12 minute read
Letter from Calabash
A B O U T T H E C O V E R
Photo by Kermit Cox “This was a setup at an outdoor market,” says cover photographer Kermit Cox, who has taught photography at the Brunswick Center at Southport. “The sun was bright, and the se ng was just perfect for a photograph.” Carpe diem, Kermit! Read our stories about winter squash on pages 12 and 13 of this issue.
B R U N S W I C K S E N I O R B U Z Z
EDITOR Shelagh Clancy buzz@bsrinc.org (910) 622-1036 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mallory Balice, Casey Freed, Francesca Gazelle, Beth Klahre, Joan Leotta, Holley Norris, Mike McGurn, Donna Ruth Morgan, Pat Naughton, Marilou Smith
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kermit Cox, Casey Freed, Jillian Hardin, Veronica Lett-McGee, Pat Naughton, Teresa Nelson, Holley Norris, Amy Segen
ADVERTISING SALES (910) 754-2300 Anita Langin alangin@bsrinc.org Shelagh Clancy buzz@bsrinc.org © 2020 Brunswick Senior Resources Inc. All rights reserved www.bsrinc.org
Au t u m n i s f o r O ys t e r s
While summer is without question my favorite season of all, I find several things truly enjoyable and beautiful during the fall months. First and foremost, I enjoy sipping a warm beverage, like a Caramel Apple Spice, without breaking a sweat. The comfort and hip style of flannels, soft and oversized sweaters, leather boots, toboggans (or “beanies”, depending on where you’re from) are a plus. I love leaves turning a lovely shade of yellow and orange, apples being picked, pies being baked, bonfires being built. I could keep going, but I will end with my favorite part of fall— oyster roasts begin.
Oysters for Fall
Not everyone loves oysters, but I find them to be so tasty and comforting in the cooler temperatures. Not to mention— they were my Papa’s favorite, so they always bring back sweet memories of when he was still here with us.
If you’re an oyster lover, here’s an event created just for you—the 40th Annual North Carolina Oyster Festival (ncoysterfestival.com). This two-day event will be held in Ocean Isle Beach from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17. Admission is $5 (cash only) for adults and is free for children 12 and younger. Bring your chair and listen to live music, shop among the many vendors selling items that are truly one of a kind, and be sure to come hungry because I promise your belly will thank you for it! Have some fun and take part in the contests or sit back and watch them all unfold before you. Contests include an Oyster Eating Contest, Oyster Shucking Contest, and Oyster Stew Cook-off made up of stews prepared by local restaurants.
Take it from a local: This is something you do not want to miss. I’ll see you there!
Holley Norris, Director The Brunswick Center at Calabash
Notar y Ser vices Available at Brunswick Senior Centers
By Casey Freed Case Manager, The Brunswick Center at Southport
Have you heard about BSRI’s notary services? Notary services are available to all center participants. With an advance appointment, you can pop into any BSRI center location and have a notary public sign and notarize select legal documents completely free of charge. Jackie Knott, assistant director at the Brunswick Center at Southport, is a North Carolina notary public. Jackie has notarized car titles, wills, property exchange documents, and more. She says she loves being able to offer this service to our seniors.
“It is so much more convenient for folks to come see me in my office rather than stand in line somewhere and pay for a service that they can get here for free,” Knott says. “I can sign and stamp the documents before their chair yoga class or after they have lunch here.”
Photo by Casey Freed Case Management Assistant Vikki Hine (seated, right) assists Alan Mahoney with papers to be notarized. Witnesses are Case Management Assistant Teresa Muchler-Nogi (at le$) and Case Manager Laura Collins.
A Notary Comes to You
The service is not exclusively for participants who can come into the centers. Vikki Hine, case manager assistant at the Shallotte Center, is also a North Carolina notary public. Hine often receives calls from outside agencies like hospice who need someone to assist their clients who are homebound. If you are unable to leave your home for medical reasons, our case management team can bring notary services to you.
Advance Directive Advice
Some documents help you communicate your wishes in case of a medical emergency. The case management team and other staff who act as notaries are trained to answer your basic questions regarding advance directive forms such as living wills, health care power of attorneys, mental health directives, or forms that allow you to change an existing health care directive. The team can also help you find advance directive forms online.
To schedule an appointment with one of BSRI’s notaries, contact a case manager at your local center, or call the central office at Shallotte at (910) 754-2300.
Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity where you will impact the lives of abused or neglected children in your community? The Guardian ad Litem Program will begin a new virtual volunteer training in October 2021. Complete an application online at www.volunteerforgal.org or call (910) 253-4532 for more information.
Nutrition and Medicine Program Addresses Osteoporosis
Learn about how nutrition a ects osteoporosis at our October informational sessions at Brunswick County senior centers. BSRI Prescription Assistance Program Coordinator Marilou Smith and Wellness Program Manager Mallory Balice will host educational sessions about how nutrition a ects health conditions, and what resources can help lower the cost of prescriptions. Our special October topic is osteoporosis. • The Brunswick Center at
Shallotte
Noon, Oct. 8 • The Brunswick Center at
Southport
Noon, Oct. 15 • The Brunswick Center at
Leland
Noon, Oct. 18 • The Brunswick Center at
Supply 11:30 a.m. Oct. 19 • The Brunswick Center at
Calabash 11 a.m., Oct. 21
BSRI Named Hunger Hero
Distributes 10,000 Lbs. of Food
“BSRI received the Hunger Hero Award and a thank-you letter from the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. We distributed over 10,000 pounds of food from July 2020 to June 2021,” says BSRI Wellness Program Manager Mallory Balice. BSRI is a partner of the Food Bank. “We have three established food pantries at our senior centers, and we purchase nonperishable food from the Food Bank to create food boxes for our participants. “Each week, we send out food boxes to our participants who need food,” Balice says.
“So, wear your strongest posture and see your hardest times as more than just the times you fell, but a range of mountains you learned to climb.” ~ Morgan Harper Nichols
Antique Furniture Finds Its Way to BSRI Thrift Stores
By Mike McGurn Thrift Stores Operations Manager
Hello and happy fall, everyone! Hope you're enjoying the cooler weather and everything this beautiful time of year has to offer. Including yard sales and thrift store shopping. While we rarely get true antiques—items 100 years old or more—we recently received a single donation of a four-piece antique dining room set and a large, stunning secretary. The dining room set, which is on wheels, includes a large table and leaf with six chairs; a long buffet/server; and two china cabinets, one with a large oval window on the middle door which is decorated with scrolled wood carvings. The ornate set also features carvings on the doors and drawers, mother-of-pearl inlays on the knobs, and fluted decorative feet on every piece. One of the most unusual features is a drawer almost 6 feet wide across the top of the long buffet/server. The knobs are so far apart that it is quite literally difficult for most people to be able to grab both of them at the same time and open the drawer. Most everyone who sees it has never seen a drawer that wide!
The secretary is super neat and super big too, measuring eight feet high! It is ornate as well, with decorative carvings and framed glass doors. When the desktop is lowered a very functional organizer is revealed, with four letter slots and four small drawers on each side and a small center cabinet and drawer. There are a couple of secret compartments that have tough-to-find releases, for hiding money and other valuables. While the small china cabinet sold almost right away, as of press time all the other pieces are still available at our Calabash Thrift Store at very reasonable prices. You never know what you'll find at BSRI Thrift Stores, but items like these will transport you back in time and give you a great appreciation of the craftsmanship and care that went into making them.
Calabash Senior Housing Makes Progress
By Beth A. Klahre
The August issue of the Senior Buzz announced the start of a new senior living housing project in Calabash. The project, led by Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. (BSRI), will develop an independent living facility for seniors on the 15-acre property behind the Brunswick Center at Calabash.
Plans call for a 136-unit apartment complex with a 74-unit three-story apartment building alongside multi-family ranch-style buildings of four, six, or eight units. Conveniently located next to the Brunswick Center at Calabash, residents will be able to easily take advantage of the programs and services at the center and enjoy indoor and outdoor public spaces, walking trails, and more.
Floor Plans Are Nearly Done
According to BSRI Director of Corporate Strategy Courtney Bledsoe, the project is reaching an exciting time. “We have made great headway over the past several weeks. All floor plans have been finalized and we are now moving into the interior design process and selections. I can't wait for our future residents to see the beautiful apartments we are building for them!”
BSRI has partnered with Norris and Tunstall Consulting Engineers of Wilmington. The group has been vital to the development process from the start and is currently working on obtaining construction permits and approvals. Bledsoe says, “We are getting closer to construction every day. The engineers have created master site plans, working closely with us to make the most out of the property. They have consulted with the town administrator, commissioners, and planning board to ensure our plans are viable and all concerns are addressed before development begins.”
Simultaneous to permitting, the team is accepting bids from local contractors and builders. Bledsoe says, “We have some great contenders, but have not made a final selection at this time. We know that we want to contract locally as it is extremely important to BSRI and our investors to provide job opportunities in our community and support Brunswick County's economy.”
Website Coming Soon
BSRI will begin promoting the new community through the senior centers first. Interested potential leasers can get on an emailing list now by stopping at any of the senior centers in the county. BSRI will begin emailing information when a new website is launched in the next couple of months.
Construction Timeline
No final date is set, but BSRI hopes to begin construction by the end of 2021. Once construction starts, leasing rates will be determined based on current market rates. The 74-unit building will be the first to accept tenants.
Bledsoe says, “We will have a range of rental rates depending on the apartment size and layout, so there will be plenty of options available.” BSRI expects to lease all of the apartments in the 74-unit building in the first couple of months of construction.
Bledsoe is very optimistic about the project. “Creating more housing options that offer the support that BSRI provides through our many programs and services has been a goal of BSRI for many years. In order to truly help seniors stay independent and age in place, it is our responsibility to provide more opportunities to do so.”
Meet Cour tney Bledsoe, BSRI Director of Corporate Strategy
By Beth A. Klahre
Courtney Bledsoe is the new Director of Corporate Strategy for Brunswick County Senior Resources, Inc. (BSRI.). She takes on this role with drive and ambition backed by plenty of relevant experience.
Prior to working for BSRI, Courtney was a restaurant manager and event coordinator for 10 years where she helped open several new locations and secured new business. During her 13 years of management, she led several startups.
In 2018, Courtney started her career with BSRI. She was hired as Assistant Center Director of the Brunswick Center at Leland and after three months was transferred to the Brunswick Center at Supply in the same role. She accepted a promotion to center director at the Brunswick Center at Calabash in September 2018, where she led a team of staff and volunteers to open the newest BSRI center. The center received the SCOPE Center of Excellence Certification based on foundational efficient systems and processes. This past April, Courtney was promoted to her current position.
For Courtney, working for BSRI is not just a job. “I have always had a heart for serving others. I knew that I would have a great sense of fulfillment working for a mission-based organization. When I first discovered BSRI, I was really just seeking a volunteer opportunity. I thought about maybe teaching yoga or driving a Meals on Wheels route in my free time. When I saw the job posting for the assistant director position, I felt called to apply.”
And she is very happy that she did! “Working with this population has been so rewarding. I love that I can use my skills to serve people in such impactful ways. I truly cherish the relationships I have built with our participants and community. I am forever grateful.”
Courtney is excited about her new role in strategy. While she says that there is much to accomplish, her short-term goals are to establish more housing opportunities for older adults. She says, “I love to get to be on the ground level of new opportunities for BSRI.
“I feel my greatest strength is empowering and encouraging my team members to be their best. I find that encouragement and support produces the best outcome in business.”
More about Courtney
Favorite Pastime: Walking my dogs, surfing at Holden Beach or doing yoga. I am happiest when I am outdoors. Favorite Book: The Four Agreements Favorite Movie: “Ferris Bueller's Day Off” Favorite Cookie: Anything with chocolate
