For over fifty years, visitors and residents to the island of Sunset Beach, North Carolina, made their way slowly over a one-lane wooden pontoon bridge to reach this peaceful, slow-moving beach community. Island life revolved around the opening and closing of the bridge, which took 15 minutes to accomplish. Dinner plans off island were always prefaced with the question: “Want to go before the bridge opens or after?” Vacationers hearing the “thunk-thunk” of their tires on the bridge would release the cares of everyday life and know that vacation had truly begun.

But, as idyllic and picturesque as the bridge was, there were safety concerns. Emergency vehicles might get stuck on the mainland while a sick or injured islander lost precious minutes that could conceivably cost a life. Residents could become stranded during a major hurricane and be left alone to face the wrath of nature on a small, unprotected strip of land. And, the hands of time had taken their toll on the last pontoon bridge still in operation on the East Coast – each year it sank just a little lower into the waters of the Intracoastal Waterway. The beautiful, new, Mannon C. Gore Bridge was built, opening on November 11, 2010, sailing majestically over the waterway – giving residents a safe and secure way to travel back and forth.

But, three women who love Sunset Beach, Chris Wilson, Ann Bokelman and Karen Dombrowski were determined to preserve the Old Bridge and its history for future generations. Together they formed The Old Bridge Preservation Society, and through their efforts, the Old Bridge and Tender House were relocated to a lovely, shaded piece of property within sight of the new bridge. Today, The Old Bridge Museum and Interpretive Center site is open to the public with periodic events highlighting the history and charm of this small sea island. The museum itself will be open to the public as soon as the restoration is complete.

How did you all get involved with the preservation of the Old Bridge and Tender House?

Karen: I’m originally from Buffalo, New York, vacationed here for many years and moved here permanently three years ago. Before I moved, I was involved with the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservatory and have a heart for preservation. It was truly serendipity that Ann, Chris and I sat near each other at a Sunset Beach town meeting about the fate of the Old Bridge. When we learned it was set to be demolished, we knew we had to do something. We thought we would save a bridge, but it quickly became a labor of love.

Ann: I moved here from Richmond, Virginia, and have lived here for five years, but, like Karen, have vacationed in Sunset Beach for years. Bridges connect places, but the Old Bridge connects people – past and present. This bridge represented our island and a simple, non-commercial life for many years. We are trying to tell the story of Sunset Beach, and are collecting stories of what the bridge has meant to people through the years – weddings that were late, proposals that were made on the bridge – we’re keeping history alive.

Chris: I moved here six years ago from Dublin, Ohio, but am a native of Rochester, New York. The three of us have become kindred spirits through a love for our island and the Old Bridge. We had no idea how we were going to preserve it – but with lots of help we saved it for future generations! Karen helped us with a contact at English Construction, the construction company that was building the new bridge, and they helped this dream take shape. We knew the construction company would actually own the Old Bridge after the new one was complete – and they sold it to us for $1! Then, bless them, they moved it to our site – free of charge. It was an amazing feat to move the Old Bridge and Tender House with very little damage to either. We also owe a huge debt to Ronnie Holden, who offered us the use of three properties, our choice, for the site of the museum. Ronnie and his wife, Clarice have been wonderful supporters of our mission.

Karen: The three of us spent time with the last Bridge Tenders and learned how the bridge operated, as well as many wonderful stories. We also have the logs that were kept by the Bridge Tenders. They recorded each and every boat that came through, along with the weather and time of day. These interviews were recorded and will be shown at the museum when the restoration of the Tender House is complete.

Ann: During the final stages of building the new bridge and moving the old one, the three of us were on call 24/7 for meetings with various people involved with the project. It has been a huge learning experience and a tremendous amount of work.

Chris: Last summer a woman was riding her bike by our site and got so excited when she saw the Old Bridge she fell off of her bike! Another person started to cry when she realized we had saved this piece of island history. People stop by and tell us stories and have their picture taken by the Old Bridge. A family reunion group of around 40 people even stopped by for a group photo.

Ann: We have a membership society for people who want to be a part of our mission, and a special Junior Bridge Tender membership for children, who are an important part of our group. We have children out here at every event – they help with fundraisers, give tours and record stories. It’s very rewarding to see how excited they are about the history of our community.

What’s coming up for the Old Bridge?

On Saturday, April 14, we’re having a fundraiser at Silver Coast Winery. “An Evening of Fabulous Music” will be at 7 pm with entertainment by Brunswick Big Band and vocalist, Linda Ladrick. Tickets are $25 and will support the continued restoration of the Old Bridge and Tender House. Tickets are available on our website.

We are moving forward with the restoration and programming for visitors, and just finished touching up the bridge with the original type of silver paint used by the state and have had helical anchors installed. We will eventually have changing exhibits in the Tender House as the restoration continues. A local engineer volunteered to build a scale model, 12′ x 12′, of the Old Bridge and Tender House and his presentations always draw a crowd.

This is a fantastic community.

Learn more at www.oldbridgepreservationsociety.org or find Old Bridge Preservation Society on Facebook.

Gracious, articulate and attractive, 81 year-old Nell Cribb, lifelong resident of Georgetown, is someone most people in this small town know – or have at least seen walking the streets of the historic district in period dress while operating her tour company, Miss Nell’s Walking Tours. This active octogenarian also collects Coca Cola® memorabilia and has it displayed throughout her lovely Front Street home. Recently retired from the tour business, Nell sat down with Sasee to share some of her memories.

Why did you start Miss Nell’s Walking Tours?

This was my retirement business. I was the secretary at Winyah High School for 31 years, and when I retired I knew I wanted to do something outside and be around people, so this was a perfect fit. I have been blessed with two fulfilling careers.

When I started doing tours, I thought it would be busiest in the summer months, but spring and fall were the best times. I did tours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm, but I would take appointments for other times. Sometimes I did as many as four a day!

When I was growing up, my parents instilled in me an appreciation for history. They both loved Georgetown and passed that love on to me. People here have been so friendly and receptive to my tours and the tour goers. My guests would tell me that they were pleasantly surprised that everyone spoke “Good Morning” to them without knowing them! I told them that was good old Southern hospitality. And, many of the historic homeowners would allow me to take guests into their homes – a perfect example of how welcoming and gracious the people of Georgetown are to everyone.

I was always conscious that my guests were getting their impression of Georgetown through me. I wanted them to have a good time, so I always tried to tailor the tours to the interests of the people taking them. Every tour was a little different. Most people remember stories and tidbits, not necessarily historical facts.

I also did step-on tours on charter buses and even small cruise ships that dock here on the way to Florida from Boston. Once, a tour bus operator stopped me, frantic, saying the company had not scheduled a step-on tour guide for the group. I told him to let them go shopping for an hour while I conducted a scheduled tour. Then, he told me there was no money budgeted for the tour – I told him not to worry, I would do it anyway. I always wanted to give people enough information to entice them to come back and get to know Georgetown a little better. It turned out that the people on the bus took up money to pay me. If I hadn’t stepped up, those people may have left Georgetown with the wrong impression and might never have come back.

What do you think of Georgetown today?

I think it’s getting better and better. The late Tom Davis, former publisher of the Georgetown Times, started the idea for our Harborwalk, and it has been wonderful for Georgetown. And, now we have the Winyah Auditorium for cultural events.

There is always something new to learn about this town. Once in a while someone on a tour would ask me a question I just did not know. I was always honest, and I would get their name and address and mail them the answer.

I love your home and all of your Coca Cola® memorabilia. How did you start collecting?

I have lived here since 1970 – the house was built in 1923 and ’24. At one time, the city stopped at St. James Street [about a block from Nell’s house], and this area was called “Browntown.” The oldest house in Georgetown, the Ulmer House, was built in 1734 and is on Prince Street.

I never said, “I’m going to start collecting Coca Cola® things;” it just happened. At Christmastime, the coke company would send me a case of bottled Cokes, and I put all gifts under the tree. The year the local bottling company closed I was given cups, plates, etc., and I put those under the tree as well. My friends noticed and started giving me more Coke items. My latest is a six pack of Cokes from Dubai featuring South Africa’s 2010 World Cup.

What are your plans for the New Year?

After 22 years of giving tours, I decided it was time to step away. Someone else may be able to portray Georgetown in a completely different light. I turned my business over to native Georgetonian, Debbie Summey.

Hopefully, this year I’m going to inventory my Coca Cola® collection. I need to get this done for my daughters, Vickie and Cammie. I’m not good on the computer, but a friend has offered help. Someone told me I should ask Ripley’s to come and do the inventory – I may have one of the world’s largest private collections!

I am family-oriented and have been doing a quarterly family newsletter for the past 40 years. We are a big family; I was one of twelve children and eleven lived to adulthood. I believe it’s important that we stay connected. People used to have Sunday dinners at Grandmother’s house and always knew who they were related to – it’s not that way anymore. I thank God every day for my life, and that I was fortunate enough to grow up and live in Georgetown and share my talents with others.

One of the first things you learn about Sharon Clayton is that she has a big heart. A native of the Washington D.C. area, Sharon and her husband, Michael, own a vacation home in Myrtle Beach, and her two sons live here year-round; Nicholas is a senior at CCU and Tony is a recent graduate. What is not well known – and she’ll never tell – is how much Sharon does for members of our community that need a helping hand, a hug or just a smile. This philanthropic-minded woman owns Frugal Princess, a small boutique in Myrtle Beach that donates all of its profits to charity.

Sharon, how did you come up with the idea of opening the Frugal Princess?

There is no one reason I opened Frugal Princess, but I do feel a need to give back – and I love to shop! My merchandise comes from many sources; I buy designer samples in Atlanta and New York, shop sales throughout my travels and accept donations from outside of the area. We are not a consignment or thrift shop – I have accepted a few “gently loved” pieces, but they are like new, dry-cleaned and ready to wear – and not from anyone in this area. Most importantly, I am tied to the Myrtle Beach area because Nicholas and Tony are here. I tell people I followed my sons to college!

Everyone is not a size 2, so I stock all sizes, even curvaceous sizes, and my customers range in age from teenagers to women in their 80s. I strive to find unique pieces to the area. Prices are great, too, ranging from around $20 to $60. I only open Thursdays and Fridays seasonally, but people make an effort to come when I’m here. I think it’s the thrill of the hunt, you just never know what treasures you’ll find!

Why give all the profits to local charities?

Volunteering has always been a part of what our family does. I used to help purchase clothing for children in Northern Virginia. People always donated for the little ones, but not so much for teens. And, if they did, there was no guarantee anything would fit. Now, I can buy things on sale and help others. Teenagers come in that have never set foot in a boutique – they have no idea how to shop here. By the time they leave, they are smiling and having a good time. And, my profits go mainly to charities that focus on helping women in the area, plus some private donations where it’s needed.

It makes me so proud to see my sons beginning to give back. Nicholas is in charge of fundraising for his fraternity now. Like most families, we’ve had our share of tragedy, but it has only made us all more aware of how very fortunate we are to have each other.

What do you do for fun?

I love being on the water, and my perfect day is sitting on our boat picking crabs. Or, sitting on the pier with Michael, watching the sun set and drinking a glass of wine. When I’m in Myrtle Beach, I love walking on the beach with my two little dogs.

My family home is in Southern Maryland – it has been in my family for 60 years. Recently, I was able to buy it and begin renovations. It was hard to make the house my own, but still leave the memories that we all share, but I succeeded and everyone loves it.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about Frugal Princess?

I have made so many friends through this boutique. Women come in to shop and we end up talking and sharing our lives. We’re tiny, but there’s a lot of love in here.

Visit Sharon at the Frugal Princess on select Thursdays and Fridays throughout the year. The boutique is located at 3584 St. James Ave., just off the corner of 38th Ave. N. and Grissom Parkway. For more info, visit www.frugalprincess.org or follow Frugal Princess on Facebook.

Wanda Howard, owner of The Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood is sharp and successful; a woman who has worked very hard to build one of the most successful restaurant businesses on the Grand Strand. But, she is also a truly kind person, loved by her family, her employees and the community. The day we met, I walked into the large, 1,000 seat restaurant to be greeted with a smile and kind word by every employee I met before sitting down with Wanda and her daughter Mamie.

Wanda, when did you open Original Benjamin’s and what makes it so special?

My husband and I opened this restaurant in 1989 – he was an adventurer, always trying something new, and he taught me how to pray! We had vision – my family had been in the hotel business and knew that when we were asked where to go for seafood, we had to say Calabash or Murrells Inlet. There was nothing like this in Myrtle Beach at that time.

The restaurant was named for our former partner’s grandson. When he left the business, I wanted to keep the name. It’s the name of one of the twelve tribes in the Bible – one of the successful ones!

This time of year, people look forward to Gingerbread Lane, our gingerbread house contest. It started with just our employees. Now, it’s a regional event, with chefs planning their gingerbread houses as much as a year in advance. It’s very competitive. We also do fundraisers during the holiday season to give back to the community. Cans for Caring benefits Helping Hand and gives our customers $1 off for each canned or boxed food item they bring, up to $15.

This is a family restaurant, run by a family. My five children are all involved. The two youngest are still in college, but the oldest three work with me. I have eight grandchildren under five years old, and they all live close to me. Our employees are like family also. During the busy season, we have 250 employees; many have been here since we opened. You need people to promote your cause and support your vision. I am so grateful for all of them. We even have a model shipbuilder on staff that has restored many of the boats you see around the restaurant. He works here during business hours, and our customers love to watch him and ask questions.

Do you ever want to have more time for yourself? Any plans to retire?

No, I can’t imagine not working. I stay very active – both at work and at home enjoying my grandchildren. Also, my Christian faith is very important to me. There’s no telling what I’ll do next. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of renovations in the restaurant; I never knew I could do construction, but I’ve done it, and in the process, I’ve learned more about myself. I’m single now and have learned to do a lot more. Of course, it helps to have two sons, and we have one employee who only does repairs; he can fix most anything.

Mamie, what’s it like working for your mother?

Mamie: My mother is very strong and comforting to be around. She is so approachable, not just for me, but for all the staff. To know her is to love her. But, don’t mistake her meekness for weakness!

Wanda: I have tried to instill in my children that sometimes people do mistake meekness for weakness, but you do not have to be a doormat. God gives us all the ability to succeed and we don’t have to be mean to get the job done. I work alongside and with my employees.

Visit Gingerbread Lane this holiday season starting the week before Thanksgiving and running through the end of December. Contact Original Benjamin’s at 843-497-7230, www.originalbenjamins.com or find them on Facebook.

Medical Director of Georgetown Hospital System’s Breast Health Program, Dr. Craig Brackett is not your stereotypical surgeon. His team at Coastal Carolina Breast Center is the only one of its kind in our area; one of only eight programs in the state accredited by NAPBC (National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers) and was the third in the state to do needle biopsies. This type of cutting edge care is not typically found in small communities like ours, but Dr. Brackett’s passion and dedication have made this center a lifesaving reality for women with not only breast cancer, but all diseases of the breast. Most importantly, Dr. Brackett is a true healer – his genuine kindness and compassion instills the kind of confidence in his patients that facilitates recovery.

Dr. Brackett, please tell us about your work with Coastal Carolina Breast Center.

One of our primary goals is education. We don’t approach breast cancer with fear; the majority of cancers can be cured. Actually most of women I see don’t have cancer, but they’re all scared when they come in. Studies show that 70% of women with breast cancer are treated in their community, so we want to be able to offer university level care. Our team sees patients from Florence to Awendaw to the southern part of North Carolina.

Great changes for the better in breast cancer treatment have occurring during the last 10-15 years. Today, our multi-disciplinary team meets to decide the best possible treatment for each individual patient – all women are different. And, each member of our team wants to be the very best at what they do; I spend many of my vacations sitting in conference rooms learning more. This is an amazing group of people; we work together like a big, happy family.

We realize that telling a woman she has breast cancer is a big deal. I know I have to cure the cancer not only in the body, but in the mind as well. It’s important for your readers to know that nearly 70% of breast cancer patients have no family history – actually only 5-10% of breast cancers are from hereditary causes. I do a lot of public speaking locally and regionally to help educate the public about this disease.

This is how I was called to serve. I pray every time I stand at the scrub sink because I realize that I’m not the one in charge. Sometimes I miss doing general surgery, but no one was tackling breast cancer. Each day is a test, and at the end of the day I want to go home knowing I gave the right advice and did a good job. There’s no room for arrogance in this business – that’s how people die.

At Coastal Carolina Breast Center, we see everyone regardless of their ability to pay. Programs are available to ensure that very woman can get a mammogram and treatment, but we still need to work toward better and more affordable care. I trained to be a doctor – not to treat one person over another who has a better insurance plan. It doesn’t cost me anything but my time to do your operation.

Tell us a little about your personal life.

Amy and I have been happily married for 26 years and have three children. Ben is 20 and Katie is 18 – both are students at Clemson. Will, our youngest, is 9 years old. I enjoy my family – when the older ones were younger I was busy studying and learning – this was the early 2000s and things were changing monthly. Now I can sit back and relax a little.

We grill out a lot when the weather is nice, and I do enjoy a beer with the occasional cigar! My workouts include bike riding and lifting weights. I love my church – All Saints – where we are all active members. My youngest is a baseball whiz, and I go to his games and have co-coached his team. We all love sports.

Any last thoughts for our readers?

We, as doctors, don’t know everything. The power is in your hands: ask questions, know your risk factors and keep searching until you find your answer. Do. Not. Be. Afraid.

Contact Coastal Carolina Breast Center at 843-651-3308.

Just walking into Uptown Myrtle Beach, home of Carolina Improv Company, is a mini-vacation – the comfortable, intimate, 75-seat theater, located in the Myrtle Beach Mall, is filled with echoes of laughter from the many delighted guests since its opening in 2009. Vivacious and attractive, Gina Trimarco, a Chicago native, is the founder and director of Myrtle Beach’s only improv company, offering a hilarious schedule of performances, as well as improv classes for youth and adults and team building workshops.

Gina, how did you get started in Improv?

Believe it or not, I actually started out as an accounting major in college, mainly to please my parents. It wasn’t long until I changed my major to journalism! I’ve always loved improv – and writing, producing and directing. While I was in school, I studied at The Second City in Chicago, where many Saturday Night Live performers got their start. After college, I got a job doing marketing for the Jenny Jones Show, and, at 23, I started my own marketing agency. What I didn’t know how to do, I learned – I said yes to everything! Eventually, I was head-hunted by IMAX Corporation. This is where I really learned to run a business – and I was able to turn the theater around. My success led to being asked to come to work in Myrtle Beach for the IMAX here.

While I was working here for IMAX, I looked around for improv classes, just to escape reality and have some fun, and found out there was nothing like it in our area. I travelled to Chapel Hill for classes, and my teacher there helped me start teaching improv classes here after I left my job with IMAX. I always knew I would end up with my own business again.

My first class was held in 2008, in Surfside, in what was then the Legends Theater. The classes became so popular I started looking for a permanent place to teach and do corporate training. The marketing manager of the Myrtle Beach Mall approached me about putting a theater in the mall – he had actually taken one of my classes. It was a great move. Currently, we have twenty-one performers that are a part of the company.

What will guests see at a show? Or in a class?

We have had a great summer – our shows have been rated number one on Trip Advisor in Myrtle Beach. There is something for everyone – you can bring your four-year old grandson or your 80 year-old grandmother and both will enjoy it. Audience participation is encouraged – that’s where we get our ideas! People are familiar with the show, Who’s Line Is it Anyway?, and that’s very similar to the type of short form improv we do. We also do long form improv shows that are more play-like—but they’re always different! Improv is an energy boost – we’re creating something out of nothing.

I’ve heard a lot of feedback that I didn’t really expect from the classes. Students have said the classes helped them see life differently – and their life has improved as a result. Those comments are the kind of intrinsic payback that make it all worthwhile, even on the hardest of days.

We know you have an exciting personal event upcoming as well.

Yes, my fiancée, Ted Cligrow, and I are getting married next month. We’ve been together for ten years, so we’ve already made it longer than most couples. The improv group is doing a special show for us – I wanted them to get all the craziness out of the way before the big day. [laughing]

Contact Gina at www.carolinaimprov.com, on Facebook or call 843-597-6393 for information about upcoming shows and classes. Show tickets are $10 and can be purchased online or at the door. Beer, wine and soft drinks are available in the theater.

Dana Stokes lives by the adage that happiness comes from doing what you love and loving what you do. Vivacious and attractive, Dana is well-known on the south end of the Grand Strand as one of the on-air personalities for TV33 South. The on-camera Dana is much the same as the one that visited with me in the kitchen of her lovely Litchfield home – upbeat, positive and happy with her life. A real hometown girl, Dana graduated with the first class to matriculate from the (then) new Georgetown High School. She met her husband, Ernie, while living in Charleston, where she worked as the drama director for a local church. Smitten on sight, Dana went to his house to watch a football game for their first date, but his roommate answered the door saying Ernie wasn’t home, he had agreed to babysit the neighbor’s six week old baby! When Dana saw Ernie holding that baby, she knew this was the man for her. After they were married, the couple lived in Columbia for awhile, but Dana always knew she wanted to move back home.

Dana, what led you to work in broadcast media?

I was a theatre major in college, but I never thought much about what I wanted to do. You know, as a child, when I thought about what I wanted to do when I grew up, all I ever really wanted was to be a mother! Ernie and I have three children: Caroline is thirteen, Weston is ten, and Ethan is six. Being a parent is my most important job. My job with TV33 South gives me the flexibility to be there for my children and to express my creative side.

I sort of stumbled into this job. A few years ago, a friend of mine was shooting a commercial for her business. She asked me to come and be in it – at that time, we were only on channel 22 on Southern Coastal Cable. After I did the commercial, the owners offered me the chance to become the host and within the next year or so we expanded to TV33 South. I love being a part of this team – we really do have a lot of fun working together. We all enjoy bringing a smile to our viewer’s faces – it’s important to have a television station that focuses on local people and good news.

Most of the products we advertise are things I truly love, so it’s easy to be authentic – I really want our businesses to succeed. You might think this is funny, but even though I am comfortable in front of a camera, I get so nervous when I have to speak in front of a live audience!

What else are you doing?

Recently, I’ve started a new business with a friend painting furniture – we find furniture past its prime and turn it into the treasures of tomorrow! Being creative is important to me – I love to paint, dance and be a part of local theatre. I also love to coupon [Dana said this while holding up her huge album-sized coupon holder]. It’s amazing how much money you can save! I also love thrift stores and have found a lot of my home furnishings in these shops.

Recently I was asked to participate in a fundraiser for Friendship Place in Georgetown called “Dine Out for Hunger.” Participating restaurants will donate a percentage of their profits that night to help feed the hungry in our community. I’m excited to be a part of an event that will impact people’s lives.

See Dana, Zenobia and Matt daily on TV 33South or visit www.tv33south.com.

Dr. Kristin Bohan wants to help girls change the way they see themselves – and to ignore the way much of our culture sees them. Kristin, a licensed psychologist with over a decade of clinical experience in helping girls and woman of all ages with eating disorders, body image issues, anxiety and depression, met with Sasee at her lovely Litchfield home to talk about her new non-profit, myTERMS, and her work starting a Montessori Charter School in Georgetown County.

Kristin, what led you to start myTERMS?

I remember exactly when I knew more was needed to help our daughters deal with a culture that sells thong underwear to eight year olds and padded bras to six year olds, bombards girls with highly stereotyped and often degrading images of what it means to be female, and tells them their worth is directly tied to their looks. It was in 2009, the day before Thanksgiving. I was working with a wonderful, bright young girl; the kind of girl I would like my own daughter to grow up to be like – wise, funny, and incredibly talented. But, she was very unhappy and felt that no matter how great her accomplishments, she was not good enough. Her truth about herself was her reality. What I saw in her did not matter. I cannot describe the emotional pain she was in and, for the first time in all these years of doing therapy, a patient’s pain became unbearable to me. I’m sure I slipped from psychologist into mommy mode. I felt incredibly protective of all the goodness in this child that was being destroyed. And I was enraged at the culture that had done this to her – and even though psychologists are encouraged to maintain strict boundaries with patients, I put my arms around her as if she were my own child, and she sobbed. It was then I knew I was not doing enough. That evening, I sat in bed with my laptop and sent an e-mail to about thirty friends and colleagues asking if anyone else was seeing what I was – something was stealing the selves of our daughters. I received more than 200 replies over the next two weeks – all repeating a resounding “Yes.”

That’s when myTERMS was born. I thought if I could take the work I do in my clinical practice and turn it into a prevention program, we could reach out to girls before the problems start and inoculate them against the toxic messages. myTERMS stands for my time, my energy, my rights, my mission, myself. I began to think of it like the flu shot, a sort of immunization against popular culture. Last year was our first big program, a summer camp for girls ages 8 – 16. The two weeks I spent with these girls was hands down the best experience of my professional career. myTERMS camp is basically an antithesis of how girlhood is portrayed in popular culture. We had over thirty women volunteers from the community who more accurately represented the wide variety of choices girls have about who they want to be. Campers learned to be more savvy consumers of the media. They learned about amazing girls in history and did skits. They learned how to support each other and understand the damage inflicted by rumors and gossip. For that session, we had the girls squeeze a small tube of toothpaste onto a paper plate – and then we asked them to put it back in! We had a fascinating impromptu session on the Disney princesses. We examined the culturally-accepted idea that beauty is a woman’s most valuable commodity. We learned about social activism and gave them ways to challenge negative stereotypes in their own communities. Above all, we helped them to look a little more critically at the way girlhood is sold to them by marketers, merchandisers and the mass media. Girls today see more images of unrealistically beautiful women in one day than their mothers saw in a lifetime. What’s worse, many of these images portray girls and women as sex objects. Unfortunately, we are exposed to these images so often, we’ve become desensitized. I want to help our daughters hold on to the confidence they’re born with and give them the freedom to choose what’s important in their own lives.

What is the future of myTERMS?

This summer, we’ll have our second annual myTERMS Summer Camp for girls beginning July 18. And, we would like to make this ongoing throughout the school year with after school sessions. We’re developing a curriculum and working with the Georgetown County YMCA now to make that happen. And, I want to develop a system of measuring the results of our work.

Tell us about your work starting a Montessori Charter School in Georgetown County.

Making Montessori education a public option is another labor of love. The Montessori Method resonates with me as a psychologist because it is so in line with the way children develop naturally. When I saw the impact Montessori was having on my own children, I wanted to find a way to make it accessible to more children in our community. I am the Chair of the Coastal Montessori Charter School Planning Committee, but it is the work of the twenty-plus committee members that has enabled us to come as far as we have. We submitted our application to the S.C. Department of Education earlier this month. We should know if we will receive authorization by mid-August. If approved, we will open with 120 children from first through sixth grade in August 2012. South Carolina is a national leader in public Montessori education. Right now there are 44 public Montessori programs in the state, and, if we are approved, we’ll be the first in Georgetown County. The Georgetown County school district has been so helpful and encouraging. We want to work closely with them to bring families another excellent public school option.

Contact Kristin through her website, www.myterms.org or at www.coastalmontessoricharter.org.

Dot Putignano makes everyone she meets a part of her family and is loved by all who know her. The day we met, she greeted me at the door with a big smile and immediately offered me a cup of coffee. I instantly felt at home. Dot and her husband, Mike, are retired, and spend much of their days helping others. Their faith and their friendship bring joy to many in the community.

Please tell me how you were led to be so involved in helping others.

I was raised in the country, out on Hwy. 90, and my mother instilled compassion in me from an early age. She was always doing something for someone.

I have a son and a daughter. My son lives on the property where I grew up, but my daughter has a developmental disorder and lives in a group home. Raising her was hard, but a blessing, and taught me a lot about love and compassion.

Growing up, my daughter went to school, but when she was about to turn 21, I panicked. At that time, I was a single mother and had to work every day. What was I going to do if she didn’t have anywhere to go during the day? Back then there were no programs for handicapped adults; they mostly just stayed home and watched television. I started asking questions and knocking on doors and, after a long struggle and with a lot of help, we opened an adult developmental center in an old school building in Conway. I actually went door to door to find enough people to enable the center to get a grant. We had to have at least 21 people. They were out there, but no one knew!

I became the first executive director of the center and even wrote the first grant. The community was so good to us. We had fundraisers every year – Mickey Mantle came two years in a row to help us! Today, this organization is known as the Horry County Disabilities and Special Needs.

What are you involved in now?

Oh my, Mike and I stay busy! My daughter comes home every other weekend, and we always have a good time together. Mike plays the trumpet, and we go to local nursing homes and play for the residents. Mike is also a Gideon, and I am in the auxiliary, so we distribute Bibles.

I used to babysit for several local children that I fell in love with, but I broke my wrist and had to give them up. I do still enjoy the little ones at our church and am making a quilt for one now.

For the past 20 years, I’ve been a volunteer with the Grand Strand Hospital Auxiliary, and I love my work there. I also have a lot of compassion for today’s military families. I was a military wife and moved around a lot, so I know how hard it can be to have your husband or wife so far away.

What do you do for fun?

I try to spend as much time as I can with my son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren – I have three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. And, Mike and I have made a lot of “snowbird” friends that we spend time with when they are visiting our area. We enjoy trying new restaurants, and I love to play Mahjong, too.

People are very important. We are on earth to reach out and make other’s lives better.

Sallie Dent Porth did not plan to be the “canner-in-chief” of Sallie’s Greatest jams, but is enjoying every minute! Officially launched in November 2010, Sallie’s Greatest was started when Sallie took her favorite hobby and turned it into a profitable business. Her customers couldn’t be happier with delicious flavors like, Blueberry + Lavender, Strawberry + Basil, Peach, Pepper + Ginger and more. Grand Strand residents will have a chance to meet Sallie – and taste her jams – at this year’s Coastal Uncorked Food, Wine and Spirits Festival on May 13 & 14, from 12-5 pm, in the Gourmet Village in Market Common.

How did you start Sallie’s Greatest?

I was raised in Calhoun County, South Carolina, and have lived somewhere in the state all of my life. But, I spent most of my career on planes, trains and automobiles up and down the East Coast doing medical sales. I started making jams and jellies about seven years ago when I married my husband. We had known each other since childhood and reconnected through my mother. I never dreamed I would marry and move back home, but that’s what I did!

My mother-in-law is a fantastic cook and preserves everything fresh from the garden. She’s especially known for her peach jam. I wanted to branch out and do some different flavors, but continue to use fresh from the garden ingredients. My career gave me the opportunity to experience a lot of fine dining and wonderful flavors, and I always wanted to try the most unusual thing on the menu. Using my experiences and a natural ability to know what might taste good together, I combined down home flavors with unusual combinations and came up with my recipes. My first jam flavor was Strawberry + Basil. It turned out very well, so I got braver with Blueberry, Lemon + Thyme and just keep going.

I entered a contest sponsored by Garden and Gun magazine, which had the stipulation that if you won, you had to be willing to bring your product on the market. Well, I did win. They highlighted my Strawberry + Basil jam, and I was off and running.

How is business?

It’s great! We launched right before Thanksgiving, when the December/January issue of Garden and Gun was published. Over 250,000 people got that issue and I got LOTS of orders! At first, we just did online ordering, but now we have more than 28 retail locations.

What does the future hold for Sallie’s Greatest?

I’m developing new flavors now. I currently sell six flavors, but I have eight or nine more that are developed, and I hope to bring those to market over the course of the next year. It’s a lot of work, though. I use hand-chopped herbs and fresh fruits – you just can’t get that kind of flavor without freshness.

You can use my jams for a lot more than just breakfast. While they are wonderful with cream cheese and a bagel or on toast, a sandwich with ham, brie and my Strawberry + Basil is fabulous. The Peach + Mint flavor goes great with lamb chops and the Peach, Pepper + Ginger makes a great braising sauce for pork loin. And, don’t get me started on the desserts – a trifle with my jam is out of this world!

Contact Sallie at www.salliesgreatest.com and don’t miss seeing her while she is in our area during Coastal Uncorked. For more info, visit www.coastaluncorked.com.