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When

• The Sandpiper Sentinel Volume 10 Issue 4

published July/August 2011

A publication of Sandpiper Bay Homeowners Association

F arewell to Oprah’s last talk show on May 25, 2011. I re-

member a little over a year ago when Oprah Winfrey announced she was “closing shop” and creating her OWN network and talking about all the variety of people she has had on The Oprah Show. My eyes filled up with tears because I was one who was on her show in February and again in March 2001,

over 10 years ago.

I thought I’d like to share some of my memories and the experience (if I can remember details that far back!!??), and how I got to be a guest on the Oprah show. I was debating if I should write this story. Some people know that I was a guest; many others do not. I even “conferred” with several family members … should I or should I

not? They said “why not?!”

This opportunity is the result of me being in a book entitled “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth” written by Ric Edelman ranked year after year by Barron’s as the #1 independent financial advi-sor in the nation. I have been asso-ciated with Ric’s company a very long time. Let me set it straight, however, I am not wealthy, just an ordinary person who has over the years, even as a single parent, edu-cated and monitored my financial management to the best of my abil-ity. For me, personally, to be on her show I looked at the opportu-nity of passing some financial saving “tips” on to others like me. Ric was on the show to promote his book like Oprah has done for so many

years with other authors.

When I was renting in Ocean Isle Beach for six months in September, 2000, and before settling in my new home where I live now, I got this phone call from Ric Edelman and he asked me if I would like to be on the Oprah show and, of course, I almost flipped. I said Ric, “You’ve got to be kidding!” and “Why me?!” It turns out of all the thousands who had written their stories in the book I was selected by Ric’s firm to tell my story. Well, that was an honor and it blew my mind. Excitement – I was in my glory and felt like it was

all magic!!

Ric explained the process. I hesi-tated a little since some money facts would be discussed but said okay and I was ready to go. Cameramen and Josie, one of Oprah’s staff pro-ducers, arrived where I was tempo-rarily living in OIB. Part of the in-terview took place in OIB amongst all my household belongings. Then we drove over to where I was going to live in Sandpiper Bay. The house was in its skeleton form. We went out to the back yard taking photos, etc., but then a couple of neighbors were out on the street wondering what the heck was going on. Re-member I didn’t know any neighbors yet and I was told not to say any-

thing to anyone. It cracked me up!

After all the interviewing, Oprah’s travel team flew me to Chicago in early February for a taping that was scheduled to be aired in late Febru-ary, 2001. You know how some-

(Continued on page 2)

• Marcia and Oprah

• Sue Duncan & Curtis Strange

• Congratulations Graduates

• Memorial Day Party Photos

• Pat Hannigan Birthday

• Four Hole-in-Ones

• Steve & Carole Sloat

• Dennis & Carol Lopez

• Jim & Pat McSweeney

• Bob & Nancy DuBosar

• Bill & Nancy Horsley

• New Fire Station Started

• July/August Birthdays

• Recipes by Jackie

• In the Garden with Arlene

• Around Sunset Beach

• World Tour-Part XIII

IN THIS ISSUE SPB RESIDENT REFLECTS ON HER MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE WITH OPRAH

The Sandpiper Sentinel

Marcia Crosby

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times you see chauffeurs with a sign with a name on it as you deplane? There I am … big Crosby sign and I was escorted to a black limo. Ac-commodations were at the Omni Ho-tel in downtown Chicago where

Oprah has many of her guests stay.

In the evening I met up with Ric, his wife and another couple from West Virginia who were to appear on the same show. We had dinner and the next morning all of us were picked up by the limo, taken to Harpo Studios, brought into the famous “green room” with makeup artists “fixing” us up, had refreshments, technical staff putting our microphones on and within a few minutes we were es-corted to the stage area where the audience was waiting for “our grand entrance”. Then in comes Oprah. I think I was first to have my profile introduced. Oprah was reading a couple of facts about me, then, if you remember in those days, she would say “take a look” on the back screen. There I am … the interview in OIB, pictures of my new home, miscellane-ous photos I supplied, doing some cooking, and basically telling the view-ers the way I saved and was being practical, not making much of an in-come, a single parent who went through some hard times, worked two jobs, but I managed to save something. Then she asked me a couple of questions or made com-ments and I “chimed” right in, I was on a roll! Oprah also had a couple of other guests, one a 17 year-old from Canada. She was on her way to be-coming very successful with her sav-

ings.

Now with the taping over, we went back to the Omni for lunch, got our baggage and I flew back home. In those days Oprah did a morning tap-ing (that was us) and an afternoon

taping.

Back in my temporary quarters in OIB (February, 2001) as I was writing

a thank you note to Oprah thanking her for this great opportunity, the phone rings and it is another Oprah producer, Becky. I told her what I was doing and Becky said the Oprah staff would like to have me come back in March, 2001 for another seg-ment. I fell off my chair! I just could-n ’ t be l ie v e th i s! I a sk e d “why?” ( Now remember Oprah’s shows were viewed all over the world!) Apparently the feedback from so many viewers was they wanted to know more about my sav-

ing habits with a meager salary.

Becky and another set of camera-men all converged in early March, 2001 (my present residence was not quite ready for move-in). This time we did the interview in one of the model homes here in SPB. The cam-eramen followed me down to Little River photographing me pumping the cheap gas. We went back to OIB … photo shooting … another one showing me writing and keeping track of money expenses … furnished more photos … then off to Chicago … saw the chauffer at O’Hare who met me with a sign again and off we went to the Omni Hotel. Oh yes, the

front desk remembered me. So funny!

By this time I know the routine, green room thing, what to expect when we are escorted to the stage area. Other guests, along with the author Ric Edelman, was a young fam-ily from Charlotte who got them-selves into debt and talked about ways they got out of it. Another school teacher on a low salary dis-cussed how she invested and was worth close to $1million. Another couple who I knew from northern Virginia, a couple who owned a dry-cleaning business, told how they emp-tied their pockets of change every day and over 19 years was able to save $53,000 for one of their son’s college education. These folks I mention, including me, tell of our different life style habits and the ways we saved.

The various stories were so amazing.

Then in the July, 2001 issue of Woman’s’ World magazine, I was writ-ten up in a financial section along with Ric Edelman. In August, 2001, I was asked to do a phone interview from Seattle, a similar talk show like Oprah’s and again Ric Edelman was

on the show promoting his book.

I’ve got to end this story. It’s got-ten too long; but I wanted to share some of my Oprah memories. I was treated like a queen and it is an ex-perience I will never ever forget.

What a blast!

by Marcia Crosby

(Continued from page 1)

published July/August 2011 The Sandpiper Sentinel

Marcia Crosby

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JULY

1 Susan Giuffre

5 Kay Tessein

6 John Clendenin

7 Sandy DeLaCruz, Mike Donovan

Joe Marra, Bill McDonald

8 Brenda Williams

10 Anne Knisley

11 Helen McCormack

12 Karen Joseph

14 John Grossglass

17 Patty Lawton

19 Beth Pethtal

20 Harriett Shirk

22 Rose Bradshaw

24 Bob Hamlin

25 Brenda Noll, Carol Kost

31 Paul Tessein

AUGUST

1 Joe Santini

4 Donna Sleker

5 Frank Brindzik, Linda Montgomery,

Ed Schamp

6 James Massey

7 Ron Mercaldi, Helen Phillips,

Connie Tyler

9 Dan Alsup

12 Susan McDonald

13 Terry Nicholson, Rene Paul

16 Betty McCune

17 Laura Bowman, Pat Denney,

18 Dottie Williams

19 Nancy Green, Ken Schafer

22 Ginny Coats

23 Bruce Ladrick

25 Tom Townsend

26 Barbara Fody

27 Otto Nelke

published July/August 2011

Happy Birthday to you…

The Sandpiper Sentinel

submitted by

Charlotte Brindzik

May Birthday Party at Sandpiper Bay Golf Clubhouse

Back Row – Left to right…..Tony Hanna, Gerri Hanna, Marcia Glynn, Sharon Cooksey, Fran Hecht, Bill Coates, Bob Stern & Hal

Watson.

Front Row – Left to right…..Linda Logan, Marilyn Policastro, Tom Headman & Frank

McCarron

4 published July/August 2011 The Sandpiper Sentinel

Four Sandpiper Golfers hit hole-in-ones

Happy Birthday Dear Pat ...

Pat Hannigan just had a pretty significant birthday in April. Some of the ladies in Sandpiper helped her celebrate this milestone. Pat and a few of her friends were whisked by limo to the Crow Creek Golf Course Clubhouse. About 40 women were there to surprise her. At the end of a delicious lunch and outstanding birthday cakes made by Jean Maultsby, Pat’s husband John (with flowers), Bob Arace and Bob Knisley arrived dressed in 60s period clothes and serenaded her. Pat's husband, her friends and all the male golfers eating lunch at Crow Creek

did a great job singing Happy Birthday.

by Phyllis Roche

Congratulations to Bill Werner who carded his second career hole-in-one May 7th on the par 3, 12th hole at Farmstead Golf Links as playing partners Paul Buis, Peggy Restiano and Bill Morrow looked on as the ball disappeared into the cup.

Then on May 22, 2011, Peggy Restiano got a hole-in-one on the #5 of the Bay Course here at Sandpi-per Bay. Obviously it is a very lucky hole as Gary Orendorf aced the same hole as well on June 11, 2011 using his 5 hybrid.

Another congratulations goes to John Hannigan who aced the #6 on the Sand Course June 11, 2011 using his 7 iron. John said that he has been playing for 50 years and never had a hole-in-one! This one is his third in the past 12 months!

5

Welcome Wagon Visit

Our sincere sympathy to our Sandpiper Bay neighbors

on the loss of their loved ones:

LaRue Dorrell Fowler, age 85, May 28th-wife of Burnie Fowler

Helen Langill-age 68, June 15th-wife of Bob Langill

Josephine Arace-age 102, June 2nd-mother of Bob Arace

published July/August 2011

Around Sandpiper Bay

I truly believe that there MUST be a sign at the en-

trance of the Sandpiper Bay community that reads:

Only ‘wonderful, happy, friendly and fun-loving’ peo-

ple are welcome!!!

The other day I had the pleasure of visiting with Den-

nis & Carol Lopez at their 7621 Dunbar residence.

I rang the door bell and heard from inside the house “Avon Calling”…..then a little laugh. The door opened and there stood Carol with her beautiful smil-ing face. (For those of you who already know Carol…..you know that she ALWAYS has a smile on

her face !!!)

I had a wonderful visit with Dennis and Carol. They come from Middletown, NY. They have been married for 38 years and have a son, Matthew and a daugh-ter, Lindsay, who is married with a daughter Carly,9. Dennis is retired from a State of Corrections position and Carol is retired from the NY State Court System. They purchased their Sandpiper home back in 2004. Though they are not quite ‘permanent’ resi-dents here in Sandpiper…..their goal is to soon be-

come one.

Both Dennis & Carol enjoy golfing. Carol also loves to cook and read. Dennis wants to take up fishing

from off of one of our wonderful piers in the area.

Please make sure when you next see the Lopez’s, to give them a great big “WELCOME TO SANDPIPER

BAY” greeting!!!

by Char Godfrey Welcome Wagon Committee

The Sandpiper Sentinel

Change in Charges for Residents’ Center

As was announced at the March 31st board meeting, a revision in the rental charges for the Residents’

Center was made. Residents wanting to rent the center for a private event will be charged $100. as a

damage/excessive cleaning fee. This fee is refundable after an inspection. Non-residents wanting to rent

the center for a private event will be charged $150. This fee is non-refundable.

6 published July/August 2011

Sue Duncan & Curtis Strange

The Sandpiper Sentinel

I n May of this year, Curtis Strange was here at Sand-piper Bay Golf Course to promote Golf Day which is in conjunction with the PGA Free Lesson Month

promotion and Play Golf America where he hosted junior and adult clinics. Sandpiper resident Sue Duncan got to meet the golfer whom she had followed since the early 1980’s. Mike Donovan was kind enough to share Sue’s story with me and include a handwritten note Curtis

Strange sent to him:

Harriett,

When we lived in northern Virginia, Sue went to the Kemper Open every year from about 1983 to 2002 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. Many of those years Curtis Strange was one of the players that she would watch. When she heard that Curtis was coming here she wanted to go see him; however, her health had been deteriorating so she could no longer walk by the time he came for the event at Sandpi-per Bay. I decided that we could see him from afar by taking her in her wheelchair to the veranda at the clubhouse. I be-lieve Gordon Coulson told Mr. Strange that one of his admirers

was at the clubhouse. He came up with Tim and Richard, gave Sue a big hug and signed her hat. (Although he is a Nike Rep, her hat was a Cobra hat). He asked me to send him a picture and he sent back a note. He was a real class act and

it brightened her day! Mike

Sue Duncan & Curtis Strange on the veranda at

Sandpiper Bay Golf Course Clubhouse

as shared with

Harriett Shirk

by

Mike Donovan

7 published July/August 2011

The Sandpiper Sentinel

Memorial Day Party at

Resident’s Club

Photos by Harriett Shirk

Monday, July 4th 4-7pm

Resident’s Center and Pool Area

HOSTS: Jim and Janice Wyckoff

Hot dogs, burgers, fixins and dessert

Provided by Lifestyle Committee

Bring a dish to share

Food will be served around 5:30PM