South Brunswick Magazine - Spring 2024

CALABASH’S GOLF GEM

25 YEARS OF SHOPPING WITH J. HUFFMAN

THE TIKI BAR IS OPEN OIB’S TOWN CENTER PARK +

GO BIG! WITH GRILLED WHOLE RED SNAPPER WITH MEDITERRANEAN SALSA

Experience Coastal Living with Hawthorne

1045

1045

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Way Oak Island, NC 28461 (910) 807-7910

Oak Island, NC 28461 (910) 807-7910

Way Oak Island, NC 28461 (910) 807-7910

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HawthorneAtPineForest.com

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436 Hawthorne

436 Hawthorne Loop Rd. Leland, NC 28451 (910) 807-7817

436 Hawthorne Loop

Leland, NC 28451 (910) 807-7817

Leland, NC 28451 (910) 807-7817

HawthorneAtLeland.com

HawthorneAtLeland.com

HawthorneAtLeland.com

Leland, NC 28451 (910) 400-0359

NC 28451 (910) 400-0359

Leland, NC 28451 (910) 400-0359

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VOTED # 1 GYM IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY

76 COMMITMENT, TIME & TEAMWORK

Brunswick Schools Superintendent Dale Cole is on a mission to connect with students, teachers, principals, staff, parents and the community.

DEPARTMENTS

37 SPIRITS

Ginger Wine Cooler

38 W HAT’S COOKIN’ WITH SOUTHERN SANDI

Grilled Whole Red Snapper with Mediterranean Salsa

41 TEE TIME WITH LARRY

Calabash-based Meadowlands Golf Club is a challenging yet rewarding highlight of golf in Brunswick County.

41

53 SHOPPING

J. Huffman, encompassing women’s clothing, accessories, gifts and home decor, is nearing its 25th year of making Sunset Beach shoppers happy.

59 SPORTS

Exploring the natural beauty of the Carolina coast by kayak offers a serene aquatic adventure.

65 WHAT’S NEW

The Town of Ocean Isle Beach completes Phase Two of renovations to Town Center Park and sets its sights on the future.

71 BEHIND THE BUSINESS

For Sheila Smeltzer, owner of A+ Pro Services, success is finding the best employees and providing the best customer service.

83 HEALTHCARE

Upon retiring from Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, Gaye Taylor reflects on her 56-year career in nursing.

92

IN EVERY ISSUE

16 PUBLISHER’S NOTE

18 CONTRIBUTORS

22 WHAT’S HAPPENED

30 WHAT’S HAPPENING

33 A CROSS THE COUNTY

34 ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

88 FACES & PLACES

92 SNIPPETS

96 TIDE CHART

97 ADVERTISERS INDEX

98 CAPTURE THE MOMENT

PHOTO BY MATT MCGRAW

46 T HANK GOD THE TIKI BAR IS OPEN Captain Jeremy Timco takes patrons on a tropical ride to remember as they cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway with Cruisin’ Tikis at Holden Beach.

PHOTO BY JEREMY TIMCO

PHOTO BY MATT MCGRAW CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Spring 2024 | Volume 15, Issue 3

OWNER/PUBLISHER:

Justin Williams

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER:

Sandi Grigg

COPY EDITOR:

Molly Harrison

CONTRIBUTING GRAPHICS:

Teresa Kramer S amantha Lowe

Eliza Dale Niemann

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Brian Wilner

MARKETING INTERN:

Sophie Lesanek

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Megan Deitz H ilary Halliwell

Jo Ann Mathews K ahuna Photo & Media

M att McGraw Theresa Ravencraft

Bill Ritenour Tara Roberts

Z eb Starnes James Stefiuk

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

S andi Grigg L arry Hershoff

Jo Ann Mathews Theresa Ravencraft A nnesophia Richards Melissa Slaven Warren

clothing | accessories | gifts

About the cover:

Photographer James Stefiuk

captured our cover image of grilled red snapper prepared by our food editor (and CFO) Sandi Grigg.

Reader/Advertising Services

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Letters

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.

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Marketing Services

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us online at the above website. With any additional questions, call us at

My Intracoastal agent was awesome to work with. She was fully engaged in finding the best home for me. When we did find my perfect new home, she ensured that selling my current house was an easy process. She worked to get it listed as soon as possible with excellent pictures taken by a professional photographer. Once both homes were under contract, she always kept me informed of next steps and served as my liaison throughout the entire process. I can’t express my appreciation enough for how well I was taken care of, even after the closing!!

~ Jan H.

OVER 3600 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS

IntracoastalRealty/Testimonials

Welcome Spring!

WWell, it’s officially getting to be that time of year — the season, as opposed to the off-season. For many locals, the coming of the tourist season is bittersweet. Yes, the cold weather is on its way out, but with the warmer weather comes the end of the quiet life on the islands. And while the locals will probably gripe about the increase in traffic, it’s a given that everyone around here is definitely welcoming to all the visitors who will be coming to Brunswick County for the next several months.

I personally enjoy all the seasons here on the Carolina coast. I certainly cannot complain about the winter in this community as there is always something to do to keep our minds off the cold. Quite a bit has taken place around here over the last few months, including Bella Italia, a fundraiser for the Foundation of Brunswick Community College; the sixth-year anniversary party at Makai Brewing; Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce Business Expo at the newly revamped Sea Trail Conference Center; Ozzy’s Oyster Roast; Diamonds & Denim Charity Ball to benefit the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Foundation; and so many environmentally focused programs at the Museum of Coastal Carolina.

If you need more reasons to love Brunswick County and its surrounding communities, keep reading. In this spring issue of South Brunswick Magazine , you are going to read about fun things to do outside, like golfing at Meadowlands, kayaking along the coast and sipping drinks on a

floating tiki bar. Plus you’ll learn about the updates at Town Center Park in Ocean Isle Beach. As always, we introduce you to some of the cool people around town, and Sandi Grigg and Theresa Ravencraft share some great food and drink recipes.

Thank you for reading our magazine. We certainly enjoy putting it together for you to read, and we appreciate the support of our advertisers and readers.

Here’s to spring!

Justin Williams Owner/Publisher Publisher@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com

justinw13

PHOTO BY MEGAN DEITZ

Introducing

Vishavpreet (Ricky) Singh, MD

Total Joint Replacement & Reconstruction Fellowship Trained in Joint Replacement

As a board-eligible and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Singh provides comprehensive care for patients with various hip and knee conditions and injuries, including, but not limited to: hip replacement, robotic hip replacement, and total knee replacement. The recipient of numerous awards and honors for academics and humanitarian work, Dr. Singh has contributed to many research projects, been widely published in peer-reviewed publications, and presented at many local and national meetings.

SPECIALTIES

Sandi Grigg — Southern Sandi CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & FOOD EDITOR

Growing up in a small town in the foothills of North Carolina and attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I always dreamed of working for a company that valued my contributions, tenacity and loyalty. I earned my degree in marketing/branding and started to build a life with my spouse and son. Together, we enjoy fishing, attending live music events and spending time on the water. At home I love to cook and write recipes, take on DIY home improvement endeavors and gardening. Being a part of the Carolina Marketing Company team has showed me that you really can enjoy your job, and we feel like a family. I am truly grateful to have a career I love.

Hilary Halliwell

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER & WRITER

I have more than 20 years of experience as a photographer, writer and editor. I hold an MA in education from Salisbury University and an MFA in fine art and commercial photography from Montclair State University. My work has been showcased in various print and online publications. I also founded and served as managing editor of Salisbury University’s Research Magazine. Before relocating to North Carolina in 2019, I developed training materials, created marketing content edited textbooks and academic publications, and taught writing at Rutgers University. I am inspired by the people, places and natural beauty of coastal North Carolina and South Carolina.

Larry Hershoff — Tee Time With Larry CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I am an expert bogey-maker who has been suffering through the game of golf since 1987. I got the nerve to write about it starting in 2017, and my work has been published in various periodicals. I grew up in the Northeast and worked in the financial services industry and as a lecturer in finance at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. In 2012 I escaped Rhode Island for the Valhalla of Sunset Beach, where I live at Sea Trail with my wife, Eleanor, and cat, Rosie. I am or have been treasurer of the Sea Trail Men’s Golf Association, the First Tee-Coastal Carolinas and other charitable and civic associations. In my spare time, I play bridge, fish and perform as the lead male singer for Chip and the Old Blocks, a classic rock group.

Maria’s Pizzeria Supports BCC Culinary Program

Maria’s Pizzeria in Ocean Isle Beach recently hosted a five-course meal paired with fine wines to raise funds and showcase the talents of the Brunswick Community College (BCC) Culinary Program graduates. Attendees dined on delicacies prepared by Jose Velazquez, head chef at Maria’s Pizzeria; Karla Teran Jimenez, chef at Maria’s; Kolby Carpenter, head pizza chef at Maria’s; and Michael Stewart, head chef at Sorella’s Pizza & Pasta in Holden Beach. The success of the fundraiser underscores the strong community support for culinary education and the commitment of local businesses like Maria’s Pizzeria to invest in the future of the culinary industry. The Foundation of BCC will distribute all event proceeds in support of future culinary students.

Women in Philanthropy and Leadership Reunites

Women in Philanthropy and Leadership of Brunswick County (WPLB) recently reconvened for its first dinner in nearly three years. Existing and new members attended, bringing along friends interested in learning more. WPLB supports and helps shape future leaders through education, mentoring, fundraising and advocacy. The evening’s program included remarks from BCC President Gene Smith, Teresa Nelson and Foundation Board Vice President Ann Landis. Guests also heard from BCC Student Ambassadors Dimitry Williamson and Terissa Jordan.

Sons of American Legion Squadron 508 Supports BCC Nursing and Veteran Students

In continued support of Brunswick Community College (BCC) students, Michael Mahoney of the Sons of American Legion Squadron 503 in Calabash presented two checks for

$1,000 each to BCC President Gene Smith and The Foundation of BCC Executive Director Teresa Nelson. One donation will provide scholarships to nursing students. The second donation will help fund work-study opportunities for student veterans as part of the Partnership for American Veterans Employment Project, or PAVE. This program is of tremendous help as veterans transition from the military to college and civilian life.

Lynes Family Donates $10,000 for Student Scholarships

Longtime supporters Daniel and Linda Lynes recently visited The Foundation of Brunswick Community College (BCC) with the gift of $10,000 toward an endowed scholarship established in their name. Since 2009, the Lynes family has donated more than $350,000, helping countless students achieve their dreams.

As part of the Lynes’ visit to BCC, they caught up with two students they helped, Alexa Evans and Victoria Howard.

Calabash Elks Supports Angel Tree

The Calabash Elks Lodge supported 74 children in the Angel Tree program. Fifty bags full of presents were picked up at the Lodge for students at Waccamaw Elementary School, while another 24 were delivered to Union Elementary School. Accepting the gifts from Santa (Lodge Member Mark Kerr) was Waccamaw School Secretary Robin Beane.

Pictured include left to right are Foundation Executive Director Teresa Nelson, Alexa Evans, Victoria Howard, Linda Lynes, Daniel Lynes and BCC President Gene Smith.

VFW Calabash Post 7288 Leads Brunswick County in Toys for Tots Drive

The VFW Calabash Post 7288 presented a check for $1,000 to The U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Post commander Mike Dichiara, Auxiliary President Wayne Weszka and Quartermaster Jackie Ness presented checks to Rich Dye and Bob Krut of Brunswick Plantation’s Be an Angel Committee, on behalf of Robin Sadle, Toys for Tots Regional Director for Brunswick County. In addition to the generous donation from VFW Calabash Post 7288, individual VFW and Auxiliary members donated nearly 200 toys. Toys for Tots noted that VFW Calabash Post 7288 contribution made the VFW a record-breaking leader in Brunswick County.

Ribbon Cutting for Dark Raven

On January 11 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce assisted Dark Raven with a ribbon-cutting celebration. Dark Raven is a new shop selling board games, trading cards, gaming apparel and collectibles. They are located at 5041-2 Main Street in Shallotte.

Sunset River Gallery Presents Girl Power

Sunset River Gallery in Calabash presented Girl Power, a juried exhibit of multiple media, from February 10 through March 16. The show strived to explore the multifaceted dimensions of what it means to identify as a woman in today’s world. Delving into themes that include motherhood, stereotype, self-worth, strength, defiance and struggle, participating artists presented a broad range of interpretation. More than 50 artists working in a broad range of media entered 80+ works of art.

FOCUS Broadband Employees Donate 400 Children’s Books to Smart Start of Brunswick County

FOCUS Broadband’s employees recently donated 400 children’s books to Smart Start of Brunswick County for their monthly play groups and their Little Free Libraries located across Brunswick County. The cooperative held the employee book drive in late February and collected children’s books over the week leading up to Read Across America Day. Smart Start of Brunswick County works to ensure that all children, from birth through the age of 5-years-old, are happy, healthy and ready for kindergarten.

Calabash Elks Lodge Makes Valuable Donations

Calabash Lodge Veterans Affairs Committee recently made a $1,000 donation to the Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Veteran Services. They also donated an allterrain beach handicap wheelchair to the Town of Sunset Beach for residents and visitors to reserve for use on the beach by going to Town Hall. Additionally, they made a $1,000 donation to the STARS program of Seaside Methodist Church, a summer literacy program designed to improve early childhood literacy in 2nd and 3rd grade students in rural communities.

Calabash Elks Lodge Supports BCC Veteran Students

The Veterans Affairs Committee of Calabash Elks Lodge 2679 marked the beginning of the new year with a generous $2,000 donation to The Foundation of Brunswick Community College. The funds will bolster the Partnership for American Veterans Employment (PAVE) Program to help veteran students gain the skills and education needed to succeed. The PAVE Program supports an institutional work-study initiative for veterans that enables them to gain employment while attending school. PAVE bridges the gap between what the GI Bill provides and the total cost, including living expenses, of pursuing their education.

FOCUS Broadband Supports United Way of the Cape Fear Area

Each year FOCUS Broadband donates to United Way of the Cape Fear Area to help fund programs that will benefit residents in need. This year, FOCUS Broadband’s Board of Directors and employees raised approximately $16,461 to support United Way through the cooperative’s annual giving campaign. The funds raised during the 2023-2024 campaign will be dispersed in 2024 for a wide range of community,

health, human services and educational needs in our region. Since the cooperative’s first United Way campaign, FOCUS Broadband and its employees have contributed more than $465,000 to United Way.

VFW Calabash Post 7288 Presents Scholarship Award to JROTC

On January 8 officers and members of VFW Calabash Post 7288 and its Auxiliary went to West Brunswick High school to present a check to be used toward the third annual scholarship for the West Brunswick High School JROTC Program. The VFW Calabash Post 7288 has fostered a relationship with Colonel Joseph Calisto, a veteran with a distinguished 24 year army career, who serves as the West Brunswick High School JROTC instructor. Last year’s $5,000 award was split between two winners, one attending N.C. State and the other attending East Carolina University. This year’s scholarship is expected to exceed the 2023 award amount as the post pursues additional charitable funding.

Ann Landis Sworn in as BCC Trustee

Brunswick Community College (BCC) has welcomed Ann Hutchens Landis to its Board of Trustees. Landis officially joined the board after being sworn in by Chair Alan Holden at the board’s January meeting. Landis was appointed for this role by the Board of County Commissioners. Landis moved to Brunswick County in 2000 and finished her 30-year career in education, serving as teacher and administrator in Wilkes County Schools and as consultant for N.C. Department of Public Instruction, providing staff development for 23 school systems. In addition to her work as an educator, Landis gives back to her community in many ways, including her most recent role as The Foundation of BCC Board Vice President. Other roles include Holden Beach Chapel Trustee Secretary, Nominating Committee Chair and Holden Beach Chapel Trustees Past President. She is involved with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) at multiple levels.

BCC Foundation Hosts 8th Annual Bella Italia

At the Brunswick Community College (BCC) Bella Italia event, more than 235 people demonstrated a love for and commitment to helping BCC students succeed. Presented by Dinah E. Gore and Myong & Paul Jensen, the event was held on February 3 at St. James Community Center and featured culinary delights perfectly paired with Italian wines. All event proceeds benefit student scholarship support. Dr. Gene Smith, BCC president, and Mike Forte, Brunswick County commissioner and Foundation Board of Directors member, officiated the event. One of the evening’s highlights was hearing from four foundation scholarship recipients: Lucas Merriam, Miley Ritchie, Terissa Jordan and Dimitry Williamson. Dessert, a live auction and several raffles rounded out the evening.

VFW Names Teacher of the Year

VFW Calabash Post 7288 presented its teacher of the year award to Jennifer Cheers at Shallotte Middle School. Each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars selects elementary, middle and high school teachers to participate in the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher program. Teachers who promote civic responsibility, flag etiquette and patriotism are prime candidates for this award. In addition to being named the teacher of the year locally, Cheers placed second on the district level.

LAMB Foundation Boosts BIP with Generous Donation

Brunswick Interagency Program (BIP) recently received a significant contribution from the LAMB Foundation of North Carolina. Skip Dull, LAMB director for Our Lady of the Rosary Council 9039 in Sunset Beach, presented a generous $5,000 donation to the Foundation of Brunswick Community

College (BCC) to support BIP’s initiatives. BIP empowers adults diagnosed with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Its core objective is to facilitate students’ holistic development, fostering independence and active community participation. The program offers adult basic education, supported employment, job coaching and day support. The LAMB Foundation is a distinguished 501(c)3 nonprofit charity committed exclusively to aiding individuals with intellectual disabilities across North Carolina.

Ten Students Complete Safe Plates Class

Ten participants from the March Safe Plates class successfully received their Food Safety Manager Certification. This class was held in cooperation with the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce. This comprehensive course is appropriate for food service managers and supervisory staff in restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, childcare facilities and other food-handling establishments.

Christian Recovery Center Opens in Shallotte

The grand opening of Christian Recovery Center’s Shallotte Campus was celebrated on March 23. Their revitalized 23,000-square-foot center will support up to 102 men on their recovery journeys. Attendees enjoyed a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live music, tours, fun, food and fellowship.

Brunswick County Intercultural Festival Offers Foreign Studies Scholarships

Thanks to Brunswick County Intercultural Festival (BCIF) Foreign Studies Scholarship, a group of bright minds from Brunswick Community College (BCC) — Abigail Fluharty, Marissa Gainey, Sarah Flack and Samantha Becker — are set to embark on an enriching journey through Europe as part of the college’s Study Abroad program. Their itinerary includes immersive experiences in Germany (Munich, Dachau), Italy (Venice, Milan) and Switzerland (Zurich). Mari-Lou WongChong, chair of BCIF, along with Teresa Nelson, executive director of BCC Foundation, and Instructor Heather Crisco, had the pleasure of meeting with the scholarship recipients to learn more about their backgrounds and aspirations for the upcoming journey.

Makai Brewing Celebrates Six Years

Makai Brewing Company celebrated its sixth year on February 4. Music was provided by Jared Micheal Cline and Lockwood River Band with food offered by Lobster Dogs and Smash N Dash food trucks.

CONTRIBUTED

WHAT'S HAPPENING

One Love Market Spring Markets

April 6, 14 & 20, May 4 & 18, June 1

The One Love Market Spring Markets will feature local artisans, creators, bakers and growers from 10 am to 2 pm. Proceeds from all One Love Markets benefit local nonprofits for humans and animals.

Information: onelovemarketnc.com

Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce Annual Chairman’s Gala

April 18

Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Chairman’s Gala recognizes chamber member businesses that have put forth outstanding efforts in their work and in their community. They also recognize this year’s Future 10. The gala will take place on Thursday, April 18 at The Isles Restaurant in Ocean Isle Beach.

Information: brunswickcountychamber.org/ chairmans-awards-gala

Ocean Isle Museum Foundation Beach Ball

April 18

Ocean Isle Museum Foundation’s (OIMF) second annual Beach Ball is scheduled for Thursday, April 18 at the Seabreeze Restaurant + Bar at Brick Landing. Event proceeds will support the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium. The Beach Ball will include dinner, drinks, socializing and speakers who inspire curiosity across generations, including EarthEcho Youth Engagement Coordinator Tori Hunt and Brunswick County Schools Career Ready Coordinator Dr. Daniel Richardson. There will also be the 2024 Coastal Caretaker Award presentation. Organizations and individuals are invited to sponsor this event. Depending on sponsorship level, event sponsors may be eligible to receive public acknowledgment at the event and in OIMF press releases, social media and e-newsletter communications; a table of eight; Star Society membership; and other benefits.

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

Earth Day/Arbor Day

April 19

The Mayor and Town Council of Sunset Beach have proclaimed a local celebration of both Earth Day and Arbor Day on Friday, April 19 with the theme Commitment to Our Environment. The event will be held in Sunset Beach Town Park, located beside the Intracoastal Waterway at 206 Sunset Boulevard N. in Sunset Beach, from 10 am until 2 pm. The town’s Environmental Resource Committee has invited many environmentally conscientious organizations to participate in this celebration by promoting their programs, raising community awareness of best practices as well as recruiting volunteers and donors. Visitors will have a chance to participate in a plant giveaway as well as engage in discussions about protecting the unique flora and fauna of Sunset Beach and strengthening its hurricane resilience.

Information: (910) 579-6297, sunsetbeachnc.gov

2024

Spring Plant Sale

Ocean Isle Museum Foundation Beach Ball

Ocean Isle Beach Summer Markets

WHAT'S HAPPENING

A Night for the Museum …

All that Jazz

April 26

On Friday, April 26 the Friends of the N.C. Maritime Museum at Southport will host its third annual A Night for the Museum… All that Jazz! This popular annual event will feature a night of special jazz tunes, heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts, wine/ beer/complimentary cocktails, dancing and live and silent auctions. The business community has once again shown major generosity through its fabulous auction donations, from a golf day at Bald Head Island to beautiful jewelry to a trip to Cancun. The event costs $75 per person/$150 per couple. It will be held from 6 to 9 pm at the Southport Community Building. Sponsorships are available. Every dollar donated or collected will go to support the N.C. Maritime Museum at Southport and its upcoming exhibits and programs. The museum’s recently launched Fishing Exhibit is an example of how the funds raised can support the museum.

Information: (910) 477-5152, ncmaritimemuseums.com

OKI Beach Preservation Wine Tasting and Auction Fundraiser

April 27

Oak Island Beach Preservation Society, Inc is holding its 22nd annual Wine Tasting and Auction Fundraiser at 801 Ocean Venue on Saturday, April 27 from 2 to 5 pm. Enjoy wines and hors d’oeuvres from local vendors and bid on a variety of silent auction items.

Information: facebook.com/ oakislandbeachpreservationsociety

Bluegrass By The Beach

April 27

Bluegrass By The Beach is a fundraising concert to support Supply Demand Internship. It will be held at the Sunset Beach Fishing Pier from 3 to 7 pm. This internship program was started by Full Spectrum Design Firm and Full Spectrum Builders to address the need for trade skill workers including all aspects of construction, plumbing, electrical, 3D model design, blueprint design and more. Award-winning bluegrass artist Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys,

along with other local bluegrass musicians, will perform and there will be food trucks, Makai Brewery beers and more.

Information: (910) 754-4252; Bluegrass by the Beach on Facebook and eventbrite

Spring Plant Sale

May 3

The Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer Association of Brunswick County will hold its 2024 Spring Plant Sale on Friday, May 3 from 9am to noon (or sell out) at the Botanical Garden greenhouse area located behind Building N at 25 Referendum Drive, Bolivia.

The sale will feature an assortment of blooming shrubs, perennials and annuals that thrive in North Carolina’s coastal climate. Names of the plants with photos of some new offerings will be posted in the coming months.

While at the sale, please allow time to visit the Botanical Demonstration Garden just across the road where docents will be available to answer your questions. Throughout the gardens you will see name tags with botanical and common names of the various specimens. These tags also contain QR codes that link to the Plant Toolbox maintained by NC State University. Just hold your phone’s camera over the code and a link to the plant’s description should pop up.

Information: bcmgva.org

Sunset Beach Summer Market

Thursdays, May 7 to September 27

This year the weekly Sunset Beach Summer Market will move from the Sunset Beach Town Park to Silver Coast Winery, 6880 Barbeque Road in Ocean Isle Beach. Visit the market at the new location with plenty of parking. This is the same market that’s been a local favorite for eight years with beautiful jewelry, pottery, woodcraft and much more.

Information: thepuremarkets.com

Ocean Isle Beach Summer Markets

Tuesdays, June 4 to August 27

Check out this wonderful market for fun, food, and unique products.

This market was created to provide local growers and artisans a venue to sell their goods to customers, encourage the use of local farm products and locally prepared foods, and enhance the quality of life in our communities by providing social gathering and interaction. It takes place at Town Center Park located at 11 E Second Street in Ocean Isle Beach.

Information: (910) 579-2166; thepuremarkets.com

OKI Beach Preservation Wine Tasting and Auction Fundraiser

Check out what's going on in the Leland area with our sister publication North Brunswick Magazine.

K View online at LifeinBrunswickCounty.com/nbm

Take a look at what's happening in the Southport Oak Island Area with our sister publication SPT OKI

K View online at LifeinBrunswickCounty.com/oki

IRON WOMAN TO

A FLYING START

PRINCESS PUNCH

WORKING LIKE A DOG

PHOTO BY BRENDA TORREY

PHOTO BY CASEY LAUREN TOWNSEND

PHOTO BY KATIE

D

PHOTO BY CARL MAUNEY

PHOTO BY JAMES STEFIUK

KICKING IT INTO OVERTIME

CHOCOLATE COVERED, PEANUT BUTTER-STUFFED DATES

BEAST MODE

THE RIGHT FOOTY

PHOTO BY MATT MCGRAW

PHOTO BY MATT MCGRAW

PHOTO BY JESSIE HEIM

IN PRAISE OF THE SALT MARSH

by Ed Beckley

The Brunswick beaches’ great grasslands are like the Midwest Great Plains on the coast.

“Oh, beautiful for spacious skies, amber waves and the fruited plain!” The authors of America the Beautiful got it right. They perfectly describe the grasslands of … the South Brunswick beaches! Not to take away from the majesty of the Great American Plains one iota. But has it ever occurred to you how the north side of our very own islands appear so royally like our continental Midwest?

TRAINING THE AI WORKFORCE

Brunswick Community College will begin an Artificial Intelligence curriculum in the fall of 2024.

Brunswick Community College (BCC) and Wayne Community College (WCC) have signed an Instructional Service Agreement (ISA) for Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The ISA provides approval for WCC to offer AI curriculum online to BCC students after they have completed their first-year general education classes. Students will complete 34 credit hours at each community college to earn an Associate in Applied Science – Artificial Intelligence Engineer degree. The partnership between the two schools begins in the fall of 2024.

PHOTO BY ED BECKLEY

A CRAVING FOR ITALIAN

by Kurt Epps, a.k.a. The PubScout

The PubScout and pals find Crave Italian Oven & Bar in North Myrtle Beach much to their liking. My chiropractor, Brian Lank (who is excellent, by the way), and I have a deal. While he is practicing his brand of origami on my body, I share suggestions of good beers I think he would like. And he shares (though he never grunts) the names of restaurants he and his clients have raved about.

He has tipped me to some fine places, and the other day, he suggested a place in North Myrtle Beach (just across the line) called Crave Italian Oven & Bar. His clients have told him that the place, an Italian restaurant, is always packed with lines out the door.

Walk in and you are greeted by a beautiful brick wood-fired oven named Eleanor.

READING ONLINE |

WHO’S IN YOUR CORNER?

by Kurt Epps, a.k.a. The PubScout

On reader request, The PubScout revisits the new and improved 59 Causeway Grill on Ocean Isle Beach.

There I was, going about my daily business, prepping the Harley and planning where to visit for my next story, when an email from my publisher comes in. He shared an email he was sent regarding a request for a review of a local OIB business that the author felt was worthy of attention.

CREATIVITY ON DISPLAY

by Carolyn Bowers

South Brunswick High School students showcase their work at the Woman’s Club Visual Arts, Crafts & Photography Show.

The talent and creativity of South Brunswick High School students were on full display at the Woman’s Club Visual Arts, Crafts & Photography Show on February 6. The event was co-sponsored by the Woman’s Club and the City of Southport and held at the Southport Community Building, where an estimated 175 enthusiastic spectators admired the students’ work and were treated to pizza, cookies and background music by the famous Blue Tulip Jazz Duo. But the real treat was seeing these talented students’ imagination at work, choosing a variety of subjects and using all kinds of different media to create their pieces. |

PHOTO BY KURT EPPS,

PHOTO BY KURT EPPS,

PHOTO BY CAROLYN BOWERS

Discover Ginger Wine

Fruity, fizzy and slightly spicy, this Ginger Wine Cooler checks all the boxes for a perfect spring cocktail.

BY THERESA RAVENCRAFT

IIf you enjoy the spicy taste of ginger, you will love this Ginger Wine Cooler. Made with ginger wine, lemonade, sparkling water, Grand Marnier, fresh fruit and a pinch of mint on top, it is fruity, fizzy, slightly spicy and so refreshing.

Many of my go-to cocktails are often made with ginger beer, including an Irish Buck, Dark and Stormy, and the classic Moscow Mule. I enjoy that slightly spicy kick in a cocktail. So, my thirst for ginger wine was a natural progression.

While there are similarities between the two, there are some differences to be aware of. Most notably, ginger beer is carbonated and ginger wine is not. If desired, you can add sparkling water or ginger ale to give you those bubbles and fizz in your drink when using ginger wine.

Ginger wine was first made by a distillery in London, England, in the 1740s. It is a bit less spicy than ginger beer and has a richer, fuller flavor. It can

be used to make a variety of cocktails but is commonly known for its use in a drink called the Whiskey Mac.

When purchasing this wine, look for Stone’s Original Ginger Wine, otherwise known as green ginger wine. It is called that due to the color of the bottle. The wine itself is an amber color, which comes from the fermented raisins and ginger it is made from.

This refreshing cocktail comes together quite easily. Simply add slices of fresh fruit and cucumber ribbons to a pitcher. Then add the ginger wine, lemonade and Grand Marnier. Pour the fruity mixture over ice in wine glasses, then top it all with a splash of sparkling water and mint leaves to garnish. Crisp, cool and delicious!

We enjoy drinking this cocktail with dinner during the warmer months of the year. It’s a nice complement to any meal cooked on the grill, especially chicken and seafood.

GINGER WINE COOLER

Makes 8 cocktails

INGREDIENTS

2 lemons, sliced thin

1 large orange, sliced thin

3 small seedless minicucumbers, sliced lengthwise

25.4 ounces ginger wine (one bottle)

2 cups lemonade

½ cup Grand Marnier

Sparkling water or ginger ale to top each glass

Mint for garnish

METHOD

Place the sliced fruit and cucumber in a 1.5-liter pitcher. Reserve a few slices to use in each glass.

Add the ginger wine, lemonade and Grand Marnier.

Pour the mixture into wine glasses over ice and more sliced fruit. Top with sparkling water and mint leaves for garnish.

Go Big

Many home cooks shy away from serving a whole fish, but it’s surprisingly easy and the results are impressive.

WBY SANDI GRIGG PHOTOGRAPHY

BY JAMES STEFIUK

When I first moved to the coast, I worked part-time at a local fish market. The owners encouraged us to take home fish we had never tasted or prepared so we could better serve the customers when they asked for advice on how to cook them. It really helped differentiate the various textures, flavors and ways of cooking each catch.

I was accustomed to preparing shrimp, scallops, fish fillets and

other usual options that were available at my local grocery store in the mountains of North Carolina, but not whole fish.

At the fish market, most customers, like myself, shied away from the whole fish because it can be intimidating to cook. Now I know how easy and delicious it is to grill a whole fish.

For this recipe I am using whole red snapper because it is readily

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available from our waters and has a delightful sweet and delicate meat.

When picking your whole fish, be sure the fish has bright, clear eyes, is firm to the touch and has no overwhelming fishy smell. Ask the fishmonger to scale, gut, de-gill and score the fish for you so it is ready to go on the grill.

The presentation on this dish is unmatched and will have you looking like a fish-grilling pro. Served alongside a Mediterranean salsa, this grilled whole fish is not only healthy but enjoyable.

Grilled Whole Red Snapper with Mediterranean Salsa

INGREDIENTS

For the fish

1 whole 2-3 lb. red snapper (gutted, de-gilled, scaled and scored)

spray oil

2 lemons (1 sliced and 1 juiced)

Fresh herbs bundle (basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, dill)

4 tablespoons melted butter (half a stick)

1 cup white wine

garlic

salt and pepper

For the Salsa

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1 cup finely chopped English cucumber

½ cup finely chopped red onion

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon capers with a splash of the juice

Dash of salt and pepper

METHOD

Ask your local fish market professional or fishmonger to scale, gut, de-gill and score a whole red snapper.

You will need a fish grilling basket.

Make the salsa a day ahead, if possible, for extra flavor.

Mix all the ingredients for the Mediterranean salsa and place in the refrigerator to marinate. Meanwhile, fire up the grill to 400 - 450 degrees.

Prepare your fish by rinsing the cavity and exterior (removing any remaining scales) under cold water.

Spray the grilling basket with oil and place your whole fish inside the basket; insert lemon slices in the slits of flesh as well as the cavity and put the bundle of herbs in the cavity of the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and close the fish basket.

In a small bowl, mix the butter, white wine and garlic.

Place the fish-filled grilling basket on the grill and liberally brush the fish with butter mixture (stand back because it will likely flame up). Grill for about 5 minutes.

Flip the fish basket over and liberally brush the second side of fish with the butter mixture and remember to stand back. Grill for another 5 minutes.

Serve whole with the Mediterranean salsa and garnish with fresh parsley.

Calabash-based Meadowlands Golf Club is a challenging yet rewarding highlight of golf in Brunswick County.

Golf, Mrs. Calabash, Wherever You Are!

BY LARRY HERSHOFF | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT MCGRAW

Nestled in between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach you will find a golfer’s gem:

Meadowlands Golf Club. This well-kept Willard Byrd-Dave Johnson track will challenge you, reward you for making the right decisions and make you want to come back again. It is easy to reach off U.S. Highway 17 on Meadowlands Trail, just a few miles north of the SC/NC border.

Meadowlands is a spacious championship par 72, with five sets of tees ranging from 7054 yards at the tips, (with a 74/132 rating) to forward tees of 5041 yards. The course winds through a substantially complete residential single-family development and features many strategically placed bunkers and ponds that will test your shot-making. The Tifeagle Bermuda greens are well-manicured to generally Stimp 10-11, and I found the traps to be very well-groomed.

Another benefit is the recently redone cart paths that will not jar your fillings loose! No wonder this course won the Myrtle Beach Golf Course Owners Association Course of the Year award in 2018 and made it deep into the regional and national competitions.

I spent a chilly winter afternoon with co-owner Jakob McLamb, who is justifiably proud of this 1997 development built by his family. The McLambs are well-known in these parts for their construction and development expertise.

The course has a small but efficient pro shop, where their prices are quite reasonable. I selected a cotton blend Cardinal-logo shirt, which was regularly priced at $49.95 and was on sale for only $25, and they had a complete selection of sizes at that price. There is a cozy snack bar where you can get breakfast and lunch from a limited menu, again at reasonable prices. They have a compact driving range, and host The G2 Golf Academy on-site as well.

Playing pressure has increased due to the

Meadowlands offers 18 holes of golf and a driving range amidst outstanding natural beauty.

conversion of the former sister course, Farmstead, into a luxury home development. Meadowlands participates in all the local golf discount programs, and its 70-plus waiting list for membership is testimony to the quality of the golf.

When you tee off on hole number 1, 379 yards from the middle tees, dogleg left around a significant water hazard, you know you will need your thinking cap this round! With a trap at the corner, water long and left off the tee and the

Jakob McLamb, co-owner of Meadowlands Golf Club near Calabash

undulating green protected by a large trap in front, bogey is a very acceptable score. This is not a tricked-up course — you will see the challenges, and it’s up to you to figure out how to avoid trouble!

While hole 2 is fairly benign, a few words of advice: Don’t challenge the water left. Hole number 3, with two large ponds to traverse, will have you pulling out a calculator to figure out how far to hit your drive and second shot; no wonder it’s the number 1 stroker.

TEE IT UP!

Meadowlands Golf Club

1000 Meadowlands Trail, Calabash

m (910) 287-7529

K meadowlandsgolf.com

Hole 4 is McLamb’s favorite, and it earns my respect too; at 452 yards from the middle tees and only 380 for the seniors, it looks like an easy Par 5 on the card. But do not hit your tee shot or approach very far left, and the hazards right are not so good either. Fly over the big trap and you are on a sloping green where a two-putt is an achievement.

You get another forced carry over the pond on #6, and another on the par 3 8th. You’ll relax more on the straight-forward 9th hole, which some big hitters can reach in two. You’ll go by the clubhouse on the way to 10 and can stop for a libation.

The back 9 is equally challenging at Meadowlands — dogleg right on #10, a pond carry on #11 and a chance to let the big dog out on 12. You’ll find another chance to go for it in two on the par 5 14th, and you’ll be ready for three great finishing holes: #16 is a 90-degree dogleg left, with no chance of going over the corner, and a tough down-sloping green. There is a diabolical trap in the middle of number 17 that makes it play much harder than the 309 yards from the white tees. And the closing par 5 boasts a water hazard about 140 yards out that make your lay up a challenge, plus a well-guarded green, even after they cleared out some of the trees to the right. (Hint: Aim left of the green for a reasonable up-and-down).

If it sounds like playing this course will be fun, you are right! Local knowledge is important, and it’s no wonder the Meadowlands’ Interclub team won the most recent county IGA competition. Superintendent Alex Pick and the McLamb family have something special for you, so check them out. It would be a cardinal sin to miss this one, golfers! 

Co-owner Jakob McLamb mingles with clubhouse visitors at Meadowlands.

Co-owner Jakob McLamb mingles with clubhouse at Meadowlands.

is OPEN

Captain Jeremy Timco takes patrons on a tropical ride to remember as they cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway with Cruisin’ Tikis at Holden Beach.

“Thank God the Tiki Bar is open; Thank God the Tiki torch still shines. Thank God the Tiki Bar is open, come on in and open up your mind!”

This classic Jimmy

is playing in my head as I walk along the dock with my husband and our friends toward the 16-foot-wide floating tiki bar at Holden Beach.

Buffett tune

Jeremy and Jennifer Timco are the owners of Cruisin’ Tikis as well as the Holden Beach RV Campground. They opened the tiki bar in 2019, and Captain Jeremy has been cruising the waters ever since. His motorized tiki bar can accommodate up to six people comfortably and travels at a top speed of 4 miles per hour.

Captain Jeremy greets us with a conch shell in hand. He raises it to his lips and blows, signaling to nearby onlookers that the tiki bar is welcoming new passengers. He helps us aboard, gives the ladies a flower for their hair and the gents a lei around their necks, and offers to take a group photo to mark the beginning of the unique voyage that lies ahead.

WE WANT YOU TO HAVE FUN AND MAKE A LASTING MEMORY.

After some brief safety reminders, our captain pulls away from the dock at Provision Company Restaurant and spins the tiki bar into action. As we head east on the Intracoastal Waterway and pass under the causeway that leads to the beach, he tells us what inspired him to become the owner of a floating tiki bar.

“My family spent some time in Hawaii, and we got involved with the local culture and really loved the tropical vibe,” he says. “We decided to bring it to Holden Beach. We want you to have fun and make a lasting memory.”

As we float along, Captain Jeremy is quick to point out the fresh fish shops, fishing vessels and other shanties that adorn the banks along the way.

“The huge crane you see at the marina is the one used to lift the tiki bar out of the water when it needs an oil change,” he says as he laughs.

We continue our journey, enjoying drinks and munching on snacks that we brought while listening to tropical tunes. Captain Jeremy tells us a bit about the history of Holden Beach and its founder, Benjamin Holden. He points out the original Holden family estate and surrounding property on the north side of the waterway.

Captain Jeremy is knowledgeable about the area and eager to make our tropical experience a memorable one.

Top, Bottlenose dolphin are a common sight in the Intracoastal Waterway on this tour. Below, With a blow into a conch shell, Captain Jeremy Timco signals that the tiki cruise is about to begin; Doug Miers of Ontario, Ohio, looks on.

Patrons can bring snacks and drinks to enjoy while on the tiki bar. It is recommended to call ahead to check availability and make a reservation with Cruisin’ Tikis.

SET YOUR SPEED TO CRUISE!

Cruisin’ Tikis Holden Beach m (910) 420-4045

Check availability and make reservations:

K cruisintikisholdenbeach.com

The season for Cruisin’ Tikis runs mid-April through October each year. Cruises are 1½ hours in length and scheduled throughout the day, with a 2-hour Island Hopper offered each day at 2 pm.

one quick sweep of the head.

Once again, we board our floating tiki bar and continue our adventure by traveling back toward the spot where we began our excursion, this time heading west. As boats and Jet Skis pass by us at various speeds, their wakes rock the tiki bar and Captain Jeremy instructs us to plant our feet firmly and “prepare to do the hula.” The tiki bar sways from side to side, and we rock back and forth, arms and hips swaying with the motion of the water.

The tiki bar spins several times

On the two-hour Island Hopper tour, held daily at 2 pm, guests can go ashore at the east end of Holden Beach to explore, swim and walk on the sand.

“We have lived in Brunswick County for 25 years and we have a passion for hospitality,” he says, “We have always been driven to provide opportunities for spending time together with family and friends.”

As we arrive at the east end of Holden Beach, the west end of Oak Island comes into view. Dolphin and sea turtles can be spotted swimming in the water between the two islands.

The tiki bar pulls up to the sandy shore, and we get out to explore and splash in the water. There are other visitors in the water and walking along the beach. Some are there for the day and some, like us, are just stopping by to explore. The view from this vantage point is stellar. A glimpse of the waves on the ocean, the beach walkers on the west tip of Oak Island and the fishing boats along the Intracoastal can all be seen with

around in the water, like being in a car whirling out of control on icy pavement, before landing back at the dock at Provision Company Restaurant. We take one last sip of our drinks before packing our cooler in preparation for departure.

It has been a short, but memorable cruise with our entertaining captain.

“I enjoy meeting new people and telling them about Holden Beach and why we love it,” he says. “I want them to see how beautiful it really is here.”

“Come back and see me again when the tiki bar is open!” Captain Jeremy says as we step off this little piece of paradise and our feet hit the dock. We turn to give him one last wave, as that old familiar song comes to mind again. 

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Best Public Courses You Can Play. Our course features 27 magnificent holes rated among the 25 best-conditioned courses in the nation, and our stunning Scottish clubhouse, designed to mimic a club that had grown over a 100-year period beginning in the early 1800s, is the perfect site for weddings and events. Don’t miss The Pot Bunker Pub, a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant and bar surrounded by an idyllic nature preserve with acres of wildflowers and wetlands.

A Shop to Love

J. Huffman, encompassing women’s clothing, accessories, gifts and home decor, is nearing its 25th year of making Sunset Beach shoppers happy.

BY JO ANN MATHEWS PHOTOGRAPHY BY HILARY HALLIWELL

JJudith Huffman opened her signature store, J. Huffman, on October 30, 1999, but her family had a history of retail and real estate in the Shallotte area well before that. In 1983 her father, Carson Durham, invested in Ocean Aire Travel Park, a campground in Holden Beach. Two years later he retired from Burlington Industries in Greensboro, relocated with his wife to Shallotte and

Judith Huffman at her store, J. Huffman, in Sunset Beach

opened Carson’s Cards and Gifts at Twin Creek Plaza. Huffman graduated from North Carolina State University that year and had no intention of following her parents to Shallotte.

“I went to Dallas,” she says, adding that she enjoyed the singles scene. After three years as an administrative assistant at an insurance company, she moved to Raleigh.

“I came back because I felt I was having too much fun,” she says and laughs. But basically, she says, she missed her friends and family. After five years of working for a temporary agency, she became restless and decided she would join her family in Shallotte, where her two brothers had migrated.

“I didn’t intend to stay, but I helped my parents in the shop,” Huffman says.

The merchandise centered on collectibles like Precious Moments and Department 56 Villages.

“I added jewelry and home accents and did the window displays,” she says.

Her father, who was active in the community and was mayor of Shallotte from 1998 to 2002, was pleased with her suggestions and gave her more responsibilities. Huffman’s future changed in 1999 when she told her father, after he had signed a lease for another gift shop, that someday she wanted to own a clothing store.

“I’ve always loved clothes,” she says. “I wanted to try it.”

Her father went back to cancel the original lease and sign a lease on the larger space where J. Huffman stands. Huffman fans her arms to encompass the store. “That’s how this [card shop] started with the clothes, and the clothes took over.”

Huffman seeks unique items for her shop, which her customers like because they do not see goods like hers anywhere else. She added a consignment section in 2009, and it has 922 consignors. “I’m not

taking any new ones,” she says.

“Everything is beautiful and good quality clothes,” says customer Karen Dew of Calabash.

“The variety and the quality of the products are excellent,” adds Pat Hinett of Calabash. “I can always find something here.”

One thing that sets J. Huffman apart is its employees.

“She’s doing something right because her employees have been here forever,” says Huffman’s husband, Craig.

Huffman explains that women consistently ask for a job in her shop, but Joanne Muckridge, who started working

there in 1999, tells them, “When you see a white wreath on the door, that means someone passed away. That’s when we’ll be needing someone because none of us are ever leaving.” She adds, “You couldn’t ask for better people to work for. [Judith’s] parents were special people. The family is like my family.”

Patty Varwig has been an employee for nearly 10 years. “I was retired, and I came to Huffman’s twice a week,” she says. “It was so exciting. I wore them down, so they had to hire me.”

Huffman’s son, Christian, 20, and niece, Madison Stewart, 33, are cashiers.

“Christian is my Number One cashier,” Huffman says and adds that Madison has three young daughters and works part-time. “Christian is a big help to me. He could run the business when I’m away.”

She relates that when

Christian was 3, he began having seizures. He recovered after doctors at Cleveland Clinic removed a brain tumor. Four years ago, the seizures returned, but further surgery corrected the problem. The Huffmans have two other sons, Chad, 33, and Cameron, 25.

Craig retired in 2022 after 31 years at Duke Energy, and he says he has always helped Huffman with the store. “Now I can do more,” he says. “It’s something new every day.”

Huffman has other commitments as well. She is on the board of Hope Harbor Home, the only domestic violence shelter in Brunswick County. In 1988 her father donated a cottage he owned on Holden Beach so Hope Harbor Home could be established.

“We don’t have a history of domestic violence in our family,” Huffman says. “Dad just always tried to do as much as he could to help people in that situation.”

J. Huffman was the platinum sponsor for Hope Harbor Home’s recent golf tournament, is a sponsor for the Pink Ribbon Run in North Myrtle Beach and consistently sponsors charity events.

“I try to be a good person,” Huffman says. “I try to give as much as possible.”

When not working, Huffman enjoys traveling, especially taking cruises, and reading mysteries, romances and Southern authors while lying in the sun.

“I love my job, even when I’m down here at 11 o’clock at night,” Huffman says. She takes a deep breath and dabs at her eyes. “I wish my father was here to see how we’re doing.” 

Crazy about Kayaking

THERESA RAVENCRAFT

Exploring the natural beauty of the Carolina coast by kayak offers a serene aquatic adventure.

Kayaking along the Intracoastal Waterway is an amazing way to take in the beauty and learn about the history of the region. From Wilmington to Calabash, there are plentiful opportunities for getting out on the water to see aquatic life, a variety of native birds and lush plants and trees.

If you want to try exploring by kayak, you can find tours tailored to all levels, from seasoned explorers to those who are new to paddling. There are trips at sunrise or sunset or anytime in between. You can book your kayaking adventure with an expert guide or rent a kayak and explore on your own.

SAFETY TIPS for Kayakers

 Never kayak alone

 Always wear a lifejacket

 Don’t drink and paddle

 Bring your phone (make sure it’s charged) in a waterproof container

 Check the weather conditions and forecast before you go

 Pick a suitable location for your experience and ability

 Dress for the weather and the water – you could get wet

 Always file a float plan – tell someone who’s not in your kayaking party what your plans are – where you’re going and when you plan to return

While exploring Shark’s Tooth Island, adverturers may find sharks teeth and fossils.

Outfitters to Try

If you want to book a kayaking trip in southeastern North Carolina, here are a few outfitters that can help you explore. Whether you like to get out on the water and explore on your own or enjoy learning about the area and its history from a knowledgeable guide, kayaking gives you a unique perspective of the beauty to be found along the Carolina coast.

KAYAK C ARO LINA

(910) 458-9171, kayakcarolina.com

Kayak Carolina invites you to explore the coast with them as they offer guided kayak tours in Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach, Carolina Beach and surrounding areas. Tour destinations include Zeke’s Island, Shark’s Tooth Island and Masonboro Island, and while these require a bit of a drive from southern Brunswick County, their tours are worth it.

One of their most popular excursions is to Shark’s Tooth Island. The launching point for Kayak Carolina’s tour to Shark’s Tooth Island is River Road Park, which is just a few miles south of downtown Wilmington. Meet your guide near the water, grab your kayak and paddle a short distance to this man-made island to find fossils, shark’s teeth and shells. You may also encounter osprey nests and brown pelicans perched on nearby piers along the way. You will explore Keg Island and adjacent sandbars at low tide before concluding your adventure and returning to River Road Park. Single and double kayaks are available to rent. Tours are tailored for beginners and experienced paddlers.

SUMMERTIDE ADVENTURE TOURS

(910) 833-2418, summertidetours.com

Serving Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach, Summertide Adventure Tours offers daytime and evening kayak tours, fishing charters and sunset cruises by boat. They invite you to paddle along with them to explore Bird Island, Bonaparte Creek, Tubbs Inlet and Blane Creek. Tours are conducted yearround depending on the weather.

Bird Island is an uninhabited nature preserve located on the west end of Sunset Beach. You can paddle from the mainland to the backside of Bird Island to explore oyster bed structures and possibly get a glimpse of a nesting bald eagle.

Continue the adventure by heading south into Little River, South Carolina. The tour includes a stop at the Little River Inlet, where kayakers are welcome to take a refreshing swim. Sea turtles and sea otters can often be spotted while traveling along Bonaparte Creek before returning to Sunset Beach.

MR. BEACH RENTALS

(910) 250-9960, mrbeachrentals.com

If you want to explore on your own, Mr. Beach Rentals takes pride in being North Carolina’s premiere beach equipment rental service. Kayaks can be rented with delivery offered for free.

Launching your kayak just after sunrise from the west end of Oak Island is a great way to catch dolphins swimming lazily through the channel. As the tide changes, look for great blue herons eating their breakfast at the water’s edge. Be sure to stop at Sheep Island to look for fiddler crabs and whelks in the sand.

Kayak rentals are returned to the launching point or a designated destination in the area. Rentals can be paid for in advance, and Mr. Beach Rentals provides service to Southport, Oak Island, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach.

THE ADVENTURE KAYAK COMPANY

(910) 454-0607, adventurekayakcompany.net

Based out of beautiful Southport, The Adventure Kayak Company was recently voted as a winner of the Golden Pineapple Award for 2023. These awards are given by the Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce to businesses that have been nominated by their customers for providing exceptional customer service.

Kayak tours include adventures through picturesque saltmarsh creeks, including Town Creek and Rice Creek. View the brilliance of massive native red maple and tulip trees towering overhead as well as white ibis resting in the tall grass of the marsh.

Kayak tours of historic Southport are also available. Informative guides make the tours fun and educational by sharing information about the area and wildlife seen along the way. The Adventure Kayak Company encourages you to relax and enjoy getting out on the water.

, Carol Iglesias, pastel, 12”x16”

An expanded playground has been completed at Town Center Park, including a tot play area and two ziplines for children, one of which is ADA compliant.

New and Improved

The Town of Ocean Isle Beach completes Phase Two of renovations to Town Center Park and sets its sights on the future.

TSTORY & PHOTOS

BY THERESA RAVENCRAFT

The Town of Ocean Isle Beach’s acquisition and renovation of Town Center Park has been going on for years. The town’s intention from the beginning was to create a comfortable, useful space in the center of the island to hold larger family-friendly events, including summer concerts, N.C. Oyster Festival, Art in the Park, movie nights and so much more.

PHOTO BY KAHUNA PHOTO & MEDIA PHOTO BY KAHUNA PHOTO & MEDIA

PHASE ONE

In the spring of 2020 the Town of Ocean Isle Beach completed the first round of improvements to Town Center Park. These upgrades included the construction of a permanent stage and pavilion, additional seating around the perimeter of the park, bathroom facilities

and a playground with a splashpad for children.

The property at the far west end of the park was not developed in Phase One because the town did not yet own it.

“It had been purchased by investors, and we were not able to get the property,” says Ocean Isle Beach Mayor

“Se habla español” I love to help you save. Combine Home & Auto.

Debbie Smith. “They wanted to use the land to build beach homes for residential communities on the mainland. But that changed recently and the Town of Ocean Isle Beach was able to make the purchase.”

PHASE TWO

In the fall of 2023, the town broke ground on Phase Two.

“We only added to the charm of the park, so we can offer more for parents to do with their kids while activities, like summer concerts, are happening,” says Ocean Isle Beach Recreation Director Hayley Burgess.

With construction now complete, the improvements to the west end of Town Center Park include a multi-purpose court, a covered picnic shelter with 10 tables, a tot play area and stationary fitness equipment for stretching and light exercise. The multi-purpose court is available for pickleball or basketball and operates on a first-come, first-served basis with dedicated days of the week for each sport.

Two ziplines for kids are also part of the expansion, one of which is ADA compliant. The zipline was designed and built to make it easier to use, safer and more comfortable for children with disabilities or limited mobility.

Seen as the centerpiece of the new expansion at the park is the 9/11 Memorial and Heroes Walk with seated reflection areas. Placed in a central location where it can be viewed from all sides, the 9/11 Memorial was sponsored and designed by the Coastal Carolina First Responders Association (CCFRA).

“This project is a way to honor all the lost souls in the tragedy that occurred on September 11, 2001, and to Never Forget,” says Deb Foster, communications director with the CCFRA. “It was designed as an area in which people can gather to pay their

The new multipurpose court is available for pickleball or basketball and operates on a first-come, first-served basis with dedicated days of the week for each sport.

respects, admire the artwork and educate younger generations.”

Planning for all phases of the Town Center Park expansion project has been inclusive and responsive. Town staff invited residents, town administrators, commissioners and the mayor to a series of Community Input Sessions, and final plans were based on feedback received at these meetings.

Phase Two has been completed, and the newly renovated Town Center Park is open to visitors daily from 7:30 am to 9 pm.

“I think it just adds so much to the atmosphere of Ocean Isle Beach,” says Mayor Smith. “This is a beautiful park, and it has something for each age group. To me, that is what Ocean Isle Beach is all about.”

PHOTO BY KAHUNA PHOTO & MEDIA

Construction of the proposed multi-function building/ public safety annex is scheduled to begin in June 2024 and be completed by May 2025.

PHASE THREE

So, what is next? Phase Three begins in June 2024 and includes renovation of the old Town Hall.

BUILDING/PUBLIC SAFFETY ANNEX

“We will begin building a new community center on the island,” Burgess says. “Half of the building will be a community center and half of it will be an emergency command center and a large garage for first responders to house a firetruck on site.”

to partner with police and fire; it makes us safer and more efficient.”

The community center will be used as a gathering space for classes offered by the Recreation Department for residents, holding meetings and as a back-up location for events in the case of inclement weather. Along with this new facility comes 58 new parking spaces.

Residents have expressed concern over the years about the need to have emergency services able to respond in a timely fashion during peak summer months as getting across the causeway can be challenging.

“That was certainly the consideration when looking at what to do with the old Town Hall,” Mayor Smith says. “It was absolutely important

Lastly, there are plans to extend sidewalks on the oceanfront east end of the island as well as add bike paths along E. Second Street. These additions are expected to be made when the state begins resurfacing roads in the area, which has proven to be more cost-effective.

Phase Three is expected to be completed by the early summer of 2025.

“I’m excited for these expansions and for the opportunity to grow our recreation department and the programs we offer,” Mayor Smith says. 

A+ For Service

For Sheila Smeltzer, owner of A+ Pro Services, success is finding the best employees and providing the best customer service.

BY JO ANN MATHEWS

SSheila Smeltzer never intended to wash windows for a living. Her favorite job after high school was a tour guide at Good Times Adventures in Breckenridge, Colorado, where she led backpacking groups through the mountains and to the Continental Divide.

Now she is president of A+ Pro Services, a Shallotte-based company that cleans windows, pressure washes the exterior of homes and buildings, repairs scratched glass and performs a variety of maintenance chores for businesses and residences.

Shelia Smeltzer, above, helps keep the homes and businesses of Brunswick County clean and well maintained.

PHOTO BY JO ANN MATHEWS

“My mission is to find good people to serve my clients,” Smeltzer says.

Her Hungarian pointer, Beau, also known as Beaucephus, has learned customer-friendly techniques as well. He welcomes visitors to the A+ Services facility and nudges for a pet on his auburn fur.

“I’ve dedicated my entire adult life to serving our clients in this business,” Smeltzer says “All the feedback we get, that’s how we have crafted our service.” This commitment was confirmed when A+ Pro Services won the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Customer

Service award in 2019.

Smeltzer explains that training is an essential function of her company with weekly safety and monthly technical updates for her 25 employees. Her daughter, Sadie Smeltzer, oversees outbound sales, and Sadie’s husband, Ciaran Hennessy, is a star technician. Sadie says she takes pride in her job because she is helping her mom.

“This is a business that raised me essentially,” the 24-year-old says. “I’m just giving back to that. Our customers, obviously, are the best in the world.”

Sadie has another advantage. “I just had a baby in July,” she says. “I don’t know of any other job where I can bring [Rori] to work with me and still have my job.” She laughs. “It’s a family affair.”

Smeltzer says she never told Sadie or her other daughter, Izzy, 22, she needed them at A+ Services, but they told her, “I never want to clean windows, Mom.” Izzy is studying commercial photography at Appalachian State.

It happened that COVID stymied Sadie and Ciaran from working and attending college classes in Florida, so Sadie asked, “Mom, can we come back and work for you for a while?” Smeltzer never hesitated to welcome them.

Smeltzer grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and excelled at writing, art, volleyball, basketball and softball. Once at Colorado State University, where her brother was on the football team, she lost her enthusiasm for those activities and found skiing, backpacking and Andrew Smeltzer.

Andrew grew up in Socastee, South Carolina, and was in the window cleaning business his entire life. When the couple married in 1999 and moved to Holden Beach, they opened A+ Professional Window Cleaning.

“We chose the name to be first in the phone book,” Smeltzer says with a

laugh. “It doesn’t even matter now, but we were starting the company and had the business sense.”

The couple hired one employee to help Andrew on jobs while Smeltzer scheduled appointments and did the bookkeeping. When the couple parted in 2006, Smeltzer kept the business. Andrew moved to Myrtle Beach.

“I had to learn everything — how to carry and climb ladders, learn the pressure washing equipment, learn how to troubleshoot,” she says, and explains that the sole employee, no longer with the company, taught her the skills she needed. Her workday was the hours her daughters were in school. “I would go home exhausted then do all the mom stuff.”

Smeltzer faced a major predicament when a construction company sued her company for $65,000 over scratched glass at a multi-unit complex.

“I decided I had to know how to run a business,” she says and investigated why the glass scratched and what she could do about it. International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA)

I had to learn everything ... I would go home exhausted then do all the mom stuff. “

Staff members Julia Gadsby, Sebastian Beecroft, Jackie Bailey, Katie Maines, Peter Vogt and Sheila Smeltzer (and pet Beau) at work at A+ Pro Services.

PHOTO BY JO ANN MATHEWS

had the answers, and Smeltzer discovered that scratched windows are a major problem in the window cleaning industry.

“I learned about glass surfaces,” she says. “There are four different types of glass identified by a stamp or other I.D.” She learned the characteristics of each type, so they would not get damaged.

It took three years to settle the lawsuit, which was to her advantage, and she became an active member of IWCA. She is its current president and has served on the glass education committee for more than 15 years.

“I watched other companies become successful, and I knew I could do the same,” she says.

Christina Davis, assistant community manager at Ocean Ridge Plantation in Ocean Isle Beach, which has been an A+ Pro Services client since 2016, says A+ does all the janitorial duties for Ocean Ridge. “They are reliable, efficient and professional,” she says.

Kent Bullard of Holden Beach says he has used A+ for at

least 10 years. “I’ve had them do everything — window cleaning, pressure washing, particularly on my driveway and sidewalk,” he says. “I like their professionalism. Everything has always been perfect. If you want it done right, they do it that way.”

When not working, Smeltzer works in her yard in the Windy Point area of Holden Beach. “I have a small John Deere tractor and a nice little chunk of heaven to tend,” she says.

Backpacking is another interest. “I like the challenge and immersing myself in the beauty of nature,” she says. “I love all outdoors.” She also spends time with Jon Cox, who shares her passion for an active life.

A+ Pro Services, though, is her primary concern.

“I have a real commitment to grow this company in alignment with the economic growth of our local economy,” she says. “I want to do something special with A+ Pro, and it all starts with serving my employees. They are the backbone of this company.” 

PHOTO BY JO ANN MATHEWS

COMMITMENT, TIME

T E A M W O R K

Brunswick Schools Superintendent DALE COLE is on a mission to connect with students, teachers, principals, staff, parents and the community.

BY ANNESOPHIA RICHARDS

PHOTOGRAPHY

BY MATT MCGRAW

Brunswick County Schools Superintendent Dale Cole, above and on opposite page at left with Belville Elementary Assistant Principal Josh Futrell.

TThose who step into Dale Cole’s office might notice a certain word displayed on the wall behind his desk. As Brunswick County Schools’ new superintendent, “connect” stands as a constant reminder of his primary goal. With a strong vision for the future and an appreciation of the great work being done in the schools every day, Cole’s mission is to connect with students, teachers, principals, school staff and the community at large to share ideas for ways to make the county’s schools stronger than ever.

Born in Southport, Cole moved to Beaufort County as a young child when his father, an electrician, purchased his grandfather’s electric motor repair business. Growing up from humble roots, Cole was the first in his family to go to college. His father, a small business owner, never finished high school, nor did his mother, who went back to school to get her GED before spending 38 years working as a substitute teacher, data manager and school treasurer.

Cole graduated from East Carolina University (ECU) with a degree in English and went on to teach high school in the Greenville area. During his time at Southside High School, he earned recognition as county teacher of the year in English and coached his school’s football team in two state championship games.

After a decade spent teaching, coaching, getting married and

BETTER SKILLS BETTER JOBS

having three children, Cole set his sights on leadership opportunities as he felt he still had more to give. He earned his master’s degree in 2008 and landed his first assistant principal job, then moved to a principal position at a nearby struggling middle school, where he became recognized as the “turnaround principal” of Beaufort County.

“They started putting me in schools that were struggling to get them turned around in the right direction,” Cole says.

These accomplishments led to Cole becoming North Carolina’s Principal of the Year for 2013, an honor that put him on the State Board of Education that year in representation of all principals of the state. He served as a school-based administrator for another decade before moving to a new role as a school transformation coach, where he worked in underperforming schools to help elevate them from low-performing status.

“It was a great opportunity to coach principals in other districts and work with their school improvement teams to turn those schools around,” Cole says. “I had a good amount of success, because over half the schools I worked with met or exceeded growth and exited low-performing status in those two years.”

After going back to ECU to earn his superintendent’s license, Cole was hired by Hyde County Schools as an

Cole shows pride for his alma mater, East Carolina University, with the signature Pirates finger hook.

assistant superintendent. His career then took him to the mountains of Clay County in 2019, where he spent the next four years as superintendent and helped bring the district from its ranking of 36th in the state out of 115 districts to 12th by the time he left this past year. Ultimately, however, Cole decided to move back to the eastern part of the state and be closer to family. When Brunswick County’s position opened, he knew it was meant for him.

An avid boater, duck hunter and golfer, Cole loves all the county has to offer and feels it

...we can work together to see what needs to change to improve teacher working conditions, thereby improving teacher recruitment and retention, thereby improving the academic outcomes for our students, because they’re all linked.

is the perfect spot for him to call home.

“There aren’t many places nicer to live than Brunswick County,” Cole says. “I think there’s a huge amount of potential in this school district, and I’m excited to be here and be a part of this. I believe this will probably be my last stop in my career, so when I walk out the door, I want to know I made a positive difference.”

Cole believes Brunswick County Schools already does a lot of things well, but there are still many improvements that can be made to become even stronger. He says true academic

results come down to the quality of teachers and principals, so he’s focusing on the results of the state’s most recent biannual teacher working conditions survey to gauge how the teachers in Brunswick County feel about things directly impacting their work environment.

“Beyond pay, determining how we can improve our teachers’ work environment is extremely important to me, because it goes directly to the recruitment and retention of the best staff we can get,” Cole says.

After reviewing the survey data, Cole says he is narrowing his focus first on several foundational areas related to order and trust, as those are the things most critical to establishing and maintaining high-performing school status. To increase order, the county has implemented a digital discipline referral process in all schools as well as positive behavior and intervention teams at each school charged with defining student expectations in each area of the school and on the buses.

To increase trust, Cole and his team are working to retrain all principals and school improvement team chairs on how the school improvement planning process is meant to work. This includes reviewing how school improvement team members are elected, whether they are meeting or not and making sure the team is truly a team concept that represents all teachers and staff.

“By reviewing the survey results at each school with its principal, we can work together to see what needs to change to improve teacher working conditions, thereby improving teacher recruitment and retention, thereby improving the academic outcomes for our students, because they’re all linked,” Cole says.

Cole is currently working on writing the county’s new five-year strategic plan, and his vision for the future includes hitting many milestones he believes are achievable in the years to come. He wants to see Brunswick County become one of the top 20 ranked school districts in the state, as well as make the top 3 in career technical

education. He also hopes to have more than 80% of the county’s seniors earn at least one college credit, a nationally recognized job certification while still in high school and a 90% minimum graduation rate.

“I’d also love to see every kid complete an internship outside of school in one of our businesses in the county before they graduate, and I want every one of our schools to meet or exceed growth every year,” Cole says. “I have a lot of big goals, but I think they’re all doable, it’s just going to take commitment, time and teamwork.” 

Why Choose Us

A Commendable Career G

Upon retiring from Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, Gaye Taylor reflects on her 56-year career in nursing.

BY JO ANN MATHEWS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT MCGRAW

G

aye Taylor relaxes in the cafeteria at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center in Bolivia and talks of taking a Viking cruise and visiting Amsterdam. The Oak Island resident has not decided what other activities will occupy her future years because for the past 56 she’s been a nurse, 22 of them at Novant. She loved her job but chose to retire on January 7, the day after her 78th birthday.

“My brain still works, but my body is tired,” she says. Taylor served in a variety of units and positions throughout her career, from clinical head nurse to intensive care unit nurse to operating room supervisor.

Above, Gaye Taylor at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center at the time of her retirement in 2024, and below, starting out as a nurse more than 50 years ago.

“I liked every job I did,” she says.

Rob Stumbo, nurse manager of the critical care unit, was Taylor’s supervisor when she retired.

“She was someone you can rely on, and she wasn’t one to complain,” Stumbo says. “She’s an incredible resource, especially for the younger nurses. The amount of influence she’s had on cultivating new nurses is extraordinary. She shares her knowledge so easily with others.”

What Taylor values most in her job is seeing people heal.

“I like helping people get better,” she says. “You don’t always win, but sometimes you can help them and their families get through the hard times.”

Taylor’s calm demeanor reflects the way she responded to medical emergencies.

“You can’t lose it during a crisis, especially if you are a team leader,” she says. “If you stay calm, the whole crew stays calm.”

As an example, one time when Taylor was working alongside a surgeon in the operating room, her sharp eye noticed a patient’s tissue that appeared blue instead of pink. She immediately brought it to the team’s attention, and the physician took action. “That surgeon used to say, ‘If Gaye says something, you’d better pay attention,’” she says.

Despite all the diseases and illnesses Taylor has seen, COVID was the worst.

“People couldn’t breathe,” she says. “You reassured them and told them hopefully things will get better.”

Taylor recounts that her mother was an English teacher and her father a Presbyterian minister. He took Taylor and her twin, Galen, to hospitals when he visited members of his congregation,

The amount of influence she’s had on cultivating new nurses is extraordinary. She shares her knowledge so easily with others. “

and she was fascinated by nurses.

“I knew I wanted to be a nurse,” Taylor says.

Galen entered a program in clinical psychology at Columbia University in New York but died when he was 24 from a blood clot after breaking his ankle. Taylor’s sister Peggy Yates, who turned 93 on February 1, was a medical technologist. Her brother John and sister Mary have passed away.

Taylor received her training at Watts Hospital in Durham. During the last of the three-year program, her instructor gave her a male patient who had a kidney ailment.

“You shouldn’t have given me a guy that’s young and reasonably healthy,” she said. Roger Taylor took the advice of the man in the bed next to him and

asked for Taylor’s phone number. He and Taylor married two days after she received her nursing diploma.

Roger grew up in California but came east and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from East Carolina University in Greenville. One summer he received a Fullbright Scholarship to study Dante in Italian at University of Perugia in Italy.

Newly married, the couple lived in Greenville, where Roger taught English at Beaufort Community College, and Taylor was a surgical nurse at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. Her second year as a nurse, she was nominated for Pitt County Nurse of the Year.

“I didn’t get it, but just to be nominated…” she says. She was clinical head nurse and operating room

I’ve enjoyed my career. I think I’m going to miss it a lot because I’ve always enjoyed what I did. “

supervisor for four of the nine years the couple lived in Greenville. The Taylors moved to Transylvania, North Carolina, with their son, Patrick, and daughter, Jackie, when Roger accepted a position at Brevard College. Taylor then practiced at Transylvania Regional Hospital. Two years later Roger got his dream job at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs.

“We moved in the summer, and we saw green grass, but it was snowing,” Taylor says. “I wondered, ‘What has my husband brought me to?’” Taylor worked at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County in Wyoming, and

says, “The jobs we got in Wyoming were a blessing. In two years we both doubled our salaries.”

The family enjoyed hiking and boating at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Grand Teton National Park and Ashley National Forest in Utah. Taylor spent her free time sewing her children’s clothes, making jewelry and doing cross stitch. “Cleaning the house was a chore I never could accomplish,” she says.

Taylor stayed in Wyoming for two more years after Roger passed away from Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1999. “I moved back because I was going to be left alone out in the cold, cold wild west,” she says

with good humor.

She accepted a job at Brunswick Community Hospital, now Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, and says over the years technology has changed her job. Instead of writing reports, nurses put data into computers and cannot spend as much time with patients. An advantage of technology, she says, is telehealth where doctors and nurses consult with patients.

“I’ve enjoyed my career,” Taylor says. “I think I’m going to miss it a lot because I’ve always enjoyed what I did.”

Her greatest career accomplishment, she says, is “working 56 years.” 

Books, Brews & Beads Mardi Gras Celebration

February 6 at Makai Brewing Company, benefiting Brunswick County Literacy Council

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JO ANN MATHEWS

Bill Altreuter, Robin Johnson & Lisa Teague

Caren & Jack Casey

Jennifer & Randy Light

Diane Glowacki, Karen Hafling & Cathy McGill

Mary Ann Smith & Carol Anne Giordano

Susan Hafling, Michael Haflilng & Theresa Lominac

Charlie Nern, Jamie Phillips, Denise Williams & Susan Mitarotondo

Guests at Makai Brewing Company

Eileen Farrell, Kathi Moore, Karen Stefan, Michael & Karen Hafling & Bernice Boucher

Teddy Altreuter, Sharon Michael, Donna Casey, Ellen Acconcia & Bill Callahan

Diamonds & Denim Charity Ball

March 1 at the St. James Community Center, presented by Brunswick County Sheriff’s Foundation

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZEB STARNES

Joe & Lynda Stanley

Frank & Sharon Lungaro

Bill & Karen Pugh

Sharon Thompson, Kathryn Richards Wilt, Martha Lee, Randy Thompson, Katie Madon & Trey Martin

Todd & Michelle Fitz

Mike Allen, Emily Flax, & Darrilyn Morgan

Tom & Rebecca Jarvis

Brian Chism, Frank Williams & Lori Williams, Cynthia & Danny Tart

Art & Diana Dornfeld

Mike & Leighann Forte

Marlow & Sandy Julian

James & Colandra Williams

Brian & Treci Sanders

Ashley Gore & Vince Saponaro

The Brunswick County Chamber works for you! Your membership puts you right in the center of the largest business network in our community. You'll be shaking hands with decision makers, networking with strategic partners, and putting your business directly in front of thousands of

North Carolina Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Dinner Gala

Abdul Raheem Ali, Marsha Graham-Ali & Earl Smith

Naomi Randolph & Alexis Graves

Rose Vaughn Williams & Brenda Bozeman

George

Mari-Lou Wong-Chong

John & Jean Hackel, Bill McHugh, Cindy & Eric Mens

Joanne Levitan & Delores Rhodes

The Cultural Ensemble & Shea-Ra Nichi (far right)

Matthew Garvin & Jamilla Hawkins

Jerry May & Tracy Burns

Amtul Badi, Simone Mills Allen & Annie Mccoy

Coastal

House

Home Decor

Grand Opening

 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting and grand-opening event for Coastal House

Home Decor on March 8. Coastal House

Home Decor is located at 6934 Beach Drive SW, Suite 1 in Ocean Isle Beach. Attendees discovered a world of stunning coastal home decor, exquisite furnishings, wall art and artwork by talented local artists. Plus there were delicious treats, exciting raffle prizes and shopping.

Ozzy’s Oyster Roast and Low Country Boil

 The inaugural Ozzy’s Oyster Roast and Low Country Boil was held February 17 at Calabash Marina. This was the 2024 kickoff event for the 43rd Annual NC Oyster Festival, which will be held October 19 and 20, 2024. Patrons had their fill of oysters, shrimp, crawfish, corn and potatoes, and there was a little something extra for everyone including craft beverages from Makai Brewing, wine and a firepit for roasting marshmallows and building s’mores. The family-friendly atmosphere was kept lively with music by Salty Dawgs and DJ PaPa Hunk.

SOUPer Saturday Soup Sampling Event

 The Museum of Coastal Carolina has its second annual SOUPer Saturday event on February 3, offering an opportunity to sample soups from local cooks. Attendees

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TARA ROBERTS

enjoyed locally sourced soup samples, voted for their favorite creations. The favorite soup winner was Ocean Isle Beach resident Dale Krause for Creamy Tortellini, Spinach, and

Brunsco Biz Forum and Expo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TARA ROBERTS

 The South Brunswick Business Development Committee in partnership with Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce hosted the Brunsco Biz Forum and Expo on March 19, at the newly renovated Sea Trail Convention Center in Sunset Beach. The two-part event included the Forum and the Expo.

The Forum featured keynote speakers Jennie Harris, NC Department of Commerce and Joe and Moe Stanley, Brunswick County business owners. Each speaker was followed by breakout session discussions focusing on customer service and marketing your business. The forum concluded with an after-hours social.

Chicken Soup. Krause was awarded a gift certificate to The Little Dipper Fondue restaurant in Wilmington and bragging rights until next year’s event!

The free Expo highlighted solutions for business, home, and service needs available in Brunswick County. Photographer Brent Gallant was on hand snapping free, professional headshots as well as the Novant Health Mobile Mammography Unit.

April May June

HAVE YOU CAPTURED THE MOMENT?

If so, email your high resolution photos (300 dpi) with no watermarks to: capture@southbrunswickmagazine.com.

Photo captured by Steve Wingfield

“My heart was in the right place.”

I was nearing the end of a race when I collapsed. I was rushed to Novant Health. Then my cardiologist fi ed me with a heart monitor, which detected times my heart just stopped. They put in a pacemaker … and helped me regain my strength. Now I’m running marathons and stronger than ever. I owe it to the best doctors and amazing nurses who cared for me.

Peyton Chi y PACEMAKER RECIPIENT

Thank you Novant Health, for truly life-saving care.

Best physicians. Amazing nurses. Remarkable care.