You can bet on one thing: Kinston’s Mayor BJ Murphy plans to bring a lot to the table at the first Lenoir Community College Foundation Casino Night set for Friday in the school’s Culinary Arts Center. Whether you like to hold ’em or fold ’em, this is sure to be a night to remember.
Murphy is one of nine celebrity dealers who will be showing his hand to guests all over Lenoir County. When the chips are down, Murphy is all in to support the LCC Foundation. He has served Kinston since 2009 as mayor and was chosen the 2011 Young Professional of the Year in Lenoir County.
In 2012, he was selected as one of 13 E.A. Morris Fellowship recipients across North Carolina. He also is on the Lenoir County Transportation Committee.
He said the best educational decision of his life came when he decided to attend LCC for his freshman year. In 2002, he graduated from ECU with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. He is a group benefits specialist with LegalShield.
He and his wife, Jessica Barwick Murphy, who also attended LCC, have two daughters — Gracyn, 4, and Kathryn, 1.
Another celebrity dealer is Debbie Chused. In January 2002, Chused started Coastal Connections Marketing, Inc., a promotional products company.
She is active in community affairs and, in 1992, was presented the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce Athena Award, which recognizes outstanding women in business and society. In 2000, she was chosen Kinston-Lenoir County’s Citizen of the Year.
Chused is on the board of directors for the Committee of 100, Caswell Foundation, BB&T and Westminster United Methodist Church. She was past campaign co-chairman and president of the Lenoir County United Way, co-chairman of Relay for Life for three years, vice chairman for the Lenoir County Airport Commission, president of the Boys and Girls Club and board member for 13 years, and a board member of the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce for six years.
Married to Paul Chused for almost 25 years, the couple has three children and six grandchildren. She is the daughter of Pat and Rocky Rockenhauser, and her hobbies include playing with grandchildren, traveling, kayaking, swimming, golfing, taking pictures and being with friends and family.
Native Kinstonian Bobby Merritt is another celebrity dealer. By day, he is the director of Customized Industry Training for LCC in Lenoir, Greene and Jones counties.
He is also a Kinston city councilman and serves on the Lenoir County Economic board, Community Council for the Arts board, Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce board, Pride of Kinston Incubator Board, and a charter board member for the N.C.-Aerospace Alliance.
He is a member of the Lenoir County Manufacturers Association, the Kinston Evening Rotary Club and the Lenoir Committee of 100. He and his wife, Alison, have three children — Ramsey, Jeremy and Blaire.
Merritt has been playing the guitar for more than 40 years, and nearly 30 years with the Ray and Bobby Band. He says he intends to play for 30 more years and loves traveling with his wife in their motor home, playing golf and especially spending time with his family.
Celebrity dealer Ed Mills retired from LCC as the dean of student services after 33 years of service. He worked many of those years in the Continuing Education Division.
He is a member of the Greater Mount Zion Church.
He and his wife, Carolyn, have three children — Kathy, Michelle and CJ.
Other celebrity dealers include Bobby Taylor of Greene Ridge Racquet Club of Snow Hill, Lenoir County Parks & Recreation Director Bill Ellis, John Marston with Northeastern Mutual Insurance, Kinston City Manager Tony Sears and Rochelle Middle School Principal Nick Harvey.
Tickets are $50 per person, which includes admission to the event, beverages and hors d’oeuvres, gaming floor and silent auction registration number. LCC anticipates a full house, so purchase your tickets early. All proceeds benefit the LCC Foundation Scholarship Program.
Prizes for the evening include an Apple iPad, $350 value; golf package, $500 value; two $500 cash prizes; VIP bluegrass package featuring Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent, $250 value; and a set of Michelin tires, $600 value.
Other prizes include a tennis package, dinner with a DJ from the WRNS Morning Team, a makeover package, a weekend at the beach, horse riding lessons, teeth whitening session, a photo session and 11- by 14-inch portrait, half day charter fishing trip, free rent for an event at the LCC Culinary Arts Center, a month of personal self-defense classes at Stroud’s School of Martial Arts and uniform, a Valentine package featuring dinner at Chef and the Farmer and dessert at The Peppered Cupcake and flowers, two sets of pearls and dinner at Lou Lou’s Oyster Bar, and more.
Event sponsors include: Cutter Creek Golf Club, Kinston Country Club, Greene Ridge Racquet Club, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar “Skip” Green, Halcyon Stables, WRNS 95.1, Down East Guide Service, Vick’s Cleaners, The Hair Gallery, The Face Place, Eubanks Tanning, Pizza Hut, The Galaxy of Sports, Potter Photography, Lou Lou’s Oyster Bar, Kinston Dental Associates, Davis Wholesale Tires, The Chef and the Farmer, The Peppered Cupcake, Lynn’s Hallmark and Stroud’s School of Martial Arts.
Tickets are limited. For more information, call LCC Director of Institutional Advancement Jeanne Kennedy at 252-233-6812.
Casino Night
7 to 10 p.m. Friday
Culinary Arts Center
Lenoir Community College
Tickets: $50 per person
Info: Sherry Irsik, 252-233-6865 or sirsik@lenoircc.edu