Topsail Magazine Spring 2021 Edition by Carolina Marketing Company

SPRING 2021

COMPLIMENTARY

Hanging Collar UP THE

SURF CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT’S WELL-LOVED K-9, KAYDA, RETIRES AFTER EIGHT YEARS ON THE POLICE FORCE.

REAL ESTATE RECAP

FIREFIGHTERS BURNED CHILDREN’S FUND

SURF CITY IGA

It’s a Remarkable New Day. NHRMC is now part of the Novant Health family. The future is bright here in Southeastern North Carolina. The partnership of Novant Health and New Hanover Regional Medical Center means more convenient and affordable care for those who need it most. It also means even more access to the latest technology and clinical trials for earlier detection and faster recovery so you can live your best life. We may be in a pandemic, but we just got great news about our region’s healthcare. Now that’s a remarkable new day.

NovantHealth.org/NHRMC

Serving the Topsail Island Area

SANDY LEDBETTER 910-520-8683

MICHAEL BENTON 910-616-4598

STEVE SMITH 910-471-9889

PAUL FORNWALD 910-465-3109

MICHAEL ODHAM 276-780-9770

MAUREEN SIDBURY 757-270-2171

MICHAEL FLUHARTY 240-500-4521

LINNEA BUTLER 928-951-1006

LEANN CHURCHILL 910-333-7887

VICTOR MORGAN 410-271-5928

MARIAN GREEN 919-244-0931

MARGARET MILLER 716-392-6036

ASHLEY RIGLEY 910-548-9757

KEITH STATON 910-616-7117

MISSY WRIGHT 304-543-4832

At Intracoastal Realty, we have a high concentration of our market’s top performing agents whose local knowledge is unmatched. We are excited to serve all of your real estate needs from our Topsail Island location!

Contact one of our island experts today!

1 0 4 T R I T O N L A N E | S U R F C I T Y, N C 2 8 4 4 5 | 9 1 0 - 3 2 8 - 3 0 0 0 | T O P S A I L . I N T R A C O A S T A L R E A L T Y. C O M

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPRING 2021

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2

25 PHOTO BY ADAM HAWLEY - UNIQUE MEDIA DESIGN

PHOTO BY JAMES STEFIUK

PHOTO BY VICKY OLIVER

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

IN EVERY ISSUE

30 A RESTAURANT REBORN

25 HISTORY

Steve Holland explains the origins of the legendary Holland’s Shelter Creek II Restaurant and how it came to be in a new location. By Brian Wilner

The Surf City IGA has been the epicenter of the Topsail Island community for 65 years.

37 HELP ON THE HALF SHELL

43 COMMUNITY

How Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar in Surf City is helping revive local oyster reefs. By Ashley

Surf City Police Department’s well-loved K-9, Kayda, retires after eight years on the police force.

Daniels

51 WELCOME BACK

47 HEALTH

New owners and management have revived the old Loggerhead Inn in Surf City. By Pat

Penslow Medical Center in Holly Ridge was the first rural health clinic of its kind in the country in 1977, and it’s still going strong today.

Fontana

56 TOPSAIL AREA REAL ESTATE RECAP

The top home sales and builders in the Topsail area — including Sneads Ferry, Surf City, Holly Ridge, Topsail Beach, North Topsail Beach and Hampstead — from 2020.

Topsail Magazine

PHOTO BY ADAM HAWLEY - UNIQUE MEDIA DESIGN

59 NONPROFIT

The Coastal Carolina Chapter of the Firefighters Burned Children’s Fund helps burn victims in Pender, Onslow and New Hanover counties.

63 ACROSS THE COUNTY

After completing a pavilion project at VFW Post 9983 in Holly Ridge, Hampstead teenager Noah Witkowski is one of the youngest Eagle Scouts in the United States.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

10 CONTRIBUTORS 12 NEED TO KNOW 14 TAGGED 18 WHAT’S COOKIN’

Bananas Foster French Toast

20 SPIRITS

Watermelon-Cucumber-Mint Infused Vodka

21 ONLINE EXCLUSIVES 22 WHAT’S HAPPENED 67 SNIPPETS 69 BUSINESS PROFILES

Century 21 Action, Inc. and Tanner Gray, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

72 TIDE CHART 73 ADVERTISERS INDEX 74 CAPTURE THE MOMENT

DOING WH AT WE DO BEST

Since 1969

Century 21 Action, Inc. has been a Topsail Area/Southeastern North Carolina market leader for over 50 years. We’re known for delivering award winning quality service through the most knowledgeable, best trained, and experienced sales team in the region. Customer satisfaction is always our prima goal and it is pursued Relentlessly. primary Whether you’re Buying or Selling, put the region’s best Real Estate Team to work for you. #RelentlessResults.

 518 Roland Avenue Surf City, NC, 28445

 800-760-4150  century21topsail.com

Spring 2021 Issue — Volume 2, Issue 2 CEO/PUBLISHER: Justin Williams DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Sandi Grigg COPY EDITOR: Molly Harrison CONTRIBUTING GRAPHICS: Paula Knorr Teresa Kramer Elizabeth Dale Niemann

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: George Jacob Brian Wilner

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Amy Conry Davis Megan Deitz Laura Glantz Adam Hawley Darren Keeler Vicky Oliver Shay Perna Jason Simas James Stefiuk Unique Media & Design

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Kathy Blake Kate M. Carey Ashley Daniels Pat Fontana Sandi Grigg Michelle Macken Annesophia Richards Melissa Slaven Warren Brian Wilner

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Want to advertise? ads@TopsailMag.com

©2021 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. Topsail Magazine – A Carolina Marketing Company, Inc. publication is published four times per year and is distributed to residents and businesses in Pender & Onslow County, NC, to subscribers and to select areas of New Hanover County, NC. Interested in back issues, subscriptions or advertising? Contact us at (910) 207-0156 or info@TopsailMag.com.

Topsail Magazine

Have a story idea? edit@TopsailMag.com

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

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Are you a writer or photographer? freelance@TopsailMag.com

SPRING 2021

COMPLIMENTARY

910.207.0156 | TopsailMag.com

Hanging Collar UP THE

Volume 2, Issue 2

E Q D

SURF CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT’S WELL-LOVED K-9, KAYDA, RETIRES AFTER EIGHT YEARS ON THE POLICE FORCE.

REAL ESTATE RECAP

Topsail Magazine

FIREFIGHTERS BURNED CHILDREN’S FUND

SURF CITY IGA

About the cover: Photographer Vicky Oliver captured our cover image of Kayda, who retired from the Surf City K-9 unit in December 2020. Read about Kayda’s police career with her partner, Sgt. Eric Petersen, and see what her life is like today in Melissa Slaven Warren’s story on page 43.

outfitting your coastal lifestyle

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627 South Anderson Blvd. Topsail Beach, NC 28445 910-541-0832 • SouthEndOutﬁtters.com

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F E AT U R I N G

A well-curated collection of resort apparel, ﬁshing accessories, bicycle and stand up paddle board rentals for coastal living.

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Savor t h e M o m e n t 701 S. Anderson Blvd. Topsail Beach | 910.328.6501 | BeachShopandGrill.com Spring 2021

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Thankful for Your Support It’s hard to believe that as I write this in early March, it’s been an entire year since all of our worlds were turned upside down and forever changed. I sincerely wish everyone reading this the best as we all continue to navigate these times. I am very thankful for the businesses in our community that have continued to support us over the past year. We simply could not bring you this magazine without the advertisers on these pages, and I encourage you to visit and support them. Please also support as many other local businesses as you can, and look for places to help with your attention, time and money. We are all in this together, and we must be there for one another. We have some great stories for you in this issue of Topsail Magazine. We have stories highlighting some of the Topsail area’s long-lasting businesses, including Surf City IGA, Loggerhead Inn, Holland’s Shelter Creek Restaurant and Penslow Medical Center, the first rural health clinic of its kind in the country. We have stories about people who are helpers in the local communities, like the owners and staff of Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar in Surf City, the volunteers with the Carolina Chapter of the Firefighters Burn Fund and a local teenager who happens to be one of the youngest Eagle Scouts in the country. As always, we have delicious recipes for food and drink from our food editor, Sandi Grigg. I’d like to thank so many of you for your story idea submissions! We have received a ton, and I encourage you to keep them coming. Please know that we only have the capability to print about 10 to 12 stories per issue, so do not get frustrated with us if you haven’t seen your idea printed yet. We seriously consider every single idea submission, whether it be for our quarterly print editions or online at TopsailMag.com. In between print issues, please stay up to date with us by following us on Facebook and Instagram. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter — Topsail Area Lifestyle, which is delivered straight to your inbox. You can sign up at TopsailMag.com. Thank you for reading this issue, and happy spring! Sincerely,

Publisher@TopsailMag.com 8

Topsail Magazine

PHOTO BY MEGAN DEITZ

Justin Williams Owner/Publisher

Brunswick Surgery Center Achieves National Accreditation

Not only is Brunswick Surgery Center the first outpatient surgery center dedicated to advanced orthopedics in our region, its excellence holds up on a national scale. In December 2020, the center achieved the prestigious AAAHC Certificate of Accreditation in recognition of their commitment to providing safe, high quality services that meet or exceed rigorous standards. Another innovation for our community, brought to you by the physicians of EmergeOrtho.

Congratulations from Emerge Stronger. Healthier. Better.

910.332.3800 | EmergeOrtho.com Spring 2021 9

CONTRIBUTORS

Ashley Daniels CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Based in Myrtle Beach, I am a full-time freelance writer, wife and mother of three sons. My folio boasts nearly 20 years of regionally and nationally published work, including profiles on such South Carolina celebs as Darius Rucker, Dustin Johnson, Vanna White, Nancy O’Dell, the late author Mickey Spillane and more. I’ve also taken home two Best of Show ADDY awards and numerous silver ADDYs for my copywriting work that ranges from travel/tourism and hospitality campaigns to food and apparel retail, telecommunications and more. I received my BA in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh and my MA in writing from Coastal Carolina University. When I’m not in front of my laptop, I’m by the water on the beach or on the water on the boat with my family.

Sandi Grigg DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT / FOOD EDITOR

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

Brian Wilner ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE AND CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Living in the Hickory, North Carolina, area since I was a kid, my parents brought us to the North Carolina coast every summer — usually to the Outer Banks — so the salt life has always been part of me. When my daughter graduated from high school and started college in Raleigh, I immediately began to realize it was the perfect opportunity for me to go coastal. This area fits perfectly with my many hobbies, which include fishing, tennis, pickleball and golf. It’s difficult to describe to others how amazing the lifestyle is in southeastern North Carolina until you experience it for yourself! I have already met a plethora of amazing people in my sales and marketing position at Carolina Marketing Company, and I can’t wait to meet you!

Topsail Magazine

Thinking of Selling Your Home? Work with the Area Leader. It’s a Seller’s Market! Buyer demand continues to outpace the amount of homes for sale, making it a great time to sell. All price points are needed! If you have any interest in selling, contact one of our market experts today. 104 TRITON LANE SURF CITY, NC 28445 | 910-328-3000 | INTRACOASTALREALTY.COM Through its network affiliations Intracoastal Realty is a global - not just local real estate firm. We market your property to the world.

NEED TO KNOW

New to the area?

Find more information and numbers at TopsailMag.com

Where are the nearest emergency rooms? NHRMC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT NORTH

151 Scotts Hill Drive Wilmington, NC 28411 (910) 662-9000 ONSLOW MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

317 Western Boulevard Jacksonville, NC 28546 (910) 577-2240 PENDER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

507 E. Fremont Street Burgaw, NC 28425 (910) 259-5451

Where are the nearest drug stores? REALO DISCOUNT DRUGS

15441 U.S. Highway 17, Suite 801 Hampstead, NC 28443 CVS/PHARMACY

13461 N.C. Highway 50 Surf City, NC 28445 (910) 329-0484 PUBLIX PHARMACY AT ARBORETUM IN SURF CITY

2765 N.C. Highway 210 E. Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 803-6010 WALMART PHARMACY

420 Fun Center Drive Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 803-6003

Topsail Magazine

HARRIS TEETER PHARMACY

LOWES FOODS OF HAMPSTEAD

203 Alston Boulevard Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 329-0711

17230 U.S. Highway 17 Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 270-6300

JOHNSON DRUG HAMPSTEAD

FOOD LION IN HAMPSTEAD

17230 U.S. Highway 17 Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 270-2223

14564 U.S. Highway 17 Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 270-9703

CVS/PHARMACY AT HAMPSTEAD

PUBLIX AT ARBORETUM IN SURF CITY

14636 U.S. Highway 17 Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 270-2970

2765 N.C. Highway 201 E. Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 329-1000

VILLAGE PHARMACY OF HAMPSTEAD

WALMART NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET

14057 U.S. Highway 17, Suite 100 Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 319-6050

420 Fun Center Drive Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 803-6001

CVS/PHARMACY

SURF CITY IGA

1309 N.C. Highway 210 Sneads Ferry, NC 28460 (910) 327-2052

106 S. Topsail Drive Surf City, NC 28445 (910) 328-3961

SNEADS FERRY FAMILY PHARMACY

FOOD LION IN SNEADS FERRY

1016 Old Folkstone Rd #214 Sneads Ferry, NC 28460 910-327-2454

965 Old Folkstone Road Sneads Ferry, NC 28460 (910) 327-2067

Where are the nearest grocery stores?

Where are the post offices?

FOOD LION IN SURF CITY

213 Holly Street Holly Ridge, NC 28445

13601 N.C. Highway 50 Surf City, NC 28445 (910) 329-1163 HARRIS TEETER

203 Alston Boulevard Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 329-0711

HOLLY RIDGE

SURF CITY

13567 N.C. Highway 50, Suite D Holly Ridge, NC 28445 HAMPSTEAD

121 Dan Owen Drive Hampstead, NC 28443

NEED TO KNOW

SNEADS FERRY

2001 N.C. Highway 172 Sneads Ferry, NC 28460 TOPSAIL BEACH

714 S. Anderson Boulevard Topsail Beach, NC 28445

Where are the town halls located? SURF CITY TOWN HALL

201 Community Center Drive Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 328-4131 TOPSAIL BEACH TOWN HALL

820 S. Anderson Boulevard Topsail Beach, NC 28445 (910) 328-5841 NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH TOWN HALL

2008 Loggerhead Court North Topsail Beach, NC 28460 (temporary location at: 1000 N. C. Highway 210 Sneads Ferry, NC 28460) (910) 328-1349 HOLLY RIDGE TOWN HALL

Island Seafood Shac k

Sea-to-Table Outdoor Dining Daily Drink Specials Live Music

212 N. Dyson Street Holly Ridge, NC 28445 (910) 329-7081 HAMPSTEAD PENDER COUNTY ANNEX

15060 U.S. Highway 17 Hampstead, NC 28443 (910) 270-6704 PENDER COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

805 S. Walker Street Burgaw, NC 28425 (910) 259-1200 ONSLOW COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER

234 NW Corridor Boulevard Jacksonville, NC 28540 (910) 989-3000

How do I get cable, phone or internet access? SPECTRUM

(844) 674-0398 AT&T

(888) 436-8638 CENTURYLINK

508 Roland Ave. Surf City, NC

(910) 260-5830 See something missing? Shoot us an email: New@TopsailMag.com

910.541.0930  Spring 2021

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SOLD IN 2020

1625 FUTCH CREEK ROAD SOLD | $5,277,000

2017 BALMORAL PLACE SOLD | $1,725,000

8037 BALD EAGLE LANE SOLD | $1,280,000

1051 OCEAN RIDGE DRIVE SOLD | $2,300,000

6 W ATLANTA STREET SOLD | $3,512,973

129 OCEAN ISLE WEST BLVD SOLD | $1,375,000

830 S LUMINA AVENUE SOLD | $1,685,000

126 N SHORE DRIVE SOLD | $1,400,000

464 N ANDERSON BOULEVARD SOLD | $2,300,000

2320 OCEAN POINT DRIVE SOLD | $1,750,000

6781 ROBERTA ROAD SW SOLD | $1,550,000

440 S BALD HEAD WYND SOLD | $1,325,000

40 CAPE FEAR TRAIL SOLD | $2,395,000

124 N SHORE DRIVE SOLD | $1,850,000

1309 OCEAN BOULEVARD W SOLD | $1,330,000

122 N SHORE DRIVE SOLD | $1,925,000

SOLD IN 2020

1417 LANDFALL DRIVE SOLD | $2,360,000

707 N ANDERSON BOULEVARD SOLD | $1,400,000

501 S ANDERSON BOULEVARD SOLD | $1,900,000

1405 W MAIN STREET SOLD | $2,995,000

2041 MONTROSE LANE SOLD | $1,295,000

502 N SHORE DRIVE SOLD | $1,600,000

3712 ISLAND DRIVE SOLD | $1,500,000

302 N CHANNEL DRIVE SOLD | $2,925,000

2025 ASHLAND COURT SOLD | $1,450,000

135 OCEAN ISLE WEST BLVD SOLD | $1,450,000

13 COGGESHALL DRIVE SOLD | $1,340,000

2033 BALMORAL PLACE SOLD | $2,075,000

2213 MASONS POINT PLACE SOLD | $1,400,000

507 S ANDERSON BOULEVARD SOLD | $1,787,500

708 FEDERAL ROAD SOLD | $1,525,000

1 SURF COURT SOLD | $4,950,000

WHAT’S COOKIN’

Fresh food daily specials craft beer & wine

Make Morning Yummier Your family will go bananas for this dressed-up French toast recipe.

Ribs Mahi Salmon Ribeye Steak

Topsail Magazine

BY SANDI GRIGG PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES STEFIUK

The inspiration for this recipe came from my parents. Dad is known to whip up a mean French toast, and Mom loves Bananas Foster. Like a true product of my parents, I combined them for a showstopping breakfast. My parents live on a lake in the mountains of North Carolina, and my family and friends often stay with them for a long weekend. Dad is typically up before anyone else, building a fire, making coffee and cooking up delicious breakfast. His French toast recipes vary depending on what bread we have available and what fruits are in season, but no matter the options, it is always a hit. Undoubtedly, if Bananas Foster is on a menu at a restaurant, my mother is going to order it, especially if it is offered tableside with a flaming flourish. She makes her own killer Bananas Foster at Thanksgiving and is quite the entertainer when preparing the dish. Friends and family often ask her to make her recipe, so it has become a staple dish in their home. I wanted to create a breakfast for my family that is not the typical eggs and bacon, and this was a no-brainer. It is an easy and quick fix and presents beautifully. Although this recipe uses half and half, you can use any type of milk to make French toast. Whole milk, skim milk, non-dairy milk or heavy cream can be used. Brioche is my favorite bread for its thickness and sturdiness and its high butter and egg content, but you can also use sourdough, French bread or three-day old white bread — any bread that hold up and not fall apart in the custard. Next time you want to offer a unique breakfast with a flair of entertainment, this is a great option. Bon appetit!

WHAT’S COOKIN’

Bananas Foster French Toast Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

For the French toast:

For the Bananas Foster topping:

8 slices of brioche bread

First, make the French toast custard. In a deep baking dish, mix the eggs, half and half, vanilla and cinnamon. Whisk until well combined.

In a saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and whisk until well combined. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the sugar has melted and the mixture has thickened slightly.

4 large eggs ¾ cup half and half 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 Tablespoons butter For the Bananas Foster topping: 1 stick butter ½ cup dark brown sugar ¼ cup dark rum 4 bananas, cut on the bias into ½-inch slices 1 cup chopped pecans ½ cup whipped cream

Preheat a griddle over medium heat. Lay the slices of brioche in the dish to soak in the custard for about 3 minutes. While you wait, melt butter on the warmed griddle. Remove the bread from the custard, letting the excess moisture drip off. Add bread slices to the warm griddle an cook, turning once, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. If you have a smaller griddle and all the bread can’t cook at once, repeat with the remaining bread. Set aside.

Stir in the pecans and mix well. Add the banana slices and cook for about a minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the rum (be extra careful, it could flame up). Return the pan to the heat and cook for a couple of minutes. This will help to burn off the alcohol leaving you with just a rum taste. Serve the French toast topped with the caramelized banana mixture and a dollop of whipped cream. Spring 2021

SPIRITS

Make Your Own Fun Infusing vodka with the flavors of watermelon, cucumber and mint is a wonderful way to welcome spring.

M BY SANDI GRIGG

Many of us have been confined to our homes for the past year. We are missing family, friends and the normal routines of life before the virus. We are having our groceries delivered and using meal delivery services to get our prepared meals instead of going out to eat. I am one of those people. Sitting in my home on a cold winter day, I started thinking of the warmer days ahead and being able to gather with friends and family. I wanted to make something reminiscent of spring. When preparing the cocktails for this column, I often go to the ABC store and walk the aisles looking for ingredients that sound good or appeal to my palate. Most of you know I am partial to vodka, so lots of my recipes include a type of flavored vodka. Not being able to stroll the aisles of the liquor store to get ideas, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I had a bottle of Absolut vodka at home, and that became the base for this recipe. I soaked watermelon, cucumber and mint in the vodka and stored it in the refrigerator, and 14 days later I had an amazing cocktail that took me back to the days partying in a crowd of more than 10. I just mixed it with a little bit of soda water over ice and garnished it with slices of cucumber, chunks of watermelon and fresh mint for an amazingly refreshing cocktail. To create your own flavored vodka, try to use a vodka that comes in a glass bottle. You want to use a vodka that has been distilled at least six times, and most in a glass bottle meet this criterion. If there is anything I have learned during this past year, it is that you have got to make your own fun. Try to make your own infused vodka, and I am sure the fun will follow.

Topsail Magazine

WATERMELON-CUCUMBER-MINT INFUSED VODKA This recipe is for 750ml of vodka. You can adjust or cut in half to make less if desired. You can also split this into two jars if you don’t have a jar big enough to accommodate the recipe.

INGREDIENTS 2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced 2 cups sweet watermelon, chopped into cubes Zest from one lemon ¼ cup fresh mint ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 750 ml bottle of vodka

METHOD Place the watermelon, cucumber, lemon zest, fresh mint and salt in a large clean jar and fill with vodka. Seal the jar and place in the refrigerator for 7 to 14 days to infuse. Give the jar a shake every day and taste to see how the infusion is coming along. Once the infused vodka has attained the desired flavor, strain the ingredients from the vodka and rebottle. Keep refrigerated.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

D EXTRAS YOU WILL ONLY FIND ONLINE D TOPSAILMAG.COM

THE STATE OF AVIATION NCDOT’s annual report illustrates the economic benefits of Pender County’s Henderson Field.

A WORTHY CAUSE An online fundraiser has been started for Jaden Corbin, a Pender County student who has cerebral palsy and needs help getting a vehicle that can accommodate his electric wheelchair.

SUPPORT FOR GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN YWCA’s Grandparent Support Network expands to Pender County with its first virtual support group.

Contributed content

North Carolina Department of Transportation’s annual The State of Aviation report highlights the contribution of airports across the state. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

The Grandparent Support Network is a peer support group for grandparents who are providing fulltime care for their grandchildren. |

| CONTINUE READING ONLINE

By Pat Fontana

Caught in a cycle of needing a vehicle that can be adapted for an electric wheelchair, a wheelchair that can only be provided if there is an appropriate vehicle to accommodate it, a local high school student is looking to the community for a little help. Jaden Corbin, a Pender County student, has cerebral palsy. Although he currently has a manual wheelchair, he is now in need of an electric wheelchair. A gofundme account has been set up at gofund.me/609c9a8e to help Jaden get the vehicle he needs. | CONTINUE READING ONLINE

TRACING THE PATH OF FREE PEOPLE OF COLOR Pender County Library hosted a genealogy panel about the migrations of people of color. Contributed content

On Saturday, February 20 Pender County Library hosted a virtual event with a panel of genealogists and historians for a discussion of the migrations of free people of color from Tidewater Virginia to southeastern North Carolina and westward going back to the 1600s. During the hour-long event, five genealogists and historians told the story of their ancestors and their ancestors’ communities. |

| CONTINUE READING ONLINE Spring 2021

| 21

WHAT’S HAPPENED

Fallon Fuller Named Principal at Penderlea School

Tony Hudson Named Interim Principal at West Pender Middle On January 2, West Pender Middle School Assistant Principal Tony Hudson stepped into the interim principal’s role as former principal Cassundra Morrison stepped aside to pursue another opportunity in Davie County. A 1997 graduate of Pender High, Hudson went on to play football at Wofford College before returning to the county as a social studies teacher and coach in May 2005. He previously worked at Heide Trask High and Pender High before earning his Masters of School Administration from East Carolina in 2017 and becoming assistant principal at West Pender in August 2018. Morrison is serving as the new principal at Williams Ellis Middle School in Davie County.

Pender County Board of Education Elects Chair and Vice Chair

Surf City Paid Parking Info Session Surf City Town Council held an hour-long drop-in session on the issue of paid parking at Surf City Welcome Center on February

Topsail Magazine

2021 Autumn with Topsail Festival Prize Package Announced If all goes as planned, Autumn with Topsail will be back on October 15, 16 and 17, 2021. Started in 1988, the Autumn with Topsail Festival is held on the grounds of the Historical Society of Topsail Island and the Assembly Building, which houses the Missiles & More Museum, in Topsail Beach. The festival features a juried Artists’ and Crafts Court with more than 100 regional artists displaying and selling their work. Festival goers enjoy live musical entertainment, a variety of amazing food, beer and wine, inflatables and crafts for children, and much more. The 2021 Festival Prize Package has been announced — valued at $220, it includes four adult entry tickets for all three days, four long sleeve festival t-shirts and 16 adult beverage coupons (must be 21). Applications for art and food vendors are now being accepted. Find more details at autumnwithtopsail.com

Second Edition of Ray McAllister’s Book about Topsail Island Released Beach Glass Books has published an expanded and updated second edition of Topsail Island: Mayberry by the Sea by award-winning coastal author Ray McAllister. Published in signed hardcover, unsigned paperback and eBook formats, the March 2 release occasion marked the 15th anniversary of the original publication of the award-winning book by John F. Blair, Publisher. The new edition features larger pages and photographs as well as more than 100 pages of new material plus a foreword by renowned author Diane Chamberlain. The book shares the history, people and continuing allure of the beloved North Carolina island with the small-town feel. The new edition adds the story of the iconic Swing Bridge and its replacement by a sweeping modern bridge, the devastation brought by Hurricane Florence and a pair of large fires and the continuing Topsail feel nourished by small-town shops and festivities. There’s also an expanded story of the historic Ocean City black beach and newly presented stories of the massive whale carcass dragged to Topsail’s shores, and more.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

At its annual leadership elections during its monthly meeting on December 8, Pender County Board of Education selected Cindy Fontana as the board chair and Brad George as the vice chair. Both will serve in the roles until December 2021. Fontana replaces Don Hall, while George takes over for Ken Smith. Fontana, a former Pender County Schools principal and Central Service staffer, was elected to the Board of Education in 2018. She and her husband, Tony, own and operate Bandana’s restaurant in Burgaw. A Pender County native, George was elected to the Board of Education in 2012 and previously served as board chair in 2018-19. George is a longtime employee for General Electric.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

As the temporary principal at Penderlea School since October 1, 2020, Fallon Fuller assumed her time at the school might only last as long as the hiring process for a new principal. But her stay became permanent in November when the Pender County Board of Education approved Fuller as the new principal at Penderlea. The 2019-20 district assistant principal of the year, Fuller has worked in Pender County as an assistant principal at Pender and Topsail high schools since 2016. A native of Pembroke, she started her career teaching math and physical education in Robeson County. In a Star-News article, Fuller cited the history of Penderlea and the community support as reasons she is thrilled to be named as the new principal for the historic school.

12. The public was invited to come in and talk with staff and town council about the need for the program and how it came to be a topic of discussion. Following the drop-in session, council held a special meeting to continue their discussion on the implementation of the paid parking program. The council considers the program as a way to generate revenue to help bridge the gap in funding for a USACE federal beach nourishment project. An FAQ about the paid parking program is available at surfcitync.gov in the Document Center section. Updated iformation about the council’s decisions on the matter are available at the site as well.

Spring 2021

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HISTORY

The Coolest Way to Serve The Surf City IGA has been the epicenter of the Topsail Island community for 65 years. BY PAT FONTANA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM HAWLEY

n the past 65 years, the Surf City IGA has been through name changes, hurricanes and competition from new stores popping up in the area. The grocery continues to be a family business, though, and a fun business at that, says manager Jim Williams. Although the IGA is technically owned by a family trust, Williams operates the business “at the good will” of his mother-in-law, Joyce Christopher. Surf City was a very small town in the mid-1950s when Al Ward built a shopping center on the island side. Completed in 1954, the center included Ward’s office, a laundromat and a small grocery store. Although some of the businesses have shifted places, the shopping center is still in the same basic location as it was when it began operations more than 65 years ago. An ABC store and a post office were added a few years later, and “that was Surf City,” Williams notes.

Above, Jim Williams has long managed Surf City IGA for the Christopher family; below, an early photo of the shopping center in the heart of Surf City. Spring 2021

HISTORY

“

If we broke $1,000 in sales on a February day, it was a good day. We have come a long way.

Ward’s friend Archie Christopher purchased the shopping center and the property across the street 13 years later. At the time, the IGA was known as the Red and White grocery store — a name that still lingers in many conversations among residents. Christopher, who was retired from working in maintenance at the University of North Carolina, operated the store from when he purchased it in 1967 until he died in 1983. Christopher’s son, Don, put the grocery on the market. DC Lanier, an entrepreneur, purchased it and ran it from 1985 to 1991, when it returned to Don Christopher’s ownership. And that’s when Jim Williams entered the picture. Williams was “just out of graduate school in Greenville” (East Carolina University) when he got the call from Christopher. Williams has been there ever since. The store, born as the Red and White and then transitioned to Lanier’s, became the Surf City IGA. The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) is a national company founded in 1926 with a focus on family-owned, local grocery stores. There are currently just more than 1,000 IGA stores operated throughout the United States and only about 20 or so in eastern North Carolina. The IGA franchise allows 26

Topsail Magazine

grocery stores to “stay true to who they are — hometown store owners in a position to meet the needs of their unique communities.” That sense of community and family has served Williams and the Surf City IGA well over the years. Even though in the grocery business there is “not going to be 12 months of smooth,” as Williams emphasizes, the store continues to operate on solid ground, and Williams has just marked his 29th year there. He says it’s a fun business and has been a special place for him and the community. Williams had been spending his summers in Surf City, working in various restaurants and enjoying the area, when he began wishing he could stay year-round. That wish came true when Don Christopher, whose daughter Williams was dating and eventually married, called him to help out at the store. Christopher was planning to “package it up and sell it again,” but Williams talked him out of it, and the store remains in the Christopher family today. That same year, a new grocery store, Food Lion, opened up on the mainland. Then, another five years later, the island was hit by

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hurricanes Fran and Bertha as well as a downturn in the economy. Williams says that when Food Lion opened, the IGA did lose some sales. However, he adds, “In the end, we were fine. We rebuilt The Surf City IGA shopping experience also ourselves — changed up includes a gift shop, where you can pick up Topsail the product mix — and Island souvenirs. catered to our customers.” He says he had a little bit of an issue getting to took away a critical life lesson from the store. The bridge and traffic the experience: “I will never let that rerouting have actually helped the dictate how I live again,” noting that store and its customers, though. competition “might hurt, but we have “As time has progressed,” Williams a great location and a loyal base that observes, “people appreciate the fact keeps us rolling.” He says the store that you don’t have to get in the has fully recovered and is “doing traffic line of the bridge and you record sales every year.” don’t have to go through the Williams reflects on some of the roundabout. You can get in and out of very early years. In the off-season, the parking lot more safely now.” The the entire store was staffed by IGA website now features the live Williams and one cashier. There feed video of the Surf City bridge, were 400 people on the south end, from the viewpoint of the store. and another 500 in Surf City at the The Surf City IGA has changed time. He says, “If we broke $1,000 in hands and names a few times, but there sales on a February day, it was a good are no plans now for selling the store. day. We have come a long way.” At one point in the 1970s, the Surf City Williams attributes much of the Shopping Center was the second store’s success to the “great largest employer in Pender County, employees who are so responsive to behind the county itself. Today, the the customers and to the community.” grocery store has “28ish employees,” Everyone who works there prides and the shopping center features a gift themselves on serving the shop and a real estate office. community. “We’ve been here a long time,” “There’s no cooler way to be part of Williams says. “We’ve become a part a community than to be a community of the community. It’s a nice way to grocery store,” Williams says. do life.”  Another significant change that happened very recently is that the new Surf City bridge shifted traffic WANT TO GO? from South Topsail Drive, the road Surf City IGA directly in front of the IGA. The 106 S. Topsail Drive, Surf City impact of the new bridge was not (910) 328-3961 great at first, as Williams says people surfcityiga.com

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A Restaurant

Reborn

Steve Holland explains the origins of the legendary Holland’s Shelter Creek II Restaurant and how it came to be in a new location. BY BRIAN WILNER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA GLANTZ

f you have some time on your hands and are interested in learning more about the development and history of Pender County, I have the perfect man for you to talk to. Whether you choose to sit inside or out at his new restaurant, Holland’s Shelter Creek II, on Highway 50 in Holly Ridge, former Pender County Commissioner Steve Holland will supply stories dating back to his youth in the 1950s. I sat down recently with Holland and the restaurant’s co-owners, Mike and Annette Barnes, to hear how this backwoods restaurant up on Holly Shelter Creek recently came to be in a new location. Holland was born in Burgaw on Halloween in 1947. “I was actually delivered by my grandma,” he says. He 30

Topsail Magazine

lived in Yamacraw (yes, I had to look that place up!) as a child and went to Longcreek School. Growing up in farm country, he worked for the local farmers picking blueberries, strawberries and other crops. “In our spare time us kids would hunt and fish every chance we got,” he says. When Holland was 12 years old, his father got a job in Wilmington and moved the family there. He spent the next 20 years of his life in the Wilmington area working at several trades, including as a carpenter and as a boilermaker. “I then got several jobs at Wrightsville Beach,” he says. “I worked as a bartender and on fishing boats. Then I got a job at a singles apartment complex on the beach. We had many of the big beach bands of the day come play there. It was a lot of fun!”

It was in the late 1970s that Holland’s barber told him he had purchased some land up on a creek close to Holland’s hometown in the Holly Shelter Creek area. This got him to thinking about moving back up that way and starting his own business. “I used to go up there and sit by the side of the road near the bait and tackle and count cars that would drive by in the morning and in the evening,” Holland says. “I wanted to see if there was enough traffic to support a store.” In August of 1981 he decided he could make it work and leased the Holly Shelter Creek Gas Station/Bait and Tackle store. Thus began the long transformation of a small convenience store on a creek into a booming restaurant and campground that Holland renamed Holland’s Shelter Creek.

“At first, we just didn’t do enough business, so I decided to sell guns and hunting equipment,” Holland says. “Then we built on a little dining room that only seated 18 people.” It was then they started to get busy. “We served venison stew and breaded seafood. Even though the seafood was mostly bread and not that good, more and more folks started coming to eat with us.” When Holland decided to get fresh seafood from his supplier instead, the business really started to grow. “My wife at the time loaned me $20,000 to expand the restaurant to seat 56 people, and the restaurant took off.” I ask him if he ever paid her back, and he says, “Many times over!” Holland then began to clear the property next to the store to eventually become a campground. “We used the wood from clearing the property to heat the wood stove to cook our food,” he says. To promote his business, Holland got creative: “We were a family restaurant.

After Mother Nature closed Holland’s Shelter Creek Restaurant in 2018, Mike and Annette Barnes were able to talk Steve Holland (center) into reopening in their newly renovated building on July 29, 2019.

When the kids would clean their plates, we would bring them a free scoop of ice cream. The next time their parents took them out to eat, they would want to come eat with us!” They also started bringing free hushpuppies to the table when folks sat down. Another genius marketing strategy came when Holland starting playing Santa at Christmas. The local children could sit on Santa’s

Spring 2021

The walls at Holland’s Shelter Creek II Restaurant are lined with photos and momentos.

knee when they went out to eat, tell him what they wanted for Christmas and even go on a hayride with free candy. “Back then we didn’t have a way to get the word out about our business, so we had to find a way to bring people to us,” Holland says. “I would drive for hundreds of miles and put up flyers for the events we decided to start having.” In 1982 they had their first fishing tournament there on Shelter Creek. A local business donated a deep cycle battery as the prize. “That first year, we only had 16 entrants,” Holland says. “And only one woman. The men said ‘You gotta have a women’s division,’ but I didn’t pay any attention to them. And that one woman ended up winning the tournament with the first and second largest fish!” They continued the tournament for 15 years, promoting it as a family tournament. By the time they had their 32

Topsail Magazine

last tournament, they had 730 entrants on 429 boats with cash and prizes worth $30,000. Then Holland began having Saturday Shindigs three or four times a year. His neighbor would let him borrow flatbed trucks, and he would have five or six bands to play on his adjacent campground. “We would have two to three thousand people come from all over the area,” Holland says. “We didn’t have much parking so there were cars parked one and a half miles in each direction!” After his years of bringing locals and tourists into the county through hard work and promotion, everybody in Pender County knew Steve Holland. In 1994 he was voted in as a Pender County Commissioner and served in that role for 12 years. He put the same effort into that job as he did with the restaurant. “I returned every single phone call,” he says. “If I couldn’t get out

in my truck to help figure out a problem, I made sure it was taken care of.” For more than 30 years, Holland’s Shelter Creek Restaurant was open seven days a week from 6 am to 9 pm and served upwards of 3,000 people a week. They seated 186 indoors with a bar and deck out back. Often there was live music. Life was good on the creek. That is, until Mother Nature started taking her shots. They’d never experienced a flood until 1999, when Hurricane Floyd swelled the creek well beyond her banks, causing serious damage to the restaurant. But Holland and his crew were determined to repair and rebuild. All was well again until September of 2018, when Hurricane Florence dealt a fatal blow to the restaurant. “There was 12 feet of water that covered the property,” Holland says. “It basically moved our business 10 inches off the foundation. We lost everything.”

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Visiting Holland’s Shelter Creek II Restaurant is an experience full of great food, drinks, fun and a little slice of Pender County history.

Holland was devastated that everything he had worked so hard to build into a success was gone just like that. After working all day every day for so long and suddenly stopping, he said he became depressed and gained 40 pounds. Then fate came knocking on his door. Or actually, fate came ringing on his telephone. Two of his longtime customers, Mike and Annette Barnes, contacted him through a mutual friend. From Cary, North Carolina, they had been eating at Holland’s restaurant for years on their way back and forth to Topsail Island. It just so happens that in 2018 they had bought a big building, formerly a bar, across the street from Tri County Electrical company on Highway 50. Mike remodeled the inside of the building, not sure of what business it might end up being. Holland was hesitant about starting over again when Mike and Annette contacted him. As he thought about it, 34

Topsail Magazine

he decided to go to the county office to see if they were interested in him reopening the business close to Surf City. “I walked in there, and seven of the eight employees were former customers!” he says. “Two started crying and one said, ‘I miss my black cherry ice cream!’” With some persuasion and persistence, Mike and Annette were able to talk Holland into opening Holland’s Shelter Creek II Restaurant in their newly renovated building. Opening on July 29, 2019, they had a three-hour wait for the first two weeks! Holland recalls seeing many of his old customers again and how heartwarming it was. “I still have plenty of customers that were also eating with us 40 years ago,” he says. “And now their children and grandchildren are coming too.” He says it didn’t take him long to lose that 40 pounds after getting back to work again. Their current menu specialties

include frog legs, Cajun catfish (I ate it that day and it was the best!), shrimp Creole and catfish stew. They still prepare food the old-fashioned way; steaks are fresh cut, burgers are hand-pattied, and all sides and banana pudding are homemade. They also have a very nice bar with eight local beers on tap. And don’t forget the 16 flavors of ice cream. And, of course, folks are welcome to sit out back on their deck and enjoy the wonderful Pender County weather year round. When you stop in, be sure to say hello to Holland. He will take you on a tour and give you some history behind the many pictures of the old place, employees, friends and family. They also have several great pictures of the real king of rock and roll, along with mementos recovered from the flooded store. You will have a good time and get a flavor of some real, old-fashioned Southern hospitality. 

WANT TO GO? Holland’s Shelter Creek II Restaurant 756 E. Ocean Road, Holly Ridge (910) 803-2224 hollandsshelter.com

Jeff James

Spring 2021

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How Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar in Surf City is helping to revive local oyster reefs. BY ASHLEY DANIELS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON SIMAS & DARREN KEELER

It’s always oyster season at Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar in Surf City, where their Oyster Recycling Program thrives at the core of the restaurant’s sustainable mindset.

Spring 2021

REASONS FOR RECYCLING OYSTER SHELLS

No. 1

Since the first day Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar opened in 2015, they’ve been committed to protecting the local oceans, waterways and marine life. The Surf City location is one of more than a dozen locations throughout the Southeast, and all are certified Ocean Friendly Establishments in collaboration with the Plastic Ocean Project and Surfrider Foundation. In Surf City, they partner with the North Carolina Coastal Federation (NCCF) to recycle all of their shucked oyster shells. “They’re then made into artificial reefs and returned to the water,” says Beverly Simas, who independently co-owns and operates the Surf City location with her husband, Jason. “The oysters need to land on other oyster shells to make more oysters and propagate more marine life. More oysters help with improving water quality.” Reef building with recycled oyster shells is so vital to water quality that in North Carolina it’s actually illegal to dispose of oyster shells in landfills or to use them in landscaping. Simas reports that since 2015, Shuckin’ Shack in Surf City has recycled an average of a quarter million single oyster shells, or 1,500 bushels, each year. “Our business is based on quality, 38

Topsail Magazine

local seafood, so we want to keep the source of the seafood healthy,” she says. “Oysters are the number one way to keep waterways healthy. With the amount of oysters we go through, recycling the shells is definitely an obvious choice to help sustain our waterways.” In the southeast region of North Carolina, Shuckin’ Shack is one of a handful of restaurants in the area recycling shells on their own before volunteers from the NCCF come to bag them and haul them away. “All of our tables have holes in the middle to hold the buckets for everyone’s oyster shells, then they go right to the recycling cans,” Simas explains. “We collect them, our staff drives the cans to a lot where the shells are laid out in the sun to dry out, then eventually, the Coastal Federation comes in with a group of volunteers and puts them back in the natural world.” In January 2017 NCCF launched its 50 Million Oyster Initiative, a three-year project to restore 50 million oysters that will filter 2.5 billion gallons in the waters of North Carolina every day. The benefits of this initiative and the construction of the reefs are plentiful, both short- and long-term: creation of jobs for

THEY CLEAN THE WATER. Oysters are natural filter feeders, pumping water through their gills and trapping food, nutrients, sediments and chemical contaminants in their bivalves. One oyster can filter more than 50 gallons of water per day for underwater grasses and marine life.

No. 2 THEY PROVIDE FOOD AND HABITAT. An oyster’s lifespan involves babies settling on top of adult oysters, which forms layers and layers of oysters. And, with all of their shell crevices, oyster reefs give a safe haven to hundreds of small fish and invertebrates.

No. 3 THEY IMPACT THE ECONOMY. The oyster industry, since the late 19th century, has contributed millions of dollars to the region’s economy by way of harvesting, selling, shucking, packing and shipping.

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Spring 2021

Serving Topsail Island for Over 25 Years!

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contractors, fishermen, construction workers, truck drivers and more; improvement of the fish habitat and water quality; and enhancement of the tourism industry and coastal environment for the future. To date, nearly 41 acres (or 41 million oysters) of oyster reefs have been built throughout the state’s shell-fishing waters, including the Senator John Preston Oyster Sanctuary and shoreline projects in the Cape Fear River, Pamlico Sound, Carolina Beach State Park, Wanchese Marine Industrial Park and more. To heighten the success of the cause, NCCF is currently working on teaming up with local governments and

BE A PART OF THE

SOLUTION

businesses to provide more public oyster shell drop-off and recycling sites. The federation also has some shell recycling barrels available for loan for large, local oyster roasts. Last year, the organization ramped up oyster shell recycling education to increase community awareness. 

To help the cause, be sure to recycle your oyster shells from home roasts at area recycling sites or volunteer with NCCF’s oyster reef restoration efforts; more information is available at nccoast.org. You can also help by dining at establishments that recycle their oyster shells. Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar is at 13460 N.C. Highway 50 #101 in Surf City. Learn more about their sustainability efforts at theshuckinshack.com/sustainability.

Spring 2021

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COMMUNITY

Hanging Up the Collar Surf City Police Department’s well-loved K-9, Kayda, retires after eight years on the police force. BY MELISSA SLAVEN WARREN

| PHOTOGRAPHY BY VICKY OLIVER

Spring 2021

COMMUNITY

Sometimes man’s best friend turns out to be much more than a faithful canine companion that lives for belly rubs and daily walks. Some dogs have jobs, like a police K-9, and work hard to serve and protect citizens and first responders. That’s the life of Kayda — or rather it was before she retired from the Surf City Police Department on December 1, 2020. Kayda, a 10-year-old Labrador retriever, made up one-half of the Surf City K-9 unit, along with her human partner, Sgt. Eric Petersen. She spent eight years with the agency detecting narcotics, tracking criminals and finding lost individuals. Sgt. Peterson’s relationship with Kayda first began when his duties as an officer sent him to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office. Kayda, a puppy, was originally donated to the sheriff’s office to be trained as a law-enforcement K-9 for the deputy sheriff. “I would always play with her whenever I had to go in,” Sgt. Petersen says. For whatever reason, it was thought that Kayda might not make a good canine officer. Recognizing the bond that Sgt. Petersen had with the dog, the deputy asked the sergeant if he wanted Kayda. Without hesitation, he said yes. Having always had a special connection with dogs, Sgt. Petersen knew instantly that Kayda was capable of becoming a great canine working dog. After three months of training, and when she was just a year old, she was ready to serve, establishing the Surf City K-9 unit and a partnership that would continue for seven more years. Not long after she had completed her training, Kayda quickly proved she had what it takes to be a successful police dog when she found a fugitive who had fled on foot. “Kayda was able to track and locate the fugitive when all others had failed,” Sgt. Petersen says. “That’s when the sheriff’s deputy said to me, ‘Why did we ever get rid of her?’” Working as a K-9 officer for Surf City Police Department was the perfect job for Sgt. Petersen, who began his career in law enforcement 13 years ago after his service as a Marine ended. He has a passion for animals and what he calls a “hero complex.” “It’s a natural profession for a lot of former military professionals because it has the same kind of structure,” Sgt. 44

Topsail Magazine

Now that she’s retired, Sgt. Eric Petersen lets Kayda sleep in and indulge in steak every now and then.

Petersen says of police work.. As with most specialty units in law enforcement, Sgt. Petersen had to meet the experience requirements to be part of a K-9 Unit, which he did after a few years on the force. Like all other law-enforcement K-9 units, Kayda and Sgt. Petersen share a tight bond created by trust and a common work ethic. Unlike a human partner, police dogs live with their partners. As a team, they are together 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Kayda has been living with the Petersen family since she was a puppy — and that’s where she will continue to live out her golden years in retirement. Over the past seven years, Kayda has had numerous successful missions helping officers do their jobs safer and faster. Last spring, one of her final crowning accomplishments on her K-9 resume came when she helped officers facilitate a major narcotics bust in Surf City. The police team confiscated

COMMUNITY

Customized plans to make

331 bindles of heroin, 8.3 grams of methamphetamine and 3 grams of crack cocaine that resulted in multiple charges against three men who were booked into the Pender County jail under no bonds. An important part of Kayda’s life as a law enforcement K-9 was community engagement. She represented the Surf City Police Department at schools, birthday parties and Boy Scout and Girl Scout events. “Anytime there was an opportunity for kids and adults to see her, we went,” Sgt. Petersen says. “She loved showing off.” Sgt. Petersen’s favorite moment of Kayda’s career is when she saved a man’s life. The Surf City Police Department received a report about a possible suicide situation in Pender County. Officers finally located the individual’s car hours after the report came through. They found a blood pool in the seat of the car and blood leading away from the car. But after nearly 20 feet, the blood trail disappeared. That’s when they called for the K-9 unit. “Within three minutes of Kayda’s nose hitting the ground, she found him,” Sgt. Petersen says. “He had cut his wrists so severely that had she found him just minutes later, he would have died. She literally saved his life.” Kayda was always excited and ready to hit the streets when duty called. But she has just as easily adjusted to civilian life after retirement. As a police K-9, she had to have structure in her life. Certain things were things considered unacceptable of a working dog, like getting on furniture, sleeping on the bed and eating people food. Retirement has its perks. “Her life is a little easier now,” Sgt. Petersen says. “She gets to be on the couch and sleep in the bed, and she occasionally gets some pieces of steak. She used to get excited when she would see me gear up, knowing she got to go to work. Now, she just lays in the bed, looks up at me while I’m getting ready and then goes back to sleep!” After eight years together as the Surf City K-9 unit, Sgt. Petersen and Kayda are passing on the torch to another officer and dog. Though he’ll still help supervise and consult with the new unit, Sgt. Petersen will once again become a solo officer. What he enjoyed most about working as a K-9 officer was watching Kayda tracking; her ability to locate someone hours after they had left the area just by sniffing human skin rafts they left behind was amazing to see. “I will miss working with a dog more than you can ever know,” Sgt. Petersen says. 

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HEALTH

Rural Health Pioneers Penslow Medical Center in Holly Ridge was the first rural health clinic of its kind in the country in 1977, and it’s still going strong today. BY PAT FONTANA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY CONRY DAVIS

Until the mid-1970s there were no doctors between Jacksonville and Wilmington, other than one provider in Sneads Ferry, who was retiring. Community leaders had been trying to get doctors to come into the area for a long time, and they knew something had to change. The people of this rural area, the native islanders and fishermen with deep familial roots and the military families coming and going, needed access to primary care. As the local communities were coming together to determine how to solve this issue, the State of North Carolina was also doing something about statewide rural health concerns. In 1973 North Carolina established the Office of Rural Health, the first in the country focused on the needs of rural and underserved communities. The first director of the

Office of Rural Health, Jim Bernstein, set up the guidelines and criteria of the program, part of which required that the rural health centers had to have community support to qualify for matching funds. A rural health center serving Pender and Onslow counties definitely had community support from the beginning. In fact, 12 local communities, including Verona, Sloop Point, Turkey Creek, Hampstead, Sneads Ferry, Holly Ridge, Surf City, Topsail Beach, Maple Hill and three others, came together to fundraise and establish a site on N. Dyson Street in Holly Ridge. Individuals worked to raise money by selling bread, holding a fish fry, hosting concerts and directly asking for contributions. The Herbert Williams family, along Spring 2021

HEALTH

with the Town of Holly Ridge, donated land for the clinic. Williams and his family, including his son, Hiram, who is now an area Realtor, also donated $30,000 to help get the medical facility up and running. The resulting clinic came to be known as Penslow Medical Center, and it still serves the people of the surrounding areas in the same location on N. Dyson Street today. Another stipulation for the center, which runs as a nonprofit, was that it had to have a board of directors. Serving on the first board were Chair Alpheous Everett Sr., Vice-Chair Marvin Autry and member Topsail Mayor Michael Boryk, among many others. The concept of rural health clinics, and the work involved in launching Penslow Medical Center in particular, was part of a new trend in the United States, so much so that Penslow Medical Center was featured in a US News and World Report article as the first clinic of its kind in the country. Jeannine Smith, the first nurse practitioner (NP) to run Penslow Medical, says that initially she was not interested in 48

Topsail Magazine

getting involved with the rural health clinic, but a friend encouraged her to apply for a position there. Soon thereafter, Smith was hired to begin work as soon as the medical center opened in May 1977. First, though, she had to get her NP degree. She had worked as a registered nurse since 1951, was the first captain of the Sloop Point Rescue Squad and had worked independently as an industrial nurse for years. The Office of Rural Health sent Smith to UNC Chapel Hill with paid tuition and a monthly stipend so she could complete her degree. She participated in UNC’s program from 1976 to 1977 and returned to Penslow Medical Center for the grand opening on May 15, 1977. The clinic opened to patients even as some of the building was still being completed, and over the years it has become a necessary and valuable asset to the region. Smith retired in 1992, and the Town of Holly Ridge declared May 15, 1992, as “Jeannine Day” in honor of her service to healthcare in the community. Today, at the age of 90, she still remembers fondly the early days of getting

PHOTO BY PAT FONTANA

Left: Nurse Practitioner Gail Robinson runs Penslow Medical today. Above left: Jeannine Smith, the first NP to run the clinic. Above right: Irene Villa, current board chair.

HEALTH

“ They wanted someone to stabilize the clinic, I thought of it as a kind of a calling. Over the past few years, it has become a passion.

Penslow Medical Center off the ground. She says she and her team did it all, from patient care to billing and insurance claims. Holly Ridge is no longer considered a rural area, as far as the Office of Rural Health is concerned, even though the state office is still involved to an extent. Several years ago, Penslow lost two nurse practitioners in quick succession. The board was seriously concerned about the possibly of closing the health clinic’s doors. Current board chair Irene Villa, who joined in 2012 shortly after retiring from the Pender EMS, says the board reached out to Wilmington Health for help. They met on the Friday after Thanksgiving in 2016 and by the next Tuesday, the clinic was up and running again, with Wilmington Health assisting with staffing and with the business end, “to help the clinic survive,” Villa says. For the past four years, the

arrangement has worked well, with Penslow Medical Center continuing to serve those in need and now planning to grow its operations. Today, Nurse Practitioner Gail Robinson is running the clinic with the help of two certified medical assistants under the direction of a supervising physician located in Hampstead. Robinson came to Penslow Medical in early 2018 as part of Wilmington Health’s involvement. “Although Wilmington Health planted me here thinking they wanted someone to stabilize the clinic, I thought of it as a kind of a calling,” Robinson says. “Over the past few years, it has become a passion.” When Robinson first came to the rural health clinic, it was only open three days a week. Penslow Medical has since expanded to seeing patients five days a week in the clinic and has been offering telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also looking at possible weekend options and expanding to be able to provide urgent care services. The clinic initially provided the majority of its healthcare services to people who did not have health insurance. Today about 15 percent of patients are indigent, self-pay or have Medicare or Medicaid. “There are still people who are not able to be self-sufficient where their healthcare is concerned,” Villa says. “There are fewer and fewer rural health facilities around, but there is still a need for it.” The legacy of Penslow Medical Center lives on. Just as it was in the clinic’s beginnings in 1977, the center is a vital part of the community healthcare system, and every patient visit is a meaningful one. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION Penslow Medical Center (910) 329-7591, penslowmedicalcenter.org Spring 2021

Topsail Magazine

Welcome New owners and management have revived the old Loggerhead Inn in Surf City. BY PAT FONTANA PHOTOGRAPHY BY VICKY OLIVER

On the corner of New River Drive and Dolphin Street in the heart of Surf City, Loggerhead Inn and Suites looks completely new but holds a wealth history within its walls. Built in 1959 as The Silver Sands Motel, it has

Back

survived storms, changes of ownership and two name changes. After a recent renovation, it stands ready to welcome visitors once again. Construction crews tasked with repairs and restorations through the

years have found newspapers from the 1950s in the walls and bunkers from the Topsail Island missile development projects of the 1940s under the ground. Today, above ground and within the walls, the hotel features completely

Spring 2021

Topsail Magazine

updated rooms and new management structure. “Generations have vacationed here, and we take pride in keeping the legacy beach establishment going,” says Richard Stroupe, who purchased the hotel in 2017. A technology professional based in Reston, Virginia, Stroupe may seem an unlikely owner of a piece of history in Surf City. However, Stroupe is a North Carolina native and says he grew up going to Carolina Beach, while his wife fell in love with Topsail Island. They plan to retire in Topsail Beach eventually. In the meantime, Stroupe has partnered with Brandon Williams, owner of Breakpoint Construction, and Mike Harrington, owner of Carolina Retreats, to upfit and manage the historic hotel. The Silver Sands was purchased in late 1994 by the Resnick family and the Wamsley family, who were lifelong friends. They changed the name then to Loggerhead Inn, for a fresh start and because “they were fascinated about the beautiful turtles coming every year to lay their eggs,” says Adam Resnick of his father’s decision. Hurricane Fran hit the island and the Loggerhead in 1996. Adam says some of the family members stayed to ride out the major storm and then offered help to others on the island who were affected by it. Bud Wamsley and Leslie Resnick stayed at the motel while Adam’s father, Larry, stayed at Surf City BBQ, which he owned at the time. Leslie gave hourly interviews via the telephone to the area news stations. Island residents who had no water or electricity were welcomed at the hotel for hot showers “while they tried to piece their lives back together,” Adam says. Between the initial work that needed to be done when the families purchased the hotel and the damage caused by the hurricane, the Loggerhead Inn was not fully operational again until 1997.

While work was being done on the building, partly to repair damage from Hurricane Florence and partly to modernize the rooms and amenities, many locals shared stories about their family’s history with the property. When the owners passed away, Bud in 2009 and Larry in 2016, Adam says the remaining living partners decided it was time to “let the motel go into the future with the next owner.”

Stroupe was determined to maintain the legacy and historical charm of the hotel while updating it with high-end materials that will withstand future storms. He says he’s always been fascinated with the hospitality industry, and he also wants to make sure the Loggerhead is a part of the community and not just a tourist destination. He is already establishing partnerships with local businesses, including the

Spring 2021

construction and management teams. Emphasizing that the most recent work on the hotel is “a direct result of the solid team we have built with Brandon and Mike,” Stroupe says that they decided to change the name one more time, to the Loggerhead Inn and Suites, to emphasize the suites and some of the new design features they’ve incorporated. Williams has had his work cut out for him on the renovations and updates. They found a “series of structural issues” and have completely redone the roof and the foundation while restoring many of the historic elements of the building. As Williams emphasizes, the Loggerhead is “not just a hotel, it has people’s hearts,” as did the Silver Sands. “My gift is being able to listen to what someone wants and provide it,” he says. According to Stroupe, Williams and his team at Breakpoint Construction have done just that. He emphasizes that the inn now features “2020 commercial building standards and includes updated mechanical, electrical and plumbing.” Harrington’s team at Carolina Retreats recommended the updated design aesthetics found throughout the inn, and Harrington has taken on the daily operations of the inn. The new, historic Loggerhead Inn and Suites also reflects the changing times. Rooms can be rented by the night but offer “all the same amenities and luxuries of a beachside cottage without a full week commitment,” Stroupe says. The hotel now features 23 one-bedroom units, nine two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes and a two-bedroom cottage with a full kitchen. A new project featuring 24 two-bedroom suites with full kitchens is under construction just a block down the street and will be a part of the Loggerhead. In addition, reservations and access are contact-free, offering reassurances of health and safety in addition to comfort and convenience. Public beach access is just a short walk away, as are many area restaurants and shops. The Loggerhead Inn and Suites continues the island’s emphasis on being family oriented and low-key, features that drew Stroupe and his wife to Topsail. Reservations for the hotel are now available with a grand opening pending the easing of pandemic-related restrictions. 

CHECK IT OUT Loggerhead Inn and Suites 622 N. New River Drive, Surf City (800) 526-6432, loggerheadinn.com 54

Topsail Magazine

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TOPSAIL AREA

2020 REAL ESTATE

Recap

Take a look at the top home sales and builders in the Topsail area — including Sneads Ferry, Surf City, Holly Ridge, Topsail Beach, North Topsail Beach and Hampstead — from the last year. BY JUSTIN WILLIAMS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM HAWLEY, UNIQUE MEDIA DESIGN

507 S. Anderson Boulevard in Topsail Beach spent only one day on the market in 2020.

The real estate market is booming, as they say, and the Topsail Island area market is no exception. Take a look at the statistics for the Topsail area market for 2020.

Total Number of Sales 1,284

Topsail Magazine

1,313

1,840

Total Volume of Sales $348,059,350 $361,106,153 $583,966,072 Foreclosure Sales 24

Short Sale Sales 9

New Construction Sales 403

377

518

Undeveloped Land Sales 243

229

310

Land Sales Volume

2018 2019 2020

$21,551,385 $22,070,474 $36,271,575

TOPSAIL AREA

R E A L E S TAT E R E C A P

2020

TOPSAIL AREA TOP SALES Address

Selling Date

Listed Price

Selling Price

DOM

Price per sq. ft.

Selling Agent

Listing Agent

Selling Company

Listing Company

MOST EXPENSIVE HOMES SOLD IN TOPSAIL BEACH 464 N. Anderson Boulevard, Topsail Beach

6/26/20

$2,599,000

$2,300,000

$823.19

Dean Phillips

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

Non-member

501 S. Anderson Boulevard, Topsail Beach

6/26/20

$2,200,000

$1,900,000

183

$441.45

Michael L. Nelson

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

Michael L. Nelson

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

507 S. Anderson Boulevard, Topsail Beach

11/24/20

$1,890,000

$1,787,500

$483.11

Frank Sherron

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

Nick Phillips

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

610 Holly Hill Road, Hampstead

7/14/20

$1,900,000

$1,660,000

371

$300.62

Carolyn H. Royce

Carolina One Properties of Wilmington, Inc.

Dawn J. Berard

Sold Buy the Sea Realty

146 Hammock Watch Way, Hampstead

12/4/20

$1,355,000

$1,340,000

$358.38

Peter S. Vinal

Peter S. Vinal Realty & Associates

Jonathan R. Harris

Keller Williams Realty

1205 Kings Landing Road, Hampstead

7/23/20

$1,390,000

$1,290,000

344

$376.42

The Rising Tide Team

Intracoastal Realty Corp.

Joel Sheesley Real Estate Team

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

122 N. Shore Drive, Surf City

11/6/20

$1,990,000

$1,925,000

331

$317.87

Judy A. Carlton

Ward Realty Corp

Nick Phillips

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

124 N. Shore Drive, Surf City

9/22/20

$2,050,000

$1,850,000

301

$370.67

The Cheek Team

Keller Williams Realty - Brunswick County

Nick Phillips

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

502 N. Shore Drive, Surf City

12/8/20

$1,749,000

$1,600,000

226

$378.34

Michael Benton

Intracoastal Realty Corp.

Nick Phillips

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

100 Oceanview Lane, North Topsail Beach

9/4/20

$1,899,950

$1,795,000

449

$340.14

Wanda Martin Davis

Treasure Realty, Inc.

Wanda Martin Davis

Treasure Realty, Inc.

114 Oceanview Lane, North Topsail Beach

3/10/20

$1,999,999

$1,777,777

189

$357.06

Aaron Seelbinder

Keller Williams Crystal Coast

Bizz Baker

Treasure Realty, Inc.

3712 Island Drive, North Topsail Beach

7/30/20

$1,599,000

$1,500,000

380

$492.93

Harold Chappell

NextHome Cape Fear

Nick Phillips

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

150 Big Hammock Point Road, Sneads Ferry

3/3/20

$1,299,995

$1,225,000

277

$201.58

Rebecca Quick

Crystal Coast Realty & Home Services, LLC Jacksonville

Bizz Baker

Treasure Realty, Inc.

162 Big Hammock Point Road, Sneads Ferry

7/24/20

$925,000

$880,000

$262.69

Chelsea Schneiders

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

Nick Phillips

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

383 Beacon Lane, Sneads Ferry

7/27/20

$900,000

$880,000

$172.18

Christina B. Asbury

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

Michael L. Nelson

Landmark Sotheby's International Realty

601 Seafarers Court, Holly Ridge

12/4/20

$808,879

$261.52

Non-member

Kristen Downing

RE/MAX Now

520 Holly Ridge Road, Holly Ridge

7/10/20

$675,000

354

$131.32

April Lee Landin

Century 21 Champion Real Estate

Dutch R. Bageant

A Beach Place Realty

404 Pilchers Branch Road, Holly Ridge

8/21/20

$599,000

$585,000

126

$230.50

Renee L. Clark

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

Danielle Williams

Coastal Realty Associates, LLC

MOST EXPENSIVE HOMES SOLD IN HAMPSTEAD

MOST EXPENSIVE HOMES SOLD IN SURF CITY

MOST EXPENSIVE HOMES SOLD IN NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH

MOST EXPENSIVE HOMES SOLD IN SNEADS FERRY

MOST EXPENSIVE HOMES SOLD IN HOLLY RIDGE

Spring 2021

TOPSAIL AREA

R E A L E S TAT E R E C A P

2020

TOP 20 BUILDERS BY PERMITS 146 Hammock Watch Way was the second most expensive home sold in Hampstead in 2020.

ONSLOW COU NT Y

PENDER COUNT Y

BUILDER PERMITS

ATLANTIC CONST 7 Doris Avenue E. Jacksonville, NC 28540 (910) 938-9053 AtlanticConstructionInc.com Owner: Joe Henderson

299

DR HORTON 69 131 Racine Drive, Suite 201, University Corporate Center 2, Wilmington, NC 28403 (910) 742-7946 DrHorton.com CEO: David V. Auld

SYDES A CONST

212

LOGAN DEV

HORIZON HOMES

ROBUCK HOMES

CAVINESS & CATES

STEVENS BLDG CO

BRABBEL D

CLAYTON PROP GROUP

NORTHERN INV GROUP

BILL CLARK HOMES

WORTHINGTON DEV

LGI HOMES NC,LLC

HUNTER DEV CORP

CROSSROADS CONST

PIN-MILLS LLC

SYDES A CONST

BILL CLARK HOMES

HARDISON BLDG

LOGAN DEV

BCL HOMES

DR HORTON

AMERICAN HOMESMITH

H&H CONST

SEVENTY WEST BLDRS

WELLMANS CONST

CAVINESS & CATES

MGT ONSLOW LLC

FAILSALE CONST

BLU ENT

SEVENTY WEST BLDRS

O’BRIEN & SONS

CHANNEL MARKER BLD

CAROLINA PRIDE

DEMCO BLDRS

STANCIL BLDRS

WILLIAMS F BLDRS

Source: Stats compiled by M.O.R.E. (Market Opportunity Research Enterprises®) and are based on permits pulled between January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020.

Topsail Magazine

NONPROFIT

When Giving Leads to Healing The Coastal Carolina Chapter of the Firefighters Burned Children Fund helps burn victims in Pender, Onslow and New Hanover counties.

PHOTO BY SHAY PERNA

BY KATHY BLAKE

Fire trucks’ sirens pierce the air, obliterating even the loudest car stereos. Horns bellow deeppitched warnings to move over, scram, so big engines can barrel through. News accounts later will show smoky clusters of the firefighters’ work, visuals of damage to structures and property. But what about the people? Timothy VanPelt is a firefighter in Surf City, a town of 2,500 on the Pender-Onslow county line, on Topsail Island. He’s been there five years. About two years ago, VanPelt — whose title is Community Risk Reduction Coordinator — decided to do something for people physically affected by fires.

Spring 2021

NONPROFIT

He organized the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the Firefighters Burned Children’s Fund (FFBCF). There are 30 chapters in North Carolina. Surf City’s covers Pender, Onslow and New Hanover counties. “We’ve had burn victims in all three counties,” VanPelt says. “It happens more than people think. We’ve dealt with several people who have been burned in different ways, in our own area and in New Hanover and Pender. The main ones we normally see are fire-related, but we also had a gentleman whose lawn mower exploded. We’ve seen fire, electrical burns, scalding water burns…” One thing to know about the Burned Children’s Fund: It isn’t just for children. “It can be anyone, age 0 to over 99,” VanPelt says. A burn victim is anyone who suffers a burn injury. Many burn injuries merit a trip to the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center in Chapel Hill. The FFBCF throughout North Carolina supports both burn centers in North Carolina, the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center in Chapel Hill and the Wake Forest Baptist Health Burn Center in Winston Salem. Each chapter is 100 percent volunteer staffed, and anyone can volunteer. One hundred percent of the money raised goes not only toward the

expenses of survivors and their families, but also toward ways to spread fire-safety education, such as printed pamphlets. “We can help families who go to Chapel Hill with things like with gas, hotels, food, all the small things people may not think about,” he says. “We try to ease some of the burden on the families. Like if someone were

traveling back and forth from Pender County every day, we can help with the burden of that family that’s going through a hard time.” The FFBCF raises money through everything from recycling aluminum cans and Tupperware parties to asking for donations outside Walmart and Publix to holding a silent auction at the Moose Lodge. They partner with area businesses for donations. Surf City Walmart has given two $1,000 grants to the program. The Coastal Carolina Chapter also has a textsupported donation platform (text

FFBCFCCC to 24365). Any amount is accepted and can be put to use. “We don’t really have a set budget,” VanPelt says. “Whatever we raise gets donated right back to the cause.” This year, gatherings such as auctions or holiday-themed fundraisers are on hold because of COVID-19. “We don’t have any events planned, because we don’t know what the turnout will be,” he says. “But we can still go stand in front of Walmart.” Funds raised by FFBCF help support Camp Celebrate, where pediatric burn survivors can be kids. For free. The camp, started by the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center in 1982, offers a place where children can swim, ride horses, go canoeing, fish, play games and enjoy other camp fun. Volunteer counselors make this camp possible, providing a safe place for kids to be themselves without feeling embarrassed by their scars. VanPelt has volunteered as a camp counselor. “It was definitely life-changing, meeting so many children and seeing what they’ve gone through,” he says. “And some of them have gone through horrific things, and they’re still enjoying themselves and still playing. Some of our problems don’t seem so bad, when you see what these kids are doing. It’s just a way to try to get them out and have them around fellow

“ One hundred percent of the money raised goes not only toward the expenses of survivors and their families, but also toward ways to spread fire-safety education.

Topsail Magazine

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NORTH CAROLINA JAYCEE BURN CENTER AND CAMP CELEBRATE: PHOTOGRAPHERS ALLIE MULLIN, KIMI FINCH, MARIA ALBANI AND ANITA FIELDS.

NONPROFIT

CAN YOU HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Text FFBCFCCC to 24365 Any amount is accepted and can be put to use.

Funds raised by FFBCF help support Camp Celebrate — a weekend camp for children who have survived burn injuries.

children and teens like themselves, who have experienced the things they have and who they can relate to. Because they’ve also been burned. It’s their comfort area.” Last year, to kick off the camp, 30 fire trucks gathered at Triangle Town Center in Raleigh. The campers, 100 of them, boarded the trucks. In a parade, one after one, the big engines rolled out of the mall parking lot and headed to camp. Fire trucks’ sirens pierced the air, and horns bellowed deep-pitched warnings: Move over; step aside. This ride is for the kids. 

Spring 2021

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ACROSS THE COUNTY

The Eagle Flies High After completing a pavilion project at VFW Post 9983 in Holly Ridge, Hampstead teenager Noah Witkowski is one of the youngest Eagle Scouts in the United States.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Thirteen-year-old Noah Witkowski joined the 2 percent. He’s an Eagle Scout, an honor only awarded to 2 percent of all Scouts, and he’s one of the youngest Eagle Scouts in the United States. Boys who earn this honor are usually closer to 17 years old. Eagle rank takes determination and hard work to earn badges, participate in activities, show Scout spirit, hold positions of responsibility and plan, design and carry out a service project. Witkowski conquered it all. He earned 66 badges — 45 more than the requirements for Eagle rank — and earned nine Eagle Palms, which are awards presented for earning badges beyond the requirements. Witkowski hiked 137 miles, some of it on the Appalachian Trail, camped 73 nights and performed 208 hours of service to his community. “I was determined to get my Eagle rank as soon as possible,” he says. “I heard my three older brothers say they wished they would have completed it.” Standing nearby, his mother smiles and says, “Sibling rivalry helped a lot.” Scouting is a family affair. Witkowski’s mother was a den leader, his dad a scoutmaster, and three siblings were involved in scouting, but Witkowski is the first to earn an Eagle. Witkowski’s brother, Grant Simme, a K-9 officer with the Pender County Sheriff ’s Department, served as a one of Witkowski’s mentors as he worked toward

BY KATE M. CAREY

Spring 2021

ACROSS THE COUNTY

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO CONTRIBUTED PHOTO PHOTO BY KATE CAREY

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

his goal. Other mentors included Michael Martin, Siobhan Fargo, Sarah Gaither, Kenny MacVaugh and Bryan Smith. “Noah is an exemplary person,” says Smith, who has been Witkowski’s scoutmaster for all his scouting years. “I fully expect Noah to continue engaging in leadership roles with our troop and with his Order of the Arrow Lodge. He is a young man of character. He certainly is

Topsail Magazine

an excellent example of the Scout Spirit, meaning he consistently and regularly follows the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout Motto and Scout Slogan.” Other leadership positions Witkowski has fulfilled in the troop include Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and Order of the Arrow Representative. He is currently serving the troop as Chaplain’s Aid.

With three siblings in the military, Witkowski wanted a project that would benefit veterans, so the VFW shooting range shelter was a good choice.

ACROSS THE COUNTY

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Witkowski says he became “all citizenship, but there are also some about Scouts.” He went to every camp newer additions like American labor, He designed and built a out, signed up for every Merit badge animation and game design. class, went to four summer camps. Witkowski plans to earn all 135 shelter at the shooting range “In the troop, we camp every badges. with a little help from month, and that’s where you get The hardest badge to earn? his friends, his parents and signed off on the book (for badges),” Physical Fitness. he says. “I was elected a Patrol “It was the most challenging,” he the community. Leader and held leadership positions.” says with a laugh. Witkowski says he loves being Witkowski had to continuously outdoors and learning different skills improve his fitness for 12 weeks. with merit badges — especially survival and leadership skills. That meant if he took time off from working on the badge, he “I loved my cooking merit badge class,” he says. “I make started all over again with running, jumping jacks, push-ups dinner for my family at least once or twice a week.” He and pull ups and other feats of strength. received a gas grill last Christmas. For his Eagle Scout project, Witkowski had a few ideas, but Merit badges consist of the old standards that Scouting is with three siblings in the Armed Services, a project at the known for — backpacking, camping, canoeing and new Topsail Island Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9983 in Holly Ridge was a natural choice. He designed and built a shelter at the shooting range with a little help from his friends, his parents and the community. Witkowski raised almost $3,000 to complete his project, and in addition to cash, he secured lunches for his helpers from two Holly Ridge businesses, Smoky Tony’s and Deli Works. Some materials were donated or discounted, and the VFW helped with work and snacks. Witkowski’s friends and fellow scouts from Troop 235, Griffin Johnston, Connor Reiderer, Kelso Fargo and Alex Garcia, along with his dad, Michael, got busy last May. Members of the Post prepared the ground for construction. Working weekends, Witkowski’s crew poured concrete, nailed, hammered and shingled and screwed together the 16 x 10 x 8 structure. VFW Post Commander Anna Cummings credits Witkowski’s personality for his success. “What’s that saying … only 10 percent of people are winners?” Cummings says. “Noah is in that 10 percent. He’s a hardworking, humble person, and that will open doors for him.” Witkowski has visions of the future that include baseball, his favorite sport. He pitches for the Topsail Cannons, a local travel team, and would love a pro career. He plans on college, maybe at the University of Florida to play baseball and to study architecture or engineering. And, of course, he’ll continue with Scouting and hopes to attend World and National Jamborees. The Boy Scouts of America say the Eagle Scout rank is a way of being that you achieve as a boy, but that you earn every day as a man. Noah Witkowski seems well on his way to becoming a man who makes a better world. 

Spring 2021

How Safe Are Password Managers? Written by The Computer Warriors, Inc. On average, every email is associated with 140 online accounts. That’s a lot of passwords to remember. Clients have asked us in the past if a password manager is the best way to keep their login credentials safe?

Wilmington \ Jacksonville \ Leland \ Camp Lejeune 66 Topsail Magazine

SNIPPET

Walk to Fight Suicide Award-winning Surf City Out of the Darkness Walk to returns in April.

 The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

(AFSP) recognized Surf City Out of the Darkness Walk as the fifth largest Campus Walk in the country. “It has been such an honor to be the chairperson of this event,” says Stephanie Jones, chair of the Surf City Out of the Darkness Walk. “This is an amazing community, and it is because of every person that has donated, volunteered or participated in any way that this event has been such a success. I pray that it has been as much of a blessing to the community as it has been to me.” The Surf City Out of the Darkness Walk comes back to Surf City on Saturday, April 24 with two parts: a virtual statewide opening program at noon followed by a local walk challenge. All Out of the Darkness participants will be challenged to walk in their neighborhoods, on campus, at a park, on the

beach or even on a treadmill indoors, then share photos, miles/ steps taken, words of encouragement, “I Walk For” posters, video clips and more via social media. SURF CITY OUT OF THE DARKNESS WALK Date: Saturday, April 24 To participate or for more information visit: afsp.org/NCCampus

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FLOORING

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Topsail Magazine

Business Profile

Century 21 Action, Inc.

BY MICHELLE MACKEN

ffering real estate listing and buyer services for both residential and commercial properties in the southeastern coastal areas of North Carolina, from the Wilmington area to the Jacksonville area, Century 21 Action is regarded as one of the local real estate sales leaders. By focusing on outstanding service and results, as well as creating top-producing agents through the most robust and immersive agent training in the region, they stand out in sales, as evidenced by their numerous Quality Service Awards from the Century 21 Brand. Founded in 1969 by brothers Hiram and Sidney Williams, Century 21 Action has always been a family-owned and -operated business. Scott Erickson joined the firm as a Realtor in 1995 while finishing a double major at UNCW in both marketing and management. Scott became the general manager of Century 21 Action, Inc. in 1997, and then a partner. He and his wife, Angela, have been the sole owners of Century 21 Action since 2014. “Century 21 Action is a family business, where each and every teammate, client and customer matters,” Scott says. “Everyone is treated with respect. We take care of each other. Angela and I, along with Sales Manager Jim Davis, take a personal stance in every agent and transaction to ensure success and satisfaction.” Century 21 Action, Inc operates from a set of 21 Core Values that have been refined across many decades, and they hire only the best agents who understand, adopt and demonstrate these values. Then they train them extensively. “We train them like no one else can,” Scott says. “Our agents know more and care more than anyone else in the business.” Outside of work, Scott is very involved in sharing his entrepreneurial skills and business knowledge, helping both small businesses and families with growth and financial matters. He has hosted several financial seminars for individuals and families through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace and is involved in promoting and consulting with other local small businesses. He is also regarded as a local fishing and boating expert. Both he and Angela give back to the local community in many ways, including visits and gifts to the local assisted-living centers, domestic violence shelter, veterinary clinics and other local charities and organizations and supporting and promoting outdoor adventures. The Ericksons want to share their love of the Topsail area and help others succeed in this beautiful region. Whether it’s employing residents, assisting new business and families with financial success, helping people enjoy the natural beauty or helping people buy and sell homes and businesses, they see it all as a personal investment in a life they love on Topsail Island.

Scott and Angela Erickson, owners of Century 21 Action, Inc.

Century 21 Action, Inc. 518 Roland Avenue, Surf City (910) 328-2511 century21topsail.com

Spring 2021

Don't wait for the top of the real estate market, you will have already missed the best opportunity!

The Topsail Market is stronger than it has been in years. Selecting a REALTOR can be a complicated task. Do you choose someone based on number of listings, friend recommendation, or Company?

You owe it to yourself to find a local agent that puts your needs above their own! My experience in Property Management for over a decade specifically on Topsail Island gives me an advantage over the rest. Don't hesitate to call me to have a conversation about Real Estate on Topsail. I'm a double digit multimillion dollar producer in less than two years of sales. Find out what an experienced local agent who specializes in Investment properties can do for you!

(910) 547-9618

TopsailTanner.com

326 N New River Dr., Surf City, NC 28445

Tanner Gray,

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

Business Profile BY ANNESOPHIA RICHARDS

PHOTO BY UNIQUE MEDIA & DESIGN

anner Gray absolutely loves Topsail Island, which is why he’s passionate about helping others love living here too. Gray’s history with Topsail Island began on a summer vacation in 1994, when his mother randomly chose Topsail Island on a map. The family fell in love with the small beach community on their first visit, and within a year they had built a second home in North Topsail Beach. Gray spent his teenage years back and forth between school in New Jersey and summers on Topsail Island. “I had my own little 13-foot Boston Whaler, and I loved having access to the sound and getting to fish and surf so close to where we lived,” he says. He graduated from Randolph Macon College in Virginia in 2002 and soon afterward decided to move full-time to Topsail. “I was working as an account manager for an insulation company back in New Jersey and was doing really well,” Gray says. “But one Friday afternoon a client had me go to a job in North Jersey, which was 9 miles away on the Garden State Parkway. It took me three hours to get home, and I remember sitting there realizing this was not what I was meant to do with the rest of my life.” Gray moved to Surf City in 2004. After a short stint in the restaurant industry, he began his real estate career as a longterm property manager for Century 21 Action, Inc. Four years later he switched over to the vacation rental management division. Both sides of the business gave him a wealth of experience and knowledge when it came to the area’s real estate market. “It gave me a really good basis and understanding of the area and real estate in general,” he says. In 2018 he moved into real estate sales. Within two months,

he earned the distinction of top-producing agent in the firm, and his success followed him to his current role with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage. Gray credits his achievements to his ability to give customers the right advice based off his knowledge and professionalism. He embraces the fact that more people are coming to the island in hopes of making it home. “People are drawn to the island because it’s got a family atmosphere and is a great place to raise kids,” he says. “I love it when people say the secret’s out, because there’s no secret to Topsail Island. It’s always been this way, and a lot of people who’ve been here for 20 or 30 years still feel the same way about the island. They love it.” When not out selling houses, most of Gray’s time is spent fishing, hunting, golfing or relaxing with his wife and three young children. You’ll most likely see him cruising the island in the Toyota FJ Cruiser he outfitted to look like an old Woody, a marketing strategy he says helps give people a taste of the island lifestyle. “People get a sense of freedom and relaxation when they cross the bridge and get to the beach,” Gray says. “That carefree island feeling allows them to forget their problems, and I want to help them make smart decisions when it comes to living here. I plan on being here for a long time, so I don’t want to give somebody bad advice. I’d rather have the reputation of being the guy who knows exactly what he’s doing to help you, versus the guy that knows how to sell you.” Tanner Gray Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage (910) 547-9618 tannergray@seacoastrealty.com

Spring 2021

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