Wilson Woman Fall 2015

Fall 2015

connor

Linda

We sit down with our Wilson Woman Icon for this issue

Featured blogs

Area professionals offer tips and advice

Volunteer

opportunities Our community needs your help. We’ll show you how to get started.

Fall in love

with Marsala, the 2015 Pantone Color of the Year

On the cover Linda Connor, fundraiser extraordinaire talks with us and opens up to our readers.

Photo by Gérard Lange.

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Lend a Hand We’ve put together a list of volunteer opportunities that everyone can do to help those in need in our community.

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A Hundred Years I Am Wilson and Counting The WIlson Woman’s Club celebrates their centennial this year.

Nancy Craft has devoted her life to making our community a better place.

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Off to the Market Shop local and find everything you need right here in Wilson, at the Wilson Farmer’s Market.

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Linda Connor sits down with us and tells us about her fundraising success.

Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2015 is perfect for taking your fall wardrobe to the next level.

Wilson Woman Icon

Fall in love with Marsala

FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

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BETH LILES

One of the best things you can do for your family is pre-plan your final arrangements. Pg. 18.

LISA SKINNER

Do you take care of your breasts? You should. Read about the importance of breast health and you. Pg. 9.

GINNY EAGLES

Do you live a healthy lifestyle? Small changes can make a big difference in your life. Pg. 14.

RAMON HERNANDEZ

Prolong summer and take a little trip to the islands with this yummy cocktail. Pg. 5.

SHARON ALLEN and CAROLINE SHARP

What do your eyebrows say about you? A lot! Check out these tips for keeping yours under control. Pg. 26.

Ladies, don’t forget about your man ... we treat them too!

“We look forward to helping you achieve optimal health.

Come see us today!” ~ The ProGenix Team

Wilson Woman is a quarterly lifestyle magazine featuring information on food, home, fashion, beauty and the amazing local women who call Wilson home.

Publisher MORGAN PAUL DICKERMAN, III Director of Sales and Marketing SHANA HOOVER (252) 265-7858 shana@wilsontimes.com Special Sections Manager JENNIFER STRICKLAND (252) 265-7848 jstrickland@wilsontimes.com

Located at 2519-E Airport Blvd in Wilson

www.progenixnc.com 252-234-0021

Advertising Account Executives CYNTHIA COLLINS (252) 265-7826 ccollins@wilsontimes.com LISA PEARSON (252) 265-7827 lpearson@wilsontimes.com BETH ROBBINS (252) 265-7849 brobbins@wilsontimes.com

Writers PAIGE MINSHEW JENNIFER STRICKLAND Photography GÉRARD LANGE GRAY WHITLEY Graphic Design GÉRARD LANGE ____________________ WILSON WOMAN magazine is a publication of

TheWilsonTimes

2001 Downing Street Wilson, NC 27893 www.wilsontimes.com www.wilsonwoman.com

find us on

Blue Coconut Margarita Ingredients 1 1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice 1 1/2 oz. blue coconut puree 2 oz. premium silver tequila Strawberries and blueberries for garnish

Directions Pour liquid ingredients into shaker with ice. Shake until thoroughly combined. Pour into glass that has been rimmed with salt and add strawberries and blueberries for garnish.

Drink and enjoy!

Our Guest Mixologist for this issue is Ramon Hernandez, manager at La Rancherita Grill & Tequila Bar in Wilson.

a hundred years

AND COUNTING

Written by Paige Minshew

For the last hundred years, the members of the Wilson Woman’s Club have worked together to make our community a better place for everyone. Their membership, like their generosity, has grown each year.

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FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

The Wilson Woman’s Club is proud to celebrate its centennial this year. Founded in 1915, the Woman’s Club has undertaken many service projects that have greatly impacted the entire Wilson community. From opening a lending library at the club headquarters in Wilson in the early 20th century, to establishing nursing scholarships at Barton and Wilson

Community colleges, the Wilson Woman’s Club has a long list of achievements.

In 1921, inspired by the chairwoman of the literature department and the club’s president, the Wilson Woman’s Club opened up a lending library at its clubhouse on Pine Street. The Woman’s Club joined forces with other civic

organizations in town and worked to raise funds and increase the collection of books available for loan.

After several other moves, the library finally settled in its current location on Nash Street. Without the commitment of the members of the Woman’s Club the Wilson County Public Library would not offer the invaluable service it does today.

While the implementation of the public library is a major accomplishment of the Wilson Woman’s Club, it’s certainly not the only achievement in their history that sets them apart. Since the 1970s, the Wilson Woman’s Club has offered the Callie B. Little Nursing Scholarship worth $5,000 to Barton College and Wilson Community College students who will be attending the nursing program. The club members have spent countless hours fundraising through various events to fund the scholarship.

It’s not all work for the members of the Wilson Woman’s Club though. The ladies also like to have a good time.

Bridge has always played an important part in the social activities of the club and in 2014, it finally was deemed an official department of the Wilson Woman’s Club.

When reflecting on the club and what it means to be part of such a special community, Life Member Frances Carlton believes that the best part of the Wilson Woman’s Club is getting to know other people. Carlton is not only a lifetime member, but she serves as the Wilson Woman’s Club Chaplain as well.

Vice-President Mamie Boyette says “Being part of the Woman’s Club gives you the opportunity to meet people you

normally wouldn’t. Wilson is a diverse city that is home to women of many different backgrounds, so joining the Woman’s Club is a great way for those women to come together.”

There will be several events held to celebrate the Wilson Woman’s Club serving Wilson County for 100 years.

The club will host a special luncheon during the Sept. 15 meeting at the

Wilson Country Club; a tea/reception will take place on Oct. 4 for members and special guests; and there is an open house of the clubhouse on Oct. 29.

The Wilson Woman’s Club currently boasts approximately 120 members.

The clubhouse, built and purchased in the mid-1920s, is located on Broad Street in Historic Downtown Wilson. To assist with maintaining the historical facility, the Wilson Woman’s Club rents space upstairs for residential housing and the downstairs area for social functions. The twostory brick building was designed by local architect Solon B. Moore, and because of its historical status, has seen only a few changes and additions.

The space is popular for weddings, receptions, and other events.

Since the summer season is a busy time for everyone, regular club meetings are held once a month from September to May. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month. Membership dues are $50 per year for all members, but additional dues are required if a member chooses to join a department within the club. Those departments include American Home/Fine Arts, Bridge, Garden and Public Affairs.

To stay active in the community and to raise funds for scholarships, the Wilson Woman’s Club helped organize the Historic Home Tours of Wilson, produced and published a cookbook

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of their favorite recipes, participated in the Belk Charity Day project, and raised money through bridge tournaments.

While the Wilson Woman’s Club is known for its philanthropic involvement within the community, members pride themselves on working together and building lasting friendships. The ladies are also eager to recruit new members and especially encourage new residents of the Wilson community to join as the club is a great way to meet new people.

Barbara Brinson is honored to be president of an organization that is so involved in the Wilson community. While the social characteristics of the Wilson Woman’s Club such as playing bridge and hosting luncheons are a plus of membership, giving back is really what

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FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

makes it so special. Several members are involved in providing food and homestarter kits to Hope Station on a monthly basis, but Brinson says the entire group is “generous and giving; there is always someone willing to help others.”

A special dinner held on Aug. 18 served as the kick-off to the coming year. According to Brinson, it is the only event the Woman’s Club sponsors where significant others and friends are invited. The philanthropic aspects of the organization are vital to its mission, the strong friendships developed amongst the women is what keeps the Wilson Woman’s Club going. Linda May, a retired teacher from Kentucky, says that the club was a “great way to meet new people” when she moved to Wilson 11 years ago.

Member Peg Brooks is originally from Ohio but has spent the majority of her adult life in the Carolinas. Upon moving to Wilson in 2010 and joining the Wilson Woman’s Club a few years later, she found the club to be a “wonderful introduction to Wilson.” Brooks’ home, which she shares with her husband, Stephen, was on the Wilson home tour recently. She not only takes pride in her home but uses her basket weaving talents to create beautiful works of art the Woman’s Club uses in raffles to fund the nursing scholarship and other philanthropic services.

During grace before the kick-off dinner, Carlton, the club chaplain, prayed that the members and their families would be “humbled by a bounty with so much more than we need.” The goodness in which she lives her life is not only obvious when meeting her, but member Nan Fleming states that Carlton is one of the club’s “most special and sacred members.”

Taking Control of Breast Health

By Lisa Skinner You and I are getting ready to talk. And I might make a lot of you uncomfortable.

Breast health and mammograms. There; I said it. Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk.

Breast imaging has come such a long way since I started as a technologist 20 years ago. First, we took X-rays and the radiologist read those X-rays, looking for signs of breast cancer.

About 10 years ago, digital mammography was the newest and best way to detect breast cancer. And digital was leaps and bounds ahead of reading x-rays on a light board. The difference in looking at a regular TV and a high-res digital TV. The difference was that great. Radiologists found tumors earlier. Earlier detection led to earlier treatment and higher survival rates.

This is important in Wilson County.

Breast cancer is still one of the top three causes of death by cancer here.

Now, 3D mammography is the next step in increasing the level of care for breast cancer diagnosis.

I know a lot of you don’t want to talk

about this. I’ve heard it all. The reasons you don’t want to get a mammogram. It hurts.

I’m busy. I have to take the kids somewhere. Trust me. You don’t have any more important place to be once a year than the Outpatient Imaging Center at Wilson Medical Center.

We’re going to treat you right. If I don’t see you, one of the other technologists will.

We’re going to treat you like we would our own mother or sister. We’re going to explain the process and tell you what to expect.

A 3D mammogram is similar to a digital mammogram. We do compress each breast between two plates to get the best picture of your breasts. Then we step away so that the 3D arm can sweep across your breast, taking numerous images in seconds. Most women are completely comfortable. Some might experience some discomfort.

The images are immediately stored electronically. The radiologist then views one millimeter “slices” of your breast. It’s like turning the pages of a book and looking at what’s on each page.

Our Guest Health Blogger for this issue is Lisa Skinner, supervisor of Outpatient Imaging at Wilson Medical Center.

The entire process takes about 20 minutes. Most of that time is positioning you correctly to get the best quality pictures.

So, I know this might make you uncomfortable. No one wants to talk about breast cancer and mammograms. I promise, though.

We’ll keep you comfortable. And informed.

And in the end, you’ll have peace of mind.

What many of us don’t realize about our passing is that remembrance is so important to those who love us.

When you plan ahead, you can design something truly personable and memorable.

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nancy

CRAFT

Written by Jennifer Strickland Photographs by Gérard Lange & Gray Whitley 10

FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

For some, volunteering is a passion that goes far beyond the cause they are helping. It’s a way of life that can only be explained with one word: selfless. Nancy Craft could be the poster woman for volunteering, but if you ask her, it’s just a way to give back to the community that has accepted her as one of their own.

Over the course of writing stories for this magazine, I have talked with many women in our community. Of the women I have had the privilege of talking with, Nancy Craft is by far one of the most memorable interviews I have had. She’s a down to earth lady with a big heart and one of the most genuine people you’ll ever meet.

Craft and her husband, Bob, made their home in Wilson 11 years ago this past August. They packed up their home in northern Virginia and left their three children, Kelly, Colin and Megan, in the various stages of their lives and moved into a quiet neighborhood in the middle of town when Bob was asked to relocate for his job with BB&T. “Bob and I have been married for 42 years. He’s my best friend and my biggest supporter.

Though it was hard to leave my children and the life we had built, I knew that this was a move we needed to make for him, so we did.”

Coming to a new place didn’t happen without a few bumps in the road, however. “I became very self conscious about myself. I would go out to the store and I would wear shorts like I did in Virginia, and I started noticing that people were staring at me and no one else was wearing shorts. So I got myself some pants. Well, they still stared!” Eventually, Craft came to understand that people weren’t staring at her because of her appearance or the clothes she wore, but because she was a new face in a community where everyone recognizes each other. “I realized that Wilson was the type of place where people had roots.

Your family grew up here, and you raised your children here. Generations of family members are all still here. In northern Virginia, everyone comes from all over and no one lays down roots.

There are a lot of military families there and it’s usually only a few years before they pack up and move on to their new assignments and locations.”

Craft credits her move to Wilson for saving her life. “Coming here made me slow down and lowered my stress level tremendously. Wilson is a kinder and gentler place and goes along at a much slower pace than where we lived in Virginia. I feel like I’m healthier and my life has taken on a much different meaning

than it once had. I feel like I’m where I belong.”

In Virginia, Craft was a physical education teacher and adored her work.

“I loved teaching. I loved being with the kids and watching them learn and grow,” she says. Upon relocation to North Carolina, Craft was hoping to resume her love for teaching in a new place and sent out resume after resume, to no avail. “I think back on it now and I realize that I didn’t get a response because I wasn’t supposed to. I was meant for other things and it wasn’t long before those things came around.”

And come around they did. Over the course of her time living in Wilson, Craft has been a part of many organizations and has volunteered countless hours of her time to make our community a better place. One of the most important issues to Craft is hunger. She’s played a key role in organizing the annual Homerun for Hunger event at Fleming Stadium each July and has been a long-time volunteer for Meals on Wheels. “The smallest things sometimes mean the most to people. Meals on Wheels is a great example of that. I don’t cook the food, I don’t put it on the plate.

All I do is take the prepared meals to the people that need them and spend a few minutes with them. That few minutes a day means the world to some of those people. The gratitude they have for someone spending time with them is overwhelming. They are so appreciative of the food and the company,” she says.

Craft’s fight against hunger doesn’t stop there. She also volunteers with the CHEW team and also represents the Lions Club as a member of the Wilson Food Network. “Hunger is a real problem in our area. I read somewhere some time ago that Wilson is the

second highest area in our state for food insecurity. There are people right here in our community that are hungry. I will do everything I can and give everything I have to give to change that.”

Another cause that is of great importance to Craft is the deaf and hard of hearing community in Wilson. She was part of the team that kept the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf open and she was also instrumental in starting the annual Vision Health and Wellness Fair that is sponsored by the Wilson Outreach Advocacy for the Blind.

Craft’s efforts to make our community a better place haven’t gone unnoticed. Craft was nominated for, and received, the 2015 Paul Lee Stevens Humanitarian of the Year award. This

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award is given by the Human Relations Committee each year and according to the City of Wilson website recognizes “those rare citizens who have unselfishly gone above and beyond the call of duty to help the disadvantaged of the community.”

Craft was nominated for the award by several members of our community who have had the pleasure of working with her on committees and at different events.

One of those nominations came from Janice Bunn.

“Nancy and I are members of many of the same committees. We have worked closely for many, many years and I can honestly say that she is one of the most hard working people I have ever met. She is not afraid to step in and help wherever she is needed and has done so many things for our community. She is one of the most giving people I have ever known and is just a joy and delight to

be around. You won’t find anyone better than Nancy. She is dynamite in my book,” says Bunn.

Though volunteering and striving to make our community better takes up enormous amounts of time, Craft still

season. In fact, their home has become somewhat of a hangout destination for members of the team who aren’t staying there. “We loving having the guys here with us. It allows me to get back to my mothering mode and I like taking care of them. They become part of our family too, and we love having them.”

If you’re interested in volunteering and helping our community, Craft has this to say to you: “If you have a passion to help others, all you have to do is try. If people would just take that first step, we could all do a small part to make our community a better place. Invest in your community and you’ll get back what you give tenfold.

Don’t do it for what you can get out of it, do it for what the person you’re helping can get out of it. After all, seeing someone happy and healthy because of something we’ve done for them should be one of the greatest joys in our lives.”

“If you have a passion to help others, all you have to do is try.” squeezes in a few minutes here and there for some of her favorite activities.

She and husband Bob are avid golfers and play at Willow Springs as often as their schedules allow. They’re also huge sports fans and take in as many sporting events as possible. The Wilson Tobs are among their favorite teams and they open their home to players each

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Wilson Community

Adapting a healthy lifestyle can be easier than you think

By Ginny Eagles For decades I have had many people ask...

“How do I get in shape?”

“How long will it take?”

“Will I feel better if I eat correctly?”

“Will I feel better if I exercise?”

The questions go on and on. I often respond that there are many components to adapting a healthy lifestyle, but incorporating the components of health-related fitness is a great tool to increase physical abilities, as well as creating and living a healthy life.

According to the American Council of Exercise, we can improve our physical fitness level by incorporating these 5 components of health-related fitness: 1. Cardiorespiratory end – is the ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply O2 during sustained physical activity.

2. Muscular strength – is the maximum amount of force a muscle can produce in a single effort.

3. Muscular endurance – is the ability of the muscle to continue to perform without fatigue.

4. Flexibility – is the ability to bend and move the joints through full range of motion.

5. Healthful body composition – is a high ratio of lean tissue to fat tissue in the body.

Take a moment and focus on each component. How can you improve? What can you increase, decrease, adapt or tweak? Small changes are better than no changes, and small changes often create

life changes.

To improve your cardio-respiratory endurance, try activities that keep your heart rate elevated safely for 20-30 minutes a day. Examples are walking, swimming, biking or dancing. The activity you choose does not have to be strenuous to improve your heart and lung health. Start slow, and work up to a more intense pace. The greatest benefits are achieved when the least Our Guest active individuals become moderately active.

Fitness Blogger To make your muscles stronfor this issue is Ginny Eagles, owner of Yogi ger I suggest adding free weights to your workout program. Begin with 3-5 Barre in Wilson, opening in September. lbs. weights targeting all major muscle groups such as legs, glutes, arms, creasing flexibility as well. shoulders, and back and belly. Also, I love It does not matter where your flexibility Yoga and the effect it has on creating long, level is when you begin. As long as you lean muscles. So often we think of Yoga as work, it will get better. only stretching, but many asanas, or posFinally, I am not a nutritionist, but I tures require holding positions to increase balance while developing muscular strength know that selecting healthy food choices is imperative to our well-being. With so many and defying gravity. “supersized” options, fast food $1 menus, Your muscular endurance will increase and processed foods, we must become once your cardiorespiratory activities are extra cautious, and set good examples for sustained longer than the original time. If our children by shopping the perimeter of the chosen activity becomes boring, or is the grocery store. If we eat well, we will too easy, try choosing another heart rate move better, our skin will look refreshed, exercise to challenge the body. and we will have less aches and pains. Do Flexibility is so important as we age. not forget your 8 oz. of water 8 times a day, We must keep our muscles supple to pretoo. Everything in moderation! vent injuries.

Just remember, adjusting these (one or Try basic stretches, making sure to all five) components in small doses will give hold the stretch for 30 seconds to 1 minute. you measureable results. Always begin an Swimming and yoga are excellent for inexercise regimen with a doctor’s approval.

JC Harris Est. 1963

of Wilson, NC

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off to the

MARKET

Written by Jennifer Strickland Photographs by Gray Whitley In today’s busy world, we often move through our days in the hurried pace that has become required just to keep up with what is going on around us. We get up, go to work, squeeze in a quick trip to the grocery store for something to cook for dinner, get home, cook said groceries, help the kids with

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FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

homework, clean up and cram in all the other daily things we have to get done, and then we finally begin to wind down our day, only to get up again tomorrow and do it all over again.

It happens in almost every household in America. And it’s not going to stop any time soon. But what if there was a way to help eliminate the stress of part of your daily routine?

That just might be easier than you think.

Figuring out what to cook for dinner doesn’t have to involve a trip to the grocery store. You can find many of the same fresh fruit, vegetable and meat offerings you find on grocery store shelves right in your own backyard . . . at your local Farmer’s Market.

The Wilson Farmer’s Market has two convenient locations in town, one in historic downtown, and one at the Wilson County Fairgrounds. Both locations are open on Saturdays and Wednesdays from late April through the end of September and have vendors offering fresh fruits, vegetables, locally raised meats, organic meats, breads, jams and jellies, and even crafts.

“The Wilson Farmer’s Market continues to grow each and every year. We have been very fortunate that our vendor numbers and the number of customers that visit us has increased each year. We are hoping

that trend continues for many years to come,” says Billy Little, Extension Agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

Next year, visitors to the Farmer’s Market may be in for some big changes.

“We have lots of plans in the works.

We are looking at making some exciting changes that everyone should be happy about. Stay tuned for details on what we have planned,” says Little. “I think what we’re looking to do will be beneficial to everyone and will be positive changes for not only the vendors at the Farmer’s Market but also for the visitors that keep it going.”

Hopefully next year, the Farmer’s Market will begin offering several new promotions to help attract new visitors.

“We hope to be able to offer things that will bring people out and let them experience everything we have to offer,” says Little. “There is so much more here than just food. We’ve got vendors from all over who offer all sorts of different things. We just want people to come out and experience all the things you can find at the Farmer’s Market.”

Many of the vendors at the Farmer’s Market this year have been there before and for others, this was their first year. Newbie James Brake sells pork products from his farm, Medora Farms in Lucama. He says that being at the Farmer’s Market for the first time has allowed him to increase his customer base tremendously. “It’s a one-stopshop, really. You can get just about anything you need all in one place. We have been able to connect with customers that we might not have been able to reach without being there,” he says. “We will definitely be back next year.”

Teddy and Willis Teen Lamm with Ole Need More Farms, just outside of Sims have been regulars at the Farmer’s Market for the last

four years. “Our favorite part of being at the Farmer’s Market and what keeps us coming back year after year is the people. We love to talk with them and introduce them to new foods and share recipes with them,” says Teddy Lamm. “Food is meant to enjoyed, and what better way to enjoy it than to share it with others.” Though they’ve been in the farming business since 1971,

the Lamms have only switched over to growing produce in the last few years. “We have had our ups and downs with the things we have tried to grow, but I guess that’s just how it goes in this business. We’ll just keep working on it and hopefully increase what we have to offer our customers as we go.”

Ole Need More Farms offers a wide variety of produce, from strawberries in the spring to pumpkins in the fall and everything else in between. “Being at the Farmer’s Market and sharing something that we love with others is just fun. We really do enjoy it and will be there for many years to come,” says Lamm.

FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

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Planning ahead can help ease the financial burden for your family

By Beth Liles I am going to talk about something that no one wants to talk about, but we have all thought about, our own funeral. Being a mother of three children, do I really want to burden them with the responsibility of planning and paying for that final expense when they are just starting a life of their own? No, I love them too much. Funeral planning is a very simple process that will let your family know you loved them. It is a way to make your wishes known so that your family members can have time to grieve and not make decisions they may not be prepared to make. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give your family.

There are numerous decisions you can make ahead of time. You will be able to select the casket or the urn you prefer, the cemetery where you will be buried and the songs you would like to have played during the service.

You can suggest which clothes you would like to wear and decide who will do your make-up and hair. You can choose burial or cremation, a day or night service, flowers or memorial gifts to a charity of your choice. People do not realize the stress and the decisions that are required at this time, too many choices to leave to the children.

Working at Joyner’s Funeral Home, one of the hardest things I have to

Our Guest Financial Blogger for this issue is Beth Liles, Office Specialist at Joyner’s Funeral Home in Wilson.

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see is the face of a loved one when they are told the cost and no advance planning has been done. You can see how much love they have for the one they just lost; they want to honor their loved one with the best, but the financial burden of their choices can be difficult. Due to financial limitations, they may have to change their mind and opt for something different from what they original decided. It is a sad time for the family. A funeral home can help with different options to ensure this is not the case. Current insurance policies can provide the necessary benefits for your funeral, or you can set up a new policy to help with these expenses. Upon your death, your wishes have been known, your funeral paid for and, most importantly, your family stress has been diminished. Your family will have time to celebrate your life without these additional burdens.

My funeral will be my last party, and it is one that I want to plan. I want my children to have additional time to remember our lives together. I want this to be an easy time for them to laugh, cry, remember and tell tales. I don’t want them to have to make important, expensive decisions. This time should be about me and my family and our friends celebrating my life. With my last gift to them, a pre-planned funeral, I want them to know how much I loved them.

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Linda Connor WILSON WOMAN ICON

Written by Jennifer Strickland Photographs by Gérard Lange Standing in the Whirligig Conservation Headquarters on a warm and humid day in August, clad in a cornflower blue dress and lime green stilettos, is one of the most involved women in our community.

Linda Connor is a petite powerhouse, and she has made it her goal to make Wilson a better place to live, work, and just “be.” “Our little town has the potential to do great things. We have the potential to BE great,” she says. “If I can have just

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a small part in making that happen, then I’ve accomplished my goal.”

Over the years, Connor has been a part of many business, professional and civic organizations in our community.

She’s worked with Imagination Library, Arts Council of Wilson, Barton College and many, many more. Her most recent projects include the Community Soup Kitchen and the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park.

“These two organizations hold a special place in my heart because they have the ability to make things better for our community. With the soup kitchen, we can serve the members of our community that need our help the most, and with the Whirligig Park we can increase revenue from all the visitors we will see and pass on knowledge about our community and hopefully bring in some new businesses and residents. I truly believe that the

Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park and Museum is going to do a lot for this town.”

Connor is no stranger to hard work.

She’s been working since the age of 14, when she needed a worker’s permit to legally hold a job. “I got my first job before I was even old enough to get myself there. I wrapped Christmas presents at Leder Bros. department store.

Some of the presents I wrapped were bigger than me!”

Connor began her professional career at BB&T in 1978 as a relocation specialist. Though she traveled extensively for her job, she still found time to work with the community at any opportunity. “BB&T was a great company to work for. They allowed us the opportunity to use some of our work time to go out and mentor to some of the students in our community. We worked with third graders and helped them with their reading or whatever else they needed help with.”

She recalls one particular student she was quite fond of. “There was a Hispanic little girl that came to school dressed

up every single day. I made a deal with her that for every English word I taught her, she could teach me one word in Spanish. She was just the sweetest little girl, and I think about the time I spent with her often.”

After retiring in 2000, Connor soon found herself “bored,” as she puts it.

“I took some time and did the things I wanted to do, but once I had done all of those things, I didn’t have anywhere else to be. I needed something to keep me busy. When I retired, people told me that I needed to be careful how involved I allowed myself to be because I might find myself working and volunteering more than doing the things I thought I would be doing during my retirement. I laughed at those people then, but sure enough, they were right! It wasn’t long before I found myself involved in several organizations and committees, and I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I feel like I am where I’m supposed to be, doing what I’m supposed to be doing, and that’s all right with me.”

What has been your life’s biggest struggle?

Understanding and accepting life includes good and bad. So for me, life is a constant rebuilding of inner strength.

What has been your proudest moment?

It is difficult to narrow down to one single proudest moment. There have been many proud moments over the years: being able to witness other members of my family gain success, having a flourishing and fulfilling career at BB&T, experiencing “light bulb” moments when realizing I can achieve and figure “it” out no matter the situation, and most recently, my involvement with Community Soup Kitchen of Wilson County, Inc. in helping to build a new, much needed facility.

What advice would you give a young woman starting her professional life?

First and foremost, trust your instinct, then do the work to back it up with facts. It is difficult to get buy-in from others without showing rational information. When faced with a new project or problem, most

When she’s not pounding the pavement raising money for one of the many organizations near and dear to her, you can find Connor spending her time in one of several favorite ways. “I’m an avid reader, and I love to travel,” she says.

The book she most recently finished was The War That Ended Peace, by Margaret MacMillan. Her most recent trip was a day trip to Southport with her husband of six years, Neill. “We like to take the back roads and really see our surroundings.

There is nothing better to me than to find a bustling town to stop in so I can chat with the locals. I’ll go in a store and ask them what makes their town great and how long they’ve been there and just anything else that comes to mind. Other towns like Wilson have stories to tell too, and I like to hear them!”

Her favorite guilty pleasure? Watching marathons of some of her favorite television shows. ‘Blue Bloods’ and ‘NCIS’ are her go-to shows. “I don’t get to spend much time watching television, but sometimes I just need a day of downtime and that’s usually how I spend it.”

of the time my first thoughts are my best option and prove to be on target. Never stop learning. When you feel overwhelmed by a situation, take a step back and ask for input from someone with a different perspective than your own. If you believe in a plan, go for it! Once you have committed, be fearless.

Who has been the most inspirational figure to you? Why? My mother, Elsie Dawson. My dad’s declining health made it necessary for her to recreate her role in life. She went from being a stay-at-home mother to bread winner for the family. All at age 41, she got her license, learned to drive, earned a GED from the community college, and landed her first full-time job outside of the home. She had no choice but to overcome insecurities and develop self-confidence necessary for taking enormous strides outside her comfort zone at the time. And she did. She loved her job at Wilson Medical Center, working with newborn babies in the nursery. She made a huge difference in the lives of so many young first-time mothers. She treated the new mother and newborns alike, as her babies. Still today it is common for someone to approach me and share the calming advice my mother gave them as she dressed their new baby to go home. She reassured them they would do just fine and be good mothers. They never forgot what my mother did for them.

FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

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What do you consider the most important virtues a woman must possess?

Confidence, and an eagerness to continue learning and growing. The ability to see value in others, along with a strong desire to give and make a difference, whether large or small. Always have a sense of humor, especially when it comes to looking at yourself.

What do you value most in the world?

Relationships. The ones I have with my husband, Neill, my family, friends, church community, and my dog Brownie, because she is the best example of unconditional love. Something I hope to give and receive.

What is the biggest problem facing Wilson moving forward?

The universal problems of meeting basic needs of all people are challenges for most towns, and Wilson is no different in that regard. I believe, as a community, we are doing a lot of the right things. An example would be the Wilson Food Network, a community of organizations working together to solve

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existing hunger problems. However, being satisfied with status quo will stop us in our tracks. Not believing we can achieve bigger and better things will prevent us from growing and prospering. We must collectively believe.

What is your biggest hope for the future of Wilson?

My favorite line from Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” is, “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.”

My biggest hope would be for us to embrace change as a solution for the problems we face on a daily basis.

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MARSALA

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FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

Every year since 2000, Pantone has announced their pick on what the go-to “it” color of the year will be. There have been shades of pinks, blues, oranges, and even yellows. Last year it was a sassy purple hue called Radiant Orchid.

This year, it’s the fabulous, rich, perfect for fall Marsala, a delightful and robust combination of red and brown. This is the first time in several years that Pantone has chosen an earthy color for the Color of the Year.

Why Marsala? “Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability.

Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in to its embracing warmth,” according to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director at the Pantone Color Institute.

Shortly after the official announcement of the Color of the Year, fashion blogs and social media sites were buzzing with the news of the newest pick. While there was some skepticism, the initial response was extremely positive and most bloggers and social media gurus were ecstatic about the choice.

The warm undertones of Marsala are flattering against many skin tones and it can be a versatile color for both men and women to don. While men are less likely to go with an all over ensemble of Marsala, they can opt for a tie or scarf to show off this full-bodied color.

You don’t have to limit the use of Marsala to just your wardrobe, however.

You can mix the beautiful, rich hue into

your cosmetic arsenal as well! Nail polish, blush, lipstick and even hair color have been seen on the runways and on the streets. The warm richness of Marsala can easily add a pop of warmness to any outfit or home.

Accessorizing with the Color of the Year is probably easier than you think.

You can add a scarf or a handbag, or even a pair of shoes in this fabulous hue into your wardrobe and easily create new and versatile looks right from your own closet.

If changing up your clothing style is not quite your “thing”, you can also find Marsala in a wide array of home furnishings and accessories.

Many designers have embraced the richness of Marsala and have used it freely in their designs for 2015. It was an instant hit on the Spring runways of fashion designers Daniel Silverstain, Herve Leger by Max Azria, and Dennis Basso. The complexness of Marsala allows it to pair nicely with a wide array of colors and designs.

No matter how you incorporate it into your life, just make sure you do. This color is too fabulous to pass up and will have staying power for many years to come.

Raising the Brow

By Sharon Allen and Caroline Sharp A client often walks into our studio and says ”How can I look younger?” then nervously laughs as if that is an impossible request. Fortunately, paying attention to your eyebrows is a quick and simple solution to looking younger. Proper shaping, accentuating and defining the brows can give you an instant eyelift and perfectly frame your face. Let’s explore the services of raising a beautiful brow.

Shaping- Clients are nervous when it comes to different techniques involved in shaping brows. Your technician should start with a consultation about your skin first. Clients with sensitive skin, those using retinols, regular chemical exfoliating treatments, or those under treatment for acne need to be careful about stripping the skin. Hard wax or just tweezing is a good choice for clients with special skin concerns. Face and eye shapes are considered in the contour, length, and arch of the eyebrows.

The actual length of the eyebrow hair is important to address as well. Sometimes a simple trimming can lift some of the heaviness out of thick eyebrows.

Accentuation- Coloring of eyebrows is another way to create a much younger look.

Brows do not necessarily need to be the same color as your hair. For clients with blonde or graying hair, a great option is dying the brow to a darker color for accentuation or so the brow doesn’t disappear. Another bonus for coloring the brow is to make the brow fuller for those with sparse or thinning brows. Special eyebrow color will last longer for clients than regular hair color, as brow color is formulated for the courser brow hair.

Defining-Brows have become an important retail element for cosmetics. Finding the proper products to define, highlight and tame brows is important. Those products range from concealer for dramatic definition, colored powders and pencils, wax and liquid sealers for taming the brow hair, and brow brushes designed to help achieve your desired brow design. Consulting with a brow service provider with makeup artistry experience can help you find a custom look that is beautiful and natural looking.

Eyebrows are the frame of the face, and it is important to have the shape that is most flattering for you. Be very careful who you trust in shaping your brows. It can take months to

Our Guest Beauty Bloggers for this issue are Sharon Allen, left, and Caroline Sharp, licensed estheticians and makeup artists at Merle Norman Cosmetics in Wilson.

grow back a shaping that has been too aggressive. Many clients lose their patience and accept a brow that has been over tweezed or over waxed, but a little self-control and encouragement towards the goal of well- designed brows from a professional will help you achieve a more youthful appearance with your brow raising experience!

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HAND

Written by Jennifer Strickland I’m sure you’ve probably noticed that we have devoted quite a bit of space in this issue to honoring people who are volunteering in our community and are making a difference each and every day. I have had the privilege and honor of sitting down with these ladies and hearing their stories about what led them to give so selflessly to others and I can honestly say that I am envious of each and every one of them. In talking with these amazing women, I realized that I need to strive to be more like them and spend a little more time doing for others instead of myself.

We are all guilty of having these words come out of our mouths.

“I wish I had the time to volunteer,” or “I’m just one person. My little contribution won’t matter.” The truth is, we all have time and our little contribution does matter.

I’ve started taking note of just how much time I could be devoting to giving back to my community. I started a log to keep track of the time that I am essentially wasting. Wasting on Facebook, wasting on mindless television, wasting on being a couch potato. You get the idea. If we all took just a little of that wasted time and put it towards something that can change the life of one or even hundreds of members of our community, we can make a difference.

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With that being said, I’m going to issue a challenge to all of our readers. I want you all to start keeping track of the time you are wasting and figure out how you can use that time more efficiently to help our community, even if it’s just an hour a week. Every little bit counts. Make it a family affair. Sit down and figure out what you can do as a family to make a difference and stick to it. Challenge your neighbors to do the same. Challenge every person you know. Every person has the ability to make a difference. We just have to be willing to take that first step and make it happen.

So, are you up to the challenge?

Here is a partial listing of the volunteer opportunities available in our community.

American Red Cross

OIC

Chamber of Commerce

St. John Community Development Corporation

Contact: Lynwood Roberson 252.237.2171 Contact: Lynne Medlin 252.237.0165

Children’s Hunger Elimination of Wilson (CHEW)

Contact: Howard Jones 252.291.0038

Contact: Dr. Michael S. Bell 252.265.9764

The Arc of Wilson County

www.thechewinc.com

Contact: Michael Stanford 252.237.8266

Community Soup Kitchen

The Salvation Army

252.291.8220

Disabled American Veterans of Wilson 252.668.0067

Diversified Opportunities Contact: Cindy Harrell 252.291.0378

Flynn Christian Fellowship Home

Contact: Scott Strother 252.237.8320

For the Love of Dogs Contact: Dawn Tucker 252.292.9779

Imagination Station

Science and History Museum Contact: Jennifer Johnson 252.624.9953

Maggie Society

volunteers@maggiesociety.com

Mental Health Association in Wilson County Contact: Janelle Clevinger 252.243.2773

Contact: Major Jim McGee, Commanding Officer 252.243.2696

The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club

Contact: Charmaine Harris 252.243.5443

The SPOT

Contact: Matt Edwards 252.991.4018

United Way

Contact: Judi Thurston 252.237.3194

Wesley Shelter

Contact: Lynne White 252.291.2344

Whirligig Festival

Contact: Theresa Mathis 252.399.2308

Wilson Area Habitat for Humanity 252.291.0816

Wilson County Office of Senior Citizens AffairsMeals on Wheels Contact: Debbie Raper 252.237.1303

Wilson County Public Library 252.237.5355

Wilson Crisis Center Contact: Nancy Sallenger 252.237.5156

Wilson Downtown Development Contact: Susan Kellum 252.399.2228

Wilson Education Partnership Contact: Martha Vick 252.399.7726

Wilson Medical Center Hospice Volunteer Services Contact: Jeanine Velan 252.399.8647

Wilson Medical Center Volunteer Services Contact: Libby Baskervill 252.399.8770

Wilson Parks & Recreation Community Events & Special Olympics Contact: Dana Hall 252.399.2261

Y.O.U.T.H. of Wilson Contact: Tammy Daniel 252.243.3675

FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

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Wilson author writes about stories from beyond the grave in two chilling books

By Jennifer Strickland It’s no secret that many people consider old buildings to be haunted by ghosts and spirits. It’s also widely known that hospitals and asylums are even more prone to being host to such ghosts and spirits. But what if you were lucky, or unlucky, enough to experience some of those ghosts and spirits first hand?

This issue’s featured author, Margaret M. Langley,

has had a few ghostly encounters of her own and has written about them in a duo of books, Haunted Broughton, Tales From The Graveyard Shift, and Haunted Broughton, More Tales From The Graveyard Shift. Both books are true accounts about Langley’s employment at the Broughton Hospital in Morganton, N.C.

Hospital History On Mar. 29, 1883, the North Carolina Insane Asylum, as it was originally named, opened its doors to treat the onslaught of mentally ill patients who could not receive treatment at the crowded Dix Hospital in Raleigh. The name of the hospital was changed to Broughton Hospital in 1959, to honor the seated Governor, J. Mellville Broughton.

It was long believed that mental illness was contagious, and many families felt they had no choice but to hospitalize

their mentally ill family members to keep the rest of their family from becoming ill.

Many of the treatments the hospital relied on were less than ethical and many patients did not survive. It is thought that those are the ghosts and spirits that haunt the halls to this day.

Langley started working at the hospital in 1994 as a registered nurse on the graveyard shift. It didn’t take long before she started hearing about the experiences of several of her coworkers. “They would tell me that they had seen someone walking down the hall and there was no possible way that there could have been anyone there,” she says.

Not long after the stories started being told by her coworkers, Langley had her own personal experience. “It was one of the scariest things I had ever experienced. I just had this feeling of dread and odd vibes.”

I won’t spoil her story by spilling it here, but you can read all about it and the other experiences she and her coworkers had in her books. Langley does have one warning by way of her sister, however. “Don’t read them at night!”

To purchase Haunted Broughton, Tales from the Graveyard Shift, visit:

http://www.amazon.com/HauntedBroughton-Tales-Graveyard-Shift/ dp/1448659396/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1439826110&sr=81&keywords=haunted+ broughton

To purchase Haunted Broughton, More Tales from the Graveyard Shift, visit:

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FALL 2015 | WILSONWOMAN.COM

http://www.amazon.com/HauntedBroughton-Tales-GraveyardShift/dp/1453806121/ref=sr_1_2?i e=UTF8&qid=1439826110&sr=82&keywords=haunted+ broughton