Pamela Cohen Making Something Out of Nothing (Photographically)
Thursday, November 19, 2026 The Lake House, 2319 Seabrook Island Rd 6:15 – 8:15 pm Refreshments 6:15 pm Announcements 6:45 pm Presentation 7:00 pm
Seeing Beyond the Obvious: What is “nothing,” and what makes a “nothing image”? Pamela Cohen challenges photographers to push their creative boundaries and discover beautiful fine art hiding within seemingly ordinary scenes. Drawing on real-world dilemmas, she shares sensible, field-tested solutions to transform casual snapshots into stunning, purposeful photographs.
Let’s clean up Betsy Kerrison parkway! Please join us on Saturday,November 14 for our Adopt-a-Highway Sweep, weather permitting. It is a great way to meet new people and old friends, get some exercise, and beautify the entry to Seabrook Island.
We will meet at the Lake House at 9:00 am. We will provide you with pick-up sticks, neon orange vests, and bags. We will sweep for approximately two hours or as long as you are able. Each bag should weigh no more than 15 pounds and personal safety is first and foremost for all participants. On average, three bags of trash are collected per person.
Participants may choose the area along Betsy Kerrison/Bohicket that they would like to see tidied up or go to an assigned area.
Canned Food Drive – November 2 through December 10, Lake House Lobby. Help us fill the shelves and support our neighbors. Donate cans of food, or even better, multi-packs of canned food items, for distribution to the clients of the Sea Islands Hunger Awareness Foundation (SIHAF). Protein items like hearty or chunky soups, stews, chili, corned beef hash, tuna, and canned chicken, as well as canned vegetables and fruit, are especially appreciated. Please check expiration dates before donating. Together we can make a meaningful difference.
Bingo is Back – Monday, November 23 from 4:30 – 6:00 pm at Lake House Eagles Nest.
Lake House Renovations – Construction has begun on several improvements to the fitness and wellness spaces. Some areas may be closed for a period of time or may not be available. Keep up to date on which areas will be affected by clicking here. This link is updated on Thursdays.
Thanksgiving Events
Chili Cook-Off – Monday, November 23, 1:00-4:00 pm at the Lake House. Click here for more information.
Turkey Trot – Thursday, November 26, 8:00 am, at the Lake House. Click here to register. Sign up early to get your shirt.
Fred Demler Youth Fishing Tournament – Friday, November 27, from 9:00 – 11:00 am at the Lake House. Click here for more information and to register.
Holiday Parade – Friday, November 27 at 3:30 pm at the Lake House. Click here for more information and to register.
A Holiday Market – Friday, November 27 from 12:00 – 6:00 pm at the Lake House.
Holiday Tree Lighting – Friday, November 27 from 4:30 – 7:00 pm at the Lake House.
Pet Portraits with Santa – Saturday, November 28 at 9:00 am at the beach at Boardwalk 1. For more information, please email hrice@sipoa.org.
Fitness Classes
Sign up for text alerts to receive important updates about class cancellations, facility updates, schedule changes, closures, and other time-sensitive announcements. Click here for more information.
Group Exercise Classes The Lake House offers an average of 30 Group Exercise Classes a week, ranging from various Yoga classes to HIIT Boxing. Click here for the schedule.
Semi-Private Series Sign up now for the following semi-private classes. For registration information and detailed descriptions of the individual classes, click here.
Veterans Day is a day to reflect on the sacrifice and courage of all U.S. Veterans. It is the day that our country honors and thanks those men and women for their service.
Some Background on Armistice Day and Veterans Day
November 11, Armistice Day, marked the end of World War I. On “the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month,” in a forest near the French city of Compiègne, French, British, and German leaders met and signed an armistice that officially ended “the war to end all wars” that claimed the lives of more than 16 million people over four years.
President Woodrow Wilson originally proclaimed November 11, 1919, Armistice Day to honor the country’s servicemen who served during World War I. The date wouldn’t become a National Holiday until a Congressional Act in 1938 made it so. It would remain a holiday for this select group of soldiers, sailors, and marines until President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill that expanded its intention to celebrate the service of all servicemen and servicewomen from every American war.
It would remain known as Armistice Day for the next 35 years until Congress changed its name to Veterans Day on June 1, 1954. That name has remained unchanged ever since. The date of the Veterans Day celebration has also remained unchanged, except for a brief period of seven years when it was changed to the fourth Monday of every October in 1971 to make sure that it complied with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This decision was eventually reversed in 1978, and this holiday has been celebrated on November 11 ever since.
If you’re reading this, it’s safe to guess you’re fond of books, reading, and being transported to different times, places, experiences, and viewpoints. We invite you to check out what others are reading and share your recommendations for favorite titles with us.
Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference. She works hard by day in the tenements, and by night discovers the flourishing social scene in Greenwich Village. She meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance. Sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he’s a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on good looks and a famous name. He thinks she’s a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House. (2024; Nonfiction)
Life and Death and Giants by Ronald J. Rindo A young Amish woman delivers a baby that’s eighteen pounds and twenty-seven inches long, and no one in Lakota, WI, knows what to make of the boy. Raised by his brother in rural poverty, Gabriel Fisher walks early, communicates with animals, and possesses extraordinary athletic abilities. At seventeen, Gabriel is discovered by the local football coach, setting off a transformative journey. Rindo weaves together an unforgettable story of faith, family, buried secrets, and everyday miracles. (2025; Fiction)
Michael Without Apology by Catherine Ryan Hyde Michael Woodbine was seven years old when a near-fatal fireworks accident scarred him and led to his placement in foster care. Now a college freshman, he is still trying to hide the effects of his trauma from his classmates, his adoptive family, and himself. When Michael signs up for a film class, he meets Robert Dunning, a teacher who wears his own scars unapologetically. Robert encourages Michael to make a documentary that explores body image and self-perception. Michael places an ad seeking people who feel unattractive and rejected by society–and is surprised to learn that this is essentially everyone. As he collects these stories–and finally tells his own–Michael feels more connected to the world than he ever has before. (2025; Fiction)
The Women on Platform Two by Laura Anthony In 1970s Dublin, all forms of contraception are strictly forbidden, but an intrepid group of women will risk everything to change that in this sweeping, timely novel inspired by a remarkable and little-known true story. (2025; Fiction)
I See You’ve Called in Dead by John Kenney Bud Stanley is an obituary writer who is afraid to live. Yes, his wife recently left him for a ‘far more interesting’ man. Yes, he goes on a particularly awful blind date with a woman who brings her ex. And yes, he has too many glasses of Scotch one night and proceeds to pen and publish his own obituary. The newspaper wants to fire him. But now the company’s system has him listed as dead. And the company can’t fire a dead person. (2025; Fiction)
Looking for Terry by Terry Bradshaw In his first memoir in more than two decades, Bradshaw finally pulls back the curtain on the persona the public thinks it knows. With trademark candor and wit, he examines how a reputation for being “not too smart” followed him throughout his career–and how he learned to embrace it rather than fight it. By leaning into the jokes, Bradshaw discovered that humor could be both a shield and a superpower. The result was the goofy, always-game-for-a-laugh Terry Bradshaw that fans came to love. But behind the punchlines was a more complicated man, one who sometimes felt trapped by the very character he helped create. (2026; Nonfiction)
Stitched by Eli McCann Betty Lou Dearden has been a member of the Ogden Quilters Association for more than twenty years when it is announced that the biggest quilting competition in the country is coming to Utah. With the clock ticking and a chance to finally beat their long-time rival quilting circle, the women welcome two young gay men to their group as they bicker their way to an award-worthy entry. With disarming humor and extraordinary heart, Eli McCann takes readers deep into the cozy but cutthroat world of competitive quilting and the sometimes-messy friendships that shape our lives. (2026; Fiction)
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett Stockett’s follow-up to The Help traces the intersecting lives of an exasperated older sister, a precocious orphan, and an enterprising woman in 1933 Mississippi. Stockett holds the reader’s attention with her colorful characters. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this offers a memorable view into the impossible choices faced by women in the Great Depression. Experience enhanced with the audio edition. (2026; Fiction)
Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel At seventy-seven, Pepper Mills is too old to be a stranger in a strange land. She didn’t choose the Vista View Retirement Community of Austin, Texas–that would be her three grown children–but when she grudgingly moves in, she not only makes new friends, she falls in love. Then the exhaustion, vomiting, and confusion start. Her children and grandchildren worry it’s cancer, dementia, a stroke. But a raft of tests later, the news is even more shocking: she’s pregnant. Once word gets out, everyone wants a piece of her: the press and the paparazzi, activists and medical researchers, all descending on Vista View as Pepper tries to determine her next move. Soon Pepper has some hard decisions to make–and some she’s not allowed to make. (2026; Fiction)
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben This collaboration details the story of disgraced Army combat surgeon Maggie McCabe, who takes a secretive, high-paying medical job overseas for a mysterious client after losing her license. When the patient vanishes, Maggie becomes a fugitive. (2025; Fiction)
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater As World War II shakes the globe, a secret State Department deal turns the luxury Avallon Hotel and Spa in the West Virginia mountains into a gilded holding pen for hundreds of captured Axis diplomats and Nazi sympathizers. June Hudson, general manager, must keep the peace, manage a weary staff, and cater to the enemy with a smile, all while navigating the dangerous, healing—and potentially threatening—mystical “sweetwater” mineral springs that flow beneath the floorboards. (2025; Fiction)
The Maid by Nita Prose This cozy, character-driven mystery novel follows Molly Gray, a socially awkward and neurodivergent 25-year-old maid at the luxury Regency Grand Hotel. When she discovers a guest is dead, Molly becomes the prime suspect in the murder. An unexpected band of allies and friends she never knew she had help her clear her name and uncover the truth behind the crime. (2022; Fiction)
The Guggenheims by Irwin and Debi Unger This is a sweeping, 550-page group biography chronicling the rise and evolution of one of America’s most influential Jewish-American families. (2014; Nonfiction)
We look forward to hearing about the books you or your book club recommend.
Include your name (although it will not be published), the title, and the author of the book you recommend, and email this to Tidelines at seabrookislandblog@gmail.com.
For audiobooks, include the name of the narrator.
Tidelines editors will provide a blurb to tell a little about the book and add the book jacket image.
Publication is at the discretion of Tidelines editors.
And if you are weeding your bookshelves and cupboards, consider offering your recent books and puzzles (only complete ones!) to The Lake House library. Please drop them off at the library and librarian Cindy Willis will organize them and put them on the shelves.
To see the complete list of books from 2019 through 2025, go to the Tidelines websitehereand look for the Seabrookers Read tab.
Celebrate the season with a candlelight tour of the Nathaniel Russell House, where Charleston’s post-colonial elite marked the holidays in 1808. Built by merchant Nathaniel Russell, the home reflected both international connections and the grandeur of Charlestonians at that time.
By candlelight, visitors will experience a uniquely curated tour designed for the holiday season. Guests will have the opportunity to see first-hand how Russell’s family celebrated the holidays in an era of prosperity and display, while also considering the vital labor of the enslaved men and women who made such celebrations possible.
Tickets are $45 and must be purchased in advance. Tours will be offered four times each evening on November 20 and 21 starting at 5:30 pm.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
The November edition of Currents has arrived! Click on the cover above or visit the SIPOA website and access it through the News dropdown menu.
November is here, bringing cooler mornings, a season of gratitude, and plenty of reasons to come together on Seabrook Island!
This month’s issue is packed with important updates, including a first look at the new SymLiv Gate Access platform, progress on the sand scraping project and Lake House renovations, and opportunities to get involved with SIPOA. You’ll also find a heartfelt reflection from Rebecca, CEO | Executive Director, as she celebrates her first year with SIPOA, along with a particularly uplifting Saltwater Story that reminds us why we’re so fortunate to call Seabrook Island home.
And because November is about more than turkey and pumpkin pie, there’s plenty of fun on the horizon! From community gatherings and our season of giving to the much-anticipated Jingle Palooza Thanksgiving weekend festivities, there’s no shortage of reasons to celebrate.
Settle in, get cozy, and take a few minutes to explore everything that’s happening on Seabrook Island this November!
To receive SIPOA’s weekly Highlights email as well as special notices and alerts from SIPOA, please click here to sign up.
Email your comments and feedback to publiccomment@sipoa.org
Town Hall will be closed Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in observance of Veterans Day. Town Hall will reopen at 8:00 am on Thursday, November 12.
Beach Off-Peak Season– Temporary beach rules are now in effect. Temporary beach rules began on October 15 and will continue through December 31, 2026. Pets must remain on leash at all times. Beach fires are not permitted while the temporary beach rules are in place. The beach will be closed to the public from sunset to sunrise. To learn about the temporary beach rules, click here.
2026 Holiday Drop-In and Toy Drive – It’s never too early to begin thinking about the holidays. The Town’s Holiday Extravaganza is planned for Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.
TOSI’s New Emergency Alert System – The Town of Seabrook Island is switching to Everbridge, a mass notification system that delivers only critical, local emergency alerts. This system will be used exclusively for emergency notifications, including all National Weather Service alerts. To learn more and sign up, click here.
TOSI Monthly E-newsletter – Sign up for the town’s e-newsletter by clicking here.
MEETINGS
To stay up to date on meeting dates and times, visit TOSI’s calendar located on its homepage.
Environmental & Wildlife Committee Meeting Thursday, November 12 – 10:00 am The agenda can be viewed by clicking here. Watch live on YouTube.
View the calendar of meetings beyond this week by visiting the TownofSeabrookIsland.org homepage.
Agendas will be posted at least 24 hours before each meeting. All videos can be found on the town’s YouTube channel. Individuals wishing to participate in the meeting via Zoom can call (843) 768-9121 or email pwiggins@townofseabrookisland.org for login information before the meeting.
Veterans Day is Wednesday, November 11, 2026. It is a federal holiday, which means that non-essential federal government offices are closed and every federal government employee is paid for the holiday. South Carolina also observes Veterans Day. Most banks, credit unions, and schools will be closed.
The local holiday hours are as follows:
SIPOA offices will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, and will reopen on Thursday, November 12, with normal hours.
Town of Seabrook Island offices will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, and will reopen with normal hours on Thursday, November 12.
Vincent’s Pharmacy will be open on Wednesday, November 11, with normal hours.
Post and Computer Center will be open on Wednesday, November 11, with normal hours.
Harris Teeter will be open on Wednesday, November 11, with normal hours.
The U.S. government recognizes 12 federal holidays: 11 annually and Inauguration Day every four years. South Carolina observes most of them and adds a few others.
The Seabrook Island Artist Guild (SIAG) is continuing its commitment to local arts education with a special fundraising auction featuring an extraordinary item: a custom basketball personally autographed by Dawn Staley, head coach of the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team.
For the past two years, SIAG members have contributed thousands of dollars to the art departments at St. John’s High School and Haut Gap Middle School. These contributions help provide valuable opportunities for students in the local Title I schools to explore and develop their artistic talents.
Coach Staley, widely recognized for her basketball accomplishments and commitment to disadvantaged student-athletes, has graciously donated this distinctive basketball to support the Guild’s efforts. These commemorative basketballs are rare, making this a particularly special opportunity for basketball fans and collectors alike.