Pinestraw November 2024

NATURALLY STRONG

SEVEN LAKES NORTH • $488,888 144 CARDINAL LANE

Nicely updated 3 BR / 2 BA waterfront cottage on Big Juniper lake. Located in a private setting this home is perfect to enjoy lake life at its best. Updates include newly built dock, concrete driveway, expanded laundry room and fully renovated baths!

PINEHURST • $435,000 15 MONMOUTH COURT

Beautiful 3 BR / 2 BA white brick mid-century modern home in a great Pinehurst location offering a split bedroom floorplan with bright, open layout with hardwood flooring in main living area and bedrooms.

PINEHURST • $375,000

355 PINE VISTA DRIVE

Lovely 3 BR / 2 BA brick home in popular Lake Pinehurst area. Open and spacious floorplan all on one level with a gorgeous den/study with exposed ceiling beams and fireplace with brick hearth and a wall of bookcases!

SEVEN LAKES NORTH •$345,000 103 PINENEEDLE DRIVE

Wonderful 3 BR / 2 BA ranch style home located in popular 7LN. Main living area is spacious with large kitchen and large back deck overlooking the back yard. This home has lots of appeal!

CARTHAGE • $235,000

556 STAGE ROAD

Cozy 1 BR / 1 BA cottage that comfortably sleeps 4. Located just outside of Carthage in a quiet spot and a short drive to Pinehurt/ So.Pines area. Perfect investment property!

PINEHURST • $375,000

138 LOVE THIRTY LANE

Beautifully renovated 2 BR / 2 BA townhome in popular Lawn and Tennis. Hardwood flooring throughout main living areas and great inset wet bar in formal dining room.

FOXFIRE • $220,000 213 FOXKROFT DRIVE

Nice 2 BR / 2 BA condo in Foxfire Village. Living space is open with two bedroom suites, both with full baths and sliding glass doors to another deck overlooking the golf course. Perfect for a golf get way or an investment property!

PINEHURST • $440,000

10 TANDEM DRIVE

Amazing 4 BR / 2.5 BA two-story colonial home situated on double lot in quiet cul-de-sac location. The floorplan is well-appointed and the home has been lovingly cared for!

PINEHURST • $375,000 TBD BOND STREET

0.83-acre residential lot located within the historical district of Pinehurst in the desirable Linden Clos community. Comes with transferrable PCC membership!

IN MOORE COUNTY REAL ESTATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS!

Luxury Properties

Immaculate 3 BR / 2.5 BA custom golf front home in quiet National/Pinehurst No.9 location. Almost 3,000 sq.ft. on one level, with fine finishes throughout as well as stunning golf views. PINEHURST • $1,045,000

Unique 4 BR / 4 BA 3-level, waterfront home situated on nice double lot in private No. 6 location. Home is well-maintained with lots of space and an abundance of privacy. Transferable PCC membership available.

Charming 3 BR / 3 BA custom home on double lot with nice features and fine finishes throughout! Spacious lower level with views of the lake from the kitchen, family room and primary suite!

is

SEVEN LAKES NORTH • $835,000 195 SHAGBARK COURT

miss this rare opportunity to own your own private haven!

November ����

Jim Dodson

Cover Photogra Ph by tim Sayer

Photogra Ph thiS Page by John geSSner

PINEHURST TOYOTA

Thanks to your support, we have won: Best of The Pines 2024 #1 Dealership Service Department. Schedule your appointment today to experience #1 Service

Sun-Mon: Closed. Tues: Private Appointments Only. / Wed-Fri: 12-5. / Sat: 12-4. Email info@knickers-lingerie.com or call 910-725-2346

150 E. New Hampshire Ave / Southern Pines, NC 28387

volume 20, no. 11

David Woronoff, Publisher david@thepilot.com

Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director andiesouthernpines@gmail.com

Jim Moriarty, Editor jjmpinestraw@gmail.com

Keith Borshak, Senior Designer

Alyssa Kennedy, Digital Art Director alyssamagazines@gmail.com

Emilee Phillips, Digital Content emilee@pinestrawmag.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jim Dodson, Stephen E. Smith

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Gessner, Laura L. Gingerich, Diane McKay, Tim Sayer CONTRIBUTORS

Jenna Biter, Anne Blythe, Tom Bryant, Susan Campbell, Bill Case, Tony Cross, Brianna Rolfe Cunningham, Mart Dickerson, Bill Fields, Tom Maxwell, Mary Novitsky, Lee Pace, Todd Pusser, Joyce Reehling, Deborah Salomon, Scott Sheffield, Rose Shewey, Angie Tally, Kimberly Daniels Taws, Daniel Wallace, Ashley Walshe, Claudia Watson, Amberly Glitz Weber

ADVERTISING SALES

Ginny Trigg, Advertising Director 910.693.2481 • ginny@thepilot.com

Samantha Cunningham, 910.693.2505

Kathy Desmond, 910.693.2515

Terry Hartsell, 910.693.2513

Erika Leap, 910.693.2514

Christy Phillips, 910.693.2498

ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN

Mechelle Butler, Scott Yancy PS

Henry Hogan, Finance Director 910.693.2497

Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488

SUBSCRIPTIONS 910.693.2488

OWNERS

Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels III, David Woronoff

In memoriam Frank Daniels Jr.

145 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387 www.pinestrawmag.com ©Copyright

AT LISI MARKET

Photograph by Matthew Gibson

MOZART’S REQUIEM

Maestro David Michael Wolff leads the Philharmonic, guest vocalists and a powerful chorus, in a poignant rendition of Mozart’s Requiem.

Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 7:30pm RE Lee Auditorium, Pinecrest HS

Reserve your seat today!

The dental frontier. This is the journey of Allison and Associates. Our ultimate mission: To educate patients about the importance of oral health and its effect on lifespan, To seek out new technologies and new research, To venture where few dentists have gone before. Our dental office has a 100% digital dental laboratory, one of a kind in Moore County. We utilize CAD/CAM designing and manufacturing methods to create final restorations for patients. Our staff embraces evidence-based research and treatment to provide the best dental care to our patients. Lastly, oral health is important for longevity. Studies demonstrate oral health is vital if you want “To live long and prosper.”

Overwhelmed by Medicare Advantage options?

FirstMedicare Direct is hosting informational seminars at our Southern Pines offi ce October 1 – November 21. Learn about the Medicare Advantage plans available, how to enroll and more. Sessions are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m and 2 p.m.

Go online to FirstMedicare.com/Events or call (877) 829-0251 (TTY 711) to RSVP and reserve your spot.

Available daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Voicemail is used on holidays and weekends from April 1 to September 30.

1930 N. Poplar St., Ste. 21 Southern Pines, NC

The Sacred Month

A time to go inside

by Jim DoDSon

Long ago, I decided that November is the most sacred month.

To my way of thinking, on so many levels, no other holds as much mystery, beauty and spiritual meaning as the 11th month of the calendar.

The landscape gardener in me is always relieved when the weather turns sharply cooler and there’s an end to the constant fever of pruning and weeding, plus fretting over plants struggling from the heat and drought of a summer that seems to grow more punishing each year.

Once the leaves are gathered up, and everything is cut back and mulched for the winter, not only does my planning “mind” kick in with what’s to be done for next year, but the beautifully bare contours of the earth around me become a living symbol — and annual reminder — of life’s bittersweet circularity and the relative brevity of our journey through it.

The hilly old neighborhood where we reside is called Starmount Forest for good reason, owing to the mammoth oaks and sprawling maples that kindly shelter us with shade in summer and stand like druid guardians throughout the year, season after season. Beginning this month, the skies become clearer and the nighttime stars glimmer like diamonds on black velvet through their bare and mighty arms, hence the neighborhood’s name: a “mount” where the “stars” shine at night.

Of course, there is risk living among such monarchs of the forest. Every now and then, one of these elderly giants drops a large limb or, worse, topples over, proving their own mortality, sometimes taking out part of a house or a garage, or just

blocking the street until work crews arrive with chainsaws. As far as I know, no one has ever been seriously injured or killed by our neighborhood trees, though the growing intensity of summer storms seems to elevate the danger. Lately, some neighborhood newcomers, prefiguring catastrophe, have taken to cutting down their largest oaks as an extra measure of security in a world where, as actuaries and sages agree, there really is no guaranteed thing. In the meantime, the rest of us have made something of a Faustian bargain with these soulful giants for the privilege of living among them. We care for them and (sometimes) they don’t fall on us.

Speaking of “soul,” no month spiritually embodies it better than November.

All Souls’ Day, also called The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, comes on the second day of the eleventh month, a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed observed by Christians for centuries. The day before All Souls’ is All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day or the Feast of All Saints, a celebration in honor of all the saints of the church, whether they are known or unknown.

Every four years, the first Tuesday that follows the first Monday of November is our national Election Day, a day considered sacred by citizens who believe in the right to vote their conscience and tend the garden of democracy.

Congress established this curious weekday of voting in 1845 on the theory that, since a majority of Americans were (at that moment) farmers or residents of rural communities, their harvests would generally have been completed, with severe winter weather yet to arrive that could impede travel. Tuesday was also chosen so that voters could attend church on Sunday and have

a full day to travel to and from their polling place on Monday, arriving home on Wednesday, just in time for traditional market day across America.

Like daylight saving time (which, by the way, ends Sunday, Nov. 3) some critics believe “Tuesday voting” is a relic of a bygone time, requiring modern voters to balance a busy workday with the sacred obligation of voting. For what it’s worth, I tend to fall into the camp that advocates a newly established voting “holiday weekend” that would begin with the first Friday that follows the first Thursday of November, allowing three full days to exercise one’s civic obligation, throw a nice neighborhood cookout and mow the lawn for the last time.

While we’re in the spirit of reforming the calendar, would someone please ditch daylight saving time, a genuine relic of the past that totally wrecks the human body’s natural circadian rhythms? Farmers had it right: Rise with the sun and go to bed when it sets.

Next up in November’s parade of sacred moments is Veterans Day, which arrives on the 11th, a historic federal holiday that honors military veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, established in the aftermath of World War I with the signing of the Armistice with Germany that went into effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. In 1954, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day at the urging of major U.S. military organizations.

November’s gentler sunlight — at least here in the Northern Hemisphere — feels like a benediction falling across the leafless

landscape, quite fitting for a month where we go “inside” literally and figuratively to celebrate the bounty of living on Earth. In the Celtic mind, late autumn is the time of the “inner harvest,” when gratitude and memory yield their own kind of fertility.

“Correspondingly, when it is autumn in your life, the things that happened in the past, the experiences that were sown in the clay of your heart, almost unknown to you, now yield their fruit,” writes the late Irish poet John O’Donohue.

First shared by Squanto and the pilgrims in 1621, Thanksgiving was decreed “a day of public Thanksgiving and Prayer” on November 26, 1789, by George Washington. Then it was proclaimed a national holiday on the last Thursday of November by Abe Lincoln. Finally, during the Great Depression in 1939, it was moved to the third Thursday of the month by Franklin Roosevelt to extend Christmas shopping days. But for most folks, the observance of Thanksgiving embodies, I suspect, many of the things we hold sacred in life:

The gathering of families, memories of loved ones, lots of laughter, good food and friendly debates over football and politics.

I give extra thanks for Thanksgiving every year, especially the day after when some who hold bargain-hunting on “Black Friday” a sacred ritual thankfully disappear and I am free to enjoy my favorite “loaded” turkey sandwich and take a nice long afternoon nap by the fire to celebrate my favorite holiday. PS

Jim Dodson can be reached at jwdauthor@gmail.com.

45 CHESTERTOWN DRIVE - FOREST CREEK

Absolutely breathtaking, beautifully landscaped property with nearly one acre in the prestigious gated Community of Forest Creek. Charm and character abound throughout, with nothing spared in either design or quality of materials. Reclaimed heart pine, European stone flooring, Rutt cabinetry, Waterworks fixtures, gourmet kitchen, wood burning fireplace, luxurious Master suite, wine cellar and so much more.

$3,150,000

215 INVERRARY ROAD - FAIRWOODS ON 7

Privacy on 4.8 acres in the prestigious Fairwoods ON 7. Expansive rooms awash in natural light, French doors, hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen with large island, Master bedroom with fireplace. Extra large covered brick patio, 3 bay conditioned garage with epoxy floor. Extensively renovated in 2022,new bathroom fixtures, new HVAC, fresh air system, encapsulated crawl space, insulated attic.

$2,495,000

14 ROYAL COUNTY DOWN – PINEHURST NATIONAL NO 9

Immediate Pinehurst SIGNATURE Golf Membership for transfer with no “wait list” in the gated Community of Pinehurst National (Pinehurst No 9). Situated on the 13th hole on desirable Royal County Down, a tree lined street and one of the favorite streets in the Community. Immaculate move-in ready with over 3600 square feet of living space, chef’s kitchen, four ensuite bedrooms to include the Master and a guest room on the first floor. Stunning expansive “outdoor kitchen” recently added. $1,275,000

255 CHEROKEE ROAD - OLD TOWN

VILLAGE FAVORITE! Elegant Georgian style home in the sought after historic OLD TOWN location. Just a 2 1/2 block walk to the heart of the Village. Fabulous home seamlessly combines formal with casual living. A gourmet kitchen and large island, opens to the family room with a corner fireplace. Special 3-room mother-in-law suite with separate entrance and private garage. This phenomenal home boosts a 4 car garage and beautifully landscaped yard..

$2,475,000

55 PALMETTO ROAD – PINEHURST FULL VIEW OF PINEHURST NO 2, the famed Donald Ross masterpiece. Location with all the extras. Totally upgraded home, hardwood floors throughout, a handsome fireplace in the living room, separate dining room. Full kitchen opens to a bright family room with a fireplace and a wall of glass. Master bedroom on the first floor. Radiant heated floors in the second MB ensuite. Spacious climate controlled garage with cabinetry. Private outside with patio and storybook Gazebo. $2,495,000 OLD TOWN

160 THUNDERBIRD CIRCLE – GOLF FRONT Like NEW CONSTRUCTION at the end of the cul-de-sec completely surrounded by Pinehurst No 5 Golf Course. Private, secluded, with lush green fairways as far as the eye can see. Sellers took home down to the studs to create a stunning, mid-modern golf haven. Large “Accordion” glass doors fold back for an open Great Room to the outdoors. Chef kitchen with Bertizoni stove, Bertizoni microwave drawer, Bertizoni refrigerator and more. $875,000 PINEHURSTNO5 SOLD

SOLD

110 SHORT ROAD

Charming Historic Cottage in the Village of Pinehurst and located on the desirable Short Road. A studio apartment behind the main house is the hidden gem. Numerous upgrades, spacious rooms, heart pine floors, fireplace in the dining room. Master bedroom on the main floor with a handsome staircase leading to the second floor and two additional bedrooms. There’s impressive storage, a coveted basement and a deck off the kitchen that overlooks the private back yard.

$840,000

121 TRIPLE CROWN COURT LONGLEAF CC

Spacious home in Longleaf Country Club conveniently located between Pinehurst and Sourthen Pines. Great room opens to dining room, kitchen with breakfast area opens to family room, plus a Carolina room, plus a handsome deck and an office off Master bedroom. Granite in kitchen and stainless appliances. Move-in ready!

$569,000

PinePitch

Sound and Swagger

The high octane swing band Good Shot Judy pumps up the jazz on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m., at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. A Good Shot Judy show offers all those tunes you can hum along to, if you don’t know most of the words. But the music itself is only part of the allure. Tickets are $27. For information call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Hail the Sugar Plum Fairy

Gary Taylor Dance presents that family holiday tradition like no other, Tchaikovsky’s timeless ballet The Nutcracker, at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29. Join Clara on her magical journey to escape the Battle of the Toy Rats and Soldiers and travel through the Land of Snow to the Land of the Sweets. There will be additional matinee performances on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. For information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com. PS

Wave a Flag. Thank a Veteran.

The annual Veterans Day Parade up and down Broad Street in downtown Southern Pines begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. It may not be exactly the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — it’s not 1918 either — but the meaning remains exactly the same. For additional information visit www. southernpines.net.

BYO Pepcid

Come for the chili. Stay for the heartburn. The annual SoPines Chili Cook-Off supporting the Special Forces Association Chapter 62 and sponsored by O’Donnell’s Pub, 133 E. New Hampshire Ave., closes down a city block in front of the pub on Sunday, Nov. 10, from noon to 3 p.m. A pinch of this, a dash of that, and pretty soon you got a three-alarm fire in your mouth.

The Guitar Man

World-renowned guitarist Lukasz Kuropaczewski will appear in the Bradshaw Performing Art Center’s McPherson Theater, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7. Kuropaczewski, who started playing the guitar at the age of 10, has toured in Europe, the United States, Canada, South America and Japan, giving solo recitals in London’s Royal Festival Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Warsaw’s National Philharmonic Hall, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and New York’s Carnegie Hall. He was a member of the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia from 2008-2010, and is currently on the faculty of the Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland, and the Kunst University Graz, Austria. For tickets and information visit www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Et Tu, Puccini?

Torture, murder and suicide during the Napoleonic Wars with some of Giacomo Puccini’s best-known arias. What’s not to love? Tosca, Puccini’s opera in three acts, comes to the screen at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, on Saturday, Nov. 23, beginning at 1 p.m., courtesy of the New York Metropolitan Opera. For additional info call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Meet and Greet

A Little Ludwig

One of the most distinctive artists of his generation, Sir Stephen Hough, will join the North Carolina Symphony, led by music director Carlos Miguel Prieto, in a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 on Thursday, Nov. 14, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. A true polymath, Hough was the first classical performer to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. Additional selections include Gibson’s warp and weft and Brahms Symphony No. 1. For further information visit www.ncsymphony.org

The opening reception for a unique exhibition presented by the Arts Council of Moore County, “Healing Through the Arts,” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 1 at the Campbell House Gallery, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. The show features the life experiences of military veterans and spouses, and encompasses painting, photography, printmaking, jewelry, pastels, poetry and music. The artists represented include Ashleigh and Carlin Corsino; Richard Davenport; Corrie Dodds; Enrique Herrera; Kenny Lewis; Jason and Michelle Howk; Linda Nunez; Franklin Oldham; Amy Parks; Roger Price; Douglas and Maria Rowe; and Rollie Sampson. The show runs through Dec. 18. For information call (910) 692-4356.

Scorpio

(October 23 –November 21)

Nothing like an old sweater, huh? So comfy and familiar. But so not doing you any favors. This month, self-worth is the name of the game. And here’s the thing: You’re destined to win. It’s simply a matter of ditching the security blanket — be that a threadbare sweater or an outdated (read, self-effacing) MO. Oh, and when Juno enters your sign on Nov. 3, get ready for a next-level soul connection. We’re talking oceanic depths. How do you feel about whale songs?

Tea leaf “fortunes” for the rest of you:

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Throw out the candy.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Get ready for a boon.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Turn the dial just a hair.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

More root vegetables.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Try softening your gaze.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Just ask for directions.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Lay off the caffeine for a bit.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Someone’s got your back.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Get cozy with the silence.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Worrying won’t help.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Don’t be a doormat. PS

Zora Stellanova has been divining with tea leaves since Game of Thrones’ Starbucks cup mishap of 2019. While she’s not exactly a medium, she’s far from average. She lives in the N.C. foothills with her Sphynx cat, Lyla.

2024 Weymouth Wonderland: A Season of Stories

DECEMBER 6:

Candlelight & Carols | 5:30 pm | Tickets starting at $50

DECEMBER 7 & 8:

Wonderfest & Market | 10:00 am-5:00 pm

Tour the Boyd House decorated for the holidays, buy holiday decor in the Holiday Shoppe, grab a treat and a warm drink from our Bake Shoppe, visit Santa, shop local vendors and artisans and more! Fun for the Whole Family!

The Boyd House will remain open and available for self-guided tours and to see the decorations from December 9 - December 27. Boyd House hours are Monday - Friday 10 am - 4 pm. Open to the public.

Scan the QR code for tickets and additional information!

After the Amber

A novel of disappearance and guilt

By Stephen e . Smith

Astartling buzzing

blasts from your phone or TV, followed by a high-pitched whine, and a detailed description of a missing child inching across the screen. It’s an active Amber Alert — a child abduction emergency. We experience these alerts too often, but we rarely learn what becomes of the missing child or how such a disappearance affects the child’s family, friends and the community in which the child lives.

Marybeth Mayhew Whalen’s 10th novel, Every Moment Since, is a fictional exploration of the emotional forces that wear on those who knew and loved 11-year-old Davy Malcor, who went missing for over two decades. The narrative opens with an early morning phone call informing Sheriff Lancaster that Davy’s favorite jacket was found in an abandoned building near the small North Carolina town of Wynotte. The burden of Davy’s disappearance is still very much in the public consciousness, fixed there by a bestselling memoir written by Davy’s older brother, Thaddeus, who had been responsible for watching over Davy on the night he vanished. On that tragic evening, Davy’s parents were attending a cocktail party, and Thaddeus ditched Davy so he could drink beer with his buddies. Davy wandered in the darkness with a mysterious new friend until headlights flickered through the neighborhood and Davy was gone. What happened that night transformed the characters’ lives and, years later, one question haunts them all: What might I have done differently?

Whalen has provided an intriguing cast of characters. Tabitha, Davy’s mother, is divorced (a byproduct of her son’s disappear-

ance) and lives alone in the house where Davy was raised. She devotes her time to advocating for the families of missing children. Thaddeus is profiting from his family’s misfortune with a bestselling memoir. Aniss Weaver, the last person to see Davy alive, works as a public information officer for the local police.

Gordon Swift, a local sculptor, is the prime suspect in Davy’s disappearance, although there has never been adequate evidence to bring charges against him. We have all the ingredients for a suspenseful mystery.

But Every Moment Since isn’t your typical whodunnit. The plot is a trifle too straightforward: a boy goes missing, his family suffers, the community agonizes, a body is eventually found, and the mystery, albeit a slight one, is solved. There are too few plot twists or complications in the early stages of the narrative, and much of the expository information in the first 180 pages of the 363-page novel focuses on the minutia of the characters’ day-to-day lives. Throughout the story, there is a nagging need to “bring on the bear.”

Whalen’s focus, the moving force in the novel, is guilt, which the characters suffer to various degrees. Tabitha rebukes herself for having left Davy in Thaddeus’ care so she could spend an evening socializing. Aniss Weaver is troubled by her specific knowledge that Thaddeus is blameless. And Thaddeus, more than any of the characters, is troubled by the financial success of his memoir about his brother’s disappearance. Gordon Swift, although innocent, suffers from doubts about his sexuality and the community’s suspicion that focuses on him as the likely culprit.

Whalen employs various third-person points of view that are not arranged chronologically (think Pulp Fiction). And the chapters range from excerpts taken from Thaddeus’ memoir to Tabitha’s daily bouts of regret to pure narrative segments that nudge the story forward. Even Davy, who has long since disappeared from

the immediate action, has a third-person limited view in parts of the novel.

If this sounds like a lot to keep straight, it is, and the reader is required to focus his or her attention on what is happening to whom and when. The only question that needs answering is why the narrative is presented in this disjointed fashion, which becomes apparent in the novel’s final chapters.

The reader might reasonably conclude that the novel was written with the audiobook in mind (available as a digital download through Kindle). Chapters featuring the various personas written in the limited third person achieve degrees of separation and distinction when read by voice actors representing the various characters. For example, book chapters about Tabitha contain too few distinctive hooks that the reader can employ to establish an ongoing connection with the character, and one’s attention must remain fixed on who is doing what and when. Read aloud, the connection is immediate and continuous.

Every Moment Since is not recommended for anyone suffering from ADHD or for casual readers who will likely put the novel aside for days and expect to pick up the narrative line without rereading. The shifting points of view will not detract from the novel’s impact if the reader remains focused.

Whalen creates believable characters and has a true talent for dialogue — and she is to be congratulated for taking on a challenging and complex subject. The disappearance of a child is a horrifying possibility for any parent, and the crippling emotions suffered by a family that has experienced such a loss are almost inconceivable. Every Moment Since is a reminder that we should take careful notice of the Amber Alerts that come blaring across our TVs and phones. They aren’t works of fiction. PS

Stephen E. Smith is a retired professor and the author of seven books of poetry and prose. He’s the recipient of the Poetry Northwest Young Poet’s Prize, the Zoe Kincaid Brockman Prize for poetry and four North Carolina Press Awards.

Scarlett Allison

Christine Barrett

Maureen Clark

Joy Blake Donat

Tracy Gibson

Keith Harris

Maribeth Hough

Laurie Kornegay

Ross Laton

Christian McCarthy

Melody Bell McClelland

Meredith Morski

Lesley Dacko Pacos

Caitlin Richardson

Brenda Sharpe

Kate Shinkwin

November Books

FICTION

Eurotrash, by Christian Kracht

The eponymous narrator “Christian” has arrived in Zurich to care for his 80-year-old mother after her discharge from a mental institution. Reckoning with his family’s dark history — his long-dead grandfather was intimately associated with and unapologetically supportive of the Nazis — and struggling to navigate the emotionally wrenching terrain of his relationship with his mother, Christian sets off on a road trip with her. As they traverse Switzerland in a hired cab, mother and son attempt to give away her vast fortune, which they’re carrying in a large plastic bag, to random strangers. By turns disturbing, disorienting, hilarious and poignant, Eurotrash tells an intensely personal and unsparingly critical story of contemporary culture.

Pony Confidential, by Christina Lynch

Pony has been passed from owner to owner for longer than he can remember. Fed up, he busts out and goes on a cross-country mission to reunite with Penny, the little girl he was separated from and hasn’t seen in years. Now an adult, Penny is living an ordinary life when she gets a knock on her door and finds herself in handcuffs, accused of murder and whisked back to the place she grew up. Her only comfort when the past comes back to haunt her is the memory of her precious, rebellious pony. Hearing of Penny’s fate, Pony knows that Penny is no murderer. So, as smart and devious as he is cute, Pony must use his hard-won knowledge of human weakness and cruelty to try to clear Penny’s name and find the real killer.

NONFICTION

Ghosts of Panama: A Strongman Out of Control, A Murdered Marine, and the Special Agents Caught in the Middle of an Invasion, by Mark Harmon

The once warm relationship between the United States and Gen. Manuel Noriega has eroded dangerously. Newly elected President George H.W. Bush has declared the strongman a drug trafficker and a rigger of elections. Intimidation on the streets is a daily reality for U.S. personnel and their families. The nation is a powder keg. Naval Investigative Service Special Agent Rick Yell has worked the job in Panama since 1986, and lives there with his wife, Annya, and infant child. Like most NIS agents, he’s a civilian with no military rank with a specialty in working criminal cases. The dynamic changes suddenly when Yell inadvertently develops an intelligence source with unparalleled access to the Noriega regime. The powder keg is lit on December 16, 1989, when a young U.S. Marine is gunned down at a checkpoint in Panama City. Yell and his cadre of trusted agents deploy immediately to investigate the killing, and what they determine will decide the fate of two nations. When President Bush hears the details they uncover, he orders an invasion that puts Yell’s family, informants and fellow agents directly in harm’s way.

How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History, from NPR Music by National Public Radio, Inc.

NPR Music’s Turning the Tables launched in 2017 and revolutionized recognition of female artists. How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History brings this impressive reshaping to the page in a must-have book for music fans, songwriters, feminist historians and those interested in how artists think and work. In it Joan Baez talks about nonviolence as a musical principle; Dolly Parton identifies her favorite song and explains the story behind it; Patti Smith describes art as her “jealous mistress”; Nina Simone reveals how she developed the edge in her voice as a tool against racism; and Taylor Swift talks about when she had no idea if her musical career might work. This incomparable hardcover volume is a vital record of history destined to become a classic.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Alfie Explores A to Z, by Jeff Drew

When Alfie’s pet dust bunny Betty disappears, his search for her leads him to Dee’s Diner, through Ice Cream Island, and more. I Spy meets Where’s Waldo with a poetic alphabetical twist in this gorgeous picture book. (Ages 3-7.)

Best in Show, by David Elliott

Perfectly positioned petite poems pronouncing praise for perfect pets, this collection of short poems of beloved dog breeds also includes factual history and details. A perfect pick for dog lovers of any age. (Ages 3-7.)

When We Gather: A Cherokee Tribal Feast, by

Andrea L. Rogers

In the fall we gather for Thanksgiving but in the Cherokee culture the communal feast happens in the spring with the emergence of the green onion shoots. Family, community and the harvest are all celebrated in this lovely readtogether that gives a nod to respecting the Earth by leaving more than you take and sharing what you have to give. (Ages 4-8.)

Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood, by Robert Beatty

Sylvia Doe doesn’t know where she was born or the people she came from. She doesn’t even know her real last name. When Hurricane Jessamine causes the remote mountain valley where she lives to flood, Sylvia must rescue her beloved horses. But she begins to encounter strange and wondrous things floating down the river. Glittering gemstones and wild animals that don’t belong — everything’s out of place. Then she spots an unconscious boy floating in the water. As she fights to rescue him — and their adventure together begins — Sylvia wonders who he is and where he came from. And why does she feel such a strong connection to this mysterious boy?

Known for his Serafina series, Beatty will be donating 100 percent of his earned royalties from Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood — a story he’s been writing for several years — to the people impacted by the catastrophic floods caused by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina, where he lives. The real-life 100year flood struck at the same time the book was scheduled to launch. (Ages 8 -12.) PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally

By Bill FieldS

It Still Stings

Stuffed and trimmed on Thanksgiving

Inundated as we are with sports on television these days, it’s easy to forget that wasn’t always the case. Prior to cable television, college football teams weren’t playing on multiple nights of the week. Until Monday Night Football debuted in 1970, NFL games were, with rare exceptions, only on Sunday.

Thanksgiving was a longtime exception. Turkey Day college games were popular in the 19th century and have been a staple of the National Football League since its founding in 1920. When I was a sports-loving kid in the 1960s and ’70s, having a holiday football game to watch on TV was almost as big a treat as getting to eat my mother’s once-a-year dressing that went with the bird.

Fifty years ago, though, the pleasure of a big game on the tube gave way to the pain of its outcome. Thinking about the events of that Thanksgiving still gives me indigestion.

By 1974 I had been a Washington Redskins (now Commanders) fan — there were a lot of us in North Carolina back then — for about a decade, a period marked mostly by frustration. My football hero, quarterback Sonny Jurgensen, was great, and so was his favorite receiving target, Charley Taylor. But the team from old D.C. always seemed to be missing some puzzle pieces. Things seemed poised for change when Vince Lombardi became coach in 1969, but the former Green Bay mastermind died just a year later. It would be up to George Allen, who came east from the Los Angeles Rams in 1971, to build on Lombardi’s positive impact. The Redskins made it all the way to Super Bowl VII after the 1972 season, losing to the undefeated Miami Dolphins.

Through wins and losses, the common thread for Washington players and supporters was disdain for the Dallas Cowboys, our opponent on Thanksgiving Day 1974. The Cowboys had been NFC East champions for five straight years until Washington dethroned them in 1972 on the way to the Super Bowl. Dallas was back on top in 1973.

Prior to the Washington-Dallas Thanksgiving tilt at Texas Stadium, which came 12 days after the Redskins beat the Cowboys

28-21 in D.C., Redskins defensive end Bill Brundige summed up the rivalry this way: “They hate our guts, and we hate theirs.”

One of Brundige’s comrades on the defensive line, Diron Talbert, was particularly salty in talking about the Cowboys’ star quarterback, Roger Staubach. “If you knock him out,” Talbert said, “you’ve got that rookie facing you. That’s one of our goals. If we do that, it’s great. He’s all they have.”

“That rookie” was strong-armed Clint Longley from Abilene Christian University, who hadn’t taken a snap all season but was thrust into action after Staubach was knocked out (literally) early in the third quarter and Washington was ahead 16-3. With such a lead and a seeming liability behind center for Dallas, the visitors were in an enviable spot. “Get in,” Cowboys coach Tom Landry told the 22-year-old after he found his helmet. “Good luck.” But as Staubach sat dazed on the bench, Longley was dazzling on the artificial turf.

Longley led one scoring drive, then another. Still, Washington led 23-17 with time running out. It looked like the dreaded Cowboys were going down despite the admirable efforts of the backup QB, and my Thanksgiving night turkey sandwich was going to be a celebratory meal.

Then, with only 28 seconds left, given lots of time in the pocket, Longley threw a 50-yard strike to wide receiver Drew Pearson, who had streaked past defensive backs Ken Stone and Mike Bass to get wide open to catch Longley’s perfect pass and glide into the end zone. Efren Herrera’s extra point made it Dallas 24, Washington 23.

As Washington frantically tried to move into position to give Mark Moseley a field goal attempt, quarterback Billy Kilmer was hit by Jethro Pugh and fumbled. That Jurgensen, in his final season, wasn’t in the game to have a chance for his golden arm to pull off a miracle made it even worse for a devotee of Number 9 in burgundy and gold.

“I don’t know what to say,” Allen said. “It was probably the toughest loss we ever had.”

A half century later, you’ll get no argument from this fan. PS Southern Pines native Bill Fields, who writes about golf and other things, moved north in 1986 but hasn’t lost his accent.

Our collections are created from a generous uniform donation by Veterans who have honorably served our country

HOW IT WORKS

1) Uniforms are carefully deconstructed

2) Leather flags are strategically placed onto the uniform and hand-cut in our Souther n Pines, NC shop

3) All Eagle Collection items come with a shoe tag that includes the Veteran’s name, branch of service, and unit

4) 20% of profits go to the Veteran’s charity of choice

The Art of Choke

Story and p hotograph By tony CroSS

In 2009 bartenders Kirk Estopinal and Maksym Pazuniak released a very small cocktail book titled Rogue Cocktails. The book has a short list of drinks from a few different bartenders and almost all of the recipes are head-scratchers. Four years after its release, a friend lent me the book and I made sure to copy every recipe down in my personal cocktail pamphlet.

The drinks didn’t all make sense on paper but were intriguing nonetheless. Certain cocktails needed “5 swaths of lemon peel” or three different types of amaro with “15 drops of 50/50 bitters.” Long before the days of using Instagram to find strange and envelope-pushing drinks, Rogue Cocktails was the place to look.

One of my favorites is the “art of choke,” by bartender Kyle Davidson at the legendary Chicago bar, The Violet Hour. The combination of rum, Cynar and green Chartreuse caught my eye. That and the fact that I had never seen a recipe for a cocktail with juice that was stirred. “You can do that?” I thought. I recently listened to a podcast where Davidson explains how he created the cocktail while on a bartender swap with the New York City bar, Death & Co.

“The real estate in New York is different than Chicago, and the folks at D&C were doing serious volume. The service bar would get so overwhelmed that even the best bartenders would have to pass tickets over,” he said. “Stephen Cole, who is the best service bartender I’ve ever worked next to, can handle anything, but even he had to pass me a ‘dealer’s choice’ ticket of a rum and bitter. The first iteration was 2 (ounces) of white rum, 1 (ounce) of Cynar, with a green Chartreuse rinse and a mint leaf on top. And I thought, ‘Hey, there might be something here.’” Davidson quickly wrote the specs down in his own little pamphlet and continued serving drinks. He admits that he doesn’t remember how he arrived at the final specs but does remember being a little nervous about adding fresh juice to a stirred drink. As they say in Rogue, the final result proves, “There is no right way to make a cocktail, but there are many wrong ways.”

SPECIFICATIONS

1 ounce white rum

1 ounce Cynar

1/8 ounce lime juice

1/8 ounce demerara syrup (2:1)

Heavy 1/4 ounce green Chartreuse

Fresh mint sprigs

EXECUTION

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with 2 sprigs of mint. Muddle and steep for 30 seconds. Fill with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube. Garnish with mint sprig. PS

Tony Cross owns and operates Reverie Cocktails, a cocktail delivery service that delivers kegged cocktails for businesses to pour on tap — but once a bartender, always a bartender.

A Grain-Free Thanksgiving

Paleo pies for the holidays

p hotographS

and

Story By roSe Shewey

In need of a flaky, buttery pie crust that isn’t made with grains? I have you covered. Using simple pastry-making techniques, you can have a grain- and gluten-free pie crust that rivals traditional crusts in every way. While most no-wheat pie crusts come out looking rather pale, this crust will give you the warm, golden glow of a pie worthy of your Thanksgiving dessert spread.

Paleo Pie Crust

(Adapted from Bojon Gourmet)

Makes 1 pie crust

5-6 tablespoons (80 milliliters) ice cold water

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained

1/2 cup (75 grams) cassava flour

1/2 cup (60 grams) blanched almond flour

1/4 cup (28 grams) arrowroot flour

2 1/2 tablespoons (15 grams) finely ground chia seed or flax seed

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

8 tablespoons (115 grams) cold, unsalted butter (or plant butter), sliced 1/4-inch thick

Prepare the Dough

Stir together 5 tablespoons of ice water and lemon juice and set aside. Combine the cassava, almond and arrowroot flours with the ground chia seed and salt in the bowl of your food processor. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and start pulsing while gradually pouring in the ice water/lemon mixture until all the liquid is incorporated. Pinch the dough with your fingers — it should hold together easily, with lots of butter chunks the size of chickpeas. If the dough is dry, drizzle in more ice water by the teaspoon while pulsing the mixture until the dough is evenly moist but not sticky. Do not over-process the dough. Gather and flatten the dough, wrap and chill until firm, for about 30 minutes.

Fold the Dough

Roll out the dough on a piece of floured parchment into a large 1/4-inch thick rectangle. The dough will crack and tear the first time you are folding it but will hold its shape with repeated folding. Periodically dust the dough lightly with cassava flour. Flip the dough over by placing a second piece of parchment on top of the dough and carefully turning it over. Fold the dough in thirds like folding a letter, then fold in thirds the other way. Flatten the folded dough slightly, re-wrap, and chill until firm, 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding process one more time. The dough will become smoother and pliable the second time around.

Shape the Crust

Roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, dusting the dough with cassava flour as needed, rotating and flipping it to prevent it from sticking. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie plate, fit it into the corners, and trim it to a 1-inch overhang. Save the scraps to patch any tears in the dough once it is par-baked. Fold the overhang of the crust under and flute the crust if desired. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Chill the crust until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Bake the

Crust

Par-baking or “blind baking” is recommended (see instructions online) before adding in the filling but this step is optional. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill and bake your pie as directed in your recipe. PS

German native Rose Shewey is a food stylist and food photographer. To see more of her work visit her website, suessholz.com.

A Giant Legacy in a Small Town

Nina Simone, Crys Armbrust and Tryon

By tom m axwell

Atfirst glance, Tryon isn’t too different from most small North Carolina towns: Its people are genuinely friendly instead of merely polite; a snug line of mostly brick buildings make up its diminutive downtown; residential housing is a typical mix of stately homes on one side of town and forgotten shacks vanishing into the encroaching kudzu on the other. It’s the kind of place real estate agents describe as “nestled,” situated as it is at the southernmost edge of Polk County, where the great Blue Ridge begins to rise like a crumbling wall. But culturally, the town has distinguished itself in ways that have put a brighter shine on North Carolina’s starry crown.

mother and father were returned to their rightful place.

If systemic racism wasn’t enough to drive ambitious young musicians of color out of the South, professional necessity was. Opportunity was located where the music industry was largely based, either New York or Los Angeles. As her journey into adulthood began, Eunice first attended Asheville’s exclusive Allen Home School, where she befriended Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes. Then it was on to New York’s Juilliard School of Music, and after that, a failed audition for a scholarship to Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music. This was an experience that Eunice remembered for the rest of her life with some bitterness.

In 1939, you probably wouldn’t have taken a second look at 6-year-old Eunice Waymon as she walked across the railroad tracks along Trade Street, unless you thought it unusual to see a poor Black kid heading to that part of town. Most everybody in Tryon knew Eunice as a child prodigy, on her way up the hill to Glengarnock Road to take piano lessons from Muriel Mazzanovich, better known as Miss Mazzy. In every sense, Eunice was headed for big things.

Even though many Tryon townsfolk — white and Black — recognized and contributed to Eunice’s artistic development, racism was baked into the Jim Crow South. Before a recital at Lanier Library, a teenaged Eunice saw her parents quietly ushered to the back of the room so white people could take their place in the front row. The young pianist refused to perform until her

Denied a career in classical music, Eunice took a nightclub gig in Atlantic City, where she was informed that she would have to be the featured vocalist as well as the piano accompanist. Soon afterward, she adopted the stage name Nina Simone to protect her family’s reputation. The artist’s new identity and career path would go on to change the world of popular music in ways that defy description: Nina Simone’s music contains elements of jazz, gospel, rock and roll, and rhythm and blues — and still the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

“Nina Simone was one of the key artists who grew up here and fled at the earliest opportunity,” David Menconi says. “But North Carolina left a mark, as it does.” Menconi has spent a lifetime writing about music — first as a critic who spent a couple of decades at Raleigh’s News & Observer; now as an editor and author, most recently of Oh, Didn’t They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music.

The list of North Carolina-based musicians who joined that Jim Crow-era Black diaspora is extraordinary: jazz legends John Coltrane, Max Roach, Thelonious Monk; soul singer Roberta Flack; and funk pioneers George Clinton, Maceo Parker and Betty Davis comprise only a partial list.

Nina Simone and daughter Lisa Simone

“Branford Marsalis told me that people like Nina Simone and Thelonious Monk, who left here at a young age, are still identifiable as Southern because of just how deep a mark church puts on everybody,” Menconi says. “That’s what all these artists have in common: They’re not playing gospel, but church is what’s in there if you dig deep enough.”

In 1996, when Crys Armbrust’s dad told him that Nina Simone was born in Tryon, he was met with disbelief. “I actually stood him down for a liar,” Armbrust said when I met him in 2019. “Because any other town in the world that could claim Nina Simone as a local daughter would have it plastered on every building — on every street — in order to build the reputation of that community.” But this was the mid-1990s, and North Carolina had yet to publicly embrace most, if not all, of its distinguished African American sons and daughters. Armbrust, a fan of Nina Simone since his teenage years, spent much of the rest of his life correcting that mistake.

Dr. Joseph Crystal Armbrust was born and raised in South Carolina but summered in Tryon for 45 consecutive years before making it his home. Precious few people can legitimately be called a polymath, but Crys Armbrust is near the top of the list. After earning two Ph.D.s in literature at the University of South Carolina, he taught English literature and in the school of business, later serving as assistant principal at USC’s prestigious Preston Residential College. Once ensconced in Tryon, Armbrust served as the town’s economic development director, commissioner

and mayor pro tempore emeritus. As a musician, he performed recitals at Kings Oxford and Westminster Abbey, while serving back home as master of choristers and music director for Tryon’s Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross. An accomplished composer, Armbrust was commissioned to write several works for eminent clients like Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Vatican.

“My parents wanted a Renaissance man,” Armbrust said, “and they made one.”

None of this would have been immediately obvious to somebody like Menconi if he happened to see Armbrust puttering in the yard of Nina Simone’s birthplace — which he often did. Menconi visited Tryon in 2017, a year before Simone was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Everyone in town told him he had to talk to Crys Armbrust. “I discovered that he was the guy who knew everything about everyone, but especially her and the cabin where she grew up,” Menconi says. “He was the on-site caretaker of the place.”

The Nina Simone House, saved from obscurity or destruction by a group of artists in 2017, was declared a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation a few years later. One of the groups the trust worked closely with when crowdsourcing funds for the house’s rehabilitation was Crys Armbrust’s Nina Simone Project.

“I knew I had the skill set to make a pretty strong impact with respect to creating the Nina Simone Project, so I began in earnest after my father’s death in 2008,” Armbrust said. He con-

CELEBRATE, FEAST & Be Thankful!

Whether

NC SURROUND SOUND

ceived a three-phase nonprofit, incorporating a statue, a scholarship and a music festival. When I met Armbrust in 2019, the Nina Simone Project had already bestowed over a dozen general scholarships to local kids.

Despite the economic crash of 2008, Armbrust and the NSP were able to raise enough money to create a statue honoring Simone. It’s situated in a little park on Trade Street, near the railroad tracks Eunice used to cross on her way to take piano lessons. The statue, of Simone seated at a floating, undulating keyboard, contains some of the musician’s ashes in its bronze heart. It was conceived and created by Zenos Frudakis, the same sculptor who did the Payne Stewart likeness behind Pinehurst No. 2’s 18th green.

According to Armbrust, Simone often returned to Tryon. “She left at about 15 and came back quite often,” he told Menconi. “Early on, any and all hours of the day — usually later at night with no fanfare so she wouldn’t have to deal with people. My friend James Payne — who lives a block up the road — would pick her up at the airport, whisk her back here, the door would open, and in she’d walk.” Simone’s last visit to Tryon was to attend her mother’s funeral in 2001.

Crys Armbrust died in August. The Nina Simone Project appears to have gone dormant with his passing, but both he and Simone are very much woven into the fabric of modern-day Tryon. Through his relentless advocacy, Armbrust contributed to a new wave of cultural recognition and reconciliation across

the state. In 2006, High Point erected their own bronze statue to “distinguished citizen” John Coltrane. Now there’s a highway marker in the tiny Yancey County seat of Burnsville celebrating Lesley Riddle, an African American native son who, along with the Carter family, helped invent country music. Legendary Piedmont blues artist Elizabeth Cotten is featured in a large mural in her hometown of Carrboro. That list, happily, expands with each passing year.

Hurricane Helene wreaked unimaginable destruction across all of Western North Carolina. Tryon wasn’t spared. The day after, her people did what all tight-knit communities do: They came together. While dazed residents checked in on neighbors and loved ones, the Trade Street Diner set up a generator and offered free coffee and Wi-Fi to all including evacuees sheltering in Polk County High School. Nearby, at 54 N. Trade St., there’s a bench in Nina Simone Plaza where those who need a break can sit across from the statue of Tryon’s most famous daughter and rest before continuing the work of saving their town. Like a simple act of recognition, a moment’s respite is a small thing that can make a huge difference. PS

Tom Maxwell is an author and musician. A member of Squirrel Nut Zippers in the late 1990s, he wrote their Top 20 hit “Hell.” His most recent book, A Really Strange and Wonderful Time: The Chapel Hill Music Scene 1989-1999, was published by Hachette Books in April.

PASSAGES

Day of the Dead

Party like it’s forever

By tom a llen

Several months ago, while perusing the aisles of Home Goods, I noticed a discreet display of party items for el Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, observed annually on Nov. 2. If Hobby Lobby can haul out the holly in July, why not Day of the Dead decor at the end of August? Funky, multicolored skulls, brightly colored tissue paper banners, marigold-embossed plates, napkins and cups, and scented candles made up the display. Small because, with the exception of Latino friends, most folks in the Sandhills have little to no idea what the day is about, much less the importance of the celebration in other cultures.

El Dia de los Muertos coincides with, and finds its roots in, the Christian observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day, the days following Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve. My only experience growing up, and into adulthood, was with the latter. The candy and costumes of childhood morphed into teenage mischief and pranks, which got me grounded on two occasions — once for shooting off bottle rockets in a cemetery, where family members were buried.

The Day of the Dead, like Christmas and Easter, has ancient European pagan origins, with some traditions eventually Christianized and (reluctantly) allowed by the Roman Catholic Church. Spanish conquistadors brought the faith and corresponding traditions to the New World. Short life spans, made even shorter by bubonic plague, perhaps instilled a desire to find some glimpse of hope and joy after such a dark and deadly season.

Those of Mexican ancestry brought Day of the Dead celebrations to the United States. Observances grew over the years,

with homes, graves and even some churches displaying “altars” adorned with pictures of deceased loved ones, colorful banners, crosses, candles, decorative skulls and chrysanthemums (the aroma is supposed to help the deceased spirits find their way back to Earth, if only for a day). Bread, or pan de muerto, along with the departed’s favorite foods, are also offered.

Growing up in the South, and in eastern North Carolina, I was taught cemeteries were hallowed ground. When you visited, you were quiet, reverent, trod gingerly. “Don’t step on that grave,” my mother chided. (How can you not step on a grave in a graveyard?) My dad was a member of a Ruritan club, the affiliate of a national, rural civic club. Ruritans made sure our two community graveyards were mowed, at times even restoring aged, broken gravestones. Lovingly, they still do.

My mom brought flowers to decorate the graves of family members at Christmas and Easter, their plastic or silk petals eventually blistered by the sun or blown away by storms. But the point was to remember, to leave some visible symbol that someone who cared had been there, to simply honor the fact the deceased lived and loved and mattered.

But I’m not sure Mom would have embraced el Dia de los Muertos. Those who observe the tradition, mostly friends of Latino ancestry, descend on family cemeteries to clean graves and scour headstones. Some remain to pray in silence, but many, after the cleanup, do anything but mourn and remain silent. They bring flowers, sing, dance, eat and drink (cue the mariachi music). They tell stories. They laugh. They acknowledge that death is a part of life, but affirm that heaven might be a little closer to Earth than others might realize, and that the deceased may come to visit, if only for a while.

After my parents died and their house was emptied and readied for the young couple who would purchase it, my wife, two daughters and I gathered one more time, in that empty house. We spread one of my mom’s crazy quilts and had a meal of hot dogs and fries from The Grill across from my folks’ house, a beloved community kitchen that my parents patronized fre-

PASSAGES

quently. We cried a little, laughed a lot, then shut the door, one final time, on that space and its memories. We stopped by the cemetery and visited their graves, recalling long lives and a deep love, especially for their two granddaughters. No surprise that when our girls married, they asked that their bouquets be left at their grandparents’ graves.

I do wonder if the occasional celebration of lives past but absent, whenever and wherever it takes place, might cushion our sadness and buoy our spirits.

While Day of the Dead rituals may not be how many choose to remember the departed during the first days of November, I do wonder if the occasional celebration of lives past but absent, whenever and wherever it takes place, might cushion our sadness and buoy our spirits. I think my mother would scowl at shagging to beach music on her grave, but she loved a good glass of champagne. I don’t think she’d mind a toast to her good life. And my dad? A gardener, he would smile if someone enjoyed a homegrown tomato sandwich at his final resting place, especially a Purple Cherokee, from that last plant to squeeze out fruit before the first frost.

Who knows? Someday, you may find me sitting by their graves, noshing on an “all the way” hot dog, smiling over the memories, singing their favorite hymns. If you do, don’t think me daft. Come, sit down and join the party. PS

Tom Allen is a retired minister who lives

HOURS

Thrush in the Brush

The subtle beauty of the hermit thrush

By SuSan CampBell

As the temperature and leaves drop, many birds return to their wintering haunts here in the Piedmont of North Carolina. After spending the breeding season up north, seedeaters such as finches and sparrows reappear in gardens across the area. But we have several species that are easily overlooked due to their cryptic coloration and secretive behavior. One of these is the hermit thrush. As its name implies, it tends to be solitary most of the year and also tends to lurk in the undergrowth.

However, this thrush is one of subtle beauty. The males and females are identical. They’re about 6 inches in length with an olive-brown back and a reddish tail. The hermit has brown breast spots, a trait shared by all of the thrush species (including juvenile American robins and Eastern bluebirds, who are familiar members of this group). At close range, it may be possible to see this bird’s white throat, pale bill and pink legs. Extended observation will no doubt reveal the hermit thrush’s distinctive behavior of raising its tail and then slowly dropping it when it comes to a stop.

Since one is far more likely to hear an individual than to see one, recognizing the hermit thrush’s call is important. It gives a quiet “chuck” note frequently as it moves along the forest floor. These birds can be found not only along creeks, at places like

Weymouth Woods and Haw River State Park, but along roadsides, the edges of golf courses and scrubby borders of farms throughout the region. It is not unusual for birders to count 40 or 50 individuals on local Audubon Christmas Bird Counts. However, they feed on fruits and insects so are not readily attracted to bird feeders. Over the years I’ve had a few that managed to find my peanut butter-suet feeder, competing with the nuthatches and woodpeckers for the sweet, protein-rich treat. This tends to be after the dogwoods, beautyberry, pyracantha and the like have been stripped of their berries.

During the summer months, hermit thrushes can be found at elevation in New England and up to the coniferous forests of eastern Canada. A few pairs can even be found near the top of Mount Mitchell here in North Carolina (given the elevation) during May and June. The males have a beautiful flute-like song that gives them away in spite of their camouflage. They nest either on the ground or low in pines or spruces, and mainly feed their young caterpillars and other slow-moving insects.

As with so many migrant species, these thrushes are as faithful to their wintering areas as their breeding spot. I have had several very familiar individuals over the years along James Creek around our Moore County banding site. Keep in mind that if a hermit thrush finds good habitat, he or she may return year after year. With a bit of thick cover, water not far off, and berries and bugs around, there is a good chance many of us will be hosting these handsome birds over the coming months — whether we know it or not. PS

Susan Campbell would love to receive your wildlife sightings and photos. She can be contacted by email at susan@ncaves.com, or by calling (910) 585-0574.

Leroy’s Send-off

Farewell to the last of the Slims

By tom Bryant

It was about bedtime when my phone rang. “Honey, your phone’s ringing.”

“Let it ring, it’s bedtime.”

I heard Linda as she answered it anyway. “Yeah, he’s right here. I’ll get him.”

I grimaced as she handed the phone to me. “Hello.”

“Cooter!” Bubba had bestowed the nickname early in our friendship and has continued using it to this day. “It’s too early to hit the hay. Boy, what’s wrong with you. Getting old?”

“About the same age as you,” I replied. “Maybe a little smarter when it’s time for bed. What’s up?”

“You coming up for Leroy’s doings on Friday?”

“That’s my plan. The funeral is at 3, right?”

“Yep, and here’s the scoop. Some of us are gonna meet at the old store and Ritter’s gonna cook up some venison steaks. Then we’ll have sort of a wake for Leroy, then head up to the family graveyard right before 3, honor Leroy, and then back to the store to finish all the remembrances and finally shut down. Why don’t you plan on spending the night at my place and then in the morning after breakfast you can head home?”

“Sounds like a good idea,” I replied. “I’ll see you Friday.” I hung up the phone and explained to Linda what Bubba had cooking. She said, “I thought the old store was closed.”

“It is, but Bubba is opening it for this occasion.”

Later, as I was trying to go to sleep, I remembered all the history of Slim’s country store. Actually, Slim’s grandfather opened the store around the turn of the century. It ran successfully for many years, then fell into disrepair after the old man died. Slim made his fortune out West in the real estate business, then returned home, retired, restored and opened the old store, and ran the place, as he said, “so all my reprobate friends would have a place to go.”

Leroy, Slim’s only heir, inherited the store after Slim went to that always-stocked filling station in the sky, and promptly sold it to Bubba, who kept it open with Leroy running it until the economy tightened and they decided to close. Leroy wanted to retire and do more fishing, and Bubba said it was one more thing he didn’t have to worry about.

Leroy passed away after a short illness, and the graveside service was to be at the family graveyard about a mile from the old country store. Thus the reason Bubba had put together the event, as he put it, to celebrate the history of Slim’s grandfather (also named Slim), Leroy and the legacy of the now obsolete, retired country store.

Friday rolled around fast, and I decided to drive the Cruiser up the road to see Bubba and friends and pay my respects to the last of the Slims. Wiregrass had grown up in the gravel lot where folks used to park while shopping, or just holding forth. Several pickups were in the front, and I saw Bubba’s Land Rover nosed in on the side. Chairs had been moved from the inside to the wraparound porch.

Ritter’s portable cooker was near where the old horseshoe pit used to be and was smoking with smells good enough to make my mouth water. I walked up on the porch side-stepping some decaying boards. H.B. Johnson was leaning against a support column with an ever-present half-chewed cigar in his mouth.

“H.B.,” I asked. “Where’s Bubba?”

“Inside behind the counter. He’s putting the finishing touch on the words he has to say about Leroy.”

“That’s right,” I responded. “He’s the preacher today.”

I walked on inside, and after Bubba and I had insulted each other sufficiently, we laughed and settled down to the doings of the day.

“You ready to say grace over Leroy?” I asked.

“Well, yeah, that is after I have another couple glasses of Ritter’s apple brandy. Come on, let’s see if the chow is ready.”

It was, and it was outstanding. Ritter had made his famous smoked briskets along with barbecue pork shoulders and all the fixin’s. In no time we had finished the preliminary part of Leroy’s funeral, kind of a pre-wake, and prepared to move on to the family plot to finish with the early ceremony.

Bubba did a fantastic job with his good words about Leroy, and I noticed many eyes watering and lots of sniffling going on.

Later that evening, after we again gathered at the store and celebrated Leroy’s life, more of the folks started drifting off, other things to do. Bubba and I were left on the porch by ourselves. All the chairs were put back in the store with the exception of our two favorite rockers.

“You did a good job, Bubba.”

“It was harder than I thought it would be. We’re gonna miss old Leroy.”

“Yep,” I replied. “The last of Slim’s lineage.” The moon was rising over the tree line, and we could hear a barred owl calling back toward the graveyard.

“Must be looking for its mate,” Bubba said. “Or maybe a mouse for dessert.”

We were quite deep in our own thoughts. Nothing emphasizes one’s mortality more than a funeral.

“So what’s gonna happen to the store now that Leroy’s gone?”

“Why, I’m thinking about giving it to you. Give you something to do.”

“No, thanks. I’ve got enough going on now.”

“Well, there is some good news. Johnson expressed an interest in buying it. He’s going bonkers since he sold the farm and doesn’t have anything to do.”

“It would be good for him. I’d love to see the old place reopen.”

“Well, you know what the Bible says,” Bubba replied. “One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh. So says Ecclesiastes, I think.”

Bubba’s Biblical knowledge always impressed. The moon was over the tree line now, and we heard the owl’s mate call right behind the store.

“How about Leroy’s marker stone? I asked. “And what’s gonna be on it?”

“I think, just dates, you know, birth and death. What’s gonna be on yours when its time?”

“I haven’t a clue. Never thought about it.”

“Look at you, Cooter. Hunted and fished and camped all over the country from the Everglades in Florida to the mountains of Alaska and you don’t have a clue. I’ve got a good one for you, though, that will cover all the bases. ‘I married the perfect lady.’”

“Good,” I replied. “It would work for you, too.”

The good friends sat slowly rocking, watching the moon continue to rise slowly through grey-white clouds, and thinking of their futures that stretched away like an unmarked trail.

“The heck with this. Let’s go home,” Bubba said. “How about some fishing in the morning? I noticed bream rising to the hatch in the pond in front of the house before I left this morning.”

“Sounds great. I’ll call Linda and tell her I’ll be late. Good old Bubba, always a plan.”

The moon was fully up now and the guys laughed at an old joke Bubba told, then loaded the trucks and headed home. It had been a good day. PS

Tom Bryant, a Southern Pines resident, is a lifelong outdoorsman and PineStraw’s Sporting Life columnist.

Joseph Hill Photography

By lee paCe

The Golfing Curmudgeon

Things you won’t find in the rule book

The caddie meant well. He was an extrovert with a bag on his shoulder, a rangefinder in his bib and an innate desire to please. He was not even carrying my bag, but he was pulling for me every shot of the way.

Settle!

Get legs!

Fly, baby!

Spit it out!

It was restraint and composure of epic proportions that prevented me from getting in his face.

Do not talk to my shots.

I know I hit it fat. I know I skinned it over the green. I know it’s flying into the woods.

But your well-meaning exhortations accomplish one thing: They rub salt into my wounds. And golf inflicts enough pain as it is.

While we’re at it, here’s some other stuff that chafes my arse:

Get to the first tee on time. If you don’t know the secret already, you’re not going to find it with a dozen more practice balls.

Get out of the stupid cart and walk. Over three June days in plus 90-degree heat, I joined two separate groups of 50-plus golfers and we all walked. One pushed a trolley and one flirted with heat stroke, but the physical challenge was part of the attraction. There is no greater tired than having walked, carried and busted 80. (OK, I am not militant on this point, I’ll ride where etiquette or local rules mandate. I would simply prefer to walk.)

Your jokes are wonderful. Your name-dropping is fascinat-

ing. Just put a lid on it when it’s your turn to hit. And have your glove already affixed to your hand when you’re up.

Spot your ball on the green with a penny or at the least a small plastic marker that most clubs provide on the first tee or at check-in. A penny is small and doesn’t reflect sunlight and it’s been good enough for Jack Nicklaus, Davis Love III and Paul Azinger. (Nicklaus, incidentally, carries three pennies during a round; Love uses only 1965 or 1966 coins; and Azinger places his penny heads up with Lincoln looking at the hole.) Spare me your prized Kennedy half-dollar that bounces the sun like a prism or that souvenir poker chip that looks like a battleship.

Do not concede yourself that 6-footer for par when it doesn’t count for the team bet, then write it on the card and begin to think your handicap is halfway legitimate.

Do not use golf as a verb.

A single in a cart? You do not exist.

Just because the professionals playing for millions of dollars on the hardest courses under suffocating pressure have elaborate pre-shot routines and take six hours to play doesn’t give you license to play monkey-see, monkey-do. Pick a club, pick a line, give it a nice rehearsal and hit the damn ball.

Memo to TV announcers, tour pros and architects: It’s a good hole and a good course and a good shot. Must we say golf hole and golf course and golf shot? I mean, it’s not a tennis course, now is it?

Manage your temper. Unless you are working at golf to feed your family or betting more than you can afford to lose, this is a game. You play a game. Treat it as such. Count your blessings that you have the opportunity to be out in the fresh air with friends in the first place.

Learn to eye the 100-, 150- and 200-yard markers and estimate your distance. It’s not advanced trigonometry. You can figure out you’re 135 yards from the center of the green with pinpoint

accuracy with some educated eyeballing.

If you don’t have an official handicap, don’t give me an “average” score on the first tee. Tell me your three best recent scores. After all, a handicap is not about averaging your scores; it’s about gauging your potential.

If you are going to give me the line on a putt, give me the speed as well. The former is worthless without the latter.

If I want color commentary, I’ll gladly listen to David Feherty. Beyond that, your scores speak for themselves; I don’t need an explanation on every shot. And if you insist on providing pithy little bromides throughout the round, invent some new material. “Nice putt, Alice,” is a wee bit shopworn. Unless you are my partner, what club I hit on a par-3 is none of your business.

shortie-shorts; golf sandals; and XXX shirts if you’re a medium (that went out in the ’90s).

Quit hyperventilating after running a putt past the hole. If you’ll stay focused and follow its path, you’ll have a free read on the break coming back. And if you are gyrating and slamming a club after yanking one into the woods, don’t ask, “Did you get a spot on that one?” By the way, I don’t venture into poison ivy for my ball. I’m sure not going there for yours.

What not to wear: white golf shoes in the winter (you wouldn’t wear white shoes into a restaurant in December, would you?)

What not to wear: white golf shoes in the winter (you wouldn’t wear white shoes into a restaurant in December, would you?); white footies with black shoes (and vice versa);

Sorry about that 5-iron landing in the bunker. But you don’t get to hit a practice shot. Ever. And live to tell about it.

OK. I’m done. And I feel much better. Until I have to figure out an excuse for the next captain’s choice invitation. PS

Lee Pace has written about the Pinehurst experience for more than three decades from his home in Chapel Hill. Write him at leepace7@ gmail.com and follow him on X @LeePaceTweet.

After a brief and soul-crushing hiatus, the Sunrise Theater in downtown Southern Pines will once again show the ultimate tryptophan antidote, The Last Waltz, on Thanksgiving night. The awardwinning rock documentary of what was billed as The Band’s farewell performance was filmed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 1976, by director Martin Scorsese. Released in 1978, the film is so highly regarded it was selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the United States National Film Registry in 2019.

The members of The Band were Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson. At 87, Hudson is the only member still living. The venue was Bill Graham’s Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, where The Band debuted as a group in 1969. Starting at 5 p.m. the audience of some 5,000 was served turkey dinners. There was an orchestra for ballroom dancing, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti was among a group of poets who gave readings. The Band began performing around 9 p.m.

And what a concert it was.

When the idea of a farewell performance was hatched, mostly by Robertson, who wanted to quit the touring life, the idea was to invite Bob Dylan and Ronnie Hawkins — their original employers — to join them. The guest list exploded from there, eventually including both Dylan and Hawkins, Bobby Charles, Ronnie Wood, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Dr. John, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton and more. They were backed by a large horn section. Later, sound stage work that included Emmylou Harris and the Staple Singers was added to the film.

The documentary begins with The Band performing what was, in fact, their last song of the night, “Don’t Do It.” From there the film progresses more or less in chronological order of play — songs like “Stage Fright,” “Up on Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” — mixed in with the studio sessions and interviews with the members of The Band, conducted by Scorsese.

In one anecdote, Robertson explains that the classically trained Hudson would join the group only if every member would pay him $10 a week for music lessons so that he could tell his parents back in Canada that he was a music teacher and not just a rock and roll musician.

The Last Waltz begins on Thursday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m., and admission is free. The leftovers will keep until morning.

— Jim Moriarty

Cast members - left to right:

Rich Angstreich as Richard Manuel

Franklin Dean as Neil Diamond

Mike Murphy as Dr. John

Tom Denza as Neil Young

Denise Baker as Joni Mitchell

Kimberly Daniels Taws as Emmylou Harris

Steve Sims as Rick Danko

Aaron DeWerff as Garth Hudson

Geoff Cutler as Van Morrison

Dixie Parks as Bob Dylan

Baxter Clement as Robbie Robertson

Anthony Parks as Ronnie Hawkins

Ken Howell as Levon Helm

Larry Allen as Eric Clapton

Charles Howe as Muddy Waters

Marsh Smith as Paul Butterfield

Where Community and Active Living Meet

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Learn more about Penick Village, where you have the freedom to focus on your wellness and relationships while living life to its fullest . Contact us today. Call (910) 692-0300 , email info@penickvillage1964.org , or scan the QR code to learn more.

Chill Pill

The lost art of relaxation

By deBorah Salomon

“Relax!”

How droll.

I was reading a piece about the lost art of relaxation that found italics and an exclamation mark necessary to emphasize their point. Seems to me relaxed folk don’t require italicized commands. Then I remembered the TV commercials for inducing sleep, the ultimate relaxation, with appropriate background sounds: rain falling, birds chirping, leaves rustling.

“Ah . . . !”

So it’s come to this: A pleasant, restful state of mind has become just another download. Sitting and staring into space a no-no. Every nanosecond must be filled with thought, problemsolving, Beyoncé, something. Then, when the brain wears out, we are ordered to Relax!

A similar fate awaits the napper. Back in the day short power naps were in fashion. Some employee-friendly offices provided napping chairs. No time anymore for refreshing 20-minute snoozes. Gotta check the stock market, the weather, NFL scores. Did I miss Aunt Hattie’s birthday? Soon, restaurants posted “Turn off cell phones” signs, not necessary with vibrate and text. There they sit, next to the cutlery.

Technology has become the enemy of relaxation. An entire generation has progressed from pacifiers to GameBoys to iPhones to Siri and AI functions I can’t even name. Just pondering it creates tension.

The really scary part is how this relaxation wasteland has spread from Generation Whatever to their grandparents who, instead of a relaxing daydream, struggle over Sudoku and Wordle.

I notice this in waiting rooms which, devoid of magazines since COVID, have become mailrooms, newsrooms, download parlors. In my files covering 30-plus years, there remain three columns about air travel, especially the decline of people-watching in departure lounges. This pastime requires keen observation, imagination. Relationships play out over whether to spend $5 for a cup of coffee, or who packed the earbuds. Outfits go from gym-chic to military fatigues to beachy flip-flops. From business suits to pre-stressed jeans. On long layovers I entertained myself by concocting stories about couples and how they met, sometimes laughing out loud, all without clutching a slippery little electronic device.

Then, the crazy lady with no visible cellphone would don big sunglasses, yawn, stretch out and relax.

I suspect relaxation has a chemical element that creeps up slowly, silently, largely unnoticed. It is the transitional state between hectic brain activity and sleep, a twilight zone visible on no screen, whether set to airplane mode or not.

It is delicious, refreshing, blissfully unproductive.

Of course relaxation can be achieved by other methods — a walk in the woods on a chilly afternoon; watching a toddler build a skyscraper from alphabet blocks; staring into a fireplace as pine logs sputter and burn; petting a kitten; feeling the spray of a waterfall — all in person, not online.

Like the time I strolled by a house where an elderly gentleman sat alone on the porch, head leaned back, hands idle, smiling.

“Hi there,” I said and waved. “Whatcha doin’?”

“Nothin’.” He waved back.

Right answer. PS

Deborah Salomon is a contributing writer for PineStraw and The Pilot. She may be reached at debsalomon@nc.rr.com.

Give the gift of relaxation

As the holiday season approaches, the quest for the perfect gift begins. This year give the gift of choice and convenience with a Pinehurst gift card. Happy Holidays!

Great Blue Heron

He looked like an old man hunkered down in a faded blue overcoat, his collar turned up, shoulders hunched. He didn’t seem bothered by the shallow water his feet were covered by, nor the chill winter air blowing around his bare pate. But then his narrow head rose

like a periscope, higher and higher — swiveled in the direction of a hardly perceptible splash.

Slowly, he moved toward the sound on legs as skinny as walking sticks, to the place where dinner was served and eaten so fast, any cook

would wonder if he tasted it. It was enough, however, to restore his quiet contemplations.

Hunger sated, he curled his long neck into its warm collar, and stood as still as a painting

while the sun sank and the snow moon kept

rising like a white balloon over the darkening lake, the stark tree branches, and a lone heron blending, bit by bit, into the blue light of dusk.

— Terri Kirby Erickson

Terri Kirby Erickson is the author of seven collections of poems, including Night Talks: New & Selected Poems, which was a finalist for the International Book Award for Poetry.

HERE’S TO

Celebrating the Artists League of the Sandhills

By Jenna Biter • Photogra Phs By John gessner

ozens of guests swirl about a long, rectangular room.

A vase of sherbet roses and powder blue hydrangeas anchors the space on a table in the center. It’s a cool dusk outside, but inside the walls, the atmosphere is warm. It’s heated by the chatter of old and new friends, or at least friendly strangers. They flit in and out of conversations, gabbing and howling like they’re enjoying one last party at the end of the world.

They aren’t, of course. The Artists League of the Sandhills begins most months like this, with a gallery opening held the first Friday evening in that slender room in the not-for-profit organization’s headquarters. The building is situated not at the end of the world but at the end of Exchange Street, with its rear wall kissing the main train tracks that slice through historic Aberdeen.

A woman leans toward a friend while pointing at a small portrait of a lady peering through a monocle on the opposite wall.

“We’re getting . . . ” she begins, but her voice trails off as she gets lost in the art. She walks across the room, magnetized. A red sticker on the artwork’s label marks it sold not long into the event.

The time of the gallery openings is always the same — 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. — but the theme varies from one show to the next. In August it was small art. In September viewers with reading glasses were grateful to see the works return to regular size. In October, the gallery showcased figures and faces, and November boasts the biggest event of the year, the annual fall exhibit and sale, which opens with a public reception Friday, Nov. 8, and hangs through Dec. 20.

The sprawling gallery show features somewhere around 150 new pieces of art, with works for sale by many of the league’s dozens of members. If you wander across the one-story building, through two large classrooms, past a framing station and a library of catalogued art books and into a maze of cubicle-like studios, you’ll find an additional 300 or so pieces for sale. With a pocketful of dollars and a can-do spirit, you could easily redecorate your entire house with an evening’s offerings.

The November opening is an art lover’s delight, but this year it’s something more — the exhibit marks a milestone anniversary, too. Originally the Workshop of the Sandhills, 2024 marks 30 years since the Artists League opened shop in the same old Aberdeen Rockfish railroad warehouse that it occupies today.

As if on command, a train roars past, releasing a protracted honk into the graying night sky. The blast is a visceral reminder of the league’s modest beginnings, when a pair of retired executives scrubbed through oil and grime to transform a century-old train depot into a gathering place for artists of all calibers and kinds.

The Sandhills knew Chuck Lunney as the audacious and distinguished World War II pilot who swooped his B-29 bomber under the Golden Gate Bridge on a dare, but he’s also remembered as an advertising professional and lifelong artist with an interest in art education and community, driven to create an organization for likeminded folks. Lunney found one such mind in retired sales manager and watercolorist Mike D’Andrea at a Campbell House Galleries reception sometime in the 1980s. After a half-decade’s search for the perfect location for their artists’ haven, the men opened the Artists League of the Sandhills on Oct. 26, 1994, in one-half

of a dirty train terminal. When the town of Aberdeen offered to rent them the building for a dollar per year, the word “perfect” suddenly seemed to describe the broken building tucked all the way back on a forgotten side street.

“Their goal, I think initially, was to have 20 artists just so they could pay the bills,” says Pam Griner, the league’s office manager of 14 years. Sure, rent was dirt cheap, but they still had to keep the lights on.

The initial goal was immediately surpassed. According to a Nov. 10, 1994 article in the Moore County Citizen News-Record, 28 local artists signed up the very first day.

Thirty years later, both founders have since passed — Lunney, 93, in 2012, and D’Andrea, 89, in 2018 — but their legacy lives on in the organization they scrubbed into existence. The Artists League now occupies the entire warehouse, and membership bumps its head against 200, with tens of artists able to key into studios 24/7.

There’s always a waitlist for those 34 cheap-asbananas workspaces.

In a typical week, members teach art classes Monday

through Friday on media that run the full artistic gamut from oil to watercolor. Nationally known professional artists visit to host multiday intensives several times per year. With the fees from those classes and workshops, memberships and generous donations, as well as a small percentage of sales from the monthly art shows, the league stays up and running.

As more guests shuffle in, more red stickers claim ownership. The show led off with a large work of art, a reinterpretation of Gustav Klimt’s Lady with a Fan — a dove has been added in an upper corner. A blurb on the wall explains why. Beyond the Klimt-alike more paintings, a scratchboard engraving of a goat, and mixed media of all types ranging in size from postcard to poster, snake around the room like a boa constrictor squeezing onlookers into a tight-knit group.

Most of the league’s artists are amateurs — stay-at-home moms or refugees and retirees from their day jobs — while others have taught or made art their entire lives. It doesn’t really matter who they are, the members bond over art. Learning it, loving it, making it. They exchange Christmas cards during the holidays, often crafted in a special December class, offer bedside company when ER visits become a sad reality, and grab lunch together even when it isn’t in the Artists League’s break room.

The spirit of community bubbles over, into the corners of the gallery space and out the front doors like an uncorked bottle of champagne. Even in the dim light of evening when the last guests are walking to their cars, the atmosphere is as bright as the roses and hydrangeas still on the center table.

“The new community facility offers artists, from the beginner to the accomplished, the opportunity to share their knowledge, gather inspiration and improve their skills,” the News-Record said in 1994.

Besides the word “new,” the same sentence could be printed today. PS

Learn more about the Artists League of the Sandhills at artistleague.org. Jenna Biter is a writer and military wife in the Sandhills. She can be reached at jennabiter@protonmail.com

Preserving a Historic Graveyard

Woodlawn Cemetery is hallowed ground in West Southern Pines

By eliza Beth norfleet sugg • Photogra Phs By l aura gingerich

In a quiet acreage filled with arching, magnificent pines rest the memorials to a multitude of lives well spent.

Woodlawn Cemetery, a historically African American burial ground, is on the corner of West New York Avenue and South Pine Street in West Southern Pines, surrounded by neighborhood streets carved out by families who came to this budding town to seize opportunity and put down deep roots.

A year after Southern Pines incorporated in 1887, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad began its route through the town, a desirable East Coast midpoint. With nearby Pinehurst opening its resort in 1895, the two municipalities were in the early stages of developing a tourist economy as fair-weather resorts, in the process generating a range of service jobs that lured workers

to the area. Fort Bragg, now Fort Liberty, opened in 1918, and a continued migration to West Southern Pines came from men and women who served in the military. They met others in this close-knit community and began second careers becoming teachers, principals, nurses, opening an auto repair shop, corner stores, and ministering at a growing cluster of churches — living lives that would inspire generations to come. It’s both striking and humbling to learn that over 170 veterans from conflicts as far apart as World War I and the Persian Gulf War are buried at Woodlawn.

“Woodlawn Cemetery is a home to so many who gave to this nation, and their descendants continue to give,” says retired Col. Morris Goins, whose family has deep roots in West Southern Pines beginning with his grandparents, Theadore Roosevelt

and Marie Goins. His father, Thomas Theadore Goins, and four uncles served in the U.S. Army in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, collectively. Two of his uncles, Master Sgt. Henry Lewis Wooten Jr. (1925-1963) and Command Sgt. Maj. Fredrick Robinson (1933-2009), received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

Goins’ uncle Cecil Roosevelt Goins (1926-2000) served in World War II when the Army was still segregated and became one of the few African American officers in the 1st Infantry Division during the Korean War. Later, in the U.S. Marshals Service, Cecil Goins went to Selma, Alabama, following the violence of Bloody Sunday. Another historic assignment took him to Houston, where he protected Muhammad Ali during his trial for refusing to be drafted in 1967 during the Vietnam War. Another uncle, retired Maj. Allen Thurman Goins (1935-1997), was a Cobra helicopter pilot in Vietnam. On a flying mission making a “gun run” into a small village, his helicopter — call sign Panther 6 — was hit by ground fire. A bullet burrowed between Goins’ cheek and flight helmet, another between his temple and helmet. He woke up in a hospital. The injuries caused periodic seizures, ending his flying career. Decades later Morris Goins was walking in Washington, D.C., dressed in his uniform, when an older gentleman stopped him, read the name on his chest and asked if there were any aviators in his family. Given away by a strong family resemblance, Goins confirmed that the person the gentleman served with was his Uncle Allen.

In 1923 West Southern Pines became one of the first incorporated Black townships in North Carolina, and even after it was annexed by the municipality of Southern Pines in 1931, the community maintained its significant rooted heritage. Woodlawn

Cemetery began on land that belonged to the Buchan family, about 6 -7 acres that backed up to the Rosenwald School built by the West Southern Pines township in 1925. As the neighborhood grew, the heart of the community was its school and the treelined burial ground that abutted it.

Retired Lt. Col. Vincent Gordan, one of four sons of a school principal and an elementary school teacher, grew up in a Sears and Roebuck house around the corner from West Southern Pines High School. Gordan was working as a senior trainer at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

After American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon’s west side, Gordan immediately began knocking on doors to help evacuate the building. The next day cots were brought in for Gordan and his colleagues to begin orchestrating the multi-level U.S. response to the attack by al-Qaida. Gordan’s final career move was as a division chief for the U.S. Census Bureau managing a $200 million budget. The experience proved invaluable when the late Rev. Fred Walden asked him to take over a nonprofit to help reinvigorate the West Southern Pines community — the Southern Pines Land & Housing Trust.

Walden was a beloved figure in Southern Pines, a veteran himself having served as an Army chaplain assistant. When he moved his young family back to Moore County in 1973 he continued a legacy begun by his great-grandparents, followed by his grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and their children. Taking over from his uncle, A.C. Walden, he ran the West Side Garage for 45 years, balancing faith ministries, serving on the Southern Pines Town Council, membership at the Rufus McLaughlin American Legion Post No. 177, and becoming a founding member of the Rotary Club of the Sandhills. Walden established the nonprofit Southern Pines Land & Housing Trust (SPLHT) to help protect property for the African American community and others in Southern Pines, and to aid people in keeping their land to foster the creation of generational wealth so vital to sustained financial well-being. In 2018, Walden called Gordan to come home and help reinvigorate the organization and its mission. His words were, “Vince, I need you.”

“My original reason (for taking the position as board chair) was because Fred saw his community going down,” says Gordan. “When I came home from the military West Southern Pines

was a totally different atmosphere and environment than the one I left. There were changes that needed to be made, and I now, too, wanted to make them.”

The organization is headquartered in the former schoolhouse that in the 1940s became the segregated West Southern Pines High School and that in the 1960s evolved into the desegregated Southern Pines Elementary School. The Land & Housing Trust campus includes a playground named for an adored school principal, Blanchie Carter Discovery Park, the school gymnasium and auditorium — both of which can be rented out through the West Southern Pines Center, an entity under the umbrella of the SPLHT. In recent years Woodlawn Cemetery has also been

overseen by the SPLHT with the Buchan family formally deeding the land to the Trust. The cemetery’s point person is yet another veteran, retired Staff Sgt. Bill Ross, who was a special populations coordinator with the Moore County Schools until his retirement there.

“Woodlawn was the only place to bury African Americans up to the 1970s,” says Ross, who like Gordan grew up in West Southern Pines, walking to school in the family-oriented neighborhood. Ross’ maternal grandparents were Claude and Essie Strickland, who moved from the Dunn area to West Southern Pines in the late 1800s. Claude Strickland opened a popular corner grocery and also worked for Hayes Book Shop delivering newspapers. What spurs Ross’ volunteer service is a desire to bring back “the camaraderie that I grew up with, that family connection, our community.” Once a star basketball player in the nearby gym, Ross watches over his family members buried in Woodlawn, his father Lucius Ross, a WWII veteran, mother Edith and, tragically, his daughter Barbra, who died in 1998.

Bringing much needed structure to the care and landscape of Woodlawn Cemetery has been a goal of the SPLHT board. In 2023 Gordan and Ross reached out to the Southern Pines Garden Club for its assistance updating the landscaping at both the front and side entrance gates. With funds raised from their annual Home & Garden Tour, the Southern Pines Garden Club also committed to building the recently completed brick memo-

Left to right, back row: Morris and Yolanda Goins, Bill Ross.

Left to right, front row: Dot Brower, Peggie Caple, Joyce Jackson.

Top: Matthew Walden. Below: Linda (Walden) and Lewis Cameron.

rial wall where brass nameplates will honor the veterans buried there. Patrick Kujawski of RK Masonry donated the labor.

Morris Goins and his wife, Yolanda, a mathematics professor pursuing a Ph.D. in higher education and the daughter of retired U.S. Army veterans Leon and Pearline Pempleston of Petersburg, Virginia, also plan to contribute to the restoration of Woodlawn. Plans in the works include irrigation installation, sodding the entire cemetery, employing ground-penetrating radar to locate old graves without markers, installing markers where there are none or where they’ve been lost, and creating a fund where the SPLHT can regularly contract with a landscaper for weekly maintenance.

For decades the maintenance was done by family members and volunteers like longtime friends Peggie Caple and Joyce Jackson, who joined the West Southern Pines Garden Club Cemetery Committee. Annual Memorial Day celebrations were held through 2019 to help raise money for landscaping and to pay Woodlawn’s longstanding caretaker, the late Halbert Kearns. The group planned Woodlawn Cemetery Days with special speakers in addition to music events at area churches called “Woodlawn Day in Song.” The effort was aided by twice-a-year cleanup days conducted by the Pinecrest Air Force Junior ROTC. The cemetery committee was dedicated to the cause, even outlasting the garden club itself. Originally from Virginia, Jackson was the clerk in the Southern Pines Water Department during the week and worked evenings and weekends in the Carolina Dining Room at the Pinehurst Resort. Caple is a West Southern Pines native who has never lived more than a few blocks away from her childhood school and Woodlawn Cemetery. A longtime director of financial aid at Sandhills Community College, she finished her career there as the disabilities and placement testing coordinator.

“In our area Woodlawn is the resting place of African American descent,” says Caple.

The renewed spirit to preserve West Southern Pines is special to Matthew Walden, Fred Walden’s son, who is also a minister. Under the leadership of executive director Sandra L. Dales, he serves on the SPLHT board, which is securing funding to convert the former school and its campus into a multipurpose community and business center with an incubator kitchen and workspace for area entrepreneurs. Nora Bowman is chief operating officer of the West Southern Pines Center and handles the renting of the gymnasium and auditorium as well as the development of local events. Bob Smith is the curator of the future museum at the SPLHT dedicated to preserving the history of the area’s remarkable citizenry. Walden’s involvement with the organization his father began is born of the same desire to bring back the family-oriented community that he believes has been so vital to grounding his life. On walks through Woodlawn, he’s with family.

“When I see their names, memories come alive,” he says.

To learn more about the SPLHT or to contribute financially or as a volunteer, visit splandandhousingtrust.org.

A former magazine publisher, cookbook author and periodic writer, Elizabeth Norfleet Sugg now runs Rubicon Farm, a wedding and event venue in West End. Contact her at ensugg@rubiconfarmnc.com.

Bill Ross who now oversees Woodlawn Cemetery through his work at the Southern Pines Land & Housing Trust.

Cabin Chic

Destination down a dirt road

By DeBorah

Salomon • P hotogra PhS By John ge SSner

Interesting people pull together interesting houses, sometimes for themselves, other times as business ventures.

“Interesting” barely describes Graham Settle, who grew up in a Sanford family of veterinarians; whose educational background stretches from East Carolina University to Harvard; whose careers extend from Wall Street to international diplomacy; and whose passport entries – including Afghanistan during tense times — would make Marco Polo envious.

“After 18 years living abroad with diplomatic credentials, my wife and I decided on a career as a free agent for global missions,” Settle says. “We had narrowed possible places (for home base) down to three: Singapore, Tirana (Albania) and Pinehurst.”

But when humans plan, fate may have other ideas. Shortly before making the move, Settle’s wife died of a brain aneurysm, leaving him alone with two young children.

In February 2014 he left Kazakhstan with the children, a kitten and six duffle bags to bring his wife’s remains back to the United States. Although not on the original list, they moved into a condo in Raleigh. Before long, Settle decided to home-school the children by traveling the world for a year.

Fast forward . . . they’re college age now, and Dad, shadowed by his German shepherd named Oscar, isn’t a pipe-and-slippers guy. He needed a project, somewhere to reclaim his roots. No surprise, then, that his real estate portfolio opens with the nation’s largest, if defunct, truffle farm.

In Carthage. Who knew?

Truffles, ultra-gourmet ,uber-ugly tubers (not mushrooms or rich chocolate bonbons), grow underground, requiring trained pigs or dogs to sniff them out. Prices start in the neighborhood of $200 per ounce and, depending on the variety, can run into the thousands.

But why would this adventurous world traveler want to farm truffles, no matter how exotic?

He doesn’t, really.

The wild and wooly 250 acres of Spring Hills Farms he purchased in 2020, in addition to the bankrupt truffle farm, suited another plan: a venue for weddings, business retreats, family holidays and other gatherings supervised by Mother Nature. Settle allowed air conditioning and cell access but, sorry, no Wi-Fi, no TV. Instead, on chilly nights, logs radiate heat from the east iron woodstove.

To protect the wildlife (whom he feeds) from coyotes Settle fenced the acreage, an act he compares to framing a work of art. This frame measures more than 3 miles. He paid five figures to

bury wires visible from the cabin, which faces Morses Lake, and is accessed by a narrow, bumpy dirt road.

Settle describes the cabin, built in 1971, as “the middle of nowhere, the center of everything.” Quite the approbation, coming from a man who has been on the edge of everywhere and done an awful lot. But the cabin, formerly used to prep veggies to feed the truffle hogs, needed work. It had to remain “rustic,” a la Country Living, but luxurious enough to draw the Range Rover crowd.

Practical, too. Even fun.

The interior is an open two-story space with 15 windows and a sleeping loft. The kitchen corner (gas stove, dishwasher, jumbo fridge, copper-glass backsplash) has an interesting 6-foot-square table on wheels and original cabinets, all suitable for caterers. The loft accommodates two double beds arranged on a cashmere rug, from Mongolia, no less. Beneath the loft, a mattress fits a cedar swing, suspended by ropes, creating another sleeping space. Pine plank walls are painted charcoal navy, while the reddish ceiling fans evoke a tiki bar. A round leather rust-colored ottoman/storage unit houses a feather-down topper quilt brought back from Pakistan.

A Tiffany floor lamp passes for authentic, though Settle says everything is either a knock-off or secondhand, including a magnificent 9-foot tufted leather sofa where Oscar, Settle’s constant companion, is allowed to nap. The effect is masculine casual, a whiff exotic, except for the flowered curtains — chosen by Settle’s three sisters — of the Laura Ashley persuasion. For the kicker Settle opens an interior door with a flourish. “Hemingway cabin; Martha Stewart loo,” he says with a grin. The toilet-bidet combo sports a heated, lighted seat.

Spring Hills Farms has hosted one small wedding ceremony by the lake, with guests seated on benches made from split tree trunks and the reception under a tent.

There’s no denying the calm, the peace, of being surrounded by nature, its vistas, sounds and aromas. Settle has a place in Seven Lakes, also the Raleigh condo, but his heart remains in rural Moore County.

Destination weddings are all the rage. Safari, anyone? Spring Hills Farms is reaching out to city slickers weary of hotel extravaganzas, riverboat cruises and Caribbean beaches. Oscar and those thousand-dollar truffles are waiting just down Union Church Road. PS

ALMANAC November

By Jim DoDson

G“Let us give thanks for this beautiful day. Let us give thanks for this life. Let us give thanks

for the water without which life would not be possible. Let us give thanks for Grandmother Earth, who protects and nourishes us.”

enerations of Americans who were schoolchildren during the Ozzie and Harriet years from the 1950s through 1960s have keen memories of singing an ancient hymn long associated with Thanksgiving titled “We Gather Together.” In fact, the hymn had nothing to do with the mythologized first Thanksgiving held by the Pilgrims in November 1621. Based on a Dutch folk tune, the hymn was written in 1597 to celebrate the Dutch victory over the Spanish forces at the Battle of Turnhout. Prior to that, Dutch protestants were forbidden to gather for religious observances. It first appeared in American hymnals around 1903 and rapidly gained popularity as the Thanksgiving hymn sung at church services and in public schools during the week of the November holiday. In 1992, comedian Adam Sandler performed his own mocking version of the holiday standard on Saturday Night Live that more or less coincided with “We Gather Together” being removed forever from public schools and gatherings. The hymn is still a staple in churches across America at Thanksgiving.

The holiday itself has something of a checkered and violent history. The highly mythologized account of the first Thanksgiving “harvest feast” shared by English Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people in 1621 generally ignores the fact that disease brought by the colonists to North America wiped out 90 percent of New England’s native populations. Following a major Patriot victory in the Revolutionary War, George Washington proclaimed the first nationwide Thanksgiving celebration in America, marking Nov. 26, 1789, “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer.” He was then upstaged by Abraham Lincoln 74 years later who formally established the holiday when he issued a proclamation for a National Day of Thanksgiving in October 1863 following the Battle of Gettysburg where 50,000 soldiers died. In 1939, Franklin Roosevelt moved the Thanksgiving holiday one week earlier than normal to the second-to-last Thursday in November, believing that doing so would help bolster retail sales during the final years of the Great Depression.

Regardless of these inconvenient truths — and Adam Sandler’s buffoonery — the overwhelming majority of us in a wonderfully diverse America embrace Thanksgiving as a welcome opportunity to gather with family and friends and celebrate however we see fit with food, football and a nice afternoon nap.

— Traditional daily prayer of the American Lakota people

When the Year Grows Old

By Edna St. Vincent Millay

I cannot but remember

When the year grows old — October — November —

How she disliked the cold!

She used to watch the swallows Go down across the sky, And turn from the window

With a little sharp sigh.

And often when the brown leaves Were brittle on the ground, And the wind in the chimney Made a melancholy sound,

She had a look about her

That I wish I could forget — The look of a scared thing

Sitting in a net!

Oh, beautiful at nightfall

The soft spitting snow! And beautiful the bare boughs Rubbing to and fro!

But the roaring of the fire, And the warmth of fur, And the boiling of the kettle Were beautiful to her!

I cannot but remember

When the year grows old — October — November —

How she disliked the cold!

As the holiday season approaches, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how we can make a positive impact on our community. Many local organizations are working tirelessly to improve the quality of life in Moore County, and they depend on the generosity of people like you.

In the following pages, you’ll find PineStraw Magazine’s Guide to Giving, which features a curated selection of charitable organizations in our area that rely on the generosity of community members. We encourage you to get involved - whether through donation, volunteering or spreading the word. Every contribution, no matter the size, plays a role in advancing their important work and creating a stronger, more vibrant community for all of us.

This Guide to Giving is made possible thanks to the generosity of our local business sponsors, who are committed to supporting these vital causes.

A Special Advertising Section

MISSION STATEMENT

919.437.1265

www.thejeremiahprojectsandhills.org

The Jeremiah Project offers compassion, hope and help for single, pregnant women and single mothers with children facing homelessness, providing them with opportunities to have healthy, productive lives..

HOW IT WORKS

The Jeremiah Project was specifically started to help unwed mothers, single moms and their children find the help they need to become sustainable. The Jeremiah Project provides a non-judgmental, loving relationship with the women, to instill in her that she is not alone. She is given achievable goals to get back on a better path and realize the self-confidence that achievement brings.

FUNDRAISING GOALS

The Jeremiah 2911 House will provide a safe, nurturing environment where moms and their children can thrive. They need a supportive community of people to help them through the tough time of breaking the cycle of poverty.

The goal is to purchase a house in Carthage that is for sale to provide space and services for 5 women and children. The need is $75,000 for the downpayment and to increase monthly giving by $2,000 to pay for the monthly mortgage and operating costs. Annual fundraising goal is $300,000.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Participate in annual events: Dinner/Auction in February, Run for Life in April, Golf Tournament in October at Pinewild Country Club.

Volunteer opportunities: Mentoring the women, encouraging their goals and successes, being a friend and supporting them weekly; Coordinating donations and Organizing and collecting items needed for the residents of the home

MAKE A GIFT

Contact Cheryl Welton, 919 437-1265

Mail to: The Jeremiah Project PO Box 3784 Pinehurst, NC 28374

Use the DONATE BUTTON to make a secure online gift at www.thejeremiahprojectsandhills.org

910.692.3611 www.sunrisetheater.com

MISSION STATEMENT

In partnership with the community, we strive to entertain, educate, and engage through film and performing arts in a beloved historic Southern Pines landmark.

SERVICES

Staff and volunteers work to bring a variety of programming and exceptional popcorn to our audience with the goal to uplift, inspire, and provide rest.

EVENTS

The Sunrise’s events include a broad range of the arts. We have live theater and concerts, first run and throwback movies, Met Opera simulcasts and special holiday events and the list goes on. Whether you’re in our cozy loft micro-theater, our main auditorium, or under the stars by our outdoor stage, the Sunrise has something for everyone to enjoy!

If you are interested in volunteering, please call 910-692-3611 or email sunrisetheaternc@gmail.com. Donations for the annual fund or endowment are deeply appreciated and may be made by mail or online at www.sunrisetheater.com. Any checks can be mailed to 250 NW Broad St Southern Pines, NC 28387. 250 NW Broad St, Southern Pines, NC 28387

FUNDRAISING

The community’s generous support of this non-profit historic theater assures a variety of entertaining programming. Our fundraising focus includes maintenance of this special place that was constructed in 1898 and was converted to a theater in 1941. Plus, we would be remiss not to mention our wonderful volunteers and their key role in creating the strength of this community theater from working concessions, taking tickets, participating in theater work days, and so much more!

HOW CAN YOU HELP

Gifts of time, talent, and treasure are all welcomed!

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

500 E. Rhode Island Avenue

Southern Pines, NC 28387

910.692.0300

penickvillage.org/about-us/foundation

MISSION STATEMENT

As a faith-based nonprofit organization, Penick Village’s mission is to cultivate a friendly and safe community where residents have the freedom to focus on their wellness and relationships while living to life’s fullest potential.

VISION

Penick Village’s vision is to offer a premier life plan community experience to our residents, delivering exceptional services, lifestyle, and innovation.

MAKE A GIFT

penickvillage.org/donate or to learn more contact: Carrie Dugas, Chief Development Officer cdugas@penickvillage1964.org

BENEVOLENT ASSISTANCE

Bishop Penick founded Penick Village in 1964 with the vision, mission, and promise that no resident would ever have to leave because they have outlived their resources. The Penick Village Foundation provides assurance to its residents that Bishop Penick’s promise is upheld through our Benevolent Assistance Program.

OUR BOARD LEADERS

James Heisey, Foundation Board Chair Micah Niebauer, Board of Directors President Chip Cromartie, Chief Executive Officer

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Contact: Chaplin Colette Bachand cbachand@penickvillage1964.org

OUR MISSION

The Moore County Community Foundation (MCCF) is an affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation. It is led by a local volunteer advisory board that helps build community assets by creating permanent endowments, making grants, and leveraging leadership and partnerships –all for the benefit of Moore County.

ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

The North Carolina Community Foundation brings together generous people and connects them to causes and organizations they care about, with a focus on inspiring lasting and meaningful philanthropy in the state’s rural communities.

With $400 million in assets, NCCF sustains over 1,200 endowments and partners with a network of affiliates in 60 counties to strengthen our state. By stewarding and growing donors’ gifts, NCCF makes a powerful impact through a robust grants and scholarships program, awarding over $270 million since 1988.

OUR GRANTMAKING

Each year, MCCF holds a competitive grants program using dollars from our community grantmaking fund and board-advised funds. In 2024, the MCCF awarded more than $110,107 to the following local nonprofits

• American Red Cross

• ArtistYear

• Arts Council of Moore County

• Autism Society of North Carolina

• Boys & Girls Club of the Sandhills

• Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas

• Companion Animal Clinic of the Sandhills Foundation

• Drug Free Moore County

• Family Promise of Moore County

• Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC

• Friend to Friend

• Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills

• Made4Me, Inc.

• Make-A-Wish Central & Western NC

• Meals on Wheels of the Sandhills

• Monarch, Inc.

• Moore Buddies Mentoring

• North Carolina Symphony

• Northern Moore Family Resource Center

• Our Saviour Lutheran Church of Southern Pines

• Prancing Horse, Inc.

• Pretty in Pink Foundation

• Prevent Blindness North Carolina

• Ronald McDonald House of the Triangle

• Sandhills Children’s Center

• Sandhills Machine, Inc.

• Sandhills PRIDE

• Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc.

• Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Sacred Heart Parish

• The Arc of Moore County

• The CARE Group, Inc.

• The First Tee Chapter of the Sandhills

• The Honor Foundation

HONORED TO SERVE MOORE COUNTY SINCE 1991 Rooted In Generosity and Creating Opportunities For Hope

Number of grants to Moore County organizations: 33 Grants in Moore County in 2024: $110,107

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT MOORE COUNTY

We welcome the opportunity to partner with you in support of Moore County! Visit our website nccommunityfoundation.org/Moore to learn how you can volunteer, participate in upcoming events or to make a tax-deductible gift to the Moore County Community Foundation.

OUR MISSION

Honor America’s Heroes: Embracing the legacy of Airborne & Special Operations Soldiers who came before us and who now continue with a greater purpose.

In 2000, when the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum (ASOM) opened, our nation was introduced to the milestone makers and groundbreakers of our time. Since then, the U.S. experienced 9/11 and twenty-plus years of war.

A s thousands of visitors enjoy the wide expanse of existing gallery space and exhibits, the ASOM team is developing a state-of-the-art exhibit space plan to showcase more artifacts and events in military history. Work has begun on an updated storyline for the gallery, and in a few years, visitors will be inspired by a transformed 21st century gallery with new artifacts, new stories, immersive exhibits, and interactive technologies to enhance the visitors learning experience.

Our goal of $8.5 million will be achieved with the help of donors who know the value of this legacy project and understand the importance of military history and the lessons learned by the heroes who made liberty and freedom possible for others. Help us continue our mission of sharing the legacies of Airborne and Special Operations Soldiers.

MAKE A GIFT

Scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/asomfund

www.asomf.org

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Sandhills Community College Foundation is to support the excellence of the college’s programs and to guarantee that all Sandhills students are able to pursue their course of study regardless of financial circumstances.

WHO WE SERVE

We serve the faculty, staff, and students of Sandhills Community College. The Foundation ensures that donated funds are invested wisely and used in ways that contribute to the ongoing excellence of Sandhills Community College and its students.

DID YOU KNOW?

• A g raduating class of Sandhills students increases its lifetime earnings by $162.6 million.

• Sandhills Community College students see an average 41% increase in income two years after graduating, and entering the workforce with a t wo-year degree - the highest in NC.

• A g raduating class of Sandhills students creates over $750 million in added income and societal savings in NC (such as reduced crime, lower unemployment, better public health).

• In every Sandhills graduating class, lives are changed forever, often for generations to come.

910.692.6185

www.sandhills.edu

GUARANTORS PROGRAM IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS IN 2023 - 2024

The Guarantors Program and The President’s 1963 Circle provided $113,920 for 261 Associates Degree students and an additional $51,723 for Workforce Continuing Education industry certification courses in the 2023 - 2024 academic year!

HOW TO HELP

There are many ways to make a gift to help ensure Opportunity & Excellence at Sandhills Community College. Gifts can be made at any time during the year and may be designated for a specific purpose, such as an academic program, BPAC, or Flyers Athletics, or may be given unrestricted (which provides the college with the opportunity to use the gift where it is needed most).

Many people choose to support the college’s Guarantors Program which helps our most at-risk students with essential resources needed to stay in school. It supports the traditional college student as well as the older student—many times a displaced worker—who is coming to Sandhills to learn a new skill and develop a new career.

Guarantors support emergency response assistance for students in crisis situations. They help with everyday expenses such as childcare that can make the difference between being able to afford to come to school or not. They support veterans’ aid programs, work-ready continuing education programs, and provide critical tuition assistance to fill the gap between what a student can afford to pay and what they owe for their classes.

MAKE A GIFT

Sandhills Community College Foundation, Inc. 501(c)3 Tax ID # 56-0946799 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374 910-695-3706

elkinsg@sandhills.edu

Germaine Elkins

Vice President, Engagement

Jennifer Dail

Senior Director of Development

Cassidy Asbury Director of Foundation Operations

Joshua Ward (Tito) Assoc. Director of Foundation Outreach and Athletics Coord.

OUR MISSION

www.sandhillschildrenscenter.org

Our mission is to provide services of the highest quality for children with and without special developmental needs, ages birth through five.

WHO WE SERVE

We work in partnership with families to serve typically developing children as well as children with special needs, ages birth through five in our 2 locations: Southern Pines and Rockingham

HOW TO HELP

Our Dreammakers Program is a monthly donation that allows us to take a deliberate, long-term approach to making lasting improvements to children’s lives.

EVENTS & VOLUNTEERING

Participation, sponsorship, and volunteer opportunities for our fundraisers are available and appreciated throughout the year: Kelly Cup Golf Championship (March), Backyard Bocce Bash (May), Clays for Kids (October) Festival of Trees (November)

Visit: www.sandhillschildrenscenter.org/fundraising-events or call 910.692.3323.

28TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF TREES

The Carolina Hotel - Pinehurst • November 20-23, 2024

Admission by Monetary Donation • Open 10 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. daily www.festivaloftrees.org

DID YOU KNOW?

• Sandhills Children’s Center is 2 out of less than 20 developmental day centers that are community-based in North Carolina.

• We are a 5-Star facility which is the highest rating that a day-care c an receive

• L ower staff-to-child ratios that allow us to better meet the individual needs of all t he children that we serve.

• Sandhills Children’s Center provides onsite therapies ( physical, speech, occupational…) for children as needed.

• Preschool lead teachers are certified with NC Teaching Licensure

• All staff are certified in CPR and First Aid

MAKE A GIFT

support Sandhills Children’s Center and Hope You Will Too

160 Memorial Park Ct Southern Pines, NC 28388

910.692.0777

www.sandhillsbgc.org

BUILDING GREAT FUTURES, ONE CHILD AT A TIME

For over 25 years the Boys & Girls Club of Sandhill’s mission has been to inspire, enable, and educate young people from all backgrounds and circumstances to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. We invite you to help us provide great futures for Moore County Young people by sponsoring a child, donating, sponsoring events, or volunteering.

Every $1 invested in the Boys and Girls Club returns $10.32 back into the economy. 96% perform at grade level for their age and 90% believe that they can stand up for what is right.

We are committed to increasing the number of children and youth that we serve, thus making a greater impact. With your support, this is not a possibility, but a certainty that will allow us to serve more kids, more often, and with a greater impact.

SERVICES

A trained and caring staff implements proven youth development strategies and creates a stable, supportive environment for children and teens aged 5 to 18.

Specially designed programs concentrate on developing job readiness, study skills, leadership, self-esteem, good health, and social responsibility among the Boys & Girls Club of the Sandhills members.

During the school year, all four units are open after school from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., when research has shown children to be most vulnerable. Our Sandhills Community College Unit is also open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for K through 5th-grade children of faculty members and students attending evening classes.

In addition, during the summer, all Moore County Units open their doors to young people from 7:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Learn how you can get involved through tutoring and mentoring opportunities by contacting Jessica Olson at jolson@sandhillsbgc.org

MAKE A GIFT

www.sandhillsbgc.org

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sandhills PO Box 1761 Southern Pines, NC 28388

This page made possible by Whit Lauter

910.704.9810

www.mealsonwheelsofthesandhills.com

MISSION STATEMENT

Meals on Wheels of the Sandhills strives to address food insecurity and provide human connection for Moore County, NC residents as a result of being homebound and unable to secure a nutritious meal.

HOW IT WORKS

Through our network of volunteer drivers, our organization delivers over 90 nutritious midday meals Monday through Friday, including weekday holidays to homebound residents of Central and Southern Moore County towns. We offer both self-pay and sponsorship programs so we can help all adult individuals in need, regardless of age or ability to pay.

EVENTS

Founded by Ida Baker Scott in 1974, Meals on Wheels of the Sandhills has fed homebound residents of Moore County, NC for 50 years! On Friday, November 15, 2024 our organization will celebrate 50 years of service with a gala to be held at the Country Club of North Carolina. Please join us to help raise $50,000 for 50 years! www.mealsonwheelsofthesandhills.com/gala to purchase tickets or call 910-704-9810 for more information.

FUNDRAISING GOALS

Our organization has several people in need on a waiting list for sponsorships. As a 501c3 organization not supported by government funding, we constantly search for donors and sponsors to help! It’s our goal to raise $50,000 by February 2025 in order to end our waiting list and feed those in need.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

With 10 delivery routes serving central and southern Moore County towns each day Monday-Friday, including weekday holidays, we appreciate volunteer drivers who can help us between the hours of 11am - 1pm. Please email us at mowsandhills1974@gmail.com or phone 910-704-9810.

DONATE TODAY!

You can help us to feed MORE in Moore County by visiting www. mealsonwheelsofthesandhills.com to donate online OR mailing a check to Meals on Wheels of the Sandhills 1975 Juniper Lake Rd Unit A1, West End, NC, 27376. MOWS is a 501c3 tax-exempt organization EIN# 58-2144702. We are fortunate to be a partnering agency with The United Way of Moore County and Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.

26 Pinecrest Plaza #316 Southern Pines, NC 28387 DuskinandStephens.org

OUR MISSION

In 2013, members of 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Ft. Bragg, NC joined efforts to throw a simple BBQ to honor the lives of fallen soldiers Mike Duskin and Riley Stephens. That single event evolved into a foundation that has now raised and awarded more than $600,000 in youth scholarships alone. The Duskin and Stephens Foundation supports the United States Special Operations community through direct support to families of fallen operators, healing programs designed to combat the effects of PTS, TBI and loss of a loved one, and youth scholarships for children of active duty members of our community.

OUTREACH

Scholarships- A major part of our mission at DSF is to provide K-12th grade scholarship to the children of our brothers in arms. We believe that instilling strong values and leadership skills at a very young age will pay dividends in our communities and in our nation.

Gold Star Family Support- We are proud to provide direct financial support to families of our fallen, trusts for children of our fallen, travel and lodging to events that honor our fallen, and opportunities for gold

star family members to meet members of our community who knew and served with their loved one.

Special Operations Family Support- DSF provides direct and timely monetary support to Special Operations families in times of financial and emotional need.

BEEF & BEER WEEKEND

What started as a plan to buy a keg of beer, grill hamburgers, and celebrate the lives and legacies of Mike Duskin and Riley Stephens, evolved into a highly organized event, attended by nearly 1,000+ people every year. More than 10 years later, Beef & Beer continues to raise enough funds to keep the mission and legacy alive. The event has become a favorite in the Sandhills community and serves as an annual reunion for operators and their families as well as the community that supports them.

MAKE A GIFT

Donations via check:

26 Pinecrest Plaza #316, Southern Pines, NC 28387 Donations via Venmo: @DSF1012 Or give online at DuskinandStephens.org

This page made possible by Meese Property Group and Spartan Property Management

OUR MISSION

910.295.1053

NAMI Moore County is a dedicated, all-volunteer organization whose purpose is to foster hope and respect for individuals with mental illnesses, and support for their families and caregivers through advocacy, education, and support groups. We also focus on educating the public to eliminate the stigma and misinformation surrounding mental illness and to encourage community involvement.

SUPPORT:

Monthly Meetings - Free & Open To The Public Family Support Group

Meets virtually on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM. For family, caregivers, and friends of those living with a serious mental illness. Call (910) 295-1053 for more information.

EDUCATION

1st Monday of the Month 7:00 PM (2nd Monday in September) No Meetings in July, October, or December

This schedule is subject to change, please call (910) 295-1053 for more information.

PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS

Sandhills Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Partnership: CIT trains law enforcement officers and other first responders about mental illness and how

to interact with someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis. T here are NAMI Programs that NAMI Moore County would like to make available to the public; however, we need your help to facilitate them. Examples are Family to Family, for family members and other caregivers. Ending the Silence, for College, High School, and Middle School Students and Educators. NAMI on Campus for High School and College Students. NAMI Homefront Mental Health Resources for Military Service Members, Veterans and their Families and is accessible through computers or mobile devices

VOLUNTEER

To volunteer or join NAMI Moore County, contact 910-295-1053 or namimoorecounty@gmail.com

These are difficult times for everyone, and NAMI Moore County needs your help. Please join NAMI Moore County to support individuals who are living with a mental illness and their families.

JOIN AND/OR MAKE A DONATION

Checks to make a donation or join may be mailed to NAMI Moore County at the address below or join online at NAMI.org

NAMI Moore County PO Box 4823, Pinehurst, NC 28374

This page made possible by Pinehurst Wealth

MISSION STATEMENT

195 Sandy Avenue

Southern Pines, NC 28387

910.692.5959

sandhills.foodbankcenc.org

The Food Bank operates under the mission: Nourish people. Build solutions. Empower communities. With the support of this incredible community and our partners, we work every day to realize the vision: No one goes hungry. The Backpack Pals’ program meets the nutritional needs of children at risk of hunger during weekends by providing discreet bags filled with weekend meals that fit inside of a child’s backpack.

HOW IT WORKS

Backpack Pals bags are compiled at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC location on Sandy Avenue in Southern Pines. These packs provide healthy meals and snacks for children and their families to ensure children return to school on Mondays or after a long school break ready to learn. Volunteers receive the food from the Food Bank, load it into bags, and deliver it to the school or program for distribution each week.

Common foods in a Backpack Pals bag include: proteins (tuna, beef stew, or peanut butter), fruits (canned or fresh), breakfast items (cereal or bars), snacks, and beverages (fruit juice and/or milk).

The backpacks are assembled by volunteers and delivered to a school partner each week. Normally, the packs are distributed on Thursday or Friday, with kids returning them on Wednesday of the following week.

Since the program began in October 2005, teachers and schools have reported improvements in test scores, positive behavioral gains, decrease in

number of unexcused absences, and an increased recognition of potential career paths.

HOW TO HELP

Donate Online: Online donations are a fast and easy way to support the work of the Food Bank. Using a credit card or bank draft, make a one-time gift or continue your support as a monthly contributor. Honor or memorialize a friend or relative by making a tribute gift. Consider hosting a virtual food drive for friends and family to get involved.

Other Monetary Support: The Food Bank accepts many types of monetary support including stock donations, bequests by will or trust, company matching gifts, and corporate partnerships.

Donate Time: Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Food Bank’s mission. Every day, Food Bank volunteers are making a tangible contribution to our communities. If you’d like to volunteer your time, please visit foodbankcenc.org/ volunteer to view opportunities, learn more about current safety protocols, and self-schedule a shift! Volunteers are temporarily using an offsite space at 181 Ridgeline Drive, Aberdeen.

MAKE A GIFT

Backpack Pals

c/o Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina 195 Sandy Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387

OUR MISSION

To conserve the natural areas, rural landscapes, family farms, and historic places within North Carolina’s central Piedmont and Sandhills.

WHO WE SERVE

15-counties in NC (Anson, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Davidson, Davie, Harnett, Hoke, Iredell, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Richmond, Rowan, Scotland, and Stanly)

HOW TO VOLUNTEER

Join our volunteer list at trlt.org/volunteer to receive updates on volunteer opportunities from clean-ups at Low Water Bridge, serving as a Trail Angel for the Uwharrie Trail Thru-Hike, or even helping set up and working at our 3D Archery Tournaments.

www.threeriverslandtrust.org

FUNDRAISING GOALS

The fundraising goal for TRLT’s End of Year Campaign is $250,000. With this money, TRLT will continue to expand public lands, save family farms, and protect local waters.

MAKE A GIFT

Donate online at trlt.org/donate 204 E. Innes St., Suite 120, Salisbury, NC 28144.

Attending events is another really great way to give back, as proceeds from each event support local conservation.

Check out our website for upcoming events! trlt.org/events

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MISSION STATEMENT

Samaritan Colony provides coordinated care and ongoing support to underserved people who suffer from addiction.

SERVICES

For close to 50 years, Samaritan Colony has helped underserved individuals and their families who are struggling with the disease of addiction. At Samaritan Colony, no one is ever turned away due to a lack of funds. If someone is willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes to live a life of recovery, our team will work to make residential treatment happen.

Healthcare providers, law enforcement, and our court system(s) refer the clients we serve. Individuals looking for help can also contact us directly. Since 1975, we have served over 6,000 men & their families.

136 Samaritan Colony Rockingham, NC 28387 samaritancolony.org

FUNDRAISING

We hold four fundraising events yearly: The Chris Pearson Memorial Golf Tournament, Homecoming, Thanksgiving meal, and our annual benefit concert at Malcolm Blue Farm. Our end-of-year fundraising goal is $20,000.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

We welcome volunteers looking to help with fundraising and events. We also welcome recovery community members to share their experiences, strengths, and hope. Contact Nikki Wells at 910-895-3243 or jwells@samaritiancolony.org

HOW TO DONATE

Donations can be made online via our website. You can also mail a check to Samaritan Colony, 136 Samaritan Dr., Rockingham, NC 28379. Gifts of stock or financial securities can be made through Charles Schwab, Southern Pines Branch, 10840 US 15-501 Hwy, Unit D, Southern Pines, NC 28387

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Make Your Kitchen Shine

For over 40 years, we have been serving the local community of contractors, homeowners and designers. Our highly skilled associates are dedicated to providing you the highest level of service and give expert assistance in building or remodeling your dream home.

MISSION STATEMENT

780 NW Broad Street, Suite 110 Southern Pines, NC 28387 910.692.2413

www.unitedwaymoore.com

FUNDRAISING

United Way of Moore County’s mission is to advance the common good by focusing on the education, financial stability, and health of those living in our community. Supporting 14 local nonprofit programs, these are the building blocks for a good life. United Way strives to stop the cycle of poverty so our entire community can thrive. United Way also supports the community with 2-1-1 Information & Referral service connecting our residents to local health & human service supports when they need help. This year’s campaign is ‘The Cycle of Poverty Stops When We Unite.’

PARTNERS

United Way of Moore County partners with and funds 14 local charitable organizations and 16 programs: American Red Cross, The Arc of Moore County, Bethany House, Bethesda, Inc., Boy Scouts of America, Friend to Friend, Meals on Wheels of the Sandhills, Moore County 4-H, Partners for Children & Families, Sandhills Moore Coalition for Human Care, Sandhills Student Assistance Program, The C.A.R.E. Group, Weymouth Center For The Arts & Humanities (Weymouth Equestrians)

The 2024 fundraising campaign brings an opportunity to purchase a limited number of raffle tickets for a 3 Day/2Night Package for two at Pinehurst Resort. Only 100 raffle tickets for $100 each are available for a chance to win. This 3 day/2 night stay includes: accommodations, breakfast and dinner daily and one round of golf per day, including play on the famed Pinehurst No. 2 course! Raffle tickets will be available November 15th at TicketMeSandhills.com.

GIVE MOORE LOCAL

Please mail your contribution to the United Way of Moore County at: PO Box 207, Southern Pines, NC 28388; Visit the office at 780 NW Broad Street, Suite 110 in Southern Pines; Text GIVELOCAL to 26989 to make a donation; or give online at www.unitedwaymoore.com. Give Moore Local means your gift helps right here in our local communities.

This page made possible by Duke Energy Building a stronger community.

Working together, through community grants, workforce development and hands-on volunteer efforts, to build a brighter future for all of us.

Laura Creed Attorney at Law

OUR MISSION

The mission of Drug Free Moore County is to help individuals who struggle with addiction and mental health disorders, integrate back into society, through prevention, treatment and recovery support services.

Vision: Well-known, well-connected leader in Treatment and Recovery Support Services.

SERVICES

Educational efforts through community presentations, resource guides, social media, and networking with Moore County Schools, FirstHealth of the Carolinas, treatment providers in Moore County and Moore County Detention Center. We also provide Harm Reduction supplies with persons in active addiction. We provide wrap around care support for persons seeking detox, treatment, transportation or transitional housing options. We offer Recovery Support Staff and Peer Support Specialists. Recovery Support Staff have various levels of experience providing care and support to persons who need it most.Peer Support Specialists have at least two years of recovery and training in order to offer support to those in recovery.Moore ReCreations, the community recovery center, is located at116 S. Middleton St. in Robbins. The recovery center is a place where families, community members, and persons in recovery or seeking recovery can learn to Recover with evidence-based recovery options and strategies. For example we host BINGO, yoga, knitting, cooking, reading, groups, and more!

FUNDRAISING

The Run for Recovery is Drug Free Moore County’s annual 5K run/walk fundraiser held each fall. Participants will raise awareness about substance abuse, promote treatment, and celebrate those who are living in recovery.

All proceeds will benefit Drug Free Moore County and go toward providing recovery resources to individuals and families through the further development of the Community Recovery Center.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Event Staffing

• Community Recovery Centers

• People who have been in recovery for at least a year may be trained as a peer counselor.

Email: info@re-createmoore.org or call 910.585.7614 and leave a message to volunteer.

MAKE A GIFT

Drug Free Moore County PO Box 639, Carthage, NC 28327 drugfreemoore.org

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OUR MISSION

Equip, empower, and encourage individuals through education, mentoring, and enrichment opportunities.

Our Vision: A community in which adults and youth are thriving and have promising futures.

MENTORING PROGRAMS

Our Mentoring Programs offer a positive, caring adult who works one-on-one with a child at risk of failing or dropping out of school helping them develop critical life skills, set goals and do better in school.

CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM

We provide a curriculum that focuses on the civics and language skills necessary for students to pass the United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) Naturalization Test and Interview.

DIGITAL LITERACY CLASSES

We provide learn-at-your-own pace online or small-group, in-person sessions to master essential computer skills, from basic device usage to advanced software and internet literacy.

P.O. Box 1966

Southern Pines NC 28388

910.692.5954

www.thecaregroupinc.org/donate

TUTORING FOR LOW LITERACY ADULTS

We improve the reading and writing skills of over 100 low literacy adults each year. We offer one-on-one tutoring for all levels in English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), and Digital Literacy.

VOLUNTEER WITH US

We are always looking to matches adult volunteers who are willing to give their time, energy, and compassion to a Moore County youth or adult learner for at least one year.

For Mentoring: contact Nancy Bryant - nancy@mcliteracy.orgm

For Tutoring: contact Judith Douglas - judith@mcliteracy.org

MAKE A GIFT

www.thecaregroupinc.org/donate

The C.A.R.E. Group, Inc. P.O. Box 1966 Southern Pines NC 28388

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Your Locally Owned McDonald's

MISSION STATEMENT

Moore Free & Charitable Clinic’s mission is to provide a primary care medical home and oral health service for low income uninsured residents of Moore County, North Carolina, giving access to consistent health care, dental care and prescription medications for disabling chronic diseases.

Our or ganization’s goal is to provide access to compassionate, quality primary health care and other services to the nearly 14,000 uninsured adults in Moore County. By doing so, the overall health of our community will be improved at the population level. The burden on local hospital emergency departments is mitigated when uninsured residents have a better, more cost-effective alternative for routine care. Communities benefit socially and economically when medical insecurity is reduced.

Moore Free & Charitable Clinic’s strategic priorities are to: 1) Increase community outreach and education about the services offered by Moore Free & Charitable Clinic, including its recently launched dental clinic for the uninsured, 2) Strengthen fundraising efforts to increase available resources to sustain its mission, and 3) Increase services to include expanded behavioral health counseling, physical therapy and optometry.

211 Trimble Plant Road, Suite C Southern Pines, NC 28387

www.MooreFreeCare.org 910.246.5333

EVENTS

Each year, Moore Free & Charitable Clinic hosts a fundraiser called the Hearts and Hands Brunch that falls near Valentine’s Day. In the fall, the major fundraising event is Dining in the Pines™, which features special dining experiences called Chef Tables, held at local fine dining restaurants.

VOLUNTEER

Moore Free & Charitable Clinic can always use clinical volunteers, including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, mental health professionals, dentists, registered nurses, pharmacists and pharmacy techs. Opportunities are also available for clerical positions, such as reception, enrollment and eligibility, filing and other office jobs. Please contact Tony Price at 910-246-5333 Ext 207.

MAKE A GIFT

Donations by check may be made out to Moore Free & Charitable Clinic and mailed to: 211 Trimble Plant Road, Suite C, Southern Pines, NC 28387.

Credit card donations made be made at www.MooreFreeCare.org.

The Clinic also can accept gifts of securities; for more information call Tony Price at (910)246-5333 Ext. 207.

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OUR MISSION

The mission of the Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care is to “alleviate hunger and financial strains of struggling households in Moore County.”

WHO WE SERVE

The Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care is a state chartered 501c(3) nonprofit corporation established in 1986 by eleven local churches. Today the Coalition is supported by over 35 area churches, the United Way of Moore County, individuals, businesses, and civic groups throughout the community. The Coalition serves the residents of Moore County, NC. Services are made possible through generous community backing, the support of dedicated volunteers, and sales at The Coalition Resale Shops.

FUNDRAISING GOALS

Without the tremendous support received from throughout Moore County, Sandhills/Moore Coalition would not be able to fulfill our

mission. There are many different ways to support our cause. The Coalition welcomes direct monetary donations, donations of goods and services or sponsorship of an event to benefit the Coalition.

HOW TO VOLUNTEER

Visit our website at https://sandhillscoalition.org/ to learn how you can volunteer and about upcoming events.

HOW TO GIVE MONETARY DONATIONS

Call (910) 693-1600 ext 204

Mail to: Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care 1500 W. Indiana Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387

Use the DONATE BUTTON to access our secure online donation form

Email Stephen Phillips, Executive Director at director@sandhillscoalition.org

OUR MISSION

Southern Pines, NC 28388

caringheartscanine@gmail.com

www.caringheartsforcanines.com

HOW TO HELP

The mission of Caring Hearts for Canines is to rescue and rehome dogs at risk of being euthanized in high kill shelters and to educate the public in order to decrease the proliferation of these unwanted dogs and works to educate the public through community outreach about the issues of spaying and neutering, vaccinating, heartworm prevention and proper care and maintenance of their canine companions.

CHFC primarily serves the area of Moore County, founded in 2014 by Jennifer Chopping in an effort to save dogs from high kill shelters that would otherwise be euthanized.

VOLUNTEER

• Kennel Care – feed, clean, and walk dogs

• Staffing Events – manning tables and dogs

• Transporting Dogs – picking up shelter dogs and transporting them to out-of-state partners

• Running with Dogs: exercising high energy dogs a couple of times a week

• Fostering

For more information on fostering and volunteering, email caringheartscanine@gmail.com

Check out our Amazon and Chewy Wishlists!

Use your Birthday to have a Facebook birthday fundraiser or Dog Food Drive to help the pups!

Donate online at www.caringheartsforcanines.com

Donate on Social Media! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Threads!

Mail a Check to:

Caring Hearts for Canines PO Box 1219, Southern Pines, NC 28388

5071 US Hwy 1, Vass, NC 910.725.8188 spayurpet.org

companionanimalclinic.org COMPANION ANIMAL CLINIC FOUNDATION

BOARD MEMBERS: ALL VOLUNTEERS!

Bobbie Mudge, President

Betsy Best, Vice President — Fundraising

Tory Adelman, Treasurer

Katie Holmes, Grant Writer

Sam Dreher, Recording Secretary

Sally Skeen, Corresponding Secretary

Audrey Wiggins, Facilities

Melissa Tatge, Social Media

Lizzie Snow, Attorney

Kailey Sivils, Fundraising

Companion Animal Clinic of the Sandhills Foundation CACF for short P.O. Box 148 Southern Pines NC CHECKS CAN BE MAILED TO:

MISSION STATEMENT

To eliminate the euthanasia of unwanted dogs and cats in central North Carolin by providing adorable spay/neuter surgeries to reduce groups, animal control agencies, and owners who cannot afford a private veterinarian.

Currently fundraising for a capital improvement to our building to increase surgical space. Estimate $100,000 project.

Over 7,000 dogs and cats spayed or neutered in 2024.

OUR MISSION

Life Care Pregnancy Center is a nonprofit Christ-centered ministry that promotes the sanctity of human life by providing Christian direction, compassionate care, accurate information and practical assistance for individuals and families facing crucial decisions surrounding a pregnancy. OUR FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL SERVICES INCLUDE

• Pregnancy Testing

• Limited Ultrasounds

• Coaching & Education (English & Spanish)

• Medical & Community Referrals

• Men’s Ministry

• Material Resources

CONTACT US AT

402 Monroe St. Carthage, NC 28327 910.947.6199 | www.friendsoflcpc.org

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS

• We Will Walk with You, Talk with You, & Support You:

º Pregnancy Options Education

º Education on Abortion & Risks

º Adoption Referrals

º Healing After Abortion or Pregnancy Loss

º Men’s Ministry

º Material Resources

HOW YOU CAN HELP

• Donate Diapers, Wipes, New Baby Clothing

• Pray Unceasingly

• Volunteer: Moms, Babies and Dads need YOU!

• Visit www.friendsofLCPC.org or mail to: P.O. Box 519 Carthage, NC 28327

SHARE YOUR LOVE HERE

PINEHURST

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Prancing Horse is to provide a safe environment for therapeutic horsemanship.

SERVICES

Since 1984, Prancing Horse has been providing equine assisted activities and therapies to persons with disabilities in Moore and surrounding counties.

A sound, reliable herd of horses in their second careers, thoroughly

EVENTS

Key fundraising events include our Barn Dance in the Spring and the Prancing Horse Farm Tour in October. An end of session horse show is hosted for our program participants in December.

FUNDRAISING

100% of Prancing Horse’s participants rely on scholarships. Your contributions are managed responsibly and ethically allocated to serve community members of the Sandhills.

WHEN YOU PARTNER WITH PRANCING HORSE

ou may give a student their first steps.

ou nourish a horse in their second career.

ou provide a safe community for youth to volunteer. You create vironment where participants foster independence & tional regulation.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MISSION

Prancing Horse

Terry Riney, Kelli Starr and Blaine Riney

OUR MISSION

Bringing wholeness to the hopeless.

Adult & Teen Challenge Sandhills, NC is a residential faithbased, long-term rehabilitation program for men struggling with life-controlling addictions.

HOW IT WORKS

An ideal place for recovery, Sandhills Teen Challenge is located on 31 tranquil acres in the heart of Moore County, and is a 9-month residential program. Sandhills Teen Challenge provides food, clothing, a warm bed, academic materials, etc., which are necessary to ensure the student receives the spiritual, emotional, vocational, and academic training required to help him overcome the problems which led to his addiction.

P.O. Box 1701 Southern Pines, NC 28388

910.947.2944

www.sandhillstc.org

CORE VALUES

• Biblical foundation

• Accountability

• Stewardship

• Integrity

• Commitment

• Discipleship

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BANQUETS

Join us to celebrate our Annual Christmas Banquets on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 12, 13, 14th at 6pm at Sandhills Adult & Teen Challenge in Carthage. Call 910-947-2944 for more information. To register for banquet go to our website sandhillstc.org

MAKE A GIFT

www.sandhillstc.org

Sandhills Adult & Teen Challenge

P.O. Box 1701, Southern Pines, NC 28388

Please make checks payable to Sandhills Adult & Teen Challenge

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For over 40 years, we have been serving the local community of contractors, homeowners and designers. Our highly skilled associates are dedicated to providing you the highest level of service and give expert assistance in building or remodeling your dream home.

Monday through Saturday from 8:00am to 5:00pm 476 Hwy 74 West, Rockingham, NC 28379 @honeybeebridalandboutique 910.387.9216

photo credit: Timeless Carolinas

arts & entertainment

Although conscientious effort is made to provide accurate and up-to-date information, all events are subject to change and errors can occur! Please call to verify times, costs, status and location before planning or attending any events.

Friday, November 1

TRACTOR AND TRAIN SHOW. 8 a.m. Attend a fun-filled, three-day family event. There will be a tractor parade, games, antique auction, money in the haystack and more. The event will continue through Nov. 3. Ederville, 644 Niagara-Carthage Road, Carthage. Info: www.edervillenc.com.

LUNCH AND LEARN. 11 a.m. Maggie Bonecutter from FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care will define hospice, palliative care and the difference between the two. Bring a brown bag lunch; light snacks will be provided. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

LUNCH BUNCH. 11:30 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to dine on different cuisines each month, visiting different restaurants in the area. Carpool with friends or meet at the restaurant. Dining locations will be chosen the week before. Info: (910) 692-7376.

FIRST FRIDAY. 5 p.m. Come enjoy music from Sneezy at First Friday. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com.

ART RECEPTION. 6 - 8 p.m. The Arts Council of Moore County presents “Healing Through the Art.” The exhibit will remain up through Dec. 18. Arts Council of Moore County, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-4356.

PAWS FOR CELEBRATION. 6 - 9 p.m. Moore Humane Society’s incredible auction and gala awaits you. There will be fantastic items up for grabs from around the world, a virtual auction, raffle, music and a full dinner. Tickets are $125. Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: www.moorehumane.org.

Saturday, November 2

KID’S SATURDAY. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Families are invited to a monthly, themed craft event to socialize and get creative. Geared toward ages 3 - 10. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642 or www.vopnc.org.

HORSE PROGRAM. 2 p.m. Melanie Sue Bowles will share her experiences of running Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

THEATER. 3 p.m. Sandhills Repertory Theatre presents Taylor and King. There will be a second performance at 7 p.m. and another on Nov. 3

Ruth Pauley Series

Tuesday, Nov. 12

at 2 p.m. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www. sunrisetheater.com.

THEATER. 3 - 4:45 p.m. Roanoke Ballet Theatre presents Dracula. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

PURSE BINGO. 5:30 - 10:30 p.m. The theme of this year’s purse bingo will be “Masquerade.” Play bingo for high-end handbags filled with donations from the community to fundraise for The Academy of Moore County. Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

CHORAL SHOW. 7 - 9 p.m. The Golf Capital Chorus presents its 43rd anniversary show, “Songs for All Seasons.” Proceeds benefit local charities. Lee Auditorium, Pinecrest High School, 250 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines. Tickets available online at Ticket Me Sandhills and in person at R. Riveter, Provision Ace Hardware, Heavenly Pines and Pine Scone Cafe. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SHAG SOCIETY DANCE. 7 - 10 p.m. Attend the Shag Society’s annual fundraiser event featuring the fantastic band The Embers, to benefit the Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care. A cash bar is available, and a 50/50 drawing will be held. Tickets are $30 each. Down Memory Lane, 161 Dawkins St., Aberdeen. Info: (919) 622-2829 or www.MASSEventTickets.com.

Sunday, November 3

STEAM. 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Elementary-aged children and their caregivers are invited to learn about topics in science, technology, engineering, art and math and to participate in STEAM projects and activities. This month is all about robots in space. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut

Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or kbroughey@sppl.net.

Monday, November 4

QUILTS OF VALOR. 12 - 4 p.m. Quilts of Valor meets the first Monday of each month to create lap quilts made especially for veterans. If you sew, bring your machine; if you don’t sew, you can iron or cut out fabrics for new designs. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

AFTER SCHOOL MEETUP. 3:30 p.m. Meet us “At the Park After School.” Pick up a snack, take home a craft and a free book to keep. Downtown Park, 145 S.E. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

Tuesday, November 5

KID’S DAY OUT. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Ages 5 - 12 can enjoy a fun day out. Cost is $42 for residents and $58 for non-residents. Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www. southernpines.net.

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to enjoy short relaxation and brain enhancement exercises, ending with a mindfulness practice. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TEEN CREATIVITY CLUB. 4:30 p.m. Teen Creativity Club is a meeting space for creative teens ages 13 and older. From creative writing to storytelling to drawing and more, come by and see what other teen artists are doing. This is mostly an open space with some librarian-led activities. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: kbroughey@sppl.net.

BAKING FOR KIDS. 5:30 - 7 p.m. Ages 9 - 14 can learn about baking. Cost is $120 for residents and $168 for non-residents. Fire Station No. 82, 7831 N.C. 22, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines. net.

Thursday November 7

ART EVENT. 5 - 7:30 p.m. The Artists League of the Sandhills will host a private night for its 30th annual fall exhibit and sale. Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. Info: www. artistleague.org.

LECTURE. 5:30 p.m. Hear professor Abbe Allen speak about the Russian looting of Ukraine. There will be a second lecture Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. Arts Council of Moore County, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-4356.

SUPPORT GROUP. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The Sandhills Chronic Kidney Disease Support Group meets the first Thursday of each month. Clara McLean House, Shadowlawn Room, 20 First Village Drive,

Pinehurst. Info: angela@sandhillsckd.com or kathy@sandhillsckd.com.

PICNIC IN THE PINES. 6 - 9 p.m. The Food Bank of CENC in the Sandhills invites you to Picnic in the Pines. All proceeds from this event will go toward nourishing the 35,730 food insecure individuals in Lee, Moore, Scotland and Richmond counties. The evening will feature a grazing table prepared by the Debonair Chef, cocktails by The Gentleman Mobile Bar and music from The Main Event Band. The Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: https://fbsh2024.cbo.io.

CONCERT. 7 - 8:30 p.m. Experience the guitar artistry of world-renowned Lukasz Kuropaczewski up close and personal. McPherson Theater at BPAC, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www. ticketmesandhills.com.

Friday, November 8

ART RECEPTION. 5 - 7 p.m. The Artists League of the Sandhills will have an opening reception for the 30th annual art exhibit and sale. Open to the public. Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. Info: www.artistleague.org.

DENIM AND GLITZ. 6 - 10 p.m. Put on your favorite jeans and join in an evening benefiting Changing Destinies Ministry, an anti-human-trafficking organization. There will be music, auctions, a buffet dinner and more. Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: changingdestiniesministry.org.

Saturday, November 9

CRAFT DAYS. Children and their families can come by the library for Drop-in Craft Days and work on crafts and coloring at their own pace. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www. sppl.net.

COMMUNITY YARD SALE. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Enjoy shopping 20 - 40 individual outdoor booths offering everything from handmade crafts, modern tools and electronics, vintage and antique collectibles and even an assortment of everyday household items or clothes. A food truck will be on site. The Bee’s Knees, 125 N.C. 73, West End. Info: (910) 420-8970.

PARADE. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Join us for the annual Veterans Day parade. Downtown, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

Sunday, November 10

CHILI COOK OFF. 12 - 3 p.m. O’Donnell’s Pub is having its annual SoPine’s chili cook off supporting Special Forces Association Chapter 62. O’Donnell’s Pub, 133 E. New Hampshire Ave., Southern Pines.

BOOK EVENT. 2 - 3 p.m. The County Bookshop and The Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities welcome Bland Simpson and Ann Cary Simpson to discuss Clover Garden: A Carolinian’s Piedmont Memoir. Weymouth Center, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Monday, November 11

PHOTO CLUB. 7 p.m. Sandhills Photography

Club monthly meeting presents “The Properly Equipped Macro Photographer” with Mike Moats. Moats will share the essential tools and techniques for capturing stunning macro images. Guests are welcome. Sandhills Horticultural Gardens Visitors Center, 3245 Airport Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sandhillsphotoclub.org

Tuesday, November 12

HATHA YOGA. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older can increase flexibility, balance, stability and muscle tone while learning the basic principles of alignment and breathing. You may gain strength, improve circulation and reduce chronic pain practicing gentle yoga postures and mindfulness. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

AARP TALK. 12 - 12:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to join AARP for a fraud talk. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LECTURE SERIES. 7 - 8 p.m. The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series presents Dr. Valerie Hillings, with a presentation on “Art, Nature and People: Inspiring Joy and Connection at the North Carolina Museum of Art.” Free of charge. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Wednesday, November 13

ACTIVE ADVENTURES. 10 - 11 a.m. Little ones can come enjoy fun and active adventures. Cost is $5 for residents and $7 for non-residents. Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

HOME SCHOOL FUN ZONE. 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Ages 5 - 13 can come hang out with other home-school families. Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www. southernpines.net.

Thursday, November 14

BOOK EVENT. 3 - 4 p.m. Kimberly Daniels Taws from The Country Bookshop will be speaking with Ryan Emanuel about his book On the Swamp: Fighting for Indigenous Environmental Justice. This is a virtual conversation. Sign up to listen or have it emailed to you. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

SYMPHONY. 7:30 - 9:15 p.m. International superstar pianist Stephen Hough brings his special brand of genius to the stage alongside the North Carolina Symphony performing Beethoven’s sweeping Piano Concerto No. 3, led by music director Carlos Miguel Prieto. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ncsymphony.org.

Friday, November 15

COMPUTER BASICS. 11 a.m. Learn how to navigate the internet, create files and take advantage of what the digital world has to offer. If you have a laptop, be sure to bring it so you can practice on your own device. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: msilva@sppl.net.

MOONLIGHT HIKE. 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a

free moonlight hike for all ages. Bring a flashlight. Weymouth Woods Nature Preserve, 1024 N. Fort Bragg Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

JAZZ MUSIC. 7 p.m. Good Shot Judy, a big-amp jazz band, performs. Tickets are $27. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com.

Saturday, November 16

ART SATURDAY. 12 - 2 p.m. The Arts Council of Moore County presents “Holiday Creations.” Ages 17 and under can come make holiday-themed creations. Materials are provided. Cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-2878 or heather@mooreart.org.

DANCING. 6 p.m. Carolina Pines Dance Club invites you for a fun evening of swing, shag, ballroom, Latin and line dancing. Doors open at 6 p.m. Dance lessons from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Dancing until 9:30 p.m. Beginners and experienced dancers, couples and singles all welcome. Cost is $20 per person, cash at the door. Tyson Sinclair Ballroom, 105 McReynolds St. (second floor), Carthage. Info: (910) 331-9965.

THEATER. 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Imagine Youth Theater presents Into the Woods. There will be a second performance on Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Monday, November 18

AFTER SCHOOL MEETUP. 3:30 p.m. Meet us “At the Park After School.” Pick up a snack, take home a craft and a free book to keep. Elizabeth Rounds Park, 570 Pee Dee Road, Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

Tuesday, November 19

BRAIN FITNESS. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 18 and older are invited to enjoy short relaxation and brain enhancement exercises, ending with a mindfulness practice. Eve Gaskell will be the instructor. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BINGO. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to play 10 games of bingo. Cost is $4 for residents and $6 for non-residents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

SENIOR CITIZENS DAY. 12 - 1 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to bring or bake their own cakes and enjoy games, fellowships and treats. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

TEEN CREATIVITY CLUB. 4:30 p.m. Teen Creativity Club is our meeting space for creative teens ages 13 and older. From creative writing to storytelling to drawing and more, come by and see what other teen artists are doing. This is mostly an open space with some librarian-led activities. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: kbroughey@sppl.net.

PIANO CONCERT. 7 - 8:15 p.m. 4HANDS Piano Duo will play “100 Years of Rhapsody in Blue.” Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Wednesday, November 20

FESTIVAL OF TREES. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. The Festival of Trees returns with its stunning exhibit of holiday trees, wreaths and other decorations. Items are available for bidding through an online auction. Visit the gift shop to get a head start on your holiday shopping. All proceeds benefit the Sandhills Children’s Center. Girls’ Night Out is Nov. 20 from 5 - 8 p.m., and cookies and cocoa for kids is Nov. 21 from 5 - 8 p.m. The Carolina Hotel, 80 Carolina Vista Drive, Pinehurst. Info: www. festivaloftrees.org.

WHITEHALL BOOK CLUB. 2 p.m. Southern Pines Public Library’s book club for adults meets to discuss this month’s book. The book club is open to the public. Whitehall Property, 490 Pee Dee Road, Southern Pines. Info: mmiller@sppl.net.

LIBRARY PROGRAM. 3:30 p.m. Come to a special ATLAS (At The Library After School) program where our guests will teach us about Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map technology in a fun and hands-on way. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

VARIETY SHOW. The Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills presents Baxter Clement’s

Variety Show to support the “Sponsor a Child Campaign.” Tickets are $40. Sunrise Theatre, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines.

Thursday, November 21

BRUNCH. 9:30 a.m. Enjoy a plated meal, special music, an inspirational speaker and the Stonecroft Ministries FUNraiser — a fun, high energy “Dollar Auction” complete with auction paddles with pre-set bids from $1 to $5. Cost is $24 cash or check payable to SCWC. Sponsored by Sandhills Christian Women’s Connection. BANQ, 600 S.W.

Broad St., Southern Pines. Info and reservations: (910) 215-4568 or patsyrpeele@gmail.com.

LUNCH N’ LEARN. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Guest speaker Sueson Vess will talk about delicious, nutritious and allergy free holiday treats. There will be a food demonstration and tasting. Cost is $30 and includes lunch, drink and dessert. Sandhills Woman’s Exchange, 15 Azalea Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-4677.

DOUGLASS CENTER BOOK CLUB. 10:30 a.m. Multiple copies of the selected book are available for checkout at the library. The Douglass Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: mmiller@sppl.net.

READ BETWEEN THE PINES. 5 p.m. Do you love reading and discussing amazing books? If so, join SPPL’s evening book club for adults, Read Between the Pines. Copies of the book are available at the library to checkout while supplies last. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: mhoward@sppl.net.

CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE. 6:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be researcher and author Rachel Lance with a presentation on In the Waves: My Quest to Solve the Mystery of a Civil War Submarine. Meeting starts at 7 p.m. Open to the public. Civic Club, corner of Pennsylvania and Ashe St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 246-0452 or mafarina@aol.com.

Our Covenant:

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Friday, November 22

POTTERS CELEBRATION. 2 - 4 p.m. The Celebration of Seagrove Potters show features 28 Seagrove pottery shop booths, gala, live pottery auction, demos, food trucks and more. There are also 29 shops participating in a self-guided tour. Luck Comer Lail Center, 798 N.C. 705, Seagrove. Info: www.discoverseagrove.com/events/ celebration-of-seagrove-potters-main-event/.

HOMESCHOOL HANGOUT. 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Homeschool Hangout is a monthly drop-in space for home-schooling families in grades K-12. Meet up with others and work on activities based on this month’s theme of dinosaurs. There will be some activities and resources available based on the theme, but feel free to bring your own. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

LANTERN FESTIVAL. 4:30 - 9 p.m. Adults 55 and older can experience a Chinese lantern festival at Kona Booth Amphitheater in Cary. Cost is $32 for residents and $45 for non-residents. Info: www. southernpines.net.

FUNDRAISER. 5:30 - 9 p.m. Carolina Horse Park presents its Casino Royale fundraiser. There will be casino games, raffles, auctions and more. Village Pine Venue, 1628 McCaskill Road, Carthage. Info: maggie@carolinahorsepark.com.

MAINSTAGE SERIES. 7 - 8:30 p.m. BPAC presents an evening with Jimmy Webb, a Grammy-

winning songwriter. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Saturday, November 23

STORYTIME. 10:15 a.m. Saturday Storytime is the once-a-month program for children from birth to age 5 with stories, songs, rhymes and smiles as caregivers and young children interact and explore the fun of language and early literacy. There are space constraints for this indoor story time. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.sppl.net.

MET OPERA. 1 p.m. Met Opera returns with Tosca. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www. sunrisetheater.com.

TREE LIGHTING. 4:30 - 6 p.m. Join us for the annual Christmas tree lighting. Downtown Southern Pines. Info: www.southernpines.net.

FAMILY FUN SERIES. 5 - 6:30 p.m. BPAC presents Puppy Pals Live, an action-packed comedic stunt dog show. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Tuesday, November 26

WELLNESS CLASSES. 10 - 11:30 a.m. For adults 18 and older. Join us for different educational topics all involving information that will improve overall mind, body and spirit. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W.

Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

Wednesday, November 27

KID’S DAY OUT. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Ages 5 - 12 can enjoy a fun day out. Cost is $42 for residents and $58 for non-residents. Recreation Center, 160 Memorial Park Court, Southern Pines. Info: www. southernpines.net.

Thursday, November 28

MEDICAL MINUTES. 1 - 2 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to learn about different topics each month beneficial to educating our senior community. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CONCERT. 7 p.m. Enjoy a showing of The Last Waltz. Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Free of charge. Info: (910) 692-3611 or www.sunrisetheater.com.

Friday, November 29

NUTCRACKER. 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Gary Taylor Dance presents The Nutcracker. There will be more performances on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Saturday, November 30

POP-UP MARKET. Come enjoy shopping at the Pinehurst Holiday Pop-Up Market. Fair Barn,

200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. Info: www. vopnc.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday, December 8

WRITING GROUP. 3 p.m. Are you interested in creating fiction, nonfiction, poetry or comics? Come to the Sunday Afternoon Writing Group. Connect with other writers and artists, chat about your craft and get feedback about your work. All levels welcome. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: lholden@sppl.net.

Thursday, December 12

SYMPHONY. 7:30 p.m. Celebrate the season with all your festive holiday favorites performed by the North Carolina Symphony. Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: www.ncsymphony.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

Mondays

WORKSPACES. 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Given Tufts Bookshop has a new pop-in co-workspace open on Mondays and Thursdays in the upstairs conference room. Bookshop floor and private meeting room by reservation only. Info: www.giventuftsfoundation.com.

WORKOUTS. 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to get their workout on. Open

Monday through Friday. Cost for six months: $15/ resident; $30/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHAIR YOGA. 9 - 10 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Help offset body aches encountered with desk work. This is an accessible yoga class for bodies not able to easily get up from and down to the floor. Do standing or sitting in a chair. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

STRENGTH AND BALANCE WORKOUT. 1111:45 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy a brisk workout that focuses on balance and strength. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

RESTORATIVE YOGA. 12 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Practice gentle movements that may help alleviate pain while improving circulation and general well-being. Bring your own mat. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

GAME ON. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. You and your friends are invited to play various games such as corn hole, badminton, table tennis, shuffleboard, trivia games and more. Each week enjoy a different activity to keep moving and thinking. Compete with friends and make new ones

all for free. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

Tuesdays

PLAYFUL LEARNING. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Come for a drop-in, open playtime for ages 0 - 3 years to interact with other children and have educational playtime. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

BABY RHYMES. 10:15 a.m. Baby Rhymes is specially designed for the youngest learners (birth2) and their caregivers. Repetition and comforting movements make this story time perfect for early development and brain growth. There will be a duplicate session at 10:45 a.m. An active library card is required. Dates this month are Nov. 5, 12 and 19. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www. sppl.net.

GAME DAY. 12 p.m. Enjoy bid whist and other cool games all in the company of great friends. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHESS. 1:30 - 5 p.m. Join a chess group, whether

you have been playing for a while or you have never played. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

LINE DANCE. 4:45 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes and line dance. This is for beginners and is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

Wednesdays

CHAIR YOGA. 10 - 11 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Help offset body aches encountered with desk work. This is an accessible yoga class for bodies not able to easily get up from and down to the floor. Do standing or sitting in a chair. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRAIN BOOST. 10 - 11 a.m. Test your memory while creating new brain connections. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

KNITTING. 10 - 11 a.m. Learn how to knit or just enjoy knitting with other people. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

BABY STORYTIME. 10 - 11 a.m. Have fun developing the foundation for your baby’s later reading with stories, songs and play. Open to parents and caregivers of infants from newborn to 24 months. Moore County Library, 101 W. Saunders St., Carthage. Info: (910) 947-5335.

NOVEMBER CALENDAR

LEARN AND PLAY. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Come to an open play date with your toddler or preschooler where there will be developmental toys and puzzles as well as early literacy tips on display for parents and caregivers to incorporate into their daily activities. Dates this month are Nov. 6, 13, 20 and 27. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www. sppl.net.

IMPROV ACTING CLASS. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Are you ready to laugh and have fun? Sign up for an improvisational acting class. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

PIANO. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Join Flint Long to either play piano or just listen. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

LINE DANCING. 12 - 1 p.m. Looking for new ways to get your daily exercise in and care for yourself? Try line dancing. For adults 55 and older. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHAIR VOLLEYBALL. 1 - 2 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Get fit while having fun. Free to participate. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910)

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. All materials included. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

DANCE. 2 - 2:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Instructor Maria Amaya will introduce you to dance fitness in this class designed for anyone who wants to gently and gradually increase cardio function, mobility and balance while having fun at the same time. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LINE DANCING. 2 p.m. The town of Vass will host line dancing for seniors every other Wednesday. Cost is $5 per session. Vass Town Hall, 140 S. Alma St., Vass. Info: www.townofvassnc.gov.

IMPROVISATIONAL ACTING. 3 - 4 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Acting is a dynamic and engaging art form. Explore it through a variety of roles, unleash creativity, embrace the unexpected and share some laughter together. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LIBRARY PROGRAM. 3:30 p.m. At The Library After School (ATLAS) is an after-school program for children ages kindergarten through second grade who enjoy activities, crafts, stories and meeting new friends. Dates this month are Nov. 6, 13

LEGACY LAKES TENNIS

and 20. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 6928235 or www.sppl.net

TAI CHI. 6:30 p.m. Come learn tai chi. There is no age limit and the classes are open to the public. Cost is $10 per class. Seven Lakes West Community Center, 556 Longleaf Drive, Seven Lakes. Info: (910) 400-5646.

Thursdays

WORKSPACES. 7 a.m. - 3p.m. The Given Tufts Bookshop has a new pop-in co-workspace open on Mondays and Thursdays in the upstairs conference room. Bookshop floor and private meeting room by reservation only. Info: www.giventuftsfoundation. com.

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 9 a.m.

- 1 p.m. The year-round market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available. Market is located at the Armory Sports Complex, 604 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines.

GIVEN STORY TIME. 10 a.m. Bring your preschooler to enjoy stories, songs and activities. Given Memorial Library, 150 Cherokee Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 295-3642.

BALANCE AND FLEXIBILITY. 10 - 11 a.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to enjoy a class that will help reduce the risk of taking a tumble and increase their ability to recover if they do. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

MUSIC AND MOTION. 10:15 and 10:45 a.m. Does your toddler like to move and groove? Join Music and Motion to get those wiggles out and work on gross and fine motor skills. For ages 2 - 5. An active library card is required. Dates this month are Nov. 6, 13, 20 and 27. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

CROCHET CLUB. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older are invited to come with friends to create fun designs and memories. Supplies are on site. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

STRETCH, STRENGTH, BALANCE. 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy exercises that will improve overall quality of life. Exercises can be performed standing or seated. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

ADAPTIVE YOGA. 12 - 1 p.m. Adults 55 and older can enjoy yoga that meets them where they

are, creating a sense of balance and ease by slowly increasing their range of motion and mobility while maintaining their natural abilities. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CHESS AND MAHJONG. 1 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Bring a board and a friend. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

CABIN TOURS. 1 - 4 p.m. The Moore County Historical Association’s Shaw House grounds, cabins and gift shop are open for tours and visits. The restored tobacco barn features the history of children’s roles in the industry. Docents are ready to host you and the cabins are open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Shaw House, 110 W. Morganton Road, Southern Pines. Info: (910) 6922051 or www.moorehistory.com.

IMPROVERS LINE DANCE. 3 - 5:30 p.m. Put on your dancing shoes and line dance. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

LITTLE U. 3:30 p.m. Introducing Little U, Southern Pines Public Library’s new preschool program for children ages 3 1/2 to 5. Enjoy stories, songs, rhymes and activities that explore the world of books, language and literacy. Little U is a fun and interactive program designed to help preschool-

ers develop early literacy skills in preparation for kindergarten and beyond. Dates this month are Nov. 7, 14 and 21. Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-8235 or www.sppl.net.

TRIVIA NIGHT. 7 - 9 p.m. Come enjoy a beer and some trivia. Hatchet Brewing Company, 490 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info: www.hatchetbrewing.com.

Fridays

AEROBIC DANCE. 9 - 10 a.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy a low-to-moderate impact class with energizing music for an overall cardio and strength workout. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

JAM SESSION. 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Do you like to play an instrument, sing or just listen to music? Come join a jam session. This is a free program. Moore County Senior Enrichment Center, 8040 U.S. 15-501, West End.

TAP CLASS. 10 - 11:30 a.m. For adults 55 and older. All levels welcome. Cost per class: $15/resident; $30/non-resident. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info:

pain and ease restrictions in mobility. Free of charge. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

BRIDGE. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. For adults 55 and older. Enjoy games of bridge with friends. All materials included. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

LINE DANCING. 3 - 4 p.m. For adults 55 and older. If you’re interested in learning dance moves and building confidence on the dance floor, this class is for you. Leave your inhibitions at the door and join in. Cost for a monthly membership is: $36 for residents and $52 for non-residents. Douglass Community Center, 1185 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines. Info: (910) 692-7376.

Saturdays

MOORE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET. 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. The market features “producer only” vendors within a 50-mile radius providing fresh, local and seasonal produce, fruits, pasture meats, eggs, potting plants, cut flowers and local honey. Crafts, baked goods, jams and jellies are also available. The market runs through

“Indigo Field is a smart, clear-minded look at a scrap of land, a story told with love for its people, and redemptive hope for the future.” – Katrina Denza

ThankyoutotheWeymouthCenterfortheArtsWriterinResidenceProgram

“The best damned book I ever read!”

– Margaret Bauer, editor, NC Literary Review A Country Bookshop Staff Pick

– Rana Southern, Mt. Airy Public Library

“My North Carolina book of the year. Oh my God, you have to read this book!”

Artists League of the Sandhills 30th Annual Exhibit and Sale Opening Reception and Weekend

Friday, November 8, 5:00-7:00

Please join us for the public opening reception of the Artists League’s 30th Annual Art Exhibit and Sale. This is our biggest event of the year and there will be hundreds of paintings for you to view in our gallery and studios!

The opening weekend will continue on Saturday, November 9, from 11:00 to 3:00 p.m. Join us for cookies and punch and meet the artists as they paint in their studios throughout the weekend. The exhibit and sale will remain open through Friday, December 20, with gallery hours from noon to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

This year our raffle will feature 2 amazing gift baskets that will include art painted by Betty Hendrix, gift cards from local businesses, wine, and many other lovely items. The value of each basket is over $900!!! The raffle will also include two additional paintings by Betty Hendrix and a framed Payne Stewart print ($500 value)…5 chances to win! Tickets are 3/$10.00 and are for sale from Artists League members or at the League. The raffle winners will be announced on Saturday, November 9, at 2:00 p.m. You need not be present to win.

The Arts Council & sponsors:

Eleanor & Thomas Gallagher, Kirby & Ted Mataxis, Jr. (Ret. Lt. Col./Dr.), Judy & Walker Oldham Present an Art Exhibition - FREE & Open to the Public

Opening Reception Friday, November 1 • 6-8pm Hosts

Caitlin Gironda, Rachel & David Wetzler

Special musical performance at 6pm by Over, Never Out, featuring Tony Barnes & Rob Dufresne Exhibit Dates

November 1 - December 18, 2024

Weekday Gallery Hours: 10am - 5pm

Weekend Hours: Sat., Nov. 16, 12-2pm

Arts Council Galleries at Campbell House 482 E. Connecticut Ave. | Southern Pines, NC

www.MooreArt.org

Photo by Gary Taylor Photography

SandhillSeen

Best of the Pines

September 18, 2024

Photographs by Ted Fitzgerald

Thomas Plumbing Beefeaters

The Ice Cream Parlor

The Spa at Pinehurst

FORTE Fitness Gym

Splash & Dash Groomerie & Boutique

My Gym Sandhills

Main Street Home Loans

xx PCS Pavement and Soft Washing Pros

Elysian Skin & Beauty Salon

Moore Floors

David Woronoff, Tom Pashley

SandhillSeen

Flutterby Festival

September 28, 2024

Photographs by Diane

McKay

The Webb Family

Volunteers and staff of the Flutterby Organization

Ny'Aira, Diara, Nylah Fitgerald

Faculty & students of Sandhills College Landscape Gardening Program

Mark Epstein, Lou Reynolds

Anna, Lindsey & Tracye Reiland

Pattie & Emma Taylor

Ezekiel, Cheyanne & Mazie

Erin Repp, Caleb Auffret

Corrine & George Walls, Gracie

Petia Radneva

Pegge & Mike Luvisi (back), Ellie, Sarah & Cece Caghman

SandhillSeen

Botanical Garden Club’s 30th Anniversary Celebration

September 22, 2024

Photographs by Mary Hilgenberg

SandhillSeen

Malcom Blue Festival • Malcom Blue Farm

September 28, 2024

Photographs by Diane McKay

Elizabeth Childers, Linda Miller

Kathy Newcomb, Barbara Latin

Jennifer Riley, Tanya Adelmann, Sara Webster

Sharlia Ragan, Ofelia Melley, Lisa Marshall, Jeanie Eastman, Elizabeth Childers, Debbie Keen, Lisa Beck, Carol Kruse

Grace Anderson, Elizabeth Sammons

Carolyn Fitzgerald, Carole McFarland

Lisa Beck, Carol Kruse, Christy Dotson, Rose Hanson

Glenda Kirby, Jeanie Eastman

Beth Carpenter, Carol Kruse, Linda Marshall

Heather & Art Miller, Emma & Ellie

The Ward Family

Hector Figueroa, Elaine Silver, Ruby Donna Turner, Kili & Aiyana

Dylan & Sara Bowen, Warrior Alisa Thompson

Three Feathers

Kirk Smith, Miles Dunning, Angus MacAndrew Jet, Jamie & Phoenix Barkman, Lisa Collins Pete, Amanda & MacArthur Taylor

None of the Above Band

November PineNeedler Food-of-the-Month

ACROSS

1. Chap

4. Hotel luxury

7. Grow dim

11. Corn ___

12. Luncheon shop

13. ___ terrier

15. Not appearing in a movie (2 wds)

17. Go after

18. “Fantasy Island” prop

19. Freshen

21. Tennis redo

22. Crumb

23. Boundless

24. Ascend

27. Video maker, for short

28. Denver athlete

30. Eliot ____, poet

33. Sandwich filler

36. Dapper

38. Boat in “Jaws”

39. Barbecue offering

40. Cracker spread

41. Wilkes-___, Pa.

43. Hidden valley

45. “Thanks ___!”

46. It may get stubbed (2 wds)

48. Astern

50. Den denizen

51. Ballerina wear

53. Cribbage token

56. Clothing protector

58. Russian pancakes

60. “I” problem

Across 1. Chap 4. Hotel luxury

61. Takes it easy

64. As often as not (2 wds)

66. Fine-tune

7. Grow dim

11. Corn ___

67. Arid

12. Luncheon shop

68. ___-friendly

13. ___ terrier

69. ___ brat

70. Scottish cap

15. Not appearing in a movie (2 wds)

71. Fourposter, e.g.

17. Go after

DOWN

18. "Fantasy Island" prop

19. Freshen

1. Errand runner

21. Tennis redo

2. Ill-suited

22. Crumb

3. “Absolutely!”

23. Boundless

4. Clairvoyants

24. Ascend

5. Fold

27. Video maker, for short

6. “___ it the truth!”

28. Denver athlete

7. TV monitor? (Init)

8. “I see!”

30. Eliot ____,poet

33. Sandwich filler

9. Grammatical

36. Dapper

10. European language

38. Boat in "Jaws"

11. Game on horseback

39. Barbecue offering

12. Imagined

40. Cracker spread

14. After expenses

41. Wilkes-___, Pa.

43. Hidden valley

16. Champagne alternative

45. "Thanks ___!"

20. “To ___ is human ...”

70. Scottish cap

34. Encourage

35. Nada

46. It may get stubbed (2 wds)

25. Electrically charged item

71. Fourposter, e.g.

26. Attack verbally (2 wds)

48. Astern

27. Battlefield shout

50. Den denizen

28. Honey

51. Ballerina wear

29. “Beetle Bailey” dog

53. Cribbage token

30. Head, slangily

56. Clothing protector

31. Kuwaiti, e.g.

58. Russian pancakes

32. Doodler

60. "I" problem

61. Takes it easy

64. As often as not (2 wds)

66. Fine-tune

67. Arid

68. ___-friendly

69. ___ brat

14. After expenses

37. “Are we there ___?”

Down

1. Errand runner

2. Ill-suited

3. "Absolutely!"

4. Clairvoyants

5. Fold

54. Encouraged, with “on”

55. Attendee

16. Champagne alternative

20. "To ___ is human ..."

42. In-flight info, for short

44. Of the area

47. Sun, e.g.

47. Sun, e.g.

56. Short order, for short

49. Combine, as metal

51. Ringworm

57. “Field of Dreams” setting

25. Electrically charged item

52. Demilitarize

59. At sea

26. Attack verbally (2 wds)

27. Battlefield shout

49. Combine, as metal

51. Ringworm

28. Honey

29. "Beetle Bailey" dog

52. Demilitarize

6. "___ it the truth!"

30. Head, slangily

53. “____ porridge hot...”

7. TV monitor? (Init)

8. "I see!"

9. Grammatical

10. European language

11. Game on horseback

12. Imagined

Sudoku:

Fill in the grid so every row, every column and every 3x3 box contain the numbers 1-9.

Puzzle answers on page 133

Mart Dickerson lives in Southern Pines and welcomes suggestions from her fellow puzzle masters. She can be reached at martaroonie@gmail.com.

31. Kuwaiti, e.g.

32. Doodler

34. Encourage

35. Nada

37. "Are we there ___?"

53. "____ porridge hot..."

62. On the ___, ran

54. Encouraged, with "on"

63. Blue hue

55. Attendee

65. Massage

56. Short order, for short

57. "Field of Dreams" setting

59. At sea

62. On the ___, ran

63. Blue hue

65. Massage

42. In-flight info, for short

44. Of the area

By EmilEE P hilliPs

Sticky Fingers

Confessions of a cookie dough thief

Around the holidays, my mother is known for baking her days away. Even with all of her kids grown and (mostly) gone she still churns out the sugary treats as if Bobby Flay were going to walk in at any moment to pass judgment on the selection.

Like most master chefs, she had specific dishware for specific things. Regular plates versus fancy plates, plastic cups versus glassware, and a collection of mixing bowls as stackable as Russian nesting dolls. There was one item, however, that came with spoonfuls of family chronicles — the granddaddy of them all — the cookie dough bowl.

When that heavy beige and blue ceramic bowl came out, we knew a spread of precisely shaped and elegantly frosted sugar cookies was on its way. But that wasn’t the best part. Oh, no. The best part was the dough.

All of us — and by us I mean her feral children — stuck our grubby fingers in that dough at least once a day, for as long as it sat in the fridge, before any of it ever landed on a cookie sheet. We weren’t afraid of salmonella, we were afraid of not seeing the bowl in time. It’s a good thing we didn’t have many guests during the holidays — it’s doubtful their constitutions would have been as hardy as ours.

My mother always wondered why her recipes never produced quite the cookie count she thought they should yield. We did our best to be discreet but eventually, my mom put two and two together and came up with three — children, that is. In the end we were betrayed by the aluminum foil that never seemed to go back as snugly as it went on and, of course, the fistful of finger divots.

Not that my brother and I were entirely innocent, but my sister, Megan, was the main culprit. And yes, that matters. The year Megan came home from college on Thanksgiving break is the year “the incident” happened. Whether or not it was on purpose has yet to be discovered.

It was late in the evening and Megan was loitering in the light of the fridge in search of a midnight snack. I can only imagine her delight when she saw the bowl. Not that I was on a cookie dough prowl myself — I have always been something of a night owl — but when I walked into the kitchen, my timing couldn’t have been better. I witnessed Megan popping a dough-laden finger into her mouth. Or so we both thought.

“Blech!” she exclaimed. Her head shook and her body shivered as she stuck out her tongue in disgust. I could see her mentally wrestling the urge to summon our mother at the top of her lungs to get to bottom of this vile pile. But of course, that would have given her up as the main cookie dough thief. Hoisted on her own petard, she couldn’t say a word.

Megan looked at me, confused. I calmly, and innocently, surveyed the scene. The cookie cutters weren’t out on the counter. Conspicuous by their absence, I knew what had happened. I reached past my sister and peeled back the foil. The bowl — not just any bowl but THE bowl — was full of potato salad.

It was as though our mother had defied the laws of nature that night. “It was even on the right shelf,” Megan whispered as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and trudged up to her room. I was just glad it wasn’t me.

The next morning at the breakfast table, Mom asked no one in particular, “So, how was the cookie dough?”

My sister lifted her gaze from her plate of pancakes with the look and sting of betrayal. To this day she swears I gave her up, but I think Mom saw the once smooth foil rumpled and decided to run with it, regardless of who the actual victim was. They exchanged a quick look full of mental gymnastics.

“That was cold,” said Megan, eyes narrowing. I was holding my breath waiting for Mom’s comeback — a lecture, or perhaps a revenge story.

Instead, the corners of her mouth turned upward as she stood to clear the breakfast plates. “Well, yeah,” she said on her way out of the room, “it was in the fridge.” PS

Emilee Phillips is PineStraw’s director of social media and digital content.