<b>Community meeting to be held in Bluffton</b>

Beaufort County Council members Cynthia Bensch of District 7 and Rick Caporale of District 8 will host a community meeting on Thursday, March 24, 2016, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The meeting will take place in the large meeting room of the Bluffton Branch Library at 120 Palmetto Way. The purpose of the meeting is to allow residents an opportunity to share their concerns. Residents do not need to register in advance for the meeting. For more information, contact Council member Bensch or Council member Caporale by email at cbensch@bcgov.net or rcaporale@bcgov.net or by phone at 843-255-2191 (Cynthia Bensch) or 843-255-2194 (Rick Caporale).

<b>Women's health and wellness fair scheduled </b>

My Sisters Keeper and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority present an event designed to empower encourage and inspire women to live their best lives. Plus it is an easy way to get free health screenings and lots of important health and wellness news. This event will be held on March 26th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Kate Gleason Park behind Beaufort Memorial Hospital.

As a bonus for attending, you can work out for 1 hour with Personal Trainer Extraordinaire Jeff Lewis – for free! Register today at www.eventbrite.com.

Local exhibitors who will be there are: Herban Marketplace, Veganist Michelle Grandy, Good Neighbor Medical Clinic, The Gullah Nurses, The Works Pilates, Mary Kay Rep. Lattannisha Roberts, Marie Beldon Massage Therapist, Gertha Dansby Total Life Change, Artizen Yoga and Massage, and many, many more!

<b>Join volunteers for an Integrative Healing Arts Sampler</b>

An Integrative Healing Arts Sampler will be held on Saturday, March 26th between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 705 Bladen St., in Beaufort.

Join our health care volunteers for 20-minute sessions of Chiropractic, Counseling, Healing Touch, massage, and more. These creative therapies in a clinical, nurturing, and integrative environment are for anyone, applying especially to those with mental conditions and disabilities, who cannot afford these services or without insurance for counseling. Cost of $10 per session goes toward the non-profit operating expenses. Prayer, scholarship applications for free services, and gift certificates also available onsite. Visit MinistriesforSynergeticWellness.org for more information or call 843-770-9947.

<b>Travel back in time to the 1890’s and Spanish American War </b>

Tour Historic Fort Freemont on Saturday, March 26th. Docent-led tour begins at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Helena Branch Beaufort County Public Library. Learn the history, see a scale model of Fort Fremont as it stood in 1898, and travel down Land’s End Road to walk through the remains of the fortifications.

The tour lasts approximately 2 hours. For more information visit fortfremont.org or call the St. Helena Library at 843-255-6487. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations required.

<b>RIY (Reiki Infused Yoga) is back for 2016 </b>

Thursday, March 31st at 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. , join "The Laughing Yogini," Brittney Hiller and Reiki Master, Chris "Sutty" Suddeth at the Port Royal Wetlands Amphitheater at the top of Paris Avenue.

Gentle Yoga stretching and the Spirit-Guided Life-Force Energy of Reiki combine for a family friendly, all ages welcome, opportunity for healing and unwinding after a long day. Commune with nature in the evening shade and your Lowcountry neighbors in the process.

What to bring: Yoga Mat or towel to practice on and a water bottle. Consider bringing a notebook to write down inspirations that may come. This class is free of charge and "Kajarma" will be available if you'd like to honor our time and energy with a gift. Text or call Brittney (843) 263-0320 or Sutty (843) 263-2397 with any questions.

<b>Bluffton Elementary to hold PTO Fun Run </b>

Bluffton Elementary PTO Fun Run will be held on April 1st and is a fundraiser to help support the School Choice of Animation, Creation and Design. They are working to create a MakerSpace for our school. Call the school at (843) 706-8500 for more information.

<b>YMCA hosts Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser </b>

The Childcare Staff of the YMCA of Beaufort County will host a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Saturday, April 2nd from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the YMCA located at 1801 Richmond Ave. in Port Royal. Pancakes, sausage and beverages will be served from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. All proceeds will benefit the YMCA Annual Scholarship Fund which directly aids our community through financial assistance for YMCA preschool, afterschool, summer camp, sports and aquatic programs. Cost is $10 per adult, $5 per child and kids age 2 and under are free. Donations welcomed. Contact Hannah Manning at hannahmymca@gmail.com or 832-522-9622 for more information.

<b>Congressman Sanford </b><b>to give legislative update</b>

The Greater Bluffton Republican Club is pleased to announce that their next meeting will be held at Rose Hill Golf Club at 4 Clubhouse Dr. on Monday, April 4, 2016. We are honored to have Congressman Mark Sanford join us. He will give a legislative update, discuss our Second Amendment rights, and will answer questions from the crowd.

<b>Lowcountry Master Gardeners Association kicks off their “Lunch and Learn” series </b>

It’s back! That great summer gardening series, Lunch and Learn, begins Saturday, April 16th in the Gazebo at the Port Royal Farmers’ Market , and continues each Saturday until September 10th. This award winning series of classes, workshops and lectures is free to the public and no registration is required. The 2016 series will ably be kicked off by noted Landscape Designer, J. Weidner, who will show how to have a beautiful garden every season of the year. Master Gardeners and other professionals share their skills and knowledge to help the Lowcountry gardener meet the challenges of this hot and humid climate. Door prizes are abundant, and chances are good that you’ll go home with a unique plant grown right here in Beaufort County.

Stop at the Farmers’ Market for a great lunch, and bring it and a folding chair to the Gazebo at noon, and share a little Lunching and Learning with people who love gardening as much as you do!

The Master Gardeners also hold a Plant Clinic at the Farmers’ Market from 9:00 until noon. They will answer your questions, and identify plants, pests and diseases. The Plant Clinic and Lunch and Learn are brought to you by the volunteers of the Lowcountry Master Gardener Association.
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>2015 “Lunch and Learn” Schedule</b></p>
<b>•  April 16</b> - Program title: <em>Low Maintenance Gardening</em><i> </i>with speaker J. Weidner. Flowering Shrubs and Long Blooming Perennials

<b>•  April 23 </b>- Program title: <em>Ferns…..for Texture and Shape </em>with speaker Gary Baker. Explore these underused perennials.

<b>•  April 30</b> - Program title: <em>Gardening for the Physically Challenged and Just Plain Lazy Gardener </em>with speaker Alice Massey. We were thunder-stormed out last year! Tips and tools to help you get up, down and around the garden with the least effort.

<b>•  May 7</b> - Program title: <em>Lasagna and Raised Bed Gardens</em> with speaker Laura Lee Rose. The no till, no dig, easy method to garden.

<b>•  May 14</b> - Program title: <em>Container and Small Pond Water Gardens </em>with speaker Sandra Educate. Hands down, the lowest maintenance gardens there are.

<b>•  May 21</b> - Program title: <em>Basics of Good Garden Design </em>with speaker Sheila Drouin. Start with good basics and create the garden of your dreams.

<b>•  May 28</b> - Program title: <em>Fruiting Trees and Shrubs</em> with speaker Pete Godbey. Beautiful and edible. What more could you ask of a plant?

<b>•  June 4</b> - Program title: <em>Bringing your Garden Indoors Shrubs</em> with speaker Victoria Bergesen. Invite your garden inside with natural décor.  show you the correct way to plant by planting one right here at the Gazebo.

<b>•  June 11</b> - Program title: <em>Moon Gardens</em> with speaker Sandra Educate. Gardens are not just for the daytime. Get romantic!

<b>•  June 18</b> - Program title: <em>Plant Propagation </em>with speaker Alice Massey. Free Plants!! What a concept!

<b>•  June 25</b> - Program title: <em>A Rose Must Remain, With The Sun and The Rain…</em> with speakers Janet Bura and Becky Guinn. Yes, you can grow roses in the Lowcountry! Without creating a toxic waste dump.

<b>•  July 2</b> - Program title: <em>Native Plants</em> with speaker Daniel Payne. Join the Back to Nature crowd. Well, sort of.

<b>•  July 9</b> - Program title: <em>Why Plant Annuals?</em> with speaker Carol Guedalia. Garden elitists have given these garden staples a bad name. But they’re wrong!

<b>•  July 16</b> - Program title: <em>Tough as Nails, Pretty as a Picture</em> with speaker Natalie Bowie. Think G.I. Jane. Just ‘cause you’re strong doesn’t mean you’re not gorgeous.

<b>•  July 23</b> - Program title: <em>Succulents and Cacti</em> with speaker Lora Quincy. One of the best answers for water-smart gardening.

<b>•  July 30</b> - Program title: <em>Wreaths, again! </em>with speakers Peggy Allard and Sandra Educate. Back by popular demand! A great workshop for making wreaths from found stuff.

<b>•  August 6</b> - Program title: <em>The Real Secret Life of Bees </em>with speaker David Arnal. An expert to give you the back story on these essential creatures.

<b>•  August 13</b> - Program title: <em>Discover Foliage Gardening</em> with speaker Joe Allard. Flowers aren’t the only way to bring color into your garden.

<b>•  August 20</b> - Program title: <em>Fall Vegetable Gardening</em> with speaker Laura Lee Rose. One of our most popular classes.

<b>•  August 27</b> - Program title: <em>Bulbs for the South</em> with speaker Sandra Educate. There are bulbs besides Tulips! We can grow bulbs year round in the Lowcountry.

<b>•  September 3</b> - Program title: <em>Getting Ready to Put Your Garden to Bed</em> (an interactive workshop). Come and share your ideas for winterizing your garden. Do you have an  easy method for winterizing tropicals, etc.?

<b>•  September 10</b> - Program title: <em>Keeping it Growing</em> with speaker Amanda McNulty. Our signature season end class. Put on your crazy hats and join TV’s Amanda McNulty for our version of her popular TV show.