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Q&A with Vince & Judy Perrin

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Meet The Alligator-Hunting Couple Who Married 2 Weeks After Meeting— Vince & Judy Perrin Celebrate 34 Years Together   by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family. It’s myself, Judy, and our two dogs, Buddy and Bella. Why did you move to this area? We live in Stonebridge just outside the Market Common. As children, we both vacationed here a lot, and continued the tradition after we got married. When we were ready for a move and a change, we decided to make Myrtle Beach home. Where are all the places you came from? Vince: I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and after the Marine Corps, moved to Virginia. Judy: I grew up in Virginia and opened a dance studio in Roanoke. I met Vince there in 1984, and we got married two weeks later. What’s your favorite thing about being near the Market Common? Everything is so handy; we get fresh coffee from the coffee shop, and donuts at the donut shop. We like to walk our dogs in the area, around the lake, and in Valor Park. What new activities have you taken up since moving here? We spend a lot of time fishing, and also enjoy alligator hunting. For one day last year, Judy held the state record for catching the largest alligator— it was 11 feet, 9 inches. Judy has developed a passion for essential oils, and helping people heal with them. Once a quarter, we hold a Live Your Passion Rally at Peace, Love and Little Donuts, and the next one will be on Saturday, July 14 from 12-4pm, $10. There will be free samples and door prizes (all are welcome). What are your favorite things to do here? We garden and grow a lot of vegetables. We walk on the beach and around the Market Common. We still travel some, and are going to a Lavender Farm in Utah this summer. Is there anything that you miss or would like to see in the Market Common? We still like to go to the mountains, but I don’t think we can move them to the beach. We visit the Greenville area and wish that Myrtle Beach had developed some of their culture.

Q&A with Jeff Farrow and Ron Frost

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Beach and Hot Tub Enthusiasts Jeff Farrow and Ron Frost Feel Free Being Themselves In Welcoming Myrtle Beach by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family. Ron Frost is my partner, we are married, and Nini is our 5-year-old Maltese. I’m actually a distant relation to Lieutenant William Glover Farrow (for whom Farrow Pkwy is named). Why did you move to the Market Common? Rena my realtor, and who is like an angel, is the reason why we came to the Market Common. Years ago, Myrtle Beach was the first vacation that we could afford, and we ended up buying a vacation home here. We were so disappointed though, because we ended up not liking the area. Then from 650 miles away, I got a postcard from Rena asking if we wanted to sell. She introduced us to the Market Common and everything we love, and we became so close we consider her family. Now, we live on Howard Avenue, and we’re building a new place at the Battery. Where are all the places you came from? We’ve lived in Northumberland, Pennsylvania; Rehoboth Beach, really close to Joe Biden; Chong Qing, China; and Newark, Delaware. Do you have a favorite place in the Market Common? Gordon Biersch. What’s your favorite thing about living in the Market Common? To me, it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s safe, the neighbors are amazing, and most importantly, everything is within walking distance. Everything is just beautiful and I feel at home. I felt at home from the first moment I moved in when we were greeted by our neighbors who were so friendly— it’s just the best experience I’ve ever had. How has your lifestyle changed since moving here? A lot of places where we lived, we couldn’t be who we really are. I feel free here; everybody is very open minded. It’s a different type of people. What new activities have you taken up since moving here? We’re into exercising a lot. We go to the beach all the time. Can you share one quirky fact with us about your family? Every time we invite friends from Pennsylvania down here, they end up moving here. So far it’s happened three times. What are your favorite things to do here? I would say relaxing at the pool, beach, and hot tub. We also like to go to the bookstore, and the Carolina Opry.

The Resolve to Regain Sveltness

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Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of Market Common. Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life alongside their human companions. Here, we’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together. This month, Charlie does a double take and gets in shape, doggie style. It’s May, it’s May! That means it’s time to play! Tralalala, lalalala I’m frolicking to-day.  It’s so lovely this time of year, I can’t help but be inspired and burst into song from the sheer joy of living. Hello, what’s this? Ooooo. A nice, shiny clean storefront window with the sun at just the right angle so I can push my nose up to the glass and look at myself. I just love walking through the Market Common and doing this. Wait, is this a fun house mirror? Is there another Maltese Bichon mix following me? Oh no…. Is that…. me?!….. Egads! I thought I was seeing my double for a second because there was so much fluffy white dog to peruse in that reflection, but no! It’s worse than being copied although I am so enviable. It is… I am… Tubby. I must have overindulged in doggie treats somewhat over those long winter months, and am now paying the price for it with the loss of my svelte physique in exchange for extra flub. I need to shed some pounds, I think. And maybe you do too? I say let’s do this the Charlie way— that is with panache, passion, and intelligence. I’ll begin by compiling a list of all of the ways that I can lose weight along with my thoughts on each. Then I will select those that appeal to me most. Here goes: Charlie’s-It’s-May-And-Time-to-Lose-Weight-Checklist-for-Four-Legged-Folk ☐ Cutback on treats (Oh-oh, no more trips to Orvis for the present.) ☐ Say no to table scraps (But then who would do oor mop up duty? I can’t renege on cleaning.) ☐ Stop begging at the table, start tugging on the leash for longer walks (Okay, I can do this one.) ☐ Play fetch ☐ Eat smaller portions (Oooo, my beloved mealtime, farewell.) ☐ Drink more water (Those dog bowls outside some establishments really come in handy.) ☐ Find tunnels to explore and run through them ☐ Run around rocks in a circle ☐ Catch some air the next time I play frisbee ☐ Chase the small tail that I have, also in circles ☐ Stop and go sprints ☐ Jump over a log ☐ Swim the big lake in the Market Common (Watch out for a potential alligator that might have moved in.) ☐ Chase birds ☐ Chase squirrels when there aren’t any birds nearby ☐ Burn more fuel and stay inspired by creating a low fat doggie biscuit Until next time, Whew! That was a workout just compiling the list. Let’s cheer each other on with our progress. Be sure to check out my Facebook @CharlieParkersCorner page for all the latest updates.

Beach Shading Devices

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Surfside Beach Reminders & Tips by the Town of Surfside Beach Surfside Beach is proud of our beach area. It’s the center and heart of the town, and we’re happy to share it with our visitors. Surfside Beach is the only area in Horry County that allows beach shading devices other than umbrellas. You can bring a tent or canopy to our beach, as long as it’s 10 feet by 10 feet or less. We ask that visitors follow a few simple rules when using a tent, or any shading device: • Shading devices and tents cannot be bigger than 10-feet by 10-feet• Shading devices and tents must be 10-feet apart—lifeguards and beach patrol need safe access to the entire beach• Shading devices and tents must be behind the line-of-sight for lifeguards• Shading devices and tents should be kept in a line to provide lifeguards a proper line-of-sight• No shading devices, tents or activities on the dunes• Secure your shading device in the wind. Tie down ropes should go straight down. Angled ropes are a tripping hazard.• Keep in mind, some days it might be too windy to use a shading device or tent. We thank you for following these rules and hope you enjoy your time in the Town of Surfside Beach! Visit: www.surfsidebeach.org/beaches-2 to view all beach related information.

Hoyt Hendrick, MBAF Base Deputy Engineer, WWII Hero

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by Melissa LaScaleia This month’s history section takes us back to the history of the Market Common once more as we explore the life and story of Hoyt LeGrand Hendrick. Hoyt was born in Conway, South Carolina on January 24, 1924.  He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and received both the Purple Heart as well as the Bronze Star for his service and sacrifices in combat. He graduated from Clemson University with a degree in civil engineering, and attended graduate school at the University of Tennessee where he received his master’s of science.  He was a civil engineer, registered professionally with the state of South Carolina; the majority of his career was spent working as an engineer for the military. Hoyt was employed as a civil engineer for the United States Army Corps of Engineers when he first became involved with what is today the Market Common area professionally.  In 1955, the Myrtle Beach municipal airfield was transitioning into a major Air Force Base.  Hoyt was employed as a civil engineer on the project.  In 1958, he transferred to the United States Air Force, and helped to prepare the base by overseeing the construction of the necessary facilities which would house aircraft, buildings, and personnel. Hoyt became the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base deputy civil engineer, and remained in that position for al- most thirty years before retiring.  He assisted in numerous transitions throughout his career, including the housing and implementation of the initial aircraft at the base, the F-100; A-7D aircraft in 1970; and A-10 aircraft in 1977. Hoyt L. Hendrick died at the age of 83, in Conway, South Carolina. Hendrick Avenue is the street in the Market Common named in his honor.  It is a long street, and home to many residences.  It stretches through the Soho District, from Farrow Parkway down to Hackler Street, running parallel with Johnson Avenue.  Hackler Street runs parallel with Nevers Street. Click here to read more about the history of Market Common and surrounding area.   

Tabbouleh

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Taste the South Tabbouleh On the hunt for the perfect vegetarian picnic food, Megan is exploring international cuisine and unearthing some gems for our recipe corner.  This month your tastebuds will water with her Tabbouleh, a salad birthed from the mountains of Lebanon and Syria and bursting with flavor and health.  It stretches its origins back to the Middle Ages where it initially met with lackluster enthusiasm due to its lack of meat.  You know what they say, though— what has value lasts.  And this dish sure has.  Today it is a symbol of Lebanese gastronomic identity, and its popularity has spread around the world.  If you haven’t tried it yet, and even if you have, you’re sure to delight in this version.  Ingredients Serves 4 3-4 hour fridge time 3/4 cup fine bulgur (found at Habibi’s Cafe & Market) 2 bunches parsley, washed and finely chopped 1/2 cup dried or fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 2 lemons, juiced 1 organic cucumber, diced 3 medium tomatoes, diced 4 spring onions, finely chopped 1 tsp chopped fresh garlic 3/4 cup of Kalamata olives 4 oz feta cheese Olive oil to taste Garlic sauce to taste (optional) 4 romaine lettuce leaves (optional) Directions Pour bulgur into a bowl, add 2 cups of water and soak for 10 minutes or until the bulgur is softened.  Strain through cheese cloth, discarding the water. Combine the bulgur and all other listed ingredients up to and including the garlic.  Mix well until all the chunks are gone.  Add the olives and feta cheese, toss to mix well.  Add the olive oil and garlic sauce to taste, then refrigerate for 3-4 hours to let the flavors mingle. Serve over romaine lettuce leaves or in bowls, cold or at room temperature. Click here to see more from our recipe corner.

Market Common’s Farmers Market Returns

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A Glimpse at The Beef You Can Find There by Melissa LaScaleia It’s May once more.  As we welcome the return of spring, we also welcome back the Deville Street farmers market (recently expanded to include a portion of Howard Avenue), as well as the farmers and artisans who, with their skills and dedication to their craft, provide us with the beauty of locally harvested and locally made products.  This year, we chose to take a look at the beef business so our community can have a better understanding of the perspective which shapes the choices of one local farm in our area. The Insider called WK Price Farms, new arrivals to the market in both Market Common and Surfside Beach, to learn more about them. Katie Price and her husband Wesley own and operate their farm together on a little over 2,000 acres in Sork, South Carolina, a small town located between Mullins and Dillon.  Farming has been in Wesley’s family for generations, and he has been growing corn, soybeans and peanuts his entire life.  The resulting hay from the crops is used as feed for the cows, ensuring a sustainable farming system. Once solely a crop farmer, Wesley decided to expand the farm in 1999 to make it more economically viable.  They began with five heifers (for the uninitiated, that’s a female cow that hasn’t yet had a baby) and a bull.  Over the years, as he’s purchased more cows and the heifers had calves, the herd has grown.  Today they have over 300 head of cattle that they care for daily. In the early days, they weren’t producing enough beef to sell, but they would slaughter one for their family to eat over the course of a year.  When they had to purchase beef from the grocery store to supplement their own supply, they noticed such a disparity in the quality of the meat that they saw an opportunity. “The way you treat a carcass after it is slaughtered is almost as important as the way you treat it before the slaughter in terms of taste,” Katie says.  “It’s important to take your time with it.” In 2015, congress repealed the COOL law, the Country of Origin Labeling requirements for beef and pork products.  The repeal makes it impossible, or at the very least, extremely difficult for consumers to trace where the beef and pork they’re buying is raised and produced.  It may still be labeled, but that’s because the producer opted to disclose that information. Katie and her family were concerned not knowing the origins of their beef. “That’s the plus of buying locally,” she says.  “Whether it’s produce, dairy, or protein, you know where it’s from.” They decided to launch their own local beef company in 2016, and began a trial run by selling large bulk orders.  Then they began attending Saturday farmers markets in Florence and Conway. “We had such a positive response that first year,” Katie says, “that when I had my fourth child in 2017, I decided to quit my job and approach this like a full-time business.  We picked up more markets, and in winter, we do home deliveries all over Florence County.  It’s really grown.” “We raise our cattle on pasture and finish them on corn we grow ourselves to condition the meat,” she continues.  “We also feed them peanut hay.” There are two ways to finish cattle— grass or grain.  Finishing is a term which applies to the period of time before the slaughter when the cattle are fed an energy-dense diet to add muscle and well-distributed fat to their frame, in a short amount of time. Depending on what method you choose makes a big difference in the taste of the meat.  Cattle finished on grass will be much leaner and have a more grassy, game-like flavor.  Cattle finished on corn puts more fat in the meat and lends a sweater flavor. Katie’s customers preferred the latter taste, and because she also finds it easier to produce a more consistent product when finished in this way, it’s the method they choose for most of their cattle. “When you rely on Mother Nature 100% like that,” she says in speaking about raising cattle on pasture alone, “if you have a hard year and the pastures aren’t what they should be, it makes it hard to have a finished product.  Yes, corn is a grass technically, but we allow it to fruit, so it produces a different flavor.” Katie and Wesley raise their cattle without any additional hormones or antibiotics.  The corn that they grow and feed their cattle is a commercial, GMO corn. “I believe there are a lot of scare tactics around GMO products,” she says.  “We use GMO seeds because you can plant them with a no-till.  Because of the way it has been modified, you don’t have to put the amount of chemicals on it to spray for pests that you had to previously.  It’s no different from selective breeding.  Because of this, we’re able to produce more.  Farmers are 2% of the population and we don’t have enough food to feed the rest of the population.  You have to be as efficient as possible.” It’s important to know the realities of those bringing us food from both near and far away as well as the bigger picture story.  This is one farm’s choice. Join the Discussion So what’s your perspective? Join the discussion about GMOs and local food on our Facebook page Read more articles about our local farmers market and farmers here, there, and here again. Market Common Farmers Market Deville Street and Howard Avenue, Saturdays 10am-3pm through September.  Free parking in the garages and side streets.   Facebook

Beach Air

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Giving Full Customer Satisfaction One Customer at a Time by Melissa LaScaleia Chris Quade grew up in Indiana, and when he was 19 years old, he decided to join the Navy and travel the world.  He met his wife in Philadelphia when he was stationed there.  After his military term expired, he used his GI Bill to attend technical college, where he studied heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration.   “I graduated in 1997 and we moved to Myrtle Beach,” Chris tells the Insider in an interview.  “I was from a small town and didn’t want to live in a big city, and my wife was from a big city and didn’t want to live in a small town.  Myrtle Beach felt like a good compromise, and we’ve been here for twenty-one years now.  It’s kind of like a big city with a small town feel where everybody knows everybody.  And there’s tons of opportunity here.  Probably if you can think of it and want to do it, you can do it here.”  What Chris thought of was his own company— Beach Air. Chris started off his career in Myrtle Beach working for a heating and air conditioning company doing installation and duct work.  He worked his way up and eventually became a service manager.  “The company was purchased after I was there for a year,” he tells the Insider.  “When I started, there were twelve employees, and when I left, there were 100.  So I had a unique experience because I saw the steps the new owner took to transform this smaller company into a larger one.”  After eighteen years, Chris wanted more from his job.  But he had hit a ceiling where he was at, and couldn’t grow any further.  In 2015, he decided to start his own business.  Trading in his pickup truck for a work van, he began working out of his garage alone.  In under three years, he’s grown to thirteen employees.  “We’ve definitely had a huge amount of growth in a short period of time.  It’s been great,” he says.  “My main focus and the mindset with which we conduct our work, is to give full customer satisfaction one customer at a time.  We’re going to make sure that customer is completely happy; then we go to the next one.”  Beach Air conducts residential as well as commercial repairs, installation, and servicing for heating and cooling units.  One of the most important services that they provide is bi-annual maintenance work.   Chris likes to educate people on the importance of having their heating/cooling unit serviced twice a year so that it’s functioning optimally, and will be reliable in extreme temperatures.   “Heat pumps are not really designed to be in that cold of temperatures,” he explains.  “They will work when it’s 15 degrees outside, but they have to be operating at their peak performance.  And similarly, when it’s 95 degrees outside, it’s pushed to the max and is going to struggle.”   Reader, you have been warned.  “When I was deciding what I wanted to do for a career,” Chris says, “I figured out that I like to fix and repair stuff.  With heating and cooling, it’s work I wasn’t ever going to worry about going away.  And I like to see new places, rather than being in the same place every day.  In the service industry, we’re at a new location daily, answering calls, and so this line of work really fits me.”   “But my biggest satisfaction,” he continues, “is being able to bring awesome customer service to people who really need it.  A lot of people are elderly, or have small babies and it’s 50 degrees in the house.  I really get a lot out of helping people in those types of situations.  “My biggest satisfaction is being able to bring awesome customer service to people who really need it.” — Chris Quade, center, surrounded by Beach Air employees. – Photo courtesy of Beach Air “If you look at our reviews on Google you’ll see all the great comments people have written about us. Seeing that stuff drives me to do my best.  I want to see more of that.  I want to be looked at as a community-based company.  We’re a part of the community too, and we want to help the community.  I don’t want to be seen as a huge company just trying to take the next dollar.”  In keeping with that philosophy, Beach Air contributes yearly to Habitat For Humanity, the non-profit organization that builds houses for those in need.  Chris donates the equipment and labor to install the heating/ cooling system— a job which otherwise would cost almost $8,000.   He also donates his time by attending career day at Forestbrook Middle School, where he speaks to the children about what it’s like to work in his industry.   “I’m always looking to the future and planning for it,” he says.  “I certainly want to grow our customer base and we’re going to grow our employees, but from a place of where we can still hold our same core values.  I want to be known as the preferred heating and air conditioning company on the Grand Strand, not necessarily the biggest.   “I just want people to see our logo or van driving down the beach, and to be recognized as the company that’s best in customer service.  I don’t want a one-time customer, I want lifetime customers.”  “I don’t think about my competition too much,” he continues.  “Obviously I know they’re there.  I know the market values for what we do.  But a lot of people will come to me and say, ‘do you know these people are doing this?’   I just focus on what I’m doing, on the road in front of me.”  One of the things he’s doing is hiring good technicians, those with a lot of talent, and sending them for additional training.   “I want to make sure we have the right guys on the job so that we’re doing the job properly, … Read more

Carolina Energy Conservation

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Save Money, Be Comfortable, Live Happier by Melissa LaScaleia  Jeff Thompson started Carolina Energy Conservation with his friend, Fred Baker, out of his garage in Surfside Beach nine years ago.  “I’ve always had a passion for energy conservation,” he says, speaking of his start in the industry. As the oldest of five children, Jeff remembered his parents receiving high power bills and witnessed the resulting stressful impact on his family. Fueled by this memory, out of college he worked for an energy conservation company in his hometown of Niagara Falls, New York. Then, seeking sunnier skies, he moved to Myrtle Beach. The relocation inspired him to start his own business.  “I saw a need to create ways that we can save money in operating our homes, be more comfortable, and live happier,” he says.  He began by conducting educational seminars on home energy efficiency strategies that were applicable to house designs in the South. Jeff went on to get a BPI, Building Performance Institute certification, to learn what the standards were from the best resource available. He and his employees continue their training with continuing education to this day.  BPI approaches energy efficiency as a whole-house system, and examines how all the factors affecting efficiency— like insulation, attic, lighting, doors, windows, vents, and garage spaces— are functioning together. Jeff fuses this aspect of his business with solar installation, repair, and maintenance.  Solar panels soak up the rays in sunny Myrtle Beach reducing power bills by a whopping 90%.- Photo by Meganpixels “There are a lot of different ways to help people make their home more efficient,” Jeff says. “One of the things we really pride ourselves on is providing the right solutions for our clients that would best serve them.”  And the philosophy has served them well. Jeff bought a building for his expanding business on Hwy 707 in 2014, and today Carolina Energy Conservation has over 28 employees. Their technicians are all trained through a company called Dr. Energy Saver— the largest energy conservation company in the U.S. The knowledge based company shows them ways to fix things in innovative ways.  “The relationship gives us access to a large variety of individuals who know everything about what’s energy efficient,” he says. “Using infrared camera and other tests, we can pinpoint exactly where and how much air is leaking in a house. That’s important because when you’re heating or cooling a house, the air that’s leaking will be replaced by either your heating or your air conditioning system.  “Many people have overhead lights that are extremely leaky. We go over the house and seal those areas to make it as efficient as it can be, then we conduct a solar analysis to determine the number of panels you need.”  You will need less power to run your home after the improvements, and therefore, less solar panels installed. Because of the cost of the panels, conducting energy efficiency improvements first can save homeowners considerable money. Yet, most solar companies don’t offer this service.  Carolina Energy Conservation earned the top spot on Santee Cooper’s Trade Ally List (a list of contractors Santee Cooper recommends) for insulation, three years in a row when Santee Cooper was offering that list. They also won the Solar Contractor of the Year for the past three years with Santee Cooper’s Trade Ally List for solar.  “We’ve had our solar division going on for six years now,” Jeff says. “We have a NABCEP certification, the highest certification you can have in solar; it’s like a doctorate degree in solar energy. Our work is very clean. Solar is one of the main things we do.”  “A big reason people pick solar is because they’re looking for the peace of mind that goes along with their purchase,” Jeff says. “But if you don’t install solar properly, you could have any number of issues.  “You have to go through the company that sold it to you, and if they’re not very good, they’re going to be out of business in few years and there’s nobody to help you.”  Jeff Thompson, front center, with his team outside of Carolina Energy Conservation’s office on Hwy 707. From humble origins he’s grown to over 28 employees. – Photo by Meganpixels To give his clients the peace of mind they seek, Jeff uses solar panels that have a 25 year manufacturer warranty for labor, maintenance and any other issues that may arise— meaning if anything goes awry during that time, the solar company will pay to repair it.  Jeff understands the importance first hand of having dealings with a reputable solar panel company. Many of his customers call him because they are having problems with faulty installations executed by companies in other states, or companies that have gone out of business.  The warranty, he clarifies, doesn’t mean the panels will stop working after 25 years. They have a life expectancy of forty or more years.  To make the process seamless, Jeff manages the interconnection agreement and permitting with the utility company, and he has a third party engineer ensure that everything is structurally sound.  There are two different ways to have solar in your home. The first is to install it as a battery backup in the event of a hurricane, with the solar acting as a replacement for a generator. The second, which most people opt for, is to install it on the grid system which will eliminate as much of your regular utility bill as possible, up to 90%.  “A lot of people in this area are on fixed incomes,” Jeff explains. “And you can’t control a rising energy bill. With solar, you’re locking in your power rate. It will basically always be the same. You will still be tied into the grid, but you’re getting credited for the amount of electricity you produce.  “In South Carolina, you can’t be paid for producing more energy than you use in a month, but if you do, it would be carried forward as a credit on the … Read more

Ocean Lakes Golf Cars

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Serving Campers and The Community For Over 30 Years by Melissa LaScaleia In the late 80s, the owners of Ocean Lakes Family Campground started a small golf car business within the campground so people could traverse the 310 acre property as well as one mile of beach front property with greater ease. Greg Bender is the general manager of what is today Ocean Lakes Golf Cars, a position he’s held since the mid 90s.  He grew up in Marion and spent his summers at the resort, where his parents owned a vacation home.  As an adult, he stuck close to his roots and began working at Ocean Lakes as a technician in the golf car shop. “I had no experience at all, I didn’t even have any idea what a golf car was,” he tells the Insider in an interview.  “But I was good with my hands, and I liked working outdoors, and it was an opportunity to learn a trade.  I worked my way up to become a shop supervisor. “When I took over as general manager, I saw an opportunity to try to sell cars outside of Ocean Lakes, and serve a greater segment of the population.  Over the years, that’s increased in volume.  Today we sell up to 400 cars a year.  We’re trying to reach out to the community and let people know Ocean Lakes Golf Cars is available for everyone, and not just our guests.” Ocean Lakes Golf Cars provides service from Georgetown to North Carolina along the coastal areas.  They repair cars for guests as well as those who live in the surrounding communities, with pick up and delivery service all along the Grand Strand.  They have an extensive parts, accessories and service department to maintain or refurbish a wide range of golf cars.  People are welcome to visit their facility inside the otherwise guest-only campground gates. Longstanding loyalty. Greg Bender has been vacationing at Ocean Lakes Family Campground since his youth, and he’s been general manager of Ocean Lakes Golf Cars for almost thirty years. ( Photo by Meganpixels Parker) At their showroom on the premises, they rent and sell electric and gas, new and reconditioned golf cars, as well as LSVs. Golf cars have restrictions on their use: they can be driven a maximum of four miles from their registered location, and only on secondary roads with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less between dawn and dusk. LSVs are similar to golf cars, and also must stick to secondary roads.  But it’s legal to drive them anytime, and there’s no limit on how far you can take them from their place of origin.  Greg encourages people in the community to approach him with any questions they might have about LSVs or golf cars. “Golf cars are a very popular mode of transportation not only in Ocean Lakes but also in the community,” Greg tells the Insider.  “We have an offsite location where we recondition and assemble used and new cars.  We’ve done a lot of custom cars over the years— creating beach scenes in paint and adding accessories that fit the tastes of our customers.  If you can envision it, we can probably do it.” Ocean Lakes Golf Cars is an authorized Club Car dealer, a brand of Ingersoll Rand.  They’ve been affiliated with Club Car for more than fifteen years, offering their cars to rent, and in 2015 began selling the new Club Car product line.  Yet in just two short years as a dealer, Club Car has awarded Ocean Lakes Golf Cars the coveted Black & Gold Elite status for their “outstanding performance and customer service to residents and guests at the campground in 2017.” The showroom at Ocean Lakes featurs a wide variety of Club Cars as well as other models, and welcomes visits from the general public. This is a mark of distinction which sets Ocean Lakes Golf Cars amongst the top 10% of Club Car dealers in the world. The honor was given because Ocean Lakes Golf Cars, “achieved extraordinary levels of sales and service, demonstrated exceptional financial performance, implemented successful marketing strategies and maintained top-notch facilities.” Ben McElmurray, Club Car’s regional manager for the Southeast notes: “Ocean Lakes Golf Cars’ performance has been truly remarkable and helps set the standards for being the best in our industry.” “Ocean Lakes Family Campground has been very successful over the years,” Greg says, “and that is because our team at the park goes above and beyond for all of our guests no matter what it may be that they need.  Our golf car service is what separates us from other competitors in the area.” Ocean Lakes Golf Cars Hours vary throughout the season; sales everyday 8am-5pm. Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

Eric Richards of erhomes LLC

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Your One-Stop Shop For All Your Home Needs by Melissa LaScaleia Eric Richards was born and raised on a dairy farm in the South. “In the country and on the farm, you have to rely on yourself to get things done,” he tells the Insider in an interview.  “I learned a lot from growing up in that culture and basically, by doing.  I also learned a lot from my father.  He was one of those men who could just figure things out.” Eric wanted to design and build furniture.  But at the time there was no specialization for it in college curriculums— it was lumped into interior design and art history.  So Eric enrolled in that program and learned how to design furniture and much more. “I excelled in the interior design division,” Eric says.  “My teachers were blown away and I was too.  It just came naturally. How I got this gift, I don’t know, but I’m grateful I have it and I don’t take it for granted.” After graduating, Eric started working for a design firm.  But he wasn’t in his element in an office environment, and preferred going from place to place working personally on projects.  Eventually this morphed into his own full-time business.  Over the years, Eric obtained his general contracting license, became certified in green construction and green building practices, and spent six months in San Francisco studying with a feng shui master. “I was already implementing many of the feng shui practices in my designs without being able to define it,” Eric says.  “Then, in the 90s when feng shui became popular, I realized what I was doing and wanted to learn from a master.  My studies gave me a confident understanding of the choices I was making.  Plus they allowed me to elaborate my visions, and give my clients things they didn’t even know they wanted.  It’s nothing I question now, it’s just second nature in how I design a space.” We ask Eric to explain more how feng shui plays into his work.  He says: “We as humans think we see with our direct eye, but we actually see more with our peripheral vision.  When we’re in nature, there’s a natural flow to it— that’s why you feel soothed.  This same peripheral flow that exists in nature, I try to replicate in the home.  Coming from the outside to inside and seeing a drastic change will confuse the eye.” Many people are eager to know Eric’s own personal decorating style — he defines it as monochromatic eclectic.  But it isn’t reflective of the majority of his clients’ tastes. “Right now most of my clients in Myrtle Beach want a beach or coastal theme,” he says.  “But I’m capable of orchestrating almost any style.  I’m not one of those designers where you can walk into someone’s home and know, ‘Eric did this.’ “As designers, we have to be conscious all the time that we can get stuck in patterns.  But I always let the individual and space speak to me, and stay focused on what is going to work for that client and give then the comfort that they want, that they might not even know they want.” “I always let the individual and space speak to me, and stay focused on what is going to work for that client and give them the comfort that they want, that they might not even know they want.”— Eric Richards on decorating. Eric sees interior design as a building process. “The longer you’re personally in the home and around the clients, the more they all speak to you,”he says.  “So the different layers will change throughout the process.  Because of this, I don’t provide drafts or even sketches.  There’s a psychology about working with clients and with design— you have to be able to use psychology to marry different styles together, of husbands and wives, or partners. “Most of my clients just tell me to do what I want.  I think the reason is that 90% of them become my friends and family and they trust me.  I have been so blessed to form these friendships.  And in my designs, I absolutely love incorporating cherished pieces that they have in a way they never would have expected or dreamed of.” ERhome LLC, Eric’s company, is a one-stop shop for all your home restoration needs.  Due to his extensive background in handy work, Eric’s company is capable of executing every step in the process.  They cover painting, wallpapering, flooring, tile work, custom furniture, carpentry, kitchen remodeling, electrical, and plumbing work.  If there’s something they don’t feel comfortable doing, they pull from their library of resources to handle those situations. “People don’t have time to wait around for multiple contractors to get things done in a home,” Eric says.  “So I pride myself on being able to give an expedited face-lift, if you will.  Most of my clients are completed in a week to three weeks maximum, beginning to end.” Eric is a firm believer that in today’s market, beautiful things are readily available at a low cost.  He and his clients create a budget and stick to it as closely as possible. “If somebody has a budget of $200, I will give them the maximum they can get for $200,” he says.  “If they have a budget of $200,000, they’ll be treated the same exact way.  It’s really not about the amount of money as much as it is about what the client wants and needs.  My favorite phrase for life and work is: ‘we have no problems, we only have solutions.’  I love giving more than what their expectations are.” Eric has spent more than half of his career traveling— executing projects in Maine, NY, Boston, California, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Virginia.  He just recently completed the redesign for a Pulmonary Institute in Philadelphia. For several years, he was the head designer for Lowes Motor Speedway, a multi-billion dollar … Read more

Achieving More with Real Living Home Realty Group

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Real Living

It’s More Than a Name Change For Us by John Jobson We are happy to announce that we, Properties At The Market Common, have established higher goals and expectations in 2018 than we envisioned just eighteen months ago when we opened our new office on Farrow Parkway.  That was an exciting time for us, and our Insider readers and clients have witnessed our rapid growth over the months. “As of January 19, 2018, we were approved to become the newest member of the rapidly expanding Real Living Network of Real Estate Professionals,” states Jim Parker, president of one the newest Real Living Real Estate franchises in the country. Real Living is a network brand of HSF Affiliates LLC, which is majority owned by HomeServices of America, Inc.™, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate. “As a company, we wanted to achieve more for our clients,” says John Jobson, vice-president and co-owner. In November 2017, the owners attended the National Association of Realtors Conference in Chicago to evaluate the possibility of partnering with a national franchise as an option for business expansion. “We went through an investigative process,” John says.  “And we found Real Living to be the real estate franchise we believed could help us achieve more.” At the conference, our team was attracted to Real Living’s client-centric approach to real estate which coincides with our own.  Real Living trains their brokers and agents to prioritize their clients’ needs– a value which is central to their beliefs about the way real estate should be provided. Left to right (top): Johnny Edge, Robert Palmer, Johnny Bryant, Lynne Jessup, Latoya Grayson, Charlie Miller, Kevin Gunn, Tom O’Leary, Patrick Winum. Left to right (bottom): John Jobson, Dawn Swann, Candace Habib, Lisa Newman, Britni Gaddy, Kate Rushton, Colleen Hord, Ashley West, Bryanna Wooley, Megan Parker, Jim Parker. Two weeks after the conference, our Properties team hosted the Real Living leadership at our office.  Real Living recognized the potential of our team, market, and location to deliver high quality service to the Myrtle Beach market area.  And they made it a priority for us to join their business network. “The purpose of our affiliation with the Real Living brand of real estate services is multi-faceted,” declares Kevin Gunn, director of real estate brokerage.  “At the core of our mutual identity with the Real Living leadership is our common belief that business is driven by long-term relationships that are established through mutual trust and service provided to our clients.  The other motivating factor is our sincere desire to offer our clients, brokers and agents the highest standards of service possible in our industry. “Real estate is a rapidly evolving profession, and we want to stay on the cutting edge of the latest trends and technologies.  We want to know that everything we are offering through our office and our agents to our customers and clients is the most professional and up-to-date.  We can always improve and get better, and this affiliation is helping us do just that.” Additionally, as of this month, we have changed our company name. “We know that nationally, 87% of real estate sales are being generated through companies with a strong national franchise brand affiliation,” says John.  “Moreover, our name, Properties At The Market Common, was a geographical identity marker illustrating where we began and the location of our regional sales center, but it limited our business identity and scope of our greater purpose. “We understand that life brings with it changes— marriage, family expansion, divorce, relocation, retirement, downsizing.  We have specific programs to address these real-life scenarios, solutions to optimize each circumstance that our clients may face.  Within these life changes, our new name reflects our awareness that people are seeking a certain quality of life; our focus is on helping them to achieve the home buying, selling, or leasing objectives that coincide with their vision.” Kevin Gunn (left), Jim Parker (center), and John Jobson (right), signing the papers that make the transition official. The Real Living leadership team was instrumental in helping us to come up with a new company name that reflects our approach to real estate and the personalized service that we offer—Real Living Home Realty Group. “We believe the world-class leadership within the Real Living network is second to none,” says Jim. “Our focus is on becoming the best Real Estate company our clients will ever work with, and e believe our decision to become a franchisee of Real Living will help us achieve that objective through their best practices, systems and strategies.” John, Kevin, and Jim attended the National Real Living Conference in St. Petersburg, Florida, this past February, where the franchise leadership unveiled several strategic plans to reinforce their commitment to providing us with cutting edge tools, training and communication to serve our clients at the highest level. “We know that this new chapter of our company’s development will allow us to grow more effectively with every member of our staff benefiting from this new strategy,” says Jim. As of March 20, after several weeks of intensive franchise integration and training, we officially began operating our company as Real Living Home Realty Group. “Last year we made significant strides to establish ourselves within the Market Common District as a quality real estate agency,” says Jim. “By quarter four of 2017, we had become the predominant marketing agency within the Market Common community.  That success is propelling us to work towards becoming real estate leaders within our broader market service area.” Soon we will be announcing a grand opening and we hope everyone will come by our office to help us celebrate this important milestone in our company’s history.  We look forward to achieving more with you!

Jerry Dalton And The Myrtle Beach International Film Festival

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The Man Making Strides in the Realm of Entertainment by Melissa LaScaleia For Jerry Dalton, founder and organizer of the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival, there isn’t a better location in the world for a film festival than the Market Common.  He prefers it even to Sundance’s location in Park City, Utah.  Here the weather is balmy; the flowers are blooming; the Grand 14 cinema, where the films are played, is a new state of the art theater; there are a multitude of restaurants and shopping venues adjacent to the theater making it an ideal location to hang out all day; there’s plenty of parking; and never a shortage of hotel rooms. “Last year’s film festival was phenomenal,” Jerry says speaking to the Insider.  “It sold out and people had a great time.” This year marks the second time the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival has been nominated by the prestigious Movie Maker Magazine as one of the top 50 film festivals to submit to in the world. “And once you see our film festival,” he says, “you’ll understand why.  The films we have this year are unbelievably entertaining and will transport you out of your life.  We have a super lineup, about sixty-seven films from sixteen countries, including the U.S., Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Australia, Iran, Russia, Italy and France.  You get to see things that are affecting people in a different part of the world that you might not think about.” “The beauty of independent film is it’s a story told from the heart, created as art, with no restrictions,” he continues.  “Many people don’t know that Hollywood scripts movies for demographics.  They don’t make a movie that has a limited or restricted following, or a following they’re uncertain about, because that means their profits will be limited or uncertain.  It’s their business model.” Movie-goers at last year’s festival. On the big screen: My Sweet Misery, starring Anna Chlumsky of My Girl, written by Matthew Jordan, and filmed in Myrtle Beach. But independent film is not shaped or constricted by these same rules, and doesn’t adhere to any standards to ensure it makes millions in the box office. There’s a misconception that independent film is poorly made with a handy-cam and bad acting, a misconception Jerry wants to correct.  The only thing that makes it independent is that it’s not produced by the top eight film studios in Hollywood. In the world of independent film, the story told may be devoid of the economic influences that shape Hollywood films, but it’s not absent from the selection process of the films that are ultimately brought to the public; repping is par for the course.  The term, as it applies to the film industry, refers to the behind-the-scenes selling of a film based on influences other than the film’s own merits. “It’s just part of the process, that you have to go out there and wine and dine people and spend money to get your film in a film festival and viewed by the public,” Jerry explains.  “There are films that are in there on their own merits, but they are just a percentage, and not the norm.  Repping is strictly forbidden at the MBIFF.  Selection is purely based on the art of motion picture alone.  If you are in this festival, it’s because we judged your film and it earned its position.” Jerry hopes to one day change the face of the independent film world so that more artists have an opportunity for their art to be seen based on its value alone. “We’re trying to create new distribution channels and a new way of handling films,” he shares. Last year’s red carpet at the Grand 14. Joel Allen (left), former local ABC anchor, interviews Romina Schwedler (right) from Buenos Aires. She wrote, produced, and directed a movie in the festival, The Visit Jerry wants art to be financially accessible to all people— both in its creation and viewing.  In alignment with this vision, last year he created the Myrtle Beach Film Institute as part of the film festival. Throughout the course of a year, students meet weekly and conclude the program by filming their own production.  The film institute is free to attend, in keeping with Jerry’s belief that nobody should be barred access to art due to financial constraints.  Also for this reason, an all-access pass to the MBIFF is an astonishingly low $50.  He refuses to sell tickets at the average film festival rates, despite continued pressure from his board. Five of the Myrtle Beach Film Institute’s films will be showcased on Monday, April 16, as a precursor to the film festival.  They are all made by locals and filmed locally.  Open casting for the films was last October, and was hugely successful. “It’s really made a big difference in a lot of peoples’ lives having something like this available,” Jerry says.  “I think art opens a pathway in peoples’ brains that leads to beautiful things and makes life better because it allows them to see things from different perspectives, and creates space to allow them to operate in a positive manner. “Art opens up the right side of your brain, which gives you imagination and your thought processes into a more whimsical world.  If someone has that side working well, but no outlet for it, it becomes frustrating.  Part of the reason for creating the school is to give people an outlet for the creative process, to tell stories through the art of motion picture, which in its formation and execution, is similar to the synergy needed for an orchestra to successfully play a symphony.” erry Dalton (left), founder and overseer of the MBIFF with his fiance, Heather Mayes (right) Creating films locally also helps support the local economy.  Jerry explains: “If you have a great movie that highlights a location or a certain iconic spot, people want to go there and see where it took place.  It’s called the film effect.  And it’s a … Read more

Neighboring Charleston in the 1600s: The Danger, Intrigue and Potential

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by Melissa LaScaleia To understand our Myrtle Beach history, of how it was birthed into being and took shape, it’s important to look at the history of what surrounds it.  Thus our history section for this month continues where we left off— with the settlement and expansion of Charleston, one-and-a-half-hours south of Myrtle Beach.  As we saw last month, in the 1600s, Charles Town as it was then called, today modern day Charleston, was established by the Lord Proprietors who were given dominion over the Carolinas by King Charles II of England.  They had a vision of making Charles Town a great port city.  This is one of the most fascinating places and times in all of history— vividly colorful, rife with potential and danger, and for many— it held unlimited opportunity to shape your life. It was a new world, and they simply made it up as they went along, although much was modeled after Europe. But this way of thinking and living was unprecedented in the class-structure that was so entrenched in Europe during this age. There was less emphasis on class distinctions because the culture was shaped by the day-to-day tasks of building and creating to establish, rather than adhering to what already existed, since little did exist.  In other words, social norms weren’t able to be enforced, and weren’t even as important, when everyone was simply trying to become established and survive.  The French and Spanish didn’t recognize England’s claim to the land, and wanted it for themselves.  Several times they targeted the coastline and attacked the new colony, attempting to uproot them.  The Charles Town colonists built a wall around their settlement fortifying themselves against the raiders and were successful in keeping them at bay.   Then too, there was a constant influx of new settlers– from the Virginia colony, emigrants from England, and slaves from Barbados– and everyone was forced to rub shoulders.  Even though slaves were treated as property and had no social status, this intermingling still created a different culture, with a flavor and feel that was uniquely its own.  In the late 1600s, infrastructure and governing was better, and the governor created a city-scape plan for Charles Town, laying it out in a grid pattern to establish better cohesion.  Settlers who successfully curried favor with the nobility in Europe or the New World for one reason or another were granted large tracts of land and began to operate large-scale plantations powered by slaves, establishing the area’s plantation culture.  Then there were the periodic raids by the Native Americans from inland, as well as by pirates from the coast.  But still Charles Town survived and grew larger.  And within ten years from when it was first founded in some small tents, it was moved further south to its current location on the peninsular.  By the 1700s, Charles Town was thriving in industry and trade.  By the early 1700s, the colonists were finally successful in cultivating indigo, a plant which was much coveted by the nobility of Europe who prized clothes dyed with the purple-blue color produced by the plant.  While rice grew in the swampy areas, indigo did well in areas that were dryer, where rice was unable to be produced.  Previously unused portions of land now generated income for property owners.  And the labor-intensive cultivation of indigo boosted the slave trade and population of the colony.  By the late 1700s, half of the area’s population were slaves.  Click here to read more of our history features.  

Go Beyond

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Dragon Boat

The Upcoming 10th Annual Dragon Boat Festival Is Poised to Make A Splash April 28 by Melissa LaScaleia It’s a year of tens.  Not only is it the tenth year anniversary of the Market Common, but also of the Dragon Boat Races—the annual festival that is held by Ground Zero Ministries in the Market Common on the Big Lake, as a fundraiser for their programs. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Christian non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.  It was founded by Scott Payseur to offer middle school students and teens support in a complicated world.  They are an entertainment driven ministry and focus on sharing fun, wholesome and rewarding experiences with students— both as means to help uplift them as well as to expose them to new ways of having a good time. They have many opportunities for student leadership within the organization— everything from helping out with stage productions and sound, to working in their coffee shop and office. “Everything we do has an entertainment component to it,” Scott tells the Insider in an interview.  “We host events and bring in speakers on topics that are relevant to students’ lives.  Ultimately, we want to be able to support students no matter their beliefs.  You don’t have to be a Christian to be a part of our organization.  But here, we let teens know they are not alone. “We establish authentic relationships with them and teach them how to do the same by sharing Christ through life-changing events.  And we empower them by giving them tools to impact their world.  There are students who feel like they don’t fit in anywhere.  And we want to be present in their lives. The participants take to the waters at the annual Dragon Boat Festival. Each team is allotted a one hour practice session in the week leading up to the race, to prepare for the family-friendly, feel-good event. “The Dragon Boat Races are significant because the type of ministry that we do, the programs we offer, the bands, and the speakers we bring in, are not cheap, and the races help support our programs.  We knew to have a successful fundraising event, something that was unique and memorable all on its own as well as different from other fundraising events, that we would have to do something very different from what was typically done.” This year, there are about fifty teams racing.  Lavishly painted, ornate boats are brought in for the event, along with professionals who know how to steer them properly to avoid any crashes on the lake.  But the boats themselves are propelled entirely by the man-and-woman power of their rowing teams.  Each team gets a one hour practice session the week leading up to the races.  Each team also provides their own drummer, an individual who beats steadily on a drum in the boat to hopefully, keep everybody rowing in unison. There’s a DJ going all day long, as well as a family fun zone, food, and other festivities.  There’s also the very popular drummer costume contest– a family friendly event all teams can participate in.  Legends is contributing a celebrity panel of judges.  They will themselves be in costume, to judge the most creative drummer costume.  This year, weatherman Ed Petrowski from WPDE will be the MC. “One year we had a team dress up like they were from the ‘80s,” Scott says.  “They did their hair and all wore headbands, and the drummer dressed up like the aerobics instructor, Richard Simmons; he nailed it, he was hysterical, and everyone knew who he was.  We have some people who really go all out with this.” This year’s top three supporters of the event are: Beach Automotive Group, Tidelands Health, and Monarch Roofing.  Gold sponsors include: Angelo’s Steak and Pasta, Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, Best Golf Cars, Blue Green Vacations, Carolina Energy Conservation, Carolina Regional Cancer Center, Dependable Plumbing, Grand Strand Health and Wellness, Crispy Creme, Mellow Mushroom, Ocean Water Sports, and Waccamaw Heating and Cooling. “In any fundraising event, you always want to go above and beyond with your goals,”Scott says.  “But this year is huge for us because our theme is, “go beyond.”  Go beyond anything we’ve ever done before in our past for our ministry.  We’ve really reset a lot of things, including this festival, and we’re excited about what this theme can do to offer more things for the community moving forward.” The Dragon Boat Festival The Dragon Boat Festival will be held at the Big Lake in the Market Common,  Saturday, April 28, 9am-4 pm.  For more information see details down below.   Click here to read more about the festival.   Phone Internet-explorer

Spring Bunny Cake

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Recipe Corner

Spring Bunny Cake This is a totally adorable dessert from Melissa’s recipe box that will delight all audiences young and old. Making it is half the fun, so plan to do it with those you love most, and it will soon become a yearly tradition. It’s impressive and surprisingly easy, and you can use a box mix cake to save on time, or make the layers in advance and freeze them for later. Materials Large tray or serving platter 13’’ x 18’’ Two 9 inch round layer cakes 3 packages flaked coconut Food coloring For decorating: gumdrops, M&M’s, nuts, edible flowers like violets, roses, nasturtiums, lilacs, or pansies Frosting Ingredients 1 box of confectionary sugar 1 T butter 1-4 T milk 1 tsp vanilla extract Directions Using a sharp knife, cut the cake layers according to the diagram. To make the frosting: heat the milk until hot but not boiling. Combine sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon of the milk, and vanilla extract in the large bowl of a beater, and beat on high until well combined. The frosting should be thick and spreadable but not stiff. Add more hot milk, a little bit at a time, until the frosting is a little softer than smooth peanut butter. If it is too runny, add more confectionery sugar. Liberally frost the cake, and lavishly decorate with coconut all over. Then arrange the bunny cake on the platter. You can give your bunny a spring look by mixing 1-2 drops of the food color of your choice in a little water along with some of the coconut in a glass jar. Cap tightly and shake the jar to coat the coconut. Decorate your bunny cake using gumdrops or chocolate chips for eyes and nose, and thin Twizzler strips for whiskers.  You can also pipe colored frosting. To view some of our old recipes, click here!

Happy 10th Birthday Market Common

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Join The Celebration With the Taste of the Market Common and More on April 21 by Melissa LaScaleia This April marks the tenth anniversary of the Market Common, and to celebrate, the Market Common office is hosting a big bash with fun for the whole family.  The 10th Year Anniversary Celebration will be held on Saturday, April 21, in the Market Common commercial district.  “A milestone like a ten year anniversary gives one time to reflect on how far the Market Common has come, what a great plan it was, and how wonderful it has turned out.  We will continue to evolve as we strive to meet our residents’ and visitors’ needs,” says Heather Gray, the general manager of the Market Common in an interview with the Insider.    “We’re incorporating the Taste of the Market Common event into the celebration,” says Katherine Taylor, one of the organizers of the party.  “It was so popular last year, we thought it would be a great idea to celebrate with it.”  Katherine recently relocated to North Carolina with her family, but previously worked in the marketing department at the Market Common office.  The 10th Anniversary celebration was one of the last, and she felt, best projects she worked on.  She, Heather Gray, and Halé Richardson, the corporate director of marketing, all collaborated jointly to plan for this commemorative celebration.  There will be a huge birthday cake in front of the Grand 14, compliments of the Market Common, and they will be giving away promotional items throughout the day.  Farmers market vendors will be on Howard Avenue selling produce and other edible sundries as a prelude of what is to come during the summer months.  There will be complimentary carriage rides, musical acts throughout the downtown area, and sidewalk sales hosted by the area’s stores.  There will also be bouncy houses, balloon art, and face painting.  Since the event will take place at the finale of the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival, there will be photo ops with a production slate and an oversized director’s chair in front of the movie theater.  And then there’s the star of the show, the Taste of the Market Common.  The Taste is much what it sounds like– the chance for participants to taste culinary delights from many of the area’s downtown restaurants including: Co Sushi, Travinia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, The Brass Tap, Cold Stone Creamery, Tupelo Honey Cafe, Gordon Biersch, King Street Grill, Nacho Hippo, and Peace, Love and Little Donuts, all at one go.  Each restaurant is enticed to create the best of what they can offer in one of three categories— appetizer, entree, and dessert.  There will be menus available at two ticket booths the day of the event so you can plan the scale of your tasting.  Each ticket costs $1, and each menu item costs a select number of tickets.  Each restaurant that you taste at will sign off on your restaurant card, and when you’re finished, submit your card back at the ticket booth for your chance to be entered in a grand prize drawing.  Taste at one, get entered once; taste at five or more, and you’re entered twice.  All of the revenue from the Taste goes back to the restaurants, so the event is designed to be fun for participants while supporting the local economy.  There’s also an opportunity for people to vote for their favorite.  The restaurant that has the most votes in each category will win bragging rights as well as free marketing courtesy of the Market Common office— incentives for all to be preparing their finest dishes for the event.  “We’re bringing back a fan favorite from last year for the 10th Anniversary celebration because it was so well attended,” Katherine says.  “Our plan is to have the Taste of the Market Common be an annual event.  We and our restaurants felt that it was successful, and the attendees were happy that they got to come out and sample a little bit from so many restaurants without it costing a fortune.”    Four thousand people attended last year’s Taste.  And this year’s double event means that the Market Common office is anticipating quite a crowd.  “All of this works harmoniously to bring an atmosphere of festivity,” Katherine says.  “It will be a day to remember at the Market Common.  It’s incredibly exciting it see how far we’ve come, and to capstone these ten years with such a nice event.  I”m honored to work on it.”  Bouncy houses and more planned for the big bash. – Photo courtesy of the Market Common offices.  “All the staff are very proud of the Market Common,” Heather says.  “We’re passionate about what our center can offer the public.  And we all want our customers to have the best customer service when they walk on the property.  There’s a lot of gratification in everything that we do, and this anniversary celebration is also a celebration of that— a recognition of our intentions and achievements.”  “I’m very proud of all the behind-the-scenes people who work here at the Market Common,” she continues.  “They show up each day with a positive outlook and want to do the best job they can.  And I feel that’s because they share a common feeling of pride in the Market Common, of what it is, and what it looks like, that we present to the public.  “A lot of our staff have been here since the opening of the Market Common and that’s something to be proud of and celebrate.  Without them, this place would not look and be as well maintained as it is.  I think they do a superb job.”  The Market Common hopes this celebration brings people who have always been loyal customers as well as those who have never been here before to explore the beautiful setting, shops and restaurants.  The event celebrates ten wonderful years and brings the customers along for that ride, with a thank you for journeying with … Read more

Q&A with Mark & Jill Robbins

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Meet Your Neighbors

These Bird-Watching Manhattanites Are Loving Their 5-Bedroom House and the Happy People Around Them by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family.  I live with my wife, Jill Robbins, and my two little Havanese dogs, Jack and Kelly. They are brother and sister, a Cuban breed that would run behind elephants at the circus; they are adorable. Why did you move to the Market Common? My wife’s been coming to Myrtle Beach since she was little. We liked the area for the restaurants and stores, and my wife suggested we move here. We moved to the Market Common because we were told this is an up-and-coming area; and it is. Three years ago, there were half the buildings here that there are now. It’s exploded. Where are all the places you came from? From the Westport/Fairfield Connecticut area; Manhattan for 30 years; Yonkers, the Bronx, Westchester, NY; and LA. Do you have a favorite place in the Market Common? The sitting areas in front of Barnes & Noble where you can observe the beauty of the area and the birds and children. I’m a bird watcher. What’s your favorite thing about living in the Market Common? The multicultural flavor of both the people and the stores. Restaurants that are Italian, Mexican, and French, and a variety of young people who have moved here. You have young and old; it’s a mixed area. How has your lifestyle changed since moving here? It’s become a lot quieter and a lot less expensive. I’ve become quieter and more at peace. I spent 30 years living on the 27th floor, now I live in a five bedroom house with a lot of space. And I don’t have to take the elevator. What new activities have you taken up since moving here? My wife started her own company called Jenny Paige Jewelry, www.jennypaige.com. She makes and sells meaning bracelets out of silver and natural gemstones. Now she sells to over forty hotels and stores along the Grand Strand. Do you find people friendlier or more at ease? After traveling much of the world, I’m incredibly enthralled with the fact that I have such kind, wonderful, loving neighbors and some of the best friends I’ve ever encountered here. What are your favorite things to do here? Annoying Latoya at the Insider. Is there anything that you miss or would like to see in the Market Common? A supermarket. And more stores displaying a greater diversity of cultures. A few more mom-and-pop shops with interesting things. A good delicatessen. A candy store.

Whether It’s a Gate Or A Fence It’s Gator Fence

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Gator Fence

They’ll Gator Done By Jonathan Townsend The hottest topic in the Myrtle Beach fencing and construction market is the formation of a new company out of some old faces.  Two of the largest fence companies in the area have merged and joined up with a fence distribution company to form one of the largest fence companies in the Myrtle Beach area, with the new name of Gator Fence, LLC.  The company was formed by three partners with the same common goals of serving the community with the best possible service and products.  Behind this merger was Danny Vulin, James Leone, and Jonathan Townsend.  Each has brought their own skills and talents into a rapidly growing business. Metro Fence LLC and Carolina Gator Fence have been established companies in the fencing industry for more than ten years.  Danny, the owner of Metro Fence, served the Wilmington and Myrtle Beach areas, building a strong commercial and residential business, while creating relationships with some of the Carolinas’ largest builders along the coast.  The owners of Gator Fence outside of their new warehouse off of Hwy. 707. From left to right: Jonathan Townsend, Jim Leone, and Danny Vullin Jim, the owner of Fence Source, has been selling fencing materials for his own company since 2011.  Jim has built a national customer base and sold to many companies including Metro Fence, and Creative Fence.  Jim has had a business relationship with both companies for many years.  Jon, the owner of Creative Fence Concepts, has been in the fencing industry for twenty-three years and of those, has owned Creative Fence for fourteen years.  During those years of ownership, the company was voted “Best Of The Beach” five years in a row.  He brings to the business a large commercial fencing background and a company that is a household name. Jim inspects a recent installation at the Farm at Timberlake subdivision. When it comes to commercial or residential chain link or other fencing, their specifications or yours, they Gator done The three owners and their companies came together in a story all their own.  Danny was making his transition from Metro Fence to Carolina Gator Fence, working hard to build his company.  With his dedicated team, he was able to secure the contacts necessary to make Carolina Gator Fence a viable fence company.  Jim had joined Danny’s team as a sales manager.  Jim and Danny were heading down the right path when they decided to become partners.  Jon had an opportunity offered to him and approached Jim and Danny with an offer from Creative Fence.  They were able to get Jon to continue down their path and merge Creative Fence with Carolina Gator Fence and move forward under the name Gator Fence, LLC. Gator Fence now has the ability to take on any size project.  They consistently run five installation crews and trucks daily.  Gator Fence covers an area from Wilmington to Charleston for installation of projects.  They have a full product line for everything fence-related.  In their 5,000 square foot warehouse accompanied by the 30,000 square foot outdoor storage yard on Highway 707, they are stocked with many fence components. Danny checks the fence along the entrance to the subdivision. The trio have recently begun manufacturing vinyl and aluminum fence products right here in Myrtle Beach with their new company, Fence Source Distributors, LLC Gator Fence fabricates and installs all types of vinyl fencing and railing.  They have a strong lineup in the aluminum fence category that will fit your project and budget with many color and texture options.  When it comes to commercial or residential chain link fencing, their specifications or yours, they have you covered.  They also  carry all styles and types of wood fencing, or you can custom design your own. Another component that Gator Fence and its owners have launched is Fence Source Distributors, LLC.  Fence Source is a full service supply company to the public and the trade.  Jonathan gives the Insider team a tour of their quality fencing at one of their recent installations at the Farm at Timberlake Subdivision Fence Source is going to be manufacturing vinyl and aluminum fence products right here in Myrtle Beach.  They have special equipment that includes a computerized CNC router machine that is designed to precision cut the openings in the rails, posts, and handrails.  The fabrication crews build customer jobs and package them for pickup or delivery daily. There is a small showroom and outdoor displays attached to the main manufacturing facility.  Across Highway 707 from that facility is a large sales center that is full of displays and information with a full sales staff eager to help; whether it’s a gate or a fence, they have you covered. Gator Fence Envelope Phone Internet-explorer

Island Furniture Porch Patio and Pool

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Where Quality, Price, and Great Service Co-exist by Melissa LaScaleia “My wife Nell and I moved here in 1977,” John Boyd, the owner of Island Furniture Porch Patio and Pool tells the Insider in an interview.  “And we’ve had a retail footprint in this area ever since that time.” The duo began in the wholesale lamp industry, selling lamps made out of seashells to furniture stores, boutiques, and lighting centers up and down the East and Gulf Coasts.  Eventually they opened several retail locations along the Grand Strand.  Over the years, to meet the evolving tastes and demands of their clients, they began to sell furniture. Today their primary focus is on offering high quality outdoor furniture, including Amish pergolas, gazebos, and free-standing structures. “We’ve been in this business in the South Strand since 1982; we’ve been at this current location since 1990; and it’s been my wife and I the entire time,” John says.  “And during that time, we’ve reinvented ourselves and what we offer every ten years or so.” John and Nell inside their outdoor furniture store. The couple stays abreast of current products, trends and prices, to bring the highest quality products with great discounts to their Myrtle Beach clientele. Photo by Megan Parker/Latoya Grayson The driving force pushing John and Nell to transition into carrying exclusively outdoor furniture is the recent explosion of the poly lumber industry.  Poly lumber is an environmentally friendly plastic product made out of recycled milk cartons.  Contrary to what the uninitiated may think, this is not a cheap product, either in terms of quality or price. “Recycled plastic costs more than the original because it costs more to recycle it than manufacture it,” John says. The company who makes the furniture John stocks is Amish, and they also make pergolas and gazebos.  Most items in their catalog come in forty-two different colors as well as a myriad of color combinations. The Amish made poly lumber furniture, made from recycled plastic. Photo by Megan Parker “We probably have one of the largest displays of this outdoor furniture on all of the East Coast,” John says. Poly lumber furniture produces less waste from manufacturing than other materials, doesn’t wear as poorly, and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance to stay looking good.  And it’s primarily made in the United States.  Outdoor recycled furniture appeared on the market about ten years ago, but it took a while before people caught on to its virtues. For those looking for more traditional styles and materials, John and Nell also carry wicker, aluminum, and teak. “We have a variety of product lines to choose from,” he says.  “I’ve done the shopping for you. I’ve traveled, I know the products, the quality, and the prices.  Everything I’m selling here is as good as you can buy on the market offered at heavily discounted prices.” The interior of their colorful shop will satisfy a variety of tastes in outdoor furnishings and art. Photo by Megan Parker “Retail today is nothing like it was in 2006 and before,” he continues.  “People then would come into the store, see a lamp they liked, and buy it.  Today, they take a picture and look online to see if they can get it for $5 cheaper.” To compete with the new shopping trends, John and Nell do their own internet research and can match or offer better prices than are found online. “We also offer the full service that a large company does,” John says.  “There is a saying in this business: there’s price, quality, and service, but you can’t have all three, only two.  But for us, we strive to give you all three— high quality products, at low prices, delivered with quality service.” Island Furniture Porch Patio and Pool Open M-Sa 10am-5pm. Envelope Phone Internet-explorer

Helping Mr. James Lee

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Latoya Goes Viral by Melissa LaScaleia Latoya Grayson became acquainted with the homeless 74-year-old Mr. James Lee when they had an encounter at a restaurant where she offered to buy him chicken wings. “He was so friendly and appreciative and I was so happy to help him,” she says of the meeting. The next day, by chance, Latoya saw a video about him on Facebook; seeing him again, she felt compassion. Soon thereafter, Mr. James Lee popped into the Insider office where Latoya works in the capacity of public relations and marketing director; he was waiting for a ride and exploring his surroundings. Latoya and Mr. James Lee Mr. Lee was as surprised to see Latoya there as she was him.  He told her that he had shared the basket of chicken wings with a few other homeless people, and how much they appreciated them.  Moved by the series of synchronicities, and desirous of showing her son the man she had spoken about, Latoya asked to get a photo with him. To her astonishment, that Facebook post along with her caption, “to treat others as you want to be treated,” went viral.  And people started contacting her by the droves asking how they could help Mr. James Lee too.  She created a GoFundMe page for him, and in one week raised $10,000. From left to right: Pastor Chuck, Kr. James Lee, Kathy Canup (wife of Pastor Chuck) and Latoya Grayson at the Myrtle Beach Speedway where Mr. Owens is employed. “I felt that this task was just brought to me,” she says.  “And I just had to help.  I appreciate all the love and support that people have been giving, and I apologize that I can’t respond to every single comment.  I want everyone to know though, that I’m in close contact with Pastor Chuck of Rushing Winds Ministries in Myrtle Beach. “He is a humble, caring and kind man, and he’s offering Mr. James Lee shelter and so much more.  I’m going to ask Mr. James Lee, how do you define help?  And then put together a master plan for his care and his money long term.  I’ll keep everyone posted via Facebook.”

Getting Artistic with a Springtime Ritual

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The Coastal Insider

Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of Market Common. Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life along side their human companions. Here, we’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together.  This month, Charlie digs into spring, proverbially, of course. He respects the hard work of the Market Common’s landscapers. He would never mess up their flower plots by physically digging. “Spring is here again.  And what better way to welcome it than with a ritual.  or centuries rituals have been an important part of cultures across the globe, marking the passage of time and the cycles of the seasons in ways that are meaningful and joyful. These are cycles that we’re all a part of simply by being alive. How neat! That means that anyone can partake of them. In ancient times, because groups were localized largely in one place, rituals became imbued with meaning that was characteristic of the landscape, climate, customs, and beliefs of the people (and I hope animals) of that place.  But with today’s modern global world, we have access and exposure to all cultures and beliefs.  Which means that not only can anyone partake of them, but we can even partake of ones that aren’t indigenous to our culture or geographical area.  How’s that for wonderful and beautiful? The one that most speaks to me this year is egg coloring.  Here’s why: it’s an art project that involves food and I, for one, really appreciate food as well as bright colors, even though I’m not entirely sure that I eat eggs.  But still, it’s the idea that counts, and that’s the key to ritual anyhow– it’s powerful because of the meaning that you ascribe to it; it’s the beauty that it represents, and what you are celebrating. Coloring eggs around Easter time isn’t just a Christian tradition, although many people think it is.  Eggs have been a symbol of rebirth and new life since the dawn of time it seems, (if we are to believe archaeology at any rate).  So rituals incorporating them at spring, the season of rebirth and new life, are to be expected.  In ancient times, rather than dying eggs, people used to paint them.  Archaeologists have unearthed remains of painted ostrich eggs from Mesopotamia, and reaching as far back as pre-history, when there were Neanderthals, and people didn’t have fire or indoor plumbing. Painting eggs was a common way for the people of what is today modern Russia and other Slavic countries to celebrate spring, centuries before Jesus’ birth.  The custom still continues to this day.  Christians adopted it too because for them it became associated with the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  And so, just like the internet connects us all, these symbols of the seasons, of what’s happening on our planet, connect us all, no matter our beliefs. Until next time, P.S. Follow me on Facebook to keep up with all my latest news, www.facebook.com/InsiderCharliesCorner and on Instagram @charlieparkerscorner. Read more of Charlie’s sage advice, reflections on life, and ruminations here.  

Ask Your Expert – Gasque Insurance

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A friend of the community, Ronnie Gasque, owner of the Gasque Insurance Agency, is here to answer questions about insurance.  “Gasque Insurance Agency has been protect- ing our area residents for almost 50 years now. And we’ll continue to do so.” – Ronnie Gasque Would I be covered if my boat were on the river and hit by another boat that has no insurance? If another boat were to hit you and they were uninsured or under-insured your boat policy would extend coverage as long you have proper coverage on your policy. I recently had my boat towed and it was very expensive.  Can I get towing included on my boat policy? With the proper endorsement on your boat owner’s policy, towing can be included in your premium. If a hurricane/tornado does damage to my boat, am I covered? If your boat is damaged in a hurricane, tornado or even in a severe storm, your boat would be covered as long as you have “property coverage” on your boat owner’s policy. This coverage is similar to comprehensive and collision coverage on a personal automobile policy. If I hit another vehicle while towing my boat, is it covered? The damage to your boat is covered as long as you have appropriate “property coverage”. Damage to what you hit is covered by your automobile policy. Ronnie Gasque Read more from Ask Your Expert here.   At Phone-alt Phone Internet-explorer

Did You Know?

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by Emma Ware, D.H.N, C.N, C.C.H The definition of GMO is quite literally, ‘genetically modified food’. In layman’s terms, that means altering pure and natural foods with chemicals and preservatives to change their DNA. I encourage you to learn how to read labels and apply it to your weekly purchases.  Understanding what the preservatives and chemicals are to stay away from are essential in maintaining a happy gut! When you stop to read the packages at your local grocery store you will see that chemicals and preservatives are in next to every product on the center aisles. After all, think about it, those preservatives are what allows the products/boxed foods to sit on our shelves for as long as they do without losing shape, spoiling or ‘going bad’. Photo courtesy of Emma Ware. Each person who comes to me for food guidance is taught the key chemicals to steer clear of when reading boxed foods.  When they’re faced with words they’ve never seen before, my clients too, know that they can text me for confirmation before they purchase.  And although it can be a challenge, given the size of our grocery stores now a days, I invite everyone I meet to ‘only shop from the perimeter of the grocery store’. It’s more fun (and colorful, I might add) that way anyway. Make shopping fun!  Prepare a menu for the week and therefore write a list of fresh produce that you’ll need each week.  By going to the store prepared, we lessen the temptation to mindlessly buy unhealthy and chemically infused foods.  My favorite way to avoid the challenge of seeking out non-GMO foods is to buy from the local farmers markets.  Here, you can count on fresh raised produce. Remember, eating fresh, unaltered whole foods offers health benefits that aren’t available in processed or packaged foods. Are you up for the challenge? Go out on your next trip and count how many NON-GMO food items you can find. It will be eye opening and gut approved.  If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate in stopping by my shop.  We are located at 2798 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach, in the Market Common.  Or give me a call at 843.997.7037. I’ll be available, ready to help you.

Wings Over Myrtle Beach Air Show

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The Blue Angels and More Landing in The Market Common April 28 -29 by Melissa LaScaleia The Wings Over Myrtle Beach air show is coming to the Market Common for the first time this April with plans to become an annual event.  Organized and executed by Air Force veteran John Cowman, it will feature performances by the world famous Blue Angels Jet Demonstration Squadron, the USAF F-16 Viper Demo Team, and GEICO Skytypers Air Show Team.  John owns his own air show management company based out of Rome, Georgia and produces multiple air shows per year. “I was in the Air Force for thirty-seven years,” he tells the Insider in an interview.  “I’m retired now.  I was one of five crew members on C-130’s.  I worked as a loadmaster, and my job was to take care of the weight and balance for the plane— all of the loading and unloading.  I was also the air-drop guy.  I managed everything that gets dropped out of the plane from the air onto the ground.”  “I also did big air shows in the military,” John continues.  “I was kind of like a projects officer.  In the military, they have events called open houses, in which people can come in from the outside to see what’s going on, and they include air shows.  And I helped to organize a lot of these.”  John was born in Brunswick, Georgia.  After he retired from the Air Force, he stuck close to his Southern roots and decided to put his skills to work by opening his own air show management company.  He created Wings Over North Georgia in Rome and Wings Over Golden Isles in Brunswick, and is now adding Myrtle Beach to his list.  A view from the ground. What’s in store for spectators next month. – Photo courtesy of Blue Angels. “There’s more than 300 air shows that take place in North America every year,” he tells me.  “But there’s very few people who would undertake the risk that I do.  Most are military or community events; ours is private, and there’s a lot of liability involved.”  To build a show in which a private company is responsible for everything is very unique, but John believes it’s the trend of the future, that veterans like him will begin to follow.  “It’s a business,” he says, “and you have to treat it like one.  It’s a very expensive undertaking to produce a show of the magnitude and caliber that we do.  It’s much like Nascar coming to town.  And few people have the skill set to know what to do in terms of creating a world class air show.”  To hold a show, John and his company basically build a city from scratch.  He hires performers, and organizes all of the logistics with their travel, accommodations, and other services that they’ll need during the show.  He organizes the vendors, handles the marketing, sales, advertising, as well as tending to what is needed for the practical implementation of a large scale event in terms of patron services.  He also organizes all of the Federal Aviation Administration regulations, and works with the community as well as the medical, law enforcement, and firefighter teams to ensure the smooth running the weekend of the event.  Retired USAF veteran John Cowman is putting his skills to work to bring a top-tier show to Market Common. – Photo courtesy of Blue Angels. “It’s a lot of work,” John says.  “But with my career in the military, it was like I put myself through air show school.”  The Myrtle Beach show will see representation from all five branches of the military as well as civilian aerobatic performers.  The Blue Angels are the United States Navy active duty premier jet demonstration team.  They are the recruitment and marketing leg of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.  “We have the ‘who’s who’ of the world aerobatic performers at this show,” John adds.    Wings Over Myrtle Beach Wings Over Myrtle Beach will take place at 1250 Airdrome Ave, in the Market Common, April 28-29, 11am-5pm.  Same show both days.  Visit their site for tickets and more info.   Internet-explorer

Q&A with Carl Sivertsen

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Carl Sivertsen Loves His “Boomer Walks,” Getting Dirty At the Community Garden, and Solving the World’s Problems Over a Good Cup of Java by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family.   It’s myself and my wife Cathy. We have amongst us four children and five grandchildren. We’re both retired now. She was a second grade teacher, and I worked with education and outreach programs dealing with West Nile Virus and Lyme disease. Why did you move to the Market Common?  We live in Emmens Preserve. We’ve vacationed here over the years, and we realized upon retirement it would be nice to be in a warmer climate, with a more reasonable cost of living, and no traffic. And of course being close to the beach is always a plus. Where are all the places you came from?  I was born and raised in Jersey, and she was raised in Buffalo. I lived in Georgia, then I served in the army and lived in the Washington, D.C. area. Do you have a favorite place in Myrtle Beach?   A couple. One, we like to hang out at the Roasted Bean, along with a group of scholars who are intent on solving the world’s problems in the morning. Tommy Bahama is one of my go-to places too. What’s your favorite thing about living in the Market Common? The convenience of things in the Market Common area. The Base Recreation Center is a cool place, with frequent dances that we enjoy. I also like my work helping to manage the community garden. What new activities have you taken up since moving here?  I’m one of the organizers of the Boomer Walk; it’s race walking. We do that on Thursday mornings at 9am, and Sunday afternoons at 3pm. We get together and walk and stretch together. Recently we had a former member from the national team come and help guide us and give us tips. My wife takes Spanish lessons, and of course we travel a little bit. I also serve on the planning commission for the City of Myrtle Beach, helping to make Myrtle Beach better.

Surfside Beach Family Happenings in March

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by the Town of Surfside Beach True to its moniker, Surfside Beach, “The Family Beach”, will conduct two of their family events this month.  The ninth annual Surfside Beach BBQ Festival will be held March 9th and 10th on Surfside Drive near the pier.  Friday the 9th will be “Anything But BBQ” where the competing BBQ vendors will cook and sell their “favorite” dish, i.e. chicken wings, chicken bog, soups, chili, etc. from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday the 10th will be the actual BBQ competition, where each vendor will cook and sell their BBQ.  The public will be encouraged to vote for their favorite, and cash prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place. Over 60 local arts and crafts vendors, companies promoting their businesses, and snack vendors will also be on site.  There will be inflatables and games for the children.  Live entertainment will be provided by the bluegrass band, The Crave & Company, from 10am-1pm, and the country band, The Josh Brannon Band, from 1-4pm.  Admission to the event is free. Information: On Saturday, March 31st H. Blue Huckabee Complex, located at 499 Spanish Oak Drive (off Glenns Bay Road) will host the town’s annual Easter Egg Hunt and Kid’s Fair.  The egg hunt will begin at 1pm.  The first 500 children ages 10 and under will be divided into three groups – ages 4 and under; ages 5-7; and ages 8-10.  Children will hunt for the eggs and receive a goody bag containing candy and prizes.  The Easter Bunny as well as a princess and super hero will be on site. The Kid’s Fair will be from 1:30- 4pm. Train rides, inflatables, face painting, and balloon art are all free of charge.  Surfside Christian Church will be cooking and giving away hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks.  Concession vendors will be selling cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones, and funnel cakes. The Champion Autism Network (CAN) will host a sensory friendly Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 31st at 10am at the Passive Park located at the corner of Willow Drive North and Surfside Drive.  Each child who hunts will receive a goodie bag. For information, contact Debbie Ellis Article is brought to you and edited by Surfside Beach staff and administration. At Phone

The Mac n’ Cheese You Weren’t Expecting

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The Mac n’ Cheese You Weren’t Expecting When we’re looking for non-traditional, think-outside-the-box recipes, we always turn to Megan for delicious ideas. And this month’s recipe is no exception. With an alternative take on a down-home staple, this dairy-free, vegan mac and cheese is a nice, satisfying meal for the transitional season of March. As we shake off the last vestiges of winter, but haven’t quite moved into full-time warm blazes of summer, head to the kitchen to make this. The creamy consistency still offers comfort, but without the heft we tend to crave in the winter months. A perfect springtime meal. Ingredients Serves 4 1 box of POW! Green Lentil rotini pasta, or your favorite pasta 1 butternut squash olive oil micro-greens (as a garnish) Sauce ½ cup roasted butternut squash ½ cup raw unsalted cashews 2 tbsp olive oil 1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt Juice from ½ a lemon 1 peeled garlic clove 1 tbsp nutritional yeast ¼-½ cup water (depending on your desired thickness) Directions Preheat the oven to 400°. Rinse and using a vegetable peeler, peel the butternut squash. Cut in half lengthwise, and using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and membrane and discard. (The roasted seeds also make a tasty snack. Rinse them, sprinkle with sea salt, and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.) Cut the squash into cubes, spread on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Roast the squash for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Then remove from the oven to cool and set aside. In the meantime, in a large saucepan, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil on the stove. Follow the package directions for cooking the pasta, then drain and set aside. Combine all the sauce ingredients except the water and garnish in a blender or food processor until well mixed.  Slowly add in the water until the mixture becomes a sauce and reaches your preferred texture level of creaminess. Mix the sauce into the pasta, and garnish with micro-greens. To see some more of our recipes, visit our Recipe Corner!

Surfside Beach South Strand Senior Center

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by the Town of Surfside Beach The South Strand Senior Center is conveniently located in Surfside Beach on 10th Ave. North, next to the Harbor Lights Community, so it is open 9am-2pm Mon- day through Friday. This Senior Center serves nearby South Strand Communities in Horry County. A variety of activities are offered, ranging from exercise and health promotion, as well as crafts, games and great fellowship, for Seniors age 60 and above. Membership is $20 per year per person and includes access to all 11 Horry County Council on Aging Senior Centers. Complimentary snacks are served daily, as well as hot lunches each day free, with small donations appreciated. Van transportation is provided for those in need, at a nominal cost ($.75 – $1.00 depending on income). Riders must have mobility to get on/off the van unassisted. Field trips, outings, and other special events are scheduled during the year.  There are also a host of guest speakers. A current calendar of guests is available from the senior center manager. South Strand Senior Center Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-1:30PM; Jackie Willis, Manager   For more info visit website below. Article brought to you and edited by the Surfside Beach staff and administration. Envelope Phone Internet-explorer Video

2018 Surfside Beach Elections

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by the Town of Surfside Beach The Town of Surfside Beach is holding a general election on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. There are three positions on the Town Council that will be vacant, therefore these need to be filled. It is a four year term of office, running from May 8, 2018 until May 10, 2022. Polling locations open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. on Election Day The winning candidate does not need an absolute majority.  To be successful, a candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast for the seat they are running for.  The majority is calculated by totaling the number of votes cast for the open position. This number is then divided by three, and then by two.  A number of votes in excess of this figure is considered successful. If there is a tie, or no three candidates achieve a majority, a run-off election is held within two weeks of the regular election to fill the open positions.  There are two polling places thru out town to make voting easy and also convenient. Information: Town Council and the General Election A council form of government governs Surfside Beach.  There are seven members on the Town Council, including the Mayor.  The terms of the council members do not run concurrently to ensure a continuity in government. The Mayor has no additional statutory powers than a Council person. The Mayor presides over council meetings, calls special meetings, acts as the informational liaison to the governor in times of emergency and also performs ceremonial duties. The mayor acts and votes as a member of the council. An Administrator, appointed by the Town Council oversees the town business and also the day to day operations of the various departments.  There are seven candidates for three seats in the next election: Carol Cook, Tim Courtney, Bruce Dietrich, David Pellegrino, Debbie Scoles, MaryNell True, and Cabell Young.  Visit www.surfsidebeach.org/elections-commission for more information. Article brought to you and edited by Surfside Beach staff and administration.

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