Aberdeen Home and Garden

The Aberdeen Home and Garden Club met Tuesday, Feb. 17, in the home of Mary Lou Black, hostess. Fourteen members and two guests were present.

Jane Israel, program chairman, introduced Moriah Underhill, of Southern Pines, a junior at N.C. State University, who is a textile major. She recently spent six weeks in India where she was taught India's hand embroidery and other textile-related crafts. She lived in the home of a family in India, and teachers came to the home to teach her the crafts. She brought samples of her work to show to the group as well as a slide presentation of her travel in India.

The business meeting was conducted by Frances Marks, vice president. Committee reports were given. The Garden Club award had been placed at the Reynolds home at 705 Garden Road; errands had been run for two shut-ins; and a reminder was given that the birds were in need of water to drink and for bathing. Faye Honeycutt reminded the group of the upcoming luncheon and meeting at Belle Meade, sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

Ladies Special Events

Cecilia Budd Grimes will be speaking to the Ladies Special Events Wednesday, March 4. An author, speaker, trainer, and certified etiquette and protocol consultant, Grimes has been featured before at the Ladies Special Events.

"She is not only so nice, but is wonderfully funny," says a spokesman.

Grimes received her undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, her master's from Duke University, and her etiquette credentials from the prestigious Protocol School of Washington.

She grew up Southern: a magnolia tree in her front yard, five generations of kinfolk in the same Southern Baptist Church, family members with double names, grits in her pantry, and deviled-egg plates in her cupboard. A native North Carolinian, she resides in Chatham County.

Grimes will be sharing her perspective of growing up Southern, found in her little volumes on the subject "What It Means to Be Southern," its sequel, "More About What It Means to Be Southern," followed by "What It Means to Have a Southern Wedding."

The fourth addition to the collection, "What It Means to Raise A Child With Southern Manners," won an IPPY award at the Independent Publishers 2006 Book Awards as one of five books to place in Best Regional Nonfiction in the Southeast. The fifth book is "Front Porch Swings and Stringing Beans: What It Means to Grow Up Southern," and "What It Means to be a Southern Grandmother" is the sixth of Grimes' books.

"If you would like to see and buy any of these books after the program, Cecilia will be happy to sign and personalize them for you," says the spokesman.

Before the program there will be complimentary wine or juice in the main lobby at noon, and luncheon will be served at 12:30 in the main dining room. There is an elevator to the second floor.

Members and their guests are welcome. Call 235-8100, and press No. 1 when you hear the voice to make a reservation.

Those with questions or ideas, should call Cynthia Strecker, the chairman, at 295-8828.

Health Resources Network

Health Resources Network, a forum for health care professionals that provide services for seniors, meets Wednesday, Feb. 25, at noon at Table on the Green at Midland Country Club.

The first speaker will be Donna Traylor, marketing director from Elmcroft Assisted Living and Memory Support, who will talk about her facility and services. The second speaker is White Eagle from Medicine Time, who will explain his services.

Those interested in attending should call Veronica Sanchez at (910) 944-1116.

Pointing Breeds

The Sandhills Pointing Breeds Club will meet at its new time, 10 a.m., on the first Saturday of the month from now until May. The next meeting is March 7, at the club grounds, located at 3280 Jackson Springs Road, Jackson Springs.

All members are invited to attend, and light refreshments will be provided.

The SPBC is open to anyone interested in the pointing dog breeds. Dog ownership is not required.

For more information about the club, contact Donna Boyce at dboyce@nc.rr.com or at (910) 246-0190.

Pinehurst Rotary

The Pinehurst Rotary Club heard Chris O'Brien, a former resident of Pinehurst and graduate of Pinecrest High School, at a recent meeting.

O'Brien began his career with WIOZ and WDLV radio as an on-air personality. His topic was "How to Help Your Business Survive the Current Economic Conditions."

Over the past 27 years, his career has taken him from Southern Pines to Wilmington, and finally to Washington, D.C., where for the last 15 years he has added the roles of radio personality, engineer, program director, operations manager, senior account manager, CEO, husband and father to his resume. His talents have brought recognition in the form of 30 Addy Awards for radio and television production and three Achievement in Radio Awards from the Washington, D.C., Association of Broadcasters.

Volunteerism and community involvement are a major part of his life. He has served as a member of the board of directors of United Cerebral Palsy of Wilmington, and was a Guardian Ad Litem in New Hanover County. In Washington, D.C., O'Brien has served as the local broadcast fundrasing chairman for the National Kidney Foundation and is currently serving on the vestry of historic St. John's Episcopal Church.

His voice has been heard locally, regionally and nationally in association with such brands as Harley Davidson, Cisco, Nortel, Intel, Blackboard and Verizon Fios. In North Carolina he lends his voice to New Hanover Regional Medical Center for its "Medical Minute" series currently airing on NBC affiliate WECT in Wilmington.

In 2007 O'Brien retired from broadcast radio to form Who Did that Media LLC, a full-service agency, offering creative consulting as well as radio and television production. His parents, Denis and Shirley O'Brien, are residents of Pinehurst.

The Pinehurst Rotary Club meets Tuesdays at the Pine Crest Inn at noon.

S.P. Civic Club

Milliner and musician Janet Kenworthy of Aberdeen will present the program for the Southern Pines Civic Club at its meeting Monday, March 2.

Kenworthy's program starts at 1 p.m. at the clubhouse, 105 S. Ashe St. Visitors are welcome to the free program, with tea served at noon.

Blue Street Designs, in the heart of Aberdeen's historic district, is operated from Kenworthy's home, a 1920s-style residence at Blue and High Streets, where she creates her hats. "Millinery" is the old name for the ladies' hat trade.

The demonstration will mark the start of Kenworthy's busy season. She has operated her business for approximately 13 years and travels all over the United States in quest of styles and sales, taking her wares with her.

Kenworthy began learning her handmade trade more than 30 years ago, according to a local newspaper article published two years ago, at least here in Aberdeen. She actually became interested in millinery when working in New York for a brokerage firm, during which she attended parties, community events and horse races and was exposed to some of the more extravagant concoctions that hatmakers have produced for centuries to adorn ladies' heads.

Kenworthy will also tell the audience about a more recent enterprise called The Rooster's Wife, a local music organization started a couple of years ago, now in its winter concert season.

The 101-year-old Civic Club is open to both Southern Pines residents and those who live in other areas of Moore County. For information about club activities and memberships, call Membership Chairwoman Dorothy Shankle at (910) 692-3821.

W.P. Garden Club

During the February meeting of the Whispering Pines Garden Club, Bonnie Klein presented an interesting program on worms and their importance for helping to establish a good soil medium for plants.

Klein even brought one of her worm farms for the group to see. Those attending were shown how to raise worms, and at the end, Klein passed out handouts for further information about establishing one's own worm farm.

On March 3, the program will be "Fitness in the Garden," presented by Linda DeYoung.

"Please join us in the Whispering Pines Rescue Squad building on Ray's Bridge Road at 7:30 p.m.," says a spokesman.

The Whispering Pines Garden Club T-shirts have arrived and will be distributed to the 37 people who ordered them.

Distribution will take place prior to the meeting on March 3, and during refreshment time after the meeting.

"Thanks to those who ordered them," says the spokesman. "We look forward to seeing you wear them for our plant sale and roadside cleanup events."

The plant sale will be Saturday, April 18, on Ray's Bridge Road. The roadside cleanup will be Saturday, May 2.

One group will begin roadside cleaning at the old Thagard's Church parking lot, and the other group will begin at the Rescue Squad building on Ray's Bridge Road.

"However, you probably have noticed that the roadsides already need cleaning," says the spokesman. "We ask that, as good citizens, if you are so inclined, please carry a trash bag on your walks and begin picking up some of the litter prior to our scheduled May 2 cleanup date."