South Brunswick Magazine - Fall 2016 Edition

Brunswick County’s Rising Leaders Little Free Libraries

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The Beginnings of Ocean Isle Beach

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SPECIAL TWO-COVER EDITION COVER TWO OF TWO

Care for your entire family at one office Whether you call the North Carolina coast home all of the time, some of the time or you’re just visiting our sunny shores, Novant Health Family & Internal Medicine South Brunswick is here to care for you year-round. Our team provides expert care for every member of your family, from infants and children to adults and seniors.

We look forward to forming a relationship with you and working with your other physicians so you stay healthy and can enjoy all the coastal life has to offer. After all, our job is to make everyone feel right at home.

Please also join us in welcoming three new team members to our growing family — George Bell, MD, Candice Sieben, MD, and Stefani Connel, MD.

We’re accepting new pediatric and adult patients.

Call 910-579-8363 to schedule an appointment.

Novant Health Family & Internal Medicine South Brunswick 75 Emerson Bay Road SW, Suite 102 Carolina Shores, NC 910-579-8363

nhfamilyinternalmedsouthbrunswick.org © Novant Health, Inc. 2016 9/16 • NHMG-58363

B R U N S W I C K CO UNTY JUST KEEPS GETTING STR ON G E R.

CMYK color KO for print only: Digital or Offset printing on dark colors

Orange CMYK: 0 - 62 - 97 - 0 PMS: 1585

Medium Blue CMYK: 100 - 42 - 0 - 0 PMS: 300

Light Blue CMYK: 86 - 8 - 0 - 0 PMS: 299

NEW SHALLOTTE OFFICE OPENING IN MARCH EmergeOrtho is combining our Supply and Sunset Beach offices into a single, convenient location: 5160 Ocean Highway (Hwy 17) in Shallotte.

Patients will have even greater access to comprehensive orthopaedic, spine and pain management care, including physical therapy, advanced imaging services, and AccessOrtho, a walk-in service providing immediate diagnosis and treatment for pressing orthopaedic conditions.

PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION, AND COME JOIN THE CELEBRATION.

Emerge stronger. Emerge healthier. Emerge better.

EmergeOrtho.com | 910.332.3800 | 800.800.3305 | Offices in New Hanover, Brunswick and Onslow Counties © 2016 EmergeOrtho

Come enjoy the sweeter side of life at Arbor Landing.

Senior Living for a New Generation 910.754.8080 www.RidgeCare.com

Discover the home, lifestyle, and security that you’ve been searching for.

Designed with you in mind, our residents enjoy…

Call us today to schedule your personal tour or to learn more about Arbor Landing at Ocean Isle.

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Spacious studio, one, and two bedroom apartments

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Daily social activities

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24 hour on-site staff

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Three restaurant style meals served daily

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Assisted services such as medication reminders and wellness checks offered

Award Winning Bath 2016 Parade of Homes

Featured Home in Ocean Ridge Plantation

By Ernest G. Crews Construction

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Our Design Associates are involved from the onset of design and assist you through demolition, installation and the final inspection. We strive to make your experience as carefree as possible.

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910-575-5248

John & Cindy Henson are the owners of Floor Coverings International.

www.floorcoveringsinternational.com john.henson@floorcoveringsinternational.com

Fall 2016

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Worth the Drive!

1882 Goose Creek Rd. SW Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina bricklandingcc.com (910) 754-2745

Enjoy the best of The Carolinas nestled between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach

Challenging 18 Hole

Golf Course

Top Rated Waterfront Famous Sunday Award Winning

Dining

Brunch

Wedding Venue

Make it a day at The Brick!

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Fall 2016

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Table of contents

Feature 58

Melissa Slaven Warren

Future 10

Meet the young professionals who are making a positive impact on the future of Brunswick County.

Photography By Lindsey A. Miller

In Every Issue 16

publisher’s note

By Justin Williams

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sbm contributors

Meet the contributors to South Brunswick Magazine

21

what’s happening

Upcoming events you won’t want to miss

29

business buzz Keeping up with the local business scene

39

up north

What’s in our sister publication, North Brunswick Magazine

84

faces & places

Communities in Schools of Brunswick County Gala for Children; 4th Annual Glitz, Glamour & Glow

89 business profile Point Break Surf and Skate

91

what’s happened

What’s been going on around town

101 snippets

Looking back on recent events

111

tide charts Tracking the highs and lows at Shallotte Inlet from December to February

113

ad index

Our directory of advertisers

114

capture the moment

A contest for SBM readers. Photo by Jason Disbrow

35 spirits

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community

Sweet Cranberry Whiskey Sour

By Sandi Grigg

Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. enhances the quality of life for older adults in Brunswick County.

By Denice Patterson

Departments 36

what’s cookin’

Baked Brie

By Sandi Grigg

40 locals Virginia Williamson recalls the early days of developing Ocean Isle Beach with her husband, Odell.

By Denice Patterson 10

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nonprofit

Our Heroes, Inc. connects those facing emotional, physical or mental challenges with therapy horses at Horseplay Farms.

By Heather Lowery

80 around town Little Free Libraries are popping up all over the country, including South Brunswick County.

By Barbara Sammons

Giving Flight to Imagination www.uncw.edu UNCW is an EEO/AA institution. Questions regarding UNCW’s Title IX compliance should be directed to TitleIXcoordinator@uncw.edu.

Fall 2016

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South Brunswick Magazine – Fall 2016 Volume 8, Issue 1 CEO/Publisher: Justin Williams Chief Administrative Officer: Sandi Grigg Editor: Molly Harrison Art Director: Andy Garno Contributing Graphics: Andy Garno

Account Executives: Lee Ann Bolton Wendy Hunt Joe Cipalla George Jacob

Contributing Photographers: Genie Leigh Photography The SoapBox Photo Booth Wendy Hunt James Stefiuk Lindsey A. Miller Time 2 Remember Barbara Sammons

Contributing Writers: Allison Barrett Carter Jo Ann Matthews Sandi Grigg Denice Patterson Molly Harrison Barbara Sammons Heather Lowery Melissa Slaven Warren PUBLISHED BY: CAROLINA MARKETING COMPANY, INC. PO Box 1361 Leland, NC 28451 (910) 207-0156 info@southbrunswickmagazine.com Reproduction or use of the contents in this magazine is prohibited.

Dr. Roc McCarthy is Welcoming New Patients at Atlantic Urology - NHRMC Physician Group

© 2016 Carolina Marketing Company, Inc.

Board certified in urology, Dr. McCarthy is welcoming new patients at the Brunswick Forest office. As a patient of NHRMC Physician Group, you will enjoy seamless connectivity to more than 200 specialists and NHRMC, the region’s top-ranked hospital, through one secure, shared electronic medical record. You can also use NHRMC MyChart to request appointments, email your doctor, view test results and more.

Call for an appointment 910.254.1033 12

nhrmcphysiciangroup.org

South Brunswick Magazine

RocMcCarthy-Unified-ad-N-SBrunsMagPRNT.indd 1

11/23/15 2:57 PM

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.

About the cover: While there are 10 of the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce’s Future 10 recipients featured inside this magazine, we could only fit five on the cover. That’s why we printed two different covers for this edition, both of them with photographs captured by Lindsey A. Miller. Read all about the Future 10 recipients starting on page 58.

seafood WAT E R F R O N T D I N I N G 102 S UNSE T B OULE VARD + S UNSE T B E ACH , NC 28468 + 910.579.6373 +

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Reader/Advertising Services Subscriptions Want to subscribe to SBM? Subscriptions are $15.99 per year and include 4 issues of SBM. Subscribe safely online using PayPal, credit or debit card at www.SouthBrunswickMagazine.com/subscribe.

Call our office at (910) 207-0156 or email us at subscribe@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com to request a subscription.

Back Issues When available, back issues of SBM can be purchased for $5. Call or email us for information.

Letters

56% of Americans have no idea how much they’ll need to retire.

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.

Writing Opportunities We are always willing to consider freelance writers and article ideas. Please send suggestions or inquiries to South Brunswick Magazine, Attn: Editor, PO Box 1361, Leland, NC 28451. Or email us at edit@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com.

I’m 100% confident I can help make it easier.

It’s never too late to get started. Let’s sit down and set a reasonable retirement goal. I’ll show you all the ways I can help make your money work harder, including life insurance and annuities.

A good plan, and a good life, starts with someone you know. Call me to learn more.

Change of Address If you move, please submit your new and old address to South Brunswick Magazine at info@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com.

Advertising Interested in advertising in SBM? Please contact us to set up a meeting with an Account Executive. Our main office number is (910) 207-0156, or you can email us at advertise@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com.

Rusty Russ 910-754-6596

4746 Main Street Shallotte rustyruss@allstate.com

Marketing Services Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. provides a wide range of marketing services. This includes advertising design services, custom publications, mailing services and more. Contact our office for additional information or to set up a meeting with a Marketing Consultant.

Life insurance offered through Allstate Life Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL; Allstate Assurance Company, Northbrook, IL; Lin coln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE; and American Heritage Life Insurance Company, Jacksonville, FL. In New York, life insurance offered through Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge, NY. Securities offered by Personal Financial Representatives through Allstate Financial Services, LLC (LSA Securities in LA and PA). Registered Broker-Dealer. Member FINRA, SIPC. Main Office: 2920 South 84th Street, Lincoln, NE 68506.

(877) 525-5727. © 2015 Allstate Insurance Co.

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Life Insurance • Retirement Savings • Mutual Funds • IRAs • Annuities • College Savings Plans.

SouthBrunswickMagazine.com Visit us online at the above website. With any additional questions, call us at (910) 207-0156.

Amenity-rich living from the $200s

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Introducing New Town Homes at Brunswick Forest

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If you thought a stunning new home and a luxurious lifestyle were beyond your budget, you owe it to yourself to come see the new town homes at Brunswick Forest. The fabulous amenities of this premier master-planned community are now available to you—at a previously unheard of price point. Models of these well-appointed town homes are open daily, so come see how you can start living your dream life today.

Call or stop by the Welcome Center today.

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Charming, coastal & casual, beside Wilmington, NC

PREMIER HOME SITES FROM THE $80s ELEGANT HOMES FROM THE $200s Obtain the Property Report required by Federal Law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of these properties. The features and amenities described and depicted herein are based upon current development plans, which are subject to change without notice. This is not an offer to sell or solicitation of offers to buy real estate in any jurisdiction where registration or advance qualification is required but not completed. © Brunswick Forest Realty, LLC Licensed NC Real Estate Brokerage Firm

Fall 2016

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PHOTOs BY LINDSEY A. Miller

Publisher’s note

Above: Publisher Justin Williams plays guinea pig for the photographer at our Future 10 photo shoots.

The Future of Brunswick County As we enter our eighth year of publishing South Brunswick Magazine, it’s with great pleasure that we present to you the fourth annual Future 10. This edition features young professionals who deserve to be recognized for their contributions to the Brunswick County community.

How did these people become the Future 10? They were nominated by their fellow citizens and peers as being people younger than 40 who excel in their profession and are committed to service through involvement in a civic organization. Who will be the next Future 10? Well, that’s up to you. From now until July 2017 you can nominate someone you know. A committee made up of the previous year’s Future 10 elects the next class based on a point system. The form is available on our website or you can call us directly and we can get you one. You’ll find us at (910) 207-0156 or carolinamarketingcompany.com.

We have thoroughly enjoyed working on the Future 10 in partnership with Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce.

As you can see in the pictures above, I have the pleasure of being the photographic guinea pig when we go to everyone’s place of business for photo shoots.

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In addition to the feature on Future 10, we have many more stories in this issue. I know you’re going to love reading 93-year-old Virginia Williamson’s recollections of developing Ocean Isle Beach with her husband, Odell. Denice Patterson sat down with Williamson at her home on the oceanfront and learned a lot about the early days of this beach town.

Have you heard of Little Free Libraries? Writer Barbara Sammons tells the story of establishing her own Little Free Library and discovering that there are many more of them tucked around Brunswick County. And you’ll learn about people doing positive things through Brunswick Senior Resources and an organization called Our Heroes Inc. As always, we appreciate your support with South Brunswick Magazine. Thank you for reading and for supporting our many loyal advertisers.

Justin Williams CEO/Publisher Publisher@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com

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Contributors

Lindsey A. Miller

Contributing Photographer

I recently relocated to Wilmington after living in Atlanta for five years. Coastal living is quite different from city living, but luckily I’m no stranger to the ocean. I grew up in Charleston and started my photography business in the Lowcountry, specializing in weddings and portraits. I’ve since been broadening my scope by working with various regional editorial publications, and I love the opportunities that have come along with it. I’ve had the chance to meet other local business owners, chefs, farmers and creatives while working on these assignments, and it has been a great way to learn more about this area and connect with some truly inspiring people. When I’m not looking at the world from behind a camera, I’m taking advantage of coastal living on the boat or at the beach.

Sandi Grigg

Chief Administrative Officer and Contributor

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. Moving to Wilmington has been a dream come true, and the life I have created for myself has been a blessing beyond words. My fiance and I enjoy kayaking the Cape Fear, fishing the shores of Carolina Beach and picking up seashells and shark’s teeth wherever we are. At home I love to cook, play with my dogs, and take on DIY home improvement endeavors. Being a part of Carolina Marketing Company team has shown me that you really can enjoy your career. I am truly grateful to have a job I love in the city I aspired to be in. Life is grand!

Barbara Sammons

Contributing Writer and Photographer

I am an award-winning photographer and published writer with more than 45 years behind the camera. My favorite subjects to photograph are junkyard cars, trucks and tractors, and Mother Nature. I am the secretary and webmaster for the Friends of the Library of Southport and Oak Island and the vice president of the Carolina’s Nature Photographers Association. I am a former professional chef, graphic designer, marketing professional and master gardener. Originally from Los Angeles, Calif., I now reside in Southport.

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What’s happening

High School Constitutional Oratorical Program Registration is now underway for the Richard H. Stewart, Jr. American Legion Post 543 Annual High School Constitutional Oratorical Program. This oratorical contest will be held in January 2017 at the St. James Community Center. The contest is open to high school students in grades 9 to 12. The primary purpose of the program is to instill a greater knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States, as well as to help students think and speak clearly in preparation for the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship. The winner of the Post program will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Second and third place finishers will receive $750 and $500 scholarships, respectively. Post 543 will provide all necessities for the program, including materials and mentoring of the contestants.

Information: (910) 253-5212

Christmas Gift Show

November 20 The inaugural Christmas Gift Show will highlight local retailers and restaurateurs and bring convenience to your holiday shopping. This show will be held from 1 to 5 pm at St. James Community Building. In addition to having all of your favorite retailers right at your fingertips, attendees will have a chance to win a $300 Gift Local Card just for registering at the free event. Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Brunswick County Literacy Council (BCLC) for this show to help bring awareness, funding and resources to the BCLC organization.

A silent auction of holiday wreaths and centerpieces will be available, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit BCLC. A book drive will also be in full swing, where any book donation will automatically earn you one additional raffle ticket towards the $300 Gift Local Card. Please bring books aimed for children in the 0 to 12 age range or word searches for senior citizens. Santa will be on hand to read to all the good little boys and girls while mom and dad peruse and pick out the perfect holiday gift. For those of you who purchase gift cards for your holiday giving, the Christmas Gift Show is a handy and easy way to purchase them in one location.

Information: (910) 457-6964

Beer and Brats Fundraiser

November 25 On the day after Thanksgiving, bring your family to the Museum of Coastal Carolina’s annual fundraiser for cold beer, hot brats and live music. Hours are 5 to 8 pm, and tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children. Proceeds benefit the Ocean Isle Beach Museum Foundation.

Information: (910) 579-1016

Battleship Ho Ho Ho

November 25 Battleship Ho Ho Ho at the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA features holiday-inspired activities for all ages. Fly an American flag with Santa; compose a retro e-card by posing in the ships Happy Huladays banner; type a Christmas wish list on a vintage typewriter using genuine radio message paper; call the North Pole from the Battleship’s main radio

room; and track Santa’s journey in the Combat Information Center. This event costs $6 to $14, and there are two sessions available, 10 am to noon and 1 to 3 pm.

Information: (910) 251-5797; battleshipnc.com

Ocean Isle Beach Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting

November 25 The Holiday Parade kicks off from the Museum of Coastal Carolina parking lot at 1 pm and lasts until 3 pm. Santa visits will be held at the OIB Fire Department from 4:30 to 7:00 pm. The Ocean Isle Beach Christmas Tree Lighting will be on the Causeway at 5 pm.

Information: (910) 579-5163; oceanislebeach.com

Ocean Isle Beach Flotilla

November 26 The annual Ocean Isle Beach Flotilla will take place at 5:30 pm. The boat parade starts at dusk in front of the Inlet View Bar & Grill. You will find excellent viewing spots between there and the ending point in the commercial canal in front of Sharky’s Restaurant, where there will be judging and an after party. Admission is free.

Information: (910) 612-7799; oceanislebeach.com

Deep Sea Fish Recycled Art Show

November 26 Head to the Museum of Coastal Carolina to view the Deep Sea Fish-themed submissions to their annual Recycled Art Contest and see if you agree with the winners selected by the judges. Entries are judged in four categories: elementary, middle school, high school and adult. Drop off art work beginning November 10 through the contest deadline of November 18.

Information: (910) 579-1016; museumplanetarium.org

Music & Wine Festival at La Belle Amie Vineyard

November 26 La Belle Amie Vineyard, just a short drive from Calabash, is hosting a festival the Saturday after Thanksgiving from 12 to 5 pm. Taste the wines, tour the tasting rooms, enjoy good food and listen to live music. Bring a lawn chair and friends.

Find La Belle Amie is at 1120 St. Joseph Road in Little River.

Information: (843) 399-WINE; labelleamie.com

Teen Court

November 29 Brunswick County Teen Court takes place at the Brunswick County Courthouse and is a Communities In Schools program in partnership with the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Brunswick County Schools and the District Attorney’s Office. Students are trained to serve as attorneys, jurors, bailiffs and clerks in real cases involving firsttime juvenile offenders. These volunteers get a hands-on educational experience, which helps them better understand our system of justice. Juvenile offenders’ participation in this diversion program saves the county at least $2,000 per case. In 2014 74 defendants were served and 76 volunteers participated in the program.

Information: cisbrunswick.org Fall 2016

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What’s happening

Winter Birds of the Carolinas

December 1 Wild Bird & Garden in Southport presents Winter Birds of the Carolinas, a program about the great variety of birds that can be found in southeastern North Carolina during the winter months.

There is also a special emphasis on those species that are not found here in other seasons. The program is free to attend and begins at 9 am at Wild Bird & Garden, 105 E. Brown Street in Southport.

Information: (910) 457-9453; wildbirdgardeninc.com

Leland Tree Lighting

December 1 Get in the holiday spirit with the lighting of the community tree, music and caroling, refreshments and appearances by Mr. and Mrs. Claus. This event begins at 6:30 pm at the Leland Town Hall and is free to attend.

Information: townofleland.com

Southport WinterFest

December 2-10 Celebrate Southport’s historic Southern charm with events for all ages.

December 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10 Christmas in Song - Christmas at the Amuzu, 111 N. Howe Street, 7:30 pm, $20.

December 7 Lighting of the Holiday Tree - Franklin Square Park, 5:30-7 pm

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State Port Pilot’s Cookie Contest - Southport Community Building, 3-6 pm Supper with Santa’s Elves - Southport Community Building, 5-7 pm, $5 per child.

December 8 Polar Express movie- Fort Johnston Garrison Lawn, 5-8 pm December 9 Costumed Holiday History Tour – N.C. Maritime Museum, 3 pm Light up the Night Christmas Fire Engine Parade – Howe Street, 6:30 pm December 10 Winter Craft Festival - Fort Johnston Garrison Lawn, 9 am-4 pm Old Timey Gospel Fest – Southport Community Building, 1-3 pm Southport Historical Society Christmas Tour of Homes – Southport Historical Society Museum, 2-7 pm, $10 advance, $15 at door Southport Christmas Flotilla – Southport waterfront, 7 p.m.

Information: (910) 457-7927: downtownsouthport.org/winterfest

What’s happening

Calabash Christmas Tree Lighting & Parade

December 2 Calabash’s tree lighting launches with a Spirit of Calabash Christmas parade marching down Beach Drive. Holiday music, live entertainment, Christmas carols and a visit from Santa Claus are part of the event. The parade begins at 6 pm and will be followed by entertainment and a Christmas Tree Lighting around 7 pm. This event is free.

Information: (910) 579-6747

Concert on Saturday, December 3 at 3 pm and also Sunday, December 4 at 3 pm at Brunswick Community College’s Odell Williamson Auditorium in Bolivia. The 130member chorus will be directed by Dianne Hoffman and the accompanist will be Suzi Linton. New this year is the opportunity to assure your seat by obtaining your tickets after November 10, directly from the Odell Williamson Ticket office.

Information: (910) 755-7416

Christmas Train Show

American Civil War Corps Commander with Doug Elliott

December 2 Grissettown Longwood Fire & Rescue will be hosting its 11th annual Christmas Train Show. Layouts run the gamut, from the smallest “Z” scale toted in a suitcase to larger N, HO, O and G-scale models in more than 20 different layouts.

The displays are highlighted with authentic train sounds, adding bells and whistles. There will be baked goods, train vendors, a train raffle and Santa Claus. Admission is free but donations are welcome.

Information: (910) 287-3030

Tree Lighting and Holiday Market

December 2 & 3 Celebrate the season with the tree lighting at 5:30 pm on Friday and then find unique gifts for everyone on your list at the Oak Island Recreation Center’s Holiday Shopping Market on Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm. Local artists, craftsmen and vendors will be selling their wares. Admission is free.

Information: (910) 278-5518; oak-islandnc.com

Shallotte Christmas Parade

December 3 Shallotte holds its 62nd annual parade. Main Street in Shallotte will be lined with hundreds of spectators cheering for their favorite parade participants. The parade begins at 10 am and is free to attend.

Information: (910) 754-4032; townofshallotte.org

Oak Island Christmas by the Sea Parade

December 3 The Christmas by the Sea Parade travels 2.4 miles from Oak Island Town Hall along Oak Island Drive to McGlamery Street. The parade exudes holiday spirit and hometown character. It begins at 2 pm and is free to watch.

Information: (910) 457-6964; oak-islandnc.com

Yoga at Sunset Beach Park

December 3 Join a yoga class for a good cause from 10 to 11 am in the park. Suggested donation is $7. All bodies/levels welcome. Proceeds for this vinyasa flow class will go to communitymoves.org, Movement Works’ new nonprofit sister organization.

Information: communitymoves.org

Sea Notes Choral Society Christmas Concert

December 3 & 4 Sea Notes Choral Society presents its 2016 Christmas

December 6 Beginning at 6 pm at the Museum of Coastal Carolina, presenter Doug Elliott will talk about life in the early 1860s.

By the end of the lecture, you will have a perspective on the military, political and social impacts of your decisions.

Admission is free to members, and non-members pay regular museum admission.

Information: (910) 579-1016; museumplanetarium.org

Southport Movie Night

December 8 Enjoy the Polar Express on the big screen in the great outdoors. The movie starts at dusk and is free. The movie will be shown at the Garrison House off Davidson Street in Southport, located at 111 S. Davis Street. Grab some beach chairs, a blanket and a few movie snacks. In case of inclement weather, movie nights may be cancelled.

Information: (910) 253-2670; brunswickcountync.gov

An 18th Century Christmas at Brunswick Town

December 11 See how the American colonists celebrated Christmas. Costumed interpreters will provide guided tours of St. Philips Anglican Church and historic Brunswick on the hour beginning at 1 pm.

During the program, you can enjoy colonial refreshments in the Visitor Center, participate in traditional games or try your hand at Moravian paper stars and other 18th century crafts. The highlight of the evening will be an authentic period candlelit service in the ruins of St. Philips Anglican Church. The service will begin at 5 pm and will conclude by 5:30 pm.

Information: (910) 371-6613; nchistoricsites.org/brunswic/brunswic.htm

Howl at the Moon

December 13 Join a Bald Head Island tradition and the largest beach party each month when the full moon rises out of the Atlantic Ocean. The “Howl” party (as it’s called by the locals) happens on East Beach Access 39 when the moon rises and the entire group breaks into a collective howl around a blazing bonfire.

Attendees bring food and drink to share and the Maritime Market brings huge pots of soup and some appetizers as well.

The event draws hundreds and is free and open to all.

Information: maritimemarketbhi.com/howl

Laser Holiday

December 15 Join Ingram Planetarium to listen to holiday classics and watch colorful laser images displayed on the dome ceiling.

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What’s happening

Non-member admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for children (ages 3 to12), and free for ages 2 and younger. Time is 7 to 8 pm. Ingram Planetarium is at 7625 High Market Street in Sunset Beach.

Information: 910-575-0033; museumplanetarium.org

Victorian Holiday

December 17 Join the N.C. Maritime Museum at Southport for its popular program. From 1 to 3 pm you can learn about the Victorian period when a young German prince unknowingly started a tradition and brought the Christmas tree into vogue. Learn about other traditions while enjoying eggnog and cookies.

Price is $5 per person.

Information: (910) 457-0003; ncmaritimemuseums.com

Coastal Shag Club Dance

December 17 Love to shag? Head to the Shallotte Moose Lodge from 6:30 to 10 pm for great music, shag and line dancing and occasionally a waltz or two step, and a 50/50 raffle. Keeping the shag dance alive is the mission of this club. Tickets cost $8 for guests and $5 for members.

Information: coastalshagclub.org

Roman Gabriel III to Speak at BCC Annual Community Luncheon

March 15, 2017 Brunswick Community College (BCC) will host its seventh annual Community Luncheon on March 15, 2017, at the Dinah E. Gore Fitness and Aquatics Center. The speaker will be Roman Gabriel III. Gabriel will speak on how community college impacted his success and helped him get to where he is today. He plans to share the stories of many athletes who have traveled similar paths and the obstacles they have overcome. At a session afterwards for BCC’s student athletes,

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he will give words of encouragement and teach them how they can live their life to the fullest and achieve their dreams.

The event is sure to be a great hit as Roman Gabriel III has a lot to offer to the college.

Tyler Wittkofsky, program coordinator for community and donor relations at the BCC Foundation says, “From speaking with Roman, his passion for education and community is astounding. He wants to help wherever he can and give back. He is the type of person who walks into a room and makes people notice. When he speaks, people will listen. His impressive presence sets the tone for whatever message he delivers. We are beyond excited to have him as our guest speaker.”

Gabriel is the son of former New Hanover High School and N.C. State standout quarterback and Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles star Roman Gabriel. He is a community college graduate of College of the Desert in California and has a bachelor’s degree in communications, television broadcasting from the University of New Mexico. He’s a former college and pro football quarterback (Raiders and the USFL’s Boston Breakers). He went on to coach football at Arizona Western Junior College. He has spent the last 25 years as a radio/ TV host and is an award-winning producer and filmmaker. He has covered the Super Bowl for the last 23 years through his television show Sold Out. His stories include testimonies from highimpact players and coaches on the two competing Super Bowl teams. Today he leads Sold Out Youth Ministries, which is headquartered in Boone, N.C. For the last five years he has operated the statewide (including Brunswick County) Sold Out School Alcohol-Abstinence and Character Education Program to stop under-aged alcohol usage in schools and communities.

Information: crunswickcc.edu

McLeod Physicians Partner

To Provide Specialized Care To Brunswick County

Dr. Amanda Turbeville, Surgeon Opens Satellite Office in Sunset Beach

Dr. Ruth Wieland, Internal Medicine Helping Patients Reach Optimal Health

Dr. Amanda Turbeville is pleased to announce the opening of her satellite office located at Sunset Beach Internal Medicine.

Dr. Turbeville provides diagnosis and surgical treatment for a variety of diseases and conditions. Her new location offers convenient access to residents of Brunswick County for office visits, consultations, and minor surgical procedures.

Board-certified and specializing in adult internal medicine, Dr. Ruth Wieland works closely with patients to diagnose and treat a broad spectrum of adult illnesses and chronic conditions.

Dr. Wieland also provides personalized lifestyle plans to help patients achieve optimal health.

Conditions Treated:

Conditions Treated:

• • • • •

Abdominal and intestinal issues Thyroid Skin & Soft Tissues Hernias Breast Tumors (Benign & Malignant)

Dr. Turbeville welcomes new patients.

Call (843) 399-9774 to make an appointment.

McLeod Loris Seacoast Surgery

690 Sunset Boulevard N. Suite 109 Sunset Beach SC 28468 (843) 399-9774

• • • •

COPD High Blood Pressure Diabetes Cholesterol

Dr. Wieland welcomes new patients.

Call (910) 575-8488 to make an appointment.

Sunset Beach Internal Medicine

690 Sunset Boulevard N. Suite 109 Sunset Beach SC 28468 (910) 575-8488 Fall 2016

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Business buzz

Ribbon Cutting for the Opening of Label Shopper

Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Label Shopper, which is in the River Run Shopping Center at 4956 Long Beach Road in Southport.

Label Shopper is a retail clothing store featuring famous brand names for missy, junior, men, young men and plus-size clothing along with shoes and accessories for up to 70 percent off their original retail prices.

Photography: Contributed

White Funeral and Cremation Service Honored for Exceptional Customer Care

Plantation Building Corp. Announces Expansion Plantation Building Corp., an award-winning custom homebuilder in southeast North Carolina, recently announced the company’s expansion into the Southport-Oak Island-St. James area’s new home market. To make the official announcement, Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 16 on the front porch of Plantation Building Corp.’s newest Southport creation, a 2,700-square-foot custom home near historic downtown in the Jonas Creek neighborhood. In addition to the ribbon cutting, chamber board members, Plantation clients and team members enjoyed lunch and a tour of the completed home.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of the growing Southport area,” said Plantation Building Corp.’s President Dave Spetrino. “The charming, historic setting offers the perfect backdrop for designing and building unique custom homes for our future clients.”

Plantation Building Corp.’s new home sales and design expert, Jon Henry, will be leading the charge into the growing Southport-Oak Island-St. James new home market. A native North Carolinian, Henry has been with Plantation for more than three years. “I’m looking forward to growing the Plantation Building brand,” Henry said. “I love the area’s relaxed, coastal lifestyle so much, and I’m excited to also be building a home for my growing family on Oak Island.” The next Southport project for the Plantation Building Corp. team will begin this fall in The Landing community. The custom, 3,000-square-foot home will include a gourmet chef’s kitchen, a large master retreat and plenty of outdoor living space.

The home is expected to be complete next summer.

Brunswick County Association of Realtors Donates to Shop With a Cop White Funeral and Cremation Service’s Supply/Bolivia location has been awarded top honors by Service Corporation International due to exceptionally high customer satisfaction scores. Based on customer responses to surveys by J. D. Power & Associates, the Supply/Bolivia team earned an overall satisfaction rate of 999.15 out of a possible 1,000 points during the second quarter of 2016. The J.D. Power survey instrument assesses every aspect of customer service, from the attention, compassion and integrity of the staff to arrangements, prices, payment and more. Service Corporation International is the nation’s largest provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services.

Coastal Carolina Marketing Manager Daniel Ensor presented the award to funeral home manager Michael Fulwood and the staff on August 30, 2016. In accepting the award Fulwood praised the employees for their teamwork in attaining such a high standard of service. Working with Fulwood at the Supply/Bolivia site are Office Manager Amy Fulford, Crematory Operator Tom Britt, Funeral Assistants J.C. Raines and Bobby Snow and Community Educator Susan Eggert. He also recognized the support provided

by White Funeral & Cremation Service’s Shallotte Chapel Manager William “Billy” Hardee and Southport PeacockNewnam and White Funeral Service’s Manager Rick Sanders and Funeral Director Shawna Sanders and their respective staffs.

Photography: Contributed

Brunswick County Association of Realtors recently donated $500 to the Local Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 53 in Oak Island, for its annual Shop with A Cop to provide kids the supplies they need to excel in school. Local officers take kids shopping to build relationships with the youth and show kids that police are their friends and are always there to help, according to the FOP. “The Brunswick County Association of Realtors members are proud to be a part of this community and as an organization we see it as our social responsibility to give back,” said 2016 BCAR President Jim Goodman. “We want kids to have everything they need to receive a quality education.”

McLeod Loris Seacoast Receives Service Award Recognition Every year McLeod Loris Seacoast recognizes the years of service of all employees that have a landmark anniversary. On August 25 the leadership team of McLeod Loris Seacoast hosted a banquet at the Center for Health and Fitness to show their gratitude for these employees’ loyalty and service. Honorees included employees that have been a member of the McLeod team for anywhere from five to 55 years. Serving 55 years is Issac Brown, engineering. Serving 45 years is Cheryl Taylor, nursing administration. Serving 40 Fall 2016

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Business buzz

years is Katrina Cox, nursing administration. Serving 35 years is Ann Floyd, gift shop. Serving 30 years is Linda Johnson, hospital administration and Amanda Mills, nursing administration.

Serving 25 years is Brenda Merritt, documentation integrity.

Dosher Imaging Unit Named for Retired Physician

Stettner and is a place where customers can enjoy some of the fine cheeses, breads, oils and vinegars while shopping for a special gift for a special occasion or just for dinner. Also available are a variety of North Carolina cheeses and products such as barbecue sauces, jams, honey, nuts and other quality products. The new shop is at 417 North Howe Street in Southport.

Photography: Contributed

McLeod Loris Seacoast Recognizes Merit Award Recipients

In a ceremony on August 25, Dosher Memorial Hospital renamed its imaging unit for Dr. Richard Corbett, a retired radiologist who worked at Dosher from 1962 to 1988 and has supported the hospital in general and the imaging department in particular with numerous monetary and other gifts over the years. The new name is the Dr. Richard Corbett Diagnostic Imaging Suite. More than 70 guests attended the Dosher Foundation Ceremony, including residents of Brunswick, New Hanover and Bladen counties. Tom Ryan, former hospital administrator from the 1970s, was one of several speakers who called Dr. Corbett a mentor. Guests that evening also toured Dosher’s newest imaging technology, a 3D mammography suite.

McLeod Loris Seacoast is pleased to announce its August Merit Award recipients. Staff members honored were Karen Cox, case management, and Frances Stevens, central processing.

They were presented with a Merit Award during a recognition event held August 24 at McLeod Seacoast. The Merit Award recognizes McLeod Health employees, volunteers and physicians who consistently exemplify service excellence standards and who also demonstrate and promote the McLeod Health mission, vision and values. Recipients are nominated by their coworkers and chosen by members of the McLeod Loris Seacoast Service Excellence Committee.

K & S Gas and Grill, Formerly CJs, Open for Business with New Owners

Photography: Contributed

Ribbon Cutting for the Opening of Southport Cheese Shoppe

Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce recently hosted ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Southport Cheese Shoppe, the first shop in Southport to introduce cheeses from around the world. Along with a fine cheese selection, the store offers freshly baked breads and grilled cheese paninis. The Southport Cheese Shoppe is a family owned by Lisa and Eric 30

South Brunswick Magazine

K & S Gas & Grill has been a long-time dream for Kenny and Stephanie Branche. Both are from Philadelphia, where they grew up eating cheese steaks and hoagies. Kenny’s father, Clarence Branche (from Henderson, N.C.), was a self-taught cook who made some of the best down-home meals in town. That same passion for food rubbed off on Kenny at an early age, so the dream of having a restaurant was birthed long ago. After service in the Air Force, Kenny’s career took on many facets, as did Stephanie’s.

But in 2014 they purchased a home on Oak Island, and a short time later they discovered CJs, a convenience store with a gas station and car wash attached for sale in Southport. Ready to face another challenge, Kenny gave up his suit-and-tie position as a branch manager at SECU and in January 2015 took on the role of managing his own business, K & S Gas & Grill. They completed the vision of the property by finishing the commercial kitchen and adding a grill.

Photography: Contributed

Business buzz

McLeod Health Receives Honors from Leading Healthcare Organization McLeod physicians, staff and teams recently received 24 top honors for 2016 from Healthgrades, the nation’s leading healthcare-rating organization. These distinctions, driven by the analysis of data, are based on quality outcomes and superior performance. For its 2016 study, Heathgrades 2016 Report to the Nation, Healthgrades evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 33 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions and identified the 50 best hospitals and the 100 best hospitals within each procedure. McLeod was recognized as one of Healthgrades 2016: America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care, America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention, America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Vascular Surgery and America’s 100 Best Hospitals for General Surgery. In addition, McLeod was honored as a recipient of Healthgrades 2016 Cardiac Care Excellence Award and the Healthgrades 2016 Coronary Intervention Excellence Award.

anniversary of Cathi and Rick Ulrich owning and operating Bell Clemmons House Bed & Breakfast at 313 E. Moore Street in Southport. This beautiful Civil War–era home/early 1900s boarding house was renovated in 2004 and converted into a welcoming bed and breakfast inn.

The Bell-Clemmons House has four guest rooms, each with a full bath. The rooms are decorated with an eclectic mix of antiques and cottage-style pieces, many found in local shops.

Photography: Contributed

Ribbon Cutting for Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry’s New Pediatric Practice

“This recognition is evidence of the dedication and hard work performed daily by our physicians and staff in creating a culture of safety and quality,” said Rob Colones, president of McLeod Health.

“We are honored that our efforts have resulted in McLeod receiving these distinctions, but more importantly, we want to continue to pursue excellence in quality care for the benefit of our patients.”

Margaret Rudd & Associates, Inc., Realtors Announce Top Producers for May and June Margaret Rudd Bishop and Margaret Rudd & Associates, Inc., Realtors are pleased to announce their top-producing agents for the months of May and June 2016. Elvira Gilbert was recognized as the Top Closed Listing Agent and the Top Selling Agent for the Southport offices in both May and June. For the Oak Island office, Brooke Rudd was name the Top Closed Listing Agent for both May and June. Donna Atherton was the Top Selling Agent in May, and Kathy MacNish was the Top Selling Agent in June.

For the Ocean Isle Beach office, Joyce Sheldon was the Top Selling Agent in both May and June, while Deann Watts was recognized as the Top Closed Listing Agent for May.

Bell Clemmons House Bed & Breakfast One-Year Ribbon Cutting

Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the one-year

Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry is growing to better serve the Brunswick County community. The practice has opened Coastal Pediatric Dentistry, with Dr. Cecilia Liu joining Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry as a full-time pediatric dentist. A dual-chamber ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on September 15 with the Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce and Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce.

Born and raised in North Carolina, Dr. Liu completed her undergraduate education at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and in 2013 received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she participated in several dental mission trips around the world. She completed a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry with Lutheran Medical Center in Hawaii prior to her pediatric residency and completed her specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where she served as the chief resident during the final year of residency.

Dr. Liu is excited about returning to North Carolina to provide extraordinary dental care to the children of Brunswick County.

Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry has two locations, one in Boliva and on in Oak Island, and has been serving Brunswick County for 20 years. Coastal Pediatric Dentistry is in the Bolivia office. Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry offers complete patient care, CEREC single visit crowns, painless root canals, oral surgery, dental implants, state-of-the-art 3D imaging, sedation dentistry, sleep apnea treatment, orthodontic treatment with Invisalign and 6 Months Smiles and more.

Photography: Contributed

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Business buzz

Dr. Stefani Connel Joins Novant Health Family & Internal Medicine South Brunswick Novant Health is pleased to welcome Dr. Stefani Connel to Novant Health Family & Internal Medicine South Brunswick.

Connel joined the clinic in August and is accepting new patients. She is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, and went on to complete medical school the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City. She completed her residency at the Montgomery Center for Family Medicine Residency through Self Regional Hospital in Greenwood, S.C. “Since moving to North Carolina, I have been overwhelmed by the kindness of its residents as well as the beautiful landscape,” Connel said. “I am extremely excited to begin serving patients and becoming a member of this wonderful community.”

Photography: Contributed

Ribbon Cutting for 30 Years of Geoff Weatherwax Construction, Inc.

OrthoWilmington Merges with Three N.C. Practices as EmergeOrtho

OrthoWilmington has merged with three other N.C. practices to form one of the state’s largest physician-owned orthopaedic practices.

With a common mission to provide streamlined, patient-centered care, the four independent orthopaedic physician groups form a new practice called EmergeOrtho. With 49 office locations in 21 counties statewide, EmergeOrtho is one of the largest physician-owned orthopaedic practices in the country. Additional practices are poised to join during a second phase of expansion projected for early 2017.

The combined practices include 126 physicians and 237 physician assistants, nurse practitioners and therapists. With the projected 2017 expansion, there will be approximately 170 physicians in the practice.

The practices that combined to create EmergeOrtho are: Blue Ridge Bone and Joint of Asheville, Hendersonville and Arden; Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists with offices in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties; OrthoWilmington with offices in New Hanover, Brunswick and Onslow counties; and Triangle Orthopaedic Associates of the greater Raleigh-Durham area. The four practices began operating under the EmergeOrtho name on August 1, 2016.

Patients of each individual group practice should see no interruption in their care and services.

“We are very fortunate to be creating an alliance of four wellestablished physician practices with excellent reputations,” said Thomas Dimmig, MD, President of Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, who is also serving as president of the new group. “We united in order to preserve the private practice model, a standard of care that puts the patient first. The integrated group will allow these physicians to remain independent and provide their own higher quality, lower cost care.”

Anne Arnold of Century 21 Sweyer & Associates Achieves Centurion Producer Award

Geoff Weatherwax Construction, Inc. held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in July to celebrate its milestone of building homes with passion and integrity for more than three decades. Geoff Weatherwax Construction has serviced the Southport area with new construction, remodeling and custom work to fit the customer’s desires allowing a house to become a home. During the celebration, a drawing was held for a bathroom remodel. The event was such a success that Weatherwax decided to draw two names in order to express his gratitude to all who attended. Winners were BeJe Keefer of Wilmington and Mike Inabinett of Oak Island. The office is at 3960 Executive Park Boulevard in Southport.

Photography: Contributed

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Century 21 Sweyer & Associates recently announced that Anne Arnold, a Realtor with the Holden Beach office, has earned the Century 21 System’s Centurion Producer Award for closed sales.

This is an unbelievable recognition, which puts her in the top 2 percent of all Century 21 agents in the world based off gross closed commissions. “This is Anne’s sixth Centurion award, and we are very proud of her accomplishments,” said Jeff Sweyer, broker/owner of Century 21 Sweyer & Associates.

Photography: Contributed

Business buzz

Dr. Matthew Goldman Joins McLeod Family Medicine Seacoast McLeod Physician Associates welcomes Dr. Matthew Goldman to McLeod Family Medicine Seacoast.

Dr. Goldman is board certified in Family Medicine and joins McLeod from Cleveland, Ohio. He has experience with patients of all ages and is eager to join his practice and reach patients on the coast. “I enjoy the rapport I build with my patients while helping them create healthier, higher-quality lives,” Dr. Goldman says. “I chose family medicine because of how incredibly rewarding it is to build long-term relationships with my patients as well as their family members.” Dr. Goldman attended medical school at Ross University School of Medicine in Miramar, Florida. He completed his residency at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. He is accepting new patients in his office at 3980 N.C. Highway 9 East in Little River.

Photography: Contributed

Ribbon Cutting for Opening of Outdoor Innovations

location of Brynn Elizabeth Jewelers. At the new location, 7122 Beach Drive in Ocean Isle Beach, Brynn Elizabeth offers jewelry, including custom jewelry and NC Oyster Festival custom jewelry, along with repairs and appraisals. Visit them Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Photography: Contributed

Ribbon Cutting for New Location of Pescado Y Amor

After four years next to The Grape And Ale, Pescado Y Amor has expanded and moved to a larger space at 6018 East Oak Island Drive, across from Food Lion on Oak Island. To celebrate the move they held an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new studio. Pescado Y Amor offers art classes/event painting, portrait/wedding photography services and sells custom unique jewelry. Owners Missy and Ron Ronquillo believe everyone is an artist and have the unique ability to bring out the artistic side in anyone and to expand the abilities of more established artists.

Bring your favorite beverage, sign up for a class and have fun creating your own masterpiece at Pescado Y Amor.

Photography: Contributed

On July 14 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Outdoor Innovations, a landscape and outdoor-living space design and installation firm. Paver surface installation, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, fire pits and fire places are among their specialties. Visit them at 7112 Beach Drive in Ocean Isle beach.

Ribbon Cutting for Third Location of Coastline Insurance

Photography: Contributed

New Location Ribbon Cutting for Brynn Elizabeth Jewelers

On July 14 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new

On July 20 Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce helped celebrate the opening of Coastline Insurance Associates of NC, Inc.’s third location in Brunswick County. The new office is at 6818 Beach Drive SW in Ocean Isle Beach. It joins existing offices at 4831 Port Loop Road, Unit 4 in Southport and 8821 E. Oak Island Drive in Oak Island.

Photography: Contributed

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We see you as more than a patient We believe in putting people first. We always see you as more than your condition. We see you.

And you’re the reason we’re committed to making healthcare remarkable for all of our patients.

NovantHealth.org/shareyourstory 34

South Brunswick Magazine

Spirits

Sweet Cranberry Whiskey Sour Makes 4 cocktails Ingredients 2 cups fresh cranberries plus a few for garnish 2 cups water

Crisp, Colorful, Quenching

I

This cranberry cocktail is the perfect holiday refresher Story by Sandi Grigg

It’s that time of the year again, the time when family and friends come together to enjoy the holiday season. There will be plenty of recipes shared this time of year, but this cocktail is one to remember … or not, if you have too much of it.

This Sweet Cranberry Whiskey Sour contains cranberries, which are harvested in the fall months of September through the first part of November. Typically, the cranberry plants are flooded and the berries pop off and float to the top where the harvesters can gather them up for use. There is, however, a small percentage here in the States that are still dry picked. Although, the majority of cranberries grown here are used for cranberry juice or cranberry sauce, some are also sold whole as dry or sweetened.

Cranberries have a moderate level of vitamin C and are relatively high in fiber.

They are also thought to be beneficial in urinary tract infections, respiratory disorders, kidney stones and heart disease. These little red fruits are also thought to be helpful in stomach disorders and diabetes. It is presumed that the strong acid components combat most of these conditions.

The dark red color this cocktail creates is reminiscent of the fall and winter months. The smooth and acidic essence brings home all the flavors fall has to offer.

The hearty aroma of the cinnamon, orange and apples combined with cranberries is as crisp as the leaves crunching under your feet. Create this cocktail at your next gathering and quench the thirst of your guests.

2 cups light brown sugar 2 cinnamon sticks ¾ cup bourbon or whiskey ½ cup lemon juice ¼ cup orange juice ¼ cup apple juice An apple, orange or lemon for garnish Ice cubes & cocktail shaker for mixing Method In a medium-sized pot add cranberries, water, brown sugar and cinnamon sticks. Heat on medium to bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst open. At this point it should be easily stirred like syrup, resulting in a smooth consistency. This will take about 10 minutes.

Remove the syrup from heat. Strain the simple syrup, leaving all of the large chunks and skin behind. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before using.

When ready to make your cocktails, add ¾ cup of cranberry syrup, plus the whiskey, lemon juice, orange juice, apple juice and a large handful of ice to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Divide into 4 glasses and serve at once.

Garnish with chunks of apples, cranberries, a cinnamon stick or a slice of orange. n Fall 2016

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What’s COOKIN’

Delectably Decadent

T

Brie baked in pastry is a treat worth the splurge Story by Sandi Grigg

PHOTOGRAPHY BY James Stefiuk

The French have given us so many flavorful foods like pastries, soups, crepes and an assortment of cheeses, but my favorite contribution has got to be the nutty, buttery Brie. Brie commonly comes in a round disk or a triangular wedge and often contained in a rind. The white rind is generally edible and is merely made of dried, hardened outer layers of cheese that have come in contact with the mold. The rind will typically melt when heated, but if you don’t like the chewy texture when its raw you can easily cut it off.

Genuine French Brie is unpasteurized, making it illegal in the United States, where cheeses must be pasteurized or at least aged for 60 days. Therefore, the flavor and look of domestic Brie is closely matched to the Brie sold in France but there are some differences. It is produced from whole or semi-skimmed milk, the curd is collected and it is then heated and poured into its mold. The more the cheese ages in the mold, the runnier the center will be.

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It’s no secret that Brie is not a health food, but delectable cheeses seldom are. There are 101 calories and 8.4 grams of fat in just 30 grams of Brie, but it is high in protein and provides both vitamin B2 and B12. Its nutritional value, or lack thereof, might be why it is usually accompanied by some sort of fruit; is that to make us feel better about consuming this delicious cheese?

This recipe combines a flaky crescent exterior (another French contribution) with crunchy almonds, sweet preserves and warm gooey Brie. I have created this dish a number of times and each time I switch up the flavor of preserves or type of cracker. Depending on the season you can use blueberry preserves, apricot preserves or even peach preserves. Brie goes really well with fruit, so I choose to serve this one with grapes and apples. If you are attempting to impress your guests, try this hors d’oeuvre and you will have them saying c’est délicieux!

Baked Brie

Get on the 2017-18

Ingredients 8 ounces Brie 12 ounces refrigerated crescent rolls

Map!

2 tablespoons flour 4 ounces raspberry preserves 3 ounces almonds slivers (lightly toasted) 1 egg white, beaten

Deadline March 3, 2017

2 apples, cored and sliced 14 ounces grapes 1 sleeve of your favorite cracker Method Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lay all the crescent rolls out on a flat surface dusted with flour. Pinch all the edges together to make one big square sheet of dough. Roll the sheet of dough out with a rolling pin to seal the seams.

Spoon the preserves into the center of the crescent dough sheet. Sprinkle half the nuts on top of the preserves and then lay the Brie on top of the nuts and preserves. Fold the crescent edges up over the cheese and seal the seams of dough, creating a packet. Flip the entire packet over so that the seal is on the bottom and place on a greased sheet pan.

Brush the egg white all over the top and sides of the dough packet and sprinkle the remaining almonds on top.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the dough is golden. Plate with grapes, apple slices and crackers. n

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Discovery Map of Brunswick County, NC A publication of Carolina Marketing Company, Inc.

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Up North

North Brunswick Magazine What’s going on in our sister publication started on the ball fields at the age of 4, and when he was 12 he moved up to Dixie Boys Baseball. At the age of 15 he started playing for North Brunswick High School as catcher. With the help of coaching assistants Joey Fowler, Mike Evans and Daryl Trexler, along with former coach Tom Peterson, the team came together in a magical way.

By ALLISON BARRETT CARTER

A HOME RUN When Leland’s Dixie Youth Baseball League 8 & under All Stars won the state championship this summer, they got the rare chance to travel to the World Series in Mississippi.

Baseball means a lot in a small town, so it was no surprise that the Leland community rallied to support some of their finest 8 & under ballplayers this summer as they travelled to Laurel, Mississippi, to play in the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series.

Jeremy Skipper, 2016 All Star 8U Team Coach, was excited to have the opportunity. Skipper played Dixie Youth Baseball as a kid himself. He

BRIGHT IDEAS Lincoln Elementary School Principal Molly White’s forward-thinking initiatives have improved her school and led to her being named as the Southeast North Carolina Principal of the Year.

Big things are happening at Lincoln Elementary School, and the rest of the education community is starting to notice. When Molly White took over as principal of the school three years ago, she came with 19 years of education experience, including time as the curriculum director in Pender County.

But it was her implementation of a new approach called Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for teachers and staff that got her noticed by the state and nominated as the Southeast North Carolina Principal of the Year. In addition to her nomination as the Southeast N.C. Principal of the Year, White represented the state at the

National Association of Elementary School Principals as the N.C. Elementary School Principal of the Year in Washington, D.C.

By ALLISON BARRETT CARTER

THE MAGIC TOUCH Bobby Harrelson succeeds yet again with the addition of a golf course and restaurant at Compass Pointe.

Many people played a part in transforming northern Brunswick County from rural farmland to one of the fastest growing communities in the nation, and one of them was Bobby Harrelson. Since the 1960s Harrelson has developed more than 100 communities and subdivisions in the Wilmington and Leland areas, including Magnolia Greens, Waterford and Compass Pointe, and has proven himself as one of the most influential developers in the region.

Now in his late 70s, Harrelson is showing no signs of slowing down.

This summer Compass Pointe opened the 18-hole, championship-quality Compass Pointe Golf Course and Latitudes Restaurant. Both are receiving rave reviews, proving that Harrelson still has the magic touch. “I love what I do and it doesn’t feel like work,” he says. “I enjoy it all too much to call it work.”

By DEAN BLAINE Fall 2016

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Locals

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A Wing and a Prayer Virginia Williamson recalls the early days of developing Ocean Isle Beach with her husband, Odell.

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Story by Denice Patterson

PHOTOGRAPHY BY Genie Leigh Photography

When the Coca-Cola deliveryman handed

for six months. Then World War II broke out and Odell joined the Army, training as a pilot. “He went overseas and 17-year-old Virginia Cox a little note across the counter at flew reconnaissance missions in enemy territory,” Virginia her uncle’s country store in Hickman’s Crossroads, she wasn’t says. The Allies used his reports to bomb enemy locations. sure what to make of it. “It was a note from Odell Williamson,” Virginia moved to Wilmington she says. “He wanted to meet me.” with Odell’s sister and worked at It was 1939 and Odell, then 19, the shipyard offices. “Every night had recently opened a general we wrote letters to our store nearby. husbands,” she recalls. “I would “Well, I cancelled the first look over and she was tearing up, date,” Virginia says with a laugh. then my eyes would water.” They “Odell cancelled the second, but wrote hundreds of letters the third try was the charm.” The through the duration of the war. two were married a year later.

Seventy years later she still has Now 93, she looks out at the 30 of those of those letters that Atlantic from her home in Ocean were returned unopened.

Isle Beach and reflects on that Shortly after Odell returned moment with joy. “It has been a from Europe, the couple opened a truly long and good life,” she says. car dealership in Shallotte. On the Born to Olin and Martha Cox in weekends they would fly around Loris, S.C., Virginia came into the the area in his second-hand plane, world on a wing and a prayer. looking for property to develop.

“Momma went into labor early and “Flying in that little canvasmy 15-year old sister Lula had to covered plane will sure teach you deliver me!” she says. There was to pray,” she says. no doctor in the area, and her father It was from the air that Odell was away working. “That’s why I and Virginia dreamed of am here,” she says. “There were so Above: Virginia Williamson at her home developing the little unnamed many people praying for me.” in Ocean Isle Beach island that had been created in The sixth of eight children, 1934 when the Intracoastal Virginia graduated high school at Waterway was carved through 16 and attended Marlborough southeastern Brunswick County.

Back then, the hidden gem Business School in Bennettsville before she moved to was home to Hale Beach, Gause Beach and Little Beach.

Hickman’s Crossroads. Marriage was the furthest thing from “It was so isolated, there even used to be a honky tonk out her plans, but when she met Odell, her fate was sealed. there in Prohibition years,” Virginia says. “Back when you could In the first year of their marriage, Odell’s mother passed drive right over to the ocean before the waterway was cut through.” away and the young couple cared for two of his younger brothers

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“It was so isolated, there even used to be a honky tonk out there in Prohibition years. Back when you could drive right over to the ocean before the waterway was cut through.”

Those development dreams were put on hold when, in 1947, Odell decided to run for an open seat in the state legislature.

“It was a close fight,” Virginia says. “He went out to the fields and shook hands with nearly everyone.” He won and served in the state House of Representatives for six nonconsecutive terms. Virginia took on the role of a politician’s wife. “Folks always wanted to visit the beach, and often we had to entertain at a moment’s notice,” she recalls.

Lucky for the Williamsons, Odell flew his plane to work, cutting travel time back and forth to Raleigh. “He would fly out on Monday mornings and leave Fridays at noon to return home,” she says. During the week, she would handle the business and then she would greet him at the door on Friday with everything she had taken care of during the week.

“One of Odell’s first pet projects was bringing a bridge to Holden Beach,” Virginia recalls. He decided if the bridge came to Holden Beach, he would buy the old ferry and then 42

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buy the little undeveloped island just west of it. “Holden Beach got the bridge, but Odell didn’t get the ferry,” she says.

“But we decided to buy the island anyway.”

The Williamsons discovered that another Brunswick County native, Manon Gore, also was interested in developing the island, so the Williamsons and the Gores teamed up. After purchasing much of the property, they all agreed the island needed a new name. “I thought Ocean Isle Beach was such a pretty name,” Virginia says.

For the next four years, the Williamsons and Gores prepared the island for development. In 1950 they built a four-car ferry, and Odell added a landing strip on the east end of the island. The ferry remained, but the airstrip did not.

“We had to abandon that idea,” Virginia says. “The cross winds were too rough.” Odell bought some land and built the airstrip less than a mile from the island. The Ocean Isle Beach Airport is there today.

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Next, the couple bought large swaths of land between the island and U.S. Highway 17. “Odell decided we needed a direct road from the highway to the center of the island,” Virginia says. “He cleared much of that strip himself.” It took several years to build. Still known affectionately to locals as “Four-Mile Road,” Ocean Isle Beach Road remains the most direct route onto the island from U.S. 17.

By 1953 the island was plotted and divided and ready for auction. “We had people from all over the state come to buy the lots,” Virginia says. More than 1,000 people attended the opening sale, and 125 lots were sold, with Gore and Williamson financing the sales.

In a devastating turn of events, just one year later, Hurricane Hazel swept away 39 of the 41 houses and cottages on the island.

Odell and Virginia were in Shallotte with their children, LaDane and DeCarol, during the hurricane. It was October, and LaDane had already started school.

The day after the storm, Odell and dozens of locals scoured the shoreline along the mainland for survivors. “The strange thing is, no one was afraid of that storm,” Virginia remembers. “Odell talked with the fishermen and they didn’t think it would be that serious.”

It turned out to be very serious.

Odell’s sister, Madeline Register, and her husband, Sherman, perished along with their young son, Buddy. Daughter Sonya was pulled from the watery debris barely alive. Madeline’s body was the only one never recovered. The Williamsons welcomed their niece Sonya into their home.

“It was overwhelming,” Virginia says. “The loss of life had a huge impact on us.”

The tragedy required that the developers start over. The four-car ferry was repaired and the lots and roads cleared once more, but the Williamson-Gore partnership ended.

“Odell decided to go forward, and so we did,” Virginia says.

“And I am so glad we did because today Ocean Isle Beach is exactly the way Odell and I dreamed it would be.”

The work was endless, sometimes spanning 12-hour days for weeks on end. “Moving sand, rebuilding the roads took long hours,” Virginia says. “And there wasn’t a phone around.” Telephone service didn’t reach the island until 1956.

Odell built the first fishing pier on the island in 1957 and built the offices for their company Ocean Isle Beach Realty across the street. To make room for a parking lot at the pier, he moved an old duplex to a new lot and converted it to a private, four-bedroom oceanfront cottage, where Virginia spends her time to this day.

The history of the Town of Ocean Isle Beach is the history of the Williamson family. It was incorporated in 1959 with Odell as the first mayor. “And what progress we were making,” Virginia recalls. “That year, the state built a swing bridge to replace our old ferry.”

The family moved to the island permanently in 1964, when they built a contemporary brick home. Virginia served as mayor from 1969 to 1973. “Living in a small town, everyone had to take a turn serving the community one way or another,” she says. “Our daughter LaDane replaced me and served from 1973 to 1987.”

The Williamsons continued to develop the area, adding golf courses, a hotel and a restaurant to their portfolio. At the same time, they shared their success with the extended community. They sponsored a Vietnamese refugee family after that war; donated the land for the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Seaside United Methodist Church; funded scholarships to Campbell University; provided a $500,000 endowment to Virginia Williamson Elementary School; and donated $500,000 to Brunswick Community College for a new auditorium. In 1991 Odell built a nondenominational chapel in honor of Virginia. Weekly beach services are held each Sunday.

“Granddaddy and Grandmomma were true philanthropists,” says Marnie Williamson, the couple’s oldest granddaughter. “When she heard that there was a need for a mental health facility in our county, Grandmomma donated the land and money to build Coastal Horizon Center. She also provided the funds for one year of operating costs.”

Virginia is still active in the chapel and the real estate business. She attends weekly Bible study at the chapel and goes into the office every Thursday. She attributes her longevity to the man upstairs. “I am here because of a lot of prayer,” she says, pointing one finger to the sky.

“Prayer has also gotten me through two wars. When Odell was in World War II and when our son, DeCarol, was in Vietnam.”

Her favorite restaurant, of course, is The Isles, a family business that Marnie manages. DeCarol and LaDane may manage The Islander Inn, Ocean Isle Beach Realty and the Pearl Golf Course now, but Virginia is still involved. “I don’t think a major decision has ever been made that they did not run past Grandmomma first,” Marnie says. And the matriarch of Ocean Isle Beach would not have it any other way.

A grandmother of 10 and great grandmother of 16, she recalls her experiences with delight. “It was a lot of work, work, work — and it still is,” she says. “But there was nothing in this area until Odell started working on it.” n

“It was a lot of work, work, work — and it still is. But there was nothing in this area until Odell started working on it.”

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South Brunswick Magazine

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Community

Serving Seniors Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. enhances the quality of life for older adults in Brunswick County.

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Story by Denice Patterson

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDSEY A. Miller

A dozen men and women follow the lead of tai chi

instructor Dean Sutzer in the cool serenity of an all-purpose room at The Brunswick Center at Shallotte. “In tai chi we have a saying that Movement is Life,” Sutzer says. For the thousands of local seniors who benefit from the many services provided by the Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. (BSRI), that could not be more true.

BSRI was established in February 2002 and soon after received not-for-profit public charity status. “Our mission is to promote the well-being and enhance the quality of life for all senior adults in Brunswick County,” says BSRI President and CEO Jim Fish, who joined the team in 2011. “We accomplish this by delivering programs and services that encourage independence as well as participation in the local community.”

The organization was chartered to be the lead resource for adults older than 60 in the county and to host to a list of services, including Meals on Wheels, Case Management Services, Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) assistance, educational outreach, transportation services, health and fitness programs, and more.

Debra Marlowe joined BSRI in 2010. “BSRI started out with a few sites and a long list of services, but it was like an explosion happened when Jim Fish took the wheel,” she says.

Marlowe coordinates all of the marketing and outreach events, is the liaison to the 10-member board of directors and serves as Fish’s assistant. The board is composed of five elected members and five members who are appointed by the county commissioners to represent the five geographic regions in the county.

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Above: Brunswick County seniors stay active at senior sites and senior centers, like this one in Shallotte.

“It is no secret that Brunswick County is expanding rapidly,” Folly, Sunset Harbor and Town Creek. Through a she says. “It is home to more than 40,000 senior citizens, and partnership with Brunswick Transit Inc, transportation is that number is growing every year. Currently around 48 available to and from each facility by making a reservation percent of the population is over age 50.”

48 hours in advance.

Fish adds that BSRI has grown rapidly Each facility offers a variety of signature as well. It has 34 employees and more than programs. At the Ashe location, seniors 200 volunteers at three senior centers and gather for board games and exercise classes. seven senior sites throughout the county.

Mah Jong and Rummikub are on the Centers are staffed and open five days schedule at Boiling Spring Lakes, along per week from 8 am to 4 pm. Sites are with a card club and several fitness classes. open two or three days per week on a At Calabash, seniors gather for coffee and variety of schedules. Recently, all three snacks before the cards and games or centers were recognized as Senior Centers exercise classes begin. At Oak Island, there of Excellence by the North Carolina are Wii games, board games and cards.

Division of Aging and Adult Services.

At Sunset Harbor, folks gather for “When BSRI was formed, the goal was bingo and arts and crafts, The SupplyAbove: BSRI President and CEO set to achieve this certification,” Fish Lockwood Folly Site offers a walking Jim Fish says. “In fact, all three centers achieved trail, horseshoes, shuff leboard and corn perfect scores in the certification process.” hole, and at Town Creek, coffee, games, The senior centers are located in Shallotte, Southport and tennis, Bocce ball and yoga are on the schedule.

Leland, and the senior sites are located in Ash, Boiling The Leland Center offers weekly painting classes, a chess Spring Lakes, Calabash, Oak Island, Supply-Lockwood club, fitness classes and billiards. Shallotte offers weekly 48

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line-dancing classes, tai chi, knitting and crocheting classes as well as quilting. Southport offers ballroom dancing and square dancing, as well as basketball and pickle ball.

“Our most popular program is meal service,” Marlowe says.

All 10 facilities serve congregate (eat in) meals and provide deliveries to homebound Meals on Wheels recipients. “To order a congregate meal, seniors need only call their local center one day in advance,” Marlowe says. “So many seniors say it is nice to come into the facility and share a meal with friends old and new.”

Last year BSRI served more than 100,000 meals to participants, averaging 3,760 congregate meals and delivering 4,456 meals per month to homebound seniors.

“Sometimes the only social contact those homebound seniors have during the week is the knock on the door from a Meals on Wheels driver,” Marlowe says.

The organization continues to move and grow.

Administrative offices moved to the new Brunswick Center at Shallotte in 2012 while it was being prepared to open for programs in 2014. “There was a long period of waiting for permits and renovations,” Marlowe says.

Now the 22,000-square-foot building has expansive space for many diverse programs. On the ground floor, there is a room with senior-friendly exercise equipment, a large open area for active fitness programs such as aerobics and dance classes, a well-stocked arts and crafts room, a library with computers and Internet access, a quilting room, a billiards room and a commercial kitchen and a dining room that comfortably seats at least 100 people.

“We offer a variety of classes from yoga and Pilates and tai chi to art and computers,” Marlowe says. Exercise classes are opened to anyone age 55 and older. For those older than age 60, classes are free.

Throughout the year, BSRI also schedules a variety of fee-based trips such as local shopping trips and one-day regional excursions by motor coach; they’ve also scheduled weekend getaways and week-long Caribbean cruises.

BSRI is continuing to keep pace with the county’s growth and is expanding accordingly. Ground was broken in February 2016 on the first new construction project for the organization — the Leland Senior Center. The two-story, 12,400-square-foot facility is at the corner of Village Road and Town Hall Drive and is expected to open in early 2017.

Fundraising is underway to convert the Calabash facility into a renovated, 12,000-square-foot Senior Center on a spacious 5 acres along Beach Drive. In 2017 there are preliminary plans to convert the Town Creek site into a center on a new 3.5-acre plot.

Operating on a nearly $3 million annual budget, much of which is funded from national and local grants and local fundraising as well as funds from Brunswick County and the local Area Agency on Aging, BSRI is keeping pace with the needs of the growing senior population. Each center conducts

fundraisers including yard sales, craft sales, dances and concerts.

In addition, BSRI operates a thrift store on Beach Drive in Calabash, where all purchases benefit senior programs, services and resources. Donations to the store are tax deductible.

In September BSRI held its first county-wide fundraiser. In conjunction with Ocean Ridge Charities, BSRI hosted Casino Night for Charities to benefit BSRI programs and services, Lower Cape Fear Hospice and the BCC Nursing scholarship program. “This will become our new annual fundraising event,” Marlowe says.

It is clear that Marlowe loves her job. Peeking in at Sutzer’s tai chi class in progress, she says, “This is what it’s all about.

Seeing them in action is the best feeling.”

For more information about Brunswick Senior Resources Inc. or to make a donation, visit BSRINC.org or call (910) 754-2300. All financial contributions are tax deductible. n

BSRI manages and administers the following programs county wide: • Meals on Wheels • Medical Access and Review Program (MARP) • Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) • Medication Management • Family Caregiver Support • Senior Medical Patrol (Fraud Prevention) • Medical Transportation • General Transportation • Case Management Services • Ramps and Rails • Information and Referral • Heaters and Fans Program • Incontinence Products Donation Programs • Evidence-Based Programs • Liquid Nutrition Supplement Program (BOOST) • Weekend Supplemental Food Program • In-Home Aide Services Fall 2016

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Nonprofit

Healing with Horses Our Heroes, Inc. connects those facing emotional, physical or mental challenges with therapy horses at Horseplay Farms.

Story by Heather Lowery

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDSEY A Miller

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Above: Trainer Jazmynn Brown (left) and volunteer Hayley Pittenger help horses at Horse Play Farms.

With more than 60 acres in Bolivia, Horseplay Farms offers all the wonderful things one would expect: riding lessons, camps, boarding, horse training, picnics and trails. It is even an ideal venue for weddings and other life celebrations because of its scenic landscape, arbor, ponds and stage. But Horseplay Farms is so much more. It also is the home of Our Heroes, Inc. and is a haven for healing, convalescence and joy.

Our Heroes, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that offers equine-assisted therapy and activities to adults, children and their families who face emotional, physical and mental health challenges. Veterans of all services, Wounded Warriors, disadvantaged and at-risk youth and those with special needs have experienced positive outcomes from Our Heroes, Inc.’s programs.

The 501(c)3 charity is also an animal rescue that provides a permanent home for retired, neglected or abused horses.

In 2013 Ruth and Phillip Jenkins purchased the farm that had once been a nursery with the hopes of transforming their vision into a reality. The couple always held three things dear to them: the military, Brunswick County and horses, and when they decided to tie all three together, Our Heroes, Inc. was born. They made it their mission to help bring physical and emotional healing to those who needed it.

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“My husband came up with the name Our Heroes,” Ruth says. “The name really refers to all involved, the participants, the horses, the staff, our donors and volunteers, everyone.”

Ruth, a Southport native who grew up on a small farm, is a retired civilian of the Department of the Army. Phillip served in the U.S. Army for 26 years and is a Vietnam veteran. They lived in Heidelberg, Germany, for a time, and it is there that Ruth continued to ride horses.

“I just did a lot of pleasure riding,” she says.

Ruth has been shaped by her experiences and has gone through hardships in her life. She was working at the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks and lost people close to her. She says during her time growing up in Brunswick County, her family didn’t always have it easy and she knows first-hand the lasting impact and the power of helping hands. She will never forget the generosity that her family received when she was a child.

“A friend of my mother’s paid for me to go to a horse camp similar to this one,” she says.

Paying it forward is a high priority for Ruth, and she knew that someday she wanted to help the veterans, youth and others of this community to overcome difficulties and find strength, too.

“There is a need here in Brunswick County,” she says.

“There are so many children and adults who need support.”

Above: Examples of Equine Assisted Living (EAL) activities: left, Certified Professional Equine Instructor Allie Sabo (standing) and volunteer Hayley Pittenger check a hoof; right, Jazmynn Brown leads Hayley around the farm.

“Connecting Horses with Heroes in a Healing Environment” is Our Heroes, Inc.’s motto and it is exactly what they have been doing for the past three years.

Ruth understands the power of horses and their positive impacts on a person.

“There are studies done that prove stress levels decrease when working with horses,” she says.

The Jenkinses praise their staff and value their dedication.

“We have a great team here at Our Heroes,” Ruth says.

One such team member, Allie Sabo, is a Certified Professional Equine Instructor at Horseplay Farms and Our Heroes and runs equine therapy sessions.

Equine therapy takes advantage of the unique humanhorse relationship, and both parties reap its benefits. Some therapy is even conducted while the individual is on the ground and not riding the horse.

“In Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), we may model by leading a horse around the pen and through obstacles, then have the people do it themselves,” Allie says. “In Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, an individual brings their own mental health professional with them to the session, and the therapist, for example, can analyze the person and horse relationship.

From watching patients interact with horses, the therapist can

understand a lot about how a person may interact with other humans in their lives and help them accordingly.

In addition to offering these type of equine therapies, Our Heroes has trail riding and weekend sessions for Wounded Warriors and their families. It provides a destination for Brunswick County Schools field trips, has scholarships for children’s summer camps and clubs and also goes on-site to Camp Lejeune for special clinics. They recently added a junior horsemanship club called Horseplay Heroes, that meets on Saturday mornings.

Furthermore, Our Heroes gets out in the community and actively promotes the program to those who could benefit.

“I called the American Legion here and we now have people come from there,” Ruth says. “We’ve reached out and are working with the Autism Society as well.”

Our Heroes is in the process of many exciting new ventures.

“We are currently looking into getting PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) certified,” Allie says.

Allie is working on getting her EFT (Equine Flexion Therapy) license. EFT benefits the horses by using deep motion flexing, a special type of massage that helps the horse relax its muscles.

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Above: Hayley enjoys time in the horse pen.

Right: Allie performs EFT (Equine Flexion Therapy), a special type of massage that helps a horse relax its muscles.

“Ruth would like Our Heroes to be able to offer this,” Allie says.

Ruth has a knack for networking and is always looking for ways to involve the community. She welcomes people to volunteer and is thankful for donations of materials, money and time. Our Heroes couldn’t help others without the financial and physical support from individuals, families and local businesses, she says.

“We want to get the word out to our sponsors that their donations really do make a difference in people’s lives,” Ruth says. “We get donations from all over, and many people help.

Our Heroes is solely supported by others.”

To keep the farm’s current momentum going and spread the word about the organization, they held a fundraiser and fun run in September.

In addition to continually looking for ways to develop and hone their programs, the Jenkinses are building more structures and enhancing the farm.

Ruth envisions so much more for the future of Our Heroes. They want to expand the barn for their senior horses.

A trailer and materials to begin mobile equine-assisted learning programs are also on the wish list.

“I want Our Heroes to be an enduring facility way after Phillip and I are gone,” Ruth says. “I want this to continue being a safe, enjoyable environment for Brunswick County residents.

It’s a place where everyone benefits. That’s all I want.” n 56

South Brunswick Magazine

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Our Heroes, Inc. Horseplay Farms, 1757 Clemmons Rd. SE, Bolivia, NC 28422 (910) 253-7722 ourheroesinc.org

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Meet the young professionals who are making a positive impact on the future of Brunswick County.

STO RY BY

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M e lissa S lav e n Warr e n

South Brunswick Magazine

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P H OTO G R A P H Y BY

L I N D S EY A . M ill e r

T The future of any community depends on its ability to foster great leaders who make their neighborhoods work for everybody. And Brunswick County has no shortage of impressive trailblazers working hard in business and civic capacities to contribute to the wellbeing of Brunswick County.

In 2012 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce introduced the Future 10, a group of young professionals who are

community minded and enthusiastic about Brunswick County and who live up to the chamber’s motto of “Building Community and Supporting Business.”

A new group of Future 10 leaders has been named for 2016-17. The chamber invited coworkers, supervisors, employees, business owners, friends and family to nominate outstanding young men and women who are younger than 40 and who demonstrate a commitment

to excellence in their careers. The chosen professionals are actively involved in the community through a civic organization, are passionate about Brunswick County — whether they were born and raised here or are a recent transplant — and are making a positive impact in our county.

On the following pages you’ll hear their stories and come to see that they, like the previous classes, are key players in the future of Brunswick County.

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Dr. Justin Asbury & Dr. Tori Asbury Novant Health Oceanside Family Medicine Lead Physicians

“We’ve seen many positive changes in individual patients and families; I hope this will eventually translate to improved health overall in our community.”

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The first couple to be nominated

as Future 10 leaders, Drs. Justin and Tori Asbury made their shared dream of living at the North Carolina coast a reality in 2014 when they moved to Brunswick County. Then in 2015 they opened Novant Health Oceanside Family Medicine in Leland.

On being part of this year’s Future 10, Justin says, “I hope [this award] shows others of the great potential in this county.” Tori appreciates the support they have had from the community and says that it “has enabled us to make a positive impact here.”

Both Justin and Tori completed medical school at Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Va., followed by residency in Newport News, Va. Before joining Novant Health, the husband-and-wife team practiced together at a family medicine clinic in Elizabethton, Tenn.

Recognizing the need for more primary-care providers in Brunswick County, the doctors enjoy their roles as family physicians. “We have the ability to care for patients of all ages and provide personalized care that everyone desires, at a standard that should be expected,” Justin says. “This allows us to develop relationships with families and multiple generations.”

Within the two years the Asburys have been practicing in Leland, Tori saw a tremendous need for obesity care and prevention, particularly in children. In 2015 she became certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and she emphasizes nutrition and lifestyle changes in the practice. “We’ve seen many positive changes in individual patients and families,” she says. “I hope this will eventually translate to improved health overall in our community.”

The Asburys take their commitment to family outside of the office as well, actively participating and volunteering with multiple community events and supporting a variety of youth athletics by providing on-site physicals.

Justin’s philosophy to community service is to lead by example. “I see it as a way to live out what we try to teach our kids about doing the right thing every day,” he says.

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Charlie Butcher Bug-N-A-Rug Branch Manager

“I love the job I do because of the interaction with others in the community.�

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You may think that there is nothing

exciting about the life of an exterminator, but Charlie Butcher begs to differ. “I love the job I do because of the interaction with others in the community,” he says. And that’s not just customers, but other business owners as well.

For Butcher, community and business go hand in hand, and that’s why he is so passionate about being involved. “When businesses in the community support each other, and help each other grow, we’re strengthening and growing Brunswick County,” he says.

Butcher does his part by participating in several civic and networking groups, including Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, Coastal Connections, and Rotary Club of Shallotte and helping out with events with both the Shallotte Lions Club and the Oak Island Elk’s Club. He volunteers as a chamber ambassador, a liaison between the chamber of commerce and its members, to welcome new businesses to the area. “As I go to the different meetings and events, I always see a lot of the same people,” he says. “We give each other referrals, helping our own individual businesses, but at the same time, helping everybody else’s business. That’s what community is.”

Hard work, ability and drive. These words are synonymous with all of the Future 10, and they’re no different for Butcher,

who began his career with Bug-N-A-Rug in 2010 as a registered technician. Now he is branch manager, overseeing a staff of 10.

At the wise age of 39, Butcher sees the philosophical differences in his career from young adulthood to now.

“When you’re younger, working is all about making money,” he says. “Now, it’s about doing your job to the best of your ability, keeping customers and employees happy and, ultimately, taking care of your family.”

And at the end of the day, family is what Butcher is most proud of. He has a 21-year-old stepson and a 22-year-old stepdaughter that he’s helped raise since they were children.

“They are my kids, and I’m really proud that I was able to be there for them,” he says.

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Heather Coley For Kids Only Child Development Center, Inc. Director

“I know all of our families would attest that when someone cares about children and families the way we do, child care can be one of the most rewarding experiences.�

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Born on Independence Day in 1977

in Goldsboro, N.C., Heather Coley has been a firecracker ever since. Look up the definition to the word leader and it could have been written specifically for Coley; she is a forward thinker and a great problem solver; she has excellent people skills; she accepts constructive criticism well and uses it for self-improvement; and she has solid organizational skills. In a word, she has the spark that qualifies her for the Future 10.

As the director of a licensed developmental day facility serving children diagnosed with special needs as well as typically developing children, she has a passion for the happiness and the future of the children and their families in the community. “I know all of our families would attest that when someone cares about children and families the way we do, child care can be one of the most rewarding experiences,” she says.

Since the age of 17, Coley has worked in childcare. She graduated from East Carolina University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in birth-to-kindergarten education and promptly moved to Calabash, where she began an internship with For Kids Only as a special education teacher and interventionist. Fifteen years later, she now manages relationships with multiple agencies, helps more than 200

families in four different counties each year, oversees a staff of 50 plus and coordinates programs with Brunswick County schools, protective services and Smart Start of Brunswick County. She is also a member of many boards. Life is fast paced for Coley and that is just how she likes it. “There are easy days and there are hard days,” she says, “but as most people will tell you, I smile through it all!”

Coley says she is “humbled and honored” at being recognized as one of Brunswick County’s Future 10. She says community means many things to her: family, friends, coworkers and people she doesn’t know working toward a single common goal “to make our area a better place for us, our kids and the next generation.”

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Carolina Cowan Strings and Beyond Vice President of Operations and Consumer Relations

“I encourage everyone to find a cause that speaks to them and experience the feeling of giving.�

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“I always thought I would be a teacher

when I grew up, but my financial goals led me down the business track instead,” Carolina Cowan says. This explains why she is so passionate about the Civitan Apple Project that she helped create, even though she runs a successful, familyowned, online retail and brick-and-mortar business in Southport.

With her experience as a teacher at L&L Montessori, Cowan always wanted to help build better citizens. That’s what drew her to become a volunteer with the SE Brunswick Civitan Club, which has a strong focus on children, evidenced

in the Civitan Apple Project. This collaborative endeavor gets local business leaders involved in the school system by raising money for iPads for the Exceptional Children classrooms so that students can interact with their teachers and other students in the best way possible. Cowan is beyond proud of the impact that the Civitan Apple Project is having on the community.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people who helped me on my journey, and I am truly blessed to be able to help others in the same way,” she says. “It fills my heart to know that I can help children with developmental needs.

I encourage everyone to find a cause that speaks to them and experience the feeling of giving.” That commitment to future generations of Brunswick County is why she is a Future 10.

The iPad project is just one of the many ways Cowan helps to enhance the community. Her newest venture, GITC (Guitars in the Classroom), trains teachers to teach through the power of song, and she hopes to have the program launched in Brunswick County before the end of the 2016–17 school year.

“I want to be an example of living a positive and meaningful life,” Cowan says. “A big part of that is doing meaningful work.”

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James Lane Angelo’s Pizzeria & Bistro Owner

“It is each individual’s responsibility to helps others, not only to see the bigger picture, but also to see themselves as active members of the community.”

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A passion for people, cooking excellent

food and creating a pleasing dining experience is what inspired restaurateur James Lane to open Angelo’s in Shallotte.

“When I first moved to Brunswick County in 2003, I wanted to be closer to the beach,” he says. “And then I realized that this was an area that had a lot of potential for growth, both personally and professionally.”

What also inspires Lane is the collective experience in Brunswick County. He believes that hospitality and community are two of the most important parts of his restaurant’s success and sees civic involvement as the cornerstone of growth. “Without it, there is no community,” he says. “It is each individual’s responsibility to helps others, not only to see the bigger picture, but also to see themselves as active members of the community.”

Practicing what he preaches, Lane is committed to helping people in Brunswick County succeed. He has hosted charity wine dinners for nonprofits like Brunswick Family Assistance, The First Tee of Brunswick County, Brunswick County Community College Foundation, Brunswick Literacy Council and Novant Health Foundation. He donates gift cards throughout the year to schools, churches, hospitals and other

nonprofit organizations. He currently serves as a board member for Brunswick Community College Foundation.

As for his future, Lane says he would like to continue to use his business to accomplish two things: “Improve the hospitality industry in the county and reach out to help those who are less fortunate and in need of support.”

For Lane, being nominated for the Future 10 “confirms to me that I am in the right community and am striving to make it a better place.” But, he admits, he can’t do it alone. “The success of my business has been in thanks to the great people with whom I have worked over the years,” he says. “No business can be run by just one person. Our restaurant has run like a family, like a community, and my success is a product of the hard work and dedication of my staff.”

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Haylie Long Lower Cape Fear Hospice Community Outreach Coordinator

“I saw how they help and change lives, so I wanted to be a part of what they are doing for our area.�

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South Brunswick Magazine

“Volunteers are ambassadors,

and for Lower Cape Fear Hospice, they are the backbone,” Haylie Long says. She knows all about the amazing things volunteers do because she recruits, trains and manages the hundreds of volunteers at the nonprofit Lower Cape Fear Hospice. Whether the organization needs someone to offer companionship or respite or to help patients check off items on their bucket list, Long is the person who can be counted on to find the right volunteer for the job.

A native of Brunswick County, she graduated from Coastal Carolina University and planned to make a career in media and communications. But a conversation with a fellow church member, an employee of Lower Cape Fear Hospice, charted a new course. At first Long wasn’t receptive to the idea of working for hospice, assuming it was “depressing and not for me,” but she did some homework and changed her mind. “[Lower Cape Fear Hospice] takes a more holistic approach to the end of life, looking at all the needs of a patient, not just their medications,” she says. “I saw how they help and change lives, so I wanted to be a part of what they are doing for our area.”

Since 2014 Long has been the public face of Lower Cape Fear Hospice and has helped increase awareness on important

topics like advance-care planning and hospice care, while expanding the volunteer programs.

Her tireless efforts to make people feel comfortable and valued don’t just stop at the office. She finds even more ways to better the community by teaching free sign language and dance groups at her church. For fun, when there’s time, she plays bass guitar and sings background vocals for the local band Jaded Mayberry.

For her inclusion in this year’s Future 10, she says she is honored and humbled to have been chosen. “I hope that I continue to push forward with bettering our community,” she says.

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Stacey McCumbee Arbor Landing at Ocean Isle Director of Community Relations

“Every day is an adventure but also an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Even the smallest gesture is appreciated, and nothing gives me more satisfaction than putting a smile on a resident’s face.”

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Before being named director of

community relations in 2014, Stacey McCumbee played an essential role in opening the retirement living community as the business office manager. She created the accounts receivable and payable operations, established human resources practices and set up customer service expectations.

The positive impacts she made on the Arbor Landing community made her worthy of promotion.

For the last three years McCumbee has successfully managed census growth, marketing and public relations for Arbor Landing, but her commitment to the families, from the moment they inquire about the community, is where she shines. “I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for aging adults,” she says. “Every day is an adventure but also an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Even the smallest gesture is appreciated, and nothing gives me more satisfaction than putting a smile on a resident’s face.”

McCumbee’s Future 10 award has her thinking about her ultimate goal in life, which is “to help make this world a happier, better place than it was before me.” A proud native of Brunswick County, she moved to Chapel Hill to attend college at the University of North Carolina, but didn’t plan on returning until, after four years away, she realized there was

no place like home. That makes her award even more special.

“I’m truly honored and proud to represent the place I’ve always called home,” she says.

When she’s not making residents of Arbor Landing feel comfortable, respected and cared for, McCumbee finds time to give back to the community in other ways.

She’s involved with the Shallotte Junior Woman’s Club, Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce and Brunswick Senior Resources. In addition, she served as a judge for several West Brunswick High School scholarship committees, a task in which she “enjoys hearing about the students’ aspirations and lending them encouragement.”

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Jonathan Peele Coastline Insurance Associates of NC, Inc. President

“I’m a true believer that if you want the community to support you, you must first support the community.”

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Jonathan Peele says he is inspired

by two things in Brunswick County: “I love the small-town feel and sense of community. And I love watching the county grow.” Though he grew up in Hickory, N.C., the southeast coast of North Carolina was his second home as he visited his grandparents while growing up. In 2004 he made Brunswick County his permanent home.

Peele has helped contribute to the county’s growth. He started his small business from the ground up and after just five years in business he recently opened a third location of Coastline Insurance Associates in Ocean Isle Beach. For the new office he hired additional staff and promoted many individuals within his organization to encourage loyalty and success.

Though Peele is a busy business owner, his commitment to Brunswick County goes beyond the office. He is a member of the SE Brunswick Civitan Club and is especially proud of the work he’s done with the Civitan Apple Project. “It’s an awesome feeling to watch the children use the iPads,” he says.

“All of the sudden they find that learning can be fun.” On his idea of helping the community, he says, “I’m a true believer that if you want the community to support you, you must first support the community.”

Giving back runs in Peele’s family. His mother is the executive director of a United Way agency in Hickory. “She’s dedicated her life to helping others that are less fortunate,” he says. “She’s the hardest working person I know and she does it all for others. She’s rarely recognized for her efforts. My mother is my role model.”

Of the Future 10 Award, Peele says, “I’m very humbled by the nomination. I really owe everything to God, my mother, my wife and my awesome staff. My wife has always supported my vision and dreams, and my staff has worked hard to honor my vision and mission statement. They really care about our clients.”

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Melony Rice Intracoastal Realty Broker/Realtor

“I believe they can see the love I have for our community.�

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“Living in Brunswick County

now for ten years, I have gotten a real sense of what the people in this community do for each other on a daily basis,” Melony Rice says. “We come together during a storm, we inspire each other and we are happy for our fellow neighbors when they succeed.” That’s why she fell in love with Brunswick County, and it’s what motivates her to give back.

Rice is a successful real estate broker for Intracoastal Realty, a mother of two, a wife and a rental property investor, but she still finds the time to remain an active volunteer. She is involved with the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, Coastal Vineyard Church and her children’s schools, Shallotte Middle as well as Union Elementary. She also participates in beach cleanups, turtle watches and local festivals and other events. She credits the real estate business that she loves as giving her the flexibility to volunteer, as well as to be present for her family. “Actually, [my children] are my most important job,” she says.

As a real estate broker, Rice isn’t unlike a community ambassador, making a difference in the lives of home buyers by helping them find a place of their own. Whether it’s a first-time homebuyer, a retiree or someone looking for a vacation home, Rice says she loves “showing houses in our

beautiful towns and opening the doors to all that Brunswick County as to offer.”

“I believe they can see the love I have for our community,” she says.

Rice’s Future 10 award has her considering how much the people of the county have welcomed her. Originally from Michigan, she and her husband, Rich, and their two boys, Alton and Adler, picked up and moved to Shallotte after Rich received a job offer from Home Depot. They’d never heard of Shallotte, but two weeks later they were here. “We quickly fell in love with all that Brunswick County has to offer, and we knew this was where we were meant to be,” she says.

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Taylor Thompson West Brunswick High School Marketing Teacher

“Becoming a teacher has allowed me to impart life lessons that my students will never forget and puts me in a position to influence their decisions, strengths and dreams.�

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South Brunswick Magazine

When you know deep down that

you have always wanted to be a teacher, but in college you decide to focus on business and marketing instead, what do you do after you graduate? Go back to school, of course. At least that’s what Taylor Thompson did.

“Within a year of graduating from North Carolina State University, I was re-enrolled, but this time as a teaching licensure student,” she says. That, she adds, is when her dream career began.

“As a teacher, you are more than just an educator; you are a mentor, a role model and a friend,” she says. “Becoming a teacher has allowed me to impart life lessons that my students

will never forget and puts me in a position to influence their decisions, strengths and dreams.”

After teaching for 2 years, when the opportunity to move home and teach in Brunswick County presented itself, there was never a doubt in Thompson’s mind that this is what she was supposed to do.

In fact, one of the reasons she became a teacher was so she could contribute to her community in a meaningful way. Six years later, not only is she teaching in the county where she grew up, but also she’s working alongside some of the educators that helped her foster her own love of learning. That, she says, “has truly been amazing.”

As with all teachers, much of Thompson’s work is spent after school hours. She is a dance team coach as well as the advisor for DECA, an organization that helps prepare students for marketing-related careers. She says when she sees the fruits of her efforts every day in the success of her students, the time, energy and dedication are all worthwhile.

The Future 10 title is “truly an honor” for Thompson, and she is especially proud to be acknowledged for her hard work as a teacher in Brunswick County. “I have been lucky enough to teach students who have had a real passion for business and marketing. Hopefully some of these students will return to our community and find themselves among the Future 10 one day!” she says. n Fall 2016

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Around town

Take a Book, Leave a Book Little Free Libraries are popping up all over the country, including South Brunswick County.

W Story & PHOTOGRAPHY by Barbara Sammons

“What is your career goal?”

my high school guidance counselor asked me. “To be a librarian and be surrounded by the written word, to hold books in my hand, to get lost in adventures of faraway places and to feel the stories come through as I turn the pages,” I replied.

Unfortunately, that career goal was not to be, at least not until now, more than 50 years later.

Now I am the librarian of my own Little Free Library. And I’m not alone.

I am one of more than 42,000 stewards of this movement to bring curbside literacy to communities just like yours and mine.

In 2009 Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, built a model of a one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother, who was a teacher and loved to read.

He filled the schoolhouse with books, attached it on a post in his front yard and added a sign that said Free Books.

After seeing the positive reaction from neighbors, Bol built 30 more and gave them away, each with the same sign.

Rick Brooks, a communitydevelopment educator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, saw Bol’s project, and the two decided to combine their individual talents to promote literacy and the love of reading by building additional free neighborhood book exchanges. The concept was simple: Take a Book, Leave a Book. The Little Free Library was born.

Their first goal was to build 2,510 Libraries, one more than Andrew Carnegie’s free public libraries. That goal was met in August 2012.

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The idea of giving away little libraries with a wooden sign and an official charter number started to create curiosity. In 2010 Amish carpenter Henry Miller of Cashton, Wisconsin, became the primary craftsman, using 100-year-old reclaimed barn wood. To this day, the practice of using reclaimed materials is encouraged.

Through word-of-mouth marketing, a website and a loyal group of volunteers, they expanded their reach.

This expansion centered on the enthusiasm of stewards. Stewards build their own Libraries, install them in front yards, near businesses and in schools and keep them maintained and stocked with books. In 2011 there were

nearly 400 Little Free Libraries across the United States.

By 2012 Bol and Brooks knew it was time to become an independent organization; in May of that year Little Free Library was officially established as a Wisconsin nonprofit corporation with a board of directors.

Building My Own After reading more about this organization and researching the Little Free Library book exchanges in South Brunswick County, I knew I had to build my own. Maybe it wasn’t too late for me to become a librarian. One of the goals of the organization is to use reclaimed materials, so I set out to find what would later become Delilah. I stopped at Three Sisters in Southport and asked Becky if she had anything unique that I could use as my Library. “I have just the piece for you, although it’s pretty unconventional,” she said. A few minutes later, she returned with an antique wooden birdcage, with a steeple that didn’t quite fit, but it had a door and so much character. “It’s perfect!” I said.

With help from my neighbor, we spent the next four days reinforcing and weatherproofing the birdcage. I left the birdcage with its weathered look, but painted the new roof and steeple a light purple. Another neighbor installed the wood post, and once the concrete was set, Delilah had a new home, complete with solar lights to light the way for our neighbors on their evening walks. All I had to do was add the books.

“Time to have a party and ribboncutting ceremony,” I said to my sister.

We asked friends to stop by for the official ceremony, but they had to bring a book and in exchange I provided some treats. It was a great way to celebrate this new Library, to meet our neighbors and to fill the Library. Every day I look out my window and see new books left by someone.

I was inspired to build my own Little Free Library to honor my sister and in memory of my mother and father. My

Above: Pictured Library is located at 19th Place East on Oak Island and was built in memory of William M. Simpson, “Old Pop Pop.”

sister became an avid reader, not in school, but at the age of 43. Twentyfour years and 3,500 books later, she still ends her day absorbed in the pages of a country wedding, a budding romance or a murder-mystery. My father was a writer who could express his innermost thoughts on paper. I remember watching him sit at an oak desk with his Remington typewriter and rewinding the ribbon to get those last few words out of the ink. My

mother always encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do and always supported my efforts. She was also a big fan of the singer Tom Jones, so it only seemed fitting to name my Library Delilah after one of her favorite songs. As far as the purple roof and purple steeple, well, it’s my favorite color. The Library is now open and I’m the librarian, and it looks like I have met my career goal after all.

Libraries, Libraries Everywhere I was curious to learn of other Little Free Libraries in the South Brunswick area. The Little Free Library website contains a lot of information on the organization and has a map showing the locations of most of the registered Libraries. Over several weeks, I traveled to take a look at these Libraries and talk with the owners, known as stewards. Many Libraries are built in memory of a loved one with varying designs and decorations; no two are alike.

“My father built the Library to honor our mother for Mother’s Day,” said the steward of the Library on Ocean Isle Beach. “Growing up she would take my Fall 2016

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brother and me to summer reading programs at our local library. ‘If you have a book, you’re never alone,’ she would tell us. These days she enjoys walking out to her Library and reading notes left in her guest book.”

The Little Free Library located in Keziah Park in downtown Southport was built in memory of Marjorie Josephine Wheat, who was an avid reader and long-time visitor to the Harper Library. Its location makes it one of the busiest Libraries to grab a book before heading to the park or the waterfront.

The Oak Island Parks and Recreation facility is home to a Library built in memory of Ruth J. Goss. There is also a Library at 19th Place East on Oak Island, built in memory of William M. Simpson, “Old Pop Pop.” Muse Park in Boiling Spring Lakes is the location of a bright yellow and red polka-dot Library built by a Special Education Class of South Brunswick High School, which partnered with a student for a senior project.

The Library on Sunset Beach has a beachy theme, complete with decorative shells, sand dollars and sea glass and even a piece of driftwood for the door handle. The steward told me she had a complete turn-around of books the first week the Library was open.

“A grandmother stopped by with her grandson who wanted a book, but he didn’t have one to leave,” she told me.

“That’s okay, you can take a book,” she told the little boy. “Thanks, I’ll bring you back a dollar,” he whispered in her ear. She just smiled as he walked away, hand-in-hand with his grandmother.

Some Southport businesses have also gotten on the bandwagon of supporting the community through this book exchange. Jill Peleuses and the staff of Wild Bird and Garden built their Library with a nature theme, complete with a metal woodpecker on the side who welcomes you as you check out their selection of bird books.

Francesca Clemmons of Barn and Beach Designs on Long Beach Road 82

South Brunswick Magazine

has installed one of the newest Libraries in our area, and she calls it Lulu. Her Library is built from what was once a terrarium and now has cedar shakes with a recycled lumber post. It’s a great location to stop by and pick up your beach reads before heading over the bridge to Oak Island.

The Little Free Library nonprofit organization has been honored by the Library of Congress, the National Book Foundation and the American Library Association, and Reader’s Digest named the organization as one of the “50 Surprising Things We Love about America.”

As of August 2016, there were more than 42,000 Little Free Library book exchanges around the world. They are represented in all 50 states and more than 70 countries. Each year, nearly 10 million books are shared in Little Free Libraries. The organization aims to deepen its current impact by growing to 100,000 Libraries worldwide by the end of 2017. Little Free Library is the registered trademark of the Little Free Library organization. The official Little Free Library motto is “Take a Book, Return a Book.” To learn more, visit littlefreelibrary.org. n

Little Free Libraries in South Brunswick County #1010 - Keziah Park, Moore and Lord streets, Southport #1643 - 17 Union Street, Ocean Isle Beach #3051 - 3003 E. Oak Island Drive, Oak Island #4062 - Muse Park, E. Boiling Spring Road and Miller Road, Boiling Spring Lakes #4582 - 19th Place East and E. Pelican Road, Oak Island #21931 - 400 40th Street, Sunset Beach #41796 – Delilah, 4314 Frying Pan Road SE, Southport #41816 - 4561 Long Beach Road, Southport #42950 - 105 E. Brown Street, Southport

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FACES & PLACES

Communities In Schools of Brunswick County’s Gala for Children

Louis & Lavora Washington

Jon & Sheila Evans

Jenny Patterson & Sonny Wells

Sarah & Jon Whitmer

Sandy Bodek & Ken Hoffman

Megan Reeves, Anrew & Terry Bland

Missy & Jerry Donovan

Sharon & Randy Thompson, Dinah Gore

Nick & Sarah Walters

Jon David, Kristen & Chris LaCoe

Lori & Barry Thompson

Lannin Braddock, Jessica Middleswarth, Bella Said & Ashley Carmichael

Jordyn Huffman & Rory Hoffert

Troy & Gayle Price

Ray & Marlene Schatz

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Ellen Milligan & Michelle Ransom

Rich & Tammy Kesky

Tom & Fran Martin

Robert Capps & Karleigh Jordan

South Brunswick Magazine

Jeff Corelli & John Boch

Eric Bishop & Karen Stump

Debbie Smith & Frank Iler

Alice & Jack Carpenter

Becky Steadman & Barry Zimmerman

Jack & Sandra Mullins

Cindy Hauman, Susan Stugell, Kathy Moody & Nancy Gregson

Charity Parsons, Elise Winner & Erica Thomas

Dr. Susanne & Tom Adams

Chris & Lois Yentemma, Ron & Dawn LeDonne

Clint Humphrey, Victoria Bellamy, Tori Humphrey

Photography: Wendy Hunt

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FACES & PLACES

4th Annual Glitz, Glamour & Glow

Victoria Bellamy & June Baker

Tymber Meshaw & Brooke Kesky

Rhonda Royster & Karen Curts

Robin Hicken & Teresa Yates

Pat O’Neil & Patsy Calhoun

Patricia Bueter, Lexi Fulford & Sharon Fulford

Denise Mihal, Doris Mihal & Trudy Weglin

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South Brunswick Magazine

Stephanie Heron & Leslie Bradley

Desiree Dunston & Becky Whiteside

Samantha Cheek, Amber Alderton, Debbie Kenlaw, Cynthia Walsh & Arianne Welker

Rhonda E. Benton & Jill Canter

Aimee Mestad & Sharon Lang

Sheryl Bellamy & Meagan Bellamy

Amanda Page & Ashley White

Kristie McClamb, Aimee Mestad, Kris Crane, Dorothy Hewett & Stacy Roberts

Lilly Bellamy & Laurel Bellamy

Lydia McCord & Logan Lombard

Beth Hicks, Kim Jenkins & Jenny Todd

Beth Elliott, Kimmie Durham & Wendy Hughess

Karen Holtz & Lisa Murphy

Kyla Williams & Victoria Bellamy

Kathy Blaine & Mary Lou Miller

Emily Long & Tracey Long

Barbara Stevens, Shelbourn Stevens, Renee Goin, & Susan Wright

Amy Magas, Jan Stocklinski & Kristan Magas

Lynn Alderton & Amber Alderton

Deborah Rochelle & Natalie Clark

Chris Angotti, Tammy Kesky & Lynn Watkins

Photography: The Soapbox Photo Booth

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Picture Perfect

In Any Season

Christmas Gift Show Sunday, November 20th St. James Community Building 1pm—5pm Shop Small Saturday Saturday, November 26th Southport-Oak Island Area 9am—1pm

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Chamber of Commerce southport-oakisland.com 910.457.6964 88

South Brunswick Magazine

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Point Break Surf & Skate

Business Profile

BY Barbara Sammons

I

f a point break is the ideal wave, then Point Break Surf & Skate is the ideal shop for your boarding adventures. Paddleboards, surfboards

and skateboards await you at this popular shop in Southport.

In 2013 Tom Welch, an entrepreneur and self-described “old surfer,” set out to open a business with the thought that his son, Michael, an avid surfer, diver and spearfisherman, would run the business following his tour of duty with the U.S. Navy. That didn’t work out when Michael reenlisted, but it turns out that Tom’s oldest daughter, Sarah Friesema, was willing to take on the challenge.

In January 2016 Point Break moved to its current location at 730 N. Howe Street. The building was a blank canvas, full of possibility, and the restoration was truly a labor of love and a rebirth of passions. Tom is a skilled carpenter, and Sarah’s background is in retail and design. They used reclaimed barn wood, found in Boone and Blowing Rock, N.C., on the walls, cabinets and tables and reclaimed wood from a barn out West on a rough-hewn bench, now used to repair skateboards.

“We wanted to create an environment that was a safe spot, a place Photography by Barbara Sammons

to hang out and a place where everyone would feel welcome,” says Sarah, who manages the store. “A place where you can work on your board and feel comfortable asking questions, an adventure shop, a place to foster a love of something.”

Point Break offers its own brand of paddleboards, says Sarah, pointing to the boards hanging in the rafters, and the largest selection of skateboards and longboards in the area, with boards from brands like Carver, Penny, Element, Baker and Zero. If you are looking to build your own skateboard, they offer a wide selection of decks, trucks and wheels and will lend you a hand in designing your own.

With her retail background, Sarah has filled the shop with apparel and accessories for men, women and children, from great brands like O’Neill, Body Glove, Jetty, Electric, Element and Roark, just to name a few. There is definitely something for everyone.

Being a community partner is important to Point Break. Giving back to the community means more than having a storefront. It means

Point Break Surf & Skate sells its own brand of stand up paddleboards and the largest selection of skateboards in the area. partnered with Blackbeard Scuba of Oak Island, which offers scuba diving lessons for beginner to advanced students.

What’s in the future for Point Break Surf & Skate? Sarah’s older

giving something tangible to someone who has the same passions as

brother, Coire, a tattoo artist living in New York, will be adding

you. Point Break does that through sponsorship of skateboard

limited-edition skateboard and T-shirt designs. Other ideas can’t be

competitions at Oak Island Skate Park and sponsorship of the Oak

divulged just yet; however, Sarah did share their thoughts about

Island Labor Day Surf Off held near the Ocean Crest Pier.

offering day camps next summer to include surfing, skateboarding

Point Break offers surf lessons and stand up paddleboard lessons and tours. If you are you looking for more adventures, they have

diving and paddleboarding lessons along with a beach clean-up session.

Point Break Surf & Skate: 730 N. Howe St., Southport; (910) 363-4096; pointbreaksurfshop.com

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What’s happened

4-H Youth Receive Honors at N.C. 4-H Congress Local 4-H participants received honors during the recent State 4-H Congress held in Raleigh in July. More than 540 young people and their adult leaders attended for activities including presentations on a variety of subjects, leadership and citizenship training, service opportunities, officer elections and more. Six youth from Brunswick County 4-H competed in State Level presentations, contests designed to test their knowledge of a variety of subjects. Jillian Bowling won bronze in the 14 to 18 year-old division of the citizenship and community service competition. Lena Devlin won gold in the 14 to 18 year old division of the Poultry Production and Preparation. Rebekah Taylor won silver in the 14 to 18 year old division of the Horse Public Speaking contest, which also earned her the privilege of a position on the State 4-H Horse Communication Team that competed July at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships in Perry, Georgia.

Kaitlin Jones, Bobbi Jane Lawrence and Caitlin Sherman also competed. Alexis Apple, 18, was inducted into the 4-H Honor Club, one of the highest honors a 4-H participant can achieve. Apple is graduating senior from Moroni Academy and a member of 4-H Teen Council and Teens in Leadership Training youth volunteer program. She has been active in the 4-H program for nine years.

rights founded the center. The center staff is currently an allvolunteer group (no staff receive any money for any reason). A board of directors exists to oversee the operations of the center as well as the services that are provided.

The Committee to Honor America’s Veterans is a nonprofit organization that built the Veterans Memorial for Brunswick County located in Sunset Beach Town Park; the VAP is a continuing program to provide grant money to organizations that help veterans in our area. See the website at sbvets.org for grant program information and applications.

The mission of the Veteran’s Affairs Committee of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, Lodge 2679 is to provide occasional funding, fraternal activities and general support for local veterans, various veterans’ programs, and our military located throughout southeastern North Carolina, as well as for retired and Wounded Warriors located in the Fort Bragg area of Fayetteville and Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville. For more information about other ways the Elks Lodge supports veterans and the military community, visit their website at calabashelks.org and click on the Veterans Affairs tab.

Photography: Contributed

American Legion Post 543 and St. James Fire Department Host 9/11 Remembrance

Veterans Committee Presents Grant to Calabash Elks Veterans Affairs Committee

The Committee to Honor America’s Veterans announced the presentation of its first grant under its new Veterans Assistance Program (VAP) to the Calabash Elks Veterans Affairs Committee (VAC). First Vice Chairman John Corbett announced that the $2,000 award to the VAC is the first to help aid veterans and their families. Chairman Austin Sammon accepted the grant on behalf of the Calabash Elks VAC. A special presentation of the grant was made at the center on August 29. Sammon explained that the project to move the storage facility was developed by VAC representative Donna Kozlowski in coordination with Kris Tourtellotte, director of the Veteran’s Welcome Home and Resource Center. The center is ranked among the top 100 sites for military and veterans assistance by Military Online Colleges. This center is a nonprofit organization, incorporated in South Carolina. It is not affiliated with any government agency, including the Veterans Administration. It was established for the sole purpose of providing veterans with much-needed assistance in learning about and applying for benefits due to each individual veteran. Veterans and others who support veterans and their

On September 11, 2016, the Richard H. Stewart Jr. American Legion Post 543 and the St. James Fire Department conducted a remembrance service observing the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the hijacking of Flight 93. Approximately 300 Brunswick County residents attended, including North Carolina Representative Frank Iler, Brunswick County Commissioners Frank Williams and Pat Sykes and members of the St. James Fire Department and the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. Speakers were Gary Crowden, commander of Post 543; John Dahill, chief of the St. James Fire Department; and John Young, president of the St. James Fire Department Board of Directors. The focus of the service was to educate those in attendance about Richard H. Stewart, Jr. and his accomplishments before he perished as the Twin Towers fell. The speakers also emphasized the actions of the first responders such as the New York City Fire Department and law enforcement personnel who courageously raced into harm’s way to help thousands who were in danger. The American Legion Post 543 Color Guard posted the colors and played TAPS in honor of those who died on that fateful day. The St. James Fire Department rang its fire bell 15 times signifying one ring for each Fall 2016

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What’s happened

year since the attacks. Highlights of the event also included songs by the Coastal Harmonizers, an all-male barbershop chorus, and Jeremy Shrader, who sang “Once Again.”

Photography: Contributed

Knights and Mike’s Garage Band Fundraiser Raises Funds for Mathew’s Ministries Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heart Council #12537 of Southport recently gifted $4,105 to Mathew’s Ministries as a result of the Knights and Mike’s Garage Band’s coordinated efforts at the August 13 Beach Party in the Woodland Park Amphitheater at St. James. More than 358 people attended, resulting in the collection of $3,580. An additional $525 came from a 50/50 raffle in which one of the winners donating her winnings. Mathew’s Ministries Director Kristie Disbrow thanked the Knights and Mike’s Garage Band during the presentation of the check at the Ministries home site. Tom Grillo, Knights Family Director and organizer of the event, acknowledged Mike’s Garage Band and volunteering Knights who made the event a success. More than 500 children in Brunswick County will receive a backpack full of food to bring home for the weekend on behalf of the Ministries.

Women in Philanthropy and Leadership of Brunswick Meet As a part of Brunswick Community College Foundation (BCCF), Women in Philanthropy and Leadership of Brunswick (WPLB) is an organization of women making philanthropic investments in the next generation of female leaders. Their philosophy is simple: to change the lives of young women through education, mentoring, fundraising and support. The WPLB also works with partners in the community to develop programs and events of interest to women. The group’s fundamental initiatives center on growing and strengthening educational directions and providing opportunities through scholarships and mentoring young women. The event that WPLB is most renowned for is the annual “I am Extraordinary” (i.a.e) conference. The i.a.e conference brings 65 middle school girls to the Brunswick Community College Campus for a leadership conference, a tour of the campus and lunch. It is a very enriching opportunity for the middle school girls. The organization meets once a year, and its annual meeting took place on October 13. The annual meeting served as a meet and greet for the scholarship recipients. This year, five nursing students received scholarships totaling $5,000. Students receiving scholarships were Katie Evans, Danielle Ford, Victoria Stanley, Chelcie Cruce and Sally Bessey. The scholarship recipients will speak about their experiences at BCC and how their scholarships will help them achieve their educational goals.

Photography: Contributed

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Local Business Donate Goods and Services to Veterans on Freedom Day USA 2016 Patriotism is alive and well in Southport. On September 8, Freedom Day USA, 20 merchants and businesses from Southport celebrated veterans by awarding prizes, discounts and services to Brunswick County veterans. Freedom Day USA is America’s largest military appreciation event. On the second Thursday of each September, businesses show their gratitude for veterans’ service and for the sacrifices they have made for our freedom by providing a token of appreciation to active military and their immediate families and to veterans who visit these businesses.

Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry provided more than $30,000 worth of services to 55 patients that day. American Legion Post 543 was present to help at the facility and to recruit veterans to join the American Legion. Raffles were held and gift cards issued from San Felipe Mexican Restaurants, East Coast Sun, Port City Java and Brunswick Air. Eleven other businesses offered discounts to veterans during the day to show their appreciation. The recipients were appreciative of what the community had done for them and are looking forward to next year’s event.

Carolyn Felton Announced as Presenting Sponsor for Bella Italia, BCCF’s Gala At the Brunswick Community College Foundation (BCCF) board of directors meeting at the BCC Leland Center on August 9, Carolyn Felton, immediate past president, presented a check to become the presenting sponsor for the BCCF’s signature formal event, Bella Italia.

Felton is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has been a member of the board of directors for seven years and served as president of the board from 2014 to 2016. She first joined the board as a founding member of the Women in Philanthropy Leadership of Brunswick (WPLB) group. The group has proven to be successful in many ways, from the scholarships awarded annually to their renown I am Extraordinary (i.a.e.) conference.

Her passion for giving is evident in the philanthropic work she does for the college. “It does my heart good to help,” she says.

“Before joining the board, I used to donate to UNCC because I was an alum. After joining the board at BCC and seeing the good the funds do, it made me want to give to BCC more because their need is higher.” One of her most passionate areas is the nontraditional student who started a family at a young age and is now coming back to school. “The students who come back to school to fulfill their hopes and dreams are inspiring to me,” she says.

Bella Italia will take place on November 12 at the South Brunswick Islands Center. The event will feature wine tastings

What’s happened

from Palagetto Winery, hors d’oeuvres and an entrée from Angelo’s Pizzeria and Bistro, dessert from Sugar Confections, table decorations from Just for You Florist and Gifts and a cash bar serving beer and wine. The event will host a special presentation from Italian Winemaker Arianna Fioravanti. Music and auctions will also be a part of the elegance of the evening.

Photography: Contributed

Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and Literacy Council Partnership is a Success

Doug Burris, recently received his GED in May, scoring at a college-ready level in four out of five subjects. His success has encouraged fellow classmates to ramp up their enthusiasm for the final push to earn their GED. Both BCLC and the Sheriff’s Department agree that the success of this much-needed program is anchored in an inmate’s decision to change the course of his or her life and enters the GED test program as a student fully committed to working hard and anticipating passing the exam. A significant barrier the students face is the $50 exam fee. Donations for exam funding can be made to BCLC and earmarked for the students’ testing.

Photography: Contributed

The First Tee of Brunswick County Awards Scholarships

Brunswick County Literacy Council (BCLC) is a nonprofit charged with the mission of improving lives by providing literacy skills for adults. Literacy statistics indicate that one in 4.5 adults in North Carolina lacks the literacy to write a job application or read a book to a child. The council recognizes the need to break the cycle of illiteracy, which can often lead to insecurity and a lack of success in all areas of adulthood, including parenting, education and employment.

To that end, the BCLC approached the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office four years ago about a proposal to extend its services, specifically GED (General Education Development) tutoring, to county inmates since a GED testing program can often serve as a positive step for inmates. Among state prison inmates, data suggests that two-thirds have not completed high school. With a prison record and no diploma, few potential jobs are available for those individuals upon release. After careful consideration, inhouse review and preparation, Sheriff John Ingram and his team agreed that the in-jail GED preparatory program could serve as a valuable piece of the puzzle in restoring inmates to be productive citizens for our community. Upon approval, BCLC launched its inmate GED tutoring in June 2012 to help prepare men and women to successfully pass the GED exam and to help secure jobs and other tools for success. Well-trained tutors have been welcomed at the Brunswick County Detention Center during the GED tutoring sessions most Tuesday afternoons from 1 to 3 pm, with hopes of extending to Wednesday or Thursday as additional tutors are secured. Currently, there are eight tutors working with the students, two on the women’s side and six on the men’s. Groups range in size from 6 to 10 for the women and 8 to 12 for the men.

BCLC introduced job readiness training for the female students, a program which helps them to not only build their resume but also their interview and job etiquette skills. In addition to the goal of helping student pass their GEDs, BCLC is fully committed to helping the inmates re-integrate into the community and reduce jail recidivism, also an important goal for the Sheriff and his staff.“ Both teams celebrate the numerous successes experienced during the life of the GED / job prep program. One student,

The First Tee of Brunswick County’s Scholarship Fund has been renamed The Harrison Taylor Scholarship Fund in memory of former participant Harrison Taylor. The two recipients of this scholarship for the 2016–17 academic year were Zack Flaccavento, who is in his junior year at Campbell University and is majoring in biology, and Jackson Pickard, who is a sophomore at the University of Mount Olive pursuing a degree in agriculture.

Both Zack and Jackson are past Ace level participants who still volunteer at Cinghiale Creek. The First Tee is extremely proud of both young men and know they will continue to be great ambassadors for the organization.

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What’s happened

Chamber Members Offer Food Pantry Donations

4. The group meets at McLeod Seacoast in the Auxiliary Room at 11:45 a.m. There is a $5 fee to cover the cost of food. Reservations are required.

On September 6 the McLeod Seacoast Angels luncheon featured Gastroenterologist Khaled Elraie, MD, of McLeod Gastroenterology Seacoast, who discussed women’s digestive health. There was also a presentation on What is Your Body Made Of by Registered Dietician Deanna Fisher.

During the month of July, members of Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce attending the weekly Business Connection meetings collected food for the Southport-Oak Island Area Food Pantry. The Food Pantry is at 249 W. Boiling Spring Road in Boiling Spring Lakes. Donations of nonperishable food items to the Southport-Oak Island Food Pantry are always needed.

Photography: Contributed

McLeod Seacoast Angels membership is open to anyone who is interested in becoming part of the group. Membership dues are a minimum of $100 annually and are tax-deductible. The annual membership dues are pooled and used to support the programs and services of the McLeod Health Foundation at McLeod Loris Seacoast. Each year the members of the McLeod Seacoast Angels vote on how the funds shall be utilized for the benefit of patients and families.

Photography: Contributed

Sunset Beach Paddle Fest Expands Festival Offerings

McLeod Seacoast Angels Kick off 2016–17 Season

The purpose of the McLeod Seacoast Angels is to provide networking and healthcare-related educational opportunities for women who support the McLeod Foundation and to develop women’s knowledge of the impact of philanthropy on healthcare. The Angels kicked off their 2016–17 season with a summer social. Attendees were able to meet current McLeod Seacoast Angel members, discover the power of women in philanthropy and to understand firsthand the tremendous difference the McLeod Seacoast Angels have been able to make in the lives of patients served at McLeod Loris Seacoast. The 30 ladies in attendance were also able to learn about the health topics for this year’s luncheons. The members of McLeod Seacoast Angels meet for lunch five times a year with an educational program being presented at each meeting. The meetings are on September 6, November 1, January 3, February 3 and April

The second annual Sunset Beach Paddle Fest came to the Sunset Beach Waterfront Park on September 24. This year’s paddleboard and kayak competitions included an elite 9.5mile course, a 5.5-mile open course and a 1.9-mile fun paddle.

New to the festival activities was a kayak and paddleboard fishing tournament with cash prizes. The family-friendly festival featured more than 50 artisans and vendors, children’s games and activities, as well as a pet costume contest and a pie-baking contest. A portion of contest proceeds benefited local charities, including Paws-Ability, Brunswick County Homeless Coalition and Sunset Beach Turtle Watch. Great food was available at this year’s festival, including seafood prepared by Twin Lakes Seafood Restaurant and Backstreet Café. The festival’s music was headlined by Randy McQuay Trio beginning with an opening performance by local favorite Ashton Stanley. This year’s island and beach theme inspired visitors to enter the Gilligan’s Island look-alike contest and limbo contest. The popular Craft Beer Garden served several craft beers from North Carolina’s Blind Squirrel Brewery.

Sunset Beach Business and Merchants Association sponsors this annual event.

Photography: Contributed

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What’s happened

4-H Youth Attends NCACC Youth Summit Alexis Apple from Brunswick County, daughter of Donald and Trisha Apple of Ash, attended the seventh annual North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Youth Summit, which was held in Winston Salem on August 12 and 13. North Carolina 4-H and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service partnered for the seventh year with the NCACC on a multi-year initiative to increase youth involvement in county government. This initiative aims to overcome the mindset that many youth are disengaged and lack trust in government. More than 63 counties were represented during this event, which is sponsored and supported by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.

Photography: Contributed

Oak Island Elks Lodge 2769’s Veterans Affairs Committee Donates Funds to American Legion Post 543’s Vet to Vet Program

On July 27 Richard H. Stewart Jr. American Legion Post 543 accepted a donation from the Oak Island Elks Lodge Veterans Affairs Committee. The Elks Veterans Affairs Committee holds various fundraisers throughout the year and donates the proceeds to eligible veterans groups and projects. Several members of Post 543 are also members of the Elks Lodge. One of them, Rob McKinley, former Chaplain of Post 543, is also on the Elk’s Lodge’s Veterans Affairs Committee and recommended

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Post 543’s Vet to Vet program as a worthy recipient for some of these funds. This recommendation was endorsed by the Veterans Affairs Committee and brought before the Lodge’s membership and was approved at a June meeting. Vet to Vet (V2V) is a new program at Brunswick Community College created by Post 543 to aid veterans with various problems, including PTSD. Photography: Contributed

Brunswick Family Assistance Agency Names New Executive Director Stephanie Bowen has been named as the executive director of Brunswick Family Assistance Agency, Inc. (BFA), a Shallotte-based nonprofit that provides emergency assistance and educational and skills-development programs. Bowen received a bachelor’s degree from the UNCW School of Social Work and joined BFA in August 2015 as a program manager, with responsibilities of volunteer coordination and for the administration of all direct assistance (rental and utilities), the food pantry and USDA commodities distribution. She is married to David Bowen and they have two children, ages 6 and 2. The Bowens live in Leland.

South Brunswick Islands Rotary Gives to Brunswick Community College Foundation Tom Adams, past president of the South Brunswick Island Rotary Club, recently presented a check for $2,280 from the club to the Brunswick Community College Foundation.

Accepting the check on behalf of the foundations was Elina Dicostanzo and Tyler Wittkofsky. The donation brings the South Brunswick Islands Rotary club’s total giving to the BCC Foundation to more than $36,000.

Photography: Contributed

What’s happened

Brunswick County Literacy Council Student Receives Scholarship from Shallotte Rotary Club Nancy Boston of the Shallotte Rotary Club presented Angela Boyd with a scholarship to attend the CNA program at the Brunswick County Community College. The Brunswick County Literacy Council asked for the Rotary’s help so that Boyd could further her education.

CuddleCot Donated to Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center

as nursing, college transfer, horticulture, engineering and welding. This year’s awards represent growth in the average amount awarded to each student from the last year by nearly $500. Such growth can be attributed to fundraising efforts of the BCCF board of directors and staff. Fundraisers in conjunction with Angelo’s Pizzeria and Bistro, the annual Community Luncheon and Women in Philanthropy were contributing factors to this growth.

Scholarship awards are scored based on GPA, financial need and essays. “The BCCF works hard year after year to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to receive an award,” says Program Coordinator for Community and Donor Relations Tyler Wittkofsky. “Every year we strive to give out more scholarships, award more students and

In September local families donated a CuddleCot to Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center. A CuddleCot is a cooling system for a Moses basket bassinet that allows families who have a stillborn baby or baby who dies shortly after birth to extend the amount of time they have to spend with their child, if they choose. The project was spearheaded

by Robin Hicken, whose son, Austin, was stillborn at Brunswick Medical Center. Hicken is now working to ensure that every hospital in North and South Carolina has a CuddleCot. She held a fundraiser, along with another family whose daughter was stillborn, to raise money for a CuddleCot for each of the facilities where their babies were born. “Our goal is to provide a CuddleCot for grieving parents,” Hicken said. “I don’t even remember holding my baby. I have no concept of the time I had to spend with him. If I had had a CuddleCot, it would have allowed me to get myself together after the fog of being in surgery, prepare myself and start the grieving process.”

BCCF Awards 2016–17 Scholarships Brunswick Community College Foundation (BCCF) recently awarded $197,021 in scholarships for the 2016–17 academic year, distributing a total of 180 scholarship awards to 66 students, who received an average of $2,985 each. Scholarships were distributed to students representing most of the courses of study at BCC, such

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What’s happened

continue to expand scholarships.” In 2015 and 2016, BCCF added five new scholarships, including the Faith Outreach Scholarship, the Operation Scholar Support Scholarship and Woodsong Porch and Art Stroll Scholarship. BCCF now manages 66 endowments totaling $3.3 million and 42 community scholarships, for a total of 108 scholarships.

Several members of the community are currently raising money to start additional endowments, so this amount will only rise in the future

4-H Teen Attends 2016 Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championship Rebekah Taylor, 17, daughter of Walter and Agnes Taylor of Southport, attended and competed at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships in Georgia on July 27 and 31. She was selected to represent North Carolina at this event by qualifying at the State 4-H Educational Contest on July 16 in Raleigh. This year’s Southern Regionals attracted more than 700 4-Hers from 13 different states. These youth competed in a variety of equinebased educational contests as well as a multi-event horse show.

Taylor is a Super Senior at Brunswick County Early College High School and a member and Teen Leader of Bits and Boots Horse and Livestock Club. She has been active in the 4-H program for six years.

Photography: Contributed

Hankins Speaks to the Knights of Columbus/ Sacred Heart Council 12537

to serve Brunswick, Bladen and Columbus counties. She now presides over varies courts, including Criminal and Domestic Violence Court. Judge Hankins conducts legal workshops in the local high schools explaining the laws, the consequences of breaking the law, effects of a criminal records and the criminal process. She serves as a mentor for young students who are interested in pursuing a degree in law by providing summer internships and serving as teen court judge. She is very active in her church and in her community. She is a recipient of N.C. Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service, 2011.

Photography: Contributed

Elks Host N.C. Association of Resource Officers The North Carolina Association of Resource Officers, an association of law enforcement officers assigned to schools across North Carolina, meets yearly for a conference for members to get recertified. This year the weeklong conference was held at the Sea Trail resort in Sunset Beach with approximately 450 officers attending. During the annual conference, the Elks of the High Point Lodge hosted a barbecue dinner for these officers and their families to thank them for their dedication and service. Working with the Calabash Elks Lodge, who donated the use of their facility, the High Point Elks prepared and served some 350 dinners on the evening of July 13.

According to Ed Roberson, a past state president of the North Carolina State Elks Association and member of the High Point Lodge, they have been hosting this dinner for the past 22 years.

The High Point Elks trailered their cooker down from High Point and started at 6 am cooking 200 lbs. of Boston butts in the parking lot of the Calabash Elks Lodge. The meal was enjoyed by all.

Photography: Contributed

Cape Fear Regional Jetport Brings out the Big Toys

Judge Pauline Hankins recently spoke to the Knights of Columbus/Sacred Heart Council 12537. Hankins is from Brunswick County and attended North Carolina State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. She then went to North Carolina Central School of Law, where she received her law degree. She then returned to her native county and practiced law for 18 years. She was elected District Court Judge on November 6, 2012, for a four-year term

Kiwanis Club of Southport/Oak Island held its eighth annual Big Toy Day on September 17 at Cape Fear Regional Jetport. Kids were able to learn about and climb on fire trucks, 18-wheelers, construction vehicles, speed boats, trucks, race cars, helicopters and more. A highlight was the free Young Eagle flights for children ages 8 to 17 offered by EAA Chapter 939. Additional offerings were camel and pony rides, a petting zoo, a climbing wall and lots of delicious food. The intent of Big Toy Day is to stimulate the minds of young boys and girls by allowing them to see, touch and experience something new as well as to foster a positive family experience. The proceeds from this event benefit the programs and scholarships provided by Kiwanis Club of Southport/Oak Island to the children of Brunswick County.

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Labor Day Surf-Off Local surfers showed off their skills and said goodbye to the summer season at the Labor Day Surf Off on Oak Island.

The fun began with a social on Friday night with live music at the shelter at Middleton Park. The contest began bright and early on Saturday, September 3 near the Ocean Crest Pier. Competition categories included boys and girls ages 10–12, boys 13–14, junior men 15–17, men’s 18–24, masters 25–35, senior men 36 and older, men’s longboard 17 and younger, and women’s longboard 18 and older. Also included this year were stand-up paddleboard races for youth ages 17 and younger as well as men and women ages 18 and older. All competitors received a T-shirt, and the first 100 to sign-up were given goody bags with an assortment of products. For more information or to find out about next year’s Surf Off, visit oakislandnc.com.

Photography: Barbara Sammons

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South Brunswick County Farmers Markets With farmers markets becoming more popular, people in this area enjoyed the many opportunities to buy fresh, local goods in convenient locations this summer. Markets in south Brunswick County offered plenty of colorful produce and artistic products. The markets listed below are over for the season, but you can look forward to them again in 2017.

Oak Island Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market • 2016 Dates: May 23 to September 5 • Soccer fields behind Town Hall • oakisland.recdesk.com Shallotte Farmers Market • 2016 Dates: May to September 10 • Mulberry Park, 123 Mulberry Street, Shallotte • townofshallotte.org/ Southport Waterfront Market • Sponsored by Downtown Southport, Inc. • 2016 Dates: May 4 to September 7 •F ort Johnston Garrison Lawn overlooking Cape Fear River • downtownsouthport.org/waterfront-market/ Sunset Beach Farmers Market • 2016 Dates: May 5 to October 27 • Sunset Beach Park, 206 Sunset Blvd. N, Sunset Beach • sunsetbeachmarket.com Photography: Barbara Sammons

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4-H TiLT Youth Volunteers Teach Summer Workshops For six years the Brunswick County 4-H Teens in Leadership Training (TiLT) youth volunteers have been working during their free time to plan, prepare and execute learning experiences for Brunswick County’s youth. This year’s youth volunteers focused on preparing a two-hour summer educational program for Communities in Schools/ Brunswick County Parks and Recreation field trips to the N.C. Cooperative Extension office. 4-H TiLT youth volunteers, also referred to as TRY, reached more than 125 youth ages 5 to 12 and approximately 50 adults and youth older than 12.

In June, nine 4-H TiLT youth volunteers taught an Envirotour, in which youth learned about erosion and blue crabs, made seed-bombs, experienced the Enviroscape model and participated in a nature-hunt in the Brunswick County Cooperative Extension Botanical Gardens. In July, eight TiLT volunteers taught field trip campers Health Rocks and Less Stress. Health Rocks is a healthy lifestyle choices program that offers hands-on lessons in decision-making, self-efficacy, critical thinking and stress management to aid youth in

avoiding unhealthy choices such as drugs, alcohol or tobacco.

Brunswick County Parks and Recreation/Communities in Schools campers learned what causes stress, how to determine if you are stressed and ways to prevent/manage stress. This included lessons in yoga and healthy eating.

Later in July, 11 4-H TiLT youth volunteers taught Speedway to Healthy, which is a 1,200-square-foot body-walk exhibit designed to teach children how the food they eat affects their bodies. Children explored 11 pit stops providing interactive learning on nutrition and health. Bolivia Elementary School opened its gym for this exhibit.

Photography: Contributed

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Causes for Celebration at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center is celebrating two major milestones this year: its 10th anniversary since joining Novant Health and its fifth anniversary in its current facility.

Since joining Novant Health in 2006, Brunswick Medical Center has added a variety of new programs and services, including da Vinci robotic surgery, outpatient infusion and IV therapies, speech therapy, mobile mammography, teleneurology and telepsychiatry, lung CT screening, palliative care and wound care. When Brunswick Medical Center moved from Supply to Bolivia in 2011, it was into a facility that includes 74 beds, four operating rooms and one C-section room, a 24-hour emergency department and a wide range of services, including surgery, imaging, laboratory, cardiac rehabilitation, physical therapy, speech therapy, respiratory and pharmacy. Novant Health has also added a medical office building next to Brunswick Medical Center, opened the Novant Health South Brunswick Medical Plaza in Carolina Shores, and added a second endoscopy suite as well as a procedure room at the hospital.

“Ten years ago, we promised the Brunswick County community that we would bring them remarkable health care,” says Shelbourn Stevens, president of Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center. “The achievements we have been able to make show we are doing that. In response, the community has continually shown support by trusting us with their health-care needs.”

The medical group has grown rapidly to meet the needs of the community, increasing clinic locations from two in 2006 to 20 today. The medical group now has 33 physicians and 22 advanced practitioners.

Novant Health team members, providers and volunteers have grown significantly since Brunswick Medical Center joined the health system.

• The number of medical center employees has increased 48 percent, from 366 in 2006 to 540 in 2016.

• The number of medical group employees has grown 933 percent, from 18 in 2006 to 186 in 2016.

• The number of medical staff has increased 157 percent, from 113 in 2006 to 291 in 2016.

• The number of volunteers has increased 195 percent, from 58 in 2006 to 171 in 2016.

And since 2006, more patients have chosen to stay local in Brunswick County for their health-care needs.

• The average daily census at Brunswick Medical Center has grown 32 percent, from 34 in 2006 to 45 in 2015.

• The number of surgeries has increased 89 percent, from 2,312 in 2006 to 4,363 in 2015.

• The number of emergency visits has grown 79 percent, from 17,598 in 2006 to 31,550 in 2015.

• The number of births has increased 92 percent, from 243 in 2006 to 466 in 2015.

Brunswick Medical Center has been recognized with awards and accolades in recent years, including The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval; 2014 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures from the Joint Commission for heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, venous thromboembolism, stroke, perinatal care and immunizations; American Heart Association Get with the Guidelines gold awards for stroke and heart failure; and the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Excellence in Business Award for 2016.

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Big Toy Day For the last seven years Big Toy Day has been a big success, and this year’s eighth annual event was no different. On September 17 the Kiwanis Club of Southport/Oak Island held its family-friendly fun day at Cape Fear Regional Jetport. Kids had a chance to climb on fire trucks, rescue vehicles, 18-wheelers, construction vehicles, speed boats, trucks, race cars, helicopters and more and to talk with the people who operate these “big toys.” For some, the best part of the day was the free Young Eagle flights, offered by EAA Chapter 939 for children ages 8 to 17. Everyone also enjoyed a petting zoo, camel and pony rides, and food from a variety of vendors. The event benefits the Kiwanis Club of Southport/Oak Island, which in turn contributes to local nonprofit organizations.

Learn more at southport-oakisland-kiwanis.org Photography: Barbara Sammons

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Closer than you think!

A cozy oasis unlike anything else on the NC coast.

Set oceanfront surrounded by palm gardens, banana trees and hibiscus flowers. Offering a variety of accommodations to suit every need for vacations, weddings, honeymoons and golf.

Relax and rejuvenate the senses as you experience a wealth of free amenities and family fun.

A beach-side ambience that is truly t unforgettable

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South Brunswick Magazine

Who will be next year’s

The choice is yours NOMINATE Nominate a young professional you know for this year’s Future 10!

DEADLINE

MORE INFO

Deadline for nominations is July 31, 2017.

Call 910.754.6644 or visit BrunswickCountyChamber.org and click on Future 10 banner.

www.BrunswickCountyChamber.org SouthBrunswickMagazine.com/future10

A partnership between the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce and South Brunswick Magazine.

Fall 2016

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BRUNSWICK COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Visit us at www.brunswickcountychamber.org to learn more about the benefits of membership today!

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South Brunswick Magazine

Advertisers Index

Advertiser

Phone# Page#

Allstate – R&R Insurance Services, Inc...................910-754-6596 14

Advertiser

Phone# Page#

Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes and Fries.............................910-371-6700 110

Angelo’s Pizzeria and Bistro...........................................910-754-2334 109

In Touch CranioSacral.........................................................910-612-6618 14

Arbor Landing at Ocean Isle..........................................910-754-8080 6

Island Breeze.............................................................................910-579-4125 13

Art Catering & Events.........................................................910-755-6642 46

Island Classic Interiors........................................................910-579-8477 102

Austin Oral Surgery.............................................................910-769-1605 109

Islands Art and Books.........................................................910-579-7757 106

Bill Clark Homes......................................................................910-575-2933 17

J&K Home Furnishings.....................................................843-249-1882

Blue Heron Gallery................................................................910-575-5088 104

Josh London, State Farm Agent.................................910-383-1303 97

BlueWave Dentistry.............................................................910-383-2615 38

Kristin Dowdy, State Farm Agent..............................910-754-9923 97

Body Edge Fitness Solutions.........................................910-575-0975 109

Logan Homes...........................................................................800-761-4707 106

Boundary House.....................................................................910-579-8888 9

Luxe Home Interiors............................................................910-371-0464 104

26, 27

Boutique Around the Corner........................................910-575-7605 98

McLeod Seacoast..................................................................843-390-8320 25

Braddock Built Renovations...........................................910-754-9635 100

Ocean Isle Beach Helicopter Tours...........................910-575-7575 46

Brick Landing Plantation...................................................910-754-2745 8

New Hanover Regional Medical Center................910-667-8110 BC

Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce......910-754-6644 112

NHRMC Physicians Group New Hanover Medical Group........................................910-254-1033 12

Brunswick County Dept. of Social Services.......910-253-2112 102 Brunswick County Habitat for Humanity.............910-454-0002 102

Novant Health...........................................................................910-579-8363

Brunswick Forest...................................................................866-765-9326 15

Ocean Isle Family Dentistry............................................910-579-6999 104

4, 34

Brunswick Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery..........910-269-2420 93

Permanent Makeup by Theresa.................................910-232-1001 100

Callahan’s of Calabash.........................................................800-344-3816 94

Point Break Surf & Skate..................................................910-363-4096

Cape Fear National at Brunswick Forest..............888-342-3622 45

Pope Real Estate.....................................................................910-619-7673 106

Carolinas Oral and Facial Surgery.............................910-762-2618 102

Providence Home - Sheltered Treasures............910-457-0440 100

Clark’s Seafood and Chop House...............................843-399-8888 19

Purple Onion Café.................................................................910-755-6071 46

89, 98

Coastal Horizons Center, Inc..........................................910-202-0843 96

RJB Tax Associates..............................................................910-338-3001 88

Coastal Insurance...................................................................910-754-4326 57

Sea Island Trading Co..........................................................843-273-0248 20

50, 51

Seaside United Methodist Church............................910-579-5753 98

Coastal Carolina Pediatric Dentistry........................910-794-2266 46

Shallotte Insurance Services, Inc...............................910-754-8161 90

Columbus Regional Healthcare System...............910-640-4070 24

Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q.................................910-754-5522 IFC

CommWell Health..................................................................877-935-5255 110

Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber.....................800-457-6964 88

Coastal Integrative Health...............................................910-755-5400

Deep Point Marina.................................................................910-269-2380 100

Team Highland.........................................................................910-485-6738 85

Dosher Memorial Hospital..............................................910-454-1234 IBC

Tides at Calabash...................................................................866-393-8171 90

Douglas Diamond Jewelers..........................................910-755-5546 3

Time 2 Remember Photography...............................910-253-7428 90

EmergeOrtho...........................................................................910-332-3800 5

Trusst Builder Group...........................................................910-371-0304 28

Farm Bureau Insurance.....................................................910-754-8175 52

Twin Lakes Seafood.............................................................910-579-6373 13

Floor Coverings International.......................................910-575-5248 7

U.S. Cellular – EZ Wireless...............................................910-383-0021 83

Foster Insurance.....................................................................910-755-5100 113

University of North Carolina at Wilmington......910-962-3000 11

Genie Leigh Photography................................................910-470-0456 88

Winds Resort Beach Club................................................800-334-3581 110

Making Insurance Affordable & Available Sarah Foster • 910-755-5100

FosterInsAgency.com Fall 2016

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Capture the moment

Photo Captured By Jason Disbrow

Have you captured the moment? If so, email your photos to capture@southbrunswickmagazine.com.

If we choose your photo to be published on this page, you will win $25.

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South Brunswick Magazine

Welcome to the new Dosher Wellness Center With the addition of this modern health and wellness complex, we’ve expanded our network of care for the residents of Brunswick County.

Our new health center offers a breadth of services ranging from family medicine to the latest in cardiac rehabilitation. And like all our clinics, everyone is welcome.

At the new Dosher Wellness Center, you’ll find a variety of services:

PRIMARY CARE

Board-certified family medicine physicians Dr. Kristos Vaughan and Dr. Leigh Vaughan have relocated from Dosher Medical-Long Beach Road.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Satellite physical therapy services are available.

CARDIAC REHAB

We’ve expanded our state-of-the art services and nearly doubled in size.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

These include satellite X-ray services, an indoor walking track for cardiac rehab and physical therapy patients, and soon, a cardiology physician practice.

3009 Medical Plaza Ln., Southport | 910-454-1234

To learn more about the new Dosher Wellness Center, visit Dosher.org/Clinics Fall 2016

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Because You Matter

What matters to you, matters to us. The results of this commitment have been recognized by the Women’s Choice Award for Patient Experience. Because when you come to us for care, you get more than excellent medical treatment, you get a team that listens and respects what’s important to you. Because you matter.

Find out more at nhrmc.org.