Dear Reader,
“One of life's most persistent and urgent questions is, 'What are you doing for others?’” Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. posed this question in a 1963 speech about the importance of altruism versus selfishness. We believe that caring for others is worth celebrating, and every year, our August issue looks at pure and boundless love — the best part of the decidedly mixed bag called human nature.
Many Lowcountry residents spend a lot of time making sure the pets, seniors and children in their lives are well cared for and happy. This month, we celebrate our love for animals, compassionate care of the elderly and the late summer rite of students returning to school.
Look inside on page 42 to see who won our highly anticipated annual Cutest Pets contest — we’re not letting the cat out of the bag here. We've also included a profile of the contest’s local celebrity judges. Did you know that people in the U.S. spent nearly $70 billion on their pets last year, according to the American Pets Product Association? In this issue, we tell you where to take your four-legged companions out to eat at pet-friendly restaurants on Hilton Head Island and the mainland.
Hilton Head and, increasingly, Bluffton are retirement destinations for older Americans from other parts of the country. In this issue you’ll find profiles of our area’s top real estate agents, who are helping them and others realize their dreams of living on Hilton Head Island or in Bluffton. What seniors decide to do when they arrive in the Lowcountry is as varied as the locations and situations they come from. Our story by Barry Kaufman looks at opportunities offered at the Hilton Head Senior Center. Another feature in this issue suggests activities that might be enjoyable to residents of assisted-living facilities and the friends and family members who visit them.
In the South, August means back-to-school, and Monthly brings you profiles of local schools starting on page 67. Good teachers bring learning to life and in this issue, we pay homage to locals’ favorite educators. But for kids, the eighth month of the year is about squeezing the most out of the end of summer. Check out our story about ways to have fun out of the sun on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton on page 56.
We’re proud of the hard work that went into this issue and hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Thank you for being with us on this incredible journey!
