|
TODAY'S
FOCUS
Drayton Hall
goes to the dogs in August -- and year-round
By KRISTINE MORRIS
Communications Director, Drayton Hall
Special to CharlestonCurrents.com
AUG.
10, 2009 -- Drayton Hall staff members are serious animal lovers.
Most of us have at least one rescue dog -- many have two or more.
We are proud to work for a historic site that is not only pet-friendly,
but active in supporting organizations that are dedicated to animal
rescue and protection.
Morris
and her dog, Quinn |
For
readers who might not be familiar with Drayton Hall, it is the oldest
preserved plantation house in America that is open to the public
and a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Its mission is one of preservation, education, and inspiration -
in preserving and interpreting the site and its surroundings, and
inspiring people to embrace historic preservation.
Our newest promotion might seem a bit unusual for a site that is
associated with architecture, archaeology and preservation, and
with educational topics that include the Revolutionary and Civil
Wars, but actually it fits right in. That's because "Dog Days"
has education as its primary goal - helping build awareness for
important pet-related matters, from simple safety tips to more critical
issues that have an effect on the quality of life in our region.
According
to Pet Helpers, 23,000 animals are euthanized in tri-county shelters
every year - a number that is twice the national average. Drayton
Hall's Dog Days supports Pet Helpers' efforts to increase awareness
through public education and to end the euthanasia of all adoptable
pets through low-cost spay and neuter surgeries.
Drayton
Hall staff members pose with their rescue dogs on the steps
of the historic home. (Photo provided by Drayton Hall)
|
Here's
how Dog Days works:
-
$4 of every full-price adult admission benefits Pet Helpers Rescue
and Adoption Shelter in Charleston.
- To
participate, visitors present a Dog Days coupon at the front gate.
Coupons are available at http://www.draytonhall.org,
at http://www.pethelpers.org,
and at our sponsors' locations (see below), as well as area hotels,
visitor centers and veterinarians' offices.
- As
visitors check in at our Museum Shop, they will redeem the coupon
for a free goodie bag with gifts, treats and great deals from
our sponsors - All Is Well, Fetch Doggy Day Care and the Wag Factory
-- plus hot-weather safety tips from the ASPCA.
- Pet
parents will enjoy everything from our acclaimed house tour to
our artisan-inspired museum shop. Dogs will appreciate walks by
the river and marsh and naps under the outdoor "Connections"
tent while their family attends the program. They can also take
long drinks of cool water from our refreshment stations and enjoy
some surprise treats from their goodie bag. (Sorry, dogs are not
allowed in the main house.)
Dog
Days will run through Sept. 30. We hope that visitors will come
out, bring their pet, and make a day of it to support Pet Helpers.
Please visit our Web site for all the details.
Kristine
Morris is communications director at Drayton Hall. Quinn, her 2-year-old
Maremma-Labrador rescue dog, is one of Drayton Hall's visitor liaisons.
CURRENTS
More fun left before
school starts
By
ANDY BRACK, publisher
For CharlestonCurrents.com
AUG.
10, 2009 - Where did the summer go? With just one week left, there
probably is a list of things that you meant to do with your children
but didn't have time for. Or you've plain run out of things to do.
Brack |
Here's
a list of things to consider cramming in before the kids have to
get back to school.
- Tour
Magnolia Gardens.
Our family went to the petting zoo, train ride and other attractions
on Sunday. Not only were the deer, pigs, peacocks, goats and other
animals a hit with the young ones, but adults thrilled to see
turtles and alligators close-up.
- Head
to the ballpark.
The RiverDogs are in town all week. If you haven't yet taken your
family, it's a whole lot of fun. And because games start at 7:05
p.m., the searing heat of the day is past, thanks in part to the
breezes from the nearby Ashley River.
- Get
a dose of history. You can check out Fort Sumter, the Charleston
Museum, Charles Towne Landing and more.
-
Get
a dose of culture. Or head over to the Gibbes Museum, the
Children's Museum or the South Carolina Aquarium for exciting
events and exhibits. The recent Shark Week was a big hit around
our household.
- Get
wet.
Neighborhood pools, the beach and county water parks offer a refreshing
way to cool off as temperatures approach triple digits. Remember,
though, to keep your body hydrated inside too!
- Pick
up books, videos.
Your neighborhood library is a great place for learning through
books and videos. While the popular summer reading program is
over, there's no reason you can't still get some fun stuff at
the library.
*
* * *
TAX-FREE:
Many of you may have enjoyed the past tax-free holiday weekend brought
to you by South Carolina's legislators. However, as we outlined
Friday in our sister publication, S.C. Statehouse Report, the holiday
is nothing more than political gimmickry and voter candy. Read
more.
*
* * *
HELP
WANTED: CharlestonCurrents.com is approaching its 10-month anniversary.
Hundreds are reading us twice a week, but let's get it to thousands!
Assuming you enjoy our publication, help us spread the word by forwarding
this issue with a suggestion to people on your email list to sign
up for free.
Andy
Brack, publisher of CharlestonCurrents.com, can be reached at: publisher@charlestoncurrents.com.
FEEDBACK
Nice
cookie contest column, but a correction is needed
To
the editor:
Thank
you for the nice
article about the cookie contest. But I just noticed that although
my last name was correct under the photo, it was misspelled in the
body of the article. Pontiff is correct, not Pollitt. Thank you.
--
Nona Pontiff, Mount Pleasant, SC
NOTE:
Oops. We apologize for the error. We've corrected it in the earlier
edition.
Have
a comment or want to vent? If you have something to
say about leadership in South Carolina, the state of baseball
today, good barbecue or something about your community's government,
drop us a line to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
Please send no more than 200 words and include contact information
(phone number, hometown) so we can get in touch with you.
SPOTLIGHT
Horne/Guest
The
public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents.com
to you at no cost. This issue's featured underwriter is Horne/Guest,
a local employee benefits consulting firm that's home to Charleston's
best workforce engineers. Horne/Guest is poised to fill this demand
by offering greater flexibility, service and expertise. Innovative
employee benefit plan design ideas, state-of-the-art employee benefit
plan communication techniques and up-to-date compliance information
is what makes us unique. Horne/Guest is sensitive to every opportunity
in which we can help our clients improve their employee benefit
plans. To learn more about Horne/Guest and its Applied
Wisdom Advantage™ , visit the company online at: www.horneguest.com.
GOOD
NEWS
N.
Chas. group to offer health-care films and public forum
The
Greater Park Circle Film Society will offer a forum on health care
reform in conjunction with the premiere of two independent films
on the subject, including a documentary called "Charleston
Health Care Stories." Organizers say they have invited representatives
of Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., and Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., to
attend, but have not yet confirmed the list of panelists. Audience
participation in the forum is invited.
The
forum and film showings are planned for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the
North Charleston Picture House, 1080 E. Montague Ave. in North Charleston.
"Charleston
Health Care Stories" is a 10-minute documentary by director
and Mount Pleasant resident Edward Faircloth. " 'Charleston
Health Care Stories' is simply 10 minutes of real people telling
real accounts of their challenges with our real health care system,"
says Faircloth. " It is one thing to hear our president discuss
the need for health care reform, but quite something else to have
a real person sitting in front of you … describing how they
must sacrifice their own health because they can't afford to pay
their bills and also have health care insurance."
The
other film that will be shown is "Damaged Care: The Musical
Comedy about Health Care," by Michael Schiralli. The film features
two physicians who offer comedic but compelling musical numbers
with titles such as "Another Outbreak of Us Superbugs,"
"Doctors in Cyberspace" and "The Spare Parts Blues."
The film has been shown in 27 states and has been featured in The
New York Times and the Boston Globe, as well as on CNN, ABC, PBS
and other national media.
Following
the films, panelists will react to the movies and discuss issues
related to health care reform. According to Dr. James Sears, executive
director of the Olde North Charleston Picture House, "This
evening conversation is among persons who have expertise in this
topic but don't necessarily agree with one another." One of
the goals of the film society, Sears says, is to educate. "We
hope that everyone leaves the theater more informed about this national
issue and that everyone has an opportunity to express themselves
within a framework structured for civil dialogue."
Tickets
for the event will be available at the theater box office, which
opens at 6:45 p.m. Seating is limited, and a standing-room-only
crowd is expected. There is a suggested donation of $2 for film
society members or $5 for nonmembers. For more information, visit
online or call 478-3911.
Fields
to Families to hold 'Pounds for Prizes' event
Fields
to Families will hold "Pounds for Prizes," an event to
raise awareness and gather donations of fresh produce for the hungry,
on Aug. 11 at Earth Fare in the South Windermere Shopping Center.
Between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., shoppers and any interested members
of the community can donate fresh produce and, in return, get an
entry into a drawing for prizes donated by local businesses.
All
produce collected during the event will be made available to the
community free through James Island Outreach.
Fields to Families, established in 2006, helps improve nutrition
for local residents who are hungry by coordinating the distribution
of fresh produce obtained from local gardens and farms. In 2008,
the agency coordinated the distribution of more than 82,000 pounds
of donated fresh produce from area farmers to local food distribution
agencies.
For more information on Fields to Families or the Pounds for Prizes
event, call 388-2487 or visit
online.
C
of C, student featured in college-decision book
The
College of Charleston and one of its students are featured in the
recently released book "Acceptance: A Legendary Guidance Counselor
Helps Seven Kids Find the Right Colleges - and Find Themselves."
The
book, written by David L. Marcus, tells the story of guidance counselor
Gwyeth "Smitty" Smith, whose unorthodox approach is based
on the principle that getting into college shouldn't be just about
getting in; it should be a student's first great moment of self-discovery.
Smith sometimes talks a seeming shoo-in candidate out of setting
her sights on the prestigious Ivy League while goading another long-shot
student into aiming for that same Ivy League school.
One
of the students whose college decision process was featured in the
book was a young lady named Chelsea who had to make a decision between
New York University and the College of Charleston. The book stated,
"Chelsea loved the historic feel of both the city and the campus.
As she strolled through the art building, a woman asked if she needed
help. She turned out to be the assistant director of the department,
and they spent the next 45 minutes chatting."
Chelsea
ultimately chose the College of Charleston.
REVIEW
What's
your favorite?
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
W.J.
Cash
A
writer and an acerbic commentator on southern life, Cash was born
in Gaffney on May 2, 1900. The oldest child of John William Cash
and Nannie Lutitia Hamrick, he was named Joseph Wilbur Cash. Disliking
his first name, Cash reversed the order and used the initial J.
rather than Joseph. His father managed the company store for a local
cotton mill. Cash was graduated from Boiling Springs High School
in North Carolina in 1917 and enlisted in the Students' Army Training
corps - a home-front service during World War I. Following the end
of his enlistment, Cash entered Wofford College. After one year
at Wofford, Cash attended Valparaiso University in Indiana and then
in 1920 enrolled at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. At
Wake Forest he wrote for student publications and discovered the
writings of H. L. Mencken.
Cash
|
After
graduating in 1922, Cash attended law school for a year and then
tried teaching - first at Georgetown College in Kentucky and later
at Hendersonville School for Boys in North Carolina. Returning to
writing, Cash had a brief stint with the Chicago Post before joining
the Charlotte (N.C.) News in 1926. In 1928 ill health forced him
to return to Boiling Springs. He edited the short-lived Cleveland
(N.C.) Press and in 1929 wrote "Jehovah of the Tar Heels,"
which appeared in Mencken's American Mercury. "Jehovah of the
Tar Heels" was an exposé of the anti-Catholicism of
U.S. Senator Furnifold M. Simmons, an anti-Al Smith Democrat. Later
that year his second article, "The Mind of the South,"
caught the attention of the editors at Alfred A. Knopf. In March
1936 the publisher contracted with Cash to write a history of the
South. Finding free-lancing difficult in the dark days of the Depression,
Cash returned to the Charlotte News in 1935 and stayed there until
1940. While in Charlotte, he married Mary Northrop on Christmas
Day 1940.
Cash's
masterpiece and only book, The Mind of the South, appeared
in February 1941 to wide critical praise. An instant classic that
has not been out of print since its initial publication, the work
sought to dispel myths about the "Old South" by tracing
the pervasive influence of racism on southern history and culture.
Antebellum ideals remained dominant in the twentieth century South,
despite the upheavals of the Civil War, Reconstruction, industrialization,
urbanization, and Depression. Indeed, Cash's compelling chronicle
of the persistence of an Old South mentality, especially its emphasis
on race, individualism, and agriculture, led the author to assert
that much of southern history has been a march "from the present
toward the past." National publications hailed The Mind
of the South, and even many southern reviewers found much to
admire in Cash's penetrating analysis of the region.
Awarded
a prestigious Guggenheim fellowship, Cash traveled with his wife
to Mexico, where he planned to write his first novel. In Mexico,
Cash's history of psychological instability, alcohol abuse, and
ill health caught up with him. Ill with dysentery and in a state
of paranoia and depression, Cash fled to another hotel. On July
1, 1941, searchers found him in the Hotel Reforma hanging by his
own necktie. Cash's body was cremated and his ashes buried in Sunset
Cemetery, Shelby, North Carolina.
--
Excerpted from the entry by Alexia Jones Helsley. TTo
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.)
SISTER
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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.
|
 THE
LIST
First Day
Fest facts
Charleston
County public school students go back to class on Aug. 18, and the
First Day Festival is designed to help them be not just prepared,
but excited. The festival will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Aug. 16 at Liberty Square next to the South Carolina Aquarium, and
there will be free school supplies (while they last), entertainment,
food, music, free aquarium tours and free boat rides in the harbor.
Here are five numbers from last year's festival. For more info,
go
here online.
- 9,000
-- Number of families and children who attended last year's festival.
- 4,500
-- The number of people who took free tours of the South Carolina
Aquarium.
- 850
-- Number of free boat rides around the harbor offered by SpiritLine
Cruises and Charleston Harbor Tours.
- 106
-- Number of local businesses that made the Mayor's Honor Roll
for supporting the festival.
- 2,160
-- Pounds of materials recycled when the festival made a push
to take a more "green" approach.
QUOTE
On
why you're here
Wilson |
"You are
not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world
to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit
of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish
yourself if you forget this errand."
-- President
Woodrow Wilson (1856 - 1924)
CALENDAR:
THIS WEEK
Continuing
Education Open House: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 11, Continuing
Education Center (Building 910), Trident Technical College Main
Campus, 2001 Mabeline Road, North Charleston. The event is designed
to familiarize participants with TTC continuing-education courses
and they can provide training for a new career or personal enrichment.
Talk with course instructors, tour the facilities, register for
fall classes, learn about financial options, and enjoy refreshments
and prizes. More info: 574-6111.
Darius
Rucker Homegrown Concert: 7 p.m. Aug. 13, Family Circle
Tennis Center, Daniel Island. Rucker will offer a special concert
to help bring in donations of school supplies for needy local students.
Country music star Dierks Bentley will be among the special guests.
Fans are urged to bring school supplies to the concert to donate.
Tickets: $40 for floor or first-tier reserved seats; $32 for reserved
second-tier seats; $25 general admission third-tier seats. To purchase:
Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone (1-800-745-3000), local Publix outlets,
Family Circle Tennis Center ticket office, or online
here.
"The
Tryal of Major Stede Bonnet": 4:30 p.m. Saturdays through
Sept. 26, Old Powder Magazine, 79 Cumberland St., downtown.
A one-of-a-kind interactive theatrical event that brings to life
the story of "gentleman pirate" Stede Bonnet, who plied
his trade in the waters off Charleston in the early 1700s. The 40-minute
show was written and is performed by Rodney Lee Rogers of PURE Theatre.
Cost: $8 and $12. Tickets/info: 534-6169 or online
here.
CALENDAR:
ONGOING AND SOON
DeMint
talks:
7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Aug. 17, Daniel Island Club, Daniel Island.
U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., will speak at a meeting of the Daniel
Island Neighborhood Association that is open to the public. Topics
will include economic development and jobs in South Carolina, as
well an update on what’s going on in Washington. Cost: $12.50
(to cover breakfast). RSVP by Aug. 10 to Stacey
Lindbergh.
Going
Green for the Girls II: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20,
Halls Chophouse, 434 King St. Green Drinks Charleston, Carolina's
Eco-Unit, and Halls Chophouse are throwing a second cocktail hour
to help fund some simple energy-efficiency upgrades and retrofits
to the historic building downtown that houses the Center for Women.
Donation of $10 (cash or check at door) includes food samples. There
will be a cash bar. More
info online.
Buy
or Burn Book Sale: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 22, Village
Square Shopping Center, 1650 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. (formerly The
Map Room); sneak preview ($10-per-person admission) from 2 p.m.
to 6 p.m. Aug. 21. Event to benefit Trident Literacy Association.
Wide variety of books, CDs, DVDs and other electronic media will
be priced for quick sale; only cash or check will be accepted. Book
donations will be accepted at the sale site from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
daily Aug. 17 to Aug. 20, or books can be dropped off at any Trident
Literacy location. More
info online or 747-2223.
(NEW)
RiverDogs
Cow Bingo: 6 p.m. Aug. 22, Joe Riley Stadium. The Charleston
RiverDogs' inaugural Cow Bingo contest will give participants a
chance to win $5,000. The baseball field will be marked off as a
grid with 10-foot-squares. Fans can purchase a square for $25, and
if a cow "drops a chip" in a purchased square, that square's
owner will win the money. There will also be line-dancing, hillbilly
horseshoes, "moo'shine," "Ye Haw" contests,
food, a dunk tank and more. The $25 fee for a square also includes
two tickets to the event. Regular event tickets (square not included)
are $5 (free to ages 12 and under). Tickets/more info: Online
or 577-DOGS.
Women
in IT: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 27, Tate Center,
College of Charleston, Room 207 and Gallery. The forum will explore
the challenges and opportunities for women in the IT industry with
a panel of local industry leaders and educators. An MIT Enterprise
Forum video from Technology Review's EmTech08 Conference will be
shown, featuring successful female entrepreneurs in the industry
with companies such as ZipCar, GoLoco, Ziggs.com and Daily Grommet.
Lunch and networking opportunities included. Registration (required):
$20 (includes lunch). More
info/registration.
Surf
Seining at Sullivan's: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28, Station
30, Sullivan's Island. The Station 30 area on Sullivan's Island
area has been a seining hotspot for generations. Join the experts
from Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission to catch and
discover a variety of marine critters at the first CCPRC seining
program on Sullivan's Island. A registered and paid chaperone is
required for participants ages 15 and under, and pre-registration
is required. Open to ages 6 and up. Cost: $7 Charleston County residents,
$9 nonresidents. Registration/more
info, or 795-4FUN.
Wine
+ Food Launch Party: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 3,
Founders Hall, Charles Towne Landing, 1500 Old Towne Road. Barbecue
and beverages will be available, and the latest news about next
year's BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival, including the lineup
of chefs and authors, will be announced. Entertainment by the Blue
Plantation Band. Tickets: $10 per person cash or check at the door,
with proceeds benefiting the festival's charitable efforts. Reserve
tickets by Aug. 31 by e-mailing
or calling 727-9998, ext. 4.
(NEW)
Wednesdays
on the Waterfront: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through mid-October,
Pier Plaza at Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park. Free concerts
for the community. Beverages available for purchase at pier shop.
Bring a chair or use the benches and tables at the site. Upcoming
performers include Nick Collins, acoustic guitar, Aug. 12, and Jeff
Norwood, Southern Blues revivalist, Aug. 19. More info: Online
or 884-8517.
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
- The
Book of Marie, Terry Kay
- Charleston
Jazz, Jack McCray
- 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
11/5:
McCutcheon:
Work gap
11/2: Ohl:
On carpooling
10/29: Wiedman:
Women at Gibbes
10/26: Matouchev:
Bear markets
10/22: Conover:
BarCamp buzz
10/19: Wilson:
Symphony update
10/15: Bender:
Special Olympics
10/12: Baron:
Breast Center
10/8: Ginn:
Growing prosperity
10/5: Buffum:
Waterkeeping
10/1: Personal
branding
9/28: Acker:
Designer fashion
9/24: Spencer:
Art galleries
9/21: Riley,
Moryl: MOJA
9/17: Gaither:
Green Room
9/14: Chesson:
Museum Mile
9/10: Barnette:
Chas. Ballet
9/3: Deaton:
Thrive Prize
THRASH
ARCHIVES
11/5:
Improving
turnout
10/29: Celebrating
a year
10/22: Good,
bad signs
10/15: Bob's
new food show
10/8: Robot
ice cream
10/5: Costumes,
snarks
9/24: Must-see
TV
9/17: Fall
leaves
9/3: Cold
comfort, more
8/27: Being
a fan
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
BRACK
ARCHIVES
11/2:
Boeing
highlights needs
10/26: No
place for prejudice
10/19: Have
fun at Halloween
10/12: Renovated
Gaillard?
10/1: Napa
wine trip
9/28: Anti-crime
measures
9/21: Caw
Caw park
9/14: Debris
policy
9/10: Mystery
solved
8/31: This
and that
8/24: SC's
treasures
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?
LIST
ARCHIVES
11/5:
Weather
watching
11/2: 5
cooking classes
10/29: Best
lists of year
10/26: Oyster
recycling
10/22: Howl-o-ween
fun
10/19: Literacy
10/15: Giving
blood
10/12: Top
ratings
10/8: Major
league
10/5: Book
sale
10/1: Citadel
football
9/28: Taste
of Charleston
9/24: Feeding
the need
9/21: Hugo
9/17: History
for sale
9/14: Shrimp
baiting
9/10: Day
of Caring
9/3: Free
legal clinics
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