Kitchen Cabinets in Leland, NC

Call it one of the Wilmington area's more unlikely entertainment venues.

Located in a nondescript strip mall behind a Waffle House and a Truist bank off Village Road in Leland, the Gio Fund Event Center offers what might be the most diverse slate of events in Southeastern North Carolina, seven nights a week in some cases.

Over the next month, aside from weekly line dancing (on Mondays), bingo (Wednesdays) and comedy nights (Thursdays), the event center has scheduled performances by the La Big Bouche Cabaret (March 7), a magic show from comic Ken Norris (March 14), Elvis and Kenny Rogers tribute acts (March 20 and 27, respectively) and the Cape Fear Crooners barbershop quartet (April 4).

Beyond comedy, bingo and magic, they've hosted drag shows, and there's even a monthly book club meet-up. Capacity is around 100 for seated performances.

"We have people we see four nights a week," said Chris Rogers, who runs the event center, books the entertainment and even cooks up food in the kitchen.

"I spend a lot of time here," Rogers added, making an early entry for understatement of the year.

That's because the event center, along with the Gio Fund Thrift Shop next door — which Rogers also runs — are both in service of what one might call Rogers' true passion, which is "raising the much-needed funds to help at-risk dogs receive shelter, food and medical care," according to the Gio Fund's website.

"We've put quite a bit into it," Rogers said. "This is our mission."

Named after Gio, a rescue dog that was once part of Chris Rogers' and wife Loretta's family but has since passed away, The Gio Fund describes itself as as a "nonprofit no-kill animal welfare fundraising organization."

Formed in New Jersey in 2011, Rogers moved the Gio Fund to the Wilmington area in 2016, opening a thrift shop to fund it across Village Road from where they are now in 2017. In 2021 he moved the thrift shop to its current location, adding the event space in the former Eternal Sunshine Cafe.

He's got a dozen or so part-time employees working what Rogers jokingly calls a "paid volunteer gig."

Initially, the idea was just to rent out the event space, and they still host some private parties and other private events. But after operating "in the red" for a while, Rogers said they've now gotten "into the black" by serving up entertainment six or more nights a week, along with a full bar and a range of mostly vegetarian food he cooks up himself.

Lights dangle from the ceiling along one wall, and framed pictures of past performers decorate another.

There's a weekly Taco Tuesday buffet and regular pancake breakfasts. Occasional "dirty bingo" nights give away sex toys as prizes, and most Wednesday bingo nights benefit a different area animal-centric nonprofit.

A bingo crowd of 30 or so on a recent Wednesday was "a little light," Rogers said, as tables of locked-in ladies, and one lone fella, sat marking cards, while others sat playing solo.

Event center bartender and area comedian Rich Nielsen said he's been booking and hosting Thursday's stand-up comedy nights since January, bringing in "blue-chip comics" from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Wilmington and elsewhere.

"We're hoping it's going to pay off," he said. "It's all for the animals."

Nielsen said live music has been a draw, and predicted that an upcoming show by vocal group Shades of Grey, which features singers of a certain age, "Is going to be mobbed."

Most comedy nights, which start with seven or so five-minute open mic spots followed by the headliner, have been well-attended, Nielsen said, although one lightly attended night had a comic good-naturedly joking, "I could've booked a cruise, but instead I'm at a strip mall in Leland."

Rogers said all of the event center profits go toward opening a no-kill shelter he said is the Gio Fund's ultimate goal. He also wants to open a heartworm treatment center as well.

Membership cards for the Gio Fund Event Center are $30 for a year and include various discounts at the event center and thrift shop. Patrons can also purchase what Rogers called "nightly memberships" for individual events.

March 12, 2026Updated March 13, 2026, 1:09 p.m. ET

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

A smile inevitably formed on the faces of neighbors when they saw two young children, a 3-year-old girl and a 1 1/2-year-old boy, full of joy, playing in their front yard.

"They were the sweetest little kids that there were," said Rachael Post, who lives nearby.

An early morning fire claimed the lives of both children at their home on Grist Creek Wynd in Brunswick County on March 12, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

In addition to the two lives lost, two adults and a surviving child were taken to a hospital, according to a Northwest Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department captain.

Neighbors said those adults are the children's parents.

The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office had requested assistance at the scene of the fire, said the SBI.

The Northwest Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department was paged to a structure fire with entrapments at approximately 5:34 a.m., according to a Facebook post. The department said three engines were deployed and arrived at the scene within minutes along with mutual aid departments. The fire was brought under control at approximately 6:14 a.m., said the department.

Rosemary Martinez lives directly across the street from the home that suffered the devastating fire. "I had called 911 when I heard mom holler, 'My babies are still in there!'" said Martinez.

Martinez said her husband and son tried to rescue the young children from the devastating blaze "but it was engulfed to the extent that they couldn't even get in."

Neighbors said the children's devoted grandfather, who lives in a camper next door, was uninjured and tried to help as well.

The day of the fire also happened to be the young girl's third birthday, said Martinez.

"I just watched (her) out there yesterday learning to ride on the scooter and playing on it and having a good time while grandpa was watching," Martinez said. "And (the) little (boy), the cutest little smile in the world."

The SBI said no additional details were available.

Meanwhile, a fundraising campaign to help the family is rapidly approaching its goal. A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $26,000 as of March 13. The goal is $40,000.

"It is very hard to believe, you know," Post said. "It really is because you hear of all the fires happening, but nothing, you know, so close to home, involving people so young or that you know. All I know is they were beautiful children that were, you know, very much loved by their grandpa and everybody they met."

Standing at her side door and glancing across the street at the devastating scene, Martinez explained she is close to the family.

"It's a great loss," she said. "It's nothing but a tragedy. It's heartbreaking knowing that I will sit on my front porch and won't ever see those two smiling faces."

Bob Liepa is the city of Wilmington and public safety reporter for the StarNews. You can reach him at [email protected].