Washington the Magazine March-April 2016

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Oh, the places you'll go Washington is center of recreational fun

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Must-haves for spring

MARCH/APRIL 2016 WASHINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

Also check our website for a complete gallery schedule, FREE movies, and more!

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Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

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IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURES & DEPARTMENTS GOLDEN YEARS

IN EVERY ISSUE

22

6 8 16 40 52 54 57 58 64 66

Center of excellence: Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center offers holistic approach to aging seniors

22 BEYOND SPORTS 28

A history of recreation: Bobby Andrews Rec Center offers an environment for sports, mentorship

Publisher’s Note The Scene What's in store What's to eat Cast a Line Dining Guide Word on Wine Calendar Why I Love Washington Advertiser Index

28 CITY CENTER 34

Art impact: Theater, arts organization an economic anchor for Washington

34 WATER WAYS 44

Outdoor adventure: County offers a variety of recreational activities

44

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HEALTH & FITNESS

ON THE COVER

60

Anna Brey Pake finishes up a lap during swim practice. Swimming is in her blood.

See Life on the water, page 60.

Life on the water: Moore Aquatic & Fitness Center promotes safety on the waterfront

Ryan Whitford

ryanwhitford@allstate.com

252-946-3904 700 W. 15th St. Washington

252-792-8131 1121 Walmart Dr. Williamston

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 5

NOTE FROM ASHLEY

The center of our community

T

hey are centers of recreation, of fitness, of the arts. In many ways, they are the center of our community. They serve as the backdrop for lifelong memories. They are among the very places that define our community’s sense of place. The place we learned to swim. The place we sunk the game-winning free throw. The place we danced the night away the night we had the time of our lives. The place we enjoy our golden years.

Drop in on some of the centers of our small-town world, starting with the Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center. Area seniors mix it up with a holistic approach on page 22.

Bobby Andrews has been a friend

and mentor to multiple generations of Washington’s youth. Countless young lives have been shaped at the rec center on Seventh Street bearing his name. Catch up with the ol’ coach on page 28.

Since the early 20th century, the Turnage Theatre has put a spotlight on local arts and entertainment. Its recent revival has renewed hopes those lights will shine on for many years to come. Find a seat and enjoy the show on page 34.

Swimming is a popular and important skill in a waterfront community. The Moore Aquatic and Fitness Center promotes safety and fun for locals of all ages. Jump on in on page 62.

There’s plenty more to enjoy in this spring issue. Kevin Scott Cutler compiles

a list of recipes to herald the season with light, fresh mealtime favorites. Check out what’s to eat on page 40.

The river comes alive as winter transitions to spring on the Pamlico. Find out which fish are biting and cast a line with Capt. Richard Andrews on page 52.

Our own Mike Voss explains why he loves Washington on page 64. Let us know why you love Washington, by contacting us through the information below.

Until next issue, be well.

Ashley Vansant, Publisher

We would love to hear what you think about Washington the Magazine. Email us at news@ Write thewashingtondailynews.com or write to P.O. Box 1788, Washington, NC 27889. Letters chosen for publication to us may be edited for length and clarity. All submissions become the property of Washington the Magazine.

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WASHINGTON T

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agazine

Publisher Ashley Vansant

Editorial Michael Prunka Caroline Hudson Jonathan Rowe Vail Stewart Rumley Kevin Scott Cutler Contributors Will Preslar Meredith Loughlin Mike Voss Virginia Finnerty Richard Andrews Marketing & Sales German Llodrat Cecilia Prokos Spencer Stanley Distribution Sylvester Rogers Art Direction Jason Scott Contact information Washington the Magazine P.O. Box 1788 Washington, NC 27889 Advertising inquiries 252-946-2144 Ext. 221 Subscriptions & change of address 252-946-2144 Washington the Magazine is published six times a year by Washington Newsmedia, LLC. Copyright 2016, Washington Newsmedia, LLC MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 7

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

2016 Chamber of Commerce Banquet

The Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce held its 113th annual banquet dinner on Jan. 28 at the Washington Yacht & Country Club. Chamber board members also announced the winners of the 2016 Chamber Awards. The winners include: Bob Boulden and Alma Friedman for Ambassadors of the Year; Rich Morin as Community Leader of the Year; The Meeting Place as Small Business of the Year (one-15 employees); Beaufort County Police Activities League as Nonprofit of the Year; Backwater Jack’s Restaurant as Entrepreneur of the Year; Katie Paul and Leigh Furlough as co-Young Professionals of the Year; and First South Bank as Business of the Year (16 or more employees).

Jerry Eanes and Washington Mayor Mac Hodges

Ashley Kelly, Bruce Elder, Bridget Peele and Bambi Cox

Richard Brooks, Lucy and Frank Sheppard

Allison Hollowell, Kate Phelps and Jim Phillips 8 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

Janae Johnson, Christie Moler and Loretta Ebison

Barbara Tansey, Ray Moore, Theresa Moore and Stacey Gerard

Katie Hickman, Betty Brame and Kandyce Klugh

Gary Robitaille and Walt Johnson

Jay Martin, Sandy Deans, Tom Atkins, Nan McLendon, Debbie Waida, Barbara Goodman and Cathy Waters

Wildlife Arts Festival Auction Each February, the crowds descend on Washington for the East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival. In its 21st year, this celebration of the region’s waterfowl heritage brought artists, carvers, callers and more to the weekend-long event, which is held primarily at the Washington Civic Center but also includes the annual dinner and auction at Washington Yacht & Country Club.

Scott and Cheri Biddix

Monty Willis and Leon Wingate

Perry Harris and Claire Cagle

Fred Cutler, Cody Cutler, Tammy Cutler, Lynn Wingate and Dale Davis

Dave Pollard, Serena Sullivan, Kathy Harrington and Jay Sullivan

Alba Rauschenbach and Maggie Willis

Bob and Lori Schamerhorn, Dan and Cindy Harrison, Dale Oller

Serena Sullivan, Mark Strucko and Joann Sullivan

Pat and Nick Nicholson, Ginny and Robert Pfeiffer

Ryan Walker and Paula Stevenson

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 9

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Friends of the Brown Library book sale The Friends of the Brown Library hold an annual book sale at the Washington Civic Center on the third weekend in January. The event, which opened on Jan. 21 as a sneak preview for members, offers used books at incredibly inexpensive prices. The selection ranges from popular fiction novels to biographies and autobiographies to learning materials. Shoppers can find books for as little as 25 cents.

Olivia Roberson and Bill McLaughlin

Tracy Rose

Andria Gooch and Stella Stancill

Bill Garris and Alfred Lyszchyn

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Robin Smart and Leonard Huber

Kate and Andrea Latham

Pat and Jack Meyer

Charlotte and Rick Rose

Abby and Irving Manning

Rich and Beth Morin

Justin Beiler

Tim Staiger and Dennis Pelletier

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 11

THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Turnage Gala Arts of the Pamlico’s Turnage Theatre was host again to a themed gala fundraiser that brought the dames and cats out to dance the night away on Jan. 30. Dressed in period costume, guests were treated to live 1920s-era music and a stage stocked with buffet and bar, while flappers swung in bench swings rigged above. It was a classic night in what has become a signature event for Arts of the Pamlico and Washington.

Lexie Wolfe, Matthew Johnson, Josie Christian and Caitlyn Leach

Virginia Finnerty, Alan Mobley and Rebecca Clark

Bonita and Henry Arvizu

Coleen and Van Knight

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Drs. Manika and Richard Zeri

David Carraway and Lisa Hodges

Carol Windley, Shelby Smithwick, Jordan Cantrell, Gina Cantrell and Shelley Tubaugh

Jeffery Phipps, Hazel Arnold and Alan Mobley

Jan Lamoreaux and Tom Walker

Garleen Woolard, Shelby Smithwick and Hal Woolard

Jen Hudson and Robert Griffin

Chris and Ashley Padgett

Angi Gibbs and Kristin Vansant

John and Heather Thienpont, Bianca and Seth Shoneman

Mike and Kendra Lobos

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THE SCENE

OUT AND ABOUT

Taste the Good Life Residents and out-of-towners alike showed up to “Taste the Good Life in Little Washington” on Feb. 25 to experience the best of Washington. In its fourth year, the event was held at the Washington Civic Center and a capacity crowd sampled goods from local restaurants, businesses and more. The event is organized by the Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce and Washington Harbor District Alliance and is sponsored by PotashCorp-Aurora.

Stanley Dixon, Zak Keech and Philip Cochran

Larry and Carol Windley

Montrena Carter and Catrena Ross

Pam and Jeremy Shadle

Leigh Furlough and Nancy Furlough

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Cathy Waters and Clay Carter

Donald Sadler and Judge Michael Paul

Tom Payne and Alice Sadler

Colin Miller, Brooks Patti and Theotis Brown

Kyle and Amanda Barnes

Milton and Leesa Jones

Heather and John Thienpont

Tracey and Harold Robinson

Roger and Joan Meyland, Matthew Hooks

Mila and B.J. Marsh

Angi Gibbs, John Butler and Richard Smoot

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 15

WHAT’S IN STORE

A piece of

Washington WRITTEN BY CAROLINE HUDSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL PRESLAR

POP OF COLOR

This fun and flirty tunic by Matison Stone is sure to turn heads with its orange pattern and is the perfect choice for warmer weather. This statement piece is available at Bloom Women’s Apparel in downtown Washington. Tunic $188.

BUNNY BUSINESS

Ring in the Easter season with a festive Bellezza Spring Bunny Platter by Vietri.

The soft green accents bring images of springtime sceneries to mind. The Belleza Spring collection also features a matching soup tureen and ladle and bunny figurines, all of which can be purchased at Stewart’s Jewelry Store in downtown Washington.

Platter $ 128.

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NATURE’S FINEST

Warm temperatures mean bees start a-buzzin’ and dragonflies start a-glidin’. Welcome in the beauty of nature come springtime with accents of vibrant greens, bright yellows and softening reds, captured by artist Kay Woolard with “Dragonfly Spirit II.” It’s available in all sizes and forms at Woolard’s art gallery on Market Street in Washington. Note card $3.95, bookmark $3.95, poster print $25. (Not pictured: original 16x20 acryllic painting $595.)

CITRUS CARE

Add a little pop of citrus to your daily hygiene routine with Lemon Verbena hand soap and shea-butter bar soap by Greenwich Bay Trading Co. out of Raleigh.

Don’t forget to pair it with the soothing, shea butter lotion to match. All of these items are available at Little Shoppes on West Main Street in Washington. Hand soap $7.50, lotion $7.50, bar soap $1.50.

ALL NATURAL

EASY AND BREEZY

With the new season comes the return of pastels and floral patterns. Welcome springtime by also adding some soft whites to your wardrobe, such as this breezy top by Everly, available at Pink Buoy Boutique on Market Street in Washington. Shirt $30.

Take a walk on the natural side of things with these simple, yet fragrant options from White Gables in downtown Washington.

The lavender and patchouli oils are a popular choice for perfume. Organic castille soap offers a natural clean, while the organic rosebuds can be used for anything from tea to ointments to potpourri. Castille soap $6.75, lavender oil $12.75, patchouli oil $15, rosebuds $7.50.

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FOR MEN AND WOMEN

SPRINGTIME CELEBRATION

The month of March means Easter is on the horizon. Get your household ready with small accents to celebrate. This cheerful décor featuring pastel eggs and bright little chicks with a dusting of light glitter should do just the trick.

It’s available at South Market Antiques on West Main Street in Washington. Décor $26.

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Already a popular brand choice for men, Southern Tide’s women’s line is also popular, and includes this shirt-hoodie duo with nautical stripes, or these bright, comfy lounge shorts. The women’s line, along with Southern Tide menswear, is available at Russell’s Men’s Shop in downtown Washington. Top $84, lounge shorts $39.50.

grEEnViLLE toWn coMMon

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 21

GOLDEN YEARS

Edmund Guthrie lines up the cue just right while playing pool with his friends in Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center’s billiards room.

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE STORY By CAROLINE HUDSON | PHOTOGRAPHS by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center offers holistic approach to aging seniors

T

he Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center is no ordinary senior center.

Gone are the days of the same ol’ slow-paced activities and in come the days of enjoyable variety, with yoga, tai chi, painting, sewing and aerobics, just to name a few.

One of the main goals of the senior center, officially started in 1992 and nestled beside the Washington Civic Center in downtown Washington, is to provide for a senior’s whole person, no matter what stage of aging.

Carolyne Everett, executive director of the senior center, said the staff wants to keep seniors active and independent for as long as possible, and when their activeness declines, provide other options, as well.

“There’s a time that comes in your life that your goal then is to stay independent as long as you can, and we try to help them do that,” she said. “If you ask a senior, rather than a car or money, if they thought it through, that’s what they would want.”

That’s why the center offers exercisecentric classes to encourage seniors to stay active in some way — from aerobics for physically active attendees, to chair exercise classes for those who are no longer as active, to cognitive/memory activities requiring no physical activity at all.

Diana Robb and Jayne Baker are part of a group of 10 people who repurpose old greeting cards to make new ones to send to hospice patients, troops in battle, the Ronald McDonald House and patients at the cancer center.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 23

Among the many activities at the Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center is a quilters’ group, whose creations include eye-catching patterns and professional-level quality.

There’s a time that comes in your life that your goal then is to stay independent as long as you can, and we try to help them do that.

Not only that, they offer assistance with filing taxes or signing up for Medicare Part D, computer classes for those less than tech savvy, and friendly but equally competitive billiard games.

Or, seniors can dress in their finest and come out for a little boogying at the Washington Senior Dance.

Senior citizens have entered the golden age of life, so to speak, and the Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center is there to make sure it stays that way.

Again, it’s all based on the idea of taking care of the entire person, rather than just one aspect.

“Anything they need to live a safe and healthy life, we try to provide it if we can or help them find it in other places,” Everett said.

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Take one step into the center, and whoever said getting old is no good now looks a little uninformed. Washington’s senior center is full of fun and friendship, and it defies the stereotypes of creaky bones and grumpy demeanors.

“I just really enjoy working with the seniors, in general, and that’s probably why I came here,” said Colleen Puceta, recreation program specialist. “They’re very … respectful and that’s a nice quality.”

At the helm, Everett is quite the

expert in her field and has 31 years of service under her belt. She was involved with Washington’s seniors even before they had a center to which to come, back when the “senior center” was just one club. Now, it’s a North Carolina Senior Center of Excellence.

As the number of people has grown over the decades, Everett has watched the community’s needs change over time, too.

With the funding that comes with the Center of Excellence designation, the senior center, again, has expanded past

Gene Mish (left) aligns the balls to prepare the pool table before another round is played.

Mish, along with Thomas Bailey (above) and Joe Puryear (below), love to join friends for competitive games. The games can get a little heated, but ultimately, it’s all in good fun.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 25

Norma Riegel breaks into a smile as one of her fellow card makers shows off one for Valentine’s Day. The group enjoys repurposing old greeting cards to make new designs.

the exercise aspect of living. And it has also expanded past the city limits.

Everett said people come from all over the county to participate in some of the activities, and it is her hope that the center will grow in its ability to serve those county residents — although it’s easier said than done.

She plans to retire in May and leaves behind big shoes to fill; no one else has

ever held her position.

One thing is certain, however. With the right person and more hard work, the senior center can and will continue its legacy of excellence.

“Just a center that every senior will have something here,” Everett said of its future. “It would be my wish that there would be aging (support) for every senior in Beaufort County.”

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26 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

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SOCIAL , ECONOMIC and ENVIRONMENTAL

SUSTAINABILITY Sourced here, found everywhere

Phosphate is a key ingredient in fertilizer used to improve plant productivity and crop yields. That’s one way PotashCorp-Aurora helps feed the world.

Washington Harbor District MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 27

BEYOND SPORTS

Bobby Andrews has dedicated his life to coaching and mentoring youth through sports, with much of that taking place at the Bobby Andrews Recreation Center, formerly known as the Seventh Street Recreation Center. The center was rededicated in Andrews’ name in 2005 after almost 50 years of his involvement in youth sports in the community.

A History of

RECREATION 28 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

Sportsmanship is a focal point of youth sports at the Bobby Andrews Rec. Center. Participants in Washington Youth Basketball League shake hands after a regular season game.

Bobby Andrews Rec Center offers an environment for sports, mentorship

I

STORY By JONATHAN ROWE | PHOTOGRAPHS by VAIL STEWART RUMLEY AND MEREDITH LOUGHLIN

t’s been a haven of recreation for youth in the past half century, and in turn, it’s been a prime environment for adults with a love for children and sports to provide a level of mentorship not only in sports, but also in life.

The Bobby Andrews Recreation Center, formerly known as Seventh Street Recreation Center, helped provide a means for Bobby Andrews himself, the center’s namesake, to mentor generations of youth through coaching and officiating. And that’s exactly why the center was rededicated in his name

on May 9, 2005. The plaque signifying that honor reads, “Friend and Mentor to all Youth,” a phrase that has defined Andrews’ life.

The rededication came about when area residents started a petition for just that reason, according to Andrews.

“They got a petition out,” Andrews said. “There’s no telling how many names they had on it. They took it to (Washington) City Council, and it was voted on unanimously. It really meant a lot to me. I think for what I’ve done for this community and what I’ve done for kids and the time I took up with them, I

think that was a reason.”

The center being renamed after Andrews made perfect sense, a more than well-earned accolade. In 1955, he started officiating games in high school, his first occurring at the old gym at Bath High School. The same year, he coached his first little league team, Dr. Pepper, at Kugler Field. Even Andrews’ cousin brought up the good work Andrews has done over the years, mainly at the center, through coaching and officiating baseball, softball, football and basketball, Andrews said.

“I feel like I have touched children’s MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 29

A player in a Washington Youth Basketball League game at the Bobby Andrews Rec Center sets up to shoot a foul shot.

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We have a nonviolent atmosphere where people can come and not have to worry about things outside the walls.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 31

A plaque signifying the rededication of the Seventh Street Recreation Center in Bobby Andrews’ name is on display outside the front entrance of the building. City residents started a petition in 2005 to have Washington City Council rename the center after Andrews due to his long-time coaching and mentorship. The council passed the request unanimously.

lives through athletics, not knowing how many I’ve touched,” Andrews said. “My cousin brought it up at church one day and said, ‘Bobby, you will never know the lives you’ve touched in athletics.’ I had never thought that much about it, but I have really touched a lot of lives. Most of (my former players) are grown and come to me and say, ‘Mr. Bobby, thank you for what you did for me and what you taught me about sports and life and everything.’”

Andrews retired about 15 years ago but has officiated recently in special circumstances, he said. He speaks at athletic banquets, passing down his views on sports, religion and life skills.

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But looking back on his career, Andrews reminisces about his days of being a coach and more to the many children who have been raised in the Washington community.

“I took a lot of pride in my officiating and umpiring,” Andrews said. (At banquets), I talk about, ‘If you haven’t heard anything I’ve said here tonight, it’s about your relationship with Jesus. Get in church and you will never go wrong.’

Athletics have been good to me. I have a lot of people that love me and care about me. The reward I’ve got from what I’ve done, one day I will be rewarded even more, I believe."

Today, the center has changed a bit. Some renovations have been done here and there, and a new structure of programming has been implemented, mainly the City of Washington Parks and Recreation downsizing its role in programs. Except for a few programs, the center now exists as more of a facility where area leagues and others can rent the space from the department and provide their own resources to facilitate games and other activities. But the environment remains the same — a place where youth and even adults come to play sports and mentorship remains a centerpiece of its activities.

Youth participants in Washington Youth Basketball League at the Bobby Andrews Rec Center ready themselves for a rebound in anticipation of the ball coming off the rim.

The center hosts free play six days per week when youth basketball season is over and three days a week during the season, providing a place for people of all ages to participate in pickup games and other activities. Older participants in free play mentor younger people, a less structured means of mentorship than that of Andrews' days but still valuable to the youth at the center. And while there may be issues on streets and neighborhoods, when entering the center, all disputes and differences are left at the door, according to John Taylor, an attendant at the facility.

“We want people to know (the center)

is here with open arms,” Taylor said.

“Free play is very important for (children) to stay active and out of trouble. What is on the street, stays on the street. It’s a neutral zone. It’s where you can come and compete. It’s a very important part of the infrastructure of the inner city section of Washington. We have a nonviolent atmosphere where people can come and not have to worry about things outside the walls.”

The leagues that rent the facility bring volunteers and coaches who mentor youth participants. And in the summer, programs like an annual East Carolina University basketball camp that mainly

ministers to at-risk youth, as well as a a program that brings area seniors from Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center, continue the center’s long history of providing an environment for adults to mentor youth.

“It’s really a cooperation with everybody to make sure (the center) is a wholesome and safe environment for our kids to come participate,” said Teresa Hamilton, events and facilities supervisor for the City of Washington. “Anytime you have a league that’s what happens. You have coaches and other volunteers that are part of a youth league that mentor these kids as they have them.”

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 33

CITY DOWN CENTER HOME

ART IMPACT STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

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Theater, arts organization an economic anchor for Washington

I Arts of the Pamlico supporters Jeff and Kathey Rumley dance the night away at AOP’s annual black-tie fundraiser.

n the modern world, the options are limitless. Satellite TV, cable and the Internet mean that anyone can have access to entertainment at any hour of every day. Highways and fast cars can get someone to a concert half a state away, planes to a Broadway show, within hours.

It’s all there for the taking.

But in the early 20th centur y, entertainment was a ver y different proposition. Vaudeville troupes toured throughout the country. Silent movies accompanied by organists were a treat.

All that was needed was the venue — a place where people could gather to socialize first, be entertained next.

Those venues defined the phrase, “If you build it, they will come.” More than 8,000 such theaters sprang up across the country, becoming the center of nightlife in small downtowns across America. Only approximately 800 of those theaters still exist today and the Turnage Theatre in downtown Washington is one.

It was a close call. In the mid-1990s the old theater was a crumbling structure and the most recent inhabitants of a theater that hadn’t seen a show in two decades were a colony of pigeons. It was a mess, but it was a mess that many thought worth saving.

In the early days of its revival, the JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 35

The 2015 Downeast Regional Spelling Bee brought children and their families from across eastern North Carolina to the Turnage Theatre.

The annual bee is sponsored by the Washington Daily News and PotashCorp-Aurora.

The cast of “Annie” belts out the play’s finale during the summer 2015 Broadway Kids’ Camp at the Turnage Theatre. The hope is that children’s theater makes a real impact on future arts supporters.

members of the Turnage Theaters Foundation were doing all in their power to raise awareness, as well as the money, to get the renovation project rolling.

Once a month, during Music in the Streets — the Main Street mini-music festival — the theater was opened for tours and the sharing of the grand plan to restore the theater to its former glory.

Jeffery Phipps led many of those tours.

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“I just remember standing there in the middle of devastation, telling people, ‘We’re going to make this happen, and it’s going to be wonderful,’” Phipps laughed.

At the time, the floor was patchy concrete, the roof was disintegrating in places, the ceiling was practically nonexistent, seats had been ripped out, plaster crumbled from the walls

and the orchestra pit filled in. It took both imagination and optimism to see “wonderful” amidst the destruction.

The imagination, optimism and the generosity of the greater community prevailed. Today, the restored theater is owned by Arts of the Pamlico, a regional arts organization that’s been promoting all things art for more than 40 years.

Its existence, however, provides much

more than art exhibits. It provides more than performances for the public. It’s become a gallery, the venue for a writers’ conference and a regional spelling bee, the stage where duck callers compete during the East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and performance space for the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association. It’s the screen where movies premiere — two in a single year.

Most importantly, the Turnage Theatre has become an economic engine in a place that, like most small downtowns in towns across the U.S., had deteriorated as stores and restaurants moved to where more traffic flows, along highways, in malls and their lesser counterpoints, strip malls.

“I think it has an incredible impact on the merchants, the restaurants, the shops,” Phipps said. “It overflows into downtown. When there are shows down there, I know the restaurants are packed.

It creates a reason to be downtown, and, by being downtown, people take advantage of every thing else downtown has to offer.”

It’s not just Phipps’ opinion. Joan Meyland, who, along with her husband Roger, owns Grub Brothers Eatery next door to the theater, feels the same.

“It increases our sales, and in return we schedule more people to work on the nights they have events. The events at the Turnage Theatre have a direct positive impact on our business,” Meyland said.

The theater ’s impact is not geographically confined to downtown, however. Its existence impacts the greater growth of Washington, and Beaufort County, because it’s become a selling point — the theater has the ability to influence whether many people choose to move here, according to Scott Campbell, a realtor with Century 21 in Washington.

“It has worked beautifully on two big sales in the past two years. I brought buyers to a function (at the Turnage)

One never knows who’ll be performing next at the Turnage Theatre. Here, judges for a waterfowl-calling contest listen to calls from behind a blind onstage.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 37

Before and after: the Turnage Theatre was a crumbling structure before a group of likeminded arts lovers came together to restore the early 20th-century theater.

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and it sold them on the area. Houses were sold. … They just felt like this was where they wanted to be,” Campbell said. “It showcases, to people from out of town, a venue that affords them some cultural connection but also very important social connections. It’s become a place meet to likeminded folks.”

That’s courtesy of the likeminded folks who started the process 20 years ago, and the gauntlet taken up by Arts of the Pamlico to turn it into more: more exhibits, more performances, more people walking in off the street.

“I’m proud to say, ‘This is our arts council. Isn’t this beautiful?’” This is a place to call home — home for children’s theater, for community theater. There’s a place for that now,” Phipps said. “We get a lot more traffic on Main Street; people can just wander in and look at the art, and I think that’s fantastic.

“To me, the Turnage represents what almost every small town once had — their own theater,” Phipps said. “We are so fortunate that we had one that could be restored.”

“The Great Gatsby” themed fundraiser featured ladies in roaring ’20s-era costume swinging above partygoers onstage at the Turnage Theatre.

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 39

WHAT'S TO EAT

Spring fare Herald the season with light, fresh mealtime favorites STORY BY KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER PHOTOS AND FOOD PREPARATION BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

T

he cold, gray days of winter are behind us, and with the arrival of spring our appetites turn from the hearty stews that sustained us over recent months to lighter, fresher fare.

From fresh fruits and vegetables to main dishes suitable for picnics and at-home entertaining, these recipes will help put a "spring" in our step.

Fresh shrimp and fish once again find a place on our luncheon tables, and the tang of lime and pineapple make dessert time especially delightful.

These recipes, straight out of the kitchens of some of our area's best cooks, are culled from the Washington Daily News' Pamlico Pantry cookbook collection.

Enjoy!

Fantastic Fruit Dip

Crunchy Tossed Salad

Nicole Mackel Washington Pediatrics 1 (16-ounce) package frozen, sliced peaches, thawed; 1 (10-ounce) package frozen, sweetened strawberries; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.

Place peaches, strawberries, lemon juice and almond extract in blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium speed until smooth. Serve with fruit.

Carolyn Drexler Grace Lutheran Church, Washington 6 cups torn salad greens; 2 green onions, chopped; 1 cup chow mein noodles (the dry, crunchy ones); 1/2 cup cashews, chopped; 2 tablespoons cooked bacon, crumbled; 2 tablespoons sesame seeds; salad dressing of your choice.

In a large salad bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Toss with dressing or serve dressing on the side.

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Long Run Quiche MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 41

Crunchy Tossed Salad

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Baked Fish Becky Rogers Old Ford Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary 1 1/2 to 2 pounds fish (pan dressed or fillets); 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; salt and pepper to taste; packaged seasoning mix for fish or chicken.

Score fish and rub with juice, sauce, salt and pepper. Coat with mix and place in shallow greased pan. Bake 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 more minutes.

Key Lime Cake Ham & Macaroni Salad

Pimento Cheese Spread Shrimp Creole Tom Blount American Red Cross, Beaufort County 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese; 1 1/2 to 2 cups real mayonniase; 2 teaspoons Coleman's Dry English Mustard; 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos.

Hand shred cheese on grater/shredder into a large mixing bowl. Add dry mustard. Add mayonnaise slowly while stirring and continue until mixture is of a spreadable consistency.

Drain liquid from pimentos and add to the cheese mixture. Continue stirring until pimentos are evenly spread throughout. Note: Quantity of mustard may be adjusted to suit individual tastes. Likewise, mayonnaise may also be adjusted to provide desired spreadability.

Ham & Macaroni Salad Bobbie Hollis First Free Will Baptist Church, Washington 1/2 pound ham or bologna; 1/2 cup diced cheddar cheese; 2 cups cooked macaroni; 1 cup celery, chopped; 1 small onion, chopped; 1/2 cup diced dill pickle; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons prepared mustard.

Cube ham. Combine with cheese, macaroni, celery, onion and pickle. Mix mustard and mayonnaise. Stir into macaroni mixture. Chill. Makes four servings.

Frannye Fowle First Presbyterian Church, Washington 1 onion, sliced; 3 stalks celery; 3 tablespoons flour; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 tablespoon vinegar; 1/2 cup water; 1 can tomatoes; 1 pound cooked shrimp.

Brown onion and celery in bacon fat; add flour, sugar, salt, chili powder, vinegar and water (add slowly). Mix the ingredients, except tomatoes.

Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook about one hour. Add shrimp; heat through.

Serve over rice.

Long Run Quiche Catherine Partrick Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, Washington 1 (9-inch) deep dish pie crust; 1 tablespoon butter; 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms; 1 cup chopped cooked ham; 4 ounces Muenster cheese, grated; 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese; 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated; 3 eggs; 1 cup whipping cream; salt and pepper, to taste.

Bake pie crust for 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees.

Saute mushrooms in butter. Layer ham, mushrooms and cheeses in cooled pie crust. Mix together the eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Pour over layered ingredients. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees oven for 40 minutes. Yield: four to six servings.

Maxilyn Elks Hodges Chapel Pentecostal Holiness Church, Chocowinity Layers: 1 box lemon cake mix; 1 small box lime Jello; 1 cup orange juice; 4 eggs; 1 cup vegetable oil.

Combine cake mix, Jello, orange juice, eggs and oil. Mix and pour into three greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done.

Glaze: 3 tablespoons lime juice; 3 tablespoons powdered sugar.

Mix glaze and pour onto warm cake layers.

Prick a few holes with two-prong fork so glaze will soak in. Cool completely.

Icing: 8 ounces cream cheese; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 box 10-X powdered sugar; 1 stick margarine, softened.

Make icing by creaming sof tened cream c heese and sof t ened marg ar ine. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until spread consistency. Frost layers. Store in refrigerator.

Million Dollar Pie Charlene Alligood First Presbyterian Church, Washington 1 ( 14 - o u n c e ) c a n s w e e t e n e d condensed milk; 1/3 cup lemon juice; 1 cup chopped pecans; 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained; 1 (9-ounce) carton whipped topping; 2 (9-inch) graham cracker crust.

In a large bowl, mix condensed milk, lemon juice and pecans with a fork. Add drained pineapple and topping. Beat well and divide into pie shells. Pies may be frozen and removed from freezer two to three hours before serving.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 43

WATER WAYS

OUTDOOR

ADVENTURE County offers a variety of recreational activities

I

STORY By JONATHAN ROWE

magine a serene river dotted with camping platforms, a state park on a piece of land, jutting into the river and one of its tributaries. The scenario is just what one can find in Beaufort County, a haven of recreational opportunities where adventure and staying active coincide.

44 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

The Pamlico River is a prime resource for such opportunities. Whether it’s kayaking or paddle boarding, whether it’s camping and fishing or taking a hike on a trail adjacent to the river, outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds can enjoy the environment Beaufort County has to offer.

And in many cases, that environment offers a chance to mesh various types of

(Opposite) A lone kayaker coasts on the glassy surface of the Pamlico River. The river offers a prime opportunity for those wishing to get active outdoors this spring to mix adventure and nature in one activity; (Left) Camping platforms along the Tar and Pamlico rivers, like the one pictured here, offer a chance for outdoor enthusiasts to set out on a journey that can last for days. Campers can access the platforms by kayak or canoe and stay the night right on the river; (Below) The Pamlico River offers a combination of recreation and sport for those ready to get outdoors. Pictured, competitors in the 2014 Pamlico-Tar River Foundation Kayakalon get their gear ready for the race.

recreation into one total experience.

Before recent years, camping enthusiasts were confined to limited opportunities, as the only options for camping could be found at Goose Creek State Park and other select locations, according to Matt Butler, environmental projects manager for Sound Rivers, an organization that advocates for the Tar, Pamlico and Neuse rivers and the environment therein.

About two years ago, Pamlico-Tar River Foundation, the organization that advocated for the Tar and Pamlico rivers before joining up with its Neuse River counterpart, secured funding and built a series of camping platforms, one of which could be found in Beaufort County, according to Butler. PTRF’s Water Trails

program was born. Since two more have been constructed, with construction of a fourth in the county slated for spring. “(The camping platforms) is one of the things we’re still actively working on,” Butler said. “Our members seem to really be enjoying having the ability to go out (on the river) and hang out. This is something they didn’t have before. There were not any

opportunities locally to go along the river and have somewhere to camp.”

And with the implementation of the platforms, structures that resemble that of a screened-in deck to allow campers to spend the night outdoors, free from mosquitoes and creatures in the woods, kayakers, in turn, have been given a whole new realm of possibilities out on MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 45

the Pamlico, Butler said. Those wishing to kayak the river and its tributaries now have the option of paying a small fee to stay the night on a platform overlooking the water, wake up and continue on their journey, rather than only being able to take daytrips.

“These platforms are giving local residents and guests a benefit they didn’t have to paddle recreationally,” Butler said. “This adds another layer to recreational opportunities in the city and the county.”

Though the organization is mostly an environmental organization, focused on protecting area rivers, it also promotes stewardship.

“We wanted to provide that opportunity and hopefully, we can develop future stewards of the river that want to take a vested interest and keep it clean,” Butler said. “That was the idea with the water trails.

(The river) is unbelievably important. That’s where your drinking water comes from, you have a food source with fishing, you have the ability to get exercise when you go paddle on the river and you have recreational boating. Washington was founded where it was because of the river. It’s where it is now because of that resource. It helps locals but also brings in tourism dollars, a very important feature for people coming in and seeing the beauty of Washington along the way.”

Not only is Sound Rivers promoting the river through its water trails, but it also has partnered with

Kayaks at Inner Banks Outfitters provide an opportunity for those wishing to get out on the Pamlico River and its tributaries.

the City of Washington to get funding for handicapped accessible kayak launches, Butler said. A Recreational Trails program grant through the state allowed construction of three new kayak launches, two of which will be in Beaufort County — one in Havens Gardens and one in Tranters Creek.

Butler said the launches go handin-hand with accessing the camping

platforms and provide a means to get out on the river and get active.

Liane Harsh, owner of Inner Banks Outfitters, is deeply connected to the kayaking and paddle boarding community in the area, and she agreed the coming launches and preexisting ramps are beneficial to those who want to get outdoors and participate in recreational activities.

“The potential activities with camping platforms create a whole new destination availability for people,” Harsh said. “If you combine kayaking and paddle boarding, as far as exercise goes, (paddle boarding) is a great way to get a full-body workout.

It’s a totally different experience than kayaking. You can go out and leisurely paddle or work out. There are physical and emotional benefits from it. (The MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 47

A camping platform constructed by Sound Rivers offers a unique view of the Pamlico River from the woods.

launches) are going to increase the kayaking opportunities for people, too.

It’s easier to get in and out. It’s going to be a good summer, I think. Make this a summer where you come out and play on the water.”

For those landlubbers out there, Goose Creek offers a perfect environment for camping and hiking. The park offers 14 primitive tent sites, two group campsites and seven miles of trails, making it a prime place to hang one’s hat for a night 48 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

or two, while enjoying some on-foot exploration during the day.

Doug Lequire, park superintendent, said the park’s main attraction, its trails, which vary in distance, offer an opportunity for beginning or advanced hikers to explore the park’s environment. And depending on the trail, the scenery varies: Goose Creek and Ivey Gut trails offer a trek along the creek; the Tar Kiln Trail offers a hike through the pine forest; and the Live Oak Trail provides a chance to walk along the

Pamlico, according to Lequire.

“It’s really up to you and how much you think you can do,” Lequire said. “Of course, you can always swing by and talk to a ranger or park staff, and we can point you in the right direction.”

To learn more about Sound Rivers’ Water Trails and camping platforms or to reser ve a platfor m, visit tarpamlicowatertrail.org. For more information about Goose Creek State Park, call the park at 252-923-2191.

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 49

VENDORS & FLEA MARKET PARTICIPANTS WANTED! Very Reasonable rates.

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50 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 51

CAST A LINE

M

Spring into Pamlico fishing STORY AND PHOTO by CAPT. RICHARD ANDREWS

arch is a transition month when the river comes alive with a variety of fishing opportunities. Winter fishing can be good, but as the water temperature starts to steadily climb (typically around early March), the fishing heats up too. The best options for spring fishing are with speckled trout and striped bass. The pre-spawn striper fishing in March and early April is one of my personal favorites, especially catching fish on topwater baits. Many anglers new to fishing in the Pamlico are often overwhelmed by the size of our river and all of its vast tributaries. They simply don't know where to begin their search for their targeted species. My goal is to help anglers gain a better sense of where in the estuary they should be fishing during that particular time of year.

Some anglers argue that the best speckled trout fishing of the year is in the fall, but I have seen some absolutely stellar spring fishing. Many of the fish spend winter in the creeks. In March and early April, most of the fish are caught in the creeks. As water temperatures continue to rise in mid to late April, many of the speckled trout exit the creeks, head to the main river and begin their migration downriver to the sound to spawn. Speckled trout spawn multiple times a year, which makes them very resilient and often very plentiful after a year of excessive commercial and recreational harvest or high mortality following winter freezes. One of their most productive spawns is around the full moon in May, so anglers need to be fishing in the higher saline waters of the lower river near the sound by late spring.

Although they can be caught virtually

52 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

Billy Urquhart, Vincent Bridgers and Ben Anderson, all of Tarboro, show off their nice haul of striped bass caught on a trip with Capt. Richard Andrews.

anywhere at any time, this is the pattern of the majority of the species.

The spring pre-spawn striper fishing is one of the highlights of fishing the Pamlico.

With the fish well fed, full of roe and milt for their trip up the Tar River to spawn in April, they are often girthy and fight much harder than they do after they spawn and become a bit slimmer. They are very aggressive and are willing to hit a variety of baits. The better striper fishing is typically in the upper reaches of the river from Bath to Washington and upriver in the Tar. Look for concentrations of fish passing through Washington on their way upriver to spawn. Water temperatures in March are often mild, and the fish are willing to bite a topwater bait. They don't hit topwater too well when the water is too cold.

I've personally caught stripers on topwater in water temps as low as 48 degrees and as early

as mid-February during a milder winter.

For more information on where to fish on the Pamlico during the spring and other peak fishing seasons, I encourage you to attend one of our seminars. We've been conducting the Seminar Series for over two years now. The series consists of six monthly seminars from October through March.

Seminars are held on Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. at the Washington Civic Center.

An in-depth powerpoint presentation is provided as well as hands-on instruction.

For more information, visit the "SEMINARS" page of our website, www.tarpamguide.com.

Capt. Richard Andrews is a resident of Washington and the owner of a local year-round guide service offering fishing excursions on the Pamlico and nearby rivers. He can be reached at 252-945-9715 or richard@tarpamguide.com.

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 53

DINING GUIDE

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 55

DINING GUIDE

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WORD ON WINE

W

Wine trends in 2016 WRITTEN BY VIRGINIA FINNERTY

ine is a hot topic of conversation more than ever. Wine enthusiasts are talking with each other, researching online and learning in classrooms. They are no longer depending on sommeliers for their wine information and choices.

Technology as it relates to wine is on a roll. Developers have responded to the demand and are creating apps that open the complicated and mysterious world of wine to even the most inexperienced of oenophiles. There are apps to check prices, track favorites, find food pairings, ratings and tasting notes.

In the vineyards and during production, technology is making smarter and more sustainable agricultural practices possible, producing better quality yields by helping calibrate the levels of water, fertilizer and pesticide to produce the fruit with the right acidity and sweetness.

Sparkling wines are growing in popularity, especially American and English vintages. We can expect winemakers to start producing more.

Wine-by-the-glass options are on the rise. As consumers educate themselves and want to explore and experiment more, and technology gives us the ability to keep wines fresh longer, restaurants and bars are responding to these changes by offering more wine-by-the-glass options.

Syrah, aka Shiraz, is growing in popularity among lovers of full-bodied reds. It’s a big, dark red wine loaded with antioxidants that is bigger, darker and more affordable than a Cabernet and also pairs beautifully with lots of different foods such as grilled steak and lamb, bratwurst, ribs, beef stew and especially barbecue.

Millenials are the current challenge for winemakers and marketers. We can expect to see a lot of testing and experimenting as they try to reach this new generation of wine lovers. “Boomers and Gen-Xers want exclusivity and access to hard-to-get wines. But millennials are not committed to brands.

They just want value and something they will enjoy,” says Gary Fisch, owner of Gary’s Wine & Marketplace in New Jersey.

The label is important. Consumers today want to know everything about the wine they are drinking: who is making it, what ingredients and production process were used, etc., so we can anticipate to see many more details listed on the back label.

Cabernet Franc is a fragrant and versatile grape that produces sophisticated food-friendly wines. Considered by

many to be the most important red grape of the Loire Valley it’s also gaining notoriety in Chile, California, Washington State, Argentina, the Finger Lakes, Virginia and South Africa.

Wine trucks are the new venture for the vintners of SaintEmilion. They chose a red 1976 Citroen panel truck that sports the phrase “Saint-Emilion Wine Trip” on its sides and they have planned to visit 15 to 20 jazz festivals, wine fairs and antique markets in four regions of France in March 2016. Certainly winemakers all over the world will quickly see the possibilities.

Over-the-top wine tours with VIP packages ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 per couple are being introduced by Napa Valley’s Castello di Amorosa, a replica of a 13th-century Tuscan castle. A package could include a guided private tour with a Castello sommelier, a signed 3-liter bottle of Il Barone, a set of 12 Rene Gabriel-Glas Austrian wine glasses, a barrel of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon bottled for you (288 bottles) which includes a personalized additional label on each bottle or even a box of 15 Montecristo Platinum collection cigars.

The ultimate experience is offered by Champagne house Duval-Leroy. This over-the-top tour will allow you to also create your own blend of 1,000 bottles (minimum order), which will be delivered in engraved bottles for 40,000 Euros ($43,722). Not a surprising trend if one considers the outrageously expensive prices being paid for top wines.

Virginia Finnerty is the owner of Pamlico House Bed and Breakfast and its in-house wine shop.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 57

CALENDAR

OUT AND ABOUT

MARCH

All month Thursday Night/ Saturday Morning Jam

tickets, $50; couples ticket, $80. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m., auction at 7 p.m. Call 252402-6575 for tickets or more information.

Turnage Theatre

Open jam Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and every Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Musicians and fans are encouraged to attend and play. There is no admission fee. www.bctma.org

March 10 Washington Civic Center

7 p.m. Singles and couples over 50 are welcome to come and dance the night away. Admission is $7.

50/50 drawing. Door prizes.

No alcohol/no smoking/no children.

Talent show featuring the winners from March 5

All month

Turnage Theatre

Fourth Annual Pamlico Writers’ Conference & Competition Turnage Theatre

Call 252-946-2504 for more information or visit artsofthepamlico.org.

March 19 Slam Dunks & Alley Oops 6 p.m. Come out and watch the First Responders Dream Team challenge the Harlem Ambassadors in a game of comedy basketball.

The event will feature highflying slam dunks and hilarious comedy routines.

Family fun for everyone!

Call 252-943-1715 for more information.

March 12

Complex

2 p.m.

The Giver (ECU Storybook Theatre) Based on Lois Lowry’s book of the same name, Jonas is born into a society with no suffering, hunger, war and hardly any decisions. At the Ceremony of Twelve, he is given the assignment of Receiver of Memor y, the keeper of painful memories necessar y so members of his dystopian society can avoid the mistakes of the past. As he learns, he begins to think about how he might change his world forever. From ECU Stor ybook Theatre. Call 252-946-2504 for more information or go to artsofthepamlico.org.

Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble

Second annual ‘A Night Out with Angels N Camo’

Susiegray McConnell Sports

APRIL

Tar Heel Variety Theater

Southside High School

Turnage Theatre

City of Washington Easter Egg Hunt

March 20

Call 252-975-2117 for more information.

March 12

Call 252-946-2504 for more information or visit artsofthepamlico.org.

March 28

March 18

March 18-19 Senior Dance

2 p.m. Learn about ever yone’s least favorite critters, how to avoid them, get rid of them and what diseases they can potentially carry. Meet at the visitor center.

Tar Heel Variety Theatre

March 19

6 p.m. Featuring Carolina Music Awards Country artist Amanda Daughtry. Single

Ticks, Chiggers and Mosquitos

58 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

Goose Creek State Park

March 25 Art Walk Downtown Washington

5-8 p.m. A time to showcase Washington’s thriving art scene. Galleries and merchants open late and serving refreshments.

Call 252-946-3969 for more information.

Thursday Night/ Saturday Morning Jam Turnage Theatre

Open jam Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and every Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Musicians and fans are encouraged to attend and play. There is no admission fee. www.bctma.org River Roving Educational River Tours NC Estuarium

Learn about the history and habitats of the Washington waterfront.

These boat tours cruise the Pamlico River Wednesdays through Fridays at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.

No admission fee or other cost is involved for the tour, but advance reservations are required.

Riders should check in 15 minutes in advance.

Children must be at least 6 years old to ride; a responsible adult must

OUT AND ABOUT

accompany children under 16. Call 252-948-0000 for reservations.

Every Saturday starting mid-April Saturday Market Downtown Washington

8 a.m. to noon. The Market begins in April and runs thru October.

The market features local growers of fresh fruit, vegetables, plants and flowers. Find delicious, fresh baked goods — you never know what you might find; the products are always changing! Call 252-946-3969 for more information.

explores one of the most fascinating years in America’s history through music, comedy, tumult, visits with iconic of the time. An EbzB Production.

Call 252-946-2504 for more information or visit artsofthepamlico.org.

April 14 Senior Dance Washington Civic Center

7 p.m. Singles and couples over 50 are welcome to come and dance the night away. Admission is $7.

50/50 drawing. Door prizes.

No alcohol/no smoking/no children.

April 15 April 8

Music in the Streets

Rotary Reverse Raffle

Downtown Washington

Washington Civic Center

6:30 p.m. Every third Friday, Main Street is closed to make way for four areas of music, and fun activities for kids and grownups alike.

It’s a time to relax and take a deep breath and catch up with the neighbors and friends you’ll likely see.

Or a time to cut loose and dance in the street. Shop in the stores, dine in the restaurants and enjoy all the Washington Harbor District has to offer! Call 252-9463969 for information.

6 p.m. Call Steven Wood at 252-717-3497 for tickets or more information.

April 9 Gullfest Beaufort County Community College

9 a.m. Local vendors, community yard sale, live music, car show, trucks and farm equipment, dunking booth, little gulls zone and more.

April 9 ‘69 Seasons Turnage Theatre

April 17

A musical theatre production that

Kevin Johnson Washington High School Performing

Arts Center

3 p.m. Comedy and Ventriloquism. Although you’ll never see Kevin’s mouth move, the real magic happens with the believability of his characters. You’ll fall in love with Matilda, laugh hysterically with Clyde and relate awkwardly with Harley.

T h ro u g h o u t h i s s h o w you’ll see and experience different variations of ventriloquism. From an audience participant becoming one of Kevin’s puppets to a magical drawing board coming to life, his show is a hit for ever y age. He has a unique ability to appeal to children, seniors and everyone in between. Visit www.gobcca.org for tickets or more information.

loved ones lost, but also to raise awareness about what we can do to stay well from cancer and raise money to help fuel the world's largest walk to end cancer. Call 252-975-4308 for more information.

April 30 BoCo Music Festival Downtown Washington

Annual Music Fe s t i v a l i n d o w n t o w n Washington. Stay tuned for details about this e v e r- e x p a n d i n g e v e n t .

Presented in association with the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association. www.bctma. org. Call 252-946-2504 for information.

April 30 Washington Marine Market

April 29

Downtown Washington

Beaufort County Relay for Life

If it is nautical, you’ll find it here. Buy, sell and trade in this waterfront. Call 252946-3969.

Washington High School

6 p.m. The journey to end cancer starts with a single step. The American Cancer Society invites you to take that step with us by joining the global Relay for Life movement.

When you walk to end cancer at a Relay event, it's your opportunity to not only honor cancer survivors and remember

April 30 Race for the River Kayakalon Goose Creek State Park

9 a.m. This annual triathlon with a twist benefits the Pamlico Tar River Foundation. Call 252946-7211 or riverkeeper@ ptrf.org.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 59

HEALTH & FITNESS

LIFE WATER ON THE

60 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

A.J. Howard practices his butterfly stroke. The center’s pool is where he’s spent countless hours over the last many years perfecting his form.

Moore Aquatic & Fitness Center promoting safety on the waterfront STORY BY MICHAEL PRUNKA | PHOTOS BY MICHAEL PRUNKA AND WILL PRESLAR

T Kathryn Gautier is learning the basics of swimming from Scott Pake. She uses a kickboard to keep herself straight as she swims from one end of the pool to another.

he Hildred T. Moore Aquatic & Fitness Center is one of the main features of the Susiegray McConnell Sports Complex. The center has done an incredible job of making swimming a recreational and athletic staple of Beaufort County.

Swimming is more than an effective means of staying in shape. Knowing how to swim and be safe in the water is an important part of life here on the waterfront.

The center helps promote safety by providing classes for toddlers to older folks and everyone in between. That’s by design, says supervisor Dalace Inman.

It’s never too early, nor too late, to learn to swim.

“I really enjoy teaching swim lessons, water aerobics and lifeguarding,” Inman said. “Swim lessons, we see everything from 18 months to I’ve had ladies in their 60s. Water aerobics is typically 50plus. Lifeguards are typically 18 or 19 years old.

“I kind of wish more people would either just know about it or understand that being a community on the river, it’s incredibly important to have water safety as a part of your community,” Inman said. “(The next step is) offering as many swim lessons as can possibly be offered. Hopefully, someday, it will be a MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 61

Lifeguard Anderson Womble watches on during the children’s swim class. He’s ready to act should something go awry.

compulsory part of education that every child learns how to swim.”

The uptake of swimming in the county is something that is already very much underway. East Carolina Aquatics and Washington High School swim teams have chronicled its rise in popularity.

ECA had 85 swimmers in 2003 and, in less than a decade, grew its ranks to more than 300. The swimmers cover three counties and range from 4-year-olds to athletes in their late seventies. They’ve been dominant at every level of the sport, 62 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

too. Lauren Perdue represented ECA in 2012 when she won a gold medal in the Olympics as a member of the USA’s 4 x 200 relay team.

The Pam Pack swimmers have most recently demonstrated the popularity and dominance of swimming in Beaufort County. The boys’ team spent the winter plowing through competition in the east before claiming a regional championship on Feb. 5. One of the most remarkable feats was forgoing a hefty amount of points for not having a diving team, yet

still bringing a title to Washington.

But none of that would be possible without those swim teams having a home base.

“Since it opened, it’s been Washington’s home pool,” Pam Pack coach Spencer Pake said. “Coach Steve Thomas, who was my high school swimming coach at Washington, got us to go there. I was really excited to hear they had finally built a pool in Washington because I, as a high school swimmer, had to go to Greenville to practice.

Mason Beach and other members of Washington’s swim team dive into the pool during practice as they prepare for what was a very successful postseason.

“That pool means a lot to the sport of swimming and means a lot to the city.

Without it, there’s so many Greenville high school teams that we’d probably be fighting for pool time. We probably wouldn’t be able to have a high school swim team.”

The continual rise of swimming may spell good things for healthy living in the county. The children that start swimming at a younger age are laying the groundwork for a healthy, active lifestyle in an increasingly sedentary society.

There are also people who, having grown up on the waterfront, already make swimming an important part of their lives. The center is a setting for them to remain active in a way that has already been engrained in them.

“We have a lot of people that just swim for fitness. It’s something they love to do,” Inman said. “I think the biggest takeaway is that it keeps people healthy and mobile — especially with our older patrons.

“The swimmers we see in their forties and fifties started out swimming when

they were 10 and 12 years old … It is a lifestyle. It’s one of those things where they’ve gotten to the point in their lives where their health depends on being physically active. For kids, it’s just something fun to do. They don’t realize necessarily that it is physical fitness.”

Life on the water is an important part of Beaufort County’s identity. The Moore Aquatic & Fitness Center has and will continue to promote water safety in the community, as well as put the county on the map through its top-notch athletes.

MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 63

Y’ALL COME BACK

Why I love Washington Washington’s heart — its people

W

Written by MIKE VOSS | PHOTO by WILL PRESLAR

ashington has many wonderful assets — its waterfront, its histor y and its vibrant arts community. I appreciate and celebrate those assets. The one asset I love and hold dear is Washington’s people.

I first came to Washington in April 1986 as a reporter. Little did I know then that Washington would be the place to provide me opportunities to excel at my profession as a reporter and editor.

Except for five and a half years spent working at the Free Lance-Star newspaper in Fredericksburg, Va., in the early to mid-1990s, I have lived and worked for the past 30 years in Washington. In those 30 years, Washington has done much more for me than I have done for it in my capacity as a journalist.

Having grown up around water in my early years (I was born in the Florida panhandle city of Pensacola, mostly living there and in eastern North Carolina until I was 14), there’s no denying Washington’s location on the Pamlico River and its proximity to the Pamlico Sound, Outer Banks and Atlantic Ocean appeals to me. The area’s history — especially its connections to Blackbeard — intrigues me. Even the Turnage Theatre, vacant and closed when I first moved here, grabbed my attention.

It reminded me of going to the movies — feature films, serials and cartoons — during my boyhood days.

During my first week in Washington, I met folks like Mel Keech, who ran the seafood restaurant next to the U.S. Highway 17 bridge. Mel made me feel 64 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2016

Mike Voss

at home when I would visit his eatery, usually on Saturday afternoons. Sharon “Jo Jo” Singleton, county clerk, and Rita Thompson, city clerk, respectively, showed me the ropes when it came to county and city government, respectively.

If you want to know what’s going on in counties, cities and towns, talk to the clerks.

When I covered my first Beaufort County Board of Commissioners meeting, I noticed the board took a mid-morning break that included consuming nabs and Coke — in those small bottles, of course. For a Southern boy, that resonated — especially when provided the opportunity to partake in the ritual. Soon, many of my professional

connections with area people were joined by personal connections with those people. That probably would not have happened if I worked in places like Raleigh, Charlotte or New York.

It didn’t take long for me to consider Washington as my home. During those years in Virginia, I would return to Washington for visits. I missed its people and its waterfront. I returned to the “heart of the Inner Banks” in 1997.

Seven years later, I would discover just how wonderful Washington’s folks are.

While recovering from my heart attack on Christmas Eve morning in 2004, I received at least 50 cards and letters from folks expressing their concerns for me, offering their help and letting me know they were praying for me. I have those cards and letters stored in a safe place, but a place I can access easily. Most of those cards and letters came from people I had met on a professional level, some of them becoming friends. Those cards and letters helped me recover, of that there is no doubt.

Living and working in Washington brought me several great achievements at the professional level, including the opportunity to work with co-workers and that work resulting in the Pulitzer Prize for meritorious public service and other journalism awards. I appreciate and take pride in those achievements.

However, those accomplishments don’t come close to the warmth I feel and gratitude I have for Washington’s greatest asset — its people. Those cards and letters are more meaningful to me than my journalism awards.

And that’s why I love Washington.

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MARCH/APRIL 2016 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 67