Hello to everyone out there in WHIB World! It’s a beautiful day in the State of Mind and there is so much to discuss. Let’s get right into it.
Lowcountry Chronicle Has Launched
Big plans ahead for 2023 and that begins with the official launch of our website, Lowcountry Chronicle. You’ll see a huge variety of articles from local writers on the site. This is the web home of our video work, which will continue to get more frequent as the weeks go forward.
LowChron will be the hub for our 501c3, the Lowcountry Online Journalism Initiative. It’s all about sharing good news and helping to create solutions to problems that arise in our community.
If you like the idea, there’s plenty of ways to help grow this effort. If you’re a writer or have interest in videography (mostly done with your iPhone), reach out to me at lowchron@gmail.com.
We’re building out a nonprofit news organization to share the good news happening all around town. Donate to the cause here and help us give the area the kind of news sharing we all deserve.
Root & Bloom Market Today!
We’re all trying to create healthier lifestyles, and Root & Bloom Market is working to bring together vendors committed to providing healthier alternatives. The effort has grown into a weekly market, each Wednesday from 3-7 pm at Martin Family Park in Old Town (68 Boundary Street).
Get out and soak in this gorgeous weather while meeting local small business owners that will help you with your goals of natural living using sustainable resources.
A huge thanks to Alison and the Root & Bloom family for being a supporter of What’s Happening in Bluffton!
DJ’s Day of Giving All Day Friday
We have over 60 restaurants and retailers signed up to give at least 10 percent of their sales on Feb. 24 — the 55th day of the year — to the Live Like DJ Scholarship Fund. My levels of gratitude for this community is immeasurable. We’re turning a tragedy into a celebration of DJ Fields and ensuring his legacy is felt for generations to come. Get out on Friday, support all our partners (full list here) or if you can’t get out, donate directly to the fund, run through the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Look forward to seeing you all out and about Friday!
We also have a couple of online-only offers from Bluffton small businesses.
A big shoutout to Tastefully Simple with Blufftonfoodgal, who is offering to give 20 percent of her online sales over the next couple weeks to the Live Like DJ Scholarship Fund.
Please take a look at this link and see what tickles your fancy.
Also, Sherri Shropshire is giving her full commission of book sales this week to DJ’s Day. Please check her website at GreatBooksandMore.com!
Big Shoutout to Boy Scout Troop 241
This group of youngins’ collected more than 2,100 pounds of food — including 200 jars of peanut butter, 300 sides of rice, 300 cans of tuna and chicken and 500 boxes of pasta. That was made possible by the $700 y’all donated at Kroger on Feb. 19!
We’re Buzzard Day Partners!
We’re excited to announce that What’s Happening in Bluffton is an official partner for Buzzard Day 2023, which is happening March 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Martin Family Park.
What’s the deal with the buzzard? There is a great primer from LowChron’s first official columnist, the legendary Babbie Guscio, in her first edition of “Musings from Calhoun”.
Let’s just say, this is all about keeping Bluffton eccentric, which is part of our mission with WHIB. This town’s fuel is quirkiness and we can’t wait to see y’all show off your buzzard costumes, do your buzzard strut and enjoy the musical stylings of Jevon Daly, including his original Buzzard Song written just for this event.
Daly and Wally Palmer will be your hosts for the event, with Bluffton Then and Now dynamo Paul Tollefson and Babbie part of the Fantastic Four behind pulling this together.
Palmer, an incredible artist and the genius behind Smoking Bird Studio, has crafted a one-of-a-kind trophy in honor of George Heyward for the buzzard strut contest. Each year’s winner will have their name engraved on George the Buzzard.
Africa to Afros Culinary Journey Dinner Feb. 28
We have a Beard Award semifinalist in our midst and many of you have never met him yet. This is one of the highest awards in the culinary world and Chef Bernard Bennett is in the running for Emerging Chef, Southeast.
If you’ve tasted his work at the Okan food truck at the Farmers Market on Thursdays, you know. It is an African-western Caribbean taste explosion, and Bennett and chef Todd Harris are teaming up for a dinner that will include seven courses featuring creations from Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba and Dominican Republic.
You’ll get a sneak peak at the brick-and-mortar Okan location coming to The Bridge at Calhoun and leave with a full belly and newly expanded foodie horizons.
Tickets are $125 for either a 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. sitting and be purchased here.
Buy Some Merch, Support Two Great Causes
Another way you can support the work we’re trying to do is by purchasing some merch through our LowChron Store.
Use discount code WHIBFEB20 to get 20 percent off your orders through March 1, 2023.
And if you’re a local artisan and would like to offer your products in our online store, please contact Tim at 843-290-6242 or DM him on Facebook.
That’s it for now! Hope to see you and about on Friday, and if you have news you want to share, email us at lowchron@gmail.com