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The Hilton Head Sun

Cast your vote SC Primary on schedule after redistricting debate

By Channing Heiss Contributor

Questions surrounding a congressional redistricting proposal that failed in the South Carolina Senate prompted the South Carolina Election Commission to reassure voters that the June 9 primary election will proceed as scheduled.

In a statement released by agency spokeswoman Kaitlynn Weeks, Executive Director Conway Belangia said the commission remains focused on administering the election.

“Our focus remains delivering a fair, impartial and accessible election for every eligible voter in South Carolina, and that work continues regardless of ongoing activity at the State House,” Belangia said.

The proposal would have redrawn South Carolina’s congressional districts and delayed congressional primaries while new maps were implemented.

While statewide races for governor, other executive offices and seats in Congress often draw the most attention, several county and district races also are drawing interest in Beaufort County.

Sheriff

In the race for Beaufort County sheriff, Republicans Doug Seifert and JoJo Woodward are competing in the GOP primary to succeed retiring Sheriff P.J. Tanner. Tanner, who has served as sheriff since 2009, announced earlier this year that he would not seek another term. The winner will face Democratic candidate Alphonso Small Jr. in the general election.

Before joining the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Seifert served on the town council in North Bend, Ohio. He has been with the sheriff’s office since 2006, where he started in front-line enforcement. He later moved into investigations, where he worked cases involving child abuse, homicides,

burglaries and vehicle break-ins and rose to lieutenant of the Southern Enforcement Branch, which includes Hilton Head Island and southern Beaufort County.

Seifert has a six-point plan for law enforcement in Beaufort County. According to his campaign website, Seifert’s platform includes strengthening community relationships, recruiting and retaining deputies, traffic enforcement, anti-fraud initiatives and drug enforcement efforts.

Woodward, a Beaufort County native, has more than 35 years of law enforcement experience. He joined the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office in 1986 and served there for 26 years, including as commander of the Southern Enforcement Branch and liaison to Hilton Head Island.

His background also includes work in drug enforcement, major crimes, marine enforcement and human trafficking investigations with the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Since 2022, he has served with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.

According to his campaign website, Woodward’s priorities include increasing staffing, supporting deputies, improving budget transparency and expanding community engagement.

Small, the Democratic candidate, grew up in Hampton County and now lives in Bluffton. He represents District 6 on the Beaufort County Board of Education, where he has supported school safety measures. According to a news release announcing his candidacy, Small’s priorities include rebuilding trust between law enforcement and the community, improving transparency, engaging youth and increasing officer salaries to improve retention and morale.

Small earned a criminal justice degree from Claflin University and began his career with the South Carolina Department of Corrections. He also has worked with police departments in Hardeeville, Allendale, Fairfax and Estill, as well as the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office.

Beaufort County Council

Several Beaufort County Council seats are contested this election cycle. District 10 Councilman Larry McElynn, District 5 Councilman Joe Passiment and District 4 Councilwoman Alice Howard are not seeking reelection.

Among the races most relevant to the Bluffton and Hilton Head Island area:

District 5: Republicans Joshua Hower, Joe Maiorano and Mary Jeans Otto are competing in the GOP primary for the seat currently held by Passiment. The winner is expected to face Democrat Lynn Gerson in the general election.

Lynn Gerson has emphasized transparency, fiscal responsibility and managing growth and its impacts on the community.

Joshua Hower says his campaign focuses on “leadership that listens and plans ahead,” responsible growth, wise spending and preserving neighborhood character.

Joe Maiorano lists safe communities, road improvements, environmental protection, challenging overdevelopment and support for Second Amendment rights among his priorities.

Mary Jeans Otto says her campaign is focused on fixing traffic problems, addressing infrastructure issues before approving new development and preserving neighborhood character.

District 6: Republican incumbent Anna Maria Tabernik faces Democrat Carolyn Fournier.

Tabernik, a lifelong educator, promotes Beaufort County as a place to “live, work and play.”

Fournier says her priorities include balancing growth with infrastructure needs, protecting local heritage, investing in public safety and infrastructure, government transparency and supporting small businesses.

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District 8:

Democrats Bill Beltz and Trey Judy are competing in the Democratic primary.

Republican incumbent Paula Brown faces Kraig Gordon in the Republican primary. Brown, who has a background in finance and small business ownership, says she supports fiscal responsibility, smart growth, economic opportunity, green space preservation and stormwater infrastructure improvements.

Gordon says his campaign is focused on growth, traffic and infrastructure concerns. He cites his service on the Beaufort County Transportation Committee and his 25-year Army career as experience he would bring to the council.

District 9: Republicans Mark Lawson and Beth Gillespie are competing for the opportunity to face Democrat Jannine Mutterer in the general election.

Lawson describes himself as a fiscal conservative focused on transparency, protecting waterways and quality of life, and expanding public amenities such as libraries, parks and boat landings while supporting smart growth.

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Gillespie says her campaign centers on transparency, honesty, accountability and ensuring residents have a voice in government decisions.

Mutterer says her priorities include protecting the May River, preserving green space and historic areas, protecting Gullah Geechee culture, improving traffic and infrastructure and carefully reviewing development in environmentally sensitive areas.

District 10: Republican John Casey and Democrat Travis Ludwig-Hodges are seeking the seat currently held by McElynn in the general election.

Casey says his priorities include responsible spending, negotiating better contracts, reducing risk, transparency and accountability in county government.

District 11: Republicans Tommy Reitz and Elizabeth Galloway are competing for the Hilton Head Island seat currently held by Reitz.

Reitz says his campaign focuses on collaboration between town and county governments, transparency, environmental preservation, managing growth and improving infrastructure including stormwater systems, transportation, schools and medi-

cal services.

Galloway, a 40-year resident of the area, says she supports ethical leadership, fiscal discipline, cooperation between local governments, environmental preservation, infrastructure improvements, addressing overdevelopment and supporting working families, small businesses and health care access for older residents.

Statehouse

Several South Carolina House seats representing Beaufort County and the Lowcountry also are on the ballot this year.

In House District 118, Republican incumbent Bill Herbkersman is running against Bernie Scolaro. Herbkersman, who has represented the district since 2003, is chairman of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee and has been influential on business and insurance legislation.

In District 120, Republican Weston Newton is seeking reelection against Debbie Subara Wiggin. Newton, an attorney and former Beaufort County Council member, has represented the district since 2020 and has worked on judiciary and local government issues in the House.

District 123 features Republican incum-

bent Jeff Bradley against challengers Ann Shippy and Willie Aiken. Bradley, who has served in the House since 2015, chairs the House Regulations and Administrative Procedures Committee and has focused on energy, utility and regulatory matters. For more information, visit candidate websites and SC Votes. Voters also can visit Vote411.org to review sample ballots and election information.

Channing Heiss is a freelance writer and a member of the Beaufort County disAbilities Coalition.

Editor’s note: Candidate biographies and platform positions were compiled from publicly available campaign websites, candidate social media pages, public announcements and candidate filings. Information was current as of publication date. Candidates may update positions or campaign materials after publication. Information was verified through the South Carolina Election Commission and SC Votes. Readers are encouraged to review official candidate materials before voting.

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Contributors

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Lisa Hostetler

Brown

Chip Collins

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Tom Dorsel

Thomas Dowling

Tom Haller

Brian Hand

Channing Heiss

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Matt Uppenbrink

Shannon Wilkinson

Mark F. Winn

EDITORIAL

Sharing and preserving our Island

By Mayor Alan Perry Contributor

Summertime has officially arrived in Hilton Head Island! With the warm sun gracing our shores, we’re excited to welcome both returning and first-time visitors. Many of these visitors will be staying in one of our many short-term rental properties, nestled within our beloved neighborhoods. With more than 7,000 short-term rentals on the island, we understand that this influx can bring about a variety of concerns for residents and visitors. That’s precisely why we launched our short-term rental program several years ago and why we continue to refine its focus on how to be good neighbors.

Striking the right balance

At the heart of our program is our commitment to balance: protecting our residential neighborhoods while supporting tourism. We strive to preserve our community’s quality of life, emphasizing

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843-757-9507, 843-757-9506 (fax)

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that being a good neighbor truly matters. To help achieve this, we’re encouraging our visitors to maintain respectful noise levels, adhere to parking guidelines, and properly dispose of their trash. These simple steps can go a long way in ensuring that our neighborhoods remain serene for both long-time residents and visitors.

Holding each other accountable

Our commitment extends to accountability as well, ensuring that short-term rental operators meet clearly defined standards. We aim to protect the integrity of our community while offering a welcoming environment for visitors. Alongside our informational initiatives, we remind everyone of the importance of responsible behavior during their stay.

Quick response to issues

To further enhance our efforts, we have established a new Short-Term Rental Rapid Response Hotline at 843-341-6864. This hotline allows our dedicated staff to address any issues related to noise, parking, or trash swiftly and effectively.

Quality of life for all

Our dedication to quality of life is unwavering. Last fall, we made updates to our short-term rental regulations, ensuring that properties are safe and that neighborhoods remain secure and welcoming. Our goal is simple: we want to

ensure our residents feel confident in the well-being and safety of their communities while also creating an enjoyable and welcoming experience for our visitors.

Giving back

As we enjoy the summer season, I’d like to highlight an initiative that embodies the spirit of giving back: Second Helpings. This nonprofit organization runs a remarkable post-vacation food donation program for visitors. Instead of discarding unopened groceries, visitors can contribute to local families in need by dropping off nonperishable items at various donation bins across the Island before heading home. Volunteers collect and distribute these donations to local pantries and soup kitchens. For more details, please visit www.secondhelpingslc. org and find a location near you. To our residents, thank you for your continued support as we work to preserve the character and charm of Hilton Head Island. To our visitors, we hope you have a fantastic stay and thank you for being thoughtful guests who contribute to the safety and vibrancy of our community.

Alan Perry is the mayor of the Town of Hilton Head Island. AlanP@hiltonheadislandsc.gov.

A rookery worth protecting

Dear Editor: Tucked within Indigo Run, largely hidden from public view, lies a remarkable coastal rookery where amid maritime forest, tidal creeks, and sheltered wetlands, wading birds gather to court, nest, hatch, and raise their young. These birds return because the habitat still offers what they require: relative isolation, adequate feeding grounds, appropriate water quality, and protection from excessive disturbance during one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives. Colonial nesting species are particularly sensitive to environmental disruption. Repeated disturbances—noise, lighting, construction vibration, increased human traffic, and habitat fragmentation—can alter nesting success and, in some cases, lead to rookery abandonment altogether. Today, this rookery faces a serious challenge.

Land directly adjacent to the nesting area, separated only by the narrow corridor of Otter Creek, has been targeted for development. Plans for a multi-unit rental complex have raised understandable concerns among conservationists, naturalists, and residents who recognize the ecological significance of this site.

Hilton Head Island has long attempted to position itself as a community that values environmental stewardship alongside thoughtful growth. The preservation of maritime forests, wetlands, and wildlife corridors has helped define the character of the island. Conservation requires vigilance, public engagement, and the willingness to advocate for places that cannot advocate for themselves.

The Indigo Run rookery represents precisely the kind of habitat that deserves meaningful protection.

There is currently an opportunity for the Town to explore acquisition of the property through existing green space or conservation funding mechanisms. Such an approach would not only help preserve the integrity of the rookery, but could ultimately create opportunities for carefully managed educational access, birding observation, and community engagement centered around one of the island’s most extraordinary ecological resources. As members of the broader conservation community, we have an opportunity, and an obligation, to speak thoughtfully and respectfully in support of preserving this habitat before irreversible decisions are made.Wild places disappear incrementally. A parcel here. A wetland there. A buffer reduced. A nesting site disturbed one season too many.

Lucy Rosen

ALAN PERRY

By Justin Jarrett Contributor

Hilton Head Prep wins girls soccer State Championship

goal-scorer Callah Dando.

There is a saying among high school coaches that tradition never graduates — but only the very best coaches can use it with authority.

Risa McMillan can utter it with extreme confidence.

McMillan’s Hilton Head Prep girls soccer program proved it once again this spring, turning what their coach expected to be more of a rebuilding year into a victory lap for six seniors, including four who capped their high school careers with a fourth consecutive state title.

This one was the most unlikely of the bunch, and thus the sweetest for McMillan, who gave up her longtime tradition of building a murderer’s row of a customized schedule and instead stuck to the boys’ team’s more standard slate, expecting a dropoff in talent after graduating an uber-talented senior class led by prolific

With only six returning starters, McMillan had all but conceded that the streak would end this year. By midseason, she had changed her tune and was cautiously optimistic even in the face of mounting injury concerns, noting she’d underestimated the talent of eighth-graders Alice Carmines and Adrianna Palazzo — the duo that would lead the Dolphins to glory once more last Saturday in Columbia.

The Dolphins had to scrap a couple of games from their schedule to nurse players back to health, and they finished a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Hilton Head Christian Academy with just eight healthy players, and goalie Brooke Heins was not among them. Still, they soldiered on, playing games with as few as nine or 10 players and still winning. Prep limped into the championship game against undefeated Greenwood Christian with just enough players to field a lineup and no subs to spare, so

the Dolphins appeared doomed when it was deadlocked at 2 after 90 minutes and nothing had changed through two 10-minute overtime periods or the first of two five-minute golden goal sessions.

They were out of gas, and nearly out of time, 90 seconds from heading to a penalty shootout, when lightning struck.

Carmines headed a throw-in to Palazzo, who used her noggin to knock it to her foot and blasted the game-winner into the back of the net, repaying Heins for a sensational showing in goal with 22 athletic saves that kept the dangerous Eagles at bay.

“These girls won today with their hearts because they certainly did not have any legs left with no subs all game,” McMillan said. “That was almost 120 minutes of soccer going full-out, playing against an undefeated team with fresh legs. The toughness that took really defies the imagination.”

That’s the sort of magic that comes from true belief, something the Dolphins

have come by honestly over the years, repeatedly hoisting a trophy at the end of the season while others were licking their wounds. They found a way to win Saturday, because that’s what they’ve always done.

“We knew we had to play for each other and leave every last effort out on the field,” said Riley Wilbert, one of four seniors leaving with a fistful of state championship rings along with Sophia Schlieman, Madeline Schlieman, and Samantha Rehling.

“We pushed through and gave everything we had,” Sophia Schlieman said. “Even as tired as we were, we knew we had to give it our all and put up a fight.” Tradition never graduates.

Justin Jarrett is the sports editor of The Island News and is the founder of Lowco Sports. He has a passion for sports and community journalism and a questionable sense of humor.

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Hurricane season

By Shannon Wilkinson Contributor

Every year around now, I start thinking about hurricane season.

In 2016, during Hurricane Matthew, two feet of floodwater surged into my family’s longtime island home. Toxic mold soon coated the HVAC system and walls. Within 24 hours, it was uninhabitable. You could only enter wearing a face mask.

Contractors estimated it would cost at least a million dollars to rebuild it. Months later, my mother, a longtime island realtor, had the house torn down. The land was left to regenerate for a while before going on the market.

During the next six months, I helped put together a FEMA claim for the home’s interior furnishings and all the other belongings we had photographs of. The house itself was not covered under the terms of our flood insurance policy. (Oddly, it gushed from a creek further away, past two homes and a two-lane street….not from the beach three houses away.)

It’s easy to live here and dismiss hurricane threats and evacuation warnings. But a dangerous storm can hit and they have. Dozens of hurricanes have swept our coast since 1686, the farthest back there appear to be records for.

Historically, the most devastating storm to strike Hilton Head was the 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane, which brought a storm surge estimated at 12 feet or more and submerged much of the island. The storm killed thousands of people across the Sea Islands, many of them Gullah residents. Afterward, residents reportedly dug 37 miles of ditches to drain the seawater.

If that had happened today, they would have been hard-pressed to find 37 miles of available land to dig drain-

age ditches in. Asphalt, like the paved roads and parking lots we now have, keeps our lowlands from being able to absorb stormwater. Environmental advocates argue that reducing wetlands can increase flood risk because wetlands absorb and slowly release water during heavy rain and storm surge events. An acre of wetlands can hold over 300,000 gallons of water.

According to the Southern Environmental Law Center, an acre of wetlands like salt marshes, damp forested lowlands, swamps, and bogs can hold about 330,000 gallons of water. They act as natural sponges — absorbing and slowly releasing rainfall and storm surge rather than letting it rush across the surface. When you hear about developments planned near your home that alarm residents because of their impact on reducing adjacent wetlands, that potential for flooding is exactly what they are concerned about.

Of my takeaways from losing our home during Hurricane Matthew, three are key: know what your insurance covers, and ensure it is kept current. Keep photographs and videos of every room and cabinet in your home, so you can claim damage if you need to. Last, stay informed about developments in our area that are envisioned for wetland areas. If you want your home and community to be safer from ruinous flooding, be proactive in speaking out against them. The more we are prepared for what hopefully will not happen, the better we will be able to manage the chaos, property loss, and insurance increases that follow a powerful hurricane.

Shannon Wilkinson is a Member of Hilton Head Audubon & Hilton Head Island Rotary Lowcountry Environmental Group.

Recent Statehouse laws provide many benefits

By Rep. Jeff Bradley Contributor

While national attention was fixed on what the Senate would do with South Carolina’s congressional redistricting this past month, several key pieces of legislation important for residents of our region were passed into law with scant media attention.

Here are some I have highlighted:

SCDOT Modernization Act

Unlike past highway, roads, and bridges bills that mainly stipulated how much money South Carolina should spend, this bill (S.831) asks a more important question: who is responsible for making sure the work actually gets done. It passed unanimously by both houses. It places authority with the Secretary of

Transportation and abolishes the SCDOT Commission. It requires an independent audit every four years, authorizes public-private partnerships for transportation projects, and even creates a “pothole mitigation program” for public reporting of pothole locations.

It is intended to respond more directly to population growth pressures that are vital in coastal counties like ours.

Honest Labeling for Shrimp in Restaurants

One of those bills has a direct impact on nearby shrimpers from Beaufort and Jasper Counties, as well as on other Lowcountry communities along the South Carolina coast. This bill (H.4248), “Truth in Labeling,” now requires that shrimp and shrimp products sold in South Carolina must be labeled with their country of origin.

The significance is that it specifically benefits South Carolina shrimpers by giving buyers clearer information about whether the shrimp on the menu is domestic or imported.

A recent study found that 40 of 44 popular restaurants in Charleston were

misleading customers by claiming they sold shrimp from local waters when, in fact, they were buying their shrimp from overseas.

Student Physical Privacy Act

This bill was finally signed into law by Governor McMaster on May 15, after extensive lobbying by various special interest groups.

It now makes South Carolina’s public schools as well as public colleges legally responsible for keeping multi-user restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, showers, and overnight sleeping quarters separated by biological sex (as observed or verified by birth).

For universities, this legislation does not necessarily end co-ed dormitories, but it does require public colleges and universities to rethink how residence halls, shared bathrooms, locker rooms, and overnight accommodations are assigned and managed. The practical effect is a new compliance burden on campuses that have, for many years, operated with more flexible housing arrangements. Several other southern states have taken the same steps

A New Streamlined Department for Mental Health

South Carolinians will also soon have easier access to mental health care as a result of the full legislature passing Senate Bill S.2, which combines three major service areas: mental health, substance abuse services, and intellectual/ developmental disabilities.

This new “South Carolina Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities” has been created to make care for these areas work more cohesively, rather than the previous network of separate silos. If implemented well, this should mean faster referrals, greater accountability, and more help closer to home for families across the state dealing with these issues.

Jeff Bradley is the representative for District 123 in the State House of Representatives.

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Reducing family conflict through thoughtful estate planning

By Mark F. Winn Contributor

One of the most important goals of estate planning is not simply transferring assets—it is preserving family harmony. After many years of helping families navigate trusts, estates, and incapacity planning, I have found that many disputes can be avoided through careful drafting and clear expectations.

A common source of conflict arises when a child or other family member is appointed to serve in a position of responsibility, such as an agent under a power of attorney or a trustee of a family trust. While most people accept these roles out of a sense of duty and love for their

family, misunderstandings can develop if expectations are not clearly defined.

One area that deserves particular attention is compensation. In many families, we recommend that children serving as agents or trustees not receive a fee for their services. While compensation may seem fair in theory, it can sometimes create resentment among siblings who perceive that one child is benefiting financially from a position of trust. In addition, compensation may create income tax consequences for the person serving. That does not mean the individual should bear financial burdens associated with the role. To address this concern, planning documents can expressly provide for reimbursement of all reasonable expenses incurred while carrying out their duties. This may include travel expenses, lodging costs, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses directly related to serving as agent or trustee. Reimbursement ensures that the person serving is not financially disadvantaged while avoiding many of the issues that can

arise when compensation is involved.

Another highly effective strategy is requiring regular communication with other family members. Lack of information is often what fuels suspicion and conflict. When family members do not know what is happening, they may assume the worst.

For this reason, we frequently include provisions requiring an agent or trustee to provide periodic reports to the other children or beneficiaries. Whether those reports are provided annually or semiannually, the simple act of sharing information can significantly reduce misunderstandings. These updates allow family members to remain informed about financial matters, decisions that have been made, and the overall administration of the trust or estate.

Transparency promotes trust. Trust promotes cooperation. And cooperation helps families avoid the costly and emotionally draining disputes that can arise when expectations are unclear.

Estate planning is about much more than legal documents. It is about creating

a framework that helps families work together during some of life’s most challenging moments. By addressing compensation issues thoughtfully, reimbursing legitimate expenses, and requiring regular reporting and communication, families can dramatically reduce the likelihood of future conflict.

When we help clients create estate plans, one of our primary objectives is not only to protect assets, and keep them in the family for generations, but also to protect relationships. In many cases, a well-structured plan can be one of the most effective tools available for preserving family unity for generations to come.

Mark F. Winn, Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Estate Planning, a local asset protection, estate planning and elder law attorney serving Bluffton and Hilton Head residents for more than 20 years. See, www.mwinnesq.com.

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Tight inventory continues to shape Hilton Head real estate market

By Dan Prud’homme Contributor

Hilton Head Island’s real estate market continues to move through a fascinating period, with tight inventory, slower sales activity, and meaningful opportunities for buyers who are paying close attention to the numbers.

Average days on the market increased again this month, rising from 109 days last month to 115 days, a 5.5 percent increase. That is also well above the recent five year comparisons of 84 days in 2021, 48 in 2022, 47 in 2023, 71 in 2024, and 69 in 2025. Homes

are still selling, but buyers are taking more time, and pricing accuracy matters more than ever.

Inventory remains one of the most important stories. There are currently 882 active listings, down just slightly from 885 last month. That is only a 0.3 percent decrease, so inventory was essentially flat month over month. While today’s inventory is higher than the 820 listings in 2022 and 770 in 2023, it remains lower than 2021, 2024, and 2025. Considering the size and popularity of the Hilton Head market, 882 active listings is still very limited and may be holding back sales volume. Closed sales declined from 200 last month to 163 this month, an 18.5 percent drop. Compared with prior years, sales are also slower than the 307 closings in 2021, 233 in 2022, 206 in 2023, 186 in 2024, and 193 in 2025. This slowdown does not appear

to be simply about demand disappearing. In many cases, the right inventory is still hard to find, especially for buyers searching within specific neighborhoods, views, rental potential, or lifestyle categories.

The list price to sale price ratio improved from 95.5 percent last month to 96.1 percent this month. That is a positive sign for sellers, but it also highlights an opportunity for buyers. Compared with the 100 percent ratios seen in 2021 and 2022, buyers today have more negotiating room, even in a market where inventory remains tight.

The median sales price sits at $1,175,600. That is below last year’s $1,198,950, but this does not necessarily suggest values are falling. More likely, luxury sales have slowed somewhat amid uncertainty tied to the conflict involving Iran, meaning fewer higher priced properties are closing at the

moment.

With 882 listings and 163 closed sales, Hilton Head has roughly 5.4 months of supply. That still leans toward a seller’s market, though it is far more balanced than the frenzied conditions of recent years. If geopolitical concerns ease and confidence improves under new Federal Reserve leadership, the remainder of the year could become much stronger.

Dan Prud’homme is the Visionary & Success Coach of The Prud’homme Team at William Raveis Real Estate. dan@danprudhomme. com Theprudhommeteam. com.

DAN PRUD’HOMME

Protecting more than your passwords Why cybersecurity

By Thomas Dowling Contributor

For many people, conversations around wealth management traditionally center around investments, retirement planning, taxes, or estate strategies. But increasingly, another topic has entered the conversation: cybersecurity.

Today, much of our financial lives exist digitally. Banking information, investment accounts, tax documents, passwords, healthcare records, and even personal conversations are often stored online or accessed through connected devices. While technology has created incredible convenience, it has also created new vulnerabilities that individuals and families can no longer afford to ignore.

Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated every year, and unfortunately, scams are no longer limited to suspicious emails with obvious warning signs. Fraud attempts now often appear polished, personalized, and convincing, making it easier than ever for even cautious individuals to become targets.

And while cybersecurity may feel like a “technology issue,” it’s increasingly becoming a financial wellness issue as well.

We often remind clients that protecting wealth is not only about growing assets. It’s also about protecting the systems, information, and habits surrounding those assets.

Fortunately, improving digital security does not always require complicated technology. In many cases, the most effective protection comes from small, proactive habits practiced consistently over time.

Using unique passwords across important accounts, enabling multi-factor authentication, avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions, regularly updating software, and staying cautious of urgent or emotionally driven requests are all practical steps that can significantly

reduce risk.

It’s also important to remember that scams frequently target trust and emotion more than technology itself. Fraudsters often create urgency, impersonate trusted institutions, or use fear to pressure quick decisions. Slowing down, verifying infor-

mation independently, and maintaining healthy skepticism can go a long way.

For families, cybersecurity is also becoming an important intergenerational conversation. Younger generations may be more technologically fluent, while older generations may hold significant financial information and assets online. Open conversations around digital safety, password management, and online awareness can help protect everyone involved.

At the end of the day, financial planning is about creating confidence and clarity for the future. In today’s world, that includes understanding how to better protect your personal information and digital footprint.

Because protecting your wealth also means protecting the information connected to it.

Thomas M. Dowling, CFA, CFP®, CIMA® is the Head of Wealth Management at Alliance Global Partners of the Lowcountry on Hilton Head. He can be reached at infohh@allianceg.com or (843) 420-1993.

THOMAS DOWLING

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MLS #508823

$455,000

What would be better than a direct oceanfront villa over the marsh and the ocean? The balcony is welcoming any time of day! So quiet and peaceful part of HHBT. Wonderful for families. Bunk beds with protective rail.

6 TANNERS CROSSING

MLS #500865

$379,500

Incredible opportunity and the best Bluffton neighborhood! This home offers 3 huge bedrooms plus bonus loft, soaring ceilings in LR and primary BR on the first floor. Many rooms freshly painted. LVP downstairs, huge kitchen island, banquette for dining in kitchen, double oven & quartz counters in kitchen. Great location and community with many amenities.

40 FOLLY FIELD ROAD #B4

MLS #501120

$349,000

Perfect opportunity to own this first floor Tennis Villa with a beautiful lagoon view! Beautiful tile floors through out with newer kitchen cabinets, pretty stone back splash & updated bath vanities & some newer appliances too! Recently painted, beachy décor.

40 FOLLY FIELD ROAD #329

MLS #502707

$450,000

Great ocean view from this 2 bed 2 bath 3rd Floor unit in gated Ocean front resort. Priced to sell, this unit is just waiting for you to put your own flare on it. Located on the desirable sunny side of the building The ocean front resort has a lot to offer everyone. Good rental potential.

40 FOLLY FIELD ROAD #119

MLS #449542

$424,000

Cute as a button. Bright, cheerful two bedroom, two bath on south side of Admirals Row. Right in front of the AR lagoon with fountain. Sit on your balcony with a good cup

Students recognized by Rotary Club

The Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island recognized seven outstanding students as its 2025-26 Students of the Year, honoring young people who exemplify excellence in character, leadership, community service and academic achievement. The honorees were recognized during the Rotary Club’s May 7 meeting, where each student received a certificate of recognition and a $70 Amazon gift card. This year’s Students of the Year are (Pictured

back row, from left) Gordon Gallegher of Heritage Academy, Jacob Daniel White of Hilton Head Preparatory School and Danny Filip of Heritage Academy; and (front row, from left) Brigid “Bridy” Folkman of St. Francis Catholic School, Keatyn Hammel-Millard of Hilton Head Preparatory School, Sharlene Agustina Mosqueira-Mesa of Hilton Head Island High School and Naima Orage of Hilton Head Island Middle School.

BCSD teachers, support staff recognized

Beaufort County School District has announced its 2026-27 Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year, recognizing educators and school employees selected by their colleagues for outstanding service.

District representatives, school board members and school leaders shared the news with recipients during National Teacher Appreciation Week celebrations held at schools across the county.

On Hilton Head Island, Kimberly Marshall and Lisa Link were honored at Hilton Head Early Childhood Center. Hilton Head Elementary School selected

Norah Lomasney and Laura Galante. Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts recognized Melinda Bray and LoriAnn Webster. At Hilton Head Island High School, Michelle Eastham and Cory Festa received the honors, while Hilton Head Island Middle School selected Shelly Dangerfield and Monica Stanton. The district said Teachers of the Year and Support Staff of the Year are chosen by their peers and will be eligible for district-level honors to be announced next fall. For the full list of Beaufort County school winners, visit www.beaufortschools.net/whats-new.

Bates College | Belmont University

University of Mississippi | University of New Haven | University of Pittsburgh | University of Puget Sound | University of Richmond

University of South Carolina-Columbia | University of Tampa | University of Tennessee | University of Toronto

University of Wisconsin | Villanova University | Virginia Military Institute | Washington & Jefferson College | Wesleyan University

Western Carolina University | Western New England University | Whitman College | Williams College | Wofford College

HarbourFest celebration to light up Shelter Cove July 4

By The Hilton Head Sun Staff

Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina will celebrate Independence Day with live entertainment, family activities and a fireworks display on Saturday, July 4, 2026.

The holiday festivities are part of HarbourFest, the marina’s annual summer entertainment series featuring music, arts and crafts, children’s activities and seasonal fireworks.

A special patriotic performance by entertainer Shannon Tanner is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina. Tanner’s July Fourth appearances are part of the HarbourFest summer schedule that runs throughout the season.

Nearby, Super Summer Jams will take place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Shelter Cove Communi-

ty Park. The event will include inflatable bounce houses, face painting and opportunities for families to gather before the evening fireworks. Organizers encourage visitors to bring lawn chairs and enjoy food and refreshments available from area restaurants.

The celebration will conclude with HarbourFest fireworks beginning at 9 p.m. over Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina. The July Fourth display is one of a series of fireworks shows scheduled throughout the summer season.

Organizers note that all entertainment and fireworks events are subject to change and weather conditions. Drones are prohibited during fireworks displays for safety reasons.

For more information about HarbourFest, event schedules and updates, visit www.welcometosheltercove.com.

Two Apartments. Same Floorplan.

The Seabrook 4301

2 BR | 2 BA | 1,167 SF | $104,900 Estate sale. Best buy in The Seabrook! Updated kitchen and bathrooms. Newer HVAC. Tiled balcony.

The Seabrook 4304

2 BR | 2 BA | 1,167 SF | $129,900

Two updated bathrooms, smooth coffered ceilings, crown molding. Great lagoon views from the apartment. Updated kitchen and both bathrooms. Walk-in showers plus washer and dryer.

Florida Alyssa deBethizy Univ of Tampa

Dominguez

Meredith Dyer Clemson Univ Bella del Mazo Univ of Miami Nate Moore Univ of South Carolina

Iskandar Clemson Univ

Jase Reynolds Jacksonville Univ

Merrick Baroni Univ of South Carolina Beaufort

David Beckas College of Charleston

Andrew Boyden Hilton Head Fire Department

Rachael Brenneman Clemson Univ

Carlos Brito Maldonado Trident Technical College

Ethan Benedetto College of Charleston Ryan Bertagna Univ of South Carolina

Topper Burgin Clemson Univ

Brendan Gilroy Clemson Univ

Sebastian Frickel UNC Greensboro

Savannah Hardy Technical College of the Lowcountry

Ann Elise Harrell Wofford College

Finlay Henderson Univ of Texas at Austin

Miguel Hernandez Virginia Commonwealth Univ

Jack Hannagan Univ of South Carolina

Garrett Heathcott Clemson Univ

Hailey Heckert Seton Hall Univ

Hannah Johnson Undecided

Alex Mulieri Villanova Univ

Matthew Yanachik Univ of Alabama

Winslow College of Charleston Francisco Sanchez Univ of South Carolina

Witkowski College of Charleston Kiya Small Beaufort Dental Assistant School

Wojciechowski Clemson Univ

Clarke Fordham Univ

Cross Schools

Aya Banigbe

Lilly Brashear

Blake Burke

Christian Campuzano

Isabella Carbone

Kambria Doe

Maggie Drury

Branden Elcholi

Jose Gabriel Garcia

Paxton Jones

Ella Land

Trent Luechtefeld

Reyannah Maldonado

Ryan Mayers

Leah Nadolski

Zachary Nicastro

Sarah Pagan

Lanaya Snider

Alondra Vasquez Reyes

Elizabeth von Maur

Heritage Academy

Carly Anthony

Gavin Baker

Brooke Bibee

Caden Borger

Jack Caloca

Colten Caswell

Andie Jean Cole

Lauren Douthit

Reagan Flowers

Gordon Gallagher

Tilly Greene

Zachary Henderson

Connor McKinlay

Jonathan Moore

David Morris

William Morris

Nathan Moses

James Nicholson

Ryan Perez

Mason Safe

Alyssandra Saleme

Jacob Schacht

to our graduates

Thomas Schnider

Joel Seifrit

Summer Sewell

Kara Smith

Camryn Sokolinski

Thatcher Truitt

Izzy Waz

Hilton Head High School

Brandon Acuna-Roldan

Daisy Adame-Hernandez

Luz Adarraga Ramirez

David Aguado-Mora

Maylet Alday Santos

Ashley Alvarado Auceda

Lesther Alvarado Auceda

Alexander Amador-Gonzalez

Brooke Ammerman

Audrina Anderson

Santiago Andrade-Angulo

Reynaldo Arauz

Yoana Arita Hernandez

Delaney Arroyo

Heidi Ascencion Gonzalez

Nataly Avila Romero

Santino Bambeck

Natalie Barragan

Eugenia Bastidas Gonzalez

Piper Baxter

Lizbeth Benitez

Olivia Berry

Eleanor Best

Keira Bison

Leonardo Bonilla

Eric Bonilla Morales

Landon Bonomini

Judith Borgmeier

Ryann Boring

Hernan Boyer

Lawson Bradberry

Kevonna Brockington

Benjamin Brooks

Archer Brown

Justyce Brown

Oliver Bruno II

Bre’Anah Bryan

Sawyer Callen

Yaindhi Campos Garcia

Estrella Carachure Flores

Francisco Carbajal Jr.

Elizabeth Carbonaro

Mario Casillas Ambrosio

Sara Castaldi

Nicole Castro Rico

Jakelyn Catalan-Carbajal

Kevin Celi

Emelyn Chavira

Joshmel Chavira

Brian Chimal

Jaden Chisolm

William Chivers

Lucy Ciliento-Wilson

Madison Clark

Steven Cobb

Ethan Cockrell

Damarieh Cohen-Fields

Ethan Collins

Micheal Colula Oritz

Addison Connolly

Caroline Connolly

Lucy Crose

Morgan DeLeo

Izaak Delsandro

Preston Dever

De’Asia Duncan

Jayden Evans

Victoria Fairfield

Efrain Fernandez Sanchez

Helena Fister

Marlon Ramon Flores Martinez

Johanna Foldi

Giovani Frias Tamayo

Escarlett Galo Cruz

Saul Gandica Villamizar

Junior Garcia Roblero

Maydeth Garcia Sanchez

Samanta Garcia Valle

Daniela Garcia-Candelario

Veronica Gardiner-Lohmann

Gaston Gathers Jr.

Catharine Gavin

Alisson Gaytan

Kata Gibbons

Narahit Gomez

Germain Gomez Campbell

Samantha Gonzalez

Joshua Gordillo

Allen Green Jr.

Ty Gudgeon

Victoria Guess

Jude Hall

Mariyah Hamilton

Pedro Heredia Fernandez

Edward Hernandez

Julio Hernandez

Alanis Hernandez Francisco

Jairo Hernandez Reyna

Kary Hernandez Rodriguez

Katy Hernandez Rodriguez

Leslie Hernandez Zamora

Eric Hernandez-Zapata

Katherin Herrera Peraza

Zaira Herrera Soto

Wyatt Hess

Myles Hickey

Marlin Hidalgo Ramirez

Jaylen Hill

Sarah Hill

Fouad Hindi

Jackson Hollman

Kanard Hopkin

Leisel Hopper

Rodney Hughes

Megan Huizenga

John Iannazzo III

Athena Irvin

Savannah Jackson

Ashlin Jaffe

Tremell Jenkins

Brody Jennings

Zieben Jevack

Christian Jimenez

Santiago Jimenez

William Jimenez

Payton Kaufer

Calvin Keckley

River Kelly

Kyla Kennedy

Cecelia Kersey

Khrystyna Khomyn

Smith Killian

Emily Kopp

Nathan Krapf

Mallika Krishna

McKenna Ladson

Jenna Lee

Destiny Levine

Aishling Lewis

Tarik Lewis

Allyson Leyva-Huerta

Cole Lindstedt

Darby Linkimer

Lakin Little

Ruby Lobo

Edllabir Lopez de Jesus

Daisy Lopez Jimenez

Ricardo Lopez Lopez

Michael Lopez Toto

Nestor Lopez-Obregon

Aleah Maguindanao

Daniel Maklogin

Allisson Maradiaga Gonzales

Gabriela Marfisi Guevara

Ani Mariano Santiago

Elizabeth Markowitz

Guillermo Martinez

Mario Martinez

Dorothy Mastrorocco

Davison Matute Castellon

Julia McKenna

Cara Mears

Jocelyn Medrano Blanco

2026 GRADUATES

Kevin Mendez-Bracamontes

Clinton Miles IV

Diamond Miller

Pryce Miller

John Henry Mims

Allisson Montano

Emily Montano

Argenys Montes Navarro

Giselle Morales

Rene Morato

Sophia Morel

Anthony Moreno-Garcia

Maritza Moreno-Tinoco

Aiden Morgan

Faith Morgan

Kenyorlin Munoz Davila

Brandon Murillo Ramirez

Meghan Naddy

Nohely Navarrete Castro

Abigail Neste

Brooke Niclaus

Javier Nunez Carvajal

Odalis Olivares Montalvan

Rosa Olivetti

Christopher Onofre-Morales

Michael Ordonez Hernandez

Joshua Ortega Midence

Byron Ortiz

Josue Oseguera Reyes

Travis Palmer

Ava Pankuch

Erin Parra Ortega

Jesus Peralta

Jennifer Perez Perez

Evelyn Perez Torres

Camila Pestana Blanco

Sania Pinckney

Nimsi Pineda Ozorio

Caden Powers

Joshua Prada Cervantes

Abigail Pratt

Gracie Pufal

Paloma Quintanilla Romero

Kevin Rabelo Campbell

Mateo Ramirez

Jesus Ramirez

Joselyn Ramirez Cabrera

William Richardson

Lucy Riley

Kaiden Roberts

Semaj Robinson

Iliana Rodriguez-Reyes

Blanca Rodriguez Medrano

Karla Roets

Franchezca Rojas

Emiliano Ruano Castillo

Azbriela Rueda

FROM PAGE 22

Pheris Ruth

Sophia Safe

Edwin Salazar Jr.

Lalia Sampedro

Aylin San Agustin Cortes

Rianah Sanchez

Richard Sanchez

Laura Sanchez Rangel

Briana Santiago

Talia Saritelli

Jorge Serrano

Beau Sexson

Phoenix Shapiro

Justin Shiflet

Hadley Simpson

Aayden Skinner

Kevin Slater

Bryce Stephenson

Kaden Stewart

Addison Sullivan

Sara Sullivan

Breanne Summers

Anna Sundling

Kira Sylenko

Sophia Taylor

Keiten Thierry

Anthony Torre III

Joshua Trowbridge

Penelope Tsironis

Victoria Vargas

Arianna Vega

Gabriela Villeda

Emily Vinalay

Marlena Walmsley

Celia Walter

Kathryn Walton

Alyssa Warren

Avery Watterson

Finley Watterson

Laila Weaver

Abrielle Wetherall

Ruby Wheeler

Conrad White

Eloise White

Sage Wideman

Tyler Wiedemann

Mariah Williams

Sean Wilson

Ta’jae Wright

Kennedy Zavaleta

Hilton Head

Christian Academy

Sage Bradshaw

Caleb Brigstock

Slaide Burd

Audrey Burden

Carson Carpenito

Ansley Castro

Roman Colella

Cora Cunningham

Campbell Dalzell

Ishi Diaz

Maddox DiBona

Nina DiFilippi

Lillian Dowler

Caroline Drozd

Levi Eidson

Whitney Ellingsworth

Hayley Epstein

Hayes Etheridge

Mason Feaster

Tommy Gehm

Killian Gibson

Chip Hetzel

Addison Hoffman

Caitlyn Jackson

Finn June

Milana Kelca

JAK Klein

Maddie Lange

Maddie LeFew

Arden Lister

Kate Lively

Will Mahl

Molly Maine

Ethan Maloney

Regan Matthews

Joel Moriah

John Mossing

Annika Muthersbaugh

Maddox Norcross

Shane Peirce

Kyle Pepper

Peter Rein

Leo Rosales

Summer Schultz

Malachi Somaio

Anderson Talbert

Anna Kate Taylor

Emma Thompson

Finn Ussery

Luke Williams

Hilton Head

Preparatory School

Davis Cargill

Alyssa Carpenter

Kian Casey

Lola Chambers

Erin Cleary

Jack Coughlin

Mazilyn Daley

Luke Davis

Johnathan DeMaria

Charlotte Dowe

Emerson Doyle

Stella Farmer

Katherine Gutierrez

Daniel Guy

Wyatt Harmer

Sidney Harrington

Brody Hausher

Cole Howard

Andrew Kinnear

Richard Klippel

Tarquinn LaValley

Kohen Lee

Zimo Liu

Eleanor Lorenz

Maia Losey

Alexis Luckasevic

Beck Marshall

Calvin Middleton

Hudson Monts

Paballo Moreki

James Mustard

Raelyn Parham

Jacob Pirkey

Samantha Rehling

Merritt Risher

Finnian Rooney

Charles Schlenker

Madeline Schlieman

Sophia Schlieman

Emear Smith

Paul Smith

Mabry Sutton

Jacob White

Riley Wilbert

Yuzheng Yang

Harper Yellon

Shengyi Zhu

John Paul II Catholic School

Merrick Baroni

David Beckas

Maddy Burke

Payne Campanella

Brea Cherol

Theron Claridge

Abigail Clarke

Logan Cotter

Alyssa deBethizy

Bella del Mazo

Archer Dewig

Jonathan Dominguez

Quinn Doran

Meredith Dyer

Michael Fitzgibbons

Sebastian Frickel

Brendan Gilroy

Jack Hannagan

Savannah Hardy

Ann Elise Harrell

Garrett Heathcott

Hailey Heckert

Finlay Henderson

Miguel Hernandez

Blake Hubik

Daniel Hurtado

Angelo Iskandar

Hannah Johnson

Hayes Keefer

Daniela Lopez-Gordillo

Jonah Mast

Riley McGoldrick

Emma McKamey

Evelyn Melnick

Stewart A Misko, Jr.

Nate Moore

Miranda Moulton

Alex Mulieri

Tevi Mullen

Spencer Murphy

Isaac Nunez

Dylan O’Brien

Brian Orta-Carrillo

Siya Patel

Jase Reynolds

Francisco Sanchez

Kiya Small

Ben Solomons

Lily Termini

Ivan Vera

Jacob Vortisch

Delilah Waite-Kerns

Aiden Winslow

Jude Witkowski

Stefan Wojciechowski

Alston Adams

Jeffrey Adams

William Adams

Hudson Baker

Blaire Blomeke

Rachel Borack

Lyla Alford

Lucas Blanton

Tyler Britschge

Katherine Bumgardner

Ethan Benedetto

Ryan Bertagna

Andrew Boyden

Rachael Brenneman

Carlos Brito

Topper Burgin

Matthew Yanachik

By The Hilton Head Sun Staff

New principals selected for two elementary schools

Beaufort County School District has named new principals for Red Cedar Elementary School and Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts for the 2026-27 school year.

Justin Vaughn, currently assistant principal at Red Cedar Elementary, will succeed Dr. Kathleen Corley following her retirement after a 47-year career in education. Vaughn has spent his entire educational career with the district, including more than a decade teaching first and second grades and serving as MTSS coordinator and math interventionist at Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts. He holds a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the University of South Carolina Beaufort.

Education roundup

Dr. Staci Souhan, currently associate principal at Mounds View High School in Minnesota, was selected to lead Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts. She replaces Nikki Lucas, who has accepted a district-level position. Souhan previously served in leadership positions at Irondale High School, Turtle Lake Elementary and CE Jacobson and holds doctorate and master’s degrees in education from Hamline University.

“Every exceptional district has strong school leaders, and I’m excited to see these superb educators be successful in their new roles,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said.

Montessori program planned at Hilton Head Island center

Beaufort County School District will launch a Montessori program at Hilton Head Island Early Childhood Center beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

The program will serve prekindergarten and kindergarten students and will be open to all Beaufort County residents.

District officials said the Montessori approach emphasizes hands-on learning, independence, responsibility and wholechild development through mixed-age classrooms.

Students enrolled at the center will have access to onsite after-school child care.

“This program is designed to inspire independence and academic growth while nurturing the whole child in a developmentally appropriate environment,” said Ashley Gould, the district’s director of readiness.

May River Elementary reaches construction milestone

Beaufort County School District planned a topping-out ceremony May 15 for the new May River Elementary School, marking installation of the final beam.

The school, funded through the district’s 2023 bond referendum, is being constructed on the May River High School campus. District officials said the facility will total 113,000 square feet and accommodate up to 800 students.

The school is scheduled to open for the 2027-28 academic year and will use the Manatees as its mascot.

Cross Schools adds preschool campuses

Cross Schools announced that operations of Lowcountry Day Christian Preschool at its two Red Cedar Street campuses became part of Cross Schools effective May 15.

The organizations said discussions regarding the transition began in late 2025 and concluded following six months of due diligence. Students will continue attending classes at their current campus locations.

Both schools have operated in the Bluffton area for more than 20 years, according to the announcement.

“The combination of these schools will continue to provide outstanding spiritual and academic growth opportunities for students and families throughout the greater Bluffton community,” the release said.

Arts and Events Calendar

Bluffton Library Summer

Reading Adult Programs

Bluffton Branch Library, Bluffton

June 4, 11 a.m.–noon

Exploring Herbs & Spices: Annatto — Unearthing the Story of a Vibrant Spice

June 16, 1–2:30 p.m.

Unearth the History & Evolution of Freedom Day (Juneteenth)

June 17, 10–11:30 a.m.

Unearth a Story: Stories & Advice From a Former Editor and Journalist, plus a Mini-Writing Workshop For information, call 843-255-6503.

“All Creatures Great and Small” Now–Oct. 23

Sea Pines Community Center, 71 Lighthouse Road, Hilton Head Island Art exhibition featuring works by the Artists of Sea Pines.

Celebration Park Turtle Talks

Mondays, June–August, 7:30–9 p.m.

Celebration Park, Hilton Head Island Free family-friendly program featuring hands-on activities beginning at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Sea Turtle Talk presentation from 8–9 p.m. led by Amber Kuehn, marine biologist and director of Sea Turtle Patrol HHI. Program focuses on local nesting sea turtles and conservation. seaturtlepatrolhhi.org

“Put the Beach to Bed” with Sea Turtle Patrol HHI

June–August, 7–8 p.m.

Sundays: The Dunes House, Palmetto Dunes

Tuesdays: The Sonesta, Shipyard Beach Access

Wednesdays: The Beach House, Coligny-Tiki Hut

Volunteer beach program focused on

preparing shorelines for nesting sea turtles and educating participants about sea turtle conservation. seaturtlepatrolhhi.org

Community Movie Night & Music Celebration

June 26, 4 p.m.

Celebration Park, Hilton Head Island Free family-friendly event featuring an outdoor screening of The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra’s Hollywood Bowl benefit concert. Event also includes food trucks, a community service project and lawn seating. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs.

“The Great American Songbook: Ellington to Strayhorn”

June 7, 7:30 p.m.

SoundWaves, Hilton Head Island Series finale performance featuring vocalist Anaïs Reno, 2026 American Traditions Vocal Competition silver medalist, and pianist Aaron Lehrian performing selections from the Great American Songbook with music by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. For tickets, call 843-842-2055.

Palm Trees & Pistons Car Show

June 13, 9–11 a.m.

NALAS Beach Bar & Grill, Hilton Head Island

Monthly car show featuring vintage, antique, exotic, muscle and specialty vehicles owned by local residents. The event is free and open to the public. Car owners are invited to display their vehicles.

Juneteenth Celebration

June 11, 5 pm-9 pm

Juneteenth Campfire, conversation and sleepover

June 12, 3 pm- 5 pm Children’s Drum Camp

Juneteenth Drum Circle 5:30 - 7:30 pm

June 13 10 am - 4 pm

Juneteenth Celebration

June 19: 9 am Juneteenth 5k Run + Walk

exploremitchelevillage.org

Palmetto Quilt Guild Meeting: June 21, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Island Lutheran Church, Hilton Head Island

Lydia Beason of Island Indigo will present a program on the “Low Country Roots of Indigo.” Workshop: June 22, 10 a.m.–noon Art League of Hilton Head Academy, 106 Cordillo Parkway, Hilton Head Island Workshop hosted by Linda Beason. Participants will receive a scarf, instruction, tools and indigo dye to complete the indigo dyeing process. palmettoquiltguild.org

Bluffton Independence Day 5K

July 2, 6:15 p.m. Kids Fun Run; 7 p.m. 5K start

New Riverside Barn Park, Bluffton Evening run/walk featuring food trucks, beer and a patriotic costume contest. Children ages 8 and younger may participate in the “Chase Uncle Sam” fun run.

townofbluffton.sc.gov

Independence Day Pre-Party & Fireworks

July 3, 5–9 p.m.; fireworks at 9 p.m.

Martin Family Park, 68 Boundary St., and DuBois Park, Bluffton

Family celebration featuring bounce houses, carnival games, food concessions and live music by the

Parris Island “Dirty Boots” Brass Band. Fireworks launch from a barge on the May River with viewing available at Oyster Factory Park and Wright Family Park.

Harbour Town Fourth of July Parade

July 4, registration begins 8:30 a.m.; parade lineup at 9:30 a.m.

Harbour Town, The Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island

Patriotic parade featuring decorated bikes, wagons and pets followed by carnival games and inflatables. seapines.com

Salute from the Shore

July 4, approximately 1:30 p.m.

Hilton Head Island beaches

Annual coastal flyover featuring military planes and vintage aircraft. salutefromtheshore.org

Harbour Town Fourth of July Concert & Fireworks

July 4, concert in the evening; fireworks approximately 9 p.m.

Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island Features the Gregg Russell Fourth of July Concert under the Liberty Oak followed by fireworks over Calibogue Sound. seapines.com

Shelter Cove HarbourFest & Fireworks

July 4, after dusk

Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina, Hilton Head Island

Family celebration featuring entertainment, children’s activities and HarbourFest with singer Shannon Tanner followed by fireworks over Broad Creek. sheltercoveharbourfest.com

Photographer captures bird life in ‘A Feathered Focus’

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

Wildlife photographer Morgan Thompson will be the featured artist in a summer exhibition at Art League Gallery, where her images of Lowcountry birds will be on display for more than a month.

The exhibition, titled “A Feathered Focus,” opens June 23 and runs through July 24 at the gallery inside the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. An opening reception is scheduled for June 24 from 5 to 7 p.m.

A special artist demonstration is planned for July 10 from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will begin with a gallery walk at Art League Gallery before continuing with a field demonstration at Fish Haul Beach Park. Organizers said both the exhibition and demonstration are free and open to the public.

Through her photography, Thompson documents the region’s bird population, capturing scenes that include feeding, courtship, nesting and territorial behavior. According to exhibit organizers, the photographs also highlight the expressions and individual characteristics of the birds she photographs.

“I hope my photography gives people a deeper appreciation for the wildlife that surrounds us every day,” Thompson said. “These birds have so much character, and I love capturing moments that allow viewers to connect with them in a more personal way.”

Thompson has lived on Hilton Head Island since 2017 and is a self-taught photographer. Her interest in wildlife extends beyond her photography work. She has volunteered with the Hilton Head

Island Sea Turtle Patrol for the past five years and participates in the local environmental community.

Her photography has received recognition through the Camera Club of Hilton Head, where she has earned multiple first-place awards. In 2025, her image “Winged Embrace: Great Egrets Pair” was selected as a finalist in the National Biennale. Thompson is also an exhibiting member of the Art League of Hilton Head and has displayed her work through the organization for the past three years.

Gallery Manager Lyndsi Caulder said the exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to see a range of wildlife images captured by Thompson.

“Morgan’s photography captures wildlife in action in such a beautiful way,” Caulder said. “From her silhouette bird sunrises and sunsets to her almost-smiling baby alligators to her nesting egret babies, visitors get an up-close view of the Lowcountry through her lens.”

Art League Gallery is located at 14 Shelter Cove Lane inside the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. More information is available at artleaguehhi.org.

‘Conceptual Threads’ exhibit showcases art quilting

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

viewers to see quilting beyond its traditional associations.

Drop in Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays between 9:30 am & 12:30 pm

FAMILY-FRIENDLY. Children must be accompanied by a participating adult. Scan for details & tickets!

The Coastal Discovery Museum is presenting “Conceptual Threads,” an exhibition by the Art Quilters of the Lowcountry that showcases more than 60 works exploring memory, landscape, family history and artistic experimentation through fabric and thread.

The exhibition runs through July 26 in the museum’s main gallery and features work by members Ron Hodge, Roberta “Ro” Morrissey, Peg Weschke and Jody Wigton, along with guest quilters Chris Lanigan, Deborah Legiadre, Marty Kotter and Candace Hackett Shively. Admission is free.

“We are delighted to once again showcase these award-winning fiber artists who explore both abstract themes and personal stories through this unique art form,” Elizabeth Greenberg, the museum’s director of exhibitions, said in a statement.

Morrissey said the exhibition invites

“Each quilt is an invitation to experience quilts not only as works of art, but also as conversations between tradition and innovation, artist and viewer, and the threads that tie us all together,” Morrissey said.

That spirit of experimentation is evident in the artists’ varied approaches and backgrounds.

Lanigan, who worked in the garment industry for many years, said she creates her pieces intuitively rather than beginning with a detailed sketch.

“I basically create this improvisation,” Lanigan said. “I just put pieces of fabric on the wall and create a composition. You never quite know what will happen.”

For Hodge, quilting grew naturally from a longtime career working with stained glass.

“I was the stained glass artist,” Hodge said. “It’s not that much different because with glass and fabric, you either

sew the fabric together or you lead the stained glass together.”

After moving to the Lowcountry, Hodge said he found less demand for stainedglass window panels and turned his creative energy toward fiber art.

Wigton said she learned to sew as a child and spent years making her own clothing before discovering quilting.

After taking classes at a quilt shop and joining a quilting guild in Columbus, Ohio, she was introduced to artists working beyond traditional bed quilts.

“That’s what I want to do,” Wigton recalled thinking after seeing art quilting. “The rest is history.”

Guest artist Shively said her piece “The Teacher Gene” honors generations of educators in her family.

The work incorporates school papers and other materials contributed by people from around the country, many dating from the pre-computer era of “chalk dust and purple dittos and handwritten everything.”

For Morrissey, art quilting emerged from an unexpected challenge. After retiring to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, she began learning traditional quilting but

struggled with the precision it required.

“I was diagnosed with two retina problems,” Morrissey said.

Unable to see well enough to accurately match points and patterns, she turned instead to fabric collage inspired by her photography and love of the coast.

“I realized that I really am a saltwater girl and my seascapes are my signature pieces,” Morrissey said.

The exhibition also demonstrates how quilting can move beyond flat wall hangings. Weschke discussed the group’s exploration of vessels created with fabric and a heat-formed interior material known as Fosshape.

“It was just another limb on the quilting tree,” Weschke said.

Museum visitors will have opportunities to hear directly from the artists during a series of free gallery walks.

Wigton and Morrissey will lead a quilting workshop June 23 from noon to 3 p.m.

The Coastal Discovery Museum is located at 70 Honey Horn Drive on Hilton Head Island. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

June 23–July 24

Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12-4pm and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance

HERITAGE

LIBRARY SPRING HISTORIC TOURS

COLONIAL ERA CEMETERY TOUR

HISTORIC FORT MITCHEL TOUR

Opening Reception: Wed, June 24 • 5-7pm Enjoy refreshments and meet the artist • Free and open to the public

Artist Demo: Fri, July 10 • 10am-12pm Gallery walk followed by a field demo at Fish Haul Beach Park

Visit the gravesites of four Revolutionary War heroes and find out about the bloody skirmish that was fought just steps away. Site on the SC Liberty Trail. Corner of Hwy. 278 & Mathews Dr.

TUESDAYS March 17 - June 9 10:00-11:00am

$10/LIBRARY MEMBERS

$12/NON-MEMBERS

CHILDREN 12 & UNDER FREE Registration required.

Fort Mitchel contains the remains of a coastal defense battery erected in 1862 to protect the Port Royal Sound by way of Skull Creek from incursions by Confederate gunboats. 65 Skull Creek Dr., Hilton Head Plantation

THURSDAYS March 19 - June 11 10:00-11:00am

$10/LIBRARY MEMBERS

$12/NON-MEMBERS CHILDREN 12 & UNDER FREE Registration required.

NAME ADDR

Special Section

Palmetto Electric Cooperative is trying to locate former members with unclaimed Capital Credits. Please refer to the following listing to see if the Cooperative has unclaimed Capital Credits for you. If your name is on the list, please call 1-800-922-5551 to find out how to claim your Capital Credits.

CITY/STATE ZIP

ACKERMAN SHARON (RON) 62231 E RANGEWOOD DR TUCSON AZ 0857390000

ALTHOFF ANGELA M 190 WINFIELD RIDGE DR WINSTON SALEM NC 0271036943

ALVAREZ RICHARD L (JUDITH K) PO BOX 8211 SCOTTSDALE AZ 0852528211

ANDALIB A HAMID (LADONNA) 2261 MT VERNON CT AUBURN AL 0368304262

ANDES C S (RUTH G) 535 GRADYVILLE RD UNIT S18 NEWTOWN SQUARE PA 0190730000

ANGLERS BEACH MARKET GRILL PO BOX 7451 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299387451

ANTOINE ROBERT E (ELLIE) 15 HERONS BILL DR BLUFFTON SC 0299097139

APPLE J LP PO BOX 789788 WICHITA KS 0672789788

ATLANTIS CO INC PO BOX 23887 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299253887

AUDUBON NATURE STORE 33 OFFICE PARK RD STE A PMB 354 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299280000

AUTO EXPERTS IV

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BEACH CITY HEALTH & FITNESS PO BOX 22502 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299252502

BEASLEY CORY A (LUCY W) 2 SAINT ANDREWS PL HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299284205

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BOW CIRCLE STATION INC 180 S KNOWLES AVE STE 9 WINTER PARK FL 0327897009

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BURHANS RONALD L (JUDITH) 4 INDIGO RUN DR APT 1422 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299264114

BURRISON DAISY P (DAVID)

JACOB PATTERSON 3876 BEES CREEK RD RIDGELAND SC 0299366538

CAMERON NATHAN (LINDSAY) 21 MIDDLETON GARDENS PL BLUFFTON SC 0299104908

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CHAPMAN ROBERT BRUCE (EVELYN)

SOUTH STATE BANK TRUST 25 BULL ST STE 502 SAVANNAH GA 0314010000

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CKT INC 807 WILLIAM HILTON PKWY STE 1000 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299283487

CLARK QUALITY CONST LLC

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CONRAD GROUP OF HH LLC

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CONRAD STEVEN M (PAMELA J) 301 TINGEY ST SE APT PH32 WASHINGTON DC 0200034623

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CRADLE ‘N’ ALL 1000 E NORTH ST STE 200 GREENVILLE SC 0296013178

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DAUFUSKIE ISLAND PROP LLC

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DE LA SANTOS JUAN 104 CORDILLO PKWY APT G1 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299287576

DELANEY AMANDA E (DOUGLAS S) 100 KENSINGTON BLVD APT 703 BLUFFTON SC 0299100000

DELONG ROBERT H JR (SHIRLEY) 10701 GULF SHORE DR APT 502 NAPLES FL 0341083020

DELOREY CLIFFORD (JILL)

CAITLIN DELOREY 9064 DOWDEN RD APT 203 ORLANDO FL 0328276833

DENNIS SEXTON HOME BLDRS 16 SPANISH WELLS RD HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299261402

DEZEEUW GERLINDE B 10492 N ELWOOD AVE SYRACUSE IN 0465679523

DLG ENTERPRISES LLC LISA MALONEY 107 BLACKFOX WAY SC 0296850000

DOERRMANN MARGUERITE (EDWARD F) 106 SHEARWATER DR HAMPSTEAD NC 0284430000

DON BRYANT INC

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DUNNAGANS RESTAURANT INC 614 E HIGHWAY 50 STE 408 CLERMONT FL 0347113164

EQUITY ONE REALTY & MGMT SE 1640 POWERS FERRY RD SE BLDG 11-250 GA 0300671471

ERWIN M JOHNSTON (CHRISTINA) 1 BERTRAM PL HILTON

INC

D/B/A CREATIVE TOUCH INTERIO PO BOX 4995 ORLANDO FL 0328024995

FOX RICHARD P PO BOX 184 BATAVIA OH 0451030184

FREEMAN WILLIAM M (JUDITH) 22 WESTVIEW DR LEICESTER NC 0287480000

FUJI YAMA 56 7TH AVE BLUFFTON SC 0299108702

GALE GORDON E 545 GLASGOW LANDING RD HARDEEVILLE SC 0299279411

GALLAGHER BERNIE (DEBORAH) 20 TOWNE DR PMB 291 BLUFFTON SC 0299104204

GASSER JOHN J 10 WHITE TAIL DEER LN HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299261832

GETAWAY RENTALS LLC 220A BROWNS COVE RD RIDGELAND SC 0299368160

GILLS SHARON 120 LINDEN RD LEESBURG GA 0317630000

GLOVER SUSAN

LINDA G BRINKLEY 5002 TURNBRIDGE CIR APT G BROWNS SUMMIT NC 0272149485

GODFREY WILLIAM 1 GODFREY PL BLUFFTON SC 0299106021

GORT KENNETH LEE (CAROL) 380 MARSHLAND RD APT B33 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299260000

GRAEFENECKER D M 15 MAIN ST UNIT 215 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299260000

GRECO RAY S DR (MADELINE E)

SAM HENS-GRECO 429 4TH AVE STE 2100 PITTSBURGH PA 0152191506

GREER MARK E 201 CAROLINA POINT PKWY

HEARN DREW

NAME ADDR

CITY/STATE ZIP

Special Section

HHO OF CAROLINA INC 9 PALMETTO BAY RD HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299283203

HILTON HEAD BOATING CENTER PO BOX 1623 BLUFFTON SC 0299101623

HILTON HEAD COMEDY CLUB 4 INDIGO RUN DR APT 4023 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299264146

HILTON HEAD EUROPEAN BAKERY

HH EUROPEAN BAKERY LLC 430 WILLIAM HILTON PKY STE 201C HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299262406

HORN TOM L 1971 PARKWOOD RD CHARLESTON WV 0253142241

HOWELL HARRY C III (JENNIFER 97 KIBBE FARM RD SOUTH HERO VT 0054860000

HYATT RICHARD (SHIRLEY) 157 MADISON DR NAPLES FL 0341101323

ISLAND PLAYGROUND 38 OUTPOST LN HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299283819

JAGUAR

CHARTER ONE MGMT 1554 FORDING ISLAND RD HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299261174

JERRETT JOHN A (JOAN E) 1025 1 HUBBELS LN HUNTSVILLE ON P0A 1H0 CANADA 0999999999

JOCELYNS HAIR STUDIO 103 OKATIE CENTER BLVD BOX 11 BLUFFTON SC 0299097528

JOHNSON DENNIS L (NANCY) 581 GLEN EAGLES CIR SE MARIETTA GA 0300670000

JOHNSON MARY HURL 19445 DAVID MEMORIAL DR APT 1208 CONROE TX 0773858734

JOHNSON NAN R 1565 DELOSS POINT RD RIDGELAND SC 0299365167

JOHNSON PHILIP S (PAMELA) 6 BETHEL CT HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299262228

JOHNSTON HARRY J 246 FRIENDSHIP CIR BEAVER PA 0150090000

JONES N Y FACTORY STORES 1411 BROADWAY STE 15 NEW YORK NY 0100180000

JUDY & MAC’S DELI INC 11 MATHEWS DR STE 6 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299263781

KASTEN ALEXANDER (BARBARA E) 14 GHOST PONY RD BLUFFTON SC 0299100000

KELLEY BRAD R 187 SUMTER SQ BLUFFTON SC 0299105726

KELLY BRIAN T

(NILZA DEOLIVEIRA A) 527 TERRACEVIEW CV APT 108 ALTAMONTE SPRINGS FL 0327141755

KELLY DAVID F 1717 HOMEWOOD BLVD APT 342 DELRAY BEACH FL 0334456804

KELLY GLENN A 527 TERRACEVIEW CV APT 108 ALTAMONTE SPG FL 0327141755

KESLER SARA (LAWSON CHAD) 3 SHELTER COVE LN APT 7487 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299281505

KG SC HOLDINGS LLC 432 S MUSTANG RD STE C YUKON OK 0730997312

KLEIMAN JUDITH (STANLEY) 1640 OAKWOOD DR APT W317 PENN VALLEY PA 0190721041

KRAMER RICHARD 22 BULL ST FL 2 SAVANNAH GA 0314012618

KSB RECREATION VENTURES LLC

JAMES T HAMMEL 23 BRIDGETOWN RD HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299283365

LASHER BEVERLY J 12 OUTERBRIDGE CIR HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299262916

LEIHBACHER ROBERT R (PAMELA)

CHARLES WALKER GIBBES TRUST 20 PLANTERS ROW HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299285504

LENZ ROBERT (ERMA) 51 BIRDSONG WAY APT A210 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299261392

LILLAGORE CAROLYN 1105 HUDSON LN FRANKLIN TN 0370678604

LINDGREN JOHN C (MARCY) PO BOX 23164 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299250000

LOGAN JOHN J (THERESA) 85 HARRETON RD ALLENDALE NJ 0074011317

LONG RONNIE E (DOROTHY E) PO BOX 1202 VARNVILLE SC 0299441202

LOSOYA MARIO ALBERTO 6 CAPE JASMINE ST BLUFFTON SC 0299105427

LOW-COUNTRY FIRE & SAFTY LLC

D/B/A FIRE TECH SERVICES PO BOX 100596 NASHVILLE TN 0372240596

LYLE ROGER H (MURIEL) 126 HIGH BLUFF RD HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299261842

MALLORY DOUGLAS R (KELLY) PO BOX 33 GARNETT SC 0299220000

MAR Y TIERRA 76 PIN OAK ST BLUFFTON SC 0299107601

MAYS ROGER EUGENE 2620 N 68TH ST APT 237 SCOTTSDALE AZ 0852570000

MCDANIEL GARY G (DEBBIE) PO BOX 54 BLUFFTON SC 0299100000

MCPHAIL FRITZ R (RENEE C) 166 W WESLEY RD NW ATLANTA GA 0303053523

MILLER MICHAEL (SUSAN) 38 SPANISH POINTE DR HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299261436

MILLER RACHELLE M (RUSSELL) 14537 TUSCANY POINTE TRL NAPLES FL 0341200000

MMS INC/LONG BOAT INVESTMENT 19 SHELTER COVE LN STE 302 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299283549

MOHNEY W M III/DIXON D I PO BOX 174 UNION HALL VA 0241760174

MOTT KAREN A 438 N SAPPINGTON RD APT B SAINT LOUIS MO 0631224766

MURPHY BRUCE (WILMA) 253 WASHINGTON ST STE 3 HUDSON MA 0017492980

MYRTLE PARK ACQUISITION INC 4921 BLUFFTON PKWY BLUFFTON SC 0299104610

MYRTLE PLANTATION PRTRSP LLC 1010 HIGH HOUSE RD STE 300 CARY NC 0275133581

NARDONE ENTERPRISES INC PO BOX 21305 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299251305

NICHOL KARL W 86 ELDON DR MANCHESTER TN 0373557800

NIGRO CONSTANCE 402 FOULK RD APT 3C8 WILMINGTON DE 0198035806

NTP ENTERPRISES INC 20 TOWNE DR BLUFFTON SC 0299104204

OCEANSIDE LLC

MARK C MATHEWS 115 WOODBINE AVE WILMETTE IL 0600913329

NAME ADDR CITY/STATE ZIP

OCEANVIEW HOLDINGS LLC PO BOX 7873 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299387873

OKATIE BUSINESS DEVELOPERS 750 HAMMOND DR BLDG 6 ATLANTA GA 0303280000

OKATIE HOTEL GROUP LLC

D/B/A FAIRFIELD INN 1074 PINNACLE POINT DR STE 200 COLUMBIA SC 0292235735

OOLEY ROBERT G (JACQUELINE) 1702 STILLWOOD DR SAVANNAH GA 0314192428

OYSTER CATCHER INVESTORS LLC

ROBERT CESA 30 BARAUD RD S SCARSDALE NY 0105836805

P & A REALTY

AL & P F WINDHAM 27 W 96TH ST APT 5F NEW YORK NY 0100250000

PAPER & PARTY PLANTATION 430 WILLIAM HILTON PKY STE 209A HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299262408

PARKER/SANDERS LLC

STEVE PARKER 55 W CHURCH ST APT 1704 ORLANDO FL 0328014917

PASAS NORMAN L (JUDITH C) 302 HADDON CT FRANKLIN TN 0370676242

PATTON JOHN T SR (EDNA B) 7208 LACE LEAF WAY FUQUAY VARINA NC 0275260000

PERDOMO DENIA 56 SIMMONSVILLE RD APT 303

PETROSKY GLENN (DIANE) 5091 WOODMORE CT MILFORD OH 0451502277

PIROZZI DONALD (LOUISE) 2 MARSHLAND RD HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299262305

POLEY BROOKS J (NANCY) 15 MULBERRY

POPE THOMAS M (ELISA MAE TROEH) ELISA MAE TROEH 10 10TH

RAINTREE

RASCH WILLIAM G III (JOAN) 203 MARLBROCK RD SEVERNA

REGIS AT COLUMBIA LTD

D/B/A BISTRO MEZZZLUND 55 NEW ORLEANS RD STE 106 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299284792

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S & G JUPITER RESIDENCE LLC

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SCHOLL PETER (MITSUKO)

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SCOJAC INC

D/B/A CHRISTIE’S 6410 COMMONWEALTH DR ROANOKE VA 0240185159

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SIMMONS JOSEPH (ALISON) 7814 SWINKS MILL CT MC LEAN VA 0221022416

SIMMONS KAREEM CORNELIOUS 107 DRAYTON

SMITH

SOUTHERN

SPERO

SPRAGUE

Bald eagle flight to highlight Sea Pines Fourth of July celebration

By The Hilton Head Sun Staff

A bald eagle is scheduled to launch from the top of the Harbour Town Lighthouse as part of The Sea Pines Resort’s Fourth of July celebration marking America’s 250th anniversary.

The resort announced a full day of events on July 4, beginning with a morning parade and ending with fireworks over Harbour Town and Calibogue Sound.

The featured event is planned for 8:15 p.m., when Lincoln, a bald eagle ambassador with the American Eagle Foundation, is expected to take flight from the lighthouse. According to the resort, Lincoln has appeared in Budweiser commercials and at Philadelphia Eagles football games.

The eagle is scheduled to fly over Harbour Town before gliding toward the 18th green of Harbour Town Golf Links. The resort said Lincoln regularly appears at patriotic events across the country.

Festivities will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the Fourth of July Parade around Har-

bour Town. Organizers said the parade will include displays, music and partici pants decorated in red, white and blue. Guests are encouraged to dec orate bicycles, wagons, strollers and dogs for the event.

New to this year’s parade is Woody the Clydesdale from Sea Pines’ Lawton Stables, who will lead the procession.

Following the parade, a Fourth of July Carnival is planned on the Harbour Town lawn. The resort said the event will fea ture traditional games and activities for children throughout the day.

As evening approaches, attention will shift to Harbour Town’s entertainment lineup. Gregg Russell is scheduled to perform his annual Fourth of July concert beneath the Liberty Oak Tree beginning at 8 p.m.

The celebration is set to conclude with a fireworks display beginning at 9 p.m. Fire works will illuminate the Harbour Town Lighthouse and Calibogue Sound, accord

ing to organizers. Food, music and harbor activities are also planned throughout the Benjamin Franklin, Patriotic Sidewalk Chalk and a performance by The Fabulous

Special Section

STAFFORD FORTY SIX LLC

D/B/A HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS PO BOX 1267 TIFTON GA 0317931267

STEELE ROBERT J/BAKER WENDY PO BOX 7471 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299387471

STELLAR GROUP INC

D/B/A MAID FOR YOU 16 CARDINAL RD HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299263720

STEVENSON RICHARD L

ROBERT F STEVENSON 28 SHIPWATCH PT HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299281611

STILP THOMAS J DR (PAULINE E 2418 THAYER ST EVANSTON IL 0602011494

STOFT NANCY E 30 NESTING LN BLUFFTON SC 0299096052

STRAYER LUTHER M III (MARY A) 99 N MAIN ST HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299266613

STUFKO STEPHEN W JR (KRISTI) 8 FANTAIL LN HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299261236

SWEET MARC E (CAROL L) 12884 STONEBROOK DR DAVIE FL 0333301264

SWIM N SPORT RETAIL INC 2396 NW 96TH AVE MIAMI FL 0331722323

TAYLOR NANCY G 23 WALSH DR MAHWAH NJ 0074302566

THE ROBIDA PROPERTY CO LLC

RESORT RENTALS OF HH PO BOX 7887 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299387887

THIERRIN EDWARD V

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TILTON JOHN 728 COPE ISLAND DR RIDGELAND SC 0299364982

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UTLEY JOHN F (CAROLE)

ATRIA MOUNT PLEASANT 601 SOLANA WAY MT PLEASANT SC 0294640000

VAN EPPS DALE L (RILLANN) 1 E SHORE PATH CAZENOVIA NY 0130350000

VERGARA GASTON JAVIER 310 GEORGE RD BLUFFTON SC 0299100000

VERMILYEA JIM 1806 SILVER MAPLE DR NORTH AUGUSTA SC 0298608440

VICS ICE CREAM 430 WILLIAM HILTON PKY STE 400 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299262424

VILLEGAS MARTIN 839 WILLIAM HILTON PKY APT 303 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299280000

WALLER FRANK S (JANET LEE) 302 ASPEN SQ GLEN MILLS PA 0193420000

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WANDERER LANE LLC

JUNE & ASSOC PA 99 N MAIN ST HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299266613

WARNER BIRTHE 34 MONTICELLO DR HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299261297

WEALTH STRATEGIES GROUP 29 PLANTATION PARK DR STE 115 BLUFFTON SC 0299100000

WERNER THOMAS (LINDA) 142 OKATIE CENTER BLVD N APT 110 OKATIE SC 0299090000

WHITE BRUCE A (ELIZABETH) 28776 PILGRIMS PASS LAKEMOOR IL 0600510000

WHITNEY ROBERT L 8419 NORMANDY RD DENVER NC 0280378647

WHITTINGHAM LEIGHTON ST ELMO

GEOFFREY WHITTINGHAM 3067 CALDER DR JACKSONVILLE BEACH FL 0322500000

WIETFELDT WILFRIED

PETER MOERSEN PO BOX 6064 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299386064

WIGGINTON JAMES S (VIRGINIA) 67 HERITAGE LAKES DR BLUFFTON SC 0299106573

WINDROSE OKATIE I PROP LLC 661 UNIVERSITY BLVD JUPITER FL 0334582795

WISE ALAN HUGH TAMARA WISE 1 CEDAR WAX WING RD HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299285616

WOODIES DARN GOOD BAGELS PO BOX 21761 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299251761

WRIGHT WILLIAM M (LIND) 3440 S JEFFERSON ST APT 533 FALLS CHURCH VA 0220410000

WRI-SRP

WALTER THOMAS (PATRICIA P) 3 STEEPLECHASE CT HENDERSONVILLE NC 0287910000

YOUNG TOM & BRUCE PARTNERSHP CHIMNEY COVE LLC 839 WM HILTON PKY APT 34 HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC 0299283420

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

The importance of neighbors

A few weeks ago, a case of Tim Tam cookies was delivered to our doorstep, sent by our former neighbor, Miss Jean. When we bought our first house on Hilton Head back in 2002, we were the first family on the block to arrive. Two weeks later, our new next-door neighbors, retirees Jean and James “Whitey” Wright, moved in.

Whitey had a head of white hair, mischievous blue eyes and a red cardigan he wore on his walks to the mailbox. When a tree company truck broke our water pipe and sent a river of water rushing down the street, he was the hero of the day when he emerged from his garage carrying the exact tool needed to shut off the main. He laughed as my toddlers stomped in the puddles and he helped me figure out who to call to fix it.

We missed him when he passed away far too soon.

As much as we adored Whitey, it was Miss Jean who captured our hearts.

Miss Jean, with her gray bob and signature hats. Miss Jean, who went to exercise class but joked she mostly sat in the back visiting with friends. Miss Jean, with her Greenville accent, who called me “Honey.”

Miss Jean became a friend to us and a third grandmother to our boys. She attended Grandparents Day events, celebrated birthdays, sat through school concerts and made them feel special and loved. She also introduced them to Tim Tams, or as they call them, “Miss Jean cookies.”

Generous to a fault, if she went straw berry picking, a box of fresh berries would appear on our doorstep. If she made brownies with her stovetop fudge topping, a plate would

be waiting on our porch. She always had a treat for the boys and would bring us back something from her travels.

But, she was most generous with her friendship. She always had a listening ear, asked about my friends and family and shared news of her own. Over the years, I heard all about niece Nancy, sister Sarah, daughter Jill, son Jeff and his wife Lisa, and of course, the “grands.”

When my mother died, she listened while I talked.

My youngest would call and ask to visit her. The answer was always yes. Off he would run, and when I checked in a bit later, I would find him cozy on her couch with a tray of snacks, cartoons on the television, showing her something on the iPad.

Miss Jean has a crew of “grands,” and as children do, they grew up, married and moved away. Her children moved too, and seven years ago Miss Jean made the move to be with them in the mountains. There, “Gran Jean” is surrounded by family, grands and great-grands. She has a birthday this month with a 9 in it.

So, while it was a surprise when that box of Tim Tams arrived at our door, it was very much the sort of thing she would do. She knows how much my now-collegeaged boys loved the Tim Tams she bought for them when they were little, and the package was a reminder that some friendships never really fade.

Not long after Miss Jean moved away, we moved to a different area of the island. Last week, we learned our current nextdoor neighbors are moving. It made me think about how important neighbors can be, especially in a place where so many of us came from somewhere else.

Sometimes neighbors become friends. Sometimes they become family. And if you’re especially lucky, you get a Miss Jean.

By Lisa Hostetler Brown Contributor

Many people believe estate planning is as simple as getting a Will and checking the box, but true planning goes far beyond paperwork. It’s about making sure your plan actually works when you need it most.

The two moments when your plan must work

There are only two times in life when your estate plan truly gets put to the test:

1. When you can no longer manage your own affairs, whether due to illness, injury, or age-related decline.

2. When you pass away, and your family must settle your affairs. If your documents don’t work in these

How do I leave certainty, not stress, for my family?

critical moments, the consequences can be significant, including court delays, financial complications, and additional stress for your loved ones during an already difficult time.

The most common problem in South Carolina

One of the most common problems we see is the absence of a properly drafted, comprehensive financial power of attorney. In South Carolina, there is no automatic right for a spouse or child to manage your finances if you become incapacitated. Without the legal authority in place, families may be forced into court to seek a conservatorship. This process can take months and cost thousands.

A will doesn’t mean you avoid probate

Another major misconception is that having a Will avoids probate. In reality, a Will must go through probate court. That process requires formal notices, deadlines, and disclosures, including notifying people who would have inherited if no Will existed.

Those notices often trigger conflict and legal challenges.

How trusts simplify and protect

This is where trust-based planning can make a significant difference. A properly structured and funded trust avoids probate entirely, reduces court involvement, and provides a smoother transition for loved ones. It also allows planning not just for death, but for aging, illness, and long-term care needs.

Effective estate planning evolves with your life

Estate planning should also evolve as you age. What works for a healthy 30-year-old is very different from what’s needed when retirement, medical concerns, or caregiving enter the picture. Planning early creates options. Waiting creates urgency and crisis planning rarely produces ideal outcomes.

This is more than paperwork

The most important thing to remember is this: estate planning is an act of love. Documents may carry your instructions, but the real gift is the security you

create for the people who matter most. A well-thought-out plan ensures your family can honor your wishes without fear, conflict, or court involvement.

In the end, planning isn’t about preparing for death. It’s about protecting the life you’ve built and the people who are part of it.

Peace of mind through professional guidance

Working with an experienced elder law attorney can help you create a plan that not only addresses legal requirements, but also functions smoothly when it matters most. With the right guidance, you can move forward with confidence, knowing you’ve taken meaningful steps to protect yourself and the people you care about.

For educational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Lisa Hostetler Brown is a Certified Elder Law Attorney certified by the National Elder Law Foundation. 2 Hampton Hall Blvd, Ste 100, Bluffton, S.C. | 843-7575294 | LawyerLisa.com.

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Bye Bye Birdie

Cast members rehearse for Main Stage Community Theatre’s upcoming production of the classic musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” coming to Hilton Head Island for two weekends in June. Performances are scheduled for June 18–21 and June 25–28, 2026, at Main Street Theatre, 3000 Main St. Evening performances begin at 7 p.m., with select matinee performances also planned. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for seniors age 60 and older, and $10 for children and teens age 17 and younger. Reservations and ticket information are available through Main Stage Community Theatre’s website mainstagecommunitytheatre. org

IACHH awards scholarships

By Joe Turino Contributor

The Italian American Club of Hilton Head awarded seven $2,000 college scholarships to local high school seniors May 7.

Scholarship recipients were Carter Lawson, Kori DePoe and Myla Greene of May River High School; Kamila Cisneros, Isabella Rae Meissen and AnnaMarie Matteo of Bluffton High School; and Judy Borgmeier of Hilton Head Island High School.

Lawson received the Paletta Family Scholarship in Engineering and plans to study chemical engineering at the University of South Carolina.

Cisneros was awarded one of two Pierro Family Scholarships and plans to study psychology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina.

Meissen received the second Pierro

Family Scholarship and plans to study nursing at Georgia Southern University.

DePoe received the Johnny DeCecco Scholarship and plans to study sports communication at Clemson University. Greene was awarded the Carmen DeCecco Scholarship and plans to study international relations at George Washington University.

Matteo plans to study pre-medicine at the University of South Carolina. Borgmeier plans to study pre-medicine at Ohio State University.

The Italian American Club of Hilton Head supports scholarships, charitable causes and community programs throughout the year. Membership is open to people of all backgrounds, including those who are not of Italian heritage but consider themselves “Italian at heart.” Additional information about membership, scholarships and upcoming events is available at www.IACHH.org.

By Scott Selkowitz Contributor

“Your presence has been a steady encouragement and inspiration to all of us. Thank you for your friendship, for your leadership and for the way you have reminded us that, even across all traditions, we are part of the same story.”

These sentiments, shared by the Rev. June Wilkins, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Hilton Head, were among the many tributes, prayers and readings offered during a special Friday Shabbat commemorative service at Congregation Beth Yam honoring the work of Rabbi Brad Bloom, who will retire this month.

For more than 17 years, Rabbi Bloom has served as a unifying force, strengthening ties among his congregation, the local Jewish community and interfaith communities in Hilton Head, Bluffton and the greater Low-

Rabbi Bloom to retire

country. Numerous speakers recounted his participation in Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations, town gatherings, Town Council meetings and clergy discussions.

In a tribute written by Rabbi Robert Haas of Congregation Mickve Israel in Savannah, Georgia, Haas wrote, “Rabbi Bloom made an incredible impact on his community in Hilton Head, and he will forever be remembered for his intelligence, humor, dedication, Jewish spirit and devotion to his community.”

Rabbi Bloom “has been an active leader in civic and humanitarian causes throughout the Lowcountry, serving as chaplain to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue Department, supporting hunger relief and youth initiatives, organizing community fundraising efforts, leading community Hanukkah festivals and serving on nonprofit boards,” according to a formal commendation presented by Hilton Head

In a congratulatory letter, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, wrote, “It is no surprise that members of the congregation are celebrating you, and we are proud and pleased to join together in spirit for this simcha. Your compassion, your dedication and your leadership at Congregation Beth Yam and in the wider community have laid the groundwork

for the clergy and lay leaders who come after you to thrive.”

Congregants described Rabbi Bloom, the spiritual leader and lifelong educator of Congregation Beth Yam, as compassionate, empathetic and deeply committed to serving all members of the congregation, regardless of their level of Jewish observance or background. In her remarks to the congregation, Wilkins said, “When you speak about your people, you show care. ”

Rabbi Bloom will become rabbi emeritus, an honorary title recognizing his service after retirement from formal leadership. As Congregation Beth Yam’s first rabbi emeritus, he will remain connected to the congregation as an adviser, mentor and symbolic spiritual leader.

Scott Selkowitz is a Writer, Communications Chair, and Board Member of Congregation Beth Yam, Hilton Head Island, communications@bethyam.org

Island Mayor Alan R. Perry.

By Brian Hand Contributor

A lasting commitment

The Harbour Town Lighthouse was constructed between 1969 and 1970 by William and John Whalley. Financed by developer Charles Fraser, the lighthouse initially was mocked by some residents as “Fraser’s Folly.” Fraser, however, envisioned it as a symbol of community identity and a tribute to the history of Hilton Head Island.

In 1994, curators Mark King and Nadia Wagner added a gift shop. In 2001, Wagner and King partnered with local historian Porter Thompson to expand Fraser’s original vision into a historical museum. Thompson conceived the idea of an ascending timeline staircase that would guide visitors through the island’s history — from the Paleo tribes and Gullah culture to the Civil War, the Fraser family, and the development of The Sea Pines Resort and the RBC Heritage.

Recognizing Hilton Head’s deep maritime heritage, King and Wagner believed the U.S. Coast Guard should have a place within the museum. Ron and Jack Winarchick, both members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, [COA] helped bring that vision to life in 2012 when they invited Wagner to speak at an Auxiliary meeting. The response led to to a permanent Coast Guard exhibit. In 2015, COA member John Handfield assumed a

leading role in expanding the exhibit, assisted by Bob Woodrum. Handfield contacted U.S. Coast Guard Station Tybee and Coast Guard Air Station Savannah in search of historical artifacts. His secured a substantial collection of memorabilia for the museum.

The exhibit’s centerpiece became a 16-foot replica of the USCGC Eagle, the Coast Guard Academy’s famous tall ship. Originally constructed in 1988 by two pilots from Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, the replica required extensive restoration before being carefully maneuvered into the lighthouse. Officially dedicated March 24, 2019, its installation completed the Coast Guard exhibit.

Handfield also envisioned a Coast Guard Appreciation Day to accompany the exhibit. With support from Rob

Bender of The Sea Pines Resort, the event became part of Harbour Town Spring Fest. The celebration expanded in 2022 when COA member Brian Hand, assisted by Barry Woods, organized a larger active-duty and Auxiliary presence.

The enhanced event transformed into a public showcase of Coast Guard operations and service. Featured assets included the 87-foot USCGC Ibis, 45-foot and 29-foot response boats, an Auxiliary surface facility, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, and an HC-130 Hercules aircraft. A live search-and-rescue demonstration became one of the event’s highlights.

After seven years, COA members Robert and Susan Moore, along with Wagner, recognized that the replica Eagle’s sails and rigging had become worn. Husband-andwife seamstress team Barbara and Al Breininger agreed to take on the project. The work required more than 80 hours to complete.

Upon finishing, the Breiningers delivered the newly crafted sails and rigging and assisted with their installation.They declined compensation, stating it was an honor to contribute to the Coast Guard’s legacy. Their generosity and craftsmanship inspired a rededication of the Eagle, marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Brian Hand PFC FSOPA Flotilla 10-11 South East District is a volunteer members with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.

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Nature’s Way

Just lagoons or trophy waters?

By Collins Doughtie Contributor

I was at a get-together a while back and got into a conversation with a 14-year-old boy who told me he loves to fish, but because his dad wasn’t much of a fisherman, he had no place to go wet a line. Something about that conversation struck a deep chord in me because, when I was his age, fishing was all I could think about, with the possible exception of a girl or two — or three. Luckily, I had a dad who loved to fish, but even with that, there were a lot of days when I was on my own with my old, beat-up Schwinn bicycle. I might add that back then there were only a handful of kids on Hilton Head, so fishing took the place of companionship in my own little world. Sadly, shortly after my conversation with that kid, a friend emailed me pictures from a huge fish kill in one of the island’s lagoons. The pictures of hundreds of dead, bloated fish — including flounder, trout, and redfish of every size — floating on the surface really got my goat. I know it has been hot as blazes, but for years I have begged developments to manage their brackish lagoon systems better, to no avail. From what I have gathered from numerous phone calls, they view the brackish lagoons as nothing more than catch basins for rain, not realizing that, if properly managed with a scheduled flow of fresh seawater, their “ponds” would become any angler’s dream for trophy fish.

When Hilton Head was originally developed, it was a model for excellence in environmental planning. Sadly, that plan has taken a back seat to higher-density development, as well as more lucrative sports such as golf. Considering the volume of fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals used to keep golf courses nice and green, much of that runoff goes straight into many of these local developments’ lagoons. I have suggested leaving natural buffer zones of native marsh grass where golf courses meet the water to help filter some of these pollutants, along with a regular saltwater-flush schedule to keep the water cleaner, better oxygenated, and cooler, especially during the hot summer months. Many of these same lagoons were what made me the avid angler I am today. When I was 6 years old and could regularly hook into

a 4-foot-long redfish, I guarantee it pretty much sealed the deal that I would grow up with a deep-seated love of fishing. Sea Pines, along with other developments, should take a hard look at places such as Palmetto Dunes, Spring Island, and The Ford Plantation in Georgia, which realize the benefits of being good stewards of their waters and, as an added bonus, are renowned for truly world-class fishing.

Even with the touch of memory loss that comes with age, I can pretty much tell you what lives in every single lagoon on Hilton Head. Some hold 14-pound largemouth bass and 5-pound crappie, while others, more brackish, have fish so big they could eat a small child. I kid you not because I have hooked and landed redfish more than 50 inches long, black drum weighing more than 45 pounds, tarpon pushing 40 pounds, trout in the 8- to 11-pound range, and flounder pushing 14 pounds. Most of the time, I practice catch-and-release fishing in the lagoons so that maybe some kid from Ohio will latch onto one of these bruisers and go home with a story and pictures that might inspire him to fish for the rest of his days.

Thankfully, I no longer have to ride that old Schwinn bike loaded down with rods and buckets of water to go lagoon fishing, but every so often I get the itch to head back to my roots. Using big live shrimp or finger mullet for bait and nothing but ultralight spinning tackle, I usually head to the 14-mile-long lagoon system at Palmetto Dunes and sight-fish for redfish or, if there are big tides, hit some of my tried-and-true, super-secret honey holes in other developments. Thanks to my good friend Trent Malphrus, owner of Palmetto Lagoon Charters, I am able to fish that lagoon system in style aboard his fully decked-out electric charter boat. You would think that, since I have done this type of fishing since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, the level of excitement that comes with going lagoon fishing would be somewhat diminished, but each and every time I still get excited. Why? Because you never know what you might encounter in these amazing ecosystems.

One day in particular a few years ago stands out in my memory. It was one of those unseasonably warm days like we have been having lately. The wind was dead calm, and I had lucked into some shrimp while throwing my cast net that were the size of freshwater prawns. It was as if the fishing gods had made sure the day was pic-

ture-perfect. My pseudo-nephew, Byron Sewell, and I had just loaded the boat in Palmetto Dunes and pulled away from the dock when, not 50 yards away, something big busted through a school of mullet basking in the sun on a shallow sandbar. Edging toward the commotion, there they were — redfish, and lots of them. These weren’t small redfish, either; I really don’t think there was a fish in that group that was less than 23 inches long. It was like watching a fishing show as the tightly grouped school of mullet swam in lazy circles over a white-sand bottom, and every so often six or eight monster reds would rise from the depths along the edge of the sandbar and scatter the mullet.

Using my lightest outfit, I hooked one of the shrimp through its horn and waited. It was at most five minutes before a big redfish edged toward the mullet, and I pitched the shrimp about 4 feet in front of him. That shrimp didn’t last three seconds before that brute exploded on it. It’s one thing to catch redfish you don’t see, but when you pitch to one that is right there in front of you, it is a totally different experience. After inhaling my offering, that fish took off like a runaway train. I felt like Captain Ahab as he took us on a Nantucket sleigh ride, pulling the boat along with powerful sweeps of his tail. After 10 minutes and numerous heart-stopping moments as that fish headed for any and all obstructions, I landed it. With a picture and a kiss on the nose — much like fishing personality Roland Martin is known for — I released him for the next person to battle.

In all, Byron and I caught about 10 redfish that trip, all while sight-casting. All I could think was, how could anybody not thoroughly enjoy this type of fishing? Lagoon fishing is a blast, and you never know what you might hook into. It may be a redfish, a trout, or a fish less common to the area, such as a tarpon, snook, or snapper. Once the fish get going in these lagoons, I guarantee you’ll never look at them the same way again.

Collins Doughtie is a 60-year resident of the Lowcountry, is a sportsman, graphic artist, and lover of nature. collinsdoughtie@icloud.com

By Matt Uppenbrink Contributor

One of the most reassuring truths about independent living often goes unspoken: choosing this lifestyle never means choosing to go it alone. Independent living should always include the right to decide when you might welcome a helping hand—and to receive that support right where you already live, among the friends and community you call home.

The word “independence” gets misunderstood. It doesn’t mean doing everything yourself or proving you need no one. It means keeping control of your choices—including the choice to accept support when it serves you. Recognizing you might benefit from a little extra help can be hard to face; it can feel like an admission or a loss. But needing occasional support doesn’t diminish independence— it can protect and extend it. Thoughtful support, chosen on your terms, protects your health by addressing small concerns before they grow, enhances your safety, and can even expand your freedom, since the right help frees your energy for what

Support on your terms

you love. Research from the National Institute on Aging shows that maintaining social connections and familiar surroundings contributes significantly to health and successful aging.

What to look for when evaluating a community

If assessments make you wonder whether they’re truly about wellbeing or about generating fees, that’s a fair and smart question—and a community’s approach tells you a great deal about its character.

Look for a willingness to say “you don’t need anything.” The clearest sign of an honest process is how often it concludes that no new services are necessary; it’s worth asking that directly. Look for openness to outside opinions—your own physician, a family member, or an independent geriatric care manager reviewing any recommendation. A community confident in its assessment won’t get defensive about a second set of eyes. Look for itemized, transparent pricing with the freedom to accept some, all, or none, and be wary of all-or-nothing bundles or pressure to decide on the spot. And look for the resident—not adult children, not the

community—in the driver’s seat. Asking these questions isn’t distrustful; it’s wise, and any community worth choosing will respect you for asking.

The conversation no one wants to have

Here’s something rarely said plainly: there may come a time when a person’s needs grow beyond what an independent setting is licensed or designed to provide. Most people would rather not dwell on it—but avoiding the subject is exactly what leads many to dig in and stay home “until I can’t anymore.” That instinct is understandable, yet it doesn’t remove the possibility of needing more care; it only removes the planning. When change then arrives without a plan, the choices that follow tend to be rushed and limited, often made by family members during a crisis.

This is precisely what Continuing Care Retirement Communities were built to solve. The continuum of care isn’t a trap waiting at the end of independent living—it’s a safety net. If your needs ever grow, support is available within the same community, from people who already know your name, your history, and your preferences, with no frantic search for an

unfamiliar facility in another town. It’s worth being honest: a higher level of care, if it’s ever needed, is still a real change, and no one should pretend otherwise. But most residents never need it at all. The point isn’t that you will—it’s that you’re covered if you do.

Choosing independent living within a community built for the full journey isn’t admitting decline. It’s the opposite: a confident, clear-eyed decision made now, while you hold all the cards, so that your future self—and the people who love you—never have to make a desperate one later. I often quote Harvard’s 85-year (and counting!) Study of Adult Development, that it consistently finds people thrive best when they balance autonomy with connection and support

Matt Uppenbrink, MS Gerontology, is the Executive Director of The Seabrook of Hilton Head. Interested in learning more about The Seabrook of Hilton Head or if you would like to schedule a tour: https:// www.theseabrook.com/ or call 843-842-3747.

By Tom Haller Contributor

More than a card game

Can a game help you live longer or live healthier? That possibility occurred to me while reading Ezekiel Emanuel’s book, “Eat Your Ice Cream.” In the book, Emanuel describes six simple wellness behaviors that benefit your life: avoid self-destruction, maintain social relationships, stay mentally sharp, eat healthy, exercise and sleep. So how does playing bridge fit in?

First, playing bridge at a bridge club is a social activity. In his book, Emanuel cites the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which concluded that “good relationships are the single strongest predictor of both a happy life and a long life.” A similar study in China found a strong association between social activities and longevity. Participation in organized social activities is associated with a longer lifespan.

When you play bridge at a club, you typically have a regular partner and often play against many of the same people. Before and after games, there is plenty of social interaction. At a good bridge club, gatherings and celebrations provide even more opportunities to connect. Since retiring, some of my favorite people on Hilton Head Island have come from the Hilton Head Island Bridge Club. That includes my bridge partner, whom I socialize with outside the club as well.

The second wellness behavior that bridge supports is staying mentally sharp. Cognitive decline occurs as we

age. We may retain crystallized intelligence, the knowledge accumulated over a lifetime, but fluid intelligence, the ability to think critically and develop new skills, tends to decline with age and can contribute to dementia. An unengaged retirement lifestyle reduces the need to use fluid intelligence, while learning new activities and hobbies can help delay cognitive decline.

Some might argue that learning bridge, like learning any card game, eventually relies only on crystallized intelligence and does little to challenge fluid intelligence.

That is not the case with bridge. It is a game that offers continuous opportunities to learn. You may master the basics in a weekend, but there are countless approaches to bidding and play that most people will never fully explore.

These approaches, known as conventions, are bids with artificial meanings. Thousands of conventions exist. In addition, players have access to magazines, podcasts and thousands of books devoted to improving their game. If that is not enough, hands played at a bridge club can be reviewed on the club’s website, allowing players to compare their results with others and identify opportunities for improvement.

I enjoy analyzing data, so after a bridge game I often spend hours reviewing hands and discussing them with my partner to determine how we can improve next time. Players can also track their progress by earning masterpoints and achieving higher ranks within the bridge community.

Bridge provides lifelong mental exercise that can help maintain fluid intelligence and potentially delay cognitive decline. It is also a lot of fun.

Tom Haller is a resident of Palmetto Hall, Hilton Head Island and is a board member of the Hilton Head Island Bridge Club located at 95 Matthews Rd, Store A8, Port Royal Plaza Center. The club can be reached at 843-342-7529 or at www.bridgewebs.com/hiltonheadisland.

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Why seller disclosures matter in today’s real estate market

By Chip Collins Contributor

In residential real estate transactions, certain documents carry more weight than others. One of the most important—yet often overlooked—is the seller disclosure. A seller disclosure is a document completed by the property owner that outlines what they know about the condition and history of a home. While it may seem routine, its role in a transaction is significant. It serves as a primary source of information for prospective buyers and plays a key part in establishing transparency between parties.

In South Carolina, the seller disclosure form has evolved over time, shaped by real-world scenarios and post-closing disputes. Updates to the form reflect an effort to address common issues that may not have been disclosed in the past, reinforcing its importance in modern transactions.

Timing is a critical component of the disclosure process. Ideally, the form is completed just prior to listing a property, ensuring the information is current and accurate. Buyers are typically given access to the disclosure before submitting an offer, allowing them to evaluate the property with a clearer understanding of its condition.

Contrary to popular belief, the seller disclosure is not solely a list of defects or concerns. It is designed to provide a comprehensive view of the property, which may include upgrades, improvements, and additional details that help buyers better understand the home. In some cases, sellers include supplemental information to highlight features that may not be immediately apparent.

The document is also considered dynamic. If a material change occurs— such as a repair or replacement—the disclosure should be updated to reflect the new information. This ensures that all parties are working from the most

accurate and current details available. Despite its importance, the form can present challenges. Its structure and language may be unfamiliar to many sellers, and certain sections—such as those related to community rules, easements, or historical property issues—can be easily overlooked. Even experienced homeowners may unintentionally omit details, particularly if they have owned the property for an extended period of time.

For buyers, the seller disclosure provides valuable insight and helps inform decision-making. A thorough and carefully completed disclosure can increase confidence in a property, while incomplete or vague responses may raise concerns and lead to additional scrutiny. Ultimately, the seller disclosure serves as both a communication tool and a safeguard. It allows sellers to share what they know about a property while helping reduce the risk of misunderstandings after closing. At the same time, it provides buyers with a clearer picture of what they are considering purchasing. In an environment where trust and transparency are essential, the seller disclosure remains one of the most important components of a successful real estate transaction.

Chip Collins is the Broker-Owner of Collins Group Realty founded in 2002. Find Chip at chip@collinsgrouprealty. com or collinsgrouprealty.com.

CHIP COLLINS

By Rosemary Staples Contributor

Looking for a summer getaway that’s off the beaten path but close to home? Discover the ACE Basin, one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast, located between Beaufort and Charleston along U.S. Highway 17. To get the full ACE experience, you’ll want to veer off the main road to explore the towns, beaches, forests, rivers, wildlife centers and historic sites. Those who want to experience South Carolina’s natural side will find ample refuge in the ACE, which The Nature Conservancy dubbed “the last great place.”

Generally speaking, the ACE Basin is the land wedged between Hilton Head and Charleston, extending about 30 miles inland to include Walterboro, Yemassee

The last great place

and Gardens Corner. It is named for the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto rivers that drain the land and empty into St. Helena Sound north of Beaufort. Most of the ACE’s 350,000 acres consists of public land or private property protected from development by conservation easements. Think of the ACE as a coastal crossroads, where rivers meet the sea and fresh and salt water collide to create barrier islands, salt marshes, tidal creeks, uplands, lowlands and brackish wetlands. This variety of interlocking landscapes is home to more than 250 bird species and serves as a crucial flyway during migration season. Summer birders can spot nesting painted buntings and piping plovers, as well as brilliant pink roseate spoonbills. Visitors can also see bald eagles, ospreys and red-tailed hawks patrolling the rivers while fox squirrels, beavers and bobcats roam the land. Human presence seems relatively scarce, spread thinly across the immense watershed.

A simple internet search of the ACE Basin reveals far more than can be covered here, but we’ve listed some of Audubon’s must-see summer spots. Halfway to Charleston, explore Bear Island, where

long-abandoned rice fields have become wetlands and herons, black-necked stilts and wood storks pick through the Lowcountry’s famous pluff mud. Hike, bike or drive the 11 miles of roads at nearby Donnelley Wildlife Management Area. Be sure to load up on sunscreen and insect repellent before setting out to spot wild turkeys, Mississippi kites, indigo buntings and summer tanagers.

Three state parks showcase the range of the ACE Basin’s natural beauty. Hunting Island, with its lighthouse, fishing pier and expansive beaches, is South Carolina’s most-visited state park.

Closer to Charleston, Edisto Beach State Park’s four miles of ADA-accessible hiking trails and boneyard beaches make for a laid-back, tranquil experience. Or camp under the stars at Colleton State Park in Walterboro and kayak the Edisto River, North America’s longest free-flowing blackwater river.

Boaters can launch from 23 public landings in the ACE Basin, many of them free of charge. No boat? Hire a local guide to find the best spots for bass and sunfish fishing. Or take the easy route: cast a line near the Ashepoo River bridge and watch

the sun sink toward the horizon. This summer, consider a getaway to the ACE Basin. Immerse yourself in its natural beauty, and you’ll understand why it’s called “the last great place.”

Rosemary Staples is a member of Hilton Head Audubon, long time Lowcountry resident, writer, speaker, storyteller and Master Naturalist.

ROSEMARY STAPLES

Beach safety

By Cinda Seamon Contributor

Beach season is here, and a few simple precautions can help keep your day safe and enjoyable.

Learn to swim. If necessary, take swimming lessons, and remember that swimming in the ocean is very different from swimming in a pool.

Never swim alone. Always swim in a lifeguarded area and check with lifeguards about weather, surf and water conditions before entering the water.

When packing for the beach, bring sunscreen, plenty of water to stay hydrated, sunglasses, a hat, an umbrella for shade, snacks, and beach toys or games for children.

Children should be supervised at all times. Designate one adult to watch the children and make sure that person understands the responsibility. One effective method is using a Water Watcher bracelet. The bracelet is worn by the adult responsible for supervision during a designated period, such as 20 or 30 minutes. When that time ends, the bracelet is passed to another adult, who assumes responsibility. This helps ensure that children are continuously supervised.

seek assistance from a lifeguard. Stingrays also may be present in shallow water. Reduce the chance of an encounter by shuffling your feet along the sandy bottom as you walk. Locals often refer to this technique as the “stingray shuffle.”

Rip currents are powerful channels of water that flow away from shore and can carry swimmers away from the beach. Ask lifeguards about current conditions before entering the water. If caught in a rip current, do not try to swim directly back to shore. Instead, swim parallel to the shoreline until you are free of the current, then make your way back to the beach.

Excessive heat can quickly turn a fun day into a dangerous situation. Sunburn, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke can become serious medical emergencies. Stay hydrated, take breaks in the shade and avoid becoming overheated.

Water Watcher bracelets are available free of charge. To obtain one, contact cindas@hiltonheadislandsc.gov or visit 10 Park Lane in Hilton Head Island.

While enjoying the beach, be aware of potential hazards.

Jellyfish stings can be painful, but they are usually not life-threatening. Wear shoes while walking along the beach because jellyfish can sting even when washed ashore. If you are stung,

Lightning is another significant hazard. No place outdoors is safe during a thunderstorm. When thunder is heard, move indoors immediately. The safest locations are substantial buildings or hard-topped vehicles. Open shelters, small sheds and open vehicles do not provide adequate protection. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before returning to the beach. Enjoy the summer, and when you leave the beach, leave only your footprints.

Cinda Seamon, Community Risk Reduction & Outreach Program Coordinator, Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue.

P.E.O. awards Anthony

Carlisle Clarke Anthony has been selected to receive a $2,500 STAR Scholarship from the P.E.O. Sisterhood after being recommended by P.E.O. Chapter AG of Hilton Head Island.

Anthony has focused much of her work on community service. She raised more than $35,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by creating and marketing note cards featuring her original photographs and by organizing and directing the Hilton Head Run/Walk for the Cure. She participated in the Hilton

Junior Leadership Program and Palmetto Girls State. At Heritage Academy, Anthony was selected as valedictorian.

Anthony also competed in tennis for both the Hilton Head Island Varsity Girls Team, where she played at the No. 2 position, and the Heritage Varsity Girls Team, which won two SCISA 1A/2A state championships. She organized youth tennis clinics throughout the year and coached tennis at summer camps.

Anthony plans to attend Furman University in Greenville to study business.

Tourist food donation program

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

As visitors prepare to leave Hilton Head Island, many are making one final stop before heading home: a food donation bin.

The effort is part of Second Helpings’ Post-Vacation Food Donation program, which encourages travelers to donate unopened, nonperishable food rather than discard it at the end of their stay. Now entering its fourth year, the program is continuing to expand across the island.

Second Helpings expects to have 24 donation bin locations available at resorts, businesses and community sites throughout Hilton Head.

“People don’t want to throw good food away. They just need an easy way to make sure it goes somewhere meaningful,” said Amy Colin, executive director of Second Helpings.

The program targets a common vacation dilemma. Travelers often purchase

groceries for a weeklong stay but are left with unopened items they cannot take home when it is time to depart. Instead of throwing those items away, visitors can place them in designated collection bins. Second Helpings collects the donations and distributes them through local food pantries and soup kitchens.

According to the organization, all food donated through the program remains on Hilton Head Island. The donations help support more than 1,400 people each week through Second Helpings’ network of nonprofit partners.

The initiative has also grown through partnerships with resorts, vacation properties and local businesses that host collection bins.

Visitors and residents can find a complete list of donation locations through Second Helpings at www.secondhelpingslc.org. Additional collection sites are expected to be added during the season.

Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce

By Tom Dorsel Contributor

“Tanking” is a term that has been around for a long time, likely originating in boxing and referring to throwing a fight, taking a dive and deliberately losing. In more recent times, however, the term has been used to refer to losing spectacularly, crashing down and falling apart in the face of one too many perceived failures.

Tanking

“Tanking” has been said by Dr. Jim Loehr to involve a massive chasm between where you are and where you want to get to, the last hurdle you need to cross. Pent-up fear or frustration drives you to tank, get down on yourself and fail again,

Coming back from failure

when actually you are only one step away from the success you are longing for. That last step in crossing the chasm is acceptance, or letting go, allowing yourself the freedom to jump the chasm and finally succeed.

Tanking reminds me of the end stages of anticipatory grief, the grief that occurs when you see a loss coming and feel helpless and hopeless about doing anything about it. Obvious losses include the death of a loved one, the end of a job or career, the loss of a talent or skill, the loss of money and the end of love in a relationship.

In sports, a player works and works, achieves runner-up finishes and other minor successes, but just can’t seem to get into the winner’s circle. Ultimately, such players judge themselves to be failures and become completely discouraged. The stages of anticipatory grief Elizabeth Kubler-Ross described five stages of anticipatory grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

“Tanking” would be the depression stage, followed, hopefully, by acceptance. However, on the way to that end, players will deny their problems, become angry at the situation and try to bargain their way out of it with rationalizations such as: “OK, I’m not good at some aspects of the game, but I’m good enough at everything else that I deserve to win despite a few shortcomings. If only all the unfair obstacles and bad luck would get out of my way, I’d be a star.”

Ultimately, none of these tactics work, and depression, or tanking, sets in, including equally extreme self-talk such as: “I’m not only bad at some aspects of the game, I’m a failure at the whole game. In fact, I’m just lousy as a player and as a person. I’m worthless, a loser, and I can’t do anything about it.”

Pulling yourself out of it

Once you hit bottom and wander around in a daze for a while, some caring person in your life, a friend, spouse, fellow player, coach or psychologist, will likely

encourage or challenge you to step back and reassess, figure out what you have to do to perform better, make a realistic game plan and move forward with an attitude of gratitude and acceptance. You come to recognize that it is not going to be easy, that the game is difficult and that you have to double down and work harder on all aspects of the game. You commit to allowing for both good and bad breaks, to being patient with gradual improvement and to accepting whatever the game gives you on its own timetable. Only then can you cross the chasm and avail yourself of a new life and game on the other side.

Dr. Tom Dorsel is Professor Emeritus of Psychology and a clinical/sport psychologist on Hilton Head Island. His best-selling book is “GOLF: The Mental Game.” Reach Dr. Tom on Facebook or at tom@dorsel. com.

TOM DORSEL

The history of plastic surgery

By Dr. Ronald Finger Contributor

The word plastic in plastic surgery evolved from the Greek word Plastikos, meaning “to mold.”

The first textbook on plastic surgery was written by Gaspar Tagliacozzi in the 1500’s. He wrote about reconstruction of noses after trauma.

The first implantable materials were implanted into the breast in 1899, and they included paraffin, beeswax, vegetable oil, industrial silicone, and Ivalon sponges. I personally removed a number of these many decades ago and often with great difficulty. Thankfully, none lately, as they felt like lumpy rocks.

The father of modern-day plastic surgery was Jacques Joseph, particularly with the rhinoplasty, and this was around the turn of the last century. Amazingly,

many of his techniques and surgical instruments are still used today.

Plastic surgery grew with reconstruction of WWI and WW ll injuries. Plastic surgeons became involved in peace time injuries including burns, facial fractures from automobile accidents and injuries at work and on farms with the advent of automated machinery. Also, reconstruction for birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palates and cancer were needed and performed. Prior to “cosmetic” surgery these were plastic surgeons’ focus.

When Hollywood movies began, female movie stars were among the first to request “cosmetic surgery.” A tragic example was Hedy Lamarr who sought out a plastic surgeon and told him where she wanted skin removed and where she wanted fillers injected in her face, at the time, probably industrial silicone. Apparently, the results were disfiguring to the point that she became a recluse and would not even let her children see her until her death. As an aside, she made brilliantly made contributions that led to victory in WW ll and wireless networks—well worth one’s exploring.

Breast enlargement became popular

with the famous Carol DoDa, a topless dancer in San Francisco, who had large amounts of silicone injected into her breasts. The results were spectacular as far as size went but were hard and lumpy.

These first requests lead to a boom in plastic surgery for the everyday person.

Silicone breast implants were developed in the 1960’s, and thousands of women flocked to plastic surgeons for breast enlargement. The request for “nose jobs”, eyelid lifts, face lifts, breast uplifts and reductions, ear pinning, and other “cosmetic” procedures also became popular.

Liposuction was invented around 1980 and has since become the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure.

Today, many working people have little or no down time for cosmetic procedure recovery, so there has been a demand for “non-surgical procedures,” thus the birth of Botox/Dysport, fillers such as Juvederm, Sculptra, Restylane, and others. Also, lasers and Radio-Frequency devices, automated hair transplant procedures, and cosmeceutical skin care systems have become mainstream.

There is still a need for “reconstructive” surgeons, but the demand for “cos-

metic surgery” is very common now. With cosmetic dentistry, hair dyes, youthful clothing and cosmetic surgery today’s grandmothers look vastly different from photos of grandmothers of the past. As with virtually everything, technology and techniques continue to improve with time.

Dr. Ronald Finger, MD, FACS is a board-certified plastic surgeon with offices in Savannah and Bluffton. fingerandassociates.com.

CELEBRATE AMERICA 250

DR. RONALD FINGER

Haig Point launches $40 million Project Harmony initiative

By Sasha Sweeney Editor

Haig Point Club & Community Association has launched a $40 million investment initiative that will guide golf course renovations, new amenities, infrastructure improvements and residential development over the next several years.

The plan, known as Project Harmony, was approved by 77% of the community’s membership and is designed to coordinate improvements across multiple areas of the private, member-owned club community on Daufuskie Island.

Haig Point Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Don Hunter said the timing reflects both market conditions and the community’s position within the region.

“The Hilton Head area is now one of fastest growing areas of the country,” Hunter said in responses to questions from the Bluffton Sun and Hilton Head Sun. “At Haig Point, we have a unique

atmosphere on a peaceful and private island. We are fortunate to have available lots to build new homes when most of the other developments are nearly complete. We feel like it is our time to enhance the lives of our loyal members/owners.”

A major portion of the investment will focus on the club’s Signature Course. Planned improvements include rebuilding greens on holes 1 and 15, partially rebuilding the remaining greens, reshaping and leveling tees, reconstructing bunkers, regrading fairways, replacing turf grasses and upgrading course infrastructure.

“This is not about reinventing the course,” Hunter said. “It’s about restoring and refining it in a way that brings it back to its full potential while ensuring it performs at a high level for years to come.”

The Osprey Course also is slated for significant changes under plans developed by golf course architect Rees Jones. The project calls for a new irrigation system, a short-game practice area and 21 new forward tee locations that will create a par-3 course option.

“The opportunity with Osprey is significant,” Hunter said. “We believe it can become one of the best 9-hole experiences in the region, something that not only supports our membership but enhances the overall golf offering at Haig Point.”

Construction on the golf facilities is

expected to occur in phases between late 2026 and 2029. According to the club, the goal is to maintain 18 holes of golf for members throughout the renovation period.

Project Harmony also includes establishment of a barge operation intended to support construction and infrastructure work in the boat-access-only community. Hunter said the arrangement is designed to improve efficiency for ongoing development.

“Myrick Marine, out of Savannah, pro-

Camelot

vides us with deep water access on either route,” Hunter said. “Operating with a partner barge company streamlines the efficiency of deliveries and ensures the productivity of our builders.”

Residential construction is another key component of the initiative. The community is targeting approximately 25 new homes annually and plans to build 115 homes over the next five years.

Hunter said member support for the proposal followed extensive discussion, particularly regarding golf course im-

provements.

“A project of this scope always requires meaningful internal communication,” he said. “Particularly with the refurbishment of the golf course, we had to be detailed about the specifics of the agronomy. Our most important asset is being restored, and golf is one of the key ingredients in the Haig Point experience for our members.”

He said improvements are intended to modernize infrastructure while preserving the club’s long-term viability.

“Restoring it to modern technology and infrastructure is mandatory to its longrange health,” Hunter said.

The plan also calls for development of a wellness and fitness center targeted for 2028, expanded racquet and pickleball facilities, road improvements and continued investment in community infrastructure.

“Wellness is another critical piece of the Haig Point lifestyle, so a new facility answers another need,” Hunter said. “Pickleball is a popular pastime that adds to our lengthy list of activities. We’ve broadened the appeal of our amenities to compete with the best of the best clubs in the Southeast and simultaneously added to the value of the individual investments of our membership.”

For more information on Faig Point visit them online at haigpoint.com

How Do You Define Wealth?

Thomas Dowling, Head of Wealth Management at AGP of the Lowcountry, has launched Defining Wealth: Beyond the Numbers

Each 20-minute episode explores how local business and leaders measure wealth, while highlighting the relationships, purpose, and passions that matter most.

Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

The Village at Wexford Hilton Head Island 843.420.1993 infohh@allianceg.com agplowcountry.com LISTEN NOW. New episodes released each week.

By Dr. Kenneth Horup Contributor

On Hilton Head Island, pickleball is no longer just a pastime. It is a fullblown obsession. Courts are full. Paddles are showing up everywhere. Friendly competition turns serious somewhere around the third game. And if you have played long enough, you know — things can get surprisingly competitive for a game with a name that sounds like a sandwich. But here is a question many players do not ask: Are your feet ready?

Pickleball looks deceptively simple, but it demands quick reactions, fast footwork, and constant balance adjustments. Short sprints. Sudden stops. Side-to-side movement. All of it depends on how well your

Pickleball season is here

feet communicate with your brain. When that communication changes, so does your game.

Peripheral neuropathy affects millions of Americans, especially those over 50 and those with diabetes or prediabetes — many of whom do not even realize they have early nerve changes. In fact, studies suggest a significant percentage of adults may have some degree of reduced nerve function without obvious symptoms at first.

There are two main types of nerve fibers involved.

Large fibers help with position and balance. When they weaken, you may feel less stable, especially when moving quickly or changing direction.

Small fibers carry pain and temperature signals. When affected, they often cause burning, tingling, or sharp sensations — sometimes more noticeable after activity or later in the evening.

Early signs can be subtle. A little numbness. A slight delay in reaction. That “walking on marshmallows” feeling. Some

players describe it as feeling just a halfstep behind — like their feet are not quite keeping up.

During everyday walking, it might go unnoticed. But step onto a pickleball court, and things change quickly. Quick lateral movements feel slightly off. Balance during a sudden stop is not as sharp. Reaction time feels just a bit delayed. Shots that used to be easy become harder to reach.

Some players say, “I must be slowing down.” Others blame their paddle. One of my patients blamed his doubles partner! But sometimes, it is not timing. It is sensation.

Your feet contain thousands of receptors that constantly send information to your brain about pressure, position, and movement. That feedback allows you to react quickly without thinking. When nerve function declines — often due to reduced circulation or metabolic stress — that signal becomes less precise. And fast-paced movement exposes it.

Pickleball is fun. It is social. It keeps

people active and it’s genuinely good for you. But it can also reveal small changes in balance and coordination that might otherwise go unnoticed.

If you are experiencing numbness, tingling, burning under your feet, or that familiar “walking on marshmallows” sensation, your feet may be trying to tell you something. Changes in sensation are signals worth paying attention to.

It may be time to have your feet evaluated by your doctor to determine whether anything can be done — especially before small changes begin to affect movement and balance on the court.

The goal is not just to keep the rally going. It is to move confidently, react quickly, and enjoy the game without hesitation. And that always starts from the ground up.

Dr. Kenneth Horup, DC is a Chiropractic Physician at Discover Specific Chiropractic, Certified in Neuropathy.

DR. KEN HORUP

Swing for the Future returns for sixth year

By The Hilton Head Sun Staff

The Children’s Center will host its sixth annual Swing for the Future Golf Tournament on Sept. 14 at Long Cove Club, bringing together golfers, business leaders and community supporters to raise money for early childhood education and child care programs serving Lowcountry families.

The fundraising event will begin with registration at 11 a.m., followed by a Step Aside Scramble shotgun start.

According to organizers, proceeds from the tournament will support The Children’s Center’s mission of providing year-round child care and early childhood education for working families in Beaufort and Jasper counties. The organization said the funding helps families access affordable care while allowing parents to remain employed and children to receive educational support.

Executive Director Jody L. Levitt said the event’s impact extends beyond the golf course.

“When you tee off at Swing for the Future, you are helping remove financial barriers for families and giving children a safe, nurturing place to learn and grow.”

Tournament registration is available for both individuals and teams. The cost is $1,200 for a foursome and $300 for an individual golfer. Registration includes a golf cart fee, box lunch and an after-golf reception featuring light fare and a cash bar.

In addition to player registration, organizers are seeking event sponsors. .

Those interested in sponsorship opportunities or additional event information may contact Development Manager Marsha Watson by calling 843-681-2739 x18 or email marsha.watson@thechildrenscentersc.org.

Memories Do Matter

2026 Speaker Series | presented by Dave Ekedahl

Community Education

Impact of Hearing Health on the Brain

Hearing loss is often overlooked, but research shows it can have a significant impact on brain health, memory, and quality of life. Join us for an engaging presentation exploring the powerful connection between hearing health and cognitive function.

You’ll learn:

• How hearing loss affects the brain

• Why hearing health matters for cognitive aging

• When to seek support and what steps help most

• How proactive care can support lifelong brain health

1.00-3.00 PM Friday June 26, 2026

St. Gregory the Great ~ Gathering Room 31 St. Gregory Drive Bluffton, SC 29909