A Wilmington brewery was one of 10 recipients of the North Carolina Coastal Federation’s annual Pelican Awards, which were announced last week. Ten awards were presented to people, community associations, businesses and government agencies for their contributions that protect and restore the coast and make the coast a great place to live, visit, work and play.
Wrightsville Beach Brewery, which opened in 2017, was be recognized for “Exceptional Business Engagement, Promotion and Support for North Carolina’s Coast.” Jud Watkins, his wife, Amber, and mother, Pam, opened the brewery to pair their love of oysters and North Carolina seafood with a locally brewed beer. The event was held at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City on July 28, the year’s most outstanding coastal stewards were recognized for their efforts.
At the brewery, they have incorporated native plants and stormwater reduction systems into their property. They also donate a percentage of their “beer of the month” profits to local nonprofits each month, including the federation.
“We couldn’t be more honored to receive this award from such a tremendous organization,” said Watkins. “It’s a great partnership: we love oysters and who does more for preserving the future of North Carolina oysters than the Coastal Federation?”
Two awards recognized work that benefits the entire coast and state of North Carolina. These were given to Dr. Detlef Knappe, professor at North Carolina State University, and Tom Earnhardt, producer and writer of the UNC-TV show ‘Exploring North Carolina.’
Knappe was awarded recognition for “Expert Research and Enduring Commitment to Clean and Safe Drinking Water.” Knappe and his team have been at the forefront of the GenX issue, as they discovered high concentrations of several industrial compounds nearly five years ago in the Cape Fear River.
Since then, Knappe’s dedication to sharing his findings with the public has been a key component in making sure all people in North Carolina have access to clean and safe drinking water.
“It is a great honor to receive a 2018 Pelican Award for our work on GenX,” said Knappe. “Avoiding future disasters requires cooperation and coordination. Protection of public health should be tantamount in this coordinated effort, but we have had some success with GenX using elements of cooperation among researchers, regulators, policy makers and industry.”
Tom Earnhardt was rewarded for “Dedicated Leadership and Commitment to Public Awareness and Education About the North Carolina Coast.” Earnhardt has featured the work of the federation and its partners on several episodes of ‘Exploring North Carolina.’ He has dedicated his career to educating the public about North Carolina’s natural resources, including the state’s beautiful coast.
“These winners inspire and motivate all of us to take better care of coast,” said Todd Miller, executive director of the federation. “Their work makes our state and coast a better place for people, fish and wildlife.”
Other organizations from around the state recognized at this year’s event include East Carolina University’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, Carteret County Chamber of Commerce and its Leadership Carteret program, and the Town of Holden Beach in partnership with the Dunescape Property Owners Association and the Holden Beach Property Owners Association. Tom and Vickie Byers, Lynne Foster, Anne Terry, and Tom Turner all received awards for their individuals efforts as well.
The North Carolina Coastal Federation is a nonprofit membership organization that works to keep the coast of North Carolina a great place to live, work and play. Through a variety of programs and partnerships, the federation provides for clean coastal waters and habitats, advocates to protect the coast and teaches and informs people about the coast and what they can do to protect it.
The federation has offices in Ocean, Wanchese and Wrightsville Beach, N.C. To learn more, please visit nccoast.org or call (252) 393-8185.
