|
TODAY'S
FOCUS
Polar Plunge
p-p-participants now picking up p-p-p-pledges
By ELIZABETH BENDER
Running coach, Special Olympics South Carolina
Special to CharlestonCurrents.com
DEC.
17, 2009 -- Partygoers, daredevils, big-money donors and surfers:
This New Year's Day, consider making a little splash for a big cause.
Join Dunleavy's Pub of Sullivan's Island and Special Olympics South
Carolina for heartwarming and bone-chilling extremes during the
annual Polar Plunge on Jan. 1, 2010. With hundreds of your oldest
(and newest) friends, lend a flipper, flaying arm or shivering hand
and help raise money for Special Olympics South Carolina by plunging
into the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Bender |
Keeping
it simple, participation for the event is free, but prior to the
event we coaches and athletes are asking that swimmers collect "plunging
pledges" and donations in honor of Special Olympics. All of
the money raised prior to and during the event will benefit South
Carolina Special Olympics athletes in their everyday practices and
in regional, state, national and world games. A large portion of
the proceeds will directly benefit the upcoming Special Olympics
Mid-Winter State Games, which will occur March 5-March 7 at The
Citadel.
As a Special Olympics coach, I urge you to consider warming your
hearts with this cold adventure. Your generosity enables people
with intellectual disabilities in South Carolina to experience the
power of sports. In doing so, you are helping change society's perceptions
and treatment of people with intellectual disabilities - and creating
a better world for us all.
Here are a few simple ways to support Special Olympics during the
Polar Plunge:
- Sign
up to participate in the Polar Plunge. Collect those pledges from
friends, family members and co-workers, and then bring them to
the Plunge.
- If
you're more of an Internet junkie, use the Special Olympics First
Giving Web site to collect contributions through e-mail and Facebook.
" Rather bring your dollars straight to the Plunge? That's
good, too. Look for a Special Olympics athlete with a bucket and
drop in your donation. All the rest of the details can be found
online
at Dunleavy's Pub.
- Event
goers and participants, suit up. Consider freezin' for a reason
and join in with costume-clad jumpers with outfits from body paint
to wedding dresses. It's an energetic New Year's Day celebration
that will warm your hearts for Special Olympics.
In
addition to serving as a running coach for Special Olympics South
Carolina, Elizabeth Bender is the marketing and public relations
coordinator for the South Carolina Aquarium.
CURRENTS
Last-minute
and local: Add cookbook, CD to your shopping list
By
ANN THRASH, editor
DEC.
17, 2009 -- Finished all your shopping for the holidays? Neither
have we, and the clock is ticking. Here are two last-minute, Lowcountry-oriented
ideas that might help you close out your list.
Thrash |
New
Charleston Cookbook: Charleston has needed a cookbook devoted
to its great restaurants for a long time, and now we've got one
- and it's a winner. Holly Herrick's new book, "The Charleston
Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the Heart of the Old South"
(Three Forks Press, $24.95), has just hit local shelves in the past
few weeks, and it would be a great gift for any cook or food lover
on your list.
The
book has approximately 70 recipes, a nice variety ranging from readily
approachable to more challenging, and the restaurants run the gamut
- some down-home, some high-end, some old standbys and some new
favorites. Already on my list of dishes to try are Anson's Grits
with Shrimp and Braised Bacon, Bowen's Island's Frogmore Stew, the
Glass Onion's Roasted Chicken Salad, Alluette's Lima Bean Soup,
Slightly North of Broad's Grilled Maverick Beef Tenderloin with
Deviled Crab Cake, and the hot dogs and blue cheese slaw from Jack's
Cosmic Dogs.
The
recipes are enticing, and the photographs and local-history notes
round the book out into a pretty package that would be perfectly
at home on the coffee table if you didn't need it in the kitchen.
But what appeals to me most is that this is more than just a recipe
book. It's a book about the city, its flavors and how blessed we
all are to be able to live and eat here.
Herrick
will be signing books from noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 19 at Whole Foods
in Mount Pleasant. You can find out about other upcoming signings
at via Facebook
or contact the author at http://www.hollyherrick.com.
The
3 Dudes: Now this is the kind of boy band that everybody can
love - especially grownups. The 3 Dudes are a Sullivan's-Island-based
trio that recorded a CD called "All in a Day," to help
raise money for their school, Charleston Collegiate. My friend Meredith
Nelson gave me a copy of the CD, and although it's short - with
just four songs - it's pretty rockin' stuff. The dudes are three
brothers - 10-year-old Sam Ploch and 8-year-old twins Jack and Roger
Ploch. They sing about things every kid that age can relate to,
such as the ongoing battle with parents over what the boys call
"Screentime" - the amount of time they're allowed to watch
TV or be on the computer.
The
group has played at a couple of events around town, including a
recent oyster-roast fundraiser for Charleston Collegiate and "Art
from the Heart," an event that the band helped organize to
raise money for a local businessman who was battling cancer. The
event brought in more than $5,000.
The
3 Dudes not only make great music, but also offer a living, breathing
example of how all of us - even those who seem pretty young - can
make a difference and change their community for the better. If
you want to get a CD, it's $10 online
from the band's Web site or you can buy it at either the West
Ashley or Mount Pleasant Wonder Works stores.
If
you want to check them out in person, they'll be performing at 7
p.m. Dec. 22 for Family Night at the Windjammer on the Isle of Palms.
Ann
Thrash is editor of CharlestonCurrents.com. You can reach her by
email here.
FEEDBACK
Send
us your thoughts
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
C of
C students collect 7,852 cans of food for local families
The
College of Charleston's AXE Gamma Delta Fraternity collected 7,852
cans of food earlier this month for Tri-County Family Ministries
in North Charleston. The total is more than trip the 2,500 cans
collected in a similar drive last year.
The
cans were collected during a two-week competition between biology
and chemistry classes at the college. Twenty-five professors and
classes took part. AXE is a professional organization for chemistry
students.
Get
a peek at new county parks at Edisto, McClellanville
The
Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission is planning preview
tours of two new county park sites in the coming weeks. On Jan.
16, a PRC naturalist and a historic specialist will lead a tour
of Two Pines, an 812-acre site near McClellanville that the PRC
describes as covered with pine flatlands and bottomland hardwoods.
On Feb. 13, guests can tour Prospect Hill, a forested, 476-acre
former Sea Island cotton plantation at Edisto.
Both
tours run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and are open to ages 12 and up;
a registered, paid chaperone is required for participants younger
than 15. The cost per tour is $12 for Charleston County residents
or $15 for nonresidents. For more information, go to http://www.ccprc.com
or call 795-4FUN (4386).
Chamber
honored as one of America's "Well Workplaces"
The
Wellness Council of America has bestowed a "Well Workplace"
Award on the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce for its commitment
to providing a healthy workplace. Only 59 U.S. companies earned
the award this year. The chamber won in the small-business category.
The
chamber was saluted for developing a program that not only benefits
those staff members who are currently proactive about wellness,
but also encourage those who aren't currently active to get on the
right track. The wellness plan includes reimbursement for gym memberships,
fitness classes and weight management programs.
The
chamber offers time off for fitness and has recently added a work/life
balance option with a flexible work plan. "In our effort to
promote wellness in the region, the Chamber has made aware for the
business community and Chamber members the many resources available
and helped them recognize that an investment in promoting wellness
within their own business can result in a rewarding return on investment,"
said Charles Van Rysselberge, president and CEO, Charleston Metro
Chamber of Commerce. "Simple changes can help reduce healthcare
costs and the overall productivity of the employees."
Art
museum to feature works by Whistler beginning in January
Works
by renowned American artist James McNeill Whistler will be featured
at the Gibbes Museum of Art beginning in January. The exhibition
"Whistler's Travels" will be in the spotlight in the museum's
Rotunda Galleries from Jan. 22 through May16. It features 21 etchings
and three lithographs from the Gibbes' permanent collection and
a local private collection. The etchings and lithographs were executed
during Whistler's excursions to the English countryside, France,
Holland and Italy.
 |
In
the summer of 1858, three years after Whistler arrived in Paris
to pursue a profession in the arts, he embarked upon a walking tour
of France and Germany. Armed with sketch materials and copper plates,
Whistler created detailed drawings of the architecture and inhabitants
of the small towns he encountered. Many of the works Whistler produced
during this journey were published later that year in his first
set of etchings, "Twelve Etchings from Nature," often
referred to as "the French Set." This successful foray
into the graphic arts was the start of a lifelong devotion to the
print medium, and the artist went on to establish himself as one
of the world's finest etchers.
For
more information on the exhibit, go
here online or call 722-2706, ext. 18.
REVIEW
Send
us a review
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
Pines
Nine
native pine species are found within South Carolina. Three species
are restricted to the upper Piedmont and mountain regions, three
are found nearly throughout the state, and three are found primarily
within the coastal plain.
A
longleaf pine forest in Georgetown County. |
Pines
are extremely important economically and ecologically within South
Carolina. More than 5,750,000 acres of state forestland contain
pine as important or dominant cover. Pines form the basis of the
timber industry in South Carolina and make up the number-one cash
crop in the state with approximately $900 million in receipts annually
and employing more than 35,000 people.
South
Carolina pines can be divided into two general groups, white pines
and yellow pines. Yellow pines have needles in groups of two or
three, while white pines have needles in groups of five. The only
member of the white pine group found within South Carolina is the
eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). It is restricted to the mountains
and upper Piedmont but is planted as an ornamental throughout much
of the state.
|
READ
A REPORT
Last
week, the National Wildlife Federation released an interesting
and important study on how longleaf pine forests help reduce
global warming. Take
a look.
|
Among
the yellow pines, the loblolly is the most abundant. This species,
along with the similar slash pine (Pinus elliottii), is preferred
for use on pine plantations. More than 4 million acres of forest
in the state are classified as loblolly pine forest, while 2.4 million
acres are in loblolly pine plantation. The loblolly pine was historically
found in the lower Piedmont and coastal plain but has spread throughout
the state through timber planting. Slash pine is native to the southern
portions of the coastal plain but is planted throughout the coastal
regions.
Historically,
the most abundant species in the coastal plain region was the longleaf
pine (Pinus palustris). This species is well known for its
extremely long needles and large cones. It requires low-intensity
ground fires to persist and has declined dramatically over the last
century due to fire suppression and conversion of longleaf pine
forest into loblolly pine plantations and agricultural fields. Longleaf
pine is a keystone species in the longleaf pine savannas and flat
woods that are home to some of the state's most unusual and endangered
plant and animal species.
--
Excerpted from the entry by Patrick McMillan. 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.) 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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HOLIDAY
SCHEDULE
We'll be changing
our usual Monday-Thursday publication schedule for the next two
weeks because of the holidays. We'll publish one issue on Wednesday
of each week, on Dec. 23 and Dec. 30. We'll resume our usual schedule
again on Jan. 4.
 THE
LIST
Four
for fun at Festival of Lights
The Holiday
Festival of Lights at James Island County Park has been celebrating
20 years of magic this year with a series of special nightly events
that began on Dec. 1. Here's a list of the remaining four activities,
all of which are free with your usual park admission. While these
extra perks end on Dec. 20, never fear - you can still catch the
sensational regular light show nightly through Jan. 3.
- Dec.
17: Grab a chair, a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate
to watch the holiday favorite "Polar Express." Show
times are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the Winter Wonderland.
- Dec.
18: Hear the Lowcountry Power Brass toot their own horns from
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Dec.
19: The Hungry Monks will play their brand of Renaissance,
Medieval, folk, Celtic, jazz, bluegrass and rock from 7 p.m. to
9 p.m. at the park.
- Dec.
20: Join Mrs. Claus in Santa's Village as she tells Christmas
stories from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
QUOTE
On
focusing attention
"The only
factor becoming scarce in a world of abundance is human attention."
-- Kevin
Kelly, editor-at-large, Wired magazine (1952-)
CALENDAR:
THIS WEEK
Third
Thursday: Until 9 p.m. Dec. 17, downtown Summerville.
Downtown stores will be open late for holiday shopping, and carolers
and other musical entertainment will be featured along with refreshments.
Sponsored by the Merchants of Summerville and Summerville D.R.E.A.M.
More info: 821-7260 or online.
Grand
Illumination: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 18, Middleton
Place. A new holiday event, the Grand Illumination at Middleton
will give visitors a chance to experience the plantation by torchlight,
candlelight and starlight. Costumed interpreters will lead tours
designed to transport visitors back to Christmas 1782, a joyous
holiday season in Charleston because the British had just evacuated
Charleston at the end of the Revolutionary War in the South. Guests
can walk garden paths, see the house decorated for the holidays,
and enjoy music, fires and seasonal refreshments on the Greensward.
Tickets: $15 adults; $5 ages 7-15; free for ages 6 and under. Buy
online at least 24 hours in advance. Tickets bought at the gate
on the night of the event are $20 adults, $5 children.
"Unsilent
Night": 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Dec. 19, downtown Charleston.
"Boom-box" holiday caroling starts at the City Gallery
at Waterfront Park, 34 Prioleau St., and ends in Marion Square at
King and Calhoun streets. No cost to participate. More
info online.
(NEW)
Christmas
Parade: 2 p.m. Dec. 20, downtown Summerville. The town's
annual Christmas parade was originally scheduled for Dec. 13 but
was postponed because of rain. Sponsored by Summerville D.R.E.A.M.
and the Summerville Fire Department. More info: 821-7260 or http://www.summervilledream.org.
"Messiah"
Sing-A-Long: 6 p.m. Dec. 20, Citadel Square Baptist Church,
328 Meeting St., downtown. Sing along with the Charleston Symphony
Orchestra as the musicians perform all the favorite "Messiah"
songs. Admission: $15 adults; $5 children. More info: 723-7528 or
visit
online.
CALENDAR:
ONGOING AND SOON
"A
Child's Christmas In Wales": 7 p.m. Dec. 22 and Dec.
23, Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St., downtown.
A dramatic performance of Dylan Thomas' beloved 1950 radio story
about an old-fashioned, picture-book Christmas. Clarence Felder
of the Actors' Theatre of South Carolina portrays the author and
is accompanied by a trio of chamber musicians on flute, cello and
violin. Recommended for ages 10 years and above. Tickets: $17. More
info: 763-4941 or visit
online.
"The
Night Before Christmas": 1 p.m. Dec. 23, Circular
Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St., downtown. A trio of musicians
will perform well-loved Christmas songs as actors bring favorite
Christmas stories to life. Actors Chris Weatherhead and Michael
Easler from the Actors' Theatre of South Carolina join Chamber Music
Charleston flutist Regina Helcher Yost, clarinetist Charlie Messersmith
and bassoonist Sandra Nikolajevs for the family-oriented concert.
Admission: $10 adults, $5 children 3 and above; free for kids under
3. More info: 763-4941, by
e-mail or visit
online.
Happy
New Year, Charleston: 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31, Marion
Square and surrounding locales, downtown. A family-oriented, alcohol-free
event with concerts and activities to mark the beginning of the
new year in the Lowcountry. More
info online or at 724-7305.
(NEW)
Sounds at the Sea: 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 13, South
Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf. The Charleston Symphony Orchestra
and the aquarium are teaming up to offer aquatic-themed performances
throughout the aquarium. Attendees can wander through the exhibits,
interact with the musicians, and sample light hors d'oeuvres and
nonalcoholic beverages. Tickets: $10 for aquarium and CSO members;
$20 for nonmembers. Call 577-FISH (3474) or go to http://www.scaquarium.org
or http://www.charlestonsymphony.com.
FOCUS
ARCHIVES
12/23:
Christian:
Mannie's story
12/17: Bender:
Polar Plunge prep
12/14: Brooks:
Homes for Christmas
12/10: Doll:
Enjoy holidays sans lbs.
12/7: Yarian:
Instruments of Hope
12/3: De
Armas: Latin biz expo
11/30: Blevins:
Autism
11/23: Hutchisson:
Giving
11/19: Barnette:
Nutcracker
11/16: Franklin:
Reverse mortgages
11/12: Wutzdorff:
Be a principal
11/9: Haley:
Buying local
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
THRASH
ARCHIVES
12/17:
Cookbook,
shopping
12/10: The
Pig's wines
12/3: Neat
shopping
11/19: LowCANtry
holiday
11/12: Hawks
vs. doves
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
12/23:
Photographer
Meyer
12/14: Ain't
over on Sanford
12/7: Back
off a little
11/30: Sanford
presses on
11/16: Now
is time for courage
11/16: Alliance's
good news
11/9: SC's
hidden gems
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
12/23:
Blackbaud
5
12/17: 4
on holiday lights
12/14: Eco-holiday
12/10: Five
about oysters
12/7: Winter
finds
12/3: Free
parking
11/30: Holiday
parades
11/23: Home
fire stats
11/19: Being
a tourist here
11/16: Growing
your business
11/12: Electronics
recycling
11/9: Beyond
the lights
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
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