Author: tracytuten

By Mary Ann Hutcheson One of the leading in-home care franchises in Lexington County, Assisting Hands® Home Care, was created by Tom and Jayne Falk in 2012 with a foundational model of providing care, compassion, integrity, and support for those in need. This is reiterated in their mission statement which, in part, promises “…to offer our clients personalized non-medical support services in their homes, assisting the elderly, disabled, and others needing assistance to maintain quality of life. Our services support the individual’s choices and preferences to maintain their dignity and independence.” For Tom, the family business is deeply personal. Team…

The excitement of Christmas morning comes from celebrating Jesus’ birthday and watching children’s faces light up as they open their gifts. Our Town Magazine asked our recipe gurus to provide a meal that will enhance your time spent with family this holiday season. We hope you’ll enjoy these fares and have a very Merry Christmas morning! Kale and Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole INGREDIENTS: Unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 lb. bacon, chopped 1 medium onion, diced 4 c. WP Rawl Farms® Kale 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 dozen eggs 1 c. whole milk 1 tbsp. dijon mustard 6 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated…

By Scott Vaughan East of the Rockies, Christmas 1983 was one of the coldest ever. I was 24 and volunteered with the local Jaycee organization at Christmastime in southeast Georgia. The Jaycees ran the local Christmas charity, collecting gently used toys and handing them to children in need of Christmas cheer. A food box also went to each family. On Christmas Eve, the Jaycees dispersed two-by-two, making deliveries all over the county and throughout the day. Our headquarters was an old, empty Tastee Freez location. At the day’s end, I was assigned to the team cleaning up the Tastee Freez.…

Single or Not? By Tommy Gee It’s a question that’s often tossed out casually in conversation, but the answer—especially for someone like me—rarely lands without weight. At over 50, never married, and without children, I’ve grown used to the reactions. Especially during the holidays. When I say I’m single, people don’t just hear a relationship status; they see a story they’re not sure how to interpret. Some offer quiet condolences, as if I’ve lost something dear. Others visibly recoil, unsure of what to say next—as though they’ve accidentally touched on a trauma. It’s assumed there must be a backstory: a…

By Paige Youmans For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. -KJV, Deuteronomy 15:11 Sharing God’s Love (SGL) is a Christian-based 501(c)(3) charitable organization serving the communities of Irmo, Ballentine, and St. Andrews, assisting individuals and families struggling to secure basic living necessities. The organization obeys God’s directive to care for the disadvantaged by providing clothing, food, groceries, financial assistance, and spiritual support. Working collaboratively with community churches, SGL is able to better coordinate…

By Virginia Gates I rarely get a chance to watch movies. Being in the thick of midlife with a spouse, kids, a business, social engagements, and ongoing cancer treatments, my plate is quite full. Taking a couple of hours to sit down for pure, uninterrupted entertainment is a luxury that I put at the bottom of the list of things that I would typically have time to enjoy. However, one evening at dinner, a dear friend, Rob Shirley, suggested there was one movie I needed to watch. As a fellow foodie who has worked in the restaurant industry his entire…

By Marilyn Thomas To uphold the spirit of Thanksgiving, local law enforcement, along with dozens of partnering organizations, will be participating in Lexington’s Annual Bountiful Harvest community event on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. This family-friendly, public program promotes local information and resources by distributing boxes of non-perishable food items, and providing a catered meal by the Southern barbecue restaurant, Hudson’s Smokehouse. Lexington’s mayor, Hazel Livingston, is excited to be a part of the program’s ninth event, “The Town of Lexington is honored to host Bountiful Harvest,” she explains. “This is a wonderful event that ensures those in need have the…

By Jerry Grimes The summer of 2018 hit our family like a storm—cancer, disease, and loss pounding us in relentless waves. My wife, Lisa, and I had been married for 37 years by then, long enough to weather good times and bad. But this was different. That spring I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Thankfully, it was caught early, staged at zero, and highly treatable. But the C-word still knocked me flat, filling me with fear. Not long after, we learned that Lisa’s sister, Linda, was facing something far worse: Lou Gehrig’s disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). At the…

By Guy Smith On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the armistice ending major hostilities in World War I, the “war to end all wars,” went into effect. The following November, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 to be Armistice Day to commemorate the end of the war and to recognize the “heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory.” In 1954, following America’s involvement in World War II and the Korean War, Congress replaced the word armistice with the word veterans and established Veterans Day to…

Have I ever mentioned that I am blessed with a huge family and many wonderful close friends who are considered family? We recently had a gathering, and over 60 people attended! Those that didn’t attend had completely valid reasons and were missed, but still… over 60 people! I know every one of them by name, can call on them any day of the week, and I love them beyond measure. My heart is so full when I consider how truly blessed I am to have such a wonderful support system who truly knows me. They are aware of my strengths,…