WALLACE, N.C. (Nov. 24, 2008) – Close to 50 Marines from Camp Lejeune who don’t have relatives in the area are headed to the River Landing golf course community in Duplin County for some fun and family fellowship on Thanksgiving Day.
River Landing residents Carol and Robert Steen hosted a dozen Marines last November as part of the base’s Single Marine Program. The couple enjoyed their day so much that they enlisted the help of River Landing officials in 2008 to generate more interest. As of this week, 19 families have signed up to host Marines, who are taking a bus to the gated community about 40 miles away from the Jacksonville, N.C., base.
Marines arrive at River Landing about 9 a.m. Thursday and, at their leisure, will be able to enjoy 36 holes of award-winning Clyde Johnston golf, canoe on the Northeast Cape Fear River, fish at the community’s numerous ponds, 10 miles of walking trails or full use of the club’s Fitness Center.
Last year, Steen said Marines went to the driving range for golf lessons, and played pickup basketball and Nerf football in his backyard before devouring a 20-pound turkey, ham and pumpkin pies. Carol Steen and a neighbor even made sandwiches from left-over turkey and ham for Marines to take back to the base.
“We opened up the front door and said, ‘The rules are: ‘This is family and you’re here to have fun, you’re here to enjoy and you’re here to tell stories, exchange tales with one another, sleep, relax, go play a sport, eat — whatever you want to do. This is your home,”‘ said Steen, who served in the Army for 21 years. “Sitting down with these young Marines, they like to relate their experiences and it’s nice to hear what’s going on in the military.
“The whole idea is to let them know they’ve got a ton of support here, that we love them and we want them to be a part of our community,” added Steen. “We don’t want them to feel like they are just doing a job for job’s sake.”
Included in the list of host families is Wendell Murphy, one of the developers of the River Landing community.
Founded in 1995 by The Murphy Family of Duplin County, 1,700-acre River Landing ranks among the top-selling gated golf course communities in North Carolina. To date, more than 1,200 homesites have been purchased in the thriving development along the Northeast Cape Fear River, including the early stages of the state’s latest vineyard – the Vineyards at River Landing.
Media interested in interviews or additional information please contact David Droschak of Droschak Communications at (919) 630-6656 or ddroschak@earthlink.net.
Contact:
David Droschak, Droschak Communications
(919) 630-6656 or ddroschak@earthlink.net