Southport comes together in prayer, honoring first responders ahead of busy summer season
SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — Southport is preparing for another busy summer tourism season as city leaders, businesses and residents brace for an influx of visitors expected to boost the local economy in the coming months.
The upcoming tourism season follows a record-setting year for the state, with visitors spending $37.2 billion in North Carolina in 2025.
Residents LeAnn and Andy Reisinger said they are already adjusting their routines ahead of the summer crowds downtown and along the waterfront.
“Let’s just say we’ve visited all the restaurants now and we get as much beach time in as possible during the day because usually during the tourist season, it’s more in the mornings or the evenings,” LeAnn said.
“We’re coming down, just walking around now on a beautiful night, and when it’s peaceful,” Andy added. “We love the tourists, they make the town go. But it’s kind of one of those — it’s good to see them come, it’s good to see them go home too.”
As businesses and residents prepare for the summer rush, the city’s first responders gathered Thursday afternoon at Riverfront Park for a National Day of Prayer service dedicated to emergency personnel and community leaders.
The event was organized by Southport Fire Chief Charles Drew and Southport Police Chief Todd Coring and drew around two dozen first responders and residents.
The service included prayers for first responders, local government leaders and community members. Officials said it marked the first National Day of Prayer event in Southport specifically dedicated to first responders.
The ceremony also carried additional significance following last September’s mass shooting at American Fish Company, where three people were killed.
“The shooting is forever imprinted in my mind,” Coring said. “I think about it pretty much every day throughout the course of my day. We want to assure the community that we are safe. We don’t want to let it define Southport, and we try to think about that mostly, but we can’t ever forget it.”
Coring said the tragedy has had a lasting impact on both the city and its police department and has prompted changes for the department ahead of the busy tourism season.
“We have since been able to increase patrols, the number of officers that we have during special events, which Southport has a lot of,” Coring said. “As we move into the busier season and we’re seeing higher numbers, we’re just increasing our presence in some of those higher traveled areas and some of our tourist areas.”
Drew said he hopes the prayer service will become an annual tradition honoring the city’s first responders and supporting the community moving forward.
