LOWCOUNTRY SCENE: The old gate to the Laurens Family cemetery at Mepkin Abbey provides an artful backdrop for ivy and Spanish moss. The cemetery is off the beaten path at the Abbey, tucked away on a hilltop. And the Abbey itself is off the beaten path near Moncks Corner.(Photo by Lauren Guerard.)

THE LIST
:: Five about "The Fritz"

GOOD NEWS
:: PURE Theatre, Chamber, WID event

FEEDBACK
:: Send us your thoughts

ALSO INSIDE

___:: CALENDAR: This week ... and next

___:: REVIEW: Send us a review

___:: HISTORY: African Methodist Episcopal Church

___:: QUOTE: On Washington

___:: SPOTLIGHT: Meet an underwriter

UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS

ABOUT US

CharlestonCurrents.com offers insightful community comment and good news on events twice each week. It cuts through the information clutter to offer insight and news on the best of what's happening locally. What readers say

TODAY'S FOCUS
Get the benefits of a personal chef without the big cost
By ENAN PAREZO
Owner and chef, ChefEnan.com
Special to CharlestonCurrents.com

JULY 26, 2010 -- You might not think you can afford the services of a personal chef, but thanks to the Internet and commercial-grade vacuum packaging, you can. And what's more, this new kind of Web-based chef service can keep food costs lower than traditional personal chefs.

Parezo

Here's how it works: Every week, you visit a Web-based personal chef's site, pick a few items to receive and they're delivered once a week in packages that can be easily heated to offer your family healthy meals throughout the week.

Most online personal chefs require a minimum order per week, but items are quite affordable, especially when you take into account the time you save. Having fresh, healthy gourmet meals delivered to your home makes a big difference. Many people will order take out several nights a week or eat at casual dining restaurants simply because it's easy and there's a lack of motivation to prepare dinner at home. These foods are usually unhealthy because there are not many good healthy options out there these days. With services like ChefEnan.com, you can spend about the same amount of money, have an easy wholesome dinner, prepare a simple salad and never have to leave the comfort of your own home.

Possibly the best part about this new kind of food service is the convenience. We all spend a lot of our valuable time shopping, preparing ingredients, cooking and cleaning up the mess of a hard labored dinner. But a personal chef who delivers great meals puts the burden on him to shop, prepare and cook. Meals are portioned and packaged in sealed vacuum bags so they stay fresh much longer. Heating and serving the food produces barely any dirty pots and pans. This service makes it possible for clients to come home after a long day at work and not have to worry about what's for dinner and all the effort that comes with it. This leaves more time for family and relaxation. With just a few minutes spent online, clients can set up several nights of food that is delivered each Monday. You do not even need to be home to receive your order. The food is delivered in insulted bags with ice and can be left on your doorstep.

Shrimp creole

Another bonus of having meals made from scratch with fresh ingredients and delivered to your home is that they are healthy. In my business, for example, healthy cooking techniques and ingredients are always used to provide flavorful food that is not burdened with fat. I like the challenge of creating dishes that are healthy and still taste great. The key to cooking healthy flavorful foods is careful seasoning with a lot of fresh herbs, citrus juices, vinegars, and spices to impart flavor. Every week a different menu is offered on the Web site, clients can order from online. Each menu has a tasty variety of entrees, soup, salads, sides and desserts from which to choose.

By using a local personal chef who offers home delivery, you can enjoy a wide range of cultural dishes that are affordable, healthy and convenient.

Enan Parezo operates Charleston-based ChefEnan.com, an underwriter of CharlestonCurrents.com. To learn more about his innovative chef service, visit his Web site today.

CURRENTS
Biden gives a humdinger of a tribute to Hollings at dedication
By ANDY BRACK, publisher

JULY 26, 2010 - If you ever have a tribute done for you, you ought to hope Joe Biden gives it.

Brack

The vice president did one heck of a job honoring former U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings Friday at the dedication of the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library at the University of South Carolina.

Biden, who sat next to Hollings in the Senate chamber for 32 years, was humorous and humble, insightful and touching.

"I think he's the most significant national figure to come out of this state in terms of the length and breadth of his career - or in any state," Biden said.

He told of Hollings' important role in starting the state's technical college system when he served as governor from 1959 to 1963. He told of his 1970 book, "The Case Against Hunger," and described it as the first national effort to recognize that children can't develop properly if they don't have adequate nutrition.

"It was a new idea," he said, adding that people across the political spectrum accept the importance of nurturing children to allow them to meet their potential. "Fritz Hollings was the first guy to take that on a national scale."

Biden reminded more than 1,000 people at the library dedication how Hollings was instrumental in protecting oceans with the Coastal Zone Management Act and in starting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to monitor seas.

Hollings and Biden. Photo by Peter Schmolze, courtesy University of South Carolina.

The list goes on with Hollings' accomplishments -- from pushing to rein in budget deficits, fighting for fair trade and more.

"Nothing has changed with this guy," Biden noted of the 88-year-old Hollings. "This is one of the youngest men I know because nothing slows him down."

The vice president recalled how he wouldn't be in his current job if it were not for Hollings. Back in 1972, he was running for Senate as a 29-year-old lawyer and county council member from Delaware. A couple of months from the general election, he remembered how, down in the polls 58-19, Hollings as head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee took a gamble and backed Biden in a big way and helped him raise money. "The first guy I called, after my family, was Fritz Hollings."

Just over a month after a narrow victory, Hollings and wife Peatsy comforted Biden after his wife and daughter were killed in a car wreck while Christmas shopping. The Hollings were instrumental in encouraging him not to give up his Senate seat and to serve.

"My affection for you is only exceeded by my love for Peatsy," Biden noted in closing Friday. "You get a glimpse of a man's soul as well as his intellect and passion" by sitting next to him for 32 years.

"He's a good man," Biden said, invoking some Irish praise inspired by his mother. "Quite frankly, it's just that simple."

After Biden's remarks, Hollings showed his trademark tongue and joked there was no need for Biden to do a eulogy down the road - that all that needed to be done was for a taped version of the library speech to be played.

"I'm going to play it every other day," he said to a tittering audience. "For 34 years as a junior senator to Strom, I've had enough damned humility. I need a little arrogance and you gave me a double dose!"

Then Hollings, as many in the audience expected, went on to talk about subjects close to his heart - America's need to enforce trade laws, how a value-added tax could help solve budget problems, the budget deficit and more.

As Biden noted, Hollings still has his spunk. And now, he has a great library named in his honor too.

Publisher Andy Brack, a former press secretary to Hollings, is publisher of Charleston Currents and StatehouseReport.com. He can be reached at: publisher@charlestoncurrents.com.

FEEDBACK
Send us your thoughts

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SPOTLIGHT
BB&T

The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents to you at no cost. This issue's featured underwriter BB&T, a regional bank that has built on a tradition of excellence in community banking since 1872. BB&T is a mission-driven organization with a clearly defined set of business principals and values. It encourages employees to have a strong sense of purpose, a high level of self-esteem and the capacity to think clearly and logically. BB&T offers clients a complete range of financial services including banking, lending, insurance, trust and wealth management solutions. To learn more, visit BB&T online or drop in to talk with its professionals at the main branch office at 151 Meeting Street, Charleston. Phone: (843)720-5168.

GOOD NEWS
PURE Theatre to have world premiere of play on Aug. 5

The key three words of the news release about a world premiere of a PURE Theatre play may be the last three: "Mature Audiences Only."

That's because "Ginger: A Hansel and Gretel Tale" doesn't appear to be the kind of story you read as a kid. It is much, much more. The adaptation of the medieval fable follows a darker, creative story line, according to the release: "Ginger's hungry . . . but for what? She and her brother, Hampton, struggle to find filling fare while battling demons from within and without, including a cannibalistic vamp with an appetite for youth. Follow the intrepid duo on a journey from trailers to treasure in PURE's imaginative adaptation of Grimm's tale." Sounds like fun.

The play, written by Rodney Lee Rogers (who also directs) and Spencer Deering, premieres Aug. 5 on the grounds of the Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting Street, Charleston. Nine performances are scheduled through August 20. Check PURE Theatre's Web site for more or phone 843.723.4444.

Van Rysselberge to leave Chamber next year

This doesn't come as "good news" for Charleston, but it may for Charles Van Rysselberge, who is retiring as head of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce at the end of March after a 40-year career in managing chambers.

Van Rysselberge

"Charles has taken the Chamber to new heights of success during his almost nine years at the helm," said Chamber Chairman Bobby Pearce. "Due in no small part to his leadership, the Chamber was recognized recently as one of the top three chambers in the United States. In addition, the Chamber has received much additional recognition for its innovative and unique programs and services which have helped to make the Charleston metro region one of the nation's hotspots for entrepreneurs and growth companies."

Van Rysselberge came to Charleston eight years ago after Chamber leadership roles in Georgia, Louisiana and Oklahoma. For more on his retirement, visit the Chamber's Web site.

Military women event set for Saturday before ballgame

The Palmetto chapter of the national Women In Defense organization will name "WID's Military Woman of the Year" Saturday just before the start of the Charleston RiverDogs' game.

WID, a national security organization, cultivates and supports the advancement and recognition of women in all aspects of national security. Part of a non-profit organization, WID was established in 1985 to provide women a formal environment for professional growth through networking, education and career development.

RECOMMENDED

HAVE A REVIEW? If you have a review or recommendation 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.

To escape racial discrimination in Philadelphia's Methodist Church, Richard Allen, a former slave, organized the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church there in 1787. It is the oldest African American religious denomination and existed mainly in the North before the Civil War. The denomination's origins in South Carolina date to 1818. In 1817 the attempt of white Methodists in Charleston to control the activities of black church members precipitated a mass exodus of 4,367 from the church. The following year many went on to establish the African Church, which was affiliated with the AME denomination. At this time Charleston's membership was second only to that of Philadelphia, and it was the southernmost branch of the denomination. Suspicious of its northern connections and the autonomy the church represented, white authorities routinely harassed its members. Church leaders' involvement in the 1822 Denmark Vesey slave conspiracy led to destruction of the church and dispersal of its membership.

Administration building at Allen University, Columbia, S.C.

In 1863 the church was reestablished in South Carolina when the first AME missionaries, the Reverends James Lynch and James Hall, began their operations in and around Port Royal, Edisto, and Beaufort. On May 15, 1865, in Charleston, Bishop Daniel Payne organized the South Carolina Conference, which originally also included North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. African Methodism grew rapidly and was black Carolinians' second largest denomination at the end of the century. In 1880 with 300,000 primarily southern members, the first bishops for the South were elected. All had important ties to South Carolina. Henry McNeal Turner was from Newberry; Richard Cain was the quintessential preacher-politician in Reconstruction South Carolina; and the Sixth Episcopal District, which included South Carolina, was William Dickerson's first appointment.

African Methodism promoted education, and churches frequently housed secular and Sunday schools. To raise the educational level of ministers, Payne Institute was established in Cokesbury in 1870. Relocating to Columbia in 1880, the school was renamed Allen University and was the first college controlled by African Americans in the state. South Carolinians were also in the forefront of the denomination's missionary efforts. In 1878 the AME Liberian Mission Church headed by the Reverend Santania Flegler departed Charleston with the Liberian Exodus participants. Bishop Henry McNeal Turner's efforts organized the denomination in Sierra Leone and Liberia in 1891 and southern Africa in 1896. In 2004 one-third of the denomination's 3.5 million members were Africans and the church was growing most rapidly in western and southern Africa. South Carolina, which constitutes the Seventh Episcopal District, had the third largest membership of the church's nineteen districts.

Advocating "the Gospel of Freedom," African Methodist ministers have played important roles as secular leaders. Between 1868 and 1876 seven AME ministers were elected to the South Carolina state legislature. Church leaders used their offices to articulate community grievances and to protest against lynching and racial discrimination. In 1948 the Reverend Joseph DeLaine organized black parents against racial discrimination in Clarendon County's public schools. The resulting litigation was one of the cases decided in the U.S. Supreme Court's famous Brown v. Board of Education decision. The mission of the church has always been broadly based, and its resources have been deployed to address a range of social problems, including HIV-AIDS, health-care disparities, affordable housing, and foster care.

-- Excerpted from the entry by Bernard E. Powers Jr. 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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THE LIST
Five from "The Fritz"

Here are five neat things about USC's new special collections library named for Charleston native and former U.S. senator Fritz Hollings:

Big new area. The $18 million Hollings Library comprises 50,000 square feet on three levels. The new library houses the university's special political collections, rare manuscripts and digital collection. It is adjacent and connected to the Thomas Cooper Library.

Lots of room. High-density compact shelves in stack areas provide 47,000 linear feet (about nine miles) for materials. These specially designed electronic shelves will accommodate 250,000 volumes of books and approximately 20 million manuscripts, political papers, folios, maps and framed items.

Green building. The new library was designed and built at a LEED Gold level, meaning that it is among the top in sustainable buildings. Among green features are a reflective roof that deflects heat; a storm water treatment system that reduces oil and sediment flow during a rainfall; a drip irrigation system that reduces water use; and an extensive recycling and reuse program for the building's construction and operation.

Digitized. The library is home to the university's digital collection and was designed for the future to store digitized versions of rare manuscripts for public use. Included in the building's design is a special room created to house a Zeutschel scanner, the only one of its kind in the United States. It is used to digitize large format materials.

Name. There's a possibility that the informal name of the new library will be "The Fritz."

QUOTE
Get to work

"Get rid of the economists and start governing."

-- Former U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings on what needs to happen in Washington, during a Friday ceremony dedicating a new library at USC in his honor.

CALENDAR: THIS WEEK

Delicious AND Good?: 6:30 p.m. July 28, Charleston Cooks, 194 East Bay St., downtown. Holistic chef and gRAWnola creator Ken Immer will lead a cooking class titled "Delicious AND Good for You?" featuring easy recipes and ideas to raise the "health quotient" of your kitchen without sacrificing flavor or taking extra time and effort. Menu includes cucumber and avocado soup, grilled vegetable pilaf with sprouted quinoa, summer slaw with kale and arame, saucy Brussels sprouts, and Key lime pie. Cost: $60. Register online or call 722-1212.

Shark Week: Daily July 31 to Aug. 8, South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf. A weeklong event for kids featuring all things shark, including shark-themed dive shows, interactive activities such as "Sharkeology" and "Shark Shapes," playing in the shark cage, trips along Shark Alley, and the chance to get photos taken in the mouth of a shark. All activities free with general admission or membership. More info: 577-FISH (3474) or online.

Youth Theatre Camp: Through July 30, Charleston Acting Studio, 915 Folly Road. Kids ages 8 to 13 can learn about acting, singing, dancing and various aspects of production in a professional theatre setting. The studio is the educational arm of Midtown/SheriGrace Productions. Session one (July 5 to July 16) meets 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; session two (July 19 to July 30) meets 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Both sessions will end with a musical performance for family and friends on the second Saturday of camp. Registration/more info: 795-2223.

Revolutionary War Tours: 4 p.m. Thursdays in July, Heyward-Washington House, 87 Church St. The museum house will offer the special tours, which focus on the connection the house and its previous residents had to the Revolutionary War. Cost: $10 adults, $5 children (free for Charleston Museum members). Reservations not needed. More info: 722-2996, ext. 235.

CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON

Ready, Set, Enroll: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 3, Trident Technical College, all three campuses. Free event to get information on Trident Tech programs, financial aid, enrollment, etc. Welcome sessions will be held at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. The three campus locations are Main Campus, 7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston (Building 410/Student Lounge); Palmer Campus, 66 Columbus St., downtown Charleston; and Berkeley Campus, 1001 S. Live Oak Drive, Moncks Corner. More info, including a list of suggested documents to bring: 574-6111 or online.

'Uncooking' Demo: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 4, SieMatic Kitchen Store, 444 King St., downtown. Slow Food Charleston will host an "Uncooking" demo with raw-foods chef Helen Greenfield of Johns Island. Tasting menu includes Raw Sprouted Organic Almond "Mylkshake," Okra-Eggplant Crackers, Sweet Potato-Pineapple Cookies, and Fair Trade Cocoa Stuffed Dates. Cost: $10 for Slow Food Charleston members; $15 nonmembers. Reservations (required): 853-9120 or rsvp@slowfoodcharleston.org.

'Jaws' on the Lawn: 7 p.m. Aug. 5, Liberty Square, downtown Charleston by the South Carolina Aquarium. Watch the all-time classic shark movie "Jaws" during the aquarium's Shark Week celebration. Lawn area opens at 7 p.m. and movie starts at dark. Before the movie, guests can interact with roving educators and watch an aquarium-made short film on shark myths. Bring your own chair or blanket. Snacks, sodas and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase. No coolers or pets allowed. Donations will be taken at the door to benefit conservation efforts at the aquarium. More info: 577-FISH (3474) or online.

CYP Summer Soiree: 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Aug. 6, Francis Marion Hotel, corner of King and Calhoun streets. The Charleston Young Professionals group will host its "Summer Soiree - the Black Tie, Blue Jean Event," featuring food, drinks, networking opportunities, giveaways and music from DJ Doug in the Carolina Ballroom. Cost: $60 CYP members, $75 nonmembers. Tickets/more info.

(NEW) Manners workshop: 9 a.m., Aug. 7. The Charleston Museum will offer its "Petite Protocol" program with fun, interactive and engaging activities that remind children aged 6 to 10 how to be courteous, respectful and confident in the classroom. $20 to $25. More and to register, call 843.722.2996 (ext. 236) or visit online.

(NEW) First Day Festival, 1 p.m., Aug. 15, Liberty Square, downtown Charleston. The City of Charleston hosts the 8th First Day Festival to help students transition back to school. Not only will they be able to play in a Kids Zone, they'll be able to tour the S.C. Aquarium, get school supplies and get their face painted. Last year's festival drew more than 10,000 kids. Learn more.

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FOCUS ARCHIVES

9/30: Starland: Visual arts
9/27: Vural: Art, essay contest
9/23: Blanchard: House in order
9/20: Barry: Going "social"
9/16: Hutchisson: Being green
9/13: Schleissman: Wood workshop
9/9: Kirby: Sobering success
9/6: Brooks: Great volunteers
9/2: Graul: Lowcountry Loc 1st
8/30: Pearce: Pro terminal
8/26: Roof: Great tax credit
8/23: Rawl: New education
8/19: Peters: Getting lead out
8/16: Frazier: Magnolia gardeners
8/12: Myers: Redux art
8/9: Ginn: Opportunity Next
8/5: Barnette: Hedwig show
8/2: Deaton: Lured back
7/29: Hannah: SCRA center
7/26: Parezo: Personal chefs
7/22: Bender: Shark Week
7/19: Witty: Growth in down market
7/14: Carroll: Networking
7/7: Blanchard: Financial planning
7/1: Shaffer: Picky Eaters Group

• More of Focus in the archives

ANN THRASH ARCHIVES

9/30: Making It Grow
9/23: Diving into the Lowcountry
9/16: Curbing domestic violence
9/9: Shrimp-baiting time
9/2: Tail-wagging and -gating
8/26: Urban gardening
8/19: Nirvana, Class of '14
8/12: History is interesting
8/5: Robert, Variety Store
7/29: Lazy? Boiled peanuts
7/22: Purple Toes book
7/14: Art opens doors
7/1: Lots to do on 4th
6/24: Ways to nab skeeters
6/17: Dump the Pump, more
6/10: Lots to do locally
6/3: Dancin' for dollars

• More Ann Thrash in the archives

ANDY BRACK ARCHIVES

9/27: Haley-Sheheen race
9/20: Political, energy efficiency
9/13: British invasion
9/6: Meet Dave the Potter
8/30: Gulf pix make impact
8/23: Thank a teacher
8/16: Pharmacy, juice
8/2: Cherry juice, Gardner
7/26: Biden on Hollings
7/19: About Turkey
7/7: Campaign trash
6/28: Impatient electorate
6/21: Haley's thin record
6/14: Daddy-daughter trip
6/7: Gulf spill report

• More Andy Brack in the archives

PETER LUCASH: BUSINESS INDIGO

7/14: Tech After 5 hits Chas
7/1: TwelveSouth scores praise
5/27: Facebook on privacy
5/13: Spark Charleston, more
4/22: Green Wizard, more
4/1: Encouraging biz signs
3/18: Biz fair, CED venture
3/4: Lowcountry tech hub
2/4: Advice on working with Boeing
1/21: Co-working group
1/7: Free library text questions

LIST ARCHIVES

9/30: 5 kids' books
9/20: 5 for kayaks
9/23: 5 for pets
9/20: 5 at the Gibbes
9/16: 5 date nights
9/13: 5 fall plants
9/9: 5 wine resources
9/6: 5 magical moments
9/2: 5 great preachers
8/30: 5 local runs
8/26: 5 great cookbooks
8/23: Creative five
8/19: 5 local blogs
8/16: More plaudits
8/12: 5 local dog romps
8/9: New heritage sites
8/5: 5 around Chucktown
8/2: Bedside reading
7/29: Five for fall
7/26: Hollings library
7/22: Wine + Food fest
7/19: New Chas app
7/14: Chas at top
7/7: SC films
7/1: Keeping cool

• More Lists in the archives
  
  
• Let us know if there's a broken link