The Aiken Golf Club`s 100-Year History

Transcription

The Aiken Golf Club`s 100-Year History
April 2012
The Aiken Golf Club’s
100-Year History
Marilyn Van Derbur’s
Trials and Triumphs
Choctaw Ancestral Quilts
Earth Day Pioneers
Highland Park Home
& Garden Tour
contents
• Intriguing • Empowering • Entertaining
April Features
April 2012, Volume 9, No.3
Bella Favorites
Mailing Address
5 Stitched with Love
Choctaw Ancestral Quilts
by Phyllis Maclay
8 The Evolving Masters
by Steve Huff, Guest Writer
12 Marilyn Van Derbur:
Her Trials and Triumphs
by Kathy Huff
14 World Book Night
by Judy Cross and Darlene Rittel
18 The Poliakoffs and the Poliakoff Building
Part III in a series about Old Aiken
by Anna Dangerfield
20 Aiken Golf Club Celebrates Its Centennial
by Steve Hale
22 Heroes for the American Red Cross
by Anna Dangerfield
24 Treat the Earth Well
Earth Day’s Pioneers
32 Update on the Red Hots!
33 St. Thaddeus Tour of Highland Park Area
by Kathy Huff
Aiken, SC 29801
4 Catching the Wave: Starting a Home-Based Business
by Liz Stewart
9
Publisher
Kathy Urban Huff
Bella Buzz
editor@aikenbellamagazine.com
13 Roots and Wings: The Best Gift is a Stable,
Secure Marriage
Advertising
by Betts Hunter Gatewood
Kathy Huff
803/439-4026
16 Children’s Literature: Wolves: Big and Bad?
Or Good and Noble?
ads@aikenbellamagazine.com
by Ann D. Holley
Photography
28 The Flying Foodie: Hot Cross Buns and
Natural Easter Egg Dyes
Kathy Huff, Jim Stafford, Steve Hale,
Phyllis Maclay
by Chef Belinda
31 Heard It Through the Grapevine: Shelton Varietals
Staff Writers
Anna Dangerfield, Phyllis Maclay
Steve Hale
by Missie Boisvert
35 Scene Around Town
Graphic Design
36 Good Sense Medicine: Allergies Are Driving Me Crazy
Jim Stafford
by Zoom Heaton
38 Scene Around Town
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37 College Dating: One Student’s Perspective
BELLA Magazine
124 Trafalgar Street SW
by Alesha Jones, Guest Writer
124 Trafalgar St., SW
Ciao Bella
by Phyllis Maclay
30 Detoxify Yourself
3
Aiken, SC 29801
Hink Salley
Recognized
Cover photo courtesy of Jim Stafford
Photo courtesy of Allen Riddick.
…What every Aiken body needs!
Kristen Sojourner, CMT
Nationally Certified in
Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
(803) 761-1127
109 Laurens St. NW
Aiken, SC 29801
myaikenbody@gmail.com
2
Hemrick N. “Hink” Salley, Jr., stands beside the Salley Alcove
Plaque and the portraits of his parents, the late Judges Ena Boylston
Salley and Hemrick N. Salley, Sr. In a recent ceremony at the University
of South Carolina’s South Caroliniana Library, Hink was recognized
for his gift to the University of The Hemrick Nathan Salley Family
Collection.
The Collection contains quilts and other textiles from the late
18th to late 20th centuries; historical newsletters, manuscripts, books,
correspondence and other documents; musical items such as American
sheet music of more than 100 years; and other rare works of literature
including Mary Wollstonecraft’s Original Stories from Real Life (1796).
Part of the collection will remain in the Salley alcove in the South
Caroliniana Library on the second floor, and other items will be placed
in the McKissick Museum, the Music Library, and the Irvin Department
of Rare Books and Special Collections in the Ernest F. Hollings Library.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Ciao
Bella!
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men,
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy! *
Robert Burns, To a Mouse
(Poem, November, 1785)
Scottish national poet (1759 - 1796)
Once upon a time in Ohio, I had a catering business that grew from
occasionally making birthday cakes and veggie platters out of my home
kitchen to a successful commercial business that eventually served 750 guests
at a cocktail party. One of my most jaw-dropping moments in that business
happened on the day of a small family wedding I was catering in the afternoon
at 2 p.m. The phone rang about 10 that morning and the best man told me the
wedding would most likely be called off because the bride and groom had had
a major blow-up. “But you haven’t started making the food yet, have you?” he
asked.
Just like the catering business, plans for publishing have to be made
in advance. Stories must be assigned and written, photos taken, ads sold. But
sometimes last minute changes are fortuitous. Just as March means horse
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
events, April means golf, with the Masters and now the Sage Valley Junior
Invitational (covered next month) in the spotlight. The week before publishing
this April issue, I learned about The Aiken Golf Club’s 100th anniversary this
year. To me this was an important event that merited top billing in the April/
golf issue. With some gnashing of teeth, we managed to replace our earlier
plans with the cover you now see, as well as a center spread devoted to this
beloved historical landmark with a fascinating history and a rosy future.
It was a change well made.
Send Me Stories About Your Fathers
It’s a good thing to capitalize on lucky breaks—that’s called serendipity.
But now I’m back to planning ahead, looking at the Summer issue. The Bella Q
(Bella Questions) stories that readers email me to share in print are some of my
favorites. Last year, Bella featured many tributes to mothers in the May issue,
sent in by loving sons and daughters. This year, it’s Dad’s turn. Bella will print
stories about your fathers—poignant, happy, comical, quizzical—for Father’s
Day. Any story will be considered, but make it short, please! Write Father’s
Day in the subject line and send to editor@aikenbellamagazine.com no later
than May 15. Then watch for the Summer issue on the stands in early June.
By the way, the wedding went forward after the bride and groom made
up, and presumably they are living happily ever after!
Kathy Huff
*The best laid schemes of Mice and Men
oft go awry,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!
3 Catching the Wave
Successful Strategies for Business
by Liz Stewart
Starting a Home-Based Business
In the past several years there has been a
significant increase in the number of home-based
business start-ups. Employees who find themselves
without a job often decide to try entrepreneurship
even on a temporary basis until the job market
improves. Now that the economy is showing signs
of improvement, some workers will be considering a
home-based business in the hope of minimizing the
threat of being unemployed again.
The first two things you should do when
considering a home-based business are to assess your
talents and examine your skills. Talents are the
things you are really good at; for example, creativity
or communication. Skills are the things you do well
to use your talents; for example, drawing or public
speaking.
Ask yourself these seven questions:
1. What do you have to offer?
2. What makes you an expert?
3. Do you have all the education and skills you
need?
4. Does the product or service you are considering
meet a true need? How do you know?
5. Is this is a seasonal or year-round product or
service?
6. How sensitive is marketing this product or
service to general economic conditions? When
the economy is weak, how will the business be
affected?
7. Is this something you’ll love to do or sell, or are
you going through the motions to try to make
some money?
The last one is particularly important –
a key condition for success is commitment. Your
prospective customers will recognize if you have
a passion for your product or service and that
perception will play into their decision to do
business with you.
Three key attributes for successfully working at
home are:
1. Self-discipline – you are now your own boss.
2. Time management – only you can control your
use of time.
3. Assertiveness – you must be able to say “no” to
interruptions or distractions.
Liz: There are several pitfalls to watch out for:
• Attention must be paid to separating work from
family time. If it all blends together, neither
will probably get the right amount of attention.
Set hours for work and ask for family and friend
support by respecting that time and minimizing
interruptions. Conversely, since you are always
in your work environment, working too much
can become an issue and lead to burnout. Set
a time to end the workday and use a transition
step to being with family – take a 15-minute
walk or read a book.
• Working in a non-productive environment will
impact success. Make sure you have a dedicated
workspace. (A kitchen or dining room table
doesn’t count!) Your work setting will set the
tone for productivity.
• Feeling isolated can also impact efficiency
and effectiveness. Make sure you schedule
networking time to talk with colleagues,
attend Chamber or other civic events and
seek a mentor. Creating an atmosphere of
professionalism will put you in the right
frame of mind to work. Regardless of certain
advertising messages about the wonders of
working in your PJs, it is best to dress for the
day – being too casual doesn’t put you in a
productive mind frame.
GB: How can I be certain I will be taken
seriously as a professional businessperson
if I work from home?
Liz: Paying attention to the image you want to
create is an important aspect of success. While
it’s not necessarily accurate, there is sometimes the
perception that people working from home are not
as “serious” about their work as others. To minimize
this issue, make sure that you have a private and
quiet place to make business calls, have professional
marketing materials and Internet presence and
consider networking with other professionals for the
occasional use of an office or conference room to
meet with customers.
SW: I receive a lot of emails about working
from home. How can I be certain they
are not scams?
customers for your work.
2. Don’t believe that you can make big profits
easily. Operating a home-based business is just
like any other business – it requires hard work,
skill, good products or services, and time to
make a profit.
3. Get all the details before you pay. A legitimate
company will be happy to give you information
about exactly what you will be doing and for
whom.
4. Get references for other people who are doing
the work. Ask them if the company kept its
promises.
5. Be aware of legal requirements. To do some
types of work, such as medical billing, you may
need a license or certificate. Check with the state
attorney general’s office. Ask your local zoning
board if there are any restrictions on operating
a business from your home. Some types of work
cannot be done at home under federal law. Look
for the nearest U.S. Department of Labor in the
government listings of your phone book.
6. Know the refund policy. If you have to buy
equipment or supplies, ask whether and under
what circumstances you can return them for a
refund.
7. Be wary of requests for personal or bank
information. A legitimate company will not
insist that you share this information.
Next month we will discuss how to
motivate employees. Submit your questions to me at
lstewart@stewartandassociates.com.
Liz Stewart is president of Stewart
and Associates, Inc., a national
management and training consulting
firm specializing in helping leaders
grow successful organizations. Her
specialties are in the areas of strategic
planning, human resource management
systems, management and leadership
development training, and executive
coaching. Author of “Back To The Basics © In Strategic
Planning” and a current book entitled, “Leading the Disciplined
Organization”, Ms Stewart is the current Past Chair for the Board
of Directors of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, Past President
of the Aiken Rotary Club, and is a member of the City of Aiken
Planning Commission. Visit www.stewartandassociates.com and
contact Liz at 803-502-0099.
Here are this month’s questions.
Liz: The Internet is a wonderful thing but can also
be a haven for scam artists. Here are seven ways to
confirm the validity of email offers:
MB: How do I start working at home without
disrupting my home life or losing a work/life
balance?
1. Know who you’re dealing with. The company
may not be offering to employ you directly, only
to sell you training and materials and to find
4
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Stitched
With Love
Even though they signed nine treaties with
the U.S. government before the Civil War, the
Choctaw Nation was consistently shoved off its
land. Forced to give up millions of acres of ancestral
land, the Choctaws watched the United States
Government seize the last of their territory in 1830,
and relocate them west of the Mississippi River.
This nation of American Indians was the first to
walk the Trail of Tears where nearly 2,500 members
died on that torturous journey between Alabama or
Mississippi and Oklahoma.
This corrupt treatment didn’t snuff out the
spirit of the Choctaws. Once in Oklahoma, they
drafted a new constitution and opened up a school
and church. When they heard of the Great Potato
Famine in Ireland, they responded by collecting
money and sending it to that country.
Things didn’t improve after the Civil
War. The U.S. absorbed two million acres more of
Indian land, dissolved other commonly held Indian
property, and opened the newly formed Oklahoma
Territory to white settlers. The Choctaws were
victims of theft, violent crime, even murders by
whites and by other Indians.
These amazing people rose above these
injustices to become the Code Talkers. Their reward
was to face what the Government termed “Indian
termination” during the 1940-1960s. Tribes were
dissolved and American Indians were assimilated
into America’s mainstream. The Choctaw nation
was to be abolished, but Congress stopped the
termination in 1970. This event was a catalyst for
the revitalized Choctaws. They elected a chief,
started a tribal newspaper, and took action to
preserve their language.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
American Indian Tiajuana Cochnauer
stitches Ancestral Quilts of her Choctaw
heritage into beautiful creations
right in Aiken’s backyard
The Choctaw Nation initiated the use of American
Indian languages turned into coded messages
during World War I. This successfully stumped
enemy forces, and wiretapping by the Germans
became useless. Choctaw soldiers were also used as
runners and telephone communicators. Recognition
was nonexistent until Hollywood produced a movie.
Even then the movie was not about the Choctaws;
instead it told the story of the Navajo Indian Code
Talkers during World War II. In 1989 France awarded
posthumous medals of valor for the Choctaw Code
Talkers.
It is estimated there are more than 200,000
Choctaw today who are dedicated to improving the
lives of their people. It is Aiken’s good fortune to
have one of them call this town “home.” Originally
from Oklahoma, Tiajuana Cochnauer is passionate
about the creations she sews, stitching family history
into her beautiful quilts. “We prefer to be called
‘American Indian’ over ‘Native American’,” she
stated.
Tiajuana is not the only artist in her family.
Her brother, illustrator and artist Paul King, had
his artwork on display last June at the Smithsonian
National Museum of the American Indian in
Washington DC. His art was used for the branding
of the event. “His exhibit was one of two featured
by Phyllis Maclay
artists,” Tiajuana proclaimed with pride. King
helped her label her quilts by designing the logo that
documents their ancestry. The name, the Choctaw
Roll Number and logo are put on each tag in the
back of the quilts. You can see Tiajuana’s beautiful
ancestry quilt she made for her second cousin, Janice
Dyer Whaling in San Antonio.
A photo is scanned onto paperback fabric on the computer,
then appliquéd onto fabric. The baby in this photo is Tiajuana’s
maternal grandfather, Willy. Another child, a girl, was born
later. The mother died at age 42, but Tiajuana’s grandfather
lived to be 86.
(Continued on next page)
5 “James Dyer, my grandfather, built the
home for the former Chief of the Choctaws before
Oklahoma’s statehood in 1907,” she says. History
has been unkind
to the American
Indian, but
just like her
ancestors,
Tiajuana
continues the
tradition of
giving back
to her people
and those who
appreciate
the Choctaw
Heritage.
The quilt
Tiajuana holds up her ancestral quilt
took
a
third
after many hours of careful stitching.
place ribbon at
the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Quilt Show over
last Labor Day weekend. Here is a close-up of the James Dyer family.
The quilt was made for the granddaughter of the eldest son
in the picture. A photo of her cousin, Janice Dyer Whaling,
is on the back. “You always label the quilt,” says Tiajuana.
“You list for whom and from whom with the date.”
The quilt is machined- pieced but hand quilted. Tiajuana
chose the pattern “Road to Oklahoma” for quilting.
Look closely and you’ ll see the outline of the state.
She used her grandmother’s quilt frame to stitch the pattern.
6
Another beautiful creation of Tiajuana Cochnauer.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
7 by Steve Huff, Guest Writer
The Evolving Masters:
Ever New and Ever Traditional
My satellite HD DVR replayed a preview of the 2011 Masters
tournament on my LCD flat screen TV. I emailed a friend who rang my
smart phone: She had an extra ticket! I logged on my office desktop through
remote desktop from my home laptop and, darn, my schedule was booked. I
texted the scheduler who cleared the template and verified by office intranet. I
programmed the GPS and tuned the satellite car radio to ESPN for a turbo
charged, fuel injected foray to Aiken, the home of my stepmom and your
intrepid Bella publisher, Kathy Huff.
Phew.
I had no idea how ready I was for a break from ringtones, keyboards,
mouse clicks, passwords and error bleeps that characterize the day of a family
doctor. Even free time on the home golf course requires juggling a cell phone,
pager and GPS distance device.
Not so at the Masters, or for that matter, any PGA golf tournament.
All those bleeps and bloops and blaring ringtones would drive the golfers nuts.
But the Masters has more in mind than just avoiding distraction for the golfers.
The gentlemen in the green jackets are fulfilling a vision and protecting a
tradition. Within that tradition, though, the Augusta National and the Masters
have evolved more than you might think.
Born in 1933 during a decade of flux, Augusta National promptly
flipped its front and back nines. Six years later the name of the tournament
changed from the Augusta National Invitation Tournament to the Masters.
During part of World War II the tournament was suspended and cattle roamed
the venerable grounds. The post-war Masters sported newfangled scoreboards,
the first to employ different colored numbers to signify whether a player was
above or below par. In 1956 the Masters reached new audiences through
the marvel of television. Over the decades the course accumulated bridges,
buildings and monuments, named after great champions: Sarazen, Hogan,
Nelson, Palmer, Nicklaus.
Ike Eisenhower lobbied successfully to dam up a fishing pond next
to the par 3 course, but was deemed out-of-order at the meeting when he
demanded the removal of a pesky pine on 17. Although segregation has been an
undeniable “elephant on the tee box” at Augusta National, Lee Elder became the
first African-American to play in the Masters in 1975. In 1991 the first AfricanAmerican member was admitted to the club. (The exclusion of female members
remains a singular, thorny issue.)
In the past decade Augusta National has been “Tiger-proofed,”
lengthened more than 500 yards. The old driving range with the net at the end
has been replaced by a state-of-the-art practice facility. For techies, there are
Masters apps for computer, iPad and smart phone.
Despite all the changes over the past 79 years, it is safe to say that
founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and architect Alister Mackenzie,
would still embrace Augusta National and the Masters as their very own. The
course retains the challenge, charm and nuance with which it was designed.
The tournament features the world’s very best professional and amateur golfers.
The whitewashed, hand-operated scoreboards persevere over electronic ones.
8
Television coverage retains the soft tones, the scant commercials and restricted
airtime as decades ago, on the same network. Sponsorship and branding are
absent or invisible. Eisenhower’s tree still punishes errant shots on 17. Bridges,
monuments and buildings meld naturally into the landscape. Roars and moans
rather than Jumbotrons and electronic message boards broadcast the fates of
golfers across the course.
When something changes at Augusta National, it changes for good.
It’s not about money, fame or progress. It’s about golf—quality, tradition,
integrity—and its champions—rising, peaking, resurging.
It is a combination of comfort and excitement, like being a kid again,
eager to get to Grandma’s, where young and old mingle fondly, where time slows
down, where the atmosphere is safe and relaxed and clean, where the smells,
sounds and quirks are all their own, and where pleasant surprises pop out of
nowhere, like Easter eggs, or golf balls, in the grass.
I remember how fanatical Grandpa was about golf. He used to let me
chip around with him in his yard, even after I once shattered his garage window.
On Masters weekend we would put the clubs away, grab some of Grandma’s
cookies off the kitchen counter and head for the living room. The old console
TV would groan to life and on would come the Masters; a whack, a roar, a new
drama unfolding; round after round, year after year, generation after generation,
time out of mind.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
BUZZZZZ
APRILcommunitycalendar
Downtown Aiken
April 5
Horses and Courses event debut designed especially
for Masters Week visitors, 5:30 to 9 p.m.; showcasing
Aiken’s diverse talents, hobbies, and interests. Features
performers on stage at Laurens St. and Hayne Avenue;
artwork on display and for sale through the downtown
area, including The Alley; parade with artistic golf carts.
Sponsored by the City of Aiken Arts Commission and
the City Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department.
For more information, call 642-7631.
April 6, 13, 20, 27
Free yoga classes at Just Breathe Studio, 10 a.m.,
116 Pendleton St. SW. Participants are asked to bring
personal items (toothbrushes, deodorant, etc.) to
donate to the Cumbee Center and to bring their own
mat. 648-8048.
April 7, 14, 21, 28
April 2-28
Exhibitions by D.S. Owens and St. Mary’s Help of
Christians Catholic School
April 21
Art Spring Fling, 9 a.m. to noon
April 24
Singing with our Friends, 7 p.m., concert, featuring
Aiken Singers, South Boundary and M’Aiken Music.
$10 for open seats, $25 for reserved seats.
April 26
Homebrew Video Competition event announcing the
winners, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Aiken County Library
314 Chesterfield St. SW
803-642-2020, www.abbe-lib.org
Aiken Historic Tours, 10 a.m., reservations
recommended. Call 803-642-7631 for $15 tickets, sold
at Odell Weeks Center, 1700 Whiskey Road. Arrive
at Aiken Visitors Center (Railroad Depot) 15 minutes
early before tour departure. Private and group tour
arrangements available by calling 293-7846 or
649-6608.
April 3:
April 19
Wii golf video game, 7-8 p.m. for adults only, ages
18 and up
Midday Music and Lunch Concert Series, 12 noon,
First Presbyterian Church, 224 Barnwell Ave. NW,
featuring USCA Choral Department. Free and open
to the public. $9 lunch in Fellowship Hall immediately
after the concert with advance ticket purchased by
April 16 at the church office, 648-2662.
April 28
Inaugural Oyster Roast to benefit The Best Chance
Network, presented by WE (Women Enlightened, a
program of the Aiken Regional Medical Centers), 5
to 9 p.m.; Rose Hill Estate, silent auction, live music,
oysters and Beaufort Stew, cash bar. This event will
help provide annual mammograms for women in
Aiken County. $30/ticket; sold at Wayne’s Automotive,
Allegra, Aiken Standard, Aiken Regional Medical
Centers. Information:
641-5974.
Golf Movie Marathon featuring: Legend of Bagger
Vance, rated PG-13, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Greatest Game Ever Played, rated PG, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Seven Days in Utopia, rated G, 5-6 p.m.
April 12
April 14
The Adventures of Tintin, rated PG, 3- 4:45 p.m.
April 21
War Horse, rated PG-13, 3-5 p.m.
April 24
Land of Opportunity book discussion of Dreaming
in Cuban by Cristina Garcia, led by USCA Professor
Timothy Ashton, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Funded by the Friends
of the Aiken County Public Library. Third in a four-part
series.
April 26
Aiken TruGrass Festival, Newberry Street, featuring
local artists, craft and food vendors.
Medicare Questions Answered program by
representatives from the Aging, Disability and
Transportation Center of the Lower Savannah Council
of Governments, 4-5 p.m. Followed by question and
answer period.
Aiken Center for the Arts
Aiken County Historical Museum
www.aikencenterforthearts.org
www.aikencountyhistoricalmuseum.org
122 Laurens St. SW 803-641-9094
433 Newberry St. SW 803-642-2015
April 1-May 4
April 5, 12, 19, 26
April 2-6
April 6, 13, 20, 27
Exhibitions by John Fort, Gwen McDonald, and Joanne
Evans
Spring Break Camps
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
April 15-29
Recycle Your Art Sale, during regular Museum hours,
10-5 daily except for Sunday, 2-5 p.m., closed Monday.
Community members may bring their artwork to be
displayed for sale; 20% of purchase price goes to the
Museum. Drop-off is April 13 between 9 a.m. and
5 p.m. Preview sale and reception for Friends of the
Museum on April 15, 6-8 p.m. Information: 642-2015.
URS Center for the
Performing Arts
126 Newberry St. SW
Tickets and Information: 803-648-1438
April 6-7, 13-14, 20-21
Twelfth Night presented by the Aiken Community
Playhouse, 8 p.m.
April 15
Twelfth Night presented by the Aiken Community
Playhouse, 3 p.m.
April 26-27
Concert by The Grascals, part of the Portfolio Series,
8 p.m., featuring a tribute to the music of the Andy
Griffith Show.
University of South Carolina-Aiken
(usca)
471 University Parkway 803-648-6851
www.sc.edu
April 5
Film and discussion from the 2000s: A Mighty Heart,
7 p.m., Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Room
116; sponsored by the Department of Communications.
April 11
Student Life Leadership Awards Banquet, 5:50
p.m., Newberry Hall, special celebration of student
achievements with a focus on 50 years of student life
at USCA.
April 18
“Irene Rudnick Day” at the School of Business
Administration, Gregg-Graniteville Library Memorial
Room, 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m., to celebrate her 50 years
of service to USCA.
April 23
School of Business Administration Award Ceremony,
6 p.m., Aiken Municipal Center; annual event includes
a special recognition of people who have made
significant contributions over the past 50 years.
Thursday morning tours, 10 a.m., with advance
reservations made at 642-2015.
Friday morning tours, 10 a.m., with advance
reservations made at 642-2015.
9 ZZZ
ZZZ
DuPont Planetarium
Ruth Patrick Science Education Center
471 University Parkway
http://rpsec.usca.edu/Planetarium/
pubshows.html
Tickets and Information: 803-641-3654
April 7, 14, 21, 28
To the Moon and Beyond (40th anniversary of
Apollo 16), 7 and 8 p.m.
April 28
Earth and Sky Night, including a planetarium show,
hands-on activities, night-sky viewing, and viewings
through the Bechtel Telescope.
The Etherredge Center at usca
471 University Parkway
Tickets and Information: 803-641-3305
web.usca.edu/etherredge-center
April 5
BELLA Magazine will run announcements for free for non-profit organizations, community
events, and BELLA advertisers. Space may be limited. Please email event information
to bellabuzz@aikenbellamagazine.com by the 15th of the month before the event.
Faculty Artist Recital, by Richard Maltz, composer.
7:30 p.m.
April 12
University Wind Ensemble Spring Concert, 7 p.m.
light dinner. Reservations are required; call Direct
Doctor’s Plus Referral line at 1-800-882-7445.
April 18-21
April 12
Intimate Apparel, presented by the University Theatre
Players, 7:30 p.m.
April 22
Intimate Apparel, presented by the University Players,
2 p.m.
April 23
USCA Chamber Music concert, featuring the USCA
Chamber and Percussion Ensembles, 7 p.m.
April 27
Symphony Augusta, featuring Dramatic Voices, 8 p.m.
Aiken Regional Medical Centers
302 University Parkway
803-641-5000
“Surgical Weight Loss Options” program by Dr. Edward
J. Rapp II and Dr. Luciano Fiszer for people who are
seriously considering weight-loss surgery; 6 p.m.,
ARMC, 4th floor classroom. Reservations are required;
call Bariatric Nurse Navigator at 803-641-5751.
“Urgent Care” program by Dr. James Dillion and
Dr. David Hatmaker, 6 p.m., Towncreek Baptist church;
about what and when urgent care is needed. Includes
light dinner. Reservations are required; call Direct
Doctor’s Plus Referral line at 1-800-882-7445.
April 13
“Stroke Prevention” program by Roland Saavedra, MD,
at the Senior Wellness Breakfast Club meeting, 9 a.m.,
at the USCA Business Conference Center; includes
complimentary breakfast. Reservations are required.
Call Direct Doctor’s Plus Referral line, 1-800-882-7445.
April 10
“What’s Going On? ARMC Emergency Department
Update by Dr. David Hatmaker, 6 p.m., St. John’s
United Methodist Church—Ward Hall, 6 p.m.; includes
Family Owned and Operated
10
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
ZZZ
ZZZ
Miscellaneous Events and Venues
April 1
Aiken Horse Show, 9 a.m., Hitchcock Woods at Laurens
Street entrance. Free except for tent patronage;
$10 parking fee per vehicle—the only day in the year
vehicles can drive in Hitchcock Woods.
April 2-8
Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta.
and inflatables. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Citizens Park. Free.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Call 642-7631 for more information.
April 20
An Evening of Enchantment and Mystery Masquerade
Party, the annual Hitchcock Healthcare Gala, featuring
dinner and auction, 6:30 p.m., 690 Medical Park Drive.
Tickets are $75 each or $550 for a table of 8. Black tie
optional. Call 293-4375 for more information.
April 21
April 3, 10, 17, 24
Storytime in the Gardens spring season, every Tuesday
through May 29, 4 p.m., in the grassy area behind the
Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame at Hopelands
Gardens, 135 Dupree Place. 642-7631 or 642-7650.
Odell Weeks Center is the alternate site in case of
inclement weather.
St. Thaddeus Home and Garden Tour, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
8 homes in the Highland Park district. Strawberries and
cream tea plus Heritage Market at the church between
3 and 5 p.m. $25 tickets available at Material Things,
The Curiosity Chop, Plum Pudding and the
St. Thaddeus Church office, or online through PayPal
at stthaddeushomeandgardentour.org.
April 7, 14, 21, 28
April 25
Boyd Pond Programs, held each Saturday at dusk,
weather permitting; Boyd Pond Park, 373 Boyd Pond
Rd. Aiken, SC. Free. Visit www.boydobservatory.org
or call 803-642-7559 for more information.
April 7
9 Annual Spring Fling Show & Shine sponsored
by Aiken Horsepower, 9-3:30 p.m., in front of Sears
at the Aiken Mall. Featuring a Kiddie Karz show for
ages 15 and under, silent auction items, door prizes;
various vendors, including food. Proceeds benefit
the Cumbee Center. No charge for admission but
donations accepted for the active drive to collect toys,
canned goods and cell phones for the Cumbee Center.
Call Vickie at 270-3505 or Manny at 270-8219 for
information. www.aikenhorsepower.com
th
April 13
Area 15 Special Olympics Spring Games, 9:30 a.m.,
Midland Valley High School football field. Parade of
Athletes begins at 9:30 a.m. To volunteer, contact
volunteerarea15@bellsouth.net. To donate, send to
Area 15, Special Olympics-South Carolina, PO Box
698, Aiken SC 29801. For more information, Bill Boyce
at 293-6136.
April 14
5th Annual Aiken SPCA Barn Tour, featuring barns in the
heart of the Aiken Horse District, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., $25/
ticket. Call 648-6863 or email cmiller@aikenspca.org
Luncheon and inspirational speech featuring former
Miss America Marilyn Van Derbur, author, advocate,
and child abuse survivor, 11:30-1:30 p.m., Business
and Education Building at USCA, $25/ticket available
at the Child Advocacy Center office, 644-5100, or at
www.cacofaiken.org. Proceeds benefit the Child
Advocacy Center.
Red Cross Adult CPR Class, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
1314 Pine Log Road, $90 per person. To register,
call the Red Cross Training Support Center at
800-733-2767.
April 27-28
Aiken Lions Club Broom Sale, 9-3 p.m., at Kroger.
Call Jim Iwert at 641-6740 for details.
April 27-29
Woodside Festival of Homes, 11-5 p.m. on Friday and
Saturday, 1-5 p.m. on Sunday; tickets $10 in advance at
Woodside Plantation Sales Center, The Village Center
and The Reserve Club, $15 at the door. Proceeds
benefit the Child Advocacy Center.
April 28
Red Cross Pediatric CPR and First Aid Class, 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m., 1314 Pine Log Road, $90/person. To register,
call the Red Cross Training Support Center at
800-733-2767.
Outside Aiken
April 12
6th Annual Undercover Artists Show to benefit
Walton’s Camp To Be Independent, a five day
spend-the-night camp for children with traumatic
brain injuries ages 8-21, 7 p.m. until …, on the lawn of
Walton Rehabilitation Hospital, 1355 Independence Dr.,
Augusta, featuring 100+ canvases to be auctioned off.
All signatures are hidden until the last thirty minutes
of bidding. For more information, contact Alice Salley,
706-826-5809
Coming in May
May 4
Annual Lobster Race, 6-11 p.m., Newberry Festival Site.
May 4-5
Aiken Lions Club Broom Sale, 9-3 p.m. at Roses.
Call Jim Iwert at 641-6740 for details.
May 7
Celebrity Waiter Night, benefiting Children’s Place.
Call 641-4144 for more information.
May 12
Mead Hall’s annual Strawberry Festival, 10-2. Festivities
will take place outside on Greenville Street, as well
as in the gym and on the playground. Homemade
goodies, games, rides, a pie eating contest and more.
Wristbands for all-access will be available at the gate.
May 19
Healthy Lifestyle Expo, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., USCA
Convocation Center, presented by Aiken Regional
Medical Centers; free blood screenings (cholesterol
testing, prostate cancer screening).
May 21
Dick Flynt Memorial Golf Outing sponsored by the
Aiken Lions Club, Houndslake Country Club.
Call Adam Keller at 644-5405 for details.
Aiken Kite Festival, family event with variety of activities
including kite flying demonstrations, kite design
contest, kite flying contest, kite vendors, food vendors,
Tax Planning
Medicaid Planning
Elder Law
Estate Planning
Revocable Trust
Probate
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Wm. Ray Massey
Tax Attorney
Smith, Massey, Brodie, Guynn & Mayes, P.A.
Phone
803-643-4110
Facsimile
803-644-9057
rmassey@smbgm.com
www.smbgm.com
11
“I Thought It Was the End
of All I Had Built”
S
he was 53 when the story broke on the front
page of the Denver paper, her worst nightmare.
Now everyone knew that she had been been
repeatedly raped by her father. She, Miss America
1958. The only woman guest lecturer for General
Motors for 10 years. Voted the Outstanding Woman
Speaker in America, television hostess of the Miss
America Pageant, TV spokeswoman for AT&T.
“I thought it was the end of all I had built,”
Marilyn Van Derbur told Bella in a recent interview.
“I thought, ‘I’m done.’ People will turn away from
me.” Then her daughter Jennifer’s best friend arrived
at the front door with fresh flowers and said the
magic words that touched her heart deeply: “I love
you.” As she told the story, her voice caught. “It still
gets me,” she said.
As news of the incest spread, she was
besieged by phone calls that she could not take and
reporters she would not speak to. Believing herself
to be dirty, ugly, unlovable and guilty, she thought
no one could possibly want to be around her again,
knowing her secret.
Overwhelmed and in Hiding
The news-breaking story overwhelmed
Marilyn. After three days of hiding in her house,
she woke her family and told them she had to get
out. They all dressed in sweats and headed to the
high school track to jog. It was there that a pivotal
moment propelled Marilyn into a new life. The day
before, Marilyn’s oldest sister Gwen had been front
page news as she, too, came forward with her own
child abuse story. A friend at the track told Marilyn
that on the talk radio shows, people had been
questioning why they should believe Marilyn’s story.
Then the friend added, “But now that your sister has
come out, they have to believe you.”
Far from being comforted by this
pronouncement, Marilyn grew enraged and
responded, “If people don’t believe a 53-year-old
woman, who is going to believe a child? Let’s go to
work.” From then on, Marilyn burst out of hiding
and became a staple on every TV talk show, radio
program, and public forum, speaking about child
abuse, the “dirty little secret” that became Marilyn’s
life’s mission to expose and prevent.
If Marilyn had had her way before the
Denver newspaper story, the world would still be
ignorant of her father’s abuse. Most victims of
child abuse believe that it’s their own fault, that the
shame is theirs. After years of therapy and searching
for answers, Marilyn has become the mentor she
sought during the worst times of her adult life, the
13 years during which intermittent bouts of total
paralysis inexplicably disabled her. A raft of medical
tests showed no physical cause for the paralysis.
However, therapy eventually brought out the rage
and humiliation she had repressed between the ages
of 5 to 18 over her father’s stealthy night visits to her
bedroom, while she feigned sleep.
12
Paralysis Brought on by Repression
“When you don’t have a way to express
those feelings, you have to put them somewhere.
The body has memories, the skin has memories,” she
explained.
The
paralysis
began when
she was
around 40
years old;
only later
would she
understand
that it was
triggered by her daughter’s 5th birthday, for that was
the age when Marilyn’s father began his night-time
forays into her room. “I used to lock myself into a
tight fetal position every night. I tightened every
muscle as tight as I could. Eventually I couldn’t
unlock my body any more,” she said.
The paralysis continued on and off for 13
years, during which Marilyn begged her husband
Larry to find her someone who had been through
the agony she was experiencing and emerged whole.
They could find no one. “Role model for yourself,”
he told her.
This she accomplished in therapy where her
memories—blocked out for years—came surging
back. “People asked me how I could forget. I
answered, ‘How could I remember?’—and still go
on functioning?” she said. According to Marilyn,
most adult victims
find their constant
efforts at repression
fail around 40 years
of age. “It works at
20 and even 30, but
it begins breaking
down around 40.”
Another step in her
recovery was the book
she wrote about her
experiences (Miss
America by Day, Oak
Hill Press) which she
labeled “the best thing I have ever done besides my
family.”
“No, I Cannot”
Marilyn’s story includes the heart-rending
realization that she had no one to turn to for help.
At a particularly emotional time in her healing,
Marilyn turned to her mother and asked, “Can you
help me?” only to hear the words, “No, I cannot.”
As another cornerstone in her healing, Marilyn
developed her own support network, including her
husband, her daughter, and the minister that first
suspected the abuse and coaxed her into revealing it.
“Victims need to speak the words,” she
said. “People come to me and very often they are
by Kathy Huff
speechless because they have never told a soul.
Some of them whisper in my ear, ‘my father’ or ‘my
brother’ or ‘my mother.’ Even though many of them
have read my book, they feel the need to look in
my eyes and see for themselves that they can make
it through the darkness, that they can find peace,
that the night terrors and panic will end, if they are
willing to do the
work to heal.”
It
is Marilyn’s
belief that all
communities need
to be protecting
children now. “If
we understand the
long-term impact
of child abuse,
then we have to
put our resources
into prevention and
intervention,” she said. The statistics are staggering.
One in four girls experiences child abuse by the age
of 18, and one in six boys. In Aiken County last
year there were 302 suspected child abuse cases seen
by the Child Advocacy Center. Eventually Marilyn became the whole
woman she sought as a beacon during those days of
physical debilitation and mental anguish. Currently,
in addition to her demanding speaking career, she
spends four to six hours a day emailing adults who
turn to her for help to heal the trauma of their
childhood abuse. (Visit www.missamericabyday.
com to email Marilyn.)
Today she is the role model countless people
now turn to for hope.
Marilyn Van Derbur Will Speak
in Aiken in April
On April 25, to support the Child Advocacy Center,
Marilyn Van Derbur will speak at a luncheon in Aiken
from 11:30 to 1:30 at the USCA Business and
Education Building. Individual tickets are $25 each
and can be purchased through the CAC
(803-644-9165) or on the Center’s website,
cacofaiken.org. Tables seat eight people and may
be reserved for $200.
Miss America by Day will be offered for sale before
and after the luncheon ($20 by check or cash).
It is the goal of 100 Women to lower the incidence
of child abuse in Aiken and educate the community
to prevent child abuse. A new program, 100 Women
was recently launched by the Child Advocacy Center
to gather and train 100 local supporters to become
knowledgeable advocates in the community and
financially support the Center by raising or donating
$1,000 each. Women interested in joining this mission
are encouraged to contact Gayle Lofgren, Executive
Director of the Child Advocacy Center, at
803-644-5100.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
by Betts Hunter Gatewood
The Best Gift: A Stable, Secure Marriage
For the past year this column has focused on ideas and theories for
readers to consider as you raise your children. Some of you are married, some
are single parents, and some are nurturing a blended family. There is certainly
no one way to be a parent or a family. As our society continues to change, we are
witnessing diverse patterns of healthy families. This month, however, I would
like to focus on the traditional family of a father and mother and 2.5 children.
Hopefully the rest of you can also gain some ideas to use.
Sometimes we “marrieds” try so hard to be the perfect parent that we
forget the person who made these children possible, our spouse. The best gift
we can give our children is a stable, secure marriage. This takes time, energy,
and attention to each other. A well-respected marriage counselor has said
that we should spend at least 15 hours with our spouse each week to keep the
romance alive. After all, when we were dating if we had not spent time together,
each of us would have found someone else. Are our basic selves and needs that
different now that we are parents?
But, you ask, how in the world can I do that? Who is going to drive
Mary to her music, soccer, tutoring, and vocal lessons each week? Who is going
to cook the meals, wash the clothes, grocery shop, help with homework, bring
home the paycheck, etc??? Who indeed? Every couple faces the same struggles
to balance time and energy, and none of us would say it is easy. Important, yes.
Easy, no. How then can it be done? Won’t this hurt our children if we spend less
time with them?
Down Memory Lane
Think back to your own home as a child. What do you remember
about your parents? Did they laugh together? Did they go out? Did they have
time with each other when you were not included? How did this feel to you?
This may help you get in touch with how your children perceive you and your
spouse. Even though they do not verbalize it, they are constantly watching us,
observing our moods, facial expressions, and actions. As they do this they are
forming opinions about adult relationships, a family, and their place in it.
Children need to sense the boundaries between their world and the
adult world. They need to know they are not the center of the family, but their
parents are. This gives them a sense of security. Children also need to contribute
to the running of the household. They gain a sense of self-worth when others
depend on them to do some of the chores. These two ideas may give you a
starting point for prioritizing time with your spouse.
Finding 15 Hours
How can we find 15 hours a week? Let’s start with looking at all the
time we waste using electronics and gadgets. Most of us could find at least an
hour every day when we could trade that time for conversation and fun time
with our spouse. How about a date night on the weekends? It doesn’t have
to cost a lot to be meaningful time together. Finding hobbies you can share,
taking walks, cooking together, and listening to favorite music or a book on
CD are a few examples of meaningful ways to share time.
While we are enjoying our spouses and securing our marriage for the
future, what are our children doing? They are entertaining themselves, playing
outside, adjusting to babysitters, making their own lunches, doing their own
homework, etc. Are you beginning to see what is happening here? As you
and your spouse make more time for each other, your children are becoming
independent. When we look at the big picture of our parenting roles, isn’t this
the bottom line – to raise independent, self-confident, productive citizens?
So…let’s get organized, dole out the house chores, schedule some date nights
and daily time with each other, and enjoy those 15 hours! You may find you’re
having so much fun you will figure out how to raise it to 20 or more!
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Betts Hunter Gatewood is a National Board Certified school
counselor with 28 years’ experience in elementary and middle school
counseling. She holds an EdS degree from USC and has authored or
co-authored four books on school counseling strategies and activities.
She and her husband are the proud parents of three adult children and
have four granddaughters.
13
World Book Night Promises Books to Share
“Spreading the love of reading, person to person.”
In October of 2011, everyone in Aiken County had the
opportunity to participate in Aiken’s Wild Read, a celebration of
reading centered on Jack London’s novel The Call of the Wild. Now
April brings another exciting reading opportunity. April 23 is the
UNESCO International Day of the Book, chosen in honor of
Shakespeare and Cervantes, who both died on April 23, 1616.
It is also the anniversary of Shakespeare’s birthday.
“There is a great deal of excitement about this
opportunity to spread the love of reading and recognize
the importance of reading in our community,” said
Darlene Rittel, who was the first Book Giver to sign up
in Aiken.
In the Catalan region of Spain, the day is celebrated
by giving a book and a flower to a loved one. Here in the USA, a
coalition of authors, printers, and publishers, along with UPS, are sponsoring
WORLD BOOK NIGHT U.S. on April 23. This celebration of reading and
books will see tens of thousands of people share books with others in their
communities across America to spread the joy and love of reading. The goal is
“to get books in the hands of people who are underserved because of income or
location or other reasons” according to Carl Lennertz, Director, WORLD BOOK
NIGHT U.S.
Boo… k!
“It will be like Halloween on an intellectual level,” said Novelist Anna
Quindlen, honorary chairwoman of World Book Night in the USA. This is an
American expansion of the inaugural event in Great Britain – 20,000 volunteers
gave away one million books in the UK and Ireland on March 5, 2011.
From thousands of applications across the United States, the WORLD
BOOK NIGHT U.S. Committee has selected several Book Givers in each of
hundreds of participating communities. Book Givers have each chosen a favorite
book (from a list of 30 books) and a preferred location for giving books away.
Each Book Giver will receive a number of books to be distributed at the chosen
location to young people and adults who probably do not read much and might be
inspired to read more. These books will be special not-for-resale editions. Authors
are forgoing royalties to make this possible, and American book publishers, the
American Booksellers Association, Barnes and Noble, The American Library
Association, The Association of American Publishers, Ingram Book Company,
UPS, and a dozen printers and bookbinders have paid for the production and
shipping.
The books selected for this year’s distribution are chiefly award-winning
contemporary books. Many are aimed at the young adult reader, but can be
enjoyed by readers of all ages. Details of the 30 selected books and authors can
be found at the WBN website, www.us.worldbooknight.org/wbn2012-the-books.
by Judy Cross and Darlene Rittel, Guest Writers
Aiken Distribution Centers
Booklovers Bookstore at 1886 Huntsman Drive, Aiken, SC
has been selected as a WBN Distribution Center. A reception for
Book Givers will be held at Booklovers during the week of April 16.
In addition, Booklovers and all of the other stores in the Country
Square Shopping Center will be hosting the Country Square Book
Festival and Open House on Saturday, April 21. Fran Bush,
owner, noted that there will be activities and events for children
and adults of all ages and invites the public to attend.
Michael Swan, Library Manager of the Aiken County
Public Library, expressed support and promotion of this
event. Information about World Book Night will be provided
in the library newsletter, including the distribution points. The
staff will have a book display of the available selections so that
patrons may easily peruse them.
At the end of March, there were several Book Givers in Aiken County,
representing woman’s clubs, book clubs, and Aiken Technical College.
In addition, several other individuals and groups are planning to join in the event
by donating books or reading to groups. The following sample of the WBN
Book Givers illustrates the diversity of the titles to be given out, and
the distribution sites.
A nd the “Givers” Are …
Dr. Darlene Rittel, a member of Aiken Woman’s Club, will be giving
away The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot to patients at
Dr. Judith Hoover’s office.
Thomasina Hughey, Academic Coordinator and Instructor of Reading at
Aiken Technical College, will be giving away I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by poet/author Dr. Maya Angelou.
Renee Beatty, educator, will also be distributing her free books at Aiken
Technical College. The title she received is Just Kids by Patti Smith, a legendary
American artist.
Ellen Miller, another member of Aiken Woman’s Club, plans to distribute
her selection, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver to students at Aiken
High School.
Other individuals are also planning to participate on their own, and
may be delivering some books to emerging reading groups at schools, or at senior
citizen sites.
For more information, go to www.us.worldbooknight.org/wbn2012-the-books, or
e-mail april23@worldbooknight.org
100 Women Initiative Launched
Shown with a poster advertising the Marilyn Van Derbur
luncheon, the 100 Women Committee gathered recently at the home
of Penny Rue to launch the new program. From left to right are Penny
Rue, Neasey Greene, Leslie Alexander, Molly Hunt, Kathy Huff, Anne
Laver, Mary Helen Simons, Kim Sawyer, and Gayle Lofgren, Executive
Director of the Child Advocacy Center. (Absent are Kathy Reynolds
and Angela Burkhalter.)
Now in its formative stage, 100 Women is composed of women
who will act as advocates in the community on behalf of the CAC.
Each woman will support the Center’s efforts to reduce child abuse
in the community and also donate or raise $1,000 each for financial
support. As part of its outreach mission, the group has invited Marilyn
Van Derbur, former Miss America and incest survivor, to speak about
child abuse at a luncheon on April 25. See page 12 for more details.
Women interested in becoming one of 100 Women should call
Gayle Lofgren at the Child Advocacy Center, 803-644-5100.
14
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
15
Wolves: Big and Bad or Good and Noble?
by Ann Dudley Holley
I was shocked to see the false portrayal of
wolves in Liam Neeson’s new movie The Grey, where
wolves are more menacing than ever as they attack
and kill the men Neeson’s character is protecting.
The Hollywood thriller portrays the wolf in his
natural habitat as the villain. This movie takes the
big bad wolf folklore to new extremes. As I study
children’s literature, I realize that wolves have long
been maligned in stories and movies.
Carter Niemeyer,
a former Wolf Recovery
Coordinator for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, is author
of Wolfer (2010, BottleFly
Press). About his authentic
first-hand knowledge of wolves,
he said, “From my experience,
they’re curious, they’re
cautious, they’re aloof, and they
really don’t want anything to
do with you.” In a recent interview he said, “Movies
like The Grey are a retrogressive trend that threatens
one of nature’s magnificent creatures.” It is curious
to me, too, why Hollywood would portray an
endangered species like the grey wolf as the enemy.
It has been noted that many scientists have stated
that there are no known instances of a healthy wolf
attacking human beings.
As long as there have been legends and
stories, there have been tales about the big, bad
wolf. Maybe early man feared this creature because
the wolf is cunning and smart. Maybe the wolf
appeared in ancient folklore simply to promote the
idea to be cautious and not aggravate this powerful
carnivore. Maybe the wolf and man were hunting
the same game and man needed to overcome the
wolf to survive. Maybe the wolf character was
intended to draw the listener or reader in because
he is such a fascinating, elusive foe. Whatever the
reason, we are all familiar with tales depicting this
big and bad wolf. The Little Red Riding Hood stories
portray the antagonist wolf as evil. The oldest
versions have the good woodcutter chopping the
wolf open to release Grandmother, who survives.
Thus, the dead wolf cannot return, and this satisfies
a young reader’s understanding that the menace is
gone. However, some sanitized versions depict the
wolf running away. Modern children may not be
satisfied with this ending because the bad guy in
authentic folktales should be punished.
16
One of my favorite
Little Red Riding Hood
versions is Ed Young’s Lon
Po Po (1989, Philomel
Books). Young won the
prized 1990 Caldecott
Medal for his illustrations
that compliment the text. This Chinese version has
frightening images of the wolf, but the three young
sisters do eventually outsmart and kill him. From
studying the origins of this tale, it appears that the
story originated to keep young, innocent girls from
straying off the path of life while they mature. The
story implicitly warns them to keep away from
men who could harm (deflower) them. Thus, the
big, bad wolf was a warning in ancient cultures for
children to be aware of the dangers in the world.
As I dissect the origins of folklore in my
Children’s Literature classes at USCA, I make it
clear that all of the wonderful stories have survived
to make the learning lessons of life richer. I believe
that the enchantment of fairy tales--with allusions
that young girls should mind their parents and
follow strict rules--is more appealing than just
telling them to do so.
Of the many Three Little Pigs and the Big,
Bad Wolf versions, the Disney
version and songs are most
memorable. The wolf is doing
what wolves do – eat meat but he is characterized as the
villain again and
is outsmarted by
the smartest pig.
Still, he is a force
to be reckoned
with.
Margaret
Wild’s modern science
fiction children’s book
Woolvs in the Sitee (2006, Front Street Press), is a
dark, post-apocalyptic story filled with curiosity
about who the “wolves” actually are. It is evident
that they represent the sinister element threatening
survivors in this strange, frightening world. The
unconventional spelling of the text is written by
Ben, who probably had a first grade education before
the world changed. He is nine now, alone, and he
writes: “These woolvs are hatefuls and hating.
They spare no won.” Shadows of the wolves are
seen everywhere, and Ben is terrified. The wolves
in this story represent all the danger in this world.
Again, the wolf is portrayed
as the most evil of all
dangers. But despite the
numerous,
more popular
representations
of the big
bad wolf, not
all stories
are so clearly
biased. Since
the beginning
of time people
have looked at the wolf with awe, wonder, fear,
and respect. Wolves have refined parental instincts
and survival skills that show intelligence and a
connection with nature. Even though there is a fear
of wolves in Western literature, Native American
Indians venerated the wolf and prayed for their
hunting skills and courage. To be a descendant
from the wolf spirit was an honor. Some Native
Americans modeled hunting and gathering
techniques from observing the wolf. We learn from
their stories that the world must be listened to and
respected, as should the wolf.
Wolf Tales by Deborah Reade, (1992,
Ancient City Press), contains wonderful wolf stories
for young readers that
infer how man must
learn to live with these
creatures and gain
wisdom from them.
This collection is from
the oral tradition that
was passed down orally
for generations before
being written down.
Sioux and Cherokee stories detail how the wolves
and humans lived and hunted together, and how
man and creature were rewarded with a lifelong
loyalty. The Native Americans’ deep respect for the
wolf is embedded in these tales.
We must not forget that Mowgli, in
Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, was raised by (good,
honorable) wolves. He and the reader understand
what it means to be part of a “pack”– something
humans can identify with and associate with family.
This positive portrayal gives readers a new vehicle to
consider when analyzing wolves in literature.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Aesop’s
famous
fable The
Boy Who
Cried Wolf
has been
retold in
countless
volumes.
This wolf
is in his natural element and
of course he wants to eat sheep. The Boy Who Cried
Wolf, illustrated by Milo Winter in a 1919 Aesop
anthology, (reprinted by Watchmaker Publishing,
2010), depicts the wolf in his natural habitat doing
what he is supposed to do. The boy, not the wolf, is
the menace in this story. The lesson is that if you lie,
you will not be believed when you do tell the truth.
Perhaps the wolf functions more as a device to
capture the reader’s attention so that the lesson may
be heard. Maybe wolves are in ancient tales because
they are enchanting and elusive, a wonder of nature.
Renowned author Seymour Simon is
often called the “dean of
children’s science writers”
and has authored more
than 250 science trade
books. His Wolves (1993,
Scholastic, Inc.) is replete
with authentic photographs
of North American wolves
in their natural habitat. He
says that wolves are one of
nature’s most misunderstood
creatures. Like Native American
Indians, he believes that by learning
more about the wolf in the natural
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
world, we can distinguish the real animal from the
folktales. Simon shows that wolves are marvelous
hunters and that they work in groups to catch their
prey. He reasons that wolves in packs are friendly-they travel, hunt, eat, and play together. Wolves
communicate by howling, which is their means to
gather up the pack, give a warning, and also just for
pleasure. It is their music.
Wolves have always been fascinating to
observe and study, and recently they have been
reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park. Two
summers ago, while I was hiking there with Aiken
friends, we came upon two beautiful, majestic,
healthy wolves. They paused, unthreateningly, to
look at us. What an honor to glimpse them in their
natural habitat.
I believe that in nature the wolf is
completely at home, and his true identity is revealed
as sophisticated and intelligent. We should value and
respect his place in the world. Knowing that wolves
are falsely depicted in stories should not take away
the enjoyment of Little Red Riding Hood, The Three
Pigs, and the Twilight series with werewolves, or
indeed, all of the tales where wolves are big
and bad. These tales have lasted over eons
of time and are part of our literary heritage.
Young people who read Seymour Simon and
other authors who reveal the true nature of
wolves can critically discuss how they know
the truth about real wolves.
This still allows them to
love and enjoy the big, bad
wolf stories where wolves are
misrepresented.
It’s no wonder that
for centuries in stories the
wolf has been the villain–
evil and feared. These ideas continue to fuel the
imagination today. It is human nature to gravitate
to the unknown, titillating side of a story to enrich
one’s curiosity. Maybe we do know why the big,
bad wolf tales survived and why Hollywood’s recent
movie The Grey depicts wolves as big and bad–pure
entertainment. It’s a human thing and wolves are
just misunderstood.
Ann Dudley Holley is a Senior
Instructor in the School of
Education at USCA and has
been acknowledged by her
students and colleagues for
teaching excellence. Prior to
her 22 years with USCA, she
taught both elementary and
middle school students.
17
Exploring the History of Aiken: Part III
A series by Anna Boylston Dangerfield
The Poliakoff Building
The structure adjoining the Weeks building
on the corner of Laurens Street and Park Avenue—
across from the Morgan Fountain—has been
referred to as the Poliakoff building. Although the
builder of this brick mercantile design is unknown,
it is believed to have been constructed in the late
1800s or early 1900s. Renovations and expansions
eventually joined the Weeks and Poliakoff buildings,
and today, Arthur “Buzz” Rich owns the property.
The street level Park Avenue bays of the
Poliakoff building were once used for offices and
businesses, including tenants such as the City Barber
Shop. Now, Nandina Home and Design occupies
this ground floor.
Over the years, the upstairs area has been
used primarily for professional offices and continues
to be used for office space. At the top of the steep
stairs leading up from Park Avenue, a foyer opens
into a suite of four offices and a conference room.
A mural painted by an R. Worth decorates
the foyer walls with scenes depicting both sides
of Laurens Street. This area is currently subleased
by Columbia Energy, a full service engineering
firm focusing on the nuclear side. Kelly Hunter,
manager of business development, says he enjoys
working from this office because of its downtown
accessibility.
The original owner of this building is
unknown at this time, and the connection with the
Poliakoff family is not certain. A search of the deeds
and records at the Registrar Mesne Conveyance
showed that the Poliakoffs purchased property in
Aiken at least as early as 1906, but determined no
ownership of theirs in this building. However,
at one time, the name of Poliakoff and Poliakoff
appeared on the second floor windows and Park
Avenue steps to advertise the law firm upstairs.
people in a fair, courteous and efficient manner.”
By the next year, he died in Baltimore as the result
of an accident. He and his daughter, Gussie, had
been passengers on the steamship City of Baltimore,
which was heading from Baltimore, Maryland,
to Norfolk, Virginia, on an overnight trip. The
Park Avenue view of the northeast corner of
Laurens Street and Park Avenue.
(Courtesy of Susan French and the City of Aiken)
the trustees who purchased the land for the Sons of
Israel burial ground in Aiken’s Bethany Cemetery.
This final resting place is chosen by
members of both Aiken’s Jewish community and
those from other cities because of the scarcity of
Jewish cemeteries and the personal desire to be
buried near relatives.
On one of the supporting pillars of the arch
leading into this section is a plaque that reads “In
Memory of the Poliakoff Family.” According to Ed
Poliakoff, “The plaque is there because Ben Poliakoff
(one of the Anderson, SC brothers) initiated a family
project that raised the money for the entrance gate.”
The Poliakoffs
Jacob S. Polikoff, one of the founders of
Aiken’s Adath Yeshurun Synagogue.
(Courtesy of Doris Baumgarten)
steamship caught fire, burned in the Chesapeake
Bay, and Jacob died as a result of burns; Gussie
survived. Jacob and his wife, both from Russia, are
buried in the Sons of Israel section of the Bethany
Cemetery.
The Polikoffs’ beautiful home still stands.
This property, including an adjoining lot purchased
by Julia Rebecca in 1926, was bought by Henderson
Johnson and his late son Barry in 1982, for $56,250.
They had formed the Johnson and Johnson law firm
in 1980, which evolved into the law firm of Johnson,
Johnson & Whittle. This firm continues to practice
from the Polikoffs’ former home at 117 Pendleton
Street.
Bennett Poliakoff (Benet Polikoff)
The Poliakoffs, or Polikoffs,* have made
their homes in Aiken and South Carolina for many
years.
An interview with David and Sam Draisen
published in The Jewish Heritage Collection of Oral
Histories notes: “If you take a ruler from Aiken to
Walhalla, and all along that area, there were little
stores along the way. Abbeville, Walhalla, Anderson
... all those little places had little stores that the
Poliakoffs lived in and ran.”
Second cousins and spouses Sam and
Rachel Leah Poliakoff were merchants in Aiken,
then traveled to Laurens, Greenville, and Anderson,
and opened dry goods stores. Other Poliakoffs
made their homes in Abbeville, where the Poliakoff
Department Store has operated for more than
100 years.
Nathan and Moses were Aiken merchants,
with Moses the owner of M. Poliakoff on Main
Street. In 1913, an M. Poliakoff (Moses?) was one of
Jacob S. Polikoff
18
Jacob S. Polikoff was a member of Aiken’s
mercantile business community for 35 years and
operated his store on Laurens Street. He was also
an active member of the Jewish community and
was one of the founders of Aiken’s Adath Yeshurun
Synagogue.
Fires were not an unusual occurrence in
the early 1900s. The Journal and Review of June
1921 reported that Jacob’s “six-room residence on
Greenville Street was destroyed by fire.” In less
than a year, he and his family were happily “settled
in their new two story brick home on Pendleton
Street—12 rooms, 2 baths, 2 sleeping porches. It is
quite modern and cost close to $10,000.” The lot
had been purchased by his wife, Julia Rebecca, in
1907 for $605.
In July 1936, Jacob was ready to retire and
announced that he was going out of business. The
local paper reported that “he has been serving the
Benet Polikoff was the son of Jacob and
Julia Rebecca. Born and reared in Aiken, he
graduated from the USC law school and practiced in
Winston-Salem. He appeared in the local newspaper
along with one of his clients in November of 1954
regarding the Reynolds tobacco fortune.
Ed Kenney’s column noted in The Aiken
Standard and Review that Libby Holman planned
to invest in Aiken: “She was the widow of the
late tobacco millionaire Dick Reynolds, and had
maintained a high profile since their marriage, and
later after his death in Durham in the late 1930s.
In the settlement following his death, Miss Holman
was represented by Bennett Poliakoff and she was
awarded about $8 million dollars, with a court
directed fee of about $1 million for Bennett.”
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
When the Reynolds’ son died many
years later, about 1953, Miss Holman “inherited
a considerable sum” and Bennett Poliakoff was
awarded “another big fee.”
It was reported that Bennett, Miss Holman
and two others joined forces to do business as
Aiken Realty Company and purchased Aiken’s
Parkview Hotel at the corner of Chesterfield Street
The Parkview Hotel, which once stood at
the corner of Park Avenue and Chesterfield Street.
(Courtesy of Allen Riddick and
the Aiken County Historical Museum)
and Park Avenue. Perhaps some of the fee from his
representation of Miss Holman provided the means
to invest in his hometown.
J. Manning Poliakoff
While Benet may have been one of the
wealthiest members of the Poliakoff family, lawyer
J. Manning Poliakoff appears to have been one of
the most colorful. Around the time he came to
Aiken in the early 50s, J. Manning was making the
pages of Life magazine.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
“In Spartanburg County, where the
Revolutionary War Battle of Cowpens was fought,
Gen. Daniel Morgan is quite the hero. A large statue
of him sits in the center of downtown, though he is
buried in Winchester, Virginia, where he last lived.
In 1951, Uncle Manning obtained an affidavit from
a multi-great niece of General Morgan, authorizing
the moving of his remains to Spartanburg County,
where he would be more appreciated,” said
J. Manning’s nephew, Gary Poliakoff.
“Armed with the affidavit, Uncle Manning
filed Court papers in Virginia, and travelled to
Winchester with the Mayor of Cowpens and a
Spartanburg undertaker to retrieve the remains. Life
magazine covered the event. There was a large photo
spread, including a large photo of Manning, the
mayor and undertaker on one side of the grave, and
several town fathers of Winchester on the other side,
apparently arguing over the General. The General is
still in Winchester today,” said Gary.
J. Manning—who disliked his first name
of Julian—practiced law in Aiken in the ‘50s and
‘60s, in both the Parkview Hotel and the Poliakoff
building. Perhaps he was the one who painted
Poliakoff and Poliakoff on the second floor windows
of the building and on the narrow stairs leading
up from Park Avenue to promote his law firm. J.
Manning’s appearance of working solo in the law
firm led one local citizen to believe that his pet
monkey, and later his full-sized skeleton, practiced
with him as “silent” partners. According to Andy Poliakoff, J. Manning’s
nephew, “Poliakoff and Poliakoff was the name of
the law firm in Spartanburg. Manning was the third
brother to join, but they kept the name as it was.
When Uncle Manning moved to Aiken, he decided
to call his practice also by that name.”
And a monkey and a skeleton?
J. Manning was said to have kept a monkey
in a cage in his office. When the monkey died, he
obtained a full-sized skeleton and dragged it down
Park Avenue, back and forth to the courthouse.
Andy said the skeleton was purchased as a court
room prop. “Back in the ‘50s, Uncle Manning didn’t
have power points and computers, and modern ways
of presenting evidence. The skeleton was a good
demonstration for injury cases. I’ve been told that
sometimes for fun, he would prop the skeleton up
in the passenger seat of his car and drive around.
Imagine the looks he got when pulling up at a red
light alongside another car with the skeleton sitting
beside him,” he continued.
And the “Poliakoff building”? It’s possible
that the Poliakoff reference is made not to any legal
claim of the building, but refers both to the law firm
and the colorful lawyer who entertained Aiken’s
citizens by parading his court props up and down
Park Avenue.
*Poliakoff and Polikoff are both found as spellings in
official records and newspapers. Signatures by Jacob S.
Polikoff and his heirs were written as Polikoff, though
newspapers and other documents used the Poliakoff
spelling. Bennett Poliakoff was consistently found in
the newspapers, while the spelling of his signature
on official documents is Benet Polikoff. Unless found
differently, the Poliakoff spelling was used.
19
Aiken Golf Club Celebrates a Century of
Innovation, Sportsmanship and Stewardship
100 years.
A century.
There aren’t many things in America that
last 100 years.
All this year The Aiken Golf Club is
celebrating 100 years of enjoyment of the great game
of golf, and the many contributions it has made to
the city. It’s good to be successful at the age of 100!
It was a century ago that a group of local
businessmen formed the Real Estate and Fidelity
Company to develop a resort hotel with a golf course
for winter guests in Aiken.
They named the building The Highland
Park Hotel after an older inn that was built on the
same site in 1869-70 and destroyed by fire in 1898.
The Highland Park Hotel
The course opened in 1912 with 11 holes and was
completed with a final seven (“the loop,” as it still
exists today) in 1915.
As with anything of value, many people and
forces came together to create the emerald treasure
in downtown Aiken that is now The Aiken Golf
Club.
It started with the Tufts family who owned
and operated Pinehurst resort in North Carolina.
A Necklace of Golf Courses
The Tufts son, Leonard, became Federal
Highway Commissioner and was instrumental in
combining road, primarily the existing Atlantic
Highway, into U.S. Highway 1, running from
Key West to the Canadian border in Maine. The
Tufts family had a vision of creating a ribbon of
resorts from Pinehurst to Aiken and commissioned
Leonard’s friend and Hall of Fame golf architect,
Donald Ross, to design a necklace of golf courses
along the road.
Ross probably laid out, or routed, what
became the Highland Park Golf Club in 1905. But
the great man became so busy that he assigned his
assistant, John Inglis, to finish the design in 1915.
As a founding member of the PGA and
summer professional at Fairview Country Club
in Elmsford, N.Y., where he worked with Ross,
Inglis had many famous students and friends. In
Aiken he was often visited by former pupils, such as
U.S. Open Champion Chick Evans and the seven
20
famed Turnesa brothers from Elmsford, near the
Connecticut border.
Women’s Tees Begin in Aiken
May Dunn, the first female golf
professional in the U.S., also visited here. On her
recommendation, Inglis built the first ladies’ tees
in America at Highland Park. Women would find
more inclusion at Highland Park in the future.
Under Inglis’ leadership, the course became
a cultural center in Aiken during the Roaring
Twenties. Most notable of Inglis’ many innovations
was the Women’s’ Invitational Tournament, held in
1937, ‘38 and ‘39. The tournament brought the likes
of Babe Didrikson Zaharias, later voted the Best
Female Athlete of the First Half Century
(1900s) and considered by many to be
the greatest female athlete in American
history. Other great golfers, such as Patty
Berg and Helen Detwiller, also played
the course. The pioneers of the Ladies
Professional Golf Tour (LPGA) had a
home at The Aiken Golf Club.
The stock market crash of 1929
changed forever the history of the golf
course at the Highland Park Hotel.
The hotel struggled following the Great
Depression until it was torn down in 1941.
The golf course was able to survive due
to the efforts of the city government. Joe
Frasca, who had been an assistant to
Inglis, took over the duties as head
professional. The course was made
public, becoming The Aiken Golf
Club and a new era began for the
course.
by Stephen Delaney Hale
White, a former PGA Tour player and
a 1935 and 1936 Masters Tournament player,
became the club’s professional in 1951. White ran
the tournament for nine years and gave many fine
players their start in the game.
The City of Aiken decided to sell the
course in 1959 due to the lack of funds to operate it
properly, according to current owner, James McNair,
Jr.
His father, James McNair, Sr., had been a
renowned amateur golfer and frequented the club.
Among other great achievements, McNair, Sr.,
never lost a match in two years as captain of the
Duke University golf team, winning the Southern
Conference (precursor of the Atlantic Coast
Conference) championship both years. McNair,
Sr., won several important amateur championships
before turning professional and was a 43-year
member of the PGA.
Jim McNair, Sr., Buys the Golf Course
In 1947, Jim McNair, Sr., shot a 58 at
Highland Park, still the course record. He had made
many trips to Aiken to visit relatives, including his
cousin James McNair who was president of the
Farmers and Merchants Bank (now the Bank of
America location). McNair knew the City’s lease
would be up in 1959 and he moved to Aiken to buy
the course. He changed its name to Highland Park
Country Club.
From Private to Public
Ownership
The city purchased the course
in 1939, changed its name to the
Aiken Municipal Golf Course, and
operated it until 1959. During those
20 years, golf professionals Mike
Lucas and Orville White carried
on the tradition of teaching and
promoting golf in Aiken.
Lucas founded the Tri-States Open at the
club in 1946 for the best golfers of Georgia, North
Carolina and South Carolina, and ran it until he
went to the prestigious Greenville Country Club in
1949. Robert W. “Bobby” Knowles, Jr., of Aiken,
was the first champion of the event. Knowles,
headquartered on the other side of Hitchcock
Woods at Palmetto Golf Club, played in The
Masters as an amateur in 1950 and 1951. The TriStates tournament ran for 16 years, drawing PGA
players such as Julius Boros, Johnny Palmer and P.J.
Boatwright. Boros, a future PGA Championship
winner and perennial Masters contestant, collected
his first professional check at the Tri-States Open.
Patty Berg and Babe Didrikson Zaharias
McNair, Sr., brought the course in step with the
times. He added a pool and hosted many club
functions that provided an environment where
families were welcome. He taught many juniors to
play and love the game. The legacy of the course and
McNair’s influence can be seen in the number of
successful professionals he trained here. He retired
in 1987 and handed the course over to his son,
James McNair, Jr.
Jim, Jr., would be faced with an increase in
the number of area courses and a lack of irrigation.
The layout was great, but the old infrastructure
was not maintainable by market standards. It
was time to rebuild the facility from the ground
up. Construction began in 1997, and the work
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Jim McNair, Jr.’s vision for The Aiken Golf
Club’s future is to provide a golfing experience for
its members and guests that is reminiscent of a
time when the game was appreciated for its Scottish
traditions.
Jim, Jr., hopes his legacy will be that the
Scottish “Ross” has been brought back to The Aiken
Golf Club.
Jim McNair, Jr. Pays Tribute to the
Club’s Centennial
December 31, 2011
The McNairs­— Jim, Sr., Jim, III, and Jim, Jr.
was completed in the fall of 1999, when Jim, Jr.,
renamed the course The Aiken Golf Club.
Accolades Abound
His tireless efforts have paid off with
enthusiastic national recognition for the great
old course. Golf Digest named Aiken Golf Club
among its Best Places to Play in the Nation in
2008, Palmetto Golfer named it among the Top
9 Most Underrated Courses in South Carolina in
2011 and Golfweek magazine named it among the
Best Courses You Can Play in both 2011 and again
in 2012. This past January, Jim, Jr., and his wife
Vicki were presented with the Stewardship Award
by the Historic Aiken Foundation “in recognition
of outstanding upkeep of a key historic property in
Aiken.”
Centennial Celebration Begins in May
Jim invites everyone to join in the club’s
centennial celebration all year long, but especially
during three special tournaments this year. The
City of Aiken Championship is to be played on
the weekend following Labor Day and the historic
renewal of the Ladies Hickory Shafted Golf
Tournament comes in November, for the third year.
The real birthday party, though, will be Saturday
and Sunday May 19 and 20, during The McNair
Cup with a celebration open to the public on Friday
evening at Legends restaurant above the pro shop.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
In 2012, The Aiken Golf Club will accomplish a milestone by entering her 100th
year. I will celebrate this achievement; I will
congratulate her onher longevity. I will also
pause to reflect and remember the journey
she has taken.
The Highland Park Hotel golf course,
the Aiken Municipal golf course, and the
Highland Park Country Club are yes, the
same wonderful course we know today as
The Aiken Golf Club. I’m also proud to call
her a survivor. Our Club has braved two
World wars, the Great Depression, natural
disasters, and most recently the real estate
crash that has thousands of golf courses
nationwide teetering on insolvency.
We have not survived because of
good fortune or luck. The Aiken Golf Club is
a story of perseverance, struggle, dedication, determination, and leadership. I wish
I had known Mr. John R. Inglis. His contributions over his 24-year tenure as our golf
professional from 1915 to 1939 are legendary. He served as the co-designer, builder,
teacher, club maker, golf promoter, and
guided the Club through the Depression
years. Mr. Joe Frasca championed major
improvement projects in the 1940’s; Orville
White brought notoriety to our Club as one
of South Carolina’s greatest players in the
1950’s. Each of these special men steered
our Club through four decades; each were
leaders that shared a common bond: They
dedicated their lives to their craft and we
still benefit from their stewardship today.
In 1959, a talented young golf
professional named James McNair, Sr.
realized his lifelong dream to own a golf
course. His passion to teach, his embracing smile, and his welcoming demeanor
endeared him to so many who were fortunateenough to know him during his 27
years “behind the counter” and on the
course.
I become emotional when I recall vivid childhood memories of my first
introduction into the life that my father
led, and the hardships he overcame seemingly on a daily basis. At age 8, my father
bestowed upon me the job of “irrigation
engineer”—a title which had no meaning
to me, but I soon realized what an important position I held. The irrigation system
in 1965 consisted of 18 hoses and sprinklers, one at each green. I can still feel
the cool, wet grass under my bare feet as
I ran from his pickup truck to position the
sprinklers with his headlights illuminating
my way. I soon became so proficient at my
task I needed no instructions from my father as to their proper placement on each
green. Unknowingly, a lifelong bond was
being forged with my father that only
strengthened as the years passed. We
were like two soldiers, side-by-side, battling to save our turf.
Today, a keystroke on my computer
signals irrigation heads to water anytime,
anywhere I need. I look back and marvel
at where we have been, and
I prepare myself for the challenges that I
know lie ahead. The hardships and sacrifices that have been made over the last
100 years will never quite
balance out on a list of pros and cons,
but those special moments alone at dusk
watching the mist of the irrigation reflect
in the sunset give me a quiet satisfaction
that my father and I have played a small
part in “her” survival.
Happy 100th birthday to The Aiken
Golf Club!
Sincerely,
Jim McNair, Jr.
21
Heroes for the American Red Cross
by Anna Dangerfield
T
he Heroes for the American Red Cross is a “grassroots” campaign in which individuals,
corporations and organizations raise money or
personally donate to the Red Cross. The national
standard is $1,000 to be designated as a Hero, but
the Aiken County Chapter requires $1,250.
“On an average, that’s what it costs our
chapter to assist a family of four following a local
disaster such as a house fire,” said Lindsay Findley,
Executive Director of the American Red Cross
Aiken County Chapter. “Our goal this year is
$75,000.”
Donations provide immediate assistance for
families after a disaster. The American Red Cross
Aiken County Chapter is in the Columbia Region
which serves Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell,
Edgefield, Newberry and Saluda. More than half of
the services are provided in Aiken County alone.
Heroes Raise Money
Heroes may involve friends, family and co
workers in their money raising efforts, or they may
give an outright donation. Some organize spaghetti
dinners, garage sales or bake sales to meet their
goals. “Over time, many individuals and businesses
choose to write a check for the entire amount rather
than go out and fundraise,” Lindsay said.
advertising for the campaign.
“We try to give back to Aiken, because
Aiken blesses us so much in our business,” Craig
said. “After talking with Lindsay, we wanted to
give. The Red Cross is passionate in helping others
in need and does a good job. So we wanted to help,
too.”
Betty and Greg Ryberg are also Heroes
and approached their giving with the military as
their focus. “The Red Cross cuts through red tape
so the military people who are serving this country
have no difficulties in making connections if there
is a need,” Betty said. “A loved one, a friend, and a
family member can contact the Red Cross, and it
is handled so beautifully and seamlessly. Can you
imagine if there were a crisis and all that had to be
done was to make ONE phone call! The American
Red Cross has made that available so that across the
continents, even in battle zones, the authority and
the credibility of the Red Cross are recognized by
our government and their requests are respected. It
means a lot to all who serve.”
Country Club work together to provide a fun day
for the golfers and to raise money.
Houndslake Country Club General
Manager Jeff Howell said, “We’ve been hosting
the tournament for about five or six years. We look
forward to it, and enjoy seeing about 50 middle and
high school players and their parents who follow
them. It’s a really special day. The Red Cross raises a
lot of money and does a lot of the work.”
Lindsay agrees. “Houndslake does a great
job. The golf outing is another mechanism for our
Board members and staff to go out and secure
additional donations at a wider giving range. It also
raises awareness about the Disaster Relief Program.
Board members drive teams around, and golfers
enjoy a boxed lunch, picnic dinner and an awards
ceremony with door prizes and recognitions of
sponsors and winners,” she said.
Jeff added, “While some of the golfers
shoot well, some do not finish the round. But that
doesn’t matter, because it’s a fun day for everyone.
Houndslake has a track record of helping kids in
the community,
because we want to
make a difference.
We offer the First
Tee program,
junior clinics and
Safety Day uniting
kids with members
of the Aiken
Public Safety
teams, in addition
to the Heroes Jr.
Golf Outing.”
While
the funds raised
Butch Rachal
She recalls that one local supporter raised
money at her dentistry practice using creative ideas
such as posting a “no cavity board” for children
who were cavity free and making a donation in their
honor.
Aiken Pest Control is a member of the
Heroes. Co-owner Craig Heath made a larger
donation to make sure his company would not only
support the services the Aiken County Chapter
provides but also support the printing and
Social Media Connects
Some Heroes use social media to connect
with churches and high schools and to issue
challenges to Facebook friends. The Aiken County
Chapter can even set up an online “Team Raiser”
thermometer for individuals or groups. Found on its
current Facebook page is a competition between the
Aiken County Chapter Administrative Volunteers
versus Disaster Volunteers versus Youth Board
Volunteers for Heroes fundraising.
The annual Heroes Jr. Golf Outing, which
benefits the Disaster Relief Program, will signify the
end of this year’s Heroes campaign. It will be held
on May 28. The Red Cross and Houndslake
22
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
through the Heroes campaign are important, so are
the volunteers who help distribute those donations.
Red Cross Volunteer Butch Rachal said,
“At the Red Cross, we have a disaster action team.
When something happens, like a fire, we hear about
it usually from the first responders. We provide the
disaster victims with money to stay in a hotel, and
to replace some food, clothes, and shoes—enough
to get the family by for about three days.” They also
make referrals to other community agencies like
ACTS.
“Fires are the most frequent problems,”
Butch said. “We respond to several a month. We
also respond to tornadoes like those in the valley
a few years ago. We opened a shelter there, and
also have shelters from Barnwell to Aiken and have
identified schools that can open in hurricanes.
People can stay in some of the shelters as long as
they need.”
What led Butch to volunteer? “An article in
the paper reported a class on mass care offered by
the Red Cross in Aiken. I took the class about two
or three years ago and learned how to get involved,”
he said.
Teen Calls for Help
Perhaps he was one of the ones who helped
the Menefee family not long ago. An electrical
problem caused the fire that burned down the
Menefee’s Ridge Spring house on New Year’s Day.
However, it wasn’t father, Terry, or mother, Belinda,
who contacted the Aiken County Chapter. It was
their 13-year-old son Daniel who reached out for
help.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
“I had to
make a stop at
Walmart and left
Daniel in the car,”
Terry said. “When
I returned, he
told me that we
needed to go to
the Red Cross.
All of the credit
goes to Daniel for
contacting them.”
“We were
staying
at the
Daniel Menefee
Quality Inn
and the lady at the hotel is a Red Cross volunteer,”
Daniel said. “She told me about it, gave me the
number and said they’d set up an appointment.
Later, I called them. Dad and I went and talked
with the man there who asked us about the house
and other general questions. He gave us afghans and
a debit card with $400 to use for food and things we
needed. We bought bedding with it because we were
about to find a rental place.”
There was even one extra donation that
the Aiken Middle School student and his family
received that day. “The wife of that Red Cross
volunteer works at O’Charley’s restaurant, and they
gave us a free dinner,” Daniel said.
Daniel learned early in life what many in
Aiken and across the nation already know. “The
Red Cross is a very helpful organization, and they
do a good service,” he said. “They are very kind and
charitable people.”
According to Lindsay, “Supporters of our
Heroes campaign are among the most valuable
Red Cross disaster partners. Financial contributors
through this campaign empower the American Red
Cross Aiken County Chapter to help minimize
damage, calm fears, and provide hope in the
wake of a disaster. They are proactive individuals,
corporations and organizations that understand
proper supplies and systems must be in place well
before any emergency response can be activated.
They are our partners who want the community to
be safe. We could not fulfill our mission if it were
not for the Heroes in our community.”
RED CROSS HEROES
JR. GOLF OUTING
The Heroes Jr. Golf Outing will be
held on Memorial Day Monday,
May 28, 2012 at Houndslake Country
Club. Sponsorship levels from $100
to $5,000 are still available. Further
information about the Heroes for the
American Red Cross campaign or the
Heroes Jr. Golf Outing may be obtained
at the American Red Cross
Aiken County Chapter,
1314 Pine Log Road, Aiken, SC 29803
or by calling 803-641-4152.
23
Treat the Earth Well
by Phyllis Maclay
“Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your
parents, it was loaned to you by your children.
We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors;
we borrow it from our Children.”
Ancient Indian proverb
It was April 22, 1970 when the first Earth Day
was set aside with hopes of making people aware that
it had become critical for populations to implement
changes in the use of Earth’s natural resources. Rivers
were dirty from unregulated industrial dumping,
smog choked major cities, and large engine sedans
chugged leaded gas. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, the
“Father of Earth Day,” wanted to grab the attention
of politicians about the world using up Earth’s
resources mindlessly. “The wealth of the nation is
its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife
habitats …That’s all there is,” Nelson wrote.
It was 20 years before the second Earth Day was observed. Gathered
at the Mall in Washington DC., Americans listened to musicians sing about
nature while celebrities gave public speeches urging everyone to recycle.
Conservation groups warned about the shrinking rain forests, which could lead
to disaster in many parts of the Earth.
Today Earth Day is the perfect time to make a personal commitment to
help conserve and restore the environment. One billion people in 180 countries
will celebrate Earth Day. From recycling to petitioning to save endangered
animals, global programs will focus on the future of our planet.
I do not think the measure of a civilization
is how tall its buildings of concrete are,
But rather how well its people have learned to relate
to their environment and fellow man.
Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe
Arbor Day Was First
When pioneer J. Sterling Morton moved to the wide plains of the
Nebraska Territory in the mid 1800s, he discovered the prairies were hostile to
crops because the hot winds blew across the treeless land. His success at planting
trees inspired an idea when he became Secretary of the Territory; he had people
save April 10 as the day to plant trees. Nebraskans liked the idea so much they
planted one million trees the first Arbor Day. Today all 50 states celebrate Arbor
Day, choosing their own date according to their climate. South Carolina’s Arbor
Day is the first Friday in December.
“Arbor Day is not like other holidays,” said Morton. “Each of these
reposes on the past, but Arbor Day preposes the future.”
We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren
and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests
for those who can't speak for themselves such as the birds,
animals, fish and trees.
Qwatsinas (Hereditary Chief Edward Moody), Nuxalk Nation
Apples, Apes, and Oceans
Jonathan Chapman was, in a way, a pioneer of Earth Day. Born in
Massachusetts in 1774, this adventurous man with a gentle spirit took apple
seeds from cider presses in Pennsylvania and grew nurseries in the newly opened
lands of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. The tart, green apple from the Rambo trees
that he planted were good for hard cider and apple jack. People grew to love this
American Indian Wisdom
man dedicated to growing trees, who wore a tin pan like a hat, and dubbed him
Only after the last tree has been cut down,
“Johnny Appleseed.”
Only after the last river has been poisoned,
Later, across the sea in France, filmmaker
Only after the last fish has been caught,
Jacques Cousteau made more than 115 TV
Only then will you find that
movies and documentaries, many of them about
money cannot be eaten.
the ocean he fell in love with. He was inspired
to tell the world about the delicate universe of
the sea, and the danger it was faced with because
of pollution and man’s imprint. Cousteau
remodeled an old ship and named her Calypso.
Just the Facts, Ma’am
He sailed her from 1950-1997, constantly filming
Here are some eco eye-openers:
and bringing the depths of the ocean into homes
• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to
across the world. Cousteau developed special gear so he was able to film for
watch a TV for three hours.
longer stretches of time under water, and called it Self-contained Underwater
• Recycling all newspapers would save about 250 million trees each year.
Breathing Apparatus – or SCUBA equipment. In 1974 Cousteau started a U.S.
• The average American discards about four pounds of garbage daily.
based organization whose purpose was to protect the Earth and her seas. In
• Each gallon of gas releases 20 pounds of carbon dioxide
1994 he successfully stopped mineral exploitation for 50
into the environment.
years in pristine Antarctica. The Calypso sank in Singapore
• The batteries we toss out make up 88 % of the mercury and
after being rammed in 1996. It was raised and pumped dry
54 % of the cadmium deposited into landfills.
in January, 1997. Cousteau died shortly thereafter, but his
• 14 billion pounds of trash are dumped into the oceans annually.
books and documentaries live on to remind us to care for
Plastic bags and other plastic garbage kill as many as 1 million
the sea he loved.
sea creatures.
• Each year Americans throw out 16 million diapers, 220 million car tires, 2 billion razor blades, and 1.6 billion pens.
24
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Another of Earth’s champions traveled from the U.S. to study the great
apes in Rwanda. Born in 1932, Dian Fossey wanted to study these amazing
gorillas in Africa. After arriving she found herself huddling alone in the rain,
in the middle of dense trees, miles from any humans as she tracked a group
of silverbacks. She felt a warm arm reach around her, patting her head. The
surprised woman looked into the dark, warm eyes of the gorilla she had named
“Digit” as he continued to pat her and pull her close, creature and human
cuddling in the driving rain together.
Fossey’s purpose for being in Africa
changed when she discovered her
beloved Digit has been brutally killed
by poachers, who sold his head and
feet to Westerners as trophies. Fossey
learned that this was increasingly
becoming a disaster for the great apes,
and often baby gorillas were kidnapped
for displays in zoos. She knew the price
for this was terrific, for gorillas fight to their deaths to defend their young. So
many adults were shot in the taking of the small ones that the population of the
Mountain Gorillas decreased right in front of her eyes. Unfortunately, Fossey
was murdered in her own cabin. At first her death was blamed on poachers, but
it was later believed she was killed for her stance against poaching by political
leaders. Her death remains unsolved, but her work brought to light the plight of
the animals she loved.
Lost Love
As American Indians were driven from their homeland, as they watched
the land they loved and revered being taken and changed, despair filled their
hearts not only for the loss they suffered, but for the destruction of the Earth.
The American Indian had a love affair with nature the white man didn’t
understand. It is good to think of them and let their words remind us about
the limited and sacred Earth we have been careless about tending. May Chief
Seattle’s words be an inspiration for us as we observe Earth Day
Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine
needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every
clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience
of my people. The sap which courses through the trees carries the
memories of the red man ...We are part of the earth and it is part
of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters; the deer, the horse, the
great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in
the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man—all belong to
the same family.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
The rivers are our brothers, they quench our thirst… The air is
precious to the red man for all things share the same breath, the
beast, the tree, the man; they all share the same breath. The white
man does not seem to notice the air he breathes. ..The wind that
gave our grandfather his first breath also receives his last sigh. …
What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man
would die from a great loneliness of the spirit. For whatever happens
to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.
Teach your children that we have taught our children that the earth
is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of earth.
If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves. This we
know; the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth.
This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites
one family. All things are connected.
… The earth is precious to Him, and to harm the earth is to heap
contempt on its creator. ..we do not understand when the buffalo
are all slaughtered, the wild horses are tamed, the secret corners of
the forest heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the
ripe hills blotted by talking wires.
Where is the thicket? Gone. Where is the eagle? Gone.
The end of living and the beginning of survival…
Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread
within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves… Man
does not weave this web of life. He is merely a strand of it. Whatever
he does to the web, he does to himself.
Chief Seattle, Chief of the Suquamis
Endangered Animals
Rhino
Polar bear
California condor (under 350)
Tiger
Pacific walrus
Mountain gorillas (under 400)
Magellanic penguin
Snow leopard
Crested ibis (under 250)
Leatherback turtle
Bluefin tuna
Hawaiian monk seal
25
Celebrating Women
All Year Long
March was Women’s History Month, and women were
honored all month long. At Wayne’s Automotive and Towing
Center, women are celebrated throughout the entire year
because women are decision makers. The company is “Certified
Female Friendly,” and they went to great lengths to achieve
this certification through the AskPatty Program. “With most
household decisions being made by women, my wife and I
wanted our female customers to understand and feel comfortable
with the service and repairs being done on their vehicles,” stated Jeff
Corbett, owner of Wayne’s. “We believe every woman should understand
the process that we perform in doing a courtesy safety check on their vehicles,
so they can make good decisions about the repairs or maintenance needed. We
believe the AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly program is the perfect fit for
the type of service we like to provide.”
The company hosts two car care clinics per year titled Heels on Wheels.
The purpose of these car care clinics is to teach women how to properly care for
their vehicles and to know what to ask. Heels on Wheels allows women to learn
about how to care for their cars in a “Certified Female Friendly Environment.”
The women head straight into the shop, and the ASE certified technicians cover
topics including vital fluids, check engine and service lights, battery cables
and alternator testing, changing a tire, and visibility aids. The information is
explained in a laid back environment allowing women to ask questions and
understand more about their vehicles. “A well-maintained vehicle is safer and
more dependable,” says Jeff Corbett. “In addition it is worth more at trade-in
by Rebecca Head
time. That is why we want women to understand more about their
cars, the benefits of having them properly maintained, as well as
the warning signs of compromised systems and components.”
The next Heels on Wheels car care clinic will be held on
Saturday, April 14th from 11 am to 1 pm at Wayne’s Automotive
and Towing Center. The event includes five informational
stations, lunch, door prizes, and free vehicle inspections. The
event fills up fast so it is best to make reservations early by calling
Wayne’s at (803) 649-0228. The cost for the event is $5 per person.
A former participant of the clinc and a Wayne’s customer commented,
“You can trust them, they treat you like family, and they’re very female friendly.”
As a NAPA Auto Care Center and a AAA approved auto repair and
towing center, Wayne’s Automotive follows a strict code of ethics so customers
will know, up front, what to expect. As part of this code, they pledge to perform
high-quality diagnostic and repair services at a fair price, using quality NAPA
parts employing ASE-certified technicians in all areas of work performed.
Wayne’s is dedicated to customer satisfaction and offers 24-hour towing and
­­roadside assistance.
Wayne’s Automotive & Towing Center is located at 1997 Richland Avenue East.
For more information, call 803.649.0228 or find them on the web at
www.waynesautomotivecenter.com as well as on Facebook.
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26
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
27
The Flyin
g Fo ie
od
s
n
u
B
s
s
o
r
C
t
o
H
Easter, like most holidays, has its food
traditions. Two of those are dyed eggs and hot cross
buns. Hot cross buns are made from a rich yeast
dough containing flour, milk, sugar, butter, eggs,
currants, and spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg,
allspice, and cloves. Traditionally eaten on Good
Friday, they are marked on top with a cross, either
cut in the dough, or with strips of pastry, or piped
with a thick icing. Any way you finish them, your
family is sure to enjoy them as they remind us of the
nursery rhyme that is synonymous with this sweet
treat.
by Chef Belinda
“Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny - Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters, Give them to your sons.
One a penny, Two a penny - Hot Cross Buns!”
Hot Cross Buns
Yield: 12-14 buns
DOUGH
1/4 cup rum or apple juice
1/2 cup mixed dried fruit
1/2 cup raisins or dried currants
1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk, save white for later use
6 tablespoons butter, room
temperature
*2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly
packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose
flour
* Not to be confused with dry active
yeast. Instant yeast is mixed in with all of
the other dry ingredients and does not require
proofing (mixing with water)
28
TOPPING
1 large egg white, reserved from Dough Recipe
1 tablespoon milk
ICING
1 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 teaspoons milk, or enough to make a thick
icing, capable of piping
Lightly grease a 10" square pan or
9" x 13" pan.
Mix the rum or apple juice with the dried
fruit and raisins, cover with plastic wrap, and
microwave briefly, just till the fruit and liquid are
very warm, and the plastic starts to “shrink wrap”
itself over the top of the bowl. Set aside to cool to
room temperature. [Note: If you worry about using
plastic wrap in your microwave, simply cover the
bowl with a glass lid.]
When the fruit is cool, mix together all of
the dough ingredients except the fruit, and knead,
using an electric mixer or bread machine, till the
dough is soft and elastic. Mix in the fruit and any
liquid not absorbed.
Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered. It
should become puffy, though may not double in
bulk. Divide the dough into billiard ball-sized
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
pieces, about 3 3/4 ounces each. A heaped muffin
scoop (about 1/3 cup) makes about the right
portion. You’ll make 12 to 14 buns. Use your
greased hands to round them into balls. Arrange
them in the prepared pan.
Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for
1 hour, or until they’ve puffed up and are touching
one another. While the dough is rising, preheat the
oven to 375°F.
Whisk together the reserved egg white and
milk, and brush it over the buns. Bake the buns
for 20 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove
from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.
Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the
buns are completely cool, pipe icing in a cross shape
atop each bun.
Using Natural Dyes to Color
Easter Eggs
Color Desired
Lavender
Small quantity of purple grape juice
Violet blossoms plus 2 tsp. lemon juice
Red Zinger tea
Violet Blue
Violet blossoms
Small quantity of red onion skins
(boiled)
Hibiscus tea
Red wine
Blue
Canned blueberries
Red cabbage leaves (boiled)
Purple grape juice
Green
Spinach leaves (boiled)
Liquid chlorophyll
Greenish Yellow
Yellow Delicious apple peels (boiled)
Yellow
Orange or lemon peels (boiled)
Carrot tops (boiled)
Celery seed (boiled)
Ground cumin (boiled)
Ground turmeric (boiled)
Chamomile tea
Green tea
Golden Brown
Dill seeds
Brown
Strong coffee
Instant coffee
Black walnut shells (boiled)
Black tea
Orange
Yellow onion skins (boiled)
Cooked carrots
Chili powder
Paprika
Pink
Beets
Cranberries or juice
Raspberries
Red grape juice
Juice from pickled beets
If it is a tradition in your home to dye eggs
for Easter, you may want to try these natural dyes
versus the store-bought coloring kits. The colors will
be more vibrant; and you won’t have to worry about
the ingredients in the synthetic dyes. To save time,
boil the eggs and dyes together.
1. Place the eggs in a single layer in a pan. Add
water until the eggs are covered.
2. Add approximately one teaspoon of white
distilled vinegar.
3. Add the natural dye ingredient. Use more dye
material for more eggs or for a more intense
color.
4. Bring water to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. If you are pleased with the color, remove the
eggs from the liquid.
7. If you want more intensely colored eggs,
temporarily remove the eggs from the liquid.
Strain the dye through a coffee filter (unless
you want speckled eggs). Cover the eggs with
the filtered dye and let them remain in the
refrigerator overnight.
Naturally-colored eggs will not be glossy,
but if you want a shiny appearance you can rub a bit
of cooking oil onto the eggs once they are dry.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Choose one option in each color
category to get the desired result
Belinda Smith-Sullivan is a food writer,
personal chef, and pilot who enjoys exploring
the “off the beaten path” culinary world. Her
love of cooking and entertaining motivated
her to give up a corporate career to pursue a
degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales
University. Now living in Aiken, she currently
markets her own spice line called Chef Belinda
Spices. Visit her blog at www.flyingfoodie.
blogspot.com.
29
by Kathy Huff
Call it a personal tune-up to celebrate Earth Day.
Detoxifying our own body is just as important as detoxing Earth
itself. Whole industries have grown up around body detoxification, including
specialties dealing with heavy metals, pesticides, plastic particles, fireretardant chemicals and many other residues of modern life that contribute to
environmental disease.
The body has its own natural healing system that works when we are
kind to it—that is, eating healthy foods, exercising, going easy on salt and sugar,
and practicing effective methods of de-stressing to maximize response to the
demands of daily existence. However, many of us go into toxin-overload and
suffer physically from the inability to rid ourselves of the substances slowing
down our normal health processes.
Natural ways to purify our bodies include fasting to rest the organs;
refueling the body with healthy food choices, stimulating the liver to drive
toxins from the body by giving up caffeine and sugar and chocolate; promoting
healthy elimination through the intestines, kidneys and skin by drinking
plenty of water and eating lots of fiber, and improving circulation of the blood
through exercise, lots of water, massage, manual lymph drainage therapy, eating
properly and “shaking it up” with rebounding physical therapy and vibrating for
10 minutes at 30Hz or 50Hz, such as the oscillating plates on the whole body
vibration machines at Shake It Off Fitness and Wellness Center, 230 Silver Bluff
Road. In addition, the Center offers an infrared sauna that detoxes the entire
body.
Detoxification is recommended by some professionals at least once
a year. (Nursing mothers, children and patients with chronic degenerative
diseases, cancer or tuberculosis should consult their health care practitioners
beforehand.) There are many methods, including cleansing supplemental
packages with nutrients, fasting with juices only, water-only diets one day a
week, and also using specific equipment designed to extract toxins from the
body.
An ionic footbath is a modern energy therapy device that balances the
body’s natural energy system. Soaking feet in a special basin with warm water
with an ionic charge draws out heavy metals and other harmful toxins that
accumulate in the body on a cellular level. “Detoxification is essential for our
health, and our kidneys need it the most,” said Denise Gamble, manager of
Shake It Off. “Kidneys work like water filters and play a major role in our well
being.” The Center offers ionic or detox footbaths for $25, which some patrons
use regularly because of professional exposure to chemicals and other toxins;
others come in just to detoxify general exposure to environmental impurities.
A session lasts only 12 minutes for a full detox.
Foods that help detoxify the body include:
1. Fruits—high in liquid content to help wash out toxins, easy to digest,
and high in antioxidants, nutrients, fiber and many important vitamins like
vitamin C.
2. Green foods­­—eating green algae, barley, wheatgrass, kale, spinach,
spirulina, alfalfa, chard, arugula or other organic leafy greens gives a
chlorophyll boost to aid in the elimination of toxins from smog, heavy metals,
herbicides, cleaning products and pesticides.
3. Lemons, oranges and limes—full of vitamin C. One of the best detox
vitamins, it transform toxins into digestible material and jump-starts the
digestive tract with enzymatic processes. To increase detoxification, start each
morning with a warm glass of lemon water.
4. Garlic—stimulates the liver into producing enzymes that filter toxic
residues in the digestive system.
5. Broccoli Sprouts—high in antioxidants that stimulate digestive tract
enzymes.
6. Green tea—full of antioxidants that wash toxins out, plus catechins that
increase liver function.
7. Mung beans—absorbs toxic residue on the sides of the intestinal walls.
8. Raw vegetables—Best eaten raw or for juicing detox regimens, they
include onions, carrots, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussel
sprouts, cauliflower, garlic, beet, turmeric and oregano. They purge toxins
during the cleansing process.
9. Seeds and nuts—Easily digestible, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, almonds,
walnuts, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, Siberian cedar nuts and
sunflower seeds. Avoid nut butters while detoxing.
10. Omega-3 oils—help lubricate the intestinal walls, allowing toxins to be
absorbed by the oil and eliminated by the body. Use hemp, avocado, olive oils
or flax seed oil while detoxing.
In general, detoxification will provide increased energy, glowing skin, faster
mental capabilities, sounder sleep, a healthier body to greet each day, and a
better outlook on life.
30
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Heard it through the grapevine…
by Missie Boisvert
by Missie Boisvert
Beautiful Wines, Great Spirits!
Shelton Varietals and their “Winometer” Register High
Several years ago I brought a few wines from North Carolina’s Shelton Vineyards into the store. I liked the wines and was excited to have some from our sister state. They didn’t seem to generate
the same excitement with my customers as they did for me. But lately there is
renewed interest m in North Carolina wineries, so I decided to revisit Shelton’s
wines when one of my distributors brought them back in. On the back of
each bottle they now have the “Shelton Winometer,” rating the contents from
light bodied to full bodied and bone dry to sweet. A nice touch to inform the
purchaser.
The Yadkin Valley was North Carolina’s first viticultural area, consisting
of more than 1.116 million acres located in Surry, Yadkin, Wilkes, Davie,
Davidson and Forsyth counties. It is in the northwest corner of the state. With
a superb combination of sun, soil and soul, Yadkin Valley wineries are ideally
located in the North Carolina region that is rapidly gaining a reputation for
growing high-quality grapes and producing world-class award-winning wines.
Located in the Piedmont area of the Tar Heel State, wineries in the Yadkin
Valley benefit from what many winemakers consider the best terroir in North
Carolina.
The Freeze was Beneficial
The Shelton Vineyards in the Yadkin Valley produce 17 different
varietals. I chose the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Apparently that year they had
a spring freeze that decimated their crop by 50 percent but the old “survival of
the fittest” kicked in and what survived was what they thought was the best
fruit they had ever grown. Maybe that is why I liked this wine so very much.
It is a true Cabernet with blackberry, cassis, black cherry, and tobacco, but I also
felt it was slightly lighter. I thought … hmmmm! This would be good for those
drinkers who are not seasonal in their choices—who always want to go with a
red even in the heat of summer.
The second wine I chose was the 2010 Bin 17 Chardonnay. This was
quite delightful as it reminded me that wine is made from grapes! Sounds
funny but some time they manipulate the juice so much you can forget that it
is made from fruit. This Chardonnay has no malolactic fermentation* and is
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
not aged in oak. I find that refreshing. When tasting, I found it creamy on the
palate but also clean, crisp, acidic with a sweet lime finish. This is another wine
great for the warm weather we are having.
Cab Franc in Demand
Finally I chose a Cabernet Franc because lately so many of our
customers have been asking for this varietal. Some can be quite expensive,
but this one is a great wine at a value price. Cab Franc has some of the
characteristics of a Cabernet Sauvignon but it will have a little more spiciness.
If you have not tried one … now is the time.
Shelton Vineyard Wines have won numerous awards … all kinds of
double gold medals, gold, silver and bronze medals and I think you will find
them all winners at your table as well.
*Malolactic fermentation (or sometimes malolactic conversion or MLF) is a process in
winemaking where tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to
softer-tasting lactic acid. Malolactic fermentation tends to create a rounder, fuller mouth-feel.
It has been said that malic acid tastes of green apples. By contrast, lactic acid is richer and more
buttery tasting. Grapes produced in cool regions tend to be high in acidity, much of which
comes from the contribution of malic acid. MLF is also thought to generally enhance the body
and flavor persistence of wine, producing wines of greater palate softness and roundness. Many
winemakers also feel that better integration of fruit and oak character can be achieved if MLF
occurs during the time the wine is in barrel.
Elissa “Missie” Bowman Boisvert is the proprietor of
Palmetto Package & Fine Wine Shop at 230 Park Avenue in
historic downtown Aiken. Upon returning home to Aiken, she
purchased Palmetto Package in 2002, and developed a great
wine selection. She works every year with many charity wine
tastings in Aiken and has also taught an adult education wine
class at USC-Aiken. She specializes in hands-on, one-on-one
service in the comfortable, relaxed atmosphere of her store.
803/ 649-6961.
31
The Red Hots
Count Down to a
Mud Bath
WILL also train by doing boot camp three
times a week. And many arm lifts at home.
by Kristen Sojourner
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Bella is following the training progress of Kristen
Sojourner, owner of My Aiken Body, and her
teammates, daughter Meri Burgess, and sister
Lauri Yeargin, who in January formed the Red
Hots team. Named for their hair color and
their fiery spirit, the Red Hots will compete
in the April 21 U.S. Marine Corps Mud Run in
Columbia. Just recently, the fourth member
dropped out, but has been replaced, as you will
read below.
Following is Kristen’s runner’s creed, and
an update on the team composition. Watch for
photos of their experience in the May issue of
Bella.
The Mud Run Credo of Contestant
Kristen Sojourner, aka TriXXie Sugarbush
I, TriXXie Sugarbush, being of sober mind and
soon-to-be-solid body...
WILL NOT be ashamed of my spandex capris
with the hole in them or my dog-chewed running
shoes.
WILL NOT make eye contact with other
runners ... Mostly because I never see any out
here. But if I do, I will coolly glide by, unnoticed,
just another middle-aged sweat machine on a
sandy trail.
WILL NOT be ashamed of sweating --- I’ll just
say my dog got too close when she shook herself
off from her swim in the pond. Or that she
pushed me in the pond. Depends on which mile.
WILL NOT use a treadmill ... There will not be
a treadmill in the mud run. Instead, I will run in
the rain, cold and wind. Even if it gets down to a
frosty 50 degrees, I will run. I am committed!!
WILL NOT think about how I look like a fat
middle-aged cow being chased down the trail by
a turtle.
WILL NOT be deterred by hills, mud puddles,
big barking dogs or the smell of Gravatt’s dining
hall when chicken is frying.
WILL NOT be afraid of snakes. Wait. Yes, I
will. I WILL be afraid of snakes -- I will run
faster!
WILL NOT be too lazy to stretch after my
run. At least, not if lying across my bed is called
stretching.
32
WILL make it through my workout
uninjured. I don’t need to be fast. It takes a
real woman to run slowly and look super cool
doing it.
WILL make this about becoming a stronger,
healthier person ... who also happens to be
VERY, VERY HOT, superior to all slothly
humans, and a guilt-free beer drinker to
boot.
WILL be alive when this is done. And better
off for it.
WILL NOT make this about weight or... Never
mind. Yes, I will. My insurance will go down
$20 a month if I lose 20 pounds, so yes, I will
make this about weight. I am too under-insured
not to make it about weight.
WILL NOT forget my iPod because I would
otherwise have to listen to myself heavily
plodding through the sand and breathing like a
moose in heat.
WILL NOT count .... on passing out. Or dying.
WILL NOT whine. Whining is for whiners. I
hate whiners.
WILL NOT stop running... at least until I have
to pee which, being an old woman, could be 48
times before I get home.
I, TriXXie Sugarbush, being of sober mind and
soon-to-be-solid body...
WILL wear makeup when I run. I am a proper
Southern girl, after all. We don’t leave the house
without makeup.
WILL focus on keeping up with my puppy. Even
when she’s swimming.
WILL look where I am going so I don’t fall into
the lake or a big hole in the road.
WILL drink lots of water before and after. And
beer. LOTS of beer.
WILL enjoy nature and sunshine and the joy
of my puppy. And any hot athletic guy who
happens to run past. Woof.
WILL smile and try not to barf, hack, spit,
cough or wheeze when I pass people along my
way.
WILL keep running. To the end of the street.
Or maybe that pine tree way down there...
no. No, not THAT one. THIS one. THIS
pine tree. If I can make it... If not there, then at
least home again and to the refrigerator.
April 21st, we’re comin’ for ya!!!!
Kristen Sojourner
March 2012 Update
Regarding my own progress, I am still
running the dog—or she is running me! And I
attend boot camp, though this month has been more
of a challenge since business is on the uptick and I
moved into a new house. I did meet a doctor from
Aiken who said the hospital sends many paramedics
and orthopedists to this event because, in his words,
“they drop like flies,” which, after the initial panic
wore off, inspired me to work even harder to make
sure I was not one of the flies. Pressing on...
Our 4th teammate, Tim, had to back out
due to family commitments, so we opened the
search for a new 4th and found him: Andrew
Siders. Andrew is not only a former marine, but
a local celebrity, known for singing the national
anthem at Aiken events, banking and insurance
expertise and generally knowing everybody in the
entire city of Aiken and then some. Andrew always
looks smart in his Lionel Smith attire, complete with
bow tie, and it is hard get a word in edge-wise when
hanging with him downtown because everyone
wants to say hello. He won’t pass them by without
a big smile and a proper how-do-you-do. Andrew is
running for County Council seat 7, and is eager to
show his talent for this position by carrying all of us
Red Hots across the finish line. If he can do that,
he can do anything. Aiken should definitely vote
for him. And they probably will since they all know
him. That and he is—so far—unopposed.
I am daring Andrew to wear his signature
bow tie for the Mud Run. Maybe we will all wear
one, in solidarity
Kristen BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
1900s Historical
Neighborhood
on Spring Tour
Eight homes and gardens and two
woodworking shops in the Highland Park area will
be open to the public on Saturday, April 21 between
10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The bi-annual Home and
Garden Tour is sponsored by St. Thaddeus Episcopal
Church as a fundraiser to support local agencies.
“The tour has many attractions in a
historical neighborhood not well known in Aiken,”
said chair Jan Waugh.
Advance tickets are available for $25
each at the church office, 125 Pendleton Street,
Material Things, The Curiosity Shop and
Plum Pudding, as well as the website, www.
stthaddeushomeandgardentour.org. On the day of
the event, tickets will be sold at the church office,
but not at the homes on tour.
Road to “Hill’s Rest,” recently remodeled home
of Ray and Dana Massey, then on to Meg and
Vaughan Massie’s home “The Manse,” formerly the
manse of First Presbyterian Church.
Next door is “Towns End,” named by the
Francis Townsend family, now the home of Penny
and Les Rue, whose workshop is accessed from the
Happy Endings
“Happy Endings” on Hills Woodland Drive
is the final stop, where the “Hobby House” features
Rachel’s knitting workshop on one level, and Roger’s
woodworking shop on another.
Come to Tea
Homes Close to Old Hotel
All of the tour homes are in the Highland
Park Drive area, a neighborhood built in the early
1900s in the vicinity of the Highland Park Hotel,
a 300-room grand hotel originally built in 1869-70
to bring tourism back to Aiken after the Civil War.
The hotel burned to the ground in 1898 but was
rebuilt 10 years later, and a golf course was added to
attract more patrons. That same golf course is now
The Aiken Golf Club, owned by the James McNair
family, and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this
year. The hotel went out of business in the early
1940s, and Palmetto Lane now occupies the land
where the hotel used to overlook the golf course.
Towns End
lower level. Further on is “Cornerstone,” a new
home on land carved out of the original Towns
End property by former owners Taylor and Leslie
Garnett.
Park Once, Walk to Many
Many of the tour homes are within walking
distance of each other, and all offer unique designs
to support the individual lifestyles of the residents
within. Three of the homes are “new builds” by
Aikenites who admired the area and worked with
the land to capitalize on the views and tall pines of
the golf course and the easy drive to downtown.
The tour begins on Highland Park Drive,
the home of Tim and Sue Shannon built only a year
ago, overlooking one of the fairways of The Aiken
Golf Club. The tour then progresses up Hillcrest
by Kathy Huff
Cornerstone
Across the fairway on Chaffee Spring Drive
is Bob and Henri Wade’s “Cottage in the Pines,”
built on land purchased by Bob’s parents after
World War II, regained by Bob from the second
owner. At the corner of Bissell Lane and Dibble
Road is Tom and Delly Young’s new home, where
landscape designer Elliott Johnson will be on hand
to guide garden enthusiasts.
Tour ticket holders are encouraged to attend
the Strawberries and Cream Tea in the St. Thaddeus
Church parlor between 3 and 5 p.m. There, they
may browse through the Heritage Market, featuring
items hand made by women of the church from
vintage linens donated by church members.
“This year we have far more to offer,” said
Chair Jan Waugh. “We had more people willing
to sew this year, and we also received a great many
linen donations. One large damask tablecloth can
make many things,” explained Jan, citing drawer
liners, lavender bags, pillows, sachets, and other
genteel items not found in stores these days. This
year many antique silver items will be offered for sale
as well.
Tours of the historic churchyard will be
conducted at the time of the tea. The church is
the oldest standing church building in the City of
Aiken, dating to 1842.
Jan credits her 15-member committee for
bringing the event together “effortlessly” in an eightmonth period. The same committee has produced
the tour during her chairmanship for the last four
tours.
The St. Thaddeus Home and Garden Tour
began in the 1960s as an annual event, produced
by the St. Elizabeth Chapter, a group of the church
which later turned the event over to the women of
the church. It was an annual event that eventually
became bi-annual when Mead Hall School took over
the Strawberry Festival, scheduled for May 12.
Proceeds of the tour this year will benefit
My Father’s House, the Child Advocacy Center,
Helping Hands, the Cumbee Center, and the St.
Thaddeus Soup Kitchen.
The Shannon Residence
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
33
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Home Additions and
Old Fashioned Values
by Rebecca Head
Meet Billy Hawley! He’s not your average
builder. A native of South Carolina, he
stands for good old fashioned values of
honesty and integrity. He has spent his
whole life in and around construction
companies, and he knows what good
customer service means.
Billy grew up on job sites helping
his father with his plumbing company,
starting at the age of eight. He worked
with his father on a part-time basis until
he graduated from high school in 1982.
He was then drafted as a pitcher by the Cincinnati Reds right
out of high school in the first round of the June draft. After he
finished his professional baseball career, he went to work in the
trades for several construction companies and learned many
valuable lessons that still serve him today in managing the
construction process. Billy and his wife moved to Aiken in 1991,
and after attending college at night, Billy earned his Bachelor’s
Degree in Business Management in 2000 from Southern
Wesleyan University. In 2001, Billy started Hawley Construction
Incorporated, later South Point Construction, and established
himself as one of the premiere remodelers and builders in the
Aiken area. He is married to Kim Hawley who teaches at Kennedy
Middle School. They have been married more than 26 years
and have two sons, Tucker and Tanner, who play baseball for
the University of Alabama and Spartanburg Methodist College,
respectively.
So what makes Billy such a great contractor? It
could be his hands-on involvement in every project he undertakes
and the pride he has in every job. Jerry Ingledue of Woodside
Plantation, a client
of South Point
Construction
whose basement
was remodeled,
said, “Billy was the
best contractor I
ever dealt with.” In
Ingledue’s time as
a Superintendent
for Planning and
Parks in California,
he had much
experience dealing
with contractors.
Ingledue explained,
“Billy was easy
Jerry Ingledue and Billy Hawley
to work with
because he met with us, discussed our goals, needs and vision,
and helped us to make the best decisions. He even brought us
computer-generated designs to show us what the room would
look like before work was started.”
34
Billy’s philosophy that has served him
well in the construction industry is to treat
each customer with respect and as he would
wish to be treated when contracting others
for their services. South Point takes pride in
providing professional service with certified
and licensed contractors. In response to the
economic downturn and decreased demand
for new housing, South Point Construction
has seen a growth in remodeling and home
renovation. Billy enjoys remodeling jobs
because “they can be very challenging, and
it is great to see the end product. You have
to know what to expect before you open walls up.” He enjoys
taking older homes and restoring them to look as if they were
built yesterday. Billy has experience restoring some of the historic
homes in downtown Aiken.
The most common renovations in Aiken are basement
or attic conversions and additions. Billy’s goal is to improve the
home without making a room look like an addition. South Point
will put more work into a job so that every addition looks as if it
had always been there. This takes more time, but in the end, the
work results in a better product. Another common renovation is
remodeling to meet physical needs. These needs include wider
doorways for wheelchair accessibility and bathroom upgrades
for the elder generation. As the population grows older, more are
moving into assisted living facilities or back in with their children
as their own homes become inaccessible. South Point realizes
that moving out of a home is not always the best option, but the
company can make necessary improvements to keep people at
home where they want to be.
For information on remodeling or restoration projects, call South Point
Construction at 648-9399 or email billysouthpointconstruction.net.
His work can be found on www.southpointconstruciton.net or on the
South Point Facebook page.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Juilliard in Aiken Week
The Juilliard Jazz Concert and Lawn Tea
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
The Green Boundary Club
Irene Curtis and Sissy Brodie
Helga Hulse and Peggy Vaughn Iwert
Martha Lockhart and Barry Stevens
Rebecca Gaetz and
Whitney Evans
Laura Witham, Betty Witham, and
Karen Olsen Edwards
Brad and Magdalena Kuhn
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Suzanne Barnes, Kathy Hayde, Butch Rachal
35
Good Sense Medicine
by Zoom Heaton
Allergies are
driving me crazy.
What can I take?
Are you sneezing, wheezing, blowing your
nose until it’s raw? Are your eyes red, watery, itchy?
Do you walk around feeling like your head is going
to explode? These are all definite signs of seasonal
allergies. Since we didn’t really have a winter this
year, we went from one allergy season right into
another with no break in between. More than 35
million Americans are affected each year as pollen
from trees, grass, flowers, and plants makes its way
into the air.
Allergy is the result of your immune
system’s overreaction to these foreign invaders.
Your body has two choices on how it responds to
any foreign invader. Bacteria, parasites, toxins and
allergens all stimulate your body’s Killer T2 cells
to react. Viruses, yeast and cancer cells activate
your Killer T1 cells. More often than not, seasonal
allergies are the result of your body’s overreaction
of T2 cells in your immune system. Consequently
there’s an under-response against viruses and cancer
cells. Simply, when an allergen is introduced,
the body fights back by producing an excess of
inflammatory chemicals, such as histamine, from
mast cells. This attempt to seek and destroy the
allergen brings on those annoying symptoms of
runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. Allergic
rhinitis is an inflammation of the nasal passages that
can occur in response to airborne pathogens. This
can lead to an inflammation of the sinuses such as
sinusitis. If you have sinusitis, you may have some
of the same symptoms as rhinitis such as cough,
headache, painful sinuses, post-nasal drip, and
yellow nasal drainage.
Some natural seasonal allergy remedies that
may help include:
Reduce Stress: Stress causes your body to
produce cortisol which triggers more T2 cells.
Saline or nasal rinses: Our nose traps
irritants which can produce seasonal allergy
symptoms. Saline sprays can keep the inside of the
nose moist and reduce irritation. A “neti pot”—or
homemade nasal rinse—can rinse away foreign
particles, flush out excess mucus naturally and keep
the nasal passages clear. A recipe for homemade salt
solution for neti pot:
• 1 teaspoon of un-iodized salt (canning, kosher,
pickling, or sea salt)
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• 2-3 cups (480ml to 720ml) of lukewarm tap
water (some experts recommend boiling and
cooling tap water to kill any germs). You can
also use sterile or purified bottled water.
Mix these ingredients together and use them
to fill the neti pot. Doubling the amount of salt to
two teaspoons will make a stronger saline solution.
Be sure to mix a fresh solution before each use.
Fish Oil: Omega 3 fatty acids, a powerful
anti-inflammatory can help control allergic
responses.
Probiotics: 70% of your immune system
lies in your intestinal tract so these friendly bacteria
can do wonders for your allergies by improving your
gut’s immune system.
Herbs: Grape seed extract and quercetin
(a flavonoid compound) are highly recommended
by many naturopathic doctors. They both occur
naturally in foods and are especially abundant
in red wine. When used in a supplement form
especially in conjunction with vitamin C, they can
be extremely helpful in reducing allergy symptoms.
Echinacea (a Native American herb) is one of the
best immune enhancing supplements. However,
if you suffer from ragweed or other weed pollen
allergies, it is best to avoid eating melon, banana,
cucumber, sunflower seeds, chamomile, and any
herbal supplements containing Echinacea, since
they can make symptoms much worse.
If your allergy symptoms are severe enough
to interfere with daily activities, enjoyment of
outdoor activities or sleep, drug therapy may be
necessary. Antihistamines, decongestants, and
intranasal corticosteroids are often used. Oral
antihistamines are often considered the first-line
agents for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Some
common OTC agents like fexofenadine (Allegra),
loratadine (Claritin), and cetirizine (Zyrtec) help
to reduce symptoms of itching, sneezing, and
runny noses. Allegra and Claritin are non-sedating
and can be taken during the day. It is best to
take Zyrtec at bedtime due to its sedating effect.
Older antihistamines like diphenhydramine,
chlorpheniramine, dimenhydrinate, and clemastine
can still be used but they tend to have more of a
sedating effect and can cause more dry mouth,
constipation, increased heart rate, anxiety, and
hallucinations.
Antihistamines also come in intranasal
formulations. Azelastine (Astelin) is an intranasal
antihistamine effective against allergic rhinitis
symptoms by reducing nasal congestion. It may
be used as first line treatment of mild to moderate
allergic rhinitis or in combination with intranasal
corticosteroids or oral antihistamines.
Oral decongestants are very effective in
36
reducing nasal congestion caused by allergic rhinitis.
Common OTC products include pseudoephedrine
and phenylephrine. Since pseudoephedrine
was moved behind the counter, many OTC
cold preparations have been reformulated with
phenylephrine. For those of you with heart disease,
high blood pressure, or those who cannot tolerate
the increased heart rate that pseudoephedrine causes,
phenylephrine is a better choice to start. Intranasal
decongestants like phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine)
and oxymetazoline (Afrin, Drisdan) are effective
in providing short-term relief of nasal congestion,
but generally have no effect on itching, sneezing, or
nasal secretion. Do NOT use more than 2-3 days
since prolonged use can lead to rebound congestion.
Nasal steroid sprays are the most effective
monotherapy for the symptoms of allergic rhinitis,
especially severe and/or persistent symptoms.
These prescription nasal sprays prevent and treat
inflammation in the nose and sinuses, but take up to
a week to be effective. While nasal corticosteroids
are considered safe for long-term use in most
instances, some side effects can occur. These include
nasal irritation and an unpleasant sense of smell or
taste. Available options include Fluticasone furoate
(Veramyst), Flunisolide (Nasarel), Beclomethasone
(Beconase AQ), Budesonide (Rhinocort Aqua),
Fluticasone propionate (Flonase), Mometasone
(Nasonex), Triamcinolone (Nasacort AQ), and
Ciclesonide (Omnaris). Flonase, Nasarel, and
Nasacort AQ are all available in a less expensive
generic version.
The most common form of allergic eye
disease is seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Symptoms
include itching of the eyes, red eyes, tearing,
mucus production, foreign body sensation, and lid
swelling. Treatment of itchy eyes due to allergic
conjunctivitis may require eye drops that are a
combination of medications. Ketotifen fumarate
(Zaditor, Alaway) and olopatadine (Patanol) are
indicated for the treatment of mild and moderately
severe allergic conjunctivitis. These products are
unique due to their dual mechanism of action.
The antihistamine action is quick acting whereas
the mast cell stabilizing action is more delayed.
Prescription topical antihistamine only agents like
emedastine (Emadine) and/or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents like ketorolac (Acular LS) work
quickly. Other antihistamines/mast cell stabilizers
include epinastine (Elestat) and azelastine (Optivar).
Naphcon-A and Opcon-A are some available OTC
antihistamine/decongestant ophthalmic products
that are relatively inexpensive. These products are
only recommended for short-term use (no more
than 3 days) due to the risk of rebound congestion.
If you have mild to moderate symptoms of allergic
conjunctivitis, mast cell stabilizing medications,
such as cromolyn and nedocromil (Alocril) are ideal
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
for prophylactic administration and are safe and effective for both short and
long term use.
Unfortunately, seasonal allergies affect many of us but it doesn’t have
to be debilitating. There are treatment options available and they should be
individualized based on the presence and severity of symptoms. Keep in mind
that with seasonal changes, allergens change, and thus the nature and severity of
our allergy symptoms will change. A treatment that worked one season may not
work in the next. Your pharmacist or doctor can help guide you to choosing the
appropriate treatments that are right for you.
Zoom Heaton is the owner of TLC Medical Centre Inc., an
Independent Community Pharmacy and Medical Equipment facility
located at 190 Crepe Myrtle Drive off Silver Bluff Road. A pharmacist,
she is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. She is a
Certified Diabetes Educator and is certified in Immunization; she
is also the chief compounding pharmacist at Custom Prescription
Compounders, LLC, inside TLC Medical Centre, Inc., specializing in
Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Women’s Health.
Saliva testing is available at TLC/CPC. Call 803.648.7800 or visit
nooneshoerx.com for more information.
College Dating:
One Student’s Perspective
by Alesha Jones, Guest Writer
Dating is universal and done differently
among generations. Although it is a social function
many generations have in common, it is not
prevalent among many students in college today.
Students opt to use other forms of communication
and get-togethers to meet each other instead of the
one-to-one dates that used to constitute part of
courtship.
Students court through text messaging,
telephone conversations and social media networks.
Before having a date, students will get acquainted
with one another by using one or all of the three
ways. For instance, two students may know one
another from class and after having a 10-minute
conversation, they may exchange cell phone
numbers. Once the numbers are exchanged, the guy
will text message the girl and usually will ask the girl
to become his study partner or ask about something
pertaining to the course they are both taking.
This courting process usually takes about three
weeks, and it can be a great way to meet a potential
date in college. However, this does not happen
often. Some students may not want to become that
involved with a classmate, because if conflict occurs,
it can become a class distraction.
Socializing in New Ways
College students socialize, but rarely date.
Though I enjoy dating and I date often, I cannot
say the same for other students. I enjoy hanging out
and meeting new people through friends, kickbacks,
and college parties. A kickback is a college social
held in a friend’s apartment or dorm room. Drinks
are served; music is played, but there is not much
dancing. A kickback is not a party and it is not the
best place to meet potential dates; but if students are
not meeting at kickbacks, they are probably group
dating.
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Group dates are the modern form of double
dating and are a lot safer than blind dates. During
my sophomore year I went on group dates because
I liked being around a group of single friends and
being the only conversation starter, but now as a
college senior I no longer feel that way.
I have outgrown group dating, meeting
people at kickbacks, and Thursday night fraternity
parties. Now I like to meet potential dates at other
places, such as business networking conventions,
NBA, NFL, or college football or basketball games,
dinner parties, and on vacation--because we all
know meeting a cute date during a summer vacation
makes the summer go a little smoother.
It’s Complicated
What is complicated about college dating
is finding the right person who fits your personality
and later keeping that person’s interest. Perhaps for
this reason, students often message potential dates
through social networking sites, such as Facebook,
Twitter, or Skype. For instance, a guy from my
history class has a crush on me. He is really shy and
instead of asking me out face-to-face, he may send
me a friend request on Facebook. If I accept his
request and become his friend on Facebook, he will
eventually message me and ask for my number. If I
choose to give the lucky guy my number, he will text
me. After three days of texting he will eventually
call me and have a telephone conversation, which
will lead to a date.
Dating in Mom’s Time
Dating now is a lot different from the
way my mother dated in the early ‘80s when she
attended college in Charleston. According to her,
“Dating in college was creative, inexpensive, and
always exciting. Many students did not have much
money or the resources they do now.” Some of the
creative ways students dated then were picnics in
the park, going to the pond, and walking at Battery
Park. “When we felt daring, we walked around
Trident Hospital and jokingly guessed the names
of newborn babies in the nursery,” she told me.
Today my mother admits that was probably a foolish
thing to do, and that now hospital security would
probably prohibit such activities.
“Looking forward to a date was what
motivated me to finish all of my homework,” my
mother said. This is much different from today,
because now students finish their studying in order
to attend parties, not dates.
When comparing my own college
experience with my mother’s, it seems that the early
‘80s were less hectic. Though attending college
has been one of my best experiences, today things
seem to be more complicated. Students are trying
to keep up with the Kardashians and follow the
lifestyles they see on reality TV shows such as The
Real World, The Real Housewives, and The Bachelor,
and The Bachelorette, and not focusing on the great
things they have.
Nowadays, students finish their work to
watch TV and attend parties, not to do much
dating. Though this is a reality for me, it saddens
me to see my generation not take advantage of
inexpensive things that can make them or their
potential spouses happy. Instead of thinking outside
the box of media, commerce, and technology,
members of my generation at times think inside the
box and limit their experiences. Though this saddens
me, I do believe my generation will improve. I have
high hopes that college dating can be exciting and
perhaps more creative and inexpensive, and similar
to the dates my mother experienced when she
attended college in the early ‘80s.
37
The 70th Running of the Aiken Trials
Benefiting the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing
Hall of Fame and Museum and
the Aiken Land Conservancy
Aiken Training Track
March 17, 2012
Jack Wetzel and friends enjoy the carriage ride at The Trials
Sandra Heath and Linda Kennedy with St. Patrick's
decoration named Seamus O'Tree
Hat Contest entrants
Seamus O'Tree's Pot o' Gold
Katy Judd
And the winner is ...
Beverly Willis, left, represents Tea Garden Gifts, sponsor of the Trials
Hat Contest, with winner Marilyn Brown. Marilyn attended The Trials last
year as a guest. She was so enchanted with Aiken that she bought a house on
Audubon Drive and attended The Trials this year as a resident.
After researching the website of the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame,
she duplicated the racing silks of many local stables in needlepoint
on the hat band of her winning creation.
Chloe Gaines, Brodie Slayton, Madison Gregory , and Fielding Freed
(St. Patrick's Day was his 7th birthday)
38
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Guest
Cottage
Linens & Gifts
Tom & Pam Powers
Owner/Operators
McDonald’s Restaurant
P.O. Box 6630
Aiken, SC 29804-6630
Yves Delormé
PARIS
Office: (803) 232-0903
Fax: (803) 232-1198
E-mail: mcaiken6630@cs.com
Lady Primrose
803.649.4565
405 Hayne Ave SW in Historic Downtown Aiken
Recycled Paper
Individual Health
Medicare Supplements
Life Insurance
Long Term Care
Medicare Advantage
MARK TAYLOR
A N D A S S O C I AT E S , L L C
Ruby Masters
Ask me about aging into Medicare
803-349-7468
Palmetto Package
& Fine Wine Shop
www.doncaster.com
“It’s our pleasure to serve you!”
803.649.6961
aiken.boozetique.vino@gmail.com
230 Park Ave SW • Downtown Aiken
BELLA MAGAZINE APRIL 2012
Lee Cavanaugh
Wardrobe Consultant
803.649.1583
leecavanaugh@ymail.com
5 Burgundy Road SW, Aiken SC 29801
39