Albemarle Queen Welcomes the Boys and Girls Club

We have all heard the saying, “It take a village to raise a child”. The Sisters of Strength understand that raising a child is not solely the responsibility of the parents, but rather a shared effort within a community. Edenton is fortunate to have twelve very focused women who are members of the ‘Sisters of Strength’. Their mission is ‘Empowering youth and building a strong community through unity, inspiration and service’.  These women walk their talk and provide guidance and support for the  youth in Chowan County.  They were recognized for their community service on Saturday, July 26th at the first annual Soul Food Music Festival along the Edenton waterfront. Many of these ladies work for the Chowan Recreation Department which also works directly with the community's  youth.

Many if the projects completed this past year benefit all members of the community in one way or another. 

The organization provided scholarships to five local students while also supplying hygiene bags for the youth. They visit  nursing home  and  help with ‘A Day with Santa’; collecting money and toys for needy children. The group partners with the Edetnon Chowan  Recreation Department, the A-list for cancer awareness program and regularly assist senior citizens attend the 'Senior Prom'. VOter registration, Relay for Life, and Walk for Hunger  are just a few of the groups the Sisters of Strength support. 

A highlight of the group's accomplishments were  providing 45 therapy dolls to Nursing homes; and the list goes on.  These ladies invest their time and talents working hard with Chowan/Edenton’s children with special programs, events and fund raisers. They understand that a child’s development is shaped not only within their home but also their interactions and relationships outside of the home.  

The ladies that were recognized inlcude: Gloria Wadsworth, President; Gwen Brown, Vice President; Mary Williams, Secretary, Jamie Bowers, Treasurer; Karen Ames, Treasurer; Rose Cooper, Asst. Treasurer; Mechell Anthony, Mary Rayner; Patrice Bell; Alice Bunch; Sharon Bunch; Sadie Riddick. 

Aside from recognizing the Sisters of Strength. Greg Bonner, Mitch Stanley, L.J. Baily and Torrence Tripp were also recognized. The Homeboys distributed water to those braving the heat, the humidity and the knatts that joined the crowd For more information on the Sisters of Strength or to donate to one of their projects 757-679-9920.

While the heat has taken its toll on area crops, the Smiths' Sunflower Honor System Flower Stand is still open for business. The Smiths' summer project is coming to close. So the heat may be too hot to handle, nothing makes you look cooler than walking in the door with a bouquet of Smiths Sunflowers. Get 'em while they last....

You might say the Edenton community is embedded in the Edenton Coffee Shop. On most mornings, while their locally roasted coffee is brewing behind the counter, worldwide and local ideas are percolating at the large community rectangular table currently situated at the rear left corner of the eatery.  

To better know Edenton is to pull up a chair by 7:30 a.m. anywhere in the place and suddenly you are in the middle of town.  

There is a historic connection between the Edenton Coffee Shop and the Edenton community which has been developed over many pounds of coffee. Visitors often become localsafter  meeting ‘regulars’ over coffee.

In 2003 Patrick and Belinda Flynn purchased the coffee shop from family members and renamed it The Edenton Coffee Shop. Belinda’s sister and brother-in-law had previously operated the Acoustic Cafe, a music venue coffee house. Once the Flynn’s purchased the business they decided to make a few changes. They enlarged the space and added food. The Edenton Coffee Shop eventually became a community hub. Years past, the business pivoted, added a variety of products and continued to expand its customer base.  

While the reputation of the shop grew, so did the relationship between Belinda and Gigi Charlebois, at the time the manager of the Christian Book Store across the street.  

It’s a guarantee Gigi didn’t know then, what she knows now, or what she was walking into. After many trips across Broad St. , Belinda and Gigi became close friends. Belinda, a graphic artist with a fine art background wanted to spend more time on art. She also wanted to focus more on developing products for the store and expanding the coffee roasting brand.

She encouraged Gigi to purchase the shop and in 2016 Gigi crossed Broad St. and decided to buy more than one cup of coffee. She bought the business.  

Belinda became Gigi’swholesale provider of the Roanoke Roasting Co, coffee, along with packaged coffee, baked goods and of course, cookies, amazingly delicious butter cookies.

When Belinda decided to transition into smaller canvas, cookie dough in all shapes and sizes, resembling characters, animals, icons and trinkets, far and wide. While Belinda’s artistic beauty brings each cookie, uniquely to life – they are all individually hand painted with the best ‘paint’ you’ve ever eaten – it’s Patricks grandmother’s recipe building a palate pleasing foundation for Belinda’s artwork.  

Currently Easter Egg and Bunny Cookies are available and while standing in line on Saturday, enjoy the colorful smiling bunnies staring up from behind cellophane packages. Seasonally Belinda makes sought after gingerbread cookies from her grandmothers recipe.  

If you’ve seen “Well behaved women rarely make history” tee-shirt in the shop, it was created by Belinda along with other logo shirts her silk screening workshop.  

While Roanoke Roasting is the Flynn’s brand, they have  

had fun choosing names for their varieties of different coffees after key historical sites in Edenton and the Albemarle Sound.  

The Flynn’s coffee beans are hand crafted, fair trade, sustainable, and part of the Rainforest Alliance. Aside from the cookies, there is a full house made bakery case each morning and a breakfast and lunch menu offering breakfast items from the kitchen or counter and a lunch menu of sandwiches and wraps.   

It’s the perfect example of a place where locals go visit and visitors go to feel local.  

It was a day celebrating community service as the Edenton Tea Party Chapter of the DAR recognized area volunteers and organizations for contribution to the community.  

DAR Regent Bonnie Thuma Henn welcomed the guests and honorees to St. Paul’s Parish House for the luncheon.  

“Good morning and welcome to our Annual May Awards Luncheon.  It is my pleasure and honor to welcome you as Chapter Regent. We will be recognizing the recipients of the Community Service Award, Community members and Chapter members in honor of their service to DAR and the community.”  

Henn went on to highlight the preservation progress taking place at the Cupola House.  

“The Excellence in Historic Preservation award is a Chapter award, recognizing a local organization that has demonstrated excellence in historic preservation.  This award is being presented this year to the Cupola House Association”, explained Henn. “We have all been following the story of the return of the historic woodwork sold to the Brooklyn Museum in 1918. While the sale marked the loss of this woodwork, it also marked the formation of North Carolina’s first community led preservation association.  Fast forward to today, we are recognizing the effort of the Cupola House Association and the return of this woodwork to its rightful place, at the Cupola House.” 

Vonna O’Neil, President of the Cupola House Association accepted the award.  Many Edentonians know or have seen Rae Ohlert strolling through town during special events dressed in period attire. Not only is she highly recognized during these events, she was also recognized last week at the celebration luncheon.“One of the stars of this celebration was Rae Ohlert and we are recognizing her today. The “Women in the Arts” is a National recognition award may be presented to a deserving member of the Daughters of the American Revolution in acknowledgement of her outstanding work in the arts,” said Henn. “For this year’s award, a photo montage representing the collection of historic costuming completed by Rae was reviewed by National Chair and National Vice Chairman.  Rae’s work in historic costuming was deemed worthy of this recognition. It is an honor to present this award to Rae with our thanks for all the amazing wearable works of art she shares as well as her talent in oration, song and crafts that elevate each of our events throughout the year.”The Tea Party Chapter also received high praise and accolades and many first place awards at the State Conference. Those recipients included Sally Francis Kehayes – 250thEvent Chair, Sandy Sperry– Grave Marking Chair, Clara King – Chaplain; Melanie Gibbs– Recording Secretary and Americanism Chair, Candace Roth–Registrar ;Anne Rowe – Historian, Celeste Maus   Librarian, Rae Ohlert– American Heritage Chair,  Bonnie Pierce – Community Classroom Chair, Lisa Laws– Conservation Chair,  Robin Mayer – Constitution Week Chair, Leatha Fisher–DAR Good Citizen Chair, Nancy Olver–DAR Magazine Chair, Cynthia Herlong – DAR Schools Chair,  Katherine Ingram -Service to America Chairman, Jean Kuchta, Pamela Oliviera, Martha Smith, Julie Elmore, Kim Gowager – Treasurer, Reva Hinson, Kay Caveney and Claudia Dodson."Today we are honoring those who were a part of bringing the Edenton “Tea Party Trolley” to life.  This 10-month continuing event captured the imagination of all… they transported visitors and residents alike to 1774 and we could truly imagine what it must have been like to be there with those brave 51 ladies and those who supported their cause," said Henn. The regent went on to introduce and honor Amelia Bond, Gena-Erin Copeland, Elizabeth Corker, Russell Corker, Kay Currin, Chris Grimes, Lisa Laws, Rae Ohlert, Anne Rowe, Nancy Sorensen, Kathleen Towers and Tommy Wood.New DAR members Nonna Smith and Sandra Williams took the new member oath closing out the ceremony,