Since May 2007
PRESORT STANDARD
Volume 12 Issue 13
Flooding from Tropical Storm Irma in September 2017 combined with high tides, flooded many of Kiawah’s streets.
Photo by Kelly Bragg.
Sea Level Rise report released
TOWN, KICA AND ARB WILL CONSIDER ACTION
N
ASA’s website credits Wallace Broecker of
Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty
Geological Observatory with coining the term
“Global Warming,” in a paper he wrote in 1975. His
prescient study didn’t catch on outside the scientific
community, and later attempts by others to morph
the moniker into “Climate Change” didn’t help. The
apocalyptic issue he described warranted attention, but it
was dismissed by many as a nebulous, “someday/maybe”
kind of problem left for science to solve. However, as
its component effects begin to manifest in plain sight,
public awareness has turned to apprehension.
Fleming Tournament
Page 6
FREE
BY GREGG BRAGG
The Island Connection Sr. Staff Writer
Perhaps the issue’s most easily visible component in
the Lowcountry is the rise of sea level. The Lowcountry
has witnessed three consecutive years of flooding
previously thought to be 1/1,000 year events. Projections
from respected organizations like NOAA, NASA,
and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) suggest
such events will get worse in years, not the lifetimes as
originally thought.
Responding to the threat, residents of Kiawah set
about establishing the Sea Level Rise Sub-Committee
(SLRsc) with the help of Kiawah Town Councilmember
Diane Mezzanotte.
Fantastic Fall Colors
Page 9
US POSTAGE PAID
CHARLESTON SC
POSTAL PATRON
PERMIT NO 437
September 28, 2018
SLRsc’s membership speaks to the depth of Kiawah’s
talent pool. John Leffler – Ph.D. in Zoology/Ecology
agreed to chair the SLR, and he is joined by Robert Cheney
– MS in Physical Oceanography, Jim Chitwood – Ph.D.
in Chemistry, Jane Ellis – Ph.D. in Plant Physiology, Jack
Kotz – Ph.D. in chemistry, David Pumphrey – B.A. and
M.A. in Economics, Lynette Schroeder – MBA, and James
V. Sullivan – B.S. in Chemical Engineering, just to name
a few. The group has spent the last year scrutinizing and
responding to reports by the organizations mentioned above.
Sea Level Rise continues on page 2
Mystery Plant
Page 11
2 September 28, 2018
Sea Level Rise continues from cover
“The results were sobering,” says an
excerpt from SLR’s response. “Coastal
areas with known flooding problems fared
Lynn Pierotti the worst, such as Louisiana, Florida Keys,
Maryland Eastern Shore, and New Jersey.
publisher
Kiawah-Seabrook may have 277 homes
lynn@luckydognews.com
valued at $277 million suffering from
chronic inundation by 2030. [However],
Katy Calloway their ranking of Kiawah-Seabrook as the
managing editor most vulnerable of all South Carolina
katy@luckydognews.com communities is misleading because they
used US Census Bureau tracts to define
communities... This means that their
Jennifer Tuohy percent inundation calculations are higher
contributing editor since there is no inland, higher land to offset
jennifer@luckydognews.com the low coastal terrain. Despite these minor
details, the [SLRsc] can find no fundamental
Alejandro Ferreyros errors in their analyses and conclusions.”
SLRsc made the information more
senior graphic designer
personal to Lowcountry residents by using
alejandro@luckydognews.com
“Mean Higher High Water (MHHW)
datum based on the Charleston tide gauge
Lori McGee station. MHHW is the average of… two
sales manager daily high tides over a period of 19 years.
lori@luckydognews.com It is essentially the boundary of salt marsh
where it meets dry land. This is the average
range of our current high tides every day.
Carla Foxworth Flooding occurs when… sea water rises
sales executive above this boundary and spills out across
carla@luckydognews.com the landscape,” the report explains.
The SLRsc account warns that the
Senior Staff Writer four feet of additional water brought in
during Hurricane Irma would cover 73%
Gregg Bragg
of Kiawah, for example. The committee’s
report pitches an interactive, web-based
Contributors tool developed by the city of Charleston.
Colin McCandless It is available by visiting gis.charleston-sc.
Tiffany Gammell gov/interactive/slr/. “The baseline map
Alan Armstrong shows the water line at MHHW. Sea level
can then be added in 0.5-foot increments.
Dale and Patti Leibach
To simulate the predicted extent of
Betsy Turner chronic flooding by 2060, add 3 feet to
Martha Zink the MHHW level, 1.25 feet for the minor
Savannah Brennan flood level plus 1.75 feet for sea level
Dimi Matouchev rise under the intermediate projection.
Steven Bradley The inundation maps found [there
were] produced by Dr. Norman Levine
Erica Taylor
and Lucas Hernandez of the College of
John Nelson Charleston and are the highest resolution,
i.e. most detailed, maps available,” says
the report. What to expect and how to
handle it (e.g. likely things to plug into
the tool) occupy the bulk of the report.
The Sea Level Rise report is the
daily
marvel of technical writing you would “… [marshes] provide important
expect, but somehow it remains equally protection for shorelines from erosion
“readable.” The observation/opinion is by buffering wave action and trapping
particularly noteworthy, given the topics’ sediments. Salt marshes reduce flooding
complexity and the fact that dozens of by slowing and absorbing rainwater and
separate assignments were stitched into protect water quality by filtering runoff
a single, 123-page document. Managing and metabolizing excess nutrients…
the task required a standard format be Marsh vegetation can raise land elevation
applied to each topic/category including; by trapping sediment and adding organic
Significance, Current Status on matter. Kiawah has about 50 miles of
Kiawah, Concerns, Recommendations, marsh front compared to 10 miles of
Responsibilities and Partners, and beach,” said the document.
Recommended Reading/Additional SLRsc members also recommend “The
Information. The template was applied to Conservancy and other land-owning
at least a dozen issues. entities should consider acquiring or
Stormwater and Nuisance protecting strategic properties that will
Flooding Management included 17 provide future salt marsh migration
recommendations like; “Adapt our pond routes. The Conservancy could explore
water-flow management, including the legal and practical possibility of
outflow gates and valves… Identify acquiring tax-reducing easements on
future tipping points as sea levels change portions of properties along the edge of
and plan in advance for how those new salt marshes that will permit some future
conditions will be addressed.” inland migration.”
Roads Infrastructure included 11 The SLRsc has done all the heavy
recommendations highlighted by; lifting and research. The full document
“County roads were required to be is available by visiting KiawahIsland.org/
elevated, at a minimum, to… 2.4 feet and wp-content/uploads/2018/08/FINAL-
[later] 2.9 feet above MHHW. Currently Flood-Sea-Level-Rise-Report-clickable-
Kiawah has a few segments of roads links-1-1.pdf.
below the original… County standard, As of this writing, SLRsc members
and several additional areas below the are holding their breath in anticipation
[new] level. Normal, highest spring tides of a warm reception at a “stakeholders”
may be 1.9 feet above MHHW, so it will meeting scheduled for Sept. 26.
not require much sea level rise to cause
frequent flooding problems.”
Emergency Management has 13
recommendations, Potable Water
and Wastewater Management - 2
recommendations, Electricity Service had
a single recommendation – “… the ARB
should work with BEC now to ensure that
there is no delay in raising switch gear and
transformer boxes [above MHHW] when
it becomes necessary.”
The section on the Salt Marsh
Environment was particularly interesting.
Marshes migrate, and competition
between salt and fresh water inundation
would halt that process and reduce the
marsh and its grasses. Less marsh would
exacerbate the effects of high water events,
and one possibility SLRsc promotes is
to re-nourish the marshes in a fashion
similar to what has previously been done
to the beach.
The committee’s overview continued;

Civic Calendar
K iawah Island Town H all
Published by 21 Beachwalker Drive
Lucky Dog Publishing Kiawah Island, SC 29455
of South Carolina, LLC Phone: 768-9166
P.O. Box 837 Town of Kiawah Public Works Town of Seabrook Fax: 768-4764
Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 Committee
Town Council Oct. 8, 10 a.m. Planning Commission Seabrook Island Town H all
843-886-NEWS
Meeting Kiawah Town Hall Meeting 2001 Seabrook Island Road
Oct. 2, 2 p.m. Oct. 3, 2:30 p.m. Seabrook Island, SC 29455
Future submission deadline: Public Safety
Kiawah Town Hall Seabrook Town Hall Phone: 768-9121
October 3 for the Committee
October 12 Issue Fax: 768-9830
Planing Commission Oct. 10, 2 p.m. Ways & Means Email: lmanning@townofseabrookisland.org
Meeting Kiawah Town Hall Committee Meeting
Op-Ed articles and letters to the editor do not Oct. 3, 3 p.m. Oct. 16, 2:30 p.m. Johns Island Council
necessarily reflect the opinion of Kiawah Town Hall Board of Zoning Seabrook Town Hall Meetings are held at the Berkeley Electric
Lucky Dog News or its writers. Appeals Co-op located at 3351 Maybank Hwy, Johns
Arts Council Oct. 15, 4 p.m. Town Council Island.
Meeting Kiawah Town Hall Meeting Chairman Chris Cannon: 343-5113
The Island Oct. 4, 2 p.m.
Kiawah Town Hall
Oct. 23, 2:30 p.m.
Seabrook Town Hall Charleston County Council
Connection 4045 Bridge View Dr, N. Charleston
958-4700
Lucky Dog Publishing, LLC News Updates
Publishers of Island Eye News, Online at City of Charleston
The Island Connection facebook.com/ 75 Calhoun St.
islandconnectionnews 724-3745
September 28, 2018
letter to the editor

Misplaced Priorities
M
y congratulations to the town for keeping us informed and
looking out for our interests as the hurricane approached. I
can't say the same for my experience with the POA. With
the storm threat looming I contacted my insurer to see if my $19,000
motorcycle would be covered for its loss in off island storage. Since it
would be better protected if it was on my own property I contacted
our Executive Director and POA President and asked for a one time
variance of the no motorcycles on Seabrook rule. Sorry I was told,
can't do it. Really, why not? When I was asked to participate in a 4th
of July parade it was OK, as it is every day when we see security staff
drive their motorcycles through the gate to their parking area.
The kindest words my neighbors could muster when told this
story were "you're kidding," or "ridiculous " or "asinine." I think this
reflects how Seabrookers think our POA should be looking out for us
with neighbors helping neighbors.
We would be better served by leaders who can be more flexible in
extraordinary circumstances and not constrained by slavish devotion
to inconsequential rules.

Harry Polychron
Seabrook Island

About Letters to the Editor / Opinon / Editorials

All letters and Opinions submitted to The Island Connection must bear a full name,
address and phone number for verification. Only the author’s name and city will be
printed. Submissions are accepted via email to katy@luckydognews.com.
Submissions may be edited for length and readability. The Island Connection reserves
the right to reject submissions that are libelous, unseemly, not individually addressed
to The Island Connection or that have been previously published elsewhere. The Island
Connection will not publish letters endorsing political candidates. Op-Ed articles and
Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinion of Lucky Dog News or its writers.

Tid e Char t
Date High Tide Low Tide
Sep 28 10:49am/11:13pm 4:38am/5:09pm
Sep 29 11:33am/11:58pm 5:21am/5:58pm
Sep 30 12:25pm 6:09am/6:53pm
Oct 01 12:52am/1:24pm 7:03am/7:54pm
Oct 02 1:55am/2:30pm 8:04am/8:59pm
Oct 03 3:04am/3:39pm 9:10am/10:05pm
Oct 04 4:13am/4:46pm 10:17am/11:07pm
Oct 05 5:19am/5:48pm 11:22am
Oct 06 6:20am/6:44pm 12:05am/12:22pm
Oct 07 7:16am/7:37pm 12:58am/1:18pm
Oct 08 8:09am/8:26pm 1:47am/2:11pm
Oct 09 8:59am/9:13pm 2:34am/3:02pm
Oct 10 9:47am/9:58pm 3:20am/3:51pm
Oct 11 10:33am/10:43pm 4:04am/4:39pm

Hurricanes, storms, etc., are NOT included in the predictions.

Tidal current direction changes and tide time predictions can be
very different. Tide predictions are PREDICTIONS; they can be
wrong so use common sense.
Source: saltwatertides.com
4 September 28, 2018
arts & events
Clara Yang performs at CofC Three Island Challenge is back
YOUNG PIANIST SHOWCASES
TRADITIONAL REPERTOIRE
BY TIFFANY GAMMELL
For The Island Connection
T
he College of Charleston
Department of Music’s
International Piano Series is
pleased to present pianist Clara Yang, who
will be performing at the Sottile Theater
on Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Praised by Fanfare as “a first-rate
pianist who isn’t afraid of challenges,”
Chinese-American pianist Clara Yang has
performed in notable venues such as Weill
Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Forbidden City
Concert Hall (Beijing), Remonstrantse
Kerk (The Netherlands), and the Seymour
Centre (Sydney, Australia).
In addition to being a master of
traditional repertoire, Yang is also an avid
new music interpreter. The distinguished
composer Chen Yi composed the piano
concerto Four Spirits for her in 2016, and
she performed the world premiere with
Maestro Huang Yi conducting the China
Philharmonic in the Forbidden City
Concert Hall. Her solo album Folding
Time was released to critical acclaim by
Albany Records in July 2015.
The concert will be followed by a
reception in the Hill Gallery at the Marion
and Wayland H. Cato, Hr. Center for the
Arts located at 161 Calhoun St. To RSVP
for the reception and to purchase tickets
please email concerts@cofc.edu.
This event is sponsored by the
Remington Master Artist Series.
arts & events
BRAGGING RIGHTS, TROPHY ON THE LINE
Team Wild Dunes poses with the Three Island Challenge trophy after winning the
challenge in 2017. Photo provided.
BY COLIN MCCANDLESS
For The Island Connection
T
he Three Island Challenge, an
annual golf event starting in
October and continuing through
early November, will pit three teams from
Wild Dunes, Seabrook Island and Kiawah
Island against each other in a game called
“Nines.”
Lasting over the course of three
matches, the first round of 18 holes will tee
off at 9 a.m. at Seabrook’s Ocean Winds
Course on Oct. 10. The subsequent two
rounds are played at the Links Course
Wild Dunes on Oct. 23, wrapping up
with Turtle Point at Kiawah on Nov. 7.
Originating in 1991, the Three Island
Challenge was started to create a spirit
of camaraderie and friendly competition
among the three islands.
The object of Nines, also called
5-3-1, is to play off of handicaps, basing
scoring around the largest handicap in a
threesome, according to Mike Gollobin,
president of the Men’s Golf Association
at Wild Dunes, who helps coordinate the
Wild Dunes team.
Each team supplies 18 players, (golfers
of all different handicaps) which are
broken up into threesomes. The idea is
to closely match players based on their
handicaps, explained Gollobin.
As the game’s name implies, there are
nine points available on each hole. You
want to win each hole or ‘game’ and earn
five points. Second place receives three
points and third place gets just one point.
If everyone ties a hole, then each player
scores three points. Ninety points is the
most you can score in a match and 18 is
the lowest point total you can accrue.
If you manage to score in the upper
50s and 60s during a round those are
considered good scores and the 70s is
excellent, albeit rarer, said Gollobin.
Once all three rounds of the Three
Island Challenge have been played and
the cumulative points from each match
are totaled, a champion is crowned.
The winning team earns bragging
rights and gets awarded a trophy that they
keep for a year at their respective pro shop
until the next Three Island Challenge.
Team Wild Dunes emerged victorious in
2017 and they are excited to be sporting
new golf shirts this year as they look to
defend their title and maintain the trophy
at The Links Course one more year.
“It’s competitive, but friendly,” said
Gollobin of the event. “It’s really well
done.”
It costs $60 per person to participate
in the Three Island Challenge. Kiawah
players interested in the event may
contact Sara Youngner with any questions
at sara_youngner@kiawahresort.com or
843.768.5825. Priority is given to the
players who played in the first two events
and then to the players who are highest
on the POY list as of one week prior to
the event.
September 28, 2018
Kiawah rescinds beach light violation
ORDINANCE DEEMED UNENFORCEABLE AS WRITTEN
T
he Aug. 17 issue of The Island
Connection featured Timbers
Kiawah (TK) and its intent to
be good neighbors. That issue of the
newspaper had just gone to print, when
reports of lights on the beach started
arriving. Kiawah resident Paula Feldman
called the Town of Kiawah Island
(TOKI) to report the latest incident on
Monday, Sept. 13. It was the second time
she called this summer, and TOKI staff
member Bruce Spicher told her this was
TK’s fourth time being reported.
“Sea Turtles Dig the Dark” makes a nice
bumper-sticker and sends a vital message.
Mother turtles navigate by light, moving
towards moonlight reflected on the Atlantic
as they leave their nest. If there are bright
lights on the beach, the mothers can become
disoriented, and get lost in the dunes (or in
one case, in a lagoon at the golf course.)
Hatchlings also head toward light once they
emerge from the nest. Artificial light may
send them to predators in the dunes, and
away from the relative safety of the Atlantic.
The Town’s light ordinance has been on the
books longer than most can remember. It
was always more of an insistent reminder
but this time, TOKI staff told Feldman
there would be a fine of $400.
daily
BY GREGG BRAGG
The Island Connection Sr. Staff Writer
“We understand the impact artificial
lights have on loggerhead sea turtles and
want to assure the local community, Turtle
Patrol and the Town of Kiawah Island that
complying with the Town’s ordinances for
beach lighting is of the utmost importance
to us. During construction, procedures
have been put in place to comply with
the ordinance until we open, and we are
responding immediately to comply with
any infractions from the Town of Kiawah.
We want to go above and beyond to meet
the Town’s ordinance. We will continue
working with the proper parties to ensure
the protection of Kiawah’s wildlife and
look forward to setting an example for
loggerhead sea turtle conservation in
the community. We will be offering
loggerhead sea turtle education programs
for owners, which will be available on an
ongoing basis once the property opens
this October,” read the statement from
TK spokeswoman Samantha Franco. The
lights continued to shine the following
week, and the reason may be a glitch in
the Town’s ordinance.
TOKI staff members Jim Jordan/
Bruce Spicher later threw the ticket out
saying the light ordinance was legally
unenforceable, during a meeting of the
Town’s Environmental Committee held
the week following the incident.
Asked for confirmation, Town
Administrator Stephanie Tillerson said
in an email, “Staff has some concerns
with some of the wording in the current
Beachfront Lighting Ordinance (BLO),
and the enforceability of certain sections
in said Ordinance. Therefore, the ticket
that was issued to Timbers Kiawah was
voided.
“The ticket was rescinded by Bruce
Spicher, Development Service Manager
who oversees Code Enforcement. Jim
Jordan is working with the Environmental
Committee to strengthen and fix the
BLO. The hope is the amended BLO will
go before Council for consideration and
approval at the September or October
Town Council meeting for First Reading,”
Tillerson continued.
“Timbers Kiawah was cited for previous
violations, but they all were related
to subcontractors not having business
licenses and the matter was resolved. Your
reference to Timbers being charged for
their fourth violation for TOKI Lighting
Ordinance is not current. That was their
first ticket issued by the Town in possible
violation of the BLO, and again that ticket
5
was rescinded,” Tillerson said.
Kiawah resident Beverly Gholson
attended the Environmental Committee
meeting. “I am on the Environmental
Committee for the Town of Kiawah.
I brought Paula’s concerns about the
Timbers lighting to the committee. Jim
Jordan told us that the Timbers had
been issued a ticket on that issue the day
before… We worked on a revised Beach
Lighting Ordinance. Later we were
sent another revision to the ordinance,
which was much stronger based on our
comments. That is really all I know
firsthand. I have heard other things
about [past] tickets [also] being torn up,
etc. but it is not firsthand and being a
lawyer, I take it with a grain of salt (or
maybe I remember playing telephone as a
child),” she said in an email to The Island
Connection.
TOKI council meetings are held the
first Tuesday of each month. Contact
information for councilmembers is
available, as well as a list of Environmental
Committee members on the Town’s
website.
For more information visit KiawahIsland.
org.
6 September 28, 2018
tennis
Fleming Tennis Tournament around the corner
VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED
BY DALE AND PATTI LEIBACH
For The Island Connection
W
ith Florence and the summer
behind us, attention on
Seabrook Island now turns to
the 35th annual Alan Fleming Tennis
Tournament slated for Oct. 3–7.
The Alan Fleming Tennis
Tournament began as a local Seabrook
Island event in the early 1980s. Since
then it has grown into a premier
tournament in the Southeast and
nationally attracting more than 200
senior tennis players from as many as
20 states. Spectator admission is open
to the public and free.
The tournament has become a key
event for the Charleston region and
beyond and the US Tennis Association
(USTA) has awarded the tournament
its highest-level status for its mixed
doubles 40s, 50s and 60s events. The
Championship tournament joins
an elite class of tournaments in the
Southeast awarding 200 points to the
winners of the various divisions.
As tournament time approaches,
the need for volunteers to pull off the
charity event moves into high gear.
With a growing number of players and
spectators, volunteers are needed to help
with everything from registering and
Carlos Gomez-Diaz from the 2017 Alan Fleming Tennis Tournament. Photo provided. handing out favors to players to assisting
in the “players’ lounge” (handing out
drinks, restocking the ice cream cooler
and interacting with the players) to
helping direct cars to a parking spot.
Volunteers can devote as little as an
hour or two to spending a day helping
with this fun fundraising tennis event.
As Co-chair, Cat Russo, said, “The
Fleming is a wonderful way to spend
time with neighbors and make new
friends in this very special place we
live while supporting a worthy cause.”
Past volunteer efforts contributed
to the Fleming being noted as “best
tournament of the year” by visiting
players.
This year’s charitable beneficiary is
Sea Islands Blessing Basket. Once a
month, The Sea Islands Blessing Basket
distributes food to approximately 510
residents of Johns and Wadmalaw
Islands whose income is below the
poverty level.
The 2018 Fleming is expected to
raise more than $40,000 which will
make a major contribution to helping
those facing food shortages and hunger.
Interested in joining the effort? Please
contact: Cat Russo at cat.russo1990@
gmail.com.
September 28, 2018
arts & events
Seabrook Island Artists Guild K-S Exchange accepting
BETH WILLIAMS, EDISTO ISLAND
P A S T E L A R T I S T, A T O C T. M E E T I N G
Artist Beth Williams. Photo provided.
BY BETSY TURNER
For The Island Connection
T
he Seabrook Island Artist Guild is
very excited to bring Beth Tockey
Williams, a “Signature Member”
of the Pastel Society of America and
an award-winning artist, to our next
meeting, on Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 2–4
p.m. at the Lake House.
Williams earned her B.F.A. in Art
Education from Texas Tech University.
She has been featured on One King’s
Lane, and in the Charleston Garden
and Gun Jubilee, Charleston Style and
Design Magazine, Pastel Journal, and the
Charleston edition of Art Mag.
Williams’ current work focuses on
the diverse sea island landscapes that
surround her home and studio on Edisto
Island. Her marsh and dune scenes have
been described as sweeping, soulful and
intuitive. Especially notable are her recent
explorations in technique focusing on
movement and textural quality of tidal
and ocean waves.
Though currently expanding into oil,
Williams’ medium of choice is pastel,
which she prefers for its rich, luminous
7
daily
public nominations
ANGEL OAK AWARD HONORS
VOLUNTEERS
BY ALAN ARMSTRONG
For The Island Connection
T
he Kiawah-Seabrook Exchange
Club is soliciting nominations
for its Angel Oak Award. The
annual award was first presented in 2012
and recognizes a person who performs
volunteer services, which contribute
significantly to the people and/or quality
of life of Wadmalaw, Johns, Kiawah, and/
or Seabrook Island. The award is named
after an historic tree on Johns Island,
which clearly represents the people, Dr. Victor Agusta, the 2017 Angel Oak
culture, and natural environment of the Award recipient. Photo provided.
islands.
on the Angel Oak Trophy, which is
The recipient need not live on the permanently displayed on the islands.
aforementioned islands but the service
noted for the award must have been The Exchange Club is seeking
performed on the islands. The recipient nominations from the public. The deadline
will be recognized at a banquet to be for nominations is Oct. 19. Nomination
held on Feb. 13, 2019. The recipient will information and forms can be found on
receive an honorarium of $5,000, which the Kiawah-Seabrook Exchange Club
he/she can designate for assignment to website at KS-ExchangeClub.com.
color and velvety finish, allowing her to
capture a poignant atmospheric quality. a charitable organization servicing the Please contact Alan Armstrong at
Her work is influenced by Wolf Kahn, islands. The recipient will also receive a alan9631@comcast.net or 843.768.9252
Childe Hassam, John Singer Sargent, J. memento and have his/her name inscribed with any questions.
M. W. Turner and Winslow Homer.
Williams was awarded third-place
honors for her overall body of work in
the juried 2018 Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor
Art Exhibit in Charleston. Her work can
also be found in the Charleston Artist
Collective Gallery, the With These Hands
Gallery on Edisto Island, and in the
Atelier on Bay Art Gallery and Studios in
Beaufort, S.C.
October will be our month to focus on
pastel art, as our own art guild member
and Pastel Society of America Juried
Member, Brenda Tilson, will exhibit
“Roadside Cats” at the Lake House during
the month.
The SIAG will meet Oct. 16 to see and
hear Beth Williams’ presentation, and also
visit Brenda Tilson’s exhibit in the front
hall of the Lake House. To learn more about
the art guild and upcoming events, visit our
website at SeabrookIslandArtistGuild.com.
8 September 28, 2018
arts & events
Kiawah Island Garden Club
Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. Photo by Joan Collar.
BY MARTHA ZINK
For The Island Connection
I
n September the Kiawah Island
Garden Club had its first meeting
of the year and was treated to a talk
and demonstration by Sue Lord, a master
of Ikebana, about the techniques and
theories of this ancient Japanese art of
flower arrangement.
Ikebana is also known as “kado”, the
way of flowers, and dates back to the 7th
century. There have been many schools
of design within Ikebana and it is still
evolving today with both formal and
more natural designs.
On Oct. 12 the Garden Club will
have a special outing to tour the Citadel
Herbarium. On Nov. 12 they will enjoy
a classic afternoon tea at the Cassique
clubhouse and on Dec. 14 there will be a
fashion show held in the Sandpiper Room
at the newly renovated Sandcastle.
2019 will bring many other interesting
programs, one in conjunction with the
Seabrook Island Garden Club.
Interested members, and those who would
like to join the club, can check the club website
KiawahIslandGardenClub.org for details.
daily
Charleston Moves’
annual Pedal & Panache
BIKING TO EVENT ENCOURAGED
BY SAVANNAH BRENNAN
For The Island Connection
C
harleston Moves presents our
4th annual Pedal & Panache on
November 7 at Cannon Green! This
year’s gala features soulful, funky music
by Charleston’s own The Black Diamond
Band, an open bar stocked with local beer,
wine, and a special cocktail by The Rarebit,
upscale hors d’oeuvres from Cannon
Green's kitchen, current donor perks with
Charleston Moves, a reusable gift bag of
goodies curated by our generous sponsors,
and a silent auction boasting tickets to
Charleston’s best events, original handmade
goods and artwork, and much more.
Your all-inclusive ticket will directly
support our vision for a safe and connected
Charleston for those who walk, ride a
bike and take public transit. Enjoy a $10
discount on tickets through October 4 at
CharlestonMoves.org/pedal-panache.
Every day, we work toward a vision
of a connected Charleston, allowing the
community to choose among many safe
ways to travel. When we’re able to ride a bike,
walk or use public transit, it means equitable
opportunities and better access to affordable
food and housing, as well as job security
for citizens. It means an improved local
economy. It means cleaner air and water,
climate change mitigation, improved public
health, and reduced traffic congestion.
Charleston Moves continues to expand
the notion of what transportation can be,
working with stakeholders in the greater
Charleston area to ensure improved mobility
options while conserving what we all hold
so dear. We look forward to celebrating this
vision with you.
Walking, riding a bike or taking transit
to the event is strongly encouraged. Free
bike valet will be on site.
Charleston Moves encourages mobility by
bicycle and on foot for the improved health
and well- being of greater Charleston – our
people, neighborhoods, business districts and
overall economic competitiveness. Join the
movement and support our work by visiting
CharlestonMoves.org.
Pedal & Panache
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
6 — 9 p.m.
Cannon Green (103 Spring Street)
All-inclusive ticket plus a reusable gift bag:
$55 Pre-Sale Admission (through Oct. 4)
$65 General Admission (through Nov. 7)
September 28, 2018 9

Despite Florence, Carolinas on track for

‘fantastic’ fall color
BY STEVEN BRADLEY
For The Island Connection

along with the cooler temperatures help
bring out some of the brighter colors and
particularly the reds and the purples,” he
said. “If we can see that as we transition
into fall, I think this could really line up to
be a fantastic fall color season.”
From a perch near Devil’s Courthouse,
Hagan pointed down to an elevation
around 5,000 feet where the trees
transitioned from such evergreens as red
spruces and Fraser firs that remain green
through the winter to deciduous trees that
lose their leaves at lower elevations.
“This is a really neat spot,” he said.
“This elevation is where you see the fall
color happening first, and you’re going to
see that change, that wave of color kind of
working its way down the mountain, down
in elevation as you move into fall.”
Hagan said the deciduous trees in the
Photo courtesy Clemson University Relations. range of roughly 4,500 to 5,000 feet of
And while fall color comes later in lower
places, an overlap in tree species occurs as
elevation changes that can produce a richer
palette of colors due to the diversity of trees
found in the Piedmont region at the base of
the Blue Ridge Mountains mixed in with
more mountainous species.
“Every tree kind of produces its own
characteristic color leaves,” Hagan said.
“Birches, for example, are going to be
yellow. Dogwoods are going to turn a
purplish color. Sourwoods and fire cherries
are going to turn red. Red oaks tend to
turn red later in the year, as well. Really the
more species you have present, the more
diverse that palette of colors that you might
see at a given point in time is going to be.”
Hagan said a good fall color season
typically is defined as a season with a
multitude of different colors across the
landscape at the same time. He said all

A
s some sections of the Blue Ridge
Parkway reopened for the first time
after being cleared from Hurricane
Florence, there was little to suggest the
storm would put a damper on a vibrant fall
color season in the southern Appalachians.
While above average rainfall over the
summer months and warm temperatures
continuing well into September could delay
the display slightly, Clemson University
forest ecologist Don Hagan reported few
signs Florence should hinder an abundance
of autumn hues.
Hagan ventured from Clemson’s campus
up to an elevation of almost 5,500 feet
near Devil’s Courthouse in Transylvania
County, North Carolina, on Sept. 18, the
first morning that portion of the Parkway
was reopened, for an annual scouting
trip and found the foliage in the Pisgah
National Forest relatively undisturbed.
“We didn’t see the direct impacts here
along the southern Blue Ridge Parkway
like we could have seen,” Hagan said. “Had
we seen a little bit more wind and a little
bit more rain, we could have seen leaves
getting knocked off before they ever had
a chance to turn and we just fortunately
didn’t see that this year.”
Many forecasts for Florence had
called for heavy winds and rain with the
potential to dampen fall colors in the
western Carolinas, but the majority of elevation would be the first to change signs pointed to that outcome being likely
severe weather occurred closer to the coast, colors, noting that many of the tree species this fall — even if leaf-seekers might have
leaving only remnants of the then-tropical are the same that one might find in New to wait a bit longer to see it.
storm in the southern Appalachians. England. “If it’s warm, moist and sunny, plants
Hagan, who has been making fall “The species that make New England are going to hold onto the leaves as long as
foliage predictions at Clemson University famous for having such a beautiful fall they can,” he said. “So if we have a warm
for six years, saw a stark contrast from the color season, we have them here too,” he fall, like it seems like we’re going to have,
2017 effects of Hurricane Irma, which said. “You’ve just got to be up at this higher we could potentially have a later start to
reached the area after leaves had already elevation to see them.” our fall color season and a longer fall color
begun to turn due to residual stress from a season.”
2016 drought and blew many of them off
trees with its strong winds.
“There’s not a whole lot of color
happening yet, but it’s coming soon,” said
Hagan, an assistant professor in Clemson’s
department of forestry and environmental
conservation. “What a difference a year
makes. Every year we come up here for
my dendrology class, but I don’t think in
the time that we’ve been doing this, there’s
ever been as big a difference as we’re seeing
between 2018 and 2017.”
As for when exactly the fall color season
would begin, Hagan said that, given the
prevalence of green still in the foliage
above 5,000 feet, it is too early to tell, but
noted the vast majority of fall color in the
southern Appalachians would be dictated
by the weather from mid-September
through mid-October.
“You get some cooler weather and those
nice bluebird skies, and the clear skies
10
21st Century grants expand learning
THREE JOHNS ISLAND SCHOOLS RECEIVE FUNDING
L
earning does not stop when the afternoon bell
rings for dismissal. That is why Charleston County
School District’s (CCSD) Office of Expanded
Learning pursues funding through a federal grant
program, 21st Century Community Learning Centers
(CCLC). The 21st Century grants support academic
enrichment through after-school opportunities for
children, particularly students who attend high-poverty
schools.
The 21st CCLCs help students meet state standards
in core academic subjects, such as reading and math,
provides students a broad array of enrichment activities
that complement their regular academic programs,
and offers literacy and other educational services to the
families of participating children.
This year, the Office of Expanded Learning applied for
and received three 21st Century grants for a total of four
schools; Angel Oak Elementary School, Edith L. Frierson
Elementary School, Mount Zion Elementary School, and
W.B. Goodwin Elementary School. A fifth school, Mary
Ford Elementary, will be supported by a 21st Century
grant received by the non-profit organization Charleston
Promise Neighborhood.
“Angel Oak Elementary School is very excited to be one
of the school recipients of the 21st Century grant,” stated
Principal Judith Condon. “Not only will this grant bring
more opportunity to our students both academically
and through enrichment, but it will also help to foster
the growth of our partnership with our Kaleidoscope
programs. We know the importance of providing our
daily
BY ERICA TAYLOR
For The Island Connection
A classroom at Angel Oak Elementary School on Johns
Island. Photo courtesy of CCSD.
families with quality after school programming and we
are thankful to CCSD’s Office of Expanded Learning for
supporting our school!”
The four-year grants provide $200,000 in funding for
September 28, 2018
the first year Combining all 21st CCLC grants involving
CCSD schools, including those sponsored by Wings for
Kids and Charleston Promise Neighborhood, the District
receives over $2 million in support annually.
"The 21st Century Community Learning Centers
grant provides such a valuable service to the students,
families, and schools of Charleston County School
District,” said Amy Bosch, Expanded Learning, 21st
Century Program Officer. “The funding enables students
to receive expanded day services, meaningful academic
instruction, and intentional enrichment programming at
no cost to the families. This is a wonderful opportunity
that will benefit the entire community."
“The addition of these new grants are part of a larger
plan by the Office of Expanded Learning to better align
our work with the District’s goals for academics, 21st
Century Skills, and social-emotional learning,” noted
Jason Sakran, Director of Expanded Learning.
The 21st CCLC grants are awarded to schools and
non-profit organizations that partner with schools.
While Mary Ford is partnering with CPN, the Office
of Expanded Learning is working with Wings for Kids,
Charleston County Parks and Recreation, and the City
of North Charleston Recreation Department to support
Angel Oak, Frierson, Mount Zion, and Goodwin.
In the 2018-20198 school year, CCSD will have
15 elementary schools receiving 21st CCLC funding,
which is the most in the state of South Carolina by any
school district. An estimated 170 schools statewide are
supported by these grants.
September 28, 2018
A tangled web she weaves
A
n ugly situation: England was a
mess, and being ravaged from
the competition among Richard
II and his rivals. In the garden of the
Duke of York, the gardener and his
servant are talking over the fretful
times, and the servant suggests that this
garden, so neglected and full of weeds, is
metaphorically much like England. I can
just imagine the gardener saying to him,
“Hey, I’ve been doing the best I can!”
The sad truth is that invasive and
persistent weeds are becoming increasingly
commonplace at both international and
local levels. A tremendous amount of
money is spent annually on their control,
with varying success. The damage caused
by weedy plants in agricultural settings is
enormous, and figures heavily into crop
yield, both now and in the future, and
especially as an effect of climate change.
An unintended consequence of
chemical weed control, which seems to
be very popular, is that surrounding,
“non-target” species are impacted as
well, along with the beneficial critters
(such as pollinators) associated with
them. Introduced, non-native plants are
actually taking up more of the landscape
than the natives, and many of these are
indeed invasive. And, we must remember
that not all invasive weeds are on the
high ground: there are plenty of aquatic
mystery plant
BY JOHN NELSON
For The Island Connection
nuisance species. Like this one.
It really is a pretty one, but with a sort of
terrible beauty. The stems flop and spread
against each other, piling up, branching
and forming dense mats of vegetation, and
large growths of it may break up and float
around in a pond, adding to the population.
Flowers are produced single along the
stem, with 5-6 green sepals, topped by 5-7
bright yellow petals. Each flower is capable
of producing a small capsule with lots of
seeds…but the primary way that this plant
spreads is, again, no doubt by vegetative
means, the stems breaking apart and
forming additional mats. These mats can
cause all sorts of problems in ponds and
lakes, clogging up canals and waterways,
thus hindering water flow, boating, fishing,
and other recreational activities. And of
course, these weeds commonly displace the
native aquatic species to the point that the
good guys disappear.
[Answer: “Water primrose”, Ludwigia peploides (subspecies glabrescens)]
11
Probably the saddest aspect of this
aquatic weed business is that most of the
plants we seem to be fighting have been
introduced, whether unintentionally or
not, by humans.
One of the complicating factors in the
continuing spread of these pests is that
frequently, gardeners will not know what it
is exactly that they are buying from a plant
supplier, the supplier not knowing precisely
what they are selling. And in the case of our
Mystery Plant, there are actually more than
one species, which can be involved, and they
are difficult to distinguish.
Every Southeastern state has developed
a list of potentially invasive plants and
you might want to investigate this link to
find out more information: se-eppc.org/
publications.cfm. And don’t forget that if
you need help with plant identifications,
consult the nice botanists at your local
herbarium.
John Nelson is the curator of the A. C.
Moore Herbarium at the University of South
Carolina, in the Department of Biological
Sciences, Columbia SC 29208. As a public
service, the Herbarium offers free plant
identifications. For more information, visit
Herbarium.org or call 803.777.8196, or
email nelson@sc.edu.
 September 28
ONGOING
WHAT: Beachfront Lights Out
WHERE: all seaward, beachfront
properties
WHEN: 9 p.m.- 8 a.m.
MORE INFO: US Fish and Wildlife
Service discourages the use of outdoor
lights when not required, in order to
protect nesting sea turtles. When on the
beach at dark, use red filters on flashlights.
Artificial light such as flashlights without
filters are prohibited on the beach at night.
This includes flashlights on phones as well.
Mondays
WHAT: Family Trees
WHERE: Walton Hall at St. John’s Parish,
3673 Maybank Hwy.
WHEN: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
MORE INFO: Begin exploring the
process of clearing title for heirs’ property
by defining the family tree. For more
information or to make an appointment
for an initial assessment call 843.810.1036
WHAT: Farmer’s Market
WHERE: Freshfields Village
WHEN: 4 - 8 p.m.
MORE INFO: Shop locally grown organic
produce along with specialty food products,
delicious treats, fresh seafood and Lowcountry
crafts. Or come hungry and enjoy BBQ, take-
away dinners, sweets and more.
WHAT: Charleston Coastal Choir
WHERE: Church of Our Savior
WHEN: 1 p.m.
MORE INFO: Local, mixed community
chorus, open for membership. Season runs
October through March. For information
contact Director of Music, Van McCollum at
404.401.0678 or vanmccollum@bellsouth.net.
Tuesdays
WHAT: Family Oriented Tours and
Activities
WHERE: Nathaniel Russell House
WHEN: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Family tours start on the
half-hour between 10:30 am and 12:30
pm. Docent-led scavenger hunt tours,
historic games and toys in the garden.
HistoricCharleston.org for information
and to purchase tickets for the date and
museum house you would like to attend.
WHAT: Kick-it at Bohicket
WHERE: Bohicket Marina
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Face painting, a balloon
artist, DJ and sand art bracelets. Co-
sponsored by The Town of Seabrook Island
& Bohicket Merchants Association. For
questions call Todd at 248.719.0076.
First and Third
Tuesdays
WHAT: The Charleston County Public
Library Bookmobile
WHERE: Parking lot behind Hege’s
WHEN: 10-11 a.m.
MORE INFO: Bookmobile is back the
first and third Tuesdays of the month. The
schedule for the summer is June 19, July 3
& 17, August 7 & 21.
Island Connection Calendar
Wednesdays
WHAT: Kids Fishing Tournament
WHERE: Bohicket Marina
WHEN: 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
MORE INFO: A Fishing Tournament just
for kids ages 4-14. Two rounds of fishing.
Arrive at least 15 minutes before your
desired round. It’s only $7 per participant
which includes all bait and fishing rods.
Every tournament produces 3 winners
which will receive a tournament shirt, bait,
bucket and bragging rights. Questions call
248.719.0076.
WHAT: Timbers Kiawah Concerts in the
Courtyard
WHERE: The Courtyard between Hege’s
and Java Java (Freshfields Village)
WHEN: 6-8 p.m.
MORE INFO: Join Timbers Kiawah in
The Courtyard every Wednesday for live
music with Chris Dodson, outdoor kids
games, local art and beverages provided
by Timbers Kiawah. The series will run
through Wed., Aug. 29.
WHAT: English Conversation Club
WHERE: John’s Island Regional Library
WHEN: 2 p.m.
MORE INFO: Practice speaking English
with a small group. Beginners to advanced
learners welcome. A children’s program
and/or craft will be provided during the
club meeting. Registration is not required;
call 843.559.1945 for more information.
Thursdays
WHAT: Family Oriented Tours and
Activities
WHERE: Aiken-Rhett House
WHEN: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Family tours start on the
half-hour between 10:30 am and 12:30
pm. Docent-led scavenger hunt tours,
historic games and toys in the garden.
HistoricCharleston.org for information
and to purchase tickets for the date and
museum house you would like to attend.
WHAT: Live Music at The Andell Inn
WHERE: The Andell Inn Hotel,
Freshfields Village
WHEN: 6-8 p.m.
MORE INFO: Relax with cool jazz
every Thursday evening in the lounge of
the Andell Inn Hotel. Drinks and food
available. No cover charge. 843.793.6050.
AndellInn.com.
Thursdays & Sundays
WHAT: Live Music
WHERE: 48 A Wine Bar
WHEN: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Featuring 48 wines
by the glass every day. For details visit
FortyEightWineBar.com.
Saturday
WHAT: Johns Island Farmers Market
WHERE: Charleston Collegiate SChool,
2024 Academy Rd.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
MORE INFO: Charleston’s only year-
round farmers market, highlighting
produce and locally produced goods
and foods. Live music, kids activities.
JohnsIslandFarmersMarket.com for details.
Third Saturday of
the Month
WHAT: Sea Islands Cars & Coffee
WHERE: Freshfields Village, Kiawah
WHEN: 9-11 a.m.
MORE INFO: This free event will feature
antiques, classics, exotics, concepts and any
other cool cars. Coffee and other refreshments
available for purchase by Java Java Coffee
House. If you have any specific questions
about the event, please contact Bruce
Stemerman at bstemerman@gmail.com.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 28
WHAT: SIB Birding Beyond Our
Backyard
WHERE: Bears Bluff Fish Hatchery,
Wadmalaw Island
WHEN: 7:15 am-noon
MORE INFO: Bears Bluff NFH has a self-
guided tour our group will take around the
perimeter of the 31 acre facility. Bring binoculars,
camera, hats, sunscreen bug repellant, snacks
and water. Pack a lunch and stay longer to enjoy
what the Bears Bluff NFH has to offer. Visit
SeabrookIslandBirders.org or send an email to
SeabrookIslandBirders@gmail.com for questions
and details.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 29
WHAT: Adaptive Surfing
WHERE: Folly Beach County Park
WHEN: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
MORE INFO: Pre-registration is required.
Adaptive surfing staff from partner
organizations Ocean Cure, Adaptive Surf
Project, Adaptive Expeditions, and Coastal
Adaptive Sports and Recreation will provide
instruction and assistance in a controlled
environment. Participants must meet
guidelines prior to registration, available at
CharlestonCountyParks.com. For additional
questions, call 843.795.4386.
WHAT: Cast Off Fishing Tournament
WHERE: Folly Beach Pier
WHEN: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
MORE INFO: Prizes awarded for the
three largest catches in the Big Fish
category. On-site registration begins at 6
a.m. Tournament held rain or shine. An
adult chaperone is required for participants
ages 15 and under. $10/$8 Senior and
Youth ages 3-12/$5 Fishing Pass Holder.
CharlestonCountyParks.com for details.
WHAT: Butterfly Symposium
WHERE: Middleton Place
WHEN: 9:30 a.m.-1p.m.
MORE INFO: Charleston Horticulture
Society will host butterfly specialist,
entomologist and past director of Cypress
Gardens, Dwight Williams. Presentation
includes morning coffee and Middleton’s
famous buffet lunch following the program.
Attendees will also have the chance to win
some plants and to tour Middleton that
afternoon. Seating is limited. $85 per person
($65 for CHS members). For tickets and info
visit ChasHortSoc.org.
WHAT: Identifying Native American Pottery
WHERE: The Dill Sanctuary, 1163
Riverland Dr.
WHEN: 1-2 p.m.
MORE INFO: The Charleston Museum’s
Archeologist Ron Anthony will explore
Native American ceramics found in the
area. Fee: 420 members/$35 non-members.
Register online: CharlestonMuseum.org.
TUESDAY, OCT. 2
WHAT: Clara Yang, pianist
WHERE: Sottile Theater
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Presented by the College
of Charleston’s Department of Music
and sponsored by the Remington Master
Artist Series. Special discount tickets for
IC readers, $15. Reception to follow in the
Hill Gallery at the Marion and Wayland
H. Cato, Jr. Center for the Arts, 161
Calhoun St. To RSVP for the reception
and for tickets email concerts@cofc.edu.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 3
WHAT: CPR/AED Training
WHERE: The Lake House
WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon
MORE INFO: American Red Cross
Instructor will teach adult CPR and AED
safety. Cost is $68.50. To register send
your name and Club member account
number to jmogus@sipoa.org.
WHAT: Piano Bar Series
WHERE: The Sandcastle
WHEN: 5-7 p.m.
MORE INFO: Kiawah Arts and Cultural
Events presents Robbie Madison Duo.
Tickets available online at KiawahIsland.
org/events or at the Municipal Center
843.768.9166. Events are open to the
public, but Kiawah property owners have a
3-day lead time on tickets for Arts Council
events.
THURSDAY, OCT. 4
WHAT: Shakespeare’s The Tempest
WHERE: Simons Center for the Arts, 54
St. Philip St.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. on 10/4 and 10/6, 2
p.m. on 10/7
MORE INFO: Directed by Paul Rolfes,
presented by the College of Charleston’s
Department of Theatre and Dance. Tickets
$20/general admission, $15/seniors may be
purchased by calling 843.953.6306 or by
emailing oleksiakm@cofc.edu.
WHAT: A Night of Military History
WHERE: Charleston Library Society,
Main Reading Room
WHEN: 6-7 p.m.
MORE INFO: Join award-winning,
best-selling authors James Scott, Hampton
Sides, and Jim Hornfischer for a night of
military history and story-telling. Seating
is limited. $5 for CLS members, $10 for
non-members. For more information of to
purchase tickets call 843.723.9912 or visit
charlestonlibrarysociety.org.
WHAT: Fall Back to Kiawah
WHERE: 4475 Betsy Kerrison Pkwy
WHEN: 4-7 p.m.
MORE INFO: Free fall event featuring
the Robbie Madison Band, food trucks
and drinks available for purchase. Bring
a chair. Leashed pets are welcome. For
details visit KiawahIsland.org/events.
THURSDAY, OCT. 4-18
WHAT: 42nd Fall Tour of Homes
WHERE: Downtown Charleston
WHEN: throughout the month
MORE INFO: The Fall Tours of Homes,
History & Architecture presented by
the Preservation Society of Charleston.
Curated Tours, Garden Walks and Talks.
New this year is a series of tours that take
guests into private gardens rarely open to
the public. For tickets and schedule visit
PreservationSociety.org.
SATURDAY, OCT. 6
WHAT: Get to Know a Refugee,
Bkemayi Mufuta
WHERE: Johns Island Regional Library
WHEN: 2 p.m.
MORE INFO: Transformative local
series invites community to converse
with individuals who have been exposed
to prejudice or stigma, and engage in an
open, honest and respectful dialogue.
Mufuta was born in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, raised and
educated in a refugee camp in Zambia
and came to the US in 2017. For more
information contact ccpl.org or call
843.559.1945.
WHAT: Seabrook Island Birders - Oct.
Big Day
WHERE: Seabrook Island
WHEN: 7 a.m.-6 p.m., times vary
MORE INFO: First ever October Big
Day. Event involvea walks at various
October 7
locations throughout the day. Schedule
allows for individuals to sign up for a
portion of the day if the whole day is
not of interest. Register for any sections
you will be attending. Full schedule at
SeabrookIslandBirders.org.
WHAT: Swanky Southern Soirée
WHERE: Country Club of Charleston
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Charleston Symphony
Orchestra League, Inc. hosts cocktails,
a southern-inspired gourmet dinner,
exclusive curated shopping opportunities
and live music to benefit the Charleston
Symphony. Tickets are limited, $225
each, valet parking included. For info and
reservations visit CSOLinc.org.
THURSDAY, OCT. 11
WHAT: Wide Angle Lunch
WHERE: Charleston Library Society,
Main Reading Room
WHEN: 12:30 p.m.
MORE INFO: Jeb Hallett, “Curiosity-The
Key to Life.” Explore why curious people
may be more engaged, healthier and happy
with life. Admission $20 for members/$30
for non-members (including lunch). Lunch
will be available from 12:15 p.m., and talks
begin at 12:30 p.m. Seating is limited. For
more information call 843.723.9912 or
visit charlestonlibrarysociety.org.
14
Understanding risk tolerance is essential for
investment success
T
o succeed as an investor, you might
think you need to know about the
economy, interest rates and the
fundamentals of companies in which you’d
like to invest. And all these things are indeed
important. But it’s most essential to know
yourself. Specifically, you need to know
how much risk you are willing to tolerate to
achieve your goals.
Of course, you’ve lived with yourself your
entire life, so you probably have a pretty
good idea of your likes and dislikes and what
makes you comfortable or uncomfortable.
But investing can be a different story.
financial focus
BY DIMI MATOUCHEV
For The Island Connection
Initially, you may believe you have a
high tolerance for risk, but if the financial
markets drop sharply, and you see that
you’ve sustained some sizable losses (at least
on paper, you haven’t really “lost” anything
until you sell investments for less than what
you paid for them), how will you feel? If you
find yourself constantly fretting over these
losses, perhaps even losing sleep over them,
you might realize your risk tolerance is not
as high as you thought. In this case, you may
need to scale back the part of your portfolio
devoted to growth in favor of a more balanced
approach.
On the other hand, if you believe yourself
to have a low risk tolerance, and you start off
investing in a conservative manner, you may
indeed minimize short-term losses but you
also might find yourself frustrated over the
slow growth of your portfolio. So you may
decide that being highly risk-averse carries
its own risk, the risk of not making enough
progress to achieve your long-term financial
goals. To reduce this risk, you may need to
tilt your portfolio somewhat toward more
growth opportunities.
In short, you may have to invest for a while
before you truly understand your response to
risk. But even then, don’t get too locked in to
one approach because your risk tolerance may
evolve over time.
When you are first starting out in your
career, and for many years after, you are
probably investing primarily to accumulate
assets for retirement. Consequently, you may
need to include a relatively high proportion
of growth-oriented vehicles, such as stocks, in
your portfolio. While stock prices will always
fluctuate, you will have many years, perhaps
decades, to overcome short-term losses, so
you can possibly afford to take on a greater
risk level in exchange for the potentially
higher returns offered by stocks and stock-
based investments.
September 28, 2018
However, things can change once you
reach retirement. At this stage of your life,
your overall investment focus may shift from
accumulation to income. This means you
will need to start selling some investments
to boost your cash flow and you won’t want
to sell when prices are down. (Remember
the first rule of investing: “Buy low and sell
high.”)
To help avoid these “fire sales,” you may
want to adjust your investment mix by
adding more income-producing vehicles and
reducing your holdings in growth-oriented
ones. By doing so, you will be lowering your
overall risk level. Keep in mind, though,
that even in retirement, you will need some
exposure to growth investments to help you
stay ahead of inflation.
Become familiar with your own risk
tolerance, it can play a big role in your
investment decisions.
Dimi Matouchev is a financial advisor
with Edward Jones, located at 1505 Palm
Boulevard, Isle of Palms. For more information,
call 843.886.9229 or visit edwardjones.com.