THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610170181
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY EVE TROW, SPECIAL TO THE COAST
LENGTH: 63 lines
With each passing storm, the grand old oak that has witnessed so much seemed to inch closer and closer to the sea. And with each passing storm, Colington Harbour residents became more concerned that the landmark oak would become a victim of the eroding beach.
Colington Harbour's soundfront park is home to a sprawling live oak that may have been alive when the first English explorers landed in the area more than 400 years ago. A series of storms beginning with the March 1993 ``Storm of the Century'' threatened the tree's life as soundfront erosion began to expose the roots.
This month, a group of about 25 volunteers, headed by Colington Harbour board member Doug Wirth, gave up a fall weekend to expand a groin field and build a bulkhead around the base of the tree.
Approximately 240 feet of groin and bulkheading were built on Oct. 5 and 6. Three crews pounded nails and pumped boards into the sand, and another crew cut and lugged lumber. About two-thirds of the volunteers were retirees; one-third were younger, working residents.
``It was very moving to see both generations working together on this project,'' said Colington Harbour resident Jane Bowens. ``A lot of people who didn't know each other before came out to save the tree. I think new friendships were made.
``It's projects like this that bring the whole community together.''
Bowens was one of four women who volunteered to cook for the builders. The cooks arrived at the site before the laborers, at 7:30 a.m., and began cooking ham biscuits and eggs and brewing coffee.
In addition, Barry Rawls donated time both days to barbecue chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs and provided a pig picking for the volunteer crew. New York Bagels donated breakfast goodies for the effort.
For years, Colington Harbour residents have been concerned about the eroding beach and had been debating the best method to save not only their seaside park, but the old oak tree too. There were already five groins on the beach, but they were spread too far apart to trap sufficient sand, an official with the association said.
So this fall Wirth, who formerly worked in the bulkheading business, met with officials from the Coastal Area Management Act to secure permits for the new groins and bulkhead. From applying for the permits to completion of the groins and bulkhead, the project took about six weeks.
And the gratification has come quickly for the residents. Fall storms have actually built up the soundfront beach.
Those who worked on the project included Colington Harbour board chairman Dan Beall and board members Jack Bowens, Bud George and Pete Turek. Association president Mary Ann Johnson helped cook.
Other volunteer residents included maintenance supervisor Phil Brown, Will Lockhart, Jack Leonard, Ken Johnson, Jim Polatty, Bill McNamara, Ramsey Graf, Rick Graf, Kevin Jones, Loaf deJong, Evelio Perez, Ferg Dalgliesh, Dan Barth, Marion Carroll, Chris Bowens, Scott Young, Warren Kuehl, Rick Koenig, Daryl Hood, Frank Blow, Bud Brown, Bill Best, Dave Bowen and Win Copeland. Cooks included Jane Bowens, Jane Wirth, Mary Lou Leonard, Ellen Maguire, Blanche Blow, Mary Koenig and Joan Ball. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by BUD GEORGE
About 25 volunteers turned out on a blustery weekend in Colington
Harbour to build a groin field and a bulkhead to preserve an ancient
landmark oak.\ by CNB