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| Issue 1.06 | Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 | Forward to your friends! |
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FEEDBACK THE
LIST GOOD
NEWS ALSO INSIDE ___::
CALENDAR: Coming events |
ABOUT US CharlestonCurrents.com is a new online twice-weekly publication that offers insightful community comment and good news on events. It cuts through the information clutter to offer insight and news on the best of what's happening locally. More. |
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TODAY'S
FOCUS NOV. 20, 2008 -- It's easy to lose sight of healthy habits over the holidays. Putting aside 30 minutes or an hour to exercise almost every day seems next to impossible for some of us, especially as the holidays approach. And who isn't tempted by special treats, family favorites and party fare?
Here are some tips for making sure that health and fitness don't take a back seat during the time of year when we need them the most:
The holidays are a time to celebrate - family, friends and special times to cherish. Modify your wellness goals to include giving yourself permission to enjoy the occasion. Maintaining your weight over the holidays is an accomplishment in itself; trying to lose weight during this time might be setting yourself up for failure. Keep this in mind and you'll find pleasure, not guilt, in allowing yourself to enjoy the festivities. Meredith Nelson, M.Ed, is the owner of PrimeTime Fitness, Inc., on Sullivan's Island. ANN
THRASH NOV. 20, 2008 -- Most of us have happy memories of a parent reading us a story when we were young, and most likely we kept those memories alive by reading to our own children or nieces or nephews when we grew up. Reading together, one on one, is a timeless way to strengthen family bonds, spend quiet time together and pass along a tradition from one generation to the next.
But adults who can't read can't make those kinds of memories with their children - and, because patterns of reading and literacy tend to be passed along in families, future generations miss out, too. In the Charleston area, the Trident Literacy Association has been working for 36 years to change that. Now, thanks to a special book drive, all of us who love reading - and loved being read to - can help the agency's adult students share the pleasure of reading with their families at the holidays and beyond. Trident Literacy recently kicked off a book drive to collect new or gently used children's books that its adult students can give to their children. "We believe literacy is a family affair," says Eileen Chepenik, the nonprofit group's executive director. "Many of our students do not have books in their homes. By giving them books for their children, we encourage parents to read with their children, and that improves everyone's reading abilities." Chepenik
says that when literacy levels are low for parents, they tend to be low
for children, too. "The book drive helps us to promote not just reading,
but parenting, and interactive parenting skills such as reading with children,"
she says.
In Charleston,
Berkeley and Dorchester counties, one adult in five is functionally illiterate
- unable to perform daily-life tasks that that most of us take for granted,
such as looking up a number in the phone book, reading the label on a
bottle of medicine or filling out an application for a driver's license
or a job. Trident
Literacy's staff and its 200 volunteers work to provide those life-changing
skills to approximately 2,500 adults (age 17 and older) each year, teaching
reading, writing, math, English as a Second Language and basic computer
skills, as well as preparing students to take the GED. Teaching
someone how to read: Now that's a gift that keeps on giving.
For more information, go to http://www.tridentlit.org or call 747-2223. Ann Thrash is editor of CharlestonCurrents.com. You can reach her by email at: editor@charlestoncurrents.com. FEEDBACK
SPOTLIGHT
The public spiritedness of our underwriters and nonprofit partners allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents.com to you at no cost. This issue's featured nonprofit partner is the Lowcountry Food Bank, which was founded in 1983 as a clearinghouse for donated food items. The Food Bank, which receives more than 10 million pounds of donated food annually, seeks to feed the poor and hungry of the ten coastal counties of South Carolina by soliciting and distributing healthy food and grocery products to nonprofit agencies serving the poor, and to educate the public about the problems of and solutions to domestic hunger. For more, visit the Food Bank online at: http://www.lcfbank.org.
GOOD
NEWS
Rock for
a Hero, a concert to benefit the family of Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Taylor,
will be held Nov. 21 at the Music
Farm, 32 Ann St., Charleston. Taylor, a 25-year-old former Summerville
resident and Fort Dorchester High School student, died Sept. 21 in Iraq
after being wounded by small-arms fire. He is survived by a wife and three
daughters, and his parents, who live in Hanahan. Mark Bryan, guitarist for Hootie and the Blowfish, will be the emcee and will give a special performance. Local bands scheduled to play are The Plainfield Project, Mental Note and Henry's Attic. The doors
open at 7:30 p.m., and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in
advance, $12 the day of the show, or $25 for VIP tickets. To
buy tickets online, click
here. A special program at the College of Charleston is giving some local middle-school students a chance to combine fun with learning and get a taste of college programs.
Through "Cougars in the Know," approximately 25 students from each of three schools -- McClellanville Middle, Haut Gap Middle and Burke Middle -- will take part in learning activities at college facilities. Students recently visited the college's Grice Marine Laboratory (left) to tour the wet lab, use microscopes and help conduct some hands-on experiments, and in December, they'll travel to the Sottile Theatre at the college to see a performance of "A Christmas Carol." In January, students will visit the Avery Research Center for African-American History and Culture and attend a men's basketball game. "This program will expose students to new experiences and ideas that they may not have ever thought about," Program Director Debbie Counts says in a press release. "The students really seem to enjoy the events, and we hope their teachers will see a difference in their behavior and self-esteem. We hope to stay in touch with these students until they finish high school." 'I.O.U.S.A.' gets free showing at library tonight
"I.O.U.S.A.," the film that's been called " 'An Inconvenient Truth' for the economy," will be shown free at 6:30 p.m. today at the Charleston County Public Library, 68 Calhoun St. In the movie, which was released in August, veteran filmmaker Patrick Creadon ("Wordplay") examines the rapidly growing national debt and its alarming consequences for Social Security benefits, the military, overextended entitlement programs and America's debts to foreign countries. To see a trailer for the film, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBo2xQIWHiM&feature=related. The film also has its own Web site, http://www.iousathemovie.com. Business leaders needed to mentor young professionals Charleston
Young Professionals, an initiative of the Charleston Metro Chamber of
Commerce, is looking for experienced business professionals to be mentors
in its second mentor program, which begins Jan. 22.
The six-month
program gives young members of the business community a chance to learn
from business leaders and gain support and guidance, while offering mentors
an opportunity to strengthen ties with the young professional community.
Mentors will be paired with young professionals who have similar business
interests. The time
commitment for mentors involves personal meetings once a month with their
mentee and attendance at CYP events. CYP was
launched in 2006 as a part of ForwardCharleston, a regional economic development
strategy which recommended that the Charleston region establish a young
professionals network to increase the number of people ages 22-39 who
live and work in Charleston. The mission of CYP is to engage, cultivate
and empower young professionals by facilitating access to local industries
and government, constructive networking and professional development.
To find out more about CYP or the mentoring program, go to http://www.charleston-yp.com or call Lindsey Pakkala at 805-3102. The application deadline is Dec. 15. REVIEW
If you're looking for a great local book to help a child learn about our great city, browse no further than the first in a new series from Arcadia Kids - - Charleston, SC: Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know (Arcadia Press, $9.99). The 48-page book, filled with colorful graphics and pictures, provides answers that kids want to know: When was Charleston the fourth largest city in America? How old is the Angel Oak Tree? What is the pineapple a symbol for? Authored by Daniel Island resident Kate Boehm Jerome, the book also includes several pages on South Carolina history and facts. This book is fun, inexpensive and a perfect holiday stocking stuffer.
HISTORY
SPOTLIGHT Now extinct, the Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis) was a dove-sized (about thirty-five centimeters long) bird with a bright green body, yellow head, and orange face. Mark Catesby, an English naturalist living in Charleston, painted the parakeet in 1731, thus providing the first scientific description of the species. The species was abundant in early America, and its range extended to New York, Colorado, and Florida.
The Carolina parakeet was well-known for its ability to withstand harsh winters due to the winter availability of its main foods: cockleburs, thistle seeds, and sandspurs. The parakeets nested in tree hollows, usually in mature bottomland forests composed of cypress or sycamores. Although it is believed that a high fraction of the population did not breed each year, low reproductive rates may have been balanced by longevity. Many captive Carolina parakeets lived ten years, and one was believed to have attained thirty years. Several theories exist regarding what caused the extinction of the species, including hunting, loss of mature swamp forests, competition with imported honeybees for nest holes, reduced food supply, and disease. Disease has been generally accepted as the main cause. The parrots were highly social and often roosted together, which would explain the rapid spread of a disease. In the 1800s naturalists noted declines in parakeet numbers, and by 1900 it was apparent that the parakeet was rare outside southern Florida. One of the last verified sightings occurred in June 1938 when Warren and Hollie Shokes saw a pair with a young bird in the Santee River swamp of Georgetown County. Thus, South Carolina was the site of both the first sketch and a final sighting of the Carolina parakeet.
CREDITS CharlestonCurrents.com is provided to you twice a week by:
© 2008, Statehouse Report LLC. All rights reserved. CharlestonCurrents.com is published every Monday and Thursday by Statehouse Report LLC, PO Box 22261, Charleston, SC 29413. |
THE
LIST Here are the five newest acquisitions at the Gibbes Museum of Art:
More info: http://www.gibbesmuseum.org
"Of course, literacy is not an absolute essential for the Presidency. So far as I know, it is not anywhere written into the Constitution as a requirement, but somehow, I do feel more relaxed with a literate man in the White House." -- Dean Acheson (right in photo), secretary of state for President Harry S Truman, in "Plain Speaking." Meet Your Legislators: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 20, S.C. Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston. The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce has invited more than 330 local, state and federal elected officials to the event, which gives local residents a chance to speak directly with lawmakers about their concerns. Cost: $75 per person, or $55 Chamber member discount before Nov. 17. Click here to register. (NEW)
Rock
for a Hero: 8:30 p.m. Nov. 21, Music Farm, 32 Ann St., Charleston.
Concert to benefit the family of Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Taylor, a 25-year-old
former Summerville resident killed in September in Iraq. See Good
News for details. HCF Benefit Rug Sale: Nov. 20 to Nov. 23, Aiken-Rhett House, 48 Elizabeth St., Charleston. Peter Pap, a nationally renowned expert on Oriental rugs who frequently appears on the popular PBS series "Antiques Road Show," will exhibit some of the world's finest rugs at the sale. Portion of proceeds will benefit the Historic Charleston Foundation. Free and open to the public. Preview showing 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 20; show and sale hours 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 22; noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 23. More info: 723-1623 or visit http://www.historiccharleston.org. Grinch in Toe Shoes: Charleston Ballet Theatre's production of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." Performances at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 22; and 3 p.m., Nov. 23 at Charleston Ballet Theatre, 477 King St., Charleston. Part of CBT's Children's Series, sponsored by the Wachovia Foundation, the Henry and Sylvia Yaschik Foundation and the McNair Law Firm. $20 adults, $10 children. More info: 723-7334 or http://www.charlestonballet.org. CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON (NEW) Holiday Book Signing: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 23, Holliday Alumni Center, 69 Hagood Ave., Charleston. Second annual Lowcountry Women Authors Holiday Book Signing, sponsored by the Center for Women with Barnes & Noble, Mount Pleasant. More than 50 local female authors will autograph books. Light refreshments provided. Cost: $10 at the door. For a list of participating authors, click here. Faith Hope and Charity: Through Nov. 29, Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St., Charleston. PURE Theatre production of the play by Odon Von Horvath. Set in the socially and economically oppressed South during the Great Depression, the play tells the story of a young woman's struggle to survive. Tickets: $30. Call 723-4444 or click link for more info: http://www.puretheatre.org. Holiday Festival of Lights: Through Jan. 4, James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive, James Island. Millions of sparkling lights and hundreds of imaginative displays line a 3-mile drive through the park. Also includes marshmallow-roasting and activities for kids, gift shop and walking trail through Winter Wonderland. More info: http://www.holidayfestivaloflights.com. Also see more here. "Doctor Atomic" Simulcast: 12:30 p.m. Nov. 29, Charleston County Library Main Branch, 68 Calhoun St., Charleston. Free. Simulcast from the Metropolitan Opera, "Doctor Atomic" is John Adams' contemporary masterpiece exploring the story behind the creation of the atomic bomb and how it changed the course of history. Auditorium will be open 90 minutes before the simulcast to secure seats. More info: http://www.ccpl.org. 29th Annual Parade of Boats: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 6, Charleston Harbor. Lighted boats decorated for the holiday season parade through Charleston Harbor, followed by a fireworks display. View the procession along the waterfront or decorate your own boat and join the fun. Parade begins on the Mount Pleasant side of the harbor; viewing from the peninsula begins at 6:30 p.m. Fireworks at approximately 6:45 p.m. More info: 724-7305. Santa in the Swamp: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 6, Cypress Gardens, 3030 Cypress Gardens Road, Moncks Corner. Kids can greet Santa as he arrives in the swamp by flat-bottom boat. Holiday festivities include musical performances, a jump castle and free take-home crafts activities for kids. Handmade gift items will be available from local vendors, and a special "Santa Shop" for kids will feature gifts for less than $5. More info: 553-0515 or http://www.cypressgardens.info. CSO Gospel Christmas: 8 p.m. Dec. 6, Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, 77 Calhoun St. Charleston Symphony Orchestra musicians and the CSO Gospel Choir sing songs of the season under the direction of guest conductor Vincent Danner. Soloist: Jennifer Bynum. Tickets: $30. To purchase, click here. (NEW) Growing Up Gifted: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 13, Rooms 117 and 118, School of Education, Health and Human Performance at the College of Charleston Alumni Center, 86 Wentworth St. Educational session for parents of gifted children; speakers include local and state experts and advocates for programs for exceptional children. Reservations: Stacey Lindbergh, 437-1751 or slindbergh@homesc.com. In this section, we offer a list of good reads that you might want to consider reading:
FOCUS ARCHIVES 11/20:
Nelson:
Manageable health goals THRASH ARCHIVES 11/20:
Helping
with books BRACK ARCHIVES 11/17:
You
can recycle more than you think LIST ARCHIVES 11/20:
Gibbes'
newest acquisitions SISTER PUBLICATIONS We encourage you to check out our sister publications: SC Statehouse Report -- a weekly legislative forecast that keeps you a step ahead of what happens at the Statehouse. It's free. SC Clips -- a daily news compilation of South Carolina news from media sources across the state. Delivered by email about the time you get to work every business day. Saves you a lot of money and time. Sign up for a free trial subscription today. GwinnettForum -- an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.
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