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TODAY'S
FOCUS
Outreach Learning
Center connects families, resources
By
CHRISTY STEPHENSON
Program director
Outreach Learning Center at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church
Special to CharlestonCurrents.com
MAY
21, 2009 -- St. Matthew's Lutheran Church sits in the heart of inner-city
Charleston, where our neighbors range from the affluent to families
struggling to survive. Members recognized this need and undertook
a mission to serve God's people in our community by connecting families
with available resources, which led to the establishment of the
Outreach Learning Center in 2000.
Stephenson
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The
Outreach Learning Center at St. Matthew's encourages unity, respect
and self-reliance through job and life skills training, technology
instruction and English language acquisition. The center welcomes
everyone with a like mission and encourages caring for others through
community service, no matter the person's age or circumstance. Volunteers
are the heart of our programs. We do not discriminate by race, color,
creed, nationality, age, gender or sexual orientation.
The
Outreach Learning Center at St. Matthews Lutheran Church
downtown offers a variety of programs and services to meet
the needs of its neighbors everything from an emergency
food pantry to computer classes. (Photo provided.)
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Current
programs at the Outreach Learning Center include after-school programs,
English as a Second Language (ESL), GED preparation classes, computer
classes, an emergency food pantry and Respite Care Ministries.
The
eighth annual Afternoon Tea, a fundraiser for The Outreach Learning
Center at St Matthew's, will take place May 21 through May 31 at
the center, 403 King St across from Marion Square. The tea room
is open from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12:30
p.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.
The
event, held during the Spoleto Festival, features daily musical
entertainment, an art exhibit by the Charleston Artists Guild, a
gift boutique, and tours of the historic St Matthew's sanctuary.
This year's menu includes tea sandwiches, scones, gazpacho, green
salad, fruit and desserts along with a variety of teas. Carryout
items will be available by calling 478-7272. New this year is our
tent in Marion Square Park serving take-and-eat carryout items.
"The
Afternoon Tea is a fun and wonderful way to support our valued programs
at the Outreach Learning Center," said Michelle Royall, who
is co-chairing this year's event. "Our emergency food pantry
served nearly 900 people in 2008, while the Cinderella Project provided
dresses for 267 girls this year. AS Kids, our after-school program
for inner-city kids, continues to be a success. These are only few
of the programs that receive support through proceeds from the Afternoon
Tea."
The
tea opens with a cooking kickoff that will be held today in two
seatings, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., on the main floor of the Outreach
Learning Center. This event features demonstrations by gourmet chefs
from Caviar & Bananas along with a sampling of this year's tearoom
delicacies and live entertainment.
More
information on the Afternoon Tea and the Outreach Learning Center
at St Matthew's is available at http://www.connectinghands.org.
If you'd like to make a tearoom reservation for a group of 10 or
more, please call 579-0420. If you are interested in volunteering,
contact me at 579-0420, ext. 31.
Christy
Stephenson is the program director at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church's
Outreach Learning Center.
CURRENTS
This is the
weekend to visit a special place close to home
By
ANN THRASH, editor
MAY
21, 2009 -- Most of us who live in the Lowcountry are probably at
least a little guilty of ignoring or neglecting all the great attractions
that draw tourists to our backyard on a regular basis. There are
lots of sites here - Fort Sumter, Charles Towne Landing, the plantations,
etc. - that I've gone years, even decades, without visiting or revisiting.
Patriots Point was one of those sites, too, until Father's Day last
year.
Thrash
|
My
husband and I, along with my husband's brother, took my father-in-law
on a surprise visit to the Yorktown. My father-in-law lives in Summerville,
and we finagled a way to get him over to Mount Pleasant on the Saturday
of Father's Day weekend. We asked him to meet us at Alex's on Coleman
Boulevard for breakfast, then we surprised him with our plans to
see "the Fighting Lady" and the other ships at Patriots
Point. It had been years since any of us had been there - and none
of us had seen the Medal of Honor Museum, which opened the week
of Memorial Day in 2007.
If
you have a member of "the Greatest Generation" in your
family, it's especially memorable to tour Patriots Point with them.
Being on the Yorktown with my father-in-law, who served in the U.S.
Coast Guard, and my husband, who served in the Air Force, made me
truly regret that I had not thought to have the same experience
with my own father, a Naval architect who served in World War II.
Dad passed away about four months before the Medal of Honor Museum
opened, and while he, like many men of his era, didn't talk too
often about his experiences in the war, I think he would have really
enjoyed meeting and talking with the veterans who volunteer on the
ship and share their distinctive insights.
With
this being Memorial Day weekend, and with Father's Day and the Fourth
of July just ahead, there are some wonderful occasions coming up
to visit Patriots Point, whether it's for the first time or a repeat
visit. What a fitting way to thank the veterans in your family and
in our community for their service.
A
Last Supper, Part II: Andy
Brack's Monday column about what he and our friend Dave Shimp
would choose for their last meal got me thinking about what my choices
would be. Here they are -- and we'd
love to hear your selections as well. Mine are mostly old-school
as far as the local restaurant scene goes. Call me a traditionalist!
- Appetizer:
Chef Mike Lata's deviled eggs from FIG; the Great Fisher Roll
from sushi chef Dave at Bambu.
- Salad:
Chef Bob Waggoner's lola rossa leaves with caramelized pears,
blue cheese and a port wine reduction from his days at the Charleston
Grill (before he left to develop his own TV cooking show).
- Main
courses: Chef Frank Lee's barbecue tuna from Slightly North
of Broad and Chef Philip Bardin's shrimp and grits from the Old
Post Office at Edisto.
- Dessert:
Chef Robert Carter's coconut cake from Peninsula Grill.
- After-Dinner
Drinks: You'd find me at home on my back porch with some vintage
Madeira -- and I'd drink the whole bottle. Hey, if I've gotta
go, I want to go happy -- and feeling no pain!
Ann Thrash
is editor of CharlestonCurrents.com. She can be reached at: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
FEEDBACK
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a comment? Send it along
Our
policy:
We encourage readers to submit feedback or letters to the editor.
Send your thoughts to editor Ann
Thrash. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
One submission allowed per month.
Make sure to include your name and phone number. Submission of
a comment grants permission to us to reprint. Please keep your
comment to 200 words or less.
SPOTLIGHT
Joye Law Firm
The
public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents
to you at no cost. In this issue, we highlight the Joye Law Firm.
Committed to fighting for the rights of the wrongly injured in South
Carolina for more than 40 years, the experienced, dedicated personal
injury lawyers of the Joye Law Firm want to help you get every dollar
you truly deserve for the injuries you've suffered. Whether you've
been injured in an auto accident, by a defective product, in a nursing
home, or on the job, we may be able to help you. For more information,
contact Joye Law Firm at 843.554.3100 or visit online at:
http://www.joyelawfirm.com.
- To learn
more about all of our underwriters and nonprofit partners, click
here.
GOOD
NEWS
Women's
council honors Infinger, Barkley and Denaux
Trident
United Way's Women's Leadership Council named three Lowcountry women
as the inaugural winners of its leadership awards earlier this week.
Yvonne Infinger, Nella G. Barkley and Stacey Denaux were saluted
for embodying the spirit of Trident
United Way and for their hard work and commitment to the community.
Infinger
received the Behind the Scenes Hero Award for successfully organizing
Alcoa Mt. Holly's United Way campaign for more than 10 years. Her
energy and dedication helped the company raise more than $150,000
in pledges during 2008. She has coordinated Alcoa's Day of Caring
since its inception, and she applies for an Alcoa Foundation grant
each year for the organization at which the company spends Day of
Caring. She also serves on the Trident United Way Community Investment
Review Board.
Barkley,
co-founder and chief executive officer of the Crystal-Barkley Corp.,
received the Role Model Award. Barkley provides career counseling
for individuals and organizations and is a leader in her industry
and the community. In her 20, she initiated a rehabilitation center
for juvenile delinquent boys and a low-income housing rehabilitation
program for the city of Charleston. Among her numerous volunteer
roles at Trident United Way, she is a member of the Tocqueville
Society and has encouraged other philanthropists to invest in Trident
United Way.
Denaux,
executive director of Crisis Ministries, was honored with the Non-Profit
Leader Award. At Crisis Ministries, she has expanded family-care
options and strengthened the on-site medical clinic by recruiting
medical professionals as volunteer board members and advisers. Prior
to working at Crisis Ministries, she was the founding executive
director of the Education Foundation of the Charleston Metro Chamber
of Commerce. She successfully led efforts to reform local high schools
and provide internships for students.
The
winners received engraved rice spoons as historic symbols of the
Lowcountry.
The
Women's Leadership Council received nominations for the awards from
across the community. The council is composed of women who contribute
at least $1,000 annually as individuals or $2,500 annually as part
of a couple to Trident United Way. More than 500 women comprise
the council and influence nearly $2.5 million in contributions annually
to Trident United Way.
Restaurants
offer deals, special hours for Spoleto patrons
Several
Charleston restaurants are offering special deals for patrons of
Spoleto shows.
The
Library restaurant at the Vendue Inn downtown is offering a prix
fixe pre-show menu during Spoleto and is guaranteeing that guests
who arrive by 6 p.m. will be able to leave in time to take a leisurely
stroll to Memminger Auditorium, the Sottile Theater or other performance
venues on the peninsula.
The
restaurant's dinner menu has two featured appetizers and three featured
entrees from which guests may select for $39.99 per person - with
a promise that the guests will be "in and out" in one
hour. The restaurant does request that there be no more than four
people in a party, but exceptions may be made on an individual basis
depending on circumstances at the time of request.
Also,
if Spoleto patrons want to enjoy appetizers before the show and
return later for the dinner, they can select from four featured
appetizers on the $29.99 appetizer and wine menu, which includes
two appetizers and two glasses of wine.
To
make reservations, call 577-7970 or make
a reservation online.
In
addition, Circa 1886 at the Wentworth Mansion has announced that
it will extend its hours and offer a special prix fixe menu for
guests. The AAA Four Diamond, Mobil Four Star restaurant is typically
closed on Sundays, but this year it will open on May 24 and extend
its hours to accommodate festival attendees. The restaurant also
will open a half-hour earlier at 5 p.m. and close a half-hour later
throughout the festival, May 22-June 6 (excluding May 31, when the
restaurant is closed), for those who want to enjoy an early or late
dinner before or after attending an event. The last seating will
be at 10 p.m.
Guests
can take advantage of a three-course menu option for $35 per person.
For
more information or reservations, go here
or call 853-7828.
rehava
hits milestone in awarding real estate rebates to buyers
The
rehava ~ Real Estate
Store announced earlier that week that it has reached the milestone
of rewarding $100,000 in real estate rebates to its buyers. The
company offers 50 percent buyers rebates, with buyers getting a
tax-free check at closing for half of the company's commission.
The company based its real estate model on employing salaried agents,
using online marketing tools and new advances in Web 2.0 technologies.
"When
we set out on this path of reinventing the real estate business
model, the market conditions were much more favorable. It took us
a little longer to achieve our first milestone, which was awarding
the very first $100,000 in rebates to our buyers," says Steve
deGuzman, broker-in-charge of rehava. "However, the fact that
we awarded this money to buyers in such a slow economy, when no
one has extra funds to spare, makes it that much rewarding for us
and our clients."
REVIEW
Send
us your recommendations
HAVE
A REVIEW? If you have a review of a book, movie, restaurant
or local arts endeavor, please send no more than 150 words to
editor Ann Thrash.
Make sure to include your name and full contact information.
HISTORY
SPOTLIGHT
Francisco de
Chicora, Indian captive
Born
in the early sixteenth century, the man Spaniards baptized as "Francisco"
was a native of the present-day South Carolina coast in the area
of Winyah Bay. Francisco was a youth or a young man in 1521, when
Spanish slave raiders captured him with a group of sixty men and
women from a land whose name the Spaniards understood to be "Chicora."
The
raiders took their captives to Santo Domingo on the island of Hispaniola,
where they divided the survivors among the men who had funded the
expedition. In this way Francisco became the slave of the judge
Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón. Ayllón took Francisco
to Spain not long after his capture. During this visit, the sixteenth-century
chroniclers Peter Martyr and Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo
heard Francisco's tales about the wealth and marvels of his homeland.
Martyr recorded Francisco's account and brought it wide circulation
in Europe. Oviedo was more skeptical and later claimed that Francisco
had deceived Ayllón in an effort to return home.
Ayllón
used Francisco's description of Chicora to inspire interest in this
region and to gain a royal contract to conquer and settle it in
June 1523. Francisco de Chicora accompanied the Ayllón expedition
as a translator and guide when it sailed in July 1526. However,
soon after Ayllón's ships arrived in the area of Winyah Bay,
Francisco fled inland with the expedition's other captive Indians.
The Spaniards never saw him again.
-- Excerpted
from the entry by Karen L. Paar. . To read more about this or
2,000 other entries about South Carolina, check out The
South Carolina Encyclopedia by USC Press. (Information used
by permission.)
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CREDITS
CharlestonCurrents.com
is provided to you twice a week by:
Address:
P.O. Box. 22261 | Charleston, SC 29413
©
2008-2009, Statehouse
Report LLC. All rights reserved. CharlestonCurrents.com is published
every Monday and Thursday by Statehouse Report LLC, PO Box 22261,
Charleston, SC 29413.
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THE
LIST
Five ways
to save
We like lists
at CharlestonCurrents.com, especially when one of our readers comes
up with a good one and sends it to us out of the blue.
Arnoldi
|
That's what
Tina Arnoldi of Mount Pleasant did with today's list. If there's
a "top 5" on just about any topic lurking in the back
of your mind, e-mail
it to us. Meanwhile, here's Tina's list of five good ways to
save a little cash.
- Free
media. Go
to your local library
for books and movies.
- Coupons.
Don't
be afraid to use 2-for-1 coupons for dinner. Just don't be stingy
on your tip!
- Parks.
For only $1, enjoy the afternoon at most Charleston
County parks.
- Shop
at thrift stores.
The Center for Women's thrift store is located in Mount Pleasant
(South Carolina Thrift & Resale Store, 1670 Highway 17 North;
details
here and there are Goodwill
shops all around town. Many clothes still have the tags on
them!
- Drink
water.
It's the best thing for you, especially as the weather gets hotter!
QUOTE
Benefits
of age

King
|
"I've
always said that next to Imperial China, the South is the best place
in the world to be an old lady."
-- American
essayist Florence King (1936 - )
CALENDAR:
THIS WEEK
(NEW)
Afternoon
Tea: May 22 through May 31, St. Matthew's Lutheran Church,
403 King St., Charleston. Enjoy tea and other beverages, finger
sandwiches, scones and homemade desserts. Live entertainment, boutique,
Charleston Artist Guild exhibition and tours of the history sanctuary
will also be offered. Hours: noon to 4 p.m. each day except for
May 24 and May 31, when teas begin at 12:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit
the church's Outreach Learning Center, which offers community programs
including English as a Second Language, an emergency food pantry,
respite care ministries, computer classes, etc. More info: 579-0420
or online.
CALENDAR:
ONGOING AND SOON
(NEW)
Beatles
at Piccolo: May 23-25, May 28-31 and June 4-6,
Charleston Ballet Theatre, 477 King St. The Charleston Ballet Theatre's
"Magical Mystery Tour" offers dance interpretations of
Beatles classics such as "Lady Madonna," "Blackbird,
"Yellow Submarine" and "Help." Show lasts an
hour. Midday, early-evening and late-evening performances are offered.
Tickets: $30 online
or call 554-6060.
(NEW)
Talk
on Bennett: 7 p.m. May 28, Charleston County Main Library,
68 Calhoun St. "John Bennett of Charleston: How a Children's
Author Changed a City," is a free talk by author and archivist
Harlan Greene on children's author Bennett and his role in the Charleston
Renaissance. More info: 805-6930.
Buoy
Photos Exhibit: Through May 29, Charleston Center for Photography,
654 King St., Suite D, Charleston. "Red-Right-Returning: Buoys
of the Ashley and Cooper," a free exhibit of photographs from
Charleston photographer Jack Alterman, will be featured throughout
May. In the photographs, Alterman combines the landscapes of the
Ashley and Cooper Rivers with the colors that mark a mariner's course.
A Spoleto Opening Reception will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. May
21. More info: 720-3105 or http://www.ccforp.org.
"La
Cage Aux Folles":
Various dates in May, Footlight Players Theatre, 20 Queen
St., Charleston. The Footlight Players bring to the Lowcountry this
Broadway smash about love, family and acceptance in an untraditional
setting, filled with outlandish costumes, extravagant dance numbers,
and snazzy songs. Tickets: $30 adults, $27 seniors, $20 students.
Show dates and times: 722-4487 or visit
online.
(NEW)
Home
Buyers Workshop: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 30, Wachovia Auditorium
in the College of Charleston's Beatty Center, 5 Liberty St. Free
workshop for first-time home buyers, sponsored by Family Services'
Homeownership Resource Center, rehava real estate store and the
College of Charleston's Carter Real Estate Center. Topics include
mortgage applications, fees and budgeting, current market conditions,
qualifying for the $8,000 federal tax credit, buying HUD properties
and foreclosures, home inspections and the closing process. Lunch
provided. Registration: http://www.rehava.com
or 744-1348, ext. 25.
(NEW)
HR
Strategies Workshop: 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. June 4,
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, 2750 Speissegger Drive, North
Charleston. "Managing the Storm: HR Strategies and the Roadmap
to Recovery" will help businesses create a plan to ensure that
they retain their talent during the economic downturn and keep their
businesses up and running. Cost: $55 members, $95 nonmembers. Registration.
Nighttime
at the Museum: 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 5, Charleston
Museum, 360 Meeting St. Family event with museum staff bringing
history to life in unusual ways. Kids might bump into a band of
pirates, a unit of Revolutionary War soldiers, a Viking, George
Washington or King Tut during the adventure. Curators and staff
will be stationed throughout the dimly-lit galleries (bring your
own flashlight) to share stories and tell tall tales. Event includes
a light supper. Tickets: $10 member adults, $20 nonmember adults,
$5 member children, $10 nonmember children, free for those younger
than 3. Reservations available online
or by phone, 722-2996, ext. 264.
Sweetgrass
Cultural Arts Festival: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 5 and noon
to 8 p.m. June 6, Laing Middle School, 2213 Highway 17 North,
Mount Pleasant. Gullah-Geechee skits, gospel groups, storytelling,
folklore, music and dance performed by local entertainers. The largest
showcase of diversified sweetgrass baskets in the Lowcountry will
be displayed by local basket makers, along with handmade quilts,
paintings and crafts. Kids' activities include jump castles, water
slides, face painting, and arts and craft. Lowcountry foods will
be provided by local restaurants and vendors. More
info.
(NEW)
Moonlight
Mixers: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. June 12 and June 26,
Folly Beach Fishing Pier. Local DJ Rob Duren will serve up beach
music and oldies for shagging on the pier. Beverages will be available
for purchase on-site, and food and snacks will be available for
purchase at Locklear's Beach City Grill and the Gangplank Gift &
Tackle Shop. Tickets: $8 Charleston County residents, $10 nonresidents,
in advance. Only 600 tickets will be sold; if any are available
at the gate, they'll be $10 for all. More information: 795-4FUN
or online.
ON
THE BOOKSHELF
In this section,
we offer a list of good reads that you might want to consider reading:
- A
Short History of a Small Place, T.R. Pearson
- A
Turn in the South, V.S. Naipaul
- The
Book of Marie, Terry Kay
- Charleston
Jazz, Jack McCray
- Going
Deep: 20 Classic Sports Stories,
Gary Smith (review)
- I'll
Be Sober in the Morning: Great Comebacks, Putdowns, and Ripostes,
Chris Lamb (List)
- Plain
Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman, Merle Miller
- Suggest
a book to us
FOCUS
ARCHIVES
8/20:
Yarian:
New local music CD
8/17: Fisher:
Uses of social media
8/13: Hall:
Time for renovations
8/10: Morris:
Dog days at Drayton
8/6: Lindbergh:
Gifted school
8/3: Jackson:
Insurance tips
7/30: VanBogart:
Singles
7/27: Stewart:
Get it clean
7/23: Rosenberg:
Elect women
7/20: Nathan:
Turtle release
7/16: Johnson:
Online school
7/13: Thiers:
Protect skin
7/9: Lee:
Scoring supplies
7/2: Shockley:
Company wellness
6/29: McKenzie:
Park opening
6/25: Jones:
Cheer on US rugby
6/22: McGahey:
Young pros
6/18: Ridder:
Dress for Success
6/15: Bender:
Patriots Point
6/11: Gerardi:
Furry Affair
6/8: Arnoldi:
Reducing stress
6/4: Mathos:
Field to Families
6/1: Moniz:
Book burning event
THRASH
ARCHIVES
8/20:
Good,
bad, spineless
8/13: Locals
on Runway
8/6: Cookie
contest
7/30: Vote
on car tags
7/23: True
confessions
7/16: New
way of tithing?
7/9: Lookout
for manatees
6/29: Big
green bus here
6/18: New
Mt. P. promo
6/11: WDAV
at Spoleto
6/4: Protecting
your computer
5/28: Thoughts
on hurricanes
5/21: Special
weekend at home
5/14: Zucchini
pie
5/7: Charleston
cookie contest
4/30: Age
spots
4/23: Mt.
P. Farmers Market
4/16: Charleston
library honored
4/9: First
vegetable garden
4/2: Markets,
mushrooms
3/26: Feeding
the need
3/19: Waddling
in
3/12: Great
Food + Wine Festival
3/5: Provocative
poem
2/26: Seeking
colorful birds
2/19: Grab-bag
of thoughts
2/12: The
candy map
2/5: Shem
Creek park input
1/29: Controversy
over fireworks
1/22: Talking
about oysters
1/15: Help
bald eagles thrive
1/8/09: Local
man moves up in contest
BRACK
ARCHIVES
8/17:
RIP
to old clunker
8/10: Lots
to squeeze in
8/3: On
flying Delta
7/27: Conspiracy
theories
7/20: Protect
carriage animals
7/13: Economic
thaw here?
6/25:
Sanford
shouldn't resign
6/22: Lots
of questions
6/15: Mosquitoes,
water park
6/8: Think
big
6/1: On
public television
5/25: Shorten
the session
5/18: A
last supper
5/11: Legislature:
do something
5/4: Spring
is in the air
4/27: Mortgage
discrimination
4/20: Carriage
regs
4/6: Fun
at the ballpark
3/30: Southern
tour
3/23: Cultural
appreciation
3/16: Hodges
leaves great legacy
3/9: Being
positive about economy
3/2: Remember
rural areas
2/23: Looks
at three books
2/16: What
tourists see
2/9: PDAs,
Phelps, layoffs
2/2: Whales
vs. Dolphins
1/26: Dear
Ellie ...
1/19: Lift
hood on "reform" efforts
1/12: Truman
book is great pleasure
1/5/09: Manning
band is inspiring
LIST
ARCHIVES
8/20:
You
know you're from...
8/17: On
the school menu
8/13: Wines
for grilling
8/10: First
Day Fest facts
8/6: Sales
tax holiday
8/3: Twittering
tips
7/30: Fall
planting
7/27: 5
for teens
7/23: Consignments
7/20: Beach
reads
7/16: Save
the books
7/13: Hot
plants
7/9: Staying
cool
7/2: Old
Exchange 5
6/29: Historic
house
6/25: Mosquito
list
6/22: Hot
stuff
6/18: Five
to bid on
6/15: Last
of Spoleto
6/11: Fun
in the sun
6/8: Enviro-minded
6/4: Out
go the lights
6/1: 5
on duck race
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