In a Happy New Year State of Mind
Vol. 1, No. 5 edition of the What's Happening in Bluffton newsletter
Happy 2022, y’all! Don’t know about you, but things are off to a frantic start of the year in my household. This is the part of the year that when we finally get a chance to blink, it’s March and we’re all left saying, “How did that happen?”
Plenty of things happening to start the year in Bluffton to get you up to speed with. Let’s get on with it! As always, if you have questions or news you want to get out there with the newsletter or in a video interview with Lowcountry Chronicle, or if you’re a business and want to advertise in the newsletter (we just passed 6,000 opt-in subscribers!), please email me at WHIBTim@gmail.com.
Save the Date: Feb. 24, 2022, The Second Annual DJ’s Day of Giving
It’s an event I wish we never had to do. Dwon “DJ” Fields, Jr. was murdered in a mistaken-identity shooting on March 5, 2021. We wanted to help the family get a scholarship fund started to make sure that the magic that was DJ’s personality and the impact he made on so many in a far-too-short time on Earth continued to be felt for years to come.
The first edition was held on May 5, 2021, two months after his passing to honor his Bluffton Bobcats football team jersey number, No. 55. We had amazing support from the community, with more than $52,000 raised between personal and business donations.
We’ve moved the fundraiser so as not to conflict and take attention away from the Amazing Grace fundraiser to remember Grace Sulak, another Bluffton teen taken from us. This year and beyond, we’re celebrating DJ on the 55th day of the year, Feb. 24!
We will be enlisting a number of restaurants and small businesses to give a portion of their sales from the day to the “Live Like DJ” Dwon Fields, Jr. Scholarship Fund. We’ll also be accepting prizes and giveaways to auction off in an online/silent auction on Feb. 24.
If you’re a business and would like to get involved with this year’s fundraiser, please contact me via text at 843-290-6242 or via DM on Facebook.
If you’d like to make a donation directly to the fund, you can do that online here through the fund’s partnership with The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.
Most Commented Posts of the Week
This post from Laura Gresalfi Krebs drew a ton of folks talking about not missing the snow (or maybe missing a White Christmas for a day) … Alison Gravier posted asking for memories and pics from the old Montana’s restaurant and got some funny thoughts … folks are apparently happy to have an ice cream option near New Riverside as witnessed by the reaction to my post about the opening of The Ice Cream Stop …
Who Knew So Many Had A Take on Bidets?
I certainly didn’t, but it’s why I posted about it because you just never know what folks are going to care about. We all get embarrassed talking about poop but it’s an important topic - especially when you’re tired of using so much dang toilet paper and never feel like it’s enough down there. Thanks to all the folks for their honest takes and great advice.
Recommendation Threads of The Week
Here’s your fellow group members’ recent advice on doughnut shops, pediatricians, family-family neighborhoods, moving companies, dentists, tax accountants, hairstylists for fine, wavy hair, endocrinologists, cataract surgery doctors, estheticians and balloon arches for birthday parties.
Want To Be In A Horror Movie?
There’s a horror movie that’s going to be filming in Savannah now through March and the company that handles non-speaking extras casting, Bill Marinella Casting, is looking for locals to be part of the film!!!
BMC is seeking real families, real EMTs, real police officers, trick or treaters, kids ages 8-17 and adults 18+. The details are all in this post here, but the in-person casting call is Friday, January 14 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Buckwalter Recreation Center (905 Buckwalter Parkway, Bluffton) in Classrooms 1 and 2. Good luck if you go!
New Businesses Get Good Eyeballs on WHIB
We encourage you to take a look at this posting from personal trainer Hayden Panagos and this post from Ehwa Electric, just two of the latest businesses to take advantage of our sponsored posts on What’s Happening in Bluffton.
We are doing a small amount each day so as not to overload the feed. All proceeds go to the 501c3 non-profit news organization, Lowcountry Online Journalism Initiative, the good-news and community journalism project we launched with Lowcountry Chronicle. The hope is to build an NPR/PBS organization focused on community news and programming produced by your neighbors.
We’ve heard y’all in terms of what has happened with the local Nextdoor. We’re looking to promote local businesses without making the group feed one big advertisement.
Sponsored posts are $25 to appear in the regular feed, $50 for one week in the group’s Featured announcements atop the page and $100 for a week-long takeover of the group’s profile photo atop the page.
Email WHIBTim@gmail.com or DM me on Facebook to get more information and get started today.
Stories Worth Clicking On
Bluffton Library reopens with spacious look, new technology … Lack of trees frustrates neighbors in New Riverside … Bluffton mother fights for access to daughter’s iPhone almost 5 years after death … Three locals who dared to dream and made those dreams come true.
Events Coming Up
Ask and Answer Group Meetup, Saturday, 5 pm: Are you a member of the Hilton Head Ask and Answer group? They’re having a meetup at Burnt Church Distillery.
Music Bingo, Saturday 7 pm, Lot 9 Brewing Co.: Come see yours truly transform into DJ T-Dubb to play a musical version of bingo. Hear the song, click the song title if it’s on your bingo card! Great Lot 9 prizes (beer, swag and steins!) and plenty of consolation prizes for those that come up just short.
CharliFest 2022, Saturday 12 to 4 p.m., Coligny Plaza, Hilton Head: This event honors the life and love of Charli Bobinchuck. Special performances, vendors and food donated from Coligny restaurants. $10 general admission, $25 ticket gets you a t-shirt and makes a donation to Charli’s Critters.
Hilton Head Snow Day, Jan. 29: Family event with inflatables, a snowfield and entertainment galore: $10 for ages 2-17.
Congrats to All Our Bulldog Fans
Well we didn’t have a local dog in the fight but I know a number of you are Bulldogs fans (including DJ Fields pulling some strings from above). What a game! As for Alabama fans … like I said on WHIB this morning, thank you for your selfless and benevolent sacrifice for the betterment of college football. The whole chase was getting predictable and boring. You can’t win every year but Roll Tide has come dang close.
Reminders one more time: Got a great story that the community needs to know about? whibtim@gmail.com is the email to hit me or text me with your news to 843-290-6242.
Other quick links for the group:
Sign up for the newsletter (pass it on to a friend) | WHIB Jobs Thread | WHIB For Rent Housing Thread
SEE Y’ALL NEXT WEEK!