SENC Magazine - Winter 2021 by APG Eastern NC

WINTER 2021

Southeastern N.C.’s Sweet Spot Burney’s is baking up a family franchise

IN THIS ISSUE: PERFORMING ARTS IN THE TIME OF COVID “BEAVER DAN” TUCKER MAKES TREASURES FROM TRASH THE WASHINGTON OAK: FOUNDING FATHER LEAVES HIS MARK IN HAMPSTEAD

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SE North Carolina Magazine

Editor’s Note

Sometimes, a getaway is required

SE North Carolina www.sencmag.com

Issue No. 25 / Winter 2021 Staﬀ / Credits / Contributions PUBLISHER Jim Sills

EDITOR

Abby Cavenaugh

PRODUCTION/GRAPHIC DESIGN Emerson Designs

Content & Photography Abby Cavenaugh Lauren Branch Annesophia Richards

Advertising Alan Wells

CONTACT

sencmagazine.wordpress.com acavenaugh@ncweeklies.com 1.910.296.0239

ON THE COVER

Burney’s Sweets and More, with 12 locations (and counting) throughout North Carolina, is famous for its deep-fried, glazed croissants. Southeastern North Carolina Magazine is a publication of the Duplin Times and APG Media of Eastern NC. Contents may not be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

Correction:

In our Fall 2020 issue, the byline on the story, “The Strange Disappearance of Sally Ann Corbett,” should have read Janine Stidley. We apologize for the error and regret any confusion it may have caused.

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As 2020 draws to a close and we embark on a brand new year, I think this year, especially, is a good time to take a step back from all the stress, uncertainty and bad news in our world today. For me, that took the form of a much-needed vacation in October to the North Carolina mountains. For three and a half days, my twin sister, 13-year-old niece and I did not think about work or school; we just enjoyed walking with our dogs and taking in the gorgeous fall foilage that was at its peak in the Maggie Valley/Waynesville area where we stayed. I felt rejuvenated, to put it lightly, and I’m already planning a return trip for sometime in the next few months. I think we all need a break from time to time. A break from worrying about COVID-19, politics and all the other crap that can make life miserable. In that spirit of getting away and forgetting about reality for a while, I decided to include a photo of my aunt and uncle in last year’s Rose Hill Christmas Parade (canceled for 2020, of course) as Santa and Mrs. Clause. Aunt Jeannie and Uncle Tim Williams have played Santa and the Mrs. for many years at local churches, parades and Christmas parties. Of course, since Uncle Tim is scheduled to have surgery on his vetebrae in early December, I’m sure he won’t be donning the red suit this year. (The beard stays put yearround.) I also don’t know when I’ll see them again, because of the pandemic. But perhaps this photo of happier times can be a reminder that there’s always something to look forward to, and it’s OK to decompress and indulge your inner child once in a while. Speaking of indulgences, this issue, we’re taking a look at a bakery that got its start in Elizabethtown, but in less than 10 years has expanded to 12 locations all over the state, with a heavy concentration in Southeastern N.C. Burney’s is famous for its deepfried croissants, cakes, pies and donuts. If your tummy doesn’t start growling once you check out their luscious treats, well, you’re stronger than I.

Burney’s hasn’t seen much of a slowdown in its business due to the pandemic, but that is definitely not the case for our local performing arts industry. Concerts and theatre productions have been canceled across the country, not to mention TV and film productions, which are just beginning to come back with heavy restrictions and daily COVID testing. Annesophia Richards examines the pandemic’s effect on Wilmington’s once-thriving performing arts scene. It’s interesting to see how longstanding venues like Thalian Hall, the Wilson Center and others are adapting to ensure that, as they say, the show must go on. Interestingly, woodworking is another local industry that has survived intact. Lauren Branch spent an afternoon with “Beaver Dan” Tucker at his woodturning shop in Rose Hill, where he creates everything from bowls to sculptures to coffee tables. And, finally, with President’s Day coming up in February, I uncovered an interesting connection between the nation’s first president, George Washington, and an ancient oak tree in Hampstead. Whether the lore is true or not, it’s nice to make sure this one tree is preserved for years to come, as the Washington Oak. Hope you enjoy this issue, and the year to come!

S o

Abby Cavenaugh, Editor

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SENCMAGAZNE.WORDPRESS.COM Our staﬀ conceived this publication with a very basic idea in mind: to highlight interesting people, places, and events in Southeastern North Carolina in a way that honors the history and idiosyncratic spirit of the region.

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SE North Carolina Magazine

Contents Winter 2021

Features ON THE COVER

Burney’s: a sweet family franchise

From its humble beginnings as a hometown bakery, Burney’s Sweets & More has grown into a powerhouse with locations all over the state.

The Show Must Go On

Despite an ongoing global pandemic, the performing arts industry is standing by the mantra “the show must go on.” Here’s how some Wilmington theatres are doing it.

One man’s trash is Beaver Dan’s treasure

While some artisans may see old scraps of wood as nothing more than garbage, Dan Tucker sees a bowl, a coﬀee table, a sculpture. And he has just the right tools to bring his artistic vision to life.

George Washington & the oak tree

Although there’s an old legend about George Washington chopping down a cherry tree, the first president also has links to a longstanding oak tree in Pender County.

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Play Dates

The pandemic may be frightful, but there are still plenty of events on tap to spread some holiday and New Year cheer this winter.

Snapshots - T.V. & film industry returns to SENC

After a hiatus due to state film incentives and a pandemic, big-name television and movie productions have once again returned to the N.C. coast.

Folk: To mask or not to mask — ‘tis not a question

The mask mandate from the governor’s oﬃce isn’t a political statement. It’s a duty that we should perform for those around us.

Our Readers Respond

SE North Carolina’s latest issue had lots of people talking. Take a look at what they had to say... EDITOR’S NOTE: Our Fall 2020 issue was a very popular one, with lots of positive reader feedback. However, one story, “The Day Democracy Died in Wilmington,” got a few folks riled up with one of its remarks. On page 28: “Republicans were still the party of Lincoln, and Democrats the party of avowed White Supremacy — roles that have been flipped in contemporary times.” Author Philip Gerard backed up his story with the following statement: “A legion of historians has documented the parties’ switch, dating it at least to Nixon’s ‘Southern Strategy’ to enlist whites who opposed civil rights after Lyndon Johnson passed the landmark voting rights bills in 1964-65. So yes, the GOP is now officially the party of white supremacy. To pretend otherwise is a denial of fact and history.” Letters have been edited for brevity.

PERSONAL POLITICS SHOULDN’T COME INTO PLAY I have just read through the Fall 2020 edition of SE North Carolina magazine and generally found the articles to be interesting and informative. However, I take umbrage at Philip Gerard’s editorial comment in his article “The Day Democracy Died in Wilmington.” I find the comment oﬀensive and inaccurate and accusatory. I do not think personal political comments belong in a writing that presumably reports historic events. Am I to believe his description of the Massacre of 1898? Or is it filled with his personal opinions? Nancy Heide Hampstead

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A DIFFERENT VIEW OF RACISM We really enjoy the magazine and try to pick one up each time a new one comes out. The article about Wilmington was very enlightening and definitely worth reading. I was disappointed to read one bit of misinformation that seems to be accepted as accurate only because it is repeated so frequently. Saying that the roles have flipped reflects a serious misunderstanding of racism and the roles played by contemporary bureaucrats. Because Democrats verbalize a position of being pro-black, doesn’t make it true. Sadly, even the ones with the best intentions are not helping any minority by subsidizing them with government run welfare programs. Many prominent Democrats’ “claim to fame” is based on the story that they worked hard and “pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps.” They acknowledge that hard work is one of the keys to accomplishment, success, and self-esteem. Yet they deny that opportunity to many classes of people by paying them to do nothing. There are times and situations when welfare is essential, but more frequently it disincentivizes and is degrading to able bodied individuals who receive it. It is always better to provide education, training and opportunity. Because most Republicans are on that side of the disagreement, it doesn’t mean that they are in any way racist or against blacks. There are always bad apples on both sides who say and do the wrong things and set a bad example. But the vast majority of conservatives understand that the only real solution is to help individuals find and develop the strength and knowledge to work their way into a more prosperous position. By far, the vast majority of conservatives are willing to personally come along side the under privileged and members of minorities and give them a hand up, instead of a hand out. That needs to become the dominate message if we ever want to get to the point that racism becomes a non-issue in our country. Bob Walter New Bern

FEEDBACK: Got something to tell us? We want to know. Send comments, letters or suggestions to: SE North Carolina, Abby Cavenaugh- Editor, P.O. Box 69, Kenansville, NC 28349 or email acavenaugh@ncweeklies.com.

SE North Carolina Magazine

Gina and Michael Burney are the founders of Burney’s Sweets and More, and can usually be found at the bakery’s original location in downtown Elizabethtown.

A sweet family franchise By Abby Cavenaugh Michael and Gina Burney never envisioned that their specialty bakery would have locations all over North Carolina, nor that there would sometimes be hour-long lines just for customers to get a taste of their signature deep-fried croissants, donuts, cakes and other delectable pastries. However, that’s exactly what happened almost 10 years ago, when Burney’s Sweets and More opened its flagship location in downtown Elizabethtown. “My mom and dad had a bakery in Lumberton,” Michael Burney recalls. “They retired and when they decided to do the farmers market here, they called us and asked us if we’d be willing to open a bakery to help promote the farmers market.”

Once Michael and Gina opened the Elizabeth location, Thomas and Doris Burney sold their original bakery, Cakes and Pastries in Lumberton. “When we started this one, we thought we would make a living,” Michael explains. “We never thought it would be a franchise. We had a couple of ladies from Clinton who kind of talked us into franchising, and we got in touch with some attorneys and started the process. It took a year or more to get it done. We didn’t know, we didn’t foresee franchising. It just kind of fell in our laps.”

After a second location opened in Southport, the franchise began in Clinton. In November, Burney’s opened its 12th location, in Wallace. “They’ve had a continuous line for several days, so they’ve opened with a bang,” Michael says. In addition to the Elizabethtown, Clinton, Southport and Wallace bakeries, other locations of Burney’s Sweets and More are: Charlotte, Hampstead, Waxhaw, Raleigh, Smithfield, Erwin, Wilmington and Fayetteville. Each location puts its own stamp on the baked goods, but all 12 have the same wellknown croissants, donuts, cakes and pies.

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“The sweets are the same,” Gina says, “but then we kind of let everybody make adjustments, as far as if they want to do breakfast or they want to do lunch.” Michael says his dad came up with the fried croissants idea in 1994. “It took him a little while to perfect the recipe and the process, but when he hit on the right recipe, it just came together quickly. They were known for it in Lumberton, so when we started here, we kind of had a following to begin with, and then, with the lake traffic with White Lake and so forth, we had a lot of exposure and had a lot of friends, and it turned into franchises.” Although franchising has obviously been successful for the couple, Michael says they likely won’t expand globally or even nationwide — at least for some time to come. They, of course, enjoy the growth, but also want to do it at a manageable pace.

Michael and Gina Burney have both seasonal and yearround specialty croissants, like pumpkin spice, top, and maple bacon, bottom.

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“We liked the idea of working together and helping other people bring this same variety of sweets and goods to different hometowns, locations,” Michael says. “We didn’t really want to do it to start with, but we kind of decided to move that way. It was to partner with people and bring our same great tastes to other people. The only way we could do that was franchising. We couldn’t do it in that many locations; it’d be tough to handle.” Besides, the Burneys also like the idea of a hometown bakery, one that’s unique in every town. More like the local coffee shop than another Starbucks, for instance. In keeping with that ideology, all of the bakeries use the exact same recipes. “It’s either my mom’s, Gina’s mom’s, or our grandmothers’ recipes handed down and incorporated into our menus,” Michael says.

“We like to think that when people come in and get some of our sweets, it brings back memories of childhood and hopefully, happy memories,” Gina adds. “We like the mom and pop feel, and we like family-oriented,” she continues. “Most of our locations are owned by husband and wife or sisters… it’s mostly family. The owners are mostly in there running the day-to-day operations. We really like that. It gives you a pride in your product.” Since 2021 will be Burney’s 10th anniversary, Michael says they’re working on some ways to thank their customers and the communities those customers live in. “And we’re looking to continue to expand,” he says. “We don’t know what the future holds, but we hope it holds good things for us.”

For more information or to find the Burney’s Sweets and More nearest location, visit www.burneyssweetsandmore.com.

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Thomas and Doris Burney originally ran Cakes and Pastries in Lumberton before retiring and passing along the baking business to son, Michael.

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Snapshot TV & Film Productions Return To SENC After the N.C. General Assembly vastly reduced the film and television production incentives a few years back, big-name Hollywood productions are beginning to return to the state. Most notable among them is the fifth movie in the “Scream” franchise, which brought the original starts, Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, to Wilmington for the production. This follows the filming of another long-running horror franchise in Wilmington in 2019. Original star of the “Halloween” film, Jamie Lee Curtis was also in town in the fall of last year. She made several posts to her Instagram account documenting the production, including her first post from Wilmington on Oct. 8, 2019, which read “NEVER SAY DIE! First day back in the battle for my life! @halloweenmovie #HalloweenKills.” Curtis also posted a photo from a riverfront dining spot titled “So long, Wilmington.” But it’s not all horror movies that are being filmed in Southeastern North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper announced the following in September, which have been approved for the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant: • “USS Christmas,” a made-for-television movie about a newspaper reporter who finds love on an aircraft carrier, Wilmington. • “Parkside,” a feature-length film that will film at the EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington. • “Hightown,” second season of the Starz series from Lionsgate Television and Jerry Bruckheimer Television, which continues the story of a woman’s journey to sobriety that is overshadowed by a murder she feels she must solve. Filming in the greater Wilmington area.

In addition, “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig has also brought a pilot for a Fox television series not only to Wilmington, but to the nearby small towns of Burgaw and Wallace. “This Country” is described as a “mockumentary,” in the spirit of “The Office.” The comedy is based on the BBC series by the same name, and is written by Jenny Bicks, and produced by Director Paul Feig. “The show follows the daily lives of cousins Kelly (Chelsea Holmes) and Shrub Mallet (Sam Straley), who are trailed by a documentary crew as they go to a small town to study young adults and their current concerns,” explains Deadline. “The show follows the pair as they pursue their dreams, confront challenges and fight each other for frozen pizza.” It’s anticipated that more productions will film in the area in the coming months and years. The North Carolina Film Office now offers a 25-percent rebate on qualifying expenses and purchases made by productions while in-state as its film incentive. The rebate is funded through the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant, which is allocated at $31 million per fiscal year. For more, visit www.filmnc.com.

The original stars of the “Scream” franchise, Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, returned for another sequel, which filmed in Wilmington this fall. They’re shown with screenwriter Kevin Williamson on the day production wrapped.

A Fox TV pilot called “This Country” filmed in downtown Wallace in November.

Screenwriter Kevin Williamson on the set of Scream.

Jamie Lee Curtis’s “Halloween Kills” also filmed in Wilmington last October. SE North Carolina Magazine

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The show must go on STORY BY ANNESOPHIA RICHARDS

Everyone knows that in the world of theatre, the show must always go on. But what happens when one of the world’s oldest industries is suddenly brought to its knees by a global pandemic? In a time when large gatherings inside crowded auditoriums could be a matter of life or death, theatres across the nation are facing an unprecedented challenge. Instead of closing their curtains and turning out their lights, however, venues such as Thalian Hall and the Wilson Center in Wilmington are finding creative ways to keep the performing arts alive in our community. Having served as executive and artistic director of Thalian Hall for over 40 years, Tony Rivenbark has been around for many ebbs and flows of the industry. Nothing could prepare him, however, for COVID’s devastating effects on theatre venues all over the country. “So many theatres are closed, their assets sold and their doors locked,” says Rivenbark. “We don’t want to become that. Seventy percent of our income has disappeared, which makes it difficult to keep things going. But buildings don’t produce theatre, people do, so we can only cut back so much.” According to Rivenbark, Thalian Hall is operationally ready to reopen, having instituted an array of safety precautions and social distancing requirements including blocking off the seats, separating areas with ropes, and utilizing an outdoor ticket box. Thalian Hall has continued offering weekly films to small audiences inside the auditorium. However, with continued gathering size restrictions, indoor live performances are currently still on hold.

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Undeterred, Rivenbark and his team found a solution outside Thalian Hall’s doors. The venue recently began offering outdoor concerts and comedy nights at neighboring Innes Park, and in October turned the front portico into a stage for several live performances of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” done by Wilmington’s Opera House Theatre Company (OHTC). “Rocky Horror was our first musical theatre performance since all this began in March, and we’re very proud of it,” says Rivenbark. “The building is such a beautiful backdrop, and we were able to seat around 70 people, while using online ticketing and outdoor concessions. Our goal is to make sure people feel Thalian Hall is a place they can enjoy a film, some live music or a show, and feel comfortable about the way things are being handled.” Rivenbark says switching to outdoor operations hasn’t come without its challenges, as staff now have to create an entire outdoor theatre from seating to roping to lighting, and then take it all down at the end of the show. With a large portion of the staff gone, those who remain are extremely busy with the business of operations, including fundraising, advertising, marketing, building repairs and capital improvements.

“This has been tough on everyone, because we’re having to do a lot more work for a lot less return, but at least it’s something,” says Rivenbark. “We’re continuing to explore ways we can keep things going at Thalian Hall and keep the arts alive. We’re trying to provide an opportunity for the community to enjoy themselves and escape from their house in a safe way, as well as an opportunity for actors and musicians to be able to do their craft and keep our presence in the community. People in the arts are creative, and we’re pleased with what we’ve been able to come up with, but we can’t do this forever financially, so the support we’re receiving from individuals and businesses is key to our survival.”

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Another local performing arts institution that has taken things outdoors during the pandemic is the Opera House Theatre Company. In addition to their performances of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at Thalian Hall, the group’s focus has shifted to other smaller musical productions that can he held outdoors with fewer people. Under the direction of Executive Artistic Director Justin Smith, OHTC’s fall performances of Rocky Horror included face shields and social distancing of the audience, cast members and live band. The show was a huge success and sold out opening weekend. In November, OHTC also utilized Thalian Hall’s portico steps for their production of “The Piano Men,” a two-person musical revue featuring an array of popular piano songs. Smith and his team are now planning for OHTC’s annual “Christmas Cabaret” at the Blockade Runner in Wrightsville Beach, which will be performed with limited seating and artists rotating among three separate rooms to perform the full show in three acts.

“Making sure things feel safe is the biggest thing for me,” says Smith. “We had to cancel our main stage season and entire youth program, so we’re alive but struggling. We’ve had minor success with our virtual online performances like our ‘Musical Theatre Mondays’ where favorite actors perform live numbers virtually, and ‘Throwback Thursdays’ where we show archival pieces. I’ve realized, however, that our most viable step now and moving forward will be outdoor theatre.” As eastern North Carolina’s largest performing arts venue, the Wilson Center is designed to accommodate nationally touring concerts, comedians and Broadway shows. So, when COVID brought all national and international touring to a halt, Cape Fear Community College’s arts hub found itself forced to reduce its staff size and reschedule all programming. However, although the Wilson Center is a touring house, one of the major tenets of its mission is to also serve as a laboratory for student learning.

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Student volunteers and interns continue to work to support the facility and its operations, and in November, Cape Fear Community College’s drama department held their production of “Animal Farm” in the downtown campus’s amphitheater, with masks and social distancing required. “We’re always thinking about how we can adapt and find ways to continue our mission during this time,” says Shane Fernando, vice president of advancement and the arts. “The week after the shutdown in March, we began our streaming Ghostlight Series, where we showcased a regional artist every day for 43 consecutive days, and the revenue from that program helped get financial support to those artists right away.” Starting in June, the Wilson Center also hosted a series of drive-in concerts featuring regional artists in the student lot behind the center, as well as their Skyline Drive-In Movie Series on top of the Hanover Street Student Parking Deck. Both series featured outdoor concessions, restrooms, and ticketing and utilized short range FM signals to broadcast the sounds under the stars. Fernando says he hopes to continue these outdoor offerings in the future, and that the Wilson Center is taking things on a month-by-month basis in these uncertain times. “We were the industry hit first and will probably be the last to fully reopen,” says Fernando. “We’ll figure out solutions, but our nation will not fully recover until this industry comes back because of the massive impact it has on our national and local economies. There’s a lot of work to do, and I hope we get through this so we can start doing what we’re meant to do.”

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Another local program able to endure through the shutdown was Thalian Association Community Theatre (TACT). TACT held its annual youth creative arts camp over the summer at the Hannah Block Historic USO/ Community Arts Center in downtown Wilmington, welcoming 375 children over 8 weeks of camps while still following CDC recommendations. To open its youth theatre season, TACT decided to produce an original youth revue show called “The New Normal” which highlighted how young people are reacting to all they’ve missed out on and dealing with the changing world around them. The show combined interviews and songs and was shared on social media as well as with New Hanover County Schools. In November, the youth theatre program’s second show of the season, “Dear Edwina JR.,” featured a combination of a small live audience as well as online streaming performances. “We’re hoping the community embraces the online streaming concept because right after Dear Edwina JR. we’re going to have our first completely live stream-

ing variety show called “All We Want for Christmas is You,” says Susan Habas, Thalian Association Community Theatre’s executive director. “We had planned to do ‘Elf,’ but since we can’t put on a big musical, we’re going to do the next best thing and let families sit at home and watch this wonderful combination of dance numbers, short sketches, traditional Christmas carols, and show tunes — it’s going to be so much fun.” Habas says TACT is taking the remainder of its season on a show-by-show basis, focusing on plays with smaller casts instead of big musicals, or possibly musicals without a live orchestra in order to reduce the ensemble. Instead of canceling shows, Habas plans to proceed in a limited fashion and remain optimistic for the future. “Art will survive, so we just have to figure out ways to do it. I’m determined to keep it going, as is our whole organization. We could have thought this is too hard and just decided to wait until next year, but we have to try to keep it going for our community, because it’s important.”

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ONE MAN’S TRASH IS BEAVER DAN’S TREASURE Story & Photos by Lauren Branch

Dan Tucker didn’t have any desire to make woodworking a new hobby, but thanks to the persistence of his brother, Dan is now known all over Eastern North Carolina for his woodturning skills. Most people don’t know him as Dan Tucker. They know him as “Beaver Dan.” He got the nickname many years ago before he even began woodturning. “I got the Beaver part because I like to work so good all the time,” he laughed as he explained during a visit to his woodworking studio in Rose Hill.

He used to own a carpentry business named Beaver Dan Handyman that he operated for many years. He said he has always loved working with his hands, so it was to no surprise that he became such a great wood turner. One year, his brother purchased a lathe, which is the machine used to turn wood, in an auction. The lathe belonged to the old Magnolia School in Duplin County. It was used for job skill training for local soldiers once they returned from World War II. He offered it to Dan, but he kept refusing. Finally, one day Dan gave in, and it became the newest yet not-so-shiny object in his collection. Ever since that day five years ago, he has spent countless hours in his shop located right behind his house. SE North Carolina Magazine

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Making just one bowl can take two hours or more, so Beaver Dan’s shop has become his own little man cave complete with a fridge, swing, and clean bathroom for the women in his life. Dan said it’s not very hard. The hardest part about woodturning is cutting the wood of certain types of trees and trying to make more than one piece identical. Also, he said hauling lumber between the places he picks up the wood donations from others or the sawmill can be very time-consuming. Dan’s shop houses hundreds of pieces of wood in various stages, from raw logs to fine art pieces. He mostly makes tables, mantles, benches, and cutting boards, but his favorite things to make are bowls. Although he has only been doing it a few years, he has already won awards at local fairs with his bowls. He said pretty much everybody he knows has at least one of his bowls in their house. His wife, on the other hand, doesn’t let Dan crowd her home with wood or its remnants. “I better blow off or at least shake my shirt off before I come in the house,” he said. The two married in 1979. After his first marriage ended in divorce, Dan said he never wanted to marry again. Until he met Debbie at a cookout. “We’ve been married 25 years, and I still kinda like her.” He said jokingly.

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Woodturning was not her thing, so he actually built her a shop of very her own to keep her busy while he spends time in his shop. She has a self-built greenhouse. He said his other children never really picked up carpentry or woodturning, but he has one daughter that shares his creative abilities through her arts and crafts. His shop holds many different unique pieces, such as his table that was made from a Beechnut tree. Approximately 134 years ago, something came through and killed all of the Beechnut trees, he said, and only two trees made it to his yard. He created a beautiful table from the last tree, preserving it forever. One of Dan’s favorite parts about what he does is that he can take what some may consider junk and turn it into something beautiful. One day, a friend of his had a piece of wood that was left over from another project and he was about to throw it away. Dan took it because he thought it was shaped like a fish. And so, one man’s junk became another man’s 7-foot wall decoration.

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Need a great gift idea for that hard to buy person? Come by The Lighting Gallery and we can help you light up their holiday.

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Play Dates

IMPORTANT NOTE ON UPCOMING EVENTS: Many festivals, concerts and other events have been canceled for the forseeable future due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. All of the events listed here were still on schedule as of press time, but it’s best to check with the individual venue to ensure that the event is still going on as planned.

‘A COVID CHRISTMAS CAROL’ Paramount Theatre 139 S. Center St. | Goldsboro • Friday, December 11, at 7:30 p.m. • Saturday, December 12, at 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. • Sunday, December 13, at 3 p.m. Admission is $25 (includes a glass of beer, wine or soda, grab-and-go snacks) Seating is limited, so reservations must be made in advance: www.goldsboroparamount.com/ a-christmas-carol/ or call 919-583-8432 In this year full of unexpected twists and turns, Center Stage Theatre is proud to be returning to the Paramount Theater this December with “A Covid Christmas Carol.”

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY | OLD HOMESTEAD FARM, ROCKY POINT Each year, guests load up their cars and come to create memories with their families and gaze upon hundreds of thousands of lights on a mile-long drive-thru Christmas light track. Tickets are $25 per car (available on-site only at the entrance of the light show at the end of Rocky Point Elementary School Road). Hot chocolate is available for $2 for a 16-ounce cup. The light show runs nightly from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve. For more information, visit the Facebook page, @christmasinthecountryOHF, or the website, www.christmasinthecountryohf.com.

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Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale will be brought to life as you’ve never seen it: by five socially distanced performers who will portray all the characters you know and love. This version will have heart and laughs, bah humbug and Christmas cheer, and it promises to be fun for the whole family.

Nights of Lights Holiday Open House at Bellamy Mansion Dec. 17-20, from 4-7 p.m. 503 Market St. Downtown Wilmington On December 17, 18, 19 and 20, the Bellamy Mansion Museum will host Nights of Lights from 4-7 p.m. Nights of Lights is a free, socially distanced celebration of Christmas. See two levels of the mansion decked out in its holiday finest. Father Christmas will be on hand for safe selfies with the family. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Children get a takehome surprise! Face coverings required of all attendees 5 years old and up. There is no cost for admission, but donations are accepted ($5 suggested). For more information about Nights of Lights, call 910-251-3700 or email cgonzalez@ bellamymansion.org.

Burgaw’s Brightest Christmas Light Contest Register by Dec. 14; Judging will occur after 5 p.m. on Dec. 17 Residents inside the Burgaw city limits are being asked to participate in a contest to see who has the best and brightest Christmas lights this holiday season. Participants must live within the city limits and register by visisting burgaw.nc.gov/ rentals by Monday, Dec. 14. Winners will receive prizes, and of course, bragging rights! For more information, contact Burgaw Parks and Recreation, 910-300-6401.

Beary Merry Christmas in downtown New Bern Every weekend through Christmas Beary Merry Christmas is a month-long event, in which the downtown New Bern area is transformed into a magical Winter Wonderland. The signature event, “Light Up the Season & Santa’s Arrival,” kicks oﬀ the festivities the day after Thanksgiving with games, crafts and live entertainment. Santa’s holiday home in Bear Plaza is typically open Friday through Sunday during the Christmas season, allowing children to visit with Santa and have a photo. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, reservations to visit with Santa are required. Visit https://bearymerrychristmas.com/ santa-house/reservations/ to sign up.

HONOUR: THE MUSICAL Jan. 23-25, 31 & Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m.; Jan 26 & Feb 2 at 2 p.m. Craven Community College’s | Orringer Hall Tickets: $15 | available at www.honourthemusical.com or by calling 252-638-8558 The Stanly-Spaight Duel, one of New Bern’s most compelling stories, is the tale of a younger man goading an older statesman. The older man then insults the younger. All in public. In newsprint. Add in the story of Sarah Rice, a favored slave of the Spaights, who had a son by John Stanly. Mix it all together with the knowledge and wit of Bill Hand and the music of Simon Spalding and you have “Honour, The Musical.”

ANYTHING GOES Feb. 5-6, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7, 2 p.m. Feb. 12-13, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14, 2 p.m. Thalian Hall Main Stage, Wilmington Tickets: $32 available at thalianhall.org Cole Porter’s madcap Broadway musical features the antics aboard an ocean liner from New York bound for London. The musical introduced nowclassics like “You’re the Top,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” and the title track, “Anything Goes.” SE North Carolina Magazine

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Play Dates

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR, SENC-STYLE Although some holiday events have been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a few towns throughout Southeastern N.C. are still planning to have their uniquely Southern celebrations to ring in 2021. A few of them are listed below. All events are on December 31. New Year’s Eve Block Party in downtown New Bern. The Bear Cub Drop will be at 9 p.m. for the kids, while the Big Bear will drop at midnight! Lots of activities for the entire family are planned, including food trucks, Kidz Zone with inflatables (all free), live entertainment and lots more. For information on the Toyota of New Bern New Year’s Eve Block Party, contact New Bern Parks and Recreation at 252-639-2901. Third Annual New Year’s Eve Blueberry Drop, downtown Burgaw. The town of Burgaw and Pender County will continue the annual tradition of dropping a lighted blueberry on December 31 from 5-7 p.m., which is midnight GMT. Festivities will take place on Freemont Street next to the Pender County Court House. There will be live music, a photo booth, entertainment, food vendors and more. For more information, call 910-259-1278 or 910-259-2151. As of press time, the annual Island of Lights celebration in Kure Beach and Carolina Beach had been canceled, and the status of the annual Pickle Drop in Mount Olive was unknown.

RAIN - A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES THURSDAY, FEB. 18 WILSON CENTER @ CFCC Showtime: 7:30 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets: $45.13 – $109.99 (including fees and sales tax) available at www.wilsoncentertickets.com or by calling the Box Oﬃce at 910-362-7999 In celebration of the anniversary of the Beatles’ Abbey Road, RAIN will bring the greatest hits of this epic recording to life, in addition to all your early Beatles favorites. This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome, delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing the Beatles,” according to the Associated Press.

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Surf City Christmas tree

Yes, There Will Be A Christmas 2020

Wilmington Christmas tree

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has canceled many celebrations, that hasn’t stopped towns throughout Southeastern N.C. from putting up their annual Christmas trees, even if there haven’t been the traditional tree lightings with festive residents present. Following are a few Christmassy photos we found on Facebook. ‘Tis the season, after all!

New Bern Christmas tree lighting

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George Washington & The Oak Tree By Abby Cavenaugh

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Among the many centuries-old trees that dot the Southeastern North Carolina landscape, one particular oak tree in present-day Hampstead stands tall in the hearts of many history buffs. It is said that during his Southern Tour of the U.S. in 1791, George Washington sat under the oak tree and had lunch. Or maybe it was dinner. Or did he take a nap under the tree? It’s a common-known fact that Washington came through the area on his way from New Bern to Wilmington in April 1791. However, the details of his time under the oak tree are a little fuzzy, perhaps changed over time to make the story more interesting, or just the way stories told from person to person sometimes fudge the facts just a wee bit. “One of the most popular stories is that, when Washington passed through the area and ate under that tree, he was offered mutton, and asked for ham instead, hence the name Hampstead,” said James M. Collins, Chief of Interpretation at Moores Creek National Battlefield in Currie. “More likely the town is named after the town in England of the same name. We just don’t have a lot of information.” The Stamp Defiance Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), based in Wilmington, tells the story on its website as follows: “In 1791, President George Washington stopped in Wilmington while on his Southern Tour. A local militia company – the Wilmington Light Horse Dragoons – met him under an oak tree near present day Hampstead in Pender County. The Stamp Defiance Chapter, NSDAR, placed a marker at the spot in 1925.” The historical marker was re-dedicated in 2011. At that ceremony, members of the Stamp Defiance Chapter of the DAR recounted the words of Stamp Defiant Regent Margaret Lovell Gibson in 1925 at the original marker’s unveiling. “In choosing this particular site, we know for a certainty one thing, if neighborhood tradition can be relied upon, that at least this portion of the road was that old road over which Washington truly traveled,” Gibson had said. “We feel sure that he passed under this tree, though we do not accept without reservation the tradition that he may have eaten his lunch there. But we do know that beyond here about a mile once stood a mulberry tree grown from a switch used by Washington.”

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“We know that not far from this spot Washington was met by a party that escorted him into the city,” Gibson continued. “We know that there were stopping places along this road, which Washington named in his diary.” Pender County Library Director Mike Taylor provided a portion of that diary, which can be found in its entirety at www.archive.org. The diary recounts that Washington “breakfasted at ‘an indifferent house about 13 miles from Sage’s.’” The diary also confirms that Washington was met by a party of Light Horse from Wilmington, under the command of a Captain Henry Toomer. In addition, the diary refers to the “Rouse House,” which Taylor explained is likely in the present-day Scott’s Hill community outside Wilmington, also home to Poplar Grove Plantation. The town of Hampstead did not exist at that time. “The Rouse House was likely further south, outside Wilmington,” Taylor said. During the Revolutionary War, Patriot soldiers were enjoying an evening at Rouse’s Tavern, when they were massacred by the British in a surprise attack. The diary states that all of the Patriots were slaughtered, “with the exception of a boy who escaped.” This would seem to prove that Washington was in the general area during his Southern Tour. However, the specificity of the lunch under the oak tree may never be proven to be true. Still, as Taylor says, “The tree has long been part of local folklore and is a source of local pride. The fact is that the community has long been very proud of the historical association of George Washington passing through on his Southern Tour of the U.S. and the legend that he lunched or camped underneath this very tree that still stands.”

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Folk To Mask or Not To Mask — ‘ Tis Not A Question Story by Abby Cavenaugh • Instagram photos

It’s no secret that Southeastern North Carolina, like most of the rest of the world, has been in a public health crisis for nearly a year now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Surely, back in March when this all started in the U.S., no one thought it would still be going on, nor that our Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays would be so seriously affected. At the time of this writing, most Christmas events had been canceled for 2020, and most New Year’s celebrations have been canceled or dialed way back to avoid close crowds. It’s not ideal by any stretch of the imagination. But maybe — just maybe — if we make a few sacrifices now, we can return to normal sooner rather than later. As one of the memes floating around Facebook says, “Better to have a socially distanced Thanksgiving than an ICU Christmas.” A lot of people twist wearing a mask and social distancing into a political issue, but it’s really not. It’s a public health issue, plain and simple. No one is infringing on your rights by asking you to wear a mask. Just before Thanksgiving, a clerk in a Wilmington thrift shop handled it best, I think. I didn’t get her name, unfortunately, but I was shopping with my sister and niece (masks on) in the back of the store, when I heard the clerk stop someone and say, “Masks are required, ma’am.” With a fair

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amount of grumbling, the customer apparently put on her mask. The clerk could then be heard saying, “It needs to be over your nose, ma’am.” The customer huffed and complained, “I can’t breathe with it on my nose.” After a pause, the clerk calmly said, “It’s about lives, ma’am.” The customer then left, and I found myself bursting with pride that this clerk was so adamant, even though she probably lost some revenue from the customer. I wish that more businesses would be so vigilant. Like I said, if we sacrifice just a bit now, by wearing masks when in public, social distancing, being mindful of others, perhaps by this time next year, we’ll be back to semi normal. On the Monday before Thankgsiving, Governor Roy Cooper issued an executive order to tighten mask requirements and enforcement. “I have a stark warning for North Carolinians today: We are in danger,”

Governor Cooper said. “This is a pivotal moment in our fight against the coronavirus. Our actions now will determine the fate of many.” So, even if you don’t think you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus, and even if you find wearing a mask inconvenient or uncomfortable, it’s the right thing to do. Maybe you’re not at risk, but you might come into contact with someone who is. That person you pass on the street may have an autoimmune disease that isn’t visibly obvious, but that can make him or her especially susceptible to getting sick. Your grandma in a nursing home is especially vulnerable. I know you miss hugs. I do, too. But I haven’t hugged my mama since my aunt passed away in May, and that was a special circumstance that I immediately worried about. My mama’s still okay at the time I’m writing this. I pray she stays that way. Several people

in her church have had COVID, and that causes me worry. Besides, masks aren’t all bad. There are plenty of designs available now. You can match your outfit, or support your favorite sports team. My sister even has one with Baby Yoda from “The Mandalorian.” There are cute kid designs featuring their favorite superhero or cartoon character. Monty’s Home in Burgaw, which hosts the Pawsitive Prisoners program to help rescue dogs and inmates, has petthemed masks available with proceeds going toward their animal rescue. (I know because I bought one.) Even if you just get a plain, disposable mask, that’s good, too. I don’t think it’s political to reiterate the governor’s statement here. What we do now may determine the fate of many. So please, be mindful and let’s see each other on the other side of this. SE North Carolina Magazine

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Our corner of North Carolina oﬀers some pretty stellar scenery. For more, follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Want to see your photo featured in our next edition? Simply post photos of what you love about Southeastern North Carolina and tag @senorthcarolina on Instagram! See some examples on Page 5 of this issue.

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SENC Magazine - Winter 2021

Articles inside

Folk: To mask or not to mask — ‘tis not a question

Play Dates

One man’s trash is Beaver Dan’s treasure

George Washington & the oak tree

The Show Must Go On

Burney’s: a sweet family franchise