Brunswick Senior Buzz July 2020 by Brunswick Senior Resources Inc.

Brunswick Senior Buzz THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF BRUNSWICK SENIOR RESOURCES INC.

July 2020

ONLINE ONLY THIS MONTH

A KITCHEN MAGICIAN A WELL-WRITTEN VOLUNTEER SIMPLE SUMMER SUPPERS A TOYS FOR TOTS TRAVEL TALE HOT GARDEN TIPS JOIN OUR SHIIP ZOOM MEETING

JULY 2020

BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ

IS HOSPICE THE ANSWER? Hospice is 100% covered by Medicare for all eligible patients and is covered by most Medicaid and commercial insurance plans. Anyone can refer a patient to hospice, and the evaluation is free. Take our quiz at amedisys.com to learn if you or your loved one might be eligible for hospice care. Bolivia, NC

P (910) 294-8404 F (866) 268-3451 amedisys.com

SENIOR DAY EVERY TUESDAY!

20% OFF entire purchase, excluding mattresses Ocean Isle 6560 Beach Dr. 910-579-8346

Southport 4170 Long Beach Rd. 910-457-1772

Leland 414 Village Rd. 910-338-3648

OUR SENIOR CENTERS are closed Brunswick Senior Resources Inc. senior centers are closed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Find more information at www.bsrinc.org.

All BSRI centers will be closed the week of June 29 through July 3.

Contents

JULY 2020

BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ

CONTENTS Letter from Supply ..................................... 5 BSRI News ............................. 6-9, 19, 36, 41 Best Bites ............................................... 10-11 Volunteers ................................................... 12 Read All About It ....................................... 13 Tamie Mullis ................................................ 14 Helen Whittaker ........................................ 16 In the Garden ............................................. 18 SHIIP .............................................................. 24 Puzzles .......................................................... 32 Lunch Menu ................................................ 40

SENIOR SITE CALENDARS

8 14

Ash .................................................................. 19 Boiling Spring Lakes ................................ 20 Calabash ....................................................... 21 Leland ........................................................... 25 Oak Island .................................................... 28 Shallotte ........................................................ 29 Southport .................................................... 33 Supply ........................................................... 37

i BSRI A

· Jim Fish, President & CEO · Yvette Gosline, Vice President of Programs & Services · Melody Stephens, Director of Operations · Debra Marlowe, Organizational Development Coordinator · Anita Langin, Accounting Technician · Jennifer Sherman, Director of Case Management · Eddie Jackson, Technology & Reporting Compliance Administrator · Derissa Gore, Case Management Support · Karen Tierney, Case Management Program Assistant · Chauvet “Mel” Jackson, Operations Technician · Glen Hemingway Assistant Operations Technician

Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. 3620 Express Dr., P.O. Box 2470, Shallotte, NC 28459

www.bsrinc.org

(910) 754-2300

(910) 754-9269 Fax | Office Hours 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. · Justin Benoy, Project Technician · Sarah Powell, Volunteer Coordinator · Mallory Balice, Program Specialist BSRI C

· Victoria Hine, Ash and Shallotte · Mary Green, Boiling Spring Lakes · Courtney Bledsoe, Calabash · Holley Norris, Calabash · René Tarquinio, Calabash · Ellen Kleinerman, Calabash · Carol Schotter, Calabash · Teresa Muchler-Nogli, Calabash · Mike Blandino, Town Creek · Veronica Lett-McGee, Leland · Jade Robinson, Leland · Marilou Smith, Leland · Shelley Cooper, Leland · Doug Russell, Leland · Sandy Porcaro, Leland

i · Janyce Jones, Leland · Pat Green, Leland · Teresa Nelson, Shallotte · Blair Stanley, Shallotte · Laura Collins, Shallotte · Jodi Young, Shallotte · Brett Baughman, Shallotte · Brenda Ambrose, Shallotte · Beverly Bridgers, Southport · Melissa Catlett, Southport · Jackie Knott, Southport · Vaughn Hatley, Southport · Casey Freed, Southport · Sherrill Jolly, Southport · Marilyn Stevens, Southport · Melissa Starr, Supply · Jillian Hardin, Supply · Gloria Pieczarka, Supply · Ilona Smith, Supply · Tikila Morgan, Supply · Mike McGurn, Thrift Store

Financial informa on about this organiza on and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicita on Licensing Branch at 919‐814‐5400. The license is not an endorsement by the State.

BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ

Contributors

Born and raised in Wilmington, cover photographer Aline Harrell now lives in Boiling Spring Lakes. “I have enjoyed taking photos ever since I got my first Kodak at age 12,” Harrell says. A er re ring from SeaWay Prin ng, she wanted to get more involved. She has won awards in the Coastal Carolina Camera Club and has had several prints in juried compe on in Florida. She a ends the photography class at the Brunswick Center at Southport. A er re ring from leadership roles in engineering and informa on technology at a major confec onary manufacturer, Beth Klahre and her husband Jeff relocated to North Carolina. Beth has been enjoying reading on the beach, learning to play the harp, and wri ng human‐interest stories. She is also a volunteer board member of the Friends of the Library of Oak Island and Southport. She lives in Southport with her husband and their dog, Betsy. Read Beth’s interview with local author Helen Whi aker on page 16. Joan Leo a has been playing with words on page and stage since childhood in Pi sburgh. Her poetry and essays appear in many publica ons. Her four historical fic on novels feature strong women in mes of U.S. wars, and her poetry chapbook, Languid Lusciousness with Lemon, was recently released. Joan’s recipes for easy summer meals are on page 11, and she talks with Tammie Mullis on page 14. Donna Ruth Morgan volunteers with Friends of the Library in Southport and Oak Island, Boiling Spring Lakes Library Commission, Brunswick County Library Board of Trustees, and the N.C. Friends of the Public Library. She inherited a love of reading and shares that same enjoyment with her four children and three grandchildren. There’s lots to choose from in Donna’s book reviews on page 13. Pat Naughton and his family moved from Richmond, Va. to Winding River Planta on in Brunswick County in 2017 a er Pat re red as a mechanical engineer at a nuclear power plant. He has been an avid gardener for 35 years and is a Brunswick County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer. Pat takes a look at xeriscaping for hot weather on page 18.

JULY 2020

BSRI STAFF MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Jennifer Sherman Director of Case Management

SRI’s Director of Case Management Jennifer Sherman leads a team offering programs and services outside of the senior center setting, to improve the well-being of older adults. Jennifer works hard to make sure every participant’s needs are met. She strives to make a difference in the lives of Brunswick County’s seniors. “I grew up in the small fishing town of Calabash,” Jennifer says. “My father was the local pastor and fire chief. The Calabash Fire Dept. will always have a special place in my heart.”

In college, Jennifer studied kinesiology, nursing, medication assistance, respiratory therapy, health and human services, crisis counseling, and executive leadership. “I love learning—I’m a career student. Now I’m pondering the thought of finishing my doctorate or R.N. Which one will I choose?” she says. Jennifer’s hobbies include DIY projects with her husband and friends. “We have an older home and we enjoy watching a YouTube video and going for it. It is challenging, but turning something old into something new restores my soul,” she says.

Letter from Supply

JULY 2020

ABOUT THE COVER

BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ

Senior Centers Without Walls

he shuttering of our centers mid-March in response to the coronavirus pandemic was a coordinated effort between the Brunswick County Health Department and Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. We are committed to protecting our seniors, volunteers, and staff.

Photo by Aline Harrell

Happy Fourth of July! Our patrio c cover photo is by Aline Harrell, member of the Coastal Carolina Camera Club. “This was the ﬂag pole that was on Oak Island by the old pier, the year before we got the new one,” Aline says. “I caught the pelicans ﬂying over while I was si ng on the beach.”

BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ EDITOR Shelagh Clancy buzz@bsrinc.org (910) 622-1036 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Beth Klahre, Joan Leotta, Debra Marlowe, Mike McGurn, Donna Ruth Morgan, Patrick Naughton, Sarah Powell, Jennifer Sherman, Marilou Smith, Melissa Starr, René Tarquinio CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Aline Harrell, Jillian Hardin, Teresa Nelson, Sarah Powell, Melissa Starr, Gary Whittaker ADVERTISING SALES (910) 754-2300 Anita Langin alangin@bsrinc.org Shelagh Clancy buzz@bsrinc.org © 2019 Brunswick Senior Resources Inc. All rights reserved

www.bsrinc.org

Who thought, as this began, that we would remain this way for so long! Unfortunately, the situation continues to surround us. We must listen to science, government direction, and our hearts as well as minds so we can weather this pandemic storm, health intact. It has been a long wait for us at BSRI. Planning to reopen safely has taken much of our time these days, developing and putting in place the safety protocols necessary to move us forward, to open our doors. We are working on it, and waiting, along with you.

We Miss You As for me, I have come to realize that each of you has an important part in my world. I understand your feelings of loneliness and frustration, of having to miss the activities and people you have chosen to be a part of your life. That’s why we are creating ways to bring us together though we are physically apart. Jillian and I miss your smiling faces, our interactions and informal sharing. The love, laughter, and friendship that you share with others here in the Supply Center give meaning to us all. We are working to break down

Melissa Starr, Director The Brunswick Center at Supply

the walls separating us due to the pandemic, to reimagine our center beyond the walls at 101 Stone Chimney Rd. All BSRI centers are working, together and separately, on plans to create a Senior Center Without Walls. Our goal is to create more ways of connecting: through outreach phone calls, weekly email blasts, Zoom classes, interactive programs, Facebook Live, and more.

Behind the Scenes So if you have wondered what we are doing while we’re closed— we’re designing and bringing you new program formats at a record pace. And we are serving meals to our homebound and curbside congregate participants. We have partnered with many agencies to expand food accessibility and share the produce, baked goods, etc. with center participants and senior groups in the community. CENTERS, con nued on page 6

Letter from Supply CENTERS, continued from page 5

Those who have internet access can tune into the new virtual programming we have begun to offer over the past two months. Sign in to take part in our Zoom classes. Check in on classes and say hi to friends from before. Take a virtual road trip to Calabash, Shallotte, and our other centers by tuning into to their classes as well. Have you checked out the other features on our website in addition to the monthly Senior Buzz? You will find programs at each center, and ways to get involved and stay in touch. We offer a virtual calendar of fun each month that can take you away from the confines of your home to other cities and adventures (see page 37). Explore new ideas and expand your learning. You loved our day trips. So, take a virtual day trip through our calendar! All of this can expand your life outside of the walls of your home.

Not all center participants have access to this virtual world. We work to bridge the gap through telephone

contact and sending out activity packets filled with interesting puzzles and games. Supply Center began Telephone Bingo in June, sending out individual bingo cards to our homebound participants. Bingo numbers are called Mondays through Fridays. Our bingo players enjoy their check-in phone calls, hoping to receive a lucky bingo number. Our Meals on Wheels drivers deliver the Bingo prize to the winner. We celebrate the winner through a group-wide congratulatory phone message. A new game starts the following week. Volunteer to work our center’s raised bed garden. We can schedule time for you to come that is safe and maintains social distancing protocols. There’s plenty of fresh air and sunshine in abundance. Be a part of creating a Senior Photos by Jillian Hardin

Center Without Walls! Call or email Jillian or I with your thoughts, suggestions, and feedback. What type of classes would you like us to offer, through Zoom or other means?

Take pictures of yourselves to mark this time and the things that you are doing. Share them with us. We will create something beautiful with them. Pick your times for getting outdoors wisely. Choose times when fewer people will be out and about and you can enjoy the beaches, parks, or neighborhood in a safe, socially-distant manner. Let us know if you need a mask. Novant Health has partnered with BSRI through our Southport Center and is generously sharing cloth masks. They too are committed to helping us keep our seniors safe. Although our doors are shuttered right now, we have not gone far. We are a mere phone call or email away and we will answer. We will get through this together. And we will be stronger.

Melissa Starr, Director The Brunswick Center at Supply

Our Meals on Wheels drivers are keeping the love coming from the Supply Center! At left are Kenneth Walsh, left, and William James. At right, Louis Jerger prepares to load up the day’s meals.

JULY 2020

BSRI News

BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ

Food Lion Gives Grant for Hunger Relief

runswick Senior Resources, Inc. recently received a grant from Food Lion Feeds’ COVID-19 Hunger Relief Fund. Food Lion Feeds donated $1,500 to BSRI for purchase of food, supplies, equipment, rent and utilities, and gift cards. Food Lion Feeds has donated $1 million to 600

feeding agencies across 10 states to abate hunger caused by the coronavirus. BSRI is grateful for the assistance. Thank you, Food Lion! —Mallory Balice

Novant Mask Donation Helps Brunswick Seniors

o help prevent spread of the coronavirus, Novant Health: Masking Our Communities donated 1,000 masks to Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. Paige Lippard, who works with Novant Health’s Relationship Engagement, reached out to Southport Center Director Melissa Catlett to make the donation. Dean Francisco, who volunteers as a Meals on Wheels driver at Southport, divided up the masks and delivered them to the other centers to get out to participants. BSRI is grateful for the donation to help keep our participants safe. Novant offers this advice on masks: Wearing a mask in public is an effective way to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Although masking will not replace hand hygiene, social distancing or staying home, it’s a powerful tool to support the recovery of our communities.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing face masks in public settings, like grocery stores and pharmacies, where social distancing may be difficult.



Surgical masks and N-95 respirators are still critically needed for healthcare workers. Cloth masks help conserve those supplies.



Washing your hands is the simplest, most effective ways to slow the spread and protect yourself and others.

Photo by Melissa Catle

Beverly Bridgers hands a mask to Sherry Ross at the Brunswick center at Southport. A thousand masks were donated by Novant Health: Masking Our Communi es to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

How to wear a mask Cloth face coverings should: 

Fit snugly but comfortably against the sides of the face.



Cover both the mouth and nose.



Include multiple layers of fabric.



Allow for unrestricted breathing.

How to remove a mask When removing your mask, be

careful not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Wash your hands immediately after removing your mask. Do not take your mask on and off .

How to disinfect a mask Cloth masks should be washed regularly. Simply toss your mask in a washing machine to clean it.

BSRI News

BSRI Thrift Stores Are Open!

By Mike McGurn Thrift Stores Operations Manager

n extensive collection of Martha Holcombe Root’s sculpted figures were recently donated to our Shallotte thrift store. The collection includes major African American people in American history who have made major contributions to our society, such as Sojourner Truth, George Washington Carver, Frederick Douglas, and Dr. Daniel Hale Williams.

Martha Holcombe Root is the founder and creator of Miss Martha’s Originals figurines. Among the collections that she has created over the years are the Black History Collection, God Is Love Collection, The Nativity Collection, and the popular All God's Children Collection.

SHOP our BSRI thrift stores for the best selection! Two locations: 10001 Beach Dr. Calabash 5302 Main Street Shallotte

SHOP ONLINE: www.bsrincthrift.org DONATE your extra items to help senior programs and services in Brunswick County! For free pickup, call (910) 712-6458 VOLUNTEER at our thrift stores— it’s fun! Apply online at www.bsrinc.org/volunteers.html

Martha Holcombe Root started her business in 1980. Her pastor asked members of the congregation to make a pledge to help repair a leaking roof in the church building. She pledged to donate 800 dollars, but she had no idea how to make the money. Soon after, she made a soft sculpture doll for fun, but found that people were interested in purchasing the product. She placed an advertisement in a craft magazine to market her product, and the business took off. The Martha Holcombe Root figurines are for sale in our Shallotte store and some of them are also listed for sale on BSRI Thrift’s Online Store on our website, www.bsrincthrift.org. You can also shop for other fine art collectibles on our online store, like the collection of Norman Rockwell Paintings on decorative porcelain bells which are located at our Calabash store.

BSRI News

JULY 2020

BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ

McLeod Named Ash Senior Site Manager

managing the Ash Senior Site. My love for the older adult population, past associations with BSRI participants, and education have prepared me well for this position. I am excited about the opportunity to work in Ash and I want to use my experience and skills to improve the lives of senior adults,” she says.

aroline McLeod is the new Ash Senior Site manager. She will coordinate daily activities and meals and provide assistance to program participants. She will also serve as case manager assistant in Leland and Shallotte. McLeod has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Appalachian State University and a master’s in social work from UNC Wilmington. She interned at the Brunswick Center in Leland and volunteered there after graduation from UNCW. “I knew then that BSRI was the place for me, and I am thrilled to be the new Ash Senior Site manager,” she says. Most recently McLeod worked in

Supply, Southport, and Shallotte as a temporary assistant director, administrative assistant, and case manager assistant. “I am looking forward to

McLeod is 28 years old, has a twin sister, Hilary, and is from Clayton. She recently moved to Leland and enjoys living in Brunswick Count. She loves to go the beach and enjoys fishing. She is a fan of movies and looks forward to the day when theaters reopen. Her favorite place is Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Walex Donates Hand Sanitizer for BSRI Center Safety

alex Products Company, Inc. Manager DaRon Jacobs recently met with Brunswick Senior Resources Inc. President Jim Fish to join forces in protecting the safety and welfare of Brunswick County seniors during this pandemic. Walex donated multiple cases of hand sanitizer for use at BSRI facilities. Walex Products Company is a privately owned, founder-led company which is a global leader in sanitation, cleaning, and odor control specialty chemicals. It handles safety and environmental issues through research and development, right here in Brunswick County. BSRI thanks Walex for its support of our seniors. –Debra Marlowe

BSRI President Jim Fish thanks DaRon Jacobs, manager of Walex Products Company, Inc. of Leland for their dona on of hand sani zer for BSRI facili es.

Wellness

By Mallory Balice Wellness Program Manager

uly is National Pickle Month. You either love pickles or you don’t. The average American eats eight pounds of pickles a year – which is a lot! There are a variety of pickles: dill, crunchy, sliced, bite-sized, and more. You can eat pickles by themselves, or pair them with a sandwich. Here are some benefits of pickles. 

Replenishes electrolytes:

Sweating makes you lose water and electrolytes, and pickles boost hydration. 

Aids sugar levels: Studies show that the vinegar of pickles may help benefit diabetics.



Contains probiotics: Some pickles are fermented and contain probiotics to help with healthy gut bacteria.



Contains Vitamin K: This vitamin helps with absorbing calcium and with blood clotting.

It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. ~Audre Lorde

Best Bites

JULY 2020

BRUNSWICK SENIOR BUZZ

Simple Meals for Summer Days M

time or in case of electrical outages during the storm season. Add one fresh ingredient, and you can make a dull meal into something more exciting.

Many of us stocked up on shelfstable items to keep from heading to the store during the virus isolation

Prep can be quick and easy too, requiring only three main

By Joan Leotta ake summer easy: Take the items in your pantry and turn them into a delicious meal.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce In summer, this pasta is always my go-to. Boil the pasta and serve with an uncooked sauce of fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil with olive oil. For a half pound of pasta, use two large tomatoes or one box of cut-up cherry tomatoes, two cloves of garlic, and a quarter cup of olive oil. Add basil and salt and pepper to taste. For those times when the power is out, use up refrigerator items. Pair fruit, cheese, and lettuces with canned beans and fish.

ingredients, plus salt, pepper, and potentially herbs from your shelf. The three ingredients are highlighted in each recipe. Pantry staples in my house include cooking oil (olive for me), salt, pepper, and herbs like basil and oregano.

Skillet Chickpeas Heat two tablespoons of your favorite cooking oil in a pan with a diced clove of garlic. Add chopped spinach and a drained can of garbanzo beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like to add oregano too. If you feel the need for more protein, add an egg cooked over easy or sunny side up to each portion, and serve with toasted garlic bread.

Many fruits, vegetables, and cheeses keep well even in an outage. Many hard cheeses can be stored at least a

week without refrigeration. Soft cheeses should be eaten within a day of losing power.

Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Tomato, Tuna, and Beans

This one only needs two ingredients. The third comes with the side dish you prepareâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;I serve with either sliced tomatoes, roasted peppers, or a fresh green salad.

A meal I make when it is simply too hot to cook, even when we have power, is a bean, tuna, and tomato salad.

Sprinkle rosemary and salt and pepper over and inside a whole chicken or bone-in breast or thigh pieces you are using. Bake at 350 degrees for at least two hours or until the chicken is cooked through to at least 165 degrees F in its thickest part.

Mix one drained can of tuna, one 15-ounce can of beans (white, black, garbanzo, or kidney) and serve over tomato wedges. You can make this recipe with canned salmon as well. If you have some nice crusty bread on hand, it makes a nice side.

Volunteers

BSRI had a 3-day training in April of last year called Service Enterprise training. It is a training a nonprofit can do to help them leverage volunteers to expand their reach and capacity. Service Enterprise is a national change management program, led by Points of Light, that helps organizations better meet their missions through the power of volunteers. Through a comprehensive assessment, training, coaching, and certification model, nonprofits are equipped to engage and manage volunteers more effectively to meet community needs. Research shows that nonprofits that operate as Service Enterprises are as effective as their peers but at almost half the median budget, and they are significantly more adaptable, sustainable and capable of going to scale. (From the Points of Light resource guide) BSRI already had a large volunteer base of about 450 volunteers. However, we want to take our volunteer engagement practices to the next level. We want our organization to be an example of how a nonprofit can help volunteers reach their full potential, and serve the community more effectively. We are proud to say that all of our staff who manage volunteers are now trained on volunteer management practices. And our organization has put into place volunteer policies, procedures, additions to our website to make signing up to volunteer easier. We will continue to use the strategies we have learned to make our volunteer program the best it can be for our clients and volunteers. This certification took a year to obtain, and in that year we have learned a lot! We hope that our volunteers will begin to see some of the good things we have implemented and will implement in the future.

BSRI has been fortunate to receive some incredible support through a few grants recently. In October we received a $65,000 grant from Cape Fear Memorial Foundation for our Mobile Meals project. We now are able to give each of the Meals on Wheels volunteers an iPhone equipped with a user-friendly app. The app enables them to leave notes about a client in real time. Staff can check in and see non deliveries immediately and follow up. And it provides an organized, straightforward system for volunteers delivering meals. The other notable grants we received came from Meals on Wheels of America. We applied for a grant to help us provide more frozen meals and shelf-stable meals amid the coronavirus pandemic. We have acquired more participants in our nutrition program at every senior center. Therefore, we needed some additional funding to help cover the costs of providing more meals. The first grant we received, in April, was for $20,000. Then another round of funding was released a month later. We applied for this grant as well and were awarded $69,000. We will be using those funds to help add additional freezers and meal production equipment and supplies to each of our nutrition sites. This expands our capacity to be able to serve the community meals during this time.

Interested in volunteering? Email spowell@bsrinc.org Or apply online at https://bsrinc.org/volunteer/

Read All About It

By Donna Ruth Morgan

ummer 2020 is different, and there may not be as much beach reading as usual. But we have plenty of good books for you to sink your teeth into—or your brain. Curl up in the air conditioning with some iced tea and one of these books.

Lisa Wingate’s wellresearched historical novel The Book of Lost Friends (2020) uses dual timelines set after the Civil War and touching down nearly a century later in a Louisiana town bifurcated by race. The stories tug at the heartstrings as its four female protagonists face a multitude of challenges, from outright danger in the 1870s to social struggles in the 1980s. Mystery, history, drama, and romance—the perfect combination. Nutshell review: A glimpse into untaught areas of the deep South’s racial struggles is humanized through uplifting examples of inclusion and friendship. Opportunity Knocks: How Hard Work, Community, and Business Can Improve Lives and End Poverty (2020) by Tim Scott chronicles his life in South Carolina, tying in faith, perseverance and many mentors who helped him rise from fatherless poverty to business and political success. After approaching local Democrats about running for office and being told to “get in line,” he moved to the other side of the aisle. Nutshell review: The Senator’s goal to positively affect the lives of a billion people through a message of hope and opportunity is aspirational and inspirational rather than political.

The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini by awardwinning sportswriter Joe Posnanski (2019) is less about Houdini’s accomplishments and more about why the man still fascinates nearly a century after his death. Houdini bent the truth professionally and personally. Mr. Posnanski examines the facts, the myths and the illusion between them. This is a fascinating delve into the psyche of a man who bullied, lied, and shamelessly promoted himself as a legend. Nutshell review: An offbeat, topsy-turvy biographical tale of wonder. Anne Bogel guides readers with her blog “The Modern Mrs. Darcy” and podcast “What Should I Read Next?” Her 2020 book, Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life, provides strategies for coping with decision-making without wasting time. Personal examples (perhaps too many), practical tips (psycho-babble free) and numerous resources (further reading suggestions) help those caught up in selfdoubt, analysis paralysis, or perfectionism. Nutshell review: Best are the encouragements to celebrate life’s simple pleasures. At press time, Brunswick County libraries remain closed. But all five branches offer curbside pickup. Use the online catalog or call to put books, magazines, movies, audiobooks, and music CDs on hold. The library will contact you once they are available. When you arrive to pick up, call and they will be brought outside with no direct contact necessary. Place returns in the book drop or hold on to them until reopening, no fines will be charged.

Inside Our Centers

By Joan Leotta

ammie Mullis stand ready to feed the senior population of Brunswick County. Mullis, food service manager for Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc., manages food prep at four kitchens in Calabash,

Leland, Shallotte, and Southport, and delivery to additional senior sites that serve lunch in Ash, Boiling Spring Lakes, Oak Island, and Supply. An army of volunteers prepare the meals served in senior centers and for the homebound. Mullis’s program provides the food for all of these. Brunswick County has been serving meals in its senior centers since 2010. A refugee from the snow in the western part of North Carolina where she attended culinary school, Mullis was lured by the sun and sea to move to Ocean Isle Beach in 2014 when she took a county job in food service. “Trinity Food Services made the food for the senior program when it first began. In 2016, the senior program began to prepare its own food under the direction of Ryan Gibbs.” In 2017, Gibbs moved on and Mullis took charge. “I’ve always liked cooking as a hobby, so when my company moved to Mexico in 2007, I went to culinary school in Wilkes County. Since moving here and working in food service, I still cook for fun. And I’ve added shag dancing to my hobbies.”

One of the biggest everyday challenges of the job is to provide food that is both nutritious and tasty, that balances what is good for people with what they want and will eat. The four centers with kitchens do their own ordering but everyone works from the same menu. “Menus are balanced according to guidance from the state, and are sent to a dietician for approval before they go out for preparation to our four chefs: Brett Baughman in Shallotte, Amber Ramsey in Southport, Doug Russell in Leland, and Tyler Hardy in Calabash. Although we can’t consider individual allergies and special requests, we prepare food that is considered senior-friendly—low salt and sugar, and balanced,” Mullis says. BSRI Food Service Manager Tammie Mullis is the person who oversees preparation and delivery of nutritious, delicious meals for the seniors of Brunswick County. She attended culinary school in Wilkes County but escaped to the beach, to the benefit of Brunswick County seniors.

“We do take suggestions from patrons for things to add to the menu, and also try to serve special items for holidays. And every so often we send out a survey to ask the folks who eat our food what they would like to see added to the lunch menu.”

Inside Our Centers This spring Mullis faced an extraordinary challenge in the form of stay-at-home orders that closed the county’s senior centers. She says, “When Covid-19 struck and we knew we would have to close the centers, we had to make some quick decisions on how to serve the seniors who depend on us for a nutritious lunch. “It took us a few days to get things right.” Each center saw large increases in the number of people wanting to pick up daily meals. For instance, Calabash usually served 80 to 100 people, but for meal pickup, they had to increase to 115 to 135. Curbside service increased to between 90 to 100 in each of the centers, even smaller ones like Shallotte that had previously served 50, and Supply, which had averaged around 38. Fast thinking led to a solution within a week. Now meals are cooked ahead. On Mondays, each senior can pick up one hot meal and four frozen ones for the rest of the week. In the preparation area, the team wears masks and gloves and tries to socially distance as much as possible. Pickups are non-contact.

Meals for homebound seniors—averaging about 1,100

across the county—continued to be delivered twice a week by a dedicated team of volunteers. “These volunteers don’t report to me, but I’d like to say, all of them have been truly amazing. For home deliveries we work with the Meals on Wheels program. The meals are prepared in our kitchens and volunteers deliver them. Before Covid-19 they used to take the meals in, and often sit with the people just to talk a bit. A lot of that has been restricted. Drivers have to leave the meals where people can get them, but for the protection of the client, they can’t stay and talk,” Mullis says. “In addition to the hot meals, we give out food packets that include frozen items and shelf stable items such as peanut butter and crackers—items selected for good nutrition that can last at least a week.”

Plans for after the centers open again are not yet formal. “We are set to simply be ready to serve however the centers are able, according to the rules that will keep staff, volunteers, and the seniors safest. “I learn so much from our senior citizens. It’s a joy to work for them,” Mullis says. “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again.”

A participant at the Brunswick Center at Supply stops by for curbside meal pickup. On Mondays, participants may pick up one hot meal and four frozen meals from their area senior center.

Photo by Jillian Hardin

Senior Spotlight

Retirement Reinvention By Beth A. Klahre

elen Whittaker has always loved the coast. She vacationed in Garden City Beach, South Carolina since she was 6 years old. She married in a small church in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina and she and husband Gary continued to vacation at the shore. In 2004, Gary, a private pilot, took a detour and flew up the coast on their way back to Tennessee from a vacation. Helen recalls, “It was lunchtime, so we landed at Cape Fear Regional Jetport and went to Oak Island to eat. We fell in love with the area. It reminded us of how the beaches used to be. Not overbuilt. Old-fashioned.” Back home, Helen researched retirement communities near Oak Island and found St. James Plantation. They returned for a discovery weekend and bought a home.

Helen retired in 2017 after 17 years as the director of Kingsport Public Library in Kingsport, Tennessee. Gary retired the day after Helen and they headed to Southport. An avid golfer, Gary was all set

with his retirement plan after 32 years as a materials engineer with Eastman Chemical Company. Helen, on the other hand, had only planned to “not jump into too many things for a few months.” She says, “Finding your retirement feet isn’t easy. People talk about how wonderful it is to be retired and not have to go to work. And it is! But then what? It’s a big adjustment that people don’t really like to talk about.”

And so began her retirement reinvention. The roots go back to her college days. Helen attended Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia where she majored in English. “I chose Agnes Scott because it was small, southern, and all female. The environment was empowering. All the organizations and committees had young female leaders.” And there were perks! Helen laughs, “If there was a big dance that night with Georgia Tech, we could go to our classes with curlers in our hair! Remember curlers? Or if we

overslept for early class, we could throw a raincoat over our PJ’s and run across the quad to class.” After graduation, Helen attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, obtaining a master’s in library science followed by 10 years working in public libraries. And then it was back to academia at the University of South Carolina, Columbia for a master’s in journalism. “I intended to work in public relations. But life happened and I ended up back in public libraries. I used my new journalism skills to create public relations materials for the library.”

By the time she retired, Helen felt burned out in the library world. But she kept seeing ads posted by Friends of the Library Southport and Oak Island (FOLSOI) for a grant writer. “And I kept seeing them,” she recalls of the persistent nudge. “I knew libraries needed every bit of money that could be found and grant writing was certainly in my

Senior Spotlight wheelhouse. So I volunteered.” Over the past two years, she and Donna Ruth Morgan [see page 13], president ex-officio of FOLSOI, have obtained grants for children’s programs including robotics and a future Girls Who Code program. They also got grants for equipment to convert photos to digital media and VHS tapes to DVD.

Helen always had a passion for children’s literacy, primed during her year as a children’s librarian. “I love the way children’s books delight and excite. And I adore picture books. They can say so much with so few words and can be incredibly impactful. And I thought, I want to do that!” And she did. Helen published her first children’s book, “Sisters in the Air,” a double biography about female pilots Phoebe Omlie and Louise Thaden who met at the first women’s air race in 1929 and were active in aviation for the next 20 years. The book started as a picture book and expanded at her publisher’s request. Helen is now working on several picture books. In her free time, she likes to read, of course, and walk, exercise, and take exercise classes at the Brunswick Center at Southport. She enjoys cultivating flowers like camellias and adult coloring. What a perfect retirement reinvention!

Photo by Gary Whittaker

Helen Whittaker displays a copy of her children’s book Sisters in the Air, a biography of two women pilots in the early years of aviation. Whittaker has a passion for children’s literacy and is including writing in her retirement reinvention.

Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. ~James Baldwin

In the Garden

By Pat Naughton

Succulents are drought resistant. The leaves, stem, or roots become unusually fleshy by developing water-storing tissue. A couple of my favorite succulents are Hardy Ice Plant (Delosperma) and Autumn Joy Sedum. These plants are very drought-tolerant and low maintenance. A few drought-tolerant native varieties that produce nice flowers include milkweed, coreopsis, phlox, and salvias.

ired of dragging a hose to the back of the yard to water plants? Xeriscaping may be for you. In Latin “Xero” means “dry” and “scape” means “landscape.” Xeriscaping is popular in the southwest of the United States where the climate is dry. The same principles can be applied to gardens in coastal North Carolina. Plants that require regular watering should be grouped together close to the house. Plants that are farther away from the house should be drought-tolerant and low maintenance.

When planning a xeriscape, the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox website is a great place to start. The Design Gallery has pictures of more than 80

Autumn Joy Sedum (Sedo Autumn Joy)

gardens. This can be filtered to specific themed gardens, such as drought-tolerant gardens. After getting an idea of the garden layout, use the Find a Plant tool. To find drought tolerant plants for this area, select Coastal region, and resistant to challenges – drought.

Drought-tolerant plants need good soil to hold moisture. Prepare a hole that is as deep as the container and three times wider. The typical sandy soil common in Brunswick County should be amended by adding compost and peat moss. Mix in the amendments with existing soil to encourage root growth beyond the prepared hole. A good ratio is 1/3 existing soil and 2/3 amendments. Mulch is sort of a sun block for plant roots. A 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch will help soil retain moisture, reduce evaporation, and protect the roots from overheating. Natural mulches such as pine needles, straw, and hardwood also add nutrients as they decompose. Keep new plants watered as they get established. Once established, supplement water only during extended dry spells. Drought-tolerant doesn’t mean that the plant doesn’t fare better with a regular supply of moisture.

Photo courtesy NC NCSU Plant Toolbox

Hardy Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi)

For more information on xeriscape and drought-tolerant plants, visit the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/.

CENTER MAY BE CLOSED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS—Check bsrinc.org for updates

Ash Senior Site / BSRI News Ash Senior Nutrition Site Activity Calendar Calendar is subject to change Caroline McLeod, Manager Waccamaw Community Building 5859 Waccamaw School Road, Ash, NC 29420 Call 910-754-7636 For Reservations Operating Hours: 9:30 am.-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday Lunch Served at noon

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09:30 Puzzles 10:45 Exercises 11:30 Stretch 12:00 Lunch 12:30 Puzzles Rummikub

09:30 Puzzles 10:45 Exercises 11:30 Stretch 12:00 Lunch 12:30 Bingo 01:00 Puzzles