All Things Moore County

This partnership & exchange program is in its 8th year.

Led by Denise Baker & Baxter Clement, 6 students will be making the trip to Ireland this July.

Baxter Clement is the owner of Casino Guitar and a music teacher and role model to many of our musically inclined students.

Denise Baker got the ball rolling with Sister Cities (Southern Pines & Newry/Mourne) back in 2008 with a conversation with then Southern Pines mayor, Mike Haney. From that conversation Sister Cities has become a viable reality. 

Joining Denise & Baxter is Connaire McGreevy, a form counselor for Newry/Mourne and his fiancé Lisa Mac.

Connaire's Brewery in Mourne Mountain Brewery and he's been to Southern Pines 3 times and has collaborated with Southern Pines Brewery, who donated
beer for the event held last week as a fundraiser for the student's July trip to Ireland. The event was held and hosted at Baxter & Taylors downtown Southern Pines home.

The cultural exchange about this event and many others have included over 250 people from Southern Pines and Newry/Mourne.

Gabi Foster, a rising 8th grader at Sandhills Classical Christian School in Southern Pines and Keegan Foyles, a rising junior at Pinecrest High School are our guests.

Gabi is an honor student and a student of Latin. She speaks with John Tampa about her inspirations, passions and goals. Gabi will turn 13 later this month, and her eloquence, exceptional diction & focus come shining through.

Keegan Foyles is a member of the National Honor Society, a member of the varsity lacrosse team, and talks about her lifelong passion for choral work. Keegan has performed as a vocalist since 2nd grade and most recently in the last two years has been seen performing at many local events. This summer Keegan will be spending 5 1/2 weeks at the Governors School in Winston Salem. http://www.ncgovschool.org/.

Both young ladies are immeasurably gifted, focused and inspiring to listen to.

Kara & John Caparelli were raised in Yonkers & Mt. Vernon, N.Y. . They met in college. They raised their 3 daughters in Westchester County N.Y. They still look like & act like college sweethearts. And very shortly they will be calling Southern Pines home!

John is the fire chief in Larchmont, N.Y. and is entering his 29th year. Kara has worked for a food broker for 27 years and together they are overseeing their youngest daughter, Natalie, age 18, moving on to college and her twin sisters, Oliva & Shawn (age 22) finding their way in the world and the work force.

Kara and John are now also new homeowners in Southern Pines in a 1915 landmark home that originally served the area as an eye clinic and is situated on Mass. Ave – walking distance to the downtown area.

Their story unfolds in an interview that covers the cultures of the North & South, stark remembrances of 9-11, the pace of life, new beginnings & their draw to Moore County and the beginning of their love affair with Southern Pines.

Listening to Kara and John is a great reminder of what we sometimes take for granted. Moore County is a great place to live.

Lewis Bennett of Green Dreams Landscape is a Moore County native who hasseen the many changes in Moore County over the years.

Today Green Dreams Landscape stands as one of the most recognizable names in all things to do with outdoor living; garden, ground, irrigation, hardscape & new construction services for the homeowner or commercial business owner. Green Dreams Landscape was voted new business of the year by the Chamber of Commerce in 2012-2013 & was named one of the top 12 Landscape companies in the U.S. by Total Landscape Care Magazine.

http://www.greendreamslandscaping.com/, 910 944-9412.

Anthony Carruba recently purchased the iconic Champion Car Wash on Old U.S. 1 South in Southern Pines. Originally from Buffalo, N.Y. Anthony’s story of an IBM career in both NYC and Fairfield, Ct. is one of a lifestyle change and a return to his Buffalo roots, where his family had been in the
automotive & paint business since 1952. Anthony’s purchase of this retro car wash and business establishment becomes a great story of preserving and continuing part of the Moore County landscape that so many cherish.

910 692-5060

His journey to Moore County and Lewis’s tenure as a Moore County native bring together some of the important elements of what makes Moore County such a great place to live and raise a family.