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The Secret to A Thriving Business Community with Tom Kies
Transcribed by Autumn Ware with the help of Hindenburg Pro
Intro
[Intro Music with occasional Seagulls squawking]
Autumn (narration): Welcome to Epic-Carteret. I’m your host, Autumn Ware. And I washed ashore on the Crystal Coast with my family in December 2020. I arrived, worn and weary, but within a year, I found myself converted from an exhausted traveler to an energized participant in this vibrant community. I’m a reformed recluse in a place that knows the secret of transforming strangers into neighbors. Now I’m on a quest to uncover what makes Carteret County such an extraordinary place to call home.
[music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): The first stop on our journey is the community’s dynamic business ecosystem, and our guide is none other than Tom Kies, Edgar nominated author of the popular Geneva Chase mystery series Like Me. Tom is a Carteret County transplant. He worked for newspapers and magazines in New York and New England for 30 years before moving south to become the publisher of N.C. Coast Communications in 2006. Not content to rest on his literary laurels, Tom served as the executive director of the Downtown Morehead City Revitalization Association for five years, and he’s been the Carteret County Chamber of Commerce president for the last seven years.
Tom: I got here because I was offered a job as publisher, general manager of a magazine, local magazine company, and commercial printing firm.
I’d always wanted to be a publisher, and they offered me a position here. And I’ve never – I’d never been south of the Mason-Dixon Line before.
Autumn: Oh, wow.
Tom: I didn’t even know that Morehead City, North Carolina. And actually, I was I was only planning on being in here maybe four or five years.
Autumn: Oh, wow.
Tom: And I was going to I was going to move back to Connecticut 17 years later, and here I am. It’s home.
Autumn (narration): What’s kept Tom here all this time? The pristine beaches, the wild horses, those delicious crystal Coast oysters. No doubt they add to the allure, but it’s the community that Tom finds extraordinary.
Tom: The sense of community is really, really strong here. We’ve made some wonderful friends and I’ve gotten some know some just super people. You’re one of them. I mean, you know, it’s just yeah.
Autumn: Thank you, thank you.
Tom: It’s fun to meet new people, and people want to help. It’s you take a look at what happens after, like Hurricane Florence and it’s an amazing place.
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): So it’s the community that keeps Tom here, the community and maybe Floyd’s 1921 restaurant in Morehead City, where we recorded our epic interview
Tom: they’ve got to it’s got a few chefs who work here. One of them is French, so they actually excel in French cuisine. So you can get gourmet cooking as well as homemade meatloaf. It’s just great. The service is wonderful. I know everybody here and I know the owners and the owners once again, are just really, really big in the community. So love them. Just we just there’s no other place I like better than this. I bet there are some wonderful restaurants. And then my wife and I go out and eat there all the time. But this is my favorite.
Autumn (narration): Today, we’re noshing on Chef Floyd’s redneck eggrolls. Crisp, savory bundles of barbecue that were featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in episode 36 “Rolled and Holed.”
Autumn: what’s your favorite appetizer?
Tom: The redneck eggrolls.
Autumn: I love those too! That’s the first thing I ever heard from your area.
Why do you like those? Why was that your favorite?
Tom: They’re the really unique. I mean, they’ve got a super taste. I’ve watched them put them together and it’s just it’s this combination of flavors that you would not expect would work together. Yeah. And they’ve got the so much that goes with it that’s just a little bit out of this world. So yeah, it’s always my favorite.
Autumn: And this is where you do your Geneva Chase Mystery launches.
Tom: I do all of my Geneva Chase launches [here]. The only one that I didn’t do was when I did the dinner theater at the culinary school.
Autumn: So still really still there’s still a Floyd’s connection.
Tom: And as a matter of fact, one of the co-owners of Floyd’s runs the Culinary School. And she asked if I would do that theater in order to cook kick off my book last year, which we did.
Autumn (narration): In 2022, Shana Olmstead, co-owner of Floyd’s 1921 chamber board member and chair of the Culinary Program at Carteret Community College, asked Tom to branch out from writing novels and pen a dinner theater play to help raise funds for Carteret Community Theater, his new facility. The old one had been destroyed during Hurricane Florence. Eager to help, Tom wrote Death of an Author, which the theater performed to two sold out audiences in his new culinary building. Tom wrote himself into the play as the titular main character and killed himself off right after the salad.
Tom: right after the salad.
Autumn: Right after the salad. So this question should be easy for you. Let’s imagine that you are the protagonist of a story. What are your defining characteristics and what’s your story arc?
Tom: Well, first of all, when I when I write a book, I’m always the protagonist of the story. There’s some of me that goes into each character and that includes the bad guys. You are you are part of all those characters. There is you write down. So the overarching theme for my protagonists is they want to do the right thing.
Sometimes they don’t always know what that is, but in the end, they want to make things right and they will go to great lengths to make that happen. And I, and I would like to think that I’m the same way. I’m not as brave as my protagonists, and I certainly don’t have the chutzpah that my protagonists have, but they are all me.
Autumn (narration): Having met Tom and read his novels, I can see the similarities between the author and his tenacious protagonist, Geneva. And Tom’s desire to do the right thing is apparent in all the things that he does. It’s a quality that I find in many of the local folks I find so impressive. They see a challenge and they start looking for solutions, but they don’t go at it single handedly. They work cooperatively in the same way that Geneva Chase partners with other professionals to solve crimes. In addition to his roles as the president of the Chamber of Commerce, author and now playwright Tom serves on the board that advises Noah on the management and protection of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. And since 2016, he’s served as the president of the Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast, advocating for the responsible stewardship of coastal waters.
Tom: We represent 43 businesses from Maine to Florida. Yep.
Autumn (narration): Tom also shares his time and talents with people in his community who look to him for creative inspiration. He teaches creative writing through the community college life enrichment program. When I first got to town, I was like a lot of people in 2021 in a real creative slump and definitely in need of enrichment.
In his class, Tom encouraged us to write, of course. He was supportive and inspiring, as you’d expect, having met him yourself now.
But I think the most powerful thing he did, for me at least, was to cultivate a sense of community in his classroom.
He also encouraged us to get involved with the local writing community, Carter at writers, which had suffered setbacks during the pandemic.
Tom’s community spirit is contagious, and within months of meeting him, I found myself not only a member of the writing group, but on the board alongside three other graduates of this creative writing class.
In the spring of this year, we celebrated the Carteret Writer’s 40th anniversary with a conference that brought together writers from all over eastern North Carolina. And as far away as Baltimore. It was a fantastic and really fun feat that wouldn’t have been possible without Tom’s commitment to the writing community.
Tom: That was fun!
Autumn: Yes, it was so much fun!
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): Tom is a community builder, but he’s not the only one. It’s a quality I see frequently on the Crystal Coast. A desire to work with others to serve the greater good. So I wanted to know:
Autumn: What are the core values that drive this commitment to community involvement that you have?
Tom: I always want to leave the community a little better place than when I walked into it. Any anytime I’m with an organization, I want it to be better off than when I first started. So with the Chamber of Commerce, I want it to be a better organization than when I first started. It was great. When I started, I wanted to be a little better when I was working for downtown. We make some great strides downtown. I’m so proud of the work that we did down there When I was working for the magazine company here in the community, we did some really cool stuff, not just for the company but for the community.
[Music rises and fades]
Autumn (narration): Like many places, Carteret County has been the scene of massive changes during the last few decades. There have been upheavals like Hurricane Florence and advances like the blossoming culinary arts program at C.
Ultimately, each has been an opportunity to leave the community a little better than it was. And Tom’s had a front row seat for many of the changes that the area has undergone. Not that he ever has time to sit down.
Tom: Sure. I’ll tell you, it’s a lot different than when I first moved here 17 years ago. downtown Morehead City. You could literally fire off that cannon and not hit another soul. And now you’re lucky if you can find a place to park. So it’s changed a lot. People have discovered that this is a great place to live. Not just a great place to come on vacation, but a nice place to raise kids. You can work here. You can work remotely.
Autumn: Yeah, it really has a little bit of everything. I mean, and also just the different pocket communities, you know, like each little area is so different, Beaufort is so different.
Tom: Each area has its own identity and don’t get them confused
Autumn: That’s what makes this area so cool. Each area has its own identity and I love that.
Tom: Once again, we kind of go back to the quality of life, the arts, improve the quality of life in the arts will include things like food. We have some of the best cuisine in all of North Carolina, if not the East Coast.
We have wonderful music. All you have to do is go out in the evening to almost any restaurant or bar. The music here is unparalleled. Um, you know, we have some terrific art galleries and art organizations that support the arts. And of course, of course, I’m partial to the Carteret Writers group, which there’s a resurgence in that. I am really excited at how many writers we’ve got here. We’ve got good writers in Carteret County.
Autumn: Yes, we do.
Tom: That all helps improve the quality of life. It’s amazing – it’s an amazing location. That’s one of the reasons why even after retirement we’re planning on staying here. This place is our home.
Autumn: This is the place to retire. I feel like I’m retired even though I’m not.
[music rises and fades]
Autumn (narration): It’s easy to get off track, waxing poetic about Carteret County’s laid-back lifestyle and cultural scene, especially with a fellow writer. But that’s not what we’re here for in this episode of Epic-Carteret.
I want to understand how the county’s business ecosystem encouraged jobs, mutual fruitfulness, and a desire to work together for shared benefits.
Tom’s foray into playwriting offers a perfect example of what I’m talking about. In this massive collaborative effort to raise funds for the new theater. Tom brought his creativity and his headline or popularity to sell tickets, which also happened to put more eyes on his latest Geneva Chase thriller ‘The Whisper Room’.
The community theater folks deliver their own creative gifts, including a dead ringer to play the fictional Tom Kyes, and reminded the community of the value of supporting the local cultural arts.
The community college culinary department provided the setting and the delicious dinner, and it was also an opportunity for students to show off and hone their skills in a fast paced, real-world situation.
And locals got to support a good cause while enjoying a fun night out on the town.
It’s when’s all the way down. And from what I’ve witnessed since moving to the Crystal Coast, that’s more common than not. But how?
[Carteret County’s thriving business scene]
Tom: Well, that’s, that’s the hard part, now. That’s the magic trick.
Especially in an area like this. There are three points to economic development in this community. One is good health care and we’ve got excellent health care in Carteret County. One is good schools and we’ve got some of the best public schools in the entire state of North Carolina, I am proud to say. And the other is quality of life. Quality of life here is really, really important.
So, if you’re starting a business, you’ve got to keep that in mind. You don’t want to start a business that’s going to make that up. Yeah, you know, you – you want to start a business that’s compatible to all of that. And most of the businesses we have here are small businesses that are locally owned and they’re aware of that.
And they are, they are pretty much all community oriented. They want to succeed, but they also want to see the community succeed. So, it’s a symbiotic relationship.
Autumn: Yeah, I mean, like said, when we were talking to Chef Floyd earlier, the way that restaurants work together
Chef Floyd: Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I mean, there’s a lot of wonderful restaurants here in Carteret County. Yesterday, my wife and I had took a day off finally, and we went travel to another restaurant to eat and support them. And it’s all we help each other out,
Tom: The businesses do that, and the nonprofits do it. There are some communities I’ve been in where nonprofits are competing with each other because there’s only so many nonprofit dollars available. But here they’re all very, very – they help each other. If you need a hand with something, they’re always there. I’ve never had anybody say no.
[Music rises and fades]
Autumn (narration): So, let’s say you, like me, are a small business owner or entrepreneur in Carteret County, and you want to reap all the rewards of this thriving business community. You want to do the right thing. You want to solve problems. You want to work with other go getters like Tom. Where do you start?
Tom: if you really want your business succeed, you know, go to the business after hours, go to the ribbon cuttings, go to the all the go to as many events as you can.
Because one of the things I learned when I first got here, people want to do business with people they know. They don’t want to do business with people they don’t know. It was advice I got when I first got here and its advice that I give.
Autumn (narration): If you recall, I mentioned that I’m a reformed recluse. I’ve been a chamber member in one place for another since I started my copyrighting business in 2013 in New Orleans. But my chamber membership was about as active and useful as any gym membership I’ve ever held. I got the card that says I’m a member. Are you telling me I got a common side and workout too? Come on, now that seems like a little bit much.
Likewise, chamber networking events have traditionally been polite, but firm. No, thank you for me. The Carteret County Chamber hits a little different, though, with beach music and a bar and all that delicious local cuisine Tom’s been on about. Allow him to likewise paint a picture of the community’s more relaxed approach to building a professional network.
Tom: When I first got here, I went to this huge event. It was a Chamber of Commerce event over at Sound Bank, and they had it on their parking lot and they had a live band, and it was catered by Hooters. And, you know, there must have been 400 people in that parking lot. And I had just moved here from outside of New York City. So, for me going to these things was speed dating. How many cards can I hand out? How many cards can I get, How many people can I meet, how many hands can I shake? And I started doing my shtick and somebody came up behind me and they put their hand on my shoulder and they said, “Son, I’m going to give you a piece of advice. Slow down. People want to get to know. They want to talk about hunting. They want to talk about fishing. They want to talk about Bubba who got arrested last night. Relax.”
Best advice I ever I ever had. Get involved and just get to know people, talk to them. And you don’t even have to try to push your business right away. Get to know what they feel they’re interested in, and it’ll come, and you’ll be successful.
Autumn (narration): Easy for someone as suave and self-assured as Tom to say. But what if you’re somebody like me new to this whole community thing? How do you get involved if you want to help make things better? But you don’t even know where to start. Tom has straightforward advice for that.
Tom: be a joiner, be part of the Chamber of Commerce, be part of the Arts Association, be if you’re writing, be part of the pirate writers, I highly recommend that be where other people are and you can see what’s needed and how you can be part of that group and what you can do to help. That’s, that’s that really is it. You just have to reach out and do it.
[music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): If you want to live in an epic community, get involved. Tom’s message couldn’t be clearer. But it’s not always easy to know how to go about it, especially if you’re a reformed recluse, like me.
There are so many communities in this community. How do I know which ones to join? What will I have to do when I’m a member? Will there be pancake breakfasts?
Carteret County’s Chamber of Commerce saw all your questions, and they’ve developed a way to help community minded people like you get to know your community better. It’s called Leadership Carteret.
Tom: We have about 30 people that go through the class every year and we show them the good, the bad and the ugly. We teach them about government. We teach them about the education programs that we have here. We take them backstage at the aquarium. We take them out to Cherry Point.
Autumn (narration): The participants play games, take field trips around the county, and practice working together to overcome obstacles, including climbing the infamous 20-foot wall at Camp Albemarle. No leader is left behind. The Leadership Carteret program is transformative for the participants.
Tom: We’ve had people who grew up here and by the end of ten weeks, it’s a, it’s a really concentrated program. At the end of ten weeks, they will have seen and learned things that they didn’t know existed in Carteret County, When you’re done, you might have a few bruises and a few scratches, but everybody is tight and bonded, and they stay tight and they stay bonded. I’ve got friends I took the class with back in 2007. We’ll be friends for the rest of our lives.
Autumn (narration): And I think it’s fair to say Leadership Carteret is transformative for the community.
Tom: We give all of them a community project to work with. We work with nonprofits like Hope Mission and Habitat for Humanity, and they’ll continue to work for those organizing missions even after the leadership program is over. And you see a lot of the people that sit on the boards and raise money. There are folks that went through the leadership program. There’s no way to measure it. But if you if you go to almost any place and it’s a group of volunteers or a community group of any kind, ask how many people here in this room went through leadership of right, you’ll be amazed at how many people raise their hand.
Autumn (narration): We started this episode asking “What’s the secret to a thriving business community”? And Tom offered a pretty compelling answer: genuine engagement. Instead of aggressive marketing, focus on building genuine personal connections with the people around you, participate in events and get to know others in your business community to foster trust and cultivate mutually fruitful business opportunities.
Tom Advises joining the community groups that move you like the Chamber of Commerce, the Arts Association, and Carteret Writers as a way to engage with others and identify community needs. And of course, participating in programs like Leadership Carteret can provide you with an even deeper understanding of the county, its operations, and its challenges.
[Music Swells and fades]
I met Tom when I came out of my little hermit crab shell. Long enough to take his creative writing course at the college. Because I’m a former teacher and a lifelong teacher’s pet wannabe, I knew that sitting in a classroom would force me out of my creative slump. That one little step put me in relationship with some of the most creative, encouraging, and downright epic people of the Crystal Coast, including my next guest, Amanda McCall, a Carteret County educator who, like Tom, has a knack for pulling people together to make the place better.
So, make sure to join us September 27 as Amanda shares how she uses cooperative efforts to better serve Carrboro County’s community of learners.
Also, visit Epic-Carter.com to read essays and articles by local writers that offer more insights into all the things that make Cartwright County epic. To learn more about Floyds 1921, including their ties to his incredible Escoffier program and to find links to all the organizations and programs mentioned in this episode.
If you’d like to support Carteret Community Theatre’s new theater, visit CarteretCommunityTheatre.com. That’s. T. H. E. A. T. R. E dot com. There’s a link on the Show notes page.
[Outro music swells]
Before we wrap up, I’d like to take a moment to extend my heartfelt thanks to those who made this episode possible:
Stay tuned for more epic Carteret. And remember, if you’re curious to know what it takes to create an epic community, the answer? Maybe you.
How to Grow a Community of Learners with Amanda McCall
Transcribed by Autumn Ware with the help of Hindenburg Pro
Intro
[Intro Music with occasional Seagulls squawking]
Autumn (narration): Welcome to EPIC Carteret. I’m your host Autumn Ware, and I washed ashore on the Crystal Coast with my family in December 2020. I arrived worn and weary, but within a year, I found myself converted from an exhausted traveler to an energized participant in this vibrant community. I’m a reformed recluse in a place that knows the secret of transforming strangers into neighbors. Now, I’m on a quest to uncover what makes Carteret County such an extraordinary place to call home.
[music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): Last time on Epic Carteret, we explored the county’s bustling business ecosystem. Guided by the ever insightful Tom Cai’s, we posed the question, What’s the secret to a thriving business community? And the answer, at least in these parts, was genuine engagement. Business folks around here don’t just coexist. They support one another, which leads to mutual fruitfulness. But business isn’t the only thing booming on the Crystal Coast. From summer enrichment at the bridge down East to life enrichment at the community college. The spirit of self-improvement is alive and well in Carteret County and growing isn’t just for the kids. Children. Adults. The young at heart. I Carteret County, it seems like everybody’s on a voyage of discovery.
[music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): I met Tom taking his creative writing course at the college. And because paths intertwine in such close knit communities, I was introduced to our next epic guest, Amanda McCall, another lifelong learner, and Decatur County educator. Through a fellow classmate in that same course in episode two, Amanda and I are setting our sights on the educational horizon to consider how a community of learners can make progress together. Could it be that a collective commitment to personal growth is one of the secret ingredients when you’re cultivating an epic community?
Autumn (narration): But before we dive in, I have a confession to make. I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never produced a podcast before, and I’m learning as I go. As an educator myself, I know that a big part of learning is screwing up. And I have experienced a few epic fails already. Fortunately, Amanda is the pinnacle of patience and encouragement. If you’re going to really screw up in the service of trying something new. She is the exact person you want sitting across the table from you.
Tom: I got here because I was offered a job as publisher, general manager of a magazine, local magazine company, and commercial printing firm.
I’d always wanted to be a publisher, and they offered me a position here. And I’ve never – I’d never been south of the Mason-Dixon Line before.
Autumn: Oh, wow.
Tom: I didn’t even know that Morehead City, North Carolina. And actually, I was I was only planning on being in here maybe four or five years.
Autumn: Oh, wow.
Tom: And I was going to I was going to move back to Connecticut 17 years later, and here I am. It’s home.
Autumn (narration): What’s kept Tom here all this time? The pristine beaches, the wild horses, those delicious crystal Coast oysters. No doubt they add to the allure, but it’s the community that Tom finds extraordinary.
Autumn: girl. I’m so sorry.
Amanda: I have time.
Autumn: I’m so, so sorry.
Amanda: Well, I got a drink, and cheese and chips. It’s okay.
Autumn: All right, All right.
Autumn (narration): That’s me and Amanda, Morehead City Primary School media coordinator and mastermind behind the Title Wave, Carteret County’s new bookmobile, which launched this summer thanks to Amanda’s ability to inspire and motivate the good people of the community.
We’re at Mezcalito Mexican Grill on Front Street in Beaufort. Up until this moment, I was enjoying my michelada and queso dip and basking in how competently I was handling the interview. This is the moment I realized the recorder had stopped recording some time back.
<< Sad trombone >>
Autumn (narration): Not only did Amanda not storm out or make me feel more like an idiot than I already did, she offered this pearl of wisdom:
Amanda: Now I can say it again, and I might sound even better.
Autumn: That’s not surprising at all coming from Amanda. In her Neighbor to Neighbor piece for Carolina Coastal Online during the early days of the pandemic, she said, “We grow the most when we’re being challenged.”
You love her already, right? You’re not the only one. Amanda had a devoted fan base even before the Title Wave bookmobile started making its rounds this summer.
In May 2022, she was WITN’s Teacher of the Week, nominated by a member of her community for creating an active, stimulating library environment, for incorporating technology in all her lessons, and for teaching 21st century skills and critical thinking. This year, she was one of Morehead City Primary School’s Employees of the Year. \
But what really stands out to me about Amanda – because I’ve seen it now across so many of her efforts – is her commitment to collaboration and cooperative growth.
[Music swells and fades]
Amanda: So, I feel like part of being in education is you’re not going to educate unless you have kids who want to be at school or at least somewhat invested, and the only way to get them invested is to make that connection somehow. So that cooperative growth piece comes in, in my opinion, when you have to go outside of the 7 to 3 school day and outside of what you’re doing in the classroom every day and really trying to build that connection not only with them but with the parent and try to learn about them as a family, as a student. What kind of sports do they play? That type of thing. And give those opportunities for parents to embrace and become part of the learning team and really act as partners more than just: “I’m a parent. This is my role.” “I’m an educator. This is my role.” It’s kind of like they have to be blended if that makes sense.
Autumn (narration): She hosts after-school events for students and parents. She co-teaches and coordinates instructional and tech support for teachers.
During the pandemic, Amanda introduced “STEM Lit Kits from Home” funded by a Bright Ideas Grant to transform a particularly stressful time for parents and students into a fun team effort among co-learners.
Amanda: The STEM Lit Kits, I thought gave a great opportunity or great way to where we could show part of what we do at school. And there’s that literacy component, there’s that STEM, that engineering, that math component, but in a fun way and to where they could be checked out. Any student could do it. It could be checked out at school, sent home. Kids can do it as a family, as a mom and dad.
It really gave not only that time for the kids and parents to do something like a bonding experience, but also for them to become part of that educational piece that helps them see this is what they’re doing in school. They’re some of the things that they’re doing at school, and this is how we can kind of improve and help them.
To see all the pictures come in of the kids engaging, the parents engaging. Oftentimes, just as a society, we associate like moms with education. We just do and to see those dads becoming a part of it. And I know that’s stereotypical, but you see those dads becoming a part of it and building bridges or creating things. It was just a cool thing that I think that the whole family can kind of wrap their head around.
And then kids that are like two or three maybe not be school aged yet, but get to see things and be part of that too, was a neat way just to bring it all around to where everybody’s involved and learning and growing and having fun.
We gave a feedback opportunity to go back and say, you know what did you like? What did you not like? How can we improve it? So kind of gave them that authority to be able to contribute in the future planning of things as well. You know what I mean? Because we hope we’re doing things the right way, but we can always make changes.
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (Narration): This summer, Amanda brought together businesses, organizations, teachers, students, and parents to launch the whimsically-painted, bean bag-boasting bookmobile.
That makes the Title Wave more than a bus filled with books in my book – it’s a symbol of a community coming together to support its youngest learners and to bridge glaring educational gaps, which even the most epic communities have.
So how did Amanda come up with the idea for giving an old schoolbus a new life?
She noticed that during the long summers, students of all ages lost ground in their reading skills, especially those kids whose parents were working during the day, who had no vehicle, or who otherwise didn’t have access to library resources and reading materials during the summer
Amanda: It was one of those things that because I was in the classroom for 15 years before I would see firsthand those kids that left a grade before at a certain level and then come back, and when we tested at the beginning of the school year, you’re like, “Wait a minute, they were here and now they’re here?” And so being that I had that experience in a classroom, when I got to the library, I said, “Well, what can I do to, like, be a part of that?”.
Autumn (narration): Amanda saw a problem in her community, and she started brainstorming ways to address it. You won’t be a bit surprised to learn that inspiration struck while she was mixing and mingling with other lifelong learners while attending national professional conferences.
Amanda: I was going to the National Librarian Conference in Utah. It was huge, like bookmobile bus. But I mean, it was like they got this huge grant, like $80,000. And I was like, I can’t. There’s no way I can’t do that, you know? So I kind of got to where I wasn’t sure where to go with it. And then I went to North Carolina School Library Media Association has an annual conference, and there’s was in October this past year. And they had a lady there who was presenting and she talked about how she created this bookmobile, and she did it for $5,000. And we got to see it. It was like, oh my gosh, I can do this. So I left. So I left there thinking, okay, this is my sign. Like, this is where this is. I can do this now.
Autumn (narration): At that conference, surrounded by other professionals engaged with making a real difference in education, Amanda saw a model for how she could support young learners in her own community. But she knew she couldn’t make her bookmobile dream a reality alone.
Amanda: So from there, I just kind of started making contacts and started kind of figuring out where to start and how to start. And kind of just took off from that point.
Autumn (narration): Amanda reached out to local business owners, teachers, students – even members of her local workout group Females in Action – to help grow support for her project, and they didn’t let her down.
From local businesses like Heritage Cabinet Company and On the Move Physical Therapy to local non-profits like the Arts Council of Carteret County, the Crystal Coast Quilters’ Guild, and Carteret Writers, the community response was a resounding, “How can we help?”
Amanda: It’s a great example of what – when people come together – what can happen, you know. Between the number of businesses that have contributed. That’s just a start: Mary Cheatham King, Chick Fil A, Robbie Oakes Mortgage, Davis Dentistry. There’s a number that contributed financially, so there’s that.
And then on top of that…you have people like the town of Beaufort who have reached out, “Can you come to Art in the Park?” and “Can you come to this?” Or the curbside market in Morehead City who’s like, “I would love for you to come out to that.”
So that’s that community growing thing where people are literally saying, “This is what I’m trying to achieve. This is where we’re at. Would you have any suggestions?”
And then obviously the collaboration with the kids as far as a helping with the creation of the project, them spreading the word. I would go into a neighborhood and say, “Hey! Are there any other kids who live here? Can you get them?” Because some of them, they might not know where we are, you know?
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): Let’s talk about the kids for a minute because there’s one aspect of this project that particularly thrills me as an educator. Amanda didn’t rely 100% on the adults of Carteret County to accomplish her vision; she created an opportunity for young learners to take on leadership roles, too.
Students in Michael Litaker’s construction class at West Carteret High School designed the new bus layout, adding flooring and shelves for books. Under the direction of art instructor Amber Swanger, West Carteret’s National Honor Society art students designed and painted the aquatic graphics throughout the donated school bus. Amanda ran into one of those students while driving the bus this summer.
Autumn: You were telling me about a young lady who worked on it from the carpentry side. Tell me about her response when she saw the finished product.
Amanda: So we were at a Newport stop about halfway through the summer, and she got on the bus. I did not know who she was when she got on. She was high school age, and she had a younger sibling, cousin, something. So she comes on, they look, they do their thing. They’re getting ready to get off, and she said, “I just love what you’ve done with this.” She said, “I actually painted that bookcase.” And I was like, “Wait a minute, what?” Because I’d seen a lot of the National Art Honor Society, so I knew a lot of them, but I did not recognize this young lady. She was like, “Yeah, I was in the carpentry class.” I said, “Oh, what’s your name?” She told me her name. She said, “It’s just really cool to be able – because I saw it in pieces, right? So it’s really amazing to see kind of how this came together as a school project. And I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
Autumn: I love that. I love that. I mean, that is nice that they get to see. And that was one of the question. So tell me how that experience, for those kids taking on leadership roles in this project, you kind of allowed them to be entrepreneurs in a way, how that helped them to grow as learners?
Amanda: I mean, I hope it was a couple of different ways. I hope that they learned how, from a business standpoint, even though earlier I said I’m not very business minded, I hope from a business standpoint they learned how to interact with a client. So essentially, I was kind of a client, and I said, “This is what I’m thinking, but I’m not an art kid. I’m not a carpenter. This is what I’m thinking. What can you do?”
I hope that they learn how to, as far as response, back and forth: how to time a response? how to communicate why I like this, but I like this. And how do do that responsibly and effectively and professionally, but also how to, on the labor side of things, how to be responsible when it comes to that. We’re on a deadline. We wanted it done by this day, and so I could not build the shelves and build the bench and paint the entire thing on the outside. So I was relying on them to come through in a timely manner. And that’s hard for high school. And so the fact that.
Autumn: It’s hard for a lot of adults.
Amanda: Yes. So the fact that some of them are able to come out on weekends or stay after school. There was a girl who was on my daughter’s soccer team who I did not know was on the carpentry class. We went to my daughter’s end of year soccer banquet or whatever, and she was there and said, “Miss Amanda, I love the bus. And I was like, “Wait, wait, wait, what do you know about it?” And she was starting to talk about it. And I said, “I didn’t know you were in that class!”
And so to be able to see them be able to see that final product, see kind of what came out of it was special. I mean, it was special to be able to see them kind of really understand and see what it how it turns out. I hope that they learned that things can happen like that.
That’s what my kids tell me. You know, they say we do these things because we see you figure out your way through this. So hopefully other kids see that, too, you know, And if they have an idea realize they can work through that.
Autumn (narration): Amanda and her helpers met their deadlines, and the Title Wave launched this past June at a community celebration that involved food trucks and crafts, and of course, a tour of the converted bus.
Her quirky bookmobile immediately stirred excitement at outposts across this expansive county, from Harlowe Creek to Harker’s Island. On her first limited run, Amanda was greeted by 35 kids. On her last run, 188.
While many of her bookmobile clients are elementary school kids, the bus serves the whole community. Local middle school students and even a few high schoolers dropped by to pick up books, too.
Amanda: I work at a primary school, so my primary concern is those K-3s. But at the same time, I have two high schoolers. Then I have friends who teach at middle school, right? And so, you know, that doesn’t mean that you don’t want the best for them, too. So it’s not just about my kids, but about everybody, which is why we went down East, which is why we went to Bogue Sound.
When I pull into an area and there are people out there waiting and they cheer when I come in.
Autumn: Oh my gosh.
Amanda: Like I get teary eyed every time. It’s my favorite. It’s like, I don’t have any candy, I don’t have any ice cream.
They were literally like jumping up and down, cheering. That was pretty awesome. I just see them excited about being there.
While I don’t think it’s impacting every single kid we see, hopefully it’s impacting some of them, possibly the majority, and bringing them a step closer to learning to love learning, reading, whatever.
Autumn (narration): Amanda is being modest. Not only is her project inspiring kids to read during the summer, it’s inspiring them to think about how they can support other readers.
Autumn: Tell me about the young lady who brought books back, who was a user of the Title Wave bookmobile.
Amanda: We have a student who was a third grader at our school last year. She’s going to fourth grade this year. And so I saw her two or three times this year. We went to a daycare, and she was there. Then we saw her another time or two. The younger brother, he would come on as well. And sometimes if she wasn’t there, we would pick out books for her, that type of thing.
So yesterday on our final route, they came. Mom is an educator in the county, too, but she came, and the girl had this box full of 10, 15 books.
She went to her shelf, and she wanted to bring she wanted to bring you all these. I don’t know what kind of condition they’re in, but she wanted to. The little girl was like, “Ms. McCall, they’re going to love these.” And they were! They were graphic novels, which I always run out of because the kids love them. Just super excited to be not only a receiver of books…
But then to also be able to provide books that like literally the last stop we were out of Baby-Sitters Club, let’s say, and she would be bringing me those. Oh my gosh, they’ve been wanting these, you know?
So for her to feel like she’s contributing to others and being able to kind of give that back was kind of a neat full circle moment and got me thinking about like what a cool opportunity classes could embark on in this school year if they want to do a community service-type project, you know, but without spending any money.
I mean, it’s a cool way for them to realize, like invest in your community without and see how that feels without having to pay for anything. You know what I mean?
Autumn: Like, well, it’s like she sees the value and she wants to participate.
Amanda: Yes, and was okay to do it, you know, because not all kids are. And I get it with books or certain books that I might, you know, like, this is mine. I’ll keep it.
So for her to just so willingly be able to give those and then it was just neat because I didn’t expect it, and it was a sweet thing to see, especially on that last route and my last stop on the last route. And for her to see come up with that big box. It just made my day.
Autumn (narration): And just to bring it back around to mutual fruitfulness and cooperative growth, during its inaugural season, Amanda’s Title Wave bookmobile was able to also lend support to important local youth organizations.
Amanda: That was one of the things we learned, another one of those growth opportunities. We were like, okay, yes, I can go to neighborhoods, and I did. But there are also all these, a lot of times during the day, especially, kids are at Parks and Rec or Boys and Girls Club or wherever. And so we kind of got smart about realizing maybe I can hit this place. Like, Hey, can we come here? And everybody was super cooperative. Parks and Rec, Boys and Girls Club, My School Daycare, the Bridge Down East. And they were all very cooperative with letting us come. And I mean, it kind of was like, “We don’t have to pay you anything?” No, no, they just get to come in here, pick out books. So they were super nice in letting us kind of come in and bless them.
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): So let’s say you, like Amanda, see some unmet need in your community. Let’s say you’re someone who isn’t afraid of a challenge, someone who doesn’t mind learning new things if it means you can help someone else. What can you learn from Amanda’s experience?
Amanda: I could have an idea, but I don’t know all the answers, you know? So figuring out not to be afraid to ask for help or suggestions from other people, and lots of people, not just kind of pigeonhole myself into one area or become too egotistical in thinking that I have all the answers because that that would be a detriment to the whole project.
Autumn (narration): We started this episode asking: How can a community of learners make progress together? The Title Wave bookmobile project is a powerful model. Because she’s actively engaged in her workspace, Amanda saw a gap and envisioned a bridge. She gathered wisdom from her wider professional circles and harnessed the strength of her local community to turn that vision into reality. By mobilizing leaders young and old, she not only achieved her goal but inspired countless others along the way.
And Amanda’s passion is not an anomaly in Carteret County. A broader commitment to mutual growth and community advancement is endemic. Staff and volunteers at organizations like the Bridge Down East and the Carteret County Literacy Council tirelessly work to offer resources to learners in the community. CCC’s Life Enrichment program offers opportunities for growth at every age and stage of life, and local organizations like the Arts Council of Carteret County, the Beaufort Historic Society, and Carteret Writers cultivate creative growth and preserve the county’s rich cultural heritage through arts and folk craft workshops.
All these initiatives demonstrate a shared ethos of the region: to thrive together, to learn together, and to grow together.
Also, visit Epic-Carter.com to read essays and articles by local writers that offer more insights into all the things that make Cartwright County epic. To learn more about Floyds 1921, including their ties to his incredible Escoffier program and to find links to all the organizations and programs mentioned in this episode.
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): In our next episode of EPIC Carteret, we consider how celebrating good times together brings a community closer. From taking a New Year’s dip in the Atlantic to ringing in the weekend at Tapping the Admiral in Beaufort, Carteret County knows how to celebrate life’s moments, both big and small.
How do these collective celebrations foster stronger community ties and welcome more people into the local fold? Join me in October as I chat with Emily Carter, the Beaufort writer renowned for her holiday celebrations. She’s also the person who introduced me to Amanda. Together, Emily and I will explore how shared festivities in Carteret County help to cultivate a community where every story finds its place.
Also, visit epic-carteret.com to read essays and articles by Emily and other local writers. You’ll find insights into all the things that make Carteret County epic, you’ll learn more about the Title Wave project, and you’ll find links to all the organizations and programs mentioned in this episode.
If you’d like to support the Title Wave, visit the Title Wave Book Mobile Google Site. There’s a link on the show notes page.
[Outro music swells]
Before we wrap up, I’d like to take a moment to extend my heartfelt thanks to those who made this episode possible:
Stay tuned for more epic Carteret. And remember, if you’re curious to know what it takes to create an epic community, the answer? Maybe you.
Making space for celebration in communities with Emily Carter
Transcribed by Autumn Ware with the help of Hindenburg Pro
Intro
Autumn (narration): Welcome to EPIC Carteret. I’m your host Autumn Ware, and I washed ashore on the Crystal Coast with my family in December 2020. I arrived worn and weary, but within a year, I found myself converted from an exhausted traveler to an energized participant in this vibrant community. I’m a reformed recluse in a place that knows the secret of transforming strangers into neighbors. Now, I’m on a quest to uncover what makes Carteret County such an extraordinary place to call home.
[music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): In Episodes 1 and 2, we talked about cultivating a thriving business scene and about cooperative growth among learners. In this episode, we’re going to consider the role that shared celebrations play in community-building.
Community celebrations allow us to commemorate our shared history and achievements, to foster an appreciation of our diverse cultures, and to bring people together in a spirit of joy and gratitude. Local celebrations offer an opportunity for dialogue and cooperation, which cultivates greater understanding.
Regular social events, seasonal celebrations, and annual festivals serve as vessels for our shared memories. They allow us to raise the loving cup high and offer a heartfelt libation to this beautiful world we share.
My guest Emily Carter, a Beaufort-based essayist and songwriter, had this to say regarding the value of making space for joy in our communities.
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Autumn (narration): I met Tom taking his creative writing course at the college. And because paths intertwine in such close knit communities, I was introduced to our next epic guest, Amanda McCall, another lifelong learner, and Decatur County educator. Through a fellow classmate in that same course in episode two, Amanda and I are setting our sights on the educational horizon to consider how a community of learners can make progress together. Could it be that a collective commitment to personal growth is one of the secret ingredients when you’re cultivating an epic community?
Autumn (narration): But before we dive in, I have a confession to make. I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never produced a podcast before, and I’m learning as I go. As an educator myself, I know that a big part of learning is screwing up. And I have experienced a few epic fails already. Fortunately, Amanda is the pinnacle of patience and encouragement. If you’re going to really screw up in the service of trying something new. She is the exact person you want sitting across the table from you.
Emily: I think it’s soul food. It’s not all fun and games, but it could be much more.
Amanda: It could be so much more.
Autumn (narration): In difficult times, the experience of joy is nothing short of a miracle. But joy helps us cope with life’s challenges. It improves our health. It strengthens our relationships.
Having fun and celebrating with your people isn’t frivolous; it’s a way to heal the human spirit. They remind us that life is more than the mundane routines that often consume our days.
Local celebrations, like Morehead City’s Seafood Festival, Beaufort’s Pirate Invasion, or the Beach Music Festival in Atlantic Beach, allow us to stop and savor the special people, places, music, and moments that give our lives meaning.
[music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): I can’t imagine anyone more suited to this topic than Emily. In her role as the Vice President of Carteret Writers, she was pivotal in planning in the group’s recent forty-year anniversary. Emily is also on the board of the Penguin Plunge, the Crystal Coast’s annual New Year’s celebration, and she absolutely embodies the spirit of celebrating life’s moments, big and small.
If you were to look up “fun” in a dictionary, you’d see her photo there – if you could get her to be still long enough to take a photo.
In Episode 3, Emily and I consider how shared celebrations foster a more generous sense of community spirit, and the best place to start is right at home, which is where we recorded our interview. Specifically, we were in one of Carteret County’s favorite Halloween haunts – Ann Street in Beaufort. Allow Emily to set the scene.
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Emily: The cool thing, which I’ve never experienced anywhere else before, is everybody dresses up… John and I are going to be Gomez and Morticia this year. The families. It’s not just the children dressed. The whole family has themes. They’re walking around, and their children are trick or treating, but the whole family is dressed up. The vibe is magical.
The first year that we were here, a young girl, she was maybe ten or 11, was dressed like an equestrian, and she had a live miniature pony as part of her custom. So it’s just fun and laughing.
Everybody participates. I think it’s just a vibe. And you want to be part of it.
Autumn (narration): Before she moved to Carteret County, Emily and her husband John, a musician lovingly referred to as Emily’s Smokin’ Hot Love Biscuit, prepared s’mores in their firepit for neighborhood kids on Halloween night. Her new Beaufort neighbors quickly put an end to that old tradition, telling the fun-loving couple:
Emily: You do not have time for that. And we are like, I was taken aback. Like, what does that mean? We have time for a lot of things. And then the first year that we were here, we had over a thousand trick or treaters. She was right. And we were giving out candy as fast as possible.
That was 2019. And then the following year, COVID hit.
So the second year we turned our house into a pirate ship. We thought the world needs something really good, and John devised these PVC pipes, which were the candy cannons. We mainly did it for social distancing because of COVID. But we also did it because these kids have had a really hard year. And if they are brave enough to come out and trick or treat and try to have as normal experience as they can on the Halloween of 2020, then we’re going to give them something worth it. So much fun. The kids immediately like put their bags under the cannon and we’d fire these bags down. And that’s when we became known as the Halloween house.
Autumn (narration): COVID put a lot celebrations on hold, but Emily and John recognized that, especially during challenging times, people of all ages need a reason to laugh, to play, to greet neighbors, to welcome strangers – even if doing so requires a little ingenuity, like turning your house into a pirate ship and PVC pipes into candy cannons.
Creating a space for joy isn’t always easy. In fact, it can be a lot of hard work. Can you even imagine preparing for more than one thousand trick or treaters? Emily is smart enough to know it takes teamwork and elbow grease to orchestrate a community celebration, and she makes the work more enticing by turning it into a party all its own.
Emily: We’ll have a party Wednesday night. Not really a party, but we’ll have a candy assembly party on Wednesday. Twelve of our friends will come over. We’ll each do 100 bags, four pieces of candy in each bag, for the candy cannons. You know, and people will bring candy and donate it. But, yeah, we have a budget line item in our family budget for Halloween.
Autumn (Narration): Emily and John’s COVID Halloween shows how the spirit of play can thrive, even in challenging times, when people choose to share their gifts generously to uplift others. What’s more, they’ve found that airing their skeletons in public can also be cause for celebration.
That’s right. From the first of October until the 31st, Emily and John create a haunting new Halloween display in their front yard each day. The scenes star a hand-me-down vampire called Vlad and his skeleton crew up to silly seasonal antics.
Emily: So a friend of ours gave us Vlad. We adopted Vlad in 2019, and he became the anchor. In 2019, we only changed the scenes about ten days. Then in 2020 we started doing a scene every day. Since then, we’ve never duplicated a scene and we do it every day in October.
Today, we did a scene from The Lion King, and we just were laughing so hard. John and I do it together. At the beginning of October, it seems it seems daunting, but now here we are, the 23rd, we have more scenes now that we can do.
Autumn (narration): Over several years, this spirited family tradition has become a tradition for dozens if not hundreds of other Carteret County families who come out to enjoy the daily performance of the Carter House ghouls.
Emily: Families come by every day. People take pictures, they send them all over. We put it on social media, but there’s a little boy, Max, and maybe was four that first year. He got on the porch every day and had a picture made beside Vlad every single day. The next winter, I saw him in a coffee shop and his mom said, “Who’s that?” And she was trying to explain who I was. And he didn’t get it. And finally she said, “It’s Vlad’s mom.” And he went, “Oh! Vlad’s mom!”
It’s a good thing. John and I want to be known for people who are generous, who put smiles on other people’s faces, who are contributors, that we are giving good to the community and into the world.
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): In addition to being a Halloween queen, Emily has also been the Vice President of the Carteret Writers since 2021. A local non-profit committed to supporting and encouraging writers on the Crystal Coast, Carteret Writers was founded in 1983 and quickly became a pivotal part of the local creative community. But COVID took a toll on its membership and its vitality.
Like many organizations in the wake of the pandemic, Carteret Writers was facing the very real possibility of collapsing just before it could make its forty-year anniversary. But unlike many organizations, Carteret Writers had Emily, and Emily immediately set about saving the organization by recruiting new board members, including yours truly.
Prior to arriving in Carteret County, I’d never served on a board. I had only the vaguest idea of what a board even did, and none of it sounded like fun to me. But Emily changed my mind. I knew if she was going to be a part of it, it would be a good time, and that made it a lot easier for me to say yes to helping.
Autumn: What motivated you to join Carteret Writers board? Because you were the impetus for everybody. You bullied the rest of us into joining the board.
Emily: I did. I’m proud of that.
Autumn: So what was it that motivated you?
Emily: I think I went to meetings before COVID shut the world down, and the existing president was fabulous and is still serving on our board now. But he stayed well beyond his term trying to hold it together. And then he kept trying to entice people to take over or he was going to dissolve the organization. And then I got, you know, in my mind, gosh, this is a 38-year old group that’s going to be dissolved if we don’t save it. And that’s when you and Jen [Heironimus, the current treasurer] and Allison [Daniel, the former treasurer], Melissa [Kelley], Stanley [Trice, the former president], the other people that have been part of that, Trish [Sheppard, local poet and artist] and Jan [Parker, local writer and artist], as well, that helped save it. But yeah, it was a Hail Mary.
Autumn (narration): Two years later, Carteret Writers is thriving again with monthly socials that give writers a chance to practice their craft, get feedback on their work, and spend time with people who share their passion. We celebrated this renaissance and the group’s fortieth-anniversary with the organization’s first writer’s conference in April of this year. Local author Tom Kies was the event’s master of ceremonies, and writerly revelers came from near and far to share in our successes. After such a close brush with dissolution, it’s hard to imagine a more rewarding revival.
Emily: We put on a class-act conference. I mean, we got the attention of North Carolina Writers Network. I mean, Ed Southern came. I thought it was great. And I saw people really, really just be in their element. I think the speakers were in their element, and the writers were learning, and Carolina Home and Garden is a fantastic venue. Yeah. I was so proud of that day.
Autumn (narration): Every member of Carteret Writers felt proud that day because we’d worked together to make it happen. Past President Stanley Trice worked in lockstep with the group’s current President Melissa Kelley, and a tireless committee of volunteers found small pockets of free time between work hours, family responsibilities, and regular, everyday crises to make our vision for a conference a reality.
Emily: When I used to work for Dale Carnegie, one of the things that they always said was “people support a world they helped create.” And I feel as though we’ve seen that with Carteret writers, that people knew that this was a chance for them to offer a voice and contribute, with their writing, but also in what the conference was going to look like. Yeah, I think we’ve seen that, especially with some of the more active members, we see that with Jessie [Waugh] and really solid writers who have stepped up their game, started consistently blogging and submitting more to contests. And that’s just great to see.
Autumn (narration): Carteret Writers is invested in celebrating its members from glow-ups in the monthly newsletter to interviews on the gtoup’s blog. And it pays off when writers gain the confidence to take creative risks, something that comes from feeling valued and appreciated by your community for your unique contributions.
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): From celebrating the creative voices in our local literary community, we now shift our focus to a broader community celebration that takes the plunge into icy waters, all for a good cause. On January 1st, hundreds of bold Carteret County folks brave the Penguin Plunge to raise funds for local charities and celebrate the spirit of renewal in Atlantic Beach.
Emily and John first got involved with the Plunge in 2021, when they were asked to fill in the very big shoes of the previous master of ceremonies. They were so taken with the community spirit of the event, they joined the board the next year.
Emily: The Plunge is so inspiring to me. People sponsor it. People register. People buy t-shirts. People are uncomfortable. Some people go all the way in and some people take the Presbyterian approach and sprinkle water on themselves. People are washing off the old and so many good things about it. And it’s almost 800 people that do it at Atlantic Beach.
Autumn (narration): While I’m not one who’s going to dive into the Atlantic Ocean to mark any occasion other than perhaps a leaky boat, Jack and I did dip our toes in at the Plunge last year, and it was a memorable way to ring in a new year, especially knowing our contributions were going to benefit the local community. If it sounds like something you’d like to dive into, you’re in luck!
Emily: The application process is actually open now through November the 15th. It has to be a 501c, and the board selects the charity. Okay. So for example, for the Plunge on January 1st of 2024, the charity is East Carteret Band Boosters, and they’re going to use the money to take a band trip, and kids who maybe wouldn’t be able to afford the trip, that money will be used to finance their part of the trip and uniforms and instrument upgrades and all the things that band kids need.
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): By now, I’m sure you can see what a perfect fit Emily is for this particular episode of EPIC Carteret. She’s a walking celebration, and her good times mean more good times for more people on the Crystal Coast.
Her Halloween ingenuity lifted the spirits of hundreds of socially-distanced kids during the pandemic, and her fun, festive displays have become part of her community’s annual traditions. The Carteret Writers conference, which wouldn’t have happened without Emily, raised funds for Amanda McCall’s Title Wave bookmobile, and the Penguin Plunge contributes to different local charities each year. So where in the world did Emily learn this knack for making good times happen, even when times are hard?
Emily: I did not grow up with money I my family was low low on the low end of middle class if we were middle class.
I grew up in a fun household. I mean, I grew up on a farm. My parents both had jobs, but we also had, you know, you go to work and come home and work. And on Sunday, we played baseball in the yard. Or if for some reason it snowed, and the power went out, we stayed up all night playing cards. My parents knew how to create fun. They just did.
And both of them came from big families and neither were ever so animated and happy as when they were around their siblings and family, which always said to me that that must have happened in their homes too.
Autumn (narration): Joy and celebration are soul food, absolutely necessary for our nourishment – and not just for kids. Grownups need to have fun, too, as a reminder that there’s more to life than bills and bad news. Maybe you didn’t grow up in a fun family like Emily, but cultivating more fun and spreading a little more joy can be as easy as a hop, skip, and a jump. Here’s Emily’s suggestion for getting started.
Emily: be intentional about bringing joy into people’s lives. If you want to have a game night, have a game night. Or do something that’s fun. Sometimes when I walk my dog, randomly, this isn’t just here. It’s been multiple places, and I’ll see that there’s a hopscotch drawn on a sidewalk. Go hop on it. Stop and swing. Do something that feeds that fun and play side, and just create some joy.
Autumn (narration): In this episode, we’ve explored the profound impact of shared celebrations on community spirit through the lens of Emily’s colorful contributions. Her enthusiasm and sense of fun made it easy for a reformed recluse like me to say yes to doing more. Even if I’m not sure what I’m getting into, I know it’s going to be a good time with Emily.
From creating captivating Halloween displays to her involvement in the Carteret Writers and the Penguin Plunge, Emily’s dedication to fostering joy and togetherness exemplifies some of the core values that make Carteret County a truly special place.
Shared celebrations create an enduring sense of community, and opportunities for celebrations abound on the Crystal Coast. Whether you want to dance the night away with new friends, celebrate a special occasion with a loved one, or just take a moment to show gratitude for this beautiful place we call home, you’ll find more than your share of joy in EPIC Carteret.
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Autumn (narration): Our next episode of EPIC Carteret will be our last of 2023, and we’re going to consider how a culture of caring enriches a community. From the Title Wave Bookmobile to The Bridge Down East, dedicated volunteers and staff at charitable organizations in Carteret County provide much-needed services to vulnerable residents.
How can epic communities empower more people and cultivate a culture of caring? Join me in November to explore how caring for more people can enhance everybody’s quality of life.
Visit epic-carteret.com to find photos of Vlad’s Lookout Lodge and links to all the organizations and programs mentioned on the Episode 3 show notes page.
If you’d like to join the Penguin Plunge, visit the website to pre-register and/or donate. There’s a link on the show notes page for that, too.
You can also read essays and articles by Emily and other local writers on The EPIC Blog, and if you are a local writer, you’re cordially invited to enter the EPIC Carteret Winter Hauntings Ghost Story Contest. General submissions will be open October 31 through November 13, the winner will receive a $100 cash prize, and we’ll be toasting the top contenders at a ghost story celebration in January 2024.
[Music swells and fades]
Autumn (narration): Our next episode of EPIC Carteret will be our last of 2023, and we’re going to consider how a culture of caring enriches a community. From the Title Wave Bookmobile to The Bridge Down East, dedicated volunteers and staff at charitable organizations in Carteret County provide much-needed services to vulnerable residents.
How can epic communities empower more people and cultivate a culture of caring? Join me in November to explore how caring for more people can enhance everybody’s quality of life.
Visit epic-carteret.com to find photos of Vlad’s Lookout Lodge and links to all the organizations and programs mentioned on the Episode 3 show notes page.
If you’d like to join the Penguin Plunge, visit the website – Penguin Plunge Atlantic Beach – to pre-register and/or donate. There’s a link on the show notes page for that, too.
You can also read essays and articles by Emily and other local writers on The EPIC Blog, and if you are a local writer, you’re cordially invited to enter the EPIC Carteret Winter Hauntings Ghost Story Contest. General submissions will be open October 31 through November 13, the winner will receive a $100 cash prize, and we’ll be toasting the top contenders at a ghost story celebration in January 2024.
[Outro music swells]
Before we wrap up, I’d like to take a moment to extend my heartfelt thanks to those who made this episode possible:
Stay tuned for more EPIC Carteret, and remember, if you’re curious to know what it takes to create an epic community, the answer may be you.
