of! That’s the sound of a satisfying grunt after a job well done. I spent the long Labor Day weekend musing about my blue-collar adolescence. I wouldn’t change my backwoods childhood for the world because I learned some coming-of-age lessons and sage advice that I’ve carried with me from boyhood to manhood. Contrary to popular belief, I’m no stranger to physical labor. Ask anybody who knows me, except for my wife; her opinion is biased and based on whether the household chores are done. Which, in fact, they’re not. Sorry, honey. I promise I’ll take out the trash after these digressions. Growing up against the rural backdrop of the Green Mountains that swathe Vermont, it’s easy to get swallowed up in the daily grind of breaking your back to make a modest living. I watched my parents make that hard-earned dollar the not-so-easiest of ways. My old man was a carpenter and mama was a bartender. I always knew that I was destined to work with my hands, but I wanted that to look a tad bit different than my folks. So, I became a writer, which counts as a hands-on trade in my book. Here are my takeaways from the chapters that bind my upbringing: Always be the hardest working hen Hurricane Hugo slammed into the South Carolina coastline just after midnight on Sept. 21, the high tides were higher than normal and the moon’s orbit at that time combined to increase those tides and the storm surge even further. Some accounts say 12 feet, others say 20 feet. Whatever heights they did reach, they caused extensive damage all along our coast. At the time, Hugo was the strongest storm to strike the U.S. in 20 years and the costliest with losses exceeding $7 billion in damages. 4 FROM THE CREW IslandVibesIOP.com W O Publisher’s Note When Hugo made landfall, Mount Pleasant Magazine had a little publishing office for more than a decade where Walgreens is now on Highway 17 next to Staples. Since our office was on the same electrical grid as the old East Cooper Hospital location, we had electricity before most homes did. Within a short period of time our office had all the comforts of home. Anyone who knows me knows I always look for the silver lining. Hugo’s silver lining was not obvious at first. Although disasters like Hugo cause chaos, destruction and in some cases deaths, they also unite people in a common cause of recovery and healing. Immediately after Hugo, our publishing offices quickly became a gathering place for Hugo survivors. Our team, advertisers and readers started dropping in on a regular basis to tell their Hugo stories; where they were, the extent of damage to their homes and how they survived this monster storm. The harrowing experiences of people who came into the office pulled at our heartstrings and filled our eyes with tears. I knew this was a oncein-a-lifetime experience — well, hopefully just once. To read about one such Hugo experience written by an Isle of Palms resident, see Page 27. More articles about Hugo can be found at IslandVibesIOP.com. Positively yours, Bill Macchio, Publisher Storms have silver linings, too Editor’s Note Hard Work Pays Dividends person in the room. Like in sports, you may not always be able to outsmart your opponent, but you can muster the will to outwork them. The expression, “work smarter, not harder” holds true, but don’t let it turn into complacency or laziness. Show everyone the same respect and gratitude regardless of whether they are the CEO or janitor of your company. Your title or salary doesn’t make you a better human. Making an honest living, whether it's a lot or a little, and earning it in the dirt is what defines a person’s character. Like any other life skill, true grit can only be developed over time, never purchased or bought. Thanks to our island employees from all professions. Your sweat equity is what makes this island ebb and flow and such a paradise on which to live, work and play. Positively yours, Zach Giroux, Managing Editor Island Vibes Vol. 2, Issue 9, September 2024 PUBLISHER BILL MACCHIO PUBLISHER@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM MANAGING EDITOR ZACH GIROUX EDITOR@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM ART DIRECTOR BETHANY LONG COPY EDITOR COLIN MCCANDLESS BRAND AMBASSADOR SONYA BUCKHANNON SONYA@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER ANTHONY MACCHIO SOCIALMEDIA@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM DIGITAL DIRECTOR BRITTANY GEORGE BRITTANY@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM PHOTOGRAPHY RACHEL BASYE CONTRIBUTORS SABEL ALVAREZ ARATA • RYAN BUCKHANNON • ROBBIE BERG LAURA FOGARTY • MAURICE FRAZIER BROOKE KAPING • GRACE KNEUPER L. C. LEACH III • COLIN MCCANDLESS JULIE NESTLER • PHILLIP POUNDS • SARAH ROSE • ROD TURNAGE • ANNE TOOLE SALES REPRESENTATIVES STACEY MCLOUGHLIN STACEY@ISLANDVIBESIOP.COM ADMINISTRATION & BOOKKEEPING GINGER SOTTILE BOSS DOG REGGIE DISTRIBUTION ISLE OF PALMS • WILD DUNES • GOAT ISLAND • DEWEES ISLAND • U.S. POST OFFICE • HARRIS TEETER • PUBLIX ASHEVILLE/HENDERSON AIRPORT • ALL SC WELCOME CENTERS Island Vibes is published locally by a team of independent contractors. Island Vibes is published 12 times per year by Islands Publishing LLC. 1013 Chuck Dawley Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 Copyright © Islands Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction electronically or in print format without the expressed written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited and a violation of U.S. copyright laws. Content, including editorial, advertising or comments, that threatens, harasses or degrades others may be revoked or refused from print and online publication at the sole discretion of Island Vibes. Inquiries to: Island Vibes P.O. Box 22617, Charleston, SC 29413 publisher@islandvibesiop.com
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