SBM - Spring 2020 Edition by Carolina Marketing Company

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Sue and Bill Immen help wild horses and humans at Grayce Wynds Farm in Holden Beach.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

D FEATURES

FEATURES

SPRING 2020 D VOLUME 11, ISSUE 3

PHOTO BY ED BECKLEY

84 47 HOMELESS NO MORE

Brunswick County Homeless Coalition Board President Joe Staton has made a remarkable transition from homeless and living with PTSD to helping others in Brunswick County. By Jo Ann Mathews

73 SAVE THE HALL, Y'ALL

Nonprofit organization Up Your Arts dreams big with plans for the old Southport City Hall. By Dennis Hetzel

78 SPIRIT ANIMALS

Sue and Bill Immen help wild horses and humans at Grayce Wynds Farm in Holden Beach. By Ashley Daniels

84 DISMISSING THE DIS IN DISABILITY

PHOTO BY MEGAN DEITZ

South Brunswick Magazine

Brunswick Community Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brunswick Interagency Program helps differently abled students develop their skills and gain employment within the community. By Ed Beckley

Wine and craft beers by the flight, by the glass, bottles & fine cigars for sale in our retail shop and wine bar. Try our Tapas for superb small plate dining! Open year round, because it’s always wine season. Get the latest information on our tastings, pairings, specials & events at: CoastalWineRoom.com  @CoastalWineRoom 910.393.2125 20-B East 2nd Street | Ocean Isle Beach, NC

Spring 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PHOTO BY BRENT GALLANT

PHOTO BY JOHN MUUSS

D IN EVERY ISSUE D DEPARTMENTS

IN EVERY ISSUE 16 PUBLISHER’S NOTE by Justin Williams

18 CONTRIBUTORS

Meet some of the contributors to South Brunswick Magazine.

26 BUSINESS BUZZ

104 SHALLOTTE INLET TIDE CHART Tracking the highs and the lows at Shallotte Inlet.

105 ADVERTISERS INDEX 106 CAPTURE THE MOMENT

A contest for SBM readers

Keeping up with local businesses.

31 UP NORTH

What you’ll find in the Spring 2020 edition of North Brunswick Magazine.

33 ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

Extras you’ll only find online

92 BUSINESS PROFILES

Southport Ace Hardware By Sandi Grigg

95 FACES AND PLACES

Brunswick Community College Foundation's Bella Italia, Brunswick County Association of Realtors End of Year Banquet

100 WHAT’S HAPPENED

What’s been going on around town.

South Brunswick Magazine

DEPARTMENTS 20 WHAT’S COOKIN’

Coconut Curry Clams over Rice Noodles By Sandi Grigg

23 SPIRITS

Manhatarita By Sandi Grigg

37 EDUCATION

Members of Brunswick County Beekeepers Association work together to perfect their skills and bring others into the fascinating world of keeping bees. By Kathy Blake

41 LOCALS

General Federation of Women's Clubs honors Polly Russ for her lifetime of volunteerism in Brunswick County. By Melissa Slaven Warren

53 PEOPLE

For Pediatrician Kaylan Edwards, M.D., taking a job Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center is very much a homecoming. By Jo Ann Mathews

59 NONPROFIT

Brunswick County Literacy Council matches volunteers with people who want to learn new skills, from English as a Second Language to financial literacy to earning their GED. By Carolyn Bowers

65 COMMUNITY

From working in corporate consulting to leading the Friends of the Library of Southport and Oak Island to volunteering in a variety of ways around town, Diana Fotinatos is connecting the dots in Brunswick County. By Beth A. Klahre

69 BEHIND THE BUSINESS

Cindy Black, wife, mother and owner of Body Edge Fitness, is a cheerleader to those looking to get healthy. By Melissa Slaven Warren

98 SNIPPETS

Happenings on the local scene

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Spring 2020

South Brunswick Magazine – Spring 2020 Volume 11, Issue 3 OWNER/PUBLISHER: Justin Williams DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Sandi Grigg COPY EDITOR: Molly Harrison CONTRIBUTING GRAPHICS: Paula Knorr Teresa Kramer Eliza Dale Niemann

Southport 8848 River Rd. S.E Southport, NC 28461 (910) 477-6444

Mon - Fri 7:30-6 | Sat - 8-4 | Sun 12-4

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Brian Wilner George Jacob

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Megan Deitz Brent Gallant Mark Head Dennis Hetzel Laura Glantz John Muus Bill Ritenour James Stefiuk CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ed Beckley Carolyn Bowers Ed Beckley Ashley Daniels Sandi Grigg Dennis Hetzel Beth Klahre Jo Ann Mathews Melissa Slaven Warren

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CAROLINA MARKETING COMPANY, INC. PO Box 1361, Leland, NC 28451 (910) 207-0156 • info@northbrunswickmagazine.com Reproduction or use of the contents in this magazine is prohibited.

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Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. strives to bring correct, accurate information that is published in the magazine. However, Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. cannot be held responsible for any consequences resulting from errors or absences. Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. also cannot be held responsible for the services provided by any and all advertisers in our publications. All material in this magazine is property of Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. and may not be reproduced without authorization from the publisher. South Brunswick Magazine – A Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. publication is published four times per year and is distributed to residents and businesses in South Brunswick County, NC, to subscribers and to select areas of New Hanover County, NC and Horry County, SC.

Spring 2020 | SouthBrunswickMagazine.com

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Sue and Bill Immen help wild horses and humans at Grayce Wynds Farm in Holden Beach.

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UP YOUR ARTS | DR. KAYLAN EDWARDS’S HOMECOMING | DIFFERENTLY ABLED STUDENTS

South Brunswick Magazine

About the cover: At Grayce Wynds Farm in Holden Beach, Bill and Sue Immen not only provide sanctuary for wild horses of the East Coast, but also connect humans to the regenerative powers of horses and the great outdoors. Photographer Megan Deitz captured the images for Ashley Daniels' feature story about Grayce Wynds Farm, which begins on page 78.

Spring 2020

Spring 9 FORWARD E We Offer Both Regular and 24 Hour Access Memberships

ALL MEMBERSHIPS INCLUDE ACCESS TO: FREE KIDS CARE 120 group classes a month In body analysis test Tracks lean body mass, % of body fat, water & calorie intake.

Fitness assessments Measuring strengths & weaknesses. Equipment instruction.

personal training DRY SAUNA & TANNING parents’ night every 1st and 3rd friday Drop kids off and have a date night.

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We welcome your letters and comments about SBM. Send your letters to PO Box 1361, Leland, NC 28451 or email them to info@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com. When sending your letters, keep in mind they may or may not be published in a future issue of SBM. The publisher reserves the right to make the final decision.

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South Brunswick Magazine

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Top-Rated Top-RatedMcLeod McLeodOrthopaedic OrthopaedicPractice Practice Opens OpensOffi Office cein inSunset SunsetBeach. Beach.

McLeod McLeodOrthopaedics OrthopaedicsSeacoast Seacoastis ispleased pleasedtotoannounce announcethe theopening openingofofour ournew newoffi offi ceceininSunset SunsetBeach. Beach. With Withour ournew newlocation locationininSunset SunsetBeach Beachand andour ourLittle LittleRiver Riverlocation, location,patients patientshave haveconvenient convenientaccess accesstoto our ourhighly-skilled highly-skilledphysicians physiciansand andsurgeons. surgeons.WeWeprovide provideananextensive extensiverange rangeofoforthopedic orthopedicservices servicesusing using the thelatest latestadvancements advancementsininminimally-invasive minimally-invasivetechniques techniquesand andsurgical surgicalprocedures. procedures. WeWewelcome welcomenew newpatients. patients.Call Call843-390-0100 843-390-0100totoschedule scheduleananappointment. appointment. WeWe Specialize Specialize In:In: • Joint • Joint Replacement Replacement • Hand • Hand && Upper Upper Extremity Extremity Surgery Surgery • Osteoarthritis • Osteoarthritis • Arthroscopy • Arthroscopy

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3980 3980 Hwy Hwy 9 E, 9 E, Suite Suite 200, 200, Little Little River, River, SCSC 29566 29566 Spring 2020 15 843-390-0100 843-390-0100

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

All in the Same Boat As I write this Publisher’s Note in the middle of March, we are all living in very uncertain times. This month has been surreal, like living out a science fiction movie. We delayed our spring issues a bit to see how COVID-19 was going to play out, and every day we have woken up to greet a strange new reality. Schools are closed, all events and activities have been canceled, restaurants can only provide to-go orders, residents are homebound — just like the rest of America and much of the world. As a small business owner and someone who works exclusively with small, locally owned businesses on the southeastern North Carolina coast, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about the future. Losing weeks or months of business because of COVID-19 can wipe out a business, and I am filled with concern for everyone in these hard times. In this crucial time for small businesses, I can’t stress enough how important it is to support your local shops, restaurants and services in any way you possibly can. By the time you read this, things may have changed, but if you’re able to order take-out from a local restaurant, please do so. Get a head start on Mothers’ Day and Father’s Day, graduation and wedding season by shopping local for gifts — many local stores have online shopping and curbside pickup or delivery. Start that landscaping project with the help of a local service. A little can go a long way in times like these. Hopefully getting this magazine will help keep your mind off of the current situation. I think you will enjoy reading about the people and organizations who are doing good things in South Brunswick County, like Brunswick Literacy Council, Brunswick Community College’s Interagency Program and Southport’s Up Your Arts. You’ll meet Joe Staton, whose remarkable story led him from the U.S. Army to homelessness to becoming director of the Brunswick County Homeless Coalition, and a couple who started a horse farm to rescue wild horses and give the community a place to enjoy the outdoors. Keep in mind that with everything so up in the air, the events we list may be canceled by 16

South Brunswick Magazine

Publisher Justin Williams and his daughter, Ava.

the time you get this; always check in advance before you go. As always, we appreciate your feedback. We thoroughly enjoy providing this magazine for you, and we know that our role of shedding light on the local people, organizations and businesses in the community is important. Please support our advertisers in any way you can, and let’s all support each other.

! Justin Williams Owner/Publisher Publisher@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com

Spring 2020

CONTRIBUTORS

Ed Beckley CONTRIBUTING WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER

I am an award-winning writer and photographer, residing in Ocean Isle Beach. I was a reporter then city editor of a Connecticut daily newspaper and retired after decades of managing public relations and marketing communications for Verizon and prior Bell companies. After 25 years my wife, Bobbie, and I are still deeply involved in fundraising and advocacy for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We spend many summer evenings as nest parents with the Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization. I was a runner most of my life, and a scholastic coach, having run 40 marathons. Currently I am a volunteer chaplain at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center and a Bible Study facilitator. For fun, pickleball's the name of the game â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and trying to maintain composure during Carolina Panthers football games.

Sandi Grigg DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/FOOD EDITOR

Growing up in a small town in the foothills of North Carolina and attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I always dreamed of living on the coast. After earning my degree in marketing/branding I moved to Wilmington, and the life my spouse and I have created for ourselves is a blessing beyond words. Together we enjoy kayaking the Cape Fear, fishing the shores of Carolina Beach and picking up seashells and sharkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teeth. At home I love to cook and write recipes, play with our dogs and take on DIY home improvement endeavors. Being a part of the Carolina Marketing Company team has showed me that you really can enjoy your job. I am truly grateful to have a career I love in the city I aspired to be in. Life is grand!

Mark Head CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

I moved from the Rochester, New York, area to Sunset Beach in 2012. I started walking to lose some weight and started taking pictures. I became good at photography and started entering photo contests. I have won several photo contests, and my pictures have been published in South Brunswick Magazine and featured on both WECT and WWAY. Most days you can find me walking around Sunset Beach with my camera.

South Brunswick Magazine

Guiding You Home

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SeaCoastRealty.com

Spring 2020

WHAT’S COOKIN’

Clams, Meet Coconut Curry Mix local clams with a silky coconut green curry sauce for a sublime, Asian-inspired weeknight dinner.

BY SANDI GRIGG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES STEFIUK

Being a Southern girl, I typically create Southern-style dishes. However, my favorite type of food to cook is actually Asian food. I love the taste and complexity of sesame oil, teriyaki, rice vinegar and other Asian ingredients and the endless combinations with which to prepare them. For this recipe I created a version of coconut green curry, one of my favorite Thai dishes. I have had coconut green curry sauce in many restaurants and wanted to re-create the delicate sauce with the addition of clams. It took me a few tries at this recipe but I think I nailed it with this one. I used green curry paste, which is not as spicy as red curry paste, so as not to overpower the sweetness of the clams. The coconut milk adds the perfect essence of cream to the sauce, and the small amount of fish sauce really speaks to the earthy Asian f lair of this dish (but you can certainly use soy sauce if you don’t have fish sauce on hand). You can find the green curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk and rice noodles in the international aisle of just about any local grocery store. Pick up fresh clams at a local seafood market. It is really important to wash your clams well before dropping them in the sauce because they hold a lot of sand. Clams breathe and filter water, and therefore they often have sand granules in the shells. By soaking them for 20 minutes in fresh water 20

South Brunswick Magazine

they have time to clean themselves by pushing the sand out. If you do not soak and wash your clams, your sauce can be gritty. I know because I made this mistake on one of my renditions! The clams should all open while cooking in the sauce. A gentle shake to the pan every so often helps them pop. If you have one or two clams that do not open after the suggested cook time, just throw them out — they were likely dead before they hit the pan and you don’t want to eat dead ones for fear of sickness. My spouse has a gluten allergy and can only have gluten in very small doses, so I opted to use rice noodles in this dish, but you can use lo mein noodles if you prefer. I think using fresh vegetables is key when preparing any dish, but it is a common theme with Asian cooking. Mincing fresh garlic and ginger can seem tedious, but the overall f lavors are much better than using pre-prepared versions. I tried using lemongrass in one of my trial runs, but it was so overpowering and, honestly, I just like cilantro better. I served this meal to a friend who said “I don’t like ethnic food” just before gobbling up an entire dish of this. Yes, it can be intimidating to cook with ingredients that are unfamiliar, but I assure you, it is fairly easy to create this dish, and you will impress yourself with the delicious yet delicate f lavors.

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COOKINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Coconut Curry Clams over Rice Noodles Serves 2

INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon sesame oil 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 large shallot, sliced 1 tablespoon ginger, minced 3 tablespoons red pepper, chopped Juice and zest of 1 lemon 3 teaspoons green curry paste 2 teaspoons fish sauce 14 ounces coconut milk 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1 lime cut into wedges 2 dozen littleneck clams, soaked and rinsed 8 ounces Pad Thai rice noodles

METHOD Cook the noodles according to the package directions. In a large pan, cook the garlic, shallot, ginger and red pepper in sesame oil over medium/high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice and stir. Add the curry paste, fish sauce and coconut milk and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until it comes to a light boil. Drop in the clams and cover for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until all the clams are opened. If any of the clams do not open, throw them out. Pour the clams and sauce over the rice noodles, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Spring 2020

South Brunswick Magazine

SPIRITS

Strange Bedfellows You might be surprised to find that a Manhattan and margarita combined makes something quite tasty. BY SANDI GRIGG

I will be the first to tell you that I am not a huge fan of tequila; however, this delicate, sophisticated drink is quite delectable. The key is to use a highquality silver tequila such as Patron and serve it really cold. Silver tequilas are generally un-aged, being bottled right after distillation, while gold tequila is stored in barrels for aging. Made from agave plants, both styles have sweet undertones. Maybe I had too much tequila in college or during one of my many trips to Cancun, but I found it hard to swallow or even smell tequila for quite some time. Of course, there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t much dignified or delicious about taking shots of tequila. I have learned

to drink tequila like sipping whiskey or rum: Nose it gently with small sips and let it open up for you. This cocktail is a mash between a Manhattan and a margarita. It is similar to but different from the classic Manhattan because there are no bitters and it has more of a sweet-and-sour flavor using the tequila versus whiskey. It is similar to a margarita because it has a salted rim and hints of lime combined with tequila. Also like a margarita, it goes well with chips and salsa by the pool or beachside while devouring tacos. If you are like me and want to give tequila a second chance, try this cocktail for a more mature take on the liquor. I assure you it will be better this time around.

MANHATARITA Makes one drink

INGREDIENTS 2 ounces silver tequila 1 ounce sweet vermouth Dash of fresh lime juice Garnish with a slice of lime and salted rim

METHOD Pour tequila, vermouth and lime juice into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into martini glass with a salted rim. Garnish with slices of lime.

Spring 2020

South Brunswick Magazine

Spring 2020

BUSINESS BUZZ

Coastal Consumer Showcase St. James Community Center hosted the Coastal Consumer Showcase on March 5. Admission was free, and the first 275 people received a free bag courtesy of GuardOne Security. Dozens of local vendors promoted their products, offered information on their services and provided complimentary goodies.

Dosher Announces Triple E Recipient for Q4 2019 Jared Harris is the latest recipient of the Dosher Memorial Hospital Employees Exceeding Excellence, “Triple E” Award. Harris, a courier and mechanic with the Plant Operations Team, has been with Dosher since the fall of 2018. He is acknowledged for his work ethic, reliability friendliness and positive attitude. His behavior has been described as the epitome of what a Dosher employee should be. Triple E’s are nominated by their peers on a quarterly basis and are recognized by the Dosher senior team in a lobby reception. A Charlotte, North Carolina, native, Harris says he enjoys the familylike atmosphere at Dosher and is grateful for the support of his peers in Plant Operations. He says he appreciates being part of a team that cares about their work.

New Surgeon Joins Novant Health Orthopedics and Spine – Brunswick Novant Health is pleased to welcome Dr. Ted Parcel to Novant Health Orthopedics and Spine - Brunswick. Parcel joined the clinic in January and is accepting new patients. Parcel received a Bachelor of Arts in biology from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Pinnacle Health Hospitals in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and his adult joint reconstruction fellowship at the Florida Orthopedic Institute in Tampa, Florida. Parcel is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in adult joint replacements and reconstruction. He has experience in minimally invasive hip and knee replacements and reconstructions.

Brunswick County Association of REALTORS® Installs 2020 President and Directors

Ribbon Cutting for Eggs Up Grill Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Eggs Up Grill on January 20. Located at 110 Shallotte Crossing Parkway in Shallotte, Eggs Up Grill celebrated with business owners and ambassadors.

Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Named 2019 Top General Hospital by Leapfrog Group On December 17 Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center was named a 2019 Top General Hospital by the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit that evaluates the safety and patient experience provided by hospitals across the country. Only 37 general hospitals in the country were given the Top General Hospital distinction. Brunswick Medical Center’s national certifications recognize the exceptional efforts to provide the best care to the Brunswick County community. The healthcare facility has been fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the American College of Radiology and the College of American Pathology. In addition to Brunswick Medical Center, two other Novant Health facilities received the 2019 Top General Hospital distinction by the Leapfrog Group: Novant Health Matthews Medical Center and Novant Health Medical Park Hospital. Both Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center and Novant Health UVA Health System Prince William Medical Center received the 2019 Top Teaching Hospital distinction by the Leapfrog Group. The Leapfrog Group has recognized Brunswick Medical Center’s commitment to safety and quality by assigning it an A letter grade in the fall 2019 scoring period. Letter grades from A to F are assigned to U.S. hospitals based on their ability to prevent errors, injuries, accidents and infections and to improve patient satisfaction.

South Brunswick Magazine

Brunswick County Association of REALTORS® (BCAR) installed its 2020 president, officers and new directors at its recent Kentucky Derby themed Holiday Party and Installation Banquet. The banquet was held at Brunswick Senior Resource Center at 101 Stone Chimney Road in Supply. Brooke Rudd-Gaglie of Margaret Rudd and Associates, Inc. was installed as BCAR’s 2020 president, succeeding 2019 President Lynn Gulledge of SOHO Islands Real Estate, Inc. BCAR’S 2020 OFFICERS ARE: • President: Brooke Rudd-Gaglie, Margaret Rudd and Associates, Inc. • President-Elect: Jennifer Brown, Coldwell Banker Seacoast Advantage • Treasurer: Clif Cheek, Keller Williams Realty • Past President: Lynn Gulledge, SOHO Islands Real Estate, Inc. BCAR’S 2020 DIRECTORS ARE: • Arthur Barnes Jr., Barnes Real Estate Services • Cheryle Cheek, Keller Williams Realty • Mark A. Irby, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage • Denise D. Pacula, Denise Pacula Realty • Bob Percesepe, Re/Max at the Beach Oak Island • Ben Styers, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage • Kyle Whitfield, Margaret Rudd & Associates, Inc.

BUSINESS BUZZ

Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Partners with Project SEARCH

John W. “Will” McLeod has been appointed as administrator of McLeod Regional Medical Center, the McLeod Health system’s largest hospital and tertiary care facility located in Florence, South Carolina. McLeod has been with the health system since 2002, starting as an administrative resident and serving as assistant director of human resources, founding director of operational effectiveness, vice president of patient services in the emergency department and orthopedics and vice president of surgical services.

Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center has partnered with Project SEARCH to provide internship experience for students ages 18 to 21 with developmental disabilities. The partnership is a collaboration of Novant Health, Brunswick Community College, Brunswick County Schools and the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Project SEARCH was developed at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 1996 when the medical center’s emergency department director envisioned training people with developmental disabilities to fill some of the highturnover, entry-level positions in her department, which involved complex and systematic tasks such as stocking supply cabinets. Since its inception, Project SEARCH has grown from a single program site at Cincinnati Children’s to a large and continuously expanding international network of sites. Brunswick Medical Center is one of Project SEARCH’s newest sites. The program will launch at Brunswick Medical Center in August 2020. Over the next several months, potential Project SEARCH students within Brunswick County Schools can apply to join the program. Each student will be required to pass a skills assessment evaluation and participate in an interview as part of the process. Once accepted into the program, student interns will report to Brunswick Medical Center instead of their classroom for the entire school year. Student interns will rotate through a number of job roles at the hospital. Brunswick Interagency Program (BIP), located at Brunswick Community College, will provide the skills trainer for the program, and once the internships are complete, the job coach.

Ribbon Cutting for Remediation Solutions Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribboncutting ceremony for Remediation Solutions at their location on Oak Island. Remediation Solutions is a residential and commercial mold removal and prevention company. They specialize in the inspection, prevention and removal of mold and have more than 35 years of combined experience.

McLeod Orthopaedics Seacoast Opens New Office in Sunset Beach McLeod Orthopaedics Seacoast is now accepting patients for its newest office location at 690 Sunset Boulevard N., Suite 109, in Sunset Beach. General Orthopedist Dr. Peter Lukowski began seeing patients on January 21. Board certified in orthopaedic surgery, Dr. Lukowski treats patients with a broad spectrum of orthopedic needs, ranging from disorders affecting bones, cartilage, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Dr. Lukowski treats common injuries and conditions like all fractures, sprains and strains, arthritis, tendinitis and bursitis. Before joining McLeod Orthopaedics Seacoast, Dr. Lukowski was in private practice with bone and joint surgeons in Charleston, West Virginia. He also served as both staff physical therapist and staff orthopedic surgeon at the United States Naval Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina.

McLeod Health Announces Leadership Changes McLeod Health recently announced leadership changes with the goal of improving patient care and streamlining the overall use of electronic medical records (EMR) to benefit patients and the medical professionals serving them. In mid-February, after an upgrade of the existing Cerner Millennium EMR system used by the seven McLeod Hospitals throughout McLeod Health, the following transitions will take effect. The move to an electronic health record is the single largest project in the history of McLeod Health.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Marie Saleeby, RN, MSN, administrator and senior vice president of McLeod Regional Medical Center (MRMC) in Florence since 2006, will become senior vice president of work flow optimization. This is a new function designed to find ways to improve the integration of McLeod Health hospitals and its medical practice EMRs, resulting in greater efficiency and safety for patients as well as physicians. Saleeby will utilize dedicated resources from Operational Effectiveness (OE) in cooperation with Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Matt Reich and McLeod Information System support services. In addition to organizational improvement work, the Work Flow Optimization Team will focus on adapting to a more standardized and integrated EMR system by streamlining clinical and supportive workflows to achieve the best outcomes. Saleeby will be leading the team’s work to identify opportunities for improvement in flow and processes within McLeod, reducing disparities that may hinder efficiency and quality in the delivery of care, resulting in a benefit to both patients and providers.

Zeetlegoo’s Pet & People Store Celebrates 15 Years

Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a 15-Year Anniversary Ceremony for Zeetlegoo’s Pet & People Store on Howe Street in Southport. Zeetlegoo’s is a premier supplier of allnatural, holistic, healthy pet foods and treats with no meat by-products, corn, soy, food coloring, preservatives or artificial ingredients. Spring 2020

BUSINESS BUZZ

Katie Simmons Assumes New Responsibilities at Brunswick County Association of REALTORS®’ Katie Simmons, who has worked as marketing and public relations coordinator for the Brunswick County Association of REALTORS® since June 2019, has added the role of education coordinator to her responsibilities. In this new role, Simmons’ duties include staying attuned to the everchanging educational needs of members and providing continuing education, designation opportunities and specialty courses to support members. Simmons will continue to develop marketing and manage print, digital and social media communication as well as manage and administer local community outreach activities for members.

New Family Nurse Practitioner Joins Novant Health Oceanside Family Medicine Novant Health is pleased to welcome Mary Crichton, family nurse practitioner, to Novant Health Oceanside Family Medicine - Bolivia. Crichton joined the clinic in January and is accepting new patients. She received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and her Master of Science in nursing from Frontier Nursing University in Hyden, Kentucky. While obtaining her bachelor’s degree, Crichton was the recipient of multiple nursing practice and excellence awards.

New Family Nurse Practitioner Joins Novant Health Endocrinology Novant Health is pleased to welcome Tamara Marshall, family nurse practitioner, to Novant Health Endocrinology. Marshall joined the clinic in February and is accepting new patients. Marshall earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona, and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She is a board-certified family nurse practitioner with more than 20 years of nursing experience in emergency medicine. The team at Novant Health Endocrinology has specialized training in treating conditions of the endocrine system and management of diabetes, adrenal issues, thyroid issues, parathyroid issues, pituitary issues and osteoporosis.

Dr. Lorraine Gauthier Joins Dosher Medical-Oak Island Lorraine Gauthier, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician, has joined Dosher’s primary care practice on Oak Island with Tom Holland, MD and Heather Goldfuss, PA-C. Dr. Gauthier graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin in addition to completing her internship and residency there. Before joining Dosher, Dr. Gauthier served 28

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BUSINESS BUZZ

as a medical officer in the U.S. Navy, was in private practice for 17 years and served as the women’s health director at the W.G. Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, North Carolina.

ATMC Brings Faster Speeds to More than 4,000 Customers ATMC has completed its project to bring faster internet to more than 4,000 of ATMC’s most rural members. This is a significant milestone as it ensures that 99 percent of ATMC’s customers now have access to internet speeds of up to 300Mbps. Over the last three years, ATMC has invested more than $5 million into Project 2019 by making network upgrades that will allow the cooperative to serve customers in the rural communities of Supply, Ash, Bolivia, Winnabow and areas west of Shallotte with a more capable network that is capable of delivering faster speeds and more high-definition cable channels. In addition to ATMC’s Project 2019 upgrades, the company has invested more than $15 million in recent years to replace the older copper network serving members in St. James, Ocean Isle Beach and Holden Beach with a newer fiber optic network capable of delivering faster internet speeds. ATMC also recently began a $9 million project to bring fiber optics to thousands of residents and businesses in Boiling Spring Lakes. ATMC has already begun the process of phasing out older networks and migrating customers in upgraded areas over to the newer networks.

McLeod Fellows Program Goes Behind the Scenes of Medicine On January 8 local community leaders gathered at McLeod Health Seacoast to partake in the McLeod Fellows Program. During this seven-month series of classes, the groups will learn more about McLeod Health and explore complex issues driving healthcare today. Participants will also have the rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at medicine and gain insight into medical and technological advances through access to areas of McLeod Health Seacoast, McLeod Health Loris and the McLeod Health Carolina Forest Campus. During the class, participants learned the core values of the organization and services offered to the community. McLeod Health Seacoast Administrator Monica Vehige gave an overview of the services and future growth for all McLeod Health campuses in Horry County. McLeod Health Chief Financial Officer Fulton Ervin discussed the difference between for-profit and nonprofit hospital systems. He offered the group a look at the financial trends of McLeod Health and talked about how the data has changed over the years. Dr. Dale Lusk, chief medical officer of McLeod Health, presented information on quality and safety improvement initiatives at McLeod Health and how these programs make the hospital a safe place for patients during their healthcare journey. Kelly Hughes, director of public information and communications, led the class on a tour of McLeod Health Seacoast to show off some of the recent additions in the hospital, including new, spacious patient rooms, rehabilitation services, a cath lab and a pharmacy.

Spring 2020

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South Brunswick Magazine

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UP NORTH

NORTH BRUNSWICK MAGAZINE WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR SISTER PUBLICATION

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW Warehouse 1856 is a modern wedding and event venue in a historic building in downtown Wilmington.

Spring 2020

Giving a Boost

By Kathy Blake

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The old Jacobi warehouse on Water Street in downtown Wilmington has weathered several identities — office building, hardware store, billiards hall, accounting firm and woodworking studio for kids. Built in 1856, it’s beguilingly rustic on the outside, with a white paint patina over the red bricks of the upper floors. Inside, the well-aged charm of its rooms shows exposed brick walls, timber-beamed ceilings, deck views of the Cape Fear River and 5,200 square feet of possibilities.

COMMUNITY BOOST A re-energized Booster Club is helping North Brunswick High School athletics reach new heights.

NEW TRICKS FOR DOG LOVERS Manufactured in Leland, the K9000 USA self-service dog wash is revolutionizing pet care.

By Annesophia Richards

There’s a sense of excitement in the air and through the halls of North Brunswick High School these days. Thanks to the school’s newly energized and modernized Athletic Booster Club, student athletes, coaches, parents and teachers are joining forces to heighten school spirit and celebrate past and present achievements. Add to that growing support from the local community, and school pride has never been stronger in the home of the Scorpions.

By Rich Mina

TARHEEL TOURIST: TRAVELING BACK IN TIME Hop on a plane from ILM to LAX for a surprisingly low-key Hollywood-esque adventure in Southern California.

American ingenuity and design are changing the ritual of bathing the family dog. For an estimated 80 million dogs in the United States, a Leland manufacturer has found a dog owners’ need and filled it.

By Jason Frye

We all want to roll back the clock, step back in time and feel younger, live in the moment, spend time with the people we love. There’s a place where you can do all of these, and while you’re there, it’s a matter of moments before your joy makes you forget the world you left behind. That place is Southern California. Spring 2020

South Brunswick Magazine

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

D EXTRAS YOU WILL ONLY FIND ONLINE D LIFEINBRUNSWICKCOUNTY.COM

SOUTHERN TRAWLERS Local photojournalists Susan Yerry and Vicky Watts capture the tradition of local shrimp trawlers. By Kathy Blake

In the early morning fog, when dew drips from woven nets and the air smells like shrimp, Susan Yerry goes to visit the girls. They’re quite photogenic, these old gals, with beauty amplified by peeling paint and aging wood weathered in wind and salty air. Yerry knows all their names: Oldie Goldie, Lorie Ann, Old Baldy, Papa Phil, High Rider, God’s Grace. “It’s almost like the boats become your friends. They have the most character,” Yerry says of the shrimp trawlers. “I talk to them when I’m out there by myself — ‘Hey, girl, how are you today?’” Yerry is a self-taught photographer. Her artistry preserves a chapter of Brunswick County history: Southern trawlers, the last of the old wooden boats. With fellow photographer Vicky Watts, she meanders the coastline, catching the bulky ships in pre-dawn and during their workdays at sea and at sunset, when cleats and ropes bind them to wharfs. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS Tracy Branham is settling in to her new position as the business and facilities manager for Ocean Isle Museum Foundation. By Jo Ann Mathews

Tracy Branham doesn’t hesitate when asked what she wanted to be when she was growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana. “An accountant,” she says. “From day one.” Branham began her job as business and facilities manager for the Ocean Isle Museum Foundation on August 5, and besides fulfilling her job description, she looks forward to meeting more visitors and volunteers. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE Spring 2020

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

D EXTRAS YOU WILL ONLY FIND ONLINE D LIFEINBRUNSWICKCOUNTY.COM

A HAT FOR EVERY OCCASION At Chapeaux de Femmes in Calabash, Helen Edwards practices the fading art of haberdashery. By Joan Leotta

Looking for something special to add spice to your wardrobe? A new hat could be the crowning glory for your outfit. Chapeaux de Femmes in Calabash is just the place to find the topper to complement your outfit and spiff you up for your special occasion. Helen Edwards, store owner and haberdasher, can help you select a creation from her stock. She sells everything from wide-brimmed beauties to extraordinary fascinators. If nothing on the shelf appeals, she can make you an original. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

A FITTING TRIBUTE The nonprofit group Friends of Fort Caswell Rifle Range has preserved a World War I site in Caswell Beach and is also honoring Brunswick County’s WWI veterans in numerous ways.

BEFORE

AFTER

By Teresa A. McLamb

An oddly shaped, decaying concrete structure sprouting trees and weeds and posing a blight to a Brunswick County neighborhood is now on the National Register of Historic Places, thanks to several years of dedicated work by numerous individuals and organizations. The structure’s importance to the outcome of World War I may never be fully known, but the volunteers who have worked to save it want county residents to know of its purpose. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

BODY EDGE TRANSFORMATION STORY With planning and persistence, Donna Wilson has made her health a top priority and achieved remarkable results. By Cindy Black

Sometimes it takes someone else’s personal transformation story to get us motivated to start our own health and fitness journey. Donna Wilson is just the person to inspire hope and results for all of us. In 2018 Donna decided to make herself a priority in her own life. For more than four years, she has spent much time taking her handicapped child in and out of the hospital — nearly 50 times in four years! Every time Donna had the chance to get her back on track with her diet, her child was admitted again. Finally, she got his health issues on track and focused on her own. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE 34

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HOLIDAY WINE HELP Wendy Li and Frank West of Coastal Wine & Brew have the perfect recommendations for wine gifts and menu pairings. By Melissa Slaven Warren

THE “CLARKS” MEET AT CLARK’S When old friends from Clark, New Jersey, reunite at Clark’s Seafood and Chop House, hilarity ensues over an impressive meal.

Following their passion for sharing fine wines, delicious craft beers and friendship with their new community, Li and West opened Coastal Wine & Brews in 2017. Located on East 2nd Street in Ocean Isle Beach, Coastal is the first of its kind on the island and has a well-earned reputation for the quality of its extensive wine offerings — more than 350 world-class wines to be exact. They also carry a wide range of North Carolina craft beers. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

By Kurt Epps — The Pub Scout

Recently, yours truly made contact with a guy I hadn't seen in nearly two decades. We used to carpool every day to our teaching jobs, his car one week, mine the next. Our personalities and our mutual outlooks on life pretty much guaranteed that we'd arrive at both school and home smiling — if not outright laughing. The meeting place was, appropriately, Clark's Seafood and Chop House down in Little River, South Carolina, and we couldn't have picked a better, more accommodating place to stage the reunion with our wives and one of our close friends. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

THE PUB AT SOUTHPORT Pubs — the good ones anyway — attract people who like to socialize. By Kurt Epps — The Pub Scout

For millennia folks have visited and enjoyed pubs for a host of reasons, though the availability of adult beverages does not likely top the list. If it were just that, they could stay at home and drink far more economically, with no danger of racking up a DUI. Pubs — the good ones anyway — attract people who like to socialize. And they do it with a certain formula that includes a comfortable, welcoming setting (read “bartenders”) that is pleasing to both the eye and the psyche. It’s a place where the patron feels that he or she belongs — immediately. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

Spring 2020

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A T R U S S T- W O R T H Y B U I L D E R

of Fine Homes

Trusst Builder Group is a locally owned and operated builder and developer of quality homes and neighborhoods throughout New Hanover and Brunswick counties. Since 1992, we have built more than 3,000 homes in the Cape Fear region. Trusst is unique in our ability to build value-priced, custom-quality homes where premier finishes are standard. Our developments include Whiskey Branch, a gated community just outside the Wilmington city limits off of South College Road; and Hearthstone, a charming neighborhood of brick homes off of Lanvale Road in Leland. Trusst is also now building in select neighborhoods in Brunswick Forest, Compass Pointe, Magnolia Greens, Palmetto Creek, Riverlights, RiverSea, St. James Plantation, Waterford and Winding River.

To Learn More Visit 36

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T R U S S T B U I L D E R G R O U P. C O M or Call 9 1 0 . 3 7 1 . 0 3 0 4

EDUCATION

Busy Bees Members of Brunswick County Beekeepers Association work together to perfect their skills and bring others into the fascinating world of keeping bees. BY KATHY BLAKE

The topic of bees comes with a lot of negativity. Close encounters are no picnic. Unless, enthusiasts say, the bee is the friendly, social, family-oriented, hard-working Apis mellifera, or

honey bee.

“Honey bees are not aggressive, like wasps or hornets can be, so a lot of that fear is unfounded,” says Mark Blevins, who’s been director of the Brunswick County Center of the N.C. Cooperative Extension since 2011. He’s also an experienced keeper of backyard beehives. “It’s fun,” he says. “It’s fun to take care of them, and you get honey and other products.” Beekeeping is big in Brunswick County, he says. “There’s got to be between 75 and 100 beekeepers out there.” He defines beekeeper as someone who has a few hives and keeps them alive. A lot of North Carolina residents have hives too. Statewide, honey bees are special enough to have their own agency – the

North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA), which lists 82 charter-member counties. In 1973 the North Carolina General Assembly designated the honey bee as the state insect. In 2009 North Carolina Zoo opened a Honey Bee Habitat exhibit worth $243,507, thanks to donations from NCSBA, N.C. Farm Bureau, agribusiness company Syngenta and Zoo Society donors. Locally, hive-owner hopefuls can study for an A in Bee School. Classes are held on Saturday mornings at the Brunswick government complex in Bolivia. The Brunswick County Beekeepers Association meets there the first Thursday each month. Spring 2020

EDUCATION

Brunswick County Beekeepers train beekeepers in Brunswick County. Currently there are 56 active members tending 280-plus beehives.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

PHOTO BY MATT MCGRAW

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

They communicate with dances in the hives; there’s no light in there. Then they fly out and look for where the clover is and the flowers.

South Brunswick Magazine

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

“We teach about 12 to 20 people every year in the Bee School, about production methods and pollinating and making honey for you and your family and selling it at farmers markets,” Blevins says. “There are really 150 to 200 people who are trained in the county, and about half of those have bees on a regular basis.” Written tests are required to boast journeyman, certified or master

beekeeper status. Additionally, Blevins suggests beginners find someone to be a bee buddy. “Get a mentor,” he says. “Find someone you like and can work well with.” Then you have to buy the bees. In Southern climates, there are people who will sell you a box of bees or you can get what Blevins calls a nuc box [nucleus], which contains the basic building blocks of a hive and some baby bees. “Inside it looks like about 10 picture frames, and inside is the honeycomb, so if you pull it vertically, there are two honeycombs,” Blevins says. “You can have one queen and 60,000 workers.” A bundle of bees in a box, a hive to

EDUCATION

PHOTO BY MATT MCGRAW

house them and prep work to protect the hive from elements can run about $500, according to Kelley Bees book [kelleybees.com]. It’s suggested that beekeepers have more than one hive. Bees are sold by the pound, with one pound of bees having about 3,000 to 4,000 baby bees per box. Back to that friendly, social part: Blevins says bees’ habits and work ethic keep them so busy that they don’t schedule visits with their keepers or their keepers’ neighbors. “They’re going to fly 2 or 3 miles to get pollen for their babies and nectar for them to produce honey,” he says.

“Even if your neighbor has bees, they aren’t interested in your yard. You don’t have enough flowers to feed them.” Blevins says they fly upward and outward, not to the neighbor’s. “The first couple of days, when they hatch into an adult, you see them clean out the cell where they were born and help take care of other baby bees, then take some test flights to get oriented and learn how to get back home,” he says. “Then they have to figure out which hive was theirs or get … dispatched.” Honey bees talk to each other too. Think Dances with Bees. In the dark. “They communicate with dances in the hives; there’s no light in there. Then they fly out and look for where the clover is and the flowers.”

Potential bee enthusiasts and bee wannabees are welcome at the Saturday classes. To be an association member is about $15 annually. That’s up a little from when the state beekeepers association formed in 1917, at $1 dues per year. For those with a serious honey-do list, the NCSBA markets merchandise – hats, polos, etc. – with the state logo of a bee inside the outline of North Carolina. There’s also a company listed for supplies: It’s called Beez Needz. NCSBA has an official theme song too – “My Gentle Honey Bees” composed by beekeeper John Rigdon, whose work was honored with a plaque at the NCSBA 1995 Spring Convention. To the tune of “Just a Closer Walk With Thee,” the first verse is this: “I’ve a hive of honey bees/ Nestled down among the trees/ They live in peace and at ease/ My thrifty, gentle honey bees.” See … nothing to be afraid of. 

Join the Beekeepers To learn more about the Brunswick County Beekeepers Association, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/brunswickcountybeekeeping. You can email them at brunswickcountybeekeepers@outlook.com or call the Extension Office at (910) 253-2610.

Spring 2020

South Brunswick Magazine

LOCALS

A Passion for Helping Others General Federation of Women's Clubs honors Polly Russ for her lifetime of volunteerism in Brunswick County. BY MELISSA SLAVEN WARREN PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK HEAD

Spring 2020

LOCALS

Uniting members through a charitable organization guidelines. Russ started her childcare center with of volunteers for the promotion of education, seven teachers and 25 children. When she retired, the community service, fellowship and leadership center had 25 teachers and more than 100 children. development is at the core of the General Federation Even after retiring, Russ remains a crusader for of Women's Clubs of the South Brunswick Islands’ early, quality childhood education and care. As part of mission. One member who has lived that mission by their community service programs, GFWC-SBI is donating 46 years of service to club work, Polly Russ, heavily involved in education initiatives, including was recently selected as the GFWC-NC winner and promoting a commitment to lifelong learning by one of two at the GFWC-Southeastern Region for the encouraging members and others to foster and Jennie Award for her lifetime contributions to her support educational opportunities in their community and family. communities. Part of that commitment is through “I am absolutely shocked but honored to receive contributions to the nonprofit Smart Start of this recognition,” Russ says. “They describe it as a Brunswick County, whose mission is to ensure all lifetime achievement. The fact that it doesn’t just children are healthy and ready for school, with a focus on what you’ve done in a single year, but vision to have the entire community working together encompasses all of your involvement in club work and to create unlimited opportunities so that all children family work is special.” become successful and contributing individuals. Chartered in April 1989, GFWC-SBI is a nonprofit “We need to break the cycle where children are 501(c) 3 chapter of the General Federation of Women's staying in unsafe places before they get into Clubs, one of the world's largest and oldest nonkindergarten,” Russ explains. “Then they go to denominational, non-partisan, international volunteer kindergarten with none of the skills their peers have. service organization for women. General Federation I know it comes down to funding. We’ve come a long of Women's Clubs honors one clubwoman from each GFWC Region for outstanding commitment to club, community and family. Named in honor of GFWC’s founder Jane Cunningham Croly, who wrote for national newspapers under the pseudonym Jennie June, it is the only national honor that recognizes individual members for personal excellence and is the highest honor bestowed by GFWC. Each member of GFWC-SBI brings her own unique talents and passions to the club. Russ’s is early childhood education. It was also her career. In 1985 she opened the second child care center in Brunswick County. “I was on the ground floor when rules and regulations came through for child care centers, initiatives that then Governor Hunt put into place,” Russ says. Like each of the GFWC-SBI members, Polly Russ, center, brings Those initiatives funded through the a unique talent to the club. Russ's passion has always been early state helped set quality early education childhood education.

South Brunswick Magazine

LOCALS

GFWC-SBI's SOUPer Bowl Saturday, part of the national Empty Bowls project, recently raised funds to feed the hungry in Brunswick County.

We need to break the cycle where children are staying in unsafe places before they get into kindergarten. Then they go to kindergarten with none of the skills their peers have. way, but we need to do more because childcare isn’t an option anymore.” In addition to education efforts, GFWC-SBI is heavily involved in community service projects that foster support in the arts, conservation, international outreach, public issues and improving the lives of those in need. All of their projects have a direct

impact on the populations in Brunswick County. A signature event is the SOUPer Bowl Saturday, which is part of a national project, The Empty Bowls. The event brings together local potters, restaurants and caterers to sell soup filled bowls to help raise funds for agencies that feed the hungry in Brunswick County.

Every spring the club hosts their annual Juleps & Jazz Kentucky Derby FUND-Racer, an entertaining social event that includes great food, live jazz, silent auction and raffles to help raise funds for their various projects that goes back into the community. “We’ve done small things that are just as important as giving out

Spring 2020

South Brunswick Magazine

LOCALS

thousands of dollars,” Russ says. From sewing blankets and pajamas for the homeless to helping fund The Rose House, a new addiction recovery center for women, GFWC-SBI is helping to make a difference in Brunswick County. Russ’ passion for volunteerism comes naturally. “My mother was quite a volunteer. But that was back in the days when you didn’t have to work,” Russ says. Her twin sister is also a volunteer in her spare time when she isn’t teaching. And Russ’s daughter serves as the current president of the Shallotte Junior Woman’s Club, an affiliate of the GFWC, and the very club that Russ joined more than four decades ago with 27 members. Above all else, for Russ the biggest personal benefit of being a volunteer member with GFWCSBI is the fellowship. “I often wondered where else I would have met 27 people when I first moved here from Chapel Hill as a young bride at 22 if I hadn’t gotten involved,” she says. Half of the members from the club are women who have moved here from other areas across the country, bringing much welcomed new suggestions and ideas that positively support the community. Russ is looking forward to representing the Southern Region of the GFWC-NC at the national conference this summer in Atlanta, where she’ll be recognized with the Jennie Award for all of her hard work and passion. “My club is special to me,” she says. “It gave me the leadership skills that have enabled me to branch out and do other things in my life.” 

Spring 2020

South Brunswick Magazine

Home ess Brunswick County Homeless Coalition Board President Joe Staton has made a remarkable transition from homeless and living with PTSD to helping others in Brunswick County. BY JO ANN MATHEWS

PHOTO BY BRENT GALLANT

Spring 2020

JOE STATON KNOWS what it’s like to have no place to live. “I’ve been homeless three times,” he says. His demeanor is calm as he rolls a foam soda container around in his palms. The cap he wears proclaims DESERT STORM, and his name tag reads Homeless Coalition Ambassador. Staton became a volunteer with Brunswick County Homeless Coalition (BCHC) in 2015 and now is its board president. “I threw myself enthusiastically into whatever they needed,” he says. BCHC held its eighth annual Hunger & Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon on November 16, 2019, to raise awareness of the poverty, poor and homeless situations in Brunswick County. National poverty guidelines show a family of four making $25,750 is at the poverty level. Various figures indicate Brunswick County has anywhere from 10.5 percent to 16 percent poverty, depending on the source of the data. According to some data, Brunswick County poverty rate is

14.1 percent, but 2018 data from the U.S. census rates it at 10.5 percent. Every month BCHC assists an average of 27 at-risk or homeless households. At the December BCHC board meeting, Paul Witmer explained that BCHC works with American Legion posts to assist homeless veterans. Anita Hartsell, senior veterans service officer and department head for Brunswick County Veterans Services, says the department assists veterans in getting their appropriate benefits but refers homeless veterans to other agencies, such as Veterans Administration Health Care Center in Wilmington. She says she sees an increasing number of homeless veterans in Brunswick County who request services and says the department was able to get Staton his proper benefits. “He’s gone on helping other veterans and understands what they are going through,” she says. Rita Canfield, a founding member of the all-volunteer BCHC, met Staton in 2014 when a group called Circles of Support assigned her and others to help Staton be comfortable around people. She explains they met once a week and talked, walked and did fun activities that helped him so he wouldn’t be alone. This continued for about a year. “I was really fighting against PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), but I was in denial,” Staton says. Canfield says they watched him grow socially over that year. “Look at the steps that man has taken!” she says. “I admire his ability to keep focused and not get frustrated.” “He’s very positive,” adds Beverly Isenhour, another

PHOTOS BY JO ANN MATHEWS

South Brunswick Magazine

Below and left: Joe Staton plays the guitar as board members Rita Canfield (left), John Callaghan, Paul Witmer and Beverly Isenhour sing along. Below left: Brunswick County Homeless Coalition's Hunger & Homeless Banquet and Soup Luncheon raises money and awareness for the homeless in Brunswick County.

PHOTO BY BRENT GALLANT

board member. John Callaghan, secretary of the board, pitches in about Staton’s benefit to BCHC: “If I come up with an idea, he improves it.” Staton’s decline started in 1991 after deployments to Saudi Arabia and Iraq. With a commitment to serve six more years in the Army Reserve, he returned to Fort Stewart, Georgia, to learn that his wife had gone back to Detroit, Michigan, with their young son. “I had nowhere to stay,” he says. He appealed to friends, who accommodated him for about four months until he found a job and an apartment. Before his two years in the Army, Staton had earned college credits in computer science from Georgia Tech and Williamsburg Technical College in Kingstree, South Carolina, where he

grew up. He found jobs repairing computers, providing Internet services and other “computer stuff,” he says. He moved to Florence, South Carolina, when his Army Reserve commitment was up, yet he continued to have nightmares and a fear of crowds. At times he couldn’t get himself to leave his apartment. “I was fighting to hang on to jobs as best I could,” he says. In 2010 he married again, and his wife convinced him to quit working and seek help with the Veterans Administration for his PTSD. She agreed to cover expenses from her paycheck, but his ailment didn’t abate and after two years, “She kicked me out,” Staton says. He found a homeless shelter in Florence, where he stayed for about four months, until relatives in Ocean Isle

He’s gone on helping other veterans and understands what they are going through.

Spring 2020

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Beach invited him to use their spare bedroom. He found short-term jobs, but a year later, he was again without a home when the couple he lived with split. He was back to sleeping on friends’ couches until a man he met at a laundromat in Shallotte invited him to a house he shared with friends. “It was drugs and alcohol 24 hours a day,” Staton says, adding that he doesn’t do drugs. The group called him antisocial because he stayed in his room with the door closed. Several months passed before he heard about Brunswick Family Assistance (BFA). At BFA, Staton saw a sign saying non-English speaking people needed an interpreter. Having learned Spanish as a volunteer at a Hispanic church in Florence, he offered his services to BFA. And this was what started his integration back into society. BFA directed him to a housing program that helped him find an apartment and to Brunswick County Veterans Services. Staton emphasizes, as the other board members do, that besides donating to the nonprofit BCHC, people can help the homeless by volunteering. Answering phone calls, attending meetings, helping with events and speaking about what the group provides are ways to volunteer. BCHC’s goal is to someday have a homeless shelter in Brunswick County. “When I found out that there was no homeless shelter here, I was horrified,” Staton says. “If there was no homeless shelter where I was, I would have just slept outside.” “[In Brunswick County] there’s a lot of prejudice against the homeless, and there’s some resistance to accepting the problem by officials,” Callaghan says. “It’s a touchy issue.” Staton, who brought his guitar to the December board meeting so the members could sing and socialize, sees a bright future for himself. Medication tempers his PTSD, he’s able to

volunteer and speak for BCHC, and he plans to marry his fiancé within a few years. “At one time I thought homeless people were slightly creepy,” he says, but his experience changed his attitude. “They are just like anybody else. They shouldn’t be judged by what happened to them, but rather by, as Dr. King said, ‘the content of their character.’” 

Want more information? Brunswick County Homeless Coalition (888) 519-5362 brunswickhomeless.com Monthly meetings: Second Tuesdays, 6 pm Shallotte Senior Center 3620 Express Drive, Shallotte

Spring 2020

Expanding orthopedic care right here in Brunswick Ted Parcel, DO, is welcoming new patients Joint, bone and muscle pain can interrupt your life. Are you ready to get back to doing what you love? Like walking, tennis or golf? Then it’s time to see our newest board-certified surgeon, Ted Parcel, DO, at Novant Health Orthopedics & Spine in Supply. He specializes in adult joint replacements and provides expert care for sports injuries and orthopedic conditions, including: • Hip and knee joint replacements

• Fracture repairs

• Knee arthroscopy

• Tendon repairs

• Treatments for hand conditions (carpal tunnel, trigger finger)

• Total hip and knee revisions

Dr. Parcel provides the specialty care you need closer to home, so you can concentrate on what counts most — getting better and staying healthy. Novant Health Orthopedics & Spine - Brunswick 6 Doctors Circle, Suite 5, Supply, NC 28462

Call 910-721-4370 or visit NovantHealth.org/orthospinebrunswick to make a same-day or next-day appointment. 52

South Brunswick Magazine

Ted Parcel, DO

PEOPLE

PHOTO BY LAURA GLANTZ

Like Coming Home For Pediatrician Kaylan Edwards, M.D., taking a job Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center is very much a homecoming. BY JO ANN MATHEWS

Spring 2020

South Brunswick Magazine

bathroom when she 14. In the process broke the seals around the toilet. Her grandfather taught her how to fix the seals and finish laying the floor. “She’s a pretty good plumber,” Edwards says. “She did a good job.” “We always had something to do,” Dr. Edwards says. “An old house always has problems.” Her grandparents traveled to Wake Forest for their granddaughters’ Christmas pageants, graduations and other activities. “No matter what we did, they were always there,” Dr. Edwards says. Her goal to be a physician began from the time she can remember. “Dr. Tom [her childhood pediatrician, Thomas N. Weber in Wake Forest] was nice and made me feel better,” she says. “He made me smile.” This relaxed attitude benefited her when she was diagnosed with scoliosis and needed surgery at age 11 and again at 16. She says the medical profession became real to her during the innumerable medical visits at that time. When she discussed becoming a physician with Dr. Tom, he told her, “If I could do it, you can do it.” With support from her family, she didn’t need to question her decision. Dr. Edwards majored in chemistry at Meredith College in Raleigh and attended medical school and completed residencies in both internal medicine and pediatrics at East Carolina University in Greenville. She doesn’t drink coffee, never has, but to stay awake late at night her mother made sure she had fun-size packs of M&Ms. “They definitely got me through many nights of residency,” Dr. Edwards says. Growing up, her breakfast every morning consisted of peanut butter and jelly. “A fold over, a half sandwich,” she says. “I still do it.”

Closer than ever — Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Pediatrician Dr. Kaylan Edwards, and her grandfather, former highway patrol officer Roscoe Edwards, began their careers on "almost the exact same piece of land" in Brunswick County 60 years apart.

PHOTO BY JO ANN MATHEWS

Starting her practice in the first pediatric clinic at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center in Bolivia is like coming home to Kaylan Edwards, M.D. She explains that her mother, Debbie Fisher Edwards, was born at Dosher Hospital in 1961 and that her grandfather’s first assignment as a highway patrol officer was in Southport. “His patrol station was on the land where Hardee’s now sits,” Dr. Edwards says. “This is less than a quarter mile from where my office is now. I find it fascinating that nearly 60 years apart we both started our ‘first real jobs’ on almost the exact same piece of land.” Dr. Edwards, 31, projects a casual, upbeat and easygoing manner and fills her conversation with lots of laughter. With her grandfather, Roscoe Edwards, at her side in her offices at Brunswick Medical Campus in Supply, the two delight in discussing family and their connection to southeastern North Carolina. Edwards, 80, marvels at the location coincidence and adds that after six years as a patrol officer, he chose to head back to the family homestead in Whiteville. He and his wife, Mary, continue to live in the 80-year old home where both he and his father were born. For 50 years he planted and harvested tobacco, corn, peanuts and other produce on the 48 acres and raised cows as well. Dr. Edwards explains that she lived in Wake Forest with her mother and sister, Caroline Fisher, but twice each month throughout their childhood and teen years, the three of them drove to Whiteville. “It was home to us,” Dr. Edwards says. “When we went to town, we knew everyone.” Memories flow as she recalls raising strawberries and tomatoes and planting flowers, canning tomatoes and making jelly. Household projects were also on the agenda. She tells of installing a floor in the original

PEOPLE

Spring 2020

PEOPLE

She didn’t think she’d come to Brunswick County to practice medicine. “Novant reached out to me when I had a year left in residency to see if I was interested in being here,” she says. “I thought it was a good opportunity, and there’s a need here.” The pediatric clinic opened August 21 with Dr. Lori Tackman, a pediatrician since 2000 who left a practice in Cary, joining Dr. Edwards. “Kaylan is a wonderful physician who is extremely organized and so pleasant to work with despite various big events going on in her personal and professional life,” Dr. Tackman writes in an email. “I admire her knowledge and patience with technology, especially the electronic medical record, a very special skill!” “Bringing pediatrics to Novant Health Brunswick Novant is helping keep the Medical Center healthcare of children in Pediatricians Dr. Lori Brunswick County so they Tackman (left) and Dr. don’t have to travel for Kaylan Edwards bring a healthcare,” Dr. Edwards says. much-needed service to “I think there is a huge need Brunswick County.

South Brunswick Magazine

PHOTO BY LAURA GLANTZ

PHOTO BY JO ANN MATHEWS

here, and the community is excited about us being here.” She nods toward her grandfather. “Family is very, very important to me,” she adds. “I really made the decision to come here because I wanted to serve a community. I wanted people to know their pediatrician and feel like I was a part of their family.” Her goals include educating people about healthy living, nutrition, access to care and other aspects of healthcare. “I like the role that a pediatrician can have in the whole family’s life,” she says. When asked what he admires about his granddaughter, Edwards says, “What don’t I?”

Dr. Edwards looks forward to meeting more patients and more Brunswick County residents. “I like the people,” she says. “That’s what got me down here. No matter what someone is going through, the people of southeastern North Carolina are one big family, and they take care of you as if you are their own.” 

Want to make an appointment? Dr. Kaylan Edwards and Dr. Lori Tackman Novant Health Pediatrics Brunswick 20 Medical Campus Drive NW, Suite 205, Supply (910) 721-4400 nhpediatricsbrunswick.org

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South Brunswick Magazine

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Knowledge is Power Brunswick County Literacy Council matches volunteers with people who want to learn new skills, from English as a Second Language to financial literacy to earning their GED. BY CAROLYN BOWERS

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the road signs, explains the country’s currency, tells us how to pay to use the restroom and translates the dinner menu. But imagine for a moment that that was not the case. Imagine being alone in that country with no guide and no one who

understands you. It would be frightening and possibly even dangerous. But that is what some people here in our country, in our state and in our county have to endure every day. They can’t read directions or a prescription or food labels or warning Spring 2020

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South Brunswick Magazine

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The 2019 Brunswick County Literacy Council Executive Board.

PHOTO BY CAROLYN BOWERS

signs or transportation schedules. They can’t make themselves be understood by anyone because gesturing and pantomiming can go only so far. Luckily for these people, and others who need help to reach their individual goals, there is a place where they can get help and support from a well-trained, caring group of extraordinary volunteers. They can contact Brunswick County Literacy Council on Highway 17 in Supply and talk with Program Coordinator Sue Railing, who will schedule a visit for an assessment. Next they will be matched up with a tutor, depending on their particular needs and goals. Brunswick County Literacy Council provides individual help and support not only for reading, but also for conversational language skills, writing, financial literacy, math and basic computer skills. They will soon offer health literacy classes in partnership with New Hope Clinic. Each student’s program is designed to meet his or her specific needs and goals. Some are working toward getting their GED, while others want to be able to communicate more easily with their neighbors and customers and still others want to learn how to write a

resume and fill out a job application. The GED program for those incarcerated in the county jail has been a huge success. To date 19 inmates have earned their GED, and not one of them has been re-arrested. Literacy Council Executive Director Dot Hoerr tells a wonderful story about a young man who finished his GED preparation and took his final test on a Friday, the day before he was released from jail. The following Monday he found out he had passed it. That afternoon, with his GED results in hand, he interviewed for a job at a local restaurant and got it. The council plans to offer life/ employment coaching to inmates to help them get a job. This course will include how to write a resume, apply for a job and prepare for the interview. There are currently 12 volunteers who tutor at the jail. Each one meets with their student twice a week for two hours. As one volunteer put it, “It’s easy to schedule the sessions because they are a captive audience.” The length of time it takes to prepare for the GED tests varies from 30 days to several months, but however long it takes, the tutor and student stick with it until they are successful.

MAKE A BEELINE 31st Annual Brunswick County Literacy Council Adult Spelling Bee Get together a spelling team and compete or come to watch the fun. Either way, be sure to bid on items in the silent auction. There is a $250 entry fee for teams, and admission is free for spectators. Tuesday, May 5, 6 pm Brunswick Community College Virginia Williamson Event Center 150 College Road NE, Bolivia (910) 754-7323 bcliteracy.org Spring 2020

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PHOTOS BY CAROLYN BOWERS

Clockwise from top left: Located off of Highway 17 in Supply, The Brunswick County Literacy Council Learning Center provides valuable resources for improving literacy in adults. James Hogan (left) prepares for his GED exam with tutor, Tom Burke. Dot Hoerr, Literacy Council executive director works tirelessly to raise funds, find volunteers and tutors as well as promote literacy awareness.

Other graduates of the GED program have become a certified nursing assistant (CNA), an airport baggage handler, a business owner and a Walmart associate, to name a few. One even secured the credentials to open a day care in her home. Another success story concerns a number of immigrants who studied with a tutor to pass their citizenship test, and they are now proud U.S. citizens. The council’s newest program is in support of the state’s recent mandate that all schools offer a program for financial literacy. To comply with this request, Brunswick County has chosen to adopt the FDIC program called Money Smart. This is being rolled out at West Brunswick High School first, with the other county high schools to follow next year. Fortuitously, Michael Ciemniki, a career adult trainer, retired last December and now teaches the Money Smart program in WBHS. He hopes to take it to the county’s detention center soon. According to Ciemniki, the program is about learning to budget money, set up a checking account, get a loan, manage a credit 62

South Brunswick Magazine

card and understand bank fees, like the price you pay for a bounced check or overdrawing your account. The program stresses paying yourself first to emphasize the importance of saving money. The module is taught in a series of five sessions during homeroom time. Ciemniki personalizes the FDIC curriculum by giving examples of banking mistakes that he, his friends or his two sons have made. This is a popular approach as it signals to students that we all make mistakes and we do recover from them. In addition to teaching and tutoring in all of these subjects, Brunswick County Literacy Council also partners with other organizations to distribute books to qualifying children and adults. Last December they partnered with Brunswick Family Assistance (BFA) for their Toys for Tots program. Each child received a bag containing toys as well as age-appropriate books for them and an adult book for qualifying senior citizens. Last year more than 1,200 children and adults received books through this program. This year the council will partner with the Friends of the Library Southport & Oak Island (FOLSOI) to supply books for their Holiday Book Share. As FOLSOI President Diana Fotinatos says, “We are partnering with the Literacy Council for their Holiday Book Share for 2020,

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and will be one of their suppliers for that project. It's a win-win — they get great books at incredible savings for an important literacy initiative, and they support the libraries by purchasing those books from the FOLSOI bookstore.” The council has a large group of dedicated volunteers; however, they would like to have even more. Hoerr says top on her wishlist is to have a substitute pool like school teachers have. Then when a tutor is out of town or unable to keep his or her scheduled time, a substitute would be available to take over. A popular misconception is that if you are going to tutor a student in English as a Second Language (ESL), you should be bilingual. In actuality, being bilingual can be a disadvantage because there is no temptation to slip into their native tongue if you can’t speak it. Kathy Edgell tutors two students in ESL. One is from Thailand, and Edgell speaks no Thai. No problem. This student learned English well enough to get her N.C. Driver’s License and is now continuing her sessions with Edgell to improve her conversational skills. Edgell is also teaching her how to interpret what she calls our “lazy speech.” That is her name for the words we slur together, like “gonna,” and slang like “gotcha,” neither of which is likely to be found in a Thai/English dictionary. Funds to make all this possible come from grants, fundraisers and donations from community organizations and individuals. The council hosts two major fundraisers a year — a golf tournament in September at Carolina National Golf Club in Winding River and an adult spelling bee and silent auction in May at Brunswick County College’s Virginia Williamson Event Center. 

Can you help? Kathy Edgell was motivated to become a volunteer because she felt that “If you can’t read, it’s a lonely world.” If you feel as she does and would like to help someone overcome that loneliness by becoming a volunteer, contact:

Brunswick County Literacy Council (910) 754-7323 bcliteracy@yahoo.com If you would like to make a donation to support their programs, visit their website at bcliteracy.org.

Spring 2020

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Making Connections From working in corporate consulting to leading the Friends of the Library of Southport and Oak Island to volunteering in a variety of ways around town, Diana Fotinatos is connecting the dots in Brunswick County. BY BETH A. KLAHRE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MUSE

Spring 2020

COMMUNITY

Diana Fotinatos has been making matches for nearly 30 years. As founding partner and managing director of Alexander Consulting, she connects executives to leading global organizations. Her executive search firm works with a range of industries from consumer goods and retail to healthcare, information technology, energy, aerospace, banking, media and entertainment. “I serve my clients with uncompromised ethics and I am proud of the relationships I have built with them,” Fotinatos says. “Many of her clients have been customers for ten years or more.” Fotinatos started Alexander

South Brunswick Magazine

Consulting nearly 30 years ago to achieve a balanced quality of life when her son, Michael Alexander, was born. Living in New Jersey and commuting to New York City made it difficult to be present at home. “The decision to start my own business was right for my family,” she says. “No regrets.” Fotinatos now operates her consulting business from Southport, needing only a good Internet connection and a phone. “Only a few clients request onsite interviews and meetings,” she says. “Video conferencing is a far more cost effective way to conduct business.” Fotinatos’ instinctive ability to connect with people has found a higher

purpose. And it began in a library. Growing up, Fotinatos spent a lot of time in libraries. “It was a safe and welcoming place to hang out until my mother got off work,” she says. “There was always something interesting to do there.” Today Fotinatos is the president of the board of directors of the Friends of the Library of Southport and Oak Island (FOLSOI), a 501(c)3 nonprofit supporting both libraries. She directs the 10-member volunteer board that raises funds to deliver adult and child programs, lease new book titles, purchase needed library equipment and supplies and help the libraries meet literary, technological, cultural

COMMUNITY

and community goals. More than 65 experienced volunteers support library programming through funding received from members, grants and the operation of a bookstore with more than 1,000 titles in the back office of Southport Realty. Fotinatos is particularly proud of the book sales team. “Our bookstore really brings our larger community together through the joy of reading,” she says. Under her leadership, FOLSOI has delivered new youth programs to both Margaret and James Harper, Jr. Library in Southport and G.V. Barbee Sr. Library in Oak Island. Other new programs include the Lego We-Do robotics class for third through sixth graders and Crafts-4-Kids hosted by the St. James Artisans. In an unprecedented action,

is a smart investment that transforms a community,” Fotinatos notes. Recently Fotinatos has been out and about in Brunswick County connecting FOLSOI with other nonprofit organizations that have similar goals. She has delivered keynotes to Southport Rotary Club, St. James Plantation Service Club and the Kiwanis Club of Southport-Oak Island. She imparts a key message: “Libraries are a great equalizer in today’s society and play an increasingly critical role in leveling the playing field by providing free access to technology and information to everyone.” While Fotinatos is passionate about libraries, she is even more passionate about helping underserved youth. “Statistically speaking, I was one of them,” she says. Yet she was the first

she tutors second through fifth graders at Supply Elementary. “When I see a child who was struggling advance to the next reading level, it makes it all worth it,” she says. “Youth are our future.” Fotinatos is also the Constitution Chairperson for the Brunswick Town Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR.) “Being involved with DAR is a tribute to my biological father, who I never knew,” she says. “His family has five patriots who served during the American Revolution. It's a privilege to serve with DAR.” Donning full Colonial attire, Fotinatos educates fifth graders at Bolivia, Southport, Supply and Virginia Williamson Elementary Schools about the Constitution. Last spring, DAR

person in her family to go to college, graduating magna cum laude from Seton Hall University in New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in management and industrial relations. Fotinatos personally knows that “after school is when youth need help the most,” which is why she volunteers for Communities in Schools (CIS) of Brunswick County, Inc. Every Tuesday

recognized Fotinatos’ exemplary community service with an award. Fotinatos’ history has not been her destiny. She’s not counting accomplishments. Instead, she’s bringing people together. “I believe we are all capable of great contributions if given the right tools and an opportunity,” she says. 

Diana Fotinatos in colonial attire at Supply Elementary School.

Fotinatos initiated a meeting with the presidents of Friends of the Library groups from Rourk Branch Library in Shallotte, Leland Library and Southwest Brunswick Branch Library in Carolina Shores. They are working together to identify best operational practices, share ideas and influence positive change in the libraries. “A well-run and well-funded library

Spring 2020

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South Brunswick Magazine

BEHIND THE BUSINESS

Body Edge Fitness owner Cindy Black, husband, Aaron, and their two children, Bauer, 2, and Zachariah, 6�⁄ 2.

Wellness Warrior Cindy Black, wife, mother and owner of Body Edge Fitness, is a cheerleader to those looking to get healthy. BY MELISSA SLAVEN WARREN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRENT GALLANT

Spring 2020

BEHIND THE BUSINESS

With a dedication to health, fitness, compassion and handson motivation, Cindy Black, owner of Body Edge Fitness Studio, gives her clients what they're looking for in a lifestyle change. “Being able to see someone come alive from the moment they first step on a treadmill or lift a weight to watching their weight come off is what drives me to do what I do,” she says. A New York native, Black relocated to Wilmington to complete her degree at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education. Her original career goal was to be a physical therapist, but while working on her undergraduate degree, she took a job as a personal trainer at a gym and “fell in love with it.” Not only did she enjoy helping clients achieve their fitness goals, but also the job gave her the flexibility of being able to set her own hours. She decided not to pursue physical therapy after all. In 1997 she found a niche as a personal trainer in Sunset Beach and began working with clients at the Sea Trail Plantation Property Owners Association as well as their Village Activity Center. As her client base grew, so did her need for space. She opened a small, 1,400-square-foot fitness studio in Sunset Beach in 2003. When she outgrew that space, she moved in 2008 to an almost 5,000-square-foot location in Ocean Isle Beach, and Body Edge was born. She’s still in the same location, but so much for setting her own hours. “It’s more than a full-time job now,” she says with a laugh. Even with the demanding responsibilities of running her own gym, Black makes her family life a priority. In 2008 she met her future husband, Aaron, when he

South Brunswick Magazine

walked through the door to take a Pilates class. “He bought a month’s membership and eventually started teaching a spin class,” Black says. They bonded over their love of sports and fitness — Aaron played football for East Carolina University. “By the third date I knew I would marry him,” she says. Ten years later they have two children, Zachariah, who is 6½, and Bauer, who is 2. Aaron, a general manager at J.P. Russ & Son, Inc., lends his full emotional support for his wife’s entrepreneurship and believes she is doing just what she was meant to. For more than 10 years he’s watched her build people’s self-esteem and help them reach their goals, inside and out. “One day I walked into the gym and l observed clients who were underweight, overweight, old and young, and I saw Black interact with them all,” Aaron says. “She was excited, welcoming and happy that each and every one of them was there. It inspired me.” It’s the act of helping someone start their health and wellness journey that inspires Black. The personal trainer in her wants to see to it that people get started safely and effectively. That’s a crucial part of being successful in reaching health goals. All new members receive a free orientation to learn how to use the equipment properly. Working with a personal trainer at Body Edge can also help clients boost motivation, fast-track results and make going to the gym more enjoyable. And that’s something that Black and her other two personal trainers on staff strive to achieve. Working out with a friend is another way to help people stay motivated, which is why Body Edge offers discounted group rates on their personal training services.

BEHIND THE BUSINESS

The Body Edge difference, or BE, is their approachability anybody looking for a gentle stretching class,” Black says. Body and their friendliness. From the moment someone walks Edge also offers beginner spin classes for students who are through the door, they’re greeted not only by upbeat and new to the aerobic exercise. helpful staff, but also by friendly members. The diverse “Removing the intimidation factor by adding friendly faces, demographic of members and clients who use the gym can beginner-friendly classes and personal training sessions is easily find something that interests them. From group classes key to getting more people into the gym and improving their for beginners and intermediates to personal training to free health and longevity,” Black says. weights and machines, the staff can point customers in the No matter your goals — lose weight, gain weight, increase right direction. strength, improve flexibility or make new friends — “Body Making her gym approachable and accessible goes hand-inEdge is the place to BE!” she says. hand with Black’s fitness philosophy. “We all need to realize Black is encouraged that more people in the area are taking that we can’t accomplish things without being their health seriously. Last year was their in good health, especially as we grow older,” best year ever, with an influx of new she says. “Strength, flexibly and balance are so members and people taking classes, and important for our everyday lives.” this year is already on track to surpass last Want to put the fun Yoga is one of those exercises that can help year. in fitness? just about everybody, no matter their mobility “We’re seeing men and women of all ages or fitness level. Body Edge offers yoga for and all fitness levels come in,” Black says. Body Edge Fitness Studio various levels, including the newly added “We have friends who work out with 6741 Beach Drive SW, Suite B, gentle yoga. “It’s geared toward people who friends, spouses who work out together and Ocean Isle Beach are new to yoga or those looking for a less people who come in and make new friends (910) 575-0975 bodyedgenc.com intense practice, but it’s also perfect for while they’re here.” 

Spring 2020

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South Brunswick Magazine

Save the Hall, Y’all

Nonprofit organization Up Your Arts dreams big with plans for the old Southport City Hall. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DENNIS HETZEL

The rough estimate for renovations to the old Southport City Hall is $2 million, but much analysis remains to determine an actual budget.

If the folks running Up Your Arts in Southport need a motto, might fit perfectly. r r

“D eam Big o S tay Home”

That’s what comes to mind as two of the group’s leaders, John Keiffer and Ken Schnedetz, walk around the old Southport City Hall, pointing to features that make the vacated structure distinctive. The oldest portion was built in the mid-1800s and sits at the corner of Moore and Davis

streets on the site of the original 1808 Brunswick County Courthouse. While the building’s historic importance is obvious, so is its condition. Keiffer notes that the building seems structurally sound, but there are other issues including Spring 2020

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The old Brunswick County Courthouse in Southport’s historic district could become a community arts center for the region if local musicians and volunteers Ken Schnedetz, left, and John Keiffer have their way. They’re leaders in the nonprofit Up Your Arts group that backs the project.

significant mold problems, water stains, crumbling concrete, patchwork repairs and remodeling that hide important, historic features such as tin ceilings that may or may not be restorable. There’s also a 1960s-era addition that wouldn’t fit anyone’s definition of inspirational architecture. The building was declared an unsafe, threatened historical resource when the last city offices left in 2016. But Keiffer and Schnedetz see opportunity where others might see a problem. You just have to squint a little bit. They envision an arts-focused community center with myriad spinoff benefits to the Southport community. The courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 along with 161 nearby buildings that form the city’s historic district. A major restoration would draw visitors, help anchor Southport’s historical district and leverage the city’s growing attraction to artists. The two men see a place where visual artists and musicians of all ages will

find a place to gather, learn and perform for others. Keiffer points to a corner that could be a gallery for student artwork. Upstairs could house a mid-sized venue for receptions and community concerts, complete with a stage, lighting and sound for public performances. The room could host city council and other public meetings

as well. The building also would have private studios, a catering kitchen, meeting rooms and an outdoor sculpture garden. “Southport is a perfect setting for this,” Schnedetz adds. It’s an audacious goal for a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that’s less than three years old, but they exude calm confidence that it can be done. Schnedetz, who moved to Oak Island after a successful career as a Realtor and property manager, notes that the area is blessed with scores of dedicated people who have the time and professional know-how to bring such dreams to life. “So many people around here have expendable creativity and passion,” Keiffer says. Success will require lots of time, effort and collaboration, starting with

Last used by Southport’s police department, the old County Courthouse was vacated and declared unsafe in 2016. Spring 2020

LEARN MORE ABOUT UP YOUR ARTS What it is: Up Your Arts is a Southport-based nonprofit organization started in 2017 to support and promote creative and performing arts in the region. The group maintains a website that includes a calendar of live music, galleries and shops, festivals and community events, theater groups and other arts activities. The group also cosponsors the annual Southport Plein Air Festival in which artists spend two spring days painting outdoors and then make their work available for sale. The 2020 festival is scheduled for May 15 and 16. For more information, to see the event calendar or to volunteer: Go to upyourarts.org or join the Facebook group, Southport Area Music and Arts.

Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce honored Up Your Arts for community support during a presentation in October at the weekly open mic night at the American Fish Company on the Southport waterfront.

support from Southport officials. In October, Keiffer gave a detailed presentation on the “Save the Hall, Y’All” campaign to the Board of Aldermen. In late November, the effort got a huge push forward when the city approved and signed a six-month memorandum of understanding that allows Up Your Arts to access the building to do feasibility work while the city maintains custody. “We’re working overtime to put all the pieces in place,” Kieffer said in an email. That includes formation of an executive committee to oversee the project, development of funding strategies and extensive surveying, engineering and historical reviews. Cost estimates are rough, but Keiffer suggests it could take $2 million in combined funding from private donors, foundation grants and government to complete the project. They point to cities such as Kinston, Hendersonville and Carrboro as models to emulate. Meanwhile, leaders of Up Your Arts see the project as a great way to expand their mission to support the arts in music, theater, dance

South Brunswick Magazine

and visual arts. They’re particularly excited about working with local schools and the local campus of Brunswick Community College. The roots for Up Your Arts are musical. Keiffer has lived in Southport for more than 10 years after a varied career as a youth pastor, a building contractor and a paramedic. Years ago, he was among local musicians who started gathering for loosely organized “band practices” that overflowed his house when 50 or more showed up some nights. Nowadays, you’ll find Keiffer, Schnedetz and others performing at Thursday night open-mic nights, which have long since moved from homes to local venues. The current locale is the American Fish Company on Southport’s waterfront, offering musicians a chance to perform while raising both awareness and funds for Up Your Arts. For the organization’s leaders and supporters, it’s a passion, a calling and a chance to give back. Keiffer puts it this way: “We can be a catalyst for so much cool stuff.” 

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welcomed Dr. Youness Hussein to the staﬀ. With locations in Myrtle Beach, Conway and Supply, North Carolina, Coastal Kidney Center is proud of the excellent care they provide to their patients. The practice opened in 1994 and focuses on kidneys and treats ailments such as hypertension, kidney stones, kidney failure, post transplant management and dialysis. Four doctors and two Nurse Practitioners serve From left: Donna Evans, NP; Sivanthan Balachandran, MD; John Jay Elms, MD; their oﬃces. They are Sivanthan Balachandran, MD, Maryam Gondal, MD; Youness Hussein, MD; and Rachel Gasque, NP who completed his fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia; John Jay Elms, MD, who completed his fellowship at the Univeristy of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Maryam Gondal, MD, who completed her fellowship at Yale University; Youness Hussein, MD, who completed his fellowship at the Univeristy of Iowa; Donna Evans, NP; and Rachel Gasque, NP. Coastal Kidney Center prides itself on the level of care they provide. Their doctors are friendly, caring, and well known for their attention to detail.

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Sue and Bill Immen help wild horses and humans at Grayce Wynds Farm in Holden Beach. BY ASHLEY DANIELS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN DEITZ

South Brunswick Magazine

Education, connection and inspiration. This is the trifecta that lives and breathes at the core of Grayce Wynds Farm, nearly 30 acres of pines and beautiful coastal terrain where wild horses run in Holden Beach. Sue Immen, a retired health and physical education teacher and guidance counselor in Columbus County, and her husband, Bill, bought the land in 2014. “We had really started out by looking for like five acres and thought we’d have a couple of horses and that was going to be retirement,” Immen says. “We put some money down on a couple pieces of property and they would always fall through. So we had a serious talk with God about things and said, ‘You might not want us to go in this direction.’” The couple was led instead to where Grayce Wynds Farm now stands, after an offer by Immen was accepted miraculously by the former owners of the land. Immen says that God took it a step further by using her background as an educator to form the educational nonprofit ministry and wild horse preserve. “It was a God thing, because the same day we ended up with a whole lot more land than what we were thinking,”

Immen says. “I heard God say, ‘Share it.’” Immen was born and raised in Southern California, and her grandparents had a chicken ranch. “My best memories of growing up were going to my grandparents’ chicken ranch in the summer, so I guess I’ve always been a farm girl at heart and I totally understood deep down inside what really the Lord wanted us to do with this,” she says. “People are getting so far removed from farm life and just being outside; we’re such a digitalized society.” Spring 2020

For the next five years, the Immens purchased wild horses to run free on the farm, starting with Sunny and Jess, two Chincoteague ponies. The pair are also the star characters of two children’s books Immen published: Sunny and Jess Come Out of the Wild and Sunny and Jess Go to Boarding School. They’re joined by more than a dozen others, including Grayson Highlands ponies, Tennessee Walking horses, Wild Kentucky Mountain horses and Cedar Island ponies. “There’s a serious problem in Kentucky and West Virginia, where people are dropping off unwanted horses in these remote counties where there are thousands of acres of vacant land that are primarily owned by mining companies,” Immen says. “They estimate 3,000 free roamers in each state. Now Kentucky realizes they have a potential problem and they’ve put the

humane society equine division in charge of the wild horses. So through our connections, we found out they were going to round up 11 that were encroaching on civilization.” Immen is beyond knowledgeable on the wild horse herds along the East Coast – the history, the breeds and what the descendants face today. In fact, she speaks to groups about these wild ponies and horses at museums, 4H gatherings and public libraries, sometimes with Asher, a Grayson Highlands pony, making an appearance. She and her husband also produced a documentary called In Search of the Wild Horses of the East Coast: Learn About the Herds and How to Find Them. Back at the farm, a handful of the wild horses are trained under the saddle, with one older horse that is used for short, hand-led pony rides.

For the next five years, the Immens purchased wild horses to run free on the farm, starting with Sunny and Jess, two Chincoteague ponies.

South Brunswick Magazine

Since Grayce Wynds’ official ribbon cutting in May 2019, the Immens hosted a successful Ponies and Pumpkins event every Friday night in October, which included a hayride, pumpkin painting and horse petting. They also host church groups and school field trips, gatherings Immen

loves to customize from her background in education, and two-hour private farm tours by appointment. “We teach people how to approach the horses, how to pet them and things to avoid, like their rear ends, and how you’ve got to keep a flat hand,” Immen says.

She says the horses are very friendly. “They like attention and they like to be scratched and petted and hugged. We’ve got one star, our boy, Levi. I have pictures of him standing there with 10 people around him just petting him and hugging him, and he just loves it, you know?”

Spring 2020

say, ‘Oh my God, my blood pressure’s dropped 20 points’ and there’s a reason for that! Horses make wonderful therapy animals.” The Immens welcome visitors to their farm. “We want to get people off their devices and out in nature, breathing some fresh air,” she says. “I want to have inspired people for another great family activity to get outside in nature and track wild horses because it’s good for the body and the soul.” 

The farm has about 15 volunteers on staff, and Immen says she feels so blessed for all that they do. “I’ve got a couple of ladies who just come once a week and help feed, but I mean, that’s so appreciated. And if someone gives us $50 as a donation for the farm tour, that buys a round bale of hay and that’s appreciated. … It’s not about us earning a living off of it, but maybe someday, if we grow.” What Grayce Wynds is about, and what it’s always been about, is enriching the lives of others. “We hope that people embrace us and realize we’re here to enrich their lives,” she says. “It’s all about enrichment and connecting with our horses. It’s also very therapeutic! People who come here

Want to horse around? For more information on Grayce Wynds Farm or to schedule a tour or special event, visit graycewyndsfarm.com 82

South Brunswick Magazine

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Spring 2020

Brunswick Interagency Program offers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; at no cost â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the opportunity for students to join in religious education studies, tend to the hundreds of plants in the Brunswick Community College greenhouse, cheerfully serve hungry visitors in the Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center cafeteria, learn computer skills and make life-long friends. 84

South Brunswick Magazine

Brunswick Community College’s Brunswick Interagency Program helps differently abled students develop their skills and gain employment within the community. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED BECKLEY

he joy of living! We all express it in different ways. As a volunteer at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, Allyson Borden spontaneously breaks into song at her cafeteria job. Katie Juda beams when she dreams of working with penguins in a zoo someday. Jill Meyer is a Special Olympics bowling and bocce champion who proudly displays her golden hardware. Rachael Teeples' smile gives away how freeing it is to live independently and have a good-paying job. And you can’t wipe the smile off Essilevy Ivelisse Gandia-Colón's face after she passed her Catholic Confirmation class studies. When you're happy and you know it, such things happen! Society has labeled all of these wonderful people as “intellectually or developmentally disabled,” but in

truth there is no “dis” in their abilities and they are exceptional in the things they choose to do. As Meyer's mother, Tracey, says, “Jill is differently abled.” And Juda's father, Wes, attests that she and her peers are capable, determined and need all the things everybody else does, including love, understanding, patience and good-paying or volunteer work to give their lives purpose. To that end, both of them are enrolled in Brunswick Community College’s Brunswick Interagency Program. Thanks to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other national and state laws, every school-aged child in the United States who needs special education receives an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Parents, educators and people who are Spring 2020

Left to right: One of Allyson Borden's favorite things is greeting lunch-seekers in the Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center cafeteria. With open arms and a big smile, Allyson (right) delights in welcoming her friend and hospital team-mate, Volunteer Coordinator Christie Delbridge. The college offers innovative continuing education for the county's special education students,

familiar with the children, tailor the plans for them before they begin their schooling. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, along with Brunswick County Schools, also provides an Exceptional Children Program locally. It's designed to assure that students with disabilities develop mentally, physically, emotionally and vocationally starting with kindergarten and going through grade 12. For education after high school, for the last 35 years Brunswick Community College in Bolivia has been a model for North Carolina in innovative continuing education for the county's Special Education students. The college offers its Brunswick Interagency Program (BIP), enabling post-high school adults to take classes in language arts, math, social studies, community living and vocational education at no cost. Students have opportunities throughout the year to enhance their daily living and social skills. A component of BIP is Supported Employment Services, a collaboration with the N.C. Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Trillium Health Resources. The program provides students with employment on custodial, cafeteria and grounds crews on the main campus. Students can also learn about horticulture in the campus greenhouse through an elective course known as Brunswick Blooms. There are 131 students in BIP, supported by a dozen instructors, three teaching assistants, two work crew

South Brunswick Magazine

supervisors and a job coach, says Program Director LeAnn Cecil. The students range in age from 17 to 74, as the college has a program designed specifically for senior citizens. “Our primary objective is to support our students in gaining the daily living, academic and social skills they need to enhance their independence,” Cecil says. She explains that it is a safe environment to try new things while the students are deciding their areas of interest. The goal for many of the students, she says, is employment within the community, and BIP helps them develop their skills to achieve their objective. “We train the best employees in the world,” Cecil says. “Our students are happy to come to work, they obey the rules, they are energetic and are very dependable.” She acknowledges there are some who prefer not to go into the workforce and choose to remain as students well into their senior years, which is perfectly fine. In the greenhouse, Instructor Amy Bodnarik explains that the elective course has 60 diverse students this semester. It not only helps students learn to categorize, raise and sustain the health of the plant life, but also instructs them on the business end of horticulture. They are currently developing plans to partner with local businesses on a project to sell the plants by providing them free samples. They'll use marketing techniques to inform the businesses' customers they can

including math, social studies, community living and vocational education. Faith Formation Special Needs Instructor Essilevy ColónNevarez (in lavender jacket) joins in prayer with her daughter, also named Essilevy, at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Shallotte. “Essy Junior” has autism and has passed her religious education studies. She excitedly awaits confirmation into the faith this spring.

purchase plants, similar to the samples, directly from Brunswick Blooms. The objective is to increase sales of the greenhouse products to fund the existence and expansion of the structure itself and raise awareness for the BIP. Assistant Rachael Teeples will be instrumental in that program. Bodnarik holds her up as a stellar example of the success of the county's educational system. She excelled in her IEP, graduated from high school and BIP, was a model athlete in Special Olympics and has been a paid member of the college staff as an assistant in the greenhouse for 20 years. Teeples says she watches over the teams of students who create the myriad of plants the college sells in the community. But even more than a paying job, Teeples says, “This is therapy for me,” and

her work provides a way to reduce the stresses in her life. She isn't shy in saying it is also “great to be paid.” Meyer wants to volunteer or receive pay for tending to horses on a farm in the future. Juda aspires to a paying job in a zoo or aquarium, working with penguins. An important enhancement to the college's BIP Supported Employment Services program starts this fall. Named Project SEARCH, it will provide selected high school seniors ages 17 to 21 with internships in local businesses, with hopes of obtaining paid employment. The objective is to teach key job skills to students via internships and to encourage employers

In the Brunswick Blooms greenhouse, the team of students and instructors whip up a batch of soil, sand and Perlite to assure the health and strength of the plants they'll sell to the community. Pictured are Jill Meyer, Katie Juda, Instructor Amy Bodnarik, Stephen Green, Assistant Rachael Teeples and Alexandria Benson.

Spring 2020

WANT TO HELP? HERE'S HOW... • Provide employment for students in the Brunswick Interagency Program (all ages 17 and older): Contact LeAnn Cecil, (910) 755-7381 • Become a Project SEARCH partner and provide business internships and/or employment for the students (ages 17 to 21): Contact Wes Juda, (410) 707-5523 • Make a donation to the 501c3 Brunswick Community College Foundation: Contact Elizabeth Wassum, executive director, (910) 755-6530, wassume@brunswickcc.edu • Make a donation to the 501c3 Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Foundation: Contact supportnovanthealth.org/ Brunswick or call (910) 721-1745 • Offer meaningful volunteer opportunities in your organization • Be understanding, patient and willing to give someone a chance to experience life • Donate and volunteer at Brunswick County Special Olympics: Contact Wes Juda, (410) 707-5523

Classmates Jill Meyer (left) and Katie Juda make sure the percentage of soil components is correct and suitably mixed by hand before potting and adding plants. The two are also Special Olympics competitors and buddies.

to hire people with disabilities because they will have skill sets which will make them valuable assets to the businesses. It's a combination of educational courses, job skills activities and the internship job itself. Project SEARCH is a partnership among Novant Health, Brunswick County Schools, North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Brunswick Community College. The first community organization to bring interns aboard will be Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center. Wes Juda is a member of the BIP Advisory Board. He learned about Project SEARCH, which has been a success at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical

South Brunswick Magazine

Center since 1996, at a meeting of the North Carolina Council for Developmental Disabilities in Raleigh. He brought the concept back to the BIP board and the county school system and received buy-in to develop it in Brunswick County. The partners then chose him as the part-time project manager. “In the last year of the students' high school time, they will transition to become Project SEARCH participants,” Wes Juda says. “They'll go through three non-paid internships at the host site. Once their internship year is complete, they'll receive class credit for their work and receive a job coach through BIP. The job coach's role will be to assist them in finding a job as

well as making sure they are equipped to do so, and also advising the employer on working with people with disabilities.” President of Brunswick Medical Center Shelbourn Stevens says, “At Novant Health, we recognize that every person is different, each shaped by unique life experiences, and this helps us better understand each other and our patients. We're looking forward to hosting the interns and providing a variety of work experiences over their time here.” Stevens says the students will be an important asset to the medical center in escorting visitors to the various departments and patients' rooms. The students will help in a number of roles, including assisting in the cafeteria and re-stocking supplies. He noted Novant

Health's primary contributions will be in providing staff support to establish the program, working with the students on-site and classroom space. “We are hopeful we can have an impact on the lives of the students and help them meet their full potential,” he says. The medical center already provides volunteer opportunities in its commitment to diversity. Allyson Borden has been a volunteer in the food services department going on two years, a couple hours a day, twice a week. She greets guests and team members in the cafeteria, straightens stock and makes sure the staff knows if items need stocking. “I put on my gloves and hair net and serve the chicken tenders and potato wedges. I love to greet people. It's fun,” says Borden, who with a wonderful smile declares herself jokingly as having “class and personality.” Volunteer Coordinator Christie Delbridge says, “Allyson's outgoing personality makes her easy for people to talk to, and she has a great sense of humor.” “And I like to sing, too,” Borden says. Her favorite song is “The Time of My Life.” “When the doors to the cafeteria are closed between serving hours, you can hear her,” Delbridge says with a smile, and to the glee of Borden, who exclaims, “I am a movie star!” 

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Sue and Bill Immen help wild horses and humans at Grayce Wynds Farm in Holden Beach.

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Southport Ace Hardware

e all know the jingle — “Ace is the place with the helpful hardware folks.” That stands true at the new Southport Ace Hardware, which opened on January 8, 2020. After opening their first Ace Hardware in Leland in 2011, owners Shannon and David Barker decided that Southport would be a great second location for them. They purchased and renovated the building where the old Stewart Hardware store was located. Ace Hardware Corporation is still, to this day, owned solely and exclusively by the local Ace retail entrepreneurs. Southport Ace Hardware provides customers with the products and

services they need for home or outdoor projects and repairs in a small personal and friendly environment. Their team is made up of local residents of Southport and Brunswick County. Many of them have varied expertise and backgrounds in home improvement and their products. They also employ students from local high schools and are active members of the local high school booster clubs. “Together, we work hard and play hard,” Landon says. Unlike at most hardware stores, you do not need to hunt down a person to help you at Southport Ace Hardware. Their customer service is impeccable.

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They offer small engine and lawn mower repair, key and glass cutting, screen repair, paint mixing, propane, deliveries, online ordering, in-store pick up, bulk ordering and special orders. “We don’t mind going the extra mile for our customers,” Landon says. As a small, family-owned business, they are proud to be in a community with such friendly people and invite you to come in to see the difference their customer service makes. Southport Ace Hardware 8848 River Road SE, Southport (910) 477-6444 acehardware.com

PHOTOS BY LAURA GLANTZ

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Spring 2020

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Brunswick County Association of Realtors End of Year Banquet

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SNIPPETS

Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Awards Gala Despite the high winds and pouring rain, the annual Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Awards Gala and dinner took place on February 20 at The Isles Restaurant in Ocean Isle Beach. Long Bay Symphony & Social Time provided the music. The awards presentation recognized chamber member businesses that have put forth outstanding effort in their work and in the community. Recipients of the Future 10 were also awarded during this event. TOURISM IMPACT AWARD: Coastal Race Productions EMERGING YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD: Shiloh Gallant FIRST RESPONDER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Andrea Reisen AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR AWARD: Heather Evans OZZY AWARD: The NC Oyster Festival Committee COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD: Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Foundation COMMUNITY OUTREACH AWARD: Wing & Fish Company RISING STAR AWARD: Red Box + EXCELLENCE IN SMALL BUSINESS AWARD: Prestige Outdoor Lighting EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARD: Coastal Insurance OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD: A+ Pro Services LEADERSHIP IN DIVERSITY AWARD: The Coast Center of Applied Sciences and Technology LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: David Redwine

South Brunswick Magazine

SNIPPETS

Shallotte Rotary’s Las Vegas Night

PHOTOS BY BRENT GALLANT

The house was packed at Planet Fun on Saturday, January 25 for Shallotte Rotary’s 15th Annual Las Vegas Night. Everyone enjoyed appetizers, dinner and drinks along with roulette, craps, blackjack, hold 'em and horse racing at Brunswick County’s original charity casino night. A $2,020 Best Buy gift card plus three semi-grand prizes were awarded, along with door prizes, silent and live auctions. All proceeds benefited local charities.

Spring 2020

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HAPPENED

Lower Cape Fear Hospice Announces New Name and Logo

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The nonprofit Lower Cape Fear Hospice has a new name and logo, reflecting its growth and additional care options offered to individuals and families in the community. The agency will now be known as Lower Cape Fear LifeCare. Incorporating elements of previous logos, the new logo has a more modern look and additional colors representative of the diverse communities the organization serves.

intervention, behavioral intervention and social-emotional learning. CIS currently provides an Action for Success program in four middle schools, Waccamaw School (K-8) and Supply Elementary School, which incorporates Success Coaches, community volunteers and community partnerships to support student achievement. CIS assists Brunswick County students through tutors, mentors, 21st Century Community Learning Center After School program, Teen and Peer Court programs and parenting education, with a major focus on dropout prevention services.

SBHS Athletic Director Headed to the N.C. Hall of Fame

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Winter Masquerade Gala Benefits American Cancer Society

The athletic director of South Brunswick High School (SBHS) will be inducted into the North Carolina Athletic Director's Association Hall of Fame in April 2020. Coach Chris Roehner at SBHS will be one of two inducted this year. He has spent 23 years at SBHS, with 20 of those years as the athletic director, and has 38 years total in education. He was also president of the N.C. Athletic Directors Association (NCADA) in 2016. The award presentation takes place on April 6 at the NCADA Conference at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem.

The Unmasking a Cure Winter Masquerade Gala took place on February 1. This event was held at the Brunswick Plantation Golf & Resort in Calabash. Hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres, dancing, a silent auction and a mask contest were all part of the fun. All proceeds went to the American Cancer Society.

Brunswick County's Black History Symposium, a Three-Day Cultural Event

Communities In Schools of Brunswick County (CIS) is the grateful recipient of a $5,500 grant from The Eshelman Foundation to support the CIS Action for Success Program. Action for Success works by providing a Success Coach as an embedded team member at assigned schools in Brunswick County. The CIS Success Coaches work daily with students needing additional support and intervention outside of the classroom in order to be successful. Services are provided through an individualized Student Support Plan, outlining goals for each student and identifying the services and supports CIS will provide to help the student achieve his or her goals. Areas of focus include academic tutoring, mentoring, truancy 100

South Brunswick Magazine

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Communities In Schools Receives Grant

Many people gathered at the Southport Community Building to celebrate Brunswick County's Black History with a variety of events from February 7 to 9. Local Black History exhibits were on display throughout the weekend. Presenting the symposium was Donnie Joyner, a North Carolinian Black History researcher and local historian.

WHAT’S HAPPENED

Wine, Women & Chocolate The always-popular annual Wine, Women & Chocolate festival took place on March 19 at Brunswick Senior Resources Center in Shallotte. Tickets were $35 and included a drink ticket, a mini fashion show, shopping and food samples.

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Heart to Heart Fundraiser

On February 6 Dosher Memorial Hospital Foundation held its Heart to Heart event at the St. James Community Center. This event included heart health education, a silent auction, a live auction and light hors d’oeuvres. Proceeds benefitted the Dosher Hospital Foundation and the Dosher Hospital Cardiac Rehab Department.

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Calabash Elks Donate to Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office

The Veteran’s Affairs Committee (VAC) of the Calabash Elks Lodge 2679 recently made a $1,000 donation to the Brunswick County Sheriff ’s Office in support of their Project Lifesaver, a rescue program for individuals with Wandering Syndrome, a symptom

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WHAT’S HAPPENED

common to many brain-related disorders. Veterans, if eligible, are serviced by this program. Project Lifesaver is a national, proactive, electronic tracking program used to assist in locating missing people. Brunswick County Sheriff's Office offers this service for county residents who are caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's, dementia or other special-needs conditions, such as children with Down Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorder, who are likely to wander away from caregivers or have difficulty communicating with rescuers. A personalized state-of-the-art battery powered transmitter, the size of a wrist watch, is worn by the person and provides a unique radio signal 24 hours a day. If a person is missing, the caregiver immediately notifies 911. All Brunswick County residents who qualify are eligible for free enrollment.

behavioral health condition is steadily rising. Currently, there is one behavioral health provider for every 1,310 residents in Brunswick County, compared to the national average of 490 residents. The official kickoff for the campaign was held at the Foundation’s Saturday Night Fever event on February 29 at The Isles in Ocean Isle Beach. The event was ’70s themed and had a silent auction, costume contest, cash bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a disco showcase performance by Dance Connection.

Ocean View United Methodist Church Donates to Bolivia Elementary

The Veterans Affairs Committee (VAC) of the Calabash Elks Lodge 2679 recently made a $1,000 donation to Girl Scout Troop 657 in Shallotte to add to their coffers for Operation Cookie Drop. The donation was doubled from that of last year and bought 250 boxes of cookies, which will eventually make their way to American troops stationed overseas. Operation Cookie Drop is a long-standing program of North Carolina’s Southern Pines Girl Scouts Council, the parent organization for the project. Monies are collected to purchase cookies, and then the cookies are bundled up and transported to local military installations and shipped to military personnel stationed overseas. Over the past 14 years, more than a million boxes of cookies have been sent to troops.

Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Foundation Launches Campaign to Improve Behavioral Health Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Foundation has launched its campaign, A Path Forward, to raise money for behavioral health initiatives to benefit Brunswick County. The campaign seeks to raise funds to better provide treatment, outreach programs and community education addressing behavioral health. A Path Forward is just one step toward the goal to reduce the gap in access to care, as well as provide outreach and education programs surrounding behavioral health in Brunswick County. More than 44 million American adults, one in seven, have a behavioral health condition. In Brunswick County the number of youth experiencing a 102

South Brunswick Magazine

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Calabash Elks Donate to Girls Scouts Operation Cookie Drop

Ocean View United Methodist Church of Oak Island dropped off a check for a whopping $5,500 at Bolivia Elementary. It's the result of two Sunday services. Church members inquired what the school's needs were, and Principal Beverly Eury suggested headsets to use with the technology inside the classrooms. Instead of a few pair of headsets, the congregation raised enough to buy a headset for every kindergarten through third grade student to use in class. Bev Dwane and Teresa Houser presented the need during a recent Sunday Service and received $1,600 that day in donations. The following Sunday another $3,900 was raised.

DAR Participates in Wreaths Across America At the Wreaths Across America Ceremony on December 14 at Wilmington National Cemetery, Brunswick Town Daughters of the American Revolution members helped to lay wreaths on grave markers. Almost 5,000 wreaths, purchased by individuals and businesses, were placed on veterans’ graves. The annual program at national cemeteries across the country grew from a small personal effort by the family that owns Worcester Wreath in Maine. The family and volunteers who helped the effort for several years formed a nonprofit in 2007 in order to expand the annual event and to assist other groups across the country who wanted to do the same. In the following year wreath-laying ceremonies were held in every state, Puerto Rico and 24 overseas cemeteries. More than 100,000 wreaths were placed on veterans’ graves by more than 60,000 volunteers. December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the US Congress as Wreaths Across America Day. In 2014 Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers laid more than

WHAT’S HAPPENED

700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the United States and beyond, including ceremonies at the Pearl Harbor Memorial, as well as Bunker Hill, Valley Forge and the sites of the September 11 tragedies. This was accomplished with help from 2,047 fundraising groups, corporate contributions, and donations of trucking, shipping and thousands of helping hands. The organization's goal of covering Arlington National Cemetery was met in 2014 with the placement of 226,525 wreaths, according to the organization’s website.

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Brunswick County Toastmasters Club Meeting Winners

At a recent Brunswick County Toastmasters event, the theme for the evening was Love. The winners from the evening were Caleb Karem, one of four speakers; Pamela Brown, Area 94 Director; and Best Table Topics winner Toastmaster Mari-Lou WongChong. Julie Whaley, Table Topics Master for the first time, did an awesome job by preparing all of her Table Topic questions around the theme of Love. Brunswick County Toastmasters is in a membership drive until March 31.

The wreath-laying is held annually on the second or third Saturday of December. WAA's annual pilgrimage from Harrington, Maine, to Arlington National Cemetery has become known as the world’s largest veterans’ parade and stops at schools, monuments, veterans’ homes and communities all along the way to remind people how important it is to remember, honor and teach.

Little Princess Ball

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Brunswick County Parks & Recreation 50+ Senior Golf Tournament

Brunswick County Parks & Recreation’s age 50 and older golf group kicked off the 2020 season at Sandpiper Bay Club & Country Club on February 5 with 96 golfers. The monthly shotgun tournament is based on individual score with prizes awarded to men and women in multiple age flights. The second tournament in the series was held on March 4, 2020, at The Pearl Golf Course in Calabash. All golfers age 50+ of all skill levels are invited to join these golf events..

The annual Little Princess Ball took place on February 15 at two locations: Brunswick Center in Southport and Brunswick Center in Supply. The special afternoon was filled with dancing, face painting, games and much more. The Little Princess Ball is open to girls in kindergarten through fifth grade accompanied by an adult male role model. Little princesses are encouraged to wear a dress, ball gown or favorite princess costume. Refreshments were provided during the event, and each girl took home a tiara.

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