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Pageant Page 4
Sports Pages, 8-11
SUE HOUSTON at the piano in her Bricklanding home.
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DTO BY LYNN CARLSON
Keep On Singing
BY LYNN CARLSON v ? /?. ( i i i I ? / Houston's face and voice
Sue Houston knows a VVlfri flGf LOOfGS won't be new to many
little about "Kismet," Brunswick Countians who
the Iurkish word for Dr> IC see "Kismet. They ve cn
"fate." It's not just the UCI \-*l IU! UO joyed her shallotte Ladies
name of the upcoming a f f) I _ / A Barbershop Chorus at
Brunswick Little Theatre r\DCS l\O/0 I ft r\D church, club and social gath
musical of which she is vo- . . . n ? . erings for a couple of years
cal director It s why she's UOCOminO rrOUUCTIOn,
learning to cope with life ' u "They're a great group,"
on her own when it was HOUSlO/1 H 'ltS A ^e says with obvious pridev
supposed to be time to re- The chorus of 25 to 30
lax and play golf with her (J L K / _ J. _ /r^n "T"L _ members doesn't just per
beloved husband William. ' '?y ? ' ! I ilv? form the songs traditionally
Shortly after the Hou- ? I A J * / r associated with barbershop
stons moved here from LOCO/ /VlUSICO I OCGDG style harmony. They do "re
Pennsylvania 3^ years ago lioiruie n.-itnr?ii<
to retire and build a home, William, a former General
Electric engineer, fell ill. Plans for the house were can
celed, and he died in December 1992.
Since then Sue has devoted herself to "learning to
stand on my own two feet. It isn't easy."
Part of the healing strategy is to sing through the pain.
Houston, who went back to college a few years ago and
earned a degree in voice, divides her time between di
recting the Shallottc Ladies Barbershop Chorus, which
she founded, and getting ready for the performance of
"Kismet" April 15-16 in the Odell Williamson
Auditorium.
One day a week she also volunteers as a patient advo
cate at The Brunswick Hospital, a chance to use her
master's degree in social work.
"I believe in community," she says simply?not just
the geographic community hut the "wonderful warm
community" of her church. Seaside United Methodist
Church, and that magical community which develops
among people who sing with one another.
"They say you should stay busy. I may have overcom
pensated," she says with a smile.
In "Kismet," in addition to being vocal director,
Houston has a lead role in the romantic comedy set in
exotic Baghdad. Its score is adapted from the Borodin
opera, "The Prince Igor Suite."
"It's great music, very challenging," she says, with fa
miliar songs such as "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," and
"Sands of Time." Houston has a leading role in the pro
duction as well as serving as its vocal director.
Her enthusiasm for the project is boundless, praising
everything from the sparkling new Odell Williamson au
ditorium to the work of "Kismet's" director Stuart
Callari, choreographer, Pat Pittenger and the Brunswick
Concert band, under the director of Paul Pittenger.
tear-jerkers and toe-tappers." Most had no previous ex
perience with barbershop harmony, which arranges
tunes into tenor, lead, baritone and bass.
When there's no published arrangement for a song
they want to sing, Houston does her own, and gets help
with the chorus from assistants Ginger Sughrue and
Debbie Heustess.
The pinnacle of exposure for the chorus took place
this past December with a 20-minute performance at the
newiv opened Alabama Theatre in North Myrtle Beach,
S.C.
"They got to wear stage makeup and false eyelash
es?I thought we'd created a real group of hams!"
Houston joked.
"Seriously, we like to go out and entertain in the com
munity," she added. "It's the bond you create singing to
gether and reaching out to an audience. I try tn help cre
ate that bond and bring happiness."
Houston, an accomplished pianist who has been
studying since childhood, says she loves all kinds of mu
sic, from show tunes to classical to jazz to, of course,
barbershop. She adds that she has developed a liking for
country-western since she moved South.
She nassed the love of music on to three children, a!!
now grown, including a daughter who holds a degree in
music from Oberlin and acts off-Broadway. After all,
she says, that bond created by music holds families to
gether, too.
Family pictures and travel mementos add warmth to
Houston's cozy Bricklanding home, where vocal music
plays softly in the background and 17-year-old feline
Sylvester dozes in a shaft of sunlight.
Houston asks her visitor, "Don't you feel sorry for
people who don't have music in their souls?"
'Hope Chest' To Raise Funds
For Domestic Violence Shelter
BY SUSAN USHER
The Hope Chest, an upscale thrift shop
established by Hope Harbor Home,
will sell good-quality clothing and
household goods while helping victims of
violence.
Traditionally a woman uses a hope chest
to gather clothing and household goods as
she looks ahead to marriage and starting a
home of her own.
Along with helping finance Home Harbor
Home, The Hope Chest will offer that tradi
tional edge in setting up housekeeping to a
non-traditional clientele: battered and
abused women who seek help from Hope
Harbor Home and decide not to return to
their former situations, but to start over.
"We're going to be able to meet the needs
of our clients as they arise, at no charge 10
them," said Jeannette Deale.
Deale, who with her husband recently re
located from Vermont to Southport, joined
Hope Harbor Home in January. She's pro
gram coordinator, volunteer coordinator,
fundraising officer, shelter manager and for
now, thrift shop manager.
Located in the former Pete's Sweet Shop
next to Jane's Seafood on Holden Beach
Road, The Hope Chest will hold its grand
opening Friday, March 25. Sales hours will
be Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5
p.m., and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The shop will be closed on Mondays and
will open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to accept donations of
rfnoU r\?l*?
Otuvit UJlij?
Starting March 7 the shop will begin ac
cepting donations of "good, clean, nearly
new" clothing, costume jewelry and acces
sories. toys, housewares and appliances,
"how-to" books, and small items such as
lamps and side tables.
"We're looking particularly for men's and
boys' and infants' clothing," said Deale. "At
this point we don't need women's clothing."
She prefers that clothing donated now be
for spring or summer, since the shop has
limited storage space. All donations are tax
deductible.
While the shop will have 25- and 50-cent
-mm I in sl
~v+". ? J'? Jti
STAfF I
PROGRAM COORDINATOR Jeannette Dealt- and a corps of 45 enthusiastic volunteers will soon welcome customers and
donors to The Hope Chest, an upscale thrift shop on tlolden Beach Road operated by Hope Harbor Home.
and $1 baskets, they won't be its focus. offers some new clothing. Deale contacts re- needs: Space, at least 12 feet by 24 feet, in
"We're going to be more upscale than tailers for out of season or returned mer- the Holdcn Beach area to keep larger pieces
some of the thrift-type stores in the area, chandise, slightly imperfects or manufactur- of furniture.
Everything will be tagged, priced and dis- er's overruns. Their prices will run a little Also she has expectations about the suc
played. We're even going to have a 'labels' higher than almost new clothing. cess of The Hope Chest: net revenues of
corner," said Deale. "We are hoping to at- "If we have a brand new Champion $1,5(H) a month, about double its projected
tract college students, working women, sweatshirt we're not going to sell it for S2," expenses of $700 per month. "I certainly
tourists and seasonal people." says Deale. think that's doable," said Deale.
In addition to used items. The Hope Chest Deale already has her eye on expansion As program coordinator, she's betting on
it. Profits from The Hope Chest will help the
United Way agency expand its children's
program, provide 24-hour coverage at the
shelter, and ease reliance on grants. This
year's budget exceeds $140,(MM), much of it
in grants.
Services are aimed at women: a 24-hour
hotline for victims of domestic violence,
rape and sexual assault; temporary shelter
for women victims and their dependents;
court advocacy; information and referral;
and counseling and training to help women
learn to cope better with the situations they
are in or to make a fresh start.
In 1993 Hope Harbor served 175 women,
of which 78 were in shelter, plus 132 chil
dren in shelter.
A women's support group meets Thurs
day evenings. A Wednesday daytime pro
gram serves children ages 2 through 4, and
after school groups serve youngsters ages 5
through 8 and 9 through 12. All are open to
those in and out of shelter.
"The children's area is really critical,"
said Deale. "They are the ones who suffer
most when there is violence in the home."
For information call Hope Harbor at 754
5726 weekdays. The 24-hour crisis line
number is 754-5856.
Hope Harbor Has
New 'Wish List'
Hope Harbor Home needs a variety of
items to provide shelter and services to
victims of domestic violence and sexual
assault.
Anyone who can donate any of the fol
lowing is asked to contact the shelter:
four resin outdoor chairs; wagon with
sides or garden cart; potty chair; midsize
office desk; children's blocks; low six
drawer dresser; mid-size 2-2/4-quart pots;
playground toys; gas grill; videotapes.
For more information, contact Jean
nette Deale, shelter manager, at 754-5726.
COASTAL
PEDIATRICS
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?Fellow of American Academy of Pediatrics
?The Only Board Certified Pediatrician
In Brunswick County
Shailotte Professional Plaza
4428 Main Street ? Shailotte
754-KIDS(5437)
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Income Tax Preparation/
Representation
(federal and all state returns)
Accounting and Bookkeeping
Services
Computerized Payroll
Tax and Estate Planning
Former IRS Assistant Director
Technical Division, Washington, D.C.
25 Years Tax Experience
Ragpatch Row, Calabash
579-3328
Chiropractic Center
of Shallotte/Ocean Isle
Hwy. 179, Ocean Isle, 579-3502
Dr. H.J. "Skip" Davis
?Full Spine Technique
?Non-Force Technique
?Blood Chemistry
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wyp/c/i wo a tCVJIV.IIIC
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Call for appointments.
Most Insurances Accepted
Mon.-Fri. 8:30 12 1:30-5:30. Tfiurs. 8:30-12
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