|
Pinehurt SE Section Meeting ...... where pigs fly!
Lots of southern hospitality was in
order for the weekend of our Spring SE Section meeting in Pinehurst, NC. The ladies of the Kitty Hawk Chapter - with some
assistance from the Carolinas Chapter - showed us all the good stuff! We stayed in the beautiful Homewood Suites in Pinehurst, surrounded
by lush gardens and loads of golf courses. The hotel was beautiful and the folks treated us like royalty.
We started
with registration and a meet and greet Friday evening so we could reconnect and discuss the "pre-business" matters
that were before us. Then the board retired to the meeting room to hold the annual board meeting in preparation for the general
business meeting the following morning.
 Hanna Mari Salo beat us all to the punch with her cheery safety seminar early Saturday morning. It was a well attended meeting
where our members learned about the 3 P's model and discussed IMSAFE. Hanna set up some nice scenarios to drive (or fly) home
the points about safety and aeronautical decision making. Our general business meeting followed where we reviewed new proposed
International ByLaws, discussed our fund raising efforts and the continuing saga of our group 501(c)(3) exemption, among other
topics. The annual budget was approved for the upcoming year.
When
the meeting concluded, our 99s and guests learned the history of the area by taking a narrated motorized windshield history
tour of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, and Aberdeen with a visit to the historic Shaw House and the Malcolm Blue Farm. The historic Shaw House, built by a first-generation Scottish settler
around 1820, is located on its original foundation at the crossing of the famed Revolutionary Pee Dee and Morganton Roads
at the southern entrance to Southern Pines. The House is typical of the antebellum houses which followed the cabins of the
early Sandhills settlers. It is less elaborate than the seacoast plantations and has the charm and sturdy simplicity which
was characteristic of the Scottish families who settled in this region. The interior is highlighted by fine detail on two
hand-carved fireplace mantels of unusual beauty, and by many outstanding early examples of Moore County pottery and "plain-style"
pine furniture. Other homes and out-buildings, dating from 1770, are also located on the property.  Touring
the Malcolm Blue Farm, built in 1825, and museum provides insight into the lives of early pioneers in the Sandhills. The house
is filled with authentic furnishings of everyday life during the 1800s. Visitors get a first-hand feel for what life in the
1800s was about by touring the farmstead. The grounds are shaded with 100-year old Darlington oaks and are composed of a wind-mill,
gristmill, water well and numerous barns.
Others who did not participate in the tour stayed back and
"minded the pig". Oh, yeah, that pig .... well there was one that did not fly. He was busy being dinner. Corbi Bulluck's
dad and family friend, Wayne did a full pig roast for our a pig pickin’ dinner and, oh my, was it every
so good; only to be outdone by the 'nanner puddin' bake-off. (Did I mention how filling this meal was?)
 After our fill of dinner we sat back to hear our guest speaker, Roland Gilliam, owner of the Gilliam-McConnell Airport. He
regaled us with stories of old aviators and the history of his airport in NC and of the homecoming of Robert Hoyle Upchurch,
a WWII aviator shot down over China whose body was finally identified after being lost for 63 years The Gilliam-McConnell
Airport hosted a memorial ceremony for our fallen pilot as they brought him back home for his proper burial. Sunday morning came all too soon and we said “see ya’ll later” to
our 99s sisters until our next Section meeting on September 14-16, 2012 at Macon, GA – sounds like
more Southern Hospitality to me!!!
|
