Madeline Gray photographed Renee Clauson-Rivera at WILMA’s office for the issue’s cover. Clauson-Rivera joined the Women’s Business Center of North Carolina this summer as its local program director, bringing the entrepreneurship support group to Wilmington.
the real-life tinkerbell
Leadership + Lifestyle since 2003
PUBLISHER Rob Kaiser
PRESIDENT Robert Preville
EDITOR Vicky Janowski
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES & MARKETING Matthew Coleman
SENIOR MARKETING CONSULTANT Craig Snow
MARKETING CONSULTANTS
Alexis Alphin
Jillian Hon
Jake Quilla
EVENTS DIRECTOR Jamie Merrill
EVENTS & MEDIA COORDINATOR Alecia Hall
ART DIRECTOR - EDITORIAL Suzi Drake
ART DIRECTOR - MARKETING Tara Weymouth
MEDIA COORDINATOR Tara Sestanovich
OFFICE MANAGER David Taylor
FASHION STYLIST Drewe Smith
CONTRIBUTORS
Nina Bays, Meghan Corbett, Danielle Desnoyers, Emma Dill, Beth A. Klahre, Laura Moore, Barbara L. Nelson, Cierra Noffke, Moment Palmer, Dylan Patterson, Katie Schmidt, Lynda Van Kuren
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Daria Amato, Megan Deitz, Danielle Desnoyers, Drewe and Kate Branding Co., Madeline Gray, Aris Harding, Allison Joyce
DIRECTOR OF FEAST WILMINGTON
Jessica Maurer
@ WILMAmag / WILMAmag.com
FOUNDER Joy Allen
SUBSCRIBE
For a one-year subscription, please send $26.00 (check) to: WILMA, 101 N. 3rd St., Suite 400, Wilmington, NC, 28401or call 910-343-8600 x201
Copyright 2025
CONTRIBUTORS
DANIELLE DESNOYERS is a Wilmington-based photographer specializing in documentary and portrait photography, specifically focusing on refugee, conflict, and disaster-based work. She studied photojournalism at American University in Washington, D.C., and has worked in Egypt, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, and at the U.S.-Mexico border. Desnoyers wrote a profile story about Wilmington photographer Allison Joyce and photographed Joyce for “Storm Teller” (page 61). danielledesnoyersphotography.com
EMMA DILL , a Wisconsin native, graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2019 with a journalism degree. She reports on commercial real estate and economic development for WILMA’s sister publication, Greater Wilmington Business Journal. Outside of work, she enjoys playing pickleball, traveling, and checking out new Wilmington restaurants. Dill spoke with Wilmington resident Holly Sullivan, who is Amazon’s vice president of worldwide economic development (page 30).
MADELINE GRAY is a freelance documentary photographer based in Wilmington. With a master’s degree in photojournalism, her work is regularly featured in local and national publications. She enjoys spending time in places that are off the beaten track and collaborating to share the diverse stories found there. Gray photographed the issue’s cover of Renee Clauson-Rivera, Amazon’s Holly Sullivan (page 30), designer Sally Lindroos (page 72), and the Gregory school’s bike bus (page 74). madelinegrayphoto. com and @madelinepgray on Instagram
ALLISON JOYCE is a photojournalist based between Wilmington and Asheville. She spent over a decade covering human rights stories across South and Southeast Asia. Since Hurricane Helene, she has focused on documenting the storm’s aftermath in Western North Carolina. She regularly works with clients such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Getty Images, and others, focusing on humancentered stories told with empathy and depth. Joyce shared her photos documenting the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the impacted community (page 61). AllisonJoyce.com
BETH A. KLAHRE retired from a major Pennsylvania chocolate manufacturer where she held leadership positions in engineering, IT, and global business services. Now relocated to Southport, she spends her time writing and has been published locally and nationally. She plays the harp and loves walking the beach with her dog. Klahre featured leather artisan Robin Manning for “Hands-On Work” (page 53).
A POWER PHOTOS THE OF
fter sixteen years of living in Wilmington, we’re no strangers to hurricane season – the prepping, the hunkering down, the sometimes false alarms, and in the case of Floyd in 2019 cleaning up and helping neighbors after massive flooding.
It’s part of the trade-off for living by the coast in the same way you become well-versed in tornado and earthquake warnings in other parts of the country.
That’s why Hurricane Helene and the massive damage it caused to the mountain towns of North Carolina last year were, in part, surprising. By the coast, we saw the flooding and wind damage hours away from where we had seen it happen before.
Helene, the deadliest hurricane in North Carolina in recent times, caused at least $53 billion in damage and recovery needs, according to the state.
In the days and weeks after the fall season hurricane, Wilmingtonians – many of whom have been on the receiving end of outside support and aid during previous storms – gathered supplies and caravaned across the state to try and make deliveries of water, diapers, and food where they could access.
A month after the storm, Ben Folds sold out Greenfield Lake Amphitheater for a benefit concert to raise money for relief efforts.
Support for Western North Carolina came from all points geographically, but I think it struck a particular chord for our region, which has seen firsthand the devastating impacts of hurricane damage.
Earlier this year, Wilmington photographer Danielle Desnoyers reached out to WILMA with a story about another Wilmington photographer Allison Joyce.
She said that Joyce, who has photographed stories for the magazine before, had spent the past year splitting her time between Wilmington and Western North Carolina to document the continued physical and emotional toll Helene continues to hold on parts of the region.
Her work in the weeks and months after Helene has been published in national and international outlets, and one year after the storm, we wanted to share them with our readers, as well.
Desnoyers also details what it’s like being a photojournalist like Joyce arriving in a natural disaster but staying to continue to show what happens after the national focus shifts away and communities remain to rebuild.
Turn to page 61 to read more about Joyce’s work and see her powerful stories about our neighbors six hours away.
THE PURSUIT OF THE UNKNOWN, THE PROMISE OF DISCOVERY, and the excitement of free stuff all come together at New Hanover County’s Treasure Island. The brainchild of SARA DOUSHARM, environmental education coordinator for New Hanover County Recycling and Solid Waste, Treasure Island is a free monthly “shop” of usable items salvaged from waste streams that come to the New Hanover County landfill and recycling facilities.
The warehouse, at 3002 Highway 421 North in Wilmington, is an inspiration to reduce, reuse, repair, rethink, repurpose, and recycle before throwing something away.
Recycling and Solid Waste staff at the landfill’s trash drop-off site, the household hazard waste team, and the roadside litter crew keep their eyes out for items in good condition. These treasures are pulled aside and moved to a garage where they are sorted and housed until the public openings on the second Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to noon.
“So far, the program has been a great success,” Dousharm says, adding that Treasure Island also accepts donations of items in good working condition. “Treasure hunters waited in line at 9 a.m. at the first sale held in July. It’s been really fun with good positive vibes.”
photo by MADELINE GRAY
AN OPEN BOOK
GAME NIGHT
WHAT: WILMA Night at UNCW Women’s Basketball
WHEN: November 12; doors open at 6 p.m., tip-off at 7 p.m.
LOCATION: UNCW Trask Coliseum
DETAILS: The Seahawks play Coastal Carolina, and WILMA readers can join with $5 game tickets using the code WILMA at checkout.
INFO: uncwsports.evenue.net/ promotions/WILMA
NEW HANOVER COUNTY’S NEW DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, which is part of the Project Grace redevelopment project, opened October 6.
The main library, 230 Grace Street, Suite A, is down the street from the former downtown branch, which closed for good earlier this summer.
After entering the new library, users pass by the circulation desk and shelves for new book releases and holds. The library’s children’s area is located in a space just below. It features books for a range of ages, a play area, and a room for children’s programs.
DANA CONNERS, director of the New Hanover County Public Library system, says the new space is a better fit for the library because it was designed around the needs of children and their families.
“The old space was confined because it was just off to the side and had been a department of the department store that was there, so we were constrained by the architecture,” she says. “This space is big. It’s wide open. You can stand at the desk and see the entire space.”
The new library will share its building with the Cape Fear Museum, which is expected to open next summer.
BUSINESS AWARDS
FROM: Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, during Cape Fear Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week
AFRICAN AMERICAN MINORITY BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD: Lynne Jones, owner of LJ Design Studio LATIN AMERICAN MINORITY BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD: Luis Munguia, owner of Market Street Tire & Auto WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD: Cindy Villarreal, owner of Impress Flooring
ART GRANTS
NEW HANOVER COMMUNITY ENDOWMENT OFFICIALS PLAN to launch an enhanced arts and culture grants program for 2026.
In 2025 as a pilot program, the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County was selected as the endowment’s first nonprofit sub-granting partner, distributing $172,000 in grants to more than thirty local arts organizations (including to the Carolina Beach Mural Project shown below). Next year, the arts council will receive a $50,000 grant to support its work and administer a $500,000 arts and culture grants program.
“These types of grants provide vital resources for local artists and organizations to expand
programs, engage the community, and inspire creativity across New Hanover County,” says the arts council’s president and CEO RHONDA BELLAMY.
The new program and accompanying grant follows the endowment’s recent announcement of sixteen new grants worth over $20.3 million, bringing the fund’s 2025 total to 159 awards and over $45.7 million, as of mid-October.
Of that $20.3 million, $2.7 million will go to New Hanover County Schools “to pilot a targeted staffing initiative to close achievement gaps, support positive behavior, increase student engagement, improve graduation rates, and create positive learning environments,” officials say.
TO THE SCREEN
MINNIE EVANS, DRAW OR DIE, A DOCUMENTARY ON THE LIFE OF LOCAL ARTIST Minnie Evans, debuts November 7. The premiere celebration starts at 7 p.m. at Thalian Hall’s main stage.
“The event will honor the life and artistic legacy of Minnie Evans, a celebrated twentieth-century African American artist, in the city where she lived and created her visionary work. A major exhibition of her work opens at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art this November and will travel to the Whitney Museum in New York in 2026,” organizers say.
LINDA ROYAL produced and directed the one-hour documentary about the self-educated artist born in the Wilmington area in 1892.
“There’s something very powerful about Minnie Evans,” Royal says, “and I think we all need something uplifting and inspirational.”
The documentary features Evans’ great-granddaughter BEVERLY EVANS; MARVA ROBINSON, director of the Williston Alumni Community Choir, which performed in the film; and GLOW Academy student NEVAEH ALLEN portraying young Minnie.
INFO: thalianhall.org/thc-premiere-mevans
photo by MADELINE GRAY
ON THE AGENDA
Advice and connections from local leaders + the latest on the WILMA Leadership initiative
p.14
WILMA LEADERSHIP UPDATES
p.16
WILMA LEADERSHIP SPONSORS
p.17
WILMA NETWORK
p.20
LEADERSHIP ADVICE FROM ANDREA JOHNSTON
p.24
PLUGGING IN: RENEE CLAUSON-RIVERA ON SUPPORTING BUSINESSES
p. 27
PLUGGING IN: ENTREPRENEURS
p.30
HOLLY SULLIVAN LEADS AMAZON'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
UPDATES
RECAP:
The latest on the WILMA Leadership Initiative and its mission to empower women to lead with confidence and purpose
• WOMEN TO WATCH AWARDS: This year’s awards event in September drew a sell-out crowd to honor this year’s finalists and announce winners in the Arts, Business, Education, Health, Nonprofit/Volunteer, Public Sector, Rising Star, and WILMA Icon categories. For a list of award winners, go to page 34.
• MENTORING: As a part of WILMA’s mentoring program, women in the community are matched with mentors to assist with their leadership development. Participation in the program is limited to those who went through a WILMA Leadership program in the past year, and the mentorship runs through September 2026. This year’s group of thirty mentees, selected from an application process, went through orientation in October and began meeting with their mentors.
• GET ON BOARD: Sarah Daniels, director of UNCW’s Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations (QENO), held a training session for women wanting to join local boards of directors and committees on November 4. Yasmin Tomkinson, executive director of the Cape Fear Literacy Council, was a guest speaker to share advice to potential nonprofit committee and board members. WILMA offers the Get on Board workshops in conjunction with QENO.
EXPLORE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED
photo by MADELINE GRAY
WOMEN TO WATCH AWARDS MENTORING
UP NEXT:
How to connect with WILMA’s leadership programs
• LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: This year’s WILMA’s Leadership Institute class graduates in December, closing out its nine-month program. The group met for leadership skills training, peer mentorship, and interactions with community leaders. Recent session topics included public speaking and negotiating techniques at sites including Live Oak Bank and Corning. Learn more about next year's applications, which open December 1, at wilmamag.com/women-to-watch/wilmas-leadership-institute.
• WILMA NETWORK: The WILMA Network, made up of supporting members of the Leadership Initiative, continues to hold monthly meetups.
• IN THE LOOP : Keep up to date with these and other Leadership Initiative programs as well as application announcements by going to WILMAmag.com or signing up for the WILMA Leadership email at WILMAmag.com/email-newsletter.
CORPORATE SPONSORS
SUPPORTER SPONSORS
Avance Care • Avid Home Health • B-Fit Wellness Center • Boys & Girls Club of Southeasten NC • Cape Fear Solar Systems • Capone and Associates • Captrust • Cavik Insurance • Christa Preville Realtor • Corning Credit Union • Cumulus Broadcasting • Custom Home Furniture Galleries • Earney Accountants & Advisors • Elaborate Outings • Elderhaus PACE • Embassy Suites Hotel • Excite Credit Union • First Tee Greater Wilmington • Fit to You Inc. • Fleet Feet Sports Wilmington • The Forté Institute • Four County Electric • Infinity Acupuncture • Intracoastal Realty - Rainey Wallace • Intracoastal Realty - Mirrah Davy • IronStride Marketing • James E. Moore Insurance Agency • Kayak Carolina • Live Oak Private Wealth • Local Daily Media • Made Well Center • MegaCorp Logistics • Murchison Taylor & Gibson • Nothing Bundt Cakes • Patriot Roofing Company • Pierce & Co. • Porters Neck Village • Poyner Spruill • Proforma PromoGraphix • Reeds Jewelers • Simple Spaces • Trask Land Company • UNCW CIE • United Community Bank • United Way of the Cape Fear • UPS Store • Vistage • Waccamaw Dermatology • Waylett Wealth Management/Morgan Stanley • WARM NC • Wisdom House Books
The WILMA Network, part of WILMA Leadership, empowers business owners, executives, and community leaders to connect and support one another. This program creates a collaborative space where established leaders can inspire and uplift the next generation of women professionals in our region.
BUFFY ANDREWS
CEO & Owner, Made Well Center for Wholeness
CHRISTIN BALLOU
Director of Operations and Finance, Murchison Taylor & Gibson
CASSANDRA BARBA Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Patriot Roofing Company
LYNDA BARROW Marketing/Enrollment Coordinator, Elderhaus PACE
VICTORIA BELLAMY
Community Engagement Manager, Novant Health
MICHELLE BETHEA CEO, Elaborate Outings Events
DORI BISHARA Community Engagement Coordinator, REV Federal Credit Union
MYSTY BLAGG
Associate - Healthcare, Poyner Spruill
KATIE BRASKETT Director of Marketing, MegaCorp Logistics
JUDY BUDD President, CONNECT Community Involvement Directory
MELISSA CAPPS Owner, Simple Spaces
HANNAH CLYMER Financial Advisor, Corning Credit Union
WANDA COLEY COO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - NC, UnitedHealth Group ADVISORY BOARD
MARY COSSU
Product Marketing Manager, nCino
JULIE CROUCH General Manager, Custom Home Furniture Galleries
SOPHIE DAGENAIS
Interim President & CEO and Vice President of Programs & Grants, The Endowment
HEATHER DAVIS, DO Chief Clinical Officer, Novant Health Coastal Region ADVISORY BOARD
KERRI DAVIS Owner, Fit to You Inc.
MIRRAH DAVY
Real Estate Broker, Intracoastal Realty, Vance Young Team
Founder & CEO, The Wilner Group Representing Vistage
AVERY WILSON
Marketing and Communications Coordinator, WARM NC
KELLI WILSON
Director of Major Gifts, UNCW CHHS
KRISTEN WITKOWSKI
Promotions Director, Local Daily Media
JESSICA WOLFE
Director of Client Success, The Forté Institute
BRITTANY ZACHRICH
Executive Director, First Tee Greater Wilmington
ANDREA L. JOHNSTON: How Walking Away Became My Greatest Power Move
photo by DREWE AND KATE BRANDING CO.
Over twenty years ago, I left a corporate job and started my first company from the guest room of our Wilmington home with two toddlers, no family nearby, and a whole lot of uncertainty.
What began as a leap of faith grew into a thriving communications firm with global clients, a talented team, and, eventually, an eight-figure business. Fast forward a decade: We partnered with private equity and a like-minded management team, scaled through acquisitions, and grew the combined business to $150M+ in revenues before a second exit.
Behind the scenes, I was exhausted, and I was missing too many of life’s moments with my family. Burnout crept in, and I faced the hardest decision of my career: walking away. That decision, though painful, became my greatest gift to myself. It gave me space to reset, focus on health, family, and purpose, and ultimately step into a new chapter of entrepreneurship.
Here are a few truths I’ve carried forward:
• Your network is everything. Relationships build businesses.
• Only the scaled thrive – don’t wait too long to invest.
• You have to be willing to sell.
• Success means nothing if you lose yourself along the way.
YOUR NETWORK
There is so much power when women come
together in support of each other – rather than in competition. I see it every day as a member of and facilitator in the Entreprenista League. Having a community of like-minded women is gamechanging.
It is also why I created Women I Want You to Know (WIWYTK). Through a rapidly expanding platform of LinkedIn content, intimate dinners, and a soon-to-launch podcast, WIWYTK is dedicated to uplifting, celebrating, and connecting the women shattering glass ceilings, leading global organizations, reshaping industries, and making meaningful change in our communities.
And while it is amazing what we can accomplish online and through remote work, nothing replaces a face-to-face meeting and building human connection. It may not be easy or inexpensive, but relationship building is an investment in your network and the overall success of your business and career.
SCALE SOONER
After working with dozens of founders – and being one myself – I’ve seen three unmistakable signs that a business isn’t scaling:
1. You have to do everything yourself.
2. You reinvent the wheel every time.
3. Your pricing isn’t strategic.
Scaling effectively requires forecasting, productizing, and pricing. Leveraging tech, talent, and systems are game-changers to scale efficiently. Really successful women also know how to scale their lives – outsourcing low-value/low-priority tasks to focus on high-impact/high-reward efforts.
Having a clear business plan with metrics is critical to knowing when and where to invest and assess if your pricing is working – profitability vs. just revenue.
MAKE IT RAIN
If you’re launching a client service business and
don’t like pitching … I’m not sure how you expect to survive, let alone thrive.
• You can’t outsource being a rainmaker –especially in the early years. You must be able to get buy-in and close deals.
• One anchor client is not a business strategy. It’s a starting point.
• A pipeline doesn’t build itself. You have to build it – consistently.
It doesn’t matter how talented you are or how brilliant your offering is. If you’re not out there networking and intentionally building opportunities for your business, if you’re not making the ask, you’ll be stuck waiting for clients that may never come.
SUCCESS ISN’T DEFINED BY MONEY ALONE
Financial independence is one metric of success, but personal fulfillment, impact, and joy are others.
Building my first business was an incredible journey and learning experience. We were very successful, and there were real tradeoffs, especially around time with family and friends. As you grow, you should know:
• There is no such thing as “balance” or having it all – whatever “all” is; set boundaries and embrace work-life integration.
• Entrepreneurship is filled with determination, drive, and hustle. The Instagram version is not reality.
• You are your own worst critic; give yourself grace.
The biggest lesson: Whatever your journey, don’t measure yourself against someone else’s standard. Know what you want and make it happen for you! W
Andrea L. Johnston is a 2x exited founder and seasoned communications professional. She is the founder and CEO of Fuel for Female Founders, a company dedicated to empowering women in business with expert consulting, leadership positioning, and strategic planning. After two successful private equity exits of her own, she is focused on advising femaleled businesses on growth and scaling, and coaching women leaders to own their power and Command the Room.
PLUGGING IN ENTREPRENEURS
BUSINESS BRIDGE: Renee Clauson-Rivera on bringing WBCNC to Wilmington R
by MOMENT PALMER | photo by ARIS HARDING
ENEE
CLAUSON-
RIVERA has landed a role that combines her passion for inspiring people and collaborating with her community.
“I’ve always been drawn to spaces that uplift certain communities and create access,” says Clauson-Rivera.
This summer, she joined the Women’s Business Center of North Carolina (WBCNC), which is based out of Durham and headquartered downtown in the heart of what was once known as “Black Wall Street.”
WBCNC is part of a larger organization – the National Institute of Economic Development (The Institute) – which is focused on economic growth through effective business diversity.
In July, Pinehurst will be the site of the Executive Networking Conference, marking forty years for the National Institute of Economic Development.
The WBCNC serves clients in more than thirty North Carolina counties, including Brunswick, Pender, and Onslow, and Clauson-Rivera is helping launch its presence in New Hanover County.
As the local program director, ClausonRivera provides one-on-one business counseling, assists and leads cohorts and educational programs, and creates and builds partnerships to help female entrepreneurs start, grow, and sustain their businesses. Clauson-Rivera has Wilmington roots.
Previously, she was the program coordinator for cultural enrichment programming at the Upperman Center at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and she did nonprofit work in student support, equity initiatives, and cultural-based programming.
She’s also pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at UNCW and plans to graduate in December.
“I’m a Wilmingtonian, I’ve been here the majority of my life, and my ancestry traces back hundreds of years, so that has given me a first-hand perspective to the growth and change of the area, as well as seeing how the small business entrepreneurial space has boomed,” Clauson-Rivera says. “That gives me a really unique lens when it comes to my current role as well and being able to assist women in this area and give back to my community and that aspect.”
She attributes this new leadership role to her experience at the WILMA Leadership Institute.
Working with a small group of women advisers from various sectors helped her work through professional problems and toward a goal, she says, adding that they led her to look outside of her comfort zone and seek new professional opportunities.
“My group of advisers really helped me think strategically and open doors that weren’t always open for me,” she says. “It’s just a great opportunity to be connected to successful women.”
While the WILMA Leadership Institute helps its graduates navigate issues often faced by women in leadership – such as negotiations, public speaking, and even cross-generational skills –WBCNC’s vision is much the same: helping and uplifting women by offering a variety of services and
fundamental support.
Its mission is to support women by helping them gain access to capital, build upon business skills, and develop long-term sustainability with their small business.
“We’re not just helping them with their business planning or ideation, we’re helping them create opportunities that will last and grow,” Clauson-Rivera says.
Types of support include help with funding, lending, marketing, employment logistics, and one-on-one business counseling.
The WBCNC isn’t entirely new to Wilmington. Prior to COVID, it had a presence and a role within the Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week presented by the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.
“At the beginning of this year, people were interested in bringing them back to Wilmington because entrepreneurial space in the city is growing tremendously, and we have a lot of incubators in the area already doing the work, but we have a unique niche, and they saw a need to reestablish themselves here,” Clauson-Rivera says.
She emphasizes that the work WBCNC and the Institute do is not just important, but vital, because it provides essential access to knowledge, funding, and encouragement to female small business owners.
She sees firsthand that “a lot of women are building businesses, and they’re very creative and they’re very resilient, but they don’t necessarily have the tools or know where to go next if they're growing, so we’re really here to be that bridge.”
“The work is personal to me,” she says, “because I feel like every professional experience I’ve had aligns with one of my passions because I’m doing it in the city I grew up in, and I really want women and women of color and first-generation entrepreneurs to succeed and not have to figure it out alone.” W
PLUGGING IN ENTREPRENEURS
Each issue, WILMA includes a Plugging In directory to help you connect locally. This time, we’re focusing on local entrepreneur groups that business owners and future business owners can tap into for help. Let us know about your organization by emailing editor@wilmingtonbiz.com
WBCNC
The Women’s Business Center of North Carolina’s mission is to promote economic self-sufficiency for entrepreneurs in North Carolina “by offering tools and support to establish businesses, stabilize their companies, generate sustainable profits, strategize for future growth and contribute to the growth and economic development of the community.”
To read about Renee Clauson-Rivera’s recent work to establish a local presence for WBCNC, go to page 24. INFO: THEINSTITUTENC.ORG/ PROGRAMS/WBCNC
UNCW CIE
UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) identifies and nurtures fast-growth, high-impact business ventures from the campus and the community. In collaboration with other business and economic development organizations, the CIE supports growth in the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing student, faculty, and community entrepreneurs with education, networking opportunities, flexible workspace options, experienced mentors and advisers, and connections to resources. CIE events are open to members and the general public.
INFO: CIE@UNCW.EDU
SCORE CAPE FEAR REGION
SCORE’s local chapter is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses across Southeastern North Carolina launch, grow, and achieve their goals through education and mentorship. SCORE Cape Fear Region mentors new and existing small businesses by providing confidential advice, consultation, and education from experienced business experts who volunteer their time and expertise. Services are delivered through in-person and electronic counseling and free or inexpensive workshops and provide complementary business tools, webinars, templates, and tips online at SCORE.org.
INFO: WILMINGTONSCORE.ORG
SBTDC
The Small Business Technology Development Center is a business advisory resource for growing and developing businesses.
Its professional advisers provide services statewide from offices hosted by campuses of the University of North Carolina system. The local office is affiliated with UNCW and serves Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Onslow, Pender, and New Hanover counties.
INFO: SBTDC.ORG/OFFICES/UNCW
SMALL BUSINESS CENTERS
Small Business Centers provide local, experienced counselors as advisers for new and existing businesses. Available on an as-needed basis, this confidential service acts as a sounding board for new ideas and/or concerns that business owners might have. The center’s staff helps business owners find solutions to challenging business questions, and there is no charge for this service.
BRUNSWICK COMMUNITY COLLEGE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER: BRUNSWICKCC.EDU/ SMALL-BUSINESS-CENTER
CAPE FEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER: CFCC.EDU/SBC
CHANNEL POWERED BY LIVE OAK BANK
Channel is a business resource center, powered by Live Oak Bank, designed to strengthen the regional economy by increasing diversity in business ownership throughout the Wilmington region. Learning programs and community support systems are offered in Class A coworking space, with access to technical advisers, professional services, and networking opportunities at no cost.
INFO: LIVEOAKBANK.COM/CHANNEL
GENESIS BLOCK Genesis
Block is a professional services company founded with a mission to build the entrepreneur class and advance prosperity in communities block by block. Genesis Block operates three brands to advance entrepreneurship and economic development. Block Eatz is a food hall incubator for local chefs to train and serve a local audience. Genesis Block Academy provides entrepreneur skills training and workshop support.
INFO: GENESISBLOCKILM.COM
Prime Time: HOLLY SULLIVAN'S ROAD TO AMAZON VP ROLE
by EMMA DILL | photo by MADELINE GRAY
As Amazon’s vice president of worldwide economic development, HOLLY
SULLIVAN’s job is to help guide the e-commerce giant’s investments and job creation.
Sullivan leads a team of about sixty people from her home base in Wilmington. Her team identifies and evaluates potential locations for Amazon, ranging from sites for fulfillment centers and corporate offices to device manufacturing facilities, studio production hubs, and satellites.
Typically, Sullivan’s team is the first to meet with government officials in the areas Amazon is considering.
“My team goes out and meets with government officials, and we create that pathway to jobs and investment,” she says, “so whether it be land use hearings, permitting opportunities, negotiating financial incentives, it’s creating that path to launch and being that good corporate citizen along the way.”
MAJOR LOCAL PROJECT
Sullivan’s team led the planning of a 3.2-million-square-foot robotics fulfillment center that broke ground last fall on the border between New
LIST MAKER
Sullivan was named to this year’s WilmingtonBiz 100 list as a Power Player. Info: WilmingtonBiz100.com
Hanover and Pender counties. She says factors stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic had prompted the company to temporarily re-evaluate the project and where it would be located.
“That was a project that we had looked at for years previously, and then things changed. When we resurfaced it, we needed to deliver to North Carolina and South Carolina residents ... and what do those different locations look like?” she says.
“I will say that the forethought of Pender and New Hanover County, of having a developed industrial park with the infrastructure ready to go, really helped move the needle to ensure that this was the best location for us.”
The facility, which is expected to create 1,000 jobs, is slated for completion in mid2026, Sullivan says.
CAREER PLANNING
Originally from Nashville, Sullivan began her career with the state of Tennessee, working with communities that couldn’t afford or didn’t need a full-time planning director. She helped local leaders review site plans and rezonings and coordinate with state transportation officials.
After that, she became the planning director for a county near Nashville. Eventually, she was asked to head up the region’s economic development organization, and she took the job.
“My parents and my mentors throughout my life have always said, ‘When a window opens, it’s good to walk
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Lights Out by Thomas Gryta and Ted Mann
“While not a traditional leadership book, it offers invaluable insights through its examination of Jack Welch’s succession at GE and the subsequent challenges – and trail of mistakes.”
through it,’” she says. “And so, I did, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. But it ended up really launching my career into economic development.”
After a stop in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Sullivan landed in the Washington, D.C., area, becoming president and CEO of the Montgomery Business Development Corp.
A few years in, a board member told her they believed a man could do a better job and earn more respect with local policy makers than she could. That was a turning point, Sullivan recalls, despite having worked in the male-dominated world of economic development for years.
“I never really thought much of that because I was like, I’m just as smart, I’m just as good, I’m just as savvy,” she says. “But that led me to say, ‘I don’t think this is the job for me.’”
Sullivan updated her LinkedIn profile, letting recruiters know she was open to new roles. Within a few hours, she received a call from an Amazon recruiter, and soon she had joined the company as a senior manager of economic development.
AMAZON ADVANCEMENT
After a few months at Amazon, Sullivan was tapped to lead the search for the company’s second corporate headquarters. Arlington, Virginia, was selected as the site for HQ2, a more than $2.5 billion investment expected to create 25,000 new jobs.
Sullivan also led Amazon’s development
PODCAST PICK
How I Built This with Guy Raz
“Hearing how leaders solve problems, move forward, and empower teams while continuing to innovate and build is something that can empower all of us.”
of an Operations Center of Excellence in Nashville, which is set to create 5,000 corporate and technology jobs, and directed the expansion of eighteen North American tech hubs for the company.
Sullivan moved to Wilmington full time with her husband and daughter two years ago. They bought a historic home near downtown Wilmington in 2014, traveling back and forth to the D.C. area for work.
True to her background in economic development, Sullivan chose to relocate to Wilmington only after comparing it to other potential cities and doing her research.
“We treated ourselves like clients,” she says. “I pulled the economic data. I looked at where had a community college or a major university, a historic district, an airport, and water, not necessarily an ocean, but a large body of water.”
In August 2023, the timing was right to make the move permanent.
“My team was growing on a global scale, so as long as I (could) get to an airport,” Sullivan says, “I didn’t have a large concentration of my team in one location.”
COMMUNITY ROLES
Today, her role involves traveling regularly to meet with government officials or evaluate new regions for potential investment. She’s also a member of various business and industry boards in Tennessee and Virginia.
Sullivan joined the New Hanover Community Endowment’s board of directors earlier this year and says she hopes to bring an “outside” perspective to the board. The $1.6 billion fund was created from New Hanover County’s sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health in 2021.
“I have a different perspective; I can bring about what’s worked, what hasn’t, what other communities are doing, what we’re doing, and what other companies are doing,” she says. “Hopefully that adds some value and perspective that can be complementary to the other board members.” W
Editor’s note: This story originally ran in WILMA’s sister publication WilmingtonBiz Magazine. To read more, go to WilmingtonBizMagazine.com.
ITALIAN Coastal Flavors
Chef
Mathews brings the world to Wrightsville Beach
by LAURA MOORE | photos by MEGAN DEITZ
Chef MICHELLE MATHEWS’ lifelong travels, appreciation of culture, and love of food are front and center in her latest endeavor as executive chef at La Duna Paradiso in the Trailborn Surf & Sound hotel on Wrightsville Beach.
Mathews grew up as a student of the world, traveling internationally with her father serving in the Air Force, and expanding her palate along the way with her Korean mother who loved to cook.
“I grew up as a biracial kid with an understanding and appreciation of different foods,” Mathews says.
At nineteen years old, Mathews took off to New York City to enroll in the prestigious French Culinary Institute, where she earned her grand diplôme in Classic Culinary Arts and began her career working at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Daniel and Eleven Madison Park.
“I was able to learn more about the artistry of food. I have an innate love for food, and it is a creative outlet for me with its artistry,” Mathews says. “For some, that means painting or playing instruments. I am not good at those, but any plate I touch, I put my own creative touch to it.”
After New York, Mathews moved west to con-
tinue to expand her knowledge of various cuisines, working at some of the most renowned kitchens in San Francisco, including Café Claude, Gitane, and 15 Romolo.
In 2015, while at 15 Romolo, Mathews and her sommelier counterpart were the first Americans to win the international food and wine competition Copa Jerez.
Competitions and other challenging experiences are what allow her to continue to change and challenge herself, Mathews says.
In her most recent role at Canopy by Hilton in San Francisco, Mathews developed globally inspired, seasonal menus and spearheaded large-scale catering programs that served multiple banquet spaces, showcasing her ability to manage complex culinary operations with finesse.
Now at La Duna Paradiso, Mathews on draws her wealth of experience with Italian food, having worked at Babbo, Mario Batali’s New York City restaurant – another award-winning eatery in her background.
“I appreciate the pasta and respect the technique and culture of Italian food,” Mathews says. “I am going to do what I can to bring new and lively food to Wrightsville Beach and challenge myself at this level.”
Although she has been in the Wrightsville Beach area for only six months now, Mathews feels like she is returning to her Southern and family roots. Her father was originally from Enterprise, Alabama, and she will be closer to her mother and brother.
“I am not a Southern belle, but it is a part of who I am, and family is the No. 1 most important aspect in my life beyond my career,” Mathews says.
In addition to family, being close to the ocean is another draw for Mathews.
“Nature is a healer, and feeling that vibration and energy of the ocean is so important to me. Trailborn, as a boutique and lifestyle hotel, ticks all those boxes for me,” Mathews shares.
As the La Duna Paradiso’s executive chef, Mathews’ vision for the culinary program revolves around sustainability, innovation, and unique dining experiences. With a focus on utilizing local farms and fresh ingredients, she aims to refine the hotel’s offerings and establish it as a premier destination for culinary excellence.
“This summer, coming from California, I kept it light with healthy, health-conscious dishes, but this winter, I want to go deep and rich with local farms from the surrounding areas, including squash and butter greens and meat from our fresh local butchers,” she says.
In addition to burrata and truffle pasta, Mathews plans to go “deeper for the wintertime with a short rib ragu, because fat is flavor, and traditional Bolognese as well as sweet bread and porcinis.”
Mathews also wants to offer a tasting table off the main dining room for guests to enjoy.
“I want to make it approachable for what people want here – not too aloof – to give them a nice place to come and try it,” she says.
Mathews leans on her years of experience traveling all over the world and learning from different people and cultures.
“I am mutable, and I have a different perspective to come into this city having spent a lot of time in Asia and Europe,” she says. “I have plenty of food and a whole different set of experiences to share, and I look forward to bringing that to our guests.” W
SIDE DISH STAR
Christi Ferretti serves up a family favorite for the holidays
CORN CASSEROLE
INGREDIENTS
2/ 3 cup cornmeal (yellow or white)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, melted
1 can sweet whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 egg slightly beaten
1 8-ounces container
sour cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 2-quart baking dish.
Bake for 45 minutes or until casserole is set.
Serves 8
This holiday season, the sides steal the show, and the whole family can get involved with this simple dish from chef CHRISTI FERRETTI.
Ferretti, co-owner of Pine Valley Market, shares her recipe for a corn casserole that’s been a Thanksgiving family staple – in part because it was easy enough for anyone to make during the busy cooking day.
“In our family, everybody wanted to help in the kitchen, and it was kind of annoying,” she says. “And so, it was the one thing that the youngest kids could do. It’s been passed through who would make it each year. It kind of became their thing, and then they would graduate to something else, and then the younger one would do it.”
For younger chefs, time-crunched chefs, or just cornbread-loving chefs, the recipe’s mix-anddump approach ticks one thing off the holiday menu while still being a crowd-pleaser.
Ferretti says you can vary it up by adding cooked and drained sage sausage or chorizo to the mix – or crumbled on top halfway through the baking. Adding in jalapeños would give it a spicy kick.
“I’d be careful about adding cheese because I
think that it’s a pretty thick batter, so I feel like it might just not really rise and bake right,” she says.
Ferretti knows holiday menus.
November is a busy time for Pine Valley Market, which takes orders for part or all of the Thanksgiving meal, including turkey, sides, and desserts – all made in-house.
This year’s preorders open November 1 on its website (pinevalleymarket.com).
That’s the same time this year that Ferretti and Pine Valley’s other owners, KATHY WEBB and MATT and CHRISTYANNA DURAND, aim to open their second location of Pine Valley Market at 1611 Pavilion Place in the Mayfaire area.
Thanksgiving orders this year, though, will be handled only out of Pine Valley’s original location at 3520 College Road.
Even the cornbread will be available for those who need the oven free for the nearly hour it takes to bake from scratch.
Whether for Thanksgiving dinner, day-after leftovers, or a random Tuesday night, Ferretti says it’s a go-to dish.
“It’s a Ferretti family thing,” she says. “My son loves it. I make it throughout the year for him just because he likes it.” W
photos by MEGAN DEITZ
Centering Care
Sarah Gore’s vision for building a women’s health practice
by CIERRA NOFFKE | photo by DREWE AND KATE BRANDING CO.
It’s rare to feel at home at the doctor’s office, but that’s what SARAH GORE hoped to achieve when she opened her own private practice, the Lotus Center of Health for Gynecology Care, this year in New Hanover Medical Park.
A board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, Gore previously worked at Wilmington Health for nearly ten years and, while grateful for the experience, says she hopes to offer more personalized care through her private practice.
“I just wanted to go back to a mom-and-pop philosophy,” she says. “It’s very intimidating to walk into some of the bigger practices.”
Gore left Wilmington Health in 2022 and traveled before purchasing the space that would house her future practice. The Lotus Center of Health opened in January, following renovations
to the building, which previously served as Kamran Goudarzi’s Scarless Vein Care practice before it moved to the Mayfaire area.
The renovation and transition to business management came with challenges, but as she navigated finances and contractors, Gore committed to working solely with local businesses and never lost sight of her vision to create a welcoming private practice. From marketing to the hardwood flooring and white countertops, nearly everything in the space comes from local businesses, all intentionally selected by Gore.
The finished product is a tranquil private practice space that has quickly become popular among patients seeking gynecological care in the Wilmington area.
“We’ve gotten referrals from as far as the Grand Strand area to Morehead City,” Gore says. The practice’s mission is to provide compassionate care through an array of services centered on women’s health and wellness, a mission that Gore and her team take very seriously.
Lotus Center providers Amber Pohlhaus (from left), Sarah Gore, Ashli Gibson, and Meredith Sheffield
Though it is a doctor’s office, the space feels calm and inviting. During the renovation, Gore added four new office spaces, an inhouse research facility, a lab, and an ultrasound room. Artwork by local artists adorns the walls, and the spacious waiting room features trailing plants, giant windows, and a play space for kids.
Gore also added a deck space at the rear of the building, outfitted with patio furniture and tucked near the trees bordering the property.
“Sometimes you have to deliver hard news,” she says, “it’s very difficult to do when you feel like you’re not heard or in a cold environment.”
The practice makes a point that it welcomes LGBTQ+ patients.
“Some people are scared to advertise that, but I’m not,” she says. “We all bleed the same.”
The staff is women-led, with Gore at the helm and nurse practitioners with diverse specializations working alongside her. From fertility services to cosmetic procedures, mental health assessments to minimally invasive robotic procedures, the practice includes a range of services.
“My goal was to provide as much as we could under one roof,” Gore says. “Women are the primary caregivers for most of our families. It’s difficult to get referred.”
Among the staff are nurse practitioner MEREDITH SHEFFIELD, who specializes in polycystic ovary syndrome management, weight management, and adolescent care, as well as general gynecologic care. Also on the team is psychiatricmental health nurse practitioner and certified midwife ASHLI GIBSON, who provides mental health support, including gender-affirming care.
Like the other elements of Lotus Center of Health, Gore says she carefully handpicked her team to support her mission.
“I made a very blanket statement (when hiring) saying, ‘We take care of all people, and if that’s not your philosophy, then this isn’t the right place for you,’” she says.
That philosophy still holds for Gore in the face of recent cuts to providers for Medicaid reimbursements.
“I can only accept a certain percentage (of Medicaid patients) based on my accounting recommendations,” Gore says, “so there may be some limitations to that, but my goal is to still accept at least a large percentage, because we all need care.”
While Gore has gotten requests to start another practice in Southport or downtown Wilmington, she says she’s not ready to expand yet.
Gore also hopes to expand services eventually with primary care for men.
“I want it to continue to be a small practice,” she says, “but the needs in the community are exponential because of the population growth and growth in the area.”
Eventually, Gore might open another clinic, she says, but for now, she’s focused on seamless, intentional health care and wellness, building a rapport with new and returning patients alike.
“You’ll see the same face every time that you come in,” Gore says. “And that means a lot.” W
WellSuited on Castle Street
The adaptation of menswear into womenswear is no novel concept. It is, however, interesting to chart its popularity alongside the political and social climates of specific eras.
During WWII – in the absence of men – Rosie the Riveter took factories by storm with her button-down denim shirt and red bandana; in the ’80s, the office “power suit” was the it-wear, giving the proverbial finger to dress codes that not too long before mandated skirts. (Fun fact: It wasn’t until the early ’70s that women of the White House were allowed to wear pants to the office.)
And now once again the rights of women are being scrutinized ... and the fashion world is doing its part to protest. Classic menswear suiting – oversized blazers and trousers, striped banker shirts, and the accessory of the moment, the tie – embodies structure, polish, and most importantly empowerment. Head to Castle Street, where a row of vintage clothing shops offer up looks to make your voice heard.
Barbara Kruger said, “Your body is a battleground,” – so consider your clothes your armor. W
photos & styling by DREWE AND KATE BRANDING CO. | intro by NINA BAYS
Pink angora lambswool VEST by L.L. Bean, vintage 1960s party DRESS, 1980s collared blouse, neutral linen SUIT JACKET by Perry Ellis, 1950s baby blue, top-handle BAG, and HEELS by Valentino (all available at Jess James + Co., 511 Castle Street)
Vintage Adidas T-SHIRT, oversized Wrangler blanket-lined western JEAN JACKET, checkered high-waisted PANTS, red leather WATCH, gold bracelet, and gold BAG (all available at Modern Love, 545 Castle Street); SUNGLASSES and SNEAKERS (stylist’s own)
Brown two-piece SUIT, burgundyand-white, striped button-up SHIRT, brown HEELS, and vintage TIE (all available at Vintage Values, 609 Castle Street)
WARDROBE:
Jess James + Co.; Modern Love; Vintage Values
MODEL: Linsey Hackett
LOCATION: Castle Street
Robin Manning on honing her artisan leather bags
HANDS-ON WORK
by BETH A. KLAHRE | photos by DARIA AMATO
As a teen, Wilmington native ROBIN MANNING’s passion was art. In her early twenties, her mother taught her to sew, and the passion evolved.
“That was the beginning point,” Manning says. Her first project was a diaper bag she made for her own babies. “I started a little business making fabric bags when we lived in Charlotte, North Carolina.”
Today, Manning owns Coastal Hillbilly in Wilmington, a storefront workshop where she hand-sews made-to-order and small-batch leather bags, wallets, belts, and accessories.
Manning’s family spent time in the mountains, where she watched local craftsmen make timeless leather goods. In 2009, a mission trip to Guatemala was the motivation behind Coastal Hillbilly. “In Pastores, we saw store after store of artisan leather makers. Shop in the front; workshop out back – simple, modest, not mass produced. I was intrigued and inspired. I knew I wanted people to watch me work in my own shop, kind of like Krispy Kreme Doughnuts,” she says laughing. Further enthused by a video of a man grinding and beveling a leather belt, Manning says, “I was all in. That’s what I wanted to do.”
Manning opened Coastal Hillbilly in 2015, named with a nod to the mountain craftsmen of her childhood trips. She started in her
kitchen, quickly moving to her garage. After outgrowing the space that also housed her three now-grown sons’ mass of sports gear, she moved to her current location on Oleander Drive in May 2021.
Manning’s solo launch was building belts.
“I did more carving and staining at the start,” she says. “I stopped because it was tedious, and I really wanted to make leather bags.”
Now her team includes MANDI ROLLINS, who helps prep the leather and is responsible for customer service, and CAYLA STAMPER, who works behind the scenes updating Coastal Hillbilly’s social media. Husband CHRIS MANNING is CFO. Robin Manning does all of the hand sewing herself.
Her process of building bags and accessories starts with purchasing leather from American and Mexican tanneries. She buys a few times a year to keep the main colors in stock.
“The cow and bison leather is delivered in ‘sides,’ the actual side of the animal,” she explains. “We plan out the patterns we will cut from a side by looking at the skin of the cow, working around branding, moles, stretch marks,
and weak spots. No two hides are the same, and sometimes we incorporate the cattle branding, making the piece even more unique,” she says.
The baselines that drive what Manning builds with a piece of leather are leather thickness, durability, and color. She describes her bags that have fun names like Giddy-Up and High Noon Snatch Bag as “craftsman classic, timeless, durable slow fashion.” Turn-around time on some items is two to four weeks, depending on demand and season. “We don’t do it quickly,” she says.
From a rough scissorcut, patterns are precision die cut, embossed, glued, prepped, and sewn inside out. Zippers are added, sewn again; piping is added and sewn again. The bag is flipped rightside out – the hardest part of the process on Manning’s hands – and hardware and straps are added, followed by an oil buff. Some bags have an added pop of color in the tassel, pocket, or gusset.
“Leather is not cheap. I learn from each piece I make, including mistakes,” she says of her self-taught trade. “Even if I make the same bag 100 times, I am learning every time. One mistake, and one project leads to another. It builds
upon itself.”
Manning’s tools of the trade have evolved over time from her first Bernina home sewing machine to a fast industrial Consew. She owns a COBRA and a Seiko industrial sewing machine for specialized stitching. Both of these machines are specific to leather-making. “My machines are not computerized. I am hand-pushing the leather through,” she says.
Manning’s leather goods come in a range of colors from earth tones to bold pink.
“Green is coming any day,” she says. “It’s the next big color after the pink rage this year.”
She is grateful for her customers who are supportive of small business. “There are so many choices of bags, but when a customer chooses me, I am honored,” she says.
Manning has her dream job. “It never gets old. My hands and feet get tired, but building something every day that I love is the biggest blessing from God. Made in America. Made in North Carolina. Made right here in Wilmington. That’s how I want to be known.” W
Brown bagging
by Nina Bays
3.
Style readers, it’s time to celebrate! Gone is the season of the micro-bag, where fitting all your necessities inside required a Tetris-like miracle. Fall/winter bags are all about luxurious style AND practical space. Relaxed totes, eastwest silhouettes, and structured top-handles are all in demand, as well as tactile materials such as suede and woven leather.
Leading the most-wanted list this winter is the elegantly simple brown suede bag. For a little extra arm candy, layer on a chunky swag charm à la Jane Birkin. And hey, throw in that extra lipstick — you have room! W
1. Taya top-handle crossbody bag by Oliveve (available at Cloth + Design)
2. Double strap woven hobo bag by BC Handbags (available at Monkee’s of Wilmington)
3. The Charlotte shoulder bag by Ulla Johnson (available at Beanie + Cecil)
4. Vintage needlepoint tophandle bag (available at Tri-County Estate Sales)
5. Maisel faux-leather tophandle bag by Melie Bianco (available at Anthropologie)
6. Suede fringe hobo bag (available at Island Passage)
7. Nixi suede twist-handle hobo bag by Simkhai (available at Oliver)
4.
Your dreams. Within reach.
Expanding your financial horizons at Wrightsville Wealth Management
We support your life’s vision by offering financial advice and strategic planning that are uniquely tailored to your needs. Our mission is to be your personal financial advisor in everything that impacts your wealth—minimizing risk while seizing new opportunities. We promise to help you today, tomorrow and for generations to come. Our commitment to excellence in client service never waivers.
UBS Financial Services Inc.
1985 Landfall Park North, Suite 110 Wilmington, NC 28403
Wilmington photojournalist Allison Joyce went to Western North Carolina last year to document Hurricane Helene’s devastation. She stayed to capture a community heal.
Storm Teller
by DANIELLE DESNOYERS | photos by ALLISON JOYCE
Preston Austin (left), a fly-fishing guide, and Caleb Henley walk on a damaged road along the Toe River in October 2024, a couple of weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the community of Green Mountain and other parts of Western North Carolina.
BY
PHOTO
DANIELLE DESNOYERS
A sheriff’s deputy and cadaver dog search the site of a destroyed chemical plant in May of this year in Green Mountain while Peggy Williams waits nearby. The scent of possible remains had been detected during a river cleanup the day before. Williams hoped the search would help locate the body of her partner of twenty-seven years, Lenny Widawski, who remains missing.
“
Parachute journalism, just dropping in for a few days or weeks and then moving on to the next story, has never interested me,” says ALLISON JOYCE.
Joyce is not someone to bounce from city to city as the ever-changing news cycle develops. I recently walked with her across destroyed roads in Burnsville, North Carolina, on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene to photograph her and to ask about the past year of her life, which was mostly spent in Western North Carolina.
A photojournalist who has lived and covered news in Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and New York City, she has called Wilmington home since 2022. Over the past few years, she has heavily covered politics and election cycles. But a lot changed on September 27, 2024 – for her, and for thousands of others.
Helene hit the United States in Florida as a Category 4 hur-
ricane. As it made its way through Georgia and South Carolina before affecting North Carolina, it weakened. But it still had enough momentum to get inland to a part of the state that doesn’t usually deal with that amount of wind and moisture. The result was mountain ranges and waterways being inundated with rain. Rivers and creeks turned into raging waters strong enough to move houses off foundations and bend shipping containers around poles. Over 1,400 landslides wiped pathways through residential and wooded areas alike.
Joyce was working for the international news agency AFP at the time and relentlessly pitched her editor to send her to the mountains to document the storm’s impacts. With the power being out across the region, reports were sketchy about the scale of the damage, but it was clear this was a life-changing event. It took some time to get the approval to go, but when she did, that’s when her journey started. She was challenged finding gas and bottled water, but she made it across the state to Western North Carolina on October 2, 2024.
Six weeks later, she was still there working alongside lo-
cals and volunteers and sleeping in her car. “Oddly enough, that turned out to be one of the best things I could have done. I slept at distribution and relief coordination sites alongside volunteers and relief groups. People seemed to appreciate that I wasn’t just dropping in and out; I was literally living alongside them,” Joyce recalls. “Every morning, I’d open the car door, bleary-eyed like everyone else, and step straight into coordination meetings.
“That’s how I learned in real time where they were still searching for bodies, which communities were cut off, who was running out of insulin, and which roads were still impassable,” she says. “Car camping gave me a clear view of the recovery and allowed me to embed in a way that hotels never could. It’s also how I began to notice the outsized role military veterans were playing in the response, which became a Washington Post story about veterans finding new purpose in disaster relief and, later on, a New York Times story about grassroots disaster response stepping in as FEMA scaled back.”
TOP: Volunteer Chuck Pritchett and Larry Globokar search through an island of debris near Widawski’s house in Relief, North Carolina, in November as part of the ongoing search for the Yancey County musician’s remains. BOTTOM: Vrindavan Gabbard meets with Pritchett and the other volunteers at their camp to discuss funding for the search efforts.
COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A photo of Widawski’s property is seen at the site of his former home in November in Relief. A piece of music from Widawski’s father and other possessions, including photos of Widawski and his longtime partner , Peggy Williams, recovered by Pritchett and his team are shown at the site. Williams in September of this year is photographed in Bakersville.
In addition to those media outlets, Joyce did work for Getty Images, The Assembly, the Associated Press, and Reuters. She says she realized how “crucial it is to have journalists not just in D.C., New York, or L.A., but embedded in the places where Americans actually live, telling the stories that might otherwise go untold.”
Hurricane Helene, the deadliest storm in the U.S. since Katrina in 2005, was a national story, and roughly 75% of the stories Joyce worked on in the mountains were ones she pitched to editors.
She was invested – so much so that she stopped camping in her car and got an apartment in the mountains. She’s been a dual-city renter since November of last year.
When I asked her about any stories that really stuck out in her mind, she gave two examples.
One was the role of military veterans in the recovery process. It was interesting to see the skills they learned be used so effectively in areas such as search and recovery as well as operational planning, Joyce says. But more than that, she adds, it was seeing these veterans fall back into a world they understood, finding themselves again, being surrounded by a brotherhood again, and having a mission again.
The second story was that of a musician named Lenny Widawski, who disappeared when his house was swept away in the floodwaters.
Joyce worked on that story for almost an entire year, photographing a group of volunteers who refused to stop looking through every debris pile for Widawski’s body or clues on what happened to him. To this day, he has never been found. She saw them build a relationship with Widawski’s partner of twenty-seven years, Peggy Williams.
“Through Peggy’s love and grief, the story of Lenny became a way to show what Hurricane Helene actually took away from people in Western North Carolina – not just infrastructure, but entire lives and the futures people thought they had,” Joyce says.
A year later, Joyce says she is still spending much of her time in Western North Carolina in part because “it became clear this was a story I needed to stay with.”
“The scope and the enormity of the rebuilding became clearer every day, and I knew people here would be grappling with the aftermath for years or even generations to come,” Joyce says. “While the national spotlight was fading, people here were just beginning the second phase of recovery: finding housing, holding funerals, rebuilding roads and homes, and figuring out what comes next. That was when the real work started for them, and it didn’t feel right to walk away.” W
TOP: Photojournalist Allison Joyce is shown in the field following Hurricane Helene. BOTTOM: Williams sits at her former property and holds a candle up as she looks across the river at a vigil in September for victims of Hurricane Helene.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Williams talks with her neighbor Michael Cooper and his daughter Kacey Cooper, who also lost their home in Hurricane Helene, as well as Cooper’s parents, Boyd and Janie, in Green Mountain. Valerie Ludwig, Williams’ daughter, pours flower petals into the Toe River during NC Outdoor Adventures’ memorial vigil and retreat for Hurricane Helene survivors. Elissa Truesdale plays the violin during the vigil.
A Gathering Spot
by BARBARA L. NELSON
photos by DARIA AMATO
Adecade after purchasing Sycamore Bend Estate, an 18-acre horse farm, JEAN STRAHAN has transformed the historic property into an idyllic venue for weddings and gatherings.
“I feel like Sycamore Bend is a treasure for Wilmington,” Strahan says. “It’s why I really thought weddings were right, because the property brings families together, and they create their own perfect wedding or event here.”
Strahan grew up in Carson, North Dakota, a quiet community. After spending her early years in Carson, she relocated to Minneapolis and Chicago before moving to New York City, where she managed a boutique on Madison Avenue. While she enjoyed her life in the city, she always treasured her simple upbringing. Shortly after the birth of her twin daughters, Isabella and Sophia, and following a long and public divorce from Michael Strahan, a former NFL player and TV host, she purchased Sycamore Bend to start fresh. Her journey with Sycamore Bend as an event venue began when she realized that the parties she hosted for her twin daughters showcased the farm’s potential as a perfect location for events. From masquerade parties, carnivals, and murder mystery dinners,
Jean loved hosting events for her friends and family.
“We once had a hot air balloon party,” she says. “We had a hot air balloon in the pasture, and the kids could get in and see the ocean.”
During her second year in business, Jean’s daughter, ISABELLA, was diagnosed with brain cancer. Jean paused her business to focus on Isabella’s needs. Isabella has now fully recovered and is currently attending the University of Southern California, where she is pursuing a degree in journalism and communications. Meanwhile, Jean’s daughter, SOPHIA, is studying economics with a concentration in finance at Duke University.
Both assist Jean in running the business.
BELLA TSEH, a friend of Jean’s daughters, assists with event planning and communications. JOSE VILLAGREA is the property caretaker and an outdoor landscaping and lighting designer who enhances the property for events.
Originally, after her two daughters left for college, she had considered selling the historical property. However, after receiving offers from property developers who wanted to build
apartments, she decided instead to renovate and restore the property to preserve its historic significance. The property features hydrangeas and magnolia trees and includes a farmhouse, a loft, and a cozy cottage for overnight stays. It was originally constructed in the early 1800s by Reuben Everett.
“I come from this amazing lineage of strong women,” Strahan says. “My grandmother was a pioneer who came from Norway and was a homesteader in North Dakota, literally throwing bales of hay on a ranch until she was ninety. My mother, who is almost ninety, is still out working on the big farm, driving tractors. I’m proud to carry on their legacy, working hard to make Sycamore Bend the best it can be.”
In 2023, Jean opened the property to events and has since hosted several weddings, bridal parties, and other special occasions. More than forty-five weddings are expected to be held there next year.
“We have a garden party area, where we do a lot of ceremonies,” she says. “We do ceremonies under the big historic magnolia tree, or down the big alleyway, and of course, in front of the house. And our stables are a popular choice for
many people who love to use them as a backdrop.”
Jean has designed the farmhouse at Sycamore Bend to cater to wedding preparations, from a bridal suite that overlooks the property, allowing the bride to see her day unfold, to the groom’s lounge, complete with a poker table and a basketball area. Currently, the property can accommodate twentysix overnight guests. However, Jean is planning to convert a pool house and cabana area across the street, which would eventually increase the property’s capacity to forty overnight guests.
“What I’m really trying to create is a space where the ladies would be here in the farmhouse, and the guys could be over in the pool cabana in the cottage,” she said.
The venue can accommodate between fifty and over 400 guests. Additionally, the property features a convertible horse arena that can be transformed into a parking area.
“We had four tents up for this one wedding,” Jean says. “They put a beautiful tent over the tennis court. Then they had a clear top tent in front of the stables for the ceremony. Then they had two tents in the great lawn for the reception and one for catering.” W
Sally Lindroos makes a design splash downtown Color Punch
by KATIE SCHMIDT | photos by MADELINE GRAY
Since Savard Beer & Board opened in downtown Wilmington this summer, guests have been talking about the beer (eleven different brews, all under 7 percent ABV), the boards (custom surfboards shaped at the brewery), and the bathrooms. Yes, the bathrooms.
“I’m trying to remember if I’d had a beer when we came up with the bathrooms,” SALLY LINDROOS says with a laugh. Lindroos, and her design partner on the Savard project, COURTNEY STONE, were perusing tiles together and got a kick out of some extremely bright shades of red, yellow, and orange. “We were like, ‘Who would use this?’ And then, ‘What if we used this?’”
Each of the six bathrooms at Savard Beer & Board are positively decked out in a different, incredibly vibrant tile. “It kind of came to us on a whim, this idea that we could just absolutely encase people in color and make it happy,” Lindroos says. Lindroos and Stone, operating at the time as Coastal Manifest (a sincesunsetted design company), wove color and happiness into the design elements throughout Savard’s historical building at 121 South Front Street.
While the bones of the building provided an aesthetic canvas with its exposed brick and ivy, the duo was tasked with bringing the vision of brand owners MICHELLE and JOHN SAVARD to life.
“The Savards came to us with the concept, and then we just kind of ran with it,” Lindroos says. “So, we started there and then it was, ‘OK, if we’re talking
about surfboard creation/brewery/ we know John and Michelle and their personality … What makes sense?’ That kind of conceptualized into we need teals, we need blues, we need the sunshine colors. We need it to be a happy space. People are happy at the beach. They’re happy when they’re surfing. They’re happy when they’re drinking. How can we work all of that together?”
The Savards have been friends with Lindroos for years and worked with Coastal Manifest on their other brewery, Wilmington Brewing Company.
“I remember when Tropical Lightning was home-brewed, and now it’s Wilmington’s water,” Lindroos says.
After working together on Wilmington Brewing, the Savards wanted to work with Lindroos and Stone again on this latest endeavor. “I always had my eye on this building,” Lindroos says. “To help them bring this to life has been so rewarding for me. It was like a pinch-me moment when they bought this place, and they were inviting us to be a part of the design.”
In addition to the multi-colored tiles in the bathrooms, bright blue and teal tiles line the entryway and bar area. Huge aloe-green pendant lights hang above the orange bench along the windowed wall, along with custom colorful barstools, multi-colored mid-century chairs and sofas, and a painted surfboard or two. It’s all pulled together by the beams of natural light that shine through the large windows.
“We wanted vibrancy happening throughout the space,” Lindroos says. “That’s the crux of it, combining the wood tones, the exposed brick with the natural
colors of the ocean. We wanted it to feel like you’re at the beach without having to hit you in the head about it. We like to design with all the senses in mind – what are you touching, listening to, seeing – the total ambience of a space, rather than just, ‘Oh a starfish is here, I must be in a coastal town.’”
This design approach also comes to life in an upstairs, two-bedroom, twobathroom apartment that will soon be available for short-term rental.
Since Lindroos and Stone met through their work together at Kickstand Events, an event-planning company specializing in weddings, Lindroos knows the value of a picturesque rental near the downtown venues.
The apartment can sleep six people but is also roomy enough to seat more. “It’s perfect for wedding row,” Lindroos says. “Maybe because of my experience that’s where my heart’s at, but it’s also great for families or any kind of group who wants to come enjoy Wilmington.”
Lindroos will manage the bookings for the apartment and will also serve as the event manager for the brewery.
“Hospitality is my passion,” Lindroos says. “I love creating spaces, creating memories for people on the hospitality side of things. So, if that’s designing a brewery? Awesome, I would love to be a part of it. If it’s helping a bridal party decide what restaurant to go to tonight? Awesome, I’d love to be a part of it. For me it’s this holistic side of hospitality.” W
This story appeared in a recent WILMA Lifestyle newsletter. To sign up for the email, go to WILMAmag.com/email-newsletter.
Community
W Rides
Gregory families jump on the Bike Bus school trend
by MEGHAN CORBETT | photos by MADELINE GRAY
ilmington is not known for rolling hills or hiking expeditions, its relatively flat terrain makes it a wonderful place for a peaceful, easy bike ride, especially for kids. Learning to ride a bike is a rite of passage, and a relatively new concept has recently gone viral for many school-aged children around the country: the Bike Bus.
“Bike Bus is an adult-led scheduled bike ride that follows a specific route to and from school,” says KEVINA CASALETTO, a parent organizer for a Bike Bus that’s rolling for International School at Gregory families.
“The Bike Bus relies on the premise of safety in numbers, allowing students to feel comfortable riding their bikes to school. Bike Bus, founded by Coach Balto in Portland, Oregon, was created after he was inspired by the Bicibus movement in Spain and created a Bike Bus for Earth Day in 2022,” she says. “It’s been going ever since, and there are now more than 200 Bike Buses in the USA as well as hundreds more across dozens of countries.”
Casaletto is a mom to two students at Gregory, a dual language immersion public magnet school in downtown Wilmington.
She, along with other parents and community members, have worked tirelessly to create the grassroots Bike Bus for their school routes while also encouraging other families in the area to join in and form their own groups.
“A viral video in 2023 was what hooked me – seeing a big group of kids riding to school, singing at the top of their lungs and cheering each other on was incredibly moving,” Casaletto says. “I saw a Facebook post from a fellow Gregory parent asking if anyone was interested in starting one. It felt like destiny!”
Casaletto says they started organizing through a Facebook
group to coordinate. They did practice route rides and made sure they had tools for bike tuneups or breakdowns.
“TAMMY SWANSON, from Terry Benjey Bicycling Foundation was so helpful with tips and safety rules/support in those early weeks,” Casaletto says. “We’ve overcome all kinds of issues: five flat tires – one parent just ran the route with his bike after a tire blowout – interesting car encounters, and several route tweaks, to name a few. Now, in our second year, we’re all well practiced at putting chains back on, checking air/breaks/chains, corking, crossing busy roads safely, and encouraging new riders.”
The Gregory parent organizers hold rides before and after school every Friday. On those mornings, they meet at Wallace Park to take off, and kids join in along the route until they get to the school – with the opposite direction for after-school rides.
They post routes and info about bonus rides or community park-to-park rides on their social media accounts such as @ gregorybikebus on Instagram.
“As a kindergarten family new to Gregory, this has been an awesome way to feel connected to the school community right from the start,” says KATELYN MAGINNES . “We joined Bike Bus for the first ride of the year – only our second day of school. 6:50 a.m. doesn’t feel so early when you’re headed to meet up with the Bike Bus and then riding with a fun crew to school.”
In addition to help from fellow parents, the school’s administration has been supportive of their group’s efforts.
“HILDA DE LEON, the principal, has been very supportive of opportunities to get kids outside and/or active over the years and has been a big cheerleader and supporter of the Bike Bus,” Casaletto says. “The PTA, principal, and staff at Gregory, as well as volunteers and parents, have helped with the success and growth of the bus. Principal de Leon even came to cheer us on at the start of one of our Bike Bus rides, which meant a lot to the kids.”
Besides Terry Benji Foundation members – and neighbors along the route – other supporters for equipment have included the Cape Fear Makers Guild donating air
“It’s hard to put into words the joy of Bike Bus … It feels like childhood in its purest form – like a ’90s summer.
- Kevina Casaletto (right) a local Bike Bus parent organizer
SCENE
pressure gauges, Special Pedals for bike tubes, NCDOT for bike charms and helmets, WMPO for bike lights and bike charms and bells, Casaletto says, adding that the city’s parks and recreation department worked with the group to get a bike repair station installed at the Wallace Park starting point.
The Gregory Bike Bus is the only one of its kind in the Wilmington area so far, but the Gregory group hopes to change that.
“At the start, we checked the Bike Bus World map (online at Bikebus.world) to look for other Bike Buses nearby to reach out to or get tips about starting one in the southeast,” Casaletto says. “There was not a single one in North Carolina and only twelve in all of the Southeastern U.S. We registered our bus, made an email and Instagram, and have since connected with so many other buses around the country and world, community organizations, and all kinds of supporters” she says. “We are a downtown school with minimal to no bike infrastructure, and we feel like we’re a great example to others. If we can do it, so can you!”
She says they take inspiration from the Atlanta Bike Bus, which has eight Atlanta schools with established routes.
“We just started a Bike Bus NC hub (on Instagram @bikebusnc) where we can find and support other North Carolina buses as well as encourage and support new ones,” she says.
While the goal is to create a safe, healthy way for kids to get to school, the families who have participated have benefitted as well, Casaletto says.
“It’s hard to put into words the joy of Bike Bus,” she says. “The closest thing I can equate it to was pulling up to a friend’s house on my bike as a kid and seeing ten or so bikes scattered across their yard – that excited feeling you have of being connected and part of something.
“It feels like childhood in its purest form – like a ’90s summer. We have so many parents on our bus because it is the best way to start the day. The kids feel like celebrities as they get waves and cheers when they pass by, along with a few shocked stares. Our family now rides more than ever. This little action – a once-aweek, one-mile ride to school – has had such a huge impact on our lives.” W
Bereavement Crime &
by DYLAN PATTERSON | illustration by MARK WEBER
IT’S NOT LIKE I’D NEVER SEEN FORENSIC FILES BEFORE, BUT RECENTLY, THIS ORIGINAL TRUE CRIME SHOW FROM THE MID-90S THROUGH EARLY 2000S IS ALL I WATCH.
It took me three months to make it through all fourteen seasons. Four hundred episodes in all. Without commercials, they clock in at just twenty-two minutes each, so I find myself binging five or six episodes per night. Cozied up on the couch with my dog Kit, we watch grizzly murder after ruthless abduction after mysterious virus.
But why do I find myself unable to stop consuming true stories of women kidnapped by lone creeps, husbands poisoned by their wives, children stolen by strangers, and houses burned for the insurance money? One would think a show about the worst in human nature would be endlessly disturbing and ultimately depressing.
Strangely, that’s not how I feel as I watch Forensic Files. I’ve reflected with the help of friends and my therapist, and I’ve concluded that this viewing pattern is directly linked to the recent death of my beloved father.
Why watch Forensic Files as I’m sorting through my grief? I admit that part of the appeal is simply distraction. The show is immensely engaging. It’s hard to ruminate on one’s own sadness while simultaneously wondering what happened to a missing cheerleader and questioning if her prom date’s her killer. The show demands your attention like a car crash on the side of the highway or a friend’s volcanic zit in the center of his forehead. And the benefit of this distraction is that I have been able to forget, for twenty-two minutes at a time, my grief for my dad.
Forensic Files is also comfortingly formulaic. Each episode begins with a teaser: “A newly divorced dentist was a pillar of her community, but then she disappeared. It would take the newest advances in forensic science to bring her killer to justice.”
Next, comes the opening credits with a montage of microscopes, fingerprints, and DNA layered over a catchy synthesized theme. After a commercial break, we open on a bucolic scene with voiceover: “Turnberry, Vermont, was a sleepy town where most residents left their doors open.”
Next, comes the turn: “But things changed one February morning when divorcee Cindy Capshaw didn’t arrive for work.” Soon comes the realization that a crime has been
committed. Cindy’s front door is wide open and her car is missing, but her wallet and phone are in her bedroom. The police focus on those suspects closest to her. Her exhusband and new boyfriend are questioned. Next, a body is found in a remote area. Forensic scientists see what they can glean from DNA, hairs, fiber evidence, and fingerprints. Eventually, a suspect is arrested, charged, and, after a trial, sent to prison for a long, long time. This is also comforting: The crime is always solved, and the culprit is always caught and made to pay for their terrible crime – all in a tight twenty-two minutes.
Watching Forensic Files has also helped me to make a distinction that has proved healing: the difference between the sad and the tragic. A seven-year-old girl abducted from a church social? Tragic. A young wife drowned in her bathtub so her husband can begin a new life with a dancer from a high-priced Philadelphia strip joint? Tragic. A middle-aged man killed by his buddy in a staged hunting “accident,” so the buddy can run off with the dead man’s wife? Tragic. My eighty-four-year-old father hospitalized for three weeks after a fall, never once complaining of pain, then dying after just one night in hospice? Sad. To be clear, I am deeply saddened at the loss of my father, but Forensic Files has helped me to view his death in proper proportion. A sad fact of life. Most people get old, and old age eventually means death. This is not a tragedy; it is, sadly, the natural order of things.
I’m not sure what to make of comfort based on the fact that things could be a lot worse. Is it just a cheap trick I use to try to make my loss feel less immense? Even the Grand Canyon looks small compared to an ocean. Is it just a dodge from feeling my feelings? Maybe.
But I also watch Forensic Files because I’m inspired by the family members of the victims. The interviews are filmed years after their family member’s murder. Despite the tragedy and despite her grief, that mother sits in front of the camera, teary-eyed perhaps, but finding a way to soldier forth with life. And if she can find a way forward without her child, can’t I find a way to live on in a world that sadly, but not tragically, is bereft of my father?
Dylan Patterson is a writer and filmmaker who teaches English at Cape Fear Community College. Mark Weber is a Wilmington-based artist and illustrates WILMA’s monthly Direct Male essay. weberillustration.com
5 TAKE
by LYNDA VAN KUREN
MARGARET KERRY brings a sprinkling of pixie dust to her new hometown of Wilmington. Kerry, who is best known as the live-action model for the 1953 animated production of Peter Pan, had a prolific career in Hollywood. She acted in additional movies as well as in popular TV shows such as The Three Stooges. Kerry also worked in radio and as a voice-over actress. Now, the ninety-six-year-old regularly makes guest appearances at conventions and shows, and she gives presentations to organizations and groups. Whatever the venue, and wherever she is, Kerry embodies Tinker Bell, spreading joy and magic to all whom she encounters.
HOW DID YOU INFLUENCE THE ROLE OF TINKER BELL? “When I asked my boss how he wanted me to play Tinker Bell, he gave me carte blanche. He said he wanted Tinker Bell to be me. I love people, and people loved Tinker Bell, so it was a great match. Also, I’m a person who can’t wait to see what’s around the corner, no matter what happens. And that’s exactly who Tinker Bell is. She could hardly wait to peek around the corner to see what’s going on.” YOU ARE ONE OF THE LAST OF A GENERATION OF DISNEY ICONS. WHAT RESPONSIBILITY COMES WITH THAT? “Disney is joy and fun and filled with lovely, hardworking people.
I think twice before doing an interview. I wouldn’t think of saying or doing anything to hurt them (Disney staff) or the studio. That would be like hurting a friend.” WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW? “I travel all over the country attending celebrity and collector shows where I get to meet people and they meet me. I giggle and laugh and have a grand time. It is fabulous. I also give talks to schoolchildren about using their imagination. And I give talks to groups. Last week, here in Wilmington, I gave a talk to (Porters Neck Country Club’s) Ladies on the Loose.” WHAT ROLE BESIDES TINKER BELL DID YOU MOST ENJOY? “I have a career that reaches back to 1934, and I loved it. Sometimes I was an extra, and sometimes I was given lines, but I was in the business. I loved doing Tinker Bell, my favorite role. My second favorite role is The Little Rascals. My third favorite is The Andy Griffith Show. That was a joy.” YOU HAVE SUCH JOIE DE VIVRE. WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM, AND HOW DO YOU KEEP IT? “I’m alive. I’m upright. I can go outside in the sunshine or rain or whatever it is. I don’t get too excited about things that go wrong. I believe things will come together.” W
MARGARET KERRY’s full profile will appear in an upcoming WILMA Lifestyles email. To sign up for the email, go to WILMAmag.com/email-newsletter.
