Sept 24 Shallotte and South Brunswick Islands Magazine
EDITOR
Jeffrey Stites
jeff@liveoakmediainc.com
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Lisa P. Stites
lisa@southportmag.com
LEAD DESIGNER
Liz Brinker
lcbgraphicdesign@gmail.com
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS
Chuck and Sue Cothran
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Louise Sheffield-Baccarny
Carla Edstrom
Patricia Langer
Jan Morgan-Swegle
Janet Fortney
Lisa P. Stites
Jeffrey Stites
PUBLISHER & SALES
Jeffrey Stites
jeff@liveoakmediainc.com 910-471-7741
Shallotte and South Brunswick Islands Magazine is published once a month by
Live Oak Media, Inc
The opinions of contributing writers are not necessarily the opinions of the staff.
Annual Subscription: $45
email jeff@liveoakmediainc.com 910-471-7741
There’s Nowhere Like Here
Every place has its quirks, its little local oddities. In our travels, we’ve seen the World’s Largest Frying Pan, a restaurant named after the local Lizard Man monster, and a crossroads famous for being the spot a blues musician sold his soul to the devil for guitar skill. But our weirdness here in Brunswick County is more than some random tourist traps -- it’s sort of baked into our community. It’s so baked in that we sometimes have to step back to realize the things we see every day aren’t normal in other places. Take our cover story about Drifter’s Wood, a roadside driftwood stand where most payment is on the honor system. We also have a story on a little museum in Sandy Creek that displays everything from old Avon to beer cans and baseball cards to true historical treasures. And if you head up the road a bit to Belville later this month you’ll be able to hobnob with pirates as they take over the Riverwalk Park with cannons and swordfighting and lots of “arrrrrrrr” talk. These things may be a little.....different, but they make us who we are and we wouldn’t have it any other way. -- Jeffrey
Business Feature Natural Beauty
Drifter’s Wood: Roadside Driftwood Stand
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JANET FORTNEY & JOHN MUSE
Question: What do taxidermists, artists, florists, Chinese restaurants, and ferret owners have in common? Answer: They, and many others, are all customers of Drifter’s Wood, a harvested driftwood business in Supply.
Operating at the intersection of nature and creativity, Drifter’s Wood is an openair bonanza of all sizes and shapes of driftwood waiting to be displayed and admired in homes and retail spaces. Crafters, woodworkers, and interior designers also frequent this explorer’s paradise.
“Nature does an extraordinary job of creating these pieces,” said Jeff Gibson, Drifter’s Wood owner and head driftwood gatherer. Prior to offering each piece for sale, Gibson does not alter it in any way other
than washing to remove mud and other debris. “I keep going and getting more and more and more,” Gibson explained, noting that the popularity of driftwood decor with “coastal living folks,” as well as his enterprise’s U.S. 17 roadside location have “easily tripled the business we’d been doing” in a previous location.
Drifter’s Wood’s inception happened in 2016 as Gibson, a Louisiana native, was canoeing in his new home state of North Carolina. “In Louisiana, the water is muddy and murky and I’d never noticed seeing any driftwood. [That day], I thought I saw a pair of deer antlers. I pulled it out of the water and it was actually a root that looked like antlers. And the entrepreneur in me thought, ‘I’m going to make a business out of this.’”
During his once- or twice-weekly collection excursions, Gibson’s tools-of-
the-trade are his pontoon boats, a winch, long-tined rakes, and a chainsaw. According to Sandy Jones, Gibson’s assistant, Drifter’s Wood’s stock is culled from “lakes, swamps, and rivers in North Carolina,” including “New River, Jacksonville, and High Rock Lake in Lexington.” The different features of each waterway can determine the characteristics of its driftwood, such as color and whether or not it hosts barnacles.
Gibson prices his driftwood finds based on their “size, quality, and character,” as well as “how cool or well-preserved they are.” A recent customer described Drifter’s Wood’s wares as “unique and totally addicting.” A recent and thought-provoking find – a one-of-a-kind barnacle-encrusted bicycle – now on the lot will likely fetch approximately $500. But pieces can also be purchased for $3.
“My favorite sales,” saidGibson, “are when someone’s buying for animals. A lot of pets don’t get to enjoy nature and have fake things [in their habitats]. With wood, they get real nature.” In addition to the previously mentioned ferrets, customers also acquire driftwood for their reptile enclosures, aquariums, and parrot perches.
Interestingly, Drifter’s Wood runs on a
Credit: John Muse, HisMuse Photography
payment honor system. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, customers are encouraged to browse the lot when it’s convenient for them and purchase their pieces whether or not Gibson and Jones are on-site.
“It works well for us,” said Sandy Jones, Gibson’s assistant of one year. “We’re trust-
ing and we offer every payment option we can. Sometimes people actually [forward] us a picture of their money to show that they paid [even though they’re not required to]. We’ve had no problems…and I think it’s refreshing knowing that there’s someone out there that does trust.”
As summer winds down, Gibson and Jones are focused on keeping their treasure trove of driftwood organized. “We’re revamping the lot so we can keep more of the same-priced wood together,” Jones explained. Gibson said, “We’ve got a lot of stock right now. It kind of looks like a bomb went off.” Customers don’t seem to mind, though, especially the one that dubbed Drifter’s Wood “an absolute roadside jewel.”
Visit tip: If you’re lucky, matching cats Raggedy Ann and Andy will sidle up for head scratches.
Community Food Truck Festival
Second Annual Event On Ocean Isle Beach
STORY BY LOUISE SHEEFIELD-BACCARNY, PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY TOWN OF OCEAN ISLE BEACH
Seafood, barbeque, funnel cakes, donuts, hot dogs, and burgers! If your mouth isn’t watering already then it will be soon as the Town of Ocean Isle Beach gears up for the 2nd Annual Fall Food Truck Festival.
This year’s event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 11 am to 3 pm at Town Center Park, 11 E Second St., on the island.
After a successful turnout last year, the Town is happy to announce that most of the same food vendors will be returning and bringing some new, sweet and savory friends along with them. This free event will have music by the Stone Cold Blues Band from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm as well as face painting and a meet and greet with the Fire and Police Department for kids.
After a hot and busy summer season, this festival provides locals a fun opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy great food and music with the cool ocean breeze blowing through the park. Fall is a great time to be at
Ocean Isle with perfect weather for shelling or a bike ride, fantastic fishing and boating and a much more laid back atmosphere for the families who live and work here to enjoy.
Hayley Burgess, Recreation Di-
rector for the Town of OIB, said she hopes to keep growing this event and adding more vendors to the lineup every year, giving adults and children a wide variety of tasty food options. Burgess thinks that a Spring Food Truck Festival would also be another great weekend event for OIB in the future. The Town of Ocean Isle hosts numerous other events at Town Center Park throughout the year including the Easter Bunny Hop, 15 Summer concerts, Trunk-orTreat, Letters to Santa and “Noon” Year’s Eve.
Please visit oibgov.com for more information and follow the Town of
Ocean Isle Beach Recreation Department on Facebook for details on upcoming events.
Community Everyday Heroes
Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office To Receive Inaugural Award For Child Safety
STORY CONTRIBUTED BY CAROUSEL CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER
Carousel Child Advocacy Center (CCAC), Southeastern North Carolina’s only nationally accredited child advocacy center, has announced that the Brunswick Sheriff’s Office will be the first recipient of the Everyday Heroes Award at the Everyday Heroes Award Luncheon, 11 am on Wednesday, Oct. 9, in the Odell Williamson Auditorium at Brunswick Community College.
The sheriff’s office will be recognized for being the first police force in the nation to become a Partner In Prevention, a designation awarded to organizations and businesses that take the necessary steps to protect children from child sexual abuse in their communities. The designation is being granted by Carousel and the organization Darkness to Light, which works to empower adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse through awareness, education, and stigma reduction. Their Stewards of Children® training
teaches adults to recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.
To become a Partner in Prevention a business or organization must train 90-100 percent of staff and volunteers in Stewards of Children® and commit to providing ongoing child sexual abuse prevention training.
Join us at this inaugural event to learn more about the services and programs the Carousel Child Advocacy Center provides to help Brunswick County child victims receive forensic and healing services when there is a report of physical or sexual abuse. It is free to attend, and we welcome groups to host a table. Sponsors are also welcome! We are grateful for Orton Foundaton and Novant Health for sponsoring this new event.
to connect with other survivors and spread awareness of the amazing work of the Carousel Child Advocacy Center.
dren from birth to age 18. All services are provided in a nurturing, friendly, and safe environment.
The keynote speakers — Terrie and Ashley Batson — are sure to inspire. An aunt and niece “dynamic duo,” they are both “thrivers” and passionate advocates for those affected by childhood sexual abuse. Through their individual and unified journeys of healing and personal growth, they aim to raise awareness, support survivors, and promote change in the Wilmington community and beyond. They hope that sharing their deeply personal experience will enable them
“Together, we can battle child abuse, protect children, and restore young lives,” said Shemeka Kemp, 2024-25 chairperson of the Carousel Board of Directors. “This event allows anyone in the community to attend and learn more about the state of child abuse in our community. Carousel has served Brunswick children and families for almost 25 years. We are excited to have this inaugural fundraiser, that will provide much-needed funds so that the best and brightest may aid child survivors of abuse. Together, we can work towards a world free of child abuse, where children grow up happy, healthy, and safe!”
This event supports Carousel Child Advocacy Center, Brunswick County’s only nationally accredited child advocacy center. Carousel services Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties, responding to about 500 reports of child physical or sexual abuse and maltreatment annually — 165 children in Brunswick alone last year!
Carousel provides coordinated medical evaluation, forensic interviewing, assistance for investigative partners in pursuing justice, and healing trauma therapy services. All services revolve (carousel) around the needs of the child. Carousel serves chil-
For more information and to RSVP, please contact Laura Pawlewicz at 910254-9898 or email her at laura.pawlewicz@ carouselcenter.org. Reserve your seat online at https://carouselcenter.org/event/ everydayhero/
About Carousel Child Advocacy Center
Carousel Child Advocacy Center is Southeastern North Carolina’s only nationally accredited child advocacy center. It provides child medical exams and forensic interviews, confidential professional trauma counseling and caregiver support to children and their families who have experienced physical/sexual abuse in Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties. Since its founding in 2000, Carousel Child Advocacy Center has served more than 6,500 children in the tri-county area, carrying out its mission to support healing, promote justice, and foster resilience in children victimized by physical or sexual abuse and to improve our community through education, prevention and advocacy. CCAC has three locations to serve our partners, child survivors, and families closer to home. For more information, visit: www.carouselcenter.org
STORY BY LISA STITES, PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
Sydney Robbins was 14 or 15 years old when she saw her first Carolina Panthers game in person. She got to beat the drum, a Panthers tradition, and she has kept pounding ever since.
An Oak Island native and 2021 South Brunswick High School graduate, Sydney is now in her final semester at Campbell University, studying sports management with a minor in sports communications. Her career goals include scouting or player development, which means helping players figure out what they want to do after football. After college, if she doesn’t start work right away, Sydney said she would consider graduate school for sports management or earn an MBA. But this summer, she reached one of her goals
CALL FOR SPECIALS! Community Living Her Dream Inside A Carolina Panthers Internship
by landing a paid internship with the Carolina Panthers.
“It’s a big dream and accomplishment for me, to be where I am right now,” Sydney said during her stint at the Panthers training camp. “I didn’t think I’d be right here. Working in the NFL has been a dream for me. It’s crazy that I grew up going to these games, and now I am working here, being with these players.”
Sydney started applying for internships in October of 2023, and applied for this particular one in June. She had a couple phone interviews, including one with Equipment Manager Don Toner, who has worked with the team since 1995. “After he said ‘We look forward to bringing you in,’” Sydney recalled, “I definitely cried.” She started with the team July 8 and finished August 18 so she could head back to Campbell.
Sydney grew up playings sports and said her whole family is into sports, but that she and her uncle are the more serious football fans. At South Brunswick, Sydney played soccer a couple of years, worked with the basketball teams and was a cheerleader her senior year. At Campbell, Sydney has worked with the football team for four years. Her first year with the team, she worked in film, and now she helps organize the equipment. “My school is smaller, but I wasn’t expecting there would be this much work,” she said of her experience with the NFL team. She said that she didn’t realize that putting numbers and names on items would matter so much, but she found out that it does.
“I know it’s our job and we’re supposed to take care of them,” she said. “Attention to detail matters,” she said.
With the Panthers, Sydney worked with players every day, and was assigned a position group — the offensive line.
“I’m not a water girl. I have footballs on me. When we do a drill, and they snap the ball to the quarterback, I’m the one who catches the ball like the quarterback and they’ll ask for my feedback like which way did the ball go,” she said. She said she worked a lot with Austin Corbett, a guard for the Panthers. She also said that everyone eats lunch together at training camp, so she got to see most people at some point. She said she loved talking to linebacker Shaq Thompson, and that quarterback Bryce Young is kind of quiet, very focused on the game, and a great motivator. She even had the chance to throw some reps with him one day.
A typical day started at 6:30 am before a 9:30 am practice. After a quick breakfast, she and her coworkers
Community
would take golf carts out to their section of the field and set up for drills, making sure all the kinds of equipment the players in each position group would need were in place and ready to go. After practice, they cleaned up the field. Players generally had meetings in the afternoons, and there was always plenty of inside work for the equipment crew as well. Sydney said she once had to heat press 99 player jerseys for the first pre-season game. Late afternoon, the players were back on the field for walk-throughs, and Sydney said she would help fix gloves
or helmets, etc. After dinner, the crews finished up whatever tasks they were working on that day.
At the end of her internship, the Panthers sent Sydney back to school with more knowledge of her job and the desire to share that with others. They also sent her with some top-notch Panthers swag.
“It’s exciting how much gear they gave me” she said. “They provided my housing and meals. And I got paid.”
On a more serious note, Sydney said she learned a lot and that she hopes she’ll be able to teach some of that back at Campbell this fall.
“A soon as I get back, I’ll be pushed right into practices,” she said.
And she’ll put her new skills right to work. Attention to detail and making sure everything looks nice really matters, she said. Even though Campbell may not be the biggest school, she said, they can show everyone how much their team matters to them.
She got to work one pre-season game before heading back to school — the pre-season opening game Aug. 17 against the New York Jets.
“Working at an NFL game was the most surreal experience I’ve ever had,” she said. “It was mind blowing for me, very exciting and an adrenaline rush.” Sydney said she hopes to work a couple of other games this season, working around her schedule with Camp-
bell. She also really enjoyed the Back Together Saturday event in late July, when fans can come to the stadium and watch practice, and the travel day to Clemson University, where it all began for the Panthers.
Sydney especially appreciated the opportunity to meet so many people in professional sports this summer. She even got a lead into a women’s sports football forum, which helps women looking for jobs in the industry.
“I have made a lot of connections,” she said. “That’s been my main goal in coming here.”
She also learned more about the players as individuals, something she didn’t expect.
“Before I worked here, I was just a fan, but now don’t see them as famous people, I just see them as regular players. It’s really cool to be able to feel that versus being a fan just trying to get something signed,” she said.
Sydney with Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson
FISHING REPORT
September Fishing Report
Fall Fishing Offers New Opportunities
BY CAPTAIN STEELE PARK
August was intense, with daily strong winds, thunderstorms, and over 15 inches of rain from Tropical Storm Debby. It’s now September, but her impact is still evident, with tannin-filled backwater and nearshore waters from the upper Cape Fear River region. On the bright side, Debby helped bring water temperatures down from a 7- to 8-degree surplus, setting us up for some excellent fall fishing.
Inshore / Backwater
Fishing is awesome inshore and in the backwater creeks, with plenty of red drums, speckled trout, flounder, and sheepshead to be found. Whether you’re on the Cape Fear River, the ICW, or in the creeks and estuaries, it’s hard not to hook into something. For live bait, finger mullet are abundant, and artificial lures are working well too. The rising tide has been prime time, but the bottom of the falling tide is also productive. Fish are holding in areas with moving water—cast your bait into the tidal rip and let it drift into the eddies forming at points and bends in the creeks. Predator fish are stacked in that slack water, ready to ambush.
Another effective technique has been using VooDoo shrimp. I usually cast them below a popping cork, but lately, I’ve been casting them without the cork and giving them a sharp twitch. The speckled trout, flounder, and redfish can’t seem to resist. With the current clear brown water, something with chartreuse is a solid choice.
Nearshore
September is the best time of year for fishing at the Brunswick County beaches. The north winds bring calm beach conditions, making for comfortable fishing. Even better, the fish show up in big numbers, feeding on the abundant bait. Menhaden schools are massive, and the mullet run is in full swing. Bull red drums will settle on nearshore reefs, wrecks, and spots like the hot hole, and they can also be found in the bait balls. While finger mullet works well
Captain Steele Park, a US Navy Veteran, has been fishing the oceans, rivers, and lakes of southeastern NC since he was 7 years old and knows these waters like the back of his hand. He calls Southport home and captains the Catherine Anne Sportfishing & Excursions fleet. For more information please call at 910-620-9919
as bait, big live menhaden are even better. Use a Carolina rig with a 2–3-ounce egg sinker and a 12–18-inch leader of 50-pound fluorocarbon. It’s crucial to use circle hooks when targeting these fish, and heavy spinning or conventional tackle is recommended. Circle hooks significantly reduce the risk of gut hooking, and although the temptation to use light tackle is strong, it leads to longer fight times, exhausting the fish and reducing their chances of survival after release.
With fall in the air, you can’t talk about nearshore fishing without mentioning the beach king mackerel bite. September is when the kings come in to fatten up for winter on the bait near the beach. Slow trolling live menhaden, bluefish, and corncob mullet is your best bet for bites. Target the menhaden bait balls in 20-28
feet of water, and troll around the rock piles along the beaches. A good starting point is offshore of Ocean Crest Pier and Yaupon Reef, and the river channel is also a great spot, especially on a falling tide and out to the old Cape Fear sea buoy and Lighthouse Rocks. Spanish mackerel and bluefish will also return in force during September—troll Clarkspoons on number 1 and number 2 planers for a quick limit.
FISHING
Offshore
Right on cue, the Wahoo are making their appearance, along with Blackfin Tuna and Sailfish. Gulf Stream fishing is excellent right now. You can find Wahoo in 120-300 feet of water over structures like ledges, live bottoms, and rock piles. Be sure to use a planer or trolling lead to get your bait deeper in the water column. Blackfin Tuna are abundant on offshore rock piles, aggressively hitting tuna feathers and cedar plugs. I prefer smaller baits for these fish, placing them far back in the spread. While you can catch Sailfish while trolling for Wahoo and Tuna, to really boost your chances, look for the color change from blue/
green blended water to clear blue water. Trolling mullet dredges, squid chains, and small ballyhoo rigged on circle hooks will draw bites. Always keep an eye on your teasers and spread, as Sailfish often follow the teasers before committing to a bite.
Don’t miss the fall fishing on our coast— it’s what we’ve been waiting for all year. We’ll be out there almost every day, making the most of the incredible bite this season brings. Get out there and enjoy it!
— Capt. Steele
Community Jack’s Boat Pull
Fundraiser For Drowning Prevention
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JEFFREY STITES
Looking to prove that you and your crew are the strongest in town? No need to wrestle giant squid, climb the Pilot Tower or lift unsuspecting tourists’ golf carts over your head. Instead your team of six can compete in the Second Annual Jack’s Boat Pull and help raise some funds to prevent drowning. It’ll be you and five friends on one end of the rope and the Sea Tow rescue boat, trailer and crew cab pick up truck on the other. First to pull the 7.5 tons across the finish line 75 feet away wins.
Jack’s Boat Pull is a fundraiser for the Jack Helbig Memorial Foundation and is held in conjunction with with the Southport Wooden Boat show on Saturday, Nov. 2 at in the parking lot of the Morningstar Marina.
The first pull is at 1 pm as the boat show is winding down. In addition to the boat pulling competition, the event features a kid’s boat pull, a DJ, food trucks, and a variety of community information booths. There will also be life vest give-
aways for kids and a 50/50 drawing for cash and prizes.
According to the Jack Helbig Foundation, drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-4 and is
one of the top three for ages 5 through 34. Melanie Roberts, President of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, said, “Last year we had 12 teams and grossed $14,000 that will help the foundation with mission critical activities which include scholarships for Brunswick School of Fish (swim lessons at BCC), life jacket giveaways, our kindergarten water safety and literacy program and increase the amount of Rip Current awareness and rescue tube stations on Southeastern NC’s beaches.
Community
“I am looking forward to implementing improvements in this year’s event,” Roberts said. “The event chairs — Mick Palagruto, Ken Hutton, and Gene Helbig — have been working hard to make this year’s boat pull even more successful and fun for the community. One of the biggest changes we are making is moving the kid’s boat pull to a lane right beside of the main towing area. This will highlight their event and amp up the cuteness factor.”
Last year’s event was a not only a lot of fun to watch, it was a huge success for the Foundation. “The best part about the First Annual Jack’s Boat Pull was seeing the amazing support from our community,” Roberts said. “With over 300 participants and spectators we were able to share information about being safer around the water throughout the event.”
But they hope to make this year’s event even bigger.
“We hope to have twice as many teams sign up this year and challenge the previous winner, Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office,” Roberts said. “This is truly a fun and family-friendly event. All the teams enjoyed pulling together, literally and figuratively, and supporting water safety.”
The cost to enter a team is a $400 donation, and there is a 20team limit, so register soon to ensure your spot. Sponsorships are all available, including an opportunity to set up a booth at the event.
For information on registering a team or becoming a sponsor, visit https://www. strideevents.com/jacksboat-pull/event-information. To find out more about the Jack Helbig Memorial Foundation, visit https:// jackhelbig.org/
Community
A LIVING LEGACY
There’s More to The Amuse’em Than Displays
STORY BY JANEY MORGAN-SWEGLE, PHOTOS BY TONY SWEGLE
Ahomeis what you make it. Your living space is an extension of your personality. And that’s certainly the case with Wayne Small, who took an old five-room house and made it into a fascinating museum. “The Amuse’em,” located at 110 Andrew Jackson Highway (Rt 74/76) in Sandy Creek (just before Delco) is a tribute to a life well lived, well-traveled and well collected.
Wayne Small, the owner and proprietor, is an 80-year-old man who is like a mixture of Mark Twain and a young, Michael J. Fox. He has a story to tell about each item in his collection and shares it with a twinkle in his eyes and an impish smile on his face. He loves what he does, and you can see it.
I started out by asking him why he opened this museum. Thinking I was going to get thoughts about history, I was surprised when Wayne answered, “Because no one has ever seen stuff like this before.” Then I asked what message he would like to send to our readers in this article about the museum. Keeping up his humor, he said, “How good looking I am!” From there, his excitement obvious, he said, “Did you ever see 4-million-year-old dinosaur poop?,” while handing me a fossilized pile.
Moving to the main area of the museum, he said, “See that gun,” pointing at a .38 caliber pistol. “I pulled that gun out of a debris pile from Cape Fear River dredging in 1977. I figured somebody used it in a murder and tossed it in the river.”
“Do you remember Avon?” He asked, heading to a different room. There were hundreds of different empty Avon containers and products. He has the deep, red dishes, popular in the ‘60s, a chess set, and men’s cologne containers shaped like cars, trucks, and boats. He even had an Avon sales receipt book that was used in 1937. It took me back to when the Avon Lady used to stop by my mother’s house with the newest catalogue.
Another trip down memory lane was the “Pez” Room. Wayne has more than 1,000
Pez dispensers in a variety of sizes. Among them were Barbie, Hello Kitty, Sesame Street characters, Minnie Mouse and Homer Simpson.
“Are you a baseball fan?”Wayne asked my husband, leading us to a picture of Shoeless Joe Jackson. He also has a vast variety of baseball cards including a very rare one of Honus Wagner, who played mainly for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1897 to 1917. Wagner is arguably considered to be the greatest shortstop who ever played baseball and was one of the first five baseball players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
Wayne said he started collecting things early in life, collecting pennies when he was in the Cub Scouts, and that fueled his passion. He went around the world three times when he worked for a private shipping company. He has a Chinese tea pot, made from a gourd that dates back to the 1840s. Wayne said that he got many of his pieces from garage sales, flea markets and small consignment shops in the area. Other pieces have been donated.
If you visit the museum, go to the back room, and look at Wayne’s favorite display; the 500-year-old cast stone statue of Mary and Jesus. Wayne bought it from a flea market and paid just $25 for it. He said, “I knew it was old and I knew it was special. I asked the guy selling it how much he wanted for it, and he said $25, that was a good deal. The longer I collect things, the better my eye for bargains and special
things gets.”
One of the things that makes the museum so interesting is the variety not only in the items but in the years that they were either produced or became popular. Wayne has a double barrel percussion cap-shot gun from the 1700s, a prototype of an electric sewing machine from 1900, Egyptian wine bottles that date back to the 1920s and “lobby” handouts of the Beatles from 1964, when they appeared at Madison Square Garden and then the “Ed Sullivan Show.” It was the first time the Beatles performed in the United States.
“Do you take pictures on your phone,” Wayne asked me. “Take a look up there,” he said, pointing at a small camera collection. He has a Polaroid Land 800 camera from approximately 1957 and a Polaroid Land One Step camera from the 1970, a Kodak Brownie 50-year Anniversary camera from 1930 and a Tower 120 Sears/Roebuck camera from 1940.
One of his biggest collections is of beer cans, including “Lucky Beer and Draft,” from 1938. Beer cans from all over the world line the walls and shelves throughout the museum. Wayne claims to have more than 1,400 beer cans. There are also a number of Jim Beam bourbon whiskey decanters. One of them is a train with several cars that carried the whiskey. He also has Wild Turkey decanters, a Kentucky Derby decanter and even one of Colonel Sanders. There’s a vintage Ezra Brooks Kentucky whiskey decanter from the 1960s and one of my favorites, a decanter of a 1936 Duesenberg. These are works of art
Community
and remind you of a classic time in history.
Wayne, who served as an Army paratrooper, said he loved to jump out of airplanes and would offer his jump services to others in his unit who weren’t fond of jumping, for a fee of $20. All you had to do was change shirts with Wayne and he would register as the person whose shirt he was wearing and make the jump. He has uniforms and memorabilia from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He even has a Navy uniform with buttons instead of zippers. There are military patches from each branch of the service and World War II related newspaper clippings.
Wayne works 10 to 12 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week, but the sign on the door as
you enter sets the stage for the entire feel of the museum. It says: “Open most days 9 or 10. Occasionally as early as 7 or 8, but sometimes as late as 12 or 1. We close about 5:30 or 6, occasionally about 4 or 5, but sometimes as late as 11 or 12. Some days or afternoons, we aren’t here at all, and lately, I’ve been here all the time, except when I’m someplace else, but I should be here then, too.”
To me, the value of the museum is more than the displays and rooms dedicated to specific topics — it’s Wayne himself. Wayne is the museum. His passion, his humor, and his dedication to keeping it open for others to enjoy is what it’s all about.
This man is living history. He has lived the past and he has celebrated it. He has traveled the world, and he has made the treasures that he found a focal point for local residents.
Wayne is in the process of adding rooms to the museum for his sports treasures. Each room is an amazing collection of things that used to be everyday items but have since slipped away in time. I guarantee, if you visit the museum you will say to yourself, “I remember those,” over and over again.
Understand that this is not your typical museum just by virtue of the displays. Maybe it’s a collection of oddities, but it’s worth seeing. It is a veteran-owned business that is small in size and large in diversity. I know I have driven by it a number of times but didn’t realize what it was. The museum sits on an incline without a paved driveway. Some of the windows are shuttered or boarded up for now and you might think it’s an abandoned building — but that’s on the outside. Don’t let the appearance of the building stop you from going in. On the inside are things that will make you laugh, think and wonder — and isn’t that what a museum should do? Go and talk to Wayne. He is a wealth of knowl-
edge.
In addition to running the Amuse’em and sharing his knowledge, Wayne is also a stand-up comedian. Mark your calendars for Oct. 4, at 7pm, when Wayne will be the Master of Ceremonies for a “Gong Show” type fundraising event at Gio Fund, located at 117 Village Road (behind Waffle House) in Leland. Like Wayne’s museum, Gio Fund is also a 501(3)(c) non-profit organization. It is a “no kill” animal welfare organization that is a combination of thrift store, animal rescue fundraising event center, donation center, online sales center and pet food distribution center. Their primary mission is to raise funds to help at-risk dogs and cats receive shelter, food and medical care. This is a “give back” organization. A $25 donation makes you a Gio Fund card member. This card gives you 20 percent off of any thrift shop item and entitles you
to attend any $5 ticket event for free.
Gio Fund is a fantastic place based on a wonderful idea. Chris Rogers, owner and operator, explained, “Any activity we have here is a fundraising event. We have the space and resources, so we allow any other animal rescue group to hold events here to make money for their cause.” Speaking about Wayne Small, Chris said, “We met Wayne when he came here to take a comedy class with us. After he finished the class, he did his first stand up routine and the audience absolutely loved him. He is the perfect person to host this type of talent event because of his quick wit. He really connects with people, and he will make this a really great event. If any of your readers want to sign up to perform at the show, they can go to www.giofund.org, and register. Look for the event on our calendar; performance registration information will be there. Tickets are $5 at the door, or you can also get them on the giofund.org website.” If you are a Gio Fund card member, you can attend this event free of charge.” If you want more information on this event or Gio Fund, visit their website or call Chris Rogers at 910-782-8222.
Any way you look at it, Wayne offers the residents of this area a wide range of entertainment. If you need directions or want more information on the museum, give Wayne a call at 910-274-8315. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. His business card says of the museum, “Oddities, Rare One-of-a-Kind Objects, Better Than the Other Guys, Believe It or Not.” And he isn’t kidding!
Community
Feast of the Pirates
Shiver Your Timbers With The Scallywags
Strap on that peg leg, put on that eye patch and perch your parrot on your shoulder. It’s time to join the 97th Feast of the Pirates at Belville’s Riverwalk Park, 580 River Road SE, on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 10 am - 4 pm.
“This is a festival for the whole family to come out and enjoy, with encampments, cannon fire, sword sparring, black powder pistols n’ rifles demos, pyrate re-enactors, loads of numerous assorted vendors n’ grub trucks as well as live music n’ sea shanties, costume contest for kids, Most Wanted Villain Hunt, story time, living history, games n’ many other activities,” said Sheila Schultz-Scherer, an Executive Board Member with Feast of the Pirates.
This year’s event will even feature a traveling exhibit of artifacts recovered from Blackbeard’s flagship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge!
Feast of the Pirates is organized and hosted by the Wilmington Harbor Enhancement Trust (WHET), a 501C(4) non-profit organization with a mission to shape and implement a vision for the beautification and balance of the Cape
Fear River region and to promote safe and pleasure boating.
“We are the crew responsible for bringing in the Tall Ships to our ports for tours, such as The Pride of Baltimore II, Peacemaker, USCGC Barque Eagle, HMS Bounty, Pirate Ship Meka II, Pirate Ship Raven, The Unicorn, Liberty Clipper, The Prince William, Nao Santa Maria, Niña & Pinta, Lynx Scooner, Amistead Replica, El Galeon and Nao Trinidad,” said Schultz-Scherer.
Many of these have passed though Southport waters, most recently the Trinidad. The proceeds from these tours are used to put on a full day Feast of the Pirates festival every year in September for families and children for a full fun family outing, said Shultz-Scherer.
Schultz-Scherer said the Feast has a long history. “In the past, The Feast of
Pirates was a three-day festival held
North Carolina during the late 1920s. Tourists from all over the region, as many as 28,000, traveled to the Port City. They had the pleasure of watching historical reenactments, boat races, competitions, and various parades. The reenactments ranged from George Washington’s ceremonious entrance into the city in 1791, to Blackbeard’s march to City Hall. Excessive alcohol consumption and public drunkenness during the 1929 festival, however, caused concern for committee members and other city officials. Nevertheless, it was the Great Depression that put the final nail in the coffin for The Feast of Pirates,” she said. “However, we have revivified Feast of the Pirates and brought it to the Brunswick
For more information, including sponsorship and vendor opportunities, visit the Feast of the Pirates website at feastofthepirates.com.
on Wrightsville Beach in the town of Wilmington,
Riverwalk Park on the Cape Fear River in Belville. So now The Wilmington Harbor Enhancement Trust is host’n a FREE pirate festival fer the whole family to come out and enjoy!”
Keeping Fit
Facing Adveristy
Life Is Hard – Accept That…and Conquer It
STORY BY VICTOR FERNANDES
Victor Fernandes is owner of Fernandez Fit, helpjng clients achieve
and professional success through health and fitness
For the past four months, I have tackled a challenge that, if I allowed it, could have kept me down for the better part of a year – a torn Achilles tendon.
And by down, I mean mentally and emotionally as well as physically.
I haven’t suffered an injury this serious in many, many years – all the way back to when I was 9 years old and fractured the fibula and tibia in my right leg falling out of a tree (yes, falling out of a tree…that is a long story for another day).
It’s been a long road, but not as slow as I was originally told it would be after receiving the step-by-step protocol for rehabilitation. But these protocols are geared toward the “average” person. And as much as I don’t consider myself
more special than anyone else, I don’t consider myself average either.
I’m physically fit. I stay active. I take care of myself inside and out. I have put myself in position to stay ahead of the timetable outlined for me.
I’ve progressed from a bulky, oversized boot that extended from the toes on my right foot to the base of my right knee, to a much less bulky and smaller compression sleeve that runs from the middle of my foot to the base of my calf.
And, most recently, to nothing at all while walking around the house and at the beach (just don’t tell my orthopedist and let’s keep this between us).
from injury and illness. Doing the hard work entailed to enjoy a healthy lifestyle gets us back to leading that same healthy lifestyle sooner.
I can imagine where I would be in my recovery from this injury if I was my old self, meaning the man who weighed nearly 250 pounds 14 years ago and had failed miserably time after time to shed the weight and develop a healthier lifestyle.
I would be off my feet for a long time, and likely would have been hampered by the effects of this injury in-
definitely. I had a difficult enough time getting out of bed every morning, and my joints would ache if I was on my feet too long.
How could be on my feet with an injury as serious as an Achilles tendon
I ride the bike, and not simply a leisurely stroll anymore, and walk on the treadmill with a purpose – to keep challenging my leg in a safe, effective manner.
I’m not ready to run a 5K, tackle heavy barbell squats, or head back to the softball field to play the sport where I suffered the injury in late April, but I’m progressing steadily as well as surely, and my health and well-being are key reasons why.
We often connect being physically fit with being healthy, but being physically fit also helps us recover
tear?
I finally faced that challenge 14 years ago, which led to dropping 75 pounds and, at the time, being in the best shape of my life. Recovering from this injury ahead of schedule is my latest challenge.
It even has a tangible goal attached to it – playing a full round of golf without a cart by October 1, 2024. And as you can see, I’m telling everyone about it because I want to give myself as much as accountability as I possibly can.
I can’t hide from it, I can’t ignore it, and I definitely can’t make excuses for it, if everyone knows. This is more than a priority to me. It’s a non-negotiable.
In today’s society, we spend our days keeping busy with tasks we believe are priorities, but often don’t move us closer to our goals in life. Health and fitness are a priority for me, and I treat
Keeping Fit
them as such.
Too many people say it’s a priority, but don’t follow through on that for various reasons. For those people, health and fitness become a convenience – tasks we will get to if and when we have time. And as life gets busier, and time continues to slip away, health and fitness soon become an afterthought, which sadly is a key reason why more than 40 percent of the population of the United States is deemed obese, and more than 70 percent are considered overweight.
For the early part of my adult life, I resided on both of those lists, and for a long time I never believed I would find a new healthier way to live life.
Along the way, I discovered what’s important in my life, and the healthy habits I need to maintain a healthy lifestyle for me and my family are on that list. That’s especially when an injury leaves me at less than 100 percent. Because I can either invest in my wellness or my illness. I have that choice. We all do.
If you would like to learn more about making health and fitness a priority, or are ready to truly take your health and wellness to a higher level…contact me at 814-504-7774 or by email at info@fernandesfit.com. You can also find more information on my website at fernandesfit.com.
Art Beat
Ocean-Inspired Art
Barbara Bennett Snyder’s Enamel Work
STORY BY CARLA EDSTROM
Many local artists are drawn to the ocean as a recurring theme. The underwater world is a private domain where humans cannot freely reside, and sea life cannot depart. This subject often inspires artwork and allows artists to express their curiosity and admiration in art forms. Accomplished silversmith and jewelry artist Barbara Bennett Snyder started her long artistic career as an interior designer. “I was always artistic and often voted class artist in school. I went to Parson’s School for Interior Design in New York and designed corporate computer rooms for several years for the Fortune 500. I even redesigned the War Room at the CIA,” she said.
Originally from Long Island, Bennett now resides in Boiling Spring Lakes.
“I moved to the Raleigh area 31 years ago because I knew we would be looking to retire, and taxes in New York are outrageous. My family is spread out, but I do have a little 4-year-old great-granddaughter in Southport,” she said. “When I moved to Raleigh, my focus turned to restaurant design. I worked for several years for myself and then for about 15 years for two architectural firms. Raleigh has a wonderful arts program, and I was able to take silversmith classes after work. I was hooked. As soon as I retired, I headed for the coast since I had always
lived close to the beach. Long Island is one long beach,” said Bennett. “I have been making jewelry for 14 years. I started with silversmith work and advanced to enamel and cloisonne work.”
Her connection with the ocean is evident, with many of her unique creations being that of sea creatures. “My greatest inspiration is the sea,” Barbara explained. “I like to create things with the hope that the new owner will love it as much as I do. Some things are hard to part with as most are one of a kind,” she said.
Enamel is basically glass that is fused with metal. Bennett uses three types of enamel: cloisonne, champleve, and plique ajour. They all involve using fine silver and mostly transparent enamels fired in layers at 1400°. Cloisonné and champlevé are exquisite enamelwork techniques that use vitreous enamel glass powders on metal pieces to create intricate designs. They both involve creating areas of metal where the powder can be confined to form the design. The method of Plique ajour is where the enamel doesn’t have a backing metal and is left bare so light can shine through, giving the piece a stained glass kind of transparency. “It’s a long process but reward-
ing,” she said.
When Bennett isn’t creating jewelry, she enjoys making resin Christmas ornaments and teaching a jewelry Silversmith class at Brunswick Community College Southport Center. “I teach a unique advanced class. Most of the students are advanced, but I bring in beginners with little training and throw them right into cloisonne. It makes for an interesting class, although I am often teaching multiple skills at a time. I teach advanced silversmith skills, including enameling and cloisonne.”
“Folks sometimes call looking for my store, but I don’t sell from my own store. My work sells at Ricky Evans, Southport, Eclipse Artisan Boutique, Wilmington, and Cameron Art Museum. My work will be in the pre-holiday show at Cameron Art Museum on Nov. 8 from 10 to 4pm,” she said.
For more information about Bennett, you can email her at barbarabennett716@gmail.com or call her at 919830-3505.
Beach Home Care
The
Importance Of Preventative Maintenance
STORY BY SADIE SMELTZER, A+ PRO SERVICES, INC
If you own a home at the beach you know that salt from the sea can wreak havoc on your exterior surfaces. That lovely ocean breeze carries salt particles that end up on walls, roofs, and those beautiful windows. When salt particles mix with moisture from the air, they can infiltrate masonry, concrete, wood, and especially metal surfaces. As the moisture evaporates, the salt oxidizes, expanding and causing the surfaces to crack, spall, and deteriorate over time. This relentless process weakens structural integrity and leads to unsightly stains and damage to your home.
To combat these effects, coastal homeowners should invest in regular maintenance and protective treatments to safeguard their properties from the corrosive power of salt and extend the life of their home’s exterior.
Preventative maintenance, or regularly washing the exterior surfaces with fresh water, helps to remove accumulated salt deposits before they can cause significant damage. There are several factors that contribute to how often your home requires maintenance cleanings, such as adjacent tree canopy, the direction in which your home faces, and (the big one lately) construction. At the minimum, an annual washing of your home’s exterior grouped with cleaning your gutters and windows will help protect the integrity of your home over time. Your home is your biggest investment, so why wouldn’t you keep it looking its best?
For homeowners seriously dedicated to maintaining their property, there are several additional protective measures that can enhance the durability and appearance of your home. Beyond routine cleaning, you might consider investing in specialized treatments such as anti-corrosion coatings or weather-resistant sealants tailored to your home’s specific needs.
Consulting with a local home maintenance expert can provide valuable insights and recommendations customized to your property’s unique conditions and environmental factors. These professionals can assess your home’s vulnerabilities and suggest targeted solutions to further safeguard against salt corrosion and other wear-and-tear issues. By seeking expert advice, you ensure that your home receives the best care possible, keeping it in prime condition for years to come.
History
Returning Favorite
September Brunswick Civil War Roundtable
Returning to the Brunswick Civil War Round Table on Tuesday, Sept. 3 to captivate his audience with another dramatic performance is popular historian Chris Mackowski. His presentation is entitled “The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.” Chris will describe in detail one of the bloodiest battles of the war between Generals Lee and Grant. It was a battle that cost more than 30,000 lives over a 12 day period in May, 1864, ending with no winner. This will be the first meeting of the new season, and will take place at Hatch Auditorium at Fort Caswell, Caswell Beach. Everyone is welcome, and come prepared to be informed and entertained!
This inconclusive battle was the second major engagement in Grant’s Overland Campaign, a major Union offensive to chase down Lee, cripple his army, and capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. Success relied on a relentless pursuit of the enemy, so Grant instructed his Gen. Meade, “Wherever Lee goes, there you will go also.”
Over the ensuing 12-day period, Union troops briefly broke the Confederate lines, but the rebels managed to close the gap and hold their ground. The intense fighting included nearly 20 hours of brutal handto-hand combat at the infamous “Bloody Angle,” a section of the Confederate salient. Finally on May 21, Lee, in frustration, began retreating toward Richmond. Grant, sensing his failed attempt, disengaged his troops and ordered them to continue their
march south toward Richmond.
Although the Union suffered severe losses during the campaign, it was a strategic victory for Grant. The battle inflicted proportionately higher casualties on Lee’s army, eventually driving his troops into a siege at Petersburg, and ultimately leading him to surrender the following year at Appomattox Court House in April, 1865.
Our popular guest speaker, Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Emerging Civil War and the series editor of the award-winning “Emerging Civil War Series.” In addition, he is a writing professor at St. Bonaventure University; historian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, an historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield in central Virginia; historian for the National Park Service at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park;
authored or co-authored nearly two dozen books; edited a half-dozen essay collections on the Civil War; and his articles have appeared in all the
major Civil War magazines. In addition, Chris serves as vice president on the board
of directors for the Central Virginia Battlefield Trust, and serves on the advisory board of the Civil War Roundtable Congress, and a longtime Advisor to this Round Table. Registration for this first meeting of the season begins Tuesday, the day after Labor Day, at 6:15 pm, and the program begins at 7 pm. The guest fee remains $10, and can be applied toward the $25 annual membership dues. For more information, contact president John Butler at Brunswickcwrt@ gmail.com, or call him at (404) 229-9425. Or, visit www.Brunswickcivilwarroundtable. com to learn more, become a member, or read about member activities and benefits. The group’s Facebook page also has additional information, news, and updates.
History See Aviation History
Fly On A 1929 Ford Tri-Motor At Jetport
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JEFFREY STITES
Experience a piece of aviation history while getting a bird’s eye view of your community with a flight on the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) 1929 Ford Tri-Motor when she visits the Cape Fear Regional Jetport the weekend of September 19-24.
The visit by the classic plane is a fundraiser for the EAA’s youth programs. Weather permitting, there will be flights offered each day of the visit. Tickets are $99 for adults or $75 for children 17 and younger and can be purchased onsite or online at www.flytheford.com.
Aside from plane rides, the weekend will include a children’s movie night featuring Disney’s 2012 animated film “Wings” on Friday, Sept. 20 with a $1 admission, and pancake breakfast on Saturday morning, Sept. 20 from 8:30-11 am for $8 a plate, and a Roaring Twenties Dance Party in the hanger that Saturday night from 6-8 pm with a $10 requested admission per person. The dance will feature awards of Sunday flights on the Tri-Motor for the winner of the Best Costume and Best dancer contests, so show up looking your best and with your dancing shoes on!
house the aircraft when not in use or if the weather is not cooperating. Remember last year! The general rule of thumb, as an artifact, ‘it doesn’t get wet!’ Selection, though not really publicized, is also based on past performance and perceived profitability of the tour stop location. A chapter’s performance regarding making the crew and airplane welcome is also a big factor in being awarded a visit.”
Our local EAA Chapter 939 has been able to bring the Tri-Motor to visit several times over the years, but it isn’t an easy feat.
“EAA chapters interested in hosting a tour stop must fill out an application with EAA headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin,” said Rich Largent, President of EAA Chapter 939. “With the Tri-Motor, certain criteria must be met to be considered. The primary requirement is a hangar suitable in size to
At almost 100 years old, the Tri-Motor is in great flying condition, and Largent said the Ford Tri-Motor is a true piece of commercial aviation history. “In my mind, the Tri-Motor really illuminates a remarkable aspect of the genius of Henry Ford,” he said. “Yes, he was an entrepreneur, and to many in a modern world interpretation, is considered to have been a strict and rather ruthless businessman. Set that aside for the moment and consider he revolutionized the car manufacturing industry, initiated the 40-hour work week, paid his workers more than anyone else at the time, and produced a product that put the average person in reach of owning a reliable car. By the mid-1920s he envisioned a similar opportunity with aviation. He saw the future of commercial aviation as a viable business and invested heavily in finding a design that could possibly accomplish for aviation what the Model T had done for the automobile industry. He purchased the Stout Metal Aircraft Company and set to seeking a design that could be reliable, safe and
within reason, affordable. The result was an all metal, three engine machine that proved commercially viable in carrying passengers. Ford Tri-Motors were basically responsible for starting all the major airlines. The EAA’s Tri-Motor was first owned by Eastern Air Transport, which later became Eastern Airlines. It should also be noted, Ford built one of the first airports with a paved runway, (now part of the Ford proving grounds in Dearborn) and across the street erected the first airport hotel which is still in operation today. He saw the future importance of air travel.”
The price of your ticket will help secure the future of aviation locally. “The majority of fund raising efforts our Chapter conducts are focused on our youth programs,”
said Largent. “We provide funds to send a youngster out to Oshkosh each summer to attend week-long camps known as the EAA Air Academy. We also offer scholarship money to help pay for flight lessons and hold ‘Learn To Fly’ workshops for interested youths. Our Young Eagle program, though not Chapter funded, is an example of our members stepping up to provide free orientation flights, at their own expense, to youngsters to hopefully inspire them to learn more about flying. This program, now 32 years old, has resulted in free flights being given to over 2.4 million youngsters worldwide. Our Chapter flies on average around 150 youngsters annually.”
Margaret Rudd & Associates, Inc., REALTORS® is the premier real estate agency in Brunswick County, North Carolina, providing best-in-class, full-service real estate services including both long term and short term rental property management.
With over 40 years of experience in the industry, we've seen our share of fluctuations and shifts in trends Through it all, we've maintained a strong reputation for maximizing our clients' income, our utmost professionalism, giving back to the local community, and for providing exceptional, award-winning service to our homeowners and their guests.
Golf Tips
Nicole’s Golf Notes
Playing The Smart Shot To Improve Score
BY NICOLE WELLER LPGA/PGA GOLF TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
Nicole Weller instructs local area golfers at Compass Pointe Golf Club in Leland. Feel free to submit your question or topic for the Nicole’s Notes column via her website ‘Contact Nicole’ page. For more information on Nicole and her tips / videos, visit www.nicoleweller.com.
One of the hot topics in sport psychology is how to take the training and transfer it into the actual playing field. Golf is one of the only sports where it’s not practiced in the same place where it’s played… it gets practiced in simulated environments like a practice green or driving range that’s conducive to hitting lots of repetitive shots but not in a play scenario with a variety of shots, time breaks, lies, clubs and other things that make it playing golf instead of just hitting balls. Football, baseball, tennis, basketball, martial arts, swimming…many of those sports train where they play. While it can be challenging to get out onto a course in a ‘play practice’ due to tee time availability or round fees, there are ways to incorporate good course smarts when one does get out onto the course.
I often take students out onto the course if we can in their first assessment session to see the skills and their issues in action, see the pre-shot and aim in action. I look for the low-hanging fruit first and see where we can lower score without major swing changes. During play lessons with students, I find there are some common themes that might help many golfers with some strategy ideas that could reduce score and increase satisfaction.
1. Play to one’s strength. Often times we see golfers forget their strengths in their games. For example, if one has a great short game and it’s more reliable than a fairway wood, why not lay-up, chip and then 1-2 putt instead of hitting an unreliable long club into trouble? Control the next shot at the current shot’s decision. Know where and when to miss it well and have a plan. A well-planned alternative shot might add a stroke to one’s score but could potentially save 2-3 shots overall. Many golfers and students highlight their ‘blow-up’ hole mistakes
play for me and less trouble. I know a top Tour professional who leaves it at 70 yards instead of closer as she’s laser-sharp at that 70-yard range and capitalizes on it.
3. Club Selection. Many golfers don’t take enough club for various reasons. Often times, this makes one swing harder than necessary and interrupts the fluid swing motion that can affect direction and solid contact. How often is one short or to the side of the green instead of over the green? Test this one day by taking one more club than you think you need all day. Best yet, play a few holes in the late afternoon doing this experiment instead of during a round with your group when it counts. Course ‘practice play’ during course downtime is a vital part of growth in one’s game!
ple of Range vs. Play Focus is practicing on the range by checking 10 shots to see if the rear shoe is fully up on the toe and the body is facing the target (paying very specific attention to those checkpoints) while playing on the course is inviting the image of what it feels like to face the target feeling the weight on the lead leg at the finish (more feel and imagery rather than thought).
– imagine if the blow-up hole score was only 1 shot higher instead of 2-4 shots higher? I offer a Mental Golf Profile for individuals or groups to show tendencies and opportunities based on a player’s style…it’s a very cool learning tool!
2. Damage Control. Most golfers seem to take the low percentage shot that hasn’t been practiced or isn’t what one could call a ‘green light’ trustworthy shot. In a situation where a long club (3-wood, 5-wood, long hybrid) MIGHT run up onto the green between hazards or obstacles guarding both front sides of the green (33 percent chance it will), would it ever be worthwhile to 100 percent leave it short of the danger, pitch or chip on at 100 percent certainty and then 1 or 2 putt at 100 percent certainty (short game and putting need to be on). Score can definitely be lowered by some pre-planning and different strategy, as well as improving short game and putting skills! Play the percentages. I play to 80 yards from the green and then hit my gap wedge in, even if I could get to 30 yards…much better
Find the best ways to get the ball into the hole in the least possible strokes. Play Practice involves hitting a few shots with good intention on a Play focus (not a swing skill technique), picking up the shots and moving along to a shot near the green for a few putts, chips, pitches or sand shots. Then picking those balls up and moving onto the next hole for perhaps some fairway hybrid shots, then something around or on the green, keeping the game moving within your allotted pace of play while others playing behind. An exam-
When I teach at national academies and we head to the course in the afternoons following morning skills and lunch, we put our ideas into practice as if playing…time for repetitive hitting is over, and that’s not playing the game of golf. We hit a few shots all at the same time, testing out a goal in the real setting then picking up and moving on just as the group behind moves into their shot, so we’re always moving along. Hitting ten 7-irons on the range well and then not hitting it on the first try on the course is normal since it hasn’t been practiced in that environment.
Nicole Weller is an award-winning LPGA/PGA teaching professional and instructs local area golfers at Compass Pointe Golf Club in Leland. Feel free to submit your question or topic for the Nicole’s Notes column via her website ‘Contact Nicole’ page. For more information on Nicole and her tips / videos, visit www.nicoleweller.com.
CALENDAR
September
We’ve included events here that are listed as scheduled, but please remember that all events, dates and times are subject to change.
SEPT 3
Brunswick Civil War Round Table
The Round Table is back after summer break, and starts off the season with “Battle of Spotsylvania Court House,” by popular Civil War historian Chris Mackowski. The group meets at Hatch Auditorium, 100 Caswell Beach Road (Fort Caswell) starting at 6:15 pm, and the program starts at 7 pm. All are welcome, and the cost is $10 for non-members, which can go toward the annual membership fee of $25.
SEPT 4
Masonboro Island Eco Tour
Wrightsville Beach Eco Tours leads this 2-hour excursion which includes a shell hunt and eco-education talk. Children will be encouraged to use what they find to make an art project. The cost is $75 and is for anyone ages 8 and older. The tour is from 1 to 3 pm. Visit https://apm.activecommunities. com/townofleland/ to register online or register in person at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way.
SEPT 14
Feast of the Pirates
Belville’s Riverwalk Park will host a pirate festival, complete with encampments, cannon fire, sword sparring, black powder pistols and rifles demos, pirate re-enactors, assorted vendors and food trucks as well as live music and sea shanties, a costume contest for kids, Most Wanted Villain Hunt, story time, living history, games, and more. The festival is 10 am to 4 pm at the Park 580 River Road SE. See story in this issue for all the details, matey.
SEPT 16-28
24th Annual Visual Arts Show
The Brunswick County Arts Council hosts this annual show, with locations
rotating around the county. This year’s show is at Franklin Square Gallery, 130 E. West St. (next to Franklin Square Park). Works from area teens and adults in 2D and 3D will be on display during gallery hours, 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday.
SEPT 19-22
Fly on the Ford Tri-Motor
The local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) brings the historic plane back to the area for flights, weather permitting. Flights are $99 for adults and $75 for children 17 and younger. The weekend’s events all include a kids movie night Friday, a pancake breakfast Saturday morning and a Roaring 20s party Saturday night. The Cape Fear Regional JetPort is hosting the activities, 4015 Airport Road, Oak Island.
SEPT 22
Low Country Boil
Enjoy a low country boil from Shrimply Delicious Catering at the Museum of Coastal Carolina benefit. Tickets are $35 and must be purchased in advance. The boil will be 4:30-7 pm at the museum, and there will be live music from Chicky’s Boy and games. Visit www.museumplanetarium.org for more information and to purchase tickets. The museum is located at 21 E. Second St., Ocean Isle Beach.
SEPT 27
Book Signing — Silver Coast Winery
Pelican Bookstore hosts author Brenda Novak for a book signing for her most recent novel, “The Banned Books Club,” which will be released Sept 17. Tickets are $45, and include a “I Read Banned Books” swag bag, a paperback copy of the book, light hors d’oeuvres and a meet and greet with the author. The events starts at 5:30 pm at the Winery, 6680 Barbecue Road NW, Ocean Isle Beach.
SEPT 28
Fall Food Truck Festival
Head to Ocean Isle Beach’s Town Centre Park (11 E. Second St.) for the second-annual Food Truck Rodeo. There will be great food options and live music from the Stone Cold Blues Band. The Rodeo runs from 11 am to 3 pm, and the band plays from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.
SEPT 28
Carolina Blues: Indigo On the Cape Fear River
The NC Maritime Museum at Southport staff teams up with Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson staff to present this program about an important commodity in the 1700s. Visitors will learn about the process used by skilled enslaved African labor to extract this valuable dye from the indigo plants, and delve into the science behind dye production. Visitors will also have a chance to view and work an active fermentation vat, and dyeing demonstrations will occur throughout the course of the program. T-shirts will also be available for purchase for visitors to try their hand at resist dyeing. The program is 11 am to 3 pm at the site, 8884 Saint Philips Road
SE, Winnabow (off
OCT 1
Brunswick Civil War Round Table
Eric J. Wittenberg, award-winning Civil War historian and author of 21 books, will bring to life the dramatic campaign of Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s “March to the Sea” in his presentation entitled, “Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign.” Sherman’s tactics devastated the South. The destruction of civilian property is still debated by historians today, although it undeniably played a crucial role in the Union’s final victory. Eric will state the facts and doesn’t take sides. The group meets at Hatch Auditorium, 100 Caswell Beach Road (Fort Caswell) starting at 6:15 pm, and the program starts at 7 pm. All are welcome, and the cost is $10 for non-members, which can go toward the annual membership fee of $25.
Summer/Open Air Markets
Market on Mulberry
158 Wall St., Shallotte Sept 21 — Stroll along the beautiful Riverwalk and shop for homemade and handmade goods from local artisans. The Market is 9 am to 2 pm.
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Enjoy the beauty of Sunset Beach Park while shopping for produce, artisan products and more at the weekly Thursday market
Sunset Beach Market In The Park
All your favorite vendors from years past with the addition of some new bakeries and produce vendors. 9 am to 1 pm on Thursdays in Sunset Beach Park, 206 Sunset Blvd
One Love Market — Sunset Beach
The fall market dates this month are Sept 21 and 28. Shop from 9 am to 1 pm at the market, 101 W. Main St., across from the Sunset Beach Pier. Parking is free for one hour.
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Holden Beach
Concerts are 6:30-8 pm at the Town park under the bridge (we think!)
Sept 1 — North Tower
Odell Williamson Auditorium
150 College Road NW, Bolivia (Brunswick Community College)
Sept 4 — Satisfaction: Rolling Stones #1 Tribute
Oct 11 — Night Fever: The Bee Gees Tribute
Nov 8 — Orlando Transit Authority: The Chicago Experience
Dec 14 — A1A — The Official and Original Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band
Sounds of Summer
Shallotte — Mulberry Park, 123 Mulberry St., 7-9 pm
Sept 5 — The Tonez
Sept 12 — Too Much Sylvia
Sept 19 — Darrell Harwood ONGOING EVENTS
Tide Dye - Holden Beach
Tuesdays through August 13 at Bridgeview Park, 125 Davis Street
Participants must be in line by 2 pm, and the cost ranges from $7-$10 per shirt.
Museum of Coastal Carolina
21 E. Second St., Ocean Isle Beach
The Museum is open Monday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm, and Sundays 12-4 pm. Sandbar lectures are 5-7 pm on the second Tuesday of the month. Touch tank feedings are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11 am.
Ingram Planetarium
7625 High Market St., Sunset Beach
Open Monday-Saturday 10:30 am - 4 pm for dome shows and science displays. Laser shows run hourly from 5:30 - 8 pm Monday - Saturday. Visit https:// musemplanetarium.org/ingram-planetarium/ to see the show schedule..
Old Bridge Historical Society
Check out the old swing bridge at Sunset Beach and visit the museum too (ask to push the yellow button and make the siren sound)! The museum is open 10 am to 2 pm Wednesdays through Saturdays. Visit http://www.theoldbridge.org/ for more information.
Rourk Branch Library
5068 Main St., Shallotte
Family movie night all summer on Tuesdays, starting at 4:30 pm. Snacks are provided.
NC Maritime MuseumsSouthport
204 E. Moore St.
Hours are 10 am to 4 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. Sensory Saturdays (low light and quiet time in the museum) are the first Saturday of the month, 10 am to noon. Visit www.ncmaritimemuseum.com to register for special programs.
Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site
8884 St. Philip’s Rd. SE, Winnabow
There is plenty to do and see, with a museum, historic ruins, great information on the site’s history, and some of the most beautiful riverfront property in the County. Hours are 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.
Don’t see your event or location listed? Try as we might, we don’t catch everything, so to be sure to be included send your events to lisa@ southportmag.com before the 20th of each month! -- Thank you!
Bring the whole family and join us for a fun-filled ride through Southport’s historic waterfront district aboard our state-of-the-art tram!
One Hour Tour Covering:
• History and Culture • Movie Locations
Spectacular Coastal Views
Shopping and Dining
Reservations Advised
Tour departs from Southport Visitors Center • 203 E. Bay Street 910-713-3373 www.southportfuntours.com
Looking for something to do besides going to the beach? Here you’ll find lots of fun for the entire family. Be sure to check before you go as hours may change and some attractions may be seasonal
Attractions
INGRAM PLANETARIUM
7625 High Market Street Sunset Beach (mainland) https://museumplanetarium.org/ingram-planetarium/
Enjoy musical laser shows and learn more about the night sky; check website for schedule and tickets. Hands-on activities and interactive displays are available in the Paul Dennis Science Center, and admission to the Center is free.
MUSEUM OF COASTAL CAROLINA
21 E. 2nd St. Ocean Isle Beach https://museumplanetarium.org/
Learn more about our coastal environment, with a live touch tank, saltwater aquariums, interactive exhibits, lectures and family programs. The Mu-
Attractions Guide
seum is open 10 am to 4 pm Thursday through Saturday, and 5-7 pm on the second Tuesday for sandbar lectures.
This adventure park features zip line tours, an aerial park, guided ATV tours and eco-tours on a swamp boat.
PLANET FUN/STARZ GRILL
349 Whiteville Road
Shallotte https://planetfuncenter.com/
This family entertainment center offers arcade games, laser tag, and bowling (including cosmic bowling on weekends), many TVs for watching all the games, and a restaurant.
SHALLOTTE RIVERWALK
Gazebos at 159 Cheers St. and 146 Wall St.
The Riverwalk is open from dawn to dusk, and features a quarter mile boardwalk, gazebos at each end and beautiful views of the Shallotte River.
OLD BRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
109 Shoreline Drive West Sunset Beach (mainland) http://www.theoldbridge.org/
The old swing bridge that used to connect Sunset Beach to the mainland has been preserved as a museum. The Museum is open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 2 pm, with stories about the Sunset Beach Swing Bridge tender house, local history, and more.
STUMP HILL FARMS
2030 Ash-Little River Road NW Ash
https://www.stumphillfarms.com/
The farm is open on Saturdays in April and October, and by appointment or for special events other times of year, with hay rides, games for children, and educational opportunities covering bee pollination and local crops.
GRAYCE WYNDS FARM AND THE WILD HORSE RESERVE AT GRAYCE WYNDS
2450 Grayce Wynds Drive Supply, NC 28462
Visit the farm, take a guided tour, or participate in special events. Check https://www.graycewyndsfarm.com/ for tours available and events.
SILVERY COAST WINERY
6680 Barbeque Road
Ocean Isle Beach
https://silvercoastwinery.com/
Winery tours, tastings, and shop for wine accessories and gifts; event rental space also available.
OCEAN ISLE MINI GOLF
6391 Beach Drive SW
Ocean Isle Beach http://oceanisleminigolf.com
TREASURE ISLAND MINIATURE GOLF
3445 Holden Beach Rd.
Holden Beach (910) 842-4878
Parks
There are so many great spots to get out and enjoy this beautiful county. We’ve listed a few of the main parks here, but keep an eye out for smaller pocket parks and water access areas.
HOLDEN BEACH PAVILION AND BRIDGEVIEW PARK
The Pavilion is tucked in next to the west side of the bridge on the island, and Bridgeview Park is a couple blocks down the Intracoastal Waterway, at Davis Street.
TOWN CENTER PARK
11 E. Second St.
Ocean Isle Beach
This town park has an amphitheater, interactive fountain, bocce ball court, playground, and plenty of bike parking.
SHALLOTTE PARK
5550 Main St.
Ball fields, tennis courts, basketball court, a playground, picnic shelters and a dog park.
MULBERRY STREET PARK
123 Mulberry Street
Shallotte
Picnic shelters, an amphitheater, and home to Shallotte’s outdoor markets
SUNSET BEACH TOWN PARK
Sunset Boulevard North (mainland)
Stroll through five acres of live oaks along the Intracoastal Waterway, sit a spell on a bench, do some fishing or visit the Veterans Memorial.
Go Under The Sea at the Museum of Coastal Carolina in Ocean Isle Beach
OCEAN ISLE BEACH PARK
6483 Old Georgetown Road
The Park features 2 playgrounds, eight tennis courts, four pickleball courts, baseball and softball fields, a dog park, basketball courts, an amphitheater, picnic shelter and a multipurpose field for soccer/football with walking trail and fitness stations.
WACCAMAW PARK
5855 Waccamaw School Road NW, Ash
This park features ball fields, basketball court, tennis courts, playground, bocce ball and a nine-hole disc golf course.
Fishing Piers
SUNSET BEACH FISHING PIER
101 W. Main St. Sunset Beach http://sunsetbeachpier.com/
OCEAN ISLE BEACH PIER
1 W. First St. Ocean Isle Beach https://oibpier.com/
