By Maggie Beamguard
Insider Editor
Anchored in the community, the Seven Lakes Insider reports on the people, places and interests of greater Seven Lakes. The new year gives us an opportunity to look back at the breadth and depth of the stories we covered in 2025.
This year’s highlights create a picture of a community in transition as major, state-funded projects permanently change the look and feel of this small hamlet. An enterprising community, Seven Lakes residents invest in creating new and expanding old businesses. Ultimately, the community might best be defined by its generosity as indicated by the many opportunities to give back to others. Here are seven stories for Seven Lakes.
Abundance of Generosity
One of the most abiding themes throughout this year was generosity. At every turn there were opportunities to make an impact locally and abroad
Volunteers flipped flapjacks at the 10th Annual Women of Seven Lakes Holiday Breakfast which raised money for many local organizations. Kiwanians also heated up their skillets for its 40th-something annual fundraiser to help local school children.
At West End Presbyterian Church, neighbors packed tens of thousands of meals with Rise Against Hunger that were delivered to Ukraine. Music floated through the fall air at Rubicon Farm connecting donors in attendance with a ministry across the ocean, Haiti, Help and Hope.
Golfers got in a couple of good rounds for good causes at Seven Lakes Golf Club which hosted fundraising events for Camp Royall and the Autism Society of North Carolina and the Alzheimer’s Association’s Longest Day fundraiser.
And someone was welcomed by Ciara Sheerin and her team at 7 Sparrows, a new nonprofit boutique providing free clothing, home goods, toys and food. Ongoing donations from community members support the organization.
These and many other opportunities, large and small demonstrate the generous heart of Seven Lakes for neighbors near and far.
Paving the Way Forward
Hundreds of orange barrels appeared overnight last spring, lining a seven-mile stretch of N.C. 211 from N.C. 73 to Holly Grove School Road. They signaled the arrival of the final phase of the road’s long-anticipated widening. The N.C. Department of Transportation enterprise has occupied the attention of residents and business owners, especially those positioned in or near the right of way, since drawings were first submitted for feedback in 2017.
In April, The Greater Seven Lakes Council, composed of the presidents of the three homeowners’ associations, the president of the Business Guild and Moore County Commissioner Nick Picerno invited representatives from the DOT and Moore County Public Works to a community meeting at Seven Lakes Baptist Church. Matt Kitchen, an engineer with the local DOT division office, has been the key liaison to the HOAs during the right-of-way acquisitions and the land clearing phase of the project. He was joined by Travis Morgan, the local office’s construction engineer who will spearhead the project going forward.
The DOT awarded a $42.7 million contract to S.T. Wooten to construct the widened road. The contract has an interim completion of Oct. 1, 2027 for all work with the exception of final plantings and permanent vegetation. The final landscape is estimated for completion by March 2028, a year before the USGA re-stages back-to-back U.S. Open and Women’s Open in Pinehurst.
For the next two years, commuters have a front-passenger seat to the daily changes in the landscape as heavy equipment reshapes the sandy soil to meet the demands of growth. The first asphalt hit the ground in August in front of West End Elementary School. Administrators of the school which ceded about 80 feet from their road front, have created safety processes and procedures to accommodate the changes. Seven Lakes drivers have discovered alternative routes to avoid delays.
Pipeline to Growth
Tied to the widening of N.C. 211, but significant in its own right, is the plan to extend public sewer to Seven Lakes. Homes and businesses in the area with a population of approximately 8,000 currently rely on individual septic systems.
A sewer line from Pinehurst along N.C. 211 through the Seven Lakes business district is being installed concurrently with the construction to widen the road to four lanes.
The project is made possible through a $15 million grant incorporated into the state budget and American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.
The plan requires wastewater be pumped down N.C. 211 toward Pinehurst, where it will be collected and sent to Pinebluff to be treated. The county initially plans to supply Grant Street and McDougall Drive with sewer.
Following the natural topography of the area directs sewage collection down gravity lines that flow behind the Food Lion and West End Elementary School.
Engineers are working with the school district to locate a pump station behind the school where a wetland area flows. The collected sewage will travel from the station down a 10-inch force main from the pump eastward toward Pinehurst.
The design has been created by the local engineering firm LKC. The county expects the sewer work to finish along the same timeline as the road widening. Hookups will be voluntary and those using the county sewer line will be responsible for connection fees and monthly usage fees. There is no plan to extend sewer service to the residential areas of Seven Lakes North, South or West.
When finished, West End and Seven Lakes will have a critical piece of public infrastructure needed to support increased commercial development west of Pinehurst.
The Great Outdoors
The temperate climate of the Sandhills attracts snow birds to Moore County where locals already know how good they have it. Looking to capitalize on the eagerness to enjoy the outdoors, local businesses and residents have maximized.
After 13 years in Seven Lakes, Casa Santa Ana (168 Grant St.) added an outdoor patio. It is an upgrade Fernando Ventura said was always part of his original plan but was delayed due to permitting issues. Guests can enjoy tacos and margaritas under the warmly lighted pergola, which opened to great fanfare and a live mariachi band on Sept. 6. It features fans for hot weather and curtains for cold days.
On the other side of West End, travellers along N.C. 211 watched the progress of the new outdoor living space, The Patio, designed by Jeremy Rust, owner of LDIG, (5615 N.C. 73, West End). Neighbors, friends and family members got an up close view of the 30,000-square-foot, interactive outdoor living display at a festive grand opening in November. The space showcases high-end hardscaping, a custom pool, outdoor kitchen and gathering areas while also serving as a community event space for classes and hands-on learning. Meant to inspire homeowners, the installation celebrates LDIG’s 10th anniversary.
Also getting into the outdoor game are the members of the Seven Lakes Garden Club which kicked off its 36th program year in the fall. The first meeting on Oct. 18, 1990 included a presentation on planting bulbs.
Learning and fellowship has continued for over three decades. Through entertaining speakers, field trips and hands-on activities such as pruning community common areas or planting flowers with local school children, the garden club brings out the beauty of Seven Lakes.
Pickleball Powerhouse
Katie Carpenter, co-owner of The Racquet Club of Seven Lakes and the Pickle Place, was drafted in the summer to play in the inaugural season of the United States Legends Pickleball League. The senior pro league is for players aged 50 and older.
She earned the spot after finishing second overall at the league’s combine in Richmond, VA, competing against around 140 players. Carpenter plays for the Florida Royals.
The East-Coast league features 12 teams with seven men and seven women each, and showcases elite players with national experience.
A longtime tennis pro who grew up playing on Seven Lakes courts, Carpenter has embraced pickleball for its accessibility and social atmosphere, opening Moore County’s first indoor pickleball facility, The Pickle Place in 2024 with partner, Canyn Russell.
The league’s inaugural season began in September. The championship is scheduled for January in Robbinsville, N.J.
As of mid-December, the Florida Royals (8-3) were ranked third behind the NYC Ballers in second place and The DelRays in first place.
New Ventures Enhance Seven Lakes
A handful of new businesses have added to the local flavor. The interests and needs of Seven Lakes residents are reflected in the entrepreneurial efforts of small business leaders and one national retailer. Supporting local business adds to the community’s vitality and is a shared value of many residents.
Foxfire Village welcomed its first coffee shop with The Foxbrew Coffee House, 2145 Foxfire Rd., Jackson Springs. Denna and Chris Schreiner opened the shop with the goal of creating a cozy gathering space for the community.
The new Sugar and Spice Salon, 980 Seven Lakes Drive, Seven Lakes, was designed with children in mind. Owner and stylist Kasey Jasunt’s personal experience with childhood hair loss inspired the sensory-friendly, colorful space. The salon uses non-toxic products and offers haircuts, mini manies and pedis, themed extensions and party packages.
Over Labor Day weekend, Inspired Living by Blondi, 165 Auman St., opened in Seven Lakes. Owner Lynda “Blondie” Sylvester draws on decades of experience in education and art to help customers make strong decorating choices. The boutique features custom lamps, seasonal decor and creations from local artisans.
Perhaps signaling a different type of growth in the area, national retailer Tractor Supply Co. opened its doors at the corner of N.C. 73 and N.C. 211 in West End. The first big-box store in this area created about 15 jobs and brought a mix of convenience and commercial growth to the historic junction.
Stables Saddle Up Again
The bucolic setting of 7 Lakes Stables on Seven Lakes Drive provides a peaceful backdrop for those making their way through the community. The unique amenity for residents of Seven Lakes North and South provided a wide range of programs for residents of all ages including youth programs, volunteer opportunities, drill team events and open barn days
But this year the stables experienced some significant shifts through periods of loss and transition.
The community said goodbye to Charlie, a beloved 24 year old quarter horse. Known as “the horse who kisses everyone,” he was honored in his final days with a regal farewell and laid to rest in the pasture where he once grazed.
This year also brought significant transition with the resignation of three staff members, effective Nov. 6, prompting a shift in management structure. On Oct. 23, the board approved Wendy Crespo, Heather Guild, Kim Szuch and Anne Turner to serve on a Stables Steering Committee.
Karlie Kivett was hired on Oct. 27 to be the new stables manager. Kivett brings over 23 years of riding and stables management to the role. Olivia Meyer joined the team on Nov. 10 as the program coordinator. Meyer brings over 20 years of stables management, competitive English show and event riding, rider and horse training and veterinary knowledge to the stables program.
Board President Charlotte Kennedy expressed excitement about the new stable staff and the positive energy they bring. “They’re amazing,” she said. “They have so many plans and so many things they want to do. Their energy is contagious.”
A relaunch of the stables’ programs on Dec. 20 at a holiday themed open house and barn lighting provided an opportunity for the organization to start the new year with a fresh saddle.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
