Every autumn, Hollywood, South Carolina, fizzes with the spirited energy only one time-honored tradition can provide. Women in wide-brimmed hats and men rocking Brackish bowties descend upon the polo field at Stono Ferry for a day of horse racing and upscale tailgating. While Charleston’s best are dressed in their absolute finest, the real showstoppers are a tad grander in … [Read more...]
A Perfect Dinner Pairing – Charleston’s Ronald McDonald House and the GCRA
For over 30 years, Charleston’s Ronald McDonald House has been an invaluable resource to families of hospitalized children, providing food and shelter so they can focus on the child’s return to health without worrying about paying for hotels and restaurants. Tens of thousands of family members have been helped by the Ronald McDonald House in Charleston, but when the … [Read more...]
In Perfect Harmony: Wando’s Award-winning Band
In his first year at the helm of the Wando High School band, Bobby Lambert has done his best to make his own kind of music without changing the direction of the school’s award-winning band program. Lambert arrived at Wando in July 2014, replacing Scott Rush, who held the position for 15 years before moving on to another district. The school’s marching band was already on the … [Read more...]
Mac Burdette – A Career of Caring
No one understands Mount Pleasant’s growing pains better than former town administrator, Mac Burdette. Burdette arrived in Mount Pleasant in 1986, the third person to assume this position in five years. For the next twenty-five years, he was involved in the day-to-day operation of Mount Pleasant. The population, 23,000 when he got here, had triped by the time he … [Read more...]
Councilman Mark Smith is making a difference.
Smith was elected to his first term in office – taking his initial dip into the political pool – in 2013, and has been hard at work ever since. “I average 20 to 25 hours a week between Council and the water commission,” said Smith. He explained that one of the first things he learned on the job is that there is a lot of work involved for what’s technically a part-time … [Read more...]
Mayor, May I? Ask the Council
Mount Pleasant’s elections are just around the corner, so we thought now would be a perfect time for a refresher course on how the town government operates and how important the four seats that are up for election in November are (spoiler alert: they’re very important). If you’ve been paying attention, then you know that the town elected Mayor Linda Page two years ago, and, … [Read more...]
Surrounded by East Cooper’s Past: Local Cemeteries
What is it about old cemeteries that we find so intriguing? Maybe it’s the serenity and natural beauty. Maybe it’s the history. Maybe it’s thoughts of the hereafter. Regardless, the East Cooper area has more than enough historic graveyards to evoke any of these pondering. Quite a few are in some rather unlikely places. Myrtle Grove is barely noticeable on busy Venning Road, … [Read more...]
Southern Hospitality: Willie McRae of Boone Hall Plantation
“The land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for – because it's the only thing that lasts.” – Gerald O'Hara, Gone With The Wind. It could be argued that many years before Willie McRae, proprietor of Boone Hall in Mount Pleasant, moved to the graceful plantation along with his father and mother, he was already destined for growing … [Read more...]
Creating a Buzz: Honey Bee Advocacy in East Cooper
Think about the last meal you prepared and how tasty it was. Thanks to the “locavore” movement sweeping the nation, you might feel gratitude to local farmers for such a spread – but what about the humble honey bee? Despite their misunderstood reputation, honey bees are a critical part of the food cycle, and they're not going to sting you out of pure malice, either. In fact, … [Read more...]
Beyond Your Basic Coffee Joint: Vintage Coffee & Cafe
Java. Joe. Mud. Whatever name you assign to the boldly roasted caffeinated beverage that gives you a reason to wake up in the morning, one thing we can all agree on is its importance to getting our motors revved. Whether folks start their day with a light amber blend or a frothy cappuccino, a steaming hot beverage usually takes precedence as the sun rises. And now coffee lovers … [Read more...]