Help a Geechee Out

Hey Geechee Fam!

    A member of our Geechee Family is collecting hygiene products, healthy snacks, and puzzle books for Luvkits! The Luvkits will be handed out on Valentine's Day to Charleston, SC area hospitals, to bring a little comfort to those who are visiting love ones in the hospital.

Please send contributions to: Geechie Gurl Inc

                                             P.O. Box 71061

                                                   N. Chas, SC 29415

Please have contributions to the above address by February 7, 2013. If you aren't able to collect, and send items you can donate to service@geechiegurl.org.

Any help is greatly appreciated! 

Geechee Profile: Philip Simmons

Photo Credit: http://southcarolina1670.wordpress.com/

Philip Simmons was born June 9, 1912 on Daniel's Island, South Carolina. Mr. Simmons lived on the island with his grandparents until he was 8 years old. He was then sent to live with his mother in the city of Charleston. At the age of 13, Mr. Simmons began to apprentice under a blacksmith by the name of Peter Simmons (no relation), a former slave. After a 5 year apprenticeship, at the age of 18 Mr. Simmons became a full blacksmith. 

Mr. Simmons began his 77 year career making simple things such as horseshoes. His first commissioned work was for Jack Krawcheck, during WWII, where he had to use scrap iron to make a gate because wartime materials requirements made it impossible to get iron. 
 

Mr. Simmons created all types of ironwork including fences, gates, balconies, fireplace pokers, and various tools. Much of his work can be seen in and around the city of Charleston. 

Philip Simmons has been awarded the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts, a Lifetime Achievement Award by the South Carolina General Assembly, the Order of the Palmetto, and the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Award.  Mr. Simmons has been inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame. Mr. Simmons’ work has been on display at the Smithsonian.

 Mr. Simmons, after retiring from blacksmithing, continued to teach his craft until he was no longer able. Philip Simmons died June 22, 2009, at the age of 97. He is truly a Charleston icon.

 I had the pleasure of meeting, and speaking with Mr. Simmons on several occasions, and he was one of the sweetest people I've ever met. 

To learn more about Mr. Simmons visit: Philip Simmons Foundation, Inc

Biography:  Charleston Blacksmith, The Work of Philips Simmons by John Michael Vlach

Documentary: Keeper of The Gate by David Flander
Interview:http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oral-history-interview-philip-simmons-11873

If you are ever in Chaleston here is list of places that you can see Mr. Simmons' work:

• The gazebo at the Charleston International Airport
• Gates outside the Charleston Vistors Center
• The egret gates at Waterfront Park
• The Gadsden house gate at 329 East Bay St.
• The gate at 2 st. Michael’s Alley
• The railings and window grilles at 45 Meeting St.
• The heart gates at St. John’s Reformed Episcopal Church at 91 Anson St.

Picture Source: http://fycharleston.tumblr.com/post/40688453488/philip-simmons-a-charleston-legend-1912-2009

 

 

Good ole Piggly Wiggly

image from http://www.pigglywiggly.com/

Ok Christopher Ibsen means nothing to the average Charlestonian but he was a great point of contact when I chose to do Piggly Wiggly as our spotlight business.  Why Piggly Wiggly you might ask?  Let's think about it...who in Charleston has never been in a Piggly Wiggly?  Let me start my beloved granny Florence, my great grandma Alice, my aunts, cousins...heck the chilly bear lady, shall I continue?  You get it.  Anyway, they have been proud customers of Piggly Wiggly since forever! I know definitely til mi grandma took ee last breath she was a long standing customer of Piggly Wiggly.  Piggly Wiggly employees knew my family by name.  How nice is that!  When  I was sent to the store on meeting street they ALWAYS had what I was looking for and I never heard complaints about bad food or poor customer service unlike my favorite episode of Good Times when James & Florida Evans got mad because their entire family got sick off spoiled meat at their local supermarket uuugggghhhhh!

Christopher Ibsen was extremely helpful, kind and courteous.  He made it plain that he was very familiar with the Gullah community in Charleston.  He wanted it to be known that he has worked in concert with QUEEN QUET, (the elected princess of the Gullah nation) on different projects including Gullah festivals and local events also  Piggly Wiggly is no stranger to being one of many sponsors for Gullah's various events.  That for me speaks volumes!  It's evident that being tightly knitted in the geechee community they know what our people, their customers want and need.

I asked him what makes Piggly Wiggly a continued staple in the community because let's face it with hurricanes, city improvements/changes we have seen businesses come and then goooooo.  Mr. Ibsen said "out of 600 stores 100 of them are in Charleston alone!" That lets you know how strong their ties are to the carolina shores. Oh and by the way, they opened the 1st Charleston  store in 1947 and they have never looked back! I got the sentiment that Piggly Wiggly's staying power is a faithful, loyal customer base and Mr. Ibsen expressed appreciation for that.

Let's keep it all the way real! It's nice to have neighborhood stores with employee faces that look like us, voices that sounds like ours and where geechee cuisines and ingredients are readily available.  Furthermore I personally remember as a young adult that the stores were always clean....BONUS!

Did you know...

Saunders' reason for choosing the intriguing name Piggly Wiggly ® remains a mystery; he was curiously reluctant to explain its origin. One story is that he saw from a train window several little pigs struggling to get under a fence, and the rhyming name occurred to him then. Someone once asked him why he had chosen such an unusual name for his organization, and Saunders' reply was, "So people will ask that very question." He wanted and found a name that would be talked about and remembered. Read more about the history of piggly wiggly at pigglywiggly.com

Mr. Ibsen showed great appreciation for their community efforts being recognized on moregeechee.blogspot.com

Story by PT