Rand - Surf City & Topsail Island, N.C. Local Knowledge, International Marketing

We participated in the 53rd annual holiday parade in Jacksonville, N.C. on Saturday, November 22nd. The weather was COLD! The temperature when we left our office in Surf City on Topsail Island was a crisp 25 degrees! Now, we know that for some of you, that may be shorts and T shirt weather but here on Topsail, those temperatures are out of the ordinary for November. Our new office in Jacksonville opened last week and our colleagues there built a float for the parade, which WON Best in the Amateur Division! Pete Barber entered his Cobra and we, the Rand Burchfield Real Estate Group, put the moving truck to good use, as well. This time, Kathy drove (thank goodness, only required to do so in a straight line), Judy Carlton, Linda Blackburn and our Bichons, Pearl and Lilly rode along. Bob Ramsey and I walked in front, so we had a good representation. The parade was huge!!

After the parade, we toured the office at 2445 Onslow in Jacksonville and talked with some of the agents being based there. Then, off to lunch! If you are looking for "home style" cooking and you are in Jacksonville, turn left or right onto Onslow Drive (wave at our newest office, or stop in and say hi) and go two blocks. You cannot miss the big letters on the front of the building that say "HILDA'S". If you are there on a Saturday or Sunday, ask for Arlene to be your wait person. The food is great and the atmosphere, comfortable.

We have been graciously welcomed to Jacksonville by the community and look forward to a long and happy association.

Thanks, Jacksonville for a great holiday parade experience!

The Rand Burchfield Real Estate Group, along with Sea Coast Realty sponsored a float in the Holly Festival parade November 1st. Linda Snow, Pete Barber, Mary Williams, Rand Burchfield, Bill Hunt, Judy Carlton, Bob Ramsey, Kathy Burchfield, Cynthia Moxley-Finch and Dot Cotman were either on the float, in the Burchfield moving truck, or in Pete Barber's Cobra, distributing gifts to the people along the parade route. Throughout the day, members of our Surf City office were part of the festival, filling in as ticket takers, Mistress of Ceremonies for the talent show (Linda Snow) or wherever a helping hand was needed. Like to see more photos? Email us for a photo link!

Wow! I hope that wherever you are, the weather was as glorious as it was on Topsail Island today! I heard from a couple of our Facebook friends that it was crisp and clear in many places around the United States.

We have temperate weather in Surf City through most of the year, as our thermometers rarely reach the freezing mark. Now, that is not to say that we never have that kind of weather, just that it happens at points so few and far between, that we forget!

There are a lot of events coming up through the holiday seaon! We need at least a little cold weather to put us into the spirit. The Rand Burchfield Real Estate Group participated in the Holly Festival Parade on November 1st with a float and our moving truck. We sponsored the talent competition, one of the most popular segments of the fest. There are a number of very talented young people in our area! We gave each of the three winners a $ 200.00 cash prize. This was our second year of sponsorship and we are already looking forward to next year's festival.

Next Friday, November 22nd, we will have our team members and our moving truck in the Jacksonville Holiday Parade. Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Realty is opening their new office in Jacksonville next week, so all of the agents and company members from that office will be on a float or marching with us! Topsail Beach has its parade on December 6th and we signed up for that one, too!

Our "Living on Topsail Time" newsletter has a complete calendar of events for the month of November and the first part of December. If you would enjoy reading November's issue, please just click here. Want to receive a copy every month? Just email us with your request!

With grateful thanks to all of our men and women in uniform, both past and present!

We live near Jacksonville, North Carolina, home to Camp LeJeune. Our military men and women are woven into the fabric of our every day life. We see them in uniform, out at sports events, with their families in church, at the post office, in the parks, and out walking their dogs, all of the activities that each of us do throughout the day. The difference is that those men and women, both currently serving and those retired, are called to higher service to their country and stand in our defense. We are proud to salute them and grateful for their sacrifices.

Our dogs, Lilly and Pearl come to the office with us every day. Lilly was adopted when her owner died and Pearl came to us two years ago next March. We feel, as do many, that the presence of dogs in the office benefits us and our agents greatly. Stress levels are reduced and it is quite difficult to stay angry or upset when there are happy faces greeting you!

It is no surprise then, that one of the causes we champion is the Topsail Humane Society and their efforts to build a new facility for their No Kill shelter. On Saturday, October 11th - Dogs Rule Holiday - our biannual Junk Yard Dog sale will be held at our offices in Surf City. Proceeds will go to the THS. We will also be accepting blankets, toys and other dog related items for donation to the shelter. Cats are not slighted! Operation TopCat on the island humanely captures and spays feral cats, and places for adoption and fostering the many cats and kittens without homes.

We've said goodbye to two of our dearest friends in the past two months. Bill and Brenda Hunt's soft coated Wheaton Terrier, Sam passed away in August. Just last month, Dot Cotman's Scottish Terrier Buelah was diagnosed with cancer, very advanced and left us. We will miss these two wonderful friends always.

There are many web sites where you can help. One of our favorites is this one, The Animal Rescue Site and it is so easy. Costs you nothing and the animals win!