Meet The Residents

Meet Ron & JoAnn...After 32 years on the Mississippi Coast and packing their car and running every time there was a hurricane, JoAnn had enough, especially after Katrina. The search was on, first to Georgia where they had friends then to Tennessee to be closer to their daughter. Then JoAnn was searching the net and found The Highlands. JoAnn and Ron made a trip and Ron really liked the idea of the pine straw lots, which meant NO MOWING. They loved the area and went back home to think about it further. Then Jeff called to say a resident was moving and his house was for sale. So back to NC and the rest is history. Once they moved here so many friendly people greeted them. JoAnn started a Bunco and Ladies Group. Ron and some of the men go to breakfast twice a month. There is a Seniors Club nearby that plans trips about once a month. Ron built a workshop for his woodwork projects and you can find him there almost every morning announcing to the neighborhood that "I love this place"! In all their travels with the military they have never been happier and have made so many good friends. If you come to visit stop by and see Ron's yard that is nothing like what he wanted but is gorgeous. It is the one with the jockey at the curb.
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Meet Ms. Charlie Marks ... Charlie was our first resident. She retired to Sherwood Forest from Charlotte NC. It is fine people like Charlie that make it so enjoyable to live in Sherwood Forest. She takes pride in her home and her community, it is very evident when you see the excellent job she did with the landscaping of her home. It was Charlie who convinced us to line the entrance to Forest Drive with Bradford Pear trees. Thank you Charlie Marks. Charlie is pictured here with
her great grandaughter Kai. What a beauty... she takes after Great Grandmom. When Charlie's daughter and her husband, Vera and Merv, visit from England the good times begin to roll. Vera loves to entertain and on the last visit she served a spectacular seafood dish while Merv was kept busy pouring a fine wine. Charlie makes the best fried chicken in the south.
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Meet Andy & Lucy ... They recently moved from Salem, Massachusetts into the new model The Fairview at Alba (thats Terri in the middle introducing them to their new home). Lucy was very instrumental in the redesign of the floorplan and made some excellent improvements to it. She enlarged the kitchen, added a work center island with a pot rack above, put ceramic tile throughout the halls, kitchen and baths and changed the covered porch to an enclosed sunroom. The sunroom is occupied by Bentley. Bentley is a dog who thinks he is a person. They brought very little furniture with them yet within 2 weeks the place looks grand. Lucy went on a spending spree and decorated the
home with excellent styling and a flair for good design. There goes Andy's retirement bonus... so he had no choice but to take up golf. A few lessons, new clubs and he is ready for the challenge. Lucky for us Lucy is a great cook and has already started to display her culinary skills... what a meal... we are looking forward to many more. Andy is a history buff and really hit it off with Roy who teaches history at some of the local colleges.
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Meet Sam & Mary ...This is a story that must be shared. Sam & Lois and Bob & Mary were the best of friends. They were a solid foursome. One day they made a pact that if something happened to one of them the other 3 would continue as a threesome. Bob took sick and died leaving Mary, Sam and Lois. Sam and Lois included Mary in everthing they did. A few years later Lois took sick and died, leaving Sam and Mary. Sam and Mary kept the promise and would have dinner occasionally together, a movie etc. Eventually their children encouraged them to get married and it was Mary's daughter Theresa who found The Highlands at Sherwood Forest on the internet and recommended that her parents consider living there. Their home has photos of both their best friends and deceased spouses, they wear their original wedding rings on a chain as a necklace and they constantly pay tribute to Bob and Lois. They are enjoying life, travel frequently and have visits from all the children. We are lucky to have such a fine couple in the community. Sam is a retired electrician and has helped us solve electrical problems. Mary, bless her heart, is constantly baking delicious deserts for me, because, although Terri is a great cook she does not like to bake.
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Meet John & Sherrie ... They were one of the first couples to move to Ridgeview Drive. John and Sherrie are very kind, gentle people and the time you spend with them is meaningful and interesting. John has been busy planning the landscaping projects and he was the first to have a professional lawn installed. He is planting several River Birch and some other nice trees. Sherrie has decorated the home beautifully and one room at a time has planned and purchased new furnishings. Their home is over 2400 sq. ft. so it has been a huge project.
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Meet Roger and Louise ... Searching the internet for an alternative to retirement in the "North", Louise and Roger found what they were looking for in The Highlands; more temperate winters, one floor living, reasonable cost of living all within a days drive of their family and friends in Connecticut and New Jersey. The great neighbors they've met and come to enjoy as friends are an unexpected bonus. Seems we were all destined to move here.
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Meet Bob & Eileen ... Eileen & Bob come to us from Chester County, PA. They looked at many places for retirement and then found The Highlands online. They were very impressed with the homes and cost of living in the South. Bob & Eileen enjoy traveling in their travel trailer but wanted to have a base home to also enjoy. The friendly neighbors were a plus! From the time they pulled into the driveway with their moving truck, the neighbors they had never met, offered to help them unpack. Where else would something like that happen. They still enjoy traveling to see the kids, grandkids and the countryside. But it sure is nice to come home to this wonderful group of friends.
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Meet Wayne & Harriet .... After 20 years in the military and 23 years in private industry in Washington, DC we were on the Web looking at properties in the Myrtle Beach area for retirement when we mysteriously switched to the site for The Highlands. We liked what we saw and started corresponding with Jeff. The people we met were friendly, the neighborhood was beautiful and the weather was exactly what the doctor ordered. The activities here rival anything we had in DC (at a much better price) and the golf is great. Harriet has become involved in several charitable organizations and we both sing in the church choir. We are looking forward to many years of "Southern Living". .
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Meet the Fazenbakers! ... Hobie and Mary come to us after having spent 27 years in LaPlata, MD. They were looking for a place in the country on one floor and with little traffic. They found it all in The Highlands. Another plus were the many community activities with their new friends. These include concerts, plays and community picnics to name a few. Hobie enjoys playing golf a couple times a week and "playing" in the yard adding gnomes, flowers, shrubs and trees. Mary keeps busy as a Friends of the Library volunteer at the library in Lillington. She also enjoys Bunco, The Highland's Sassy Lassies Women's group and reading. Both belong to the Ruritan Club and they are also active at the United Medhodist Church in Cameron where they serve on various committees. They both enjoy travel and as Hobie says "we're like two cats in a cream crock".
Meet Charlane & Mae... Thank you New York... both mother and daughter moved from upstate to get some of the great weather, southern hospitality and in Charlane's case some excellent golf. After Michael, her oldest son, visited Sherwood Forest he recommended it to Charlane and she decided to go south... her mom, Mae, said count me in. They both quickly adapted to their new home and environment and are enjoying all that the area has to offer. Golf led Charlane to a friendship with Jim and they are having a great time with their new relationship. Jim is well known in the Pinehurst area and knows all the best places to go. He is a fun loving guy and they laugh a lot when they are together. This turned out to be more than just a move for Charlane... it is the beginning of the next chapter of her life. She is holding her loyal friend Missy. Update....Valentine's day Jim stepped up to the plate and proposed to Charlane!!!! Congratulations on the new engagement.
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Meet Donna & Russell ... New Jersey lost a very fine couple. Donna and Russell are really enjoying North Carolina. They are always looking for new adventures, good restaurants, and places of interest. Donna discovered an all you can eat king crab night at The Squires Pub, we had a great time and the crabs were excellent. Russell has learned the area quickly and can give directions like he has always lived here. They have been doing a superb job on both the exterior landscaping and the interior design of their home. Donna was very influencial in the redesign of the home. She removed the kitchen island and used a large penninsula and enlarged the sitting room off the master bedroom, added ceramic flooring to the entry hall and uses one of the spare bedrooms as a craft room. Donna spends lots of time on the computer in the evenings with certain religious groups and chat rooms. They are a real asset to the community.
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.Meet Ray & Beverly ... There new home is incredible. It is the Carthage Retreat with the double garage and the large front porch with the Roman Columns. The yard is maticulusly crafted by lots of hard work and some nice landscaping ideas. Ray is retired Navy and they were married while he was in the service. Ray and Beverly came to Sherwood Forest from Asheville, NC. They wanted to be closer to their family in Raleigh. Ray golfs regularly and Bev's claim to fame is her awesome Cinnamon Buns, she bakes the best sticky buns in the South. They make a great couple and we have all benefited by having them as neighbors.
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Meet Scott & Kim ... They were the first to move in on their street so we named the street after them. Their home sits back on a 1 acre piece of land with easy access to the swim club and the nature trail. Scott and Kim are both in the service and they recently added a new addition to their family...A baby girl named Honey. Dad and Mom are shown holding Ali and Chey.
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Meet Joe & Barbara ... Another great couple. Barbara and Joe have relocated from Long Island and love living at Sherwood Forest. They have made many new friends and have acquired jobs locally (Sanford & Pinehurst). They love the weather because you still have four seasons but the winters are nothing like the winters up north...wear shorts and play golf on New Year's Day! They get many visitors from New York and they all love Sherwood Forest too. .
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Meet Larry and Louise ....... Louise and Larry moved to The Highlands from PA. They are originally from PA and IN. They love the privacy, hilly contour of the land and the beautifully wooded area. Larry is enjoying his woodworking shop and they are both very involved in local civic activities. They say the people make the neighborhood!
Meet Cal & Shirl ...They are from the mid-west but were detoured in Arkansas for a couple of years.... now, they are finally home. North Carolina, especially our area, has a way of becoming home quickly. Cal is always saying and doing nice things for Shirl. He worries about her happiness and was so pleased to see her enthusiasm for The Highlands at Sherwood Forest. Shirl was really excited about making all the selections for the new home and was really glad to meet some of her new neighbors. Terri invited several people over to meet them. Their daughter Diane and her husband Gary were instrumental in locating The Highlands. They traveled from the mid-west, met Cal and Shirl in Asheville NC and drove with them to visit Sherwood Forest. Gary was busy studying all the local golf courses for his future visits to see mom and dad.
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Meet David and Pat ... What a lovely couple. They really enjoy each others company and have such a great attitude toward life. They try to live each day to the fullest and not let anything pass them bye because of indecision. Pat is a nurse and will work, David just retired and is planning to take up golf. Finally, someone who can play as terrible as I do. They are very excited about their move and have lots of plans for the new home. Pat's mom Pat will live with them. She is quite a lady and should have no trouble becoming a true "Southern Belle".
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The Christmas Party ... We started at Bob and Terri's home to sing Christmas Carols, then we went for a walk thru the neighborhood and visited the homes that had their front porch light on. It was fun to see the holiday decorations and how creative everyone was. The parade ended at the Meeker residence and Gary and Diane Meeker hosted the party. Each couple had made a desert earlier in the day and delivered it to Diane. We had a great evening. Gary had a campfire in his backyard for the younger ones and the adults gathered inside to try out the many delicious treats. It was the spirit of the community that made the evening so special, afterall, we are a young community and it was great to see everyone participate in this holiday event. Gary and Diane's home has a warm friendly environment with all the charm and excitment that helped make this a special gathering of friends. The first couple on the left is Gary and Diane, they are sitting next to Dick and Vi. Next is Charlane, what a surprise when we heard her sing...she has a wonderful very musical voice. There were about 65 people at the party.
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When Grandchildren visit we say....
Meet The Grandbabies...
Many of the residents enjoy that special time with the grandchildren. When they visit there are things to do and places to go. Bob and Terri recently enjoyed spending some time with their newest grandchild, Rachel... they also get regular visits from Joey, Sammy and Sophia.
Great Grandmom and Little Joey.... This handsome little guy is meeting great grandmom for the first time. He traveled from Florida to see her while she is visiting from Texas. Joey is really mobile, he cruises with his new sneaks that light up with each step. His first gift from great gram. more to come...
Meet the Grandbabies from Florida...Sophia, the architect of her own play home which is built on site at Sherwood Forest with assistance from uncle Bob. Amazing what a little imagination and some friendly assistance from a craftsman can do with some spare building parts. Sophia is starting 6th grade next wednesday and is very excited about her new school. She reads, studies and enjoys traveling with the family. Sohpia likes to draw and can express herself in a very adult way.
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Victor and Victoria ....Grandpop just drove 13 hours each way to pickup Granddaughter for a month visit. Victoria has grown to be such a lovely young lady. She is excited about spending time with Grandpop fishing, swimming, motorcycle riding (she is getting her helmet today), shopping and other fun activities. Terri just made them omelets for Saturday brunch and they are off to get the helmet. Victoria is very polite, mannerly and a pleasure to spend time with... Mom and Dad can be proud of their girl.
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Brittany ...

Brittany is 16 years old. She is an avid soccer fan and player. She is learning how to drive and Mom and Dad are very nervous but she is proving to be a very careful and responsible driver.
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Zachary ...

Zachary is 10 years old. He loves art projects, Game Boy and playing board games. He is a wonderful big brother to Sammy and looks out for him every step of the way. Zach is learning how to play the piano and the family really enjoys hearing him play.

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Abby and Sam ...