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American soprano Caroline Thomas has spent the last 15-years mostly in europe singing leading roles in operas by wagner, verdi, mozart, strauss and puccini. From 1996-2001, Miss Thomas was known as the “prima donna” of münster, germany where she gathered an extensive repertoire including roles such as Tosca, Leonora (La Forza Del Destino), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Chrysothemis (Elektra), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), and Kundry (Parsifal). From 1999-2001, Miss Thomas participated in all four productions of this internationally acclaimed münster ring cycle Assieglinde, Brünnhilde, Gutrune, and Freia. As a result, she is was guesting with the role of Brünnhilde (Siegfried) in Kiel and at the Teatro Bellini/Catania, Italy.
Caroline will be performing, free of charge, tomorrow night – Tuesday, March 9 at the St. Simons Presbyterian Church. The concert will begin at 7:30 pm.
Rainy weather canceled the official Veteran’s Day parade and celebration on St. Simons Island. However, a few of the truly dedicated decided to proceed anyway. Rain or shine, the patriotic marched on. Local resident Roger Peterson captured the moment with a few of photos below.
We are so thankful for all of the men and women in uniform who bravely serve our country. On a personal note, my little brother is now home from Iraq. For the first time in two years, he will spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with his family!
When: Saturday, November 21, 2009
Where: Ft. Frederica
Tickets: $35/person for members; $55/person for non-members
Call: 912-638-9109 or visit www.sslt.org
Celebrate low-country style with mounds of succulent fresh oysters, local shrimp, and corn-on-the-cob! 30+ Local restaurants will be on-hand, along with hundreds of guests attending this popular island tradition. The annual Land Trust Oyster Roast raises money for the purchase of land on St. Simons Island for the purpose of preservation. Since the Land Trust began in 2000, they have preserved 145 acres of property on the Island.
The Land Trust’s newest project, Frederica Park, is the first new park on St. Simons Island in over 50 years. This project was made possible by a generous donation of land from the Sea Island Company, as well as donations from private individuals.
The 20-acre Frederica Park features a botanical trail and a playfield complex that will be available for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby and other activities such as kite-flying and bocce. Most of the park will be devoted to the botanical trail, where native plant species will be re-introduced to land that had been used for timber farming for many years. Island garden clubs have helped design the trail and a proposed botanical garden. The park will have ample parking, rest rooms, shelters, a play area and eventually, a hard surface jogging/running trail around the playfield.
Also donated to the Land Trust in 2008 was a $500,000 gift from part-time Sea Island residents Jim and Sarah Kennedy, made through the Atlanta-based PATH Foundation. This gift launched the Hampton Spur, a five-mile expansion of the Island-Wide Trail System from the Sea Island Stables to Hampton Point. The first 1.1 mile of the trail was formally opened in October 2008. Another 3 miles of trail were completed in August 2009 – taking the trail within one mile of the entrance to Hampton Plantation. The Land Trust recently secured funding for the final leg of the Hampton Spur, which is planned for completion by January, 2010.
A new public charter school located in Brunswick, Georgia is now open!
The Golden Isles Career Academy presents a new approach to learning, offering career preparatory opportunities for high school age students and college programs for citizens of all ages across the Glynn County community through a partnership with Altamaha Technical College.
The Career Academy is not a vocational school, although its core initiative is to provide hands-on career-driven learning and guidance. The Career Pathways Programs have been uniquely designed to provide essential learning tracks to 18 distinctive career curriculums – some of which are college preparatory focused through the Dual Enrollment Program, where students can actually earn college credit while still in high school. Career paths include: Veterinary Science, Automotive Service, Broadcast/Video, Construction, Dental Assisting, Culinary Arts, Graphic Design, and more.
After years of planning along with contributions from local businesses, the Board of Education, ESPLOST funds, a state grant and a land donation by the Development Authority, the Golden Isles Career Academy opened its doors on August 6, 2009.
Currently, more than 700 high school students are enrolled at the Golden Isles Career Academey. An additional 150 college students are enrolled in evening classes at the same campus.
This is a wonderful addition to our community. For more information, please visit www.gica.us
For the first time since WWII, the St. Simons Island Lighthouse light will be turned off to accommodate extensive restoration and repairs. On Sunday night, September 27, from 6:30-8:30, come out and celebrate The Big Turn Off with entertainment from Mason Waters Band, Master of Ceremonies, Joe Willie Sousa and free refreshments. This is a FREE family event and is history in motion. Come see, learn and touch our beloved lighthouse. The Lighthouse is maintained exclusively by private funds and is not a state funded facility. The Coastal Georgia Historical Society staffs and maintains The St Simons Lighthouse, A.W. Jones Heritage Center & The Maritime Center at The Historic Coast Guard Station
Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival on Jekyll Island celebrates coastal cooking and southern hospitality. Since its inaugural year in 2006, the event has brought attention and public awareness to the unique sweet taste of Wild Georgia Shrimp. One of the primary purposes of Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival, is to bolster an affinity for Wild Georgia Shrimp. Highlights of the festival include, the amateur and professional cooking competitions, shrimp boat excursions, shrimp eating contests, cookbook signings, cooking demonstrations and much more. The festival is completed with live entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, and a kids’ fun zone!
Festival Grounds Times
Friday, September 18 – 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturday, September 19 – 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday , September 20 – 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Enjoy $3 samples of Shrimp & Grits form each of the vendors on Friday.
by Alice Barlow
The Coastal Symphony of Georgia Presents: Serenata!
Saturday Night
Labor Day Weekend
7:00pm at Neptune Park
Join Us Saturday night in the St. Simons Island Village – on the lawn in front of the Casino in Neptune Park – for a full orchestra performance. Bring friends, beach chairs, and a picnic basket. The full orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Vernon Humbert will perform a FREE concert for the community. This wonderful event is a gift of sharing – there is no charge to attend !!
A Sampling of Concert Highlights:
- Sousa’s: The Washington Post March (under the direction of guest conductor Dennie McCrary )
- Gould’s: An American Salute
- Duke Ellington’s: Medley for Orchestra
- Tchaikovski’s: 1812 Overture
- And a Tribute to John Williams
* In the event of rain – this outdoor concert will be canceled.
Hodnett Cooper Real Estate recently announced that Bobbi Jernigan joined the company and will be serving the community from the mainland office. With twenty-six years of experience in the real estate industry, Bobbi has garnered business development and retention, sales, marketing, management and training skills that are invaluable to Hodnett Cooper Real Estate.
When Bobbi entered the real estate industry in 1983 interest rates sat at an intimidating eighteen percent which effectively formed Bobbi’s superior customer service business model. From the start of her career Bobbi believed that if she put her clients interests first, finding the perfect home was inevitable. Bobbi excelled in handling general brokerage and on-site sales; consistently ranking in the top ten agents with Buckhead Brokers. Earning a Phoenix Award in 1994 for ten consecutive years as a million dollar producer launched Bobbi to the Senior Vice President and Director of New Homes position at Jenny Pruitt and Associates. After enjoying great success for many years, Bobbi and her husband relocated to St. Simons Island.
The Jernigans, Atlanta natives, have not looked back since; they love the coast and do not miss the trappings of fast paced city life. Bobbi retired from the real estate industry for a few years to delve into island life; she has a plot at the community garden by the airport, is a member of the praise band at St. Simons United Methodist Church and is an avid tennis player. Bobbi enjoys spending time with her husband and getting involved in the community, but missed playing a role in helping individuals real estate dreams come to fruition. Joining the Hodnett Cooper Real Estate team, Bobbi looks forward to the amazing rewards of matching individual preferences with properties.
Hodnett Cooper currently employs more than 50 real estate professionals and services 800+ exclusive listing contracts. The rental divisions of Hodnett Cooper manage more than 600 vacation and residential rental residences in St. Simons Island and Brunswick Georgia. For more information, please visit www.hodnettcooper.com or call toll free at 888-HODNETT.
The second annual Extreme Volleyball Professional’s (EVP) tour on St. Simons Island was a great success. Sponsored by many local businesses, including Hodnett Cooper and JMM Productions, the volleyball tournament was open and free to the public. Thousands of local spectators turned out at the Coast Guard Station on Saturday, August 30 for great weather, great fun, and plenty of excitement. Local resident and photographer, Roger Peterson, supplied the images below.
My Dad was here from Macon this past weekend for a visit with us here on the Island. We had not taken the St. Simons Trolley Tour in years so we thought it would be a great way to refresh our local historical knowledge and bring my Dad up to date on the vast history St. Simons Island possesses.
From the moment you board the St. Simons Trolley and Bunny passes out the peach candy saying “First I sweeten you up, and then I take your money,” you know this is going to be something special. Since 1992, the St. Simons Trolley Company has conducted the original and definitive tour of St. Simons Island. Exuding Southern charm, this genuine Southern Belle provides a hilariously funny, yet well informed narrative of life in the Old South.
The drive-by includes the Lighthouse, one of only three working lighthouses in Georgia; Bloody Marsh, site of the famous 1742 battle where the fate of the Southern Colonies was decided; Fort Frederica, the colonial town and fort settled by General James Edward Oglethorpe; Retreat Plantation, where relics from the slavery era still exist, and this is the only trolley tour on St. Simons Island that takes you inside historic Christ Church.
You will truly enjoy the entertaining and informative narrative of 400 years of island history and folklore as you ride along in the Original Vintage Green Trolley. They also point out the best places to eat, shop, and play. It’s the perfect way to see and experience island life while getting a good overview of the entire island.
The St. Simons Trolley tour is one of the most acclaimed in the South. To enjoy the island in true southern fashion, you need to experience the St. Simons Trolley.
