like to use lemon flavored olive oil for a drizzle at the end. It gives the hummus an additional blast of brightness.

1 (15-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans 2 teaspoons minced garlic ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup tahini 6 teaspoons lemon juice 6 tablespoons water Pinch cayenne pepper Sea salt, to taste Extra-virgin olive oil, to garnish Cook lima beans according to package directions.

Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. Place in a serving dish and drizzle with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with pita bread or pita chips. Serves 6 to 8.

BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOPS WITH LOWCOUNTRY COCKTAIL SAUCE Wrap the scallops in prosciutto before baking for a different twist on a classic recipe. ½ cup ketchup 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 12 slices bacon 24 sea scallops Freshly ground black pepper Co mb i ne ke tc h u p, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl; set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut bacon slices in half to make 24 pieces. Wrap each scallop in a piece of bacon and skewer with a wooden toothpick.

Place bacon-wrapped scallops on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Sprinkle with black pepper; to taste. Bake

Favorites

By Debbi Covington

3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce 1 tablespoon molasses Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix together, using your hands to combine. Form meat mixture into 1-inch balls. Place meatballs on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until cooked through. To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Place cooked meatballs in sauce and toss gently to coat. Pour meatballs and sauce into a large baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and meatballs are heated through. Serve hot. Makes 40 to 50.

The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate for 15 to 20 minutes or until scallops are Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For cooked through. Serve with cocktail sauce more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. on the side. Makes 24 appetizers.

Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington. com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@cateringbydebbicovington.com.

BOURBON COCKTAIL MEATBALLS I debuted these yummy meatballs at our Christmas party earlier this month. At the end of the night, there wasn’t a single one left.

For the meatballs: 1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork ½ cup finely crushed cracker crumbs ½ teaspoon finely chopped onion 1 egg ¼ teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper For the bourbon sauce: 1 (18-ounce) jar apricot preserves ½ cup barbeque sauce ¼ cup brown sugar ½ cup bourbon

Get Inspired to Give Back this Holiday Season

F

or many, the holiday season sparks the spirit of giving – not only among family and friends, but to those living in need and the organizations working to help them. If you’re committed to helping improve the lives of others in your community, it may mean thinking long-term.

After the lights come down and the New Year’s ball drops, the programs and services provided by most nonprofits and cause-based organizations continue to run year-round.

Their ability to help those they serve not only relies on meeting a single season’s fundraising goals but also on the ongoing commitments from donors who provide the financial stability they need to plan and grow. These five tips can help your gifts provide long-term benefits for the causes you support: Make a personal connection. Hand-deliver your donation to a local chapter and introduce yourself as a supporter. Even consider bringing your kids to inspire generations of giving. Inquire about how you can make the greatest impact and learn about ongoing events and opportunities to get involved.

Spread your contribution over time.

If a strict monthly budget has you

concerned about breaking the bank, consider signing up for a recurring donation to benefit those served by an organization like The Salvation Army throughout the year. A $25 monthly gift can feed 126 people over the course of one year or provide 11 nights of shelter for those in need in your community.

Introduce co-workers to the cause.

Many businesses support employees’ volunteer efforts and match contributions, which makes it easy for you to become a champion for cause-related work in your community. Gathering colleagues who share your passion for a cause is a team-building activity that allows you to

build personal connections with people you might not have a chance to interact with regularly otherwise.

Sharing the load also means you can take turns volunteering, attending events or making contributions for a larger overall impact than you could make on your own.

Give the gift of giving. Rather than giving material goods, consider a meaningful contribution in your gift recipient’s honor.

Or share an experience to benefit the cause: spend date night volunteering or gift someone tickets to a nonprofit or- ganizations performance or gala event.

Pay it forward with younger generations. Introducing kids to the joy of giving can pay dividends for decades to come. Teach the little ones in your life about the big impact they can make by letting them get hands-on. Kids delight in getting to donate loose change, by dropping it in an iconic red kettle, for example (this year, you can even donate through Apple Pay or Google Pay) and you can take advantage of their interest by explaining the impact of their donation. An average of 82 cents of every $1 donated to The Salvation Army goes directly to help neighbors who need it most.

Donations to nonprofit organizations are tax-exempt no matter when they are contributed during the year.

Salt Dough Leaves

Coastal Gifts, Souvenirs Jewelry, Collectibles Rare Coins

Making the Salt Dough Ingredients:

1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil food coloring

Directions:

Mix the flour, salt, water, and oil together in a bowl. Add a little more flour or water if needed until the dough reaches the desired consistency. Separate the dough into smaller bowls. Add food coloring to each bowl to create various fall colors. Let playtime begin!

Wall Art

Figurines

Making the Leaves Supplies:

salt dough cookie or pie crust cutters (leaf-shaped) baking tray straw twine parchment paper

Directions:

Lay a piece of parchment paper onto a baking tray. Flatten out pieces of salt dough and use leaf-shaped cutters to begin making salt dough leaves. Lay the leaves onto the tray. Use a straw to punch a small hole into the top of each leaf. Bake the leaves at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours. Let them cool and harden overnight. Once they have cooled, you can tie twine through the hole of each to hang them. Use them to create a garland, napkin rings, or fall decor for a room. Be creative and have fun!

Creches and Year Round Christmas

Seashells

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.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

More coverage and content at LowcountryWeekly.com 19

Ken’s Mama’s Christmas Fruitcake

W

hen my brother Ray and I were in grade school, our Mama typically bought boxes of chocolate-covered cherries, sleeves of thin mint candies, or packaged fruitcakes to give our teachers for Christmas gifts. I still question her selections. Thin mints were kind of tasty and chocolate-covered cherries were edible -- if you only ate the outer layer of chocolate and pitched the sugary, syrup-laden cherries. The dreaded fruitcake was a bit of a quandary.

After peeling the red corrugated paper off the bottom of the sticky thing, its only redeeming quality was the 4 or 5 pecans embedded in the dense log of weird colored bitter fruit. I never understood the true delectable pleasures of fruitcake until I baked one of my own.

Several months ago, I was asking my cake-baking friend, Ken Davis what he knew about old-timey fruitcake. My thinking was that it might be a fun, sharable recipe to preserve some of the old holiday traditions of our grandmothers. Ken had treated me to my very first figgy pudding several years ago, so I was sure he would be a fountain of knowledge.

He was! Ken shared his fruitcake memories with me. His mom would bake a fruitcake several weeks before Christmas. She’d then wrap it in rum-soaked cheesecloth and store it in a tightly sealed container until the fruitcake was ceremoniously served at Christmastime.

The cake had to be checked every few days and the cheesecloth had to be dunked in rum regularly to make sure that the cheesecloth remained damp while it covered the fruitcake.

I, of course, asked if he could get the recipe.

Ken had to do some wrangling, but his mother eventually relented, and he was able to share her favorite fruitcake recipe with me. Being a non-baker, I had lots of questions and needed a bunch of detailed instructions. The cake pan was the first hurdle. I needed an angel food pan, also called a tube pan. It’s a tall, round pan and it has a hollow tube in the center. It comes in two parts and the center of the pan is completely removable. (Note: A Bundt cake pan will not work.) Next question, what in the heck was mincemeat? It turns out that mincemeat is a mixture of chopped and dried apples, raisins, currants, citrus and spices. It’s actually a great timesaver. Who wants to waste time chopping up a bunch of fruit? I even figured out a couple of other things on my own. I didn’t have to sift the flour. I like nuts, so I increased the amount of walnuts from 1 cup to 2 cups.

And, I used Baker’s Joy cooking spray instead of buttering, flouring and lining the tube pan with parchment paper.

After several days of texting questions for baking instructions from Ken, I pulled out the proper ingredients and gave Ken’s Mama’s recipe a try. My first fruitcake was gorgeous! The whole house smelled like Christmas.

Amazingly enough, what I imagined would turn out to be a stubby, dense cake like the fruitcakes of my youth, rose to be a perfect, golden beauty. I let the cake cool completely for several hours before taking the last step – soaking the fruitcake in rum. This part of the recipe wasn’t written on Ken’s Mama’s recipe card. I had to be walked through it, by Ken, in great detail. What it ultimately entails is, you take a large piece of cheesecloth, soak it in rum and then wrap it around the fruitcake like a mummy. Every few days, I had to make sure that the cheesecloth was staying damp. That meant that every few days, I had to carefully remove the cheesecloth, resoak it in more rum and then rewrap the fruitcake. Evidently, this process can go on for months. Back in the very olden days, when fruitcakes were often served at weddings, the fruitcakes were “cured” for up to six months. Not having that kind of patience, the decision was made to serve my very first fruitcake at my 60th birthday

By Debbi Covington

Cake wrapped in cheesecloth dinner on December 12th. (Ken made a backup birthday cake just in case my creation wasn’t as tasty as it looked.)

Well, Happy Birthday to me! The fruitcake was delicious. It was loaded with fruit, nuts, and warm spices. Dense but tender, it was nothing like the dreaded fruitcakes of Christmases past.

Everyone at the dinner ate the fruitcake.

Everyone -- even the self-proclaimed fruitcake haters. Thankfully, Ken didn’t have to pull out the emergency birthday cake.

With special permission, I’m sharing Ken’s Mama’s fruitcake recipe this week. It’s still not too late to bake a holiday fruitcake. It’s the perfect cold weather dessert. If you choose to wait until next year, save this recipe and stash it with your Christmas tree ornaments.

In 2024, I plan to bake my fruitcake on the day after Thanksgiving, soak it in rum all through the holiday season, and serve it on Christmas Day. Even though I’m just now learning about fruitcake baking at 60 years of age, I believe this is going to be a special, new Christmas tradition. I guess the moral of this story is that you can teach an old girl new tricks. Merry Christmas!

KEN’S MAMA’S FRUITCAKE

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 2 cups (1 pound) mixed candied fruit 1 to 2 cups walnuts, chopped Dark rum, optional Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a 9-inch tube pan with butter and flour or cooking spray with flour. Sift flour with baking soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine eggs with mincemeat, sweetened condensed milk, candied fruit, and walnuts. Fold in dry ingredients. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in a slow (300 degree) oven for 2 hours, or until the center springs back when touched and top is golden. Cool completely. Remove from pan. Soak a large piece of cheesecloth in rum. Wrap damp cheesecloth loosely around cooled cake. Repeat every few days, as needed, to keep cheesecloth damp. Store cake in an air-tight container for 3 to 5 weeks.

Serves 12 to 15.

The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the Be sure to bake the fruitcake on the middle author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For rack in your oven. more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, 2½ cups all-purpose flour visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s 1 teaspoon baking soda website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She 2 eggs, lightly beaten may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@ cateringbydebbicovington.com.

1 (28-ounce) jar mincemeat

.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

More coverage and content at LowcountryWeekly.com 20

Going Wild in the Lowcountry Karen Richards & Kristie Schubert featured at BAA Gallery

T

he Beaufort Art Association’s featured artists for January-February exhibit different styles, but both are inspired

by Lowcountry flora, fauna, people and places.

Kristie Schubert has been painting with acrylics for over 30 years, and began working on canvas during the COVID epidemic.

Her interest in art began in childhood and continued during school at Beaufort High School, where she won the Ceramics Award and Arts in the Park award for a pencil drawing. Thirty-five years and five kids later, she is painting and working with clay in her sunny Lowcountry studio. Along the way, she earned an Early Childhood Education degree from USC Aiken, taught in the public schools for several years, and continues to homeschool. She is a daughter of the King.

Karen Richards says, “I have always enjoyed drawing, painting and messing around with art supplies. I received my first set of oil paints at seven!” Karen initially chose to pursue a degree in horticulture, followed by a career designing and maintaining gardens. Karen returned to school, earning a degree in Fine Art and Art Education, leading to a 20-year career in art education and continuing studies. A resident of Bluffton since 2021, she works primarily in acrylic and watercolor, portraying egrets, blue herons, and the wide variety of native shrubs, flowers and palms.

Karen shows her work online, at the SOBA Gallery and at BAA, and donates to local environmentally-conscious groups.

Join the artists for an opening night reception at the BAA Gallery on Friday, January 5, 5-8pm. 913 Bay Street, Beaufort

Kristi Schubert

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Artwork by Kristi Shubert, above and right

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Newpoint Corners 2 Merchants Ln., Ste. 113 Beaufort, SC 29907

Karen Richards

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More coverage and content at LowcountryWeekly.com 21

Chalk Art Festival Happening in Beaufort

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halk It Up!, an immersive two-day festival featuring live music by local musicians, hands-on activities, food trucks, and large-scale street chalk painting will be held in downtown Beaufort in March of 2024. This distinctively creative event, being organized by the Freedman Arts District, combines community engagement and art appreciation into one FREE fun-filled weekend, March 23-24!

Inspired by the tremendous popularity of chalk festivals around the country, festival organizers are gathering together 63 artists near and far to create huge colorful chalk illustrations directly on the pavement of a neighborhood parking lot.

Three uber-talented professional chalk artists will be coming to Beaufort to participate as the event’s featured artists. Erik Greenawalt is coming from Pittsburgh, Lisa

Gaither from Raleigh, and Chelsey Austin Scott from Atlanta.

Known as “street painters”, these artists are masters of the art form, and travel all over the country transforming ordinary pavement into amazing chalk art right before your eyes.

Call for Artists: Artists (18 or older) interested in participating should complete the online application on www.FreedmanArtsDistrict.org. The deadline for applying is Feb 1, and the number of artist slots is limited!

Artist participation is free, and no street painting experience is required for emerging artists. A full set of guidelines and rules can be found on www.FreedmanArtsDistrict.org.

The Chalk it Up! festival will conclude with an awards ceremony on Sunday, March 24 at 5pm. Three prizes will be awarded – First Place $500; Second Place $300; People’s Choice $200.

Eric Greenawalt, above Chelsey Austin Scott, below Lisa Gaither, left

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Conroy Center Offers Future Educator Scholarship Beaufort High Hosts Debate Tournament

O

"There is no word in the language I revere more than ‘teacher.’ My heart sings when a kid refers to me as his teacher, and it always has.

I’ve honored myself and the entire family of man by becoming a teacher.” – Pat Conroy, The Prince of Tides

H

the ACT and/or a 1080 or greater on the n Saturday, December 9, students from will represent South Carolina at the SAT, (3) be a legal U.S. citizen and a legal nearly all public middle and high prestigious fourth annual Incubate Debate resident of Beaufort County, (4) submit two schools in Beaufort County competed at Championship in Jacksonville, Florida in letters of recommendation from teachers or the Incubate Debate’s second regional April. mentors not related to the applicant, and (5) competition of complete the required application form and the 2023-2024 school two essays. Priority will be given to need-based year. At the competition, stablished to encourage and support applicants. students debated the high school seniors with a declared merits of a federal WHEN TO APPLY intent to pursue a career in education, carbon tax, a potential The 2024 scholarship application period T i k To k b a n , a n d the Pat Conroy Literary Center Future Educator Scholarship honors the is now open and will conclude on March 22, whether or not NATO teaching legacy of the late Pat Conroy (1945– 2024. Eligible applications will be reviewed by should accept Ukraine 2016), acclaimed bestselling as a member. author of The Water Is Wide, Local citizens like The Great Santini, The Lords Dr. Richard Moniuszko of Discipline, The Prince of of World Affairs Council Incubate Debate’s regional champion Johanna Pierre (center) with Tides, and more. The annual evaluated students not the non-profit’s founder James Fishbank (left) and Stephen Asoli, scholarship is funded through only in their ability to admissions director, University of Austin the generosity of former give a speech but also in educators and will be their civility and aptitude for respectful presented next in spring 2024. disagreement.

The $5,000 scholarship will be The University of Austin’s director of awarded in two parts: (1) admissions Stephen Asoli addressed students $2,500 on high school in the awards ceremony, praising them for graduation and college acceptheir willingness to dare to think and pursue tance, and (2) $2,500 in the truth during the tournament. awardee’s junior year of colA special congratulations to Johanna lege as a future candidate for Pierre from May River High School who teaching. secured the Championship title in the final round in the competition. Pierre argued WHO SHOULD APPLY against admitting Ukraine into NATO. The Conroy Center’s Incubate Debate’s next tournament is Future Educator Scholarship on Saturday, January 27 at May River High is open to all Beaufort County, School, where students will be debating the South Carolina, graduating benefits of the International Monetary high school seniors with an Fund, daylight savings time, and whether it interest in pursuing a career in was necessary for the U.S. to drop the education and meeting the atomic bombs on Japan. This will be the following criteria. The ideal third and final tournament of the school candidate will: (1) have earned year hosted in Beaufort County. It will serve a GPA of 3.0 or greater on the as the qualifier, determining which students SC Uniform Grading Scale, have earned a 21 or greater on

E

a selection committee, and finalists will be contacted for brief interviews. The scholarship recipient and all other applicants will be notified of their status by April 19, 2024.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online at https:// forms.gle/5CJa8FSChfS6SqZ57.

Please contact the Conroy Center with any questions at contact@patconroyliterary center.org

Tues - Sun: 11am-9pm

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More coverage and content at LowcountryWeekly.com 23

Home for the Holidays L

e e n

ike me, some folks just can’t travel for the holidays. But we’ll miss the chaos of the airports, the horrible traffic, and the kids going through their presents like a buzz saw. But I always believed that home is where the heart is, so I’ll just be grateful that I have a home. So many do not.

I’ve given a home to about a bazillion plants over the past few years. Some endure to this day, like the Meyer Lemon Tree that I brought from my home in Illinois. There, it lived in a pot and was kept trimmed to a manageable size. I brought it in every winter.

I actually trimmed it small enough to put in my car and brought it with me when I moved.

I’ve literally given away hundreds and hundreds of lemons over the years.

Another immigrant from Illinois, which I had babied there indoors every winter, is my Angel Trumpet. I planted it along the front side of my house, and it now almost reaches the roof.

This was taken just before the cold spell last year.

My little Magnolia ’Randy’ (from the “Little Girl” series) took to the south like she was Daisy Hazzard. Blooms enthusiastically every year!

Re-homing plants was not always so successful. Agapanthus are not hardy in Illinois, so a friend gave me the dozen plants she treated as annuals and replaced every year (her gardening budget was way way bigger than mine) and brought them and planted along the sidewalk to my front door.

They were just gorgeous for a couple of years, then the deer found them. The few survivors were planted in my backyard where they still reluctantly bloom every year. I don’t think they ever got over the shock of being eaten alive.

I was here part time for several years before I made the full move to the south, so every trip I took, my car was filled to the gunwales with live plants that I intended to plant here. As time went on, before I actually began to buy plants, my backyard looked like a graveyard for dead and dying plants. These plants were northerners; totally unsuitable for the heat and humidity of the south and before long, I was left with almost nothing.

I wish I could say I learned my lesson, but the sad story doesn’t end here. I didn’t know that the box stores here sold plants that wouldn’t grow here. Caveat Emptor.

My dream of Peonies blooming every Memorial Day never came true. Lamb’s Ears, even treated as annuals, gasped and

Angel trumpet languished from the humidity. And of course, the big and beautiful hybrid tulips and daffodils don’t have a chance.

I used to be able to treat my very favorite flowers, the true lilies, as short term perennials – grateful even that I could have them for a few years. Now, dozens of bulbs are in my garage refrigerator, waiting their January planting, but I doubt that they will come back for more than a year. Climate change.

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By Sandra Educate

It’s sad but true; in gardening, experience is the best teacher. It’s also the most expensive and heartbreaking. I’m so fey that I seldom save receipts, so when a $50 plant bites the dust, so to speak, I really feel hurt.

After 20 plus years in the South, like the song “Love the Girl You’re Near,” I’ve learned to love the plants that are here. Every year, I find a new favorite that will thrive here. It may be an immigrant (think Camellias) but as long as it’s not invasive, it’s welcome in my garden.

Sandra Educate is active in the local Master Gardeners Association and the Beaufort Garden Club, and she produces the annual Lunch and Learn series at the Port Royal Farmers Market. She loves strange and unusual plants and hates weeds. Sandra won’t give away her age, but takes her inspiration from Thomas Jefferson, who said, "though an old man, I am but a young gardener."

Post your ad and reach ALL of Beaufort County

Classifieds TO RENT or OWN

ITALY: Tuscany townhouse for rent by the week in historic UNESCO village. Sleeps 4, large furnished garden, easy walk to shops and excellent restaurants. www.cozyholidayrentals. com or 401-862-2377.

FURNISHED LUXURY APT In the heart of downtown Beaufort. 2BR, 2BA, W/D, Housewares.

Please call 843-812-4229.

CLASSES & SEMINARS FREE HYPNOSIS INFORMATION PRESENTATION and guided group meditation workshop.

This free session will focus on anxiety reduction and relaxation. Open to the public, Tuesday, November 14th at 7 pm EST via Zoom. Learn more and RSVP for Zoom Link at www.guidepathhypnosis.com or contact Chris at chris.guidepath@ gmail.com BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY ONGOING PROGRAMS & CLASSES Knitting/Crochet Club 1st Tuesdays @ 2:30; Line Dance Class 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 3:30; Basic Computer Skills Class Wednesdays @ 9; Hoopla Class 2nd Mondays @ 10 and 4th Wednesdays @ 4; Escape Quest Games daily during library hours; Dungeon & Dragons Teen Club Mondays @ 4; Teen Art Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Anime Club 2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 4; Teen Gaming Club 1st & 3rd Wednesdays @ 4 FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCES The Hilton Head Carolina Shag Club hosts Friday dances from 6-9:30 pm at Dolphin Head Golf Club, 59 High Bluff Rd, Hilton Head Plantation. Open to the public. Shag, ballroom, swing, country, or line.

Singles welcome. Cash bar and light dinners available. $5 floor fee. HHICSC also teaches beginner Shag lessons Tuesday nights. www. hiltonheadshagclub.com, or www.facebook. com/HHICSC ART LEAGUE OF HH CLASSES & WORKSHOPS With over 25 local professional art educators, and guests from around the world, Art League of Hilton Head offers classes and workshops in all media for all levels of students. Visit www. artleaguehhi.org or email academy@artleaguehhi.org for more info.

POTTERY CLASSES IN BEAUFORT McSweeney Clay Studio is offering morning, afternoon and evening classes for children and adults.

Pottery dates and parties available as well. Classes are on going. Beginner or advanced welcome. mcsweeneyclaystudio.com or call 843-694-2049.

LOWCOUNTRY SHAGGERS Mondays at the Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd. 6-9pm. Carolina Shag Lessons with Tommy & Sheri O'Brien and others. Occasional Ballroom and once a month Line Dance is taught. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons. Beginner classes in Jan., Mar, May, and Sep. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com or lowcountryshaggers@aol.com WEDNESDAYS, BEAUFORT SHAG CLUB meets evenings at AMVETS, 1831 Ribaut Rd., Port Royal from 7-9pm, and the 2nd Sat. of the month 7-10pm. Free lessons to members Sep. to June.

Visit The Beaufort Shag Club on Facebook

MAYE RIVER QUILTERS meets 1st Saturday of Every Month, at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way, Hardeeville. Members meet at 9:30am for social exchange. The meeting starts at 10 am. We welcome new members. Please call 843-707-6034.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS EVERY 2ND TUESDAY, SHARING HEARTS SUPPORT GROUP Tell your 10-minute story of a life lesson or healing message using your own song, poetry, reading, art or verbal storytelling. Come away with an uplifting sense of support and connections or to just listen. To register leave voice mail with name, and phone number at 843-5256115 or email reneesutton@healthierhealing.com.

Notification will be done of any location change.

Free. 2201 Boundary St. #208, Beaufort.

CARIS HEALTHCARE: WE HONOR VETERANS Hospice Program. You a Vet with a little time to share with other Vets with limited time? The We Honor Veterans program seeks volunteers who are Vets to offer a listening ear for our Veteran patients. Volunteers also participate in our Pinning Ceremonies for Veteran patients. Contact 843-473-3939 or smilliken@carishealthcare.com

Community Announcements & Classes are FREE Merchandise · Employment • Rental Property • FSBO Automobiles · Motorcycles • Boats • Pets $25 Up to 25 Words • $35 Up to 25 Words with a Photo

To place your ad call 843-986-9059 or email: Amanda@LCWeekly.com the 1800's and the Spanish American War. From 10am to 2pm Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm at the Fort Fremont History Center at the Fort Fremont Preserve, 1124 Land's End Road, St. Helena Island is open.

Docent-led tours are every Saturday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Visitors to Fort Fremont can learn about the fort's history by reading interpretive panels, taking a self-guided tour with a smart phone, visiting the history center exhibit hall, or attending a docent-led tour of the property. The Preserve is open to the public Monday through Sunday from dawn to dusk.

For more Information visit www.forttremont. org or contact Passive Parks manager Stefanie Nagid at snagid@bcgov.net US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, Flotilla 07-10-01, Port Royal Sound, a uniformed, all volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard. We conduct safety patrols, assist search & rescue, teach boat safety, conduct free vessel safety checks and other boating activities. Monthly meetings are open to all and held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the Port Royal Sound Foundation classroom at 7pm. For info call Flotilla Commander Pattie McGowan (706-633-6192) and visit us on Facebook - USCGA Beaufort.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: Non-denominational meditation, silent prayer and healing group forming. All welcome. No previous meditation experience needed. Call Michael 843-489-8525

BEAUFORT TOASTMASTERS CLUB meets from 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm the first & third Tuesday, in the Beaufort College Building, Rm. 103 (USC-Beaufort Campus), 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. To learn more visit www.beauforttoastmastersclub.org

HABITAT RESTORE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS We're looking for volunteers for cashiers, sales floor associates, donation processing, donor data entry, and donor ambassadors. Interested? Go to lowcountryhabitat.org/volunteer or call 843-525-0055.

FREE ACUPUNCTURE FOR VETERANS – Veterans, Active Duty, Transition. Their Families and First Responders are Eligible. First & Third Wednesday 4 - 6pm. Walk In Clinic. No Need to Pre-Register or Call. Nourishing Health Acupuncture and Herbs Clinic. 1214 Prince Street, Downtown Beaufort

KARAOKE AT THE MOOSE Sing with us Thursday evenings at The Moose Lodge, 350 Broad River Blvd.

7:30-10:30pm. Brought to you by #top6entertainment Mardi & Dennis Topcik. The Moose is a family friendly place and Thursdays are also Pizza Night!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for a few hours each week at St. Francis Thrift Shop. Open Tuesday thru Saturday. Call 843-689-6563 or come in to speak with Mr. Hal. Definitely shop.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Calhoun Station Thrift Store in Bluffton. All funds generated are returned to other nonprofits in the community. Store is open Wed & Sat 10am to 1pm and located at 77 Pritchard St. Volunteers can stop by store or contact Cate Taylor, 843-310-0594 or catetaylor@frontier.com

COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE Safe & effective centuries old healing system treats and prevents many health-related conditions. Experience individualized treatment in a peaceful group setting.

Sliding scale fee. Beaufort Acupuncture, 12 Fairfield Rd, 5B, Lady’s Island. For info and to schedule: (843) 694-0050 or www.BeaufortAcupuncture.com

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort, 1810 Ribaut Road. Looking for committed volunteers for clothes sorting, pantry help, front desk help and Mobile Meals drivers. We are open M-F from 9:30-12:30, Mobile Meals delivers to home bound seniors 5 days/ week, routes takes about 30-45 mins. Email Lori at helpbeaufort@gmail.com, or call 843-524-1223, or stop in and fill out an application.

PORT ROYAL MUSEUM is open Thursday through Sunday at 1634 Paris Ave., from 10 - 3 or upon request. Free admission! Call 843-524-4333 or email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com to request a special opening.

PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP - First Thursday of the month at Beaufort Memorial LifeFit Wellness Center, from 1:30-2:45pm, 900 Ribaut Rd. Beaufort. We are individuals with Parkinson’s care partners of those with Parkinson’s, and individuals or companies providing products or services for Parkinson’s patients. For more info: Rick Ostrander at pdawaresc@gmail.com or Facebook at Parkinson’s Support Group Of Beaufort SC Port Royal & Lady’s Island.

TOUR HISTORIC FORT FREMONT—Travel to

B

SECOND HELPINGS seeking Day Captains and other volunteers to crew our trucks distributing food to local charities. Flexible schedule at your convenience. Email officeadmin@secondhelpingslc.org AGAPE HOSPICE seeks volunteers to spend time bringing joy to our patients and families during​a difficult time. Activities include playing music, baking, arts and crafts, pet therapy, manicures, listening to stories, holding hands, etc. Provide companionship to the elderly who often feel lonely and unappreciated. Contact Ashlee Powers at 843-592-8453 or apowers@agapehospice. com VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort.

Come join the team providing food, mobile meals, clothing and emergency financial assistance to those in need in our community. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-12:30. 2 Ice House Rd., Beaufort.

Call or email Jennifer 843-524-1223 or info@helpofbeaufort.org TIDEWATER HOSPICE SUPPORT GROUP: Last Wed. and Thurs. of the month. Weds. 10-11am at Sun City; Thurs. 12-1pm Brookdale Hilton Head

Ct., Hilton Head; for those who provide physical,H emotional or practical support to a family member or friend. Jodi Johnson, LMSW. Bereave-a ment Group: 5-6 pm., Thursdays, 10 BuckinghamB Plantation Drive, Suite A, Bluffton; for those who have experienced a loss and would like supports and info associated with grief and bereavement.B Corrie VanDyke, LMSW or Marie James, MA. a 843-757-9388 INTERESTED IN HEALTHY EATING? Second Helpings, of Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties, seeks committee members and chairperson for Healthy Food Program. Funding available to procure fresh produce and protein for the 60 food pantries and soup kitchens served by Second Helpings.

Contact Exec. Dir. Lili Coleman, 843-689-3616 or execdirector@secondhelpingslc.org BORN TO READ working for early childhood literacy, needs volunteers to deliver books and materials to new mothers at Coastal Community Hosp., HH Hosp., and BMH. Visits are from 10am – noon.

More info at borntoread.org or call 843-379-3350.

ALZHEIMER’S FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BEAUFORT, Support Groups: Caregiver - Weds., 12:30pm, Senior Services of Beaufort, 1408 Paris Ave., Port Royal; Living with Alzheimer's - for those in very early stages - Mondays 1pm, Parsons Parlor, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret, Beaufort. Respite Programs: Social Day Program- 10am-1:45pm $40 Day Fee, Mon. at Cornerstone Christian Church, 2301 First Blvd., Beaufort, Weds. & Friday at Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; In Home - Respite Aides available for 2 hr. minimum, $12$24. Early Memory Loss: Maintain Your Brain - 2nd & 4th Thursday, 10-11:30am, $10/person, $15 couple, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; Memory Screenings available call 843-5219190, free; Purple Haven Project - Educate local establishment staff to better interact with a person with Alzheimer's call 843-521-9190.

THE LITERACY CENTER is seeking volunteers tos tutor adults in reading, writing, math and ESL. Stu-c dents hope to acquire skills to pursue life goals, support families, and contribute to our community.h Daytime and evenings in Bluffton and HHI. Call 843815-6616 (Bluffton); 843-681-6655 (HHI). No teaching, tutoring or other language knowledge necessary. www.theliteracycenter.org

THE SANDALWOOD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY. Volunteer-based, non-profit provides groceries, clothing and basic needs items to ANYONE in need. Open Tues & Fri 11:30am-1pm at 114 Beach City Rd., Hilton Head. Donations of food and funds needed. For info: Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson at 843715-3583 or email sandalwoodpantry@gmail.com PARRIS ISLAND MUSEUM. The legacy of the Marine Corps and the history of the Port Royal region.

Thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials illustrate the stories in exhibit galleries from Native American to modern Marines. FREE admission. Mon-Sat 10am-4:30pm and 8am on Family Graduation Days. Closed all Federal Holidays. Info at parrisislandmuseum.org or 843-228-2166.

MEDICAL SERVICES OF AMERICA SEEKS VOLUNTEERS - Volunteers needed for companionship or skills like yard work, music, and crafts to patients and their families or assist in the office with admin tasks.

Volunteers needed in Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties. For info contact 843-322-0063.

CHRIST CENTERED RECOVERY MEETINGS At Shell Point Baptist Church Saturdays for “Celebrate Recovery”, addressing life’s problems and looking to scripture for solutions. Meal at 6pm; Praise and Worship 6:30pm; Small Groups at 7:15pm. 871 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Info at 843-592-1046.

.{ Opinion, Arts, Culture, Lifestyle, Cuisine }.

More coverage and content at LowcountryWeekly.com 25

Bestselling Novelists Coble & McKnight in Conversation

T

he nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center will host an evening of conversation with visiting novelists Colleen Coble, author of Fragile Designs, and Rhonda McKnight, author The Thing About Home, on Wednesday, January 3, at 5:00 p.m., at the Conroy Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort). Books will be available for sale and signing in collaboration with the Beaufort Bookstore. Please call to reserve your seat in advance: 843-379-7025.

uncovers a family secret that Eric kept hidden.

And an heirloom that the wrong person wouldn’t hesitate to kill for.

Carly turns to homicide detective Lucas Bennett for help. Soon, they’re entangled in a mystery with threads that lead all the way to the Russian mafia. Lucas has gotten in deep, and while he trusts his ability to keep Carly and her family safe, he begins to realize he’s vulnerable to an unexpected kind of danger.

As they continue working closely together, Carly and Lucas realize they may have found something more precious than gold.

ABOUT COLLEEN COBLE AND FRAGILE DESIGNS

Novelist Rhonda McKnight

Novelist Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble is the author of more than seventy-five books and is best known for her coastal romantic suspense novels. Her books have been honored with awards ranging from

the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has over 5 million books in print and has been on the bestseller lists of USA Today, ECPA, CBA, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon. She lives and writes in Indiana.

Colleen’s newest novel, Fragile Designs, is set in Beaufort. Since her police-officer husband Eric’s mysterious murder, Carly Harris has been struggling to support herself and their infant son. Her career as an antique dealer isn’t sustainable, nor is her dream of becoming a novelist. So when her grandmother proposes she and her two sisters restore the family’s large Beaufort home and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast, she immediately gets to work clearing out the house. In the process, she

ABOUT RHONDA MCKNIGHT AND THE THING ABOUT HOME Winner of the 2015 Emma Award for Inspirational Romance of the Year, Rhonda McKnight is the author of An Inconvenient Friend and What Kind of Fool. Themes of faith, forgiveness, and hope are central to her stories. Originally from a small coastal town in New Jersey, Rhonda now lives and writes in the South Carolina lowcountry.

In The Thing About Home, Casey Black needs an escape. When her picture-perfect vow renewal ceremony ends in her being left at the altar, the former model turned social media influencer has new fame—the kind she never wanted. With her personal and business lives in shambles, Casey runs from New York City to South Carolina’s Lowcountry hoping to find long-lost family.

What Casey doesn’t expect is a postcard-worthy property on a threehundred-acre farm, history, culture, and a love of sweet tea. She also meets Nigel, the farm manager whose friendship has become everything she’s never had. Through the pages of her great-grandmother’s journals, Casey discovers her roots run deeper than the Lowcountry soil. She learns that she has people, a home, a legacy to uphold, and a great new love story—if only she is brave enough to leave her old life behind.

Learn more about the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center at www.patconroyliterarycenter.org

Omni Hilton Head Ocean Front in Palmetto Now – 12/30, Holiday Gallery of Gifts, at the Dunes. Buoy Bar - HH Prime - (843) 842- Art League of Hilton Head Gallery, inside the 8000 or www.omnihotels.com Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane. www.artleaguehhi.org

OUT OF TOWN

The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston.

12/30 Corey Smith; Jeb Gipson, 12/31 Tauk Ft Kanika Moore; Sex Bruise, 1/5/24 54 Bicycles - Widespread Panic tribute. (843) 408-1599 or www.musicfarm.com

BEAUFORT/PORT ROYAL

The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. 12/21 Elise Testone's Psychedelic Soul Party, 12/22 Mr. Holland's Oats, 12/23 Drivin' N Cryin'; Volk, 12/24 - 12/26 CLOSED - Merry Christmas!, 12/28 & 12/29 Perpetual Groove, 12/30 & 12/31 Hiss Golden Messenger, 1/1/24 & 1/2/24 CLOSED - Happy New Year!, 1/4 A Herbie Hancock Tribute, 1/5 Mr. Fahrenheit, 1/6 Thurston Howell - A Premier Yacht Rock Spectacular. (843) 5714343 or www.charlestonpourhouse.com

913 Port Republic Street, Beaufort, $150 per person – includes full bar, heavy food stations, and concert. Part of Notes: A Festival of Music to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County. For more inNow – 2/10/24, Anonymous Ancestors at formation or to purchase tickets, visit www.

Morris Center in Ridgeland. Artist Susan Lenz notesmusicfest.com uses hundreds of anonymous vintage photographs, letters, and printed materials to form OTHER EVENTS a societal family tree. www.morrisheritagecenter.org First Saturday of the Month, Teddy Bear Picnic Read-Aloud at Port Royal Farmers Market.

Now – 3/24/24, Intimate Oceans: Coral in DAYLO students and other volunteers will Contemporary Art at Coastal Discovery read to young children between 9am and Museum on Hilton Head. 70 Honey Horn noon. Children are encouraged to bring their Dr., Hilton Head. 843-689-6767. www.coastal- favorite stuffed animal. discovery.org Tuesdays, Tours of Hunting Island spon1/1 – 2/29, Going Wild in the Lowcountry, sored by Friends of Hunting Island Keeper featuring works by Karen Richards and Kris- Ted and his team. For info call the Nature Centie Schubert at the Beaufort Art Association ter at 843-838-7437. Tours free are and park Gallery, 913 Bay Street, Beaufort. Opening entry fees apply. reception on Fri 1/5, 5-8pm.

Third Thursday, TECHconnect is a monthly 1/3 – 1/26, Anything Goes! Member Exhibit networking event for professionals working in at Art League Gallery. Awards Reception and around technology. Come and join on the Wed, 1/10, 5-7pm. Arts Center of Coastal for the conversation at BASEcamp 500 CarterCarolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head et 5:30-7:30pm. 843-470-3506. www.beaufortIsland, 843-681-5060. digital.com

Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms.

12/21 Stop Light Observations; The Simplicity, Island. (843) 838-9300. thefoolishfrog.com 12/28 The Midnight City, 12/29 Getaway Luther’sRare&WellDone,910BayStreet.(843) Bronco, 12/30 The Piedmont Boys, 12/31 521-1888 or www.luthersrareandwelldone.com New Year's Eve with Weird Science, 1/3/24 Cowboy Mouth. (843) 886-8596 or www.theQ on Bay, 822 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 524-7771 windjammer.com Thur 2/1, Chalk It Up! Application Deadline. or www.qonbay.com Chalk Art Festival to be held 3/23 – 3/24 in Beaufort’s Freedman Arts District. To submit Rosie O’Gradys Irish Pub, in Beaufort Town an application visit www.FreedmanArtsDisCenter. Irish American Sports Pub & Eatery. trict.org C'mon down! Rock & Roll Lunch. Mondays-25% off Burgers! Tuesdays – 25% off Shrimp & Chips Baskets! Wednesdays-25% off Philly Cheese Steaks! Wednesdays, Friday & Saturday Karaoke. (843) 379-7676 or Rosie's on Facebook.

BOOKS & WRITERS

Wed 1/3, Bestselling novelists Colleen Coble (Fragile Designs) and Rhonda McKnight (The Thing About Home) in conversation at 5 pm at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, 601 Bladen St., Beaufort. Books available for sale and signing. Please call to reserve your seat in advance: 843-379-7025.

Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 379-3474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com

BLUFFTON/HILTON HEAD

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. 12/20 The Lavon Stevens trio with Quiana Parler, 12/22 & 12/23 A Motown Holiday Spectacular with Reggie Deas & Deas Guyz, 12/27 Bobby Ryder, 12/29 & 12/30 Keith David with the Noel Freidline Quartet, 12/31 New Year's Eve Gala with the Noel Freidline Quintet featuring Maria Howell, 1/1/24 to 1/11/24 CLOSED - Happy New Year!

(843) 842-8620 or www.TheJazzCorner.com

Ongoing, Beaufort Tree Walk by the Lady’s Island Garden Club through the historic Old Point enjoying some unique and noteworthy trees. 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.

MUSIC

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

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 Wed 1/17, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical. Master improvisers gather made-up, hit song suggestions from the audience and create a spontaneous evening of music, comedy and a ton of laughs! 7:30 pm at USCB Center for the Arts, Beaufort. www.uscbcenterforthearts.com

GALLERIES/ART

Sun 1/7: Gullah Soul featuring Gwen Yvette, 1 – 5 pm at ShellRing Ale Works, 1111 11th Street, Port Royal $25 a person. Part of Notes: A Festival of Music to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.notesmusicfest.com Fri 1/12: Notes of Art Exhibition, Featuring Walker & Annabelle Dean, 3- 6pm at Tabby Place, 913 Port Republic Street, Beaufort. Free admission – includes music, free cookie decoration, artwork for viewing and sale, food trucks (food for purchase) Part of Notes: A Festival of Music to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Beaufort County. For more information visit www.notesmusicfest.com

Now – 12/23, SOBA Holiday Market at the Society of Bluffton Artists gallery, 6 Church Street Sat 1/13, Country Music Showcase, Feain Old Town Bluffton. www.sobagallery.com turing Tony Jackson, 7 pm at Tabby Place,

Tuesday - Sunday 11am-4pm

All Member Show Now - Dec. 31

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Holiday Market Dec. 16 - Jan. 1 Now ~ October 29

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Tide Chart

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Subscribe!

Gilbert Law Firm llc Over 25 Years

FOR THE BEAUFORT RIVER AT WATERFRONT PARK DATE AM PM Dec

Jan

20 Wed

2:52A 7.4

8:59A 0.6

3:17P 7.4

9:26P 0.3

21 Thu

3:54A 7.6

9:59A 0.7

4:17P 7.1

10:21P 0.3

22 Fri

4:57A 7.7

10:57A 0.7

5:19P 6.9

11:15P 0.2

23 Sat

5:57A 7.9

11:52A 0.7

24 Sun

12:06A 0.2

6:51A 8.0

12:45P 0.7

7:09P 6.8

25 Mon

12:56A 0.2

7:39A 8.1

1:34P 0.7

7:55P 6.8

26 Tue

1:44A 0.2

8:23A 8.0

2:21P 0.7

8:38P 6.7

 27 Wed

2:30A 0.3

9:05A 7.9

3:07A 0.7

9:18P 6.6

28 Thu

3:16A 0.3

9:46A 7.8

3:52P 0.7

9:58P 6.6

29 Fri

4:02A 0.4

10:25A 7.6

4:36P 0.8

10:38P 6.5

30 Sat

4:46A 0.5

11:04A 7.4

5:19P 0.8

11:18P 6.5

31 Sun

5:31A 0.6

11:43A 7.2

1 Mon

12:00A 6.4

6:16A 0.9

12:24P 6.9

6:46P 1.0

2 Tue

12:45A 6.4

7:04A 1.1

1:07P 6.7

7:33P 1.1

3 Wed

1:35A 6.4

7:56A 1.3

1:54P 6.4

8:22P 1.1

4 Thu

2:26A 6.5

8:51A 1.3

2:43P 6.3

9:12P 1.1

5 Fri

3:17A 6.6

9:45A 1.3

3:33P 6.1

10:03P 1.0

6 Sat

4:11A 6.8

10:39A 1.2

4:28P 6.1

10:54P 0.8

7 Sun

5:09A 7.0

11:32A 1.1

5:27P 6.1

11:45P 0.6

6:17P 6.8

6:02P 0.9

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MOSSY OAKS | MLS 182853

PLEASANT POINT | MLS 181907

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.60acre Homesite | Waterfront | Dock Permit Lloyd Williams 1.843.754.4735

3BDRM | 2B | 1504sqft Dale Glaeser 843.252.9614

CARRIAGE COURT | MLS 182664 COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY

FRIPP ISLAND | MLS 182726

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MOSSY OAKS | MLS 182798

PORT ROYAL | MLS 183029

DISTANT ISLAND | MLS 182723 COTTAGE FARM | MLS 182914

2BDRM | 2.5B | 1679sqft | Waterview Trea Tucker 843.812.4852

2BDRM | 2.5B | 1152sqft Amy McNeal 843.521.7932

MLS 180871 | 1.38acres | Premium Location Wayne Webb 843.812.5203

3BDRM | 2B | 1645sqft Trudy Arthur 843.812.0967 Nancy Butler 843.384.5445

3BDRM | 2B | 1342sqft Bryan Gates 843.812.6494

.65acre Homesite | Private Deepwater Dock Panoramic Views Edward Dukes 843.812.5000 www.20clairespoint.com

NEWPOINT | MLS 182418

4BDRM | 3.5B | 3434sqft | Community Dock Colleen Baisley 843.252.1066 www.23Newpoint.com

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3BDRM | 2B | 1472sqft Paige Walling 843.812.8470

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