Albemarle Soundings Albemarle Plantation Property Owners’ Association
January 2018
Volume XXIII Number 1
See Photo Corner for more photos of past winter wonderland scenes in AP. While a Albemarle Soundings V23beautiful N1 Click for Contents rare event, it is always to behold!
1 Paula FitzPatrick photo
BUDDY’S BUZZ
by Buddy Lawrence General Manager Happy New Year! Perhaps like many of you, I am wondering how 2017 went by so quickly. For me, in my first season as General Manager here at Albemarle Plantation, I am deeply appreciative of all the hard work and effort our Board, Committees, and staff put into making 2017 a year of growth and fun. I’m extremely proud of the way everyone worked together to make exciting events and activities available in all areas of the Club. Most recently, I hope you had the opportunity to participate in one of the many holiday events and create memories that will last a very long time. From a business perspective, we will look back at 2017 as a year when we met and exceeded the majority of our operating and capital project goals. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a few of the capital projects that make our community a better place, such as the redecking of “C” Dock, the new fountain, a new grease trap at Dockside, sales office bathroom renovation, and the beautification of the Belmont landscaping. For 2018, we are focused on continued improvement in many aspects of our operation and we have fun and exciting events scheduled. With the Board’s support, we will continue some capital improvements to enhance your club experience. Our key objectives for 2018 are our Clubhouse, Pool House, and Pool. We strive to make you proud of your community and to improve the overall enjoyment of Albemarle Plantation. Thank you all for welcoming me into the AP family as the new General Manager in 2017. I am humbled and deeply appreciate all of your warm support. On behalf of the whole AP team, we wish you and your family a happy and healthy New Year and hope to see you very soon. In This Issue (click to go to page) Meet the Newly-Elected Board Directors 3 Director’s Den (continued) 4 Ellsworth Franklin Memorial 4 Who’s New—Candice Hunter & Keith Nalepka 5 2018 Sound Golf Links Highlights 5 Who’s New—Deb Phillips 6 Photo Corner—Winter Wonderland 7-8
SOUNDINGS TEAM
Claude Milot, Editor Carol Jennings, Asst. Editor Julia Stapleton, Publisher Connie Barbash, Asst. Publisher Charles B. Whisman, Staff Photographer Tony Edwards, JoAnne Muzzulin, Pat Winter Staff Writers Albemarle Soundings V23 N1 Click for Contents Jeff Winter, Webmaster
DIRECTOR’S DEN
by Nick Calabro, President I have remarked a few times in this column over the past two years about how fast time seems to go by these days. As I sit here in midDecember drafting another Director’s Den column for Albemarle Soundings, that same thought strikes me again—just where did this year go? While the majority of work by the staff and management is concentrated on wrapping up 2017, the Board has turned its focus on 2018. The approval and presentation of the 2018 budget has been completed, and preparations are underway for the Annual Members’ Meeting of the APPOA. This meeting is scheduled for Saturday, January 27, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. at the Perquimans County High School auditorium in Hertford. The shift in date and time from a weekday evening to a Saturday afternoon is to enable resident members who are unable to attend a weekday meeting to attend, as well as to allow for non-resident members to travel to the Plantation and participate in the meeting. The APPOA Election Committee just completed another election cycle, which resulted in the election of two new Board members—Jock Muir, a longtime resident and current Marina Governor, and Jay Francies, a longtime lot owner. (See article on page 3.) This is the first time that a lot owner has been elected to the Board of Directors, and the remaining Board members look forward to both Jay and Jock joining the group and working with them. One benefit of the election results being announced in November is that the directors-elect have already been sitting in on planning and business meetings and are gaining familiarity with their fellow Board members and on how the Board operates. Jay and Jock will attend a New Directors Orientation Session along with the returning 2018 Board members, all in preparation for them to officially take office on January 27th. At the conclusion of the Annual Members’ Meeting, the Directors will immediately return to AP to convene the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, at which time the Board will elect its officers for 2018. The focus for the coming year will be twofold: improving the appearance of two of our most important amenities, the Clubhouse and the Pool complex, and ramping up our marketing effort to increase sales and the construction of rooftops. As it relates to the planned amenities improvements, following is a summary list of the repairs and maintenance initiatives that we will undertake in the Clubhouse and Pool complex. Clubhouse renovate both the men’s and ladies bathrooms repair the leak in the roof/dormer above the kitchen (re-shingle the roof if necessary) DIRECTOR’S DEN continues on PAGE 4
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by Tony Edwards
Tony Edwards photo
Jay Francies and Jock Muir are our new Board Directors for 2018. We thought you would like to know a little more about them, so here are a few interesting facts about each of them. Jay Francies is a new board member with a unique twist: he is the first non-resident director elected to the APPOA board. He lives with his wife Betty in Clayton, NC, just to the southeast of Raleigh. They moved there from Maryland in October of 2016 to be closer to at least one daughter and her family. They also have a daughter in Baltimore, a son in Bradenton, FL, and a daughter in Charleston, SC, all with their own families. Jay and Betty have owned a lot in Bosher's Point since 2003. Although they had planned to retire at AP, grandchildren started to come, and the economic difficulties of 2008 altered these Jay Francies plans. They still have hopes of building at AP sometime in the future. Jay is retired from an investment management firm that specialized in managed futures funds. Prior to that he had spent his career in agriculture, having been involved with the Farm Credit System, as well as in the farm supply and service industry. He was raised on a dairy farm in Maryland and has a degree in Agriculture from the University of Maryland. He has also done postgraduate work towards an MBA in finance. Since retiring in 2014, he has been actively involved in several organizations, with experience as an officer in many of them. Jay is looking forward to his term on the APPOA board and is hopeful AP can continue to make progress in becoming a premier community in which to live and play. Jock Muir was born and raised in Allentown, PA. Jock and Elana, his wife of 48 years, first met at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, NC, in the second semester of their freshman year and were married the day before graduation in 1969. Jock grew up in Pennsylvania, while Elana, born in Montgomery, AL, spent her formative years in Savannah, GA. They Albemarle Soundings V23
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proved that north and south can come to terms! Jock started his career immediately after graduation with Aetna Casualty & Surety Insurance Company in their Property & Casualty division as a marketing representative. His duties included managing a number of independent insurance agencies that represented the Aetna, first in Reading, PA, and later in Pittsburgh. After about four years with Aetna, he joined an independent insurance agency in Allentown, PA, and then later went on to own and operate insurance agencies in Quakertown, PA, and Milford, NJ. During these years, Jock became involved in a number of civic and business organizations. In 1999 Jock and Elana attended their 30th college class reunion in Laurinburg and set aside an entire week to explore coastal North Carolina for a place to retire; it had to have lots of water, a marina, and tennis courts. They fell in love with Albemarle Plantation at first sight and bought a lot. During their 35th college reunion, they stopped in at the Plantation and started building a home on their lot in Woodside II. They were fortunate to be able to use their new house as a vacation home until Jock fully retired. For about 20 years before to moving to North Carolina, Jock and Elana sailed extensively in the upper Chesapeake Bay with their two daughters, Meredith and Shannon, who are now both married and have provided Jock and Elana a total of five grandchildren that they love and adore. Meredith lives in Jackson, WY, with her two sons, and Jock Muir Shannon in Coopersburg, PA, with two sons and one daughter. Jock enjoys tennis at the Plantation and both have enjoyed canoeing, although not as much as they would have liked due to so many other activities. Elana and Jock still like to sail, though. Jock is giving up his position as Marina Governor as he moves on to the Board of Directors and is looking forward to the challenge. Tony Edwards photo
Meet the Newly-Elected APPOA Board Directors: Jay Francies and Jock Muir
Annual Members’ Meeting of the APPOA Saturday, January 28 at 2 p.m. Perquimans Co. HS Auditorium, Hertford 3
DIRECTOR’S DEN continued from PAGE 2
Clubhouse (continued) repair the floor in the dining room and replace the carpeting (if necessary) replace the windows in the Grille Room refurbish the wood dance floor/foyer paint portions of the interior repair/replace and paint some exterior siding full cleaning of the kitchen Pool Complex new liners for pool, hot tub, baby pool re-shingle the roof of the pool house repair the cupola or fix the leak in the library replace the carpeting in the library and the game room install a ceiling in the walkway between buildings repair the exterior wood on the pool pump house and storage building, and paint the exterior The second focus this year, the ramped-up marketing effort, will result in nearly doubling the APPOA’s investment in marketing to a total of $513k. The goal of this initiative is to generate an additional 100 tours and raising AP Realty sales to 35 units (combination of resale homes, lots, and model homes). These additional funds will come from contributions from Perquimans Development (the APPOA’s partner in the Model Home Program), an increase in the revenue received from Discovery Packages, and money from the operating reserve fund. Finally, Albemarle Plantation and the Sound Golf Links will again host the Biggs Classic Golf Tournament, scheduled for May 22 – 26. This year Albemarle Plantation will partner with the GProTour, a de-
ELLSWORTH FRANKLIN MEMORIAL by Billy Rowell
On Saturday, November 18th, family and friends of Ellsworth Franklin gathered under the oak tree by the first tee to dedicate a monument in memory of the former Golf Pro. Ellsworth came to Albemarle Plantation as Head Pro in 1994 and stepped down in 1997. He continued as weekend starter for the next several years. Ellsworth was a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and attended Randolph Macon College in Ashland. He served in the US Army during the Korean War. He was a member of the Professional Golf Association, as well as the Mid-Atlantic and NC Golf Association. He was also a member of Hertford Baptist Church, a 32nd degree Mason, and Shriner. Ellsworth passed away on September Albemarle Soundings V23
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velopment tour established in 2013 as a regional platform for aspiring professional golfers. Since its inception, the GPro Tour has paid out more than $1.9 million in prize money. Through the efforts of our new Head Golf Professional, Lee Duncan, the Biggs Classic has obtained an entry exemption for the tournament winner to the Rex Hospital Open, a Web.Com event that will be held the following week in Raleigh. The reputation of the tournament among the players, the partnership with the GPro Tour, and the web.com entry exemption to the Rex Open for the winner should attract a full field of players to the Biggs Classic this year. The three primary sponsors of the Biggs Classic tournament have chosen the Boys and Girls Club of the Albemarle as the charity partner for 2018. Look for future announcements about the tournament and the opportunity to join the various committees in the coming months. This month marks the end of my second term as president of the APPOA Board of Directors. While I will continue for another two years to complete my three -year term on the Board, there will be a new director serving as the “face” of the Board. I have had the good fortune to serve these two terms with the same group of directors and officers, and we became a close working team. I would like to close this article with a sincere and heartfelt thanks to these teammates for the effort and energy they expended for the past two years in support of my role as president. I would also like to express my gratitude to those who support the Board members, who endure the hours of meetings, and who graciously opened their homes to provide comfortable alternative work locations and lunches for us each month. Thank you all.
24th and is survived by his wife, Jo, three children, five grandchildren, and two greats. During his stay here he gained many friends, and his absence is felt by all who knew him. His monument is placed under the tree where he sat for his years as a starter. He called it the “Franklin Tree,” and it is so noted on the monument. After a brief dedication, Mrs. Franklin thanked everyone who had a part in making this possible and shared a few memories with the gathered crowd. Mike McNamera then closed the proceeding with a prayer. Most lingered afterwards for fellowship and conversation. 4
WHO’S NEW Keith Nalepka and Candice Hunter by JoAnne Muzzulin
Keith Nalepka and Candice Hunter are enjoying their new home in the Greenwood neighborhood. Candice, a fifth generation North Carolinian, grew up working in the family’s Adirondack chair business. After graduating from Currituck High School, she went to Old Dominion University, earning a Political Science degree. She enjoyed her opportunity to serve as a governor’s page in the Department of Cultural Resources under former Governor James Martin. This opportunity was right up Candice's alley, as she enjoys the arts, culture, and history. Candice then went on to a career in television news, starting at WAVY TV-10, and worked in three other markets over the course of twenty years, including Upstate New York, Lexington, Kentucky, and the Cincinnati/Dayton area. She took a leave from television in 2002 to work on a state legislature campaign in Upstate New York. For Candice, election night is like Christmas—it's that exciting! Keith's career has been in the healthcare industry, but he first played professional baseball for six years. Injuries prevented him from having a long career, but his experience with treatment for his injuries led Keith to the medical field. He is currently president of Bio-Electronics Corp., a medical device company associated with Johns Hopkins in a program known as "Innovate." Keith finds this a fascinating time for new
products and unlimited opportunity. Innovate is a program that provides monetization for new products; the company is actively launching new products to the US market, some of which have already been in use in other countries. He also hopes to bring manufacturing of its product lines to the US, possibly to North Carolina. Candice was pulled back to the area to care for her father earlier this year and then to settle his estate. When she returned, she found a very different northeast North Carolina than the one she left for her media career. In June, the couple travelled to the Inner Banks and the Outer Banks to have a look around. By September, she had an "ah-ha" moment. Saddened by the economic decline in the region, Candice decided to run for the NC House Seat in District 1. She decided, "Now, is the time and someday is today." Quoting Candice: "A rising tide lifts all boats, and it’s been low tide for too long." She is organizing a Northeast North Carolina (NENC) Task Force, because she believes it will require innovation and teamwork to improve education, infrastructure, and economic conditions in the region. Keith is very supportive of Candice’s goals and understands her mission. When his mother ran for the U.S. Senate in 1986, his father was supportive. So, he had a good role model. And Mrs. Nalepka was a close friend of Nancy Reagan! Keith has two children, Grace and Nolan. Grace is a high school senior on her way to college (hoping for University of Alabama) and Nolan is 12 and in junior high school. The couple found Albemarle Plantation while looking for a home. Like many of us, they were drawn to the gated community for the boating (Candice has a Coastal Yacht Master certification) and golf, but also for its central location within the northeast NC region. Welcome to Candice and Keith!
2018 SOUND GOLF LINKS HIGHLIGHTS Biggs Classic
May 21st – May 26th
Member-Member
June 18th – June 21st
Club Championships
Aug 20th – Aug23rd
Ladies Member-Guest
Sept 28th – Sept 29th
Men’s Member-Guest
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Oct 3rd – Oct 6th
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WHO’S NEW Deb Phillips by Pat Winter
When you first meet Deb Phillips, she might seem a bit quiet and reserved. But don’t let that fool you. Underneath that peaceful composure is a powerhouse, a bundle of energy and talent with plans for the future. Deb’s very favorite place to vacation has always been the Outer Banks, where she and her family vacationed nearly every summer for over 25 years. In 2002, when a fellow teacher from her eastern Pennsylvania school district asked her to come along to check out the Albemarle Plantation, only one hour from the beach, she was ready to go. So, that summer Deb joined Mary Ann Eichenlaub and two other colleagues for a weeklong exposure to the Albemarle Plantation lifestyle. This was the beginning of yearly visits to “this wonderful place” for Deb, and she is now the owner of a lovely home on the fifth fairway in the Oakland neighborhood. Deb bought her home two years before her retirement and rented the house until she was ready to retire after 39½ years with the Fleetwood School District in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Here Deb wore many hats as she helped this growing rural school district expand from 84 to 218 graduating seniors. For 25 years Deb served as the Department Chair for grades K-12 for health and physical education in the district. The diversity of her teaching positions during her years with the district is impressive. Deb not only taught physical education, but also delivered instruction in health, psychology, and driver education (both in the classroom and behind the wheel). She also developed a virtual physical education program for those students who couldn’t fit physical education into their schedules. She believed in the teaching philosophy that her curriculum should change every year, with a new focus and challenge for her students. Deb agrees it was a “stimulating career.”
But that sums up only what Deb did during the school hours. Until she became a mother, Deb coached field hockey, girls’ basketball, softball, track and field, and volleyball. Field hockey was Deb’s passion, however, and after relinquishing her coaching responsibilities, she continued to keep a hand in field hockey by officiating for 27 years at the Collegiate and Interscholastic levels. In 2013, the Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association honored Deb with the Gold Leaf Membership Award for those individuals that have spent countless hours touching the lives of Berks County’s student athletes. Deb’s children, two daughters and a son, continue to be a very big part of her life. When they were children, Deb used her summer vacation time to explore 43 states with them and instill the idea that if they wanted a career of their choosing, they would have to work hard and be willing to move away from the small town of Fleetwood. Today, daughter Julia is a research associate at the Oregon Health and Science University and Casey Eye Institute in Vancouver, Washington. Daughter Lea is a product-development manager at Bedgear Performance Bedding in Farmington, New York, and her son Brian is a portfolio manager at the State Board of Administration of Florida in Tallahassee. Here at the Plantation, you might meet Deb at the pool, where you will find her on most summer days expertly swimming laps. She has also been spending some time reviving her golf game and enjoys working out at our community center’s gym. A book club, barre classes, shag dancing, and the AP Women’s Club are just a few other items on Deb’s busy calendar. Deb’s hands-on approach to life now serves her well as she is busy painting and refreshing her new home and yard. Travel is also on her agenda, but her biggest goal for the immediate future is spending time with Cally, her first grandchild who lives on Long Island. “I couldn’t be happier,” Deb reports. And we are so happy to have Deb here with us. Welcome, Deb!
Archives of Albemarle Soundings are available on the APPOA website. Simply click on Documents (left hand column). The document category is Archives—Soundings. There you will find the Albemarle Soundings Newsletters beginning in October 1996 through this current edition (January 2018). Albemarle Soundings V23
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PHOTO CORNER The Winter Wonderland in AP The joy of living in Albemarle Plantation is that we do have four seasons: lots of spring , summer, and fall weather and just a touch of winter from time-totime. Pictured on these pages are some of those awesome days when the snow falls and then melts very rapidly. Resident photographers Paula FitzPatrick, Jock Muir, and Steve Pomp were quick to capture those special moments so that we can recall how lovely it looked before the thaw. Thank you for sharing! Steve Pomp photo
Steve Pomp photo
Jock Muir photo
Jock Muir photo
Paula FitzPatrick photo
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The Winter Wonderland in AP
Paula FitzPatrick photo Paula FitzPatrick photo
Steve Pomp photo
Jock Muir photo
Steve Pomp photo
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