Checking in on Extraordinary People of the Cape Fear
WWAY revisits several people we featured over the last 12 months to see the new things they're accomplishing
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Founder of the non-profit Kids Making It after-school woodworking program, Jimmy Pierce, jokes that he doesn’t know how he ever had time to work, now that he’s fully retired.
He told WWAY’s Good Morning Carolina anchor Donna Gregory, he’s happier and busier than ever, going fishing, spending time with his children and grandchildren and helping his horticulturist wife in her garden.
“I turn the compost pile and climb the ladder to harvest the figs off of our tree,” he said. “I help out in any way that I can and do the stuff that’s easier for me to do.”
The non-profit he founded continues to hum along on Castle Street in Wilmington, NC.
UNCW runner Nash Mills, the South Carolina freshman who battled back from a life-threatening car accident, says he had an awesome first season as a Seahawk.
“I ended up having a huge PR [personal record] in the 800 at our conference meet, running a 1:54 and coming relatively close to making it to the final,” he said.
“I definitely had some challenges during track about just competing at this kind of level for the first time,” he continued.
“But my coaches really helped me build my confidence to where I could compete at the level [that] I knew I was capable of.”
Nash says he made the athletic honor roll during the second semester and continues to train this summer for the upcoming cross-country season in September.
Feet on the Street Ministry founder Missy Joyner continues to cook meals and feed homeless people she now seeks out in the Wilmington, NC area. New Hanover County policy means her regulars have relocated away from the library where she used to serve up hot meals, and warm acceptance– because she’s been there.
“I literally feel the pain of the people,” she explained.
“I’m telling you, I’ve been depressed before, I’ve been hopeless before, I’ve even been homeless before,” she said through tears.
Missy is still growing her ministry, and she will soon start cooking out of a bigger kitchen, courtesy of Bethel Holiness Church on Market Street in Wilmington.
Attorney/Dog Trainer/Musical Director Chiaki Ito and her mixed-breed dog, Ann Perkins, continue to win awards and qualify for dog agility competitions, and plan to appear in next year’s AKC nationals.
She’s also filling in during summer vacations at an associate’s law firm and is teaching her nephew how to play multiple musical instruments.
At the Wilson Center on the campus of Cape Fear Community College in downtown Wilmington, volunteer coordinator Kathleen Orton is excited by some new challenges.
Now that some of the Broadway Series shows are lasting longer than one performance, she’s recruiting more volunteers than ever.
The Center is also gearing up for a special new program that aims to introduce new cultural experiences to students of all ages, for $10/ticket.
Wilmington swimwear company owner Kenzie Bongiorno of KBSwim just celebrated her 27th birthday with some special new products in her “Coastal Cowgirl” line.
She’s hoping her current and future customers will find her new designs as extraordinary as her top-selling swimsuit lines.
As for young wood-burning artist and motocross rider Levi Hogston, his father says he has qualified for the regional competition of the biggest national amateur contest in his sport, at the Loretta Lynn Ranch.
And real estate company owner and new chairwoman of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Stephanie Lanier is about to celebrate the 8th anniversary of her Inspiration Lab for Women.
If you know someone we should feature, email us at Extraordinary@wwaytv3.com. Please include your name, and the name and contact information of the person you’d like to nominate.
