Kure Beach committee finalizes open house and winter schedule at Jan. 13 meeting

At a Jan. 13 meeting held at the Kure Beach Community Center, Chairperson Ellen Owens and the Community Center Committee approved December minutes and confirmed plans for an open house that evening aimed at showcasing the center's programs and soliciting community input.

Recreation Director Nikki Keely provided the committee with a rental and facilities update, saying the interior painting of the community center was recently completed and that bookings remain a focal point for staff planning. Keely also proposed a cleanup of the flower beds in front of the center and discussed options for watering and planting, including possible use of a rain barrel and native plants.

The committee finalized logistics for the Community Center Open House, set for Jan. 13 from 6:00–8:00 p.m. Tables will be set for current class instructors (including yoga and Zumba) and for the Community Center Committee to showcase programs such as genealogy and ping pong and to solicit ideas from attendees. Jim FitzGerald offered to bring a whiteboard and sticky notes; Friends of Kure Beach and the Bike/Ped committee were expected to attend. The Recreation Department plans to present the facility as a possible wedding reception venue. The committee agreed to use Spotify for background music and to provide light refreshments; Keely will pick up the food.

Committee members reviewed upcoming events and programming: a Ping Pong tournament is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, from 3:00–5:00 p.m., with a target follow-up tournament on April 19; the Genealogy Interest Group continues monthly meetings (two attendees plus committee member Jim FitzGerald attended in January) and will host a "Genealogy Beginners Night" on Jan. 27 at 7:00 p.m.; a Medicare lecture by Steve Swiss and Monica Rohena of the New Hanover County Senior Health Insurance Information Program is set for Feb. 10 at 7:00 p.m., and Recreation arranged an ID-theft lecture by Tim Johnson of Civic Federal Credit Union for March 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Alice Gilliiland said a local newspaper continues to list a discontinued "drop-in ping pong" offering and is publishing Christine's contact number; Gilliiland agreed to contact the paper to request removal of that listing and a recruitment post seeking new committee members, noting the committee currently has a full quorum.

The committee discussed other potential future classes, such as a pasta-making class, bird photography, knitting, Mahjong lessons and rock painting, and anticipated additional suggestions arising from the open house.

The meeting adjourned at 10:25 a.m.; the committee scheduled its next meeting for Feb. 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in town hall.