Guscio: Bluffton Ball brings out town's belles, best
Oscar Frazier Park was bustling last Friday night. The first Bluffton Ball, presented by the Greater Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, was about to take place.
Timeless Interiors transformed the building into a gorgeous top-notch setting. The decorators brought in lighting, furniture and wonderful accessories to make a really lovely spot.
Taylor Landscaping Company provided the fantastic plants that added a lot of oomph.
Margie Fox, owner of The Garden Gate, provided and designed the tablescapes that were so special and were a great finishing touch to the whole affair.
The award trophies were constructed out of oysters plucked from our beautiful May River and then sprayed gold. The gorgeous party was a big group effort of area friends and members of the chamber and what an elegant sight it was.
Guests arrived to the music of the duo Harden and Crenshaw and the merriment began. The delicious repast of lobster and prime rib was done to perfection by Lowcountry Lobster with beer tastings offered by Salt Marsh Brewery.
Kim Trask, of Cookie Crumbles fame, baked up the tasty cookies with the chamber logo emblazoned on top as a take home favor for the guests.
As the evening progressed special awards were given.
The Jerry Reeves family, represented by his beautiful wife Mary with children, Corinne and Michael Reeves, were given a memorial award for patriarch Jerry's tireless work in the Bluffton community.
Ida Martin's family, led by her husband Jacob, was given a memorial award for Ida's Bluffton Self Help Organization that is going strong thanks to many wonderful volunteers.
Shellie West was surprised by her award given by the chamber's board of directors in appreciation of her hard work in founding the chamber.
Teddy and Emmett McCracken were given a Lifetime Achievement Award for their love and involvement in many Bluffton organizations.
Mingling and looking beautiful and stylish were Jen and Ben Banks, Yvonne, looking fabulous in a black slip dress, and Brian Crum, Leigh and James Brown, Anna and Cal Sharp, Mike and Teresa Covert, Dan and Debbie Wood, Mayor Lisa Sulka, and Daniella Augenstein-Squicquero -- in a gorgeous white gown -- and of course Shellie West, beautiful in a teal blue tea length frock with husband, Eric Eckert.
The evening soiree was deemed an unqualified success, thanks to the many volunteers who worked so hard to make the whole affair seem so carefree.
TINY ADVENTURERS
In America, little children go to school to learn how to write and recite their ABC's.
In some parts of Europe, mainly Germany, children ages 3-6 do everything differently. The children are not taught to read or write until they are six years old.
Once a year they take a journey -- called Kitafahrten -- that lasts for four or five days without their parents. There they are taught to be independent while camping out.
They are shown how to grow up on their own without anyone hovering over them; how to settle their own disputes; and how to be responsible not only for themselves but other children as well.
Some of the younger children still wear diapers and use a pacifier. They are kept so busy at doing little chores that most don't have time to get lonesome for their parents and are so tired at night they fall fast asleep. They are allowed to bring their favorite stuffed animal if they wish.
I think I would be a nervous wreck at the thought of sending someone so small on such an adventure. What do you think about this? Could you ship your chicky off to camp at this age?
Babbie Guscio is the social columnist for The Bluffton Packet. She can be reached at The Store on Calhoun Street.
This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Guscio: Bluffton Ball brings out town's belles, best."