35
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
J ami e Mo n c r i e f
hey arrive with
greenery in hand,
from their own yards or friends’
yards, or from the University of North
Carolina Wilmington’s campus.
This year, the Friends of UNCW will
decorate Kenan House, the chancellor’s
home, and the Wise House, the alumni
house, on December 3.
Karen Thompson, president of the
Friends of UNCW, says, “We decorate
the houses right after Thanksgiving.
It’s a great way to get into the spirit of
the holiday season. Claire brings her
delicious apple cake; we amass all kinds
of greenery, tie countless bows, adorn
wreaths and have a great time!”
About 20 people work all day. Each
has an assigned task, often listed on
an index card. Louise Gorham, lead
decorator and lifetime honorary Friends
of UNCW member, set up the system
years ago. Each card details what kind
of container to use, and what type of flower and greenery. Then the ladies pick a
job and go from there.
They usually start at Kenan House, break for lunch and move on to Wise
House. UNCW food service provides boxed lunches. Claire Stanley, director of
events and donor relations, always bakes a Moravian apple cake for decorating day.
Kenan House and Wise House sit next to one another in historic downtown
Wilmington on Market Street, where long ago, two sisters lived as neighbors.
Today, the former home of Sarah Graham (Kenan) Kenan houses UNCW’s
chancellor, and the former home of Jessie Hargrove (Kenan) Wise serves as a
venue for alumni functions. Both homes were bequeathed to the university by the
families that owned them. The halls of both structures are already something to
behold; the Christmas décor further accentuates the beauty of each home.
There’s a real camaraderie among these women who say the decoration project
has come a long way since its inception in December 2005.
“The first year, we didn’t have anything. We used pine cones. We had no tree
skirts, so we used a sheet that we painted gold,” Gorham says. “The next year,
everybody brought an ornament or two, and the collection has grown since then.” la la
Above: Lydia Hines joins other members of
the Friends of UNCW as they team up with
university staffers to decorate the Wise Alumni
House for the holidays. Left: The Friends of
UNCW gather at Kenan House to decorate the
historic home.
T