South Brunswick Magazine - Winter 2023-24

Winter 2023-24 Winter 2023-24 || SouthBrunswickMagazine.com SouthBrunswickMagazine.com

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FUTURE Meet the young leaders of Brunswick County

C O M PL IM E N TA RY

SEA NOTES CHORAL SOCIETY

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PICKLEBALL EXPANSION

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FIRST TEE COASTAL CAROLINAS

Trustworthy, Attentive Team

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South Brunswick Magazine

Introducing Vishavpreet (Ricky) Singh, MD Total Joint Replacement & Reconstruction Fellowship Trained in Joint Replacement

© EMERGEORTHO 2023

Emerge Stronger. Healthier. Better.

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 HIP REPLACEMENT • ROBOTIC HIP REPLACEMENT • TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT

Dr. Singh is accepting new patients in these offices: Shallotte

Leland

5160 Ocean Highway West Shalotte, NC 28470

1168 East Cutlar Crossing Leland, NC 28451

Mon-Fri 8:00am — 5:00pm

Mon-Fri 8:00am — 5:00pm

LEARN MORE

Ph: 910.332.3800 Fax: 910.251.0421

EmergeOrtho.com/coastal-region

TABLE OF CONTENTS D FEATURES D IN EVERY ISSUE D DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES 46 FUTURE 10

70 A MUSICAL MILESTONE

Sea Notes Choral Society celebrates 50 years of providing free concerts in Brunswick County.

76 WHEELING & DEALING

PHOTO BY LESLIE GOURLEY

PHOTO BY ZEB STARNES

PHOTO BY HILARY HALLIWELL

PHOTOS BY MEGAN DEITZ

Meet the young leaders of Brunswick County. The future of any community relies on the individual and collective leadership of its citizens to make their communities work for everybody.

85 PICKLEBALL EXPANSION

Calabash resident Bob Kogler makes a living in the driver’s seat.

Leland’s House of Pickleball doubles in size and adds amenities to accommodate Brunswick County’s obsession with the sport.

IN EVERY ISSUE

37 SPIRITS

16 PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Pumpkin Spice Moscow Mule

38 WHAT’S COOKIN’ WITH SOUTHERN SANDI

Hot Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Jelly Dip

41 TEE TIME WITH LARRY

The First Tee Coastal Carolinas impacts the lives of local youth through the game of golf.

59 NONPROFIT

Brunswick Family Assistance finds the space it needs to serve families in crisis at a bigger facility in Bolivia.

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South Brunswick Magazine

38 65 COMMUNITY

Yoga, massage, good food and adventure come together at Nourished Retreats in Ocean Isle Beach.

81 PEOPLE

Betsy Braddock breaks the glass ceiling of the Brunswick County home construction industry — again.

PHOTO BY JAMES STEFIUK

DEPARTMENTS

18 CONTRIBUTORS 22 WHAT’S HAPPENED 30 WHAT’S HAPPENING 33 ACROSS THE COUNTY 34 ONLINE EXCLUSIVES 89 BUSINESS PROFILE 90 FACES & PLACES 93 SNIPPETS 96 TIDE CHART 97 ADVERTISERS INDEX 98 TAGGED

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Wimter 2023-24

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Volume 15, Issue 2

OWNER/PUBLISHER: Justin Williams CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER: Sandi Grigg COPY EDITOR: Molly Harrison CONTRIBUTING GRAPHICS: Teresa Kramer Samantha Lowe Eliza Dale Niemann SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Brian Wilner MARKETING INTERN: Sophie Lesanek CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Megan Deitz Kristin Gettleman Leslie Gourley Hilary Halliwell Jo Ann Mathews Matt McGraw Bill Ritenour Tara Roberts Zeb Starnes James Stefiuk CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Ed Beckley Kurt Epps Sandi Grigg Larry Hershoff Beth A. Klahre Jo Ann Mathews Denice Patterson Theresa Ravencraft Melissa Slaven Warren

IslandClassicInteriors.com | 910.579.8477

1 1 5 C AU S EWAY D R . O C E A N I S L E B E AC H , N C

PUBLISHED BY:

Get rid of unwanted hair permanently!

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.

© 2024 Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. 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: Winter 2023-24 | SouthBrunswickMagazine.com

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FUTURE

Winter

Meet the young leaders of Brunswick County

SEA NOTES CHORAL SOCIETY

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PICKLEBALL EXPANSION

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FIRST TEE COASTAL CAROLINAS Meet the

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F U T URE

C O M PL IM E N TA RY

For our annual Future 10 feature, we always run two different SBM covers, the one you see here with half of the young leaders, and another with the other half. Photographer Megan Deitz captured all the images of our Future 10 subjects for the feature story, which starts on page 46.

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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 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.

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.

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.

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

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South Brunswick Magazine

Winter 2023-24

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

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One of the best things about being a magazine publisher is that the job requires a great deal of social interaction. Between scouting stories, attending local events, selling advertising, setting up photo shoots, delivering magazines and so much more, I am always on the go, bouncing around from place to place and talking to people all day long. And I love it.

I look forward every day to getting out and talking with the people of Brunswick County.

Many of the people I have met through this job have become longtime friends, and just about every day I meet someone new in town who has a fascinating story to tell. One thing that everyone I come across has in common is their love for Brunswick County. In the last 16 years, I have yet to meet anyone who does not love where they live.

With great people, good vibes and so much going on around these beautiful island communities, it is not difficult to fall in love with this place. This leads me to another thing I like about my job: sharing all the good news about the people, places and things to do in Brunswick County.

In this issue of South Brunswick Magazine, we have a lot of great stories about local people, starting with our annual feature called Future 10.

The segment features 10 of the young leaders of Brunswick County, men and women younger than 40 who are making a difference through their jobs and service.

We introduce you to the Sea Notes, a choral group that has been entertaining people around here for 50 years – and you’ll learn that some of the original members are still singing with the group. You’ll meet two local women who offer

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South Brunswick Magazine

My Job

PHOTO BY MEGAN DEITZ

I

wellness retreats, two local women who have teamed up in the building industry, the caring people who run the show at Brunswick Family Assistance and so much more.

Thank you for reading this winter edition of South Brunswick Magazine. Please let our advertisers know that you saw them here, and please pass this edition along to a friend after you have finished reading. As always, we welcome your story ideas, so please send them in to info@southbrunswickmagazine.com Hope to see you around town!

Justin Williams Owner/Publisher Publisher@SouthBrunswickMagazine.com  justinw13

Where Farming is a Family Thing.

MAKE IT FRESH

with Heritage Fresh Market.

Sweet potatoes are a staple vegetable during winter months. They are naturally sweet and easy to incorporate into many savory dishes and seasonal desserts. This recipe is a great way to showcase delicious sweet potatoes from Heritage Fresh Market in your next Sunday morning breakfast.

INSTRUCTIONS

S W E E T P O T A T O WA F F L E S MAKES: 16 WAFFLES PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES INGREDIENTS

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour • 1/3 cup granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice • 1 cup baked sweet potato, cooled and mashed • 1½ cups milk • 3 large eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1/3 cup canola oil

• In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Stir the sweet potato mixture into the dry ingredients until well blended.

• Heat the waffle iron to medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add 1/3 cup of batter to the center of each grid of the waffle iron. Grids should NOT be full at the edges, allowing space for the batter to expand. Close the lid and cook for about 4 minutes or until the waffle iron stops steaming.

• Carefully remove the hot waffles from the iron. Place them on a baking sheet and cover with a dish towel to keep them warm while making the remaining waffles. Repeat this process.

• Extra waffles can be frozen for later use. Simply put them in the toaster to reheat. Serve Sweet Potato Waffles with crispy bacon, fresh fruit and rich maple syrup for a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner. And remember to visit Heritage Fresh Market today for all of your favorite winter produce.

Heritage Fresh Market offers a wide variety of fresh winter produce including collards, mustard greens, turnips, sweet potatoes, cabbage, pecans, and more! We have all you need to prepare fresh, seasonal meals that are certain to bring joy during your time around the dinner table! follow us

FALL & WINTER HOURS:

Monday - Friday 9 am - 5:30 pm Saturday 9 am - 5 pm Closed Sunday

www.heritagefreshmarket.com 20 Sellers Road Supply, NC 910.253.1330

CONTRIBUTORS

Megan Deitz CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

I turned my love of photography into a full-time career in 2003 when I began traveling up and down the East Coast as a sports photographer. Today, I specialize in portrait and commercial photography but can be found fueling my true passion for landscape and wildlife photography through my travels around the world.

K megandeitz.com

Q megandeitz_photography

Beth A. Klahre CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Two years ago, after retiring from a career at a major food-manufacturing corporation in Pennsylvania, with technical and leadership roles in engineering, information technology and global shared services, my husband Jeff and I moved to Southport. While he’s golfing, I spend time on my new passions, including writing stories about the amazing people I meet and walking the beach with our dog, Betsy.

I am learning to play the harp, and my love of books has led me to join the board of directors of the Friends of the Library of Southport and Oak Island. Our son, Matthew, and his fiancé, Angie, live in Philadelphia, where both are lawyers.

Teresa Ravencraft CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I have always been a storyteller. After college I worked as a producer/director for PBS, writing scripts and editing documentaries and children’s programs. While working in television, I also taught video production courses at the high school and college level. I enjoyed teaching and as our family grew, I transitioned to managing the media center and teaching video production and literacy skills at our local intermediate school. My life-long passion for cooking led me to create and write a food blog. You can visit me at raveaboutfood.com, a place to share recipes and stories about my family and the foods we love. My husband, Brian, and I are from Ohio and have vacationed in the Carolinas for years. We purchased our dream home in Ocean Isle Beach in 2020 and have fallen in love with the community. We are enjoying the beaches, the food and the people we have met.

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South Brunswick Magazine

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FIND US ON SOCIAL

EQA

WHAT'S HAPPENED

by the Office of Governor Roy Cooper. Evans, a BCC Board of Trustees member since 2021, was sworn in by Chair Alan Holden during the August meeting. Holden also swore in Jenkins, who began service to the board in 2019.

Representative Frank Iler, a board member since 2007, was sworn in by J. Calvin Chandler, District Court Judge, Judicial District 13 (Columbus, Brunswick and Bladen counties).

Local Groups Work Together to Help Brunswick Family Assistance Elks Club #2854, Kiwanis Club Shallotte-South Brunswick Islands and Coastal Carolina Outreach worked together this summer to raise funds and collect supplies to help the Brunswick County Family Assistance Christmas in July Program. The group members stuffed backpacks for local students in need. The Backpack Event was held at Brunswick Family Assistance in Bolivia.

BCC Trustees Renew Service to College

From September 4 to 16 Sunset River Gallery in Calabash hosted Art For Maui, a two-week fundraiser to benefit residents of Maui who are suffering losses from the devastating fires early in August. Many North Carolina and South Carolina artists donated original artwork for the event. According to gallery director Samantha Spalti, 100 percent of sales from the show went to Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong initiative.

Participating artists included Linda Thomas, RL Thomas, Linda Myers, Teri M. Brown, Nancy McClure, Wil Goff, Cynthia Blake, Lorraine Selway, Gary Baird, Freeman Beard, Mona Bendin, Kristen Rahn, Samantha Spalti, Linda Young, Holly Clark-Dull, Elena Wright, Featherwood Earrings, Barbara Bryant, Roseann Bellinger, Karen Casciani, Barbara McCumber, Vicki Neilon, Rachel Sunnell and Barbara Karkut.

CONTRIBUTED ARTWORK

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Sunset River Gallery Holds Art for Maui Show

Brunswick Community College (BCC) is proud to announce the renewal of service by three members of the college’s board of trustees. The trustees include Scott Evans, appointed by the Brunswick County Commissioners; Representative Frank Iler, appointed by the Brunswick County Board of Education; and Ronnie Jenkins, appointed 22

South Brunswick Magazine

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

New Hope Clinic Celebrates 25th Anniversary

New Hope Clinic (NHC) celebrated its 25th anniversary with an open house at its main clinic in Boiling Spring Lakes on November 1. NHC hosted the event to thank the public for its years of support and to increase awareness about the clinic’s

WHAT'S HAPPENED

healthcare services provided to residents who have no health insurance and lack access to affordable healthcare. Attendees enjoyed clinic tours, live music, catered food and games as well as hearing about the organization’s accomplishments.

Displays highlighted the clinic’s history including the 2018 addition of a Hepatitis-C treatment program, the 2021 approval as a limited supervision dental hygiene site and the 2023 upgrades to the diabetic retinopathy screening program.

Calabash Post 7288 Auxiliary has supported this important project for the last several years as part of its community outreach. The $250 checks will be utilized to buy winter coats, sweaters and other supplies for students in need at each school.

Ribbon Cutting for Ben & Bean Bakery and Cafe

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Ribbon Cutting and Open House for HearingLife

On September 19 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce invited the community to join in celebrating the ribboncutting ceremony for Ben & Bean Bakery and Cafe located at 925 Seaside Road SW in Ocean Isle Beach. Attendees got the chance to see the changes that Ben & Bean have made including their brand-new espresso bar and local art gallery.

On September 12 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce assisted HearingLife with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open-house event to celebrate their 20 years of business.

Attendees toured the HearingLife office at 4924 Main Street in Shallotte and enjoyed finger foods and refreshing lemonade.

Brunswick Town Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution Observe Constitution Week

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

VFW Calabash Post 7288 Auxiliary Supports Children’s Coat Closet

On September 14 VFW Calabash Post 7288 Auxiliary President Wayne Weszka and Senior Vice President Cathy Milstead visited two local elementary schools to present checks for $250 to the schools’ Coat Closet projects. VFW

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) urged Americans to reflect on the United States Constitution during September’s annual observance in honor this foundational document of national governance. The DAR initiated the observance in 1955, when the service organization petitioned the U.S. Congress to dedicate September 17 to 23 of each year as Constitution Week.

Winter 2023-24

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WHAT'S HAPPENED

Congress adopted the resolution, and on August 2, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into Public Law #915. The celebration’s goals are threefold: to encourage the study of the historical events that led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787; to remind the public that the Constitution is the basis of America’s great heritage and the foundation for its way of life; and to emphasize U.S. citizens’ responsibility to protect, defend and preserve the U.S. Constitution. Brunswick County Commissioner Pat Sykes presented a proclamation to the Brunswick Town Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in honor of Constitution Week.

program is an annual competition open to all 6th to 8th grade students enrolled in public, private or parochial schools as well as home-schooled students. In recent years, several local winners have gone on to compete at the regional and state levels. VFW Calabash Post 7288 encouraged budding writers to enter this year’s competition. Students were required to write 300 to 400 words on the theme “How Are You Inspired by America?” and submit their entries by October 31.

Calabash Elks Donate to Help Homeless Veterans

During the American Legion Post 543 August general membership meeting, Shallotte Elks Lodge #2854 presented a donation from the Elks Freedom Grant to assist veterans in need. Elks Exalted Ruler Susan Berardi and Trustee Paul Salerno presented a $1,000 check to 543 Post Commander Philip McGhee to assist local veterans who are in need. The Shallotte Elks made a similar donation last year to assist homeless veterans. Post 543 is extremely grateful to the Elks for their generous donation

The Calabash Elks Veteran’s Affairs Committee (VAC) recently donated Welcome Home Kits to the Veterans Welcome Home Resource Center to support their Tiny Home Village being constructed in Myrtle Beach for homeless veterans.

Pictured in front of a Tiny Home previously donated by the VAC are John Corbett, VAC chairman; Linda Tmay, VAC project leader; Bill Tmay, VAC member; Amber Dulebohn VWHRC representative; Jack and Joanne Bendy, VAC members; John Zschoche, VAC co-chair; and Charles Munden, VAC member. Veteran’s Affairs Committee members not pictured are Ann Marie Waters, Patricia Brosius, Richard Rust and Charles Tinkham.

Pictured above are Post 543 Veterans Service Officer Steve Muir, Elks Trustees Paul Salerno and Walt Wilson, Post 543 Commander Philip McGhee, Exalted Ruler Susan Berardi and Leading Knight John O’Lear.

VFW Calabash Post 7288 Invites Students to Compete in Patriot Pen Scholarship

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South Brunswick Magazine

Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening for Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

VFW Calabash Post 7288 and its Auxiliary announced the kick-off of the Veterans of Foreign War’s national Patriot Pen Scholarship program in September. The Patriot Pen

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Shallotte Elks Donate $1,000 to American Legion Post 543

On August 24 Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage held a grand-opening event and ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Bolivia location in conjunction with Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce. The new Bolivia location is at 1011 Zion Hill Road SE.

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WHAT'S HAPPENED

UNCW and BCC Forge Pathways to Higher Education Success

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

work with the loggerhead turtles on Holden Beach. She retired from the Turtle Patrol in 2000, but many people on Holden Beach still remembered her as “the Turtle Lady.” In honor of Bryan, HBTWP provides a fellowship at the UNC Wilmington annually for a graduate student in the marine biology program.

In a significant leap forward for higher education accessibility, Brunswick Community College (BCC) is thrilled to announce a new partnership with the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) through the innovative PathWays program, set to launch in early 2024. This collaborative initiative aims to simplify the transfer process for students, providing them with guaranteed admissions and comprehensive support as they pursue their four-year degrees. The PathWays program, previously known as UNCW Pathways to Excellence, underscores UNCW’s commitment to creating diverse pathways for students across North Carolina. UNCW has established partnerships with all 58 state community colleges through this pioneering program, ensuring eligible students a seamless transition to university life.

The first year of the patrol they had just 17 nests. This year the HBTWP recorded 75 nests on Holden Beach. This is the second largest number recorded since the patrol was founded.

The highest number was 105 nests in 2019. These 75 nests had 8,747 eggs, which yielded 6,252 hatchling sea turtles going into the ocean. This year’s season started in early May when volunteers began searching the beach each morning for signs that mother sea turtles have come ashore to lay eggs.

The first nest was found on Holden Beach on May 12. The last nest was laid on August 10. This nest hatched in early October and was inventoried on October 8, officially closing the season for the year.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Calabash Elks Donate to Brunswick Family Assistance

Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program (HBTWP), also known as the Turtle Patrol, recently completed its 35th sea turtle nesting season. The Turtle Patrol’s mission is to monitor and protect the sea turtle population on Holden Beach. The program currently has approximately 80 volunteer members. This year the HBTWP remembers and celebrates the life of founder Judy Bryan, who passed away this past February. Bryan started the Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program out of her garage on the west end of Holden Beach in 1989 with her husband, Rick, and a small number of volunteers. Originally the organization was very informal, but Bryan was a pioneer establishing the turtle patrol with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. She was known for her love of turtles and her untiring work for them. In 1996 she was named N.C. Conservationist of the Year for her

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South Brunswick Magazine

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Turtle Patrol Season Ends Thanks to a friendly competition between the members of the Calabash Elks Lodge and the Ladies Auxiliary, more than 600 pounds of food was donated to Brunswick Family Assistance in time for the holidays. Brunswick Family Assistance is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals in crisis in Brunswick County by providing food, shelter and emergency assistance.

Assistance League of Greater Wilmington Increases Support of BCC Students The Foundation of Brunswick Community College extends a huge thank you to the Assistance League of Greater Wilmington for donating $30,000 to fund nursing student scholarships. Assistance League of Greater Wilmington is one of 120 chapters of a nonprofit organization that puts caring and commitment into action. Throughout the years, the Wilmington chapter has supported many BCC nursing students.

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South Brunswick Magazine

Winter 2023-24

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4th Annual Bella Italia

Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting January 30

The annual membership for members only will take place from 7:30 to 10 am at the Sea Breeze Restaurant. This is a time to bring members together, hear a recap of the previous year and share goals for the upcoming year.

Outgoing and incoming board of directors will be recognized.

Information: brunswickcountychamber. chambermaster.com/events/ details/2024-annual-meeting

Coastal Consumer Showcase February 8

Whether you are new to the area or just want to know what’s new to the area, Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce’s Coastal Consumer Showcase is a must-attend event. It’s held annually on the second Thursday in February from 4 to 7 pm at the St. James Community Center, 4136 Southport-Supply Road in St. James.

As a bonus, there are many giveaways provided by the participating businesses.

Information: southport-oakisland.com/ article/coastal-consumer-showcase.html

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South Brunswick Magazine

Run Oak Island

4th Annual Bella Italia

Run Oak Island

Enjoy an evening of wine tastings, specialty hors d’oeuvres, a plated dinner and dessert featuring Italian fare from Angelo’s Bistro. All proceeds will benefit student scholarship support at Brunswick Community College.

Runners, joggers and walkers of all ages and abilities can explore the scenic coastal landscape of Oak Island while enjoying an invigorating dose of activity at the Run Oak Island event. This annual event features a variety of courses that can range from a 1-mile fun run or walk to a 13.1-mile half marathon.

February 10

Information: (910) 755-4743; brunswickccc.edu/event/bella-italiaevent-presented-by-bcc-foundation

Creedence Revelation featuring Randy Linder February 15

The concert is over and you are realizing that you never knew you had so many favorite Credence Clearwater Revival songs. You just had a Creedence Revelation! This presentation by Randy Linder and his band is second to none. They have entertained audiences across the country with the beloved hits that came from CCR between the years of 1968 and 1972 and a few of John Fogerty’s solo hits. Doors at Brunswick Community College Odell Williamson Auditorium open at 6:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased online.

Information: bccowa.com

February 17

Information: runsignup.com/race/nc/oakIsland/ runoakisland

Nathan Coe Marsh Magic Show Fundraiser February 25

On February 25 at Generations Church in Southport, Nathan Coe Marsh will offer one show at 7 pm to benefit Brunswick Family Assistance. This is a world-class comedic magic show that you will not want to miss.

Information: generationschurch.com

11th Annual Diamonds & Denim Charity Ball March 1

The annual Brunswick Sheriff ’s Charitable Foundation Diamonds and Denim Charity Ball will be held on March 1 from 6 to 10 pm at the St. James Community Center. This is fun night of dinner, dancing, live and silent auctions and music by Tru Sol, all to benefit Brunswick County charities.

Information: sheriffscharity.com/diamonds-denim

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

PHOTO BY ALAN MORRIS & LAURA D. BROWN

WHAT'S HAPPENING

WHAT'S HAPPENING

At Liberty Connections Spring 2024 Women Veterans Retreat March 15-17

Attention Women Veterans living in North Carolina! At Liberty Connections is currently taking applications for their Spring 2024 Women Veterans Retreat held at Wild Horse Ranch in Supply If you live in the state and are interested in attending this retreat, please send an email to info@ atlibertyconnections.org to request an application. Space is limited.

These retreats are provided for veterans at no cost and include equine assisted activities such as equine in-hand trail walks, obstacle play, horsemanship and much more! They also offer a variety of mindfulness activities (with and without equine) designed to facilitate self regulation and resilience such as creative art, archery, yoga, Reiki, body scans and guided imagery meditation. Licensed mental health clinician(s) will also join the retreat for support.

Enjoy a quiet presence and a sense of belonging with your fellow women veterans and ALC’s equine partners and helpers who want to honor you and your service.

Information: atlibertyconnections.org

Badwater ® Cape Fear March 23

The Badwater® ultra running experience returns to the East Coast when the 10th annual Badwater® Cape Fear race takes

place on Bald Head Island. With 50km and 51-mile race options, Badwater® Cape Fear features a 12-mile warm-up on the carfree, one-lane-wide roads and maritime forest trails of Bald Head Island, followed by either 19 or 38 miles of running on the wild and secluded sandy beach between Cape Fear and Fort Fisher.

R YOU

AHEDRE!

Information: badwater.com/event/badwatercape-fear/

Southport Spring Festival March 29 & 30

Celebrate the arrival of warm weather with a stop at Southport Spring Festival.

This two-day festival features a wealth of activities and attractions for visitors of all ages and is sure to be a highlight of any getaway to the coastal Cape Fear region.

Information: downtownsouthport.org/ southport-spring-festival/

Run Sunset Beach April 27

Discover some of the prettiest terrain that Sunset Beach has to offer with more than 600 runners from across the region and the country. The Run Sunset Beach event features a variety of races that range from a mile-long Fun Run to a 13.1-mile half marathon. The course is one of the most scenic that coastal North Carolina has to offer.

Get Noticed.

Advertise Here.

Information: coastalraceproductions.com/ race/run-sunset-beach-2024

WE SAVED A SPOT FOR YOU! CALL OR EMAIL

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

to reserve your space in the Spring 2024 issue.

910.207.0156 At Liberty Connections Spring 2024 Women Veterans Retreat

ads@lifeinbrunswickcounty.com Winter 2023-24

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Spring 2022

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ACROSS THE COUNTY D LIFEINBRUNSWICKCOUNTY.COM

K View online at LifeinBrunswickCounty.com/nbm

K View online at LifeinBrunswickCounty.com/oki

MR. P’S LEGACY

PHOTO BY THERESA RAVENCRAFT

LEAVING THE LIGHT ON

PHOTO BY KATIE D PHOTOGRAPHY

WHEN DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT

PHOTO BY CASEY LAUREN TOWNSEND

PHOTO BY MATT MCGRAW

GUARDIANS OF THE DUNES

PHOTO BY CASEY LAUREN TOWNSEND

BUSY HANDS, FAST FRIENDS

A LIFE OF SERVICE

PHOTO BY JO ANN MATHEWS

FLOUR POWER

PHOTO BY MEGAN DEITZ

LEARNING BY NATURE

PHOTO BY BRENDA TORREY

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

PHOTO BY JIM ROBERTSON

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

THE RESIDENTIAL TOURISTS

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ONLINE EXCLUSIVES D EXTRAS YOU WILL FIND ONLY ONLINE D LIFEINBRUNSWICKCOUNTY.COM

NEW AND IMPROVED Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center in Sunset Beach will see course updates, clubhouse renovations and new townhomes in 2024.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Thanks to new owners and a new management company, Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center is seeing major improvements. Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center in Sunset Beach offers three exceptional golf courses, a newly updated Convention Center and a wide range of amenities for golf enthusiasts and event planners.

The resort provides a unique blend of natural beauty, Southern hospitality and recreational excellence, making it a preferred destination for those seeking a relaxing escape or planning a memorable event. The Convention Center is approximately 40,000 square feet boasting a 1,580 event seating capacity.

Sea Trail Investments, LLC, whose partners include Robert Hill and Donald Bean, co-owners of Riptide Builders, and Parker Smith, owner of Golf Trek, have completed their acquisition of all remaining golf and commercial property in Sea Trail. Additionally, the owners of Sea Trail Investments have joined forces with Sandesh Sharda to form Sea Trail Golf Resort, LLC. Sharda recently purchased Rivers Edge Golf Course in Shallotte and is in the final phases of acquiring The International Club of Myrtle Beach. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

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FESTIVAL AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

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

A beer festival has come to Shallotte. And it’s right at your fingertips (or wrist, if you prefer). With a self-pour system that has proven popular in many other places — like Wilmington and Charlotte — Manager Harry Cave is immersed in a labor of love in the former Red Hare Brewing space, right by the mighty Shallotte River. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE 34

South Brunswick Magazine

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PHOTO BY KURT EPPS

Shallotte’s only self-pour beer and wine bar, Pour House offers the feeling of a beer festival with the addition of a full bar.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES D

EXTRAS YOU WILL FIND ONLY ONLINE D LIFEINBRUNSWICKCOUNTY.COM

WOMEN MAKING A DIFFERENCE

by Jo Ann Mathews

Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce celebrated women and named June Baker as Woman of the Year at the 2023 Women of Impact Brunch.

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June Baker dabbed at tears and shook her head in disbelief. When she arrived at the Women of Impact Brunch on November 15, she was unaware that she would be named Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year. More than 100 people attended the event at The Isles Restaurant in Ocean Isle Beach.

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AWARD-WINNING WINES

Silver Coast Winery, a family-owned and -operated winery in Ocean Isle Beach, has won three gold and three silver medals at the 2023 MidAtlantic Southeastern Wine Competition. The competition, which is open to commercial vineyards and sees hundreds of entries from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, aims to encourage, stimulate and enrich the reputation of Southeastern vineyards and wineries that produce wines of outstanding quality. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach wins big at the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Southeastern Wine Competition.

GRANTS FOR TEACHERS

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BEMC awards Bright Ideas grants to educators in Brunswick and Columbus counties.

Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) awarded more than $34,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to 29 teachers in Brunswick and Columbus counties in 2023.

The grants will fund engaging classroom learning projects that will impact thousands of students. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

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SPIRITS

Pumpkin It Up Fall flavors meet the Moscow Mule in this seasonal cocktail.

BY THERESA RAVENCRAFT

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There is nothing better than a cocktail to remind us of the bright, fresh flavors of the season. Cranberry, pecan and pumpkin are all winter flavors that are used to enhance our cooking and baking. So, why not include them in your favorite festive drinks?

A Moscow Mule standardly consists of vodka, ginger beer and lime juice. Pumpkin vodka shines through as the star in this drink, along with a supporting cast of pumpkin puree and spices. This is a drink that is easy to make and even easier to savor.

Several distilleries make pumpkin vodka, which is the main ingredient in this tasty concoction. Pinnacle and Smirnoff are just two that offer pumpkin vodka throughout the fall and winter months for use in a variety of cozy cocktails.

Blending the pumpkin vodka with pumpkin puree, ginger beer and warm spices like nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and ginger gives the drink a rich and slightly spicy taste. Adding fresh lime juice to each mug adds a bright, effervescent note.

A Moscow Mule is typically served in a copper mug. The copper keeps your cocktail colder for longer, enhancing the flavor of the vodka. I always put my copper mugs in the freezer the day before I use them so they stay as cold as possible.

Whether you are just relaxing after dinner or you have invited guests for a holiday celebration, this seasonal blend fits the bill. These cocktails are tasty enough to replace that piece of pie or slice of cake after a big meal. Cheers to making a Pumpkin Spice Moscow Mule!

PUMPKIN SPICE MOSCOW MULE Makes 2 cocktails

INGREDIENTS 4 ounces pumpkin vodka 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 2 tablespoons lime juice 6.8 ounces of ginger beer (one can) Cinnamon sticks for garnish

METHOD Mix the vodka, pumpkin puree, spices and lime juice in a small pitcher. Divide the mixture by pouring it evenly into two copper mugs filled with ice.

Top each mug with half of the ginger beer and stir gently. Garnish each drink with a cinnamon stick.

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WHAT’S COOKIN’ WITH SOUTHERN SANDI

Party Noshing Put this elegant goat cheese dip on your menu for easy entertaining.

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BY SANDI GRIGG | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES STEFIUK

Last summer my family purchased a house that is almost 100 years old. It is a well-known house built by a family that went on to house three generations of that same family. They often hosted parties, so many of our town’s people have been inside this house before. We took down walls, put walls up, got a new roof and new siding, painted the interior and put down new floors in the basement. After a few months of renovations, we finally moved in.

We may have bitten off a little more than we had anticipated in repairs, but we were excited to show off our accomplishments by hosting a housewarming party. Our neighbors were excited to see all the work we had done and so were our family and friends. I wanted to welcome them with an appetizer that was appealing, unique, delicious and warm because it was starting to get cool outside.

Charcuterie boards can be very expensive with the variations of items presented so I knew my hot goat cheese and red pepper jelly would be perfect. This appetizer is a tangy goat cheese mix topped with red pepper jelly then sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and green onion. It comes together to create a colorful appetizer that’s both sweet and savory and takes a bit from each of the charcuterie board items and merges them into one flavorful dish. I served it with apple slices, carrots and French bread toast for a variation of fruit, veggie and carb, and it was a hit! There was nothing to spare by the end of the evening, and I had even doubled the recipe to For the last few minutes, accommodate the number of guests. turn the oven up to broil With this recipe, entertaining is made easy. If you to caramelize the want a wow-factor appetizer, but you do not have time topping. to put in a ton of effort, this is your appetizer. It screams

Pro Tip

elegance and fanciness while offering a complex variety of flavors and textures, but it comes together and cooks in less than a half-hour. Have the ingredients on hand and whip it up for parties, holiday gatherings or when friends and family drop by.

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Q Southern.Sandi

Hot Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Jelly Dip Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS 10 ounces goat cheese, room temperature 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 tablespoons hot honey 3 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup red pepper jelly (microwave for 15 seconds so it’s easy to spread) 1 tablespoon roasted and salted pumpkin seeds 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped Granny Smith apple slices Carrots Toasted French bread slices

METHOD Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, honey, thyme and salt in a mixing bowl until it has a whipped consistency.

Spread the mixture into a small baking dish. Spread the red pepper jelly on top of the cheese mixture.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Top the hot dip by sprinkling the pumpkin seeds and green onion and serve with apple slices, carrots, and toasted French bread slices.

Have a recipe request for Southern Sandi?

Shoot a message to Sandi@CarolinaMarketingCompany.com

Note: Baking time could vary depending on the size and depth of your baking dish. Small deep dishes may take more time while more shallow larger dishes may not need the entire cooking time.

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Make a difference.

Donate to Warm Homes Warm Hearts this winter.

Looking for a proven way to help neighbors in need?

Consider giving to our Warms Homes, Warm Hearts utility assistance program. Each year Brunswick Electric matches donations up to $50,000, so your generosity works twice as hard. Funds are distributed through: • Brunswick Family Assistance • Columbus County Department of Aging How To Donate Make your check payable to Warm Homes, Warm Hearts and mail it to: WHWH Campaign, c/o BEMC, PO Box 826, Shallotte, NC 28459.

Provided funding assistance to

over 650 families. in Brunswick and Columbus Counties.

For more information, visit bemc.org/warm-homes-warm-hearts

Game Changer The First Tee Coastal Carolinas impacts the lives of local youth through the game of golf.

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BY LARRY HERSHOFF

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN DEITZ

Tucked away off U.S. Highway 17 in Shallotte is a magical spot where the future of local youth is headed way above par — while the kids are learning to shoot below par!

Boasting a 9-hole pitch and putt course designed by Tom Watson, a Learning Center where life lessons are taught alongside golf rules and etiquette, a driving range to hone golfing skills and much more is the headquarters of the nine-county First Tee Coastal Carolinas chapter.

The First Tee nationally consists of 155 chapters throughout the United States dedicated to improving the lives of youth and their futures through the game of golf. Each chapter is locally supported, and that is where we come in. Participation in First Tee Coastal Carolinas (FTCC) fundraisers, sending children aged 7 to 18 through FTCC programs and donating golf items of value are

Terry Mauney, regional program manager of First Tee Coastal Carolinas, and Ed LaPierre, executive director of First Tee Coastal Carolinas, work to better kids’ lives through golf.

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all part of continuing this vibrant effort to ensure that boys and girls live better lives. FTCC offers improved social interaction, competitive sports and learning the importance of self-reliance, relations with others and respect for rules and the property of others, among other important lessons.

It is all boiled down into the First Tee 5 Key Commitments taught by Brunswick County Program Manager Terry Mauney and a bevy of local coaches, as follows: B Pursuing goals C Growing through challenges D Collaborating with others E Building positive self identity F Using good judgment First Tee of the Coastal Carolinas Program Manager Terry Mauney and a bevy of local coaches teach these commitments and ensure that the players have fun. I spoke with

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South Brunswick Magazine

Mauney, a former PGA Tour & PGA Tour Champions member, who has developed the skills of many local youth, helping them earn scholarships to college and manage the development of healthy habits. Mauney came to Shallotte from the First Tee in Texas and coordinates with Executive Director Ed LaPierre and Board Chair Terry Boldt on ensuring FTCC makes the most out of its 28-acre campus,

including a six-week-long summer camp.

Maintenance of the facilities is carried on by numerous volunteers and supported by local entities such as Revels, which provides equipment and support. It’s a community effort.

“We also coordinate with the Brunswick County Department of Education,” Mauney says, and other entities within the nine counties (Craven, Columbus, Horry, Carteret, Pamlico, Georgetown, Onslow, Brunswick and Pitt).

“FTCC brings the benefits of physical and cerebral activity to kids who might otherwise be glued to their cellphones, and the results are terrific,” Mauney says. “Our youth graduate through our age-based classes, and a number of our First Tee’ers have played at Pebble Beach in a national tournament.”

The coach adds, “The First Tee helps build character in the young minds that are learning to play golf. They learn how to The First Tee Learning Center in Shallotte collaborate with others, how to includes a practice driving range.

SUPERIOR ORTHOPEDIC CARE FOR YOUR FAMILY

McLeod Orthopaedics Seacoast is the destination for orthopedic specialty care in Horry and Brunswick Counties. Our team of respected and highly-skilled physicians and surgeons treat an extensive range of orthopedic issues. Using the latest advancements in procedures and technology, including robotically-assisted surgery options, they provide state-of-the-art, personalized care for every patient.

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manage emotions and even learn how to set goals. They do Pitt counties to give us nine counties total. It is all about the all this while appreciating diversity and learning a game of a kids and ‘building game changers.’” lifetime: golf.”

Outgoing Board Chair Terry Boldt has put both his sons FTCC is always looking for new ways to help local youth through the FTCC programs and has seen the benefits first develop their skills and is happy to partner with local golf hand. Incoming Board Chair Charlie Hoover says, “My son courses like The Emerald in New Bern, Sandpiper Bay in and a friend of his played with me in the FGT Sunset Beach and Wachesaw Plantation in Pawleys Island. tournament this past weekend with a 13-year-old First Tee FTCC also partners with the New Hanover County–based participant, who has been involved in the program for about First Tee of Wilmington on various programs, including the four years. Afterwards, I asked my partners what they First Tee Discount Golf Card that raises important funds for thought of the experience, and they both were totally amazed the operation of these charities. by this young man. A firm handshake, eye contact, a smile Executive Director Ed LaPierre is a New Hampshire and politeness were the first thoughts they had about him. native with experience at PGA These are the things that The First Tee Superstore. As a former New England teaches, and they are life-long talents.

PGA-NH Chapter Golf Champion, he Helping to build that firm foundation for PITCH IN knows the game quite well. He is the kids is what keeps me motivated as a working on a number of changes that First Tee volunteer.”

To volunteer or to get So how does this affect local golfers will come to FTCC soon. a youth involved in and future golfers? These programs are “We are very excited to grow First Tee Coastal Carolinas benefiting youth who will eventually programming here in Brunswick County m (910) 754-5288 work for us and with us, play golf with adding new sites from on the north and us and support our local courses. They south ends of the county,” LaPierre says.

K firstteecoastalcarolinas.org are not changing the game of golf — “Additionally, we have expanded just the way it impacts all of us!  programs into Columbus, Onslow and

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We put our whole heart into caring for yours.

Our team of heart and vascular specialists offers the most advanced care to keep you strong and healthy, so you can be there for a lifetime of granddaughter beach walks.

Discover more at NovantHealth.org/Heart © Novant Health, Inc. 2023 10/23 • NH1399165a

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FUTURE

Meet the young leaders of Brunswick County.

BY M ELI SSA SL AVEN WARREN

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PH OTO G R APH Y BY M EGAN D EITZ

The future of any community relies on the individual and collective leadership of its citizens to make their communities work for everybody.

Brunswick County is without a doubt well-supplied with an impressive bench of talented leaders who are working to build a strong foundation for growth and opportunity for the next generation of Brunswick County.

Eleven years ago, Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce and South Brunswick Magazine first partnered to introduce the Future 10 Under 40, a group of communityminded and enthusiastic young professionals in Brunswick County who are enthusiastically a part of their county and who live up to the chamber’s motto of Building Community and Supporting Business.

Again, we are bringing together a new group of Future 10 leaders for 2023. We invited coworkers, supervisors, employees, clients, business owners, friends and family to nominate outstanding young men and women who are under the age of 40 and who have a demonstrated commitment to excellence in their personal and professional

lives. Who are these remarkable leaders? They are teachers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, role models, business owners, public servants and other professionals eager to use their passions to inspire and lead the community.

This year’s professionals are helping to shape Brunswick County’s future. They have each individually made a difference in their industries whether that is through their leadership skills or their participation in civic organizations, nonprofits and volunteer work. They all have one thing in common: They are passionate about Brunswick County, and they all are making a positive impact here. In this issue, you will read their stories and come to see that they are all key players in the present and future of Brunswick County.

Here are your 2023 Future 10 Under 40 Leaders of Brunswick County.

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BILL McHUGH Councilmember, Town of Leland

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Age 38

or Bill McHugh, doing things that really matter is a priority. As an attorney and contract manager for PPD, Part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, he has worked on several drugs and vaccines that have had a positive impact on the world. And as a councilmember for the Town of Leland, “being able to help shape the future of my community is very important to me,” he says.

From an early age, McHugh thought he wanted to be involved in politics. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and social science before graduating from St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami Gardens.

“I prepared myself from a skillset level and an education level to enter the political arena,” he says. “I thought our politicians represented the best of us. I saw these men and women who were veterans, war heroes and Rhodes scholars. I thought that was what you were supposed to aspire to be. But as I got older, I realized that a lot of these people were deeply flawed, and I watched the political discourse in America just degenerate into something really ugly and decided I wanted nothing to do with this.”

But then something changed.

One day he caught himself wishing that “the people who were prepared for this, who were ready for this, who understood this, who wanted to conduct themselves with dignity and service would just get some skin in the game and run.” He realized that he was one of those people sitting on the sidelines. “So, I got some skin in the game, and I ran.”

As a councilmember McHugh prides himself on two things: doing what he says and always being available. He shows up whenever he is invited to attend an event and is always ready to answer the hard questions. In one of the fastest-growing areas in the state, there are challenges and concerns that require difficult and complex decisions.

McHugh’s personable and professional approach to local politics has helped him gain the people of Leland’s confidence.

McHugh says being recognized by the community as one of Brunswick County’s Future 10 is an honor and a humbling experience.

“I put a lot of work into serving my community, and to know people think that I would be deserving of it really means a lot to me and it motivates me to continue doing what I’m doing,” he says.

McHugh works with many of the local nonprofit and veteran organizations in his capacity as a councilmember. He is also on the executive board for the BSA Cape Fear Council and a member of the North Carolina Coastal Federation and Cape Fear River Watch.

When he is not working, McHugh and his wife, Danielle, are busy being first-time parents to their baby daughter, Riley.

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CHRISTINA FULFORD Owner, General Contractor of Fulford Construction Group Age 33

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nly four percent of general contractors in North Carolina are women.

Christina Fulford is proud to be a part of that statistic and hopes that her Future 10 recognition, which she considers “a privilege and a blessing,” will inspire other young girls and women to think about a career in construction.

Fulford’s career in construction began when she and her husband, Justin, who owns Fulford Heating and Cooling, decided to build some spec homes on a few pieces of property they owned. She got her general contractor’s license and worked on these few homes. Then, she started getting referrals.

“It wasn’t supposed to turn into a business, but I kept getting referrals,” Fulford says.

That is when Fulford Construction Group was formed. At this writing, she had 12 projects going on at one time across three different counties.

When she earned a bachelor’s degree in business with a minor in Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Fulford had no idea that both degrees would serve her well in this industry.

“Some of my trades speak Spanish so I’m able to make them feel more comfortable by speaking their language,” she says.

As the owner, Fulford runs the show, but she says she has an amazing team of sub-contractors behind her.

“I’m just blessed and excited that I get to work with people that I enjoy doing life with,” she says.

When it comes to her day-to-day, there are the must-dos — a stack of paperwork, phone calls and budget preparations. And then there is her favorite part: seeing the homeowner’s vision come to life.

“On my site visit days, I check on things and meet my contractors to make sure they get their questions answered and have everything they need so we can bring the dream to fruition,” Fulford says.

On the continuous word-of-mouth referrals for her construction company, Fulford credits her reputation as a good general contractor who keeps her word.

“I hear too many stories from people who have had unfortunate experiences with contractors,” she says. “I want to call on contractors to be better and respond to their clients. If you can’t take a job, let them know. Just don’t ignore them.”

Ideally, this mom of four, including three daughters, would also like to inspire women to “go against the grain and do something that might be out of their comfort zone” whether it is contracting or opening their own business: “As women, we can do anything we put our minds to!”

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HEATHER MADDOX

Chief Operations Officer, National Property Inspections

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Age 36

knew eventually that I would join forces with my parents in their business, National Property Inspections (NPI), or take over it completely one day,” Heather Maddox says. “I just didn’t know it would happen sooner than later.”

In 2017 Maddox left her job in the medical field and started answering phones and setting appointments at NPI. She quickly learned the business inside and out, and after a short two-anda-half-years, she is now the chief operations officer, overseeing both of the company’s offices in North Carolina and South Carolina. She and her husband, Bruce, along with her parents, are now joint owners of the company.

With Maddox’s outgoing and pleasant personality, she is often the face of the business, attending events and networking with area Realtors, mortgage professionals and homebuyers.

“What I like best about my job is meeting new people,” she says. “I’m definitely a people person. I’m passionate about helping companies in the industry with referrals to grow their businesses and helping homebuyers make informed decisions when it comes to their forever homes.”

Under Maddox’s leadership, she has worked to grow NPI into a first-rate, highly respected commercial and residential inspection service provider in the coastal Carolinas.

“I work hard to ensure that we as a team are successful and a reputable resource in the community,” Maddox says.

Maddox’s commitment to the community extends far beyond her professional leadership. She gives her time unselfishly to multiple organizations including Habit for Humanity, Meals on Wheels and local food banks across Brunswick County. Most recently, she became heavily involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“I had the opportunity to work with the Cape Fear Realtors Association to grant a wish to a young girl with cancer to redo her bedroom,” Maddox says. “After that, I was hooked. I got connected with a Make-A-Wish rep, and I have since gone to Raleigh several times for training.”

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Additionally, Maddox is an ambassador for the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Georgetown and Conway chambers of commerce and a visitor host of the BNI Coastal North Carolina Chapter.

On being selected for this year’s Future 10, Maddox says, “It’s heartwarming. Every day I just wake up and do the best I can for the community and my business, and it’s awesome that other people recognized me for it.”

Her personal life is just as fulfilling. She and Bruce have been married for 13 years and are parents to 16-year-old Charlie. As a family, they enjoy off-roading in their Jeep and boating.

SHANTA JOHNSON Kindergarten Teacher, Southeastern Christian Academy

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Age 39

t the age of five I knew I would become a teacher,” Shanta Johnson says. “I would come home from school, shut the door to my room, line up my stuffed animals, and I would teach them everything I had learned that day.”

Johnson’s passion for teaching was inspired by her teachers who made learning fun and creative, something that she strives for in her class. She enjoys teaching through themes, like the seasons.

“In fall, I love being able to take them on nature walks and scavenger hunts and incorporating things like pumpkins and apples into our lessons,” she says.

As a singer, Johnson also teaches through songs to help students remember material more easily. Affectionately called Mrs. J by her students, she has been teaching for nearly 15 years in several different capacities. After graduating in 2011 from the University of North Carolina Wilmington—Watson School of Education she started a summer preschool camp called Thee Education Station, a Christianbased preschool program that served children 18 months to 7 years old. The camp offered parents a productive and creative outlet for their children during the summer.

Her gift for teaching comes from her experience as a student and from her mother’s inspiration. Her mother is recently-retired art teacher with Brunswick County Schools and is now the middle and high school art teacher at Southeastern Christian Academy.

“I’ve always seen teachers in a great light, and I just want to pay it forward and hope that I become part of my own students’ memory banks one day,” Johnson says.

On being part of this year’s Future 10, Johnson says, “Teaching is something I do because I love watching those light bulbs go off when my students grasp a concept, but being recognized and given an opportunity to share some things about myself means a lot.”

In addition to teaching, Johnson is a singer and choir director. She is a member of two local gospel groups including Purple Reign, a trio, and Voice of Adonai, a quartet. She also directs children’s choir at her church, Eastside Fellowship, as well as the Kidz-N-Harmony choir at Embracing Christ Fellowship Church.

Johnson is very focused on her family when she is not busy caring for her students. She is a loving wife to husband, Tony, and devoted mother to her two children, 9-year-old Wesley, and 2-year-old Olivia, both of whom enjoy listening to and learning music.

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ROSS LIPPARD Family Nurse Practitioner, Novant Health Family Internal Medicine

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Age 29

efore heading off to college at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), Ross Lippard was working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at a nursing home while he was still in high school. At UNCC, he earned a B.S. in kinesiology and exercise science with his original goal of becoming a physical therapist.

However, he found that he “really enjoyed the hands-on, bedside experience that nursing offered.”

After graduating from UNCC in 2016, he interned in the Cardiopulmonary Rehab at Novant Health Rowan Medical Center and worked as a CNA at Novant Health Matthews Medical Center while also attending nursing school. In 2019 he moved to Brunswick County and started at Novant as a nurse. He finished his bachelor’s in nursing and completed nurse practitioner school — all while working full-time during COVID-19. In July 2023 he started his new position as a family nurse practitioner.

Lippard sees his role as a primary care provider as unique.

“We are the gatekeepers of healthcare really,” he says. “Patients come through primary care after a hospital visit and they come back to primary care before they need a procedure done. If they have an issue they’re worried about, we can handle it for the most part until we need a specialist involved.”

Education is a big component of Lippard’s day-to-day responsibilities, as in educating each patient on what they can do on an individual basis to make their health better.

“A lot of my patients have chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension, or they haven’t had healthcare in over a decade, so it comes down to what they can do outside of the doctor’s office, from a daily perspective to be the healthiest they can be,” Lippard says. “That’s why education is so important.”

Lippard's commitment to education and his dedication to his career in healthcare and all that he has accomplished at the age of 29 speaks to his devotion to his patients and community. The impact he would like to make “in this county and for my patients is to always go above and beyond to make my patients' voices feel heard and give them the most quality of life they deserve,” he says.

Being recognized this year as part of the Future 10 class is something he says he “definitely didn’t expect, but it comes at a unique time as I just transitioned from nurse to nurse practitioner, so it’s very cool.”

Lippard has also been the recipient of the prestigious Daisy Award, which is given to nurses who have gone above and beyond in service to their patients and their profession.

In his personal life, Lippard is also gratified. He and his wife, Paige, whom he met in college, love spending time with their children Madi and Alden.

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RYAN HILL

Business Development Coordinator, FOCUS Broadband

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Age 33

ith Brunswick County ranking once again as the fastest-growing county in the state, Ryan Hill has his work cut out for him. He is the liaison between FOCUS Broadband and the building community.

“I make sure all of our services are properly distributed and on time for new and existing communities,” Hill says. “I work on getting contracts with builders and make sure residents have the correct service.” With the company’s expansion into 10 counties, Hill says he has “a lot of ground to cover.”

A native of Brunswick County, Hill grew up in Shallotte. After graduating from West Brunswick High School, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where he played football. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an MBA from Western Governors University.

His talent and drive have contributed to making him an integral employee at FOCUS Broadband, where he continues to offer new ideas and ways to approach business practices, making him a leader in his field.

Both personally and professionally, Hill is invested in Brunswick County and in making it a better place for young families. He volunteers his time by providing private baseball lessons and training for children in the county. Hill is also an active member of his church, where he assists with youth activities and church ministries including the Kids Own Worship Team.

“I really would like to inspire the younger generation,” he says. “Sometimes I see that my own generation gets a bad reputation for not working hard and putting in the effort. I want to change that narrative. That’s why I like working with young kids and put all my accomplishments out there, not for bragging reasons, but because I want to show them that they can be productive members of society; as long as they work hard and stay true to their faith and good things will come to them.”

The Future 10 recognition “is an honor” Hill says. “First of all, I’ve worked really hard in this role, so it’s a blessing to see all the hard work be recognized.”

In his downtime, Hill spends time with his wife, Kristen, and two children, 4-year-old daughter Charlee and 2-year-old son James. They can usually be found at the beach or at Carowinds.

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ZACHARY HEWETT Finance Director, Village of Bald Head Island Age 37

W

hen he was a student at West Brunswick High School, Zachary Hewett was one of those gifted musicians who could play multiple instruments — trumpet, piano and baritone horn. In fact, he got a music scholarship to Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina.

“I realized that I loved playing music, but it just wasn’t my passion,” Hewett says. “I knew I did not want to teach music as a career. I wanted to explore other things.”

That is when Hewett transferred to East Carolina University and immersed himself in finance, economics and business communications courses. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics, a Master of Business Administration and a Certificate in Management Information Systems, all from ECU. After graduate school, Hewett got his start as a finance officer at a regional library system in Washington, North Carolina. From there, he held both the finance director and city manager positions for Randleman, North Carolina. This allowed him to take a more direct role in helping community members — and not only from a financial side, but also a more customer service and face-to-face role with the public. He knew public service was his calling.

But his deep family roots in Brunswick County were calling him back.

Both of his parents are public servants and Brunswick County natives. So, in July 2020, he accepted the finance director position for the Village of Bald Head Island.

A day in the life of a public servant is never the same, and Hewett likes it that way. He may be responsible for overseeing all the financial aspects of the Village, but at the end of the day, what he does directly benefits the residents, visitors and the business community of Bald Head Island.

“It’s a rewarding job, being a public servant,” he says.

Being named as part of this year’s Future 10 means a lot to Hewett.

“I take pride in what I give back to the community, and everything I do is in the best interest of Brunswick County, so it means a lot to be recognized for my efforts,” he says.

But this is not his first recognition for his success as he was part of the 2022 class of East Carolina University’s 40 Under Forty.

Away from the office, Hewett spends time with his wife, Brittany, their daughter Brooklynne, and their goldendoodles, Clover and Arlow. He coaches his daughter’s softball team, and when he can “convince the girls to attend an East Carolina football game,” they head to Greenville. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Brunswick Community College, as treasurer of Town Creek Dixie Youth, Inc., and as secretary/treasurer of the North Carolina Government Finance Officer’s Association.

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LAUREN BOROWSKI

Founder of Blondie’s Boutique, LLC and Band Director at Shallotte Middle School Age 38

F

or Lauren Borowski leading and inspiring nearly 150 band students at Shallotte Middle School is a very rewarding vocation, but turning a hobby into a business has also become a fulfilling and creative opportunity.

For 18 years Borowski has been an educator, with the last 16 spent teaching at Shallotte Middle. She never thought about starting her own business. But the seeds of her entrepreneurial journey were planted in 2021 when her husband, Jeremy, bought her a Cricut. It’s a smart, app-based cutting machine that is used to design and personalize clothing, totes and a variety of everyday items.

“I was making things for fun, some kids’ shirts, and then people started asking me to make things for them,” Borowski says.

Once the number of orders increased, she purchased new equipment, including a commercial direct-to-film printer to handle the volume.

That’s when Blondie’s Boutique, LLC was born.

Blondie’s Boutique (the moniker comes from Borowski’s childhood nickname) is a small, family-run custom apparel shop that designs and creates t-shirts, hats, hoodies, polos and much more based on the client’s vision.

Her determination as a business owner is something that she hopes inspires her students.

“When I first started Blondie’s, I was so unsure of how to do it,” she says. “I reached out for advice from others who were successful and then things just slowly began to build. I want to be the kind of person that my kids and students and even other business owners look to for advice as they think about their own possibilities.”

Borowski finds that several of her skills as a teacher have helped her succeed as an entrepreneur. She is driven by organization and attention to detail.

“I have a very systematic process with lots of spreadsheets,” she says.

“Being very organized allows us to quickly turn around our orders.”

These same skills help Borowski balance running a business, teaching and managing a family with three active kids. Giving

08 everything 100 percent is who she is. Her inclusion in this year’s Future 10 leaves her “excited to be recognized for working hard and creating something from nothing.”

When Borowski isn’t working, she loves spending time camping with her husband, Jeremy and three kids, Zachary, Bradley and Charlee.

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KOURTNEY SAAVEDRA Teacher, West Brunswick High School Age 30

K

ourtney Saavedra’s mission in her classroom is to create global citizens who are thinking about the world beyond Brunswick County, beyond North Carolina and beyond just the United States.

“I want them to have a better understanding of other cultures and what the world is like,” she says.

But at the same time, she encourages her students to embrace where they live and see all that the county has to offer.

In her ninth year as a teacher at West Brunswick High School, the school she graduated from in 2011, Saavedra was named Teacher of the Year in the spring of 2023 and subsequently the 2023-2024 Brunswick County Schools Teacher of the Year.

Even so, she says she was not expecting a Future 10 recognition. “I’m super excited, and I know so many incredible teachers who are deserving, so I have a little bit of imposter syndrome,” she says.

On becoming a teacher, Saavedra followed her grandmother’s lead. Her grandmother taught at West Brunswick High School for more than 20 years.

“In fact, the first classroom I had here as a teacher was next door to the room where my grandmother taught,” she says.

Saavedra currently teaches three classes for ninth through 12th grades: AP US History, AP Human Geography and Latin American Studies.

“We’re the only high school in the county that teaches Latin American Studies, and I’m the only teacher who teaches it,” she says. “It’s a fun social studies class.”

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She also leads the after-school sewing club.

What she enjoys the most about teaching are the relationships with her students. Because she teaches several different subjects, she will have some of the same students more than once.

“I may have a kid who takes my geography class, then sociology, then history or Latin American studies, so it gives me a chance to see them grow over the years, and that’s very rewarding,” she says.

Saavedra is passionate about the teaching profession; she is on a self-described recruiting mission to encourage students to become teachers. She admits there are factors like pay, working conditions, lack of support and bitter politics that may deter people from pursuing the profession.

“But some of these kids are such powerful, awesome leaders, I would love for them to go out into the world, get their degrees and then come back here to teach,” she says. “It would be great to see West Brunswick High full of alumni!”

At the end of the day, Saavedra wants people to know that teachers are professionals, degreed and licensed, and their goal is to do what is best for students.

“I wouldn’t do anything else,” she says. “I don’t feel like there are many other opportunities to make this kind of difference.”

Away from the classroom, Saavedra spends her time with her husband, Miguel, working on home improvement projects, bowling, watching movies, reading and enjoying their two dogs — Mia, a chihuahua, and Otis, a maltipoo.

LAUREN & JASON GORE

Owners and Operators, Huckleberry Farm

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Ages 36 and 37

or Lauren and Jason Gore the desire to live a healthy and simplified lifestyle was the inspiration for starting their farm.

Unable to find options for local, organic produce, they decided to grow their own — not just for their own family, but for others in search of farm-to-table foods.

“Goods that are grown or raised locally help build relationships within the community and create independence when we can support each other for our needs,” Jason says.

In 2015 the Gores purchased 6 acres in Ocean Isle Beach and began to build their farm, naming it after their pointer, Huckleberry. Owning a farm was not unfamiliar territory for the Gores. Lauren grew up on her grandparents’ farm, helping with gardening and canning, and Jason had a deep interest in landscaping and agriculture. Both graduated from North Carolina State University. Jason studied both agronomy and turf grass management, and Lauren studied elementary education and horticulture.

Since they started farming, they have been growing organic crops and providing eggs from their pasture-raised hens. They also offer fresh flower subscriptions throughout the year, including an annual season subscription with blooms typically available May through August, a spring bulb subscription and a fall sunflower subscription.

“We always try to offer different varieties of flowers that you wouldn’t find at a local florist,” Lauren says.

Produce and flowers can be delivered or picked up. Lauren gets excited when people choose to come to the farm.

“I want to share the farm lifestyle with the community,” she says.

“We’re a small farm compared to others, but it gives families a little taste of farm life and how grounded it can make you feel.”

A big part of that lifestyle for Lauren is horse riding. She is a PHBA Western Riding World Champion, and she teaches lessons for beginner to advanced riders. They also have a monthly Pony Club program for children ages 10 and younger.

Operating Huckleberry Farm has given the Gores a chance to introduce a new way of life to others.

10

“Where I grew up, it seemed like everybody lived on a farm, and when I moved here, I realized it was very different,” Lauren says. “Some kids don’t realize that food doesn’t just come from the store. I want our farm to allow them to get a hands-on connection and experience, so I hope we make a great impact on local kids and families.”

Jason adds, “Knowing where our food comes from is important to us.”

When they are not busy with the farm, Jason is a soil scientist for Brunswick County and Lauren homeschools their son, Wyatt, who is in the first grade. They are also parents to two-year-old daughter Lena. They enjoy spending time at the beach when they can. 

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JOIN THE CHAMBER 58

South Brunswick Magazine

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The Capacity to Help

S

Brunswick Family Assistance finds the space it needs to serve families in crisis at a bigger facility in Bolivia.

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JO ANN MATHEWS

Stephanie Bowen walks with vigor and determination at the new Brunswick Family Assistance facility in Bolivia. She appreciates having offices for the nine employees, a conference room, a break room, a workstation and especially a 7,000-square-foot warehouse, which stores all the food her organization receives.

HELPING HANDS

Just off Highway 17 on Old Ocean Highway, the 14,000-square-foot metal frame building it occupies as of September 11, 2023, is double the size of its previous location at Twin Creek Plaza in Shallotte. This new facility provides the space Brunswick Family Assistance (BFA) needs to serve the people who seek its help. That number has increased from 3,000 individuals seen in May 2023 to 5,000 monthly since then.

“We served 40,000 individuals in 2022, and the value of our services was $2.5 million,” Bowen says.

Bowen, who took over as BFA

• Food pantry

executive director in 2016, says based on client feedback, the increase is primarily due to cuts in government benefits and inflation.

“Our clients are the working poor and those living on a fixed income,” she says.

Of the donations this 501(c)(3) nonprofit receives, “90 percent of our funds come from the private sector, and $.92 of every dollar goes to our programs,” she says.

The extensive list of BFA programs include assistance with food, rent, utilities, school supplies, Christmas gifts and more.

The extensive list of Brunswick Family Assistance programs include  • Summer food program • Mobile food program in Supply, Southport and Ash • Back-to-school book bag program • Christmas gift program for children and seniors • Rental assistance • Financial assistance • Utility assistance • Prescription assistance

Winter 2023-24

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SEEK HELP OR OFFER HELP Brunswick Family Assistance m (910) 754-4766 k info@brunswickfamily.org brunswickfamily@yahoo.com K brunswickfamily.org

929 Old Ocean Highway, Bolivia Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9 am to 4:30 pm; Wednesday 1 to 4:30 pm; Friday 9 am to 3 pm.; closed each day from noon to 1 pm.

324-1 Village Road, Leland m (910) 408-1700 Hours: Monday through Thursday 9 am to 4:30 pm; Friday 9 am to 3 pm; closed each day from noon to 1 pm.

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South Brunswick Magazine

Clockwise from top left: BFA staff members Jeremy Pechin and Amanda Johnson in the warehouse; BFA Executive Director Stephanie Bowen in her office; volunteers Paulette Harland and Maureen Cotter pack boxes with Bowen. Below: Accounting Manager Mary Nichols checks figures with Bowen.

Gaps continue to appear, however.

“Almost on a daily basis, we get calls for emergency shelter,” Bowen says. “We refer them to Brunswick Partnership for Housing.”

At times BFA can place families in a motel for a few days, but that situation is unsustainable.

“We consider ourselves emergency services,” Bowen says. “We intervene during the time of crisis and help short term. We work with our community partners for the long term.”

A pilot program, Healthy Opportunities Program (HOP), in conjunction with Medicaid, is designed to deliver healthy food to clients

to reduce the risk of hospitalization.

Sue Brandon, in her fourth year as chair of the BFA executive board, says she has been a BFA volunteer for the past 15 years.

“That new facility is going to allow

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Brunswick Family Assistance to serve our clients in a better way,” she says.

“Having that big warehouse space will allow us to do everything in-house, not in separate locations. That’s a huge plus for us.”

Brandon explains that in the past BFA had to rent space to conduct their

Christmas distribution program.

Another plus is the location.

“We serve all of Brunswick County, and now we’re right in the middle of the county,” Brandon says. “It gives us a different vantage point to serve clients who had a hard time getting to us [in Shallotte].”

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South Brunswick Magazine

Brandon says that BFA needs financial donations, volunteers and food.

“We are the largest nonprofit in Brunswick County that deals with families in crisis,” she says. “We try to serve all our clients to the best of our ability. That takes a lot of resources.”

The Leland office opened in 2018 to serve the clients in the north section of the county. “It operates exactly as we do but on a smaller scale,” Bowen says.

“The need was high when we had a satellite office there, so we had to open a full-time office.”

She emphasizes, “There’s a lot of need. A lot of need. It’s not always easy to see. If you turn off Highway 17 in any direction, you’ll find a trailer park.

We have to take care of our neighbors.”

Bowen says she understands what her clients endure.

“I grew up poor,” the petite, 5-foottall Leland native says. “I watched my mom struggle. She was a client of BFA at one time. Seeing the many aspects of poverty I witnessed as a child made me want to help other people.”

Bowen received her associate’s degree from Brunswick Community College and her bachelor of science degree in social work from UNC Wilmington.

“I landed a job as program director at BFA and have been here ever since,” says Bowen, who recently remarried and is the parent of two daughters and two stepchildren.

Brunswick County owns the land and the building at BFA’s new location, but BFA has a five-year renewable lease and pays $6,000 a month in rent.

“The private/public partnership in Brunswick County is amazing,” Bowen says. “It takes that cooperation for any nonprofit to operate. We work closely with the county, which is super-supportive for the nonprofit sector. We feel grateful to have the county support.” 

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COMMUNITY

A Weekend Away Yoga, massage, good food and adventure come together at Nourished Retreats in Ocean Isle Beach.

BY DENICE PATTERSON

PHOTO BY KRISTIN GETTLEMAN

Brittany Stanley and Jennifer Murphy

A

s Brittany Stanley and Jennifer Murphy greet their guests one by one at the luxurious oceanfront home along the west end of Ocean Isle Beach, the scene is set for the most rejuvenating and relaxing three-day experience to come.

The two women developed the idea for hosting a wellness retreat several years ago when they met in a running club. They agreed their skills would be a perfect match for such a venture — Murphy could lead yoga, and Stanley could head up the massages.

A Brunswick County native, Stanley is a licensed massage therapist and owner of Mindful Body Wellness in Supply. Murphy, a native of Cary, is a certified yoga instructor and owner of OIB Yoga. She offers personal training and fitness classes as well as group and private yoga classes.

Winter 2023-24

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The two tossed the idea of retreats back and forth for a bit, until 2022 when Stanley said, “Let’s do it.”

“Nourished Retreats was born,” Murphy says.

Their inaugural retreat on the first weekend of October 2022 included 11 guests and was a resounding success.

“We had a few requests that weekend that helped us to adjust and improve our offerings,” Stanley shares. The two began planning their spring retreat right away.

Nourished Retreats is designed to be a very personalized experience from arrival on Thursday evening to departure on Sunday morning. It includes accommodations, meals, snacks and beverages for the whole weekend, rejuvenating yoga and

COMMUNITY

“ CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

When checking in, each guest receives their personalized schedule and a gift bag packed with local goodies including a t-shirt, a beach towel, spa oils, coupons for local businesses and a few surprises.

massage sessions, and add-ons like standup paddleboard yoga, kayaking and surf lessons.

Guests sign up for their optional yoga sessions and personal massage along with any add-ons at registration. A personalized schedule is then planned for each person.

“When checking in, each guest receives their personalized schedule and a gift bag packed with local goodies including a t-shirt, a beach towel, spa oils, coupons for local businesses and a few surprises,” Murphy says.

As the semi-annual Nourished Retreat commences, participants enjoy a session of Restoration Yoga and a sumptuous meal catered by a local restaurant After dinner, the group settles into the first evening Wine Down to make new friends, renew old friendships and review the upcoming schedule.

Guests are treated to one personal massage, Therapeutic or Thai, with the option to add on more, as the schedule provides.

“We want everyone to have the best possible experience,” Stanley says.

The Nourished Retreat schedule is the same for both Friday and Saturday and includes an early Mindful Morning meditation session followed by Stretch Yoga. Next up is breakfast, after which guests enjoy two hours of Winter 2023-24

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COMMUNITY

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

local adventures, shopping, a private here at Ocean Isle,” Stanley says. massage or beach time. Lunch is at “We really want to introduce our GET NOURISHED 12:30 followed by Power Yoga, two guests to the variety of our area, so we more hours of adventure or personal partner with Summertide Adventure Nourished Retreats time and dinner at 6 pm. At 7:30, it is Tours for a kayak trip and sunset time for one more Restorative Yoga cruise,” Murphy says. “We have K nourishedretreats.net session and the very popular Wine bicycles from Scooter’s Surf Garage so E nourishedretreats Down and review of the day. our guests can take in the local shops, The final dinner on Saturday and our meals are catered from the evening is an extra special event, best in the area, including Amelia’s, catered by Chef Gringo Ninja. the Beach House Cafe, Causeway Gourmet and 59 Causeway “Everyone really enjoys this delightful dining experience,” right here on the Island.”

Stanley says.

One of the retreat’s most popular add-ons is the group surf On Sunday morning, guests wake to their final Mindful lesson with local Marty Mencer of OIB Surf Camp. The class Morning and Stretch Yoga followed by brunch. The closing is focused on water safety and catching a good wave. experience is one last group reflection before guests depart.

The two women love getting to know their guests and Both Murphy and Stanley are excited about their new watching them relax, unwind and enjoy all the best parts of venture as well as the relationships they are creating with OIB. As the retreat closes and the guests depart for home, the local businesses. hosts remind each one to continue to “nourish the body to “We want to showcase the local and original offerings right flourish the soul.” 

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Sea Notes has 123 members ranging in age from the 50s to the 90s. Pictured in lower photos are Marie Pierre Fletcher, Cheryl Devon, Sally Thomas, Geoff Gersen, Susan Hinger, Garrett Albertson and Donna Albertson.

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Sea Notes Choral Society celebrates 50 years of providing free concerts in Brunswick County.

BY BETH A. KLAHRE

|

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZEB STARNES

B

ach’s “Magnificat.”

Mozart’s “Mass in C.” Faure’s “Requiem.”

Vivaldi’s “Gloria.”

Handel’s “Messiah.” Add sacred, gospel, folk, pop, patriotic and Broadway tunes and an array of Christmas octavos, and the list of music performed

by Sea Notes, Brunswick County’s choral society, is quite impressive. In May 2024 the group will celebrate its golden jubilee, a significant milestone for any entity. But providing free concerts for 50 years is really something to celebrate.

Sea Notes has 123 members from across Brunswick County, ranging in age from the 50s to 90s. Organized in May 1974 for a Brunswick County Bicentennial Committee fundraiser, the vocalists Winter 2023-24

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decided to continue singing together, performing that year for the North Carolina Fourth of July Festival and the Southport Woman’s Club Holiday House.

Shortly after starting rehearsals, the group decided to accept name suggestions.

“I thought we should be the Southport Community Chorus,” says Southport resident Cindy Sellers, founding member and first director. “Clearly, no ingenuity

here! Alneta Crowe, our founding treasurer, proposed the clever name Sea Notes Choral Society, and it was a winner.”

Performing three times annually ever since, the rest, as they say, is musical history.

“I was just 25 when we formed Sea Notes,” Sellers says. “I conducted the first performance that December. I have performed in more concerts than I can

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count over the years, as a singer, director, accompanist and soloist. I enjoy being one of the current four rotating conductors. Most of all, I am eternally grateful to founder Connie Ledgett for giving me the director’s job.”

Dianne Hoffman is also one of the directors. Moving to Lockwood Folly more than 40 years ago, she and her and her husband, Tom, quickly discovered Sea Notes. After attending just one rehearsal, they both joined.

“The most fun and satisfying part of directing is rehearsals, as singers learn new music and put in the expression and nuances. That’s really exciting,” Hoffman says.

In spring 2022, 20 singers presented Hoffmann with a rose and spoke about participation in Sea Notes during the 20 concerts she directed. “I was overcome, leaving me speechless,” she recalls.

Southport resident Sandra Spencer has been a member of Sea Notes for 48 years.

“I will continue to be a member as long as I’m able simply because I love to sing,” Spencer says. “Music has always been part of my life. My mother had a beautiful voice and sang at home and in churches in town as well as in the Southport Woman’s Club chorus and in Sea Notes. I was a member of Southport High School glee club, I sing in my church choir and have participated in several theater productions in Southport over the years. Hopefully, Sea Notes has brought pleasure to those who listen.”

Ellen Dorsett is a charter member from Southport and has performed in all but two Sea Notes concerts.

“My dad had a big band in the 30s, and I’ve been a musician all of my life. I like sharing the joy of making music,” says Dorsett, who has sung with church choirs and played in orchestras and symphonies since she was 10. She often accompanies Sea Notes on her string bass.

Shallotte resident Tom Scribner is the current president of Sea Notes,

Pictured top and bottom right: Jerry Dellinger, Bob Panko, Geoff Gersen, J.T. Sprenkle; Carol Willetts, Sue DeMeyer, Zeb Starnes; Juile Sloup and Julie Starnes

accepting the role in July 2023 after serving as vice president and singing with the group for seven years.

“There is nothing more impressive than a bunch of people singing together in harmony,” he says. “Singing and music are life-long things. We prove that people of all ages can be on stage together performing music.”

Like many Sea Notes vocalists, Scribner says it is hard to pick a favorite performance. His solo in the patriotic concert of 2022 during “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” stands out.

Photographs of military personnel carrying soldiers off fields and in caskets were projected behind him. “It

was a very moving experience,” he recalls.

Sally Thomas from Boiling Spring Lakes attended her first Sea Notes concert in 1988.

“Joining was a self-chooser for me and my husband, Trex,” she recalls.

Thomas, who started singing at age 5, has sung in nearly every concert since joining. Her favorite? “There are so many. But teaming up with the Brunswick Little Theater for Fiddler on the Roof, and Trial by Jury and most recently ‘William Tell Overture,’ were favorites,” she says.

In 50 years of performances there certainly have been a few mistakes.

WANT TO SEE AND HEAR THE SEA NOTES? Spring Concert: March 23 and 24, 2024 Patriotic Concert: June 29 and 30, 2024 Christmas Concert: December 7 and 8, 2024 All concerts are held at Odell Williamson Auditorium, 150 College Road NE, on the campus of Brunswick Community College in Bolivia.

All concerts are free. Tickets (free) are required for Christmas concerts to guarantee seating.

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Scribner says, “This past summer, after a mic check, I started my solo, but the volume was jacked way up. It surprised me. I have no idea what came out of my mouth. I just keep going. Fortunately, the audience didn’t notice a thing.”

Dorsett says, “If I forget the words, I just mouth the words watermelon, watermelon, watermelon. The only time that doesn’t work is singing a solo, duo or quartet.”

Sellers has a similar strategy. “Who doesn’t forget the lyrics sometimes? I usually mouth nonsense until the right words find me,” she says.

“Choral singing is not just singing,” further explains Sellers, who is also the 20-year church organist/pianist and choir director for the Village Chapel of Bald Head Island and flutist/founding member of the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra. “Members should have choral

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experience, be able to sing on pitch, and read music in order to perform at our level of difficulty,” Sellers says.

Sea Notes concerts include at least 17 songs in eight-part harmony. The group rehearses for two hours weekly, parts pounded out on a piano. And there are CDs for required practice at home.

“If you want to sing with a group of people, belong to something, Sea Notes is a good opportunity, but it requires commitment,” Scribner says. “Fifty years doesn’t occur by happenstance but by everyone getting involved. It shows the real commitment of people who love music. I will sing as long as I’m still able.”

He adds with a laugh, “I tell my wife, ‘If I sound like an old croak, tell me to stop.’”

Spencer says that learning new music, meeting new people and renewing old friendships have made the group fun.

“Fifty years is a long time for any organization to maintain its life in a community,” Spencer says. “I hope and believe the Sea Notes performances have contributed in an immeasurable way to the quality of life for those of us who live here and especially for those of us who are part of such a wonderful group.”

Hoffman points out that Sea Notes is a special group of people, coming together from all walks of life.

“The enthusiasm for the music and for each other brings us together as a community,” Hoffman says. “How fortunate we are to have such a group still going strong after 50 years.”

“Music connects us in ways that can’t be measured,” Dorsett adds. “From the performer to the audience, music is a language that transcends all barriers.

Sea Notes has touched the lives of thousands in the last 50 years.”

Beyond the performances, Sea Notes awards a $1,000 scholarship to a Brunswick County high school senior for music education every year. “We value that,” Scribner concludes. 

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ob Kogler enjoys telling people, “No matter what time of day, we’ll get you on your way!” That motto is printed on his business card, and he takes pride in honoring it.

He had not planned on starting his own business when he retired from teaching and coaching in 2004, but by 2005, “I got tired of golf and playing cards every day,” he says. “I’m not the type of person who likes to sit around.”

Through various conversations, he discovered people were willing to pay someone to take them to an airport so they would not have to contend with the inconvenience. He likes to drive and began taking people to ILM and MYR. Word spread that his service was efficient and reasonable.

Keggs and Mary Simpson of Ocean Isle Beach have had Kogler drive them to the Myrtle Beach airport twice. “He is very polite,” Keggs says. “He loads

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the luggage, helps you get in and out of the car and is easy to talk to. I highly recommend him.”

Kogler started receiving requests for transportation to parties, weddings, bars and restaurants.

“Over the years it grew and grew and grew and grew,” he says.

To fulfill the demand, he hired another driver.

“Now I have two 15-passenger Ford vans and my Kia Sorrento,” he says. “I can take 28 people using two vehicles.”

The local airports continue to be popular destinations, but Kogler has requests for rides to Charleston and Charlotte too.

Most of his fares are tame, but bachelor and bachelorette parties and pub crawls can be problematic.

“I explain to the people that I have two buckets, and if you get sick on my seats, you have to pay for the cleanup. The cost is $250.” He pauses. “I’ve only had to do that once.” Other inebriated customers have required more assistance. “I’ve had to take people out of my car and put them to bed,” he says.

Kogler extends himself in other ways as well. One day when all the flights were late, he was not going to get to a passenger for at least 45 minutes. To compensate, he told her to use Uber to get her from the Myrtle Beach airport to Ocean Isle Beach and he would pay the fare. “My charge round trip is $120,” he says. “Uber charged her $122 one way. It gives you an idea that I try to keep my prices low.”

Another customer hired him to take her to Jacksonville, Florida, because she did not want to drive her car by herself.

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Coastal Carolina University. The couple commuted during those years, but later they decided to make Calabash their permanent residence and bought a home. Both his sons live in the area, so he sees his three grandchildren often.

After Susan passed away in 2011, a cousin of hers wanted to help Kogler socialize again, and she recommended him for a job as an extra on television shows and movies.

“The first (movie) job I had was the remake of the Spector story,” Kogler says.

“I had a short speaking role.” He remembers the lines he spoke: “Hang him.

Hang him. He is the devil’s seed.” The words refer to Phil Spector, who was convicted of killing actress Lana Clarkson. “It was interesting to meet the big names,” he says. “Helen Mirren was the kindest, nicest lady. She ate with [the extras] and talked to us. Al Pacino’s bodyguards would keep us away from him. He wouldn’t eat or mingle with the extras.”

Kogler also had roles on the television series Blue Bloods, Law and Order and Royal Pains. “Right now the movie theater scene has died out here (in Wilmington),” he says. “The closest place is Georgia.”

But Kogler is satisfied with the driving business he has established. “I enjoy my job, and I enjoy meeting people,” he says. “I always show up She told him she would take him to the Jacksonville airport so he could fly back early. I say, ‘Better early than late.’” home. He charged $800 for the service but did not charge her for the airplane When not driving he plays golf, ticket because, he says, “I’m using her car and her gas.” walks on the beach or goes out with his Many of his regular customers dubbed him “Airport Bob,” but he adopted the girlfriend. “[The job] gives me money name “Bob the Fish” and wears a T-shirt with that emboldened on it. He I can use to go on vacation,” he says. explains that while on vacation in Aruba he saw a T-shirt store by that name.

As to any drawbacks of being a He returns to that island often and has about two dozen of the T-shirts. driver, Kogler says, “What I like least “I buy them because part of the sale goes to cleaning is the hours,” he says. “I get the ocean,” he says. up at 2:45 or 3 o’clock in the Kogler was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Long morning, but it’s part of the Island. He went to the University of New York at job, so I do it.”

Geneseo and taught social studies and coached Besides, he adds, “There football at Longwood High School in Long Island for NEED A RIDE? are no Uber or Lyft drivers 32 years where we live here in the He and his late wife, Susan, bought a condominium Kogler’s Kar Service south end of the county. You in Calabash in 1995 when their son Kyle enrolled in either have a taxi or me.”  m (910) 274-2751 78

South Brunswick Magazine

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PEOPLE

Women in Building Betsy Braddock breaks the glass ceiling of the Brunswick County home construction industry — again.

BY JO ANN MATHEWS

PHOTO BY MEGAN DEITZ

I

In 2013, when Betsy Braddock accepted the STARS award from the North Carolina Home Builders Association for the best whole house renovation in the state, a colleague said, “I’m sorry your husband wasn’t able to be here to receive this award.”

Braddock, who considers that renovation on Ocean Isle Beach one of her most rewarding projects, replied, “I don’t have a husband.”

Betsy Braddock, left and Cathy Brown

Stunned, the colleague asked, “Who does all the renovations?” Of course, Braddock does.

“I like demolition,” she says with a winning smile and a hearty laugh. “I take customers through the design process and hold their hands through the build. I have a good sense of what they want.”

Braddock stands at the counter between the kitchen and the foyer of her home in Sunset Beach as her fiveWinter 2023-24

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year-old silver Labrador retriever, Fig, roams the rooms with a soft stuffed toy crab firmly in her jaws. Braddock did extensive renovations to the home and received the Diamond Award in the 2021 Brunswick County Parade of Homes for her personal home project.

Although she employs subcontractors from the trades as an unlimited licensed general contractor, she is the one to relocate load-bearing walls, decide where windows will allow the most light and include special touches, such as wider doorways and grab bars in bathrooms. Braddock is on a mission to make grab bars sexy!

PHOTOS BY JO ANN MATHEWS

Above, Cathy Brown and Betsy Braddock are in Betsy’s renovated dining room. Left, the home that Betsy Braddock bought and renovated.

Braddock understands the process because she has renovated homes since 1999 when she joined the team at Braddock Built Renovations. Her father founded the company in 1994 in Atlanta as a second career after he retired, and Braddock became intrigued. She was working in commercial real estate, but says, “I reached the glass ceiling because of my age and lack of experience and being a girl — that was a thing.”

A difficult marriage ended in divorce when her daughter, Powell, was three. Braddocks’s father retired 82

South Brunswick Magazine

again, and she became owner and chief executive officer at Braddock Built Renovations.

In 2007 she moved Braddock Built Renovations to Brunswick County, where she and her family had vacationed over the years. Since then Braddock has won 26 prestigious awards for her work in Brunswick County. Always an advocate of promoting professionalism in the construction industry, Braddock has served as an active member of the Brunswick County Home Builders Association since her move here in

2007. In fact, she was elected the first female president of the BCHBA in 2016.

Although Braddock does not have the telepathic powers of her namesake of Marvel Comics fame, Debra MacFarlane says she has a vision of how a place should look. MacFarlane and her husband, Gregory Lipscomb, of Ocean Isle Beach hired Braddock to gut their kitchen, pantry and half bath and then had those rooms made bigger with a 13x15 foot addition.

“Betsy is very flexible,” MacFarlane says and explains that she found hanging lights and cabinet hardware on her own, and Braddock accepted her choices. “Once she consults with the clients, she wants it to be a beautiful job.”

Braddock says another rewarding project was designing and building the columbarium at Shallotte Presbyterian Church.

“I had a vision of what the space would be,” she says. The brick around

PEOPLE

PHOTO BY JO ANN MATHEWS

the memorial wall matches perfectly with the church building, as do the three cabinets that contain the niches and the circular base on the bubbling fountain, a focal point between the memorial wall and the cabinets.

After nearly 25 years doing renovations, Braddock has decided to expand.

“She has a new division: Braddock Built Custom Homes,” says Cathy Brown, who will be the construction coordinator when the business becomes official this fall. Brown, construction coordinator at Ernest G. Crews Construction for 24 years, explains Crews is building his last home and will retire. “Betsy’s company is highend renovation business, and I intend to continue with a high-end custom home division,” Brown says.

Although Brown will direct the custom home construction of Braddock Built, Braddock will actively participate in the new construction process and

will continue the great transformations at Braddock Built Renovations.

She says the hardest part of the industry now is the shortage of skilled labor. Braddock and Brown were instrumental in creating an endowment for construction industry careers at Brunswick Community College. “The workload has quadrupled, but the workforce has shrunk,” Brown says.

Braddock has not limited her interests to the construction industry.

Two years ago she bought Petrea Imports, an Italian wine-importing company. She frequently tours Italy to visit the nine wineries that produce the 60-plus varietals she imports. She says her hobbies include golf, reading and cooking, especially making interesting salads.

When Braddock was growing up in Atlanta, she planned to be a thoracic surgeon. She entered the premed track at Georgia Institute of Technology but soon realized, “I was afraid of the sight

of blood,” she says. She switched to engineering then to management with a concentration in finance and filled the rest of her schedule with building and construction classes.

She still gets comments about being the only woman in the industry, but Braddock says, “Actually, I don’t think about it. It doesn’t matter.” She believes she has instilled a strong work ethic and confidence in her daughter. Powell, 22, graduated from North Carolina State University in May as an engineer.

She lives in Raleigh and works for Sunoco Products Company.

For now, Braddock says, “Both Cathy and I are happy about what we are venturing into, particularly to make a difference. Maybe we will inspire other women to get into this business.”

“We are the only female construction team in the county,” Brown says. That makes the third glass ceiling for Braddock, who continues to see through barriers. 

The columbarium at Shallotte Presbyterian Church.

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PICKLEBALL E X PA N S I O N Leland’s House of Pickleball doubles in size and adds amenities to accommodate Brunswick County’s obsession with the sport.

J

BY MELISSA SLAVEN WARREN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LESLIE GOURLEY

an and Joann Abbott visited the Villages in Florida in 2012 and were instantly hooked on pickleball.

They decided to bring it back to Leland and build the first new outdoor pickleball courts in Leland.

To share this newfound passion with everybody in Leland, they, along with Richard Holloman and another investor, worked to raise funds and find other charter investors to purchase property and build House of Pickleball.

In July 2018 they opened their doors at 115 Kay Todd Road.

Fast forward to 2023 and House of Pickleball (HOP) has just completed an expansion, more than doubling its size to 30,000 square feet to keep up with the demand for this popular sport.

Holloman, executive director of HOP, credits celebrities and professional athletes for helping promote the sport to a larger audience.

“Pickleball was initially played by seniors and retirees, but you have Drew Brees, Will Ferrell, Andy Roddick, Tom Brady and Lebron James posting about their love of pickleball on social media, and now the younger generation has become infatuated with the sport of pickleball.”

Currently, players ages 18 to 34 make up the largest percentage of pickleball players at 28.8% nationwide.

With the growing popularity of the sport came increased wait times for HOP members. Management knew they needed to add more courts. Additionally, there were other Winter 2023-24

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Pickleball was initially played by mostly seniors and retirees, but now players ages 18 to 34 make up the largest percentage of players.

enhancements that could make HOP a premier pickleball facility that would attract players, not just in Leland but from across the country.

“Initially, when we first designed HOP in 2018, we tried to develop something practical.” Holloman says.

The original facility footprint was 14,000 square feet with six courts, a small lobby and a pro shop.

The upgraded facility, which had its grand reopening in July 2023, features an additional 16,000 square feet, six additional pickleball courts (for a total of 12), a 1,600-squarefoot lounge/party area, a 600-square-foot meeting room, seven new HVAC and dehumidifier systems, and state-of-theart LED uplighting that optimizes ball tracking and reduces glare.

“We also carpeted our 6-foot-wide walkway that is 150 feet long from the front to the back of the building and the lounge area, which significantly helped reduce the noise and reverberation inside the facility,” Holloman says.

The expansion also includes 60 additional parking spaces.

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South Brunswick Magazine

facility is because of the flooring. Its nine-layer SportMaster cushioned courts make play more comfortable with less stress on the hips, knees, ankles and feet. Other HOP features include 8-foot nets between the courts to eliminate errant balls from other courts.

“We get many comments on the detail that we have gone through to design the ultimate facility,”Holloman says. “Many of our visitors from across the country say that HOP is the best indoor pickleball facility in the U.S.” At this writing, HOP has seven instructors who are all IPTPA and/or PPR certified and 3,450 members.

Additionally, 9,000 people from 47 out of the 50 states have played here since its opening in 2018.

With the expansion of HOP comes the opportunity to host larger tournaments.

“One of the things that gets the younger generation excited is playing in tournaments,” Holloman says. “They love traveling and seeking out new venues.”

North Carolina has the fourth-highest number of pickleball locations in the country, and HOP is proud to be part of that

growing trend.

“We’ve had great success with different neighborhoods For those who still do not know what pickleball is, it is a coming in as a group, getting to meet their neighbors and cross between Ping Pong, badminton and tennis. It requires making new friendships,” Holloman says. less running than tennis and uses a shorter, lighter paddle Getting started in pickleball is easy. HOP offers two-hour and wiffle ball so less upper-body strength is needed. It is beginning pickleball classes throughout the week, which easy to play, low impact and inexpensive, which makes it include an introduction to the sport, use of the equipment, appealing to a wide range of people. footwear, basic paddle skills, scoring, positioning and “We see situations where two grandparents, two adult kids gameplay. For those players who have already mastered the and their two grandkids are all playing,” Holloman says. “I basics but are looking to improve their game, HOP offers ask, where you can find three generations of families playing private lessons, drill coaching, boot camps and much more. the same thing together and all having fun?”

HOP offers leagues for women, men and mixed play Like most active hobbies, pickleball is also good for you, throughout the year; a pro shop offering paddles, shirts, hat, offering many heart-healthy benefits. According to a study and more; paddles and ball machines for rent; and assorted published by the International Journal beers, wines and ciders for sale. The of Research in Exercise Physiology, courts are available to book for private “pickleball is a great alternative to playing time and parties. traditional exercise for middle-aged and Making pickleball accessible is older adults because of its moderate important for Holloman and the rest of intensity and positive modification or the team at HOP. PICK UP A risk factors for cardiovascular disease.”

“Our membership rates are more PADDLE The Mayo Clinic suggests that competitive with any other indoor pickleball promotes longer life expectancy pickleball facility in the country,” House of Pickleball and contributes to longevity, with Holloman says.

115 Kay Todd Road, Leland participants potentially living six to 10 They offer a variety of membership and m (910) 253-7780 years longer. The social interaction and non-membership options including daily various physical demands promote play rates or monthly and annual K houseofpickleball.com cardiovascular health and mental agility. memberships. And with the climateOpen seven days a week, It is also a very social sport, making it a controlled venue (62° to 64°), players can 8 am to 9 pm great opportunity to make new friends play anytime without worrying about Courts can be and stay socially engaged. wind, rain, sun and bugs.  reserved online.

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BY MELISSA SLAVEN WARREN

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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

elebrating 20 years, Body Edge Fitness in Ocean Isle Beach is still going strong, helping clients achieve their fitness goals and improve their lives. It is the most trusted, longestrunning gym in Brunswick County.

Located on Beach Drive/N.C. Highway 179, Body Edge first opened its doors in 2003 in a 1,500-squarefoot space. Today, the current facility is 6,000 square feet and includes a massage therapy practice with two therapists.

Body Edge Fitness is the entrepreneurial endeavor of owner Cindy Black.

Black always had a passion for health and fitness and had originally planned on a career as a physical therapist. But while working on her undergraduate degree in physical education at UNC Wilmington, she took a job as a personal trainer, and the rest is history. “I fell in love with helping clients meet their fitness goals,” she says.

Black got her start in 1997 as a personal trainer in Sunset Beach, where she worked with clients at the Sea Trail Property Owners Association and Village Activity Center. But soon her client base began to grow, and that’s when Body Edge was realized.

On what sets her gym apart, Black gives four important reasons: “friendly staff, clean facility, awesome group classes, and top-of-the-line personal training.” Additionally, it’s a more personal experience than a chain gym. Body Edge offers a “family-like” atmosphere where members and staff all know each other.

To date, Body Edge boasts approximately 250 members, and that number is climbing.

“We are also very vacationer-friendly, so during the summer months we get an influx of visitors who can purchase a day or week pass while they are here,” Black says.

“It’s great to see the same visitors come back each year.”

Body Edge offers several group classes a day including spin, yoga, Pilates, barre and classes just for seniors that are designed to increase muscle strength and range of movement and improve activities for daily living.

“Our class sizes are designed to be small so our instructors can provide individualized support and instruction,” Black says. “Our instructors are always approachable so clients can feel comfortable discussing any concerns or individual needs.”

Many Body Edge members come for the classes, abundant machines and equipment and relaxed workout space. Others take advantage of the in-house personal training by Black and her team of certified personal trainers: Rich, Linda, Steve, Emily and Tina.

Black has several new changes coming to Body Edge for 2024. If you are looking for a friendly and welcoming gym that appreciates the individuality of each client, Body Edge Fitness is for you. See for yourself why it has been around for 20 years.

Body Edge Fitness 6741 Beach Drive SW, Ocean Isle Beach (910) 575-0975 bodyedgenc.com

Winter 2023-24

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FACES & PLACES

Peggy Rowland Women’s Golf Championship August 17 at the Thistle Golf Club in Sunset Beach PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOANN MATHEWS

Betty Jennings

Vicki Grist & Helen Hamilton

Nancy Barney, Deb Hartman, Sharon Moore & Sue Kenny

Debbie Johnson & Karmen Custer

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Carolyn Hall, Bette Slowther, Betty Ingold & Robin Klestinec

Cape Fear National Team

Meadowlands Team

Brenda Downing & Maggie Finnerin

Beth Mumaw & Kim Alleman

Mary Tacea, Carol Ganelli, Penny Sillery & Eileen Allen

Compass Pointe Team Winners

FACES & PLACES

33rd Annual Brunswick County Literacy Council Golf Tournament PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOANN MATHEWS

 On Saturday, September 16, 2023, 112 players took to the greens at Carolina National Golf Club in Bolivia for the 33rd Brunswick County Literacy Council Golf Tournament. The annual event helps to raise awareness of the Council’s free services that help to improve social and economic opportunities for underserved adults through literacy and other academic and life skills programming.

John Ross, Randy Light, Liza Potts & Keith Potts

Jeff Knoll, Rich Trotta, John Jendza & Tom Calder

Bruce Hoerr & Glen Hoerr

Zack Hewett, Vincent Boudrieau, Hunter Long & Caleb Lassiter

Mike Shevlin & Tony Leon

Candy Fogel, Eileen Farrell, Kathy & Cordell Burnham

Ed & Jackie Lewis and Sadie & James Graham

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FACES & PLACES

Christian Recovery Center Gala December 9 at The Isles Restaurant PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUTUMN MCCUMBEE PHOTOGRAPHY

Joy Torbich & Eric Barber

Josh Torbich, Rocky Atkinson, Ron Sorice & Lori Feezor

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Lindsey Jenkins & Patrick Foster

Becky Smith & Amy Mezzanotte

Kim & Greg Sauls

Tyler & Katie Smith

South Brunswick Magazine

Julie Chandler, Catherine Cooke & Calvin Chandler

Steve & Brandy Barger

Deb & Jess White

Mike & L.G. Forte

SNIPPETS

2023 Brunsco Biz Breakfast Series PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL RITENOUR

 The Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce and the South Brunswick Business Development Committee hosted the Brunsco Biz Breakfast Series on November 8 with keynote speaker Christopher Chung. The event was held at The Center of Applied Sciences and Technology (The COAST).

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SNIPPETS

BCC Foundation Donor Appreciation Event PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL RITENOUR

 More than 300 attendees gathered to recognize Brunswick Community College Foundation’s contributors at the annual Donor Appreciation Luncheon on October 6.

Leaders from the Foundation and BCC expressed gratitude to donors, recognizing their crucial role in making higher education accessible to numerous students each year. In the current semester, donor contributions facilitated over $240,000 in scholarships benefiting 208 students.

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SNIPPETS

NC Festival by the Sea PHOTOGRAPHY BY TARA ROBERTS

 Situated in the heart of Holden Beach, the NC Festival by the Sea presents an annual celebration of coastal arts and crafts. The event, which occurred on October 28 and 29, featured a diverse selection of artwork created by local artisans across different mediums. Attendees also had the opportunity to enjoy live performances, competitions, delicious food from various vendors, and engaging activities for children. The two-day extravaganza kicked off with a parade along the Holden Beach Causeway, granting pedestrians exclusive access to the picturesque Holden Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. The horseshoe tournament and sandcastle building competition took place, both of which are staples of the festival. This event ensured plenty of entertainment for the entire family.

Winter 2023-24

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ADVERTISERS INDEX Advertiser

Phone#

Page#

Advertiser

Phone#

Page#

44th Annual North Carolina Jazz Festival.....................910-399-6536

69

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

12

Advanced Urology.................................................................. 910-641-8650

11

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

20 & 21

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

66

Kim Antolini – Intracoastal Realty Corporation..........704-608-3831

79

Bell & Bell Buick GMC............................................................843-399-8300

75

Kimball’s Furniture & Design Center.............................. 910-754-8422

97

BEMC............................................................................................800-842-5871

40

Kingz Custom Concrete Coatings................................... 910-620-8979

74

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. - Crystal Babson.................... 910-393-9957

61

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

62

Bianchi Brickyard & Landscape Supply, Inc................. 910-454-4445

80

Legacy Homes by Bill Clark.................................................. 910-550-1167

80

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

15

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

88 & 89

Living Coastal Team Intracoastal Realty Corporation.......................................... 910-712-3515

72

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

36

Lucca Italian Chophouse....................................................... 910-754-2334

64

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

14

Margaret Rudd & Associates, Inc., Realtors...............800-733-5288

BC

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

58

Maria’s Pizzeria.........................................................................910-579-3233

64

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

6

McLeod Health..........................................................................843-366-3891

43

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

8

Niche Décor & Gifts............................................................... 910-769-8839

28 & 29

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

75

Novant Health........................................................................... 910-721-1000

45, 63

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage.............................. 910-371-1181

7

Ocean Fired Studio Pottery LLC..................................................................

66

CommWell Health................................................................... 877-935-5225

88

Oyster Rock............................................................................... 910-579-6875

13

Companion Cremation Services...................................... 910-664-0234

69

Porch Swing Sunset Permanent Hair Removal.......... 910-946-7223

12

Custom Home Furniture Outlet........................................ 910-769-8839

28 & 29

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

4

Doctor Cahn............................................................................... 910-363-4949

3

Shoreline Flooring & Tile..................................................... 910-754-2582

IBC

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

9

Spilt Milk Ice Cream and Donut Shop.............................. 910-579-9339

64

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

14

Sunset Dental........................................................................... 910-575-6300

IFC

First Bank................................................................................... 910-575-5066

96

The Coin Guy............................................................................. 910-232-2342

79

Frank Williams for Commissioner..............................................................

84

The Kitchen Man.......................................................................910-408-1322

69

Heritage Fresh Market...........................................................910-253-1330

17

The Sanctuary at Sunset Beach......................................... 910-550-1167

79

Hawthorne Residential Partners......................................910-807-7910

27

Thistle Golf Club.....................................................................910-444-2500

25

Inspire by Liberty at Brunswick Forest.......................... 910-756-5713

5

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

32

Intracoastal Realty Corporation.......................................910-579-3050

19

KIMBALLS AD Winter 2023-24

97

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