Community briefs

McFamily night is March 27 in Leland
McDonald’s at 1111 New Pointe Blvd. in Leland will host a child I.D. program for families in the area during its regularly scheduled McFamily Night from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 27.
Employees of New York Life will administer the program. New York Life’s Child I.D. Program is designed to help children in the community learn how to stay safe in their homes, at play or wherever they happen to be.
Child I.Ds are created using the EZ Child I.D. System, a comprehensive digital fingerprinting child identification system. Created with help from the National CHIP foundation and law enforcement officials, this system ensures that the digital fingerprints meet industry standards by capturing all vital information required by the Amber Alert System.
In three to five minutes, a child I.D. card is printed for each parent or guardian free of charge. Child I.D. cards feature a child’s photo, fingerprints, contact information and other pertinent information needed by the police in case of an emergency.
Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. No child’s information or pictures are electronically retained. All data is automatically erased upon printing the child I.D.

New books at Rourk Branch Library
The following books are now available at Rourk Branch Library in Shallotte. Reviews are courtesy of Friends of the Library.
Non-Fiction
“Ameritopia” by Mark R. Levin. An intellectually bracing new volume on America’s transformation and the clash between constitutionalism and utopianism.
Fiction
“Cat’s Claw” by Susan Wittig Albert. This Pecan Springs mystery featuring Sheila Dawson and China Bayles is a welcome addition to an already strong series.
“Hush Now, Don’t You Cry” by Rhys Bowen. The latest addition to her outstanding Agatha and Anthony award-winning historical series.
“Another Piece of My Heart” by Jane Green. A story that explores the complications of a woman marrying into a ready-made family and the true meaning of motherhood.
“The Fear Index” by Robert Harris. Gives a searing glimpse into an all too recognizable world of greed and panic.
“Defending Jacob” by William Landay. A full-blooded legal thriller about a murder trial and the way it shatters a family.
“Illusion” by Frank Peretti. A rich, rewarding story of love and life, loss and restoration, full of twists and mystery.
“Poison Flower” by Thomas Perry. The seventh nerve-wracking entry in the best-selling Jane Whitefield series.
“The Dog Who Danced” by Susan Wilson. The story of Justine Meade, who, in her life loved two people, and because of stupidity and selfishness, lost both. One was her son, the other was her dog.

Long comes home after deployment
Airman Terra Jenrette Long, U.S. Navy returned to Wilmington on Thursday, March 15, after a seven-month deployment in the Strait of Hormuz, near Iran, while aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. John C. Stennis (CVA 74). Her duty assignment was maintenance of GS-60 Romeo Seahawks.
The carrier Stennis was deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.
Before joining the Navy in 2011, Long was a resident of Wilmington and Calabash.

Senior site menus
Here are lunch menus for Brunswick County’s seven Senior Nutrition Sites for next week.
Monday, March 26
Chopped steak/gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, stewed tomatoes, pears, whole-wheat bread/white bread, beverage.
Tuesday, March 27
Turkey tetrazini, field peas/snaps, baby carrots, Mandarin oranges, whole-wheat bread, beverage.
Wednesday, March 28
Sloppy Joe, corn casserole, green beans, fruit cocktail, hamburger bun/whole-wheat bun, beverage.
Thursday, March 29
Macaroni and cheese/diced ham, vegetable blend, orange juice, dinner roll/whole-wheat bread, beverage.
Friday, March 30
Beef stew/vegetables/potatoes, brownie, pineapple tidbits, orange juice, whole grain bread, beverage.
The seven sites and their hours are as follows:
Shallotte Senior Center, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Leland Senior Center, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Southport Senior Center, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Oak Island Senior Site, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Calabash Senior Site, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Boiling Spring Lakes Senior Site, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Supply Senior Site, Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
All sites serve lunch at noon. Contributions are entirely voluntarily; however, no one is turned away for failure to contribute. Menus are subject to change.

VFW auxiliary plans auction for March 31
The Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7288 in Calabash will have its annual Chinese auction on March 31 at the VFW Post, 900 Carter Drive in Calabash. Doors will open at 10 a.m. and bidding must be completed by 1 p.m. Winners will be announced beginning promptly at 1 p.m. and do not need to be present to win any of the auction items.
Entry packets, which include 15 tickets for bidding purposes and one door prize ticket, are available at the door for $10. Extra entry packets may also be purchased.
A special item table will be available and tickets can be purchased separately for those items. There will be plenty of door prizes (you must be present to win a door prize) and breakfast and lunch items will be on sale.
Proceeds from the auction will be donated to the VFW National Military Services Program, which includes Operation Uplink (free telephone cards for military personnel serving overseas and their families and overseas Internet cafes), the Military Assistance Program, the Unmet Needs Program for military personnel and their families, and Adopt-a-Unit, which provides funds to be used in the support of deploying or returning troops.

Shaggers to have critters dance on March 23
The Society of Brunswick Shaggers will host a “Dance for the Critters” from 6:30-10 p.m. Friday, March 23, at the Oak Island Moose Lodge. Everyone is asked to contribute pet food for the Southport/Oak Island Animal Rescue (SOAR).
Featured deejay will be Robert Carter, SOBS vice president. Admission prices remain at $3 for SOBS and other shag club members and $6 for all guests.

Taste of the South business expo is March 21
The South Brunswick Islands Center of Brunswick Community College, 9400 Ocean Highway (U.S. 17) in Carolina Shores, will present Taste of the South 2012, which pairs a restaurant “taste” event along with a tabletop expo featuring local businesses, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. March 21.
Enjoy tastes of featured menu items from local restaurants and get to know the local merchants. Admission is $5 per person and taste tickets are $1 each (tastes will require two to four tickets).
There will also be a special appearance by celebrity Southern chef Nathalie Dupree, a best-selling author with 11 cookbooks and more than 300 television shows for The Food Network, PBS and The Learning Channel. Her latest cookbook, “Southern Biscuits,” will be available.

Brunswick County gets representation on foundation board
Historic Wilmington Foundation’s annual meeting on Jan. 28 at St. James Parrish’s Great Hall marked the beginning of the foundation’s 46th year of service and historic preservation leadership.
The foundation welcomed Ramona Bartos, deputy state historic preservation officer, who discussed the future of historic preservation in North Carolina and the opportunities and challenges ahead for both private and public preservation organizations.
Preceding her remarks, foundation members elected new board of trustees unanimously, and the board in turn approved a new slate of officers for the executive committee.
The meeting also recognized the hard work of those stepping down this year, including Marietta Gwathmey, Charlie Boney, William Moore, Cynthia Brown and Worth Merritt.
Historic Wilmington new trustees are Joy Allen, marketing and communications consultant; J. Leslie Bell, planning director for Brunswick County; Dan Camacho, writer; Napier S. Fuller, vice president business development for Atlantic Brokerage; and Jenna Williams, branch manager with First Bank.
New officers are Don Britt, president, attorney with Britt Law Firm; Michael Murchison, vice president, attorney with Murchison Taylor & Gibson PLLC; Veda Wilson, secretary, community volunteer; and Lawrence S. Craige, past president, attorney with Craige & Fox LLC.
Attorney Kent Stephens was elected to the executive committee.