CB2 Magazine: June 2023

MASCULINE RETREATS A GUIDE TO CREATING YOUR MAN CAVE

MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH: THE SILENT STRUGGLE

MEET YOUR TOWN

SPOTLIGHT ON THE TOWN OF BLUFFTON’S TEAM MEMBERS

WHAT’S INSIDE

ON OUR COVERS

MEET YOUR TOWN

Despite its growth, Bluffton is still that idyllic small town we all fell in love with. Helping to keep it that way are the men and women of the Town of Bluffton, your neighbors and friends.

HAUTE YACHT SUMMER

Styled by Kaila Jeffcoat

Outfit by Palmettoes in Sea Pines Center

Model: Scott Pritchard

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SPECIAL SECTION:

DADPRENEURS

Happy Father's Day to all of our hard-working dads!

Steve Stauffer and his son Dylan.

NEIGHBORHOOD

STROLL: PORT ROYAL

Touring the Lowcountry's premier neighborhoods.

GENIUSES AT WORK

The Referee

Maggie Marie Washo

Master of Coin

Marion Elizabeth Bowser

Rainmaker

Kim Conrad Crouch

Master Handshaker “Just Kandace” Cunningham

Lead Door Knocker

Morgan Ambler

Talent Delivery Specialist

Kaila Jeffcoat

The HelpHER

Jevon Daly

Mascot in Training

Buoy Conrad Crouch Pritchard

The Gatekeepers

Greta Von Bowser

Vincent Von Bowser

The Cut & Paste Crew

Catherine Davies

Hunter Kostylo

Aspiring Novelists

Jesse Blanco

Linda S. Hopkins

Barry Kaufman

Robert B. Kerdasha

Alan Perry

Cheryl Ricer

Lisa Sulka

Connie Sewell

Sheila Tucker

Lighting Experts

Krisztian Lonyai

Photography by Anne

Two Lights One Stand Photography

Ross Jones of Memory Lane Portraits

Find Us Here PO Box 22949

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maggie@ch2cb2magazine.com

JUNE 2023

EDITOR'S NOTE 10 YEARS

Adecade is a long time. If you’re lucky and have longevity in your genes, 10 years is 10 percent of your life. Think about when you took your baby home from the hospital and then suddenly watched her perform all the lines to Mathilda as a 10-year-old on stage. A lot can happen in 10 years.

I have been putting out a magazine every month for 17 years, and for 10 of those, Hunter Kostylo has been by my side. At first, she was more “right outside my office,” a brand-new graduate from the College of Charleston, learning the ropes from her predecessors Kelly Stroud and Catherine Davies. When they moved on, she stepped up—in a big way.

Technology changes dramatically over 10 years. Social media platforms have popped up that barely existed a decade ago. Hunter has grown and adapted in a constantly changing work environment with new challenges taken on with her can-do (if at times slightly grumpy cat) attitude.

Recently, as our online presence grew, she transitioned from behind the camera grip to beloved personality on the CH2 social pages. Although a lot of it happens behind the scenes, she’s always there with an encouraging word or phrase when recording the antics of famous local musician Jevon Daly and myself. “There ya go,” is her go-to phrase when we finally get the script right or do something funny.

I’ve joked for a long time that I’m the heart of CH2 and Hunter is the brain. She’s kept our frenetic sales team organized and on track (mostly Kim Crouch and Morgan Ambler) for 120 issues now, and that is no small feat.

When someone comes into my office with tears in their eyes, I know what’s about to happen.

Thankfully, the turnover around these parts is especially low, so it doesn’t happen often. It did, however, happen last month. Hunter Kostylo—my right hand, my work wife, my constant CH2 sidekick—is moving to Charleston soon for a great opportunity (I’ll get you, Will Hengemuhle!) and new adventures.

The CH2 girls (and Jevon) wish her the best and want her to know she will always have a place here if she ever decides to come back home.

We love you Hunter. You will kick ass at whatever you decide to do and will be missed terribly. As you start your new life in Charleston, never forget these words that you’ve seen hanging in my office for years now: “If you can be unable to can and do and so cannot that it do be like that and that sometimes.” (Ritchie Dryer).

XOXO, Maggie Washo

P.S. This is a fantastic issue full of content about dads. Happy Father’s Day!

MEET YOUR TEAM

DDespite its growth, Bluffton is still that idyllic small town we all fell in love with. Helping to keep it that way are the men and women of the Town of Bluffton, your neighbors and friends.

There may have never been a more exciting time to live in Bluffton than now. We’ve had to do a lot of growing up in a very short time, exploding over the last 15 or so years from a one-square-mile town to a thriving community of thousands. And yet, despite it all, this is still a small-town, with small-town charm. It’s still the kind of town where every trip to the market or stroll down the street comes with a chance to catch up with an old friend.

Because of this, it almost seems redundant to frame these profiles as a way to “meet” your town. Odds are, you already know your town. You’ll probably spot a friend or a neighbor in the following pages. So, just like that trip to the market, consider this a chance to catch up with the town staff who are keeping the biggest little town in South Carolina running.

it, you’ll wind up loving Bluffton as much as she does.

“I interact with the public every day. I check on the local businesses daily and talk to many visitors,” she said. “I answer their questions, tell them some history about Bluffton, I give out maps, I talk about upcoming events and if it’s a hot day outside I always offer a cold water.”

As the Community Service Assistant with the Bluffton Police Department for the last three and a half years, Rogers has more on her plate than just welcoming visitors. Hers is the friendly face of the boys in blue, here to keep residents up to date on all the happenings in Old Town and keep people up to date on new developments and special events. She knows the special events in Old Town well, helping officers with traffic and parking control.

And while she wears many hats, her favorite part of the job is simply helping other people discover what makes Bluffton special.

“I keep my locals informed and I get to tell visitors about this wonderful town we live in,” she said. “When a visitor returns home, I want them to tell their friends or neighbors just how beautiful and wonderful Bluffton is.”

Of course, no job is without its challenges, but when asked what hers is, she listed a great challenge to have. “I think it’s when a visitor asks me where to get the best lunch or dinner. We have so many good restaurants around here, it’s hard to say.”

When she’s not out meeting and greeting the public, you’ll find this Savannah native and 14-year Old Town resident soaking it up with friends and family around the pool, cooking on the grill or hitting the water on her boat. Just keep an eye out for great whites.

OSCAR FRAZIER, JR.

If the name Oscar Frazier, Jr., Bluffton High School’s resident SRO, sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve driven by the park bearing his father’s name. Or you’ve seen his sister Bridgette at Town Council meetings. Or maybe you’re one of the kids he coaches and mentors at the Bluffton Boys & Girls Club.

The fact is, his name is almost certainly familiar to you, not just for the legacy that his family has established and the enormous impact they’ve had on our town, but because of the towering presence he’s built as a member of the community.

“It’s a little surreal sometimes,” he said. “I grew up in Bluffton when it was very small, and I left home for a long time, really with no intention at the time of moving back.”

After living in Bluffton through high school, Frazier enlisted in the U.S. Army, which took him far afield from the sleepy town he’d called home. After 15 years that included a tenure in law enforcement in Kansas, it was his father’s passing that brought him home.

“It felt like fate, coming back,” he said.

And while he didn’t originally come back to return to law enforcement, after a year working in the community, he felt called to do more. “That’s when I applied to the Bluffton Police Department. From that point on, it’s always felt natural. This is what I was supposed to be doing.”

SUNNY ROGERS

If you ignore the titular shark in Sunny Rogers’ favorite movie, you’ll notice that Jaws takes place in a paradisical town called Amity. (“Jaws to me is one of those movies that you can’t turn off,” she said.) Before the great white showed up, it was a town that people were proud to call their home.

It’s a little like Bluffton, in a way (although our sharks are much smaller). And if you’re one of the lucky people who get Rogers’ expert advice on

Nine years on, this proud father of five serves the community through his work as a school resource officer and as a coach and mentor.

“There are times when a kid at school who I’ve either mentored or coached is having an issue, and since that relationship has been established, I don’t need to break down the barriers,” he said. “There’s a sense of trust just from me being in community, so I can listen to what they have to say.”

In a town that owes a great debt to anyone with the last name Frazier, he’s carrying on the family legacy. As far as what he hopes to accomplish, he said, “I hope to continue being a positive influence and an individual who is a part of making Bluffton a peaceful, happy place for its citizens and visitors.”

GLEN UMBERGER

Bluffton is a town that is fiercely proud of its history. From the antebellum glory of The Church of the Cross to the tranquil remains of the mansion in Palmetto Bluff, our story is told by the care we take in

preserving that history. As the Town of Bluffton’s resident historic preservationist, Glen Umberger’s mission is to ensure that story continues long after we’re gone.

So, what does a historic preservationist do?

“Short answer, I look at old buildings all day; longer answer, I am responsible for ensuring that the 84 contributing structures in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District are properly preserved for future generations of Blufftonians to enjoy.”

The Philadelphia native was first introduced to the Lowcountry while studying at SCAD, where he earned an M.F.A. in Architectural History. While his career would take him to New York City, he “always thought this would be a nice part of the country to retire to one day,” he said. “When this position became available, it seemed like a good opportunity for me to relocate here and work for a few years before retirement.”

He started two years ago, hitting the ground running by creating a Historic Preservation Grant Program which provides financial assistance to owners of contributing structures in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District to rehabilitate, restore, or preserve their structures. This program helped homeowners in Old Town, plus gave significant funds to historic buildings like the Heyward House. He was also able to place two new buildings on the list of contributing structures.

And his work has taken him far afield as well. “In November 2022, I presented a paper at the Fortieth Annual Meeting of the Southeast Chapter, Society of Architectural Historians (SESAH) held in Memphis, Tenn. on the significance of the old Bluffton Post Office (41 Bridge Street) which was one of the two new contributing structures added to the list,” he said.

Bluffton may not be the sleepy town it once was, but as time marches on, we can be glad

MEET YOUR TEAM

people like Glen Umberger are here to protect the history we all share.

BETH LEWIS

Strip away everything about Bluffton—the arts scene, the history, the off-beat sense of humor, the loving hospitality of its people—and you’d be left with one thing: the river. Not just the majestic May, but all the waterways from the Okatie and Colleton to the New, define Bluffton today just as they have for millennia.

But as Bluffton has grown, those waterways have become threatened by the march of progress. Whether it’s stormwater runoff of just plain pollution, the waters that nurtured Bluffton before it could even be considered a town are in jeopardy. Thankfully, we as a town recognized the need to protect these waterways, calling in people like Beth Lewis to serve as their guardian.

As Water Quality Program Administrator, Lewis manages the town’s three water quality monitoring programs and coordinates both litter cleanups each year. That’s a worthy task in itself, but when you ask Lewis about her biggest victories, she points to her work around the Lowcountry as an ambassador. She helped organize Lowcountry Stormwater Partners, worked with students and educators to develop their May River Cleanup Participation Challenge, now in its eighth year.

And she helped with the establishment of a regional Microbial Source Tracking (MST) Laboratory at the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB). “These types of water quality results help town staff improve the capacity for detecting and tracking land-based sources of fecal pollution in the May River Watershed,” she said.

She’s already done so much to protect our waterways in 10 years with the town, and she’s just getting started.

“The town is collecting tidal elevation data in the May River, and recently adopted its Comprehensive Plan, which includes a section on resiliency,” she said. “I think over the next 20 years, planning for and implementing resiliency practices will become more critical for coastal communities like ours.”

Living by the motto, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted,” she looks forward to a future where better site design practices and use of green infrastructure ensure these waterways stay safe.

PAT ROONEY

As Bluffton has grown exponentially over the last few years, you can’t help but admire how beautifully it has blossomed. Our streetscapes aren’t just there to hustle you through town; they are thoughtfully enhanced to make every corner blissfully welcoming. Our parks take full advantage of Bluffton’s Lowcountry beauty, giving families a perfect spot for getting out in the sunshine.

If you’ve enjoyed this evolution, you can thank people like Pat Rooney. As manager of the capital improvements program, he’s used his extensive background in land planning and landscape architecture to create something beautiful in Old Town. It’s a calling he’s pursued for the last nine years since transitioning to the public sector from private practice where he’d worked for the last 25 years.

“All projects are important, but completion of parks, pathways and streetscapes is the most rewarding,” he said. “These projects are heavily used by the public the moment they are completed. They create opportunities for people to

gather as a community and provide access and connectivity to important open spaces and recreational amenities.

He and his staff work diligently to transform Bluffton into something beautiful, working on somewhere between 35-40 projects a year. These range from mammoth multi-million dollar undertakings to simple improvements to existing streetscapes, but each one of them adds to a town we can all be proud to call home.

This comes with its own sets of challenges, particularly in today’s climate of limited contractor availability and supply chain issues. “In the past, most projects could have been designed and permitted in 6 to 8 months and now these projects are taking 1.5 to 2 years to complete this phase,” he said. But it’s a challenge he proudly takes on as he looks to transform Bluffton one project at a time.

“My goal is to manage the Capital Improvement Program as efficiently as possible and to complete strategic goals provided by Town Council and the citizens of the Town of Bluffton,” he said. “I am so fortunate to manage an outstanding group of experienced project managers and administrator that are all working together to help us meet these goals and objectives.”

VICTORIA SMALLS

When you have an issue as incredibly complex as workforce housing, one that both the private and the public sector have historically struggled to solve, you need to face it with a disciplined, experienced approach. You need someone with deep ties to the community they are serving, someone who cares about the people they are working for, and someone with an almost unquenchable desire to help their neighbors.

In short, you need someone like Victoria Smalls. A native Blufftonian whose family goes back 60 years here in town, she is immersed in the community not only through her work with the town, but as an active member of her church. Serving as a steward board member, youth class leader and Christian education director, she has worked one-on-one with people of all walks of life in Bluffton.

And when she joined the town in 2018 as workforce & affordable housing manager, it was an example of the right person in the right place at just the right time.

“Working with the Affordable Housing Committee and running the Neighborhood Assistance Program has been rewarding, being that I am able to keep other lifelong residents here in their homes,” Smalls said. “Knowing that the town has this program and that I can help connect so many residents with the help most of them didn’t know was available is rewarding.”

Whether through building homes to make them available for rent or own, or working with apartment complexes to set aside a certain number of more affordable units, Smalls is working hard to create more opportunities for people to live where they work. But that’s only part of it.

Beyond creating housing, another aspect of Smalls’ role is keeping people here who already call it home. Smalls manages the Housing Assistance Program which has helped 48 residents this fiscal year with “safe and dry” repairs to help keep Bluffton residents in their homes and reduce the housing crisis.

“If you see my black truck in the driveway, you can stop by for an application for the Housing Assistance Program,” she said. “Being able to help those who have built their life here means a lot to me, and I feel blessed to be in this position with an open-door mindset.”

When Bluffton Township Fire District (BTFD) got together in 2019 to honor the retirement of one of their own, little did they realize that David Mack’s retirement was just the start of a new chapter for the born-and-raised Blufftonian.

Speaking at the retirement ceremony, Captain Pete Reid said, “David is the guy that everyone loves. You can see by the turnout here that everyone is a friend of David.”

“I love Bluffton. This is my hometown, and I really enjoyed supporting my community,” Mack added.

Mack, who grew up on Wharf Street, retired after 27 years with BTFD, working his way up from a volunteer. This long stretch in service to our town earned him the love and respect of his neighbors and his colleagues, love that has continued as he began his second act with the Town of Bluffton.

Now, as part of the town’s public service team, he’s a tireless force for making Bluffton a more beautiful place. When bright and vibrant new landscaping lends charm and beauty to our streets, Mack is the one in the soil getting his hands dirty. When our ditches and culverts strain to handle the often-excessive rains of the spring and summer, he’s right there ensuring clear drains prevent flooded streets. Essentially, he’s the hard-working glue that makes all of this possible.

As he said during his “retirement” ceremony with the BTFD, “That’s what I’m all about is helping someone.”

LYNDEE SIMONEAUX

No one ever accused Bluffton of not knowing how to have a good time. With a calendar stuffed full of events and an ever-growing roster of parks and waterfronts in which to enjoy them, the social calendar of your average Blufftonian is packed. Not only is there something to do every day, but it seems like every year the banner events get better. The Fourth of July fireworks get bigger and brighter. The summer movie series offers more blockbuster hits. And the Christmas parade gets quirkier and even more unforgettable.

For that, you can thank special events manager Lyndee

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Simoneaux. “The Christmas parade, we start planning in January. We started planning for the Fourth of July fireworks six months ago, and that’s going to be much bigger this year,” she said.

Details are under wraps, but Simoneaux did offer that this year’s fireworks will stretch to nearly a 20-minute show, with surprise guests filling Martin Family Park during the pre-show. To Simoneaux, being able to throw Bluffton’s wildest parties is a dream come true. “This is the perfect job. I’ll probably have to be wheeled out of here,” she said with a laugh.

But it’s not just about the events she puts on. It’s about the opportunities those events create for true family bonding and community connection. “We’re really gearing these events to be family-oriented because so many of them are more aimed at adults,” she said. “My main goal was to create something that parents and grandparents could bring their kids to.”

That focus has played a massive role in the work Simoneaux has done in expanding town events and helping Blufftonians throw their own special events. It has also helped her in being named Employee of the Year by the town in 2022.

You can call her Bluffton’s executive party planner, and in a town like ours, that’s a serious responsibility. As you’d imagine, it’s a responsibility that makes it easy to bring her work home with her.

“Once a year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, my husband and I will hold a huge party with a band and everything,” she said. “Throwing a party at my house, that’s easy.”

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DOCTOR DAD

FATHER OF TWO AND OWNER OF A THRIVING CONCIERGE PRACTICE — AND LATELY WEARING A DEVELOPER’S HAT—DR. KAMAL PATEL SHOWS THAT YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL.

Last year, Dr. Kamal Patel and his family finally pulled off their dream vacation. Spending a week in Paris and a week in London, they did the usual tourist things, which meant a lot of sightseeing. But for Dr. Patel, the most inspiring sight of all wasn’t the soaring metallic majesty of the Eiffel Tower. It wasn’t the timeless grandeur of Big Ben’s face looming over the Thames. It was the delight in the eyes of his children, 11-year-old Surina and 5-year-old Niam.

“My wife and I had been there, but to see them experience it for the first time was great,” he said. “You

could see the joy in them taking it all in, seeing shows, going to museums, going on boats or trains … things that you know they’re going to remember the rest of their life. It’s refreshing. It fills my cup to know I’m able to give them those memories.”

Dr. Patel and his wife Bina have been married since 2004, and if their kids have been bit by the travel bug, they at least come by it honestly. The couple were avid adventurers pre-kids, and in fact, Kamal could have already been considered a world traveler at a young age. His parents had lived in Africa and India before settling in England where

Kamal was born. They moved to Florida when Kamal was four in pursuit of a better life for their child.

“My parents instilled in me early on the importance of education. They taught me that education is worth the sacrifice of distance and tuition,” he said. “That’s been my focus. Education and having a lot of fun on the side. Life is a learning experience.”

THE FUN OF FATHERHOOD Fun comes in all forms for the Patel family. Not every day entails a trip to Europe, but each day is filled with

something. Niam has recently become obsessed with sports, checking in with Alexa each morning to get the late-night scores from games after his bedtime.

“That’s been very cool to have that sports buddy,” Kamal, who has ensured that his son shares in his lifelong L.A. Lakers fandom. “I grew up a Lakers fan; he’s followed suit. He knows there’s a game tonight at 8:30.”

But Niam is no armchair athlete, getting out and shooting hoops or practicing soccer in the backyard with his dad. “Last night, he wanted to play goalie,” Kamal said.

“He’s very competitive.”

Surina, meanwhile, shares her father’s love of the arts and creativity. A dedicated ballet dancer and actress, she’s been with Hilton Head School of Dance since age two. When she takes the stage for The Nutcracker or Terpsichore II, Dad is right there with flowers.

“Bina probably goes to more of her shows than Dad, but I still go to enough that I can probably do some of the moves myself,” Kamal said. “Surina loves to read as well. When she has some downtime, she probably goes through a book every few days, and that’s probably something she gets from her mom. She read a lot of books.”

Naturally, being the “fun dad,” Kamal has a wealth of dad jokes at his disposal.

“What has six wheels and flies? A garbage truck,” he said when asked for one of his favorites. “We’ve been listening to a lot of dad jokes lately.”

FINDING BALANCE

As a successful doctor, Kamal Patel knows that building a career can often mean sacrificing that quality time, putting in the hours that will secure a better future, often at the expense of the present. But as a caring father, he knows that sometimes he has to be a dad first.

“It’s a challenge as a dad to have that balance. It does take time and effort to give them the time they deserve,” he said. “I think it’s a learning process, and I wouldn’t say I’m perfect by any means, but it is something I’m conscious about and try to exercise on a regular basis.”

Switching from a traditional primary care practice to a concierge model in September of last year allowed him to have the best of both worlds. It not only allows him to give his patients more dedicated care, working one-on-one with them to protect their health, it has given him much more flexibility when it comes to spending time with his family.

“Right now, traditional care is overflowing with patient volume. Just to be able to complete the paperwork made for a much longer day,” he said. “Now I’m available whenever they need me, but my clinic time is a little more structured. Long-term, it’s led to a happier balance.”

And with the construction of Bluffton Center, where his new practice will be located, he’s wearing a new hat as a developer. If you ask his son, that’s the coolest hat his dad owns.

“What son doesn’t like construction equipment?” Kamal asked with a laugh. “Getting to experience that, bringing him to the site and letting him see everything … construction is probably far more interesting for a five-year-old than being a doctor.”

PASSING IT ON

As passionate as Dr. Patel is about medicine, he knows that being a dad will ultimately be the most important job he will ever hold. It’s something he witnessed firsthand, seeing the sacrifices his own father made for him. And it’s something he’s passing on, even as—like every father—he’s figuring it out along the way.

“When you have your first child, most of it is just shooting from your hip,” he said. “It’s a gift to be a parent, experiencing the life you’re bringing into this world, encouraging them to be their own people and just enjoying the journey.”

Oh, and never forget that having a great mom at your side makes every dad shine.

“Our world revolves around kids because of their schedule and their needs, but we’ve found a way to not forget about each other, and that’s helped us be good parents.” 

A Dad Grows Up

Fatherhood is about more than corny jokes and songs about farts. Well, mostly.

It’s a question I get asked all the time. What does it take to be a dad? The people asking me this question are all hypothetical, and in fact may be figments of my imagination, but it does give me an awesome way to start a column about fatherhood.

You see, I happen to be something of a subject matter expert, having spent the last 16 years in the game. I was a wideeyed naïve youngster when my oldest was born, but two more kids later, I think I finally have the hang of it.

What makes a dad? Ask any dad, and they’ll tell you: “having too much faith in the rhythm method.” They will then chuckle and go back to tending the barbecue, because a dad’s love language is outdoor cooking and questionable jokes.

But the fact is, impregnation—accidental or otherwise—is just what makes you a father. What makes you a dad is what you do next.

Some dads pursue the noble calling of fatherhood as a way to raise their sons and daughters right, installing moral guardrails and highlighting potholes on the road of life. For some dads, it’s a chance to correct their own parents’ mistakes, breaking whatever cycle they need to break along the way.

For me, being a dad is a chance to go a few more rounds in the bumper cars of childhood. It means playing with toys, running around in the grass and singing silly songs about farts. It means Friday nights streaming whatever movie Chris Pratt is appearing in now. It means maintaining a working knowledge of thousands of cartoon characters, despite not watching anything in which they appear. To me, fatherhood means having free rein to be kind of a cornball.

An adult man running around in a Mexican luchador mask, calling himself “El Padre” and body slamming children would generally be considered a threat to public safety. A guy driving around with a backseat that’s 95 percent granola bars would be considered a slob. Any adult who knows all the words to every song from Moana should probably be on a list somewhere. But when they’re dads? It’s all just part of the game. Or at least it is for a while, until the double-digit era of fatherhood starts to creep up on you.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, as my children age out. My oldest is 16, my next oldest is 13. And today, the day I write this, my youngest turns 10. As any dad will tell you, it all changes from here. Truth be told, it’s been changing for a while.

The bedtime stories were the first to go. Now, my youngest reads to herself until someone reminds her that lights out was a half hour ago. Over time, the licensed characters that adorn her walls became less sparkly and more snarky. We still sing songs about farts, but I know it’s only a matter of time before someone convinces her that she should be embarrassed about it.

And when that happens, this entire phase of fatherhood, reliving the golden years of my own childhood, will have come to an end. Suddenly I understand why older parents start being so insufferable about getting grandchildren.

But I’m not there yet. Whatever comes next, I draw some consolation from the fact that the double-digit years have been pretty great with the older two. I won’t go into specifics, because they’re teenagers and broadcasting their

personal lives to a bunch of strangers would be the perfect kick-off to years of therapy. But suffice it to say, despite my best efforts, they’re two well-adjusted kids.

My dad was the best man at my wedding, and I remember him saying in his toast, “My favorite moments of fatherhood came when I could stop being a dad and start being a friend.” I’m starting to understand what he meant.

The oldest has a job that takes her out into the community, so we’ve been able to share stories about a few mutual acquaintances. She has a very similar sense of humor to mine, so when something happens that we definitely should not laugh at, it becomes a contest to see who’s going to break first. She’s not my little girl anymore, but she’s a young lady who is awesome to be around.

It’s the same with my son. We’re buddies now, albeit buddies whose dynamic allows one to tell the other to take the garbage out. And he does because he’s great. He’s even telling his own dad jokes; when we went to the “Pym Tasting Lab” at the Avengers campus in Disneyland, a restaurant themed around the incredible shrinking Ant-Man, he told me, “I think they only serve microbrews here.”

I mean, come on. That is a topshelf, USDA Prime, restaurant-quality dad joke. And he’s 13.

It’s a different world I’m entering into as a dad. El Padre gets more eye rolls than giggles these days, and I’m finding that there’s a whole new generation of cartoon characters whose names I’ll never have to learn. But whatever’s happening next, I’m ready for it. Because I’ll have my kids with me, and that’s really all it’s ever been about.

That’s what it takes to be a dad—a willingness to embarrass yourself, the courage to install the guardrails around a rampaging teenager, and the fortitude to let them grow beyond you. And, obviously, songs about farts. Because there’s only so much growing up any of us should really do. 

For me, being a dad is a chance to go a few more rounds in the bumper cars of childhood. It means playing with toys, running around in the grass and singing silly songs about farts.

SAVING DAWS

AS FATHER’S DAY APPROACHES AND WE HONOR FATHERS AND FATHER FIGURES, ONE LOCAL DAD IS IN THE FIGHT OF HIS LIFE—THE FIGHT TO SAVE HIS SON.

Scott Skager describes the day he became a father as “the happiest day of his life.” He had wanted children for a long time and was ready for fatherhood, he said. But nothing could have prepared him for what his family has experienced since cancer came knocking at their door. “It has been the craziest roller coaster one can imagine—a ride that can strip you of your faith and reinstate it literally in the same day,” he said.

Skager and his wife Stephanie are the parents of five-yearold daughter Lennon and three-year-old son Daws. In the fall of 2021, baby Daws presented with an odd set of symptoms, namely constipation and excessive urine output. His pediatrician was not alarmed and prescribed a conservative treatment protocol. But when the two-year-old started vomiting, stopped eating, and lost 10 pounds, the Skagers suspected something more serious.

“I knew something really bad was happening,” Scott said. “But we couldn’t get anyone to look outside the box of constipation until we saw the GI specialist in Savannah.” Lab work revealed critically high sodium levels which landed Daws in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

“In our first two weeks at the hospital, he went from a walking, talking, fully functioning two-year-old boy to nearly a vegetable,” Scott said. “He had multiple brain surgeries including two done in emergency at his bedside. I’ll never forget the neurosurgeon shaking my hand with tears in his eyes and telling me he’s going to do everything he can to save him, and that’s before we even knew it was cancer.”

Daws was ultimately diagnosed with malignant germ cell tumors, an aggressive and rapidly growing form of cancer. He stayed in PICU for five months and had six rounds of chemotherapy followed by 30 days in Atlanta for proton radiation. And while he seemed to be getting better, he relapsed in October of 2022 when a tumor invaded his lumbar spine and two more spots appeared on the back of his brain.

“We prepped for more chemo—a more aggressive one that was supposed to be outpatient. The plan was two to four rounds of chemotherapy in Savannah then two rounds at MUSC with stem cell recovery, then proton radiation in Atlanta again,” Scott said. “The two rounds of chemo were very hard on him, and we weren’t able to stay home.”

Daws also has diabetes insipidus, resulting from the first tumor. This causes him to have huge sodium swings that can cause brain damage or even be fatal, Scott explained. “It’s worse when his body is stressed, and as everyone knows, chemo is a huge stressor on your body. We spent two months in the hospital for those two rounds which included our second Christmas spent in the PICU. The transplant oncologist concluded that Daws probably would not survive the high-dose chemo stem cell recovery.”

Based on that information, the Skagers decided to stop chemotherapy for now. “It was killing him,” Scott said. They did take him to Atlanta for radiation, and they have sought additional medical opinions, some still pending.

“Our team says he will relapse again and likely will not

live to adulthood, but we think otherwise. He is currently on a whole food, plant-based diet to prevent metastasis,” Scott said. “We’ve done a lot of research on holistic medicine. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to find a doctor that will treat him because he is too young, but we’ve adopted some ideas that we are practicing in our home.”

DAY TO DAY

Daily life looks different when a child is this sick. “It’s pretty hectic,” Scott said. “We can’t just call a regular babysitter if we were to need one because of Daws’ needs, so he’s with one of us all the time. He’s relearning to walk, pulling up on furniture, and very much in the exploring phase, so our attention is always on him.”

In addition, there are tons of appointments: PT, OT, and speech therapy because he’s developmentally delayed, Scott explained. His pituitary gland was damaged, so he sees an endocrinologist often. He gets labs to check his sodium and blood count at least once a week in Savannah and has follow-ups with radiation oncology, neurosurgery, and an ENT (because he had COVID and his sinuses didn’t clear properly). Palliative nurses and doctors make regular home visits as well.

“It’s a lot to keep track of. Steph handles most of the appointments while I work,” Scott said. “Sometimes I feel like we’re ships passing in the night.” Even so, parenthood has drawn them closer, he said. “We do our best to keep the lines of communication open. We know at the end of the day we both want the same thing: for Daws to get better and to give our kids an amazing life.”

Scott and his younger brother Nate Skager have always been close, even choosing to attend the same college and live in the same town. After college, they spent time in Lake Tahoe, but both eventually returned to the Hilton Head area to settle down and raise their families.

“Nate has been a massive help through this,” Scott said. “Lennon has stayed with him weeks at a time. He used to be a firefighter, so he’s one of few people that we’ve felt comfortable with taking care of Daws. He’s even spent the night with him in the hospital a few times to give us a break or allow both parents to attend an event for Lennon.”

Nate’s children, Nathan Jr., age eight and Amelia, almost 12, interact with their cousins like siblings. “They are like brothers and sisters,” Nate said. “Every weekend, we are together.”

“Lennon asks to go to their house every day. At this point we should just get a family compound and all live together,” Scott said.

MAKING ENDS MEET

In addition to the physical and emotional toll of caretaking, the Skagers have been faced with the financial burden of medical care and associated expenses. “Travel is expensive. Second opinions are expensive, and we’ve spent some money on items that keep Daws more comfortable at home,” Scott said. “We have had some help through various cancer foundations covering meals, gas, and lodging. We’re just doing our best to figure things out as they come our way.”

There have been multiple fundraisers for Daws. “We’ve received so much support from the HHI/Bluffton/ Daufuskie community, my parents’ church, old friends, etc. Rollers still collects donations at their locations. Tim Wood has an ongoing fundraiser for us and a few other families by selling a cookbook. We’re trying to stretch the money we have received as far as we can,” Scott said.

The Skagers have also had access to a type of Medicaid for life-threatening childhood illness. “They’ve taken good care of us, and we’ve only had a few medical expenses out of pocket,” Scott said. “Our employers have been very supportive, so we haven’t had to worry excessively about finances, but that is changing.”

Stephanie recently got switched from salary to hourly wages, which will be a big change since she doesn’t have the time to put in the hours, Scott explained. “She’s doing what she can, and the community has already been very supportive, so we have a little savings. We’re working on a side project that she can do with Daws, but that takes time, too.”

If the Skagers have learned one thing from their son’s illness, it is the power of love. They have experienced a generous outpouring from the community, and they want to give back. Their plan is to establish a non-profit foundation to help children with cancer and their families. The groundwork is already laid, and documents are being prepared. Once the legalities are settled, it is their goal to provide an array of support for families in need and an avenue for those who wish to contribute to the fight for life.

If your heart is tugging at you to help save Daws and other children like him, please contact the Skagers for information on how you can get involved: skager15@gmail. com. 

Father’s Day

Father’s Day

Father’s Day

DAD PRENEURS

PG. 57

Pete SavareSe the ice cream cone

PG. 58

bubba jacoby kinG tide cuStom home

PG. 58

rob vauGhn

bluffton Pharmacy

PG. 59

the dadS of vaux

marScher berGlind

PG. 60

Steve Stauffer

mcGriff inSurance ServiceS

PG. 60

matthew tenwolde

carolina veterinary critical care

PG. 61

rocky & taylor

whitehead rockfiSh bar

PG. 62

jaSon fackler

coaStal SunGlaSSeS & carolina taStinG room

PG. 62

ruSty jaquiSS, Shaun brockway and Patrick taylor

froSty froG cafe

PG. 63

joSh cooke corner Perk brunch cafe

Pete Savarese

“I’m absolutely terrified, in a healthy way,” he said with a laugh. “My wife Megan has been working through the whole thing and has been fantastic.”

Fatherhood is a calling, one that can sometimes be a rocky road but also leads to sweet rewards. You don’t have to be Superman, but it does take a little bit of patience, a lot of heart and a willingness to put everything on the line for your child.

And while Pete Savarese, owner of Coligny’s Ice Cream Cone, isn’t expecting baby number one until September 1, it’s clear that when Baby Leo arrives, he’s going to have the inside scoop on a great role model.

May that be lesson one, young Leo. Always give the wife the credit she deserves. Lesson two would be, if at all possible, figure out from a young age what your dream is, and pursue it with passion. That’s another lesson that Pete is in a particularly good position to teach, having dreamt of owning an ice cream shop in the thriving downtown of Hilton Head Island’s Coligny Plaza since he was a kid.

“I just walked in and loved the theme, loved the energy and loved the customers,” he said. “And Coligny is a tremendous place to be. Any customer who walks in is spending their whole day here.”

In his case, he’s spent a little more than a day. Coming into the store as an employee at Coligny Ice Cream Cone, he realized from day one he wanted to own the place. It took him a few years, but in 2019 the store was his.

Which brings us to lesson number three for young Leo, which is surround yourself with good people. During his journey from employee to owner, Pete gained invaluable mentorship from fellow members of the Coligny community, from Piggly Wiggly’s David Martin to leadership at the Richardson Group.

And recently, as he awaits the arrival of young Leo, Pete has added to the staff, bringing in Rashad Gadson to help run the store. “We’re very excited to bring him on board,” he said. “It’s not something we planned, but it turns out our baby will be due right when our season is getting started.”

Meaning when Leo arrives, he’ll have a ready-made family at Coligny Ice Cream Cone and a dad who can teach him some of fatherhood’s most important lessons.

ColignyPlaza.com/Events

Bubba Jacoby

King Tide Custom Homes

1050-D Fording Island Road (843) 837-9800

kingtidesc.com

How do you balance a successful business and still make time for your family?

I feel that being organized and planning ahead is crucial to maintain that work-home life balance. I put the family events on the calendar first and build my work schedule around that.

What is your favorite daddy/child date?

My son and I enjoy golfing and practicing for his baseball/soccer games. My daughter and I enjoy swimming and tubing.

What do you think is one of the most important things that you can teach your children in respect to sustaining a business?

The most important thing would be to always give 110 percent in everything you do. It is best to do things correctly the first time, even if it takes more time and effort.

Rob Vaughn

When you first became a father, what was the one thing you were totally unprepared for?

I was unprepared for how much you could love someone you just met and held for the first time.

How many children would you have if finances/your wife were no object?

When Nicki and I were dating, I always said I wanted four or five kids. After we had two, I knew that five wasn’t in the cards with both of us working full time.

Biggest parenting mistake you’ll fess up to in the name of assisting others?

Pro-tip: Never take a toddler’s word for anything.

Ask your children what you are the best at or what their favorite activity with Daddy is, and print their response here:

Jace: “Dad is the best at golf, tennis ... and any sport, really.”

Livy: “Dad is the best at fixing things, and I always like to help when something needs to be painted.”

and healthcare devices sold at prices the big box stores would envy and with service they can’t match. As a dad to Olivia, 12, Nora, 8 and William, 6, he is a non-stop dad about town.

If you’re going to be a dad, you’d better know where your Band-Aids are at all times. It’s just fatherhood 101. Fortunately for Rob Vaughn, owner of Bluffton Pharmacy, he always has plenty of bandages, splints and other parental first aid items in stock.

“Especially for my son, but they all get into a mess,” he said with a laugh. “They’re at that age where they play, play, play.”

As owner of Bluffton Pharmacy, Vaughn keeps Bluffton healthy with a full array of medicines, compounds, CBD products

“My wife and I do a lot with our children, so every weekend is pretty packed,” he said. Sometimes that means a day on the beach, sometimes a road trip to see family. Sometimes, it’s just shuttling everyone between practices, games, and events.

“If I had time to coach, I would,” Vaughn said. “My dad did, and I enjoyed that as a kid. But I make time to go to all their events.”

And somehow, he finds time to run a successful business. He does so by keeping his eyes on the prize.

The Dads of Vaux Marscher Berglind

Mark Berglind talk about their lives in court and at home is to understand how that same dedication applies to both jobs.

When his oldest, Roberts, was first born, Tabor Vaux was told to pay attention to how fast they grow and be sure to give them all the love and attention you can while they’re still around. It’s a lesson that was driven home when both his children, Roberts, age eight, and Ella, age seven, wound up in NICU at the beginning of their lives. He and his wife spent those first months waiting for good news. Not only did it come, but both children now thrive as all stars in baseball and softball, respectively.

work in perspective for me,” Meyer said. “My wife and daughters keep me grounded, which allows me to achieve a better work and life balance.”

As a father of three active boys, Mark Berglind knows that sometimes fatherhood is a full-contact sport. He not only keeps his sons Philip, age ten, Buchanan, age nine, and Thomas, age six, on the move through ski trips and camping getaways to burn off some of that young male energy, he coaches the younger two in football.

As experienced attorneys and partners at Vaux Marscher Berglind, the dads you see here are well versed in establishing connections with clients, seeking out the best results for them with tenacity and vigor, and pursuing justice, all while maintaining a spirit of true compassion and care.

It’s all in the job description for great attorneys—and for great dads. To hear Tabor Vaux, Stephen Meyer, and

“I am so proud of them,” Vaux said. “And looking back, you realize how fast the time has gone already. You really do have to make it a point to be there.”

It’s a sentiment he shares with Stephen Meyer. As a dad to Millie, age three, and newborn daughter Dahlia, he is experiencing that wonderful age when a child finds their own personality while shaping yours. “Being a dad has been the best thing I’ve ever done in my life, and it’s put

“I’m one of seven kids, and my dad was a physician who maintained a busy medical practice. He somehow managed to always be there for us, and I think I learned a lot from him about balancing work and life,” Berglind said.

Showing that good attorneys make good fathers, the dads of Vaux Marscher Berglind are proof that dedication, knowledge and integrity can accomplish anything.

Steve Stauffer

McGriff Insurance Services

One Lafayette Place, 2nd Floor Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

2 Westbury Parkway, Suite 205 Bluffton, SC 29910

SStauffer@McGriff.com

During the day, Steve Stauffer fights high premiums as the Area Agency Executive for McGriff Insurance Services, one of the largest in the country. Serving condo associations, POAs and high-net-worth individuals with insurance for their property, their business and themselves, his job is to keep clients protected.

But by night, he fights crime as Captain America. Or Iron Man. It really depends on what his seven-year-old son Dylan decides.

“He loves superheroes,”

Steve said. “He’ll get the action figures out and we’ll just start to battle.”

But that’s just part of being a dad. You get to play with toys. You get to go swimming, race Go-Karts, go putt-putting. You get to be the hero. Although, when you’re a single dad like Stauffer, being a superhero is pretty much the job description.

For Stauffer, being a dad to Dylan is giving him his second act after raising two adult daughters. “One of the best things about it is that I have more patience than when my daughters were born, and I appreciate it more because I know how fast it goes by,” he said. “I feel he slowed my pace down so I could enjoy it more.”

of superdad we all strive to be.

“It’s so important to be present,” he said. “I’ve structured my practice so I’m off when the kids are off. When they’re in school, I’m doing surgery and tending to the clinic. As soon as they’re out of school, I’m in full-tilt dad mode. It lets them see that you should work hard, but when the work’s done, it’s family time.”

When Drs. Matthew and Bobbi Jean Tenwolde went on their very first date, they bonded instantly over one important factor. “I had always wanted to have kids; literally, we were talking about it on our first date,” he said. “It was meant to be.”

Some men are just born to be fathers, and Dr. Tenwolde is proof of that, coaching his seven-year old’s flag football team, helping his five-year-old daughter tend to the family’s chickens and never sacrificing quality time at the altar of the office. As a respected veterinarian with Carolina Veterinary Critical Care, he’s helped thousands of animals, from family pets to strays off the street, live longer and healthier lives. But once he clocks out, he’s that kind

Naturally, with two young children and a practice that brings new animals across Dr. Tenwolde’s transom every day, there’s bound to be some overlap. For example, his daughter’s precious cat first came to the family through Tenwolde’s practice. “My daughter named him Booboo Kitty. Affectionately known as our Carolina ditch cat, he came to us with severe injuries that took 10 surgeries to repair,” he said. After rehabilitation Booboo Kitty came home and is now a beloved member of the family.

“He’s everybody’s kitty, but he sleeps in my daughter’s bed,” he said, adding with a laugh, “at least when he’s not assassinating the local marsh life.”

Rocky & Taylor Whitehead

If there’s one place where the father-son dynamic finds its greatest challenge, it’s in the workplace. But if we had to name the second-most taxing place for a father and a son to get along, it would probably be on the golf course. As a father, you want to help your son work on his swing, improve his game and do the family handicap proud. As a son, you want to sink that birdie shot that puts dad on the hook for the first round at the 19th hole. For

both, you love each other, but you also have to win.

Which is what makes the relationship between Taylor and Rocky Whitehead so remarkable. Not only does their father-son dynamic thrive in the workplace— whether it’s at Rockfish Steak & Seafood or on the road for the family’s long-term pharmaceutical care company—but it also has made them a formidable force on the island’s golf courses.

“It’s been a nice thing for us to bond over,” Rocky said, calling from the road where he and his son were representing the family business. “We actually just played in the Heritage Pro-Am together and placed second. One year at Pebble Beach, we took first place.”

They’re a solid duo on the links, but it’s in the world of business where they truly shoot for eagle. As Rocky begins “kicking back,” Taylor has begun to take the reins on all the different aspects of his father’s business empire.

“I’ve always been a part of the

family business,” Taylor said. “He’s a great boss.”

In fact, it was Taylor’s suggestion that the Whiteheads expand beyond pharmaceuticals after they moved to Hilton Head. That suggestion has not only resulted in Rockfish, but in The Art Café as well. For Rocky, passing the torch to his son was a no-brainer.

“He knows the businesses, and he knows what his responsibilities are,” Rocky said. “And he’s grown with his responsibilities as I’ve started doing less of the heavy lifting.”

And they can still maintain a great relationship as father and son, whether at the restaurant, on the fairway or on the road building the business stronger together.

Jason Fackler

Coastal Sunglasses and Carolina Tasting Room Coligny Plaza, 1 N Forest Beach Dr Unit K2, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 341-2999

www.coastalsunglasseshhi.com/

Coligny Plaza, 1N Forest Beach Dr, Unit B Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 341-2999

www.thecarolinatastingroom.com

If there’s one word to describe Jason Fackler as both entrepreneur and dad, it would be prolific. His businesses run the gamut, from a slew of kiosks in Coligny as he built his empire to storefronts that include Coastal Sunglasses and Carolina Tasting Room, owned with his wife Kristin. As a dad, he’s a proud papa to a quartet: Laine, 8, Lee, 5, Linden, 4, and Lola, who will turn one this summer.

“I feel like to say it’s a juggling act is 100 percent accurate,” he said. Running businesses in Coligny, as well as another tasting room in Savannah, would be enough for anyone’s plate. As would raising four children, not only being present and helping guide them, but serving as dad chauffeur to the laundry list of practices, games, meets and rehearsals that come with active kids. So how does he do it?

“You definitely have to have great time management, and plan your whole week out ahead of time. And then there’s always chaos anyways,” he said. “Our goal is organized chaos… We’re still a circus half the time.”

He credits Kristin with making it all possible. “Having a great partner is critical,” he said. The couple not only support one another, but communicate on the overall parenting picture. “My wife would say I’m the fun dad, but I think I bring at least 30 percent of the discipline.”

As partners, they lean on one another. As business owners, they lean on the talented team they’ve assembled to help their businesses run smoothly. “Our staff and core management group is amazing,” said Jason. “They make it possible to have the kind of work/life family balance that we strive for… and achieve, most of the time.”

Just as his early ventures taught him the right and wrong way to run a business, he’s found fatherhood offers ample lessons to those willing to pay attention.

All dads make mistakes. No one’s perfect. It’s about learning from those mistakes,” he said. “The biggest thing is to love your kids and just know that you’re human.”

ColignyPlaza.com/Events

Any dad will tell you that having a kid changes everything. From the first time you look into their eyes, your entire perspective shifts and your world tilts on its axis. So what does this have to do with Frosty Frog Café? Everything.

Today, we all know Frosty Frog Café as a familyfriendly restaurant where guests of all ages bask in the sunshine while enjoying frosty drinks and amazing food. But there was a time when it was perhaps more famed for its late-night revelry. So how did an island nightspot become dining for all ages? We told you— having a kid changes everything.,

“I’ve been here 25 years, starting when it was more of a nighttime spot,” said Shaun Brockway. “I’m pretty proud to see how we’ve evolved into a family restaurant, and I

think the kids were a big part of it.”

General Manager and fellow dad Rusty Jaquiss concurs. “I have two daughters, 10 and 13, and they love coming to visit when they can,” he said. “And since Coligny is such a fun place for kids to just walk around, my older daughter can come with her friends and I can keep an eye on them.”

Creating a more family-friendly atmosphere at The Frog not only allowed for more locals and visitors to bring the kids along while they enjoy something cold and refreshing, but it’s given these dads more time to spend with their own kids.

“My 16-year-old son is here every Sunday with his friends to watch football, and my 13-year-old daughter comes with her friends and grabs lunch while they’re shopping,” said Brockway. “It’s the peace of mind for not just my children, but anyone’s children, that you can go to the Frog and feel safe.”

And for these two dads, it’s a way to balance work and life.

“Really, it’s watching them grow and experience life” said Jaquiss. “Being there to be able to help them as they make those decisions and which path to take, that’s probably one of the best parts.”

“Some view food and beverage as a stepping stone, but it’s a great career for me and my family,” added Brockway, whose son now works part time at Frosty Frog. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

ColignyPlaza.com/Events

Josh Cooke

Daughters: Abbagail & Ellie

Corner Perk Brunch Cafe Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and Port Royal (Beaufort) (843) 304- 5563 cornerperk.com

How do you balance a successful business and still make time for your family?

You must decide your priority and accept that you can only do so much on the other.

What is your favorite daddy/child date? Go-karting, boating, and daddy/daughter dances.

What is one of the most important things you can teach your children in respect to sustaining a business?

I hope they pursue their passions, follow their dreams, reach for the stars, put in the hard work, and never look back!

When you first became a father, what was the one thing you were totally unprepared for?

How concerned I would be about every time my girls were scared or hurt.

How many children would you have if finances/your wife were no object? Two is perfect for us. I cannot imagine any more or any less.

Biggest parenting mistake you’ll fess up to the name of assisting others. I almost dropped Abbagail at 2 weeks old. And caught her by her foot before she hit the ground.

Ask your children what you do best or what their favorite activity is with daddy and print their response here: Abbagail & Ellie: Dad’s great at business, he’s really fun and funny. We love to play Super Mario Bros and Mario Kart.

MASCULINE RETREATS AND HOW YOU CAN CREATE YOURS

With Father’s Day rambling around the corner, it feels appropriate to spotlight some of our favorite man spaces around the Lowcountry. So, buckle up and take a trip through these next-level homes and get inspired to create your own oasis.

Tucked away in a cozy room atop their charming two-story home, Glenda and Lonny Satterly left no detail behind when creating their private bourbon room. Keeping a connection to their Kentucky roots and their love of bourbon, The Satterlys found all the right finishes to give this room all the feels. The antique iron double doors leading into the room set the mood for this incredible space. Clint Eastwood art situated on the wall as you enter is the prominent piece dictating the vibe and anchoring all the accessories and memorabilia surrounding the room. The brick walls add character and give the walls a rich backdrop for the wood bar lined with their favorite bourbons. From the cozy seating area to the interesting accessories, you can guarantee a lot of thought was given to every element. Surely there have been many fun times shared with friends in their amazing creation, but Lonny never minds spending some quiet time alone, taking it all in.

Nestled deep in the heart of a beautiful Lowcountry paradise, Bob Gregory has created his own private paradise, a carriage house full of his favorite collectibles. There is hardly room to move, and every turn leaves something to be discovered. As a matter of fact, you can’t take it all in during one tour. When we asked Gregory about his favorite cars, he shared his love for his 1928 Paddy Wagon, his 1929 Gatsby Packard and his 1982 Litestar. That’s right. Gregory has cars almost 100 years old and possibly even older. But there is one thing that really caught our eye, and that is how meticulous he is with the care of his collection. He has spent decades seeking and enjoying the most exotic and rare antiques and collectibles. My personal favorite is his stock market antiques. Gregory spent years in the banking industry and has some of the first stock market gadgets. I am sure it is quite a job keeping the carriage house up, but when he gets tired of tinkering, he has a cozy little bar where he can prop up his feet and enjoy a cocktail.

Just off the courtyard of this architectural masterpiece constructed in the luxurious community of Palmetto Bluff, Michael Kronimus has carried his tradition of Club K to his newest design. Working with one of the area’s most talented designers, Kelly Caron, Kronimus brought a whole different feel to his second Club K. The style, a little more modern than the original, features beautiful furniture, rich woods and exposed air ducts through the vaulted ceilings to give it a modern feel. The kitchen, outfitted with top-of-the-line appliances and a pizza oven, allows their family to entertain friends without having to leave or call for catering. The club features big screen TVs throughout, perfect for football season. The billiards room, just a winding walk up the spiral staircase, is the ideal spot to get your game face on and compete in a game of pool. The Caron and Kronimus collaboration certainly hit the mark for excellence in this beautifully designed and well-planned wing of the Mt. Pelia home. They have since sold the home, and Kronimus is working on Club K3. We can only imagine what is in the works, but knowing him, it will be equally as amazing or possibly outshine his previous creations.

Situated in the second story of their Tuscanstyle estate, a sprawling theatre and billiards room features David and Kim McPhail’s favorite recorded concerts of classic bands and artists. The McPhails spend a tremendous amount of time entertaining neighborhood friends and have the perfect spot to do so. As you enter the home, you will be greeted by a curved staircase calling you to the second story. Entering the theatre, you will find art from their favorite artist, Kent Paulette, lining the walls to bring color and life to this dark, masculine oasis. The McPhails commissioned Paulette to create the one-of-a-kind originals of their favorite musicians to pull the themed room together and make it all about music. One of the paintings features Stevie Nicks and is floating in the staircase situated in the vaulted foyer of the home. The sound system and big screen scream high tech, and you realize some amazing shows have been enjoyed here. If David and Kim ever get bored of watching concerts and music videos, which is doubtful, they have a billiards table to keep them entertained.

MASCULINE RETREATS INSPIRATION

BOURBON & BOUJEE

Creating a space that screams elegance but still has that manly feel.

If you want to give the gift of a lifetime for Father’s Day and have an unused space in your home crying out for attention, here is a guide to help you do just that!

SET THE TONE

To each his own, but I love a rich, dark room with pops of color through fabrics, trims, finishes, and accessories. I like to find one inspiration and work from that. This incredible tequila decanter and these amazing shot glasses caught my eye and set the tone for the room.

Cigar and bourbon tray available online

IT'S ALL ABOUT TEXTURES

This colorway and grouping of fabrics and finishes, a collaborative design board with Parker Paton Design, brings in rich textures and colors to set the stage for the dark furnishings. The rug is hand-knotted and absolutely stunning. The wallpaper carries the rich leather texture from the floor to the ceiling while this gorgeous chenille blue fabric accents the windows with the elegant tape trim to give a vibrant contrast. Blue worn tiles add color to the backsplash of the bar crafted of dark woods. The white countertop allows the accessories to standout. The plaid fabric for a custom sofa brings in a little light and sits fabulously between the hair-onhide club chairs.

Hair-on-hide club chair is available through Parker Paton Design in the Village at Wexford.

STORAGE IS KEY

The wine crate coffee table is the perfect place to house your cigar collection and hold your bourbon and cigar tray. The round barrel table works perfectly surrounded by a group of four chairs or as a side table.

Men’s Mental Health: THE SILENT STRUGGLE

It was a beautiful summer day on the University of Georgia campus. While my friends were out having real adventures, I was fighting for the life of my GPA in calculus. Somewhere along the way, I heard summer courses were effortless. Not so much. My professor, a self-described math nerd, had been teaching calculus for years. He moved swiftly between numbers, letters, and symbols, looking at us eagerly as if we should know what he was talking about. That was not the case. I was a deer in headlights. He could have been speaking in a different language or writing hieroglyphics. I only recall this sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach that nothing made sense. My brain turned to mush, and my thoughts became fuzzy. I froze. I couldn’t find my words; my whole existence was numb. If I could have, I would have made myself invisible. Meanwhile, if I didn’t figure this out, my GPA would be doomed.

Oddly enough, I often receive a similar expression when male clients talk to me about their relationships: eyes wide, staring straight ahead, searching for the “right thing” to say. It’s that same deer-in-the-headlights look.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I absolutely love working with guys. Why? The guys I work with want a solution to the issue that’s stuck on repeat. Not only that; they can name the problem and usually walk me through how they got there.

Sitting there somewhat tense, eyes wide, elbows on knees, and hands on their faces, I usually hear some version of, “Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.” Then comes the disappointed look when

I don’t have the magic phrase, skill, or solution to eradicate their problem immediately.

Sadly, many men will not and do not seek therapy. They opt to suck it up, man up, or figure it out themselves. There remains a stigma around mental health that implies weakness in seeking help. So, instead, they push through.

It really does make sense if you think about it. Generally speaking, little boys were most likely taught to be tough, resilient, to have everything under control, and to push through. Then they were shamed when they expressed emotion: “Don’t be a sissy.” “Boys don’t cry.” “Momma’s boy.”

Boys learn that showing emotion isn’t acceptable and they need to shut it down. Eventually, at the inkling of intense emotion (except maybe anger), men master the art of stuffing their feelings. Then poof! It’s almost as though they’ve vanished forever.

As a man, why would you want to come to therapy and subject yourself to possible ridicule or look weak by opening up to someone you don’t even know about the very emotions you’ve been taught to hide? Why would you admit you don’t have it all figured out? It seems remarkably counterintuitive, right?

Unfortunately, for a good portion of the time when you’re in “fix it” mode, you’re trying to repair an emotional issue (a matter of the heart) with a logical solution. Spoiler alert: It’s usually not going to work.

If it’s any consolation, I don’t like it either.

In the presence of deep emotions, there’s an initial instinct to look for a problem to solve. That’s the way our minds work. Solve problems so you don’t repeat the same mistakes, and you continue to stay safe. However, this “solution” creates its own issue.

Problem-solving plus society’s messages about feelings and well-being equals (most likely) a flooded nervous system, leading you to return to what you know, which is to fix it … and some version of, “Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

It’s

Let me guess; this probably doesn’t go over well with your significant other. More than likely, they want you to “know” what to do without their prompting. But you don’t, and now you’re left thinking there’s something wrong with you.

At this point, you’re probably trying every possible solution you can think of while your significant other is less than impressed. Or you become quiet and shut down in an attempt to not make matters worse. Either way, your solutions fall short, your frustration increases, and your relationship isn’t improving.

I believe you feel very deeply. You adjust to what you know. You’re resilient. You’ve learned that showing emotion is not socially acceptable.

You see, asking for support is not a sign of weakness or a mental illness. You’re stuck. And just like you can call a tow truck if your car left you stuck on the side of the road, you can call a therapist if you’re stuck in life.

Think about it this way. Your solution is collaborating with someone to improve your situation, just like that tow truck driver. Inevitably, you will learn skills, but you’ll also learn how to have a better relationship with yourself and others.

The benefits of better understanding yourself are vast. You’ll set yourself up to have more meaningful relationships. You’ll be more present with your children and significant other. You’ll be more equipped to troubleshoot when issues arise—because they will.

And you’ll learn how you act or react when your emotions surface. Plus, you’ll set an example for your children, who can witness firsthand what it looks like when Dad seeks support and follows through.

If you are indeed stuck on your road of life and are trying in vain to fix everything, it may be time to make an appointment with a therapist. In the meantime, feel free to try this strategy at home:

Before your next disagreement, agree to take a break when you feel flooded (your heart is racing or your body feels tense).

Boys learn that showing emotion isn’t acceptable and they need to shut it down. Eventually, at the inkling of intense emotion (except maybe anger), men master the art of stuffing their feelings. Then poof!

almost as though they’ve vanished forever.

• Come up with a word, phrase, or physical movement to alert your partner that it’s time for a timeout. Some examples are: “bananas”; “it’s time”; or raising both arms in the air— anything that’s not offensive and can be remembered in times of high stress.

• Take a 20- to 30-minute break. Physiologically, it takes about this long for your nervous system to regulate.

• Remove yourself from the situation and focus on your breathing, imagine your favorite vacation spot, or take a walk around the block.

• Then come back to the conversation and try it again. However, don’t jump right back in where you left off. Ease back in by naming two or three things you appreciate about one another or simply hug.

I eventually passed my calculus class. But it wouldn’t happened without a whole lot of support from my professor. He helped me make sense of what seemed foreign and gave a voice to the jumbled thoughts in my head. It wasn’t pretty. However, with his help, I wasn’t (as) stuck. It’s an option for you too.

Sheila Tucker is a licensed marriage and family therapist and founder of Heart Mind & Soul Counseling. She specializes in working with couples and individuals to better their relationships so they can connect more deeply to themselves and each other. When not in the office, you’ll find her walking her pups or planning her next mountain getaway with her husband.

NEIGHBORHOOD STROLL:

PORT ROYAL PLANTATION

When observing Hilton Head Island from an airplane, a drone photo, or a map, the island’s shape distinctively resembles a tennis shoe with the toe being the southernmost point and the heel further north where the Atlantic Ocean mingles waters with the Port Royal Sound. It is here, covering the heel of the island, where Port Royal Plantation— one of the island’s most desirable neighborhoods— was established. Residents enjoy a private, luxury community with direct beach access to the Port Royal Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, where no commercial development or short-term rentals are allowed.

Port Royal Plantation features freshwater lagoons, fantastic wildlife, an arboretum, saltwater

estuaries, and three historical sites. First-class amenities include a swimming pool, beach house, six pickleball courts, two tennis courts, miles of leisure paths, beaches, and access to great golf courses.

Lea Smith, associate broker with RE/MAX Island Realty, has been selling real estate in the Hilton Head area for 37 years. She has sold many properties in Port Royal Plantation and speaks highly of the neighborhood.

“There is so much to love within Port Royal Plantation,” Smith said. “This residential community has fewer than 1,000 home sites within 1,200 acres of tranquil, natural beauty, with only about 90 percent of those sites developed. This low density gives the neighborhood a quiet atmosphere versus

the higher-density resort areas. Home sites range from a quarter of an acre to more than an acre, with views of the Atlantic Ocean, pristine golf courses, freshwater lagoons, saltwater estuaries and the Port Royal Sound. Home styles range from waterfront bungalows to larger estates, so you’re sure to find the layout that fits all your family’s must-have list.”

According to Smith, inventory is extremely limited and in high demand in Port Royal Plantation. “Currently, there are only six homes on the market,” she said, “priced from $750,000 for an 1,800-square-foot home, up to $6,250,000 for a stately 5,000-square-foot oceanfront home. Three homes are under contract now, ranging in price from $1,400,000 to $2,299,000.”

Port Royal Plantation is known for its history and charm, but one of the best features of this luxury community is the close to three miles of quiet, white sand beaches. Residents and their guests can take an early morning jog on the sand or a leisurely stroll along the miles of nature paths.

“When you live in Port Royal Plantation, you are residing in a premier private oceanfront residential community on beautiful Hilton Head Island, with

24/7 security,” said Andrew Boyles, communication administration assistant for Port Royal Plantation Community Association. “In Port Royal, there are 21 beach access points, seven of which include boardwalks, so it makes the beach easily accessible for our homeowners no matter where they are in the community. The community’s beaches face both the Atlantic Ocean and the Port Royal Sound.”

One of the more popular beach access points is the community’s beach house. This amenity includes a boardwalk to the beach and features an Olympicsized pool, a large back deck, a screened porch, and a community room where members can enjoy planned social gatherings, as well as booking opportunities to host private events, such as weddings, receptions, and more.

The beach house is not the only attractive amenity the neighborhood has to offer. The six pickleball courts and two tennis courts stay busy year round. For nature lovers, Port Royal has the arboretum, a peaceful nature area for residents to walk through and enjoy, as well as miles of leisure paths, providing beautiful scenery all

around the community. For the historians, Port Royal Plantation is home to the original landing site of William Hilton, the explorer the island is named after. There are also historical sites dating back to the Civil War and Spanish-American War era located within Port Royal such as Fort Walker, Fort Sherman, and Steam Gun.

In this residential community, because there are no short-term rentals, homeowners become very familiar with their neighbors.

Laurence and Stefano Zenezini visited Hilton Head Island from their previous home in Cincinnati for the first time in July 2020 and fell in love with the island. Three weeks later, they bought their home in Port Royal Plantation.

“We believe we didn’t choose Port Royal Plantation, but it chose us,” Stefano Zenezini said. “We felt at home immediately because this is a community where people meet, laugh, support and care for each other and their environment.”

A key aspect of Port Royal living is the residents’ connections with one another. “There are more than 20 homeowner groups that meet regularly,” Boyles said. “Some groups are designated to meet to play games such as Mahjongg, some to create art, and some to simply enjoy each other’s company over a cup of coffee. Monthly, the homeowners get together to host a potluck.”

Most of these groups meet at the beach house, but other clubs, like pickleball, meet at the courts to play based on experience level. There is even a community garden called “Fish Haul Farm” near the tennis and pickleball courts where landowners can have their own plots in the garden.

“Playing pickleball or tennis, practicing yoga at the beach house, or watching the sun rise at the beach, we are grateful for every moment we get to spend in Port Royal Plantation and on the island,” Laurence Zenezini said.

When you buy a home in Port Royal Plantation, you can also opt to become a member of the Port Royal Plantation Club (PRPC). “Port Royal Plantation is unique in that residents have access to golf community amenities if desired without a requirement for golf club

membership as a condition of property ownership,” Smith explained. “The semi-private Port Royal Golf and Racquet Club, located adjacent to—but outside the gates of—the private residential area, offers three membership levels (Sports, Golf, Social) to accommodate residents’ varying lifestyles.”

The Heritage Golf Group owns both 18-hole golf courses in Port Royal: The Barony Course and The Robbers Row Course. The PRPC gives access to the golf courses as well as the Heritage-owned pickleball and tennis courts. The PRPC is also an active group that meets at the beach house for

A beach access boardwalk leads away from the community beach house, which features an Olympic-sized pool and a community room where members can enjoy planned social gatherings.

Port Royal Plantation is a private, gated community and a great place to live if you want to be near the beach.

social events.

Fred Ricer, a Port Royal homeowner who moved to Hilton Head from Charlotte, North Carolina, initially bought a twobedroom condominium overlooking the Calibogue Sound on the south end of the island in the Sea Pines Resort. The first time he visited Port Royal Plantation, however, he and his wife began searching for a home within the gates.

“Port Royal is truly a special place to live,” Ricer said. “From its beautiful beaches—the best on the island—to the

majestic oaks draped with Spanish moss and towering pine trees, to its leisure paths and arboretum, Port Royal is full of attractive amenities. My wife and I hosted our wedding reception at the beach house, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. However, what makes Port Royal a great place to live is the residents. Perhaps because there are no short-term rentals (and thus no short-term neighbors), the homeowners build a sense of community like no other. On our street, we gather twice a year, in spring and at Christmas, for potluck dinners. Some of our neighbors have lived in Port Royal for more than 30 years.”

The neighbors care not only for their own community but for the Lowcountry in general as the landownerorganized Port Royal Community Charitable Fund (PRCCF) continues to raise thousands of dollars to benefit charity. Renee Roth is the PRCCF board chair.

“Together Helping Others’ represents the vision that led a group of Port Royal friends to establish a

community charitable fund for our neighborhood,” Roth said. “Little did we know just how fervently our residents would take that to heart. One year later, thanks to the generosity of Port Royal residents who truly care about our community, the PRCCF awarded our first $20,000 in grants, well ahead of our formal grant cycle.”

In addition, the PRCCF supported the Boys & Girls Club bike ride, hosted a food drive to help local pantries, and conducted a diaper drive to help local parents who are struggling to provide even the necessities for their children.

Recipients of these first grant awards were: Antioch Educational Center, Born to Read, Family Promise of Beaufort County, Deep Well Project, Safe Harbour, Hopeful Horizons, Meals on Wheels, NAMI Lowcountry, Neighborhood Outreach Connection, Operation Patriots Forward Operating Base, Real Champions, Sandalwood Community Food Pantry, Hunger Coalition of the Lowcountry/Backpack Buddies, and Volunteers in Medicine, HHI.

“In June 2023, we will be awarding grants of $80,000 to go toward other community nonprofits,” Roth said.

Port Royal Plantation is a totally private, oceanfront, gated community, and an awesome place to live if you want to be near the beach with access to the luxury amenities people come to the island to enjoy, while keeping a desirable degree of separation from the tourist trade.

“If you are looking for a beautiful place to live with a true sense of community,” Boyles said, “look no further than Port Royal Plantation.” 

A Midcentury MAkeover

Fusion of cultures and styles breathes new life into Port Royal Plantation home

Redesign and interiors by Kelly Hughes, Kelly Hughes Interiors Interiors by Parker Paton, Parker Paton Design

While many Hilton Head families are transplants from other places, most of those places are within the United States, and the families made their decision to move permanently to the island after vacationing here, some for many years. Not so for Chris and Kety Gomez. While Chris was born in the U.S., his family was from Spain where they spent a considerable amount of time. Kety was born and raised in Seville. It was not until they were teens that serendipity brought them together on Hilton Head Island.

“My father was a master tailor who made custom European suits for men and did alterations,” Chris said. “We would spend three or four months a year in Spain and then come back to Hilton Head when school started back. Many of the professional golfers were his clients, including Jack Nicklaus, and the actor Orson Welles and famous anchorman Walter Cronkite.”

Interestingly, both of Chris’s parents were deaf, so both Chris and his brother were very involved in their father’s business, helping him communicate with clients.

“Being completely deaf and unable to speak English, communicating with clients was difficult,” Chris said. “Each night, Dad would bring little pieces of paper to us with the client’s last name and a phone number. We

This Port Royal Plantation home was renovated in three seperate phases over a ten year time period. The Gomez’s had always been attracted to the architectural features of older homes and wanted to preserve some of the aspects of the existing structure.

would call each one to let them know their clothes were ready to be picked up.”

Jump ahead to 1994, when Kety was enrolled in Hilton Head Prep as a foreign exchange student from Seville, Spain, and Chris was just starting college. The pair met, finished college together, and married six years later.

“We traveled a good bit and actually lived in southern Spain for about three years before moving back to Hilton Head and starting our family and our own businesses,” Kety said. “We have three kids now—nine-year-old Ines, 15-year-old Ketina, and 17-year-old Fernando.”

Chris is a full-time real estate agent with Coast Real Estate, and the couple owns several businesses on the island, including both Namaste Spa locations and HH Cleaning Services, which has been around for about 15 years.

“We’re a full-service cleaning business. We do residential, commercial and vacation villa cleaning, and we have an on-site laundry service, too,” Chris said.

Before moving to Port Royal Plantation, the family lived in Hilton Head Plantation, Shipyard, and most recently Moss Creek, however, the volume of their island

businesses and the commute necessitated a move back to the island. Chris’s grandparents had formerly lived in a beachfront home in Port Royal Plantation, so he grew up appreciating the unique qualities of the Port Royal Plantation community.

“In 1972, when my immediate family moved to Hilton Head, my grandparents came too, and they bought a house on North Port Royal Drive,” Chris said. “I still have the original listing on a piece of paper with an actual photo and a description of the home as it was when my grandparents bought it. While my parents and I lived in Sea Pines, we spent endless days on the beaches of Port Royal Plantation, so it has always been our ultimate destination to buy a home here.”

The Gomez’s love Port Royal Plantation for sentimental reasons, as well as practical ones. “One big plus is that there are no short-term rentals allowed,” Kety said. “When we come through the gates in the middle of July when everywhere else is crowded, we can leave all that behind and essentially have a private beach to ourselves. That, to us, is priceless. We can walk on our beach in the middle of

summer and sometimes be the only ones out there.”

The couple also likes that Port Royal Plantation enjoys a bit more natural environment than some of the more manicured and tailored communities, that there is rich history right in their own backyard, and that there are no exorbitant mandatory fees, yet all the luxuries of private living.

When the Gomez’s bought their Port Royal home, originally built in 1974, most of the builders advised them to tear it down and start over. But the couple has always been attracted to the architectural features of older homes, so they were intent on preserving those features in this home. They decided to manage the remodeling project themselves, with Chris’s business partner Fallon Langel, from Ecotech, assisting with permitting and construction. They have completed the

renovations in phases with the help of Kelly Hughes and Parker Paton as interior designers.

“It definitely didn’t happen overnight,” Chris said. “We completed the renovations in three phases over the past decade while living in the home, which included the additional square footage. I felt like we had to be creative to make it work, but we just loved the house. It’s got an old ’70s vibe to it, which is what I wanted to preserve.”

Initially, the couple simply wanted to get the house in livable conditions, making minimal updates like removing some walls and installing new flooring and paint. Over time, it’s become a brand-new home. With Hughes’ help, the couple had an idea of what they needed to accomplish in the second phase of renovations where they converted the

garage into a bedroom for their oldest child, Fernando, when their youngest child was born. They created a detached garage connected by a breezeway, and built Fernando a new bedroom, new bathroom, and new hallway. They also installed a gazebo-inspired structure with a pitched roof as the new front entry.

“The goal was to update a 1970s midcentury ranch and give it a more traditional Mediterranean style that represents the Gomez’s Spanish roots,” Hughes said. “We added a lot of curved lines throughout the house and rounded corners to soften things up. We also kept the fireplace, which was an important element, and played up the great natural light in the home.”

The third phase included a complete overhaul of the home’s plumbing; installing a huge outdoor deck and basketball court where the previous driveway was; and additional interior updates, which were completed by designer Parker Paton.

“In April of 2020, several weeks in the lockdown, Chris and Kety called me asked for recommendations for a new paint color for their kitchen cabinets,” Paton said. “Ordinarily, I would do that in person, but during that time, we couldn’t get together. So, we spent several days over Facetime and text trying out different paints on their kitchen cabinets. And while it was more challenging that way, we were having a blast doing it because we were literally stuck in our living rooms, bored to death. We joked that it was the most fun we’d had in a month.”

Over the next several months, they lightened the paint on a large China cabinet, added some lamps, some soft goods, some new artwork, and a couple of chests, and redid the foyer, lending a coziness to the space that comes with that last layer of interior design. The Gomezes love the new look of their home, especially the opportunity for indoor/outdoor living and the grandfathered-in screened pool deck, which is no longer available for new construction in Port Royal Plantation.

“We wake up in the morning and open up the two big sliders in our master bedroom right into the pool area and the four-panel slider that opens the living room,” Kety said. “We love it. It not only has the Mediterranean flair but also a bit of the Miami element that we love so much.”

And they’re not done yet. They have plans to update the pool pavers with white stone, install new black-framed windows, paint the exterior white, remove the side deck and replace it with a sunken fire pit, and more.

The result is a beautiful fusion of cultures and styles in a Lowcountry setting. The home reflects the couple with the European influence of their upbringing blended with their mutual passion for the Latin culture of Miami, all within the bones of a midcentury-style home. 

StayGold

Grady Lambert just wanted to run across the country and change some lives. His run was cut short, but his mission has only just begun.

Somewhere out there, a miracle happened, and we all missed it. On that day, in that place, both details which remain a mystery, someone awoke from surgery with a new lease on life. A stranger’s skin had been grafted onto theirs, a bittersweet gift from beyond, granted by an organ donor.

When this person woke up and looked at their new skin, we have to assume their eyes were immediately drawn to their new tattoo. Inked on skin they weren’t born with, but now wear thanks to generosity of Grady Lambert, this person now forever bears a reminder from a man who sparked a movement: “Stay Gold.”

It’s something that Grady Lambert tried to live by, tried to live up to, as he made his way through this world. And after he passed on, it remains an indelible mark on anyone who hears his story.

‘He

just wanted to know adventure’

Grady Lambert grew up in Texas, the oldest of three boys. A scout from a young age, he approached life with an insatiable curiosity, exploring every speck of wilderness around his home, devouring books, movies and music, and restlessly discovering more about his world.

“I remember when he must have been about three years old, he climbed up on the counter, opened up the spice cabinet, and had every single spice on the

counter, just tasting them,” his mother Julie said. “He just wanted to know adventure.”

He shared those adventures with his brothers, a trio so inseparable they insisted on sharing a room growing up. “Growing up on 20-some acres in the middle of nowhere Texas, we only had each other. So we’d go on adventures, riding bikes, smashing windows at the junkyard, swimming in ponds, building tree houses and just getting into trouble,” younger brother Lee Van said. “We all found things to do together because that’s all you really had.”

That young lust for adventure would eventually fuel an epic cross-country road trip which took Grady and two friends from Oklahoma, where the family had relocated, clear across to Seattle. The former Boy Scout saw the region’s mountains, streams and beaches and immediately fell in love, calling the Pacific Northwest his adopted home.

But family was always crucial to Grady, so it was a joy to receive his youngest brother Stone as a roommate a few years later. They would attend Portland State University together, but when Stone moved on, Grady stayed.

“He found his place. He was happy there,” Julie said. “Until COVID.”

Grady had been working as a bartender, and with

LISTEN ALONG WITH GRADY

After he passed, friends compiled some of Grady’s favorite music from the road into the Spotify playlist “2,364 Miles.” You can listen here: open.spotify.com/playlist/3tPAE2rXUSYceDg2RZvmcL?si=0f3e7f27df2b4579

the restrictions and lockdowns of the pandemic, this active young man found himself with nothing to occupy his mind. Fortunately, Grady had always kept his mind as active as his body, and that active mind quickly seized on a plan to do some good in this world.

Despite never being much of a runner before COVID, Grady Lambert decided he was going to run across the country. Along the way, he was going to stop at as many hospitals as possible to spread his exuberant joy and zest for life.

Speaking on The Get Wild Podcast, Grady explained to host Kelsey Harrison the reasoning behind this run. “I was hearing all these amazing stories, both heartbreaking and heartwarming, of what nurses and doctors were dealing with every day on the front line,” he said. “And somewhere in the midst of all of that, I just had this insane idea of, ‘What if somebody did something to just recognize the enormity of what they’ve done?’”

4,482 miles

Summarizing the mission statement of his run from Cannon Beach Oregon to Hilton Head Island, Grady wrote the following on his Instagram:

“Over the course of the last few years, I’ve witnessed a significant decline in compassion for our fellow man and the weakening of the family unit. Both of which have been perpetuated by the COVID pandemic. Due to this, I am inspired to help. I am running across America to support those impacted by the pandemic. Until late 2022, I will continue the process of running to Hilton Head, South Carolina. A total of 4,482 miles. It is my mission to promote compassion

for one another, our environment, and our country.”

Hilton Head Island may seem like an arbitrary end point, but this island was actually dear to Grady’s heart. In fact, one of the first people he sought for advice was his father’s cousin, Jim Buser. Cut from the same outdoor adventurer cloth, Buser is the longtime owner of Sports Addiction, Old Town Bike Barn and Hilton Head by Boat.

“He approached me, and honestly I thought this was a crazy endeavor. He’d never really been running before,” Buser said. “He asked me, ‘How much should I run a week to get ready for this?’ I told him 100 miles, but he’d been doing 10-12. He literally ran himself into shape.”

Still, his parents weren’t surprised at all by Grady’s decision. And when he took off from Cannon Beach, they were there to drive his car back for him. He’d sold everything else in preparation for the trip. “The hardest thing for him to part with was his library,” Julie said. The view from the road

When Grady Lambert hit the road from Cannon Beach, with all his worldly possessions packed into a running stroller, he wasn’t alone for long. Not only was he constantly in touch with his family, but he found himself amassing followers on Instagram as he catalogued his journey. Each post would document something that had fascinated the young vagabond, be it a lonely house Grady determined was haunted (to which he added the hashtag #shirleyjackson, as a proud bookworm), or a friendly face who gifted him a bowl of soup.

In post after post, he documented the trip down through the winding hills of the Pacific Northwest, into the scratchy scrubland of California and across the American Southwest. Each snapshot was a story of a young man spending a little time with the road, sleeping on tarps when the desert made a tent too hot, spreading joy at hospitals and experiencing the joy and wonder of simply living in the moment.

His family also made regular stops to meet him along the way, following his adventures on GPS. His father Mark Lambert drove eight hours to Albuquerque, New Mexico to help Grady fix a flat tire on his stroller. He also surprised him with a visit in Gallup, Texas. “We had a great reunion,” Mark said. “That was some really, really good quality time with him. We took some great pictures before we parted, and it was great memory. I was really glad I made that trip.”

When Julie made her own trip out, she and her son were able to enjoy some

deep conversations. “He kept saying, ‘It’s just lonely. I’m lonely out here,’… but he was thankful,” Julie said. “I’m 92 percent sure that if he knew he was going to die while he was doing this, he would have done it anyway.”

Staying gold

On August 28, 2022, Grady Lambert was struck by a car on a lonely stretch of Texas highway outside Amarillo. His parents knew before the call even came that something was happening, watching their son’s dot on the GPS moving 90 mph as an ambulance took him to the hospital. When they received the devastating news, they drove to see their son as quickly as they could.

“Once I got into the room, there was so much … it wasn’t chaos, but the nurses wouldn’t talk to us. Reading the room, you could tell the stress they were under trying to keep him stabilized,” Julie said. The extent of his injuries was far too severe to be treated. His temperature rose to 106 degrees. Doctors had to remove part of his brain. It was time for difficult conversations. “Fortunately, there was no decision for us to make. We were just passing the decision on,” Julie said.

The decision, which Julie and Mark shared with Grady’s followers, was to allow doctors to harvest Grady’s body as one last act of selflessness. A proud organ donor, he had been fortunate enough to be among the handful of people who arrive at the hospital in a condition where they can do the most good for others. He was a giver until the end.

And while they waited for the doctors to come, his parents said their goodbyes. “The neurologists and doctors told us that even with a brain injury like that, the very last sense that a person loses is their sense of hearing,” Mark said. “So, everybody took advantage of that. We read all the cards and talked to him because we hoped he could hear us.”

Along with cards, they read some of the outpouring of support from social media. People Grady had encountered on the road shared stories of conversations they’d had. Hospitals he’d visited shared their love for Grady. Some followers began showing off their own memorials, “Stay Gold” tattoos they’d adopted in his honor.

“The most unique one, I think, was his fifth grade teacher, who happily sports her own,” Julie said. Run for Grady

Grady’s death did not stop him from giving the gift of life to as many people as he could. It also didn’t stop his quest to reach Hilton Head Island.

“As tragic as that was, the mindset of Mark and Julie spun that into a positive thing,” Buser said. “Then Julie told me that she’d talked to Grady just a week before and he’d said, ‘If something happens, I just want this finished.’”

Buser swung into action, calling his friends from all over the island, from Hilton Head Running Company and Broad Creek Marina to Creative Designs and Captain Woody’s. What they were able to create was the “Grady’s 5K “Run for GradyFinish This!” which will end at Coligny Beach June 10, but start where Grady left off in Amarillo.

“In my brain, I wanted to do it for Mark and Julie. I’m doing it partly for Grady, but also for the family,” Buser said. “They’re all coming.”

And you can join them for Grady’s 5K “Run for GradyFinish This!” when it hits the island June 10. Consisting of a 5K, a 1-mile walk of remembrance finishing Grady’s run, and a Grady-Fest after-party at Captain Woody’s, it will be a daylong celebration of a young man who lost his life trying to remind us all to stay gold. 

Sign up at runsignup.com/Race/SC/HiltonHeadIsland/ Gradys5K.

Break Through Barriers

MOVE WITH CONFIDENCE AT BENCHMARK PHYSICAL THERAPY

At Benchmark Physical Therapy, people of all ages and activity levels are empowered to start moving with assurance back into the areas of their lives where they may have lost confidence. Patients at Benchmark receive personalized treatment from a dedicated team of experts, no matter which location you visit.

“One-on-one attention and an individualized care plan are central to our ‘listen-and-adopt’ approach,” said Dr. Travis Robbins, PT, DPT, OCS, director of the May River clinic. “You’ll work with the same clinical team throughout your journey, building trust as you build strength, and at every Benchmark location, you’ll find professional, supportive, and results-driven therapists.”

Robbins has been at Benchmark for a little over a year after previously serving 20 years in the United States Army, where he earned his doctorate in physical therapy as well as his board certification as an orthopedic clinical specialist. While he

specializes in rehabilitation of the spinal column, Robbins also practices therapeutic dry needling, which is a Western version of acupuncture.

“With dry needling, unlike acupuncture— which uses an Eastern approach focusing on the chakra systems and meridians of the body and can be a bit vague—dry needling takes a more direct approach by inserting the needles into the specific tissues of the body where the patient is experiencing pain in order to assist and speed up healing,” he explained.

The scientific theory behind dry needling is the use of precise and controlled levels of inflammation created by needling the tissue, which prompts the body to heal the areas that are being treated.

“In truth, different levels of inflammation are what keep our bodies running properly, and we need a certain amount of inflammation to heal and function,” Robbins said. “So, we insert the

Dr. Travis Robbins has instituted Hawaiian-shirt

Fridays at the Bluffton location of Benchmark Physical Therapy.

needles to create just a little—but not too much—inflammation that in turn triggers the body to begin to heal and allow for soothing that area.”

Additionally, Robbins utilizes manual therapy in his practice. As a boardcertified orthopedic physical therapist, he is the only doctor in the Bluffton, Beaufort, and Hilton Head area qualified to perform functional capacity evaluations, which are used for patients who may have been injured on the job or in accidents.

“Many times, attorneys, physicians, and employers require disability ratings for people injured on the job,” he explained. “They may need testing

to reveal how the patient is functioning or where they’re still having trouble. It’s a standardized battery of tests that determines if the individual can return to work safely and resume their job, if they need to return with modifications, or if they’re not able to return to work in their previous capacity and need some form of adjustments to their work.”

There are currently five Benchmark locations across the area, with clinics that are purposefully smaller to create an environment that fosters relationships with patients that they may not experience at larger clinics. Benchmark patient care is tailored to the individual in order to achieve the best results possible.

“The Benchmark mission is compassionate, expert care.” Robbins said. “I know that, especially at the May River clinic where I am the director, we do this well. We care for and know our patients in a way that allows us to provide the highest quality of care in the area.”

Benchmark therapists and therapy assistants offer outpatient physical therapy for patients who’ve experienced injuries to their knees, ankles, or back, as well as patients with any neuromusculoskeletal conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis. But timeliness is key to recovery.

“When you begin to have musculoskeletal aches and pains or sustain and injury, don’t wait,” Robbins said. “Get an evaluation with a physical therapist early on before it becomes a chronic, lingering condition. Early treatment allows for faster recovery, and you can regain your health and get back to the things you enjoy more quickly. The longer you wait to treat an injury, the harder it is to fully recover.”

Many insurance companies will cover physical therapy treatment for 30 days with no medical referral required. Medicare patients and some insurance providers require a physician referral for covered visits, however urgent care clinics can write referrals without the delay a patient may experience while waiting for an appointment with their primary care doctor. 

The staff at Benchmark Physical Therapy is always growing, and they are always looking to add both physical therapists and physical therap y assistants to their team. For more information about Benchmark or to apply for a job at a location near you, visit benchmarkpt.com.

Grant Backus’ Story Growthof

THE HEAD SUPERINTENDENT FOR FIRST TEE-THE LOWCOUNTRY EXEMPLIFIES THE TRANSFORMATIVE SPIRIT OF THE ORGANIZATION.

The beauty of something like The First Tee is how it can come to mean so much to so many.

There will be kids who enter into one of their programs, either at school or at their expansive Gumtree Road facility, and simply learn to be better golfers. And there’s nothing wrong with that – even though it just scratches the surface of what First Tee offers, it can be an important skill later on in life or at the very least can keep a child active.

But then, there will be the kids who find themselves transformed for the better by these programs. These are the kids who will not only fine-tune their approach shot and their short game, but will also discover an entirely new way of looking at life. The lessons they take away from First Tee will about far more than just the game of golf, staying with them long after they’ve left the course.

And that’s the key component that sets The First Tee apart. Alongside instruction from seasoned golf professionals, students are taught about the nine core values of the organization - Honesty, Integrity, Responsibility, Respect, Courtesy, Sportsmanship, Judgment, Perseverance, and Confidence.

“I think most people will say that golf builds character. I think that’s not necessarily true unless you’re very intentional about it. And that’s what we do,” said Pat Zuk, Executive Director for First Tee-The Lowcountry.

But it’s not just the students whose lives are changed by First Tee. Ask any instructor and they’ll tell you that the rewards they get from working with these kids are vast. But if you ask First Tee’s superintendent, Grant Backus, and he’ll tell you how First Tee has had a profound impact on his life.

A native of Ohio, he graduated from The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Wooster Campus with a degree in turf management. Like many of his fellow Buckeye natives, he got here as quickly as he could, starting in Palmetto Dunes. It was there he met his wife Stephanie, and it was while pursuing his career that he welcomed his son Grady eight years ago.

And it was still a calling that excited him every day, until it all fell apart.

“I was out of work in 2020 when everything shut down during the COVID pandemic,” he said. “First Tee picked me up when I was in a difficult place.”

Finding purpose in First Tee who brought him on to serve as superintendent, allowed him to pursue his calling while the world was on lockdown. “It was great to be on the team and just being able to work in golf during the pandemic.”

It not only allowed his dream to survive, it allowed his dream to thrive. Bolstered by the opportunity First Tee-The Lowcountry had given him, he dug into his entrepreneurial spirit and Backus Turf Services was born. You’ll still find him tending the greens at First Tee and other places such as Shipyard, but now he’s doing it for himself, standing on his own two feet thanks to a hand up from First Tee.

“It was an uncertain time, but it turned out to be a huge blessing,” he said. “I’m so grateful for what First Tee did.”

To see the results of Backus’ hard work and dedication, visit the First Tee Par-3 campus located at 151 Gum Tree Road. Open to everyone for practice or play 7 days a week. Visit https:// firstteelowcountry.org/about/facility for more information.

Fun in the Sun for everyone

Pockets Full of Sunshine hosts annual event

A happy group of 2022 Fun in the Sun for Everyone participants

Since 2014, Pockets Full of Sunshine (PFS), 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, has been working to make the Lowcountry a “sunnier place” by providing social and vocational opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities, known as “Rays.” The name was inspired by recycled material from an automotive label company that looks like a small yellow sunshine. The sunshines are recycled and re-purposed by adults with

disabilities who turn them into greeting cards, gift tags, magnets, stationery and so much more. Funds raised support community-based activities and vocational opportunities, such as screen printing, for adults with special needs.

“Our ultimate goal is to provide programs to enhance the lives of Rays by increasing exposure and interactions within the community, promoting independence, growth, a sense of belonging, and

personal pride,” said Laurin Rivers, co-founder with Dayna Dehlinger and partnering with Carol and RJ Bartholomew. “Our annual Fun in the Sun for EVERYONE event embodies these ideals.”

Fun in the Sun for EVERYONE is scheduled for Friday, June 9, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and includes beach activities for people with special needs, their families, and friends. All ages and abilities are invited to join in the community fun. The event will be held beachfront at the Marriot Surf Watch Resort.

Representatives from the Miss Hilton Head Island and Miss Bluffton organizations joined in on the fun.

Brian Ciccantelli proudly riding a wave with the assistance of volunteer Andrew Jeffrey.

Samantha Silver poses with the ever popular Fun in the Sun mermaid.

This annual event not only kicks off the summer for the Rays, but it gives all community members, no matter their age or ability, the opportunity to enjoy the beach in a safe and inclusive setting. Activities at the event will include paddle boarding, boogie boarding, surfing, sandcastle building contest, kites, face-painting, DJ Crush spinning tunes, food, drinks, and more.

In the State of South Carolina, special needs students can attend high school until they are 21 years of age. After 21, they experience a steep decline in services programs and opportunities, which is why Rivers and Dehlinger started PFS.

“Our desire is to try to bridge the gap into adulthood and offer opportunities and meaningful things to do, so that they can be active participants in our community,” Rivers said. “Everyone deserves that.”

Fun in the Sun for EVERYONE was built off a 2015 Special Needs Surf Day, started by local high school surfer James Bartholomew, who wanted to provide a fun day of surfing for his sister Sally and her classmates with special needs.

“James felt very inspired to invite Sally and her classmates to the beach to surf and play because he recognized that many of them had probably never experienced anything similar,” Rivers said. He recruited some of his surfer friends to come with him to teach Sally and her friends how to surf on donated boards. They spent the entire afternoon just playing around in the waves and helping them all get up on the boards. It was so wonderful and inclusive that we decided there and then to make this an annual event.”

This event that began with about 50 people celebrating beach life with the Rays has now grown into a bigger celebration that includes between 250 and 300 people from all over—even as far away as Charleston—with many special needs families planning their vacations around Fun in the Sun.

“We realize that the beach can be intimidating for people with special needs, especially if mobility issues make it difficult to access,” Rivers said. “We try to make it as accessible as possible for everyone. Each year, we have families come that say, ‘Oh, we’ve never taken our child to the beach, or they’ve never actually gotten into the ocean before.’ It’s always really cool to witness those experiences.”

Pre-registration for Fun in the Sun for EVERYONE is encouraged so participants can request a T-shirt size and sign the event waiver. Volunteers should also register in advance on the website. Lifeguards and volunteers will be included in the event to ensure a safe environment for all. Adult/caregiver supervision is required for all attendees. Shuttles from the parking lot to the beach will be provided, and the beach is wheelchair accessible. 

Visit pocketsfullofsun.org for more information and to register online.

THE HOTTEST STAGE IN TOWN ONCE AGAIN FILLS THE SOUTH END AIR WITH THE SWEET SOUNDS OF LOCAL MUSIC.

f there’s a soundtrack to summer on Hilton Head Island, it has to sound an awful lot like Coligny’s Center Stage. Not just the laughter of kids playing across the street at the award winning Coligny Beach. Not just the buzz of excited visitors experiencing Hilton Head’s downtown for the first time. Not just the laughter of longtime locals catching up over a visit to their favorite restaurant.

All those sounds are there, of course. But the true sound of summer can only be captured at the wide main stage at the heart of Coligny. Here, shaded by the boughs of live oaks and with throngs of shoppers criss-crossing the nearby pathways, some of the best live local music on the island is waiting to go on.

“There’s so much that makes Coligny a special place for both locals and visitors,” said Coligny owner JR Richardson. “There are all the great places for shopping, of course, and our fantastic restaurants. But a large part of the appeal has always been our support for local music. It’s why you’ll always hear something new every time you visit.”

Just as they have in years past, Coligny is opening up their center stage every day this summer for some of the Lowcountry’s most popular musical acts. Each day offers a different show, from the Southern stomp sounds of John Cranford to the fun and festive kids’ show performances put on by Jevon Daly.

“The coolest thing about my summer shows at Coligny is that kids can participate or they can just sit and enjoy the show. But it’s definitely uber interactive and in your face,” said Daly. “Everyone there has sand in their pants anyway so we may as well sing about it. I encourage people to jump out of their skin at these shows.”

Cranford and Daly join a who’s who of musical acts that have come to define Hilton Head Island’s sound. Stop in one

day and you might get a chance to hear Mike Kavanaugh, the extraordinarily versatile guitarist who can bring a crowd to its feet with music ranging from The Beatles to Stone Temple Pilots. He’ll be center stage when he’s not at one of the many restaurant and bar residencies that fill his schedule.

“There are more musicians playing all at once at Coligny Plaza than anywhere else on the island, but the sound never overlaps,” he said. “I love to walk around on my break and hear all my great musician friends.”

Coligny’s summer concerts will also include one of the most popular duos on the island performing as solo acts. As the dual members of Pretty Darn, Kyle Wareham and Nick Poulin have emerged as one of the biggest acts on the island. At Coligny, these two will get a chance to explore their own unique sounds.

“There’s a good energy in Coligny during the summer. Playing in the heart of the island at peak season is a great opportunity to connect with people,” said Poulin. “Hopefully they’ll take the original music we play back home with them!”

Summer concerts run every day at Coligny’s center stage starting at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit colignyplaza. com/events. 

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Sundays: Jevon Daly Kids’ Show

Mondays: John Cranford & Friends

Tuesdays: Kyle Wareham

Wednesdays: Jevon Daly Kids’ Show

Thursdays: Nick Poulin

Fridays: Jevon Daly Kids’ Show

Saturdays: Mike Kavanaugh

Nick Poulin →

More Than a Policy

FINDING THE RIGHT INSURANCE ADVISOR KEY TO PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS

Your assets are important to you. And the way you insure them matters, especially when they represent all your investments, hard work, and energy. Whether trying to insure property in multiple states, complicated risks, or multiple prized collections, there is an underlying approach that consumers tend to take to protect their investments that has been reinforced for years by lazy insurance providers and speculative internet bloggers.

Instincts may prompt you to try this standard but outdated approach: calling five or six insurance brokers, asking them to quote with various carriers, doing some additional online comparison, and maybe even checking out rates for online insurance options. With all this information, you then try to determine which program offers the best protection for the cost. This idea that the more carriers, brokers, and companies you compare (the more options you uncover) the better the result has permeated the insurance marketplace seemingly forever.

However, this approach actually creates more work for you, the consumer! Why?

All those brokers you originally contacted likely reached out to the same carriers for

quotes, especially if they are established in the high net worth personal lines space. They all have access to the same markets, offering Chubb, Pure, AIG, Berkeley One, Vault, and Cincinnati. You then are left with the unwelcome task of trying to determine a program based on prices and plans alone, and not having an experienced agent on your side to talk you through the ins and outs of what you are looking at.

With everyone having the same markets, how can you avoid this confusion?

THE RIGHT WAY

Instead of asking for quotes upfront, interview your potential agent. While all brokers might have access to the same companies, that does not mean their experience in putting together customized solutions is identical.

To ensure you are with the right insurance advisor, be sure to ask your broker the following questions:

1. What does the business operation look like? Who will be handling your program details on a day to day basis? Who will be the person answering your phone calls whenever you need something?

2. Is the company able to handle all your specific coverage needs, whether they be on a national or international property?

3. How is client communication handled with the company? How often will you hear from your insurance advisor? What are your communication expectations, and can the advisor meet them?

4. Does your advisor have an in-house claims department? Or do they rely on the carrier’s claim center?

5. Does your advisor have any advanced certifications showing they specialize in the areas of risk that matter the most to you?

6. Wherever your properties are located, is your advisor experienced on the different risk factors in those specific regions, whether they be flood, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, etc.?

7. What level of experience does your advisor have in insuring collections, such as fine arts, jewelry, cars, etc.?

8. Is the relationship between your advisor and the insurance carrier close enough to work in your favor? When your agent knows executive management, you can rely on them working on behalf of their clients to make the impossible possible.

In the end, all insurance advisors will get access to the similar pricing and options from the carrier partners. You will pay close to the same amount, especially in the high-end space, regardless of the insurance advisor you pick.

The decision for you to make is determining which advisor will work for you and your assets, ensuring you are getting more than just a policy, but an entire team committed to keeping you and your assets safe. Take time to hire your insurance advisor with care, and the comfort and security you feel will be worth taking this alternate approach.

Robert Kerdasha is managing director of Assured Partners’ Bluffton office, specializing in high net worth personal lines of insurance. For a customized insurance solution that fits your personal needs, contact him at (843) 405-8270 or Robert.Kerdasha@assuredpartners.com.

IT’S HURRICANE SEASON: MAKE A PLAN, BUILD A KIT, STAY INFORMED

The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30. So, just like you pack your bags with towels, snacks, toys, and chairs for a visit to the beach, you must think about packing your bag in preparation for any hurricane disaster we could face.

Communities along the coast of South Carolina, including Hilton Head Island, are vulnerable and face the most significant threat from these treacherous storms. As a coastal town, we stay vigilant throughout the season. But before the season begins, our emergency manager, Tom Dunn, leads our staff through training exercises and ensures the town is prepared. Likewise, we encourage our community residents, visitors, and businesses to take the necessary precautions.

The Town has developed comprehensive plans to respond effectively to disasters, including strategies to expedite and ease our recovery efforts by establishing an emergency reserve account to fund these activities and amending our Land Management Ordinance to facilitate a rapid re-establishment of our community following a hurricane or other disaster.

In the event of a potential or actual storm strike, you play a vital role in a successful pre- and post-disaster scenario. Therefore, we want you to be prepared for whatever comes our way. Our message for disaster preparation is simple: make a plan, build an emergency kit, and stay informed. Following these three tips is the best way to protect your family from the effects of a disaster.

The town has created a handy pocket guide—the Emergency

Preparedness Field Guild—and a more extensive Guide to Emergency Preparedness. Both are available on the town’s website at hiltonheadislandsc.gov and contain helpful information to understand the impact of disasters and how to plan for them.

In your planning, you should assume that essential services such as electricity, water, gas, and telephones may not be available for some time. This is why it is critical for everyone to:

Learn the threats that we face on Hilton Head Island.

• Know what actions and precautions you should

HURRICANE SEASON: PREPARE FOR THE WORST, HOPE FOR THE BEST

The last real scare of a hurricane happened in 2016, and since that date, we have seen thousands of residents replaced with new ones. So, it is important to consistently remind everyone that this is the time to prepare for potential storms.

As hurricane season approaches (official start date June 1), the Town of Bluffton wants to remind you that preparation is the key to making it through the storm with the best possible outcome. Here are some tips:

Before the storm

Make sure all personal information, contact information, medical information, and important documents (insurance policies, bank accounts, Social Security cards, certificates of birth, death, and/ or marriage, pet records, and wills) are up to date and in a secure location.

• Have at least a two-week supply of prescription medications on hand.

• Have a spare pair of glasses, cane, crutches, or any other assistance device ready. Gather flashlights, portable radios, and plenty of batteries.

• Have at least $200 in cash, in small bill denominations.

• Gather all pet supplies and medications, along with any vaccination records.

take before, during, and after an emergency.

• Use common sense, follow official instructions, and stay informed.

• Take a first aid and CPR course.

• Build an emergency kit.

• Use our field guide to make an emergency plan based on your needs or situation. It includes helpful checklists and sections for your individualized plan information.

Emergency Manager Tom Dunn also makes himself available to give presentations about emergency preparedness to local businesses and organizations and at community meetings. It is an excellent opportunity to ask questions and learn firsthand about the town’s experiences with hurricanes and our efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from them. If you want to schedule a presentation, contact our Fire Rescue Emergency Management Office at (843) 682-5156. 

A Note from Lisa Sulka continued

• Put together a first aid kit for minor injuries.

Fill all your gas tanks and any gas cans.

• Test your generator.

• Keep a paper copy of all important phone numbers.

Take a home inventory of all valuables, either on paper or by taking a video while doing a walk-through of your home.

Arrange for a place to stay when you evacuate, and make sure you have a backup plan in case of changes due to the storm’s path.

When you evacuate, be sure power is turned off to your house at the breaker and gas and water lines are turned off at the main valve.

After the storm

Check reliable, local news sources— both the county and the town will coordinate on getting info out quickly. The town will share on all social media updates and will also provide a Spanish translation.

• Wait until the area has been declared safe by first responders. Do not rush to get back home. Beware of detours, road closures, and flooding.

When you return

Assess the damage to your home and property.

• Check electric, gas, and water connections to your home. Take pictures or video of any damage.

• Only use generators outdoors and away from windows.

We always want to prepare for the worst but hope for the best, and we are prepared if we do see storms this season. 

Forrest Fire BBQ

In December of 2021, I got an invite to come try some food. The location wasn’t a secret, but the nature of the food kinda/ sorta was. I wasn’t given too many details. There were no secret knocks or passwords to remember, so I assumed it was safe.

“Wednesday at 7. See you then.”

Fair enough.

That night, the tiny group—maybe seven of us total—was treated to some of the best BBQ I’d ever had. Brisket, pulled pork, chicken wings and more. Phenomenal didn’t even begin to describe it.

The group, which included a couple of chefs from across the region, sat around talking shop for a couple of hours. I had opinions, sure, but I mostly listened. I’ve never claimed to be a chef, don’t even play one on TV. So, when I am in the presence of serious talent, I prefer to listen. And I did.

The tweaks and suggestions were minimal. Everyone in attendance agreed we were enjoying a superior product. If this concept could get off the ground, Hilton Head Island was in for a treat.

BBQ pork is on the menu, along with brisket, smoked chicken, ribs and more.

Well, 18 or so months after that mid-week gathering, Forrest Fire BBQ is not only off the ground, but open to the public at Coligny Plaza. The pitmaster behind it all? Scott Bodkin, middle name Forrest. Do you see what he did there?

“All of this is inspired by my childhood in Kentucky,” Bodkin said. “I’ve just always had a passion for it.”

Bodkin knew he couldn’t do it alone, so during his tenure as Corporate Chef for FISH and Local Pie, he found a home with owner JR Richardson and restaurateur Lee Lucier. Between Richardson’s branding and development,

Lucier’s experience building concepts and Bodkin’s talent with the smokers, they believe they have an explosive combination. I think they are right.

“He’s so passionate,” Lucier said of Bodkin, “near obsession with getting it perfect every time. We spent so much time the last two years talking about what this would look like and how we would execute it—testing smokers, testing product. So much work has gone into this.”

You can sense their excitement as the smiles on their faces say it all. I’m not sure how many brand-new restaurants would be this excited about opening days before the teeth

of the summer hits. These guys were almost giddy when I was there a few days before their opening.

The space they’ve filled very nicely is the previously little-used spot behind FISH, in the heart of Coligny Plaza. You know the one, right behind the outdoor bar on your way to Rita’s. They could comfortably seat about 70 indoors. There will be a few more seats outside.

So, what about the BBQ? Dual large screen menus will hang on the wall at the top of the cafeteria style serving line. You grab a tray and make your way down the line, getting some of this and some of that—just like in grade school. At the end of the line, you grab a dessert and pay for it all. The dining room is open seating.

I already mentioned that the proteins are all outstanding. Bodkin will tell you his favorite is the brisket. I can attest to said brisket being five-alarm awesome. Lucier, meanwhile, isn’t a fan of making it. Why? Simple enough: He didn’t grow up with it in Kentucky. He is indifferent about it. He’s been told, however, that it is too darn good to not offer.

Lucky you.

Same with desserts. Lots of Jell-O in a few different flavors, inspired by holidays at Bodkin’s grandmother’s house. This is not your average Jell-O. Trust me on that one. You may not love it, but you have to try it.

At the back of the room is the full liquor bar. Forty different bourbons adorn the wall behind it. Bourbon bar? Meh, they aren’t claiming to be. They have a bar with a few dozen bourbons, how about that?

Planning a trip down here? The menus on the wall are directly linked to their social media and their website. When they run out of a particular item, it will update in the store and online immediately. That allows you to take a peek at what they might have left if you are in the area and care to stop by. Of course, it won’t tell you how much they have left, so proceed with caution.

“We are planning to smoke meats twice,” Lucier said. “Some will be done in the morning for lunch and the others about 4 p.m. for dinner. There’s no way we are going to have meats come off the smoker at 10 a.m. and still serve them at dinner time.”

Good call.

That doesn’t mean they won’t sell out. I am here to tell you they will. When word gets out, I think it could happen regularly in the summer. At that point, this, like any other legit BBQ joint out there, is done. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Just make sure you get some soon. You will eat it and like it! 

This & That

A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items. You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email maggie@ch2cb2magazine.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

On May 6, the Hilton Head Hospital Auxiliary gave $20,000 to University of South Carolina Beaufort to support nursing scholarships. The Hilton Head Hospital Auxiliary provides financial assistance to those seeking advanced education in healthcare fields, with a focus on nursing students in the Lowcountry. The Hilton Head Hospital Auxiliary started the scholarship fund to attract new students and to help address the local nursing shortage.

The donation comes from money raised at the Hilton Head Auxiliary’s thirty-sixth annual golf tournament, which, this year, will be held November 27-28, 2023, at the Harbour Town Golf Links and the Wexford Golf Club. The tournament has raised more than $1 million in net revenue over its history and is the longest running local charity golf tournament on Hilton Head Island.

To learn more about the Annual Hospital Auxiliary Golf Tournament visit hhiaux.org/annualgolf-tournament.

The fourth annual Hilton Head Chamber Music Institute, an educational program of HHSO, will be held June 7-17 at SoundWaves and other venues on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton. The Institute is led by artistic directors Carolyn Huebl and Felix Wang from Vanderbilt University and staffed by Shannon Thomas from Florida State University and Caroline Coade from the University of Michigan and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Sixteen high school string musicians from 11 different states, selected via an audition process, will participate. Watch for future announcements on free community concerts.

For more information, please contact Judy Gimbel at Judy.chambermusic@gmail.com or (843) 363-2718.

The Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute will open its sixteenth summer season with the iconic Broadway musical, A Chorus Line. Set on the stage of a Broadway chorus audition, A Chorus Line explores the untold stories of the talented performers who dream of a life on the Broadway stage. From the exhilarating auditions to the grueling rehearsals, the characters’ homes, dreams, and struggles come to life on stage, creating a tapestry of human emotions that has made this Pulitzer Prize-winning story a staple of the American musical theatre.

A Chorus Line runs June 23-July 2 at the Hilton Head Island High School Seahawk Cultural Center at 26 School Road. Friday and Saturday showtimes are 7:30 p.m., and Sunday showtimes are 1 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at HHISummerMusicals.com or by calling (866) 749-2228.

This & That

A Series of Fortunate Events, interesting news and a hodge-podge of other items. You know…this and that! If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email maggie@ch2cb2magazine.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Teens ages 14-17 are invited to join Kelsey Watson Reid of Pilates Hilton Head as she takes you through a six-class session of fundamentals of Pilates, learning all you need to know about using weight resistance to safely improve balance, coordination, posture, muscle tone, core strength, and flexibility. If you are active in sports or dance, these exercises can significantly help improve your performance.

The first session is June 12-29, with classes Mondays and Wednesdays at 2 p.m. The second session is July 10-26, with classes Mondays and Wednesdays at 2 p.m.

The cost of each six-class session is $120. Classes are limited to six teens, ages 14-17. Grab a friend and sign up today! Advance payment is required.

Call (843) 715-4545 or email Info@PilatesHiltonHead.com for more information.

Pressley Ann Childs, a senior at Heritage Academy, was selected to receive a $2,500 STAR Scholarship from the P.E.O. Sisterhood. She was recommended by P.E.O. Chapter AG of Hilton Head Island.

The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship was established in 2009 to provide scholarships for exceptional women in their final year of high school to attend an accredited postsecondary educational institution in the U.S. or Canada in the next academic year. The competitive STAR Scholarship is for women who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities, community service and potential for future success.

This & That

If you would like to submit something for this special section, please email maggie@ch2cb2magazine.com. If we have room and it’s appropriate for public consumption, we’ll be happy to oblige.

Outside Brands has appointed Jennifer Messier as their new director of risk management and strategy. Messier started working for Outside Brands as the director of special projects. Her new role involves developing and implementing risk management programs throughout the company to ensure that risk factors are considered in the strategic planning process as well as daily decision making.

Music enthusiasts and supporters of affordable housing will come together for an unforgettable evening of music, community, and philanthropy at the muchanticipated concert, “Harmony for Homes.” This charitable event presented by SERG and headlined by Mac Powell, former front man and lead singer of the legendary, four-time, Grammy Award-winning band, Third Day, will take place on Wednesday, June 28, from 7-9 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Hilton Head Island. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at habitathhi. org/harmonyforhomes.

The Hilton Head Prep Boys Varsity Tennis Team defeated Spartanburg Day to become the 2023 SCISA 3A State Champions for the third year running. After an impressive undefeated 16-0 season, the boys traveled to the Cayce Tennis Center on Friday May 5 to compete, winning five of their six singles matches to clinch the title.

The Swingin’ Medallions, known as “The Party Band of the South,” will perform at the Jasper County Farmers Market, Friday, June 9 at 8 p.m. Celebrated for their signature hit song, “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love,” which Bruce Springsteen once called, “the greatest fraternity rock song of all time,” the Swingin’ Medallions, are from Greenwood, S.C.

The band has been energizing crowds at colleges, festivals, reunions, and beach venues almost continuously since 1962. They blend the sounds of yesterday and today and this is their fourteenth summer-opening concert in Ridgeland.

Gates will open at 7 p.m., with the concert starting at 8. Advance admission is $20. Tickets purchased at the gate on concert night will be $30. Advance tickets may be purchased by calling the Jasper County Chamber of Commerce at (843) 726-8126.

This & That

Outside Brands has appointed Jessie Madden as their new director of retail. Madden brings 20 years of retail and management experience to the Outside retail team. She oversees all three Outside retail locations, Hilton Head Island, Palmetto Bluff, and Savannah.