Tag Archives: Beaufort

Beaufort History Museum Announces Renovation

Beaufort History Museum, which is located on the upper level of the arsenal on Craven Street in Beaufort’s historic district, is undergoing a complete renovation of its principal exhibit hall. The museum displays the City of Beaufort’s collections, which tell the remarkable 500–year-old history of the Beaufort District.

HW Exhibits, a Charleston-based exhibit design firm, has been retained to help write text, develop graphics, create a cohesive theme and fabricate interpretive exhibits based on the storylines, artifacts and photos that comprise the museum’s proprietary collection and support its mission of education.  Carol Poplin, HW Exhibits Director and Owner, is project leader.

Also on the museum’s “wish list” are plans for the exhibit hall to receive a fresh coat of paint and to undergo other repairs and improvements to the space.  Although the renovation has been a topic of discussion and research for several years, work actually began this year on the first phase of the renovation, which will be completed by late spring 2018.  The museum will remain open during the creative and implementation process but will close for a few weeks prior to completion to facilitate the exhibit installation.

The renovation is overseen and directed by the museum’s Exhibits Committee.  Members include Co-chairs Larry Koolkin and Anne Marie Reiley-Kay, Katherine Lang and Paul Keyserling with support from Mary Lou Brewton, Linda Irving and Phil Cromer.  Lawrence S. Rowland and Stephen R. Wise, co-authors of The History of Beaufort County, South Carolina and renowned authorities on Beaufort’s history, are the principal advisors.

Koolkin said HW Exhibits was chosen after reviewing the company’s impressive portfolio of work on peer museums, including the Santa Elena History Center and the Parris Island Museum.  The cost for the entire renovation is currently estimated to be  $ 250,000. The first phase of the renovation, which is already funded and now underway, will cost $100,000.  Work on the second phase of the project will begin in 2018 and will be paid for with funds from the museum’s escrow account, Accommodations Tax grants and through fundraising efforts.  A capital campaign is currently underway.

Koolkin said the renovation would take place in two phases with Phase I covering the initial planning, creative work, and selection of artifacts from the city’s collection, fabrication of storyboards and displays and installation.   Phase II will involve the installation of a central island with further displays and the implementations of interactive technologies to both enhance and expand the visitor experience.

Beaufort History Museum has evolved to focus specifically on the history of the Beaufort District. It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling the compelling stories of this area from the early 16th Century until modern times.  The museum’s hours of operation are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Saturday.

HW Exhibits is the exhibit design division of Brockington and Associates, heritage resources consulting firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information visit the website at www.hwexhibits.com

 

DragonBoat Beaufort Receives $5000 Donation from Tiny House Show Organizers

DragonBoat Beaufort, the local cancer survivor/supporter racing team, provided volunteers for the first Low Country Tiny House Show held November 4 and 5 at Shelter Cove Community Park on Hilton Head Island. The show was sponsored by New South Living, LLC. The show organizers were introduced to DragonBoat Beaufort by the Lowcountry Radio Group (104.9 the Surf), a long time media sponsor of Dragonboat Race Day.

New South Living, LLC, Driftwood Homes USA, along with several other builders, showcased their unique tiny homes as a part of the Tiny House Movement – one of the hottest trends in the housing market today. The tiny homes include all necessary features of a home to live a sustainable life including full bathrooms, appliances, queen size beds, living rooms, and many other custom features.

DragonBoat Beaufort is very thankful to Ben Kennedy (Brighton Builders) and to New South Living, LLC for the donation.

Dragonboat Beaufort is a non-profit organization located in Beaufort, SC. DragonBoat Beaufort’s mission is to provide cancer survivors the opportunity to heal and regain physical and psychological strength and wellness through the camaraderie and competition of dragonboat paddling and racing. In addition, through DragonBoat Beaufort’s Outreach Program, those impacted by cancer receive one-and-one grants to assist with needs they are unable to afford or for which they lack coverage. Cancer patients who live, work or receive treatment in Beaufort County are eligible to apply for grants.

Contact outreach@dragonboatbeaufort.org for more information. The DragonBoat Beaufort Fund is housed at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, a 501(c)3 organization.

Lowcountry Community Concert Band presents Winter Soundscapes

The Lowcountry Community Concert Band, sponsored by the University of South Carolina’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), will perform Winter Soundscapes December 10 and 12.

Under the direction of David Carbone, the program debuts Sunday, December 10 at 3:30 pm at St. John Lutheran Church (157 Lady’s Island Drive Beaufort.)

The second performance is Tuesday, December 12 at 7 p.m. at May River High School (601 New Riverside Road Bluffton.) The school’s band department will present a concert at 6:30 prior to the LCCB concert, and the audience is encouraged to come early and enjoy both events.

Featuring a variety of holiday and traditional seasonal music, Winter Soundscapes includes Greensleeves; O, Little Town of Bethlehem; Sleigh Ride and O Magnum Mysterium.

Admission is free, and donations will be accepted to offset the cost of the program.

For more information, see the band’s website: www.ollilccb.com.

Missy Ricker, Set Decorator for Film and Television, to Receive Behind the Scenes Award

Charleston, SC based Set Decorator Missy Ricker will be honored for her more than 20 years of career achievements at the 12th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival.

The Beaufort Film Society is pleased to announce that Missy Ricker will be presented the prestigious “Behind the Scenes” Award at the 12th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival in Beaufort, SC. The festival dates are February 21-25, 2018 with the Red Carpet Reception and Awards Gala taking place on Sunday, February 25th at the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, Center for the Arts.

“The “Behind the Scenes Award” is presented to a South Carolina film or television professional who very often works quietly off camera but whose efforts are vital to the success of team production efforts. Those many unheralded moments sometimes spanning an entire career are recognized with this award,” stated Ron Tucker, President, Beaufort Film Society.

Missy Ricker is an East Coast Set Decorator for the Film and Television Industry, based in Charleston, SC where she shares her home with husband and fellow Crew Member, Joey Ricker. Originally from Virginia, Missy began her career in Theater and gradually moved into the Film Industry as a Set Dresser and ultimately as a Set Decorator. She earned her MFA in Photography and Filmmaking from VCU in Richmond, VA in 1994, and is currently an appointee to the Film Production Academic Advisory Committee at Trident Technical College, a Member of the Board of Directors for the ‘Carolina Film Alliance’, and a proud Member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 491 Studio Mechanics Union.

“We’re excited for Missy and applaud her more than two decades of dedication to her craft. Also, Missy will be our first female recipient of this award. We’re very excited about that,” said Co-Festival Director Rebecca Tucker.

Immediately following graduate school in 1994, Missy stayed very busy teaching Photography as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at both Old Dominion University and Thomas Nelson Community College, working as a Stagehand for the Virginia Opera and various Concert Venues in the Tidewater area, and dabbling in a variety of Crafts in the Film and Television industry including working as an Art Director for several Commercials and for the Television Series The New Detectives on the Discovery Channel in 1996. Missy’s first Major Studio Feature Film experience as a Set Dresser was on The Shadow Conspiracy starring Donald Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, and Linda Hamilton, released in 1997. This experience of “dressing” the sets under the established, award-winning Set Decorator Anne McCulley inspired Missy to set out on a path to learn and perfect her own skills in the Craft of Set Decoration.

While continuing to work on various productions, Missy was offered her first official position as a Set Decorator on a Feature Film called Asunder, starring Blair Underwood and Debbie Morgan, and then on a T.V. Series for Showtime called Linc’s starring Pam Grier and Steven Washington in 1998. She worked directly under the Production Designer, John D. Kretschmer. While several more Feature Films immediately followed this experience, Missy was then drawn back to her Fine Art background and set out to open an Independent Art School in Norfolk, VA called, ‘The Ghent Studio of Fine Art’ (S.O.F.A.) in 1999. While Owning and Operating S.O.F.A. successfully for the next six years, her calling was once again to return to the Film and Television Industry.

In 2006 Missy reunited with Production Designer John D. Kretschmer to Decorate several Feature Films including The List starring Malcom McDowell, Chuck Carrington and Hillarie Burton, released in 2007, and The Strangers starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, released in 2008, to name a few. It was at this time that Missy was reminded of her love of the Craft of Set Decoration, and from this point forward became fully re-dedicated to her career as a Set Decorator in the Industry.

In 2008 Missy was offered the Set Decorator position on Lifetime’s Hit Series Army Wives, starring Catherine Bell, Kim Delaney, Brian McNamara, Terry Serpico, Wendy Davis, Drew Fuller, Sally Pressman and Sterling K. Brown, which was filming in Charleston. This is where she met her husband Joey, a Charleston native and fellow Crew Member working in the Transportation Department on the show. Their shared love of Film and Music is what brought them together, and they both enjoyed six wonderful Seasons, and over 100 Episodes, as part of the Army Wives Family. They both continue to work in Film and Television today and are proud to call Charleston home.

Missy’s most recent credits include the Pilot for the Television Series The Sinner starring Jessica Biel, Christopher Abbot and Bill Pullman, The Inspectors Television Series, Seasons 2 and 3, on CBS Saturday mornings starring Jessica Lundy, Brett Green and Terry Serpico, and the latest Feature Film in the Halloween Franchise starring Jamie Lee Curtis.

The Behind the Scenes Award is sponsored by Edie Smith and Eugene Rugala.

For more information about the 12th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival, visit beaufortfilmfestival.com. The festival is produced by the Beaufort Film Society.

The Beaufort Film Society is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3, member-supported organization, dedicated to providing the highest levels of entertainment and education to the public from all areas of the film industry.

 

Gullah Kinfolk Christmas Wish… Freedom Coming

Partake of the Spirit of the Season with the Gullah People of the Sea Islands

Enjoy a Weekend of Original Musical Theater, Storytelling and Great Food

Friday, December 1 at 7 p.m.

University of South Carolina-Beaufort Performing Arts Center

801 Carteret Street, Beaufort, SC

 

Artwork by Diane Britton-Dunham Griffin

A Taste of Gullah

Saturday, December 2 from Noon to 5 p.m.

Tabernacle Baptist Church

907 Craven Street, Beaufort, SC

 

Aunt Pearlie Sue and the Gullah Kinfolk will perform their foot-stomping, soul-stirring musical, Gullah Kinfolk Christmas Wish… Freedom Comin’ on Friday, December 1, at 7 p.m. at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort’s Performing Arts Center, 801 Carteret St., Beaufort, S.C.

The show is set on a South Carolina plantation in 1860 just before the start of the Civil War shortly after South Carolina succeeded from the union and on the eve of reconstruction.  There is excitement in the air as the anticipation of war and liberation penetrates the “Quarters” and “Big House.” The expectation of freedom is joyfully expressed through story-telling and song. The production is intended for people of all ages and races.

The historically-based performance was created by Anita Singleton Prather, who stars as story teller and singer Aunt Pearlie Sue. The powerful voices of the Gullah Kinfolk – a 20-member choral group – generate a jubilant celebration of song, dance and audience participation demonstrating the hopeful expectation of the time and the deep faith of the Gullah people.

Prather is a retired school teacher, ordained minister and nationally-acclaimed storyteller and writer. She has appeared on SCETV and other television networks. She also produced and starred in the film, My Man Done Me Wrong, which was screened at film festivals around the nation. Prather and the Gullah Kinfolk were featured in the made-for-television film Circle Unbroken… From Africa to America, which was also written by Prather. She also performed before the United Nations in 2016.

The Gullah Kinfolk specialize in the hymns, spirituals, dances and traditions of the Gullah people. Many cast members are known individually for their vocal gifts and performance skills. Aunt Pearlie Sue and the Gullah Kinfolk are scheduled to tour California next year for a series of performances and will appear at the World Bank in Washington, D.C, and Villanova University of Philadelphia and at shows in Virginia, New Jersey, Alabama and North Carolina.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Admission is $10 for those aged 7 to 17. Advance reservations may be made by called the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce at (843) 986-1102 ext. 2.  Information for out of town visitors regarding hotel and meal packages is also available.

A Taste of Gullah will be enjoyed Saturday, Dec. 2 from noon until 5 p.m. at the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church, 907 Craven Street, Beaufort. It will offer a feast of soul food dishes, a Gullah art exhibit and marketplace and live entertainment. Menu prices vary. For more information call the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce.

Prather said this first weekend in December promises a great opportunity to indulge in the gifts of the rich Gullah culture and the heritage of the Sea Islands of South Carolina. “We delight in sharing our history, music, stories and wonderful food with visitors and residents, family and friends of all backgrounds. To God be all the glory for the great things he has done,” she said.

The events complement other annual yuletide activities in Beaufort, including the popular Night on the Town, Light up the Night and the annual Christmas parade. For more information on these events, contact www.downtownbeaufort.com.

Dale Dye to Receive Inaugural Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award

The Beaufort Film Society is pleased to announce that Dale Dye will be presented the inaugural Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th annual Beaufort International Film Festival. The festival dates are February 21-25, 2018 with the Red Carpet Reception and Awards Gala taking place on Sunday, February 25th at the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, Center for the Arts.

“ If you look at his body of work in the film industry over the past three decades, read the stories from the directors he has worked with like Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, and Oliver Stone, you’ll see why we’re so very honored to present the first Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award to Hollywood Legend Dale Dye,” stated Beaufort Film Society President Ron Tucker.

The award is named for Best Selling Author and Academy Award nominated Screenwriter Pat Conroy who was a long time resident of Beaufort, SC before his death of pancreatic cancer in March 2016. “It is with the blessing of the Conroy family that we have named our most prestigious honor in the name of Pat Conroy. Beaufort’s long film history began with Pat when his novel The Great Santini was made into a feature film and shot right here in Beaufort,” stated Rebecca Tucker, Co-Director of the Beaufort International Film Festival. Dale Dye was the Military Advisor on three productions shot in the Beaufort area – Forrest Gump, Rules of Engagement, and the television pilot Semper Fi.

Dale Dye is one of the most recognized and respected players in the movie and TV industry. His work has had a huge effect both behind and before the cameras, particularly in projects with a military theme. He has been credited with single-handedly changing the way Hollywood makes war movies.

The work of Dale Dye in Hollywood has ranged from technical adviser to acting roles in war movies, many of which earned acclaim such as “Platoon,” “Casualties of War,” “Saving Private Ryan” and “Band of Brothers” and he hosted History Channel’s documentary series, “The Conquerors.”

Dale is a native of Southeast Missouri. In 1962, he graduated as a cadet officer from Missouri Military Academy with hopes of attending the U.S. Naval Academy. When that failed and there was no money available for college, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and reported to boot camp in January 1964. He served in Vietnam in 1965 and 1967 through 1970 surviving 31 major combat operations.

He emerged from Southeast Asia highly decorated including the Bronze Star with V for Valor and three Purple Hearts for wounds suffered in combat. He spent 13 years as an enlisted Marine, rising to the rank of Master Sergeant before he was chosen to attend Officer Candidate School. Appointed a Warrant Officer in 1976, he later converted his commission and was a Captain when he was sent to Beirut with the Multinational Peacekeeping Force in 1982-83. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a Major in English.

As a lifelong movie buff with a special penchant for war movies, Dale decided to head for Hollywood when he retired from active duty in 1984. His idea was to see if he could help make war movies more realistic and improve screen portrayals of military men and women. He founded Warriors, Inc., a business with the stated agenda of shining some long-overdue positive light on the people who serve and sacrifice in American military uniform past, present and future. Over the years, Dale built his business into the premier military consultancy to motion pictures and television employing his well- respected, rugged and realistic method of fully immersing actors in a boot camp-style training program before the cameras roll. To date his firm has worked on more than fifty movies and TV shows including several Academy Award and Emmy winning productions. To further his agenda, Dale also founded Warriors Publishing Group which publishes a premium slate of military-themed books written by veteran authors.

Dale Dye is a published novelist, screenwriter and director as well as a consummate character actor with critically-acclaimed appearances in many films and television productions.

He is currently in pre-production with what will be his feature film directorial debut in the World War II themed film “No Better Place to Die.”

The Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award is sponsored by The Thorne Foundation, courtesy of Leslie and Landon Thorne.

For more information about the 12th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival, visit beaufortfilmfestival.com. The festival is produced by the Beaufort Film Society.

The Beaufort Film Society is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3, member-supported organization, dedicated to providing the highest levels of entertainment and education to the public from all areas of the film industry.

History Lecture Revisits The Battle of Port Royal Sound

Key Civil War Event Marks 156th Anniversary

Beaufort History Museum, in partnership with the Beaufort County Library, announces this season’s second program in its local history lecture series, The Battle of Port Royal Sound.  The event is planned for Tuesday, November 7, at 2:00 pm at the Beaufort Branch Library, 211 Scott Street, Beaufort, SC.

The Battle of Port Royal Sound was one of the earliest naval operations of the Civil War.  On November 7, 1861, a massive U. S. Naval fleet and U. S. Army expeditionary force sailed into Port Royal Sound and captured Fort Walker on Hilton Head and Fort Beauregard on St. Helena Island.  At the time, it was the largest armada ever launched by the United States.

Beaufort was among the first southern towns to fall into Union hands. The Federal occupation changed the course of Beaufort District history and led to the most misunderstood period of American history, the Reconstruction Era.

Berkeley County Museum and Heritage Center Executive Director and historian Michael D. Coker will bring this important battle, and the events surrounding it, to life.  He will share stories from his book,The Battle of Port Royal Sound, about this pivotal  point of the Civil War.

Admission is   free. A donation of $5 is suggested and reservations are required. To sign up visit the BHM website: www.beauforthistorymuseum.com Please print out the ticket and bring to the event. Registration opens October 25. (Lectures sell out. Those with tickets admitted first.) Funds collected will be used to support ongoing Museum programs, which are open to all.

Beaufort History Museum, located in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street, has   evolved to focus specifically on the history of the Beaufort District. It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling the compelling stories of this area from the early 16th Century until modern times.  The Museum’s hours of operation are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Saturday.

Beaufort History Museum Panel Tells the History of Chambers Park

Reservations for October 17 Lecture Now Available

Beaufort area residents and visitors enjoy the beautiful setting and myriad recreational opportunities at Henry C. Chambers Riverfront Park, but it was not always so.  What is now a 7-acre waterfront promenade with a playground, pavilion, marina, paths for strolling and plenty of benches for simply relaxing and taking in the stunning views, was at one time a decaying and shabby wharf that mirrored a failed mid-20th Century economy.

 

At a lecture, presented by Beaufort History Museum in partnership with the Beaufort Public Library, there will be the chance to learn the fascinating history of the waterfront’s revival.   Spearheading the project was one of Beaufort’s most effective and beloved mayors, Henry C. Chambers, who envisioned the renovation and led it to completion after his election in 1969.

 

Titled Politics, Pilings and Playgrounds–Henry C Chambers Riverfront Park”, the lecture will feature a panel discussion moderated by Edie Rodgers:

 

  • Panelists: Henry C. Chambers, Ed Duryea, Harry Chakides, and Duncan Fordham discuss the trials and tribulations of creating Beaufort’s signature waterfront community space.

 

  • Date:  Tuesday, October 17

 

  • Time: 2 – 3:30 pm

 

  • Location:   First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, Corner of North and Church Streets, Beaufort, SC 29902

 

  • Admission:    Free  (A donation of $5 is suggested. Funds collected will be used to support ongoing programs which are open to all.)

Reservations are required. To sign up visit the BHM website: www.beauforthistorymuseum.com Please print out the ticket and bring to the event.  (Lectures sell out. Those with tickets admitted first.)

  • Next Lecture in History Series – Tuesday, November 7

“The Battle of Port Royal Sound”  (Check website for more information)

Beaufort History Museum, located in the historic Arsenal on Craven Street, has evolved to focus specifically on the history of the Beaufort District. It strives to manage and display artifacts and documents held by the City of Beaufort, telling the compelling stories of this area from the early 16th Century until modern times.  The Museum’s hours of operation are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday – Saturday.

 

Shorts at High Noon

The Beaufort Film Society will present some of the best short, animation, and student films from their vast collection of Beaufort International Film Festival Finalists Selections from 2007 to present.  
 
Screenings begin Wednesday, October 4 and continue through November 29at the Plaza Stadium Theatre in Beaufort, SC with admission FREE to the general public.  Check in time is 11:30 am with the screenings beginning at Noon and ending by 1 PM.  
Modeled after he Beaufort County Library Program, “Books Sandwiched In” the Beaufort Film Society wants to expand its offerings and showcase the benefits of Film Society membership and serve as an introduction to the quality of the films presented annually at the Beaufort International Film Festival. 
 
A complete schedule of the screening selections and information related to the Beaufort Film Society and the Beaufort International Film Festival  are located at beaufortfilmfestival.com

Friends of the Beaufort Library Fall BOOK SALE Announced

The 2017 Friends of the Beaufort Library Fall Book Sale is right around the corner, with thousands of boxes of donated books plus audio-visual materials (books, music, and movies) available at give-away prices for the annual fundraiser.

As in years past, the beautiful Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort will be the site of the sale, which begins Friday September 22 and runs thru Sunday September 24th.  On Friday a two-hour preview for all members of The Friends will be held from 10 am to Noon. If you aren’t already a member, you can sign up before or during the preview at the membership table for $15.   The sale then opens to the public from Noon thru 6 pm, and will reopen on Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm.  On Sunday Noon to 4pm, everything is half off, including rare and collectible books.

The popular Silent Auction will again be conducted during this year’s book sale, with bids being accepted between 10 am on Friday and 3 pm on Saturday, when bidding closes.   Included in this year’s Silent Auction are a number of signed Pat Conroy books, a selection of Natural History books on birds, gardens, freshwater fish, tropical plans, wildflowers and aquarium fish. Many similar books will also be found in the Rare & Collectible section, as well as on the Natural History, Gardening and other tables.

“This year’s Silent Auction is going to be bigger and better than ever,” according to Book Sale Chairman Kinsey Baker.  “We’re getting donations daily so it’s a good idea to look at our website for more announcements about items that will be included in the auction.”

“We also have a small but charming collection of Vintage Christmas books that came in as well as a large reference library on Astrology,” he said. “With more coming in every day, who knows what else might turn up between now and the end of September.”

The book sale spokesman said donations of books throughout the year have been strong and he expects to bring more than 40,000 books, CD’s and DVD’s to this sale.  As always, there will be a good supply of children’s books from the greatly expanded Children’s section in the Friends’ Book Store located at the downtown Beaufort library on Scott Street, which is open year-round during library hours, with fresh stock being added regularly.

Donations of books, CDs and DVDs are needed more than ever, especially with the recent expansion of the Friends Book Store and its increased activity.

The Book Sale is the main fundraising event held by the Friends with all proceeds benefitting the Beaufort County Public Library branches in Beaufort, Lobeco and St. Helena Island.

For more information, email FriendsBeaufort@gmail.com or visit the Friends website – friendsofthebeaufortlibrary.com.