SLN January

Section B
Community Scene
Seven Lakes News January Edition Section B 1
Sandhills Collision Center
Now Open In Seven Lakes
Sandhills Collision Center is now open
for business. Tim and Susie Read of
Seven Lakes recently purchased the
former Seven Lakes Body Shop and
have upgraded the facility to give
customers a pleasant and professional
experience from start to fi nish.
Tim Read
Tim Read grew up in Southern
Pines and attended Pinecrest High
School. In the years before returning,
Read owned and operated his
own body shop and trucking companies
in Florida and Arizona. Since
2014, Read’s roots became deeply
embedded in Moore County as he
returned to be near his mother, a
Whispering Pines resident and met
and married his wife, Susie. Susie,
is a Digital Learning Coach for
Montgomery County Schools. She
previously worked as a band and
orchestra director for Moore County
Schools. Together the couple have
six children and two grandchildren.
Tim is an A-Tech and certifi ed auto
body technician. He worked for a local
body shop as a technician before
managing a couple of large corporate
Body Shops. When the opportunity
to purchase Seven Lakes Body
Shop became a reality, the Reads
decided to seize the opportunity.
“I love living in Seven Lakes, and I
want to provide excellent service for
its residents,” said Read. “I have had
the opportunity to be trained in some
excellent processes. I have also had
the experience of managing large,
effi cient body shops. I bring all of
that experience into this business.”
Sandhills Collision Center has a Chief
state-of-the-art frame straightening
system with precision measuring. According
to Read, “The frame machine
enables us to handle the big hits that
can damage the integrity of a vehicle.”
The business also has a new
eco-friendly paint booth. “We have
installed a brand new paint booth
and paint system,” said Read. “We
also have experience in boat and RV
body repair. My years in Florida provided
ample opportunities to work
with fi berglass, especially on boats.
Brett Perry is the shop manager and
has been living in the Seven Lakes
area with his wife, Vivian, for nine
years. Perry has extensive experience
in all types of auto bodywork and
painting. Perry and Read met each
other while working together locally
as A-techs. They realized they shared
the same work ethic and vision of
providing professional and excellent
service. The opening of Sandhills
Collison Center provided the perfect
opportunity for the two men to bring
their visions to a reality. Together, the
two men have more than 70 years of
experience in the business. Read’s
mother, also named Susie Read,
works part-time managing the offi ce
of Sandhills Collision Center. An avid
animal lover, you will often fi nd her
Basset Hound, Banjo, by her side.
“Sandhills Collision Center wants
to be known for providing quality
work along with excellent customer
service,” said Read. “The people
in the Seven Lakes area are
our neighbors. Both Brett and I live
here. We take care of our neighbors.
We have a clean, friendly, welcoming
offi ce. We would love to have
our neighbors stop by for cup of
coffee and introduce themselves.”
The shop is located on Village
View Drive, which is the fi rst left
turn past Seven Lakes Marine.
Susan P. Read & Brett Perry
910-673-AUTO (2886)
www.sandhillscollisioncenter.com.
Living an Adventure with No Regrets
Dr. Seuss writes in Oh, The Places
You’ll Go!, “You have brains in your
head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction
you choose. You’re on your own. And
you know what you know. And YOU are
the one who’ll decide where to go...”
Dan Pieroni has lived a life of adventure.
From holding the record for being
the oldest man to run 100 mile Ultra
Marathons to living alone for months
at a time on the tundra of Alaska, Dan
has made many memories and says
“at some point I will no longer be able
to do as I like to do, so I will go on as
long as I can and I have no regrets.”
Mr. Pieroni is someone who has
worked very hard in his life and has
been able to support his family, wife
and four children, retire at the age of
47 and turn in his medical license to
live a life of travel, exploration and
volunteering. Dan fi nds peace when
he is with nature. He says, “When you
are alone and away from society it is
just you and God. You have no choice
but to really fi nd yourself one with
Him and see the beauty around you.”
Mr. Pieroni is a retired Ophthalmologist.
After retiring, he moved his family
to Hilton Head, SC and then to the Seven
Lakes West Community in 1996.
He spends half of his year in Seven
Lakes West and the other half
as a resident of Alaska. While
in Seven Lakes he has been a
Guardian ad litem, representing
the voice of children of need.
He has served as a volunteer for
First Health Hospice being a friend
and gentle shoulder for those who
know the end was near. In 1997, he
found a need to create a better environment
for the aquatic life in the
lakes of Seven Lakes so he began
the Lake Auman Sportsman Club.
He provided Christmas trees around
the lakes to help cultivate the barriers
needed for fi sh to grow in number
for the residents and guests
of Seven Lakes to be able to enjoy
an additional sport alongside Golf.
While in Kodiak, Alaska Dan lives on
a modest fi shing boat named “Esqueyer”
and enjoys all the beauty
Alaska has to offer. Hiking, fi shing,
and climbing mountains are just
a few of the activities Dan enjoys.
Just before retiring Mr. Pieroni took
several corneas with him to Alaska
and performed eye transplants
for residents in need. He even has
a picture of a hand drawn horse
from a client who once was blind
but after surgery is now able to see.
Dan’s basement is a retreat in itself,
with medals, awards and gifts
from previous staff members. All
of the items precisely placed in
his home have a story, a memory
of the joy he had and continues to
have in his life. I liken Mr. Pieroni
to a modern day Forrest Gump.
Though he is extremely bright, he
is incredibly humble in all of his accomplishments
through life. He got
into medical school in three years
instead of four, started his own practice
and insisted on having one waiting
room during a time when two
separate rooms were preferred and
retired at age 47 and has been able
to continue to volunteer and give
back to his community and stay active
and healthy for all of these years.
Now 77 years old, Mr. Pieroni is unsure
of how many trips he will have left going
to live in Alaska. But one thing is
for certain, he has created a legend.
With “more behind me than in front
of me” Dan says, “I have no regrets,”
and smiles as he speaks of the many
accomplished adventures of his life.