Hilton Head People

JACKIE ROSSWURM TAKES THE REINS AT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE LOWCOUNTRY

When times are tough, familiar faces are comforting. At Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, the organization’s new leader is an experienced executive who has led the way through many challenges and is known by Lowcountry residents from her work in education.

As the foundation’s new interim CEO and president, Jackie Rosswurm replaces Chris Kerrigan, who left Community Foundation of the Lowcountry after only a year, returning to Charleston to be with his family. Rosswurm, in contrast, has deep roots in Beaufort County — she has lived on Hilton Head Island since 1984 — and plans to be here for the long haul.

DESIGNER OF HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS DIED IN JANUARY AT 94

Everyone who has ever played a Pete Dye-designed course or worked with the colorful architect has a story — players, caddies, tournament administrators, volunteers. 

Dye left a legacy as a paradigm-shifting golf course architect and salt-of-the-earth character when he died at the age of 94 on Jan. 9 after a suffering from dementia for many years. The sharing of Dye anecdotes will be especially poignant this month even though the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing is canceled. Harbour Town Golf Links was the springboard of his career, and Hilton Head owes the popularity of its PGA Tour event to his genius.

FELIPE MENDOZA EARNS HERITAGE SCHOLARSHIP DESPITE HURDLES

Ten high school seniors from Beaufort and Jasper counties are named Heritage Scholars each January, and all have outstanding academic records, volunteer in the community and are leaders among their peers. One of this year’s recipients is Felipe Mendoza of Bluffton, who was awarded a total of $16,000 from the Heritage Classic Foundation and will attend the University of Chicago in the fall — which at one time seemed like an impossible dream.

FROM BUSINESS TO PHILANTHROPY IN THE LOWCOUNTRY AND ABROAD

It only takes a few minutes of conversation with Jim Hooker to find yourself at ease — his voice is, as the saying goes, as smooth as Tennessee whiskey. 

It was his voice that led him to Valparaiso University; by his junior year, he was the college radio station’s general manager and his career in commercial broadcasting was born. 

HILTON HEAD NATIVE CHRIS SCHEMBRA EXPLORES LIFE AND FOOD IN NEW BOOK

Few New Yorkers have the audacity to host 184 people in a studio apartment. But Chris Schembra did so every week for a year, donning an apron and a smile while putting guests to work before sharing in the centerpiece of the night: a simple bowl of pasta.

I am lucky to count myself as one of over 800 people Schembra brought together that year for what became known informally as the 7:47 Club — for the time the pasta is dropped in the pot. The networking events soon became Schembra’s full-time pursuit as the waitlist grew and he flexed his chops as a former theater producer, expanding his dinner model for business owners and their clients across the country.

HELP AVAILABLE FOR CORONAVIRUS-RELATED JOB LOSSES 

State officials ordered all bars and restaurant dining rooms closed as of March 18, leaving many in the service industry without jobs. Companies that have to shut down temporarily or lay off workers because of the effects of the virus can apply to get those employees short-term unemployment benefits. The benefits will cover six weeks of pay, but only if employers apply for it. For more information, go to dew.sc.gov. 

ESTATE PLANNING OFFERS PARENTS A CHANCE TO PLAN AHEAD

To a parent, the world can be a scary place. Handing the car keys over to a new driver, catching the toddler before they touch the hot stove, dropping your teen off at college for the first time — the list of worries is endless. But there’s another that many parents may not consider until it is too late: What happens if you aren’t able to be there for your kids anymore?

For children, the death or serious illness of a parent can represent one of the biggest threats to their well-being and security. And while parents can’t always stop bad things from happening, they can help their families cope with the changes that life may bring — but only if they plan ahead. 

FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE OF COVID-19 IN ITALY SHOWS LIFE GOES ON

I’m an 18-year-old junior at Bluffton High School. But since September, I’ve been living and studying in Sicily, Italy, as part of a Rotary Club exchange program. What started out as the trip of a lifetime became one of the most intense experiences of my life thanks to the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

Here is my firsthand look at how Italy — one of the countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 virus — responded to pandemic, and what it could mean for America. 

Tracy Dayton of Charter One Realty gives her clients exemplary real estate service from start to finish. Respect, communication, and pro-fessionalism are part of her work ethic as a full-time agent dedicated to client satisfaction.