71A_RunningDeer_newsarticle_20011212

4/30/2020 Operator has built a future on top of Running Deer Landfill - News - Wilmington Star News - Wilmington, NC
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Operator has built a future on top of Running
Deer Landfill
By Chris Mudarri / Star -News Correspondent
Posted Dec 12, 2007 at 12:01 AM
Updated Dec 12, 2007 at 7:08 AM
Hillenbrand was in the lawn maintenance and landscaping business when his life
took a turn. He had bought goats from the previous property owner, Clyde
Wiscarver, and the two became friendly and eventually Wiscarver offered to sell.
That was in 2002.
The site was originally for hunting, Hillenbrand said. Wiscarver started using it
for his own debris, then for that of a few others. By the time the new owner took
over, the landfill had patrons on a regular basis.
"It's word of mouth," said Hillenbrand of his advertising scheme.
Six months after the deal was made, Hillenbrand left lawn care. The building
boom had started in the area and business took off.
He and his father, also Chuck Hillenbrand, work the landfill together, along with
their canine companion, Roo.
"My father's the backbone, the bulldog," said the younger Hillenbrand. "He
doesn't let nothing by him. He's got that sixth sense.
"lDccasionally, people try to sneak in, but Dad keeps an eye out.
"The day after he retired he took the weekend off and that was it. He came to
work for me. He's here seven days a week and he's never took a day off."
Roo showed up two years ago, a stray that appreciated being fed.
The site contains two landfills. Running Deer takes mostly vegetative debris, but
also accepts concrete and untreated wood. Hillenbrand collects the concrete in
hopes that one day he will find someone to crush it for his road.
Filling is done in tiers. A retention pond was created to obtain needed soil for
this process.
Customers bring debris to the top and the Hillenbrands push it over the end.
They must separate any metal beforehand. The fill can go as high as 50 feet, and
the Hillenbrands estimate it approaches 40 by now.
Times have changed since Hillenbrand first bought the land.
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4/30/2020 Operator has built a future on top of Running Deer Landfill - News - Wilmington Star News - Wilmington, NC
"Now business has dropped off more than 50 percent," he said. He speculates the
reasons are the cost of fuel and that construction in the area has waned.
"But it'll be back, I figure two years," he said. "I think we're just going through a
cycle. We got the coast."
Hillenbrand chooses to drive his 2001 Toyota Corolla around the property now
to conserve gas. He only uses his truck to carry fuel for off road equipment.
So Running Deer Landfill is more peaceful than usual lately.
But there are still customers, and still company besides Roo. A logging business
rents 3 1/2 acres near the entrance, and the previous owners have retained
lifetime hunting rights.
The adjacent horse farm, Desperado, lets Hillenbrand's wife, Lynn, and daughter,
Madeline, ride the horses in exchange for the privilege of roaming the 103-acre
property.
What with the drought, former lawn care specialist Hillenbrand has been letting
the horses graze on his property, too.
He said it keeps the grass mowed.
HIDE CAPTION
Chuck Hillenbrand, owner of Running Deer Landfill takes in the view from what may bethe highest point in Pender County. -Photo
Chris Mudarn
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