Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

For 25 years, Damien McCullor, of Hyde County, has been without his original class ring from Mattamuskeet High School. Until Pooh Woolard, of Pinetown uncovered it near a basketball court in Swan Quarter with help from his metal detector. 

Woolard found the ring in late September and has since notified McCullor’s family to whom it was returned on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Woolard knew it was McCullor’s because his name was inscribed on the inside. 

When asked how the ring might have ended up at the basketball court, McCullor wrote, 

“Occasionally family and friends will get together and play basketball at the school.  It was one of the few places nearby that had a full cement court.  We would remove items that could cause injury in the fray.  Afterwards when I went to retrieve the ring, I couldn’t find it anywhere. I mean everyone was looking for it, and still to this day, I don’t understand how we were unable to find it.  I just assumed that it was stolen.” 

McCullor lost the ring in 1999. 

McCullor enlisted in the U.S. Navy then shipped off a few days after graduating from Mattamuskeet High School in 2000. He spent the next 13 years of his life in the Navy. He got out, completed 18 months of college then served nine years with the U.S. Air Force. He retired on April 28 after serving a total of 22 years. He is currently pursuing a career in information technology and living in Hawaii. 

McCullor’s gold class ring has a Carolina blue gemstone on top – his favorite color. On either side, a dragon and a traditional martial arts uniform are engraved. When asked if he did martial arts, McCullor wrote, “Not at all, just wanted to be unique.  While selecting, I assumed that the majority were going to choose either the basketball or football engraving.” 

McCullor actually has two class rings. He had a replacement ring made; however he lost that one, too. Woolard found the original, he wrote. “I ended up losing the second as well, but it was on a naval ship that was deployed in the Persian Gulf.  Good luck finding that one.”

McCullor wrote that it is a “wonderful” feeling knowing his original class ring has been returned to his family. “I was home earlier this year, in February to be exact. I probably won’t be back for another year or two. It was the first time being back in the states since 2010. I went home to see my father Gene Auther McCullor who passed away on the 20th of March. Till the day I left for the military he would always remind me about losing that ring.  The only thing that would have been better is if he was there for the return.”

Woolard, too, said it’s a “wonderful” feeling when he is able to return an heirloom item to a family. He said it’s the best thing about metal detecting. 

Woolard has “always” been interested in metal detecting, but in 2020 he started dedicating more time to the hobby. During the pandemic, Woolard taught classes at Northeast Elementary and coached all three sports; however, he had more time in the afternoons. He wanted to spend that extra time outdoors. 

Woolard retired in June from Northeast Elementary where he spent the last 30 years teaching, coaching, being the Athletic Director, doing field maintenance and driving the bus to every away game. 

“I wasn’t going to sit there and play on the computer. I’ve got to be outside,” Woolard said. “I used to like to fish, but this is like what you would call dirt fishing.” 

He and Murdoch Green go metal detecting in Beaufort and Hyde Counties. Woolard metal detects at Atlantic Beach when on vacation. 

Woolard was able to contact McCullor’s mother through contacts at Mattamuskeet High School. McCullor’s mother, according to Woolard, said, “I didn’t even know he lost that thing.” 

“When I got up with him, I was like ‘dude, I hope I didn’t get you in trouble, but you’re mom didn’t even know you lost it,’” Woolard laughed. 

Most of the time, Woolard’s metal detector indicates a bottle cap is nearby. Woolard typically moves through those areas quickly; however, in September, when his metal detector indicated a bottle cap was nearby, something told him to dig deeper. That’s when he found McCullor’s class ring. 

“I was getting bored, and it wasn’t beeping and I was like, ‘well, I’ll get down and dig this bottle cap up’ and when I dug it up it was [McCullor’s ring],” Woolard said. “Any time you think you know what you’re doing, it throws you a curveball.” 

Woolard and Green like to metal detect around historic schools, but on occasion they will go to a nearby home or land owner, show them what was found and ask if any of it belongs to them or has sentimental value. 

Woolard enjoys uncovering silver coins the most. He and Green call themselves “coin liberators” as they “liberate” or free coins from the dirt. Woolard tries to spend at least one day a week metal detecting. The remaining days are spent focused on his tree service company.