Eastern Carolina Parent - April 2009 - (Page 1) april 2009 eastern carolina TM P u b lis h e r Cheryl Pigott 877-219-1403 cherylp@bellagurl.com editor - in -C h ie f Anna Segrave anna@bellagurl.com eastern carolina Commu n ity d ir e Ct or & dis tr i Ct e d itor Blair Vick blair@bellagurl.com busin e s s m a n a ge r Cressa Megown cressam@bellagurl.com gra Ph i C design e r Susan Yates Web ed itor Cheryl Pigott cherylp@bellagurl.com eastern carolina Co nt ri but i ng W ri t e rs Melissa Adamson Kay A. Blizzard TM Christy Cole Keith Corder Mindy Fitzpatrick Mary Jo Kurtz Debi Lee Lenoir County Schools Pitt County Schools Dr. Alan Taylor Kelly Taylor Blair Vick ad sales r e P re s e nt at i v e : Blair Vick blair@bellagurl.com a d v e rt i s i ng If you would like to advertise in our magazine or on our Website, please send your request for information to sales@easterncarolinaparent. com or call 877.219.1403. ow glorious it is to live in Eastern North Carolina! It is the only home I’ve ever known, a part from the four unforgettable college years where I made Chapel Hill my temporary residence! Nonetheless, in my estimation, there really is no place finer that right here in eastern Carolina! Day trips to the beach can be made in no time flat, afternoons spent tubing on the river can be arranged spur of the moment, and last minute neighborhood cook-outs can be planned by simply summoning your neighbors. As a child, I can distinctly remember those many evenings of flash-light tag with my buddies, the impromptu weekend get-togethers with neighbors, and the planned beach trips with family friends. I lived for summer! The Chowan River holds a special place in my heart that’s where I learned to water ski at the tender age of 5 behind an aluminum duck boat that my dad navigated with one hand while holding my ski rope with the other. The countless hours my family and I spent fishing, jet-skiing, tubing, playing, relaxing, boating, and of course eating are forever embedded in my memory. That was summer to me. We didn’t head out of the country or even out of the state. We packed up the old Dodge minivan, hitched the boat to the back, and headed on down the road toward our comfy, cozy little home on the Chowan River. Oftentimes, friends came along too, which made our usual activities of boating, sunning, and eating all the more fun. The kids would bunk up several to a room or pile sleeping bags on the floor without the slightest concern for comfort. While we scurried to capture lightening bugs in jars, the adults sat playing bridge at the large table in the sunroom. It really was perfect! As we enter the season of summer and the excitement that accompanies the release of school and the beginning of vacation plans, remember that summer traditions and lasting memories can be made without a passport, an airline ticket, or even without a destination. The memories you create for your family are unique and special no matter where you choose to share them. My family rarely left the state line, but I never knew any different. My summer vacation lasted the entire summer—countless weekends on the river, day trips to Cape Hatteras, and camping trips to Kerr Lake. Now that we have our own family, Jason and I are equally committed to providing our children with experiences that will create lasting memories. From week long vacations, to weekend retreats, to weekly summer camps, to weekday special treats, enjoy your family this summer by making family togetherness your priority! In this issue of Eastern Carolina Parent, we have given you many ways to create opportunities for fun family memories. Whether you choose to build a family garden as explained by a local mom or travel to any one of our North Carolina Family Vacation Spots, you will be able to provide your children with a host of unforgetable learning experiences. Additionally, we have provided you with a Summer Camp Supplement that will guide your planning for your children’s summer activities. With plenty of time to plan, feel free to be creative! If a vacation is not in your budget, never fear! Pitch a tent in your own back yard, fire up the grill, and roast marsh mellows and hotdogs on your own back deck. Or, create your own annual event with your favorite friends and family. Last year, we hosted our first VICK-CATION complete with slip-n-slides, water balloons, sprinklers, and of course, barbeque! An afternoon of waterplay quickly topped my children’s list of the ‘best times ever!’ Eastern Carolina Parent echos the words of Barbara Bush, “togetherness is a very important ingredient to family life!” For me, “togetherness” is THE most important ingredient to family life. So, remember that as we busy ourselves with commitments, obligations, activities, and packed-schedules, carve time out for your family. Your children may write about their lasting memories one day and you’ll be exceedingly touched by your contribution to your child’s special memories. Who would have thought that water-skiing behind a tiny aluminum duck boat would have been my fondest and earliest memory of summer? Tell us your fondest memories by sending them to me at blair@bellagurl.com.We’ll include as many as possible in our upcoming summer issues. Enjoy the summer! H editor’s note Eastern Carolina Parent reserves the right to reject any advertisement or listing that is not in keeping with the publication’s standard. Submissions are welcome, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material. Eastern Carolina Parent does not endorse or assume responsibility for information, products, services, or statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Copyright 2009 by Bellagurl, Inc. Eastern Carolina Parent is published monthly by Bellagurl, Inc. Circulation 10,000 within the counties of Lenoir and Pttt. Printed in the USA. One copy per person is permitted. Additional copies require written permission of the publisher. Subscription rate for home delivery is $20 for one year. Please contact the publisher for home delivery requests. Please recycle this magazine-share it with another family. eastern carolina TM iety NC Varonland Stay-cati More articles + 12 steps for vacation online to help you budget planning parent! Stressed Out? You’re not alone this month’s cover 2½ year old Griffin Fickling is Eastern Carolina Parent’s April Cover Child Stop in the Name of Lª ve ng www.easternc Preventi Child Abuse arolinaparent.com Summer Fun? Looking for ps am tc s go vitie ’ve acti e! We and insid Blair COV E R P HO T O G R A P HE R : Ginny Corbett, www.ginnycorbettphotography.com www.easterncarolinaparent.com Eastern Carolina Parent : April 2009 http://www.ent.com http://www.ginnycorbettphotography.com
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