Chatham Magazine April/May 2022 by Triangle Media Partners

86 Spring Garden Inspiration 98 Downtown Pittsboro's Latest Development News April/May 2022 vol. 5, no. 5

; Our 5th

ann ual

WOMEN'S ISSUE MEET 12 MOVERS, SHAKERS AND CHANGE-MAKERS

PAGE 32

SHE CAME, SHE SAWED, SHE CONQUERED Angela Cacace hammers out a career path in the construction industry.

APRIL / MAY 2022

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LETTER FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR

The Future is Female

love feel-good stories, and this issue offers at least a dozen doses of inspiration. First, we meet Gwen Høeg, 18, a Northwood High School senior brimming with energy and ambition. The story on page 32 tells only the beginning of this young woman’s journey into the male-dominated motor sports world. She doesn’t yet realize that tenacity is her real superpower. Gwen is unafraid to give a wholehearted effort and make course corrections to achieve her goals. She believes she can, so she will. On page 54, read about Angela Cacace, a powerhouse making room for women in the construction industry. Her hashtag #moveoverbob has grown into a full-fledged venture that amplifies positivity for female workers and male allies. For Brandi Morris (page 40) and Hannah Brown (page 48), their families are a source of support for their businesses in downtown Pittsboro – Red Moose Brewing Company and Deep River Mercantile, respectively. And throughout our fifth annual women’s issue, we learn about what drives Gwen, Angela, Brandi, Hannah and eight others who are passionate about the welfare of children, the benefits of art and literature, the rights of humans and animals alike, and the well-being of our own health as individuals and as a democracy. As Chatham County grows, change is inevitable, and our quality of life depends on each of us and how we choose to act. These 12 women, whether on the brink of retirement or just starting to learn of their potential, serve as role models who show up every day to make a difference. CM

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THE COVER Photo by John Michael Simpson 4

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APRIL / MAY 2022

CONTENTS

THE WOMEN’S ISSUE 32 Gwen Høeg Northwood High School 36 Michelle Paige Chatham County Democratic Party 38 Gilda McDaniel Fearrington Village 40 Brandi Morris Red Moose Brewing Company 42 Cindy Perry Town of Pittsboro 46 Cristal Ocampo Ruiz Chatham County Public Health Department 48 Hannah Brown Deep River Mercantile 50 Genevieve Megginson Chatham County Partnership for Children 52 Pandora Paschal Chatham County Board of Elections

46 PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

54 Angela Cacace A. Marie Design + Build, Move Over Bob and The Bower Creative

DEPARTMENTS 4 Letter from the Managing Editor

56 Keebe Fitch McIntyre’s Books

8 Six Events Events you won’t want to miss

60 Pam Fulk Carolina Tiger Rescue

22 Noted What we’ve heard around our towns

HOME & GARDEN 64 What We Love About Living in ... Powell Place Three families share what drew them to the neighborhood north of downtown Pittsboro 86 In Her Garden, Goodness Grows A local artist uses her backyard as a creative outlet

92 Plant This, Not That Three local experts share their advice for picking native species

26 Who’s Who in Town & County Government Cory Saulsbury moves up the ranks to Pittsboro’s water plant superintendent 98 Here We Grow Again Updates on commercial and real estate projects in downtown Pittsboro

102 Engagement Marro & Riggsbee 103 Weddings Allen & Henning Elkins & Moore

PEOPLE & PLACES 10 Fearrington Folk Art Show 12 Mardi Gras Pub Crawl 16 New Mural at The Plant 18 Lyle Estill’s 60th Birthday Celebration

Sponsored By:

• Artificial flowers • Non-toxic craft glue You can support Arts for Resilient Kids and artists grants at www.chathamartscouncil.org/give-tochatham-arts-council/ hobbsarchitects.com

Special Advertising Section Our local nonprofits, how they support the community and how you can get involved

Our Mission The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation supports the arts and K-12 education in Chatham, Durham, Orange and Wake Counties as well as at Duke University.

Background

El Futuro works with Latinx students and parents to support and foster academic success. Photo courtesy of El Futuro

A Sampling of Recent Grants

Mary Duke Biddle established the foundation in 1956, following the philanthropic example set by her family’s investments in Duke University, North Carolina Central University and numerous other charitable organizations. Today, MDBF supports K-12 education nonprofits that promote student success and learning and offer high-quality arts instruction for underserved students. In addition, MDBF supports cultural organizations in recognition of the vital role of the arts in creating strong, vibrant communities. Duke University also receives support.

Upcoming Events • 2022 K-12 Education Grant Program

• Village of Wisdom, Durham

Application period: March 1-March 15, 2022

• El Vínculo Hispano/The Hispanic Liaison, Siler City

Pre-application conversations: February 1-February 28, 2022

• Helps Education Fund, Research Triangle

• 2022 Arts Grant Program

• Community Music School, Raleigh

Application period: June 1-June 15, 2022

• Arts Access, Raleigh

Pre-application conversations: May 1-May 31, 2022

• The ArtsCenter, Carrboro • Durham Symphony, Durham • Diamanté Arts & Cultural Center, Cary • The Beautiful Project, Durham • Women’s Theatre Festival, Raleigh

Community Music School offers instrument, voice, music theater, and music technology education in small groups and individual instruction by professional musicians and educators. Photo courtesy of Community Music School

Brag Lines

Get in Touch!

Phone: 919-493-5591 info@mdbf.org Website: mdbf.org

In 2022, MDBF anticipates awarding $730,000 in grants to support K-12 education, the arts and the nonprofit sector. Go to mdbf.org for specific funding goals, eligibility and application guidelines. In 2021, the foundation responded to the COVID-19 crisis by awarding $285,000 to support K-12 students, artist relief funds and arts organizations, and community-based relief efforts and rental assistance, in addition to $678,000 in its regular grantmaking programs. Maestro William Curry directs musicians with the Durham Symphony Orchestra at Pullen Park. Photo by John Franklin

OUR

5TH ANNUAL

WOMEN’S ISSUE

MEET A DOZEN CHATHAM CHANGE-MAKERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

GWEN HØEG

NORTHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR AND ASPIRING FORMULA ONE DRIVER

BY ANNA-RHESA VERSOLA wen Høeg,

18, was scrolling through social media last June when a TikTok video piqued her curiosity, changing the course of her life. The short clip showed a speeding race car rounding the curves of a circuit track and said girls and women 17 or older with little to no racing experience could apply for a chance to become a professional racing driver. The Northwood High School senior immediately responded to the call for

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

Formula One is the best, the pinnacle of motor sport. I think it’s so cool. The pit stops are subtwo seconds. Everything about it is insane. They go 200-some miles an hour. … It’s the most intense thing ever, and I just love that.”

action. She passed a series of mental acuity tests, go-kart assessments and interview questions and beat out more than 800 applicants from 28 different countries to compete against 75 women in a final shootout in the United Kingdom in March for the chance to earn a spot in the driver seat of a McLaren 570S GT4 race car. The competition was organized by Formula Woman, a motor sport subsidiary searching for the next generation of female drivers in racing – a sport that demands intense concentration, mental strength, physical fitness, driving technique and fearlessness. “I feel like being a female race car driver is so badass – pardon my language,” Gwen says. “It could be a super cool opportunity to inspire other people.” Gwen, who is of Danish heritage, is an Formula One race fan and looks up to another Dane – Michelle Gatting, a

Gwen stands in front of a 2018 McLaren 720S owned by Jarod Stevenson, a neighbor and former professional basketball player who lives in Chatham.

APRIL / MAY 2022

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

Ferrari challenge driver and part of the Iron Dames project that supports women in motor sports. Gwen, a 5-foot-101/2-inch studentathlete, sweeps strands of blonde hair away from her eyes as she gushes about her dream. “Formula One is the best, the pinnacle of motor sport,” she says. “I think it’s so cool. The pit stops are sub-two seconds. Everything about it is insane. They go 200-some miles an hour. It’s different than NASCAR. … It’s the most intense thing ever, and I just love that. It’s very exciting.” Her face beams and, without a doubt, racing cars is thrilling compared to what she’s driving now – a 2006 Ford Freestyle she calls “Sparky.” “We traded the dishwasher for the car,” says Jens Høeg, Gwen’s dad, of the deal they made with a neighbor when Gwen received her full provisional driver’s license in 2020. Erin Høeg, Gwen’s mom, recalls her daughter’s affinity for Matchbox cars. “She does get passionate,” Erin says of Gwen’s tendency to lock onto a goal and energetically pursue it. “She knows what every car on the road is. The car thing has been long term. This one is here to stay.” Gwen has an easy smile and a competitive spirit. She grew up skiing and enjoys snowboarding. She played lacrosse as a freshman and sophomore, loves her dance classes at Northwood and surfs in the summer. Her broad shoulders hint at her talent for the butterfly stroke that helped her high school swim team win silver medals in two different relay races at the state championship in mid-February. Recently, Gwen and her dad drove to Spartanburg, South Carolina, to learn a few driving techniques from a BMW team. She walked into a room, and all heads turned. “They’re all wondering why I’m here,” she says. “They were all men 34

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It’s a nice way to get into the world and find a different path. I just want to do this and see how far I can make it. ... The whole point of the competition is to give women an opportunity.”

from like, 40 to 70, and I was [thinking], ‘Welcome to motor sports.’” Gwen has great expectations for herself. She applied to colleges that offer opportunities in motor sports, like North Carolina State University and Michigan State University. She wished she had applied to University of Texas at Austin, which is near the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and currently the only track for F1 races in the U.S. In fact, Gwen attended her first F1 race at COTA for her 18th birthday last October. Gwen and her mom spoke with a UT representative about a program where students build a race car. Gwen had only one question: Who gets to drive it? “The nice thing about being a woman is that people want you in motor sports,” Gwen says, referring to the W series, a championship launched in 2018 that provides equal opportunities for women in the male-dominated industry. “The W series is fully funded so those [women] don’t pay anything, because they’re trying to give these women a platform very similar to Formula Woman,” Gwen says. “It’s a nice perk to being a woman at the moment because there are more opportunities coming up.” Gwen sees herself in the industry, and she’s exploring options beyond the driver’s seat, like engineering, marketing or business development in motor sports. “It’s a nice way to get into the world and find a different path,” Gwen says. “I just want to do this and see how far I can make it. If I win, great; if not, I’ll just go to college. The whole point of the competition is to give women an opportunity.” Though Gwen didn’t move on to the next round that would have taken her to Sweden, she is automatically entered into next year’s competition. Meanwhile, she’s still got Sparky and is keeping her eyes on the road ahead. 

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

MICHELLE PAIGE

SECOND VICE CHAIR, CHATHAM COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY BY ANNA-RHESA VERSOLA

ichelle Paige carries

herself with an easy assurance that speaks volumes. She worked in the health care industry for about 20 years, starting out in a Harlem hospital as director of community relations and government affairs. Michelle, who earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communications and marketing from Syracuse University, was responsible for connecting with local residents and lobbying elected officials to improve health care for underserved constituents. Then, she was director of external affairs and corporate contributions for a health insurance company for 11½ years before launching MRP Global Relations in 2017, a consulting company coaching women in high-profile roles. One of her most impactful achievements occurred when her thenhusband, David Paterson, was governor of New York from 2008 to 2010. Michelle expanded a health initiative for 3,000 middle school students in Harlem into a statewide program that included more than 360,000 preteens. The wellness project garnered national and international attention during her tenure as the first lady of New York. Since then, Michelle, who also has a master’s degree in health services 36

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PHOTOGRAPHED AT FEARRINGTON VILLAGE

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

management and policy from The New School in New York City, has focused on self-care through yoga, hiking and daily meditation. One day in December 2019, her nowpartner, Kaveh Naficy, had a moment of clarity that became the impetus for their move from Morristown, New Jersey, to Pittsboro. “Kaveh says to me, ‘I just had this vision that we’re supposed to be in RTP.’ And I’m like, ‘What’s RTP?’” Michelle says, laughing. She remembers him explaining that Research Triangle Park is a hub for health care and technology. “I’m a pretty adventurous person,” Michelle says, so she agreed to explore the area. The couple discovered Chatham County and settled in Seaforth Landing, a new development near Jordan Lake. “That lake clinched it,” Michelle says. “We bought a boat, and we didn’t know anything about boating. We would go during the week, so we wouldn’t hold up the line. Last summer, we bought kayaks.” California-born Michelle was raised in New York and spent summers in Georgia with her mother’s family. “I grew up loving the outdoors. I always wanted to live somewhere with property,” she says, adding that she hopes to establish a vegetable garden in her backyard. Michelle and Kaveh, who is founder of Lakida, a Pittsboro-based company that specializes in leadership coaching, are astounded by the kindness of strangers here. She cites one of their first outings on their boat as an example. “This guy and his girlfriend or wife were in a boat just sitting there hanging out by the dock,” Michelle says. “They come over, and he says, ‘I think [your] battery’s dead. I tell you what, why I don’t give you my battery. You can go out for an hour …

The best way to make progress, in my opinion, is by getting involved and participating in the game. As a new resident to the state, and a citizen of this great country, I believe it is my duty to speak up, get involved and help others understand the truth and what is at stake when we don’t participate in the political process.”

and then come back.’ That would have never happened in New York.” Inside their home, a massive double bass leans against a corner of the dining room. She doesn’t play the instrument, though she loves jazz music. Throughout the home are framed photos of Michelle and her family with celebrities and politicians, mostly from the Democratic Party, like the Obamas and Clintons. These days, Michelle’s photo collection shows off new stars in her life – her grandsons, Miles, 3½, and Ellis, who was born in January. As COVID restrictions ease, Michelle and Kaveh are getting to know their neighbors through small social gatherings. And Michelle is edging into local politics as the second vice chair of the Chatham County Democratic Party, focusing on fundraising activities and goals for upcoming elections. Networking is one of Michelle’s natural talents. She is meeting changemakers in the Chatham community, like Valencia Toomer, founder of the School of the Arts for Boys Academy. Michelle is already tapping into her connections to link Valencia with potential resources and also hopes to partner with her to create a health-focused program for students because “you have to reach the kids young, and get them to start this [exercise] habit,” she says. “And, hopefully, it will stay with them throughout their lives.” Meanwhile, Michelle and Kaveh are exploring their surroundings with hikes along the Haw River and the nearby American Tobacco Trail. They have dined at the Postal Fish Company, Carolina Brewery and S&T’s Soda Shoppe and have spent weekends in Asheville and the Outer Banks. “I’m enjoying this period of my life,” Michelle says. “I had no idea how beautiful North Carolina is.” 

APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHED AT FEARRINGTON VILLAGE

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

GILDA M C DANIEL

DIRECTOR OF WEDDINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS, FEARRINGTON VILLAGE

BY MEGAN TILLOTSON

ilda McDaniel’s

lifelong

career at Fearrington Village began as a “happy accident.” “It’s just for three weeks,” Gilda told herself when she began working on the garden staff at Fearrington after graduating from UNC in the 1980s. One thing led to another, and a new community opened up to her over 33 years. For 25 of those years, Gilda has spent nearly every weekend as an event planner specializing in weddings. “The crew at Fearrington is a tightknit team, and I really appreciate that I get to come and work here every day,” Gilda says. “A lot of my work is cyclical. I’m booking people now for weddings that will be coming around in 18, 19 months. So you just keep going, which is great.” Born in Sweden, Gilda grew up in Asheville and studied English and history in college. She discovered her love for art and stayed an extra year to complete a major in art history in 1989. “I realized that was what I went to school for,” Gilda says. Her enthusiasm for the arts is everpresent and led her to establish the Fearrington Folk Art Show, an annual event since 2004 that features the work of self-taught artists from all over the county and country. “There’s such a closeness in the [folk art] community and such a camaraderie and interest in one another’s work,” she says.

There’s such a closeness in the community and such a camaraderie and interest in one another’s work.”

Gilda has been involved extensively with the Arts North Carolina board and has served as board president for the Small Museum of Folk Art and Chatham Arts Council. Through her time spent with the latter, Gilda was able to help make ClydeFEST in Bynum what it is today. “This thing we’ve created with ClydeFEST is such a special thing that you’re not going to find anywhere else,” she says. “We created this community event that kids from Chatham have been coming to for 20 years now.” Community is everything to Gilda. “It’s a small town with a lot of passion, commitment and generosity,” Gilda says about Pittsboro. Gilda built her home in 1999 off Jay Shambley Road in view of a pin oak tree recognized as “meritorious”by the Grand Trees of Chatham. She lives there with her partner, Stephan Meyers, rescue dog, Shiloh, and stray calico cat, Matty the Catty, and has seen the county grow by leaps and bounds over the decades. “I think that [the development] has made people who care about the identity [of Chatham] more proactive about maintaining it, and that’s where I think some of this community commitment gets even deeper and richer,” Gilda says. “Even though we’re growing, there’s a lot of good stuff coming with this growth.” Through the years, Gilda has held many titles, but she keeps a singular focus on her passion for art, even through her wedding and event planning. She hopes her work has provoked the community to come together and appreciate art in many forms. “I am so lucky to have been a part of this community to appreciate the smalltown feel of Chatham and to be involved in different organizations and activities, knowing there are special people that have so much heart,” Gilda says.  APRIL / MAY 2022

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

“We love to try cooking different and new things,” Brandi says. “We saw it as the next progressive challenge in that process.” But pressing apples proved laborious, and, admittedly, they like beer better. Brandi’s first homemade brew – a Mexican hot chocolate stout with cinnamon, cocoa nibs and four kinds of dried chiles – is still her favorite. Through the years, she’s experimented with a wide range of recipes, gravitating toward stouts and India pale ales over funkier sour beers or traditional lagers. She and Derek often daydreamed about turning their pastime into a profession, so when her father expressed serious interest in becoming business partners, it felt like the stars aligned.

BRANDI MORRIS

BREWMASTER, RED MOOSE BREWING COMPANY

BY ERIC GINSBURG

felt “a little crazy” deciding to open a brewery with her family, but after more than a decade of homebrewing with her husband, Derek “Moose” Morris, the idea was just too irresistible. “It’s something we had talked about wanting to do forever,” Brandi, 34, says. Plans coalesced quickly on a family trip to Busch Gardens in 2020. Sitting at a packed brewery near Williamsburg, Virginia, Brandi’s dad, Danny “Red” Jenkins Jr. – who recently retired from a career in law enforcement – asked her if she thought they could run a successful brewpub back home in Chatham County. That’s all the push Brandi needed. A month later, the family signed a lease to open Red Moose Brewing Company inside a former karate studio on East Street in downtown Pittsboro. randi Morris

GLASS OF INSPIRATION

randi and Derek started brewing about 11 years ago after a trip to Asheville, a craft beer mecca. As self-proclaimed foodies, they are always up for a new culinary experience. Inspired by the likes of Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium, the couple wanted to try their hand at making hard cider. So, they stopped at a farmers market on their way home and bought five bushels of bruised apples.

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OPEN BAR

There’s something really satisfying having so much overwhelmingly positive feedback. That’s been a really cool thing.”

ver Thanksgiving weekend 2021, the family welcomed the public into their industrial taproom which includes a large moose head mounted to the wall, a kid-friendly space and ample outdoor seating. The glass front entrance is within a stone’s throw of Pittsboro’s central courthouse, and the pub is quickly becoming a local favorite. Each week, they sell 600 to 800 pints – especially of their popular Morning Beer coffee porter and Above Ground Pool lager – and the one-barrel system microbrewery may be outgrowing its production capacity. “There’s something really satisfying having so much overwhelmingly positive feedback,” Brandi says. “That’s been a really cool thing.” The family’s deep local roots help draw a crowd. Like many of their relatives, Brandi and Derek both attended Pittsboro’s Northwood High School. Then they connected as friends at North

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

Carolina State University. The couple recently moved to Goldston to have more space for Tatum Morris, their 4-year-old daughter, plus a chicken coop. Brandi and her relatives drew on their community ties to assemble the brewery, too, sourcing decor locally and even reusing some tin from her grandfather’s roof.

WORKING IT

randi is still holding down a day job as a project manager in clinical trials research for a pharmaceutical contract research organization in Morrisville. Her deliberate and technical expertise, including financial planning, have helped the brewery succeed quickly. “In my day job, we’re very much risk managementminded,” Brandi says. “I wanted to take things slow and be very thorough and intentional with the brewery.” At Red Moose, Brandi does a little bit of everything and shares brewing responsibilities with Derek, who left his job as a police officer to work at the brewery full time. On any given day, taproom patrons might find her sitting in one of the brewery’s signature bright red chairs crunching numbers on her laptop, working behind the live-edge wooden bar or brewing a new batch in the back. “I like getting to interact with people,” Brandi says, “but I also like getting back there, throwing on my boots and brewing.” 

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

CINDY PERRY

MAYOR OF PITTSBORO

B Y D O L LY R . S I C K L E S

ike her heroine Eleanor Roosevelt, Cynthia “Cindy” Sax Perry leads with her heart. “[Eleanor] was a compassionate person,” Cindy says, “and if you can be part of the government and still be compassionate, I think that’s an amazing thing to carry out.” Politics have long been part of Cindy’s pedigree, and this thriving septuagenarian continues to bring vital and visible representation to the Chatham County seat during her third term as mayor of Pittsboro. She is proving that her notion of “kindness, common sense and helping people are what’s important” while “everything else is just window dressing.”

ENCOURAGING WORDS

indy was born in New York, raised in California and arrived in North Carolina in 1965 to attend Guilford College in Greensboro. After graduation, she worked for about 20 years as a legal secretary in Greensboro, Chapel Hill and Greenville with the dream of law school always there. “But my grades weren’t too stellar, and I played too much bridge,” she says, laughing. She worked with accomplished lawyers, including former N.C. Rep. Joe Hackney, a Chatham native, and U.S. Rep. David Price. It was Joe who encouraged Cindy to go to law school, but she worried about the logistics of raising three children younger than 11. “Joe said, ‘Cindy, people do a lot with three children.’ I was in my mid-30s and had been out of school for 20 years, and I couldn’t imagine [it],” Cindy recalls. Fortune favors the bold, and much to the delight of her children, Cindy began her journey at Campbell Law School at age 39.

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“The idea that their mom would go back to school was so interesting,” she says. “If for no other reason, it taught [them] that you don’t ever stop learning.” It was a lesson that served them well in the small Chatham community of the 1980s. “Raising children here was phenomenal,” Cindy says.” We knew the teachers; we knew the parents; we knew the other kids.”

NEW OFFICE

indy practiced law for 25 years before retiring in 2014 and selling her Pittsboro practice. It didn’t take long to realize she missed the people she worked with in the community, so she ran for mayor. She was elected to her first two two-year terms, serving from 2015 to 2019. Cindy focused on issues such as pesticides and initiatives like regulating signs and banning postings on poles to keep the town tidier. Clean water and the climate came on her radar when she was invited as a panelist to the 2018 North American Climate Summit in Chicago, representing small-town America alongside other mayors from across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. After leaving office in 2019, she focused on other ways to serve the community. She volunteered as board treasurer for the nonprofit Second Bloom of Chatham, which provides support and resources for victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Eventually, politics called her back. “When I ran again [in 2021], I ran on water-quality issues, because what’s in our system is already here,” Cindy says. “My heart breaks for the children of this town, having to ingest that water.”

USHERING CHANGE

indy’s vision of the future is to bring together the new community of Chatham Park and “legacy Pittsboro” and to integrate them as smoothly as when Fearrington Village was established in northeastern Chatham in the mid-70s. 

APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHED AT FEARRINGTON VILLAGE

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

A CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

“I was here when Fearrington Village came along, and everybody was worried,” Cindy recalls. “But what would we do without this vibrant group of volunteers who go to the school system and read with elementary children and make cupcakes and volunteer in so many places? We didn’t perish then or now. It’s been a wonderful resource for this community.” Cindy feels the same way about Chatham Park. “These people are going to become members of this community and are going to contribute in their own way,” she says. “Right now, it’s an us and them [mentality], but I’m looking forward to it being a ‘we.’”

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indy and her husband of 23 years, Dan Perry, live downtown in a historical home that provides the perfect launch pad for her adventures walking around town with her rescued chocolate Lab, Cocoa. “People will tell you they see me walking miles from home,” Cindy says. “I can pop my head into the barber shop or in Virlie’s, and I see people I know. I think I’ve been in every shop in town. The bakery puts out dog treats. People beep at me. I love it. ” This is the Pittsboro that Cindy adores, the one that captures her heart. She’s a woman who puts her money where her mouth is and leads by example. She’s an ardent recycler and a selfless volunteer. And as mayor, Cindy enjoys being the public face of the town and helping to establish the agenda. “I’m the one who cuts the ribbons and the one who people call for the good, the bad and the ugly,” she says. “I like helping people who are befuddled either by bureaucracy or their own circumstance. It’s a very sweet town. This community has more compassion and more sensitivity than any place I’ve ever lived.” 

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

CRISTAL OCAMPO RUIZ

INTERPRETER, CHATHAM COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT

B Y D O L LY R . S I C K L E S

is a “Dreamer” who began interpreting at an early age. Born in Mexico City in 1984, Cristal was 4 years old when she and her older brother traveled to California to reunite with their parents. They settled in Chatham County in 1992 and joined the vast and varied Hispanic community, with individuals hailing from many different Spanish-speaking countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Colombia. “The whole immigration process is unique and different to everyone, depending on each individual’s circumstances,” Cristal says. “It isn’t easy to understand and navigate.” She knows firsthand the challenges many immigrants face. “After graduating [from Jordan-Matthews High School], I couldn’t pursue many opportunities like grants and scholarships,” Cristal says. “I only have a work permit that I must renew every two years through the DACA relief program granted under the Obama administration.” Cristal’s husband, Pedro Ruiz, is a U.S. citizen of Puerto Rican descent and was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina. But for Cristal, her path to citizenship remains convoluted. The process is expensive and filled with loopholes. “It could also mean me having to leave the country for an undetermined ristal Ocampo Ruiz

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

Human beings all have a process and a journey to go through. I want to be the person to help them achieve their goal. And I would also like to do it in Spanish.”

APRIL / MAY 2022

amount of time,” she says. “We have a lot of goals and dreams that we’re trying to achieve, and the last thing we want to think about is our little family being separated.” Cristal and Pedro are raising three children – Julian, 14, Adrian, 9, and Emely, 5 – to honor and embrace their Mexican-American heritage and culture. For her career, Cristal has long been building cultural bridges between communities. “I worked for a couple of years at The Farrell Law Group, specializing in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) cases, or so-called ‘Dreamers,’” she says. “I had to translate a lot of documents, visas, formal and written documents that were submitted to the court system.” Cristal began working for the county health department in 2016. She started as the receptionist and managed intake. When the interpreter left, Cristal knew she wanted to apply for the job. She works in the clinic, interpreting alongside health care providers, and translates information for the health department’s website, media releases and informational flyers. Cristal also works as the immunization tracker for the county, producing childhood immunization day care reports to ensure the children of Chatham County are ready to begin school. “Our health department is shifting,” she says. “We’re emerging into more public health outreach.” In December 2021, Cristal was named the Chatham County Employee of the Year. In 2019, Cristal completed the Chatham Leadership Academy, a yearlong program that helps employees prepare for expanded responsibilities. Her group project identified ways

PHOTOGRAPHED AT FEARRINGTON VILLAGE

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

to create better opportunities through job training and business development. “We realized a lot of Hispanic small-business owners were not aware of resources or further training and education opportunities for their employees,” Cristal says. She adds that job fairs, brochures, radio and newspaper spots, and word-of-mouth are the most effective ways to communicate with the Hispanic community, particularly when resources are in Spanish. On top of all that, since 2017, Cristal has worked on the Hispanic Latino Preaching Initiative, a part of the Master of Arts in Christian Practice at Duke University. She’s there under the “special students status” program since she doesn’t have an undergraduate degree. Her goal is to work as a motivational speaker and help guide people through life’s difficulties. “Human beings all have a process and a journey to go through,” Cristal says. “I want to be the person to help them achieve their goal. And I would also like to do it in Spanish. We don’t have a lot of resources to navigate mental health, anxiety, depression and stress. I feel like there’s a lot of generational trauma [with immigrants], and it’s important to realize it’s there. I would love to create a space for people to come together and talk about it.” Cristal is grateful for positive opportunities and has a hopeful optimism. “I tell my kids it’s good to live by the motto, ‘Be of blessing, and be kind to anyone and everyone.’” 

APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

HANNAH BROWN

Hannah describes their storefront at

CO-OWNER, DEEP RIVER MERCANTILE

115 Hillsboro St.

BY ELIZABETH POINDEXTER

t first, Hannah Brown resisted following in her mother’s footsteps of working in the interior design and furniture decor industry. “I grew up in the business,” Hannah says of working weekends in middle school alongside her mother, Michelle Byrd, who owns a Raleigh-based design company. “As a kid, I said, ‘I’m never going to do anything like this.’” So she majored in history and religious and ethical studies at Meredith College and married husband Hunter Brown just after graduating from college. His job working on a chicken farm led them to Florida for two years. When Hannah and Hunter decided to return to their home state in 2013, they settled in Chatham County on a 50acre property that backs up to the Deep River along the Chatham-Lee county line. The couple has a 1-year-old son, Easton, and expect their second child this year. “We felt really blessed,” Hannah says. ”We immediately had a community and felt like we were from Pittsboro.” Despite swearing she’d never mix glaze or tape off walls to paint again, she and Hunter opened Deep River Mercantile in downtown Pittsboro five years ago in a former dentist’s office. They’ve since relocated to a brick building with wide windows facing the intersection of Hillsboro and Salisbury streets.

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

as a modern-day mercantile, selling mostly Americanmade goods, including cookbooks, candles and bourbonsoaked cherries. “Your home is so important,” Hannah says. “It reflects how you start the day; your whole mood can be changed. When I pick something for the store, it has to be the best.” She wanted to cultivate a store in which all members of the family – dogs included – felt welcome and comfortable. Deep River also offers custom-painted cabinetry and design services, similar to the work she did with her mother years ago. “It works well that our businesses go hand in hand,” Hannah says. “A lot of my skills I learned from her.” The pandemic shutdown in March 2020 forced the couple to close the shop for 54 days. “It was really tough for us to navigate in the beginning, because we are a greet-you-with-a-hug type of place. … We want it to be an experience when you come in,” she says.

APRIL / MAY 2022

Your home is so important. It reflects how you start the day; your whole mood can be changed.”

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

For other women considering becoming an entrepreneur, Hannah says she makes mistakes every day, and she does her best to learn from them. “I knew nothing,” Hannah says of her early days as a business owner. “I went in thinking: What’s the worst that can happen? We close? … Not knowing anything gave me a head start as far as

confidence goes, because I didn’t even know what to be afraid of.” As Chatham County continues to grow, Hannah hopes she’ll be able to count her downtown neighbors as friends who come by the shop. “The whole store feels better when there are people in it,” Hannah says. “That’s what we’re built for.”  APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

GENEVIEVE MEGGINSON

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHATHAM COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN

BY CHARLOTTE GOTO

s a mother of three, former child care provider and early childhood educator, Genevieve Megginson

knows the adage is true – it takes a village to raise a child. She dedicates her life to building a supportive community for the children of Chatham County and beyond. Genevieve and her husband, Keith Megginson, settled in Pittsboro in the late 1970s. While raising their two adopted daughters and one biological son in 1981, they encountered difficulty finding adequate, affordable child care. “I looked,” Genevieve says, “and I just couldn’t find anything. If I can’t find it myself, then nobody else can, so how can I help improve that situation?” Genevieve, who has a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Tennessee and a master’s degree in education from Vanderbilt University, operated a day care program out of her home from 1988 to 1993 to help local parents and families. She also worked as an instructor in the early childhood department of Central Carolina Community College from 1985 to 1994. “I’ve always followed the opportunities that presented themselves,” Genevieve says. “I’ve been very blessed that they were good and meaningful opportunities.” Since 1994, she has served as executive director for the Chatham County Partnership for Children, 50

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

PHOTOGRAPHED AT FEARRINGTON VILLAGE

I would tell the young women today to believe in yourself and believe in other women. Be kind. It is a tough world out there. [If] women can be good and supportive of one another, [then] the stronger we all will be.”

a nonprofit that strives to enhance quality and accessibility of family support, child care and health services. Genevieve was instrumental in securing Smart Start grants that support child care subsidies, educational resources and more. “Our whole mission is ensuring that all the children, in Chatham County specifically, have the opportunity to grow up safe and strong and thrive, so they can succeed in school and in life,” Genevieve says. “[A child’s] first five years is when the foundation for their entire [life] is built.” No one becomes a leader in their field without experiencing challenges, and Genevieve admits that being female presented barriers in her journey. “As a woman, when you’re trying to do something big and bold, and the people you’re trying to influence are men in power, it can be humiliating at times,” she says. “Maybe it’s a little less now than it used to be, but I still run into it. And that’s been my biggest challenge, learning how to navigate that, to preserve my relationships with all individuals regardless of their gender and to find a way to come together for what genuinely needs to get done. I don’t give up.” A firm proponent of the power of women, she encourages other young women seeking to do something “big and bold” to remain steadfast in their passions and aspirations. “I would tell the young women today to believe in yourself and believe in other women,” Genevieve says. “Be kind. It is a tough world out there. [The more] women can be good and supportive of one another, the stronger we all will be.” 

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

PANDORA PASCHAL

DIRECTOR, CHATHAM COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

BY ELIZABETH POINDEXTER

n Pandora Paschal’s first day on the job at Chatham County Board of Elections, her boss handed her a hefty law book to read. “I thought, ‘Oh, no, what have I done?” she says. Following a 12-year banking career in Goldston, Pandora joined the county board of elections in 2004. By 2017, she became its director, managing everything from municipal and presidential elections to curbside voting and navigating COVID-19 restrictions. The Sandhills Community College alumna works year-round to implement new policies, to represent Chatham County at the state level and to prepare for the upcoming electoral season. In recent decades, she has worked to demystify the electoral process by making information more accessible and educational about how elections work. “We matter,” she says. “Elections matter. This is where democracy starts.” Pandora says transparency is more important than ever these days, even livestreaming meetings to the public during the height of the pandemic. “Once you work in elections, you either love it or hate it,” she says. “I love it. It’s very fulfilling to help people vote and be able to vote in fair and impartial elections.” Pandora channels her love of elections into energizing her team of three full-time employees on Thompson Street. The number of temporary staff and site managers can swell to more than 200, depending on the proximity to an election.

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHED AT FEARRINGTON VILLAGE

APRIL / MAY 2022

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

In 2019, Pandora received West Chatham NAACP’s Humanitarian Award

for Outstanding Citizenship in recognition for her exemplary civil service. She is accustomed to high achievements. She is a former Chatham Central High School varsity girls basketball player and was a key team player in winning the state 2A championship in 1978. The following year, she was chosen as an outstanding senior and homecoming queen. The two-time breast cancer survivor lives in Goldston with her husband of more than 30 years, Jerry Paschal, and has a daughter, Faith, 19, who was born following her first experience with cancer. “It made me realize how important each day was,” she says. “Even if it’s a cloudy day, you’re still OK because you get to see that day.”

We matter. Elections matter. This is where democracy starts.”

Pandora strives to do her best each day, for each person, and leads by example. “I tell my employees it’s about going over and beyond,” she says. “I know how I want to be treated when I go places. … That makes people want to come back.” During the 2016 presidential election, Pandora remembers assisting a first-time voter, who was unable to read. Under a process set forth by the U.S. House of Representatives, Pandora was able to help, and the woman was thrilled to cast her ballot and receive an ‘I voted’ sticker. “She was so excited,” Pandora recalls. “I thought, ‘This is why I do this.’” During the 2020 general election, Chatham County had 84% of voters turn out – the highest in the state. “I think it speaks volumes to people trusting the process,” she says. “In every election, every vote counts.” 

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

MOVE OVER BOB

ANGELA CACACE

FOUNDER OF MOVE OVER BOB AND OWNER OF A. MARIE DESIGN + BUILD LLC

A BY CC KALLAM

ngela Cacace’s last name

means “wicked” in Italian, and yeah, she’s a boss. At 5 feet, 2 inches, Angela hauls her own power tools to construction sites wherever she is building or remodeling a bathroom or kitchen. The first time she handled a circular saw was when she and her dad, Jerome Addis, built a deck at her first home in Cary in 2013. “And then I went on to the kitchen,” says the 35-year-old mother of two. Angela’s husband, Vincent “Vinny” Cacace, was showing photos of her work to his colleagues, and someone suggested he submit them for a “This Old House” contest. “I actually ended up winning their national kitchen remodel of the year,” she says. “And it kind of sparked an interest in exploring it as a career.” After graduating high school in 2004 in Maryland, Guam-born Angela worked as a barber and saved her earnings to purchase that home in Cary. “All by myself, I’m really proud of that,” Angela says. “It really was a full circle moment for me.” As a prime example of how not everyone follows an academic path, Angela is a passionate advocate for vocational work and education. “It’s just been this really weird obsession that I had, and ironically, I could not do the traditional college track myself – I had to get to work,” she says. 54

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

[Women] need to advocate for one another and make sure that the community feels strong. Part of that is also including men who are advocating for us.”

APRIL / MAY 2022

n 2017, Angela and Vinny moved to their home in Apex off of Martha’s Chapel Road, and she enrolled in the Building Construction Technology program at Central Carolina Community College. To her surprise, half of the class was made up of women, more than she anticipated. “I went home that day and went on my Facebook and made a status: ‘Fun fact, half the people in my construction class are women.’ And then I joked, ‘#moveoverbob,’ and I got a really positive response.” She received so much feedback that she created a Move Over Bob Instagram account to highlight and celebrate women in construction and other vocational trades. Angela wanted to “thank them for essentially paving the way to allow for women like myself wanting to get into the industry.” The page expanded into a website filled with stories validating the experiences that women have had within the industry. It has enabled women to connect across the state and even globally. With a growing audience and increasing business opportunities, Angela incorporated Move Over Bob in 2019. “[Women] need to advocate for one another,” Angela says. “And make sure that the community feels strong. Part of that is also including men who are advocating for us.”

SCALING UP

n 2017, Angela launched A. Marie a one-woman company focusing on small-scale residential projects like bathrooms, kitchens and custom remodels. She is partnering with her Raleigh-based friend, Mikki Paradis, Design,

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

on large-scale projects that would be better served by their combined talents. Angela says Mikki’s strengths complement her own so they formed a new company, The Bower Creative. “[The industry] desperately needs people to get to work,” Angela says. “We have skilled labor shortages. … Demand is so strong, and supply in every way is so low. This pandemic has made building really hard. … I gotta say a shoutout to Chatham County’s [central permitting and inspections office. They’ve] been great.” The foundation has been poured for a new 2,000-square-foot workshop and design studio on Angela and Vinny’s 5-acre property near Jordan Lake where they are raising their two kids – 4-year-old son, Miles Cacace, and 9-month-old daughter, Raffi Cacace. Angela hopes the studio space will become a gathering place for women interested in learning more about carpentry and construction. “Every experience I’ve had in Chatham County has just been so positive,” Angela says. “People are so amazing. I was really excited to become a resident in Chatham County.” Another thing she’s eager about is an online project involving Move Over Bob and Kodiak Boots, a Canadian footwear company. And though Angela isn’t able to share more details yet, the final series of stories will be released online in September. “I have so many dreams for Move Over Bob. It’s kind of surreal,” Angela says. “Like any marginalized group, finding allies is really important in making progress.” On that front, Angela has nailed it.  APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

KEEBE FITCH

GENERAL MANAGER, MCINTYRE’S BOOKS

F PHOTOGRAPHED AT MCINTYRE'S BOOKS

BY MORGAN CARTIER WESTON

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

ew places are as beloved as an independent bookstore, and McIntyre’s Books in Fearrington Village is no exception. The shop was designed to welcome, delight and inspire and has been a passion project for general manager Keebe Fitch for more than 30 years. “The simple act of reading a book can move someone to tears, help them find peace, make them laugh themselves silly, help them obtain knowledge or get so incredibly angry. To be able to talk with people and share those experiences is a beautiful thing,” Keebe says. So when Keebe’s father – Fearrington Village founder R.B. Fitch – wanted to open a bookstore in the 1980s, Keebe asked Erica Eisdorfer at the Bull’s Head Bookshop on UNC’s campus for a job. She credits the author’s engaging and thorough tutelage with showing her what it takes to run a bookshop. Keebe looked to two other female mentors for guidance on inventory and cultivating a memorable experience. “We opened McIntyre’s Books in April 1989 with the help of Jean Harper, who worked at Charles Scribner’s Sons in editorial, and Jane Bradford, who was a head librarian in Ohio,” she says. “It was an incredible time to be opening a bookstore.” In the decades since, the shop has grown into an informal community center, playing host to everything from writing

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

programs and storytimes to bringing in high-profile visitors including former President Jimmy Carter, David Sedaris, Carla Hall, Diane Rehm and Elizabeth Strout for special events. “There is nothing like being around people when they get to meet their heroes,” Keebe says, and she considers herself lucky to have been surrounded by so many of her own. The store itself is named for Keebe’s grandmother, Katherine McIntyre Fitch, and she looks to other women in her life as some of her greatest inspirations. “My mom, Jenny Fitch, was an incredible role model as she found her passion and made her life’s work evolve around the things she loved,” Keebe says. “I had an amazing English teacher in high school, Lois Vick, who created an inexhaustible hunger for literature.”

THE MOD.

Books are amazing objects. You never know how reading one will impact your life.” – Keebe Fitch

More recently, Keebe has relied on members of her team to stoke success and describes connecting with others as a highlight of their work. “Sarah Carr, former children’s bookseller, laid the track for McIntyre’s work with Chatham County Schools and single-handedly created the Whirlikids Book Fest; Johanna Albrecht, current children’s bookseller, is just a sharp cookie and continues to hone my tech skills, and Juliana Hubbard brings grace and a quick mind to our marketing and tech,” Keebe says. That expertise has been essential as the store has adapted to challenges over the years. “The biggest change I have been witness to in the book industry is how much computers have taken over,” Keebe says. “Algorithms, social media, bulk email, Zoom events. None of that was a twinkle in anyone’s eye when we

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opened, and it will be amazing to see where the future continues to lead us.” New ideas have been more necessary than ever over the past two years. “Our storytime program originally grew out of a wonderful group of local parents,” Sarah says. “We started running the program ourselves, and it became so popular that we had to add a second weekly time slot.” In March 2020, McIntyre’s decided to take the program virtual using Instagram Live. “We kept that up for over a year and developed some wonderful relationships with customers who live near and far,” Johanna says. “It was a special lifeline and important source of entertainment for kids and parents.” And while customers were unable to come into the store, the team pivoted again to refresh the website.

People have been going though so much, and being kind is a choice we can, and should, all make. We all rise together. ” – Keebe Fitch

“McIntyre’s is very much a destination store, where we love to see people walk in the door and talk with them about books and help them find their next read. There are challenges in conveying that online,” Keebe explains. The updated site enables the team to make custom book lists for customers to browse online. Keebe hopes to resume in-person storytimes outside this spring, and the team even held the first-ever children’s book fair in February. Being part of those kinds of memories is at the heart of their work. “Books are amazing objects,” Keebe says. “You never know how reading one will impact your life. “People have been going through so much, and being kind is a choice we can, and should, all make. We all rise together.” 

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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT

PAM FULK

RETIRED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CAROLINA TIGER RESCUE BY RENEE AMBROSO

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

henever Pam Fulk had a difficult day at work, she stepped outside her office at Carolina Tiger Rescue

to admire the view of bobcats, tigers and lions lounging in their habitats. “You’re reminded of what’s important, and it turns into a good day,” Pam says. She recently said goodbye to the scenic landscapes, retiring as executive director of the nonprofit wildlife sanctuary on March 1, and handed over the reins to incoming executive director Kris Marino. Pam first joined the rescue on April 1, 2003, as development director and helped transform its physical and fiscal landscape. “I often had people ask me, ‘Why on Earth would you go there?’” she recalls. But Pam saw something in the sanctuary that others couldn’t. At the time, the organization was known as the Carnivore Preservation Trust and was on the verge of bankruptcy while home to 150 big cats. “I could see potential everywhere I looked,” she insists. “What I saw was, we could be free to create [something new].” The hardships facing the organization didn’t hinder Pam’s expansive vision. “I knew we could build a tour; I knew we could build the gift shop,” she says. “There were just so many ways we could grow this organization while focusing on [the] mission.” In nearly two decades at the helm, Pam led efforts to provide high-quality animal care, build a robust educational program and engage in national advocacy work while obtaining accreditation through the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. The rescue’s full-time staff grew to 25, and they formed a small army of volunteers to help host tours and summer camps. The job also solidified a new path for Pam at a time when she needed it. The

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APRIL / MAY 2022

Indiana native had been advocating for human survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. “It drove me for 25 years,” Pam says. But over time, she’d become dejected with the minimal ability to enact change and the overwhelming apathy of others. “I was continually frustrated with the fact that the legal system just did not get it,” Pam says. “I left because of the system.” She closed the door on that chapter of her career, leaving behind a nonprofit that she co-founded which would later become the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking and having served as president of the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Pam’s singular focus on a mission – whether it’s providing human services or sanctuary for wild animals – has been the enduring, driving force behind her work. “I’ve been in the nonprofit world for most of my adult life – over 45 years,” Pam reflects. She’s helped “birth” more than a dozen organizations, including the Durham-based Piedmont Wildlife Center, and in her most recent role, she’s relished the work of shaping the tiger rescue alongside dedicated staff. “I am someone who loves to build, and building this nonprofit has just been so much fun,” Pam says. “I get bored easily and, let me tell you, I’ve never had a boring day here.” Now a month into retirement, she keeps busy with presidential duties for the Pittsboro Business Association and consulting remotely for burgeoning nonprofits. Pam says she will keep showing up at the rescue – trading financials and fundraising for a pair of gloves and shears as a volunteer gardener. And she’ll take advantage of her free time to frequent her favorite eateries like Al’s Diner and Mi Cancun, and will spend quality time with her rescue dog, Moe, and her (house-sized) cat, a 9-year-old tabby named Piper. CM

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H O M E

G A R D E N

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT LIVING IN …

POWELL PLACE THREE FAMILIES SHARE WHAT DREW THEM TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST NORTH OF DOWNTOWN PITTSBORO

BY MORGAN CARTIER WESTON

uilt in 2007, Powell Place has a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and apartments at the intersection of Hwy. 15-501 and Hwy. 64. Reverend Brent Levy and Natalie Levy moved to North Carolina from their native Virginia in 2012 so Brent could attend Duke University Divinity School.

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

RIGHT Emma Levy, 6, Brent Levy, Eliza Levy, 2, and Natalie Levy on their front porch in Powell Place.

“When I graduated, I served in a church in Chapel Hill for a while,” Brent says. They spent some time looking for the perfect place to plant roots in the area. “We actually put in an offer on a home in Powell Place but were beat out,” he says. They ended up buying in Durham, where they lived until 2018. That’s when The Local Church, where Brent now serves as pastor, was just getting started. “I knew I wanted to be in the Pittsboro community as we got things going,” Brent

APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

HOME & GARDEN

says, adding that Sunday services outgrew their former space at House of Hops; the congregation now meets at Woods Charter School. “But we had no idea how much we’d grow to love and enjoy this town. Powell Place has been a big part of that.” Natalie, a teacher at Christ Church Preschool in Southern Village, agrees their home couldn’t be better for their young family. Daughters Emma Levy, 6, and Eliza Levy, 2, enjoy playing both in the neighborhood and at nearby parks. “Our house backs up to Mary Hayes Barber Holmes Park, so Emma and I love to walk, ride bikes or scooter over. I almost feel like it’s an extension of our yard.” Brent says he remembers walking back there for the first time. “I was pinching myself that we get to live here,” he says. 

ABOVE Emma plays on the slide while Natalie, Eliza and Brent sit on the swings in a play area behind their home in Powell Place. BELOW Brent steadies Emma as she strikes a pose on a sprawling sculpture in the nearby Mary Hayes Barber Holmes Park.

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APRIL / MAY 2022

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“I’ve taken so many walks over the past few years and still haven’t gotten bored.” Just a short drive from home, the new splash pad in Chatham Park has been a big hit for Emma and Eliza, as well as The Plant at the Chatham Beverage District. “The girls can run around, and we can get some yummy food and local beer,” Brent says. “It really captures the essence of Pittsboro: eclectic, a little weird, but at the same time cutting edge and local.” The family has made connections with their neighbors, too. “We are 68

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

Natalie spins the spherical jungle gym at the park as her daughters enjoy the ride.

APRIL / MAY 2022

at the end of the road, so several impromptu block parties have broken out,” Natalie says. “There was one in particular in spring 2021 [when] we had all been quarantining for a year. Everyone wandered over with food, all the kids were playing. It was emotional. It poured rain that night, but everyone kept hanging out; we were so starved for connection and community, it didn’t stop us.” And they only see things getting better. “I really have this sense with the

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JJ Bacheler, 15, and Sam Bacheler, 12, hang out with their mom, Gina Carapella Bacheler, and their dog, Juno, on their apartment balcony at the Sanctuary at Powell Place.

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APRIL / MAY 2022

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development going on, from Red Moose Brewing to SoCo and Mosaic at Chatham Park, that we’re at the beginning of a renaissance for this town,” Brent says. “I’m excited about new people and growth.” Down the road, Gina Carapella Bacheler and her sons, JJ Bacheler, 15, and Sam Bacheler, 12, are enjoying life at the Sanctuary at Powell Place apartments while they look for a home to buy in Chatham County. They moved to North Carolina from Arizona in 2006; Gina’s sister and parents soon followed. “This has been a wonderful place to live,” Gina says. “It’s walkable, safe and a great location. It’s close enough to downtown Pittsboro, where my sister lives, but still has easy access to the rest of the Triangle.” The boys, who attend Northwood High School and George Moses Horton Middle

JJ practices his shots inside the clubhouse at the Sanctuary at Powell Place.

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The recreational amenities at the apartments, including the pool and gym, are popular with Gina and her sons.

School, respectively, have an easy walk to

the bus stop at the neighborhood circle and enjoy playing with their dog, Juno, at the dog park in the complex and nearby trails. “The apartments are extremely pet friendly, with doggie bag stations, a dog park and even a bathing station,” Gina

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HOME & GARDEN The Bacheler family can walk to the nearby playground when they want to hop on the swings.

to both long-term and short-term tenants. “Being so close to the hospital, it is a great landing pad for folks who are in town for treatments,” Gina says. “I also met a family who was living in one of the apartments while they waited for their Briar Chapel home to be built.” Since they don’t have a yard, JJ and Sam are also fans of the 10-acre Mary Hayes Barber Holmes Park. “It’s great for the kids, and we love downtown, too,” Gina says. “It’s so unique, and we enjoy going to places like The Mod, The City Tap and Greek

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– we can’t wait for their new location to open at Mosaic at Chatham Park across the street.” Realtor Tanya Papandrea and her husband, Vinnie Papandrea, moved to North Carolina from New Jersey in 2014 to live closer to other members of their family in the area. “It was important to us to be near a major airport, because we do still have family in New Jersey,” Tanya says. “Ultimately, I connected with someone through my passion for horseback riding and learned about Chatham Park.” While their neighborhood in New Jersey had reached a competitive peak, Tanya was excited to hear about the opportunity to get in on the ground floor in a growing community like Pittsboro. “It had all the things people say Kouzina

Tanya Papandrea and her husband, Vinnie Papandrea, share their Powell Place home with their dog, Abby.

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HOME & GARDEN Tanya and Vinnie share a bottle of wine in their kitchen.

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– affordability, quality of life, beautiful surroundings,” Tanya says. The couple first rented a house in Potterstone Village for 2½ years before purchasing in Powell Place in 2017. “I was the listing broker for the new construction in Powell Place,” Tanya says. “Our rental was up, and there wasn’t much on the market, but we had a great feeling about the neighborhood and ended up buying one of my own listings.” Having sold several of the homes nearby, Tanya had the benefit of built-in relationships with many of her neighbors from the beginning. “We had to make a fast decision, but looking back, it was the right one,” she says. The couple and their dog, Abby, enjoy walking near the two ponds in Powell Place. “We just love our neighborhood and can’t say enough good things about our neighbors,” Tanya says. “They are really social and fun, and anyone would do anything for anyone else.” When family comes to visit, Vinnie and Tanya walk with their nieces to the playground and hang out with all the other kids in the neighborhood. The couple’s favorite nearby restaurants are Postal Fish Company and The Beagle. “We love to go out just for appetizers and drinks, and those places both have a cool atmosphere,” Tanya says. “My real estate career took off so fast here compared to New Jersey, so that’s a big part of it, too, living in a place where you’re able to do well in your job,” Tanya adds. And

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Vinnie and Tanya walk Abby around their Powell Place neighborhood.

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CHATHAM MAGAZINE

Dorrie Casey checks one of the flower beds in her sprawling backyard garden. It’s a living canvas for this mixed media artist.

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

H O M E

G A R D E N

IN HER GARDEN,

GOODNESS GROWS A LOCAL ARTIST USES HER BACKYARD AS A CREATIVE OUTLET

BY ANNA-RHESA VERSOLA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MICHAEL SIMPSON

ixed media artist Dorrie Casey gardens in the same method she creates her natureinspired works – she just does it. “I just plant things,” Dorrie says matter-offactly. “If I don’t like it, I take it out. It’s kind of like the way I make art.

APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

HOME & GARDEN

I don’t start with a plan. My hands just go to work. I think that’s good. And then, when it ceases to be good, it’s out of there, and I do something else.” Dorrie’s outdoor canvas comprises 5 wooded acres along the northeastern edge of the Chatham County line. Boulders line the driveway, and a path leading to her backyard begins at a rusted metal bird bath filled with water plants. The dwarf mondo grass underfoot is growing into a lush, deep green ground cover flanked by larger liriope borders. The expansive yard features vegetable and flower beds accented by man-made objects. “I am really interested in the structure of a garden, the architecture of it,” says Dorrie, a native of Maine. “So to me, the winter garden is every bit as interesting.” Adding to the framework of her yard are three types of boxwoods Dorrie and her husband, Archie Purcell, rescued from a cousin’s homestead in Hillsborough that was set to be bulldozed for development. 88

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

A large metal geodesic sphere is tethered in place and a fashionably dressed mannequin acts as a scarecrow for a bed of kale and celosia.

“They’re probably 150 years old,” Dorrie says of the American, Korean and English bushes anchoring the yard. “They were just going to dig them up and toss them in the landfill. … So these things came to me at the time we were buying [additional] property and starting to clear it for some more garden space. These boxwoods made instant maturity for the garden and [also] this beautiful structure for the garden, which wouldn’t have been there. [The boxwoods added] all this evergreen, because out here, it’s all hardwood. [It] created a tremendous habitat for the birds and the bees. It was a little miracle that happened.”

ART IN THE GARDEN

he lower slope features a metal kinetic sculpture by the late Vollis Simpson, a self-taught artist from Wilson County who crafted whirligigs from scraps and parts, like the ice-cream scoops and socketlike components in the piece. 

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“The last time it really [spun] – I had it up on a telephone pole so it was very high up there – was Hurricane Fran. And then, everything just rusted. After a while it just seized up, so it doesn’t swirl or twirl anymore.” In one of the grassy aisles is a large geodesic sphere called “Buckyball” by Mark Dixon. “He did not start with a template,” Dorrie explains. “It was [welded] piece by piece.” The metal sculpture is held in place with an airplane tether left over from her fatherin-law’s hobby materials for building aircraft. “It will be gone with the wind [otherwise],” she says. “You wouldn’t think so because it looks like it’s more space than span, but the wind will just roll in and I have found it off hither and yon.” The center aisle has a silent sentry in a hat and a belted dress with long sleeves

that move with the wind to “scare the critters,” Dorrie says. A second vintage mannequin is similarly dressed and standing guard over another section. Soon, flowers will bloom in turn from early spring with hellebore and iris to early summer with peonies, phlox and lilies. Other summer blossoms include lantana, blue salvia, cosmos, zinnias, marigolds, bee balm and coreopsis. A few steps beyond the full-grown lacecap hydrangeas is a tower of “bells” that Dorrie created using glass insulators suspended from a metal étagère from Dillard’s department store when it closed in 2013. Inside her studio building, Dorrie is working on her latest project – a series of decorated wands, scepters and walking sticks “that are too much fun.” “My hands are killing me,” Dorrie says, laughing. “They’re pretty arthritic, but I can’t stop.” CM ABOVE A whirligig by Vollis Simpson rusted in place after withstanding Hurricane Fran in 1996. The copper and ceramic globes were added later to brighten the sculpture. LEFT Dorrie checks the potted lantana and considers removing the dense liriope border.

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

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H O M E

G A R D E N

PLANT

Handel, a Pittsboro resident and the

T H I S, THAT NOT

THREE LOCAL EXPERTS SHARE THEIR ADVICE FOR PICKING NATIVE SPECIES

BY CC KALLAM

ctions have consequences, says Debbie Roos, an agriculture extension agent for the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Clear-cutting forests to make room for new commercial or residential development can disrupt the balance of nature, leaving land vulnerable to invasive plant species like kudzu or English ivy. “The choices we make in our landscape can really make a difference,” Debbie says. She uses native plants in a demonstration garden at Chatham Mills in Pittsboro to benefit pollinators and other local wildlife. Out of the over 225 species in the pollinator garden, 85% are indigenous to North Carolina and essential to the food web. “An ecosystem that is out of balance is an unhealthy ecosystem,” says Neville

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

This is something that we need to take care of, especially when it’s on your own property where you can have a really strong impact.” – Johnny Randall

conservation land manager at North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. “Ecosystems provide lots of services for humans, even if we don’t understand [them],” Neville says. “If we don’t take care of the landscape, especially when you get close to streams, rivers, creeks and drainage, then we can really see declines in water quality. And the worse off your water is, the more expensive it is to treat it and to clean it and make it safe to drink. When you have an area that’s overrun with invasive [plant] species, your ecosystems are potentially going to be degraded … in terms of filtering the water.” Neville says nuts from trees like white oaks and shagbark hickories provide food to birds and animals. The common milkweed is the host plant for monarch butterflies, so without it, monarch butterflies would disappear. “All of those [endemic] plants are [ones] that evolved in this place, they’re part of the systems we have here, and they all have their place. Ecosystems are really complex webs,” says Johnny Randall, the director of conservation programs at NCBG and adjunct faculty in the UNC environment, ecology, and energy program. “Our native butterfly and moth caterpillars really cannot use anything but the plants they evolved with as host plants,” Johnny says. “And without caterpillars, birds do not have food for their babies, even seed-eating birds, like cardinals, feed their young caterpillars. So without native plants, you don’t have caterpillars, and you don’t have baby birds. It’s a really simple connection.” Johnny explains invasive plant species are flora found outside their native range, threatening the survival of native plants

PLANT THIS

A few Chatham County and North Carolina native plant species for your backyard:

White Oak (Quercus alba) This acorn-bearing tree is named for the whitish color of the undersides of their leaves, grows 1 to 2 feet per year and can grow up to 100 feet high and 50 to 80 feet wide. PHOTO BY KEVIN FACCENDA

ILLUSTRATION BY JUDY LUTTER

Common Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) This tall tree with a straight trunk grows up to 120 feet and up to 35 feet wide, thrives in full or partial sun or shade and requires dry to moist soil with drainage. It begins bearing fruit at about 40 years, with edible seeds, nuts and fruits. The bark becomes “shaggy” on adult trees.

PHOTO BY ANNA-RHESA VERSOLA

or animals, or limiting biological diversity. In Chatham County, there are natural areas, like the Lower Haw River in Bynum, that still provide food for wildlife, “but urban areas have become deserts for native biodiversity.” He recommends various removal methods for invasive plant species. For some plants, continual cutting can exhaust the energy stored in roots. But you have to be careful about which plant you cut because cutting can sometimes stimulate resprouting, he says. Another method is to cardboard and mulch, where you cut back all vegetation as far as possible and remove vines from trees. Completely cover the area with cardboard, and then organic mulch. Wet the area and create drainage holes so water doesn’t pools. This treatment will suppress all vegetation under the cardboard. For smaller herbaceous plants, pulling is effective. Be sure to remove the entire plant including the roots because leaving roots can allow the plant to resprout. Spraying is another option but Johnny says be wary of the spray you choose because some can be hazardous to humans and other plant species you aren’t targeting.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CURE NURSERY

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba L.) This shrubby tree is the larval host for the zebra swallowtail butterfly and the pawpaw sphinx. It can grow up to 35 feet tall and spread to 30 feet. The edible pawpaw fruit has green to yellow skin, that turns brown when ripe, and yellow, custardlike flesh.

Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) A perennial with yellow flowers that can grow up to 10 feet tall and responds to wet, acidic soil. The plant acts as the larval host to many butterfly species and is unpopular to deer and other herbivores.  APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

HOME & GARDEN

PHOTO BY DEBBIE ROOS

Whitefringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus) This tree has fragrant fringelike flowers that attract various pollinators and its berries provide a source of food for many bird species.

PHOTO BY KATJA SCHULZ

Purple Love Grass (Eragrostis spectabilis) This perennial grass with a variety of flower colors including pink, purple, copper and red requires full sunlight and moist soil conditions. The grass also produces small purple, pink and brown fruits.

PHOTO BY DEBBIE ROOS

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Not to be mistaken with another domestic species (butterfly weed), the common milkweed is the larval host plant of the monarch butterfly and milkweed tussock moth. Like other milkweed species, the flowers provide a source of nectar for various pollinators. The fragrant flowers are green, pink, purple or white; the fruit is gray and silver.

Green-headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) Known for being deer resistant, this yellow, daisylike flowering perennial provides nectar to pollinators and seeds for songbirds and goldfinches. 

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HOME & GARDEN

NOT THAT

A few Chatham County and North Carolina nonnatives:

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) This shrub thrives even in poor soil with seeds often dispersed by birds. It has sharp thorns, heavily fragrant pale white to yellow flowers, and vibrant red berries. It threatens native species by outcompeting them and interfering with natural nutrient cycling and plant succession. Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana) This is a very common commercial landscape tree, used frequently because it grows rapidly and tolerates a wide range of conditions. One of the first trees to bloom in spring, its white flowers have a very strong, unpleasant scent. Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.) This poisonous evergreen has been used as an ornamental

shrub in urban landscapes. In bloom, the shrub has small white flowers with a strong odor and toxic berries. It can rapidly form an impenetrable thicket. Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) This vine can live on wet or dry sites and forms dense thickets. The purple blooms are fragrant and stems become twisted and grow massive over time. English Ivy (Hedera helix L.) This high-climbing evergreen vine, which can reach 80 feet in height, is widespread in urban areas and disturbed forests. This poisonous plant is commonly associated with other nonnative species. Once established, it is nearly impossible to eradicate and is one of the worst invasive weed problems in North Carolina. It aggressively

spreads into native forests, where it smothers tall trees as well as the forest floor, choking out native wildflowers, shrubs and trees. Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) This vine is semievergreen and grows rapidly. It is difficult to control and is capable of smothering plants. It displaces native species by outcompeting native plants for light, space, water and nutrients. It flowers in late spring to fall and is very fragrant. Ingestion of the berries in large quantities can cause sickness. Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) This grass is an annual summer weed that grows to 3.5 feet and can root at each node to make a new plant. It was accidentally introduced into Tennessee in the early 1900s when it was

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HOME & GARDEN

NATIVE PLANT SPECIES RESOURCES FOR CHATHAM RESIDENTS used as packing material for porcelain shipped from Asia. The plant has now spread to 26 states. Kudzu (Pueraria montana) Now illegal in some areas of the country, kudzu was first introduced in the U.S. in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. By the 1950s, the Department of Agriculture banned planting kudzu and labeled it a common weed in the 1970s, then it was listed as a noxious weed by Congress in 1997. Its roots can grow to a depth of 12 feet and weigh up to 300 pounds. The vines may grow a foot per day or 60 feet throughout the summer season.

• • • • • •

Debbie’s pollinator garden website: go.ncsu.edu/pollinator-garden NC Invasive Plant Council: nc-ipc.weebly.com NC Native Plant Society: ncwildflower.org/invasive-exotic-species-list NC Botanical Garden: ncbg.unc.edu NCBG Controlling Invasive Plants brochure: ncbg.unc.edu/plants/resources-for-gardeners New Hope Audubon “Bird-Friendly Habitat”: newhopeaudubon.org/conservation/ bird-friendly-certification

Chatham-based plant nurseries with native species: Cure Nursery 880 Buteo Ridge Pittsboro 919-533-6591 curenursery.com

Growing Wild Nursery 1455 Arthur Teague Rd. Siler City 919-200-2677 growingwildnursery.com

Dutch Buffalo Farm 1000 Jay Shambley Rd. Pittsboro 919-428-6768 dutchbuffalofarm.com

Mellow Marsh Farm 1312 Woody Store Rd. Siler City 919-742-1200 mellowmarshfarm.com CM

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CHATHAM MAGAZINE

HERE WE

GROW AGAIN UPDATES ON COMMERCIAL AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS BY JAMES DUPREE

MAP BY JEAN CARLOS ROSARIO-MONTALVO

ransformation is well underway for the South of the Courthouse (SoCo) development project in downtown Pittsboro, which began in early 2021 with an estimated cost of more than $10 million. The entire southwest corner across the street from the historic Chatham County Courthouse covers roughly 30,000 square feet from 39 West St. to 56 Sanford Rd. A new brewery, Havoc Brewing Company, owned by Michael Pipkin, is expected to occupy the former Pittsboro Roadhouse restaurant site. The original building housed the Justice Motor Company, a well-known car dealership that brothers Frank Justice and Fred 98

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

Justice opened in 1947. The site covers

6,392 square feet of space, including the old 2,561-square-foot showroom. A distillery plant for the brewing company is being installed as well as a tasting room, with plans to open late this summer. SoCo developer Greg Stafford expanded the building project to include 45 West St., where the defunct Mathiesen Clinic stands. Dr. K.M. Mathiesen operated it for close to 30 years before it closed in 1974. Renovations are underway with a possible completion date in summer 2023. “It’s demolition with care,” Greg says. “We’re not taking down the building, but cleaning out asbestos and removing lead paint.” That building’s 6,500 square feet is divided into 18 hospital rooms with two large conference areas. The location is likely to be used as leasable office space and a new

APRIL / MAY 2022

HILLSBORO STREET

N. MASONIC STREET

Chatham Historical Museum WEST STREET

The School of the Arts for Boys Academy expects to begin its inaugural school year in August. Founded by Valencia Toomer, a former principal of George Moses Horton Middle School with about 20 years of experience in education, the school’s mission is to educate and empower young boys from diverse backgrounds through a “culturally responsive arts-based education.” Though construction has not yet begun, the school will be located adjacent to Chatham Park. Valencia hopes to enroll more than 100 third through sixth grade boys in the school. Parents or guardians should complete applications for enrollment by the end of April. Students will be accepted through a randomized lottery system; 60% of slots will be reserved for educationally disadvantaged students.

E. SALISBURY STREET

HILLSBORO STREET

FAYETTEVILLE STREET

W. SALISBURY STREET

CHATHAM PARK UPDATES

EAST STREET

S. MASONIC STREET

Thales Academy is set to open the doors to its Pittsboro location in time for the upcoming school year. This will mark the private school’s eighth campus in the Triangle, bringing its total number to 14 across North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. The school will operate on 94,137 square feet of land located at 200 Vine Pkwy. in Chatham Park and will enroll grades K-6. Average tuition for the elementary grades is set to cost around $5,300 per year, with scholarships and payment plans available. The campus currently consists of an elementary school, playground and multiple outdoor classroom areas. Future phases include the construction of a second building housing a high school and middle school, which will be connected to an auditorium.

E. CHATHAM STREET

APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

. HILLSBORO ST

DEVELOPMENT

Construction began in January for Encore, Chatham Park’s first active adult community for residents ages 55 and older by David Weekley Homes. This development will be similar in concept to the Encore neighhorhood already established in Briar Chapel. Chatham Park’s Encore neighborhood will have 349 homes located within close proximity to Mosaic at Chatham Park, a mixed-use community that spans 44 acres along Hwy. 15-501. Encore will feature numerous amenities for its residents, including cycling/ walking trails, a tennis court, and a clubhouse with a state-of-the-art fitness center, bocce ball court, resort-style pool, yoga and pilates classes, cooking classes, wine socials and craft workshops. Building completion is expected by the end of 2022.

WEST STREET

Chatham Historical Museum

2 1

DR OR SA

The Mosaic Sales & Leasing Center at Chatham Park has opened with information on residential and rental offerings. Tessera at Mosaic offers townhomes for sale, which average 1,500 square feet with prices ranging from $300,000 to $600,000. The Guild, opening in early 2023, will offer modern, one- and two-bedroom apartments for lease.

RENDERING COURTESY OF SOCO PITTSBORO

E. CHATHAM STREET

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CHATHAM MAGAZINE

APRIL / MAY 2022

DEVELOPMENT

1 Havoc Brewing Company.

Chatham Park’s housing community Vineyards has sold 556 lots to national builders and several North Carolina-based custom builders, including Prewitt Custom Homes, Walker DesignBuild, Upton & Company and Upright Builders. Townhomes average between 1,000 and 1,800 square feet, while custom homes can feature as much as 4,000plus square feet, with prices starting at $300,000. North Carolina-based developer Garman has opened its model home, the Barnaby, for touring. The 2,600-square-foot residence was designed as the 2021 America at Home Study Concept Home.

home for Chateaux Realty and Chatham Business Services. The latter business is temporarily located at 21 E. Salisbury St. since its former spot was incorporated into The Modern Life Deli & Drinks restaurant and its bar – The Other Side. A new building at 56 Sanford Rd. may be suitable for a restaurant or bar and remains available for lease with 5,000 square feet of space and a second-story outdoor patio. Greg says his aim with SoCo is not to erase history, but to establish new local businesses and attractions, recapturing the busy downtown lifestyle without losing the historical feel synonymous with downtown Pittsboro. CM

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101

ENGAGEMENT

Marro & Riggsbee

Sept. 10, 2021, Jordan and Paige went to dinner at The Sycamore at Chatham Mills before strolling along a path back to their Chatham Forest neighborhood. As the sun set, Paige turned to find Jordan down on one knee. Paige said yes, and the couple cried “tears of joy” knowing they would be spending the rest of their lives together. The pair plans to say “I do” on Oct. 29, 2022, at the Chapel Hill Carriage House. Paige works as a content creator for The Plant NC, and Jordan is a construction superintendent with David

BY MEGAN TILLOTSON PHOTO BY TYLER ODELL

natives Paige Marro and Jordan Riggsbee met in 2013 at Northwood High School. They dated three years before parting ways for college – Paige attended Appalachian State University in Boone, and Jordan went to Wake Technical Community College. After graduation, Paige returned home and met Jordan for lunch, and they fell in love all over again. The couple talked about getting engaged for months. Then, on ittsboro

Weekley Homes. CM

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APRIL / MAY 2022

WEDDING

Allen & Henning

BY MEGAN TILLOTSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY JORDAN MAUNDER, JORDANMAUNDER.COM

rennan Allen,

valedictorian of Class of 2010, and Davis Henning, a Charlotte native and a graduate of University of South Carolina, first met in January 2015. Together they celebrated a Tar Heel basketball victory at He’s Not Here in Chapel Hill, where Brennan graduated from college. The pair became friends during their first semester of dental school at UNC in August 2015, and the friendship blossomed into romance leading up to their graduation in 2019. Davis’ proposal on March 5, 2020, turned “an average Thursday evening into an extraordinary adventure.” After a lot of celebratory FaceTime calls, they celebrated at their favorite Italian spot and a trip to Vegas with Brennan’s family. The pair wed on June 5, 2021, at The Parlour at Manns Chapel. “The venue was the easiest decision, as so many special events have taken place there throughout the years,” Brennan says. Decor in shades of light pink and classic neutrals along with floral details on the tables and a flower arch backdrop from Meristem Floral created a magical effect at the reception. Gary Crunkleton brought a bar setup from The Crunkleton and served classic cocktails – the Crunkleton Elderflower Sour for “hers” and Vieux Carré for “his.” The night ended with everyone shouting for an encore from band Liquid Pleasure. Davis and Brennan practice dentistry together at Coronado Dental in Arizona. CM Northwood High School’s

APRIL / MAY 2022

CHATHAM MAGAZINE

103

WEDDING

Elkins & Moore

BY MEGAN TILLOTSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY WHITNEY DUGGINS

mily Moore and Seth Elkins grew up in Bear Creek and are both graduates of

Chatham Central High School, though

four years apart. Although they knew of each other, Emily and Seth didn’t actually meet until 2019 when she was at ECU and he had recently graduated from Campbell University. They met at a hair salon in Bennett, owned by Seth’s cousin, Allie-Grace Phillips. After crossing paths repeatedly, they began dating. During a trip to the Outer Banks in August 2020, Seth and his family were taking sunset photos atop Jockey’s Ridge when a cousin said, “OK, Seth and Emily, your turn!” As Emily turned around, Seth was down on one knee. The couple tied the knot at Sandy Branch Baptist Church on May 22, 2021, with Emily’s sister, Christy Moore, as maid of honor and Seth’s father, Doyle Elkins, as best man. The wedding party also included Seth’s sisters, Calan Elkins and Madelyn Elkins, Emily’s niece, Gracie Wall, and Seth’s cousins, Dylan Smith, Grant Brown and Sawyer Elkins. Seth said his most memorable moment was when he first saw Emily walking down the aisle as his favorite hymn, “How Deep The Father’s Love,” played. They held their reception at Harvest House and Catering in Ramseur. The couple attends Seth’s home church, Antioch Christian Church in Bear Creek, and resides in Sanford. CM 104

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APRIL / MAY 2022

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