SPECIAL REPORT: Turning silver into gold

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — We went to Brunswick County to do a story on how the growing population boosts the economy. We came back with a story of how retirees are spending their free time. Here is the special WWAY report, “Turning Silver into Gold”.

The morning and evening commute in and out of Brunswick County can be more than frustrating. Heavy traffic due to construction can be a headache. Matter of fact, the signs of growth on Highway 74/76 can have you seeing red!

But growth on the other side of Brunswick County is changing that color. “It’s a nice slow pace, nobody is in a hurry,” Oak Island retiree Walker McKnight told Daniel Seamans.

Growth is turning silver into gold. “Everybody gets along,” McKnight said. “Doesn’t matter where you are from. Doesn’t matter if you’re from New Jersey or South Carolina. It makes no difference.”

Walker McKnight moved to Oak Island from South Carolina to retire. He’s part of a major growth spurt that is boosting to the economy.

“Everybody meets at certain times,” he says of hanging out in local establishments. “There’s one place we go Wednesday nights, you’ll see a bunch of friends.”

U.S. census data shows Brunswick County is the fastest growing area in the Cape Fear and one of the fastest in the state. From 2010 to 2013, the most recent years surveyed, the population grew 7.3%. 25% are people 65 years of age or older.

Retirement communities surround the beach towns. The Brunswick County Economic Development Commission reports 679 new homes were built from September of 2013 to October of 2014 in the St. James/Southport/ Oak Island area alone.

Not included in that number is this habitat for humanity home(see video).
“A wonderful thank you to St. James for making this dream a reality,” Executive Director of the Brunswick County Habitat for Humanity Dee Antonio said to a crowd at their 50th Habitat home celebration.

More than 20 St. James retirees literally built the 50th Habitat home in Brunswick County.

“This is about the 10th or 11th house I’ve worked on,” Pete Jansen told Daniel.

Jansen moved to St. James from Chicago. “(We)sold our house, came down here and bought a home, didn’t build, but bought,” Jansen said. “It’s everything we’ve ever wanted.”

They are turning silver into gold. “The whole community of St. James, if it’s not Habitat, it’s (volunteering in)schools, or hospice, there are maybe 50 volunteer groups that people get involved in,” Jansen said.

Betty Devins says it’s all about giving back. “You have a lot of people who feel fortunate to be living in St.James,” said Devins. “Most of us are retired, not working, and it’s such a wonderful lifesytle that we want to give back, so a lot of people have taken to volunteering.”

Communities thrive on retirees.

“The volunteers are integral to our progress in Southport,” said Southport Mayor Robert Howard.

Howard is a lifelong native and knows the value of retirees all too well. “They work all their lives to get to this point and they come here and after six months of retirement they’re ready to go back to work,” Howard said. “Some go back to work, some open small businesses, but most important to us, many of them volunteer.”

Hard to put a price on how much someone’s free time is worth. But one thing is for sure….

Retirement in Brunswick Ccounty is far more than a game of golf.
It’s far more than watching the time go by.
It’s a place where people are turning silver….into gold.

-Daniel