Albemarle Magazine - Summer 2023

Early detection improves your odds.

We have to improve the odds.

Lung cancer remains the second mostcommon form of cancer in North Carolina. Each year,9,000 residents arediagnosed withitand more than 5,000 die because lung cancer symptoms oftentimes don’t appear until it ’s toolate. Butitdoesn’t have to be that way. Thereisascreening thatcan detect lung cancerearly -beforeyou have symptoms. And whenlungcancer is caughtearly,survivalratescan increase up to 90 percent

To learn moreabout who should be screened, visit ECUHealth.org/breathe

Patti Mordecai offers “Yoga on the Green” classes in Edenton, usually on Wednesday mornings. Mordecai started holding yoga classes outdoors during the pandemic, when COVID restrictions were in place. Her students liked the atmosphere so much, she’s continued the outdoor classes even with the pandemic now in the rearview mirror.

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Julian Eure

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Kesha Williams

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Chris Day

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David Gough

Vernon Fueston

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Front Porch SUMMERTIME IS OUTDOOR (AND INDOOR) TIME

Welcome to the summer edition of Albemarle Magazine.

With warmer weather fnally upon us, we thought we’d feature a few outdoor things to do as well as highlight a number of area craftspeople and writers.

In this edition, correspondent Anna Goodwin McCarthy features yoga instructor Patti Mordecai and her “Yoga on the Green” classes in Edenton. Mordecai holds the classes, which are open to anyone, on the green lawn in front of the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, featuring a great view of the Edenton Bay.

McCarthy also features the beginner bonsai courses taught by Chris Blaha, an agricultural technician with the Currituck Center of NC Cooperative Extension. Blaha clears up misconceptions about the ancient Japanese art form and explains the process for growing a bonsai from a shrub to a miniaturized tree.

Staff Writer Vernon Fueston details the work of another local artisan, professionally trained ceramic artist Richard Heiser of Edenton Bay Clayworks. Heiser continues a pottery-making technique pioneered by Native Americans. After molding jugs and other household items from local clay, Heiser digs a hole, stacks the clay items and then lights a fre on top.

Correspondent Kesha Williams writes about a recent comic book workshop in Camden led by Jonathan O’Briant, a Currituck school music teacher and published comic book author. O’Briant gave a group of aspiring comic book writers tips on overcoming beginner mistakes — like writing your characters’ words frst before enveloping them in a word bubble.

Correspondent Savannah Hess features Jessica Manfre, a mental health therapist, Coast Guard spouse and author of the recent new book, “Never Alone: Ruth, the Modern Military Spouse, and the God

Who Goes With Us.” Manfre’s book sheds light on one particular struggle faced by military spouses — loneliness — and uses the Biblical story of Ruth to show how one’s faith in God and relationships with other people — in her case other military spouses and friends in the military community — can help overcome those feelings.

On the subject of making others feel welcome, Sports Editor David Gough features two host families for three college baseball players spending the summer in Elizabeth City for the inaugural season of the River City Skippers, the newest Old North State League team. Amy Hammond and Sean and Lindsey Lynum have opened their homes to Skippers players for several months this summer, offering some of that famous hospitality for which the Harbor of Hospitality is known.

Of course, summer is also the time of music, camps and other fun stuff to do. Multimedia Editor Chris Day writes about the free Summer Sounds live music series which kicks off this month at the Elizabeth City waterfront. The concerts, part of City Manager Montre Freeman’s Transacting to Transform initiative and co-sponsored by the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Parks and Recreation Department, will be held the third Friday of the month through September.

Williams includes details about several upcoming summer camps through Camp Cale, 4-H and Arts of the Albemarle, and Hess features some of the upcoming youth programming at AoA this summer. Also, our calendar highlights upcoming area events through September.

Hope you enjoy the magazine and have a great summer.

Albemarle Magazine Editor

Patti Mordecai teaches her “Yoga on the Green” class on the courthouse green in front of the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse in Edenton.

Vernon Fueston/Chowan Herald

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Dozen families provide housing for visiting college-age players this summer

By David Gough Sports Editor

Local families step up to host Skippers players during inaugural season

When the opportunity came up to host a baseball player this summer from the newly-formed, Elizabeth City-based River City Skippers team, Sean Lynum and his family jumped on it.

Lynum and his wife Lindsey are the parents of 8-year-old Jack and 7-yearold Reed, both of whom play youth baseball. To see them develop a relationship with a college-aged baseball player is something the Lynums thought would be great for them.

“We think something like this could be a really good influence on them for the sport and just for them growing up as young men as well,” Lynum said.

The Lynums, who are hosting Logan Griffith, are one of about a dozen local families who will be hosting at least one Skippers player this summer, according to the team’s coach, Noah Cartwright.

Griffith, whose hometown is King, is a pitcher who attends Paul D. Camp Community College.

The Lynums already had a good resource to talk to about what makes a good host family even before they officially decided to host one. Lindsey’s brother, John Hicks, is a 33-year-old AAA catcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization who has Major League experience with the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers. Hicks has spent a lot of time in the minor leagues, where host families are often needed.

“His host families, they got so tight that they now send his boys, his nowsons, presents on their birthdays and all,” Lynum said. “So we were talking to him a little bit even before we made the decision about how strong their bond, their

relationship, was. (It’s) almost like an extended family situation.”

Lynum, 36, said he hopes his family builds that kind of relationship with Griffith over the summer.

The Skippers, a team in the new Old North State League, advertised their need for host families on Facebook months ago, saying the families “are not required to provide food or transportation” for players. Even so, the Lynums are likely to have more food around the house this summer.

“I think it’d be awesome for (Griffith) to be a part of those lunches, those dinners and things like that because I mean, realistically, our plan while he’s there is to treat him like our own,” Lynum said.

Still, while there’s nothing strict, there are some ground rules in place with Griffith being a temporary member of the Lynums’ household.

Lynum joked that his wife is “worried about him bringing girls into the house.”

“We’re not his parents or here to be his moral compass,” he said. “But he is going to have some responsibilities. The main thing that seems to keep coming up is

like the curfew part of it. Not necessarily having a curfew, but more or less like a parent saying, ‘If you’re going to be out past a certain time, please do check in with us so we know where you’re at and we’re not worried about you.’”

Amy Hammond is another host for the inaugural Skippers season. The 38-yearold, who lives by herself, advised the team that she had plenty of room to host a player or two.

Cartwright asked if she was willing to follow through with the “or two” part of her offer.

“As long as one doesn’t mind living on a futon for a couple months, then by all means,” Hammond said she responded. About 15 minutes later, Cartwright confirmed that Cole Wagner and Colby Ott, who are both from Festus, Missouri, were fine with the arrangement.

Wagner, who made it to Hammond’s home in Elizabeth City the weekend of May 13-14, is an outfielder from Rockhurst University, while Ott, who arrived on May 22, is an infielder from Jefferson College.

Hammond said she prepared gift bags for both players as a welcome not only

Amy Hammond (left) poses on her porch with River City Skippers players Cole Wagner (center) and Colby Ott. Hammond is one about a dozen host families for Skippers players during the newly formed Elizabeth City-based team’s inaugural season in the Old North State League.

Photo David Gough/The Daily Advance

to Elizabeth City but to the state of North Carolina.

Volunteering to host baseball players, something that host families are not paid for, is something Hammond acknowledged is out of her comfort zone.

“At first, I thought about my parents and then I was like, ‘you know what? I have extra space,’” she said. “It’s getting out of my comfort zone. It’s something I’ve never done before, so why not just take a chance and see what happens?”

Hammond asked the players, with whom she’s been in constant communication since the end of April, about the kind of snacks they would prefer while living in her home. They told her she shouldn’t go to so much trouble, that they didn’t want to take advantage of the situation.

“I explained to them, ‘I want you to feel welcome, so picking up a couple snacks to welcome you to Elizabeth City is not going to break the bank or anything like that,’” Hammond joked. “But yeah, they’ve both been very respectful. It’s been really

good. So far it’s been a really good experience.”

Most of the team, outside of a handful of players like Ott, were set to meet in person as a team for the first time on Thursday, May 18.

River City’s first ever game was

The Skippers’ host families will be issued season-long passes to attend as many Skippers home games as they want — something both the Lynums and Hammond said they plan to do.

“We’ve seen what an integral part of the community (the Edenton Steamers) have become and how the families in Edenton show up” for home games, Lynum said. “I think to have that here is something awesome. I think it is huge for the community and for us to be able to go and just enjoy watching baseball. Being able to connect with somebody on the field is going to be really neat.”

Wagner, after being in Elizabeth City for only a week, told Hammond how similar the area feels to his hometown in Missouri.

scheduled for Friday, May 26, on the road against the Clayton Clovers with its home opener set for the following day, Saturday, May 27, against the Kinston Wingmen. The Skippers will play several games a week, with the regular season set to end on Sunday, July 23.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity,” Hammond said of Elizabeth City having the new Old North State League team. “It gives a chance for people to come and kind of see the city, see all the great things that have been happening here lately and a chance to go somewhere they’ve never been before.”

“It gives a chance for people to come and kind of see the city, see all the great things that have been happening here lately and a chance to go somewhere they’ve never been before.”

Amy Hammond, who’s hosting two River City Skippers players

Natural movement: Mordecai offers ‘Yoga on the Green’ classes in Edenton

Yoga instructor started outdoor yoga classes during pandemic

By Anna Goodwin McCarthy - Correspondent

Nothing puts you into a peaceful, meditative state for yoga like lying on your back in the green grass, listening to the birds sing and gazing up into a clear blue sky.

It’s why yoga instructor Patti Mordecai offers “Yoga on the Green” classes in Edenton. The classes are open to the public at least once a week, and while a $15 donation is suggested, it’s not required.

Mordecai prefers to hold Yoga on the Green on Wednesday mornings, but that’s always subject to change because of the weather. Those interested in taking the class can check out her Edenton Yoga Facebook page or sign up to receive her emails for updated schedules.

Mordecai previously owned a yoga studio, Arts and Wellness of Edenton. She closed it during the COVID-19 pandemic, but discovered after a few months that she wanted to return to teaching classes.

So Mordecai started Edenton Yoga. Because of the many COVID restrictions then in place, she decided holding classes outdoors would work well with her students.

They worked so well, she’s continued teaching the class outdoors, even with the pandemic now in the rearview mirror.

Mordecai said participants in her yoga class enjoyed the new setting.

Most of her sessions are on the green lawn in front of the old Edenton Courthouse. It features a resplendent view of the Edenton Bay.

“The breeze lends to the depth of breath,” said Mordecai. “We always start on our backs looking up at the sky.”

Mordecai suggests participants bring a yoga mat or towel, sunglasses and to dress in layers depending on the weather.

“Some people bring their own yoga props,” said Mordecai.

Mordecai said the classes are “all inclusive” and she offers modifications.

“It’s really about listening and following simple instructions to relax the body,” she said.

For most outdoor yoga sessions, 10 to 15 people are in attendance. Mordecai said you do not have to preregister for the class and anyone is welcome to join.

“There are a lot of beginners,” she said.

Mordecai said some participants even bring their children or their pets.

Mordecai describes the one-hour outdoor classes as “stretch and restore yoga” and feature an emphasis on

simple meditation.

Mordecai said the health benefits of yoga include lower stress levels, better balance and fewer issues with lower back pain.

Mordecai says the yoga sessions also allow people to put down their devices and screens and enjoy the outdoors.

“Looking across a long vista is really relaxing,” said Mordecai. “There are a myriad of options to enjoy the time outside.”

Mordecai uses a speaker so that people who are spread out on the green lawn can hear her instructions during the class. Mordecai does not use music for her classes, preferring the sounds of nature instead.

“Outdoor classes have their own soundtrack,” she said.

Mordecai said she has held the outdoor classes during the fall and spring and she may hold them this summer, too.

Being near the water makes it a nice temperature for classes, according to Mordecai.

Mordecai has been practicing yoga for 30 years and has been instructing classes for more than 13 years.

Originally from Kinston, Mordecai earned her bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in journalism from N.C. State University. Mordecai lives in Edenton with her husband, Julien. The couple have three children: Wood, Beatrice and Harris. Mordecai completed training to become a certified yoga teacher at the Blue Lotus 285-hour Vinyasa training program in Raleigh. She also received kids yoga teacher training at Little Guru Kids Yoga in Raleigh and completed a yoga for cancer patients training course at Duke Integrative Medicine.

Mordecai offers private one-on-one classes, group classes for birthday parties, corporate retreats and special occasions.

Mordecai said she has held yoga classes as a fundraiser for her church’s mission.

Mordecai has also started offering yoga classes at The Herringbone, a restaurant located at 119 West Water Street in Edenton. The classes are on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. held on the restaurant’s property outdoors and are $15 a session. For a schedule of Mordecai’s classes, visit the Edenton Yoga Facebook page at https://m.facebook. com/Edentonyoga or email edentonyoga@gmail.com.

Patti Mordecai offers “Yoga on the Green” classes in Edenton, usually on Wednesday mornings. Mordecai started holding yoga classes outdoors during the pandemic, when COVID restrictions were in place. Her students liked the atmosphere so much, she’s continued the outdoor classes even with the pandemic now in the rearview mirror. A $15 donation is suggested but not required to participate.

Photo Vernon Fueston/Chowan Herald

“It’s really about listening and following simple instructions to relax the body”

Patti

Mordecai, yoga instructor for “Yoga on the Green” classes in Edenton

At Edenton Bay Clayworks, Heiser’s pit-firing technique continues NC pottery-making tradition

Heiser’s current ceramic project is ‘Angels of the Albemarle’ for church celebration

By Vernon Fueston - Staff Writer

Some folks in Edenton may not know it, but fairies live in Richard Heiser’s garden.

There are little fairy houses among the flowers and tomato plants, but the real gathering place is at the “Big House” nestled in the crux of a small tree on Oakum Street. Come nightfall the fairies cross the sidewalk and enter the big blue door at the base of the tree, guided by the glow of candles in the tower of the big house.

Well, nobody’s seen the fairies, and if you look closely there is a suspicious-looking solar panel beside the tree that powers the candles. Heiser and his wife, Marilyn, are responsible for this little bit of whimsey.

Marilyn wanted a fairy house like the ones Richard crafts in their pottery studio, so he designed a big one

made from slabs of clay with windows made from shards of old stained glass. There is a ladder that reaches from the grass to the front porch of the fairy house’s front door. From there the fairies make their way through the tree trunk (ask the fairies about that) to the Big House tower, which lights up every night when the sun goes down.

Heiser is a formally trained ceramic artist with a bachelor’s degree in ceramics and a master of fine arts in design and glass art. At Edenton Bay Clayworks, he makes just about anything from pottery to sculpture.

The shelves of the gallery are lined with mugs, Japanese tea sets, Christmas angels, pots, and sculpture made from fired ceramics. One popular item is the “whacky-stacky,” a stacked array of geometric

shapes, faces, and patterned clay objects that can be arranged in different ways by stacking the components on a dowel rod.

Pottery in the North Carolina tradition is one of Heiser’s passions. He likes to make jugs and other household items from local clay and pit-fires them by digging a hole, stacking the clay items and lighting a fire on top of it all. Its a technique pioneered by Native Americans, but Heiser has modified the technique, opting for wood instead of buffalo dung to keep the neighbors happy.

Halloween Jack-o-lanterns are another customer

favorite. Inspired by Mexican “Day of the Dead” figures, the ceramic vessels feature a spot to mount a candle for a ghoulish holiday effect.

Heiser is busy right now making a series of figurines he calls “Angels of the Albemarle” for the Warren Grove Church celebration at the Chowan Arts Council on June 10. The Angels will be glazed and fired using a Japanese technique called raku. The result is a randomly cracked, glossy finish caused when the clay carbonizes as the pieces leave a 1,900-degree kiln and cool covered in sawdust.

Heiser has made ceramics since he was in high

At left: Three raw clay pots — a Mad Hatter teapot, a German “Bartmann” (bearded man) mug, and a grinning “face mug” — await firing at Richard and Marilyn Heiser’s pottery studio at Edenton Bay Clayworks.

Above: Edenton Bay Clayworks owners Marylin and Richard Heiser pose for a photograph in their studio with unfired “Angels of the Albemarle” figures. Richard crafted the clay figures for Warren Grove Church’s celebration at the Chowan Arts Council on June 10. The Angels will be glazed and fired using a Japanese technique called raku. The result is a randomly cracked, glossy finish caused when the clay carbonizes as the pieces leave a 1,900-degree kiln and cool covered in sawdust.

Photos Vernon Fueston/Chowan Herald

Above: Richard Heiser of Edenton Bay Clayworks poses next one of the two large kilns where he fires his clay pots, mugs and sculpture

All Photos Vernon Fueston/Chowan Herald

Top right: The fairies’ “Big House” that Edenton Bay Clayworks owner Richard Heiser crafted is shown in a tree in Heiser’s yard on Oakum Street in Edenton. Heiser’s wife, Marilyn, wanted a fairy house like the ones Richard crafts in their pottery studio, so he designed a big one made from slabs of clay with windows made from shards of old stained glass.

Bottom right: Richard Heiser created this Halloween Jack-O-Lantern ceramic inspired by the Mexican “Day of the Dead” celebration at his and his wife’s pottery studio, Edenton Bay Clayworks. The ceramic vessels feature a spot to mount a candle for a ghoulish holiday effect.

school, but for much of his life, the work-a-day world required he devote his time to commerce. He worked as a yacht designer for 14 years before taking a job designing optical sensors at Corning. He retired after re-connecting with his high-school sweetheart in 2014 at their high school reunion. The pair eloped to Paris for their wedding and settled in Edenton.

“She was my prom date,” Heiser said. “She still is.”

Though Marilyn helps with the studio, her passion is painting and visual art. She studied graphic design in college and went on from there to a career in manufacturing. Her paintings, mostly portraits, hang between Richard’s pottery in the gallery.

The couple scaled back on some custom ceramic work and most beginner classes two years ago to focus on Marilyn’s health challenges. Richard said he still teaches a few advanced students.

Outside, the gallery extends into the garden where flowers grow alongside vegetables. Nestled among the plants are a collection of whacky-stackies and fairy houses. Behind the house are a pair of large kilns where Richard fires his pots, mugs and sculpture.

It has been a productive day at Edenton Bay Clayworks. The collection of Albemarle Angels has grown and Richard will need to fire them soon. As the sun goes down, the candles start to flicker up on the fairy tower. If you listen closely, you might hear a rustle in the flowerbeds.

Edenton Bay Clayworks is located at 108 Oakum Street in Edenton and my be reached at (910) 228-9704.

603 S. Hughes Blvd. Elizabeth City,NC

The art of slow and meticulous: Bonsai classes teach ancient Japanese art form Ag tech teaches ‘Bonsai for Beginners’ at Currituck Extension Center

By Anna Goodwin McCarthy - Correspondent

Chris Blaha says one of the biggest misconceptions people have about bonsai is that it’s a specific type of plant.

“So many people think it is a type of tree, but it’s not,” says Blaha, an agricultural technician with the Currituck Center of NC Cooperative Extension in Barco who teaches “Bonsai for Beginners” classes.

What bonsai is, Blaha says, is an ancient Japanese artform.

Blaha said bonsai is the art of taking a shrub or tree and planting it in a small container, maintaining it through pruning and watering it to become a miniaturized tree.

“Bonsai is an art,” said Blaha. “It is like giving somebody a paintbrush and canvas. They are going to come up with something different.”

Recently Blaha instructed two sessions that introduced bonsai art, one for indoor plants on May 31,

the second on outdoor plants on June 13.

A description of the course at the Currituck County Center’s website describes it as “hands-on” and notes participants “learn how to properly care for, prune, transplant, shape and style bonsai trees.”

Both classes were full. Blaha hopes to continue offering them as interest in bonsai art continues to grow.

“I like seeing people get excited about horticulture,” said Blaha. “It is a huge part of everybody’s life.”

Blaha said it was important to him that people who attended the class leave with a finished product.

“I like for people to leave with something they created,” he said.

For $30, students were provided all the tools they needed to create a bonsai, including a container and a pruning tool.

Blaha said his classes introduce the basic principles of the art of bonsai. While he gives a PowerPoint presentation and supplements it with a brief lecture, the class is primarily hands-on learning.

For the indoor bonsai classes, Blaha said he gives the participants jade plants. For the outdoor bonsai classes, participants are given junipers.

Blaha said when selecting a good plant for bonsai it is important to identify a trunk that has a good form.

Blaha said some people like to create a bonsai plant that is similar to the windblown trees that can be found on the Outer Banks.

By using a variety of pruning techniques Blaha suggests that “any tree you see in nature” can be maintained in a miniaturized state.

“Bonsai requires a lot of care,” said Blaha.

Blaha also instructs students on how to water their bonsai plant, the best places to locate a plant for sunlight, and how to winterize and maintain their plant through the seasons.

A plant’s care really depends on the type of plant selected for bonsai.

“Some plants like full sun,” said Blaha.

When selecting an area for the plants to grow, Blaha suggests keeping them at eye-level.

Blaha said the art of bonsai requires a person to “be very disciplined.”

Before starting to grow a bonsai plant, Blaha suggests people new to the art consider the effort needed to maintain the plant.

“Bonsai teaches you to slow down,” said Blaha. “It is therapeutic.”

Blaha said bonsai can be very relaxing. For example, you can sit at your kitchen table and care for the plant. That’s what makes it such an easily accessible art form, he says.

Blaha, who has been an agriculture technician with the Currituck County Center for five years, enjoys teaching classes about horticulture. He’s worked in nurseries and commercial landscaping for more than three decades.

“I like to see people get inspired with plants,” said Blaha.

For more information about “Bonsai for Beginners” classes, view the NC Cooperative Extension Currituck County Center’s website at https://currituck.ces. ncsu.edu or the Currituck County NC Cooperative Extension Facebook page or call 252-232-2261. Classes take place at the Currituck County Center at 120 Community Way in Barco.

Photos from pexels.com

Chris Blaha is seen in this video presentation on identifying moles and voles at the Currituck County Cooperative Extension Office’s YouTube channel. YouTube screen capture/ Currituck Cooperative Extension Office

Comic book author Jonathan O’Briant, a music teacher in the Currituck County Schools, gave aspiring comic book writers advice on how to avoid common beginner mistakes in their drawings and stories during the Free Comic Book Day event at the Camden Public Library on Saturday, May 6.

Kesha Williams

Photo

Aspiring comic book writers learn tips from O’Briant at Free Comic Book Day

Camden Public Library gave away free comics, hosted comic-drawing workshop in May

By Kesha Williams - Correspondent

For comic book fans, there’s no moment quite like the one where you spot a cherished line of comic books.

So for Camden Public Library officials, displaying 75 new copies of comic books and disbursing them on Free Comic Book Day seemed like a good opportunity to market the library. So did hosting a workshop for aspiring comic book writers.

The library did both on Saturday in early May.

The Free Comic Book Day event not allowed kids to see how the professionals produce comic books, it also provided them with a few production tricks of the trade.

Jonathan O’Briant, a Currituck County school teacher and author of a dozen comic books, was the guest presenter at the workshop.

As a music teacher, O’Briant sees how youths improve their music techniques each week. He believes aspiring

comic book artists can do the same with comic strips.

“This was a workshop for kids that have an interest in telling stories, helping them avoid some of the mistakes and easy things to kind of work around when they are making their own comics,” O’Briant said.

O’Briant offered the young artists practical advice such as making sure they put gutters between their drawing panels so the reader has a visual indicator that time is passing. O’Briant also suggested youths set up their story scenes so that the character that is speaking first appears on the left. That is critical advice, he said, since we read left to right in this country.

Reviewing one of the home-drawn comic book sketches one workshop participant shared, O’Briant noticed some common beginner mistakes. He said with a little guidance, those kinds of mistakes can be easily

Ryan Cantu, left, sketches a comic strip while his son, Asher, 9, adds some finishing touches to his drawing during a comic strip drawing workshop on Free Comic Book Day at the Camden Public Library, May 6.

Photo Kesha Williams

corrected.

“She was modeling a lot of the mistakes we covered in the workshop — dividing the panels by lines and instead of gutters and spaces,” OBriant said.

One other common mistake young comic book artists make is not writing their character’s words before drawing the dialogue bubble that contains them, he said.

Two elementary school-age workshop participants remained at the library after the workshop to review the complimentary comic books on display and to brush up their sketches.

Simon Bryant, 8, was working on some new drawings. He had three stories in mind as he listened to O’Briant. Simon said he often visits the Camden Public Library since his mother works there.

Simon said he attributes his interest in comics to his older brother and dad, both of whom are comic book fans. He enjoys reading nonfiction books about science, history and sometimes adventure books.

Another workshop participant, Asher Cantu, 9, also visits the Camden library on a regular basis. His dad, Ryan Cantu, has long been a fan of comic books. In fact, he published a comic book in New Jersey before the U.S. Coast Guard brought the family to Elizabeth City.

Asher is a science fiction fan and the genre’s influences are visible in his drawings. He said he liked being able to get some pointers from O’Briant. He typically fills the page with his drawings of his story characters.

“I’ve never made a comic like this, making these types of sections,” Asher said. “I just learned about the gutters. Don’t draw the words outside of the bubble or the word bubble outside the box.”

He continued: “I learned how to make the comic a good comic book before you start writing the words and the pictures.”

For more details on free programs for youth at the Camden Public Library, see the library’s calendar of events on its website or call 252-338-1919.

“This was a workshop for kids that have an interest in telling stories, helping them avoid some of the mistakes and easy things to kind of work around when they are making their own comics”

Jonathan O’Briant, presenter, comic book workshop

‘Never Alone’: USCG spouse shares military spouse struggles, strengths in new book

Manfre retells Biblical story of Ruth to emphasize importance of community

By Savannah Hess - Correspondent

Elizabeth City has a long relationship with the U.S. Coast Guard, dating back to when the air station opened here in 1940.

Over the years, Coast Guard members and their families have been welcomed and celebrated by the local community. And in return for that hospitality, Coast Guard members and their families support local businesses, attend local churches and volunteer in the community.

While many people welcome and express their support for Coast Guard families, they often do not realize some of the struggles and hardships military families, especially military spouses, go through.

One military spouse seeks to shed light on one particular struggle faced by the military community, loneliness, in her new book.

Jessica Manfre is a mental health therapist for the Center for Emotional Health in Elizabeth City and has been a military spouse for 15 years. She met her husband 18 years ago when he was stationed in Bradenton, Florida. He has now served for 22 years and been stationed in 11 cities. Manfre and her husband plan to make Elizabeth City their forever home when he retires.

In her book, “Never Alone,” Manfre discusses her life from childhood to the present day and looks at her struggles through the lens of religion, more specifically through the story of Ruth. In fact, the book’s subtitle is: “Ruth, the Modern Military Spouse, and the God Who Goes With Us.”

“The story of Ruth and her journey of Naomi is a beautiful one,” Manfre said. “God uses a pagan woman to show Naomi his love, steadfastness and brought her the hope she so desperately needed.

“As we watch their relationship and story unfold, it mimics the relationship with our service members and military spouse friends,” Manfre continues. “I think it was also imperative for me that I show that even when all appears lost or hopeless, God is right there to lead us into our own stories of redemption.”

Manfre begins “Never Alone” by sharing her own personal experiences and trauma. Notably, she talks about her relationship and experiences with her alcoholic father.

Asked how these experiences influenced her and her decision to include it in the book, Manfre said, “Trauma is heavy, especially when it isn’t processed in the right way. I made the decision to pursue a career as a therapist and healed myself along the way, but it wasn’t always easy. My hope is that my background has not only instilled a sense of grit but that it fosters a foundation to serve others walking similar paths.

“I personally refused to allow my start to define my future,” she continued. “How could I write about loneliness without being willing to share my own background? Getting vulnerable about your feelings and experiences is hard enough, it was vitally important to me that readers know I too have walked that path and that it is possible to come out the other side.”

Manfre decided to write “Never Alone” after experiencing loneliness and seeing the devastating effect it can have on the military families. She seeks to bring hope to her readers and help them understand that they are never truly alone.

“We weren’t made to live without community or a sense of belonging. When it’s absent, the result is deadly,” said Manfre.

In her book, Manfre says uncertainty and instability are the hardest parts of being a military spouse. Military families are subjected to frequent moves and lengthy periods of separation from their loved ones. As a result, military spouses seek belonging within their community.

“We are lonely and desperately looking for ways to belong in our communities,” she said. “Saying you are patriotic and support the military is more than words, it’s seen in action.”

Military families also want to take active leadership roles in local churches, Manfre said.

“We want to be included in ministry roles and feel as though we’re a part of everything and not just a warm body in a seat,” she said. “I know it’s difficult when our presence is more temporary but that doesn’t make our experience or lives less valuable.”

Manfre urges other military spouses to hold on to their faith and to find their people. She acknowledges the difficulty of being a military spouse, but also realizes the impact it has had on the person she is today.

For more information about “Never Alone,” visit www.moodypublishers.com.

Jessica Manfre is a mental health therapist for the Center for Emotional Health in Elizabeth City and has been a military spouse for 15 years. She recently published her first book, “Never Alone: Ruth, the Modern Military Spouse, and the God Who Goes With Us.”

Photo courtesy Jessica Manfre

New ‘Summer Sounds’ series kicks off in June at Mariners’ Wharf Park

Local bands will perform on third Friday of month through September

By Chris Day - Multimedia Editor

Starting in June, the Elizabeth City waterfront will be alive with the “Summer Sounds” of music.

The Summer Sounds free live music series is set to kick off Friday, June 16, and continue the third Friday of every month through September, according to Elizabeth City Manager Montré Freeman.

“I don’t want to interfere with the live bands on First Fridays in Palin’s Alley,” said Freeman, who was referring to the live music performances held each month in Palin’s Alley as part of Elizabeth City Downtown Inc.’s First Friday ArtWalk events.

During Summer Sounds, families can come out with blankets and lawn chairs to Mariners’ Wharf Park from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and enjoy live music performed by local acts.

Freeman organized the music series as part of his Transacting to Transform initiative and is managing it in partnership with Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Parks and Recreation.

“The event will consist of local live bands, vocalists and DJs (and) food vendors,” he said. “In the park we will set up games for kids and adults.”

Freeman said that in the future he’d like to see the music series expand to the second Friday and third Sunday of each month.

“It is my belief that music connects us all, and any time that I can create an opportunity for people to come together for a common purpose then I want to facilitate that environment,” Freeman said. “We are looking for sponsors to help fund this initiative.”

AoA has full lineup of summer entertainment, arts events

Harris & ECSU Students to perform for Third Thursday Jazz

By Savannah Hess - Correspondent

Arts of the Albemarle kicked off its summer events earlier this month with a performance by Delta Rae’s Liz Hopkins as part of her solo tour. Raleigh musician and UNC alumna Azul Zapata opened for Hopkins, performing a mixture of originals and covers.

Their performances were followed by Jim Spence on June 3rd, whose laid-back style was likened by AoA Executive Director Lauren Luther to that of Chet Atkins, Peter, Paul and Mary, and James Taylor.

Starting June 12th and continuing through July 17th, AoA will host 15 different summer programs for K-12 students interested in the visual and performing arts. The programs focus on a variety of topics

such as watercolor, drawing, cardboard sculpture, nature art, artisan craft, and much more. Tickets are available online. Times and prices vary.

From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 15, AoA will host Third Thursday Jazz with Henry Harris & ECSU Students in the AoA Gallery. Third Thursday Jazz is a free monthly community music event. Each month different genres of music are featured. Beer, wine, beverages, and snacks will be available for purchase.

On June 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., AoA will host a Juneteenth event in partnership with the Elizabeth City Area Chamber of

At 7 p.m. on July 1, a classical concert featuring Harris and Dr. Rachel Gragson will be held at AoA´s Maguire Theater. Ticket prices will be announced at a later date.

On August 4 at 7:30 p.m., Manteo Murphy will be performing live at the Maguire Theater. The band is comprised of North Carolina natives Jason Barker, Tommy Hartley, Kent Luton, and Clarence “Moon” Munden. Ticket prices will be announced at a later date.

Trumpeter Al Strong of Raleigh performs for the Third Thursday Jazz Series at Arts of the Albemarle’s Maguire Theater, Thursday, March 19, 2022. Henry Harris & ECSU Students will perform for the Third Thursday Jazz Series in the AoA Gallery Thursday, June 15, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Photo The Daily Advance

Commerce, River City Community Development Corp. and the Pasquotank County Chapter of the NAACP. The event will be held in the AoA Gallery.

Camp Cale, Camden 4-H, AoA all plan summer camps for youth

Camps feature both fun, chances to learn new skills

By Kesha Williams - Correspondent

The summer camp season is getting underway across the Albemarle as youths gear up to both have fun and learn some new skills.

The following is a list of some of the area camps that will welcoming youngsters this summer:

Camp Cale, an 86-acre Christian camp and conference center located on the Perquimans River will host six weekly camps, known as Kids Weeks, for kids ages 7-12 in June, July and early August. There are 112 spots available each week and the all-inclusive fee for each camp is $425. Participants need to be 7 on or before April 5, 2023, to attend.

• Kids Week 1: June 11-16

• Kids Week 2: June 18-23

• Kids Week 3: June 25-30

• Kids Week 4: July 16-21

• Kids Week 5: July 23-28

• Kids Week 6: July 30-Aug. 4

Camp Cale will also hold Youth Week events for youths ages 12-15 July 9-14 and a Day Camp for youth ages 6-9 Aug. 7-11. Cost is $295.

Camp Cale, an 86-acre Christian camp and conference center located on the Perquimans River, will host six weekly camps, known as Kids Weeks, for kids ages

7-12 in June, July and early August

Submitted photo

Camden County 4-H will also sponsor a number of summer events for kids. A hiking, kayaking, fishing and craft-making event at the Dismal Swamp will be held June 12-13. Youth will need to bring a water bottle, snack, lunch, sunscreen and bug spray.

Big Canoe Adventures will be held at Merchant Millpond State Park June 29 and Lego Robotics will be held at the Camden Public Library July 31.

Kayak Expeditions will be held Aug. 3, 10, and 17. Among the bodies of water kayakers will paddle are Lake Lesa at Northwest River Park Chesapeake, Virginia; the Areneuse Creek of the Pasquotank River; Treasure Point Park in Camden; NC Broad Bay; and First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach, Virginia.

To register, contact Marcia Berry at marcia_berry@ncsu.edu

Read more at:

https://camden.ces.ncsu.edu/2023/04/2023

-summer-fun-registration-is-open

Arts of the Albemarle will host its Summer Arts for Youth camps for students in grades K-12 in June and July. Kids who participate will build skills in music, painting, theater, drawing and crafting. Classes will vary by age.

• June 12-16: Art-Play studio mindsets; Masters & Nature Art; Art-Play Studio Mindsets

• June 19-23: Crafty Camp, River City Strings (beginner), Multimedia Mix-up, River City Strings (advanced)

• June 26-30: The World in Watercolors; Theater 101

• July 10-14: Drawing 101; Art for Everyone, Cardboard Sculpture

• July 17-21: Musical theatre (intensive); Intro to Theatre Tech

For more details, visit AoA’s website at https://www.onthestage.tickets/arts-of-the-albemarle

To register, contact: admin@artsaoa.com or call 252-777-2787

Calendar SUMMER 2023

JUNE EVENTS

JUNE 24

Paddle, Peddle, and Plod

The Paddle, Peddle, and Plod Triathlon will be held at Queen Anne Park, 210 E. Water St., Edenton.

Edenton Farmer’s Saturday Market

The Saturday Farmer’s Market will be held at 200 N. Broad St., Edenton, from 8 a.m. to noon. Other Saturday Farmer’s Markets will be held July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29, Aug. 5, Aug. 12

Saturday Morning Live

The Saturday Morning Live Flea Market in downtown Hertford will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Other Saturday Morning Lives will be held July 15, July 29, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26.

Movie Night

The Daily Advance

Movie Night will be held at Central Park, at Market and Academy streets, in Hertford, at 8 p.m. The film “Encanto” will be screened.

Downtown Market

The Downtown Waterfront Market will be held at Mariners’ Wharf Park in Elizabeth City on Saturdays through September from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Market will feature produce, honey, jams, baked goods, plants and flowers and works by local artists and artisans.

Skippers Baseball

The River City Skippers baseball team will play a home game at 7 p.m. at Holmes Field behind Knobbs Creek Recreation Center in Elizabeth City. Other home games are scheduled for June 26-28, June 30, July 1-2, July 5, July 7, July 12-13, July 16, and July 21-23.

JUNE 27

Film Festival

The Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival will be held at Mariners’ Wharf Park in Elizabeth City starting at 8:30 p.m. or dusk, whichever is first. The festival will also be held July 11, 18 and 25. Popcorn and drinks available for purchase during the movie.

JUNE 28

Edenton Farmer’s Wednesday Market

The Wednesday Farmers Market will be held at 200 N. Broad St., Edenton, from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Other Wednesday Farmer’s Markets will be July 12, July 19, July 26, Aug. 2, Aug. 9, Aug. 16, Aug. 23, Aug. 30

The Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival will be held at Mariners’ Wharf Park in Elizabeth City Tuesday, June 27, starting at 8:30 p.m. or dusk, whichever comes first. The festival will also be held July 11, 18 and 25. Popcorn and drinks available for purchase during the movie.

JULY EVENTS

JULY 1

Independence Day

Elizabeth City will host its Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks Display starting at 5 p.m. Activities include music, games and food, followed by fireworks show starting at 9 p.m.

JULY 2

Independence Day

The town of Hertford will host its fireworks and Independence Day celebration at Missing Mill Park from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

JULY 4

July 4th Celebration

The Edenton Tea Party National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will host its 24th annual Fourth of July Celebration at the Joseph Hewes Monument on the Chowan County Courthouse green at 10 a.m. Brian Towers will read the Declaration of Independence and a biographical sketch of Hewes will be read by Earl Willis. The Optimist Club will host a fireworks show later that evening.

PAL Art Show

The Perquimans Art League will host an exhibit by PAL’s Watercolor Club through July 28.

The Daily Advance

JULY 5

History for Lunch

Dr. Harry L. Watson, distinguished professor of southern culture at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will be the speaker for a History for Lunch program at Museum of the Albemarle at noon titled, “The Seventeenth Century Albemarle: The Goodliest Lande or Rogue Harbor?” The lecture will focus on the second wave of English newcomers to the Albemarle in the 17th century.

JULY 7

Historic Day

Home School Historic Day will be held at the Historic Edenton State Historic Site at 108 N. Broad St., Edenton, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A second Home School Historic Day will be held Aug. 4.

First Friday ArtWalk

The First Friday ArtWalk, Elizabeth City’s monthly showcase of artists, artisans and musicians, will be held in the downtown from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. First Friday ArtWalks will also be held Friday, Aug. 4 and Sept. 1.

JULY 14

Friday Night Stroll

Friday Night Stroll, an evening of fun, games and musical entertainment held the second Friday during the summer months, will be held in downtown Hertford from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The third Friday Night Stroll will be held the evening of Aug. 11.

The Edenton Tea Party National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will host its 24th annual Fourth of July Celebration at the Joseph Hewes Monument on the Chowan County Courthouse green Tuesday, July 4 at 10 a.m. Brian Towers will read the Declaration of Independence and a biographical sketch of Hewes will be read by Earl Willis.

JULY 19

Summer Fun Day

Museum of the Albemarle will host the Summer Fun Day: Groovy 1970s Fun Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come to the museum dressed in your best 1970s clothing and play games from the 1970s and see exhibits from the period.

History for Lunch

Charles Oldham, an attorney and author of the book, “The Senator’s Son,” will discuss his new book, “Ship of Blood,” during a History for Lunch program at Museum of the Albemarle at noon. The book details the story of the Harry A. Berwind, found off the coast of Cape Fear in October 1905, with one crewman dead, its four officers missing and three sailors left alive, each telling a different story about what happened.

JULY

20

Lyle, Lyle Crocodile

Museum of the Albemarle will host screenings of the film, “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. From 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., a staff member from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will explain the differences between alligators and crocodiles. A hands-on activity is also planned.

JULY 22

Sounds of Summer

A Sounds of Summer concert will be held at 101 W. Water St., Edenton, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

AUGUST EVENTS

AUGUST 1

Music on the Green

Elizabeth City Downtown Inc. will host the annual Music on the Green concerts at Mariners’ Wharf Park on Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hot dogs, drinks, and popcorn available for purchase from American Legion Post 84. Other Music on the Green dates are Aug. 8, 15, 22 and 29, and Sept. 5, 12 and 19.

AUGUST 2

History for Lunch

Dr. Anne Mitchell Whisnant, associate professor of the practice of social science research and director of graduate studies at Duke University, will discuss recent efforts to expand the National Register of Historic Places documentation for Portsmouth Village in Carteret County during a History for Lunch program at Museum of the Albemarle at noon.

AUGUST 4

Coast Guard Day

Coast Guard Day, the annual celebration of the U.S. Coast Guard’s founding, will be celebrated at Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City. Times will be announced.

AUGUST 5

Friday Night Stroll, an evening of fun, games and musical entertainment held the second Friday of the month during the summer, will be held in downtown Hertford July 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Another Friday Night Stroll event will be held the evening of Aug. 11.

Lighthouse Day

National Lighthouse Day will be celebrated with a lighthouse open house at the Roanoke River Lighthouse at 108 N. Broad St., Edenton, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

John Foley photo

AUGUST 10

‘Fly Away Home’

Museum of the Albemarle will host free screenings of the movie, “Fly Away Home,” at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

AUGUST 16

History for Lunch

Caitlyn Randall, communications specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, will discuss the “Homes in the Hometowns, Got to Be NC” cookbook during a History for Lunch program at Museum of the Albemarle at noon.

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 5

PAL Member Show

The Perquimans Arts League will host its annual Member Show.

SEPTEMBER 8-9

Indian Summer

The Indian Summer Festival will begin with a free Friday Night Street Dance in front of the Perquimans County Courthouse from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event continues on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Elizabeth City Downtown Inc. will host the annual Music on the Green concerts at Mariners’ Wharf Park on Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. beginning Aug. 1. Hot dogs, drinks, and popcorn available for purchase from American Legion Post 84. Other Music on the Green dates are Aug. 8, 15, 22 and 29, and Sept. 5, 12 and 19.

The Daily Advance

SEPTEMBER 22-23

Music on Green Blues

Elizabeth City Downtown Inc. will host the Music on the Green Blues on the Green Music Festival featuring big blues music from multiple performers will be held in Elizabeth City. Times will be announced. Live music will be performed in the downtown throughout the week. Food truck options, beverages served.

SEPTEMBER 23

PCRA Jollification

The Perquimans County Restoration Association’s Jollification homes tour will be held. Ticket purchase required.

Camden Heritage Festival

The third annual Camden Heritage Festival will be held at Community Park, 123 Noblitt Drive, Camden, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 1

ECSU Homecoming

Elizabeth City State University’s annual Homecoming celebration will be held. Activities will be announced.

SEPTEMBER 30

Chamber Bra-ha-ha

The Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce will host its second Bra-ha-ha breast cancer awareness and fundraising event.