I’m not sure about y’all, but for me – and for so many people I know and love – 2025 felt like … a lot. I can’t recall a time when I was more excited for the sunshine and color springtime delivers. This issue is a fitting celebration of that intangible feeling: longer days, summer on the horizon and a renewed appreciation for this place we call home.
Our ninth annual Women’s Issue spotlights locals who make this community a more vibrant place to live, work and raise a family. Many moved here from elsewhere – places as far-flung as New York, Texas and Mexico – and chose to put down roots here. They’ve launched businesses, filled essential roles and strengthened the fabric of our towns. Each woman inspires in her own way; you’ll find their stories beginning on page 27.
We’re also excited to introduce a new recurring column, “Landscape Lessons,” where Amy Strunk shares practical advice for getting the most out of your garden as the seasons change. Turn to page 100 for one of her top perennial plant recommendations.
And because spring invites adventure, we’ve rounded up family field trips you can enjoy close to home – whether you’d rather spend the day with animals, escape April showers indoors or tap into your creative side with a hands-on craft or two.
I encourage you to plant your own seeds of joy this season: Volunteer with a local nonprofit, add some native flora to your garden or surprise a neighbor with small act of kindness. As Aristotle once said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”– Morgan Cartier Weston, executive editor
WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT
28 Cheryl Bafford
Principal and CEO, Cheryl Bafford Interior Design
32 Rebecca Dickenson
President and CEO, Chatham Chamber of Commerce
36 Nissa Bennett Wells
Principal, Bonlee School
40 Dr. Stephanie Freese
Veterinarian, Polaris Equine Mobile Veterinary Clinic
44 Karen Dalton
Owner, Dalton Glass Design and Circle City Pilates
48 Selina Lopez
Youth program director, El Vínculo Hispano
52 Sophia Munson
Managing partner, Munson Law Firm
HOME & GARDEN
72 Riverside Retreat
A family turns their dreamy cabin into a getaway for guests
90 In Full Bloom
Word & Plant owner Deena Class cultivates dye plants, curiosity and more at her Pittsboro farm
100 Landscape Lessons
The 2026 Perennial Plant of the Year brings a standout look to North Carolina gardens
FEATURES
18 Vote for the Best of Chatham 2026
Our annual poll returns May 1! Learn how to vote for your favorites.
58 Field Trips
Round up the family and hit the town for these can’t-miss, all-ages activities
104 On the Rise
A closer look at the latest real estate activity, major developments and the projects poised to shape our community’s next chapter
DEPARTMENTS
6 Letter from the Executive Editor
8 Out & About
8 events you won’t want to miss
12 Get Out of Town
Top Triangle events this season
16 In Memoriam: Clyde Jones, 1937-2025
Community remembrances of Bynum’s late folk artist
20 Who’s Who in County Government
Chatham County District 1 Commissioner Karen Howard
PEOPLE & PLACES
110 Chatham Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting
111 Chatham County’s Employee of the Year
112 Chatham Artists Guild exhibition opening
114 Chatham Women’s Exchange
116 79°West Breakfast Club
